Carquinez Magazine - Spring 2020

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DOWN

D N A M L KEEP CA

E M O H Y A ST ntine. ra a u q lf e s in e il and sane wh y h lt a e h g in y ta Our guide to s

NEED LITTLE LAUA GH? RE SPRINAD OUR G GUIDGARDEN E PAGE ON 23

MEET BASEBALL STAR CC SABATHIA / HWY. 37 UNDERWATER / ABRAHAM WOODLIFF: VALLEJO’S INTERNET CELEB SPRING 2020

ENJOY A

DAY THE

ON

TOWN

IN FAIRFIELD

Downtown Fairfield offers an old town flavor, unique shopping, global dining experiences, and exciting events throughout the year!

Easily accessible and centrally located between Highways 12 & 80, downtown Fairfield offers plenty of free parking on the street and behind the variety of unique shops.Visit us soon, and discover why people keep coming back to explore downtown!

Vacaville

HEART OF FAIRFIELD

I-80

Vallejo

680

12

Benicia

DOWNTOWN FAIRFIELD

2020 CALENDAR OF EVENTS FAIRFIELD FARMERS MARKET Every Thursday April – October, 3:00 – 7:00pm

30 APRIL

THURSDAYS ON THE GREEN OPENING DAY 3pm – 7pm

JULY

4

INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE 10am – 1pm

15 16

TOMATO & VINE FESTIVAL 11am – 6pm ENDS Sunday, August 16 at 5pm

AUG

24 “SPIRIT STROLL” OCT

DAY OF THE DEAD

2pm – 6pm

11

VETERANS DAY PARADE 12:30pm – 2pm Commemoration & Concert 10am – 12pm

NOV

28

SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY All Day

4

CHRISTMAS TREE-LIGHTING & HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES 6pm

NOV

DEC

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SPRING 2020

1

TAG US ON THOSE CARQUINEZ AREA INSTAGRAM PICS! WE MIGHT PUBLISH YOUR IMAGE IN OUR NEXT ISSUE!

letters

WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! Finally—a magazine that highlights this beautiful place we live in! I have lived here close to 50 years, and I have learned more about the Carquinez area through your magazine! Thank you! May you grow and prosper! – Katherine, Martinez What a TREAT to find this beautiful magazine in my mail! I love celebrating this unique area and love the PRIDE of the history—I’ve lived here 40 years and didn’t know the geological story of the Strait. Thanks! – Jamie, Martinez Congratulations on your beautiful new magazine! We enjoyed every page! I hope you are very successful! We also appreciate that you included Vallejo in such a positive light! There are lots of great things here! – Karen, Vallejo Drop us a note via email at deanne@ carquinezmagazine.com or snail mail at: Carquinez Magazine, PO Box 1937, Benicia, CA 94510

@

CA

NE AZI

INSTVAE LO

RQUINEZM

Napa River @gussy_912 2 SPRING 2020

Vallejo Waterfront @fisheye_snaps

DID YOU KNOW? ROCK STAR IN TOWN In 1984, rock star royalty made a stop in Benicia, where rock ‘n’ roll icon Bon Jovi filmed parts of the music video for his ’80s classic, “She Don’t Know Me.” In the opening shot of the video, you can spot two Benicia establishments— The Brewery Bar and Tia Teresa.

Both now closed, the location has since been converted to a private residence and artist studio. Later in the video, the historical saloon Lido makes a brief cameo.

Famous as a former haunt of writer Jack London, the building was moved to First and E Street and is now a bookstore.

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TOP LEFT: DEBI RETTERER; BON JOVI: ALAMY.COM

The Carquinez Bridge in Crockett

US THAT

AG

S HO W

The ’80’s Bon Jovi (the best Bon Jovi).

spring 2020

MAGAZINE COVER SHOOT WHILE SHELTERING IN PLACE My son’s birthday is this month, and even though he is an adult, I still send him a toy each year (along with a check, of course). I hadn’t shipped the package yet this year, and luckily, his gift was LEGO™ minifigures. We weren’t able to organize a shoot, hire models, or do an extensive photoshop project, so I quickly ordered more figures and sent them directly to the photographer’s house. – Deanne O’Connor, Publisher/ Creative Director, Carquinez Cover photography by Cali Godley; see more of her work on PAGE 17.

Cultivate your bounty this spring season with Grow a Pear Nursery.

PAGE 23

HIGHWAY ON THE WATER The ocean is rising, and Highway 37 is flooding. What can be done to save this vital corridor? PAGE 29

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: CALI GODLEY; SHUTTERSTOCK; SAM SARGENT

Fight back the quarantine blues with our handy guide.

Social Distance Sanity THE COMPLETE LOCAL GUIDE TO SURVIVING CABIN FEVER, STAYING HEALTHY, AND SUPPORTING YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES. PAGE 17

strait side » Get your gardening essentials in Benicia, catch up with baseball star CC Sabathia, and visit the artists behind CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

the Bay Area’s premier ceramic arts gallery.

PLUS: Meet the memelord who isn’t afraid to speak his mind. PAGE 9

sip & savor

garden guide

» Chef Michael Warring of Vallejo takes fine dining to the next level with classy prix fixe cuisine. PAGE 36

» Break out your (garden) hoes, and let the experts at Vallejo’s Grow a Pear Nursery give you the tips and

tricks you’ll need to make your garden grow wild this spring season and beyond.

PAGE 23 SPRING 2020

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Your Winning Team If you’re looking for an experienced Realtor® or mortgage professional...

Guy and Nicole have worked together for over 15 years helping dozens of clients successfully purchase their homes.

NICOLE RUSSELL REALTOR® DRE #01417633

Deanne O’Connor PUBLISHER & CREATIVE DIRECTOR Casey Cantrell EXECUTIVE EDITOR

(707) 332-2111 nicole.russell@norcalgold.com nicehomerealestate.com

GUY ARTHUR BENJAMIN BRANCH MANAGER NMLS# 887909 CA# CADBO887909 (707) 246-0949 guyb@fairwaymc.com fairwayfastloans.com

Copyright©2019 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. NMLS#2289. 4750 S. Biltmore Lane, Madison, WI 53718, 1-866-912-4800. All rights reserved. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. Information, rates and programs are subject to change without notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Other restrictions and limitations may apply. Equal Housing Lender. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act, License No 41DBO-78367. Licensed by the Department of Business Oversight under the California Financing Law, NMLS #2289. Loans made or arranged pursuant to a California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License.

Contributing Writers Nathan Allen, Lauren Bonney, Morgan Mitchell Copy Editor Lance Elko Fact Checker Maura Estes Contributing Photographers Lia Cecaci, Lori Eanes, Cali Godley, Deb Retterer, Sam Sargeant Published by

waterviewpress PO Box 1937, Benicia, CA 94510 Carquinez magazine and Waterview Press have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of information presented in the guide, but assume no responsibility for errors, changes, or omissions.

Copyright 2020 Carquinez.

Printed in USA. All rights reserved.

“A town isn’t a town without a bookstore.”

—Neil Gaiman

CITRUS

ROOTED IN COMMUNITY CITRUS STYLE GUIDE FONT: MR EAVES MOD OT THIN

NATURALLY DERIVED AVEDA COLOR

Bookshop Benicia proudly celebrates 26 years in Benicia.

Books and gifts for the readers in your life.

Mon-Sat 10-7 • Sun 11-5

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citrus-salon.com appointments@citrus-salon.com citrussalon

f 636 First Street, Benicia (707) 747-5155 bookshopbenicia.com !$ bookshopbenicia 4 SPRING 2020

620 Main Street, Martinez, CA 94553 925-228-2010 MONDAY - FRIDAY 8AM to 9PM SATURDAY: 9AM - 5PM

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER AND CREATIVE DIRECTOR

The rolling streets in Crockett.

Photo by local photographer Debi Retterer (debiretterer.com).

“WHAT IS HAPPENING?”

Carquinez, Interupted

FROM TOP: DEBI RETTERER; ALAN NIKU

W

e are living in an unprecedented time.

In a matter of a few weeks, COVID-19— also known as the novel coronavirus—has disrupted every facet of our lives. And that disruption will only grow in the coming weeks, months, and possibly well into the summer.

In an effort to help in our own small way, we’ve put together a guide with tips on how you and your family can make it through this incredibly difficult time.

Even with the unexpected turmoil, it has been an absolutely amazing experience to hear from all of you these past few months. Since releasing our inaugural issue, we have received emails, messages

on social media, and even handwritten letters. It has been incredibly humbling and inspiring, and we can’t thank you enough.

In this issue, we profile some of the individuals who have and continue to define the remarkable character of this region, from the Vallejo couple who transformed their home into the one-of-a-kind Grow a Pear Nursery to future Hall of Famer and Vallejo native CC Sabathia.

Again, thank you so much for your truly incredible response. This magazine is our dream, and it’s because of you that we can make it a reality.

If there’s one thing I know about the Carquinez community, it’s that we’re a resilient bunch. Our community has weathered storms of every kind over the years; we will weather this. Together, we will make it through this crisis.

