Monday, July 2, 2012

62nd Street Bungalow -- Photo Slide Show



To see larger versions of these same photos, please visit http://www.flickr.com//photos/travelinsider/sets/72157630396368538/show/ .

Saturday, February 26, 2011

62nd Street Bungalow · NEIGHBORHOOD RESOURCES FAQ:

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Public Transit / Getting Around:
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511.org for bus and BART information, including routes and schedules.

Emery-Go-Round: a free shuttle to BART, Ikea etc.
http://transit.511.org/accessible/schedules/allroutes.aspx?cid=EM
The nearest stop is at the corner of 63rd St and Hollis St, on Hollis. To go to BART, you want to catch the shuttle on the west side of Hollis, heading south.

To take a bus to the Cal campus without any transfers, AC Transit's Route #49 appears to be the best way. You would get on the bus at the corner of San Pablo and Ashby, and get off near campus (on Bancroft or Durant) in Berkeley, wherever you find convenient.
Full AC Transit's Route #49 info here:
http://www.actransit.org/maps/schedule_results.php?version_id=11&quick_line=49&Go=Go
And real-time tracking of the bus here:
http://www.actransit.org/riderinfo/nextbus.wu

Transbay buses (the stops are all ~10 minutes walk from the bungalow):
- There are 5 express buses each morning to SF, on the AC Transit "C" line: http://www.actransit.org/maps/schedule_results.php?version_id=14&quick_line=c&Go=Go&maps_line=c¤t_schedule=7102
- The AC Transit "F" line offers 10 express buses each morning from near the Emeryville Public Market to downtown SF:
http://transit.511.org/accessible/schedules/RouteMap.aspx?cid=AD&rte=12585
- This is the AC Transit "J" line, which goes from near Emeryville Public Market (or from 65th and Hollis) to downtown SF. 6 express buses each morning:
http://www.actransit.org/maps/schedule_results.php?version_id=14&quick_line=j&Go=Go&maps_line=j¤t_schedule=7119

In 2003, AC Transit created a new "rapid bus" line operating on San Pablo Avenue. Designated as Line 72R (or San Pablo Rapid), it operates 6 AM—7 PM at a 12-minute frequency with stops spaced 2/3 mile apart, running between Jack London Square and Contra Costa College. One of the stops is a 2-minute walk from the house.

The All Nighter is a night bus service network in the San Francisco Bay Area. Portions of the service shadow the rapid transit and commuter rail services of BART and Caltrain, which are the major rail services between San Francisco, the East Bay, the Peninsula, and San Jose. BART and Caltrain do not operate owl service so that track maintenance can be performed; the All Nighter network helps fill this service gap. The slogan is, "Now transit stays up as late as you do!" All Nighter service generally operates daily between midnight and 5 a.m. AC Transit's Transbay service operates until 6 a.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. on Sundays and designated holidays to correspond with the times BART is not operating. The 511.org trip planner does not work for trips beginning and ending around 4 a.m. due to programming limitations, so it is advisable to plan trips using All Nighter routes by hand. If returning from San Francisco after BART closes, catch the 800 line on Market Street, and ask the driver where to transfer onto the 802 line. The 802 stops at San Pablo and Alcatraz, very near the bungalow.

Thruway Motorcoach is Amtrak's system of Amtrak-owned intercity buses. By California law, Amtrak bus tickets can **only** be purchased as a part of a train trip, so they won't work for simple commutes across the bridge. They will work if you want to connect with CalTrain to a destination on the Peninsula. The Thruway bus from Emeryville Amtrak station to San Francisco is Route 99. Schedule: http://www.trainweb.org/amtrak/wc_emry.html .

