Benicia Magazine February 2015

Designer fruit trees: backyard grafting Works of Heart Jewelry for Your Valentine

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

Refinery Turnaround

Q&A

Local restaurants, lodging properties and retail outlets in Benicia may be bustling with more activity than one might expect early in the winter months. At the Valero Benicia Refinery, which employees about 450 full-time employees and 250 continuing contract workers, an additional 700 skilled workers are performing planned maintenance called a “turnaround.” This means a positive economic impact to our community.

707-745-7534 February 2015

Year-Round Training Keeps Valero Fire Department Busy

What is a turnaround?

The refinery conducts turnarounds to do planned maintenance. This includes inspection, repair, and replacement of refinery equipment.

During a turnaround, some refinery operations are suspended so preventive maintenance work can be conducted that could not otherwise be performed when the refinery is fully operational.

Why are turnarounds performed?

The primary reason for turnarounds is to perform preventive maintenance to ensure safe and reliable operations.

What is the duration of a turnaround?

The duration of a turnaround can be as short as a few days to as long as several weeks, depending on the scope of the preventive maintenance work.

Is flaring associated with this type of preventive maintenance?

Yes, as processing units are removed temporarily from service, and as they are returned to service, flaring can be expected. Flaring is a safety measure designed and implemented per regulatory standards to burn-off excess gas in a safe and environmentally sound manner to protect employees, the community, and the environment.

Flares are regulated by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. (BAAQMD).

What affect do turnarounds have on the supply of gasoline?

Planning for preventive maintenance projects is completed months to years ahead of the performed work and provisions are made to insure there are no disruptions in supplies to our customers.

Fast Fact: Safety First:

Valero Fire Department members participate in a training exercise at the refinery.

All Valero employees are required to complete a core curriculum of training throughout the year, every year, including recurring safety training. In addition, specialized training is required for specific roles at the refinery.

The men and women of the Valero Fire Department have a full slate of specialized training every year, ranging from Fire Suppression and Hazmat to Confined Space Rescue and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Recently, the emergency responders participated in a multi-agency emergency exercise focusing on railroad tank car emergencies.

“Training for the Fire Department is never ending,” said Chief Joe Bateman.

“We have state-mandated training and quarterly drills, as well as specialized training both on and off-site.”

Bateman added, “The City of Benicia Fire Department and the Valero Fire

Department regularly participate in joint training exercises.”

Since 2001, Valero has underwritten the cost for City of Benicia firefighters to join them at the weeklong flammable liquids fire training at the Emergency Services Training Institute in College Station, Texas.

One of the annual exercises held in Benicia is the off- road 4-wheel driving training, which prepares firefighters to respond to grass fires located in areas with no access road. This year, the Vallejo Fire Department will join the City of Benicia and Valero Fire Departments for the training.

“Two City of Benicia Fire Department members are state-certified instructors for the off-road driver training and Valero offers its open space grassland as a classroom,” said Bateman. “This is another example of how the Valero and the City collaborate on training that benefits the community.”

The Valero Benicia Refinery saw 20 Operator Trainees (Class 63) graduate from Basic Operator Training in January.

Keep your Valentine chocolates—especially dark or baking chocolate—away from your dogs and cats, as chocolate is a toxin to your pet. (U.S. FDA and ASPCA)

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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 © 2015, 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, 611 First Street, Benicia, CA 94510. 707.853.8159, beniciamagazine.com.

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Urban Notions home, gift, jewelry with a dash of fun

Elementary Enrollment Beginning February 1st Enrollment for incoming Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten and new elementary students to BUSD begins

February 1st

611 First Street • Downtown Benicia

707.853.8159

Your child must turn five years old on or before September 1, 2015 to enroll in Kindergarten.

BUSD is also offering Transitional Kindergarten again this year for all Benicia students who turn five years old between

Anyone can nominate a tree for Heritage designation!

September 2nd and December 2nd, 2015.

A prospective Heritage Tree must meet 1 of 7 criteria, including historical significance, diameter and aesthetic value.

Find out more online or call 707.746.4285

Enrollment for this program is done at each of our Elementary Schools starting the month of February.

Open Enrollment for all Elementary students desiring to attend a school outside of their school of residence will be held the month of March. Forms can be picked up at any elementary site and information is on the BUSD website.

Please call any of our Elementary Schools for additional information and to schedule an appointment.

Benicia Unified School District 350 East K Street, Benicia, CA 707.747.8300

www.beniciaunified.org

City of Benicia

Heritage Tree Program

Heritage Tree applications and pruning & removal permits can be downloaded at www.ci.benicia.ca.us, Parks & Community Services

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FEBRUARY VOLUME 10 ISSUE 4

Features

Unique jewelry to flutter the heart

16

Grafting fruit trees for fun, faster harvests and higher yield

18

Departments 10

From the Editor

12

Backwards Glance A historic, tragic love story with ties to Benicia

14

20

Currents By the Numbers: Random facts about our town Bio: Del Holson, longtime fastpitch coach and Benicia icon Benicia Library receives large paintings hung dramatically from the ceiling

22 24

Arsenal Map

26 27

Guide to Local Restaurants

28

Calendar of Events

Interview Tara Allen, vegan cake and cupcake baker

Trends Exploring the dierence between fashion and style

Downtown Map

Cover photo, tiered cake with succulent decoration, made by Tara Bottini Allen, Fox and Fawn Bakehouse Coeur de la Photography Photo this page: Benicia waterfront, by Jerry Bowles 8 • Benicia Magazine

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Photo by Joe Messina

I From the Editor February 2015

t’s February, and love is in the air! Which camp are you in? Do you resent the so-called Hallmark Holiday, or enjoy the opportunity to express your more tender feelings? I admit to feeling, for much of my life, that the whole Valentine’s Day thing is silly. But lately, I’ve gone over to the other side— after all, why not have a special day to reaffirm your love and appreciation for family and friends?

