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Oakland, Emeryville Berkeley & Alameda: West of the Caldecott
From eating to shopping to hiking and everything in between, here are some of my favorite stops when I make it through the Caldecott but don't feel like crossing any bridges...
- 553
- 1636
- Elite ’24
45 Places
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Jennifer’s 4-star review: I usually walk through the candy section of this store with blinders and head straight to the back where they have an eclectic mix of clothing, hats, scarves and fun jewelry. I've been here several times but never bought anything until today. It was completely freezing today and their heavy sweaters were beckoning me. They carry a brand called Sisters that has nice designs and soft fabrics. I wound up scoring a nice marled cardigan/sweater jacket on sale. The girl at the counter was super nice and I could have walked out spending much more on several pairs of earrings, but had to reign it in a bit...Ah, maybe next time. Sweet Dreams is lots of fun and you're sure to find unique gifts, whether for yourself or someone else :) -
Jennifer’s 2-star review: After many years of going to Crossroads Trading to sell my unwanted clothing, I had always been a staunch supporter of this location. That has changed following my last 2-3 visits. Crossroads in the Rockridge neighborhood has steadily gone downhill over the last few years. It's a shame because they still do end up taking many of my items and it's convenient to get cash for my clothing upfront. However, their customer service is lately non-existent, wait times to sell are absurd, the convenience of dropping off has been eliminated and buyers express zero sense of urgency. The last two times I came, on a weekday, the wait to sell was an hour or more. The frustrating part of that was watching the one person buying constantly stop to chat with coworkers, critique items with other staff, be asked to work the register and answer the phones. C'mon Crossroads, staff yourself properly. Outside of these annoyances the overall atmosphere in the store seems a bit negative-staff seems disinterested and condescending to sellers coming in. It just is shocking to me that this attitude is pervasive in a store that has inventory to sell BECAUSE of the people coming in to bring them their clothing. Crossroads needs to do something to improve the seller experience-have at least two buyers available who are dedicated to just that and encourage them to move the line along. My last trip was so unpleasant that I can't see coming back to this location again. Sorry but bye.... -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: This is a long overdue review, but here it is nonetheless. I used to live near NYC where the Hayden Planetarium pretty much was the end all, be all of Planetariums...end of discussion. If I were to do a comparison, apples to apples Chabot may not stack up. However, in and of itself, I'd have to say this place is seriously the bomb. First of all the drive up here is pretty majestic and the surrounding grounds make you forget that you are still in Oakland. Admission is reasonable considering you get 2 shows out of it as well as unlimited access to the exhibits and you can go see the giant telescopes. My enjoyment of this place was probably enhanced by the fact that I went on Halloween and it was mostly empty. My boyfriend and I took our time through all the exhibits and didn't have to contend with any children killing our science buzz. Loved the moon landing exhibit and made sure to take lots of funny pics wearing the Astronaut helmet (although pretty sure I caught Ebola wearing the germy monstrosity). I had gone in 2009 before the Science Guy exhibit and got to see the hall of planets that showed the model of the solar system which was pretty cool. The Planetarium show itself was big fun (it was the Astronaut show.) The second show we were supposed to see was on the large screen theater (Dinosaurs alive)-but because the place wasn't crowded we asked to swap for a 2nd Planetarium show, which they allowed. Really enjoyed the Astronaut exhibit that showed in detail all the things to consider traveling in space as well as the Choma-Key photo op that shows you in "zero gravity" in a spaceship. Tip: Go on mid-late Saturday afternoon-they're open late and you can sneak in a telescope viewing once the sun goes down as well as pretty much have the place all to yourself. Also become a fan of Facebook to get info on upcoming events, discussions and more. Definitely on the kid-oriented tip but plenty for adults to do as well. A must see in the East Bay. I think it beats out the Academy of Science as far as "space oriented" material. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: I have little need, if any, to venture out to Emeryville to shop, considering that Bay Street contains many of the same shops as downtown Walnut Creek. Nevertheless, I found myself venturing here with my boyfriend for the AMC IMAX theater. I actually found myself enjoying not only the theater but the entire center. I like the notion of "mixed-use" and yeah, you have to pay to park. In my opinion, though, that just helps keep more of the riff-raff away. I can't speak for any "thug" elements that others spoke of, but you have to take in to consideration that it was New Years day and not a typical weekend, I'm sure, at Bay Street. That all being said, I found the shops I ventured in to (Ann Taylor Loft, GAP, Banana Republic and The Body Shop to name a few) among the most organized and well stocked I came across in all of my post-holiday shopping adventures. They also have Francesca's Collections which is a unique boutique chain that I've also run across in Danville, which gave the shopping area immediate extra credit in my book. The AMC theater is pretty cool and I thought comfy, spacious and well laid out. There is also a nice mix of eateries and what looks to be a huge Barnes and Noble (Didn't go in this time around.) Yes, I can imagine it gets crazy at other times, and maybe parking can be annoying-although I had no challenges it with it on a holiday Sunday. However, I can still see enjoying this as an alternate shopping stop if I am in the area or if there is an IMAX emergency that compels us to go to the theater again. Bay Street, who knew? -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: Convenient if you work in City Center-my BF did and literally just went up the escalator to his office building. During the week the area is buzzing with commuters and the like. Weekends, it's just a stopping and connecting point in and out of SF. We got off here on a Saturday to walk over to Chinatown-let me just say that it was a little dicey for a few minutes. The transients in the immediate area once you leave the City Center complex seemed to all converge towards us at once, Night of the Living dead style. Would I stop here again, heck ya!! Anything to not have to drive and deal with parking in downtown Oakland... -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: Every time I veer away from Oakland and fly out of SFO or have visiting relatives fly in to SFO I always wonder "now why did I do THAT when they could have just used OAK?" I love the fact that terminals are easily accessible to pick ups and the cell phone lot is conveniently close to the terminals. I often have to take overnight trips for work and arrive back late at night, so the convenient Daily Parking is close and well lit. I feel safe venturing back to my car alone after a flight that lands at 10 or 10:30 at night. The Southwest Terminal is building up nicely with new eateries and in both terminals I think I even saw some legit artwork throughout the walkways (what the what??) I'm also a fan of not having to cross a bridge to get to the airport so being I'm in Walnut Creek, Oakland just makes more sense. The only downside to OAK is that taking BART here (at least until Air BART is complete) is inconvenient. Unless I am sans car or ride or the fares are ridiculously cheaper at SFO, I Fly OAK is my preference! The Yelp 100 Challenge! -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: One of my friends coming in from the city once said of Rockridge Station, "Did I just see people playing croquette nearby!!" Well, tennis, I think,is more like it...But you get the idea. As you come in from the city and pass through Rockridge before the tunnel, you know you have "arrived." Gone are the industrial flats of West Oakland, the creepy underground tunnels of Downtown Oakland and just plain crazy MacArthur. You are now within close orbit of the 'burbs. This station is clean (relatively so) and extra conveniently located to all the shops and restaurants on nearby college. It took me like 3 years to finally figure out the signage towards Oakland and Berkeley...maybe I'm just numb in the head but aren't you in Oakland EITHER direction? Minus 1 star for the open platform which can be cold and windy during the winter months. Otherwise Rockridge BART, you're 'aight. -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: I am really torn on this one. It's not a faire I'd attend year after year, but since I don't really partake in the wine or food portio of it, I don't think it would be appropriate to rate it just a 2 star. I wasn't overly impressed with the "art"-most of it was not original art-it mainly fell in to the crafts category with a lot of jewelry, textiles and food items (much of by artists who I've seen time and time again at festivals of this type.) It seemed like a fun friendly vibe earlier in the day, but as often is the case at these things, the more wine people were drinking, the less pleasant it became. Overall, it was a lot of people pushing, clamoring or on the opposite spectrum not moving at all, with no clue on how to navigate through a crowd. Alameda is a nice enough venue for it and I enjoyed popping in the various antique stores and enjoying lunch at nearby Troy restaurant. It's debateble if I'd go again, but if you're going for the fair food or the wine, it might be worth it. -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: Love this store. I was drawn in here last year by some sale items on the sidewalk, but wound up buying some sweater jackets at full price that were inside the store. Very soft sweaters, long sleeve t-s and nice quality. Great place for casual clothes that actually look nice and wear well. Friendly service all the time-they even do gift certificates. