After 94 years in Berkeley, Pettingell Book Bindery is shutting down
The downtown Berkeley book bindery, which Klaus-Ullrich Rötzscher has been operating since 1994, will close on Dec. 31.
Melati Citrawireja
Melati Citrawireja is a writer, photographer and curious thinker about the underbelly of places. She began contributing to Berkeleyside after a summer internship in 2015 and earned a BA in Development Studies in 2016. Her work has also appeared in the East Bay Express, Made Local Magazine, Oakland Magazine, New Sincerity and more. Find her playing with light at Melati Photography.
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Articles by Melati
Lithuanian dumplings made by hand at Mama Papa Lithuania in Alameda
Chef Danute Sukiene makes traditional Lithuanian homestyle cuisine at this charming, family-owned neighborhood spot.
Bahá’ís of Berkeley celebrate Naw Ruz
In a North Berkeley home, members of the Bahá’í faith, whose roots are in Iran, gathered on the eve of the spring equinox to break their 19-day fast and usher in a new year.
Bar Shiru, the Bay Area’s first hi-fi vinyl bar, is a haven for audiophiles
Inspired by Tokyo’s vinyl cafés and their shared love of jazz, co-founders Daniel Gahr and Shirin Raza have opened their own high-fidelity analog music bar in Oakland.
Oakland spice company Diaspora Co. has a new love affair — wild-harvested cardamom
The two-year-old company that won acclaim for its organically farmed, direct-trade turmeric is working to import an heirloom variety of pesticide-free, fair trade cardamom from Southwest India.
Flavorful, scratch-made pot pies worth seeking out in Hayward
Theresia Gunawan’s Pot Pie Paradise offers tried-and-true classics as well as uncommon pies filled with Hungarian beef goulash and spicy Javanese tempeh. She can be found at local farmers markets too.
Watch: Mesmerizing cocktail alchemy at the Hotsy Totsy in Albany
Bartender and co-owner Jessica Maria does her magic behind the bar.
This log cabin in Albany is home to one of the East Bay’s favorite breakfast spots
Once a former speakeasy and an off-track betting den, Sam’s Log Cabin serves hearty daytime meals with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and building community.
Subway Guitars in Berkeley: This stomping ground for the greats has activist roots
A corner building covered in clouds was once the haunt for some of the world’s most influential musicians. Subway Guitars owner Fatdog still oversees a vibrant music community hub.
Watch: Oaxacan mole made from scratch at Agave Uptown
In this edition of Handmade East Bay, chef-owner Octavio Diaz and his mother Juana Ramirez make the family recipe for this rich, flavorful Oaxacan sauce.
The best things we ate over the weekend at the NorCal Night Market
We tried lobster with garlic noodles, a new take on Thai sticky rice with mango, Spam musubi with Hot Cheeto crumbles and more at the first installment of this Asian night market.
A family legacy continues in Berkeley with the reopening of KC’S BBQ
Three generations of the Davis family have owned this Berkeley BBQ joint, which recently reopened after a fire destroyed the original location.
Nyum Bai pays homage to Cambodia’s golden era and street food in Fruitvale
Chef Nite Yun presents the vibrant cuisine and the nostalgic rock-and-roll past of Cambodia at her new brick and mortar restaurant in Fruitvale.
Watch: Lithuanian dumplings made by hand at Mama Papa Lithuania in Alameda
Chef Danute Sukiene makes traditional Lithuanian homestyle cuisine at this charming, family-owned neighborhood spot.
The Berkeley bookstore many residents wouldn’t know to look for
The Friends bookstore is stocked with donations from the community. Some are re-donated. Most are sold for under $3 to support the Berkeley Library. A few are exciting discoveries.
Berkeley tattoo artist nurtures change, both personal and societal
Regina Campuzano, a highly regarded artist at Modern Electric, a majority women- and queer-run studio in South Berkeley, believes getting a tattoo is radically vulnerable act.
