Our Oakland

tall ships visit Oakland

2012-02-25T08:57:00.000-08:00

The other week two tall ships visited Oakland. The Hawaiian Chieftain and the Lady Washington cruise up and down the west coast, teaching kids and adults about sailing and history. Both ships belong to the Historical Seaport which runs the educational programs. The Hawaiian Chieftain is designed similar to an 1800s sailing ship, but was built to haul cargo in Hawaii, and so has a steel hull with three keels and a very shallow draft. The Lady Washington is based on an actual ship design from the 1700s. There were designs drawn up for two, but they couldn't afford to have the second one built. Instead, the larger sister ship was built and now sails around Tom Sawyer Island in Disneyland.

more pictures:

upcoming Oakland events

2012-02-22T14:16:00.000-08:00

Awide variety of events, as usual. Please note the marrow registry drives—you could help save a life! If you know of something interesting going on in Oakland that I haven't listed, let me know in the comments.

First 2012 WOBO Volunteer Meeting - Thursday, February 23, 6-7:30pm. Learn the many ways to get involved in building a more accessible and safer community with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland. (web page)

Second Start Adult Literacy Program Thursday, February 23, 6-7:30pm, Grand Opening, celebrating with good food, good music and good company. Free books will be given to kids. At the main library. (free)

art: A Woman’s Perspective - Thursday, February 23, 6-8:30pm. Opening reception for Nancy Hom's new show, with images of women, mothers & children. At the Oakland Asian Cultural Center on 388 9th Street #290. The show runs from February 8 - April 29. (free)

ComicCon: ImageExpo Friday-Sunday, February 24-26. A comic book convention of independent comic book creators. (website)

Oakland Walking Tour: New Era, New Politics - Saturday, February 25, 10am-12p. In celebration of Black History Month. I've been on all of the walking tours, and they're a great way to learn about Oakland and its history. This one focuses on more recent Oakland history and politics. (free)

marrow registry drives - Saturday, February 25. A simple cheek swab can tell if you're a potential match for leukemia patient Janet Liang. She has until April to find a match, and you could help save her life. There's a marrow drive Saturday at 525 4th Street in Oakland from 10am-4pm. Other nearby drives are at Paddy’s Café Union City 10am-1pm, and E&O Trading Co Restaurant San Francisco, 11-3. Can't make a drive? Get a test kit from Be the Match. Find other drives on the Asian American Donor Program website.

Monthly News Cafe - Tuesday, February 28, 8-10am. Join Oakland Local in a discussion about the economy and how social media is a powerful tool for connecting people, causes and local events. Panelists include Oakland local staff, local leaders, and neighbors. (website; admission $4-$7)

Oakland Home Energy Workshop - Tuesday, February 28, 6pm-7pm. Learn how to get up to $4,000 in rebates on a home energy efficiency upgrades. At the Dimond Library. (free)

looking further ahead:

Color and Climate: A Vertical Landscape of Sound - Tuesday, March 2, 6pm. Join Youth Radio to celebrate the unveiling of its soundscape stairwell exhibit, Color and Climate. (free)

Explore Oakmore with Oakland Urban Paths - Saturday, March 10, 10am-12:30pm. Join Oakland Urban Paths to check out how local pathways connect to watershed and regional trail systems. (free)

Creative Growth Fundraiser - Friday, March 16, 6-9pm. "Beyond Trend". A gala fundraiser for the Center for Creative Growth, with DJ music, a silent auction, and great-sounding food. (more info)

Beyond Emancipation fundraiser Wednesday, March 28, 5-9pm Dine out and help foster youth succeed and thrive. Italian Colors will generously donate a percentage of your dinner bill to support Beyond Emancipation's programs for current and former foster youth in Alameda County.

Oakland Veg Week - April 15-21. Thought about eating vegetarian? Oakland Veg Week will have a variety of events to introduce people to the idea. (website)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

black history month: Captain William T. Shorey

2012-02-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

William and Julia Ann Shorey

When most people think about early black history in Oakland, they think of the Pullman Porters. Less well known is William T. Shorey, who was captain of a whaling ship in the 1880s, the only black captain operating on the west coast at that time. He was known to his whaling crews as the 'Black Ahab'.

William was born in Barbados in 1859, went to sea as a teenager, and made his first whaling voyage in 1876. Whaling brought him to California, and he married Julia Ann Shelton, the daughter of a leading African American family in San Francisco. He was a skilled captain and navigator, earning his masters license which allowed him to command any size vessel anywhere in the world. He and Julia Ann had 5 children, living in West Oakland at 1782 8th Street. William retired from the sea in 1908, as the whaling industry was winding down as petroleum was discovered.

Active in politics before and after his retirement, William hosted a dinner in 1903 honor of Booker T. Washington, who spoke to raise funds for his school at Tuskegee. William died in 1919, one of many victims of the Spanish flu pandemic. Some of the influenza victims from Oakland are buried in plot 53 in Mountain View Cemetery, but William is in plot 14B. Julia Ann (-1944) and their daughter Zenobia Pearl (-1909) were also buried there. Their grave is prominently marked on the maps the cemetery provides. Nearby is a marker for William T. Shorey, Jr. (1902-1969), presumably their son.

Following his death, Shorey Street in West Oakland was named after him. He was the first black resident in Oakland to be honored by the city fathers.

more on Captain William T. Shorey:

William Shorey (Lives of the Dead)
influenza plot (Lives of the Dead)
black Captain Ahab (Black History Album)
William Thomas Shorey (BlackPast.org)
William Shorey (Wikipedia)
Shorey House (blog about their home)

Historical photo from the Oakland History Room at the Oakland Public Library.

