Monday, April 29, 2013

Slow Art Day

Lake Chelan, by Betty Jo Costanzo


Saturday was Slow Art Day, an event that's been going on worldwide since 2009. It basically goes exactly opposite what many people's interaction with art is these days. Instead of shuffling through a museum trying to see as much as you can, or squeezing through a crowded gallery opening or First Friday event glancing at what you can, it encourages participants to really slow down and look at art. Instead of the average of less than 10 seconds, people spend 5 to 10 minutes with a single piece. After the specified time, they move to another, and so on. Afterwards participants get together to discuss their experiences.

The Slow Art Day event that K and I attended on Saturday was hosted by Jan Watten of Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. The gallery is currently featuring The Big Painting Show: Layers of Abstraction by 8 Bay Area Artists. There are 15 or so large pieces on display, and there were fewer participants, so it was a peaceful rotation to a new painting when the time had elapsed. The whole experience was very contemplative. Jan had classical music playing softly in the background, and a gentle harp sound to let us know when the time had elapsed.

K had to leave before the discussion (and sadly, before the lovely vegetarian lunch Jan provided), but to me the first part was worth experiencing and doing again, if nothing else. After spending 10 minutes of so in front of a number of pieces, we gathered for lunch and to discuss what we'd seen. Although most of the people in attendance were artists, only once or twice did the conversation veer into the off-putting "well this person clearly studied this artist/school of art, and what I learned in art school was..." Mostly it was about what people noticed in the paintings by slowing down to examine them carefully, what they liked or didn't, what the paintings made them feel. To me, it was simply a great opportunity to be forced to slow down and examine paintings I might not have given more than 10 seconds to otherwise.

Six 10-Minute Silences With Art


1. The blue-green places of rest
within the movement:
how beautiful that a stranger
created this space
for me.

-chime-

2. It's a story, and I'm in it:
I've bitten the white part of the rind,
startling, pale, and dry
but I also know about the juicy red
perfect sticky
watermelon's heart.

-chime-

3. How embarrassing to like it:
the cherry-chip cake I always
asked my mom for on my birthday—
pink, thick
obscenely sweet frosting—
But!

-chime-

4. But!
I have to stay here:
a cloud-shrouded island
floats under the pink—
the "accidents" of the paint,
its omissions and splatter:
these are back doors left unlocked
to let in possibility,
a quiet midnight visitor.

-chime-

5. Leave me alone with this:
If I speak of it now
it might disappear...

-chime-

6.

-chime-

by K, 2013

Read more about Slow Art Day on Artnews.

More photos from Slow Art Day at Gray Loft Gallery:

Friday, April 26, 2013

Oakland Food News

Just a few morsels of food news. But a chance to remind you to partake in Oakland Veg Week! Even if you don't go to one of the Oakland restaurants with specials for the week, try eating vegetarian for a change. There are lots of great restaurants in Oakland with vegi and vegan options that make it easy.

I noticed some activity at Lost & Found on Telegraph earlier this week. No update on when it might open, but activity is a good sign. The website still says "Coming Soon".

Max's Diner and Bar in City Center closed up rather suddenly. According to @dto510,"Max's up and left City Center without even telling its employees, a week ago!"

Also rather suddenly, a number of Lanesplitter Pizza employees quit mid-shift at the Temescal location. According to the East Bay Express article, one of the servers put a post that "outlined a series of grievances that included alleged misogyny, emotional abuse, and a deceptively inaccessible employee health care program." Ouch. Unsurprisingly, the company denies the allegations.

In more exciting news, Bites off Broadway is about to begin its third year. I'm a fan, so I'm very happy to hear it will be back.

The East Bay Express wasn't wild about Lungomare, "Highs and Lows at Lungomare", but liked some things and is optimistic about the future. K and I tried it a couple weeks ago, and we enjoyed it. One of the things we had and liked was the polenta, which the EBX article mentioned.


And a few leftovers from earlier this year.

I'd heard but forgotten about Little Star Pizza planning to open on Grand Avenue, but was reminded by a recent tweet from @davidcolburn showing the new sign on "The Star" at the former site of Milano.

Thick crust not your thing? Back in January, Berkeleyside said that Jules Thin Crust was scheduled to open in Rockridge in March. Update: @davidcolburn let me know the Rockridge location is open, as confirmed by some reviews on Yelp.


