Say something nice about El Cerrito

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Here's a tiny picture of it.

http://www.el-cerrito.org/images/moeser_view.jpg

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Nice view of the bridge!

― Ian Johnson (orion), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Isn't it? There are all kinds of views to be had from around there.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I had a temp job there once!

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

it used to be the land of the lost franchise: chuck e cheese, der weinerschnitzle, emporium capwell's (not a franchise but it was there way afer most of them closed). it has some cute houses. it's cheaper than berkeley. Prince Charles went there in the mid nineties and the result was this:

"The challenge of strip development in the U.S.A. was addressed in a pilot scheme developed by the 1997 Prince of Wales's Summer School in Architecture and the Building Arts in an area called El Cerrito, California. In a public workshop citizens expressed their dislike of conventional big box retail outlets, the great expanses of surface parking, the lack of civic identity, and the lack of a sense of continuity between its parts. Concern was also voiced about the perceived lack of safety in the city, and the danger of speeding traffic. Improvements suggested by citizens included the creation of an active civic center with multipurpose meeting spaces; the development of a series of concentrated mixed use centers as opposed to a continuous strip; the introduction of safe and attractive pedestrian routes through the city; and the restoration of a creek to provide a usable park. Proposals for El Cerrito were envisioned as a Centennial Plan, in order that they might be primarily realized over the course of the next two decades in preparation for the city's first centenary in 2017. " (link.

I think the outcome of all that was the Bed Bath and Beyond/Barnes and Noble strip mall.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I always liked Charles.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Heh, my temp job there was actually IN a mall! An old mall so disused that offices were renting spaces meant for retailers. Besides a grocery store, I can't recall what else was open there. I wouldn't be surprised if it gets torn down soon, if it isn't already.

― Sean (Sean), Friday, 16 January 2004 15:34 (twenty-two years ago)

It is, it's now the new barnes and noble thing I was talking about.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

The TFUL282 practice space was in el cerrito for a few years ('89-'94)... they wrote a song about it on their brilliant Mother Of All Saints LP, later reprising it in a more fleshed out form on their last (final?) album that came out in 2001.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 16:54 (twenty-two years ago)

also, CCR was formed in el cerrito... "born on the bayou"... heh.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The TFUL282 practice space was in el cerrito for a few years ('89-'94)... they wrote a song about it on their brilliant Mother Of All Saints LP, later reprising it in a more fleshed out form on their last (final?) album that came out in 2001.

I know this song. It's good.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Nordique, do you have work on Monday?

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

No I don't! Why? Aren't you in Disneyland this weekend?

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

goddamnit I have to work on monday, which is bullshit. My employers apparently don't believe in black people.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I'll be back Sunday evening... I'll email you then!

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

The Melodee Lounge, at EC Plaza!

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.cc.jyu.fi/~petkasi/ccr-jcf/kuvat/forson.jpg

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

The Hotsy Totsy. Maybe that's albany? I've never dared go in there.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

did you know that one of John Fogerty's relatives owns La Val's?

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 17:58 (twenty-two years ago)

The Melodee Lounge, at EC Plaza!

haha, I always peek in there when i walk past. I did last night.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

The Hotsy Totsy looks cool.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Hotsy Totsy is Albany. El Cerrito has the Blue Moon Saloon. I went in there once when I had a half-hour to kill. I was easily 40 years younger than any of the patrons, who were watching "Used Cars" dubbed in Spanish, though it seems none of them spoke Spanish.

"It's getting late,"said one blue-haired old. "I'm heading home."

It was quarter to six.

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

El Cerrito's #1 export is prefabricated furniture and Mexicans.

― I know this one!, Friday, 16 January 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

That is late when you've been there since 9 AM.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:10 (twenty-two years ago)

El Cerrito's #1 export is prefabricated furniture and Mexicans.

This may come as a suprise but Mexico exports more Mexicans than El Cerrito.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

I dont know where you are getting your numbers gygax!...those statistics seem a little doctored.

― El Spinktor (El Spinktor), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Work with me here.

― gygax! (gygax!), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:15 (twenty-two years ago)

It doesnt matter. Isnt all that crap going to slide off into the ocean sometime soon? I heard June/July.

― El Spinktor (El Spinktor), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

By crap I assume you mean goodness.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Eh. Im pretty indifferent about CA anymore. Born there and lived there for a while, but i havent been back in some time. I feel the same way about New Mexico.

― El Spinktor (El Spinktor), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I always thought the "little hill" was cute and kinda looked like Lothlorien!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Who lives on that little hill? Are they rich?

Spinktor, where do you live now?

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I live in wonderful Maryland. Odenton to be specific...between DC and Baltimore about half way.

― El Spinktor (El Spinktor), Friday, 16 January 2004 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Who lives on that little hill? Are they rich?

