Lafayette Clocktower
Happy times in Lafayette have arrived as a new children’s bookstore called Bel & Bunna’s Books opened recently in the Lafayette Clocktower on Mt. Diablo Blvd. in downtown Lafayette. We learned they would open in April when Floret closed. Just in time for summer, check out details about their summer reading program here.
Photo by Flickr user johnjones
The FBI and the War on Encryption:
Ygnacio Valley Library
2661 Oak Grove Road, Wanut Creek
Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016
6:30pm – 7:30pm | FreeWhat are the implications of that? Dr. Jeremy Gillula, Ph.D., staff technologist with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, will discuss the technical issues around the crypto-wars. This free program will be held in the community room of the Ygnacio Valley Library, located at 2661 Oak Grove Road, Walnut Creek, 94598. Registration is not necessary but is helpful for an email reminder. REGISTER>
Encryption is a fundamental building block of modern computer technology, from the encryption your web browser uses to make sure your purchases are secure, to the encryption your insurance company uses when they store your health records, to the encryption your smartphone uses to ensure that a stolen phone doesn’t also mean a stolen identity. Most of the time this encryption happens in the background, and nobody pays it a second thought. But encryption jumped into the headlines this year when the FBI demanded that Apple help decrypt an iPhone belonging to one of the San Bernardino shooters.
In this talk, Dr. Jeremy Gillula from the Electronic Frontier Foundation will explain everything you ever wanted to know about encryption, from how it works to why the FBI wants to make it weaker–and why most computer security experts (including many former FBI and NSA officials) disagree. You’ll learn all about the history leading up to the Apple case, what the ramifications of the case are, and what the current battleground looks like in the fight between some parts of law enforcement and the digital security community.
Dr. Gillula is a staff technologist at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. His work there focuses on a wide variety of issues, from net neutrality to mobile privacy to defending encryption. Prior to joining EFF, he earned a PhD in computer science from Stanford, and a BS in computer science from Caltech.
3555 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
A new Chinese restaurant called The Tasteful Noodle has opened where Happy Valley Restaurant (and before that Lily’s House) used to be on Mt. Diablo Blvd. in downtown Lafayette. Check out their lunch menu here and main menu here.
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Thanks to a reader for pointing out that according to the latest Walnut Creek permit information the women’s clothing and accessories store Aritzia will be taking over the former J. Crew spot in Walnut Creek’s Broadway Plaza who relocated across the street. Check out their website here.
Free Movie Showing M * A * S * H:
Orinda Theatre
4 Orinda Theatre Square, Orinda
Thursday, June 9th, 2016
7:00 PM | Free
La Fiesta Square, Lafayette
Lafayette is getting an organic juice bar that also offers ready-to-eat meals and snacks as Urban Remedy is planning on opening a new shop in Lafayette Square where Specialtees outlet store used to be. Check out their juices here, and meals and snacks here.
From their website:
Urban Remedy is a plant-based organic food company that embodies the belief that Food is Healing. Blending ancient medicinal principals with modern culinary innovation, we offer the cleanest, naturally functional food. All of our ready-to-eat meals, snacks and cold pressed juices are certified organic, certified non-GMO, gluten free, and low glycemic.
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Thanks to a reader for pointing out that according to the latest city permit report, Canada-based ALDO Shoes is opening a new store in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. Check out their website here.
2600 Tenth St, Berkeley (entrance on Tenth St. @ Carleton)
Saturday, June 4th, 2016
2:00pm – 5:00pm | ($45 – $50)Come to the 3rd Annual Pints for Paws event and sample a selection of 80+ craft beers from 20+ craft breweries and have a great time while benefiting Berkeley Humane. Meet small, local craft brewers, cider makers and artisanal wine makers and sample a wide mix of unique brews. Don’t miss a great range of food from local food trucks and vendors. Enjoy live music and bring your crowd-friendly dogs (harnessed and leashed, of course!).
While most charity-benefiting festivals only donate a small fraction of proceeds to nonprofits, Pints for Paws is one of the only beer festivals in the country from which 100% of dollars raised will be donated directly to charity. Every dollar raised at the event will go directly to Berkeley Humane to save the lives of dogs and cats in the East Bay. This event promises to bring together the beer and animal lover communities.
Alamo Plaza Shopping Center
Thanks to a reader for sending this photo that shows a Five Guys burger restaurant coming soon to the Alamo Plaza Shopping Center. “It is the space next to Majestic Nails which is next to Safeway.” Check out the Five Guys menu here.
Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
It’s been known for a while now that California Pizza Kitchen would be relocating from their Broadway Plaza location around the corner and in fact the few stores located next to the fountain will also be relocating to make room for a new 12,000 foot store. In the latest city filings Broadway Plaza supplied renderings for this new store aka “Tenant X”. I have heard plenty of talk about Apple moving to this spot and by the look of these renderings it sure seems like this is tailor-made for Apple. What do you think, will Apple relocate to Broadway Plaza? Should they?
Rendering of Tenant X from Broadway Plaza:
