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Visit RCPC and The Rockridge News on the Web! www.rockridge.org

Rockridge

VOL. 1S * NO.7 «
Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council * 5856 College Ave. #130 * Oakland, CA 94618 + 814-6060

SN NN Storm Over the Dorm $4 é

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CIRCULATION: 5.300 RESIDENCES: 200 BUSINESSES

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ISSUE NO. 159 ULY 8, 2000

4 Neighbors, — Project \— and RCPC express

2 views on CCAC’s proposal to build a 126-student fe all

- dorm at Clifton and Broadway ae

: T* California College of Arts and Crafts says it has run out :

: of room on its Broadway & College campus. To offset the

z steep rise in rents and to house freshmen close to where most
r of their classes are taught, the College proposes to build a new

: 126-student dorm and 38-car parking facility on a triangular

: lot at Clifton and Broadway owned by the college. When the | an _

‘ proposal was unveiled at the January RCPC general meeting, the eames !
be “ L

storm over the dorm” b ' } “y ;

5 articles. letters nd d . nh, e ate a flurr) of meetings CCAC proposes a combined dormitory and parking structure
; . ; CSET COANSES. € project snow fea INS to house 126 students and 38 cars to be located at the
3 toward a hearing before the Oakland Planning Commission. intersection of Broadway, Clifton, and Broadway Terrace. The
; Below are arguments for and against, and an explanation why rendering above shows the building as it might appear looking
: RCPC does not oppose the project. — Editor east from Broadway near Clifton.
Nos: The Case Against Yess Art Students Not Opposed: Why

: The Proposed CCAC Struggle to Find RCPC is Not Opposed

: Dormitory/Parking Affordable Housing To the CCAC Project

, Structure by Pam Kinzie, Project Manager by Chad Thompson, RCPC Zoning and
; by Patty Brunn, Spokesperson, aving been a venerable member of the Design Review Committee Chair
Rockridge community since 1907, ince its inception, the Rockridge

College Point Neighbors
Community Planning Council (RCPC)

has worked to preserve and enhance the
character of our neighborhood. Many
of our most visible battles have been in
Opposition to serious threats, such as
the Cigarettes Cheaper store and the
out-of-scale, out-of-character Dreyers
project. Generating energy to fight a “clear

the California College of Arts and Crafts
(CCAC) now faces the problem everyone
else is facing: the cost of housing is
skyrocketing. Students are being priced
out of the market! Unlike homeowners
who “fix” their housing cost at the time
of purchase, renters experience increases

annually.

wh? Vem

ost of the residents near the proposed
; CCAC dormitory and parking facil-
ity believe that the project as currently
planned should not be approved. Objec-
tions are based on the following quality
of life concerns: parking, traffic, noise
and litter, and aesthetics.

ae eT

as 6' aw acy

See “CCAC Project: Yes,” page 7 See “CCAC Project: RCPC,” page 9

See “CCAC Project: No,” page 6

RCPC Board Has Vacancies to Fill

A pplicants are sought to fill several vacancies on the Board of Directors of the Rockridge
ommunity Planning Council (RCPC), now in its 29th year of community leadership. _
Serving is a great way to contribute to the Rockridge Community and work on the issues of
most interest to you — zoning, traffic, safety, parks, library, schools, arts, history, communications, -
fundraising — you decide. You must be a resident of Rockridge (see www.rockridge.org for
boundaries), be able to attend board meetings the first Thursday of each month and be wis
to actively promote the welfare of our neighborhood. , BOS

Please send a one-page letter introducing yourself and describing your interest in serving on the
board to: Chad Thompson, RCPC Chair, 5530 Carlton Street, Oakland, 94618. S

—————

RCPC General

Meeting Agenda

|

July Meeting
Cancelled;

No Meeting
In August

i ee

— eS oPew at le eR 2 eee tl, ae ome A Tae A er ™ eee eee.)

Rdckridge News

LIBRARY UPDATES

We’ve Sealed the Floors, Now
We Need to Oil the Tables!

by Nancy Dutcher

(3° News: at long last, the granite entry and exterior walkways have ae
cleaned and sealed. The names and quotations are once again readable. We
apologize to all who complained about the difficulty in finding their tiles and hope
they are satisfied with the results. The Friends of the Rockridge Library paid for the
cleaning and sealing costs with money left over from our fund-raising efforts. This
should last for several years. (Note: funds donated to help with library maintenance
of the floor and furniture would be gratefully received. Mail a check payable to
FORL to Box 123, 5856 College Ave. Oakland, 94618.

