I have been here for a little over a year. I read some of the older reviews from 2008 and I can…read moretell you from my experience it has not been like that at least over 2015 till now. I have a 1/2 plot. I waited over a year to get it. Everything grows really really well. Strangers (fellow gardners) have donated items for me to use in my garden. My neighbor David is super cool and has taught me so much! I help him harvest food for the Alameda Food Bank once in awhile, somethng he does every week! Everyone at the garden has been so kind, knowledgeable and giving. Very happy to be there. As far as the racism goes (mentiond in another review), I have not seen it. Maybe it happend 5 yrs ago before I came. I have met someone from every walk of life in this garden and it is diverse and friendly as far as I can tell. If anyone even tried to say anything inappropriate to me as far as race goes, I would not put up with it. So happy David is my neighbor! Right now I am growing, grapes (thx to David), artichokes and brussel sprouts, my tomatoes last year were insane! He also has given me some good recipes for cooking greens. I ate brussel sprout leaves and they were so yummy! So fun learning about new stuff too. I love my time in the garden, only wish I had more of it! Very happy and a great price that you can not beat. If you can get a plot do it! :)

I have just begun to garden here. It is a wonderful place…read more So many different kinds of gardening interests!!! I have met some very nice people. All have been most welcoming.

Peralta Community Garden is adjacent to a walkway that winds thru Berkeley. there's plots of soil…read morewith various plants, vegetation going therefrom. unsure what the arrangements are. didn't read the rules posted. this garden is currently closed to the public. a definitive plus for the community to learn how to grow healthy & sustainable produce without depending on corporate sources.

Good place to get some quiet time, feel peaceful and get in touch with nature. Probably a great…read moreplace to grow vegetables, fruits, have a garden, especially for people that don't have a garden or planter. With it being an organic garden that must mean that the soil is free of pesticides, so that's great! There is a wait list to grow things here. I was just in the area so I dropped by here because I was curious what it had in here. There are garden plots and planters with different things in them that people are growing whatever they choose to grow here such as, tomatoes, leafy greens, flowers, etc. Also it's good to get back in touch with nature to destress, whether it's visiting parks, or planting foods. When planting foods it reminds us to be patient, that things take time (some of our lifestyles have us rushing so much thay we rush even when we don't need to rush. If we rush all the time, when and where will we relax?) When we put our effort into something such as this garden, we appreciate it more and are therefore happier.

the Emeryville Community Organic Garden, ECOG, is a huge bonus to living in Emeryville. With the…read morediminutive size of most condos, it's great to have a little outside space to plant some veggies and take in the air. Plus points for being unlocked and open to the public (and to the public for not regularly raiding our plots), for beautifying the new Emeryville pathway along Doyle, and for donating some 125 lbs of edible greens to local charities in the last year. This garden was established by the late Elaine Bradshaw Drukman, for whom a plaque and garden bench are dedicated. Elaine....great job, and rest in peace!

Support your local nursery. I bought 2 persimmons trees and…read morewill come back to get more fruit trees. The staff were very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable.

Firstly, the plants are edibles/medicinals that are SUPER rare. I've bought online for years, but…read moregoing in person was a whole NEW experience! Secondly, the staff were some of the most friendly & helpful people! My mother & I drove two hours to go, & we stayed for like 4 hours. We had so many questions, truly, SO MANY questions. They answered them completely & with joy. We asked for someone to help us find things, & he became our tour guide all over the nursery. I can't recommend this place enough. The prices online are fair, but in person made it so worth it! They care about quality, & value their customers.

Interesting place. Lots of stuff! Some good finds. A bit overwhelming and lots of people with not…read moremuch personal space.

They have a great selection of materials, from fabric (what I'm usually looking for) to notions to…read morechildren's play materials to funky collectibles to actual sewing machines and earrings made from their supplies (presumably). I attended a craft night there and hope I get to again soon!

What a beautiful creation! I live a 15 min drive away and I will be coming monthly!…read more The vision, the offerings, the people, the vibe. I LOVE this place. Farmers market is now inside the garden areas on Sundays. The food looks amazing (and they have some el Cerrito natural grocery take out!) Pay it forward coffee?! Amazing vision, truly. Bought some plants, some veggies to eat and sat and had a mocha and drew for a bit.

First of all, who would've known that there was a cool ass nursery near 'my neighborhood? I don't…read moreknow how I passed this place multiple times without knowing what a gem this place was. I walked in like it was a secret world waiting to be discovered and the entire time I'm still baffled on how I passed this up. Not only does it have a large greenhouse garden with varieties of plants, but it has a cool ass store with little tchotchkes and a separate coffee shop with beautiful log tables. Perfect for working from home. I can't wait to return!! I walked away with a huge white pot for my baby banana tree, and three marigolds which I will be planting in a pot.

