Benicia Magazine December 2017

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Celebrating our 13th Year

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Editor Jeanne Steinmann magazine Graphic Design Margaret Bowles

Benicia Web Specialist Yarrow Sweningsen

Contributors magazine Adriene Rockwell Sarah Rohrs Beth Steinmann Christina Strawbridge Sue Sumner-Moore Photographers Lisa Duncan Jerry Bowles

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Benicia Magazine is published monthly by Polygon Publishing, LLC. Copyright © 2017, 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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COMMUNITY NEWS

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

707-745-7534 December 2017

The 2017 Benefit for Children grant recipients are: Benicia Ballet Theatre Benicia Community Action Council Benicia Education Foundation For Valero, the Season of Giving is yearBenicia Historical Museum round through its grants, sponsorships, volunteer Benicia Youth Soccer projects, and United Way donations. For local Boys and Girls Club charities, nothing tops the annual Valero Benefit of Contra Costa for Children awards breakfast. Last month, 21 Camp Taylor area charities shared in grants totaling $320,000.

CASA of Solano County Representatives from Benicia Community Action Child Abuse Prevention Council Council, Benicia Education Foundation, Benicia Attendees were treated to a special Historical Museum, and Benicia Youth Soccer of Contra Costa County performance by an ensemble of the were among those on hand to accept grants at the Child Start Benicia Ballet Theatre, a grant recipient.

November 3 event held at the Benicia Veterans Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – Memorial Building. Benicia Boy Scout Troop 7 NorCal Chapter gave the Presentation of the Colors.

East Bay College Fund Since 2001, the Benicia Refinery, through the Valero Energy Foundation, Friends of Loma Vista Farm has awarded more than $5 million to local nonprofits specifically through Harbor House the Benefit for Children grant process.

Horseplay Therapeutic Riding Center Valero employees nominated the charities. An all-employee committee Leaven Program reviewed the nominations and made the selections.

(Burgess Point Tutoring Center) Valero’s business partners play a critical role in the success of this annual Literary Tools grant awards event because they participate in, and sponsor, the Benefit for Children Golf Classic Tournament, held on the heels of the annual PGA Reynaissance Family Center TOUR Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

Royal Family Kids Together, the 2017 tournaments raised a record $11 million for charity.

Vacaville Boys and Girls Club Dollars raised through these events are distributed to locations where Valero VOENA

has operations, like Benicia, to provide grants to charities helping children.

Fire Department Provides Mutual Aid; Foundation Donates $100,000 October 8, 2017 will forever be remembered as the beginning of a weeklong firestorm that left complete devastation in its path in the North Bay. One of the first fires of that week began on Sunday afternoon at an auto salvage yard in American Canyon.

That evening, Valero Fire Department personnel and equipment responded to a mutual aid request.

Approximately 1,000 gallons of one-by-three foam

concentrate was used to extinguish burning cars that were not responding to the application of water alone.

As wildfires spread throughout the North Bay in the comings days, lives, property and dreams were lost.

At the request of the Valero Benicia Refinery, the Valero Energy Foundation made a $100,000 donation to the Napa Valley Community Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund to aid wildfire victims.

Fast Fact:

The employee-led United Way of the Bay Area Campaign in Benicia raised more than $463,000. With a fifty-cents on the dollar Valero match, United Way and Bay Area charities will share in nearly $694,000 in 2018.

Safety First:

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DECEMBER

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 2

18 20

FEATURES

16

Discover the best gifts of the season in our annual December Gift Guide

18

Designing women transform the editor’s mantle with holiday style

20

From papyrus scrolls to digital missives, greeting cards are still beloved Cover: Holiday mantle decorated by Joy Alberts, Joyous Spaces; This page: Strata One, by Jan Freeman Long, photographed by Peg Jackson 8 • Benicia Magazine

IN EVERY ISSUE 10 From the Editor

14

12 Currents

Downtown Benicia readies for holiday cheer & festive events Decorated boats dazzling with light return to Benicia’s waterfront

13 Bio Elan Laporte, local musician and marina liveaboard

14 Art this Month

Arts Benicia’s Exhibit Gems IV, Exquisite, Intricate, Intimate Small Works of Art Gods in Color: Polychromy in the Ancient World, at the Legion of Honor

21 Live Music

What’s happening in the local music scene

24 Interview

Art Mayoff, Benicia Amateur Radio Club coordinator

26 Trends

Christina reflects on women’s power after seeing the musical War Paint

28 Calendar

The best events in Benicia and around the Bay

Downtown for the

Perfect for holiday giving, Downtown Dollars are gift certificates available in $5 and $20 increments, accepted at over 70 merchants in Downtown Benicia.

Christmas Parade & Holiday Market Saturday, December 9 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 features handcrafted arts & crafts and gourmet items from 10am-3pm, located on First Street between B and D Streets.

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Holiday Open House Friday, December 1

First Street merchants along with Benicia Main Street host this ever-popular open house at the beginning of the holiday season with live entertainment, costumed carolers, and wagon rides from 6-9pm. At approximately 6:30pm at the foot of First Street view the spectacular lighting of the Christmas Tree.

