BLUEPRINT
EAST B AY
A L O C A L N E W S L ET T E R
Hot Spots One of our favorite things to do for this newsletter is “research” the newest places to eat, drink and hang out. Here are some of our favorites from the last two months. STARTER BAKERY - ALBANY One of the East Bay’s premier bakeries nally opens on one of the best blocks on Solano Ave. While there are plenty of decadent menu options across the savory & sweet spectrum, it is the indulgent beignets that make this location unique. Starter founder (and master baker), Brian Wood, spent months perfecting his version of the French donut and they are amazing. 1183 Solano Ave, Albany Wed-Sun 7-4PM CAFE BRUSCO - BERKELEY The newest venture from the team at Rose Pizzeria (named one of the best pizza spots in the United States by the New York Times) is a bagel shop cafe by day and wine bar by night. The incredible menu of bagel options includes open face classics and closed faced sandwiches. All with the same creativity, avor & satisfaction you’d expect from the folks at Rose. 2000 University Ave.
fl
FIVE STAR CHICKEN - RICHMOND New chicken sandwich restaurants are piling up faster than we can keep track of but this one is absolutely worth noting. The combination of delicious, crispy, juicy chicken with the over-thetop menu creations (mango-habañero chicken sandwich, Mac-n-cheese chicken sandwich & the hot honey chicken sandwich to name a few) is in a category by itself. We were shocked at how low the prices were, too. $8 & $9 for their sandwiches . . . and no, those aren’t kid sizes. 12951 San Pablo Ave (near McBryde) 11-10PM 7 days a week.
ffi
fi
NOV E MBE R 2025
Holidays & Housing Markets With Halloween in the rearview and Thanksgiving on the horizon, the holiday season is o cially underway. The East Bay housing market has a natural rhythm: spring and fall are the busiest seasons of the year, summer slows a bit as families travel, and it’s during the holidays that the pace truly quiets. But don’t mistake fewer transactions for inactivity, this quieter stretch is one of the most pivotal times of the entire real estate cycle. For sellers who have the luxury of choosing exactly when to bring their home to market (typically spring aka Q2) this is the season when the groundwork begins. In most cases, sellers have already purchased or rented their next home, and the focus shifts to preparation: moving, cleaning, tackling improvement projects, and organizing logistics. Securing contractors and vendors over the holidays can also be challenging in itself. A successful home sale involves dozens of professionals and months of coordination, and this is when the planning quietly takes place behind the scenes. (Continued)