Our Oakland: August 2012

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

upcoming Oakland events

Tons of fun and interesting stuff going on in Oakland in the coming weeks. This weekend is the Oakland Pride Festival and on Monday is Hiero Day.

Dancing Under the Stars - Friday, August 31, 8:30-10pm. This week's dance: salsa (free)

Movies in the Park - Ice Age - Friday, August 31, 6:30pm. Bring the kids for a free movie at Redwood Heights Recreation Center, featuring Ice Age. Movie begins at dusk. (free)

ongoing events:

Bites off Broadway (Fridays)
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)
OMCA Summer Nights (last Friday of the month)

looking further ahead:

City Center concerts - Wednesdays at noon. Free concerts in City Center each Wednesday through October. (free)

PINCC Walk-a-thon - Saturday, September 8. Fourth annual walk-a-thon to raise money for Prevention International: No Cervical Cancer (PINCC). Read more at the Oakland Tribune.

Voter Basics: Your vote. Your voice. - Saturday, September 8, 10am. Voting for the first time can be a little intimidating. Learn the basics about voting, from Alameda Reads at the Alameda Free Library. Open to all Alameda County residents. (free)

Oakland Urban Paths - Rock and Walk II - Saturday, September 8, 10am. Join OUP and Andrew Alden to explore Oakland geology. A shorter but hilly walk in East Oakland, crossing the Hayward Fault and with views of the bay, the hills, and various fault-related features. (free)

Endless Canvas: Special Delivery art show - Saturday, September 8. Come check out a 36,000 sq. ft., 3 story warehouse covered in art! With live music.

Creek to Bay Day - Saturday, September 15, 9am-12pm. Come help up Oakland creeks and waterways, at over 27 locations throughout the city of Oakland. Read about last year's Creek to Bay Day. It's a fun, easy chance to help make Oakland better. (free)

4th Annual Volunteer Fair - Saturday, September 15, 1-3pm. Learn about different volunteer opportunities to help make Oakland better. (free)

Every Breath Counts - Wednesday. September 19, 8:30am. A benefit for the Northern California Breathmobile, which is designed to help kids with asthma: Asthma: Keeping Kids out of Hospital Emergency Departments and in School. ($150)

Park(ing) Day with WOBO - Friday, September 21. Park(ing) Day is a great celebration where unused street spaces and some parking spaces are converted into parklets for the day! Last year's Park(ing) Day was hella fun. A number of locations around Oakland are working towards permanent parklets. (free)

Eat Real Fest - Friday, September 21–Sunday, September 23. Fun-filled food fest in Jack London Square. Check out coverage of last year's Eat Real Fest.(free)

Oakland: The Story of a City at Linden Street Brewery - Saturday, Steptember 22, 5-7pm. The Oakland Heritage Alliance is hosting a reading to celebrate the publication of the 2nd edition. Books and beer will be available for purchase. (free)

Starlight Gala - Saturday, September 22 - Gala black tie fundraiser for the Chabot Space and Science Center ($500)

Dixieland Jazz at Pardee Home - Sunday, September 23 from 1-4pm. The historic Pardee Home hosts the "Spirit of '29 Dixieland Jazz Band". ($20).

Sundays in the Redwoods! - starting Sunday, September 23, 2pm. A concert series featuring a variety of musical groups at the Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park. ($10)

Five Historic Houses Bike Tour - Saturday, September 29. East Bay Bike Coalition tour of 5 historic Oakland houses by bicycle. (free)

Red Cross Out for Blood Fun Run - Sunday, September 30, 9am. A fun fundraiser for Northern California Red Cross blood services. Read about last year's fun run. ($25-$30)

Taste of Temescal - Tuesday, October 2, 6-8:30 pm. A culinary crawl to scintillate your palates: the Taste of Temescal on Telegraph Avenue between 43th and 51st. Benefits area schools and non-profits. ($30)

HellaWeen Run - October 27, 5:30pm - 5 mile evening fun run in Old Oakland and West Oakland. Come out and show your creative side with a costume! Put on by the Oakland Running Festival. ($31+)

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Oakland Heritage: Picardy Drive

Saturday was the second to last Oakland Heritage Alliance walking of the 2012 season. Picardy Drive: A Step Back in Time was led by nearby resident Andy Carpentier and focused on the unique storybook homes in what was once known as Normandy Gardens.

