until suburbia!

Visit the First Williams-Sonoma

April 12, 2024April 7, 2024Silvia

If you are like me you might have thought that Willams and Sonoma are two people that got together to sell the finest cookware. Or you saw the kids musical “Dear Edwina”?…one song references “Williams” and “Sonoma” as people that sing along with the Fairy Forkmother to teach a chef how to set a table.” Fairy Forkmother – What a wonderful term!

In fact it was Chuck Williams who founded the first specialty cookware store in Sonoma, California in 1956. The store, a 1906 house on Broadway, was also the home of Chuck and his mother until they relocated the business in 1958 to San Francisco. The two story house is filled with pictures and newspaper clippings of Williams’ journey to become a culinary icon. It closed when they relocated to San Francisco, but in 2014 this location was opened again.

His former bedroom is now the design studio currently filled with Stanly Tucci’s cookware in a I-really-want-all-of-this kitchen. Upstairs, where you now can admire the furniture, was his mother’s living quarters.

It is interesting to see how a great idea became one of the biggest and most successful retail businesses. They started as a catalog mail company and then expanded into stores like Pottery Barn, Hold Everything, and West Elm.

If you like to dive deeper into the evolution of cookware you should stop by the Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum in Napa. This museum showcases his extensive 4,000 pieces cookware collection.

The first Williams-Sonoma store is located 605 Broadway, Sonoma, CA.

Do you have a Fairy Forkmother?

*I do not get compensated for mentioning this business and this blog post is my personal recommendation.

Tour Blake Garden, Kensington

April 5, 2024Silvia

Every second Thursday from 2 pm to 3 pm you can join a free tour of Blake Garden in Kensington. Here you learn about the history and design of the garden. This is a fascinating walk starting from the former residence of Anson and Anita Blake with the koi pond to the redwood grove, and to the more experimental parts of the garden.

The garden was deeded to the University of California in 1957. From 1967 to 2008 the former residence was used to house the UC Berkeley president. Now structurally unsound because the Hayward Fault Line runs underneath it, and crucial maintenance has been deferred. On clear days, as we had, you can enjoy a view of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

I really liked the projects that included art but also a few play gardens. There is a huge boulder and a wonderful tree that would invite kids to climb, but for security reasons it is not allowed. Luckily they created a few play garden areas that will inspire kids to interact with nature.

Nowadays, Blake garden is part of UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design (CED). It serves as a site for experiential learning for students in the Department of Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning.

Starting in 2009 the garden opened to the public. The next garden tour is Thursday, April 11, 2024 from 2 pm – 3 pm. The tour meets at 70 Rincon Rd., Kensington. Parking is free. To register for the tour email Kathryn Lincoln, Blake Garden Manager, at klincoln@berkeley.edu.

Besides the monthly tour, Blake Garden is also open for exploring on your own, weekdays, Mondays through Fridays, 8 am – 4:30 pm (closed for major holidays). Admission is free.

Please remember that you should not pick any flowers. Leashed well-behaved dogs are also allowed on the tour. Due to some steep hills and uneven ground this is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Follow the Bagels at Boichik Bagels Factory

March 29, 2024Silvia

I love seeing things being made. At Boichik Bagels in Berkeley you can watch the conveyor belts of doughy bagels being made into their glutenous treat. The factory is located at 1225 Sixth St. in Berkeley. Opening hours are from 7:30 am till 1 pm. If they run out of bagels they might close early!

When we got there to order lunch we were almost too late for the taste test.

And we were too late to watch the bagels being made, though we were able to try the bagels and their famous white fish spread. I definitely plan to go back and see the factory during operation hours.

Nonetheless I liked the big window where a whole school class could put their noses on to get a closer look at the machinery. But the most sensible thing was the block for shorter people – I saw a little girl standing on it – to get a better view.

The outside seating was great, except for the next door neighbor who has an automated triggering system that tells you you are trespassing even if you just crossed the street.

Boichik has four more locations in the Bay Area and is expanding. There is a factory tour on Saturdays at 8:30, but I’m not sure I can make it that early. I will report if I do. Mahjong Mondays 10am – noon might be an option for further exploration.

Have you ever seen bagels being made?

The Boichik Bagels factory is located at 1225 Sixth St. in Berkeley. Their opening hours are every day 7:30 am – 1:00 pm (or until sold out).

Visit the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles, Berkeley

March 22, 2024March 18, 2024Silvia

One of my earliest blog posts was about the Lace Museum in Sunnyvale. A small storefront in a stripmall with amazing examples of lace and rotating exhibits.

I was expecting a similar small space for the Lacis Museum of Lace and Textiles in Berkeley. It turns out the Berkeley museum is exponentially larger! They have a store that sells lace, and equipment for embroidery and lace making. If you’d like you can take one of their classes, on embroidery, tatting, or bobbing in their upstairs classroom. To receive an overview of the museum we enjoyed the two tours they offer.

