Tag: California

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Javier Zamora’s Solito: A Memoir Like No Other

Although frequenting bookstores is a great hobby of mine, I try my best not to buy more books. For one thing, I have too many books to read at home that I haven’t gotten to yet. And my other reason for banning myself from impulsive book purchases is the fact that I can, and should, make more usage of libraries that abound nearby. Yet, I recently bought myself another book: Javier Zamora’s Solito.

I have a tendency to read genres I naturally gravitate towards, like historical fiction, classics, and young adult fantasies. So getting a copy of Solito: A Memoir was an out of the ordinary decision. (And, might I add, choosing to read the nonfiction for a book club amidst a jam-packed schedule was almost a form of self-torture.)

Despite the stacks of unread books haunting me at home along with the unusuality and impracticality of my decision, I so, so do not regret it.

Because Javier Zamora’s Solito is a memoir like no other.

Synopsis of Solito:

Solito narrates the true story of Javier Zamora when he was just nine-years-old and the journey he made from El Salvadaor across Guatemala and Mexico to the United States to reunite with his parents who had migrated before him. It details Javier’s life before, during, and after the long, dangerous “trip,” the people he had to leave behind as well as those he met along the way.

Photo by Beau Horyza.

Reflections

I didn’t know what to expect from this book other than the fact that it was going to be a story about a boy who immigrates to the states. Never did I imagine how detailed, how honest the account was going to be. Not only did it record every bit of the innocence and vulnerability of Javier Zamora’s younger self, but also it zoomed in on the immigrant experience, specifically those of migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexican border. It revealed how illegal immigration isn’t just a term and concept but a streak of hope for people who aren’t simply “criminals” or “lawbreakers” but rather individuals trying to survive. Many of whom, like Javier, Chino, Patricia, and Carla, are trying to reunite with their families in the land of opportunity and hope.

For someone like me who doesn’t know anyone who has crossed the border to come to the states or have read any accounts detailing such journeys, Solito was, to say the least, eye-opening. I never knew the details of these long journeys, and how they were matters of life or death, success or failure, joy or despair, and reunion or separation.

One of my fellow book club member pointed out that this story focuses on one boy and the people around him, which is just a small fraction of the countless undocumented immigrants and numerous migrants who don’t make it to their desired destinations. Her statement made me realize how many other stories of success, failure, misfortune, and grief we don’t know about.

Photo by Lisha Riabinina.

Innocence of a Child

Photo by Aaron Burden.

What was painful to notice was the innocence of the author before the great journey and his loss of it afterwards. The nine-year-old Javier refers to his upcoming journey to the states as a “trip.” That’s what all the adults around him referred it to. He knows neither better nor what to expect.

But slowly, the “trip” becomes more than just a trip Javier embarks on to reunite with his parents. It’s saying good-bye to everything he loves, his home and family in El Salvador, to his friends, school, and everything he knew all his life. Suddenly meeting a group of strangers who he needs to depend on and pretend to be families with. Riding hours-long bus and boat rides. Living like a shadow hiding from the locals, stuck inside some dark shelters. Pretending to be Mexican, getting caught and having guns pointed at by soldiers. Walking across deserts for days, under the scorching sun without water and in the middle of the freezing night.

And Loss There Of

Initially, Javier repeatedly refers to the “cadejito.” According to his grandfather, this legendary creature would protect and guide Javier. He prays to it throughout the journey (for instance, on page 79 and 82).

But on page 323, Javier says to himself:

“Last time, I listened for Cadejo’s whistle; now I know for sure he doesn’t exist. Bad things keep happening. He’s just a myth. Just like Marcelo, Cajedo is full of lies. If Cadejo was real, we wouldn’t have gotten caught. Patricia wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Coco Liso would still be here with us. Our prayers haven’t helped either.”

It was heartbreaking to see this transition, from Javier believing in the cadejo to his losing faith and innocence. To watch this young boy (more sensitive than an average nine-year-old per description, I think) undergo hardship after hardship that is overwhelming even to an adult.

Photo by Tim Marshall.

Beautiful Imagery

Photo by Tom Gainor.

Javier Zamora immerses the readers into his deepest memories not only through the raw details but also through his talented use of imagery.

I mean, just take a look at this scene where Javier parts ways with his grandfather:

We stand by the road, the banana trees on either side, raindrops still on the leaves, sliding down, dropping to the ground. It rained earlier in the day, but these drops haven’t evaporated. Grandpa’s eyes are doing the same, trying to hold his tears inside their corners (Zamora 71).

And his descriptions of the desert are beautiful and ingenious at the same time:

Everything is awake. The moon lights the ground silver and blue. Wispy clouds dance in the sky, white ones that look like silk. With this wind and with this lighting – the blue, the grays – it feels like the bottom of the ocean… The grass is seaweed. The cactuses are coral. We’re looking through a submarine’s small circular window… On top, the clouds are sea foam. The ground sparkles with seashells and pearls (Zamora 298).

Child’s Imagination

Another thing that struck out to me (and I appreciated very much) were the imaginative descriptions from the nine-year-old Javier. Just take a look at these cleverly brilliant descriptions from the young boy’s perspective:

The stars begin to dot the sky. I like to think there’s a giant holding the earth in one hand, a needle in his other hand, poking the sky there, there, and there – (Zamora 135).

And I couldn’t help but smile at the names Javier gave to different cacti when he spotted them during his trek across the desert: “the Spikeys,” “Cheerleader bush” with flowers like “little yellow pom-poms,” “Crayon bush,” and “Paint-Roller Fuzzies,” “Mascara-Brush Fuzzies,” “Thorny Tentacles,” and “skinny green smooth tree” that Javier nicknames “SGS tree.”

Photo by Joe Cook.

There are countless other examples of uniquely clever imagery that Javier uses throughout the book, like when he describes the line of migrants as “the centipede” or when he says that cactuses that look like people “rise from the dirt like giant dark-green Cheetos” (331).

But sometimes, they were gut-wrenching to read, like when he describes the people in prison, including himself, as “monkeys”:

The monkeys in here stare, they sleep, they doze. This cage. This silent and stinky room. The monkeys next to the door wait for their names to be called (248).

Theme of Loneliness

Photo by Majestic Lukas.

Though my post is getting a bit long, I must point out what I felt was one of the most important themes of this book: loneliness. The book starts with a lonely Javier. Despite his being with his grandparents, aunt Mali, friends and relatives, he naturally and understandably longs for his parents constantly.

And his loneliness resurfaces when he has to travel with a group of strangers by himself. He holds his pillow in one arm, pretending the pillow is his Mom or aunt Mali (78). The young Javier also repeatedly mentions how he wants to hug, saying that he wants to “hug anyone like Coyote hugged us for good luck” (201)

I think this quote best shows the acute loneliness he experienced during the long and difficult journey:

I want to cuddle her [aunt Mali] right now. Look at the stars and be far away from these people…I hate watching Patricia and Carla help each other before bed. Patricia braiding and unbraiding her daughter’s hair. I want that with Mom. With Mali. I just want a hug (183).

