| |
Restaurants |
| |
| | Cugini | 1556 Solano Avenue
Albany CA
510-558-9000 | This delightful Solano Avenue restaurant is owned by cousins... hence the name Cugini. They have wonderful calzone from a wood fired oven. Check out Cugini and Mangia Mangia on San Pablo Avenue for excellent Italian Food | |
| |
| |
| | Zand Market | 1401 Solano Avenue
Albany CA
510-528-7027 | One of our favorite Mid Eastern Markets
http://www.zandpasteries.com/ or http://www.zandpastry.com are not working yet | |
| |
| |
| | Cafe Raj | 1158 Solano Avenue
Albany CA
510-524-5667 | Cafe Raj has some of the finest Indian food in the East Bay. It's one of our favorites, along with Breads of India | |
| |
|
| | Robert Ammirati - East Bay Back Care | 1201 Solano Avenue
Albany CA
510-524-2222 | Robert's my chiropracter... he's great! | |
| |
| |
| | Heads Hair Design | 1490 Solano Avenue
Albany CA
510-525-4478 |
I like Rosie & Chrissy best | |
| |
| |
| | Earthquake Hazards Program: USGS | 345 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park CA
| Are you as much of a map lover as I am? Get thee down to USGS for an amazing selection of maps... and then have them laminated at Accents and Artech | |
| |
| |
| | Bay Model Visitor Center | 2100 Bridgeway
Sausalito CA
415-332-3871 | I really enjoy this... it's a huge model of San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bays... and used to determine the effect of water flow and salination on the bay. The vertical scale is 10X the horizontal scale (which doesn't affect the experiment). It's fascinating to see how deep the Golden Gate actually is. | |
| |
Restaurants |
| | Tony's Seafood |
Marconi CA
| My friends Ed & Andy Williamson took me here when I interviewed with Chevron in summer of 1982... and then drove me back to the airport for my return flight to Amherst, MA that night.
Perhaps that's why it has such a strong memory. I liked it so much I returned several years later with a girlfriend, and we both ordered Abalone. The food was so good we ordered another serving to share! I've not been at this funky place for seafood on the eastern shore of Tomales Bay in many years, but as I write this, I realize that I'm going to take Carol there soon!
And... the only other time I've ever had a meal I enjoyed so much that we ordered an additional dish to share was at Ahi's Seafood Restaurant on the eastern coast of Oahu. I wouldn't want to have to return to Hawaii (been there, done that.. though it does have some cool spots like Mauna Kea and the Volcano)... but if I were to return, I'd be sure to revisit Ahi's Restaurant. It was another funky place (not for folks who want a pristine restaurant) but it had the best shrimp we've had this side of Mexico! | |
| |
| |
| | BlackHawk Automotive Museum | 3700 BlackHawk Plaza Circle
Danville CA
510-736-2277 | WOW - They have some spectacular autos here. If you're a car buff, be sure to visit. For several Christmas seasons the museum complex has had a European Model Railroad exhibit. | |
| |
| |
| | Accents and Artech | 146600 Doolittle Drive
San Leandro CA
510-895-8300 | Just bought maps at USGS? Want to have them preserverved, but don’t want to spend $200 to mount a $7 map? Have them laminated here! Use the heavy duty clear plastic (shows details better than non glare version), add tape the the back of the map and a pushpin through the tape, and it’s ready to go on the wall | |
| |
| |
| | Kirin | 1767 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-524-1677 | Berkeley has lots of Chinese Restaurants, but not many which are good. Kirin is excellent... one of our favorite Berkeley restaurants (and it is right across the street from our office!) | |
| |
| |
| | Mechanics Bank | 1801 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-559-2626 | Mechanic's Bank is a friendly, local neighborhood bank. When you open your account here, be sure to say hello to Sherman and Victoria.. and tell them Ira & Carol sent you | |
| |
| |
| | Solano Stroll | Solano Avenue, Berkeley/Albany
Berkeley CA
510-527-5358 | This is an incredible event.... attracting 100,000 people or more every year.Wonderful Ambience, great food, pleasant music in the background. Music, neighborhood groups, food, performers and more on the first Sunday after Labor Day. It's a delightful, mile long block party!
Solano Avenue from The Alameda to San Pablo Avenue | |
| |
| |
| | Manhattan Bagel | 1789 Fourth Street
Berkeley CA
510-525-9445 | This is right across (and just south of Cody’s Books. They have the best bagels in Berkeley.. way better than Noah's. After working on the web site update from 6:30-9:00 AM this foggy Sunday morning, Carol took me to Manhattan Bagels for breakfast.. followed by a stroll through Cody's | |
| |
| |
| | Photo Lab | 2235 Fifth Street
Berkeley CA
510-644-1400 | Excellent B&W photo processing | |
| |
| |
| | Cragmont & Indian Rock Parks |
CA
| Cragmont and Indian Rock Parks are two of the best rock climbing parks in Berkeley. The view from Cragmont Park is particularly special. | |
| |
| |
| | Lawrence Hall of Science | Centennial Drive near Grizzly Peak
Berkeley CA
510-642-5132 | Science exhibits and more... and a spectacular view of the Berkeley and the Bay Area. It was used as a set in the movie "The Forbin Project" | |
| |
| |
| | La Mediterranee | 2936 College Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-540-7773 | One of our favorite Berkeley restaurants, they have a delightful selection of middle eastern cuisine. | |
| |
| |
| | Seabreeze Market Deli and Produce | 598 University Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-486-0802 | A market made of old shipping containers... and a favorite place of ours for a sandwich and salad when visiting the marina.. or on the road | |
| |
| |
| | Skates on the Bay | 100 Seawall Drive
Berkeley CA
510-549-1900 | Great views of the bay, and terrific food too. Whenever someone visits, we often take them to Skates. We don’t often eat steaks, but their Nebraska Steaks (and salt cured meats) are mouth watering.
