Benicia Magazine August 2018

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Contact Us 707.853.8159, Beniciamagazine.com Editor@beniciamagazine.com Administration Office Manager Risë Goebel Copy Editor/proofreader Beth Steinmann Benicia Magazine is published monthly by Polygon Publishing, LLC. Copyright © 2018, 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, 372 First Street, Benicia, CA 94510. 707.853.8159, Beniciamagazine.com.

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Kids go back to school this month!

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18

Features Vallejo Admirals bring high excitement to local games

18

Catch the pickleball craze at three Benicia venues

20

Scene

707 Vallejo Choral Society still thriving at 100th anniversary Art Plein Air Gallery features paintings by Iris Sabre The Physicality of Books,

by Carol Dalton, at library art gallery

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10

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Culture Graphic motifs by local artists brighten up drab traffic signal boxes

In Every Issue From the Editor 12

Dwell Mare Island's Factory_OS takes new approach to housing 14 Out & About Up to 30,000 people will visit 300 booths at annual Benicia Peddlers Fair

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Food & Drink Thursday night in Benicia: Yacht Club racing & farmers market 16 Broaden your culinary horizons at annual Taste of First Street 17

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Trends A throwback to 90s fashion

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People A conversation with Helaine Bowles, library coordinator

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Calendar Music

26 28

Cover: Benicia Yacht Club’s Thursday night sailboat races along the waterfront, Lisa Duncan Photography Photo, above left, Admiral's baseball game

by Christine Butler; right, pickleball round robin group at community park, photos by Sandy and Win Kirkpatrick.

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FROM THE EDITOR

August 2018 Welcome to our August issue! While retaining much of our previous format, you’ll notice some changes inside this issue, which will increase in the coming months.

In today’s fast-paced world, many, if not most of us are getting much of our information online, and we’ve re-trained our brains to absorb shorter missives and more of them. So we’re dong some internal reorganization in these pages. You won’t see too large a difference; we're just bringing additional content into the mix to widen the lens on what’s happening in and around town.

On the Contents page, we’ve organized our articles into three major sections for easier perusing: Features, Scene, and In Every Issue. If it’s food news you are looking for, and you should be looking because our food scene is exploding. In addition to recent and upcoming eatery openings downtown, Dominick LaLicata and Suzanne Joncoaltz, owners of Heritage Pantry and Spice, recently bought Kinders Meats.

Hoping to open this month, the passionate duo are changing the name to Crossroads Smokehouse & Deli.

Though we’ll continue to focus mostly on Benicia, in our new column 707, we are increasing our coverage of events, wine and things to do in Solano, Napa and Sonoma counties. These areas are growing so fast it’s hard to keep up, but we’re enthusiastically up to the challenge.

North Bay counties are undergoing a metamorphosis, with so many people coming here to seek mortgage/rent relief from the tech sectors to the south. Is this a good thing? In my opinion, yes, as long as we carefully choose our travel times to get just about anywhere.

I love how Benicia is evolving, and despite the traffic, I still enjoy visiting our neighboring towns. As always, Benicia Magazine’s goal is to bring to readers all the interesting things happening here and in the surrounding areas we like to explore.

Lisa Duncan Photography

Tweet, post or send your suggestions & ideas to: Editor@beniciamagazine.com Beniciamagazine.com

—Jeanne

Facebook.com/ beniciamagazine @Jeannesteinmann beniciamagazine

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Scene 707

Scene Art

Symphonic Choir performing at Benicia's St. Dominic’s Church- Photos by Chris Preovolos

Vallejo Choral Society Celebrates a

Century of Song

By Rebecca Gulick Closing a triumphant centennial season this past June, Vallejo Choral Society’s 40 singers, led by Artistic Director Andrew Brown and backed by a stellar orchestra, thrilled audiences in Benicia and Vallejo with stirring renditions of Vivaldi’s exuberant Gloria and Morten Lauridsen's etherial Lux Æterna.

The concert, entitled Transcending, was “an inspiring evening of beautiful music!” according to May Lamoreux, who, with her husband, Larry, attended the Saturday night concert held at Community Congregational Church. "Mr. Brown and the musicians deserve great credit for an ambitious program.” Several concert attendees said they were moved to tears and commented that the music was "truly transcendent” and "feeds your soul.”

At 100 years old, Vallejo Choral Society not just endures but thrives. For this momentous anniversary celebration, the members raised over $10,000 to hire 17 top-shelf Bay Area musicians to form the VCS Centennial Season Finale Orchestra, with the help of Benicia violinist Clif Foster. This community chorus has grown steadily in recent years, now at 45 singers, and Benicians comprise half its membership.

“How sweet it is to go locally to get this inspiring experience,” said Gina Snyder, who attended the concert with her husband, Tom. "For years we have traveled far and wide for it.”

Vallejo Choral’s hundredth season also comprised two previous programs: In March, the chorus presented its Awakening concerts, featuring Fauré’s glorious Requiem, held at St. Dominic’s in Benicia; and in December the group embarked on its century of song with Dreaming, highlighting Britten’s Ceremony of Carols, with its Benicia concert held at St. Paul’s Church on First Street. The group’s Vallejo venue for several years has been the resonant First Presbyterian Church on Amador St. Now poised to kick off its 101st season, the Society will begin preparations this month for December concerts featuring Handel’s Messiah, complete with professional orchestra and soloists.

