Anyone here from San Francisco area?

[Irisheyes]

I'm coming to America this summer and this is looking like the top contender for where I'm going to be, possibly berkley college. If anyone has any relevant tips or advice I'd love to hear it. Stuff like what to do, where to stay, good places to visit, where to get jobs (for my friends) etc.

[Galapogos]

Don't drop the soap.

[mcatdog]

I go to Berkeley and I don't know much about the job market but I'd be able to answer questions on any of the other topics you mentioned. If you're coming here, the most important thing to do is to find a place to stay WAY IN ADVANCE, because the housing market is insane. Craigslist is your best bet for finding an apartment. Are you coming here just for the summer, or are you staying for a few years?

[seoul_child1]

Don't drop the soap.

I 2nd this!!! and i hope u like HILL Climbing...

[vqc]

why berkeley and not the LA area?

[bigred]

MY cousin lives there, you can do her.

[Galapogos]

MY cousin lives there, you can do her.

By the time I was done laughing my lungs hurt.

[miracleriver]

I go to Berkeley

Go Bears!!!

[swiggidy]

I go to Berkeley

Go Bears!!!

That's Chicago and it's "Da Bears!!!"...

[Irisheyes]

I go to Berkeley and I don't know much about the job market but I'd be able to answer questions on any of the other topics you mentioned. If you're coming here, the most important thing to do is to find a place to stay WAY IN ADVANCE, because the housing market is insane. Craigslist is your best bet for finding an apartment. Are you coming here just for the summer, or are you staying for a few years?

Just for the summer. Some friends of mine are hoing over in early July to live for the summer. They'll have to get accomodation and jobs etc. and then I'm heading over to them a month later. From what I've heard Berkeley frathouses (or whatever you call them, I'm not down with the lingo) are open in the summer and can be rented out by students like us who are doing J1 visa's. Have you heard this? I think this would be a good idea if possible because it'd be full of other students like us and there'd be a super party atmosphere.

I've heard of craiglist I'll be sure to check that out too.

[miracleriver]

I go to Berkeley

Go Bears!!!

That's Chicago and it's "Da Bears!!!"...

UC Berkeley's football team is the Bears. Go Bears!!!

[mcatdog]

I didn't know you were staying with other people. If so, the fraternities could be a good choice. I'm not sure they have the party atmosphere you're looking for because they're open to anyone (not just college-age people) who wants to stay in Berkeley for the summer. Also, they fill up fast, so I'd make some inquiries within the next few weeks. Here is a good place to start:
http://calgreeks.com/chapters/ifc/

Craigslist is also a good option because many Berkeley students leave during the summer and rent out their houses or apartments at lower cost to others who are staying here during the summer.

As for the other questions you asked in your OP, I can probably give you some good advice if you're more specific about what you and your friends enjoy. For example, if you like to hike / climb / bicycle, which I do, the San Francisco area is one of the most awesome places in the world to be and that's part of the reason why I chose to come here instead of some of the other schools that accepted me.

Also, there are a number of good cardrooms in the area, and you'd be better off asking Iwind (who is also a Berkeley student) about them as he plays live games more often than I do. If you don't mind a little drive, Reno is about 3 hours away, I hear it has plenty of great live games and it's right next to Lake Tahoe which is really beautiful. Las Vegas is an 8 hour drive or a short airplane trip, and there'll probably be an FTR get-together there this summer which it'd be fun if you came to, as long as you're in the area.

Anything else you want to know, I'd be happy to try and help.

[DaNutsInYoEye]

MY cousin lives there, you can do her.

If you don't mind BigRed's sloppy seconds, go for it.

[jdubs]

mcat you go to berkeley? right on! I play gigs in the bay area often. You know the "down low" on Shattuck? I am playing there tomorrow night. Small world.

Craigslist is the place to look Irish- awesome resource. We should plan a bay area FTR get together sometime, what ya'll think?

