Today I got to hang out with two new acquaintances in downtown Oakland: one I met at an Oakland Local News Cafe late last month, and another I met at a gathering in West Oakland in February.

Besides the pleasant weather and the new-to-me settings, I think the best part of taking the time out was the conversation. It just so happened that one acquaintance, a business owner, had just been recently profiled by a colleague, but having the time to spend meant I could hear much more about the local art scene, the process of applying to attend showings elsewhere on the West Coast and more. The other, a math professor, had just returned from a performance at Carnegie Hall with other musicians, and talked a little about Bay Area life versus other parts of the country, and her own local performance schedule.