Check out this wonderful new public space in North Beach! The Columbus Street Parklet #1 has…read morebenches, café seating and landscaping at this, the City's third Parklet project. Bamboo used for the surface decking is an environmentally friendly renewable resource and all landscaping used are low-water species. Café Greco has agreed to provide daily maintenance, although all seating is free and open to the public.

I like what Water Light Public Plaza represents, even if it's poorly designed…read more Unfortunately, the three walls that make up the Plaza have no sound dampening. So if you have multiple people speaking or children being children, the sound carries to the point it's unpleasant. It couldn't be made into a park because the noise would be deafening. The Plaza has little to no greenery and only receives sunlight during certain points of the day and year, generally being a concrete shaded rather cold space with tables that go largely unused. It would liven up the area dramatically if they put in a small coffee shop that had games you could check out (like Salesforce Park), but my guess is they have to keep it a community space for tax purposes. In my opinion the seating at Growers Square and the Wells Fargo Fountain are far more successful. They're both more comfortable and have a mix of shaded and sunny areas. So all in all, while the idea of the Plaza (with it's beautiful tiled backdrop and fountain) is great, the actual usability of it day to day is fairly low.

This is a really cute public space in Walnut Creek, with a few plants along the border and several…read moretables available to enjoy snacks or drinks. Half of the seating area was covered by shade when we visited, which was a relief on a hot Sunday afternoon. The glass and ceramic mosaic mural along the wall, titled Water Light, is a beautiful reflective art piece by Jason Middlebrook, whose works connect art, history, and nature. The arcs of water flowing from the jets blend in with the artwork on the wall beautifully. The biggest surprise was the wooden grand piano at the corner of the plaza adorned with images of tiny trees and polka dots whose colors match the mural in the background (part of the Painted Piano Project). We got to play and listen to lovely melodies while relaxing in this simple yet delightful space.

The mural commemorates Esther Mabry, her business & their contemporaries who made 7th St. a local…read morejazz scene, "Harlem of the West Coast", for 50+ years. Esther was known as "The Grand Lady of the Street". She opened her Orbit Room in '63, closing it in '11. The East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative is endorsing efforts for a Esther's Orbit Room Cultural Revival Project..possibly starting at this site... Creators: Aerosoul_IG, REFA ONE

Art, history and the outdoors all come together at this little known attraction in Richmond CA…read more I'd say the Rosi memorial was a shining moment in the history of our country. I take every opportunity to talk to older generations of women that were a part of woman's equality. No, no, not this third wave feminism that is going around lately but about treating people the same regardless of the bits and pieces they happened to be born with. Things these days got way off track. Its madness. I wanted my Rinks to see the true and pure form of feminism - and I assigned Rosi the Riviter to be her hero the same way I made Sweets look up to Otto the bulldog. Yes thats what a helicopter parent does. An older lady next door - an attorney - told me she was bewildered and disappointed in the young generation of women. Entitled, easily offended and using men as body guards is the new norm. She told me 'our generation did all the work - they don't have to do much.' Both she and I felt that the women's movement was taking a step backwards the past 10 or 20 years. Take a look at Rosi and I think its easy to see the above being true. Talk to 70 or 80 or 90 year old women as much as you can and learn the history before its too late. I like history. Old stuff. Old cars.... old houses. Teach our youth the best you can and make sure they have somebody to look up to.

This is the G. I. Jive Man alive…read moreIt starts with the bugler blowin' reveille over your bed when you arrive Jack, that's the G. I. Jive... Excuse me while I listen to Benny Goodman's band play "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" and do the jitterbug with my gal one last time before I get shipped out. But don't cry for the girl I left behind, no-sir-ree, because she became Rosie the Riveter, one of the brave women who worked on the home front during World War II while I was dodging hand grenades overseas. Surprisingly, this is the first memorial fully dedicated to the dedicated contributions of these women, and the minimalist design by visual artist Susan Schwartzenberg and landscape architect/environmental sculptor Cheryl Barton is on the subtle side. At first, you think it's just a piece of a ship's hull you're looking at with photos, letters and memorabilia laminated on the enamel panels (photo: http://bit.ly/2xSG7QG). But then you realize the walkway marks the timeline about the home front activities at the time and includes quotes from Rosies chiseled into the white granite. There are also pieces of stainless steel that suggest unfinished sections of the warships they built. This gives you a realistic depiction of the challenges the Rosies faced back then with discrimination, hazardous working conditions, and child care. Two adjacent rose gardens complete the grounds. V for Victory, Rosie! Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me Anyone else but me, anyone else but me No! No! No! Just remember that I've been true to nobody else but you So just be true to me...

