Benicia Magazine October 2021 Issue

Benicia’s Mysterious Tunnels Ghosts of Alcatraz

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There’s Something Magical About Benicia in Autumn n

Cooper Mickelson

Autumn is a season bursting with uniquely delicate beauty. Full of ripeness and a connection with the natural world, no other season warms our hearts in quite the same way. Crisp air, crunchy leaves, garden harvests, and delicious treats reward us after those long, scorching summer months. It’s almost as if our planet has been preparing all year for this grand finale of vibrant colors! Autumn is also the time of year where cozy nights in with friends and family sound all the more enticing. Rich coffee from Farm&Flour, warm baguettes from One House Bakery, and decadent cakes from Fox&Fawn call out our names while we queue up spooky movies for a late-night marathon. As we shift into this new season, spoil yourself with a walk around our beautiful town. Be sure to take it slow, admiring the decorative homes and offering smiles to those you pass. In the words of L.M. Montgomery in Anne of Green Gables,

“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

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magazine Contributors

Bitsy Hall Genevieve Hand Linda Hastings Darrell Mcelvane Jeannine Mendoza, Ed.D Aly Mickelson Cooper Mickelson Gethsemane Moss, Ed.D Kevin Nelson Gene Pedrotti Carolyn Plath Jean Purnell Maura Sullivan

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October Events SCARECROW CONTEST

Oct. 1 — Oct. 31, Voting ends Mon. Oct 25

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 Sat. Oct. 23, 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!

HALLOWEEN COSTUME CONTEST & FIRST STREET STROLL Sat. Oct. 30, 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. 30, 12pm at First St. Green Fur-friends strut around in their Halloween best for judges.

FARMERS MARKET FINALE Thurs., Oct. 28, 4-7pm

Come bid farewell to the market till next season!

www.BeniciaMainStreet.org

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October 2021

Contents

Features 15

Benicia’s

16

G hosts of Alcatraz

mysterious tunnels

14

18 6 • Benicia Magazine

16

Departments Columns 8 From the editor 20 P icket Fences — A Benicia Mystery

Have a an Odd Job not listed just ask!

• Moving • Run Errands • Yard Work • Event Help • Deliveries

Licensed, Bonded and Insured Call (707) 297-6679 or E-mail Chris@wedooddjobsnorcal.com

www.wedooddjobsnorcal.com

24 Spotify — October playlist 28 D inner and a Movie Rellik & The Princess Bride

30 BookTails — The Project

Around Town COMMUNITY 11 Nuts and Bolts

Southampton Shopping Center SOLD

MITCHELL LAW GROUP 1001 Madison Street, 2nd Floor Benicia, California 94510 SolanoLawGroup.com info@SolanoLawGroup.com 707-748-0900 Wills • Trusts • Estate Planning & Administration • Family Law Real Estate • Probate • DUI • Consumer Law • Business Law

12 T he New Chamber of Commerce 13 One House Bakery a story of perseverance

14 Hidden Benicia

The Industrial Park

22 D J Gutta Butta

Relevant and talented

FOOD AND DRINK

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist No. 97517

1350 Hayes Street, Suite A33 Benicia, CA 94510

(707) 980-3331

10 Provisions

Gourmet Café in Vallejo

17 Bar None

Witches' Brew

ART SCENE 18 N FT Artworks 19 Tyler Street Open Studios

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

BeniciaMagazine.com • 7

Column Editor's letter

My favorite color is

October I am an October baby, born just 4 minutes shy of Halloween, I always embraced the month as my own, with all the implied magic of the season. Most of my birthday parties were Halloween parties, and I never missed an opportunity to dress up…excessively! When I was younger, I had a reputation for having the best Halloween parties. I would rent out large art galleries or photography studios, apply my marketing skills and have a huge bash, usually in Hollywood or Venice. After I moved to Benicia and had kids, I instituted Fright Night. The neighborhood kids would gather in a room filled with candles, pumpkins and spiderwebs. Then, with the lights turned down low, I would spin a spooky story. Sometimes a little too spooky. I remember once when deep in a story, I glanced around the room and every child was frozen in place with huge, unblinking eyes. Oops, I thought, backtrack, backtrack!

In keeping with the scary story aspect of October, we have included an article on Haunted Alcatraz, and, can I just say, it is dark and creepy and somewhat terrifying! We thought that a story about the Benicia Tunnels would be fitting for October, they are a source of mystery and legend. Our writer, Bitsy Hall, a Benicia native, was sure she would get to the bottom of the legend and once and for all clear up the mystery.

That didn’t happen. During her research, Bitsy talked to many sources of information regarding the history of Benicia, and came up with more stories but no confirmed facts about the tunnels. We hope you enjoy the stories!

You might be surprised to see how many articles we have about business in this issue. As a small business person, I’m extremely sensitive to the needs of small business as well as the importance of the big businesses in the Industrial Park. Business is what fuels every town and city. We must support our local businesses large and small.

Enjoy the beauty of this month and don’t miss the First Street trick or treat parade, the Benicia Dog Festival, Scarecrow contest, Ghoulish Wine Walk and the many other events that are happening in the most beautiful, colorful month of the year, October.

Mary “Listen! The wind is rising and the air is wild with leaves.

We have had our summer evenings, now for October Eves.”

– Humbert Wolfe

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Sunday October 17, 2021 First Street Green Park, Benicia | 11am to 4pm

Canine Costume Contest • K-9 demonstrations Dog adoptions • Dog agility contest • Microchipping For more information visit BeniciaDogFestival.com

BeniciaMagazine.com • 9

Around Town Food & Drink

Provisions, Vallejo “Things work out best for those who make the best out of the way things work out.”

— John Wooden

n

Jeannine Mendoza, Ed.D

Imagine owning League of Chefs, a thriving catering business, when a different opportunity presents itself in the midst of your efforts. What do you do? Restaurateur Nicole Hodge chose to do both, and the result was Provisions, a delightful eatery in downtown Vallejo.

Ms. Hodge opened her catering business, League of Chefs, in June 2017, near the corner of Virginia and Sacramento Streets. Once the pandemic started two years later, she had enough time between catering gigs to practice yoga and dream of exciting menus.

As the pandemic progressed, it gave Nicole time to expand her space and try different strategies. At first, she offered ready-made sandwiches and soups from her door during the Saturday Farmers’ Market, and then she expanded to chicken pot pies and dinner menu items that featured locally grown produce.