All are welcome to join Vallejo Choral Society, and no audition is required.

Rehearsals start August 29 and are held on Wednesdays at 7pm at Springbrook Masonic Temple in Vallejo.

For more information, go to vallejochoral.org.

By Beth Steinmann Artist Carol Dalton is interested in how things evolve. Her new exhibit, The Physicality of Books, which opens at the Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery August 18, was inspired by her observations in this regard. “I’m an outdoors person,” says Dalton. “I’m very attracted to seeing how things age and erode and eventually turn into dust. I like to observe things in nature—seeing soil that’s wet and rich and watching it become drier, then cracking and blowing off into the wind through the seasons. I’ve been observing how things that humans make run the same course and become non-existing.” She also loves reading, holding and looking at books.

Dalton is primarily a painter who also works with mixed media, printmaking and collage.

As for her process, the exhibit’s information says, “she starts with collaged and pigmented paintings on board, and scores, scrapes, and abrades and marks, creating rough textured surfaces. Washes of pigment are added, distilling the surfaces and infusing them with

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Multimedia Art Exhibit

Examines Physicality of Books

Benicia Plein Air Galley Features

Iris Sabre

a powerful and balanced presence.” Recent works are connected with communication issues, environmental issues and her love for the outdoors.

After studying at the Santa Barbara Art Institute from 1971-4, Dalton moved to the Bay Area and has shown her art here for many years, including work in corporate offices, museums and private collections. She works at her studio in the Benicia Arsenaland is currently represented by the Jen Tough Gallery. As the information notes, “Dalton’s sensitivity to her materials and her regard for her subjects bring depth and authenticity to the pieces. She inspires non-artists and artists alike with a layered beauty and intensity to her work.”

The Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery is located within the Benicia Library. The exhibit is open during library hours and there’s an artist reception, which is open to the public, at the gallery Saturday, August 18, 3-5pm.

Top: Beginning; bottom, Thirst for Knowledge,

by Carol Dalton

By Beth Steinmann In August, Benicia Plein Air Gallery features the work of member artist Iris Sabre.

Sabre is primarily a plein air painter and her pieces sing with vibrance and color that seem more real than life. Her portraits and plein air paintings carry a similar largess. Of her style, she says, “I am an impressionist and colorist. I work with oil paints and do not use solvents. I invoke sun and shadow using thick paint and intense color.”

Sabre received a BA with an emphasis in art from SF State, as well as an art teaching credential. She has taught art around the Bay Area, worked as a commercial artist, and pieces have been exhibited in four solo shows. In addition to working out of the Plein Air Gallery, her art can be found at the Orinda Community Center, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, the Frank Bette Center for the Arts in Alameda, the Epperson Gallery in Crockett and several other Bay Area locations.

Art in the blood runs both directions in Sabre’s family—her parents and daughter are all artists. Sabre's website notes, “I enjoy painting out of doors. I take my easel to the grassy hills or the rocky bluffs over the ocean, and paint nature in all its glory. In a sense I am a conservationist. I try to capture on the canvas the natural world at a particular point in time.” The Plein Air Gallery show runs through September 2nd, with an artist’s reception August 12, 3-5pm. The third annual Plein Air Paint Out is also sponsored by the gallery and takes place August 25 Point Pinole, by Iris Sabre

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BENICIA’S NEWEST

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Scene Culture

By Jeanne Steinmann Lisa Duncan Photography As many of us have seen, there’s a fun and colorful phenomenon happening in Benicia. As part of a public art initiative, local artists are painting the rather drab grey traffic signal boxes around town in bright, graphic motifs.

The process began over a year ago, based on a vision for additional public art by members of the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC) chaired by Terry Scott. According to Terry, the traffic signal boxes were seen as an opportunity to raise the level of public art in Benicia. “What are the hidden gems in the city that everybody notices but the public doesn’t see? We are covering the majority of the most visible boxes in stage one. Anywhere there’s a traffic light, there’s a traffic control box. They have been there forever, but we look past them,” he says.

Painted by artists who reside in Benicia, the painted boxes are a surprise—a pop of color and whimsy in our suburban landscape. It’s hard not to smile when you see them. They also come with a theme: the box by the library appropriately features a cozy bookcase filled with books and other objects; at Rose Drive and East 2nd Streets, the bright yellow box’s theme is bumblebees. “We are working with the City staff for a faster approval process,” says Terry. “My attitude is go, go, go! Once you have momentum, you get up and get it moving.”

The commission’s vision was presented to the city council for approval in 2017. The ACC and city staff created a process for how the public art is chosen and where it can be located. A review panel selected sites for the boxes and the process wended its way through the appropriate channels at the city. “Those sites were reviewed with city staff to determine who owned them and if they could be painted,” says Terry. A call for artists ensued and design proposals were submitted and reviewed— and phase one designs were approved.

The ACC raises funds for art projects through private fundraising, much of which is generated by the annual Benicia Film Festival, sponsored by the ACC and the Downtown Benicia Alliance. This year’s event is August 31-September 2, at the Veteran’s Hall and Majestic Theater on First Street.

The commission is looking to identify other surfaces that could also be covered with art, making public art more visible and accessible, and enhancing Benicia’s reputation as an arts community.

