“Four Days Diablo” hikers dine recently at Curry Canyon Ranch in the shadow of Mount Diablo. At least three Montclarions participated recently in the soft-adventure hiking and camping trip along the 30-mile Diablo Trail linking Walnut Creek to Brentwood.
MONTCLARION: May 9, 2019
Montclarions Steve and Carolyn Balling have hiked all over the world. So has Oakland’s Shirley Langlois. But there’s a place in their own backyard that keeps calling them back — Mount Diablo. Continue reading
Ginny Prior/for Bay Area News Group Kent Steinwert, the chair of Farmers and Mechanics Bank (F&M), appears recently in front of the new building his bank financed in Montclair. F&M will occupy one of three new spaces in the building.
MONTCLARION: April 25, 2019
It’s been 15 some years in the making, but plans are moving forward to transform Montclair’s Antioch Court into a pedestrian plaza. A handful of us reminisced the other night about our meetings back in the early 2000s, when we first started exploring this concept. With the Montclair Village Association behind it, the money is starting to come in for a community space on a little street with so much potential. Continue reading
A group of hikers and a dog take a break while trekking above Hollywood in Runyon Canyon, one of the most popular dog destinations in Los Angeles, which in turn is possibly one of the planet’s most pet-friendly places for travelers. (courtesy of Danny Roman)
EASTBAYTIMES.COM: April 18, 2019
In Travels with Charley, author John Steinbeck takes his wife’s poodle, Charley, on a soul-searching journey and discovers what many of us know today — that traveling with pets is rewarding. A survey of travelers by TripAdvisor found that 53 percent of us sojourn with snorkies, schnauzers and other pets — unbred and not. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: April 4, 2019
It’s a lousy time to be a motorist in Montclair. Bikers aren’t fairing any better. Between the closed roads and potholes, our arteries are so clogged, only a miracle can save us. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: DEC. 2018
Potholes and parking are making us crabby. And yes, the two are related because they add stress to driving on increasingly crowded Oakland roads. The pitted streets read like a laundry list: Park Boulevard, Thornhill Drive, Valley View, Shepherd Canyon, Tunnel … and on and on. Critics note despite Oakland’s high property taxes that never seem to quench our city’s thirst for spending, streets like Thornhill have been on the repaving list for years. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: March 7, 2019
The blustery month of March is bringing winds of change to Montclair. McCaulou’s 40-plus-year hillside home is becoming a multiuse space. Doesn’t sound very sexy, but it could be a game-changer for Montclair Village. Longtime landlord Ed Hirshberg attended a broker’s open house last week to discuss plans for the Medau Place landmark that his father bought in 1953. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: January 24, 2019
An artist once told me that everything is a canvas. Even a drab concrete slab can be transformed into an inspiring art installation. Enter the Montclair Parking Garage, which has rapidly become a kind of open-air gallery. Twelve murals — some up to 50 feet high — now adorn the ramp walls, including the latest piece by Shannon Hood and Victor Garcia. Continue reading
MONTCLARION: February 21, 2019
Who says you can’t put a price on love? Eight oversized hearts just raised millions for a Bay Area hospital — and Montclair artist Adele Gilani is pumped. You see, Gilani spent much of last fall painting a 5-by-6-foot, 400-pound sculpture for Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital’s “Hearts in SF” fundraiser. She was chosen from a select group of artists after applying for the honor the three previous years. Continue reading
EASTBAYTIMES.COM: February 14, 2019
Famed columnist Herb Caen once said “Any city that doesn’t have a tenderloin isn’t a city at all.” But the San Francisco’s Tenderloin District as a tourist destination? It sounds like a contradiction in terms until you start to explore this oft-overlooked neighborhood. Continue reading
The Montclair Lucky store’s newly remodeled floral department is stocked and ready for Valentine’s Day. (courtesy of Kara Piganelli)
Around town: Montclair is for lovers — and the proof is in the high number of flower shops in Montclair Village. From longtime favorites Flowers by Myrna and Montclair Florist to Flower Outlet and Gifts and the local Safeway and Lucky stores, floral Valentines can be found on almost every block. Continue reading
Ginny Prior 