Beyond the Creek

Burger Showdown – Rustic Tavern vs. Corners Tavern

May 31, 2013 11:30 am

Corners Tavern kids burger

I consider the Corners Tavern burger (Walnut Creek) one of my favorite burgers in the East Bay (through the tunnel). So when I found that recently opened Rustic Tavern (Lafayette) was offering a burger I knew I had to try one out to see if it can hold its own against a Corners burger.

The Corners burger comes with fries, pickled onions, lettuce, tomato and aged cheddar while a Rustic burger comes with fries, bacon, grilled onions, pickles, and cheese. The Rustic bun was more brioche-like, fries thicker cut and herb-coated. A Corners burger costs $15 while a Rustic burger goes for $14.

There’s a saying that everything tastes better with bacon so I’m not sure if it’s the bacon but the Rustic burger tasted amazing. Everything worked really well together. I thought I’d miss the lettuce and tomato but the pickles, bacon and onion combined with the high quality ground beef was delicious. I’m so glad there are multiple burger options around here. And pretty soon Lafayette will have yet another burger option as Roam Artisan Burgers plans on opening in October. Yum!

Rustic Tavern half-burger

Rustic Tavern is located at 3576 Mt Diablo Blvd in downtown Lafayette and Corners Tavern is located at 1342 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek next to Macy’s.

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Album Cover of the Day

May 31, 2013 10:00 am

Gisele MacKenzie, album from the 50s (?). Check out the video of “The Song from Moulin Rouge”.

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Friday Question of the Day – Does Street Soliciting Bother You?

May 31, 2013 8:30 am

A few weeks ago at this downtown corner in Walnut Creek I was waiting for the light to turn green with some other people including an older, well-dressed couple in their 60s. While waiting a street solicitor repeatedly asked the older man for a donation, referring to the color of his shirt to single him out. As I observed this the man mentioned to his wife how uncomfortable he felt.

So for the Friday question of the day, does street soliciting bother you? Are these legitimate charities?

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Walnut Creek Garden Stroll at Heather Farm Park and Ruth Bancroft Garden on June 8th

May 30, 2013 4:30 pm

Walnut Creek Garden Stroll:

Heather Farm Park
1540 Marchbanks Dr, Walnut Creek
Saturday, June 8th, 2013
9:00am | Free

This is a walk between two of Walnut Creek’s amazing non-profit gardens, the Gardens at Heather Farm and the Ruth Bancroft Garden.
The Gardens at Heather Farm is dedicated to inspiring and educating the community about gardening and stewardship practices that preserve and protect the environment. The Gardens at Heather Farm features six acres of gardens used in education programs for people of all ages. In addition, the GHF provides a serene environment for strolling, resting or picnicking with family and friends. One of the highlights are the roses, which come into bloom in May and continue throughout the summer.
The Ruth Bancroft Garden features a world-class collection of succulents, cacti, and other drought-tolerant plants as well as California natives. A highlight each summer is Sculpture in the Garden, where the Ruth Bancroft Garden provides a spectacular backdrop for artists to display their works. On Saturday, June 8, artists will be busy installing their works for the event, which opens Friday, June 14.

DETAILS: Meet at 9 a.m. at the Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Dr. Park in the parking lot. (Do not park in the Diablo Hills Golf Course lot)
Participants will tour the Gardens at Heather Farm, then walk to the Ruth Bancroft Garden (approximately 1 mile), then tour the Ruth Bancroft Garden. Participants must walk back to their cars at the Gardens at Heather Farm.
Wear a hat and sturdy walking shoes. Don’t forget suncreen and water!

Check in at the front door of the Howard Center, which is adjacent to the Gardens at Heather Farm parking lot.

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Kitchen of the Day

May 30, 2013 11:30 am

Photo courtesy of Lafayette Juniors

Last week I made the first kitchen of the day post from one of the homes featured on the Lafayette Juniors Kitchen Tour. This Lafayette kitchen was also featured at the Lafayette Juniors Tour this year and features an Ina Garten “Barefoot Contessa” inspired farmhouse kitchen. The kitchen tour supports several non-profit beneficiaries including CoachArt and is held every year in May.

This kitchen features a huge Casa Esmeralda granite island with stools that slide completely under the island when not in use. The design choices all come together really well here. My favorite aspects of this kitchen are the natural lighting and soapstone countertops on the sides. The vaulted ceiling combined with white cabinetry and french doors at right makes the kitchen feel really open and airy throughout.

