Benicia Magazine December 2012

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Beef Wellington:

Resurrecting Reserecting and simplifying a culinary classic

Fashionable watches make timely gifts

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4 • Benicia Magazine

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 5

Benicia Magazine DECEMBER VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2

16

11

16

Features Feeding the hungry in Solano and Contra Costa Counties Fashionably fun watches for a timely gift

20 Beef Wellington: An elegant classic for the holidays 22 Healthier holiday snacking

Departments 8 From the Editor 14 Currents

Readers Respond: The highs and lows of 2012 Six great titles for winter reading

30 Fashionista

A fashionable year in review

32 Listening

Featured musician Barbara Hamm

24 Map of downtown Benicia

32 Live Music Calendar

26 Map of Benicia Arsenal

34 December Calendar of Events

28 Interview

Bonnie Silveria, lifelong Benician and community volunteer

6 • Benicia Magazine

Cover photo by Jerry Bowles: Living succulent wreath, available at Joyous Spaces, Benicia Photo, top, by Jerry Bowles. Art Glass watch, Lindsay Art Glass; paperweight, private collection

Community News Need additional copies? Contact the Community Relations office: Valero Benicia Refinery, 3400 East Second Street, Benicia, CA 94510

Twenty-six children’s charities were selected as 2012 Benefit for Children grant recipients last month, sharing in $350,000. Refinery employees nominated the charities for the annual grants.

Several Benicia non-profit organizations were among those receiving a grant.

Valero’s sponsorship of the 2012 Valero Texas Open and Benefit for Children Golf Classic, held each spring, generates these charitable funds. Companies doing business with Valero help sponsor

707-745-7534 December 2012

the Benefit for Children Golf Classic and the funds are distributed in communities where Valero operates.

“These gifts enable our community agencies to continue their good work for the many children they serve,” said Vice President and General Manager John Hill.

Since 2001, the Benicia Refinery has awarded more than $3.5 million in grants to children’s charities from the Benefit for Children proceeds.

The 2012 Benefit for Children grant recipients are: Bay Area Crisis Nursery Benicia Ballet School and Theatre Benicia Community Action Council Benicia Education Foundation Benicia Historical Museum Benicia Youth Soccer Boys & Girls Club of El Sobrante Camp Taylor Children’s Nurturing Project Continentals of Omega Boys & Girls Club Cornerstone Assisted Riding & Equitherapy Court Appointed Special Advocates of Solano

Covenant House East Bay College Fund Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Girl Scouts of Northern California Horseplay Therapeutic Riding Center HopeKids Matt Garcia Foundation Loma Vista Farm Royal Family Kids Camps St. Basil’s Youth Group Sea Scouts – SSS Albatross Vacaville Neighborhood Boys & Girls Club Vacaville Swim Club Western Railway Museum

Top: Benicia Ballet Artistic Director Margaret Kenrick, Jenna Anderson, Benicia Ballet Administrator Dalene Waranietz, Luna Esmerode, Valero employee and Benicia resident Susan Linn.

Bottom: Benicia Youth Soccer Benicia Youth Soccer President Pete Fiori, Shawn Swienton, Director Of Coaching Alex Lobban Photos by Jim Hill

Refinery’s Lime Waste Diverted from Landfill

The Valero Benicia Refinery continues to expand its longstanding recycling programs which not only reduces costs, but also improves the refinery’s competitiveness.

Recently, the refinery found a way to improve its environmental footprint and

save money at the same time through a unique initiative.

Raw, untreated water used in the refining process is softened with lime, resulting in about 2,000 tons of lime sludge annually. Previously, this sludge was considered waste and was transported to a

local landfill at a considerable cost.

Now, the lime waste is used in Valero’s wastewater treatment plant to improve the treatment process. This reduces the amount of water treatment chemicals the refinery must purchase and diverts tons of waste from the landfill.

Fast Facts: Voluntary Protection Program STAR Site recognized Safety First: Learn more at www.ready.gov/build-a-kit Since 2006, the refinery has been a Cal/OSHA

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 7

From the Editor December 2012

Photo by Joe Messina

As 2012 marches rapidly to its conclusion, I’ve been thinking about the faces, places and activities that have inspired me over the year. Inspiration is often born of struggle, and through our community struggles, I’ve been impressed by the folks who have shown passion, commitment and statesmanship in wending through a process to get things done. All too often on a local, regional or national stage, greed, pettiness and bickering overshadow results. But here in our little burb, statesmanship is alive and well. The art of constructive debate, measured response and respecting the opinions of others is practiced by enough key players that impressive community improvements are getting accomplished.

First on the list would be the Benicia State Parks Association members’ willingness to keep slogging through the muck of state politics, before, during and after the $54 million State Parks scandal, to prevent the shuttering of the Benicia State Capitol and the closing of the Benicia State Recreation Area. It requires ongoing diplomacy and wisdom by dedicated, unpaid volunteers.

Second is our city council and the City’s Economic Development Department’s commitment to tourism, which has resulted in articles about Benicia by Sunset Magazine, the Los Angels Times and the San Francisco Chronicle, among others; the passing of the Downtown Business Improvement District and the lighting downtown’s trees, which, by all accounts of those who witnessed the test lighting in November, is pure magic.

