With every New Year comes a slew of best-of the previous year or must-do next year lists. Personally, I love them, and PianoFight did one which you can read here (Part 1 and Part 2). The New York Times got into the spirit as well and penned a list of the 45 Places to Go in 2012, and ranked the Bay Area’s own Oakland the No. 5 dopest spot in the known universe to check out this year.

Given that Oakland’s right in our own backyard, we thought we’d ask actual, real, live Oakland residents some general questions on Oaksterdam and specifically why their City ranked fifth on the New York Times’ list. Here are their answers:

PF: How did they come up with the name, Oakland, anyway?

AJ: I believe it is because of all the Oak trees that used to be in Oakland, until they cut them all down and made beautiful wood floors for all the victorian homes.

CA: It is the combination of two words “Oaklahoma” and “and”.  You see, a bunch of Oakies moved out here from Oaklahoma during the gold rush of 1800s “and” then shit got crazy.

CC: The site of Oakland was originally one of the largest natural Oakland forests in America. Most of the forest was in what is now West Oakland and the trees were cut down to help build up the port of Oakland.

AO: It was covered in Oak Trees before WW2 Industry totally messed up the Bay.  See the PBS documentary narrated by Robert Redford.

PF: “…the city’s revitalized night-life scene has continued to smolder.” What else is smoldering in Oakland? 

AJ: The urban sustainable food movement is smoldering in Oakland.  Creating a local food system, updating urban agriculture laws, and providing healthy food in the many pockets of “food deserts” is a hot topic today.

CA: Besides drugs, violence and sexual exploitation?… well, I suppose there are blighted properties and petty theft.  oh, I almost forgot, there are dozens of squats with gutter punks, prostitutes, and ‘self-medicators’ in our neighborhood.  My favorites are the “Fuck Sally n Freddy” or “Fuck B of A” Occupations with free BBQ all day-n-night + music + booze!

CC: The sustainable food movement is smoldering, but so are the hot bodies in Oakland. Everywhere you look gyms, yoga studio, and fitness boutiques are popping up left and right. It’s also a wonderful place to take your workout on the streets running or biking in Oakland’s lovely neighborhoods, parks, or around Lake Merritt.

AO: Our house on the fourth of July.  The firework battles are crazy.

Read more »

PianoFighter Nina Harada chronicles her journey of pursuing a career as an actor in Los Angeles. Follow her journey on her blog The Scene Partner.

A huge part of becoming a working actor is, of course, being a working-something-else in order to survive until we can make money doing what we love. Many opt for the waiting/catering gig, which has flexibility and good money- two very necessary things as an actor. I’ve attempted hosting, but never serving because, well, I just don’t think I’m cut out for restaurants after being around them for so long (my mom, aunt and grandparents all owned restaurants). Instead, I pay the bills by working not one, but THREE day jobs, and I’m slowly adding another to the list, but one that could potentially grow into something perfect.

1. Website Editor/Manager

I oversee about 40-50 (virtual) teen interns on a parenting website and manage the website.

2. Personal/Administrative Assistant

I do the company payroll, weekly schedule, event contracts, and other miscellaneous tasks for a professional international dance company.

3. High School Theater Director

I teach after school theater, direct plays, sub acting classes, and oversee the performance poetry ensemble.

4. Rolly & Matilda ETSY Shop! 

And last but not least, my latest Day Job, is my boyfriend’s and my vintage clothing Etsy store! We just started it, but are really enjoying the process. It’s great because it allows us to be creative (in choosing the items, styling the outfits, taking the photos, etc), use similar marketing skills we learn to utilize for our acting careers (creating a brand, spreading the word via social media, consistent promotion, etc) and allows flexibility (we can make our own schedules).

In a perfect world,Rolly & Matilda could be my only day job so that my mind doesn’t explode with all it has going on (juggling 3 jobs, rehearsals, auditions, family, friends… life! Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful to have all these things. It just gets a little jumbled in my head!). But only one way to find out is to go for it (just like acting!), so there it is. It feels good to have new projects, especially ones that excite me and that I’ve been thinking and talking about for so long. Making more dreams come true…

-Nina

UPDATE: At 10am yesterday, January 26th, 2012, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee declared it was Original Joe’s Day. Read about it here.

ORIGINAL POST: Having worked for about a year and a half with the Duggan family, the owners and founders of the San Francisco landmark restaurant Original Joe’s, we can safely say that these are some down to earth, smart, fun, wonderful people. And with the re-opening of Joe’s happening in North Beach today, we couldn’t be happier to say, “Congratulations!”

The soft opening happened this past Saturday night, and as Kevin, Andy and I stumbled towards my place around 2am, we saw the newly uncovered windows of Original Joe’s lit up. The interior looks amazing. It is gorgeous and classy and as we fogged up the glass getting a better view, I knocked and got the attention of a maintenance person who was cleaning up from the night’s festivities. Melissa opened the door and after I explained who we were, she let us in to have quick look around.

The photo below is of a framed picture hanging on the wall of the new Original Joe’s. It shows the old bar at 144 Taylor, I think from sometime in the 60′s or 70′s. In front of it is a photo on my phone that I’d taken of PianoFight company members during our first meeting at 144 Taylor, shortly after we’d signed the lease.

