“Sights and Sounds” is our weekly guide to the Bay Area arts scene through the eyes and ears of local artists. On this episode, host Jenee Darden speaks with Golden State Warriors dancer Charity Caldwell.
Nirvana Soul
San Jose
They’re the city’s first Black-owned coffee shop. Co-founders and sisters Jeronica Macey and Be’Anka Ashaolu opened their doors in 2020. You can find art by local artists hung throughout the shop. They also have open mic nights every Thursday and Friday. You can perform poetry, music, and comedy. The cafe’s mission is to bring people together using the power of coffee & tea. They’re opening other locations.
Hakone Gardens
Saratoga
It is one of the oldest Japanese parks in the Western Hemisphere. Hakone was built as a private estate in 1917. A few decades later, the city purchased the area and transformed it into a public park. The outdoor space is influenced by Japanese ideals that encourages art and nature to co-exist. There are tea houses, waterfalls, koi ponds, and many other elements that are a part of Japan’s culture.
Filoli Estate & Gardens
Woodside
“Brining the Garden Indoors” exhibit open until November 6th
The landscape includes a Georgian-style mansion and 16-acres of gardens. A popular attraction is the Gentleman’s Orchard. One of the estate’s builders planted the orchard and now it grows a variety of fruit like apples, peaches, and pears. Take a walk along the Estate trail and you may come across animals such as deer or turkey. The gardens are filled with a variety of flowers, cherry trees, and ponds. They currently have an exhibit that explains how the gardens inspired the mansion’s indoor architecture and decor.
Charity Caldwell is part of the Golden State Warriors dance team.