The third is Benicia’s arts and cultural organizations and other nonprofits that are trying to find ways to stay alive through outreach and collaborations with each other in an era of decreased funding. It isn’t easy to do this type of work and my hat is off to those who stay positive and think creatively. There are many, many passionate people in town who work tirelessly behind the scenes, often un-thanked. They are making a real difference for all of us, from volunteering in our schools to give our children the best chance at a good education to serving on committees and commissions to clothing the poor and feeding the hungry.

Speaking of feeding the hungry, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is doing just that by collecting the massive amounts of food needed to provide meals to folks who cannot provide for themselves. The statistics are shocking: FBCCS reports that one in six children in the two counties do not know where their next meal is coming from. Benicia Magazine is hosting a Virtual Food Drive for folks who are too busy to purchase canned goods and/or take them to a collection bin. To donate virtually, just visit the web link below. The food bank donates to Benicia and other communities via organizations like the Benicia Community Action Council. (See the story on page 11.)

Finally, in order to better serve readers, it is with great pleasure that I can announce our new office location in downtown Benicia. We are opening at 611 First Street on November 30. You can stop by to purchase extra magazines or logo wear, sign up for our free events e-newsletter, WEEKENDS, join us on social networking sites, offer story ideas or just say hello. We also have an actual food bin you can donate to during the month of December. Best wishes for the happiest of holidays to readers—it is my hope that you will always find inspiration in these pages.

Make a difference—donate to our Virtual Food Drive! www.foodbankccs.org/beniciamagdrive

Jeanne Steinmann

Tweet, post or send your suggestions & ideas to: editor@beniciamagazine.com www.beniciamagazine.com 8 • Benicia Magazine

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Benicia Magazine’s Free weekly event guide

Weekends Top six picks for Bay Area events, sent to your inbox every Wednesday "What are we doing this weekend?"

Sign up online at beniciamagazine.com

Benicia

magazine

Celebrating our 8th Year

Benicia Editor Jeanne Steinmann Graphic Design Margaret Bowles

magazine

Web Specialist Yarrow Sweningsen

Benicia

Special Projects/Advertising Coordinator Joey Baker Contributors Rhonda Lucile Hicks Christina Strawbridge Sue Sumner-Moore

magazine

Contributing Photographer Jerry Bowles Editorial deadlines The 1st of the month prior to the issue month

Advertising sales 707.853.5226 adsales@beniciamagazine.com Advertising deadlines New ads: the 5th of the month prior to the issue month Ad changes: the 1st of the month prior to the issue month

Contact Us 707.853.5226, Beniciamagazine.com editor@beniciamagazine.com Administration Office Manager Risë Goebel Copy Editor/proofreader Beth Steinmann

Beniciamagazine.com 10 • Benicia Magazine

Benicia Magazine is published monthly by Polygon Publishing, LLC Copyright © 2012, all rights reserved. Contents of Benicia Magazine cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed in Benicia Magazine editorial or advertisements are those of the authors and advertisers, and may not reflect the opinion of Benicia Magazine’s management or publisher.

Subscriptions $18.00 per year. Benicia Magazine, P.O. Box 296, Benicia, CA 94510. 707.853.5226, beniciamagazine.com.

Feeding the Hungry

Virtually What’s for dinner? It’s a question we ask ourselves daily. The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties (FBCCS) answers that question for 149,000 of our neighbors every month, an increase of 12.9% since the fall of 2010. Last year alone the FBCCS supplied 13 million meals through its direct distribution system that services 175 organizations within the two counties. “One in four people (in Contra Costa and Solano Counties) are at risk of hunger,” according to Lisa Sherrill, Community Relations Manager for the FBCCS, “which means they’re not certain where their next meal will come from.” That’s quite a sobering statistic.

With over 70,000 square feet of warehouse space in Fairfield and Concord, the Food Bank purchases food by the truckload including milk, eggs, bread, fresh produce and nonperishable items. It’s a resource for the Benicia Community Action Council and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. FBCCS operates primarily on cash donations and

food drives. 95 cents of every dollar is spent on the food program by providing prepared bags of food for individuals, or hot meals accessed through non-profit organizations.

While traditional food drives are still effective, FBCCS has a new alternative initiative, a Virtual Food Drive. A Virtual Food Drive allows everyone with access to the internet the ability to donate with the click of a button, just like online shopping. No need to go to the grocery store and purchase non-perishables and take them to a Food Drive collection area. Now, through the power of technology, feeding the hungry and helping our neighbors is easy.

Benicia Magazine is hosting its own Virtual Food Drive. To donate, visit foodbankccs.org/beniciamagdrive and select the items to be donated, then proceed to checkout. FBCCS buys in bulk so dollars spent at the Virtual Food Drive go farther and provide more meals to the many people in need. B BeniciaMagazine.com • 11

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12 • Benicia Magazine

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This month’s question:

WhaT Are your highs and lows of 2012?