Wood Elves of course!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 January 2004 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Ur, um, I have a friend who lives in the Richmond Annex which is basically El Cerrito, which I found quaint and nice.

Now say something nice about Richmond, CA.

*crickets*

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 16 January 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Actually, my favorite named Bay Area city is, obviously, Hercules.

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 16 January 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Richmond -

There is a hospital there that will look after you even if you don't have insurance...

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

all my best crack comes from Richmond. Also, it's a good place to dump the bodies of my victims.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.sJunderbelly.com/unbelly/Alviso/Photos/Ant1.jpg

By far the coolest Bay Area town is Alviso... I think they filmed every Twilight Zone episode there, on the creepy, empty streets.

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 20:05 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.atchison.net/gallery/draw4.jpg

Near Alviso, also very cool: "Drawbridge is a very strange place being a ghost town located in the middle of the densely populated San Francisco Bay Area. This ghost town is slowly sinking into the bay so these buildings won't be around much longer. The location is now restricted government land - no tresspassing."

I've been out there, it's freaky.

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 20:09 (twenty-two years ago)

andy, where is this?

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Friday, 16 January 2004 20:22 (twenty-two years ago)

At the very southmost point of the Bay, by the salt ponds. I think it's off Hwy 237... a bit of a drive, but worth it. They do a lot of sturgeon fishing down there... there's an awesome Mexican restaurant with outdoor seating in Alviso, but don't get the fish tacos... the fish is breaded!

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 21:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Half of ILX says, what's wrong with that???

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 16 January 2004 21:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Andy, I am so going there this weekend now. I love you.

― Darcus How? (nordicskilla), Friday, 16 January 2004 21:15 (twenty-two years ago)

No! It's like fish stix tacos! It's not right.

http://www.alviso.com/

― andy, Friday, 16 January 2004 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

one month passes...

If you had to go to one of Pleasanton, livermore, or Union City, which would you pick?

I realize that there's some nuclear action to be found in Livermore.

Actually, which is closer to Alviso?

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I know you're lurking, Kyle.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Wednesday, 10 March 2004 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

go to and do what? live? visit? burgle?

I would go to union city because at least it's exactly like every other suburb in california. Pleasanton is mostly office parks and one shitty strip mall. Livermore is on the other side of the hills, hence, too hot, and uselessly far away.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Thursday, 11 March 2004 00:53 (twenty-two years ago)

They all have In N Out Burger outlets, so i wanted to work in a visit on our trip to Alviso.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Thursday, 11 March 2004 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Livermore is not far from THEE ALTAMONT SPEEDWAY.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 11 March 2004 00:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 22 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

I've never been there. I don't think you have to expect anything frightening beyond bowling though

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:22 (twenty-one years ago)

all girls? expect menstrual talk.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Do you want to come????

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

It's those weird young girls again. We can hang around and ignore them and act hip.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

You can say "no".

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

how weird are these girls? Keep in mind I spent saturday night with a drunk girl who wanted to draw all over my face (not my wife) and that was fine. but maybe these girls are a different kind of weird.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:26 (twenty-one years ago)

They are just kinda young band-campish East Coast girls who talk too much about higher education. Not even Sarah is that fond of them to be honest. You guys should come!!

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

What did the girl want to draw on your face?

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe these girls will bring along their odd stonerish male friends and I can talk to them about Slipknot again!

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Ironically, obv.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I have sent you an email.

The girl wanted an adam ant lightning bolt her face which my wife drew. I don't know what she wanted to draw on my face. Something filthy probably.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

"east coast band-camp" does not conjure up good smells.

― kyle (akmonday), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I think they smell pretty good. One of them kind of has a hairy chin which we try not to stare at. One of them is actually kind of cute in a scary way.

― AdamL :') (nordicskilla), Monday, 21 June 2004 22:40 (twenty-one years ago)

three months pass...

target

― adam. (nordicskilla), Friday, 24 September 2004 19:08 (twenty-one years ago)

I think metallica lived there during circa master of puppets.

― Elliot (Elliot), Friday, 24 September 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

haha during circa

― Elliot (Elliot), Friday, 24 September 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

it isn't richmond

― kyle (akmonday), Friday, 24 September 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

seven months pass...

Has anyone ever been here?

I'm curious as to what kinds of weirdness might be found inside!

― X-PAT (nordicskilla), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:26 (twenty years ago)

I still haven't gotten an answer to why there's a teeny little island of the city of Pleasanton in the middle of the city of Dublin. If you look at that map above, it's that little dot that's in the upper right peninsula of the Dublin city limits.

― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Are those icons real Crumb?