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Scene Dwell

Lisa Duncan Photography

Modular Units May Be The Answer To Bay Area Housing Crisis

By Sarah Rohrs It’s no secret the Bay Area is in a housing crisis.

Escalating rental and sales prices can boggle the mind and keep apartments and homes out of reach for many. But an Oakland developer believes he may have hit upon something big, a solution that is building momentum on Vallejo’s Mare Island.

Factory_OS is the brainchild of Oakland developer Rick Holliday, who believes the housing industry must evolve to survive and meet demand. The region is under a relentless squeeze of high land, construction and permitting costs, a shrinking labor force, a flat housing industry and relentless demand. Factory_OS takes a different approach. Modular units are built and put together in assembly lines and then trucked to a site and put together into three-or four-story buildings, much like Legos. The model speeds up construction and reduces building costs by up to 30 percent, Holliday said. That’s just the beginning. The factory’s Housing Innovation Lab will team up with universities and research partners to find other ways to cut costs.

No doubt the word is out on Factory_OS. Hundreds attended the May grand opening event in Mare Island’s historic Building 680, the base’s largest building that served as a submarine and ship machine shop.

Following the base’s closure, Blu Homes produced pre-fab homes in the building, but later did not renew its lease. Holliday is excited about Building 680, its size, location and assets, such as cranes and proximity to a deep-water channel.

Since signing its lease last July, Holliday said Factory_ OS has taken more than $50 million in orders. Plans are in the works to produce as many as 2,000 units per year and create 150 jobs. The first order of 300 units came from Google in Mountain View. There the median home value is $1.9 million, up 24 percent in the last year, and average workers are hard-pressed to find a place to live.

Local interest is also high. Talks are in preliminary stages with Napa College and California Maritime Academy for student housing, and with Napa, Sonoma and Vallejo on other projects. In Vallejo, the median housing value is $402,700, up 13 percent over last year, low by Bay Area standards but still too high for some.

The need for housing is strong throughout the Bay Area, but Holliday is pleased Factory_OS set up shop in the Vallejo/Benicia area. “We are really enjoying getting to know Vallejo and Benicia. We feel like we’ve walked into a wonderful community.”

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Scene Out & About

Peddler’s Fair Attracts 300 vendors To Downtown Benicia

By Tomoka Red St. Johns From a handful of antiques dealers who offered their wares to shoppers in 1963, the Benicia Peddlers’ Fair has grown to 300 vendors from several states catering to crowds of up to 30,000 on Benicia’s First Street Aug. 11.

They’ll be shopping for plants, jewelry, musical instruments, quilts, dolls, furniture, vintage toys and artwork. The all-volunteer event is a tradition that helps a good cause—the preservation of one of Benicia’s historic churches and support for such local charities as the Community Action Council, Benicia High School Key Club and the church’s own “Feed the Hungry” Wednesday night dinners.

The Benicia Peddlers’ Fair was originally conceived by the parishioners of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, at First and J streets, as a way to raise money for improvements and repairs to three buildings: the main church building, the parish hall and the old rectory that now is the parish office, said the fair’s chairperson and coordinator Julie Mackenzie.

Now the fair is 55 years old, and it will fill First Street with vendors. Some of them will arrive as early as 2am Aug. 11 to start setting up, so they can have their booths open by 7am. The routine is old hat to some vendors who have been regulars since the 1970s, Mackenzie said. Among those are Patricia Gibson of Pat’s Antiques and Georgia Stewart Antiques, as well as service clubs and the Napa/Sonoma County Firefighters Union that will sell food or beverages. Peggy Peterson’s Asylum Down sells African baskets, musical instruments and collectibles; and the Mount Diablo Iris Society offers prized bulbs for sale.

Jose Cabezas will perform Andean music and sell wood pan flutes at Ancient Winds. Jim Kay of Sequoia Sunset Old Books is returning, as is Bruce Morton of Sonoma Tin Type, a photographer with vintage costumes. Fans of shabby chic, Steampunk, French pillows, collectible toys, vintage yoyos, marbles, dolls, board games, stuffed animals, metal art and sculptures will find plenty of selections at this year’s fair.

“Also very popular and something we are proud of is the antique and collectible appraiser we bring in to the fair,” Mackenzie said. From 11am until 2pm that day, Steve Yvaska will appraise shoppers’ and residents’ family heirlooms except military memorabilia, guns, knives or fine jewelry.

Shoppers who need a break may visit the hospitality tent supplied by longtime host Valero Benicia Refinery. Assistance helpers and lost and found items will be at that pavilion, too.

For years, the refinery has given the fair $2,500 that offsets safety and security expenses. Valero also underwrites the free Children’s Art corner on the lawn of the Benicia State Capitol.

“Here, children can work with wood, paint and paper to make crowns, beaded bracelets and necklaces, with the help of St. Paul volunteers and with parental supervision," said Mackenzie.

“The fair also gives visitors a chance to see Benicia’s downtown area, browse its shops, dine in its restaurants and take in its waterfront views,” she added.

The Benicia Peddlers’ Fair will take place from 8am to 5pm, Saturday, Aug. 11 on First Street from J Street to the Tannery Building at B Street. First Street will be closed to traffic from 1:30am to 7pm.

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Scene Food & Drink

Staff writer Sailboat racing, along with the Benicia Farmers Market, combine to set lower First Street hopping on Thursday evenings. Residents are coming down to enjoy warm breezes along the waterfront, where there’s a buzz of activity.

