Said tourist George Hedges, “Individualism. Character. I don’t think you can bottle that.” Though he may be visiting from England, his personal philosophy on fashion describes the whole Berkeley community.  It’s this particular outlook that makes the city’s style unique, said young people interviewed recently recently for a random survey.

Student Amanda Pearlstein, 20, might have agreed. ”Anyone can rock a particular style if they’re fashionable enough.”

Others criticized the popularity of brands themselves. Among them, Igor Krivitskiy, 21, said “[logos] detract from the style of [the garment].”

Despite such sentiments, many Berkeley residents had favorite stores. Here are some of the most popular Berkeley brands and stores:

Favorites

American Apparel, Converse, Ed Hardy, Forever 21, Gap, Guess, H&M, Jack Purcells, Old Navy, Puma, Urban Outfitters, Zara

In accordance to trends, many Berkeley residents and students held different opinions of what was  fashionable. Jamie Richards, 27, however, had other priorities. “Don’t forsake fashion for comfort,” she said.

Popular Clothing Items

Blazers, button down shirts,  skinny  jeans, cardigans, wayfarer sunglasses, hoodies, flowing scarves, boyfriend khaki shorts, loose tees, wedge sandals. rolled-up jeans.

What to Look for When Shopping

Flannel, plaid, floral print, pastels, earthtones

Clothing to Avoid

Baggy pants on men, skate shoes, fitted shirts for men, ripped-up jeans,  dress shirts for casual occasions, anything overly pretentious or provocative.

However, if you’re looking to add Berkeley style to your own closet, make sure you don’t overthink it.  ”You get an issue when individuality becomes uniformity,” said Hedges. Stereotypical ways of dressing, like indie, and “goth…become a uniform.” Perhaps the most important advice is to have “fun” and be true to yourself.

Contributing writers: Kallista Zormelo, Ayla Mitchell, Kelcie Mccurdy, Kaitlyn Sever, Sophia Gallegos,

Shoppers throng at produce stands at the Saturday Berkeley Farmers' Market

BERKELEY, Calif. —Most people systematize their groceries list and wake up on Saturday to buy from the local grocery chain. Yet at  Center St. at Martin  Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley Farmers’ Market lives up to its slogan of “environment, community, justice.” Open from 10am-3pm, Berkeley Farmer’s Market is bustling and lively with vendors selling their merchandise, crowds sampling and buying, and street entertainers captivating their audiences, creating an enjoyable, family-friendly environment. Vendors and crowds that attend this weekly farmer’s market come for many reasons. Their love for the community and the inviting atmosphere drives them to return. “Personally, I love the community aspects of it,” said Jemima Farwell who works for Happy Girl Kitchen Co.

“It brings together a whole community,” she said. Vendors and street entertainers interact with the little children, offering them samples and asking for participation. Bob Bernstein who runs Bernie’s Best, and is commonly known as “Bernie,” enjoys “meeting people, trading and bartering” with buyers and other vendors.

Aside from the warming and amiable atmosphere, the farmer’s market is mostly organic and environmentally-safe. ” I try to avoid commercial corporate foods,” commented John Vaneyck and Carroll Esteves. “Their methods of farming is harmful to soil.” The notion of eating fresh and healthy makes people want to go. Brian Ogly was inspired by Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and thrives to eat organically. “I buy organic whenever I can,” remarks Ogly who works at the bread stand.

“The community’s really conscious about … alternatives,” said Obi Kaufmann of incense company Juniper Ridge, who began selling at the Farmers’ Market 12 years ago. Taking things a step further, he describes his products as ecologically, in addition to sustainably, conscious. Juniper Ridge incense products, in fact, derive from a pruning process that enables the forest to grow back stronger, and 10% of profits benefit organizations that defend western wilderness.

However Kriss Worthington, Berkeley city council member, utilizes the Berkeley Farmers’ Market to keep in touch with the community he represents. Such a direct approach is inherent in his political history. “I was very unhappy with my council member,” he said, recalling his exigency to run for office. Worthington merely ran for office to send a “message” to the City Council; now he maintains his reputation by visiting local hotspots and listening to citizens’ concerns. Describing it as a “social, cultural and political experience,” the Farmers’ Market is just another medium Worthington uses to keep in touch with the people.

