A visitor to Oakland’s Rockridge district could easily mistake his surroundings for a small European neighborhood. Residents of the area have managed to find a place where they can eat, shop and live all within a few square blocks. Shoppers greet each other with hugs instead of handshakes and store owners recognize patrons not only by their names, but also by the names of their pets.

Nestled at the foot of the Oakland and Berkeley hills, the Rockridge district of Oakland encompasses the shops, restaurants and homes clustered around college Avenue between Broadway and Alcatraz Avenue.

Because BART is centrally located in Rockridge, the area is a convenient stop for most Bay Area residents. Visitors, commuters and residents alike are able to step out of the BART station and walk down the street to do their shopping without having to get into their cars.

Rockridge typifies one-stop shopping. The accumulation of restaurants, gift shops, art galleries, jewelers, clothing stores and coffee shops, has created a well-rounded and accessible shopping destination. I come to Rockridge to get everything I need, says longtime Berkeley resident Whitney Rice. I can get my produce, coffee, new shoes and maybe even a new carpet all in one place.

Other patrons appreciate the diverse shops. Each store offers something a little different. For example, the concentration of art galleries in Rockridge does not decrease the originality of the art that they produce.

In a time when Starbuck’s seems to rule the world, Rockridge is great because there are no chains, says San Francisco native Eryk Gettell.I like shopping at places where I don’t feel like I am helping corporations dominate.

One of the first places a person should visit in Rockridge is the Christensen Heller Gallery. The gallery, which offers fine arts, crafts and jewelry, has been in the area for over 10 years.

The gallery is especially unique because of the diverse selection of items. Turquoise rings and gold necklaces share a shelf with bronze sculptures. Clocks with bright pink lighting are on the same wall as a lamp with sculpted animals climbing up its base. Neon colored, glass jellyfish hang from the ceiling of the gallery, tempting shoppers to reach out and touch the dangling legs.

Most importantly, Jan Christensen, the gallery’s owner, prides herself on the personal relationships she maintains with both her customers and the craftspeople whose art she displays.

I know pretty much everyone and I feel invested in their lives says Christensen as she waves at a passerby. “Ilove this business because I love my customers.

Christensen is also actively involved in community affairs in Rockridge. She sits on the advisory board for Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency which partners up with non profit organizations to raise money and hire unemployed or lower income groups for neighborhood jobs like street sweeping.

What’s special about Rockridge is that businesses get together and acknowledge that yur responsibilities extend beyond your threshold,” says Christensen. “They extend to the entire Bay Area.

Just across the street from the Christensen Heller Gallery is the Barloga et Fils Gallery. Relatively new to the neighborhood, the photograph gallery is family owned and displays photographs taken by Dennis and roy Barloga—a father/son team.

Cement floors, white walls, lines of bright ceiling lights and a large window in the front of the gallery create a bright, vibrant space. The gallery’s interior is simplistically decorated, directing the visitor’s attention to the artwork hanging on the walls.

Photographs of old bicycles, Venetian canals, Parisian cityscapes, and rural beaches line the walls of the gallery. However, interspersed are photographs of more local subjects like the large oak trees which dot Contra Costa county’s hillsides.

Dennis Barloga primarily produces color photographs while his son Roy Barloga, produces more black and white photographs. However the two men work together on their collection of colored, decorative signs.

Both artists tend to concentrate on European subject matter, however, each artist has a distinct style. Dennis Barloga uses more traditional means of developing while Roy Barloga often utilizes the digital darkroom.

In contrast to many galleries, the Barloga et FilsGallery is unique because of the fact that customers are able to meet with and speak to the person who created the art they are purchasing. Patrons are able to go directly to the source with questions regarding the art.

Barloga et Fils Gallery and the Helen Christensen Gallery are just two of four art galleries in Rockridge. As a result, art connoisseurs and casual viewers alike can enjoy an abundance of high quality art within a small geographic area.

”One of the reasons we chose Rockridge (as the location for our gallery) was because of the proliferation of galleries in the area.” Says Roy Barloga.

Beginning in May, the four galleries will extend their hours on Friday evenings. The galleries’ owners hope that visitors will enjoy the opportunity to stroll through the showrooms on warm summer evenings as part of a miniature “open studios.” Champagne, strawberries, and beautiful art may be the perfect way to kick off a summer weekend.

Farther down on college Avenue, toward Alcatraz Avenue, is a women’s clothing store called Ovation. A mainstay in Rockridge, the store has been in the neighborhood for almost twenty years.

With large windows in the front of the store showcasing brightly colored clothing and accessories, the casual shopper cannot avoid the temptation of entering.

Ovation offers a diverse range of clothing. It is a store where mothers and aughters can come and shop together. The store primarily stocks clothing made for women ages twenty five to fifty five so that there is something for almost everyone.

"We get everything from girls shopping for their prom to mothers of the bride," says Ovation's manager Clara Petit.

In addition to Ovation's primary line of clothing, it recently opened a bridal salon above the store called The Wedding Party. While it does not sell bridal gowns, it has many choices of bridesmaid and flower girl dresses.

Because of its longevity, the store has established itself as one of the foremost places to purcahse clothing in the East Bay. Like most establishments in Rockridge, the salespeople at Ovation typically know the customers who frequent the store.

Whether to shop, browse, or simply chat about the latest news around town, customers are always warmly greeted by the employees at Ovation. The store prides itself on providing a "no pressure" shopping environment.

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