Back to the 1960's: Berkeley in the New Millinneum

This vibrant college town hasn't been called "The People's Republic of Berkeley" for nothing. There's a heavy metal marker just inside the entrance to the University of California campus commemorating the words of one of the 60's protesters along the lines of, "Between the center of the earth below and the heavens above, on this spot I swear not to accept any authority over me or the rest of mankind by any of the powers that be." And if you walk down the main drag westward from that gate, you'll see anti-war literature spread out on sidewalk tables, smell the odor of marijuana every few steps, and hear the not-so-subtle calls of shills standing in doorways and inviting you to come look at the paraphernalia in gloomily-lit headshops.

Still, a visit here isn't just a nostalgic dip into the 1960's of campus protests and drug-addled drop-outs. Berkeley is a fascinating microcosm of all of California, replete with outstanding restaurants, comfortable hotels with friendly staffs and cultural opportunities year round, as well as healthy outdoor activities. The city has its own opera, symphony, black repertory group, ballet, theater and community chorus--and that's just the beginning.

There's a splendid public golf course at Tilden Park, a fine marina where you can have marvelous views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco, a gorgeous municipal rose garden, and the UC Botanical Garden itself, among the world's leading displays, including redwoods and Chinese medicinal herbs. For spectator sports, there's the UC Athletic Division, where you can see the California Bears play.

You get here from San Francisco simply by driving over the Bay Bridge on I-80, which joins with I-580 turning northward the few miles to Berkeley. When you reach University Avenue, take a right and you'll end up at the main gate of the University of California, Berkeley Campus. If you don't want to drive, take BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), though you'll wish you had a car once you're in the Berkeley area.

Highlights

You can't ignore the university, nor should you, as its campus is at once beautiful and inspiring. (Wear good walking shoes--the place is built on the slopes of the Berkeley Hills amking for a lot of up and down hiking.) On campus, two highlights are the Campanile (which you can climb) and the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, 103 Kroeber Hall, Bancroft Way at College Avenue, phone 510/642-3682, the latter with both permanent and traveling exhibits of interest.

South of the campus, you'll want to see is the six-block stretch of Telegraph Avenue with its eclectic mix of shops that students love, especially those handling secondhand books and records. Lying just to the west of the campus along University Avenue itself, is a stretch of street that will take you back to the 1960's, whether you experienced those days or have only seen those days on film.

Shoppers will love the recently renovated Fourth Street, way out west of Downtown near the Amtrak Station and I-80, just off University Avenue. In three blocks (the 1700 to 1900s) there are dozens of trendy spots, including art galleries, restaurants and shops selling apparel, books, beauty and health products, children's wear, electronics, eyewear, flowers, footwear and furnishings. If you're interested in glassblowing, you can visit Randy Strong in his studio (phone ahead to be sure he's there), further north at 1235 4th Street, phone 510/525-3150. His Web site is www.rstrong.com. His work is absolutely beautiful.

At the Judah L. Magnes Museum, often called "The Jewish Museum of the West," you can see the third largest collection of Judaica in the U.S. Contact them at 2911 Russell Street, phone 510/549-6950.

For lovers of wine, beer and sake, the Berkeley CVB has issued a Berkeley Brewery Trail Guide, navigating you through what they like to call "The Napa Valley of Beer." There are eight stops, seven for beer, one for sake. Most of them have free tastings, demonstrations or tours. One of the finest beer makers is Pyramid, at 901 Gilman Street, phone 510/528-9880, Web site www.pyramidbrew.com. There are daily free brewery tours, a tasting room, restaurant and shop. A large plate glass wall separates the restaurant from the brewery, and there's plenty of free parking space available. Chicken fried steak for $11.95 is a specialty in the restaurant.

Sake is brewed like a beer, even though we call it "rice wine" in English. At Takara Sake, you can try several different kinds of sake produced here, daily. Some are served warm, others chilled. Be sure to end with sweet plum wine. Contact them at 708 Addison Street (down near the Fourth Avenue shopping area), phone 800/4 TAKARA or 510/540-8250, Web site www.takarasake.com.