Update #2. In a good sign for Oakland beer lovers and probably a bad sign for Quinn's Lightouse, the Brotzeit Boathaus and Biergarten is aiming to open in May.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

This week is Oakland Veg Week. It's a great time to try eating vegetarian! There's also a home tour coming up, supporting the work of the Children's Support League of the East Bay. Let me know other events by leaving a comment.

Oakland Veg Week - April 22-28. The second annual Veg Week in Oakland. Features vegetarian food events, including a popup at Kitchner, vegi food trucks at Off the Grid, and specials at restaurants all over Oakland. Read more in the East Bay Express.


Wednesday

What I Hear, I Keep: Stories from Oakland's Griots - Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30-5:30pm. Visual and audio art installation at Peralta Hacienda based on African American stories of modern-day Oakland, with local residents telling about their lives and exploring their identities. (with $5 admission)

Vintage porcelain at the Pardee Home - Wednesdays, 2nd Saturdays, 2nd Sundays. View the historic Pardee Home and the collection of porcelain collected by the globe-trotting Mrs. Pardee. You can take the tour for $5 or have the tour and tea for $25. Read more at World of Mailman. Read about the tea service on the East Bay Express. ($5/$25)

Thursday

OaklandForward: Meet Bryan Parker Thursday, April 25, 6-9pm. Join Movement50.org to meet Bryan Parker. Music by DJ Sharp, DJ Jerry Ross, and DJ Mike Lewis.

Friday

25th Annual Heart of the Home Tour - Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. Tour beautiful homes and support the work of the Children's Support League of the East Bay. Includes the Harrow Mansion in Piedmont, designed by noted Oakland architect Julia Morgan. ($47+)

Saturday

Waste Not - with St. Vincent de Paul Society - Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm. Support the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society by bringing your electronic waste to their warehouse for recycling. (free)

Slow Art Day - Saturday, Noon-2pm. The Gray Loft Gallery will be participating in Slow Art Day, when people are encouraged to discover the joy of looking at and loving art. Please stop by and take in the show slowly. If you are interested in participating, please sign up on the Slow Art Day website - or just stop by!

Celebrate the Paramount Theatre - Saturday, April 27. Join the Art Deco Society to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the Paramount Theatre. ($100+)

Paintings by Robert Akeley - A Retrospective - Saturdays, 11am-5pm. See an exhibition of paintings by long-time resident Robert Akeley at the Rise Above Gallery.

The Big Painting Show - Saturdays, 1-5pm. See paintings by 8 established Bay Area artists at the Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. The Big Painting Show: Layers of Abstraction features the work of Rick Arnitz, Mark Ashworth, Suzy Barnard, Jamie Brunson, Betty Jo Costanzo, Carol Lefkowitz, Simone Simon, and June Yokell. (free)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

A Taste of Spring - May 2, 5:30pm. A fundraiser supporting Oakland park projects and helping underserved kids attend great OPR classes and camps.

Compared to What? play - May 10,11,12,17,18,19,24,25 - A play by Judith Offer about the Pullman Porters and life in West Oakland. Held at the First Christina($15-$20)

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. Beginning May 10th. My favorite food truck event returns for 2013. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Glenview Cottage Industries Show - Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm. Featuring local artists and craftspeople in Glenview.

Measure DD Celebration - Sunday, June 9. Come celebrate the work accomplished as part of Measure DD, improving the areas around Lake Merritt.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

signs: Williams Liquors


Much of the sign is plastic (and old, weathered plastic at that), but it has this little gem in the corner.

 

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Monday is the start of Oakland Veg Week. It's a great time to try eating vegetarian! This week there are a variety of interesting events, including the Oakland Heritage Alliance: Great Estates in April tour, celebrating the Cambodian New Year at Peralta Hacienda, Earth Day cleanups, and more. Let me know other events by leaving a comment.

For a complete list of Earth Cleanup events, check out bayareaearthday.org

Wednesday

What I Hear, I Keep: Stories from Oakland's Griots - Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30-5:30pm. Visual and audio art installation at Peralta Hacienda based on African American stories of modern-day Oakland, with local residents telling about their lives and exploring their identities. (with $5 admission)

Vintage porcelain at the Pardee Home - Wednesdays, 2nd Saturdays, 2nd Sundays. View the historic Pardee Home and the collection of porcelain collected by the globe-trotting Mrs. Pardee. You can take the tour for $5 or have the tour and tea for $25. Read more at World of Mailman. Read about the tea service on the East Bay Express. ($5/$25)

Friday

Fruitvale Night Market - 3-8pm, Friday, April 19. Join The Unity Council for an evening of fun in the Fruitvale. Live music, activities, and vendors. (free)

