Home & Garden Columns

It’s a warm, breezy spring day. I’m sitting in the courtyard at Espresso Roma, lunching on a terrific spinach-mushroom frittata and watching the world of Elmwood pass by. Inside laptops silently hum while lattes are sipped. Though my meter is ticking I’m in no hurry to move. Once here, why would I want to leave? 

Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood invites lingering and strolling. Stretching along College Avenue from the University to the Oakland border, on gentle terrain past village-like shops and classic architecture, the neighborhood gives you the feeling that of having effortlessly arrived at a long-desired location. On a miniature scale, Elmwood offers something for everyone. A stable neighborhood structure, tree-lined streets, friendly neighborhood shops, global cuisine and cultural venues explain my dilemma, my desire to linger despite a parking meter. 

After the Gold Rush and the founding of the University of California, newcomers to Berkeley sought quality homes with proximity to campus and nearby Telegraph Avenue businesses. Aided by Key streetcars along College Avenue, Elmwood Park, named after shade-providing elms, began to expand with both residential and commercial entities. One hundred years later, much of its original small-town charm remains. 

The business district of any neighborhood reflects the needs of its populace; the residential areas reflect its heart. Recognizing pride in ownership, I happily strolled along Benvenue and Hillegass Avenues and Russell Street admiring classic brown shingles, craftsman and storybook tutor homes. Even the public library made me pause. Handsome brick and timbers with peaked roof, sunlight filtered through and glancing off ancient leafy elms, benches outside and comfortable seating indoors begged for time spent with a good book. 

Admiring architecture doesn’t require a degree in styles or movements. You don’t need to know what it is to know what you like. Two- and three-story brown shingles trimmed in forest-green, gentian-blue or brick-red with limpet like purple wisteria coating one side; a broad front porch with Adirondack chairs awaiting your repose or a bedroom balcony for that first cup of morning coffee. A pale-green Queen Anne with small multi-paned windows, another stately home fronted by massive white columns. Gardens to drool over: flower-filled with roses and rhododendrons, framed by years-old pines, palms and oaks, alive with birdsong. Homes to treasure. 

Elmwood’s business district radiates from a hub at College and Ashby, limited in size but limitless in choices. There’s something for every taste. Start with food. In the mood for something Eastern? You can sample the tastes of Pakistan and India at Naan ’N’ Curry or enter the cool, elegant rooms of King Yen, where large open windows shaded beneath eggplant awnings beckon you in for a gracious meal. When you’re in a hurry, pop into Manpuku and grab a delicious assortment of pre-packed combination sushi. Study the illustrated menu to get a preview of their bento and ramen offerings. 

Red wine, olive oil and al dente pasta call up the tastes of Italy. Trattoria La Siciliana announces Bon Appetito along with a special board listing offerings of antipasti, primi and secondi dishes. Inside the ocher-washed walls and tiled floors and tables invoke the spirit of a secret Italian café. Stop at A.G. Ferrari Foods to bring Italy home. Tapenade di olive and asiago fresco before ravioli con spinaci e ricotta under ragu alla Bolognese washed down with Belvedere Umbria—worthy of a meal from the finest Italian villa! 

Gordo’s Taqueria and La Cascada Taqueria can satisfy your taste for over the border while the Holy Land Restaurant offers kosher and vegetarian choices. La Mediterranée’s sidewalk tables waft the aromas of hummus and baba ghanous. Cold cucumber soup or warm filled fillos, the wonderful blend of spices will entice you in. 

All that food made me feel sluggish, ready to work it all off. Bolfing’s Elmwood Hardware has supplies for whatever project you’ve been putting off, like putting up a Shaker peg rack, perusing the decorator’s palette for just the right shade of goldenrod or picking up a new LED flashlight for your earthquake supplies. 

Thinking about your garden, or lack of one? Inside Mrs. Dalloway’s I was inspired to landscape and plant. Yellow Gloveables, fine Felco clippers and Renee’s Garden seeds could get me started. A lovely space, as airy and fresh as a spring garden, displaying a wonderful assortment of books, potted plants, garden-related accoutrements and a red wicker chair made it hard for me to leave. 

Too quiet around your house? Enter Your Basic Bird and your heart will lift. An incredible assortment of winged friends greeted me with caws, chirps and coos, both raucous and subtle. Parrots of amazing colors, one an electric green with red, blue and purple feathers and bright orange beak, seemed too beautiful to be real. Tiny finches, intricately patterned, amazed me. I counted eight distinct sections and colors on one three-inch beauty. 

Indulgence is easy along College Avenue. Jeremy’s discounted prices allow shopping without guilt. I spotted flowered sequined skirts, light-as-air sundresses and a striped cream sweater that mimicked a tropical spree. The turquoise and silver jewelry at Bill’s Trading Post would be the perfect accent. And who wouldn’t covet a finely crafted Pomo feather basket or an obsidian dream catcher? 

Far Leaves satisfies the taste for tea in an attractive, peaceful setting. Patrons are encouraged to try new blends and brew their choice of black, oolong, green, herbal infusion or rare tea in-house for optimum enjoyment. Take home a lovely ceramic tea set to prolong the pleasure. 

When that yen for something sweet beckons, choices abound. Dream Fluff Donuts displays its glistening, Homer-size treats in the front window. Ozzie’s old-fashioned soda fountain still serves milkshakes and egg creams at the vintage counter. At Nabalom’s cinnamon twists and puck-sized cookies tempt the eye and taste buds. 

Cultural venues are easy walking distance from Elmwood’s hub. The Elmwood Theater is a Berkeley landmark, surviving since 1914 and saved by the Friends of the Theater in 1994. Touted as a family theater in its prime, today’s offerings cater to a broader family but better reflect the interests of the community. 

A National Historic Landmark, the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts is reminiscent of a rustic National Park lodge. Dark brown exposed framing with redwood rafters and small wall lamps set the scene for theater, dance and music performances, Lego and Mad Science summer camps and classes for all ages. 

My final stop was at the Judah L. Magnes Museum housed in a handsome four-story cinder brick mansion in a secluded park-like setting. Within, distinctly painted galleries exhibit art reflecting the global Jewish experience, seeking to promote understanding and commonalities. I greatly enjoyed Larry Adamson’s diorama “Searching for the Ideal City.” His miniature Jerusalem of candelabra, spice boxes and Torah crowns contrasts the ideal with the actual. 

Meter satisfied, I ambled back to my sidewalk perch for another cappuccino and just a while longer in the village of Elmwood. Embodying the sense of having attained Berkeley-style achievement, Elmwood may be small in size but its essence looms large.  

Photograph by Marta Yamamoto 

Choices for excellent international cuisine are close at hand along College Avenue in the Elmwood District.