44 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} On a sunny day, it seems like almost everyone in Burlingame is hanging out in its well-heeled and friendly downtown. You’ll find that the local residents who aren’t busy browsing and strolling just might be the ones running the stores. From German-inspired Backhaus bakery to plant-based Twelvemonth restaurant, the well-established Andra Norris Gallery to the new kids’ shop for tennis and pickleball. Make sure to check out the whimsical sculptures carved from stumps and felled trees by a talented city park employee. Next, look for the distinctive tile-roofed Burlingame Library (480 Primrose Road). Built in 1931 in Italian Renaissance style, its period light fixtures and airy reading rooms invite bookworms to linger. For contemporary art, check out Andra Norris Gallery (311 Lorton), where there’s a new exhibition almost every month. Through the end of August catch Beyond, featuring paintings by Elena Zolotnitsky, Ryan Reynolds and Stephen Henriques, and photography by Berkeley-based Russel Kiehn. After years of running a successful gallery in San Francisco, Andra says she had a “lightbulb moment” that inspired her to move it to the Peninsula. “I wanted to create something wonderful where I call home,” she confides. PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBB MOST / COURTESY OF JKEEFE - THE SF PENINSULA Gigglemugs, you’ll find small business owners whose love for their community inspired them to make their livings close to home. With its vibrant sidewalk scene, quirky shops and tempting eateries, a day “on the Avenue” is a day well spent. EXPLORE Whether you arrive via Caltrain or car, take a moment to admire Burlingame’s historic train station. Designed in the Spanish Colonial Revival style by architect George Howard, a scion of one of the city’s founding families, the graceful landmark on California Drive anchors the downtown district. Besides serving rail riders, it also houses the city’s history museum. From the station, find your way to dog-friendly Washington Park (850 Burlingame Avenue) which boasts a popular playground, shady picnic benches and courts DAY TRIP bustling burlingame words by ANDREA GEMMET
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