This travel blog focuses on things to do in BERKELEY and SAN FRANCISCO. It also features more travel destinations throughout Northern California. All are presented in small, easy-to-digest chunks of text along with plenty of photos so you really get the picture. Discover even more weekend adventures at my BERKELEY AND BEYOND website at www.berkeleyandbeyond.com. This blog is a continuation of my out-of-print guidebook--WEEKEND ADVENTURES IN SAN FRANCISCO & NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
A branch of the mother ship in Palo Alto that specializes in authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, Oren's Hummus Shop by the Cal Train station offers a nice outdoor space that lets you fully enjoy the sound of the signals and passing trains. The food style reminds me of what I enjoyed at similar simple spots in Israel, and that should be no surprise since many of the basic ingredients are imported from there. A complimentary bowl of tangy coleslaw arrives with the menu and helps tide you over until your order arrives. Service can be slow. My menu favorite is the sampler plate that includes eggplant three ways and a slab of labane yogurt cheese, plus marinated beets Moroccan carrots, and fluffy pita breads. I always like to purchase some hummus and eggplant to go for my next day’s lunch.
exterior of Oren's Hummus Shop on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
interior of Oren's Hummus Shop on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
sidewalk seating at Oren's Hummus Shop on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
dinner items at Oren's Hummus Shop on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
dinner check at Oren's Hummus Shop on Castro Street in Mountain View, California
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd., just E of Hwy. 101, (650) 810-1010. W-Sun 10am-5pm (tour times vary). $17.50, under 11 free.
Formerly part of The Computer Museum in Boston, this comprehensive collection of computer-related artifacts moved to the Bay Area in 1996 and opened here in 2002. Displaying more than 1,100 items (only 1% of the collection), it has the world’s largest collection of computing artifacts. Hardware and software are exhibited, as well as photos and videos. Take a tour if possible, and take time to view the orientation movie. Among the gems you’ll see are the first Apple computer (which sells now for more than it did when it went on the market), a World War II ENIGMA encryption/decryption device, and the 1975 Illiac IV (an earlier Illiac computer is said to have inspired director Stanley Kubrick for his movie “2001”). A 1980 Japanese Sharp calculator with abacus (for those who didn’t trust the calculator) and a 1969 Neiman Marcus "Kitchen Computer" that was priced at $10,000 (they didn’t sell any) are also displayed. A new section devoted to software that opened in 2017 features many hands-on exhibits. In a circular layout, it shows how, according to my guide, “software is to a computer as sheet music is to a piano.” Exhibits describe how software functions in Photoshop, MRIs, and car-crash tests.
Monroe LAS-160 calculator from 1940s at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
early analog computer patch panel at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
phonograph doll from 1940s at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Waymo self-driving vehicle from 2014 at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
The Cloud Bistro operates in the lobby and serves light fare such as soups, sandwiches, salads, and pastries. Seating is available both inside, and outside on an expansive lawn with shade and plenty of colorful, comfortable Adirondack chairs.
outside lounge area at Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Also noteworthy is a planting of dramatic coast redwoods that lines the sidewalk in back by the parking lot, where you'll also have access to re-charging your Tesla while you browse the museum.
coast redwoods line sidewalk behind Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Tesla charging station behind Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California
Named after the Indian word for "peace," this restaurant’s décor includes a hand-carved wall panel in the image of Buddha. Throughout Sakoon, comfortable booths and banquettes line the walls, colorful fiber optic lights drop from the ceiling, and a riot of tiles draw the eye, and the unusually deep space stretches way back beyond the main dining room. Begin with a cocktail named for a Bollywood movie—perhaps the beautiful pale aqua Monsoon Wedding served in a champagne glass with a red sugar-dipped rim—but leave space for the global wine that compliments Indian spices (all culled from women winemakers, with $1/bottle donated to a breast cancer charity). A large selection of beer is also available. The menu’s uncommon uptown dishes and hail from throughout India and feature sophisticated spicing; they are described as “unlike any other in the Bay Area.” They include Kerala coconut curry with sea bass and scallops, basil chicken tikka, and rack of lamb with a lavender-thyme-spice pear chutney and spectacular mashed potatoes flavored with mustard and curry leaf and dotted with crunchy nuts. Part of the delight is just perusing the seasonally-changing menu.
Allow time before or after dining to browse the two bookstores, medicinal herbal shop, and humungous bead shop that are housed on the same side of the street.
