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So I saw a show at 12 Galaxies in San Francisco last night, it rocked. The loving Champs are a local band who are amazingly good. Anyway, what did not rock is that we took BART there, and missed the final train. Lesson Learned? Do not rely on BART for late night city ordeals. Yeah. My friend and I walked around all of San Francisco for about 4 hours, smoking cigars, and drinking malt liquor, waiting for the 6 AM Saturday morning BART train. We met some pretty sketchy motherfuckers, including a naked man who was drenched with urine I believe, obviously ripped out his skull, and running at us from across the street.  We also took refuge in Orphan Andy's 24/7 diner (a gay diner) and were eye-raped many a time lecherous latino men for a solid hour. I met a guy who explained he just got out of prison for beating up on his girlfriend.. he was ... surprisingly nice to me, actually.. And no late night trip is complete without being offered crack from multiple black homeless people on bicycles. 
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Nov 6, 2005 03:12
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Jedah posted:And no late night trip is complete without being offered crack from multiple black homeless people on bicycles. That pretty much sums up my experiance. If people weren't trying to sell me crack, they are openly smoking it on the street. Whats funny as hell is that I noticed that no one in SF jay walks. They all stand on the sidewalk and wait for the light to change. Being from NY, I consider myself a professional jay walker and people would look at me like I was the devil. I mean, they had to have people hose all the piss off the sidewalk everynight but jay walking is what offends you. Although I had a hell of a time going to Alcatraz and touring the Anchor Brewery.
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Nov 6, 2005 03:27
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quote:The following things are incorrect: A-freaking-men. I can't stand Contra Costa County. It's the hottest, dryest, most allergy-inducing part of the Eastern Bay Area. I have to drive from Hayward (I live off of Hesparian, incidentally) to Contra Costa County to go to my father's house. It's like driving into Mordor. A wasteland of dead grass, heat, and humidity and fog from the delta. Does anyone know where any active Drive-Ins are in the Bay Area? I used to live practically next door to the one in Union City. They tore it down and put up a pretty good movie theater but it is just not the same as having a Drive-In. I got my first car about 3 months after they tore it down so I never got to make use of it. I heard that there might be one in Concord, but I'd rather not go to that one if I don't have to. Contra Costa County and all.
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Nov 6, 2005 03:44
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Earwicker posted:Better for what? Stanford isn't a city, it's just the school and it's actually in Palo Alto, though the school and the city are constantly feuding over land. Palo Alto is a decent enough place to live though it's a bit boring and the rent is pretty high in most of it. It's got kind of a snobbish vibe to it, mostly because fo Stanford. Second of all, I highly disagree that Palo Alto is snobby because of Stanford. If anything, I'd say the school mitigates what would otherwise be a singularity of snobbery and excess. Palo Alto just has a bunch of rich people in it, a lot of whom probably made/make their money in silicon valley since it's so close. Stanford students, economically and snobbily, fall into a distribution about as regular as I've seen anywhere else, with most people being neither rich nor snobby. If you had a bad time with stanford people or something, try again, because maybe you just saw the wrong bunch. SupahDren fucked around with this message at 03:52 on Nov 6, 2005 |
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Nov 6, 2005 03:50
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I'm in a program to do some tests for $$$ at Stanford, and most of the heads I've met there are pretty cool. They're alright guys. The city of Palo Alto is definitely snobby, though. For example, I was messing around with this one girl who was the daughter of one of AMD's VPs and they have this enormous house in a nature preserve just on the outskirts of Palo Alto. Snobbery++. When she wouldn't put out, I hosed her best friend and haven't talked to her since. As for the city, I jaywalk like a motherfucker. What's really scary, though, is that I KNOW the city. I was driving some friends somewhere, and I hopped off on an offramp that they'd never even known about, then cut through some city streets to arrive downtown and blew their fuckin mind. And they spend more time in the city than I do. Then they got lost walking downtown so I pointed out the way by heart. It gets creepy when you've figured out that mess.
