Spring Bouquets

Your Boulevardier noticed this lovely array of faux freesias with colorful ribbons outside Dried & Tied in Castro Village the other day. The arrangements did a lovely job of heralding the arrival of springtime.



Our springlike weather in Castro Valley is turning wintery again, for a short time. Tonight's rain is not unwelcome, as one has grown tired of watering here at Chez Boulevardier.

Apologies, as ever, for the dearth of posts. Family duties have called. A few walks have been made, and a few stories collected; finding time to share them becomes the challenge. Thank you for your patience.

The Other Castro Village

Your Boulevardier took BART to San Francisco last night to meet friends and take in Fritz Lang's Human Desire as part of the Noir City festival at the Castro Theatre. He noticed this sign at the corner of Castro and 19th Streets.



To which Your Boulevardier exclaims: Share The Love.

Lengths and Breaths

Your Boulevardier is once again hosting the Subcompact Loaner this weekend, and the sun is shining, so this morning was a good one to get out for a long walk on Castro Valley Boulevard. The first stop on our journey was Valley Java, where Your Boulevardier feels safe tying up the SL for a brief moment. (His unease with doing so at busier, more exposed places is explained here.) Our arrival occurred before the church rush, so the shop was quiet, with only a few customers at the tables and soft jazz audible over the hubbub.

Your Boulevardier was tempted to take a peek at the hospital construction site, but opted instead to head east on the Boulevard. It was noted that the ARCO station at Wisteria Street is closed due to an Alcoholic Beverage Control violation. Interesting to note that they're not selling gas during this shutdown; could it be that the Patrón and Pabst brings in more money than the Petrol?



From there the Post Office was visited. Although the sign announced that dogs were not welcome, Your Boulevardier broke the rules and walked the Subcompact Loaner into the building to check his box. Then the Village was passed through; bowlers were already arriving for their morning observances.

Near Peet's, Your Boulevardier had a chance encounter with Paul, the husband of Soeur de Boulevardier. (If there is a colloquial French phrase for "brother-in-law," Your Boulevardier does not know it.) Paul asked if Your Boulevardier was "walking a mop" -- recall that the Subcompact Loaner is a small, white, hairy dog -- and other family news was shared. From there, Your Boulevardier ambulated through the shopping center behind the Wachovia branch that will become Castro Valley's Wells Fargo Bank this coming April. He confirmed that many of the storefronts in the center are vacant, though there is a dentist, a real estate agent, a title company, a hair salon, and a tutoring company in business.

The Boulevard was crossed at Yeandle Avenue -- Rudy's was passed without ducking in, since Your Boulevardier is trying to limit his intake of sweets -- and the under-construction path from Castro Valley Boulevard to the Castro Valley Library was explored. (The work seems to have been stalled by the recent rains.) A book was returned using the Library's nifty self-service electronic scanner, after which the creek was inspected from the footbridge. The streamflow is far calmer than it was just a few days ago, due to the recent dry spell. (Your Boulevardier finds our town's creeks thrilling when they're raging, but much more pleasant when they're just flowing peacefully.)




The rest of the walk to Chez Boulevardier was without incident or observation worthy of reporting. It was a fine morning for a walk, though; the air is clean and smells fresh, the sidewalks and crosswalks are passable (no major flooding or mud traps were encountered) and the sun shone brightly. A fine close to the month of January.

Why we love the Village Barber Shop

Your Boulevardier had a tough day today. He hit his desk early in the morning, without bathing or shaving. (Such are the privileges of working at home.) Lunch was eaten at the desk. Such days can be fun and exciting, but they can also be exhausting.

Around 3:00 p.m. a window of time opened up. If exercise was to be gotten, this was the opportunity. So a jacket and walking shoes were pulled on, and course was set for The Boulevard. The bank and post office were visited, after which Your Boulevardier cut through Castro Village on his way to Redwood Road.

He found his barber, Terence "Limbo" Lim, sitting on a bench outside the Village Barber Shop. Cordial conversation ensued, and soon Limbo invited Your Boulevardier in for a free trim.

Now remember: the desk had been hit this morning before bathing. To say Your Boulevard was a bit unkept is an understatement. "C'mon in, buddy. I'm not doing anything anyway," Limbo insisted. The offer was accepted. Jokes were made by other barbers that Limbo would be fired for giving away free trims.

