Hi friends! We need your help! 💚
We’ve been nominated for Best Local Realtor Company in Benicia, and we’d be so honored to have your vote.
If we’ve ever had the privilege of helping you, your family, or someone you referred, would you take 30 seconds to vote for us? Your support means more than you know.
Vote here: https://bestofbenicia.voterfly.com/Category/View/13601
Thank you for your continued support and for allowing us to serve this amazing community!
– The Twin Oaks Real Estate Team
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🌊Discover This Week’s Best Events & Experiences
Celebrate summer with live entertainment, local markets, plant bingo night, car meets and fun for all ages throughout the East Bay.
📅 This Weekend at a Glance
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🎊 The Blues & Brews Celebration
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🎨 Art Under the Oaks
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📖 The Bookout
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🎈 Joybound Community Movie Night: Up
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🖼️ The Local Artists Market
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🚘 The Cars & Crafts Gathering
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👕 The Summer Makers Market
Scroll for full details 👇
Spotlight:
🎊 15th Annual Pleasant Hill Blues & Brews Festival
📍Pleasant Hill Park | Pleasant Hill, CA
📅 Fri, July 17, 2026 | 6 PM – 9 PM
Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 4 PM – 9 PM
🎟️ Free
Cheers to 15 Years! The East Bay’s favorite weekend of blues and brews is officially back, and we’ve got your ultimate guide to navigating the music, food, and tasting passes.
Here is the daily lineup of activities:
Friday Night (July 17): The Country Pre-Party 🤠 Kick off the weekend with “Country Music Night” sponsored by local favorite Back Forty Texas BBQ! Enjoy live music from Secret Sauce and Jewel Hanson & Co. while grabbing dinner from local food trucks and sipping a cold drink. Entry is free.
Saturday Night (July 18): The Main Event 🍻 The party ramps up with a massive lineup of zydeco, reggae, and pop/rock from Andre Thierry, Native Elements, and Pop Rocks. If you’re a beer lover, grab a Brewers Tasting Pass* for unlimited pours from local favorites like Altamont, Ghost Town, and Epidemic Ales. There’s also a free KidZone, local craft vendors, and tons of food trucks!
*The Brewers Tasting Pass grants those 21+ access to the shaded Beer Garden for unlimited craft beer tastings from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM for $45. Single-pour beer and wine tickets will also be available on-site for $10.
More Events This Weekend
🎨Alden Lane Nursery’s annual Art
📍Alden Lane Nursery | 981 Alden Lane, Livermore, CA
📅 Saturday & Sunday, July 18 & 19, 2026 | 10 AM – 4 PM
🎟️Free (And parking is free, too!)
Cheers to 36 years of Art Under the Oaks! 🎨🌳
Escape the summer heat this weekend by strolling through a gorgeous grove of historic, towering oak trees while discovering incredible handmade works from over 35 local artists. Whether you’re hunting for the perfect garden sculpture, wanting to taste award-winning Livermore wines, or just looking to enjoy a lobster roll under the shade, this free community festival is the ultimate weekend wind-down.
Here is what you can look forward to each day:
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The Wine: Local Livermore wineries (including Wente, McGrail, Arroyo Cellars, Del Valle, and JMC Cellars) will be pouring tastes. The best part? All tasting booth profits go directly to the LARPD Foundation to support local parks and recreation!
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The Food: They’ll have Taco Madre and SmoothieLicious all weekend, plus Wonder Philly (Saturday only) and the famous Cousin’s Maine Lobster truck (Sunday only).
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The Art & Music: Over 35 local artists will be showcasing their work while live bands play blues, roots, and acoustic sets all weekend.
FOR MORE INFO: Click the Image
📖THE BOOKOUT
📍Prescott Market West | 1620 18th St, Oakland, CA
📅 Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM
🎟️Free
Discover a world of imagination! 📚✨
Bring the kiddos to Prescott Market in West Oakland this Saturday morning for The Bookout, a magical family story hour and crafting event partnered with the legendary Marcus Books. Designed for kids ages 0–8 (and their creative grown-ups), the morning features lively read-alouds of books written by local authors, followed by a hands-on art activity.
The space opens at 9:30 AM—come early to grab a seat before we dive into some engaging stories about world-making and outer space. Stories will start at 10:00 am sharp. Expect lively read-alouds, art activities, and a space for young readers and their families to connect and explore the joy of storytelling.
