June 24, 2003
June Bug Bash 2003
This Saturday night at the Stork Club is "June Bug Bash 2003", which, from what I can tell, is a celebration of rock and roll and comics. I'm going 'cause I wanna see Dealership, and I dig Jesse Reklaw.
June 21, 2003
History is a Dirty Business
In UC Berkeley's summer session course Anthropology 133, students learned not only how to dig square holes and sift through archival materials, but also that archaeology and history are public endeavours. Local press this last week noted our efforts at two sites on Cal campus - a nice piece in today's San Francisco Chronicle followed less detailed offerings in the Oakland Tribune and Berkeley Daily Planet on Thursday and Friday. As a graduate student instructor for the course, I helped supervise excavations at the C.U. Conservatory site, where the remains of a shining Victorian glass-house now lie under a parking lot.
Before: the UC Conservatory ca. 1900
(photo from the Oliver Family Photograph Collections, Bancroft Library, University of California)
After: a field school student excavates remains of the west-wing foundation.
(photo by author)
June 18, 2003
For the mild of manner and sweet of heart
Ladies (and Gents) Who Lunch (Or: A Much-Needed Excuse To Leave The House) is a delightful little get together. Especially with the lovely weather we've been having this summer. Once or twice a month. For lunch or happy hour. I'd tell you more of what happened yesterday but Gwen, the First Lady, blogs the befores and afters. Always an intriguing group of people, they spun off from a weblogger meetup that never seemed to be at a convenient time. If you've been locked at your desk or with your kids all day, this is the balmy break you crave.
June 15, 2003
Ice Cream In The Beast
The long-awaited re-opening of Fenton's Creamery spurs this post. See, ice cream is one of my core food groups. When I lived in San Francisco, I would make lengthy detours to get to Mitchell's.
In the Beast, I have two favorites. Tucker's Supercreamed Ice Cream in Alameda is on par with the Mitchell's experience. Both offer that classic ice cream store experience, an excellent variety of flavors (including tropical favorites), and reasonable prices.
Mondo Gelato in downtown Berkeley avails customers of a remarkable selection of 'artisan' gelatos. Lines go out the door with people waiting for standbys such as chocolate and strawberry, and house specialties like straciatella. Two nights ago I had a combination of vanilla gelato and strawberry sorbetto, both of which were to die for. This stuff ain't cheap, but it's worth it. It's also funny to realize that it originated in Vancouver, and the third store is in Beijing.
Now, with Fenton's back open, I'm curious -- I never ate there before its fire shut it down for years. I drove by on Saturday night, and the place was hideously mobbed -- the line stretched a good 40 people or so into the parking lot. Friends have tried the new Fenton's, and said that it was good, but it's also become remarkably over-priced. $8 sundaes is the norm. One suspects they're either still trying to recoup fire damage losses, or they simply think that being in Yuppie Ground Zero means a 50% extra mark-up. I would think such a strategy would ding them in the long run.
I do need to try Tango Gelato on Fruitvale in Oakland. They seem to be a community fixture.
Oh, and I spit on Cold Stone Creamery, newly situated on Shattuck. That gimmicky overpriced chain garbage offends my sight.
You got favorite frozen treats? Add them to the comments area.
June 14, 2003
Even More Free Wi-Fi!
On the corner of 65th and Shattuck is the 3-weeks-old Nomad Cafe. It's got great big windows, a range of menu items, good outside seating, and all the wireless you can eat.
Coffee, Ice Cream, and Wi-fi
Chowhound's Chownews alerts us to Angel Falls Cafe, in Walnut Square. With coffee, desserts, and free wireless access.
June 01, 2003
Bum's Paradise and the Liberation Drive-In
As mentioned in the last post, last night the film Bum's Paradise showed at the kickoff of the 2003 Liberation Drive-In.
It turns out that Bum's Paradise is a major work of documentary. I won't simply repeat the details as to how it was made, but it's clear that by having Rabbit, one of the 'residents' of the Albany landfill, involved in the shooting of the work allowed the piece to have an intimacy and understanding that wouldn't have otherwise come through.
Importantly, the film doesn't attempt to glamorize or 'other-ize' its subjects. You get to see them for being just the people they are, living in a situation that is both depressing in its squalor and uplifting in its freedom. The artwork created by the residents is often stunning -- the Fairy Castle being a notable stand-out, particularly as its creator is one of the least coherent people on the landfill.
The film will be screening on June 22 at The Parkway, and ought not be missed!
The venue for last night's showing, the Liberation Drive-In, is an interesting urban artifact. In a vacant parking lot on Harrison Street, the folks of Nonchalance roll up a station wagon decked out with video projection equipment, which also broadcasts a signal so you can listen in your own car. I was surprised at how few people had shown up by 10:30 -- I'd thought this has gotten better coverage. I was also disappointed that immediately following Bum's Paradise was an over-long documentary from the 70s about a Nigerian singer and the hideous political situation of the era... The flick did a lot to drive people from the drive-in -- I mean, it's a worthwhile subject and all that, but not really what you want to show at a party on a Saturday night, you know?
Still, I'm looking forward to subsequent drive-ins, the end of each month throughout the summer.
And now, some pictures from last night, of the crowd watching Bum's Paradise.
