11 September 04

Bloggers Do The Berkeley Bookstore Beat

Today we travelled by train to Berkeley to meet up with bloggers Chris from Creek Running North, Siona from Nomen est Numen, and Maria from Alembic. Our aim was to visit Berkeley bookstores, of which there are a plethora, too many to do in a day, but no matter. We first walked up to Cody’s on Telegraph Avenue, the largest and most famous of Berkeley bookstores, where we browsed for an hour, several of us emerging with more books than intended. Siona brought her own lunch so we wanted to eat outside, so we picked up take-out Indian from a restaurant on Telegraph (walk 500 yards in Berkeley, you’ll find an eatery that meets the needs of the moment) and had our lunch by Strawberry Creek on the UC Berkeley campus. The Indian food made for a messy picnic, but was very good. Meanwhile the Cal marching band was warming for the football game later on in the afternoon. (A bit of Aggie Pride here—I think the UC Davis Marching Band-Uh is better).

Chris had to leave early, but the rest of walked down Shattuck to the used bookstore Pegasus, where I found a book on line-and-wash (our third art book purchase of the day). Our return trek netted us an office supply store (complete with Clairefontaine and Rhodia notebooks, as well as Lamy and Stypen fountain pens—Maria bought a Lamy pen), as well a decent espresso place by the BART station.

Too many things to do in Berkeley as usual. No chance to visit art stores, alas. We even found a very intriguing new restaurant half-a-block from BART—Ristorante Raphael, kosher Italian vegetarian food. But we were full from our Indian meal, so it will wait for next time.

These blogger bookstore outings are quite fun. Perhaps we should all next go on a field trip to Powell’s!

Posted by at 08:11 PM in Books and Language | Link |
  1. I think Maria bought a cartridge, not a pen. She got the pen in London. We discovered we all have pen fetishes and paper fetishes…

    — Pica    12. September 2004, 06:05    Link
  2. And I am so happy (but envious!) that you were all together!

    — beth    12. September 2004, 07:45    Link
  3. Having lived across the river for over thirty years, I can attest to the appeal of Powell’s bookstore(s).

    They probably have the best technical collection AND poetry collection I’ve ever seen, a dangerous combination for someone who tries to maintain a web page on poetry.



    — loren    12. September 2004, 08:09    Link
  4. Powell’s! Now there is a fieldtrip for us….

    My Lamy pen is very happy to be back in use again, and who knows, it might even be joined soon by a couple of more of its kind.

    Isn’t it strange how we all have these pen and paper fetishes, and can wax for a long time about the merits of different brands?


    — maria    12. September 2004, 08:16    Link
  5. Powell’s would be fun, but I’d like to see if we can add Lisa to the mix and go back to that great bookstore in Point Reyes as well. I think we all need to introduce Siona to Point Reyes Station.

    And I can bring my kayak and head for Drake’s Estero afterwards.

    — Chris Clarke    12. September 2004, 16:26    Link
  6. I think you should come to Foyles in the Tottenham Court Road. Maria, it has free wifi in the coffee bar. I’m just jealous!

    — Coup de Vent    14. September 2004, 13:00    Link

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