Benicia Magazine October 2022 Issue

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Contributors

Patty Gavin

Genevieve Hand

Mary Hand

Linda Hastings Cooper Mickelson

Gethsemane Moss, Ed.D

Kevin Nelson Gene Pedrotti

Jean Purnell

Maura Sullivan

Photography

Luke George

Media Specialist

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Benicia Magazine is published monthly by Benicia Publishing, LLC. Copyright © 2021, 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. Benicia Magazine, Downtown Benicia, CA 94510. 707.980.1563, Beniciamagazine.com.

Brenda

FROM THE EDITOR

FROM THE EDITOR

There always seems to be some magic in the air in October. It’s when we typically feel autumn begin to set in – we look up, noticing the changing of leaves and crisping of mornings. It’s also traditionally when my mom would scare the living daylights out of me as a child. When we were young, my mom would host “Fright Night” on Friday nights in October. This is when we would order pizza, light candles, and invite the neighbor kids over for spooky stories. As I recall, it was a very popular occasion. Now, I was, and to a degree still am, a huge baby when it comes to scary things. And my mom bordered on professional in the way she could conjure a spooky ambiance; setting the lighting just so, speaking

low enough that you had to lean in to hear the story, building suspense with a wellplaced dramatic pause. Her stories were always original and rarely planned out ahead of time. I recall a vampire story that made me wary of the mirror in my room. And a story about a little girl who picked roses that made me rather dislike a particular painting in our house. Whether the other kids on the block had nightmares or not, I couldn’t tell you, but I seem to recall our home phone getting a parental complaint or two. Still, even though the stories scared the bejeezus out of us, we always came back for another one.

—Genevieve

SCARECROW CONTEST

Oct 1 – 31 voting ends Mon Oct 24

Check out scarecrows fashioned by downtown businesses and beyond. The public is invited to vote for their favorites!

Ballots available at Benicia Main Street, 90 First St.

GHOULISH WINE WALK

Oct 15, 1 – 5pm

Stroll First Street on a beautiful fall afternoon and taste over a dozen wines being poured inside and outside downtown shops. Zombies and witches welcome!

FARMERS MARKET FINALE

Thurs., Oct. 27, 4-7pm

Come bid farewell to the market till next season!

HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST

& FIRST STREET STROLL

Sat Oct 29, 10am at City Park

Costume contest for kids of all ages and adults!

First Street gets into the spirit with businesses passing out treats from their stores.

CANINE & CRITTER COSTUME CONTEST

Sat Oct 29 12pm at First St. Green

Fur-friends strut around in their Halloween best for judges.

www.BeniciaMainStreet.org

Blown Glass is Back Benicia

Art Glass Gallery

n Jean Purnell

The decades-long tradition of blown glass art is back in Benicia again, thanks to a new collaboration between glass artists Peter Stucky and Dana Rottler of Bay Blown Glass and Nick Nourot of Nourot Glass. The trio launched the Benicia Art Glass Gallery on Labor Day weekend, at 309 First Street, where they sell their unique glass vases, tableware, sculptures, and other decorative items.

The artists’ paths first crossed a few years ago at Slow Burn Glass, a large glass blowing studio in Richmond. Peter Stucky learned to blow glass at Palo Alto High School, where advanced sculpture was an elective course. “I fell in love with it,” says Stucky, who went on to graduate from California College of the Arts, where he met fellow glass artist Dana Rottler. Rottler grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, where the family dentist’s glass blowing hobby was her introduction to the art. Her dad bought her a low flame torch and she taught herself the technique. She enrolled at CCA to study architecture, but glass blowing was the stronger attraction. She and Peter became a couple, and were equally passionate about their art. “Our friends would complain that Peter and I signed up for all the open blow spots available in the studio, but we did it anyway!”

After graduation, in 2010 for her, 2011 for Stucky, they worked as teaching assistants at the Palo Alto school and began glass production to fund the program. They formed Bay Blown Glass in 2014, developing their own designs and artworks. Peter was drawn to the interaction of colors with each other and with glass. Dana was intrigued with capturing light and exploring the fluidity of glass. “Mother nature is my primary

inspiration,” she says, “I create flowers, acorns, and I’m inspired seeing plants sprout from the asphalt.” Peter adds, “We are also passionate gardeners at our home in Vallejo, and many of our artworks display natural and animal themes.”

In 2020, after six years at the high school, the effects of the pandemic shut down the glass studio program and they lost their jobs. “We went full-time with Bay Blown Glass. It started as a hobby, but suddenly it became more important, and we put our energy into it.” The loss of the high school facilities also led them to find Slow Burn Glass, where they met Nick Nourot.

“I came-to in a glass shop,” begins Nourot, son of longtime Benicia glass artists Michael Nourot and Ann Corcoran. “My parents opened the second glass blowing studio in Benicia in 1974. Steve and Judy Smyers were the first, in 1971.” Both studios were located in the Yuba Manufacturing complex, vacated when the company closed. “We started as kids. I was designing perfume bottles with my sister. I think I was three years old and she was a few years older. We called it piggy perfume.” By the time Nick was 12 years old he was technically proficient. “I can’t remember ever not doing glass, but it was in high school that glass blowing became cool. My friends wanted to come

over and blow glass in the family studio. I had a sign-up sheet and I hosted a dozen of them every Saturday.”

After high school, Nourot studied at the Eugene Glass School and the Pilchuck Glass School. Influential teachers included Charlie Lowrie and James Mongrain. “The more I went to school the more I realized I had more to learn.” When Nick came back to Benicia, his work changed. “I wanted to achieve technical proficiency, like an X Games athlete doing a more difficult jump. I'm not after the finished piece. It's the process that is thrilling to me, like creating a vase that is very thin, tall, and elegant.” When his dad retired in 2012, Nick took over management of Nourot Glass. In 2015 he sold the building; in 2016 he moved his glass production operation to Slow Burn Glass.

The Benicia Art Glass Gallery brings Nourot and Bay Blown Glass to the public in time for seasonal entertaining and giftgiving. They also plan to sell works by other glass artists. A glass pumpkin patch is scheduled for October 14 through 16. “The first glass studio opened in 1971 and the last one closed in 2020,” said Nourot.

“We wanted to bring it back.” Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday from 12:00 until 6:00 pm. For more information and to learn about holiday events and hours, visit beniciaartglass.com. B

1930s Water Wars Solano County

n Gene Pedrotti

Water. In an era of climate change and drought, just a mention of the word causes anxiety and panic. In the North Bay, concern over water supplies dates back to the early 1900s, when the local population was growing like mad. Growth required water, and plenty of it.

