Local: In Alameda

Mall Art

Noticing art at Towne Centre today. It may be fun for the kids to search for 2 deer, a squirrel, a moth, and 3 wierd frogs. You all know which ones I mean. Any other animals?

I just remembered these, too.

I'm glad I didn't give birth to this, it's a good thing it is a eunuch.

Last Wild Spot

Compared to the manicured golf course, our walk today included what may be the last wild area of Alameda. We walked under the bridge extending along the inside of San Leandro Bay to the very end of Mt. Trashmore, the old dump.

Wild mustard, anise and grasses extend there into the bay and seem entirely undeveloped, extending to a little peninsula looking like an island during the high tide.

A family enjoyed themselves there on this beautiful warm day. (Please double click for a better view)

From Guitars to Grebes (Note to birdwatchers)

Two walks today, morning training at Crab Cove led to an encounter with an electric guitar player who found the perfect playing spot in this remote area of the park.

Later, Bill and I went out to the far end of Alameda Point where he has been photographing a pair of osprey. Unfortunately they were not in their usual spot opposite the large ships and the Hornet aircraft carrier.

We did enjoy the antics of the Western Grebe who were floating there in the lagoon. They do a really gymnastic mating dance in the water, two in unison...you must go see it. I was able to shoot some landings, one smooth the other quite awkward.

Our Lady of the Spark Plugs

My studio space is on the Embarcadero near 5th Avenue in Oakland and today I walked down to the water for lunch. This was my view on this beautiful day. Across the water is Alameda, of course. We are lucky enough to enjoy this little colony filled with found objects and creative outdoor areas.

The two story tooth was extracted years ago. Our Lady of the Sparkplug Aura still remains.

Well Used City Park

On a recent Saturday, I walked past Krusi Park on Otis Drive and was amazed at the number of people using the park. All four fields were in use, hosting softball games, the stands were filled with people.
If you double click you can see all the people in attendance. Beyond all the fields of play was the lawn and playground area which were packed with children and adults attending a party. The tennis courts were filled, the basketball courts in the schoolground all were in use. And then there were just wanderers like me, passing through.

I know that on Sunday there are league games and nearly every day after school, practices; and, every night more games. We are a city that makes wonderful use of it's public places.

Feelin' Good Breadsticks

I felt hungry while doing chores along Park Street today, so I followed a friend's advice and stopped at the Feel Good Bakery for a breadstick. Today's breadstick was filled with assiago cheese, but the server told me her favorite was cheddar/jalapeno which is tomorrow's choice. The cheese changes each day.

I guess I am not alone in my enjoyment of these as the sign above attests "a meal in itself".

Webster-Crab Cove Training Walk

Today is our Thursday training walk for the July 5th Mission Rock 5K. A gorgeous sunny morning after some bleak mornings this week. We walked to Crab Cover and around the loop and then past into the housing and back on Webster Street. We were glad to see Ida back from Stowe VT, Sharon, Sue and Simone sporting her vintage Hawaiian shirt given her by Bobbie. Some days, it's much more fun to "work, I mean walk well with others".

Brick & Stone Work

I pass this corner home nearly every day, and each time I feel as if I have received the latest issue of my favorite architectural magazine. I anticipate seeing just what the owner has accomplished. The work has been going on for months. This brick wall and surrounding sidewalk work is a work of art. Wonder where he found the old "clinker bricks"?

So, today I decided to focus on stonework and brick. Later I found this beautiful new wall.

Where Alameda Avenue meets Central Avenue, there is a memorial to Louise Maguire lovingly build by the Woman's Organizations of Alameda. The memorial was known as the Rockery and highlighted in postcards of early Alameda like the one above.

How sad to see the once giant clamshell, now broken off, and the showcase intersection untended!

Drained Lagoon

Once in a while the algae and grasses get the best of our lagoons where they meet a wall. The smell becomes overpowering and the lagoon needs to be drained and cleaned
.
Nevertheless, life goes on, seabirds find easy pickings and are drawn to the shallows. I love to look at the Night Heron with it's fairly grumpy appearance and stooped shoulders.

Don't you get a kick out of the snowy egret's black leotards and yellow dancing shoes?

Flag Day Walk

On one of those beautiful late afternoon days here in town my walking group met at the Veteran's Memorial and proceeded along the Bay surrounded by wildflowers.

We are having a wonderful time together, and after the walk I wanted to spend more time below the beautiful flag at the Memorial. I took the time to walk completely around the area reading all the beautiful marble plaques and the benches honoring those from every branch of service and every war fought by Alamedans in the 20th Century, which surround the circular path.

