Spotted next to Cornology in Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek.
From a press release:
The Jam Brothers, Walnut Creek, CA. On Saturday, June 23rd, Richard Hoover will make a rare appearance in Walnut Creek, CA, at The Jam Brothers guitar shop, 1208 Boulevard Way, for a 12pm noon workshop and demonstration. Attendees will learn how to design a custom guitar to fit their specific playing style, sound requirements and personal aesthetic values. Richard Hoover launched the Santa Cruz Guitar Company in 1976, and has never strayed from his original objective of using traditional lutherie methods in an intimate team setting and working exclusively with independently owned guitar shops. He has traveled all over the world to procure responsibly harvested and old growth tone woods and is known internationally as a forefather of the boutique acoustic guitar industry. Now in its 36th year, Richard and his team of 14 highly skilled luthiers handcraft around 600 guitars a year in the small shop in Santa Cruz. Richard’s workshop at The Jam Brothers on June 23rd will cover everything from internet myth busting, acoustic science and engineering, tone woods and the cowboy way.
Joining Richard Hoover at The Jam Brothers that afternoon will be world renowned jazz fingerstylist, Eric Skye. Skye has been featured in magazines such as Acoustic Guitar, Guitar Player, Jazziz, Jazz Improv and 20th Century Guitar, and can be heard regularly on NPR. A regular contributor to Acoustic Guitar Magazine and Fretboard Journal, Eric has been teaching the online acoustic community how to improve their jazz performance on guitar with inspiring video lessons. Eric will be playing on his signature Santa Cruz Guitar Company OO-Skye Model.
Yesterday I noted on a restaurant name change in Lafayette, and word on the street is that The Pizza Place, located on N. Main St. in downtown Walnut Creek is planning to rename themselves, North Main Grill & Pizza, presumably to highlight the point that they don’t just serve pizza. I hear they serve a great prime rib sandwich from time to time with some help from 1515 a few doors down (and have the same owner).
Photo by Flickr user Klearchos Kapoutsis
With summer officially started and this hot weather we’ve been having lately, I thought a summer related question is in order. Some things I’d like to do this summer:
Hanging out in a local park reading a book.
Outdoor dining and drinking.
Hitting the pools with my family.
What are you most looking forward to this summer?
Photo from Moraga Park Foundation
From the Moraga Parks Foundation Summer Concert Series 2012 webpage:
You are invited to join your neighbors on Thursday evenings at the Moraga Commons Park for a relaxing free concert in the park. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell. Enjoy the music while your children enjoy the park. The volunteers of the Moraga Park and Recreation Foundation will even cook dinner for you with the Snack Bar opening at 6:00 pm.
Concerts start at 6:30 pm and end at 8:30 pm
2012 Schedule
June 21 Moonalice – Early SF rock band
June 28 Pladdogh- Celtic
July 4 Livin’ in the USA – Rock (7pm concert)
July 12 Bell Bros. – Country
July 19 Lady K & the Kings of Swing – Big band swing
July 26 Because – Beatles tribute band
August 2 Houserockers – Rock & Roll
August 9 Mixed Nuts – All decades of rock
August 16 Motor Dude Zydeco – Cajun zydeco
August 23 City Rocks Revue – Bay Area rock tribute
September 29 Pear Festival – tba
Tao Restaurant opened last December with a unique cuisine focus of Japanese ramen noodles and Flipper’s hamburgers. I stopped by recently and learned that Flipper’s is gone for good and a sushi chef has been brought in to run the new sushi bar. To highlight the changed focus, Tao has been renamed iSushi. Notice how the pictures in the window are gone? Apparently people wanted to see outside while they were dining, glad they listened. In addition to sushi, ramen will also be served like before.
Check out the bar below:
Has anyone had a chance to try the sushi here?
Back in March I noted that Red Wagon, the children’s store in Lafayette was closing, and this is their final week in business. This Friday will be their last day. I peeked inside the window and didn’t really see anything for sale though, however the furniture and fixtures are also for sale.
Downtown Walnut Creek is having their Wine Walk this evening, June 20th from 6pm – 9pm starting at Residual Sugar Wine Bar. The price is $30/person in advance or $40/person at the door.
Enjoy a unique wine tasting event while strolling through beautiful Downtown Walnut Creek.
Musicians:
Alex Patz
Buck Cheshire
Bill Lombardo
Justin Levitt & Jacob Kipp
Michael Sullivan
Pat Kelley
Tracy Durden
Walnut Creek Woodwind Quintet
Zach Ramacier & Chili Corder
A new restaurant, Basil Asian Restaurant, featuring Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine, opened a couple of weeks ago replacing the Chinese restaurant Red Chopstick. Basil is located at 581 Moraga Rd. in Moraga, across the street from the Rheem Valley Shopping Center. Has anyone checked them out yet? Anything to recommend?
Back in March I noted that the empty storefront next to Papyrus in downtown Walnut Creek on North Main St. was eventually going to be combined with Papyrus to make way for a new restaurant, however today’s scuttlebutt is that it’s going to become a men’s clothing store. Given that location, near the Atlas men’s clothing store as well as other small fashion boutiques, this makes a lot of sense. I wonder what it’s going to be like.