Financial Center Building

The Financial Center building is downtown at 14th St. and Franklin.  It was built in 1929 and is considered to be an example of Art Deco.  It was previously featured here.  Here's a closer look: 

Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: The Gardener

A new mural has appeared on the Haley Law Offices building in downtown.  Created by the Manentes, a father and son team,  this is the second in a series on homeless folks.  Their previous work, which they painted over to create this one, was The Carpenter.  I find their work to be incredibly sensitive and beautiful.  It really makes you look into the eyes of people you might otherwise ignore.  How I wish they could find more canvases in order to preserve each piece they create.

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. 

A is for American Bag Company

Many of the warehouse district buildings have recently been converted to office spaces and condos.  The American Bag Company, built in 1917 and now providing office spaces, is listed on the the National Register of Historic Places.  This building is only two blocks from the waterfront, Jack London Square, and lots of excellent restaurants.  The conversion process started years ago when now Gov. Jerry Brown bought a loft in this neighborhood where he lived and ran his campaigns for the presidency.  Later, when he was mayor of Oakland, he spearheaded the building of thousands of condo units in the downtown area.  This initiative has gone a long ways to revitalize this part of Oakland.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

downtown buildings

Downtown buildings showing the multiple architectural styles you'll find there.  The flag flying Tribune Building is to the right.  The large lawn is part of the City Hall plaza.

City Hall

City Hall reflected in three windows.  Linked to Weekend Reflections.

ABC Wednesday: P is for Pomo Indian

Last week I showed you the special Ohlone basket recently brought into the Oakland Museum's collection.  As part of the ceremony and celebration, a group of Pomo Indians performed sacred dances prior to the basket's presentation.   Linked to ABC Wednesday.

O is for Ohlone

The Ohlone Indians lived along the shoreline of the San Francisco Bay for thousands of years before Europeans came to the area.  Ohlone baskets are extremely rare, in part due to the tribal practice of burning personal possession upon death.  The Oakland Museum commissioned Linda Yamane, a Rumsien Ohlone of the Monterey area, to make a basket for the museum's vast collection.  Featuring 20,000 stitches, several thousand feathers, and 1,200 handcrafted Olivella shell beads, the extremely rare basket took Yamane nearly three years to create.  It is believed that it has been 250 years since this type of ceremonial basket has been made.  Linked to ABC Wednesday.

Monday Mural: mural on the go

Temporarily parked downtown.  It looks like it could be a collaborative effort.  I imagine this makes quite an impression when traveling down the road.

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 mural finds posted this week.  I will be out of town during September and my ability to comment may be limited.  The Linky, however, will continue to go up 8 PM PST each Sunday.

City Hall

A shot of City Hall.

Caravan of All Stars

The Bay Area Blues Society performs in front of city hall every week.  To raise operating funds they sell this t-shirt.  I got mine!

Monday Mural: peace tiles

This peace wall is in Jack London Square.  It is composed of tiles created by Oakland school children under the guidance of local artists.  As best I can determine, it was done in 1998.  There are actually two walls of tiles, which line steps that move down toward the waters of the estuary.  The steps used to lead up to a Barnes & Noble, which suddenly closed up shop two years ago.  No new tenant has yet come forward.

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.

Oaklandish

Oaklandish finally opened a storefront for their goods in downtown Oakland.  Previously they sold out of a van, a bus parked in various places around town, and selected retail venues.  All goods are made in California and the t-shirts are printed in Oakland.

They design t-shirts and accessories that riff on Oakland's name.  They also provide the same services for other cities across the country.  This business contributes to artistic and community projects with the ethos of building "Local Love."

city hall amphitheater

A small amphitheater was placed in front of City Hall, which has helped it become a focal point for political gatherings.  The mosaics include a representation of the Jack London Oak, the official city oak tree.  Concerts are also held here, including weekly performances by the Bay Area Blues Society.  Other times people from nearby office buildings often come here to eat their lunches.

I'm out of town for a week and using the wonders of auto-posting.

mini wheels

I heard him coming before I saw him.  This mini-cycle sounded like a wasp on steroids.  He had revved it up and then had a little trouble stopping at the red light.  I crossed the street and then turned around to take his picture.  He just looked back at me.  I don't even know if these things are street legal but I can see why a teen would want one.  Note that his bike and helmet match.

Latham Square

Latham Square where Telegraph Avenue meets Broadway.  A winter shot was previously posted.  The Pony Express actually came this way and caught a ferry to San Francisco to deliver its mail.  Strangely enough there is no plaque to commemorate this slice of Western history.

Monday Mural: Jack London

This mural is on the back of Heinold's First and Last Chance saloon at Jack London Square, which Jack London frequently visited.  Heinold apparently let the young London study there and later lent him money for tuition to Cal Berkeley.  The original building from 1883 is still a functioning bar and a popular place to have a beer and watch the boats sailing the estuary.  A few feet away is the cabin London lived in when he went north to the Alaskan gold fields.  (An image of it is in the above mural).  London wrote about Heinold's in John Barleycorn.

This detail quotes London's belief, "The proper function of Man is to live, not to exist."  I was so happy to find this mural and get pictures before the light failed that I forgot to look for the artist's signature and the date it was executed.  My bad.

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.

Skywatch Friday: City Hall

We're enjoying fair weather; some days are actually hot.  These blue skies are representative of the last several days.  Maybe this year we'll have a true summer.  Leafing out trees don't yet obscure our City Hall.  When it was completed in 1914 it was called the "wedding cake."  It was also the first highrise government building in the country and the tallest building west of the Mississippi!   For other sky views, be sure and visit Skywatch Friday.

sidewalk sale

For sale outside a downtown shop on Franklin Street.

Monday Mural: Happy Birthday, Oakland

Oakland had its 160th birthday on Friday.  As part of the week long events to mark the occasion, local artist, Emily Shepard, created a temporary mural delineating why folks love Oakland (even if it can be a love-hate relationship at times).  This was unrolled in front of City Hall and served as the backdrop for the music offerings for the day.  I subscribe to all the sentiments listed.

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: City Center

Weird, huh?  Can you guess how this reflection occurs?  These are polished metallic ceiling tiles at an outdoor cafe in Oakland's City Center.  The shot below shows the terrace and the ceiling in context.

It is warm today with lots going on.  Not the least of which is yesterday's 160th anniversary of the founding of Oakland.  I missed the cake cutting with the mayor.  But happy birthday, Oakland.  For those of you seeking more reflections from around the globe, visit James's meme, Weekend Reflections.