Fertile Grounds Cafe: Perfect Soil for Growing Coffee

Berkeley is full of cafes. Between what's on campus and surrounding you're looking at dozens just surround campus. To be frank, most are mediocre, but we've found a few we feel are worth going to which offer a bit more than just typical coffee.

Perhaps the most stand out coffee spot, though in the most subtle ways, would be Fertile Grounds. When you enter in, it looks and feels as most cafes do. What separates it from the rest is when you take it a step further you really appreciate the quality of the place. First of all, it's not too crowded, which makes them capable of catering to their customers, and also creates a friendly environment that the more popular spots lose in the hustling nature of Berkeley.

What sets this place aside: quality coffee. Talk to the owner, quite frankly, this guy knows quality. The coffee he gets is definitely higher quality. If you talk to him about the spices and flavorings he has, he can make you coffee that is complimentary to your taste. Not many cafes are willing to do that.

There's also no other place in Berkeley that makes coffee itself so aesthetically pleasing, and just plain cool. When getting any drink that require milk, he pours the froth in the cup in a manner in which it forms the shape of a coffee bean. Just too tight.

On occasion he has art exhibits up showing local art. If you are lucky you get to see some quality art by local talent.

In terms of food, there's sandwiches as well as baked goods. The quality of both are a step above most cafes around. You can get a pretty good meal or snack for a decent price here, considering most cafe's catered towards students just have stale snack items. We didn't include this in our criteria of putting it on the list, but it's worth mentioning. If you happen to be Muslim, it's a plus to know that all the food is halaal and there's a little area in the back and up the stairs that he specially set aside for praying.

Location: On the corner of Shattuck and Delaware. Just a block northwest of where campus ends on that side. Very accessible to those who live on Northside. Only a few blocks up of Downtown. It's very easy to bus to from Westside as well, as the 18 runs up and down shattuck. Parking is free after 6.

Hours: Weekdays 7am-9pm. Weekends 8am-9pm

The Best Vista in Town: Indian Rock

So, Berkeley has plenty of places with vistas and beautiful scenery, but which is the best? No it's not the Big C or Clark Kerr Track. We may cover those later. It is Indian Rock.

This nice little rock (well its not that little) snuggled in the hills of North Berkeley has one of the most profound views of the Bay. Why is it the best? Because you are standing on a big rock, where your neighbors are houses and you are free to look which ever direction you please. The experience is pretty hard to place into a photo or a blog, but you got to go see it yourself.

What we suggest is that you check it out for sunset, have a picnic and just enjoy the breeze, the bay, your company and yourself. Take a moment to think and realize that the view you seeing isn't much different than the one that is always around you, you are just a few dozen feet higher than usual looking at the world in a different place, or may I say a different way. :)Panorama (Click On Image to See Full)

Directions: Take the AC Transit Bus 18 North (catch it on Shattuck around downtown). The Bus will go up Shattuck and then Henry St. which turns into Sutter St. On Sutter St. get off at Hopkins St. (You shouldn't be on Sutter that long and it will be streets after Eunice. If you went in the Solana Ave tunnel, you went too far. ) Then walk north, (east meaning right of the tunnel) using Fountain Walk which is basically in between Del Norte and El Dorado. Basically you want to get to the fountain, which is almost exactly north of where you should have gotten off the bus. Once at the fountain proceed North, to Indian Rock Avenue, this may be hard to spot at first because it does not start until a little further up the Arlington Ave (going North). Walk up Indian Rock Ave and the Rock will be shortly after Shattuck Ave on the left side of the street.

Introduction

Assalamu Alaikum
(May Peace be Upon You)

As you know, or you may not know, ZoJo and Treeman have graduated and after reflecting upon our combined 9 years at Berkeley we realize just how much Berkeley has to offer. For all you suckas who think Berkz is lame, you heeeelllllaaaaa just haven't seen it yet. So we are going to show you. Insha'Allah (God Willing) this will help you guys get off your chairs, couches, bean bags and start enjoying all that Berkeley has to offer. It also gives us an excuse to resee the best of Berkeley, and see/do things we just never got around to. This Blog will feature local businesses such as restuarants, shops, cafe's, parks and recreational areas, vistas, hiking trails, and things right in the very campus that we seem to neglect.

So to start. We dare you, yes you, to go to all these places! To give us some suggestions and make a list of your own perhaps and check it off.

Special thanks goes to Fatema Al-Zeera for helping me name this blog, although it was pretty easy for her in Bahrain when it is only 11 am. LOL.