XXXXX

Casey Garcia High: Seeing the Benicia High School Panther Band (and two of my kids) march down 5th Avenue in the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City!

Katie Ferguson Hetrick High: Moving to Benicia from Sacramento.

Low: Discovering there aren't enough tennis courts here! (That is a VERY good low to have!) We love living here!

Jane Cooper Miller High: Coming back to Benicia for a small family

reunion around two weddings, our Nephew and our son. Good laughs, love and fun had. Low: leaving to go back to San Pancho, Nayarit, Mexico and leave our family behind.

Wanda Cronin Heitzman

High: Welcoming my first granddaughter into this world. Low: The financial stress my husband & I have been going through.

Benicia Main Street High: This year we celebrated 25 years as a Main Street Program and applauded the fact that our Certified Farmers Market has brought farm fresh produce and throngs of shoppers downtown for 20 years. We’ve said ‘goodbye’ to some businesses on First Street and ‘hello’ to new ones—a silver-lining in these challenging economic times.

bookshop benicia’s

top picks for winter reading

my COUNTRY.

Jens I-man High: 4 more years Low: Windows 8 Mary Frances Kelly-Poh High: hubby retiring and going on a great

trip. Low was best friend from college diagnosed with cancer. She is doing well now.

Corby Selzer Our high wouldn't be without our lowest low…earlier this year our 7 month old son contracted infant botulism. Witnessing his full recovery has been the highlight of our year.

Annabel Marie High: A definite high for VOENA was going to the Olympics. Another high was writing a song called “America” honoring 58 Bay Area Olympians. VOENA premiered it during half-time at the 49ers game. Another dream that finally came true was launching VOENA in Benicia Schools. Low: The need for funds to serve a growing number of new, low income students.

Julia R Allen High: 4th of July family reunion including our annual visit to Myrtle Beach. Low: demonstrated hatred leading up to the election.

Colin Sherman Nelson High: Rejoining this wonderful community!

Low: Seeing La Rouche "Hitler" signs outside the post office. B Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power, by Jon Meacham, $35.00, Random House. A big (800 page) new biography by a Pulitzer Prize winning author takes on the political genius of Jefferson.

Great reviews.

NNNNNNN

Michelle Stansbury High: Buying a home in the best town ever, Benicia. Low: Passing of my mother in law who was to live with us in her new home.

Royce Brister High: My wife, my children, my family, my friends, and

The Black Box, by Michael Connelly, $27.99, Little Brown. My favorite fictional detective, Harry Bosch, reopens a cold case of a young photographer murdered during the LA riots. What a can of worms—plus he's having issues with his moody teenage daughter.

Never disturb me when I'm reading Connelly!

Dear Life: Stories, by Alice Munro, $26.95, Knopf. Nobody can write the short story like Munro. Her brilliance lies in finding the importance of life in the very ordinariness of it. Vivid and breathtaking writing.

Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Complete and Annotated, by Luke Dempsey, $50.00, Black Dog. Do you need every script, every setup, every snide remark, every silly walk? Of course you do!

The Yellow Birds, by Kevin Powers, $24.99, Little Brown. A deeply absorbing, amazing first novel from a young Iraqi war vet tracing the story and friendship of two very young American soldiers caught in fighting during the Iraq war.

Bouchon Bakery, by Thomas Keller, $50, (photo by Jerry Bowles pictured left) Artisan Publishers. A beautiful, yet practical cookbook with mouthwatering recipes and coffee table status.

Autographed copies available! B

14 • Benicia Magazine Currents

Dec Ben Mag vol8 v2.indd 14

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 15

Give the Gift of Time

Gillian Julius watch, $187, Be Chic Boutique, bechicbenicia.com

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Lanciani watch, $210, Studio 41, studio41.com

Art Glass watch, $293, Lindsay Art Glass, lindsayartglass.com

Geneva wrap watches, $30 each, Christina S, christinasbenicia.com

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16 • Benicia Magazine

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BENICIA

Main Street

Enjoy shopping at Benicia Main Street’s fundraising store at the Historic Depot, where you’ll find a variety of Benicia merchandise as well as a delicious selection of See’s Candies. The perfect stop for holiday gift giving!

Extended holiday hours on weekdays from December 12 -21, 9am - 7:30pm.

Open weekends from 11am-4pm.

For the entire month of December, with a purchase of $50 or more, get a free “I Love Benicia” reusable bag.

DOWNTOWN

Holidays

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Christmas Parade & Holiday Market Saturday, December 8

Join us for the annual Christmas Parade at 10am on First Street (between D Street and H Street), featuring local bands, dancers, and the much anticipated Santa Claus. The Holiday Market hours are 10am - 3pm, located on First Street between B and D Streets.

18 • Benicia Magazine

Benicia Main Street 90 First Street, Benicia 707-745-9791 www.BeniciaMainStreet.org

It’s A Wrap!

Saturday, December 22

Wrap up your holiday shopping on First Street. Downtown merchants have everything to cross those last minute gifts off your list!

Downtown Dollars

More than a gift certificate, Downtown Dollars are an experience! A day on the town, shopping with friends, dinner and drinks.

