When I moved in, the Japanese maples were there, along with a brick pathway but that was it. Given the sleek indoor space, I opted to continue that vibe and had a landscaper design a minimal Japanese-inspired garden. Even though this is an industrial neighborhood, I look outside and see green. It is serene, peaceful. And in the winter months when the trees are bare, seeing them up-lit at night is almost magical. This was what sealed it for me and why I bought this place. And I’m so glad that I did.

As for the neighborhood, West Oakland is the place to be. You are literally next door to Soba Ichi, which is the best (only?!?) place to get soba noodles. And June’s pizza just started a couple of months ago - so delicious. The O2 Artisan’s Aggregate is also next door and there’s always interesting things going on (be sure to stop by and say hi to the chickens).

Mandela Pkwy is just a few blocks from Magnolia and the greenbelt is the perfect place to walk or go running (you’re about a mile from BART). You can stop by Kilovolt Coffee or Milky Way while you’re out in the morning - or if you’re hungry, Pretty Lady has killer breakfast. If it’s after 5pm, head across the street to Ghost Town for a beer. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the neighborhood is super friendly - it’s rare that I pass someone on the street in the morning without getting a “good morning” or a wave. And if you have a dog, you’re in luck because there are so many dogs in our building and in the neighboring area. I should also mention that I feel completely safe living in West Oakland - even when walking my dog at night.

The HOA is well-run, with regular association and board-only meetings (I’ve been the VP for the past year). The building is 100% owner occupied and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know so many of my neighbors. We look out for one another - grabbing mail when someone is out of town, cat-sitting, signing for packages, etc. We even have a little freebie area out in front - I actually inherited my treadmill from one of my neighbors!

So you’re probably wondering why I would sell my place, given how amazing it is... The answer is simple - I have an opportunity to move to Bend and have decided to take it. It’s going to be hard leaving all of this behind - and I’m still a little worried about how I’m going to deal with the snow in the winter - but life is an adventure so I’m off to central Oregon!

I do hope you will enjoy living here as much as I have - with so much to offer, how could you not?

Welcome home!

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