Campus & community, Campus news

Holiday gifts with a UC Berkeley twist

By Jonathan Pun

Holiday shoppers, don’t forget to check out gift options from UC Berkeley organizations and vendors. Whether you’re looking for something for a Cal Athletics fan, an environmentally minded undergrad or an out-of-town guest eager to sample the Bay Area arts scene, there are abundant options at campus museums and gift shops and their websites. (See the campus map for locations of campus venues.)

Here are just a few ideas:

Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

poster

1st-edition, unsigned David Lance Goines poster printed for PFA in ’77.

The BAM/PFA Museum Store, at 2626 Bancroft Way, is open Wednesday, Dec. 17, through Sunday, Dec. 21 (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.). The store features books, cards and posters, as well as gift items by Bay Area and California artisans. Find stocking stuffers priced under $20, along with classic and recent exhibition catalogs at 50 percent off.

BAM/PFA’s main galleries are closed as the arts institution anticipates the opening of its new home in downtown Berkeley, but it still has activities in the works.

BAM/PFA gift memberships may be purchased, for a limited time, through LivingSocial. Members receive discounted rates on dual/family- and sponsor-level memberships; film discounts at PFA Theater; admission to a members-only opening at the new BAM/PFA; admission to members-only off-site events throughout 2015; reciprocal admission to multiple Bay Area arts organizations and an exclusive package for purchases through LivingSocial.

For details, see the BAM/PFA website or call (510) 642-5186.

Student Environmental Resource Center  (SERC)

Download a free app for a special edition of Chinook Book and create an account using a berkeley.edu email address. Use the app to purchase discounted bike maps, tickets and coupons from local merchants.

Or give a tax-deductible donation to the Student Environmental Resource Center (an umbrella organization for environmental student groups at Berkeley), to help support student internships, programs, projects, and educational, professional and leadership development.

Cal Performances

Interested in tickets to an event offered by Northern California’s largest performing-arts presenter? Cal Performances gift certificates never expire and are available in any whole dollar amount from $10 up. Specify an amount, or browse the Cal Performances calendar of events to choose an amount corresponding to a particular performance. Order online by Friday, Dec. 19 for delivery by the holidays.

painting

From the Magnes: A detail of the market in Tiberius, Palestine by artist Marcel Janco.

Magnes Collection of Jewish Arts and Life

The Jewish World: 100 Treasures of Art and Culture is the first comprehensive catalog featuring the holdings of The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life. The recently published book highlights the the diverse art, documentation and ephemera that connect the university’s Jewish Studies programs to the greater community.

Berkeley Art Studio

Gift certificates for art classes are available at discounted prices on the Berkeley Art Studio website. (Pay $90, for instance, for $100 toward the cost of any art class.)

This year, because of Lower Sproul renovations, the Art Studio is not holding its traditional holiday sale of ceramics and artwork.

UC Botanical Garden

wooden bowl

Works by California artisans are available at the UC Botanical Garden gift shop.

The garden shop, in Strawberry Canyon, offers gifts items for the decorator, gardener, foodie, art collector, style-maven, animal lover or kid in your life.

Find, for example, succulent wreaths (while supplies last) and handcrafted garden ornaments; wildflower seeds, gardening hats and books; dish towels and local jams and honeys; botanical-themed calendars and stationery, handcrafted wooden bowls; bee earrings; birdwatcher socks and books and guides on East Bay flora and fauna; and an expedition tool kit for kids.

You may also purchase gift certificates for the shop and gift memberships to the garden.

Cal Student Store

Seasonal merchandise can be found on the store’s website.

mushroom-growing kit

Back to the Roots, founded by two ’09 grads, offers a kit for growing organic mushrooms at home.

Berkeley Innovators

Enterprises founded by Berkeley alumni offer a wide variety of novel gift items, services and local offerings (from cooking classes to tech support). The Berkeley Innovators holiday gift guide lists many.

Find, for example, the Grow-at-Home Mushroom Farm and award-winning AquaFarm mini fish tank from Back to the Roots (20 percent off and free shipping over $25, with promo code GOBEARS14 through Dec. 31). Or athletic swimwear and hair accessories, made from remnant swimsuit material, by LoSwim (15 percent off through Dec. 31 with code “GOBEARS”)

California Alumni Association

CAA’s online store sells a wide assortment of Cal apparel and accessories for women, men and children; purchases benefit the alumni organization.