Local Businesses
by John M. Zukoski on June 14, 2011 | 
No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Parks · Things To Do
School is out, and kids in and around Dublin, CA are excited about the summer ahead. In between summer jobs, family vacations, and summer camps, families throughout the Tri-Valley are looking for fun-filled activities to make the most of the summer. Consistent with Dublin’s reputation of being a very family-friendly city, the City of Dublin has many great opportunities for kids of all ages within its city borders.
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by John M. Zukoski on June 6, 2011 | 32 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants
Food Network celebrity and Santa Rosa resident Guy Fieri recently signed a lease to take over the former Fuzio location at Hacienda Crossings in Dublin, CA for his fourth Johnny Garlic’s restaurant. The restaurant is now open. The newest Johnny Garlic’s restaurant was first expected to open in March. The opening date then slipped to June, mid-July, and finally mid-August. No explanation was provided for the delay. Santa Rosa Johnny Garlic’s General Manager Neil McDowell said that Guy and the entire Johnny Garlic’s family is “excited about opening in Dublin.”
Along with the three John Garlic’s restaurants in Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Roseville, Guy Fieri also owns a pair of BBQ-and-sushi fusion restaurants called Tex Wasabi’s Rock-N-Roll Sushi-BBQ. Fieri and co-owner Steve Gruber plan to use the Hacienda Crossing location in Dublin as the opening salvo in their expansion throughout the Western and Southern States. Coupled with the hiring of many key industry talents and the growing number of aborted restaurant projects and available restaurant spaces, Fieri and Gruber are well-positioned to succeed.
A recent visit by the Around Dublin Team to Johnny Garlic’s restaurant in Santa Rosa provided some insight into what Tri-Valley residents can look forward to in July 2011. From the moment of arrival, guests can immediately feel the energy and enthusiasm from Johnny Garlic’s associates. Everyone who works there seem to share Fieri’s energy, positivity, and dynamic personality.
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by John M. Zukoski on May 28, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants · Things To Do
Around Dublin favorites Bunjo’s Comedy Lounge in Dublin, CA and La Pupusa House in Livermore, CA were recently featured in daily deal offerings by Groupon and the Amazon-backed LivingSocial. Bunjo’s Comedy Lounge, located inside The Willow Tree restaurant and next to Earl Anthony’s Dublin Bowl, sold 157 two-ticket packages at a discount of 55%. Bunjo’s Comedy Lounge spotlights both veteran and up-and-coming comedians whose credits include HBO, Showtime, Comedy Central, and more. Some of the folks who purchased their Bunjo’s Comedy Lounge Groupon deals will get to use their discounted tickets at Bunjo’s Comedy Lounge’s 4th Annual Killer Laughs Competition.
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by John M. Zukoski on May 25, 2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Things To Do
Rockin’ Jump, Tri-Valley’s first trampoline park, will soft open on May 27th at 5875 Arnold Road in Dublin, CA. Rockin’ Jump is located behind Sybase and only a few minutes from the I-580 Hacienda Drive exit. The trampoline arenas at Rockin’ Jump have something for everyone. Some highlights include the Rockin’ Splash where kids of all ages can jump from trampolines into a pool of soft foam cubes, Rockin’ Arena for general jumping, Rockin’ Dodge for trampoline dodge ball, Rockin’ Dunk for trampoline basketball, and Rockin’ Robics exercise classes where one hour of trampolining can burn approximately 1,000 calories. Guests who stop by Rockin’ Jump on May 27th will also receive a free “Second Hour” voucher that may be used with the purchase of an hour of jump time at their next visit.
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by John M. Zukoski on May 20, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants · Things To Do
Fresh off the success of its successful Cuda Ridge wine tasting event in March, Mama Rosa’s Pizza and Pasta will be featuring the wine of Nottingham Cellars from Livermore, CA in an upcoming wine tasting event. Nottingham Cellars will be providing a FULL FLIGHT of complimentary tastings at Mama Rosa’s on Saturday, May 21st from 1PM to 5PM. As with the tasting in March, Mama Rosa’s will also be offering complimentary appetizers for guests during this special event.
