Eric "Howsitgoing.eh?" B.'s Profile

Back in the mid-1990s, Black Diamond ran a Brew Pub on North Main in Walnut Creek. I remember bringing some out-of-town guests here and we enjoyed our craft beers downstairs and the menu upstairs. Then one day I noticed they were closed and that the Harley Davidson dealer had moved in. However, I still noticed the beer at bars and restaurants and on sale at my local Grocery Outlet.

The Black Diamond name is not derived from a few enthusiastic skiers that loved to pound down a few beers and ski expert slopes all day. Instead, the name refers to "Black Diamonds" that were extracted from from the local coal mines during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Those old mines still exist in Antioch as part of the East Bay Regional Park District, and that's where you can spend a pleasant day of hiking and exploration within the Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. And if that week day hike wraps up during the late afternoon or early evening, it's only a short drive to the Black Diamond Brewing Company Tap Room to finish up with a cold one.  

The Tap Room is tucked away within an Industrial Park area and right across the street from the Muir Laboratory Building. I stopped in after work and enjoyed hanging out with a 10-ounce glass of Rampage Imperial IPA and a complimentary bowl of pretzels. I was a Happy Hoppy Guy! I also counted a total of 8 taps, so there's plenty of choice. However, there's no other food available, unless you bring it in yourself.

The Tap Room was nice and could probably hold 20 people comfortably. There's a nice bar in the back of the room, tables in the front and a decent partial view of the hills of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station to gaze at and wonder. There were also a few big flat screen TVs (for sports viewing) and just a few other folks doing what I was doing. I'm sure to be back and could also see being here for a small event or party. I really like enjoying my beer this way (or To Go).

I fondly recall the childhood "Garage Band" down the street in NW Iowa. Although the instruments and surroundings were a bit funky and worn, my musician friends produced really good music. It was a labour of love and we all become fans. One such group became the Sensational Soul Company (SSC) and later appeared on on ABC-TV's "Happening 69/Battle of the Bands" in California. They appeared on two shows, winning the first round and losing the second. The shows featured Paul Revere and the Raiders, Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, Freddy Weller and the first appearance of a new group called "3 Dog Night."  Ya never know....

Ale Industries is my current "Garage Band" for Beer. They're located way in the back of a nondescript industrial building and right next to Beer, Beer, and More Beer. The space was formally used by E.J. Phair and can be described as somewhere between a big home brewing operation and an industrial pilot plant. It's clearly a labour of love for the folks who work here and their enthusiasm about their product is contagious. I first tasted their Rye'd Piper at an Oakland Crucible event and now that I've tasted this beer love, I want more! Tap Room hours are currently limited to short hours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but you can buy a big bottle or 2 next door. And dontcha know, this could be the beginning of something big...

When Gayle and I were in Barcelona last year, we tasted a Beer (whose name escapes me) that was advertised as being developed by by wine makers who wished for a similar tasting experience for a complex ale. That certainly was a different experience as we swirled, sniffed for its nose, and slowly sipped our way down to the bottom of the glass. I should have brought some home, but at the El Prat Airport, a Gaudi-inspired carafe of Torres Brandy beat me to the carry-on punch.

ØL Beer Cafe and Bottle Shop is a place to have a similar beer tasting experience. This Trappist Doppelganger serves hard to find drafts and stocks hundreds bottles of carefully chosen and well cared for beer. There are also various configurations of glasses available for sale to further match more sophisticated preferences than I have. I'm remain fundamentally a quaffer.

Not surprisingly, the selection favours Belgian and Belgian Style Beers, and there are 4 main options available to imbibe. The handsome and comfortable wood-accented front room has tables to hang out with your beer, and order snacks (including Pizza from Skipolini's next door). Then there's the separate bottle shop, a rustic bar, and well stocked refrigerator displays. I also noticed 2 prices on each bottle, depending on whether I wanted to drink in or take out.

My only quibbles were:

- The guy running the place definitely knew his beer, but considering my wine shop experiences was surprisingly reserved. I'm more used to folks talking up their selections.

- I wish ØL could find a small space in their selection for local beers such as Linden Street, Ale Industries, Trummer Pils, and Heretic.

I ended up with a nice 4-pack of Green Flash beers (from San Diego) and a clear intention to come back with friends. And since it's close to Gayle's work and I sometimes have to wait for her to finish up, I could easily see myself making myself right at home here.

Beer Beer and More Beer also offers More Flavor and More Wine in their portfolio. Turn right at Costco off the Monument Corridor and enter an Industrial Park address that is run and patronized by folks who love to make their own stuff and tell you all about it. And if you wander across the lot and back, you'll find Ale Industries and a glass of Rye'd Piper if you happen by on Thursday, Friday and Saturday between 3-7 PM.

Once inside, I found about everything needed to make my own stuff (maybe later) and a working "laboratory" in full small batch production swing. That slows service down a bit if they're in the middle of a step. In the meantime, I watched the action, admired some of the glassware, and picked out a few bottles of Heretic (Evil Cousin and Evil Twin) of of the cooler to take home and enjoy. Beer from Pittsburg? Moooo!