http://skatesonthebay.citysearch.com/ | |
| |
| |
| | Berkeley Himalayan Fair |
Berkeley CA
| This is a wonderful fair... food, crafts, performances, and more. It's held in Berkeley's lovely Live Oak Park. It's held in the 3rd weekend in May. The proceeds are used to support worthy projects in Himalayan countries. | |
| | Berkeley Bowl | 2020 Oregon Street
Berkeley CA
510-843-6929
Berkeleley Bowl West
920 Heinz
| A wonderful produce market in South Berkeley. They used to be in a converted bowling alley a few blocks away, hence the name "Berkeley Bowl"
Berkeley Bowl West is a remarkable store to visit - hot tip - easiest parking can be downstairs
| |
| |
| |
| | Moe’s Books | 2476 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley CA
| When I first came to Berkeley, I’d make weekly pilgrimages up to Telegraph Avenue to visit Moe’s Books and Cody’s Books. I still remember Moe... who was a heavy set guy who always smoked a cigar... and reminded me of an uncle I never had. Make the trip yourself, the treat yourself to a Top Dog on Durant, just above Telegraph | |
| |
| |
| | Big O Tires | 2625 San Pablo Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-843-9633 | Great guarantee and fast service | |
| |
| |
| | Behring Museum | Blackhawk Plaza in Danville
Danville CA
925-736-2277 | Museum of extraordinary automobiles. If you like autos or design, this is a must see. It's affiliated with the Smithsonian Museum.
Every year they have an exhibit of European Trains | |
| |
| |
| | East Bay's Theaters & Movie Palaces | | Berkeley has many wonderful bookstores, and probably about as many movie screens! We've some remarkable Art Deco Jewels nearby ... Oakland's Paramount Theater is a masterpiece, and the Orinda Theater is particularly a delight at night. Berkeley's own California (Blue & Gold.. Go CAL!!!) and UA Theaters have some wonderful Art Deco details.
I highly recommend buying a Landmark Theater Discount Card. It¹s good for up to two people at a time, is good for six months, and costs about $28 for 5 admissions. It can be used any time except after 6 PM on Friday & Saturday nights.
Wonderful bookstores, lots of movie theaters, and outstanding capuchino. Is it any wonder I love living in Berkeley? | |
| |
| |
| | Nada Chair | 2448 Larpenteur Ave.
St. Paul MN
866-825-9527 | I've several Nada Chairs...one is a vest! They're wonderful for lower back support. The vest looks like a photographer's vest, and is perfect for travelling. | |
| |
| |
| | Architecture and Design | | You'll find a wealth of wonderful architecture in Berkeley, the East Bay, and the San Francisco Bay Area. We're blessed with some of the most remarkable structures in the world. Oakland's Paramount Theater, Berkeley's Temple of The Wings and Unitarian Church, and the Golden Gate Bridge are some of my favorites.
Break out your maps and camera... and enjoy!
Oh... and my favorite style is Art Deco, which goes along with some of my favorite music - Big Band Sounds. Perhaps I really grew up in the 30's! I still miss KMPX - Big Band Music, which I listened to back in the 70's | |
| |
| |
| | Yosemite Park |
CA
415-642-7378 | Yosemite Valley is simply amazing. It replicates the grandeur of Manhattan, but it’s in nature. We just spent our 18th Anniversary there last weekend, and stayed in a hat-trick of hotels.... Yosemite Lodge (pleasant), Curry Village (rustic) and the Awahnee (magnificent). We had a lovely dinner at the Awahnee hotel.
I think this phone number is for an $85 one day tour
You can also get Yosemite Area Travel Information at http://www.yosemite.com | |
| |
| |
| | Monterey/Carmel |
Monterey/Carmel CA
| If you have time, I HIGHLY recommend a trip to Monterey/Carmel via Highway 1 along the coast. Drive down Highway 1, see Pigeon Point Lighthouse, the pelicans at the San Mateo/Santa Cruz county line, stop for lunch in Santa Cruz (visit Bookstore Santa Cruz) and go on to Monterey (have fried calamari at Abolinetti’s on the Wharf), and then on to Carmel. Try to spend the night at Asilomar, in Pacific Grove. It’s the California State Conference Grounds, but that doesn’t do it justice. Asilomar was designed by Julia Morgan, who also did Hearst Castle. This is a WONDERFUL excursion, and far better than going to the Napa Valley (where the main attraction is wine) if you have limited time. Consider a trip to the Steinbeck museum in Salinas, not far from Monterey | |
| |
| |
| | Santa Cruz County Conference & Visitor Council | 1211 Ocean Street
Santa Cruz CA
831-425-1234 | A delightful seaside town. Drive down Highway 1, stop to see the Pelicans at the San Mateo/Santa Cruz county line, browse Bookstore Santa Cruz, and keep going down to Monterey/Carmel. Consider a visit to the Steinbeck Museum in Salinas | |
| |
| |
| | Monterey Bay Aquarium | 886 Cannery Row
Monterey CA
831-648-4888 | This is a wonderful place to visit when you're in Monterey... and Monterey/Carmel is a delightful place to visit when in Northern California.