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: I have a love/hate thing with running. There are phases when I absolutely love it and want to go further and faster and other times I do it just because I feel like I should. However, I'm back running regularly again and have been for several months, but it was obvious I was wearing the wrong sneakers. I finally decided to splurge and check out See Jane Run and have them take a look at my wonky gait. Once and for all, I was going to find that perfect pair of sneakers. The girl who helped me was friendly and spot on it when it came to my wider width feet, the way I tend to walk on the outer arches and the kind of support I needed in a running sneaker. I tried on about 5 pairs in various sizes and it was never a problem for her to keep bringing out others. Finally I found a perfect pair of Asics that feel amazing! We even chatted a bit about shoes I can wear for cardio kickboxing and boot camp. I'll be back ladies to See Jane Run for my next big sneaker splurge and get my trainers from you! Pricey but worth it! -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: I learned about this event through the emails I get for SF/Bay Area activities on the cheap. Being I was on my own this weekend (and had some business to attend to in Oakland) I decided to head over here. As far as the variety and quality of art, it was somewhere between a 3 and 4. Nice soap, jewelry and photography, although nothing that really jumped out at me. There were some artists that I recognized from last years Lafayette and Mountain View Art Festivals, who were nice to see again. Overall it was a friendly, relaxing event. I didn't partake in any of the food, but it seemed a lot of others were. I found free parking several blocks down Lincoln. I had never browsed Park Street before, so in addition to the art, it was fun to pop in and out of some of the shops. Check it out next year if you're in the area! -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: I've been here twice, both times in May and I can imagine that's the best time of year to go, when everything is in full bloom. Favorites include: 1.) The Asia section with the bamboo grove, Japanese pool and chinese redwoods 2.) African garden-it's got a fun tiered layout that is fun to zig zag up and down 3.) Australia-love the trees in there and it's a cool, quiet section of the garden 4.) Oak knoll and the manzanita trails in the California section Do NOT leave without stopping by the Redwood Grove on the way out-a quiet solemn place (except today when there was some kid running behind his mom screaming "MoMMMMM I want my hiking stick!"-grrrrr) Admission is worth it-you can spend at least half a day-lots of places to have a picnic. Parking should be free, but oh well, it's not too pricey for 2-3 hours time. All in all a must see in Berkeley -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: I just absolutely love Redwood Regional Park and don't come here often enough. I came here for the first time in May 2008 a few weeks after I first moved to the Bay Area and learned right off the bat, that Oakland does have some amazing places. It does have this other wordly, magical kind of feeling to it-especially when you take any of the single track paths through the heavily wooded areas. There are always a decent amount of cars in the lot but I rarely run in to very many hikers. I ran in to the swarm of ladybugs once, also, as one previous Yelper mentioned. It was the strangest thing I had ever encountered on a hike, but kind of cool. These trails are especially wonderful during the summer heat as an escape from the furnace on the other side of the Caldecott Tunnel. It was over 100 one day last June in Walnut Creek but over here it was cool and pleasant amongst the Redwoods. Definitely need to get here more often. -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: Friendly service, but kind of bland. The salsa was the best part, along with the free chips. Three stars because it wasn't terrible, just mediocre. Cheap and filling but no real reason to go back. Had the Veggie Tostada with black beans (kudos to them for offering that instead of the refried)-the guacomole was kind of ho-hum, the grilled veggies were a bit soggy and they put on it a weird sliced tomatoe. Had to add the salsa for extra flavor. My boyfriend said the crispy chicken tacos were okay but had nothing other than lettuce & chicken. Can't totally knock it though-seemed like a friendly, neighborhood place. Service was fast and it was satisfying enough for a sunday lunch -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: I don't get the hype but it was decent enough for a Sunday afternoon lunch. My boyfriend liked it more than I did-he was really digging his crispy tacos. I got a seasonal veggie quesadilla that had crimini mushrooms and a smoky tomatoe salsa. It was alright. Chips are separate-wish I got some after seeing the chips and guacamole that others around me ordered. Nothing that spectacular-but decent enough and reasonably priced for 4th street
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Jennifer’s 3-star review: I am huge Anthropologie fan-which is sad because I rarely, if ever can buy anything at full price when I venture in. As far as Anthros go, this one is organized and has the same as everywhere else. What I rate my Anthropologie experience on is the Sales section. This was one was disappointing. The "sale" section was like a tiny walk-in closet way in the back of the store. It was dark and hard to see the clothing in there and you couldn't really fit more than 3 people in there at a time. I'm sure there were great things in there, I just didn't have adequate light to see them! It as okay-not my favorite Anthro location, but it will do in a bind. -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: I just absolutely love this place! It's so cozy and contains just the best array of decorative items, candles, natural themed decor and some amazing kitchenware as well. There were some great throw rugs and I almost bought one of the kitchen, but had already had my hands full with