Of homes and blogs.. and Berkeley.

We've been officially house hunting since late January. We were looking in Emeryville (there's no homes for sale in Emeryville for our price range), all over Oakland, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond Annex, and Berkeley. We came close to finding a place on San Pablo a couple times (in North Oakland and Albany respectively), as well a lovely condo in Temescal. We even saw a most amazing craftsman beyond Eastmont (that's in Oakland) with original 'keyhole' archways and built-ins that I fell in love with, but the neighborhood and commute was something I'd rather not think about.. but my mind always turns to Berkeley.

When we originally lived in Berkeley I used to imagine my happiness as a "big" house in North Berkeley, with a well-worn & loved porch to read the paper on Sundays, drinking coffee and nibbling a day old bagel from Saul's, relaxing with my shoes off (because that's what I do) and hearing the birds singing in the trees and the occasional car driving up the street. Then we moved to SoCal and while I absolutely LOVED living in the Historic Core (4th & Main DTLA) and everything that I had there, it wasn't Berkeley.

I can't tell you what I love about Berkeley. I can tell you what I tried to verbalize with my brother-in-law once a few years ago before we came back home, but even then I couldn't say what it was I loved about Berkeley. It was a feeling. A sense of being..

When I got off work I would stand outside on Shattuck and I feel the fog misting through the air. It wasn't Ketchikan rain, it was like someone was spraying your face from 10 miles away with some sort of Evian mist.. It was cool and clean and fresh.. and the wind would come up and blow the hair from your face. When the sun shone, it glittered like firelight off the buildings and glass. When the leaves fell, it was like Autumn in Indiana.. one of the few things I miss about living in Indiana. The sidewalks outside our apartment on Grant would be scattered with pine needles and and leaves and the crunch of Fall. I lived in my sandals. If I wore shoes at all it would be my worn out (hole worn in the soles) docksiders. Sweaters. You have to love a place where you can wear sweaters in the summer. I love sweaters.. It's like you're wearing a hug all day. I guess that's what I feel about Berkeley.. and still do. Some un-imaginable happiness is wrapping itself around my heart, it greets me when I step closer to downtown, and stays with me, like a fading light as I make my way back to Oakland.

Don't get me wrong, there are things I love about Oakland.. I love my local cafe and the galleries and the love and heart that my neighbors are putting into their community. I love that I am close to so many good things, despite not being so close to school and things and people I care about. I like that our loft is huge and airy and full of history despite a general lack of appreciation of old buildings here in Emeryville. I love many of my great neighbors who embody the sorts of things that I appreciated and miss so much from my time living in Downtown L.A. The connections and the support I had in LA are so missed here, so when we were able to find a place with history and community of people that look out for each other.. Not the same as Old Bank District at all, but close.. and very OK!

Finding a place in Berkeley should have been impossible, as we'd sized ourselves out of our price-point, (our place at OBD was 1400sq ft. and our current place is about 1200sq.) We even considered finding a small place to rent for a year while we scrounged up enough extra for a down-payment on a place that was be-fitting our size issue.. but after looking at a few apartments and realizing we'd still have to down-size, (and store all our excess furniture) I actually looked at what was out there that was under our size minimum, and managed to find a few places to check out!

As of right now, we do have a place. It'll be a long wait (for me) before we move into it, but when it happens I imagine all sorts of new experiences and new adventures will be awaiting me.. and I imagine I won't be blogging all that much about Emeryville, (if I did all that much anyway). I don't expect it would be all about Berkeley though either.. although the focus would change, of course.

As every time we move, I need to come up with a new name for this blog. I hate that the default url is my name.. but this is my main blog. One day we will no longer be on "the edge of E*ville"and instead will be living within proper distance of the city limits of a place I love very much, and the reason my heart was aching to return back to the Bay Area. I don't know what I should call this blog at that point... "Meeko on Main" worked when I was in the OBD, but I won't be moving to any Main Street... and "Meeko's Crumbs"(ramblings and meanderings) worked when we lived in Anaheim and South Park area of DTLA because I was constantly walking and meandering all over DTLA.. and finding my blogging feet.

School and things have kept me busy all this semester and I don't expect things will slow down all that much especially as I'm trying to find a niche regarding my love of history,community, architecture, books, writing, food, and a tad of photography. Unlike DTLA, I haven't found the magical blogging fairy that compelled me to attend a blogger meetup at an online friend's 100th Rate-A-Restaurant.. the day I decided I thought blogging was the neatest freaking idea ever.