In 1923, the construction of the Milliken Dam allowed the city of Napa to offer water service. This was Napa’s sole water source until the Lake Hennessey Dam in the 1940s. So, imagine the fervor in 1929 when a hairbrained idea was hatched to tap into the Napa River and transport water – over one million gallons a day – to Crockett and the C&H Sugar Refinery!

Processing sugar requires ample high-quality water to dissolve, boil and spin out impurities. Early in its refining evolution and with water supplies limited, C&H purchased water from Marin County, barging one million gallons a day across the San Francisco Bay. This was slow and costly.

However, by the late ‘20s, a technological achievement provided C&H a new source of water, eliminating the need to barge water, and the opportunity came with the completion of the Carquinez Bridge.

On May 21, 1927, the Carquinez Bridge opened to much fanfare; it was the final segment of roadway on the Lincoln Highway, a transcontinental highway originating in New York City and terminating in San Francisco. By late 1930, over 1.2 million cars would be crossing the bridge annually with tolls averaging $1 per vehicle ($17.75 in today’s dollars!).

Bridges can transport more than cars, and suspending pipe or cable can allow for movement of many commodities like natural gas, electrical power, and water. On February 18, 1929, Vallejo Public Works official Frank Brew revealed plans for the City of Vallejo to deliver 1-1/2 million gallons of water daily to C&H Sugar via a newly constructed pipeline. The water would come from the Napa River!

The water source was a dairy on the Napa River. C&H purchased this parcel and disclosed plans to pump water via pipeline along a railroad right-of-way. It would terminate in Vallejo near the new Carquinez Bridge in a 35-million-gallon reservoir. From there, water would be transported across the bridge and into the refinery in two fifteen-inch water lines.

Controversial?!!! You bet! Neighboring ranchers were furious! So, who was the dairyman who “sold out” his land and water rights?

According to the History of Solano and Napa Counties, the dairy was a local institution created in 1907 when a Sonoma rancher purchased 795 acres along the Napa River. It consisted of a dairy, orchards, and a vineyard, and was “three miles south of Napa… and was known as Pedrotti ranch.”

The dairyman was James Pedrotti, an immigrant of Switzerland, and my great-uncle.

Growing up in Crockett and returning to run the hardware store,

start a Chamber of Commerce, and promote the town, I have always been deeply involved in the community; this included promoting our icons – C&H Sugar and the Carquinez Bridge. However, discovering this controversy ten years ago gave me chills – a Pedrotti was involved!

It turns out that it wasn’t James Pedrotti that sold out. At age 63, six years after moving to Napa in 1913, James Pedrotti passed away. Rather, it was his wife. Widowed and aging, Mary Pedrotti could no longer handle ranching, and selling made sense. On October 8, 1929, as the Lompoc Review noted, “Paying a reported $55,000, the company acquired the 483acre ranch on which the three wells are located from Mrs. Mary Pedrotti and her two sons Sam and Merlin Pedrotti…”

Almost immediately, neighboring ranchers filed suits claiming that the river could not sustain the withdrawal of water. In October, 1929, five suits were combined and on May 7, 1930, in a lengthy decision, Judge Jones of the San Francisco Superior Court ruled that C&H could proceed. Shortly thereafter, a contract was awarded to build sixteen miles of pipeline and construct a holding bay – Rolph Reservoir – near the Carquinez Bridge. Surrounding the reservoir would be a fence “to keep boys and men from swimming in the reservoir…” From there, two fifteen-inch lines would carry water across the new Carquinez Bridge to the C&H plant.

Things did not go well. A break in the line in 1931 caused major damages to the railroad and revealed serious design flaws so that by 1932, the entire pipeline had to be repaired at a cost of $100,000. “A crew of between 150 and 200 men are employed on the project, installing new cement joints in the 20-inch cast iron pipe,” according to the Napa Valley Register (11-3-1932), and “is being rushed” due to “fast dwindling supply of water impounded in the sugar mill’s reservoir…” Things got worse and while reporting is scant of detail, we do know that the wells were abandoned; well water eventually became brackish with salt and were shut down. A reference to this is an obituary dated December 11, 1953; referring to William A. Forbes, who was involved in the water lawsuit, “The refinery won the suit but water in the wells later became salty and there were abandoned.” (Napa Valley Register, 12-11-1953.)

So, the wells dried up and were abandoned. However, not so for the pipeline on the bridge. Shortly after the Vallejo water treatment plant was re-built in the ‘80s, a plan was developed to send water across the span, but this time from Crockett to Vallejo, ensuring water to Mare Island Naval Base for military purposes. Water would be sent from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) which now supplied Crockett. However, a test run proved fatal – “It leaked so bad we had the Carquinez Falls,” as Caltrans spokesperson Bart Ney shared, “the pipes leaked from one end of the bridge to the other.” The 1927 span was disassembled following the erection of the Zampa Bridge in the early 2000s, and so with it, the pipeline.

What we won’t do for a little water… B

StrangeStrange Media

n Genevieve Hand

Photos by Luke George

In August of 2019, a few months before the pandemic, something Strange moved into the old Masonic temple at 106 J Street. This strange thing has the power to create new worlds. It is a master of illusion, shaping perception and compelling emotion. And its methods often go unseen. It is a production company called Strange Media.

Strange Media was founded by Steffan Schulz, producer, director, and jack of most trades in the media industry. With the goal of improving his screenwriting skills in his early years, he cut his teeth by doing just about any job on set that he could, from audio technician to camera operator. “I was always listening to the director to see how they brought the written word to life visually. That’s what attracted me to directing – it’s the bridge between the written word and what’s recorded on camera.” Now focusing mostly on directing and producing, he says he can’t imagine ever doing just one thing all the time. “I’d go crazy,” he says.

Steffan graduated from San Jose State University’s RTVF (radio, television, and film) program and has been making his way up through the Bay Area over the years ever since. Along the way, he’s worked with nearly every area tech company you can think of. “The corporate/industrial work is the bread and butter,” he says, though he admittedly prefers working on passion project documentaries, or in more creative genres like sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. One of his first films was actually a horror piece adapted from a commercial he made for a Great America Halloween event.