We started by viewing houses on an adjacent street that were built just a few years earlier. Most of these were typical California bungalows from 1924 or earlier, but a few houses had features hinting at what was to come, such as steeper, curved roofs. The houses in the area were mostly built on what had been a number of larger estates along Seminary near Mills College, including the F.F. Morse estate. One of the houses near Seminary has the remains of the original fountain from that estate.

A few years later, builder Robert C. Hillen created his collection of "modest mansions" on Picardy Drive. He was an experienced builder who had put up dozens of Arts & Crafts bungalows in Alameda, but this was something different. Aficionados of the storybook style, which features quirky designs and features unique to every house may be wondering how a whole neighborhood of storybook houses was built. R.C. Hillen and architect W.W. Dixon did it by using a variety of floor plans (occasionally flipped) and by using a wide variety of details. Some of the houses have towers (either round or octagonal), others crenelated parapets; still others use variations of roof lines. While some feature arched windows, others have smaller, rectangular windows (and wooden beams) reminiscent of the Tudor style of architecture which influenced the storybook style. It all adds up to a quite a bit of variety amongst the 70 or so houses in the neighborhood.

Despite all the differences between the houses, Hillen and Dixon used several techniques to tie them all together. Besides all the houses being of the same basic style, they had a number of features in common. First, they were built close together, no more than a driveway's width apart. Each house has short side walls to

Storybook Style

visually connect it to its neighbors, and all the homes were originally built with shake roofs and tinted stucco applied in a unique fashion. The result was a group of unique homes that were all connected. The legacy of that lives on today, as the neighborhood seems more connected than most. Each holiday season, the entire neighborhood displays Christmas lights for all to enjoy, and everyone seems to know everyone and keep an eye out for each other.

Lots more pictures:

Monday, August 27, 2012

signs: Temescal Produce Market

Temescal Produce Market

Not a great sign, but gets points because it's new. As reported in July, Mullen's Liquors on Broadway is now a Temescal Produce Market. There's another listed near 51st and Telegraph.

Friday, August 24, 2012

signs: 1/4lb Giant Burger

1/4lb Giant Burger

I've posted another 1/4lb Giant Burger sign (in the Dimond) and the 1/4lb Burger Xpress sign (in Golden Gate), but have neglected to post this great 1/4lb. Giant Burgers sign in Uptown.

It's not just a great sign, it's a great original building, too. Apparently they have vintage car shows there during First Fridays. Check out some pictures of the cars on Oakland Daily Photo.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

upcoming Oakland events

Awide variety of events going on. As is frequently the case, I wish I had time and energy to do them all.

Dancing Under the Stars - Friday, August 24, 8:30-10pm. This week's dance: the hustle (free)

Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Challenge - Saturday, August 25. The 8th annual Faith Fancher breast cancer 5K walk and fundraiser.

POPNA Park Cleanup - Saturday, August 25, 9am-1pm. Did you miss Throw Down for the Town, or want to do more to make Oakland better? Volunteer to help clean up South Prescott Park in West Oakland. (free)

Downtown walking tours - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am. The walking tours program goes through the summer, rotating through the 8 different tours. They're a great way to get out and see Oakland and learn about its people and history. Coming up: Saturday, August 25 - Preservation Park. (free)

Oakland Heritage Alliance walking tours - Saturday and Sunday, 10am. Saturday: Picardy Drive: A Step Back in Time; Sunday: Civil War Mt. View Cemetery. ($10-$15)

The Radio Regatta - Sunday, August 26, noon-5pm. Join Oaklandish for a floating party. Boat rides, music, beer and sangria, and lots of Oakland love.

Chinatown Streetfest - Saturday, August 25 and Sunday, August 26, 10am-5:30pm. More than 200 booths will cover 10 blocks for the 25th annual Oakland Chinatown StreetFest. The Cultural Stages will feature Chinese lion dances, Japanese taiko drumming and Polynesian dance performances; while the Popular Stage will have live music, including 80s and 90s cover bands. There will also be arts & crafts vendors and Henna and Chinese Calligraphy demonstrations. Check out pictures from the Streetfest last year.(free)

ongoing events:

looking further ahead:

Oakland Pride - Sunday, September 2, 11am-7pm. The annual Oakland LGBTQ festival in Uptown Oakland.

PINCC Walk-a-thon - Saturday, September 8. Fourth annual walk-a-thon to raise money for Prevention International: No Cervical Cancer (PINCC). Read more at the Oakland Tribune.

4th Annual Volunteer Fair - Saturday, September 15, 1-3pm. Learn about different volunteer opportunities to help make Oakland better. (free)

Taste of Temescal, Tuesday, September 18, 6- 8:30 pm. A culinary crawl to scintillate your palates: the Taste of Temescal on Telegraph Avenue between 43th and 51st. ($30)

Park(ing) Day with WOBO - Friday, September 21. Park(ing) Day is a great celebration where unused street spaces and some parking spaces are converted into parklets for the day! Last year's Park(ing) Day was hella fun. A number of locations around Oakland are working towards permanent parklets. (free)

Eat Real Fest - Friday, September 21–Sunday, September 23. (free)

Oakland: The Story of a City at Linden Street Brewery - Saturday, Steptember 22, 5-7pm. The Oakland Heritage Alliance is hosting a reading to celebrate the publication of the 2nd edition. Books and beer will be available for purchase. (free)

Dixieland Jazz at Pardee Home - Sunday, September 23 from 1-4pm. The historic Pardee Home hosts the "Spirit of '29 Dixieland Jazz Band". ($20).

Sundays in the Redwoods! - starting Sunday, September 23, 2pm. A concert series featuring a variety of musical groups at the Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park. ($10)

Five Historic Houses Bike Tour - Saturday, September 29. East Bay Bike Coalition tour of 5 historic Oakland houses by bicycle. (free)

Red Cross Out for Blood Fun Run - Sunday, September 30, 9am. A fun fundraiser for Northern California Red Cross blood services. Read about last year's fun run. ($25-$30)

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Oakland Food News

All the news that's fit to nom. And then some. As an added bonus, there's a bit of news about retail in Oakland, too.

News from East Bay Dish is that Doughnut Dolly is finally open. Pepples Donuts, then Donut Savant, plus all the new bagel shops I mentioned last month...is Oakland becoming an o-shaped food capital?

Speaking of bagels, Luke Tsai at the East Bay Express reports that Beauty's Bagels is finally going to open. Beauty's will be at 3838 Telegraph and feature Montreal-style bagels.

The latest from Victory Burger is that they're wrapping up construction and are doing some hiring. Also exciting is that the parklet for outside Victory Burger and Actual Cafe has final permits, and they'll be starting construction for it soon. Word is that the parklet for outside Manifesto Bikes on 40th has its permits, too, and Farley's East isn't far behind.

The Jack London District reports on Google+ that a new pizza and beer place, Forge, is scheduled to open this winter, at the old El Torito location.

I don't know the timeline for Loring Cafe and Pasta Bar on Grand, just down from Farley's East, but they were working on the build-out for the interior the other week. Read more on Grub Street.

Finally got around to trying Ike's Lair around the corner near Plum. Fun space but noisy, and definitely a young, hipster crowd. Most importantly though, the sandwiches are really good, at least the one I had.

I haven't tried it yet, but Rosamunde in Uptown is open for business. They've got a rotating beer list and menu, and said they've always got a vegi option. They're open 2pm to dusk on Saturdays, and during First Fridays. Read more on Grub Street.

I heard from a Laurel resident that Tratoria Laurellinos is closing and a taqueria is moving in. I haven't verified it yet myself, but I hope it's not true. I've only eaten at Laurellinos once, but enjoyed it and was looking forward to trying it again.

East Bay Dish has the story on Portal, now open on 2nd Avenue in Eastlake. Interesting food? View of Lake Merritt? Sounds like I'm going to have to try it soon. Update: Check out the great pictures from Eat Drink Oakland.

Some would call it generous to include in the category of food, but the McDonald's in Temescal has re-opened after being rebuilt. The new design is more pedestrian and neighborhood friendly, which is thanks in part to work from neighborhood activists.

The replacement for B Restaurant in Old Oakland, Borgo Italia, seems to be going full speed ahead. They've got a lovely painted metal sign up, a nice rustic interior set up, and there was a sign regarding staff applications up on the door.

