I agree whole-heartedly with the first reviewer of this hidden gem (Ciana W.) and I just want to…read moreadd that there are tons of hidden paths like this in Berkeley. www.berkeleypaths.org would tell you all about them, with detailed maps and walking guides provided. This is one of the many things that make Berkeley so charming and loveable. There are so many stone stairways and narrow footpaths paved with fallen leaves hidden in all these quiet, unassuming neighborhoods! I live in the Elmwood area and, wow, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Oak Knoll, Pine Path, Garber St, Oak Path... just north of my neigborhood. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Mosswood and Orchard path north of the International House. And now, I discovered this hidden treasure of Vine Lane and Rose Walk! Absolutely five stars. And thank you SO MUCH, berkeleypaths.org, for preserving them!

Are you ready to fall down the rabbit hole into a true-blue wonderland?…read more The delirium and dementia of Telegraph Avenue are equally and oppositely reflected in the glamour and mystery of Vine Lane, one of Berkeley's many secret hidden pathways. This is my gift to you: take a walk up through Vine Lane to the Berkeley Rose Garden. Start by putting on your comfy shoes and wandering up the hill that is Euclid Street, taking careful note of the gorgeous, dilapidated old houses, the swooping trees, and the almost eerie peacefulness of North Side. Hang a right at Cedar Street, and look westward out to the Bay. By the time you make a right on Hawthorne Terrace, you'll be in a completely different world, and to prove it, there is Vine Lane. Tucked away so delicately that you could almost miss it, there between the Gothic Revival and Arts & Crafts homes, is a small pathway cutting up the hill. It is as simple as that -- a pathway, or miniature pedestrian route built sometime around the turn of the century. Walking silently, respectfully, and ever upwards, you can just feel the stillness of the hillside, and you can appreciate the idealistic thoughtfulness of the city planners who built these paths. Vine Lane is aptly named because the walls of the residences, most of which are set off the path by several yards, are covered in luscious vegetation. It's worth going to see the changing colors in both fall and spring. At the top of the mount hangs a small lantern and sign in wrought iron, proclaiming "VINE LANE" in an elegant script. This place is unexpected, charming, and a complete relic of Berkeley's mystical and lurid past. Continue on to Cordonices Park and the Berkeley Rose Garden if you want to keep falling further into that rabbit hole...

Named mural is on the corner sides of the Berkeley High School administration building. The theme…read morerevolves around the lands the Ohlone people once occupied in the s.f. Bay area. Scenes intermingle with indigenous peoples celebrating in previous times & present day events of their descendants protesting with signs: -Land Back -Water is Sacred -Repatriate the Land -Phenomenally Indigenous Sponsors: B.H.S. Ethnic Studies, B.H.S. Native Student Union, Sogorea Te' Land Trust Artists: B.H.S. Students November is Native American Heritage Month

It's a short and steep hike up here. However don't expect a blazing 'C' at the top. We went…read moreduring a hot day and there isn't much shade around the area. If you're looking for a short burst workout this is a pretty good one with a fabulous view. I'm sad the swing isn't there. I would have like floating in the air. We paid for parking by the wooden stairs. However, there must be another area to park for free as there were other hikers en route.

Fast hike with nice views but no swing and poorly maintained. There is a lot of construction in…read morethe area as well.

On the Kain St. side of a commercial building dispensing non-dairy ice cream is a sketch of a hand…read morecranking device operated by an unattached hand. Sketch assigned name of "Hand Crafted Food". The product made by the crank appears to be ice cream. Maybe a coincidence. No doubt the crank can be utilized to produce other food edibles. Creator: probably the ice cream shop...

The chocolate is divine. It's high quality and each piece has rich flavors that taste fresh. Some…read morepeople might balk at $3 for a truffle but it tastes like it's worth $3. The taste is luxurious. They change up the flavors every few months. I tend to not like chocolate that is too dark but here it isn't too strong. My favorites: Champagne-pretty heart shape and tastes very champagney Banana Fosters- Colorful and very flavorful Peanut Butter and Jelly-essential for peanut butter lovers Lavendar-it's like aromatherapy for your mouth The truffles remind me of Christopher Elbow in the city for quality but in a must less fancy setting and more obscure location. I wish they were open longer the store is closed Sunday-Tuesday and open Wed-Sat from 12pm-6pm.