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Nov 6, 2005 04:07
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I've got a question. I've lived in the east bay my entire life, and I still can't figure out what the deal is with the muni lanes on the right side of the road in SF. I even asked a cop and he didn't know. Are you allowed to make right turns from these lanes, or are you supposed to do it from the left side of the little island? I've seen people do it both ways.
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Nov 6, 2005 05:01
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I'd imagine if the cops didn't know, then it doesn't matter. If you can drive on the lanes, then you're allowed to, unless it's posted that you can't. A friend of mine actually got his van stuck on MUNI lines once and held up the trains for like an hour.
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Nov 6, 2005 05:11
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Hey- do any of you guys know a good (online) way to find roommates other than craigslist/metrorent? Not having much luck with either and I need a new place by Dec. 1 so I can get away from my psychotic roommates. I'm just looking in SF itself, not outside of that. Help 
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Nov 7, 2005 23:19
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craigslist is the absolute best, but if you're in college, try the local uni library cos a LOT of folks post for roomates there. I've always found my places on craigslist, though. If you've got the time, set up an RSS feed to download the latest listings for what you're looking for (apartments available, rooms for rent, whatever) and then you can check them out a little bit more quickly. On my Mac, I've got a widget that continually downloads the tv/video/radio jobs which I can check with a button press, so I'm usually first to respond after something's posted.
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Nov 7, 2005 23:31
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I'm currently a senior at UCSC planning on moving to SF and getting a junior executive type job post-graduation. From what I can tell, my starting salary will probably be around $40-45k. I don't have a lot of needs, so housing can (and i'm sure will) take up a fairly large percentage of that. What can you tell me about my options? What kind of space will I be able to afford, what location, etc. I'd prefer a place in SF near hip art, food, and music locations, but who doesn't? Is what i'm talking about even feasible on that salary or should I look to commute? I really don't know a lot about the area, so any help would be much appreciated. Roomates are acceptable. edit: Also, jobs. I think i'll be fine, i'll have a BA in Economics and a fairly marketable skill set, but naturally I worry. Should I expect much difficulty finding a reasonably well paying "entry level" management job? My early searches make me think i'll be ok, but any first-hand feedback would be great. mingster fucked around with this message at 23:49 on Nov 7, 2005 |
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Nov 7, 2005 23:37
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Supraden posted:Just to clarify and add on to what other people have said, this isn't accurate. First of all, Stanford is a city. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanford%2C_California Nowhere in that article is it stated that Stanford is a city. The only instance of the word "city" in that article is in the phrase "city of Palo Alto". In fact if Stanford's status weren't so contentious, that article would not have to go out of it's way to point out that Stanford has things like a zip code and a post office - things that, were it actually a city, one would already assume and not need to be addressed specifically. G Sherman posted:I've got a question. I've lived in the east bay my entire life, and I still can't figure out what the deal is with the muni lanes on the right side of the road in SF. I even asked a cop and he didn't know. This is a law that no one follows and which you are very unlikely to get in trouble for violating, unless some cop is really bored and you have the bad luck of being right in front of him. Personally I always make right turns from the right side of that little island. More often than not such lanes are technically "bus only" but again, no one follows that rule. mingster posted:I'm currently a senior at UCSC planning on moving to SF and getting a junior executive type job post-graduation. From what I can tell, my starting salary will probably be around $40-45k. I don't have a lot of needs, so housing can (and i'm sure will) take up a fairly large percentage of that. What can you tell me about my options? What kind of space will I be able to afford, what location, etc. I'd prefer a place in SF near hip art, food, and music locations, but who isn't? Is what i'm talking about even feasible on that salary or should I look to commute? I really don't know a lot about the area, so any help would be much appreciated. Well I live in the Mission District which basically has all of the things you are looking for. I make about $30k a year but I live with my girlfriend who makes about the same. We have a very large 1 bedroom apartment which has a lot of great features, and the rent is $1300. You can probably find one for less if you don't need parking. Also try looking in the Portreo Hill area, a lot of artists live there and while there's not as much in terms of food and such it still seems like a decent place to live. Earwicker fucked around with this message at 23:43 on Nov 7, 2005 |
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Nov 7, 2005 23:38
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mrWr0ng posted:I've always found my places on craigslist, though. If you've got the time, set up an RSS feed to download the latest listings for what you're looking for (apartments available, rooms for rent, whatever) and then you can check them out a little bit more quickly. It's probably more related to the ad that I've put up than anything else but I'm not really getting a lot of nibbles on it, nor am I seeing anything posted that interests me. The one guy who responded and seemed cool still hasn't figured out whether or not he can have cats and I'm really starting to freak out about finding a place by the 1st. I suppose I'm a bit picky too, I'm angling for inner richmond but I doubt I can find a room in my price range there. Not finding anything in the mission district either, I would want to live there since it would make my commute to CCA a little easier. Ugh I hate this, I wish my boyfriend could have cats at his place, it would make it so much easier. I don't like not knowing where I am going to live in less than a month.
