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

this mural is on the Bay St. side. it shows a young Korean female dressed in an Hanbok, a…read moretraditional garment worn in ancient Korea until the late Josean period. the mural has a dark background, the female is in the center, over her shoulders are words written in traditional Korean characters. pink flowers are all over the mural. creator: John 0329, Noodle_belly

Have a Heart mural is at the 7th St. side. Hear a Heart is a cannabis dispensary…read more the theme of the mural highlights events/symbols seen in Oakland: sideshows, A's baseball, Oaklandish symbol, Hello Kitty, spray painting, vaping, bart, bitcoin, green apple, blue skies, red skies, etc. creator: Charms Von

These types of murals in general prevent a lot of graffiti. Some building these owners turn over…read moretheir exterior walls to artists at a specific cost. I recently spoke to one of these artists. There is some pay involved and there is an understanding that the art work generally doesn't last forever. Its a unique relationship between artist and tenant or building owner. I think the bad part of it is the ulterior motive - its not as if people have these murals for pure love of art - rather its to avoid something bad. I suppose building owners are 'in like' with these sorts of projects. I guess I see it as putting a missing person's face on the side of a milk carton.

the Heal Oakland mural is nearby the back entrance of Dollar Tree. there's a common parking lot…read more the mural shows clenched fists at the upper left and a 2 handed open palm on the upper right. the center shows a ribbon with the words "Heal Oakland" at the top. in the middle is a detached heart with sun burst energy emanating from it. lite candles surround the heart at both sides and the bottom. the heart is being stitched together by an human hand on the left side and a skeletal hand on the right. entire background in black. mural is a reflection on the George Floyd protests. creator: People's Conservatory, Be-Imaginative Collective

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

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.

This named mural on the side of a fence & across a building was created by an individual & his…read morestudent associates. Against a background of geometric shapes in pastel colours are 6 black individuals & a group of black persons in black leather jackets. The faces aren't known to me save Esther Mabry, 2d from the left, owner of Esther's Orbit Room on 7th st., a well known jazz night club. At the far right are members of the Black Panther Party, a Black power political organization started in West Oakland, 1966. Other figures may also be from Oakland, Ca. Creator: Dave Young Kim with Neighborhood Kids: Steph, Zach, Dena.

I was generally surprised there was a museum about pinball machines. I did not know it was actually…read morea place someone would be interested in going to because I thought it was just a museum that people could see and maybe interact with a few machines. Imagine my surprise when I walked in and a lot of machines were playable. The older ones ~1900s were behind viewing glass but ~1920s, there were playable. There were also old jukeboxes/record players that you can interact with. Admission was a quick and simple. For all day access, it was ~22 dollars. It is cheaper for students and children. Honestly, I needed the unlimited access because I quickly learned I wasn't that great. Looks are deceiving from the outside, but it is pretty spacious inside. It was a museum with descriptive signs, but you can play on them. I liked the hourse racing even though the flippers were not all that helpful and I end up more on the side ends but it was cool to see the horses move. I also liked the more modern ones like the Guns and Roses, and especially Pokemon. It was so cool to see a skeletal pinball machine too. I always did like looking at gears. If I am around Alameda, I highly recommend and suggest going with friends.

I've been to Alameda at least once or twice a week, but somehow I had never noticed the Pacific…read morePinball Museum! After dining in Alameda one day, I randomly stumbled upon it while taking a walk and decided to stop in. The entrance is small, but the gentleman behind the counter was incredibly friendly and helpful. He gave us a quick explanation of the pricing, in-and-out privileges, and where the different games were located. He was brief but enthusiastic, informative, and welcoming. We paid for admission and ended up staying for about an hour--and it was so much fun! The games are definitely addictive, and there's a great mix of people of all ages, from children to adults. The space is a little narrow and can get crowded, but that also adds to the lively atmosphere. There's one restroom available, and I was pleasantly surprised by how clean, tidy, and fully stocked it was. Overall, this is such a lovely hidden gem in Alameda. Admission is reasonably priced, and with the in-and-out privileges, you can easily make the most of your visit. It's a fun place for all ages, and I would definitely recommend checking it out. I'll absolutely be back in the future! *****FIVE STARS*****

This place is crazy nostalgic, and I'm loving it. Playing the games I grew up with, along with the…read moresounds of kids having fun, the games are clean, and the area is fantastic. A nice park around the corner and plenty of restaurants a short walk away. I drove just shy of 100 miles to get there and try their games, and it was worth it. The town is like a cool getaway, especially if you live in an area that gets hot.

Good, wholesome nostalgic fun at a great price! I've taken my 22 year old nephew there when he was…read morea kid and a teen and now I take his younger brother who is 11 there to keep the tradition going.

this mural is visible on the upper level of a commercial building. it's a montage of identical…read moreimages of a universal love symbol in various colors layered on top of each other. the repetition repeats into infinity the solution to "Free Humanity": Love, Compassion and it's companion-Understanding. these themes are embodied in various traditional and modern philosophies and religions but not all. applying the implied solution, the perceived limitations of humanity in realms of adequate housing, healthcare, equality, peoples' status, income disparities, etc. can hopefully be remediated, reduced if not eliminated. such actions can make humanity livable, survivable for most. opposing these ideas are forces of division, stigmatism, avarice that do not want humanity to be "free"...