Over the years, his independent films have won many awards at film festivals. Two he’s most proud of are “Best Picture” for “Tracker,” a post-apocalyptic sci-fi short, and “1st Place in the Magic and Realism Category” for “Lorelei,” a surreal romance fantasy short. His documentary work includes a surprising amount of scuba diving and underwater film. “Destination Diving” was a docu-series for PBS whose 13 episodes took Steffan to 13 different countries and 4 continents over a 5-year

period, and won nine awards. A documentary about Mongolia likewise had him diving in the taiga. These works often have a common theme of ecological conservation, a cause that Steffan is passionate about.

Sometimes his corporate work and his passion projects align serendipitously, like a current project he’s working on with Webex by Cisco and One World Surgery, a surgical care organization reaching underserved communities globally. Sometimes his corporate work gets him Top Secret clearance, like his work with Sandia National Labs (with whom Steffan worked for 20 years) which was viewed at the White House.

What he enjoys most about his line of work is being able to help people, be it through helping them learn to use a new gadget or by shedding light on an important story. He also enjoys gaining access to some of the best and brightest talent and having an opportunity to engage with their genius.

So, how did Steffan end up in Benicia? He was always on the lookout for a warehouse space that he could use collaboratively with other creatives. Most recently working just across the bridge in Martinez, real estate in Benicia popped up on his radar. The old Masonic Temple at 106 J Street was just what he was looking for – although, having been redtagged and abandoned for several years, it needed a lot of work. He went all-in, selling his home to afford the place and necessary renovations.

What was the Masons’ meeting hall is now the primary studio in which he builds sets and hosts premiere parties. After peeling back the blue carpet that covered the floors, he found beautiful hardwood floors which he has since refinished. He also had

That’s what attracted me to directing –it’s the bridge between the written word and what’s recorded on camera

to rewire the room since there were merely two outlets available in the cavernous space – not nearly enough for anyone working in digital media today. The tall stained-glass windows remain, though they are often covered with blackout curtains for light control.

The location also contains a kitchen and bathroom, both of which he essentially gutted. What was the dining hall is now a screening room. There is also a separate, sound dampened room that serves as an editing suite. With props as decor, nearly every room is camera-ready.

Due to the pandemic, Steffan has yet to host many events or collaborative endeavors in his new space, but he looks forward to doing so soon. He has worked with a few of the downstairs tenants, hiring some of the Collektive employees to stand in for a scene he’s shooting, shooting a spot in Daughter of Luna, and collaborating with the owners of Zeppelin Comics on a podcast. Otherwise, he works with a roster of trusted freelance digital media professionals he’s collected over his 30-year career. But he hopes to connect with more local talent soon.

And what about the name, Strange Media? Well, that goes back to his days at SJSU when he was working as a radio DJ. “Steve Strange” was his radio personality, adopted out of his affinity for a New Romantic music artist by the same name. During his spots, he would reportedly go “over the top” with sound design, earning his spots the moniker “Strange productions.” The name stuck, with iterations Strange Productions, Strange Films, and Strange Media.

You can visit StrangeMedia.com to connect with Steffan and see some of his work. Please note, there are content warnings for younger viewers on some films. B

around town around town

Pick your Poison

Writing this in the beginning of September with 100+ degree weather and stores filling up with fall and Halloween decor, I found it a bit challenging to get into the “pumpkin spice latte” mood.

Searching high and low for cocktail recipes in my air conditioned apartment, I think I found just the thing to get us ready for the spooky season. I’ve found two recipes to entertain our dark and light side.

Get in touch with your dark side after a hard day of work, road rage and Amazon losing your package. This one is not for the faint-hearted. A little sweet, more tart, and looks like the blood of your enemies.

The Stone Cold Witch also known as the Hibiscus Martin | Sweetlifebake.com

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces vodka

½ ounce orange liqueur

1 ounce fresh lime juice

¾ ounce hibiscus syrup (can be found at BevMo or any liquor store)

INSTRUCTIONS

To a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice and hibiscus syrup. Shake vigorously until well chilled. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a hibiscus flower or edible orchid.

When you feel like you shushed the devil on your shoulder and transformed back into the angel that you are, try this recipe instead of going to Starbucks and keep that mood going!

Taste like Hobby Lobby also known as White Pumpkin Cocktail Shekeepsalovelyhome.com

INGREDIENTS

1½ ounces white rum

3 ounces unsweetened vanilla/almond milk

1 tsp. honey

Pumpkin spice – a teeny, tiny dash

INSTRUCTIONS

Pour 1½ oz. white rum and 3 oz. vanilla/almond milk into a shaker with ice and add 1 tsp. of honey.

Shake vigorously and pour into a frosted coup glass. Sprinkle with a teeny bit of pumpkin spice.

Notes: If you don’t have pre-mixed pumpkin spice, you can make your own. It’s 3 tbsp. of cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. ground nutmeg, 1½ tsp. ground cloves. B

n Maura Sullivan

From Benicia to Belmont:

Amelia Morgan Swings into Action on the Golf Course

grandfather taught her the importance of perseverance and integrity in sports and life. Daughter of school teacher Harriet Morgan, Morgan set goals for herself to pursue golf and to land on a college-level team, and she did. Morgan's hard work and determination landed her an invitation to Belmont College in North Carolina.

n Dr. Gethsemane Moss (Ed.D.)

Sometimes pursuing our dreams and passions requires taking risks and stepping outside of our comfort zones. Operating in fear and second guesses leaves us with entertaining what could have been instead of what could be. The more we deny ourselves what is possible for our lives, the more we reap seeds of regret and missed opportunity, and while we cannot get back the years lost, we can certainly start today by leaning into our hopes and dreams one step of action at a time. We can all learn from the brave steps of Amelia Morgan. The daughter and granddaughter of educators and an only child, who attended Benicia Unified from elementary to high school made a significant decision during her senior year to support her dreams of professional golf.

Amelia Morgan is swinging into action. When Morgan’s grandfather, a distinguished and highly honored World War II veteran, introduced her to golf at age five, Morgan discovered a genuine love for the sport, which became a family activity. In addition, Morgan's

Morgan was heavily recruited by one of Belmont College's assistant coaches, who believed she would be an asset to their golf team. Morgan was courted by several other Division II schools but landed on the community of Belmont as it was similar in size and population to Benicia.

Morgan is an example and an inspiration in that when we set goals, we must also allow ourselves the opportunity. Morgan was on the golf team at Benicia High school for two seasons before the COVID-19 pandemic, but decided to complete her senior year at the Premier

Golf Academy of San Diego. Premier Golf Academy of San Diego is a private, elite Golf and Academic Preparatory Academy. The academy is for high school juniors and seniors committed to pursuing the sport of golf with goals and aspirations of playing college or professional golf. Morgan attended the boarding academy during her senior year with students from all over the world.

