There’s no time like the present to bring together friends and family for a night out. With over 25 restaurants participating in Berkeley’s 5th annual Restaurant Week, offering three-course lunch menus for $20 and dinner menus for $25 or $35, there’s plenty of dining options sure to please a variety of palates, and your wallet.
On our 2nd video for #BRW17, we take you to three more neighborhood restaurants that serve up some of the best bites anywhere.
We start at Downtown Berkeley’s Gather Restaurant where co-founder Eric Fenster takes us through the restaurant’s unique design, and Executive Chef Charis Wahl, shares what’s on the special menu.
Next, we land in the Lorin District for Jess McCarter’s quirky, Creole-Cajun hybrid, Easy Creole. We close out at West Berkeley’s intimate La Marcha Tapas Bar with Chef / owners Sergio Emilio Monleón and Emily Sarlatte.
Make reservations and dig in!
On our latest #Berkeley sponsored by Visit Berkeley we take you to three celebrated neighborhood restaurants participating in Berkeley’s 5th Annual Restaurant Week happening Thursday January 19th through Sunday January 29th.
We start at West Berkeley’s lauded Gaumenkitzel where owner and chef, Anja Voth shares what’s on their Restaurant Week menu. Next, we hop into Downtown Berkeley’s critically acclaimed Comal with Chef Matt Gandin who reveals the inspiration behind their food and cocktail program. We finish at Solano Avenue’s top-rated, Ajanta, where Pratik Thapa and his family are keeping the cooking traditions established by its founder and previous owner, Lachu Moorjani, alive.
Berkeley Restaurant Week is the best time of year to explore new and favorite restaurants, when diners can take advantage of special value menus at over twenty Berkeley Restaurants.
Bon Appétit!
On December 3rd, 2015 we held the first OffPlanet VR meetup at NextSpace in Downtown Berkeley. Inspired by meetups SFVR and SVVR (Silicon Valley Virtual Reality), we wanted to bring together local pioneers in the industry and see what creators were making with platforms like Oculus Rift before its launch to consumers.
A year later, OffPlanet VR is Berkeley’s ticket to the future of computing and a chance to talk with the people designing and testing it. This Saturday Dec 3rd from 4pm to 8pm we’re celebrating with our fourth gathering of VR pioneers to see what we’ve learned so far and what could lie ahead for the industry as it attempts to capture mass market appeal.
If you’re curious about virtual reality, 360 video, and want to find out how to get into this radical new territory, don’t miss this chance to experience some of the best VR tech on the planet, and have some cake with us. We look forward to seeing you.
Step into the conference room for lighting talks starting at 6pm.
VR demos from 4pm to 8pm. Real refreshments, beer and wine. Cake. Music by DJ Jose Ruiz.
Trip out with Snow Angel in 360: the new music video app made with InstaVR for the Funk-Pop girls of Snow Angel and their debut album. Elle Magazine listed Snow Angel’s track “Fifteen” as One of the 10 best new songs to listen to in December.
Thanks to our Kickstarter Backers for bringing Snow Angel VR to life!
New Mo’ Cut is in the Valley of the Docs program, Sunday October 9th at 8pm, Monday the 10th at 5:45pm and Tuesday the 11th at 10am. Purchase Tickets.
Listed by Screen International as one of the ‘top 10’ Festivals in the United States, the Mill Valley Film Festival is California’s longest-running fall festival. Mark Fishkin started the 3-day showcase in 1977 and turned it into a world-renowned, eleven-day celebration of new and independent films, world cinema, documentaries, active cinema, educational and music programs. Each year the festival welcomes more than 200 filmmakers, representing more than 50 countries.
We couldn’t be happier they’ve invited Mo’ to join Amy Adams, Emma Stone, Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal and many more artists to be in one of the most anticipated film festivals of the year. If you haven’t had a chance to see the film yet – this is the screening to catch! Thanks to our Kickstarter backers who made all this possible!
Local history buffs are in for a treat. New Mo’ Cut precedes the world premiere of Circus Kid,directed by Lorenzo Pisoni.
Circus Kid is an intimate portrait of San Francisco’s famed Pickle Family Circus and of its mercurial founder, Larry Pisoni. Started in the 1970s, the one-ring circus entertained with dazzling acrobatics, juggling, and often-subversive clowning—a direct precursor of Cirque du Soleil. Born into this milieu, Lorenzo was six when he donned matching greasepaint and baggy pants to join Larry in a brilliant father-son act. Exhaustion and personal demons eventually drove Larry to abandon the troupe and his family. With Circus Kid, Lorenzo seeks to reconstruct what happened and reconcile with his father’s complex legacy. Including vintage footage and interviews with legendary performers Bill Irwin and Geoff Hoyle, this unique glimpse of clown life shouldn’t be missed.
