I will likely be sporadic and pithy over the next week or so as I am still catching up, digging out, and generally working too much (the price paid for a sweet sweet vacation).

Spotted this sidewalk chalk art in the cemetery a while back…

Isn’t this girl lovely?

It reminds me that we can make art almost anywhere!

Lyons Pool - Dimond Park

It’s hot.  Too hot.  This is why I left L.A. many years ago.  Well… just one of the long list of reasons really.

But back to my point. It’s expected to top out near 90 today, so if you’re like me and you’re melting into a puddle of gritty discontent, here are a few sweet spots to cool you down and freshen you up!

1. Lake Temescal - For some, the thought of swimming in non-chlorinated water is not appealing (I’m thinking of my boyfriend’s daughter who said, “EWW! it’s slimy!”) But for me, it’s simply the best. No burning eyes, no itching skin, and you get to swim with the ducks & fishes.  What could be better than that?? See last year’s post Sum Sum Summertime! for more detail and the history of this urban oasis.
   $3 for beach access; $2 for kids/seniors; parking can cost extra
   Open daily 5am to 10pm; lifeguards on duty 11am to 6pm
2. Lyons Pool (Dimond Park) – This outdoor pool set amidst old growth oaks & buckeyes is heated year round and is delicious to step into, especially on cool evenings or foggy mornings. Serious lap-swimmers seem frustrated by its unconventional lanes and warm temperature, but I think this spot is just right, and nowhere near as crowded as Temescal.
   $5 to swim; $4 with multi-pass
   public swim: 2:45pm – 4:15pm M-F; 2:30pm – 4:30pm S/S
   lap swim: 6:30am – 9am/12pm – 2pm/7:30pm – 9pm M-F; 11:15am – 2:15pm S/S
3. Trefethen Aquatic Center (Mills College) – Another lovely outdoor pool complete with hot tub and lawn areas for lounging, I haven’t been to this one in awhile but used to go frequently when friends lived in San Leandro. I’ve heard the pool isn’t chlorinated but uses another technique (oxygenation?), but I can’t confirm this. This one’s also a tad more expensive than other options, but many folks claim this is the nicest pool in Oakland.
   $7 to swim; $5.60 with multi-pass
   check their schedule here, ‘cuz it’s complicated and will be changing next week.
4. Temescal Pool – This one’s a north Oakland favorite for it’s year round heated waters and easy access location. Featuring salinated water which means less chlorine (yay!) and lots of props to modify your swim routine (kickboards, fins, etc) this pool is extremely popular and can be quite crowded when the weather’s nice.
   $5 to swim; $4 with multi-pass
   public swim: 2:45pm – 4:45pm Sat only
   lap swim: 6:30am – 8:30am/12:30pm – 2:30pm/5pm – 7pm M-F; 11am – 2:30pm S/S
5. Roberts Pool (Roberts Regional Recreation Area) – Another glorious heated outdoor pool, right in the middle of a redwood grove. I only put this one last because, sad to say, I haven’t been here yet. But from the descriptions I’ve read, it sounds like best spot for a lazy summer day of play. Fewer lap swim hours and far more public/recreational swim hours.
   $3 for public swim ($2 for kids/seniors); lap swim is $3.50 or $2.50 with multi-pass
   public swim: 3:30pm – 5pm M; 12:30pm – 5pm Tu-F; 11am – 6pm Sat/Sun
   lap swim:7:15pm – 8:15pm M-Th

It’s just got so much going for it… one of the oldest neighborhoods in Oakland, horse drawn carriages used to run up and down what’s now Telegraph Ave.

The food, of course, is a huge draw… everything from the 80 year old Genova Delicatessen – a nod to the neighborhood’s early Italian-immigrant residents; to those established by more recent immigrant groups – Asmara & Red Sea; to gourmet delights like Pizzaiolo and Doñas Tomás; to the home of the original Betty’s (her ginger molasses cookies are so good I want to cry!)

There’s my beloved Tool Library (see yesterday’s post).

And there’s the art… home to Studio One, the Creative Reuse Depot, ever expanding public projects (see below), and numerous galleries… for those who love doing the Art Murmur thing (tonight!) but are a bit put off by the crowds in Uptown, Temescal is a wonderful alternative.  In fact, tonight they’re hosting a special “Summer Art Hop.” With this weather, perhaps they should call it Winter II Art Hop. Either way, I did the first Winter one and it was a blast.

And speaking of the weather, it looks like the Temescal Street Fair has been postponed.  Originally slated for this Sunday (and partly why I decided to do this post today), it’s been put off until July 10th.

