THE TILDEN PARK MERRY GO ROUND

Opening for the season on February 11, 2012, the Tilden Park Merry Go Round is a must see!

The carousel was was built in 1911 and originally opened in a Trolley Park in Urbita Springs, moved to San Diego, then to Los Angeles, and finally landed in it's current home in Tilden Park in Berkeley, California in 1948.  In 1976 the park district took over ownership of the carousel and in 1978 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. 

To get there, you can enter Tilden Park from Wildcat Canyon Road or Grizzly Peak Boulevard and essentially follow the signs to the Merry Go Round off Meadows Canyon Trail.  Also close-by is Lake Anza which would make for a fun day if you combined the two. 

There is plenty of parking in the lot that takes you to the main entrance, and there is a grassy area between the lot and the carousel where you can relax and watch the happenings.  On the right as you approach, there is a concessions stand with a great number of options for treats for children and grownups alike.  You can purchase your ride coupons at the concessions stand and then head into the merry go round where you'll find plenty of wonderful whimsical characters to ride with some great scenery as you make your rounds. 

Great fun for the child in all of us - enjoy! 

http://www.tildenmgr.com/history.html  

http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden

Meritage At the Claremont

THE LOCATION

The Entrance

Brunch at Meritage is a perfect place for celebrating a special day or just as a treat for that special someone.  Located at 41 Tunnel Road in Berkeley just off the 13 in the Claremont Hotel Club & Spa, the food and atmosphere combine at Meritage for an historic, beautiful and savory setting.  The restaurant location existed as early as 1916 as “The Garden Room” which was the venue for fine events and performances with a scenic view of the San Francisco Bay.  

THE ATMOSPHERE

“Modern Vintage” with beautiful details that cause you to linger just a bit longer over that mimosa or cappuccino.  Brunch is served on Sundays from ten to two-thirty.  The spread of food is truly amazing, with a lineup of several options of items such as freshly made waffles, seafood, a farm fresh egg station, dim sum, and even a bloody mary bar.  The service is friendly, professional, and attentive.  

The Sitting Area

The Buffet

THE AMENITIES

Also if you are considering a staycation, the Hotel Club & Spa amenities are abound including outdoor pools, tennis courts, fitness classes and personal training, a full service spa and salon, wedding and event planning and services, and banquet and meeting facilities just to name a few.  For more information please visit: http://www.claremontresort.com/index.shtml.

Berkeley Animal Care Services and Shelter

Berkeley Animal Care Services and Shelter (BACS)

I just adopted a puppy from BACS and had such a great experience that I thought I'd share it!

My fiance and I had been looking to adopt an additional dog to add to our family for quite a while and were keeping an eye out online for the right fit.  After visiting a few places and meeting a few other dogs that just were not the right fit, we came across a posting from BACS about Angie (now Miah).  Their description of her sounded like what we were looking for.  We know that adopting a new family member is not to be taken lightly and that especially animals at shelters have had a rough go of it usually so we wanted to make sure this was the right fit for a permanent home for her.  We researched the breeds they thought made up her heritage and what needs they have, and it all checked out.

From left to right: Riley, Andy, Miah, Tim (from BACS), and Natalie (me!). 

I called the shelter and they were super friendly and helpful over the phone.  They explained the process to me and told me what they knew about the puppy we were interested in.  They had really gotten to know her personality and wanted to make sure she went to a family that was the right fit.  I then went in person to meet her and toured the shelter.  After meeting a few other puppies that were there, I decided that the original puppy was definitely the one and let them know we were definitely interested in adopting her.  I filled out the paperwork and then made an appointment for the puppy to meet our whole family.  Everything went well and we were finally approved to take her home!  The adoption fee was very reasonable and actually a lot cheaper than most other shelters' adoption fees we had seen.  

