Anyone in California?

Please go see Beachgoat.

And shoot his pets.

Check out Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and Ghirardelli Square in San Fran.

Do NOT head south lest you get sucked into the horror that is Kern County.

I'd tell you to go see meepbox but he's armed and insane, so...

Oh, meep...Sorry.

The Crab House on Pier 39 in SF is not to be missed under any cirmeepstance. Ditto Sushi Raw in the Mission.

The Catalyst in Santa Cruz has awesome live music all the time, and is the first place I ever drank a pint of Guinness.

The Aquarium in Monterey is probably the best in the free world.

Dinner at the Ritz in Half-Moon bay cannot be topped.

Hang out at Yogurt Fraische in Palo Alto...you might run into Steve Jobs. Or Robert Scoble. Or Mark Zuckerburg.

There used to be a club in Santa Clara called One Step Beyond...I caught the Ramones there a time or two.

I'll think of more

This is my favorite place in SF for budget dining. Chez Panisse in Berkeley when the pocket book allows. I know a great spot in SJ to watch the best unknown skateboarders in the world, but I suggest you pack heat if you go.

Sunset meeptails at the top of the Mark Hopkins in SF. Anything at Tommy's Joynt. Grace Cathedral in an architectural wonder. Union Square. The Exploratorium is a must. Palace of the Arts is right there. Check out the Haight...go off a few blocks, the Victorians are exquisite. Roller skate Golden Gate park. See a show, any show at the Fillmore. They have good, cheap ones mid-week (but so does the Catylist in Santa Cruz). Have fun, eat crab, smoke local, drink red wine, and see the ocean.

I'm shocked, Goat. No City Lights bookstore? You're slipping, my friend.

not in the bay area currently but i did grow up there. get the meep out of sanjose. go to sf as the fine gentleman above have recommended. plenty of tourist options better than winchester (ggbridge, the rock, etc.). google bourbon&branch and reserve yourself a couple hours at a speakeasy. its grown in popularity lately so it may be tougher to get a space. one of my favorite restaurants (off the piers) is the oldest one in town Taddichs bar and grill. from there you can stroll up to northbeach and go to city lights bookstore, or a porn theater. but you can certainly stop at the Rogue brewery. satellite brewery from their hq in oregon, they have all the rogue beers on tap. the sf brew comp is down the street but it just shut down a couple of months ago i believe. other than that you can go across the bay to berkeley, which can be just as fun as sf and a meep of a lot less crowded. or if you are farther south than SJ consider making a trek down to monteray bay. or for a longer trip there is the pt. reyes area north of the bridge.

now can you return the favor? im stuck in houston indefinitely waiting for DCA to open the meep back up. what the meep do people do for fun in this town?

Houston? yuck. There's some kitchy place that's fun, pretty people watching - down by the medical center. Bunch of roomy sports-type bars that you can walk back and forth between. More info to follow.

Sounds like you're all telling me to do the San Fransisco thing. I've done that, its a beautiful city but I don't want to trek it out there this trip.

Unless Beachgoat comes and picks me up, I mean.

Sunnyvale is where I'm at, bring the noise.

Marie Callenders is your best bet.

currently in the museum district and it doesnt seem horrible, but this place will definitely get old fast. im going to leave texas on foot tomorrow if i can't get out by plane.

and if youre not going north to sf/berkeley/wine country then go south to santa cruz. otherwise, its ugly. you might as well be in frezno.

ok that was harsh. nowhere is as bad as fresno.

Make the trip down to LA so I can bang your whatsit

I second the Monterey Bay Aquarium suggestion. It's epic. Monterey is pretty cool too.

Then I recommend (since your in Monterey anydamnway) heading south on the 1 to Big Sur. Check out Nepenthe and trip out on the amazing views. If you get really crazy go see Beachgoat, but leave his meep animals be, they suffer enough as it is. ; )

Gotta mention that me and the kids went to Monterey Bay Aquarium a few months ago and although it's still pretty awesome, they don't have the sunfish or the big sharks anymore. It put a little bit of a damper on the trip. Still, the ocean view is pretty meepin'.

If you want to see big sharks just swim a few hundred yards out into Monterey Bay.

I live in Sunnyvale, but didn't see your post until today.

If you're a geek, then the Computer History Museum should make your nipples hard. If you haven't experienced coastal redwood forest, then Big Basin is a 20 minute drive to the top of the mountain. Also, try tuning your radio to 89.7 (never know what they might be playing).

I was flying over Phoenix when you sent that jwalker,

Bummer.

I leave for Dallas tomorrow.