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If one were to draw a cross section through the cities east of San Francisco Bay it might look like this. First of course, there would be the Bay itself. Then to the east, the gradual rise of the “flats”, peppered with modest bungalows and apartments, then the sharp climb of the East Bay Hills, dense with rustic shingled hillside homes, and finally, topping those … Continue reading The Green Seam- My Pandemic Therapist
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Back in the late 80s, I was living in Colorado, having just received my Master’s Degree in Architecture. Colorado was in the grips of a terrible energy related recession , and it really couldn’t have been a worse time to hit the job market. My first job ended after 6 months when the firm folded . That was followed by another gig, that lasted … Continue reading Welcome to The Dollhouse- In Praise of the Bungalow Court
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A few years ago, I walked the length of San Pablo Ave in the East Bay. It was a fairly ridiculous endeavor, a walk done over 2 days that covered 23 miles . The starting point for the walk was downtown Oakland, and , as Oakland has a loosely radial plan, this represented one “spoke ” from the center. This amble returned to that theme, … Continue reading The Everyday Urbanism of East 14th
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After a long layoff with the blog, I have some things to say again. More to come, and more frequently ! Among the many changes encountered in moving from San Francisco to West Berkeley a few years back was the extraordinary range of places to buy food. Berkeley is world-famous for its grocery offerings, particularly produce, with the likes of Michael Pollan and Alice Waters plying … Continue reading 99 cent dreams
Last spring, I went for a walk. A new resident of the East Bay. Still in the shadow of the recession , I had some time on my hands, and a desire to get away and explore, however mundane. On this day, I was in downtown Oakland, at Oakland City Hall, at the foot of San Pablo Ave. Living near this same avenue , but … Continue reading Walking Across the Metropolis- 23 Miles on San Pablo Ave.
urban ambles 