Melinda.casino

161 N Civic Dr, Walnut Creek

Spotted outside the new BRIO apartment complex in Walnut Creek, this new artwork by Phillip K. Smith is titled Gradient Column and was commissioned as part of Walnut Creek’s public art ordinance.

Donald Dr, Moraga

Recently I happened to be checking out Mulholland Ridge open space in Moraga (amazing!) off Donald Dr. when I encountered the Cindy Waxman Trail. Peeking inside I noticed a semi-hidden amphitheatre. Anyone know if this is actually used?

According to the Moraga Parks Trail Guidebook:

On the other (uphill) side of the parking area is the start of the well-marked Cindy Waxman trail. That natural trail takes you up the hill through eucalyptus, oak and pine trees for about a quarter mile. It connects to Donald Drive at a gate. You can walk through the gate, turn left, and go up Donald Drive to Mulholland Ridge for a longer hike.

Macy’s in downtown Walnut Creek in Broadway Plaza has been covered in black fabric for a while now and details on how it will look when it’s finished are being reviewed by the Walnut Creek Design Review commission. As you can see in the above rendering the red look is out, replaced with a lighter motif centered with a large glass opening. Natural light is great so I’m glad this is happening. There will also be a 57,000 square foot addition which you can see in the photo at bottom.

 

Spotted at the corner of S. California Blvd. and Botelho Dr. in downtown Walnut Creek where the pizzeria Project Pie will be opening soon.

71 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette

American Kitchen opened last Monday in downtown Lafayette and when I stopped by this weekend it was packed both inside and out with lots of people checking out what’s turning out to be a flourishing of newly opened eateries within downtown Lafayette. Although I was tempted to go with my usual burger, being a fan of fried chicken thanks to Oakland’s Bakesale Betty I decided to go with a fried chicken sandwich with coleslaw on a bun. Pickled beets and carrots were included as a side. I loved the cornmeal polenta crust on the juicy Mary’s chicken tenders and look forward to trying the burger next time. Actually, there’s a lot on the menu I want to try out. Has anyone tried this place out yet? What do you recommend? Check out American Kitchen on Facebook here.

Bar:

Photos of the fried chicken sandwich and the inside after the jump…

fried chicken sandwich:

Ygnacio Valley Rd. and Oak Grove Rd.

The Contra Costa Times recently reported that the Orchards Safeway development complex in the Shadelands Business Park in Walnut Creek has been officially approved after a resident’s appeal was denied. The article noted that a bocce-themed restaurant may be in the plans and taking a look at the renderings of the official Orchards website shows one rendering which looks awfully like bocce courts in the back.

A source familiar with the plan indicates that Campo Di Bocce, an Italian restaurant + bocce facility with locations in Los Gatos and Livermore may be opening in the Orchards. Check out the Livermore menu here. Their bocce page indicates pricing is, “$12.50 per person for 1.5 hours on the court for parties of less than 12 people.”

From their website:

Campo di Bocce of Los Gatos is a family owned Italian restaurant and United States Bocce Federation affiliated Bocce Club located in the beautiful town of Los Gatos.  The fundamental building blocks for first class bocce clubs in the United States, our Los Gatos location opened its doors in 1997. The first and premiere bocce and dining entertainment facility of its kind, Campo di Bocce is the brain child of Bocce Aficionado, Tom Albanese. In his quest to create a place for food, friends, fun and of course bocce, Tom, has created the ideal location for any family gathering, corporate outing, rehearsal dinner, wedding or simply a venue to enjoy a glass of wine after a long work week.

Hand of Peace Unveiling Ceremony:

Civic Park
1375 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek
Tuesday, September 16th, 2014
3:00pm – 3:30pm | Free

The public is invited to a celebration to welcome Beniamino Bufano’s monumental sculpture, Hand of Peace to its new location in Civic Park. Walnut Creek Mayor Kristina Lawson will lead the event.

For 43 years, Hand of Peace, a 32‐foot public art sculpture by world renowned artist Beniamino Bufano stood tucked away in the Quail Court office park in south Walnut Creek.  Public art tours visited the sculpture often, but the piece, made from copper, mosaic and stained glass, was mostly hidden from public view – many residents and visitors to Walnut Creek never knew it existed.

The City of Walnut Creek is pleased to announce that in June 2014 the completely restored Hand of Peace was installed in Civic Park at the north entrance of the downtown Walnut Creek Library. Generously on loan to the City for 25 years by the William H.C. Chang family who acquired the work when they purchased the Quail Court property in 1967, Hand of Peace will continue to be a stop on the city’s robust public art walking tour. In its new and central location, residents and visitors will have an opportunity to enjoy what was once a hidden treasure.

