BARTing your way through the day: A BART Advisory

I commute to Emeryville every few weeks for work, and I've found that taking BART and then the complimentary Emery-Go-Round shuttle work well for me.

Lately, though, something has changed on the BART route. Passengers traveling to Oakland and Richmond can no longer take a single train from the Fremont station. Apparently, according to the BART website, fires earlier this month damaged a service facility. Because of that, passengers boarding in Fremont, Union City, and Hayward all have to board an SF train to start their journeys, and then transfer at Bayfair (just before San Leandro) and catch a Richmond train. While the BART website advises that you give yourself an extra 10 minutes for transfer, I would recommend that you give yourself an extra 15-20. The SF and Dublin/Pleasanton trains seem to arrive more often than the Richmond ones. Check out the official word at http://www.bart.gov/news/press/news20080511.asp.

That being said, if you're living in San Jose and heading up to the City on BART, I would recommend driving to Millbrae or South San Francisco and catching a train from there. Both stations offer free parking, and plenty of it, and are easily accessible from 101 (with the latter, you need to take the 380 connector and exit at El Camino Real, but it's very straightforward).

Finally, BART has an EZ Rider card for frequent riders. Instead of buying a ticket each day, you can just pass a card over a decal on the ticket scanner, and the money will automatically be deducted from your card. The card is initially filled with $45 from your credit card, and refills for you when you are running out. I'm tempted to sign up, what with the work commuting and my jaunts over to S.F. For more on the EZ Rider card, please visit: http://www.bart.gov/news/features/features20061018.asp.

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Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon @ the San Jose Museum of Art!

This image, and the others which follow, are from the SJMA exhibit. All rights are reserved to their creators.

I love robots. Maybe it's because I used to work at a specialty toy store which consistently stocked a healthy selection of metallic, 60s style, key-powered robots. Or maybe I have fond memories of my brother's liquid powered plastic behemoth which would vent smoke and stare with its red glowing eyes. Regardless, I was stoked to attend this evening's robot event at the San Jose Museum of Art in honor of its Robots: Evolution of a Cultural Icon exhibit.

As part of the event, the museum offered free admission for all attendees. Patrons could sip complimentary wine, as well as lemonade, water, or iced tea. Guests could also snag paper containers and fill them with assorted snack mixes, wasabi flavored peas, nuts, or candy. Children and adults alike could build their own robots out of Legos, draw robots with crayons and colored pencils, or create their own robots out of pieces of styrofoam and plastic.

The Robots exhibit had something for everyone--shaded drawings, gaouche, photographs, three dimensional scenes, paintings, statues, and the like. There were original compositions and nostalgic reflections. And most incredibly, there was even a gigantic foam robot overlooking the entire hall--just incredible!

Admission to the San Jose Museum of Art is only $8, less than the price of a theater ticket. The museum is located at 110 Market St, SJ, 95113. Come and support the arts!

For those planning a wedding, Twitterpated Weddings is the way to go!

I'm a believer that a solid planner, whether hired for minimal or maximum assistance, can make or break a wedding. So many things can go wrong: wardrobe malfunctions, food miscalculations, warring relatives...Even if you want to do the bulk of the planning yourself, it's just better for peace of mind to have someone there for those things you might not think of.

Enter Twitterpated Weddings, a planning service which offers as much or as little as you need. It's headed by a former bride who knows the wedding industry. Check out the website at http://www.twitterpatedweddings.com/ and experience the wonder of help just when you need it!

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Get your tresses styled at Cappelli Salon

Let's face it--I'm very particular about who cuts my hair. Maybe I received one too many poorly styled $10 specials at the local discount salon as a child, or maybe no one really taught me me how to properly style my hair. Regardless, I was tickled pink by the service at Capelli Salon in Los Gatos.

My cousin had recommended that I meet with Brianne, and the woman worked miracles with my endlessly frizzy, split-ended, gray-streaked hair. She started with a consultation which helped determine the style of the cut (part/bangs/shape/volume), shampooed my hair, and even incorporated some scalp massage into the wash. For the cut itself, she snipped a bit of my hair while wet, then blow-dried it to ensure the precision of the style. She did the remainder of the cut when my hair was dry, something my former stylists hadn't really done. All of this in under an hour, and I was one thrilled customer.

Since then, the compliments haven't stopped!

I should also give props to the receptionist--she offered me an array of beverage choices, including a dynamite Stash berry tea. She also allowed me to pay with cash or credit card, something which most salons don't do unless you're buying a product. I will definitely go back!

If you're interested, Capelli Salon is located at 14 E. Main St, Los Gatos, CA, 95030.
Parking is available at the top of College Avenue.