This new Broadway Plaza shopping car has a space-age theme. You can see the other racing models here. Props to Broadway Plaza for this cool service!
Moraga Commons Park
425 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga
Thursday, August 1st, 2013
6:30pm – 8:30pm | FreeGator Beat has been playing dances and festivals on the West Coast for 20 years. They specialize in their own brand of South Louisiana music – combining traditional Cajun, Zydeco, and New Orleans R&B. The flavor is always spicy, like a good gumbo, and bound to please. As their new album is titled, the crowd is always left hollering Gimme Some Mo’! Browse the band’s website, view them on YouTube, and like them on facebook!
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).