California Typewriter Directed by Doug Nichol
Weaving three stories—of a Berkeley repair business, a Canadian collector, and a Bay Area artist—and including interviews with famous typewriter devotees like Tom Hanks, Sam Shepard, and David McCullough, this documentary celebrates the creative virtues and tactile joys of the typewriter. But rather than a eulogy for yet another mechanical device tossed on the slag heap of obsolete technology—joining the Polaroid, the album, and sprocketed film—this microhistory is both a love letter to this humble tool and a pointed critique of our digital age. For some, the typewriter’s limits are benefits, even a state of mind. Ultimately, the film suggests we move past that modern technological conundrum—analog or digital?—and simply embrace both.
Company Town Directed by Deborah Kaufman & Alan Snitow
Few American cities have experienced the upheaval of San Francisco in the Internet Age. The influx of highly paid tech workers, and the decampment of artists and bohemians to remote locales, is a sign o’ the times. Another is the aggressive advancement of the “sharing economy” and its impact on affordable housing and the city’s character. The focus throughout Company Town is on individuals, underscoring that a city’s strength isn’t its power brokers but its residents.
Fire at Sea (Fuocoammare) Directed by Gianfranco Rosi
Samuele, an anxious young boy and slingshot aficionado with a lazy eye, is among the locals who takes a turn in the spotlight alongside migrants in Gianfranco Rosi’s beautiful and moving neorealist documentary. For the director, the small Sicilian island of Lampedusa acts as a focal point to address the European refugee crisis, a rocky and barren place that has become a primary entry for those fleeing war and other ravages in Africa. Fire at Sea shows the perils of these journeys—overcrowding, dehydration, and death—while avoiding emotional grandstanding or partisan politics. No hyperbolic voiceover or intrusive score here; just the undeniable, heart-wrenching facts of the situation. Fire at Sea, which won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, brilliantly juxtaposes the side-by-side relationship of Lampedusa’s residents with the desperate people trying to reach her shores and leaves the viewer to make the subtle connections between the two.
Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent Directed by Lydia Tenaglia
Was visionary chef Jeremiah Tower’s name a sign of destiny, or mere prescience? Because this father of California cuisine has a legacy that looms over the culinary landscape, as told in this savory documentary. Featuring wonderful archival footage and a who’s who of household names in all things gastronomic, Lydia Tenaglia’s delicious cinematic treat examines Tower’s early days at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse, his creation of San Francisco’s revolutionary Stars restaurant—and then his sudden prolonged period of self-exile. But like peeling an onion, we slowly learn more about his contradictions—the generous control freak, the elusive social dandy—and his overriding passion: Not only to serve great food, but also to create a universe of experience around a simple dinner plate.
Loving Directed by Jeff Nichols
Based on real events, Jeff Nichols’ extraordinary film has a lyrical eloquence that honors the heart of the story of Richard and Mildred Loving (played with understated brilliance by Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga), the interracial couple whose quiet courage helped change the face of the law of marriage in the US.
Maya Angelou and Still I Rise Directed by Bob Hercules Rita Coburn Whack
This premier documentary unearths rare archival material to illuminate the life of Dr. Maya Angelou, American poet and performer. James Baldwin, Oprah Winfrey, Alfre Woodard, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Cicely Tyson, Angelou’s son Guy Johnson, and others offer deep insights into this phenomenal woman and the power of her liberated voice. Rooted in humble beginnings and an adventurous creative life, Angelou rose to international prominence with her acclaimed autobiography I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, an account of how childhood trauma made her mute and how poetry and individual expression led her out to the wider world where her indomitable spirit could shine.
My Love Affair with the Brain: The Life and Science of Dr. Marian Diamond Directed by Catherine Ryan Gary Weimberg
Meet Dr. Marian Diamond as she pulls a human brain out of a hatbox and lovingly enumerates its astonishing qualities. A mad scientist? Quite the opposite. In this energetic documentary, Dr. Diamond is revealed as one of the great minds—one of the founders, in fact—of modern neuroscience. If her name isn’t yet as familiar as that of Marie Curie, it will be: Dr. Diamond’s unprecedented work includes theorizing and proving previously unimagined brain capabilities, analyzing Albert Einstein’s preserved brain, and building a scientific and academic career that broke barriers for women in science. Watch this to learn about an amazing woman, a brilliant scientist, a fascinating branch of scientific research, and about the core element that fuels great achievement in all endeavors: love.
