San Francisco Chronicle: Everyone's a little Berkeley

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE ADVERTISING FEATURE

Berkeley

Everyone’s a little Berkeley INSIDE Arts: Local arts scene engages, stimulates diverse audience N2

Dining: Chefs explore cuisines with farm-to-fork ingredients N8

UC Berkeley: Enjoy architectural wonders, serene gardens N16

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

PHOTOS BY LAURA MORTON

Jewelry designer Alison Antelman works in her studio at the Sawtooth Building. The West Berkeley industrial building is home to a variety of small businesses.

Long-standing Berkeley arts scene continues to reinvent

By Maurice Robie Berkeley’s arts scene mirrors the city’s earned eccentricity. Its institutions challenge themselves to engage, stimulate and satisfy a diverse demanding audience.

From the dense midcity Arts District to the north side Gourmet Ghetto, the arts and artisans maintain communityoriented missions specific to this unique city. From an intimate outing to the SHOH Gallery to a full-day experience at UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA), Berkeley offers something for everyone.

BERKELEY REPERTORY THEATRE The longtime manag-

Artwork from Susan Brooks’ “Objects of Desire” is on display in her studio at the Sawtooth Building. ing director of Berkeley Rep Susan Medak has reason to be proud of her legendary theater company. It is a progressive leader both onstage and off, creating innovative accessible theater which often goes out into the

world (five Tony Awards, seven Obie Awards, nine Drama Desk Awards, one Grammy Award) while engaging the community with its popular School of Theater.

“Berkeley Rep has since inception been a

theater where we care about creating excellent, challenging, thoughtful, resonant theater. That is at the heart of what we do,” Medak said. “We make it look easy, but it is not.”

The company produces performances in the heart of the Arts District in the 400-seat Peet’s Theatre and at the 600-seat Roda Theatre on its Addison Street campus in West Berkeley.

Berkeley Rep will undergo a change this summer when longtime artistic director Tony Taccone takes his final bow here with the world premiere musical “Kiss My Aztec!,” which runs May 28 through July 14.

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BERKELEY SECTION Cyrus Taghavi Account Executive 415-777-6121 ctaghavi@sfchronicle.com

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Sunday, May 26, 2019 •

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

Sawtooth Building home to artisans, craftspeople From page N2 Also playing this summer is the legendary satirical revue The Second City with “Left Leaning and Always Right” June 27 through July 14.

Incoming artistic director Johanna Pfaelzer comes on board in September though she has already announced part of 2019-20 season. One of the highlights for summer 2020 will be “Swept Away,” a world premiere musical inspired by The Avett Brothers’ 2004 album “Mignonette” and directed by Michael Mayer (American Idiot).

BERKELEY REP

AURORA THEATRE COMPANY Just a few doors up the street from Berkeley Rep, Aurora Theatre Company holds an equally beloved space in the city’s performing arts scene.

Aurora’s main stage Alafi Auditorium is a 150-seat space where the company has a history of putting up powerful and intimate work there. Whether it’s an Edward Albee modern classic or an Oscar Wilde comic gem, Aurora challenges itself and its audiences.

Joan Didion’s gripping memoir “The Year of Magical Thinking” plays this summer (June 21 - July 21) with Nancy Carlin directing Stacey Ross in the Bay Area premiere.

Aurora also negotiates an artistic sea change this year with long time Artistic Director Tom Ross stepping down after the 2019-20 season and handing the reins to highly regarded literary manager Josh Costello.

ACCI GALLERY Arts & Crafts Cooperative, Inc. (ACCI), based in North Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, is the oldest arts and crafts co-op west of the Mississippi.

Founded by a forward-thinking group of artists and craftspeople in the mid-1950s, ACCI Gallery incorporated in 1959 and moved to its current location at 1652 Shattuck Ave. in

LAURA MORTON

LAURA MORTON

Left: Daniel Vu works at the Sarah Kersten Studio in the Sawtooth Building. Top right: Berkeley Rep will perform the world premiere musical “Kiss My Aztec!” from May 28 through July 14. Bottom right: Juliet Mevi works on a painting in her Sawtooth Building studio.

1960, buying the brick gallery space in 1976. ACCI celebrates its 60th year of operation in 2019.

The gallery’s mission is to showcase both established and emerging artists, giving them an opportunity to display and sell their work among a community of artists, members and patrons.

More than 100 artisans, working in painting, photography, printmaking, textiles, ceramics, glass, jewelry, sculpture and mixed media, exhibit in the building. The cooperative main-

» “I had a vision of a place where people could be

whatever they wanted to be, as individuals and as members of a community. Almost immediately, kindred souls gathered around and gifted musicians emerged to fill the room with song.”

Nancy Owens, owner of Freight & Salvage

tains a retail outlet which sells works from members.

From June 4 through June 23, the gallery will host “The Art of Insects,” with prints and photographs of the extraordinary

little creatures.

FREIGHT & SALVAGE In 1968 when Nancy Owens “borrowed” the name of a failing used furniture store at 1827

San Pablo Ave. to open an 87seat coffee house, she was flowing with the times and sensibilities of both the age and the unconventional city.

She kept the business’s sign, telephone number and Yellow Page listing, and changed the space to focus on music of the world.

“I had a vision of a place where people could be whatever they wanted to be, as individuals and as members of a community,” Owens wrote. “Almost immediately, kindred souls

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Sunday, May 26, 2019 • Berkeley • San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

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CARY GRONER

Above: Through June 16, the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) will show works by the school’s Master of Fine Arts graduates. Right: Jewelry made by Susan Brooks is on display in her Sawtooth Building studio. Below: Dana DeKalb works on a painting.

LAURA MORTON

If you go BAMPFA: 2155 Center St., Berkeley, 510-642-0808, www.bampfa.org.

Berkeley Rep: Box office and Peet’s Theatre: 2025 Addison St., Berkeley. Roda Theatre, 2015 Addison St., Berkeley.

510-647-2949, customerservice@berkeleyrep.org, www.berkeleyrep.org.

Aurora Theatre: 2081 Addison St., Berkeley, 510-843-4822, www.auroratheatre.org.

ACCI Gallery: 1652 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, 510-843-2527, www.accigallery.com.

Freight & Salvage: 2020 Addison St., Berkeley, 510-6442020, info@freightandsalvage.org, www.thefreight.org.

Sawtooth Building: www.sawtoothbuilding.com.

SHOH Gallery: 700 Gilman St., Berkeley, 510-504-9988, www.shohgallery.com. gathered around and gifted musicians emerged to fill the room with song.”

Though it has grown and moved, the mission has remained constant and supported by its faithful patrons.

Upcoming shows include such legends as country squire Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, ageless Country

Joe McDonald, jazz bassist Stanley Clarke, two-time Grammy Award winner Rickie Lee Jones and solo cellist Zoë Keating.

The current venue, which sits across Addison Street from Berkeley Rep, can seat 490 patrons and features a state-ofthe-art sound system from Berkeley’s Meyer Sound.

LAURA MORTON

SAWTOOTH BUILDING ARTISANS Spanning the block of 8th Street between Dwight Way and Parker Street, the Sawtooth Building, first built in 1913 as the Kawneer Building, is a Berkeley Historic Landmark.

