San Francisco - Alison Bing [199]
Telegraph Ave – in Berkeley, south of campus. Not for everyone. Expect students, left-over hippies, panhandlers, tattooed skateboarders, Irish pubs that reek of last night, and great record shops and used bookstores. Only Santa Cruz can top it as the land of the great unwashed. Seventeen-year-olds in their Jim Morrison phase dig it, but suburban moms run screaming.
Temescal – Oakland, around 51st and Telegraph. Up-and-coming but not quite up-and-running, Temescal is where artists moved when they got priced out everywhere else. We predict it’s the next hot spot. Find good new restaurants, Korean BBQ joints, cafes and a way-cool artists’ salvage shop called the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse ( 510-547-6470; www.east-bay-depot.org; 4695 Telegraph Ave; 11am-6pm) – a must for teachers and arts-and-crafters.
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Head to the hills of East Oakland to Chabot Space & Science Center ( 510-336-7300; www.chabotspace.org; 10000 Skyline Blvd; adult/child & senior $15/11; 10am-5pm Wed & Thu, 10am-10pm Fri & Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; 53 AC Transit), a hands-on science museum in Redwood Regional Park, which no self-respecting science geek should miss. On fogless Friday and Saturday evenings, scope out far-flung nebulae through 8in and 20in refractor telescopes, and a 36in reflector telescope – one of the largest in the US open to the public. Tickets include access to a stellar planetarium and Megadome theater with a 70ft, seamless domed screen.
OK, it’s not your typical park, but Mountain View Cemetery ( 510-658-2588; www.mountainviewcemetery.org; 5000 Piedmont Ave; 59 AC Transit) was designed by Frederic Law Olmstead, the man behind NYC’s Central Park, and its gardens and statuary are gorgeous. Once you overcome (or indulge) the macabre aspect, it’s a lovely place for a picnic.
Eating
Camino ( 510-547-5035; www.caminorestaurant.com; 3917 Grand Ave; mains $20-25; dinner Wed-Mon, brunch Sat & Sun; 12 AC Transit) Kick-back-chic Camino’s short daily-changing menu showcases the best of local organic produce and meats, most cooked over an open fire in slow-food-meets-California-now style. The tables are of recycled old-growth redwood, and the place buzzes with the city’s bon vivants, high on European biodynamic and organic vintages. Reservations essential.
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top picks
EAST BAY EATS
Chez Panisse
Camino (opposite)
Wood Tavern (below)
Vik’s Chaat Corner
Cheese Board Pizza Collective
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Wood Tavern ( 510-654-6607; http://woodtavern.net; 6317 College Ave; lunch $10-20, dinner mains $19-26; 11:30am-10pm; Rockridge) The daily-changing New American brasserie-style menu features what’s in season, with earthy, soulful dishes like pan-roasted lemon-rosemary chicken, chopped salads, cheese boards, charcuterie plates and a damn good burger. Very local, happening crowd. Make reservations.
À Côté ( 510-655-6469; http://acoterestaurant.com; 5478 College Ave; dishes $5-16; dinner; Rockridge) Small plates are the specialty at this foodie-scenester restaurant, and they’re deliciously creative – our favorite is the knock-out lobster-corn fritters. Great cocktails. Women can sport high heels without standing out; men can wear jeans and blend in.
Tamarindo ( 510-444-1944; www.tamarindoantojeria.com; 468 8th St; dishes $5-12; lunch Tue-Sat, dinner Mon-Sat; 12th St) The carefully crafted antojitos (Mexican tapas) aren’t your usual Mexican fare. Expect flavor-packed spins on familiar dishes, like tostadas and tacos (try the shrimp), served in a stylish brick-walled space. No reservations.
Caffe 817 ( 510-271-7965; www.cafe817.com; 817 Washington St; breakfast $4-9, lunch $7-8; 7:30am-3pm Mon-Fri, 8:30am-3pm Sat; 12th St) Bowls of steaming café au lait, poached eggs en croute (in pastry) and crunchy baguette sandwiches – if you’re looking for Paris in Oakland, you’ll find it at this deliciously unpretentious sidewalk cafe.
Everett & Jones Barbeque ( 510-663-2350;