And while we are on that subject, many people I know, mostly of the fairer sex, may want to consider a little self-love this month. Burnout is born of doing too much, too fast, with too many balls in the air, and high expectations that collide with one’s limitations. This month my own challenge will be to practice il dolce far niente: the sweetness of doing nothing.

Valentine’s Day is a perfect day to pamper oneself. And with a surfeit of salons and spas beckoning, and restaurants, clothing stores and boutiques to peruse, a little “me time” is definitely in order. But most of all, in the spirit of the holiday, let’s all just practice being kind to one another.

Looking for the perfect gift? How about tickets for two to the annual Wine and Chocolate Walk, February 7, put on by Benicia Main Street? It is hands-down one of the best downtown events. Sip, shop and stroll along First Street with glass in hand, sampling area wines inside the shops, where merchants will be pouring and pairing with delectable chocolate goodies.

There’s also a Beer Brewing in Benicia exhibit at the Historical Museum, Family Art Day coincides with The Art of a Community exhibit at Arts Benicia, and Main Street’s Ghost Walk returns this month. For more events, see the Calendar.

I’d like to extend a very fond and affectionate virtual hug to our readers— you are the heart of the magazine—the magic that keeps us going. Many thanks and happy February,

Jeanne Steinmann

Tweet, post or send your suggestions & ideas to: editor@beniciamagazine.com www.beniciamagazine.com 10 • Benicia Magazine

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Pamper Me Week Downtown Benicia’s Annual Salon and Spa Week

Sailor Jacks

Saturday, February 21st – Friday, February 27th Beat the winter blues by pampering yourself!

Discover and sample the latest in beauty and wellness from participating salons and spas.

Treat yourself from head to toe, then top it off with some shopping. You deserve it!

For more info on participating businesses BeniciaMainStreet.org 707.745.9791

Oyster Special Mondays

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Purchase one lunch or dinner entrée in February & receive one complimentary dessert with this ad* *expires Exp. 2/28/15. Dine in only. One discount per table, no cash value.

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Spring Open Enrollment No Auditions Tuesday February 3rd & 10th 2015 3:30 - 4:15pm Boys & Girls 6-18 Benicia Camel Barn 2060 Camel Rd Benicia Napa and Santa Rosa rehearsal sites also available see website for details Uniting the world and empowering future leaders through music

VOENA.org BeniciaMagazine.com • 11

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Star-crossed Lovers Concepcion Arguello and Nikolai Rezanov

By Elizabeth d’Huart Executive Director, Benicia Historical Museum

Backwards Glance

What a charming image for February’s big holiday— it would make a lovely Valentine! The pretty people depicted are not fictional characters; they are none other than the star-crossed lovers Concepcion Arguello and Nikolai Rezanov, as depicted in this watercolor by Frank H. Dessy taken from the book Rezanov, published in 1906

by Gertrude Atherton.* Although most Benicians (and Russians) know the story, it bears repeating because it encompasses both an intriguing romance and an interesting slice of our own local history. Although it is difficult today to delineate fact from fiction, the barebones legend of Concepcion and Rezanov is as follows.

In 1806, the 42-year old Russian Chamberlain Nikolai Rezanov sailed into port at the Presidio, hoping to acquire food and other provisions for the close-to-starving inhabitants of the Russian colony in Sitka, Alaska. Spain, at the time, forbade the Presidio to trade with any other foreign country, which meant that Nikolai must remain in San Francisco for several months while he endeavored to negotiate the matter with the Presidio’s highest ranking officer, Commandante Don Jose Mario Arguello.

The Commandante’s beautiful and accomplished daughter, Concepcion, age 15, captured Nikolai’s attention and heart. Finding that Conception returned his love, they became engaged, impelling Nikolai to depart for Russia to solicit the approval of the Tsar and the Pope, a church and imperial court imperative since Concepcion was Catholic and Nikolai, Russian Orthodox. They parted, each giving the other a token of their love and devotion. Nikolai received a locket that held several strands of her hair; Concepcion received from her fiancé a jeweled cross on a chain.

Back across the sea and on his way to St. Petersburg, Nikolai became ill but struggled on, determined to get to the capital to secure permission for the marriage. Cold and exhausted, succumbing to disease and a weakened constitution, on March 1, 1807, he slid off his horse in the snows of Siberia and died shortly thereafter. Poor Concepcion was unaware of his demise until some six or seven years later, rejecting a number of eager suitors in the interim. Thereafter, she devoted herself to caring for the aging, nursing the sick, teaching, and administering to the needs of the Native American population housed at the mission in Santa Barbara.

