It's no secret Jerry Brown hearts Oakland. A lot.
Our once and current governor worked tirelessly during his stint as Oakland's mayor during the earlier part of this century. Pundits have described his time at the city's helm as "the start of its Renaissance." Indeed, Brown oversaw the redevelopment of Jack London Square, the revitalization of the historic Fox Theatre and the refurbishing of the port.
But beyond his political contributions, Brown maintains a personal connection to our neighbor across the Bay. He conducted his gubernatorial campaign operations in a modest downtown warehouse. He jogs around Lake Merritt every afternoon possible. And he and his wife, Anne, opted to stay in their Oakland Hills home in lieu of the Governor's Mansion (he keeps a small loft in Sacramento, as well).
So when American Public Media's Jeremy Hobson asked our state's highest politician if he has a "California happy place," his response was less than surprising.
"I live in Oakland. I find that extremely happy, if you want to call it that," he said. "It's a great place. We've got great parks and trails. I can see out into the Pacific 50 miles on a clear day."
Brown finds himself in good company: HuffPost SF's own Robin Wilkey considers Oakland her favorite place in the world, too.
Take a look at some of our favorite O-Town haunts in the slideshow below. Do you agree with our governor? Be sure to let us know in the comments section.
