I attended a memorial service here last Saturday for my son's grandfather and my former…read morefather-in-law. Tom was always kind and generous to me, and I was honoured to be able to attend this very heartfelt and classy event for a really great guy. He was a Renaissance Man of sorts, whose 87+ years spanned a distinguished University career and a love for competitive sailing and tennis, skiing, wood working, music (oboe), gardening, language, and family. His impressive obituary also appeared in the New York Times and it's entirely possible that his path crossed with that of Gayle's Dad at around the time of 3 Mile Island. And a short while ago, Gayle and I were invited to his home for dinner, as he was curious about her and how I was doing. My favourite memory of Tom was a family conversation when he calmly and politely asked me a logical sequence of questions based on some "factual" statement that I had made. I answered then in turn and was initially quite sure of my position. By the 3rd or 4th question, I realized that I was logically trapped and by my own rope! He kindly let me off the hook, but I left that conversation impressed and humbled. I previously knew of the Town and Gown Club and had walked past it on the corner of Dana and Dwight many a time without recognizing it as such. It was founded by Emmanuel Marie Paget in 1898 as a club house for Berkeley women. It is a striking, yet simple redwood structure, of which the tall core is the work of Bernard Maybeck. The first floor features a common area with dark woods and angled ceiling beams, plus a library, kitchen, cloakroom and a small, but elegant outdoor garden. Upstairs is a meeting hall and auditorium, which is where Tom's service took place under the watchful eyes of his family, friends, and his beloved bonsai and flowering cherry plants. I was also grateful to be welcomed into the family again for this brief period by Tom's wife and my sister-in-law's family. There were kind words and hugs all around. And as each person stood up to celebrate Tom's life and accomplishments, I felt proud and grateful that I had the privilege of knowing him too.

Beautiful historic club. Wonderful events and lovely members.read more

Our wedding at the Headlands Center for the Arts was beyond the gorgeous, spiritual, artistic,…read morewarm, and loving day I had envisioned for months during the planning. Once we visited, we just KNEW this was our location. During our tour, we stood in the ceremony spot in the East Wing and asked each other, "is this it?" And yes, is certainly was. A few months later, that spot is where we happily said "I do!" Driving into the Headlands is like entering a magical realm of nature, silence, and openness. The building has such relaxed, artistic vibe. When designing our wedding's look and feel, we were committed to working with its already super cool appeal. The distressed golden walls of the Rodeo Room have such character, making it the perfect backdrop for our Photo Booth selfie station... and they even inspired the texture of our wedding cake! Beyond the fact that we loved the venue, it is especially heartwarming to know that our rental fee is going toward sustaining this artistic organization and its artists, helping it to thrive. The wedding budget is always tricky and a bit painful, but it feels really good to know that chunk of money is going toward a worthy local cause. Being a DIY bride, I really appreciated how exceptionally responsive both the in-house staff who would immediately answer all the weird little questions that kept popping up that I couldn't find in our contract. Oh, and the FOOD!!! Katie Powers, their in-house caterer is an artist. She is exceptionally dedicated to creating local, sustainable, and delicious meals. Although she doesn't provide taste testing, Katie's descriptions and enthusiasm while building our menu together at our in-person meeting was infectious, giving us the confidence that it would be amazing. We opted to have our meal served family-style which really enhanced the sense of community and appreciation for the meal. It is also very special to have an in-house caterer cook from her kitchen with her staff. The service, artistry, and flavors had everyone swooning and diving in for seconds. Our biggest concern was the latrine... the open unisex bathroom that's sort of creepy. However, using our very own living room drapes and some tension rods, we easily sectioned the room off into Men's and Ladies areas. Adding candles, flowers, music, and artsy magnets along the metal stall doors, we turned it around and that military latrine became a cool oasis where everyone felt comfortable... even this bride who appreciated the large stall when negotiating my dress.... Going forward, we are so thankful this magical gem is available to our enjoyment, as we look forward to becoming members and experiencing the works from their artists in residence. For anyone thinking that this may be the venue for you, just like they say when you meet the right one, when you know, you know!