I have no idea what’s going to happen over the next year – shit, I can barely plan for next weekend. But I do know that if PianoFight can channel the do-it-yourself tenacity of Original Joe’s, and the class of the Duggan family, and operate a business that is half as successful, I know we’re going to be just fine.

To new beginnings.

- Rob

San Francisco-based choreographer Brian Gibbs/Btroubles of TAGsf sat down with PianoFight’s Evan Winchester to talk about his two new dance films, and discuss the creative process in the Bay Area. We will be covering those two projects on the blog here. See examples of Brian’s work here and here. Click here for Part 1 of the interview.

Evan Winchester: What’s your fascination with film/multi-media?

Brian Gibbs: My fascination with film and multi-media is the endless possibilities. Any idea that I have no matter how visceral weird or out there can be achieved in those mediums. We have yet to fully integrate multi-media into any of our shows so it’s pointless to go into any detail about that. Plus I don’t want motherfuckers stealing my shit.

Film holds a special place in my heart because of nostalgia. Just like listening to a piece of music and how it can transport you back to another place and time, film has that same sensation, especially in the recording/preservation of the performing arts. A cool thing about looking back is how far you’ve come. 5 years ago I wanted to be the best choreographer that ever lived which seems retarded to me now. 5 years later my goals are much different and so is my work. I can’t even imagine choreographing a strict dance piece anymore, nor am I interested. Whenever I go back and look at anything I’ve created, my mind always goes back to the process of how the piece even got created which is really what I care about. The process and making sure that my artists enjoy it as well. Life’s all about the journey.

EW: What’s it like to work with Btroubles?

BG: Troubs is a cool dude. He’s kind of a bitch and a little bit of a control freak but he’s a loveable fellow. We met back in college and he is everything that I am not so it’s cool to work with someone like that. I’m super lazy but get these crazy ideas all the time and Btroubles is responsible for making sure that they happen. I’d probably die without him.

EW: What’s in the box in the video?

BG: Next question.

I’ve never written a blog before. Nor do I understand the relevance of most blogs. I know a “blog” is a tool to express one’s own opinions, thoughts, and inspirations over an ever-expanding social forum; and everyone has the right to use it, but why would anyone care about what I have to say? If I question the relevance of most other bloggers’ judgments and outlooks, why should I expect them to give me any of their time?

I think I’ve found the answer.

Food.

What better subject to write about than the one thing that truly brings us happiness. Some bloggers can express such negative opinions, expressing certain themes that, frankly, I just don’t give a shit about. I mean, why am I wasting my time on reading what some mid-thirties dungeon troll has to say about Star Trek TOS, and whether its original series ran for seventy-nine episodes or eighty? Any serious Trek fan knows that episode two, “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” was a two-parter, but still one episode– seventy-nine! But this is beside the point. There is one thing that this basement-dweller and I do have in common: food, and lots of it. I think it’s obvious. Read more »

Unlike many viewers, Tom has no idea what the heck SOPA & PIPA are, but he’s pretty sure that the internet is free and pirates are simplymisunderstood. And thusfore ’twas decided to decide against the graphic reign of tele advertisemercials & lobbying powers-that-may-or-may-not-be. Ladies and Gentlefolk, may Tom of Toms proudly present fire for versus of fire – abstracting protest in the form of abstraction itself. With these kinds of vagaries, whocandoubt censors have daysnumbered? No doubt these patriots have the best interests of interest in mind.

Did you know Wikipedia could go on strike?

PianoFighter Nina Harada chronicles her journey of pursuing a career as an actor in Los Angeles. Follow her journey on her blog The Scene Partner.

Like a lot of people during the month of January, I’ve been doing some reflecting, re-evaluating and looking forward. I started a running list of what I want my 2012 to be about, some directly related to acting, some not, but all under the same goal of honoring Me. Seems a little selfish, but sometimes you have to be. What I mean is, doing things that I want to do not have to do, doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, fulfilling my passions and dreams, enjoying this journey every step of the way– basically, having an overall positive outlook.

A lot of it has to do with language I use: getting rid of  should’s and shouldnt’s and have to’s and replacing them with like to’s, want to’s and choose to’s. More active, less passive. I also think that a more active, there-are-things-in-my-control, perspective will result in a more proactive year. The less you make projects and activities chores, and the more you make them fun then the more likely you will do them! For instance, I kinda hate submitting. I’d think of it as something I have to do if I want to be an actor. But, throw on a little music, imagine the different roles I now have the chance at playing, and it’s kind of fun!

So, going along with the doing things that make me happy and feed my soul, one of the items on my list is to do more theater I love. In other words, not worrying about pay vs no pay, industry audience vs. family and friends, potential connections vs. none at all, or even theater vs. film. Theater was what got me here to begin with. Anyway, I got what I wanted! I am starting off the year with two wonderful shows. The first, in February at Casa 0101, is called Occupy the Heart, a short play festival exploring the Occupy Wall Street movement. The second, in March at the Lyric Hyperion, is a new rendition of the Vagina Monologues, including an original ensemble-created piece. Not to mention both shows are with very cool people I like. I think I’m off to a good start!

-Nina