Andrew Alden
@andrewalden.bsky.social
Oakland flâneur, fonefoto pleasure sharer, sidewalk geek (oaklandunderfoot.com), transit rider, WELL member, occasional geowriter (deepoakland.com). He/him/houyhnhnm
Geology talk on my hardcore account geology.bsky.social
Geology talk on my hardcore account geology.bsky.social
This same love underlies all I do in Oakland.
I love the east Bay Area. People of different races and religions live and work together to build the American Dream. We in liberal society take this for granted but the national rise of extremism stemming from online content seeks to take this away from us.
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-americ...
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-americ...
The American Beauty of the East Bay
Americanism is facing its biggest challenge from extremism. The people of the Bay Area show why its worth fighting for.
darrellowens.substack.com
December 26, 2025 at 1:26 AM
This same love underlies all I do in Oakland.
Big old hollow oak in Lakeside Park seen its last day
December 26, 2025 at 12:18 AM
Big old hollow oak in Lakeside Park seen its last day
Eat at 9 Julio Empanada Kitchen!
December 24, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Eat at 9 Julio Empanada Kitchen!
Reposted by Andrew Alden
Christmas Eve, 1910
Yeah I've seen the plaque on Lotta's Fountain, yeah I've seen pictures of the crowd, but Woody's telling of Luisa Tetrazzini's Christmas Gift to San Francisco brings to life (and chills down my spine) www.sanfranciscostory.com/tetrazzinis-... #sfhistory
Yeah I've seen the plaque on Lotta's Fountain, yeah I've seen pictures of the crowd, but Woody's telling of Luisa Tetrazzini's Christmas Gift to San Francisco brings to life (and chills down my spine) www.sanfranciscostory.com/tetrazzinis-... #sfhistory
Tetrazzini's Christmas Gift
In 1910, the world's greatest soprano gave San Francisco a present.
www.sanfranciscostory.com
December 24, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Christmas Eve, 1910
Yeah I've seen the plaque on Lotta's Fountain, yeah I've seen pictures of the crowd, but Woody's telling of Luisa Tetrazzini's Christmas Gift to San Francisco brings to life (and chills down my spine) www.sanfranciscostory.com/tetrazzinis-... #sfhistory
Yeah I've seen the plaque on Lotta's Fountain, yeah I've seen pictures of the crowd, but Woody's telling of Luisa Tetrazzini's Christmas Gift to San Francisco brings to life (and chills down my spine) www.sanfranciscostory.com/tetrazzinis-... #sfhistory
Y'know, that's true
Catholics used to castrate little boys for church music, now they clutch their pearls about puberty blockers.
December 23, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Y'know, that's true
What???
I verified that anyone can unredact the #EpsteinFiles. I opened a pdf, did a cut and paste of the redacted parts into a text edit session and all the words were there. You don't need Word or any other $$ application. Just your default cut and paste. Merry Christmas?
December 23, 2025 at 6:49 PM
What???
Name the firm! Who carried out this atrocity for a handful of silver?
NEWS: They're adding Trump's name to the Kennedy Center building right now. www.washingtonpost.com/entertainmen...
Kennedy Center adds Trump’s name to building
The signage change follows a vote by the board of trustees to rename the performing arts complex the Trump Kennedy Center.
www.washingtonpost.com
December 19, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Name the firm! Who carried out this atrocity for a handful of silver?
El Paso, quite a town. Guy on the train grew up there raves about it.
December 14, 2025 at 12:41 AM
El Paso, quite a town. Guy on the train grew up there raves about it.
arizona looking good
December 13, 2025 at 6:16 PM
arizona looking good
SLO looking good
December 13, 2025 at 4:19 AM
SLO looking good
On the Coast Starlight: and every inch of the way I know, from Richmond down to SLO
December 12, 2025 at 5:29 PM
On the Coast Starlight: and every inch of the way I know, from Richmond down to SLO
Draft beer is like live music
December 11, 2025 at 1:33 AM
Draft beer is like live music
Reposted by Andrew Alden
I recommend Andrew Alden’s book too! It’s a fascinating and completely different look at Oakland.
For local readers (and geologists who visit the Bay area), I lustily recommend this gift idea. <hint>Take 30 percent off with the promo code HEYDAY30</hint>
Deep Oakland: How Geology Shaped a City [Paperback] by Andrew Alden
Now in paperback: This San Francisco Chronicle bestseller and California Book Award finalist drills down into Oakland's geological history and its impacts Now in paperback: This San Francisco Chronicl...
www.heydaybooks.com
December 11, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I recommend Andrew Alden’s book too! It’s a fascinating and completely different look at Oakland.
I dig Third Avenue
December 11, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I dig Third Avenue
SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going—
SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT
PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti—
SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE
'Skull of St. Thomas Aquinas being transported to Fossanova Abbey.'
