Benicia Magazine November 2023 Issue

Giving Thanks

Indigenous Heritage

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TABLE OF

CONTENTS

FEATURE

12

Indigenous Heritage Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation

8

16

17

From the Editor

Booktails

Dinner & a Movie

November Brings Nostalgia

Legends & Lattes

by Travis Baldree

Tower Heist and Gracie's Treats

6 • Benicia Magazine

AROUND TOWN 9 What's the Cuddles!?

Pet Therapy for Seniors

10 Veterans Day

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS “Yearning” Featured Artist Larnie Fox AUG 10 - SEPT 24

The longing for something more is the driving force behind Larnie’s work. We showcase several bodies of work each with its own unique artistic expression.

“Voices of Vision” Featured Artist Marty Jonas SEPT 28 - NOV 12

The tactile quality of fiber and thread, combined with surface design techniques, provide the means to speak visually that which Marty cannot express in words.

A Story of Heroism

ARTISANS GIFT BOUTIQUE

11

Artisans spread beauty throughout our world with the patient and skillful work of their hands. Support and celebrate them this Holiday season with a unique gift.

Youth Awareness in November Understanding the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences

Featuring Local & Bay Area Artists

NOV 16 - DEC 31

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14 Art & Philanthropy Suzanne D'Arcy, Featured Artist at Benicia Plein Air Gallery

18 Events Calendar

Creating a Trusted Space for Financial Growth

Financial Planning & Investment Management that Puts You First wheelsupwealthinc.com

* Picket Fences continues on beniciamagazine.com

November 2023 Cover Photo: Nicole Braddock

Frances Harkins, CFP®, AIF® Bridget Harkins, CFP® 602 West K Street | Benicia, CA 94510 info@wheelsupwealthinc.com 707.400.0992

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Columns | Letters

November brings nostalgia n From the Publisher

n From the Editor

Well, it’s 90 degrees as I begin writing my November letter. Seems that Second Summer won’t loosen its grip on the Bay Area. Even our fall color is late this year, with colors just now appearing on the trees of Benicia. Despite the weather we are ready for this most wonderful time of the year. Yes, we mean Thanksgiving. There is the usual kerfuffle about who’s turn it is. Apparently, it’s mine.

It is a time for food, family, friends, and being thankful. Originating as a harvest festival, Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays in our country. People gather to share a meal and reflect on all the things they’re grateful for. But there’s more to do during this beautiful time of giving thanks than just eating. From parades to shopping, running to volunteering, and of course, football, Thanksgiving is celebrated in a wide variety of ways.

My own approach is fairly traditional, with a side of unusual. We usually have a secondary food theme, adding Mexican, middle east or Asian foods to complement the usual fare. Auntie Marion will always bring homemade dolmas (stuffed grape leaves) and my cousin Elaine will bring tabouli. Cousin Andrew will make very spicy ribs, and Josefina will bring her homemade cranberry sauce.

Pie is our dessert, usually brought by my cousin Yvette. That won’t happen this Thanksgiving as Yvette passed earlier this year after battling cancer, pneumonia and Covid. She did indeed fight. So along with Thanksgiving nostalgia, we also remember and give thanks.

All the best to all of you this Thanksgiving.

Second summer is wearing off as we descend into true fall in the Bay Area.

As I write this, I am on vacation with my family, celebrating our publisher, Mary Hand’s birthday in Wyoming. It definitely feels like autumn here as the aspen trees shimmer in their golden hues – the last burst of color in an otherworldly landscape otherwise prepped for the bleak days of winter. It being the shoulder season, there have been relatively few other tourists to navigate around – a tip I impart to the crowd-averse. A dusting of snow clings to the mountain peaks like powdered sugar, and wildlife graze with a sense of urgency; fattening up before the doldrums of winter roll in. Temperatures here will plummet precipitously over the next week.

This month is full of what can be heavy topics – Veterans Day, remembering Indigenous Peoples’ plight and heritage around Thanksgiving, National Homeless Youth Awareness and National Runaway Youth Prevention Month, and more. Acknowledge these stories and then take a breather with a feel good story about the Humane Society of the North Bay’s Cuddle Club and a fun fantasy read with Booktails, then try out a new recipe from Gourmet Gracie.

Let’s dive into cozy season head-first, wrapped in fuzzy socks and a good sweater. Wishing you all a happy Thanksgiving; and to our veterans, thank you for your service and sacrifice.

— MARY

— GENEVIEVE Facebook.com/beniciamagazine

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Post or send your suggestions & ideas to: Editor@beniciamagazine.com | Beniciamagazine.com 8 • Benicia Magazine

around town | Community

Humane Society of the North Bay

Brings the Cuddles n Genevieve Hand

These Cuddle Club visits allow for the shelter dogs to become well socialized, increasing their adaptability to new situations, as well as their adopt-ability.

