Berkeley Archives - until suburbia!

Shop at the Urban Ore, Berkeley

March 14, 2025March 21, 2025Silvia

Did you participate in the buy nothing event on February 28th? One of the ways to save the environment and take a stand on consumerism is to shop second hand. An awesome place to find furniture, building materials, household and art supplies, and so many more things is the Urban Ore in Berkeley. Their motto is to End The Age of Waste. On 3 acres you can browse through a mass of recycled goods.

Here you might find something unexpected or practical. It is fascinating to see the stacks of doors and building materials like the rows of toilets. They have a first timer guide that gives tips on what to expect at the Ecopark (official name for the Urban Ore). Among other things they advise you to wear something warm that you don’t mind getting dirty.

I loved the posters and the old signs. At every corner there is something new to discover.

You can also drop off items that are in good condition. For a list of what the Ecopark accepts or not accept visit their website: https://urbanore.com/ecopark-store/drop/drop-off-rules/

The Urban Ore is located at 900 Murray Street in Berkeley. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday 8:30 am – 5 pm, Sundays 10 am – 5 pm.

Are you into salvaged goods?

Shop for Local Art, aRt Cottage Gallery, Concord

November 22, 2024Silvia

The aRt Cottage Gallery is a charming gallery and art workshop space near downtown Concord. When I visited I was warmly invited to look at the current exhibit of Mark Jezierny and his Students. I entered the cottage while there was a class in progress, but everyone smiled at me and assured me that they did not mind the interruption.

There is much love for art in this place – from the cozy planters outside to the white wood-paneled rooms decorated with art. And love for the owner FROgard Schmidt who shares her space and this love for art with all visitors. That’s why aRt Cottage is spelled with a capital R for ours, stressing the importance of community.

If you like to gift local art you should visit the aRt Cottage during the Holiday season for their 13th Annual Holiday Boutique. Shop for large and miniature paintings, jewelry, tree ornaments, and much more. All items will be available until December 22, 2024.

The aRt Cottage is located at 2238 Mt. Diablo Street in Concord. You can visit Wednesdays – Saturdays 11am – 5pm.

Do you shop for local art?

Admire a Roadside Attraction

September 6, 2024Silvia

It’s summertime, a good time to explore. Sometimes quirky roadside attractions will guide you to new understandings or a new city close by.

The ultimate roadside attraction is the Grand Opening in Berkeley with its famous Illusion Room. This place has it all, off the beaten pass, but close enough to amenities, interesting things to look at, bathroom and a sample of local tea!

Drive another 20 minutes east to the center of Walnut Creek and admire the Fountain Head. Seyed Alavi’s Fountain Head was selected by CNN.com’s Travel page as one of the top 15 fountains in the world. Because it’s right on Main Street, the serene looking bald head sculpture acts as a meeting point for locals.

The large gorilla statue on 3885 Broadway, American Canyon is a show stopper and an invitation to check out the outdoor living and pottery store.

What other roadside attractions do you know of in the Bay Area?

Locations:

Grand Opening 1220 Fourth St, Berkeley

Fountain Head 1350 N. Main St, Walnut Creek

Large gorilla statue on 3885 Broadway, American Canyon

Look Down While at UC Berkeley, Part 2

May 17, 2024Silvia

Last week’s post about the Free Speech Monument was very timely – since they established their right to protest at the university which others are now currently exercising.

This week’s post is more a ‘beginning of summer’ one. Not too serious. But if you are interested in quirky things about the Bay Area you might appreciate this post.

Another interesting thing you might see while looking down at UC Berkeley are the parking spots reserved for their Nobel Laureates. A sure nod to Berkeley’s overwhelming Nobel Prize winners. Currently the UC system counts 70 people who have been awarded 71 Nobel Prizes. UC Berkeley’s contribution is 27 faculty and staff members who were affiliated with the UC when they received their award; or joined UC after their recognition. Second in line is UC San Diego with 16 prize winners.