Best regards, Casey Cantrell Executive Editor, Carquinez

I’m hearing and saying it on the daily. We were ready to print our second issue and talk about how nice you all have been to our little fledgling magazine. And then everything changed.

We knew we needed to pivot and serve our readers in a different way, just as so many local small businesses have had to. It’s been amazing to watch you all hustle to do what you can to serve customers and keep your businesses afloat. We took some bold, last-minute steps in this issue in order to help our local businesses and residents, and to let you know that we are truly all in this together.

You are holding the second ever issue of Carquinez. Just like our fellow business owners, we’ll need your support during this time. While we’re all turning inward to our homes, consider a subscription, and patronize our advertisers in whatever way they are offering their services.

Thanks so much for all the great story ideas, advice, subscriptions, and ad support.

Sincerely,

fc @carquinezmagazine go online for more! carquinezmagazine.com CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

Deanne O’Connor Owner, Publisher & Creative Director, Carquinez SPRING 2020

5

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contributors

CALI GODLEY is a photographer based in the Bay Area. She pursues photography to connect with her community and provide creative services to growing organizations, publications, and brands. See more of her work at cali-godley.com or follow her on Instagram at @caligodley.

LAUREN BONNEY is a Bay Area writer and editor specializing in lifestyle, travel, culture, fitness, and food and drink. She has a soft spot for cheese and a great cup of coffee. Follow her gastronomic discoveries at @bonneyeatsworld.

LIA CECACI lives in Martinez with her husband and two dogs.

They run a leather goods business in downtown. Lia has been behind a camera professionally since 2008. On days she's not shooting or running the shop, she’s outdoors soaking in that California sun. oh-honestly.com

LORI EANES is a San Francisco–based photographer who specializes in food and people. She is the author of Backyard Roots, a book compiling the stories, ideas, and tips from urban farmers as well as more than 200 photos of urban homesteads and farms.

SAM SARGENT has lived in the East Bay for over 25 years. As a photographer, he’s inspired by the ever-changing weather and uncommon terrain surrounding the bay. Now operating with a camera drone, he has a new perspective in which to document this unique area.

NATHAN ALLEN is a Midwestern-raised, Berkeleybased journalist. His work has been featured in Outside, Quartz, and Fortune and has taken him all over the American West. When not writing, Nathan can be found running, hiking, and biking East Bay singletrack.

FAR LEFT (SUZANNE LONG): LIA CECACI

{local talent} artist spotlight

SUZANNE M. LONG is originally from Pennsylvania and studied Illustration at Tyler School of Art. She lived in New York for four years before moving to San Francisco in 1991 and falling in love with the Bay Area. In 1992, she obtained a studio in the Benicia Arsenal and started a transition from commercial to fine art. Now based in Vallejo, she has been a sculptor since

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

1996 and teaches workshops at Happy Life Pottery and the Epperson Gallery, where she is also the curator. Her work is exhibited around the nation as well as locally at ROOMGallery in Mill Valley and the Epperson Gallery in Crockett.

Learn more about Suzanne’s work and the Epperson Gallery on page 13.

SPRING 2020

7

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THE VINEYARD COLLECTION II Coming 2021 Single-Family Homes Approx. 3,230 – 3,490 Sq. Ft. From the High $1 Millions 925.460.8900

SYCAMORE Single-Family Homes Approx. 2,451 – 3,200 Sq. Ft. From the Mid $1.5 Millions 925.200.4146

THE RESERVE AT PLEASANT HILL Coming Mid-2020 Single-Family Homes Approx. 2,374 – 3,648 Sq. Ft. From the Low $1 Millions 925.200.4587

TRACY ELISSAGARAY RANCH Single-Family Homes Approx. 2,405 – 3,531 Sq. Ft. From the Mid $600,000s 925.701.1563

Ponderosa Homes reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to make changes or modifications to pricing, floor plans, features, specifications, exterior color schemes, policies, guidelines, literature, materials, homesites released and plans designated on each homesite without notice or obligation. Porches, windows, garages and courtyards (if available) may vary in size and configuration per plan and elevation. Square footages are approximate. All floor plans and photography are artist’s conceptions and are not intended to be actual depictions of the buildings, fencing, walks, driveways or landscaping and are not to scale. Models do not reflect racial preference. Homes shown do not represent actual homesites. Ponderosa Homes is a licensed California real estate broker, CA DRE license #01257567.

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strait side Gardens Galore REIMAGINE YOUR GARDEN WITH THE HELP OF THESE BENICIA SHOPS AND EXPERTS.

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM CREDIT

BY MORGAN MITCHELL

GREEN REFRESH Load up on potted plants at Succulents and More in Benicia.

Page 10

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WINTER 2020

9

strait side Got a special occasion?

Sweetness & Light Flowers & Events in Benicia celebrates each season’s particular magic.

SPRINGTIME READS KAREN FINLAY, OWNER OF ALIBI BOOKSHOP IN VALLEJO, GIVES YOU THE INSIDE SCOOP ON THE BEST BOOKS FOR ALL YOUR GARDENING NEEDS. The Gardener Says by Nina Pick: Filled with all sorts of horticultural wisdom, this lovely little book is a perfect gift for the gardener in your life, even if that’s yourself.

JOYOUS SPACES For a total (and low hassle) refresh, start with Joyous Spaces. Specializing in flower arrangements for both weddings and individuals, founder Joy Alberts also has a keen eye for garden design. She’ll help you craft a brand-new outdoor escape, unique to your home. (707) 334-2288, joyousspaces.com SUCCULENTS AND MORE Looking to update your garden with some drought-resistant plants? Mosey over to Succulents and More, where cacti and company cluster inside and outside of the shop. Choose from a selection of potted plants or design your own terrarium at the succulent bar by the entrance. 433 First St., Benicia, (707) 400-5565 THE TEAK MAN A garden isn’t home to just foliage; it should be a welcoming space for you as well. The Teak Man offers high-quality teak furniture, including intricate wine-barrel fountains, to create an oasis 10 SPRING 2020

for yourself among the flora and fauna. 118 W H St., Benicia, (707) 208-9650 SWEETNESS & LIGHT FLOWERS & EVENTS Give your home a little pizzazz with Insta-worthy arrangements by Sweetness & Light Flowers & Events. Opened in January, the newest shop on the gardening block specializes in seasonal, locally sourced floral designs. (Due to the COVID-19 crisis, Sweetness & Light is open by appointment only.)

301 First St., Benicia, sweetnessandlightflowers.com ROMANCING THE HOME To add that special final touch, stop by Romancing the Home. Packed to the brim with cute home and garden décor, this store is bound to have something that calls to you. Elegant statuary? Iron art? A glittering wind chime? You’ll find it here. 617 First St., Benicia, benicia-rth.com BEYOND BENICIA Benicia isn’t the only city in the region offering gardening essentials. For outdoor equipment, Furber Saw in Martinez and Aloha Saw & Motor in Vallejo provide all the tools you’ll need to retool your personal paradise. And Martinez’s Knots and Found has a weekly changing selection of house plants, so you can bring the outdoors inside. •

Ultimate Veg: Easy & Delicious Meals for Everyone by Jamie Oliver: You’ve grown your produce … now what? Superstar chef Jamie Oliver tells you how to make mouthwatering, meat-free meals in his new book celebrating the humble veg (and fruits).

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson: Teach your little ones the importance of planting the seeds of vegetables and kindness with this beautiful story from the award-winning children’s book author.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

COURTESY OF SWEETNESS & LIGHT

N

ow that the chilly days of winter are over, it’s time to show your garden some TLC. As flowers start blooming again, hit up these Benicia shops in order to give your grounds new life.

Garden to Glass by Mike Wolf: Herbs, fruits, and vegetables aren’t just for eating—they’re good for cocktails, too!

Expert mixologist Mike Wolf shows you how to incorporate your backyard bounty into delicious drinks, bitters, and more.

Vallejo native and baseball star CC Sabathia

How are you enjoying retirement?

It’s been good, just hanging out with the kids and family. I had shoulder surgery [in November after dislocating his shoulder in his last pitching appearance], so I’ve been busy rehabbing.

What would you say was the highlight of your career?

Winning the World Series in 2009 [with the New York Yankees].

That whole season—opening the new Yankee Stadium, going to the All-Star game, winning the World Series—it was a really special season for me.

“I have so much family in Vallejo, I’m sure I’ll be visiting more and more.”

When you first started playing baseball as a kid, your mom, Margie, bought catcher’s gear so she could help you practice. What impact did she have on you growing up?

She was everything. She was at every event—and she’d always sign me up for every event. My mom is a tomboy, so she loved sports. I was always with her, playing board games, playing basketball, throwing the baseball. I wouldn’t be who I am without her.