With all the hardships and drama that ensued, I honestly forgot about this major theme and was busy following Javier’s journey, rooting for him and the people around him as they repeatedly failed to rejoin their families in “La USA.” But the theme dawned on me again when this young boy named a certain type of cactus as “the Lonelies” (217) and when he wished not to part from strangers who had become a true family:

I want to take my new family with me to California, learn how to tie my shoes and show Chino I can do it like him. Chino, my older brother I never had… I love them. I really love them. A pond, a lake in my eyes. I don’t want to let go. None of us wants to let go. A river (372-73).

Integration of the Spanish Language

Lastly but certainly not least is the usage of Spanish throughout the book. Because I had studied some Spanish, it wasn’t difficult to understand most of the time but I did have to look up online sometimes to figure out what Javier and the people around him were saying. But I think the implementation of Spanish in dialogue as well as in Javier’s internal thoughts (like the word “también” and “La USA”) made this memoir all the more real, easy to immerse into. And I think the Spanish phrases and words, even the punctuations, are great integrations that honor the author’s cultural background and heritage.

Photo by Nicole Geri.

Lasting Impact

My book club leader told us that Solito stayed with her for a long time after her first reading of it, and it led her to designate it as our first book club book of the year.

I can confidently say that it has left such a strong impression on me as well, that it has expanded my understanding of the immigrant experience. It stayed with me so strongly even after I finished that I had to visit an El Salvadoran restaurant and mull over it while eating pupusas:

Avocado salad and pupusas at Cafe Platano.
Pupusas cut in halves:
Queso con Loroco (Cheese and Salvadoran flower) and Frijoles con Queso (House black beans & cheese)

And I’m pretty sure that Javier Zamora’s memoir will leave something in you as well.

Conclusion

Javier Zamora’s Solito: A Memoir is a powerfully moving, achingly raw account of a nine-year-old boy. It’s a collection of memories of longing, pain, and loneliness, so vivid and overwhelming even to adults. It forever changes the reader, whether by enlightening, moving, or just leaving a mark – an impression that lingers even long after.

Photo by Tim Umphreys.

P.S. The afterward of the book was fascinating to read, as Javier Zamora shares what his parents had experienced while he was going through the dangerous journey. And it was so touching to read that he wrote this memoir in hopes of reuniting with Chino, Patricia, and Carla.

P.P.S. HERE‘s a video of Javier reading from Solito and HERE is one of his talking about the memoir.

P.P.P.S. The Salvadoran restaurant I visited is called Cafe Platano in Berkeley, CA. Their pupusas and avocado salad were delicious! 😋

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International House at UC Berkeley: A Building Steeped in History

Have you heard of “International House,” aka “I-House”? I had never heard of it until 2022 when I found out that such a place existed at UC Berkeley. And after learning about its history and significance, I wish UCLA had an International House as well! Alas, it is only exclusively at Berkeley, NYC, Chicago, Paris, and Tokyo.

I-House in Berkeley, circa. March 2023.

Here’s a post dedicated to International House and its incredible story!

The International House Movement

From International House Berkeley: An Extraordinary History (2022).
Available online HERE.

According to official sources, International House, Berkeley was founded by Harry E. Edmonds with the financial support of John D. Rockefeller Jr. It was the second International House to be built after the first one was founded in NYC in 1924 (also funded by Rockefeller Jr.). Harry Edmonds felt the need to create these “multi-cultural residence and program” centers after discovering the lack of community and support foreign students faced in the U.S.

Here is Edmonds’s chance encounter with a Chinese student that sparked the I-House movement:

“One frosty morning I was going up the steps of the Columbia library when I met a Chinese student coming down. I said, ‘Good morning.’ As I passed on, I noticed he stopped. I went back.

“He said, ‘Thank you for speaking to me. I’ve been in New York three weeks and you are the first person who has spoken to me.’

“With my wife’s insistence, I agreed I had to do something.”

Harry E. Edmonds from The New York Times1

When the second I-House opened its doors in Berkeley on August 18, 1930, it was the “largest student housing complex in the Bay Area and the first coeducational residence west of New York” (International House at UC Berkeley). Even UC Berkeley didn’t have coed housing yet!

As part of the progressive I-House movement amidst the political and social climate of the time, it was met with much resistance in Berkeley. According to the official I-House history book, there was much resistance to men and women as well as foreigners, people of color, and whites living under one roof. And so, it’s all the more incredible that Harry Edmonds chose Piedmont Avenue, “home of fraternities and sororities, which then excluded foreigners and people of color,” as the site for the second International House (International House Berkeley: An Extraordinary History, 2).

From International House Berkeley: An Extraordinary History (2022).
Available online HERE.

Decades of History

Drawing of International House at UC Berkeley.

Through the decades, I-House truly lived up to its mission of intercultural respect, understanding and friendship. Some major examples include:

  • In the 1930s, Allen Blaisdell, the first Executive Director of I-House Berkeley, protested against barbers on campus who refused to cut Black students’ hair and changed the practice.
  • In the 1940s, when Japanese American students faced difficulties, International House “set up a bureau to help these young people reach their homes as soon as government regulations permitted” and “helped them with their finances by locating employment opportunities” (International House Berkeley: An Extraordinary History, 3).

HERE is a really great presentation by the Executive Director Emeritus, Joe Lurie, on the role I-House played in desegregating Berkeley.

Reading the official International House history book and listening to Mr. Lurie and different I-House alumni, it sounded to me that I-House had been a place where students from around the world got to live with each other, learn from one another, and form lasting bonds across borders. I hope that, as the institution approaches its 100th year (in 2030), it continues to do so.

Tenth Decade Cake created by the I-House Dining Staff in 2023.

Architecture

George Kelham with his wife Katherine and son Bruce, 1924. Photo from Ancestry.com. *For a better photo of George Kelham, visit: The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

The man behind the iconic I-House Berkeley building is none other than George W. Kelham, the prolific American architect who also designed the Asian Art Museum (formerly the old San Francisco Public Library); the Roble Hall at Stanford University; Powell Library, Haines Hall, Kerckhoff Hall and more at UCLA; Bowles Hall, Valley Life Sciences Building, Moses Hall (now the “Philosophy Hall”), McLaughlin Hall, Davis Hall, Edwards Stadium, Haas Pavilion, and more at UC Berkeley; and countless more!

Haas Pavilion and Philosophy Hall at UC Berkeley.

And like the many other buildings Kelham designed, I-House at Berkeley is beautiful, with intricate designs and shapes evoking Spanish and Mediterranean architecture with hints of Moorish influences.