Ongoing markets that can be fun to visit include the Berkeley Farmers Market, open every Saturday from 10 to 2 on Martin Luther King Jr. Way at Center Street, and on Tuesdays from 2 to 7, MLK Way at Derby Street. Local farmers sell mostly organic produce (including honey and bread), as well as flowers and plants. Phone them at 510/548-3333. At the Berkeley Flea Market, you'll find the usual assortment of treasures and junk. Every Saturday and Sunday from 8 to 7:30, in the parking lot of the Ashby BART station. The Flea Market phone is 510/644-0744. The West Berkeley Market is open on Sundays from early July through late October, from 11 to 5. Location is University Avenue between 3rd and 4th streets. Look for crafts, specialty foods, music and general jollification. Phone them at 510/654-6346.

Lodgings

Cheapest of the decent hotels near the university (five blocks away) is the Campus Motel, where a room for two persons in one Queen-sized bed is just $70. This is a family-owned and -operated place, neat and clean, two stories high, with ample free parking. They have 23 rooms and three family suites, the latter including a full kitchenette, color TV (with HBO, CNN, ESPN), phone and coffee making machine. No pets. Contact them at 1619 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94703, phone 510/841-3844. Ask for owner Marion White or managers Gene and Jane Bowden.

Equally inexpensive is the Berkeley Travel Inn, quite close to the UC campus at 1461 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94702, phone 510/848-3840, fax 510/848-3846, e-mail chry@msn.com. Rooms for one or two persons start at $70 here, the motel offering free morning coffee and free parking. There is a restaurant on the property, and your room will have satellite TV. When you tire of the latter, step outside for a look at the property's beautiful gardens.

At the Capri Motel, rooms for one or two persons start at $75, free coffee included. (You can get rooms as low as $65 during low season and for longer stays.) Each of the standard motel-type 26 rooms (four of which are suites) has a mini fridge, cable TV (with HBO and Showtime), phones, and king or queen beds. No pets. They're just one block from the North Berkeley BART station. Contact them at 1512 University Avenue, Berkeley CA 94703, phone 510/845-7090, fax 510/845-7094, e-mail capri1512@aol.com, Web site www.caprimotelberkeley.com.

The Golden Bear Inn is another motel, off University Avenue about halfway between the campus and the Bay. Some of the 43 rooms (on two floors) start at just $89 (add another $10 on weekend nights), and the price includes free coffee in the lobby (add pastries on the weekends). There are also four two-bedroom cottages, costing $150 and up per day. Rooms have cable TV with HBO, CNN and ESPN. Contact them at 1620 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley CA 94702, phone 800/525-6770 or 510/525-6770, fax 510/525-6999, e-mail alex_spaziani@goldenbearinn.com, Web site www.goldenbearinn.com.

The Hotel Shattuck Plaza has 175 rooms, some beginning at $89 for one or two persons, but going up to $125. It's one of the city's oldest (1910) hostelries, its five stories sitting on a busy corner right downtown, just a block from the UC campus. Rates include a free continental breakfast. A manager told me they plan to open a restaurant off the lobby soon. The rooms are smallish, but comfortable. BART is just across the street. No pets. Contact them at 2086 Allston Way, Berkeley CA 94703, phone 800/237-5359 or 510/ 845-7300, fax 510/ 644-2088 e-mail info@hotelshattuckplaza.com, Web site www.hotelshattuckplaza.com.

The Beau Sky Hotel is another restored house (1911 "Victorian"), also just one block from the UC campus, with 20 rooms and a friendly staff. The rates for a double room start at $109 and go up to $129, and include a continental breakfast, as well as cable TV in each rather spacious room. Some rooms have balcony and panoramic view of the Berkeley Hills. Pets accepted in this all-non-smoking hotel. Contact them at 2520 Durant Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704, phone 800/990-2328 or 510/540-7688, fax 510/540-8089, e-mail beausky@beausky.com, www.beausky.com.

