In his column this week , Mike Zampa says a doomsday struggle for global supremacy continues between the cities of Lafayette and Walnut Creek. At stake: the title of coolest place to live.

“Why should we care?’ he asks. “Because our children are being drawn into the maelstrom.

“(We) first published details of the bitter feud between the neighboring towns three months ago. Actually, it created the feud. It called Walnut Creek smug, trendy and “just like the mall, only without Cinnabon.” It also said that Walnut Creek’s mother wears combat boots.

“Consistent with its smugness, Walnut Creek failed to take the bait. There has been not a word of rebuttal since the expose ran.

“This kind of aloofness is what we’d expect from an economic superpower (defined by The World Bank as “any place with piles of sales tax and its own Restoration Hardware”).

“But here’s something we didn’t anticipate from Walnut Creek – covert manipulation of our youth. Unnamed and nefarious operatives have gotten to Lafayette youngsters. They’ve convinced them that the best sandwich in creation is in Walnut Creek.”

In Friday’s upcoming Sun, columnist Mike Zampa finds he’s an outcast in his own hometown because he doesn’t drink wine.

In Friday’s Sun, columnist Harriet Ainesworth writes about the 52-member Lamorinda Winegrowers Association. headed by David Parker, president and thus far the only member to sell his wines commercially.
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Moraga’s largest vineyard, at 4.5 acres with 3,500 vines, belongs to Susan and Selah Captain, who sell their grapes to Parkmon, a combination of the names David Parker and wife Shari Simon, who met when they both worked at Oracle, before they fled Silicon Valley for Moraga’s grape-thriving valleys. Now the Parkers have two daughters, Jessalyn, 7, and Ali, 5, who help with the “punching down” of the fruit.

You can find Parkmon wines at Amoroma Restaurant and Wine Shop (next to the Rheem Theater), Jackson’s Wines and Spirits in Lafayette and at posh Prima Restaurant in Walnut Creek.

Orinda’s Cafe Teatro draws lots of young moms and kids in strollers. Seen this morning: A mother pushing her toddler daughter in a stroller. Mom seemed to be enticed inside by all the yummy baked goods and fancy coffee drinks while the child seemed perfectly content to munch on grapes from home and a box of raisins. Don’t’ know what was in her sippy cup.

The Squirrels cafe in Lafayette is a perfect people-watching spot, right on the corner of Mount Diablo Boulevard. Show up at the door with a walker or cane and multiple staff members rush to greet you.

Watch all the cars go by. Every other one seems to be a silver Honda or white Lexus.
Park on Mt. Diablo and pay at the automated meter box out front.

The only minor problem: Now that it is summer and the sun is bright, it’s hard to read the display to see how many minutes remain. Lots of people Friday had their noses right on the screen display and still couldn’t see what they owed.

As noted in the June 22 Sun, the Lafayette council has approved more meters at $1 an hour for downtown parkers. Bring ‘em on but make ‘em bright..

Check out the latest city news — and thoughts on eating in Lafayette — from Lafayette City Manager Steve Falk …by clicking here.

Orinda probably won’t run out of corned beef Saturday, which is St. Patrick’s Day.

Europa _ the broiler, hof brau, pasta bar _ on Moraga Way has 1,000 pounds of corned beef for sale.

Orindans were really getting into the St. Paddy’s Day spirit Friday with children and older folks spotted wearing shamrocks and various shades of green outside the Orinda Community Center and inside various town cafes.

We suspect that LamorindaSun.com readers won’t be shy when it comes to ranting and raving about Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda restaurants. So, we’ll be sure to let you know when local restaurants are reviewed in the Sun or the Contra Costa Times.

Just this week, reporter James Temple wrote about Bo’s Barbecue in this piece, Southern-bred generosity provides tasty, jazzy dish.

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