My favorite novel, \u201cThe Secret History\u201d by Donna Tartt, starts with the protagonist admitting his fatal flaw: that he has \u201ca morbid longing for the picturesque\u201d \u2014 and I think I do too. If you’re anything like me, and find yourself longing to find a gorgeous place to read, walk or practice self-reflection, then visit these five idyllic places in and beyond Berkeley.<\/p>\n
Chapel of the Chimes Oakland \u2014 Oakland<\/p>\n
A beautiful Moorish Gothic-inspired chapel designed by the architect Julia Morgan, Chapel of the Chimes is unlike any building in the Bay. This memorial chapel is home to an endless labyrinth of uniquely beautiful rooms complete with latticed windows, domed courts, marble staircases and cloistered ceilings. The entire chapel is made to replicate a library, adorned with sculptures, gardens and small fountains. From getting lost in the enchanting Gothic archways to basking under the warm light reflecting off the stained glass, there\u2019s no shortage of rooms to admire. The epitome of picturesque, Chapel of the Chimes is the place to go if you want to behold truly breathtaking beauty in the Bay.<\/p>\n
Blake Garden \u2014 Kensington<\/p>\n
A hidden gem located in the suburbs north of UC Berkeley, Blake Garden is the perfect spot for lovers of the University of California Botanical Garden or Berkeley Rose Garden Park. Managed by the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design, this garden has no shortage of stunning sights to explore. Picnic in front of its reflective koi pond, hike through its redwood canyon, explore the greenhouse or sit at one of its many viewpoints for a spectacular view of the Bay. Don\u2019t forget to check out the Create-with-Nature Zone, where you can build using materials from the garden, and the abandoned Blake House, where UC Presidents once lived. A relaxing place to journal and paint, you won\u2019t find a more beautiful garden in all of Berkeley.<\/p>\n
Normandy Village \u2014 Spruce Street, Berkeley<\/p>\n
Located just steps away from campus, Thornburg or Normandy Village will surprise you with a one-of-a-kind residential complex. Designed by William Yellend, these houses have the appearance of cozy fairytale cottages, complete with cone-shaped roofs, romantic winding staircases and even gargoyles. Made to replicate the villages in Provincial France, If you\u2019re lucky enough to have a friend who calls this place home, you can expect to find many beautiful historic details such as arched doorways and windows with hidden nooks. Perfect for lovers of storybook-style architecture, this neighborhood is the best place to take cozy fall photos or pretend you\u2019ve been transported to a medieval village.<\/p>\n
Jewel Lake \u2014 Charles Lee Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley<\/p>\n
Located right next to Little Farm, this artificial lake is known for its lush green colors and wildlife. Hike around the boardwalk or along the main trail, and emerge from the brush to a glittering view of the water. Because the lake is secluded by trees, its atmosphere is peaceful and refreshing. Expect to see some turtles sunbathing on the logs, ducks floating on the water and some log benches to sit and listen to the calming sounds of nature (and the farm sounds in the distance). A premier place to take a stroll, Jewel Lake is a must-visit for any student who needs to reconnect with nature.<\/p>\n
Chabot Space & Science Center \u2014 Oakland<\/p>\n
For all the Berkeley astronomers out there, Chabot Space & Science Center will make your celestial dreams come true! Tucked amid Oakland\u2019s dense redwood regional park, this nonprofit science center looks like something out of a sci-fi novel. While you can explore this dome-shaped space center during the day, at night make sure to attend its free Saturday stargazing event. Journey up to the observatory deck located 1,500 feet above the Bay and look through one of the telescopes for a star-studded spectacle. If you\u2019ve ever looked up at the night sky in awe, expand your horizons and make Chabot your next galactic getaway.<\/p>\n
For all those who crave the beauty we read about in real life, don\u2019t worry; your picturesque dreams are closer to home than you think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"My favorite novel, \u201cThe Secret History\u201d by Donna Tartt, starts with the protagonist admitting his fatal flaw: that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":505122,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[764,195257,195256,195251,195252,168655,195250,195254,195259,13743,195253,143,145,144,195249,195255,195258,167414,63714,195260],"class_list":["post-505121","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-oakland","tag-berkeley","tag-berkeley-botanical-garden","tag-berkeley-rose-garden","tag-blake-garden","tag-blake-house","tag-chabot-space-science-center","tag-chapel-of-the-chimes","tag-jewel-lake","tag-julian-morgan","tag-kensington","tag-normandy-village","tag-oakland","tag-oakland-headlines","tag-oakland-news","tag-picturesque","tag-spruce-street","tag-the-secret-history","tag-tilden-park-little-farm","tag-tilden-regional-park","tag-william-yellend"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505121","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=505121"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/505121\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/505122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=505121"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=505121"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=505121"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}