More Tapophile Tragics from around the world.

detain the rain with low cost rain barrels

2012-02-20T07:34:00.000-08:00

CM Jane Brunner and
homeowner Terry Galloway

Anyone who's lived in the Bay Area for more than a few years knows we generally have dry summers and wet winters (this winter notwithstanding). But what newer residents may not know about are the occasional fires in the urban/rural interface of the hills. The immediate event is devastating, but the longer-term effects can be devastating, too. Denuded hillsides don't hold the rain, leading to mudslides, and roads and homes destroyed.

Hiller Highlands in the north Oakland hills has experienced all this, and resident Terry Galloway knows first-hand about the effects. He lost his home in the 1991 Oakland Firestorm that killed 25 people and destroyed almost 3,800 homes, apartments and condominiums. Then he watched mudslides when the rains began that winter. But even in years when there hasn't been a recent fire, normal rains can cause mudslides which damage property and roads. It's a difficult problem.

One answer is to build a network of storm drains and storage tanks, but Oakland doesn't have the estimated $200 million+ needed for it. A much more economical solution is to detain the rain on individual properties, and make the peak water flow lower by spreading it out. Or as Lesley Estes, the city's Watershed Program Supervisor said, "to control the firehose effect." Galloway already had two 65 gallon 'Moby' rain barrels, and Estes, council member Jane Brunner, and Matt Freiberg of the Watershed Project came to see more storage installed.

Matt Freiberg of
the Watershed Project

Much of the prep work for this install was done by two interns in Merritt College's Environmental Science program, but Freiberg described how simple a typical install can be. It does require some plastic pipes and fittings, and usually cutting the existing downspout, but overall it's fairly easy. Galloway said the hardest part was getting the new 305 gallon tank from the street to its final location behind his house.

The city has a federal grant which significantly reduces the cost of the rain barrels. The 65 gallon barrel retails for $219, but is available through the city program for $48.50. There are larger tanks like the 305 gallon tank installed at the Galloway residence, all the way up to a 620 gallons. Buying one is as easy as going to the city's rain barrel program website and placing your order. You can either pick up the barrels or arrange to have them delivered. I bought two of the 65 gallon barrels a couple of years ago.

BUT (you knew there was a 'but' coming), the federal funding for the program runs out at the end of 2012. Which means to get the barrels for the lower cost, you need to order and take delivery before then.

There are benefits besides erosion control. If you have any sort of garden or plants, you can use the collected rain to water them and reduce your water bill. Galloway has a drip system connected to his existing barrels, and uses rainwater to provide water for the small greenhouse built behind his home. The new tank will be used to water six fruit trees. I was also impressed because he has a solar hot water system for providing hot water in the house and heating the small pool in the backyard, as well as photo voltaic panels to generate electricity.

more pictures from the install:

For more information about the program, see www.oaklandpw.com/rainbarrel

Also check out the coverage at Oakland North.

bikes + beer + benefit = fun!

2012-02-18T11:24:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday was a great event combining several of my favorite things: beer, bikes and Oakland. It was the Tour de Bière 2012, led by The Grand Cru, as a fundraiser for the East Bay Bike Coalition. With a full day of biking and beer tasting, plus discounts at several destinations, it was a bargain at $25 per person. So it was unsurprising when tickets sold out for it in 4 days.

We met at Trumer in Berkeley to sign in and start off with some coffee and snacks. The group split into two for a tour around Trumer's brewery. Outside are a number of large silos for grain, and giant temperature-controller fermenters. Trumer Pils is known for being a 'bright', clear beer, so they've got an amazing filtration system, but because EBMUD water is so good, they don't need to filter or treat the water. I worked at a brew on premises / brewpub for a while, and was interested in beer before that, so I'm familiar with the brewing process. That said, I still found the tour at Trumer interesting and informative.

Linden Street Brewery

From there we headed down to Linden Street Brewery in Jack London Square. I'm a huge fan of Linden Street, not just because founder Adam Lamoreaux is incredibly supportive of different non-profits around Oakland, but also because Linden Street Beers are incredibly tasty (love the Burning Oak Black Lager and the Urban Peoples' Common Lager). LSB has been growing at a healthy pace, and Adam is hoping to outgrow the space in Jack London Square. But even if that happens, he plans to keep the Linden Street location going forward, as a 'brewery incubator'. Currently LSB hosts Dying Vines Brewing, but going forward they'd love to host more.

Triple Rock

The group again split in two. Most people headed for Elevation 66 in El Cerrito and the rest of us headed for Triple Rock in Berkeley. Triple Rock is the granddaddy, one of the oldest operating brewpubs in the U.S., and opened when I was in college in 1986. They were having their 'Sour Sunday' which drew a lot of fans, so the brewpub was packed. I had some of their IIMax DIPA, a big, hoppy beer.

We then headed over to Elevation 66 in El Cerrito. It's the new kid on the block, having just opened in 2011. I'm not in El Cerrito very often, but I'll definitely keep it in mind for future visits.

To finish off the evening, we rode down to Pyramid in Berkeley, not far from where we started. Our ranks had thinned a bit by then, but those remaining happily toured the large brew house and sampled a variety of Pyramid's beers.

The tour was about 20 miles, plus I had another 6 miles each way to and from BART, so about 32 miles of riding for me. Despite that, I only used the electric assist on my ride home; the rest of the ride was flat and slow enough I didn't need it.

It was a long day with a lot of riding, but hella fun. Thanks to The Grand Cru for organizing the Tour de Bière and to Trumer, Linden Street, Triple Rock, Elevation 66, and Pyramid for hosting us and supporting the East Bay Bike Coalition!

lots more pictures from the ride:

More pictures from The Grand Cru.