Added retail bonus: just down from Loring's and Farley's East, Owl N Wood has opened. They apparently had a great grand opening, so hopefully they'll be successful going foward. Owner/designer Rachel Konte gave us a brief rundown when we snuck in on Sunday.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

upcoming Oakland events

The don't-miss event this week is Pedalfest. Which, unfortunately I'm going to miss. But you shouldn't! There's lots of other fun and interesting stuff going on, too. Jazz, opera, dancing, walking tours, a health fair, and more.

Volunteer with the East Bay Children's Book Project - Friday, August 17.
During the summer, school-aged children can lose 2-3 months of progress in academic achievement, particularly in reading. Volunteers are needed on Friday, August 17 to help sort and transport the books to the East Bay Children's Book Project, which will distribute the books to disadvantaged children through food banks, shelters, pediatric clinics, youth services offices and literacy programs. For details, contact Michael Wang at (510) 637-1746 or email gbentonshoemaker@cns.gov

Twilight by the Lake - Thursday, August 16, 5-7:30pm. The Cathedral of Christ the Light is starting up their summer series of mixers again. (free)

Dancing Under the Stars - Friday, August 17, 8:30-10pm. This week's dance: cha cha (free)

Pedalfest - Saturday, August 18, 11am-8pm. The second annual Pedfalfest at Jack London Square. Last year's Pedalfest was hella fun, for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. There are activities for kids and fun things for people of all ages. (free)

Urban Wine eXperience - Saturday, August 18, 1-5pm. Read more about it at East Bay Dish. ($45-$60)

Health Fair at Allen Temple - Saturday, August 18. Allen Temple Baptist Church is holding its 35th annual health fair. Free music and food, screenings for various diseases, and foot, dental, eye and breast examinations are availble. Read more at Oakland Local. (free)

Great Oakland Public Schools Garden Party - Saturday, August 18, 1-4pm. Fundraiser for Great Oakland Public Schools featuring local food, wine and beer.

ongoing events:

looking further ahead:

Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Challenge - Saturday, August 25. The 8th annual Faith Fancher breast cancer 5K walk and fundraiser.

POPNA Park Cleanup - Saturday, August 25, 9am-1pm. Did you miss Throw Down for the Town, or want to do more to make Oakland better? Volunteer to help clean up South Prescott Park in West Oakland. (free)

Eat Real Fest - Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. (free)

PINCC Walk-a-thon - Saturday, September 8. Fourth annual walk-a-thon to raise money for Prevention International: No Cervical Cancer (PINCC). Read more at the Oakland Tribune.

4th Annual Volunteer Fair - Saturday, September 15, 1-3pm. Learn about different volunteer opportunities to help make Oakland better. (free)

Taste of Temescal, Tuesday, September 18, 6- 8:30 pm. A culinary crawl to scintillate your palates: the Taste of Temescal on Telegraph Avenue between 43th and 51st. ($30)

Park(ing) Day with WOBO - Friday, September 21. Park(ing) Day is a great celebration where unused street spaces and some parking spaces are converted into parklets for the day! Last year's Park(ing) Day was hella fun. A number of locations around Oakland are working towards permanent parklets. (free)

Dixieland Jazz at Pardee Home - Sunday, September 23 from 1-4pm. The historic Pardee Home hosts the "Spirit of '29 Dixieland Jazz Band". ($20).

Sundays in the Redwoods! - starting Sunday, September 23, 2pm. A concert series featuring a variety of musical groups at the Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park. ($10)

Five Historic Houses Bike Tour - Saturday, September 29. East Bay Bike Coalition tour of 5 historic Oakland houses by bicycle. (free)

Red Cross Out for Blood Fun Run - Sunday, September 30, 9am. A fun fundraiser for Northern California Red Cross blood services. Read about last year's fun run. ($25-$30)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

urban paths: Highland Hospital Area Steps

Saturday we had an amazing turnout for the Oakland Urban Paths walk focused on the stairs near Highland Hospital and the area around the EBMUD Central Reservoir. The day promised to be warm, but that didn't stop almost 60 people from showing up to walk.

We started near the original front gate to Highland Hospital, where we admired one of the original 1920s buildings. It's reminiscent of a Mexican cathedral, in the Spanish baroque style of architecture. It was designed by architect Henry Meyers, who also designed the Posey Tube, the Veterans Memorial Building and other well-known structures in Oakland. The grounds were designed by landscape architect Howard Gilkey, who designed the Cleveland Cascade near Lake Merritt, the Woodminster Cascade in Joaquin Miller Park, and other areas. The hospital came about because a citizens advisory commission developed a countywide plan for health care and facilities.

