winter wonderland

Every Christmas Mt. View Cemetery has a light display that draws visitors from all over.  This is one
small corner of the bounty of lights that turns the entry into a magical wonderland.

Don't forget, tomorrow is CDP's Theme Day with January's theme Best Photo of 2013.  Click here to see what CDP bloggers post.

Monday Mural: aim for the stars

Here is another mural along 15th Street done by the Love Oakland group.  The little guy looks scared as he aims for the stars.  But his mentor and guiding spirit exude confidence.  A bonus is the ghost sign left on the wall.

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.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

in case you're looking for a dentist

Saw this last week and it make me laugh.  Reminds me of all those westerns that show a dentist advertising with a tooth hanging outside his office.  As you can see, we still are in a dry and clear period.  It's definitely looking like a year of drought.  Linked to Signs, Signs and Skywatch Friday.

Monday Mural: love Oakland

Several murals reside on one block of 15th Street downtown.  They are sponsored by Love Oakland Group which is self-decribed as "a collective of activists, artists, gardeners, and other free spirits that want to make Oakland the most beautiful city in the world."  Several of the murals say "love Oakland" in multiple languages

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.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

There

The City Center sculpture by Roslyn Mazzilli, seen in the background of yesterday's post, is titled "There."  Oaklanders keep trying to correct the misapprehension that Gertrude Stein was talking about Oakland when she said, "There's no There there."  Actually, she made this famous comment after looking at the empty lot that once held her family home (here in Oakland).  Still, it's a dynamic and colorful piece.  Linked to Skywatch Friday.  More cold air and blue skies predicted.

dancing in the plaza

These students are dancing to a West African band that is performing.

W is for water works

City Center is a business and government complex in downtown Oakland.  The fountain was up and running this week while concerts were held in the plaza.  Yowza.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: create for yourself a new heart

This huge mural is located downtown and was created in 1985.  The title is taken from Ezekial 18:31 which has to do with repentance.  A small section of this mural was posted two years ago which features Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.  The greater theme of the mural relates to Jewish traditions.  The lower parts of the mural have been painted over and the remainder is in poor condition.  Nonetheless, do yourself a favor and zoom in to see the fascinating details.  Go here for a discussion of the 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 get to decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

downtown Oakland

While walking downtown the other day, I spied these reflections.  The one on the left is City Hall.  The one on the right, I'm not so sure.  Linked to Weekend Reflections.

Tim-berrrr!

Last week we experienced intense winds that really shook the rafters.  One of the victims was this 135 year old eucalyptus tree along the shore of Lake Merritt.  Had the tree fallen in any other direction it would have crashed through the roof of the Lake Chalet restaurant, or hit the street and likely, electrical wires and parked cars.  It has become quite the celebrity and has drawn lots of camera-toting visitors.

The winds have died down but the frigid, sunny weather has continued.  A warming trend is predicted for the weekend.   Linked to Skywatch Friday.             

Monday Mural: mamma mia!!

Amanda Lynn has several murals in Oakland, often done in collaboration with her friend Mags.   This one is found around the corner from this one only a couple of blocks from Lake Merritt.  Clearly, voluptuous women are a specialty.

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.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

ABC Wednesday: U is for unusual

 

 This Victorian house is now a duplex. It's recently had a new paint job with at least six colors.  Pretty unusual, if not elegant especially for the neighborhood.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: hidden faces

This large scale mural looks like a group effort but I didn't see any signatures.  I feel I should know the artists by the distinctive styles, but sadly I don't.  This is one of those images that invites free association to uncover meaning.  Maybe something about the need of street artists to stay anonymous?  You tell me.  The writing down the side of the wall says Rock Paper Scissors, the art collective whose back wall is the canvas.

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.  Once you start looking, you find them everywhere.  Be sure to link back to this blog and to visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Theme Day: looking out

Today is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo world.  This month's theme is "looking out."  Being the literal sort, I'm posting this photo taken at this year's dragon boat races.  Seems like everyone, with one exception, is looking out at the boats racing on Lake Merritt.  For more takes on the theme visit the Theme Day meme here.