A Rugged Elegance Inspiration Network Exclusive by Jennifer King

While our community is off skiing or on a warm Winter Break this week, we are working. On Sunday, however, a perfectly rainy day, we were fortunate to also take in some rich California culture.

Thank God for grandparents who inspire a little balance in life.

It would have been easy to put a fire in the fireplace, curl up under a blanket and watch a movie. Or just get some more work done. Instead, we drove the kids across the Bay to Oakland to take in Black History Month and California History all in one location:

The Oakland Museum

Located in downtown Oakland, just one block from the Lake Merritt BART station and a few blocks from Highway 880, the Oakland Museum of California is the only museum devoted to the art, history, and natural sciences of our state.

Years ago, The Presidio had an amazing collection of artifacts from the army, the Pan Pacific Exposition and the earthquake. It was the perfect place to take out-of-town guests to introduce them to San Francisco.

If you're looking for the best history of the City of San Francisco today, go to Oakland. The museum curator of thirty years, Theresa Thau Heyman, who just passed away last month, did a magnificent job bringing the history of California to life in the East Bay.

The focus here is on the way people used to live...from Gold Rush miner to Victorian to Bohemian.

The permanent exhibit we recommend is called California: A Place, A People, A Dream.

The moment we walked in the door, our eight year-old was enthralled. She pulled us from one exhibit to the next introducing us to the natives to the adventurers to the colonists to the settlers to the health and wealth-seekers of our land.

We got to see much of what shaped our state from the environment, to the Gold Rush, to earthquakes, to Hollywood, the automobile, discrimination, our climate, and the rich opportunities that abound today more than ever.

We were fortunate to arrive on a Sunday when Black History lessons were being given using art and music to tell a story. A hands-on arts & crafts station was set-up to inspire kids to draw their own picture of Queen Califia.

Queen Califia by Arthur Wright

Speaking of history lessons...Did you know that Queen Califia was the black warrior queen of a 16th century Spanish epic who inspired Cortes to name this area California after the island nation that she ruled? We certainly did not.

While you may be tempted to go into another exhibit, if you believe that less is more, as I do, exhibits to save for another rainy day or to see instead, include:

Henry J. Kaiser: Think Big (January 24 - August 29, 2004)

The Making of A Korean Community (Jan 24 - Nov 28, 2004)

Portrait of an Estuary: San Francisco Bay (Jan 14 - Mar 14, '04)

The Art of David Ireland (November 22, 2003 - March 14, 2004)

Rustler Ranch Project: Unearthing A Mastodon

Gallery of California Art (a permanent gallery of 600 works from the 1800's to the present)

Walk Across California (a simulated journey through diverse ecosystems)

On Sunday, the California People, Place Dream exhibit was colored with the soul and unique sounds of Destiny, Harpist from the Hood.

As we strolled through the museum, we were able to hear her live performance, a tribute to the great African American people of our culture and heritage.

Two other Black History events still scheduled are on:

Sunday, February 22nd and Friday, March 5th.

At 2 o'clock on Sunday, February 22nd, author, Robert L. Allen will discuss the history and significance of the 1944 Port Chicago mutiny. In addition, a film about the subject, narrated by Danny Glover, will be presented in partnership with the Black Filmmakers' Hall of Fame.

Danny Caron & Brenda Boykin

On Friday, March 5th from 6-9pm, an evening of music has been prepared. During World War II California musicians met the music of the Southern black men who came north to work in the Kaiser shipyards. What emerged was the West Cloast blues. Blues legend, Jimmy McCracklin, Bay Area favorite Brenda Boykin, guitarist Danny Caron and other local blues artists will recreate an evening of Shipyard Blues. Hosted by Lee Hildebrand, the evening will include a screening of Marlon Riggs' film Long Train Running.

The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesdays.

Hours of operation are:

Wednesday through Saturday 10am-5pm
Sunday noon-5pm

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens, $5 for students. Children under the age of six are free.

The second Sunday of each month is free to all.

To make it easy to get there, here are: A Map, Directions & Parking

Guaranteed, you'll have a new place to take out-of-town guests or culture hungry kids and adults, whether you are looking for fun on a rainy day, or dreamin' of California sun.

Inspire & Be Inspired™

~Jennifer, Tim, Bobpa & Dottie and our adventure girls

Copyright, San Francisco Chronicle, 1/2/04

Award-winning photographer, Michael Macor, was at the right place at the right time yesterday when he captured this rainbow dropping its pot of gold just shy of Alcatraz.

In 2000, Macor won second place in the San Francisco Bay Area Press Photographers Association's 27th Annual Newspaper and Television News Photography Competition. The category was "Newspaper Features Photography." The subject for which he received the award: Swan Lake.

In contrast, take a look at the picture Macor took this past April of
American Troops running along the beach toward Bagdad with helicopter overhead.

Thank you, Michael!

~Jennifer