Key System stop in 1947

Then it was across 14th Avenue to explore various stairs that were built to connect residents of the nearby neighborhoods to the streetcars that ran on 14th Avenue. The stairs are unusual, in that some of the residences along them can only be accessed via the stairways. At top of one of the stairways, we admired the view and I told people about Dennis Evanosky's palm tree method. The palm trees we saw across the way were the ones marking the edge of the "Borax" Smith estate near Park Boulevard. I also told people about Andrew Alden's method of using sidewalk stamps for figuring out the age of a neighborhood. Neither Paul nor I knew the exact age of the stairways, but then I saw a stamp on one of them from 1922. Another of the stairways had been repaired fairly recently. Oakland Urban Paths cataloged all the stairways and pathways they could find in Oakland in 2009, and noted the condition and usage of each. The city then used that info for assigning priorities to which stairs got repairs.

McMullen House

Paul then led us past numerous lovely Victorians and other homes, until we eventually came to the former home of John Cornelius McMullen which dates back to 1896. He was an attorney and banker who founded what became the State Savings Bank in Oakland. The brick building that was home to the bank still stands across from the Tribune Tower at 1305 Franklin Street; it’s called, appropriatley enough, the McMullen Building. John had served in the First Wisconsin Infantry during the Civil War and was with Sherman on his March to the Sea. He attained the rank of captain, but for some reason he was known as (and addressed as) "Colonel McMullen." He died at his Queen Anne-style home at 2748 Grande Vista Avenue on December 30, 1912. He rests at Mountain View Cemetery.

at Wood Park

More walking gave us our first glimpse of the EBMUD Central Reservoir. It was built in 1910 by the People's Water Company. It covers 14 acres, and can hold 154 million gallons of water. Unfortunately, it leaked in the 1950s, and the resulting slide moved an entire neighborhood. The sliding was stopped by the Corps of Engineers, but it destroyed dozens of houses, and left the area unsafe to build. It became William D. Wood Park in 1976, and a now a group of dedicated neighbors are working to clean it up and improve it. We heard about the history of the park and the volunteer efforts from Jill Weil who lives nearby. There was a more recent slide west of the original, which destroyed additional homes. It's unclear whether the recent slide was the result of additional leaking, and a lawsuit was filed in 2007.

We walked through Wood Park, then over to I-580, otherwise known as the MacArthur Freeway. A bridge took us over the freeway to the Altenheim senior housing in the Dimond. A short walk along MacArthur Boulevard and another bridge back across the freeway brought us to the other side of the reservoir. We meandered through several streets, back down the first set of stairs we'd climbed, and returned to the front of Highland Hospital.

Another great walk. Thanks to Paul Rosenbloom for leading the tour, Jill Weil for telling us about Wood Park, Dennis Evanosky for information for the tour, and Annalee Allen for information about the tour and the mention in the newspaper. And thanks to everyone who showed up for the walk!

Lots more pictures:

More information:
- to help clean up Wood Park, contact Lisa Lemus at lemuswong@aol.com
- Mountain View Cemetery tours
- read more about the history of the Altenheim

Saturday, August 11, 2012

signs: Sports Page

Sports Page

An interesting sign, with a combination of metal, plastic and a bit of neon for the drink glass. It's also notable because so far it's the easternmost Oakland sign I've posted. There's not a lot of commercial areas further east than it, except nearby Foothill Square.

I came across it the other day when doing a test ride for the upcoming "Five Houses Bike Tour" featuring 5 (or so) historic houses in Oakland. We're still working on the details, but it will be on Saturday, September 29th. The historic Dunsmuir-Hellman estate is nearby, just across I-580 near the East Bay Regional Park District HQ.

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

upcoming Oakland events

Avariety of fun and interesting things to do in Oakland this weekend and beyond. I'll be helping with the Oakland Urban Paths walk on Saturday, where we'll be exploring the stairways near Highland Hospital, and the Oakland Heritage Alliance New Era, New Politics tour on Sunday. But there's lots of other great stuff going on. Let me know of anything I missed by leaving a comment!

