Emeryville Civic Center, Park Avenue and Hollis

Late afternoon at the crossing of Park Avenue and Hollis in Emeryville. The new Town Hall, the old one and the perfect late night diner, Can't Fail Cafe.

Emeryville, dip pen and ink and watercolor, 24x9in.

Emeryville

Emeryville, historically the site of extensive native American settlements, was a northern suburb of Oakland until incorporation in 1896.   During the Depression, Emeryville was known for gambling, racetracks and brothels; Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren called it "the rottenest city on the Pacific Coast."  Today, with a population of over 10,000, it's the home of Pixar Studios, Jamba Juice, Clif Bar and several biotech and software companies.

We met at Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe across from the City Hall at Hollis and Park.  Here's the cafe's philosophy, as explained on their website:  "At Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, we consider everyone to be Rudy.  We are all Rudy and this is everyone's place."tRudy Can’t Fail Cafe we consider everyone to be Rudy. We are all Rudy and this is everyone’s place. At Rudy’s Can’t Fail Cafe we consider everyone to be Rudy. We are all Rudy and this is everyone’s place. 

Open since 2002

Completed in 1903