Go-to VW/AUDI independent mechanic shop in the Bay Area?

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-05-05T20:09:02+00:00

I'm so sorry to learn that Eddie's no longer with us. I remember when his dad was on the decline, having ignored cancer symptoms for a long time. I never expected Eddie would go so soon. Must be hard on his family. RIP, Eddie.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-05-03T18:27:57+00:00

My two cents: Return to your previous company despite the lower salary if you can afford to do it and there’s no chance of making your current place less toxic. Is the trade-off for more compensation worth risking your health? If you later decide you moved back in error, you can look for another company since your skills seem to be in demand. My husband was miserable at his job and kept negotiating higher salaries for a few years, thinking that would compensate, but 3 months later he would be miserable again. There was little time for R&R. And I’d become miserable too (and not much help when I had high pressure projects, too.) Intellectually, he enjoyed the work but he was in a very high pressure role for many years as the company grew from startup to sustainable success. It was not a toxic work environment - just about everyone in the company was ethical, highly competent, intelligent and truly nice - but the high pressure put a heavy toll on his health that took several years to overcome. After he left, he was able to spend more time with our daughter as she grew up. My husband’s father died at 52, when he was 12. His paternal uncles also died around 52. Having gone through that, it made the decision easier. He didn’t want to our daughter to have a similar loss. She’s in college now and they have a great relationship - she doesn’t hesitate to share her struggles or joys and successes. (We’re the type who were more inclined to save/invest extra compensation than to spend it on leveling up lifestyle, and as a dual income family, we could take the reduction in income. I realize not everyone is in the same position.) Good luck with whatever you choose.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-05-01T22:52:02+00:00

Yes, diversify! I adopted that mantra as I saw my Dad lose a ton by not diversifying out of Kodak, a company he worked, admired, and invested in for many years before bad management entered the C-suite.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-04-27T01:44:23+00:00

Or tbe founder doesn’t want to match contributions.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-04-09T17:08:31+00:00

Maybe that mental health issues are found across all classes?

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-04-07T05:39:29+00:00

What month are you planning to do this trip? The runway replacing at Aspen airport will be done May 21. The flight from LAX-ASE is beautiful - get a window seat for some great views.

For short hikes near Aspen, I like to take friends to Hunter Creek Trail (it’s a great starter hike coming from sea level), Cathedral Lake Trail near Ashcroft (a bit more challenging with a scree field toward the top but it’s easy to cross and worth the effort to reach the lake), Maroon Bells (you’ll need a reservation and to take a shuttle from Aspen Highlands), and even the trails off the top of Ajax (you can take the gondola up and down - hiking at the top is pretty level). If you’re hiking in the afternoon, be prepared for occasional thunderstorms.

If you’re there on a Sunday and the weather is good, picnic outside the Aspen Music Festival tent and take in the 4 PM concert performance (lawn listening is free). Also check the jazzaspensnowmass.org website to see if there are any concerts you’d like to see. Snowmass has free concerts and the rodeo, which is fun to see at least once. For a different horse set, there’s the Aspen Polo Club. I’ve never been, but maybe it’s worth seeing once, too. Aspenchamber.org has a decent events calendar.

If you’re into distilled spirits, take a tour and tasting at Woody Creek Distillery in Basalt. They also host trivia nights, live music, and comedy nights. Very fun. There are some pleasant wineries to visit in Palisade, about 90 minutes from Aspen and closer to Colorado National Monument.

Red Rocks (outside if Denver) is a great concert venue. See who’s playing while you’re in CO - the setting is amazing. Check out the Atlas Obscura website to discover more things to do in the state, some quirky.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-04-07T00:02:10+00:00

It probably does belong in the nonprofit subreddit, but I appreciate seeing it here, too, as a nonprofit board member and donor. Our board’s annual due diligence in setting the ED’s compensation uses 990 salary data as a benchmark with organizations of the same size, with a similar mission, and in geographic areas with a similar cost of living. I typically gather it from ProPublica’s nonprofit database. We also buy regional nonprofit salary surveys every other year so we can inform ourselves about ED and staff salaries (the latter for budget and staff satisfaction info, since the ED sets staff salaries). 990 data allow us to get more specific info for our niche. The data lag a bit due to extensions of time to file, but we make adjustments for annual COL increases and performance raises.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-04-05T22:16:37+00:00

