Meet Your Neighbors
We are very happy to welcome you to Happy Valley and introduce you to some of our favorite spots around town.
The Happy Valley Improvement Association includes a small board of dedicated men and women who work to beautify our community and bring residents together. You may notice a smattering of daffodils bordering the entrances to Happy Valley or some well-placed birdhouses on various stop signs and posts or a paved walking trail. These are some of our projects.
On the horizon are some fun events – like a Bird House hunt, wine tasting, or a neighborhood clean-up day. Please join us!
We have prepared this guide to highlight some of the generous contributors to your welcome basket. Although our community has a bounty of excellent restaurants and stores, these are just a few of the locally-owned, family businesses that make our neighborhood a small town.
We hope you will explore and feel at home.
Sincerely,
Mark Dunaway (President)
on behalf of the HVIA Board of Directors
mark@hvia.org
Dan and Sibhan Stokes, Connie Collierand Daniel Collier
3615 Mt. Diablo Boulevard
When Betty and Ed Stokes left Ashville, North Carolina, they had already worked together at Betty’s father’s feed store and A&P Grocery. Once in California, Ed studied at Cal and worked nights at the U-Save in Berkeley while Betty raised their two children and helped out in meat wrapping....
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Paul and Laura Magu
960 Moraga Road ~ (925) 385-0793
Talking with Paul Magu is “a little bit of Paris in Lafayette.” Our community’s French chef was born in Gabon, adopted by French diplomats and trained at the prestigious Ferrandi Culinary School in Paris.
After mastering his craft at Le Bristol and Gerard Besson in Paris, he was offered a job at...
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Parry Tong
3565 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 299-8700
Downtown Lafayette’s premier architectural icon is the old post office built in 1936 by the famous “Storybook” architect, Carr Jones. The dramatic brick exterior, a soaring glass atrium and a cozy grand fireplace welcome you as you pass through the now wine-lined tunnel to the center of the building. The site has...
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Jesse Wellen
3319 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 283-1190
There is a wooden platform at Lafayette Car Wash that kids can use to get a better view of the undeniably fascinating process of a mechanical car wash. My husband stood on this platform when he was in grammar school, our kids grew up begging to see the show and someday perhaps...
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Tom and Rosylyn Stenzel
3571 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 385-0259
Tom Stenzel had a long and illustrious career with Levi Strauss in Detroit, Chicago and San Francisco. In 2012, he and his wife Rosylyn decided to take a leap of faith and open their own store in their hometown of Lafayette. Venture Quality Goods is a family-run “community center” of...
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4000 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 283-4000
Opened “from the ground up” in 1999, this all-inclusive, family-oriented and 3,600-member club is part fitness center, part gymnasium, part spa and all around delightful location to workout, tone up or just relax. There are two heated pools, spin classes, court sports and massage therapists. You can also take a Pilates or TRX...
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Rudy and Betty Winnacker
3645 “C” Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 385-3026
Rudy got his start in the printed word by delivering the Oakland Tribune as a kid. He later studied philosophy at Cal and worked as a research gofer for Lawrence Livermore Labs, spending a lot of time in libraries. Later, his long career in high tech digital publishing made...
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David Harrison
3591 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 299-9866
David Harrison moved to Lamorinda and realized a childhood dream. “I’m the kid in the candy store who gets to buy the whole thing,” the San Diego native said as we toured around Zoonie’s, an old-time candy, toy, fudge, gelato and hand-made chocolate truffle shop that caters to community fun. The original...
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3600 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 299-0500
Four local Acalanes graduates grew up and grew frustrated that they couldn’t take their kids out for pizza and also get a nice glass of wine and a fresh salad. So, they decided to go into the restaurant business.
Pizza Antica is the anchor dining establishment in mid-town Lafayette. The neighborhood has grown up...
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James Moore and Erika Pringsheim
3524 Mt. Diablo Boulevard ~ (925) 284-4422
Sure, Lafayette is a suburb, but that doesn’t mean we have to eat like we are in the suburbs! “Merging urban sophistication with a relaxed attitude,” Metro is a stylish destination serving big city food. There is a huge outdoor patio, a full bar and a robust menu with...
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