I sometimes wonder (and think) that blogging is over, as is newsprint, then I see that other people are doing it still, and doing it well. Magic doesn't happen in the same ways every time, so I leave myself open to possibilities and the positive, good-natured beauty that is out there in the universe. I will be changing the name of the blog eventually.. to what, I don't know, and how often I'll post.. I don't know.. or what I'll write about, again, I don't know.. but if you're adventurous.. it could be anything. or nothing at all. Hopefully it won't really be about me, though. These personal posts are draining..

..And, I have a paper due tomorrow so I need to clear my head and focus. Oh, it's written.. it's just got too much of me in it. ;)

Brunch at Doyle Street

Not just food.. but home.. and happiness! =)


Sunday was our errand day.. What usually happens, we rent a GetAround (peer-to-peer car-sharing) for a few hours and get all our trips done in one day.. Unfortunately GetAround did not come through for us again (either the cars weren't available from the owners or people just didn't respond in the 12 hour request window), so we went with Zipcar.. What this meant was we could still get a carshare vehicle (from a company rather than a person) and we could decide where we wanted to get it.. Anyways.. The plan was to have brunch and then rent a Zipcar for our errands.. Which meant.. Doyle Street Cafe!

I can't recall the last time we had breakfast-y/ brunch at Doyle Street.. which is (as I've said several times) one of my most favorite places to have breakfast or brunch.. I love eating there.. The Joe's Special.. the Chorizo Scramble..(oh scratch that, that one's not on the menu anymore!) the Buckwheat Pancakes.. Seriously, I've always been happy with what I order, regardless..

I was craving their egg white scramble, which they don't have on the menu.. However, a nice lady had told me (I wish I remembered her name.. blonde server..) had told me on a trip after they updated their menu, that I could still get egg whites as an option with a number of their menu items.. So last time I was there I had the Florentine Omelet with egg whites.. and this time.. I had the Eggs Milan Scramble:


It was all veggies with a nice Pesto flavor that didn't need to be covered in hot sauce or anything else..

The spouse ordered Homefries Heaven (with a side order of corn bread of course!).. I was surprised he ordered this, since I knew his favorite was the Homefries Heaven at our OTHER favorite place.. Homemade Cafe (Doyle Street, Homemade, and Rudy's.. the triumvirate of breakfast goodness!) One of the things he's not crazy about is that the avocado is sliced rather than part of a guacamole... but we forget this as his plate is set in front of him..


Wait.. the Doyle Street HomeFries Heaven comes with scrambled eggs on top??? Seriously! When did that happen??

Well, I didn't take a photo but we both cleaned our plates, leaving behind the little packets of jam unopened.. one doesn't need jam on that amazingly yummy cornbread. No matter what I get at Doyle Street, I have to have the corn bread.. unless they're out.. then I'm sad. =(

Service was still good (We sat in the back section which always makes me worry we'll be forgotten) and I had nothing to worry about.. The folks at Doyle Street are super friendly, pretty consistent in service, even when they are crazy busy.. you won't be forgotten for too long.. Our server was working tables in the front and back and still managed to refill our coffee.. I know that doesn't sound like much, but it's been an issue at other places. The other thing I like is that staff doesn't seem to turn over so much like it does other places.. I still get happy when I see the same guy pouring my water or the same host or hostess seat us or serve our food. It's probably the key reason that we kept coming back to have brunch there when we were living in SoCal for the eight years we were gone.. The manager then (I wish I knew what happened to him! Maybe he retired?) always remembered us, no matter how long we'd been away.. He asked "Still in LA??" and we'd sadly reply "Yes.." but he was always positive, give us a reassuring comment that we'd make it back home one day.. and at least we got to back now and again. I wish I could tell him he was right..

Hail El Chavo!

Yesterday we were off Main St for an appointment at the Glendale Galleria Apple Store. SeanYoda's macbook hard drive had crashed last week and after visiting the Apple Store at the Grove it was implied that a possible hard drive replacement was needed. So after backing up his hard drive he made an appointment for Glendale (based on my previous positive experience) and off we went.

Rather than give you the review of the underwhelming experience (maybe later) that we had, I wanted to share the happiness I had at Target while we were waiting.. I'm a BIG Target fan and I've never seen these here despite many trips to various Targets..



It's El Chavo!!!

The endcap included easy 300piece puzzles, chunky chalk, dominoes and plush dolls.

I've not seen the El Chavo animated series but know that is who the blogger, El Chavo gets his name from..

Wondering.. is the cartoon El Chavo a vegetarian too?? ;)