Always good to support your local chocolate shop over the mass produced candy bars and chocolate…read moreyou can get at the grocery store. They have unique flavors and there's a sense of giving yourself a treat after a long days work. I'm a mango and coffee fan so that's what I tried in these chocolates. They wrapped it up nicely even though I ate it straight away! My coworker did the same for her spicy chocolates. Cool Berkeley shop!

Do you long for world class walks along the Bay? Are picnics by the SF Bay romantic enough for you?…read moreWhat about a very long walk down an endless pier? Sadly the pier itself is closed, but the shoreline is timeless and gorgeous. And let's not forget fishing on a perfect day. Along the Bay Trail, you will find happy visitors and families. There is history here with free knowledge Mon-Sun, bring your own container.

The Berkeley Pier has been closed for several years now!! No doubt they either need to retrofit it…read moreor tear it down altogether and build another one. The 4 stars is for when it was open, and you could walk all the way out to what felt like the middle of the Bay. A great way to walk off the dinner and/or drinks that you had at Skates which is right next to it. People would be out here all day and night fishing, or just hanging out. I really miss walking on this Pier, I really hope they repair or replace it, if not, I'll always be glad I got to experience it when it was open!!

I've been to The Star on Park before, so when my wife and I were craving pizza, Little Star Pizza…read morewas an easy choice--especially since they have deep dish around and gluten-free options for her. We stopped in early on a Friday evening and were seated right away. The space has a great, casual vibe with plenty of indoor seating and some outdoor tables for nicer weather. Our server was friendly and checked in to see if we had any questions (we didn't), and we got drinks started right away--a local beer from Faction and a Black Basil cocktail. Both came out quickly and were solid. For food, I went with one of their signature pies--the All-Star deep dish. It's loaded with bacon, meatballs, sausage, pepperoni, and cheese... and it's massive. I always go for the 12" because it easily turns into 4-5 meals (no regrets there). My wife built her own gluten-free pizza with a thin crust and really enjoyed it. One thing I appreciated: even though deep dish takes longer to cook, both pizzas came out at the same time, which isn't always easy to do. They also offer a good variety of salads, starters, and sandwiches, which all sounded great--but I was here for the pizza. Overall, great service, excellent food, and a relaxed atmosphere. Definitely a go-to spot for a casual pizza night.

I was visiting family out by Albany and was planning on getting sandwiches from Zara. Sadly Zara's…read moreclosed after a car drive into the Delicatessen. I was in a mood for a sandwich and by brother-in-law suggested Little Star Pizza. He recommended the East Coast Sandwich (combination). My sister and brother-in-law ordered the East Coast Sandwich which they both loved. I ordered a Meatball sandwich which was pretty good. It tasted liked meatballs in a grilled garlic roll. The meatball is sliced so the sandwich is on the thin side. Overall, the nice gooey cheese, grilled garlic roll and meatball created a pretty good sandwich. They have a good menu with pizzas, sandwiches and salads. I plan to drop in again but will try the pizza and see if it is as good as the sandwiches. If you order take-out, you need to walk down the side of the building to the take-out sign and enter that door. The take-out counter is right inside the side door.

The Hunrick Grocery, located at 2211 Rose Street, was designated a Structure of Merit in 1988…read morebecause it provides "this generation and future generations examples of the physical surroundings in which past generations lived," and its designation conforms to the purpose and criteria of the ordinance. It has now been fully restored and is a beauty to look at as I've walked by and admired this piece of Berkeley's architectural history. The building was constructed as a grocery store and residence by George Hunrick in 1908. Hunrick had come to California to study banking with A.P. Gianinni, but never returned to Germany. He moved to Berkeley in 1906 and set up his first store at 2120 Shattuck. In 1908 he moved his business and home to 2211 Rose Street. Prospects were good in this location at the time, as the north Berkeley hills were just being developed, and a streetcar line was extended up Spruce Street in 1910. Hunrick operated the store at this location from 1908 until 1923, when he moved his home to Woolsey Street and opened a grocery on College Avenue at Ashby. The shop at 2211 Rose Street served as a small convenience store until 1966. The distinctive architectural feature of the now dilapidated building is its Mission Revival false-front parapet.

A single stem upright blue & white rose with light orange hues & black outliners is poised next to…read morean @ & light blue & white background. The rose has no visible means of support beyond the roots embedded in the soil. Possibly signaling resistance, it stands tall & resilient. It's posted on an unused front door. The Creator (@matteo_davinci) is a well known artist/muralist who works individually & collectively with others in numerous projects. The name "Standing Rose" given as pertinent to subject matter depicted.