|
I just moved to Berkeley for school about a month ago and I'm definitely not catching any overwhelmingly hippy vibes. Admittedly my experiences here are limited, but for those of you who are wondering, the environment doesn't seem to be the sort of crazy left-wing hippie debauch that some of the previous posters were making it out as. The rent here is expensive, but the views of the Golden Gate bridge from the top of my street are worth it. I am also surrounded by all kinds of authentic asian cuisine and I don't even know where to start.
|
#
?
Sep 20, 2005 23:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 20:51 |
|
|
Tacier posted:the environment doesn't seem to be the sort of crazy left-wing hippie debauch that some of the previous posters were making it out as.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 00:20
|
|
|
Tacier posted:I am also surrounded by all kinds of authentic asian cuisine and I don't even know where to start. You're on Southside? Most of the Asian Ghetto on Durant is pretty good; my favorite was the tiny noodle place on the left side (Satay House, maybe?) if that's still open. The Korean place on Euclid is quite good, too. Down on Shattuck, Thai Noodle (near Hearst) is pretty good and open late, and Cha-Ya up by Lincoln is one of the best restaurants ever.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 00:23
|
|
|
Here's one: I'll hopefully be attending SFSU next year (any students/grads?) and would like to live in SF with my girlfriend. I have a degree already and will work part-time, and the girl has two degrees and will look for something in publishing/journalism/marketing. What are the odds of getting a decent place, having fun, and not starving given that we'll be pulling in around $40k total? Tuition isn't a big issue since I will get loans and such.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 00:51
|
|
|
Plexiwatt posted:Here's one: I'll hopefully be attending SFSU next year (any students/grads?) and would like to live in SF with my girlfriend. I have a degree already and will work part-time, and the girl has two degrees and will look for something in publishing/journalism/marketing. Pretty good. Check Craigslist often. North Beach and some spots in the avenues were cheap earlier this year for one bedrooms going from $800 to $1200
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 00:53
|
|
|
Moving to San Mateo here soon. I'll be able to get into the city a bit easier. Can't wait to see you guys again.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 01:49
|
|
|
irlZaphod posted:Back when I was there, there was a place called Comics & Comix I think. There's one in Berkeley too. The one in Hayward is on A Street, not too far from the main Hayward BART. Well, it was when I was there. I'm sure it still is. I used to go to a magazine store on B Street for comics. This was over a decade ago, although I'm sure it's still there. I haven't spent any time in downtown Hayward since they tore half of it down and put in chain stores and subsidized housing. I lived in an unincorporated part of Alameda County sandwiched between Hayward, Castro Valley, and San Leandro for the first 10 years of my life. I liked it there, although the house I lived in was one of the few single-family homes, surrounded by duplexes and apartment buildings. Sadly the neighborhood was turning rather seedy as my grandparents made the decision to move out. I now live in the Central Valley just east of the Altamont Pass and like it better here. My take on the Bay Area is this: the newer parts make me want to puke. This includes the overpriced crap in east Hayward, Fremont, and San Jose, as well as most of Danville, Blackhawk, and now the Livermore/Pleasanton/Dublin tri-valley area since it's been officially assimilated. Cookie-cutter suburban living at its very best. Sadly, most of this is spreading out into the Central Valley, so I may be forced to retreat to the foothills until the economy collapses. The older, more established parts are great. It's fun to walk around Oakland, Berkeley, and of course San Francisco, since they're basically so densely built up that it's impossible for some new-wave architect to come in and plunk down a badly-designed monstrosity. There's a lot of history there, and so many cultures are wedged into one place that it's the best example of the proverbial American melting pot that I've ever seen. As far as driving goes, it's certainly possible in the East Bay, but once you get to San Francisco or the denser parts of Oakland I'd recommend you go footback or public transportation as much as possible. Plus there are parts of east Oakland that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, but if you stay on the freeway you should be OK. 
