9 New Restaurants, Oktoberfest Feast, Paella, and a 35oz Tomahawk

The ying and yang of it all.

I woke up this morning wanting to do something different and I did. I hope you enjoy it.

Watermelon happiness, a Moraga drummer, after school camp, and a night of cruising.

40 TOP RESTAURANTS in Contra Costa. Farmers Market info. Finn Scooters a new way to play golf @ Lone Tree. How about Celia's Enchiladas Tonight For Dinner?

40 Top Contra Costa Restaurants game.

Something Tasty!

Now, Instead Of Watching Lousy Movies, I Can Watch Lousy Baseball, I Like It!

Friend Jeff Shaikh Takes His Family To Yosemite And Brings Me Back A Photo. Jeff is also a neighbor, trusted internet guru, and now string photographer, thanks for allowing me to share it. As a regular visitor at the park, he reports low water and low visitor count this year. I guess that's why we don't see any people in this photo from Sentinel Bridge.

Enjoy Picking Fruit or a Fruit Stand in Brentwood.

I've experienced every type of 4th OF JULY CELEBRATION there is except this one. No parade, no fireworks, and no BBQ to attend this year. I'll miss the parade and hope for one on Veterans Day. I can still enjoy the official "day-off," drink a few beers and eat BBQ but it's different this year. It's just going to be the quietest 4th of July in my lifetime. This year is, as-they-say, unprecedented and I hope it stays that way.

Restaurant service is always a challenge and it's especially difficult now. Restaurants didn't plan to serve their food in a box or on a patio with a mask.

Dining and live music on the streets of Danville at Bridges Restaurant and Vine & Spirits, Friday & Saturday 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM.

A few guidelines to assure you a fine "Al Fresco" dining experience. (1) Make a RESERVATION to get the time you want with limited waiting; (2) a SMALL GROUP four or less no regrouping of tables allowed; (3) order food to get COCKTAILS; (4) A MASK IS REQUIRED to enter and leave the patio area. (5 ) All tables to be sanitized after each use.

As restaurants, open patios today be thankful and understanding with others. Remember it's a whole new world out there, for you, and everyone else. New rules take time to learn and master. Have fun, be safe, and be nice!

Fish & Chips, Fajitas, Mediterranean Salad, Fruit Platters, Spinach Risotto, and Alamo Restaurant Likes!

A Memorial Day Weekend Like No Other. As a navy-brat (son of a career Navy man) I grew up around service people. I respect and honor these people every day anyway. This year there will be no speeches, no bands playing, and no family BBQ to attend. A small sacrifice to pay. Most of us have family members who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. This year without the distraction of celebration the honor will be more solemn and I won't forget to thank them all in my prayers for their service! God bless our service people and enjoy your Memorial Day solemnly.

Bob Dylans' 1964 song reminds us that life can change quickly. You have to be ready to swim to survive or sink to the bottom. That's true. They call this pandemic "unprecedented." There is no doubt Covid-19 has been extremely difficult for many. Historically this won't make the list of top 100 world tragedies (thank God!). I'm thankful today for everyone who is doing their part to help us get through this as quickly as possible. Hopefully, very soon we'll have some free concerts in the park and I can get a haircut! Now that is something to look forward to.

Mark Cuban said “This reset gives every business a chance to do something differently, try something new. Innovation will speed the recovery, being proactive and entrepreneurial will allow people to regain confidence lost after the pandemic, faster." Every week I see changes in restaurants and pass them on to you.

Mom, I think of you often even though you've been gone 20 years. I admire how you lived your life. I value the life-lessons you taught me. I'm thankful for the love I felt my whole life. Not everyone is so blessed. To those, I say I hope you find love in your life. It may be life's most precious gift. This is my mother's day gift to myself and some gift suggestions for mom.

It's May, the county fair, scheduled for this month, has been canceled. I can't remember the last year I didn't go. This is the time of year that I'm usually looking for Beer Fests and Free Music Concerts to go to! This is going to be a very different summer. A summer of change for all of us. I'm happy to say HARVEST PARK BOWL, Brentwood, and SMITHS LANDING, Antioch are both opening for takeout food service. I'm going to take my "tilt-a-whirl" ticket money this year and buy me some tasty takeout.

Every day more and more restaurants are going online with their menus. Included is a curbside pickup of cocktails, draft beer, and wines with your food order. If you can pick up great, it will save you and the restaurant money but food delivery beats cooking and cleanup any night. Order something tasty and stay safe this weekend.

Restaurants are opening again with special take-out menus. Many offer a delivery option. I hope this never goes away... curbside pickup and delivery of cocktails, draft beer and select wines with food orders. The best part? I don't have to, get dressed, comb my hair or make a second stop. Order something tasty and stay safe this weekend.

Are you experiencing cabin fever? Bored with your own cooking? A craving that needs to be scratched? Order something tasty out for pickup or delivery! I've noticed that without cocktails eating out is surprisingly affordable! Restaurants are making daily menu changes. Restaurants, that didn't offer online ordering before are doing so now. One thing I do know is... good food equals good mood.

Highlights for the week include fond memories of Easter Dinner. Celia's Mexican Food, Antioch now offering online food ordering. Mannheim Social Club, Brentwood now filling Growlers and Crowlers with craft, draft beer plus they also offer 200 more beer brands in the bottle shop available for safe pickup. Cap's Restaurant in Brentwood is now offering its popular Sunday Prime Rib Dinner for Two, Wednesday thru Sunday 4-7 PM! Lone Tree Golf & Event Center, Antioch offers a complete menu, family BBQ bundles, Mexican Food Bundles and Sat & Sun Breakfast with Champagne available for pickup. Also, a complete Easter Sunday Prime Rib or Ham dinner, is available, see details below!

Mannheim Social Club is now canning draft craft beer into Crowler containers for pickup. Cap's Restaurant is now on Doordash as is Celia's Mexican Restaurant. How about breakfast and champagne to-go this Saturday or Sunday morning? How about Ribs & Wine for pickup? Make it happen and call Champions Bar and Grill at Lone Tree Golf and Event Center (925) 706-4220x4 and order it for curbside delivery. This wasn't available two weeks ago but today it is and I like these changes.