Spotted at the new Transitions store in Broadway Plaza.
A couple of days ago I noted that a new Peruvian restaurant called Mochica will be opening as well as the indoor dog space Zoom Room opening this Saturday at the Avalon Apartment Complex in Walnut Creek. I thought I would point out the other shops in this area. Allstate, a workplace by the hour store called Third Workplace, and a Starbucks round out the remaining shops.
I’ve driven by this sign countless times on N. Main St. in Walnut Creek and always wondered about the store named Pasta. Was this like the Pasta Shop in Rockridge? Was this some kind of specialty store selling wholesale pasta? I finally parked my car to get a closer look and it turns out to be an Italian restaurant called Pasta Primavera. The Primavera sign is at right. Now it makes perfect sense!
Over the weekend I stopped by the annual Berkeley Kite Festival at the Berkeley Marina and was spellbound by these gigantic kites. On top of that there must have been thousands of smaller kites flying everywhere. It’s hard to judge by the photo above but those are the world’s biggest octopus kites, bigger than a house!
From the Berkeley Kite Festival website:
Kites aren’t just for kids any more. Experience the excitement and artistry of modern kite flying. You’ll find something for everyone at the Berkeley Kite Festival. From the Giant Creature Kites as big as houses, to the free Kite Making and Candy Drop for kids, you don’t want to miss this year’s Annual Berkeley Kite Festival.
If you have kids this is a must-see event so check it out next year if you haven’t already. The free kite making session was great,. I recommend getting there before 10am to get a decent parking spot as it gets very crowded.
Sunset by the Lake Summer Concert:
Pleasant Hill City Hall
100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill
Sunday, August 4th, 2013
6:00pm | FreeOne of San Francisco’s premier party bands for over twenty years, this “interactive” eleven piece all-star group has gained a national reputation for their high energy performances, incredible musical variety, and “anything can happen” hi-jinx. The strengths of DMHP’s presentation are their overall sound and visual variety, musicianship, flexibility, and energy! With vast repertoire of over 600 songs, the band can “turn on a dime” musically and loves surprising their audiences. They might go from 40’s Glen Miller or jump jive swing to 2011’s “dance beat” or “Widespread Panic” independent; from 60’s Beatles and Motown to Reggae to Country to Sinatra to 70’s Disco / R & B to 80’s “New Wave” and AC/DC “Classic Rock” to 50’s Elvis to New Latin/Salsa to Broadway Show Ballads to “The Dave Mathews Band” to Hip Hop “Black Eyed Peas”!
Visit their web site at http://www.davidmartinshouseparty.com
Last week I noted that the indoor dog space Zoom Room will be opening on August 3rd at the Avalon apartment complex in the Contra Costa Centre Transit Village located across from the Pleasant Hill BART station, and now Diablo Dish and the Contra Costa Times is reporting that a new Peruvian restaurant called Mochica will be opening on Treat Blvd. and Sunne Ln. later this year or early next year. See photo above for the ‘Leased’ sign so it looks like that’s the location although it might be elsewhere. As the Contra Costa Times article notes, “most of the storefronts remain vacant in Avalon Walnut Creek, the mixed-use development at the Pleasant Hill-Contra Costa Centre BART station.” When I dropped by last week to see what was going on down there I have to agree with that statement. It felt really desolate. I hope the new restaurant will bring in more interesting stores so I can enjoy strolling around there every now and then.
From Diablo Dish:
His Walnut Creek restaurant, however, will be a more casual affair, closer in spirit to Altamirano’s Mochica, which specializes in elevated-but-affordable Peruvian specialties for dine-in as well as take out.
Back in April I posted a question as to whether the beloved Dome movie theater in Pleasant Hill should be demolished and it turns out that it was demolished a couple of weeks later, to be replaced by a 2 story Dick’s Sporting Goods store. I dropped by recently and this is what it looks like now. Of all the stores that could have replaced the dome isn’t it appropriate it will be replaced by a store named Dick’s?
Tom Matousek Gallery
996 Moraga Rd, Lafayette
Friday, July 26th, 2013
7:00pm – 9:00pm | FreeThe last event in the gallery! Everything is moving out early August. Friday July 26th 7-9 PM at A Tom Matousek Gallery join us to view the photography of Peter Zayer and Tanya Rogers, with the The Aaron Larson Trio featuring Wes Casey on bass and Sputnik on drums. I’ll be showing my latest painting, “Unsquare Dance.” We will also have a silent auction of painted flower pots by the special needs Transition Students of San Ramon High (all donations will benefit the San Ramon High Transitions program).
1179A Locust St, Walnut Creek
Back in February I posted some scuttlebutt about Pinkberry opening in the old Brandy Melville location in downtown Walnut Creek next to the Cheesecake Factory and have now learned from the store manager that they are planning on an August 10th grand opening with a special sneak preview 5pm – 10pm pre-opening on August 8th and 9th. Free, small frozen yogurts plus toppings will be served during these pre-opening events so stop by and check it out!
There is a possibility the opening gets delayed by a week due to signage issues so check back for updates… There will be bar seating in front of the store, bathrooms in the back, and most interestingly plenty of tables (seen in photo below) outside the store in front.
The inside so far:
This week I posted about two new sushi restaurants opening in downtown Walnut Creek, Oyama Sushi on N. Main St, and Hiro Sushi on Locust St. This got some commenters riled up who believe that Walnut Creek already has enough sushi places downtown. So for Friday’s question of the day, does Walnut Creek have too many sushi restaurants?
(I know the photo above is not in Walnut Creek but the name works for today’s question.)