Newsletter Archive
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT Aug 19, 2021
8/19/2021
It's Time To Vote Again. First, you vote "yes" or "no" on Newsom being recalled. Then you vote for one of 46 candidates for governor if Newsom is removed. According to the Secretary of State to be a candidate for governor you had to pay $4,200 or gather 7,000 signatures to be on the ballot (I guess that's why we have 46 candidates). If you choose to write a positioning statement (Official Voters Guide) that's $9,800 extra. If there is a recall of the governor I think the new one will come from the 34 candidates who are in the GUIDE (so that's 12 I don't have to research). As a registered independent I will read the write-ups and choose a candidate regardless of their party.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT Aug 12, 2021
8/12/2021
The Dixie Fire is Huge. News reports say this is the 2nd largest fire ever in California. Since its start, July 14th, it's consumed nearly 1,000,000 acres. I have no idea what 1,000,000 acres looks like. Google says Contra Costa County is 458,000 acres. That makes the Dixie fire twice as large as Contra Costa County. Now, that's a lot of ground.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT Aug 5, 2021
8/5/2021
Happiness is All-Around. There are many things, every day, to get our daubers down. Fortunately, there are more things that will make us happy if we look around. Help a friend, the laughter of a child, a flower in your hand can snap you out of a foul mood. Now, when you are feeling right, eat something tasty, wash it down with a cocktail, and then dance to some live music!
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT July 29, 2021
7/29/2021
Olympic Spirit Always Brings Me Back. From the opening ceremony, I'm hooked. Countries I never heard of with three or four athletes parade around the track with their flags just like everyone else. How many medals the USA wins is not important to me as countries that win their first gold medal. Bermuda and the Philippines come to mind. What about the 17-year-old Alaskan girl that won gold in swimming and lives in a state with only one pool in it? Media hype, blood, and guts are not for me. I prefer the spirit of the Olympics and the stories that show our humanity and make us feel good about the world we live in anytime.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT July 22, 2021
7/22/2021
Restaurants are open, we have music in the park, we can shop without a mask. I'm feeling safe (I still wash my hands a lot). Now I hear things are spiking and hospitals are filling up. People are dying. It's people who have not been vaccinated. Isn't the fear of catching Covid, giving it to a friend, or a family member more important to you than your long-term fears or the inconvenience? Get vaccinated, do it for someone you love, please.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT July 15, 2021
7/15/2021
Lots of the fun things we missed last summer are back. Lots of dates are circled on my calendar. There are some really good bands playing at Todos Santos Plaza starting tonight. Car show and a band tonight in Pittsburg.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT-July 8, 2021
7/8/2021
Oysters, Prawns & Mussels are on the Brunch Menu @ Lone Tree Golf & Event Center, Earth, Wine, & Fire @ Flemings Steakhouse, Walnut Creek, $5 Blackjack in Antioch, Sip Wine like They Do On The Mediterranean Sea, and the Mariachi's Are Back in Antioch!
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT-July 1, 2021
7/1/2021
Let's Play a Game
My friend Don Huntington and I went to the LONE TREE THAI restaurant recently for lunch. He tells me he always orders the same thing there. He's paying $10 cash to the 10th person who correctly guesses his favorite dish (he's already given me the cash so no wait for the winner HA!). Only one entry per person. I'll monitor the emails and if you are the winner I will ask you for a mailing address to send you the sawbuck. You have a 50/50 shot of being correct. Much better than the lottery. Good luck. BTW I ate the other dish and it was yummy.
My friend Don Huntington and I went to the LONE TREE THAI restaurant recently for lunch. He tells me he always orders the same thing there. He's paying $10 cash to the 10th person who correctly guesses his favorite dish (he's already given me the cash so no wait for the winner HA!). Only one entry per person. I'll monitor the emails and if you are the winner I will ask you for a mailing address to send you the sawbuck. You have a 50/50 shot of being correct. Much better than the lottery. Good luck. BTW I ate the other dish and it was yummy.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT - June 24th
6/24/2021
Good Reason To Go Shopping
After 6 or 7 months of ordering home-delivery groceries, I did my own shopping this week. I used to love grocery shopping. I could spend two hours shopping every aisle looking for treats and bargains. After spending all that time shopping it would upset me to stand in line to pay for groceries. The longer I waited the more I wanted to remove items from my cart for making me wait. On my recent visit, I realized what a time-waster shopping is. I not only save "line-time aggravation" but I also save shopping time. I have made the change. The only reason to go grocery shopping now is to meet someone. "Excuse me, you look like a fine cook, have you ever cooked with this?"
After 6 or 7 months of ordering home-delivery groceries, I did my own shopping this week. I used to love grocery shopping. I could spend two hours shopping every aisle looking for treats and bargains. After spending all that time shopping it would upset me to stand in line to pay for groceries. The longer I waited the more I wanted to remove items from my cart for making me wait. On my recent visit, I realized what a time-waster shopping is. I not only save "line-time aggravation" but I also save shopping time. I have made the change. The only reason to go grocery shopping now is to meet someone. "Excuse me, you look like a fine cook, have you ever cooked with this?"