In $5 and $20 increments, Downtown Dollars are perfect for holiday giving.

Purchase at Benicia Main Street at 90 First Street.

beniciamainstreet.org BeniciaMagazine.com • 19

Beef n o t g n i ell WAn elegant

culinary classic

By Jeanne Steinmann Many of us, at some point in our lives, have come across Beef Wellington, an iconic British dish. The mere thought of it conjures up images of a bygone era of stodgy restaurants heavily draped in dark velvet and floral carpets. Why resurrect an old relic, and especially to attempt to pull it off in a home kitchen?

Done right, Beef Wellington makes a sublime, elegant holiday meal and with a few modifications, is actually quite simple to make. Served with mashed potatoes or cubed, roasted sweet potatoes, crusty rolls and buttered green beans, it will delight the palates of the most discerning guest.

Traditional Beef Wellington recipes take days to prepare. Our simplified version, start to finish, should take most home cooks under an hour to create the pastry-wrapped meat, that like a beautifully browned Thanksgiving turkey, makes an impressive entrance to your holiday table.

We made two Wellingtons using two different cuts of meat, with good success each time. Grass-fed, hormone-free beef tenderloin purchased at Berkeley Bowl cost $24 per pound, and USDA Choice Angus Beef fillet from Safeway cost approximately $13.50 per pound. Both had to be cut by the butcher for this recipe. Mike, the friendly butcher at Safeway, will cut the fillet while you wait if they don’t have any on hand (fillet steaks are too small). Make several small Wellingtons to feed a group rather than one large one, which is harder to wrap in dough.

There are four basic steps: brown the meat, sauté the shallots and mushrooms, top with the additions and wrap in dough. All ingredients can be purchased at Safeway and probably Raley’s (Raley’s employees were on strike at the time this story was produced).

Our recipe is for one small fillet or tenderloin. Both of our recipes yielded a lovely Wellington, but the crust didn’t stay intact when sliced. It’s still delicious, if a bit messy—the price you pay for shortcuts! B

20 • Benicia Magazine

Beef Wellington 1.5 lbs. beef filet or tenderloin 1 oz. liver pâté (or substitute gorgonzola or blue cheese) 4 large shallots, chopped fine 2 oz. brown mushrooms, chopped fine (about 10 small) 2 tbsp. unsalted butter 1 - 9" round refrigerated pie crust Salt and pepper to taste Au Jus 16 oz. low sodium beef broth 4 oz. good red wine if you Preheat oven to 425. Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste, but for 5 cook and pan shallow a in Place salt. can’t find low sodium broth, omit the . browned until or minutes 10 another cook and 400 to minutes, then turn heat ated accumul g preservin rack; a over minutes, 30 for sit let and oven from Remove tor if juices. The meat can be browned ahead of time and cooled in the refrigera shallots Chop towel. paper a with dry pat desired. If it’s still moist on the surface and mushrooms, cook in a small pan in 1 tbsp. butter for 10 minutes on medium the Spread meat. the of top the on pâté the Spread cool. to aside Set heat. low shallot shallot mixture on top of the pâté. If you are using gorgonzola, spread and dough of center in meat Place top. on mixture on first, then crumble cheese seam. the seal to pinch Gently ends. long the then first, wrap short ends over is meant Return to oven for 15 minutes or until dough is a rich brown. The meat gently, boils it until broth to be served pink in the center. Meanwhile, cook the side. the on serve d; thickene then add wine and cook until slightly 2-3 servings

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Trees are one of the most important landscape investment decisions.

Please consider • Function, aesthetics, shade, windbreak & privacy • Form and size, & space constraints • Site consideration & soil conditions • Exposure to sun and wind • Pest problems www.ci.benicia.ca.us • www.beniciatrees.org

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 21

Healthier Snacking During the Holidays

As much as we anticipate the warm glow of the holidays, we don’t enjoy the inevitable remorse that goes part and parcel with the packing on of a few extra pounds. Here’s a healthy way to avoid the all-to-familiar feeling of snug clothing come January 2nd: make your own delicious, healthy snack mix to stash in your purse, backpack or car. If you have a few handfuls before walking into a party, you’ll be less inclined to overeat. It’s fast and easy to make at home and ounce for ounce, it’s a lot less expensive than buying it from a store.

Although store-bought snack mixes may seem like a good choice, they often contain a whopping amount of sodium, carbs and fat. By making your own, you control the nutritional aspects to suit your taste buds and dietary restrictions, whether they are low salt, low fat, low carb, no added chemicals, nut-free, gluten-free or a combination.

Raw, unsalted almonds pack a nutritional punch and form the base of our mix. We prefer to use unsweetened, organic dried fruit, unsalted nuts, and peanut or almond M&M’s. When shopping overload leaves you craving a pick-me-up, try this mix for a guilt-free tasty treat. B

Low salt, low carb snack mix 2 cups raw, unsalted almonds 2 cups pecans, walnuts, cashews or macadamia nuts 1 cup dried, unsweetened cherries 1 cup dried cranberries ¾ cup shaved, unsweetened coconut 1 cup almond M & M’s

Photo by Jerry Bowles

22 • Benicia Magazine

DEC. 23rd, 4:30pm • • • • • • •

Pictures with Santa Free Crafts Fake Snow Hay Ride The Christmas Story Food Truck The biggest PARTY you have ever been to!