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FROM THE EDITOR

December 2017

Lisa Duncan Photography

Sipping café au lait at Java Point, I’m looking at art galleries across First Street, reflecting on 2017. What a year it has been! A mixed bag on many fronts, it’s been an interesting ride. Political divisiveness, extreme weather, and of course, the wildfires that have left an indelible impression on our psyches.

On the upside, Downtown Benicia is poised for continued growth, with two new restaurants opening soon: Bella Siena (in the Tannery building) serving Italian cuisine, and a new bakery café at First and J Streets. Several new businesses opened earlier this year—small retail spaces filled with charming shops. As I write, First Street trees are being pruned, and by the time you read this, they should be restrung with twinkle lights, just in time for the holidays. Also, take a look at Benicia Main Street’s lineup of fun holiday events—most notably the annual Holiday Open House and Tree Lighting Dec. 1, 6pm—where First Street becomes a pedestrian-only wonderland.

We’ve also joined the ranks of other Bay Area cities with rapidly rising real estate prices. It seems Benicia has turned a corner; more people want to move here than housing allows, driving prices skyward. Benicia’s charm stopped being a secret years ago. It’s great if you are a seller, less so if you are a buyer or renter, unless you are coming from Silicon Valley or San Francisco with a pocketful of cash.

It is my hope that this season and every season, residents will come out in droves to support our small retailers. Thanks to those who do frequent downtown businesses, many shops are thriving. I know I am repeating myself, but in this internet-driven world, our charming downtown drives up the happiness quotient considerably. However, without continual support from the community, we may find ourselves in a similar situation to Sonoma, Healdsburg, Napa and other destinations that are losing independent gift stores to wine tasting rooms. So before hitting the Amazon app, check out our annual Gift Guide on page 16 for a sampling of some of the many items you can find right here in town.

Benicia Magazine, as ever, will continue to focus on hyper-local activities, events, people, art, food, drink, history, and all the special things that, bundled into one small town, make Benicia so great. The Benicia Magazine team joins me in wishing you a holiday season filled with merriment and joy.

—Jeanne Facebook.com/ beniciamagazine @Jeannesteinmann beniciamagazine

10 • Benicia Magazine

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CURRENTS

Holiday Magic

By Sarah Rohrs It wasn’t so long ago that Benicia ushered in the holiday season with ten or so merchants staying open late, and folks walking up and down First Street sidewalks. Fast-forward nearly 40 years: it’s a big contrast to today’s huge, festive crowds. First Street becomes a pedestrian-only event, as the streets fill with wagon rides at the waterfront and strolling carolers in costume, plus the not-to-be-missed tree lighting ceremony. The annual event gets people in the mood for the holiday season. This year’s Benicia Holiday Open House unfolds 6-9pm on Friday, Dec. 1.

Organized by First Street merchants and the Benicia Main Street Program, the evening is full of small town charm. “It’s a big hit,” said Nancy Martinez, Benicia Main Street executive director.

“You see so many people you don’t see throughout the year, and you do get a lot of new people, too. It’s such great exposure for people who have recently moved to Benicia, and for those who may want to move to here,” she said. Since First Street is closed to traffic, people visit businesses bright with lights, music and holiday cheer. At the waterfront, revelers circle the large fir tree in the roundabout to listen to The Mistletones and watch as the holiday lights are turned on, and the tree twinkles brightly in the dark. Once again this year, both the historic Benicia State Capitol and adjacent Fischer Hanlon House will be open for visits.

While the annual holiday event has expanded, it stays true to its mission of drawing people into stores to start their holiday

shopping. Some people discover shops they’ve never had a chance to go into; often finding treasures or pledging to return later, Martinez said. The event began when a dozen or so First Street merchants picked the first Friday evening of December to stay open late. They played seasonal music and served refreshments as folks strolled in the brisk, late-Fall weather. The late Jack Tanner, of Tanner’s Candles and Antiques, a long-time merchant, played Santa Claus. Former First Street merchant Donna Ernst recalls that the annual event got underway in either 1980 or 1981. Merchants also organized a holiday parade, to be held later in the month.

It wasn’t until the Benicia Main Street Program set up shop in 1987 that the Holiday Open House evolved into the extravaganza it is today. Former Main Street executive director Patti Baron said a chief aim was to expand and promote it. One big change involved moving the tree lighting ceremony from City Park to the waterfront, as a way to encourage people to walk down the street and visit shops. Main Street also brought in live music and wagon rides. Over the years, different things were tried for fun, such as filling the State Capitol lawn with manufactured snow for the kids to play in, she said. Today the open house is still held the first Friday of December and it’s something people look forward to, to herald in the holiday season with a festive evening downtown. “It’s a long-time tradition and it’s been very well-supported. It’s just packed, and people come from all over to enjoy the atmosphere,” Baron said.