Tamales y Vino

2012-02-16T07:55:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was a fun little event with Tina Tamale at Urban Legend Cellars called "Tamales y Vino". It was a thank-you for the crowd source funders of Tina's new tamale truck and cart, as well as a change of pace for folks coming to Urban Legend for wine tasting. It was a lot of fun, with live music from Carlos Godinez, sweets from Semita Dulce, and of course, Urban Legends wines to taste and Tina's tasty tamales, sopas, and salads to eat.

pictures from the event:

Also check out Paula Wirth's great photos from the event, including a couple with me in them.

upcoming Oakland events

2012-02-15T05:54:00.000-08:00

As usual, there's a variety of things to do in Oakland. Celebrate and explore Oakland! If none of the listed events appeal, maybe it's time for you to try one of the regular events, like the Saturday Art Stroll, or gardening at Wood Park, Lakeside Park or the Montclair Railroad Trail. And as always, if you know of something interesting going on that I haven't listed, let me know in the comments.

Oakland Walking Tour: New Era, New Politics - Wednesday, February 15, 10am-12pm, and Saturday, February 25. In celebration of Black History Month. I've been on all of the walking tours, and they're a great way to learn about Oakland and its history. This one focuses on more recent Oakland history and politics. (free)

Paramount movie classics: The Sting - Friday, February 17, 7-10pm. A fun con-man movie set during the Depression. It won 7 Oscars in 1974, and stars Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw. ($5)

Rooftop Garden at E.C. Reems Academy - Saturday, February 18, 9am-1pm. Join Ella Baker Center's Soul of the City and Oakland Food Connection for a day of service in East Oakland. Repair garden beds, paint barrels, and prepare the soil for growing. (more info)

Montclair RR Trail Work - Saturday, February 18, 9-11am. Friends of the Montclair RR Trail do monthly maintenance, but they could use an extra hand this Saturday spreading wood chips from the city. (more info)

Tea Tasting Mixer - Saturday, February 18, 2-4pm, At the AAMLO. A collaboration between AAMLO, FAAMLO and Take Your Sister To Lunch, Inc., the mixer encourages women to come together, share their experiences and make a difference.

Tall Ships return to Oakland - February 10 - February 22. Tours, sailing trips, and more. Read more at Oakland North.

looking further ahead:

First 2012 WOBO Volunteer Meeting - Thursday, February 23, 6-7:30pm. Learn the many ways to get involved in building a more accessible and safer community with Walk Oakland Bike Oakland. (web page)

Explore Oakmore with Oakland Urban Paths - Saturday, March 10, 10am-12:30pm. Join Oakland Urban Paths to check out how local pathways connect to watershed and regional trail systems. (free)

Creative Growth Fundraiser - Friday, March 16, 6-9pm. "Beyond Trend". A gala fundraiser for the Center for Creative Growth, with DJ music, a silent auction, and great-sounding food. (more info)

Oakland Veg Week - April 15-21. Thought about eating vegetarian? Oakland Veg Week will have a variety of events to introduce people to the idea. (website)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

Mountain View Cemetery: Grand Army of the Republic

2012-02-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

Grand Army of
the Republic plot

Asection at the Mountain View Cemetery is set aside for members of the Grand Army of the Republic, or put more plainly, veterans of the Union forces in the American Civil War (1861–1865). The GAR was the first veterans' organization in the United States, and was one of the first advocacy groups supporting voting rights for black veterans.

This past weekend after the Oakland Urban Paths walk with geologist Andrew Alden, I stopped by Mountain View Cemetery to do some more exploring and take some new pictures for the Taphophile Tragics meme. I knew that Mountain View Cemetery had a section for Union veterans of the Civil War, but I'd never seen it except at a distance, so that was my goal.

The plot was set aside for Union veterans in 1880 and burials began that fall. In 1893 the GAR dedicated a monument topped with shroud-draped urn (a symbol dating back to Roman times). Just in time for Memorial Day 1897, the plot was given a makeover, ringing it with 750 cannonballs and placing howitzers at the corners. The GAR organization was dissolved in 1956 when the last member died, and as time will do, things slowly wore down after that.

Then in 2003, Eric Kos and Dennis Evanosky gave it another makeover. Working with the cemetery staff and the Department of Veterans Affairs, they mapped the plot and replaced the broken and missing stones. Even the howitzers were restored.

Obediah Summers

What I found particularly noteworthy was the marker for Obediah Summers. He was born into slavery in 1844 in Clay County, Missouri. At age 20 in 1864, he enlisted in Company A, 18th Regiment of the United States Colored Infantry (USCI). After the war he became a Methodist preacher, and eventually moved to Oakland. He later served the California State Legislature as its first African-American chaplain. But he wasn't originally buried in the GAR plot. During the 2003 makeover, Eric and Dennis, working with Mt. View staff, discovered Obediah's grave. Obediah's granddaughter Myrna Adams petitioned to have his remains moved to the GAR lot, a request that was granted in 2005, when Obediah was able to join his fellow veterans.

See other Taphophile Tragic entries from around the world.

Oakland Urban Paths: Rock and Walk

2012-02-13T17:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning there was a great turnout for the Oakland Urban Paths "Rock and Walk", led by Oakland geologist and blogger Andrew Alden. Forty people (and two dogs) gathered to learn about four former quarries in Oakland and Piedmont over the course of a 5 mile walk.

To begin the walk we met at the first quarry, which is now the Rockridge Shopping Center. It was the former Bilger quarry, which produced crushed stone for use in construction. One interesting thing is that the neighboring Treadwell estate didn't sell their land to the quarry, but later sold it to the California College of the Arts, which explains why there's an unusually steep hill between the campus at one level and the shopping center below. Another nearby estate became the Claremont Country Club. The Rockridge branch of Glen Echo Creek traverses the country club, and brings most of the water that fills the quarry pit. Read more about the quarry in Andrew's post from a couple years ago.

