Local Events

Do You Realize How Lucky You Are?

Last night, guitar virtuoso Michael Gulezian performed at a house concert in Montclair.   As the performance began, Michael looked out at the hills and declared, “Do you realize how lucky you are?”

He waxed poetic about the eucalyptus, pines, redwoods…plus the fresh breezes and fogs.  Then he blurted that his Nashville home base is an (expletive deleted) by comparison.  We all kinda replied “yeah, we know.”

Guitarist Michael Gulezian

Why did Michael Gulezian show up here?  Well, you just have to chalk this up to kismet.  Montclarion Andy Kleiber discovered the guitarist via Pandora Radio, noticed he played a few house concerts, and asked him as a lark.  Sure enough, Gulezian decided to pay a house call while touring the Bay Area!

Though he’s not exactly obscure, we didn’t know much about Gulezian before.  He takes acoustic guitar playing to another dimension, and his creations envelope you.  Listen to his MP3 radio station, and select Michael Hedges Goes To Heaven (#10) as an example of transcendent music.

You should also see this virtuoso in action, as he literally plays the whole guitar.  While the audio isn’t stellar, watch him perform the removed, ethereal Whale In The Sky.  Or check out his most popular video (nearing 20k views), which is the straight-ahead, cheerful Little Meggie.

In person, Gulezian seems amazingly humble and pure.  He thought about making money and even earned an MBA, but chucked it away in favor of music-making.  Now he creates music that’s to his own liking, and it shows in the joy on his face while playing.  We were lucky to meet him.

More info:  Michael Gulezian is performing all over the Bay Area, and you can catch him in these places:  Santa Cruz (7/23) – Santa Clara (7/24) – Larkspur (7/25) – San Rafael, Darfur benefit (7/29).

Time’s A Wasting: Oakland Special Election

Have you been paying attention to the Oakland budget and upcoming municipal election?  It’s the chance to vote on four measures which increase the City of Oakland’s coffers in some way.  To be counted, your ballot must be received by July 21st at 8pm.

It seems like everyone and his mother are supporting these measures, including our Council Rep Jean Quan.  However we want you to consider, independently, whether you support these measures which include some taxes.

Begging Hands

Just Four Measures

There are just four measures on this ballot, and the League of Women Voters does a great job with the facts.  Three are about taxes which may or may not impact you.  One is about how general funds are spent.  Here’s a recap:

  • Measure C – Hotel tax increases by 3% – for zoo, museums, visitor bureau, etc. – visitors would pay 14% now, funding some of the local spots they visit and we use – projects $3  million revenues a year – more info
  • Measure D – Set aside 3% of annual fund – reduced grants for kid/youth services – remember that the last measure (OO) passed would set aside more – projects $3 million savings this year, $17 million next year – more info
  • Measure F – Cannabis tax increase – raises tax from $1.20 to $18.00 per $1,000 sales – if you use the dispensaries or own one of them, this tax impacts you – projects $300-800k revenues a year – more info
  • Measure H – Real property tax – applies when corporations change ownership or control – this is a loophole that the city council wants to close – projects $500k-$1 million revenue a year – more info

Vote By Mail Ballot

Remember you can only vote by mail for this special election.  Here’s the ballot book (download PDF) you should have received by mail a while ago, which includes a sample ballot and measure details.  Also an official ballot was sent to you later.

If you don’t recall whether you received a ballot, start by checking the status of your ballot online (click here).  If you are pretty sure that you didn’t receive a ballot book or ballot, double-check your voter registration status online (click here).

Not registered to vote? Act quickly because today is the final day to register.  Since you have only a few more hours, we suggest you stop by the Alameda County Registrar’s office to meet the deadline:  1225 Fallon Street, Room G-1, Oakland – map here.

Registered but no ballot? Well, you do have a bit more time.  We suggest calling the Alameda County Registrar directly, at (510) 267-8683, to obtain an official ballot.  Worst case, you may have to stop by the Registrar’s office as well.

So get things squared away and remember to send your ballot a few days before July 21st – time’s a wasting!

Nearby Celebrations For The Fourth

It’s Independence Day and you are home.   Before the fireworks tonight, there are almost too many things to do – and we think it boils down to whether you demand a parade, music or a place to relax.