You'll feel chic at the trendy Bancroft Hotel, which calls itself a luxury boutique hotel and is a landmark building (1928), on the National Register. You can't find a better location, just across the street from the UC campus. From some of its 22 rooms, which start at $119 for single or double occupancy, you can see the Bay, from others the Berkeley Hills, all in a smoke-free environment, in some cases from a large balcony or deck. The price includes a free breakfast and full cable TV, including HBO. Parking costs $8 a day. The trendy Caffe Strada, Berkeley's most popular outdoor eating place, is just next door. Contact them at 2680 Bancroft Way, Berkeley CA 94704, phone 800/549-1002 or 510/549-1000, fax 510/549-1070, e-mail reservations@bancrofthotel.com, Web site www.bancrofthotel.com.

Dining Out

"California Cuisine" was born in Alice Waters' Chez Panisse restaurant right here in Berkeley. Her techniques and philosophy of cooking have spread all over the world, but if you want to eat at her place, you'll need many dollars and much patience--the wait can be quite long, but well worth it. Contact Chez Panisse at 1517 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, phone 510/548-5525, dinner $65 and up. To preview menus and other information about the restaurant, visit the Web site at www.chezpanisse.com. You can also have a taste of her influence for less by grabbing something to eat at Cafe Fanny, co-owned by her daughter, Fanny (see below).

Cafe Fanny is co-owned by the eponymous daughter of Alice Waters and the owner of the Mazzini Trattoria. The place looks like a hole in the wall with a few tables outside. But the food is delicious, including a $4.20 eggplant fontina at lunch or, for breakfast, a variety of crepes starting at $2.95. Be sure to have a marvelous beignet, all creamy in the center. 1603 San Pablo Avenue, corner of Cedar Street, phone 510/524-5447. Learn more here: cafefanny.citysearch.com. No dinner, open daily.

The University Cafe is one of those mom-and-pop places that the movies feature when doing films of the 1930's, 40' and 50's. The staff is friendly, the atmosphere down home. This is clearly the social center of Berkeley's townies, with a few discerning students thrown in for good measure. Breakfast comes as cheap as $3.50 (two large eggs, any style, with hash browns, toast or English muffin), lunch from $3.50 (grilled cheese sandwich with French fries), and dinner from just $6.75 (University chicken, fillets served with sweet and sour sauce). Find them at 1800 University Avenue, phone 510/843-7326.

At The Original Mel's Diner, you can enjoy the atmosphere of the 1950's while having breakfast for as little as $4.99 (four items, with choice of eggs or cereal, then bakery or griddle, then bacon, sausage or ham, and finally, fruit or potatoes), lunch from $5.49 (grilled cheese sandwich) or $5.99 (a Melburger, with choice of chips, fries, coleslaw or potato salad), or dinner from just $6.99 (spaghetti and meatballs). Contact them at 2240 Shattuck Avenue, phone 510/540-6351. Open daily.

If you want to be where the knowledgeable food-loving students go, check out Venus, at 2327 Shattuck Avenue, phone 510/540-5950. If you can get in, try their breakfasts, with main entrees as low as $4.75 (fried egg sandwich with white cheddar and chipotle mayo on wheat or sourdough), lunches from only $5.75 (grilled Vermont white cheddar and mozzarella sandwich with lettuce and tomato), or dinner entrees, from $9.95 (salmon cakes on a bed of greens, with Yukon gold potatoes and remoulade). Closed Mondays.

Topping our short list, pricewise, is the Mazzini Trattoria, owned by Jim and Laura Maser (he's co-owner of Cafe Fanny). Despite its ultra luxurious feel (all mahogany wood interior and Italian art), you can have lunch here for as little as $8.50 (eggplant parmigiano sandwich), brunch from just $9 (baked eggs, cannellini beans, heirloom tomatoes and sausages) and dinner from only $14.50 (tagliatelle with chanterelles). The management on the menu thanks its purveyors of "naturally raised meats, wild fish and organic produce." Contact them at 2826 Telegraph Avenue, phone 510/848-5599, Web site mazzini.citysearch.com.

Summing Up

For more information on Berkeley:

Berkeley CVB
2015 Center Street
Berkeley CA 94704
Phone 800/847-4823 or 510/549-7040
Fax 707/644-3306
E-mail bconvis@ix.netcom.com
Web site www.visitberkeley.com