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Trolls are symbolically linked to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge East Span Replacement Project in many ways. The statue, designed by local blacksmith Bill Roan, was affixed to the upper deck of the old bridge by a team of ironworkers who helped repair the East Span after the Loma Prieta earthquake. The Bay Bridge troll appeared in secret, without Caltrans’ approval but the troll has garnered considerable local popularity. Renowned for their protective powers, longevity and superhuman strength, trolls represent a history and spirit that deserve to be both commemorated and continued. more »

Oakland Museum of California opened the vaults to showcase the very best in California landscape art from the museum’s holdings, including works by Ansel Adams, Thomas Hill, David Hockney, William Keith, Arthur Mathews, Richard Misrach, Thomas Moran, and more. Peter Stackpole: Bridging the Bay features stunning black-and-white photographs chronicling the original San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and Golden Gate Bridge construction in the 1930s by a famed American photographer. more »

The Textile Museum itself is in transit; it will be joining with the George Washington University to become a cornerstone of a new museum scheduled to open in fall 2014 on GW’s main campus in Foggy Bottom, DC. The shop, however, remains open during the move and scarves and shawls are a dominant shop feature, with Randall Darwall and other artists' examples, always a effective way to update a 'little black dress' or casual outfit. more »

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is supposed to follow specific guidelines when it advises a US President on whether to approve federal disaster aid for a state or individuals. But experts in the field say the disaster standards are unclear — and often ignored. The result is that disaster decisions can seem arbitrary or politically motivated. FEMA’s public explanations typically do not shed much light on its rulings, leaving governors to wonder why they missed out on federal help. more »