The very first party I remember attending was my great-grandmother Rose’s hundredth birthday celebration. It was a modest affair, at her apartment on East 10th Street in New York City and, though I couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old, with a pageboy haircut and corduroy pants, I dubbed myself the ‘bartender’, and doled out ginger ale with ice cubes from the cocktail cart. I took great joy in this role - my first foray into the world of hospitality - and I’m pretty sure Grandma Rose had a good time too. 

This Sunday, we hope you’ll join us for another birthday: One Year of OAKLAND YARD! Twelve months goes by awfully fast these days, and I think I can safely say that while Daniel, Glenny, Julia, and I have all worked harder in the last year than we ever have before, it’s really beginning to feel like it’s all come together rather nicely. Thank you all for your continuing support - your loans, laughter, patronage, encouragement, your thoughtful criticism and advice. And thank you especially for filling our place with life; your friendship, shared sorrows and victories keep us feeling valued and connected during what felt like a difficult year for all.

You usually come by here a few at a time, and many of you have met over a glass of wine at the bar, but we’ve not reached a critical mass of dancing and drinking since our grand opening party, and we barely knew you then. Now we know so many of you, some very well, and we’re looking forward to getting you all together to meet the others. I’m not as cute as I was back in the seventies, but my bartending skills are much improved, and will be in effect on Sunday.

THIS SUNDAY, November 5th, from 2 to 6pm, Nokni Oakland and Tacos Oscar will be serving up delicious food, we'll have beer from Temescal Brewing and, of course, you can count on amazing wines and bubbly by the glass and bottle all day here at OAKLAND YARD! House-made sangria too and live, cuban music by Calle Ocho!

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights!: Rhone-style wines - red and white - 4 to 8pm

And this Saturday 11/4: Portuguese Tasting Flights - red, white & bubbly - 2 to 6pm