And if you enjoy authentic Irish food, this is the place to go. If you don't, then you might want to try some of the other eateries on Shattuck.

Bangers n mash, corned beef and cabbage, shepherd's pie, fish and chips - enjoy!

Love Jupiter's. Their pizza is very good, thin crust, lots of sauce and toppings. Jupiter's beer is even better - sometimes they have a double bock that will knock your socks off.

The outside patio is large, and there is frequently live music.

Only thing that can be a challenge is getting a parking spot, best luck is to park up by the campus, on Oxford Street.

We were walking down Telegraph, looking for a place for cheap eats. Smart Alec's was packed - always a good sign, and had a long line (another good sign).

We tried the avocado veggie burger with air-baked fries, corn chowder with cornbread, and a mango smoothie. Everything was surprisingly good! Especially the air-baked fries, which my sweetie didn't believe until I showed him menu. Low fat, tasted just like the greasy fries we usually love!

A lot of my friends are new parents, and figuring out what the new baby needs is often overwhelming! Sessions like this one help sort it out in a short amount of time.

Not sure how much of this session will be devoted to Seventh Generation products (the sponsor), but I use several of their products in my home - the all-purpose mandarin & leaf cleaner works well and smells amazing!

I love Crossroads! Where else could I find a pair of Camper shoes, nearly new, for $35?

I find most of my favorite pieces at Crossroads - they have an eye for choosing unusual clothes that make shopping there a unique experience!

This is a nice, large Border's, complete with cafe (and an international food court next door). It's location is a little inconvenient, because it requires taking a few left hand turns around the poorly-planned Powell/Shellmound/Bay street section of Emeryville.

They have a great selection of stationery and gift items too, and staff is friendly.

Move over, bread basket - pass the popovers! They serve them fresh out of the oven, with a little butter. Heaven is a hot popover, I swear.

Station House Cafe is the place I go to after a good long hike in Point reyes. They serve lots of locally grown, organic produce, as well as locally caught fish.

If you like oysters, there's no shortage of preparation options - get them barbequed, raw, fried in cornmeal, or even in an oyster stew.

I love stopping here on my way up to Point Reyes. You can sample and buy freshly made cheeses in the store, or sit next to the pond and watch the Canadian geese go out of their way to get out of YOUR way.

If you love stinky (we're talking room-clearing stink levels), try the Schloss cheese. It's good, but it's not for everybody.

Enjoyable place for a mani/pedi, love the way the spa is decorated: mostly white, with beautiful blown glass lamp shades in pinks, purples, blues and greens.

My mani/pedi was good, especially the calf and arm massages. I still enjoy the atmosphere at Polished Lounge more, but this is a nice alternative.

Went here for the first time with a group of six, for a wedding planning session - what a cool place! Crossroads is a large cafe, with ample indoor and outdoor seating. They even have a little bookstore inside, should you need something new to read.

Service was a little spotty - they were training new staff, and it was obvious. I ordered the pear and brie focaccia, which wasn't very good, but everything else was tasty. The outdoor seating is fantastic - got my first sunburn of the year out there!

Okay, maybe not really that many, but it sure seems like it. Fenton's is a classic ice cream/sandwich joint, with the ability to render you round and sugar-stuffed during your short visit.

Make your own ice cream sundae - choose ice cream flavors, sauces, toppings...the combinations are almost infinite! Just make sure you bring a friend to share your sundae, because there's no way you'll finish it yourself.

That about sums up my last night at Left at Albuquerque. Food is good, drinks are better, and with a gazillion tequilas available, how can you not try a few?

One word of advice: stop before you make oral-muscular contact with the floor.

Love, love, love Liverpool Lil's!

This place is a throwback to San Francisco's seedier days. Wood paneled walls, nautical decor, and crusty clientele lend L.L. some serious charm.

Drinks are good (and strong), food is good too, lots of seafood options. Easy place to grab an easy dinner, settle in for some entertaining conversation with the other patrons...before rolling out into another night of San Francisco fog.

