Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda for February 26, 2023
You may be familiar with the phrase, “Go West, young man,” which has been credited to Horace Greeley—the editor of the New York Daily Tribune—back in July of 1865. The full quote was, “Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country.” A little-known fact, according to Wikipedia, is that the quote was never written down.
Another little-known fact is that I come from a long and illustrious line of what are known as “pullers”—those that pull their human companions down the street on walks. One of my predecessors, was inspired Greeley’s quote by pulling him in which direction? West, of course. And that’s the rest of the story.
I bring this up because it was this quote that inspired my weekly report covering some of the interesting things showing up in West Alameda. Before embarking on the trail West, I stopped off at Left Field Dogs, Alameda’s newest hot dog and sausage purveyor, to pick up rations for the trip.
They are at 1606 Webster Street, near the corner of Lincoln Avenue. They have a great menu full of creative combinations, but if you are like my human companion and looking for the vegan Italian Garlic Fennel offering, you will need to wait a while longer.… Still “Coming Soon.”
With provisions in tow, I headed West.
My first stop was the newish park called Alameda Point Waterfront Park located at Seaplane Lagoon. It’s the one with the Beken sculpture.
After a brief rest, I headed off to see the City Hall West building which is the westernmost outpost for City business. I took my walks during the week, so I missed the opportunity to check out the Naval Air Museum located at 2151 Ferry Pt. It is a short walk from the park. The museum is open on Saturdays from 1000 to 1500 hours. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
I had heard about the specialty trading post set up by the Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, and West Elm folks, and finally got to see it firsthand. You can get to it by taking Viking Street off the main trail. Look for mile post 1680 and building #169. It’s open daily, including weekends.
At this point, both I and my human companion were looking for a watering hole to quench a mighty fierce thirst. There are spirit distillers (St. George Spirits, Hangar 1), wineries (Dashe, Urban Legend, Building 43 Winery to name a few), and breweries scattered throughout the area known as Spirits Alley. I stopped at Almanac Beer Company for water.
Along the trail West, I came across the skateboard park and the Islanders futsal courts. I had never heard of futsal before and learned that it is just like soccer but played on a smaller hard surface field. You can read up on the game by going to the Alameda Soccer Club’s website.
Obviously, the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier is one of the best-known attractions out on Alameda Point, so be sure to plan an hour stopover to take the docent tour.
I had heard rumors that a new spirit and food purveyor had ventured into the far Western reaches of the area and was worth the effort to visit. To say Saltbreaker was off the beaten path would be an understatement in the extreme. I was able to find it using my keen eyesight and the small signs put up to mark the trail. Word is that it is worth the effort, but it is recommended you do the Hansel & Gretel trick of dropping pieces of bread along the path to find your way back to civilization, especially at night—and after exploring the spirit menu.
I ended my exploration at the water’s edge of San Francisco Bay at Faction Brewing with a spectacular view of the city.
There is so much going on in the area that it is worth planning a day to explore, shop, partake, and enjoy the outdoors at a city park with your human companion and their family.
Mouf, Roving Reporter
Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda
Mouf and his human companion can be reached via [email protected]. Their stories are collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jeff-Cambra/. All photos by Jeff Cambra.