NEEDED: a volunteer crew of five to six people to provide some elbow grease to
steel wool, and oil and wax the beautiful cherrywood tables in the library reading
rooms. Some just need a little oiling, but several years of sun and public use have
dried out a few of the table tops, requiring a good bit of that elbow grease. The
tables are solid wood, and, if properly maintained, will last for many years. It
should take a half day when the library is closed — a Friday or Sunday. We'd like
to get this done this summer. Please cal] Nancy Dutcher at 653-6018 if you can
help and we’ll set a date convenient for the whole crew.

Hunt Begins for New City Library Director

Rockridge and Temescal library leaders describe ideal candidate
by Cy Gulassa

hat skills should the new Director for Oakland’s Library have? Ask veteran
library supporters Nancy Dutcher, Chair of Friends of the Rockridge Library,
or Louise Kreifels, Treasurer of Friends of the Temescal Library. That’s exactly

what the City’s search consultant did at a community hearing in the Temescal
Library, Friday, June 23.

Dutcher and Kreifels wasted little time telling Los Angeles head hunter William
D. Hawkins that the new director must be an exceptionally strong leader who
can articulate needs and goals, raise money and be a “mouthpiece, a powerful
advocate, especially before the City Council which tends to treat the system like
a poor step child.” In addition, he or she must have excellent administrative and
people skills to delegate well, attract and hire talented employees, and set up an
effective communications network. The new director should “personally visit all
branches so that programs reflect local as well as system-wide needs.” That’s not
all. The new director must be able to implement a multi-year strategic plan, pursue

grants and commit to “stay on the job for a reasonable number of years.” The City
has had five directors in the past ten years.

Hawkins said he will assemble a pool of eight qualified candidates in August
and estimates the City will announce the finalist in September.

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FOR LIBRARY PROGRAM DETajr¢

RoéckridgeNews

9:30 p.m,

The Rockridge News, founded in |9g¢

: ; by Don
Kinkead, is published monthly in Oakland and |
sponsored by the Rockridge Community Plannin,
Council, a non-profit public benefit Organization
founded to: preserve and enhance the unique characte,
of the Rockridge neighborhood; promote the health
safety and quality of life of its residents; furnish a forum
for community involvement, and provide leadersh;
and representation of neighborhood interests é
Rockridge News Production

Cy Gulassa ....cessereseseseen Editor-in-Chief

Alice Wilson-Fried............. Writer

Ortrun Niesar..........c0cce The Rockridge Muse

Barry Kaufman .......scseseees Food

Michael Simon .........ececee0 Health

Theresa Nelson .....:.scsccessesssneses Neighborhood Merchant

Chris Ahlstrand.............000. Photography

Lydia Ganns......ssssessesesseereenee Photography

Madeline Alcorta.........0.00.. Advertising

Susan Montauk. ......ceseeeen Business Manager

Don Kinkead.........:cccccseeee Graphics & Layout

RCPC Board of Directors, 1999-2009

Chad Thompson .........000+ Chair

Susan Montauk.........ccccseeee Co-Vice-Chair

Ronnie Spitzer... Co-Vice-Chair

Fra CoN. oncccccnsssrnceves~s Secretary

Meredith Kaplan ................ Treasurer

Cy Gulassa, Dan Pitcock,
Marilyn Citron, Theresa Nelson

NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS

Yearly subscriptions to The Rockridge News
can be obtained by sending a check for $18, payable
to Rockridge News Subscriptions to: Rockridge News
Subscriptions at the address below.

CONTACTING THE Rockxripce News

w Are there community issues you'd like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?

mw Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?

m Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?

Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:

www.rockridge.org

The Rockridge News, 5856 College Avenue,
PMB 130, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 814-6060

NEwsLeTTeR ApvertisiNG/DEADLINES
Articles published in The Rockridge News may

be reprinted only with the permission of the

editors. Publication date of the next issue is
'@ September 9, 2000

@ September deadline is August 24.
To advertise, call Madeline Alcorta at
347-2896. (RCPC reserves the right to refuse

any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate.)