Our first tour was Day’s End: Personal Glamour Exposed, a fascinating look into the history of night time fashion. From the rather starchy looking undergarments of the 1860s to the silky, lacy nightgowns of the 1920s, a collection of nightcaps and bonnets, and the pajamas of the 1930s. They made a YouTube video of the exponents, but of course it is more stunning to see them in person.

The second exhibit is a lesson in lace history: Transcending Fashion: The Lace Accessory. First you learn about the secret language of handkerchiefs, while you bend over a looking glass to see the snowflake like miniature patterns. The history of the communal work of Irish lace and other different techniques to create these intricate patterns are truly amazing.

Each tour is $3.00 per person, Monday through Saturday, at either 1:00 or 3:00 pm. Tours are by appointment and can be scheduled by calling the Lacis Museum at (510) 843-7290 during regular business hours.

The Lacis Museum is located at 2982 Adeline Street, Berkeley. Hours are Monday to Saturday from noon to 6pm.

Buy Chocolate in Bulk, Ghirardelli

March 15, 2024Silvia

Ghirardelli is the longest continually operating chocolatier in America. In 1849, Domenico Ghirardelli opened a supplies and confections store to miners in Stockton, CA. Within the same year he established himself in San Francisco. The San Francisco store at 900 North Point, near Fisherman’s Wharf, is now labeled the original store. In 1965 San Francisco declared Ghirardelli Square an official city landmark.

As a bargain hunter I was intrigued by the outlet store. In fact they have four outlet stores in the Bay Area! We went to the San Leandro’s outlet store. It’s fun to see all the different products they offer, from small packaged chocolates to hot chocolate mixes, and all chocolate related baking ingredients. As an added bonus you can also sip a mocha or enjoy an ice cream fudge. Which is a nice idea so you won’t shop hungry. We found that the super bulk items are the best deals. So, if you eat a lot of little chocolates, you might consider visiting.

Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Factory Outlet Stores:

1111 139th Avenue, San Leandro

1015 Promontory Pkwy, Tracy

11980 S Harlan Road, Lathrop

447 Great Mall Drive #189, Milpitas

Are you a chocoholic?

Watch Otters Frolicing, at the UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve

March 8, 2024Silvia

The UC Davis Putah Creek Riparian Reserve is a gem amidst agricultural land south-west of Davis. The 640-acre natural riparian, meaning wetlands adjacent to rivers and streams, and grassland ecosystem is a model in wildlife protection and restoration. Right now you’ll be enjoying the wildflowers during your walk along the river. But a surprising movement in the river – a family of river otters playing. Because there are many species of wildlife you should leash your dog.

In 2000 a lawsuit mandated year-round flow of the creek and was an invitation for wildlife. In fact, this scenic pass by the water is a green oasis that now hosts woodpeckers, kingfishers, and other birds. A paper on ecological restoration found that during the year 1999 and 2012 a significant increase in “the abundance of 27 breeding bird species as well as increases in the size and diversity of the entire breeding bird community”.

This is a reserve owned by the UC Davis and you can see student volunteers and interns removing invasive species and helping out with repairs. Nonetheless, it is open to the public for swimming, boating, fishing and hiking. They seem to have had trouble in the past with people vandalizing benches, and destroying experiments. This was especially true in 2020 when people sought nature as an escape from the shelter-in-place policy. Please be mindful of this model for riparian restoration.

There are four parking lots with gravel roads for the Putah Creek Riparian Reserve. The parking lots, due to recent rain, might be a bit bumpy. We entered Pedric Rd, which had space for maybe 10 cars. Please note that the south side of the creek is private property.

Road sign for the Grand Opening art salon and the famous Illusion Room

Stop by the Grand Opening with its Famous Illusion Room, Berkeley

March 1, 2024Silvia

The perfect roadside attraction, off the beaten pass, but close enough to amenities, interesting things to look at, bathroom and a sample of local tea. We visited the Grand Opening and enjoyed all of the above. Grand Opening is an art collective with some events, for example on Saturday, March 9th, 2024 from 1 – 7pm, you can experience the 𝐻𝒪𝒰𝑅 𝒫𝐿𝐸𝒜𝒮𝒰𝑅𝐸 {𝕒 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖} event, in celebration of the time change. Who could say no to a free event with food, beverages, and art?

If you already booked up that weekend, stop by another time and immerse yourself in the Illusion Room. You have to take off your shoes, your cellphone will be locked away in a box that will stay with you, then you may enter the Illusion Room. You have some time to chill and look around the room. When the bell chimes you know your time is up, but unless there are people waiting no one will force you to leave. I won’t tell you what you will find, but I can tell you I now have a sticker advertising this place on my car!