The kitchen is expansive:

Photo courtesy of Lafayette Juniors

Outdoor dining area right outside the kitchen:

Photo courtesy of Lafayette Juniors

As you can see from the above photo the hillside views are incredible! Note the tennis court in the background. Thanks to designer Kathleen Burke for answering questions during the tour.

If anyone would like to see their kitchen or remodel featured on Beyond the Creek email me a photo at btcreek(at)beyondthecreek(dot)com with location, details and I’ll get back to you.

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Residual Sugar Pizzeria Expansion Cancelled in Walnut Creek

May 30, 2013 10:00 am

Last month I noted that Residual Sugar would be expanding next door with a separate pizzeria but now Diablo Dish is reporting that these plans have been canceled due to, “too many building code and fire requirements and regulations for the project to make sense financially”. This is really unfortunate as downtown Walnut Creek needs a nice pizzeria. Downtown Lafayette has Pizza Antica and Patxi’s so why can’t downtown Walnut Creek get a nice pizzeria?

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Manicini’s Sleepworld Opening Late June in Former Giggle Location in Walnut Creek

May 30, 2013 8:30 am

Last month I noted that Mancini’s Sleepworld would be moving a few blocks from their Locust St. location to N. Main St. where the baby store Giggle used to be and the signs are now up. According to a Mancini’s employee I spoke with they’re planning for a mid to late June opening.

Yesterday Diablo Style mentioned that the men’s clothing store JoS. A. Banks would be opening up in this location but as you can see by the sign Mancini’s is definitely opening here. I would have thought a clothing store would have worked well here but that’s not going to happen now.

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Attempted Robbery Last Night at Broadway Plaza Parking Garage in Walnut Creek

May 30, 2013 7:05 am

From the Walnut Creek Police Department:

On Wednesday, May 29, 2013, at approximately 8:50 PM, a female left Nordstrom and entered the second story parking garage. When she approached the door to her vehicle the suspect came up from behind and grabbed her. He then grabbed onto her purse. The victim struggled with the suspect to keep her purse. The suspect was scared off when another women approached. The suspect fled south through the parking garage and down a stairway. The victim was not injured and her purse was not stolen. The suspect was later caught on video surveillance (see attached photo).

If you recognize the subject in the attached photo or have any information please call the Walnut Creek Police Department at (925) 943-5844.

Suspect(s): Hispanic Male Adult, approximately 18 years of age, 5ft 4in tall, short dark hair, wearing a baseball cap and a black and white zip up hooded sweatshirt.

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(Cal Shakes Preview) American Night – The Ballad of Juan Jose this Thurs in Orinda

May 29, 2013 4:30 pm

The Ballad of San Jose:

Bruns Amphitheater
100 California Shakespeare Theater Way
Thursday, May 30th, 2013
8:00pm | $35

Hailed as a “boisterous, rollicking, surreal…journey into American history” by the Mail Tribune during its sold-out run at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, American Night brings the groundbreaking work of San Francisco’s iconic Culture Clash to Cal Shakes for the very first time. Drawing equally from pop culture and Shakespeare to mint a new kind of history play, writer Richard Montoya has crafted a theatrically deft, story-rich exploration of the immigrant experience that is as heartrending as it is heartbreakingly hilarious.

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Barlovento Chocolates Planning to Open Store in Downtown Walnut Creek

May 29, 2013 11:30 am

Barlovento Chocolates espresso truffle

The popular chocolatier Barlovento Chocolates is planning on opening a retail location in downtown Walnut Creek according to someone involved in the search I spoke with recently. They currently have a store in Jack London Square in Oakland as well as stands at the Oakland, Marin and Palo Alto farmers’ markets. I tried their truffles at Citra Grill in downtown Walnut Creek which were delicious so I really hope they open in Walnut Creek.

Check out their truffle menu here. Read about their story here. From their website:

Barlovento Chocolates is an artisan chocolatier with a Farmers Market ethic. We apply the “Fresh and Local” creed of our Farmers Market to every truffle we make. We use 100% Venezuelan single source chocolate, so all the cacao beans come from the Carenero region east of Caracas. Venezuela is known world wide to have the finest cacao. We combine the chocolate with fresh cream and butter to make our truffles. Our flavor ingredients include fresh spearmint, fresh tarragon, herbs and spices and fruit. These hand crafted truffles are made in small batches to ensure you receive them at their peak of freshness. Enjoy!

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