Suppose you are looking for a home and cannot decide between Oakland’s Rockridge District and Berkeley. Well, the perfect compromise is Elmwood, nestled in a corner of Berkeley, just past Rockridge. Also situated around College Avenue, Elmwood has a similar feel to Rockridge, but with all the trappings and history of Berkeley.

Bounded by Telegraph to the west and the Claremont resort to the East, the Elmwood district is home to some of the most desirable real estate in the East Bay. Many of the homeowners have deep roots in the neighborhood, and new listings in the neighborhood seem a bit more rare in Elmwood than surrounding neighborhoods. In addition to the traditional East Bay Craftsman, you will also see arts and crafts style homes and classic brown shingles, along with a sprinkling of Victorians.

The neighborhood has some impressive culture to the enjoyed. The Julia Morgan Theater, which started life as a church, was Ms. Morgan’s first East Bay commission. The structure is now a popular theater that is home to several local theatre troupes. The Magnes Museum on Russell Avenue is dedicated to the collection and preservation of the Jewish experience, especially in the American West. And, if you just want to catch a flick, there is the recently renovated Elmwood Theatre. For books, check out Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore or maybe even the branch library. If you are in the mood for art, there is Alta Galleria.

The Elmwood district offers so many sumptuous options for eating that we often don’t know where to start or when to stop! One could have breakfast at Dream Fluff donuts and Espresso Roma, then have a mid morning snack at the Nabolom Bakery collective. We might have to eat two lunches so that we can compare the contested burritos at both Gordo Taqueria and La Cascada. Afternoon snacks at La Mediterranee would be great, followed by dinner at King Yen or perhaps Fillippo’s. And, everyone in Elmwood knows that dessert has to be the unique ice cream offerings at Ici, whether you are in the mood for vanilla, peach habenero sorbet, or sweet corn ice cream.

Keep going up College north from Elmwood, and you will pass Willard Park and end up at UC Berkeley. But, with all this to offer, why would you ever need to leave Elmwood?