Best of the East Bay: Play

Here are the East Bay’s places to have a good time, all the time.

Published: June 27, 2014

Night On The Town / Art Visionary / Classic Games / Sports Bar / Reader Picks

Night On The Town

Hit these spots for a superfun time with friends.

Norma Cordova

Get Crafty

Editor pick: Beer Tasting Room
Sip a flight at the Sierra Nevada Torpedo Room, featuring 16 small-batch beers on tap you won’t find elsewhere in the Bay Area. 2031 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) 647-3439, sierranevada.com.

Keep it Contemporary

Editor Pick: Carbs and Cocktails
Grab a bite at Build Pizzeria while sipping a cocktail made with handcrafted bitters. 2286 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, (510) 898-1839, buildpizzeria.com.

Go Out on the Prowl

Editor Pick: Singles Scene
Modern China Cafe’s fire pits and unhurried happy hour make mingling easy. 1525 N. Main St., Walnut Creek, (925) 988-8008, modernchinacafe.com.

Get Your Creative Juices Flowing

Reader Pick: DIY Workshop
You may not be the next Picasso, but the wine might make you think you are, at Canvas and Cabernet. 1421 Locust St., Walnut Creek, (925) 287-1614, canvascabernet.com.

Rock Out

Reader Pick: Live Music Venue
Play pool or hit up the jukebox at Dan’s, which transforms into a live music venue on weekends. 1524 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, (925) 932-1331, dansbar.com.

Battle at Bocce

Editor pick: Food and Fun
Whether you’re with a group of friends or just your sweetheart, Campo di Bocce is the place to eat, drink, and play. 175 E. Vineyard Ave., Livermore, (925) 249-9800, campodibocce.com.

Shake Your Groove Thing

Reader Pick: Place to dance
Go to ShBoom Nightclub, a club for grown-ups, to boogie. 2410 San Ramon Valley Blvd., Ste. 130, San Ramon, (925) 837-9777, shboomnightclub.com.

End the Evening Right

Editor Pick: Late-Night Spot
Top the night off with fish tacos and a key lime pie martini at The Rellik Tavern. 726 First St., Benicia, (707) 746-1137, therelliktavern.com.

—Caitlin McCulloch

Shannon McIntyre

The Curator

The Bedford Gallery’s curator brings sophisticated exhibits to Walnut Creek.

Editor Pick: Art Visionary

In her office in the Lesher Center for the Arts, Carrie Lederer is beaming.

“We just secured a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts!” says Lederer, curator of the Lesher Center’s Bedford Gallery. “It’s a first for the Bedford and possibly for the center.”

The grant will help fund an upcoming exhibition called Blow Up, featuring inflatable contemporary pieces from Andy Warhol and others. It’s yet another example of Lederer’s moxie as a curator over the past 20 years and hardly the first exhibit to receive national buzz.

“We had great success with our skate deck show,” says Lederer, excitedly describing how a 2012 show featuring skateboard art from local contributors went on a coast-to-coast tour of galleries in eight different states. Another show, Nature’s Beloved Son, featuring photographs by Pleasant Hill artist Stephen Joseph of John Muir’s environmental research, continues to tour the United States and Canada. And Post Secret, artist Frank Warren’s project in which anonymous people from around the world wrote their secrets on postcards, was a smash when Lederer brought it to Walnut Creek in 2009.

While art lovers across the country can appreciate Lederer’s creative presentations, East Bay patrons reap the real benefits. This summer, Lederer has put together a show about skulls as icons. After that, WC100 will feature a multimedia presentation of Walnut Creek artists, in recognition of the city’s centennial.

“We want to ask, ‘What are the amazing and wonderful pieces and people who make this such a special place?’ ” says Lederer, who is also an acclaimed sculptor. “I hope it will shine a light on who we were and who we are now.” 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, (925) 295-1417, bedfordgallery.org.

My East Bay

Drink
Unique places in Walnut Creek, including ØL BeerCafe and Bottle Shop.

Shop
Oakland’s Temescal Alley—beginning at Doughnut Dolly.

