What I both loved and hated about Berkeley...

I lived in or right next to Berkeley, CA for almost 12 years of my adult life. Important years, impressionable years, AKA my twenties and early thirties.  I retain many Berkeley-esque tendencies, mannerisms, and beliefs.  I miss the amazing variety of produce at the Berkeley Bowl, Barney's Burgers, Zachary's Pizza, fresh fowl for roasting from Magnani, coffee from the French Cafe and Peet's, and any other number of edible delights. Heck, I even ate - and enjoyed! - "round green things" [peas] upstairs at Chez Panisse in about 1993.

But...

I read a restaurant review like this one and I realize that sometimes it all becomes just a little too precious and precocious, ya know?  I'm sure it was all very lovely and delicious and all, but this is just too much for me.  And I used to live right down the street.

Now I live where I live, pining for Trader Joe's.  You can't have it all...

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