Sports Hero:

8 QUESTIONS WITH CC SABATHIA AFTER 19 SEASONS ON THE BASEBALL DIAMOND, THE VALLEJO NATIVE AND FUTURE HALL OF FAMER IS READY FOR A SUMMER VACATION. o call CC Sabathia a baseball legend would be an understatement. Dividing time between the Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers, and New York Yankees, the larger-than-life pitcher simply dominated in his 19-year career, earning a Cy Young Award (given every year to the best pitcher in each league), six All-Star appearances, and a World Series title.

Before the Majors, Sabathia was an ubertalented studentathlete at Vallejo High School, but his natural prowess belied a hard childhood—his father left when Sabathia was 12, leaving his mom to raise him by herself. Nevertheless, with the support of his family and community, he thrived on and off the field.

Two decades later, Sabathia is now settling into a new role: supporting inner-city youth. The former pitcher talked with us about his family, his baseball career, and why he gives back.

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T

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How often do you get to visit your hometown?

I have so much family in Vallejo, I’m sure I’ll be visiting more and more. I haven’t had a summer off since 1997 [the year before he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians], so it’ll be good to visit during the summer.

Do you have a go-to restaurant when you’re in town?

There’s a taco place I love, Tacos Jalisco, but it’s really about home cooking. I love my aunt’s cooking; I hang out at her house all the time with my cousins.

Where did you and your friends like to spend time when you were growing up?

All over, really. We’d hang out at my friends’ houses, hang out in our neighborhoods, maybe go to the movies on Friday night.

We have to ask: A’s or Giants?

I grew up an A’s fan. I went to a lot of Giants games with my dad—he used to get tickets through his work—but I was a huge A’s fan. Rickey Henderson, Dave Stewart, Dave Henderson— they were my heroes as a kid.

In 2008, you started the Pitcch In Foundation, which offers baseball camps for inner-city kids, including one here in Vallejo. Why is giving back so important for you?

Being part of the Vallejo Boys & Girls Club, I wouldn’t be here without that program. I wanted to make one of those programs for inner-city kids like me. I know these kids’ situations, what they struggle with, and I know I can help.

The best part is seeing the kids throughout the years. A lot of them started out in the baseball camps, and now they’re leading them. One of the kids, Rowdy Tellez, he now plays for the Blue Jays. That’s the gratifying part, watching these kids grow up and become something special.

Learn more about Pitcch In Foundation and sign up your kids for baseball camps at pitcch.org. • SPRING 2020

11

strait side

Play Ball!

AFTER A YEAR-LONG HIATUS, BASEBALL IS BACK IN MARTINEZ.

BY NATHAN ALLEN

D

Enter Andrew Dunn, owner and operator of the Houston-based Pecos League. After Martinez severed its lease with the Clippers, Dunn approached Schroder and other city officials with an offer: Bring baseball back to Martinez as part of the Pecos League. After some due diligence and negotiations over the team name, Schroder and the city’s baseball committee agreed.

This spring, the Martinez Sturgeon will take the field at the city’s Waterfront Park, competing in the 12-team league that spans from Northern California to Southwest Texas. The Sturgeon will play its home opener on May 22 against neighboring Pittsburg’s new baseball team, the Anchors.

While the agreement between the Pecos League and Martinez is only a oneyear contract, both parties hope baseball is here to stay. “I’m really looking forward to some fun family entertainment down

“I’m really looking forward to some fun family entertainment down on the waterfront. I see this going on into the future with no particular end in sight.” –Mayor Rob Schroder on the waterfront,” says Schroder. “I see this going on into the future with no particular end in sight.”

Dunn concurs.

“Some of our teams are 10 years old,” he says. “We wouldn’t be going to Martinez if we didn’t think it was going to work ... hopefully, we’ll fit right in.” martinez sturgeon.com •

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on’t call it a comeback! After a year without baseball, Martinez is now home to a new team: the Martinez Sturgeon.

If it were up to Mayor Rob Schroder, the team’s name would be the Phoenix.

“It’s kind of like rebirth out of the ashes,” he jokes.

Rebirth is right: In 2018, the city welcomed the Martinez Clippers— named after baseball legend and Martinez native Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio—which competed in the local independent league, the Pacific Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.

However, the team folded at the end of the season in dramatic fashion, when team owners Jeff and Paulette Carpoff were raided by the FBI for an alleged Ponzi scheme conducted through their company, DC Solar Inc. (The couple pled guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in January.)

12 SPRING 2020

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

“I’ve always wanted to have something.

Something I could put my ideas into, like a big sculpture.” –Gerald Epperson

Striking Clay FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, CROCKETT’S EPPERSON GALLERY HAS BEEN A HIDDEN GEM OF FINE CERAMIC ART.

BY DEANNE O’CONNOR • PHOTOS BY LIA CECACI

LIA CECACI

I

nside a century-old brick building on 1400 Pomona Street in Crockett, a soft-spoken man leads a tour of his gallery showroom. Formerly a car dealership, the bright and airy Epperson Gallery now houses dozens of ceramic pieces—big and small, muted and colorful, delightfully simple and impossibly complex—precisely placed on pristine white pedestals.

While the art on display invites interpretation, owner Gerald Epperson is charmingly straightforward. For 20 years, Gerald had driven by this building on his way to work at the Federal Reserve Bank in San Francisco, where he was a computer programmer. At the same time, he worked as a ceramic artist and sculptor on the side, with an ambition to turn his passion into a full-time pursuit.

In 1996, the building went up for sale, and Epperson’s dream took off.

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“I’ve always wanted to have something,” he says. “Something I could put my ideas into, like a big sculpture.”

As it turned out, “big” was an understatement. At 15,000 sq. ft., the building required extensive remodeling and retrofitting to transform the space. Epperson and his wife of 45 years, Joanne—a talented ceramic artist in her own right—got busy raising funds, fixing up the place, and recruiting local artists to exhibit.

One of the only galleries in the Bay Area dedicated solely to ceramics, this hidden gem features its share of delicately crafted bowls, plates, and vases, but the real standouts are the sculptures. The pieces range from esoteric minimalism to brightly colored works with a whimsical sense of humor.

“There’s just so much diversity within clay,” says gallery curator Suzanne Long. “We just want to be UPCOMING able to show everything that’s good.”

EXHIBITS Epperson Gallery displays works by local artists as well as nationally renowned April 17–May 31: sculptors, rotating through pieces every Lisa Reinertson six weeks. The gallery also offers work& Françoise shops taught by artists that cater to every LeClerc skill level.

“There seems to be a growing interest in ceramics [in the comunnity], so we June 5–July 19: wanted to meet this need,” says Long. “It’s Liza Riddle, a great opportunity to share our passion Marc Goudy, with the community and with some of the Malia Landis, best ceramic artists in the region.” 1400 and Wesley T. Pomona St., Crockett, eppersongallery.com, Wright Fri.–Sun., 11 a.m.–5 p.m. • Above: Gerald Epperson and his wife, Joanne, plus some of the works on view at Epperson Gallery.

SPRING 2020

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strait side

LIA CECACI

I’m always low-key mad about how everything is. I’m not a radical. I just want a version of capitalism that’s a little fairer.” –Abraham Woodliff

14 SPRING 2020

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

The Accidental Influencer VALLEJO’S ABRAHAM WOODLIFF TAKES ON THE POWERS THAT BE, ONE MEME AT A TIME.

BY CASEY CANTRELL • PHOTOS BY LIA CECACI

e runs Bay Area Memes, one of the most popular Facebook meme pages in the region.

He’s got nearly 150,000 followers on social media.

Daveed Diggs and G-Eazy are fans.

Abraham Woodliff has no idea how he got here.

You’d never know it talking to him.

The fiery Vallejo writer isn’t shy about sharing his opinions, delivering expletiveladen invectives against politicians (“they don’t give a f—k about people”), performative activism (“if people really cared as much as they say they do, we wouldn’t be here”), and the housing crisis (“there are more f—king empty houses in San Francisco than there are homeless people”).

That attitude spills over into Bay Area Memes, where Woodliff tackles some of the region’s biggest issues (homelessness, racism, crime) with an unfiltered humor that takes on everyone—“poor people, rich

BAYAREAMEMES

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H

people, white people, black people, young people, old people, gay people, straight people.” Warning: The faint of heart might want to look away.

But the memes page itself? “It was kind of an accident,” Woodliff says.

It started in 2016, when Woodliff wrote a harsh takedown of San Francisco’s tech elite on The Bold Italic, an online magazine owned by Medium. The article went viral, and it prompted a series of responses—including a comment from Twitter’s co-founder and CEO of Medium, Ev Williams.

Inspired, Woodliff typed up a response article to Williams’s comment—only for his piece to be rejected by the editors at The Bold Italic and Williams himself.

Rather than tone down his writing, Woodliff decided to create his own platform on Facebook—a memes page that would allow him to talk about the issues important to him.

“For me, it’s personal,” he explains.

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strait side

BAYAREAMEMES

Better Homes Realty

Born in Oakland and raised in Martinez, the 28-year-old provocateur grew up in Section 8 housing and spent some time in a homeless shelter. He saw firsthand the class divide that left some behind while others thrived—often at the expense of the working class.

“I’m always low-key mad about how everything is,” he says. “I’m not a radical.

