Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
First Church of Christ Scientist
CHURCH
Bernard Maybeck's impressive 1910 church uses concrete and wood in its blend of Arts
and Crafts, Asian and Gothic influences. Maybeck was a professor of architecture at UC
Berkeley and designed San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, plus many landmark homes in
the Berkeley Hills. Free tours happen the first Sunday of every month at 12:15pm.
Julia Morgan Theatre
THEATER
To the southeast of People's Park is this beautifully understated, redwood-infused 1910
theater, a performance space (formerly a church) created by Bay Area architect Julia Mor-
gan. She designed numerous Bay Area buildings and, most famously, the Hearst Castle.
Downtown
Berkeley's downtown, centered on Shattuck Ave between University Ave and Dwight
Way, has far fewer traces of the city's tie-dyed reputation. The area has emerged as an ex-
citing arts district with numerous shops and restaurants and restored public buildings. At
the center are the acclaimed thespian stomping grounds of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
and the Aurora Theatre Company and live music at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse; a
few good movie houses are also nearby.
North Berkeley
Not too far north of campus is a neighborhood filled with lovely garden-front homes,
parks and some of the best restaurants in California. The popular
Gourmet Ghetto
stretches along Shattuck Ave north of University Ave for several blocks, anchored by Chez
Panisse. Northwest of here,
Solano Ave
, which crosses from Berkeley into Albany, is lined
with lots of funky shops and more good restaurants.
On Euclid Ave just south of Eunice St is the
Berkeley Rose Garden
and its eight ter-
races of colorful explosions. Here you'll find quiet benches and a plethora of almost per-
petually blooming roses arranged by hue. Across the street is a picturesque park with a
children's playground (including a very fun concrete slide, about 100ft long).