— a ~* -— ° =. a i ee ee r? ~4p Bnew et 4.4 Ue Eee Te - ap @]> «~= wv

July 8, 2000 Roéckridge News 3.

Chabot Class of 2000 { Stepping Out

CPC s; . th or _
sae ce hes Onna guates of 6 sole a talents, shared their poetry and their remarkable ability to sit and
and Rockridge’s brightest academic - Ar “ land District stand — sort of — with the wave of a teacher’s hand. Musical
pictures on the steps of Chabot ‘he “he | er clow ning for duets were often models of competitive fairness — sometimes the
auditorium filled with beamine _ . u ents marched into an piano finished first, sometimes the violin. A sign of our times,
streamers and a stage full of das, oe kids, balloons, —_ the principal had to warn the 10-year-old fledglings to beware
sorilla, courte. ; 7 | pandas, penguins, {lamingos, and a the dangers of drugs and sex as they migrate a few perilous
» Courtesy of parent volunteers. The students flaunted their —_ blocks to the uncertainties of middle school.

™ 4 CHasort Crass oF 2000

Ready to step out and strut
their stuff, Chabot 2000 class
members pause on the steps
for class photo shot at 1/1000
of a second, barely enough
speed to freeze frame their

jubilation over being released
to the big world.

Education is a family affair,
amply demonstrated by two
extended families at the
Chabot celebrations:

At left below, four generations
of the Drake family: From

left, Chabot 2000 grad Zakary
Drake, Grandmother Julie
Clark, Sister Hailey Drake,
Dad Dan Drake, Sister Ariel
Drake, Great Grandmother
Claire Stroud, and Mom Erika

Clark-Drake.

At left, four generations of the
Fraticelli family: Aunt Alicia
Fraticelli, Grandfather Ben
Fraticelli, Great Grandmother
Ruth Severns, Grandmother
Marianne Fraticelli, Mom
Theresa Fraticelli and Chabot
2000 grad Tianna Fraticelli.

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R&ckridge News __July 8, 2099

Four Alternative

Designs Proposed
For Rockridge
Greenbelt Park

by: Theresa Nelson,
RCPC Parks Committee

Naethors meeting at Peralta School
in mid-June reviewed four revised

alternative designs for the new Rockridge
Greenbelt Park. With Councilmember
Jane Brunner facilitating the discussion,
the group agreed on the need for more

play equipment, but failed to agree on
budget and design.

The drawings shown at right and below
depict two of four alternatives to the
designs presented in March, which had

See “Park Alternatives,” page 13

ALTERNATIVE | (7)
| Redondo and Clark saath fo P 2
BING WALL WITH OVERHANG iNe OM FENCE »

PHETIC SAFETY SURFACING |
- : _ YSe ZONE i

| | / “To4F-
an a “ 7 _ ~~

REDONOO AVE

REPLACE BOULDERS
®

© ic) ALOER

CLAAK STREET

Alternative | adds a one-sided climbing wall for children ages 8-15, that would
cost about $45,000. Other alternatives discussed in the accompanying article

modify park designs presented in March.
— — —— Se

—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_— "TT ee,
ALTERNATIVE 3
Clifton Corridor

}

Clif TOm STREET

Alternative 3 creates a flat area in
the middle of the Clifton Corridor,
relocates the path and provides
some terracing to allow for a future
play structure.

Alternative 2 (not shown) retains
the original path through the
corridor center and replaces swings
| at far right with a slide structure.
Alternative 4 (not shown) adds a
future play structure to the central

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AVOCADO ' \ ® nee COMPOSITE PLAY STRUCTURE é sume
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| area and retains swings.

\ “Ww-realtyadvocates.com (510) atthe

=e ements Pe ee Ne SE wae a ete

July 8, 2000

Klea Market

Bazaar to Benefit
Greenbelt Park

Turn those summer blues to green
on Sunday, July 30, at the DMV

by Susan Montauk

riends of the Rockridge-Temescal

Greenbelt (FROGS) will launch a
fund-raising drive for the community
Greenbelt Park (Hudson to Clark, off
Claremont) with a spectacular bazaar at
the Department of Motor Vehicles on
Sunday, July 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The wide-ranging flea market provides
opportunities for bargain shopping or
recycling stashed objets d’art. Kids will
enjoy climbing aboard a real fire engine,
learning evacuation procedures in a mock
Fire Safety House, driving a low-rider
talking police vehicle and engaging in arts
and crafts activities and games. Parents
can have their children fingerprinted for
the Oakland Police lost children file.
Plan to savor a variety of food dishes,
including pasta donated by the Columbo
Club. Listen to live “old rock and roll”
music by the King Bees and win raffle
prizes donated by local merchants. Park
design renderings will be displayed and
additional funding opportunities will be
explained.

