upcoming Oakland events

There are gobs of events coming up, with something for all ages. Various shopping districts in Oakland are having holiday events and there are popup markets all over -- more opportunities to shop local. There's lots happening, so be sure to look through it all so you don't miss your favorite event.

WOBO/EBBC Walking and Wheeling Wonderland - Thursday, December 1, 6:30-9:30pm. Join WOBO and EBBC to celebrate a year of biking and walking advocacy. New Belgium beer, silent auction, DJ Crimson, and more. ($10 incl. drink)

Zorro by Night - Thursday, December 1. A fundraising gala for the historic Peralta Hacienda. Flamenco dancers, food, Zorro films, silent auction, and more. ($30-$50+)

City Center tree lighting - Thursday, December 1, 5pm. Seasonal music and the 3rd annual tree lighting at City Center Plaza. (free)

JLS lights up for the holidays - Friday, December 2, 5-7pm. Tree-lighting, holiday parade preview, children's holiday singing competition, and more. (free)

Linden Street Tasting Room - grand opening - Friday, December 2, 5pm. A grand opening celebration of the new tasting room at Linden Street Brewery. Live music with Lila Nelson and the Job, $4 beer, food trucks, and more. (note: no ATM on site)

Oakland Holiday Parade - Saturday, December 3, 2pm. The 12th annual holiday parade in Oakland is big. Marching bands, floats, giant balloons and more. (free)

Yule at the Zoo + Holiday Lights - Saturday, December 3, 1pm-2pm, 5:30pm for lights. Fun vocal group California Revels will be giving a concert at the zoo. All month the zoo will have a special light display. (free with admission)

Lighted Yacht Parade - Saturday, December 3, 5:30pm. The annual Lighted Yacht Parade. See dozens of Bay Area boats dressed up in their holiday finery. Benefitting two great non-profits, Oakland Firefighters Random Acts and the Alameda County Community Food Bank. (free; bring donations)

Jingletown Holiday Art Walk - Saturday and Sunday, December 3-4. Annual holiday open studios in the thriving art community of Jingletown. (free)

Popup Food Fest - Sunday, December 4, 12-4pm. Prepare for the holidays with a variety of local food vendors featured at Boucherie Marketplace at La Borinqueña.

Oakland Urban Paths Walk and Shop - Saturday, December 10, 10am-1pm. Explore urban paths between Lakeshore and Piedmont Avenue, and do a little local holiday shopping. (free)


holiday shopping events:

Montclair: Holiday Stroll - Thursday, December 1, 6-8:30pm. Special discounts, music (including a performance by the 35 member Pacific Boychoir), food and drink. (website)

Jack London Square Holiday Popup - Friday, December 2, 5-9pm. Holiday Popup market at Jack London Square. Proceeds benefit Wardrobe For Opportunity. (website)

Dimond Park Winterfest - Saturday, December 3, 10am-2pm. A pancake breakfast, local merchants, crafts for kids, and more. (website)

Piedmont Avenue: Tree-lighting and Stroll - Saturday, December 3, 5pm. Tree lighting, live performances, and more. (website)

Temescal Art Hop - Friday, December 3, 6-9pm. Part First Friday, part shopping, all fun. (website)

Temescal Labyrinth - Saturday, December 4, 12-5pm. Holiday food and craft fair. (website)

Old Oakland: Popup Hood - Saturday, December 9, noon-9pm. Grand opening celebration of the Popup Hood in Old Oakland. (website)

Rockridge: Holiday Jazz and Wine Stroll - Friday, December 9, 5-8pm. Music, food and drink, local merchants. (website)

Northgate/Uptown: Indie Artisan Holiday Faire - Saturday, December 10, 12-5pm. 25+ local craft and food artisans. At the New Commodity warehouse.

Lakeshore: Holiday Fun - Friday, December 16, 5-7pm. Saturday, December 17, 3-5pm. Merchant specials, Santa visits, free carriage rides, and more. (website)

Plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

signs: The Layover

The Layover

Today's sign post from The Layover is in honor of the amazing tweetup we had last Tuesday night. @OaklandBecks from Living in the O wrote a great post on #OccupyOakland, and given her knowledge of Oakland politics, got lots of takers when she asked if anyone wanted to talk Oakland + occupy politics. Even more when it was suggested it be done over drinks.

On to the sign. The original name is long gone, but the drink glass part is in good shape. The only problem with it is not the sign, but the description on The Layover website that says "look for the neon martini". I'm no expert on cocktails (beer or red wine are much more my speed, depending on the occasion), but that looks like a Manhattan glass with the curves, versus an angular martini glass. In any event, it's a cool sign, and I'm glad to see it still working.

