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There is a food truck called Chicken and the Farm on Boulevard Way in Saranap that will also have a brick-and-mortar shop next to it. They are known for their sauces and have been making the rounds at festivals and racing events. They typically dress up their food truck area with plants and a faux grass to make it cozy.
I gave it a try recently and thought it was quite good (though very rich!). Menu items include their famous bone-in wings, chicken sandwiches (and other meat sandwiches), salads, loaded fries, and small sides like cauliflower bites. It looks like the brick and mortar store (The Farmstand) will open this year, with the food truck parked in front of it. They are not always open, so check the website for Days & Times. It is worth a try!
Their concept is simple: bring the best of the farm directly to your plate, with a menu inspired by the variety and abundance found on a farm and celebrating those flavors. Aesthetically, they definitely hit the mark. There are a lot of fresh and colorful vegetables incorporated into many dishes, and you can tell there is no mass production of ingredients going on.
I tried the the chicken tenders and he worked his magic with the sauce – it was his recommendation and I just let it flow.
Next time you’re in that part of Walnut Creek, give Chicken and the Farm a try. Or find them at their next event, wherever and whenever that may be – usually at the Lafayette Art & Wine, but there will be a line, so just mosey on over to 1322 Boulevard Way!
I was lucky to link up with a past client I have worked with on a couple of homes before. He was looking for a smaller home closer to San Francisco and wanted to focus specifically on Walnut Creek – my specialty! We began by looking at 2-bed, 2-bath condos, but most did not have a garage, which he preferred.
We looked at one in Sky West, but it needed a lot of work and the patio was open to the community space and was a little crowded with so many personal belongings it was hard to see the house and the list price and final closing price reflected how it showed. It started at $699,000, was listed at $630,000 and closed for $600,000. Thus, I decided to create a buyer letter and started knocking on doors in Sky West.
By doing this, I discovered that an agent had two listings not yet on the market and my client really liked one of them. They were priced at $749,000, but we had just seen the one that closed at $600,000, so we wanted to negotiate before it got on market. They decided to put up a Coming Soon sign and got a full-priced offer before my client was ready to go higher.
However, that agent tipped us off about another agent with a home coming soon in the same complex. We went to see it and my client hemmed and hawed a bit before the seller considered a lower offer. We came up a bit, they came down, and we had a deal at $738,888.
And, just like that, my client closed on a 1,339 square-foot 2-bed, 2.5-bath townhome with an attached 2-car garage! He really likes the peaceful setting at this location in Walnut Creek (though he still thinks about the one he missed out on!). Luckily, he can do some of his own improvements to bring that up to the the one he purchased, i.e. new doors and wood flooring upstairs and on the stairs. The one he bought had an attached garage and that was really important to him. I think he will be really happy once he makes it own!
This is what a savvy and knowlegeable realtor can do for you. I saw my client had a demand but we had no viable options, so I got creative with the buyer letter and door-knocking. That overturned three new opportunities, including the home he ended up buying. Think about giving me a call if you want a similar level of dedication when you buy or sell a home!
“When you look at the East Bay, Walnut Creek is the center point of that entire region. And Broadway Plaza is the bub of the whole retail and shopping experience.” – John Duggan, owner of Original Joe’s, as quoted by SFGate
According to SFGate, Broadway Plaza is the newest hotspot for San Francisco and Oakland restaurants that want to move or expand into the suburbs. As locals, we understand the allure of our hometown outdoor mall, but did you know about 6 million people visit it per year? No wonder everyone wants in!
Credit: Broadway Plaza, via SFGate
Original Joe’s plans to open its East Bay location across from Macy’s in Broadway Plaza in April, becoming the next transplant to a town that now boasts more than 150 restaurants, according to the Walnut Creek Downtown Association. That’s both a good and bad thing.
Local business owners, according to the SFGate article, are concerned about oversaturation and being priced out of town. There’s also always the risk of the restaurant boom going bust. I’m no expert in this area, but I have lived here for 25 years and have never once thought there would be a “bust” of any kind downtown. As long as I can remember, it has been growing, growing, growing! Covid was the exception, however we do often see one come and then go – it has to have good food and service or it won’t survive.
Food and drinks at Sipeos in Broadway Plaza (Credit: Hardy Wilson/Sipeos Cafe and Bar, via SFGate)
As the article lays out, there are dozens of options for every type of cuisine, plus new and innovative concepts coming to our little town every month. And Broadway Plaza may be the engine that makes it all run, but our downtown is super walkable and there are great restaurants all over the downtown map. It is a restauranteur’s paradise! Some of the newer ones that have recently popped up, not in and around Broadway Plaza are Daryoush on Locust, a Persian restaurant – has anyone been? Dads BBQ in the Rossmoor Shopping Center – heard some good things and the food truck Chicken & Biscuits on Boulevard – hear rave reviews, drove by last night at 7 pm, was going to try it, but it was all dark and the truck was on the street.
