Daily Life

Photo from Flickr user oxcnpxo

Have you ever noticed a rotten egg-like sulphur smell in the San Miguel neighborhood of Walnut Creek, which includes John Muir hospital as well as Lime Ridge? It turns out that smell existed long before people even lived there due to sulphur springs and minerals in the area. KQED has an interesting article here explaining the details. This quote comes from a 1915 US Geological Survey:

 “A group of sulphur springs lies near the northeastern base of a low ridge about 2 miles northeast of the town of Walnut Creek. The largest spring is on the ridge about 100 yards from its eastern base and 25 yards north of the county road [Ygnacio Valley Road]. When the place was visited, the water rose in a board-curbed pool protected by a latticed house and was piped to a cattle trough a few yards away. It yielded about 3 gallons a minute of mildly sulphureted water, 81° in temperature. . . . Five other smaller springs issue in a belt extending 350 yards along the base of the ridge, in and near the barnyard of Sulphur Springs farm. Two of them have been piped to watering troughs near by. The other three are of seeping flow and form only small marshy places.”

View Larger Map

0 Comments

The jazz musician Wycliffe Gordon will be performing at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek on August 4th at 5pm. To purchase tickets click here. Tickets are $35. (The 8pm show is already sold out).

From the Lesher Jazz website:

 Trombonist Wycliffe Gordon is universally recognized as one of the great performers on his instrument, past or present. A long-time member of the Wynton Marsalis Septet who has also performed with such greats as Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Flanagan, Shirley Horn, Branford Marsalis and Joe Henderson, Mr. Gordon has earned a remarkable series of credits and awards:

• Jazz Journalists Association Award/Trombonist of the Year – 2012, 2011, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2002, 2001
• Member of Wynton Marsalis’ Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra (including a performance at the Grammy Awards)
• “Swingin’ with the Duke” – PBS special documentary
• Featured guest on Billy Taylor’s “Jazz at the Kennedy Center”
• “Uptown Blues, Ellington at 100″ a collaboration with the New York Philharmonic, live from Lincoln Center
• A featured soloist in Ken Burns’ “Jazz”
• “A Carnegie Hall Christmas Concert”
• “Live from Lincoln Center: The Juilliard School at 100 Years”
• “Journey with Jazz at Lincoln Center” – BET’s 13-part series
• “Zin, Zin, Zin, A Violin” –Compositions by Wycliffe Gordon with Marvin Hamlisch and Angela Lansbury

Mr. Gordon is a hard-swinging artist with deep roots in the jazz tradition who, although musically sophisticated, knows how to give an audience a good time. His performance on August 4 will feature selections from his CD “Hello Pops!,” a tribute to Louis Armstrong.

Blues and swing vocalist (and Bay Area favorite) Lavay Smith will appear as guest artist at Mr. Gordon’s performances.

Other personnel: Robert Barics, clarinet; Aaron Diehl, piano; Marcus Shelby, bass; Lorca Hart, drums

0 Comments

The Walnut Creek Tennis Center at Heather Farm Community Park in Walnut Creek has 10 courts and provides lessons for both adults and children, as well as hosting adult leagues and a pro shop to boot. I needed to pick up a tennis racquet for my kid so I dropped by the pro shop and picked up a nice Wilson (they only have Wilson products) racquet for only $20.

The Walnut Creek Racquet Club is based here:

 The Walnut Creek Racquet Club (WCRC) was founded in 1969 as a public courts tennis club and is sponsored by the City of Walnut Creek. The club’s purpose is to promote the game of tennis in Walnut Creek by providing a wide variety of tennis activities including league play, tournaments, clinics and special events. WCRC is open to both residents of Walnut Creek as well as non-residents as per its charter. Club membership, numbering nearly 800+ tennis enthusiasts, is comprised of players of all ages and skill – all sharing a passion for the game.

Check out some of the courts below. Notice the lights for night-play:

When I checked it out over the weekend it was buzzing with activity. If you live nearby and have any interest in tennis I’d definitely check this place out and consider becoming a member. It looks like it could be a lot of fun. Does anyone play here? How is it?

0 Comments

Sometimes impromptu performances are the best, as demonstrated by this guitar and cello playing duo in downtown Walnut Creek over the weekend. The man at left joined in as well, using the bicycle seat as an instrument!

0 Comments

If you’ve been to the downtown Walnut Creek farmers market you’ve probably seen Shelly’s booth offering face and arm painting to children’s delight. She’s been at it for over 6 years now, way back when the market was at the library (and she was starting college). I used to get harassed by my two year old to get painted years ago when Shelly first started, and even now she loves it. As does her younger brother. Her work is really amazing, and at $2 per painting is reasonably priced as well.

Check out her fun artwork below:

Apparently she’ll be offering a kids drawing workshop at the Lafayette Community Center at the end of July. Stay tuned for details…

4 Comments