Its distinctive roofline of 20 sawtoothed banks of skylights gives the space its name. The block house studios are home to a variety of artisans, craftspeople and small businesses.

Also in the building are schools, performance groups, theaters, designers and artists of

all kinds. Most of the artisans participate in two annual open studio events. The first, Pro Arts East Bay Open Studios, takes place two weekends in June, while the second, the Berkeley Artisan Open Studios, happens on the weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

EDIBLE EXCURSION

NACIO JAN BROWN

BERKELEY PATH WANDERERS ASSOCIATION

Top left: The Downtown Berkeley Brunch Walking Tour features a half-dozen dishes along with tales of the neighborhood’s history. Bottom left: The Telegraph Tour is guided by a smart phone app that is narrated by longtime residents with notes from the Berkeley Historical Society and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

Right: The Berkeley Path Wanderers Association offers guided tours as well as 137 recommended walking sites on their website.

From brunch to history, take an urban hike around Berkeley

save room, too, for the best toast ever from Babette Café at the Berkeley Art Museum. The homemade whole-wheat is topped in ricotta, poached pear, hazelnuts, honey and mint.

easy, and users can select themed jaunts, too, such as significant architecture or foreign cinema and literary culture.

Get the app at www.

TelegraphTour.com.

By Carey Sweet

TELEGRAPH TOUR

BERKELEY PATH WANDERERS ASSOCIATION

For an easy stroll, Fourth Street in West Berkeley is an immensely popular, open air sidewalk shopping and dining district, enticing with attractions like the Stained Glass Garden art and craft store, and the famous Bette’s Oceanview Diner that’s beloved for its pancakes in flavors like buttermilk, cottage cheese, pumpkin or gingerbread. If you’d like a little more guidance, however, sign up for one of the relaxed, informative tours with friendly folks who know the city inside and out.

GOURMET GHETTO CULINARY WALKING TOUR

BY EDIBLE EXCURSIONS When scoping out the finest of Berkeley’s many, many great restaurants, it helps to rely on award-winning food writers, chefs and TV alumni. That’s the staff at Edible Excursions, a group that

leads food lovers to tastings and meet-the-chefs at iconic eateries such as Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen (great housemade pastrami on grilled Acme rye), the first-ever Peet’s Coffee shop and the historic Cheese Board collective. Plan on a three hour, easywalking adventure ($110). Visit www.edibleexcursions.net.

DOWNTOWN BERKELEY BRUNCH WALKING TOUR

BY EDIBLE EXCURSIONS Hungry types will love this three-hour dive ($115) into a half-dozen delicious dishes, cocktails (mimosas!) and coffee, paired with tales of neighborhood history from resident guides. You’ll take a bite of behind-the-scenes access to chefs and restaurateurs, and feast on Sunday favorites like super-strong chicory coffee and pillowy beignets from Angeline’s Louisiana Kitchen, luscious baked egg shakshuka and cocktails from Revival and breakfast pizza and mimosas from Gather. Be sure to

It’s an interesting idea, as you explore Berkeley on your own, guided by this smart phone app that focuses on the neighborhood along the edge of the UC Berkeley campus. There’s so much to see in this four-block section from Dwight Way to Bancroft Avenue, home to a mix of specialty stores, vintage boutiques, international cuisine cafes and its signature historical People’s Park mural at Amoeba Records. The free app is narrated by longtime residents with notes from the Berkeley Historical Society and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. A 3D map makes navigation entirely

BPWA, an affiliate of Berkeley Partners for Parks, has a most wonderful mission — to preserve Berkeley’s public paths, steps and walkways so everyone can enjoy beautiful areas like the flower lined, stone step Stoddard Path spanning Miller Avenue to Grizzly Peak Boulevard. You can access their list of 137 recommended walking sites on their website, or buy a printed map from their web store. If you really love walking, you can also volunteer to lead guided tours, and help build and maintain new paths around the city. Vist www.berkeleypaths.org.

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Sunday, May 26, 2019 • Berkeley • San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

Above: The roasted half chicken with heirloom carrots, braised lentils and Castelvetrano olives at Gather in Berkeley, which offers a seasonally changing menu. Right: A plate with an assortment of house made/cured charcuterie salumi with pickled vegetables and olive oil focaccia at Donato & Co. The Berkeley restaurant offers rustic Italian cuisine.

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PHOTOS BY LAURA MORTON

Above: Cook Coreen Danaher, left, and sous chef Moris Solorzano work at Gather, which features an open kitchen. The restaurant focuses on Californian fare made with seasonal ingredients that are carefully sourced. Right: The vegan spicy tomato pizza with olive, caper, cashew puree and chili oil at Gather.

Farm-to-table ingredients unite diverse global culinary scene in Berkeley

By Carey Sweet As owner of downtown Berkeley’s celebrated Gather, Eric Fenster keeps a close eye on other area restaurants. And he’s happy with what he sees, watching what has long been one of the Bay Area’s most diverse culinary scenes constantly still evolving.

“Berkeley continues to have a vibrant and unique dining landscape, and you can find any type of experience you’d like,” he said.

Uniting it all, through Mediterranean, German or whatever eclectic meal you crave, is a dedication to farm-to-table ingredients.

Besides feeding the appetite, local restaurants are feeding the soul, Fenster added, encouraging locals and visitors to get out and dig deep into culture.

“Pairing dinner with a theater experience or a visit to the new Berkeley Art Museum is a great way to explore the city,” he said.

Feed your hunger for adventure with these five must-visit destinations:

GATHER “Head-to-tail” and “root-toshoot” food, craft cocktails and local wines are big buzz phrases for restaurants these days, but this artsy eatery was one of the first to tackle the trend when it

» “Berkeley’s dining scene is supported by loyal and

If you go Gather: 2200 Oxford St., Berkeley, 510-809-0400, www.gatherrestaurant.com.

Julia’s at the Berkeley City Club: 2315 Durant Ave., Berkeley, 510-848-7800, www.berkeleycityclub.com.

Donato & Co.: 2635 Ashby Ave., Berkeley, 510-838-1131, www.donatoandco.com.

Gaumenkitzel: 2121 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, 510-647-5016, www.gaumenkitzel.net.

Zino: 2086 Allston Way, Berkeley, 510-649-9466, www.zinoberkeley.com.

dedicated patrons for its diverse cultures, diverse kitchen styles, like vegan and vegetarian, and sustainable and organic cuisine.”

Anja Voth, chef-owner of Gaumenkitzel

opened in 2009.

Owner Eric Fenster and Executive Chef Michael Huynh keep true to the origins, showcasing seasonally changing, mouthwatering dishes like arugula and kumquat tossed with burnt honey vinaigrette, golden Carmody cheese and almonds or Bloomsdale spinach fazzoletti tumbled with roasted brassicas, spring vegetable Bolognese, hot peppers and a hint of mint.

“Gather was inspired by the social and ecological ethos that businesses can positively impact the community and, by extension, the planet,” Fenster said.

That means celebrating rare heirloom produce, foraged ingredients, whole animals butchered in-house and eggs and dairy from local, sustainable ranches focused on heritage breeds.