10 • Benicia Magazine

She offered some scarce necessities like soap, paper towels, and bathroom tissue to customers. She reimagined the corner location as a sun-filled breakfast and lunch café, filled with yummy treats on the shelves, gourmet food and specialty beverages in the refrigerated bins and coolers, a full menu for sitdown customers, and deli items and prepared foods for carryout. She also had the opportunity to set up safe al fresco dining in front of the restaurant, providing patrons and passersby with a feeling of normalcy and peace. Friendly, inviting and attractive, Nicole’s countrycomfort-chic décor offers a variety of seating for different sized groups.

Provisions evolved from a modest catering business, and it is still evolving.

On a recent weekend the brunch/ breakfast choices included avocado toast on Acme levain (a popular whole wheat sourdough bread that makes great toast), simply splendid fried chicken and waffles, delectable breakfast burritos, and chilaquiles, a traditional Mexican breakfast dish made with toasted corn tortilla triangles, pulled pork, crema, mole, cotija cheese, and a fried egg.

Perfection on a plate!! Available bakery items consist of three different freshly made quiches containing locally grown tomatoes,

herbs and vegetables, blueberry and plain scones. Desserts are basic, yet tantalizing: marzipan coconut cupcakes, fruit tarts, chocolate cheesecake, yummy cannolis, lemon bars, chocolate bars, the exotic ube panna cotta, and the decadent peanut butter bar that could not be beat. The flavorful coffee, mimosas, and other drinks round out your breakfast/brunch experience.

Nicole hails from the Berkeley area and has taught school among other things, but her love of food preparation and working with other creative and energetic “kitchen people” is what feeds her soul. Nicole’s enjoyment of work is obvious and infectious: it is great fun to eat at Provisions. Her future plans might include a second dining spot in the area, and maybe offering more prix fixe meals once she finds more staff members to join her business. In the meantime, Provisions is a cheerful place to enjoy delicious food as we make our way back to what passes for “normal life,” postpandemic.

Around Town Nuts & Bolts

BENICIA NEWS AND VIEWS

Southampton Shopping Center SOLD n Gene Pedrotti

“...Kimco Realty had merged with Southampton’s owner Weingarten Realty; the operation will continue as Kimco Realty.”

In early August, tenants of the Southampton Shopping Center received notice that real estate investment trust Kimco Realty had merged with Southampton’s owner Weingarten Realty; the operation will continue as Kimco Realty. According to its website, Kimco is North America’s largest publicly traded owner/operator of open-air, grocery-chain shopping centers. Combining its 398 shopping centers with Weingarten’s 156 properties creates a company valued at $12 billion.

Southampton Shopping Center consists of 42 leasable spaces plus one ATM, totaling 162,741 square feet.

The largest, Raley’s, operates in 60,000 square feet while my Ace Hardware occupies just under 14,000 sf. The remaining tenants average 2200 sf each.

Kimco inherits a number of issues unresolved during Weingarten’s tenure. The first will come as no surprise to readers, and that is parking; a visit to Southampton on Fridays or weekends often results in a struggle to park. For this, you can blame city officials a generation ago.

Southampton’s original design called for 734 public parking spaces; however, a variance granted in 1979 reduced this to 641 spaces, based upon one space for every 250 sf of leasable area. In April 2014, my staff carefully counted existing spaces; we came up with only 557, this is 84 spaces short of minimum city code! We can only speculate that after initial build, the center was not properly inspected or that parking was deliberately overlooked.

The unfortunate result is the overcrowding that shoppers regularly experience today.

During its oversight, Weingarten attempted to address the issue by re-striping the center with straight-in parking. More efficient, these are also tighter; designers claimed this would add approximately 40 stalls. However, Raley’s

management objected, insisting that its shoppers needed the easy access that angled parking provided. So the issue was tabled.

The second concern is with the Southampton sign program created in October 1997, the program had been managed by Weingarten.

However, it does not reflect reality and violations exist, even by Weingarten. By way of example, shoppers may have noticed the small monument sign near Raley’s for Universal Maintenance, “...Kimco the center’s must address maintenance contractor.

Paid parking and through tenant fees, Universal leases update the no retail space yet it was required sign program.” to erect this sign and it pays a rent to Weingarten….

Convoluted and highly questionable. Other violations exist. Also, part of the sign program includes the center’s freeway monument sign; Southampton’s freeway sign needs a refresh — it is old, faded, and the original, odd looking cursive is unreadable.

Kimco’s new ownership brings with it an opportunity to improve upon Weingarten’s relationship with tenants and that of the City; Kimco must address parking and update the sign program. For tenants, this is a good time to consider improvements and investments within their own businesses; sadly, some are in disrepair (and the pandemic is not an excuse!)

Finally, City officials need to step up. Their predecessors seriously erred in not applying parking standards when Southampton was built. It is incumbent upon current officials to correct this and require a fix. Allowing that odd looking cell tower appendage to be constructed was inexcusable. Any future significant changes to Southampton should not be allowed until, and unless, parking is addressed. Benicia residents and shoppers deserve no less.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 11

Around Town Community

Benicia Chamber

Reopens n

Genevieve Hand

As Benicians, we’re all mostly familiar with the storefronts and businesses on First Street. We notice when a new business pops up, or an old favorite sadly vacates. But one First Street presence that has remained unchanged for many years, in fact, for this writer’s entire life and then some, is Benicia’s Chamber of Commerce.

You’ve passed by it numerous times, nestled into the corner of 601 First. It went dormant during the Covid chill, but now it’s back and ready to embrace the future.

Chambers of commerce have existed since the 16th century. Their primary function is to advocate on behalf of local businesses and be a resource for business owners. These days, chambers are typically formed as 501(c)(3) nonprofits, require membership, and are backed by a board of directors. Far from being merely a relic of the Middle Ages, chambers of commerce

newsletter, which breaks down crucial government affairs so that businesses can stay informed about what is pertinent to them. The Chamber is also creating PR resources for common issues that Benicia businesses are facing and is introducing a new Women in Business hour, which takes place the third Monday of the month and is open to both members and non-members.

To aid in building business community connections, the Chamber is looking forward to once again hosting mixers and other such networking events. “A lot of business is still done face to face and so networking is very important. Finding out what other businesses are operating in your community and finding out what opportunities exist for you as a business,” said Madeline. The first mixer of the year will take place in October. Additionally, the many subcommittees under the Chamber specialize in various industries and subsections of the business community,

“...the Chamber is looking forward to once again hosting mixers and other such networking events.” still perform an important role, especially in small communities, like ours.

Benicia’s Chamber of Commerce recently hired Madeline DeNofio as its new Membership and Marketing Coordinator.

We had the opportunity to speak with her and Board Chair, Chris Ferrucci about the future of the Chamber. They outlined a three-pillar structure for what the Chamber provides its members: advocacy, business resources, and community.