Glam, Glitter, Glitz and Bling

I walked up to the counter at All the More to Love with my purchase and, plop, something dropped on the floor next to my right foot. I bent over to find a golden crab laying there. What is this? I looked up and there above me was the glitziest piece of lighting I had ever seen! Glittery light shone through more jewelry than any pirates chest could hold.

The store is filled with my kind of clothing, everything has a bit of a flair, something unique about the cut, or some extra embroidery and drama. And it all fits....

Local: In Alameda : There's something about Irene

Local: In Alameda : There's something about Irene

Local: In Alameda : Carl Frederickson lives in Alameda

Local: In Alameda : Carl Frederickson lives in Alameda

Color-coded Establishments

Colors signal alerts, they are evocative, and they catch our eye. Lately on my walks, I notice that many of our newer establishments have a color in their name. Dragon Rouge, Orange,
Yellowtail, and Blue Dot Cafe and Coffee Bar.
good luck to you all.

Ferry to San Francisco

I met a friend for lunch and a long walk over in "The City" yesterday. My photos have loaded in opposite order, so I'm starting in the late afternoon, when those who know the Bay Area realize that the sun comes out in the afternoons here in summer. Here is a tug guiding this container vessel from behind. Sitting in the ferry I realized just how massive these containers are!


We just pulled away from Jack London Square in Oakland. This panorama is Oakland on the left and Alameda on the right. We are on the Estuary which is a man made waterway, making Alameda an official island.

Low clouds and fog in the morning here, but I enjoy this photo. If you double click, you will see the ferry approaching just under the Bay Bridge and a beautiful view of San Francisco, and a tiny bit of the Golden Gate Bridge. The ferry is my favorite way to travel here. I love being out on the water with the wind whipping. It make me feel more alive. Don't you love the Star Wars cranes!

Twin Houses

Ever notice twin houses here in town. It always seemed to me that each house had unique characteristics, but on my walk I noticed that there were some that are exactly the same. One of the owners mentioned to me that her home and the one next door were owned by the same person. Different painters bring out different designs so the homes still retain their uniqueness.

Our Servicemen and Women

I took today's walk down Otis Drive toward High Street and noticed on either side of the block between Pearl and Versailles two military flags flying. On the right is the Marine Emblem and flag flown by the family of Cpl. Steven C. Kettelhut and Cpl. Jessica R. Miller. Steven is a graduate of Alameda High School and friend of my son, John.

Opposite their home I saw a United States Navy flag flying. Both serve as a reminder of the sacrifices that are being made and have already been made by our servicemen and women and veterans to keep us safe. Thank you.

Very very Green !

Have you noticed that some of the lawns around town stay very, very green despite the water shortage this year? This caused me to look very, very closely to verify my conclusion that they must be artificial. They looked like real grass but the color threw me off. On closer inspection I realized that they were too beautiful to be true. But yes, they were beautiful! They weren't gobbling up much needed water resources, pesticides, herbicides, etc. This could be an answer for lovers of the perfect green lawn.

As time went on, I noticed that the lawns that were surrounded by some creeping overlapping groundcover started to look even more "real". (You can see this in the top photo).

I still haven't formed an opinion on these lawns, but it seems to be a winner for those who like to have a large green expanse, or a few smaller green expanses, and who wish to stay environmentally "green", as well.

Crab Cove

I met my walking group over at Crab Cove today and as I entered the area I was startled by the pungent aroma of licorice/ anise in the breeze. The plants are at their finest right now. Be sure to pick a few feathery leaves for salads and to sprinkle on rice. Later the seeds will be wonderful in breads and cookies or flavoring for soups.



Schoolchildren filled Crab Cove today, and further inside the park closer to Crown Beach large groups of young people enjoyed last days of school on the warm sand. This year the water has been pronounced free of contaminants so bathe to your heart's content. Find some Indian clay and make some pots. Watch the cormorants dry their wings on the cement breakers. Dig holes to China. Have fun.

The Old Trains

The 2100 block of Encinal Avenue has some homes of interest. Half of the foreground house in this photo was a Northern Pacific train station shipped over on a barge from San Francisco in 1906. The next two small homes were also old train stations. They stand very close to one another in the middle of the block.

Further down the block can be found this lively mural commemorating the electric "Red Trains" which traversed Alameda later. There is a library photo of one of the old steam engines along Encinal and High Street, spewing billowing smoke along it's route. It must have been hard to live along Encinal in those days.