Walking Up the Creek

I remember Walnut Creek when it was, well, on the dumpy side. My mother, who grew up in the area, remembers when it was even dumpier. But times change, and the city is now an exemplary model of what a city can do when it is determined to upgrade its image. (In fact, it’s a wonder they let a slob like me on their streets anymore.) So if you've got a day with the girls, the significant other or the whole family, it’s a good place to go. Here are just a few—but by no means the only—recommendations:

⇒Your morning coffee and pastry is easy to find. As in any town, drive two minutes in one direction and you’ll pass a Starbucks. But if that’s not your cuppa, there’s a Peet’s Coffee & Tea on Locust St., and the charming Café La Scala at the corner of Civic and Main streets.

⇒Want to lose yourself in a bookstore? You can’t miss the Barnes & Noble at the corners of South Main and Olympic, but if you long for a cozier location, try Bonanza Street Books (1605 Bonanza St.; bonanzastreetbooks.com) which offers new, used, rare and out-of-print selections.

⇒At Bollinger Nail Salon (1661 Mt. Diablo Blvd.; bollingernailsalon.com) you and your girlfriends can get a luxurious mani/pedi spa package while relaxing in one of their high-tech massage chairs. They even offer a “Man”-i-cure” specially designed for the man who may get bored otherwise waiting for you.

⇒Lunch at Lark Creek (1360 Locust St.; larkcreek.com) Indulge in their famous tamale pancakes (with shredded barbecue chicken, avocado and tortilla strips) or a salad with fresh, locally grown ingredients, and sit on the patio if you can.

⇒Retail shopping: Where even to begin? There’s an Apple Store, Crate & Barrel, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware and Tiffany’s—all seconds from each other. Smaller favorites, such as Viking Home Chef, Kitchen Table, Inga’s and Title 9 are not too far apart, and worth a look if you want something a little specialized and a little different.

⇒There is no scarcity on where to dine; there are just choices to be made. But a couple places include Va de Vi Bistro & Wine Bar (1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd.; vadevi.com) and the Walnut Creek Yacht Club, both on Diablo Magazine's Best of the East Bay 2007 (Va de Vi also made the San Francisco Chronicle's Top 100 Restaurants 2007.)

⇒On the artistic side, you can take in a movie at Century 14 Downtown or, if you planned ahead, with a show at the Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts (1601 Civic Drive; dlrca.org). Get there early, and you can check out the exhibit at the Bedford Gallery (bedfordgallery.org) on the center’s first floor.

For more information, visit ci.walnut-creek.ca.us.

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Walking Up the Creek