Kids of all ages will enjoy the Aquarium in Monterey. It’s an easy day trip from the Bay Area, though I highly recommend an overnight stay in the Monterey/Carmel Area.
Asilomar is a delightful place to stay. It’s the State of California Convention Grounds... which sounds awful, but is actually a lovely place designed by Juila Morgan | |
| |
| |
| | The Ahwahnee |
Yosemite National Park CA
559-252-4848 | A stunningly beautiful hotel in an astonishing park. Dinner is delightful. Take a closer look at the wooden beams... they're made of concrete for fire safety. Yosemite Park is one of the must see places in the world. I believe the Ahwahnee was designed by the same architect who did Los Angeles' Union Station... another of my favorite buildings. | |
| |
| |
| | Delauer Super Newsstand | 1310 Broadway
Oakland CA
510-451-6157 | WOW - This newstand has the largest selection of magazines and newspapers in the East Bay... and perhaps the entire Bay Area. It’s right above BART’s 12th Street Station. | |
| |
| |
| | Scott's | 2 Broadway
Oakland CA
510-444-3456 | Scott's has excellent seafood. My mom loved it when we took her to lunch there... and a gigantic ship glided by. | |
| |
| |
| | Chapel of the Chimes | 4499 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland CA
510-654-0123 | This is one of the Bay Area's most lovely spaces... and it's a Columbarium (for ashes of cremated people) next to Oakland's Mountain View Cemeterery. The main building was designed byJulia Morgan (who also did Hearst Castle!) and is simply a delightful, serene, space. I think when It's time for me to go, I may have a bronze made of my book "How To Buy A House In California" and be interred there!
Martin Snapp wrote of it "In many ways, the Chapel of the Chimes was her masterpiece. It's a magical maze of gardens,cloisters, alcoves, stairwells, fountains, and chapels, all rising into vaulted Gothic ceilings" I couldn't have said it better!
Hot Tip - Martin wrote that on the Summer Solstice, they often have a "Garden of Memory" concert in the Chapel of The Chimes. I plan to go the next time! | |
| |
| |
| | Rockridge Market Hall | 5655 College Avenue
Oakland
| Rockridge is one of the East Bay's best residential and shopping neighborhoods. It has wonderful craftsman homes, delightful shops and convenient highway access.
Stroll down College Avenue from Claremont Avenue to Broadway and you'll be in the heart of the shopping district. Stop off for coffee in the Market Hall and visit the appealing shops which remind me of Rue Cler in Paris. Rockridge has two excellent independent bookstores within block of each other - Pendragon and Diesel books.
Most of the homes in Upper Rockridge (above Broadway or Broadway Terrace) were rebuilt after the Berkeley Hills fire, and tend to be grander in size and scale.
Rockridge is particularly desirable because it's has great shops... and wonderful transportation. It's easy to travel north to Berkeley, west to San Francisco, east to Walnut Creek (Highway 24 and the Rockridge BART station cross College Avenue), or south to San Jose. | |
| |
| |
| | netflix | | This has changed the way we watch movies! If you like movies, get a DVD player and subscribe to Netflix. Use the Friend4 code and you should get extra benefits | |
| |
| |
| | Beach Blanket Babylon | 678 Green Street (Beach Blanket Blvd)
San Francisco CA
415-421-4222 | This is a WONDERFUL Show! If you can get tickets... GO! And if you can’t get tickets when you want, go to Teatro Zinzanni! | |
| |
| |
| | F Market Historic Streetcars |
San Francisco CA
| Wonderful, colorful Old Streetcars from all over the world - runing down Market Street! I took a day “cruise” of the system with one of my model railroad groups, and it was a real treat. We picked up a historic streetcar (and a PCC unit... once you’ve seen one PCC car, you’ve seen them all, because they all have the same design) at the CalTrain Station, road down the Embarcadero to Pier 39, back to Market Street, up Market to the Castro, down 17th to Church, from Church to Geneva Street cars, on to Lake Merced, down Judah Street to the Pacific Ocean, and back to West Portal. What a trip! | |
| |
| |
| | Marina District |
San Francisco CA
| The Marina District was built up after the Panama Pacific Exposition, and has some wonderful Art Deco buildings. Chestnut Street is a really pleasant shopping street. | |
| |
| |
| | Fresh Air |
| Terry Gross has terrific guests on her show, and it’s one of the most interesting shows on the air. You can listen to the show 4 different times each weekday.
9 AM KALW 91.7
1 PM KQED 88.5
6 PM KALW 91.7
7 PM KQED 88.5 | |
| |
| |
| | Teatro Zinzanni | Pier 29
San Francisco CA
415-438-2668 | We had a grand time at Teatro Zinzanni. It bills itself as Love, Dinner, Chaos... and that’s an apt description. Joan Baez was starring as the Contessa during our performance. She came to our table and sipped champagne with us... a real treat for all of us fifty-somethings. | |
| |
| |
| | Radio FM 102.1 KDFC Classical |
| Classical Music Station | |
| |
| |
| | This American Life |
| A wonderfully interesting radio show - each weeks’ show has three or four stories with a common theme
KALW Saturday 1-2
KALW Friday 1-2
KQED Sat 12-1 PM
KQED Sat 11 PM - Midnight | |
| |
| |
| | Coit Tower | Atop Telegraph Hill
CA
| Most folks think of Coit Tower for the view of the bay... and the shape of the tower (it's a fire hose)... but the most wonderful thing about the tower are the murals inside! Be sure to leave time to view them | |
| |
| |
| | San Francisco Giants Baseball | Pacific Bell Park
San Francisco CA
510-762-2255 | Pac Bell Park... or whatever it's called by the time you read this... is a terrific ballpark! Go - you'll have a great time.
