Happy Birthday Vida Blue

YO! Let's all wish one of the greatest left-handed pitchers of all time, Vida Blue, a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Did you know that growing up this Cy Young Award, 6-time All-Star, and former Oakland Athletic, was a star quarterback? In his senior year as a high schooler in Mansfield, LA, he threw for 3,400 yards and completed 35 touchdown passes while rushing for 1,600 yards in football. --Wikipedia told me-- But instead of going to college he headed for the big leagues to play the first 8 of his 17 years in MLB for the A's. Way to blaze your own trail Vida Blue. 
                       Blue pitched with the A's when the A's dominated the Major Leagues winning three championships in a row... the summers of '72, '73, and '74... I can brag that I was there for many of those games during that time climbing over split wooden bleachers, chowing down on cotton candy, and sipping soda through red licorice vines but all I really remember about it is spending time with my fam especially my Pops. We went to a lot of A's games with him. In the meantime watch Vida, who spent his final years pitching for the SF Giants and is currently a baseball analyst for them on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, brag about how the A's set a precedent in Major League Baseball that they only share with the NY Yankees. (Boooo Yankees)

#oaklandbeloved ‬ ‪#‎creepymoon‬ ‪#‎lakeshore‬

I actually love when the night skies look creepy. Took this pic on July 3rd, 2015. Had a interesting night and learned a lot... The first thing I learned was that I'm never going to a certain restaurant around that area thanks to a the guy that answered the phone once I arrived home and learned that my order was all wrong and called to let them know. #smarta&&

The second thing I learned is that I gotta figure out the right settings for my camera to actually take shots of the creepy sky more successfully. Gotta remember lower aperture number means wider iris light or something like that. Nonetheless here's today's #oaklandbeloved enjoy!

OMGEEEE!!!! #WarriorsParade #DubnationCelebration

It's been a few weeks and after finally completing some work projects I am able to sift through all of the pictures I took at the +Golden State Warriors #ChampionshipParade #DubnationCelebration that happened in #Oakland on June 19th. The Parade was stupendous and Oakland was beautiful with over 1.1 million fans decorating the city with blue, gold, and white. I was so proud of my city.

So I'm gonna get things started and post the first 10 or so pics that have been crowding space on memory stick. I got #HELLA pictures so please be patient and stay tuned because there is more to come in the near future. To view photos as I add them you can do one of three things:

#1 Like my page on Facebook--this way when new photos are posted they will more than likely show up in your timeline. You can find my Town Trippin's Facebook page here facebook.com/towntrippin

#2 Comeback to this page whenever you please and click here. Yes I do post on Facebook but I also post pictures of all the events that I photograph.

#3 Shoot me an email at hollaatus@towntrippin.net and I will email you whenever I post new pics --well until the last pic is posted--

#Oakland You Know I Love You, Girl.

I made one vow to myself this summer. Okay no I made a coupla vows to myself to accomplish this summer. But, 2 of those vows are the subject of today's post. The first of those 2 vows has to do with me recommiting to this blog which I created a couple of years ago to talk about my favorite topic-- All Things Oakland. The other vow is to have a more intimate relationship with my camera. I'm not talking about the camera on my phone no no. (I couldn't really do that if I tried. Long story, perhaps I can chat about that tiny nightmare in another post. Sigh) Anyways the camera that I am referring to is my Canon 20D camera which from my understanding is one of the first DSLR cameras to come onto the market.  

filmmaker and business owner, Nenna Feelmore

I got the camera way back in 2013 from Nenna Feelmore - an award winning filmmaker and owner of  FeelMore Adult Gallery. She was having a fundraiser or something and so I got involved by purchasing this camera. At the time I didn't know much about DSLR cameras and taking photos with them and had only taken a SLR class while a student at UC Davis. Besides, you know I am more of a video girl. What I did know was that I wanted a DSLR camera and had a few extra bucks to spare. DSLR cameras have come a long way since then but my pocketbook not so much. So an upgrade is not anywhere in my near future. Hence my vow for the summer. I know it's been a coupla summers since I originally acquired it... But you have no right to judge me.

Now let's get back to what I was talking about in the first place, 2 of the many vows to myself for the summer. Me talking about all things Oakland and sharing it with you via this blog. On top of all that I have decided that this relationship with my camera should inspire others to make a commitment to their camera and the city that I love too! As result I've come up with a campaign slogan and hashtag  #OaklandBeloved. This means that you and whomever else can partake in my love for the city on the better side of the bay...Oakland. So grab your cameras people and get to snapping and them post your pics on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or where ever with the hashtag #OaklandBeloved. I know you might be wondering where I came up with that hashtag but who has time for that...LET'S BREAK THE INTERNET PEOPLE all for the love of #TheTown. 
Checkout what I was able to muster up on my last outing to Lake Merritt round twilight. I'm using the C.P.L filter that I found in a box with some other camera stuffs. Let me know what you think.

photo by M. AyeshaEdwards for @towntrippin 

photo by M. AyeshaEdwards for @towntrippin

photo by M. AyeshaEdwards for @towntrippin

photo by M. AyeshaEdwards for @towntrippin

photo by M. AyeshaEdwards for @towntrippin