signs: Victory Burger

Sign for the recently opened Victory Burger, next door to Actual Cafe.

Actual Cafe -- still lovin' it

building planters

I first blogged about Actual Cafe almost a year and a half ago. I don't get there as often as I'd like, because it's about as far north in Oakland as you can get, not on the way to anywhere else in Oakland for me. But I loved it then, and I still love it.

I was over there last Sunday to help with the rebuilding of their parklet for Park(ing) Day. Park(ing) Day temporarily transforms parking spaces into mini-parks. But Actual Cafe, the Golden Gate Community Alliance, Bike Man Dan, A Place for Sustainable Living, and others from the community are also working to improve the neighborhood. In addition to the parklet, we worked on permanent planters to put in front of nearby businesses like James and the Giant Cupcake. A few businesses got concrete planters from the city some time back, but there aren't more for the other businesses. So rather wait until the city has money again, the community decided to make things better themselves.

But improving the community is only part of why I like Actual Cafe. They've got really good food, a nice drink selection and friendly staff, like you'd expect from any good coffee shop. But they've also got indoor bike parking. Regular art exhibits. Live music every week. Laptop-free weekends to encourage real community instead of virtual. Next you're in the area, check it out.

If you'd like to help with the parklet and the neighborhood planters, come by tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon, if you're not off doing something else to make Oakland better. Note: the parklet work is being done at the Center for Sustainable Living, across San Pablo on 64th.











more pictures:

Actual Cafe

signs: Lucky Tackle

Lucky Tackle

Isaw this sign first over on the wonderful photo blog, Oakland Daily Photo, then again on Oakland Local. I saw it in person a couple of weeks ago, north of Actual Cafe, and got this quick shot with the cellphone. Yesterday when I stopped at Actual Cafe, I got some more shots with the P&S. As Oakland Daily Photo points out, the business is long gone. It was an art gallery, and now is part of the East Bay Jazz Workshop. The sign is in mediocre condition, but the neon is in surprisingly good shape.

bits and pieces 2

More bits and pieces. Today I was up to Berkeley to get a new charger for my electric bike. After nearly two years of faithful service, the charger died. Unfortunately I had to wait a week for a new charger to be in stock, but I was able to pick it up today. I celebrated back in Oakland by hanging out at Actual Cafe for a while, reading a friend's book about Gertrude Stein. But first I wandered around the area a bit to take some pictures.

















The last is the latest addition to my Neighborhood Name Signs project. It's not bad as vinyl banners go, but it's still a vinyl banner in the end.

The full album:

bits and pieces 2