I just want a version of capitalism that’s a little fairer.”

Woodliff had no expectations for the page—“this probably won’t work,” he recalls thinking— but then, he started racking up followers, Abraham Woodliff first in the hundreds and then the thousands.

Suddenly, he had a massive audience.

He began posting excerpts of his creative work, hoping to find traction as a writer.

His efforts paid off. This November, Woodliff is set to release his first book—a collection of short stories and poems he has written and published over the years.

“I’m a working-class kid from the Bay Area,” he says. “This doesn’t make sense. I don’t know how the f—k this happened.

I’m not supposed to have this.”

But his work is about more than his own art, Woodliff says.

“I’m just trying to create a platform catering to the working class of all races and backgrounds,” he says. “I want to create a voice that’s particularly talking to them, not influenced by corporate interests or money, to do humor and stories for them.”

Follow Bay Area Memes at cbayarea memes and frealbayareamemes. •

16 SPRING 2020

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local news matters

News deserts are emerging in areas like the region surrounding the Carquinez Strait, depriving our communities of important local stories that impact local governments, businesses, and families.

Bay City News, a 40-year-old Bay Area regional news wire service, is dedicated to getting verified, accurate and relevant news to more people in the region.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR MISSION AND HOW YOU CAN HELP KEEP LOCAL NEWS ALIVE.

Find the local news you need at LocalNewsMatters.org

BayCityNews.org @baynewsmatters

d

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

SELF-QUARANTINING ON THE STRAIT? READ OUR GUIDE ON HOW TO

keep your distance &keep it together

BY CASEY CANTRELL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CALI GODLEY

6 ft.

6 ft.

Got a tip on how to stay healthy and have fun? Share it with us @carquinezmagazine on Facebook or Instagram, or send us a message at carquinezmagazine.com/contact.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

SPRING 2020

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Open for Business SMALL BIZ SUPPORT

Show your support to local restaurants, shops, and retailers.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOLANO COUNTY’S SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM. If you own a local business and are struggling with the impact of the current health crisis, consider setting up an appointment with the Solano Small Business Development Center.

The nonprofit offers expert buisness and financial advice for free, including help with Economic Injury Disaster loans as well as how to prepare for future success. You can also download the center’s COVID-19 Small Business Survival Guide at solanosbdc.org.

STAY TUNED Due to the health crisis, many events have been postponed—including Benicia Old Town Theatre Group’s production of Laura. But don’t strike it from your calendar just yet! The theater company plans to return in the summer.

STAY UPDATED For the latest local developments on the COVID-19 crisis—plus uplifting news and reads— visit localnews matters.org.

18 SPRING 2020

Closures and restrictions have brought commerce to a standstill, but local businesses are adapting.

Here are how some of the area’s business owners are responding to the health crisis. And be sure to support your favorite shop, bar, or eatery by purchasing gift cards online.

Note: As the pandemic crisis progresses, the following information is subject to change. Check businesses’ websites and social media pages for most up-todate information.

Alibi Bookshop: Books can be ordered online for delivery. You can also purchase audiobooks at libro.fm/alibibookshop.

Aung MayLiKa: In response to the ban on dining in, the Burmese restaurant is offering discounts on takeout and delivery. Use code “KWB2020” to receive $5 off on DoorDash orders, or order by phone or online to receive a 25 percent discount on your meal.

Bar Cava Wine Bar & Eatery: The Martinez wine bar has transitioned to curbside pickup for all orders, including drinks.

Collektive Boutique: The fashion boutique is offering free shipping for all deliveries with the code “stayhome.”

Dillon Bread Company: The bakery will continue to accept takeout orders and now offers free delivery to Vallejo residents.

East Bay Herbals: Trained clinical herbalist Anna Marie Beauchemin is now providing online workshops and video/phone consultations.

Farm & Flour: While the café offers a slightly reduced menu (in addition to bread, coffee, and pastries, it also offers baguette sandwiches and toast), you can now order home delivery.

First Street Cafe: The popular Benicia café is accepting to-go and delivery orders, with adjusted hours of 8 a.m.–2 p.m and 5–8 p.m Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.–8 p.m on weekends.

Gilded Frond Clay + Textiles: Items and e-gift cards can be purchased on the home decor store’s website, with free domestic shipping available on all orders.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

“The absolute hardest part of this has been the impact on our treasured employees.

But Mare Island has been through a Civil War, a Cold War, and two World Wars.

We know how to mobilize the war effort, and we will come out the other side.”

–Kent Fortner, owner of Mare Island Brewing Co.

Mare Island Brewing Co.: While the taproom is closed, the brewery now offers online pickup orders as well as canned beers and growler fillings from 12–7 p.m.

Mountain Grounds Coffee & Tea: Still need your coffee fix? Order a “coffee subscription” from the Martinez roaster and receive 20 percent off with the promo code “hope.”

One House Bakery: The Benicia café is open for online takeout orders and now offers staples such as milk, eggs, butter, and flour for sale, plus a lunch menu for kids affected by school closures.

Pizza Pirate: In addition to donating its salad bar to a local food bank, the pizza joint remains open for deliveries and pickup.

Sac’s Tasty Hot Dogs: The casual eatery is open and fully stocked for takeout orders.

States Coffee & Mercantile: In addition to takeout, the Martinez café now offers home delivery.

The Succulent Farmer: The wholesale garden retailer is selling and delivering presorted trays of 64 succulents for $64.

Suruki’s Sushi & Teriyaki Grill: The Japanese eatery offers takeout and delivery from 12–6 p.m.

Vallejo Farmers Market: Deemed an essential business, the farmers market will continue to operate.

Health Tips During a health crisis, it’s paramount that you are prepared. Here are five steps you can take to protect you and your family, courtesy of the CDC.

1

CREATE A HOUSEHOLD PLAN OF ACTION Talk with your family, relatives, and friends to figure out what you will do if and when an outbreak occurs in your community. Identify aid organizations in your community, and create an emergency contact list.

2

PRACTICE GOOD HEALTH HABITS Practice makes perfect, so work on developing good habits with your family: Avoid touching your face, cover your coughs and sneezes, wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, and clean frequently touched areas of your home (tables, countertops, light switches, doorknobs, cabinets, etc.) daily.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

3

CALL YOUR DOCTOR If you feel sick or suspect you may have been exposed to the virus, call your doctor first.

This will allow your doctor and other patients to protect themselves as necessary before you seek additional medical care.

4

STAY IN TOUCH Outbreaks can be overwhelming for both kids and adults. Take the time to call, message, and video chat with family and friends, especially if they live alone—a little bit of socializing can go a long way.

5

REMAIN VIGILANT Even after an outbreak has ended in your community, continue practicing everyday preventative actions. Evaluate the effectiveness of your household’s plan of action, and help your household members cope with the stress of their experience.

GOOD READS TAKE A BREAK FROM THE TV AND LAPTOP WITH THESE BOOK RECS FROM BENICIA BOOKSHOP. The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin: What a pleasure to read Jemisin’s first book in the Broken Earth Trilogy. Wrapped in suspense, this fantasy deals with complex topics of race, power, and control.

The Winter Soldier

by Daniel Mason: Set during WWI, a young doctor finds himself thrust into situations that only the horrors of war can produce. And yet there is love and beauty along the journey. A must read.

A Good Neighbor by Therese Anne Fowler: A captivating and timely read. Set in a tight-knit North Carolina neighborhood, this book invokes our own relationship with our fears, compassion, and tolerance.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi: Gyasi’s stunning book follows two sisters and their descendants over 250 years—one who remains in Ghana, the other who is sold into slavery. Few books have captured the horrors of the slave trade in such a rich, haunting fashion.

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE! ALL TITLES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT BENICIABOOKSHOP. INDIELITE.ORG. SPRING 2020

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Just watch the outdoors on tv.

Deanne’s Five Shows Anne with an E, available on Netflix I haven’t been much for wholesome family television since The Waltons, but this show scratches the itch. It’s a good one to watch with younger viewers.

Atlanta, available on Hulu I am a middle-aged white lady who has a deep, abiding love for hip hop, much to my son’s embarrassment. This show has a great soundtrack, but it’s also just so good, so funny, and so poignant.

Casey told me to watch it, and I’m so glad I did.

(Editor’s note: Damn right.)

Love Is Blind, available on Netflix This show is pure, delightful garbage. People date without ever seeing their significant other.

After a week, they propose … or disappear from the show. It’s so dumb, but I watched the whole season. (I’m only admitting that to you all, so keep it on the DL.)

Stream and Chill Stuck at home? Not to worry—the Carquinez team has you covered with our top TV and film picks to keep you entertained in quarantine.

Casey’s 5 Films Blindspotting, available on HBO Written by and starring East Bay natives Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal, this fantastic film shows off Oakland like never before. It’s funny, intense, absurd, dramatic, with unforgettable performances from its two leads.

Indiana Jones Series, available on Netflix Is Harrison Ford the most charming man to ever live? According to my mom, the answer is yes. (Gael García Bernal is a close second.) Revisit one of Ford’s most iconic roles in this classic series.

