
Yesterday we learned that Cocola Bakery will be opening soon in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. With plenty of bakeries open in the East Bay, do you have a favorite? What’s your go-to item?

Yesterday we learned that Cocola Bakery will be opening soon in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. With plenty of bakeries open in the East Bay, do you have a favorite? What’s your go-to item?

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Ever since Broadway Plaza placed boxes at the entrances to the new Broadway Plaza parking garage in downtown Walnut Creek we knew the days of free parking were going to be over, and the East Bay Times confirms it noting that parking charges will begin on September 12th for any car parked over 2 hours. No word on validation offers but given the new dining options in Broadway Plaza that would be nice to have as lunch plus shopping could easily take over two hours.
From the article:
The first hour of parking beyond the first two free hours will cost $3. Three to four hours of parking will cost $5, and four to five hours will cost $7. Cars left beyond five hours will be charged the daily maximum of $25, according to Tracy Dietlein, a Macerich spokeswoman.
Considering the increased areas and times for pay parking in downtown Walnut Creek not to mention stricter enforcement, this comes as no surprise and I’m just waiting for the few private parking garages that offer 3 hours of free parking to also eventually start charging. I guess it’s time to start parking at the Walnut Creek BART garage and take the free shuttle to downtown?

Surf’s Up Art Exhibition Opening Reception:
Village Theatre
233 Front St, Danville
Friday, July 8th, 2016
$5 (donation)Surf’s Up will showcase the sea and surf themed artwork of 15 ocean and sun loving artists who hail from the tropics of Hawaii to secluded Marin County Beach Towns to the famous California Surf Town of Santa Cruz.
Opening Reception 5PM – 7PM
Screening of The Sunnydale Kids and Soul Surfer 7PM

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Cocola Bakery, located right next to Macy’s and the soon to open True Food Kitchen at Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek will be opening soon offering baked goods, pastries, as well as sandwiches, soups, salads and more. Check out their menu here. Good to finally see more dining options in this area.
From their website:
Cocola is a one of a kind high-end patisserie established in 2002 by Sue and Amir Aliabadi, a mother and son partnership, with the first locations in Santana Row and Westfield Valley Fair.
The specialties of our cafés are pastries and French confections, that we like to think of as “affordable luxuries”. We also serve gourmet sandwiches on baguettes fresh from the oven, with salads and homemade soups.
Cal Shakes Theater
100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda
Wednesday, July 6th, 2016 – Sunday, July 31st, 2016August Wilson’s fierce drama about family, loyalty, and forgiveness features Bay Area powerhouses Aldo Billingslea as Troy Maxson, a charismatic baseball player-turned-sanitation-worker, and Margo Hall as his wife Rose, whose enduring strength holds the family together. Directed by former Brava Theater Center Artistic Director Raelle Myrick-Hodges, Fences marks Pulitzer Prize-winner Wilson’s Cal Shakes debut.
Fences runs 2 hours, 30 minutes including one 15-minute intermission.

Photo by Flickr user danmoyle
Thanks to local broker Brendan Moran with the Moran Group at Keller Williams Realty for the monthly real estate updates for Beyond the Creek.
Click the links below for a complete list of home and condo sales in Lamorinda (Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda) for last month, June, 2016:
Lamorinda June sales (Acrobat Reader .pdf)
Lamorinda June sales (Excel)

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
When we learned last month that the skincare shop Oceane Beauty would be opening a kiosk in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek there was some concern whether they were replacing Wetzel’s Pretzels, which also was opening a kiosk. We now know that Wetzel’s will still be opening a kiosk near Macy’s across from Victoria’s Secret. Check out Wetzel’s menu here.

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
Earlier this year we found out that island-lifestyle clothing store Tommy Bahama would be relocating to Broadway Plaza from their current downtown Walnut Creek location and as you can see from the giant sign in the backside of the plaza, this is definitely happening. Check out their website here.

Yo-Yo Ma’s “The Music of Strangers” :
Walnut Creek Library
1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek
Friday, July 8th, 2016, Saturday, July 9th, 2016
7:30pm | $12Yo-Yo Ma scoured the world – Istanbul, Venice, Central Asia, China and Mongolia – to find the best musicians he could for his Silk Road Ensemble. His journey and its results have been called the “Manhattan Project of Music.” In this documentary feature “The Music of Strangers,” the artists how the arts can advance global understanding. “The earliest reason for music…is it gives us meaning.”
Accompanying the film will be a delightful award winning short by filmmaker Steward Powers, “Sky High.” The films will be shown on Fri. and Sat. July 8 and 9 and Sat., July 16 at 7:30 at the Walnut Creek Library, 1644 N. Broadway, Walnut Creek.
This documentary feature is directed by Morgan Neville who won an Academy Award for “20 Feet from Stardom.” The film has been in numerous film festivals and has just been released in commercial theaters.
Mountain Shadow Film Society is a non-profit, membership organization. $12 General Admission tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 7 PM.

2905 N. Main St, Walnut Creek
Thanks to a reader for pointing out that Chicago-based frozen yogurt shop Forever Yogurt is coming to the corner of N. Main St. and Geary Rd. in Walnut Creek. In addition to a frozen yogurt menu which can be viewed here, according to a poster in the window they also plan on offering boba teas, Asian wraps, and steamed buns. Stay tuned…