What are some of your favorite go-to spots? How about the best new places you’ve tried recently? Let me know in the comments!
On the Crate and Barrel building downtown, across the street from Pinstripes on S. Main Street, there is a new mural painted on a large, indented, white brick canvas. It caught my eye when I was heading to my holiday party for work recently and I’ve been trying to find more information on it ever since!
I think, after much digging, I at least know the artist’s name. It is signed with the username or tag @caseyoconnell_. According to this brief Beyond the Creek write-up (they love it too!), the artist has an Instagram account. From there, I was able to find Casey O’Connell’s artist website. Based on the looks of her other work, this is definitely her mural!
It does not feature as a mural on her website, but it may just not have been updated since this mural was created in Walnut Creek. Also, on her Instagram page, there was a photo of a piece called “The Red Panda Moon Is Honoring Me” that bears a striking resemblance to the mural. There are subtle differences between the two, but it’s clearly the same theme.
I really just love how it looks when viewed in full, but then you get closer and there is so much little detail in the shadowy trees and the reflection of the moon in multiple places at the bottom (I presume, in water?). This is one thing I really love about where we live: we take our public art seriously!
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I’m a sucker for a good bakery. Luckily for me, there are plenty of them in Walnut Creek, including a new one called Model Bakery on N. Main St. right next to Tomatino. I took a visit to Model the other day to check it out. I was struck by the beauty of the bakery, both on the outside and inside. But how did the food stack up? Watch my short videos below to find out.
So… a beautiful location, delicious food, and good coffee. But, like everywhere else in town, it comes with inflated Walnut Creek prices. Nothing you can do about that! It turns out that Model Bakery has been a popular location in Napa Valley for almost a century. They specialize in artisan, organic breads and pastries.
Model bakery is privately owned with their roots in St. Helena and Karen Mitchell, once a successful caterer has been the current proprietor for nearly 30 years. Apparently they are famous for their robust English Muffins, they even made Oprahs favorite list one year. They are also located in Napa, Yountville and now Walnut Creek. Give them a try and let me know what you think!
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The City of Walnut Creek is bringing back a popular initiative this Fall: the Citizens Institute. I learned a lot about the city when I did it. Participants in the Institute can learn about city operations, tour facilities not often open to the public, and meet City Council Members and key staff.
Applications are being taken through September 20 and the first session will take place on October 8. There is a City Council meet-and-greet TOMORROW (Sept. 11) at my house in Parkmead. My address is 190 Arlene Drive. Please be sure to come by and take advantage of this opportunity. See more below.
Sessions will take place:
Tuesday, October 8
Saturday, October 19
Tuesday, October 22
Tuesday, October 29
Wednesday, November 6
Wednesday, November 20
Anyone who lives or works in Walnut Creek and has an interest in local government is invited to sign up for the Institute. Each class is designed for 25-30 students to encourage discussion, involvement, and interaction.
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Have you checked out the Market by Rooted next to Larkey Park? It used to be a deli but their refrigeration went out and the people who own Rooted bought it. Speaking of, you may remember that Rooted Coffee is owned by a Las Lomas alumnus named Jon Gilmore.
Jon and his wife, Jenny, started Rooted and focus on making a difference in the local and global farming communities. For example, they donate 10% of profits to local and global charities. They source organic and fairly-traded coffee beans, only use plant-based milks, and only use compostable, petroleum-free cups.
Based on their menu, it seems The Market by Rooted is following the same plan. It has been open for about three months and I enjoyed what I ate while visiting recently. They have sandwiches, many vegan items, and other various healthy snacks. They also have two coffee shop locations in both Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill, which have some good options, but mostly coffee. Check out our past coverage on Rooted here.
I want to congratulate them on their success, as I remember when they started by selling coffee at the Walnut Creek Farmers Market, along with their wonderful vegan waffles! They were looking for a building and got rejected for the library location, but persevered with two better locations. For guilt-free and healthy eating, check out The Market by Rooted next time you’re in the Larkey Park area.
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Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a “Meet the Candidate” event at San Dai Restaurant on Main St. with Craig DeVinney, who is running for Walnut Creek City Council. He is supportive of Walnut Creek’s pickleball scene and moving our courts from Rudger Park to Tice Creek. He is an ER doctor with a fresh perspective and is supportive of small businesses in Walnut Creek.
It was interesting to attend and to hear his approach! I believe we need to be aware of what our local politicians stand for, as their policies are ones that affect us in a very local way, so ask your favorite candidate how you can support them. Money is always helpful, but you can also help distribute flyers, put up a yard sign, etc. Get out and vote!
On top of all that, I had the chance to experience San Dai. It’s a chef-driven, ingredient-driven menu with local, seasonal produce. Their inspiration comes from Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia – all well-known for intense, rich, and spiced food. The Chef, Nora Haron, draws from that region’s influence and contrasts it with Northern California styles to make for really unique meals. We had some appetizers and wine and it made me want to experience their dinner.