Mad Max: Fury Road, available for rent or purchase on Amazon Prime Video What a lovely day! The fourth installment of the Australian franchise was my favorite film of the last decade—and possibly the greatest action film ever made.

The Criterion Collection, available on Kanopy Okay, I’m cheating on this one, but if you have a public library card, you have instant access to 50 films from The Criterion Collection. All you have to do is sign up for a free—that’s right, free—account on Kanopy.

The Prince of Egypt, available on Hulu I loved this film when I first saw it as a kid, and I still love it 20 years later. A dramatic retelling of the classic Bible story, you’re sure to be humming the soundtrack to yourself long after the credits roll.

20 SPRING 2020

The Newsroom, available on HBO The news industry is experiencing a bit of a revival at the moment, so there’s no better time to (re)watch this well-written, well-acted series about a network newscast. If you liked The West Wing, you’ll dig this.

Poldark, available on PBS This is the PBS version of trash, so it’s pretty highbrow trash. Follow the story of the dark and brooding Ross Poldark and his love interest, Demelza. It’s juicier than your average PBS fare, with just enough melodrama to make it addictive.

Visit carquinezmagazine. com for even more TV recs from Deanne, plus other tips for keeping sane during the pandemic.

WH YOU WAATTCAHIRNE G?

VISIT C MAGA ARQUINEZ CORONZINE.COM/ AA US KN ND LET OW!

AL LET’S GET PHYSIC Get off the couch and stretch it out with Benicia’s Keira Lynn Yoga & Wellness.

The certified yoga therapist is offering online training programs as well as live classes via teleconferencing. Can’t make the online class? Benicia Jazzercise is uploading workouts to YouTube.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

“Pay attention to me!”

While you’re on a Zoom conference call.

Every. Single.

Time.

Resources for Kids Wondering what to do with your children back at home? Keep your kids engaged with these helpful online resources.

SCHOLASTIC LEARN AT HOME In response to school closures across the country, the educational giant is offering free online courses for pre-kindergarten to grades 6 and up. classroommagazines. scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html KHAN ACADEMY The free online service provides high-quality instructional videos covering dozens of subjects. The best part? All content meets state curriculum standards, and you can track your kids’ progress. khanacademy.org PBS KIDS From educational games and activities to articles on how to talk to your kids about the coronavirus, the nonprofit is a one-stop resource for families. pbs.org/parents

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Let customers know how you’re continuing to serve them through this difficult time. Our stories are positive, uplifting, and engaging. It’s the perfect source of information for readers throughout the Carquinez region, including the towns of Benicia, Crockett, Martinez, Port Costa, and Vallejo. Our rates are structured in order to allow businesses of every size and budget to partner with us.

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Bring the sexy back to gardening with our cheeky Spring Gardening Guide

by Lauren Bonney

CREDIT

photography by Lori Eanes

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

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n w o d dirty & ’ n i t t e G

o j e l l a V in

Landscape architect Rachel Hoff and husband Tom Ferguson are a gardening dream team in Vallejo, guiding the community towards a sustainably delicious future.

lant nerd. Veggie aficionado.

Seed queen. Whatever you want to call her, Rachel Hoff, co-owner of Grow a Pear Nursery in Vallejo, knows a lot about plants.

A lot. And with more than 20 years of experience as a landscape architect under

her belt, she’s really good at growing them, too.

What started out as a weekend hobby with husband Tom Ferguson turned into a full-blown urban farming project and eventually Grow a Pear Nursery, a gardening emporium that operates out of the

couple’s home. But the idea to start their own shop began as pure happenstance.

“One year, we were [growing] our own vegetables, and we had a bunch of extra. I thought, why don’t we sell them and see what happens,” Hoff recalls. The surplus produce sold out in just a couple of days, so she and Ferguson decided to do it again the next year. “And it got a little bigger and bigger every year.”

Since founding Grow a Pear, the couple have seeded and propagated everything in their greenhouse and home garden—an impressively fertile half-acre of property that sustains their household year-round.

The pair’s dream is to one day open a brick-and-mortar shop in Vallejo to better serve the community as a sustainable and responsible source for edible and native gardening needs. But even without a storefront, Grow a Pear already stands out from other commercial nurseries.

“We grow what we sell,” says Ferguson.

“And we test out varietals beforehand, too,” adds Hoff.

Most nurseries source their plants from outside the region, resulting in flora that’s unsuited for the Bay Area climate. Nurturing plants locally ensures they have a better chance to thrive in the region’s environment and to produce more bountiful—and more flavorful— harvests. The couple also takes the extra step of conducting annual tastings to determine which varieties (including rare breeds that are near impossible to find at commercial nurseries) they’ll continue to sell.

It’s no surprise, then, that the cheekily named nursery has already developed a dedicated following of gardening enthusiasts looking to create their own sustainable home –Rachel Hoff gardens.

Find a wide range of organic, non-GMO, growth regulator–free edible and native plants, such as berries-and-cream mint, lemon cucumbers, and best-seller heirloom tomatoes during the nursery’s summer pop-ups outside Moschetti on Sixth Street in Vallejo. You can also pick up plants year-round by scheduling an appointment at the nursery. (707) 375-3050, growapearnursery.com

“...it got a little bigger and bigger every year.”

24 SPRING 2020

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

Rachel Hoff and Tom Ferguson transformed their Vallejo home into a sprawling nursery.

thate’s swaihda...t sh

CREDIT

RACHEL’S AGE FOR G TIPS! P E H T N TUR ARDENIN EXPERT G

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SPRING 2020

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Good in Bed From dirt beds to compost, the garden whisperers at Grow a Pear Nursery share their top tips on how to get started on your horticultural adventures.

your dirt 1 check Soil testing is a crucial step before planting anything.

Hoff recommends sending a bag of dirt to A&L Western Laboratories in Modesto, where scientists will analyze your soil sample and provide recommendations for soil amendments.

Soil test packages start at $13, and a complete analysis will cost you $35.

t go too big 2 don’ If you’ve never gardened before, Ferguson suggests starting with a single 8x4-foot bed.

Oftentimes, people dive in and bite off a little more than they can chew, so start small.

s okay to fail 4 it’You’re going to have

3

GROW WHAT YOU EAT If an edible garden is what you’re after, grow things that you want to eat. There’s no point in growing a whole bed of kale if you don’t like the bitter leafy green!

good years and bad years, and while some of your plants will flourish, others will simply refuse to blossom. That’s how you learn, says Hoff—and if you love gardening as much as Hoff and Ferguson do, you’re going to be learning your whole life.

it up 5 mix You’re not a farmer, so don’t grow like one! Play around with bed design, experiment with a variety of plants, rotate crops each season, and get creative.

COMPANION PLANTING IS A GOOD WAY TO MAXIMIZE YOUR GARDEN’S EFFICIENCY, BOOST THE SOIL’S NUTRIENTS, AND KEEP PESTS AWAY. HERE’S A LIST OF SOME COMMON GARDEN BFFS. TOMATOES AND MARIGOLDS Not only do they provide a little pop of color to the bed, marigolds are great at repelling pests from your tomato plants.

ZUCCHINI AND NASTURTIUMS Perfect for keeping disease-carrying cucumber beetles at bay, nasturtiums confuse pests with their

PEPPERS AND BASIL Repelling pesky aphids, spider mites, mosquitos, and flies from your precious peppers, basil is an awesome herb to have in your gardening arsenal.

FE EL GOOD , NATURA LLY Anna Marie Beauchemin, founder of East Bay Herbals, on seasonal, easy-to-grow medicinal herbs to spruce up your garden.

Thyme This classic culinary herb is my go-to plant for all things related to the lungs. Brew it for a lovely tea to help combat congestion, or take advantage of its antimicrobial properties for DIY cleaning products.

26 SPRING 2020

LEARN TO GROW A PEAR

wonderfully bright colors and aromatic scent. Even better, the leaves and flowers are edible and look gorgeous in salads.

Tulsi Also called Holy Basil, Tulsi is a staple in any Ayurvedic kitchen.

Popular as an adaptogen—a class of herbs believed to help our bodies better regulate stress—the leaves of this summer perennial make for a calming and restorative tea.

Lemon Balm Though a tad invasive (make sure to plant in pots), this mint’s medicinal value can’t be beat. Not only does it have a refreshing flavor, its anxiolytic and antidepressant properties make this special mood-boosting herb one of my favorites.

If you want some professional insight and guidance on how to transform your garden into a thriving and delicious oasis, sign up online for any of the nursery’s many workshops.

Both beginners and experts are welcome.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

stepping out No yard, no problem. Itching to test out your green thumb?

Consider joining one of the area’s many local community gardens, either as a renter or volunteer, and make your harvesting dreams come true.

