Travel guides to Oakland, by long-standing tradition, often start off with that quote by famous Oakland resident Gertrude Stein, who said of the city, "There is no there there." The quote takes Stein's rumination out of context, as she was describing how upon returning to Oakland after many years away, she found that the house in which she grew up no longer existed. Although Oakland is often overshadowed by tourist-friendly San Francisco across the bay, and politically famous Berkeley to the north, Oakland exemplifies both the best and the worst of the Bay Area in general.For the visitor, "There" is most easily found in one of Oakland's beautiful neighborhoods and interesting, if somewhat eccentric, shopping districts. Oakland, like New York, is constituted of a number of '''very distinct, village-like neighborhoods''', all of which play host to a heady mix of cultures and peoples.Since the 1960's, Oakland has been a hub of radical culture, and is known as the birthplace of both the Black Panther Party and the Hell's Angels. Oakland's history in the arts and entertainment arena is notable as well, as Oakland has nurtured or been a second home to '''novelists''' Jack London, Gertrude Stein, Amy Tan, and Maya Angelou; '''actors''' Mark Hamill, Danny Glover, Bruce Lee, and Tom Hanks; architect Julia Morgan, classical conductor Calvin Simmons, graphic-novel author Daniel Clowes, and many more notables in the liberal arts and sciences. According to the 2000 Census, Oakland is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States (a title it shares with Long Beach, California) - with over 150 Languages spoken. Reflecting this, a number of annual events are held in Oakland, such as the Art & Soul Weekend (held on Labor day weekend), the Cinco de Mayo Fruitvale Festival Parade (early May), the Chinatown Streetfest (late August) and the Oakland Holiday Parade in December. http://wikitravel.org/en/Oakland