Music

Two of the best music stores in the Bay Area are right on Telegraph: Rasputin and Amoeba Music both offer excellent selections of albums. To be honest, I hardly buy new CDs, but among the used CDs, you are sure to find inexpensive gems, from Leonard Cohen to Stereolab. If you are a purist, both stores offer LPs, some as cheap as a dollar.

There are also numerous venues for you to frequent with admission typically less than $15. If you want to stay close to home, Blake's on Telegraph stages some of the biggest names from the Bay Area. For those with diverse tastes, there's Shattuck Down Low. To satisfy your hardcore cravings, there is no better place than 924 Gilman. And if you're willing to make a trip across the bay, check out San Francisco's Bottom of the Hill.

-Rajesh Srinivasan

Movies

For those looking for cinematic adventures on the cheap, you've got two options. If you don't mind the walk and you like retro films, the United Artists Berkeley 7 offers Flashback Features, a weekly showing of an old movie. For $5, they throw in trivia and prizes as well. The on-campus option is the Superb! Screenings, which are put on about once a month. That ragtag team slaves away getting their hands on the latest movies and showing them in Wheeler for only a few bucks. You won't get brand-new movies (a few weeks old at best), but you get them on the cheap.

-Daniel Kronovet

Bookstores

For those of you out on Shattuck, Half-Price Books at Shattuck and Addison is really your new best friend. Don't overthink the name; it's really just that. Cheap books and lots of them. If you aren't willing to make the trek to Shattuck, Moe's Books on Telegraph off Haste is a nice independent bookstore, with a substantial used section. Friendly staff and an eclectic collection put this one at the top. If you're feeling ripe for an adventure, spend an afternoon sifting through the boxes of books peddled by Telegraph vendors. Absolutely unpredictable selection and fluctuating prices make book buying an art.

-Daniel Kronovet

Museums

You now live in a cultural Mecca. Thou shalt take advantage of it. Gems close to home are the Berkeley Art Museum and the Pacific Film Archive. At the BAM, engage in conversation with artists and curators at free receptions and explore exhibits that range from local to international perspectives and different historical periods. Free to UC Berkeley students. Whether you crave classic or experimental film, PFA has it all with over 14,000 films. $5.50 for a single feature, though some programs are free. The SF Museum of Modern Art houses provocative examples of human imagination. $7 with a student ID.

-Sara Hayden

Chinese Food

The Berkeley area is filled with pockets of sweet and savory delights. Dim-sum virgins should head to SF Chinatown's New Asia restaurant to experience the extreme energy only a dim-sum house can offer. Pick entrees from carts propelled by servers singing out their wares and take the hot tea for a spin on a lazy-susan. Hop on a bus to Oakland's Chinatown and check out the Joy Luck Restaurant. Atmosphere is quaint, but the food is authentic, cheap and delicious. Cater to pensive, tranquil moods at Berkeley's Imperial Tea Court with a tea ceremony performed by knowledgeable hosts. Spend $3-$10.

-Sara Hayden

Tags: CHINESE FOOD, MOVIES, MUSIC