Concepcion did eventually wed, becoming “a bride of Christ” upon taking her vows as a Dominican nun in April of 1851, after entering

the Santa Catalina Convent in Monterey. Sister Mary Dominica, as she chose to call herself, became the first native Californian to wear the order’s habit in the newly admitted state. The convent moved to Benicia in 1854 and the name was anglicized in the process from Santa Catalina to St. Catherine’s. The convent was torn down in 1966 and replaced with Solano Square. Sister Dominica died on December 23, 1857, and was buried Christmas Eve in the convent cemetery. Some years later the cemetery was closed and those who were buried there were relocated to St. Dominic’s Cemetery in Benicia. It is hard not to feel moved by this very touching story, and the book’s illustration seems to capture the couple just as they are realizing what they mean to each other before time, distance and tragedy tear them apart. Rest in peace, Concepcion, rest in peace.

Photo: Conception Arguello and Nikolai Rezanov, Watercolor, Courtesy Benicia Historical Museum *Atherton (1857 – 1948) was born in San Francisco and attended St. Mary’s Hill high school in Benicia before further schooling in Kentucky and marrying George Atherton, whereafter she lived in Fair Oaks. A prolific writer, she also authored Black Oxen, The Conqueror, A Few of Hamilton’s Letters, Rulers of Kings, Senator North, The Aristocrats, Patience Sparhawk and Her times, American Wives and English Husbands, The Californians, A Daughter of the Vine, A Whirl Asunder, His Fortunate Grace, The Doomswoman, The Splendid Idle Forties, and The Valiant Runaways, (A Book for Boys). B

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29

341 Above photos by Jerry Bowles

BY THE NUMBERS 9

California Historical Landmarks in Benicia: the State Capitol, the Masonic Hall, First Protestant Church, Benicia Arsenal, Benicia Barracks, Benicia Seminary, St. Paul’s Church, Fischer-Hanlon House, Turner/Robinson Shipyard. ohp.parks.ca.gov

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US Flags flying on city property (7 that fly every day, 4 during ball games). The flags are maintained by the City of Benicia’s Parks and Community Services Department. ci.benicia.ca.us

12

Wide, white steps leading to the grand columns at the entrance to the Benicia State Capitol. parks.ca.gov

“He taught us to put our hearts into the game, and not to be so worried about winning,” Del Holson

29

Restaurants in Downtown Benicia (within the Benicia Main Street program’s footprint, encompassing First Street and partial adjacent side streets). These eateries include bars that serve food. beniciamainstreet.org

341

Boat slips at the Benicia Marina, thirty-three of which are home to live-aboard residents. beniciamarina.net

20,000

The approximate square footage in the Benicia Historical Museum’s complex of 4 buildings: the administrative offices, Building 7, which houses the Industrial Exhibit, Building 9, which houses the main museum and rental hall, and the Powder Magazine. beniciahistoricalmuseum.org B

Bio

By Adriene Rockwell Photo By Malcolm Slight Jim Lemos has the community pool named after his father, but after 71 years of friendship, he thinks Del Holson may be best-known man in Benicia. For the past 38 years, Del has coached hundreds of our daughters and granddaughters in nearly 1,400 games for the Benicia Fastpitch Girls Softball league.

Del turned 80 in October, but he doesn’t look a day over 60.

Partly because he’s never had a drink or a smoke, and last year

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BENICIA’S SPLENDID LIBRARY IS

FURTHER ENHANCED BY NEW PUBLIC ART where he taught figurative drawing and painting for 33 years at the San Francisco Art Institute before moving to Vallejo. His expressionist works have been shown in many universities, galleries and museums, including SF MOMA, and his work has been written about in numerous articles. He died in Vallejo in January, 2006.

The Benicia Public Art Program was unanimously approved by the city council September 4, 2012. Its stated mission is “… designed to serve as a guide for the City’s acquisition, display, placement, and retention of public art.” A reception will be held Friday, January 30, 6-8pm in the Library’s reading room, where the paintings, still covered, will be unveiled in a dramatic flourish, adding to the celebratory mood.

For more information, visit juliushatofsky.com, benicialibrary.org/arts/policy, or ci.benicia.ca.us.

Photos above: Left, Wave, 78" h x 100" w, oil on canvas, Julius Hatofsky, 1979; Right, Untitled, 65 1/2" h x 55 1/2" w, oil on canvas, Julius Hatofsky, 1969 B

he lost 58 pounds. But it’s coaching that still keeps him young. “I love being out there with the kids,” says Del in a well-worn black softball jacket. “I like to see them clicking together as a team, and cheering for each other. It’s important that they are having fun.”

Samantha Levine was 13 when she joined Del's team, and says he brings out the best in every player. Now she coaches alongside him. “He taught us to put our hearts into the game, and not to be so worried about winning,” she says. Her dad, Stu, has been coaching with Del for 14 years: “Del believes in being one hundred percent fair. Even with the opposite team. Everyone gets to play, regardless of where we are in the game.”

Still close with childhood friends in Benicia, Del recalls when Solano Square was a convent, City Hall was the high school, and the town celebrated Western Days for Fourth of July.

