556772 Fri Sep 12 06:20:05 -0700 2008 6 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 4028836 Is there anyplace on Solano Ave in Albany or Berkeley worth checking out on the 34th annual Solano Ave Stroll? Any good eats? I've been to China Village & had Zachary's Pizza already. Website: http://www.solanoavenueassn.org/strol.htm Fri Sep 12 06:20:05 -0700 2008 10677 hhc 1 4030293 The Stroll is usually a pretty relaxed fun time. Several spots along the avenue to find live music you like. The usually snack throughout the day. If the Little Hoff Brau is there, I always stop by for their sausages and 'kraut, there's usually fresh grilled corn on the cob and BBQ skewers nearby. There was a decent Cajun stand closer to the top last year with passable jambalaya. The Xocolate bar is supposed to be having some giveaways, and hidden golden tickets game (a la Charlie & the Chocolate Factory). And if you want to pick up your 2009 Ecobooks, my Kiwanis Club will be selling those at our booth. Fri Sep 12 14:07:13 -0700 2008 4028836 72348 nicedragonboy 1 4030619 There is a street vendor who only sells garlic fries. The best I have had in the area. Crisp light fries with great but not overpowing garlic. Better than Taylors in the Ferry building or Gordon Biersch. Sorry but dont know the name of the stand. I hope he's there again this year. Fri Sep 12 15:56:04 -0700 2008 4028836 194514 slipson 1 4031882 Besides the usual street vendors (such as the gyros you could get anywhere), some local restaurants participate. Jodie's sets up tables on Masonic, just off Solano. The fried chicken is good. The rest of his long menu is online, if you're curious. T-Rex was doing BBQ last year. Also, 6-Degrees restaurant sells small plates out of their window. (I don't recommend the fried avocado. Other stuff was good.) As far as food goes, I prefer the West Berkeley festival earlier in the year. The Stroll is fun, but very crowded. If you need to escape, the Albany theater has free cartoons. Sat Sep 13 08:59:16 -0700 2008 4028836 11231 Glencora 1 4031963 I like to give my business to the many local organizations ( ie El Cerrito High School Music Dept.) who sell ice cream etc. at the Stroll. Walkers Pie Shop will have a final farewell so be sure to buy pie. Sophia Cafe and Cactus Taqueria usually have yummy offerings as well. The Stroll had its beginnings 20+ years ago when we actually brought our babies in strollers to the event. Nowadays park your bikes in the bike lots and leave your dogs and strollers at home. It's the event of the year here and very community oriented. Come early at 10AM, watch the parade and buy your food when the lines are short. One year an East Bay woman (can't remember her name) who was from Survivor 1 was the Grand Marshall. Sat Sep 13 09:50:09 -0700 2008 4028836 58678 bunnysitter 1 4034895 My first time at the Annual Solano Stroll. I didn't expect much, but I had a good time. It's always the 2nd Sunday in September so if you missed it this yr, there's always next yr. FREE small shuttle available from North Berkeley Bart. Since my friend didn't show up on time we missed the first shuttle & also the small parade. They start at 10am I guess because we missed it. Shuttle runs ever 20 min or so. We took the 10:20am shuttle. We stopped at the Top which is The Alameda & Solano Ave. Best to get there Early because it gets really crowded! I bought food at Zand's: Baba Ghanoush w/ pita for $2 -fine. A. got a Falafel sandwich for $6 and liked it. Walker's Pie Shop - LAST Day in Business I think. $4 a slice of pie. I got pecan pie which was good. I loved the FREE Swags I got: Beanie from Subaru Blue Albany Subaru reusable bags - got 3 Pedometer Pens /Pencil 15% Off coupon from REI Lip balm from REI & Alta Bates Post-It notepad from Bart Whistle from Bart ChicoBag Nail Art decals from Long's SPF 30 Sunblock lotion from Subaru FREE cartoons to watch at the Albany Theater - bathrooms available there. Many porta-potties along the side streets Tons of musicians & dancers provided entertainment. There's a kids area for Yellow Slide & Jumpy Things. Lots of restaurants & food booths on both sides of the street. China Village Ajanta Indian Zachary's Chicago Pizza The Killer Baking Co - booth Boran Thai Restaurant Cactus Taqueria La Farine Bakery Shop - Open Tofu Yu - booth New Orlean Cajun Cooking Booth Gordo Taqueria - FREE 32 oz drink w/ burrito purchase 6 Degrees - had window open to buy food The Xocolate Bar shop - had tiny sample of their hot chocolate, if you buy something from their shelves, might win a Gold Ticket. I saw one of the prize - A Huge Chocolate owl from a mold! Crazy Car Arts etc, etc. 26 blocks! I think we walked them all. Instead of taking the shuttle back, we walked thru the Tunnel on Sutter St thru the Gourmet Ghetto & back to Downtown Berkeley Bart. Hrs spent there: 4hrs Recommended! My pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=t5dik17.4givdbm3&Uy=-tmikbp&Ux=0&UV=915668121949_803007254603 Sun Sep 14 18:18:26 -0700 2008 4028836 10677 hhc 2 4037334 Everything that I ate was pretty good. I had a tasty, but not terribly authentic, jambalaya at 6 Degrees. Rice was moist with 2 sweet grilled shrimp and many coins of a pleasantly sweet sausage. The somewhat dry piece of white fish went well with the aioli that accompanied the frites. The frite were crunchy as I like them, but there was too much garlic for my taste. They also had virgin Margaritas: grown-up snow cones! Mixed berry (straw and black?) pie from Walkers had tart berries and a sweet crumbly crust. I'm sorry I didn't buy a whole pie for old time's sake. Best thing at the Stroll was an Albany High funk/jazz/soul band club that featured half a dozen young men horn players decked out in black suits and fedoras ala the Blues Brothers, a short haired new-wavish blonde drummer who literally attacked her drum kit, 4 Big Bang Boom (name?) style vocalists in spangly, shiny blouses. These high school kids did a smoking, funky take on classic soul, Michael Jackson, Spencer Davis and the Crusaders. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon the band when checking to see if Fonda was grilling the little lamb chops outside. They weren't. Mon Sep 15 15:32:02 -0700 2008 4034895 13192 chocolatetartguy