[bigred]

MY cousin lives there, you can do her.

If you don't mind BigRed's sloppy seconds, go for it.

That's gross, my cousin is a girl.

[thenonsequitur]

Craigslist is the place to look Irish- awesome resource.

I don't know anything about the San Francisco area, but I can vouch strongly for craigslist. I got my current apartment through craigslist, and several people I know did too.

While not very relevant, I also got a record player through craigslist, a couple really nice pieces of furniture, and an out-of-print book I couldn't find anywhere else. All-in-all an excellent resource.

[thizzSantaCruz]

I'm down for an FTR get together. I am in Santa Cruz myself so it is definantly do able.

[Irisheyes]

Cool thanks mcatdog.

It's though to ask specifick questions cos I'm speaking for a couple of people with different tastes. I'm def interested in cardrooms I'll PM Iwind I guess. Do you know much about goot bars/nightclubs because I guess lots and lots of drinking will be done enevitably.

Do you know of any good kinda touristy stuff like bungee jumping spots or even standard attractions? Just stuff that you wouldn't do on an average day but if someone was coming over to SF you would say "Aw man you gotta check out the _____" or things that SF is known for.

Btw I was looking in Google earth. Holy Shit that place is huge. Between SF, San Jose, Union city etc it's like an big City the size of Ireland with a lake in the middle.

[Irisheyes]

I'm down for an FTR get together. I am in Santa Cruz myself so it is definantly do able.

Cool.

Anyone else wanna meet up in SF in late August/early september for a FTR get together?

[Irisheyes]

why berkeley and not the LA area?

I dunno really. I don't wan't to cause offence but I've heard from other people who were there that LA is dingey and kinda tacky. I'm not the only person involved in organising this either.

[bigspenda73]

I'm down for an FTR get together. I am in Santa Cruz myself so it is definantly do able.

Cool.

Anyone else wanna meet up in SF in late August/early september for a FTR get together?

I actually planned on visiting the area around then so keep me updated on that shit. Hopefully I'll be ballin by then.

[mcatdog]

It's though to ask specifick questions cos I'm speaking for a couple of people with different tastes. I'm def interested in cardrooms I'll PM Iwind I guess. Do you know much about goot bars/nightclubs because I guess lots and lots of drinking will be done enevitably.

Yeah if you're interested in cardrooms get the scoop from Iwind. Be careful though because some (not all) of them are in VERY bad neighborhoods and your safety is a serious concern if you're carrying around a pile of cash by yourself late at night. Use common sense.

I know plenty of good bars in Berkeley, but all of them are just laid-back places to relax with your friends and drink lots of beer. If that's what you guys want, they're great, but there's no social scene at them. You have to go downtown or to Oakland to find many nightclubs. I'm not the right person to ask about them.

Do you know of any good kinda touristy stuff like bungee jumping spots or even standard attractions? Just stuff that you wouldn't do on an average day but if someone was coming over to SF you would say "Aw man you gotta check out the _____" or things that SF is known for.

Bungee-jumping? Wow, I have no idea. I'm going to be doing a lot of climbing and rappelling at Yosemite this summer, which IMO is more fun than bungee-jumping, but you need to have at least one person in your group who really knows what they're doing. As for tourist attractions, there are a couple things most people do when they visit SF. One of them is to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, look at the city from across the bay, and then maybe drive a few miles to Muir Woods. Another is to walk around Pier 39 / Fisherman's Wharf and take the ferry to Alcatraz Island (which used to be a prison but is now a museum). I personally hate Fisherman's Wharf but that's probably because I'm kind of a snob in some ways, and it's still something you should see if you're visiting SF. You should make a weekend trip to Yosemite too, because I doubt you've seen anything like it before. This is the best website I know of for pictures of American parks if you want to take a look. There are few really nice parks within driving distance of SF but Yosemite is definitely the best one.

