We were driving by 580 when hunger overcame us, so we exited on Portola and ended at
Strizzi's (the very same one which used to have an ad in every slot of KKIQ's rotation). Strizzi's is amuzing, but it's not what I wanted to write about. The new downtown. It's the first time I see it.
Livermore's government is a bunch of disgusting jerks, who narrowed the main street from 2 lanes each way to 1 lane, in hopes to make it unbearable for those travelling by Route 84. The idea was that people who travel to Livermore's downtown do not care how hard it is to get there, and thus, would not be deterred. Basically, they want the same downtown as Pleasanton has.
It's the new urbanism and social engineering at its finest. It's so offensive that it literally drives me mad with rage. After visiting it, I decided never spend a cent in that snakepit again.
Also, it's not much of a downtown, truth to be told. Strizi's is about the only place where a decent food may be had. By contrast, Pleasanton is lined with dozens of fine establishements. Seriously, people, way to go wasting public money.
Even Dan Bilbrey has done it much better. He did not dig up the 11th. I actually like the 10th and Central, it's just that populating them with anything interesting must be a freaking chore. My most liked place, Pizza & Pasta Kitchen, faces 11th. Fabio's is expensive, dark, omnious, drafty. Magellan's is the best place in town, period, but it's even more expensive, and drafty as well (I see a pattern - I pay top dollar to catch a good cold in this town), and located off the far end of Central. But I'm optimistic. At least our government is not a gang of sociopaths.