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RdckridgeNews _

> FROGS (Friends of
the Rockridge- Temescal
Greenbelt) hop to it to
prepare a successful
spectacular bazaar to
initiate a fund-raising
program for park
development.

Pictured from left are
Jackie Freitas,

Carol McClellan,
Wally McClellan, and
Denyse Stearns.

Photo: Susan Montauk

Name

Flea Market Bazaar Stall Reservation

# of spaces

If you’ve been meaning to have a yard
sale but just haven’t gotten around to it,
100 spaces at $5/each will be available
to sell your wares. At least two spaces
are recommended for car parking/display.
Some spaces may be available on the day
of the event, but reservations are strongly
recommended. (Use coupon above for
space reservations.)

To simply donate items, a drop-off area
will be open from 8-10 a.m. at the Miles
Avenue parking lot entrance.

5352 College Avenue
2 - 2t AlIVQ NadO

Amount enclosed

Event takes place Sunday, July 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Vendors may set up at 9 a.m.

Flea Market spaces — $5 each for a space 8' X 18' — may be reserved by mail. Send checks
payable to FROGS BAZAAR, 5856 College Avenue, PMB 130, Oakland, CA 94618. (Deadline:
July 24.) Vendors will be asked to pledge 20% of sales to the Greenbelt Park. Your spaces will be
on the reservation list when you arrive. Enter parking lot at Miles.

Your Mecnerhers Pub

Phone

-—--_ = es oe ew oe eo re ele ese ll

he park will follow culverted Temescal

Creek from Hardy Park to Redondo
park. Completing the entire master plan
— landscaping, play structures and play
houses, sand and water play, a climbing
wall, picnic tables, decorative benches,
environmental and historical interpretive
signage, and footpaths — requires public
and private sources for an additional
$350,000. FROGS has a fundraising goal
of $75,000 to complete the master plan.

For information, to volunteer to help
on the day of the event, or if you have
an idea for a bazaar booth/attraction,
call Carol McClellan at 601-9010 (e-mail
wallysound @earthlink.net), or Jackie
Hoeppner Freitas at 428-2714 (e-mail:
jhflaw @earthlink.net). Call the RCPC
voice-mail to inquire about vendor spaces:
814-6060.

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—

——

6.

Rdckridge News

July 8, 2009
——="Y 8, 2009

CCAC Project: No

from page 1

The parking issue affects the widest
sweep of neighbors because CCAC students
already take up much of the daytime
parking on many of the streets east and
west of Broadway and College. The college
intends to house 126 full-time residents
on the site, but provide only 38 parking
spaces instead of the normal requirement
of 66, one parking space per unit. Because
many of these old neighborhood houses
have only a one-car garage/driveway, and
some have none, and the condominiums
are limited to one space per unit, neighbors
have endured parking problem for years.
But the situation will worsen: the college’s
estimate of the number of cars students will
own and their impact on the neighborhood
is faulty and unrealistic; it does not even
address the increase in parking during the
evening and weekends caused by family
and friends visiting students.

he proposed structure will increase

traffic in an already congested inter-
section and limit visibility. The dormitory
traffic would enter and exit via Clifton,
generate more traffic on Broadway Terrace
and impede the flow into Broadway. The
visibility at the junction of Broadway and
Broadway Terrace would be limited much
more by this building than it presently is,

| » from
and the afternoon sun might glare rom
the metal and glass and blind drivers

on Broadway as they turn right onto
Broadway Terrace. |

f the noise generated by the dormitory
Lorccenty on Broadway Is any indication,
the noise produced by 126f reshmen on this
site would be substantial. The dormitory
will be a magnet for parties and gatherings,
and some worry that the activity will attract
non-students of questionable character.
Also of concern is the constant white
noise from the heating and ventilating
system needed for a building of this SIZE.
Student litter is already an issue. Neighbors
are constantly picking up trash from the
streets, sidewalks and gardens. As stated
in the Environmental Impact Review,
“The proposed use of this project site 1S
considered by the Zoning Regulations
as ‘Extensive Impact Civic Activity.””
The college is proposing to install a new
community on this corner, one quite unlike
the one which surrounds it.

