in the first few years after moving to Oakland, i spent so. much. time. at Lake Merritt. i would sit on the grass near the pergola, and on benches in the bonsai garden. i would go to tenant organizing meetups in snow park during the day, and on dates revel in the beauty of (what i just found out is called) the “necklace of lights” at night. i would watch the birds for hours on a picnic blanket on fairyland hill, even before i got into birding or bought my first pair of good binoculars or knew that Lake Merritt was the first official wildlife refuge in the united states.
i would walk around lake multiple times a week, occasionally with friends, most times alone.
i’ve done less of that this year, with a summer full of traveling, a busier job, and a commute that no longer gives me morning and nightly views of the shimmering waters that, despite being beautiful, you certainly should not be swimming in. i don’t like too much continuous travel because i palpably feel my relationships suffering, with people, but also with community, and with place.
but yesterday was a beautiful sunny day in Oakland, and a great opportunity to wake up early and walk around the lake, to take in as much fresh air as i could. here’s what i observed on my 21 mile stroll around Lake Merritt as the sun moved from one end of the sky to the other:
Lap 1: i saw a sunrise, some black-crowned night herons, some serious athletes running and some uncles walking, a few dogs smelling flowers and rolling in the grass, a group of very disciplined rowers, gingko trees, a woman who told me my skin is beautiful, a conversation with a person explaining to her friend that she recently inherited a car from her mother, the water was shimmering so radiantly
Lap 2: i texted some friends, coordinated a couple of concert plans, saw two people dancing salsa, i called my parents, and learned about the Hindu goddess Durga, met Isha for an iced Habibi latte from Equator and some kinda gross pastries from tarts de feybesse
Lap 3: i saw a man on a recumbent bicycle blowing bubbles, a 5K race around the lake, i went to the Grand Lake Farmers Market, complimented a snowy egret on its fantastic mohawk, was tempted by 3 big bouncy castles, and also many beautiful bouquets all centered around dahlias, listened to a woo woo conversation about vibrations, said hi to my favorite pepper farmer (s/o Raised Roots), ate some dim sum while bees danced around me, and saw a building painted the most beautiful shade of aubergine
Lap 4: the water is stiller, there are so many knotted trees and not enough critters napping underneath them, perhaps they’re all out enjoying the sun today too, i stopped to watch people swing dance Lindy by the Lake, browsed some craft stalls on Lakeshore Ave, this is the time of day when folks are out sunbathing, i satisfied a hot link craving at Top Dog, watched a gathering promoting peace within Palestine, and saw chalk art of butterflies
Lap 5: i traced some vines growing on trees with my hands, watched a little girl learning how to ride a bike (she did it!), saw some children getting their faces painted, listened to a person shredding an electric guitar, and much further away, two groups of people loudly negotiating compensation for breeding their dogs, i saw a beautiful Bengal cat on a lease, the water is more tumultuous, but there are 4 boats of rowers now, all being pushed hard by the same person whose voice carried hundreds of meters across the water all the way to me
Lap 6: i was joined in person by friends Jared and Katherine and we discussed mortality and death and our lives and books and good housewarming gifts; we stopped by oaktown spice shop where i was enamored by an Umami Sea Salt mix that i’m certain i can just make at home, we reminisced about good Ethiopian meals of the past, and enabled each other to overspend to get the good coconut water
i’m drinking some of that good coconut water now as i write this, so appreciative of Oakland, and Lake Merritt, and friends, and looking forward to more walks to come.
Reading this brought me right back to memories of Oakland, and so many of the best ones were by the lake. What a perfect special place 🌅