In pursuit of honing her skills, Morgan was recognized by the Director of the Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy, Clarence Traywick, who is responsible for taking Morgan to the next level of the sport. This recognition created another opportunity for Morgan. While gaining instruction from golf professionals on the Lake Chabot course, she volunteered on the weekends for the Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy, genuinely immersing herself in the sport.

Morgan also received a scholarship from the Veterans of Benicia.

The Lake Chabot Junior Golf Academy is open year-round for the students in Oakland and is meant to provide a free opportunity for students to learn the sport of golf who may not otherwise. Funding is made possible by donations and volunteers.

May other students and adults be encouraged and inspired to pursue activities, whatever they may be. There are opportunities to volunteer if you have a skill you wish to share that may help others. Also, be courageous enough to place yourself in environments that support your goals. You may meet someone who will make a connection to your life's dreams.

“No decision will pay off more than prioritizing your life and giving extreme focus and energy to the things with highest return.”

Christina Strawbridge the Voice of Reason

Christina cares deeply about Benicia. She has proven how much she cares by the length and depth of her commit ments over the past 35 years. From supporting children’s education, to promoting business and tourism, to giving back to those in need, Christina has always been front and center, doing the hard work, without fanfare and many times without recognition. Her list of accomplishments is reflected by the list of her endorsers. A priority issue for Christina is Benicia’s kids and their health and recreation.

It’s time for an all-purpose year-round sports field

Christina is advocating for a multi-use, year-round, all weather sports field in Benicia. She is making sure that this project is on the City Council Agenda. Benicia parents, coaches and kids deserve a better sports field.

Christina has the trust and endorsements from the following Federal, State and County officials

Congressman Mike Thompson n Congressman John Garamendi

State Senator Bill Dodd

Member Tim Grayson n Solano County Supervisor Erin Hannigan

First Responders Benicia Police Officers Association and the Benicia Firefighters Association

Napa Solano Central Labor Council and Building Trades Council

Paid

by Christina Strawbridge for City Council 2022

Samhain

The Pagan Roots of Halloween

n Cooper Mickelson

You probably celebrate Halloween by dressing up in costume, trick-or-treating with your kids, or binge-watching your favorite scary movies, but do you know the origins of this beloved holiday? What we now refer to as Halloween is inspired by an almost 2,000-year-old annual tradition, initially celebrated by ancient Celts, called Samhain (pronounced SOW-win.)

Samhain is one of the eight sabbats the Celts celebrated to mark the turning points in nature's annual cycle. A way to greet the new season and bid the past season farewell. Samhain is usually celebrated from October 31st to November 1st and marks the end of the harvest year and the beginning of winter. The creators of this festival believed that there was an invisible veil separating our world from the underworld. Samhain was a time when this veil was temporarily lifted, allowing the living to commune with the dead.

Not unlike Día de Los Muertos, a holiday mainly celebrated in Mexico, the ancient festival of Samhain was partly centered around honoring family members who've passed. Families would host "Dumb Suppers," where the living would set the dinner table with photos and memorabilia of deceased family members, inviting them to join the living for a meal. Empty chairs were left for the dead, favorite stories were shared, and food set aside for the dead was burned when the meal ended.

In the 5th century, as Christianity gained popularity in Celtic communities, leaders attempted to reframe Samhain as a Christain holiday. It was moved to mid-May and intended to celebrate saints and martyrs. This didn't last long, and it was moved back to November 1st and renamed All Saint's Day soon after.

Over the centuries, Christianity was unable to put an end to the pagan aspects of the holiday. October 31st quickly became known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. Halloween retained many pagan practices and was adopted in America in the 19th century as Irish immigrants brought past traditions to their new home.

Trick-or-treating was one of these traditions, derived from the Irish practice of mumming. Mumming was the act of putting on costumes, going door-to-door, and singing songs for the dead. Home owners gave cakes out to the children as payment. Halloween pranks were also popular with Irish and Scottish pagans, although these ancient tricks were blamed on fairies instead of rowdy teenagers.

In the 1980s, there was an unexpected revival of the traditional Samhain festival as Wicca gained popularity. The Wicca version of Samhain merged ancient practices of paganism with more modern American traditions, adding their practice of honoring nature and ancestors into the mix. Wiccans also consider Samhain their New Year, using this magical night to reflect on the past year and set intentions for the next. This is why you might sometimes hear Samhain or Halloween referred to as The Witch's New Year.

If you've seen movies such as “The Wicker Man,” you know that there are some pretty disturbing traditions I've decided not to mention here. Although these sacrifices and fire rituals are extremely interesting to learn about, I thought I'd keep it light and let you explore those aspects of Samhain's history on your own.

Ways you can celebrate Samhain this year

Hold your own Dumb Supper to honor your ancestors

Set out photos and mementos of the people you wish to remember. Decorate the table with candles and flowers, choosing colors and scents that evoke memories, and put out place settings to represent the people you’re celebrating. Light the candles at the start of supper to welcome the spirits, using this moment to sit in silence and allow yourself to reflect on your own memories and emotions. Spend the rest of the meal sharing stories and enjoying each other's company as well as the company of any loved ones who have passed. I highly recommend making “soul cakes” to enjoy during this meal.

Create a Samhain centerpiece

This centerpiece can be placed at a table, windowsill, or bookcase, really anywhere that you can find space. Consider it something to gaze at as you celebrate your accomplishments over the past year. Add orange, black, white, or red candles, crystals (tourmaline and obsidian are perfect for Samhian), fall foliage, mini pumpkins, corn dolls, pine cones, and anything else you feel fits the season. Some people like to include feathers at their Samhain altars or centerpieces to represent the souls of the dead they wish to remember and celebrate. If you choose to do this, please return the feathers to nature once Samhain has passed.

Host a friends' night to toast the Witch’s New Year

Invite your friends over, instructing them to come dressed in black and bearing a snack. Prepare spooky drinks for each other, adding dry ice in a tea strainer for the cauldron effect. Have some fun making autumnal flower crowns or wreaths with dying vegetation and flowers. Take turns reading each other’s tarot cards, seeking guidance and focusing on what the next 12 months may bring. End the night with a witchy movie such as Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, or The Witch. During the movie, ask your friends to write down their intentions for the coming year on tiny scrolls. Tie up the scrolls with ribbon or twine and place them into small vials that everyone can take home with their flower crowns or wreaths as a party favor.