After Benicia High School, 20 years in the Navy took him to Moffett Field, Japan, Guam, Florida and Norfolk, West Virginia– where he met Pat, his wife of 53 years. They returned to Benicia to raise three children who gave them eight grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The annual Del Holson Tournament was named in his honor about a decade ago, and Stu says, “If Del ever retires, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a field named after him.” B

Currents

Benicia’s City Council recently voted to approve two new paintings by well-known artist Julius Hatofsky, on loan to the city for five years. The paintings were hung January 9 at the Benicia Public Library, which already houses four of Benicia’s ten pieces of public art.

The works are the first to be introduced under the City of Benicia’s Public Art Program. The Arts and Culture Commission’s artist selection committee recommended the selected paintings to the City Council after working with the artist's widow, Linda Hatofsky. Patty Gavin, member of the commission, says, “the paintings are a test case for the city’s guidelines and procedures.

In a word, the paintings are stunning!” Because of their size, the paintings were hung from the ceiling crossbeams in the library’s main reading room.

In his younger days, Hatofsky studied art in Paris and New York, worked as a police officer in New York City and served in World War II’s Battle of the Bulge. He moved to San Francisco in 1961,

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2.

1.

4.

3.

Exceptional Jewelry Makes a Stylish Valentine’s Statement

1. Sterling silver pendant with ruby-colored semiprecious stone, handmade in Sonoma, $42, and earrings, $47

Lindsay Art Glass, lindsayartglass.com 2. Hammock pendant, handmade in Oregon, $88 Scribble pendant, handmade in Oregon, $78

3. Contemporary Brighton pendant, $100, and earrings, $38

Christina S, christinasbenicia.com

4. Multi-jeweled bracelet, handmade in the USA, $336

Studio 41, studio41.com

Urban Notions, facebook.com/urbannotions

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ynne

Season Tickets Available By ! w e N Phone Until January 1st, 2015

EVENTS 2015 MONTHLY ~ FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES

415.297.3542 • $100.00 February 7, 1-5pm Ages 21 and older

MOTOSHI KOSAKO Jazz Harp

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Stroll First Street with your sweetheart

Steel 6 String Guitar

and indulge in an afternoon of decadent chocolates, fine wines, and shopping!

MURIEL ANDERSON

Wine and chocolate tastings available at participating downtown merchants.

Classical & Harp Guitar

$25 advance/$30 day of event or 2 tickets for $45 advance/$55 day of event includes souvenir wine glass

Tickets available at Benicia Main Street

90 First Street, or online at BeniciaMainStreet.org

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Benicia Grill 6th Year Anniversary!

Muriel Anderson CLASSICAL & HARP GUITAR Open every day 6am—3pm

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For More Information Please BeniciaMagazine.com • 17 Call: 415-297-3542

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Grafting Fruit Trees Using Easily Learned Techniques

By Bruce Rockwell Johnny Appleseed lives on in the public imagination as a young man scattering apple seeds across the Midwest, with productive orchards springing up in his wake. Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman was a real person, but the popular image of his methods is a myth. He established many nurseries, but not by planting seeds, rather by grafting.

The ancient technique of grafting may be more important than you think. A seed, or “pip,” is the result of chance pollination between male pollen and the female flower germ cell. Its genetics are unique and unpredictable. If we were to plant a pip from a Granny Smith apple, it would not grow into a Granny Smith tree. It would probably bear fruit of low quality, and we would have to wait seven to ten years for the disappointing result.

The Chinese were the first to solve this predicament, thousands of years ago. By carefully splicing, or “grafting” a small piece of budding wood cut from a fruit tree of known, reliable quality onto a seed-grown sapling, they learned that the “graft union” would heal over quickly. And from the budwood would grow a tree of the desired variety.

The practice of grafting spread throughout the globe, and remained virtually unchanged until fairly recently, as researchers began to shift their attention to the importance of the root system. In the last century, different rootstocks have been developed to control tree size, soil adaptability, and other characteristics. Dwarfing rootstocks are now available to maintain a tree at virtually any desired size, and to bear fruit quickly after planting.

Grafting is primarily a dormant season, winter activity that many home orchardists look forward to, even as gardeners are pouring over their seed catalogs. The techniques are easily learned, usually requiring nothing more than a sharp knife and electrician’s tape. You may graft onto saplings or mature trees, using different methods. Most familiar fruit

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types can be successfully grafted, with some limitations. Stone fruit budwood can only be grafted onto stone fruit rootstock, pome fruits (apple, pear, quince, etc.) onto pome fruit rootstock, etc. Apples are particularly easy to graft, offering consistent success for the beginner.

During winter pruning, budwood (or “scion wood”) is clipped from dormant trees, refrigerated, and given away at regional “scion exchange” events, where hundreds of rare and antique varieties are made available. Some nurseries sell scion wood online, and you might also get clippings from a friend or neighbor with an excellent tree.

New trees may be propagated at home, by grafting scion wood onto dwarfing rootstock bought at a nursery, onto a sapling grown from seed (resulting in a full-sized tree), or onto a sucker cut from the roots of an established tree. If you already have a wild or volunteer tree such as a crab apple or sour plum, a fruitless ornamental, or maybe an established nursery tree that bears disappointing fruit, don’t replant! Graft it over to a premium fruiting variety—or varieties. Perhaps the most fun is in creating novel “multi-graft” trees. Grafting several different varieties onto the same tree is also highly practical, yielding the enjoyment of diverse fruit grown in limited space, better cross-pollination, and an extended harvest made possible by grafting early, middle, and late season varieties.