Clearly, the Farmers’ Market isn’t just for farmers. This Berkeley community generates mutual relationships between customers and vendors, and most importantly, the environment, exemplifying a standard of “justice” that more communities should live up to. 

For more information go to: http://www.ecologycenter.org/

Contributing writer: Christine A. Jackson

In a recent informal survey on the UC-Berkeley campus, there was a resounding promotion of the recycling movement. But what makes Berkeley so different from other “green” universities around the country?

“It is the people’s attitudes [at Berkeley] that make it easier to recycle,” says student Camille Orque, 19.

Furthermore, Berkeley is raising the environmental standards of its campus all around. A recent program monitors the levels of lead in each building as well as offers an accessible recycling program.

Environmental awareness is evident on the campus, as everyone works to keep it clean. “The campus here is very clean and well kept due to the recycling around, it makes campus better. It’s one of the best things about the Berkeley campus,” says Jene Cunningham, 21, another Cal student.

Although each person has his or her own initiative to recycle, one thing about Berkeley is clear: a desire to keep the world a better place for the next generation.

Isioma Iyamah, a rising junior says,”I feel like we could make a difference…it sounds corny, but it’s true.”

BERKELEY, Calif. — On the corner of Milivia and Center on any given Saturday morning, the aromas of sweet apple cider and the sharp scent of cheese hang in the air around the Berkeley Farmers’ Market.

Like any commercial supermarket, the farmers’ market is difficult to navigate because of the hundreds of people all in search for the right ingredient.

Unlike grocery store chains, the Berkeley Farmers’ Market is a platform for selling and purchasing local and sustainable food. However, the main attraction for vendors and customers alike is something much more personal.

Michael Cordero of Hog Island Oysters demonstrates safe techniques for shucking an oyster. By Alexa Girkout

Underneath the white awning next to buckets brimming with ice cold apple cider stands a veteran vendor. He offers both a tangy and sweetened version of his famous cider, which he has been selling at the market for the last 15 years.

Bob Bernstein, who runs Bernie’s Best, values the experience of meeting his customers face-to-face rather than sending his cider to a market. In the midst of selling his cider, Bernstein waves to a frequent customer.  Direct interactions like these keep him returning to the market year after year.

The customer Bernstein greeted has also been coming to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market every week for the past 15 years. His name is Mitchell, and it is a name every vendor at the market knows. As he continues to walk past Bernie’s Best, Mitchell stops to catch up with other vendors, addressing each of them by name.

Mitchell enjoys buying fresh food and being able to ride his bicycle to the market but especially likes, “seeing how things change from season to season.”

At the very end of the market is the Hog Island Oysters booth, where an enthusiastic Michael Cordero holding an oyster knife and wearing a blue protective glove calls to passers-by. As a small audience gathers, he fetches an oyster from a bucket of ice and gives a small informative presentation on how to properly shuck an oyster.

Unlike Bernstein, Cordero and his Hog Island Oysters booth have only held a spot at the market for a year. He originally started out as an invited guest, but was so popular with the customers that when a booth became available at the market, he immediately took it.

After successfully shucking the oyster, Cordero hands the fresh oyster to a customer and proceeds to crack open a couple more for the rest of his audience.

In the midst of offering free samples, he even has time to address Lalime’s sous-chef Amanda Joost by name. Before she leaves, Cordero suggests an oyster for the road, to which she smiles and replies, “as always.”

Although vendors come to the farmers’ market to make profits off their products, the relationships they form with their customers are much more valuable.

A 20-year vendor to the market, Annabelle Lenderink says she “loves seeing the same people year after year.” She has not only developed a close relationship with her current customers, but also anticipates meeting the children of the people she’s grown to know over the years.

Whether it’s long-time vendors like Lenderink and Bernstein or newcomers like Cordero, the importance vendors place on creating personal connections will continue to bring in customers, and their children, to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market.

