accidental double exposure . richmond bridge & patrick’s point, ca . polaroid 420

So after about 8 hours of driving, I arrived late at night in Berkeley/Oakland where one of my closest friends Carol lives; pretty delirious from the drive because driving along that stretch of I-5 is the most. boring. drive. ever. Even worse at night when all you see are headlights and darkness! Plus, I’ve gone along that drive so many times that I’m pretty tired of it to be honest. But I was glad to be there. I always feel at home up north.

After a several hours of sleep, we got up and headed to breakfast, at a place called Rick & Ann’s.  It was an absolutely delightful breakfast, and I loved the fact that the kitchen was an open one! After that, we strolled around the neighborhood before setting off to Oakland to explore.

rick & ann’s . berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

rick & ann’s . berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

around the neighborhood . berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

around the neighborhood . berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

jack london square . oakland, ca . polaroid sx-70

cathedral of christ the light . oakland, ca . canon 5d mk2

cathedral of christ the light . oakland, ca . canon 5d mk2

grand lake neighborhood . oakland, ca . canon 5d mk2

grand lake neighborhood . oakland, ca . canon 5d mk2

We explored several neighborhoods, which were all very fun to see & experience. The Cathedral that we visited was pretty insane to look at – the exterior is entirely of glass, but the inside was quite a surprise – it was all wood! Beautiful craftsmanship & design though :)

That evening, we visited a little eatery that I definitely think is a Berkeley gem, Gregoire Restaurant. It’s not so much as a restaurant as a charming open kitchen with a few stools and and outdoor seating. But the food is definitely what makes it because it’s French takeout!! Hands down the most gourmet takeout food I’ve ever had (and was extremely delicious). We took it back to Carol’s and ate it on plates, and I felt like we dined at a restaurant based on the quality of the food! What a wonderful way to end the first day. I will definitely have to be back again.

gregoire restaurant . berkeley, ca . iphone

The next morning I woke up at the crack of dawn, to begin the coastal portion of my trip. I would be driving from the Bay Area up to Portland along the California & Oregon coast, and I would be doing it completely alone. Needless to say, I was very excited.

As I sleepily looked out the window that morning, a gentle haze of fog greeted me over the rooftops of Berkeley.

morning . oakland/berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

morning . oakland/berkeley, ca . canon 5d mk2

What a way to start the morning. :)

So after packing my car back up, I headed off on my adventure. :) The most interesting thing I noted, was how alive everything felt. It looked so quiet and still when I looked out the window, but the town was alive and everyone was commuting as normal. Certainly a good morning. :)

As I headed towards Highway 1, I crossed the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge as the morning fog was starting to lift off the bay. Once I crossed, I looked back and was greeted by a most breathtaking sight. I immediately pulled over to take it in – the first of many, many pull overs during this trip.

richmond/san rafael bridge . san francisco bay . canon 5d mk2

pier . san francisco bay . canon 5d mk2

After taking a few photos (the first image on this post being an accidental double exposure from this day & another day) & marveling at how surreal it felt, I got back into my car, and headed off.

It was a lovely start, and I had many more miles to go.