The Great Hall.
Staircase leading to the Dining Commons.

And how fitting, too, as California’s long and complex history includes the Spanish colonial period.

Inside International House at UC Berkeley.

Images from the actual blueprints of I-House Berkeley!

Notable I-House Alumni

As one would expect from a residential building created for scholars from around the world gathered in Berkeley to attend its top university, there are countless notable alumni of International House. A list can be found on the official I-House Berkeley website HERE. Among numerous pioneers, Nobel prize recipients, professors and founders, here are just a few of the brilliant men and women who lived at I-House:

Photo of Chien Shiung Wu shown in the book, Ten Women Who Changed Science and the World, by by Catherine Whitlock and Rohdri Evans (Diversion Books 2019).

Chien Shiung Wu Yuan – Chinese-American physicist, professor at Columbia University, and pioneer who made great contributions in experimental physics and atomic science and to the Manhattan Project. There’s a photo of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu having dinner at International House Berkeley shared by the Los Alamos National Laboratory HERE.

Photo of Chien Shiung Wu in her laboratory, shared in Ten Women Who Changed Science and the World, by Catherine Whitlock and Rohdri Evans (Diversion Books 2019).

Julian Schwinger – one of the greatest physicists of the 20th century, professor at Harvard University, and Nobel Prize winning American theoretical physicist who developed a relativistically invariant perturbation theory. He did postdoctoral research at UC Berkeley under Oppenheimer and assisted in research at the University of Chicago Metallurgical Laboratory for the Manhattan Project.

Portrait of Julian Schwinger, shared on the Nobel Prize website.

Emmett J. Rice – an American economist, bank executive, and member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors who served in the U.S. Air Force during WW II as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen. A Fulbright scholar, he integrated the Berkeley Fire Department as its first African American fireman. He was also the father of Susan Rice, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and former National Security Advisor.

Photo of Emmett J. Rice
from Federal Reserve History.

Eric & Wendy Schmidt: American businessman, former software engineer, CEO of Google (2001-2011), executive chairman (2011-2015) & American businesswoman and philanthropist. The two met at I-House.

Screenshots of photos of Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt (née Boyle) found in the I-House Directory for Fall 1976 and Fall 1979, respectively. More I-House directories can be found here: https://ihouse.berkeley.edu/alumni/alumni-directory-archive.

Here’s another photo of Wendy & Eric Schmidt from the I-House blog, I-House: Where UC Berkeley Meets the World.

Eric and Wendy Schmidt seem to have revisited I-House a couple of times. Notably, Wendy Schmidt visited when she was honored as I-House’s Alumni of the Year at the 2014 I-House Gala along with another notable alumni, Dr. Ashok Gadgil, and Eric Schmidt came by very recently for the I-House Executive Director’s Lodestar Speaker Series: “The Promise and Perils of AI” event this year.

And I believe, the Dining Commons has been named after the I-House couple.

Countless More Notable Alumni

Historical photos of former I-House residents displayed in Edmonds’ Café.

This blog post would not end if I were to explore all notable I-House alumni, which includes Abdelkader Abbadi (former UN Director of Political Affairs and journalist), Choong Kun Cho (former president of Korean Air), Hans Rausing (former chairman of TetraPak)and his daughter Lisbet Rausing (senior research fellow at Imperial College, London and author), and Haakon Magnus (Crown Prince of Norway), along with Nobel Prize laureates, scientists, scholars, philanthropists, and more.

Plus, I know personally that the list shared on the official website is yet far from being comprehensive, as notable individuals such as W. Harold McClough (founder of Perth construction and Clough Limited), Walter John Jr. (distinguished aerosol physicist, research scientist, and founder), Michael J. Belton (astronomer), Gerhart Friedlander (nuclear chemist who worked on the Manhattan Project), Stewart L. Blusson (geologist and philanthropist), and so many other incredible men and women have also stayed at I-House. This fact alone is a testament to what hub of brilliant minds International House was and is!

I-House Today

Today, I-House remains sitting atop the hill overlooking Berkeley, across from the Law School. Though it retains its old silhouette, iconic dome and other features, I-House has undergone several renovations, including an addition of the ADA-complaint ramp and a complete transformation of its café (from the “I-House Café” to “Edmonds’ Café.”) Sadly, the Heller Patio has now lost the lush trees and greenery that previous residents so enjoyed and referred to as a “garden” within the busy city.

But it still houses over 600 students and scholars (both international and domestic) each year. I truly believe that the magic of the place stems from the many talented residents that bring their unique experiences and stories from around the world. I hope that International House at UC Berkeley, a remarkably unique building steeped in rich history, never loses the passion, faith, and integrity it started out with 94 years ago.

P.S. Here are some useful links related to I-House at UC Berkeley:

  • The official International House at UC Berkeley website
  • A blog by Harry Edmonds’ great-granddaughter, Alice Lewthwaite
  • A blog post on the first I-House (in NYC) written by a recent resident at I-House Berkeley
  • A fascinating, engaging book titled Perception and Deception: A Mind Opening Journey Across Cultures written by Executive Director Emeritus Joe Lurie. If you are interested in learning about cross cultural understandings and misunderstandings or just want to broaden your knowledge, I highly recommend this book!
  • A book titled The Golden Age of International House Berkeley: An Oral History of the Post World War II Era, written by Jeanine Castello-Lin and Tonya Staros of Berkeley Historical Society. It’s a wonderful compilation of invaluable oral history shared by residents who lived at I-House during the late 1940s and early 1950s.

P.P.S. 2024 marks the 100th anniversary for the International House in NYC! Here is everything the first ever I-House is doing this year to celebrate: https://www.ihouse-nyc.org/centennial/

  1. Goodman, G. (1979, July 8). “Harry Edmonds, Who Established International House, Is Dead at 96.” The New York Times, p. 35. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/1979/07/08/archives/harry-edmonds-who-established-international-house-is-dead-at-96-a.html.
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Game of Shrooms 2024: Review & Tips for Future Artists & Hunters

Game of Shrooms 2024 Review

The Game of Shrooms has, once again, come and gone. And I must say…What whirlwind of fun that was! I had a blast creating mushroom-themed art and hiding them out in the world like some secret shroom Santa. Plus, I got to find more than one shroom this year! Here are my reflections & takeaways after participating in the 2024 Game of Shrooms.

Experience as a Shroom Artist

Photo by Steve Johnson.

After having participated in last year’s Game of Shrooms, I was determined to join in on the art-n-seek again. And so, I took my own advice from my previous blog post (tip #1) and started early, about two weeks before the day of the event (June 8, 2024).

My pin on the official 2024 Game of Shrooms Artist Map.

Not as early as I had wanted or planned (which was preparing months beforehand), but it was still early enough that I was able to follow my tip #2 and create more than one artwork:

The five shroom art I create for this year.