It was a perfect treat for an otherwise-tiring day. A major tip of the Beret goes to the Village Barbershop and to Limbo. Thank you!

More Window Vandalism

Your Boulevardier notes that a large window at Eden Bicycles in Castro Village was boarded up yesterday afternoon. Asking in the shop about the circumstances, he learned that nothing was taken from the store; the vandals simply broke the window and ran. So the spree continues, but has now moved off the Boulevard.

Last-Minute Invitation

Members of the Castro Valley Community Band - including Your Boulevardier on baritone sax - will be playing carols under the clock tower at Castro Village tonight from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. All are welcome, but bundle up!

Red Friday

Your Boulevardier was up early on Friday morning for a yoga class, and later in the day walked the City of Lite. Things were generally quiet on both occasions, perhaps to the displeasure of retailers. There was no waiting to see Santa in Castro Village at around 1:00 p.m., but the line for coffee at Peet's practically stretched out the door.

Although the Man in Red was under-occupied, the Trees in Red -- these spotted in the parking lot behind Round Table Pizza on Redwood Road -- were busy working their magic.



An hour or two later in the day, a pocket storm blew through bringing high winds, torrential rain, and thunder, all followed by a double rainbow. Quite the weather episode.

Happy Holidays

Your Boulevardier notes with pleasure that Castro Village is making good use of an empty storefront to create a sitting room for Santa. What's more, it has marked the space with a very attractive sign.


In the not-so-distant past, of course, the big guy sat in a chair in the window of the Village Toy Shop. When that store closed and Eden Bicycles took over its place, the bike shop kindly (and, Your Boulevardier thinks, wisely) ceded some of its sales floor to the man from the North Pole.

This new situation makes sense. It puts another storefront to use while not taking away valuable space from merchants. Still, his presence in his own quarters will draw the young ones and their parents to the Village.

Happy holidays, all. Let the season commence!

Village Happenings

This coming weekend (November 21-22), FOB (Friend of Boulevardier) Fleurette Sevin will be one of several artists demonstrating their skills, selling their wares, and supporting music education in Castro Valley schools at Aran's Art Studio.

Fleurette fuses glass into colorful creations, such as holiday-themed the bottle stopper shown below. She also takes custom orders. Other artists will be demonstrating ceramics. There will be a raffle, kids' projects, and live music. (Your Boulevardier hopes to join in the music-making on Saturday.)

The event is from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. both days. Please do plan to attend, and to make a purchase.

Pince and Needles

Sauntering around Castro Village yesterday afternoon, Your Boulevardier noticed this odd piece of burlwood in the window of Adela's Yarns.



It brings to mind the pincers of an insect, the horns of a bull, or something equally dramatic. Does anyone know the story of this lump of lumber?

Eyes on the Prize

On his morning walk yesterday, Your Boulevardier noticed this pair of odd little trees on the north side of Castro Village Bowl.



With a little bit of imagination, one can picture the building as a gigantic creature and the two poofs of yellow and green foliage as eyes.

Expressing Oneself

Mon Petit Chou came to collect the Subcompact Loaner yesterday, and found herself a bit peckish mid-afternoon. Your Boulevardier proposed a visit to Chef's Express, the recently opened Chinese food restaurant in the Village. She accepted.

The place is clean and attractive. The process for getting food is not unlike that of a well-known Chinese food chain with a black-and-white bearlike creature as its mascot. You choose the number of entrees you wish, and all other selections flow from there. Samples are offered to help diners decide.

However, this is not a chain; it is a branch of Chef's Experience China Bistro, a large, more traditional Chinese restaurant in downtown Hayward.

We each had two-entree items, which included chow mein and rice. (A tip for the health-conscious: steamed brown rice is available in lieu of fried or steamed white rice.) The entrees were reliably tasty but not exceptional; we both would have liked to see more vegatables, and more freshness in the vegetables we had. (Indeed, and surprisingly, there's only one vegetarian entree option available.) Most entrees were conventional American Chinese: kung pao chicken, broccoli beef, and so on.

The portions were plentiful. In fact, in spite of our famished selves, we left the restaurant with considerable leftovers. Still, getting two two-entree dishes, and making different choices between the two of us, gave us some variety.