AVANT GARDEN First St., Benicia sustainablesolano.org PORT COSTA COMMUNITY GARDEN 13-15 Reservoir St., Port Costa portcostaconservationsociety.com SWENSON GARDEN East Second St., Benicia sustainablesolano.org VALLEJO PEOPLE’S GARDEN 1055 Azure Ave., Mare Island vallejopeoplesgarden.org

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM (2)

LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIPS Let’s face it, protecting your garden from insects can get confusing. Some bugs are beneficial critters that will help your plants thrive, while others like to devour everything in sight.

Here’s a quick guide to let you know which insects should stick around—and which should get out of town.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

LOVE Ladybug

HATE Aphid

Perhaps the most popular friendly insect, the ladybug (also known as the lady beetle) spends its whole life feeding on mites, aphids, and other soft-bodied bugs. You can naturally draw them to your garden by planting angelica, dill, and fennel.

Tiny, green, and pearshaped, aphids suck sap from plants, causing foliage to droop and distort, while spreading disease in the process.

Unleash some ladybugs on them, or spray them off with a steady stream of water.

LOVE Praying Mantis

HATE Cabbage Maggot

LOVE Ground Beetle

HATE Cucumber Beetle

Though otherworldly looking, praying mantises are like the bouncers of the insect world, indiscriminately kicking out (read: eating) whatever they can get their strong, spiny forelegs on.

Eating only cabbagefamily crops, these maggots tunnel into roots, killing plants from the ground up and creating airways for disease to settle in. Take preemptive action by spreading some parasitic nematodes around the roots.

This nocturnal beetle preys on the slow and slimy.

Voraciously devouring slugs, snails, and cutworms (moth larvae), the ground beetle is drawn to edible gardens interspersed with perennial blooms.

What looks like a yellow ladybug is actually a lean, mean, eating machine.

Feasting on the foliage and fruit of cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, and more, cucumber beetles can be stopped with ladybugs, green lacewings, and spined soldier bugs.

HOME (MICRO) GARDEN BRING YOUR EDIBLE GARDEN INDOORS WITH PHARM FRESH’S GARDEN KIT. A century ago, it was common to know exactly who grew your food.

Nowadays, cities outsource more food production to corporate farmers.

Pharm Fresh wants to change that.

Developed in partnership with Vallejo People’s Garden and Global Center for Success, the Vallejo nonprofit reconnects people to their food with DIY “microgreen” garden kits.

“We want to bring the farm back home,” says Timothy Kim, founder and CEO of Pharm Fresh.

Modeled after subscription-based services like Blue Apron, the kits provide customers a tray, soil, and seeds to grow nutritionally dense microgreens.

“Growing your food is incredible,” says Kim. “It’s empowering to take a proactive approach to your food.”

SPRING 2020

27

Maximize the value of your home From painting to staging, sell your home faster and for more money

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28 SPRING 2020

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ROBERT TONG/MARIN INDEPENDENT JOURNAL

G ING UNDER Rising sea levels and increased flooding are submerging Highway 37, threatening businesses and a way of life. What can be done to protect the Carquinez region from environmental disaster?

BY CASEY CANTRELL CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

SPRING 2020

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DROUGHT-STRICKEN CALIFORNIA, the winter of 2016–17 was a welcome sight. From October through March, more than 30 inches of rainfall soaked the state—the second wettest rainy season in 122 years—filling up depleted lakes and reservoirs, rejuvenating desiccated landscapes, and giving residents hope that the drought would soon be over.

For commuters all around the Bay Area, however, the seemingly endless deluge brought its own host of problems: flooded freeways, slippery roads, sinkholes, collapsed thoroughfares.

Few roadways had it worse than Highway 37.

Cutting through the salt marshes of the San Pablo Baylands, the 21-mile-long route services more than 46,000 drivers every day. Eastbound cities such as Vallejo, Benicia, Napa, and even Sacramento rely on the corridor—a slow commute even on the best days—to shepherd traffic to and from the area.

But the storms from that historic winter brought traffic to a standstill.

Flooding closed portions of the corridor for a total of 28 days—and as rain continued to pummel the area, infrastructure controlling the flow of water into the area started to fail. In February 2017, a levee in Marin County burst, submerging the roadway for another five days and forcing tens of thousands of drivers to navigate on side streets.

As it turns out, that winter presaged a larger crisis—one that jeopardizes not just commute times but local commerce and residents’ livelihoods. Rising sea levels, more extreme weather events, and crumbling infrastructure have combined to create one of the Carquinez region’s greatest existential threats—and a future that looks increasingly underwater.

COUNTDOWN TO DISASTER

30 SPRING 2020

SAM SARGENT

With the close of 2019 came sobering news: Earth had just experienced its hottest decade on record, according to scientists from NASA and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration. And the upward trend hasn’t slowed down in 2020—in February, the northern tip of Antarctica clocked in at nearly 70 degrees Fahrenheit, the warmest temperature ever recorded on the continent.

Of course, higher temperatures mean higher seas. Since the late 19th century, water levels in the Bay Area have risen by eight inches.

But that number only hints at the troubles the region faces. Two years ago, the California Ocean Protection Council released a report predicting that sea levels will likely climb by another foot in the next 30 years. By 2100, those projections increase to three feet.

In other words, the world’s oceans are expected to rise more than four times as much as they did in the last 150 years, in nearly half of the time.

And those are just the conservative projections.

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

"Highway 37 basically floats on an asphalt pad on a marsh. It's constantly sinking.

The more you pack on top of it, the heavier it gets and the faster it sinks."

CREDIT

– Fraser Shilling, co-director of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis

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The trailhead at Cullinan Ranch, a stretch of tidal marsh along Highway 37.

32 SPRING 2020

and inflatable barriers on standby in case of flooding.

However, these are only temporary solutions—and in some cases, they contribute to the problem, says Shilling.

“Highway 37 basically floats on an asphalt pad on a marsh,” he says. “It’s constantly sinking. The more you pack on top of it, the heavier it gets and the faster it sinks.”

Even with the fixes, an unexpected calamity can still lead to flooding. Last February, an atmospheric river storm caused a levee on Novato Creek to breach, shutting down Highway 37 for five days as crews worked around the clock to reopen the submerged lanes. Two weeks later, heavy rains returned to the Bay Area, flooding the roadway for four more days.

TROUBLED WATERS The increased frequency of floods on the corridor has placed cities and businesses in the area at risk.

Located about halfway across the thoroughfare at Sears Point, Sonoma Raceway is particularly vulnerable. During the summer, events held at the popular racetrack regularly attract tens of thousands of attendees—and provide an economic boost to surrounding businesses. It also leads to horrific traffic jams on the notoriously congested highway, which shrinks to two lanes heading east of Sears Point.

“Highway 37 has generally been a problem for our business for years,” says CEO Steve Page. “We sit on the border of one of the top destinations in the world. We have hundreds of businesses that rely on the highway.”

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DEBI RETTERER

"We sit on the border of one of the top destinations in the world. We have hundreds of businesses that rely on the highway."

At one foot of sea rise, Highway 37 will face regular flooding, according to projections by the U.S. Geological Survey. At two feet, most of the existing roadway will be underwater.

Yet catastrophe could strike with as little as six inches of sea rise, says Fraser Shilling, co-director of the Road Ecology Center at UC Davis.

“The problem is sea level rise isn’t a bathtub,” says Shilling.

Water levels in the San Pablo Bay are constantly rising and falling due to tides, storm systems, river runoff, and other factors. Increase the baseline by six inches, toss in an extreme weather event and high tide, and suddenly “the water is a foot higher than it would – Steve Page, CEO of normally be.”

The easy fix is simply to raise Sonoma Raceway the highway by paving over flood-prone sections. That is exactly what Caltrans has done in recent years, adding an average of one foot of extra asphalt to parts of the roadway. The department has also installed a new drainage system and floodgates while stationing tractor pumps

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

"I've lived here for almost 40 years. I see high tides that were never this high before. At king tide, it laps over the top of the seawall."

For now, flooding on the highway is just an inconvenience for Page and his business, but the possibility of wet winters spilling over into the busy summer season would spell disaster for the raceway.

“If the roadway flooded during our principal events, it would be devastating,” he says.

On Mare Island, companies such as The Nimitz Group face a similar dilemma.

Formerly a naval base, Mare Island is now home to a burgeoning community of businesses and residences as well as a wide swath of protected wetlands. Last November, The – Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan Nimitz Group purchased 500 acres of the island in addition to the 300 acres it already owned, and it recently partnered with the Tennessee-based Southern Land Company to begin an ambitious decades-long development project of the former shipyard.

But the developer must grapple with a looming crisis: encroaching waters from the San Pablo Bay. Right now, the island’s existing wetlands operate as a natural buffer against the bay, protecting developed areas from high tides and storm surges. However, as little as 10 inches of sea rise—predicted to happen in the next 20 years—will transform the southwestern end of the island into ocean. In 50 years, the western shore will recede by about a quarter of a mile or more; in 80 years, the northern part of Mare Island will be underwater. And as the waters rise, more and more homes and businesses will be exposed to dangerous flooding.

Although no solutions have been finalized, city officials suggest the developer may preempt sea rise by elevating future buildings by up to 20 feet.

