2013 was the 4th annual Concord Police Association's July 4th "Stars and Stripes" 5K. I am so glad…read morethat I chose a hometown event that supports the Monument Crisis Center (http://www.yelp.com/biz/monument-crisis-center-concord) for my first 5K! The event was well coordinated with good communication by the planners before and after. It was especially nice that we could pick up our bibs and such the day before. The volunteers, of which there seemed to be a ton, were all extremely supportive and helpful. Since the course goes mostly through neighborhoods (with streets closed) it was also nice to see so many people outside their homes, cheering everyone on. A special gratitude shout out to the family who were standing outside their house at the top of a big hill on the route, pumping disco hits and offering to hose us down. You, my fellow Concordians, are wonderful people. After completing the 5K, we stayed in Todos Santos Plaza, grabbed our usual spot on the patio at EJ Phair and enjoyed the parade. One area for possible improvement... The event continues to grow each year (there were over 600 people registered this year) so it would be nice if they added wave times to pace out the participants, especially to get the runners in front of the walkers. I'm looking forward to participating again next year!

At the end of every 5k my husband and I hold hands as we run through the finish line. (Ok, I know,…read moreI know...cheezy...but I love it.) This was the first 5k my husband and I have run where our names were called as we crossed the finish line together. It was so cool to here the announcer say: "And here come Amy and Casey (P) from Concord". We met our goal of completing another 5k, once we'd only registered for the day before. I found out about the 5k in my hometown a few days before it was to take place. I didn't mind paying the higher entry fee (it was still only $30) but it did mean we couldn't pay $7 extra for the nicer, non-cotton shirts. We did still get a goody bag filled with tons of great stuff! Thanks to all the nice sponsors. The CPD organized this event. If you missed the online registration deadline, you could still register in person at the police department the day before the event. I sent my husband to do this and he said it was an easy process. On the morning of the 8am run (Happy 4th of July), we parked at Todos Santos Plaza and listened to the clear voice of the announcer over the loud speaker. We even saw the A's mascot: Stomper!! Then 3-2-1.... we were off! We ran a mostly flat course around Concord near the downtown plaza, high school, and John Muir hospital. A BART driver honked and waved at us as the train flew by. It was so much fun. The water station volunteers were friendly and many of the police men and women that stood with volunteers around the course cheered us on. We walked and ran and enjoyed watching the families around us. A 40 minute finish wasn't very competitive, but we were just there to have fun. Some people brought dogs, which were not allowed. And we also saw lots of strollers, which were allowed. So it was definitely a family event, and the no-dog rule wasn't really enforced. Saw some kids on scooters as well. After the run we bought breakfast for a $5 per plate donation for two pancakes and two sausages and a juice. A parade followed the 5k at 10 am, so we had to wait around a while for that to start, but it was nice out and we talked with other runners and families. Thanks CPD for helping to organize this event. We heart Concord.

I've always had an awesome time running with ONGRID. I've brought my vehicle to two events with…read morethem, one at Sonoma and their other at Thunderhill. Both events were organized well from start to finish, which made the days smooth and stress-free. Check-in is quick, drivers' meeting were clear, and the staff keeps everything moving without feeling rushed. Track time was solid with good spacing between cars, so you could actually focus on driving instead of constantly dealing with traffic. The staff are approachable and helpful, whether you're newer to track days or more experienced. Overall, Ongrid events are well-run and driver-focused with a great atmosphere. As a grassroots style organization, there's no elitism, just driving for the sake of driving. Their multi-day festivals are always fantastic value, with tons of unexpected extras included.

Great club to track with when you are experienced however was very surprised to see brand new track…read moredrivers in the beginning group without any instructions! Wow talking about a problem waiting to happen. Suggest instructions so that they get get the right training to ensure they are protecting others.

We just did a full bathroom remodel-Vince and crew were very polite professional and communicated…read moreand consulted with me along the way. I couldn't be happier with the work that was done. Everything was on time and the price was competitive. We got several bids but we felt like Vince listened to our wants and concerns told us what realistically could and couldn't be done. In the end I got everything I dreamed of and I can honestly say I was happy to write that check.

Thank you Vince and team for the great floor and vanity installation. Everything is perfect! The…read moremirror and new light fixtures look great too! You made it really easy for me from start to finish. Great wall repairs and painting makes the bathroom look pristine. I can't wait to have you and your team work on my next bathroom upgrades.

Two words: Pirate boobies! Damn, the corset-laden lasses abound here and there is enough cleavage…read morearound to make a mountain range of boobies. That's the best part. I saved it for first. Here comes the next part.. To quote the eponymous Eric Cartman from the episode of South Park that poked fun at theme parks (Cartmanland), "Lines! Lines! Lines!" I despise lines too, and though I'm no Cartman, I have a litany of dislikes I found here including my hate of the bright searing sun of the afternoon crisping my skin and sucking dry my hydration levels. Lessons: bring water people. And forms of shade. And all of your patience. And I guess bring your kids if you have spawned some. All your cash too - a frilly number you can get on the interwebs for $20 - 75 will cost you $40 - $300 here; I kid you not. After a few stalls like that I stopped trying to shop and just enjoyed the spectacle. We caught one of the "land/shore cannon battles" where loud canons were fired from shore and from a pirate ship of sorts. Honestly it was really loud and became hearing-hazard obnoxious quickly and then slowly by the 10th or 15th BOOM (see video). A man asked me afterward if I felt the vibration through the cement Boardwalk (no) and I answered in pirate, "aye, right in me clitty!" He looked intrigued and I quickly implemented my vanishing techniques. Anyhow besides that bit of dirty from yours truly it seemed great for kids, families, babies, strollers and outdoor-voice family showdowns in the parking lot (someone's feet *really* hurt). It's also a low-cost ($7-10 ticket) event ride with opportunity for corset aficionados, mermaids, princess-brides, steam punk and feather-laden folk and others looking to get more mileage out of their costumes or ren-wear or burnerwear or underwear.

Great time. Lots of amazing shows and music. The vendors are incredibly skilled and amaze me. Make…read moresure to order tickets ahead of time, they sold out for one of the days we planned to go so we had to shove the adventure into one day instead of two. Secondarily, GET THERE EARLY. Traffic and parking is crazy if you get there after opening.

Such a fun weekend. My husband competed in the amateur competition and took 2nd in chefs choice…read more There is food to purchase from all the major BBQ joints, lots of booths with jewelry and other stuff. Glasses were 16 or 17 bucks and came with 2 drink tickets. ( we brought an ice chest ). did i mention parking and admission is free? See ya next year!

2013's fest was a bit underwhelming compared to the far more magnificent 2012 spread. Much smaller…read morethis year, and it might surprise newbies to see only 3 options for BBQ for sale to guests (no sampling of the competitors unfortunately). The local standbys of Kinder's and Back Forty are great, and in 2013 Smokehouse 10 was there. Their line was huge and prices astronomical, so I showed loyalty to my locals. They were also both wise to offer a rib sampler, 3 ribs for around $6, while Smokehouse only offered full meal platters. Kinder's ribs were tasty and smoky, and man does their sauce just ROCK. Back Forty's ribs were equally yummy and just a bit more tender. If I could get Back Forty's ribs with Kinders' sauce, oh happy day! Vendors were also scaled down quite a bit, only a small cluster of people selling more knick-knack items. 2012 offered multiple vendors selling homemade BBQ sauces and rubs, which was one of my main reasons for returning this year so imagine by disappointment when I couldn't restock! There were also more fun vendors selling quality knives and handcrafted soaps - the vendor quality was drastically reduced. So hopefully 2014 will bring the cool folks back, otherwise I might have to pass in 2015. : /

"Professional quality races."…read more A few years back I decided to start racing, and most of the races I ran were with Brazen. They uniformly do an outstanding job. They also have a ton of volunteers who helped them out. They put on about 20 races per year. If you do every single one of them you win a special place called "streaker." Also, if you can run a 10K faster in minutes than your age, you get a special mention, as "ageless wonder." Now, if they could only make my legs go faster.

The best race organizers you'll ever find. The community they have built is a treasure covering the…read morebay area and beyond. Jasmin and Sam put their whole hearts into their business and it shows. They can greet so many of the racers by name and remember their stories. It truly feels like a family. Plus It's Its!!! I run for the ice cream

I just applied for a service technician position with over ten years of experience with the…read morecompetition. Apparently I don't have what PepsiCo is looking for lol. Your servicing sugar water Pepsi. Not curing cancer. Just wow!

Very fun but staff were kinda mean next the spinny thing was not open next no flips the food wasread more

We have an amazing experience at Urban Air each time! The facility is always clean,…read morewell-maintained, and had so many fun activities for all my girls. The staff is friendly, helpful, and always greets us with a smile. Special shout out to Giovanny aka lil gio For make my girls feel welcomed each time.