Peet's Coffee and Tea (the original)

Peet's Coffee & Tea - 2124 Vine St, just off Shattuck
“Helloooo, we already know about Peet’s, you S’mug Bitch!”

Ha. You thought I couldn’t hear you. I know you’ve been to Peet’s before. Obviously. You are interested in Berkeley cafes, and Peet’s is everywhere. That’s why I’m not bothering with The Nitty Gritty this time, because you already know.

BUT. Have you been to this Peet’s? This is the original Peet’s. There’s a big, old-looking wooden sign inside to prove it. This place has recently been renovated, so now half of it is a combined café/museum/memorial to Peet. You can sit on bar stools at a little counter facing a wall full of old photos from the café as it was originally.

All of that is cute, but it’s not why I want to plug this café. I walked in with an instrument, and people started asking me about it, one after the other. I ended up sharing a table with a woman who is a local visual artist. She talked my ear off about a guitarist she knows, who has won the “Andrés Segovia” International Classical Guitar Competition. Oddly enough, he walked in about five minutes later and chatted with us for a while.

He then pointed out a couple of banjo players across the room, and called them over to join our little conversational hootenanny. I had a lovely afternoon, and walked away with some new contacts, a list of artists and new tunes to look up (this one seemed to be a local favorite), and an invite to come play on the corner sometime. I’m told there’s often live music right there, and if it’s good, the baristas prop open the door and turn off their sound system.

Here's something else cool. S'Bitch just picked up her MA diploma yesterday, and guess whose signature is on it? Arnold. The Governator. Sweet! Even though the acquisition of this piece of paper was entirely without ceremony - I waited in line in a stuffy room, handed over my ID, was asked if my name was spelled correctly, signed for the certificate, and left with an envelope - it was somehow more satisfying than the commencement ceremony last May. Maybe even more satisfying than passing my exams in April. Why is it that accomplishment feels so much realer when we have some physical marker to show for it?

PS-Pumpkin spice lattes. Love them. Skipped class to go get one. Anybody know of other places that serve them? Leave a comment so I can go check it out!

The Beanery

Apologies, bitchez! This post is actually from last Saturday, but I forgot to post it. Have at ye!

The Nitty Gritty

Location: 2925 College, near Ashby

Hours: Every day 7am-10pm

Java: $1.50 (house coffee) - $3.95 (cold fusion: coffee, any flavor ice cream, milk)

Goodies: $2.50 (bars of all kinds!) - $3.75 ("black magic" chocolate cake that looks insanely moist and rich)

Lunch/Dinner: $5.95-6.95 sandwiches

Credit cards: Mm-hm

WiFi: Unlimited, no password required. You used to get only two hours here, which is why I haven't been back in a while.

Power outlets: Search them out; they're there.

Bathroom: You got it.

Seating: Tables and chairs, far as the eye can see. Not especially comfortable, but the patio furniture outside is pretty nice. There are also benches out there, and big umbrellas to block the glare in case you're doing computer work out there. The back half of the cafe is made of skylights, which is also a major plus.

Music: Innocuous Classical music. And I pretty much mean Classical in the time-period sense of the word, not the NPR-genre sense. Some days it seems to be all Mozart all the time.

Ambient noise: Usually pretty quiet, but more of a social place than most other places I've reviewed so far. This particular day we were surrounded by a study group, a chess game, and mother-daughter banter.

Temperature: It was a really hot day, and the back courtyard really holds the heat in. Inside wasn't as bad.

Parking: Paid and hard-to-find on College, but plentiful side streets.

Bicycle parking: Elmwood is usually pretty hoppin', so you might have to explore a bit to find a good spot.

Biggest pro: Plenty of outside seating that isn't on the bustlin' street out front.

Biggest con: Perhaps the innocuous Classical bias...but that's a personal bias.