💡Insider Tip: Stick around after storytime! Prescott Market is hosting a live music and local Dog Market pop-up immediately after, making it the perfect spot to grab some lunch, let the kids play in the outdoor sandbox, and enjoy the sun.
🎈Joybound Community Movie Night: Up
📍Joybound Pavillion | 2890 Mitchell Dr., Walnut Creek, CA
📅Friday, July 17, 2026 | Doors open at 6 PM
🎟️Sliding scale donation of $5 – $10 per person
Adventure is out there! 🎈🏠
Grab your family, your besties, and yes—even your well-behaved pup—for a special indoor/outdoor screening of Disney Pixar’s Up at the Joybound People & Pets campus. Held in their spacious Pavilion, this incredibly family-friendly night features delicious concessions, cool beverages, and pet treats available for purchase. It’s the ultimate feel-good Friday night, with all registration proceeds directly supporting local shelter animals and community programs!
💡Insider Tip: Arrive a little early! Joybound’s adoption floor is open until 7:00 PM on Fridays, so you can swing by and sneak in some cuddles with their adorable adoptable cats and dogs before the movie starts.
🖼️Local Artist & Artisians Market
📍Civic Park | 1375 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek, CA
📅 Fri-Sun | July 17-19, 2026 | 10 AM – 5 PM
🎟️Free
A celebration of local creativity! 🎨✨
Downtown Walnut Creek is transforming Civic Park into a vibrant open-air gallery this weekend for the three-day Local Artist & Artisans Market. Stroll through the park under the shady trees to discover one-of-a-kind, handmade treasures from the Bay Area’s best painters, sculptors, jewelry designers, and pottery makers. It’s the perfect place to grab a unique home decor piece, sample some gourmet local treats, or just enjoy a sunny afternoon supporting independent small businesses.
💡Insider Tip: Skip the parking headache! Civic Park is just a short, flat 10-minute walk from the Walnut Creek BART station, making it incredibly easy to take transit and avoid looking for downtown garage spots.
🚘Car Meet and Craft Market
📍Fourth Street Maker’s Row | 1919 Fourth St, Berkeley, CA
📅 Saturday, July 18, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
🎟️ Free
Where horsepower meets handmade! 🚗🎨
Cruise down to Fourth Street Maker’s Row in Berkeley this Saturday morning for a one-of-a-kind Car Meet & Craft Market. Automotive culture collides with local creativity as you browse a stunning lineup of custom Toyota and Lexus builds at the TOYUS car meet. While you check out the cars, you can shop a beautifully curated market of local Bay Area makers, grab some delicious street eats and craft coffee, and vibe to live local music. It’s the perfect, lively weekend hangout for car enthusiasts and local supporters alike!
💡Insider Tip: If you own a clean Toyota or Lexus build and want to show it off in the display lot, make sure to register ahead of time by shooting a quick DM to @toyusparty on Instagram!
👕Faction Brewing Summer Market
📍Faction Brewing | 2501 Monarch St, Alameda, CA
🗓️Saturday | July 18, 2026 | 1 PM – 6 PM
🎟️Free
Sip, shop, and soak in the skyline! 🌊🛍️
Head out to the Naval Air Station in Alameda this Saturday for Faction Brewing’s Summer Market. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the San Francisco skyline, this open-air waterfront market features a curated lineup of 40 amazing local artists, makers, and small businesses. Browse unique handmade jewelry, local honey, custom apparel, and home decor, all while enjoying a cold craft pint and grabbing some delicious local food truck eats.
💡Insider Tip: Because Faction is located right on the wide-open, former naval airstrip, they don’t have patio umbrellas due to the intense Bay winds. This means it can go from blindingly sunny to incredibly windy and chilly in a matter of minutes. Definitely wear sunscreen, bring sunglasses, and pack a light jacket or hoodie so you’re ready for the microclimate!
Free to attend. (To see the listed Vendors, click the Image)
🍝The Ultimate “Best New Restaurant”
in the East Bay!
📍1616 N Main St. Walnut Creek, CA
⏰Monday – Thursday 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM | Friday 4:30 PM to 10 PM
Saturday 11:30 AM to 11 PM | Sunday 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
(Happy Hours) Monday – Thursday 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
🎟️ Starts at $8
If you haven’t made it over to Walnut Creek’s newest culinary hotspot yet, let this be your sign to book a table immediately. Doppio Zero officially opened its doors on North Main Street in June, bringing its award-winning, globally acclaimed Southern Italian magic right to our backyard.