Saturday

OHA: Great Estates in April - Saturday, April 20. The Oakland Heritage Alliance house tour features Tudor and Mediterranean revival style homes Claremont Pines and Upper Rockridge, which emerged as suburban garden developments in the first decades of the 1900s. You can either tour the homes, or tour the homes and partake in a gourmet meal, with sunset views of the bay. ($30+)

Earth Day Cleanup - 9am-noon. Join other Oaklanders in helping clean up Oakland! Cleanups will be at Lafayette Square, Jefferson Square, and the African American Museum and Library of Oakland. There will be a live performance by the Oakland Spirit Orchestra at 10am. (free)

Earth Day Cleanup at Peralta Hacienda - 9am-noon. Help cleanup the park around historic Peralta Hacienda. Stay and celebrate the Cambodian New Year. (free)

Celebrate Cambodian New Year at Peralta Hacienda - Saturday, April 20, 10am-3pm. Join Peralta Hacienda in celebrating the Cambodian New Year.

Paintings by Robert Akeley - A Retrospective - Saturdays, 11am-5pm. See an exhibition of paintings by long-time resident Robert Akeley at the Rise Above Gallery.

The Big Painting Show - Saturdays, 1-5pm. See paintings by 8 established Bay Area artists at the Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. The Big Painting Show: Layers of Abstraction features the work of Rick Arnitz, Mark Ashworth, Suzy Barnard, Jamie Brunson, Betty Jo Costanzo, Carol Lefkowitz, Simone Simon, and June Yokell. (free)

Monday

Oakland Veg Week - April 22-28. The second annual Veg Week in Oakland. Features vegetarian food events, including a popup at Kitchner, vegi food trucks at Off the Grid, and specials at restaurants all over Oakland. Read more in the East Bay Express.

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

25th Annual Heart of the Home Tour - Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. Tour beautiful homes and support the work of the Children's Support League of the East Bay. Includes the Harrow Mansion in Piedmont, designed by noted Oakland architect Julia Morgan. ($47+)

Waste Not - with St. Vincent de Paul Society - Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm. Support the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society by bringing your electronic waste to their warehouse for recycling. (free)

Celebrate the Paramount Theatre - Saturday, April 27. Join the Art Deco Society to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the Paramount Theatre. ($100+)

A Taste of Spring - May 2, 5:30pm. A fundraiser supporting Oakland park projects and helping underserved kids attend great OPR classes and camps.

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. Beginning May 10th. My favorite food truck event returns for 2013. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Glenview Cottage Industries Show - Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm. Featuring local artists and craftspeople in Glenview.

Measure DD Celebration - Sunday, June 9. Come celebrate the work accomplished as part of Measure DD, improving the areas around Lake Merritt.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Oakland Urban Paths: Parklets


Saturday was the monthly Oakland Urban Paths walk, this time focused on Oakland's parklets. A 'parklet' is taking over one or two parking spaces and making them available to people, by extending the sidewalk into a seating area. The walk was led by Chris Kidd of OUP and Ruth Miller, an urban planner who was instrumental in getting parklets introduced to Oakland when she worked with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland. We were joined by 40+ people and half a dozen dogs.

The first known parklet of was an art project by Rebar Art and Design Studio in San Francisco in 2005. They rolled out sod, set down a potted tree, and to keep things legit, fed the parking meter as needed. That's how a number of cities have gotten into it, with parklets as temporary structures. Read about Park(ing) Day 2011 in Oakland.

The first official and more or less permanent parklet was in 2010 in San Francisco. Oakland got into the swing of things, and now has two parklets, with more in the works. We started our walk at the first permanent parklet, outside Farley's East. Chris and Ruth told us a bit about parklets, and then we headed uptown.

At 28th and Broadway, we headed over towards Glen Echo Creek. These days it's largely underground, but given the topography it's pretty easy to figure out about where it is. We climbed stairs on the other side of the creek, past the historic First Christian Church, to Oak Park. While it's an official city of Oakland park, it doesn't feel a whole lot bigger than a parklet. It's part of what was a school that was converted into condominiums.

Back down the hill, across Glen Echo Creek, under I-580 and around some corners, and we crossed Glen Echo Creek again. We headed up to Piedmont Avenue, and then beyond to Howe Street and 40th. There's an odd set of streets, with 40th Street running into 40th Street Way, and 40th Street itself continuing half a block to the southwest. The odd bit of street layout is because 40th Street used to be a cut through the hill that the Key System followed. The tracks then curved around to the northeast, and into what is now the Key Route Plaza that we saw on our December Walk and Shop.