Recommended for: Short-term working, refreshments

Not recommended for: A whole day working

S'mug Bastard and I had a "cold fusion" with cookies-n-cream ice cream, and a pomegranate Italian soda. At least three people asked us what one or both of these items were, and proceeded to copy us. Yeah, those losers plagiarized our imbiberies. And I will encourage you to do so as well. If you haven't tried a pomegranate Italian soda before, DO IT. I'm yelling for your own good, so don't get scared. It comes out the luscious deep red of an actual pomegranate, but it tastes like apples. Not neon-gree appletini or Jolly Rancher apples; actual "I just picked this from my orchard and now I'm going to go milk the cows" apples. Perfect for this sweltering Autumn that keeps you from craving actual Autumn things like hot cider. [Note: S'mug Bitch is not at all bitter about west-coast Autumns not living up to her standards of Autumn as experienced in the far-superior Midwest]. Seriously though, soon enough it will be cold and rainy, so I am happy to bust out the sundresses for now.

And now for something completely different.

Does anyone else freak out when they hear Beethoven's 5th symphony? You know the one, BA-BA-BA-BUUUUUMMMMMM I WILL BASH YOU OVER THE HEAD WITH THIS MOTIVE UNTIL YOUR HEART EXPLODES FROM THE STRESS OF THE INTENSITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, you don't? Oh. I didn't used to either, but about a year ago we listened to the whole first movement in a class I was teaching. All the blood rushed to my head. My heart raced. Breathing required great intention. I wanted to run the hell away, or scream, or cry, or all of the above. I thought, or hoped, this was a one-time deal, but it happened again last week. I need to make peace with Beethoven, or at least figure out why/how he does this to me. I thought about making a new arrangement of the symphony that would make it sound ridiculous and completely not-angsty. Instead I downloaded a recording and took it with me to hike in the hills. It was just me and Beethoven duking it out in the wilderness. Dust and sweat and fate knocking. I gathered my bearings. Took a deep breath. Pressed play.

Nothing happened.

This interpretation, for whatever reason, has no such power over me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63xPUGpAS-c&feature=related

But this one, oh yes it does: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRgXUFnfKIY

I haven't been able to pin down what it is. Are there any pieces of music that give you a visceral, uncontrollable, physiological reaction? Does the context or particular recording make any difference?

Spasso

The Nitty Gritty

Spasso
Location: 6014 College, near Claremont
Hours: every day 7am-7:30pm


Java: $1.75 (house coffee, organic, fair-trade) - $4.25 (large honey vanilla latte)
Goodies: $1.50 (Russian tea cake) - $2.75 (giant fudge brownie)
Breakfast: $1.25 (plain bagel) - $5.50 (egg and sausage bagel)
Lunch/Dinner: $0.60 (falafel) - $5.95 (specialty sandwiches)

Credit cards: yup yup ($5 minimum)

WiFi: Ask and you shall receive. For free!
Power outlets: Bountiful. Surge strips and everything!
Bathroom: Exists!


Seating: The gamut. Authentically vintage, shabby, variously-orange-colored chairs by a bright yellow wall with gorgeous sunset photographs. IKEA-esque neo-Victorian easy chairs by a charming brick wall. A sort of church pew with small marble and iron tables. In the back, your usual run-of-the-mill cafe tables and chairs.


Music: A full Zoe Deschanel album, followed by some Bob Marley. The continuity of hearing whole albums was good for the productivity vibe. The fact that it was all feel-good music didn't hurt either.


Ambient noise: Everyone here seemed to be on a solo work-mission. I honestly didn't hear anyone talk except when they were ordering.


Temperature: It was 90 degrees outside today, so it was a bit warm inside, but not nearly as bad as at the Beanery the other day. Front and back doors were propped open, and there are a couple of ceiling fans in the back.


Parking: Paid parking on College, or the usual side-street-except-on-cleaning-days situation.


Bicycle parking: Plenty--there's even a full bike rack at the bike shop across the street.


Biggest pro: I don't know if I can choose just one! I really dig the ambiance. I feel like I'm sitting in a friend's living room.


Biggest con: It could almost be *too* comfy, if I were trying to do really intense work.


Recommended for:Working, a snack or lunch, meeting a friend


Not recommended for:Writing a paper--you'll enjoy sitting here, the free WiFi will provide ample distraction, and it will therefore take you forever to accomplish anything.