Tower Directed by Keith Maitland
Director Keith Maitland transforms tragedy into art in this mesmerizing and inventive documentary. In 1966, a sniper terrorized the University of Texas-Austin campus, shooting from its clock tower for 96 minutes of random killing and wounding. The film revisits that day, seamlessly combining live-action modeled animation, archival footage, and present-day interviews. The movie is a mosaic of interwoven narratives, at times a suspenseful thriller or unconventional love story. Ultimately, Maitland is interested less in the sniper than in how ordinary people reacted to the unfolding horror. The film is an unexpectedly invigorating and layered portrait of the human response to inhuman violence.
Visitor’s Day (Día de Visita) Directed by Nicole Opper
Three hours from Mexico City, at-risk boys thrive in a rural group home that offers counseling, job training, and perhaps most importantly, hope, something that few of the young residents have ever experienced. The title of this quietly observant documentary from Oakland filmmaker Nicole Opper refers to the most anticipated day at the facility—or the most heartbreaking, as in the case of lonely teenager Juan Carlos, a runaway who longs to reconnect with the father who abandoned him years ago.
You’re Killing Me, Susana (Me estas matando Susana) Directed by Roberto Sneider
A young couple from Mexico City discovers that an Iowa college campus is an unlikely but idyllic place to save their troubled marriage after philandering actor Eligio (Gael García Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle; Y Tu Mamá También; Neruda, MVFF 2016) follows wife Susana (Verónica Echegui, Hunter’s Prayer) to a writers’ workshop in the United States.
For complete festival schedule and events visit mvff.com
*film descriptions are from mvff.com
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Anaheim, Ca – Gamers have E3. Cosplayers have Comicon. YouTubers have VidCon: the annual Shangri-La for the online video world, started in 2010 by the VlogBrothers, Hank and John Green. From June 23rd to the 25th the Anaheim Convention Center will turn into a social media summer camp of sorts filled with YouTube and Vine stars, their fans, video creators and media leaders sharing their predictions for the future of online video.
My first VidCon last year felt like landing into a near-future science fiction movie where every teenager has their own TV show, broadcast live across the globe via their cell phones attached to selfie sticks. I grew up looking into camera viewfinders to capture the world on the other side of the lens (and marveled when 1-hour photo was an option). Here at VidCon everyone points their camera (now a mobile computer) at themselves to Snapchat, Instagram, YouNow, Periscope, Vine and now Facebook live.
It’s no secret online video – led by YouTube – dominates the web and gets more views than cable TV. YouTube has over a billion users and on mobile alone, they reach more 18-34 and 18-49 year-olds than any cable network in the U.S.
Just today Facebook Live and Periscope saved the day for the House Democrats when their C-SPAN broadcast was turned off after they started a sit-in to bring a vote on gun control after the worst mass-shooting in U.S. history.
VidCon is at the center of the online video movement, bringing the community together in real life to celebrate and chart the rapidly evolving eco-system of content makers, distributors and technology. Today VidCon announced their expansion to Amsterdam and Australia in 2017.
Gaming and virtual reality are coming into their own here as well. Last year YouTube and Google in collaboration with EleVR treated Industry attendees to a sneak-peak of 360 cameras by Kodak, Ricoh Theta and the Google Jump camera featuring an array of 16 GoPros. Google cardboard was given out like candy. Oculus and HTC Vive VR headsets had yet to hit the market.
This morning Mashable reported that Samsung’s new Gear 360 camera will be available for sale in limited quantities at VidCon and HTC Vive is listed as a VidCon sponsor. As media companies announce partnerships and development deals over the next few days, perhaps the VR stars of tomorrow will begin glimmering at VidCon.
Stay tuned for more news from Quirkeley at #VidCon16. Follow us on Twitter @Quirkeley and @OffPlanetVR
Watch our videos from last year, Greetings from VidCon and VidCon Elevator Confessions.
The 2nd Annual Bay Area Book Festival is upon us! Saturday, June 4th and Sunday the 5th from 10am to 6pm, Downtown Berkeley will see 300 authors, 230 Exhibitors, 150 panels and thousands of book lovers for the free festival celebrating the written word.
