Bonjour !

I was told that many of you liked my previous post and went on a Golden Gate Bridge bike ride. I hope you liked it! This ride is so scenic, I have done it many times with friends, and I will never get tired of it. Since the Bay Area offers a wealth of activities, I will be posting ideas of events to do here. How does that sound? This weekend is the first weekend of the month, meaning that there will be many cultural events! The best part is that they are free, yes! Here is a small selection:

You don’t have to go far from I-House to go to a museum. Just a few minutes down Bancroft there is the BAM (Berkeley Art Museum) which is free for all UC Berkeley students. If you are a UC Berkeley extension student, you can still get in without paying a penny the first Thursday of each month (like today).

This photo shows I-House friends at the BAM, representing Japan, Korea, Lithuania, and Turkey!

Oakland Museum of California. Photo: http://www.matthewmillman.com

Next, the OMCA (Oakland Museum of California)! After four years of renovation, this museum reopened last year for our greatest delight. As you can guess from the name it is dedicated to the art, history, and natural science of the Golden State. The OMCA is located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station and the admission is free the first Sunday of each month.
Tip: after the museum go to Lake Merritt for a walk, you can also rent boats!

Asian Art Museum. Photo: http://sfappeal.com

Finally, the Asian Art Museum. With a collection of 18,000 artworks spanning over 6,000 years, it is one of the world’s largest museums devoted to Asian art. In this museum you will travel in time and space, going several centuries back and all around Asia. The Asian Art Museum is located a few blocks from the Civic Center BART station and the admission is free the first Sunday of each month.
Tip: complete your exploration of Asian culture with some delicious food at Café Asia, right at the museum!

Stay tuned for my next blog post about fun activities for you and your I-House friends to try.  Cheers!