Train: Amtrak station: www.amtrak.com
4 main route from the station at 5885 Horton Street, Emeryville - (510) 450-1087
http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=am2Station&pagename=am%2Fam2Station%2FStation_Page&cid=1229726269959
- Coast Starlight train: from Emeryville to Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, Portland OR & Seattle WA. http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237405732511&cid=1241245648567
- California Zephyr train: from Emeryville to Lake Tahoe, Denver & Chicago: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&cid=1237608341980
- San Joaquin: from Emeryville to Yosemite National Park: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237405732511&cid=1241245650084
- Capitol Corridor: from Emeryville to Sacramento or San Jose & Silicon Valley: http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?c=AM_Route_C&pagename=am%2FLayout&p=1237405732511&cid=1241245647487

"Casual Carpool" from 63rd & Christie to downtown SF, $1 to driver to help with bridge toll on westbound run: http://www.ridenow.org/carpool/

Best bicycle route to UC Berkeley Campus: http://l.pr/a4chs/
Closest bicycle parts and repair shop: Recycle Bicycle - www.recyclebicycleshop.com
3121 Sacramento St, Berkeley, CA - (510) 666-1300

Airports: Take Emery-Go-Round shuttle to BART. For Oakland International Airport, exit at BART's Oakland Coliseum station. For SFO, take a San Francisco Airport BART train.

Car Rental:

Enterprise Rent-A-Car
www.enterprise.com
5858 Horton Street (across from Amtrak station)
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 985-0096

Car Sharing programs:

Zip Car http://www.zipcar.com/sf/find-cars
City Car Share http://www.citycarshare.org/eastbaymap.do

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Where to Get Mail Delivered: 

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Due to unfortunate incompetence and loss of mail, I finally had to tell the post office not to deliver to the bungalow at all. Here's where I get my mail, for roughly $20 a month:

Berkeley Mailroom
2124 Kittredge St.
Berkeley CA 94704
510-845-2206
http://www.yelp.com/biz/berkeley-mail-room-answering-service-berkeley
Hours:
M-F 9:30-6
Sat 10-1

Sunday closed

The Emeryville branch of the US Post Office is a few blocks West on 62nd Street, right at the railroad tracks (next to the Amtrak parking lot.) Several tenants have gotten PO Boxes there, and had much better luck than I had with home delivery. I can't recommend it personally, but the location is certainly good....

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Where to Get Mobile Cell Phone Service:
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$40 a month for unlimited cell phone, texting and web access. $5 additiona for unlimited international calling (to land lines only):
http://www.metropcs.com/
First month free with activation. A basic cell phone here probably costs $100.

If you have a phone with a SIM card, you may be able to buy a prepaid service here:
http://www.virginmobileusa.com/

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Where to Buy Groceries:
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Pak & Save Foods: a corporate supermarket, on the Hollis Emery-Go-Round line:
3889 San Pablo Avenue Emeryville, CA 94608-3808 - (510) 450-1200
Open Daily 6am-12am

Berkeley Bowl West: a famous eco-sensitive grocery market:
www.berkeleybowl.com
920 Heinz Ave, Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 898-9555
Mon. - Sat. 9am-8pm; Sunday 10am-6pm

Emeryville farmer's market: Thursday afternoons at Haven St. between Park Ave. and 40th St.

Phat Beets farmers market: run by a community-serving non-profit, known for affordable prices. http://www.phatbeetsproduce.org/farmers-markets/   Saturdays from 10am to 3pm, all year. An easy walk from the bungalow:   942 Stanford St. @Lowell St.

Temescal Farmers' Market: 5300 Claremont Ave. (DMV) Oakland. Open: Sundays 9:00am to 1:00pm, All year.

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Best nearby restaurants:
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Fine dining:
Townhouse Bar and Grill
5862 Doyle St. Emeryville, CA 94608
510-652-6151
http://www.townhousebarandgrill.com/history.htm
Beyond the fine dining, their outdoor patio is nice for summer after-work beers and burgers

Sushi: Miyozen
1147 40th Street Emeryville, CA
(510) 923-0311

Budget: food court at the Emeryville Public Market: http://www.emerymarket.com/
20 ethnic food stalls. To get there, just walk to Amtrak, cross over skybridge, and walk across parking lot.