I walked in here and decided instantly that it is my new favorite place. From there, Spasso continued convincing me that it is my favorite place. Looking at the menu, S'mug Bastard and I were temporarily stunned. Eventually S'Bastard broke the silence to say "I think we should keep coming back here until we've tried everything."


There's a modest (but tasty) selection of baked goodies, lots of Mediterranean food, smoothies, and a few other specialty drinks. On this uncharacteristically hot day, their fresh iced teas looked wonderful and didn't disappoint. The raspberry variety was sharply fruity, without tasting sweet. Perfect. The rose water quencher lived up to its name, with wonderfully delicate color and flavor. There are even neon-colored straws to enhance your sipping experience.


For lunch I ordered a babaganouch sandwich, which was good, but not stellar. Thin, unmemorable wheat bread, with delicious purple olives, fresh and flavorful avocado slices, and mildly garlicky babaganouch. It would have worked better as a wrap, mostly for logistical reasons. S'Bastard opted for a curried chicken turnover. "It was actually a giant, oversized pirozhok." Survey says that it was tasty, but it was nuked in the microwave, so the bottom got a bit soggy.


The photos in the link make Spasso look sleeker than it is. It's far more charming than all that. Like S'Bitch told 'ya, the front half is like chilling in your very stylish (but thrifty) friend's living room. The back is trying very hard to make you feel like you're in some tropical location, with bright yellows and oranges, skylights in a raftered ceiling, foliage real and fake, and one giant wall mural. Also, a glass display case full of variously exotic tea pots, textiles, and anything else they felt like throwing in there. Quite possibly trying a little bit too hard, but it's cute.


Another plus (my tangent for the day) is that directly across the road, you find TranSports, an running/swimming store where you can buy these:




I am very excited about these. It's like being barefoot at all times, only you can still get service as long as you keep your shirt on! (Note to self: do an experiment. Find out if I can get service while wearing nothing but these and a shirt.) TranSports has a whole bunch of different Five Fingers shoes. These ones are leather, and will from now on be my dress-shoes. But there are sporty-lookin' ones in all colors! Some have cushioning kinda like a running shoe, and some genuinely try to make you feel like you have naked feet. And anything that makes one feel a little bit more naked is a good thing in S'Bitch's book.

People's Cafe

The Nitty Gritty 
People's Cafe

Location: 2015 Shattuck (near University)

Hours: daily 7am - midnight

Java: $1.25 (small house blend) - $4.00 (large caramel mocha)

Breakfast: $1.25 (bagel with butter) - $4.95 (lox bagel)

Lunch/Dinner: sandwiches and wraps run from $4.75 - $6.50 (with a Cesar salad)

Credit cards: you got it.

WiFi: no questions asked.

Power outlets: all over the place.

Bathroom: yep. Give the door a good solid push--it pretends it's locked when it isn't.

Seating: Long bench/booths and chairs. Not very comfortable--I wouldn't want to sit here for longer than an hour or two.

Music: Currently there's some kind of - well, sounds like Carnatic techno to me - coming from the front half of the cafe, while the back (where I'm sitting) is streaming instrumental smooth jazz. The overlap is a bit grating, but the music on this side is so ambient-y that I didn't even notice it until I started to type this up. Luckily both tracks are quiet, so I can resolve the clash with some noise-canceling action.

Ambient noise: Quiet today--everybody's working.

Temperature: Just right, though I imagine the front half might get drafty on colder days.

Parking: Pretty much all metered around here, but there are ramps nearby, too.

Bicycle parking: Bike racks to be found at least every couple of blocks, but make sure to lock all components around here.

Biggest pro: The variety of people in here is so Berkeley you won't even know what to do. Today everyone appears to be about 18-25. The guy next to me is rockin' some dreadlocks, doing badass 3D models on his computer (an architect?), with a giant stack of well-used legal pads sitting next to him. Across from me is a young woman mumbling aloud as she intently writes something. Next to her, two bearded, bespectacled hipster boys, one of them wearing ridiculously large headphones and feverishly drawing with a charcoal pencil with a fervor that has caused his legs to contort in a spectacular way. Or maybe it's something in the air on that side of the room, because the next patron down the line also has his legs tucked under him. He's so buried in his laptop screen that I wonder how many hours it's been since he came up for air. Does he even remember where he is?

