Today, instead of a café review, I want to share with you a quick, easy, and delicious way to make yourself a fancy café au lait at home. This way, even a picky, snobby coffee-drinker like me can have coffee in the morning, noon, or night. The first ingredient is the coffee itself, of course. I like to brew Peet’s house blend, my favorite coffee to make at home. I say if you’re going to have drip coffee, whether at home at a coffee shop, definitely go with Peet’s because drip coffee is their specialty.

The real kicker in my DIY café au lait, though, is the milk. I use a Bonjour Caffe milk frother (available on amazon.com) to make the thickest and most delicious foam to go on top. It’s so easy: I just pump the milk a few times (I recommend 1% as it foams up the best), stick it in the microwave, and wait for it to expand into luscious foamy peaks. I pour in the bit of hot milk at the bottom and spoon the foam on top, and in just five minutes I have made a beautiful, fancy, café-worthy coffee… and saved a bit of money, too!

See? Mike Meighan thought he could bring me down, but I have pretty coffee. Nothing can stop me now!

I knew exactly where to go; believe it or not, it was Starbucks. Albeit much less charming and nowhere near as unique as other Berkeley cafés I frequent (in fact, it’s probably the most ubiquitous coffee shop in the world), somehow Starbucks has a way of calming me as I harken back to my days growing up in a glorified, homogenous suburb of Los Angeles.

More so than just reminding me of home, Starbucks on Oxford earns the right to a place on my list of Berkeley study cafés. Right across from campus, it is always convenient to slip in for a few hours. The environment is like a cross between a library and a coffee shop: they have a variety of seating options (I grabbed a comfy leather chair today), all conducive to studying. Clever Starbucks! Although it is sometimes crowded, fear not: You are guaranteed to find a seat within just a minute or two of prowling, and probably even less cut-throat prowling than is required in the libraries these days… Oh yes, I have spent my fair share of precious study moments hopelessly wandering Stacks in futile pursuit of a single free chair only to be met with angry stares brought on by the sound of my footsteps.

Starbucks is much more welcoming. I ordered a cappuccino and a molten chocolate cake, a new item on their menu since they began serving up warm baked goods from La Boulange. Despite the availability of fancy espresso around here, you can still never go wrong with Starbucks: It is legitimately good, I thought to myself as my coffee soothed my finals battle wounds. The molten chocolate cake the perfect accompaniment—delicious and, although I’ve heard complaints about the reduced size of these new sweets, I thought it was just right.

Starbucks was there for me when I needed it, and it always will be… Probably on every other street corner. Truth be told, I don’t mind.

Babette’s Latte

After spending an entire day in the library yesterday I thought about the environment I would need today to get through 500 human reproduction notecards and a biology practice exam,  so I picked up and headed straight for Babette at the Berkeley Art Museum.

This place is the essential “hipster” café of Berkeley, but before you scoff with disdain, know that it’s genuine, friendly, and not at all bougie. Come on, if anyplace gets to be artsy, it’s a coffee shop at the art museum. Babette fits the part: It has that industrial, modern, cement and dark wood look, as if it is a budding, young painter’s loft in the meatpacking district of New York City. There are plants in repurposed food troughs, there are Birds of Paradise in mason jars, and there are records playing a mix of old and new music. To be honest, I step in here and I feel a bit more badass, like I might have a tattoo hidden somewhere or like I could pull off a nose ring. I feel cool.

Anyway, whether you’re into the artistic vibe or not, Babette is a great place to get work done.  I especially love grabbing a spot at the bar facing the outside. There, I have plenty of workspace, a nice view, and it’s quiet. The internet is always fast and reliable as they have Airbears.

They brew Ritual & Verve coffee—delicious, quality, strong coffee (essential to any dead week study session). This afternoon, I enjoyed a latte, and, as usual, it did not disappoint. Once, they even adorned my latte with a brain! I don’t know if it was on accident or not, but it sure made my day. As for food, they have a small, consistently delicious menu and daily baked goods such as homemade fig bars, polenta cake, and chocolate orange scones. The smell of their food is so heavenly that you will most likely end up ordering something or another, whether you like it or not. Go ahead, indulge—it’s dead week after all, and we all deserve a little self-pity.