Then it was down 40th to Manifesto Bicycles and the site of the second permanent parklet. We heard more about parklets, what's involved in creating them, and what's planned for the future. Several more parklets are in the permit and build process, including one on Lakeshore and one outside Actual Cafe at Alcatraz and San Pablo, as well as one on 25th Street between Telegraph and Broadway. From there people could either walk to Broadway to catch a bus, walk straight down Broadway for a quicker walk back, or stick with us for a few more meanderings. We went through Mosswood Park, back across Broadway, and across Glen Echo Creek one more time.

Another great walk. Thanks to Chris and Ruth for leading it, and to everyone and everywoof who turned out for it! Check the Oakland Urban Paths website for details on the next OUP walk, which will Saturday, May 11th at 10am. Hope to see you then!

Lots more pictures from Saturday's walk:

Friday, April 12, 2013

photo of the week: tulips!


Aphoto from last weekend's tulip festival at Mountain View Cemetery. Alas, the indoor flower displays were last weekend only, and the warm, dry weather we've been having means the tulip displays outside won't last much longer. At least they'll live on in this photo, which makes a lovely background for a desktop computer or a smartphone.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Seemingly a quiet week. I'll be on the Oakland Urban Paths walk on Saturday, though not leading this one. Let me know other events by leaving a comment!

Wednesday

What I Hear, I Keep: Stories from Oakland's Griots - Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30-5:30pm. Visual and audio art installation at Peralta Hacienda based on African American stories of modern-day Oakland, with local residents telling about their lives and exploring their identities. (with $5 admission)

Vintage porcelain at the Pardee Home - Wednesdays, 2nd Saturdays, 2nd Sundays. View the historic Pardee Home and the collection of porcelain collected by the globe-trotting Mrs. Pardee. You can take the tour for $5 or have the tour and tea for $25. Read more at World of Mailman. Read about the tea service on the East Bay Express. ($5/$25)

Saturday

Day of Peace 2013 - Saturday, April 13, 9am-noon. Join Project Peace East Bay for Day of Peace service projects around Oakland and Berkeley. (free)

Oakland Urban Paths - Oakland's Parklets - Saturday, April 13, 10am. Explore some of Oakland’s parklets and urban nature. Start at Farley’s (east). (free)

Paintings by Robert Akeley - A Retrospective - Saturdays, 11am-5pm. See an exhibition of paintings by long-time resident Robert Akeley at the Rise Above Gallery.

The Big Painting Show - Saturdays, 1-5pm. See paintings by 8 established Bay Area artists at the Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. The Big Painting Show: Layers of Abstraction features the work of Rick Arnitz, Mark Ashworth, Suzy Barnard, Jamie Brunson, Betty Jo Costanzo, Carol Lefkowitz, Simone Simon, and June Yokell. (free)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

OHA: Great Estates in April - Saturday, April 20. The Oakland Heritage Alliance house tour features Tudor and Mediterranean revival style homes Claremont Pines and Upper Rockridge, which emerged as suburban garden developments in the first decades of the 1900s. ($30+)

Celebrate Cambodian New Year at Peralta Hacienda - Saturday, April 20, 10am-3pm. Join Peralta Hacienda in celebrating the Cambodian New Year.

25th Annual Heart of the Home Tour - Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. Tour beautiful homes and support the work of the Children's Support League of the East Bay. Includes the Harrow Mansion in Piedmont, designed by noted Oakland architect Julia Morgan. ($47+)

Waste Not - with St. Vincent de Paul Society - Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm. Support the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society by bringing your electronic waste to their warehouse for recycling. (free)

Celebrate the Paramount Theatre - Satuday, April 27. Join the Art Deco Society to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the Paramount Theatre. ($100+)

A Taste of Spring - May 2, 5:30pm. A fundraiser supporting Oakland park projects and helping underserved kids attend great OPR classes and camps.

Glenview Cottage Industries Show - Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm. Featuring local artists and craftspeople in Glenview.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Mountain View Cemetery Tulip Festival


This past weekend was the annual tulip festival at Mountain View Cemetery. I've seen the outdoor displays before, but this was the first time I'd seen the exhibition indoors.

The outdoor displays are impressive, and reason enough to visit Mountain View during the tulip festival. But the indoor exhibition was stunning. Not all the arrangements were to my taste, but they were all pretty amazing. And of course, Mountain View has plenty of other flowers during different parts of the year.