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2005 02:43
|
|
|
I'm going to be moving down to the bay area with my girlfriend just after christmas later this year and I have quite a few questions. I should mention the fact that I've only visited big cities, and never more than 2 days at a time. However, my girlfriend lived in Vancouver, B.C. for four months not long ago, but she too has lived in small towns too her whole life. How's job hunting in the bay area? Specifically a job as a graphic or web designer (ASP/PHP, SQL, flash, etc.) for someone with a BFA degree and 9 months full-time experience after college? Does it pretty much entirely depend on my skills and previous work? How about work as a 3d artist/designer? I'm pretty sure that comes down to how good my demo reel is and any experience I may have (which is none aside from the degree). How much is entry-level pay usually? Also, what about the job situation in general? My girlfriend doesn't have a degree, just some college coursework. She's got some experience in a few different positions, but nothing too impressive. What's it going to be like finding an entry-level job as say, a receptionist? She's very pretty if that counts. How difficult is it to find a job in the city? I've heard everything from "not hard at all" to "don't move here, there are no jobs". Bear in mind we both live in a smallish college town (25,000 pop) and have had a difficult time finding non-service jobs. What's the minimum wage in-city and how much is someone usually paid for entry level work with no degree? What should I do about my car? It's a 1994 Honda Accord, which I read is Californian for "steal me plz". It's in great shape mechanically and gets great mileage. How much is parking per month? Should I sell the car when I get down here? I plan on getting full coverage insurance if I keep it. I'd like to hear any stories people have to tell about moving down here. I've lived in Idaho my whole life and have been wanting to get out since 2000. Now that I've finally graduated, all I'm waiting for is enough money in my bank account to make the plunge. Is $8000 enough to move to the bay area and job hunt?
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 17:30
|
|
|
Rex Deckard posted:My wife and I were there recently on our late "honeymoon". Great city but for an East Coaster we both found ourselves getting driven nuts by the morning fog/afternoon burnoff. It got to the point that any ideas we ever had of relocating were dashed. You see, once all the tourists leave (beginning of september), it gets warm (80-90 degrees this year), and the bay gets eerily calm. It's surreal when you're driving home from school and you see that the bay... is loving shiny. No whitecaps, none of that. As for the fog, that's a bay area thing.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 17:50
|
|
|
My question is not about living in SF, but visiting there. Next week is my birthday, and my Sister is coming to visit, so I'm bringing along a friend and we're all going to go down to SF for the day. I've been to SF before, but mostly with my parents and we did the whole Pier 39 thing (bleh.) Being a giant nerd, this time around I would like to check out cool game/movie mom and pop shops around the city. Can anyone recommend any? I'm mostly looking for rare or imported games, and import movies.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 19:14
|
|
|
Slapdick posted:How's job hunting in the bay area? Specifically a job as a graphic or web designer (ASP/PHP, SQL, flash, etc.) for someone with a BFA degree and 9 months full-time experience after college? Does it pretty much entirely depend on my skills and previous work? How about work as a 3d artist/designer? I'm pretty sure that comes down to how good my demo reel is and any experience I may have (which is none aside from the degree). How much is entry-level pay usually? With those skills? Pretty good. Especially the PHP and SQL stuff. The pay is excellent. Hell, it almost seems like they ask gardners and fast food works to have those skills. https://www.craigslist.com https://www.bayareahelpwanted.com https://www.dice.com quote:Also, what about the job situation in general? My girlfriend doesn't have a degree, just some college coursework. She's got some experience in a few different positions, but nothing too impressive. What's it going to be like finding an entry-level job as say, a receptionist? She's very pretty if that counts. How difficult is it to find a job in the city? I've heard everything from "not hard at all" to "don't move here, there are no jobs". Bear in mind we both live in a smallish college town (25,000 pop) and have had a difficult time finding non-service jobs. What's the minimum wage in-city and how much is someone usually paid for entry level work with no degree? It really really depends. Do you plan on living in SF or elsewhere? And if she's pretty and out of luck, there are always VERY good paying jobs on Broadway Ave. .....as long as she doesn't mind wearing a leotard and being a waitress.quote:What should I do about my car? It's a 1994 Honda Accord, which I read is