Also, a Bay Area FTR get-together would be cool, but I'd rather just have us meet up with the rest of the FTR people who are going to Las Vegas during the WSOP. Either one would be fine with me though.

[jdubs]

It's though to ask specifick questions cos I'm speaking for a couple of people with different tastes. I'm def interested in cardrooms I'll PM Iwind I guess. Do you know much about goot bars/nightclubs because I guess lots and lots of drinking will be done enevitably.

Yeah if you're interested in cardrooms get the scoop from Iwind. Be careful though because some (not all) of them are in VERY bad neighborhoods and your safety is a serious concern if you're carrying around a pile of cash by yourself late at night. Use common sense.

I know plenty of good bars in Berkeley, but all of them are just laid-back places to relax with your friends and drink lots of beer. If that's what you guys want, they're great, but there's no social scene at them. You have to go downtown or to Oakland to find many nightclubs. I'm not the right person to ask about them.

Do you know of any good kinda touristy stuff like bungee jumping spots or even standard attractions? Just stuff that you wouldn't do on an average day but if someone was coming over to SF you would say "Aw man you gotta check out the _____" or things that SF is known for.

Bungee-jumping? Wow, I have no idea. I'm going to be doing a lot of climbing and rappelling at Yosemite this summer, which IMO is more fun than bungee-jumping, but you need to have at least one person in your group who really knows what they're doing. As for tourist attractions, there are a couple things most people do when they visit SF. One of them is to cross the Golden Gate Bridge, look at the city from across the bay, and then maybe drive a few miles to Muir Woods. Another is to walk around Pier 39 / Fisherman's Wharf and take the ferry to Alcatraz Island (which used to be a prison but is now a museum). I personally hate Fisherman's Wharf but that's probably because I'm kind of a snob in some ways, and it's still something you should see if you're visiting SF. You should make a weekend trip to Yosemite too, because I doubt you've seen anything like it before. This is the best website I know of for pictures of American parks if you want to take a look. There are few really nice parks within driving distance of SF but Yosemite is definitely the best one.

Also, a Bay Area FTR get-together would be cool, but I'd rather just have us meet up with the rest of the FTR people who are going to Las Vegas during the WSOP. Either one would be fine with me though.

A Bay Area thing would work for me- not planning on going to vegas as of now. Anyone have an idea for a plan if this were to happen?
Maybe a home game somewhere? Or could go to Bay 101, or just forget poker and hang out somewhere. I dunno....

[thizzSantaCruz]

Bay 101 could work. Surprising I have never been there yet, mostly because I am not 21, but a bunch of my underage buddies get in there all the time so I do not think it would be a problem.

[Iwind]

Lucky Chances in Colma is the place to go for poker in my opinion, at least if you want something close to no limit, they have 1-1-2 spread limit, 2-3-5 spread limit and a 10-10-20 no limit 2k buyin game. I play the 2k one pretty often, good game. Else there are casinos all over the place with fixed limit and a few with "shortstack no limit"

[mcatdog]

Doesn't Lucky Chances have a stupidly high rake though? I heard it was something like $5 per hand (even if there's no flop) in the spread limit game. Seems like it'd be impossible to beat the game for much, if that's true.

[thizzSantaCruz]

i know bay 101 has a spread limit game

i heard lucky chances is the spot though, i have a bunch of buddies that play there but i would really have to get luck and take my chances to play there and not get carded...i need a fake.

[Irisheyes]

cool thanks for that post mcatdog. Sounds like a super place.

This is starting to come together now, dates aren't finalised yet but they should be soon.

[Iwind]

In the No limit game it's $24 an hour, not cheap, but it's posssible to win a lot more than that an hour in the game, so I don't think it's that big of a problem. At the lower stakes it might be worse though. I never heard of the spread limit at 101 by the way, what stakes/structure does that have?