Heirloom fruits propagated by grafting offer up an explosion of flavor and variety that is in contrast to the few familiar commercial strains bred more for productivity and visual appeal. Grafting can also literally bring history to your backyard. When you bite into the venerable Spitzenberg apple—a richly flavored late season variety—you are sharing a culinary experience with Thomas Jefferson, who grew them at Monticello. Calville Blanc d’Hiver, the classic French dessert apple, was grown in the orchards of Louis XIII. You’ll never find the colonial favorites Rhode Island Greening or Roxbury Russet in a supermarket, but you can graft and enjoy them at home every autumn.

YouTube is an excellent resource to learn grafting techniques, and the best advice is just to get out and try it yourself. B Photos below by Bruce Rockwell: Left, A successful example of the grafting technique known as a "whip graft." Right, Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart, Mariposa, Damson, and Green Gage plum varieties grafted onto the author's volunteer plum tree, shown after one season of growth. Fruit begins to bear the second year.

MORE RESOURCES Grafting Fruit Trees, Larry Southwick, Storey Publishing The Grafter’s Handbook, R.J. Garner, Chelsea Green Publishing “Fruitwise” YouTube channel “Dave Wilson Nursery” YouTube channel treesofantiquity.com: California nursery specializing in heirloom/antique fruit varieties orangepippin.com: comprehensive resource for fruit varieties and orchards Maple Valley Orchards: source of scion wood California Rare Fruit Growers Association: lectures, demonstrations, tasting events, annual scion exchanges

BeniciaMagazine.com • 19

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Lunch, afternoon tea, housemade desserts, fine teas & tea accessories

Camellia Tea Room 828 First Street Downtown Benicia 707.746.5293 camelliatearoom.com

English, Reading Comprehension, Math grades K-6

Dudikoff Insurance Agency Planning, Products, & Services

George Dudikoff, Agent, Lic. #OB13442 159 East D Street, Suite A, Benicia • P: 707.746.7395 • F: 707.747.6814

www.farmersagent.com/gdudikoff

Real Estate doesn’t have to be this painful!

Tanya Delahaye • 707.334.4227

Residential & New Home Sales; Property Management 707.745.0759 www.judsonandcompany.com

Currently in Teaching Credential Program

Steve McClure

560 First St., Ste C103, Benicia

707.745.0848

Mexican Food

www.stevemcclure.net

640 First Street • 707.746.7830

Fiber-Frolics

CHARLIE’S ATTIC

637 First Street, Benicia • 707.747.YARN(9276) fiber-frolics.com

632 First St., Benicia • 707.205.6960

Specialty Yarns and Classes Giovanna Sensi-Isolani, fiber artist

Serving Benicia's orthodontic needs for over 25 years Dr. Tom Campbell

Orthodontics for children and adults

Call to schedule a complimentary exam 707.745.1994 • 164 East H St., Benicia Beniciaparadocs.com

Collectibles-Antiques-Music Consignment and eBay drop-off

2nd Chance Thrift Store Adobe is a clean and sober men’s assistance program solely supported by Thrift Shop sales and Labor Services.

Furniture, Collectibles & Household items 11am-6pm PLUS, Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat Frequently open until 10pm 929 First Street, Benicia, 707.745.4565 or 707.745.6276

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HOME, GIFT, JEWELRY WITH A DASH OF FUN

Urban Notions

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Furniture, Collectibles & Household Items 11am-6pm PLUS Tue, Wed, Fri, Sat Frequently open until 10pm • 707.745.4565

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Full-line pet store Professional dog & cat grooming Do it yourself pet wash

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1202 East 5th Street, Benicia 707.745.5016 • www.FeathererPet.com

The Benicia Historical Museum at the Camel Barns

================================ California Historical Landmark and on the National Register of Historic Places ================================ Open Wed-Sun 1-4pm ♦ 2060 Camel Road ♦ Benicia For more information: (707) 745-5435

• Serving the Benicia/Vallejo area for over 70 years • Only on-site crematory in the area • Funerals, memorials, VA Burials John “Sherm” Passalacqua

Passalacqua Funeral Chapel 901 West Second St., Benicia 707-745-3130 www.passalacquafuneralchapel.com Greg Silva

Twin Chapels Mortuary 1100 Tennessee St., Vallejo 707-552-6696 www.twinchapelsmortuary.com For current exhibits and events go to our web site: www.BeniciaHistoricalMuseum.org Rental venue Docent tours

Voted Best Funeral Home In Solano County 7 Years In A Row BeniciaMagazine.com • 23

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INTERVIEW WITH

Tara Bottini Allen

How did you launch your business?

I started applying to farmers markets, and it turns out it is really difficult to get into them. The first one I tried was Walnut Creek. …

They told me they’d tried cupcakes before, they wanted me to prepackage them, and they had a waitlist.

As a long shot, I put my application in here (Benicia) before we even moved here, and I got accepted.

How did your first day of sales go in 2011?

I made 100 cupcakes that first week. I was so nervous. I felt so vulnerable out there. We sold out that first night. So the second week I think I made 150, and we sold out again.

How many cupcakes do you sell each week now?

We added a double oven to our home last year so I could bake more cupcakes. At the height of the summer last year, we were selling 700 cupcakes a week at the farmers market. We average about 500 to 550 cupcakes a week over the season.