Miah did have an "issue" though... there was a big bump on the top of her head right where the back of her skull met her spine (called the occipital bone).  We were concerned that it might be a serious issue and wanted to get her checked out right away.  BACS referred us to a vet close-by that checked it out and had agreed to provide a treatment within reason, that BACS could help out with.  Turned out, thankfully, it was only a hematoma (basically a goose-egg) from a hard bump on her head that would eventually absorb back into her body and go away so there was no needed treatment except monitoring at home.  

Now, Miah is a happy and healthy puppy that is a great addition to our family. 

Thanks BACS for helping to connect us with Miah!  

Miah

Please see BACS' website for currently available pets and additional information:  http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=3866

Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve

Sobrante Ridge Regional Preserve is a great place to hike on a sunny clear day.  It provides for some great hiking and amazing views.  The preserve's  trails stretch almost 2 1/2 miles that are frequented by hikers and mountain bikers who go to enjoy the panoramic ridgetop views of San Pablo and Richmond Bays, as well as the San Francisco Bay.


Where to start?  As good a place as any is to turn onto Clark Road between Appian Way and Valley View Road from San Pablo Dam Road in El Sobrante, and you will arrive at the head of the Clark-Boas Trail that starts just outside The Waldorf School parking lot and heads up to the peak of the preserve.  

The 277 acre park is the habitat to many plants and animals, including the extremely rare Alameda Manzanita.  There are also herds of cattle grazing among the hills, reminiscent of the herds of Spanish longhorn cattle that freely roamed the hills when the area was part of the Rancho Sobrante land grant given by the Mexican government to Juan Jose Castro in 1840.     


The area was formerly known as Cutter Ranch because it belonged to Cutter Laboratories in Berkeley through the 1970s. The lab raised horses and cattle there, using blood from the animals to produce tetanus and diphtheria vaccines. 

The Preserve was dedicated to the East Bay Regional Park District by a local construction company in 1985 after developers agreed to limit an adjacent subdivision to the low-lying areas.

Enjoy your adventure!  I had a great time and I'm sure you will too.  

The Albany Bulb

THE ALBANY BULB...

A former landfill area located at 1 Buchanan Street in Albany that overlooks the San Francisco Skyline.  If you are looking for an urban adventure, this is definitely on the top of the list!  

The Dog Beach.

THE DOG BEACH

You are first greeted with a beautiful sandy beach that is a fantastic area to let your dog run and play off-leash.  Once you have had your fill of fun in the sand, head up the trail out onto the bulb part and be prepared for tons of interesting art, animals, and a shantytown!

Shoe Tree.

THE ART

Walk up the main gravel trail and come to a fork.  Take a left and you are on a rocky path along the water overlooking the bay.  You'll see a bunch of interesting graffiti and art along the way, including a crazy-looking "shoe tree".  It gets really rough and rocky at a certain point, so I would recommend turning back. 

If you veer to the right of the fork  you'll be near the top of the bulb.  Note, this is where you'll see the shanty town.  People are camped out in tents and living among the bushes and trees off the trail.  Walk downhill on the trail through there, and to the North Side of the Bulb.  There, you'll see a number of sculptures looking out toward Point Isabel that are pretty amazing. 

The Thinker Sculpture.

THE MUDFLATS

If you pass the sculptures and go right toward the freeway, you will find yourself in the mudflats.  The Mudflats are protected as an important habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds.  There is currently some controversy over whether the off-leash status of the area should be revoked in order to protect this habitat further.  This is an area that has been used by dog owners for decades.  As a note, the Plateau area, once popular for flying model airplanes, has been partly fenced off as habitat for Burrowing Owls.  This is a tough issue, because it's great to protect the wildlife in the area, but responsible dog owners should also be able to enjoy it as well.  There is actually a public hearing on the topic on Thursday, 2/10/2011 at 7pm at the Albany City Hall, Council of Chambers (1000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany).  Hopefully there will be a good compromise for both sides... maybe a park ranger that manages the area?  Certain seasons that certain areas are closed off?  We shall see. 

There is a steep uphill trail at the end of the mudflats that puts you right in the middle of a section of the shanty town, so to prevent any surprises I would turn back and go back the way you came.    