“Advocacy means we help cultivate your relationship with the local government.

We help you understand what's going on at a government level and advocate at City Council meetings on behalf of our members. We can be a mouthpiece for our members and as a chamber with so many members, we carry more weight and a more concise, more effective message,” said Madeline.

Business resources include the Chamber 12 • Benicia Magazine

providing support at a more nuanced level.

Benicia’s chamber is made up of an equal representation of small business and larger companies, such as those in the Industrial Park. “A lot of the Benician economy is carried by the Industrial Park, so we want to raise awareness of that and make sure the people out in the Industrial Park feel integrated with the Benicia community,” said Madeline. To best support the Industrial Park, the Benicia Industrial Park Association (BIPA) has been regrouping following the effects of Covid.

BIPA is a board of trustees from Industrial Park Businesses within the Chamber who meet to advocate for and advance the interest of the Industrial Park. BIPA is a division of the Chamber with additional membership requirements, allowing it to benefit from the Chamber’s existing nonprofit and community status.

Previously, the Chamber had been using

a relatively short-term planning process for how it could benefit local business. Now, the focus is on the long-term; identifying how it can support businesses today and help them navigate into the future. The Chamber is also looking to make their offices more future facing with a website revamp and plans to renovate their interior, updating their capacities so they can rent out their conference room to members for meetings, presentations, and the like.

After reemerging from the lockdown era of Covid, Chris said of the Chamber, “We needed direction; something to reunite the business community. Unfortunately, the community has had to fend for themselves and it's time to kind of bring all that back together. Let’s get new partnerships going between all the different organizations and be a unified voice.” He highlighted the policy changes that have taken place over the past year and pointed to expected changes in coming years. “We’ve got to have a voice,” said Chris.

If you’re looking to get involved with the Chamber, you can become a member, join their ambassador program, or volunteer at their next event. The Chamber has an open-door policy and is open Monday through Friday. Information can be found on their website, beniciachamber.com. The Chamber will be hosting their installation dinner and annual gala in January.

Around AroundTown Town Community Art Scene

Hannalee Pervan inspires Benicia with her resilience and resolve How One House ower perserves despite lingering side-effects from COVID–19

Imagine dedicating your life to a love of food. Now imagine losing your sense of taste and smell after contracting COVID-19. That's exactly the scenario that Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Hannalee Pervan secretly faced for the past seven months until recently sharing her struggle on social media. But from the outside, no one could have guessed that the owner of beloved Benicia staple, One House Bakery, was dealing with such an affliction.

On August 19th of this year, One House Bakery was honored as the 14th Assembly District’s 2021 Small Business of the Year, by the California Small

Business Association. Just a year ago, One House Bakery was making national headlines for the whimsical life-size bread sculptures Pervan created in tribute to The Mandalorian. The bakery was even featured on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan.

While the bakery has flourished, Pervan revealed she has been suffering from "parosmia" which makes foods she used to love smell and taste putrid. "I am full of anxiety every time I eat because I don't know what will taste like burning that day. I have spent the last ten years deeply focused on training my palate to pick up on the most subtle nuances of food, and now I can't tell the difference

between raspberry and strawberry," Pervan wrote. She described the loss as "jarring" and reported experiencing severe mood swings, vertigo and depression. She now relies on memory to make her recipes from scratch and is supported by her team at One House to taste-test everything before it goes out.

Although challenging, it is not surprising that the staff of One House Bakery has rallied behind their leader in this way. It is, in fact, the very ethos of the name "One House." Per their website, Pervan describes choosing the name, "In many bakeries, there is a divide between the front and back of the house. We want our employees to feel like a team and become ‘One House.’ We want our customers to know everything is made under ‘One House’ and we want them to feel at home."

It is exactly that desire to build community that saved Pervan from despair, though it is not to say it's been an easy road. She describes crying in her mother's arms one day and her mother gently telling her that she may have lost her own personal happiness in food – but that she hadn't lost the ability to provide happiness to others through her food. Pervan shares that it is her joy of feeding her staff and community that keeps her going.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 13

Around Town Hidden Benicia

A Park

of Iron

and Beauty

n Kevin Nelson Benicia Industrial Park is a hardworking, big-shouldered city within a city. It is a place of heavy trucks and locomotives, of a crane lifting a steel beam and hard goods being unloaded at a warehouse dock. The ten-minute trip from the tranquil shores of Southampton Bay to the sights and sounds at the intersection of Park and Industrial Way is like a voyage to a different planet.

Heading up East 2nd, past the refinery, you will reach a traffic light at Industrial Way, one of the main thoroughfares of the park. On the left is Ponder Environmental Services and to the right behind a sharppointed fence is a CalTrans maintenance yard. Turn right onto Industrial and that will take you past a drab warehouse-style building where, one might think, nothing at all of interest could ever be produced there.

Wrong. This is a manufacturing site for Dunlop, which makes guitar picks, strings, electronics and other gear for the likes of Gary Clark, Jr., Metallica, Dave Matthews and raggedy-haired 12-year-old boys who dream of becoming the next Slash.

Here, then, is a truism of the park.

Inside these drab buildings and bland glass facades creative minds are at work, dreaming up, designing and building things of beauty and utility. One company here (Romak Iron Works) fabricated the steel for the massive scoreboard sign at Oracle Park. Another company (Schoenstein & Co.) builds pipe organs for churches around the country, using a bridge crane at its four-story high erecting room.

14 • Benicia Magazine

Walt Whitman wrote effusively about the beauty of industrial things: “the shapes of factories, arsenals, foundries… the two-threaded tracks of railroads… of bridges, vast frameworks, girders, arches.” The sage of Brooklyn would have loved this world unto itself, for such shapes are everywhere: the twothreaded Union Pacific racks where remote control locomotives cross over streets, the faded yellow Valero petroleum pipelines snaking up hillsides, the concrete towers propping up railroad

“Inside these drab buildings and bland glass facades creative minds are at work, dreaming up, designing and building things of beauty and utility.”

bridges and freeway overpasses.

He would also have appreciated the symbolism of the sign in front of the University of Iron, down on Bayshore, which trains apprentices to become certified welders and move up in the trade. Two robust ironworkers are hoisting the sign above their heads, signifying how their gritty, dangerous work supports the infrastructure of modern life.

Across the road from Ironworkers Local 378 is Backyard BBQ, one of several eateries in the area but the one with the

funniest, most down-home sign: “We All Gone Eat.” Ribs are served most days from “11 a.m. to sold out.” Another popular place to go is The Cellar on Stone Road, which serves hearty pub food in an attractive tented outdoor setting (with indoor too).