Beautiful flavor rules, too, satisfying both carnivores and vegans with signatures like crispy skin roasted half chicken with heirloom carrots, braised lentils and Castelvetrano olives or heirloom grains risotto tasty with

turnips and their tops, hen of the woods mushrooms, Parmesan and confit garlic. Do get a perfect pizza, as well, topped, perhaps, in sausage, egg, pancetta and bitterish braised chicories.

JULIA’S AT THE BERKELEY CITY CLUB Founded in 1930 and designed as a women’s club by renowned architect Julia Morgan, the downtown property now is a private club for both men and women, with an emphasis on serving Berkeley’s arts and culture community. Opulent with carved columns, glittering chandeliers, lattice windows and sculpture gardens, the building is known as the “Little Castle.”

In 2012, Julia’s Restaurant opened to the public, serving classic French dishes starring local ingredients. The sumptuous fare includes Provençale fish soup stocked with aromatic vegetables in saffron-rouille-tomato broth finished with Gruyere and croutons; or duck breast atop Camargue rice risotto with slightly

Above: Michele Jenkins, second from left, and Sam Obermeyer, third from left, celebrate their wedding rehearsal dinner at Gather, which features rare heirloom produce and foraged ingredients. Right: The squid ink spaghetti with Calabria peppers, Monterey Bay calamari with tomato confit and bottarga at Donato & Co. spicy Montmorency sauce, macerated cherries and pistachio oil.

Julia’s French-born chef Fabrice Marcon has been named a Master Chef by the prestigious French Chef Association, Maîtres Cuisiniers de France, and impresses with traditional signatures including escargots baked with

pastis and garlic parsley butter for scooping on a warm baguette; or local sole presented with fennel potato confit, squid and a splash of fragrant broth.

DONATO & CO. Rustic Italian cuisine takes a contemporary twist, in standouts

like rigatoni tumbled with housemade spicy ’nduja sausage, shrimp and black olive crumble.

Owner Donato Scotti and chef Gianluca Guglielmi both grew up in Italy, and their heritage is shown in authentic specialties such as Mediterranean sea bream fillet decorated with Castroville

artichokes and Soave wine over Black Venere rice, or succulent grilled Duroc pork neck chop with crispy grilled polenta, asparagus, garlic and herbs.

Open kitchen live fire meat and seafood cooking is at the heart of the brick and dark wood restaurant, though vegetarians

feast as well, dining on delights such as spinach pasta ravioli stuffed with fava beans and ricotta then dressed in red plum tomatoes and basil. Another hallmark: many staples are made by-hand, including charcuterie, breads, pickles, quince jam and that lovely ricotta.

Take time to study the wine list, as well, where you’ll find an impressive selection of Italian wines, alongside fun cocktails like the Veneto Fizz of vodka, aperol, lemon, mint and club soda.

GAUMENKITZEL Try saying that name — it’s an old fashioned German word for a “special treat,” and translates literally into “tickle your taste buds.” Husband and wife Kai Flache (owner) and Anja Voth

(chef-owner) both hail from Hamburg and brought their family recipes with them — aided by plenty of phone calls to Bärbel, Anja’s mother and the family cook — for the restaurant’s opening in 2011.

Today, the restaurant has a fan club for its specialties such as schnitzel of Homestead pork loin (outdoor raised, all-natural legacy Hampshire pig) with braised red cabbage and spätzle.

“Berkeley’s dining scene is supported by loyal and dedicated patrons for its diverse cultures, diverse kitchen styles, like vegan and vegetarian, and sustainable and organic cuisine,” Voth said.

Tip: be sure to get the bread basket, too, it’s an insider’s favorite of whole wheat bread hand-

made with active yeast and 24 hours pre-fermented, flaxseed bread imported from Germany, housemade Bavarian brezel that’s crunchy outside-soft inside and fresh, unsalted butter.

ZINO The new, flagship restaurant of downtown Hotel Shattuck Plaza draws diners craving the fine Mediterranean cuisine crafted by chef Brandon Hicks — hallmark plates such as silky truffled duck confit risotto with butternut squash and wild mushrooms and Cod a la Plancha with salty-good brandade, asparagus and sauce gribiche.

The chef, who has worked at several top French and Mediterranean restaurants throughout his career, puts a personal touch on dishes, like his unexpected but decadent warm buttered hummus with spiced lamb, harissa and tomato.

Hicks is a Certified Sommelier, too, and the wine list impresses with its creative collection spanning Greece, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and California.

The décor is equally colorful, featuring a stylish black-and-white bar, and a dining room done in teal, gold and burgundy. Extra bonus: service covers breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

Other renowned Berkeley cuisine

W

ith more than 350 restaurants across Berkeley, diners can experience cuisines from across the globe and local, sustainable, farm-tofork dining. Experience this rich culinary diversity: Cheese Board Pizza Collective: What could be a more heavenly combo than a pizzeria, bakery and cheese shop? How about if it offers extra healthy food? Pizzas — or pizza, only one recipe is offered each day — are always vegetarian, with gluten-free and vegan options. (1512 Shattuck Ave., 510-549-3183, www.cheese boardcollective.coop) Chez Panisse: Perhaps you’ve heard of this place from chef Alice Waters? It’s still a word class wonder, putting farm-to-table California cuisine on a magical, mouthwatering level with truly pampered ingredients. (1517 Shattuck Ave., 510-548-5525, www.chezpanisse.com)

Left: Bartender David Harlins prepares cocktails at Donato & Co. in Berkeley. The restaurant focuses on authentic Italian cuisine, reminiscent of the childhoods of chefs Donato Scotti and Gianluca Guglielmi, with a contemporary twist. Above: Visitors to Donato & Co. eat dinner in the restaurant that features an open kitchen.

Freehouse: Get to this gastropub for local craft beers and creative cocktails, plus favorite noshes like crispy Brussels sprouts dunked in sweet chile-garlic sauce, killer burgers and barbecue baby back ribs made extra-wicked with housemade Jack Daniels Whiskey sauce. (2700 Bancroft Way, 510-

ROBERT HOLMES

Chez Panisse offers farm-to-table California cuisine.

647-2300, www.berkeley freehouse.com) La Note: The dining room is lovely, but folks flock to the patio, framed in flowers, to indulge in Provençal cuisine. Just a few delights include a marmalade omelet, Croque-Monsieur and sumptuous grass-fed beef stew, slow simmered in red wine, garlic and herbs and roasted carrots atop egg noodles. (2377 Shattuck Ave., 510-843-1525, www.lanote restaurant.com) Skates on the Bay: The main draw is seafood (fantastic cioppino with tempura battered soft shell crab), sushi and waterfront and bridge views. But steaks

impress, too, such as American Wagyu, gussied up with roast potato wedges, roasted garlic, asparagus, tomato confit and tangy pickled shallots. (100 Seawall Drive, 510-549-1900, www.skatesonthebay.com) Tigerlily: Set in the heart of the Gourmet Ghetto, this salute to healthy Indian food is casual but committed to delicious, somewhat wild eats like clay oven naan spiked with squid ink, beets or cilantro, garlic and whole tandoori pompano fish with garam yogurt marinade, garlic, ginger, coconut curry basmati rice and wine pickled raisins. (1513A Shattuck Ave., (510) 540-7900, www.tigerlily berkeley.com)

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

BERKELEY KITE FESTIVAL

Far left: The Berkeley Kite Festival features an Octipile of kites.

