Now Reviewing: Shakewell

So I debated on where to go for Happy Hour tonight. As I was leaving Starbucks, I ran into a friend of mine who had just stopped at Shakewell. After looking around, I saw that I had just missed Happy Hour, but decided to stop in anyway.

When I first stepped inside, I noticed that the restaurant was intimate, which isn't a bad thing for a restaurant, just not a great thing for a Happy Hour spot. Shakewell does have offer a table for outside seating, which would be nice for a small group on a nice Spring or Summer evening. There was a cute little host/ess station right by the door. The bar area had a decent amount of seating and a TV (after all, the Warriors are trying to make history). One thing that I like about Shakewell is that it's wheelchair friendly. During Happy Hour, Shakewell offers half price on appetizers (or bar bites) as well as $5 and $6 drinks. Shakewell offers Happy Hour between 4pm and 6pm Tuesday through Sunday. They also serve brunch (yee!). One knock I have is that while I appreciate that there are low rails, the servers reaching over the rails didn't sit well with me. The other knock that I have is that there wasn't a lot of diversity among the patrons, which let's me know that Shakewell may be more of a New Oakland spot (shrug). I did happen to run into two beautiful brown familiar faces, but generally speaking I don't see a lot of melanin flowing through this place. I appreciate that the staff seemed friendly. Kyla was my server and it was her first day (good job). She even asked about the blog...

I ordered four items; Paper Plane (drink), Jamon Croquetas (bar bite), Little Gems (salad), Tempura Roasted Cauliflower (bar bite). Let's take a deeper dive into each item.

Paper Plane
I initially was going to order a sidecar (my new favorite drink) but something about the Paper Plane called out. It was tasty (so much so that I ordered two), but at the same time, it was a little pricey ($13).

Little Gems
This salad had THEE perfect avocado. I thought I'd be bothered by pistachios but I wasn't. I thought the salad was refreshing but maybe not a "traditional Happy Hour food".

Tempura Roasted Cauliflower
Quite possibly the hidden gem on the menu. It was a good sized portion to be a vegetable dish and paired well with the Little Gems.

Jamon Crocquetas
I wasn't a huge fan. I picked them up at Kyla's recommendation.  She said that they reminded her of mozzarella sticks, but they didn't for me. I think I ordered too much food because I didn't finish these.

All in all, Shakewell would be a great place for a dinner date or a small girlfriend get together, but not the spot for Happy Hour. For pictures from Shakewell, check me out on Instagram or Facebook. 

Until next time...

Cheers!

Where's Cammy and the Cocktails?

I know it seems early to have pulled a disappearing act, but I have a semi-decent reason or two. First, I work full time and I'm in school full time. That's more than enough some times to either drive you to drink or drive you to sleep. Lately, I've been choosing the latter. By the time some Thursdays roll around, I don't want to do anything but go home and get in the bed, which is essentially what I've been doing for the last few weeks. The other reason, which some may view as a deeper reason, is that I decided to give up hard alcohol for Lent (wait...what?). It's been a challenge but I know that the blessings will outweigh the sacrifice. 

There's good news on the horizon. Lent is coming to an end and so is the end of the semester (THANK GOD. I really don't know why I thought it was a great idea to continue going to school full time while working full time and I have a MAJOR commute. That's another post for another time.). While Lent ends later this month, I'll be done with Finals by mid May. That doesn't mean that you'll have to wait that long for a post. As the weather gets better, the Happy Hour Happenings will start to pick up. I imagine I might be in a space where I can do some Happy Hours every week during the Summer. But I wanted to let you know, I'm still with ya'll. I'm just trying to balance this thing called life. We'll be up to some Happy Hour Happenings soon. 

Cheers!

Now Reviewing: MadOak

Next on the Cocktails with Cammy adventures, I stopped by MadOak in Downtown Oakland. It's a nice spot near the Oakland Museum and Alameda County Courthouse (ironically). I had been there before for a holiday party last month but wanted to see what it was like not during the holidays.

The good news is that MadOak has happy hour from 3pm to 7pm (this is great for me and my after work commute). MadOak also has a TON of space so unless it's super packed, you won't be on top of people. The less than good news is that last night (Thursday), there was less than a crowd. It made it easier, at least for me, to have some conversations with folks and see what's going on.

MadOak is located at 135 12th Street in Oakland. They are open seven days a week, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday (open until 2am). They have a few TVs, electronic dart board, plenty of space including outside patio and upstairs (which I didn't get to check out since the crowd was light and the weather was less than optimal).