Californian for "steal me plz". It's in great shape mechanically and gets great mileage. How much is parking per month? Should I sell the car when I get down here? I plan on getting full coverage insurance if I keep it. Well, it's not because it's a Honda Accord that they get stolen. It's because everyone has one, that they get ranked as most stolen. If you plan on living IN the city, parking can be tough. Although, there are certain areas like the sunset district that are more parking friendly where you can get a place that has a garage or street parking because there are no tourists over there. If you are looking to live in a tower apartment, yes, parking can be pretty bad. Or, you're in for a long walk. Remember, you don't have to live IN San Francisco to live in the Bay Area. Infact, it would drive me nuts. quote:I'd like to hear any stories people have to tell about moving down here. I've lived in Idaho my whole life and have been wanting to get out since 2000. Now that I've finally graduated, all I'm waiting for is enough money in my bank account to make the plunge. Is $8000 enough to move to the bay area and job hunt? It depends on how long you plan on job hunting, and what kind of luxury you're trying to live with. Expect to pay around $2000-$3000 a month. As for her, is she a citizen? Fickle Isthmus posted:Can anyone recommend any? I'm mostly looking for rare or imported games, and import movies. Chinatown.  Ok, serious answer, not in San Francisco, but check out Network Video in Burlingame on Broadway Ave. They specialize in import games, anime and repairing/modifying consoles. A cool store, but I don't speak Japanese for the games I want. Kobalt fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Oct 2, 2005 |
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 19:45
|
|
|
Thanks Kobalt, I'll check that out.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 20:01
|
|
|
How's the public transportation?
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 21:57
|
|
|
Discosis posted:How's the public transportation? Public transporation within SF itself is decent. Their Muni system has always gotten me around with relative ease. There's also several BART stops throughout the city. They've also bought old streetcars from around the country (and the world - I'm pretty sure I've seen an old Italian streetcar), refurbished them, and added them to the fleet. I think it's pretty cool. However, as you get outside of the city proper public transportation begins to break down. There's BART and Caltrains to get you between cities, but I've never been impressed with the bus system down here in the south bay. Berkeley had a good number of bus lines, but they have the huge student population and their commitment to making driving a car criminal to thank for that.
|
|
#
?
Oct 2, 2005 22:25
|
|
|
Discosis posted:How's the public transportation? I use the MUNI streetcars everyday. If you're lucky enough to be able to work around those stations, you can depend on one coming every 10-15 minutes. They are also fairly cheap ($1.50 for a 2 hour transfer) considering the cost of parking downtown. But don't bother looking at a schedule for busses or trains, not even the drivers look at those. Also MUNI works great if you live in the Southern side of San Francisco SFSU/City College/Sunset/Ocean ave area, and need to get downtown or on BART, as every line leads downtown. freshmex fucked around with this message at 05:53 on Oct 3, 2005 |
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 05:51
|
|
|
I'm a student in Reno now, and take frequent trips to the bay area. This is because I love it there and hate Reno. I'm seriously considering doing college for a bit longer and dropping out to move to the bay area. I'd live with my friends we're like brothers since we were little kids. One friend will have license to cut hair. Does anyone know what the market for stylists is there? My other friend will be like me, with limited education and work experience. I'm interested in the possibility of getting a service industry job there, such as bell boy, valet, front desk agent, bus boy, etcetera. I have experience working in Las vegas at 5 star resorts. I have been in this industry all of my life, and my dad could most likely hook it up with a good job there. I don't plan on that, though. What are my earning oppurtunities? In Vegas, a retard can pull in at least 40k a year doing nothing. However, it can be difficult, if not impossible ot get a job unless you have serious connections. How does this compare in SF? What are base wages and tips like? is it all union poo poo there? Also, where is the cheapest place in the city itself going to be? or somewhere that is on public transport line? We have no problems sharing a 1bdrm to save cash.. we'll be partying alot, anyway. How does rent control work? I want to move there so badly... I'm only this young once. Can anyone name something cool for me to do when I show up again in two weeks? Maybe some good cheap seafood? Even better, some floor space for my 2 friends and I to crash on so we don't have to piss our money away on a dirty rear end hostel?
