Back in February I noted the opening of the Chinese restaurant Dragon’s Pond in downtown Walnut Creek, and they now have a new sign up. Interesting how it’s behind the glass.
Back in February I noted the opening of the Chinese restaurant Dragon’s Pond in downtown Walnut Creek, and they now have a new sign up. Interesting how it’s behind the glass.
Urban Village will be running the new farmers market located at the Lafayette BART Station in the south parking lot off Happy Valley Road. In addition to the location change, this one will be offered year-round which is great for those living nearby.
Last month I noted the progress at Spouts Market shopping center in Walnut Creek at Geary and N. Main St, and a reader kindly pointed out that The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is on the signage as well. You can also see the progress on the shopping center from the photo above.
You can check out their drink menu here. I wonder how this compares to Starbucks and Peet’s, anyone been?
A couple of weeks ago I noted that the North Main St. fountains were getting refurbished and the one across from Wells Fargo has been turned on. Check out the finished work above. Cool stuff!
The 31st annual Walnut Creek Art & Wine Festival is being held this weekend at Heather Farm Park. From their website:
Celebrate Flavors of the Creek at Heather Farm Park for the 31st Annual Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau Art & Wine Festival. Distinguished by its spacious park setting and family-friendly activities, the popular Walnut Creek Chamber Art & Wine Festival, recognized by the Contra Costa Times as the East Bay’s Best Outdoor Festival, runs Saturday, June 2, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., andSunday, June 3, 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Festival admission is free, making the centrally located Walnut Creek Chamber Art & Wine Festival a fun and travel-friendly weekend.
M U S I C * L I N E U P
Saturday, June 2
12:00 – 1:00pm: Foothill Middle School Jazz Band
01:00 – 2:30pm: LUCE
03:00 – 5:00pm: The Houserockers
05:00 – 7:00pm: Finding Stella
Premium Wine Tent: Ken CooperSunday, June 3
12:00 – 1:00pm: Jeffrey Halford and the Healers
01:00 – 2:30pm: Ruckatan
03:00 – 5:00pm: Salvador Santana
05:00 – 6:00pm: The Fundamentals
Premium Wine Tent: Dan DeSharaC H I L D R E N ‘ S * A R E A
Saturday, June 2, 2012
01:15pm: Poison Apple Productions
02:00pm: George Platt’s Swordplay and Fencing Academy
02:30pm: Livermore Shakespeare
03:00pm: Poison Apple Productions
03:30pm: Livermore Shakespeare
04:00pm: Walnut Creek Intermediate School Glee ClubSunday, June 3, 2012
12:00pm: Richard Lee’s East West Kung Fu
12:45pm: Poison Apple Productions
01:15pm: George Platt’s Swordplay and Fencing Academy
03:00pm: Poison Apple ProductionsNew this year:
Pet Rest Spot sponsored by Brandman University allowing your pet to spend time in the shade, get a drink of water and plastic bags for cleaning-up after your pooch. R E M E M B E R : All dogs must be on a leash.

photo by Stacy Ventura
Corners Tavern in downtown Walnut Creek next to Macy’s will begin offering brunch service starting tomorrow. Check out their brunch menu here.
From an email:
Nestled in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, the new contemporary American restaurant, Corners Tavern will begin serving lunch on Saturday (11:30-2) and Sunday brunch (10:30-2:30) starting this weekend, June 2. The new brunch menu will continue the theme of big, bold flavors and will be divided into two categories: appetizers and entrees. Guests can choose from sweet dishes like the Brioche French Toast with Strawberry Butter or savory fare like the Duck Confit Hash with Fingerling Potatoes and Baked Duck Egg or the Grilled Shrimp and Grits with Housemade Andouille Sausage. Brunch cocktails include the Mimosa, Brazilian(Cachaca, mint, lemongrass, lime and Prosecco) and the Michelada (Mexican beer, tabasco and lime). A full brunch menu is attached.
Perfect for summer, Corners Tavern will have the patio seating available for outdoor dining and (weather permitting) the large front-facing roll-up garage doors open for indoor dining.
Corners Tavern will remain open after brunch and lunch service with a mid-day menu featuring a limited number of items including salads, smoked chicken wings, house-made charcuterie, the Corners burger and a variety of light snacks such as the smoked and spiced almonds and duck fat roasted potatoes. The mid-day menu is a perfect respite for Walnut Creek shoppers looking for a small bite between meals or a cold, refreshing beverage on a warm day.

As I’m constantly driving back and forth between Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga, I was wondering, if you could live anywhere within these locations, where would you choose to live?

Pygmalion, a 1912 play written by George Bernard Shaw is opening tonight at the Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette and runs through June 23rd.
From the Town Halle Theatre website:
Renowned linguist Henry Higgins makes a wager that he can transform young Eliza into a sophisticated lady. But will changing her speech change her mind?
Show-at-a-glance:
Rated: PG
Running Time: approx. 2 1/2 hrs. including one 15-minute intermissionFeaturing:
Jennie Brick – Mrs. Eynsford-Hill
Tiffany Hoover – Mrs. Pearce/Bystander/Parlor Maid/Constable
Ann Kendrick – Mrs. Higgins
Jenna Stitch – Clara
Chris Parnell-Hayes – Mr. Doolittle
Ginny Wehrmeister – Eliza Doolittle
Michael Scott Wells – Freddy
Don Wood – Col. Pickering
Clive Worsley – Prof. Henry Higgins
Tickets may purchased by visiting their website.

According to a project recently submitted to the Lafayette Design Review Commission, a new restaurant called Boo Koo, serving Asian street food, may be headed to Lafayette where The Art Room and The Lafayette Art Gallery are currently located, across from Chow. From the plan:
The concept focuses on a transparent façade that provides for a substantial indoor outdoor relationship and that utilizes the existing ambiance provided by the mature trees and the active uses across Lafayette Circle.

Boo Koo’s current location is in Mill Valley. From their website:
Boo Koo serves Southeast Asian street food with a California twist: fresh, healthy, and flavorful dishes that are both fast and affordable. Everything’s made here (no preservatives or MSG) and we source meats and produce locally. Our basic menu is vegan, customizable with high-quality proteins, from wild salmon and free-range chicken to natural pork and grassfed beef. Constantly changing specials keep things seasonal and creative.
The Mill Valley menu is here. Apparently a search for a new location for the Lafayette Art Gallery is being conducted so it can be relocated nearby.
What do you think of the The Art Room building going away to make room for this restaurant? Does this hold promise? Has anyone been to the Mill Valley location?

Over the weekend I had a chance to check out the Bay Area KidFest in Concord with my kid which was fun, and afterwards we headed over to Baskin-Robbins at Todos Santos Plaza for some much needed ice cream. Before entering I noticed a big poster promoting a Men in Black III ice cream tie-in. Although I haven’t seen the third movie yet, I have seen the first Men in Black, and remember the striking image of the Tony Shaloub character Jack Jeebs regrowing his head.
So with that frame of reference, we entered the store and sitting right at front is a woman with a very small head. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I was hallucinating slightly, or maybe it was an extended promotion for the movie due to the nearby KidFest. Not wanting to be rude by staring, I quickly noted that she was dressed normally, having a conversation with someone else, and so I decided which ice cream flavor to get.
It was only later, when I got home, that I found out that there is a neurodevelopmental disorder called Microcephaly, “in which the circumference of the head is more than two standard deviations smaller than average for the person’s age and sex.”