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Nov 7, 2005 23:58
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Ozma posted:It's probably more related to the ad that I've put up than anything else but I'm not really getting a lot of nibbles on it, nor am I seeing anything posted that interests me. The one guy who responded and seemed cool still hasn't figured out whether or not he can have cats and I'm really starting to freak out about finding a place by the 1st. I suppose I'm a bit picky too, I'm angling for inner richmond but I doubt I can find a room in my price range there. Not finding anything in the mission district either, I would want to live there since it would make my commute to CCA a little easier. Honestly I'd have to say that your cat is probably the main reason you're having so much trouble. Most places here simply don't allow pets. Obviously you probably don't want to compromise your cat but you might want to think about looking outside SF itself. I lived in Oakland and commuted to SF for two years and it wasn't that bad at all.
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Nov 8, 2005 00:02
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Yeah, Stanford is not a city. My grandfather was a professor there and lives on Stanford property, so his mail can be addressed to Stanford, CA, but that doesn't make it a city. Stanford is in Palo Alto. If you ever go to the Bay Area, stay away from Vallejo. It is a sinister place crawling with lowlifes and full of general hosed-upness. I'm amazed that I came out of there alive.
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Nov 8, 2005 00:17
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Can't believe I missed this thread. I was born & raised in Monterey, then came to Berkeley for school from 1998-2001. After a brief stint in San Bruno after graduating, I ended up having to move back home to Monterey for 3 years (stupid dot-com bust). I was so relieved to finally move back here a year and a half ago. I couldn't be happier. I love it here so much. Great weather, pretty architecture, politics I agree with, interesting people, lots of trees, TONS of good food, etc. etc. When I was in college, I thought I'd eventually move to the city "when I grow up" but now I'm kind of doubting that'll ever happen. Who knows, though. I just know I'm happy being so close to so many great restaurants and cultural events and whatnot. I live walking distance from BART so the majority of the Bay Area is readily accessible to me, and if it's not, I have a car (parking in Berkeley is totally manageable, especially when compared to SF). I regularly go clubbing in the city, mainly to goth/industrial clubs because that's just my scene. I love the liberal "anything goes" attitude that's pervasive in SF, Berkeley, and Oakland. Also, I love Alameda (the city). I can forsee myself settling down there sometime in the future. Great restaurants (anyone ever been to Sushi House? La Pinata?), at least one great bar (Lucky 13), fun shopping, beautiful architecture, nice weather, and for some odd reason, despite it seeming like a family-oriented small town, a huge percentage of my freak friends live there. YAY! As for employment, I highly recommend looking at the UC Berkeley jobs website. It's a huge employer here, with an extremely wide variety of positions (because it's almost like a little city on its own). While the wages aren't THAT great, the benefits are fantastic, and the employment is (from what I've experienced) quite stable. I've been able to afford a relatively carefree lifestyle living in a studio apartment by myself working as an admin assistant here on campus. I got the job by mass-applying to a whole bunch of positions a couple of years back. Restaurants in Berkeley I haven't seen anyone mention yet: - Jupiter, on Shattuck. Generous portions of yummy beer, lovely atmosphere, definitely my favorite watering hole. It's good for those who are looking for a less college-y environment. Oh, and good food. - Cheese board, also on Shattuck. Oh god delicious pizza. Only downside is that their hours are dumb. They're never open when I want them to be. - Vic's. This a GREAT Indian restaurant in West Berkeley, sort of near the freeway. I think