Thanks to listening to my own advice, I also had enough time to create promotional Instagram posts and reels for all my artworks:

It was so fun to choose the songs to go with my promotional IG posts!

I also created this promotional video a day before June 8th to spread the word online about my shroom art:

Where My Shrooms Were

As I did last year with Shroompoleon, I scattered my shrooms throughout the UC Berkeley campus. These were where I hid them:

  • Faith Series: “Hanging by a Thread” – under this mushroom shaped tree with lots of holes in the Faculty Glade area.
  • Faith Series: “Redeemed” – I hid it with “Hanging by a Thread,” as it was meant to complement the first art.

  • Praying for You – this was hidden along the Faculty Way (pathway between The Faculty Club and Hertz Hall), along mushroom-shaped lights.

  • Queen of Shrooms was hiding under a bed of yellow roses in front of Dwinelle Hall.

  • Can’t Take More Shiitake was under the Abraham Lincoln statue below The Campanile tower.

To my pleasant surprise, all my shrooms were found within a few hours. Thank you to all the wonderful shroom hunters! 🙌

This was a reel that I created for my hint reveal – it was shared around 9 AM on the day of.

Experience as a Shroom Hunter

Photo by Geeky Shots.

I didn’t initially plan on hunting for shrooms. But when I saw that a cute shroom was going to be hidden somewhere near The Cheeseboard Collective, I decided to go for it. I thought I was sure to find and keep it, as I went out to look for it early in the morning on the day of the game. Alas, another hunter had found and claimed it a day before!

I got to the place where artist HH hid her shroom (per the hint she shared via Instagram), but the shroom had already been picked up! 😞

After which, I tried to get to other shrooms nearby, but to my utter dismay, hunters were really, really good at finding the shrooms. Just as it was last year, shroom hunters were dedicated and competitive, determined to find and keep shroom art. Realizing that at the rate at which I was searching I would be shroom-less this year (as I almost was if it weren’t for the artist Tina Banda‘s lit (literally lit, too, as it glows in the dark!) shroom art that I got to find a day after the 2023 Game of Shrooms), I deciphered the location shared by a shroom artist using her hints, lyfted myself to the restaurant/bar and started searching with the fervor of other shroom hunters.

And lo and behold, I found 2 shrooms at the location – a 🍄 magnet and a 🍄 sticker!

Special shoutout to the friendly associate at Mother’s Tongue for helping me find this cute sticker by The Inkcredibles! 🙌

More Shrooms!

I lyfted myself to another location where some shrooms were going to be dropped (per Instagram) and was so very lucky to find more shrooms and even meet the artists as they were dropping off their shroom art!

Adorable shroom pebbles by Saffuric and Francesca Sapien:

Aesthetic shroom art by Eli Wild:

I was able to find more aesthetic artworks by Eli Wild at The Compound Gallery in Emeryville. Here’s one I purchased:

Noctua C3 by Eli Wild.
The Compound Gallery
in Emeryville, CA.
Inside The Compound Gallery.

Game of Shrooms 2024 Review

For the most complete experience, I think it’s best to participate as both shroom hunter and artist. As an artist, you get to experience the joy of creating and sharing your art with those around you. It’s quite an experience to have your art seen and appreciated by people you’ve never met, to have your shroom be picked up and kept by someone you don’t know. And it’s equally wonderful to go on a mushroom hunt, find beautiful, cute, aesthetic, or fun art by an artist you knew or didn’t know about and to keep the treasure of a shroom for free. And I think the whole searching and finding experience makes the shroom art really special. You get to have a fun story to the shroom art you’re keeping!

Game of Shrooms is such a unique experience celebrating creativity and community in a fun way. Not only is it an outlet for creative expression, but also it’s a way for artists to showcase their works to audiences around the world.

Plus, it’s a great way to spotlight and support local businesses, as done by The Inkcredibles. I mean, what a fantastic idea to feature local businesses while participating in an art-n-seek?

Game of Shrooms Tips: For Artists

  • Start Early, Make More Than 1 Shroom Art, Create Promotional Materials (Same Tips as Last Year). A year goes by more quickly than one expects! I highly suggest that you start as early as you can to create great shroom art with leisure. And as there seem to be more eager hunters than artists in most neighborhoods, it’s great for artists to create more than one artwork so that 1) they can promote their art more 2) there are more hunters who successfully find shrooms! And as this event is operated mainly via Instagram, promotional materials are key to spreading the word about your shroom to all hunters out there. And if you start early and share your promotional materials early, they might be shared by the Game of Shrooms IG account!

I was absolutely thrilled to find my reel shared by the official Game of Shrooms Instagram account! 😆

Plus, don’t forget about business cards/artist info to hide with your shroom art!

  • Collaborate with Local Businesses. I think it’s such a great idea to work with local businesses to promote both them and your art, as The Inkcredibles and Tina Banda had done.
  • Hide Early. I suggest hiding your artwork(s) at least an hour earlier than the time you tell your hunters and IG followers that you’ll hide your shroom, as you might run into hunters eager to find your art. This happens quite often!

Game of Shrooms Tips: For Hunters

  • Be Quick & Early. If there’s a shroom you really like, then start following the artist’s Instagram account as soon as possible and get all the hints as soon as you can! Sometimes artists start giving out hints a few days before the day of the Games. Don’t wait for the day of to look for it (like me); if they give out hints, go out there and find it! I had seen clues, yet I didn’t start looking until the day of the Games, and so I ended up losing the shroom to another hunter, who had searched for and found it a day before.
  • Best Chances of Finding Shrooms are in Your Own Neighborhood/Places You Know. Amidst the competition, you have the best chance of finding a shroom for yourself in your own neighborhood/places where you’re familiar enough to quickly use the hints to hunt down shrooms.
  • Vehicle & Comfy Shoes. It’s all about speed when it comes to shroom hunting! Walking and taking public transportation will NOT be quick enough (as I learned sadly last year). You have to have your own car/bike/electric scooters/Lyft/Uber to get to the shroom ASAP.
  • Let Artists Know If You’ve Found Their Shrooms. This saves everyone’s time! Plus it’s a great way to show appreciation for the artists’ works.

    The Countdown Begins!

    Another thing I so very much love about the Game of Shrooms is that the date of the next game is set right away. It has been announced by Attaboy that the next Game of Shrooms will take place on Saturday, June 14, 2025. So… Let the countdown begin!

    P.S. Here are some local Bay Area artists who participated this year and whose shroom art I really wanted to find!

    1. unconcealedbliss
    2. Cluster Mush

    P.P.S. I’ve noticed that not all artists from the 2023 Game of Shrooms participated in this year’s game. Hopefully they come back next year! Here are their wonderful shroom arts from last year:

    1. Sombean
    2. craftybish
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    Gem of a French Bread: Fougasse from Fournée Bakery

    One thing I’ve noticed after moving up to NorCal is that bakeries here are infinitely better than the ones in SoCal. What I mean is, bakeries in the Bay feel more authentic and artisanal, and often times they are. I think there are better options for bread here than in the south. Please correct me in the comments below if I’m mistaken, but I can’t think of SoCal equivalents to The CheeseBoard Collective Bakery, The Acme Bread Company, Arsicault Bakery, and Tartine Bakery (spots all deserving separate posts of their own!)

    Anyways, this post is solely on Fournée Bakery in Berkeley, CA – and the gem of a French bread they make: fougasse.

    Front entrance of Fournée Bakery

    Fournée Bakery

    The Claremont Club & Spa that you see outside the bakery.

    Facing the tennis courts of the historic Claremont Club & Spa, Fournée Bakery is located in the small cluster of restaurants and stores at the intersection of Claremont Ave, Russell St, Domingo Ave and Ashby Ave. Its neighbors include Peet’s Coffee, Tulipan Floral, and Rick & Ann’s.

    Fournée Bakery and its neighbors.

    On a busy day, the line can go all the way down almost to Rick & Ann’s! As you can see in the photo above, there are some parking spots with meters. But this area can get crowded as this area is shared by other restaurants and stores, along with guests and visitors from the Claremont hotel and its tennis courts.

    Bread Galore!

    Baked goods at Fournée.

    Fournée Bakery offers an array of delectable baked goods, including morning buns, scones (fruit, walnut & coriander), croissants (fruit, veggie, chocolate almond, almond, traditional butter, egg & ham, ham & manchego cheese), cheese rolls, pains au chocolat, pains au raisin (says it’s “pain aux raisins” online), and this marvelous French bread called, “gougère” that I fell in love with! It’s this savory puff of a bread that tastes like cheese and egg. Simply delicious!

    They also have these sandwiches that seem to be popular amongst visitors. I always see at least one person in front of me order one. I haven’t tried them still, as I’ve already developed my go-to items and always end up ordering them instead. I’ll have to try them soon!

    But I did try their Farmer’s Bread and can say with confidence that it’s good!

    Pastries Galore!

    I sure can’t forget to mention Fournée Bakery’s excellent pastries!

    The pastries behind the glass display vary from day to day, but the selection usually consists of Meyer lemon shortbreads, cookies, brownies, and quiches. Often times, they have these seasonal items – I HIGHLY recommend that you get them. I don’t remember regretting getting their seasonal items, like ever! Some seasonal items that I’ve seen include seasonal fruit scones, bûche de Noël (during Christmastime), fruit tart, and my favorite, the rhubarb tart. I fell hard for it last summer and am currently waiting for it to come out again.

    The rhubarb tart that I fell for. I didn’t know how delicious a plant could taste in a tart!
    Oh…How I miss the taste of the sweet, fruity, cool crunchy bite of Fournée’s rhubarb tart! 💗

    The Gem of a Bread: Fougasse

    Yet, the item that truly, truly shines the brightest of ’em all at Fournée is fougasse. You may ask – what is “fougasse”? Pronounced “fu-gas,” it’s a bread from Provence, France that’s shaped like a flat leaf. Per online sources, it’s related to the focaccia of Italy, hogaza of Spain, fogassa of Catalonia, fügassa of Liguria, pogača of the Balkans, and pogácsa of Hungary.

    Fougasse from Fournée. It’s huge!

    Until Fournée, I had never heard or seen of a fougasse. And even to this day, I don’t see fougasse often in other places in the Bay. So when I first laid my eyes on fougasse with its ingredients listed as in the photo below, I had to try it. I mean, it was a bread made with duck fat!

    Ordering the strange bread called, “fougasse” was one of the best decisions I made last year. No joke – the first bite was heavenly: a harmonious blend of salty and savory, with just the right amount of the perfect seasoning.

    Ever since that fateful day, I’ve shared fougasse with everyone around me, including my sister who also fell in love with the beautiful French bread. I became Fournée Bakery’s unofficial patron & ambassador of fougasse, visiting the bakery almost every week for it and spreading news of its exceptional taste to everyone I meet.

    Conclusion

    To tell the truth, I thought about gatekeeping Fournée Bakery and its gem of a bread, fougasse. But it’s too good of a spot to keep to oneself, and besides, it’s already well-loved by its frequent visitors and fans like me!

    On a final note, not only is the bakery stocked with delectable bread and pastries, but also, they’ve got a nice seating area to enjoy: in front of/behind Peet’s and Tulipan Floral.

    Taking a sip of Peet’s and admiring the flowers of Tulipan while taking a bite of Fournée’s gems is such bliss! 😊

    P.S. Note: Fournée Bakery is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. For hours and other info, visit their website HERE or their IG account HERE.

    P.P.S. FYI, the front window of Fournée is under renovation. I think I overheard someone say that a car had crashed into the store front or something. So be aware that the front of the bakery will look slightly different!

    P.P.P.S. IMPORTANT UPDATE: Fougasse is currently unavailable! ☹ The bakery staff told me that they don’t have the duck fat to make them and they don’t know when they’ll have their duck fat again…

    Update 1/27/24: Fougasse is back, baby! 🙌

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    Christmas at PADERIA BAKEHOUSE: ‘Twas a Holly Jolly Visit 🎄

    Just four more days until Christmas! It really has felt like it for the past few weeks. With the radio blasting timeless songs and Spotify recommending playlists like “Christmas Pop” and “Merry & Bright,” it feels like Christmas is already here. And such vibes are bringing back memories of my last Christmas… when I visited Paderia Bakehouse yet again!

    You may wonder, “What more could this blogger possibly have of that bakery?” I’ve got lots more to say: this time, it’s Paderia Bakehouse – the Christmas edition!

    December 23, 2022

    Last year, on December 23, 2022, I flew to the John Wayne Airport in Irvine, CA and stopped by Paderia. (Now, this alone should give you a hint as to how good the place is.)

    I was SO excited to be back at Paderia. The feeling can only be compared to standing outside one’s close friend’s grandmother’s house, waiting to see her (and the treats she has baked for you two).

    Uniquely Cute Christmas Decorations

    When I entered, I was pleasantly surprised by this interesting Christmas tree:

    Now, from afar, it looks like a funky pile of a tree. But close up, it’s really uniquely aesthetic:

    It’s got a whole contemporary hodgepodge look!

    And then at the bottom was this:

    Do you see it? I mean, how cute is this little pug?