The newly opened Bella Siena restaurant is bringing people in for casual dining with a lively bar scene. Market shoppers fill their bags or take advantage of an early dinner or happy hour specials from nearby eateries, or from the market’s food trucks, two of which are new this season. Others watch the Benicia Yacht Club sailboat races from the pier or concrete benches (that also function as an impromptu picnic spot) that line the west side of lower First Street. The social aspect that the market brings to the area lends a convivial atmosphere at First Street’s foot. Take advantage of mid-season market offerings, live music and spectacular views of the Carquinez Strait, watching the boats go by.

The farmers market runs Thursdays 4-8pm through August, and September through October 25, 4-7pm.

Sailboat racing continues through September 19.

Food and Drink from B Street to E Street Rookies Sports Bar and Grill 321 First Street, 707.746.7665, rookies-benicia.com Lucca Bar and Grill 439 First Street, 707.745.3749, luccabar.com Lucca Beer Garden 439 First Street, 707.745.3749, luccabar.com First Street Café 440 First Street, 707.745.1400 Kinders Meats 333 First Street, 707.745.4453 kindersmeats.com

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The Dish

Take a Culinary Tour at Taste of First Street

By Courtney Tait We all have our favorite neighborhood dining spots, whether it’s your date-night go-to, a preferred bar stool (and drink list) for happy hour, or a place with a dish you can’t resist, no matter what else is on the menu.

Dining rituals give us comfort: the satisfaction of knowing you’re gonna love what you get.

But what about the excitement of trying something new? Benicia boasts a range of cuisine, with both established and new eateries, giving diners the chance to broaden their culinary horizons. Enter Taste of First Street (TOFS), the city’s annual event for food-loving locals and visitors.

Taking place from 6-9pm on Tuesday, August 21, TOFS brings together people, food, and the spirit of the downtown restaurant community. Celebrating its 10th year, the event is put on by Benicia Main Street, and features a sampling of cuisine from participating First Street restaurants. “People get in their routine of going to one or two or three restaurants,” says Deborah Housman, Event Coordinator of Benicia Main Street. “Taste of First Street gets people trying restaurants that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

So how does it work?

Char’s Hot Dogs 131 1st St A, 707.745.4476 Bella Siena 137 First Street, 707.805.0575 bellasienarestaurant.com Sailor Jacks 123 First Street, 707.746.8500 sailor-jacks.com The Loft 280 First Street, 707.745.4200 wine707.com The Chill 362 First Street, 707.746.5530 facebook.com/TheChillWine Heritage Pantry and Spice 364 First Street, 707.742.4142 heritagepantryandspice.com

Sailboat Racing at Benicia Yacht Club Lisa Duncan Photography

If you’re a ticket holder—aka “taster”—you’ll check in at one of two First Street locations to receive your plate and wine glass. (The plate is designed with an insert for the wine glass, making for easy transport.) Two glasses of wine are included with ticket cost, so you can start sipping your choice of red or white when you check in. Grab your second glass at either check-in spot. From there, tasters choose their route; each ticket lists the participating restaurants, so you can proceed as you wish.

On average, about 15 restaurants typically participate, with bite-sized or bigger samples served in front of each eatery. “People are well fed,” says Housman. “By the end of the night we hear a lot of comments from people that they didn’t realize they would be so full.”

While TOFS gives exposure to Benicia’s restaurant community, it’s also a fundraiser: all ticket proceeds go to Benicia Main Street, which supports and promotes the downtown community through various events. The restaurants, in turn, donate their time and food samples to the event.

With 300 tickets available, the event usually sells out, so Housman recommends securing tickets in advance. “People come with friends or on a date night,” she says. “This is also an event we suggest for people new to town, as you can try most of the restaurants downtown in one evening.”

TOFS tickets are $30 per adult or $55 for two adults. They can be purchased at Benicia Main Street, 90 First Street, or online at BeniciaMainStreet.org. The day of the event, ticket prices go up to $35 per adult or $65 for two adults. “Taste of First Street has something for everyone,” says Housman. “People who are open to tasting and trying different foods—this is the event for them.”

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Professional Baseball Close To Home

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By Tomoka Red St. Johns When fans go to a Vallejo Admirals game, they hear the same crack of the bat and see the same thrilling home runs or athletic fly ball catch they’d witness during a Major League ball game. Children often can go home with a signed baseball they caught or captured.

“A common saying in baseball circles is you never know what you’re going to see when you come out to the ballpark,” said Scott Armstrong, director of media relations and broadcasting.

He said the club is focused on “creating lasting memories for every single one of our guests.”

That’s because the ball club considers its fans as key participants in Admirals games.

Most of the seats in Wilson Park are no farther than 70 feet from home plate. Fans can hear the ball players’ chatter. They hear the whistle of a pitcher’s fastball and the smack as it hits the catcher’s mitt. Fans are close enough to smell the freshly cut grass, he said. “It isn’t like watching a game on television, or even from the vast majority of seats at one of our local MLB venues,” he added. “The action’s right there for you. It’s tangible.”

The team, part of the independent Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs, offers personal touches one can’t get at other ballparks, said Armstrong. Children 10 and younger get to see games for free, and on Saturdays, they can have a free hot dog meal.