Contributing writer: Paige Mastrandrea

Chronicle Managing Editor Stephen Proctor shared his personal story — a college history major whose first job was reporting for UPI, which led him to reporting and editing positions at The Baltimore Sun before he joined the Chronicle. It has been a 30-year, 24/7 career he loves, he said, despite the difficult economic adjustments of the last five years that have led to a reduced staff — 450 people in 2003 to now 165 in 2010 — and a need to rethink coverage as the organization closed local and national bureaus. The Chronicle has also entered into partnerships with news non-profits, such as the Center for Investigative Reporting’s California Watch, to continue to print long-form journalism as well as cover the Bay area.

The San Francisco Chronicle. File photo by Lynne Perri

Bay Citizen Managing Editor Jeanne Carstensen is a former senior arts and features editor at SFGate.com, and managing editor of Salon.com before becoming part of a team that created and launched the Bay Citizen in May. The news website is a non-profit with seed money from a major donor and plans for continued funding through foundations and other individuals. The Bay Citizen’s 15-person staff considers most staffers multimedia journalists, though the site does employ one photographer. The staff also forms partnerships and collaborations with other non-profit news organizations. They do both breaking news, such as the overturn of Prop 8, and long-form journalism, such as this in-depth feature by Shoshana Walker on an Oakland rap producer.

Below are some of the students’ impressions of visits to the San Francisco Chronicle and The Bay Citizen newsrooms on the day that staffs awaited a judge’s decision in the Prop 8 case :

The atmosphere of both the San Francisco Chronicle and The Bay Citizen were exciting glimpses into what my future as a journalist may look like. One publication, revered and respected, another, innovative and bold. However, when observing and comparing both the Chronicle and The Bay Citizen, I found only one glaring conclusion: While the modern feel of the Citizen seemed like a place I would love to visit again, the traditionalist feel of the Chronicle felt like home.

The Chronicle was everything that I thought a newsroom would be and more. I loved the fast paced energy of the Managing Editor, Steve Proctor, as well as the way he conducted his daily editors meeting. Furthermore, seeing the editors of the Chronicle at work finally added a visual to the words “print journalism is not dead!” — a statement often flowing through my stream of consciousness. I did enjoy certain aspects of the Bay Citizen as well, such as their unique approach to a sort of “flash journalism.”  After seeing the inner workings of both of these publications, I would be willing to argue with anyone who thinks that Journalism, as both an art and a protector of American democracy, is dead, dying, or even terminally ill. — Haley Rosenspire

Steve Proctor, managing editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. File photo by Lynne Perri

Rows of cubicles line the halls of the San Francisco Chronicle building. Before 10 a.m., the floor is mostly quiet. Another part of this is due to the downsizing the Chronicle has had to do, from 450 employees in 2003 to 165 today. Steve Proctor, the managing editor, says that the biggest problem facing newsprint today is electronic. It’s hard to bring in revenue through advertising with online news. At 10:30, the editors gather to discuss headlines for the next day. Today, Aug. 4, 2010, is the day that the court will hand down the decision on Prop 8. This will be tomorrow’s main story. The editors take turn pitching their ideas for the various sections of the newspaper. To keep up with the ongoing daily news, another meeting is held at 3 p.m., just like every day. While the shift to more readers on online has hurt the San Francisco Chronicle, another publication, The Bay Citizen, is embracing it from the ground up. The Bay Citizen is a non-profit online publication that also publishes stories every Friday and Sunday in the Bay Area’s edition of The New York Times. The Bay Citizen staff of 15 works in a small, bright and open office. Jean Carstensen, one of two managing editors, explains that the publication began May 26, 2010, with the help of a generous philanthropist. The Bay Citizen is all about the live feed. Along with publishing full articles, the website is updated with videos, blogs and pictures as soon as news breaks. The Bay Citizen tries to be as current as possible. Although these two publications are very different, they are both finding their own ways to keep journalism alive. — Jordan Contrel-Galerkin

Everything must undergo change. Take transportation, for example. Transportation has evolved from on foot to using horses to trains, automobiles and aircraft. Technology has also played a part in how the journalism industry must adapt or evolve. Civilization has stumbled into a world of almost limitless technology that allows information to be free and instantaneously accessible. Newspapers and publications today must grapple with the challenge of how to appropriately use the new technology our generation has developed. Do we use the new tools we have been created or struggle to reinvent old ones in order to preserve them? The San Francisco Chronicle is leaning toward the latter. It recognizes the importance of print journalism and strives to maintain its existence, but understands that this effort comes at the price of a decline in staff and in circulation. The Chronicle must find a way to profit from its free, online website and simultaneously increase circulation of the print newspaper. The Bay Citizen, however, chooses to use technology to rely on older journalism methods.

