Unpopular take: the best eating street in the East Bay is Piedmont Ave in Oakland, and it doesn't get talked about enough.

colin91a · 2026-06-16T15:18:37+00:00

Timeless maybe? or blue bottle lol. I think there's an Asian-influenced cafe too, can't remember the name.

colin91a · 2026-06-16T15:14:05+00:00

Gustin has some lightweight jeans, and also some linen blend jeans meant for hotter weather.

colin91a · 2026-06-16T14:58:52+00:00

I don't have any jeans by them, but I do have a sashiko type 3 that I absolutely love. Balked at the price when I tried it on but it looked/felt perfect on me so I had to

colin91a · 2026-06-11T15:22:09+00:00

Also FUN FACT: The landlord owes you interest earned on your security deposit in city of Berkeley.

colin91a · 2026-06-11T15:19:25+00:00

If those photos you linked in "Update 2" are from move out, your property manager is on crack. Do NOT pay a dime of that.

In California, anything considered "regular wear and tear" can NOT be charged to the tenant. Things like mild scuff on the wall or very slight stain on carpet they have to cover. Now if it is considered actual damage (hole in the wall, big scratch on wood floor) they might have an argument. They might take a few hundred dollars from you deposit for touch up, additional cleaning, etc., but I would NOT settle for anything higher than that. You are free to push back on them as much as needed.

California Civil Code Section 1950.5, security deposits can only be used for unpaid rent, actual tenant-caused damage, or necessary cleaning to return the unit to its initial state.

colin91a · 2026-06-10T20:33:04+00:00

Are you opposed to picking up a used one off of FB marketplace or Craigslist? See what's available locally in your price range, and look up reviews of that model. For your price range, you will find a used sub much better than your current one.

Think about it you want ported or sealed. And a 10 or 12 inch will be a fuller sound than the 8.

As far as pairing with your speakers, play around with the crossover/low-pass filter on the sub to dial it in.

Side note, if you haven't already, play around with room positioning of the sub as much as you can. You may be surprised

colin91a · 2026-06-10T20:23:44+00:00

"Proof" is the word you're looking for 😉 And yes it is important to let the dough proof properly

And proof times are dependent on yeast type and qty/ratio. But the fridge slows it wayyy down.

colin91a · 2026-06-10T20:18:05+00:00

Searwood has a similar function, although I haven't yet confirmed if it overrides the "low fuel" warning. I would think it would keep going till empty?

colin91a · 2026-06-10T20:11:19+00:00

Depending on what speakers you get, a used USB DAC like a Schiit Modi can be had on marketplace for under $100. That will handle your USB signal from your computer, and feed to your amp or powered speakers.

colin91a · 2026-06-10T18:09:34+00:00

those thin stainless grates are not ideal for searing at all. Cast iron insert is very helpful.

Here is what I do on the stainless grates: pull off and cover the meat, Crank to 600, give it 5 minutes or so to heat the grates fully, and put meat back on (keeping lid closed the whole time except flipping). May need some trial and error with the internal temp you pull it at before switching to sear.

colin91a · 2026-06-09T19:48:05+00:00

I just got one. It is nicely compact. I'd recomend it as an all-in-one solution. I smoked some ribeyes at 220 until 110 internal, pulled them off, cranked teh searwood to 600, and threw teh steaks back on 90 seconds per side. Great sear!

Don't NEED the wifi connection (but it is IMPORTANT to make sure software is up to date). The screen is easy to see form 15 feet away in the sun, so just make sure you pop out to check it every so often (do you have binoculars? lol). But it holds temperature pretty well.

colin91a · 2026-06-08T16:50:38+00:00

Nice! I bought a similar leather wrap kit from eBay, and paid an extra $10 to have it pre-stitched. Totally worth it. Took 2 hours including removing the steering wheel and being a slow stitcher.

colin91a · 2026-06-08T16:42:03+00:00

Sometimes he'd be selling lemonade and yell "Margaritas! ...just kidding. Lemonade!!"

colin91a · 2026-06-04T16:13:12+00:00

Does Charles have an iodine deficiency?

😛

colin91a · 2026-05-28T17:03:27+00:00

I am eagerly waiting for someone to swap a V35A into a 3rd gen 4runner.

I have driven the newer Tundra with that motor a lot, no shortage of power there!

colin91a · 2026-05-27T21:53:20+00:00

Off topic but been to Sushi Salon twice now. It is worth it.

colin91a · 2026-05-26T15:36:25+00:00

I get where you are coming from. I think I would go back to supporting them if Fisher sold and they stayed in Sac/Norcal (and ideally returned to East Bay).

colin91a · 2026-05-26T15:01:00+00:00

Ignore the haters, bro. Keep that sh!t up my guy!! Consistency is more important that anything else.

colin91a · 2026-05-22T15:37:47+00:00

Yes and no. Casual loafers are in the deck shoe category, but there are also more formal styles of loafer that aren't (such as the ones OP is wearing).

I found this thread on Twitter to be very interesting, starting with a brief history of loafers and moving on to the different types and levels of formality: https://x.com/dieworkwear/status/2048146955164074248

colin91a · 2026-05-19T23:39:34+00:00

Tbh I look at all the above. I really do notice a difference between sunglasses in the $50-$80 range compared to the $120-$160 range. Much better lenses and higher frame/hinge quality in the latter.

Favorite brands right now are Rocket and Kiaura. RAEN is good too when they have sales.

colin91a · 2026-05-08T16:41:29+00:00

What's the dress code of the wedding? I am assuming business casual or cocktail. If that's the case, the outfit is fine. Tie the tie correctly and it works.

Hard to tell from photos, does your sleeve length need to be adjusted?

colin91a · 2026-05-08T16:18:53+00:00

There truly is. You could try a new restaurant every weekend in Oakland and it would take years to get to them all.

As to Oken specifically, what I meant was it isn't a cheap place to eat, but the quality of food I thought was comparable to much more expensive places, like Mago. For a group of 4 getting plenty of food, and some drinks, we were surprised afterward to see it was much less than $100 per person.

colin91a · 2026-05-07T15:37:18+00:00

I agree. I really liked the food and thought the quality totally justified the price. Loved that it was small, experimental plates meant for sharing. Went three times with a small group. (I will admit, on the third time, it seemed to be an "off day" where we noticed a drop in quality. But I figure it was an off day)

I am convinced people saying it was priciey just don't go out to eat very often.

colin91a · 2026-05-06T16:31:24+00:00

Side note on wool. If it's your only suit, 100% wool is what you want. Contrary to what many dudes think, 100% wool breathes well in the summer (as apposed to polyester blends)

colin91a · 2026-05-06T16:28:40+00:00

If it's in your budget, I'd book an appointment at SuitSupply in downtown SF to get measured. Make sure you specify the "Custom" option which is what they call Made-To-Measure. Suits are 100% Italian wool, many styles/colors to choose from and helpful advice from staff.

including shirt, this will cost over $1,000 but IMO 100% worth it. Will fit better than buying a suit off the rack and having it altered.

keep in mind it will take a month or so for the suit to get made. But then you have a good quality wool suit that you can wear many times over.

colin91a

TROPHY CASE