We sell out before the market ends each week. I’ve tried to find the magic number to have just enough until the end of the market, but I haven’t found it.

How has your business grown since you started?

Most of my special orders come from people I’ve met at the farmers market. I do a lot of birthday cakes for people I’ve met there.

The first year at the farmers market, I met Erin Taylor, an event planner here in Benicia. She pulled me by my bootstraps and got me into the wedding market.

By Sue Sumner-Moore Photo by Erin Lewis Photography After years as a waitress, make-up artist and office assistant, Tara Bottini Allen discovered the perfect recipe for her life: fulltime mother and part-time baker.

The owner of Fox & Fawn Bakehouse works around her 7-yearold daughter’s schedule. “I always knew that being a mom was going to be my main thing,” says Tara, who studied child development in college. “But I also think it’s important for her to see me in an entrepreneurial role.”

Tara, 38, grew up in Benicia and learned to bake at her mother’s side. Now her mother comes to Tara’s home to assist with baking.

The journey to professional baker began when Tara became a vegan 12 years ago. “We were living in Berkeley, and even there it was hard to find vegan treats at the time,” she says.

She began modifying her mother’s traditional recipes to come up with vegan alternatives. “I finally came up with something I liked. For a long time, all I made was chocolate cupcakes,” she says with a quick smile. “When I began baking, I got this little bug in my system and I had to work it out.”

She started by selling her organic cupcakes and pies in mason jars at the Benicia farmers market in 2011. At first, she used a local commercial kitchen to make everything. A change in state law in 2013 allows her now to bake in her own home, where she measures, mixes, pours and frosts up to 700 cupcakes in small batches in a day. She also takes orders for birthdays, weddings and other special occasions.

Tara, her husband and daughter moved to Benicia in 2011. “I wouldn’t want to be doing this anywhere else.”

Is your daughter learning to bake from you like you learned from your mother?

My mom always let me measure things when she was baking. I didn’t know how hard that was, how much time that took. I do that with my daughter when we’re baking for the family—she can’t help with orders or at the market.

(Editor’s note: State law prohibits children from being in home kitchens while food is being prepared for sale.)

How do you develop new cupcake flavors and recipes?

Because I don’t have a professional background, I just try different things. I always have chocolate and vanilla cupcakes every week and one special flavor each week. Thursdays are insane. I do all the baking on Thursdays.

Do you have a favorite cupcake flavor?

There’s one called No. 29 that has a marshmallow in the middle of chocolate cake. The marshmallow goes in about five minutes before the cupcakes are done baking, then it’s topped with vanilla frosting and toasted coconut.

Why do you bake vegan products?

It was selfish at first because I wanted treats I could eat. But I honestly believe that it makes them better, healthier. There’s no cholesterol and you can feel better about having a treat.

24 • Benicia Magazine Interview

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What’s been the biggest surprise as you’ve developed your business?

As far as the business side, the biggest surprise is that it’s caught on so much and taken on a life of its own with weddings and referrals that I didn’t expect.

For myself, it’s brought me out of my shell. I’m usually pretty quiet and shy— well, I used to be. It’s really been nice to feel I can just chat with people.

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What advice would you give someone interested in starting a home-based business?

You have to really love it because it’s a lot more work than you can imagine. You have to be willing to put your heart into it. If you don’t really love it, it’s not going to work.

What do you love most about baking professionally?

What do you do to relax?

I paddleboard. I started about a year ago. Anytime I have a spare moment, that’s what I want to be doing. It’s the most beautiful, peaceful thing, and you get a whole different perspective of Benicia from the water.

Apart from baking, it’s the only thing that I’d be willing to go through the whole rigmarole to do. My brother likes to fish and I would see him loading up all his gear to go out, or I’d see my friends load up everything they need to go skiing, and I didn’t understand it. Now I do. My heart hurts when I haven’t been out for a while. B

ays rotatingg • specialty p y cocktails • wine & extensive selection of bott alw

That’s hard to say. I’d eventually like to expand, but I’m not there yet. I’d have to allow someone else to bake the cupcakes, and I can’t let that go right now. I’d love to sell at Whole Foods or maybe own my own shop, but my daughter would have to be older for that to work. Maybe someday. The stars would have to align perfectly for that to happen.

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You get to be part of people’s special celebrations. When you’re working with someone on a wedding or birthday, the cake becomes more than just a commodity that I’m selling. They trust me with their celebrations and important occasions—I feel honored.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 25

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Guide TO LOCAL RESTAURANTS

SPOTLIGHT ON

Pearl Thai Cuisine

Pad Thai, savory soups and fresh, inventive salads and curry dishes along with other Thai favorites, served in a casual atmosphere.

870 Southampton Road Benicia, 707.747.9777

BENICIA GRILL Family-style food with an extensive menu.

Come with an appetite—serving sizes are generous. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the dining room or on the patio.

4760 E Second Street, Benicia, 707.751.0155 beniciagrill.com BUON APPETITO Intimate dining at this downtown eatery serving contemporary Italian cuisine. Try the Risotto special for a dinner treat, or a variety of scaloppini favorites.

