New Businesses in Alameda’s Park Street District (April/May 2013)

This week’s happenings in the Park Street Business District: View Calendar

The Park Street Business Association welcomes the following new businesses to Alameda’s downtown shopping district:

New Businesses:

Artistic Home Studio & Boutique, 1419 Park Street (inside Park Street Plaza)
* DIY home decor art studio and store features workshops, hand-crafted items, and arts supplies.

Berg Capital Mortgage, 2329 Central Ave
* Full service mortgage banker offering expertise in every area of mortgage lending.

Black Skillet Grill, 1645 Park Street (inside McGee’s)
* Fresh new menu offering burgers and healthy choices

Core2400, 1516 Oak Street #100
* New Summer/After-School academic enrichment institute.

Luna’s Longstockings, 1242 Park Street #B
* Sock shop filled with men’s and women’s socks, stockings, tights, leg warmers, & other accessories.

Name Changes:

Cellar Door Cafe (formerly Angela’s Bistro), 2301 Central Ave
* New American food in a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere with a Wine Market & Tasting Room.

Thai Noodle House of Alameda (formerly King of Thai), 1635 Park Street
* Same staff, same hours, same great menu. New owner = New name.

Re-Opened:

American Oak, 2319 Santa Clara Ave

New Owners:

Fusion Nails & Spa, 1235 Park Street

Zen Asian Tapas & Lounge, 2315 Santa Clara Ave

In the Works:

Grand Showings in Alameda’s Park Street Business District

This looks to be an exciting week in the Park Street Business District. You’ll find grand happenings at Cellar Door (formerly Angela’s Bistro & Bar), Alameda Theatre & Cineplex, Lanvie, and American Oak. Read on for details…

Angela’s Bistro – Reinvention 
Cellar Door, 2301 Central Ave, (510) 522-5822 
Angela’s Bistro & Bar has a new name and a new identity – the reinvented cafe is now called Cellar Door. The revamped restaurant showcases a larger menu of small plates to share and also incorporates an expanded “Wine Market and Tasting Room” that promotes wines from California and from around the world. The newer menu continues to offer Chef Saboor Zafari’s favorite seasonal items, while introducing a unique selection of appetizers designed to be coupled with various wines.

To assist with wine selection, Cellar Door now brings technology to the table by offering digital wine menus on iPads equipped with “TasteVin.” The interactive application allows guests to access digital tasting notes, obtain pairing suggestions, and quickly search through the entire inventory of Wine Market offerings – all from the comfort of your dining room seat.

Five Years, Five Nights of Celebration 
Alameda Theatre & Cineplex, 2317 Central Ave, (510) 769-3456 
One night of celebration for their 5-year mark just isn’t enough for the folks at the Alameda Theatre & Cineplex. They believe 5 years deserves 5 nights of FUN! Starting Friday, May 17, the Theatre will be hosting a number of added surprises for movie guests prior to the evening movie presentation in each of the eight theatres. In addition, guests entering the Historic Theatre for the new flick Star Trek Into Darkness will be treated to an extended showcase of “Alameda’s Got Talent” and special giveaways. More details: www.ShopParkStreet.com/theatre

Fashion Show Event by Lanvie 
Lanvie Fine Women’s Apparel, 1419 Park Street, (510) 865-2889 

Mother’s Day Ideas and the Park Street Spring Festival in Alameda

The annual Park Street Spring Festival is a Mother’s Day weekend tradition in Alameda and the Bay Area. Located along Alameda’s historic Park Street, between Encinal Ave and Lincoln Ave, activities include an exciting mix of arts and crafts, live music, food vendors, beer & wine sales, and a special kids’ area.

With over 150 art and craft vendors and plenty of unique shops, the street festival is also a perfect place to find a gift for Mom. Or maybe you would like to treat Mom to a mimosa and brunch at one of the downtown food establishments.

The Park Street Spring Festival is fun for the whole family! For more information and music schedule, call (510) 523-1392 or visit the official event page:
www.ShopParkStreet.com/springfestival

Special Weekend Attractions

Grand Opening Celebration
The Artistic Home Studio & Boutique
– 1419 Park Street
Stop by the front of Park Street Plaza this weekend and see demonstrations of cool things you can do for your home. The new DIY home decor art studio and store features: Workshops and classes in glass arts and decorative painting; Hand-crafted items and painted furniture made by local artisans; Glass arts supplies, tools, and Chalk Paint® decorative paints; Unique garden art; jewelry, cards, and more.
More info: www.artistichomestudio.com

Spring Craft Bazaar
Redux Studios & Gallery
– 2315 Lincoln Ave
Local handmakers will be selling great Mother’s Day gifts. Local Indie Craft Vendors, Clothing Upcycle Station, Journal Making Workshops, Vintage Shop & Gallery, Open Studios. Only ½ block from the end of the street fair. Saturday and Sunday, Noon-6:00pm. More info:
www.facebook.com/reduxstudiosandgallery

Booksigning Event
Jerry’s Tire & Auto
– 2501 Santa Clara Ave
If you are looking for new and refreshing children’s literature,

Spring Has Sprung in Alameda! Park Street Spring Festival 2013

Mother’s Day is around the corner and spring is in the air. That means it’s time to get ready for the annual Park Street Spring Festival!

Mark your calendars… This year’s event takes place on Saturday, May 11 and Sunday, May 12.

Located on Alameda’s historic Park Street, between Encinal Avenue and Lincoln Avenue, weekend activities include an exciting mix of arts & crafts vendors, live music, food vendors, beer & wine sales, and a special kids’ area. Event hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm both days.

