Oaklavía

Puerto Rican band outside La Borinqueña

 Traditional Puerto Rican dresses

Washington St.  The city should close the street from 10th to 8th St permanently.

Broadway and Telegraph.

Salsa outside Fox Theater.

Grand at Broadway.  Things happening with Bakesale Betty's, Era Lounge and Farley's crowd.

Goings on in Old Oakland

Jefferson Square Park at 7th and MLK is getting a makeover!  The abandoned rec center is torn down, and new amenities including a dog park and refurbished basketball court should be in place by August.

This is a damaged building on the old Christ the Light Catholic Church grounds on 7th at MLK.  The Diocese would like to tear it down, apparently the city wants it restored as a historic building.  That's not going to happen, the church is trying to sell the entire block.  I hope this can be resolved prior to the opening of the new Jefferson Square Park, which is right across the street.

Lafayette Square Park is looking good.  City workers were out this week helping with mowing, trimming and edging.

How would you fix the City of Oakland budget deficit?

Oakland has a projected $40 million budget deficit for next year.  Make Oakland Better Now is trying to get input on how to close this without putting the city on the brink of ruin.  Come to their next meeting June 19 from 3 - 5 PM at the Rockridge library.

Shorenstein Art?

A bit of urban art spotted within the 'Pit' downtown.  I wonder if this is part of the art mural Shorenstein had promised when they stopped construction in the site a year and a half ago.
At least the lake is now gone, much to the consternation of the seagulls who loved to bath there the last few months.

Earth Day at Lafayette Square Park April 17th

Old Oakland Neighbors Fundraiser March 19, 5 PM

A walk in the neighborhood

Today was a great day for a walk with a camera.  I took a few shots, often in an urban setting it's not always easy to see the beauty in the surroundings.

This is part of Preservation Park.

Another view of Preservation Park.

Lafayette Square with City Center in the background.

 Swan's Market plaza.

Oakland Victorians.

Tamarindo restaurant and The Trappist!

Street scene.

Commercial on Washington Street.

Old Oakland is a neighborhood in downtown Oakland.  It's where Oakland got it's start.  As the terminus of the trans-continental railroad in the 19th Century, this part of Oakland quickly became a commercial hub.  Now it's a neighborhood shared by high rise commercial, new condos, Victorian commercial streets and residences, and a smorgasbord of people who live, work and play here.

I moved here in Nov. 2008, and it's now home.  I hope to share some of the things going on in the neighborhood, as well as provide a forum for all to share in their reflections and news about the neighborhood.