“We are grateful to the Chang family and to all the people who came together to bring Hand of Peace back to Walnut Creek,” says Carrie Lederer, Curator of Exhibitions and Programs at Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery. “This is a wonderful opportunity for Walnut Creek and the community – this piece will definitely be a place‐maker and one of those sculptures where people say: ‘meet me at The Hand!’”
A Legendary Artist and His Work

Born in Italy in 1898, Bufano was one of the California’s most colorful and beloved artists. He is known for creating artworks that were “big enough to belong to everybody, but too big for anyone to put in his pocket and call his own.” A staunch pacifist, he strongly opposed military action and during his long career delved into the abstract renderings of peace and human collaboration.
Throughout his life, Bufano cultivated his identity as an irascible bohemian who preferred to live off the generosity of friends. He was known as much for giving his work away as he was for selling it, and seemed to relish his celebrity status. His legacy can be seen across the state and the nation, and his Bufano Society for the Arts promotes his work, as well as contemporary arts and arts education.

100 Railroad Ave, Danville

A new ice cream shop called Crafts Creamery featuring ice cream made with the help of liquid nitrogen is coming to downtown Danville this fall.  According to this Shop Danville newsletter there will be more than 30 flavors including dairy-free options. Check out their website here. Is this the first liquid nitrogen ice cream place in Danville?

Willows Shopping Center

Just in time for Halloween, Spirit Halloween has opened a new store in the Willows Shopping Center in Concord next to the UFC Gym. This location is much smaller than their other locations and carries mostly costumes rather than decorations.

1376 N. Main St, Walnut Creek

A new wine bar is coming to downtown Walnut Creek on N. Main St. where Papyrus used to be. The public license listed at this address indicates that the owners are of the The Hidden Vine Wine Bar in San Francisco. Check out their website here. Stay tuned…

This sculpture was spotted in front of the AAA building in Walnut Creek on Oak Rd.

606 Sycamore Valley Rd, Danville

The gourmet chocolate shop Pieces of Chocolate which opened late last year, located in the Danville Livery in Danville will be offering wine pairings to accompany their chocolate tasting events next month. Check out their schedule here.

From their website:

We offer chocolate tasting events for public and private parties at our cioccolato tasting room in Danville, as well as corporate functions in and around the greater Bay area.  Most people have eaten chocolate but few have truly tasted the masterpieces of Chef Michael Barnes.  These chocolates are poured and salted by hand honoring the tradition of old world chocolatiers.  Our unique approach to tasting chocolate is deliciously fun and educational.  Fine chocolate tasting is very similiar to wine tasting in that you use different steps and senses to evaluate the quality and taste of the product.

More photos of the inside after the jump…

As I reported a few months ago, Target will be transitioning to the more secure microchip-enabled credit cards in early 2015. In the meantime, Target stores are taking the additional security measure of asking you for the last 4 digits of your credit card upon checkout. This means that after they've already swiped your card - but before they hand you your merchandise - they will ask you for the last 4 digits on your card. To that end, it'd be best to either memorize those numbers or keep your card out until you actually have your goods in hand. One Target clerk told me this is becoming commonplace at other retailers (not just Target) but so far Tar-shay is the only store I've experienced this at.

2230 Oak Grove Rd. Walnut Creek

A couple of weeks ago I noted that a new shaved snow and flavored drink shop called Ice Monster would be opening in the Nob Hill shopping center in Walnut Creek and they have now opened. Their featured offering is called shaved snow (see photo after the jump) and they also offer regular Dreyer’s ice cream as well as flavored iced tea, iced milk tea, milk shakes and smoothies.

I tried the taro flavored shaved snow with lychee jelly, m&ms, and chocolate syrup. I’m not sure how they make the shaved snow but according to a person working there they use less dairy, and no heavy cream from a recipe that comes from Taiwan where this type of ice cream is quite popular. Note that contrary to what I imagined this isn’t shaved ice with syrup aka snow cones that I loved as a kid. You may notice the $7.50 cost of a shaved snow; this is plenty for two people. They are considering adding a smaller size as well.

Click on menu for larger view:

Photos of the inside and a closeup of shaved snow after the jump…

Inside:

Taro shaved snow:

Y'all know what "glamping" is, right? Shorthand for glamorous camping, or camping in luxury. Well Racked.com dubs Poppytalk's new Target line as bringing "glamping to the masses", with products like fabric-covered camp stools, pastel camp stoves, collapsable cake stands, retro picnic baskets, and floral-motif lanterns, thermoses, and skewers. Best of all, everything is under $25, with the exception of a grand tent canopy for $150 (which - like several items in the collection - is available only on Target.com and not in stores).