Pet therapy has long been known to benefit senior citizens’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Benefits include mental stimulation, physical activity and reinforced motor skills, reduced risk of dementia and calming negative behavior associated with dementia, and so much more. These benefits are shown with pet ownership as well as animal visitation.

In 2022, when Carlene Coury, a member of the advisory board of the Humane Society of the North Bay (HSNB), was asked by a staff member at Windsor Vallejo Care Center whether HSNB offered a shelter dog visitation program, she set wheels in motion. Carlene had seen how beneficial one such program had been for her own mother in her senior years.

She brought the idea to the board and shortly thereafter, the HSNB Cuddle Club was born.

The program selects dogs at the HSNB shelter who are well suited for visitation and brings them to various senior living facilities in Vallejo, American Canyon, and Benicia, and so far, it’s been a great success. Both residents and staff at the senior living facilities have been immensely happy with the program as the visits boost the moods of all involved.

And it hasn’t just been good for the humans.

These Cuddle Club visits allow for the shelter dogs to become well socialized, increasing their adaptability to new situations, as well as their adopt-ability. In fact, Carlene reports that the shelter has even had adoptions arise directly from the Cuddle Club visits. It’s a “winwin,” as Carlene puts it.

Benicia Public Library Director Jennifer Baker learned about the Cuddle Club and reached out to Carlene about offering visits at the library. With its proximity to the Benicia Senior Center, it makes for a convenient Cuddle Club visit location. Visits at the library are scheduled to begin this month, on Saturday, November 18th and all seniors are welcome.

Carlene reports that the most important Cuddle Club goal is to make the visits “a fun, safe, and smooth experience for humans and dogs alike.” The program is run by 7 volunteers and continues to expand. “It’s a lot of fun and I have my volunteers,” says Carlene of the work it takes to run the program. If you’re interested in getting involved as a volunteer, or know of a facility that could benefit from Cuddle Club visits, contact the HSNB at hsnb.org. B BeniciaMagazine.com • 9

around town | Community USS Indianapolis

Veterans Day 2023 n Mary Hand When Veterans Day comes around, you probably put out your flag and give a thought to the men and women who have served our country. This year we have a special veteran to celebrate, Harold Bray. As you may know, Harold is the last surviving crew member of the USS Indianapolis and Benicia honored him with a moving ceremony in July, where dignitaries spoke of the tragedy and heroism of the crew members that survived.

A bronze statue of Harold was unveiled. The Monument for Harold’s statue will be placed in Eunice Jensen Park on the corner of Military East and 1st Street. What’s so special about this location is Harold’s Statue will face the direction of where his shipmates on the USS Indianapolis were torpedoed and sank, said David Batchelor, Chair of Benicia Community Foundation (BCF). A dedication ceremony will be announced in 2024.

The Harold Bray, Veterans, USS Indianapolis (CA-35) Committee wanted more for Harold. They wanted Harold Bray to be honored at Fleet Week in San Francisco. It took almost two months to work through the requirements and approval process set by San Francisco Fleet Week for those who got to participate. And for the first time in San Francisco Fleet Week history, they had a Master of Ceremony, and it was Harold Bray. A total of seventeen committee and family members were able to join the Navy for a day.

Four family members accompanied Harold to the St. Francis Yacht Club for the Master of Ceremony and recognition activities, where the Admiral and dignitaries participated.

Thirteen committee members and families got to board the USS Paul Hamilton Destroyer (60) and sail in the Parade of Ships. A proud day for Harold Bray and Benicia.

10 • Benicia Magazine

Fleet Week is meant to recognize and thank those who go to sea in defense of the nation but, for some, the sacrifice can be hard to imagine. Harold Bray survived one of the most harrowing ordeals in World War II. Harold was shipped out to Mare Island in Vallejo, California, where he joined the crew aboard the USS Indianapolis.. The ship had been undergoing repairs after the battle of Okinawa in spring 1945 and wasn’t scheduled for any immediate missions. The USS Indianapolis was tapped to deliver “Little Boy'' the atomic bomb that the U.S. hoped would end the war in the Pacific. The crew on the USS Indianapolis successfully dropped off its payload at Tinian Island.

On the night of July 30th, 1945, the USS Indianapolis was struck by two torpedoes fired by a Japanese submarine. The mighty USS Indianapolis sank in just 12 minutes. The crewmen scrambled to abandon ship and Bray, who would normally sleep below deck, had been given permission to sleep topside that night.

