I don’t mean student protests against tuition hikes making headlines these days. Politics is not my field. I mean a literal brew, like in golden pilsner produced by Trumer Brauerei. I mean Come for the Culture Stay for the Food re-branding of Berkeley currently implemented by its CVB. I mean farmer’s market entrepreneurs, creative restaurant chefs and hotel designers, and small business proprietors residing in Gourmet Ghetto. I also mean a national forerunner for all things political and edgy but from the standpoint of art – Berkeley Rep. An electrifyingly written and performed “Tiny Kushner” – a five-miniplay satire by Tony Kushner runs through Nov. 29 here (berkeleyrep.org). Art, food, travel, and other joys of life are my field. Write it off to my personal history in hyper politicized communist state (thankfully now defunct) where I came to despise the spur of the moment political hype and intolerant agitprop, and learned to appreciate the eternal pleasures of human existence. But I digress. 
My glorious weekend in Berkeley, all red and orange in the Fall colors, started with a cocktail reception and designer-led tour of the newly renovated Hotel Shattuck Plaza (hotelshattuckplaza.com). A bold statement, made by a peace sign at the entrance, right on the Carrara marble floor; a decadent red glass chandelier, and dramatic black and white columns throughout the lobby were all part of a site-specific project by Ziv Davis LLC team, fully supported and approved by the owners, BPR properties (bprproperties.com), started by B.B. Patel more than 35 years ago. 
On a tour, led by Kevin Davis and Robin Ziv, more lavish chandeliers accented with red and grey crystals; feverishly colored wallpaper and crazy-pattern carpets unfolded in all directions, coming to a halt in modern yet moderately toned rooms and suites, all equipped with serene beds and squeaky clean white marble bathrooms. Then a conference room opened to a rooftop sunset view… 
Spending a couple of days in Berkeley can turn into a rewarding and educational experience. Saturday morning started with a farmer’s market (ecologycenter.org), brimming with seasonal apples and pears, homemade cheeses and Saint Benoit yogurt, Hog Island oysters, and Blue Bottle Coffee. Scott Howard, Executive Chef of Five Modern American Bistro and Bar located in the Hotel (five-berkeley.com), took us, a small group of inquisitive reporters, on his market walk. He picked Warren Pears for salad, kale for a roasted halibut course, and sucrine du berry squash for a decadent soup. 
That night, we indulged in Chef Scott’s haute cuisine, but not before we experienced some street-friendly food options on a Gourmet Ghetto Culinary Tour (gourmetghetto.org). Two Israel kibbutz-inspired collectives still thrive here, four decades after their inception – The Cheese Board (cheeseboardcollective.coop) and Juice Bar (thejuicebar.org). Collectively made decisions, the absence of hierarchy, health insurance for every working body, and no frivolous layoffs present the otherwise unattainable communist ideal in addition to highly marketable capitalist quality of the product. Berkeley residents and visitors queue around the block for the Cheese Board famous pizza. 
Another historical institution – Saul’s Restaurant & Delicatessen. Forty years and counting of brisket pastrami, chopped liver, celery soda, and other Jewish deli gems (saulsdeli.com).
The original Peet’s Coffee & Tea (peets.com) was also founded in Berkeley in 1966 by Alfred Peet of Holland whose coffee revolution is now preserved and presented in his memorial room here. 
On the same tour, we stopped at Vintage Berkeley Winery (vintageberkeley.com) where good wines from all over the world are priced at $25 or less, and where a bathtub filled with champagne acquired a whole new meaning. We tried Tasmanian honey and habanero flavored truffles at Alegio Chocolate (alegio.com), and picked through lemon, strawberry, and pumpkin cupcakes at Love at First Bite Cupcakery (loveatfirstbitebakery.com).
The last but not least on our way was Gregoire, serving addictive potato puffs with daily changing sauces and founded by M. Gregoire Jacquet. Legend has it that a Michelin quality restaurateur once tired of white tablecloth and waiters in tuxes and thus opened a couple of madly popular locations of his namesake take-out (gregoirerestaurant.com).
Our Sunday brunch was served at Skates on the Bay (skatesonthebay.com), complete with a spectacular view of the Berkeley Marina. House-baked bread, pastries, and flaky croissants preceded frittatas, huevos, and omelets, as well as delectable buckwheat blinis, so dear to a Russian soul. 
Next, we embarked on a tour of Trumer Pils Brewery (trimerbrauerei.com) led by lead brewer Jeff Eaton. First opened in Salzburg in 1601, the brand made a smooth transition to Berkeley in 2004, and started winning away gold medals at World Beer Cups year after year. 
Should you have some underage individuals in your party on your Berkeley adventure, Lawrence Hall of Science (lawrencehallofscience.org) is a must, however, anyone would turn into a child at this amazing place of hands-on science and up-close discoveries, where you can study the dynamics of an earthquake, Forces that Shaped the Bay (an outdoor exhibit opened in 2003) or pet a live and possibly venomous snake. 
Another great place to visit with a family or on your own – University of California at Berkeley Botanical Gardens (botanicalgardenberkeley.edu) – the oldest in the U.S. started in 1890. Bask in the sun in the midst of South American of African shrubbery, marvel at monkey puzzle tree, or study nicotiana cordifolia – a tobacco plant, once seriously considered for hybridization and spreading in California. Photography by Emma and Yuri Krasov.
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