Good morning, Oakland.

Chef Rob Lam will reopen his Oakland bar, Perle Bar—focused on Vietnamese comfort food and cocktails by business partner Dino Vazquez—in mid-August, and he will offer dishes like banh mi with turmeric fried catfish and rice noodles to give Montclair Village more casual dining at night.

FOB Kitchen in Temescal offers Daing na Bangus— a classic Filipino brunch dish with marinated milkfish, garlic rice and a sunny-side up egg— served daily until 3 p.m.

Local gondola service on Lake Merritt offers a sunset ride with cozy blankets, wine options, and a taste of Oakland history as gondoliers share stories of the town—local owners Gyorgy and Leah Vass took over in 2019 to preserve this unique experience for riders.

The Oakland Unified School District named Nelson Alegria as its new Executive Director of Safety ahead of back-to-school on August 11th—he will review all school sites in his first 90 days to continue the district Safety Plan after campus police were removed.

Alegria, who has held safety roles in Los Angeles, Simi Valley, and Pittsburg, will also attend school board and PTA meetings to update the community.

BayTech charter school has moved into a new, state-of-the-art campus in a renovated old theater after having been relocated seven times due to a 2022 shooting that affected the old campus’s safety—students will begin classes on August 6 with access to upgraded classrooms and modern technology.

Reporters Ashley McBride and Callie Rhoades detailed Oakland Unified School District’s response after lead was detected in school drinking water last August, noting high levels at Lincoln Elementary in Chinatown.

The new podcast explains how the district is working to ensure safe water for 34,000 students + shares additional local news updates.

Heavy Petting Zoo FUNdraiser: Home Off The Playa

12-8 p.m. — 7th West — Donation encouraged — Groove to local DJs at this family-friendly fundraiser supporting the Heavy Petting Zoo art car's return to Burning Man.

Life Drawing Session

5:45-9 p.m. — Faultline Gallery — $20 online, $25 at the door — Experience creative expression through life drawing with a live model.

AI Tips for Genealogy Research

10:30-10:45 a.m. — FamilySearch center — Free entry — Discover the latest AI tips to enhance your genealogy research.

T Sisters at The Freight with Ralph Roddenbery

4:00 – 6:30 p.m. — The Freight — Ticket prices vary — Experience the sibling harmonies and soulful folk sounds of the T Sisters as they perform live.

Mac Mall Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Yoshi's — Tickets available — Experience the pioneering rhythms of Mac Mall, a Bay Area hip-hop legend.

Life Drawing Session

5:45-9 p.m. — Faultline Gallery — $20 online, $25 at the door — Experience an evening of creativity with short poses and a live model.

Let’s Talk FamilySearch: A Group Exploration

1-2 p.m. — FamilySearch center — Free entry — Engage with expert guidance to master your FamilySearch journey and explore your genealogy.

Rootstech Video Series: Reading Old Documents

6:30-7:30 p.m. — FamilySearch center — Free entry — Explore the art of reading old documents with this informative video session.

The Pleasure Routine Concert

8-10 PM — Thee Stork Club — Check for ticket prices — Experience the melodic tunes of The Pleasure Routine and enjoy their latest album, Worndrobe.

Afrobeats at the Lake Festival

1-8 p.m. — Snow Park — $10 Early Bird tickets available — Celebrate California's biggest outdoor afrobeats festival with a lineup of diverse performances and vendors.