This year’s event will be July 27-28. Above: The annual kite event will take place at Cesar E. Chavez Park in the Berkeley Marina and kids can make their own kites. Left: Artists will compete in sidewalk art competitions during the Chocolate & Chalk Art Festival on Aug. 24 in North Berkeley.

CHOCOLATE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL

BERKELEY KITE WRANGLERS

Street festivals, music events abound in Berkeley

By Matt Villano

alike. Book early, as seats are limited and tickets sell out fast. (https://botanicalgarden.berkeley. edu/summer-concerts-2019)

From improvisational theater to art shows, shop-arounds to cultural heritage celebrations, there’s always something happening in Berkeley. It seems every month is jam-packed with activities and opportunities to understand the community more deeply.

Here’s a rundown on 10 mustsee events (listed in chronological order) scheduled between now and early next year:

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY POW-WOW Oct. 12 Berkeley was the first city in the world to celebrate Oct. 12 (the holiday formerly known as Columbus Day) as Indigenous People’s Day. This bash commemorates that milestone with traditional pow-wow activities such as dancing and craft-making, as well as a variety of Native American food. (www.ipdpow wow.org)

BERKELEY WORLD MUSIC FESTIVAL June 1-2 A veritable cornucopia of musical genres are on display during this annual festival, which attracts musicians from all over the world to various venues in downtown. This year’s lineup features New Balkan, Arabic Classical, Folkloric Fusion and Klezmer, to name a few, and the event will take place during Sunday Streets on Telegraph. (www.berkeleyworldmusic.org)

SUNDAY STREETS June 2 (Telegraph), June 9 (North Shattuck/Gourmet Ghetto), July 14 (Downtown Berkeley) This summer tradition turns streetscapes into parks for a day, creating three different block parties in three different neighborhoods over the course of six weeks. To celebrate, people flock to the pavement to walk, bike, skate, dance and play sports. Locals also know the event as “Open Streets.” (www.sundaystreetsberkeley.org)

BERKELEY KITE FESTIVAL July 27-28 Winds prevail at the Cesar E.

BERKELEY ARTISANS HOLIDAY OPEN STUDIOS November-December

VISIT BERKELEY

Sunday Streets, an annual summer tradition, will return to Telegraph on June 2.

Chavez Park in the Berkeley Marina, providing the perfect backdrop for this fun and colorful family-friendly festival.

Attendees love the Giant Creature Kites program, which features kites as big as houses. For kids, there’s a make-your-own kite station and a candy drop. (www.highlinekites.com/pages/ berkeley-kite-fest.html)

CHOCOLATE & CHALK ART FESTIVAL Aug. 24 The streets of North Berkeley become canvases during this annual event, which blends street art and chocolate tasting in delicious harmony. Anyone can compete in sidewalk art competitions, and the contests

pay winners real money. The festival also attracts vendors and entertainers. (www.chocolateand chalkart.com)

CALTOPIA Aug. 25-26 You don’t have to be a college student to feel the spirit of Caltopia. The open-to-thepublic event is basically a twoday-long pep rally, immersing participants in the UC Berkeley lifestyle. Festival entertainment will feature more than 100 current Cal performers. (www.rec sports.berkeley.edu/caltopia)

SOLANO AVENUE STROLL Sept. 9 The 45th annual Solano Ave-

nue Stroll is the East Bay’s largest street festival. As the name suggests, the event takes place along a one-mile stretch of Solano Avenue, which is closed to cars for the day. Every year, more than 500 vendors line the avenue as people stroll by. (www.solanoavenueassn.org)

REDWOOD GROVE SUMMER CONCERTS Thursdays and some Tuesdays, June-August Tucked behind Memorial Stadium, the Redwood Grove remains one of the best-kept secrets on the Cal campus.

Every summer, the grove’s tiny amphitheater comes alive with music performances from university musicians and outside talent

Weekends during the holiday season provide a unique shopping opportunity as more than 100 artisans open their doors at studios, workshops, creative spaces and galleries, to meet customers, share the process and sell goods. A downloadable map of participating makers enables shoppers to maximize their efforts. (www.berkeley artisans.com)

BERKELEY RESTAURANT WEEK January Like most Restaurant Week celebrations, Berkeley’s version spotlights restaurants that offer prix fixe, multi-course menus that range in price from $25 to $35 per person. More than 45 restaurants participated this year, and 2020 will be the eighth year of the tradition. (www. berkeleyrestaurantweek.com )

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Sunday, May 26, 2019 •

• San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

PHOTOS BY LAURA MORTON

Athena, Yousef and Elijah, left to right, play on a rope feature at Adventure Playground. The playground, located in the Berkeley Marina, was opened in 1979.

Explore nature, adventure at outdoor destinations

By Matt Villano With land that stretches from the shores of San Francisco Bay to the very top of the East Bay hills, Berkeley offers a variety outdoor destinations for locals and daytrippers alike.

Some of these options are jammed with coastal redwoods or oak trees and are as wild as can be — unadulterated versions of the very best flora the Bay Area has to offer. Others are (literal) oases amid an urban landscape — the only patch of green for miles. All serve the same goal: To bring people closer to nature.

“Wherever you are, outdoor spaces remind you to unwind,” said Denise Brown, recreation and youth services manager for the City of Berkeley. “We’re pretty lucky in that we have a lot of them in the area, and they’re all special in their own ways.”

Here are some great Berkeley outdoor destinations to consider for your next visit.

Left: Khary plays with a bowling alley feature at Adventure Playground, which encourages children to play and build creatively. Right: Barb Ross, visiting from Salt Lake City, looks at flowers at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Berkeley.

Park are off Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard.

TILDEN REGIONAL PARK

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BOTANICAL GARDEN AT BERKELEY

Technically, this park spans from Berkeley to Orinda, comprising more than 2,000 acres overall.

Park nerds consider Tilden Regional Park the crown jewel of the East Bay Regional Park District.

Locals love it for the diversity of options it provides.

Among those options: a steam train that offers rides along a scenic ridge, a botanical garden that contains the world’s most complete collection of California native plants, a Herschell-Spillman Merry-Go-Round with calliope-style music and a lake for swimming and boating. There’s a par-70, 6,294-yard golf course in the southern section of the park, and a 740-acre nature area with a tiny farm and environmental education center to the north.

Biking and hiking are popular activities in Tilden Park, too. All told, the park boasts nearly 40 miles of trails to explore. Because the trails are mixed-use, visitors always should be looking out for horses. Trail maps are (usually) available at trailhead bulletin boards throughout the park or on the park website.

Berkeley entrances to Tilden

Nestled at the back of Strawberry Canyon, high above the Greek Theater and the rest of the main campus at Cal, the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley is one of the best-kept secrets in the entire Bay Area.

