"My Town" shootout...

The topic this week was "Choose your own". I figured I'd take a stroll around a local neighborhood and see what was out there.

I've been itching to photograph this old oak tree I see frequently around town. It's easily centuries old and was integrated into the design when the surrounding apartment complex was built. Just to give perspective, it's next to a three-story building.






While looking through the neighborhood, a number of "natural" things caught my eye...






Lastly, this bird chose a really strange place to sit a spell!

"My Town" shootout--hungry?

This week's theme was eateries. I tried to stick to things that are unique to Dublin or the Bay Area, or if it's a chain, one with not many establishments. Enjoy the culinary tour!


My FAVORITE restaurant--Bangkok 101! Fantastic Thai fare. Their pad thai is delicious, as is their pineapple fried rice and PaNang (red curry).


Armadillo Willy's Texas BBQ. I highly recommend their pulled pork sandwiches!!


Amici's East Coast Pizzeria. Really good salads and pizza. They've got the really thin, crunchy crust that I love! Go for the Amici's combo--yum!


Peet's Coffee & Tea. BETTER than Starbucks! Peet's started in the Bay Area in 1966 and we're very loyal to them!! They roast here in the Bay Area, and if you're driving by the roastery at JUST the right time, it smells DIVINE. Aaaand... Peet's started BEFORE Starbucks (and the founder Alfred Peet was good friends with Starbucks' founders--Starbucks even bought their beans from Peet's those first few years), and is considered the "inspiration" for the mega-chain.


Hunan House Chinese Restaurant. Very good food--quick, friendly, reliable service! Go for their lunch special. I recommend the sesame chicken.

I might be getting a new neighbor...

I was sitting on the sofa one afternoon when I heard the wind chimes on my patio start to go crazy. I looked out the window and....


A few minutes pass, and then I hear a wild scampering on the ledge above the glass door....


and then....


He's a peeping bird!! :)

"My Town" shootout...

It's Friday, which means it's shootout day! The theme was Main Street, and since Dublin doesn't have a true "main" street, I took the closest thing. This is Del Valle Parkway, where the post office is....


Another shot...


And some trees too pretty to pass up!


If we want a true main street, we usually head to a neighboring town. Dublin is in the Tri-Valley area, and it's three cities all in one big area. Three separate towns with separate ideas, but mesh pretty well into one cohesive area!

Some of our local residents...

Dublin has a large number of local fauna that are coming out with the warm weather...

One such animal is the wild turkey (the Rio Grande variety, to be exact). They aren't out in droves yet, but I did find one lone female forraging in a field of mustard.

Give them a couple of weeks--then there will be scores of them out about with their poults!


Many apartment complexes have lakes and streams that our local fowl find welcoming!


One such duck came over to check me out....


...give me an action shot...


...and then pose for me!


We also have a large year-round population of the Canada goose. They're wonderful to watch and photograph, since they've become quite comfortable around humans. Just watch out where you walk! ;)




Lastly, I headed to our local dog park to take a few shots of our wonderful "dog day" afternoon...



Notice the shamrock collar on this guy--even our canine friends are Irish!


I can imagine the collies' thoughts... "Throw. The. Ball. NOW!"

Dublin Honors the Fallen...

By now I'm sure you've heard of the four police officers in Oakland, California who were killed in the line of duty last weekend. Today was their public funeral, which was held at Oakland's Oracle Arena, home of the NBA's Golden State Warriors. Law enforcement from all over, including the town of Dublin, turned out en masse to honor these men. In addition to agencies from all over the US, units from Mexico, as well as a unit from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were here to pay their respects. All in all, over 21,000 people attended the service. This afternoon, as the four were taken to their final resting places, each and every freeway overpass in Dublin had two fire trucks on it, facing the traffic that was carrying their commrades. These trucks had their lights flashing, flags flying, and each truck's crew was standing on top of the truck, saluting the procession. In addition to service personnel, there were scores of folks just like you and me standing there as well, American flags clasped to their chests, silently weeping for the fallen. I only wish I had my camera at the ready to capture the deeply moving sight. (Calling the sight "deeply moving" doesn't even begin to do it justice)

By the time I had my camera handy, the moment had passed and the last truck was on its way to resume its daily duties.



Dubliners are good people; I'm extremely proud to live amongst them and call them my neighbors.

Head here to see photos taken by our local photojournalists of the AP. Pictures say it better than words ever could.

A glance to the past....

It's cemetery day...

Dublin's Heritage Center has our Pioneer Cemetery in which are buried many of the town's founding families. The Cemetery rests behind Old St. Raymond's Church. Oh, the stories these people could tell.

(click on any of the photos to see a bigger version where you can read the plaques)


Burial site of John Martin, who helped rescue members of the aforementioned Donner Party. Behind him rests Tom Donlon, who actually died falling off the roof of St. Raymond's Church.


Resting place of the Fallon family, another family who helped rescue the Donners.


Founding family Dougherty, whose patriarch was James W. Dougherty. He was one of the founding members of Alameda County, where Dublin is! Read the sign... if you look closely at the foot of James' grave....


... you can see the small headstone for his beloved dog, Carlo.