Pleasant MaryEllen Pleasant

MaryEllen

Have you ever walked through a cemetery and admired its beauty? The stillness. The serenity. The tombstone artwork. The pops of color from a floral arrangement – or a Vodou (Voodoo) votive with ceremonial paraphernalia. Such is a sight you might find at Tulocay cemetery in Napa, specifically on the grave of one mysterious woman: Mary Ellen Pleasant.

Few things are known to be true of Mary Ellen Pleasant’s story, mainly because she made it her business to muddy the waters. She wrote three memoirs in her life, none of which corroborated the others. She leveraged the rumor mill to her own advantage in life, and in death, only seems to have left clues to confirm the facts that mattered most to her.

“The Mother of Civil Rights in California”

What we do know is that she was an extremely wealthy and successful businesswoman in San Francisco in the mid-late 19th century. Her self-made fortune, reportedly of $30 million (roughly $1 billion in today’s dollars), was impressive for a man at the time, let alone for a woman. She amassed her fortune by starting out as a domestic laborer during the gold rush, when such skills were in high demand. With her early earnings and an inheritance from a deceased husband, she bought up laundries and property, building high-end boarding houses where wealthy men would live.

Mary continued working as a domestic, becoming a favorite cook of many powerful men. She would listen in on their business conversations, picking up stock tips and growing her net worth under the radar. She began cultivating her social capital by looking after the men in her care, earning their trust and respect. Through them she learned more about business and

n Genevieve Hand

Photo by Luke George

the inner workings of government. Leaning into the promise of the western frontier, in a government census she listed her profession as “capitalist.”

When the Civil War ended, she made another bold claim in the census. She revealed herself as Black.

Few facts are known about Mary Ellen Pleasant’s origins, but most sources agree that she was born into slavery in Georgia or Virginia around 1814. She is said to have escaped slavery at a young age into the care of Quakers in the north. Her ethnic background is ambiguous, but it is said that upon arrival in San Francisco, when the Fugitive Slave Act was still in effect, she passed herself off as white and was only known as Black among the Black community – the community to whom she dedicated her wealth.

Mary was an abolitionist, using her wealth to fund the western terminus of the Underground Railroad. She worked with John Brown to that end and was supposedly one of “The Secret Six” to fund the raid at Harpers Landing. She used favor and capital to help people win their freedom and fight a prejudiced judicial system. She used her boarding houses to provide safe haven to escaped slaves and employment to members of the greater Black community.

She helped overturn racist laws and customs, funding the suit against California's ban on Black testimony and, along with Charlotte Brown and Emma Jane Turner, suing San Francisco’s streetcar companies, forcing them to provide service to Black customers (over 90 years before Rosa Parks sat in defiance). Her political savvy earned her the nickname “The Black City Hall.”

There are many reasons why a person of color would have concealed their racial identity during this time. The more wealth Mary amassed and dedicated to her cause, the more she had to lose. While she tried to keep a low profile and obscure her origins as much as possible, rumors of illgotten means flew, and that became especially true after she outed herself as Black. Speculations arose about her running brothels and other unsavory businesses. She became known as “Mammy,” a derogatory term for black women who cared for the children of a white family, and a name she hated. She became implicated in the “mysterious” deaths of lovers and husbands. Accused of casting spells and curses to make her fortune and gain favor among the city’s elite, she earned another nickname, “the Voodoo Queen of San Francisco.”

Mary leaned into these rumors. She leveraged the white community’s fear, ignorance, and fascination with her to stoke conflicting stories and obscure the truth behind her machinations. By doing so, she ensured she could continue her abolitionist work undetected, but also villainized herself to the press.

At the height of her prosperity, Mary had an enormous mansion built on the corner of Bush and Octavia Streets in San Francisco. She lost it and her fortune later in life, dying in poverty. Much of her holdings had been put in Thomas Bell’s name (a friend and possible lover who was a white man) in order to safeguard them in a racist society. This backfired when he died and his widow sued for ownership, cutting her out of any will that may have existed.

While the mansion no longer stands, a piece of the property was turned into the smallest park in the city, dedicated to her. A plaque commemorating her is embedded in the sidewalk among the six eucalyptus trees she planted there, labeling her “The Mother of Civil Rights in California.” If you believe in ghosts, it is said that her spirit haunts those trees, casting eucalyptus pods at those who disparage her name. She is a favorite of many a ghost hunt tour business in the city.

She came to be buried in Napa because her friend, Olive Sherwood, had her interred in her family plot at the Tulocay cemetery. If you visit her grave, it is decorated, as mentioned, with Vodou items. Far from demonizing the woman beyond this life, it seems those who leave these items do so to honor her memory. Whether she truly practiced Vodou in life or not isn’t the question. Some Pleasant scholars indicate the way she conducted herself in her circumstances – leveraging the powerful to help the powerless, making allies in high places, uplifting the community, and carefully crafting a public image – is reminiscent of Marie Laveaux, “Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.” These are celebrated attributes, and the gifts are perhaps a tribute to the “magic” she worked for so many people as The Mother of Civil Rights in California. B

Accused of casting spells and curses to make her fortune and gain favor among the city’ s elite, she earned another nickname, “the Voodoo Queen of San Francisco.”

The Zodiac Killer

n Kevin Nelson

Most everyone loves a good scary story, and this may be the scariest Benicia story of all. It is so scary because it is true.

Imagine you are living here in 1968, a few days before Christmas. Sparkling red and green lights adorn houses all around town. You’re in a joyous mood, filled with the holiday spirit.

Then, on the morning of December 21, you wake up to find your family and neighbors and everyone in town in an absolute panic. The night before, on Lake Herman Road near the city of Benicia’s water treatment plant, two local teens were killed in a gruesome double murder.

The victims are two Vallejo high school students, David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, who had driven out to “park” on this isolated country road thinking it would be a private place and no one would see them. But an unidentified man surprised them in the darkness and shot them both.

But why? Why would anyone randomly take the lives of two innocent teens? No one in Benicia or Vallejo, including the cops, had a clue as to the killer’s motive or identity.

The following year, after the man had murdered at least three more people, the authorities still did not know who he was. But by this time they had a name for him—a colorful fictional alias that was assigned to him based on the symbol he used to sign the letters he sent to newspapers and the bizarre cryptograms he devised to provide clues about the murders he seemed to delight in.

