Noodling On Nunes

One of Your Boulevardier's favorite spots in Castro Valley is the house on Nunes Avenue that has a seasonally adjusted collection of homemade garden art. For Valentine's Day (and indeed, the entire month of February so far) this has been the display.


A hearty tip of the beret goes to the creator of these charming cutouts.

Wholly Clean

Last weekend Your Boulevardier was hosting the Subcompact Loaner, and so more walks were taken in our immediate neighborhood. This piece of garden art has been noticed many times before, but this time a photo was snapped.



It is a statue of the Virgin Mary, and yes, the protective shell behind her appears to be fashioned from a bathtub. (Click the photo for a closer view.) It's quite beautifully and respectfully done, in Your Boulevardier's opinion, and clever to boot. In its shape and in its blue color, it evokes the grotto at Lourdes. There's also an unexpected touch of whimsy in the whole thing.

If readers can suggest other pieces of Castro Valley garden art Your Boulevardier should check out, please post in the comments or email your.boulevardier@gmail.com.

Building a Better Ramp

Since Your Boulevardier has been griping about the new curb cuts and ramps being installed around Castro Valley, he thought it only fair to point out where one such ramp is a considerable improvement.



This ramp was installed at the corner of Stanton Avenue and Castro Valley Boulevard, just in front of the Jiffy Lube. Among its positive attributes is an improved retaining wall for holding back the shop's planter (the old one was made of crumbling wood), and a gentle curve at its west end that gives plenty of clearance around the light pole for wheeled vehicles of many sorts -- wheelchairs and double-wide strollers come to mind.

This latter feature is noted because it is an exception. Indeed, several spots have been noted where short stretches of sidewalk on Castro Valley Boulevard are cluttered with signal boxes, poles, bus shelters, benches, and other objects that make smooth passage a challenge. These will be documented in the coming weeks.

But for now, a tip of the beret is offered to this much-improved ramp.

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!

Chabot Continues to Please

It must be said: we in Castro Valley are very fortunate to have the Chabot Theater here. Last night, at the very last minute, Your Boulevardier decided to catch Sherlock Holmes at the movie house. (Today it has been replaced with -- sigh -- Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Squeakquel.) He left home at 7:25, found street parking in front of Direct Sales (the broken window has not yet been repaired), and walked right in. No lines, no hassles -- and the staff actually seems to care about customers and about movies. (This, in Your Boulevardier's opinion, is not the experience at the big multiplex in Hayward.)

Happily, the theater had a pretty good turnout for a Thursday evening. (The movie itself was strange but compelling.) Still, the Chabot always needs our patronage -- particularly when it presents interesting fare. Your Boulevardier encourages Castro Valleyans to support our local movie theater.

Light Up The Valley

Your Boulevardier and Mon Petit Chou caught a showing of the High Voltage Christmas last Sunday night. (He intended to write about it sooner, but various delights and pressures of the season have filled the days since.)

The synchronized light-and-music show, first launched in 2004 by teenager Jeff Stevens, is at 18199 Carmel Drive in Castro Valley. Showtimes are 7:00, 7:30, and 8:00 p.m. A new feature this year is projected cartoons, along with family photos and videos, on the garage door.

Your Boulevardier doesn't know how true this story is, so he posts it only as hearsay: A FOB -- a person who lives in the neighborhood of the High Voltage Christmas -- says that Mr. Stevens is away at college this year and was not planning to create a holiday display. Fortunately gentle pressure from friends and neighbors caused him to relent. (It's also interesting to note that Mr. Stevens is studying Civil Engineering, not Electrical.) Readers who can confirm or correct the veracity of this tale are encouraged to do so in the comments.

Whatever the story, the efforts are magnificent and well worth a trip. The synchronization and cleverness of the display are wonderful, the scale is impressive, and the spirit is heartwarming. Mr. Stevens personally supervises each show and is available to answer questions before and after.

A tip of the beret, and a merry Christmas to all.

Sadness on the Strip

On his walk this morning Your Boulevardier came upon a small group of people gathered around a dead dog in the gutter on Castro Valley Boulevard near Worley's. The animal, which looked to be a Chihuahua mix, black with brown and white markings, was not recently killed; perhaps it had been hit by a car overnight.

The people were debating what to do about the dog. They had removed its collar and (based on a small bit of eavesdropping) it's presumed they were planning to call a number on the tag. All Your Boulevardier heard was one young woman saying to another, "So put the collar back on it."

It's heartbreaking when a pet is killed, and it's anguishing to see an animal dead in the roadway. The easiest thing to do when one comes upon such a situation is to wince and move along. Your Boulevardier respectfully tips his beret to these people who chose not to just turn their heads and walk on by.

Halloween Book Passage

Your Boulevardier was very, very pleased to participate in this morning's Great Book Pass. The event, for the uninitiated, was the ceremonial transition fro the old to the new: 300 books were handed, one by one, through a chain of volunteers from the old Castro Valley Library on Redwood Road to the spectacular new structure on Norbridge Avenue. One overheard conversation said that 1,600 volunteers were participating in the event.

Clad in his beret and accompanied by Mon Petit Chou, Your Boulevardier reported at 8:00 a.m. to a table in front of Dara Chan's State Farm office at the corner of Redwood Road and Jamison Way. (At least a dozen tables were placed at intervals along the entire 0.7 mile route.) Waiver forms were signed and free t-shirts were received.



The event was scheduled to begin at 8:30, so an thirty minutes had to be burned. First, the old library was visited, and the books to be passed were viewed. It was learned that the books to be passed were not from the library's circulating collection, but instead part of the Friends of the Library's collection of books, intended to be sold (for just $2 apiece) to support the library. They ranged from biographies to cookbooks to fiction to children's books, and carried green frontispieces commemorating their participation in the event.



