I can be an overkill type of guy, which is why I dropped in on Lake Chalet four times last week (Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday)! Hey, it's the latest and greatest in its category of one, being the only eating establishiment on Lake Merritt. The weekend was a blur, as usual, but the highlight was Friday night, when Oakland was ALIVE! Finally, one can call Oakland a nightlife destination. No more one trick pony. Qualifier: The audience I'm speaking to is the "successful, 35+, educated (don't confuse this with college degree), diverse living, Oakland professional-ish" in search of a place(s) to rub elbows with their peers. This "segment" has traditionally found San Francisco attractive for its venues, but unappealing for its distance, lack of diversity, and chill factor. The younger (under 30) audience has always had a variety of places to hang, whether in SF or Oakland.
Friday evening, August 21, 2009

(Lake Chalet seafood bar and grill - Friday Aug 21, 2009, shot via iphone)
This is just the beginning at Lake Chalet. Work continues to finish outfitting its huge outdoor pier area.

1st stop Lake Chalet on Lake Merritt. The place oozes potential. The partially furnished outdoor area opened up that evening, and people didn't hesitate to take advantage of the warm Oakland air. There's a buzz in the air and everyone's checking it out. Next up, a 5 minute drive takes us over to Pican, a relatively new and hugely successful bar, restaurant and lounge in Oakland's increasingly popular "downtown Uptown Broadway hip strip." Now that we're in the "zone," we won't need the car again until the end of the evening.