I'm a fan of Gordon Biersch beers, especially their Marzen. The food is okay, mostly standard greasy bar food dressed up a notch or two.

I've been to GB several times, and the fact that I can't recall one dish is a testament to their beers, but unfortunately a strike against their menu!

Great people-watching here, both in the bar, and watching SOMA locals and business people walk by.

Try the seasonal brews. Last time I went they had a watermelon beer that went down smooth.

Love the new ballpark! Despite its many name changes, this is a really enjoyable place to catch a game.

Watch the game for free along the back right side of the field. You can stand on the walkway and look right into the field.

Good food too, though you'll pay dearly for it. $8 for a Bud Light? Ouch!

Saw these guys perform at HP Pavilion last night during a quick 20 minute set. It was clear that they really enjoyed jamming together, and the lead singer was doing handstands and flips off his keyboard. Must have a limber spine!

Couldn't really understand the words because the sound was a little off. I'd like to see them again at a smaller venue.

The arena is nice, it feels small and no seat is really too far form the floor or stage.

Their food vendors though - yuck! Last night's selection included fried chicken "tenders", hot dogs, or reheated hamburgers. At $7.50/burger, it should be better than what they were serving last night.

C'mon people! Go visit PacBell Park (or is it AT&T Park now) and see what they're doing - gelato, clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls, fresh Mexican food...puts HP Pavilion food to shame.

I went to Village Bakery with my mom, during a much-needed lunch break during our holiday shopping.

These folks are doing something right - every table was filled, and we waited 10 minutes to place our order because the line was so long! Food was tasty, good sandwiches with inventive spreads. Fresh, tasty, reasonably priced. Highly recommend!

Get treated like a celebrity - or mistaken for one - at this luxurious resort where Hollywood A-listers are known to hang out.

At the pool, cabana boys come by with ice water, a cold wash cloth, or to shift your umbrella as the sun journeys across the sky. Order a margarita and chips w/salsa, and enjoy the experience that is Sanctuary! Three days here felt like a week. Wonderful.

Approachable and interesting, the Heard has an impressive collection of Native American art, as well as interesting rotating exhibitions.

When I visited, they had an exhibit on "Indian Boarding Schools" - basically, an assimilation tactic used to separate Native American children from their families and become more "American". Children were punished for speaking their native tongue, and several students committed suicide. A well-presented exhibit on this little-known chapter of American history.

Frank Lloyd Wright - truly a Renaissance Man, in the sense that he invented, played, and created so many things that we take for granted today.

I highly recommend taking the 1.5 hour tour. Learn a lot about FLW's life, his inventions, and see the original furniture and art created by Mr. Wright.

The decor at Shibuya is gorgeous, reminds me a little bit of Nobu in South Beach. Dishes are fresh, inventive, and expensive. This is the place to come on an expense account, or someone else's dime - I recall our bill came to ~$180/person.

I stayed here while in town for a conference, and literally did not leave the building for three days! Mandalay Bay is a small town (albeit a posh one), with several restaurants, cafes, a spa, casino, and several hundred rooms.

My room was nice, but a little tired - cigarette holes on the bedspread, but generally clean. The bathroom was AMAZING - almost as big as the bedroom, no joke.

Somehow, I just feel better when I see the animals have a little space to roam. At Oakland Zoo, they have plenty! Huge enclosures.

It is consistently warmer in Oakland than San Francisco too, which makes for a more pleasant visit. While seeing tigers in the fog may be more romantic, I prefer to see my tigers at 300 yards, thank you very much!

If you're one of those folks who wears "I Hella "Heart" Oakland" T-shirts, then you already know all about Yoshi's. If not, read on...

Despite its world-class jazz status, I haven't seen a show here - yet! But I have eaten at the restaurant, and their sushi is reaaallly good.

Diverse crowd too, Chinese businessmen taking shots of sake, Oakland ladies with their Sunday hats, young couples out on early dates...