Late Night option, also best classic American diner:
Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe
4081 Hollis Street, Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 594-1221
http://www.rudyscantfailcafe.com/
Everyday 7AM-1AM


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Best nearby pizza:
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Thin crust:  Rotten City Pizza, on Hollis Street at 66th Street.
http://www.rottencitypizza.com/

Medium Crust:   Arizmendi Bakery, on San Pablo Avenue @43rd Street. Worker-owned shop. Vegetarian pizza, one style per day, schedule here:
http://www.arizmendi-bakery.org/pizza_schedule.php

Deep Dish:  Zachary's Pizza, with locations on Solano Avenue in Berkeley, or on College Avenue in Oakland. Perhaps the most renowned pizzeria west of the Mississipi. I recommend the Zach's Special, or the Spinach & Mushroom.
http://www.zacharys.com


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Best nearby cafes:
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The Actual Cafe
6334 San Pablo Avenue • Oakland, CA 94608
Tel: 510.653.8386
www.actualcafe.com
Friendly cafe, shared tables, wifi, free indoor bike parking.

Ruby's Cafe
6233 Hollis St (between 62nd St & 63rd St)
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 601-0622
www.yelp.com/biz/rubys-cafe-emeryville
Hip converted warehouse cafe, with sandwiches and salads

Farley's on 65th
1195 65th St (between San Pablo Ave & Vallejo St)
Emeryville, CA 94608
(510) 879-7026
www.farleyscoffee.com
Good food too, small magazine area.

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Best nearby bars:
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Prizefighter
6702 Hollis Street @ 67th Street
Gourmet cocktails, shuffleboard, good outdoor patio. Gourmet food trucks are often out front. Owned by the Bourbon & Branch folks from SF's high-end cocktail scene. Named one of the Bay Area's Top 100 bars.
prizefighterbar.com  

Honor Bar, Grill & Cocktails
1411 Powell Street (at Hollis Street), Emeryville, CA 94608
Bar plus upscale pub food, run by chef Jordan Grosser (formerly of Postrio). By the folks behind Beach Chalet.
honorbar.com


Missouri Lounge
2600 San Pablo Avenue Berkeley, CA
www.themissourilounge.com
Dive bar gone hipster; outdoor patio. Open daily 4pm-2am.

More upscale Townhouse Bar and Grill caters to 30-somethings and beyond. (See Restaurants, above.)

More ideas: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/where-to-drink-and-be-seen/Content?oid=2479165

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Miscellaneous:
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The San Pablo Arts District (aka the SPAD):
http://sanpabloarts.org/ or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Pablo_Arts_District

Oakland Public Library, Golden Gate Branch:
5606 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, CA 94608
(510) 597-5023
http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/Branches/GG/index.htm
Open Tues, Wed, Thurs, Friday, Saturday. Offering:
- Books, magazines, DVDs & CDs of all genres (including a large collection of jazz as well as music from India). If Golden Gate doesn't have it, you can place a hold to have it sent to Golden Gate from another branch of the library
- free Wifi
- Computers with internet and other programs (word, excel, etc.)
- A book club that meets one Tuesday evening per month
- Preschool storytime on Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m.
- A meeting room available for use for free or small fee (depending on the category of your group).
- Summer Jazz concert series

Offbeat Sunday Brunch at Godspeed: $7 for champagne and all-you-can eat waffles in a motorcycle shop / tattoo parlor with full bar and pool table. 5532 San Pablo Avenue Oakland, CA 94608. Call to be sure they are open: (510) 547-1313

Falafel Truck: Mondays at lunchtime at 64th & Hollis, Tuesdays at Pixar: http://libasf.com/locate.html

Taco Truck: Afternoons on Hollis St between 61st & 62nd St.

Wine tasting at Periscope Cellars: 1410 62nd St., Suite B, Emeryville
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/10/25/TRQ71A708K.DTL
Wine Wednesday Happy Hour - on the 2nd Wednesday of the month. These evenings include live music, catered finger food, movies on the projector, visits from other local winemakers, and you may even get to watch us crush grapes during harvest. Wine tasting is always free, however full glasses of wine are available for $5 a glass. Happy Hour: 5-8pm (call to confirm).