I was a member for a little over two years. I learned screen printing there and I'm genuinely…read moregrateful for that. There's a lot to like about Compound and I'm bummed that I got such a sour taste in my mouth right at the end. Pros: - Fantastic equipment covering a huge range of making and printing. REALLY nice setup for screen printing. Bummer that you can only do water based but it makes sense overall from a mess and fumes standpoint. - Open at all hours - which is nice - Matt and Lena are friendly and welcoming when you join and were generally friendly to be around Cons: - At $250 a month, I paid over $6,000 total even though times/eras would naturally happen and I'd not use it for 2-3 months. This really stings. Month after month it just felt like too much for what it actually was. - Often times, you end up having to wait a long time to get certified to use certain things. Was frustrating that something as simple as the conveyor drier needed a $50 course + waiting for many months when it could be taught in 5 min. - Communication is fairly slow on support tickets. When I was leaving I couldn't locate my flat pack storage area as I hadn't used it but wanted to make sure it was clear since my friend had missed clearing hers out entirely. The owners didn't know where it was either - Almost always empty. Great for working but not great for meeting people or feeling like part of a community. When I occasionally would talk to people , they would often say 'so odd that this place is always empty.' - The message board is pretty much only used for griping about cleanup vs. anything very inspirational or community oriented. Sour taste right at the end for me: I accidentally left a new thing of emulsion in the screen printing fridge. I emailed them, waited 5 days, then followed up, then waited another 5 days, messaged on Instagram, then biked over in person. I saw Lena in the gallery, tried to wave her down, and she ignored me and walked the other way. I asked the front desk if I could speak with her and was told she was busy, leave a note. I left a note. Never heard back. I eventually just ordered another one and moved on. It's not about the $30. That's obviously trivial. But it's just frickin harsh. I spent a lot of money at that place over two years, cleaned up, and was friendly and can't even get a basic response? I wasn't badgering them... I sent one email, waited, and followed up at a normal cadence. Even a 'sorry, we had to clean out the fridge!' Anything. The fridge was packed to the brim with old emulsion that no one bothered to clean up, if anything it would help to free up some space. My friend had a similar experience, she accidentally left something behind (I think in her flatpack area as well) and instead of a simple heads up email... they charged her extra months. She had to fight/plead to get that removed. How you treat people when they are suddenly no longer paying you $250 a month says a lot... The equipment is genuinely great and if you're going to use it constantly, I'd still say its worth it. It's a gem of a spot in many ways! But if not, I'd look into more focused + more affordable spaces elsewhere like ace makerspace or a slew of others that have popped up. And whatever you do, don't leave anything behind !

The Compound Gallery is a (hidden?) gem of the Bay Area. It's *free* to enter/browse and there are…read morepieces here ranging from affordable to pricier. 1) I enjoyed David Fullarton's collection, "Everything's Getting Worse and I'm Not Helping," as well as browsing local artisans' pieces. The curation of this gallery feels cohesive. The pieces here are rich with meaning -- great conversation starters, so it's definitely an excellent place to bring a friend or two. 2) I wish I caught the name of the owner/director I met there yesterday -- he was so warm and a great host! It was my first time, and he took the time to briefly show me around the different areas of the gallery whilst entertaining my questions about the history of the gallery/its artists. He also shared upcoming events and exhibitions (artist talks, for instance), inviting me to stay connected! 3) Parking here is pretty great (I was at the gallery on the weekend). There's also a small park across the street -- great place to hang out and debrief after enjoying The Compound. I highly recommend The Compound Gallery -- I know I'll be back soon.

I had a blast at my homie's party for Soulsource. We drove down from Los Angeles to support our…read morefriends, along with Nina Soul from Elements Oakland. The vibes were great. We bought a bunch of drinks, the bartender was awesome and made some great cocktails, and the bouncer was cool as hell too. People were having a ton of fun. That said, there was one woman who seemed to be on a total power trip and made a few of my friends feel unwelcome. She took her job way too seriously for an event where people were just there to have a good time. She came off rude, was constantly watching people, and always seemed to be judging everyone for how they were behaving. It's a House music event lol no one's getting rowdy we there to dance. We were all there to enjoy ourselves, but she definitely killed the vibe for a few people who had similar run ins with her throughout the night. The spot itself is dope, and I've heard it's a place that's meant to support the community. That's why it's disappointing to see someone like that negatively affect the experience and potentially turn people away from future gatherings. I don't know her name, but she had short black hair. She was rude and had wack energy. Other than that, the space is great. Just wanted to give a heads up because I think she either needs to be talked to about how she treats people or reconsidered for that role.

What a gorgeous space! I rented the ballroom for an event, expecting a dull hall. But the space is…read morelively and creative, and the ballroom itself is so atmospheric. It has chandeliers, soft string lights, and a disco ball, for all kinds of different ambiance. The wood floors are so warm and cozy, too. It would be amazing for a wedding, quinceñera, anniversary party or cocktail mixer. There's even a bar, a mezzanine, and a stage, with all the room even a large group would need! I think it fits 250 people, and it is wheelchair accessible! There are other smaller spaces to rent too, primarily the disco room. It's nicely lit by a wall of windows int the morning mirrored, great for smaller groups and active pursuits. It has a kind of durable padded flooring, and there are foam mats that roll out, too. So many possibilities. I really love the space, can't wait to dream up more ideas for what to use it for! Church meetings? Yoga classes? Fundraisers? Movie nights? Job fairs? Trunk shows? Indoor roller skating? Class reunions? The Omni can do it all!