This is my local theatre for mass-release films. It's fairly new, seats are comfortable and staggered so I'm not usually staring at the back of someone's head (unless said person is 6'4" and the theatre is packed, dammit).

The parking garage is convenient, and there's lots of places to get food pre/post movie. My favorite is Asquew.

Buy a snack at the Barnes & Noble cafe, and they'll validate your parking!

Every time I go to Great Wall, I feel like I am inconveniencing the staff by showing up. They aren't very friendly, looking over my shoulder to see who else might be coming in. It just has sort of a sad feel to it.

The food is uninspired. As a vegetarian, I like the idea of having a Chinese veggie place in the neighborhood, but I can usually make something better than this at home. It's convenient, but not particularly tasty.

We tried Somerset a few months after it opened, and it's clear they were still working out the kinks. We had three different waiters come by to take our order, yet it was difficult to get our water glasses refilled.

I can't say much for the food - we went a few months a ago, and it wasn't very memorable. Given the dining options available in Rockridge, I probably wouldn't try it for dinner again. Their brunch menu looks good.

When I was a student at a *nearby* university, I used to come to Blake's a lot, until the bouncer confiscated my fake ID. Ok, it was my friend's driver's license, which said I was 5'9" so perhaps it was a bit of a long shot, seeing how I'm 5'3".

They make a mean Midori Sour, and it's a fun place to watch local bands. Navigating the stairs tot he basement (where the bands play) can be a little tricky after a couple drinks (they make 'em strong). Bring a friend for stairs support.

Market Hall is one of my favorite places to take out of town guests. It is comprised of several small specialty shops - there's a bakery, a pasta shop, a cheese counter, cafe, fresh produce, seafood counter, butcher's shop and wine store.

Oh, and I can't forget their fresh deli counter, where you can buy a wide variety of ready-made foods, including salads, freshly roasted chickens (Thai or Rosemary style), pates, lasagna, and much much more.

It isn't the cheapest spot to buy food, but Market Hall is the perfect place for high-quality local and imported food.

Did I mention their extensive olive bar?

I love this theatre! Teh screening rooms are tiny - maybe 60-75 seats? Makes for a very different movie experience, and it's enjoyable because you're really in there with the audience.

This theatre is close to lots of good places to catch a bite before or after the show - try Espresso Roma next door, or Manupuku across the street.

I love Oliveto's brunches - they usually have some simple sandwiches with amazing spreads, or a tasty salad comprised of locally-grown ingredients (they buy from some of the farmers out in nearby Brentwood).

Oliveto's also has a really good black breakfast tea that is infused with roses. The tea is perfumey, yet hearty and perfect for breakfast.

I've heard their dinners are spectacular, especially their themed dinners, like "The Whole Hog", where each course is a different part of the pig. They also have tomato and truffle themed dinners too, best to check their web site for what's up next.

The Greek is relatively small, maybe it can accommodate a crowd of 5,000? With stadium seating, there's really no bad seat in the house.

There's usually a standing room pit in front of the stage, and if you arrive a few minutes after the opening act begins you can usually squeeze right in there, because it's close to the entrance.

Also, if you're on a tight budget, just walk around the theater (behind the Foothill dorm) and hear the music for free - love those acoustics!

A French restaurant with all the traditional French bistro menu stand-bys, plus a few new entrees.

Food was hearty and good, though a little expensive for bistro food. Good French Onion Soup.

Went here with my in-laws awhile ago. The food was excellent, lots of fresh vegetables and oh-my-god-this-must-be-all-cream sauces. Decadent. Rich.

The atmosphere is formal - white table cloths, formal courses, etc. I prefer A Cote, the restaurant next door, as it has a casual, warmer feel and outside dining.

That said, if someone offered dinner at Citron, I wouldn't refuse! It's very good, just be prepared for a 3-hour dining experience.

Women: wear something pastel, bright and/or skin-baring. This is Newport after all, where flesh can be shown 360/365 days a year.