Around 8:30 a.m., our spot was returned to, and a little after 8:30 the first book arrived. It was Arcadia Publishing's Castro Valley history book, wrapped in a green and gold ribbon. It was handed down the train of volunteers, who ranged in age from zero (babes in arms were spotted) to senior citizens. Scouting groups and church communities seemed particularly well-represented.


All participants had two things in common that Your Boulevardier could detect: impressive civic pride, and a sense of fun and enthusiasm for the morning's adventure. In spite of the foggy weather, the mood was warm and happy. As cars passed, horns were honked and waves were proffered.

It was wondered how the books would cross the streets; surely the library would not put its volunteers in the way of traffic. Indeed, book carts (festooned with balloons and streamers) were placed at each intersection, on the "upstream" side of the book flow; when the books in a cart reached a critical mass (as determined by the volunteers handling the carts), they were wheeled across the street and unloaded into the stream of people. Then the carts were returned to the upstream side of the street to be refilled.

The exception to this system was at the intersection of Redwood Road with Castro Valley Boulevard; here, two carts were used, one on either side of the street. The walk/don't walk signs were obeyed, and the full and empty carts were swapped at the middle of the intersection.



After about a half-hour of passing, the last book arrived, greeted with an energetic hurrah. Appropriately enough, it was entitled "Curtain." All participant wanted to touch it, and many had their photos taken with it.

After the final book had passed, people from upstream in the line began to filter by in the direction of the new library; a person who seemed to know what she was talking about announced that additional volunteers were needed at the tail end of the book-bucket-brigade, so Mon Petit Chou and Your Boulevardier high-tailed it to Norbridge Avenue and re-joined the chain. Many of the books that that had been handled once earlier were passed once again.



Once the final book passed us (a second time), way was made across the footbridge to the library parking lot, where luminaries including Castro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Jim Negri and Alameda County Supervisor Nate Miley milled about, greeting the public. Cookies, fruit, candy, and water were available, and a row of large ceremonial scissors awaited ribbon cutting. The mood was festive and proud.



The actual passing of books seemed to have happened much more quickly than the planners had envisioned, because an hour's wait was announced before the library would actually be opened. Your Boulevardier and Mon Petit Chou did not wait for the official opening, but instead made our way back to our car, satisfied that we had participated in an event that was truly historic and important in the life of Castro Valley.

Don't Pass On This Opportunity

Your Boulevardier and Mon Petit Chou are signed up to participate this Saturday at the Castro Valley Library's Great Book Pass. Are you?

The question now is whether costumes should be worn. Perhaps just berets.

Lucky on San Miguel

Your Boulevardier has long admired, and only now photographed, this concrete shamrock on the corner of San Miguel Avenue and Kerr Street, a block south of Castro Valley Boulevard.

The yard it's in always has lovely flowers along its walk (visible in this photo), but for as long as can be remembered the earth around the shamrock itself has been virtually lifeless. While the shamrock is charming, wouldn't some lush green around it make it even more appealing? And more like Ireland?

Still, it's rare that a slab of concrete can be so good-looking. A tip of the beret to the creators of it.

The Color of Autumn

One of the gripes one hears from transplants to California -- and to the state's coastal areas, in particular -- is that they miss the seasons. (The flipside of that argument comes from Mere de Boulevardier, who swore when she left the midwest over half a century ago that she would never gaze upon snow again -- and, it is believed, has made good on that promise.)

It is admitted that there are no websites to announce the peak moment at which fall color will appear in Castro Valley, but appear it does nonetheless. And, on the day before Thanksgiving, the leaves and sidewalks along Castro Valley Boulevard were quite lovely. The trees pictured below, by the way, are Chinese Pistaches (please forgive the "Texas Superstar" link, but Your Boulevardier liked the photos). Other trees that provide splendid autumn displays in the mild-winter Bay Area include liquidambar and ginkgo biloba. (Spelling fixed; a tip of the beret to The Pedant.)



Readers are invited to call out other impressive autumn leaves around town in the comments.

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.

Wet Thursday

Your Boulevardier braved the rain-slicked sidewalks to explore the City of Lite today. The motorists seemed to be on their worst behavior -- at intersections we pedestrians were routinely ignored in favor of mobile phones, fast-food meals, and cups of coffee. This, the rainbows of oil in the rain puddles, and the overall gloom of the day did not raise Your Boulevardier's spirits.

The rain seemed to dampen business in Castro Village. Terrence "Limbo" Lim sat reading the newspaper at the Village Barber Shop. (By the way, the shop's website seems to have been turned off.) Shelves of supplements were dusted at Health Unlimited. Chairs sat empty at the nail salon. Even the Starbucks had empty tables.

In general, the Village seems to be playing a game of musical storefronts these days. It began when the Village Toy Shop closed earlier this year; Eden Bicycles moved into its space (and, it must be noted, made it breathtakingly beautiful); then Aran's Ceramics moved into the bike shop's space (and lost its cafe). Now the Beauty Source is moving into the space vacated by Aran's. It's not known, at least by Your Boulevardier, what will go into the beauty supply's soon-to-be-former storefront. Also, the former Primrose Bakery sits empty. One wonders if another Village business will move or expand into either of these sites, or if the management will find new tenants. Wet or dry, empty businesses do not raise shoppers' spirits.

A quick postscript: it's common knowledge (though it cannot be readily backed up with a statistic) that bike shops do a large part of their business in December. So it's appreciated that Eden Bicycles gives up a good chunk of its floor space for Santa's chair. He offers the shop a tip of the beret.