Comment of the Week: Fired Up About Martinez

with an outpouring of appreciation for all the great changes happening in Martinez. Here's what he said:

I'm really fired up about all that is going on in Martinez. My family and I so appreciate of all the things that this town has to offer. Some of our favorite places and improvements this summer:

1) Playing and swimming at Rankin Park - the tunnel slide is one of the best in the East Bay.

2) The amazing growth at the Center Avenue Community Garden (just celebrated its two-year anniversary) - it's one of my favorite spots to work, harvest, play, and learn about agriculture and gardening. If you're at all interested in these things, it's definitely worth a stop to stroll around.

3) Dinner downtown and Friday night music on Main Street - I've seen a lot of dicussion on patch about the various places to eat, and it's so cool to see how many choices we have. I really like the new outdoor seating, and saw today new platforms in front of Pacifica Pizza, Lemongrass, Haute Stuff, Tapatia, and Liugi's, as well as others sprinkled around already. Our kids have been digging mac and cheese at Smokey D's, and then dancing away with the bands on Fridays. I'm also looking forward to trying out Barrel Aged, and taking in a glass of wine at Compass Star or Roxx on Main. On a side note, the transformation inside Liugi's is pretty sweet. It's a perfect corner for a deli!

4) Reading up on some of the Historic houses on the streets around town. I saw one that hosted Joe Dimaggio's wedding reception.

5) The new sports complexes at the Marina - great for the community!

What changes in Martinez are you most excited about? What makes you proud of your city? Share your thoughts in the comments.