A Christmas Like Never Before Dec. 24th, 7pm and 11pm Candlelight Services

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 23

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A. Judith Judson, 310 Military East B. Sprankle’s Village Deli, 82 Solano Square 1. Tosch Dental, 18 West K Street 2. Estey Real Estate, 935 First Street 3. Adobe 2nd Chance Thrift Store, 929 First Street 4. Nine O Seven Grill, 907 First Street 5. Benicia Floral and Gifts, 838 First Street 6. Camellia Tea Room, 828 First Street 7. Bookshop Benicia, 636 First Street 8. Benicia Home Improvement, 736 First Street 9. Rellik Tavern, 726 First Street 10. Studio 41, 700 First Street 11. Sandoval’s, 640 First Street 12. Fiber-Frolics, 637 First Street 13. The Steffen Collection Antiques, 627 First Street 14. Lindsay Art Glass, 109 East F Street 15. Advanced Mortgage SVF, 615 First Street 16. Benicia Magazine, 611 First Street 17. Reconnective Healing, 555 First Street 18. Charlie’s Attic, 519 & 523 First 19. Dudikoff Insurance, 159 East D Street 20. Fabulous Finds, 129 First Street 21. Christina S Fashion Destination, 370 First Street 22. Sailor Jack’s Restaurant, 123 First Street 23. Benicia Main Street, 90 First Street 24. Dr. Tom Campbell, 164 East H Street 25. Courtyard Salon, 114 West D Street 26. Nest, 131-C First Street 27. Benicia Kite and Paddle Sports, 238 First St.

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Benicia Marina

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A. Buck Factory Outlet, 4680 E. 2nd Street B. Affordable Quality Cabinets, 4852 E. 2nd Street C. Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road 1. Rosie's Cafe, 3001 Bayshore Road 2. Fat Shafts Archery, 3001 Bayshore Road #9 3. Gizzi & Reep, 940 Adams Street, Ste. A 4. Avanti Photography, 932 Grant Street 5. MC2Golf, 960 Grant Street, Ste. A 6. IronHorse Home Furnishings, 990 Grant Street 7. Montclair Skin Care, 940 Tyler Ste. 20 8. Rags to Riches, 946 Tyler, Ste. C 9. Marleen's Yoga, 938 Tyler St., Studio 204 10. 851 Music Studio, 1043 Grant Street

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h Interview wit

By Sue Sumner-Moore This unconventional love story started almost 30 years ago at Fitzgerald Field.

While watching her son play baseball, a mom wondered what it would take to get the lights fixed. A fellow fan suggested she apply for Benicia’s parks commission. She did and was surprised when someone later congratulated her on her appointment.

“Nobody even interviewed me. Nobody even called me to tell me I’d been appointed,” Bonnie Silveria says with a hearty laugh. “I didn’t even know what I was supposed to do.”

That was 1984. As she learned what to do, she discovered a passion she never realized she had.

“I just fell in love with the whole process,” she says. “I went in with such tunnel vision.

I just wanted to get the lights fixed, but once I was there, I wanted to know more about the process, how you get things done.”

Since then, Bonnie has also

a i r e v l i S e i n Bon

How long did you serve on the parks commission?

What have you learned from all you’ve done over the years?

I certainly haven’t learned to keep my mouth shut or my hand down (laughs).

I have the potato peeler theory, which I’ve had for many years now. There are two kinds of people: the potato peelers and the complainers. The potato peelers are the people who follow through, who do what they say they are going to do. I don’t start listening to complaints until the potato peelers start complaining.

What drives you to do so much for city and community groups?

I just think it’s important as you age to stay involved. I look at the people who were my mentors and how they helped me through the years, so now I’m looking for old-age mentors, people who are involved, who keep going places. I want to be like them.

And you have to keep making friends. To do that, you have to be involved.

What stands out among all you have done over the years?

The East Sixth Street park (Ethelree Saraiva Park). When I got on Parks and Recreation, we were planning parks in Southampton. I saw such a need for a park on the east side of town. Kids there didn’t have any place to play. I worked on that for eight years. That was my baby, and I didn’t have many people standing beside me saying we need that.

I still feel a sense of pride when I drive by there.

28 • Benicia Magazine Interview

I was on it for 14 years. I wouldn’t have left that, but I could see things coming back around. When you serve on a board or commission for a while, you become very possessive of your decisions. I look back and realize if I’d been more open-minded and listened, it would have been better. But it was time for me to go. …

Some people say about me, ‘She doesn’t want to change.’ But it’s not that. I am not against change, but some things we’ve studied and decided not to do for good reasons.

What did you sacrifice over the years to do all this?

Housework (laughing). The chance to have people say, ‘She keeps the cleanest house in town.’ That used to be a big thing. Homecooked meals.