    It’s got on a little scarf! 🧣

    Other parts of the bakery were left as clean & modern as it usually was:

    Love the touch of green here and there. 💚

    The Menu (Feat. Special December Items)

    The menu is on the wall next to the counter:

    Or at the counter, where items are always shown inside a glass display. And the glass display was decorated with the same Christmas glam the tree had:

    They had placed their ever-cute egg tart plushie (not for sale though 😕) along with little trees, cotton, reindeer and alpaca/llama plushies! The menu items were the same (delicious egg tarts, banana bread pudding, award-winning cookies, ensaymadas, and drinks) except there were some special seasonal items:

    • Tiramisu Cheesecake 🧀
    • “once-a-year seasonal favorite” White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie 🍪
    • and a newly launched Orange Cardamom Malasada 🍊

    The Food (Seasonal Items + More)

    I couldn’t get the Orange Cardamom Malasada (as it was available only at the Foundation Valley store) but I did get the Tiramisu Cheesecake, White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie and my usual go-tos (egg tarts and banana pudding).

    Paderia treats galore! ✨

    The Tiramisu Cheesecake was as delicious as the photo appears. But in my opinion, it wasn’t as mind-blowingly tasty as the egg tarts, probably because I’m an egg-tart kind of person.

    Look at those layers of soft bread and creamy fillings!

    The White Chocolate Cranberry Macadamia Cookie was good, too, as just the name of it sounds. Each bite was filled with the buttery dough, fruity cranberry, and the nutty macadamia.

    Look at those bits of white chocolate, cranberry, and macadamia!

    But then again, as someone who already has a Paderia go-to item, the cookie was a bit too buttery for me. Nonetheless, it was richly smooth and good .

    I don’t think I’ll have to review my favorite items (i.e. banana bread pudding and egg tarts) again. So here is just a short reel to make your mouths water!

    🍪 To read about my first post on Paderia Bakehouse, click HERE!

    P.S. Did you know that the bakery hosts giveaway contests on Instagram? They’ve offered giveaways for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Labor Day, product launches and more! Visit their IG page HERE.

    P.P.S. Speaking of giveaways, I was one of the lucky winners of one of the giveaways! So I visited the Santa Monica location last week to redeem my coupon and treat myself to the ever-delicious Paderia items. And I have to say, Paderia Bakehouse in Santa Monica was looking good this Christmas!

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    Game of Shrooms: It’s Time to Hunt for Artsy Shrooms!

    It’s finally June… Which means Game of Shrooms is almost here! Next week, the 2023 Game of Shrooms will commence. What is “Game of Shrooms”? It’s an annual art hide-and-seek that takes place all over the world for just one day; and this year, it’ll be on Saturday June 10, 2023. It’s a day when artists around the world hide their original art of/about/inspired by mushrooms out in the public. Participants use clues given by the artists to find their artworks, and finders get to keep the artworks! According to the official website HERE, this festive event was created by Attaboy in 2019. (For more on Attaboy, aka Daniel Seifert, visit his bio HERE.)

    Photo by Irina Iacob.

    Until this year, I had no idea that such a thing even existed! I guess that’s because it’s only been 4 years since it began (this is only the fifth Game of Shrooms event to have ever taken place!) and because it’s an “underground holiday,” per Attaboy’s website. I only found out thanks to a colleague of mine who had participated last year.

    And so here I am, joining in on this year’s Game of Shrooms!

    🍄How to Participate

    Photo by Michael Fousert.

    Want to join in on this year’s Game of Shrooms? You can do so by simply searching for a mushroom artwork hidden nearby (to view the map of all the participating mushrooms, click HERE. Scroll down and refer to the interactive map to find your nearest/favorite mushroom art!

    Screenshot of the interactive Global Map featured on the official website.

    Or, you can do so by hiding a mushroom! To participate as an artist, you’ll need to create an original artwork(s) featuring mushroom(s). Then, submit the form on the Game of Shrooms website HERE. *Scroll down until you see this form below to fill out:

    This is the electronic form you need to fill out if you are hiding your artwork for others to find!
    Some info you’ll need to fill out on the form.

    After filling out the form and clicking on the “Submit” button, this page should show up:

    Your pin should appear on the map sometime later (it says it’s not added instantly). The final step is to promote your mushroom art via social media and give hints to those who want to find your artwork! 🙂

    *Some important guidelines for the event include…

    1. Not hiding artworks in protected areas.
    2. Not damaging private property.
    3. Not leaving any trace after the event, i.e. picking up after yourself. If no one finds your art, you need to retrieve it from the hiding place.

    For more guidelines and useful hints, visit the official website at: https://yumfactory.com/gameofshrooms/

    🍄My Shroom Art

    Photo by Margaret Jaszowska.

    It took me a while to even decide what to create. As I scrolled through the official Instagram account of Game of Shrooms, I saw unique artworks that were painted, sculpted, quilted, felted, and even carved. I was tempted to craft something out, as it looks (and is) like an original souvenir. But as I know the limit of my crafting skills, I opted in to do a painting. But to keep the souvenir-like feel to it, I decided to paint on a tiny canvas. It’s harder to find, easier to take home, and cuter, I think, to keep!

    I initially imagined painting cute little mushrooms, but after seeing this incredibly artistic shroom portrait of King Henry VIII (click HERE for the artwork featured on Instagram) I changed my mind. As someone who loves history, I was way too inspired to go back to painting tiny mushrooms.

    And hence, my art for this year’s Game of Shrooms was born. I present to you, Napoleon Shroomaparte, aka Shroompoleon!

    Napoleon Shroomaparte, aka Shroompoleon (The Time Traveler, 2023)

    Clues to Finding “Shroompoleon”

    Shroompoleon will be hidden at the University of California, Berkeley – somewhere in the southern part of the campus. Here is the mushroom pin on the Global Map:

    More hints will be disclosed on June 10th via Instagram. Stay Tuned… Happy hunting!

    P.S. If you find Shroomaparte, please tag @littimetravel for a special shoutout. 😉

    6/10/23 Update #1: Happy Game of Shrooms Day! Hints have gone live on Instagram. Here they are:

    6/10/23 Update #2: Shroompoleon was found and taken to his forever home by a mystery shroom hunter sometime before 12 PM. Thank you all for your interest & support! ❤

    6/12/23 Update #3: I found a mushroom art to keep!

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    Gray Loft Gallery: An Art Exhibit to Remember

    Shades of Gray at the Gray Loft Gallery

    This January, I had an opportunity to attend an art exhibit called Shades of Gray. No, it has nothing to do with the infamous novel by E.L. James. Rather, it was the “10th Anniversary Photography Exhibit” held at the Gray Loft Gallery in Oakland, CA from December 10, 2022 to January 21, 2023. Truth be told, I had never been to an art exhibit before, so I was extremely excited to attend the group photo exhibit, to say the least!

    There was a banner outside the building to help first time visitors like myself find the entrance.

    The Gray Loft Gallery was located inside a tall, multi-story building. You had to take several flights of stairs to get to the actual gallery with all the artworks.

