Democracy is Not for Sale
All four corners at Mt. Diablo Blvd. and N. Main St. in downtown Walnut Creek was packed with people from the Money Out! People In! coalition yesterday afternoon protesting the recent Supreme Court decision that eliminated the amount people can contribute to federal candidates in a two year election cycle.
Considering that the Supreme Court just issued this ruling yesterday this protest came together really quickly.
Thighs and Whispers – Bette Midler, spotted at Rainbow’s End thrift store in downtown Walnut Creek. Who knew Bette Midler did disco?
Last month Edwards Luggage reopened in a new Broadway Plaza location in downtown Walnut Creek and their outside signage is now up. Looks like they rebranded themselves as Edwards – Everything Travel which was a great decision as it better describes what their store is all about. Not just luggage. Check out their website here.
Photo by Flickr user Herr Sharif
Mighty Fine Guitars
85 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette
Saturday, April 5th, 2014
8:00pm | $20Eric Taylor is a sage musician, a lyrical genius and a master of the guitar. If you’re familiar with the intricate Texas singer/ songwriter jigsaw puzzle, you probably already know a lot about Taylor. If you’re not familiar with Taylor by name, you’ve probably heard his songs performed by people such as Nanci Griffith and Lyle Lovett. He has created a multitude of fans and devotees that are legends themselves in the singer/songwriter realm, artists who have long considered Taylor to be a teacher and a lantern bearer whose time is long overdue.
Taylor grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and started playing soul music in his early years, steeping himself in the rich cultural heritage of the black South. “I’ve written poetry all my life,” Taylor recounts. “When I learned how to play guitar, it was a natural progression to write songs.” After high school, a brief stint at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, just “didn’t work out,” according to Taylor.
Tender Greens – 1352 Locust St, Walnut Creek
From a press release:
To continue to serve the Walnut Creek and East Bay community with affordable dishes made with high-quality, sustainably farmed ingredients, Tender Greens is introducing Chef Sean Eastwood as the Executive Chef of the Walnut Creek restaurant. Originally from Blackpool, England, Chef Sean is committed to bringing his passion for the culinary arts to Tender Greens and has played a strong role in the kitchens of the Auberge Resorts as well as The Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay prior to joining the team at the Walnut Creek restaurant.
Chef Sean presents the Roasted Monterey Squid Salad as a unique menu item only available at Walnut Creek, made with fresh caught squid, frisee, lacinato kale, shaved fennel, heirloom oranges, spiced almonds, olives and a lemon vinaigrette. Keeping with the Tender Greens’ mantra of “slow food done fast” at an affordable price point, the Roasted Monterey Squid Salad is served to guests for just $11.
Check out the menu here.
1675 Olympic Blvd, Walnut Creek
The S. A. Elite rebranding to Sports Authority in downtown Walnut Creek in Plaza Escuela is almost complete with the official grand opening on April 5th. I stopped by recently and there is a lot more variety.
Behind the Scenes of The Real Housewives of Walnut Creek: The Musical:
Walnut Creek Library
1644 N. Broadway Ave., Walnut Creek
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2014
7:00pm – 8:15pm | FreeA unique opportunity to get up-close with the all-around creative genius that is Molly Bell. Center REP Artistic Director Michael Butler describes Molly Bell and her latest creation: “Inspired by one of America’s favorite (and perhaps despised) reality series, The Real Housewives of Walnut Creek: The Musical channels all the craziness and cat-fights that – for better or worse – keep audiences tuning in for more…Molly Bell wowed us with Becoming Britney and showed she has a great comedic gift for cultural observation…she always delivers a powerhouse performance.” CLICK HERE to register.
19 Orinda Way, Orinda
Thanks to a reader for sending word that a new Burmese restaurant called The Refined Palate (the owner helped start Burma Superstar in San Francisco in the 1970s) has opened in Orinda across from the library. Check out their menu here. Any must-try dishes? According to an employee I spoke with they don’t have their liquor license yet so it’s BYOB, no corkage fee.
From their website:
We serve unique Burmese cuisine. This includes dishes from various regions of the Southeast Asian country of Burma (now officially known as Myanmar). The diversity of Myanmar’s cuisine has also been contributed to by the myriad of local ethnic minorities.
Lamorinda Weekly has more information here.
Check out the inside:
As noted last December, the children’s clothing store Gymboree has reopened in Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek across from Starbucks. The original location across the street (and all stores on that side) are now closed due to the redevelopment taking place over the next couple of years.
An Acoustic Tribute to the Beatles:
Town Hall Theatre
3535 School St, Lafayette
Saturday, March 29th, 2014
8:00pm | $20For one night only, Tom Fleming, James Funk, and Drew Harrison bring a night of your favorite acoustic Beatles songs.