The aesthetic issue has many facets.
We are saddened by this major threat to
the character of our neighborhood. First,
we stand to lose our Broadway Terrace
Bay vista, which all of us enjoy. Even
worse for some neighbors is the size of the
building blocking the view — a large four-
story structure totally out of context and
scale with the neighborhood. The design

Studio One Readies for Renovation Drive

he Oakland Studio Arts Association (OSAA), Studio One’s advisory board, is

gearing up to launch a capital fundraising campaign to fully renovate and upgrade
the historic Studio One Art Center at 365 45th Street.

To prepare for this challenge, OSAA is looking for new board members with
architecture, accounting, legal, publicity or fundraising experience.

To help ensure that Studio One stays in our community while becoming an even more
vital and accessible art center for all Oaklanders, call Sandy Strehlou, 652-8084.

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and its materials are highly contemporary
and modular. CCAC says the building iS a
segue to its Campus and the neighborhood.
But the contemporary structures op the
CCAC campus blend with the historic
buildings among trees and behind the
CCAC wall. This building does not bleng
— it looms. Yes, we recognize that we
live in an urbanized area, however this js
qa destination neighborhood — Rockridg 7
Would the college maintain this ney
facility better than it has maintained jtg
other holdings? Could it control neon bee,
signs in dormitory windows? Two of the
questions asked by the EIR were, “Woulq
the project have a substantial adverse
affect on a scenic vista?” Our answer:
“Yes.” “Would the project substantially
degrade the existing visual character or
quality of the site and its surrounding?”
Our answer: “Yes.”

W e believe the development of this lot
as conceived by CCAC tries to do

too much as both a parking and dormitory
facility. The dual function overtaxes this
space, creating an out-of-scale structure
with inadequate parking. Could this site
instead hold a two-story parking structure,
landscaped and unobtrusive, solving a
huge problem for both the college and the
neighborhood? Could students be housed
on campus or in the general area as they
are now? How about a dormitory on the
site, less massive, with parking close by?
Is there another solution? Can the city
help in some way to accommodate this
jewel of an art school? We believe there
1S a solution which meets the needs of the
community as well as the college.

ORTRUN NIESAR

RockRIDGE Rear Estate MARKETING CONSULTANT

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July 8, 2000

Rdckridge News

; 1.

CCAC Project: Yes

from page 1

CCAC, a non-profit Organization,
provides training for fine artists and
graphic, industrial, and architectural
designers. From the paintings and sculpture
we might enjoy in our homes; the comput-
ers, dishware, books, bicycles, furniture
that we own; or the houses we live in,
remember that somewhere an artist or
designer gave these items the look and feel
that we love. The galleries and museums
that we cherish in our communities depend
upon a steady stream of artists to produce
work of note for our enjoyment. If we don’t
incorporate housing which is affordable
to these students into our community,
fewer students will have access to good

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education and we will suffer with the
end result.

CCAC is making every effort to address
this housing problem. Approximately
100 dorm rooms for upperclassmen are
being added in the YWCA building in
downtown Oakland. Freshmen, however,
are best housed at the Oakland campus
where most freshman core courses are
conducted. The existing campus dorm
houses only 34 students. The proposed
new dormitory will house 126 students.
Approximately 600 students attend classes
at the Oakland campus, an enrollment
similar to that of a small high school.

he proposed design of the dormitory

is consistent with the General Plan.
Because the college has an outstanding
architectural design program, it is highly
sensitive to the planning and aesthetic
issues in building projects. The design
of the facility has presented a challenge
since it must relate simultaneously to three
distinct adjacent contexts: the residential
neighborhood, the art school, and the
commercial zone along Broadway. CCAC
has carefully studied the site context and met
a number of times with nearby neighbors
to better understand issues and respond

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whenever possible in the evolving design,
while maintaining the high standards of a
school that teaches design.

This project brings numerous benefits
to the Rockridge community:

@ Aesthetic improvement of the neigh-
borhood: the new dormitory will replace
an unsightly surface parking lot. It will
create a more continuous streetscape along
Broadway and Broadway Terrace and
provide an appropriate transition from
civic/educational land use to residential
land use.