[jdubs]

Lucky Chances in Colma is the place to go for poker in my opinion, at least if you want something close to no limit, they have 1-1-2 spread limit, 2-3-5 spread limit and a 10-10-20 no limit 2k buyin game. I play the 2k one pretty often, good game. Else there are casinos all over the place with fixed limit and a few with "shortstack no limit"

havent been to lucky chance yet, but, err, 2K buy in is a little (gulp) high for my bankroll? There's also the Oak Card Room in oakland(emeryville), but its kinda scummy.

[swiggidy]

I''m applying for a job in Palo Alto, halfway between San Fran and San Jose. What's that area like?

[mcatdog]

I''m applying for a job in Palo Alto, halfway between San Fran and San Jose. What's that area like?

The whole Bay Area is amazing. Tons of stuff to do, beautiful weather 365 days a year, the people here are pretty friendly IME, etc. The only big drawback is that real estate prices are insane and the Palo Alto area is one of the most expensive of all, but you probably knew that already. The traffic jams suck too, but they're avoidable if you know your way around.

[jdubs]

I''m applying for a job in Palo Alto, halfway between San Fran and San Jose. What's that area like?

ummmm, expensive. Last year, A real estate survey put Los Altos ( near Palo Alto) as THE most expensive city in all of America- median home price? a mere 1.2 mil. Palo Alto is in that neighborhood price wise. Hope the job pays well .

[mcatdog]

Bump.

Irisheyes is getting here this week and we're planning on going to Lucky Chances one afternoon after I'm done with work (I finish at 4PM), and maybe getting food or drinks afterwards. Are there any other Bay Area FTR'ers who would be interested in coming along? We haven't decided what day of the week we're going there so if it makes a difference to you then post that too.

[Eric]

I'm 2 hours from the Bay Area and I might be up for Lucky Chances.

[jdubs]

Bump.

Irisheyes is getting here this week and we're planning on going to Lucky Chances one afternoon after I'm done with work (I finish at 4PM), and maybe getting food or drinks afterwards. Are there any other Bay Area FTR'ers who would be interested in coming along? We haven't decided what day of the week we're going there so if it makes a difference to you then post that too.

I might be down. I will be coming into the Bay Area a number of times this week... where is colma anyways?

[thizzSantaCruz]

I would be interested if I am back from maui by the time you guys go. I'm not 21 but I heard they are real lax with IDs.

[Eric]

We haven't decided what day of the week we're going there so if it makes a difference to you then post that too.

Any decision yet on the day of the week?

[Lithium]

If this didn't happen yet, I would be down. LC would be a good place since it will be the easiest to get seats for a larger group, although probably not at the same table.

[mixchange]

Whoops, I missed this thread. I am in Santa Cruz and I'm originally from the east bay and have family there. I'd be down to meet up.

[Lithium]

Doesn't Lucky Chances have a stupidly high rake though? I heard it was something like $5 per hand (even if there's no flop) in the spread limit game. Seems like it'd be impossible to beat the game for much, if that's true.

Check my review. It is a $5 ($4 house and $1 jackpot) drop per hand (that is out of the pot, not per person, and it is only $2 if there is no flop), which is actually the second best in the area. The best is a $4 drop at Casino San Pablo. And the game is ridiculously easy to beat, imho. I pulled out $2k in the last week and a half alone at the $40-$200 buyin game. Have to love people going allin in front of you when you are holding the stone cold nuts.

[mixchange]

Pablo is in San Pablo, near Orinda/Berkeley? I would definitely love to go there sometime.

I've never actually played poker at a casino, so I'd need some newb hand holding... definitely down to go sometime! Even before a big FTR meetup.

They have regular NL right? I don't want to play spread limit or weird variations

[thizzSantaCruz]

yo mix spread is as close as your gonna get to NL in a non Indian casino. NL is illegal in cali. spread is pretty much NL though everyone buys in with 200, max bet is 200. You just can't play deep stack poker really. Its not too bad I wouldn't worry about it. Lets GO GO GO. When is it happening?