Gertrude Stein grew up in Oakland California, but moved to Baltimore as a 17 year old. Following a return visit 45 years later, in 1935, she wrote about Oakland in her autobiography that included the oft quoted and frequently misinterpreted phrase, “There’s no there there”. Actually, Ms. Stein forever held a fond spot in her heart for Oakland, it was just that the small town of 40,000 residents she knew as a teenager back in 1891 had dramatically grown and transformed into a vibrant city of 300,000 by the mid-1930s. Today the city is in the midst of an amazing renaissance, and is fast becoming an alluring destination, not only for tourists from around the country and around the world, but a permanent destination for young techies, high tech corporations such as Pandora, and the soon to be completed headquarters for Sunset Magazine. The city is also a leader in the trend setting culinary scene, with Oakland recently proclaimed one of USA Today’s 2015 reader’s choice “Top Ten Best local Food Scenes”, beating out Napa and San Francisco. Join Tom Wilmer in the heart of Jack London Square for an illuminating conversation with Kim Bardakian, Director of PR and Community Relations for Visit Oakland.
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