Lai-san S.

Walden Pond Bookstore

It's located on Grand Avenue in Oakland, just down the block from the Grand Lake Theater and quite near Lake Merritt. This is a lefty bookstore, and they carry a good number of books on history, the criminal justice system, and social and political thought.

Over 50% of the stock is used (which adds a bit of randomness to what ends up appearing on the shelves), and the store isn't very large, so you might not always find what you're looking for, but that's okay. The sales staff is friendly, warm, and several members have worked for the store for years, and their love for the place is obvious. They'll offer to order things for you. In addtion, Walden Pond is often the place to find books on Oakland's history and neighborhoods.

They also have a deep magazine selection especially if you're looking for that one particular socialist journal that looks just so many of the other socialist journals, but is really completely different.

Don't forget to ask about their 10% discount program.

PROS: Homey & great for browsing
CONS: No graphic novels

Henry Chins Auto Care

My beloved Oldsmobile stopped starting about a week ago, just one week after I spent nearly $400 replacing its tensioner. I had a bad experience at the shop that replaced said part, so I checked Insider Pages to give me some ideas about decent mechanics in my part of the East Bay.

Based on a single solid review, I called the garage and spoke with Henry himself. He was friendly, courteous, and he was quite patient with my long-winded explanation about what was going on with my car. Plus, he had the lowest labor rates (by as much as $30 in one case)of the four shops I contacted.

I had the car towed in, and he called me later that very afternoon with his diagnosis. Repairs took only a couple of hours, and his price was quite reasonable (my friend pointed out that he might keep them that way in order to cater to Berkeley's student population). The car is currently running smoother that it has in a long time (new alernator and battery).

One caveat: Henry Chin's is a smallish, independently owned shop, and he doesn't have a lot of storage space for cars that are waiting to be repaired. I definitely suggest calling him before you take in your automobile.

Rose Garden Inn

Yes, I'm actually going to use the words "romantic getaway."
That's what this turned out to be for me and my girlfriend, and we really enjoyed the place. The rooms, while small, are very comfortable, and you get the amount the right amount of solitude for a night or two away. The decorators overrelied on the floral prints, but what do you expect from a place with this name?

Explore the rambling grounds or walk to one of many nearby Berkeley restaurants.

While not terrifyingly pricey, this place is not a good option for budget travelers. They did give us a birthday discount though, and parking is included.

Grand Lake Smoke Shop

This place is located is located next to the nifty Grand Lake Theater in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland. They have a wide selection of domestic and foreign cigarettes, including my formerly beloved Sampoerna Xtras, loose tobacco, and rolling supplies. They also carry a several dozen kinds of candy bar and chewing gum (some are a little esoteric). Plus, they're a convenient place to pick up the NY Times in the Grand Avenue/Lakeshore area right before you visit one of the local diners on a Sunday morning.

The hippieish grandmother-type who staffs it most weekday mornings is fast and friendly.

Alexanders Hair Enterprises

Very trendy and/or expensive hair salons and other sorts of chop shops scare me. I stick to cheap, decent places in the Mission or Berkeley. Alexander's will take you in right off he street, and they charge me only $10! The place is in the Mission, so English and Spanish is spoken. And, even though it is fast and cheap, the stylist do bother to listen to you when you say what you want, and they do a decent job of getting it right. They're open on Sundays which I find to be very convenient, and they're only a few blocks from the 16th & Mission BART.

The stylists seem to be most adept at cutting shorter, more boyish styles. While they say they also do hair coloring, I have no idea if they do it well.

Borderlands Books

I liked this place almost immediately after walking in the door. While it's not especially huge, there is some depth to the store's major sections of science fiction and fantasy. There's also a horror section, but I'm not terribly familiar with this particular genre.

The staff members I've dealt with are chatty, knowledgeable, and make good recommendations. Plus, you get to play with Ripley, the store's resident Sphynx cat who rules over the place with a velvet paw. Check out their website for lots more info about recommendations and upcoming author readings. This place is obviously a labor of love.

Cafe Crescendo

This place opened up in June 2005. San Francisco is a town overrun with cafes, coffee houses, and stand-up coffeebars, and Crescendo's one more place you can count on if you find yourself on the edge of the Mission. The pastries and sandwiches are decent, the staff warm and friendly, and the coffee is average. But, do not bother with this place if you're in any sort of hurry. They'll take at least ten minutes for your Americano, and a sandwich (even when the place is completely empty) will require a 15 minute wait. The pokiness of the pace might just be a result of its newness and the staff still needing to figure out things. Avoid anything with vanilla syrup in it.