Well, I’ve heard there is, but not being into sports I haven’t actually gone to a game, and come to think of it, I never went to a game in SF either…
Now, if there was a Giants/Blue Jays game where the Giants treat Torontonians to burritos - I’m there!
Another fun thing to do on Sunday mornings is to visit the Montclair area of Oakland for coffee and people watching: designer people with their designer children walking designer dogs. Imagine! Blue state liberals! My peeps! All sorts of SPCA and animal rescue orgs set up tables in the streets and showcase the dogs and cats that are up for adoption. There’s also a smallish farmer’s market. Do this during the next month or two before the rainy winter days begin.
Another favorite thing to do is to take the ferry from Jack London Square to the Ferry Bldg. in San Francisco and hang out around the Embarcadero or take off for other parts of The City. The Port of Oakland is incredible - seems that there are thousands of ship containers being loaded/unloaded, most with Chinese characters. It’s interesting to see the Bay from the ‘other side’ of the Bay Bridge. (I usually take the ferry from Vallejo.)
Enjoy yourselves! You’re where I call ‘home’ (born in SF, raised in SF and Oakland, college in Berkeley) and at this point can’t afford to move back.
They don’t even have to leave Alameda - they can catch the ferry near Alameda Point. You’re right though - it’s a great ride - amazing views, you can buy coffee or drinks on board, and if I remember right, they used to have entertainment onboard on Friday afternoons!
I haven’t done that for eons (well, tears anyway). Think I’ll do it tomorrow. Lunch at Alioto’s!
Or garlic and cheese sourdough bread pizza at Boudin. And a beer (Chimay ale) maybe. Shrimp cocktail apprtizer at the wharf.
I’m buyin’ 
So, JimmyFlair, female despite the username, have you and your other visited the sea lions at pier 39 yet? You must, just once. So you can act jaded when the tourists are around.
Oh, the Asian Art Museum in San francisco. Is it open now?
Seems so
I used to commute via bike from home in Berkeley to work in Alameda. I had to saw about 3 inches off each end of my handlebars so I could navigate the pedestrian walkway of the tube without catching a death-twirl on the little fence between me and the roadway. Good times.
And Alameda cops aren’t just speed freaks. I’ve been driving for 35 years and the only moving violation I’ve received was on the beach frontage road in Alameda. I was stopped at an intersection waiting for a pedestrian to cross. The pedestrian was off the curb, but waved me through with a smile. I waved back and proceeded through the intersection. Motherfucker cop behind me gave me a ticket because the dude was off the curb. I did a day in “laugh-and-learn” traffic school with a bunch of felons for that little transgression.
Alameda is nice though. No one goes there unless they intend to, so you don’t get the drive-by intrusions you do elsewhere.
Battambang is a Cambodian restaurant in downtown Oakland. I don’t know how it compares to any other Cambodian food, but in any case it’s very good. It’s sort of a cross between Thai and Vietnamese (actually I have this theory about Asian food fitting into a spectrum, with India at one end and China at the other, while Japan is a bit of an outlier, but I digress).
Speaking of Vietnamese, Pho 84 is excellent, but they mainly serve the downtown lunch crowd and are always packed full. And there’s a little Thai shop across the street. I can’t remember the name though. Don’t ask for your meal spicy unless you are prepared to have a hole burned through the back of your head. Even medium is pretty goddamn spicy, although it depends somewhat on who’s the cook that day.
Two of my favorite restaurants are at the Hacienda Crossings strip mall in Dublin, which I now conveniently live across the street from. Go east on 580, exit Hacienda, and follow the beacon of the Regal theater (it is impossible to miss, even if you’re blind). Sri Thai is the best Thai place I know of. It’s friendly, fast, cheap(ish), and crazy good. Nearby is Matsu Sushi, which is also crazy good but a little slower. Fuzio has Asian fusion stuff that’s pretty good, if you don’t mind the trendy atmosphere. I’d stay away from On The Border (Mexican) and Macaroni Grill (Italian); both are overpriced slop. El Balazo on Hopyard is supposed to be really good interior Mexican food, but I haven’t eaten there yet. Tomatino a few blocks down on Dublin Blvd. is pretty good for Italian.
Hello, all!
mangeorge - Yep, seen the Pier 39 Sea lions (I did the touristy SF thing with my mom when she was visiting us a few weeks ago)
Daffyd Just curious, if you don’t mind the personal question, are you a Canadian who lived here for a while, or an American now in Toronto? (just asking 'cause I’m a “Canadian who is here for a year or three for hubby’s work”)
Also, as part of the being Canadian thing, at the moment I am unable to be employed in the US. I am, however able to volunteer. I have an employment background in construction (the admin/finance/endless paperwork part) but an educational background in Geography (long story). I’m looking at perhaps a “Habitat for Humanity” or some sort of Environmental type volunteering. (I’m not afraid of getting dirty or tired, so field work / house building type stuff would be great). Has anyone had any experience with the local Habitat outfit or a potential environmental organization? I’ve done a quick google search and compiled a few bookmarks. I’m open to any suggestions or hearing of your positive or negative experiences with local groups.
Thanks again for all of the suggestions, and I’m really looking forward to trying the Thai temple buffet. I had heard that there was one in LA and meant to try it when I go there next, but had no idea that there was one “in the neighbourhood”, so to speak.
And yes, I’ve taken the ferry from Alameda to SF - loved it! It’s a bit pricey ($11/ round trip per person) but compared to bridge tolls & paying for parking in SF if you can find it, it’s probably a relative bargain.
In case you were wondering, the Thai temple in Berkeley, is called Wat (Temple) Mongkolratanaram or Wat Mongkol for short. If you’re interested, they also teach farangs (foreigners) and children of Thai couples how to speak and read Thai. The Thai teachers there also teach traditional Thai dance and some sword fighting, last I attended Thai summer school about oh, 10 years ago. I think they still hold Sunday language classes for adults.
If you go there, also see about fruit carving. They have some pretty good teachers that teach flower and fruit carving like you haven’t seen in the U.S. Even if you’re not interested in doing it, it’s sure fun to watch and look at the things they turn out!
Lastly, be sure to have a chat with Pra Tanmanat (Monk Tanmanat). He’s the the senior monk of the temple. He’s been there since I was a kid and he’s a hoot to talk to. He knows how to reign naughty kids (like I was) in, and have an intellectual discussion with adults about all sorts of matters.
Here’s their Sunday meal info:
1911 Russell St
(between Martin Luther King Jr Way & Otis St)
Berkeley, CA 94703
(510) 849-3419
Hours: Sun 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
If you see a rather portly Asian male with salt-and-pepper hair yelling a lot while he’s serving food, that’s probably my dad. :rolleyes:
I’m actually a dual citizen, but moved to Toronto last July from Alameda (and before that, SF). So I guess the answer to both is yes. 
Yeah, and if you brush up against the wall, your arm is black with exhaust for days! And pray there isn’t someone coming the other way.
I sometimes see bicyclists riding the walkway, then further down the tube I see a homeless person pushing a shopping cart the other direction. Since both have only inches of clearance, I wonder how they get by each other.