The food is very good - fresh seafood with interesting vegetable and fruit garnishes and sides. Not cheap, but a great place to go for a date or special night out.

I love the people watching - I've given you the uniform guidelines above, so now you know how to go undercover - or not.

The store's set is attractive, with a tea bar where you can sample whatever they are serving that day.

However, you can't sample teas that you might want to buy - huh? At the high prices I saw, I expect to eb able to taste before I buy.

They also store their tea in large glass canisters. Pretty to view, but not good for the tea, because the light breaks it down more quickly. This store had BRIGHT lights.

I sampled a Ti Quan Yin, which they were touting as monkey-picked. It has no aroma, and little taste. Not a first class tea.

Save your money, go to Perennial Tea Shop or Floating Leaves Tea instead.

This is heaven. The most gorgeous flaky, buttery croissants ever. Gorgeous tarts and tartlets with quince and kumquat and good ole' fashioned lemon.

And the bread! This is the bread they use for food photo shoots. Beautiful to look at, even better to eat.

Why not 5 stars? Two reasons:
1. *Little* bit of attitude here, mostly from the clientele - this is a "I live in the Mission, I'm hip" sort of spot.
2. No canneles. If you haven't had one of these heavenly cakey morsels, get thee to a Dean & Delucca now, or better yet - go to Paris!

I like this place, I've come a couple times with friends sensitive to my veggie sensibilities. It's kind of a down-home meets cajun meets vegan meets tapas sort of place, with several fish, seitan, and tofu options.

I recommend trying the fried pickles as an appetizer. It sounds weird, it IS weird, but in a good way.

Close proximity to 16th Street BART station makes it easy to avoid the headache that can be parking in the Mission.

I grew up skiing at Dodge Ridge. The first day I took lessons, and forgot to wear sunglasses - I was snowblind the next day!

Dodge Ridge is a great resort, a world apart from the overcrowded Tahoe resorts. They offer lots of classes for children and beginners, and the lift ticket prices are reasonable (and you can buy discount passes at Valley Sporting Goods in Modesto).

They upgraded their cafeteria a few years ago, and the food selection is diverse and tasty. It ain't just hot dogs and hamburgers here!

During the summer, they rent out the "lodge" for special events. A couple friends got married at one of the vista lookout points a few miles up Highway 108, and had their reception at Dodge Ridge. We ate out on the deck, danced to the DJ's tunes, and had the mountain all to ourselves.

The only ski resort within Yosemite National Park! This small resort caters to families, and often has great packages tied in with the lodging options in Yosemite Valley. I stayed at Camp Curry in a heated cabin, and got two free lift passes and free shuttle to/from the ski resort.

This is gorgeous place to go cross country skiing too. One trip I hope to do soon is the overnight trip to Glacier Point.

A couple friends had been raving about this place, so we met them for dinner - and we were not disappointed!

Aqua Shi has gorgeous decor, and the food was amazing too. Lots of interesting rolls, and the fish was very fresh.

They had a semi-private room in the back, which looked like it would be good for private parties or networking events.

I LOVE Dewz! I came here to celebrate a girlfriend's birthday, and was very impressed with their menu and wine list. I think they had a Captain's list which listed over 1,000 options...some good stuff.

Dewz is a great place to go for a special occasion, or to impress a date. I look forward to bringing my sweetie here soon!

Stadium seating, big theatre in the heart of downtown Modesto. Parking is convenient (there's a garage or lots of street parking if you're willing to walk a few blocks). Lot sof restaurants in the area too, so it's a good spot to have a "dinner and a movie date". If only they offered babysitting...

Okay, perhaps that's a *bit* of an overstatement, since I haven't traveled enough to definitely say it truly is the best - but it is the best ice cream I've ever tasted.

Ici makes weird and wonderful flavors fresh daily, like Cardamom, Malted Vanilla, Lavender and Honey, and Kiwi sorbet.

This place usually has a line out the door every night, including weekdays.