Stroll
Oakland’s Art Murmur Saturday Stroll in the afternoon.

—Peter Crooks

Courtesy of High Scores Arcade

Retro Fun

There is no shortage of throwback enjoyment to be had in the East Bay.

Editor Picks: Classic Games

Arcade Games

Remember Donkey Kong? Paperboy? Or Galaga? You can play all these and more at High Scores Arcade in Alameda, where the classic machines are in tip-top shape. It costs $5 for a half hour or $10 to play all day. (All games are set to Free Play, so leave your quarters at home.) 1414 Park St., Alameda, (609) 468-3083, highscoresarcade.com.

Billiards

Sip a cold brew or cocktail while challenging friends to a game of pool at Bay Area Crown Billiards in San Ramon. Looking to play on a regular basis? Join one of the hall’s leagues. 2416 San Ramon Valley Blvd., San Ramon, (925) 725-3900, bayareacrownbilliards.com.

Go-Karts

Bumper boats, mini golf, arcade games—oh my! Whether you’re hosting a birthday party or just looking to blow off steam, a day playing games and racing around the go-kart track at Boomers is sure to take you back. 2400 Kitty Hawk Rd., Livermore, (925) 447-7275, boomersparks.com.

Laser Tag

Battle your pals in an arena retrofitted with dizzying pulsing lights and high-energy music at Q-Zar Laser Tag. Weeknight discounts are great for groups or anyone looking for a deal. 2295 Willow Pass Rd., Concord, (925) 521-9663, q-zar.com.

Mini Golf

Sink a putt at Subpar Miniature Golf, where the handcrafted holes resemble monuments in the East Bay. Or challenge your friends to a slot car race to see whose automated miniature vehicle earns the checkered flag. 1511 Park St., Alameda, (925) 521-4653, subparminigolf.com.

—Stacey Kennelly

Illustration by Adam Nickel

Watch the Game

This place is heaven for fans of every team.

Reader Pick: Sports Bar

It’s no accident that the Stadium Pub’s logo looks like the sign over the bar in Cheers. Just like Sam Malone’s beloved watering hole, the pub has that “where everybody knows your name” vibe, which keeps regulars coming back. (More incentives: There are 23 brews on tap, plenty of top-shelf spirits, and a menu of sports bar classics—try the Fire Dog.)

Stadium Pub also has a pleasant sense of diplomacy to its hometown feel, and to the game distribution on the 47 TVs. Giants fans sit with A’s fans; Niners faithful clink pints with Black Hole veterans. Sharks, Warriors, Bears, and international soccer fans are all welcome, too. 1420 Lincoln Ave., Walnut Creek, (925) 256-7302, thestadiumpub.com.

—Peter Crooks

Reader Picks

Bartender

Greg Palomo at Walnut Creek Yacht Club
1555 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek, (925) 944-3474, wcyc.net.

Date Night

Va de Vi
1511 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Walnut Creek, (925) 979-0100, vadevi.com.

East Bay museum

Lindsay Wildlife Museum
1931 1st. Ave., Walnut Creek, (925) 935-1978, wildlife-museum.org.

East Bay Winery

Wente Vineyards
5565 Tesla Rd., Livermore, (925) 456-2305, wentevineyards.com.

Happy Hour Menu

Bridges
44 Church St., Danville, (925) 820-7200, bridgesdanville.com.

Late-Night Dining

Hubcaps
1548 Bonanza St., Walnut Creek, (925) 945-6960, hubcapsdiner.com.

Local Brewery/Distillery

Linden Street
95 Linden St., Oakland, (510) 251-8898, lindenbeer.com.

Place to See Art

Bedford Gallery
1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek, (925) 295-1417, bedfordgallery.org.

Ski Resort

Northstar
100 Northstar Dr., Truckee, (530) 562-1010, northstarcalifornia.com.

Wine Bar

Residual Sugar
1684 Locust St., Walnut Creek, residualsugarwine.com.

