Week 1, October 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
Your National League West Champion San Francisco Giants!
Yep, the San Francisco Giants baseball club has finally given bay area sports fans a little something to cheer about for a change around here. Beginning Thursday the Giants will be facing the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series in a best of five game showdown. For all of you baseball fans in the bay area, and sports fans in general, you know what a huge deal this is. May the baseball gods shine their light on our fair team for just about a month longer. 
Go Giants!!!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
The Constructed Landscape: Through October 16th in Oakland. From the East Bay Express: Mark Baugh-Sasaki investigates human perception and our impact on the environment in The Constructed Landscape (or construed?). The title may suggest Manufactured Landscapes, the documentary on Edward Burtynsky, whose epic industrial ecology photos share commonalities with Baugh-Sasaki’s “Disused System” prints. It’s the sculptures and installations that make a larger impression here, however. “The Constructed Landscape” roughs up KrowsworkGallery‘s normally orderly church pews; here, flung about as if by tornadoes, they rest at odd angles amid heaps of wooden planks and half-buried video monitors that cast their window-like blue-white glow skyward. In “Linear Progression” a topographic plaster grid becomes a miniature world onto which sliding landscapes videotaped from trains and planes are projected. Finally, two steel sculptures frame photographic slices of landscape; they’re mounted like huge microscope slides (“Cypress”) or splayed like playing cards (“SteelRiver”). Constructed Landscapes runs through October 16 at Krowswork Gallery.
Dimond Oktoberfest: Saturday in Oakland. This one is just a few blocks from my ‘hood, so I had to give them some love! From the Farmer Joe’s Market Blog: Come and join us on MacArthur Boulevard at Fruitvale Avenue for our first annual Oktoberfest. We’re going to celebrate with beer gardens, German food and dance, history tours, food booths, local artisans, a kid’s carnival area, a Green Living and Wellness Expo area and so much more! Don’t miss this extraordinary event.
Classical Revolution: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: On a weekend during which many of us wish we could be in at least three places at once, members of the Classical Revolution ensemble-in-residence, the Revolution Quartet, enliven the Crowden School Sundays @ Four. The quartet intersperses Brahms’ String Quartet in A minor, Op. 52, No. 2 and Debussy’s sole String Quartet with chat about the music, the individual musicians, and whatever else comes up. An artist reception follows the performance on Sunday, October 10 at 4 p.m. at the Crowden Music Center (1457 Rose Street, Berkeley). $15, free for 18 and under.
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Pic of the Week:
Sundown, Loma Rica Style!
Week 5, September 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
Point Reyes National Seashore
From their website:
From its thunderous ocean breakers crashing against rocky headlands and expansive sand beaches through its open grasslands to its brushy hillsides and forested ridges, visitors can discover over 1000 species of plants and animals. Home to several cultures over thousands of years, Point Reyes preserves a tapestry of stories and interactions of people. Point Reyes awaits your exploration.
The cultural history of Point Reyes reaches back some 5,000 years to the Coast Miwok Indians who were the first human inhabitants of the Peninsula. Over 120 known village sites exist within the park. According to many experts, Sir Francis Drake landed here in 1579, the first European explorer to do so. In response to the many shipwrecks in the treacherous coastal waters, key lighthouse and lifesaving stations were established by the United States Government in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the early 1800s, Mexican land grantees established ranchos. They were followed by a wave of American agricultural operations, which continue to this day in the Seashore’s pastoral zone.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Nina Haft and Company: Friday in San Francisco. From the East Bay Express: Digging into the earthbound nature of modern dance, OaklandÕs Nina Haft and Company transforms Zaccho Dance Theater (1777 Yosemite Ave., Suite 330, San Francisco) into a maze of installations on seed-swapping, vegetable planting, landscapes, rocks, fungi, and the human/wilderness interface in DEBRIS/FLOWS, the companyÕs tenth-anniversary performance, on Friday through Sunday, Oct. 1-3. The audience wanders through the labyrinth conceived by choreographer Haft and London-based artist Claudia Borgna, discovering vignettes of movement by dancers, along with audio soundscapes, refreshments made with locally grown produce, and organic surprises. A discussion with Haft and Borgna follows the second Saturday show.
Knowledge Hacking: Through October 9th in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: Science fans who missed the 01SJ Biennial in San Jose in mid-September may want to visit Knowledge Hacking, a related show featuring collaborative projects by teams of artists and scientists too numerous to list here. Organized by UC’s Department of Art Practices and the Berkeley Center for New Media, this show features “Wonderarium,” Yvette Molina and Sarah Filley’s proposal for a large spherical, floating, advanced-tech terrarium for Lake Merritt; Stephen Wilson and Liwei Lin‘s “Energy Harvesting for Public Art,” ideas for capturing otherwise lost human biomechanical energy; and Pinar Yoldas and David J. Paulsen‘s “Limbique,” a MRI coronal-slice scan of the brain’s limbic system transformed into a color-coded acrylic sculpture — fun for the nucleus accumbens pleasure center (yellow) and positive feedback for the complementary goal-evaluating caudate nucleus (purple). Knowledge Hacking runs through October 9 at Worth Ryder Gallery.
Harvest Celebration: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: It’s that time of year again, observed with thanksgiving rituals among cultures and faiths around the world: Summer’s over, and the fruits of the harvest are gathered and honored before winter’s starkness begins. Participants are encouraged to bring fresh produce to decorate the altar for a Harvest Celebration at Northbrae Community Church (941 The Alameda, Berkeley) on Sunday, Oct. 3. After the service, the produce will be donated to the Richmond Rescue Mission. 10:30 a.m., free.
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Pic of the Week:
Just ’cause it felt good
Week 4, September 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
Berkeley Art Center
From the ”About Us” page on their website:
History: Designed by Robert Ratcliff Architects in 1967, the Berkeley Art Center was built by the Rotary Club as a gift to the City of Berkeley, and was instituted as a city program until BAC adopted its private, non-profit status in the late 70s. A beautiful arts and crafts-style structure in Live Oak Park, North Berkeley with an outdoor reception area, BAC has established itself as leading local gallery presenting the work of talented regional artists in diverse media.
Audience: Berkeley Art Center’s audience serves and represents the diversity of the city and region in which it operates, and includes the active participation of over 10,000 individuals on an annual basis. As a fully handicapped-accessible facility, Berkeley Art Center is also accessible to a large section of the senior and disabled population. Artists comprise a significant part of BAC’s audience: in 2008, over 250 artist members displayed work in the center’s annual Members Showcase exhibition, from which three were chosen for a small group show, and BAC received 750 artist entries for its Annual National Juried Exhibition. Nearly 600 student artists from Berkeley public schools, K-12, displayed their work in the 2009 Youth Arts Festival. Young people benefit from participation in the Youth Arts Festival and from special, youth-oriented programs, as well as through internship and volunteer opportunities.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Music for People and Thingamajigs: Friday in San Francisco. From their website: The Music For People & Thingamajigs Festival is an annual event dedicated to promoting experimental music that incorporates made/found instruments and alternate tuning systems. Each year, MFP&T invites artists who design their own musical instruments to join in a festival of workshops, music making, and performances with the goal of reaching a large, diverse audience of all ages. It is also a festival where the public can participate in instrument building and tuning educational workshops, as well as hear unique sounds and compositions from up and coming artists. Now in its 13th year, Thingamajigs’ genre-crossing MFP&T Festival is the only annual event completely dedicated to music created with made/found materials and alternate tuning systems.
Pixar: 25 Years of Animation: Through January 9, 2011 in Oakland. From their website: Walt Disney’s arrival in Los Angeles in the 1920s firmly established California as a magnet for animation artists in the decades to come. Home to a number of leading studios, the San Francisco Bay Area has emerged as a global center for animation today. PIXAR: 25 Years of Animation provides an unprecedented look at the renowned Emeryville-based studio (located just a few miles from OMCA) and showcases the creative work behind its wildly successful computer-animated films. After its opening in New York and its five-year international tour, the exhibition comes home to Oakland. The OMCA presentation includes all of the artwork from the original presentation at MOMA, plus art from Ratatouille, WALL•E, Up, and Pixar’s latest film, Toy Story 3.
Rockridge Out and About Festival: Sunday in Oakland. From OaklandLocal.com: For the 4th year, the Rockridge District Association (RDA )is supporting hand-made artisans and non-profits who wish to to participate in Rockridge Out & About. There is a Chef Stage, Market Hall’s Picnic in the Street, a Wellness Tent, a Kid’s Area a Rockridge Merchant/Artisan Marketplace, many gourmet food & beverage booths, and lots of live music and street entertainment. There are supposed to be food booths from Cote, Cactus Taqueria, Noodle Theory, and Flavors of India, the Pasta Shop, Chicken Satay and Tri Tip Sandwiches from Enzo’s–and lots more!
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Pic of the Week:
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Bryan plays with the photo editing on a Hibiscus
Week 3, September 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
YouthRadio.org
From the mission statement on their website:
Youth Radio promotes young people’s intellectual, creative, and professional growth through training and access to media. Youth Radio’s media education, broadcast journalism, technical training and production activities provide unique opportunities in social, professional, and leadership development for youth, ages 14-24. We believe these developmental opportunities are essential for successful transition to adulthood, employment opportunities and effective citizenship. At Youth Radio:
* Youth gain competencies in media literacy, journalism, technology and production.
* Youth gain knowledge of professional expectations and appropriate workplace behavior.
* Youth gain knowledge related to educational and career opportunitiesOur goal is to instill a long-term commitment and engagement on the part of youth as viable contributors and leaders in the media/arts, journalism and civic life.
85% of Youth Radio participants are low-income and/ or youth of color. All of Youth Radio’s programs and services -professional development, media education, technical training, academic support and health services- are offered free of charge. Each year, our programs and services strengthen life-skills, motivate high school graduation, support higher education goals and prepare participants for careers in the 21st century.
I read about this organization reading this article in the East Bay Express. Please note this announcement from the article:
This transformation was recently the subject of a book, Drop That Knowledge, chronicling the organization’s history and written by Youth Radio’s Research Director and Senior Producer Elisabeth Soep and San Francisco State University professor Vivian Chavez. The organization will be hosting a release party for the book, which is published by UC Press, on Thursday, September 16.
Cool, huh? That’s tonight, ya’ll! Check it out!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Vagabond Opera: Friday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: Vagabond Opera makes the trip down from its Portland home to present its unique take on musical mayhem with a combination of cabaret, burlesque, tango, Balkan beats, klezmer, rock, Arab music, Parisian hot jazz, and, yes, opera that’ll leave your head spinning. The ensemble sings in fifteen languages and mixes its unclassifiable original tunes with covers of songs made famous by Jacques Brel, Tom Waits, Raymond Scott, and Edith Piaf (think Gogol Bordello playing Duke Ellington in a Brazilian dive bar). Their last Ashkenaz show sold out, so grab tickets soon.
Free Shakespeare in the Park: Two Gentlemen of Verona: Saturday in San Francisco. From the SF Chronicle: Best friends Valentine and Proteus are two gentlemen of Verona, and youthful love is in the air. Proteus falls for Valentine’s glamorous new girlfriend, Silvia and dumps the faithful Julia. To win back her man, she must (like all good Shakespearean heroines) dress up as a boy. With three outrageous outlaws, a misbehaving dog, and fun 60′s tunes in the mix, Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen of Verona is a zany comic caper that’s sure to delight the whole family.
Celebrate Sudan!: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: The past several decades have been undeniably rough on the Sudan: years of famine, war and political turmoil — and especially, in the last several years, the genocide in Darfur — have left the country wracked by unrest. But Africa’s largest country has a rich culture and plenty to celebrate, and the Bay Area Sudanese community, led by the Sudanese Association for Northern California, will be doing just that on Sept. 19 in Live Oak Park (1301 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley) with food, music, exhibits, a raffle, and more.
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Pic of the Week:
The Rolex Big Boat Series begins in SF Bay today!
Week 2, September 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
Solar Cookers International
From the East Bay Express:
Solar cooking is catching on slowly in California, but in places like Haiti, Darfur, Kenya, and India, the practice is widely used. Worldwide, an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people cook primarily with solar ovens. Humanitarian organizations like Sacramento-based Solar Cookers International distribute cheap and efficient solar ovens to war-torn, devastated, and impoverished regions. Most recently, the group distributed 400 kits to families in Pigeon, Haiti, complete with operational training for 135 people.
The method especially appeals to those living in refugee camps and disaster zones, according to Kevin Porter, director of educational resources at Solar Cookers International. “There’s a risk to people venturing outside their camps,” he said. “Women and children leaving the camp to gather firewood are [exposed] to potential rape or beatings. There’s also the benefit of not going through the drudgery of gathering firewood. It’s a lot of work — people spend hours a day gathering wood. Children can spend more time in school instead.” Link to article…
While this fine organization is actually located in Sacramento, I could not resist highlighting them for this week’s treasure. It’s solutions such as these that give me hope in so many ways. Hats off to this Sacramento organization!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Heavy Like the Weight of a Flame: Friday in Berkeley. From the SmilingSpider Blog: Echoes of Shakespeare, Hendrix and Kerouac charge solo artist/comedian/gifted guitarist R. Ernie Silva’s true-life tale about his odyssey across the great American outback. An 80’s break dance artist, Silva started performing at the age of 12 for NYC street music stations 107.5 WBLA and 98.7 KISS and at 17 was on the brutal stages of New York City’s standup comedy circuit. His fear of being yet another casualty of the street life of Brooklyn and the overdose of his older brother compelled him one night to run away in search of a more meaningful life. View this video if you’re interested, and see it live at La Pena Cultural Center.
Charlie Musselwhite at Biscuits and Blues: Saturday in San Francisco. From his website: Harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite’s life reads like a classic blues song: born in Mississippi, raised in Memphis and schooled on the South Side of Chicago. A groundbreaking recording artist since the 1960s, Musselwhite continues to create trailblazing music while remaining firmly rooted in the blues. Collaborations with Eddie Vedder, Tom Waits, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Gov’t Mule, INXS, Mickey Hart, George Thorogood and personal friend and best man at his wedding John Lee Hooker. Artist website.
Wild Salmon BBQ at Olympic Circle Sailing Club: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: Sustainably harvested Alaskan salmon is the pièce de résistance at Pacific Environment’s sixth annual Wild Salmon BBQ at the Olympic Circle Sailing Club (1 Spinnaker Way, Berkeley) on Sunday, Sept. 12. Local wines and vegan and vegetarian options are also on offer, as are live music and a silent auction. Pacific Environment is a nonprofit devoted to protecting wild places and wildlife of the Pacific Rim.
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Pic of the Week:
Napa County’s Castello di Amorosa is almost unbelievable!
Week 1, September 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
The East Bay Regional Park District
From their website:
The East Bay Regional Park District, established in 1934, has a fascinating history and an inspiring story. We began with a vision of far-sighted civic leaders seeking to preserve excess watershed land in the Oakland and Berkeley hills. Their goal was to create a park district as part of the community, one that retained a balance of recreation opportunities and wilderness features, ideas unheard of at the time. Members of a grassroots land preservation movement placed a measure on the ballot. During the depths of the Great Depression it passed by a surprising 71 percent and created the first regional park agency in the nation–the East Bay Regional Park District.
Thanks to the support of residents throughout the past seven-and-a-half decades, the East Bay Regional Park District now encompasses all of Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Spanning more than 100,000 acres with 65 parks and over 1,100 miles of trails, our District is the largest regional park district in the nation. True to the ideas of our founders, our mission continues to be providing recreational opportunities, preserving the natural beauty of the land, and protecting wildlife habitat. These parks truly do belong to all of us, and, in celebration, we’ve planned a year’s worth of wonderful events, discoveries, contests and more…
Any of you who have ever explored these parks know what jewels there are to be found out there. Have a GREAT Labor Day weekend!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Gourmet Walks Visits Hayes Valley: Friday in San Francisco. From the SF Chronicle: Hungry for an off-the-beaten path San Francisco gourmet food experience? Join us as we explore one of the citys trendy and exciting new neighborhoods, Hayes Valley. We will talk about the origins of California cuisine as we visit restaurants that were among the first to offer seasonal, local, market based menus.
Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers: Saturday in Berkeley. From their website: Lavay Smith is internationally recognized as The Queen Of Classic Jazz & Blues in the authentic style of the 1940′s and 1950′s. Lavay’s last album received a prestigious 4 & 1/2 Star review in Downbeat magazine. For quotes and reviews from critics like Bob Blumenthal, Don Heckman, Phil Elwood and Frank-John Hadley. Saturday at Ashkenaz!
Enkutatash: Ethiopian New Year: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: If you’re looking for a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon, then bring your family and friends to this celebration which will include delicious traditional dishes, poetry, music, children’s programs, Reggae Band Selamta, Waheed and the Resistance, West African Highlife Band, Ethiopian Musicians Haileye Tadesse, Neway Afardew, and much more.
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Pic of the Week:
An encore publication of this classic photo. Happy Labor Day!
Week 4, August 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
Oakland’s “Eat Real Fest”
From the East Bay Express:
It’s a wonder this is only the second iteration of Eat Real Fest. The East Bay is, after all, an area notoriously saturated with foodies, farmers, and do-it-yourselfers; where Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, and urban farmsteader Novella Carpenter are elevated to celebrity status; where food trucks slinging artisanal tacos, sandwiches, and cupcakes attract around-the-block lines on a regular basis; and where a festival-happy populace manages to throw events celebrating everything from salmon to beer to tomatoes. Suffice it to say that pooling all of that enthusiasm for fresh, local, affordable food into a three-day celebration was a bit of a no-brainer.
At least that’s what Susan Coss and Anya Fernald thought, and it turns out they were more right than they ever imagined. The two had worked together to organize Slow Food Nation, a festival of artisanal food in San Francisco in 2008, and though they were inspired by that event’s success, Coss said they wanted to do something a little more casual and accessible, a celebration of the cheap, tasty street food they loved. What Coss said was originally conceived as a laid-back tribute to taco trucks and beer quickly morphed into something bigger and more ambitious. But, Coss said, “always, at the heart of it was this whole idea that good food can be accessible and affordable — and more than that, that it should be. “Full article here…
If you’ve ever been through parts of town where a grocery store is nowhere to be found, but where liquor stores are on every corner, you know how important it is that we bring this good food knowledge and preparation to the streets. And why not have a fun time doing it too? Have a fun visit to the Eat Real Fest in Oakland’s Jack London Square this weekend!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Beres Hammond and the Harmony House Musicians, Inner Circle, and Culture featuring Kenyatta Hill: Friday in San Francisco. Three shows in one Friday night at The Independent. This is a great venue for live music and these three look like some fantastic musicians to see. From the description of Beres Hammond on the website: “And oh, what a voice it is! Beres’ delivery, as rich and flavorfully bittersweet as dark chocolate, embodies the spiritual passion heard in the secular ballads of Sam Cooke, the laid back cool of Marvin Gaye and the gut wrenching “Pain In My Heart” grit of Otis Redding.”
Gardening and Cooking Class with the Pros: Saturday in Berkeley. From their website: Join us for a Saturday afternoon of cultivating, cooking and eating. Berkeley’s Kitchen and Friends of Kenney Cottage Garden (FKCOG) are joining forces to bring you a class on urban gardening and summer cooking. The class covers the basics of urban gardening from seed planting to harvesting; and also includes a hands-on cooking session that incorporates seasonal ingredients.
Egyptian Oracles Lecture: Sunday at UC Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: In ancient Egypt, oracles played a role somewhere between lawyers and priests. During civil and criminal disputes, these spiritually adept individuals were tasked with asking the appropriate deity to dole out opinions, verdicts, and sentences. At 20 Barrows Hall on the UC Berkeley campus on Sunday, Aug. 29, Terry Moore delivers a lecture titled “Ask the God: Oracles in Pharaonic Egypt.” 2:30 p.m., free.
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Pic of the Week:
Which way is the Top of the Mark?
(Re-opening on Friday, August 27th at 4:00 pm)
Week 3, August 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
The Oakland Art and Soul Festival
From their website:
Art & Soul is delighted to have been recognized as Best Presenting Organization of the Year by the 2010 West Coast Blues Hall of Fame Awards. Art & Soul was honored with a Readers Choice award from Oakland magazine in the Where to Let It All Hang Out Once a Year category. Art & Soul has also been voted Best Annual Event by the East Bay Express in their 2010 Readers Poll.
With three main stages set up in the closed-off streets of downtown Oakland these streets with buildings towering over them become cathedrals of the groove. For ten years the Art and Soul Festival has been bringing both local and internationally-acclaimed acts to town for a weekend of fun in sunny Oakland. Probably the best ticket deal you’ll find west of the Mississippi, this two day show begins around noon on Saturday where if you buy tickets in advance the website says adults are $10, youths and seniors are $5, and kids under 12 are free! I won’t list all the acts playing in this year’s show because there are just too many to list here. I can tell you I have attended this event MANY times, and it really is a great time. Check out the line-up yourself and come to downtown Oakland for a true taste of our diverse local culture diggin’ the grooves.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
I Love Bugs Day At Habitot: Friday in Berkeley. From their website: (For kids of all ages!) Discover the wonderful world of bugs! A full day of activities devoted to those backyard wigglers, hoppers and crawlers from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Build a cricket home in a terrarium with dirt, leaves and sticks in our Art Studio. Check out our worm box and learn how worms help plants grow. Hear real crickets chirp and see all different kinds of bugs including hissing cockroaches, mealworms and more. Storytelling about bugs from 11:00 am and 1:00 pm.
First Annual West Coast Jug Band Jubilee at The Freight and Salvage: Saturday in Berkeley. From their website: Come on out and jug till you can jug no more! This all-day all-jug band extravaganza features two separate concerts, workshops, and more hand-made, home-grown music than you can shake a gut-bucket at! The afternoon show features Jugtown Pirates, Devine’s Jug Band, Skiffle Symphony with Kenny Hall, Lavay Smith & her Red Hot Jug Band, and Toshio Hirano.
Albany Streets: Sunday in Albany. From the East Bay Express: It may not feel much like summer lately, but as long as you layer up, there’s plenty of fun in the sun (or fog) to be had. To that end, and following the success of a similar event in Oakland last month, Albany will block off one of its main streets to traffic on Sunday, Aug. 22, for dance classes, a block party, a water-balloon toss, and other family-friendly outdoor activities. The event takes place along Key Route Boulevard between Solano Ave. and Portland Ave. in Albany. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., free.
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Pic of the Week:
At the Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park
Week 2, August 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
The Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
From their website:
On September 1, 1996, Ella Baker Center opened payroll. Named for the civil rights movement’s unsung champion of students, sharecroppers and everyday people, Ella Baker Center proudly proclaimed, “This is not your parents’ civil rights organization.” Seeing the denial of voting, housing and employment rights as symptoms of a much deeper sickness, Ella Baker Center wanted to heal society by transforming it. Driven by that passion and a willingness to take on tough fights that nobody else would, we chose our mission: to document, challenge and expose human rights abuses. Not many thought we would survive our first year. But within a few months we became embroiled in a heated campaign in San Francisco that would show everyone that we were here to stay.
We feel a strong connection to the courageous freedom fighters who have come before us and are steady in our commitment to build a society where peace, opportunity and justice are a reality for all. The Ella Baker Center will continue to challenge injustice in our communities with campaigns that allow everyday people to create and participate in a hope-fueled movement.
In keeping with the most current thread of saluting those in the Bay Area who work for equal justice for all Weekend Wanderings salutes the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights for their service to all of us.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Off The Grid: An Evening of Mobile Gourmet Food: Friday in San Francisco. From their website: ”Off the Grid is roaming mobile food extravaganza that travels to different locations daily to serve delicious food, with a free side of amazing music, craft and soul. We’re bringing all your favorite gourmet food vendors together to create a market like you’ve never seen before. Look for us to begin adding some spice to your neighborhood the summer of 2010.”
Candlestick Park Antiques and Collectibles Faire: Sunday in San Francisco. From the Chronicle: San Francisco’s newest show will be at Candlestick Park on August 15 with up to 500 booths filled with the most exciting selection Antiques, Arts and anything Collectible! All items sold must be 20 years or older. This event is held rain or shine, free parking, sorry no pets unless they are guide dogs, or licensed companions.
Market SF Artist Market: This Saturday in San Francisco. From the Chronicle: San Francisco’s new weekly artist market featuring over 25 different artist and designers each week. Every saturday from noon to 6pm at 2565 Mission Street (@22nd). Music will be playing all day with DJ’s starting around 2pm. The bar will also be offering drink and food specials all day!
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Pic of the Week:
Napa General Store Mosaic Fountain
Week 1, August 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is
California Northern District Court Judge Vaughn Walker.
From the ruling he made Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 regarding the constitutionality of California Proposition 8:
CONCLUSION
Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis,the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Source
Money-quote from bmaz at FireDogLake.com:
“The opinion is, again as predicted, extremely well written, consummately detailed, brilliantly structured and contains a foundation of extremely well supported findings of fact and conclusions of law. In short, Vaughn Walker has crafted as fine a foundational opinion as could possibly be hoped for, and one that is designed with the intent to withstand appellate scrutiny not just in the 9th Circuit, but in the Supreme Court as well.”
Weekend Wanderings salutes those working to ensure the United States of America upholds its greatest ideal of equal protection under the law FOR ALL.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
AfroSolo Performance For Peace: Sunday in San Francisco. From their website: AfroSolo hosts this exciting multicultural, cross-cultural, and intercultural performance showcase in which actors, dancers, musicians, poets, and performers representing different cultures and backgrounds emphasize the bonds that we all share in performances highlighting compassion, understanding, joy, and peace. Performers include: Colette Eloi, Paco Gomes, Genny Lim, Raymond Nat Turner, and Dr. Brenda Wade.
San Francisco Ballet in Stern Grove: Sunday in San Francisco. From their website: San Francisco Ballet returns to Stern Grove Festival in its only Bay Area summer appearance. Renowned for its incomparable level of innovation and exuberance, San Francisco Ballet is one of the premier ballet companies in America. Remember: Stern Grove shows are FREE!
Antipanico Festival: This weekend in San Francisco. From their website: Tango Renaissance, USA presents Antipanico San Francisco 2010, a four-day Argentine tango festival including workshops, performances, live orchestra, milongas, practicas, and of course—don’t panic—chill vibes. This all-level fête promises a relaxed and content-driven learning atmosphere held in San Francisco’s eclectic Mission District. Our goal is to link students and masters through progressive instruction, artistry, music, and the celebration of our tango culture.
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Pic of the Week:
Goldie in the fish nets
Week 5, July 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasures are the hard-working idealists operating The Tides Foundation.
From their website:
“Our mission is to partner with philanthropists, foundations, activists, and organizations across the country and across the globe to promote economic justice, robust democratic processes, and the opportunity to live in a healthy and sustainable environment where human rights are preserved and protected.
We offer an array of services to simplify and amplify your efforts. From donor advised funds to fiscal sponsorship, from green nonprofit centers to programmatic consulting, from grants management to risk management and more, Tides gives you the freedom to focus on the change you want to see.
Each Tides organization pursues a distinct yet related strategy to promote the Tides mission. Tides Foundation works with donors to increase and organize resources for positive social change. Tides Center is sponsor to nearly 200 projects nationwide working to advance progressive social change. Tides Shared Spaces operates and supports green nonprofit centers.”
Most of us in will never forget the news of a deranged man who opened fire on the police officers who stopped him on I-580 in Oakland as he was allegedly on his way to target members of this organization in San Francisco. If anything good can come from such a crime maybe the increased notoriety can help The Tides Foundation accelerate their good work.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Thursday Night Live: 1st and 3rd Thursdays in Oakland. From the Oakland Convention and Visitors Bureau website: Thursday Night Live Concert Series is a free concert the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month, June-October featuring some of the Bay Area’s finest Live Salsa. TNL features a street Margarita and Beer garden, Salsa dance lesson prior to each performance, held by Club One and a Kid’s Art Zone by Mocha. Check it out in Old Oakland… just follow the sounds of salsa in the streets!
Bay Area World Guitar Show: This Saturday in San Rafael. From the Chronicle: This show features buy, sell, trade guitars, amps, banjos, sound equipment, new, used, old, rare items. Includes manufacturers, builders, dealers, buyers, authors, collectors, stars, appraisers, retail stores. Bring all you can carry to sell or trade at no extra charge. This is the 157th show by the Texas Amigos and California World Guitar Shows.
Indonesia Day at Union Square: This Saturday in San Francisco. From the Chronicle: INDONESIA DAY, A Uniquely San Francisco Tradition, continues to be the biggest Indonesian event in the United States. ADMISSION IS FREE! This exciting event will be held on Saturday, July 31, 2010 from 11 am to 4 pm at Union Square, San Francisco. Featuring performance of traditional and contemporary Indonesian dances,music and authentic Indonesian cuisine.
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Sundays on the San Mateo County Coast
Week 3 July, 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasures are the progressive citizens of Oakland who are the true soul of this town.
Recent events in Oakland have sent shockwaves through the neighborhood conversations in Oakland where we almost can’t believe the dramatic scenes that have played out. As a citizen of Oakland I can tell you that most people here recognize how Oakland can be a stage for some unwanted theatrics. Too often it is here in Oakland where those from neighboring areas choose to act out their aggressions and discontents toward the greater community. It’s ironic that such is the case when Oakland could easily be considered a national epicenter for American progress on so many fronts that seek to erradicate the roots of poverty, exploitation and injustice. (See the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Transnational Institute for Grassroots Research and Action, Color of Change, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and many more headquartered in Oakland.) And consider where Oakland stands on perhaps the most pressing issue facing human existence today ranking #4 in the Popular Science list of America’s 50 Greenest Cities. The truth is that the unwanted theatrics played out on the Oakland stage are representative of the challenges facing the greater community of this whole country— if not the whole planet— most of which are being sincerely addressed in a broad spectrum of ways by very dedicated, progressive-minded citizens of the city of Oakland. The truth is that Oakland is at the forefront of the progressive movement that seeks justice and liberty for all. And those of us who live here know it. So this edition of WeekendWanderings salutes the soul of Oakland embodied in its citizens who stand for progress on so many fronts in spite of any and all who try to violate her spirit. In short, WeekendWanderings says God bless Oakland, California and the causes she champions!
