Culture
“The Nutcracker” ballet has been performed at Christmastime for more than 100 years, but not quite the way the Oakland Ballet is staging it this weekend. “Graham Lustig’s The Nutcracker” isn’t set in the stuffy Victorian era, but in the looser early 20th century, when women had ditched their corsets and upped their hems, when they had sidestepped convention for free thinking. “A birth of intellectualism for women, when women were fighting for suffrage, riding bicycles and had a different…
In Oakland, as in many parts of the country, winter brings gloomy days, chilly temperatures and the beginning of tamale season, which kicks off unofficially on Thanksgiving. In Mexico the dish is popularly served during the month of December at holiday parties known as “Las Posadas.” In homes across Oakland, steam permeates out of big stainless steel pots this time of year, converting kitchens into saunas. Dew on walls will drip around depictions of “The Last Supper” overlooking dinner tables….
Sporting a pair of gray, paint-splattered, vintage jeans, a teal thermal shirt, two gold chains and a brown beanie, rapper and producer Ovrkast is dancing atop an old pick-up truck on Oakland’s Lakeshore Avenue as a sea of fans swirls around him. It’s a warm, early October night, just past 9 p.m., an hour when this snazzy strip of restaurants and vintage clothing stores is usually quiet. But tonight the rising rap star and East Oakland native has drawn a…
In a nook between the parish offices and the sanctuary, with its pearly white walls and stained glass windows, a line of worshippers has come to St. Elizabeth church in Fruitvale looking for answers to the unexpected and unexplainable. A woman, her son by her side, is weeping, hyperventilating, her head tilted down as she stands before the still figure of La Virgen de Guadalupe, or the Virgin Mary. Behind her, another woman waits patiently for her turn to feel…
Sugar skulls, costumed toddlers and the aroma of fresh-cooked tamales filled the Port of Oakland waterfront on Sunday, as Jack London Square hosted its annual Halloween and Día de los Muertos festival. The event kicked off a string of holiday events throughout the city that will continue through the weekend. The celebration drew a diverse crowd of all ages, including from the nearby farmers market. Professional chalk artists, a mariachi band, and Mexican folklórico dancers provided free entertainment and highlighted…
In the middle of a downtown Oakland studio, two artists stand on opposite sides of a canvas with brushes at the ready. They have no prompt, only 20 minutes to paint something. Music blares as the minutes tick down. Zoë Boston and Bud Snow are first up, and dozens of people begin to orbit the artists as their brushes hit the canvas. They went through the drill, as did a host of other artists, to raise money for a local…
Chase Toler walked with his family through Jack London Square on Saturday under a clear blue sky and through a crowd of wagging tails and soft paws For his mother, Colleen Toler, it’s quite the sight. Despite there being loud music, lots of people and barking dogs, Chase, 15, is walking with confidence — something she once thought she’d never get to see. Typically, Chase finds crowds like this unsettling. “Chase becomes very overwhelmed, especially out in public,” Colleen said….
The Oakland Comedy Festival returns this weekend for its sixth year, featuring dozens of up-and-coming and established talent. Mike E. Winfield, a comic who has been featured on “America’s Got Talent” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” will headline the event Sunday. Shoshanna Howard, Oakland Comedy Festival host and founder, said the event is all about bringing people together. With Bay Area comedy venues like Alameda Comedy Club, Cal Shakes, and San Francisco’s Milk Bar shutting down, Howard said…
High tea is a British tradition which typically calls for elegant hats, high heels and extravagant dresses, and those who came to the Claremont Club & Spa on Friday for tea and a fashion preview fit the occasion. Many sported colorful dresses, lacy head pieces and flowing pant suits that added modern flair to a tradition that dates to the 19th century. “High Tea & High Fashion” was one of many events held through the weekend for the third annual…