The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
QUESTION: What’s your favorite thing about Contra Costa County?
Talk about it.
Memories of what once was
Many years ago, I gave my mother (visiting from London) a tour of Contra Costa County.
We went to the nice suburban residential areas, the industrial part (the refineries in Martinez), the agricultural part (down Morgan Territory Road), the nice shopping areas (Broadway Plaza, Sun Valley), top of Mt. Diablo – all the different aspects.
And that’s what I like about Contra Costa – it’s not all one thing. It has different areas with different things going on.
Central County, the Diablo Valley. All things considered, it’s still a nice place to live.
The soros-backed DA.
I know where everything is and how to get there. It is centrally located and has some interesting places. Plus I have good neighbors, well except for one.
Ditto. Most every place I need to shop is close. Doesn’t make the car repair shop very happy though. 😄
My grandchildren and their Mommy and Daddy.
Almost everything, especially in our little piece of it in Clayton. The biggest negatives are traffic and the fact that it’s in such a dysfunctional state with too many liberals (which results in it being a dysfunctional state).
The question was what do you LIKE about it. There has to be someone who’s negative.
As I noted, I like almost everything about living here. Among the things I like are the weather, the natural beauty for a suburban area, the fact that you can do almost anything you want within a 4 hour drive, such as the Sierras, Monterey Peninsula, beaches, North Coast, Napa and Sonoma Valleys, close to most of our children and all of our grandchildren (14 so far), the fact that much of the housing in Clayton is spread out. Easy access to air travel with three major airports is a plus also. There are also two world class race tracks close by, Laguna Seca (one of my happy places) and Sonoma. I don’t think there is any place in the country that has this combination of goodness. We’ve been in Clayton for 45 years and have no plans to leave.
I feel pretty much the same way. I have lived in the City, then my ex and I bought a house in Marin, (Marinwood) where we lived for 6 years, when we wanted a bigger house we moved to Foster City, due to it being closer to friends and my husbands work, I stayed in Foster City after my divorce until my daughter went of to college. I sold my town house and bought a nice condo in Benicia. I never missed Foster City, I loved Benicia for the reasons you are stating, and Benicia is a quiant little town. I moved to Concord because when I stopped being self employed I had to cross the bridge everyday, so Concord was the next best to Benicia. As you mentioned this area is close to many places. Some of my friends thought I moved to the end of the earth when I moved to Benicia, I had to remind them that it was closer to places I loved to visit, Clear Lake, Tahoe, Wine Country. When friends visited instead of figthing traffic we would drive to Napa or Sonoma for dinner, and of course I can do the same from Concord. I don’t mind living here, but I prefer Benicia, at least I’m still close to it.
Use to be ease of traffic, polite, friendly, courteous people, clean on time public transportation (BART), nice shopping without parking hassle, safe neighborhoods, good restaurants in the area (Scott’s, WC Railroad Car, Velvet turtle, Love’s BBQ Pit BBQ, El Charro, King Tsing, El Papagallo,, etc.), general feeling of safety walking or shopping at AVM, WC Broadway Plaza, etc. ….. now? … .not so much…..
We have excellent community colleges.
Compared to San Francisco and Oakland it looks like paradise
I would say the good kind people. The ones that care…care unconditionally. You know who you are and should be proud of it. A caring county never hurt anyone 🙂
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I like Central Contra Costa because most people are friendly, the neighborhoods are relatively clean, and people, in general, seem to be more intelligent.
East County suburbs look like every other place that is newly developed. No character.. a place of anonymity. Commutervilles. The older parts are s-holes (rural areas excluded).
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West County is old, too dense, and lacks visual order. CoCo should transfer it to Alameda County.
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I have to agree when moving to Benicia from Foster City, I found the neighbors to be very friendly and always willing to help, the same in Concord, Foster City not so much.
I couldn’t agree more Ricardoh.
Knowing that if I become homeless, there are many waterfront places available to set up home 🙂 Plus, easy freeway access!
Gotta love our do-nothing DA.
History of the area, access to all service needs, centralized location, beauty and views to name a few.
KIRKER PASS ROAD.
I love that road and the history behind the name honoring James Kirker (1793-1852).
What a rugged individual he was. I can’t believe there has never been a movie made about him and his exploits.
https://tinyurl.com/3ewsyb6z
He was not a good man, a bit of a jerk. Not something a community would want to celebrate.
@ Bill Bob ~ “Judge not lest ye be judged”
Was he bad for fighting for America in the war of 1812?
Was he bad for saving so many Mexican citizens from Apache Indian raids?
Was he bad for siding with the Americans and fighting against Mexican soldiers?
2 sides to every story……
Mt. Diablo. It’s a landmark seen from most of the county. It’s beautiful and a great place to visit!
Driving the back roads. Gorgeous countryside. Farmers markets, half rural pockets, huge trees, creeks, wild grasses and flowers. Spring! Fall! Places where the metro-ghetto cultures haven’t sullied yet.