City Hall

A shot of City Hall.

ABC Wednesday: O is for Occupy Oakland

This photo of Oakland's version of the Occupy Wall Street action was taken 10 days ago.  Occupiers camped in the public space in front of city hall and attracted a diverse group of participants.  Over time the mood shifted from ebullient to edgy.  Before dawn today the police moved in to remove the protesters and their tent city; tonight the confrontation has turned ugly.  Regardless of where you stand on the 99% Movement, this local story arc was entirely predictable.  Sigh.  For more representations of "O", visit ABC Wednesday.

blues in Oakland

I was downtown late in the afternoon taking pictures when I heard rhythm and blues coming from somewhere.  I followed the sound to City Hall where the East Bay Blues Society Caravan of All Stars was playing.  I assume they were there to advertise the 10th Art & Soul Festival happening this weekend.  Teddy Watson was called up from the audience to sing.  He slowly walked to the stage aided by his cane.  Once he got there, he put down the cane, performed some bluesy dance moves and then sang his heart out.  Still the showman.  The audience loved it.  Bravo.

The small crowd sits in the mini-amphitheater in front of City Hall.  The official Oakland oak tree is in the background.  I stayed until the fog and chilly air sent me home.

The official Oakland oak tree

This symbol of Oakland can be found on all city and public school vehicles, websites, and stationary. This large, old tree is in front of City Hall in Frank Ogawa Plaza. The oak tree symbol refers back more than 150 years when the East Bay was covered in oak forests and Oakland was the local vacation spot and rural getaway for San Francisco citizens. Oakland's population grew significantly after the 1906 earthquake.

Welcome to Oakland, California--the sunny side of the Bay

The cupola of our City Hall reflected in the the windows of an adjacent building.  This is a beautiful Beaux-Arts building dating to 1914 and now facing on Frank Ogawa Plaza.