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT - June 10th
6/10/2021
Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit... It's Latin, it means "the changing vine becomes the living vine." It's from a scene in LONESOME DOVE a popular 1989 miniseries. It reminds us of an important truth. Changes are going to come whether we want them or not. Some can be especially difficult. That's when we have to adapt and do the best we can or it will eat us alive. I love this show and I appreciate the life lesson reminder.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT - June 3rd
6/3/2021
Please don't buy fireworks. They are illegal in Contra Costa, they start fires, they bother dogs and neighbors, and dangerous. Too legal fireworks shows you can enjoy.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT - May 27th
5/27/2021
This Week! Memorial Day Fun. Mexican Food, Margaritas, and Motorcycle Racing with Family. Patio Dining with Friends.
ContraCostaLive.com SPOTLIGHT - May 20th
5/20/2021
This Weekend, Cherry Picking, Motorcycle Racing, Patio Music, Ferrari's, Farmers Markets, Art Show, & Artist Market.
As more people get vaccinated, and with the warmer weather, we see more options for venturing out. Please continue to do everything you can to stop the pandemic. Enjoy yourself and stay safe. We can do this.
As more people get vaccinated, and with the warmer weather, we see more options for venturing out. Please continue to do everything you can to stop the pandemic. Enjoy yourself and stay safe. We can do this.
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - May 13th
5/13/2021
Nourish Gala Tonight, $6 Margaritas, Clam Linguini, Young Gal Help Old Folks.
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - May 6, 2021
5/6/2021
10 Mother's Day Breakfast, Brunch & Dinner Choices Mom Will Love! Looking for an ala carte breakfast, a special brunch menu, a dinner menu for dine-in, patio dining, pick up, or delivered meal for mom? These Contra Costa restaurants are making special plans for mom. With covid safety in mind, visit these websites for menus and serving availability. To assure proper service please call ahead for accommodations and a reservation.
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - April 29, 2021
4/29/2021
Najee Harris, Antioch High School Football Player To Be Drafted Tonight!
There is a nice story on Antioch High School running back Najee Harris (written by Luke Johnson) in the Antioch Herald. I'm so grateful to Antioch High School principal Louie Rocha for the heads up he gave me on this athlete a few years ago. I saw most of Najee's games during his junior and senior high school years. It was a lot of fun to go to a packed event and see your alma mater have so much success. I also saw many Alabama games on TV. Najee and I spoke briefly at one of the 19th Hole Casino and Sports Bar Crab Feed fundraisers when Najee stopped serving us crab and graciously posed for a few photos for me. He's a fine young man. I wish him nothing but success!
There is a nice story on Antioch High School running back Najee Harris (written by Luke Johnson) in the Antioch Herald. I'm so grateful to Antioch High School principal Louie Rocha for the heads up he gave me on this athlete a few years ago. I saw most of Najee's games during his junior and senior high school years. It was a lot of fun to go to a packed event and see your alma mater have so much success. I also saw many Alabama games on TV. Najee and I spoke briefly at one of the 19th Hole Casino and Sports Bar Crab Feed fundraisers when Najee stopped serving us crab and graciously posed for a few photos for me. He's a fine young man. I wish him nothing but success!
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - April 22, 2021
4/22/2021
The Weather Is Perfect For A Dine Out. It's been a good week, people are being vaccinated and restaurants are opening for inside dining. The weather is warming. For those of us who have learned to love patio dining, the weather is perfect and we can have live music! It's mostly afternoon and early evening time slots (perfect for this early to bed early to rise, guy). It's been a while since I did my last honky-tonk. Please, continue to get vaccinated, wear your masks and practice social distancing. We are on the right path.
Eastcountylive.com SPOTLIGHT - April 15, 2021
4/15/2021
It's been a good week, we're still in the orange tier, I received my first shot, and live music is returning. It's acoustic, and on patios, but it's still live music and I like it! Most of the music is at dinner time and in the afternoons so you can be home early. Please, continue to get vaccinated, wear your masks and practice social distancing. We are on the right path.
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - April 8, 2021
4/8/2021
Social Distancing Is Way Better Than Closed. Orange tier today, yellow tier coming soon. As you can see in today's SPOTLIGHT we have more entertainment options available to us. Continue to get vaccinated, wear your masks and practice social distancing. We are on the right path.
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - April 1, 2021
4/1/2021
Easter Dining Guide and Vaccine Finder and Fresh Asparagus are in!
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - March 25, 2021
3/25/2021
Let live entertainment thrive all over Contra Costa this year. Another early bloomer this year is the Greenery in Walnut Creek. It's been quite a while since I've been here. Last time I visited they were wrapping up the remodel of this hidden gem down a quiet road off a busy road. Looking forward to visiting this place again soon now that Spring has sprung. Cheers!
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - March 18, 2021
3/18/2021
Daylight savings time is here. Spring begins Saturday. Enjoyed a night out with friends this week at a local restaurant. Saw a baseball game. Restaurants have inside dining and entertainment. It's not normal but it's close it's the beginning of the new normal.
Eastcountylive.com SPOTLIGHT - Mar 11, 2021
3/11/2021
St. Patrick's Day Fun, Growlers Sold & Refilled, Porchetta, and a Beautiful Setting
EastCountyLive.com SPOTLIGHT - Mar 4, 2021
3/4/2021
Two Crab Feeds, Smoked Dinosaur Ribs, Ripe Organic Brentwood Passion Fruit, Live Music This Weekend, St Patty's Day Dinners To-Go