Lighted Boat Parade Brings on Holiday Magic

Photos courtesy Benicia Marina 12 • Benicia Magazine

By Sarah Rohrs Colorful lights are a sure way to evoke the magic of the holiday season. Combine a flotilla of twinkling lights with water, and the magic intensifies. The Benicia Marina is putting on such a light show for the holidays, with its annual Lighted Boat Parade that gets underway at 6pm, Saturday, Dec. 9, along the downtown waterfront.

In the evening darkness, a line of lighted boats will leave the marina and proceed along the Carquinez Strait past the First Street Pier, then turn around and return to the marina.

Spectators can stand along the waterfront to marvel at the array of decorated boats and the reflections they make in the water. The Benicia Marina has held a holiday Lighted Boat Parade for more than a quarter-century—a longstanding tradition for the community.

All boaters are welcome to join in the parade. Harbormaster Rhonda Imel said the holiday tradition is a fun one for the marina, and at least a dozen boaters participate. “A lot of people get creative with the lights and decorations,” she said. The marina announced that marina berthers and non-

BIO

Additional holiday events taking place in Benicia this month: Christmas Parade & Holiday Market, 10am-3pm, Saturday, Dec. 9.

The parade starts at First and D streets and features children, local marching bands and dancers, plus Santa and Mrs. Claus. The holiday market unfolds after the parade between B and D Streets.

Victorian Holiday Ornament Craft Workshop at the Benicia State

Capitol, 10am-3pm, Saturday, Dec. 9.

Nominal fee. Children can visit St. Nicholas (Victorian Santa) at the adjacent Fischer Hanlon House. Bring your own camera, refreshments served.

Christmas Tree Lot community

fundraiser daily through Dec. 22 at the Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road. Proceeds benefit the museum and Genesis House.

Teddy Bear Tea Party held Dec. 2-3

at the Camellia Tea Room. Bring a teddy bear and join in the fun at the First Street restaurant. Reservations are required; call 707-746-5293.

berthers are welcome, and pay no entrance fee to be part of the parade. Standing along the waterfront, people watching the parade may spot a few red Santas, golden angels, carolers and maybe a Grinch as well.

Some lights will be strung up on sailboat masts to resemble the boughs of festive holiday trees. Decorated boats are judged in several categories including Best Overall Decorations, Best Lighted Powerboat and Best Lighted Sailboat. A participation award is also given. Awards take place on the main deck in the front of the Benicia Marina office (Harbormaster building) upon the return of the parade participants. There is one award per category. Marina berthers get slip credit, plus a gift basket. Boaters who come in from Vallejo or other areas get a gift basket. The public is invited to come out and watch the parade, enjoying lights as they glide through the water.

Bio with

Elan Laporte

By Adriene Rockwell Lisa Duncan Photography Elan Laporte grew up as one of 10 siblings in a small town outside of Montreal, called Beloeil (“Beautiful Eye”), where his family farmed beets. He’s the lead guitarist in the up-and-coming local band Bodhi Shrugs, which he formed with his buddy, Graham Day, back in 1995 when the two were working at Club Med in the Dominican Republic. Most of the band members now live in Benicia, and Elan has made a home here with his soul mate Emily and their 3 year-old son Dylan in a 41-foot sailboat named Cumara, that’s anchored in the Benicia marina.

The band’s name, Bodhi Shrugs, is a reference to Bodhisattva, the enlightened one, shrugging his shoulders at the world in bewilderment. Elan is not a practicing Buddhist, but he chooses the simple life of a boat dweller. He and his family are “live-a-boards” rather than “cruisers,” but he likes knowing they are free to set sail any time on Cumara (“Sea Hound” in Gaelic).

Having always been a free spirit, Elan spent his youth trying to escape the Montreal winters. On a whim in 1992, he purchased a ticket to the Dominican Republic and showed up at Club Med with his guitar. “I had enough money to stay a week if they didn’t hire me,” he says. They put him to work that day building theater sets for Kids Corner and playing guitar. After that, he travelled for ten years with Club Med to Florida, Mexico, the Bahamas, and he says it’s where he paid his dues as a performer.

“The hotels were always full and we played for hours every night for years. We were thrown into the fire,” says Elan. “To this day, that experience has made us better musicians, and more comfortable as entertainers. Club Med gave us that.”

These days, Elan builds sets for Graham’s production company in the Benicia Arsenal called Trapeze World, that does major corporate events, and by night he is dedicated to his music. “Guitar is easy to learn and very difficult to master,” he says. “I’m still working at it every day.”

Bodhi Shrugs recently produced their debut album, Wherever We Roam, with all original melodies, composed and arranged by Elan, with song lyrics by Graham.

The five-member band is rising to local fame, getting lots of radio coverage, and playing at Luccas in downtown Benicia, Armando’s in Martinez and Silos in Napa (coming up January 26), thanks to their new manager, Marty Duvall.

