Thursday, May 10, 2012
The potential blockbuster film wrapped production on Tuesday, celebrating at the low-key Pleasanton bar.
Nothing says “Hollywood wrap party” like a trip to the Y’All Come Back Saloon in P-town. The “Star Trek” crew shot their final scenes for the still untitled "Star Trek" movie — scheduled to be released this time next year — at the Lawrence Livermore Lab on Tuesday. The traditional celebration was held at the Hopyard bar, where cast and crew including Simon Pegg, Benedict Cumberbatch, Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine hoisted a few in honor of the end of production. Pegg (Scotty), Quinto (Spock) and Pine (Capt. Kirk) all starred in the 2009 “Star Trek” film, which featured the same characters as the original Star Trek franchise. Cumberbatch, best know for his role as Sherlock Holmes in the series now airing on PBS, came on board as the villain …
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Life's too good here to have it ruined by thugs.
I feel like I’m living in two different Livermore worlds. On one hand, we have this lovely town filled with friendly people. As the days get warmer, nothing’s sweeter than hanging out downtown, taking advantage of sidewalk eateries from El Charro on one end to Zephyr on the other. Or having a beer with friends on the patios over at the Rockhouse Sports Bar on Portola. When I ride my horse with my pals at Sycamore Grove, Brushy Peak or Del Valle, I’m amazed at how you can go such a short distance from town and find a peaceful place to restore your spirit. Not long ago, a friend of mine came for a visit from St. Louis and was smitten by the beauty of Sycamore Grove, and even more impressed with the cuisine at Wente Restaurant, the midway …
Monday, April 9, 2012
Need to tweak the Isabel/580 Interchange
At the risk of sounding like a geezer with nothing but complaints about changes in Livermore, let me start out by saying, "Gosh, the new 580 bridges and ramps look mighty pretty." But overall, right now, they aren’t quite as practical as one might have hoped. And by “one” I mean me. First the pats, then the knocks. The Portola overpass was completed ahead of schedule. How often does that happen? Better yet, the overpass at Portola offers a spiffy bike lane for people who want to pedal over to Las Positas or Costco (if you have a trailer attached), which are about the only businesses in that area that generate a lot of traffic. In our family, we refer to the Portola ramp as the “bridge to nowhere.” Now, I’m sure there’s going to be a "…
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Hundreds turn out to bring back Livermore fireworks display.
The big orange hazard notice flapping in the icy wind last Thursday night at the Robert Livermore Community Center proclaimed the parking lot was full and people should try the Loyola entrance. It was a good sign. More than 300 people flooded the Cresta Blanca meeting space supporting the event raising money to bring back fireworks to the city after the skies went black last Fourth of July due to funding cuts. Organizers of the fundraiser are quick to recognize the City of Livermore and the Livermore Area Recreation and Park District for their generosity in trying to keep the fireworks. An email sent after the event noted that “the City of Livermore (was) able to come back and provide 90 percent of the resources for the Livermore fireworks…
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Man receives warning from police after trying to sell DVDs at downtown intersection.
When friends ask me about downtown Livermore I usually fall back on this go-to description: charming. And when my friends visit I often hear the ladies say, "Oh, it's cute here!" Downtown Livermore: charming and cute. Sounds like a keeper. While the word "cute" isn't something I regularly throw out, I'm sure it's not my first choice to describe a man selling used DVDs at a downtown intersection. Not cute, bro. Nor charming. But don't tell Derek Ott that. The 35-year-old Livermore resident received a warning from police for doing just that — trying to sell used DVDs Thursday afternoon at the intersection of First and South K streets, just outside Panama Red Coffee. At around 2:40 p.m. the Navy vet who said he was on permanent disability …
Friday, February 17, 2012
New Purple Orchid Inn owners enlist the help of hotel fixer to boost profile.
Lights. Camera. And hoping for some action. Livermore’s Purple Orchid Inn will be featured on The Travel Channel’s new series, “Hotel Impossible,” which debuts in April. The New York film crew and host and noted “hotel fixer” Anthony Melchiorri worked with new owners Derek and Rhiannon Eddy last week for a show airing this spring. As most Livermore folks know, this is a beautiful property that has yet to live up to its potential. The elegant 9,000 square ft. log cabin lodge boasts lovely grounds and a spectacular view of the rolling hills and surrounding vineyards, and olive orchard. If you haven’t been there, it’s worth a look. There’s a spa with spa treatment rooms and a bed and breakfast that puts the q in quaint. Not long after …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Fitness columnist Dan Taylor is back with more tips and encouragement for a healthful lifestyle
I’m back! Like a fighter who can’t stay away from the sport he loves, I am resuming my weekly wellness column for the Patch. Fortunately, the editor thought it was a good idea, and since I’ve met and had great feedback about the column from several readers since I went on hiatus, I’m hoping you feel the same, and that like the proverbial slugger, I’ll know when it’s time to hang it up for good! A colleague who knows me well and is always a great source of inspiration suggested a good topic for this first one back: Re-starting an exercise program. How should you do it? What should you do? Which elements should you change from the last time you tried to make this a habit that sticks? Here are a few points that should help improve your …
Monday, January 23, 2012
Arrest of teacher Marie Johnson on sex charges the third set back just halfway through the school year.
The Granada High school year has barely reached the halfway point and it is already reeling from three emotional tsunamis. The first happened when beloved teacher Dexter Fye died in August just before the start of the new school year. Students and teachers mourned his passing with memorials, Facebook remembrances and an outpouring of grief. The second came when Granada Leadership and Social Studies teacher Sommer Newkirk was diagnosed with leukemia. The Granada community chipped it by donating all proceeds to the First Annual Livermore-Granada Chili Cook-off in early November to help her family with expenses. Then came the devastating news that a popular math teacher, Marie Johnson had been arrested Jan. 11 just three days before she …
Monday, January 2, 2012
With Redevelopment Agencies Dissolved, Funds No Longer Available
Supporters of the new 2,000-seat regional theater in Livermore got some bad news as the year drew to a close last week. There won’t be any redevelopment agency funds available to pay for it. On Thursday the state Supreme Court upheld the legislature’s vote to dissolve the agencies, and struck down a bill that provided a loophole for the agency to continue funding projects. The redevelopment agencies use a portion of property tax money to partner with developers to revitalize blighted arenas. Apparently, downtown Livermore was designated as blighted. That kind of government money going into redevelopment makes sense when it comes to poor, especially urban, areas where developers would be reluctant to risk money. One large-scale success …
Monday, December 26, 2011
Recycle, pick ups, drop offs, or even reuse. Here are some ways to dispose of your tree after the holiday season.
When Santa Clause comes to town and checks his list twice, he knows if you've been naughty or nice, but does he know if you properly dispose of your Christmas tree? Ah, a question that may have passed your mind after all that eggnog guzzling, gift wrapping and undecorating -- a task which most homes are faced with after Dec. 26th rolls around. Still in the spirit of giving? Every year, Dublin Boy Scout Troop 905 holds a holiday tree pickup/recycling fundraiser in your neighborhood with a $5 donation. James Harper, an Eagle Scout and resident of Dublin praises the troops' dedication. "I'm familiar with the community service efforts of the Boy Scouts and I know how important these programs are to the development of the kids involved. Boy …
Roger
8:23 am on Saturday, May 12, 2012
LOL! Maybe we need to bring some lower-budget movie shoots to Livermore; where the production simply doesn't have the funds to cater to the cast and crew... OH, I got it! How about a 'Slasher' movie shoot done at the Orchid? That'd be good start, don't you think? more ›