Kids are ready to race for balls hit out of the park. When they retrieve them, they often can get them autographed after the game. “The players in this league are very accessible to the fans, and we’re blessed to have a friendly and thoughtful group of players on the 2018 Admirals roster who will gladly sign autographs and chat after the games, said Armstrong.” The youngsters often play catch before and during games. What other ballpark is going to allow you to do that?” Tickets are more affordable, and getting to the local park is easier, he said.

“Our whole approach is to serve as an easily

accessible community asset. Our guests have the chance to visit with friends and neighbors at the park all season long.”

The Admirals are defending league champions. Manager P.J. Phillips has fostered “an excellent clubhouse culture,” and many on this year’s team are returning players, Armstrong said. “They want to play for P.J.,” he said. “Word’s gotten out about how much our fans care about our players.”

Others stop by, too. U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Napa) has thrown out a first pitch. Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda attends games. Former A’s player Jose Canseco plays in the league now and then. League rivals Sonoma Stompers created the first co-ed professional baseball roster since the Negro Leagues era when they signed and played two women, Kelsie Whitmore and Stacy Piagno, Armstrong said.

While the team is focusing on quality baseball, fans experience breaking glass sound effects when a ball leaves the park, and seeing sack races, musical chairs, eating contests and other between-inning entertainment. Although the team is based in Vallejo, it has plenty of ties to Benicia. “We consider ourselves Benicia’s team, too, and we believe our fans feel the same,” Armstrong said. Some of the team’s sponsors come from Benicia, and during a Farmers Market night in 2016, the team played on Fitzgerald Field.

Benicia High School coach Tony Longmire, who played for the Philadelphia Phillies, will appear at an Admirals contest. “Speaking of Benicia High,” Armstrong added, “one of the anchors of our pitching staff is former Panther Peter Reyes.”

Tickets are $10 and season passes are available online at squareup.com/store/vallejoadmirals and at games. The team plays at Wilson Park, 1007 Solano Ave., Vallejo, and its schedule is available online at Vallejoadmirals. com/schedule.

Photos: Vallejo Admiral's baseball game.

Top, by Christine Butler, bottom second from left, by Matt Sparks, bottom left, middle & far left, by Susan Knoll.

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By Jeanne Steinmann Sounds too good to be true—an outdoor sport that’s fun for all ages, easy to learn, very social and beginners are encouraged. Welcome to pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the US, according to usapa.org (USA Pickleball Association).

With beginnings in the 1970s, pickleball has slowly gathered steam around the world and is now hitting critical mass. It’s especially exploding with those over age 50. Four years ago, after being exposed to the game while visiting RV parks in Desert Hot Springs, Sandy Kirkpatrick and her husband Win caught the pickleball bug and brought the game to Benicia. “You are constantly rotating players and meeting new people. This is not a sport just for those who are athletic.

It’s very accessible. Nothing is more exciting than watching people who think they are not good at sports do well at pickleball,” she says, adding, “We have octogenarians playing with their tween/teen grandchildren, and all ages in between. For older adults in particular, I hope pickleball opportunities here in Benicia allow more people to stay physically active and socially engaged in an atmosphere that is both fun and supportive.”

According to the USAPA, there are over 15,000 indoor and outdoor courts in the United States. The game contains elements of badminton, ping-pong and tennis, but with a lower net using a wiffleball and paddle, played indoor and outdoor on modified tennis courts or courts dedicated to pickleball. Playing with a wiffleball is slower than playing with tennis or other balls.

Although it’s an easy game to understand, the level of competition ranges from a casual pickup game to expert tournament play. The key to the game’s popularity is its social aspect. When playing pickleball, one can meet many other players, especially in an area with multiple courts.

Once one game is over, players can walk to a neighboring court and join a new game.

Since pickleball was still relatively new to the area four years ago, Sandy got buy-in from Benicia tennis players who helped her get a pickleball court going. She pitched the idea to the parks department and space was identified at the community center multipurpose room. The lines were painted on the court and a net was purchased, but community center pickleball hours are limited. Later, courts were added to the city gym.

Currently there are several courts on which to play in town—two at the city gym, one at the community center and three at the Community Park. Each has specific hours; the courts at the community park don’t yet have an official schedule. Benicia parks department staff recognizes that the pickleball trend is growing rapidly, and citizens want dedicated courts. To that end, the seldom-used in-line hockey courts at the Community Park may be repurposed into dedicated pickleball courts.

On Wednesdays, 2-3pm at the city gym, Sandy will teach rules, techniques, strategy and more to beginners at no charge; or instruction can be had by taking a class through the parks department from certified teacher Patricia Strazzi. “She’s a terrific instructor—once you learn how to play, its rather addictive, says Sandy. “You bring your paddle and balls everywhere you go and walk into a game. It’s a very friendly, social sport.”

Pickleball games at the Benicia Community Park

by Sandy and Win Kirkpatrick BeniciaMagazine.com • 21

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DIRECT

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CTORY COLL

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Sample delicious offerings from First Street's restaurants for an evening of great food and wine, good friends, and a chance to win Downtown Dollars.

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707.745.9791 • www.beniciamainstreet.org BeniciaMagazine.com • 23

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Trends

the nineties

By Christina Strawbridge The Benicia City Library recently celebrated 25 years in its current location. Some of the festivities were held in the former library on G Street. I was asked to provide an informal fashion show with a 1990s theme for the event.