According to their website, Bodhi Shrugs likes to perform fat horn riffs, funky bass lines and foot stomping rhythms with lyrics that tell stories—and above all— music that makes you want to move. But young Dylan declares, while playing with his oversized Legos on the floor of their cozy hardwood teak cabin, his favorite song on the new album is “Lolan” because it was co-written by his daddy just for him and Graham’s son Logan. Now that’s moving.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 13

ART THIS MONTH

Arts Benicia’s December exhibition, Gems IV, Exquisite, Intricate, Intimate Small Works of Art, will include work in a variety of media by local and regional artists, selected by juror Donna Seager. An art exhibition with a focused approach on small-scale works, it is one in a series of special events sponsored by Arts Benicia during its 30th anniversary year. Seager will be present at the opening on December 2, 2-4pm.

Gems IV is intended to present unique, original artwork created in Benicia and the greater Bay Area and offers an intriguing alternative to more commercial shopping. The small scale of the work draws viewers in, creating an intimate, personal experience.

Seager has worked in and directed galleries in New Orleans, Boston, San Francisco and Mill Valley. She serves on the board of the San Francisco Center for the Book and regularly features handmade and altered books in her gallery presentations.

Arts Benicia Talking Things Over, by Pam Dixon Photographed by Peg Jackson

Exquisite, Small Works of Art at Arts Benicia Gallery

991 Tyler Street #114, Benicia, CA 94510 Wed.–Sun. 12-5pm (10am-5pm December 2 & 3) info@artsbenicia.org; 707.747.0131; artsbenicia.org Activities in conjunction with this exhibition, free and open to the public:

Opening Reception

with Juror Donna Seager, during Benicia Arsenal Holiday Open Studios Saturday, December 2, 2-4pm.

Family Art Day

Sunday, December 3, 1-3pm. Arts Benicia is wheelchair accessible from Jackson Street.

Organized by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco in collaboration with the Liebieghaus Sculpture Collection in Frankfurt, ancient sculpture in vibrant color continues at the Legion of Honor Museum through January 7, 2018. Defying the idea of the stark white marble of antiquity, the exhibition, Gods in Color: Polychromy in the Ancient World, is the result of over 30 years of groundbreaking research of ancient sculpture by international scientists and archaeologists. Nearly 40 reproductions of well-known Greek and Roman artworks painted in brightly colored authentic pigments will be juxtaposed with ancient statues and carved reliefs from Legion of Honor collections. Museum hours are Tuesdays–Sundays, 9:30am–5:15pm.

Photo courtesy FAMSF.org

Gods in Color: Polychromy in the Ancient World at Legion of Honor

14 • Benicia Magazine

Through January 7, 2018

415.750.3600 legionofhonor.org Lincoln Park, 100 34th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94121

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Holiday

THE SEASON’S BEST GIFTS F

2 1 1. Romancing the Home, 617 First St. Michel Tuscan Grove fragrance diffuser, 7.77 Fl. Oz, $32, and 14 oz. soy wax candle, $28 707.747.1717 Benicia-rth.com

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Greeting Cards

Merge In

MANTLE

DECORATION CHALLENGE 18 • Benicia Magazine

By Jeanne Steinmann Lisa Duncan Photography For this issue, I asked two sought-after, creative Benicia women to stage my living room mantle with elaborate decorations, with the goal of inspiring readers. This was a logistical and creative challenge that both women immediately agreed to, and their talent was put to the test. The fireplace is the dominant feature of the space, encompassing 8.5 feet of wall, but the mantle itself is only 8” deep.

With the white fireplace as a blank canvas, professional home stager Christine Bovo and floral and garden designer Joy Alberts unloaded boxes, bags and buckets full of interesting props with anticipation. The photo shoot had a party-like atmosphere that included wine, music and appetizers and the better part of a Sunday.

Joy jumped right in with a profusion of fresh greenery foraged from her own yard and from Phil Joy’s nearby ranch. Large buckets of fresh eucalyptus, cedar and other aromatic cuttings made their way, branch by branch, onto the mantle. We watched her talent unfold as she added special holiday CHRISTINE BOVO touches. The result Principal and Creative Director was over-the-top, deProject Manager, Staging lighting the senses as Roihomeservices.com the greens released their heady scent.

JOY ALBERTS

Lisa Duncan was there Joyous Spaces with lighting and lenses, while Floral design and garden design studio graphic artist Margaret Bowles gave diJoyousspaces.com rection on layout and I ran around locating sticky wax, hot glue guns, chalk and whatever else was needed. Then—just like that—all the greenery and other props went back into the buckets. We all felt a letdown as it was disassembled.

Stepping up to apply her own unique brand of artistic magic, Chrissy sorted through her arsenal of items, choosing natural pieces such as cotton stems and birch branches, and decorative ones like white urns and old books. As her neutral pallet was revealed, Chrissy added black lanterns, hand-wrapped gifts with chalkboard tags, stockings and found objects to create a warm and inviting design that beautifully complemented the space.

It was fun watching the women each do their own thing, yet collaborate as needed. Chrissy graciously allowed me to keep her display up through the holidays— I rearranged the living room to showcase her design. Oh that I could have kept them both!