they might only be open for lunch, but YUM. - Another good Indian place is Breads of India, on Sacramento and Dwight, though lately I've been going to the gut-busting Naan 'n' Curry more frequently. - Spats, on Shattuck. I dunno if you guys will agree with me on this one, but I love their cheesy fruity cocktails and silly decor. lovely beer selection though. Oh I could go on and on. Along with the others, I'm happy to answer any questions about Berkeley you guys might have. Earwicker posted:Honestly I'd have to say that your cat is probably the main reason you're having so much trouble. Most places here simply don't allow pets. Obviously you probably don't want to compromise your cat but you might want to think about looking outside SF itself. I lived in Oakland and commuted to SF for two years and it wasn't that bad at all. Seconding this suggestion. I haven't had much trouble at all finding a place in the East Bay that allows cats. I've always used Craigslist or word of mouth... Wish I could help you out, Ozma. I did find this potentially helpful page when I googled "cat friendly san francisco rental": http://www.sfspca.org/opendoor/index.shtml
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Nov 9, 2005 01:15
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This thread seems to be full of Contra Costa hate. I can answer questions with a slightly more positive light on the CCC, and try to give a little more balance. I lived in CCC for 20 years, so I know it pretty well.
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Nov 9, 2005 01:22
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markerstore posted:Is it true that Atherton is gerrymandered so that there are no Atherton addresses anywhere on El Camino Real? I live half a block from the Menlo Park city limits sign on ECR, and the Red Cottage Inn, which is another three blocks or so, is already a Redwood City address. I do believe they tried to keep it as small an amount as possible.
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Nov 9, 2005 01:23
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yeah I'm a fat guy with a 2nd food question, but I'll shoot it out anyway: Where the hell can I get some decent hot wings in the south bay? I've been told that Cluck-U near Santa Clara was good, but I tried them and they were poo poo. Wings I've eaten in North East PA were soo much better than anywhere I've been able to find around here.I'm desperate... I ordered wings at Chilji's
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Nov 9, 2005 01:37
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A couple of weekends ago I woke up hungover with some buddies and we decided to go to House of Chicken and Waffles in Jack London Square. We invited my friend's girlfriend Lyuda, this ridiculously hot tiny little russian girl, and she declined, saying that she tried to go with a girlfriend once, they walked in through the door of the restaurant and a guy at the counter turned around and yelled to them, "GO BACK TO WALNUT CREEK!" Them, being tiny little white girls and already scared, ran out of the restaurant and haven't been back since. I told them my blackness would protect them, but they just weren't willing to take that chance.
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Nov 9, 2005 14:37
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I hate Jack London Square for the most part. Oakland tried to create a "tourist district" and the main attractions are a bunch of chain stores and restaurants, and a fancy seafood place. It's probably the least interesting part of the city. Although there's that crazy cajun place not too far away.
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Nov 9, 2005 16:39
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DramaLlama posted: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. I'd like to repeat DramaLlama's question. I'll be going up to San Francisco for about two weeks in January and I've got nothing planned and no experience. What to do? Where do I go for (good) theatre in San Francisco? Shows, auditions, and the like? What are some good places to hang out past midnight for a poor liberal theatre major? How's SFSU in general? How about in respect to dramatic arts?