He was the Zodiac. The Zodiac Killer.

Benicia is not commonly associated

with the Zodiac, but the city remains part of his awful legacy. When a driver passing by spotted the bodies of Betty Lou and Dave lying by the road, she raced to the Enco gas station (now 76) at the corner of Lake Herman and East 2nd. There, she hailed a Benicia PD patrol car.

Herman and revisit the area where one of the most infamous serial murderers of his time began his reign of horror. It would later be revealed that while in the commission of his crimes, the Zodiac would dress in a black executioner’s robe with a hood obscuring his face.

Curiously, the excellent 2007 movie based on the case, “Zodiac,” starring Robert Downey Jr., Jake Gyllenhaal, and Mark Ruffalo, does not start with the Lake Herman Road killings; rather, it begins with the July 4, 1969 murder of a vivacious young coffee shop waitress, Darlene Ferrin, in the parking lot at Blue Rock Springs Golf Course in Vallejo.

His next murder occurred at Lake Berryessa, and there is a location shot in the movie of the Putah Creek Bridge. After that, the film shifts to San Francisco where the Zodiac murdered a cab driver and caused panic all around the Bay Area by threatening to randomly kidnap a busload of schoolchildren—a threat, fortunately, never acted upon.

The first law enforcement to arrive at the murder scene were Benicia Police Captain Daniel Pitta and Officer William T. Warner, who mercifully covered Betty Lou’s damaged body with a blanket. Though the crimes occurred outside the city limits and were technically out of their jurisdiction, they assisted the Solano County sheriff in the morbid search for evidence that might lead them to the killer.

The first physician to arrive at what was described as “an exceptionally gruesome” crime scene was Dr. Byron Sanford of Benicia. But the victims were beyond help. David, whose skull was shattered by the gunshots, was taken by ambulance to a Vallejo hospital but was D.O.A.

Even today, it is a little creepy to take a casual Sunday drive on Lake

The Zodiac was never caught and fifty years after his ghastly rampage, he has never been conclusively identified. News reports and wild theories pop up from time to time as to who he really was and how many people he actually killed. (Definitely five, but some say more.)

The author Robert Graysmith, the leading expert on the case (played by Jake Gyllenhaal in the film), felt strongly that the Zodiac was intimately familiar with Napa and Vallejo. His first victims came from those two cities. But if he knew those places well, did he also know Benicia? Did he perhaps walk up and down First Street or drive around town scouting for possible victims?

It’s a chilling thought. But one that people here in 1968 and 1969 had to seriously consider. “Does a killer,” they surely must have asked, “walk among us?”

around town | Hidden Benicia

Guardian angel, advocate, fairy godmother, lifesaver, protector...these words are all interchangeable and most would agree that they refer to someone who looks after, or is concerned with, the welfare of others. For Mrs. Kathleen Langston, "Guardian Angel" best describes her. In both her professional life and personal life she has looked after the welfare of others with love and care.

A native of Benicia, Kathleen is the daughter of Norman and Mary Gonsalves. Her father and paternal grandmother grew up in Benicia, while her maternal grandfather emigrated here from Portugal. Kathleen's heritage is Portuguese, and Benicia's history tells of a significant Portuguese community settling here in the early years. Her family has a long legacy in Benicia, and they are known for their "behind the scenes" acts of kindness. Her late brother Norm has a bench dedicated to him at the corner of First and H St. He was always helping out his fellow Benicians, going the extra mile to be of service. The late Norm Sr. and Norm Jr. were active for many years with the Holy Ghost Society in Benicia, which commemorates the 16th century feeding of the famine stricken Portuguese people by Queen Isabella. Kathleen, her sister Nancy, brothers Ken and Ronald also have participated significantly in this celebration over the years. Three great aunts in the family who were Dominican Sisters, Sr. Baptista, Sr. Andre, and Sr. Theophane are perfect examples of selflessness. Sr. Theophane served as principal of St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Vallejo in the ‘60s, and was

Mrs. Langston Real Live “Guardian Angel”

the first principal at Justin (Sienna) High School in Napa.

As Kathleen's parents and relatives have modeled this care and concern for others, it is not surprising that it characterizes Kathleen. What are those particular acts of selfless giving that give her Guardian Angel status? There are two stories to tell. The first narrative begins with her years of dedication working at St. Dominic's School in Benicia...a 37 year legacy. Kathleen first began as a volunteer, working in her eldest daughter's classroom in 1985. It wasn't long before the principal, Alice Maxwell, recognized Kathleen's strong work ethic, confidence, and skills, and hired her as the school's librarian and computer teacher. In the ensuing years she took on substitute teaching in all the classes, and was a long term sub in the 3rd and 7th grades.

But it is Kathleen's 30 years as the school's secretary, where angel status is most apparent. Arriving at 6:45 every morning, she wasn't officially on the clock until 7:30 a.m. She answered the phone, did the filing and the ordering, made schedules, printed copies, answered questions, etc., but she did so much more than that. She served the children, the parents, the teachers and staff of St. Dominic's in ways beyond her job description. She was a manager, counselor, nurse, disciplinarian, social worker, money lender, and a seamstress. She stitched the hems of the girls’ uniform skirts when they unraveled, bandaged scraped knees, loaned money for hot lunch, soothed the crying child, "counseled" parents not to sweat the small stuff, assisted the principal, teachers, and staff with their needs, gave advice when solicited, the list goes on and on.

Asked what was the most rewarding part of her job, Kathleen responded, "the hugs and smiles of the kids." She remembers the child who cried when she retired last year (which brought a tear to her eye). Working with eight principals over the years, Kathleen recalls one of her favorites, Sr. Elizabeth Curtis. A legend at the school, "Sr. Liz" was a compassionate, dynamic, spiritual leader, whose sense of humor and energy made the workday a joy.

Kathleen has been honored several

times by the school over the years, with 2 yearbooks dedicated to her. She was honored by a graduating class who presented her with a statue of a guardian angel, thanking her for being the "Guardian Angel of the whole school." What is most endearing to Kathleen after all the years at the school is the playground structure that was dedicated to her upon her retirement.