|
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 07:56
|
|
|
Tell me about the  guy on Telegraph.Tell me about The Pigeon Master.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 08:32
|
|
|
Tacier posted:I just moved to Berkeley for school about a month ago and I'm definitely not catching any overwhelmingly hippy vibes. Admittedly my experiences here are limited, but for those of you who are wondering, the environment doesn't seem to be the sort of crazy left-wing hippie debauch that some of the previous posters were making it out as. Contrary to popular belief, Berkeley is a politically conservative town. The "liberal" vibe is actually a byproduct of the college UC Berkeley, and while the students/faculty there make a lot of noise, the rest of the city is busy ignoring them. Discosis posted:How's the public transportation? I'm going to be the dissenting opinion here on MUNI. You can count on Muni busses to show up every 8 minutes (like they're supposed to) only every two hours apart. The local newspaper even did an article where they tracked the bus lines running down Market street, and came up with the same conclusion that SF riders already knew: Muni busses will start off in the morning, run to the end of the line, take their breaks and then start up again. Schedules be damned. This results in all of the busses getting jammed up at the end of the line and all starting up again so that they run back to back on the return trip (and pretty much for the rest of the day) I work downtown in the financial district, so fortunately for me, I can walk directly from BART. Getting to and from my girlfriend's house on Nob Hill can take upwards of 45-minutes to an hour though. Even with service like that though, I still choose busses and taxis over driving in SF. I've had my car towed once, and ticketed for "blocking a driveway" when my car was not at all. Every other time involved roughly 20 minutes of searching for 1 hours' worth of parking. Monthly lots are retarded amounts of money. Expect a rental unit with parking to be at least $300+ more per month than a unit without. CrazyLittle fucked around with this message at 09:41 on Oct 3, 2005 |
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 09:14
|
|
|
Umm no, the city of Berkeley is pretty liberal, it's not just the university. Just take a look at the city council and the type of measures they pass. It's actually difficult for Democratic candidates to get elected to the city council since they're considered too conservative.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 10:08
|
|
|
qirex posted:Try going to a city council meeting. EDIT: Seriously, I remember reading a series of articles in MRR about one of the staffers who did this. It didn't end well, from what I recall. Fickle Isthmus posted:Being a giant nerd, this time around I would like to check out cool game/movie mom and pop shops around the city. Thug Bonnet fucked around with this message at 10:20 on Oct 3, 2005 |
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 10:14
|
|
|
quote!=edit
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 10:19
|
|
|
Cheddar Goldfish posted:Umm no, the city of Berkeley is pretty liberal, it's not just the university. Just take a look at the city council and the type of measures they pass. It's actually difficult for Democratic candidates to get elected to the city council since they're considered too conservative. Their recent voting results don't really reflect that though. Berkeley has passed bills that weaken or remove social programs that are "liberal" in nature. Affirmative action is gone, rent control is gone, and even the decriminalization of marijuana was voted down by Berkeley residents. Oakland passed it, but Berkeley didn't. Go figure. Berkeley has also fallen in line with Emeryville in offering a lot of mega-corporations tax breaks and sweetheart deals in order to attract their businesses to the city. Look at the rash of Starbucks Coffee houses that are pushing out the local coffee shops. Look at Telegraph Avenue, with its shiny new Gap and Hot Topic stores. lol@u posted:Inside JapanTown Center, there are two movie rental places that will make a dupe of any VHS for you for a few bucks. From what I recall, they both had a rather large selection of anime and hard-to-find kung-fu/karate/HK Action movies. I don't know if they dupe DVDs. There also used to be an import games store in JapanTown Center, but I don't know if it's there anymore. Mikado has been reduced down to one store, consolidating the antiques and Sanrio selections. The import games are mostly gone now.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 10:33
|
|
|
I've lived in the Bay Area as a Cal student for two years now but am originally from Orange County (without a doubt, the best weather in the world), so while I've been to a number of places in the region, I highly doubt I've been to all the best restaurants and other various interesting places. Since I am a college male, food and drinks rank up alongside sleep as my most important concerns. Any and all suggestions for food or drinks anywhere around here (I have a car as well) are appreciated.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 11:38
|
|
|
