Walnut Creek – Page 350 – Beyond the Creek

Groceries Around the World – Diablo Foods in Walnut Creek

September 28, 2012 11:30 am

Previously I posted about a Russian grocery, and last month an Indian grocery, now I present to you a Japanese grocery, Diablo Oriental Foods in Walnut Creek (2590 N. Main St.). Note this is a different grocery than Diablo Foods in Lafayette. If you’re looking for Japanese staples such as natto, Calpis or senbei crackers and don’t want to leave Walnut Creek, this is the place to head to. Driving by looks straight out of the 1970s if not earlier, but they pack an enormous amount of items within.

Note the high quality rice at bottom right:

Check out more photos after the jump including natto…

0 Comments

Sign of the Day

September 28, 2012 8:30 am

A
Time Capsule
was buried here
October 16, 1989
in celebration of
Walnut Creek’s
75th anniversary of cityhood
to be opened in 2089
plaque donated by Dean and Margaret Lesher

Does anyone know what’s inside this time capsule?

0 Comments

Art Form Closes – Sunrise Bistro May Expand in Walnut Creek

September 27, 2012 11:30 am

The frame store Art Form closed in July in Walnut Creek, and apparently Sunrise Bistro next door may be expanding although when I dropped by this week the “Available” sign was still visible so maybe it’s not been finalized yet. I have never eaten at Sunrise Bistro, how’s the food there?

Sunrise Bistro is located at 1559 Botelho Drive in Walnut Creek. Check out their menus here.

4 Comments

Atlas Men’s Boutique Gets a New Look in Walnut Creek

September 27, 2012 8:30 am

It’s only been a couple of weeks since I posted about the men’s store Atlas (1356 N. Main St.) in downtown Walnut Creek, and within that time they managed to have their store remodeled with a new arrangement, new flooring and more, including slick dressing rooms and a sale section in the back. This is a fun store to browse and shop at. Check out the new look in the photos below:

I’m noticing a trend with the iPad registers:

Cool lounge area towards the back:

Check out more photos after the jump…

0 Comments

Captured: Specimens in Contemporary Art at Bedford Gallery until Nov. 18th

September 26, 2012 4:30 pm

The Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in downtown Walnut Creek is hosting an exhibit titled Captured: Specimens in Contemporary Art through November 18th. From their webpage:

The intersection of art and nature has inspired artists for centuries. Artists have looked to the natural world as a source book for creative projects and strategies. From Impressionist plein air painting, to medieval bestiaries art has been committed to exploring the unfamiliar and unknown creatures and environments that share our world. Artists in this show will illustrate how a complex and rewarding dialogue between the arts, scientific exploration, and organic, found materials has been staged in a contemporary context.

Looking to traditions as diverse as taxidermy, specimen boxes, and the cabinet of curiosities, this exhibition will address the changing nature of our relationship with the natural world. It will offer us a glimpse into the impermanence and vitality of wildlife and the botanical world, encouraging us to question our assumptions about the curious world of unique and unusual creatures around us.

The Vache Rouge by Marcus Kenney:

Check out this cool tent scene:

0 Comments

Walnut Creek Model Railroad Announces Holiday Dates in Nov.

September 26, 2012 4:30 pm

From an email:

All Aboard the Diablo Valley Lines
Holiday Shows Announced
What: Families can ‘ride’ the Diablo Valley Lines during their six whistle stop holiday shows, featuring hundreds of model trains representing the mid 20th century through today, traveling over 4,300 feet of track on one of the world’s most mountainous model railroad layouts. The continuous show, dispatched by two Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society members, includes a dramatic sunset and night scenes with a rainy thunderstorm, a street railway with trolley cars, big freight yards and a large passenger terminal. The elaborate 34×56 foot layout includes a composite of the mountainous area of the Western United States, bridges, tunnels, terrain from desert to snow covered mountains, towns, train yards, electric street cars, wind turbine, ski lift gondola and more. More than 200 train cars and 50 steam and diesel engines are in operation during the show.

Holiday show schedule:

Friday – November 16; 8 – 10 p.m.
Saturday – November 17; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday – November 18; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday – November 23; 2 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Saturday – November 24; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday – November 25; 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: Larkey Park, 2751 Buena Vista Ave., Walnut Creek 94597

Fares: Adults/$3; Seniors/$2; Children/$2 (age 6-12); Free under 6 years old

For more information: Please visit Walnut Creek Model Railroad Society or call 925-937-1888. To see the trains in action, please visit WCMRS.

0 Comments

Food Scuttlebutt – OI-C Bowl May Close in Walnut Creek

September 26, 2012 11:30 am

OI-C Bowl, a Chinese restaurant in downtown Walnut Creek may close due to the main partner passing away last month. Word on the street is that the other partner who was less involved is looking to sell it off. Whether that means OI C will remain open with a new owner or a new restaurant will take its place remains to be seen.

2 Comments

Ruth Bancroft Garden Fall Festival Oct. 6th in Walnut Creek

September 25, 2012 4:30 pm

From an email:

Scarecrow Making Contest Celebrates Fall at
Walnut Creek’s Ruth Bancroft Garden

Free Admission for Family Fun Day at Fall Festival
Saturday, October 6, 2012

What: Find your fall spirit by participating in The Ruth Bancroft Garden’s free Fall Festival & Scarecrow Making Contest with prizes including tickets to San Francisco’s Aquarium of the Bay and Wax Museum and Concord’s Ghost Golf. The Garden provides the scarecrow frame allowing scarecrow designers to let their imaginations go wild. Contest categories include Most Creative; Guardian of the Garden, drawing inspiration from the 3.5 acre Mediterranean Garden; and Fall Festive, displaying the autumn spirit. Scarecrows will be displayed throughout the Garden for voting. The afternoon festival also includes fall crafts, story time, guessing the weight of the Garden’s largest pumpkin and lots of fun photo opportunities.

When:

· Fall Festival is Saturday, October 6, noon – 4 p.m.

· Contest entry forms due September 15; visit The Ruth Bancroft Garden for the form

· Pick up scarecrow frames now at The Ruth Bancroft Garden; call 925 944 9352 to arrange

· Deliver finished scarecrows between October 1st to 5th to The Ruth Bancroft Garden

Where: The Ruth Bancroft Garden; 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek CA 94598

Admission: Free admission (typically $10/person) and free parking; no cost to enter the Scarecrow Making Contest

For more information: Please visit The Ruth Bancroft Garden or call 925 944 9352

0 Comments

Cardboard Caricature Guitars on Display at Hubcaps Diner in Walnut Creek

September 25, 2012 11:30 am

Yesterday I noted the opening of high-end guitar shop Mighty Fine Guitars in Lafayette. These fine guitars however are actually made from cardboard! How cool is that? They are on display at Hubcaps diner in downtown Walnut Creek at 1548 Bonanza St.

The artist behind this guitar art is Matthew Elium who has a webpage describing his collection on display at Hubcaps:

Over these past months since the creation of the first flying V, I had put four other models of guitars into production: The Explorer, the Moderne, the Jaguar, and the Les Paul. Until now they had all been hanging on my workshop wall just for me to look at, but finally it was time for them to get out and see the world.

Check out these 1958 Gibson cardboard replicas:

The guitars are available for purchase at http://matthewelium.com. Drop by Hubcaps soon as this display will be going away fairly soon.

0 Comments

Target Police Parking Sign Gone Again

September 25, 2012 8:30 am

I wonder what’s going on with the Target police parking sign. Sometimes it’s there, and other times it’s gone. And back again. Now it’s gone once more. Was it stolen? Is this some kind of practical joke? I wonder…

0 Comments