More pictures from the tulip fesitval:

Monday, April 8, 2013

First Friday Fun


Friday night there was way too much fun and interesting stuff to do, but that didn't stop me from trying to do most of it anyway.


I started at Bikes 4 Life in West Oakland to join people in a ride over to Uptown. The ride was sponsored by Bikes 4 Life, East Bay Bicycle Coalition and Walk Oakland Bike Oakland. About 15 people rode from there to the new sculpture garden in Uptown.


At the sculpture garden there were hundreds of people out for the opening. Valet bike was parking provided by Richmond Spokes. Rebecca Saltzman was one of the community activists who had prevented the empty lot from just becoming yet another ugly surface parking lot. She spoke, as did Mayor Jean Quan, CM Libby Schaaf, and CM Lynette Gibson McElhaney, and the jazz band from the nearby Oakland School for the Arts played some music.


Then it was a quick trip down Telegraph to Sole Space, the combination shoe store and art gallery. There I ate a tasty Angel Cakes cupcake and checked out artwork by Favianna Rodriguez. She wasn't there, as she was at another event (out of town, I think), but it was great to be able to check out some of her work up close.


A quick ride (and longer search for bike parking) took me to Loring Cafe to drop in on a tweetup. @zennie62, @tdlove5 and @guelo were there, and we talked about Art Murmur and how it's changed, and then chatted with one of the owners of Loring Cafe.

With no time to spare, I then headed over to Telegraph and Grand and took a quick look at Art Murmur in person. It's definitely changed since I was first there in 2011. If nothing else, it's a whole lot bigger.


I rode up Broadway to 40th, to my final stop of the night, the opening of second part of an exhibition of artist Robert Akeley's work at the Rise Above Gallery in Temescal. There I spotted my third CM of the night (try to collect them all!), CM Dan Kalb. With no other destinations in mind (except home), I spent a while there talking to people including Robert, Annalee Allen, Sue Mark (of the 10,000 Steps project) and drinking some tasty beer served up by Sue's young son.

Not that I was able to give enough time to any of the events, but it was a lot of fun. The one event I didn't make was an event for Back to the Roots, but I found out about that too late to even think about including in my planning.

More pictures from Friday:

Friday, April 5, 2013

signs: Xyclo


Here's a three-fer on signs. Xyclo has three interesting signs: a nice metal sign, a better-than-average plastic sign that lights up, and a neon sign that plays on the 'ycl' as part of 'bicycle' in the name.

They also have very tasty food, that's beautifully presented.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

It's time again for First Friday and the Art Murmur. Events of special note include the grand opening of the sculpture garden in Uptown, the opening of the second part of the Robert Akeley exhibition in Temescal, the annual tulip festival at Mountain View Cemetery, and the Oakland International Film Festival at the New Parkway, Grand Lake and other locations.

Wednesday

What I Hear, I Keep: Stories from Oakland's Griots - Wednesday-Saturday, 2:30-5:30pm. Visual and audio art installation at Peralta Hacienda based on African American stories of modern-day Oakland, with local residents telling about their lives and exploring their identities. (with $5 admission)

Vintage porcelain at the Pardee Home - Wednesdays, 2nd Saturdays, 2nd Sundays. View the historic Pardee Home and the collection of porcelain collected by the globe-trotting Mrs. Pardee. You can take the tour for $5 or have the tour and tea for $25. Read more at World of Mailman. Read about the tea service on the East Bay Express. ($5/$25)

Thursday

Oakland International Film Festival - April 4-7; various Oakland locations including The New Parkway, Grand Lake Theater and others. See Eventbrite listing for more details.

Friday

Mountain View Cemetery Tulip Festival - Friday, April 5 - Sunday, April, 7. Mountain View Cemetery's annual tulip festival. There will be special exhibitions on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the outdoor flowers will be on view at any time. Read more in the Oakland Tribune. (free)

Off the Grid at OMCA - Friday, 5-9pm. The Off the Grid food truck pod comes to the Oakland Museum for an evening of food and fun.

bike ride to Uptown Art Park opening - Friday, April 5, 5:30pm. The East Bay Bicycle Coalition, Walk Oakland Bike Oakland (WOBO) and Bikes4Life will host a fun, 1.5 mile bike ride to the event. Riders of all ages are invited to gather at 5:30 p.m. at Bikes4Life, 1600 7th Street @ Willow in West Oakland (take BART to the West Oakland station). Free bike lights will be offered to participants courtesy of the City of Oakland (limited supply – arrive by 5:30 p.m.). Bike valet parking will be provided by Richmond Spokes. (free)

Uptown Art Park opening - Friday, April 5, 6:30-8:30pm. Come celebrate the opening of the Uptown Art Park. Nine Sculpture Art Pieces by Local Artists, plus music, tours and food trucks. (free)

Opening of 2nd Exhibition by Robert Akeley - A Retrospective - Saturdays, 11am-5pm. See an exhibition of paintings by long-time resident Robert Akeley at the Rise Above Gallery.

Saturday

Spring Skate and Stroll in Temescal - Saturday, noon-4pm. Faux ice skating rink, skateboarding demos, and more. (free)

Paintings by Robert Akeley - A Retrospective - Saturdays, 11am-5pm. See an exhibition of paintings by long-time resident Robert Akeley at the Rise Above Gallery.

The Big Painting Show - Saturdays, 1-5pm. See paintings by 8 established Bay Area artists at the Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. The Big Painting Show: Layers of Abstraction features the work of Rick Arnitz, Mark Ashworth, Suzy Barnard, Jamie Brunson, Betty Jo Costanzo, Carol Lefkowitz, Simone Simon, and June Yokell. (free)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

Day of Peace 2013 - Saturday, April 13, 9am-noon. Join Project Peace East Bay for Day of Peace service projects around Oakland and Berkeley. (free)

Oakland Urban Paths - Oakland's Parklets - Saturday, April 13, 10am. Explore some of Oakland’s parklets and urban nature. Start at Farley’s (east). (free)

OHA: Great Estates in April - Saturday, April 20. The Oakland Heritage Alliance house tour features Tudor and Mediterranean revival style homes Claremont Pines and Upper Rockridge, which emerged as suburban garden developments in the first decades of the 1900s. ($30+)

Celebrate Cambodian New Year at Peralta Hacienda - Saturday, Apri l 20, 10am-3pm. Join Peralta Hacienda in celebrating the Cambodian New Year.

25th Annual Heart of the Home Tour - Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27. Tour beautiful homes and support the work of the Children's Support League of the East Bay. Includes the Harrow Mansion in Piedmont, designed by noted Oakland architect Julia Morgan. ($47+)

Waste Not - with St. Vincent de Paul Society - Saturday, April 27, 10am-3pm. Support the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society by bringing your electronic waste to their warehouse for recycling. (free)

Celebrate the Paramount Theatre - Satuday, April 27. Join the Art Deco Society to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the restoration of the Paramount Theatre. ($100+)

A Taste of Spring - May 2, 5:30pm. A fundraiser supporting Oakland park projects and helping underserved kids attend great OPR classes and camps.

Glenview Cottage Industries Show - Saturday, May 11, 10am-5pm. Featuring local artists and craftspeople in Glenview.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Oakland Running Festival photos


Last weekend I volunteered as a course marshal for the Oakland Running Festival. I was stationed near Grand Avenue where the runners came up from alongside Lake Merritt, and my duties were to (1) keep runners on course (2) cheer them on. I think I did pretty well on both counts, though it would have been helpful to have a second person stationed where the course turned away from the lake to come up the hill. In the afternoon I shifted down the hill a bit, since with larger gaps between runners, they didn't have others to follow.

Though my back was sore and my voice a bit hoarse by the time the race was done, I had fun. I hope the runners had as much fun as I did cheering them on! A big thank you to all the folks who came out and cheered the runners on, and a special thank you to the bicyclist in orange who stuck around and helped me direct traffic. The final runner on the course was determined to make it, and a bunch of OPD officers were cheering her on. There was a whole lot of Oakland love out there.

More pictures from the running festival:

Monday, April 1, 2013

exploring Huckleberry park


Tucked away in the Oakland hills between the bigger and better-known Sibley and Redwood Regional Parks is a small green gem, Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve. I've lost track of the number of times I've been there and how many photos I've taken.

But when it came time to create an Oakland Wiki page for it, I could only find a few, including this photo of wintering ladybugs that I shot on film(!) back in 2001. So yesterday I took advantage of the overcast skies to get some photos appropriate for showing it off. The park has a heavy tree canopy, so it's easier to shoot on an overcast day without bright patches of sunlight poking through.

Rather than repeat what I've written, you can read about it the Oakland Wiki page for Huckleberry. A few photos from yesterday are there, and there are lots more below. Some interesting piece about Huckleberry I've neglected? You can edit the Oakland Wiki, too!

Lots more photos from Huckleberry: