Monday Mural: drumming shaman

This is only one section of a large mural on the side of a Smart & Final warehouse in East Oakland.  As this section suggests, the mural illustrates scenes of Latino culture from several countries.  I'm assuming we're observing a shamanic ceremony that bridges the corporal world with the spiritual.  I have to hand it to Smart & Final for permitting the use of their walls for this vast mural.  Unfortunately, I could not find a title or signature.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them all around.  Follow the Linky steps below.  Be sure to link back to this meme and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.

Monday Mural: V is for La Virgen de Guadalupe

This is a section of a mural devoted to the Virgin of Guadalupe in the Fruitvale district.  Her feast day in Mexico is December 12.  You'll find her image in murals, churches, tattoos, bumper stickers, tee shirts, and more.   She is ubiquitous and beloved in Latino communities.  Last year I posted a mosaic mural in honor of her day.

If you like murals or have a mural you'd like to post, this meme's for you.  You decide what constitutes a mural.  Once you start looking, you find them all around.  Follow the Linky steps below.  Be sure to link back to this meme and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the mural finds posted this week.  Also linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: Clothing Town

Clothing Town, a discount store at 34th Avenue and Foothill Blvd., added this mural to its wall in 2011.  The mural was made by many community volunteers with the guidance of the Eastside Arts Alliance, previously featured here and here.  The cultural and historic references in the mural no doubt educate some who view it.

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.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the murals posted this week.  Once you start looking, it's amazing how many you can find.

Monday Mural: Aztec dreams

Otaez Mexican restaurant was one of the first businesses on International Blvd. to use murals to decorate their exterior wall.  More recently they've used murals to add pizazz to their interior.  For years I've seen this mural's central image on various business advertising calendars.  You see it almost as frequently as the Virgin of Guadalupe, (see her with Pope John Paul II in a framed print touching the left side of the mural?), which suggests it's an important cultural reference.   I'm embarrassed to admit I don't know what it refers to.  Can anyone enlighten me? 

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.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the murals posted this week.  Once you start looking, it's amazing how many you can find.

Weekend Reflection: Peralta Creek

Down the hill from the Peralta Hacienda (previous post) is Peralta Creek.  This is one area where it comes above ground and creates an authentic riparian ecology niche.  This is one of the things that is so surprising about Oakland.  In the middle of a decidedly urban area, there are these oases of rural life that appear and delight.  This small section has picnic tables and access to surrounding streets.  I imagine this creek provided the adobes their water source and probably helped irrigate crops.  Because there are tiny glimmers of watery reflections, I'm linking to Weekend Reflections.

Theme Day: tranquility

Today is Theme Day in the CDP world.  This month's theme is "tranquility."  I found these two friends enjoying a talk in the Fruitvale Plaza.  They seemed content to be there.  Maybe the plaza reminded them of their hometown zocalo.  Click here to view thumbnails for all participants in this month's Theme Day.

Fruitvale Hall

This deco era building is tucked between International Blvd. and the Fruitvale BART station.  I don't know who plays bingo here or when.  Bingo isn't my game but I wouldn't mind visiting to see if there are any deco flourishes left inside.
(One of these days I need to learn to pay attention to flare).

Monday Mural: Taquería Vallarta

Walking around the Fruitvale District today, I spied several murals.  This one seems to match the recent warm weather we've had.  Can you feel the ocean breeze and taste the margaritas?

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.  Be sure to link back to this blog and visit your fellow posters.  Looking forward to the murals posted this week.  Once you start looking, it's amazing how many you can find.

Monday Mural: at the clinica

Usually a car parks along side this mural.  Recently, while driving down Fruitvale Avenue, the car was gone and I jumped out to take this picture.  The mural was done by Ernesto Olmos in 2005 with help from neighborhood youth.  It adorns a building used by the Clinica de la Raza and remains as bright as if it were done yesterday.

Monday Mural: clinica de la raza

This mural decorates the Clinica de la Raza medical clinic in the Fruitvale.  It was the first clinic in Oakland designed to serve Spanish-speaking clients.  Its many services have grown over the years and it now serves much of East Oakland.

