Massimo Mazzon's studio in Menlo Park is a rare find: an authentic working artist's space filled…read morewith beautiful and interesting paintings of different styles. Massimo is extremely friendly and welcome, and deeply knowledgeable about his craft -- it's very interesting to hear more about his techniques, concept, and the stories behind each piece. I'd add that his versatility is striking and shows an interest in lots of different techniques. I purchased one particularly striking piece that really grabbed me --unique, technically talented, and a beautiful blend of colors, depicting a modern take on the story of Medusa. I happened upon the studio during an open house when Massimo was still working on it, fell in love with the piece, and I asked him to keep me informed when he would finish it. When he was finished with this masterpiece, which took months (it's a large and complex piece), he was true to his word and I was his first call. I purchased it and am delighted with the piece. I'd add that buying directly from the artist is far more economical than doing so in a gallery. Massimo also kindly offered to attach hanging materials to the back of the piece so that I could more easily hang it at home, which was super helpful. I heartily recommend a visit -- you can purchase existing pieces, or commission ones (e.g. portraits, reproductions, novel ideas), and at a minimum it's great fun to visit the studio. It has a great energy and I loved hearing the stories behind the range of paintings on display. So keep an eye open for his open studio visits!

Massimo painted my two young children in their Korean Traditional Costume. He is a fine artist,…read moreattentive to detail, and every time I look at the painting I see something new and wonderful. He is very professional and sincerely friendly and eager to please his clients. I have had so many wonderful compliments on this painting and those who know my kids say that Massimo was able to capture their true spirit. We are lucky to have a Mazzon painting, it is priceless! Can't wait to have him paint the whole family some day.

So clean and so fresh. Everyone here was so helpful and its basically all volunteer based…read more Come during the week because is closed on weekends Hard to find parking but the garage always has spots

I was born with a Japanese experience in USA..schoolmates and Kristi Yamaguchi..eating Japanese…read morefood..Japanese and Chinese etc.. Read some reviews about this San Francisco organization...in Japantown. I was visiting the Presidio on the weekend..found a notecard..it's quaint and nice...I didn't know about this organization until I visited the Presidio within the last month..I had to Google to find the address..showed up and had a nice visit on a Saturday.. read some posts and you will feel more acquainted with the community in Japantown Showed regional artwork and served refreshments..held a meeting..inside..brings you back to 1990...first time for things Bye Bye Yelp.com---So Long Farewell Auf Wedersehn Goodbye...My father's birthday today and I am 40...this concludes my Yelp notes...Japanese Historical Society in San Francisco, CA. Goodbye folks...that's my story and I am sticking to it...bless you The end..goodbye...

Easy and free street parking, and a garden out front, with staff/volunteers taking care of the…read moreplants and landscaping on this lovely Saturday in June. A $2 suggested donation, not enforced but the experience worth the cost, an engaging exhibition of objects and stories representing the wonderful history of the city of Fremont. Photos of the Centerville Cannery, a recreated home kitchen and random household items to explore, Irvington fossils and animal displays, an exhibit about the 1915 world's fair in SF (Panama Pacific International Exposition). Old toys, typewriters, cameras, recording devices, and phones galore. A "School Days" museum section showcasing nostalgic pieces like tin lunchboxes, children's books, and even a classic pee-chee folder. A glass case containing Washington High School (first high school in Fremont) items donated by John Gomes and family, an early resident of Washington Township. Also, a "Transportation" museum section which included an 1890's doctor's buggy from a barn at Ardenwood Farm, among other things. Interactive exhibits, like signs prompting visitors to name jobs people did in the 1900's vs today, or to identify projector parts on the Century Theater Projector on display. My fave piece of history in the museum was about Niles Film Making and Charlie Chaplin's contract signing with Essanay. Lots to see and learn at your own pace, with a staff member available to answer any questions. There's also a restroom on site, if needed. Plus, if you visit on the 2nd Saturday of the month, afterward you can head over to the Ohlone Flea Market up the street, offering lots of quirky goods for your bargain shopping pleasure.

Allow me to introduce myself…read more.. My name is Chad Stein and I am a professional photographer (voted "Best Photographer" in the "Best Of Fremont Awards" 10 years in a row), multi-business owner, resident of Fremont since 1989, what many consider to be one of "the faces of Fremont" and what I humbly consider to be the biggest proponent of this city. The reason for that verbose and borderline-braggadocious introduction was to show how "Fremont" I am (and what I typed was just a drop in the bucket). With that being said, in all of my years wandering this city and knowing every nook and cranny, I did not know about the museum until it caught my eye while driving through the area back in October. Shortly thereafter (and very coincidentally), one of my clients mentioned it to me a few days later as well. It was at that moment that we decided that we would pay it a visit. Yesterday (January 14th, 2026), we did just that. I honestly didn't know what to expect before entering the door, but I was excited nonetheless. Shortly after walking inside, we were greeted by Barbara, whom is one of the volunteer docents. Being that it was a Wednesday, guided-tours were not available. However, Barbara decided that the day of the week was just that and a guided tour was on the menu! My client/friend and I were given a roughly 75 minute tour of the facility. Prior to yesterday, I thought that I knew a lot about Fremont, it turns out that there was so much more to learn! The museum touched on a lot of how things in the city received their names as well as the history behind a lot of places that were once in the city as well as some that still are. There are plenty of physical objects to look at (and you can even touch some) as well as plenty of documents/signage to read. After the tour was over, we spent roughly another hour exploring on our own. There is no fee to enter, but there is a box for donations if you feel inclined to give. They also offer a membership option which has some perks. The staff are all volunteers, so please keep that in-mind. Whether you're a lover of Fremont or just a history buff, I highly recommend checking out this establishment. Last and definitely not least, I'd like to give a HUGE shout out and thank you to Barbara. Her wealth of knowledge and personality made the experience that much better!