The website has some great pictures of the food they serve with some really interesting selections of food, like satay, corn ribs, ceviche, and several entrees of all types of meat. There was also a little coffee bar attached to the side (another coffee bar), but it was closed at that time of day (I’ll try it next time they are open and I’m in the area!). Have you tried San Dai? If so, I would love to hear your feedback.
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Each month, 400,000 residents turn to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for emergency and supplemental food. Many of our neighbors are unable to make ends meet and the Food Bank helps them cover one of life’s basic needs – nutritious food. According to the Food Bank’s mission, they strive to “serve all people experiencing hunger or food insecurity in Solano and Contra Costa counties and commit to never turn anyone away.”
Through a partnership with Feeding America, a non-profit network of 200 food banks and the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, the food bank lends support to hunger-fighting organizations in 18 Northern California counties. This graphic sums up the great work they do:
So, at the end of May, I was meeting my client for a staging consult and was thinking of all the things I needed to get the house ready for the market. I came up to a stop sign where there had been cars ahead of me, and apparently I did a rolling stop. I had checked for cars, but there were none at the intersection. A motorcycle police officer was out of sight watching the intersection and I got a moving violation ticket for $275. Going to traffic school would cost $303, so I asked if I could do community service instead. They gave me 10 hours. And that is how I found myself volunteering at the food bank.
I was very impressed with how well-run and organized it is. You have to fill out information to be approved. They do not take felons, for example. The distribution area is in Concord near Highway 4. On average, volunteers do 2-3 hour shifts, which vary depending on what you sign up for. There are tasks like bagging big boxes or 25 pounds of fruit and vegetables into smaller individual bags, boxing of dry goods, and handing out food at senior communities or other places.
Here is some information I found interesting: one in four people in Contra Costa County have food insecurity. The fruit and vegetables are donated by the farmers or grocery stores for being “rejects” (think, too big, blemishes, etc.), however the food bank has to pay for the shipping of the items to their warehouse, at a cost of about 18 cents per pound (primarily paid for with donations). This all came about a few years ago when the federal government gave the stores/farmers a tax break on the donated food.
All the food that is donated from various food drives, like the one I do in my neighborhood during Walnut Creek’s Community Service Day each year, gets sent out to their partner organizations that help feed those in need (churches, other non-profits, etc.). They also contribute packages to those in need when there is a disaster, such as the wildfires that engulfed parts of Northern California in recent years.
The crew that sets up, organizes volunteers, and takes away the boxes of bagged food is extremely helpful. I have seen corporate groups come in for a two-hour volunteer shift with their employees to do group community outreach (I suspect the companies pay the employees for their time during business hours!). I have seen families that make it a monthly volunteer activity to come in. And, of course, there were other traffic offenders there. If you are really reckless with your driving, you might get 150 hours of required community service. What a great way to give a speeding teenager a reality check when they have to spend all summer at the food bank!
I have bagged potatoes, onions, oranges, apples, and carrots at my shifts. The carrots were the most difficult because they are pointy and get stuck in the mesh bags we pack them in. I will most likely continue to volunteer at the food bank once a month from now on. I didn’t mean to get there, but I’m glad it happened because the work is really rewarding.
Most local schools let out this Friday for summer, meaning the best part of the year is almost here! Below, I’ve shared some quirky summer events, plus some more summer-related ideas.
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Most local schools let out this Friday for summer, meaning the best part of the year is almost here! Below, I’ve shared some quirky summer events, plus some more summer-related ideas. I don’t know about you, but I welcome the consistent sunshine-y days we’ll be getting here in the East Bay!
Quirky Summer Events
One of the best local outlets, 7×7, shared this guide to quirky summer festivals in Northern California and it is just so Bay Area I had to share it. From jumping frogs to artichokes, to crawdads, to accordions, you can’t go wrong with looking into some of these hilarious and quirky summer events.
Handel’s Ice Cream
Handel’s Ice Cream – first created in the summer heat of 1945 Youngstown, Ohio – is now in Walnut Creek! Alice Handel, who used fresh fruit from her own garden and personal recipes to start her business nearly 80 years ago, started an ice cream legacy. They still make each batch fresh daily using Alice’s original methods and you can try some right next to the movie theater downtown.
Despite a lot of competition in Walnut Creek (Lottie’s, San Francisco Creamery, and even Shake Shack – not to mention all the yogurt!), Handel’s has a very eclectic flavor list. I ordered Spouse Like a House on a cone and enjoyed it a lot! I would change their rule about the two smaller scoops that come in a size small only being allowed to be one flavor – I wanted to try another!
Other Summer Fun
As I mentioned above, Walnut Creek definitely doesn’t lack in frozen dessert options – perfect as we roll into summer. One of my favorite places is The Yogurt Spot, which I have written about previously. There’s also the Creamery and so many other delightful choices. What is your favorite?
Finally, make sure to check out the Art & Wine Festival at Heather Farms this weekend! This Walnut Creek staple has been going for 41 years and is always a treat. Best of all, it’s FREE! More info here.
