This one's a toughie. It's a strictly love-or-hate street, no in-betweens. If you really, really want to love it and give it five stars, live here for two years; it takes growing into. Bonus points for those who've lived in Santa Cruz or San Francisco.
First, what goods can you find here?
Food. Gourmets rejoice: there's plenty, PLENTY here to tickle your taste buds endlessly. From Korean to Italian, Japanese to all-out American, down to pizza and sandwiches, you'll have to visit multiple times to try them all, or risk busting your gut eating everything imaginable. Coffee lovers can get their dose of local flavor in Café Mediterranean, Intermezzo and Peet's (hey, it's local).
Shopping. Those with a penchant for funky hats can stop by the Hat Shop, or support local vendors by buying handknit hats from a well-stocked stall on the sidewalk. Bear Basics will satisfy T-shirt fanatics with their T-Shirt Orgy section, and Wet Seal rounds out the latest in street fashion. Want novelty jewelry? The sidewalk stalls sell everything from earrings to necklaces, and those wishing to express themselves with body art will find a great henna artist.
Now if you're not the type who likes sidewalk vendors who wear tie-dyes and look a little, um, scruffy, you might be quick to note the bad side of Telegraph, like:
Filth. My brother can't come here, or anywhere in Berkeley, without repeating how filthy the place is, 50,000 times. Yes, the sidewalks can be littered with trash in some spots, but I expect that anywhere where there's a lot of tourists and generally people from many different locales. Those who complain about the smell of gross bodily fluids - nowhere on Telegraph have I smelled such foulness. I've smelled worse in San Francisco.
Transients. I don't have anything against them, but I understand some people do. For the most part, most of the transients that I've come upon are pretty open-minded and won't bother you at all. If you can't give them change, just shake your head and apologize, and most will let it pass. Some even say "have a nice day", and not sarcastically either. Yes, you'll run into the occasional ranter or heckler; I've got my share of catcalls and curses. Yes, they can contribute to the local *ahem* flavor by not showering for many years, but seriously, I've encountered good-natured, well-dressed middle-class people who smell just as bad. Key note: if you just don't like transients, then no, Telegraph won't be your street. But then I suppose the Mission in the City won't be either.
Declining local flavor. I can swear there was no Quizno's or Chipotle or Jamba Juice twenty years ago. They're not bad, but slowly more chain shops are opening up on the street, and I fear it will completely lose its local flavor another twenty years from now. The music stores Amoeba and Rasputin are losing customers to digital downloads, with the only appeal being vintage albums, vinyls, and out-of-print CDs. Bookstores like Shakespeare Co. and Moe's are going down slowly, having to go up against online stores like Amazon (Cody's Books closed about a year ago). But change is change. We'll see how it goes...
Early-sleeper business hours. Good luck finding a bar open beyond midnight.
I frequented this street much too often during my college years, and I must say, it has its local pizazz. Maybe not as much as it used to, but it shouts "Berkeley!" and I hope it still does in years to come. With the occasional music festival in People's Park, street festivals with vendors selling exotic jewelry and accessories, and lively vibe from tourists, students and transients alike, Telegraph Avenue can still make outsiders think of Berkeley as "Berzerkley", and that, I think, is a good thing. read more