I found World Ground Cafe in 2002, when I lived on 35th Avenue and MacArthur, in the Laurel District. My roommate and I used to check out the cute lesbians who came in to study.

If I was in a healthy mood, I might order a smoothie or a loose herbal tea. If I was feeling indulgent, I’d grab a cookie; the panini selection was always scrumptious. Today, the surrounding area on MacArthur is a bit more developed, but inside the café, much is the same.

Elan Cruz, one of the baristas, says that she enjoys the non-corporate atmosphere of working at World Ground and the fact that so many teachers and students drop in to meet and study.

“Our customers are very polite people," she said.

My friend Miss Jada Simone Hunter, barista, poet, songstress and host of the always live Lyricist Lounge, is another reason to frequent World Ground. Like Cruz, Hunter also appreciated the opportunity to work for a small business.
 
"I was excited because I was coming off of - I guess what you could call a corporate job," Hunter said. "I was working at Lucky’s for 10 years and I was excited to be in a more human environment. At Lucky’s there was no room to breathe or communicate person-to-person without consulting some type of manual or policy.”

The owners, Martha and Uffe, opened the café near the time that their daughter was born.

“So she was here as a little baby, running around,” Hunter said. “And our manager just had a baby, who is a welcome addition to the World Ground crew. I believe this used to be a daycare center, so the family vibe is still intact.”

World Ground - which has two locations - continues to be one of my favorite cafés. Be sure to stop by Visit the wine bar Wednesday through Saturday, 5-9 p.m.

Laural District: 3726 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland

Downtown: 308 Jackson St., Oakland