― M. White (Miguelito), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

I THINK this recreational area, in Tassajara Creek Nation Park, somehow, might be owned by Pleasanton though it's surrounded by the Dublin city limits.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=dublin,+ca&ll=37.732941,-121.881809&spn=0.003959,0.005214&t=k&hl=en

― donut debonair (donut), Monday, 2 May 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

i have a fond memory of being on the bart northbound (richmond train, richmond train!) and laughing at the driver for his pronunciation of El su-REE-do dell NOR-dee (actually there is no way to capture the way he said norte in print)

though that's probably how they say it? like vuh-LAY-yo (right?) heh

i heard that they no longer have the drivers announce stops, and now have automated recordings. is this true?

― ronny longjohns (ronny longjohns), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:00 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone ever been here?

Yes, it's worth checking out if you like that sort of stuff. I didn't find any weirdness inside but lots of blues and the rest of the stuff they list on their site. I don't remember the vinyl selection being great though if that's what you're looking for.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:45 (twenty years ago)

Also, thanks to andy@lookoutrecords.com for posting the picture of the Drawbridge ghost town a year ago upthread. I went on a school field trip there when I was a kid and I could never remember where exactly it was. Unfortunately it looks like you can't visit it anymore.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

HOTSY TOTSY WOOT WOOT

― vahid (vahid), Tuesday, 3 May 2005 02:07 (twenty years ago)

seven months pass...

I want to know where the mysterious East Bay Walls can be found!

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:33 (twenty years ago)

Also yeah, I could never find Drawbridge.

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:35 (twenty years ago)

Some Bay Area resident YOU are.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

did you actually look for it? I think andy made it up

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

yEAH, I mapped it out and fucking drove down there and everything.

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

I want to know where the mysterious East Bay Walls can be found!

It's the same idea as Sheena Easton's "Sugar Walls", except it's you singing "East Bay Walls"... You need more red highlights in your hair though... you know, for the video.

― dali madison's nut (donut), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:02 (twenty years ago)

They have some walls here, call the # on this map if you get lost.

http://www.ebparks.org/resources/pdf/trails/mission_peak_map.pdf

― svend (svend), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:38 (twenty years ago)

I don't get this wall thing. Aren't they just old stone walls that crumbled apart into little lumps?

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:42 (twenty years ago)

Oh yeah and if you go down to Fremont, you can also go to Drawbridge the same day and make a big party out of the whole thing.

― svend (svend), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:44 (twenty years ago)

I don't get this wall thing. Aren't they just old stone walls that crumbled apart into little lumps?

no and no-one knows who built them and they seem incongrously old for the region

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

They say the eaxct same thing about you.

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Thursday, 8 December 2005 23:57 (twenty years ago)

el cerrito has the least amount of east bay rats.

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Friday, 9 December 2005 00:05 (twenty years ago)

These walls are obviously the result of OCD.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 9 December 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

"no and no-one knows who built them and they seem incongrously old for the region"

Spooky!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Friday, 9 December 2005 00:09 (twenty years ago)

rocks be ancient

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 9 December 2005 03:29 (twenty years ago)

Are there walls on that map and I am blind?

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Friday, 9 December 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

Also yeah, I could never find Drawbridge.

It probably sank into the wetlands by now.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 9 December 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

I'm more of a "bay half-empty" kind of guy.

― Mayor of Dutchtown (nordicskilla), Friday, 9 December 2005 03:56 (twenty years ago)

On this week -

Drawbridge (#4007) Duration: 29:27 Stereo TVG
Drawbridge is a small, marshy island at the southern end of San Francisco Bay. People started going there in 1876 for the excellent hunting and fishing. By the early 20th Century, Drawbridge had become a full time community for a handful of families. It had also become something of a weekend resort. By the 1940s, pollution in the bay and urbanization nearby had destroyed most of the island's hunting and fishing. Today, Drawbridge is a ghost town of gray, weathered buildings sinking into the bay, and is part of the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Huell goes back to Drawbridge with some of the original inhabitants and gets a very special tour.
Channels and Airdates
KQED Life
Tue, Dec 13, 2005 -- 2:30 pm

― svend (svend), Sunday, 11 December 2005 03:09 (twenty years ago)

eighteen years pass...

the Indian grocery is very good. El Cerrito is basically "the new Alameda"

― sarahell, Sunday, 21 April 2024 18:37 (one year ago)

Down Home Music Store is fun

― brimstead, Sunday, 21 April 2024 19:12 (one year ago)

my go-to Trader Joe's is there. I will be there shortly in fact.

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Sunday, 21 April 2024 19:20 (one year ago)

Used to do laundry every two weeks at El Cerrito Plaza and would stop into Mel-o-Dee for a drink with my partner. The owner is a real sweet heart.

― sknybrg, Sunday, 21 April 2024 19:22 (one year ago)

i've only been there twice for karaoke but it was fun

― I? not I! He! He! HIM! (akm), Sunday, 21 April 2024 19:26 (one year ago)

yeah, partners coworkers were big karaoke folks and frequented that spot

― sknybrg, Sunday, 21 April 2024 19:48 (one year ago)

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