From there, we walked around the end of Mountain View Cemetery into Piedmont for quarry #2. It's now Dracena Quarry Park, which is tucked away in a man-made canyon between Moraga Avenue and Oakland Avenue. It also was used to produce crushed stone and aggregate for construction. It's a beautiful little park, surrounded with large redwoods and with play structures for kids. But the hillsides have been left in a somewhat unstable condition—fences around the edge keep park users away from the fallen rock at the base of hills. Read more about Dracena Park in Andrew's post.

Then it was a winding walk over to quarry #3, Davie Tennis Stadium. Unfortunately the park was closed because of a furlough day, but Andrew told us some of the history and geology. The Davie Recreation Stadium was a "gift of the Davie family to the children of Oakland and the East Bay" in 1931. John Davie was a five term mayor of Oakland, first in 1895 then again from 1915-1931. William Davie was a treasurer, and Fred Davie a secretary to the mayor. The quarry provided aggregate for the Alameda Macadam Company and later the Piedmont Paving Company for road paving. You can see an aerial photo of the tennis courts at the park in Google maps.

Morcom Rose Garden

From there we walked across Grand Avenue over to quarry #4, the Morcom Rose Garden. Unlike the other three, Andrew hasn't yet found a record of its history as a quarry, but the geological / topographical features strongly indicate that it was. The land was acquired by the city around 1911-1915, but the first rose wasn't planted until 1933, by then former Mayor Frank Morcom.

We cut back across part of Piedmont, crossed Piedmont Avenue, and returned to our starting point. By this point a few people had dropped out (5 miles is a long walk if you're not used to it), but a few of the remaining folks joined Andrew for a brief walk around the shipping center to view the rocks of quarry #1. Another great urban paths walk, with some stairways that were new to me, and some interesting history and geology to learn about along the way.

Lots more pictures:

For more about Saturday's walk, check out Andrew's post about the walk.

more links:

signs: Alcatraz Shade Shop

2012-02-10T11:43:00.000-08:00

Alcatraz Shade Shop

Alcatraz Shade Shop sits on the not-quite-square corner of Telegraph and Alcatraz. The signage for the name of the shop is nothing special, but they've got a lovely neon-bordered clock advertising their wares.

You may have noticed several vintage neon-bordered clocks from my visit to Neon Works with the Oakland Heritage Alliance in January. I've also seen a number of them around Oakland before, but this was the first I've seen lit.

upcoming Oakland events

2012-02-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Lots of interesting stuff coming up, including geology, tamales, tall ships and more. There's also another New Era, New Politics walking tour, and various Oakland library branches are having exhibits and events in honor of Black History Month.

Urban Geology Lecture with OHA - Thursday, February 9, 7-9pm. Learn about Oakland's geology with the Oakland Heritage Alliance and Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. ($10-$15)

Meet My Town, Montclair photographer - Thursday, February 9, 7-9pm. Join Reenie Raschke for a slideshow, discussion and book signing of her photo book, My Town Montclair. At A Great, Good Place for Books. (free)

Tamales y Vino - Friday, February 10, 6-9pm. A popup at Urban Legend Cellars, with wine tasting, tamales by Tina Tamale, live music, an art show, and more. ($40-$100)

art: Love Show - Friday, February 10, 6-9pm. An art show at Gray Loft Gallery in Jingletown. Art in a variety of mediums about love and its various incarnations, it's "not a Hallmark Valentine show". Features the work of 25+ artists. (free; note: contains mature content)

Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir - Friday, February 10, 8-9:30pm at the Cathedral of Christ the Light. More info. ($20-$25)

Tall Ships return to Oakland - February 10 - February 22. Tours, sailing trips, and more. Read more at Piedmont Patch.

Oakland Urban Paths geology walk - Saturday, February 11. Rock and Walk! Explore Oakland's geology and urban walkways with Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology and Oakland Urban Paths. (free)

Tour de Bière 2012 - Sunday, February 12. Take a bicycle tour of breweries in Oakland and Berkeley, and raise money for the East Bay Bike Coalition. ~~Limited tickets, so order quickly.~~ Sold out, but waiting list available. ($25, 21+)

Oakland Walking Tour: New Era, New Politics - Wednesday, February 15, 10am-12pm. In celebration of Black History Month. I've been on all of the walking tours, and they're a great way to learn about Oakland and its history. This one focuses on more recent Oakland history and politics. (free)

looking further ahead:
Paramount movie classics: The Sting - Friday, February 17, 7-10pm. A fun con-man movie set during the Depression. It won 7 Oscars in 1974, and stars Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw. ($5)

Tea Tasting Mixer, Saturday, February 18, 2-4pm, At the AAMLO. A collaboration between AAMLO, FAAMLO and Take Your Sister To Lunch, Inc., the mixer encourages women to come together, share their experiences and make a difference.

Oakland Veg Week - April 15-21. Thought about eating vegetarian? Oakland Veg Week will have a variety of events to introduce people to the idea. (website)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

taphophile tragics #7

2012-02-07T08:15:00.000-08:00

Ididn't have time to shoot new images for this week's Taphophile Tragics post, so I picked one from my first visit to Mountain View Cemetery back in October.

our Little Ralph
only an armor bearer
& his loving sister Nellie

I have no idea how old the marker is, nor how old Ralph or Nellie were when they died. The dove on top with the olive branch is a symbol of peace. The weathering, the style of the marker, and position near other older markers suggest the grave is fairly old.

walking tour: New Era, New Politics

2012-02-06T14:54:00.000-08:00

Saturday was a specially scheduled walking tour as part of the celebration of Black History Month in Oakland. It's the "New Era, New Politics" tour, and focuses on the more recent history of Oakland.

There was a great turnout, 23 people plus our guide, Renate. As when I took the tour last summer, it starts a little slow, with a lot of names and facts in front of the African American Museum and Library of Oakland (AAMLO). But I did learn some new things, such as the identity of the young boy pictured on one of the banners at the museum.