When Berkeley News posted their interview with Nobel winner Reinhard Genzel, they actually titled it: The biggest perk to being a Berkeley Nobelist? Free parking.

You can look for the parking spots while on campus – they are marked with blue signs ‘Reserved for Nobel Laureate, Nobel Laureate Reserved Space, Special Permit Required At All Times’. Atlas Obscura locates them as:

“Five of the parking spots can be found on University Drive, outside Campbell Hall (Physics). There are two more behind Latimer Hall (Chemistry), and one over at Evans Hall (Economics).”

Here you also learn about the history of the spots. Apparently Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz, who received a Nobel Prize in 1980, just asked for the spot. This started a common practice.

Where do you park when you visit UC Berkeley?

Look Down While at UC Berkeley

May 12, 2024Silvia

I always encourage you to look around. It makes sense that you do this on the UC Berkeley Campus, too. There is plenty to admire, like the Sather Tower, Cal’s well-known symbol, or the Doe Library with its impressive internal architecture.

But there are also some interesting marks at the tip of your foot. When you enter Cal from Telegraph Ave right before you pass through the ornate Sather Gate, you should look down for the round plaque on the ground. You will encounter the Free Speech Monument.

The Free Speech Monument with a six-inch hole and concrete circle represents a protest autonomous zone. Its inscription reads “This soil and the air space extending above it shall not be a part of any nation and shall not be subject to any entity’s jurisdiction.” This public art by Mark Brest van Kempen, installed in 1991, commemorates the Free Speech Movement that started in the 1960s at Sproul Plaza. Named after the first act of civil disobedience on an American College Campus the Free Speech Movement in 64/65 was protesting the right to protest on a college campus.

When I came up with the idea for this blog post I had no idea how timely this would be.

Are you protesting right now?

http://www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=705

https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/30278

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sproul_Plaza

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Speech_Movement

Bells from the Sather Tower, UC Berkeley

Admire the View, Campanile, UC Berkeley

April 26, 2024April 7, 2024Silvia

There are two things I find iconic visiting the UC Berkeley campus. First is the Sather Gate, the gate that greets you when you enter the campus coming from Telegraph Ave. The other being the Sather Tower, also known as the Campanile because John Galen Howard the architect was inspired by the Campanile di San Marco in Venice. He left a huge mark on campus both because he was the supervising architect for the design of the University of California, Berkeley from 1901-1922, and he was the founder and Director of its School of Architecture from 1903-1926.

Built in 1914 with the addition of the clock tower in 1926 it is now, with 307 feet, the second largest clock tower in the world. This makes it easy to orient around it while visiting the campus. Of course it is even better to take in the view from the observation platform. General admission is $5 per person, but there are discounts available and if you are faculty or a Cal student you can enjoy the views for free.

Payment method is only credit card or Apple pay, no cash. They do ask you to check larger bags, and food and drinks. After you pay you will enter the elevator and can chat with the elevator operator. Because it takes 38 steps after you leave the elevator the Campanile is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

I am not a big fan of heights, but I knew already from the time I visited the Hoover Tower in Stanford that I felt secure being that high. The reason might be that the columns start from the ground and end in a kind of windowsill which made me feel enclosed. Also the metal bars, which surely prevent you from ending your life at this location, give you a sense of security.

The view is spectacular! I also enjoyed the Carillon in the middle with its 61 bells. I’m not sure how loud they are if you happen to be there during the concert, but there are three daily carillon concerts at 7:50 am, 12:00 pm, and 6:00 pm.

The opening hours for the Sather Tower are:

Monday-Friday: 10 am – 4 pm

Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm

Sunday: 10 am – 1 pm and 3 – 5 pm (it is closed for the 2 pm carillon concert)

Please note that they might close on short notice.

Admission is $5, credit card only, discounts available.

Here is a short video from a carillon concert.

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.

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, 2024August 21, 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