Cruising around the streets, one sees signs where it is easy to know what’s going on inside the building — Benicia Plumbing, Jute Crossfit, Specialty AC Products — while at other places you’re not exactly sure what they’re doing but you know it must be important: Bio-Rad, DST Controls, MRC Global. Small pocket parks reside within the larger park. At one on East 2nd you can learn to tap (Tip Tap Toe Dance Studio), remodel your kitchen (Affordable Quality Cabinets and Countertops), paint your remodeled kitchen (Hobson Painting), have a beer (Bruehol Taproom), eat a meal (Benicia Grill), get an oil change (Chris’ Auto Repair), and consult with a Higher Power (New Harbor Church). Now that’s onestop shopping for you.

The Benicia Industrial Park is home to hundreds of businesses that contribute millions of dollars every year to the city treasury through sales taxes and fees. It also employs thousands of people, many of whom live in town. It is a community resource and not just for humans. One night we dropped our car off at an auto shop in a funky older warehouse section.

The place was deserted, except for the half-dozen feral cats that froze at our sudden appearance. Our headlights eerily illuminated their glowing eyes.

After we left, they resumed their afterhours prowling.

Feature California. Many speculate that Benicia’s fervent participation in Prohibition rule breaking was facilitated by its hidden downtown tunnels. Protected from the gaze of onlookers, the tunnels could provide excellent cover for illicit activity.

Bootleggers were able to transport their goods through the hidden tunnels and easily access speakeasies without ever coming through a visible entrance.

DOWNTOWN BROTHEL ACCESS

THE MYSTERY CONTINUES n Bitsy Hall The moment I learned I would be writing an article on the mysterious tunnels of Benicia, my mind wandered to exciting imaginary scenes. With my helmet and flashlight, I would explore the forbidden underpasses nearly every Benician has heard of, but never seen. I would learn the indisputable historical facts of their origins and finally crack the tall tales I’ve heard for nearly my entire life. Maybe, just maybe, I would get to carefully touch classified historical documents detailing the true purpose of these tunnels.

Well...that didn’t happen. After researching and contacting different Benicia entities, nearly every sentence started the same way: “Well, I heard….” followed by some speculation.

While the tunnels’ history continues to be disputed, four things are for certain: they currently exist in the most historical

parts of our town, they have been around for at least one hundred years, most of the access points have been blocked off, and no one knows exactly why they’re here.

However, the rumor mill has generated some excellent (and who knows, maybe they’re all true) explanations:

PROHIBITION ERA BOOZE ROUTES The 18th Amendment constitutionally banned alcohol production, transportation, and sale from 1920 to 1933. While it technically wasn’t illegal to drink alcohol, the laws in place made it exceedingly difficult to do so.

Unsurprisingly, people still made and sold alcohol. Prohibition stirred creativity for cocktail loving rebels, adorning our nation’s history with speakeasies and bootlegging. Benicia was no exception to these once-criminal activities. According to some sources, it was considered the “wettest” Prohibition era city in Northern

Alcohol wasn’t the only pastime eliciting a need for secrecy. Serving as a way station during the Gold Rush, Benicia sprouted all the markings of a 19th century town: saloons, restaurants, hotels, and brothels. Brothels continued to be a part of the town well into the 20th century. Typically concentrated towards the bottom half of First Street, the brothels were frequented by many fishermen and military personnel coming in from the wharves and industrial facilities. During World War II, Benicia is said to have housed 15 brothels, all of which generated an estimated $7 million annually.

How was such a copious amount of even-then-taboo sex work able to flourish so successfully? Many theorize that the underground tunnels provided quick and secretive access for customers.

Some Benicians even believe that there are underground connections from old churches to once-brothels, providing men with an easy “Headed to church!” excuse.

ESCAPE ROUTES FOR THE ELITE Arguably a more proper and kid-friendly explanation, some say that the tunnels were originally created as an escape route for the town’s elite. Believers of this theory claim that there was a tunnel entry point at the Capitol building, connecting to the Clocktower and surrounding buildings. This underground route would allow for the City’s elite to safely escape militaristic threats.

With all potential origin theories centered on secrecy, it’s no surprise they engender such mystery and curiosity. It could be all three explanations, maybe more. Maybe none. They could all be elaborate rumors sustained from near centuries’ worth of town gossip.

Given the lack of definitive evidence, it’s up to you to decide why these mysterious hollows exist beneath our city’s streets.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 15

Feature

“We’re all of us haunted and haunting.”

Haunt Alcatr

— Chuck Palahniuk

n Jeannine Mendoza, Ed.D Living here in beautiful Alta California, we are accustomed to sunny vistas of dramatic green hills and mountains, and the spectacular and ever changing Pacific’s picturesque shores. But not all classic California sites are so wholesome and appealing. Alcatraz Island, with its legions of infamous federal prisoners who were incarcerated there from 1934 through 1963, is a legendary stomping ground of countless evil spirits. Al Capone, Machine Gun Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the “Birdman of Alcatraz,” called this place home. But, long, long ago, before statehood, local Native Americans used Alcatraz as a place of banishment for those community members who broke the rules and needed to be punished. And those same Native Americans believed Alcatraz, or “The Rock” was filled with evil spirits. Many modern day people believe that Alcatraz is still haunted by both ancient natives and countless past criminals.

16 • Benicia Magazine

The most haunted area on Alcatraz is the legendary D-Block. Solitary confinement on the island meant that the prisoner had no contact with other inmates, did not eat or work with other inmates, only visited the recreation area once a week and had reading as their only diversion. Five special cells in D-Block were “Strip Cells” where prisoners were punished by having to strip naked and endure the cold and constant chilly drafts from the San Francisco Bay. The sixth special cell was referred to as “The Hole.” It was like the other five cells, except that it was made of steel and totally dark. The sensory deprivation and cold endured by the prisoner meant that he could only stay one or two days, tops, and then was returned to a less harsh situation.

In the 1940s, there was an account of a prisoner who was placed in “The Hole,” who immediately started screaming that a demon with glowing eyes was trying to kill him. Hours later the screams abruptly stopped, and

the prisoner was found strangled to death in the morning. No explanation could be found for what occurred.

Sounds of crying women were often heard in hallways, and cold spots in and outside different cells could not be explained.

Guards reported hearing unexplained gunshots and cannon fire, and seeing strange apparitions wandering around the grounds. Some guards refused to go alone in D-Block, and could not shake the feelings of doom. Over the last sixty years, many psychics and ghost hunters have come to Alcatraz and all have felt the psychic power of past occupants of these forbidding halls.

