Organic Farmers MarketOrganic Foods, Green Products, Books & Farming Information

Need advice on relocating to East Bay; which neighborhood?

I need some advice… I’m moving to the SF area in a few months from the midwest, but am not sure where a girl like me would be happy living; so I thought I’d ask someone who is from there.
I’m a little bit goth, a little punk, alt, Bettie Page-ish, and frequent cool coffehouses. I have a few tattoos & piercings; that you cant see during my corporate job during the day. I’m not all about the goth/punk scene. I like bike-riding & farmers markets & stuff during the day too. I like gardens, Organic Food, SAFE & QUIET neighborhoods.
I’m looking for a neighborhood that is across the bay that would suit me. Some people have suggested Rockridge, Lake Merritt area, or Berkeley. I’ve never been to any of these areas. I am regular middle working class & am able to support myself just fine, but not rich by any means. I’m just looking for an affordable studio apartment, something quiet, and in a relatively safe neighborhood. I like places with character (clawfoot tubs, hardwoods, etc).

Quaint areas include
Most of Berkeley.
In the north of Oakland: Rockridge, Temescal and Piedmont Avenue. Not far away, Lake Merritt area.
In Richmond: Point Richmond (which sits apart and is very different from the rest of the city.)
Albany & Keningston, small cities adjacent to Berkeley.
Most of the island city of Alameda.

It’s hard to imagine an area more into organic food than Berkeley/north Oakland. This includes farmer markets and many stores including the amazing Berkeley Bowl.

At the top of the list I would put Rockridge, Elmwood (a Berkeley neighborhood between Rockridge and the university) and Point Richmond.

Farmers` Markets Desserts (Hardcover) $42.04 The number of U.S. farmers` markets has grown by 20cover the past three years to nearly 5,300 nationwide. This collection of tempting desserts inspired by those markets and the farmers who share their produce there satisfies the sustainable shopper`s sweet tooth with more than 50 recipes for tarts, crisps, cupcakes, puddings, and more. Discover classics like Deep Dish Sour Cherry Pie and new interpretations like Tangerine-sicle Ice Cream. Featuring seasonality charts, `farmer journal` tips, and dazzling color photography to teach and inspire, Farmers` Market Desserts is the perfect gift for bakers, lovers of local produce, and all who share in the delights of the farmers` market.

Farmers` Markets of the Heartland (Paperback) $33.91 In this splendidly illustrated book, food writer and self-described farm groupie Janine MacLachlan embarks on a tour of seasonal markets and farmstands throughout the Midwest, sampling local flavors from Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. She conducts delicious research as she meets farmers, tastes their food, and explores how their businesses thrive in the face of an industrial food supply. She tells the stories of a pair of farmers growing specialty crops on a few acres of northern Michigan for just a few months out of the year, an Ohio cattle farm that has raised heritage beef since 1820, and a Minnesota farmer who tirelessly champions the Jimmy Nardello sweet Italian frying pepper. Along the way, she savors vibrant red carrots, slurpy peaches, vast quantities of specialty cheeses, and some of the tastiest pie to cross anyone`s lips. Informed by debates about eating local, seasonal crops, organic farming, sanitation, and biodiversity, Farmers` Markets of the Heartland tantalizes with special recipes from farm-friendly chefs and dozens of luscious color photographs that will inspire you to harvest the homegrown flavors in your own neighborhood.

Super 8 East Green Bay $135 Super 8 East Green Bay is located in Green Bay, close to Joannes Stadium. Additional area points of interest include Cofrin Memorial Arboretum and Weidner Center. Hotel Features. Recreational amenities include an indoor pool, a spa tub, and a sauna. This hotel has a business center and offers a meeting/conference room and business services. Wireless Internet access is available in public areas. A complimentary continental breakfast is served each morning. Guest parking is complimentary. Additional property amenities include coffee in the lobby. The property has designated areas for smoking. Guestrooms. All guestrooms at Super 8 East Green Bay feature air conditioning. High speed Internet access is available. Televisions have cable channels and complimentary TV Internet access.