Not so futile

It's been a big week in Alameda, and I'd say mostly good. I mean... besides the increasing airport traffic... this place is downright LIVABLE! And increasingly so. Maybe not top 20 material but note that San Francisco got kicked out of Monocle's Most Livable Cities list. Munich is #1, followed by Copenhagen and Zurich. The only U.S. city that made it, and this will boggle you: Honolulu.

We're not Santa Barbara, but we gained some this very week! Target's plans for Southshore Towne Centre have been nixed. Blame those selfish people trying to preserve their Livability. Or maybe it's just a deal gone bad, in which case you blame those selfish people trying to preserve their Livability. I don't see why they just don't put Target on the estuary and unload ocean freighters directly onto the loading dock. Who needs trucks?

People and their plastic crap.

Meanwhile, the parking tower and cineplex structure grows downtown. I always had mixed feelings on this. My cousin runs theaters in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (another Livable place... assuming you are a billionaire) and knows all about the dealio, and says it's really the only way to make it (preserving the old theater) work. He would do it exactly the same. He knows it doesn't have a chance with only 2 screens, and people like me who only want to see art house films will come out once and that's it. And he's right, because I project at home.

Anyway, it was the 6-level parking structure that really got my goat. And then I saw how it was getting steamrolled through despite some valiant efforts by citizens. I offered to help out and ran their website for a long while... until it was apparently unplugged yesterday. CMFA ran out of appeals and, since the stacking of concrete has begun, it's all over now baby blue.

But I have to say that this wasn't a total loss. There are some amazing people in this town. I am in awe of people like Ani and Valerie who are made of iron and smart as hell. They did an amazing job [rightfully] fighting the steamroller, and I think their spirit has led to other victories of the people. (such as Lum Crossing) This group was often mis-characterized as small-but-vocal, which simply ain't true. We had HUNDREDS of people showing up at City Hall and overflowing into other buildings. I hardly knew anybody who supported the project (while I know many who salivate at the thought of Target.)

Earlier today, the boys and I surveyed the cementing process. No less than 4 people stopped by... shaking their heads... saying... isn't this a shame? And the mayor walked by too. We already know what she thinks. I can only shake my head and wonder: did they ever think to look at how Santa Barbara (super-Livable for mere millionaires) handles traffic and parking? Where was I? Oh, yes, we were ALWAYS too late. [sarcastic laugh] We were late the moment we found out about it. That's why CMFA lost the lawsuit.

Recent scandal in Alameda too... and this is kind of taboo... but I just heard about the priest at St. Joe's who came out of the closet during services. He's going away for a while (forever) but his church is behind him 100%. They still love him. I had cookies with him once. He's a good guy. Hats off to Alameda's Catholic community for showing everybody what community is all about. I think this reflects very favorably on us all. Religiously speaking, that's progress.

And finally, one more thing that just upped this town's Livability score: Dragon Rouge. They know what to do with tofu, and their puffy white rice is killer.