Waterfront Flicks: Moneyball - Thursday, August 9, dusk. Watch a movie under the stars, with food, beer, and fun leading up to the start. Read more at Today in Monclair (free)

East Bay Bike Party - Friday, August 10, 7:30pm. Join the rolling bike party, the voted in the East Bay Express as "best group activity" and "best group bike ride for the fun of it". This month's party is the Sharpie Ride, from Rockridge BART to the Berkeley Marina. (free)

Oakland Heritage Alliance walking tours - Saturday and Sunday, 10am. Saturday: Art Murmur Tour; Sunday: New Era, New Politics. ($10-$15)

Oakland Urban Paths: Highland Hospital area steps - Saturday, August 11, 10am. The Oakland Urban Paths walk will explore the stairways near Highland Hospital, circumnavigate the EBMUD central reservoir, and visit a surprising park. (free)

Downtown walking tours - Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am. The walking tours program goes through the summer, rotating through the 8 different tours. They're a great way to get out and see Oakland and learn about its people and history. Coming up: Saturday, August 11 - Uptown to the Lake. (free)

Laurel Street Fair - Saturday, August 11, 11am-6pm, MacArthur Blvd. between 35th and 38th Street: Food, music and fun in the Laurel District. (free)

Raider Nation Celebration - Sunday, August 12, 1-4pm. Celebrate the start of the football season with the Raiders at the Coliseum.

ongoing events:

looking further ahead:

Twilight by the Lake - Thursday, August 16, 5-7:30pm. The Cathedral of Christ the Light is starting up their summer series of mixers again. (free)

Pedalfest - Saturday, August 18, 11am-8pm. The second annual Pedfalfest at Jack London Square. Last year's Pedalfest was hella fun, for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. (free)

Great Oakland Public Schools Garden Party - Saturday, August 18, 1-4pm. Fundraiser for Great Oakland Public Schools featuring local food, wine and beer.

Jazz by the Lake - Sunday, August 19, 2-4pm. Nicolas Bearde at Camron-Stanford House with some smooth, sassy jazz. ($25-$30).

Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Challenge - Saturday, August 25. The 8th annual Faith Fancher breast cancer 5K walk and fundraiser.

POPNA Park Cleanup - Saturday, August 25, 9am-1pm. Did you miss Throw Down for the Town, or want to do more to make Oakland better? Volunteer to help clean up South Prescott Park in West Oakland. (free)

Eat Real Fest - Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. (free)

4th Annual Volunteer Fair - Saturday, September 15, 1-3pm. Learn about different volunteer opportunities to help make Oakland better. (free)

Taste of Temescal, Tuesday, September 18, 6- 8:30 pm. A culinary crawl to scintillate your palates: the Taste of Temescal on Telegraph Avenue between 43th and 51st. ($30)

Park(ing) Day with WOBO - Friday, September 21. Park(ing) Day is a great celebration where unused street spaces and some parking spaces are converted into parklets for the day! Last year's Park(ing) Day was hella fun. A number of locations around Oakland are working towards permanent parklets. (free)

Dixieland Jazz at Pardee Home - Sunday, September 23 from 1-4pm. The historic Pardee Home hosts the "Spirit of '29 Dixieland Jazz Band". ($20).

Sundays in the Redwoods! - starting Sunday, September 23, 2pm. A concert series featuring a variety of musical groups at the Woodminster Amphitheater in Joaquin Miller Park. ($10)

Red Cross Out for Blood Fun Run - Sunday, September 30, 9am. A fun fundraiser for Northern California Red Cross blood services. Read about last year's fun run. ($25-$30)

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Wayfinding around Oakland

If you've ever looked at a map of Oakland or traveled near the borders, you've probably realized it can be difficult to know exactly when you're in Oakland or in one of the neighboring cities. For example, while going south on San Pablo, you'll go from Berkeley, to Oakland, to Emeryville, back to Oakland. Here are some simple tips on figuring out where you are, as well as some basic information about the neighborhood.