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Nov 13, 2005 00:49
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I just moved to Oakland right near Berkley. I cant find a good chinese takeout with good sesame chicken. Where's the vintage pinball arcade? Where can I take auto body/welding classes? What's the quickest way to the zoo? I took the BART from Rockridge to Glenn Park then took the 23 MUNI. It took me 1.5-2 hours to get there. ughhhh
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Nov 13, 2005 02:10
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LazyLiberal posted:Where do I go for (good) theatre in San Francisco? Shows, auditions, and the like? I'm not too involved in the theatre world but I have a friend who is a director. PM me your email address and I'll get some info from her for you. I've seen several good plays at the Berkeley Rep as well as a few smaller theatres like Off Market Theatres on Mission st. in SoMa. quote:What are some good places to hang out past midnight for a poor liberal theatre major? Well there are nice bars all over the place, in fact there are so many that you'd have to narrow it down by neighborhood really. There are some decent dance clubs in SoMA around 9th street and Folsom. There is live music that runs late into the night, all over the place. There are all-night diners like Sparky's. You can go to the beach at night which is fun or walk through the woods in Golden Gate park in the middle of the night which is kinda creepy and something you probably shouldn't do alone. There's a lot of stuff but it really depends on what exactly you want to do. vorhese posted:I cant find a good chinese takeout with good sesame chicken. Try Chinatown in Oakland. I don't particularly care for Chinese food myself but there is a huge number of restaurants there and I'm sure some of them will have something you like. quote:Where's the vintage pinball arcade? Can't help you there quote:Where can I take auto body/welding classes? Well it's not auto body stuff but you can take welding classes at the Crucible, which is right next to the West Oakland BART station. http://www.thecrucible.org/ quote:What's the quickest way to the zoo? I took the BART from Rockridge to Glenn Park then took the 23 MUNI. It took me 1.5-2 hours to get there. ughhhh The only quicker way really is to drive or maybe take the Transbay bus but then you still have to switch busses a few times. And if you drive you might get stuck on the Bay Bridge for an hour, you never know. Earwicker fucked around with this message at 02:29 on Nov 13, 2005 |
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Nov 13, 2005 02:23
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Alright, so let me ask you all Bay area menz a question - how'd you guys go about meeting people in general in san fran? I grew up and went to college on the east coast. I'm 24 - moved out here to san francisco about a year ago for a job. Its a great job (finance industry) - keeps me pretty busy (60 to 80 hours/week on average) which is fine. Problem is, again, i'm 24...the majority of the people i'm working with are in their late 20s/early 30s. They're obviously at a different point in life...having their first kid, debating on which neighborhoods have the best schools, etc. In moving, i left behind my social circle. Kind of miss crashing on a couch, grabbing a beer and watching some law and order reruns. Or just going out with a group of people my age. yeah, i can always fly back to the east coast (and i do), but obviously thats no solution. So, again, those of you who were east coast coast transplants to san fran and out of college - how'd you restablish a social circle? What's the best way to meet people a year or two out of college...looking for ideas...
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Nov 14, 2005 06:46
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vorhese posted:Where's the vintage pinball arcade? There's a decrepit arcade with a handful of vintage pinball machines in Emeryville. It's in Public Market building next to the Broken Rack(pool bar).
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Nov 14, 2005 07:03
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Kapser posted:...Whats funny as hell is that I noticed that no one in SF jay walks. They all stand on the sidewalk and wait for the light to change. I take personal responsibility for this. I had a lot of near misses in '02 to '03. Somebody posted:Where's the vintage pinball arcade? Try Bonkers in the Financial District 483 Pine St 11am to 7pm weekdays. Replicant-001 fucked around with this message at 10:00 on Nov 14, 2005 |
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Nov 14, 2005 09:57
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ringostarr posted:how'd you restablish a social circle? What's the best way to meet people a year or two out of college...looking for ideas... I don't know. I'm still learning. And I only moved 90 miles. Plus, and I'm hesitant about this, I may be considering offering my living room for $300/month flat. (Western E. Palo Alto area) But, cable, and INTERNET available. (And flea-free cats accepted.)