In addition to the complimentary Nottingham Cellars wine tasting and appetizers, Mama Rosa’s is also extending a 2-for-1 special dinner offer to customers who purchase either two glasses or a bottle of Nottingham Cellars wine on Saturday. Guests only need to remember to use the code word “Ralphie” to receive the discount. As with March’s event, Mama Rosa’s will waive the corkage fee for all Livermore Valley wines.
Nottingham Cellars will have its wine maker and staff on hand to pour and answer questions. Nottingham Cellars is run by the father-and-son team of Jeff and Collin Cranor. “Our philosophy of wine making is to work with only the finest wine grape growers in the Valley. Our dedication to careful production and attention to detail in every phase of wine making comes through with every sip,” wrote the Cranors on their website.
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by Around Dublin Team on May 13, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants
The highly anticipated Cellar 9 Restaurant & Bar has finally opened its doors to eager customers in Dublin, CA. The “American comfort food with a flare” promised by co-owners Doug Garcia and Rose Thome is definitely worth the wait. Located at the beautifully constructed Grafton Station in East Dublin, Cellar 9 offers an upscale dining experience at a reasonable price.
As the first restaurant at Grafton Station to make itself accessible to pedestrian foot traffic on the Grafton Street side of the shopping plaza, Cellar 9 greets customers with an impressive entrance that features a cathedral ceiling. Behind the reception area is Cellar 9′s custom-rehabilitated bar, which is fully stocked with the finest wine selection in Dublin. As customers take a right turn toward the main dining area, they are treated to a clear view of Grafton Station’s other side and its unique water fountain.
On the side of the restaurant closest to Dublin Boulevard is the ancillary dining area that will one day become Cellar 9′s wine lounge. Every piece of furniture and every finishing detail in this room exudes an understated elegance that reminds patrons of the downstairs lounge section at the Ruby Hill Country Club in Pleasanton. Folks who frequent Coco Cabana at The Shops at Waterford during happy hour or Hap’s in Downtown Pleasanton for dinner should feel right at home.
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by John M. Zukoski on May 12, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses
The Data Rescue Center recently unveiled its brand new architectural masterpiece at 1599 Greenville Road in Livermore, CA in the heart of the Tri-Valley Innovation Center next to the Lawrence Livermore National Lab. The Data Rescue Center is a data recovery company founded in 2009.
After outgrowing its previous facility in Downtown Pleasanton, the Data Rescue Center moved to its current location in Livermore. The new facility at the Tri-Valley Innovation Hub is both sleek and elegant. While companies like Epsilon and Sony play fast and loose with people’s private data, The Data Rescue Center takes data security very seriously. When customers send their hard drives to The Data Rescue Center, the hard drives are kept safe in a Class 2 vault, which is built using a type of cement composite that is seven times stronger than regular cement. The Data Rescue Center is the only company in the data recovery industry to use a Class 2 vault. Most banks like Chase and Bank of America are content with a Class 1 vault.
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by John M. Zukoski on May 9, 2011 | 15 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Businesses · Opinions
Linda Maurer, the City of Dublin’s Economic Development Director, recently spoke at a Dublin Rotary Club meeting about all the new development throughout Dublin, CA. According to Maurer, development started heating up last summer. The City is now feeling better about its overall economic health. The City of Dublin recently adopted a new comprehensive downtown specific plan. In the Transit District, which is to the south of Dublin Boulevard, the land uses expected are mixed use, 1,100 housing units, commercial, and office. The Retail District north of Dublin Boulevard is somewhat hampered by large institutional land owners more interested in the status quo than in new development or redevelopment proposals. In the Village Parkway District, some turnover of older uses is anticipated, and the City has made provisions for residential uses mixed in with the retail.
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by Judith Henderson on May 3, 2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Opinions
“Hear Ye, Hear Ye,” all new residents of the Tri-Valley region and Livermore wine terroir. Spring is here, and the time to discover the wine country and region you live in is now. Just knowing that we live in California’s oldest wine-producing region is fantastic news. Starting in May, wineries around the state and the Livermore region will be hosting events on site, including Mother’s Day events.
The spring wine tasting events, including Red Wine and Chocolate and several wine dinners featuring great food and the newest wines of the year, can be found on at the official website of Livermore Wine Growers Association. While visiting the wine pages, check out what kind of wines are being produced by which wineries, and see if there is something that piques your imagination.
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