How would you describe your style?

I have an eclectic sense of style. My style can go from classic to edgy and beyond. I’m continually drawing inspiration from different things and different people.

Dress from Buffalo Exchange; Aldo bag; Nasty Gal watch

Dress from Buffalo Exchange; Aldo bag; Nasty Gal watch

Dress from Buffalo Exchange; Aldo bag; Nasty Gal watch

Do you have any specific fashion inspirations?

I get a lot of my inspiration from celebrities, including Rachel Bilson, Miley Cyrus, and Vanessa Hudgens. I take certain aspects of their style and adapt them to make those aspects my own.

Levi's shorts; Abercrombie and Fitch flannel; Brandy Melville t-shirt; Nasty Gal necklace

Levi's shorts; Abercrombie and Fitch flannel; Brandy Melville t-shirt; Nasty Gal necklace

Levi's shorts; Abercrombie and Fitch flannel; Brandy Melville t-shirt; Nasty Gal necklace

Why do you like dressing up?

For my own sanity, especially with school, work, and extracurricular activities. I feel like it’s a way for me to de-stress and not let myself go.

American Apparel pants; Jeffrey Campbell shoes; Graphic tee from a friend

American Apparel pants; Jeffrey Campbell shoes; Graphic tee from a friend

American Apparel pants; Jeffrey Campbell shoes; Graphic tee from a friend

Where do you like to shop?

Anywhere I can find cute clothes! Online stores, thrift stores… I shop anywhere and everywhere.

Hollister Jeans; Urban Outfitters blazer; Victoria's Secret t-shirt; Bag from Buffalo Exchange

Hollister Jeans; Urban Outfitters blazer; Victoria's Secret t-shirt; Bag from Buffalo Exchange

Hollister Jeans; Urban Outfitters blazer; Victoria's Secret t-shirt; Bag from Buffalo Exchange

What is your favorite piece in your wardrobe?

I don’t really have one. My favorites are always changing. I feel like I love one thing one week and then completely lose interest in it the next.

H&M Dress; vintage bracelet

H&M Dress; vintage bracelet

H&M Dress; vintage bracelet

Today, I studied for a while at Elmwood Café, hands-down my favorite café in Berkeley and, quite possibly, the world. It has an adorable, antiquated feel, with its marble tabletops and original bar, and it is as light and bright and happy as can be. Anything and everything they serve here is guaranteed to be delicious—from their espresso drinks to their homemade sodas (try the lavender!) to their dainty baked goods to their sandwiches, soups, salads, and breakfast food. This place is quite simply the bee’s knees.

As for a study spot, it is really only conducive to a particular kind of studying. They do not have Internet and they have very few outlets. So if you have a book to read or a paper to write or biology to memorize (like I did this afternoon), then this is the place for you! I grabbed a table facing College Avenue and ordered just one item: a double mocha. That mocha proceeded to hold my hand and walk me through the biology studying that was on my agenda for this particular dead week afternoon. Not only is it most likely the best mocha (made with their own homemade chocolate ganache) you will ever taste, but it is served in a bowl, giving you the additional joy of feeling sophisticated and cultured as you sip your study fuel, almost as if being transported to a café in Paris. Not stressed about looming exams, not nervously twisting your hair and, no, not a college undergraduate who could probably use a shower and should do her laundry already…

damnit.

Today I am trying out Berkeley Espresso located on the corner of Shattuck and Hearst. I have traditionally found myself lured to the tried and true like Philz or Starbucks, but on this rainy Sunday afternoon, I ventured somewhere new.

The atmosphere is everything you’d want in a coffee shop. The walls are decorated with modern art, there are lots of big windows open to the outside, and there are even plants with pretty little lights. It is fairly quiet unlike some other popular college town coffee shops (the one loud woman on the phone received an alarming amount of dirty looks before she promptly scurried out), and classical music plays lightly in the background. This is a café for people who mean business. There are abundant outlets (they have power strips—what a concept!), and free, reliable wifi. Overall, this place has that comfortable, traditional coffee shop interior—a perfect oasis to get some organic chemistry problem sets done (even with a neighboring yuppie hitting on you from time to time).