This undoubtedly saved his life as the torpedoes struck just outside of his assigned bunk. He found a life raft and began to aid the wounded and help fight off the sharks that infested the waters. He recalls helping pick up 80 more crewmen who clung to the raft and crash net in the Philippine waters.

Though the crewmen didn’t know it, an SOS was never sent, so Bray and his fellow servicemen hung on in for a harrowing almost five-day wait for rescue. Bray had sustained burns on the left side of his body, which were aggravated by salt water and oil spilled by the ship. “We were covered in oil – in your eyes, in your mouth…I still taste it to this day,” says Bray. They were stuck in the water with no food or water, many of them injured; and then the sharks came. Bray recalls seeing his fellow crewmates falling victim to sharks lured by the scent of fresh injuries. Others went mad from exposure.

The USS Indianapolis had never been reported missing, so no one was looking. Finally, a plane spotted the survivors by chance and radioed for help. It would be another day and a half before that help came. Bray was pulled to safety along with the other survivors and they were shipped to a hospital in the Philippines. Bray had lost 35 pounds in nearly five days.

Of the nearly 1200 men on board the USS Indianapolis, 900 survived the sinking, but only 316 survived the wait for rescue.

It is considered the worst disaster at sea in US Naval history.

Bray counts himself incredibly lucky to have survived. Read about the Harold Bray monument and more of his story at beniciamagazine.com/harold-bray-monument/. B Attendees on the ship: David Batchelor, Paul Simonson, Jimmy York, Tom Anderson, Charles (E.B.) Cain, Bob McEuen, Sam Peterson, John Laverty, Pat Donahue, Gary York, John Garvey, Scott Przekurat and Dennis Lewis.

around town | Community

Youth Awareness in November: Understanding the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

n Dr. Gethsemane Moss, Ed.D. November is National Homeless Youth Awareness and National Runaway Youth Prevention Month.

Congress established guidelines for raising awareness under the Family and Youth Services Bureau, and first passed the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act in 1974. It is an established fact that the combination of decisions and experiences during one's youth impacts the outcome of one's life. It may take years to peel back the layers of an individual's existence, but that one moment could trigger a memory or a realization as to why and how a person rears their children, and how they engage with others. Of course, having basic needs such as stable shelter, food, income, healthcare, and transportation helps significantly. Our unique experiences, whether good or bad, affect our decisions and impact our children. If we are not careful, we can continue the cycle, and expose our own children to Adverse Childhood Experiences.

Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs, are categorized as the traumatic experiences an individual may experience between the ages of 0-17. These may include, but are not limited to, experiencing homelessness, witnessing suicide, exposure to violence, neglect or abuse, exposure to close family members with substance abuse, parental separation due to a parent being incarcerated, or complications from a parent who has certain types of mental illness. It is a very delicate matter; however, when youth are put in constant survival mode, the heavy burden takes a toll on the overall development of these impacted individuals. Youth who have dealt with ACEs equate to millions of adults facing heart disease and depression as a result of this trauma.

Because November's focus on at-risk youth (including youth vulnerable to human trafficking) brings this issue to the attention on a national level, citizens everywhere are made aware of the many services made available by The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. This Act aims to connect youth with services, shelter, and access to education.

The reauthorized legislation expands protections to youth vulnerable to human trafficking. Also, students who do not complete high school are at a higher risk of becoming unhoused than their peers who do. According to the California Department of Education, there were over 100,000 unhoused youth as of the 2020-21 academic enrollment data.

According to federal data, over 600,000 youth were serviced in the foster care system, with over 400,000 remaining in the system. In California, there are about 60,000 youth in the system, and many are never reunited with their families because the institution of foster care requires parents to pay for their child’s stay in the system.

Due to this practice, some families are never able to catch up to the financial requirements needed to get their children back; however, legislation was passed to address the economic challenges parents face when dealing with the Child Welfare Agencies under AB 1686 (Bryan).

Some youth in the foster care system who are never reunited with their parents or family members experience unstable foster home conditions.

Please note that many foster families do a fantastic job taking care of youth in the foster care system; however, it is not the case for everyone. One of the most horrific stories I read was A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown https://cupcakebrown.com/, and it is only suggested for mature audiences due to the nature of the content of the book. Brown shares her torturous life journey of being unprotected and passed around in the foster care system. Despite the heinous neglect and abuse she faced, Brown still experienced many accomplishments, including attending law school.

Every young person deserves to be in a safe and loving environment to fully develop emotionally and mentally, enabling them to successfully navigate their life and future. Without these basic needs being met, failure and financial instability are more likely to occur. Chronic stress can also lead to long-term illness and autoimmune disorders.

This issue of chronic stress caused by situations such as experiencing homelessness, does not have a simple fix; however, awareness is the first step, and considering how to make a difference is a start.

To learn more about ACEs and additional resources, please visit the following sites: • About the CDC-Kaiser ACE Study |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC •N RPM National Events 2023 (1800runaway.org) •Y outh Homelessness - National Network for Youth (nn4youth.org) • Solano Youth.pdf (partnershiphp.org) •T rends in Foster Care and Adoption: FY 2012 – 2021 | The Administration for Children and Families (hhs.gov) •C OMMUNITYRESOURCES | Resource Connect Sol (resourceconnectsolano.org B

BeniciaMagazine.com • 11

Our Land, its People Feature

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Tribe, of the Patwin language, are the natural stewards of the land on which Benicia and its neighboring cities sit. The Yocha Dehe territory spanned not just Solano County, but also Colusa, Lake, Napa, and Yolo Counties. .

12 • Benicia Magazine

n Alexa Manning Photos by Nicole Braddock We all know the elementary school story that the Native Americans happily helped the pilgrims grow crops on foreign soil, thus bringing about the tradition of Thanksgiving feasts. As a little kid it sounded like the start of a centuries-long friendship, but the reality is much more sinister.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Tribe, of the Patwin language, are the natural stewards of the land on which Benicia and its neighboring cities sit. The Yocha Dehe territory spanned not just Solano County, but also Colusa, Lake, Napa, and Yolo Counties. Under Yocha Dehe stewardship, the land was abundant. Antelopes and tule elk wandered the grasslands, shaded by giant oak groves that reached wide over the land in green embrace. Rivers sliced through, full of fish to eat and freshwater to drink and use.

It was a purer time. The grasslands cycled through stages of birth and death, encouraged by the people, while producing bountiful resources in exchange. And the truth of the arrival of immigrants from Europe is anything but friendly.

Spanish missionaries enslaved the Yocha Dehe Wintun people and killed many of them with control techniques, not to mention the introduction of foreign bacteria and viruses. When the Gold Rush began, an influx of Americans and other immigrants flooded into California.

Many Wintun were murdered by gold prospectors who were laying claim to the lands, fueled by greed.

Many of the Yocha Dehe’s people today are the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those forced into assimilation boarding schools. Their languages were criminalized as one of the many rules put in place to scrub away their cultures.

feature

Now the Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park, any person can visit the park with a docent to see the land under Patwin stewardship. This hike does more than provide a window to the past, a time when California was untouched by colonization. It also is a place of inspiration for the future.

The name Yocha Dehe, or Yochadihisel, literally means “home by the spring water,” but the more accurate interpretation is a statement that this is their home, and the Yocha Dehe people belong to the land.

This goes deeper than the bureaucratic question of which governing body owns which lands. The land and the Yocha Dehe exist as one being.

They cannot be separated because they belong to each other and exist as they do because of each other. When the Yocha Dehe dig their heels into the dirt, they become an extension of the earth. Being ripped from their home by death or displacement was devastating to both the Tribe and the land.

Now, the sovereign nation is in the process of relearning their language and traditions. Using the knowledge of the late culture bearer Bertha Wright Mitchell (1936-2018), the Tribe was able to produce a Patwin dictionary and grammar book.

The grandchildren of those sent away to assimilation boarding schools are now able to learn their ancestral language and speak it proudly.

Other ways that the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is recovering from centuries of abuse from European and American colonizers are: protection of burial sites, protection of sacred cultural sites, relearning ancestral land-stewardship practices, investing in their ancestral land, and helping people in need.

With the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and Patwin people’s traditions back in practice, such as controlled burns to stimulate the soil, our neighborhood could return to its former state of lush green, overflowing with life. It is knowledge of the land and its needs like this that informs the Yocha Dehe Cultural Resources Department which protects cultural sites.

The Solano Land Trust recently renamed the Rockville Trails Preserve.

Now the Patwino Worrtla Kodoi Dihi Open Space Park, any person can visit the park with a docent to see the land under Patwin stewardship. This hike does more than provide a window to the past, a time when California was untouched by colonization. It also is a place of inspiration for the future.

The Tribal Historic Resource Center similarly uses tribal information to protect

traditional lands. Tribal Monitors are able to be on site, ensuring the protection of culturally significant resources by collaborating with agencies, federal and state, as well as private developers.

As residents of the Wintun Nation’s ancestral lands, how can we give back during the Season of Giving? The first step is education; educating yourself and others about who lived on this land before being pushed out, persecuted, and murdered.

The Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation is the Lead Executive Producer of a film, Imagining the Indian (2022), which is an informative investigation into the use of Native Americans as sports mascots, winning “Best Documentary” at the Boston International Film Festival.

Watching this film is a great way to unlearn American social norms that perpetuate the persecution of our indigenous peoples. This is just an example of the work that the Yocha Dehe are doing to make space for their culture, traditions, and people.

To involve the family and start conversation about this topic, you can gather around traditional Patwin recipes from the Yocha Dehe website (yochadehe.gov) under the Resources tab. Chef Casey uses ingredients native to the land for his recipes, some of them as familiar as blackberries. You will also be introduced to new ingredients such as wild rabbit or acorns.

Local artist Mary Shaw has curated an art show related to sustainable water practices entitled “Solano Water Stories.”

This exhibit will feature indigenous art and discuss land stewardship, opening to the public on November 18th at Arts Benicia. Another installation titled “Properties of Water” will take a dive into similar subjects, curated by Katrina Bello.

As November inches closer to Thanksgiving Day, it is important to not only consider the truth behind the myth of harmony between the pilgrims and Native Americans, but to also express gratitude for the beautiful landscape we bask in every day. Whether it's the State Park or the view of the strait from the tip of First Street, we all reap the love that has been poured into the soil we tread. Extensions of the land, the Yocha Dehe and their ancestors deserve a moment of thanks on November 23rd, but also, every day. B BeniciaMagazine.com • 13

around town | Art & Philanthropy

Suzanne D'Arcy

Featured Artist at Benicia Plein Air Gallery in November

14 • Benicia Magazine

n Jean Purnell As the featured artist in November at the Benicia Plein Air Gallery, Suzanne D’Arcy’s artwork reflects the suburban and rural environments of her youth. Born in Los Angeles, she spent summers with her five siblings at her grandmother’s 18-acre farm in Mokelumne Hill with cows, goats, pigs, chickens, and exotic birds.

As a result, natural, agricultural, and urban scenes, farms and small towns find their way into her soft painterly landscapes. She creates figurative works of people and farm animals and is an avid painter of florals and still lifes. A resident of Moraga, D’Arcy has been a member of the gallery since 2019.

D’Arcy has been painting all her life. Learning to draw and paint meant learning to observe what’s really there. She remembers an incident in kindergarten when she painted an anatomically correct bull. “The school called my mother and said, ‘we can’t hang this up.’ My mother was mortified, but I stuck to it. You have to paint what you see, not what you think is there.”

She envisioned a career as a veterinarian.

But when she entered college at UC Davis in 1967 the school was not yet allowing women to work with large domestic animals. By the time she graduated, Title IX had changed the educational landscape, but it was too late. She chose her other passion and studied art, completing two bachelor's degrees in art history and studio art. After a few years working in advertising, she went back to school at the Academy of Art in San Francisco, completing an Associate Bachelor of Arts. “It was never about the

D’Arcy has been painting all her life. Learning to draw and paint meant learning to observe what’s really there. degrees. I was looking to learn technical skills. The Academy offered classes in beginning painting, drawing, still life, figure. That’s what I wanted, and I found I could satisfy my art drive.” She also studied with artist Van Waldron, well known as a painter of florals, through an adult education program in San Leandro. She considers Waldron a key influence in her ongoing development as an artist.

Craig Nelson, department head at the Academy of Art, had asked her several times if she was interested in teaching, but she was raising two young boys. In 2009 she finally said yes. “My first assignment was to teach still life online. Still life is a lot about composition, and like in the ads, about creating an illusion of depth on a two-dimensional surface. I liked teaching online, but I really liked teaching onsite because you can interact with the students, and you can see when they get it.” She taught two to four days per week depending on enrollment, commuting from her home in Moraga.

When the Academy switched to Zoom classes at the outset of the pandemic, she found herself teaching students who were watching on their cell phones. “As a teacher, it was really hard, trying to do a gentle critique and connect with the students. There’s none of that immediate feedback, communication, or jokes, the things that you build up in a classroom to create a learning environment.”

She taught until 2021.

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Suzanne’s upcoming exhibition will include a series of paintings started before COVID and completed within the last year. “What works best for me is to work on a painting, and then put it away for a little while. When I pull it out later, I can see what changes are needed.” She describes her art with the voice of an experienced teacher. “The things I’m interested in are atmosphere that creates a mood, really strong design, and color. In the last several years, I’ve gotten more interested in color, color harmony, and color mutes … and how to make color so quiet and suggestive that you don’t really know that it’s creating a mood in you. Color straight from the tube is the most saturated you can get. But if you mix complementary colors, each fifty percent, beautiful, muted colors come out.