The banner shows Royal Townes, who became the first African American firefighter in Oakland, and was instrumental in helping desegregate the fire department. Royal was born in Oakland in 1899, and when denied union membership in his factory job because of his race, went to work as a railroad porter. He took the fire department application test and easily passed (he was an intelligent young man, and spoke three languages), but because of his race, his application needed a nudge from his former employer. He helped train many other black applicants to pass the test, and was scoutmaster for a Boy Scout troop that included Sam Golden, who went on to become the first African American fire chief in Oakland. There's an interesting paper at UC Berkeley about the desegregation of the Oakland Fire Department (.doc)

There was lots more we heard about, including people that should be familiar to Oaklanders, including: Delilah Beasley, C.L. Dellums, Lionel Wilson, Elihu Harris, Henry Gardner, Morrie Turner, Byron Rumford, and judge Donald McCullum. To read more about some of these names, click the links, and see my post from last year's New Era, New Politics walking tour.

more pictures:

some of the books referenced:

Oakland
Fire Department

The Pullman Porters
and West Oakland

Special shoutout to @kenyaw who was there with lots of friends celebrating his birthday. Happy Birthday, Kenya! And a reminder to support the Oakland walking tours program—it's one of the things possibly on the budget chopping block.

show some local love for local food

2012-02-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Along-time part of the Oakland food scene is La Borinqueña Mex-icatessen, which you probably better know through Tina Ramos' alter ego, Tina Tamale. And by long-time, I mean pushing 70 years in the business—her grandmother and mother both operated it before her.

I've eaten Tina's food at numerous Oakland events, from the Vintage Christmas Popup to the Passport to the East Bay Wine Trail and countless street festivals in between, and in the past it's always been a table and canopy. But you may have read a while back that Tina purchased a food cart and transporter truck, to simplify taking her tasty tamales on the road and making them available around more places in Oakland.

And that's where you come in. Tina is doing crowd-sourced funding to help with the costs of acquiring the food cart, truck and associated permits. The campaign ends Monday, so you can still contribute. There are a variety of perks available as a thank-you for your contribution, including gift certificates, a limited edition t-shirt featuring artwork by Oakland artists, Joaquin Alejandro Newman & Eduardo Pineda of Forrealism, a special Underground Canvas dinner, up to a chance to name the cart!

One of the potential perks, and a fundraiser in its own right is "Tamales y Vino". The folks at Urban Legend Cellars and Tina did some careful tastings to find wines that pair well with different tamales. You can come taste the pairings; hear live, original music from Oakland Latin jazz group Carlos Godinez Duet; view an art show from Marlene White of the Hive Studios; and hang out with some cool people in Oakland.

The crowd-sourced funding campaign ends Monday, February 6, so act quickly. "Tamales y Vino" at Urban Legend is Friday, February 10, so you've got a little more time, but not much.

Show some local love for local food!

upcoming Oakland events

2012-02-01T19:40:00.000-08:00

Aspecial request—if at all possible, please show up for the Oakland Walking Tour on Saturday. Support for it is one of the many things being considered for the chopping block in the latest Oakland budget, and it's only a 1/2 time position. Losing these amazing, free walking tours that tell so much Oakland history would be a big loss. The same program also gives educational walking tours to school children in Oakland.

Art Murmur - Friday, February 3, 6-9pm. It's the Art Murmur, the second of 2012. It's also a chance to check out the space that The New Parkway Theater will be using. But wait, there's more! The folks behind the Art Murmur are also starting a special curated art tour on the 3rd Saturdays. (free)

Oakland Walking Tour: New Era, New Politics - Saturday, February 4, 10am-12pm. The first of the city-sponsored walking tours downtown for 2012, and if we're not careful, the last. I've been on all of the walking tours, and they're a great way to learn about Oakland and its history. This one focuses on more recent Oakland history and politics. Show your support this Saturday, or there may not be tours in the future. (free)

Victorian Valentines at CSH - Saturday, February 4, 10:30am-12:30pm. Join Camron-Stanford House for the first of their new Decorative Arts Workshops and create Victorian-inspired works of art. ($20-$25, 12+)

Jingletown cleanup - Sunday, February 5, 10am-11am. A quick but needed cleanup around the Peterson Art Wall in Jingletown. (free)

looking further ahead:
Urban Geology Lecture with OHA - Thursday, February 9. Hear about Oakland's geology with the Oakland Heritage Alliance and Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. ($10-$15)

Tamales y Vino - Friday, February 10, 6-9pm. A popup at Urban Legend Cellars, with wine tasting, tamales by Tina Tamale, live music, an art show, and more. ($40-$100)

Tall Ships return to Oakland - February 10 - February 22. Tours, sailing trips, and more. Read more at Piedmont Patch.

Oakland Urban Paths geology walk - Saturday, February 11. Explore Oakland's geology and urban walkways with Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology and Oakland Urban Paths. (free)

Tour de Bière 2012 - Sunday, February 12. Take a bicycle tour of breweries in Oakland and Berkeley, and raise money for the East Bay Bike Coalition. ~~Limited tickets, so order quickly.~~ Sold out, but waiting list available. ($25, 21+)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

Home of Peace Cemetery

2012-01-31T21:15:00.000-08:00

Reminded by Oakland Daily Photo of Home of Peace Cemetery in a recent Taphophile Tragics entry, I went and checked it out on Monday. I've ridden past it many times on my way to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, but had never stopped before.

It's much smaller than Mountain View Cemetery or even Saint Mary's Cemetery, and a bit newer, as the land for it wasn't purchased until 1901. At the time, that was still a ways from the city limits, though people were living in nearby areas. Despite its compact size, it's an interesting place, and I'll need to make another visit sometime.

The cemetery is owned by Beth Jacob Congregation, which has been on Park Blvd. since the 1950s. But the original structure for the congregation was in Old Oakland, at 9th and Castro, dating back to the incorporation of the congregation in 1893.

