Last night, we headed to the Kaiser Center in Oakland for the Lake Merritt Uptown & Downtown Oakland Associations' annual stakeholder meeting and awards on its rooftop garden. We caught up with SPUR's Bill Stotler, who tells us he's got a few Oakland office sites narrowed down for SPUR's newest location and hopes to open there by year end. Fun fact about the scenic grounds we were standing on: When Henry J. Kaiser's son lived in a penthouse atop 300 Lakeside Dr, he apparently wanted something pretty to stare down at—hence the rooftop oasis.
Ambassadors, pictured, were also honored for the huge part they play in district services. Droves of local biz within the districts set up booths amidst the flora and fauna, offering pop-up retail shopping to liquor, food and beer tastings. The vendors were there to create a "mini-district" for attendees to sample. (We loved The Layover's plum-infused cocktails.)
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