Culture

After Oakland airport begins Havana flights, Cuban musicians return to the Bay Area

A year has passed since the Oakland airport lifted its travel ban to Havana. It’s now been three years since the administration of President Barack Obama issued a waiver easing economic sanctions and travel by Cuban artists. The importation of their music, brought to a near standstill in this country under former President George W. Bush’s foreign policy, shows signs of revival.

Chop Bar pig roast at Linden Street Brewery draws hungry spectators

Two local businesses—Linden Street Brewery and Chop Bar—came together in Oakland Sunday for their annual pig roast celebration, held on the third Sunday of every month between April and September. Dynamic, an Oakland based band, performed throughout the evening. The four pigs they roasted came from Langley Farm in Petaluma, about 50 miles north of Oakland. Chefs at Chop Bar received the hogs two days before the roast, putting them in big white coolers while brining then for two days…

Solar eclipse draws hundreds to Oakland’s Chabot Space and Science Center

Chabot Space and Science Center, America’s largest public telescope facility, was the vantage point of choice for viewing the annular solar eclipse in Oakland this weekend, as more than 450 astronomy enthusiasts and families thronged the hilltop observatory to see what astronomers say is the first in a “triple play” of spectacular celestial events this summer.

Oakland celebrates Older Americans Month with dance and a public gathering

Senior citizens from Oakland performed in front of nearly 100 people at Frank H.Ogawa Plaza on Wednesday for the city’s 8th annual Older Americans Month celebration. The site, which has become synonymous with the Occupy Oakland protests, was transformed into a concert hall where folk dancers and Baby Boomers took center stage, despite some disruptions from Occupy protesters.