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Nov 14, 2005 10:12
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Kobalt posted:I don't know. I'm still learning. And I only moved 90 miles. Hmmmm...  Apartment?
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Nov 14, 2005 11:16
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Lately I've been thinking more and more about blindly moving to California this coming May for 8 to 10 weeks during the summer. Everyone I've met from California has been cool, there's the whole nice weather / by the beach thing, and it just generally seems like a really interesting place to live. I was born and raised in Oklahoma, and I really can't stand it. Too small and too socially regressive for me. I've been living in Austin for the last six months, and I'm really digging living in a legitimate city for a change. Unfortunately, I'm moving back to Oklahoma in five weeks to go back to college. I've been able to save up a little bit of money during my break from school, and I can probably add to that a little more during the semester. Judging from what I've read in this thread, Berkeley seems like it'd be a neat place to spend some time, but my mind is far from made up. Basically, I want to live in or around an interesting city where I can find reasonable rent, where I won't die, and where I can find a job. I imagine everyone wants those same things though, and I probably can't have them all. So, now I have a few questions. First, can someone who lives in Berkeley tell me what the place is like during the summer? At my school, the place empties out during the summer, and is significantly less fun than usual (and it's usually not much fun). I'd obviously like to avoid that. The second question relates to finding a job in Berkeley. When and if I do move, I'll be 23 and one semester away from a BS in Computer Engineering, but I do not care about finding a job in engineering. In fact, I think I'd actually prefer it if it weren't. Other than that though, I don't care what the job is, just something to help pay the rent. Obviously a lot of it will depend on luck and persistance, but does anyone have any input here? Third, my thinking is that I should bring enough money to get me out there, get me back, and enough to live on (rent, food, booze, etc) for four to six weeks. If I can't find a job in that month, I can go live at home for free the rest of the summer. Based on what I've seen for Berkeley rents on craigslist ($500-750/month for a room), I'm thinking I should come out there with around $1500. Does this seem reasonable? Fourth, how easy is it to get from city to city, and area to area via public transportation? Ideally I'd like to come out on a bus to save money and to avoid the traffic/parking/vandalism/theft concerns with a car. On the other hand, I'd want to be able to see a lot of what the Bay Area has to offer while I'm there. Is that a reasonable expectation? Finally, if you think I should consider the area you live/lived in, tell me.
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Nov 14, 2005 19:22
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We moved into Oakland/Piedmont area which is right on the south side of Berkley and I love it. A real nice neighborhood. Safe. I'm in the process of trying to get a hang of everything, including the public transportation. The PT here is really good. The BART train is super easy. And, for the most part, buses are pretty easy to figure out. I can get to Sauselito from Oakland in about 1 1/2 hours taking the BART from Rockridge to Civec Center and the #10 bus, which takes you over the Golden Gate bridge. Pretty cool. Some people can live without cars, I probably could, but I like to be able to drive to get to places like Muir Beach, 30 minutes away:  I am trying to find a bank today. What's somebody suggest in the Oakland/Berkeley area?
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Nov 15, 2005 18:12
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vorhese posted:I am trying to find a bank today. What's somebody suggest in the Oakland/Berkeley area? Washington Mutual!
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Nov 15, 2005 18:27
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Massive posted:Washington Mutual! I'll second this, but watch out - they don't charge an ATM fee for non-customers using their ATMs, but they'll charge you a fee if you use your WaMu card in a non-WaMu ATM.
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Nov 15, 2005 19:35
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vorhese posted:
I'm a Washington Mutual guy myself too. It's just really easy since they're everywhere. They have pretty decent online banking too. Are you still doing tattoo work? I might need your services in the near future.
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Nov 15, 2005 19:56
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Massive posted:Washington Mutual! Yeh I'm still doing tattoos on the side.