Street Signs

One of the easiest ways to figure out where you are is to look at the nearest street sign. Each city has its own design for street signs, so you can quickly figure out which city you're in:

Oakland:

Berkeley:

Emeryville:

Sometimes the differences are more subtle. Piedmont's signs are green and white like Oakland's. But most Oakland street signs have the oak tree logo on them (a few older ones don't), and are in mixed case, whereas the Piedmont signs are all uppercase. San Leandro signs are green and white, too, but have a cherry logo representing San Leandro's agricultural history:

Oakland:

Piedmont:

San Leandro:

There are exceptions like the aforementioned older Oakland signs without the oak tree logo, or the special sign for "Bill Louie's Corner" in Chinatown that's blue and white, but in general it's a good way to figure out which city you're in.

Sidewalk Stamps

Once you know what city you're in, how do you figure out how old the area is? This technique I learned from Oakland geologist Andrew Alden, who led the Oakland Urban Paths: Rock and Walk in February. Look down at most sidewalks, and you'll see stamps in the concrete from the contractor who built them. This is far from an exact measure of a neighborhood's age, as sometimes sidewalks came first, sometimes they came later, and of course, sidewalks get torn up and replaced. But looking at a number of older stamps in an area can give you some idea of how old the neighborhood is. You can also check any public stairs in the neighborhood. Andrew has a whole blog devoted to Oakland sidewalk stamps.

Purple Glass

I heard about this technique recently from Oakland historian Ruby Long. Prior to World War I, manganese was widely used in glass-making as a clarifying agent. Exposed to ultraviolet light for a long time, it turns purplish. Most of the manganese came from Germany, but with the outbreak of WWI, that supply was cut off. So while you can't set an exact date, purpled glass is generally 1915 or earlier, and 1920 at the latest. I saw this most recently on the OHA Piedmont Avenue walk that Ruby led, where she pointed out the basement skylight glass that has turned purple over the years:

Ruby also pointed out the sidewalk stamps as a way to gauge the age of a neighborhood. Though in the case of the stamps near Piedmont Avenue School, the (original) school was much older (100+ years) than the "WPA 1941" stamps in the sidewalk in front.

Palm Trees

This technique you may have heard about from Oakland historian Dennis Evanosky on an Oakland Heritage Alliance walk, talking about "the palm tree method." It's probably the least precise but most interesting technique. Basically, if you see one or more old palm trees, particularly a row of them, you can guess that something of historical note was there.

For example, this row of palm trees along 9th Avenue marks the edge of the "Borax" Smith estate:

Not every palm tree indicates something interesting, but it's a clue that there may be more to investigate.

So next time you're walking around Oakland, look up, look down, and look around to see what you can learn about the area you're in.

More photos:

Note: Andrew has good additional ideas he left in the comments: noting where street addresses suddenly change, parking restrictions change, and where recycling bins change. All are clues that you may have crossed a border into another city.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Throw Down for the Town

The other week was the 2nd annual Ella Baker Center Throw Down for the Town. Hundreds of people got together around Oakland to work on different projects to make Oakland better.

I volunteered helping clean up a bus stop near 14th Avenue and East 15th Street, a project that was organized by neighborhood resident Francisco. Even with a shortage of tools, we made quick work of pulling weeds, picking up trash, and otherwise preparing the area for a garden. My main task was stomping down the contents of Francisco's green bin so we could fit more in it. Very different than my experience last year with Save the Bay, but still hella fun.

I wasn't able to go to the celebration afterwards in Snow Park, but it sounds like people had a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who came out for Throw Down for the Town, and to everyone who works to make Oakland better every day.

Photos from 14th Avenue:

Check out the photo album on Facebook for more pictures, and coverage by Oakland North.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Oakland's Walkways and Streetcar Heritage

The recent Oakland Heritage Alliance (OHA) walking tour, Oakland's Walkways and Streetcar Heritage, was more like an Oakland Urban Paths (OUP) walk. Not just more walking than your usual OHA tour, but a lot of stairs and pathways, too. As is frequently the case in Oakland, the stairs and pathways were designed for connecting neighborhoods to the streetcars. Despite it being described as "a long hilly walk of over 2 miles and at least 500 steps" it sold out quickly.

Key System building

The walk was led by Jason Patton, the Bicycle & Pedestrian Program Manager for the Oakland Public Works Agency. We started downtown across from the Key System building, which you may recall from the OUP Jane's Walk in May. It's a fitting starting point for any talk about Oakland's streetcars, and it has a large mural showing one of the Key System trains.

