Oakland, city of dreams.  If you doubted it, take a look at the new song and video from Hayward's Supreme Sketch, which exhibits all the dreamy, magical longing of a Langston Hughes in  NY.  Or a Jack Kerouac on the road.

Okay, we admit it. The last batch of Raider photos we put up weren't all that great.

Local videographer and long-time resident Nenna Joiner is working to open a sex-positive, woman-friendly sex shop in downtown Oakland, called

There was a  dance party, a BBQ, a live DJ, a whole lotta dance workshops, live art by Estria, a panel discussion and both a showing of the new B-Girl documentary, "All The Ladies Say" and an appearance by two of the stars - Lady Champ and Aiko Shirakawa.

People's Grocery shot some video at the Eat Real Festival asking vendors and organizer what food justice meant to them--here's that footage, well worth a watch!

Daniel Markham's Eat Drink Blog has some tasty photos and posts about this weekend's Eat Real Festival, which ends Sunday night. He writes:

Tyrone Stevenson, aka The Scraper Bike King, akas Baybe Champ, and Original Scraper Bikes will be in out in full force Saturday, Aug. 28, when they lead a bicycle ride around Oakland that everyone is invited to.

All bicyclists are to meet at 11 a.m. at Frank Ogawa Plaza. The ride will include a stop at Rainbow Recreation Center (Seminary and International) and will end at Arroyo Viejo Park, 7701 Krause Ave. The festival will run from 1 to 6 p.m.

Dear Candidates for All Oakland City Races, All Alameda County Races, and All BART and AC Transit Races (and yes, you school board folks as well):

The question of the opening panel at the Sept. 24  Block by Block conference in Chicago, which is focused on local and community media, is "How do you make community engagement work?"

Thousands of people filled downtown during this past weekend's Art and Soul Festival. And while the amazing Oakland-related performers - from Oakland native MC Hammer to Cake's John McRea to our very own Kev Choice, plus Club Nouveau, Pete Escovedo, Sheila E and Tony Toni Toné - thrilled the crowds who dug the hip hop, the pop, the jazz, the rock, R&B and gospel. It seemed like the main attraction - besides sunny skies- was Oakland itself, and the need to celebrate the arts, the spirit and the determination that makes our city great.