The annual Park Street Spring Festival has become a Mother’s Day weekend tradition in Alameda. With over 150 art and craft vendors and plenty of shops, the street festival is a perfect place to find a gift for Mom. Or maybe you would like to treat Mom to a mimosa and brunch at one of the district’s eateries.

The Park Street Spring Festival is fun for the whole family:

Arts & Crafts…

Stroll among 150 arts and craft booths with items ranging from ceramics and metal art to paintings, photography, wood crafts, toys, handbags, clothing, jewelry, and more.

Live Entertainment…

Each day offers continuous live entertainment on two stages. Bay Area favorites perform a wide range of music such as classic rock, bluegrass, funk, and soul. This year’s line-up features regional favorites such as Savannah Blue, Zebop! Tribute to Santana, Fleetwood Mask, and AjaVu. Local bands Bumpy Road Band and Ben Luis Group will also take the stage! (weekend music schedule)

Kids’ Area…

A special area for

Celebrate Earth Day 2013 in the Park Street Business District

This week’s happenings in the Park Street Business District: View Calendar

Earth Day is being celebrated in Alameda on Saturday, April 20. Join us for some exciting earth-friendly activities and see how our businesses together make the Park Street Business District “The Greenest Shopping District in America.” Activities include crafts, book exchanges, fashion demonstrations, and free give-aways.

Alameda Theatre & Cineplex (2317 Central Ave) The Alameda Theatre & Cineplex will be presenting a special Oscar Nominated documentary film, “Chasing Ice” in recognition of EARTH DAY 2013. Local schools have been invited for a special showing for students on April 22 and the film will continue to be offered April 19-25 as part of the theatre’s weekly schedule of films.

Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden (1223 Park Street) Take the kids to Julie’s Coffee & Tea Garden on Saturday for a kids’ sunflower seed planting activity in front of the cafe from 10am-2pm.

Marketplace (1650 Park Street) The Marketplace is having a Cookbook Exchange on Saturday – bring in a cookbook from home and grab another one to take home. Patrons are also encouraged to post an idea on their “What I Do to Be Green…” board.

Second Home (2524 Santa Clara Ave) Second Home will be giving away books and magazines for free on Saturday. Kids can have fun by

Park Street, Alameda — The Greenest Shopping District in America

Join us on Saturday, April 20, for special Earth Day activities in the Park Street Business District: View List of Activities

Earth Day is being celebrated in Alameda this Saturday, April 20. In recognition of the annual event, businesses in Alameda’s Park Street Business District were asked to reflect on what they do to preserve our natural resources and to reduce the amount of garbage thrown into our landfills.

To keep unnecessary garbage out of the landfills, a majority of the businesses in the Park Street District recycle paper, cardboard, and plastic. In addition, a majority of the restaurants participate in an “organics” waste program. Several businesses even make special trips to recycling centers and E-Waste centers to discard batteries, light bulbs, paint cans, metal, and electronics. Some shops, such as The Clothes Line and Pillow Park, donate unsold clothing and furniture to local charities. Lesser known facts are that numerous district restaurants recycle their used cooking oils to bio-diesel companies and that cafes and markets (such as The Beanery) recycle coffee grounds, fruits, and vegetables by giving the discarded food stuff to customers for gardening compost and rabbit/chicken feed. Tucker’s Ice Cream even gives away their unused egg yolks.

Fun Fact: The appearance of the Alameda Theatre Treat Team Characters on the movie screens has helped the Alameda Theatre & Cineplex recycle 80% of their trash this year!

When you step inside the businesses, you will notice that many of them have switched to LED lighting. In addition, Park Centre Animal Hospital installed a solar panel system that now produces 30% of their electricity usage – the CO2 offset is equivalent to taking 4 automobiles of the road each year. Businesses throughout the district also boast water savings by installing low flow toilets and sinks.

Fun Fact: The Marketplace has reduced their building’s water usage by 400 gallons per day! This was accomplished by

Second Fridays Art Walk in the Park Street Business District

This week’s happenings in the Park Street Business District: View Calendar

Alameda Art Walk, Estuary Art Attack, Second Fridays… whatever you might call it, Second Fridays is a monthly showcase and celebration of creative life along the Alameda/Oakland Estuary. On the second Friday of every month, participating galleries feature new and exciting exhibits with an opportunity to meet the artists. The receptions are free to the public.

Take a stroll in the Park Street Business District on Friday, April 12 in celebration of Second Fridays and enjoy food, drink, art, and other entertainment. This month’s evening event features exhibit openings and receptions at the following locations:

Redux Studios & Art Gallery, 2315 Lincoln Ave
The Altered Paintings Project
Opening Reception 6:00-9:00pm
Redux unveils a collection of artist-altered “found” paintings featuring the clever talents of over 30 local EastBay artists who have added new themes to vintage mass-produced paintings. Expect to see ninjas, dinosaurs, and family photos inserted into idyllic landscapes and still life images. This exciting art reception will have live music by The Up and Down, food by Kitchen of Champions, drinks, and open studios. More info: www.facebook.com/ReduxStudiosandGallery

popUp Gallery @ Autobody Fine Arts, 1517 Park Street
City Live: Urban Visions by Eight Bay Area Artists
Artist Reception 6:00-9:00pm
Eight fantastic Bay Area artists show their Urban Visions, presenting an exciting mix of paintings, mixed media, photography, video, sculpture, and printmaking. The show includes the work of