Students talk with the managing editor at The Bay Citizen. By Lynne Perri

The Bay Citizen has made use of an online publication’s ability to present hot news and provide current updates. They use blogs, videos and images to break news on their website. However, they have also developed strong partnerships in their local community, which allows them to work with smaller news sources. The Chronicle and the Citizen are two examples of reactions to the evolution of journalism. Whether it is holding fast to an old and possibly outdated method or adapting to the changing times, these two papers are attempting to make enough changes to flow along with the inevitable pace of time. — Alexa Girkout

After visiting both the San Francisco Chronicle and the Bay Citizen offices on Wednesday afternoon, it was surprising to discover how different these two buildings and organizations truly are. While the San Francisco Chronicle has come to be a well-respected, traditional newspaper organization over the years, the Bay Citizen can be looked upon as a symbol of the future for journalism. The office of The Bay Citizen is modest and the staff consists of only 15 members, but the company is moving forward by producing its news from all aspects of the media. This includes not only traditional newswriting, but also photography, video broadcasting and blogging. This non-profit company is looking to expand the public’s access to news as quickly and efficiently as possible. On the contrary, The San Francisco Chronicle still hopes to preserve classical print journalism. Doing so will be a tough task considering the recent growth of online reading; however, the San Francisco Chronicle expects loyal middle-aged readers to continue buying print for the next few years. Although both companies use different tactics to deliver local news to the San Francisco area, it is safe to say that journalism will play an essential role in the lives of civilians — whether in print or online — for years to come. — Paige Mastrandrea

Ever since I decided to study journalism, my parents, always concerned with my well being, often told me something along the lines of, “Do what you’re passionate about, but don’t expect to be economically prosperous in that profession.”
They were right.

The San Francisco Chronicle, one of the most prestigious publications in the United States, portrays this economic downturn. Steven Proctor, managing editor of the newspaper, says that the number of journalists on staff has been reduced from a significant 450 to a meager 165.

The Chronicle, however, stands for something my parents have also taught me, “Always persevere;” the Bay area publication has plowed through the economic inconveniences.

Managing Editor Jeanne Carstensen talks with students. By Lynne Perri

Be it by reorganizing it’s news topics or by canceling some categories altogether, the Chronicle has learned to adapt to modern times; now it’s time for the new generation, of journalists, my generation, to do so as well. — Santiago Aguado

I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to San Francisco to visit the San Francisco Chronicle and The Bay Citizen. My personal favorite by far was the Chronicle. I have been reading the Chronicle when I can for several years now, and have felt a connection to it as my primary source of information about the Bay area, which is one of my favorite places. I love printed newspapers, and so I was really excited to visit one of the most famous publications in the country. I was impressed with everything, from the stained glass windows on the fourth-floor lobby to the unyielding professionalism displayed in the newsroom meeting. I felt so comfortable there, and truly welcomed by the staff and Mr. Proctor. I am so thankful for being able to participate in that rare opportunity, and I hope one day to maybe pursue an internship there.

