Thanks to a reader for sending word that the pinball parlor The Flipper Room reopened down the block in Concord. Check out their pinball lineup here and leagues page here. As someone who enjoys playingpinball I was impressed a lot by this place. The machines, a mix of both modern and vintage, are in pristine condition and you pay per game. In addition to a merchandise and snack section they also feature an impressive selection of fun prints and pinball artwork. If you enjoy pinball or have kids definitely check this place out!
A new children’s open art studio called Lemon Blossom Creations opened recently at the Palos Verdes mall in Walnut Creek. In addition to a drop-in open studio they also offer kids’ parties, events and summer camps. Check out all options here. Thanks to a reader for emailing about this.
Lemon Blossom Creations is owned and operated by Melissa Karakash and Dora Chacon. Ever since they became friends they started helping each other organize and host parties for their friends and families. Often these parties entailed Melissa using her sewing and craft skills to customize decorations. Dora planned activities for the children who attended their parties. She developed an array of games and crafts to entertain children due to her past experience of being a nanny. Their combined love of children and creating parties sparked their interest in children’s party planning. Together Melissa and Dora designed these themed parties to give children a memorable and magical birthday.
Texas-based Red Door Escape Room opened recently on the second floor of the Veranda shopping center in Concord above Mikuni. For those not familiar with escape rooms, or episodesas they are called by Red Door, according to Wikpedia, it’s “a mental and physical adventure based game in which players solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints, and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Escape rooms may consist of a large, single room, or span multiple rooms. Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms.”
Check out all six Concord episodes here and note the 50% discount if you book and play by 6/30/19. I played a couple of escape rooms with my friends and family elsewhere and had a blast so I will definitely be checking this place out soon! Based on the two episodes preview I saw the overall quality here looks amazing.
Using technology, creativity and artistry we work passionately to bring human connection back into the world of entertainment.
If you’re someone who like creative challenges, loves new experiences and enjoys spending time with friends and family, you’re going to love Red Door. Perfect for families, friends, corporate groups and sports teams, our escape rooms challenge groups to solve cryptic puzzles and hidden clues to escape from a series of rooms in less than 60 minutes.
GamedayVR, a virtual reality arcade that opened at the end of 2017 in downtown Walnut Creek has relocated temporarily to Mike Murphy Baseball, a batting cage center located directly across from the future Shadelands SportsMall in Walnut Creek. According to an employee they will be relocating to the SportsMall and will offer a baseball VR experience in addition to their usual VR games. Stay tuned…
Although they currently only have room for a few VR areas, I did spot a temporary PC gaming section for a party.
The restaurant and a video arcade Dave & Buster’s is coming to The Veranda shopping center in Concord where Toys “R” Us used to be. I wonder how this will compare to Round 1 in nearby Sunvalley shopping center? What’s going to happen with the already scarce parking situation?
Walnut Creek on Ice opens this Friday, November 9th in Civic Park in downtown Walnut Creek. Check out pricing and the schedule on their website here. Information on group lessons can be found here. The Children’s Winter Festival will take place on November 10th with “free admission and skates for the first 250 guests; $5 admission until 5 p.m”
AR Worskhop, the DIY creative studio which opened last spring, now has a Drink Bar offering a selection of beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages in the back section of their studio. This allows children and others to work on their projects in front at the same time as those who want to enjoy a glass of wine or beer in the back. Check out their schedule here and follow updates on their Facebook page here.
theCoderSchool, “a place where kids learn to code all year round” opened recently in the Marketplace Shopping Center in San Ramon. In addition to classes they also offer camps which can be viewed here.
Rather than using static one-size-fits-all curriculums, our core program uses an immersion and mentoring approach in a super-small student to teacher ratio (typically 2:1). This allows our Code Coaches® to personalize and customize based on the students, making for a much more engaging experience. Instead of linear learning of concepts from a curriculum, we immerse the kids in coding by building stuff and then building more stuff!
A few years ago the iconic Rheem Theatre in Moraga was set to close before it got a reprieve and ended up remaining open, until now. Their final day open was yesterday but according to this East Bay Times article, Mayor Dave Trotter said that, “Moraga has a shared goal of getting the theater reopened in the near future.” I love the art deco design of this theater and hope to see it reopen, but realistically, is there any chance this will come back or is this the final good bye?
Email from Rheem Theatre:
It is with great sorrow that this Sunday, January 7, 2018, will be our final movies showing at the Rheem Theatre. It is not economically feasible to continue to operate the theater. We have an agreement with the property owner to keep everything intact in hopes that a reasonable solution can be found soon.
We have put our hearts and souls into maintaining and making the Rheem what it is today.
Thank you all for your support and patronage over the last 8 years.
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