some of their amazing little decorative birds (just $4.50 each!) This is place is the first place to go when you're decorating in an "earthy" way and Brian is such a nice guy. He was telling me today about all this themed Christmas trees and the ideas he has for next year's decorations. If you see something you like, GET IT. It may not be there the next you come back. I think they're closed on Mondays, but otherwise please stop in here and check it out next time you're in Rockridge. Great local business, unique items and reasonably priced -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: Love this place! I stop in here every time I am in Rockridge and yet, today was the first time I've bought something. Very eclectic mix of kids toys, stationery, decorative items and fun items like tote bags, candles and lotions. The prices are reasonable and it's a great place to go for a gift. The shop was packed today and they had some adorable Christmas decorations-birds, owls, squirrels and other various trinkets for your tree. I've got to get back there after the holidays and pick up some more ornaments, in the hopes they'll be on clearance. Great neighborhood shop, friendly owner and workers. Stop in and buy something (unlike me who took 2 years of visiting this shop to finally spend money there!) -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: It's just okay, not really A-OK. Spent a nice fall afternoon wandering around Piedmont and was craving a burrito. This was seemed to be jumping and had a good selection of veggie stuff. The first few bites of the grilled veggie burrito were good-guacamole seemed fresh and flavorful pinto beans. However, the grilled veggies were kind of oily and it was weird how they mixed eggplant in it. I can understand the carrots and zuchinni but not so much on the eggplant. Free chips and salsa-just alright. The salsa was kind of watery but had a nice kick to it. It was adequate and cheapish but wouldn't go out of my way for it. I can see living in the area and checking it out more often. Also, what IS UP with the weird lobster attached to the bathroom key. It's just strange and gross and now that I think about, I really wish I didn't have to use the bathroom when I was there. Might try some of the wraps if I ever went again-seemed like they had some interesting asian type wraps with tofu that might have been good. Very friendly service and counter staff-I would give them 5 stars. nice neighborhood place. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: As you read this review, keep in mind, I don't care about "authentic" when it comes to Mexican food, nor do I frequent any of the taquerias in the Mission....I always judge Mexican restaurants by the freshness of ingredients, availability of vegetarian items and overall price vs. quality of food. Was this the best veggie burrito I've ever had-no, but for $4.50 it was filled with yummy grilled veggies like red and yellow peppers, zucchini and black beans. Their guacamole seemed freshly made and super yummy. My boyfriend said that the crispy chicken tacos were the "2nd best" he's ever had. The salsa bar was decent and the prices, especially for Rockridge were beyond reasonable. As you can read from other reviews, this place is ridiculously kid friendly. Parents seem to think that they can let their 4 year olds run rampant in here with no regard for the other patrons-not the restaurant's fault, but consider yourself warned. Otherwise, I loved this place and will definitely be back. -
Jennifer’s 2-star review: Maybe I just came at an off time, but I really didn't get the hype of this place. Yes, I did find some off-season Anthropologie tops, but they were definitely not worth the price tag. In fact I've scored better deals in Anthro stores... Everything seemed pretty disorganized, not one sales person greeted me or seemed to be present in the store. I browsed the racks for a bit-even the items not in the salvage section had some damage to them here and there. Perhaps I wasn't in the mood but as I browsed each rack, there was nothing that stood out or made me feel like I needed to dig deeper. Not terrible, just not for me... -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: I've visited other Therapy locations before-Mountain View, SF, etc but always walked out empty handed. Don't get me wrong, I loved pretty much everything in there but nothing spoke to me, per se. I can spend forever looking at all the cute household items and funky unique jewelry. Prices range from reasonable to just plain ridiculous but I sort of need to slow my roll when it comes to household items-I kind of a have "put a bird on it" problem. This trip, I focused my attention on the cute summer clothing and they had some adorable light weight blouses that were perfect for the triple digits that I know are impending east of the Berkeley hills soon. The nice girl in the clothing section was quick to get me a fitting room and I settled on a gorgeous yellow floral top that was oh so pretty. They had some adorable dresses as well as very cute yellow and teal sandals. Handbags and shoes were a little higher priced, and I wasn't quite sure of their quality so I stayed away. The clothing itself can be compared to some of the items at Ambiance stores with a little bit of Urban Outfitters thrown in but at WAAAAY better prices. Super happy with this Therapy location-nice staff, well laid out and lots to look at and splurge on. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: Fro Yo places are a dime a dozen but Miam Miam is quite the standout. First of all it has "lounge" in the name, so how awesome is that? Anywhere I can lounge and eat yummy treats is a win in my book. What also is amazing about them is that it's not pay by the ounce. Instead you take your preferred size cup and fill it up!! Both times, I've been here, I was pretty bad at fully utilizing the space in the cup-so much so, that the nice lady at the counter charged me for the smaller size. Flavors are varied based on season and available fruits. They make this stuff from scratch and the quality and taste make you realize all those other fro yo places are just serving water, sugary ice milk when compared to this. Miam's Miam's ginger is seriously dope and their peanut butter is the richest most authentic peanut butter fro yo I've ever had. The chocolate is a bit heavy-good but very decadent-put that one sparingly in our cup. Added bonus for me was cinnamon crumbs as a topping-similar to the crumbles you find oh Entermann's coffee cakes-OMG!!! BEST IDEA EVER. If you're craving soft serve and want something with amazing taste and texture, make a stop here a priority!! -
Jennifer’s 3-star review: So, leave it to me to go to a Tapas-centric restaurant and just order a regular old entree....However, that being said, it was overall a tasty experience here. Service was attentive and I ordered the portobello mushroom sandwich. It had some nice seasoning to it and extra props for it coming with avocado. The fries it came with her, eh, just kind of shoestring fries with some herbs sprinkled on it-but the sandwich itself was more than enough. My boyfriend ordered the salmon and he just kept saying "this so good, so good, so good." So there you have it. Casual atmosphere and seemed a little bit more spacious and airy than some of the other places to eat in that section of Piedmont Ave. A solid 3-wouldn't go out of my way to come back but it did the trick for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: Step in to the Lake Merrit Gardens and the city noises quickly fade away. We stopped here on a Saturday morning and it was incredibly quiet and peaceful. It was actually a bit larger and had more to see than I anticipated. As a fan, overall of Lake Merritt, the gardens are a little bonus spot. The palm tree section was cool and shady while the Japanese Garden area holds it own up against larger gardens considering the small space it occupies. I got to see some turtle friends sunning in the pond, along with squirrels romping and birds chirping everywhere. Anyone who knows me, knows that pretty much describes my perfect day. Still some flowers in bloom if you go now. Liked the info on Native gardening as well as the sensory garden. If lived or worked nearby, I can see myself whiling away many hours in this spot. Also, props for them not using harsh pesticides. Upon entry to the garden, there is a sign saying "pardon our weeds." Nice touch! -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: Sometimes I just feel like getting out of Walnut Creek and the throngs of awkward teenagers flooding the Century theater there. Enter AMC Bay Street, especially when I am feeling gratuitous and invest in an IMAX show. I've mainly gone to shows earlier in the day when the crowds seem to be thinner. The earlier in the day you arrive, the easier parking tends to be as well. I've seen both IMAX and regular old shows there and all the theaters are clean with comfy seating and just as good a place as any to see a show. Nearby restaurants and Red Mango Fro-Yo compliment the location nicely. If you're in the area and need to see a movie, I'd recommend it. The Yelp 100 Challenge -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: For whatever reason, I find myself more often going to the Rockridge Crossroads than this downtown Berkeley location, however, I'd say they are in equal in terms of size, selection and courteousness (is that even a word??) Parking is slightly more annoying, since it's all street parking and all metered, but a few weeks ago on a Friday afternoon, I was able to find paid parking nearly right in front of the store. I do feel that they were a bit understaffed. The poor girl buying clothing had to keep stopping to do other tasks because there only seemed to be one or two other people around. Selling clothing works the same at all Crossroads and they do have the drop off option similar to the College Ave location. Since I came her on a day off, I opted to wait around and only had to wait about 15 minutes for my turn. As always, I found they were fair in what they bought and honest, but professional about why they didn't take other items. Just a quick tip for sellers-if you can spare the time, it's worth bringing some items here that the Rockridge location didn't buy. They actually took about 3 or 4 items I had tried to sell over on College Ave a few weeks prior. That's happened to me on several occassions, so it might be worth a try for you as well. I didn't end up buying anything but the girl at the register who cashed me out from selling clothes was super friendly and bright-a nice girl to talk to and definitely was nice to see them hire such engaging and helpful sales and cashier staff. The Yelp 100 Challenge! -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: Just to clarify-Inspiration Point is the parking area and scenic look-out that marks an entrance to the paved Nimitz Trail. Because I usually start some Tilden Area hikes from this lot but haven't written any Tilden reviews, yet, I figured I'd start here. Inspiration Point