    As you can see in this photo, there were several artworks visitors could look at on their way upstairs. But since they weren’t part of the actual exhibit, I won’t show them in detail.

    As I made my way upstairs, I came face to face with a lady and her adorable little dog that hopped down besides her.

    The lady and her adorable little dog.

    I presumed her to be a family member or friend of one of the artists, and fawned over her dog as I passed by. To my surprise, the lady smiled and pointed out that I would soon be seeing her dog in the exhibit. I didn’t really know what she meant at the time, so I just smiled back and moved along. Boy, was I in for a pleasant surprise!

    “Room 32”

    Once I reached the floor where the exhibit was taking place (which, I believe was the third floor), I was met with a small table with flyers displayed:

    There were name cards and such of the artists whose works were being displayed. Taking a few with me, I stepped inside Room 32 and officially began my Shades of Gray experience.

    The gallery was basically a large room with dividers with artworks hung here and there on the walls.

    The photographs were mostly in shades of gray, with a few exceptions. But as its name suggested, the exhibit was mostly a collage of black, white and gray.

    Pleasant Surprises

    Amidst the artworks and people casually conversing amongst themselves, there was a station serving wine and treats with these pretty light decorations.

    Visitors had the chance to support the gallery by tipping cash in this glass jar (shown above) or they could purchase the actual artworks displayed. If I recall correctly, most of the prices I saw were in the hundreds. I did see that some works had been claimed, as they had these red circle stickers below them.

    The red stickers below the framed works meant that the artworks had been purchased.

    As I was cruising around the room with my drink in hand, I almost froze because I came face to face with the aforementioned dog. There it was, staring me in the eye!

    Untitled #5 by Ellen Shershow. To see more of this artist’s works, visit the official website HERE or the Instagram account HERE.

    It was such a pleasant surprise to see the dog again! 😂 But I think the dog was cuter in person, hopping down the stairs next to its owner. And for some reason, it looks angry in the photograph. Well, anyways, I think I appreciated the artwork so much more after having actually met the dog beforehand.

    (Some of) My Favorites

    I’m not exaggerating one bit when I say that I thoroughly enjoyed viewing all the artworks at the exhibit. These photographs were not just simple photos; they were captivating images that all spoke different messages through objects and figures captured. Looking back, it’s fascinating how moving each of the still images were! But these are some of the ones that I remember vividly:

    1. Rub my eyes 8 2022 by Francis Baker

    This work was one of the few that were not completely in black and white. Yet, it fit the theme and the exhibit so well. For more works created by the artist behind this dreamy palette, visit the official website at francisbaker.com or on Instagram HERE.

    2. Gorongosa Solitude by Mark Overgaard

    This pigment inkjet print reminiscent of a page from The National Geographic caught my attention for its simplicity and beauty. But now, after discovering that “Gorongosa” means “place of danger” in the indigenous Mwani language and learning about the history of the land in Mozambique, I appreciate this work much more than meets the eye.

    To learn more about the artist behind the work, visit his official website HERE and check out his “About the Artist” page. His story is fascinating as well.

    3. Three Fish by Susan West

    I remember looking at this work and thinking, “Shouldn’t the title be ‘Four Fish’?” Whether there are 3 fish, 3.5 fish or 4 fish (or 7 if counting the shadows), this work by Susan West is fun to look at, even now.

    To view more work, visit the artist’s official website at: susanwestphotography.com.

    4. Dreams of Old Birches by Anne Rabe

    Another artwork that had palettes other than shades of gray, Dreams of Old Birches was memorable in that it incorporated a piece of an actual tree. And the title of the work makes you wonder what those dreams were. For more work by Anne Rabe, visit her official website www.amr-photography.com and Instagram account HERE.

    5. Desert Spirit by Melina Meza

    I actually had the chance to eavesdrop on what the artist was saying about this work. If I remember correctly, she said that the original colors of Desert Spirit was a conglomerate of colors found in the desert. And I actually found Desert Spirit in its colorful original HERE! Check out more of the yoga instructor/writer/teacher/photographer’s works on the official website: www.melinameza.com/fineartphotography.

    6. Armenia by Candice Jacobus

    This work I specifically remember because of the majestically eerie landscape accompanied by a speck of green. Back when I was at the exhibit, I assumed that it was taken in some magical place in Armenia. Upon research, I did found out that, indeed, the photograph is of basalt rock formations called the “Symphony of the Stones” and “Basalt Organ” in Garni Gorge, Armenia.

    More works by Candice Jacobus can be found on the artist’s website at www.candicejacobusphotography.com and Instagram account HERE.

    7. The beginning of hope/The hope of beginning by J.M. Golding

    Not only was I blown away by the beauty of this photograph (I mean, a lake/pond of water touching the evening sky? It doesn’t get any more romantic or aesthetic than that!), but also I was taken aback by just how beautiful the title was. For more works by J.M. Golding, visit the official website at www.jmgolding.com.

    8. Butterflies of My Memory by Sonia Melnikova-Raich

    Butterflies of My Memory made an impression on me for a number of reasons. 1) As someone who values history and cherishes memories, I couldn’t help falling in love with the title and its dreamlike imagery. 2) The structure behind the butterfly silhouettes somehow reminded me of the Bay. As a traveler dwelling in the area, this work holds much meaning to me.

    But I just found out that this photograph was taken in Mexico City during the artist’s visit to La Casa Azul where Frida Kahlo had lived in! It’s incredible how one can take any imagery and fit it to one’s own perspective and experiences regardless of what it actually portrays.

    To learn more about the artwork, visit Sonia Melnikova-Raich’s website HERE or Instagram account at www.instagram.com/soniamelnikovaraich.

    9. Adriatic Tempest IV by Laurel Anderson Malinovsky

    Lastly but certainly not least, is the tempestuous photograph by the artist Laurel Anderson Malinovsky. I got to listen to the artist talk about her work, and I was told that she had taken this photograph while visiting Eastern Europe. She explained that these dark clouds suddenly filled the sky above her and she had never seen anything quite like this before:

    The reflection of the glass doesn’t do the photograph justice. When you look at it in person, the contrast of the colors are quite striking. The shades of gray displayed in the clouds, to me, feel like an allegory for a turmoil of human emotions.

    The artist’s photo card that I picked up on my way inside Room 32.

    To look at more of the artist’s works, visit her official website at www.cipherartanddesign.com.

    Conclusion

    Though I was excited even before the event, I did not expect to have this much fun at the exhibit. And I think overall the Gray Loft Gallery did a great job providing a space for its artists to showcase their works. I especially appreciated the see-through curtains and this *mobile installation, which I believe was not an artwork but a decoration. It added a nice touch to the event:

    *4/3/2023 Update: According to Gray Loft Gallery’s old Instagram post, this mobile was actually a mixed media photo based work by Mary Curtis Ratcliff! For more stunning works by the artist, visit www.marycurtisratcliff.com.