I'm qualified to answer questions, since I lived in the Lakeshore district of Oakland for the first 18 years of my life. (I'm 19.)Earwicker posted:Do you mean CCAC? If so that's in a very nice part of Oakland, called Rockridge. There were a few burglaries there last year but it's certainly not comparable to Compton in any way whatsoever.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 12:59
|
|
|
DramaLlama posted:Which area do you guys consider better- Palo Alto, San Jose, Berkeley or Stanford? I'm trying to figure out stuff for work next summer and all of these places are on my short list. ("stanford" is an unincorporated area directly next to palo alto that doesn't actually contain anything other than stanford university, by the way)
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 17:38
|
|
|
NaPentothal42 posted:Berkeley is great if you are the kind of person that can get used to Berkeley. People tend to have a love/hate relationship with the place. That has a lot to do with whether or not you can handle seeing dreadlocks, vagrants, scientists, hippies, hipsters, and bums at 7 in the morning. Also: if you can reasonably fake being a "full-time student", you can get into the USCA co-ops which are cheap as gently caress ($730/month rent plus 5 work hours a week which are easy) and cool places to hang out. I know someone who managed to stay in one from age 15 to 20 without actually being a student so you might be able to pull something similar off
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 17:41
|
|
|
Tacier posted:I just moved to Berkeley for school about a month ago and I'm definitely not catching any overwhelmingly hippy vibes. Admittedly my experiences here are limited, but for those of you who are wondering, the environment doesn't seem to be the sort of crazy left-wing hippie debauch that some of the previous posters were making it out as. The rent here is expensive, but the views of the Golden Gate bridge from the top of my street are worth it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 17:42
|
|
|
Andre the Bear posted:Alameda is made of dirt and mud and windmills. Contra Costa is made of bunny rabbits, money, and windex.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 17:49
|
|
|
C212 posted:Hypothetically, if I were to get a job in San Jose, should I just live in San Jose or try to live in San Francisco as a 24 year old single male? Your answer should be based on going out, making friends, and having fun regularly...maybe factor in cost (~$1200/mo. rent). Edit: urgh, how many posts is that? Time for me to leave
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 17:49
|
|
|
I can't imagine a worse form of mental torture than sitting through a Berkely city council meeting, goddamn.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 18:12
|
|
|
CrazyLittle posted:Mikado has been reduced down to one store, consolidating the antiques and Sanrio selections. The import games are mostly gone now. 
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 18:13
|
|
|
There really aren't many good Japanese game import shops in the city, I think retail space is too expensive and most people order online anyway. If you want toys or models the situation is a lot better though.
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 18:29
|
|
|
Rocket Zionist posted:Where in berkeley do you live?
|
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2005 21:54
|
|
|
Tacier posted:Right at the Southeast corner of campus. edit: unless you live in international house or one of the coops there (at least one of which is indistinguishable from a frat anyhow)
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2005 14:43
|
|
|
Okay- I'm officially going to the bay area tomorrow (I'll largely be in Berkeley, but I'm sure I'm going to be tooling around SF off and on). What do I just have to do in the area before I leave? I've never been to the area before.
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2005 15:42
|
|
|
Rocket Zionist posted:Oh you're in a frat. That explains it. I-House, but what exactly does that explain?
|
|
#
?
Oct 4, 2005 17:50
|
|
|
CrazyLittle posted:...rent control is gone...  My Berkeley apartment, which I began renting this past June, is rent controlled.edit: Didn't realize I was resurrecting this thread. Oops.
|
|
#
?
Oct 14, 2005 23:26
|
|
|
Rocket Zionist posted:Oh you're in a frat. That explains it. Which fraternity are you in at Cal? I got to UC Davis but when I'm in Berkeley this is definitely my home away from home. Edit: Oh damnit all, nevermind.
|
|
#
?
Oct 15, 2005 00:59
|
|
|
Kiko posted:Which fraternity are you in at Cal? I got to UC Davis but when I'm in Berkeley this is definitely my home away from home. I love that place!
|
|
#
?
Oct 17, 2005 19:13
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 20:51 |
|
|
Well I just "moved" here to the bay area a week ago (see also: staying in a hotel) and am looking to move into a place around here sometime after my work situation stabalizes. What's there to do around here on a sunday afternoon/evening when you're tyring to live mildly cheap. I'm up in San Rafael but I know how to get around the bay fairly well.
|
|
#
?
Oct 23, 2005 20:50
|
|
