Culture
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…
The Oakland City Council has given Oakland its own official cocktail — shaken, on ice. The Mai Tai. Vice Mayor Rebecca Kaplan, who introduced the resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, said the council’s move honors the city’s history as a center of entertainment, culture, arts, food and drink. “Honoring and supporting our innovators helps expand our economy, jobs, opportunity, revenue, and uplifts the community,” Kaplan said. According to the resolution, the Mai Tai was invented by Victor J. “Trader Vic” Bergeron,…
Beirut. Yerevan. Moscow. Cairo. Buenos Aires. Oakland. These cities were among the first havens for survivors of the Armenian Genocide in the early 20th century. Today, Oakland’s St. Vartan Apostolic Church remains a meeting place for the region’s Armenian community nearly a century after its founding in 1924. This weekend, St. Vartan will host a two-day festival featuring Armenian and Middle Eastern food prepared by members of the congregation, live Armenian music, traditional dancing, children’s activities, and vendors. Take-away food…
Mental health might not be the first thing that comes to mind at a comic book convention. But on Sunday, the seventh annual AfroComicCon at Oakland City Hall featured a lively panel of artists and therapists discussing safe mental health spaces. Sitting at a bench typically reserved for politicians, marriage and family therapist Perry Clark argued that comics have been “vilified as escapism.” For some people, he said, “reality sucks.” Relating to worlds like Wakanda — the futuristic home of…
Oakland’s eighth annual Pride Parade began Sunday with a roar — the rev of motorcycles as parade leaders Dykes on Bikes rode up Broadway. Thousands of people attended the parade, waving flags, cheering and dancing. The 83 community groups, government affiliates and corporate sponsors in the lineup bore their own messages, played music ranging from ABBA to the Jonas Brothers, and invited attendees to join in the celebration. “Feeling invited is just a sacred part of the queer community —…
Oakland City Council passed an ordinance Tuesday making it a crime to organize, facilitate or promote sideshows. The ordinance passed with six votes — councilmembers Kevin Jenkins and Janani Ramachandran were absent. Councilmember Noel Gallo originally proposed a stricter ordinance in December that would also have made it a crime to watch a sideshow, but that proposal was rejected and revised. The revisions remove any mention of spectators and “bystander participants.” The city has sought to deter people from participating…