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
Photograph by Daniel Ibanez
December 10, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The Oaklandside digs into city permitting:
"When we spoke in November, Max was still awaiting final inspection. “Why would anyone try to build in Oakland if it’s this much of a Sisyphean debacle?” he asked."
Reminds me of a certain Max, who might well come up with "Sisyphean debacle."
"When we spoke in November, Max was still awaiting final inspection. “Why would anyone try to build in Oakland if it’s this much of a Sisyphean debacle?” he asked."
Reminds me of a certain Max, who might well come up with "Sisyphean debacle."
Getting a permit to build in Oakland has been hellish. Will sweeping new reforms work?
Expanded hours, same-day permits, and easier applications could help tackle communication voids and excruciating delays.
oaklandside.org
December 9, 2025 at 3:01 AM
The Oaklandside digs into city permitting:
"When we spoke in November, Max was still awaiting final inspection. “Why would anyone try to build in Oakland if it’s this much of a Sisyphean debacle?” he asked."
Reminds me of a certain Max, who might well come up with "Sisyphean debacle."
"When we spoke in November, Max was still awaiting final inspection. “Why would anyone try to build in Oakland if it’s this much of a Sisyphean debacle?” he asked."
Reminds me of a certain Max, who might well come up with "Sisyphean debacle."
the new Grand/Harrison bus stops are active now
December 9, 2025 at 12:37 AM
the new Grand/Harrison bus stops are active now
from my alter ego
And here we are: Lake Temescal, its human story and its geological problems
Lake Temescal
I’ve written before about the rocks around Lake Temescal, but not about the lake — the reservoir — itself. It was the East Bay’s first meaningful impoundment of drinking wat…
oaklandgeology.com
December 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
from my alter ego
So love wobbegongs. Everything is good about the wobbegong. Its name. Its flattened Oscar the Grouch face. Its frondy bits. Its lazy life as a hungry rug. And it’s a shark. Outstanding animal 10/10
The Tasselled Wobbegong is a master of disguise that can eat a fish almost as big as itself in one gulp. It's classified as a shark, but when it lays on the sea floor it looks like a harmless rug if you manage to see it. But with powerful jaws and sharp teeth they are no fish to mess with.
December 8, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Grocery Outlet now playing hawk calls to move the pigeons out
December 7, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Grocery Outlet now playing hawk calls to move the pigeons out
Shapeshifter kitty
December 5, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Shapeshifter kitty
Because of course
BREAKING: Supreme Court lets Texas use Trump-backed gerrymandered maps in 2026
December 5, 2025 at 3:41 AM
Because of course
Reposted by Andrew Alden
Salute to Toronto for this pivot:
Ontario premier Doug Ford banned Toronto from building new bike infrastructure that replaces car lanes.
Toronto's response: Narrow but retain existing car lanes, freeing enough space to keep installing bike lanes. (Better yet, narrower traffic lanes are safer.)
Ontario premier Doug Ford banned Toronto from building new bike infrastructure that replaces car lanes.
Toronto's response: Narrow but retain existing car lanes, freeing enough space to keep installing bike lanes. (Better yet, narrower traffic lanes are safer.)
'It's a win-win': How Toronto is planning 20km of new bike lanes without defying Ford
The City of Toronto is also planning $30-million worth of infrastructure upgrades, including bike lanes, cycle tracks, and trails.
toronto.citynews.ca
December 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Salute to Toronto for this pivot:
Ontario premier Doug Ford banned Toronto from building new bike infrastructure that replaces car lanes.
Toronto's response: Narrow but retain existing car lanes, freeing enough space to keep installing bike lanes. (Better yet, narrower traffic lanes are safer.)
Ontario premier Doug Ford banned Toronto from building new bike infrastructure that replaces car lanes.
Toronto's response: Narrow but retain existing car lanes, freeing enough space to keep installing bike lanes. (Better yet, narrower traffic lanes are safer.)
Reposted by Andrew Alden
Starting next week, riding this bus and most other buses to BART will be FREE!
Clipper 2 rolls out on December 10, including free and low cost transfers between all transit agencies.
Riders will automatically receive discounts up to $2.85 when transferring within a two hour window.
Clipper 2 rolls out on December 10, including free and low cost transfers between all transit agencies.
Riders will automatically receive discounts up to $2.85 when transferring within a two hour window.
December 2, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Starting next week, riding this bus and most other buses to BART will be FREE!
Clipper 2 rolls out on December 10, including free and low cost transfers between all transit agencies.
Riders will automatically receive discounts up to $2.85 when transferring within a two hour window.
Clipper 2 rolls out on December 10, including free and low cost transfers between all transit agencies.
Riders will automatically receive discounts up to $2.85 when transferring within a two hour window.
Celebrated a new crown at Miharu, as one does.
December 1, 2025 at 12:44 AM
Celebrated a new crown at Miharu, as one does.