We’re thrilled that New Mo’ Cut will screen in the festival’s first film series at BAMPFA, Auteur, Author: Film and Literature, curated by Tom Luddy, co-founder and co-director of the Telluride Film Festival.
New Mo’ Cut will precede the documentary O Amor Natural by Heddy Honigmann (NETHERLANDS/BRAZIL, 1996. 76 mins, In Portuguese with English subtitles)
From the BABF website: “The ten-film series, running concurrent with the festival and screening in BAMPFA’s new theatre, celebrates how the language of cinema can reflect—or reinvent—the forms and substances of fiction and poetry.”
Join us Saturday June 4th at 7:30pm to see New Mo’ Cut on the big screen at BAMPFA. Director Siciliana Trevino and Oscar-nominated screenwriter David Peoples will be in attendance.
We’re honored to be a part of the festival’s inaugural film series and by thrilled the perfect timing! Just one year ago we successfully funded our Kickstarter to make New Mo’ Cut and now it’s screening in the heart of downtown Berkeley at the new University art museum designed by Diller, Scofidio + Renfro.
Thanks again to our Kickstarter backers who made it all possible.
See you at the movies!!
Click here to purchase tickets
It’s CalDay! – one of our favorite days of the year in Berkeley when the University opens its doors to the public with hundreds of activities, free tours and admission to museums, campus labs and classrooms.
Tweet and Instagram #sharecalday and see your posts appear on the”live” Cal Day site.
Here’s our top picks for Cal Day fun.
There’s four different places to experience virtual reality from the University’s virtual reality student group!
Sproul Plaza: AR Pop-up Textbooks
Bechtel Engineering Center: Landships! (VR Tank Game), HTC Vive Demos (TBD)
Engineering Student Services (ESS) Patio: Virtual Campanile
Jacobs Hall Open House (12-3pm): T1-M’s Collection (VR Animated Short), Immersive Storytelling
Wallace Atrium, 1st floor Valley Life Sciences Building
Say hello to our resident T. rex and Pteranodon in Wallace Atrium in front of the Museum of Paleontology. Get your picture taken, pick up a T-shirt or tote bag, and score a highly coveted ticket for our museum tour! Get your Science@Cal Passport stamped here.
This talk explores the roles of science and magic in order to understand the various ways in which Babylonians of ancient Iraq examined the night sky.
Eduardo Escobar, Ph.D. Candidate in Cuneiform Studies
Find out what the Internet knows about you, how it knows it, and why it all matters! Then learn some techniques to protect yourself–and your friends–from sharing more than you want to. Gerald Friedland, Lecturer
Kvamme Atrium, 3rd floor Sutardja Dai Hall
The Robot Learning Lab conducts research on artificial intelligence techniques to make robots perform challenging tasks. Come meet the first general-purpose robot able to fold laundry and give you a hug, as well!
Learn more about UC Berkeley’s natural landscape with a tour of Strawberry Creek and campus trees! The Forestry Club and the Strawberry Creek Restoration Project lead this guided one-hour tour beginning at noon. To take the tour on your own, the College of Natural Resources offers a smartphone audio tour (see instructions for downloading at http://goo.gl/CNYQzf).
Pioneers in Engineering (PiE) is a non-profit organization that provides a quality STEM learning experience for students in underserved Bay Area high schools. We run a year-long intensive mentoring program and an annual eight-week robotics competition.
Lawrence Hall of Science (take Hill Shuttle from Evans Hall east entrance)
Composer, philosopher and computer scientist Jaron Lanier, a pioneer in the field of virtual reality, discusses what is was like to be on the leading edge of breakthrough technology and the experience of shaping the future on a global scale. In an ever-advancing world reliant on technology, he’ll also help us answer the question, What will be the direction of our digital future?
Tickets for this event will be available for pick up on April 16 beginning at 1 pm at Wheeler Auditorium. First-come, first served, subject to availability. One ticket per person only.
See the campus map for routes and stops.
Cable Cars
Make a 30-minute loop around campus on a motorized cable car, running 8 am–4 pm. Hop on or off at any stop.
Campus Perimeter Buses
Catch a ride around the campus, with routes past the residence halls and Clark Kerr Campus. Buses run 8 am–6 pm.
Hill Shuttle
Zip into the hills above campus—to see the Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Botanical Garden, Space Sciences Laboratory, and Strawberry Canyon Recreation Area. The shuttle leaves every 15 minutes, 8:30 am–6 pm, from the east entrance of Evans Hall. Buses and shuttles are wheelchair-accessible; cable cars are not.
quirkeley.com 