Yoshi’s dishes out an El of a good time

Yoshi’s Japanese
& Jazz Club
510 Embarcadero West
Oakland, CA 94607
510.238.9200

To long-term denizens of the Bay Area, the name Yoshi’s is synonymous with jazz. Though, locally, a given when it comes to Japanese eats and soulful sounds, many may recognize that their joint business offering may not exactly be the most intuitive combination. Uh, sushi and saxophones? Yeah, and it actually works. Yoshi’s has been serving up jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie, Diana Krall, Branford Marsalis, and Harry Connick Jr. for over 30 years now and the sake’s still flowing strong.

DeBarge, coiffed as they were then in 1983. And, bringin' down the house, now in 2008.

DeBarge, coiffed as they were then in 1983. And, bringin' down the house, now in 2008.

I was lucky enough to catch original Motown artist El DeBarge on the Yoshi’s club stage recently. An ardent fan of classic R&B and feathered man perms, I was determined to see if El and his brothers still had what it takes to bring some rhythm to the night. Thankfully, they did. Hit singles “I Like It” and “All This Love” reminded me of what these 1980s chart toppers are known for. The hair of old may have been retired but, that night, falsetto song stylings reigned supreme.

—Michael

Head & Tails: Flora

Head & Tails is where we spill it all about the area’s nearest and dearest brewpubs, bars, wine cellars, tasting rooms, package stores, liquor aisles, and well, we ARE thorough. It’s conveniently refreshed every Thursday, when surely you’re at your thirstiest.

Flora
1900 Telegraph Ave.
Oakland, CA 94612
510.286.0100

Need further proof that Uptown Oakland is revving for revival? Substantiation and substance abound at Flora, a modern-day Art Deco diner that’s like a willful flower churning up the concrete of winter. Located across from the Fox Theater, which is currently under renovation, and surrounded by up-and-coming condos, Flora beckons to passersby with its crisp, inviting façade reminiscent of an Edward Hopper painting. (Yes, that Edward Hopper painting.) Inside, the cool ambience continues with rich deco-inspired wallpaper, oak appointments, and elongated wall sconces. The wraparound bar showcases a connoisseur’s selection of rare and wonderful liquors, and it’s no surprise that absinthe, making a due revival of its own, is a key ingredient of many of Flora’s signature cocktails. Other concoctions, such as the Accelerator, the Blood and Sand, and the Trailer Smash, are crafted with utter devotion by bartenders clad in traditional white button-downs and wide black suspenders. Should the need arise to supplement drinks with dinner, Flora also serves up organic, locally grown California cuisine, as is the taste of the locals. If the full house at the end of the night were any indication, this gem of an establishment is already establishing itself in a neighborhood that’s just about to bloom. Some say quality is coming back in vogue; Flora, seeming as though it’s been a neighborhood favorite for decades, would say it never went out.
—Kay

Chihuly’s Surreal Playground

Have you ever daydreamed about what it might be like to sail down Willy Wonka’s chocolate river? Did you ever imagine taking a stroll through one of Dr. Suess’s candy-colored landscapes? These just might be the types of journeys that Dale Chihuly intends to take us on.

San Francisco’s de Young museum brings back the work of the visionary glass sculptor in an awe-inspiring new exhibit. A master manipulator of the medium, Chihuly uses glass in ways that defy our imaginations. This opulent collection proudly showcases some of the pieces for which he is most well-known (the dramatic chandelier series) as well as earlier work that hasn’t been viewed in the US since 1972. Somebody pinch me. I think I just saw an Oompa-Loompa.

The de Young is located at 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive, in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Chihuly at the de Young, through September 28.

—Michael