191 Military East #F, Benicia, 707.746.7410 buonappetitorestuarant.net CAMELLIA TEA ROOM Located in a beautifully restored Victorian building with ornate dining room, Camellia Tea serves traditional afternoon tea, along with lunch and desserts, all made fresh daily.

828 First Street, Benicia, 707.746.5293 camelliatearoom.com JAVA POINT CAFÉ With a street-side plaza strewn with tables, this popular café, known for their freshly made breakfast and lunch options, often has a line out the door.

366 First Street, Benicia, 707.745.1449 LUCCA BAR & GRILL The warm, urban décor with a friendly atmosphere lures diners in, and they are not disappointed.

Small bites, lunch and dinner are served in the dining room, bar and street-side tables.

439 First Street, #102, Benicia, 707.745.0943 luccabar.com

MATSURI SUSHI Favorite standby fresh Nigiri, sushi rolls and tempura are available along with specialty rolls, salads and sake. Lunch & Dinner.

920 First Street #102, Benicia, 707.747.1585 NINE O SEVEN GRILL Fresh American cuisine with a Mexican flair is served in this upscale café with a heated outdoor patio in the back, or at street-side tables. The fish tacos are legendary.

907 First Street Benicia, 707.745.0505 907grill.com PALERMOS CUCINA ITALIANA Italian specialties at Palermos Cucina Italiana on Columbus Pkwy and Venticellos downtown.

Pastas, soup, salads, meats and seafood.

Lunch & dinner.

2050 Columbus Pkwy, Benicia, 707.748.1011 palermosbenicia.com ROOKIES SPORTS BAR & GRILL This casual sports bar and full-service, familystyle restaurant serves lunch, bar snacks and dinner. It’s pub-grub meets fine cuisine: salads, sandwiches, burgers and sensational sweet potato fries. Sunday Breakfast.

321 First Street, Benicia, 707.746.7665 rookiesbenicia.com ROSIE’S CAFÉ This sweet little roadside diner serves full breakfast and lunch options of hearty American fare. Try the biscuits & gravy or grits, and the homemade soups and chili.

3001 Bayshore, Benicia, 707.745.1154 cafebenicia.com

THE RELLIK TAVERN Live music and community events keep this upscale tavern hopping. Food offerings, ordered by iPad, include tasty tapas and a huge selection of specialty beers on tap.

726 First Street, Benicia, 707.746.1137 SAILOR JACKS Fine dining at its best with a spectacular view of the Carquinez Strait with terrific breakfast, lunch and dinner options served in a rustic, intimate atmosphere.

123 First Street, Benicia, 707.746.8500 sailor-jacks.com therelliktavern.com SANDOVAL’S MEXICAN FOOD The fun décor and good food make this Benicia institution a local family favorite.

Try the shrimp, chicken or steak fajitas; the salsa gets rave reviews.

601 First Street, Benicia, 707.746.7830 THE WORKSHOP This popular take-out spot serves up seriously delicious New Orleans-style dishes. Morning Beignets lead into lunch options of hot sandwiches and fresh made soups and sides.

511 Claverie Way, Benicia 707.7476028 VENTICELLOS Italian specialties at Venticellos downtown and at Palermos Cucina Italiana on Columbus Pkwy.

Pastas, soup, salads, meats and seafood. Lunch and dinner; weekend brunch at Venticellos.

911 First Street, Benicia, 707.747.5263 venticellos.com

26 • Benicia Magazine Restaurant Guide

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F ASHIO N FADES, Style is Eternal

Above and right: Benicia Fashion Weekend, photos by Tania Kopper Below: Christina at her wedding, and her mom, Mary Elizabeth Concannon Willis

trneDs

By Christina Strawbridge If one wanted to follow current trends in fashion, they might look no further than the music world for inspiration. Some of the highlights this past year were Pharrel William’s Buffalo/Mountain hat that he wore to the Grammys, Kim Kardashian’s $500,000 backless wedding dress when she married Kanye West, and Rihanna's see-through gown she wore to accept the CFDA (Council of Fashion Designers of America) Style Icon Award for 2014. There’s a strong link between fashion and music with today’s performers using fashion to brand themselves through collaborations with designers, stylists and clothing manufacturers to perfect their image.

When people ask me what’s "in" in fashion, I am sure my clueless expression is a dead giveaway that at any given moment no one truly knows what is current or passé. Fashion is ever-changing and can be reflective not only of performing stars, but society, the economy, media hype or the interpretation of a designer. Not that long ago, we had to wait for the monthly arrival of Vogue to hit the stands or the mailbox to get the scoop on trends for the upcoming season. Now, with the benefit of fashion blogs and social media, fashion is at everyone's fingertips with the tap of a tablet or keyboard. For 2015, I did some tapping and here are some of the looks of the moment: trouser suits with cropped pants, Bridget Bardot-styled gingham, sequins, soft pallets of color, white any time of the year, fringe, denim, 1970's nostalgia, and white Keds tennis shoes.

Famed fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent is quoted as saying "Fashion fades, style is eternal." Through my lifetime, I have known stylish women and men who don't follow the latest trend, but always seem to look pulled together and current. Developing personal style comes with confidence, function and taste. It can be as simple as adding the right accessory, choosing a flattering color that makes the skin glow or the splash of a signature fragrance.

