From the Lesher Center website:
Lindsay Aline has a sound comparable to popular singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan with a celtic twist. This 3-octave soprano has sung worldwide but chose to do her last summer show here in her hometown. Join her as she shares her inspiring story and breathtaking music.
Check out her website here. According to her Facebook page she’s from Concord originally so it’s great she is performing right here in Walnut Creek!
Earlier this week I noted that the Texas-based burger joint Mooyah was opening in Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center in Walnut Creek on Monday, but it turns out that permits didn’t quite go through so the few lucky who stopped by that evening were treated to a free dinner in order to train their staff. I’m glad I decided to go to Sports Basement that evening and checked it out. Mooyah may be opening as early as today if the permits go through but I would call to confirm.
I would say it is most similar to the Habit Burger and based on my meal, which was a burger with cheddar cheese, pickles, grilled onions, mushrooms, bacon, avocado and ketchup on a lettuce wrap (I know, how lame to have it on lettuce) it was quite good! The fact that you can add so many free toppings is awesome. Bacon and avocado are extra though. Check out the menu here. Another difference with Habit is that they bake the buns fresh at the restaurant. You can even see the buns baking in the photo above at left.
Check out the California welcome wall:
The milk bottle decorations are cool, and the blackboard doodle wall is a nice touch as well:
Check out more wall decorations including the “I smell milkshakes!” wall after the jump.
Diane’s Beach Wear, which had two stores in Broadway Plaza separated by a clothing store in-between for some reason, has closed one, right across from Nordstrom. This looks like prime real estate so I wonder what will replace it? As you can see by the photo below the other Diane’s Beach Wear store is open with no signs of closing so maybe it was just a lateral move over.
From a Walnut Creek Police Department press release:
On Tuesday September 11, 2012 at approx, 4 PM detectives from Walnut Creek PD reacting to a tip provided to Concord PD located missing juvenile Larissa Huntsman at a residence in Concord.
Walnut Creek PD detectives have been searching for Huntsman since she was last seen on 8/24/12 leaving Las Lomas High School.
The investigation determined that Huntsman was voluntarily missing, with the knowledge and assistance of her biological, non-custodial mother, Laura Huntsman. Larissa was in hiding at the Concord residence.
This case will be referred to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office for the possibility of criminal charges being filed against Laura Huntsman.
From a press release:
WALNUT CREEK (August 15, 2012) – Coming off last year’s triumphant 25th anniversary season, the California Symphony’s 2012-2013 season will focus on selecting a new music director to lead the acclaimed orchestra into a new era of world-class music-making for audiences here in the East Bay.
Seven internationally-renowned conductors, all having led major orchestras throughout the world, will audition for the position by leading the California Symphony in programs that showcase music’s most beloved and enduring works, including short pieces, concertos and symphonies by the masters — Rachmaninoff, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Berlioz, Sibelius, Prokofiev — and contemporary artists Gershwin, Porter, Lowe and Adams. The symphony’s innovative Young Composer in Residence D.J. Sparr will also offer up another world premiere.
The seven concerts take place at the Lesher Center for Arts in Walnut Creek on September 30, October 18, December 23, January 20, February 12, March 3, and May 4 and 5.
For his concert, each conductor has selected pieces that will delight audiences and showcase his musical chops and unique artistic vision. Some concerts also feature soloists who have emerged as rising stars in 21st century music: pianists Gregory Taboloff and Haochen Zhang, soprano Sarah Jane McMahon, clarinet player David Singer and violinist Caroline Goulding.
The symphony has been without a music director for the past two seasons, relying on the talents of guest conductors, several who are among this season’s finalists for the top job.
During the 2011-12 season, the symphony refined its focus as the Walnut Creek-based orchestra that brings audiences closer to the music they love in the more intimate setting of the Lesher Center’s 785-seat Hofmann Theatre. This focus and the stellar performances of the guest conductors, soloists and orchestra musicians during the 2011-12 season garnered the symphony some of the best reviews and most enthusiastic audiences of its quarter-century history. This success prompted the orchestra to add three concerts to its program for 2012-13. Two of these concerts are more accessible, constructed around the themes of Halloween and Valentine’s Day. The third is a holiday concert that will take place in December, after the symphony scored an audience hit with its first ever holiday concert in December 2011.