Then we hopped on AC Transit bus #18 over to the Glenview neighborhood. The choice of bus was fitting, too, as it follows an old Key System route. The route goes past Lakeshore and East 18th Street, which was the location of the East Oakland Car Barn, then up Park Boulevard.

We got off the bus near Elsinore Walk, the first of the many walkways and paths we covered. It's a well-marked and well-maintained pathway that connects several streets to Park Blvd. where the Key System ran. Jason told us about the rise and fall of streetcars in Oakland. As I noted on the OUP Montclair walk, there was a conspiracy by the auto and oil companies to bring an end to the streetcars. But it was more complicated than that: America was already shifting to automobiles; the Key System and other streetcar systems were in various states of disrepair. While "Borax" Smith and the Realty Syndicate had motivation to build the streetcar system (selling real estate), they didn't have motivation to necessarily maintain it once the real estate was sold.

A series of stairs and walkways (many of which would be familiar to people who took the OUP Lakeshore to Park Blvd. walk in January) took us into Crocker Highlands. Unfortunately, a few of the stairs are in very bad shape as the ground under them has shifted. We did see many lovely homes and meet some friendly neighbors, but it made for slow going overall.

Then it was down to Lakeshore, where we wrapped up the tour. People had the option of exploring Lakeshore and Grand Avenue, or hopping on a bus back to downtown.

More pictures:

For those looking for write-ups of more recent OHA walks, they're coming. I'm behind on posts in general and OHA walks in particular.

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

upcoming Oakland events

Wondering what to do in Oakland? This weekend there are two big events: Friday is a First Friday, and so the ever-growing Art Murmur and associated events are happening all over; Saturday and Sunday is the annual Art & Soul Festival. But there's lots of other fun stuff to do if those aren't your thing, with regular events like Bites off Broadway to special events like a ghost investigation!

Ghost Investigation at Pardee Home - Friday, August 3, 6:45pm-midnight. Join Karen Zimmerman, a professional ghost investigator and author, and her staff in searching for evidence of spirits within the Pardee Home Museum. ($50)

Dancing Under the Stars - Friday, August 3, 8:30-10pm. This week's dance: the foxtrot! (free)

Jewish Film Festival at Great Wall of Oakland - Friday, August 3, 8pm-11pm. As part of First Friday, Great Wall of Oakland will host the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival (SFJFF) with a collaboration show titled "What Makes A Family?". Exploring the complicated and diverse relationships that exist between members of families, this show looks at our inherent needs for connection and close personal relationships. (free)

ongoing events:

looking further ahead:

Laurel Street Fair - Saturday, August 11, 11 am-6 pm, MacArthur Blvd. between 35th and 38th Street: Food, music and fun in the Laurel District. (free)

Raider Nation Celebration - Sunday, August 12, 1-4pm. Celebrate the start of the football season with the Raiders at the Coliseum.

Twilight by the Lake Thursday, August 16, 5-7:30pm. The Cathedral of Christ the Light is starting up their summer series of mixers again. (free)

Pedalfest - Saturday, August 18, 11am-8pm. The second annual Pedfalfest at Jack London Square. Last year's Pedalfest was hella fun, for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. (free)

Great Oakland Public Schools Garden Party - Saturday, August 18, 1-4pm. Fundraiser for Great Oakland Public Schools featuring local food, wine and beer.

Jazz by the Lake - Sunday, August 19, 2-4pm. Nicolas Bearde at Camron-Stanford House with some smooth, sassy jazz. ($25-$30).

Faith Fancher Breast Cancer Challenge - Saturday, August 25. The 8th annual Faith Fancher breast cancer 5K walk and fundraiser.

Eat Real Fest - Friday, September 2–Sunday, September 4. (free)

Taste of Temescal, Tuesday, September 18, 6- 8:30 pm. A culinary crawl to scintillate your palates: the Taste of Temescal on Telegraph Avenue between 43th and 51st. ($30)

Red Cross Out for Blood Fun Run - Sunday, September 30, 9am. A fun fundraiser for Northern California Red Cross blood services. Read about last year's fun run. ($25-$30)

signs: Oakland Liquor

Oakland Liquor

Itook this yesterday while getting ready to test-walk an Oakland Urban Paths walk. I keep hoping to see it lit up because it's hard to take a picture of it with the protective plexiglass. It's on 14th Avenue near Foothill.