I've been to Yankee Stadium, Oakland Coliseum, Camden Yards, Coors Field, Pac Bell Park, and Wrigley Field.
Camden Yards, Wrigley Field, and Pac Bell Parks are my favorites.
As I write this, we were just there two nights ago. It was as good as it gets.. the weather was spectacular (hot day, lovely evening), Barry Bonds hit a home run about 50 feet from our head into Mc Covey Cove, and Carol and I strolled back from Pac Bell park to BART along the Embarcadero. The historic streetcars were running | |
| |
| |
| | Fort Mason Center | Fort Mason Center Building A
San Francisco CA
415-441-3687 | Once was an Army base, now a San Francisco cultural center with museums, theaters, and exhibit spaces. You'll have spectacular views of San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay from Fort Mason.
Greens, an excellent vegetarian restaurant, is a delightful place to dine. | |
| |
| |
| | San Francisco Historic Trolley Festival | 870 Market Street #803
San Francisco CA
(415) 956-0472 | What great fun... a delightful selection of vintage streetcars from around the world. The PCC cars are in different livery to reflect their home city. As Ronald Regan would have said [and someone else did say... but I forget who], if you've seen one PCC, you've seen them all. In this case, it's true! As far as I can tell, all PCC cars DO look exactly alike! | |
| |
| |
| | Oakland Floral Depot | 1900 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland CA
| WOW - Silver and indigo - a small jewel of an Art Deco building in downtown Oakland. I highly recommend taking an Art Deco tour from the Oakland | |
| |
| |
| | Paramount Theater | 2025 Broadway
Oakland CA
510-465-6400 | Timothy Phleuger (I’m not sure of the spelling) designed this extraordinary theater, and it is the Jewel Of The Crown of East Bay Art Deco Architecture. The best way to see the building is by attending a performance, or taking one of the guided tours.
Don’t miss: the exterior mural details, green and yellow entryway (look above for the oval and fountain.... symbols of???), and murals in the bathrooms. | |
| |
| |
| | Golden Gate Bridge | Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza
San Francisco CA
415-453-2100 | The Golden Gate Bridge is a stunning Art Deco Masterpiece! Walk across it. Take lots of pictures! Marvel at the cable cross section at the south end of the bridge. Strauss received all the credit for the design... but there were others who played a role in it. Delight that the first design for the bridge never was built - it would have been one of the ugliest structures in the world! I walked across the bridge after on the last day that I worked at Chevron Research. It was a wonderful memory. | |
| |
| |
| | Hume Castle | 2900 Buena Vista Way
Berkeley CA
| I’d heard about this building for months when I’d first come to Berkeley, but I never knew where it was. Then I rented an apartment on Buena Vista Way... and discovered, to my delight, that I was smack dab between the Hume Castle and Temple Of The Wings (Isadora Duncan's hangout).. and just up the street from Maybeck Twin Drive. The home was built by the Boynton family, who were friends with Isadora Duncan
I loved living there with the pleasant eucalyptus fragrance. From time to time I’d awake to find a sea of fog below me. It was magical! You'll love it living in the hills too. | |
| |
| |
| | Kennedy House | Euclid & Buena Vista Way
Berkeley CA
| Right on the corner, this is actually two buildings - a home and a performance studio. The colors are wonderful and the home has a graceful feel to it. | |
| |
| |
| | Maybeck Home | 135 Purdue
Kensington CA
| Carol and I saw this home during an architectural tour... and I spent the next 5 years trying to find it again. One day I was driving north on Purdue Avenue, and realized I’d rediscovered it.
The home is almost monastic in its simplicity - lovely living room, small bedrooms along a walkway, and is sited at the crest of the hill... with lovely natural vegation all around.
We could see ourselves living here very nicely! | |
| |
| |
| | Temple Of The Wings-Boynton House | 2800 Buena Vista Way
Berkeley CA
| Oh boy - one of Berkeley’s most amazing architectural gems. The original building didn’t have walls. I believe that Isadora Duncan once danced here. | |
| |
| |
| | Normandy Village | 1837 Spruce Street
Berkeley CA
| I was wowed the first time I saw this wonderful complex! Normandy Village in Berkeley. Take a stroll around the property and you’ll be charmed. I recall that the architect (Yelland?) wanted to recreate the Normandy Villages he'd seen in France - It’s a bit like Portmeiron in Wales (site of the “Prisoner” series) | |
| |
| |
| | Cody's Books | 2454 Telegraph Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-845-7852 | When I first came to Berkeley, I’d make weekly pilgrimages up to Telegraph Avenue to visit Moe’s Books and Cody’s Books. I still remember Moe... who was a heavy set guy who always smoked a cigar... and reminded me of an uncle I never had. Make the trip yourself, then treat yourself to a Top Dog on Durant, just above Telegraph
Cody’s has stores on Telegraph (the flagship) and 4th Street Cody's Telegraph is the largest independent book store in Berkeley
Shop locally, think globally | |
| |
| |
| | Builders Booksource | 1817 Fourth Street
Berkeley CA
510-845-6874 | Everything you want to know about home building and architecture. They have books on design, architecture, real estate, and more.