After all these years, Alcatraz still attracts around a million curious and somewhat morbid visitors every year. Halloween is a

ted raz

Around Town Food and Drink

Bar None –

Witches’ Brew n Maura Sullivan Photo and recipe from Half Baked Harvest t’s that time, witches! I tested a potion that satisfies any sorcerer’s needs. All from nature, no food coloring or candy corn required.

Also, put the pumpkin down. Live a little. We’re not basic witches.

I found a cocktail recipe inspired by a certain person, who shall not be named. Dark as the raven who stalks your street and unforgivingly tart. This witches’ brew will satisfy any trick or treater’s keeper. I present to you, Voldemort’s Dark Serum.

We start this concoction with one of nature’s most desirable juices, pomegranate. This will spark even the darkest of villain’s curiosity. Sage to soften any hint of poison and a touch of maple syrup to sweeten anyone’s bitter tooth. You may pick your poison, but it must come from the Aztec gods.

Smokey with Mezcal or undetectable with a Blanco. Choose your goblet wisely.

Find a goblet at one of our local shops; otherwise, the great beyond of Amazon can supply you with any style of vessel. Choose the best one that can hold your largest ice cube and will appeal to your “victims.” I, personally, enjoy a spooky highball glass with some deathly elements. Top it off with some spicy ginger beer and magical smoke (dry ice). Serve wisely.

Volemort’s Dark Serum INGREDIENTS

perfect time to explore this notorious former home of gangsters, murderers and felons.

Day tours to Alcatraz are creepy enough, but night tours are available for those folks who are not easily frightened . Perhaps this is the time for you to travel back in time by visiting one of the most disturbing, yet fascinating places around: Alcatraz.

Alcatraz Island Tour Tickets are available at Alcatraztickets.com and tours run Tuesday through Sunday. Call for more information at 212.852.4822.

1/4 cup pomegranate juice 1 1/2 - 2 ounces silver tequila or Mezcal 1/2 ounce Chambord (raspberry liquor) 1 dash orange bitters juice from 1/2 a lemon 1-2 teaspoons pure maple syrup use more or less to taste 2 fresh sage leaves, plus more for serving ginger beer, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS 1. C ombine the pomegranate juice, tequila, Chambord, orange bitters, lemon juice, maple syrup, and sage in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to combine. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer.

2. Garnish with fresh sage. If desired, light on fire for a smoky effect.

BeniciaMagazine.com • 17

Around Town Art Scene

NFT Artworks A New Digital Frontier for Artists n

Jean Purnell

Oakland and San Francisco based artist Asya Abdrahman’s life changed during the early days of the pandemic.

Traditionally a creator of large, colorful and layered paintings, mixed media works, and sculptures, the limitations of her apartment courtyard as a place to work prompted her to pivot into digital artwork creation.

She photographed her own paintings and began to create digital collages, layering one work upon another, varying light and color, taking new screen shots and utilizing each new digital fragment as seemed fit.

She wove the separate layered digital images into a short meditative video. “At first I just called these efforts my digital doodles. I’d walk by my paintings and see the light reflected off them, and it gave me the inspiration to create a digital work capturing that experience. I wasn’t tech savvy.” But within a few months, she was posting five to ten or more new digital works on Instagram each day.

Abdrahman’s new foray into digital artwork coincided with the mid 2020 emergence of NFT artworks, which are digital art objects that can be bought and sold using cryptocurrencies. An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a digital certificate of authenticity for a digital object, whether an image, video, text, or code. NFTs are backed by blockchain technology and are created through a technical “minting” or certification process, making them “oneof-a-kind” collectible assets.

By the end of 2020, a number of online marketplaces for NFT artworks and other popular digital objects, such as digital sports trading cards, had been created, and news reports began to circulate about high-profile, multi-million-dollar sales. In March 2021, Christies sold its first all-digital artwork, a digital collage by artist Mike Winkleman, also known as Beeple, for $69 million. While such high value sales are not common, they have brought broader awareness of the possibilities of the new marketplace, which continues to grow exponentially.

OpenSea and Rarible are among the

18 • Benicia Magazine

more prominent sites used by artists.

In late 2020, Abdrahman learned how to mint her digital artworks as NFTs with the help of a “techie” who spent hours walking her through the process, starting with a photograph of one of her artworks in jpeg image form. “Coders, those young super nerds that are well-versed in this technology, think it’s so easy. But I found it very difficult.” Since that time, she has devoted hours to learning about the new technology which has the promise of

“An NFT, or non-fungible token, is a digital certificate of authenticity for a digital object...” creating new methods for preserving the identity, ownership, and authenticity of artwork, and opening up new marketplaces for its distribution and sale. Her goal is to train other artists to use the emerging technology and become familiar with

the marketplace so that they can better control, protect, and sell their works.

“Artists can either create new digital artwork to mint as an NFT or use more traditional media. It’s a transition from an analog source – your painting or sculpture – to a digital source, and then to the NFT,” she explains. “When an NFT artwork is sold, the owner obtains rights to the unique digital object, but also, possibly, to a physical artwork, depending upon what the artist has created and intends to sell.” Abdrahman believes these sales can create sustainability for artists, not just those who create digital artworks, but creators of more traditional physical artworks as well. The marketplace can also provide greater control for artists over how the proceeds from a sale are distributed.

“Some people think that all they have to do is take a few snippets of digital imagery, throw together a work, call it art and put it up for sale, but not all of this work can really be taken seriously. At this time most NFT art has originated as digital art, because the physical artists are still figuring it out.”

Abdrahman was only six years old in 1981 when her family fled their East African homeland during a time of regional wars and settled in San Diego. Her artworks reflect her Somali, Eritrean, and Ethiopian heritages, and feature themes of cultural and environmental preservation and regeneration. Active in the Bay Area artist community, her artworks are often an integral part of projects related to building self-empowerment, education, and meeting local resource needs. In 2020, with the pandemic-related closure and cancellation of Bay Area art exhibitions and programs, she founded the Kindness Grocery Cooperative which provided food and other resources to local artists and others facing food insecurity.

The KGC mission has expanded to support sustainability and is now partially funded with donations from artists’ sales of NFT artworks. Her other many community projects include the Sun Village Artisan Corner, Pay It Forward Café, and a Water Sanctuary project at Point Reyes National Seashore demonstrating water capture through Icosahedron Fog Catchers.

Her work has been shown in numerous galleries and installations. A lifelong learner with many academic credits, she readily acknowledges not focusing on college degrees or schools attended, but

Around Town Art Scene on “getting knowledge when I’m actually going to use it.”

