Rotation of the Seasons
The Gardens at Lake Merritt

Pumpkin Patch in the Lake Merritt Gardens

The parks and squares of Paris were so lovely, inspiring me to explore our parks right here at home.  We live a five minute walk down the hill from Lake Merritt, which has been coined the “jewel of Oakland”. It is an incredible community of people, trees and birds of every shape and color, all surrounding a lake, designated in 1870 as the first official wildlife refuge in the country.

It takes me about an hour to power walk around the whole thing and my treat is to stop at the Farmer’s market when I’m done.  Last Saturday, I met my dear friend and her sweet daughter, and upon their encouragement, sampled my first Nutella waffle. Oh my good God! Every bite, crisp on the outside, soft center oozing warm chocolate from the inside was sublime.

Nutella Waffle at the Lake Merritt Farmer's Market

Using the same camera I had brought to Paris, I snapped various shots of the gardens of Lake Merritt on the way back home, all the while so grateful to be there. It is refreshing to find that same beauty so close to my house. I was very touched by the good people of Oakland tending to the flowers and fountains and bonsai trees, creating so much beauty in our gritty city. There was even a Toddler’s Garden! And a red Japanese gate thing, (Rob just informed me, a torii, smart man!) identical to the one in Parc Monceau.

Blog: Re-inventing Karla
Link: http://reinventingkarla.blogspot.com/2012/07/parcmonceau-i-am-writing-to-you-from.html 

Oakland just rocks. Caille Millner says in her Chronicle column, "If I were a young, creative person who wanted to move to the Bay Area, I would say to her: Move to Oakland. That’s where things are happening right now, and that’s where things are going to continue happening in the years to come. "  

Japanese Gardens at Lake Merritt

Do you even know how proud that makes me?!? It is not easy to live here. There is no doubt that it is not the safest place. There are a lot of us, various cultures and ethnicities living in little, tiny spaces, many of us working two plus jobs, trying to eke out a living in this dismal economy. We need our parks. We need our Farmer’s markets. We need our art walks and ethnic restaurants. We need our creative people, making this a place of beauty and splendor amidst the grime and the crime.



Waterfall at Lake Merritt

Full of hope, full of grace, is the human race.  – “Throwing Stones” Grateful Dead