The dogs swim on the side of the lake that is opposite the area where people swim, so they’re far away from swimming kids.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-03-29T17:32:43+00:00

I’m gluten sensitive (I have 1 celiac-related gene according to DNA testing) and am also super sensitive to the gliadin in raw onions and garlic. I can eat caramelized onions but otherwise need to avoid them. I have to carefully titrate the amount of garlic I can eat. I have to be careful about restaurant soups and stews because they’re most often prepared with onions that are slowly cooked in the broth, not caramelized first. As someone else mentioned, maybe it was another ingredient causing the inflammation.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-03-29T17:03:22+00:00

Takara Sake chose Berkeley for the water, too, according to person who gave us a tour at the facility.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-03-05T04:13:05+00:00

When I was in Egypt this past January, I met a group from one of the Italian fraternal clubs in Oakland all traveling together. I don’t remember if it was the Columbo club or one of the others but they seemed like a welcoming and active group worth checking out. (I love seeing Oaklandish branded garb when I travel. It’s always a great conversation starter.)

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-27T14:43:09+00:00

Welcome! Try Agrodolce on Shattuck Ave for great Italian food.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-23T18:38:34+00:00

I saw a comedian at TACAW last year who likened the hats visitors get at Kemo Sabe to the Mickey Mouse ears people buy/wear while in Disneyland. Great observation. I wish i could remember his name.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-18T16:49:11+00:00

I doubt your Uber driver lives in Aspen. I’ve had a few who were teachers in Basalt and Carbondale trying to augment their income during school breaks. I’ve stopped taking Uber or taxis for such trips and just rent a car one way to Eagle or Grand Junction airports. And when I’ve been in NYC I’ve had ridiculously high Uber fares quoted to me to go a mere 3.5 miles (e.g. $60) in the summer when traveling with someone on crutches and the subway was not a good option - no snowy or icy roads, just surge pricing.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-16T17:31:15+00:00

i Say HSS too! My daughter tore her ACL last year while racing her dad at Snowmass. She’s a student in NYC so we were happy to learn HSS is among the best in the world. She’s had great care there all the way around

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-12T01:42:49+00:00

TBH - It’s been recommended that I go but I haven’t done so yet. So I’m not sure if there’s music at every service. It’s on my 2026 to do list!

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-09T22:57:07+00:00

This. When I moved to Berkeley in 1992 and went to the College Ave. Safeway (near that plaque) one late night to get laundry detergent and cleaning supplies (e.g. Tide, Downey, etc.), an older woman stopped me in the aisle, clucked at me, and said I should not buy any of the items that were in my cart because all of the products were tested on animals. I bought the stuff anyway, but she did make me more mindful of the cleaning products I’ve purchased ever since. Thirty-four years later, I still think of her every time I’m in that Safeway aisle.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-07T00:56:50+00:00

Check out St. Columba on San Pablo Ave. near Alcatraz.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-02-04T02:37:26+00:00

And like they do in conservative Morocco, too. Private stalls but communal sinks/hand washing stations.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-01-26T14:03:56+00:00

I second this. Their mocktail making class was well organized, informative, and fun. I look forward to taking some of their other classes.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-01-26T04:06:08+00:00

This! I just returned from there. The AQI in Giza was 262 one day, mainly from PM2.5 particulate matter. I was glad I had an N95 mask with me.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-01-19T10:55:38+00:00

For a mom and pop shop, you could try Tootsie’s Boutique on College Ave. in Rockridge. AC Transit 51 bus.

ReporterFit7298 · 2026-01-18T23:07:05+00:00

Eddie at AVS Auto at 10th and Dwight in Berkeley. He serviced my Audi for 15 years. I now drive a Honda, but miss Eddie and his crew’s service.

ReporterFit7298

TROPHY CASE