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SOAKING UP THE BERKELEY SCENE
Leave from: San Francisco
The jaunt: Let the tourists have Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. When we want a carefree, car-free weekend in the Bay Area, we head for Berkeley, the original home of earth mothers and flower power. Our perfect day starts with cinnamon brioche French toast and lattes at La Note; and ends with sweet corn soufflé, quail with garlic sausage, and raspberry ice cream pavlova at the legendary Chez Panisse, birthplace of California cuisine. And of course we'll make time for a midday pit stop at one of the weekly Farmers' Markets for locally grown fruits, organic baked goods, and farm-fresh cheeses. Though the town is by no means the counterculture hub it was in the '60s, you can still find the beatnik vibe on Telegraph Avenue. Whole Earth Access is long gone, but you're free to browse the manifestos at Moe's and flip through some vinyl at Amoeba Records to bring you back to the days of free love.
Your chariot: It's just a 25-minute trip on BART from Powell Street to downtown Berkeley.
Check into: The Claremont Resort & Spa, whose 279 rooms have views of San Francisco Bay and offer an elegant balance to Berkeley's collegiate, liberal scene
La Note
Tel: 510 843 1535
Chez Panisse
Tel: 510 548 5525
Moe's Books
Tel: 510 849 2087
Amoeba Records
Tel: 510 549 1125
Claremont Resort & Spa
Tel: 510 843 3000
Doubles from $249 per night
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