Guardian Angel status is cemented for Kathleen in the second narrative of her story, her personal life. She and her husband Bob raised their own two daughters, and then raised two adopted children. Ten years ago Kathleen lost her husband of thirty-five years in an untimely death, and then just two years later lost her daughter, who had a young son, to an unexpected illness. Having lost his mother, Kathleen raised her grandson, who continues to live with her while he attends community college. Clearly, after years of care, love, and concern, looking after the welfare of others, in her personal life and in her professional life, Kathleen is a protector, lifesaver, fairy godmother...a Guardian Angel. Coping with all the sadness she has experienced, Kathleen says she is "grateful to have been working at St. Dominic's at the time. I needed to be there because it got me through. I had to be strong for my family and the people at St. Dominic's supported me." One last note... Kathleen provided all of the Christmas gifts for a different needy family in Benicia every year, for 20 years.

Thanks Mrs. Langston, you've earned your wings.

Kathleen is currently enjoying retirement, filling her days with gardening, lunching with friends, and regularly "pals around" with her sister, Nancy.

n Patty Gavin

Photo by Cathy Coe

Asked what was the most rewarding part of her job, Kathleen responded, "the hugs and smiles of the kids."

October 1

13th Annual Special Olympics Bike the Bridges & Brewfest 8:30am-1:30pm First Street Green

October 7

First Fridays at the Museum 5:00-8:00pm Benicia Historical Museum

October 8

Art Walk 1:00-5:00pm Downtown Benicia

October 15

Benicia Dog Festival 11:00am-5:00pm

First Street Green and end of First Street

Events

October Events

October 15

Ghoulish Wine Walk 12:00-5:00pm Downtown Benicia

October 21

Opening Night Pinole Community Players present Private Lives 7:00pm Pinole Community Playhouse

October 21

Opening Night Benicia Theatre Group presents Laura 8:00-11:59pm B.D.E.S. Hall

October 22

Up Bay Pride Festival 2022 12:00-5:00pm Benicia City Park

October 29

Halloween Costume Contest and Sidewalk Stroll 10:00am-4:00pm Downtown Benicia

October 29

Canine & Critter Costume Contest 12:00pm First Street Green B

Kaneka believes we can have a major impact on our future by investing in the education of the next generation. We are committed to contributing resourc es to technical education programs and workshops, including internships and organized visits to our facility for those interested in the industry.

6166 Egret Ct, Benicia, CA 94510 (707) 747-6738

Measure R

Benicia Local Road Repair and Infrastructure Measure

What is Measure R?

Questions and Answers from City of Benicia Deputy City Manager Mario Giuliani

Q: What is Measure R?

A: Measure R is a local initiative on the November ballot that asks Benicia residents to adopt a ¾ cent sales tax that will provide a sustainable and necessary source of revenue for the City of Benicia. The sales tax applies only to certain goods within Benicia. The tax does not apply to groceries, prescription medicine or services such as a doctor, dentist or attorney. Every dollar of the City’s sales tax revenues must be spent locally and cannot go to the County or State. The City Council has identified that repairing and maintaining our roads is a primary focus, thus the name of the measure is titled “Benicia Local Road Repair and Infrastructure Measure”.

Q: Why Does the City Need Measure R?

A: I am sure it comes as no surprise to our residents that our local roads are deteriorating and some are in really, really bad shape. In fact, independent engineer studies have evaluated our roads to be at risk and poor. In order to bring our roads to a good standard we need to invest nearly $6 million each and every year in a roads maintenance program. Now, what may come as a surprise to most is that despite the high price of gas and all the “gas tax” our residents pay at the pump, the City of Benicia only receives approximately $1.1 million from the State and other sources to pay for our roads. This is the reason the City needs a local funding source to provide the necessary revenue to address this issue.

Q: Doesn’t the City already have a sales tax measure for roads?

A: Great question. Yes, Measure C, passed by our residents in 2014 is indeed used to help fund our roads, but it was designed to help support all our City Services. Recall the title of Measure C…the “Benicia Quality of Life Measure”. This Measure was needed to maintain police and fire staffing, to help keep the City pool open, maintain recreation programs, among other things, in addition to having funds to invest in our parks, facilities and roads. In fact, since Measure C went into effect, the City has invested nearly $15,000,000 in roads and infrastructure; 33% of all Measure C funding. Yet the proceeds from Measure C are not enough to address our road infrastructure.

Local Agency PCI Comparison

A: California is unique. In this state a local municipality can pass two types of taxes, a general purpose tax, which can be used to fund any and all types of services provided by a City, and a specific purpose tax, which is limited to fund only the specific item noted in the tax. Oddly enough, in California it is much harder to pass a specific purpose tax, needing 66.66% to pass. In April, the City contracted with a professional firm to conduct a scientific poll on the feasibility of passing a tax. The poll results suggested that 64% of Benicia would support such a tax, just short of the 2/3 needed to pass.

City staff, our professional consultant team and the City Council all felt that to proceed with a losing effort for Specific Purpose tax would result in delays in securing necessary revenue to address our road infrastructure which would then cost our residents millions more to fix our roads. It would indeed be another example of government just kicking the can down the road, a worsening road at that. So, the decision was made to pursue a General Purpose tax which needs only 50% plus 1 to pass. This means that the proceeds from Measure R can be spent on any government purpose and the City is legally prevented by State Law from binding the tax to any specific purpose into perpetuity.

So then, the very next question one may ask is how can voters be assured the proceeds will go to fixing our roads? That answer relies on the continued engagement of our residents to be constantly vigilant to remind future City Councils of the

primary focus for which Measure R was designed. To help with this effort, the City has drafted the language of Measure R to highlight the priority of fixing our roads. This is why Measure R is titled as “The Benicia Local Road Repair and Infrastructure Measure”. Additionally, if Measure R passes there will be a Citizen Oversight Committee, which includes our City Treasurer, that will receive quarterly updates on Measure R and be required to give annual updates to the City Council. My hope is this will institutionalize the rationale for Measure R and ensure that future City Councils are always reminded of the words told to voters in 2022.

To be clear, our current City Council is committed to invest in our roads and City staff is doing all we can to memorialize the record that fixing our roads is a priority of Measure R. Nevertheless, the only way to ensure that these funds are always invested in our roads and infrastructure requires the diligence of our residents to hold our Oversight Committee, City Council and City staff accountable. The responsibility of our residents does not end at the ballot box. As a near lifelong resident of Benicia, I have faith that our community will always remain engaged to remind policy makers the purpose of Measure R.

Q: How can one learn more about Measure R?

A: To learn more about Measure R one can visit BeniciaMeasureR.org. or reach out and call me at 707.746.4289.

Q: Measure R is a General Tax, what does that mean?