As for the coffee, I ordered a latté and enjoyed it immensely. It’s no Blue Bottle, but it was satisfying. I also noticed they have a huge selection of quality teas (The Republic of Tea), which is quite unique. I counted 36 different kinds!

There was a $5 credit card minimum, so even though I was trying to be healthy and bring along a bar to accompany my latté, I walked away with a brownie. Their baked goods selection appears a little disappointing (I suspect that they do not bake them here), but they have a large selection and the brownie was surprisingly delicious—dense and fudgy. I’m rarely ever dissatisfied with chocolate, though…

I do recommend you try out Berkeley Espresso. It’s comfy-cozy, and perfectly conducive to a productive study session. Take it from an avid Berkeley café-goer and coffee/tea enthusiast with a sweet tooth, this place should make it onto your list of study spots this finals season.

Written by Elizabeth Epstein

This past Sunday, on May 5, 2013, UC Berkeley’s Fashion and Student Trends had their runway show featuring 16 student designers and 53 models. This semesters show was titled “Rubicon” and was held at the International House Chevron Auditorium. I had the opportunity to interview Lyka Sethi, President of FAST, who shared a little more about the club and the show:

President Lyka Sethi co-hosting the show with Andrew Rohrlich. Image by Anthony P&F

When did you first join Fast? What made you interested in joining?

I joined FAST the beginning of my freshman year and I started out as the Assistant Show Director to the President of the organization. I knew I wanted to eventually lead so I took the initiative to do as much as I could to learn and contribute. I was interested in helping to cultivate the fashion community at Cal from the moment I got here. I was also at the time considering going into the fashion industry as a potential career path. FAST appealed to me because it is such a unique and powerful organization on this campus; it created a one-of-a-kind platform for student designers to create and showcase their work. There is no fashion design major and there is no other type of organization that creates this space for Cal student designers so I really wanted to be a part of it.

What are you responsibilities as President for Fast? How long have you been President?

I’ve been President since Fall 2011. I am actually graduating this semester so I won’t be continuing on, but over the past couple of years I have overseen every detail that goes into making the show happen. I manage our student designers through the design process, coordinate our models, interface with our venue, sponsors, on- and off-campus partners, and so much more. As part of the effort, I supervise an executive team of nine students who in turn direct their own teams. These include show committee, public relations and marketing, publications/graphic design and finance. So basically I guide and direct all of the club operations, oversee everything on show day and also host the show. It requires me to constantly wear a lot of different hats, but it’s really rewarding in the end.

Who else collaborated to put together the show?

Making the show happen is so much more work than it looks. We work all semester to make the event happen, from securing the venue, lighting company, staging and DJ to coordinating with hair and makeup artists to establishing sponsorships and acquiring nonprofit partners to getting funding to recruiting and assisting designers and models to publicity and beyond. We also worked with a student decal called Cal Set Design — they created the awesome backdrop for us. There is so much to do all semester and even after the show we are left with a lot of loose ends to tie up, so it never really calms down.

What are some of the great opportunities you’ve had while being in Fast?

The sheer ability to meet and work with so many amazing and talented people. We’ve had designers and models go on to pursue this professionally after working with us, and it’s just a great feeling to know we’re helping to make their dreams come to life. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with a lot of really great nonprofits and just get to know this campus in a really unique way.

Anything else you would like to share:

I just want to say that if anyone is interested in working with us in any capacity, we would love to hear from you. Our team is always looking for creative opportunities and chances to work with other student groups. So definitely reach out to calfastdesigners@gmail.com with ideas or if you’re just interested in learning more.

For those of you who missed the show, do not fret!

UC Berkeley’s Innovative Design put together this awesome video of just some of the highlights of the show:

You can also check out all the great fashion designs and more information on FAST’s Facebook and more photos courtesy of Anthony P&F.

Banner image from Anthony P&F.

UNIQLO Airism tees

Almost as if it were an answer to our hot weather prayers, Uniqlo’s Airism shirts are the perfect basic tee for summertime. Fitting slim but with a stretch to keep the shirt unrestricting, Uniqlo’s Airism collection also wicks away perspiration and regulates body temperature for a cool and clean experience. Labeled as an undergarment, I find that you can wear it perfectly fine by itself.