itself is pretty easy to get to if you're coming from east of the Caldecott. Simply take 24 East, exit at Orinda and bear right towards San Pablo Dam Rd. After about 2 miles if you make a right, you can head towards one of the Briones staging areas and then if you turn left on to Wildcat Canyon Road, you'll head towards Inspiration Point. The parking area tends to fill up quickly but on a Saturday late afternoon, around 4, there were plentiful spots. Once on the paved Nimitz trail glorious views abound of the San Pablo area resevoir, Mt. Diablo and then the bay itself, all the way to the Golden Gate and Marin, weather pending. I've done this walk many times, sometimes veering off down to the left in to the Tilden Nature Area, but being I was solo and it was later in the day, my most recent walk kept me on the paved path. There are regular mile markers, every 1/4 of a mile, for those of you keeping track and the trail varies in sun and shade, so plan accordingly. There are stretches of wide open sunny spaces then you'll go around the bend and it will be shady and windy. Because I was flying solo on my most recent walk (notice I don't say "hike" ) I kept to the main path until around 1.75 miles and then turned left toward the Peace Grove and up on the short trail that takes you to Wildcat Peak. Once on the peak there are wonderful 360 degree views of the bay, Briones and Mt. Diablo. I even caught the bucolic site of cows off in the distance looking down towards the San Pablo Resevoir. I decided to go back the way I came and felt rather safe doing that walk alone, especially as it crept close to 6-6:30. If it were earlier in the day, or I had company, I might have continued on the Nimitz trail which eventually takes you to Wildcat Canyon through cattle gates. Another option is to actually hike down in to the Tilden Nature Area, link up to the Visitor's Center and then head back up. I've done both in the past and look forward to it again. All in all, 5 stars for nature, friendly folks on the trail and good opportunity for bird watching if that's your thing too! The Yelp 100 Challenge -
Jennifer’s 5-star review: This past Sunday was my 3rd visit to the Oakland Museum of California, but the first time I've been here since the Natural History section has opened. The first Sunday of each month is free and I am always amazed at how "un-crowded" it is, despite the free admission. C'mon East Bay get over here and support this wonderful museum! The history of California section is a lot of fun and you can literally spend hours just in this section reading all the information and looking at the cultural evolution of our state one decade at a time. Perfect for kids and adults! As for the art section, I am highly impressed with the collection as well as special exhibits and it's always interesting to check out any special pieces up for view or temporary installations. However, hands down my favorite sections are the lotus pond (turtles, koi and various birds), outdoor gardens and the new Natural History section. You can spend half your day just in those areas. I was highly impressed at how well done the Natural History section was, including the models, animal dioramas and educational info posted throughout. A lot of attention to detail went in to these displays and because they are focused on the Bay Area, Sierras and Yosemite, I learned a lot about the places I live, hike and play! If you have some time to spare, make sure you spend some additional time lounging in the Coastal Lounge. They have a giant wall screen which loops footage taken from dives at local marine sanctuarys. It's a moving "collage" of jellyfish, sea kelp, whales and other sea creatures. It's pretty much as Zen as it gets. The room even has bean bag chairs (although not sure I'd want to dive in to one of those-ew germs) as well as bench seating areas. Take your kids here this summer-there are tons of things for them to look at and learn. For $12 adults/$6 for kids 9-17 and children under 8 FREE, you have no reason not to. There is a parking structure right next to the museum and it's $1 per hour with museum validation. Closed Monday and Tuesday. -
Jennifer’s 4-star review: This past Sunday, during the Alameda Art & Wine Festival, we came back to Troy for the 2nd time. It was well past 2 and there were plenty of tables, although be warned this is a very small, cramped spot. I'd say it's ideal for take out or if you're dining solo. It's not really well set up to accomodate any large parties. Other than that, I am fan of their reasonably priced wraps, plates and salads. For $20 my boyfriend and I got: 1.) Greek Salad Pita Wrap 2.) Chicken Shwarma Pita Wrap 3.) Hummus and pita appetizer 4.) Bottled water. Overall it a a good amount of food and a great deal!! Their greek salad dressing was light and flavorful and the tomatoes, cucumbers and greens were definitely fresh and plentiful-they didn't skimp on the feta or tomatoes like other spots some times do in their Greek salads. The hummus appetizer was a generous portion for $4.95 although they could have added a couple more pita wedges-the hummus to pita ratio was a bit off. The bf enjoyed his wrap as well and kept saying "So good...so good..." So, yeah, he was happy. The wraps themselves weren't quite a lavash bread, not quite a pita and not quite a flat bread-it was a tasty hybrid of them and held all the ingredients in it quite well. All in all a friendly, affordable and tasty little lunch spot. The Yelp 100 Challenge!
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