Author Archive
February 19, 2018 by tomdalzell
Allen Sawyer: Clever Man With Stunning Collections
Today is President’s Day. When I was a boy in Pennsylvania, we celebrated Lincoln’s Birthday on February 12 and Washington’s birthday on February 22. Somewhere along the line we lost the distinction. We moved away from the hard date for Washington after it was moved as part of 1971’s Uniform Monday Holiday Act. For me, President’s Day means […]
February 17, 2018 by tomdalzell
Murals – First Quarter 2018
This mural showed up recently on the northeast corner of 10th and University – a nice greeting as you come into town. It was called to my attention by a Quirky Berkeleyian with a great eye. It evokes the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign. It was erected by Western Neon in 1959. It is […]
February 10, 2018 by tomdalzell
Susan Brooks: Mirth and Desire, Stances and Glances – Work that’s Quirk and for sale
This is the work of Susan Brooks. Helen Holt, who is Quirky Berkeley Royalty and whose Helly Welly Lamp Shop is a must-go-zone, told me last summer that I had to meet Susan. I finally did. Boy am I glad I did. I tell you – you must meet her and see her quirk. Brooks grew up […]
February 3, 2018 by tomdalzell
The Inspired Madness of the Plaster Palace
That’s quite a bedroom, no? There is a skylight above the columns of the rotunda. I am not convinced that “rotunda” is the correct word here. The room is not circular, which seems to be a key component of a true rotunda. I am open to suggestions on the correct terminology. I have heard this […]
January 28, 2018 by tomdalzell
Berkeley Typewriter – An Outstanding Upstanding Longstanding Business
When the Quirky Berkeley fellow traveler OH first suggested that I occasionally visit Berkeley businesses that have been around for at least 50 years, I thought it was a good idea. My opinion has changed. You guessed it! I now think it was a GREAT idea and a powerful reminder to trust your crazy ideas. And […]
January 20, 2018 by tomdalzell
Random Acts of History – The 1980s
I have published several posts about Ken Stein (front row, second from the left in the photo above), first about his collection of Berkeley-themed souvenir spoons and then about his collection of Berkeley buttons. Stein has been part of Berkeley’s DNA for almost five decades. He is a rare combination of righteous hell-raising political activist, writer/journalist, collector, and […]
January 13, 2018 by tomdalzell
2819 Prince Street – Second-Time-Around Quirk
We remember the myth, right? A phoenix finds new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. The lead photo above is a Quirky Berkeley Phoenix, 2819 Prince Street. And these two photos are the ashes, from a 2013 post about a quirky small world at 2828 Russell. The children of 2828 Russell were the driving force behind the […]
January 6, 2018 by tomdalzell
Beds
In what seems like a march up to a major series on quirky home interior design, I have previously posted on: Doors Garage doors Out buildings Gardens and living roofs Bathrooms Today, for the first new post of 2018, I present a collection of quirky beds. Yes, I have seen quirky beds. They are by […]
January 1, 2018 by tomdalzell
The Best of 2017
Quirky Berkeley evolved in 2017. While most the majority of many of my posts remained rule-conforming examinations of quirky material culture visible from the street, sidewalk, or path, I took liberties with the parameters that I established in the beginning. My favorite post of the year was about the Village, at 2556 Telegraph. In 1971, Larry […]
December 30, 2017 by tomdalzell