Beyond the Creek

Lucky Stiff – A Musical Murder Mystery Farce at Lesher Center Beginning Aug. 31st

July 31, 2012 4:30 pm

Lucky Stiff – A Musical Murder Mystery Farce, will be performed at the Lesher Center in Walnut Creek from August 31st through October 7th. Buy tickets here.

From the Center Rep website:

Tony Award winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once On This Island) exploded on the musical theatre scene in 1988 with this Off Broadway hit – a zany, offbeat and very funny romantic murder mystery farce complete with slamming doors, mistaken identities, six million bucks in diamonds and a corpse in a wheelchair.

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Buying on Credit at the Farmers Market in Moraga

July 31, 2012 11:30 am

My favorite strawberry vendor at the Moraga farmers market now accepts credit cards thanks to Square. They swipe your credit card through the Square attachment on their iPhone, you sign with your finger, enter your email if you want a receipt, and you’re done, it’s that simple. Amazing where you can use a credit card these days.

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Sign of the Day (Entitled Edition)

July 31, 2012 10:00 am

Spotted at the Ygnacio Valley Shopping Center in Walnut Creek, I saw a woman getting out of a car at this spot “Reserved Parking – adults with children”, with a young teenager. I understand how this is thoughtful on the one hand, but is this really necessary? I mean, the sign shows a baby/toddler in a stroller. If they’re in a stroller, what’s the big deal strolling down a bit further in the lot?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a sign before in my life, so props to the shopping center for creativity.

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CrossFit Walnut Creek Opens in Downtown Walnut Creek

July 31, 2012 8:30 am

Back in January I noted that Walnut Creek was getting another CrossFit gym, and they are now finally open. Located at 1628 Cypress St. next to Extreme Pizza (towards the back), they have a prime downtown location. For those not familiar with CrossFit, this is from their website:

CrossFit is the principal strength and conditioning program for many police academies and tactical operations teams, military special operations units, champion martial artists, and hundreds of other elite and professional athletes worldwide.

Our program delivers a fitness that is, by design, broad, general, and inclusive. Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.

The CrossFit program is designed for universal scalability making it the perfect application for any committed individual regardless of experience. We’ve used our same routines for elderly individuals with heart disease and cage fighters one month out from televised bouts. We scale load and intensity; we don’t change programs.

Check out the gym below:

The massive tire in front would be good for hitting with that sledge hammer at right, as well as tire flipping, which incidently, is what gold medalist swimmer Ryan Lochte does to warm up.

Currently they offer evening classes and the first class is free to tryout so drop by and check them out. I can attest that CrossFit is an intense yet fun workout since the activities are so varied.

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Jazz Musician Wycliffe Gordon to Perform at Lesher Center Aug. 4th

July 30, 2012 4:30 pm

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

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PG&E wire down @ Pleasant Hill Rd & Condit Rd in Lafayette

July 30, 2012 3:16 pm

Photo by Flickr user Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL)

From the Lafayette Police:

AVOID Pleasant Hill Road at Condit due to PG&E wire down on Roadway. Detours in effect, PG&E working to get road open.
Police and Fire are on scene, initial report was of a grass fire, fire is contained wire is still down.

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Citra Grill Opening Today, July 30th in Walnut Creek

July 30, 2012 11:30 am

After several delays, the long awaited Citra Grill is finally opening today in downtown Walnut Creek across the street from the Century movie theater at the corner of Olympic Blvd. and Locust St. I had a chance to stop by during the soft opening on the weekend and tried some of the dishes which were excellent. You can check out their menu here.

When I checked them out I tried the grilled shrimp with cabbage and cucumbers and tomatoes. The shrimp were perfectly cooked and tasted great, as did the cabbage.

I also had the baby arugula salad with a vegetable skewer side. The salad came with dried cherries and lime roasted almonds which tasted amazing. You may have noticed 2 truffles at the upper left of the photo. They are from Barlovento Chocolates and are out of this world delicious. I consider the food here to be quite refreshing, light and healthy.

More photos including the bread oven after the jump…

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Itrim Weight Loss Center Opens Today, July 30th in Lafayette

July 30, 2012 8:30 am

Back in April I noted that the Swedish weight loss program Itrim was coming to Lafayette, and today is the grand opening. This is the first Itrim location in the United States, with a San Ramon location opening within the next couple of months, and Walnut Creek being considered as well. For those not familiar with the Itrim program, this is from their website:

We educate, motivate and support you through the toughest parts of losing weight and keeping it off. The Itrim program focuses the first 2 to 4 months on helping you lose the weight you want to lose, and the next 22 to 24 months teaching you, practicing with you and supporting you to maintain your weight loss.
Developing the skills to maintain your weight loss takes time, energy, commitment, and practice. Itrim knows this, and has everything you need lined up under one roof: a personal lifestyle coach, fun and effective exercise training, educational life-changing classes, a comfortable member lounge, personal exercise trainers and more.

Work progressed rather quickly and the results are amazing. The addition of the huge windows really lightens the place up inside. The blue paint matching the Swedish flag as well as the copper roof over the cupola really makes this place stand out. What a great addition to downtown Lafayette!

Check out the lounge area (free wifi and iPad usage included):

Among the various gym equipment is a TRX machine:

check out photos of the other gym equipment, locker room, classroom and personal consultation room after the jump…

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Free Opera Concert on July 29th at Orinda Community Park

July 27, 2012 4:30 pm

A free opera concert will be held at the Orinda Community Park this Sunday, July 29th at 4pm through 6pm. Have a great weekend everybody!

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Things to Do – Play Tennis at the Walnut Creek Tennis Center

July 27, 2012 11:30 am

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?

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