Whispers of Japan in an Oakland landmark

This Monday I am still thinking about my recent visit to the Paramount Theatre in Oakland. I knew it was an Art Deco landmark, but walking up to that towering façade felt almost surreal. The huge mosaic on the front of the building, which you can see in the first image of the collage, is so tall and intricate that it is hard to take in all at once. Standing on the sidewalk, looking up at that vertical mural against the winter sky, I already had the feeling that I was about to step into another era.

Inside, the theatre felt even more dreamlike. The long, soaring lobby and auditorium drew my eyes upward again and again. In the collage, there are a couple of photos taken from the center aisle, looking toward the stage and up into the dramatic green and gold ceiling. Being there in person felt like walking into a golden canyon of light and pattern. Every surface shimmered with details that only reveal themselves slowly, and it is the kind of space where you instinctively lower your voice even when there is no performance happening.

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