Five Things — Bears, Beats and Sunshine

It's TUESDAY, Feb. 22, and today is supposed to be sunny with highs in the upper 50s. That's good news for the flowers, soggy hillsides and those of us who can sneak out for a walk in the warmth on a non-holiday. The rest of us can gaze longingly out the window and look forward to the next long weekend, or the not-so-distant summer vacation. Meanwhile, back at the Five Things ranch:

1. If today includes a park visit, why not spend some time in as featured in this past weekend's Park of the Week feature? This is a small but lovely Martinez park, next to John Muir Elementary School, and is sort of a hidden gem. It features a creek, mature trees and the kind of pastoral landscape that our fair city is definitely not known for if you don't happen to live here. 
2. Once again, the Planning Commission has cancelled its meeting tonight, making this the second meeting this month that has been nixed. Members are no doubt just resting up for a March Madness situation, because the panel is no stranger to controversy.
3. The Zoning Adminstrator does have a meeting at  on Wednesday, however, and one of the items involves locating a Bail Bond office on Ferry Street. The meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the City Hall board room on the second floor, 525 Henrietta St. 
4. If you want to get a very, very early start on gift giving, take your kids to Build A Bear in Walnut Creek, where, for $10 to $15, you and your child can construct a teddy bear and (of course) accessorize and dress the creature (for an extra charge). The store is at 1248 Broadway in Walnut Creek.
5. And finally, the beat goes on at the Tuesday Drum Circle at Nancy Boyd Park, from 6 to 7 p.m. The event is open to everyone, and if you don't have your own percussion instrument, one will be provided. This is truly an effective way to relieve stress and brighten your mood after a hard day.