Visualize it
Thirty years ago, Kirstie Bennett rented an empty space under the Sather Gate garage in Berkeley and opened a do-it-yourself and custom frame shop. With her first employee, Jeff Goldberg—who became her husband—she’s built The Framer’s Workshop that not only offers framing services, but also archival framing, digital restoration, fine art prints and artisan frames. What more could you want?
Bennett and Goldberg know: the ability to see what artwork will look like before it’s actually framed and the chance to go wild with your mat. And so they’ve added two new tools—free of charge: the Wizard computerized mat cutter that lets you cut your mat into any shape you can dream up and digital visualization that enables a designer to take a picture of your art, as well as your framing choice, and then display a digital image of a finished, framed piece for your perusal. The digital visualization tool takes the guesswork out of framing, says Bennett. “We can show you what your finished project will look like before you leave the counter,” she says.
The Framer’s Workshop, 2439 Channing Way, Berkeley, (510) 849-4444; www.framersworkshop.com.
Very kula
Saraswati Clere knows that anyone can attend a yoga class, but creating a yogic lifestyle can be a bit more challenging. Originally from New Zealand, Clere has been studying and practicing Anusara yoga for more than 20 years; before moving to Berkeley and starting Yogakula, a yoga studio plus school plus spa in Berkeley, she owned a yoga studio in Manhattan. Her mission is to help her clients explore the connections between mind, body and spirit more fully. “At Yogakula, we try to give our clients tools to navigate life in a more relaxed manner,” she says.
In addition to Anusara yoga classes, Clere offers Pilates, acupuncture, classes for current and would-be teachers (yoga training, philosophy and dynamic anatomy, to name a few). Yogakula also boasts a wellness spa, with services like massage, facials, skin-care peels, aromatherapy, hot stone treatments, tinting and brow waxing, and nutritional counseling. The spa’s aestheticians use Yogakula’s own line of organic skincare products, Prema Organics. The spa’s services evolved from client requests, Clere says. “We want to be a one-stop shop for a yoga lifestyle.”
Wellness Spa at Yogakula, 1700 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 486-0264; www.yogakula.com.
Tibetan tour
For those of us who may never actually sit in a Tibetan dwelling, wrapped in a sheepskin jacket and sip yak-butter tea by candlelight, a visit to Tibet Imports: Himalayan Arts, Furniture, Jewelry, Rugs & More could be the next best thing. Owner Lhawang Dhondup visits his homeland often and brings back treasures for his Berkeley neighbors: silk scarves in a rainbow palette, antique rugs in rich colors of terra cotta, crimson, ochre and teal; hand-painted wooden chests and panels; and handmade jewelry made of turquoise, sandalwood, silver and onyx. Wafts of incense and the warmth of the textiles create an intimate atmosphere in which to browse. And if Dhondup’s offerings inspire you to pay a real visit to Tibet, he can help with that, too. In addition to running his shop, he leads mountain tours of Nepal through Mountain Link, a Bend, Oregon-based travel company.
Tibet Imports: Himalayan Arts, Furniture, Jewelry, Rugs & More, 1600 Shattuck Ave. #102, Berkeley, (510) 845-0835.
Millinery magic
When occasion calls for a special accoutrement, head over (pun intended) to Zazu and Violets’ Hats, where owner Sydney Turnshek will dazzle you with her custom creations. Turnshek makes all her hats using a tried-and-true 18th-century straw-weaving technique and vintage materials. Popular now are “fascinations,” small confections of silk netting, sequins and flowers that add a special je ne sais quoi to your ensemble.
It was during a stint in retail that Turnshek tried her hand at millinery, and, as luck would have it, she met a San Francisco clothing supplier who helped place her hats with such clients as Barney’s of New York. Some 16 years ago, she opened her own shop, naming it for her two daughters and decorating it in fresh spring yellows and greens that bring to mind a dappled patio in Paris. In addition to hats, Turnshek carries a small but beautiful collection of jewelry, bags and hair clips (check out the chunky, colorful resin rings in the shape of roses, the wire-crocheted evening bags lined with silk and the life-sized butterfly pins). Turnshek’s favorite hat in the store? A black cloche she wove out of hemp. “The bell shape is flattering on everyone,” Turnshek says. “And, of course, black is always in fashion.”
Zazu and Violets’ Hats, 1790 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 845-1409.