@ Stabilization of upper College
Avenue commercial neighborhood: in an
area beset by high commercial turnover,
the project will provide a solid customer
base for local businesses. The safety of
this area will be increased because more
pedestrians will be frequenting the area
in the evening hours.

™@ Reduction in the amount of street
noise: the building will serve as a sound
barrier to shelter the adjacent residential
areas from traffic noise.

@ Little or no increase in traffic: loca-
tion of housing near “jobs” will decrease
transportation trips. CCAC also promotes
the use of mass transit and provides a free
shuttle for students between its campuses
and housing facilities. The new dormi-
tory will continue to provide parking for
students and visitors, especially in evenings
and weekends when the neighborhood
demand for street parking is highest.

Please join in supporting this project.
The dormitory will not only provide
much-needed affordable housing for art
students, it will improve the physical
characteristics of the neighborhood and
increase the viability of local businesses
along upper College Avenue.

6038 college avenue BOSKO'S
oakland, california 94618
(510) 655-3966 picture

framing

on college avenue since 1945

wi wre
AATF

sm ™

Summer Time
Fruit

[' HAS BEEN HOT! When the temperature
gets over 90, my memories go back to
my childhood Brooklyn neighborhood.
Summer on the streets of New York —
families hanging out on the stoop, and
kids playing street games like punch-ball.
stick-ball, and johnny-on-the-pony. But
what I remember most from those hot.
steamy New York nights is eating summer
fruit. After dinner, my friends and I would
gather to devour peaches, plums, cherries,
nectarines, and melons. We would use
toothpicks to scrape out every morsel of
peach meat from the crevices of the pit.

You’ve probably noticed that the
summer issues of food magazines and
weekly newspaper food sections all feature
the standard barbecue and grilling recipes.
Enough of summer and barbecue! Let’s
celebrate summer with a look at the wide
variety of fruit we can find in our two
Rockridge produce markets, Market Hall
Produce and Yasai Market. You will also
find a good summer fruit selection at
Safeway and Albertson’s. And the wonder
of all, new summer fruit varieties arrive
weekly at the produce markets. Peach
Season is just starting; plums of every
variety will arrive in a few weeks, and of
course culminating with tomato madness
that begins in August.

While wondering through Market Hall
Produce and Yasai Market, I found myself
drawn to all the different types of melons.
So many melons, so little time. Most

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melons belong to two broad classes —
muskmelons and watermelons. The two
principal varieties of muskmelons are those
with netted skins that include cantaloupe
and Persian melon, and those with smooth
skins such as casaba, honeydew, and
crenshaw. The skin can range in color
from creamy white to jade green, with
many variations and shades in between.
Flesh colors vary and include beautiful
salmon, golden, lime-green and shades
of orange.

I found seven different types of melons
at the market: crenshaw, galia, temptation,
cantaloupe, honeydew, sharlyn, and orange
flesh. Although muskmelons of one variety
or another are available throughout most
of the year, they’re most abundant during
the summer. Years ago, my father, a short-
order cook and salad chef, showed me
how to find a “ripe” melon. Press the
blossom end of the melon firmly with
your thumbs. The melon should have an
ever So slight softness, but most of all, as
you squeeze a ripe melon, it will give off
a sweet perfume-like odor. You should
avoid melons that are very soft or feel
damp. Melons should be stored at room
temperature until they ripen.

Melons make excellent cold soups.

try
Living in a mostly Eastern European
immigrant neighborhood, my earlies
experience with cold soups was borscht
(beet) and schav (sorrel). As MY taste
became more sophisticated, I began eating
gazpacho and now melon soup. Start your
backyard barbecue with a refreshing bow
of melon, tomato, and cucumber soup, |
used a temptation melon from Market Hall
Produce for this recipe. But you should
experiment with different melons, Each
variety offers a different flavor.