A couple of years ago I noted that the Hand of Peace sculpture by California-based artist Beniamino Bufano would be displayed in Civic Park in downtown Walnut Creek for the next 25 years and the sculpture is now being displayed right next to the Walnut Creek library. It’s a lot bigger than I anticipated!

The co-owner of the Walnut Creek jewelry and gift shop Ming Quong, Nona Mock Wyman, composed a haiku to celebrate its return:

children standing tall
embraced by the hand
of peace

Backside view:

Thanks to reader Cotton Candy for sending me this list from BuzzFeed of "16 Secrets for Shopping at Target".  Most of these I've blogged about in the past (and BuzzFeed actually credits me for tip #16) but here's a rundown:

1 - Target has a daily markdown schedule; click here for the breakdown by day.
2 - The number in the upper right corner of the clearance tag tells you what percentage off the markdown is.
3 - If the clearance price ends in an $0.06 or $0.08, it will probably be marked down again IF there's inventory left in the store.
4 - If the clearance price ends in an $0.04, then it's at final clearance and won't be marked down further.
5 - Target has a limit on the amount of returns you can make in one year, capping out at a max. of $75.
6 - All electronics and entertainment purchases have to be returned or exchanged within 30 days.
7 - Beyond the 5% off the card gives its users, REDcard debit and credit card holders will receive an extra 30 days to return nearly all items purchased with their REDcard at Target and Target.com.
8 - You can return Target purchases by mail for free; just visit the online return center and print out a prepaid return label, and Target will pay the return shipping fees.
9 - If you find an item in a competitor’s ad, bring it to Target and it’ll match the advertised price.
10 - If you pay with a check, you have to wait 10 days before you can get a refund in cash; otherwise you have to settle for a Target gift card.
11 - Target has mobile coupons available to be sent directly to your phone; you can sign up here.
12 - And the Target app gets 10 or more new coupons each week.
13 - Target also offers their free Cartwheel app, which offers several deals that change weekly and has different ways to save than the their coupon app.
14 - If you find an item on sale that you wish to purchase but the store runs out of stock, you can request a rain check.
16 - You can find brand-new Target merchandise at Goodwill.

Last week I featured one of the kitchens from the 15th annual Lafayette Juniors Kitchen tour  and here is one more “kitchen of the day”. You can see more photos from the tour on the Lafayette Juniors Facebook page here.

This house was originally a horse ranch and the farmhouse setting was preserved for the remodel. From the tour description:

The farmhouse home is a sight to be seen. The refurbished vintage oven and stovetop lend a unique charm to the house. The kitchen prides an untraditional remodel of tiled counter tops and an alder wood island. Checker style kitchen floors add charm, balance and warmth to the house. The homeowners love to reuse materials and products: There is even a small old bathtub that is used as a flowerbed in the serene backyard.

The scene pictured below in the open area next to the kitchen is one of my favorites. Perfectly in keeping with the farmhouse style!

More photos including a solar powered chicken coop after the jump…

Gate at side entrance:

Refurbished oven:

Solar powered chicken coop:

Open Mic Night:

Red House
1667 Botelho Dr, Walnut Creek
Friday, May 23rd, 2014
8:00pm | $7

Get tickets: http://ticketf.ly/1gpCdVI

Open Mic Night!
$7 to Attend or Play!
ALL AGES

Sign ups begin 7PM day of event at Red House Bar

For advanced sign ups, you must check in by 7:15 to keep your spot.

Time slots limited!

Contact Paiger Rager for advanced sign ups.

BYOI (bring your own instruments)

Full stage, lighting, house drum kit, bass amp, and guitar amps provided.

All genres and stylings welcome, group or solo performances

Good times, no hassle no drama

Let’s have a rockin’ night!

With the kitchen remodel we went through recently, I fell out of the habit of doing updates because frankly we were doing very little cooking while the kitchen was tore apart.  Then after that was done other distractions came around, but now it is time to get back to blogging.

Costco has their Kirkland Signature Braided Apple Strudel on sale this month and I have to say it is a must buy.  At full price, it is a good deal, it is certainly a better value than buying pastries at a bakery or out of a vending at work.  On sale, it is an absolute bargain. It is a well made strudel with a good quantity  of apple filling and well executed and flaky crust.

While we had some as-is for breakfast during the week, I thought that kicking them up a notch on the weekend was a great idea.  To do this, we heated them up in the toaster oven.
After they were a cozy, warm temperature we got some nice vanilla ice cream and served them a la mode.