Sasquatchfabrix Kannon Tee

SASQUATCHfabrix’s twist on a traditional t-shirt results in an extremely versatile piece that can be worn under a light jacket or standalone as a statement. The unassuming ash gray body makes pairing this piece a breeze and the patterned sleeve detail, chest pocket, and contrast neckline add just the right amount of “noise” to make the piece stand out on its own. The stitched yoke detail in the back also adds a great “constructed” aesthetic.
Pick yours up at Maas and Stacks.

Department Seventeen Adam Button Down Collar shirt in Blue Drops

For when the weather is a little bit more forgiving, Department Seventeen’s shirting is an excellent choice. This offering includes white printed drops that offset the navy, giving the shirt a subtle and almost textural appearance. This San Francisco brand produces great quality stuff and everything is made in the bay area so rest assured that your money is going to support growing local brands.

Outlier Three-Way Shorts

The technically-focused brand Outlier offers what, in my opinion, is the ultimate pair of shorts for summer. As they say:
“There are three ways we like to deal with the summertime heat. Get to the beach and jump in the water, run off to the cool mountain air or learn to embrace the city heat and look good doing it. These shorts can do all three, plus they are some of the most comfortable shorts you’ll ever put on.”

Nike Sportswear Grey Scale Woven Cargo Shorts

NSW has really nailed shorts with this one. The two-tone design with cargo pockets bridging the front-back paneling make this piece unique yet easy to wear. The texture of the shorts look great too, as the slight sheen can contribute to a slick futuristic look.

ADIDAS x Kazuki Kuraishi Campus 80s 84 Lab

Bringing high-tech construction to a classic shoe, Kazuki Kuraishi revamps the Adidas campus 80s with a mesh, suede, and leather combination upper that will keep your feet cool all summer long. With the natural grey and off-white color scheme reminiscent of last year’s Adidas collaborations with menswear designer Takahiro Miyashita, Kazuki Kuraishi offers another exciting and unique rendition of the Adidas classic that you can wear with pretty much anything.
Pick them up at your neighborhood shoe store, Bows and Arrows

MisterSF’s Mr. Badtofu/Quad Wrap

If you aren’t able to wear anything besides a tee-shirt or a tank on top, then spruce up your outfit a bit by adding some wrist accessories. San Francisco-based Mister offers some well-done bracelets in a variety of styles. Beaded or leather are the way to go in my mind.

Iloveugly Cream Speckle Tee

Always designing with a focus on exquisite quality, iloveugly is an upcoming New Zealand brand whose designs are bold in a subtle way. This is reflected in the cream speckle tee above. The flecks of color splattered across the already very textural fabric and the cream color work together to create a rugged aesthetic. The pocket and patch also add a bit of understated flair so that this piece is easy to wear alone or under a shirt or light jacket.

JCrew Linen Suit

If you ever have to go a wedding in the summer, it’s nice to have a well-fitted linen suit. The light material is perfect for hot sunny days and if the wedding is outside, you’ll be glad you’re not wrapped up in a thick wool suit instead. If you’d like it custom-tailored, indochino.com will likely start selling full linen suits soon.

In collaboration with Jon San Miguel

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terra

Ranging from a smoky coffee brown to an icy white, these pieces come in eye-catching neutrals that will amp up your outfit’s chicness come rainfall. The seams of the waterproof material are welded together, ensuring a sleek and surefire way to keep you dry and warm. The outerwear consists of capes, trench coats, and parkas all complete with drawstrings to adjust the fit and make them more convenient. In fact, the parka has a hood large enough that you can wear a bicycle helmet under if you need to book it somewhere fast on your bike. Of course, one could always opt for the floppy and adorable trench hats that Terra New York offers as well.  Terra New York is a bit expensive, but isn’t the price of beauty often pain and somewhat exorbitant prices?

Nonetheless, I shall be left craving for such beauty until kingdom come (or until I succumb to the siren song of my credit card). Check out what Terra New York has to offer here!

Image courtesy of Terra New York. 

Enjoy live music from DJ Eszair, dress to impress & celebrate with the staff this Friday at Sigma Phi Society.

FAST will also be in attendance displaying up-and-coming designs from their Spring show Rubicon!

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/527313180660601/