(The Nimitz Group did not respond in time to requests for comment.)

Further inland, cities along the water have their own pressing issues.

While Mare Island and the Carquinez Strait protect most of the area from the worst impacts of sea level rise, many cities are still vulnerable.

Sitting in his office at City Hall, Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan is especially worried. After all, he only has to look out of his window to see the threat against his community.

“I’ve lived here for almost 40 years,” he says. “I see high tides that were never this high before. At king tide, it laps over the top of the seawall.”

One particular vulnerability is the city’s sewer system, which is perched next to the Napa River. If the wastewater facility experienced a severe flood—a risk that grows with every inch of sea rise—raw sewage could wash into the river and bay, creating a public health hazard.

City officials are already working on ways to protect the facility, including building a berm or seawall, but the price tag to address this and other consequences of climate change will be steep for the city—possibly north of $100 million.

“The [biggest] obstacle is money,” says Sampayan. While he expects the state to offer some support, he is less confident about other government funding. “The federal government currently refuses to believe in climate change. Would that change with another administration? I hope so.”

Money is also a constant topic of discussion surrounding long-term solutions for Highway 37. Options for fixes include constructing a higher berm or building a 20-foot-high causeway “much like the Yolo Causeway between Davis and Sacramento,” says Caltrans spokesman Vince Jacala. “Of course, this is very long term and would take several years, if not decades, of planning and construction.”

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

NATURE AT RISK

THE REGION’S ROADWAYS AND CITIES ARE NOT THE ONLY THINGS IMPACTED BY CLIMATE CHANGE. ALONG THE SHORELINE OF THE CARQUINEZ STRAIT, A SUBTLE BUT SINISTER CHANGE IS TAKING PLACE—AND WILDLIFE IS PAYING THE COST.

As sea levels rise higher and higher, saltwater from the San Pablo Bay starts to intrude into the freshwater strait, devastating the local habitat and overwhelming native species. One such species, the Olympia oyster, has nearly disappeared due to environmental changes.

It’s not just local wildlife at threat, though— migratory species are also impacted.

“The strait is a vital corridor for monarch butterflies,” explains Heidi Petty, the watershed program manager at Contra Costa Resource Conservation District. Every summer and fall, hundreds of thousands of butterflies travel along the waterway, using the area’s foliage for shelter and sustenance. But as native habitats shrink, so do “the chances of survival for the monarchs.”

The decline in one species inevitably affects the survivability of the entire food chain, says Dean Kelch, a consulting botanist at the Crockett-based Carquinez Regional Environmental Education Center (CREEC).

“It’s a domino effect,” he says. “What we’re looking at is a lot of these species winking out within our lifetimes. We’re reducing the biodiversity in our area, and who knows what impact that will have on other species.”

Local organizations such as CREEC are trying to stem the tide of habitat loss through restoration projects, including the creation of a native plant park along Crockett’s shoreline. Unfortunately, there’s a catch.

“The Crockett waterfront is basically gravel,” says Petty. “There’s not much we can do to restore it. We have to work around the industries there, but we’re literally running out of space.”

Still, Kelch sees reason to be optimistic. He recalls attending a meeting late last year that brought together dozens of local community groups, all focused on restoring and protecting the area’s wildlife.

“All these little efforts are so modest, but when you multiply that by dozens and even hundreds of people, you can start to make a difference,” he says. “In the long run, life will find a way.”

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33

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

SHRINKING MARE ISLAND AMERICAN CANYON

WANT TO TAKE ACTION? CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING AT OR DONATING TO THESE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

80

Napa County Solano County

37

BENICIA TREE FOUNDATION Tree planting and maintenance and education programs. beniciatrees.org

37

VALLEJO

CARQUINEZ REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER Creek and habitat restoration projects and student education programs. creecyouth.org

MARE ISLAND 780

BENICIA STATE PARK

2040 Flooded areas

FRIENDS OF ALHAMBRA CREEK Creek and habitat maintenance and restoration projects. ccrcd.org/friends-ofalhambra-creek

AMERICAN CANYON

34 SPRING 2020

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Napa County Solano County 37

SUSTAINABLE SOLANO Green infrastructure, food systems, community engagement, and workforce development. sustainable solano.org

VALLEJO PEOPLE’S GARDEN Sustainable gardening and community wellness. vallejopeoples garden.org

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37

80

VALLEJO

MARE ISLAND

2070

780

BENICIA STATE PARK

Flooded areas

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

"Vallejo is not a wealthy community. I don't want to charge someone $10 every day; you're talking $200 a month.

That could be buying food, paying rent."

THE HARD NUMBERS

– Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan

(Several designs for a new highway have been proposed, including a sprawling, pedestrianfriendly “Grand Bayway,” but none have moved forward so far.)

And it would be pricey—early estimates place the cost for the project at $5 billion. That doesn’t include expenses already paid to shore up the highway, including $10 million in emergency repair work in 2017 and another $6.7 million in repairs and improvements in 2019.

“It’s a very big project,” says Anne Richman, executive director of Transportation Authority of Marin. “The corridor is 21 miles, so you’re talking about a massive structure with a lot of environmental challenges. There will have to be a variety of funding from state, federal, and regional governments.”

from regional measures. Another possibility is to implement a toll; in February, State Senator Bill Dodd of Napa introduced legislation to make Highway 37 the ninth toll bridge in the Bay Area.

Sampayan is not a fan of a new toll. “Vallejo is not a wealthy community,” he says. “I don’t want to charge someone $10 every day; you’re talking $200 a month. That could be buying food, paying rent.”

For his part, Shilling offers a radical solution: California should treat the highway like a utility.

“The state should own this problem,” he says.

“California is spending $50 billion to [fix potholes], fill in cracks, and add some buses. It would be better to take that entire $50 billion and invest it in the coastline. That will return on investment a hundredfold.”

THE ROAD FORWARD MORE MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS Of course, getting the funding is one thing.

Spending it is another.

In June 2018, voters approved Regional Measure 3 to raise Bay Area bridge tolls through 2025, which is expected to generate an estimated $4.5 billion in revenue for transportation projects throughout the region, including Highway 37.

However, the money “is currently tied up in litigation,” says Richman, and it is unclear when it will become available.

Further complicating the situation is the issue of who is ultimately responsible for the roadway.

Highway 37 spans three separate counties—Solano, Marin, and Sonoma—and involves dozens of local, regional, state, and federal governments and agencies.

And then there are the private entities— businesses and individuals who own property surrounding or intersected by the highway. Any project will have to navigate a labyrinthine bureaucracy of fundraising, environmental reviews, proposals, and negotiations.

While officials are hopeful construction can begin within the next decade, Page isn’t holding his breath.

“I’ve given up predicting,” he says, adding ruefully, “I’ve gotten my staff to promise to push me out in my wheelchair for the groundbreaking.”

Regardless of the timeline, the question remains: Where will the money come from?

So far, officials have considered several options: a transit tax, a four-county tax, funding CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

Without action, flooding on Highway 37 will continue to disrupt the Bay Area—residents commuting to work in San Francisco, tourists traveling to Wine Country, big rigs delivering goods throughout the region. Local businesses will be impacted; the livelihood of hundreds of thousands in the Carquinez region will be threatened. And time is running out.

“It’s a system vulnerability,” says Shilling. “It puts the entire transportation network of the Bay Area at risk.”

However, progress is being made. Last year, the California Transportation Commission approved a $10 million environmental review of a section of the highway—an integral step in implementing a permanent solution—while state and regional agencies proceed with improvements to the existing roadway.

“It’s a priority corridor for us,” says Richman.

“We’re really excited about the potential longterm opportunities.”

And despite the dire projections and sometimesmaddening process, Sampayan remains hopeful. He points to Vallejo and neighboring cities’ commitment to reducing their carbon footprint and addressing the impact of climate change on the region—and to those who are making change happen at the local level.

“It’s the people,” he says. “We have people— young people, old people—who want to make change, and who are making sure we follow through on protecting our world.” •

SEA LEVEL RISE IN THE BAY AREA LAST 150 YEARS:

8 inches

NEXT 80 YEARS:

36 inches*

*Projection by California Ocean Protection Council

EFFECTS OF FLOODING ON HIGHWAY 37

46,000

DAILY COMMUTERS ON HIGHWAY 37

40+

NUMBER OF DAYS OF FLOODING SINCE 2016

$10 million

COST OF REPAIRS FOR FLOODED SECTIONS IN WINTER OF 2016–2017

$5 Billion

ESTIMATED COST TO REPLACE EXISTING ROADWAY

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sip & savor

Chef Michael Warring creates art on a plate, including delectable wagyu beef.

36 SPRING 2020

CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

sip & savor

At the Chef’s Table BENICIA NATIVE AND CHEF-OWNER MICHAEL WARRING SERVES UP HIGHEND FINE DINING MINUS THE PRETENTIOUSNESS.

BY LAUREN BONNEY PHOTOS BY CALI GODLEY CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

C

hef Michael Warring isn’t big on labels. He won’t say his dishes are seasonally based or that they have a California-tinged origin. In fact, if you ask him point blank what type of food he creates at his eponymous restaurant, he’ll most likely respond with, “Whatever we want to do.”