While I enjoyed visiting the Bay Citizen, I don’t think the atmosphere was entirely fitting for me at this point in my life. It was very relaxed, and while I greatly appreciate cooperation and camaraderie in the work place, it seemed to lack a sense of traditional journalistic professionalism, which really resonated with me at the Chronicle. The co-managing editor was informative, but not very enlightening, as I felt Mr. Proctor to be. I completely respect their vision for an emphasis on local news, but I just didn’t feel a connection to what was presented to me. I think it is a worthwhile trip because I know many others who enjoyed it; I just liked the Chronicle better. — Ali Solon

Although The San Francisco Chronicle and The Bay Citizen are both successful newspapers, the way they are run are completely opposite. Although the Chronicle is bigger and more organized, just how I imagined a newspaper company would be, I was flabbergasted when I saw the Bay Citizen’s office. I thoroughly enjoyed the latter’s atmosphere, because it was a small office that enabled its workers to get to know all of their colleagues. I also enjoyed how most of their work is done online, which saves money in print. There is nothing wrong with The San Francisco Chronicle, and I would be grateful to work there, but it just doesn’t fit my personality as well as The Bay Citizen does. — Noelle Campbell

The morning time at the San Francisco Chronicle and The Bay Citizen could not have been better spent. Walking into the Chronicle floor was an overwhelming awe. Our welcoming host, Stephen Proctor, who is the managing editor, introduced us to the Chronicle’s version of the journalism industry. As aspiring journalists, Procter encouraged us to strengthen the basic skills of being a reporter and engage ourselves into being a “multimedia journalist.” He also addressed the popular belief of the “dying” industry: It is not dying rather shifting into a very different form. Many innovations such as the iPad “hold out hope for print.”
The moment I was truly influenced was when Proctor told us, “I love being a journalist, and have always wanted to.” And he described journalism as a career where it “demand a lot for the amount of return.”

My favorite part of trip was visiting the Bay Citizen. It paints out an ideal of my future working environment: the amazing interior design, the open office space, the warm people, and the killer view of the street. I enrolled in the NSLC program not certain of what I desired to pursue, but the short visit gave me an inspiration. Maybe I am still uncertain about journalism, but I have discovered a very different part of myself. — Tracy Tien

My experiences at the San Francisco Chronicle as well as The Bay citizen were both memorable. Though I was not familiar with either publication, I was still able to find them both quite interesting.  The San Francisco chronicle is a type of newspaper that reports hard news and is a better-known publication than The Bay Citizen.  The managing editor shared a lot of information on the ins and outs of how an issue is put together and published. This information will definitely be valuable to me in my future career.

The Bay Citizen seemed to have more of a laid-back feel to it.  I found this to be an inviting atmosphere.  This publication also reports hard news to the public but seeing as it is still relatively new, it is not as popular as The San Francisco Chronicle. However, I can definitely see this publication becoming very successful in the near future.  Overall, I found the information given to me by the managing editors at both publications to be valuable. — Lindsay Young

Visiting the San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Citizen was an extremely enlightening experience and really heightened my desire to become a journalist. Watching the reporters react and prepare to cover breaking news was very exciting and I would love nothing more than to do just that every day of my professional life. I thought both of these publications were professional and creative in handling the challenges that the media must face today. I have no fear that this is a dying industry; I see now that there are many new and exciting ways to not only update the way we inform the public but to improve it as well. — Kelcie McCurdy

The San Francisco Chronicle is an illustrious paper. It is timeless in its craft, and is a staple of American journalism. Even in changing economic times The Chronicle has survived, these reasons if nothing else make The Chronicle majestic and important.  The building itself is inspiring; personally there was an unbelievable sense of history that I felt while visiting The Chronicle. I felt the same exhilarating sense of “newsroom excitement” at the Bay Citizen as I did in The Chronicle but in a different capacity. When I entered The Bay Citizen its youth and vitality was inspiring. The small excitable staff is passionate and dedicated to what they do. The Citizen is a paper of the new Internet age; devoted to online consumers and the media hungry public. The Bay Citizen delivers to this public with quick story turnover, photos, video and a partnership with The New York Times . As a devoted reader of classic newspapers, I would love the chance to work with the distinguished men and women of the San Francisco Chronicle. It has always been a dream of mine to contribute to such a piece of American media, particularly one that has demonstrated masterful longevity in this supposed era of journalistic decline. As an individual and a supporter of civic journalism I believe that pieces like The Chronicle must be supported and kept alive in the hearts and minds of the country. — Ayla Mitchell

Shoppers examine produce at the Saturday Berkeley Farmers' Market

BERKELEY, Calif.—Bright tents, colorful fruit stands, and freshly baked pastries greet Berkeley residents on an early Saturday morning at the city’s largest Farmers’ Market, founded by the Berkeley Ecology Center in 1987. At the corner of Center and Martin Luther King Jr. streets,  customers stroll and shop at more than 60 vendors, most whom have been selling their goods at the market for more than 10 years. Local patrons return week after week to purchase groceries, taste peach samples and listen to live music.