It took a little Googling, perusing photo albums and a lot of concentration to bring it all back. Surprisingly, there are current trends that are reminiscent of what could be considered the dark days of fashion. 90s grunge not only influenced ready-to-wear, but top designers like Marc Jacobs and Alexander McQueen were inspired by what they saw on the streets of New York, London and San Francisco. Kate Moss became the face and body of grunge, replacing the more voluptuous supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington. Musicians of the 90s also had an impact through video and the popularity of MTV. FLARED LEGS AND MOM JEANS Flared leg pants with an oversized fit were a strong choice in the 90s. These designs included the paper bag waist with a boyfriend styled oversized jacket. I had at least three of these suits that ranged from neutral beige to a bright yellow acid wash treatment. In 2018, there are varieties of pant widths including the extreme wide leg to the narrow legging. Ripped jeans continue in popularity. The trend that never ends!

ACCESSORIES Chokers were the “it” accessory item of the era. These necklaces were worn tightly around the neck and added an edge to slip dresses and flannel shirts. While some were made to look like a tattoo, others boasted embellishments like stones and lace. Hoop earrings peaked in popularity during the last decade of the 20th century. Oversized ring-shaped earrings added attitude to bold style.

MIDRIFF TOPS Midriff-baring tops are on trend again. Today, you can relive the best fashion from the decade

by pairing a crop top with a pair of mom jeans.

To make the look modern, just swap cropped camisoles for short t-shirts, off the shoulder sweaters and tank tops.

OVERALLS I still wear overalls! Although they were influenced by sitcoms of the 90s, mine are made of linen and worn with a t-shirt and duster cover up. If you lived through the 90s, chances are that you wore overalls. These sleeveless denim jumpsuits were an essential fashion item for the decade and worn by both men and women. Jumpsuits were also the rage as an alternative to separates and have made a significant comeback. The Clothes Stoppe (my former Benicia retail establishment from 19881992) featured Joan Walters jumpsuits in "pure" polyester in a range of bright colors and prints.

We probably sold hundreds of them and would guess a few are still around in the back of some Benicia closets.

90S SHOES The grunge movement created an army of men and women alike, wearing heavy-duty combat boots. Doc Martins became the shoe of choice in a range of colors—including silver. Yes silver, which I wore with knee length jeans as the Benicia farmer’s market manager back in 1993.

They looked tough, gritty and were comfortable.

They were often paired with floral dresses or flannel shirts and frayed jeans. Exaggerated platforms were popularized by the pop music scene, in particular, the Spice Girls. Scary, Baby, Ginger, Posh and Sporty were the most widely recognized group of individuals since The Beatles. With the "girl power" label, the Spice Girls were popular cultural icons of the 1990s.

It was a blast from the past revisiting the old library building and celebrating the cultural vision of the current facility. Grunge and anti fashion may be on-trend once again, but just a reminder, fashion and culture is cyclical, but always returns with a twist!

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People

Helaine Bowles

By Adriene Rockwell Growing up in Chicago with her two little sisters, Helaine Bowles inherited a love of reading from her mother. Her dad was an entrepreneur who started his own Formica tabletop business, and her mom focused on raising the girls. Frequent visits to the local library was a way of life, and during their long summer vacations near Lake Michigan, her mother brought piles of library books—sometimes as many as 40—for them to read together. It’s no surprise that Helaine’s career eventually led to her current role as Administrative Secretary for the Benicia Public Library.

It might surprise you, however, that it was the Rose Parade that brought Helaine and her family to Benicia in 2000.

John “Buddy” Bowles, Helaine’s husband of 37 years, worked in environmental sales before his recent retirement, and his work moved him from Chicago to Florida where the family lived for about a year. From there, they moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they built a life for nearly 12 years. Their son Brandon was very active in the school band there, and when his dad’s work brought the family to Oakland, he was a sophomore in high school. At that time, the awardwinning Benicia High School Panther Band was scheduled to perform at the Rose Parade, and that was reason enough to make Benicia their new home.

Like her mother, Helaine was very active in her son’s education—but she was also ambitious in her work life. As a young woman she wanted to take over her father’s Formica business, but he didn’t see it as women’s work. Unhindered by her father’s views, she got a job right out of high school working for a furrier, and then a stock broker, at a real estate company and various other jobs before she decided to take courses

at Mundelein and Loyola Universities, eventually earning a degree in Communication Studies.

As it turned out, Brandon went on to use his musical background to build a career as a sound engineer, and now works for KGO radio. When he was growing up, Helaine was always active at his schools, eventually serving as PTG president at Benicia High School. To stay busy, she took a part time volunteer coordinator position at the Benicia Public Library, and after Brandon left the nest, she asked for a full-time position, which she still holds today.

In her current role with the city, she is staff to a number of city boards and commissions, and manages city building maintenance projects along with many other tasks. At the library she coordinates most of the adult book clubs that include biographies, mysteries, cookbooks and more. The library now also hosts a number of teen and children’s book clubs. As an avid reader, Helaine says her favorite book is still one she read at age 11—A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith, about a tree and a young girl that thrive in spite of difficult circumstances.

