Check out this black Lamborghini, spotted this weekend in front of where else but Nordstrom, in downtown Walnut Creek.
Check out this black Lamborghini, spotted this weekend in front of where else but Nordstrom, in downtown Walnut Creek.
I posted about Shimmy Dreams belly dancing classes earlier this month, and now they are offering a monthly Ladies Night Out event with the first one being held August 24th.
From their website:
Your evening begins with light appetizers, wine, and sparkling beverages. While you mingle with your friends or make new ones, fabulous prizes will be raffled off. Be sure to bring your camera for our fun photo opportunity: dress up in hats, sunglasses, and belly dancing accessories that bring out your “inner dream girl” and lets “strike a pose”.
Then the real fun begins with a sassy, silly, and sexy belly dance lesson. Learn the shimmies, shakes, isolation’s, and moves that make belly dancing so popular with stars like Shakira. Including some sensual moves with a beautiful veil, group dancing, and balancing.
Finish the evening relaxing, enjoying more appetizers and drinks, and dancing to the latest music with your friends.
Samira Dawn has been hosting belly dance parties for 14 years. She is charming, entertaining, and brings tons of fun to the party. No belly dance experience is needed for this fabulous monthly party. Wear comfortable clothes you can move in. And come find “Your inner dream dancer”.
Ladies Night Outs are approximately 2 hours long
Schedule:
1st hour-appetizers,drinks,social time,raffle, and pictures
1/2 hour belly dance lesson
1/2 hour-more social time appetizers, drinks, etc.
Price: $20
Date: August 24 -8:00-10:00
When it comes to bakeries, what Lafayette giveth, Lafayette taketh away. That’s right, the cute Teacake Bake Shop, located at La Fiesta Square in downtown Lafayette has closed. Don’t worry though, looks like a new bakery is coming soon. Stay tuned…
You can still pickup a Teacake cupcake in Emeryville.
Back in March I posted that the children’s store Red Wagon was closing this summer (the scuttlebutt about a children’s store from Piedmont moving in was right!), and now a new children’s store is opening in its place called TULIP, a baby and kids boutique.
From their website:
Tulip will offer the best retail items for baby and kids. Tulip is a new business venture by Jen Frick, a mother of 3 and founder / owner of The Tulip Grove, an education resource for expectant and new parents offering classes, support groups and advice clinics. Tulip will offer the best retail items for baby and kids. At Tulip, you will find a specific collection of products that are “by mom – for mom” focus.
Opening day is this Saturday, August 25th:
According to the owner, they used to have other retail locations which they have now moved to the new Lafayette store, and they still have a new parent resource center called Tulip Grove in Oakland. More information can be found here.
Sounds like a fun opening day so stop by if you have young kids! TULIP is located at 3535 Mt. Diablo Blvd. in La Fiesta Square, Lafayette.
Last December this vending machine surrounded by exotic vases in Broadway Plaza next to Macy’s was the Vending Machine of the week. Now look what it has turned into. A giant Diet Coke ad. Part of the charm of Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek is the lack of blatant advertising. Even then it’s usually related to stores within Broadway Plaza itself which is fine. This is just crass. Bring back the vases Broadway Plaza, bring back the vases!
I’m hoping Coke ads plastered around the old Le Virage restaurant is not coming next.
From an email:
What: Arabian Nights at The Ruth Bancroft Garden’s brings the music, dance and cuisine of this magical culture to Walnut Creek for one special evening. Enjoy a belly dancing show by the dynamic, award winning Salena, Arabian music from the renowned Pasha Band in their only East Bay appearance, and Mediterranean cuisine from Taheri’s Mediterranean Restaurant, amid the palms, succulents and cactus of California’s largest dry garden.
When: Friday, August 31; 5:30 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Ruth Bancroft Garden; 1552 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek CA 94598
Admission: $15/person; food and beverages sold separately; free parking.
Back last December I noted that H&M in Walnut Creek closed their bathrooms, blaming shoplifting, however they are now semi-open, although you’ll need to contact an employee to let you in as they still have the locks.
I would like to share a story that may shed some light on H&M’s global bathroom policy. While vacationing in Tokyo last month, my family stopped by a huge, crowded four-story H&M to do a little shopping. Around that time my toddler son needed to go to the bathroom. Noticing that the men’s section was on the top floor, I decided to head up there as I figured that would be the closest bathroom. After waiting an unseemly amount of time for the elevator, we get to the top, and I quickly asked a Japanese H&M employee where the bathroom was. Turns out, there are no bathrooms in the department-sized Tokyo H&M. Incredulous, I asked whether there were any women’s bathrooms. No, nothing she replied. So with my son getting antsy, I told her my son needed to use the bathroom, and asked her whether she could tell me the location of the nearest bathroom in the area. She told me that she could not tell me. Not that she didn’t know, but that it was against store policy to tell as it wouldn’t be fair to the other store. This despite my little kid having to go badly.
In the end, despite getting very close to having my kid go potty right in the middle of the floor, we ran as fast as possible outside and found an electronics store nearby that I remember had a bathroom. But I’ll always associate H&M with their stingy bathroom policies around the world.
Am I over-reacting here with H&M bathrooms? Why do other stores, with their own shoplifting issues have bathrooms, but H&M Walnut Creek is locked down? Since this should be Friday Question of the Day, what do you think about large stores locking down or closing bathrooms?
Photo by Flickr user Urban Woodswalker
From the Lafayette Gallery website:
The public is invited to the 2012 Season of Lafayette Gallery’s Artist Market, 50 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette, California. The colorful market will be held on August 18. The Artists Market is held from 11 to 5 pm on Saturday.
…the parking lot of the Lafayette Gallery is transformed into an inviting outdoor market place with artists displaying and demonstrating their art. Warren Rice, photographer and show coordinator states, ‘At each market we will feature the art of as many as seven gallery artists, with additional invited artists participating. The public will have a wide range of work from which to choose.’ Have lunch at a local restaurant, then visit the outdoor marketplace, and see your local artists display and demonstrate there art. Visitors can browse among displays of original photography, jewelry, paintings, collage work, sculpture, pottery and fine art prints.