It is $4 per person, stickers are $3 and you’ll get an offering of tea from nearby Blue Willow Tea.

The art is priced to sell with nothing more than $300. But a lot for less than that.

You can find the Grand Opening and Illusion Room at 1220 4th St., Berkeley. Hours are Saturday and Sunday, 1 pm – 6 pm. Follow them on Instagram at @grand.opening.arts

Shroom out in Santa Cruz

February 23, 2024Silvia

If you missed the 50th anniversary of the mushroom festival by the Fungus Federation of Santa Cruz (FFSC) this January you can still join fungi lovers on May 4th/5th for the Santa Cruz Mountain Mushroom Festival. At this event the mycological community is getting together for wild mushroom exploration, cooking and cultivation demos, functional mushroom talks, and DIY workshops. It comes with a steep price tag of $75 per day. In comparison tickets for the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival, May 25th/26th, 2024 are $20 at the door.

If you just started out to be a fungi lover the easiest way to introduce you to all things fungi is visiting Far West Fungi – the Santa Cruz Mushroom store. This all mushroom place offers a one-of-a-kind mushroom cafe, a selection of fresh mushrooms, a line of at-home mushroom cultivation supplies, a collection of dried and powdered mushrooms, and a selection of myco-nutraceuticals (natural pharmaceutical).

An inexpensive way to admire mushrooms is to ‘hunt’ for them. I would not advise you to plug and eat, unless you know what you are doing. But to photograph these when they come up after the rain might just be a worthwhile hunt.

Are you a fungiphile?

Far West Fungi – 224 Laurel St Suite A101, Santa Cruz, CA

Hike the Sonoma Overlook Trail

February 16, 2024Silvia

Just a few minutes north of the Sonoma plaza on 1st Street and Mountain Cemetery is the entrance to the Sonoma Overlook Trail. Parking is limited, but you can also start your hike from the cemetery. This 3 mile hike with a steady gradual 7% incline took us about 1 hour to complete. Once you reach the top you will be rewarded with gorgeous views of the Sonoma Valley and San Pablo Bay. From the south end you can see San Francisco on a clear day.

The road is uneven and sometimes muddy, so I would recommend wearing hiking shoes. It is mostly shady until you come to the top with the loop of the overlook trail and its meadow. We returned through the historic cemetery and I think that in itself is worth a visit.

At the beginning, you can pick up several maps and info brochures by the map post near the parking area. No dogs, horses, or bikes are allowed. Please stay on the designated trail to avoid disrupting the hillside and encountering wildlife such as rattlesnakes, ticks, and mountain lions.

You can find the entrance to the Sonoma Overlook Trail on 198 First St. W. in Sonoma, CA. On many weekends docent led hikes are available.

Have you hiked in Sonoma?

Two Barbie dolls, one has its hands above her head

Reclaim and Reinvent Barbie, Sonoma Community Center

February 9, 2024Silvia

The Sonoma Community Center put together two popular concepts – reusing materials and Barbies as fashion models in its annual Trashion Fashion events. A funny wordplay on trash fashion. And who could be a better model than a Barbie doll?

You can pick up a doll at the community center for no charge. But to enter the contest you have to pay the non-refundable entry fee of $25 for one entry or $40 for two entries. If you, on the other side, have Barbie, Ken or other under 12 inches dolls to donate you can drop them off at the community center or at Bon Marche at 19405 Riverside Dr, Sonoma. Bon Marche is a Thrift Store that supports the community and funds building health clinics and gardens in Rwanda. Bon Marche accepts donations on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10 am to 3 pm. Please don’t leave your donations outside. As a plus, if you buy something you will be a zero waste star to reuse!

After you acquire your doll the fun starts. Decorate your childhood style icon with recycled materials (please only wholesome images!). There will be a silent auction from March 28th – April 12, 2024. If your entry hasn’t sold in the auction it will be returned to you.

Your Barbie applications are due on or before: Friday, March 15th.

The Trashion Barbie: Reclaimed & Reinvented Gallery exhibit and auction has its opening night on March 28 and the exhibit will run through April 12th, 2024. The Sonoma Community Center is located at 276 East Napa Street, Sonoma. It is open 7 days a week from 8 am to 9 pm.

Trashion Classes & Workshops

February 10th

Trashion Design for Kids & Teens

10:00 am – 12:30 pm

February 12th, February 26th

Free Open Trashion Design Studio & All Star Demo’s

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

There will also be two Trashion Runway Shows on April 6, 2024, 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm. These are wearable trashion creations. Tickets go on sale early March with SCC members 48 hour pre-sale. On the second floor of the SCC you can see previous examples of the winners.