This worked wonderfully. It was easy, delicious and indulgent.  I wouldn't suggest this on a daily basis, but for a special occasion or just because you feel you need a pampering, I highly recommend this.

I guarantee you that every time we buy the strudel, we will be thinking about doing this!

We felt compelled to buy the Chicken Alfredo since it is such a great deal on sale. However, we felt serving something on the side made some sense, so my lovely wife made a Caprese Salad on a bed of romaine lettuce.  Aside from being a tasty combination, it was also very pretty.
This meal came together pretty quickly and it had a variety of flavors and textures.  Having romaine lettuce and mozzarella cheese from Costco also made this very affordable.

If you are looking for a way to spruce up your alfredo, I highly recommend this combination.

Centennial Celebration of Heritage Day at Borges Ranch:

Borges Ranch
1035 Castle Rock Rd, Walnut Creek
Saturday, May 17th, 2014
10:00am – 4:00pm | $7.50 (advance)

Families of all ages are invited to celebrate Walnut Creek’s early ranch days – and enjoy performances by country singer and “American Idol” star Matt Rogers – at the Centennial Celebration of Heritage Day at Borges Ranch, set for Sat., May 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are now available at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/heritage-day-at-borges-ranch-tickets-10622493163.

First 150 tickets purchased receive VIP event passes.

To volunteer at this event, visit this link - http://wcserviceday.volunteerhub.com/Events/Index

A Season 3 “American Idol” finalist, Rogers will perform at both 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The first 150 ticket purchasers will receive VIP event passes for a special mid-day meet-and-greet event with the country star.

A Heritage Day highlight for children will be a Ranch Days Costume Parade, where children will “parade” their favorite early 1900s ranch attire. The Costume Parade will start at 10:30 a.m.
The day’s activities also will feature:

- Performances by local folk/blue grass groups and the Diablo Mountain Cloggers
- Farm animal demonstrations
- Pony rides
- Children’s games and crafts
- Silent films
- Short walking tours in the Shell Ridge Open Space
- Ranch house visits with the Borges Family
- Heritage home-arts demonstrations

Tickets
Children (2-17) — $5
Adults — $7.50 (advance) or $10 (day of event)
Ticket price includes all entertainment, demonstrations,
tours, and shuttle transportation. A small additional fee will be charged for craft supplies. Food and beverages are available for purchase. No refunds.

PLEASE NOTE – Parking
Parking at the ranch is limited so only those with disabled placards my drive to the ranch on Heritage Day. All other guests must park at Northgate High School (425 Castle Rock Rd.) and take the shuttle buses to the ranch. First shuttle leaves Northgate High at 9:45 a.m.

Concert at the Res:

Lafayette Reservoir
3849 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Saturday, May 10th, 2014
11:00am – 3:00pm | Free

The Rotary Club of Lafayette presents the Concert at the Res on Saturday, May 10 from 11am – 3pm on the new stage at the Lafayette Reservoir. The line-up includes the Big Band of Rossmoor, Stanley Symphonic Band, Acalanes Jazz Ensemble, Lamorinda Theater Academy, Bentley Jazz Ensemble and Town Hall Theater. This event is FREE! Shuttle service is available from the main parking lot to the stage. For more information call Lafayette Chamber of Commerce (925) 284-7404.

35 Crescent Dr, Pleasant Hill

Earlier this month we learned that Gotta Eatta Pita was opening their second location in downtown Pleasant Hill and they are now open. (Their first location, in Danville, opened last December.) I had a chance to stop by for dinner recently and was impressed with the offerings and reasonable pricing. This seems to have hit a chord with locals as they plan on opening more Gotta Eatta Pita locations (one per month!) throughout the Bay Area including San Francisco. Next up, Pleasanton, on Owens Drive.

The ordering reminds me of Chipotle. After choosing between salad/pita, and shawarma, falafel or the combo, you walk down the line towards the register adding various sides and toppings such as eggplant, purple cabbage, hummus, cous cous and tahini sauce. They kept stuffing more and more that I was getting nervous how I was going to eat it and on top of that at the end they went back and stuffed more falafels on top. They place it in a cardboard box in which the top half can be ripped opened allowing for easy eating. Check out their menu here.

Check out the pita combo:

More photos of the inside after the jump…

Start ordering at right:

Bar seating inside:

Plenty more outdoor seating:

1536 Newell Ave, Walnut Creek

Thanks to a reader for sending word that a new cafe/play center for young kids and their parents called Small Talk Family Cafe will be opening in the Newell Promenade in Walnut Creek on Mother’s Day, May 11th. Check out their Facebook page here. In addition to playtime they will also offer baby and kid classes, provide parent resources and host family events and parties. If you have young kids you’ll definitely want to check this place out when it opens.