Famous for pillow-soft Neapolitan pizzas spun from premium 00 flour and baked in a blistering 900°F wood-fired dome, they are serving up absolute perfection alongside scratch-made pastas and incredible handcrafted cocktails. It’s vibrant, cozy, and easily the most delicious addition to the downtown dining scene this year.
💡Insider Tip: Do not leave without ordering the Doppio Zero Pizza. It features a decadent mountain of creamy burrata, 24-month aged Prosciutto di Parma, fresh arugula, and extra virgin olive oil. Pair it with their legendary homemade Fettuccine Oxtail (slow-braised for 24 hours in a rich Chianti wine reduction) and you’ll instantly understand why this place is taking the East Bay by storm!
The Claim to Fame: Certified internationally by the Vera Pizza Napoletana association and celebrated for bringing authentic Southern Italian traditions, handmade pastas, and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza to the Bay Area since 2014.
Find their “MENU” here.
🏠 Just Listed: East Bay Homes You’ll Love
1118 Bush Avenue, Vallejo, CA
4 BEDS | 3 BATHS | 2,302 SQFT
Welcome to this spacious 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom home offering over 2,300 sq. ft. of living space on an expansive 13,000 sq. ft. lot in the highly desirable Glen Cove neighborhood. Fresh interior paint, updated front exterior paint, and recently renovated decks create a warm and welcoming first impression. The main level features a bright living room, dining room, kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, and a private side deck perfect for relaxing. Downstairs, you’ll find a full bedroom and full bathroom with a separate entrance, plus additional living and dining space—ideal for extended family, guests, or potential rental income (buyer to verify). An unfinished basement provides even more possibilities for storage, a workshop, or future expansion. Step outside to a backyard deck overlooking an in-ground pool that’s ready for your personal vision. With solid bones, generous space, and endless potential, this is a fantastic opportunity to create your dream home in one of Vallejo’s most sought-after neighborhoods.
1243 Fairway Dr, Richmond, CA
3 BEDS | 2.5 BATHS | 2,549 SQFT
Welcome to 1243 Fairway Drive, Richmond, a rare, beautifully updated home with an impressive list of upgrades and amenities. Inside, enjoy a fully updated kitchen, new flooring downstairs, recessed lighting, fresh interior paint, a large primary suite with a walk-in closet, and an indoor heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi. New sewer lateral also completed. Additional features include: newer central heat unit, professional seismic retrofitting, solarium/sunroom, built-in stone BBQ/firepit, water pond, fruit trees, two storage sheds, and a 240V EV charger. There is also a flex space /additional room downstairs. HOA amenities include a tennis court, basketball court, community pool, RV parking, clubhouse, and playground.
601 Van Ness Avenue 212, San Francisco, CA
1 BEDS | 1 BATHS | 706 SQFT
Discover sophisticated city living at Opera Plaza, where comfort, convenience, and culture converge in one of San Francisco’s most desirable central locations. This inviting unit overlooks iconic Van Ness Avenue, offering a vibrant urban backdrop that captures the energy and charm of the city. Residents enjoy an impressive array of amenities, including 24-hour security and concierge service, a heated swimming pool and spa, fitness center, sauna, basketball and racquetball courts, and beautifully maintained common areas. The HOA dues cover water, sewer, trash, high-speed internet, building maintenance, building insurance, earthquake insurance, and amenities. Located in the heart of the city, Opera Plaza is just moments from City Hall, the San Francisco Symphony, the Civic Center, and a variety of restaurants, cafes, grocery stores, and public transportation options, making it easy to enjoy everything San Francisco has to offer. This residence offers an exceptional opportunity to embrace the very best of San Francisco living in a secure, amenity-rich community. Perfect as a primary residence, second home, or investment, Opera Plaza combines timeless appeal with an unbeatable location at the center of it all. Don’t miss out!
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☀️ East Bay Summer Starts Here!
Summer is heating up across the East Bay! From live music and art shows to makers markets, classic cars, and family-friendly fun, these local events are the perfect way to make the most of your weekend. 🌞
Ryan DeAmaral
Co-Writer, Twin Oaks Insider
