I do love Berkeley, with its wonderful atmosphere and its people, daring to live on a different beat!
The spring and the fall are the most notably beautiful, and walking in the street is always an amazement.
Berkeley in the spring
In the winter, you get the magnolia; in the spring come the fragrant wisteria and the gentle jasmine; the summer has the river flowing to the sea, and the fall, oh the fall with the ginkgo glowing gold on Russell street!
Berkeley in the fall
I’ve seen a few friends moving nearby, and they seem to enjoy every bit of it.
Here’s a few places to check out:- Skates to get a drink right at sunset
- Casa Latina for the best tacos of the East Bay
- Berkeley Bowl West is such a paradise for the grocery shopper
- Cal Sailing Club lets you sail and windsurf for less than a dollar a day
- Bette’s Diner has some amazing brunch
- Market Hall Foods on 4th street has the best cheese selection I know, plus a hundred of other delicacies
- Albatross is the oldest pub of Berkeley, with a great selection of beer, darts and pool
- Ashkenaz has a great music programming; don’t miss Stu Allen’s Grateful Dead!
- Sola Lucy is the only place to go for thrift shop
For the news, check out Berkeleyside.com and the East Bay Express (free, out every Wednesday.) There’s also a lot of other places closer to downtown which are unique: the Back Room, the Pacific Film Archive, Yoga to the people, Half Price Book, Café Panisse, the Strawberry canyon pool, the Skyline boulevard, the Butcher’s son restaurant, the Melo Melo kava bar, and so many other things!