Spotted right next to this bench in downtown Walnut Creek.
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.
Located at 3591 Mount Diablo Blvd in downtown Lafayette, Powell’s Sweet Shoppe is a really fun candy store that everyone can enjoy, thanks to the large selection of candy, including nostalgic brands like Necco Wafers, Fun Dips, and Whoppers. They also have a huge selection of bulk candy, including gelato, with Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory playing on a TV towards the back. Possibly dentists are the only people who may not appreciate a store like this.
When I go I always get a sea salt caramel and try to resist whatever my kids manage to get home. What’s the best candy to get at Powell’s?
Now that the Hungry Hunter restaurant in Lafayette at the corner of Pleasant Hill Rd. and Mt. Diablo Blvd. has been demolished, it looks like construction will soon begin of 23 townhomes by Signature Development Group. The land is owned by the Dudums, who own quite a few restaurants in Walnut Creek. Maximum height will be 35 feet. More information on the project can be found here and here.
To get permission to build the townhomes, the developer is paying for an art installation titled, “Over Easy”, by Roger Barry, to be displayed at the corner of Mt. Diablo and Pleasant Hill Rd.
This is the artist’s description of the artwork:
OVER EASY is a dynamically balanced form conceived to reference the experience of travel. Placed near the Southwest corner of Mt Diablo Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road, OVER EASY will be visible to pedestrians and drivers alike from both roads. As one passes by, the sculpture will appear to wind and unwind presenting a different profile from each vantage point. The dark weathered Corten steel has great visual weight that will contrast with the surrounding light green ground planting and the redwoods behind. The paradox of this swirling heavy mass is the delight of the sculpture.
OVER EASY will be made of Corten steel with an interior support structure and base of stainless steel. It will be 90″ tall, 74″ wide and 77″ deep. The swirling band is a square in section 8 3/8″ on each side. The base will be bolted to a concrete footing and will be buried to allow plantings to grow around the sculpture. The base support will extend 12″ above the grade so that the plantings will not hide the sculpture.
Mixed Nuts will be performing at Lafayette’s Summer Series this Friday, August 17th at 6pm, at the Lafayette Plaza.
I never realized the lights in the back of Broadway Plaza are purple. Looks pretty cool at night.
The deadline for the Walnut Creek City Council nomination period has been extended to August 15th since Council member Gary Skrel is not seeking reelection. From the City of Walnut Creek home page:
Persons interested in running for the Walnut Creek City Council may pull nomination papers and receive all other necessary forms and information from the City Clerk’s Office. To make an appointment, call City Clerk Suzie Martinez at 925-943-5819. Three seats are up for election. Candidates must be at least 18 years of age, a citizen of the United States, and a resident and registered voter of the City of Walnut Creek.
From the Walnut Creek City Council page:
There are five City Council members. They are elected at large for 4-year, staggered terms; elections are held in November of each even-numbered year. To learn more about individual Council members, click here. Council meetings are held the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 1666 North Main Street. For an agenda of the next meeting, click here. All Council meetings are televised live over Comcast Channels 28 and Channel 26 (Rossmoor), on Astound Channel 29, and on AT&T U-Verse Channel 99. The meeting broadcast is repeated in its entirety the following Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m. on Comcast Channels 28 and 26 and on Astound Channel 29.
Back in March I noted that a new cafe was opening this summer within the downtown Walnut Creek Library, and Cafe Pica Deli finally opened last Friday. Their original deli is located in Concord.
Check out some of the dishes:
Cafe Pica Deli has a large Peet’s Coffee selection, as well as offering soups, sandwiches and salads, in addition to various snacks.