Biggest con:  Benches are pretty uncomfortable.

Recommended for: A quick sit-down, coffee, meetup with a friend

Not recommended for: A long day of serious cafe-sitting, a tasty meal

Allow me to elaborate on that last point. The sandwiches and wraps here are acceptable, and they are also served warm, which is a nice touch. They just aren't anything to get excited about, and your tastebuds will agree. Today I ordered a tuna melt on whole-grain, which looked promising. Nice nutty bread, lettuce, sprouts, and pickles, plenty of tuna. Unfortunately, the most flavorful ingredient was the iceberg lettuce. Granted this is quite a feat, and it was the healthiest-looking iceberg I've seen in a long time, but who loves a lettuce sandwich? I should have spent the extra fifty cents to add cheese.

I was here to meet up with a woman who I'm pairing up with to lead a seminar on Wednesday. We've been reading about copyright law and what it means for creative folks who work in genres that are considered "traditional". Tradition depends on the notion of collective creativity, that is, people collaborate to produce something, and nobody cares whose "original" idea it was. But the people who write legislation operate under the assumption that one person comes up with an idea or creates an object, and this is then adopted by an entire community. Therefore, copyright law need only protect individual artists.

So what happens when a first world artist hops around the third world making field recordings, uses them to produce a record that is then commercialized, and gives no royalties or credit to the (often impoverished) community who developed and performed the music on the recording? Or some affluent white visual artist sees a cool "Native" design somewhere, stylizes it, puts it on a t-shirt/keychain/magnet and sells the hell out of it? Who owns that design?

Now take it a step further. Pharmaceutical companies are constantly trolling folk knowledge of marginalized cultures, to see what plants are being used medicinally. They take these ideas, test them in a lab, then patent them. How often do you think the holders of this folk knowledge can actually afford the medicines that the pharmaceutical companies use to make bank?

On the other hand, what would a different sort of legislation look like? Can a community own an idea, a design, a song? That's a dangerous thought too. How would knowledge and aesthetics circulate? Who would the royalties go to? Who would decide if an outsider gets permission to perform this song, take this medicine?

I don't have any answers. Maybe we'll collaboratively come up with something in this seminar tomorrow. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the issue, even if you're just going to offer an anecdote that complicates the matter even further. If this sort of puzzle turns you on, check out this article too: http://www.slate.com/id/2267004/

Back to the cafe. It was a good central location to meet, and it was kind of funny to talk about this heady stuff with a backdrop of comic book covers and a giant mural of a volcano. Nobody seemed to be bothered that we were talking; in fact, more people started chatting once we'd broken that ice.

Too much thinking today. Sorry for the lack of snark in this post--my brain is uncharacteristically stuck in serious mode. S'Bitch will soon be back and S'mug as ever. Promise.

Hudson Bay Cafe

The Nitty Gritty

Hudson Bay Cafe

Location: College and Manila

Hours: Mon-Fri  6am-8pm; Sat-Sun 7am-7pm

Java: $1.56 (drip coffee) - $4.10 (double mocha, double caramel latte)

Goodies: $1.85 (various kinds of large, delicious looking cookies) - $2.00 (big, crumbly scones)

Breakfast: $2.25 (bagel with hummus) - $4.25 (bacon, egg and cheese bagel)

Lunch/Dinner: $3.75 (cup of soup du jour) - $6.95 (veggie lasagna)

Credit cards: It really *is* everywhere you want to be.

WiFi: Just ask for the key when you order. You get one hour per $3 purchase. *UPDATE* This is what they tell you, but it's on-your-honor. You don't get booted after an hour.

Power outlets: Requires a bit of tactical maneuvering, but there are plenty.

Bathroom: Clean, odor/fragrance free, and adorably asymmetrical.

