1. A method of executing an object-oriented query to retrieve data from a database stored on a data storage device connected to a computer, the method comprising the steps of: transforming the object-oriented query into subqueries, wherein at least one subquery is directed against a database, and wherein one subquery is directed against an object cache; executing each subquery that is directed against a database to retrieve data from the database into the object cache; and executing the subquery that is directed against the object cache to retrieve data for the query, wherein the data incorporates updates to the object cache and updates to the database.