Skywatch Friday: Tuiaki he Lotu

The Free Church of Tonga is located on Fruitvale Avenue.  Most of the Tongans I know are Mormons.  This free church is an off-shoot from the Methodist church.  This church looks like a quiet oasis on a busy street.   This shot shows you more blue skies after the fog burns off.  The weatherman says we're in for a warming trend and no fog at night.  Yippee. For more of today's sky views, visit Skywatch Friday.

Monday mural: frutas y verduras

Los Hermanos is located on Fruitvale Avenue in the the Fruitvale District.  Officially, it is called a fruteria y carniceria, but their mural focuses on fruit and vegetables.  It is a bright colored wall that draws attention as you drive up the avenue.  The produce (see the nopales?) and the business's name tell you that this is primarily a latino neighborhood.  It is a vibrant area full of products and services for the people who live here.  The most authentic Mexican and Central American food and cooking ingredients can be found in the Fruitvale.

Skywatch Friday: Rossi's flower shop

An institution on Fruitvale Avenue in East Oakland.  The business opened in 1910 and has been in this building since the 30s.  The deco sign is what gets my attention.  The most recent rain storm has passed and fair weather is expected for the next few days.  For more sky photos, visit Skywatch Friday.

día de los muertos

The Day of the Dead has a big presence in the Bay Area due to our large Latino population.  Oakland has an annual street festival in the Fruitvale District and a special show at the Oakland Museum where local artists are invited to build altars.  Associated with All Saints and All Souls Days, the Day of the Dead has it's roots deep in Aztec culture.  They believed that at this time of year the veil between this world and the next lifts and the spirits of the departed can once again visit the corporal world.  In Mexico families use November 1st and 2nd to clean and decorate the graves of their loved ones and bring favorite food and drink as ofrendas to the spirits.  They also make temporary altars to pray, remember, and honor the dead using photos, flowers, candles, and personal artifacts.  Perhaps you have a similar tradition where you live?

A few years ago I decided to participate in the spirit of this tradition and create my own altar.  Every year since it has become a little more elaborate.  It's not at all traditional looking but it is filled with symbols that mean something to me.  It is a very emotional process for me that usually involves a fair amount of tears.  Every year I plant the flowers I use, and every year so far they bloom again at this time.  Having no pictures yet of the public events around this day, I thought I'd share a little of mine.  It's not a great photo, but you get the idea.

frutas frescas

These fruit carts can be found on every other street corner in the Fruitvale District, a primarily Latino community.  They sell baggies of fruit including mango, watermelon, pineapple and cantaloupe.  Add a squeeze of lime and a dash of chili or tabasco and you're good to go.

Skywatch Friday: gray skies

Nothing to watch in this Skywatch.  It was gray overcast all day.  Yuck.  And wouldn't you know it, the skies cleared at dusk and the stars are now shining.  This is a photo of the Fruitvale Bridge to Alameda.  Alameda is a small island community bordered by the waters of the estuary and the Bay.  There are four (draw) bridges and one underwater tunnel to Alameda from Oakland.  It's quite amusing to see a bridge draw up and stop traffic for a little putt-putting boat with a tall mast.  For other Skywatch photos, click here.

Room and Board

This old building next to the Aloha bar looks like it's imploding.  It's a cautionary tale on what happens to wood when it remains neglected and unpainted.  One can barely make out the faded words Room and Board on the side of the building.  Since it is located in front of railroad tracks, I'm guessing it once was a rooming house that served railroad men and maybe travelers.  Looks like it was built before the 1906 earthquake.  Why it's still allowed to stand is anyone's guess.  Located at Fruitvale and San Leandro Blvd.

street eats

Taco trucks like this dot many corners in East Oakland, especially on International Blvd.  For a buck and a quarter you get a tasty taco with radishes and pickled carrots on the side.  Crowds gather at lunch time.  This truck claims to be the first (1985) in Oakland.  After taking this photo I was feeling a little peckish.  My taco de carne asada was very tasty.

right angles

The Aloha Bar at Fruitvale Avenue and the train tracks below E. 12th St.  Yes, these really are the colors it's painted.  Their slogan is "the longest bar and coldest beer in town."  And no, I haven't been inside to verify these claims.  But there's always plenty of vehicles parked outside.

seeing and not seeing

These bottles on a window sill caught my eye.  It wasn't until later I saw what the camera captured.  Can't decide if I like it or not.