Monday Mural: bird bees

Here's another mural by Granillo which can be found down the block from the Warriors mural.  These hybrid bees looked familiar, so I went into the archives and found this.  It has to be the same artist, right?  Granillo was also featured three weeks ago.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  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 decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Plato

X is for (e)xercize

This is stretching it a bit, but is the best I could come up with for X.  Before the start of the Warriors parade, a trio of unicyclists came rolling down the street dribbling and passing a basketball.  They were even able to bounce the ball back and forth between their legs a la Steph Curry.  Well, sort of.  Apparently there are unicycle basketball teams around the country, where wearing a helmet is de rigueur.  Who knew?  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: the champions

Yet another Warriors-centric post.  This mural, by a crew called Illuminaries, is in North Oakland at 27th and Northgate; it went up a week or so ago.  I  think the signatures are names of those who helped paint the mural.  At least I hope so.  The Steph Curry pose looked odd to me.  Illuminaries says the gesture is "the infamous Mac Dre thizz face."  Yea, I don't know what that means either.  During the time I was at the mural, two cars pulled up so their occupants could get their pictures taken in front of it.  It looks like this will be a mini shrine for the Dub Nation.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  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 decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Plato

Oakland Warriors parade

Yesterday was the parade and rally for the Warriors' NBA championship.  It was an intense yet mellow experience considering more than a half million people showed up to celebrate.

Drat, Steph Curry just would not turn towards me, so this is the best I could do.  Note the championship trophy at his left hand.

Steve Kerr, the brilliant rookie coach (although he owns 5 NBA championship rings from his playing days) did turn my way.  His speech at the rally was the best of all.  Oakland is bursting with pride at the Warrior's accomplishment.  Now, if they would only decide to stay in Oakland.  I guess 40 years of devoted fandom isn't enough to keep the owners from looking elsewhere.

W is for Warriors

Oakland's Golden State Warriors have won the NBA Finals!  This is their first championship in exactly 40 years.  At least one drought is over.  If you follow basketball, you know what an incredible season this has been for the team.   The Dub Nation is celebrating tonight!!  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: garage tree

Every so often I run into a garage mural.  This one was found in West Oakland.  No signature that I could see, unless it's right in front of me imbedded in the design.  In which case, fuggendaboutit, I'll never be able to read it.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  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 decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.  Game 5, Go Warriors!!

“ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Plato

the last rays of the day

In the last rays of the day, reflections become only suggestions.  Linked to Weekend Reflections.

Oakland's castle

Downtown Oakland still has an amazing number of its old-time buildings.  So much so that I've often wondered why Hollywood hasn't used it more for period movies.  Here's one, probably from the 30s, still holding onto its original sign.  I'm guessing it's now a strictly residential hotel.  One day I'll check out the entrance and lobby.

bird sanctuary

Walking the Lake at dusk is a great reminder that Lake Merritt was initially and foremost the nation's first designated wildlife refuge.

Monday Mural: back alley barracuda

Here's another mural found in the Solano Way alley.  Granillo's work was  previously seen here.  I'm struck by the stylistic difference between these two works.  Lots of creative ideas swirling around in this guy's head.

Welcome to Monday Mural:  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 decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward your mural finds posted this week.  Google+ users, please configure your post so we all can leave a comment.  Thanks.  And thanks for continuing to post during my recent absence.

 “ Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”  Plato

Warriors make it to the Finals!!

In case you were wondering, the Warriors won the Playoffs and are champions of the Western Conference of the NBA.  This is their first division championship since 1975!  Is Oakland excited?  Oh, just a little.

Yesterday was the first game of the Finals; they played the Cleveland Cavaliers (who won the Eastern Conference) which has the great LeBron James.  The Dubs got off to a rocky start but the game soon turned into a neck and neck heart stopper.  In the last seconds the Warriors tied the score and the game went into overtime.  In those extra 5 minutes the Dubs found their A-game and won 108 to 100.  19,000 fans were screaming in happiness and relief.  They only need to win three more games to become the NBA national champions.  OMG, it seems so possible.  For my Aussie friends, your countryman Andrew Bogut is a pivotal player on the Warriors and is amazing to watch as he defends the basket.  Next game is Sunday night here in Oakland.  Go Warriors!!

p.s.  This photo is a grab shot from my television.

sweet and inviting

Miette is a sweets shop at Jack London Square where everything looks inviting and is wonderfully presented.

Theme Day: stylish

The first of each month is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo world.  This month the theme is "stylish."  Couldn't resist showing you the window of Leopard's Legz in the upper Fruitvale District.  I'm not sure this is to everyone's taste, but they surely have customers for this look.  For other takes on the theme, be sure to visit City Daily Photo.