The place was busy with patrons, even at 3:00 p.m. One suspects it does a good lunch business, and mostly sells take-out (seeing as how the number of tables inside is quite limited).

Four Castro Valley Murals

Your Boulevardier spent some time over the weekend walking in San Francisco's Mission District and was swept away by the many stunning murals in the neighborhood. Then he realized: though they're not as eclectic, Castro Valley has a few murals of its own. Four are documented here; can you name others? Please click on the photos for larger images.


This mural is on the side of the former Valley Truck, 2625 Castro Valley Boulevard. The place is now a Budget Rent-A-Truck location (Your Boulevardier misses Valley Truck's giant tire sign), and the rental agency has chosen to mar the mural with its drop box and signage. Still, it's a fun mural and very appropriate for the business that formerly resided here.


This natural - perhaps hyper-natural - scene is on the garage door at Castro Valley Companion Animal Hospital, 2509 Lessley Avenue. (It's the same place that has the whimsical three-dimensional sign.)


Another veterinarian's office - this time Boulevard Pet Hospital, 3489 Castro Valley Blvd. - has a fetching collection of animals painted all over its building. The menagerie seems to expand each time Your Boulevardier walks by. (This is where both Chat du Boulevardier and the Trusty BoulevarDog received their care; at times, Your Boulevardier hopes to see their images immortalized too.)


A scene that could easily be at Lake Chabot is actually painted on the wall of Blenzers, 20668 Rustic Drive in Castro Village. Your Boulevardier is surprised that more people don't sit under the eaves at these tables on warm days, but the awnings at Starbucks seem to be more popular.

Dining News

Your Boulevardier noticed several restaurant happenings on his walk this evening.

1. JD's is closed for the week. Workers are now digging away inside the restaurant, apparently replacing the entire floor. At this rate, one begins to wonder why they didn't demolish the restaurant and start over.

2) The former Pancho's Restaurant at 2788 Castro Valley Boulevard is, after an extended closure, now open as a Korean BBQ and Tofu restaurant. Your Boulevardier had been under the impression, from earlier alcohol license application in the window, that it would reopen as a Mexican restaurant, but it's not the case.

3) In sadder news, work appears to have stopped on the former Carry Outee. The banner heralding Toula's Gyros is now down. Your Boulevardier has not checked whether or not Toula is back to work at Chipotle.

4) The work on Chef's Express in Castro Village is nearing completion. The plywood siding has been removed, and the exterior is very attractive (if a bit out of character for Castro Village). A photo is below. Based on the signage that was on the restaurant when it was boarded up, this place is related to Chef's Experience in Hayward.

On The Surface

It's said that every aphorism has a mirror image -- that is, another adage that is equally accepted as truth, but that has the exact opposite meaning. "Look before you leap" has "He who hesitates is lost." "Out of sight, out of mind" has "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." "Beauty is only skin deep" can be matched with "Put your best foot forward."

Regarding this last pithy pairing, several Castro Valley structures are clearly taking the second saying to heart. Your Boulevardier can name four:

1) The Castro Valley Post Office is getting a new floor in its retail area. And given the condition of the carpet, and the fact that children are often left to crawl about on it, this is a good thing.

2) A section of Castro Village is getting a new roof. Specifically, the portion of the center on Santa Maria, just opposite Swiss Delices; the construction vehicles were blocking a lane of traffic today. (This poor little bakery has had a string of construction operations impairing patron access, starting with an underground project immediately in front of the shop during its grand opening week. The proprietress should earn an award for perseverance.)

3) The building housing Worthington Photography and the Ice Creamery has attractive new paint and a sheathing of slate tiles on its facade.

4) The older portion of JD's has been stripped to the studs. A conversation with the contractor revealed that the building will get a coat of stucco to match the in-progress addition on the back of the restaurant. This business, and its customers, should also have their fortitude recognized.

Assert Your Independents!

Yes, Your Boulevardier can spell "independence." The headline is a play on words to alert readers that this Friday, May 1, is "Buy Indie Day" -- a day when we are encouraged to patronize our local independent bookseller.

This is an easier task in, say, New York City than it is here in the City of Lite. Still, we have Jordan's in the Village, which also carries scrapbooking supplies and has delightful window displays; and Avalon, which offers new age books.

If you're willing to cross the freeway, Your Boulevardier is partial to The Book Shop in Hayward. And he has information that changes are afoot at the shop.