SUMMER MELON, Tomato,
CUCUMBER Soup

(Adapted from The Silver Palate Cookbook. by
Julee Rosso & Sheila Lukins)

Ingredients

3 peeled ripe tomatoes (see note)

| medium sized temptation honeydew or any
other muskmelon, seeds and rind removed
| large cucumber, peeled and seeded
grated zest of /% small orange

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

4 cups sour cream (light or fat free is fine)

|. Combine the tomatoes, melons, and
cucumbers in a food processor. Process until
smooth. Transfer to a bowl

2. Stir in orange zest and mint. Whisk in
sour cream and chill

3. To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish some
chopped cucumber and a sprig of mint

(Serves 4-6)

Note: To peel tomatoes, cut an “X” on the
non-stem end. Plunge into rapidly boiling
water for about a minute or until skin begins
to split around the “X” cut. Remove with
slotted spoon and immediately put into an
ice-water bath. When cool, the skin easily
peels off.

Rockridge resident Barry Kaufman is a
student at the California Culinary Academy,

_ Greater Rockridge Omission: Mocha Lisa _

|" last month’s Rockridge Cornucopia review of College Avenue Coffee
Culture, | omitted Mocha Lisa, located on the corner of College and Alcatraz. :
Technically, Mocha Lisa, High Tech Burrito, the Buttercup, and Noab’s are in.

Berkeley. But Rockridge Neighbors embrace these shops as their own and part.
of what we like to call “Greater Rockridge.”

Mocha Lisa features McLaughlin roasted coffee and 2 wide selection of hot

and cold specialty teas. Distinctive among the other College Avenue coffeehouses _

are the baked-on-the-premises muffins, scones, and cookies. Owner Lisa Wilson -
is at Mocha Lisa by 6:00 a.m. every Saturday,

recipe for coffee mocha uses Ghirardelli chocolate and is the best you will find
in the Bay Area. Mocha Lisa is a social me
Large tables with comfortable chairs in the b
meetings. There is also a good representati

cyberspace and enjoying a cup of coffee

baking the fine pastries. Her secret

eting place for the neighborhood.
ack are ideal for business and social
on of the laptop crowd plugged into
or tea. Mocha Lisa makes “Greater

Rockridge” feel just like home. — Barry Kaufman

=

July 8, 2000

6 ee ee ee

tt es nl ie ee ee ee oe ES oe De nd

Réckridge News 9,

CCAC: RCPC

from page |

and present danger” is often easier than

doing the long, difficult work of getting
consensus for something.

About Appropriate Development

Over the years, RCPC has tried to
craft a vision of appropriate neighborhood
development. The principles of this vision
are embodied in the C-31 zoning designa-
tion for College Avenue and the Rockridge
Area Plan, produced in 1993. We desire
a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use “Urban
Village.” Traditionally, RCPC monitors
projects and tries to work with developers
to ensure they meet these standards. If
a project falls short or an acceptable
alternative can’t be achieved, RCPC wil]
oppose the development and lobby for
changes in plans. Once the standards are
met, RCPC drops its opposition but remains
vigilant. To maintain its independence,
RCPC does not endorse projects.

he southern portion of College Avenue

and the intersection with Broadway are
areas which can use some enhancement.
Fitting new buildings into the existing
developed environment is always a chal-
lenge. Even the best buildings will likely
have some impact on the immediate sur-

RCPC Opposes 4" Caldecott Bore

The Parking & Traffic Dilemma

Study flawed and impact on local communities ignored

he RCPC Board of Directors voted at its June meeting to oppose construction

of the 4" Caldecott bore based on the concerns detailed in the June Rockridge |
News issue and widespread community input. The Board believes that the study
as it now stands demonstrates neither the need nor cost-effectiveness of such a
project. In fact, the corridor’s worst problems stemming from the regular commute
direction traffic receive almost no relief from the proposed alternatives. The
Board also objects to the minimal consideration of impacts on local Oakland
streets, the lack of Rockridge mitigations in the initial project budget, and the
absence of Oakland planning staff in developing options. Until these issues are
fully addressed, the RCPC Board believes that our only responsible action is to
Oppose construction of the 4" bore.

In a related development, the Oakland Public Works Committee unanimously
approved a staff report recommending that the City not support construction
of a 4th bore unless and until certain concerns are addressed, among them
the lack of comprehensive mitigations for the City. This item should be placed
on the full Council agenda soon. For further information, visit our website at
www.rockridge.org or contact us at 814-6060.