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Nov 15, 2005 20:04
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vorhese posted:Awesome, it's a block away and I went and started a new account right away! So you finally escaped Ithaca? I go to school here and am from the Bay Area. You made such a good choice ..
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Nov 15, 2005 20:14
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BlakeM posted:First, can someone who lives in Berkeley tell me what the place is like during the summer? At my school, the place empties out during the summer, and is significantly less fun than usual (and it's usually not much fun). I'd obviously like to avoid that. quote:Third, my thinking is that I should bring enough money to get me out there, get me back, and enough to live on (rent, food, booze, etc) for four to six weeks. If I can't find a job in that month, I can go live at home for free the rest of the summer. Based on what I've seen for Berkeley rents on craigslist ($500-750/month for a room), I'm thinking I should come out there with around $1500. Does this seem reasonable? Another thing is that the going rate tends to be more like 800 dollars at least for a studio. The prices you see will vary depending on the time you go. Right now, they seem pretty low just because people aren't as likely to rent out their apartments in the middle of the school year. Once you hit the late summer or fall, though, those will go WAY up. Just be cautious of that. quote:Fourth, how easy is it to get from city to city, and area to area via public transportation? Ideally I'd like to come out on a bus to save money and to avoid the traffic/parking/vandalism/theft concerns with a car. On the other hand, I'd want to be able to see a lot of what the Bay Area has to offer while I'm there. Is that a reasonable expectation?  Downtown Berkeley is the stop closest to campus. It's a little over 3 bucks each way into the city. You'd be paying 3 in toll plus gas to cross the Bay Bridge and drive around, so it seems worth it to me to avoid the hassle of finding parking. Within cities, other public transportation is a bit sketchy. The East Bay, including Berkeley, is serviced by AC Transit, whose drivers are completely out of their minds. They are the most aggressive bus drivers you'll ever see- they aren't afraid to weave in and out of multiple lanes, stick out into oncoming traffic, cut people off, etc. I've been avoiding using the bus since almost everywhere I need to go in Berkeley is walkable. quote:Finally, if you think I should consider the area you live/lived in, tell me. Hope I could be of help.
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Nov 15, 2005 20:30
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Ignavus posted:Does anyone know where any active Drive-Ins are in the Bay Area? I used to live practically next door to the one in Union City. They tore it down and put up a pretty good movie theater but it is just not the same as having a Drive-In. I got my first car about 3 months after they tore it down so I never got to make use of it. I heard that there might be one in Concord, but I'd rather not go to that one if I don't have to. Contra Costa County and all. All the others in the area have closed. edit: vorhese posted:What's the quickest way to the zoo? I took the BART from Rockridge to Glenn Park then took the 23 MUNI. It took me 1.5-2 hours to get there. ughhhh I guess my suggestion would be stop at a downtown station and take the L Taraval. SousaphoneColossus fucked around with this message at 20:47 on Nov 15, 2005 |
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Nov 15, 2005 20:43
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BlakeM posted:there's the whole nice weather / by the beach thing This is a definite plus, as the beaches are beautiful. Do keep in mind, though, that the Bay Area is in Northern California, which means generally cold-ish weather (i.e. not always balmy beach-going weather like you see in the movies) and very cold water. It's very different from Southern California, and often throws tourists for a loop. quote:Judging from what I've read in this thread, Berkeley seems like it'd be a neat place to spend some time, but my mind is far from made up. Basically, I want to live in or around an interesting city where I can find reasonable rent, where I won't die, and where I can find a job. I love Berkeley. "Reasonable rent" isn't how I'd describe the housing situation, but it's definitely less expensive than living in San Francsisco proper. I've lived here for a total of four years and haven't died yet, though as a fairly small female, I am pretty nervous about walking alone at night in the downtown areas. You just have to be aware of your surroundings. quote:First, can someone who lives in Berkeley tell me what