Exploring the Bay Area

The Curiosity Shop The Curiosity Shop, in many ways, embodies the personality of Berkeley. It is unique, accepting, vintage,  eccentric, proud to be different, and full of options. Berkeley natives come here often and embrace it for all of the reasons that make it unique.  It is a small building on Martin Luther King that is filled to the brim with an eclectic selection of things for sale. There are so many knick-knacks that the building feels very cramped, and visitors are likely to feel a bit overwhelmed, at least at first.  Honestly, despite being only a few rooms deep, there is too much to see in just one visit. You can come back again as often as you like to check on the selection of goodies.  The store, whose door reads, "100,000 THINGS YOU DON'T NEED," is a great place to look for cheap fashion jewelry. Some of it is vintage; some of it appears more modern. They have rings, necklaces, earrings, key chains, and even plastic tiaras if you are interested.  ...

Talavera Ceramics and Tile Talavera Ceramics and Tile is a one-of-a-kind shop features beautifully handmade crafts imported from family-run workshops in Mexico. I love a chance to browse their wide selection of pots and other ceramics, tiles, and other crafts.  I find this store to be very fun to explore. It extends into several rooms that are packed with attractive products that are arranged very neatly and interestingly, as if it were an art gallery in addition to a shop.  The tiles and ceramics are painted in a bright and colorful Mexican style, and the textiles, mirrors, and clocks are also eye-catching because of their bold colorfulness. Everything is lovingly handmade and cutely artistic. 1801 University Avenue Berkeley, CA 94703

Museum of Craft and Design OPEN Thursday-Sunday from 12–5 PM CLOSED Monday-Wednesday 2569 Third Street San Francisco CA 94107 415 773 0303 This small museum in the Dogpatch region is worth seeing. It focuses on modern art and contains a nice gift shop full of interesting selections as well as an exhibit that costs a reasonable fee ($8 to $10 last I checked).  The museum cycles in and out new artists and displays, so come back often and enjoy!