Mitchell, a Berkeley resident, attends the market regularly,he greets Bob Bernstein, the apple cider salesman, as an old friend. Bernstein runs Pomo Tierra Ranch.

At the market, with  20 prepared food salesmen, and 40 farmers, the vendor turnover is low, allowing them to establish personal relationships with their customers. Brian Ogle, proprietor of OctoberFeast Bakery, cites these relationships as the primary reason for selling at the market. “We like customer interaction versus dropping off at a grocery store,” he said, We like connecting people with good products in a good atmosphere.”

Annabelle Lenderink, owner of  La Tercera,  sells  fresh beans, shallots, winter squash, tomatoes and plums at the market. Her stall at the Berkeley was started 20 years ago. She attends two of the three weekly Berkeley markets, and,  has a loyal base. Along with local individuals, Lenderink’s customers include  Chez Panisse, famous for serving local, in-season food on its ever-changing menus.

On the far corner of the market, Gourmet Coffee Stand offers its fresh brew along with baked goods, salads and desserts to hungry customers. This was established six years ago, and is frequented by patrons of its flagship store as well. Staff member Danielle Windrix said, “I like selling at the market because it increases communication skills with the customers. Everything is baked in the morning at 5 a.m.and has to be fresh to sell.” Similar ideals are held by other members of the market community. Ogle said, “We always make sure it [our food] gets fresh to the customers, otherwise, we throw it away.”

Contributing writer: Ali Solon

For a vendor director: www.ecologycenter.org/bfm

The process of food and the people who make it are often overlooked or forgotten. However, these people are arguably the most critical components of the long cycle that is producing food.

Chefs prepare a mulberry dessert. By Haley Rosenspire

And Chez Panisse, under the philosphies of co-founder Alice Waters, is attempting to change this outlook on farmers who have long been neglected.

Ever since it was established in 1971, Chez Panisse has been revolutionary in changing the way restaurants are designed. Inspired by the French markets — where customers planned their meals based on seasonal products — Waters launched a restaurant destined to challenge the traditional style of cooking.

The restaurant is known for promoting a process that uses local, organic and sustainable food.  But Chez Panisse takes a step further. Staffers there are promoting every link in the food chain, starting with the farmer.

Since Chez Panisse places such an importance on using local ingredients in their dishes, the restaurant purchases its food products from a network of 85 farms — including two main vegetable farms — that are mostly within a two-hour drive of Berkeley. This allows the restaurant to reduce its carbon footprint; the food travels a shorter distance and less carbon is emitted during its transportation.

However, the close proximity of Chez Panisse to its farms allows restaurant staffers and farmers another opportunity: the opportunity for each other to know where their food comes from and where it’s going.

The restaurant staffers enjoy getting to know the farmers that supply their food said Verun Mehra, assistant to Waters. Chez Panisse even holds its staff parties at some of these farms.

The close relationships between restaurant staff and farmers enable more innovative and resourceful thinking. When Chez Panisse orders meat products, it purchases the entire animal. The animal is then slaughtered at the restaurant allowing the chefs to use as much of its meat as possible. However, when waste is produced, the restaurant and the farms have an ecological solution.

Chez Panisse and its farms have collaborated to reuse waste materials, such as oil and food scraps. When food is cooked at the restaurant, Chez Panisse stores the oil produced in large bins. These bins are then sent back to the farms, where the oil is turned into biodiesel and used to fuel the trucks that transport food products. In addition, all food scraps are put into a compost bin, where they will decompose into soil and be used in fertilizer on the farms.

“It comes full circle,” said Mehra of the recycling process.

However, even with the collaboration between Chez Panisse and local farms, farmers still aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. David Prior, Director of Communications to the Chez Panisse Foundation, points out that many farmers don’t have a sustainable income.