For starters, the 34-acre facility is a research collection, which means that every specimen is a museum object. This means the garden is basically a living museum, a living catalog of more than 12,000 species. The collection has an emphasis on plants from Mediterranean climates, though it also has a vast number of species from California and the Americas, as well as a section of plants that are endangered.

According to Jonathan Goodrich, director of visitor experience, the collection is so densely packed that it often takes multiple visits to feel like you’ve seen everything.

“Even with the map, it’s hard to see everything on one visit,” he said.

When you go, be sure to inquire about some of the garden’s programming; the facility recently launched a series of classes for

families, as well as yoga and a host of other wellness programs.

Another must-see: The Redwood Grove, which is across the street from the main gate to the garden itself. Each guest receives a code on the bottom of his or her ticket receipt and that code opens the door to the grove. Provided there’s not a wedding going on, the place is shaded, serene and surprisingly beautiful. Another way to experience this special space is at one of the Redwood Grove Summer Concerts.

BERKELEY MARINA A city’s waterfront is a perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors, and Berkeley is no exception to this rule; the marina at the far west end of University Avenue is chockfull of diversions that can provide hours of entertainment.

Most of the action happens at the Shorebird Nature Center, a standalone education resource center that is open to the public year-round. Programs here comprise everything from lectures by local marine experts to arts and crafts sessions with garbage recovered from the ocean. The building itself is notable as well; its straw bale construction is unique to the region and the world.

Closer to the Eastshore Freeway, the iconic Adventure Play-

ground quite literally started a revolution in play and is still cooler than ever. The concept of this playground is simple: Kids can entertain themselves, but they also must use wood, nails and a hammer to add to the play structures there. As you can imagine, the form of the playground always is changing; on a recent visit kids zoomed down on a zipline and clambered up a cargo net. One thing is certain: The Adventure Playground is true to its name.

For an up-close-and-personal perspective on boats, spend some time wandering around Berkeley Harbor or walk over to the lagoon, a practice facility for UC Berkeley crew.

CITY PARKS The City of Berkeley has 52 parks under its charge, meaning you could hit up a different park every week for a year. Some of these parks are huge; others are considered “pocket parks,” and are no more than 300 square feet.

Each is an important thread in the fabric of the community.

San Pablo Park on Park Street between Russell and Ward streets in Southwest Berkeley is a fanfavorite for its recently resurfaced six tennis courts — the greatest number of tennis courts in any city-run park. The park also boasts a court that is home to some the

liveliest pick-up basketball games in the entire city.

Equally beloved is Indian Rock Park, a quirky little park in the Northbrae section of town near the intersection of Indian Rock Avenue at Shattuck Avenue in Northeast Berkeley. As the name suggests, the main attraction here is a giant rock — a rock into which steps have been carved so you can get to the top. Local rockclimbing programs also use the boulder as practice. From the top of this thing, views of the East Bay and San Francisco in the distance come into focus.

Near the waterfront, Cesar Chavez Park exists as proof of what a municipality can do to green waste disposal tendencies: it sits on the site of a former landfill. Another of the park’s claims to fame is that the San Francisco Bay Trail passes through it.

Finally, dog owners swear by the dog park at Ohlone Park on the north side of Hearst Avenue between Martin Luther King Jr. Way and Sacramento Street.

Started In 1979, it is widely considered to be the world’s first official dog park. Technically named the Martha Scott Benedict Memorial Park, this facility provides ample space for dogs to exercise off-leash. Apparently it’s also a great place for single people to find dates, too.

Left: Cardae enjoys the zipline at Adventure Playground. Right: Tatiana Pretlow visits the Regional Parks Botanic Garden with her 7-month-old baby, Miles.

Sunday, May 26, 2019 • Berkeley • San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

WILLIAM RUST / WILLIAM JAMES PHOTOGRAPHY

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CHRISTIAN HORAN

Left: ZINO, a high-end Mediterranean restaurant offering farm-to-table fare, fine wines and local beers, occupies a space within the Hotel Shattuck Plaza, which dates back to 1910 and was renovated in 2009. Right: Recently renovated, the Graduate Berkeley retains classical elegance, as demonstrated by its ornate lobby.

Stay by the bay in Berkeley’s stylish hotels

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weekend in Berkeley can be pampering, indulgent, restful and rejuvenating, especially if you know where to stay.

There’s a variety of boutique hotels and luxurious destinations to choose from, and a few more should be arriving in the coming years.

“Berkeley is a top San Francisco Bay Area overnight option with a diverse collection of hotels and motels, from indie boutique properties to national brands,” said Daniel Marengo, communications director for Visit Berkeley, a marketing organization that was originally founded in 1992 as the Berkeley Convention & Visitors Bureau.

There are more than 1,400 hotel, motel and bed & breakfast accommodations in the city right now, according to Visit Berkeley.

And more are on the horizon.

At 1499 University Ave., a Best Western Plus is under construction. The three-story hotel near the North Berkeley BART station will offer 39 rooms and include a terrace with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and Berkeley Hills.

After a day spent conducting a walking tour of one of Berkeley’s historic neighborhoods or taking in live music at a local club, retreat to a high-end room for upscale amenities and grand views.

“There’s so much to see, do and discover in the city. One day is good, a couple of days are even better,” Marengo said.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the best places to spend the night in Berkeley.

HOTEL SHATTUCK PLAZA Set within a Mission-style building that dates back to 1910, the Hotel Shattuck Plaza is a block from the Downtown Berkeley BART station. It’s named for Francis K. Shattuck, a prominent figure in Berkeley’s early history and a former mayor of Oakland.

Renovated in 2009, the hotel offers 199 rooms and is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

Amenities include a 24-hour business center, laundry service, a fitness center and meeting and event spaces.

The hotel offers special packages like the “Date Night” special, which includes a pair of movie tickets, a discount on appetizers and drinks and a late checkout.

All rooms feature complimentary Wi-Fi, and the Hotel Shattuck Plaza offers a variety of room configurations and suites.

The “Business Class” rooms include a private desk and views of San Francisco Bay, while the “Deluxe King” includes a kingsized mattress, Lather bath amenities and a Keurig coffee machine.

The multilingual staff caters to guests visiting from across the globe and the Hotel Shattuck Plaza also includes ZINO, a Mediterranean restaurant with fare complemented by fine wine and local craft beers.

CHRISTIAN HORAN

Above: A vintage telephone lends classical elegance to this guest room at the Graduate Berkeley featuring a king-sized bed. Below: The recently renovated DoubleTree by Hilton Berkeley Marina includes a fitness center and a pool.

BERKELEY CITY CLUB Designed by Julia Morgan and built in 1927 as a home for the Berkeley Women’s City Club, this hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is also part of the Historic Hotels of America.

The Berkeley City Club offers fine dining, a private social club and an event space, in addition to 38 guest rooms. Classical aesthetics like vintage hardware and chests of drawers accent the interior. The hotel also offers a Junior Suite and a Superior Suite, each framing views of the Berkeley Hills.

Color specialist Dale Oxley operates the hotel’s hair salon and Shannon Carter runs Studio Abasi, a skin care studio focusing on waxing, skin care and makeup.

