This year the honey and I decided we would try out a couple different Christmas Tree Lanes instead…read moreof just driving around hoping to find different lit neighborhoods. This Christmas Tree Lane is perhaps the ultimate Christmas Tree Lane, considering it's an extremely dense block where every single home is lit up with different displays. On one end there was a table with kids selling cookies and hot chocolate and in the middle there was a frosty ice cream truck. We got a bit lucky as it was less busy when we drove in around 6pm or so, but it was a madhouse by the time we wrapped up our visit. We later drove over to the San Ramon Christmas Tree Lane on Woodland Drive and found it to be much less busy and a bit more enjoyable as their streets were wider. All in all, this Christmas Tree Lane is definitely something to experience once, but unless you're local to Alameda I'm not sure I'd make it a yearly trip.

This was our first time going to Christmas Tree Lane here! There are not much areas with Christmas…read moredecoration / lights in this area, so it was nice to be able to find an area with beautiful Christmas decorations and lights. Not much parking that was close by and it was a bit cold / windy during our visit, so we just drove down the street and it was beautiful still.

Assigned name for a mural upon an utility box nearby named address. "Conserve" is written on bottom…read moreof box even though it probably isn't name of mural. Just a "tag". kois originated from the Middle East, probably Iran. In the last century, variants have been domesticated in Japan & China for cultural reasons. Koi fish symbolizes strength, perseverance, good fortune, peace, love & yjn & yang when 2 are present. Kois in mural seem to be semi deep green waters. Usual habitats for domesticated kois are in large shallow ponds, big fish tanks, acquariums for display or for sale. Creator: name illegible

Willow Station is a neighborhood shopping area in the City of Alameda. It's called a station…read morebecause a street car stop was once located here. Back in the old days street cars traveled up and down the island. But right now, there's not much here. There's two restaurants and a market. Lots of empty storefronts, and a few shops that are closed. So the area has a lot of potential, and it's just down the street from downtown. Willow Station is located at Lincoln Ave & Willow street.

this Rooftop Garden mural is on a utility box at the LIncoln Ave. driveway of Alameda Library…read more it shows a motley assemblage of bees, sunflower plants, beetles, flowers, strawberries, tomatos, et al. all of them perched upon the top of tall office buildings.. creator: Jessica Warren

The named mural on the exterior of a commercial business is a whimsical one, meant to convey happy…read moretimes. Atop a layer of block shaped grafitti are an assembly of images implying a leisurely life: tucans sitting on objects, a flamingo crossing a drawbridge, a parrot flying, a sunglass wearing tiger under a tent, several palm trees swerving in the wind. Sponsor: Garber Co.

Dragon School 99 is a +501 (C)(3 nonprofit entity that mostly exhibits it's murals in…read moreChinatown.here, they are partnered with Oakland Art Murmur & funded by Keeping Oakland Beautiful murals: -Big Cat drinking water while suppressing an animal, birds in background @Kayleendaa -big cat with many cats watching..... -pink skeletal face with rabbit characteristics against green background @dirtcobain -skeleton with brown wig surrounded by blue & orange, bright leaves @JACKPOT -head of 3 eyed green dragon @? creators: Iris Malang, Dan Akin, Jasmine Quiroga, David Cho, Simon Tran et. al. + student volunteers from Oakland & San Francisco, Ca.

This utility box is on a corner in front of a medical office. on the street side, it shows an…read moreunattached right hand dropping a green empty glass bottle with it's top lower than it's bottom. the back side shows a palms open right hand waiting to catch an empty green bottle falling bottom lst. whether the hands and bottles are the same is unknown. 2 sides have new paint. 2 sides have old paint. the painting could be about gravity, recycling or ?... creator: Chris Brummell sponsors: OMM, Inc., Alameda Muni Power, Park St. Business Assn., Rhythmic Cultural Assn.

this mural is very simple. against a blue background, "Welcome To Alameda" is written in bold…read morelettering in yellow and reddish orange colours. at the bottom right corner is a small island with 2 palm trees on it. Alameda isn't like that. it used to have a Naval base and the town used to cater to them. after the base closed, Alameda has transitioned nicely into a suburbia like town with many urban amenities.

5 stars for the Wolf in Jack London Square!!…read more The Wolf is right by Jack London's cabin, which is super small. Kids love to ride the Wolf, it's very sturdy and able to handle all the attention it gets. Although there is a small plaque there, I do wish there was more on the spot history here about Jack London, because with all the people that come here, it wouldn't hurt for them to know more about Jack London, the man, and his accomplishments. In short, he was a novelist, his famous books were 'Call of the Wild' and 'White Fang' which is where the Wolf comes from, amongst other things. Check out the Wolf next time you're in Jack London Square!!

This wolf sculpture gets a lot of attention, but really it goes hand-in-hand with Jack London's…read moreCabin just steps away (see my separate review for that). The wolf and cabin together create an engaging scene for visitors to appreciate, commemorating the great author and some of his most famous literary works, ie. Call of the Wild and White Fang. The art and history displayed here is beautiful, especially with its waterfront setting. There's plenty of seating in the area for public use, as well as a lovely fountain flowing with water. There wasn't much foot traffic on a Saturday evening, and hardly anyone on site except for those dining at Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon situated adjacent to the cabin, so it was easy to pay a visit with minimal distractions.

Decolonize is a mural drawn upon an aluminum roll up gate. It's on the E. 7th st. Side…read more North America was colonized by English immigrants in the 1600's. Same immigrants expelled the existing native indigenous population living on these lands. The U.S. after its formation made 370 treaties with native tribes. The majority of these treaties were never honored or quickly broken. Mural shows a female dressed in black clothing. She has a dark blue headwear. On her attire is an Indian medicine wheel. Wheels represent "the alignment of the physical, emotional, mental, & spiritual realities" of indigenous peoples.(Indigenous website). The women's right hand is raised & a tight fist is formed. Behind the women a tea pot is boiling. Black smoke is spewing from pot, covering the area surrounding the woman. At the back of women's right side is a shioulette of people drinking cocktails. Creator: Dimebag Darla