Abdrahman served as juror for Arts Benicia’s summer 2021 art exhibition, That Which Surrounds You, reviewing digital photos to select the artworks to be included in the onlineonly exhibition. “Once you have a photograph of an artwork, you’re on your way to creating an NFT. All of those works could be minted and marketed on the new marketplace,” affirms Abdrahman. “You’re ready to go and take all these artists with you. Sotheby’s

“In March 2021, Christies sold its first all-digital artwork, a digital collage by artist Mike Winkleman, also known as Beeple, for $69 million.” and Christies have stepped up, of course, but other galleries such as Arts Benicia are also positioned to step up as well.” There is so much to learn, but she aims to help the learning process along. To learn more about Abdrahman’s artwork and community projects, visit: asyaabdrahman.com

Tyler Street

Open Studios n Cooper Mickelson

It’s no question that art and culture build a community. Art brings people together through its

ability to tell a community’s shared narrative, the capacity to inspire reflection, and the power to form connections between vastly different individuals. Ultimately, Art binds us. Of course, Art doesn’t only bring us together figuratively. It also brings us together physically — through museums, gallery shows, and performance Creative Minds spaces.

Building Bonds Our little town of Benicia is beyond blessed to be home to such a fantastic abundance in Our Community of artists. In years past, this community of artists and artisans have welcomed visitors to experience their Open Studios event (usually held the first weekend of May).

Unfortunately, Open Studios hasn’t been able to take place over the past two years. A group of Benicia artists has been feeling the lack of feedback and missing interaction with art lovers, collectors, and friends over this time. To reconnect our community, they have decided to create the Tyler Street Open Studios!

On October 9th and 10th, between 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, 24 artists in 940 Tyler St will be exhibiting their recent work along with 5 artists in the adjacent art studio building at 991 Tyler Street. This event will give us the unique opportunity to talk individually with artists and view some truly remarkable work.

940 Tyler Street in the Historic Arsenal building is full of exceptional artists, including sculptors, painters of all genres, photographers, and even fashion designers! During the pandemic, as other artist’s studio buildings in the Bay Area have closed down, more artists from the East Bay have found these beautiful light-filled studios that invite exploration of creativity.

New artists include Randy Sexton, Jan Blythe, Sergio Nates, Kelly Webster, Robert Hernandez, and Aramanthea Kupco. They join long term artists Joe Garcia, Paula Boas, Peter McNeil, Susan Marcus Sachs, Anne Petty, Mike Wittels, Jeff Tover, Michelle Headstrom, Maggie Vaile, Laura Garcia, Peg Jackson, Richard Padfield, and Tober Tover.

In addition, Erika VonZoog, Chris Holde-Meade, Connie Millholland, Janet Brock Hughes, and Vicki Dennis will be inviting you to their studios in the adjacent art studio (991 Tyler St.) Photographers John Klycinsky, Brady Thomas, and the Matthew Powers Gallery — as well as fashion designers Sabrina Edelman and Vanite Fashion — will also be welcoming visitors.

This is a free event so bring yourself, your friends, your family, and your neighbors down to the Tyler Street Open Studios. We’ll see you there!

If you’re looking to fill your entire weekend with art fun, Arts Benicia is hosting their Family Art Day on Sunday, October 10th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Arts Benicia Gallery and Classroom. Children and their families are invited to explore the world of art with hands-on projects that engage and educate. This event will be inspired by Mark Eane’s Shifting Sands, A Survey, an exhibition on display until October 24th. This event is free and open to the public. Supplies will be provided!

BeniciaMagazine.com • 19

Column A (Soap Opera) mystery

s e c n e F t e k Pic Previously in Picket Fences …

Angela mends fences with her friend, Madalyn. Payton learns he won’t be Xavier’s date to the fundraiser, and Angela receives a mysterious phone call. To catch up on Picket Fences, read back issues on beniciamagazine.com.

n

Darrell Mcelvane

As midday moves in on the idyllic waterfront town, its residents get prepared for the social event of the season. For Olivia Leavenworth, F.A.C.T. is just one of many charitable boards she leads. Olivia could be described as a great beauty with red mahogany hair and light green eyes that could pierce right through you, or seduce you, if she wanted. Philanthropy is her game, and she knows how to play; Olivia understands the power of currency and of perceived reputation.

Walking through their Waters End home, Xavier listens in on his mother’s phone call. “Ok, here we go… I’d be very careful; you’re playing a dangerous game of chicken... If The West Lake Foundation does not receive your check by the end of day, I will pull your name from every event list for the season, and I’ll tell all our friends why you’ve been taken off those lists; you know what that means, don’t you? You’ll be blackballed from ever attending any function in this town again,” Olivia says with a polite viciousness. “I should mention, the donation is a great tax write off, and we wouldn’t want the IRS going through Jim’s taxes now… I’m so glad I can count on your donation! Can’t wait to see you at the fundraiser tonight! I’m sure you’ll look lovely in that purple silk number you wore last year,” she says in a sickeningly sweet tone.

Xavier enters his mother’s office; Olivia looks up, always happy to see her son. “Hello my beautiful boy! What can I do for you?” she asks, getting up to hug him. “I’d hate to be the person on the other end of that phone call. You don’t think you were a little harsh?” Xavier asks. “Linda Rhodes can take it, trust me,” Olivia quips. Xavier chimes in, “They’re having money problems, from what I hear.” As the two of them start walking to the kitchen, Olivia dives into a sermon of her idea of economics among the financially “comfortable.” “You’ve got some things to learn about the ‘comfortable;’ ‘comfortable’ people function differently, particularly in times of financial crisis.” The pair enter the kitchen, and she motions for Xavier to have a seat at the island. “You look hungry.” Olivia starts putting together a board loaded with apricots, figs, and the finest camembert and brie cheeses from France, and places a Pellegrino in front of him.

20 • Benicia Magazine

She continues the lesson. “The wealthy are different, baby, don’t make any mistake about that. See, the poor conserve and budget in hard times… that’s why they’re so poor. The wealthy know that that’s precisely the time to spend; this game is called ‘Million Dollar Spit in the Ocean.’” “What are the rules to this socalled ‘game,’ Mom?” Xavier inquires, with a giggle of disbelief.

“You may laugh, but the rules are simple: hide your cards close to the vest, and a strong bluff is worth more than a full house or aces high. Look, there are going to be a lot of people at the fundraiser tonight, important people. If the Rhodes’ want any chance of getting through their financial troubles, they’re going to need the support of those people at the event. And those people are going to make judgements based on how the Rhodes’ act, how they look, and how freely they give.

From those things, they will know the strength of Jim Rhodes’ resolve.” “Wow. Why all the games?” he asks. Passing the overflowing charcuterie board, she says, “That’s the game of life.”