GRADUATE BERKELEY Minutes from UC Berkeley, the Graduate Berkeley is Bohemian chic. Its lobby is defined by thousands of issues of National Geographic, whose golden spines pay homage to California’s status as the “Golden State” and complement handwoven rugs resting atop the hardwood flooring. Velvet deep blue sofas offer a nod to the nearby college, while graphic street art pairs with chinoiserie accessories and original millwork and moldings.

The Graduate Berkeley, which was formerly the Hotel Durant, includes a boardroom and culinary team ready to cater events for up to 70 people.

Ten different room configurations are available, including spaces with views of the bay.

Two of the hotel’s finest suites, the Bay Side Executive King, occupy corner locations on the sixth floor. In addition to views of the water, these suites include a work station and ample space to move around.

2019 HILTON

All rooms include high-definition televisions, docking stations and Malin + Goetz toiletries. The hotel also includes a 24-hour fitness center.

The Graduate Berkeley’s on-site restaurant, Henry’s, specializes in farm-to-table fare.

DOUBLETREE BY HILTON BERKELEY MARINA Newly renovated, this hotel on the shore of the Berkeley Marina affords dramatic views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. The hotel is located near running trails and includes a fitness center and indoor pool.

The Bayview Ballroom provides the space for events and celebrations, while the Bay Grille Restaurant offers waterfront dining. A full breakfast buffet waits in the Marina Room, and a large lawn stretching between the hotel and the water provides a spot for outdoor celebrations.

The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle to any destination within a three-mile radius, as well as free shuttles to the nearby BART station and Tideline Ferry.

Select rooms include a patio or balcony, while others overlook

the courtyard. The hotel also offers suites, include a multilevel accommodation that includes a loft-style layout, a pair of 49-inch televisions and views of the San Francisco skyline.

Style and sophistication await in the hotel’s selection of handicap-accessible rooms, which feature a minimum 40-inch clearance on all doorways and between furnishings. Some accessible rooms include a roll-in shower, and there is no fee for service animals.

BANCROFT HOTEL Built in 1928 for the College Women’s Club, the Bancroft Hotel was designed by Berkeley architect Walter Steilberg, who worked as Julia Morgan’s chief draftsman and engineer. The craftsman building features Asian flourishes, like the rectangular columns with rounded edges found along the facade.

The building was structurally reinforced in the early ’90s and became the Bancroft Hotel in 1993.

The boutique hotel includes 22 guest rooms that were recently renovated by green designer Kelly LaPlante. Many

rooms offer balconies and views of the bay, UC Berkeley and the Berkeley Hills. Each room hosts at least one queen size bed, and some rooms offer a twin size roll-away cot for an additional charge.

A wealth of environmentally conscious finishes abound within the bed and breakfast. Examples include FSC-certified hardwood flooring, Nandina bamboo towels and organic soaps and shampoos from EO products. Shower curtains are made from recycled soda bottles and antique armoires have been repurposed into desks.

All the furniture in the guest rooms — the bed, nightstand and desk — are all custom made based on Steilberg’s original drawings.

HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES BERKELEY Standing three stories tall and housing 70 guest rooms, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Berkeley offers travelers a sensible, comfortable place to stay.

All rooms offer air-conditioning, as well as LCD televisions with Dish TV programming.

The mini suites include sitting areas, while the King Mini Suite enjoys a whirlpool tub. There’s also a one-bedroom suite that can accommodate up to six.

ADA accessible rooms and handicap facilities are available, and the hotel offers a complimentary hot breakfast at its Express Start Breakfast Bar. Free parking is included, as well as high-speed Internet and Wi-Fi. There’s also a business center with free printing, copying and scanning services. Onsite guest laundry is available to Extended Stay guests. A stationary bicycle, a treadmill and an elliptical machine await in the hotel’s fitness center.

For the complete list of Berkeley lodging options, visit www.VisitBerkeley.com/Stay.

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

PHOTOS BY LAURA MORTON

Tomoka Llora, right, leads a sake tasting for Jahnavi Kalpathy and Varun Berry, left, at Takara Sake. The sake brewery offers two tasting flights and options by the glass.

Enjoy celebrated craft breweries, unique wineries, sake

By Carey Sweet Is your idea of heaven sipping a one-of-a-kind, handcrafted sour beer, some of that fabulous, somewhat funky natural wine that’s so in vogue today or a premium sake glittering with real gold flakes? If so, then Berkeley is your dream destination, as local artisans have perfected all things drinkable, and are constantly creating even more new, boutique beverages.

TRIPLE ROCK BREWERY & ALEHOUSE A craft beer institution since 1986, the busy, boisterous spot still holds true to its founders’ vision: brothers John and Reid Martin combine premium, seasonal suds with American tavern food and an upbeat pub vibe.

Draft beers are made onsite, for some 30 taps in big flavors like the chocolately Honorable Fox English Porter or the hoppy, Thirsty Merchant Pale Ale. Another creative sip comes in the Orange Is the New Red, a cross between Pale Ale and Red Ale, brewed with local malt from Admiral Malt in Alameda.

On the food side, you gotta love fun snacks like a pint of Goldfish crackers, mac ‘n’ cheese croquettes that, indeed, as the menu promises, will give you “that warm, fuzzy feeling,” and savory Thai meatballs in coconut-ginger broth. Big bites win, too, for delights like ultrajuicy beer can chicken with onion gravy or a killer doublestuffed cheeseburger topped with tangy “drive-in sauce.”

GILMAN BREWING COMPANY The concept is so popular that a second taproom and restaurant location is opening in Daly City later this summer.

And why not, since the beers are so delicious and unique.

Some sport a clever auto shop theme, such as Dashboard Jesus Hazy IPA, and Oil

Left: Tomoka Llora pours sake while working in the tasting room at Takara Sake. The Berkeley location produces the sweet, golden mirin that’s made with pure snow melt from the Sierra Nevada Mountains and premium rice from the fertile Sacramento Valley. Right: A visitor holds a beer at Jupiter, which has been serving handcrafted ales in Berkeley since 1992.

Pan Chocolate Stout; others boast more elegant monikers like Rouge Jardin, a marvelous, trendy Barrel Aged Sour crafted with boysenberries.

The owners are creative types, certainly — Sean Wells and Tim Sellmeyer opened their Berkeley spot two years ago, even while working full time as veterinarians (and naturally, the joint is dog friendly).

Pairing nicely with the small batch Belgian and American style suds are casual eats. Try the local artisanal cheeses plated with orange blossom honey, fig jam and crostini, the classic Reuben and chicken wings slathered in spicy Korean barbecue or hot buffalo sauce.

DONKEY & GOAT WINERY

If you go

Natural wines are increasingly popular these days, made with zero or minimum sulphur, then often bottled without stabilization, fining or filtration, to retain the wines’ most vibrant flavors and aromas.

D&GW owners Jared and Tracey Brandt are pioneers, having followed this practice since debuting their label in 2004, along with organic and biodynamic farming philosophies via their North Bay area grape growers.

Utilizing various fermentations of wood, concrete and stainless steel, they also call to Mother Nature for wild or na-

Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse: 1920 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, 510-843-2739, www.triplerock.com.

Gilman Brewing Company: 912 Gilman St., Berkeley, 510556-8701, www.gilmanbrew.com.

