Walking down Polk street, I noticed a couple of parking spots have been removed and a public…read moresitting area - Parklet - has taken their place. "All seating is open to the public" - bring your coffee and enjoy a little SF sunshine. I just hope the tables and chairs don't get swiped...

many murals adorn the walls of the Berkeley Swim Center. there's a free range of flowing artistic…read morefreedom of the many mural featured. -fish swimmingly nonchantedly to the nymph blowing an horn with a ? nearby. -a musician strumming while an oldster is fishing -a cosmic overview of the swimming pool -a rampant gush of winds causing high waves-not here though creator: Project Yes East Bay Conservation Corps Artist: Mariela de La Flor

the mural is simplistic-3 giant sunflowers (red, yellow, orange) with a patch of blue. white…read morelettering "Garden of Growth" appears on top. the mural is situated in a neighborhood that has few parks, recreational areas. there's barely any gardens of any dimension, just concrete. concrete in the prescene of the Bart station/tracks, highways 980 & 880, the post office, etc. which has depopulated & sectioned off this once vibrant Black community. this mural is very welcoming in a deconstructed urban setting where poverty is more prevalent than civility. of course, there's weeds all over. but not much.

on the corner of the refurnished Liberty park, there are 2 utility boxes picturing hanging…read morebranches with natural made hibernation vehicles commonly known as "hives"; these particular hives show no activity., no clues whether bees, wasps, or other flying insects have these coccons as :"domiciles". unsure if the creator means the artwork to be a vision of nature or a warning of nature's potential airborne menace.

Have fun making music and getting your exercise at the same time! The piano stairs is a very cool…read morefree attraction @ Pier 39. They connect to upstairs stores and is approximately 1/2-way down Pier 39. Great fun for kids & adults alike. Check out he video I posted to hear what it's like to play on the piano stairs.

How cute are these stairs to play on! You can play a song if you're feeling adventurous or just let…read moreyour kids go at it. Definitely a stop if you're at Pier 39!

This is an awesome beautification program recognizable throughout the city of Hayward. Two wall…read moremurals particularly of interest to me this past Thursday were "I See You" at the Superway Aquarium, and the "Hayward Downtown Streetscape" near the Century movie theater. I mainly explored the artworks along A and B Street between Mission and 2nd. Basically an art walk (or more of a run) where I got to hunt for and photograph beautiful pieces throughout downtown Hayward. There's plenty to see here, and that's not even the half of it. I'm especially fascinated by the Utility Box Art Project, eye-catching art with a purpose, benefitting the community. The collection consists of animals (giraffes, turtles, fish, and more), music themes (instruments, music notes, and famous musicians), nature (trees, leaves, landscapes, seascapes), classic cars, as well as abstract art. My fave was the utility box artwork titled "Silent Films - Slapstick Comedy", created in 2018 by Jean Bidwell, a lovely tribute to silent cinema and slapstick humor, displaying beloved comedic icons from the early to mid 1900's, such as Charlie Chaplin and the Marx Brothers.

the Mural Arts Program of Hayward was created in 2009 by the city of Hayward to eliminate graffiti…read more they commissioned Hayward artists to create murals, arts, on utilities boxes, in public spaces, on commercial buildings where graffiti occurred. as a result, Hayward has a limited amount of murals since only "legal" murals are allowed to be maintained/painted. the utility boxes usually featured animals, automobiles, scenery, "people", etc. most of the art is on utility boxes. not many big murals. some murals painted are done privately.

This is the cutest little lane in San Francisco near Union Square. I found it on Yelp…read more There are several restaurants in this closed street that just put their tables and chairs out into the lane. The tall buildings block most of the sun. The lane is quite narrow. It has an air of mystery and feels clandestine. Seek out this little gem if you're nearby and looking for a drink or a bite. It's worth it.

It feels like you have stepped out of California and into a little alley in Europe. The noise of…read morethe city fades and you are transported to fine French dining. Who knew this was here? Skip the crappy food and lines at cheesecake factory and burger bar, walk four or five blocks from union square, and enter a charming and unique spot in the city.

the actual address of "The Great Migration of the Monarch Butterflies" mural…read moreis 1314 San Leandro Blvd. which is the address of the building the mural is on. the mural has interesting facts but didn't point out that Monarch Butterflies are a vanishing if not endangered species. the butterflies migrate during 4 peak seasons. the mural is across from the San Leandro Bart Station. in front of the mural is the "Downtown San Leandro Butterfly Garden" which hasn't been watered lately.

Very nice Mural right across the street from the San Leandro Bart Station…read more I don't know the history behind this mural at all, I just know it's on what seems to be a warehouse near Downtown San Leandro. According to the mural, the Monarch butterflies leave multiple places in the northern most American cities and all head south, to one place in Southern Mexico, and San Leandro is one of the places they leave from. Good Mural, adds flavor to the area!!