It's one of my favorite bookstores in Berkeley. | |
| |
| |
| | Deco By The Bay: Art Deco Architecture In The San Francisco Bay Area | Crowe, Michael F.
San Francisco CA
720.97946 C886d | Michael Crowe gives terrific Art Deco Tours in San Francisco and Oakland. He’s a (founding?) member of Art Deco Society of Northern California | |
| |
| |
| | How To Buy A House In California | Warner, Serkes & Devine
643.12 H83 |
This is the best selling book I co-authored for Nolo Press. We're now in our 14th Edition.. and have sold over 150,000 copies! | |
| |
| |
| | Pt. Isabel |
Richmond CA
| When you’re tired and weary, get thee to Pt. Isabel, where the 4-legged therapists are guaranteed to lift your spirits. This is one of the few places in the East Bay where dogs run free. There are big dogs, small dogs, and everyone in between.
The extra attraction of the site is the estuary which subdivides the park.
1: Watch the ball
2: Watch Rufus run after the ball
3: Watch Rufus jump into the water
4: Watch Rufus retrieve the ball
5: Watch Rufus shake himself off all over you
6: Goto 1
I’ve never seen a dog tire out before the person he or she owns!
Great fun
Lucy would rank it 4 paws with kittens and puppies, but as a cat, she’s not felt very comfortable here | |
| |
| |
| | French Hotel | 1538 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-548-9930 | Convenient hotel in North Berkeley - just across from Chez Panisse. Angel, at The French Hotel Cafe on the ground floor makes the BEST Cappuchino’s I’ve ever had! He’s also an artist, and will make a chocolate figure (bunnies for Easter, Santa for Christmas) if you ask nicely... or have a kid with you! | |
| |
| |
| | Winchester Mystery House | 525 South Winchester Blvd
San Jose CA
408-247-2101 | Great fun. Sarah Winchester was told that if she moved west and built a house, and kept on building, she would not be plagued by the spirits of the ghosts of people killed by the Winchester Rifle.
It’s a remarkable home - beautiful details, staircases that go nowhere, cabinets which are an inch deep, and a maze of rooms and hallways.
Go see it! | |
| |
| |
| | Oakland Museum | 1000 Oak Street
Oakland CA
510-238-3401 | The Bay Area has some wonderful museums ... and my hands-down favorites is the Oakland Museum. It has 3 different galleries - Nature, History & Art - and every time I visit it's like seeing old friends! Their special exhibits are always interesting. | |
| |
| |
| | Tilden Park Little Farm |
Berkeley CA
510-635-0135 | Pigs, Sheep, Goats, Donkeys and more
This is a WONDERFUL place that we go to when we just want to get away from it all
It’s particularly magical in the spring, when the babies are born. There’s nothing as charming as an infant goat!
Also see Pt. Isabel when you want to be transformed by 4 legged creatures... of the woofer variety | |
| |
| |
| | Mountain View Cemetery & Columbarium | 5000 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland CA
510-658-2588 | This is one of the more remarkable sites in the East Bay, with some of the most interesting architecture around. Visit the final resting place of Crocker, Ghiradelli, Borax Smith, and many other. Call the Cemetary to find out when they have tours scheduled.
The Columbarium is a peaceful Julia Morgan building. Feel free to stroll around the meditative site. When I go, I plan to be interred in a bronze copy of my book “How To Buy A House In California" | |
| |
| |
| | Kensington Circus | 389 Colusa Avenue
Kensington CA
510-524-8814 | We always enjoy coming to the Kensington Circus (Kensington Pub). The fish and chips are very well done, and the Guiness is on tap
It’s one of the few places you can go where there are muliple generations of folks.
There are infants crawling in the kid area (which happens to be below the dart board), kids, young adults, Gen X, Y & Z, Alte Kakkes like me and Carol, and grandfolks.
Oh... don’t worry about the dart board. I’ve never seen anyone ever play darts.
Tell Graham that we sent you there! | |
| |
| |
| | Berkeley Library Main Branch | 2090 Kittredge Street
Berkeley CA
510-981-6100 | It’s a wonderful resource (and right near the downtown YMCA). The library has an excellent selection of design and architecture books, music, as well as DVD and videos in numerous languages (including English).
When you visit the main ilbrary site, be sure to check out the commercial building just to the south (on Shattuck) and the United Artists mural above the UA theater down the street. If you're on an Art Deco tour, check out the murals on the Martin Luther King side of Berkeley High School.