For comparison, here are some of the glasses from other signs I've posted:

Mountain View Cemetery: Symbols

angel

Awhile back I took a tour of Mountain View Cemetery. The cemetery also has tours about different things people find interesting; Saturday was a tour called "Symbolism in the Cemetery", about the different symbols used on graves.

Sometimes symbols on graves simply represent something of interest to the person buried there, such as musical instruments on the grave of a musician. But on older graves especially, there is usually a special meaning for symbols. Something broken like the string of a lyre or a broken ship's wheel represents the end of life. Something cut is frequently the symbol of a life cut short, as is a not fully-bloomed rose. There are lots of symbols used on older graves, but only a few symbols are still used on modern graves, such as the Christian cross or the Jewish Star of David.

A couple of interesting grave symbols come from Judaism. One is the custom of leaving a pebble or small stone on a grave marker. This dates back to ancient times when grave markers weren't used, and the grave was simply marked by a cairn, or pile of stones. Leaving a stone perpetuated the grave, and marked that someone had visited.

kohanim hands

Another symbol of note is the kohanim hands. It's used on grave markers to indicate someone descended from the priestly tribe of Aaron. Actor Leonard Nimoy created a one-handed version of this for the Star Trek series, to represent a Vulcan salute.

Some of the symbols we saw on Saturday:
rose - love, beauty, grace
fern - humility and sincerity
wheat - the harvest, a long life
ivy - fidelity, eternal friendship
palm frond - victory over death
willow - grief, sorrow
oak - longevity, endurance, loyalty
lotus - creation and rebirth, particularly on Egyptian-themed graves
lily - purity, innocence
anchor - hope
lyre (w/broken string) - end of life
torch (inverted or extinguished) - death, live snuffed out
torch (lit) - eternal life
pelican - self-sacrificing mother (see note)
sphinx - guardian, protection
hands (clasped) - farewell
crescent moon w/star - rebirth, or Islam
book, scroll - the scriptures, or a symbol of life recorded
dove - peace, messenger of God
IHS - first three letters of "Jesus" in Greek
angel - death and resurrection, a guide to heaven
lamb - innocence, Jesus (lamb of God)
urn - the soul
pile of stones - firm foundation
star of David - Judaism, divine protection
menorah - Judaism, enlightenment
kohanim hands - blessing, from the priestly tribe of Aaron
tree stump - Woodman of the World
3-link chain - (sometimes with F,L,T) Independent Order Odd Fellows
square + compass - Freemasonry
eye - the eye of God, usually a Masonic symbol

There seems to be some disagreement about the exact meaning of some of the symbols, but entire books have been written on the subject. One interesting website I found with explanations of the symbols is called Grave Addiction. Lots of people are interested in graves and cemeteries; there's even a special word for them: taphophile.

One local taphophile, Barbara Gibson, has started a new business called Last Wishes, to help people plan the ceremonial aspects of their funerals, along with practical considerations, including what happens to their online presence like Twitter accounts and blogs.

For more on the Mountain View Cemetery in general, including links to various resources about the cemetery and Oakland history and more pictures, see my post about the general tour.

Lots more pictures:

Happy Thanksgiving!

upcoming Oakland events

The big events this week are Thanksgiving, of course, and a great opportunity to shop local or make a point to buy nothing at all. Need a place to get free food or a meal on Thanksgiving? Check this list on Oakland Local. There are lots of holiday events in the weeks to come. But remember to shop local!

Plaid Friday - Friday, November 25. Plaid Friday is the shop local alternative to Black Friday. Support local, independent businesses and keep your money local. (list of participating businesses; hours, events and discounts vary)

Oakland in the Black - Friday, November 25, 11am-6pm. Oakland in the Black is a shop local celebration centered around Downtown businesses taking part in Plaid Friday. They'll have DJs, live performances, and food vendors. (free)

Plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)
Mt. View Cemetery Tours (2nd and 4th Saturdays)

Looking further ahead:
WOBO/EBBC Party - December 1. Celebrate a year of biking and walking advocacy with WOBO and EBBC.
Zorro by Night - December 1. A fundraising gala for the historic Peralta Hacienda.
City Center tree lighting - Thursday, December 1, 5pm. Seasonal music and the 3rd annual tree lighting at City Center Plaza.
Lighted Yacht Parade - Saturday, December 3. See dozens of Bay Area boats dressed up in their holiday finery.
Holiday Popup at JLS - Friday, December 2, 5pm-9pm. Holiday Popup market at Jack London Square. Proceeds benefit Wardrobe For Opportunity.
JLS lights up for the holidays - Friday, December 2, 5pm-7pm. Tree-lighting, holiday parade preview, and more.
Jingletown Holiday Art Walk - Saturday and Sunday, December 3-4. Annual holiday open studios in the thriving art community of Jingletown.
Popup Food Fest - Sunday, December 4, 12-4pm. A variety of local food vendors featured at Boucherie Marketplace at La Borinqueña.