the place is like during the summer? At my school, the place empties out during the summer, and is significantly less fun than usual (and it's usually not much fun). I'd obviously like to avoid that. I haven't noticed this being a problem. It definitely does clear out a bit, but I actually like it-- makes parking a lot easier, traffic isn't as bad, and it just seems calmer. Most of my social life isn't student-related, so I'm never at a loss for things to do in the summer. Plus there's always a lot of shows going on in the city around that time. And yeah, in general, if you're bored in Berkeley it's not terribly hard to get over to the other side of the bay. quote:The second question relates to finding a job in Berkeley. When and if I do move, I'll be 23 and one semester away from a BS in Computer Engineering, but I do not care about finding a job in engineering. In fact, I think I'd actually prefer it if it weren't. Other than that though, I don't care what the job is, just something to help pay the rent. Obviously a lot of it will depend on luck and persistance, but does anyone have any input here? This is tricky. Finding a short-term job like that is probably going to be your most difficult obstacle. I've had friends who've been unemployed for longer than 8-10 weeks, but you could probably find a job in a restaurant or retail or something. quote:Third, my thinking is that I should bring enough money to get me out there, get me back, and enough to live on (rent, food, booze, etc) for four to six weeks. If I can't find a job in that month, I can go live at home for free the rest of the summer. Based on what I've seen for Berkeley rents on craigslist ($500-750/month for a room), I'm thinking I should come out there with around $1500. Does this seem reasonable? I highly recommend looking on Craigslist for a sublet. That shouldn't be too difficult to find in the summer, and it'll definitely be cheaper than normal housing prices. Mid-May through early June is the perfect time to be looking for something like that. Probably your best bet will be to get a room in a larger house with roommates (judging from your $500-$750 figure, I'm guessing this is what you were looking at). I'd bring $2000 if you can, because there are likely to be a lot of unforseen expenses. Plus you'll be needing cash for transportation. quote:Fourth, how easy is it to get from city to city, and area to area via public transportation? Ideally I'd like to come out on a bus to save money and to avoid the traffic/parking/vandalism/theft concerns with a car. On the other hand, I'd want to be able to see a lot of what the Bay Area has to offer while I'm there. Is that a reasonable expectation? BART is VERY good, as is Muni. You can get most places using public transportation. I have several friends who don't have cars. That said, getting to the North Bay can be kind of a pain in the rear end. If you're wanting to get up to wine country or down to the Monterey Bay, having a car will be a lifesaver. That said, there is a TON of stuff to do just in Berkeley/Oakland/SF, and it should easily keep you busy for 8-10 weeks. Bikes are also good for tooling around town (though bring a really good lock). quote:Finally, if you think I should consider the area you live/lived in, tell me. Yes! Berkeley is wonderful. Try to find a place near a BART station--preferably Downtown Berkeley Bart--and you're golden. 
mooflyfoof fucked around with this message at 01:06 on Nov 16, 2005 |
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Nov 16, 2005 01:04
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Just a few questions: I want to move to the SF area when I graduate from college here in Idaho. I'll be going into law school, so I need to know: Anyone know about the law schools in the bay area? Slightly related, is there a naval base in the bay area? Comepletly unrelated, is there a surfing scene at all there? Joke question: How about gangs? Is it like it is in Romeo Must Die?
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Nov 16, 2005 01:57
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mooflyfoof posted:BART is VERY good, as is Muni. edit: Storytime! One time, I found myself waiting for the 49 to get from Balboa Park to the Mission. I ended up waiting nearly an hour for this bus that's supposed to run every 15 minutes. At this point, I gave up and walked over to stop for another line. I saw not one, not two, but THREE 49's, all right behind one another, going the direction opposite mine. Vander posted:Slightly related, is there a naval base in the bay area? quote:Comepletly unrelated, is there a surfing scene at all there? SousaphoneColossus fucked around with this message at 02:11 on Nov 16, 2005 |
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Nov 16, 2005 02:02
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