I always thought that my interest and abilities in fashion were genetic, as my mother worked in the industry, and so did her mother. My 18 year-old niece, Jennifer, has also shown promise in becoming a fashion designer. She began sketching and drawing clothing on models at the age of 4, and later won design competitions using unconventional materials like paper to create evening wear.

Through the years, I have written about my Mom and her style. She not only influenced my career choice, but also inspired me with her nonchalant approach to fashion and her ability to put things together.

I can remember some of her best looks that included a pearl grey pantsuit, a khaki maxi dress with white collar and cuffs, the brown velvet matching long skirt and jacket that she wore when I got married, and the full-skirted shantung silk cocktail dress that made her look like Marilyn Monroe. After she retired from Neiman Marcus in Florida, her wardrobe consisted of white tailored shirts layered over cropped pants, completed with white Keds. She rarely went anywhere without a stylish hat and her Chanel No. 5. Mom passed away in late November at the age of 91. I have not only lost my Mom, but my best friend and inspiration. To me, she will always be a style icon who understood the magic of fashion, and knew not to take it all too seriously. B BeniciaMagazine.com • 27

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2/7 Wine and Chocolate Walk 1-5pm Stroll First Street, taste fine wine & chocolate pairings Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

2/14 Friends of the Library Book Sale 10am-4pm Downstairs at the Library 150 East L Street 707.746.4343

2/15 Awards Ceremony for Library’s Love Poetry Contest 2-4pm

Joel Fallon retells the story of Concepcion and Nikolai Refreshments, small commemorative exhibit Poetry readings & prizes Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road Beniciahistoricalmuseum.org 707.745.5435

2/20 Ghost Walk 4pm 2/1-2/28 Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers: A Legacy of Historical Artistry

Featuring hand-screened paper displays Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road Beniciahistoricalmuseum.org 707.745.5435

2/1-2/28 Cheers! Beer Brewing in Benicia

Featuring history and artifacts from the 1900s beer brewing industry Benicia Historical Museum, 2060 Camel Road Beniciahistoricalmuseum.org 707.745.5435

2/2 Groundhog Day 2/5-2/25 Farmers Market at Rookie’s 4-6pm

Rookie’s parking lot, Thursdays through April 321 First Street 707.746.7665

2/6 Jazz ‘n Crab Feed 6-9pm

Benefits Benicia Middle and High School music programs Historic Clock Tower, 1189 Washington Street 707.743.3888

2/6 Acoustic Music Art & Heart 7pm

Monthly Friday Concert Series Featuring Muriel Anderson, classical & harp guitar Northgate Church, 2201 Lake Herman Road Northgateweb.com 415.297.3542

Paranormal history of Downtown Benicia Led by paranormal expert Space is limited Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

2/21 & 2/22 Benicia Ballet Dances

by BBT Choreographers

With Symphony Orchestra of Northern California Venue TBD Beniciaballet.org 707.746.6757

2/21-2/27 Pamper Me Week

Dedicated to discovering ways to relax & rejuvenate on First Street Beniciamainstreet.org 707.745.9791

2/22 Family Art Day & Art of a Community Exhibit 1-3pm Bring the kids to this exhibit with hands-on activities Arts Benicia, 991 Tyler Street #114 Artsbenicia.org 707.747.0131

2/28 Trivia 24 – Alice in Libraryland

24th annual trivia bee benefitting Benicia Library Historic Clock Tower, 1189 Washington Street For more info contact Helaine Bowles 707.746.4358

Scan for more listings

28 • Benicia Magazine Calendar

February BenMag Vol10 v4.indd 28

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discount with this certificate This certificate is redeemable for $500 of orthodontic services and is valid for new patients only. It includes a no-cost initial consultation appointment.

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www.mybraces.com BeniciaMagazine.com • 29

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(707) 745-2930 www.BeniciaPlumbing.com CA Lic. #329632

Best of 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2103 & 2014

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AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE We are passionate about Homeownership Alan M. Schwartzman Branch Manager

DRE 00681649/01215943 NMLS 238622/1850

ams@advancedmtg.com

Mitchell S. Chernock Sales Manager

DRE 00583404/01215943 NMLS 236204/1850

mitchell@advancedmtg.com • Purchase/Refinance • Conventional, FHA, VA, 203 K Rehab • Reverse Mortgages for Seniors • Native American Home Loans

707. 746. 4920 Lic. by Dept. of Corp. under the CRMLA

615 First Street Benicia, CA 94510

advancedmtg.com

Exceptional Legal and Mediation Services Wills • Trusts • Family Law Estate Planning & Administration Personal Injury • DUI Real Estate • Probate Consumer Law • Business Law

Gizzi & Reep, LLP 940 Adams St., Suite A 707.748.0900

www.SolanoLawGroup.com

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

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Contractor's License # 687979

CREATING SPACES

Receive a $150 gift certificate to Romancing the Home, or a Nourot Vase, with the purchase of a complete kitchen.

Everyone at Affordable was professional, knowledgeable and supportive through the whole kitchen remodel process. Susy was amazing; she designed the perfect kitchen for our needs, visiting the site multiple times before and even after the project was completed to make sure everything was just right and up to our expectations.

-David and Annette

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AFFORDABLE QUALITY Cabinets and Countertops

Open Mon. - Fri. 9-5 weekends & evenings by appointment

4852 East 2nd Street, Benicia 707-745-2100 aqc@aqchome.com

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