It's Mayan Art Deco Designed in 1930 by James Plachek | |
| |
| |
| | Radio FM 94.1 KPFA | 1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Berkeley CA
| When I was growing up in The Bronx, I’d often listen to listener supported WBAI FM. I saved the very first check I ever wrote in California to subscribe to KPFA. It’s alternative radio at it’s best... you probably won’t agree with most of what they have to say, but it’s the best place to go for a different viewpoint. One of my favorite shows was “Shouting Out” with Mama O’Shea, and I stopped by the old KPFA studio on Shattuck Avenue the day that I “retired” from Chevron. Other commentators of note are Bill Mandel, a Soviet Union specialist, whose fiery testimony against the HUAC Committee in San Francisco is a joy to listen to. Caspar Weinberger was also a commentator in the past. | |
| |
| |
| | Emmit Powell | 1929 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Berkeley CA
| My Saturday mornings are devoted to radio
The Gospel Experience
Radio FM 94.1 Saturday 6-9 AM | |
| |
| |
| | Radio FM 88.5 KQED | 2601 Mariposa Street
San Francisco CA
415-864-2000 | Listen to them and you’ll want to subscribe. We tune into Terry Gross’s Fresh Air at 1 & 7 PM weekdays. KQED 9 TV is also the local PBS TV Station | |
| |
| |
| | Radio FM 91.7 KALW | 500 Mansell Street
San Francisco CA
415-841-4121 | KALW is a wonderful PBS/Listener Supported radio station with terrific programming. Our favorite radio show it Sedge Thomson’s West Coast Live broadcast live Saturday 10 AM to noon. Sedge’s show is broadcast from Berkeley, San Francisco, and up and down the west coast | |
| |
| |
| | Fascinatin Rhythm |
San Francisco CA
415-864-2000 | The weekend starts on Friday Evening, with “Fascinatin Rhythm” one of my favorite radio show
KALW 91.7 Friday 9-10 PM | |
| |
| |
| | Grand Lake Theater | 3200 Grand Avenue
Oakland CA
510-452-3556 | WOW - An old fashioned Movie Palace with a wonderful marquee and sign. Whenever possible, come to this theater to see movies | |
| |
| |
| | California State Railroad Museum | 111 I Street
Sacramento CA
916-445-6645 | This is an extraordinary railroad museum, with wonderfully preserved diesels, and a humongous Southern Pacific Cab Forward Engine. If you like trains... GO!!!! It’s an easy Amtrak/Train journey from the East Bay to the Sacramento station... and just a short stroll from the station to the museum
http://www.californiastaterailroadmuseum.org | |
| |
| |
| | Golden State Model RR Museum/East Bay Model Engineers Society | 900 Dornan Drive #A
Point Richmond CA
510-234-4884 | I got my first HO Scale train when I was about 15. I remember gettting $100 in traveller’s checks for the journey from my apartment on Pelham Parkway in The Bronx to Madison Hardware on 23rd Street. I bought a 2-8-8-2 Norfolk Southern Y6b engine.
Madison Hardware is long gone, my mom left the apartment in the late 90’s, and I hadn’t played with trains (politically incorrect expression amongst model railroaders) till my 51st birthday, when I bought a Kato N Scale train set. I moved the computers out of the home office, and it’s now the train room shared by me and Lucy The Cat (aka Catzilla)
That’s a long prelude to tell you that the best model railroad in the East Bay (not counting the outstanding setup in Walnut Creek) is the Golden State Model RR Museum.
They have a wonderful N Scale setup, a large O scale under construction, a particulary delightful HO Scale model, and an extraordinary traction (aka streetcar) layout representing 40th and Piedmont Avenue.
Go! | |
| |
| |
| | Mexican Museum | Fort Mason Center
San Francisco CA
415-441-0404 | Small museum with interesting exhbits. The new museum, designed by Ricardo Legorreta. will be built near Moscone Center. Legorreta is one of my favorite contemporary architects. | |
| |
| |
| | San Francisco Museum Of Modern Art | 151 Third Street
San Francisco CA
415-357-4000 | One of our favorite museums in the Bay Area. They usually have an outstanding show
The best deal in town (other than the Peet’s $20 coffee card) is the West Coast Live Double Header
Go to Sedge Thomson’s West Coast live radio show (www.wcl.org) when they play at SFMOMA, and the $10-12 admission charge includes admission to the museum
Sedge’s show is outstanding- the variety of guests is remarkable, and he’s one of the finest interviewers around (even better than Terry Gross, of Fresh Air). I can’t think of anyone who interviews people better. Sedge is extremely well prepared (and we often hear the guests say that they heard that he was good). An interesting side light is watch the frustration of the producer as they try to signal Sedge that he’s out of time, and he keeps on going.
We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Steve Allen, Sammy Cahn and other delightful guests over the years, and have hosted several Client Appreciation Parties at the show
Tune in KALW 91.7 FM Saturday 10 AM to Noon to listen to the show
Then plan a trip to “see” live radio. You’ll not regret it | |
| |
| |
| | Indian Rock | Indian Rock & Shattuck
Berkeley CA
| Big rock in a small park - it’s a neighborhood favorite, and one of the places (Cragmont Park is another) to go when you want to learn how to climb rocks. Me??? I like to watch people climb rocks, and view the John Hudson Thomas Secessionist Architecture across the street
One of Berkeley’s special places - come here for sunsets or to watch the rock climbers. It’s only a few blocks up Indian Rock Path from Solano Avenue. Be sure to check out the John Hudson Thomas home just down the street on Indian Rock Road | |
| |
| |
| | West Coast Live | 915 Cole Street #124
San Francisco CA
415-252-9214 | One of the Bay Area’s Treasures
Go to Sedge Thomson’s West Coast live radio show (www.wcl.org) when they play at SFMOMA, and the $10-12 admission charge includes admission to the museum
Sedge’s show is outstanding- the variety of guests is remarkable, and he’s one of the finest interviewers around (even better than Terry Gross, of Fresh Air). I can’t think of anyone who interviews people better. Sedge is extremely well prepared (and we often hear the guests say that they heard that he was good). An interesting side light is watch the frustration of the producer as they try to signal Sedge that he’s out of time, and he keeps on going.