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Art Under the Oaks at Alen Lane Nursery: This weekend in Livermore. From their website: This year promises to continue to delight the art, wine, music and fruit lover! We’ll have local wineries pouring samples, local artists will be on hand demonstrating their craft, music will fill the grounds, and Dave Wilson Nursery will hold their Annual Summer Fruit Tasting, so yummy, you won’t want to miss it. You can purchase tasty treats from Sweet & Savory Bakery and Café while taking in the event. The Valley Woodcarvers will be presenting a special show to include carvings from the old flagpole from downtown Livermore.
All Shook Down Live Music in North Beach: This Sunday in San Francisco. From their website: SF Weekly and Scion are proud to present All Shook Down, a showcase of eclectic local, national, and international music in the heart of San Francisco’s historic North Beach neighborhood. Featuring live music from more than 30 artists on an outdoor stage and in the unique intimate venues on Grant & Green streets. With production support provided by North Beach Jazz Fest veterans Sunset Promotions and promotional partners Eye Heart SF, Nate Mezmer Presents, Crawl SF and 1M Entertainment. Headlining the event will be internationally acclaimed pop artist NEON INDIAN and future-soul diva JANELLE MONAE. All Shook Down will also unveil the nominees for the 2010 SF Weekly Music Awards, and attendees will be able to submit their votes on-site. Many of the nominees will be performing at the festival.
Bikes4Life Bike Ride for Peace: This Saturday in Oakland. From their website: B4L’s mission is focused on empowerment, leadership development, and community development. A successful uniter B4L’s bicycle adventures attract a large diverse group of enthusiastic youth and seasoned riders of all ages and backgrounds. Bikes 4 Life Annual Peace Ride happens in July dont miss the next one. Bikes 4 Life is a community bicycle shop in West Oakland. It started out as annual ride and now has become One Fam’s social enterprise creating a model for self sufficiency. It brings together diverse members of the community to enjoy biking and repair and has the best prices for quality bicycles around.
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How we grow ‘em in Oakland
Week 2 July, 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is the group of concerned citizens calling themselves Fair Trade Berkeley. From their website:
We are a local coalition of motivated Berkeley community members who want to see our city embrace the mission of the Fair Trade movement.
From the East Bay Express:
The Berkeley City Council will vote Tuesday night on a resolution formally declaring the city to be a supporter of international fair trade, a movement that advocates worker equity and sustainable development. The resolution was drafted by the Fair Trade Berkeley Steering Committee and the City Manager’s Office. Under the resolution, the city would commit to purchasing fair trade products when they’re readily available, city-standard compliant, and competitively priced. “For a long time the city has supported healthy working conditions, fair wages, and environmentally friendly production methods,” said Sharon Thygesen, the city’s general services manager. “We try to look at fair trade products and this resolution codifies that.” If adopted, the city would also “consider” working to ensure ongoing education about fair trade and taking a more active role in the movement’s future issues. As an item on the council’s consent calendar, the resolution is expected to pass, barring any objections from the public. If passed, Berkeley will join San Francisco, Chico and sixteen other US cities as a fair trade city.
Weekend Wanderings salutes Fair Trade Berkeley for their work to add Berkeley to the short list of American towns embracing this important ideal.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
24th Connoisseur’s Marketplace 2010: This weekend in Menlo Park. From the Chronicle: The long, laid-back days of summer are here, bringing with them the very best of the Bay Area’s popular festival season. For a sun-splashed weekend featuring world-class art by 250 of America’s top artists, two days of great music, engaging chefs’ demos, fabulous food and drink, tons of fun for kids, artisan specialty food purveyors, a new collector car show, home and garden exhibits, health and wellness displays and an organic and green products showcase, head to downtown Menlo Park for the 24th Annual Connoisseurs’ Marketplace, July 17-18.
San Francisco Bachata International Festival: This weekend in San Francisco. From the Chronicle: The San Francisco Bachata International Festival will feature two days of professional dance performers from all over the world. If you want to enjoy summer dancing in the great city of San Francisco then this is it. This year’s festival has collected 7 of the hottest international Bachata bands.
Target Arts and Wonder Free Family Event: This weekend in San Francisco. From the Chronicle: San Francisco’s leading museums are having a free for all and you’re invited! It’s one big weekend of fun as the de Young Museum, Asian Art Museum, SFMOMA, Contemporary Jewish Museum, Museum of the African Diaspora, Zeum and Yerba Buena Gardens Festival take turns welcoming families with free admission, free art activities and family-friendly free performances.
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Egbert in the squash
Week 1 July, 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is the Haiti Action Committee. From their website:
The Haiti Action Committee is a Bay-Area based network of activists who have supported the Haitian struggle for democracy since 1991. Our members travel frequently to Haiti and are in close touch with Haitian grassroots activists, legal and human rights workers, and victims of repression. With demonstrations and civil disobedience, Congressional lobbying and educational events, publications and community organizing, we are working to build a strong Haiti solidarity movement.
