Election Day is here and hopefully y’all have voted by now, but if not, get your vote in sometime today!
Election Day is here and hopefully y’all have voted by now, but if not, get your vote in sometime today!
Broadway Plaza Parking Garage, Walnut Creek
Earlier this month, when I wrote about the potential chaos at the Broadway Plaza parking garage in downtown Walnut Creek after the switch to phone-only payment, I was hoping it wouldn’t be that bad. Unfortunately, over the weekend, it was exactly that bad.
As I was leaving, I saw a massive line at the main South Broadway exit, so I tried the Newell Avenue exit instead. It moved along for a bit, then completely stalled. An employee rolled up in a golf cart like help had arrived, but nothing changed. Soon that exit was backed up too, with cars clogging the other lane. After a lot of maneuvering, I finally managed to back up and get out through another machine.
Total headache, and it’s not even busy season. Be careful parking here.
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Printed entry tickets are now a thing of the past at the Broadway Plaza parking garage in downtown Walnut Creek. Upon entry, your license plate is recorded along with the entry time. Although the three hour free parking remains, you’ll need to either register your plate via QR code to create an online account, or remember exactly when you entered, because if you’re one minute over 3 hours, and don’t pay online beforehand (and don’t have an account), upon leaving, you’ll need to apparently enter your phone number where you’ll get a link to pay online.
I have serious doubts as to how this is going to work and not result in massive backups. Supposedly there will be employees available to help out but we’ll see.
It’s nice to see outdoor tables in downtown Walnut Creek. These two are right next to sweetgreen.
City Center Bishop Ranch, San Ramon
While checking out City Center Bishop Ranch in San Ramon over the weekend, I noticed many people walking by drenched in colors. It was only later that I realized this was part of the Holi festival. According to this Wikipedia article, “Holi is a major Hindu festival celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, Equality and Spring”.
From the event page:
Experience the energy of music, dancing, and the playful tradition of throwing colors on Bishop Drive.
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who also heads the so-called Department of Government Efficiency aka DOGE, a body linked to policies resulting in the layoff of thousands of federal employees, is now confronting a surge of public dissent. Protests have even emerged near the Tesla showroom at Broadway Plaza in suburban Walnut Creek, a symbol of growing unrest over his leadership.
Once celebrated as a beacon of environmental innovation when the showroom opened over a decade ago, Tesla has since become emblematic of Musk’s increasingly erratic behavior, including his not so subtle Nazi salute. While Tesla continues to register strong vehicle sales, many industry analysts are now questioning the long-term impact of these controversies on Tesla’s future growth. Note another EV showroom, Rivian, is opening soon directly across from this showroom.
Olympia Place, Walnut Creek
Nearly nine years ago, I cautioned about questionable parking ticket practices in downtown Walnut Creek. Now, tickets are being handed out left and right on the first floor of the Olympia Place garage, right by the Cinemark Walnut Creek movie theater. In the photo above, some parking spots clearly display signs for mobile payment options. But as shown in the photo below, other spots lack any such signage. It’s completely unclear—and feels like a deliberate, misleading setup by ParkSmart.
For all those who vote in person (I’ve been voting by mail for many years), don’t forget to vote today!
As I was doing my usual stroll in downtown Walnut Creek on Locust Street, I noticed people looking down Bonanza Street taking pictures and I was confused; what could be so special going on down there? Well, there just so happened to be an amazing rainbow! A few blocks away, I grabbed this shot from the Broadway Plaza parking garage. Did anyone else have a chance to see this rainbow on Friday?
Spotted outside the Japanese restaurant Toyosu in downtown Walnut Creek. Does anyone else see this as “sulhi”?