Gayle and I braved a Friday Night rainstorm and an Occupy protest to come into the City and have Dinner at Albona with Ben P. and his lovely wife Amy. Both are moving to Miami next month, and this was a chance to talk about this exciting new chapter in their lives and to catch up since our last dinner together. I'm also hoping that after his move, Ben starts writing Yelp reviews again, regains his Elite Badge, and otherwise enhances the Magic City by his hard work and wicked smart personality. To get him started, Gayle and I presented him and Wifey a copy of Scarface (which includes a digital "F Bomb" counter).

Since we're from the Midwest, all 4 of us arrived early for our 7:30 PM dinner date. Some good neighbourhood parking Karma and a keen eye for locating Albona's understated exterior also helped. Gayle and I also learned quickly that Ben is a "regular" here, or as he joked, it's one of the few situations where his association with a restaurant is a good thing. The practical upshot was that we were well taken care during the evening, starting with a glass of Prosecco when we first sat down. That high level of service continued through 2 appetizers, a couple bottles of excellent red wine, the main courses, dessert, and being greeted and thanked by the Chef at the end.  You would think that Ben and Amy were VIPs here, but I did make sure that we split the check even with all that charm, class, and wit that was flying around.

The dining room was well appointed, intimate, and was very conducive to the engaging and enjoyable 3 hour dinner conversation that ensued. Our lives intersect in various places (like St. Louis Park, MN) and it was fun to talk from various common frames of reference. The food was also fabulous, and when you combine that with the ambiance, the service, and the company, times like this make me wish I could throw in a 6th Star for Gestalt.

This is my neighbourhood Walgreens, which also conveniently shares the same lot with Chipolte and REI. This also makes parking here either easy or hard, depending on chance and traffic on Gilman. If necessary, I'll park across the street at Office Depot. And once I'm here, why not shop at all the mentioned stores and throw in Fenton MacLaren, Hida Tool, Happy Donuts, and even Tokyo Fish Market for good measure?

Once I'm inside, this Walgreen's is pretty much like all the others. In addition, it's my backup Pharmacy (after the Albany Target). And as Mr. Spock might say, the service and selection is adequate. After all, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.

In my lifetime, I have been a passenger on various buses including:

A School Bus
An Amtrak Connector Bus from a Train Station
A Bus to an Atlantic City Casino for a day of gambling.
Group Event Buses to Ski Areas, Baseball Games, Etc.
Shuttle Buses To and From an Airport
Public Transit Buses
Tour Buses
A Bus Tour Through Europe
Double Dutch Bus!

And of course an occasional Greyhound Bus.

A Greyhound bus station offers interesting people watching and a chance for cheap travel ling of the last resort. It's also important to take the right safety precautions, both on the bus and in this neighborhood.

As we entered Limón Rotisserie last night, Gayle muttered under her breath that "Eric B. of Yelp" had entered the room. I rolled my eyes and hoped that no one was within earshot. It's all part of a running joke about friends who have gone on Yelp and found my name or Gayle's listed or mentioned. For this night out, Gayle's Nephew had gone into Yelp and based on the ratings suggested Limón as a place for Dinner. And ever since an amazing dinner at Andina in Portland a few years ago, Gayle and I have never turned down a Peruvian meal opportunity.

I immediately liked the Limón space for it's smallish neighbourhood feel and fun energy. I also appreciated that the service was friendly, helpful, and fast and that "Dinner Karma" had put the 4 of us at the corner window.

The food was wonderful, although I really do need to eat here a few more times to fully explore the menu and calibrate the portions. For example, my empanadas were outstanding, but seemed a little small. On the other hand, Gayle's Nephew ordered a half chicken with 2 sides and that was plenty of food. Gayle and my Son also enjoyed  their orders, and with a little dessert at the end, we all had fun sharing. I also appreciated the selection of wines from Portugal, Spain, and Latin America. My Alentejo Red (near Évora) went very well with the selections on the Table.

Eric B. needs to come down to the Mission more often.....

As far as chain Fried Chicken places go, Popeyes is a step above KFC or Church's for all that's worth. Jodi's in Albany is the best BTW, providing that he's finally made peace with the Health Department.

This particular Popeyes location also has the advantage of being on the way home and competes with the nearby Jack In The Box for my Fast Food affections. And that spicy chicken can be tempting. More often, a nice veggie Arizmendi or Cheese Board Pizza is the best "healthy" choice if I'm not going to cook at home that night.

Gayle and I, plus the Kid took BART into The City to see her Nephew and take him to Dinner. As a bonus, we also have the opportunity to see his shared flat and explore the neighbourhood a little bit.

Our Dinner was NOT spent at this McDonald's. However, when we got off BART, it was cold, the Kid needed a snack to carry him over, and the Golden Arches were just across the street. Our Nephew then met us here. This place reminds Community dining hall and features a wide variety of folks of all ages and backgrounds. Service was surprisingly pleasant and helpful, and we really enjoyed our short time hanging out (during daylight hours).