Peaceful backyard studio cottage. 5 min. to Ashby BART; free off street parking

This marvelous studio cottage in Oakland is the perfect cozy retreat for guests. With a comfortable queen bed and a convenient sofa bed, this adorable space is ideal for a relaxing stay, for up to 3 people, although it works best with 2 adults and a child (or of course 1 person). Enjoy the wonderful amenities provided, including a hair dryer, iron, WiFi, and heating. The bathroom features a bathtub/shower. Writers, academics, grandparents, executives and vacationers have enjoyed staying here since 2014.

I have always welcomed long stays, so if you need to stay a number of weeks or months, I am happy to accommodate you.

The cottage is fully furnished, including bedding, towels, & fully equipped kitchen. The kitchen has a 2 burner gas stovetop, a combination microwave/convection oven, toaster oven, drip coffee maker, and a full size refrigerator. The queen bed sits on a platform with 6 drawers on each side and 2 long storage drawers that open at the bottom of the platform. Windows on all walls and double sliding doors create a light filled, peaceful, spacious abode. The heater will warm up the cottage in a few minutes on cold days and on warm days, just open the windows and the door. Fan also included behind the bed. There are 2 laundromats within a couple of blocks.

I have lived in the main house since 1987, raised my daughter here, and created a second home for her three children. I love my neighborhood and love sharing it with travelers.

Walk 25 minutes to College Avenue's Elmwood district for a movie theatre, terrific cafes and restaurants, Wells Fargo Bank, bakeries, ice cream shop and much more. Or walk more to the south on College Avenue to enter the Rockridge district for tons of shops and eateries and the Rockridge BART station. Just a couple of blocks away on Adeline Street and Alcatraz Avenue are good eateries, a Yoga studio and a few shops. The Berkeley border is just one block north and one block west. If you enjoy walking, I heartily encourage you take walks around the neighborhoods to view a wide variety of beautiful old homes, varied architecture and landscaping.

UC Berkeley campus is a short BART or bus ride or about a 45 minute walk. All within easy walking distance are libraries, two post offices, Berkeley Bowl grocery, Whole Foods, yoga and Pilates studios, museums, BART, bus lines, Berkeley's art district with theatres, live performance venues and many places to eat. Oakland and Berkeley offer a wide variety of music, theatre, and arts. Two of my favorite venues are Zellerbach Auditorium on the UC Berkeley campus and just a few blocks away are Freight and Salvage, Berkeley Repertory and the Roda Theatre. A few blocks from my place is our local theatre, The Ashby Stage/Shotgun Players. You will always be able to stay entertained while here. And did I mention the dozens of local hiking trails?

If you are arriving with a car, I can offer you one free off street parking spot in my fenced driveway. Or you can park on the street but you will need a visitor parking permit if your car will be parked for more that 2 hours between 8am to 6pm Monday through Friday. They cost $5 per day or $27 for 2 consecutive weeks.

A little bit about me. I owned a wholesale bakery in Richmond for 35 years called Zoe's Cookies and Other Delights. I retired in January of 2017 and my income source now comes from my cottage rental and 2 bedrooms in the main house. I have one daughter who has blessed me with three grandchildren who currently (2025) are 16, 18, and 19. I love to garden as you will see from the photos and one of my favorite activities is to just get outside and walk which I sometimes do for hours. I really enjoy sharing my home and meeting people I would never meet otherwise.

So please come stay in my lovely cottage. I promise you a wonderful visit. And if you're lucky, I'll be baking something delicious from my Zoe's Cookies recipe files to satisfy any sweet tooth.

I will do my very best to answer your questions.