one less record store

It was overcast and a few sprinkles had dampened the street. We were thinking about where to go to get a bite to eat, get a little out of the house time before tackling chores. Up the hill to Euclid to the burrito place? Get in the car and drive down to Gilman for the Gilman Grill? Usually going to that end of town means shopping at Target or buying pet supplies.

Since I spend five days a week downtown I usually don't suggest going there on the weekends. But we liked the Mediterranean place in its latest incarnation and it's a block too far to fit comfortably in my lunch hour (half hour, that is). Plus there are a couple interesting stores to poke around in nearby if you're in that mood.

I grabbed my umbrella and Kent put on a baseball cap and we strolled down Shattuck, the rain beginning a steadier patter. As I chomped my chicken shawarma sandwich and Kent forked hummus onto a wedge of pita the rain got heavier. The food was good and, full, I felt stronger, my wobbly head settled. How about Mod Lang? I said. I haven't been in there in awhile.

Last I was in I bought some two-dollar sampler CDs to listen to at my desk at work.

But the storefront was empty. One less record store in Berkeley. Seems they've moved to El Cerrito.

We stepped over next door to Eudemonia because I've only been in there maybe once and am always curious about it. Up front there are shelves of board games for sale and videogame fuel (Hostess cupcakes, candybars, etc). The second third of the room is computer terminals about half of which were taken up by young guys playing videogames. The ones I saw were mostly first person shooters. The back of the room is tables for board and card game play (Magic the Gathering, not poker). There was one group of four or five twenty-somethings hunched over colorful cards.

I guess none of this hooked Kent or me so we ducked back out into the rain and walked home.