I saw a lot of familiar symbols: ivy (fidelity, eternal friendship), kohanim hands (priestly tribe of Aaron), and even a few Freemason symbols. But I also saw some new symbols, including a water pitcher (a Levite, a person who was responsible for cleaning the hands of the temple priest) and lions (tribe of Judah).

All of the markers had English, but most had some Hebrew text on them as well. A few had Cyrillic (Russian), and one I saw had a quote in Romanian. I also saw a number of them that were fully bilingual—English on one side, Hebrew on the other. While the markers are generally smaller and simpler than those at Mountain View or Saint Mary's, many of them were visually quite striking, using unusual colors of granite or marble, along with a combination of polished and unpolished stone and painted lettering.

One thing I'd never seen before was what appeared to be a small mailbox next to one of the gravestones. It had a glass front so I could see there was something inside, but it wasn't clear what was there. Maybe on my next visit I'll be brave enough to see what's in there.

Lots more pictures:

food: Caffe 817

2012-01-30T14:08:00.000-08:00

Sunday morning I joined a number of other Bay Area food bloggers and writers for a special tasting at Caffe 817 in Old Oakland. I'd been there some years back, but I heard new owners had purchased it and it was definitely worth checking out again.

Oakland owner/chefs Emily and Scott Goldenberg previously worked at Zuni Cafe, so they're not new to the food business, but they are new to ownership. Because Caffe 817 has been around a while with a loyal customer base, they didn't swoop in and change everything, but have been making smaller changes over the past year.

owner/chefs Scott and Emily

At first glance, they're doing things some other new Oakland cafes and restaurants are: sourcing from local, sustainable farms; simpler menu; rotating displays from local artists; open, airy space with an Old World vibe to hang out; etc. But they're passionate about local, sustainable food. They know not only where their ingredients come from, they know the people behind them. The grass-fed beef for their homemade corned beef hash, for example, comes from a ranch cooperative in Marin county and a similar cooperative in South Dakota. The Gruyere cheese is made locally, and the coffee comes from Oakland's Mr. Espresso, and they know all the people there.

homemade preserves

But they go a step further than local and sustainable, they go slow, too. Rather than poach the eggs, they have an old Italian-made egg steamer. The orange juice is fresh-squeezed. Emily makes the preserves (which are also available for sale by the jar) and the extremely delicious chocolate chip cookies. Scott makes the mostard di frutta spread that takes 2 days to prepare, and the slow-cooked corn beef hash.

OK, the food is local, sustainable, slow, but how does it taste? I only tried the items without meat, but it was all delicious. The Italian steamed egg, toasted levain, and olivada was amazing. The homemade honey yogurt and granola was simple but flavorful and not overly sweet. The coffee (they roast it over oak wood fires at Mr. Espresso) was extremely good, and a Prosecco mimosa made with fresh-squeezed orange juice is a whole different experience than your average brunch accompaniment. And did I mentioned the chocolate chip cookies? K agrees they're extremely delicious.

Italian toast

The food is also beautiful to look at, as evidenced by how much fun Paula Wirth was having photographing it. Even the dishes with meat looked appealing to me, a long-time vegetarian.

In short, I loved it. I'll definitely be going back.

more pictures:

coverage by other Bay Area bloggers and writers:
(I'll be updating this as other coverage comes online)

If you're an Oakland Local advertiser and interested in a similar event, or interested in advertising with Oakland Local, contact Susan Mernit.

There and Back Again: an Oaklander's photo tale

2012-01-27T08:46:00.000-08:00

"I don't want any sort of adventure!" But Gandalf would not be swayed. He seemed distracted, lost in thought, referring to me as hairy even though I had recently shaved. Perhaps he was referring to my toes, of which we hobbits are justifiably quite proud. In any event, there was no changing his mind.

So after packing entirely too few provisions, I raced out the door, unsure if I would ever see my home again. I could only hope I would find a decent tavern or two during my journey, as I hadn't yet eaten my second breakfast. I hadn't even done the dishes from the first! With a long sea voyage ahead of me and because time was of the essence, I rode to the quay in the Rainbow Havens aboard the wagon of one of the 'big people' named Bart. It was a quick but comfortable trip, though I must say some of the way stations could do with a good cleaning.

I walked the short distance to the ship and set about familiarizing myself with my new surroundings. The ship seemed sturdy enough, but sensible hobbits are none too fond of boats of any sort, so I was cautious. And a good thing, too—within minutes the ship was moving. As I watched my now-distant home fade into the haze, I wondered what lay ahead.

The ship passed several islands, one looking to be almost entirely covered by a deserted castle. A much larger island appeared to be inhabited, though I could not see any people moving about. Perhaps elves were moving silently through the forest, watching us as we sailed past?

The ship entered shallower water as we neared land, and slowed I thought, to avoid the treacherous shoals. I heard later that the huge fortress on the nearby shore held thousands of prisoners, so perhaps the captain was right to sneak past, lest we join them.

The sun was beginning to set as we made port, and I was a bit apprehensive. I could no longer see my home in the distance, and what sort of strange people inhabited these lands? But the oddly pale Northern peoples were friendly enough, though. Perhaps they took me for one of their not-as-well-to-do Southron cousins.

I mounted my trusty pony Bill ^*1 and we proceeded up the river. As the last rays of light disappeared from the sky, I made it to my destination. The lovely and talented K and I then proceeded to a nearby ~~pizza/pasta place~~ tavern and settled into a good meal and a few pints of the fine local ale ^*2.