Photos: left, Chrissy's mantle design; middle, Christine Bovo; bottom, Joy Alberts BeniciaMagazine.com • 19

History Throughout

Greeting cards have an interesting evolution—people have loved them throughout the millennia. Although just about everything one can purchase can be found online, printed greeting cards are still enjoying robust popularity, especially during the holidays. And, yes, one can also send a digital greeting card, and some of those are quite entertaining. But many of us still want to experience the look and feel of the traditional paper variety.

With roots stretching back to ancient China and Egypt, the printed greeting card business is exploding as paper makes a notable comeback. According to the Boston Globe, millennials are buying more greeting cards than the baby boomers, perhaps as an antidote to the digital age. Thousands of letterpress and other paper card businesses have sprouted up across the country, offering a unique look that also commands a higher price. In more elaborate examples such as cards with buttons appended, glittered and otherwise embellished, specialty cards have become the gift.

Digital cards have come a long way since the 1990s electronic postcards. Some are free and some require a subscription service, from the humorous (Zazzle and Someecards) to elegant and animated, like Jacquie Larson.

In honor of the season and the sentiment greeting cards express, we offer this historical timeline of greeting cards, in all their printed and digital glory, compiled from greetingcard.org, Wikipedia and NPR.org.

BCE: In Ancient China, messages of goodwill were exchanged and early Egyptians conveyed greetings on papyrus scrolls 1400’s: Europeans begin exchanging handmade greeting cards.

1800’s: Valentine’s cards become popular and affordable.

1840: The postage stamp is introduced.

1843: First known Christmas card is published in London.

1849: Esther Howland becomes the first regular publisher of Valentines in the U.S. and sells her first handmade Valentine.

Mid 1800’s: Victorian greeting cards become popular in Europe.

1856: German immigrant Louis Prang opens a small lithographic business near Boston, and America’s greeting card industry begins.

1875: Prang introduces the first complete line of Christmas cards in America.

1941: A small group of publishers establish the Greeting Card Industry.

1970s: Recycled Paper Greetings, a small company competing with large card companies, begins publishing humorous "whimsical" card designs.

1980s: There’s a thriving market for "alternative" greeting cards, and the name sticks even though these alternative cards change the look of the entire industry.

1994: First E-cards, in the form of an electronic postcard.

2005 to present: With Etsy and other e-commerce sites, small publishers usher in a wave of creativity such as letterpress, die-cut cards and pop-ups.

20 • Benicia Magazine

Live Music Lucca Beer Garden 707.745.3749 439 First Street, Benicia • Luccabar.com

Dec. 1, 5:30-8pm Zenkali Christmas Open House Dec. 2, 1-3:30pm Good ol’ Country Music with Jill & Kevin Dec. 2, 5:30-8pm Her Sea Dec. 3, 2-5pm Irish Music with Vince Wolfe, Lewis Santer & Friends NO COVER CHARGE

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Upstairs @ the Café First Street Café 707.745.1400 440 First Street, Benicia • Firststreetcafe.com

Dec. 2, 8pm Tazmanian Devils & Deep Blue Jam $20 Online, $25 Box Office & Phone

Dec. 3, 12pm Vallejo Jazz Society Presents Lavay Smith & The Red Hot Skillet Lickers $20 ($10 for VJS members) at the door after 2:30pm Online, vallejojazzsociety.com Dec. 23, 8pm Derek Rolando & the Latin Pop Revue Holiday Dance Party $20 Online, $25 Box Office & Phone

Dec. 31, 9pm-1am New Years Eve Celebration with The Best Intentions -$35 to $65, Reserved Tickets Online 7pm Special VIP Dinner Package Additional

Dec. 2, 8pm Hotel California: A Salute to The Eagles $25 – 45, Ticketmaster or Box Office Dec. 7, 8pm Chris Isaak Holiday Tour $75 – 115, Ticketmaster or Box Office Dec. 8, 8pm The Pixies, Second Show added $75-95, Ticketmaster or Box Office Dec. 22, 8pm Todd Rundgren $45-85, Ticketmaster or Box Office

Dec. 9, 8-11:15pm TuneRiders Rock & Roll, Oldies NO COVER CHARGE Clockwise from top left: Zenkali, courtesy Lucca Beer Garden, TuneRiders, courtesy First Street Cafe, The Pixies, photo by Travis Shinn, Best Intentions, courtesy Empress Theatre.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 21

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22 • Benicia Magazine

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 23

with

Art Mayoff

By Sue Sumner-Moore Lisa Duncan Photography Art Mayoff was babysitting when a cathedralstyle radio console caught his eye and captured his imagination.

“I remember like it was yesterday,” Art, 73, says with a low chuckle. “That radio probably stood three-anda-half feet tall. It had shortwave bands on it. After the kids went to sleep, I’d turn that radio on and listen to stations from all over the world.”

Art became a ham radio operator—call sign AA6AM— and began communicating in Morse Code while a teenager living in Montreal. “I found Morse Code to be so intriguing that I didn’t even own a microphone for 20 years. I just did finger talk.” He now collects Morse Code keys.

He built his retail business around his love of radio, operating the Base Station in Concord for 25 years before he retired in 1999. The store specialized in hobby communications.

Today, Art’s enthusiasm for ham radio dovetails with his interest in emergency preparedness. He is Benicia’s coordinator for local hams in the event of an emergency and carries a handheld radio with him at all times. While talking with Benicia Magazine in October, he listens as ham operators check in for the annual earthquake drill known as the Great California Shake Out. Art is actively involved with the Benicia Amateur Radio Club, which has more than 60 members. He serves as treasurer and teaches all-day training and testing sessions. He is a trained member of the Benicia Emergency Response Team, volunteers with the Benicia Police Department and is the federal trustee of a ham radio station in the city’s Emergency Operations Center.

Art’s devotion to volunteer service has been recognized by the Governor’s Office on Service and Volunteerism and he has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award numerous times. He was Benicia’s Volunteer of the Year for 2011, and he was awarded the Benicia Police Department’s Medal of Valor for assisting with rescuing a toddler who’d tumbled into a Fairfield lake in 2005.

Art’s wife, Sue, is a fellow ham radio operator. The couple and their two children settled in Benicia in 1984.

He works part-time as a facility attendant for Benicia’s Parks and Community Services Department.

24 • Benicia Magazine Interview

How do local ham radio operators train for emergencies?

Every Thursday night at 7:30, we have one of two weekly onthe-air meetings. We call it a Net. Thursday is Benicia emergency training net; Monday is an everybody net.

We usually do training at that time. This week (in late October) will be an on-the-air drill based on the scenario of a 7.7 earthquake hitting Benicia. Everyone will be assigned a street intersection.

There’s more value and realism with more participation.

Everyone is encouraged to add more detail to the script they get. And they’re told to remember you are a ham reporting what you see and maintaining a log of the chaos around you. … That log is passed on to the Emergency Operations Center when there’s a real emergency.

Not all our training is this elaborate, but we train regularly.

Do local ham operators respond to all local emergencies?

No, only when a communications path is needed. The last emergency we helped with was when a sulfur truck blew up or burned up on the bridge in 1985.

With cell phones and Internet access, are ham radios still needed?

People often say ham radio is outdated. But it’s not. We can provide communication without extra infrastructure. We don’t need 110 volts of electricity. We can run with solar panels and batteries. …

If the city’s communications go down, we can be operating in about 30 minutes. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes to set up once we get to the site.

INTERVIEW

What equipment does Benicia have to operate radio communications in emergencies?

The Fire Department has devices called Go Kits. They’re ham radio stations on wheels. There are four from fire department, one from the club, for five total. The kits can be deployed to a hilltop or a shelter or wherever they’re needed. They’ve got solar panels, batteries, multiple antennas—they can act as a repeater if the city’s repeaters fail. Two of the five Go Kits have worldwide capabilities. …

They have radio email as well. The Internet could be down and we can send email to the county and beyond.

And all this is monitored and overseen by volunteers.

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What memories stand out from your years as a ham radio operator?

Cell: 707-373-0193 • Direct: 707-392-5267 Fax: 866-845-2474 • patty.small@fairwaymc.com 555 First St., Suite 102 • Benicia, CA 94510

Two come to mind: The Guatemala earthquake a while ago. I was asked by the Sister Cities organization in Pleasant Hill to create a communication path … and find out what was needed. What was needed most urgently were medical supplies. We began calling hospitals, looking for supplies that were about to expire.

We staffed and ran the radio station 24/7 for 10 to 12 days.

When everything was said and done, I got a humanitarian award from the Consul General from Guatemala.

The second was when I was asked to pass along a message from an elderly brother at a seminary to his family about some communication—I don’t remember what it was.

I took the traffic, made the call—got it taken care of, got a reply and passed it up the line. I found out about a week or 10 days later that this was his last communication with his family before he passed away. That isn’t earthshattering, but it caused me to glow that I was able to help.

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How has ham radio communication changed over the years?

We used to handle all sorts of traffic before the Internet came along. When people went into the service, there was no way to communicate with your family. Hams were able to do that before cell phones and the Internet.

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How can people get started in ham radio?

You don’t need a technical background. Come to the monthly radio club meetings. They’re held the second Tuesday of every month, except December, at 7:30pm at the downtown fire station. Enter through the side door on West Second. Or they can contact me at art@mayoff.com

What do you do to relax?

This (motioning to his handheld radio). I like playing with radios, helping others. I enjoy surfing the web, getting news, different points of view. The Internet is what shortwave used to be. If you wanted to get a different opinion, go see what a different country has to say about different subjects, that’s what shortwave was all about. Now you go on the Internet.

Also, my wife and I love cruising. We love going out of San Francisco.

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 25

TRENDS

WAR PAINT

by Christina Strawbridge Much has been documented about the power of women in business, finance, media and politics.

Although glass ceilings are being broken at some levels in 2017, most women continue to struggle for equal pay and recognition of their power.

