X is for Xantrion

First I noticed the old, attractive building, then I noticed the business name starting with X.  And then I thought of ABC Wednesday.  Snap. 

farmer's markets

The season's bounty is evident at the local farmer's markets.  We're lucky enought to have several every week in Oakland.  It makes shopping a pleasure.

Monday Mural: East Oakland sadhu

 

This one is from the archives.  It's found in East Oakland and is, I think, a product of the Community Rejuvenation Project.  It's interesting that so many murals in town have references to Hindu culture and iconography.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week. 

W is for the Wobble

During last Fall's Black Cowboy Parade music came on and everyone jumped up to dance the Wobble.  This was new to me but not to dozens of cowgirls, teens, girl scouts, cheer leaders, and grandmas in the crowd.  Since then I've found a gazillion YouTube posts showing the line dance.  It's easy and mega fun like most line dancing.  You can tell everyone enjoyed themselves.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

los mariachis

Drat!  Missed the performance of this group during last Sunday's Love our Lake Day.  Bad timing on my part.  Love their charro outfits.

Monday Mural: one for all

This mural decorates the side of a barber shop on San Pablo Avenue in the Golden Gate district.  A cyclone fence made it hard to get a good picture.  From among a group of men conversing outside the shop, one brought me a chair to stand on.   Now I could get my lens over the top of the fence.  My favorite part of the mural is the hip little electric razor ready to go to work.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

gondola on Lake Merritt

No, your eyes are not deceiving you.  There is indeed a gondola for hire on the lake.  In fact, there are now two of them.  Business must be good.  The weather for Love our Lake Day was mild even if the sun kept darting behing clouds.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.

bouncing on a tight rope

Here's another activity seen at Love our Lake Day.  I never learned what this activity is called.  Participants, usually young men, sit and bounce on a 2 1/2 to 3 inch wide woven cable that has been attached between two trees.  After bouncing high enough, they jump up and balance on the cable like a tight rope walker.  Then the tricks start.  Like jump rope, if you fail at a trick or don't get back to rope walking, you give up your turn to the next guy.  They had cables at different heights from three feet off the ground to only 4 inches for the beginners.

When I finally walked away I decided 20-somethings are fearless.

V is for vivacity

The first entertainment we ran into at the Love our Lake Day was this Afro-Puerto Rican dance troupe at the lake's pergola.  The dancers interact with the drummers and move based on the drums rhythms and accents.  All this while the drummers and other dancers chant a song.  It was fascinating.

For the "aww" factor we have the following shot:

She couldn't have been more than 5 years old.  Yet she knew what she was doing.  Like her mama, she made eye contact with the drummers and followed their lead in how and when she swirled or shook her skirts.  The crowd loved her.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

love our lake day

Sunday was Love Our Lake Day celebrating the (almost) completion of the renovation of the Lake Merritt area thanks to citizens' support of a bond issue several years ago.  The big deal is the reconfiguration of the the roadway west of the lake and the upgrading of the flow of water between the lake and the estuary.  There was entertainment around the 3 mile circumference of the lake, streets were closed to bring out bicycles, and a dedication ceremony.  Tons of people showed up.  More photos to follow.

Monday Mural: African dreams

This striking mural was painted on an African Caribbean food market in the downtown area.  The lettering spells the names of the artists:  Nerv, Acme, and Resek.  Not surprisingly, the mural calls a lot of attention to the store.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

quirkiness is its own style

Spotted just off San Pablo Avenue in the Golden Gate district.

U is for ukulele

Meet Lenny San Jose who serenaded the crowds that showed up for the reopening of the Oakland Museum's Natural History gallery.  Sorry, it could be a better picture.   It doesn't convey the warmth and openness of his voice as the uke covered standards from 60s, 70s, and 80s.  Such a pleasure to hear him perform.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

lavender butterfly

On Friday the Oakland Museum reopened their newly designed natural history gallery.   As part of the celebration there were human butterflies fluttering about to greet the visitors.

I'll be away for a few days so auto-posting ensues.

Monday Mural: Mother Wright

Behind the California Hotel in West Oakland are portraits on a fence.  The fence itself protects a pop up community garden.  Mother Wright was a revered figure who clothed and fed the needy for many decades up until her death in 2009.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  Just follow the Linky steps below.  You get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.  

Theme Day: decay

All along the estuary you'll find remnants of docks and piers that have fallen into disuse.  Time and weather take their toll.  For more shots of this month's theme, visit City Daily Photo.  For the inspiration of this month's theme, visit JM who has published more than 80 photos on the theme of decay found in old Lisbon.