“Generally, what I’m looking for is a painting that’s animated, that has a sparkle to it, something that reaches out and subconsciously touches the viewer. I throw away a lot of paintings,” she laughs. “But that’s my goal.”

“Generally, what I’m looking for is a painting that’s animated, that has a sparkle to it, something that reaches out and subconsciously touches the viewer.

I throw away a lot of paintings,” she laughs. “But that’s my goal.”

The Benicia Plein Air Gallery is located at 307 First Street in Benicia. For open hours, visit http://www.beniciapleinair.com/.

To learn more about Suzanne D’Arcy, visit https://www.suzannedarcy.com/ B

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column | Booktails

Legends & & Legends Lattes Lattes

by Travis Baldree

“So. I might not deserve you. And you might forgive too much. But I’m damned glad to have you.”

Book and Cocktail Club n Cooper Mickelson A story about found family, the comfort and joy of community, and the struggle of self-reinvention, Booktails’ November pick is perfect for those of us who love to feel all gooey and inspired after finishing a book.

Warning: reading this story may cause an intense craving for caffeine and pastries.

Usually, I read a book BEFORE choosing to review it for Booktails, but this month we did things a little differently. I asked my followers on Instagram (@beniciabooktails) to vote on the November Booktails pick and read the winning book, knowing I would be sharing it with you all the following month.

Out of four (very different) books, Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree won by a landslide. Initially written for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month (a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that promotes creative writing around the world and encourages writers to start and finish a novel in November), Baldree selfpublished Legends & Lattes in 2022 before Tor Publishing picked it up a few months later due to its quickly growing popularity, publishing the novel in its current form.

Looking at the cover, it's no surprise that Legends & Lattes is a high-fantasy novel sure to grab the attention of any Dungeons & Dragons player. One of the most popular “cozy fantasy” books to date, this low-stakes novel is guaranteed to melt your heart.

16 • Benicia Magazine

Our main character, Viv, is an Orc barbarian dreaming of leaving her violent life as a mercenary to settle down and enjoy a peaceful life in a small town. After obtaining a relic that may or may not bring luck, Viv lands in the town of Thune and immediately sets out to open a cafe. A very risky move, considering the citizens of Thune have never even heard of the Dwarven drink called “coffee.”

With the help of a carpenter named Cal, an artistic barista named Tandri, and a loveable genius baker named Thimble, Viv slowly transforms an old livery stable into an inviting coffee house. If you find home renovation shows satisfying, you’ll enjoy this part of the story. Baldree does a fantastic job making details often left out of books wildly entertaining to read as he expertly portrays the indescribable feeling of being in your favorite local coffee shop drinking the perfect, delicate, and rich latte.

Another quality Legends & Lattes possesses is something that even the most impressive fantasy novels don’t often get right. In his cozy debut novel, Baldree has found a way to expand the world beyond what is seen, heard, and experienced by our main characters. It’s easy to imagine millions of little stories playing out with the characters on the periphery.

I was surprised by how involved the story felt, even without the action and politics I tend to prioritize in fantasy books. Although bad things do happen in the book, there is an overall sense that people strive to be decent and kind. There is also a romance element, but it is a tiny part of the story and grows with a refreshingly realistic slowness.

I don’t have much to critique about Legends & Lattes beyond the genre as a

whole not being for everyone. Some readers will get bored and may feel the story is an unnecessarily long epilogue to the books they prefer to read. But Baldree writes with a subtle humor and optimistic tone that will paint a smile on your face from start to finish, and if you’re looking for the book version of a warm blanket and hot beverage, look no further than this adorable read.

You can find a copy of Legends & Lattes

by Travis Baldree to purchase at Bookshop Benicia. I highly recommend pairing this gem of story with your favorite fall coffee and a tasty cinnamon roll from Fox & Fawn. B

Hot White Russian Ingredients 2 1/2 cups freshly brewed coffee 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup Lyres Coffee Originale (or Kahlua) 1/4 cup Ritual Vodka (or vodka of your choice) whipped heavy cream (optional)

Preparation 1. Fill four mugs with hot water. Set aside.

2. In a saucepan, stir together the coffee, cream, coffee liqueur, and vodka and cook over medium heat until hot.

3. Pour the water out of the mugs and then divide the mixture among these heated mugs.

4. Top with whipped cream.

column | Dinner & a Movie

Gourmet Gracie's

Wild Mushroom Pastries Serves 8 as a first course.

Absolutely delectable. n Gourmet Gracie Smokey and savory wild mushrooms in a simple cream sauce, served over puff pastry, dress up any meal and are a special treat around the holidays.