Related: this Saturday is Free Comic Book Day, and Castro Valley's own Crush Comics is participating. From 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., local artist Justin Greenwood will be there.

Castro Village Remodel Goes Before MAC

Next Monday, April 27, the Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) will hear about the plans to remodel the Castro Village. Plans for the remodel can be viewed at the Village Barbershop.

This will not be the first time the center has undergone renovation, of course. A representative of Crosspoint, the company that manages the property, told the Castro Valley Forum last January that "There will be no major changes to the town-and-country theme of the village. It will still look and feel the same. Our goal is to build upon what we have to create this as the shopping destination in town."

Your Boulevardier is grateful to his friend Stephanie for loan of the vintage Castro Valley postcard. Readers can click on the photo for a better view.

AMENDMENT: Your Boulevardier belatedly realized that this was a fairly lame post. It contained no insight, observations, or opinions on the situation, just a report. Apologies.

When Crosspoint said it didn't plan to change the village's theme, Your Boulevardier was mighty relieved. The worst thing that could happen, he believes, would be to try to make the Village -- and the town of Castro Valley -- over into something it's not. While local incomes are generally high and public education is generally good, Castro Valley is, it must be said, not upscale. And Your Boulevardier believes that's for the better. Sure, it might be lovely to have an Apple Store or a Sephora in the Village, or a Whole Foods built back where the carwash lies -- the long-term plan for Castro Village calls for some sort of large retailer back there, absorbing some of the vacant properties in the area -- but it's also a delight to have such a collection of small, independent, locally owned, sometimes-funky operations in one place. Homogeneity stifles creativity, Your Boulevardier believes, and creativity is what's needed in an economy like we have today.

So, bring on the remodeled Castro Village! Though it's managed by Crosspoint (a San Francisco firm), the center is still owned by the Nahas family who built it 60 years ago. That's something worth celebrating and supporting.

And, to answer Wudas' question, the postcard has no copyright or other date. The newest cars in the photos are from the mid-1960s.

Of Mice and Gyros (and Miscellany)

The former Daughtrey's Department Store (which is also a former billiards hall, and is annually the Spirit Party Supply) is now a store specializing in Disney merchandise. Your Boulevardier walked past (alas, not into) the store this evening and noticed that the parking lot on the side was full. Was there not a similar store at Southland not so long ago? One wonders if, like the aforementioned Spirit store, the Disney store is a transient use of the building. Its signs are just banners hung from the exterior walls, lending to the air of temporariness. The building has been in limbo for some time, though in 2007 there was some talk of refurbishment.

It's also noted that the former Carry Outee is now fenced off and has a banner announcing that Toula's Gyros is coming to the site. Your Boulevardier misses the falafel that were served at Haim's Cafe (and also that served at Kampus Korner at CSUEB), and hopes this new place will offer this Middle Eastern dish.

Two doors down, the Daughtrey's children's store has reappeared; it closed in Castro Village but has reappeared in one of the tiny business cottages on the north side of the Boulevard between Worley's and El Rancho STEAK House.

Also of note in the dining world: the former Tam's Kitchen has been re-branded as King Kong. One imagines that the portion sizes are colossal.

Your Boulevardier does not know what to make of all of these comings and goings. The amount of churn definitely seems to be on the upswing. It's a strange and difficult time to start a business, though some say this is the best time to do so because of the leverage available with suppliers, landlords, and employees.

Hit the Bench

On Sunday morning Your Boulevardier noticed that the bench and trash receptacle by the Castro Village sign seemed to have taken quite a beating recently.



Anybody know what happened?

Baker's Square Out, Shari's In

Your Boulevardier notes a news item in the Daily Review saying that the Baker's Square restaurant in Castro Village will become a Shari's. Having not heard of the latter, he did some homework. It's a chain of 100 or so restaurants, headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon but owned by a private investment company out of New York. It will be open 24 hours a day and seems to have a menu not unlike that of Baker's Square -- eggy breakfasts, skillet dinners, salads, pies. Reviews on Yelp range from 2.5 to 4.5 stars. Service seems to be an ongoing challenge. It will be interesting to see how the new establishment does in our town.

