When the lease for the Soccer Post in Lafayette was up late last year word on the street is that in order to make room for a restaurant they moved down to 3400 Mt. Diablo Blvd. (near Hank and Frank Bicycles) in Lafayette. Turns out that restaurant was supposed to be a French brasserie headed by master chef Patrick Farjas, but that plan has been shelved, in part by comments he made dissing the Lafayette restaurant scene. I think that may deserve its own post…
Back in February when the hearings on the Sufism Reoriented Sanctuary were happening, I noted that Contra Costa Supervisor Supervisor Gayle Uilkema was not present at the meeting, instead listening in by phone. A reader pointed out that she was getting treatment for cancer, and on Saturday Supervisor Uilkema passed away due to complications from ovarian cancer. She made a big impact on Contra Costa, especially Lafayette, as explained in the Times article:
Uilkema was elected to the Lafayette City Council in 1978, serving five terms as well as four stints as mayor.
In 1996, she was elected to a supervisor post, serving Central Contra Costa. She was instrumental in finalizing the Lafayette Library and Learning Center and the Veterans Memorial Building in that city.
RIP Gayle Uilkema. You will be missed.
If you live in west downtown Walnut Creek, which includes the areas within the map boundaries above, which include the Almond-Shuey neighborhood, you may apply to be part of the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) which will, according to the plan website:
focus on making it easier to walk and bike between the BART station and downtown; and plan for new homes and businesses between Mt. Diablo Blvd and the BART station, while preserving the Almond-Shuey neighborhood.
The West Downtown Specific Plan will be a community-driven plan that defines a vision for the area and develops a regulatory framework for future development and public improvements. The Specific Plan Area is generally bounded by Ygnacio Valley Road at the north, California Boulevard at the east, Mount Diablo Boulevard at the south, and I-680 at the west.
Applications are due in by 5pm on Thursday, May 24th:
The CAC is expected to meet a total of seven times through December 2013, by which time the committee will have completed its task of creating a draft Specific Plan for the further review and approval by the City Commissions and City Council. Meetings will be scheduled on the second, fourth, or fifth Tuesday of the month from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. The first meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday, June 12, 2012.
Anyone thinking about doing this? If so, please keep us informed on the progress!
From the Animal Rescue Foundation website:
Sunday, May 20, 2012
10:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Broadway Plaza – Walnut Creek
Fundraising Pet Walk
Registration 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.
Walk 10:30 a.m. SharpBest Dressed Pet Contest
Immediately following Pet Walk on main stagePet Wellness Fair and Vendor Booths
11 a.m. – 4 p.m.Follow your passion for pets to the 12th annual Animals on Broadway! Join ARF in celebration of the special bond we share with our furry friends at this spectacular free community event that brings people and pets together.
Kick off the festivities with the nearly one mile Pet Walk to help dogs and cats in need of a second chance. Help ARF reach our goal of raising $75,000 to support our life-saving work by registering to walk with or without your pet. Get a head start collecting pledges with your own easy-to-create fundraising webpage, or in person with our printable pledge form.
After the Pet Walk, head to the main stage for the Best-dressed Pet Contest and cheer on your favorite dapper dog and fanciful feline participating in the Walk.
Delight in the many offerings for pet lovers lining both sides of the street: have your dog washed by ARF volunteers, shop vendor booths showcasing pet items and children’s activities or listen to live music from SixString. Many dogs and cats will be available for adoption — visit the ARF Adoption Mobile and many other rescue group booths to fall in love!
Visit the Pet Wellness Fair for an assortment of individual services such as nail trimming, weight assessment, dental check, ask the vet, certified doggie massage, blood panel and rabies vaccination for a small donation to ARF. Donate $25 for a Pet Passport which entitles furry festival-goers to receive all these services. Micro-chipping and additional low-cost vaccination will also be available at the VIP Petcare Services booth.Animals on Broadway brings out the best, rain or shine! Gather up the family and join ARF and the Broadway Plaza retailers in Walnut Creek to celebrate Animals on Broadway — and don’t forget to bring your “best friend.”
