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We are certainly not going to make the case that there are not enough things to do in San Francisco proper. Between the restaurants, parks, shop, museums, protests and bars, the city can keep you occupied for months. But if at some point you yearn for life that moves just a little bit slower, head to the East Bay.

The East Bay consists of over a dozen cities and towns, but the two that stand out are Berkeley and Oakland.

Berkeley

The most developed shopping district of Berkeley is the Fourth Street neighborhood. The funny thing is Fourth Street looks like it came straight out of upwardly mobile suburbia rather than a city known for its liberal/counter-culture roots. We guess even hippies need a Crate & Barrel from time to time. But besides the national chains that have settled on the block are a few nice indie shops.

A decade ago, the area that is Fourth Street was frequented by construction workers/builders. Even now if you walk a few blocks you'll find lumber yards and building supply companies (or the buildings they left behind when they moved to cheaper digs). Builders Booksource (1817 4th Street) is the only direct clue to this past. The intruiging bookstore stocks everything from from official electrician's manuals to DIY home construction guides.

Zinc Details (1842 4th Street), which we mentioned in our SF Pacific Heights guide, also has an outpost on Fourth Street.

For that matter, so do bath store Hydra (1710 4th Street) and bookstore Cody's (1730 4th Street).

Downtown Berkeley and the famous Telegraph Avenue, which runs right into UC Berkeley have some interesting shops as well, but are at this point mostly of chain stores for the former and hippie holdovers for the latter.

There are however still some great book and music stores around. In downtown, drop by Comic Relief (2026 Shattuck Avenue) for an education in how far comics have come since the superhero days. On Telegraph, Stop by Amoeba Music (2455 Telegraph Avenue) and Rasputin Music (2401 Telegraph Avenue) to realize just how lame chain music stores are. Step into Moe's Books (2476 Telegraph Avenue) for a bit of a scholarly respite, but don't stay too long, we have more shopping to do.

A few blocks north of Telegraph Ave. is College Ave. and as you go down south on College you'll right into Elmwood, the other of Berkeley more upscale shopping areas. Elmwood is still less infiltraited by national chains than Fourth Street. Make sure to stop by Tail of the Yak (2632 Ashby Avenue) to see what they have in store today and to say hello to the doves resting in the middle of the shop. Swing by Dish (541 Hayes Street) for the best women's clothing shopping in the neighborhood.

Oakland

Keep going south on College Avenue and you'll eventually get to the Rockridge neighborhood of Oakland. On this our latest visit to the SF Bay area the local news was reporting murders number 75 and 76 this year (on the same night even!) in Oakland. But yet in the Northwestern edge there is this area with tony shopping and impossibly large houses. Weird.

Anyway while some things in Oakland seem to never change, the Rockridge neighborhood has changed quite a bit. Last we visited it was defined by clothing stores where older women went to get their flowy earth mother clothes or "gift" shops where people went to get random tchotchkes. Yet now, on the southern edge of Rockridge is a block or two of some damn fine stores.

We start with Scout (5550 College Avenue), which every so often completely restocks the store with the goods of one destination. On our visit France was on the menu and there were some really unique goods on display.

Next is August (5410 College Ave), which would stand up just fine in any hip LA or New York block. On a long ledge on one side of the huge, zen-like space are denim jeans from some of the finest producers such as Nudie, Acne and Habitual. On the other side is a long row of high-end clothing for men and women. Everything from Martin Margiela to Rogue's Gallery. Martin Margiela in Oakland, who woulda' thunk it?

On the next block over is a trifecta of fine homewares establishments. First is Swallowtail (5332 College Ave), which holds an intriguing, eclectic collection of fine, new and vintage furnishings.

Next door is Form (5330 College Ave), which mixes new issues of mid-century modern furnishings with immaculate representations of the real deal.

And finally we have The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (5322 College Ave) which stocks beautiful, and not so beautiful, vintage ceramics.

Detours

If you're on Fourth Street in Berkeley, avoid that yuppie food like the plague. All of it is expensive, most of it is mediocre. Instead, walk down a few blocks west to Everett & Jones (1955 San Pablo Ave). Have some pork ribs. Thank us later.

Or, if you're feeling a bit more cosmopolitan walk a few blocks south to Viks Chaat House (726 Allston Way). Choose from 10 chaats (basically, small Indian appetizers) and a rotating selection of larger meals. If we were you, we'd stick with the chaats. Get #9, #8 and maybe a dosa if it's available that day.

If you're around downtown Berkeley or the Telegraph Avenue area, make sure to first pay homage to UC Berkeley. Go Bears! Then get yourself some good cheap college food. There are several local pizza joints, we like Fat Slice (2375 Telegraph Ave).

If you're in Oakland, you really ought to go to Fenton's (4226 Piedmont Ave) for ice cream, which has roots dating back to 1894.