Helaine was instrumental in launching the Lawyers in the Library program with the help of local attorneys Steve Gizzi and Scott Reep. On the first Thursday of the month, two lawyers volunteer their time for free 20-minute consultations. Helaine has been involved with Soroptimist of Benicia since 2005 and is proud of the organization’s recent success in launching the first women’s safe house in Benicia. She’s also an active volunteer with Benicia Main Street, an organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of downtown Benicia.

There was a time when Helaine would have moved back to Chicago in a minute if it wasn’t for the cold weather. But now Benicia is her family’s home, and our town has brought them warmth in many ways. When her husband Buddy was recently in a serious car accident, Helaine says they were overwhelmed with kindness, including a visit from a team of Benicia firemen offering support. “In Chicago you could walk through town for days and no one would know you,” says Helaine. “Here you know everyone, and we all care about each other.”

Lisa Duncan Photography

BOHO CHIC WITH A COWGIRL EDGE Benicia Tannery Building , 129 First Street, Suite A Quality Home & Leisure Products

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Save Up To 50% On Select Floor Displays BeniciaMagazine.com • 25

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Calendar

AUGUST EVENTS Cutting Edge, Nontraditional Glass

8/1-8/26 Arts Benicia Gallery 991 Tyler Street, Suite 114, Benicia Complicated, amorphous, intimidating, ancient, and finicky, glass as an art material is as manifold in its adaptability as in its appearance. Artists working with hot and cold glass are invited to demonstrate the boundless possibility of contemporary expression in glass. This show is jurrored by Carrie Lederer and Mary B. White.

Artsbenicia.org 707.747.0131

Benicia Certified Farmer’s Market

Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park Presents: Measure for Measure

Benicia Peddler’s Fair

8/5, 11 & 12, 3pm; 8/17 & 18, 8pm Various Vallejo Locations Established in 2010 by Vallejo resident Dalia Vidor, and sponsored by GVRD, Vallejo Shakespeare in the Park produces one free live Shakespearean production each summer in an outdoor setting. See website for more info about the play, Measure for Measure.

Vallejoshakespeare.org

8/11, 8am-5pm J Street to Waterfront, Benicia First Street closes for this outdoor event that began in 1963 with a few vendors. It has grown into 300 select antique and collectible dealers from all over the country.

Examine and purchase items that include everything you can imagine from period furniture and decorative antiques to vintage textiles and jewelry.

Beniciapeddlersfair.org 707.745.8680

Summer Show: Python Ron

A Midsummer Night at Obtanium Works

8/2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 First Street from B to D Streets Benicia Benicia Certified Farmers Market offers fresh fruit & vegetables, baked goods, gourmet food, delicious hot foods, arts & crafts, live entertainment, and face painting. Market is on First St. between B & D Streets. Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

8/8, 11am City Gym 180 East L Street, Benicia Come meet all the different creatures that travel with Python Ron. From 18-foot pythons to 4-foot long lizards, Python Ron gives everyone the opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of really cool animals! Cost is $2 per child. As a courtesy to the entertainer, please arrive 15 minutes before the show.

Ci.benicia.ca.us/pcs

San Jose Renaissance Faire & Fantasy Fest

Outside Lands Music & Art Fest

8/4 & 5 Discovery Meadow Park 180 Woz Way, San Jose San Jose Renaissance Faire has 800 performers in Shakespeareera costumes, knights jousting on horseback, 50 artisan vendors, food booths, and three stages of entertainment at Discovery Meadow.

Sanjosefaire.com

8/10-12 Golden Gate Park, San Francisco This event ups the ante on music festivals, going green and has “leveraged San Francisco’s food, wine, technology and activism cultures,” according to Rolling Stone, “for a one-of-a-kind worldclass experience.” Features include three full days of live music by dozens of bands on the main stage, great food, beer & wine, and even a mini-golf course.

Sfoutsidelands.com

8/11, 5-7pm Obtanium Works 510 Pennsylvania Street, Vallejo Art! Food! Merriment! Come join a studio tour of Obtainium Works followed by dinner, drinks, and socializing! Enjoy a tour of the studio, see the many wondrous projects Obtainium Works has made over the years and see previews of things that are coming up, then stay for the after party.

Obtaniumworks.net

Movie Night Under the Stars: Field of Dreams

8/17, 8pm City Park First Street at Military West, Benicia Bring pillows, blankets, low-back chairs and enjoy the entertainment.

Food and beverages are welcome, bring your picnic dinner! Viewers are asked to clean up after the movie. This is a family event so no smoking or pets. The playground closes at dusk. FREE admission & popcorn during the movie, begins at dusk.

Ci.benicia.ca.us/pcs

Cotati Accordion Festival

8/18 & 19, 9:30am-8pm La Plaza Park Redwood Highway and W Sierra Ave, Cotati This year’s theme for the Cotati Accordion Fest is Woodstock of the Accordion World, featuring two days of peace and music that promote accordion music and supporting local youth service organizations. Includes dozens of performers who’s bios are available online. There is a shuttle available from nearby parking and the Smart Train.

Cotatifest.com

Taste of First Street

8/21, 6-9pm Downtown restaurants, Benicia Downtown brings a sampling of the cuisine you can find from Benicia’s favorite restaurants on First Street with two glasses of wine and souvenir glass included.

Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

Suisun Valley Harvest Festival

8/26, 11am-4pm Various Locations, Suisun Valley Enjoy harvest with local winemakers and growers while celebrating the newest Suisun Valley vintage. Harvest Celebration attendees travel throughout Suisun Valley, tasting specialty products and varieties right out of the field.