Donkey & Goat Winery: 1340 5th St., Berkeley, 510-8689174, www.donkeyandgoat.com.

Broc Cellars: 1300 5th St., Berkeley, 510-542-9463, www.broccellars.com.

Takara Sake: 708 Addison St., Berkeley, 510-540-8250, www.takarasake.com.

MUSE A GROUP SHOW FEATURING:

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NADEZDA HELICE WEN AARON NAGEL KARLA ORTIZ ALBERT RAMOS

JUNE 5TH - 29TH OPENING RECEPTION JUNE 8TH, 2019 6 - 9PM

SHOH GALLERY 700 GILMAN SHOHGALLERY.COM @SHOH_EAST_BAY

Today, 5/26, 4-7pm, Artists Reception for What Is Real: The Bay Area Paintings by Christopher Peterson

tive yeast to make their wines, and sometimes practice foot stomping (pigeage à pied) for crushing.

The result: intriguing wines

you can sample at their tasting room, in unusual, sometimes interestingly funky flavors like a stem-and-skin crafted Amber Chardonnay, Marsanne made in

Sunday, May 26, 2019 • Berkeley • San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

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a clay vat, and what they call a “porch pounder” Twinkle Mourvedre that is beautifully easy to drink thanks to its lighter character. Stay and play, too, with the bocce court, corn hole, board games, picnic tables and live music on Sundays.

BROC CELLARS Owner Chris Brockway has seen the natural wine market evolve over the past few years, and he salutes the commitment by relying only on spontaneous fermentation, meaning using only native yeasts and bacteria that naturally exist on the grapes.

Nothing is added except a bit of naturally occurring sulfur now and then — no outside nutrients, powdered enzymes, tannins or other popular fermentation agents.

“Our goal is to bring out the natural expression of the grape,” Brockway said, noting that he also uses concrete vats alongside French oak barrels and stainless steel tanks.

These are very interesting grapes, too, in fascinating varieties such as Tocai Friulano, Counoise, Valdiguié, Lagrein, and a very rare to the area Nero d’Avola.

You can explore the small batch wines — generally produced from about 68 cases to 4,800 — at the modern, blue wood trimmed tasting room, for a remarkable deal of just $15, waived with bottle purchase.

Above: Visitors to Jupiter enjoy the brew house’s popular outdoor garden in Berkeley. Below left: The 2,260-square-foot tasting room at Takara Sake in Berkeley features reclaimed Douglas Fir. Below right: Visitors experience a sake tasting at Takara Sake.

TAKARA SAKE The pedigree is quite impressive, as Takara Sake USA Inc. was established in 1983 as member of Takara Group, Japan’s leading corporation of alcohol-related business and biotechnology.

Producing shochu, mirin and sake for more than 150 years, the group

has tapped Berkeley for production of its Sho Chiku Bai brand of multiple style sakes, plus flavored sakes, plum sake, and the sweet, golden mirin that’s made with pure snow melt from the Sierra Nevada Moun-

tains and premium rice from the fertile Sacramento Valley.

The 2,260-square-foot tasting room is stunning, constructed like a Japanese shrine of reclaimed Douglas Fir and blue, granite-finished tile dot-

Savor a cup of coffee, tea

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s the home of Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Berkeley is brimming with plenty of cute cafés to grab a java or cuppa.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea: The national phenomenon was born in Berkeley in 1966 at this very shop on Vine and Walnut streets. Founder Alfred Peet introduced fresh, dark, hand-roasted beans to us, and we’ve been in love with the high quality stuff ever since.

(2124 Vine St., 510-8410564, www.peets.com) 1951 Coffee Company: Drinking great coffee for a good cause? It’s true with this nonprofit specialty coffee company that promotes the well-being of the community by providing job training and employment to refugees, asylees, and special immigrant visa holders at

their flagship store on Channing Way, and at other café and kiosk locations around Berkeley.

(2410 Channing Way, 510-280-6171, www.

1951coffee.com) Timeless Coffee: The concept is oh-so contemporary, as an all vegan coffee roastery, bakery, café and chocolatier, tempting with delights like Colombian pour over, or mocha splashed with oat milk. (2965 College Ave., 510-990-6592, www. timelesscoffee.com) Asha Tea House: Premium teas are sourced from Taiwan, China and Japan, in delicious varieties like

ted with glass recycled from sake, beer and whiskey bottles.

Try the $20 flight of seven sakes, including the Sho Chiku Bai Kinpaku glittering with gold flakes, then check out the museum next door, to admire sake making tools from the early 20th century.

creamy Golden Lily milk oolong, smoky Big Red Robe oolong and masala chai with boba. The setting is spectacular, too, featuring soaring ceilings supported by carved concrete columns and long pendant lanterns. (2086 University Ave., 510)-549-9137, www.ashateahouse.com) Teance Fine Teas: Indulge in a tasting led by a tea sommelier in this gorgeous skylight-capped café done in sustainable bamboo cabinetry, raked plaster walls and handmade glazed porcelain tiles. The tea varieties are impressive, spanning white, green, oolong, matcha, black, red, Chinese fermented pu-erh, and herbal. (1780 Fourth St., 510-524-2832, www. teance.com.)

Great Food & Bottomless Mimosas

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San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature • Berkeley • Sunday, May 26, 2019

SILVER MORNINGSTAR

VISIT BERKELEY

SILVER MORNINGSTAR

VISIT BERKELEY

Clockwise from top left: The Hearst Memorial Mining Building is a campus icon designed by John Galen Howard with help from Julia Morgan; Sather Tower, known as The Campanile, is 307 feet tall and is the third-tallest bell and clock tower in the world; the technology-free Morrison Library is an open-to-the-public reading room; built in 1903, the 8,500-seat William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Experience UC Berkeley gems, from iconic to hidden

By Matt Villano

entire bay.

The University of California at Berkeley is one of the most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country, so it should come as no surprise that the campus has several mustsee spots.

Among them: a bell tower with sweeping views of the bay, the organ collection at Hertz Hall and more. Here, in no particular order, are 10 hidden gems to check out while strolling around (or near) the campus.

MORRISON LIBRARY

CAMPANILE At 307 feet, Sather Tower, known as The Campanile, is the third-tallest bell and clock tower in the world. The 61 bells play three concerts daily. Perhaps most curiously, the tower also is a living museum and is home to more than 300,000 ancient fossils that were excavated in the early 1900s from tar pits in Los Angeles. The circa-1914 tower is open to the public every day; visitors can take an elevator to an observation deck with panoramic vistas of the

With wood-paneled walls, vaulted ceilings, Turkish rugs and tufted couches, this opento-the-public reading room is a throwback to the late 1920s, when it opened as a library within the larger Doe Memorial Library. The technology-free space remains a place where visitors can access a host of special collections for review.

The Morrison also sponsors the Graphic Arts Loan Collection — framed, original lithographs, etchings and woodblock prints that Cal affiliates can borrow for their homes.

PHOEBE A. HEARST MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY As far as public anthropology museums go, few come close to this one inside Kroeber Hall.

