Lots of great responses here.
I just want to emphasize the point that you are fully and legally entitled to occupy whatever part of the road you must in order to ride safely. Weaving in and out of the parking lane or riding in the "door zone" is not safe. It takes a little getting used to, and a modicum of nerve, but taking the lane assertively and riding predictably is the safest and best way to go. The important part is to ride far out enough in the lane that a) you avoid doors from the parking lane and b) don't leave enough space to your right/left that motorists think they can "squeeze by" without changing lanes. That's a sure recipe for getting sideswiped.
Once you start doing that, you will be surprised--cars will begin to see you as more of a co-equal and give you wider berth. Now none of this is to say that you should just mosey along and block traffic unduly--you have to of course be alert at all times and use situational judgment.