East Bay bohemia: Emeryville boasts good art and great breakfasts - Northern California Day Trip

Sunset, Oct, 2003 by Lisa Taggart

The urban dance that takes a city from industrial to gentrified has a number of steps. Warehouses shuffle into live/work loft havens for artists, then spin into pricey communities. Emeryville, the bayside enclave between Oakland and Berkeley, stands proudly in the middle phase. It plans to stay there.

Now best known for corporate residents Ikea and Pixar Animation Studios, Emeryville retains an appealing funky, independent, and artistic spirit.

That's most evident during October, when Emeryville honors its creative constituents at the three-week-long Emeryville Art Exhibition. The 17-year-old juried event showcases painting, sculpture, photography, and video arts (Oct 4-6; 5616 Bay St.; www.emeryarts. org or 510/652-6122). Punctuated by live weekend dance and music performances, the celebration is held in a different location each year; this one will be at the Bay Street Emeryville retail complex. On display are landscape paintings inspired by the nearby bay, photography of East Bay neighborhoods, and industrial-influenced sculpture, by more than 100 artists who live or work in the 1 1/4-square-mile town.

"I don't think there's any city in the country that supports its artists in quite the way Emeryville does," says 20-year resident Cay Long, a photographer who also conducts business classes for artists.

Stroll Hollis Street today and you'll find brick buildings housing architecture offices, printing studios, bookbinders, furniture makers, a Japanese animation store, and even a puppet maker.

For Art mixed with fresh air, take in sculptures and murals along the Emeryville public art tour (self-guided," brochure available at the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce). Among the works are a steel fire station dog and life size bronze-and-steel furniture pieces whose legs "run" off a balcony.

The route will lead you westward to Marina Park, a breezy, picturesque spot, for walking.

Jokes about starving artists aside, going hungry apparently isn't too popular with Emeryville's creative crowd--you'll find a range of great coffee shop and restaurants here. By the number of outstanding choices, breakfast must be the meal for the imaginative. Try delicious, hearty fare at Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe (4081 Hollis St.; 510/594-1221) or Doyle Street Cafe (5515 Doyle St.; 510/547-3552).

Grab coffee at Ruby's Cafe (closed Sat-Sun; 6233 Hollis; 510/601-0622) or fresh-from-the racks treats at Semi-freddi's Bakery (closed Sat-Sun; 4242 Hollis; 510/596-9934), where 115,000 tons of bread are produced weekly.

For dinner and drinks, check out Townhouse Bar & Grill (closed Sun; 5862 Doyle; 510/652-6151). The humble exterior" belies the eatery's chic decor and upscale menu--a pleasant surprise that's a bit like discovering Emeryville itself.

Where's the art?

Emeryville historic area is centered at Hollis and Powell Streets. For general information, contact the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce (5858 Horton St.; www.emeryvillechamber.com or 510/652-5223)