Ingredients 8 frozen puff pastry shells 1 1/2 pound mixed exotic mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, cremini or baby bella 'shrooms 1/2 pound white mushrooms 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided Salt and pepper to taste 1 shallot, minced 1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped 1/3 cup Marsala wine (cooking wine or sherry wine) 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Bake the puff pastry shells according to package directions; remove the tops and set aside.

In the meantime, clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel, remove any tough stems and slice the mushrooms.

In a large sauté pan, heat half the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat.

Arrange the cremini and white mushroom

slices in one layer in the pan. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Do not lift or move the mushrooms for several minutes, until they have started to shrink and are very fragrant.

Check one to make sure it is seared on the bottom, and when it is, flip the mushrooms and cook on the other side until they are golden brown on that side, too.

Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a bowl, add the remaining butter and olive oil to the pan, cook the remaining mushrooms in the same fashion. (Shiitake and oyster mushrooms will not take as long to cook as cremini/Bella and white mushrooms.)

Cook the shallots in the same pan until translucent, about 2 minutes, being careful not to burn. Add the sage and stir until wilted.

Then deglaze the pan with Marsala. Stir in the cream until well blended and return the mushrooms to the pan, gently stirring them to coat with the sauce. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, place a cooked pastry shell (top removed on each plate and fill to overflowing with 1/8 of the mushroom mixture. If desired, place a cooked pastry top on top of each serving. B

Tower Heist

104 min; 2011; Comedy/Adventure; PG-13 language & sexual content n Movie Magic Lighthearted! Cheeky! Exciting! That's what the advertising says for this comedy caper...just what Movie Magic is looking for this time of year. Just fun entertainment.

And, how can we go wrong with a cast that includes Ben Stiller, Alan Alda, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Judd Hirsch, Téa Leoni, Michael Peña, Gabourey Sidibe and Eddie Murphy?

Directed by Brett Ratner of X-Men and Rush Hour. Produced by Brian Grazer, Eddie Murphy and Kim Roth.

A Wall Street billionaire (Alan Alda) is the mastermind of a Ponzi scheme resulting in the loss of pension funds for the long-suffering staff at the upscale and luxurious Tower condominium complex in Manhattan. The building manager (Ben Stiller) feels responsible for turning over

the investment portfolio to a crook, so he comes up with a plan to recover the money and hilarity ensues. Slide (Edie Murphy) was recruited from jail to help the reluctant group who have no clue how to break the law. One tiny spoiler: Gabourey Sidibe, an Oscar and Golden Globe nominated actor, turns out to have stellar safe cracking skills!

There's a parade, a truck chase, a newborn baby, a romance, an orange jumpsuit, a bit of redemption, and lots of laughs. And let's not forget the 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, rumored to have been owned by the "King of Cool,” Steve McQueen. This cherry red beauty plays a primary role and is central to a surprise or two.

So, curl up and relax--there's nothing to worry about here.

Movie Magic gives Tower Heist 3 1/2 Moons. B

Streaming on Amazon Prime

BeniciaMagazine.com • 17

november around town | Events

EVENTS

Month of November Downtown Holiday Shopping Spree First Street A drawing for a Downtown Benicia Shopping Spree valued at $500 in Downtown Dollars. For every $10 that you spend at participating merchants, you will receive one ticket for the drawing.

november 18 Peppino D'Agostino Live in Concert 2023 Camel Road 6:30-9:30 Peppino RETURNS to the Benicia Historical Museum. Tickets $40.00 through Eventbrite. Doors open at 5:30 No Host Bar. A native of Italy, D’Agostino has made his impressive international mark as a musical guitar artist, composer, and entertainer. Guitar Player listed him as one of the 50 transcendent guitar superheroes of all time. november 23 Benicia Hand Up Turkey Trot Benicia Community Park 7:30am The 7th annual Benicia Hand Up Turkey Trot benefits the Tim and Jeannie Hamann Foundation. The day includes costume contests for people and dogs, drawings, and the trot. $25 entry, kids 12 and under free. november 25 Wine Walk & Shop Small First Street 1-5pm On Small Business Saturday, shop Downtown Benicia while tasting fine wines at participating businesses.

18 • Benicia Magazine

Classes &

Workshops november 5 Sunday Pottery Projetct: Pumpkins!

Happy Life Pottery 11am-2pm Don't have time to commit to a five or six week class? Come in and play with us for just a few hours instead! It's fun, easy, and you will love what you'll create. Register at happylifepottery.com november 5 One-Day Wheel Throwing Class Happy Life Pottery 2:30-5pm So you've always wanted to try a wheel throwing... Now is your chance! This class is only one day, for 2.5 hours, so that you can give it a try! Register at happylifepottery.com november 9 Thursday Night Social Pottery Project (for Adults) Butter Dish!