We’ve had the pleasure of seeing Steve Allen, Sammy Cahn and other delightful guests over the years, and have hosted several Client Appreciation Parties at the show
Tune in KALW 91.7 FM Saturday 10 AM to Noon to listen to the show
Then plan a trip to “see” live radio. You’ll not regret it | |
| |
| |
| | Mangia Mangia | 755 San Pablo Avenue
Albany CA
510-526-9700 | We have several great Italian Restaurants in the area - Mangia Mangia on Solano, and Cugini on Solano. Enjoy! | |
| |
| |
| | Dead Fish | 20050 San Pablo Avenue
Crockett CA
510-787-3323 | Pleasant setting overlooking Carquinez Straits, and well prepared food. The owner’s grandmother from Italy used to prepare wonderful food back in the old country. When he asked her what kind of fish it was, she said “It’s a Dead Fish!”
510-787-3323 is 510-787-DEAD | |
| |
| |
| | Rivoli's Restaurant | 1539 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-526-2542 | Lovely restaurant on Solano Avenue with a pleasant garden in back. Eat dinner, and watch the racoons watch you eat dinner. Rivoli's, Lalimes, Skates, and Breads of India are some of our favorite Berkeley restaurants. | |
| |
| |
| | Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers | 1591 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-526-8185 | Wonderful selection of different kinds of burgers and fries. Go for the half menu on fries, because you won’t want to finish the full sized one! We often share a hamburger and a caesar salad. Say hello to June, one of the hardest working waitresses around. | |
| |
| |
| | Peets Coffee & Tea | 1825 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-526-9607 | The bay area’s best deal, ranking up there with attending a West Coast Live performance at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, is to get a Peet’s “credit’ card. Whenever you add $20 to the card, they give you $1 off (they once gave you the drink of your choice). I usually make my $20 deposit into BOP (Bank of Peets) whenever I have a hankering fo a double decaf mocha, nonfat milk (doesn’t that sound like a contradiction in terms?) Peet's even has coffee & tea tastings! | |
| |
| |
| | Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine | 1736 Solano Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-527-8611 | Excellent Thai food... their Pad Thai is very good. The smells sometimes waft up to our office. We’ve two Thai Restaurants on upper Solano Avenue. Check out Boran and Sweet Basil and let us know which is your favorite. I enjoyed my meal at Sweet Basil far more than a much more expensive dinner at Emeril's in New Orleans. | |
| |
| |
| | Breads Of India | 2448 Sacramento Street
Berkeley CA
510-848-7684 | This is simply our FAVORITE restaurant in Berkeley. The aromas are heavenly, the food is extraordinary. They have a sister restaurant Zaika at 1700 Shattuck Avenue, but I think this place is their best. | |
| |
| |
| | Peets Coffee & Tea | 2916 Domingo Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-843-1434 | The BEST coffee I’ve ever had (with the exception of a small coffee shop in Annapolis, MD, is in the French Hotel in North Berkeley. Ask Angelo to make you a Giant Decafe Cappuchino, nonfat milk... and put a foam “teddy bear” on it
Other than that, Peets wins hands down over Starbucks
The bay area’s best deal, ranking up there with attending a West Coast Live performance at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, is to get a Peet’s “credit’ card. Whenever you add $20 to the card, they give you $1 off (they once gave you the drink of your choice). I usually make my $20 deposit into BOP (Bank of Peets) whenever I have a hankering fo a double decaf mocha, nonfat milk (doesn’t that sound like a contradiction in terms?) Peet's even has coffee & tea tastings! | |
| |
| |
| | Espresso Roma | 2960 College Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-644-3773 | The BEST coffee I’ve ever had (with the exception of a small coffee shop in Annapolis, MD, is in the French Hotel in North Berkeley. Ask Angelo to make you a Giant Decafe Cappuchino, nonfat milk... and put a foam “teddy bear” on it
Other than that, Peets wins hands down over Starbucks | |
| |
| |
| | Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers | 1600 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley CA
| Wonderful selection of different kinds of burgers and fries. Go for the half menu on fries, because you won’t want to finish the full sized one! | |
| |
| |
| | Fatapples Restaurant & Bakery | 1346 Martin Luther King Jr Way
Berkeley CA
510-526-2260 | You know you’re an institution when the open home ads say “Walk To Fat Apples”
Great burgers and meals. | |
| |
| |
| | Peets Coffee & Tea | 2124 Vine Street
Berkeley CA
510-841-0564 | The BEST coffee I’ve ever had (with the exception of a small coffee shop in Annapolis, MD, is in the French Hotel in North Berkeley. Ask Angelo to make you a Giant Decafe Cappuchino, nonfat milk... and put a foam “teddy bear” on it
Other than that, Peets wins hands down over Starbucks
The bay area’s best deal, ranking up there with attending a West Coast Live performance at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, is to get a Peet’s “credit’ card. Whenever you add $20 to the card, they give you $1 off (they once gave you the drink of your choice). I usually make my $20 deposit into BOP (Bank of Peets) whenever I have a hankering fo a double decaf mocha, nonfat milk (doesn’t that sound like a contradiction in terms?) Peet's even has coffee & tea tastings! | |
| |
| |
| | Lo Coco's Restaurant & Pizzeria | 1400 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-843-3745 | If there were a Pantheon dedicated to Pizza, Cheese Board would be Zeus
Arinell would win the award for “most like NY style”, Lococos and Cugini would be lesser gods... and Zachary’s would be mere mortals.