Carolé was a wonderful teacher for the four of us who attended her class. She was patient since we…read morehad no background in how to do it. She's incredibly graceful and skilled, and even gave us a little bit of a bonus extra which we really appreciated. This is a great way to spend an hour and feel like you've been to Spain.

Tachiria Flamenco comes from five generations of Flamenco and Spanish dance. She is respective of…read moretraditional Flamenco but knowledgeable and innovative to fuse in other dance forms. She is a dynamic dancer, director, choreographer, actress, comedienne, singer and writer. Come see her shows, take classes, or book events with her.

Five pluses: A nice space, good lighting, interesting art, friendly owners, and they put on a nice…read moreartist reception. This adds up to five stars. They also offer classes that might be of interest.

I appreciate that MACLA offers free admission regularly, not just on South First Fridays which is…read morewhen I came by recently. The building consists of several different spaces. The youth art exhibition showcased great photography and artworks, with friendly cheerful teens and young adults offering to give tours. The main gallery included interactive displays and interesting sculptures in the current exhibition, "From Their Hands to Ours." I especially enjoyed the unique works by Estefania Ajcip, aligned with the theme of connecting childhood memories and tradition to contemporary art. Los Calderones performed two sets of awesome live music in the attached Castellano Playhouse, the band full of energy and getting the crowd moving on the dance floor to their Afro-Latin rhythms. There was some seating available in this room as well. I enjoyed my time here and would definitely return to see more of what MACLA has to share.

Went for first Friday. Interesting art and talented artists. Good overall vibe at the galleries…read morethat make up MACLA. Looking forward to going again.

Diane is an amazing teacher. She liberated me from a year long bout of writer's block and gave me…read moreincredible tools that I will continue using. Now I can tap into a wealth of material that is inside me. She's not into academic bullshit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_di_Prima http://www.levity.com/corduroy/diprima.htm http://louisville.edu/library/uarc/diprima.html http://www.beatmuseum.org/diprima/dianediprima.html http://www.angelfire.com/mn2/anarchistpoetry/Diprimadir/Diprima.html http://www.rooknet.com/beatpage/writers/diprima.html I highly recommend "Foundation of Poetics" -- it's a nine month course where you meet once a month for a four-hour class. She offered four or five one-on-one one hour sessions as part of the class. Wonderful. I've gotten five of the poems out of that class published. Before that, I had just about kissed publishing goodbye. From her Web site, examples of the classes she has offered: THE LYRIC POEM POST WORLD WAR II TO THE PRESENT READING & WRITING THE LYRIC Why is it so hard to write a good love poem? Do you still think of poetry as a burst of ecstatic song? The term "lyric poetry" comes from the "lyre" -- the stringed instrument with which the Greek poets accompanied themselves, and so includes a sense of Poetry as Song. Though the short lyric poem has been largely neglected for the past quarter century, it is still what comes to mind for most of us when we speak of "the poem". In this three-session class we will read work ranging from the late 19th Century to the present. We will also spend a part of each class day writing. This class is a continuation of the last two summer's study of the lyric, but you you do not need to have attended the previous classes to join. Seven-hour sessions * * * THE LANGUAGE OF ALCHEMY Taught by Diane di Prima Four Lectures Alchemical literature admits us into a magical universe of rich and bizarre imagery and sudden insights--dimensional shifts, but it is a universe in which we feel the need for some kind of map. In our century, this problem has often been solved by flattening the material: reductively reading the texts as either spiritual allegory, or a primitive form of "science". But, in a correspondent cosmos, the process that is creative of soul is also creative of galaxies -- there is no need to reduce alchemy to psychology or chemistry. These lectures will search out signposts in some alchemical texts: terms, ideas, methods whereby the particularity of the language itself provides the map for our reading of the material. Thus, this seminar lays the groundwork for comparison of widely divergent works, and is an invitation to enter the world of the alchemist "from the ground up", by taking them "at their word".

Just bought my first Diane di Prima book "Dinners and Nightmares" and am ecstatic, but saddened to…read morelearn she's the last living poet from the original Beat Generation group. I had recently acquired the Jack Kerouac complete albums 3 cd set, noticing a lady (Diane di Prima) on the album cover typing on typewriter, which led me to want to purchase a book by her. For the last 5 years I studied a lot of Allen Ginsberg's poems, but recently expanded into records (LP's), books, CD's and YouTube videos from the other Beat Generation artists, all of which have passed by this point 2019. Anyway, Diane's book is well written and has plenty to read and learn from; especially the poems and early prose.

My little one has had a life-changing experience at this phenomenal studio. My family is so…read moreincredibly grateful for the hard work and effort put in by the staff. Warm parents, super friendly kids, there is such a huge sense of camaraderie, inclusiveness, dedication and fun among the girls. I've told everyone who will listen to come here.

We tried coming here, but the lack of connection was unbelievable. After a few visits we still…read moredidn't know who was teaching what class, nevermind trying to figure out who the staff was. The instruction given our daughter was minimal at best and it always seemed as though she was intruding in on a click-ish peer group that had better thing to do than to welcome her. Not our cup of tea.