Olivia isn’t the only resident doling out life lessons; Angela pulls into the parking lot of Bottom of the Fifth to find that her appointment is already there, waiting. The man exits his car and gets into Angela’s black Mercedes. “Long time, no see.

Connie says that you go by ‘Angela’ now… classy,” he says, with a devilish grin. “Martin Kray... it’s been a long time,” Angela replies. Martin, anxious to get to the point, continues, “So what is this meeting for… Angela… and how do I know you two aren’t working together?” Martin starts scoping the parking lot to see if they’re being watched. “Connie is an acquired taste which I no longer find pleasing. I’m here to give you the truth about what happened in your case, but I need you to tell me what Connie is offering you, and I need it for tonight,” Angela declares. Martin responds with a curious glint in his eye, “I don’t know what you did to each other, but it must have been something bad because you two are out for blood. When she told me that she located you five years ago and was waiting for the right time –” Stunned, Angela interrupts Martin. “Wait…

Connie has known where I’ve been for past five years?!”

To be continued…

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Around Town Community

All Eyes are on Music Producer

DJ Gutta Butta #YesYes

n Dr. Gethsemane Moss, Ed.D.

Interview with DJ Gutta Butta The research labels millennials as digital natives, goal-driven, in favor of streaming, well adapted to their mobile devices, and having no patience for inefficient and poor service. In addition, millennials seek more digital tools that aid their day-to-day. Millennials are all about access and opportunity and are navigating and leveraging products and services to their advantage. Millennials have also disrupted some Baby Boomer practices by creating a shared perspective approach on the economy.

In short, the burdens and customs the older generations may have committed to are viewed differently, such as long-term

practices of staying with one employer for 30 plus years and retiring, thus dependent on one stream of income.

Millennials are known for not settling for the status quo and are disruptors of the roads most traveled. They have learned to leverage the power of choice and are genuine influencers. A music producer who goes by the stage name DJ Gutta Butta is leveraging every possible angle for his success. Known as a modernday Renaissance man for his talents and abilities, DJ Gutta Butta is making his mark in the music industry.

A Vallejo native, DJ Gutta Butta was a true all-around athlete in baseball and American football. A component to athleticism is intellectual precision, timing, and analysis, some of many of DJ

Gutta Butta's gifts that he now uses off the field developing his business out of a passion for music. DJ Gutta Butta stated, "I was always musically inclined. When I was young, my dad used to have us sing all of the Temptations’ music. I know the Temptations movie word for word and all the songs." DJ Gutta Butta went on to state, "I pursued music fully after sports didn't work out." Everyone has a story.

When asked about his stage name, he stated, "I got my name Gutta Butta from bowling because I used to roll nothing but gutter balls… Now, no one can beat me in bowling."

From athlete to music producer with over eight million music streams, DJ Gutta Butta is an entrepreneur with significant accomplishments, including recognition

Relevant Gifted and 22 • Benicia Magazine

for his DJ performance set with artist/rapper Benny at Rolling Loud. DJ Gutta Butta and his brother co-own Purple Lane Entertainment, a recording label, and hold all of the masters to the music. In addition, DJ Gutta Butta also breeds French American bulldogs. His love for music allowed him to assess his fit into the music industry. "I knew rap wasn't for me, but I knew I could be an asset in the music game in promoting and executive producing music and shows." When asked about some of the challenges faced in the music industry, DJ Gutta Butta stated, "Some of the challenges I face are just dealing with a lot of different egos in the music business." He added, "I can't let too much of anything get to me because it is important to remain focused… I like making music the most. It's fun, and I like doing it.

I started making money by accident by doing something I love."

Work-life balance is a challenge for some. The music business can lead to long days and nights considering recording time, tours, and performance. When asked about keeping himself balanced with work and personal life, DJ Gutta Butta admitted, "It's hard to keep balance as my focus is always on work, and I need to work on life balance with my family and time for me."

DJ Gutta Butta went on to state, "I just like to work and grind so much that sometimes I forget everything else."

"Known as a modern-day Renaissance man for his talents and abilities, DJ Gutta Butta is making his mark in the music industry."

DJ Gutta Butta has worked with various artists, from new to old, like Iamsu, Jhon, Digital Underground, Nef The Pharaoh, Cuban Doll, SOBXRBE, and many others. DJ Gutta Butta shared that he dreams of working with Vallejo native, entrepreneur, and music mogul E40, stating, "I look forward to working with E40 one day, to have one with the big dog from my area."

DJ Gutta Butta wants the upcoming artists to be confident and persistent in pursuing their dreams. He stated, "Some advice I can give is never to give up, chase what you love, and never let someone tell you that your idea is dumb. Someone else might love what you create, and you must pursue and push what you believe in."

One of DJ Gutta Butta's goals over the next five years is to remain significant in the music industry, stating, "I plan to be still relevant and working and keep getting better and bigger every year… I will stay focused because anything is possible as long as I continue chasing my dreams."

You can connect and follow DJ Gutta Butta on Instagram at @djguttabuttayesyes and YouTube at DJ Gutta Butta. His September release, All Net, with artist Slimmy B is at https:// empire.ffm.to/allnet.

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Around Town Food and Drink

Boo!

And just like that, Halloween time has crept up on us once again.

n Aly Mickelson The air is getting cooler, everything is pumpkin spice, and porches are glowing with Jack-o’lanterns. With our fingers crossed that the kids will be trick or treating this year, we can hope us adults will be able to dress up and have some fun, too. After all, costume parties aren't just meant for children anymore! So don’t be embarrassed, bring that Tinkerbell, Zombie, Elvis, whatever it may be, costume out of the closet, dust it off and get a spooky night started. And whether you're throwing a party with your friends or handing out candy, of course music is a must. However, rather than playing The Monster Mash on repeat all night, I suggest you throw this October playlist on. I promise it'll catch on in a flash.

Bad Habits – Ed Sheeran (Don’t Fear) The Reaper – Blue Oyster Cult we fell in love in october – girl in red Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift Superstition – Stevie Wonder Zombie – The Cranberries Black Smoke Rising – Greta Van Fleet Can’t Be Tamed – Miley Cyrus In the Woods Somewhere – Hozier Black Cat – Janet Jackson Highway to Hell – AC/DC Black Magic Woman – Santana Thriller – Michael Jackson 24 • Benicia Magazine

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Column Dinner and a Movie

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

The

P rincess Bride n

Cinema Cat & Gourmet Gracie

What’s Cookin’?

Well, kitchen fatigue for one. I’m ready to devour something that’s not out of the back of my refrigerator. Let’s plan our in-home entertainment and order delectable home delivered snacks, appetizers or a full-on entree from The Rellik Tavern. Oh, and don’t forget to order awesome Chocolate Espresso Martinis and Ultimate Moscow Mules to go with it!