Really, my husband—that’s who has sacrificed. Though for a lot of it, he worked out of town. In the 1990s, he worked at Beale and came home on the weekends. I wasn’t going to spend time watching TV or cleaning house, so I would go to meetings during the week.

You have said Benicia was more of a blue-collar town when you were growing up. What caused that to change?

The Industrial Park and Humble Oil. When they built that refinery, we didn’t have a paid city staff then. It was volunteer city leaders who went out and recruited Humble Oil. Of course, we all thought we were going to blow up and die. I remember that I’d wake up in the middle of the night and there would be all this noise and I’d see the flames—much larger than you see these days—and think we’re all going to die (laughs at memory.)

served on the city’s Planning Commission, General Plan Oversight Commission, Historic Preservation Advisory Committee, Historic Preservation Commission, Urban Growth Boundary Committee, and chaired the fund to buy books for the library.

And that’s just a partial list of her volunteer work. Bonnie is currently active with Soroptimist International’s regional fellowship program and its local chapter, Benicia Main Street, Benicia Historical Society, Carquinez Strait Preservation Trust and the Benicia Library Foundation.

Bonnie, 69, also has a bookkeeping business.

A life-long Benician, Bonnie and her husband adopted a son and raised him here. Their son’s death in 2010 was devastating. “He brought us 43 years of happiness,” she says, tearing up. “He gave us two beautiful granddaughters. He was a firefighter and we were so proud of him.”

Within a few minutes, Bonnie is laughing again as she talks about the lessons she has learned from years of volunteering, working and living in Benicia.

The Industrial Park didn’t just happen overnight. So somebody really had foresight and took a gamble.

Also, Southampton is one of the best things that ever happened to Benicia. A lot of oldtime Benicians would cringe to hear that.

How did Southampton change the town?

Southampton brought a new way of thinking because of the number of white-collar buyers.

It brought that thought process to citizens: Yes, you can go to college. That wasn’t the thinking back then—you weren’t encouraged to go to college.

Southampton might not be the historic district, but it was the catalyst that allowed people to move beyond “This is the way we’ve always done it.” It brought a new thought process, people who had lived someplace else and knew other ways to do things, to Benicia.

What’s next for Benicia?

We’re going to become an older community, and I won’t see it, but you likely will see that they’ll have to close more schools. We’ll be like Tiburon because we have nowhere to expand.

That’s the downside of limited growth.

As long as the market stays down, we’ll get some young families. But we are an aging community and we’re not keeping up with providing for that older community. There needs to be a task force to look at that. There should be day trips—to Napa, San Francisco, even shopping trips to the outlets. Even if you still have a license, you might not be comfortable driving everywhere on your own.

What do you expect to be doing in five years?

Hopefully the same stuff I’m doing now.

Hopefully I’ll have good health so I can. B

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 29

apping c e R

in Benicia, Fashion and Beyond!

Story and photo, left, by Christina Strawbridge Interesting developments have occurred this year with regards and a Bay Area artist's haven. In November, the San Francisco to fashion, economic optimism and local achievements; the Chronicle and SFGate.com featured Benicia in their “96 Hours” influences of which have had quite an impact. There’s a renewed section with a full page describing First Street as a street date. pride, and an interest in shopping St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Benicia Antique Mall, the State Capitol, and doing business locally and Bookshop Benicia (newly relocated downtown), the Union Hotel attracting visitors from around the and the waterfront were included in the piece. Jack Wolf, of Wolf state.

Communications, continues to work his magic and contacts to get This season, fashion this caliber of coverage on a thin budget. revolves around what women After more than two decades of discussion and meetings, a really want to wear, and an Business Improvement District was formed in Downtown Benicia. evolution of corporate chic. Businesses in the designated district have agreed to assess Gone are the days of John Molloy themselves in order to take on projects to enhance business and his formula for "Dress for activity. First Street trees have been wrapped for year-round Success;" today’s woman wants lighting, creating a special ambience. clothing and accessories with a Another noticeable change downtown is the bus and pedestrian subtle edge for business, casual plaza at First and Military, which will serve as a welcome mat and and event dressing. Color and create a sense of arrival. The project was funded with a $3 million prints are very strong, especially grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and cobalt blue, and variations of red includes two regional bus stops for a new route between the Vallejo and purple. Leather and fur are Ferry Building and Pleasant Hill Bart. huge, with faux versions that have the look and feel of the real thing Lastly, the City of Benicia received the Gold Excellence in but with a major difference in price. Accessories are bold, and a Economic Development Award for the Benicia Sustainability cool way to finish an ensemble.

Customers are knowledgeable about materials and where products are being made. Store buyers are now asking about the working conditions, compensation and location of clothing manufacturing before placing an order. After globalization of the U.S. fashion industry in the 1990’s, there are fewer companies producing here at home.

As demand changes and wages increase in the poorer areas of the world, there may more incentives to bring a portion of the industry back to America. The challenge to small retailers is to find unique merchandise at competitive prices to attract the savvy customer and create a mix of international brands and designs.