    And the view out the gallery was phenomenal at sunset! To look out the window to find these splash of vibrant colors was a pleasant, artistic contrast to the shades of gray displayed inside.

    All in all, it was a highly enjoyable experience. I wish they had held the exhibit longer than the 1 month and 11 days they held it for… I will have to visit the Gray Loft Gallery again for another one of its exhibits!

    📝 Want to read more about the Shades of Gray exhibit? Visit Malcolm Ryder’s review of the event at www.malcolmryder.com/post/review-photography-at-gray-loft-gallery-dec-2022.

    🎨 HERE is the link to Gray Loft Gallery’s official website! Check out their “Upcoming Events” for art shows you can visit when you’re in the area.

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    Visiting Ursula K. Le Guin’s Childhood Home in Berkeley, CA

    It just happened so that I read Ursula K. Le Guin’s A Wizard of Earthsea in Berkeley, the very city where the author had grown up in. And so, after finishing the wonderful fantasy novel (for the full review of A Wizard of Earthsea, click HERE), I just had to look up any place in Berkeley associated with the novel and its author. And, lo and behold, I found the address to Ursula K. Le Guin’s childhood home!

    The UC Berkeley campus. Summer 2022.

    The Significance of Le Guin’s Childhood Home

    The author’s old house was recently listed, I believe, at around 4 million dollars. There were articles about the house, mainly from The Sacramento Bee where you can read all about it and even view a video of the house’s interiors!

    Now, one may wonder – why the big fuss over an author’s childhood home? Well, besides the obvious (that it was the home of the brilliant author who wrote the Earthsea novels), it actually seems to have played a significant role in her life and literary works. So much so that she is said to have written about the very home in an essay called, “Living in a Work of Art.”

    Here’s what Le Guin said about her childhood home in Berkeley:

    “If I recall my childhood, I recall that house. It is where everything happened. It is where I happened. Writing this, I wonder if much of my understanding of what a novel ought to be was taught to me, ultimately, by living in that house. If so, perhaps all my life I have been trying to rebuild it around me out of words.”

    Quote from SF Gate and Lit Hub.

    After coming across this quote, I simply had to visit the place myself!

    I mean, technically, Le Guin’s childhood home is where the magic of Earthsea began! 📷 by Diane Picchiottino.

    Not to mention the fact that it was designed by Bernard Maybeck in 1907 – over 100 years ago! (116 years, to be exact.)

    Getting There

    Le Guin’s childhood home, aka the Albert Schneider House, is located at 1325 Arch Street, in a neighborhood in North Berkeley. It’s a bit far off from the famous UC Berkeley campus; it takes from 25 to 30 minutes from the campus to the house on foot:

    Snapshot of the actual Google Map direction I used!

    And I must say, that it was quite a hike! 1325 Arch St was up on the hills, overlooking Berkeley and the rest of the Bay. I do not recommend visiting on a hot day!

    Journey to 1325 Arch St

    Alas, I happened to visit on a very hot day, so I made my way to Le Guin’s childhood home huffing and puffing like some determined fan girl. The journey was strenuous with all that upward powerwalk, but I could not contain my excitement as I got closer and closer to my desired destination.

    1325 Arch St

    When I finally stood in front of the actual house Le Guin had grown up and lived in, I was completely breathless.

    1325 Arch St!

    The dark, wooden house was being worked on by some construction/repair workers who I think were fixing up the place for the new resident who had just purchased the place. I so wanted to enter the open entrance and explore within; yet, I checked myself to not trespass.

    The entrance to the house. It was open ajar with sounds coming from within.

    Instead I looked from out on the streets, marveling at the mystical structure that held Ursula Le Guin’s childhood memories. At the open windows and the (what appeared to be) pea trees hovering over the entrance, I wondered if those had been there when the Le Guins had called the place their home.

    My Experience

    If I hadn’t researched beforehand, I would not have known that this house was Le Guin’s childhood home! I half-expected there to be signs or something signaling its ties to the fantasy novelist. But there were none.

    To stand before the actual house felt surreal. The neighborhood was peaceful and quiet, with a few cars passing by from time to time. I half-expected there to be other tourists like myself and perhaps signs signaling the house’s ties to Le Guin, but there weren’t anything like that.

    One Asian lady living across from Le Guin’s childhood home looked at me with a wary eye as I was taking way too many photos of the author’s house from all angles imaginable. It looked as if she didn’t know that the house she lived across from wasn’t just any house.

    Or, maybe she did but she didn’t care for Le Guin’s works. Whichever the case, she sure is lucky! From the second floor of her own house, she could probably enjoy the view that Le Guin herself enjoyed from 1325 Arch St.

    The View from 1325 Arch St

    View of the Bay from Berkeley, CA.

    Though I haven’t had the chance to go inside, I can conjecture from the outside that the view from the top floors at 1325 Arch St would be splendid. I mean, I was able to see the Bay while walking up to the house, and despite the trees and other obstacles blocking the view, it was still delightful. I can only imagine how breathtaking the view must be from up on the second level.

    View of San Francisco, CA from the North Berkeley neighborhood where 1325 Arch St is.

    According to The Spaces, there are 3 bedrooms on the second floor, with the master bedroom having “views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from its windows and private balcony” (The Spaces Team). Yup, the view would be simply breathtaking!

    View of the Bay from Indian Rock Park in North Berkeley, CA.

    Perhaps the view inspired the lands and seas of Earthsea Le Guin crafted in her works:

    Snapshot of the map of the Earthsea world drawn by the author herself.

    Around 1325 Arch St

    Though there wasn’t a sign that read, “Hometown of Ursula K. Le Guin,” there were little book boxes, i.e. little free libraries that I spotted here and there. It was quite befitting for the neighborhood the Earthsea author had grown up in.

    Free library shaped like a train! 🚂

    There was also this stairway in the neighborhood that led up to the Berkeley Rose Garden, a city-owned park with rose terraces and tennis courts. (The Berkeley Rose Garden requires a post of its own, so I won’t go in detail.)

    Conclusion

    If you also find Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea novels to be some of the best fantasy novels ever written, then I highly recommend visiting 1325 Arch St if you’re in the area. You won’t find any signs, pamphlets or souvenirs, but you will be visiting a special place where a remarkable author had grown up in. It’s a fun quest/rewarding workout/intensive hike to go on for Earthsea fans and history buffs alike.

    P.S. Upon further research, I came across the official website for Le Guin’s childhood home! Here’s the link: https://www.maybeckarchitecture.com/

    P.P.S. Check out the whimsical My Coffee Roastery if you’re in Berkeley! Click HERE for the full review.