“People growing the food aren’t getting paid enough,” Prior said. “Food should be valued more.”

However, increasing the value of organic and local food is not simple. The Chez Panisse Foundation also believes that organic food should be affordable and accessible to everyone, regardless of economic status.

“We need to make food democratic but expensive,” Prior said.

The solution to this predicament requires compromise from both customers and farmers, but Prior has advice. He said that if families shop in season and locally, quality food will be both accessible and more affordable.

Prior’s advice is only one way to accommodate both parties in the battle over affordable, quality food and the increased value of food. However, the Chez Panisse Foundation believes that is possible to satisfy both farmers and consumers; all that is necessary is the determination to make it happen.

“Alice says we can’t think narrowly,” Prior said. “We have to think in the biggest possible way.”

Contributing writer: Paige Mastrandrea

Chefs take corn off just-picked cobs before the lunch crowd arrives. By Lynne Perri

BERKELEY, Calif. — In a shady Berkeley alcove, revolution is slowly cooking. Behind a moss-dusted facade on Shattuck Avenue, Chez Panisse is an inconspicuous presence. Yet with an all-organic menu, and a strong role in food politics, the restaurant holds a stronger influence than one would think.

Chez Panisse, established by Alice Waters in 1971,  is known for its bold menus. Every item is from food that has been organically cultivated, and many are delivered by a network of 85 local farms, many within about a two-hour to reduce carbon emissions. David Prior, director of communications for Chez Panisse Foundation, said, “It’s important to support the community.” Such efforts extend beyond fiscally supporting the agriculture in Berkeley, as even the leftover fryer oil is recycled into bio-diesel for a farmer’s tractor. “We like to think it comes, really, full circle,” said Prior.

And Waters is more than a simple restaurant owner. She is the author of eight books, an award-winning chef and an inductee into the California Hall of Fame. Now she also is vice president of Slow Food International; the organization advocates that food production should be “good, clean and fair food”: non-exploitative of the environment, the food and the workers who produce it.

Waters was initially inspired by this ideology while studying in France, where she fell in love with the idea of going to the market daily. She created the restaurant as a place for her friends to enjoy and “talk politics,” said Waters’ Assistant Varun Mehra. She also has taken her food politics outside the restaurant.

Enter the Edible Schoolyard, a project co-founded in 1995 by Waters and Neil Smith, principal at the nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. Through the program, students learn to grow, cultivate and cook their own food, expanding their horizons to a whole range of healthier foods. Other than educating children about the origins of their food, the program aims to combat obesity, as well, and has expanded nationally with similar programs at four other schools. Workshops have also emerged from the program that encourage the local community to adopt similar tactics, and, “That’s very exciting,” said Prior.

Waters provides the example but not all the edible schoolyards are the same.  Additionally, her staffers said those not in schools with such partnerships can be instruments for change: “It just takes one person to hear about these ideas and be inspired,” said Prior. He and Mehra suggest that families take “out the middleman,” by growing their own food, and shopping in season to support the local community. Cooking simply, and eating less meat, meanwhile, makes Slow Food ideals more financially feasible for lower-income families, he said.

As for her highly successful restaurant, are there any plans to expand into a chain? “If it was exactly the same in each place, it would be sort of like a fast-food model,” said Prior, noting that such a move would contradict the ideals of the restaurant. Chez Panisse approaches its 40th anniversary next August in this city’s Gourmet Ghetto, a one-of-a-kind, still on a mission.

For more information go to: http://www.chezpanisse.com/reservations/

Contritubting writer: Kallista Zormelo

BERKELEY, Calif. — On the corner of Milivia and Center on any given Saturday morning, the aromas of sweet apple cider and the sharp scent of cheese hang in the air around the Berkeley Farmers’ Market.

Like any commercial supermarket, the farmers’ market is difficult to navigate because of the hundreds of people all in search for the right ingredient.

Unlike grocery store chains, the Berkeley Farmers’ Market is a platform for selling and purchasing local and sustainable food. However, the main attraction for vendors and customers alike is something much more personal.

