Friday, June 28, 2013

free concerts at the Kaiser Roof Garden


Today I headed to the Kaiser Roof Garden for a free concert featuring Oakland singer-songwriter Alexa Weber Morales. As part of today's concert, she sang a mixture of her own songs and a few standards with her own twist. She and the band were clearly having fun, as were the people who got up to dance!

If you made the concert and want to hear more, or didn't and want some idea of what you missed, or find out when and where she's performing next, check out Alexa's website. For the schedule of upcoming concerts, check the Kaiser Center website. The concerts are free, and it's a great way to spend your lunch hour.

More pictures from the concert:

food+drink: Brotzeit


Yesterday on my way back from Fruitvale BART, I took the long way home and rode along the estuary. As I was riding, I remembered I still hadn't checked out Brotzeit, the new biergarten, and as it was a warm afternoon, it was a perfect time for it.

I didn't have a chance to check out the food, but they've got lots of beers on tap and in the bottle. The tap list was about 8 German or other import beers and 8 California beers. I ordered a dunkle weisse and was pleased to see it arrive in a traditional hefeweissen glass. The service was quick and friendly, and the place has a good vibe. For hot days like these, they could use more umbrellas on the patio, but they'll add those things, I'm sure. The only negative is a small thing. The building is cantilevered over the water, and in my choice of seats near the window, I could feel the floor bounce every time someone walked through. Disconcerting at first, at least here in earthquake country.

In any event, I'm looking forward to checking it out again soon, and trying some of their food, too. Next time you're looking for a cool spot to hang out and have a cold one, check out Brotzeit. It's next to the 9th Avenue Terminal, tucked behind the hotel on Embarcadero, so you can check out the site of the Oak to Ninth Project, too.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Lots going on, as usual. Of special note are the opening of August Wilson's Seven Guitars, and the final weekend of the Brighter than Blight art project.

Wednesday

Oakland Walking Tours - Wednesday, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Thursday

Seven Guitars - A Play by August Wilson - Thursday, June 27 + future dates. The Lower Bottoms Playaz and the Prescott-Joseph Center present August Wilson's play, Seven Guitars. Opening on Thursday; Shows Friday, Saturday, Sunday, June 28-30 and July 5-7. ($10-$25)

Friday

Brighter Than Blight - Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 4-9pm. An art installation by Ise Lyfe at the condemned Greenside housing project which tells the East Oakland story. Read more at 38thNotes.com (free)

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. My favorite food truck event, held Fridays outside Studio One Art Center just off Broadway. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Dancing Under the Stars - Fridays, 8:30-10pm. The popular free dance classes at Jack London Square are back for another season. (free)

Saturday

Oakland Walking Tours - Saturdays, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

Family Fun on the Fourth - Thursday, July 4, 11am-4pm. Fun for the whole family at Jack London Square, with food, live music, and lots of stuff for kids. See my coverage of from the 2011 event. (free)

Temescal Street Fair - Sunday, July 7. Fine crafts and community booths, live music, food, and more! Read about last year's street fair. (free)

Pet Adopt-a-thon - Saturday, July 13. Join the East Bay SPCA for its annual adopt-a-thon at Jack London Square. It will feature more than 350 adoptable animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, and reptiles, all looking for good homes. (free)

WW Sketchcrawl - Saturday, July 13. Join other artists of all ages and abilities to walk Oakland and sketch what you see, then get together and compare experiences. (free)

East Bay Bonsai Society's Annual Auction - Saturday, July 13, 7:30pm. Preview begins at 7pm. Buy a beautiful bonsai tree and support the East Bay Bonsai Society. At the Lakeside Garden Center. (free)

Pedalfest - Satuday, July 20, 11am-7pm. The annual EBBC celebration of bicycles at Jack London Square. There will be all sorts of bike-related things, including a tricycle parade for kids, bike decorating, the Whiskeydrome, bike stunts, and more. Read about Pedalfest 2011. (free)

Fairyland for Grownups - August 16. Your chance to visit Fairyland without a child on an adults only night. Ever wanted to drink a beer inside a whale? This is your chance. A fundraiser for Children's Fairyland.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Old Oakland Dishcrawl


Last week K and I joined a bunch of food enthusiasts for a Dishcrawl of Old Oakland. A Dishcrawl means you don't know which restaurants you'll be going to, just the general location.

We started at El Gusano for some tasty Mexican food, then walked down the block to Breads of India. There they had a small buffet set up where we could sample some of their food. Then it was around the block to Miss Ollie's for some Carribean tastes. Then for dessert we headed over to Tamarindo. At each location we had a chance to try a variety of foods, chat with each other, or order drinks. One thing that makes a Dishcrawl different is that we also got a chance to hear from the owners and/or chefs of each restaurant about the food, and what inspires and motivates them.

I also met some people in person that I've only met online or on the phone before: Christina of the wonderful East Bay Dish site, Geneva of Savor Oakland Food Tours (a recent Oakland Indie Award winner), and Lindsay and her co-workers from Visit Oakland. I also met several other people who are regular Our Oakland readers! (Despite knowing from site stats that I get lots of visitors, it's always nice to meet them in person.)

All in all, it's a great experience, which K and I will try again. A word of warning: pace yourself. We were offered up lots of tasty food to try at all four restaurants. But it's hard to remember there are three more restaurants when you find something really tasty at the first!

More pictures from the Dishcrawl:


Also check out the post on Dishcrawl, and the Facebook album with some great pictures from Jonathan Fong.

Monday, June 24, 2013

photo of the week: pelican


While walking around Lake Merritt on Friday, we were excited to see this white pelican feeding, and able to see it fairly close up. I don't know if it was Hank the Pelican or not, as later we saw five white pelicans together, but it was fun to see regardless.

showing off Oakland


Kand I have some family in town (K's cousins from Sweden), so Friday afternoon we showed them around Oakland.

We started in Joaquin Miller Park and Redwood Regional Park to see the redwoods. They had been up near Mendocino and seen lots of larger redwoods, but Oakland's redwoods and their relative youth (less than 150 years old) are part of Oakland history. And it was quite warm, so a shady walk was just the thing to start our afternoon with.

After wandering amongst the redwoods, we headed down the hill past the Mormon Temple and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral through the Dimond and Fruitvale, along the south end of Lake Merritt, and down to Jack London Square.

In Jack London Square we saw Heinold's and talked about Jack London and his writing career. We walked along the waterfront, enjoying the warm sunshine and cool breezes. We checked out the cranes at the Port of Oakland, the USS Potomac, the Lightship Relief, and the OFD fireboat Sea Wolf.

Then we returned home for dinner and more conversation. But our visitors weren't done with Oakland yet—they headed back to Jack London Square to meet up with some other cousins for Dancing Under the Stars!

More photos from our tour:

Friday, June 21, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Hecka late. I'd been thinking this past week I had less going on so I'd be able to catch up on the backlog. Instead, well...there are reasons upcoming events are coming out Friday night instead of Wednesday morning. I'm only posting at all so you can note the events on Saturday, particularly the Juneteenth celebration and ribbon cutting at Peralta Hacienda.

Wednesday

Oakland Walking Tours - Wednesday, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Friday

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. My favorite food truck event, held Fridays outside Studio One Art Center just off Broadway. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Dancing Under the Stars - Fridays, 8:30-10pm. The popular free dance classes at Jack London Square are back for another season. (free)

Saturday

Oakland Walking Tours - Saturdays, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 22, 2-6pm. Join Peralta Hacienda and the National Park Service for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new Anza Trail signage, followed by a Juneteenth celebration at the the park, featuring music, dancers, and more. (free)

Wild Food Walk - Saturday, June 22, 11am and 2pm. Join OaklandLocal and Forage SF for a walk in the Oakland hills to learn what edible plants grow wild here. Optionally join them for a discussion and food at Two Mile Wines after the walk. ($40-$70)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

Family Fun on the Fourth - Thursday, July 4, 11am-4pm. Fun for the whole family at Jack London Square, with food, live music, and lots of stuff for kids. See my coverage of from the 2011 event. (free)

Temescal Street Fair - Sunday, July 7. Read about last year's street fair. (free)

Pet Adopt-a-thon - Saturday, July 13. Join the East Bay SPCA for its annual adopt-a-thon at Jack London Square. It will feature more than 350 adoptable animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, and reptiles, all looking for good homes. (free)

WW Sketchcrawl - Saturday, July 13. Join other artists of all ages and abilities to walk Oakland and sketch what you see, then get together and compare experiences. (free)

Pedalfest - Satuday, July 20, 11am-7pm. The annual EBBC celebration of bicycles at Jack London Square. There will be all sorts of bike-related things, including a tricycle parade for kids, bike decorating, the Whiskeydrome, bike stunts, and more. Read about Pedalfest 2011. (free)

Fairyland for Grownups - August 16. Your chance to visit Fairyland without a child on an adults only night. Ever wanted to drink a beer inside a whale? This is your chance. A fundraiser for Children's Fairyland.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Love Our Lake / Oaklavía


Sunday was Love Our Lake and Oaklavía, celebrating the improvements around Lake Merritt done as part of Measure DD. Oaklavía closed off the streets around the lake to traffic and opened them to pedestrians, cyclists, skaters, and more.

There were thousands of people out having fun, both on land and on the water. People rowed, sailed, pedaled and paddled their way around the lake. After I finished leading the Oakland Urban Paths walk around the lake, I walked around checking out some of the stuff going on. Then I volunteered with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland, checking on other volunteers and then directing traffic along Grand Avenue. It was all a lot of fun, but made for a long day!

Lots more pictures from Love Our Lake and Oaklavía:


Check out the great Oaklavía video from Streetfilms:


Other coverage:

Thursday, June 13, 2013

photo of the week: Lake Merritt reflections


On my way home from an event at the Kaiser Center this morning, I took a number of pictures of our beautiful lake, including this one with an abstract backdrop—the background is the reflection of the Ordway Building. I also took a nice picture of the Cathedral of Christ the Light which I added to the Oakland Wiki entry.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Abit less going on this week, which considering how busy I was last week isn't necessarily a bad thing. Still lots of fun stuff going on!

Wednesday

Oakland Walking Tours - Wednesday, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Friday

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. My favorite food truck event, held Fridays outside Studio One Art Center just off Broadway. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Dancing Under the Stars - Fridays, 8:30-10pm. The popular free dance classes at Jack London Square are back for another season. (free)

Saturday

Oakland Walking Tours - Saturdays, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Wednesday

Old Oakland Dishcrawl - Wednesday, June 19, 7pm. Explore four restaurants in Old Oakland, meeting the owners and/or managers to get the story behind the food. Vegetarian option available. ($45)


ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

Juneteenth Celebration - Saturday, June 22, 2-6pm. Join Peralta Hacienda and the National Park Service for a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new Anza Trail signage, followed by a Juneteenth celebration at the the park, featuring music, dancers, and more. (free)

Wild Food Walk - Saturday, June 22, 11am and 2pm. Join OaklandLocal and Forage SF for a walk in the Oakland hills to learn what edible plants grow wild here. Optionally join them for a discussion and food at Two Mile Wines after the walk. ($40-$70)

Family Fun on the Fourth - Thursday, July 4, 11am-4pm. Fun for the whole family at Jack London Square, with food, live music, and lots of stuff for kids. See my coverage of from the 2011 event. (free)

Temescal Street Fair - Sunday, July 7. Read about last year's street fair. (free)

Pet Adopt-a-thon - Saturday, July 13. Join the East Bay SPCA for its annual adopt-a-thon at Jack London Square. It will feature more than 350 adoptable animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, and reptiles, all looking for good homes. (free)

WW Sketchcrawl - Saturday, July 13. Join other artists of all ages and abilities to walk Oakland and sketch what you see, then get together and compare experiences. (free)

Pedalfest - Satuday, July 20, 11am-7pm. The annual EBBC celebration of bicycles at Jack London Square. There will be all sorts of bike-related things, including a tricycle parade for kids, bike decorating, the Whiskeydrome, bike stunts, and more. Read about Pedalfest 2011. (free)

Fairyland for Grownups - August 16. Your chance to visit Fairyland without a child on an adults only night. Ever wanted to drink a beer inside a whale? This is your chance. A fundraiser for Children's Fairyland.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Oakland Urban Paths: Lake Merritt


Agroup of 30 people and two dogs joined Oakland Urban Paths for a special Sunday urban paths walk around Lake Merritt. The walk was on Sunday instead of our normal Saturday so people could also participate in the Love Our Lake / Oaklavía celebrations going on around the lake. The streets around Lake Merritt were closed to cars and opened to pedestrians, bikes, scooters, skaters and more so people could check out all the improvements around Lake Merritt that have been done as part of Measure DD.

We started the walk in Snow Park, where food trucks and others were already getting set up for the day's events. Snow Park is named for the Snow Museum of Natural History; adventurer and hunter Henry Snow shot and otherwise collected thousands of specimens and gave them to Oakland to start a museum. Later parts of the collection would be folded into the Oakland Museum of California.

Next door to Snow Park are the remains of the Schilling Gardens and estate, the home of Schilling Spice Co. founder August Schilling. Parts of the gardens still exist, including iron gates with a large 'A' and 'S' in their design, as well as part of a greenhouse. The gardens and grounds were beautiful, immortalized in postcards and open to the public until about 1911. Now they're closed to the public, and were recently threatened by the development of a 42-story building.

After a quick stop in front of the Lake Merritt Hotel and The Terrace Room, we rounded the corner on Lakeside Drive to come to the Municipal Boathouse. It started as the a pumping station for the Oakland Fire Department in 1909. The 1906 earthquake was devastating not only because of the ground shaking but because of the massive fires that followed. The pumping station was added as water supply in case of a similar event in Oakland. The wings with the boathouses were added in 1913, and after getting rundown over the years, the building was retrofitted to house the Lake Chalet restaurant, a gondola service and the Lake Merritt Rowing Club.

A short walk brought us to Camron-Stanford House. This historic home is the last of the grand Victorians that once ringed Lake Merritt. It was home to various families, including the Camrons, the Stanfords, and the Hewes. For many years it housed the Oakland Public Museum. After that was merged into the new Oakland Museum of California, the building became rundown and was threatened with demolition. A group worked to save the house, and now it houses a small museum as well as offices that are rented out. The house and grounds (which include a new Victorian period garden) are available for rental for events like weddings or parties. While we were there, Mayor Jean Quan stopped by to take our picture. That seems only fair since we've walked past her house on a previous walking tour.

Then we walked along the south end of the lake, past the Kaiser Convention Center (formerly known as the Oakland Auditorium) to the channel to the estuary. There we looked at the remaining traces of Peralta Playland, which include part of the tunnel from the miniature steam train, the Oakland Acorn. There we ran into Robert Raburn who is on the BART board and founded the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, and Naomi Schiff, who is on the board of the Oakland Heritage Alliance and has been active with it since its inception.

A longer walk took us up to the Cleveland Cascade. The beautiful cascade was built in 1923, and was operational until some time before 1950. Over the years it got more and more overgrown, and eventually became a neighborhood nuisance. Then in 2004 some neighbors decided to clean it up, and rediscovered the cascade. Now the Friends of the Cleveland Cascade have raised money (including some Measure DD funds) and installed new railings and lighting on the stairways, and are hoping to raise more money to make the fountains operational once again. Now the stairs are some of the most heavily used in Oakland, both for people getting access between Lake Merritt and Cleveland Heights, but also just for exercise.

We walked around the north end of the lake, through the Oakland Pergola and Colonnade. While it didn't get as rundown as the Cleveland Cascade, it needed some renovation via Measure DD, too. When we went past there were people dancing in the plaza and valet bike parking along sidewalk. The adjacent street is called El Embarcadero because in the days of the Spanish, it was used as a landing for shipping and receiving cargo by boat.

Heading south, we saw the islands that serve as a refuge for birds. In fact, Lake Merritt is the oldest wildlife refuge in the United States. It became one when Governor Henry H. Haight signed a bill in 1870. The lake is still a wildlife refuge, although the Canada geese are some of the more controversial avian residents.

From there we headed to the Gardens at Lake Merritt. Volunteers were doing special tours as part of the Love of Lake celebration, and to encourage people to volunteer to help with the maintenance. The 11 gardens include a bonsai garden, a sensory garden, a palmetum, and more.

On the other side of the gardens, we passed by the Lake Merritt Bandstand, the back of Children's Fairyland, and around the arm of the lake. From there we could see the outflow of Glen Echo Creek, the Cathedral of Christ the Light, the Kaiser Center, the Kaiser Roof Garden, and our starting point, Snow Park.

Another great walk. Thanks to everyone who came out and joined us!

More photos from the walk:


Click for a map of our route.


NOTE: If you're new to Our Oakland, links to the Oakland Wiki have the Open Oakland icon in front of them.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

morning bite of Oakland food news


Yesterday while running around Oakland, I spotted a new bar + restaurant opening. New as in watched them open the door to the first customers on Friday evening, shortly after 5pm. The place is called Hutch, and the sign advertises "Cocktails and Oysters".

It's at 2022 Telegraph, formerly home to a bar called 2022. They recently passed their final inspections and decided to do a soft opening in time for this month's First Friday. The kitchen won't be up to full speed until next week or so, but in addition to cocktails and beer from the bar, they had tastes of some of their food available for the opening. Food included fried polenta balls, hushpuppies, and a butterbean hummus with some vegis for dipping. All the food I tasted was great, and the staff super friendly. It all bodes well for their future.

Their website is hutchoakland.com and will have details on hours, menu, etc. as it becomes available.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Old Oakland Dishcrawl


Afun-sounding food event that's coming up is an Old Oakland Dishcrawl on Wednesday, June 19th at 7pm. In the Dishcrawl format, participants don't know which four restaurants they'll be going to until right before the event itself. Dishcrawl focuses on introducing food lovers not only to restaurants' signature dishes, but also to the chefs and owners behind those dishes. This creates a better understanding of the restaurant and develops a connection between the diners and the food they are eating.

While the restaurants are unknown, you can specify that you want a vegetarian option. It costs $45 per person, and tickets for this particular event are selling out. If you're interested, check out the Dishcrawl page for the Old Oakland event. K and I have our tickets, so we'll see you there!

Thursday, June 6, 2013

upcoming Oakland events

Way too much to do this weekend. The big event is Oaklavía / Love Our Lake Day on Sunday, closing off the streets around Lake Merritt and celebrating Lake Merritt. I'll be leading an Oakland Urban Paths walk around the lake on Sunday morning (not our usual 2nd Saturday), and there are East Bay Open Studios and more.

If that weren't enough, Friday has Bites off Broadway, and it's a First Friday, bringing Art Murmur to Uptown.

Work has been extra busy of late, so the blog isn't getting as much time as I'd like. But there are additional interesting events coming up, so I'll update this entry as time permits.

Wednesday

Oakland Walking Tours - Wednesday, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Thursday

Fairyland Gala Costume Party - Thursday, June 6, 6:30-9:30pm. Help support Children's Fairyland by attending this special adults-only gala party in Fairyland. ($75-$125)

Dancing Under the Stars at JLS - Thursdays, 8:30-10pm. Free dance lessons from Linden Street Dance Studio return! (free)

Friday

Bites off Broadway - Fridays, 5:30-8:30pm. My favorite food truck event, held Fridays outside Studio One Art Center just off Broadway. Read more about Bites off Broadway. (free)

Jack's Night Market - Friday, June 7th, 6-10pm. A fun evening market at Jack London Square, featuring food, fun, vendors and more. Read about one of last year's markets. (free)

Dancing Under the Stars - Fridays, 8:30-10pm. The popular free dance classes at Jack London Square are back for another season. First up June 7th: Salsa! (free)

Saturday

East Bay Open Studios - Saturday, Sunday, 8-9; 11am-6pm. See the work of over 400 local artists as they open their studios to the public. Numerous artists and galleries are taking part, including Gray Loft Gallery and Fernando Reyes in Jingletown, the Crucible in West Oakland, and many more. (free)

Oakland Walking Tours - Saturdays, 10am. Free downtown walking tours highlighting Oakland's history, architecture and people. Read about past Oakland Walking Tours. (free)

Sunday

Oakland Urban Paths walk - Lake Merritt - Sunday, June 9, 10am-12:30pm. Join Oakland Urban Paths for a walk around Lake Merritt before the Love Our Lake celebrations begin. We'll check out the improvements from Measure DD and visit the Cleveland Cascade. (free)

Love Our Lake: Oaklavia + Measure DD Celebration - Sunday, June 9. Come celebrate the work accomplished as part of Measure DD, improving the areas around Lake Merritt. Streets around the lake will be closed for pedestrian and bicycle friendliness. There will be food trucks, live entertainment, and activities for kids. (free)

ongoing events:


looking further ahead:

Old Oakland Dishcrawl - Wednesday, June 19, 7pm. Explore four restaurants in Old Oakland, meeting the owners and/or managers to get the story behind the food. Vegetarian option available. ($45)

Wild Food Walk - Saturday, June 22. 11am and 2pm. Join OaklandLocal and Forage SF for a walk in the Oakland hills to learn what edible plants grow wild here. Optionally join them for a discussion and food at Two Mile Wines after the walk. ($40-$70)

Family Fun on the Fourth - 11am-4pm. Fun for the whole family at Jack London Square, with food, live music, and lots of stuff for kids. See my coverage of from the 2011 event. (free)

Temescal Street Fair - Sunday, July 7. Read about last year's street fair. (free)

Pet Adopt-a-thon - Saturday, July 13. Join the East Bay SPCA for its annual adopt-a-thon at Jack London Square. It will feature more than 350 adoptable animals including cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, and reptiles, all looking for good homes. (free)

WW Sketchcrawl - Saturday, July 13. Join other artists of all ages and abilities to walk Oakland and sketch what you see, then get together and compare experiences. (free)

Pedalfest - Satuday, July 20, 11am-7pm. The annual EBBC celebration of bicycles at Jack London Square. There will be all sorts of bike-related things, including a tricycle parade for kids, bike decorating, the Whiskeydrome, bike stunts, and more. Read about Pedalfest 2011. (free)

Fairyland for Grownups - August 16. Your chance to visit Fairyland without a child on an adults only night. Ever wanted to drink a beer inside a whale? This is your chance. A fundraiser for Children's Fairyland.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

East Bay Open Studios


This past weekend and next weekend (June 8-9) are the East Bay Open Studios. This annual event is a great chance to check out art in Oakland and elsewhere in the East Bay.

On Saturday K and I walked to an open studio near us (which also happens to be where we vote every election). Sunday after church we had some lunch then walked around some of the open studios near College Avenue. We had a family event to attend in the afternoon but some time before it, so we checked out an open studio between I-580 and Highway 13.

There was a variety of media used, ceramics, paints, collages, sculptures, book sculptures; and an even wider range of styles. I liked a lot of what I saw, and we even came home with a few small pieces. Obviously not every piece of art is to everyone's taste, but there are so many different artists participating in this year's open studios that there's something for almost everyone. But as significant as seeing the art was the chance to talk to the artists about it. I highly recommend taking some time and checking out some of the open studios around Oakland, and meet some of your neighbors who are artists.

More pictures from East Bay Open Studios:

Monday, June 3, 2013

Love Our Lake Day - celebrate with Oakland+WOBO June 9th


Come walk, bike, and paddle Lake Merritt with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland. Join WOBO and the city of Oakland for safe, car-free fun on streets and parks around Lake Merritt on Sunday, June 9 from 11am to 4pm. A special grand opening ceremony at Lake Merritt Boulevard amphitheater and pedestrian bridge will take place at 2pm to commend and thank the residents of Oakland for approving an unprecedented bond measure (Measure DD) that made beautifying the area around the Lake possible.

Many of the streets around Lake Merritt will be closed off to traffic making them available to pedestrians and bicycles. There will be food trucks, music, and a wide variety of activities. Lake Merritt is an incomparable jewel in Oakland, and this is a great opportunity to see it sparkle!

Visit Oaklavia.org for more information.

NOTE: Volunteers are still needed. You can come volunteer for part of the time and enjoy the celebrations yourself the rest of the time. You'll get lunch, a t-shirt, and more! Plus you'll help make this great event even better.

Oakland Floats


This is a guest post by my lovely and talented wife. Her website on spiritual direction and other matters is Sleep on the Hearth.

I've long been curious about sensory deprivation, so I decided to try a 75-minute float in one of the tanks at Oakland Floats.

Everything about making and paying for my reservation was easy, and I received a friendly voicemail with tips about how to prepare. The staff was helpful and professional, and the place was wonderfully clean and had a strong, healthy energy. All this was the easy part...more complicated were the deep stirrings that went on inside me as I anticipated and then actually did this crazy-seeming thing.

Flotation tank: One fear I had was of being trapped inside, unable to find or open the door. But when I arrived and told Daisha (if I'm remembering her name correctly!) about my fear, she showed me that there's no latch on the tank door that can accidentally be locked or even latched. She also told me I could prop the door open with a towel if I wanted to, and that's all it took to calm the surface-level fear I was feeling.

I say surface-level because deeper down lay fear of a whole other stripe, fear that neither Daisha nor anyone else can do anything about. First of all, I've read that people in sensory-deprivation tanks can hallucinate. I've experienced hallucination, and I hope never to experience it again. Secondly, I had a fear that was nameless until the right word came to me in the middle of my float, and that word is death. Floating sightless in a box with no sense of attachment to your body seems to me, well, a heck of a lot like death.

So why did I pay money to spend time in said box?

One thing I was hoping for was the ability to sink into a deeper meditative space than usual, and while I had only a little bit of the experience during this first float, it was enough to show me that more could easily happen next time. After a few minutes in the tank, I felt comfortable enough to close the door all the way. It took a while to relax and trust the water to hold me up, but hold me up it did. There was no danger of sinking or accidentally flipping over. I was so buoyant, and the water was such a perfect skin temperature, that I could simply lie still and exist, without feeling the water or the air.

Lying there, I thought of Denise Levertov's beautiful poem "The Avowal." I thought about daring to lie face to the sky, to use Levertov's words, floating into Creator Spirit's deep embrace. Beautiful, but it made the thought of death all the more present and real, because isn't her poem, in the end, a metaphor about death?

But there was a powerful counterpoint to the death theme. When my ears were submerged (which I discovered was my preference; I didn't like the neck pillow), I heard my heartbeat, a steady, faithful, powerhouse of a noise. I'm very much alive.

The other counterpoint is harder to describe and was completely unexpected. It came to me when I spent a few minutes scanning my body to notice how each part felt. When I checked in with my back, I became aware of my spine, and it felt like a thing unto itself. In fact, I felt like I was a spine with a heart, and nothing else, with the rest just along for the ride. The simplicity of my aliveness was a different melody than my fear and answered it wonderfully. Counterpoint.

Also, I'm happy to say that I did not hallucinate, so I'm about to make a reservation for another session at Oakland Floats. All in all, my first float was great, and I look forward to doing it again.

Oakland Floats is on 40th near Broadway, just on the edge (Gene tells me) of the Temescal. They sublet space to Body by Melisa and other folks in healing professions, including talk therapists and a Rolfing practitioner. Just downstairs is Five Flavors Herbs, which I visited after my float, and Paeonia Integrated Medicine. Five Flavors Herbs is a light, pleasant space with interesting art, and the man I spoke with took the time to look something up for me and explain which herbs might help my allergies. I think it's terrific that such compatible businesses share the building--the whole corner of 40th and Manila is dedicated to various aspects of physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Excellent!