Benicia’s tourism program continues its success with important press features on our Downtown Benicia trees, during test lighting, by Leah Shelhorne charming town. Benicia was again represented at the Sunset Magazine Celebration as a Northern California tourist destination. A large photo backdrop of waterfront activity was the focal point Management Program by the International Economic Development of the booth that attracted hundreds of potential visitors during Council. With all of this positive economic news, there’s an the 2-day event. KGO did a live radio interview in March; and in exciting and contagious sense of accomplishment and pride. 2013 September, the LA Times featured Benicia as a weekend escape here we come! B 30 • Benicia Magazine Fashionista

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 31

Featured Musician

Barbara Hamm Music Minister, Benicia Community Congregational Church Musician/Composer/Choir Director/Teacher

By Rhonda Lucile Hicks How did you learn to play the piano? By playing the piano—literally! I played by ear and learned to improvise before I ever really learned to read music.

What does a Music Minister do? Has a vision of how music might enrich the worship service and chooses and prepares music and gets the people who are going to do it. At Community Congregational Church, I accompany congregational singing on the organ and/or piano (not at the same time!); accompany the Sanctuary Choir, the Girls’ Choir, and the Women and Girls’ Chorus; lead our annual Christmas Orchestra; plan and direct our annual Christmas concert, get people to sing solos, duets, etc., and often accompany them, sing solos myself.

What is the role of music in a religious service? The role of music is to lift up and underscore the Scripture texts and sermons, celebrate major liturgical holidays, aid the ritual of the church. It is to help the congregation express their praise to God, their grief, their fears, their disappointments, their hopes and dreams. Music can penetrate our hearts and souls more deeply than words alone; most folks tend to learn the majority of their theology from the hymns, songs, and refrains that they sing in church.

Where do you get your inspiration for composing your hymns? My concerns for justice, equality, and ecology really dominate my hymn writing. Right now I am writing a hymn about our Christian responsibility to take care of the Earth. Something I read may spark an idea. Or a musical pattern will start taking shape in my head, and I draw it out and see where it wants to go.

You’re known in your church for getting everyone to be a part of music in the service. Why do you feel it’s important for members of your congregation to participate in music at your church? The truth is the more people there up front doing music with me, the happier I am.

How do you meet the needs of a congregation with tastes ranging from the traditional hymns to a more modern sound? It’s quite a balancing act—and nobody is going to be perfectly happy with the music 100% of the time. The important thing for people to realize is that the hymn or song they simply can’t stand may be the absolute favorite of somebody else in the congregation. No one kind of music can monopolize the service. B

Born: Sterling Colorado Resides in: Benicia, California Favorite Composer: J.S. Bach

Read the expanded interview online at beniciamagazine.com.

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Vinnie’s Bar & Grill, Concord All Pro Blues Jam every first and second Sunday vinniesbar.com 925.685.9515

32 • Benicia Magazine Listening

Dan Hicks: Holidaze in Hicksville

Mariachi Divas

El Campanil Theatre, Antioch Saturday, December 1, 8pm elcampaniltheatre.com

Meshell Ndegeocello

Great American Music Hall San Francisco Sunday, December 9, 8pm slimspresents.com

Soulshine with the Groovemasters Empress Theatre, Vallejo Wednesday, December 12, 7pm-10pm empresstheatre.org

Chris Isaak

Judy Collins with the San Francisco Symphony

Davies Symphony Hall, San Francisco Wednesday, December 19, 7:30pm sfsymphony.org

Narada Michael Walden Annual Christmas Jam 142 Throckmorton, Mill Valley Friday, December 21, 8pm 142throckmortontheatre.com

Empress Theatre, Vallejo Sunday, December 2, 7pm empresstheatre.org

Nob Hill Masonic Center San Francisco Thursday, December 13, 8pm livenation.com

The Coverlettes

Lee Ritenhour with Mike Stern

VOENA: Voices of the Season

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Tango No. 9

New Year’s Eve Bash

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Yoshi’s, Oakland Tuesday, December 4, 8pm & 10pm Wednesday, December 5, 8pm & 10pm yoshis.com

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Uptown Theatre, Napa Saturday, December 8, 8pm uptowntheatrenapa.com

“Let Us Break Bread Together” Oakland East Bay Symphony Paramount Theatre, Oakland Sunday, December 9, 4pm paramounttheatre.com

Empress Theatre, Vallejo Saturday, December 15, 4pm empresstheatre.org

Red Art Poppy House, San Francisco Saturday, December 15, 8pm redpoppyarthouse.org

American Bach Soloists Holiday Concert

Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Davis Sunday, December 16, 4pm mondaviarts.org

Freight & Salvage, Berkeley Saturday, December 22, 8pm thefreight.org Silos, Napa Monday, December 24, 7pm silosnapa.com

with Tommy Castro and The Painkillers Mystic Theatre, Petaluma Monday, December 31, 9pm mystictheatre.com

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COWs of the Bay Area 707.745.1150 • 925.372.8015 • 866-GET-A-COW www.866-get-a-cow.com