Collections comprise close to 3.8 million objects, though no more than 200 are on display at a time. According to Katie Fleming, gallery manager and education coordinator, highlights of the collection include artifacts

LAURA MORTON

Above: The Zellerbach Playhouse fills with patrons before a performance by Poland’s Song of the Goat Theatre. Zellerbach Hall is a multi-venue theater on UC Berkeley’s campus. Below: Visitors to The Campanile can take an elevator to an observation deck with panoramic vistas of the entire bay.

VISIT BERKELEY

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• San Francisco Chronicle Advertising Feature

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from Egypt, the ancient Andes, the Mediterranean and native California. The one exhibit that never changes: A 2,500-yearold, Hieroglyphics-covered basalt sarcophagus lid that weighs three tons.

FOUNDERS’ ROCK Way back in 1860, when trustees of the College of California met to survey the land they had bought for a new campus in Berkeley, they were blown away by the beauty and the views and sought to commemorate the move with a stone. Years later, when the first phase of campus was completed in 1896, they inscribed a slab of marble and put it into a giant rock. Today the totem is surrounded by oak and eucalyptus trees at the corner of Hearst Avenue and Gayley Road.

GREEK THEATRE The 8,500-seat William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre (students and locals just call it The Greek) was built in 1903 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

The venue is cut into the hills atop campus; seats face the stage with an unobstructed view of the bay in the background.

Today, the theatre hosts mainstream musical acts and revival shows, public speakers and university functions. It’s also the site of the Big Game rally before the annual football game with Stanford.

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE Perched in the hills above the Cal campus, this museum is the country’s only science center that is part of a top-tier, public research university. That means curators constantly are striving to create innovative and effective science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs. Popular attractions include the animal discovery room, exhibits on game theory and tectonics and a planetarium.

REDWOOD GROVE The Stephen T. Mather Redwood Grove in the hills behind

LAURA MORTON

Above: UC Berkeley’s Zellerbach Hall has the 1,984-seat Zellerbach Auditorium and the 500-seat Zellerbach Playhouse. Below: The Hearst Memorial Mining Building is near a metal grate that covers the entrance to the Lawson Adit, a horizontal mining tunnel.

Memorial Stadium is part of the University of California Botanical Garden at Berkeley. Trees in this serene spot date back to the 1930s — nearly 500 coast redwoods planted by Works Progress Administration crews. The 5-acre parcel has a small amphitheater where university music groups perform in the summer and the annual Redwood Grove Summer Concerts take place. It’s also a great spot to go and meditate.

HERTZ HALL Yes, the Alfred Hertz Memorial Hall of Music has a great concert space. It also is home to the music department’s collection of historic organs. This stash includes a replica of a 15th century organ, as antique 17thand 18th-century organs with hand-pumped bellows operated

by pulling ropes and a tremendous 2013 concert piece from the Noack Organ Company.

There are now 16 organs in all.

EAST ASIAN LIBRARY Architects swoon over the C.V. Starr East Asian Library for its design that mimics the patterns of ancient Chinese pottery.

Inside, the place is notable for different reasons: It contains one of the largest collections of East Asian materials in the United States. All told, there are more than one million volumes in Chinese, Japanese, Korean and other East Asian languages.

Consider each visit a cultural immersion.

HEARST MEMORIAL MINING BUILDING This circa-1907 campus icon with the red tile roof was de-

SILVER MORNINGSTAR

signed by John Galen Howard with help from Julia Morgan (the same architect behind Hearst Castle in San Simeon and the Berkeley City Club hotel). To the

From world champions to Olympians, UC Berkeley’s sports future is bright

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he East Bay’s sports landscape will look drastically different in the very near future.

The Golden State Warriors are playing their final games at Oracle Arena, and the 2019-2020 football season will be the last one in Oakland for the Raiders before they leave for Las Vegas. The future of the Oakland A’s is seemingly always uncertain, as the franchise looks for a new stadium to call home.

But UC Berkeley believes it can help fill the void left by the Raiders and Warriors by continuing to offer high-caliber athletic entertainment in the East Bay. “We have sports available to meet every interest. There’s 14 men’s sports and 16 women’s.

Somebody is competing on campus all yearround,” said Herb Benenson, head of communications for UC Berkeley’s athletic department.

“There’s a lot to choose from, and our studentathletes are some of the best in the country. We have world champions and Olympians.”

Benenson pointed to

VISIT BERKELEY

Cal Bears football plays at California Memorial Stadium. baseball’s Andrew Vaughn, swimming and diving’s Abbey Weitzeil and basketball’s Kristine Anigwe as standouts among the college’s premier talents.

Weitzeil holds the American record in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 21.02 seconds and earned silver and gold medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Vaughn, a first baseman, won the Golden Spikes Award in 2018, a recognition considered to be one of the highest honors a college baseball player can earn.

Graduating senior and women’s basketball center/forward Anigwe won the 2019 Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award. She’s also Cal’s career record holder in points, rebounds and blocks for women’s basketball.

UC Berkeley also boasts impressive coaching pedigree. Men’s swimming and diving coach Dave Durden was named head coach for the U.S. Olympic Men’s Swimming Team that’s headed to Tokyo in 2020.

Benenson also cited a renewed interest in Cal Bears football, thanks to a

talented crop of players and coach Justin Wilcox, who recently signed a contract extension that places him at the helm through 2023.

“The football program is on the rise,” he said.

“We made a bowl game last year and the alumni are excited to see where we are going.”

The college focuses on making football game day a destination, said Joe Mulford, chief revenue officer of intercollegiate athletics for UC Berkeley.

“We think about the customer experience from BART or parking until they exit the gates,” Mulford said. “We have invested a lot of time and focus on the pregame experience and tailgating. Every game we have live music, a beer garden and a family area that entertains our fans for the three hours prior to kick off.”

Beyond that, the college uses football to showcase its various clubs and luminaries. Nobel Prize winners and standout professors have been recognized on the field before games, and student clubs are invited to show off their skills.

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1411 MLK Way, Berkeley CA 94709 510-985-9222 www.HandsOnBerkeley.com

east of the building, a metal grate covers the entrance to the Lawson Adit, a horizontal mining tunnel that passes directly through the Hayward fault line.

“We use football to try and celebrate the entire campus,” Mulford said.

“Student groups will showcase their clubs on concourse. For example, last year the CalSol team was showing off a solarpowered car.”

Benenson said the men’s and women’s soccer teams are generating plenty of interest among the younger demographic.

“We’re seeing so many kids into soccer,” he said.

“They see what might be possible if they stick with it.”

Mulford is also big on using giveaways to entice larger crowds. Bobbleheads, t-shirts and scarves are some of the items given to students who attend the premier sports

events.

“We always want to engage the students,” he said. “The idea is: If you’re a student and you show up, you get something.”

UC Berkeley’s 30 sports are spread across 12 venues on campus. Throughout its history, Cal has claimed 97 national team titles in 16 different sports, along with 310 individual national champions scattered among rowing, swimming and diving, gymnastics, golf, boxing, tennis and track and field.

Golden Bear athletes have also earned 207 Olympic medals, including 117 gold. At the 2016 Games in Rio, they won 21 medals, 19 of which came in swimming.

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