Daniel was my bartender, seemed like a good guy. He was chatty enough and made some good drinks. He also suggested that I get the fries and an empanada. The fries were a little different, but both were reasonably priced and filling. Daniel shared that the crowd was unusually thin but maybe had something to do with the residuals from the holidays. I imagine that as the weather gets better and the NBA season rolls along, MadOak will be a happenin' spot. We'll run back MadOak later in the Spring or early Summer. Daniel also suggested checking out Room 389, might add it to the list.

For shots from MadOak, check me out on Twitter or Instagram.

Until the next time...

Now Reviewing: Rock Wall Wines

So first my first review, I decided to go with a non-traditional choice for Happy Hour, Rock Wall Wines in Alameda, CA. My motivation for going to Rock Wall was two main reasons; one - I wanted to see what kind of wine they had by the case for a fundraiser that I'm participating in next week. Two - I wanted to buy some wine for myself. I was recently told that if I'm not having a glass of red wine every night, I'm not adulting properly. 

Full disclosure: I am a wine club member here and membership has its benefits, but my review of Rock Wall will be as non-biased as possible. Just because I am member doesn't mean that everything is perfect.

Rock Wall is open seven days a week, M-F 11am-8pm Sat and Sun 11am-6pm. They offer Happy Hour from 4pm-6pm during the week which is 50% off of glasses of wine. They offer red, white and sparkling wines. They change what they pour weekly, so if you had the Chardonnay last week, it may not be available the next week. It may be available to purchase buy not by the glass. The wine is reasonably priced (between $8-$12/glass) and the staff will let you taste before you commit. You are also welcome to do wine tasting during the week. Wine tastings are also available for $15 which includes your choice of five (5) wines.

Generally speaking, I like Rock Wall. It's a "hidden" gem, located on the old Alameda Naval Base. It offers amazing views of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge. There's plenty of space; BBQ tables, wicker chairs, sofas and love seats as well as bar stools. There's also plenty of parking space, unless there's an event, which may make parking a little more challenging. There's also the dome which has some additional seating and is also a nice venue for private events. The problem with the dome is sound. It echos like no one's business and you can often hear what EVERYONE is talking about. Or if there are kids running around, they are usually amplified. Speaking of kids, this is one thing that may be an issue. Children are allowed at Rock Wall which may be an issue for some folks. Understanding that some parents may want a space where their kids can play while they enjoy a glass or two, the other side is that there are some people who may not want to compete with children while they are trying to relax. Rock Wall changed their policy regarding children last Summer. While they are allowed, they can not ride scooters or throw items (balls, Frisbees, etc.). They can run around, however, which may be troublesome if you have some wine in your hands and they don't see you.

All in all, Rock Wall is a cool place to enjoy wine, whether on the weekends or during the week. They also have a partnership with Scolari's for some "good eats" while enjoying Rock Wall wine. If you can get there later during the week (after 5:30), you may have a more enjoyable time (read: less children). Regardless of when you go, between the super friendly staff, the reasonably priced wine and good eats, the chances of you having an enjoyable experience are pretty high.

Next time we'll be reviewing a more traditional establishment during Oakland's Restaurant Week.

Cheers! 

Happy New Year!!!

Welcome to 2016 and welcome to Cocktails with Cammy!

Let me take a moment to introduce myself. I'm a mid 30s Oakland native who enjoys good drinks, good times with good friends. A certified bartender, I am always looking for new spots to hang out and have drinks with friends. I think there's a part of me that's secretly looking for the West Coast Republic Gardens (happening bar located on U Street in Washington, DC from the late 90s to the early 2000s; small spot, amazing (FREE) food, great drink specials, and awesome music for all the up and coming movers and shakers of the Nation's Capital #RIPRepublicGardens). 

While it seems that Republic may have been a unique experience for many factors (location and economy to name a few), that doesn't mean that there aren't equally awesome Happy Hour Happenings in the Bay Area. With the tech boom and the "other" changes happening, there are plenty of places to go for drinks after work. But do you know where they are?

One of the great things about the Bay Area is that there are so many hidden gems, some of them hiding in plain sight. Think of me as your Indiana Jones for Bay Area Happy Hours. I'll find the hidden gems, the Happy Hour Hot Spots and the places in between. Follow me on this journey. I promise it'll be filled with (funny) commentaries, honest reviews, parking recommendations (if you're not ride sharing), everything you need to know for your next SSHH (Super Secret Happy Hour) or regular Happy Hour. 

Occasionally, there may be some guests on Cocktails with Cammy. They will be members of the Circle of Shenangiators. They're great you'll love them. Also, some times we'll report on location

So again, I welcome you to 2016. May it be filled with all the happiness, joy, love and success you work for and welcome to Cocktails with Cammy.

Cheers!