Nothing Screams Fall Like Octoberfest

October is here, and the weather is lending itself to anything but fall.  We've been suffering an endless summer for a long time and our water in this infernal desert is all but gone.  Everyone's grass has turned to every shade of brown.  Still we move forward through the year at least marking the seasons with holidays.  I know Halloween is almost here for all the adorable pictures of kids in pumpkin patches posted on Facebook.  It kinda makes me regret never having a cute little accessory to fill my time and drain what little expendable cash I have.

Halloween is on the way, and gentle readers, I've been out voted...the blow up cat and the blow up friendly faced pumpkins won't be going in the front yard this year.  Instead we are opting for the terrifying spider webs, burnt pumpkins and yes, the Pumpkin King (not to be confused with the trademarked Great Pumpkin).  Our neighbors went scary Halloween last year and our competitive natures are getting the best of us.  So, enter our front porch...if you dare!

Speaking of witches, goblins and ghosts, the ever ethereal Carolyn breezed in for a few day's visit on her way to a Hooping Conference.  A short time with Carolyn goes a long way in reminding me of the important things in life.  We all need to take joy in the simplest pleasures, having Carolyn in my life is a constant reminder of that!

While Carolyn was a here, we took a quick trip to the Statue of Liberty, Oakland Marina style.  

During the visit we managed to show off much of our lovely Bay Area.  Luckily the Folsom Street Fair was in the city and we wandered the streets gawking at the leather outfits, displays, open sexuality, BDSM acts, and nudity galore.  For some reason it seemed a little less touristy and a little more actual leather community perversion.  You know me, pretty jaded by now, but there were a few passing oddities that caused me to turn my head around and suffer a bit of whiplash.  Im just happy at this stage of life I can still blush a bit.

Hugs at Folsom.  

Enjoying the shocking sites at this little street fair.  

We did get to see Brontez singing at the fair.  He's the frontman for the Younger Lovers, a punk, garage pop, rock band from Oakland.  They sing such lyrical poetry as Sugar in My Pocket.  Brontez has more than a bit of Oaklandish in him, and I love that he is a fixture of this side of the bay.

Speaking of music, earlier this month we caught Cibo Motto at the Parish in San Francisco.  Yuka and Miho were in town for Hardly Strictly Bluegrass.   The music was incredibly strange of course, but fun...they started with Sugar Water and ended with Birthday Cake.  A mostly high energy show with a lot of opportunities to dance.  

We were right at the front next to the stage in this pretty small venue.  The audience was filled with middle aged people there for the nostalgia of the 90's when Cibo Motto was super alternative.  There was one group of young guys right next to us (by young I mean 18-19 year olds), definitely earnest, stoned musician types, just yearning to be noticed and seem cool.   An odd evening to be sure, but the ladies of Cibo Motto seem to have a dynamic stage presence and a graciousness not found in every band today.     Know Your Chicken, people, Know Your Chicken!

Other fun fall festival forays...we joined Matt and Tyler for a few beers in the Dimond for Oaktoberfest (the Dimond is the neighborhood right next to ours).  The weather was sweltering, all the more reason to sample multiple beers from local breweries.  I was a bit disappointed in not seeing one Ompah Band, rather, the order of the day was Salsa and Merengue.  Two nice styles for sure but it doesn't scream Octoberfest.  

Rusty, Tyler and Matt clinging to the shade during the sweltering heat of Oaktoberfest.

This month, we also attended APE (Alternative Press Expo.) at Fort Mason.  It was awesome to speak with so many different artists and authors creating magazines, comic books, graphic novels and art work.  Yosiell had a booth as well to sell Sicklings and his book, A Field Guide to Black Twig Forest (I'm listed as the copy writer for this book...hooray, my first published book!)

Snail Rider Sickling, a hit at APE

Yosiell and his booth.  

More Snail Riders at the low, low price of 100 clams.

Well gentle readers, October is flying by at a lightening pace.  School is keeping me super busy, working lots of weekends to just get caught up.  Still, there are many local diversions to be had in this City by the Bay.  Enjoy the too short fall, and send water!