Seating: Sofa and easy chairs with excellent window lighting, if you can nab them before someone else does. For the rest of us, there’s a counter facing out toward college (this is where the outlets are), and lots of tables and chairs big enough for 2 or 4 people. There are also a couple of bar seats.

Music: Radio, so I can’t guarantee what you’ll get. Today it was primarily early folk rock, but thrown into the mix were some newer bands that try for the same sort of vibe. And, inexplicably, a Chuck Barry cover artist. The volume was unobtrusive, but loud enough that your headphones would require an uncomfortable number of Hertz (Haha, get it? Uncomfortable because it HERTZ?! Damn I am one funny S’Bitch) if you wanted to drown it out. [note: I realize that Hz is not actually a measure of amplitude. BUT higher frequencies - more Hz - do lead to an increase in our perception of loudness. So there.]

Ambient noise: Almost everyone here is dutifully typing away. There’s a minimum of quiet chatter, and the charming squeak of hinges on the front and bathroom doors.

Temperature: I was here on a chilly day, and the temperature inside was just right, even though I was sitting near the door and folks were going in and out a lot.

Parking: The side-streets here have free FOUR hour parking. Bonus!

Bicycle parking: You’ll have to go around the corner and make a hitchin’-post of a street sign, but I wouldn’t hesitate to park even my nice bike around here (locked up, of course).

Biggest pro: Really conducive to work. Nice, but not comfy enough to make you want to stay all day and check your email just one more time.

Biggest con: Need for outlets limits seating options.

Recommended for: Working at the counter, cozying up on the couch with a good book

Not recommended for: Conversations that you wouldn't like everyone present to hear

I wish I had an awesome story to tell you, but really we just sat and worked. Like, we were ridiculously productive. I rewarded myself with a slice of the pumpkin bread, which was amaaaazing. As S'mug Bastard pointed out, it actually tasted like pumpkin. It still had all your classic pumpkin spices, but not so much of them as to overwhelm the pumpkiny goodness. I think there might have even been cream cheese in it. Such a good plan.

As far as cafe atmosphere goes, I'm not super excited about this place. I am excited about the imbibables and prices thereof, and Hudson's feasibility as a workplace. I will definitely be back.

The Elmwood Café/ Ozzie’s Soda Fountain

S’mug Bitch here, coming atcha from sunny Elmwood for the inaugural café-judgin’ S’MUG entry. Today I’m roaming around with my partner in culinary/caffeinated crime, S’mug Bastard. Because it’s a beautiful day, our first stop is not only a café, but also a soda fountain. Before I go on, here are the basics.

  

The Nitty Gritty

The Elmwood Café/ Ozzie’s Soda Fountain

Location: 2900 College Ave, Berkeley

Hours: 7am - 10pm daily

Credit cards: Approved!

WiFi: Negative.

Power outlets: Nyet.

Bathroom: Yes.

Parking: Slightly hard to find on this lovely strip of College Ave, but it’s easy enough to find a spot on a residential side street (non-metered!).

Bicycle parking: Bike rack right out front.

Java: $1.50 (espresso) - $5.00 (double mocha) 

Goodies: $1.50 (snickerdoodle) - $5.25 (tart) 

Food: $3.50 (arugala, summer squash and parmesan frittata) - $9.00 (smoked salmon with cucumber, peppered crème fraiche, red onion and lemon zest on acme levain)

Seating: Small square tables that can be pushed together to form mega-tables! Facing out to College Ave is a long wooden bench, so it’s great for people watching. On nice days, there are small outdoor tables as well.

Music: Mostly light jazz, but not the kind that’s actually a ridiculous cover of a pop tune, masquerading as jazz by dressing itself up with a saxophone. Low volume, unobtrusive, just enough to distract you from the conversations of the people next to you. You could easily listen to something else with headphones, without cranking the volume.

Ambient noise: Pretty quiet. There’s not room for many people, so the baristas aren’t constantly calling out names. All the patrons tend to keep their voices down.

Temperature: On a nice day, the doors are open and it’s pleasantly warm inside. On hot days, the AC is blasting and you might want a jacket.