More Chinese Food Coming to CV

A stroll through Castro Village today revealed that Chef's Express will open in the former Peking Garden site. From the logo, Your Boulevardier surmises that this will be a branch of the Chef's Experience China Bistro (Yelp link) on Foothill Boulevard in Hayward.

It's a near-certainty that the Wilson Ave Guy will want to chime in on this breaking news due to his careful tracking of the Asian Cuisine scene in Castro Valley.

Night Passages

In the summer, beginning a stroll downtown at 6:30 p.m. is nothing special. But as the calendar nears the Winter Solstice, and when a cold front approaches from the north, it can take on the feel of an expedition.

Such was the case when Your Boulevardier decided to walk into town this evening. He bundled up -- a long-sleeved thermal shirt, a light-but-warm windproof jacket, gloves, and a beret -- and sallied forth.

The cold seemed to slow things down. Cars were scarce and generally polite at intersections. Christmas lights twinkled gently. Most of the few persons who were out on foot were bundled up with hats and coats -- and many were walking their dogs. (Your Boulevardier will be walking his into town again soon; she's well on the mend.) Even the fiberglass horse that stands guard outside of Rowell's Saddlery was wearing a coat -- in his case, a festive quilted satin number. (Your Boulevardier calls the cheval immobile "Don," after Don Castro. He does not believe that anyone else does.)

The parking lot in Castro Village was full, yet the few businesses that were open seemed, for the most part, to be empty. (It seems generally that the retailers in Castro Village don't stay open in the evenings, but the restaurants do.) It was noted that two establishments were busy: Don Jose's was bustling with full tables, and almost all lanes in Castro Village Bowl were in use. Green-and-red holiday messages were displayed on the screens over the alleys.

After a brief stop at the grocery for unsalted butter, Your Boulevardier returned home to bake some Madeleines using this recipe. The cookies taste good but are unsightly. More experimentation is needed.

Postscript to Wudas: a photo of the recuperating BoulevarDog -- also known now as the Spleenless Wonder -- has been snapped and will be posted soon. She is not exposing the five-inch scar on her underbelly in the photo, but perhaps that's for the best.

Before and After

Today -- the so-called Black Friday (or Buy Nothing Day, in some circles) -- was a workday for Your Boulevardier. However, he took a post-labor saunter into downtown to run an errand. One would be hard-pressed to describe Castro Valley as "bustling," but folks were out and about on foot and seemed to be of good cheer, generally. Traffic flowed freely. Holiday decorations are up in some shop windows -- a special tip of the beret goes to Deja Blue Salon, whose window looks particularly sparkly and charming after dark. Restaurants had a few patrons as early as 5:30 p.m. Haircutters in the Village Barber Shop sat in their own chairs, looking bored. The reincarnation of Daughtrey's, in the process of closing, was almost empty. The Beneficial Finance storefront by Safeway was closed for good.

By contrast, Your Boulevardier had done almost the same walk at almost the same time on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. As he crossed 580 on the pedestrian overpass, the eastbound lanes were jammed solid as far as could be seen in both directions. Restaurants in Castro Village were absolutely empty, but parking lots throughout town were jammed -- particularly those at the grocery stores, logically enough. The Village Barber Shop was in full swing, with all chairs in operation and all waiting seats taken. Peet's was a veritable mob scene.

It's no great stretch to draw some conclusions from these observations. Perhaps spurred by dropping gas prices, many people were driving out of town for Thanksgiving. Others were meeting friends for coffee after work, and yet others were getting their grooming in order before seeing their extended families. Folks were buying groceries, but were not dining out; perhaps, given the meal that awaited on Thursday, it seemed appropriate to stay home and have a light salad for dinner. The contracting national economy was starting to touch businesses here in town.

As the evenings grow chillier and the days continue to shorten -- and as the economy continues to cool -- it will be interesting to see how our town reacts and copes.

India comes to Castro Valley

Your Boulevardier, accompanied by mon petit chou, visited the new restaurant in Castro Village, Aroma Cuisine of India, last Friday night. The food was enjoyed and a good time was had. Your Boulevardier is not a restaurant reviewer, but will attempt to describe the visit.

The restaurant was full of patrons upon our arrival at 7:00 p.m.. We had no reservation, so the host escorted us to the adjacent patio and offered hot, spicy chai tea. Eventually a small table was made available toward the rear of the restaurant. The crowd appeared to be a fairly typical cross-section of Castro Valley restaurant diners: mostly Caucasian, mostly older, not without means. (We noted with pleasure that among our fellow diners were a few same-sex couples.)