Perfect for October!

From a fantastic wide-ranging menu, here are some of our favorites

Raven’s wings served with your choice of 5 spicy or sweet dipping sauces.

Not your average chicken wings—tangy, meaty, satisfying.

Onion battered green beans deep fried and served with lemon dill aioli Fries hot, crispy shoe strings (we think the best in Benicia), or sidewinder steak fries Pizza Choose from gourmet selections like The Rellik pizza with white sauce, chicken, spinach and tomatoes. Or, make your own from a selection of toppings. Really tasty, thin crust. Available in 7” or 12” sizes.

28 • Benicia Magazine

The Rellik has comfy couches, rockin’ live music, friendly bartenders and killer cocktails, all in an upscale, artsy setting.

We’re happy we can play together again, and enjoy that delicious food and cool cocktails!

Menus are posted on the outside window. Orders are taken by phone or walk-up. Check out the Rellik’s full menu at: www.the relliktavern.com

The Rellik Tavern 726 1st Street, Benicia, CA 94510 Now that you’re situated with your yummy take-out dinner from the Rellik, settle in for...

Our 2-Minute Movie Review: The Princess Bride 1 hr 36 min PG

Not sure about you, but when we think of family movies, we stretch and yawn. Ho hum! Family viewing is code for a sappy, animated feature with lots of singing and twirling. No! We have had times stressful enough without that kind of sentimentality.

Still, it’s true – we need something that kids can watch without adults cringing, and something the adults can actually get caught up in, laugh along with, and be glad they tuned in.

That movie is The Princess Bride.

Already seen it? Watch it again.

You’ve never seen it?! Inconceivable!

Let’s survey a few of the selling points of this timeless fable.

A stellar cast: — Peter Falk, patient and wise, with just a touch of curmudgeonliness, as the grandfather who reads the story to his grandson.

— Fred Savage, as the grandson, at his most adorable age 11.

— Robin Wright in the title role. It’s her film debut at 21, before she was a glint in Sean Penn’s eye.

— Mandy Patinkin, as Inigo Montoya, out to avenge his father’s death.

— Andre the Giant, oh yes, as Montoya’s companion.

Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles…More than enough action for kids of all ages. It’s fun; it’s funny; it’s heartwarming; it’s a good story, for Pete’s sake!

Oh, sure, you can find more sophisticated fare in the movie world. Complex characters and plot twists galore. There are deeper films, more profound. Films just as good, and by other measures, even better. But on the scale of satisfying, lasting fun, nothing can beat The Princess Bride.

9 out of 10 Whiskers on www.cinemacat-tdp.blogspot.com

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 29

Column Book—Tails

Book and Cocktail Club

THE PROJECT

By Courtney Summers

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“...it’s Courtney Summers gifts us with a heartbreaking, suspenseful, and powerful young adult thriller about the downtrodden, the vulnerable, and the earnest individuals who rarely get the spotlight ”

30 • Benicia Magazine

Cooper Mickelson

“You wanted the truth. Or are you afraid of it now?”

Lo Denham is an aspiring journalist who’s used to being on her own.

Following a tragic car accident that killed her parents and left Lo physically and emotionally scarred, her older sister, Bea, joined an elusive community called The Unity Project. Since joining, Bea has cut off all communication with her sister.

Desperate to reconnect with the only family she has left, Lo has spent six years attempting to contact Bea, but The Unity Project continues to stand in the way.

The organization’s extensive charitable work and community outreach won the hearts and minds of most of the Upstate

New York region. Still, Lo is convinced that The Project is a sinister cult disguised as a loving social movement. She becomes even more certain of its danger after one of their young members dies by suicide directly in front of her. When The Project offers her an opportunity to interview Lev Warren, the group’s charismatic leader, Lo thinks she’ll finally reunite with Bea. But Lo’s big sister might not want to be found.

Lo delves deeper into The Project in hopes of learning more about her sister’s life and current circumstances. In doing so, she discovers that there is more at risk than just her relationship with Bea. Her life, and others’, could be in jeopardy as well.

suspense with the massive disconnect between what the reader suspects is happening, given the clues sprinkled throughout, and what the main characters believe to be their reality. The final reveal is nothing short of breathtaking, and you deserve some major brownie points if you saw it coming.

The Project isn’t your average cult story about a megalomaniac and those duped into worshiping him. Instead, it’s about losing your way, looking for your anchor, grieving family, and finding yourself through the most unexpected of experiences. In her newest novel, Courtney Summers gifts us with a heartbreaking, suspenseful, and powerful young adult thriller about the downtrodden, the vulnerable, and the earnest individuals who rarely get the spotlight.

Pick up a copy of Nick by Michael Farris Smith to get ready for our November review and recipes! Follow us @beniciabooktails on Instagram for special treasure hunts and exclusive cocktails.

Be sure to tag us if you try out any recipes for yourself! **Content Warnings for The Project by Courtney Summers: Child grooming and abuse, panic attacks, amnesia, suicide, self-harm, death of parent, branding, car crash, and cults.

The Unity Project Punch INGREDIENTS: 2 Liters Cherry Juice Peel from 3 Oranges (pared with a vegetable peeler) 1 Thumb-Sized Red Chilli (pierced a few times but left whole) 3 Cinnamon Sticks 10 Cloves 6 Slices of Ginger

As she spends more time with The Project, Lo slowly uncovers more about this cult and its leader. Unfortunately, she comes up with more questions than answers, and everything she thought she knew about Bea, herself, and the world is quickly turned upside down. Lo never thought she could afford to believe in Lev Warren, but now she doesn’t know if she can afford not to.

One thing keeps her going; Bea needs her help, and Lo will stop at nothing to save her.

The novel is told through two timelines, narrated by both sisters, in a style that highlights their vulnerability and experiences in this world. Courtney Summers creates a nail-biting amount of

PREPARATION: 1. C ombine the cherry juice, chilli, cinnamon sticks, cloves and ginger into a saucepan.

2. S immer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave to cool.

3. Chill for at least 4 hours (leave in the fridge overnight for a more intense flavor).

4. W hen ready to serve, pour the juice into a large jug.

5. Serve in your favorite glass with any spooky decorations you like!

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BeniciaMagazine.com • 31

Benicia's KI TC H E N A N D B ATH EX PE RTS

“ 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!”

-Kim and Mike Rogers

AFFORDABLE QUALITY Cabinets and Countertops

707-745-2100 aqchome.com • Open Mon. - Fri. 9-5 weekends & evenings by appointment • 4852 East 2nd Street, Benicia

Owners Trevor Cotarelo and Taylor Kennedy