For more information see  www.albanybulb.com

Kennedy Grove

Kennedy Grove Turf Meadow pictured above.
website: http://www.ebparks.org/parks/kennedy 

KENNEDY GROVE...

Is a beautiful place consisting of 100 year-old eucalyptus trees that were planted in 1910. The park was dedicated to the late President John F. Kennedy in 1967.

Run by the East Bay Regional Park District, the park is located at the North end of the San Pablo Reservoir and just East of Wildcat Canyon Regional Park/Tilden Park, off San Pablo Dam Road near El Sobrante.  The park entrance is about 0.25 miles south of the intersection with Castro Ranch Road.  This month up until February the park is open 8:30am to 4:30pm. Dogs are admitted (on a leash) for a $2 fee.


One of the many picnic areas.



Playground

Kennedy Grove is a prime location for family picnics.  In 1886 there were scheduled railroad stops of the California Nevada Railroad at Frenchman's Curve and Laurel Grove Station. There are many picnic areas (with tables and grills) in the Grove named for some of the historic railroad stops that existed in the area when there was a railroad running from Oakland to Orinda.  While picnicking, you can also enjoy many other amenities like the childrens' playground, the turf meadow open space in the middle for running, frisbee, or ball, and the horseshoe courts and volleyball nets set up with rental equipment available for a fee. 

Fern Cottage

The open air Amphitheater is a great option for hosting outdoor events with an audience, and Fern Cottage is available for indoor corporate events or weddings and accommodates about 100 people, with a nicely landscaped back yard and catering available. 

There are many hiking/running, biking, and horseback riding trails surrounding the park, with outlook benches when you are ready to take a rest.  There is a map on the website with details on the trails: Black Oak, Sea Foam, Kennedy Creek, and Laurel Loop trails are the main trails of the park. 

I highly recommend this beautiful park - enjoy!



The Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate



http://www.dunsmuir-hellman.com/home.html 

 The Dunsmuir Estate is a beautiful venue for many events as well as just for a walk through the grounds.  

The Mansion...

The mansion has been designated a National Historic Site by the United States Department of the Interior and both the mansion and the Carriage House have been designated Historic Landmarks by the City of Oakland.   The estate has also been used as a location or background for several movies and television shows including the James Bond movie, "A View To a Kill".

As I walked through the huge, over 16,000 square foot home, I was amazed at the attention to detail throughout (last remodelled in 1913) and the number of amenities included then that are impressive even today!  It has 37 rooms, 20 bedrooms, 9 1/2 bathrooms, and 10 fireplaces. 


The Mansion

It has a neoclassical-revival architectural style and was built 110 years ago in 1899 on 50 acres of land, as a wedding gift for the wife of Alexander Dunsmuir.  The mansion was amazingly built in only 9 months with the use of some pre-fabricated materials.  Dunsmuir was the son of a coal barron and was to oversee the family business in San Francisco.  Unfortunately he died on his honeymoon and his wife Josephine lived in the home alone until her death two years later.  The estate was then sold to I.W. Hellman Jr, who worked for Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, as a summer home.  The estate was purchased by the city of Oakland in the 1960s and then taken over by a non-profit organization in 1971. 
The Grounds...


Teas are hosted at the Dinkelspiel House


 In addition to the mansion, there are many other sights to see including a pond and gazebo, beautiful landscaping, a swimming pool with Mission-style bathhouse, a carriage house, and the Dinkelspiel House, which was built for Florence Hellman and her husband, Lloyd Dinkelspiel.  During the Holiday festivities, there are formal teas held at the Dinkelspiel House.  I attended one last weekend and it was very good!  Plenty of finger foods and refills on the tea kept coming.

During the Holidays, there is an annual event that offers tons of festivities including a Childrens' Play Zone, Petting Zoo, Ice Skating, Carriage Rides, Holiday Teas, Mansion Tours, Shopping, Movies, and more!  This year the festivities end December 19th.



Carriage rides are available during the Annual Holiday Festivities