The table was small and clean (as was the entire restaurant) and the chairs and lighting were comfortable. Indian art and live plants decorated the room. The piped-in music was the only atmospheric element that seemed a bit off-theme. Dishes ordered included Chicken Tikka Masala (chicken in tomato-curry-yogurt sauce), Dal Tarka (lentil puree), Raita (yogurt condiment), and warm Nan (puffy flatbread). A large Taj Mahal beer (brewed in India) and a small Maharaja beer (brewed in New York, promised as the best beer in the world, and proffered with a money-back guarantee) also were consumed.

The dishes were beautifully prepared, simply presented (on stainless steel platters) and delicious. The service was attentive and friendly. While the meal was not inexpensive ($38.33 including tax but not tip) it was well worth it.

After the meal, mukhwas -- candied seeds, eaten as a digestif -- were offered. These are found in a rack near the cash register. Simply scoop a small bit into your hand with the provided spoon and pop it into your mouth for a pleasant breath-freshener.

Mon petit chou knew much better than Your Boulevardier how to navigate an Indian dining experience, and gratitude is offered for her kind assistance. A tip of the beret goes to Aroma Cuisine of India.

Wudas Is Right

There are fewer things online that are more pathetic than an abandoned blog. One of those things is a blog with a long hiatus followed by a post reading "Sorry it's been so long since there has been a post."

The Castro Valley Boulevardier falls into the second category.

The usual excuse applies: real life has been busy. Several things have been noted by Your Boulevardier, but he has not taken time to post on them. For example:

• A couple of weekends ago, several of the concrete trash bins on Castro Valley Boulevard were knocked over. They were righted within a day or so.
• Other vandalism seemed to spike as summer drew to a close. The pedestrian overcrossing over Highway 580, frequented by Your Boulevardier, was tagged again, and promptly cleaned up again. Your Boulevardier is pleased that the appropriate authorities are staying vigilant to it.
• Restaurants have come and restaurants have gone. The Indian restaurant in the Village, the Vietnamese place across from Pete's Hardware, and the "Theme Unknown" place by Kragen Auto Parts are among the openings. (Your Boulevardier has not tried any of them.) Closed are Fongs, Peking Village, and Pancho's. Meanwhile, Bangkok 580 fell victim to a takeover robbery.
• The cloudy creek question (the post on which prompted Wudas to remind Your Boulevardier to update the blog) was resolved, and it appears the problem was simply construction erosion upstream. If Your Boulevardier appeared alarmist, he apologizes.
• Your Boulevardier participated in Barefoot Boot Camp at Castro Valley Yoga in the third week of August. The upper body is still complaining, though proud to have made it. It's amazing and heartening to think that a dozen people would be up and exercising at 6:00 a.m. for six consecutive days!
  
• School has opened, and it is pleasing to Your Boulevardier to see children walking to their classes. Still, school zones continue to be dangerous places for pedestrians, what with distracted parents driving their offspring while engaging in telephone conversations, eating breakfast, or attending to their grooming.
  
• For Sale signs, and vacant properties, seem to be appearing more frequently around town, at least in Your Boulevardier's home district of Baywood.
• Your Boulevardier saw a poster for a Green training class co-sponsored by the Castro Valley Sanitary District and the Castro Valley Adult School, upcoming on September 27. More information can be found at the Adult School website (appropriately enough, on Mr. Green's welcome page.)
• A production of Carousel is coming to the Center For The Arts later in September. One can't go wrong with Rogers and Hammerstein.
• Castro Valley product Rachel Maddow is getting a regular MSNBC show. Your Boulevardier does not partake of intense political coverage from any portion of the spectrum, so he has not seen the show; but he knows friends of Maddow's parents, and hears that they are rightfully proud of their daughter.
  

For now, this list of tidbits will have to suffice. Again, Your Boulevardier apologizes for the long drought of new material.

Digging Castro Valley

Two holes in the ground were noted on today's walk.

Behind JD's, the parking lot is full of earth and a deep trench can be seen next to the Chabot Cinema. Your Boulevardier suspects that the retaining wall is being rebuilt to a higher standard, but can anyone confirm? The parking lot is closed and so parking at JD's is even tougher than usual.