Alameda Fourth

The past week, we have been rounding up activities on the Montclair social network.  It’s a bit hard to explore options online because you have to know beforehand that you are looking for, say, the Oakland Municipal Band or Piedmont Parade.  But here are the core options:

  • Alameda Parade – 10:00 am – it’s not too late to battle the 20,000 people along this grand, 3.3 mile-long parade route – starts down Park Street, check route here – Free
  • Piedmont Parade – 11:00 am – check out the westies, scotties and the usual small-town fanfare – starts at Highland Avenue and Park Way, ends at Piedmont Park – Free
  • Barbecue and Stars – 12:00 pm – get your grills at Chabot Space Center – through 6:00 pm – 10000 Skyline Drive – costs $10/adult, $8/member, $7/kid
  • Blues All Day – 12:00 pm –  watch eight acts from the Bay Area Blues Society – through 8:00 pm – Alameda County Fair – Rt 680, Pleasanton – costs $10/adult, $8/senior (62+), $6/kid (6+), free/tike as well as $8/parking
  • Teddy Bear Parade – 1:00 pm –  parade and play games at Dunsmuir House – through 6:00 pm – 2960 Peralta Oaks Court – costs $12/family (2 adults, 2 kids), $5/adult, $2/kid (5+), free/tike
  • Oakland Municipal Band – 1:00 pm –  celebrate and picnic alongside this brass concert – through 3:00 pm – Edoff Memorial bandstand, Lake Merritt – Grand & Bellevue Avenues – Free

Or you can just chill with family and friends, which is fine by us.  Sometimes when there’s folks around and you need to entertain them, it’s good to leave the house for a few hours too.  Cheers and Happy Fourth!

Fireworks Redux: Richmond and Oakland

We like our fireworks displays, with or without the fog.  Last year, we braved the fog and cold but the Oakland display was still worth checking out live.  This year, we are thinking about adding to our agenda.

Port Of Oakland Fireworks

Fireworks Oakland: We’ll head to Jack London Square on July 4th, and watch the Oakland fireworks from the estuary.  The sparks fly at 9:15 pm and continue for about twenty minutes.  Live music begins earlier at 7:00pm,  and features the Ben Oni Orchestra and the BluesBurners.  (Details here.)

Fireworks Richmond: This year, we’re considering hopping in the car and heading to Richmond’s Crainway Pavilion on July 3rd.  We like hearing a full symphony orchestra, and the Oakland East Bay Symphony will be doing their thing at 8:00 pm, and playing Souza with the fireworks at 9:30 pm.  (Details here.)

Either way, promise us you will get off your duffs too.  Don’t just watch the TV program at the National Mall in DC, or crane your heads from your hillside decks.  This is all about sharing some civic pride for a few hours, and it’s fun to ooh and aah with a live crowd.

Alameda County Fair Kicks Off

Our local nostalgia trip, the Alameda County Fair, kicks off today with a full roster of entertainment, animals, food and special events for the next month.  There are headliner concerts nearly every night, and some piqued our interest like Charlie Daniels, Solange Knowles and B.J. Thomas!  Raindrops will not be falling on your head, though.

Alameda County Fair

The fair is a throw-back to simpler times, in some ways.  You can get your caricature drawn, participate in a hypnotist’s show, and cheer at the racing dogs or pigs.  You are welcome to participate in various contests, watch some horse racing, jump onto nearly 40 carnival rides, or simply soak in the vibe.

The AgVenture Park sounds ideal for kids, with an abundance of barnyard and smaller animals on hand.  If you’re organized, then show up early on July 12th to watch local 4-H kids auction their prized animals to the highest bidders.  If not, then you can always wander from the animals over to kiddie rides, storytime theater, karaoke, art projects and the ubiquitous face painting.

July 4th weekend will be filled to the brim, starting with July 3rd fireworks at 9:30 pm.  On the Fourth itself, there will be a cake-walk contest at noon followed by the intense hot-dog eating event at 2pm.  Country star-in-the-making Miko Marks sings at 4:30pm, while eight cool blues bands and players are scheduled all day long.

We’re betting you have never gone to the fair before, so why not check it out this year?

More info:   The County Fair takes place in Pleasanton (click here)  from July 1-19th, closed Mondays.  Hours are 10am-10pm weekends (Fri-Sun), and 11am-10pm weekdays (Tues-Thurs).  Plot your course with this fairgrounds map.  Avoid lines by buying tickets online.  Admission runs $10/adult, $8/senior (62+), $6/kid (6+), and free/tike. Unlimited ride passes are $25-$28 each.  Once there, parking costs $8 to $25.