Shoshi Parks

2 weeks ago | 7x7.com | Shoshi Parks

The art world calls it Bay Area Figurative, a movement that began taking off around the same time Abstract Expressionism was emerging in New York—a kind of “revolution” among the avant-garde, in which local artists started to transform from more traditional figurative work to fully abstract, non-objective work—nothing you could recognize from the real world, with a lot of texture, energy,” says Rob Delamater, co-owner of the Lost Art Salon in the Mission.

3 weeks ago | 7x7.com | Shoshi Parks

There have been more than a few hiccups along the way—extraordinary food doesn’t always translate into a restaurant’s survival in The Town’s challenging business climate—but Oakland’s chefs aren’t just immensely talented; they’re scrappy as hell. That’s good news for the rest of us. Whether you live nearby or call San Francisco, Marin, or the Peninsula home, it’s hard to go wrong with a meal in Oakland. From Daytrip Counter to Jaji, these six new restaurants are well worth braving traffic for.

3 weeks ago | 7x7.com | Shoshi Parks

Most temples and shrines had a scroll of the Hyakki Yagyō (The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons), a myth going back to the 8th century in which beings called yōkai were rioting and the people hid inside in fear. As a kid, Miki was fascinated by the story, which was not only tied to religion but showed up in popular culture such as comics and animation, too. For years, the artist has been creating her own version of yōkai: colorful felted figures.

3 weeks ago | 7x7.com | Shoshi Parks

The first event of the year—the free, three-week-long photography festival In Plain Site—has turned the Alameda Point shoreline into an open-air exhibition of climate-focused imagery. “We like to think of it as a visual journey into our future,” says Tara Pilbrow, executive director of the West End Arts District, one of the initiative’s organizers.

4 weeks ago | 7x7.com | Shoshi Parks

So, most years, this is right about the time we’d be encouraging readers to plan a getaway to one of our iconic bastions of the natural world. But this isn’t most years. Deep funding cuts have left national parks struggling just to keep visitors safe, let alone to pick up all the garbage they leave behind, ready their campgrounds for summer, and operate normal activities.