I recently saw the Broadway musical War Paint about two giants in the cosmetic industry—Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Their rivalry to dominate the beauty market from the early 1900s to the 1960s brought innovation not only in product development, but also in how cosmetics are marketed. Today, we have this duo to thank for being the founders of the worldwide, billion dollar beauty industry, and yet, who knew?

Before suffrage, "nice" women didn't wear makeup, leaving it to their sisters in more theatrical businesses.

Arden realized if women wanted liberation they needed to be noticed. In order to establish her business, she gave free samples of lipstick to marching Suffragettes.

Her pink packaging and branding sometimes cost more than the cosmetic inside. Elizabeth Arden Red Door, founded in 1910, became a precursor of modern spas, and is still popular with the social elite. Rubinstein took a modern approach to formulating her products using science, by blending the standard use of lanolin with hormones.

26 • Benicia Magazine Trends

Arden and Rubinstein were the first to stress the importance of diet and exercise in a skin care regimen, which helped legitimize the use to all women. They both came from modest backgrounds: "Miss" Arden fled the farm in Canada and "Madame" Rubinstein escaped a Polish shelter and became a role model for European immigrants. Their journey from the working class to heads of global empires epitomized the American Dream. By 1929, Arden was considered one of the wealthiest women in the world.

War Paint just finished its Broadway run. The Tony Award-winning cast featured Patti LuPone as Helena Rubinstein and Christine Ebersole as Elizabeth Arden.

Their rich performances gave the audience a sense of power with real vulnerability. The gorgeous costuming, including glamorous furs, hats and jewelry, were in contrast to a minimalist set of lit, ceiling-high rows of cosmetic bottles and jars.

Throughout the show, I couldn't help to think about my mom, who started her own custom blended cosmetics company in the late 1940s, and my sister, who created a holistic skincare line about nine years ago against great odds. When a woman is building an empire or even a small business, the journey involves sacrifice, success, self-doubt, and hopefully sisterhood.

Yes, Arden and Rubinstein were rivals, but their shared commonality of what it takes to be successful is the real story. We've come a long way baby...or have we?

We have the styles you love!

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Beautiful Greeting Cards BeniciaMagazine.com • 27

December 2017 Events The Great Dickens Christmas Fair

Diablo Regional Concert Band

12/1-17, 10am-7pm Cow Palace Exhibition Halls, San Francisco Enter the winding lanes of Victorian London and immerse yourself in a world of music halls, theatres, pubs, dance parties, and charming shops overflowing with hand-made holiday treasures. Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty foods fill the air. Discover holiday revelry in this lamp-lit city brimming with over 800 lively and colorful characters from the imagination of Charles Dickens, the pages of history, and the sometimes saucy world of the Victorian stage.

Dickensfair.com

12/8, 7:30pm Benicia Public Library 150 East L Street, Benicia Diablo Regional Concert Band is the Bay Area’s self-supporting, all-volunteer concert band, that began over a century ago. Join the band for their annual winter concert, with free admission.

Diabloregionalconcertband.com 925.451.6222

Christmas Parade & Holiday Market

Christmas Tree Lot

12/1-12/22 Benicia Historical Museum 2060 Camel Road, Benicia The Historical Museum’s annual Christmas Tree Lot fundraiser will take place daily at the museum.

Proceeds benefit the museum and Genesis House, a sober-living facility in Vallejo.

Beniciahistoricalmuseum.org 707.745.5435

Benicia Holiday Open House & Tree Lighting

12/1, 6-9pm Downtown Benicia First Street merchants, along with Benicia Main Street, host this ever-popular open house at the beginning of the Christmas Season. Merchants offer beverages and treats and show off their holiday goods while costumed carolers sing traditional Christmas tunes. Live entertainment, wagon rides and Christmas tree lighting add a festive atmosphere to this family event.

Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

Gems IV: Exquisite, Intricate, Intimate Small Works of Art

12/2-12/22, Wed-Sun 12-5pm & 10am-5pm 12/2&3 Opening reception 12/2, 6-8pm Arts Benicia, 991 Tyler Street #114, Benicia Arts Benicia presents Gems IV, a small works show with a focused approach on exquisite, intricate, intimate works of art on a small scale. This juried exhibition includes works in a variety of media by Arts Benicia members and other local and regional artists. Gems IV is intended to present unique, first-rate work and offers an intriguing alternative to more commercial shopping.

Artsbenicia.org 707.747.0131

28 • Benicia Magazine Calendar

Benicia Arsenal Artists Holiday Open Studios

12/9, 10am-3pm First & D Streets, Benicia The parade starts at 10am at First and D Streets and ends at H Street. The parade features local marching bands, dancers, and the much anticipated Santa Lighted Boat Parade Claus. The Holiday Market features handcrafted arts & crafts, gourmet items and delicious food. Contact Benicia Main Street for more info.

Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

12/2 & 3, 10am-5pm Studios on Grant, Jackson and Tyler Streets This year’s Arsenal Open Studios features an abundance of large and small works from a large handful of fantastic of artists, with works in paint, mixed media, print making, sculpture, photography, glass and jewelry. Pieces are available at every price range. Historic studios are in interesting buildings built between the 1850s and 1920s. All are in walking distance of each other. Stop by Arts Benicia, at 991 Tyler Street, Suite 114, for a map of participating studios.

Mikekendall.com/decos13.html

Teddy Bear Tea Party

12/3 Camellia Tea Room 828 First Street, Benicia Camellia Tea Room and Benicia Main Street invite all to bring teddy bears and join in the festivities at Camellia Tea Room. Reservations are required and can be made by calling the Tea Room.

Camelliatearoom.com 707.746.5293

Benicia Ballet Presents The Nutcracker 12/2, 2&7pm; 12/3, 1 & 5pm Solano Community College 4000 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield Professional guests & Benicia Ballet Theatre Company dancers dazzle audiences with a festive holiday treat for all ages. The full-scale production is the dance company's biggest performance and fundraising event of the year with four magical performances for the whole family. Performed by a cast of over 100 community members from Benicia Ballet Theatre and Benicia Festival Orchestra.

Beniciaballet.org 707.746.6757

Victorian Holiday Ornament Craft Workshop

12/9, 10am-3pm Benicia State Capitol State Historic Park 116 West G Street, Benicia Come make a one-of-a-kind Victorian ornament and visit with St. Nicholas at the adjacent Fischer Hanlon House. Refreshments will be served; bring your own camera.

Parks.ca.gov/?page_id=475 707.745.3385

Pictures with Santa at the Fire Station

12/9, 4-6pm Benicia Fire Station #11 150 Military West, Benicia Santa Claus is coming to town! Join us as Santa takes time out from his busy December schedule to stop by Fire Station 11. *Private Session for children with special needs from 2- 3pm.* No need to RSVP. Bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Enjoy The Magic of Gerald Joseph while waiting for Santa. geleccion@benicia.org 707.746.4272.

Lighted Boat Parade

12/9, 6pm Benicia Marina Join the Benicia Yacht Club for the 25th annual lighted boat parade and watch fabulously decorated boats parade from the Marina to the First Street Pier.

An awards ceremony takes place at the Marina after the parade.

Beniciayachtclub.com 707.746.6600

85th Annual Grand Victorian Homes Tour of Vallejo

12/10, Reception 3-5pm, tour 4-7pm After party 6-8pm Begins at Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum 734 Marin Street, Vallejo Walk into some of Vallejo’s outstanding architectural homes built by some of the finest architects in the Bay Area. As always, there will be an assortment of beautiful Vallejo homes—some that have never been on the tour, with a few favorites from the past.

Tickets include the wine-tasting.

Brownpapertickets.com/event/2405727

East Bay Alternative Book & Zine Fest

12/9, begins 11am Omni Commons 4799 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley The East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fest invites you to its 8th annual event! Held at the Omni Commons in Oakland, CA for the first time, EBABZ Fest is the premier gathering for zinesters, independent publishers, comic book writers, and artists in the East Bay. True to its DIY roots, the East Bay Alternative Book and Zine Fest is a not-for-profit event and run by volunteers. The event is free and open to the public.

Facebook.com/events/305415459865428/

REALTOR® Personal Service, Quality Results ALAIN PINEL REALTORS

Call to schedule a complimentary exam

Dr. Tom Campbell Orthodontics for children and adults

Mulch Wide — Not Deep Mulch is one of the most beneficial things a homeowner can do for the health of a tree.

Benefits of proper mulching: Maintain soil moisture Control weeds Improve soil aeration & drainage

Apply mulch properly or it can cause harm to trees and other landscape plants.

For more info visit: www.ci.benicia.ca.us, Parks & Community Services 707.746.4285

12/12-19 Union Square 333 Post Street, San Francisco The San Francisco “Mama Menorah” public celebration has become a global phenomenon with large menorahs lit annually in over 500 cities worldwide. This flagship Chabad SF project has become one of the biggest Jewish events in the Bay Area, with over 5,000 people from all walks of Jewish life coming together to hear rousing music, meet Jewish celebrities, eat traditional Chanukah foods and light Chanukah menorahs. First lighting 12/12 at 5pm. See website for daily events schedule.

Billgrahammenorah.org

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ESTEY

After over 50 years in the same location, we have moved our offices to the waterfront. The former location at First & J Streets was red-tagged by the City as unsafe.

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Deli Sandwiches, Salads and Soups Family Owned and Operated

Catering & Deli Trays Available The finest meats and cheeses by the pound Open Mon-Fri 10-5 Sat 10-4 707.297.6119

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Full-line pet store Professional dog & cat grooming Do it yourself pet wash 1202 East 5th Street, Benicia 707.745.5016 • www.FeathererPet.com

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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 25 years.

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

BeniciaMagazine.com • 31

Contractor's License # 678979

Celebrating 27 Years

Receive either a 9" Nourot vase or a $150 gift certificate to Romancing the Home with the purchase of a complete kitchen.

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