Mingle with the winery and farm stand owners or winemakers to learn their story. Free and open to the public. Live music, grape stomp, barrel tasting, jam tasting, olive oil tasting & more.

Sustainablesolano.org

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Exceptional Legal and Mediation Services

www.benicia.com Brenda Turner-Adams

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Wills Trusts Estate Planning & Administration Family Law Real Estate Probate Personal Injury DUI Consumer Law Business Law

DON'T TOP TREES! Tree topping hurts trees & impacts home values Topping is perhaps the most harmful pruning practice. Topping: • Is a violation of the Benicia Tree Ordinance • Causes decay • Stresses a tree's health • Creates safety hazards • Is a high-maintenance pruning practice • Makes a tree unsightly and detracts from a home's landscape Don't top your trees, learn how to prune correctly. www.ci.benicia.ca.us, Parks & Community Services www.beniciatrees.org

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Benicia Peddlers’ Fair

Since 1963

Saturday, August 11, 2018 8am - 5pm On scenic First Street in Historic Downtown Benicia Over 300 booths!

Antiques & Collectibles Vintage & Hand Crafted Items Kids Art Corner & Food Vendors Unique First Street Stores Great Restaurants

FREE ADMISSION!

Free on site appraisals by Steve Yvaska, 10am - 1pm Sponsored by the Historic Trust of St. Paul’s for the Preservation of the Historic Buildings of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (707) 745-8680 www.BeniciaPeddlersFair.org

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Live Music

AUGUST LIVE MUSIC Empress Theatre 707.552.2400, 330 Virginia St, Vallejo EmpressTheatre.org Aug. 1, 7:30pm Aug. 4, 6pm

Aug. 8, 7:30pm Aug. 10, 8pm Aug. 13, 7:30pm Aug. 15, 7:30pm Aug. 17, 8pm Aug. 21, 7:30pm Aug. 22, 7:30pm Aug. 23, 7:30pm Aug. 25, 8pm

Live in the Lounge – Red’s Blues Band $10 General Admission at the Door VJS Presents Hot Licks – The Music of Dan Hicks $20 General, $10 VJS Member, Box Office & Phone Live in the Lounge – Joyce Grant $10 General Admission at the Door Getitindy Cake Concert No Charge West Coast Songwriters 2018 Playoffs Free with WCS membership, $10 general, $5 Empress Members New Copasetics $10 General Admission at the Door Alvon’s Rock & Roll Revue feat.

Mitch Woods $25 online/$30 phone and box office San Francisco Int’l Piano Festival – Owen Zhou & Igor Lipinski $20 online/$25 phone and box office San Francisco Int’l Piano Festival – Igor Lipinski $20 online/$25 phone and box office San Francisco Int’l Piano Festival – Eunmi Ko & Jiyang Chen $20 online/$25 phone and box office House of Floyd Laser Light Show $25 online/$30 phone and box office

Uptown Theatre Napa 707.259.0123, 1350 Third Street, Napa Uptowntheatrenapa.com Aug. 4, 8pm Aug. 11, 8pm Aug. 12, 8pm

Robert Cray $45 - $75, Ticketmaster or Box Office Amos Lee $70 - $110, Ticketmaster or Box Office Clint Black $60 - $80, Ticketmaster or Box Office

Don Bassey & Friends Courtesy photo

Lucca Beer Garden 707.745.3749, 439 1st Street, Benicia

Luccabar.com No Cover Charge

Aug. 2, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 3, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 4, 1pm – 3:30pm 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 5, 2pm – 5pm Aug. 9, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 10, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 11, 1pm – 3:30pm 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 12, 2pm – 5pm Aug. 16, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 17, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 18, 1pm – 3:30pm 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 19, 2pm – 5pm Aug. 23, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 24, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 25, 1pm – 3:30pm 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 26, 2pm – 5pm Aug. 30, 5:30pm – 8pm Aug. 31, 5:30pm – 8pm

Leah Tysse GarageLand Rodeo Hot Jazz w/Karl Hartman feat/Damien Bell Bros Irish Music w/ Vince Wolfe, Lewis Santer & Friends Papa Joe & The New Deal The Big Jangle Cut Loose Leo Rising Unplugged Acoustic with Jill & Kevin Bodhi Shrugs Dawdlers Bizzy Lewis Jinx Jones Unplugged Acoustic with Squeeze Box The Jones Gang 4 Don Bassey & Friends Eric Eckstein Wall of Blues Unplugged Acoustic with Bizzy Lewis Le Jazz Hot with Paul Mehling KillBillies

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30 • Benicia Magazine

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BENICIA PLUMBING INC.

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Welcome to Tosch Dental

Feel at home—even in the dental chair!

Full-service dentistry | In-house lab, ensures perfect fit | Orthodontics | 50% off bleach with exam & cleaning | Relaxed and comfortable environment Proudly serving Benicia families for over 35 years.

Ronald J. Tosch, DDS l 118 West K St. 707.745.2130 l www.toschdental.com

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

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weekends & evenings by appointment 4852 East 2nd Street, Benicia

707-745-2100 aqchome.com

August BenMag Vol13 v10.indd 32

Introducing the new owners Trevor Cotarelo and Taylor Kennedy

7/24/18 7:25 AM