I tell people I don’t like to travel, but that’s not entirely true. Unfamiliar places can be confusing, and sometimes downright dangerous. I feel sorry for those who look forward to nothing more than their next vacation; how sad to want always to be somewhere else. There’s so much to see right where you are, I say, just look more closely. Emily Dickinson rarely left her bedroom. With a superior air, I echo Ram Dass, suggesting perhaps it would be good for them to simply ‘be here now’. 

But, in fact, the grass is greener in New York today, and it’s nice to see. Unlike the Pacific, the Atlantic Ocean is warm enough for long swims, and the still night air here is alive with sounds of crickets and cicadas. The people-watching here is unparalleled; one cannot imagine the range of styles, and sometimes it’s hard not to laugh at the east coast accents, when you hear “that’ll be two dah-luz” or just the tell-tale one syllable greeting, “Hoi”.

Our identities exist in relation to our surroundings, and when we leave our element, we create ourselves anew, engaging with the unexpected, connecting ideas of who we are with who we have been. I thought I’d enjoyed the heat and humidity of Brooklyn in August. Last week it rendered me exhausted, and slightly nauseous. Have I changed, or just misremembered? A few days ago, I ran into a family friend by chance who knew my grandfather much better than I, and she told me he was a very kind man. That was also my impression, but it felt good to hear from someone else. I look forward to returning to Oakland and the shop, but I’m glad I made it off the block.

In the spirit of travel and the value therein, Oakland Yard features wines from around the globe this week and into the next. This Sunday, wine club members will receive wines from Greece, and we’ll be offering tasting flights not just from California, but also from Argentina and Portugal. And next Thursday, along with Chronicle Books, we’ll be hosting a book release party for A Year Off, written by our world-traveling friends, David and Alexandra Brown. 

TONIGHT: Thursday Night Flights. This evening, we’ll be pouring white wines from California and reds from Argentina. $12 tasting flights from 4-8.

SATURDAY (9/1): Noel Diaz of Purity Wine at OAKLAND YARD! Noel makes some of the most delicious and affordable California wines, using the most basic recipe: no additives - only grapes. And he’s fun to hang out with! Come meet the winemaker this Saturday! $15 flights from 2-5 and wines by the glass until 9.

SUNDAY (9/2): WINE CLUB PICKUP PARTY and Wines of Portugal! Flights open to the public - featuring special guest, importer Rachel Miers. Our good friend and Portuguese wine maven, Rachel, will pour tasting flights of 3 new wines on our shelves: a red, a white and an Oporto. $15 flights from 2-6 and wines by the glass – as always - until 8pm.

OAKLAND YARD will be CLOSED this TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd. Hate to do it, but we all need a break sometimes. Please plan ahead and stop in this weekend or during our special MONDAY Labor Day hours, from 11-4!

And…finally…one week from today, NEXT THURSDAY September 6th from 6 to 8pm Chronicle Books celebrates the release of A Year Off, Alexandra and David Brown’s story about traveling the world, and how to make it happen for you. Meet the charming and erudite Browns and enjoy complementary nibbles, with $12 tasting flights from around the world, and freshly printed books for sale. 


See you around,

Max