After such an exciting journey, the return trip seemed uneventful ^*3. But it was good to be home again!

more images of my journey:

*1 Yeah, I know Bill wasn't until Lord of the Rings. Work with me here!
*2 I know, I know...Lagunitas or something from Marin Brewing Company would be more local, but they didn't have it.
*3 Except for the announcement in the BART station that trains weren't stopping at West Oakland because of a 'police action'. Maybe it's just me, but 'police action' always makes me think of the euphemism for the Vietnam War.

Crossroads: Gimme (Green) Shelter

2012-01-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

This guest post is by Tim Eyre.

Crossroads
Emergency
Housing

About a month ago, driving farther down International Boulevard than my business usually takes me, an impressive building caught my eye that I'd failed to notice before. What corporation was this sleek building the headquarters for? With its mint green walls and fanciful yellow tower, the Crossroads Emergency Shelter stands as a beacon of modern architecture and progress in an otherwise hardscrabble neighborhood.

Looking further into the building, I discovered that it opened in 2008 after an $11 million construction effort. That stopped me in my tracks. With all the causes that need funding, why drop such a hefty figure on the homeless? They're not exactly contributing to our tax base, right?

It only took a minute to realize my own ignorance and appreciate the virtues of Crossroads. The East Oakland Community Project's 125-bed building has solar panels on its roof, a brightly colored mural in the lobby (painted by the community), and hydronic heating using grey water to heat the building. If green building is the approach we should be taking with all new construction, a principle that people of all political and philosophical backgrounds mostly agree on, then why not follow suit for the most needy?

Here's how I justified the expense to myself: Imagine you have some insurmountable problem, like having to come up with an extra $5,000 in income this month, doubling your regular salary.

You're going to need to find some other sources of income – probably something creative. That's going to require time and concentration.

Everything else will take the backseat for awhile, right? You need to focus fully on the task at hand.

Now imagine that your room is a wreck, with piles of clothes stacking up on the dresser and dust bunnies under the bed. Your kids are home sick, and someone needs to call the plumber before the kitchen sink backs up again.

With all the distractions constantly around us, it's hard enough to concentrate on a major task until all the other pieces of our daily lives are back in place.

Now imagine that you're starting off with nothing; penniless, with no assets, and you're HIV positive. You're given a bed and a hot meal once a day at the shelter, but you have to get in line early to ensure a spot each night. Your goal is to be self-sufficient, renting a room in an apartment with a steady job, within three months. It seems impossible, and it's easy to give up and turn to the bottle or drugs.

The goal of most shelters is to get the recipients of their care off the streets and back into a productive life. It's a task made more difficult by the environs of most shelters: bleak concrete bunkers with unnatural lighting and prison-like facilities. The dreary surroundings make it easier to give up and fall back into old substance abuse habits.

Crossroads recognizes that in a sunny, light-filled atmosphere of hope, people are more likely to take personal responsibility and stick with a plan to success.

"I wanted to help create an environment where people could wake up and say, 'Okay, things are bad, but I have a clean environment where I can work on my other issues,'" Crossroads executive director Wendy Jackson told Ode Magazine in 2008.

The shelter already boasts tons of success stories. Former resident Sharon Hicks ended up at Crossroads after suffering from domestic violence and losing her child. An AIDS sufferer, her depression led to drug use. Counselors at the East Oakland Community Project helped Hicks design a money management plan and to regain custody of her daughter. They now live together in an affordable apartment that Crossroads staff helped her find.

Countless other men, single mothers, and families share similar stories, not just at Crossroads but at shelters around the country. The trend that Oakland helped begin has spawned other green shelters around the country. At The Bridge in Dallas, crime rates in the surrounding community have dropped 18 percent in the three years since the award-winning building opened. Austin, Tex., and Boulder, Col., both boast shelters with amenities their users can take pride in.

A friend even sent me a link to a new shelter being built by the nonprofit Crisis Ministries in Charleston, SC. Rainwater collection and a silver LEED certification at a homeless shelter in the deep South? As is often the case, what starts in California slow trickles east.

If you haven't been out to Crossroads, I encourage you to volunteer. They're open to help of all sorts, from serving food in the kitchen to offering computer help. There's really no better way to directly help the needy in your community. Fortunately, for both the homeless and the volunteers, it's much easier to smile and look ahead from a naturally lit green building than the concrete bunker shelters of yesterday.

Tim Eyre works in the self storage industry, regularly traveling to see locations like this Oakland self storage facility near Jack London Square. Tim also contributes to the Extra Space Storage Blog on a regular basis.

upcoming Oakland events

2012-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

This week's events are brought to you by the letter B. There are birds, bikes and beer, along with some civic engagement about the budget. And Oakland Restaurant Week is still going until Sunday—lots of great deals at great restaurants around Oakland. Including, of course, B Restaurant and B-Side BBQ.

City Council / Redevelopment Agency meeting - tonight, Wednesday, January 25, 5:30pm. Meeting about cuts needed because of the elimination of redevelopment agencies. Amongst the programs that are slated to for cuts are the downtown Oakland walking tours, a wonderful program led by Annalee Allen. Also facing cutbacks are Children's Fairyland, Peralta Hacienda, and the Oakland Zoo.

Impact of a Recall - tonight, Wednesday, January 25, 6pm. The Oakland Tribune, the League of Women Voters of Oakland and the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education are holding a public forum on the possible effects of a mayoral recall. At Nile Hall in Preservation Park.

Winter Bird-a-Thon for Kids - Saturday, January 28, 9:30am-12:30pm. Families are invited to participate in this day of birding and citizen-science! Naturalists will assist a bird walk around Lake Merritt to discover and count bird species such as ducks, cormorants and herons. For kids of all ages and their families. This free event is inspired by the Audubon traditions of the Christmas Bird Count and Great Backyard Bird Count. Please RSVP with Golden Gate Audubon: ggaseducation@gmail.com or 510-508-1388. more info. (free)

Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale preview - Sunday, January 29, 10am-4pm. Preview sale for the Oakland Museum annual fundraiser. ($15-$20)

Oakland Restaurant Week - January 20-29. Oakland has a ton of great restaurants, so why not support the local economy and eat well? Oakland Restaurant Week includes dozens of restaurants from Amba to Yoshi's, from B-Side BBQ to Faz, each featuring prix-fixe specials during the celebration.

looking further ahead:
Victorian Valentines at CSH - Saturday, February 4, 10:30am-12:30pm. Join Camron-Stanford House for the first of their new Decorative Arts Workshops and create Victorian-inspired works of art. ($20-$25, 12+)

Urban Geology Lecture with OHA - Thursday, February 9. Hear about Oakland's geology with the Oakland Heritage Alliance and Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. ($10-$15)

Oakland Urban Paths geology walk - Saturday, February 11. Explore Oakland's geology and urban walkways with Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. (free)

Tour de Bière 2012 - Sunday, February 12. Take a bicycle tour of breweries in Oakland and Berkeley, and raise money for the East Bay Bike Coalition. Limited tickets, so order quickly. ($25, 21+)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

Chapel of Memories

2012-01-24T08:36:00.000-08:00

Continuing with the Taphophile Tragics meme, today features the Chapel of Memories. Oakland Daily Photo introduced some people to the word columbarium a couple of weeks back. To reference that, I went to the Chapel of Memories Columbarium and Mausoleum. It's next to Saint Mary's Cemetery, very near Mountain View Cemetery and Chapel of the Chimes.

More Taphophile Tragics from around the world.

Oakland Urban Paths: Lakeshore to Park Blvd.

2012-01-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

up to Oak Grove park

For the first Oakland Urban Paths walk of 2012 on Saturday there was a great turnout, despite the spotty weather. Eighteen people and 3 dogs came out to explore the paths and stairs between Lakeshore and Park Blvd.

We started near Lakeshore Ave. by examining one of the ornate gateposts that date back to the early 1900s when the area was first developed. We heard a bit about the history of the area from Gerry Montmorency, president of the Lakeshore Homes Association (LHA), one of the oldest homeowner associations in the country. The streets were laid out by the Olmstead brothers, and some of the houses designed by noted architects Julia Morgan and Maybeck & White. You may recall that Mt. View Cemetery was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead, the father of the Olmstead brothers. Read more about the history of the Lakeshore area on the LHA website.

From there we headed up Mandana Blvd. and into the long, narrow Oak Grove park. The park is owned and maintained by the LHA, and sits between lots on Mandana and Longridge. The neighborhood is known as Trestle Glen, for the rail trestle that once crossed the canyon to Sather Park. That was built in 1893 by F.M. "Borax" Smith, the real estate magnate of the Realty Syndicate who eventually developed the Key System. Before that it was known as Indian Gulch, named by early Anglo settlers for the seasonal Ohlone village there.

We then walked into Crocker Highlands, once part of the Charles Crocker estate. The area is full of beautiful homes, many also dating back to the original development. That was started in 1911 by Wickham Havens, son of Frank Havens of the Realty Syndicate.

Then it was over to the Glenview neighborhood and Park Blvd. We had to cross the gulch without benefit of a train or trestle, so there was a lot of going down stairs then up the other side. The gulch was formed by Trestle Glen Creek, which is mostly underground now, but still feeds into Lake Merritt. After we climbed up to Park Blvd., we took a brief coffee break, then it was back down into Trestle Glen and to our starting point.

Another great walk. The next Oakland Urban Paths walk is coming up Saturday, February 11th, and will be led by Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. The walk features 3 old quarries and a focus on geology.

Lots more pictures:

signs: High Street Pharmacy

2012-01-20T11:01:00.000-08:00

Another two-fer on signs, the before and after at High Street Pharmacy in the Laurel. I can't say as either version of the sign is amongst my favorites, but at least the new one has some neon.

stop SOPA and PIPA

2012-01-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

You've doubtless noticed all sorts of sites blacked out today, in protest of SOPA and PIPA. SOPA and PIPA would basically allow censorship of the web. Read more and sign a petition against them here. On a related note, you won't be able to use any of the Wikipedia links in my articles today.

upcoming Oakland events

2012-01-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

The big event coming up is Oakland Restaurant Week, but there's lots going on Saturday, too, including the first Oakland Urban Paths walk of the year. If you enjoyed doing some gardening for the MLK Day of service, a number of organizations that have their regular gardening events this Saturday. See the events calendar for more on those. With most of the outdoor events, heavy rain cancels, light rain doesn't.

Oakland Restaurant Week - January 20-29. Oakland has a ton of great restaurants, so why not support the local economy and eat well? Oakland Restaurant Week includes dozens of restaurants from Amba to Yoshi's, from B-Side BBQ to Faz, each featuring prix-fixe specials during the celebration.

Oakland Urban Paths Lakeshore to Park Blvd. - Saturday, January 21, 10am-12:30pm. Explore urban stairs and walkways between Lakeshore and Park Boulevard with Oakland Urban Paths and their first walk of 2012. (free)

Living Concrete - graffiti art at OMCA - Saturday, January 21, 11am-5pm. An Oakland Standard event, where a 520 sq. ft. blackboard will become a mural for four Oakland graffiti artists: Ras Terms, Safety First, Resta, and Tecka. Live DJ music (with admission)

looking further ahead:
Oakland Museum White Elephant Sale preview - Sunday, January 29, 10am-4pm. Preview sale for the Oakland Museum annual fundraiser. ($15-$20)

Urban Geology Walk with OHA - Thursday, February 9. Explore Oakland's geology with the Oakland Heritage Alliance and Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. ($10-$15)

Oakland Urban Paths geology walk - Saturday, February 11. Explore Oakland's geology and urban walkways with Oakland geologist Andrew Alden of Oakland Geology. (free)

plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)