From the East Bay Express:
It’s been six months since the devastating earthquake in Haiti, but the outpouring of volunteers — and the need for them — hasn’t abated. Members of the Haiti Action Committee, a Bay Area activist network that formed in 1991, will be relaying their experiences in post-earthquake Haiti at La Peña Cultural Center (3105 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley) on Saturday, July 10, with photos and video to boot. 4-6 p.m., $7-$20 sliding scale (no one turned away for lack of funds).
Weekend Wanderings salutes the Haiti Action Committee for their tireless work in Haiti whether the news cameras are there or not.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
North American Unicycling Championships: This weekend in Berkeley. From their website: The North American Unicycling Championships and Convention, also known as “U Games”, is the largest gathering of the year of unicycle enthusiasts in North America and has activities for unicyclists of all ages and skill levels. There are non-competitive activities such as fun rides, workshops, games and social events for all unicyclists. Non-unicyclists are welcome and encouraged to attend–we’ll get you started!
JC Cellars Beach Party: Saturday in Oakland. From their website: When Jeff Cohn was the winemaker at Rosenblum Cellars, annually he crafted more than 70 different wines. Today, at his Oakland-based warehouse winery, the irrepressible vintner now limits himself to a mere 21 bottlings, focusing on Rhône varietals. Cohn’s longtime relationships with some of California’s top growers and vineyards enable him to source some of the state’s finest fruit, including Rockpile in Sonoma County, Fess Parker in Santa Barbara County and Stagecoach in Napa.
Alameda County Fair: Through Sunday in Pleasanton. From the East Bay Express: If the start of summer doesn’t evoke a yearning for deep-fried twinkies and pig racing, you’ve probably never experienced the many exquisite pleasures of the Alameda County Fair (4501 Pleasanton Ave., Pleasanton). Now in its 98th year, the fair offers a head-spinning array of activities spread out over 268 acres: tractor pulls, a petting zoo, horse racing, cook-offs, nightly concerts, amusement park rides, themed weekends, a hot-dog eating contest, and more. This year also promises the introduction of chocolate-covered bacon, a sheep-riding contest for kids, and what’s billed as “the world’s largest waffle cone.” Wednesday, June 23 through Sunday, July 11. Mon., Wed., and Thu.11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri.-Sun. 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Tue.closed. Admission $4-$10, parking $8-$20, unlimited ride wristband $20-$28.
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Carmel on my mind
Week 4 June, 2010
This week’s highlighted local treasure is Our Oakland: Eastside Stories. From their website:
Our Oakland : Eastside Stories is an integrated public art project by artist Rene Yung that will beautify the new East Oakland Community Library and create a new platform for community storytelling about East Oakland. The overall theme of the project is Mutuality + Transformation, meaning that as members of a community, each of us is interconnected and we have the power to individually and collectively take action to make positive changes in our communities.
This project consists of three parts:
- Public Art in the Library with art glass in a 64-foot clerestory window and an Interactive Pod
- A Digital Archive of Community Stories about East Oakland
- Community building activities including forming new partnerships and hosting storytelling events to build a new community online that will help build community on the ground.
If you’ve ever traveled through east Oakland you know there are plenty of challenges there. The under side of the glitz and glamor of America’s big cities is pretty consistent in this regard. But low income does not have to equate to low-pride and low-joy, certainly not if equal justice under the law is truly protected. WeekendWanderings salutes Our Oakland: Eastside Stories for its commitment to cultivating pride and joy from within in an area that knows all too well how its reputation precedes it.
So, let’s find some fun ’round the bay…
Music and Meditation at Nyingma Institute: Saturday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: Music can alter the human brain’s rhythms in ways that facilitate stillness and open the mind to new modes of thinking ñ and not thinking. At the Tibetan Nyingma Institute (1815 Highland Pl., Berkeley) on Saturday, July 3, performer/composer/scholar Tracy McMullen leads a workshop titled “Music and Meditation,” which offers techniques for listening to music in different ways and is part of the institute’s “Emotions, Intelligence, and the Mind” series. 9 a.m., $15.
Independence Day Celebration at Ford Point: Saturday at Richmond waterfront. Inside the historic Ford Point Building on the waterfront in Richmond, a patriotic celebration for the whole family featuring live music, food and fireworks. Free show features the Oakland EastBay Symphony, Khalil Shaheed, Oaktown Jazz Workshops, and Hilltop Community C’hurch Choir. Have a great Independence Day weekend!
Interdependence Day Celebration: Sunday in Berkeley. From the East Bay Express: It wouldn’t be Independence Day in Berkeley without a few counter-celebrations. Among the most sublimely seditious is Tikkun magazine’s Interdependence Day Celebration, which promises to turn the rah-rah patriotism of Sunday, July 4, on its head by celebrating our dependence on each other and the environment, as well as individual and collective independence from corporate power, the military industrial complex, and the like. The event at Strawberry Creek Park (1260 Allston Way, Berkeley) also features a vegetarian potluck followed by affirmations and singing; bring songs, stories, food, and drinks to share. Free, 1 p.m.-4 p.m
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A Friday afternoon view from Oakland