signs: Kwik Way

Kwik Way

Iposted this sign a year ago, before the Kwik Way Drive In had reopened. Last night when I stopped by to shoot some pictures, it was pretty quiet, but weekends it looks busy, especially during farmers markets on Saturday. In any event, it's a great sign, so I'm glad to see it working again.

upcoming Oakland events

Lots of different stuff to do coming up in Oakland. It's a First Friday this week, so Uptown and Downtown will be hopping. The current forecast has the rains stopping by then -- let's hope the forecasters are right!

Great Wall of Oakland - Friday, October 7, 8pm-11pm. Friday's show is called "Fright Night", a family-appropriate selection of dark and creepy videos to delight your dark side. (free)

Estria Foundation Art Show - Friday, October 7, 6-8pm. Art from the last 5 years of Graffiti Battles at SMSHBX gallery, 18th and Telegraph. There's also a Graffiti Battle on Saturday as part of Life is Living, and more -- see Endless Canvas for more info. (free)

Life is Living Festival - Saturday, October 8, 11am-5pm in DeFremery Park. Life is Living is a celebration of urban life and movement for environmental action. There will be music, including Los Rakas, DJ Questlove, and the Pete Escovedo Jazz Orchestra; the 5th annual Estria Invitational Graffiti Battle; urban gardening demonstrations; a kids area (with a petting zoo), and more. (free)

Sit, Stomp and Play - Saturday, October 8, 1-4pm. A fundraising event for Playworks, to preserve safe, healthy and inclusive play and physical activity for children attending under-resourced elementary schools in the East Bay. An opportunity to stomp real wine grapes into juice, sample foods from Tina Tamale and Brown Sugar Kitchen, held at Urban Legend Cellars. ($15-$70)

Rockridge Out and About - Sunday, October 9, 12-6pm. Need another excuse for an Oakland street festival? Nope, me neither. Rockridge Out and About features local food producers, musicians, artists, and more. Free valet bike parking by East Bay Bike Coalition, lots of activities for kids including pumpkin painting and a petting zoo, and lots of Oakland love. (free)

Oakland Heritage Alliance house tour - Sunday, October 9, 1pm-5:30pm. This year's OHA house tour is bungalows in the Glenview district, "Glenview: Bungalow Heaven, Craftsman Paradise" House Tour, featuring ten lovely homes in the Glenview area. This former "streetcar neighborhood" straddles the upper reaches of Park Boulevard. Tree-shrouded streets along the winding streets enhance the charm of this early suburban area. ($30-$40)

Plus the usual events:
Piedmont Avenue Art Walk (3rd Thursday)
Bites off Broadway (Fridays)
Art Murmur (1st Friday)
Downtown walking tours (Wednesdays and Saturdays)
Saturday Art Stroll (Saturdays)

Looking further ahead:
Oakland on Two Wheels - Sunday, October 16, 10am-12pm. Explore Oakland with OMCA docents as you pedal your way through new and old Oakland. This tour will focus on the locations in the 10,000 Steps tour.
PedalFest - October 22. Bikes, beer, food, fun at Jack London Square.
Days of the Dead - Sunday October 23. Oakland Museum comes alive with the tradition of Days of the Dead! Craft activities, food, music, dance, and ceremonies bring the community together for reflection and honoring the dead.

Oaktoberfest 2011

Saturday afternoon was the 4th annual Oaktoberfest in the Dimond. We had perfect weather for this family-friendly event, with the early fog burning off to partly cloudy skies. Three stages featured a variety of music and dancing, and there was a climbing wall, face painting, and crafts for kids.

But naturally the center of things was the Bill Brand Biergarten (named for the late Bill Brand, long-time reporter and beer critic). At the center was Oakland favorite, Linden Street Brewery, with Adam himself serving up People's Common Lager. Next door was a nice discovery for me, Dying Vines. They do their brewing at Linden Street, and were serving up Hop Candi and the tasty Old Brick Bitter. Also serving were Oakland Brewing Company and Pacific Coast Brewing (Oakland), as well as Drake's (San Leandro), Trumer Pils (Berkeley), Anchor Brewing (San Francisco), and others.

There were plenty of yummy food vendors, too, including Fist of Flour Pizza, Guerilla Grub, and more. For more info on the beers and some nice pics, check out the coverage at the Brewed for Thought blog. All in all, a really fun, tasty event!







Lots more photos:

Black Cowboy Parade

Saturday was the annual Black Cowboy Parade. This event has been around a long time -- this was the 37th annual. It's intended to educate people about the role of black cowboys in the building and settling of the old west.

Although I've known about it for some time, this was the first year I went. Besides educating people, it's also a chance for Oakland residents to come together for a fun event. And it's a chance for a lot of kids who've never seen a horse before to see one first-hand.Along with area residents, mayor Jean Quan, assemblyman Sandre Swanson, and country singer Miko Marks were on hand.

Many of the people I talked with were long-time attendees. A fair number of those have been coming "since the beginning" back in 1975. It's easy to see why -- it's a lot of fun. In addition to the cowboys, there were school groups marching, classic Corvettes driving, food vendors with delectables, and the Oakland Fire Department with an engine on hand for tours. A local motorcycle club provided traffic direction for the parade, along with the Oakland Police Department escort.









Lots more pictures:

Black Cowboy Parade

Jingletown Open Studios

Last Saturday, the Exchange Studios in Jingletown had open studios for a number of the artists living there. It was a much lower-key event than something like the Art Murmur, and so I got a chance to chat with different artists. A nice reminder that bigger isn't always better. And to get out there and check out artists in Oakland.







more photos:

Jingletown Open Studios