BeniciaMagazine.com • 33

Calendar of Events

December 12/1-2 & 8-9 Pop-Up Holiday Art Market 10am-5pm

Local artists' art sale for the holidays Arts Benicia Gallery, 991 Tyler Street, #114 Artsbenicia.org 707.747.0131

12/1-2 Benicia Arsenal Artists Open Studios 10am-5pm

Painting, sculpture, glass, printmaking, jewelry and more Jackson and Tyler Streets, Benicia

12/1-12/30 Capitol & Fischer-Hanlon House

Weekends only 10am-5pm Fischer-Hanlon tours 1st Sunday & 2nd Saturday Tours at 1, 2 and 3pm, Other Sundays 10am-3pm 115 West G Street, Benicia, 707.745.3385 Long-standing investment club Meets in Benicia first Tuesday each month For more info contact 707.373.1200

12/5-12/26 Toastmaster’s Group Wed. Evenings 7:30-9pm

Learn to speak w/confidence in friendly environment 601 First Street, Suite 100, Benicia Larry Miller 707.745.5694

2/7 Diablo Regional Concert Band 7:30pm

Visit the Capitol to make an ornament & see St. Nicholas Free, bring your own camera, cookies and cider served

Benicia Capitol State

Historic Park, 115 West G Street

12/4 First Tuesdays Investment Club

12/8 St. Nicholas and Victorian Ornaments 11am-2pm

Annual Winter Concert, Cora Martens conducting Held in the fireplace area of the Library Benicia Library, 150 East L Street Benicialibrary.org 707.746.4343

12/8 Christmas Parade & Holiday Market 10am-3pm

Local marching bands, dancers and Santa Claus Handcrafted arts & crafts, gourmet items, yummy foods First Street, Downtown Benicia Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

12/8 Friends of the Library Book Sale 10am-4pm

12/8 Benicia Art Walk, Self-guided Tour 3-7pm

12/8 Benicia Marina Lighted Boat Parade 6pm

Benicia Library basement, 150 East L Street Benicialibrary.org 707.746.4343 Every second Saturday, pick up a map First Street galleries, studios & businesses Pat Ryll 707.495.2940

Come out for the fun and celebrate the season Benicia Marina & Foot of First Street Beniciayachtclub.com 707.746.6600

34 • Benicia Magazine Calendar

12/8 Plein Air Gallery Opening Reception 5-7pm

12/8 Gallery 621 Opening Reception 5-8pm

12/15 VOENA Voices of the Season Concert 4pm

12/19 Evening Book Club for Adults 7-8pm

12/22 It’s A Wrap!

Historic Benicia scenes featuring all of the Gallery’s artists Christmas tree minis w/holiday scenes, local landscapes, etc.

Exhibit runs through December, Thurs.-Sun. 11-5pm Plein Air Gallery, 307 First Street, Benicia Beniciapleinair.com 707.495.2940

Show entitled Celebration, featuring Gallery artists Exhibit runs January, Thursday-Sunday, 11-5pm Gallery 621, 621 First Street, Benicia Gallery621.com 707.746.6211

The beautiful voices of the VOENA Children’s Choir Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia Street, Vallejo Empresstheatre.org 707.552.2400

Library Doña Benicia Room Benicia Library, 150 East L Street Benicialibrary.org 707.746.4343

Wrap up your Holiday Shopping This is the last Saturday before Christmas!

Downtown merchants have everything you need Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

Scan for more listings

Christmas Trees

FRESH CUT TREES GROWN ON SUSTAINABLE FARMS

izes All S ies! riet & Va

Opening Day Friday 11/23

We value Kid’s Nutrition X More than 50% of items are whole grain X Increased offering of reduced sugar and fat & nonfat items X Cooking from scratch with no fried foods or trans fats X 6 of 7 schools have vegetable gardens X Healthy Cooking for Kids program K-5 X Improved salad bars K-5

Open Everyday 10 am - 7 pm At The Camel Barn 2060 Camel Rd. • Benicia

(Take Military East towards the Arsenal, left on Adams St. then left on Park Rd.) Joint Fundraiser for The Benicia Historical Museum & Genesis House 707-745-5435 • www.beniciahistoricalmuseum.org 707-557-3165 • www.genesis-house.com

Welcome to

Benicia Unified School District 350 East K Street Benicia, CA 707.747.8300 www.beniciaunified.org

Tosch Dental

Feel at home—even in the dental chair!

Proudly serving Benicia families for over 25 years.

• Full-service dentistry • In-house lab, ensures perfect fit • Orthodontics • 50% off bleach with exam & cleaning

Ronald J. Tosch, DDS l 118 West K St.

• Relaxed and comfortable environment

707.745.2130 l www.toschdental.com BeniciaMagazine.com • 35

Contractor’s License # 678979

Solid bamboo cabinets—one of the many varieties of styles and options in our newly remodeled showroom

AFFORDABLE QUALITY Cabinets and Countertops

Come see our large showroom 4852 East 2nd Street, Benicia Open Mon. - Fri. 9-5 weekends & evenings by appointment

707-745-2100 www.aqchome.com

Receive a $150 gift certificate to Romancing the Home with the purchase of a complete kitchen