The Lesher Center for the Arts is located at 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. Single tickets start at $35, and season subscriptions start at $130. For tickets and information, call (925) 943-SHOW (7469) or visit our website atwww.californiasymphony.org
That exclamation point is not to make the post more emphatic, rather that will be part of the Baking Company’s new name that replaced the previous tenant Walnut Creek Baking Company in downtown Walnut Creek.
I just had to stop by to see what was being offered, and I saw many of the exact same bakery items that I used to get at the WCBC. An employee mentioned they planned on renaming it Bake!, although it’s not been decided for sure. I did find it odd that they were reusing the Walnut Creek Baking Company’s leftover bags etc for purchases. Not to mention the award winning Diablo sign is still up on the window. If you didn’t inquire as to whether it’s a different bakery you might just assume it’s still the Walnut Creek Baking Company, especially considering the same recipes are being used. If you have been familiar with the Walnut Creek Baking Company’s pastries you can tell the difference which reminds me of a quote Lloyd Bentsen made during the vice-presidential debate against Dan Quayle in 1988.
Back last November I noted that Target was cracking down on people parking at Target only to head to the farmers market on Saturday. Well, apparently back then Target was seeing sales receipts growth so they really didn’t care that much, but word on the street is that they have seen a precipitous drop in sales receipts coinciding with the farmers market time slot and they believe this is due to lack of parking so now they are getting serious.
Apparently they have lookouts watching as people exit their cars and if they catch you as you head towards the farmers market instead of Target, you may get slapped with a ticket. As the sign states, you need to leave a receipt on your dashboard to prove you have been to Target. Your best bet is to park at the Growers Square parking garage as can be seen in the next photo. It’s free on Sundays which is news to me.
From the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce:
What: 16th Annual Lafayette Art & Wine Festival
When: Saturday, September 15, 2012 from 10am – 7pm AND
Sunday, September 16, 2012 from 10am – 6pm
Where:
Downtown Lafayette, California (Google Map) – Off Highway 24, west of the I-680/Highway 24 interchange. Download 2010 Art & Wine Festival MapDirections:
Take BART to Lafayette OR
- Take Highway 24 to Central Lafayette exit and follow Festival signs.
- Free parking available at Lafayette BART station (upper lot).
Ride your bike to the festival and use our Free Bike Valet Parking at 82 Lafayette Circle (just behind the Art Stage).
Continuous shuttle service between BART & the Festival.
For GPS purposes enter the address 3535 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette, CAAdmission – FREE
Admission to the Festival is free. However, you must purchase a Festival glass and drink tickets if you wish to drink the beer or wine that is poured “on the street” or in the Premium Wine Pavilion.
Dogs are allowed, but please consider this: Dogs must be kept on a leash and in your control at all times; If you attend early in the day, between 10am-1pm, the pavement is cooler, the temperature is lower and there is ample room for your dog; as the event progresses, it does get very crowded and can become dangerous for your pet; and dogs should not go into the food court.
Featuring
- More than 275 fine arts and crafts booths.
- Restaurants, food vendors, wineries and microbreweries.
- Continuous musical entertainment presented on three stages.
- Kids area with entertainment and activities for kids of all ages.
- Special exhibit and sale of work by local artists.
The entertainment schedule is here.
Wine and food vendor info is here.
Mooyah, a Texan burger joint is opening their second California location, (the first is in Merced), right in Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center in Walnut Creek today (assuming permits go through).
Check out the inside:
This is the menu for the Walnut Creek location:
Interestingly, as I was taking photos from the outside, a bunch of people from Mooyah came out and I started asking them about the burgers, and how it compares to Habit Burger. Turns out the guy setting up the store was from Texas and had never heard of Habit Burger. I’m curious to try this place out, if you go let us know how it is! The menu says free toppings, what’s the best combo to get?
Anthropologie, due to open this Friday, September 14th in downtown Walnut Creek, has decorators hard at work transforming the store into an artistic cornucopia. I love how they don’t block the windows out while prepping the store, anyone can just check out the progress by looking in, it’s going to look amazing! This is a great addition to the downtown Walnut Creek area.