And whatever he wants to do results in artfully crafted and thoughtfully prepared fare shared throughout a six-course prix fixe—with a menu that changes on a daily basis at times—that at most other restaurants would come with a price tag and zip code to match. But, then again, this dining experience isn’t like most other restaurants.

Located in a nondescript end unit in the small Hiddenbrooke Plaza, the Vallejo eatery serves dinner Wednesday through

Sunday by reservation only. There are just two employees—Warring and his wife, Ali Gulczynski—and enough chairs for 18 people. Yet despite the seemingly limited seating and hours of operation, Warring has found a creative freedom that he’s worked towards his entire career.

After a gig as a dishwasher at Jax2 Catering and Bistro in his hometown of Benicia, 15-year-old Warring knew he wanted to be in the restaurant biz. Three years later, he packed up and headed east for culinary school in New York (where he met Gulczynski) before embarking on his chef’s journey, hopping from one restaurant to another, and gaining experience along the way.

“There wasn’t just one place where I learned it all,” Warring says of his expertise. “It was an accumulation from

“You put all of yourself into it because you want your guests to see, feel, hear, and taste the personal experience.

It’s a reflection of me.” –Chef Michael Warring SPRING 2020

37

sip & savor each restaurant I worked at. I learned how to cook fast and feed hundreds of people at one place; I learned to use more refined techniques at another place; and I learned how to talk to guests somewhere else.”

He used all of these experiences to build towards his ultimate goal: owning and running his own restaurant. And while the jobs may never have lasted long—as Warring puts it, “I always had one foot out the door”—he managed to pick up the ins and outs of the industry in record time.

“We want to keep guests satiated in a number of ways, beyond just food and wine. We want them to get something good out of their experience.” –Chef Michael Warring At the ripe age of 25, the chef relocated back to his native area to open up a restaurant done entirely his own way.

“Opening a restaurant, as a chef, is a very personal thing,” he says. “You put all of yourself into it because you want your guests to see, feel, hear, and taste the personal experience. It’s a reflection of me.”

Luckily for the chef, his personal touch caught on. Eight years after opening Michael Warring, he has a dedicated and enthusiastic community of diners backing him. And how could he not when he serves up dishes such as mushroom agnolotti, noodles in a dashi-rich broth, or maitake mushroom and shaved foie gras sorbet. And that’s before mentioning the wine and beer pairings that—thanks to Gulczynski’s expertise—take the menu to a whole other level.

But no matter how delicious the meal is, or what the next day’s menu has in store, Warring always points back to his guests and community as the driving force behind the restaurant.

“We want to keep guests satiated in a number of ways, beyond just food and wine,” he says. “We want them to get something good out of their experience.”

And though settling in Vallejo was somewhat of an accident (Warring had grand ambitions to land elsewhere in the Bay Area), it became one of the best accidents he could’ve asked for.

“We are happy with where we are at,” says the chef. “We have great guests, and we are free to do whatever we want.”

8300 Bennington Dr., Vallejo, (707) 655-4808. Dinner Wed.–Sun. Reservations required. • 38 SPRING 2020

FARM-FRESH AMERICAN FARE —&— PRE-PROHIBITION COCKTAILS HOURS:

thur 5-9pm. fri: 5-10pm sat: 4-10pm, sun: 4-9pm sunday brunch: 10:30am-2pm VISIT US:

14 Canyon Lake Drive Port Costa bullvalleyroadhouse.com 510-787-1135

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sip & savor

Dining & Drinking Guide

STUCK ON WHERE TO ORDER YOUR NEXT MEAL? CHECK OUT THESE PROFILES OF SOME OF THE AREA’S TASTIEST RESTAURANTS. BENICIA LUCCA BAR & GRILL Benicia's local bar and grill with a friendly atmosphere, great food, and refreshing drinks.

Offering a seasonal beer garden with live music Thursday through Sunday, Lucca has set a standard for local entertainment.

439 First St. (707) 745-3749 luccabarbenicia.com ! $ luccabarandgrill $$

pearlthaicuisine.com ! pearlthaicuisine benicia $ pearlthaicuisine $$

PEARL THAI CUISINE Discover authentic flavors at this homey restaurant.

870 Southampton Rd. (707) 747-9777

VENTICELLOS RISTORANTE ITALIANO This small, cozy restaurant evokes the warm scenes of Italy, complete with dishes such

BENICIA ROOKIES SPORTS BAR & GRILL Your favorite local hangout in downtown Benicia, serving up modern American fare with a twist. Feature 32 rotating craft beers, wine, and specialty cocktails. Happy hour Monday through Friday, 4–6 p.m. Never miss a game with our 25 TVs and NFL Ticket!

Mon.–Thurs.: 11–12 a.m.; Fri.–Sat.: 11–1 a.m.; Sun.: 9:30–12 a.m.

321 1st St., (707) 746-7665 rookiesbenicia.com !$ rookiesbenicia $$ CARQUINEZMAGAZINE.COM

as angel hair pasta with meatballs and calamari and mussels carciofi.

911 First St. (707) 747-5263 venticellos.com ! venticellosbenicia $ venticellos $$

CROCKETT/ PORT COSTA

JUDY’S PLACE This small Salvadorean eatery tucked away on Pamona Street in Crockett packs a big punch, delivering fresh ingredients with Latin flare.

1207 Pomona St. (510) 787-7768 !$ judysplace crockett $$

THE HONEY HOUSE CAFE Located inside the Burlington Hotel, this spacious, bright cafe offers a simple menu and a sunny, beautiful place to relax. The coffee is super strong.

2 Canyon Lake Dr. (510) 787-6795 thehotelburlington. com ! thehotelburlington $ honeyhousecafe

MARTINEZ HOMAGE The lunchtime eatery pairs age-old cooking techniques with locally sourced ingredients to create incredible dishes.

712 Main St. (925) 957-9063 homagemartinez.com !$ homagemartinez $$ SPRING 2020

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sip & savor MARTINEZ

Advertise your establishment in the CARQUINEZ DINING & DRINKING GUIDE! FOR JUST $50 PER ISSUE, YOU GET: • A 25-word description of your establishment • Your website and social information FOR $125 PER ISSUE, YOU GET: • A photo • A 50-word description of your establishment • Your hours • Your website and social information

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For information on ad rates and subscriptions, distribution, and other advertising questions, contact Deanne O’Connor at deanne@carquinezmagazine.com or call/ text (510) 823-0509.

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KINDER’S MEATS & DELI Three generations of the Kinder family craft a BBQ experience like no other, thanks to their award-winning smoked meats and sauces.

536 Center Ave. (925) 957-1400 kindersmeats.com !$ kindersbbq LA PRIMAVERA For 30-plus years, this hole-in-the-wall has been serving up authentic Mexican dishes in a welcoming environment. It’s a hidden gem.

1311 Pine St. #I (925) 229-2199 laprimaverarestaurant. com ! laprimavera restaurant $$ LEMONGRASS BISTRO This cozy restaurant reimagines traditional Southeast Asian dishes with an aromatic medley of flavors from Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia.

501 Main St. (925) 387-0388 lemongrass-bistro.com ! lemongrassbistro $ lemongrassbistro1 $$

VALLEJO

HOUSE OF SOUL From finger-lickinggood BBQ ribs to delectable peach cobbler, this down-home eatery continues the legacy of “Mama Soul.”

1526 Solano Ave. (707) 644-3792 houseofsoul.top-cafes. com $$ MICHAEL WARRING Michelin-caliber fare minus the price tag and the zip code. Chef Michael Warring serves an artfully crafted, seasonal six-course prix fixe that will have you rethinking fine dining.

By reservation only.

8300 Bennington Dr. (707) 655-4808 michaelwarring.com !$ michaelwarring $$$

RUTHIE’S CARIBBEAN KITCHEN Classic Caribbean dishes—including delectable strip steak with veggies and spicy jerk chicken wings— are the star at this stylish modern restaurant.

2632 Sonoma Blvd.

(707) 731-0452 ruthiescaribbean kitchen.business.site ! ruthiescaribbean kitchen $$ THE SARDINE CAN This gorgeous waterfront restaurant knows how to swing with live jazz evenings that perfectly complement its fresh seafood dishes.

1 Harbor Way (707) 553-9492 vallejosardinecan.com ! sardinecan $ vallejosardinecan $$

COURTESY OF ROOKIES

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VIC’S Family owned and operated, our goal is to provide an unforgettable dining experience, from our warm welcome to the care in the food we serve and sincerity in our service.

We create food and togetherness.

Vic’s will have a special place in your heart!

Tues.–Fri.: 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sat.–Sun.: 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

1500 Pacheco Blvd.

(925) 387-0886 vicsmartinez.com ! vicsmartinezca $ vics_martinez $$

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Sunset on the Carquinez Strait Photography by Debi Retterer debiretterer.com ! debiphoto $ debirettererphotography

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