From their website:

Small Talk Family Cafe will be an indoor play space and cafe where parents and caregivers can linger over coffee, tea or a bite to eat while their children (age 0-6) can explore and interact in a safe and welcoming environment. Classes for little ones, parent education and birthday parties will be offered too. Small Talk will open in Walnut Creek, CA on Sunday, May 11, 2014 (Mother’s Day!).

Small Talk will be about meeting YOUR needs as a parent or caregiver. Sure, the kids will love the developmental dramatic play area with trains and vehicle toys, dress up, dolls and dollhouses, building blocks and plethora of other toys, activities and fun equipment designed for enrichment. However, this space will be made for YOU! Think modern coffee house plus a clean, child-proofed environment, open format for easy supervising, furniture made to withstand mini climbers, a dedicated baby area, parent resources and info, healthy, nutritious food and beverages, free WiFi and more.

In addition, Small Talk Family Cafe will emphasize environmentally friendly practices with a focus on green toys and equipment, natural, organic offerings, and non-toxic cleaning methods.

The Liberty Bell Kiosks that opened with high hopes a couple of years ago (near the restaurant Il Forniao) and that have been empty for a while now have finally been removed freeing up space to enjoy the fountain.

Walnut Creek based Calicraft Brewing Co. is planning on opening a tasting room this fall in the Shadelands Business Park at 2700 Mitchell Dr. in Walnut Creek. They were pouring beers at the Sabores del Sur opening last week and I thought the Kolsch-style ale was amazing! Check out their beers here.

From their Facebook page:

California, bottled. – Using locally and regionally sourced ingredients Calicraft makes beers that showcase the flavors and taste California.

Read more about Calicraft here and here.

I obviously had to buy this one.  93 point rated from Parker and only $10 at Costco.  Plus I'm a huge fan of Toro wines since they generally deliver ridiculous value for the money.  And this one follows suit, although I can't go as high as 93 points... Medium to semi-full dark on the pour, not super thick in appearance, but the flavor is all there.  The nose is really pleasant; grassy with a little mint and clove, a bit different which is refreshing.  Body is medium to full, and flavors are packaged perfectly - a bit of boisterous blueberry, red licorice, and ripe cherry that comes through more as the wine gets some air. Finishes strong, lasting, sticks to the mouth.  A great food wine. This is a real treat for $10.  And I'm excited because I found quite a few reasonably priced Spanish bottles hitting my Costco on my last visit.  More on those to come but this wine is great way to get started in this region. CostcoWineBlog.com Rating: 89 Points Costco item number: 832106 Purchased at Costco in: Atlanta, GA

Have you seen this wine at your local Costco store?  Have you tasted this wine before?  Please share your thoughts and insight with us and other readers on Twitter or our Facebook page.

East Bay Bike Party Rhythm Bike Ride:

Lafayette BART
Friday, April 11th, 2014
7:30 | Free

Calling out to EBBP participants: We want you to BRING THE RHYTHM this month. Drums, plastic containers, tambourines, triangles, whatever it takes! Might be a good time for MORE COWBELL!

Route sheets (with regroups & directions to the closest BART station) will be available at the beginning of the ride.

Dogtown Downtown:

Lafayette Plaza Park
Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Moraga Rd, Lafayette
Saturday, April 12th, 2014
10:00am – 1:00pm | Free

Love dogs? Don’t miss Lafayette Dogtown Downtown. Dogs invited. Parade starts at 10am.

Long considered a pet friendly town, Lafayette is giving top billing to its canine community for its first-ever Dogtown Downtown event, scheduled for Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is an event about – and for – dogs and dog lovers.

Designed to be a fun and festive canine-focused event, Lafayette Dogtown Downtown includes outdoor demonstrations, fun dog competitions, and other activities for dog lovers of all ages. Pet adoptions will be available and animal rescue group representatives will be on hand, as well as other dog-related vendors.

True to Lafayette’s passion for lifelong learning, the Dogtown Downtown event also has a strong educational offering – a curriculum of ten 30-minute presentations by veterinary specialists from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and the Bay Area’s SAGE Centers for Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Care. Organized in two tracks, topics range from pet first aid, toxins, environmental hazards, behavioral issues, and the veterinary blood bank, to how to become a veterinarian or veterinarian technician.

Admission and related activities, including the presentations, are free, but registration is encouraged, either online or at the event. Be among the first to register and receive a complimentary Lafayette Dogtown Downtown canine first aide starter kit when you check in at the event, while supplies last.