Zachary’s keeps on getting awards, but I think that’s only because the Cheese Board is only open limited hours druing the daytime | |
| |
| |
| | Lalime’s Cafe | 1329 Gilman Street
Berkeley CA
510-527-9838 | This is a delightful restaurant with wonderful food. We take our special friends here | |
| |
| |
| | Espresso Roma | 1549 Hopkins Street
Berkeley CA
510-528-8010 | The BEST coffee I’ve ever had (with the exception of a small coffee shop in Annapolis, MD, is in the French Hotel in North Berkeley. Ask Angelo to make you a Giant Decafe Cappuchino, nonfat milk... and put a foam “teddy bear” on it
Other than that, Peets wins hands down over Starbucks | |
| |
| |
| | Top Dog | 2532 Durant Avenue
Berkeley CA
510-843-7250 | Great dogs, libertarian posters.... Berkeley Institutions! | |
| |
| |
| | Picante Cocina Mexicana | 1328 Sixth Street
Berkeley CA
510-525-3121 | Very good mexican food in West Berkeley | |
| |
| |
| | Nantucket Restaurant | 501 Port
Crockett CA
510-787-2233 | One of our favorite locations for lunch... it's in Crockett on the water... and right next to the Union Pacific Railroad Tracks. We particularly enjoy watching the new Carquinez Bridge being built. Note that the main attraction is the location, not the food. The Dead Fish, on San Pablo Avenue in Crockett has better food. | |
| |
| |
| | Fatapples Restaurant & Bakery | 7525 Fairmount Avenue
El Cerrito CA
510-528-3433 | You know you’re an institution when the open home ads say “Walk To Fat Apples”
Great burgers | |
| |
| |
| | Kensington Bistro | 1568 Oak View Avenue
Kensington CA
510-525-1350 | Say hi to Lynn and her sons... they make excellent breakfasts and dinners... and we're off to the Bistro for breakfast! | |
| |
| |
| | Holy Land Kosher Restaurant | 677 Rand Avenue
Oakland CA
510-272-0535 | Mideast Deli with delightful Lemonade, and chicken soup with Matzoh Balls
One on Grand Avenue, and the other one on College Avenue in Elmwood, just below Ashby Avenue | |
| |
| |
| | Everett & Jones Barbeque | 126 Broadway
Oakland CA
510-663-2350 | This is a delightfully funky place with outstanding Barbeque! There are several Everett & Jones sites in the East Bay, and I think they’re all family (one big family!) owned. The food’s excellent, and the hot sauce is... hot! Everett & Jones is our favorite BBQ Joint.
Check out the branch on San Pablo Avenue, just north of University | |
| |
| |
| | Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers | 4162 Piedmont Avenue
Oakland CA
510-655-7180 | Wonderful selection of different kinds of burgers and fries. Go for the half menu on fries, because you won’t want to finish the full sized one! | |
| |
| |
| | Barney's Gourmet Hamburgers | 5819 College Avenue
Oakland CA
510-601-0444 | Wonderful selection of different kinds of burgers and fries. Go for the half menu on fries, because you won’t want to finish the full sized one! | |
| |
| |
| | Genova Deli | 5095 Telegraph Avenue
Oakland CA
510-652-7401 | Italian food is just like NYC. Visit and you’ll be back.
The staff all wears white shirts and ties - a nice touch | |
| |
| |
| | Oakland Airport | Airport Drive
Oakland CA
510-577-4000 | Simply the best airport to fly into and out of. Easy access and parking. Whenever possible, fly out of Oakland rather than San Francisco.
It’s also the home of Jet Blue and Southwest Air, my two favorite lines
Another hot tip - park at Expresso Parking on Hegenberger - it has the best rates | |
| |
| |
| | Expresso Parking | 880 Doolittle Drive
San Leandro CA
800-820-8626
| Oakland Airport is simply the best airport to fly into and out of. Easy access and parking. Whenever possible, fly out of Oakland rather than San Francisco.
It’s also the home of Jet Blue and Southwest Air, my two favorite lines
Another hot tip - park at Expresso Parking on Doolittle - it has the best rates - $5.95/day... clean vans, free coffee and muffins... a class operation! | |
| |
| |
| | YMCA-Berkeley | 2001 Allston Way
Berkeley CA
510-848-9622 | Friendly place in downtown Berkeley. I usually go several times a week, then make my coffee and fruit/vegetable stop at French Hotel/Andronicos in North Berkeley or Cafe Espresso/Monterey Market in Northbrae.
They also have branches in Albany and South & West Berkeley.
Hot Tip - you can park for free during limited hours! Have your parking ticket stamped at the front desk when you come in. Be aware of the free hours - if you come in (or stay beyond) validation hours.
The Kittdredge Garage next to the Berkeley Public LIbrary at 2020 Kittredge Street has 2 hours of validation
Mon-Thu 5-11 AM & 4-10:30 PM
Sun 5-11 AM & 4-8 PM
The Great Western Garage just up the street at 2061 Allson Way has validated parking
Mon-Fri 5-10:30 PM
Sat 8 AM - Noon | |
| |
| |