Underneath the white awning next to buckets brimming with ice cold apple cider stands a veteran vendor. He offers both a tangy and sweetened version of his famous cider, which he has been selling at the market for the last 15 years.

Bob Bernstein, who runs Bernie’s Best, values the experience of meeting his customers face-to-face rather than sending his cider to a market. In the midst of selling his cider, Bernstein waves to a frequent customer.  Direct interactions like these keep him returning to the market year after year.

The customer Bernstein greeted has also been coming to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market every week for the past 15 years. His name is Mitchell, and it is a name every vendor at the market knows. As he continues to walk past Bernie’s Best, Mitchell stops to catch up with other vendors, addressing each of them by name.

Mitchell enjoys buying fresh food and being able to ride his bicycle to the market but especially likes, “seeing how things change from season to season.”

At the very end of the market is the Hog Island Oysters booth, where an enthusiastic Michael Cordero holding an oyster knife and wearing a blue protective glove calls to passers-by. As a small audience gathers, he fetches an oyster from a bucket of ice and gives a small informative presentation on how to properly shuck an oyster.

Unlike Bernstein, Cordero and his Hog Island Oysters booth have only held a spot at the market for a year. He originally started out as an invited guest, but was so popular with the customers that when a booth became available at the market, he immediately took it.

After successfully shucking the oyster, Cordero hands the fresh oyster to a customer and proceeds to crack open a couple more for the rest of his audience.

In the midst of offering free samples, he even has time to address Lalime’s sous-chef Amanda Joost by name. Before she leaves, Cordero suggests an oyster for the road, to which she smiles and replies, “as always.”

Although vendors come to the farmers’ market to make profits off their products, the relationships they form with their customers are much more valuable.

A 20-year vendor to the market, Annabelle Lenderink says she “loves seeing the same people year after year.” She has not only developed a close relationship with her current customers, but also anticipates meeting the children of the people she’s grown to know over the years.

Whether it’s long-time vendors like Lenderink and Bernstein or newcomers like Cordero, the importance vendors place on creating personal connections will continue to bring in customers, and their children, to the Berkeley Farmers’ Market.

Contributing writer: Alexa Girkout

Fast food, the main powerhouse within the American food system, is often blamed, but David Prior, director of communications for the Chez Panisse Foundation, is optimistic. “Anything is possible,” he says of the effort to fix the problem. His optimism is well-founded.

David Prior says kids will eat what they grow and make themselves. By Lynne Perri

With its origins dating back to 1971, a time when Berkeley was at the forefront of the United States’ free speech movement,  Chez Panisse not only challenges the fast food industry’s unhealthy meals, but also practices and promotes environmentally friendly food production and little waste. Its founder, Alice Waters, has been hailed as a torch bearer for the so-called slow food movement, a movement that consists of eating crops that are locally grown and in season. However, Waters’ idea does not only yield gastronomic repercussions; slow food reduces obesity rates and also exhorts for sustainability, Prior said.

Prior’s often alluded-to slogan “good, clean and fair” calls for quality food, organic ingredients and fair trade with farmers. This last one is key to the economic amelioration of local agriculturalists. Since all the food at Chez Panisse is locally grown, local farmers have a chance to sell crops at fair prices, allowing agriculturalists to lead sustainable businesses. In another of the many ways that Chez Panisse offers help for local farmers and reduces its waste output, Varun Mehra, assistant to Alice Waters, explains how the restaurant also supplies them leftover fryer cooking oil that agriculturalists can convert into bio-diesel fuel.

The Chez Panisse Foundation’s contributions don’t stop there.

In 1995 the Edible Schoolyard was established in Berkeley at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School. The innovative idea was established to give this public school’s students a chance to learn firsthand how to grow crops and eat healthily as well. Prior said, “If students are introduced at an early time to use fruits and other natural foods, there is a better chance they will continue to eat healthily.”

The archway sign invites customers into Chez Panisse. By Jordan Galerkin

On the other hand, however, Prior believes that the Chez Panisse can’t confront the fast food industry on its own.

“We’re fighting a very strong industry,” he says, “It all starts with the consumers and customers…we need the community on board.”