Mosley's Cafe

     The Bay Area is full of great cafes and gourmet roasts for the coffee enthusiast. There's literally something for everyone in terms of price, flavor, variety, and atmosphere, and Mosley's Café in Alameda has an atmosphere unlike any other.
     The tiny and new open-air café is located at the back of the Grand Marina Harbor Master's building, so it is literally over the water of the Oakland-Alameda estuary with unrestricted views of the water, downtown Oakland skyline and Coast Guard Island. You order at an outdoor counter and can sit at a two-seat table or at a bar facing the water.
     My sister and I enjoyed our morning coffee while watching rowing teams and sail boats pass. A few loons were fishing nearby, and two sea lions even poked their heads up to say hi. The cushioned stools at the bar were comfy, the staff was super friendly, and the coffee and pastries were delish. I had an almond croissant, and my sister had a cinnamon morning bun, but beyond a good variety of pastries, the menu includes a variety of crepes, gluten-free goodies, and sandwiches. The café doesn't serve espresso drinks, but the pour over coffee is rich and yummy. You can also choose from a large variety of teas, and they have hot coco, Italian soda, and juice.
     What also makes Mosley's special is that it's local, and it's small. According to their website, Cristin Barnes-Shea started the café because there was nowhere close for residents and visitors of Grand Marina to get coffee and breakfast. Barnes-Shea writes that it took two years of permit work to get the café on its feet, and I'm sure glad she didn't give up. Mosley's passes on the local love by serving Semifreddi's pastries and Oakland's Blue Bicycle coffee.
     If you want to visit the café, you can find free parking at Grand Marina. You can also boat there! The address is 2099 Grand Street. Mosley's is open from 7 am to 2 pm daily. If you need your morning cup but you're sick of the overcrowded, corporate sameness of chain stores, then Mosley's Café is your Bay Area Miss-Me-Not.

 

 

Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park

     There's no question the Bay Area is becoming a very expensive and crowded place. This makes free activities away from the hustle and bustle all the more important for people who want to relax and have fun while still making rent.

     A little oases I enjoy that allows me to unwind and still feel like I'm not missing out on the wonders of the Bay Area is the Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park. The marina itself provides 1100 berths--a great place to do some boat watching--as well as a public pier that doesn't require a fishing license.

     Cesar Chavez Park, which sits adjacent to the marina, provides large stretches of open grass and hilly terrain, wildlife and bird watching opportunities, and views of San Francisco, the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate Bridge. On a clear day, one can see the Bay Bridge, San Francisco, and the Golden Gate at the same time from the parking turnabout (see photo below).

     The Bay Trail is nearby so the park is accessible by bike as well as vehicle, and parking is free and plentiful. The Dorothy Stegmann Trail, which is 1.25 miles long, runs around the diameter of the park and is paved. The paved path is mostly flat and is wheelchair friendly. And, happily, the park is dog friendly; there's even off-leash--though unfenced!--dog areas.

     My favorite part of visiting the park is doing a little bird and wildlife watching. There are so many birds, in fact, that birdsong is a throbbing, palpable force depending on the time of day. One side of the park belongs to the red-winged blackbird, and these daring individuals often zip over the path right in front of walkers and joggers and forage in the long grass at the path's edge. Another part of the park belongs to the burrowing owl, though I haven't seen one yet. It's also quite magical to watch the Forster Tern hunting for a meal; this bird hovers above the water like a helicopter before diving for its prey. One can also watch ground squirrels sunning themselves on rocks or munching on seed heads in the long grass. On the water, one can see grebes, a variety of ducks, pelicans, and more going about their birdy business.

     The whole park has a wild feel I have found few other places in the Bay Area. It always feels like I'm deep in nature while wandering the park and yet I'm not too far from Berkeley and the freeway, and the park provides such comforts as bathrooms (or rather, port-a-potties), benches ideally placed for the views, and water fountains.

     For those who don't mind spending money on a trip to the marina, there are three restaurants nearby including the Sea Breeze Market & Deli. There is also a Doubletree Hotel on site for Bay Area visitors, and Golden Gate Fields is just down the road for the horse racing enthusiast. In the summer the marina offers classes at its Shorebird Park Nature Center on water activities and marine biology for children up to 16 years old (more here: http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/summer_programs/). Participants can learn about canoeing, sailing, dragon boats, and local wildlife.

     So whether you're a visitor to the Bay Area and need a break from the tourist activities or you're a resident and need a break from the tourists, Berkeley Marina and Cesar Chavez Park are definitely Bay-Area-miss-me-nots.

 

 

Yep, that's the Golden Gate out there.

 

 

San Francisco

 

 

Notice the shipping cranes in the distance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behold, the red-winged blackbird.

 

 On the horizon from left to right, the Bay Bridge (new span in front, old behind), San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge.