West Oakland afternoon

Sunday afternoon K and I went to the open studio of Oakland-based artist Anthony Holdsworth. You'd likely recognize his work, as it's hung in numerous cafes and galleries around Oakland. He started painting urban landscapes in the 1970s when he lived in North Oakland and his pickup truck wasn't in good enough shape to drive him out to the countryside. I ended up buying a couple of limited edition prints (originals aren't in my budget), one of Lake Merritt and one of Esther's Orbit Room, a jazz and blues club in West Oakland that has disappeared like all the rest.

We stopped by the Shorey house, where William Shorey, "the Black Ahab" lived with his family when he wasn't leading a whaling trip. A couple of guys asked what I was taking a picture of, so I told them a bit about William Shorey, and the warehouse down the street where Green Day crashed for a while early in their career. Then it was a late lunch at 10th and Wood a short distance away.

The weather was warm and beautiful, and it was still early, so we headed out to Middle Harbor Shoreline Park after lunch. The park is tucked away amongst different parts of the Port of Oakland. The land is all fill, but it didn't happen at all at once. The Western Pacific Railway had a 'mole' which extended the railroad tracks out to a ferry slip. Just beyond that was the Oakland Harbor Light. The lighthouse building was later sold for $1, moved up the estuary, and is now Quinn's Lighthouse, a bar and restaurant. We strolled around the point and saw lots of birds, including a flock of California brown pelicans that flew past us. We wrapped up the afternoon with a beer at The Beer Shed. A lovely way to spend the afternoon.

More pictures from the afternoon: