I saw this guy as he was walking out the door of Butta Qutz barbershop on MacArthur Blvd. He looked like he’d just gotten a fresh clean up, but then again, he probably looked pretty much the same way before his haircut. This is all because of a phenomenon that–although I’ve been getting my Afro trimmed by local barbers since 1986–I only came to understand recently. This is going to sound incredibly stupid to brothers and sisters who are less oblivious than I am, but I’ll explain anyway: I get my own hair cut about every 8 weeks, but according my my barber  (shout out to Lance at Graham and Company, also on MacArthur), a lot of his clients get their hair cut every week; and some even get it cut twice a week, just to keep the “line” nice and clean.

After learning of the fastidious hair habits of so many of Lance’s clients, I felt like a total slacker. I’m doing well to get into the barber once a month. At one point in my life, while I was teaching at the University of Oregon, I went for several years without a haircut, because the nearest barber who could cut Black hair was nearly two hours away.

In any event, this hair on the man in this photo looked awesome, with a clean and freshly cut line than ran right across his forehead. With that level of attention to detail, something tells me he’ll be back a lot sooner than a month from now. I’m guessing he’s probably a once-a-week guy.

Ajuan Mance

I celebrated the beginning of the holiday season with a trip to downtown Oakland for a drink with a very good friend. We were heading to the bar Make Westing, but it was closed for a private party. The bouncer there was very friendly and apologetic, and he recommended that we try a different bar just one block away. Cafe Van Kleef has lots of character. Decorated with quirky antique and collectibles attached to just about every inch of wall space, it’s quite an interesting place to visit. But with smoking permitted in the alcove right outside the open front door, it was not exactly what I’m looking for in a quiet spot for early evening drinks. Still, make no mistake; Cafe Van Kleef is one of the most popular spots in downtown Oakland and, according to my friend, their greyhound, made with fresh squeezed pink grapefruit juice, is indeed the best in the city. If you don’t mind a little second hand smoke and you love vodka and grapefruit juice (which they squeeze at the bar), then check it out!

Today’s drawing is a composite of the people of African descent I encountered in my way from Make Westing to Cafe Van Kleef. Since Van Kleef has an antique kind of vibe, I made a frame for this picture that recalls the Belle Époque aesthetic.

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If you’re in the Berkeley, CA area, do drop by the East Back Alternative Book and Zine Fest. Located at 2050 Center St. in Berkeley, this event brings together more than 80 writers and artists from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.  The event includes workshops and speakers, along with tables and booths hosted by an array of amazing cartoonists, fine artists, illustrators, poets, memoirists, and everything in between. Doors open at 10am and the event ends at 5pm.

I hope to see you there! Look for me at the 1001 Black Men table.

Ajuan Mance

Fountain Garden restaurant, MacArthur Blvd, Oakland (home of the best sauteed prawn with scrambled egg in the SF Bay Area).

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This is Marcus. He was waiting to cross Clay street in downtown Oakland. I know that the background in this drawing depicts New York, not Oakland … but I really like New York, and so I took a few liberties in this portion of my picture.

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One of the things that I love about men’s clothing is how little it changes. Actually, I should revise that statement: One of the things that I love about adult men’s clothing is how little it changes. Drive through the business district of any American city and you’ll see what I mean. Sure, there are different kinds of suits–zoot suits, sharkskin suits, polyester leisure suits; but when it comes to the work environment, men’s suits rarely stray from the fundamentals. Take, for example, the guy in this picture. He was standing outside the Elihu Harris building on Clay Street in Oakland. Almost everything he was wearing would not be that out of place for a working man living (and dressing) in 1927. (I know this because one of my prized book possessions is a reproduction of the 1927 Sears Catalog.) More than the fashion turnstile that is youth fashion, the trends in working men’s suits can best be described as slight variations on a theme. One year pants will be cuffed, and a couple years later they won’t. Then, five or ten years later, cuffs will come back into vogue.

As someone whose fashion aesthetic was pretty firmly established by the time I was 15 (weird, I know), I can appreciate the consistency in the menswear realm. Although it has run off the rails a few times–most notably, during the 1970s–the matching pants and jacket thing remains a firm foundation.

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…Outside La Penca Azul, Alameda, CA.

A natty dresser always attracts my attention, and I really like cool color schemes. This guy was wearing green as an accent to his red hair and beard–I think–and it really worked for him. The big earrings had a retro feel that was just enough of a discordant note to create interest without disrupting the overall coherence of this updated preppy look.

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There’s a certain quality I’ve noticed in the faces of people who are seated in hospital waiting rooms. It’s kind of an irritated, frustrated, deflated look that would be anger if anger wasn’t a futile response to the situation.

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…another face from Kaiser Oakland.

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