Happy Life Pottery 6-9pm Don't have time to commit to a five or six week class? Come in and play with us for just a few hours instead! It's fun, easy, and you will love what you'll create. Register at happylifepottery.com november 10 Multi-Media Collage Building Arts Benicia, 1 Commandant's Lane 11am-2pm Create intriguing and beautiful collages through the process of layering.

Come and learn this layering technique along with tips on themes, colors, values, contrast, and differences. november 11 & 12 Still Life Workshop Deirdre Shibano’s Studio, 991 Tyler St., #206, Benicia Arsenal District, Benicia 10am-2pm Painting a Still Life can be a very exciting journey, whether you paint a single “pear”, or a complex composition of a variety of objects.

around town | Events

november 12 Sunday Afternoon Pottery Project Butter Dish!

Happy Life Pottery 11am-2pm Don't have time to commit to a five or six week class? Come in and play with us for just a few hours instead! It's fun, easy, and you will love what you'll create. Register at happylifepottery.com november 19 Solarplate Printmaking: Focus on Relief Printing Arts Benicia Annex, 991 Tyler Street, Suite 116 10am-4pm Join Robynn Smith in this exciting printmaking class! Solarplate printmaking is a way to explore photographic, collaged, and /or hand-drawn imagery in printmaking.

Music &

Entertainment november 3 First Fridays at the Museum Museum of History Benicia 6:30-9:30pm Museum of History, Benicia hosts a great music every First Friday of the month right at the museum!

Bring the kids and enjoy rock, blues and even a little country. Adults $15 cover, kids are free.

The Rellik Tavern 726 First Street, Benicia November 24, 9pm-1:30am Goth Night Tuesdays, 7-10pm Open Mic for Musicians Wednesdays, 7-10pm Karaoke Sundays, 6-10pm Poker Night Thursdays, 9pm-1am DJ Live music Friday and Saturday.

Visit therelliktavern.com for the full lineup.

Lucca's Beer Garden Stage 439 First Street, Benicia November 2, 6:30-9pm Ariel Marin (full band) November 3, 6:30-9pm Jr. De Ville Blues Band November 4 CommonUnion59 (1:30-3:30pm) Camp Jeff (6:30-9pm) November 5, 2:30-5:30pm Jenny Kerr November 9, 6:30-9pm Salvage Title November 10, 6:30-9pm Dublin Soul November 11 Doug Houser (1:30-3:30pm) The Big Jangle (6:30-9pm) November 12, 2:30-5:30pm Scott Bell November 16, 6:30-9pm Jeff Tamelier & Tony Lindsay November 17, 6:30-9pm The Loralee Christensen Combo November 18 Cole Panther (1:30-3:30pm) Pacific Standard (6:30-9pm) November 19, 2:30-5:30 Soulful Security November 22, 6:30-9pm TJ & friends, with Tony Stead and Bryant Mills November 24, 6:30-9pm Don Bassey & Friends November 25 The Edwins Brothers (1-4pm) California Cowboys (6:30-9pm) November 26, 2:30-5:30pm DuoSonics & Friends November 30, 6:30-9pm Aki Kimar Blues Band

Empress Theatre 330 Virginia St, Vallejo November 1, 6:30-8:30pm Jimmy Dewrance - West Coast Blues November 8, 6:30-8:30pm Tia Carroll November 11, 8-10:30pm Tennessee River A Tribute to Alabama November 15, 6:30-8:30pm Mark Hummel's Blues Survivors November 18, 5-7:30pm Miss Vallejo Tri-City November 29, 6:30-8:30pm Willy Jordan Tuesdays Trivia with King Trivia Mare Island Brewing Co. First Street Taphouse 6:30pm Grab your friends for craft brews, food, and a few brain ticklers from the quizmasters at King Trivia every Tuesday upstairs, in the Benicia Room. B

Share upcoming events with us! email us at general@beniciamagazine.com

BeniciaMagazine.com • 19

Benicia’s KITCHEN AND BATH EXPERTS

AFFORDABLE QUALITY Cabinets and Countertops

“This is our second time working with Trevor, and our first time working with Taylor. Both times we have received the best customer service and the cabinets are top of the line quality. The input we received when making decisions really helped make our bathroom not only beautiful but also super functional.

We love it!”

— Kim and Branon 4852 East 2nd Street, Benicia 707-745-2100 • aqc@aqchome.com

Open Mon. - Fri. 9-5 weekends & evenings by appointment Contractor's License # 687979