This place is magical. My brother and his wife had the most beautiful and most amazing wedding…read moreweekend there. They rented out the family and youth hostels for all their friends and family, and we had the most marveous time. The two of them were artist in residence in 2000 and 2004, and they speak very highly of their experience, so much so that they got married there! The Center for the Arts has art openings, special showings, performances and art residents working/living out there all year long. Check it out or go stay at the hostel some weekend. It's gorgeous out there. It's so tucked away and peaceful in the valley there, yet so close to the city. It's like a little retreat. ----------------- just to paint a picture: THE ARTISTS' STUDIOS The Headlands' buildings are home to nearly 40 studios such as this one, where artists in residence pursue their work and often make it available for the public to view. THE ARCHIVE ROOM Over the years, bits and pieces of the rich military history and the remarkable natural phenomena of the Headlands Center for the Arts have been discovered, uncovered and left behind. The Archive Room contains a collection of these objects. As a testament to the layers of history that we have unearthed, this room contains layers of debris generated by each renovation project. As this place ages and changes, new layers of detritus are added. New additions are welcome. THE MAIN BUILDING Renowned artist David Ireland transformed the rooms and halls in this 1907 military-barracks building, where the wedding ceremony was held. Twenty four young artists volunteered for a year on an artistic journey that in many ways was more like an archaeological dig than an art project. Ireland conceives of his work as exploration rather than imposition. Things that have acquired an identity of their own over time -- broken chairs, brooms worn by use, stained walls -- intrigue him, and this sense of history informs his work. David Ireland and his crew sandblasted the layers of paint off the stamped-tin ceilings and pillars, and using sandpaper, solvents and even dental tools, picked the paint off the beautiful stairwell, railings and banisters. In the East Wing (the ceremony site), they stripped the walls down to the original plaster and the baseboards to their fine wood. These rooms are not only beautiful works of art, but important gathering places. Their functional duality -- aesthetic and practical -- reflects the Headland's mission and the kind of art it exists to support. Simply put, public and site art seek to take art out of its frame and put it back into the real world. Public art responds to its audience, as site art responds to its location. David Ireland's rooms serve both goals, situated at the heart of a thriving art center, sharing its artistic treasures with the public.

We were there as guest for a swim meet so obviously a very very busy event. Staff members were…read moresuper pleasant and so hard working. The pool deck is kept nice and today. Very very very limited amount of natural shade so in this neck of the wood it feels incredibly scorching hot. Food was fine and priced reasonably along with drinks.

We love the club. Amazing family atmosphere where you'll be called by your name and always feel…read morewelcome. Al does an amazing job making sure guests are taking care of at the restaurant. Christina is incredible hosting great events and helping up resolving all the day to day issues as they come up.

Amazing people, amazing studio, amazing prices! We had a wonderful time wheel throwing for a mom's…read morenight out. And my boys have really loved going in to paint ceramic pieces, at a fraction of the price of color me mine. I probably shouldn't say this out loud but I don't think they charge enough lol. I can't recommend this place enough!

My first time doing wheel throwing, and I can't believe I made such a cute little piece!…read more Logan was a great instructor, very patient and guided us step by step through the entire process. I'm so happy with my first class and can't wait to come back this summer!

I love this place. I've been here for music classes, yoga, concerts, and workshops. The space is…read morebeautiful, and completely caters to the heart of the creative process. Artists in the East Bay who haven't found this space by now have been seriously missing out. A gem.

I am big, HUGE, fan of Toastmasters, International. And I finally found a club meets my criteria:…read more 1) location (close to me so that I can walk there if needed) 2) meeting time (as a working mom, I need to club that meets during business hours so I can pick up my kid from daycare) 3) supportive members (the members are an even mix of experienced speakers and those new to public speaking) Networking, giving speeches, small talk have always been an obstacle for me. Since joining Toastmasters, I have become more confident in my ability to not only prepare and deliver a good speech; but also in speaking off the cuff and no more ummms, ahhh, and clutch words/noises. Come out and join us at a meeting and see how Toastmasters can improve your general speaking skills!

I was a member of this 50+ year old club for 15yrs, and enjoyed every minute of it. What I learned…read morehere helped me get a new and better job. Thank you Argonauts for everything you've done and continue to do :-)

Lafayette Studio is wonderful! Classes are small and allow lots of opportunities to ask individual…read morequestions. The space is lovely and air conditioned in the Summer. There is a great variety of classes and teachers to choose from. Parking is easy. Great company of fellow local artists. Doug and Jody are very responsive to any questions you might have and run the Studio efficiently. You can also pay a monthly fee to come and go and use the studio as you like. Great for beginners and experienced artists alike.

Great location, studio space, instructors & fun group of artists! There is also monthly studio…read moretime for rent. Check it out!!

This place is amazing. One of my favorites. Definitely stop by if you have the chance. Pet and kid…read morefriendly