11 things you learn the first few years you live in Oakland

Apparently the meme of the week is, what you learn after living in city X. SF edition. LA edition.

Now here is my edition, reflecting on 10 years living in the town!

1. Oakland has just about every kind of food you can imagine somewhere….and most neighborhoods have most varieties of foods available
2. You can meet someone from almost any part of the world here in Oakland, if you put in a little effort
3. Just when you think the city is laid out on a grid, you’ll notice there are some very bizarre inconsistencies
4. 14th Avenue and 14th Street are nowhere near each other
5.  The person who decided the placement of the freeway exits and on-ramps was probably smoking something that requires a medical card
6. Getting to downtown SF from most of Oakland is actually faster than it is from most of SF: via transit or driving
7. Oakland has amazing Art Deco architecture all over town
8. The more mixed the housing types are in a neighborhood, the more mixed the residents.
9. There is a lake in the middle of the city, and it is everyone’s unofficial backyard
10. There is a redwood forest in the middle of the city, only about a 15 minute drive from downtown
11. People love Oakland for the weather, diversity, DIY spirit, and hometown pride (and don’t want to leave)

What is on your list?