From the Contra Costa Crisis Center website:
When: Saturday, May 19, 2012
Where: Heather Farms Park (Ygnacio Valley Road & North San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek)9:00am Check-in
10:00am Walk begins
11:00am Food, Music, and Friends
Registration $20 individiual, $30 family
Fee includes T-shirt, food, and entertainmentTo Register as a Walker Now Click Here
To Sponsor a Walker Now Click Here“The mission of the Contra Costa Crisis Center is to keep people alive and safe, help them through crises, and connect them with culturally relevant resources in the community. 24-hour crisis and suicide prevention lines, face-to-face grief counseling programs, homeless services, youth services, and 211 information and referral programs
are offered free of charge.”
Walnut Creek Magazine noted recently that the downtown Walnut Creek Safeway located across the street from Nordstrom is planning on tearing down the current building to be replaced with a much larger supermarket within the next 3 years. The new supermarket, (55,000 square feet) would be built over the current parking lot with cars being able to parking inside the building, below the shopping area (but not underground). The photo above shows the view from Mt. Diablo Blvd. and S. Broadway. Looks pretty sweet to me.
Please note that these are only the initial renderings, and will probably change over time. For example, the city is recommending access from Iron Horse Trail, removal of the landscape walls, and more landscaping to make it more pedestrian friendly.
This is the current Safeway supermarket:
There would be umbrella tables for eating:
Check out more photos after the jump
Photo by Flickr user robotson
There’s been lots of complaints lately about home solicitors as summer approaches, and even police departments are sending out notices on what to do and their legality. Turns out it is legal to blanket solicit homes with a permit, but there are things you can do to limit yourself like posting a “No Soliciting” sign on your door, or saying, “no thank you” without even opening your door. However, such soliciting can be used to case homes for future burglaries, or worse.
So do you think it should be illegal to solicit homes for commercial purposes?
From the Capoeira Equilibrio website:
WHEN: May 19, 2012
WHERE: Assembly Room, Civic Park, Walnut Creek, CASCHEDULE
10:00am-11am Jr. Capoeira Workshop
10:30am-11am Besourinhos Workshop
11:00am-11:30am Samba Dance Workshop for Beginners (For guests, parents and capoeira students)
11:30am-1pm Batizado and RodaCost: $10 for spectators and guests from other schools, $50 for adult students being promoted, $100 for Jr. and Besourinhos being promoted. Any student being promoted will be given pre sale tickets to to equal the cost of their promotion.
In case you were wondering what capoeira is, from their website:
Combining elements of self-defense, acrobatics, dance, music, and games, Capoeira has all the seriousness and discipline of the well-known martial arts traditions, with the addition of a uniquely playful element. Dating back to the 16th Century, Capoeira’s origins are a matter of debate. It is thought by many to have started as a fighting style disguised by the façade of dance. Capoeira’s roots span ancient African combat techniques to early Brazilian folk dance.
This rental is located at Town Center Apartments in downtown Lafayette right next to the Lafayette Bart station.
From the Craigslist ad:
We have a 2bdrm/2bath apt on notice that will be ready for move-in on June 9th. This unit is located on the 2nd floor featuring 9ft ceilings with crown molding, full-size washer & dryer included (private laundry), master walk-in closet, and balcony overlooking creek below.
Sign a 13mos lease by June 9th and the monthly rent is $2,800. **We also have shorter lease term options. Prices change daily so hurry!**
Security Deposit: $500
Pet Friendly; call for details.Our property is the youngest in Lafayette (built 2001), located in the heart of downtown, and host to a creek-side walking trail directly to the entrance of the Lafayette BART station. Secured garage parking is available and we have elevators to all levels.
Location-wise this is great as long as the sound from Bart is not too loud. I like how there’s a W/D in the apartment as well. Does that make it worth the $2800 rental price?
Earlier this month I profiled the Russian grocery Babushka in Walnut Creek, noting that they also had a restaurant with the same name in the back. There’s also a separate entrance around the side which is nice looking. You can look at their menus here.
There is small stage at front with live music for parties:
Has anyone eaten here? How’s the borscht? Any must order items?