I was wondering how they were going to finish this art project (Temescal Flows by Oakland muralist Alan Leon) in time for the festival… now they have another month.

I’ve been watching its progression for several weeks now and while I wasn’t sure I was going to like it initially, I’m growing rather fond of it.  The flowing/waving lines throughout reference the neighborhood’s Temescal Creek, and specific imagery honors the region’s earliest settlers, the Ohlone.

These pics were shot Wednesday and while much has been accomplished, there appears to be much yet to do…

• here: Library supporters pack Council budget meeting (A Better Oakland)
• here: At packed budget meeting, a debate over the fate of libraries, city services (Oakland North)
• here: Montclair Library, At Risk? (Today in Montclair)
• or here: Protecting Oakland’s Libraries (Bookmark Bookstore)

And lots of great points are being made… about the need for these neighborhood resources, providing accessibility to books and the internet for all residents regardless of income, providing social gathering spots and places of refuge from the neighborhood violence in some parts of Oakland, providing a suite of services and resources that once were offered by public schools but now have been cut from there as well.  The list goes on and on, and these are all incredibly important points.

But what I don’t hear anyone talking about is the Temescal TOOL Lending Library.

I have to admit that this is my most frequently visited branch/service of the entire Oakland Public Library system.  They know me by name, and I know most of theirs as I see them nearly weekly.

I’ve always liked fixing/building/making things. I was a born DIY’er before the term DIY even existed. You can see this was either instilled early (by my grandfather – pipe in mouth), or perhaps just came naturally, by this photo of my first home building project (I think I was 6).

For those who don’t know, and I’m always amazed when I meet folks who don’t, this is an incredible resource exclusively dedicated to Oakland residents. Modeled after the tool lending library in Berkeley, they house thousands of tools that can be “rented” FREE of charge for short periods of time. Everything you need to tend to your home and garden (carpentry & woodworking, concrete & masonry, electrical, floor & wall, garden & digging, ladders/dollies/handtrucks/wheelbarrows, mechanical & power, plumbing, etc.) plus books and how-to videos.

I think I’ve checked out tools in nearly every one of those categories from the early days in 2000 (this was when renovating my loft in West Oakland, photo left) to more recent projects on the home here in Dimond (photo right).

This arm of the Temescal Branch library was launched in January of 2000 (thanks to seed money from a Community Development Block Grant).  It was an outgrowth of a small “Home Resources Collection” established at this branch after the Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991 to help residents with rebuilding and repairs following the disaster.

And it just makes sense.  In a dense urban environment where homes are frequently smallish apartments or “cottage” houses (read small!), who’s got the space to store all the things you need to care for your home? And more importantly, who wants to shell out the cash (tools are expensive!) for something you may use once or twice a year??

I LOVE the Temescal Tool Lending Library!  Please help save it.

According to the budget proposals currently being considered, the following library branches and resources would be slated for closure:

Asian, Brookfield, Cesar Chavez, Eastmont, Elmhurst, Golden Gate, Lakeview, Martin Luther King, Melrose, Montclair, Piedmont, Temescal, West Oakland, AAMLO, and the Tool Lending Library.

Is this not crazy?!? Especially after residents voted in 2003 for continued support of our libraries (Measure Q).

Here are five things you can do to help (from Save Oakland Libraries):

1. Tell your friends and neighbors about the devastating funding cuts to libraries – Ask 10 of your friends to call or write the Mayor and City Council. Like the Save Oakland Library page on Facebook.
2. Share your library experiences with city officials – Make sure that Oakland’s mayor, city manager, and city council know what libraries mean to you and your community.
3. Attend Oakland City Council meetings – We need a big turnout. Bring signs supporting libraries. Bring children who love libraries. Request to speak. Speaker cards can be requested online one week in advance at the Office of the City Clerk page.  Next meetings 6/7 and 6/21 at 5:30pm
4. Organize – Gather petition signatures and distribute fliers – These activities must happen outside the library locations–near branches or at community events. Fill our volunteer form and help save your library. Check our volunteer page for an activity near you. Download instructions on how to petition (PDF). Download the petition (PDF).
5. Contact newspapers, radio stations, TV stations and local blogs – Call the media and ask if they are covering the proposed Oakland library closings. When you read related news coverage, write a letter to the editor with thanks and a message about why Oakland’s public libraries are needed

Although quite damaged now, you can see the original installation on Endless Canvas, as well as an interesting historical recap of International Workers’ Day (May 1st) – the inspiration behind this piece.

Each of the figures appears to be a separate cut-out, as are the individual letters. This baby must have taken some time!