 
Biggest pro: House-made sodas. Every day they have at least two flavors of fresh syrups (mint, lime, vanilla, cranberry, and kumquat are just a few examples) that they blend with soda water for a really refreshing treat. 

Biggest con: Lack of WiFi and outlets rule this one out for those with techie umbilical cords.

Recommended for: Whetting your whistle, reading, writing (by hand), daydreaming, people watching

Not recommended for: Computer work, groups of more than four people

The Elmwood Café is not particularly big, but the high ceilings and enormous windows make it feel very spacious. On a Sunday morning, it’s a perfect spot to sit outside and eat a delicious breakfast while happy people hike up toward the Claremont Hotel. The savory bread pudding is to die for, and may inspire you to try making your own (which I highly recommend). 

Before I forget, I should add that this cafe has its own special blend and roast of coffee beans, which I have never tried. I hear good things, but I never think to go here when I need a coffee--I'm always drawn by the sodas.

Baked goodies are reasonably priced, but not especially exciting. Today, my mango bread pudding was delicious on its crispy, crumbly top, but the moist bottom half inexplicably smacked of dried seaweed. Not strongly, but I couldn’t shake the association, and S'bastard agreed with me. Definitely not the best thing I’ve tried here, but it seems to be an anomaly. S’bastard also had a biscuit that came with lovely strawberry jam, and was SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!

 screenshots from Despicable Me

In both cases, inexplicable fishy taste aside, the food was better than various things we had eaten in the last 24 hours. S'bastard was trying to decided whether he wanted more to eat, and one of his considerations was the fact that he'd had a small and not especially satisfying breakfast. A bowl of oatmeal with various good things on top sounds satisfying enough, until you account for the fact that it was a small bowl, and upon eating his way past the various good things, he realized they were masking the fact that there were CRAWLIES in the oatmeal. The ones he was eating were dead from being boiled, but the ones in the oatmeal container were still wriggling.

Now, here's where things get weird. Last night, the same thing happened to me, only it was some dried lentil soup that I purchased from the bulk bins at Berkeley Bowl...er...I don't remember how long ago. 

::shameface:: 

I downed almost an entire bowl of it before noticing the tiny white intruders. Effing imperialists, colonizing my dinner.

Ultimately our stay here was short, because we actually did need WiFi. And tacos. But that's a story for another time.

It starts.

In the beginning, there was one S'mug Bitch. Why was she smug, you ask? Well, lucky for you, she's willing to boast (but just this once). The "S" in "S'Bitch" stands for a whole semester of four-day weekends. After sustaining years of torment at the hands of a graduate program that had no idea what to do with her, S'Bitch has finally seen to it that she is only required to be on campus three days per week.

The upside to this is, well, it's an upside in and of itself. The downside is that if S'Bitch stays home on Mondays and Fridays, she will sit in bed. Yes, she will sit in bed watching Buffy, reading sci-fi, playing computer games, and not accomplishing doodley squat. S'Bitch likes to be a productive member of society. She's got ideas and things to do. But S'Bitch also has inertia issues (a Bitch at rest tends to stay at rest).

Why am I telling you this? Because it is the reason this blog is happening. S'Bitch decided that I (for I am she) need to take my work to new and exciting locations, lest I contract a serious case of Oblomovitis. Since working on campus will plunge me into a vat of despair (please excuse the hyperbole), I will be cafe hopping in search of the perfect conditions for productivity. And then blogging about it instead of actually being productive.

Finding a good cafe has always seemed something of a mystery to me. Every Yelp review I read has a lot of satisfied customers, and a lot of disgruntled ones. Why, I lamented, isn't there one central website where I can find a list of great cafes? I wish there were one person, someone deliciously saucy; one wiser, more beautiful, charming and intelligent than all the other Yelp reviewers, who could just tell me where to find what I am looking for.

That's where I come in.

via annetaintor.com

At least once a week, but often twice or thrice, I will visit an as-yet unreviewed (by S'Bitch) cafe, and I will tell you everything that you (er...I) ever wanted to know about it. There will be enough snark for everyone, so bring your friends!