Yeeees, beautiful views from these steps!…read more I've come here in the very early morning to see lovely views of the Bay Bridge and then in the afternoon to see the city humming with life below me. Never too crowded, but worth the work out for the view. 2024: 66/100

There are three sets of stairs that were built on the eastern slope of Telegraph Hill, and it's…read moreclear to me which one is which. With its leafy foliage, the Filbert Steps are Ginger, and with far less foot traffic than the Filbert Steps, the Greenwich Steps are Mary Ann. That must mean these stairs are Mrs. Howell because let's face it, they're the least sexy. Three stairways make up the Vallejo Street Steps, but the central one is the only one that allows you to wander the surrounding gardens. These steps are the closest ones to Broadway, and that counts for something. Isn't that right, Lovey? RELATED - Interested in climbing the stairways around the Bay Area? Here's a collection of steps I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3UkMHud

Every time I run around Lake Merritt, I run through this area and past this structure!!…read more I've seen all kinds of gatherings here, from protests to festivals to speeches to people taking wedding pictures!! It's located on what looks like the beach area of the lake. One of the mainstays at Lake Merritt!!

Oh my God, I love this place! so, you have to go thru a "pay…read moregate/booth" to enter the park, but it's free to park here during the week, just a few bucks on the week-end. the garden is fantastic! i love that its all chemical free, composting on site, benches, bird baths, etc made from recycled materials, a path from "urbanite" we've gotten so many ideas from coming here. check it out! and it's free to enter! :) and, if you've got little kids, check out fairyland just across the way! it not, it's a great place to go for a walk, check out the trees, the water, and the millions of geese and piles of crap landmines!

The Rockridge district in Oakland is very festive, especially during the street festival! The…read moreRockridge Street Festival happens annually usually in October. I first heard about this event from Yelp and seen that it was on. The event took over the whole College Ave Street in Oakland. Here is my verdict of the event: Pros: -There were maps and info guides that helped participants in understanding where everything was located. There were a live music and dancing section and kids and community zone section. -The event was literally next to the Rockridge Bart Station and since I drove I was nerves about parking but there were tons of parking at the station and even on the street. -There were great games and festivities for children! It was so nice to see families all come together during this day. There was even a Circus Show that was from 1 PM, 3 PM & 5 PM. -They had drank, I mean drink...Alcohol, of course, people! Okay, keep calm folks! Let's not all get excited at the same time! But yes, there was wine, beer, margarita, and delicious cocktails. I have to admit the prices were reasonable. Some of my favorite tasty drinks that they offered were: Pok Pok Som Cocktail. -Market Hall Foods seemed to have tons of different vendors that were there. It was a nice line up of food that included: Caprese Cheese Skewers $3, Dolce Latte Gorgonzola Cone $3, We the Minis that sold delicious cookies and cupcakes. -There was also a limited amount of food trucks before that I have never seen such as Ice Cream Bars & Ice Cream Sandwiches. -Great live band and performances that occurred throughout the whole event such as Namaste Mindfulness Lounge @ Manila, Oakland Youth Chorus @Taft, Kinetic Arts Center Circus StageCircus Spire Youth Troupe @Lawton, Market Hall Picnic & Dance @BART Station Plaza, Jazz Showcase @Chabot. -Community vendors included: Market Hall Cookbook Exchange- Where you bring a book, exchange a book or buy a book all the money or books benefit the Rockridge Public Library. If I could choose any place to live in Oakland it would definitely be Rockridge!

This is a very nice neighborhood in Oakland. There are many…read morerestaurants, cafes and shops to visit. The homes in this neighborhood are beautiful. If you are having dinner here or shopping, parking can be hard to find.

Let me know when you figure out how to get there. Couldn't find any entrance. Recommend just going…read moreto the roof tab bar at the hotel across the street

Hot tip - glad to see the food courts re-opened, but still iffy about maybe unmasking and enjoying…read morefood indoors? Well, follow the arrows on the floor as they wind toward the elevator the Sky Terrace! Nobody seems to know about it, despite all the ads around, and I had an al fresco rooftop all to myself! Some views of the city but mostly roof machinery and an imposing dome. But fresh air - just me and the sky!