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Faces

Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation Launch

In July, Stephen and Ayesha Curry hosted an official kickoff event for their Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation, in Oakland’s Lakeside Park at Lake Merritt. The celebratory day was filled with outdoor games and activities, attracting more than 900 children from Oakland Parks, Recreation, and Youth Development’s Town Camps. Focused on improving the lives of underprivileged youth, the organization aims to bring an end to childhood hunger and provide children with quality education and safe spaces where they can play and engage in physical activity.

East Bay SPCA Adopt-a-thon

To raise awareness for the thousands of homeless animals in the area, the East Bay SPCA hosted its 11th annual adoption extravaganza in Oakland’s Jack London Square. Nearly 30 local animal shelters and rescues attended, bringing more than 200 pets. With dogs, cats, rats, birds, and more in need of a home, visitors could choose from a variety of animals to find their perfect companions. There were also plenty of family activities, a photo booth, giveaways, and vouchers for discounted pet microchips.

Animal Run Canicross Charity Race

At this animal-friendly canicross (canine cross-country) charity race in Richmond, attendees ran either a 5K, 10K, or half marathon to raise funds for Stockton’s Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary and the wildlife rescue organization WildCare in San Rafael. The Animal Run community promotes kindess and sustainability, and runners were encouraged to enjoy free food and raffles as well as support vegan businesses.

Coit Family Visitor and Education Center Debut

The Ruth Bancroft Garden and Nursery opened its new Coit Family Visitor and Education Center at a public ribbon-cutting ceremony with over 300 garden members, donors, and guests present. The center will welcome the 15,000 people who visit the Walnut Creek garden annually and provide workshops, tours, classes, and educational programs.

Taste Our Terroir

This yearly Livermore Valley Winegrowers Association culinary event brought together local winemakers and chefs at Ruby Hill Winery’s Casa Real event center in Pleasanton. For four days, oenophiles engaged in a food and wine–pairing competition, sustainable garden tours, a blind-tasting seminar, and more.

Berkeley Rep's Ovation Gala

In celebration of Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s outgoing artistic director, Tony Taccone, 475 Bay Area arts supporters gathered at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco for a memorable evening. The festivities honored Taccone’s 22 years with the nonprofit as a visionary leader, and more than $1 million was raised in support of the theater’s artistic endeavors and programs. Bob the Drag Queen performed “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” and Rita Moreno sang “This Is All I Ask” from Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup, which Taccone wrote.

Night at the Library

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation (LLLCF) hosted its annual fundraiser, where book lovers had the chance to roam the library after hours with friends and family. Filled with revelry, dancing, and dessert, the event raised $450,000 for the library and much-needed improvements to the Children’s Area deck.

Growl, Meow, and Wine

The East Bay SPCA’s benefit celebrated the many donors and members of the community who take part in helping animals. Guests toured the Oakland facility and met animals that are up for adoption, while savoring an array of food, craft beer, and wine. All proceeds from the auctions went toward the SPCA’s services.

Once Upon a Time at Fairyland

Guests dressed up in storybook attire and experienced a magical evening at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland. At the 24th annual gala, attendees appreciated enchanting decor, a delicious dinner, delectable desserts, and various auction items. This year’s sold-out event was the theme park’s most successful bash yet, raising more than $250,000. All proceeds help Children’s Fairyland continue to provide children with a place that fosters imagination, encourages creativity, and prompts a desire to learn.

Nourish Gala

At this yearly black-tie event benefiting the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, attendees gathered at the Diablo Country Club for a delightful evening and enjoyed a three-course dinner, drinks, dancing, and a live auction. All proceeds went directly to the Food Bank, which has been providing food to one in eight residents in Contra Costa and Solano counties for more than 40 years.

LL COOL J at Making Waves Academy

Richmond’s Making Waves Academy welcomed two-time Grammy Award winner LL COOL J to the school to have a discussion with the students. The recording artist spoke about the importance of education, his path to becoming an entertainer, and the impact his upbringing had on his success. At Making Waves, 5th- to 12th-grade students receive a rigorous, holistic education to prepare them for college and beyond.