Baskets filled to the brim with gift certificates and pizza for a year from La Val’s Baskets filled to the brim with gift certificates and pizza for a year from La Val’s The two days of Caltopia were quite a whirl for students, faculty and staff, as well as for exhibitors like Berkeleyside. From the […]
Hotel Shattuck Plaza
Thousands of Cal students, staff flock to Caltopia
Students new and old come out in droves for the community-boosting swag-fest that is Caltopia. Find Berkeleyside at booth E104 UC Berkeley freshmen, some looking dazed, others excited, as well as more blasé seniors, turned out in their thousands on Sunday for Day One of Caltopia, the self-described “two greatest days on the planet”. The […]
UC Berkeley’s Caltopia: The ultimate Town & Gown affair
This weekend, when around 30,000 students and faculty stroll through Caltopia, browsing the booths of more than 100 exhibitors, Berkeley’s two driving forces, the city and its university, will be pitched in perfect harmony. And Berkeleyside will be there to sing along too. Caltopia was launched nine years ago as a way for Berkeley businesses […]
Five’s Banks White: Berkeley ‘keeps me on my toes’
Banks White, executive chef at Five. Photos by Christina Diaz Banks White is the executive chef of Five, which calls itself a modern American bistro. Think comfort food with au courant accents: Macaroni and cheese made with orzo, wild mushrooms, tomato jam, and smoked gouda. Slow braised short rib pot roast with mascarpone polenta. Buttermilk […]
RAW party in Berkeley showcases local artists
The party that the national arts organization RAW is throwing Thursday night at the Hotel Shattuck Plaza defies description. It’s part fashion show, part art show, and part disco bash, with a dash of liquor and plenty of attitude thrown in. About ten local artists will show off their wares in an event that pulsates […]
Green is the color of Berkeley on Earth Day
Monica Moritsch, 19, a UC Berkeley sophmore, was in Sproul Plaza on Earth Day to call attention to the hazards of plastic bags. It’s the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and there are a handful of events to celebrate the milestone. The Ecology Center, the folks who bring us our farmers’ markets and pick up […]