Pookie and the Poodlez...

Gay Punk Bands...intrigued gentle readers?  As well you should be.  Last night we ventured onto Telegraph Rd...a few doors down from our Mac 'n Cheese Mecca "Homeroom", into a record store (yes, vinyl).  The store is small (1-2-3-4 Go Records) but awesome with an interesting vinyl selection.  In the back a stage is set up for indie bands to do their thing, and we attended a record release party for a local gay punk band...Younger Lovers.  Sort of a Britney Spears meets the Ramones vibe.  This band coupled with General Hospital and Pookie and the Poodlez (almost hard to call the last one punk actually...but lots of punk elements), was worth the $7 to get in!

The audience was almost as fun as the band with lots of freaks and geeks hanging out, including us of course.  Yosiell  was in throwback heaven reminiscing about his own days in a speed metal/straight edge/hard core punk band, For All It's Worth, traveling the country in the back of a van as the bass player. Different type of music, but same jamming in someone's basement vibe.

Did I enjoy the music?  Some off it was fun and I certainly could see the attraction, but really what I enjoyed was knowing that on a Friday night in Oakland I could pay $7 for a gay punk band and not be the only person in the back of the record store.  Praise for Oakland's Freaks and Geeks.

Speaking of way cool Oakland things to do... I highly recommend the Oakland Museum of California , a mish-mash of History, Art and Natural Sciences.

I found myself alone one weekend with a little bit of free time on my hands...and what better way to spend an overcast afternoon than in a museum.  I love museums and even toyed with the idea of doing the SFSU museum curators program in my youth.  (Just a little random insight into my psyche).

Oakland's Museum focuses not only on California but they also focus on the connection to our community.  As a mater of fact, one of my former coworker's family is represented in a display...

Somewhere on this wall, Cathy O'Dea's family is represented.  Way cool homage to the fifties.  

Let me stop waxing not so poetically about the museum and whet your appetite a little with some visuals.

View from the roof...seriously awesome. 

Coincidentally, I mashed two Oaklandish stickers together on the back of my bike helmet and got this same image.  

Depression era...the museum also had one of my favorite photographers displayed, Dorothea Lange (photographed people during the depression).  It appears they have an extensive Lange collection.  

Shirley Chisholm, the first African American Woman elected to congress .  She was also the first major political party black candidate for President.  My teen years mom, Bev Everett, made it a point to write in Shirley Chisholm every year in National Presidential elections ever since I have known her.   That's a great testament to a politician knowing the exacting standards from Bev.

In the, "Get Rusty Off My Dial" category, we finally went to St. George's Distillery in Alameda for tasting and a tour. (I've been on numerous occasions and Rusty has never had a chance for tasting and for the tour...so he can finally mark this off his bucket list). The distillery has changed over the years becoming way too flashy and rule bound. When first we started visiting, one got the sense that this was a distillery that doesn't mind breaking a few rules and worked for innovation and experimentation. It's now a little less of that and a little more of catering to the Oakland Hipster crowd. 

I'm sure google has had more than one event here, if that is any indication how far they've moved away from the little mom and pop distillery of a scant five years ago.   The distillery has branched out into a very expensive rum and some other novelties, along with keeping their Hangar 1 recipes intact.  The view of SF from the distillery is beyond compare though and I applaud what is left of their indie spirit.  

Right next door to St. George's, is Faction Brewing Company.  We tried a few samplers after St. George's.  rusty uttered something I never thought I would hear, "This beer may even be too hoppy for me."  Not crazy about the beers but dig their start up DIY vibe.


And with that gentle reader, I'm going to include a few random photos from the past month...just some images that really reflect the holidays and the New Year...



Carolyn, of course, wrapped me in a silk cocoon and spun me around until I was dizzy during my last trip to NC, little does she realize she has been doing that to me ever since I've met her and I have always loved her for it.

Di Drew with an engagement ring on...hooray, and congrats.  

Donna May!  Photo bomber extraordinaire.  

Dan and Di with Yosiell originals on!

Oaklandish hats for all on a warm Christmas morning.  

My favorite gift, a subscription to the Cask small batch Bourbon club.  

My adorable nephew.  Haven is a real cutie.  

Our recent bike trip to New York City!  No folks, it's just Quinn's Lighthouse, in the Oakland Marina area.  

Please know that I am thinking of all our loved ones during the New Year.  when you have a chance, send me a note telling about your own adventures in 2014!  Miss you and love you all.