Gideon the Ninth

In a mysterious corner of the universe exists nine ancient houses with nine rulers and heirs gifted in different forms of morbid magic. Some commune with ghosts. Some can suck the soul straight out of your body. And some, such as Lady Harrowhark Nonagesimus, can animate and control skeletons.

Gideon Nav is a ward of the Ninth House, and because of that, she is forced to live a mundane life on a maddeningly boring, dead planet. All Gideon dreams of is leaving this world of skeletons and decay behind, but one thing stands in her way. Harrow is heir to the Ninth House, one of the most powerful necromancers of the galaxy, and Gideon’s lifelong nemesis. She has intercepted every last one of Gideon’s attempts at escape, and this is where we find our two protagonists at the start of Gideon the Ninth

After Harrow again foils Gideon’s escape plans, the necromancer makes her a very tempting offer. In

By Tamsyn Muir

exchange for Gideon’s service as Harrow’s “cavalier primary” (basically a bodyguard and champion) in a necromancer competition, Gideon will be awarded her freedom. If Harrow wins this competition, she will become the new lyctor to the Emperor (this universe’s version of God) and, therefore, will be able to save her failing house. Gideon accepts this offer, and the two mismatched partners head out on an adventure that is anything but what they expected.

Gideon the Ninth is the first book in The Locked Tomb trilogy by Tamsyn Muir. This unique and somewhat ridiculous fantasy series is full of horror, politics, mystery, queer relationships, and A LOT of swearing. Since the third book of the trilogy, Nona the Ninth, was released in mid-September, I thought now would be a perfect time to get you hooked on this one-of-a-kind series.

Our fabulous protagonists are two of the many reasons I loved Gideon the Ninth. Witty, hilarious, and an absolute badass with a sword, Gideon is hugely over the top and holds nothing back.

n Cooper Mickelson

Photo by Cooper Mickelson

Harrow, however, is reserved, icy, terrifying, and lethal. If you’re a fan of the “enemies to lovers” or “grumpy/sunshine” romance tropes, you already know where that’s going.

Although this novel is confined to a single, spooky mansion and a small cast of characters, Muir uses this claustrophobia to her advantage. The story concentrates on the intense action surrounding a series of horrifying tests and the intimate connections between the participants.

Gideon the Ninth is a gooey romance and a gory fantasy/ science fiction novel that will have you laughing, crying, and cringing the whole way through. The necromancy magic and the cobweb-filled setting make this the perfect book for October. Still, since everybody has their individual preferences regarding spooky season reads, it would be impossible for me to recommend only one…

Time for rapid fire recommendations!

Psychological thriller The Last House of Needless Street by Catriona Ward.

Murder mystery The Maid by Nita Prose

Unique literary fiction Death in Her Hands by Ottessa Mishfegh

Horror fantasy retelling Reluctant Immortals by Gwendolyn Kiste

Look no fur ther.

Necromancers Martini

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces Bloody Mary mix 2 ½ ounces gin

½ ounce dry vermouth

Olives and celery salt to garnish

PREPARATION

1) Pour some celery salt onto a small plate. Take two martini glasses and rub the rims with lemon juice. Turn them upside down and cover half of the rim in the celery salt.

2) In a cocktail shaker, combine the Bloody Mary mix, gin, and dry vermouth. Add ice and shake.

3) Strain the mixture into the prepared martini glasses and garnish with olives. B

Stephanie Scanlan,

n Gourmet Gracie and Movie Magic

Chico’s Taqueria opened in Solano Square in late August.

Welcome to Benicia!

This Mexican eatery is the sister restaurant to Taqueria Los Amigos in Vallejo, where they have been serving excellent meals for 18 years. They’ve brought their experience to Benicia and, based on the customer lines out the door, have been enjoying robust business during their first few weeks.

Call to order take out, or enjoy indoor/outdoor seating. Service is quick, efficient, with friendly, family staff. The restaurant has been remodeled and is very clean and open.

It’s hard to admit that Taco Salad is not really a diet food, but Gracie can pretend! The crispy shell holds your choice of ingredients with lots of sour cream and guacamole. Chicos is known for “famous” and amazing burritos with 9 meat/chicken/ fish options. Or, it might be time to spice up your life with a selection of tacos and your choice of corn or flour tortillas. Enchiladas and Chile Verde come with your choice of red or green sauce. The Mexican rice is surprisingly moist and flavorful. And, best of all, the fish tacos are outstanding! Chico’s

Cruella

PG-13 — Amazon Prime, Disney+, AppleTV

Somehow, Disney managed to release the movie Cruella in 2021, smack dab in the thick of the pandemic. This is a crime and comedy film based on the character Cruella de Vil from One Hundred and One Dalmatians — the most well known Disney villain of all time. Glenn Close, who portrayed Cruella in previous adaptations, served as executive producer. It was directed by the Australian/American, Craig Gillespie, known for his work on I, Tanya and Lars and the Real Girl.

The “double Emmas” are an unmatched power duo—Emma Stone as Cruella and Emma Thompson as the Baroness. Our early heroine, Estella, is a plucky, sassy orphan who overcomes a life of deprivation on London’s streets. She lands a job in a large department store doing window dressing and is hired

menu

tortas,

are just

Mexican

free tortillas are offered.

selections—check

Chicos is a great addition to our downtown Benicia restaurants. Stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood.

by the intimidating, legendary designer, the Baroness. Estella transforms herself into the raucous, sometimes dark, and always edgy, Cruella de Vil. The plot continues, showcasing the cut-throat field of fashion — and is so fun to watch as these ladies lock horns.

A spectacular and stylish visual feast, with dazzling, exquisite costumes, a soundtrack of ‘60s and ‘70s music, and terrific performances. This remake of a classic character is a campy, fashion fueled caper.

Winning an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, you’ll be excited to see the many costume options as you consider yours for Halloween. A touch of violence, mild language, a bit of smoking, a little inebriation, and lots of stunning visuals and fun. Think The Devil Wears Prada meets Disney.

Movie Magic gives Cruella 3 ½ Moons out of 5. B

The twenty sixth in a series of at home food and movie pairings.

“

My husband and I had a wonderful experience working made the process fun and really quite easy! He designed our kitchen layout with a 3D drawing and we were extremely happy with the way everything came together. He is very talented with design and visual spacing. AQC were also super accommodating helping us choose a custom color for our island. We give AQC five stars and highly recommend working with them for custom cabinets for less!”

Owners Trevor Cotarelo and Taylor Kennedy

-Kim and Mike Rogers