Name: OP1000 YOUR MOM IS SO BERKELEY
Brand: Oakland Puzzle Company
SKU: YMISB1000
Price: 28.79 USD
Availability: InStock

OP1000 YOUR MOM IS SO BERKELEY

Product Details

Brand: Oakland Puzzle Company

The quintessential Berkeley image comes to life in this hilarious depiction of a Berkeley mom's colorful, quirky, and earthy kitchen. Full of easter eggs and references to Berkeley life, maybe you can see a bit of yourself...or your mom in the illustrated puzzle.

Puzzle Details

1000 pieces
Finished size: Approximately 19.25” x 26.75”
Random-cut
Matte finish
Box size: 10” x 9” x 2”
Low dust

Eco-Friendly

Puzzle pieces comes in reusable and resealable bag
Sturdy and giftable box featuring the original artwork
Chipboard is made from recycled materials and inks are soy-based
Factory complies with socially responsible production standards

Why You’ll Love It

A perfect gift for Berkeley lovers
Gorgeous enough to frame when finished
Mindful, screen-free relaxation
Supports local artists, organizations, and small businesses
Pieces have a snug fit and can be moved together
Includes a printed reference image

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Dawn Kathryn is an illustrator based in Berkeley who has been creating and drawing since she was a kid. Dawn sees illustration as a way of connecting with people. She likes to create fun and cozy worlds with her illustrations; animals and yarn being some of her favorite subjects. You can see her work on her website and Instagram, or you find her at a local pop-up or a yarn bomb near you.

ABOUT YOUR MOM IS SO BERKELEY

Your Mom is So Berkeley didn't start out as a Facebook group. It didn't even start on the Internet. YMISB started on a slow work day in a Video Relay call center. Earlier in the week, a co-worker told me that my mom, a freelance journalist and known Berkeley person, had once written an article about his mom for the Bay Guardian. With little to do but chat over the cubicle wall, we started talking about our Berkeley upbringings. Eventually, we started lobbing jokes at each other. Each one started with, "Your mom is so Berkeley..."

"Your mom is so Berkeley...her idea of a vacation is camping in People's Park."

"Your mom is so Berkeley...all her tupperware is from the olive bar at Berkeley Bowl."

Your mom is so Berkeley...she was the midwife at her own home birth."

I posted them to Facebook, which had been open to the public for about a year at that time. The first 30 jokes were posted as a Note. After 58 friends added their own jokes in the comments, I created a group to see if other people would be interested in joining the fun.

When the New York Times, wrote about the group in 2010, we had 1,100 members. In 2025, we have 9,500 members. Small by current Internet standards, but perfect for a group dedicated to niche jokes about a small city.

While the jokes have ebbed and flowed over the years, the group remains a joyful touchstone for a particular type of Berkeley parent and child experience. It's a place where people have found community and found that their weird childhoods were more common than they knew. Heck, the group even saved Mr. Mopp's toy store from closing.

YMISB has been a small slice of joy for many people. For me, it was an important part of my grieving process, having lost my mother to cancer just a couple of years prior to creating the group. The group continues in part as a tribute to her and the laughter she brought to the world, which lives in me and my children. If you purchased this puzzle, I hope it brings you joy. I am incredibly touched that something I created inspired others to create something as well.

-Roberto Santiago, creator YMISB