By the Post Office, work continues on the sewer replacement behind Castro Village. Where the new line attaches to the main, in the middle of Santa Maria Street, workers have been digging and working for a week or so, with flag persons attempting to keep traffic flowing. The crew is fortunate that school is not in session at Castro Valley High.

Your Boulevardier noted both of these earthmoving escapades while pursuing his pastime, walking in Castro Valley. He notes (though his evidence is anecdotal) that more people are joining him on foot in the City of Lite, and suspects that the move is related to gasoline prices. Castro Valley is a surprisingly walkable town for many of us who live in or near downtown -- all manner of services, from a top-notch hardware store to a handful of fine coffee shops to a yoga studio to a few ice cream parlors all await within a few-block area.

Comings and Goings

Your Boulevardier got his hair cut on Friday and picked up a bit of news from around the town.

• The price of a haircut at the Village Barber Shop will soon rise to $18. The cost of just about everything is on the rise, it seems. One wonders how this increase will affect the barbers' tips.
• The Peking Village restaurant closed on Father's Day. The storefront has a thank you note in the window.
• The former Primrose Bakery site in Castro Village will become an Indian restaurant.
• The El Rancho Supermercado (across from Trader Joe's) is back in business after having their building largely redone. (The reconstruction was a result of the fire at the next-door antique store, which now sits vacant.)
• EBMUD's Stanton Property has been taken off the market. (This was confirmed by the Daily Review.)

Castro Valley On The Move

Your Boulevardier visited (via auto) the Castro Village today. Parking was a disaster, because much of the lot (especially between Walgreens and Don Jose's) was in the process of being patched and resurfaced. Homeless cars cruised the remaining aisles like sharks, looking for spots to become available. Actually, the cars weren't like sharks, because sharks (with some exceptions) don't stop moving.

Also on the move: the racks and aisle at our local Trader Joe's. The store was a bit chaotic today when Your Boulevardier went shopping, with products being transferred to temporary racks (on movable feet) in preparation for some sort of rearrangement.

Our third moving item for the day: a report on last Saturday's Rowell Ranch Rodeo Parade. Actually, Your Boulevardier did not see most of the parade (though he participated with the warm-up act); however, several other Castro Valley bloggers have chimed in with good reports. Coincidentally, all are young mothers. XTina, AKA Lucky Number 8, posts some beautiful photos. Laurie of A Joyful Life gives a kids' eye view of the event. And Graciela tells the story of how her child's preschool participated.

Short Cuts

Your Boulevardier paid a visit to the Village Barbershop this morning for a trim. It was a good morning to do so; many youngsters were there, getting their pre-Easter haircuts. We must look good for the grandparents!

Upon arrival, Your Boulevardier found two of the three working chairs occupied by clients on booster seats -- brothers, it turns out -- one of whom received a certificate from Al Proietti acknowledging his first official haircut. The cuttee admired a picture book about the Pixar movie Cars as his mother asked the preternaturally patient Al to take a little more off the bangs. The older brother, a blonder chap a few chairs away, carefully scrutinized his new haircut and declared it "good." Both boys received lollipops for their exceptional behavior and were treated to a dance by an electronic rabbit singing "I Feel Good."

Later, when Your Boulevardier was under the scissors of the indefatigable Limbo, another rookie arrived, accompanied by his father and a younger sister in a stroller. This young fellow also got to be Al P.'s patron, and got his trim as his proud father snapped photo after photo. All of the waiting patrons -- most of whom appeared to be six or eight decades past their own first haircuts -- observed the process with avuncular grins on their faces. Watching them was almost as much fun as watching the haircut itself. As this went on, the Other Al, the Bicycling Barber, arrived in his space-age outfit, rolling his Bianchi into the back of the shop.

After his haircut, Your Boulevardier and the Trusty BoulevarDog retired to Peet's to read and watch the comings and goings of Castro Valley's Caffeinated Citizenry. A blonde lady parked a bright yellow Smart Car immediately in front of the shop, and the vehicle was the talk of the town for a while; people peered in the windows and asked questions -- how much did it cost ($17K), how long did you have to wait for it (6 months), who makes it (Mercedes Benz). The weather may have been taking a turn for the cooler, but the hint of impending spring glowed in the generous, curious, friendly attitudes of the people of our town.