The study advisory committee members are making life hot for MTC officials,

_ the group conducting the study. Demanding accurate comparison information, the

Policy Advisory Committee has postponed the next round of public meetings until
- their requests are met. These actions effectively postpone the study’s conclusion

_and provide hope that the corridor’s problems will finally be adequately addressed.
Identification of effective short and long-term congestion relief strategies would
- benefit the entire area and validate the study conclusions.

site. RCPC would like CCAC to have

Parking will always be an issue in a residents sign a “car-free” pledge and

provide transit passes as part of the rent or
student fees. Project residents should be

ineligible for on-street parking permits.

Regarding traffic, we believe a signal
should be added to the intersection of
Broadway and Broadway Terrace regard-
less of the outcome of this project.

compact neighborhood like Rockridge.
To build enough parking to eliminate
problems will just encourage more cars
to come into the neighborhood, making
traffic worse. Amenities for students,
including a 24-hour grocery store and
major transit lines, are near the proposed

roundings. While there is little enthusiasm
for the design of the CCAC project, the
proposed use seems like a good transition
between the institutional setting of the
college and the nearby residences. The size
and bulk of the building is not out of scale
with other nearby residential buildings.

College Avenue Chiropractic,
Acupuncture &@ Massage

oe gentle e relaxing © holistic treatment

—<———

Robert Pape, D.C.
- Carol Barnes, D.C.
Melanie Linebaugh, LAc

Call for appointment
510.428.0450

—————

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vita ee

(Near Alcatraz)

‘

6025 College Ave. *

(510) 595-0837

10. Rdckridge News

The 10th Life a ‘ee oS yeaa :
Of the Pussycat a )

Temescal festival commemorates
the history of a vacant lot

July 8, 2000

by: Theresa Nelson

) ‘rom Native American fishing village
|

! to an X-rated theater, the now-vacant

lot at the corner of S5lst and Telegraph
Avenue has had many lives.

Recently, hundreds of Rockridge and | i) 2 |
Temescal neighbors gathered at the site aie
to enjoy an evening of classic films,
community discussions and performances,

and to consider what should happen next
at the site.

ewe hi iewed in a display at 5Ist and
200 years of a Temescal site’s history was reviewe® :
Telegraph designed by Jeff Norman to show the continuity of use and to consider

on eneat »hoto: Lydia Gans (Inset photo of the Claremont Theatre,
ilities for the space. I ; _ |
future possib on srnal iructare that ultimately became the Pussy Cat Theatre, supplied by Jeff Norman

Beyond the Pussycat: Nine Lives of a
Neighborhood Landmark was conceived
and executed by Temescal artist Jeff Norman
of Shared Ground/Temescal. The event
brought together people of all ages, from
all walks of life who enjoyed a celebration
of community and found a magical sense
of a place in a vacant lot transformed to
impromptu performing arts center.

Beyond the Pussycat was supported in
part by a grant from the City of Oakland’s
Department of Craft and Cultural Arts
and the Parades, Runs and Street Festivals
Fund. Local businesses donated everything
from electrical hookups (RCPC Board
Member Dan Pitcock of Roberts Electric
and Global Entertainment) to high-end
sound systems (Rosemary Rodd of Leo’s
Professional Audio) to decorated cakes
and soft drinks (Temescal Merchants).
Door prizes and bingo prizes were given
away, courtesy of Temescal Merchants
and Dreyers. Residents Jennifer Dowling
and Ray Raineri presented a history of the
neighborhood the night before the event
at Carter Middle School, highlighting
decades of change in the neighborhood.

Rowers brought picnics and staked
Out sites to sit. Music, dance and

spoken-word performances such as the
Lemon Limelights, Opera Piccola, The
Ranis, Snakes in Eden, and Stikman
and McWoman entertained the crowd.
Children made glitter sticks and other
crafts at a booth run by the East Bay
Depot for Creative Reuse. Steve Costa
and other neighborhood residents ran
several “community conversations” where
participants described their ideas for the
future of the site. Possible uses included a

performance space, park, store (clothing
and other items), movie theatre, or café
with a creek running through it. Photos
of neighbors who were interviewed were
posted on the fence now surrounding the
lot, and videographers and photographers
covered the event. My nine-year-old
daughter commented, “I wish we had
movies here every Saturday night!”

At sunset, the final act began: Eileen
Suzio, longtime 49th Street resident,
showed a collection of home movies of
life in the 50s. From mothers in pearls
and high heels to children wearing white
shirts and dresses, it was a window into
a different time. The film of the hula hoop
contest at the old Vern’s Market drew the
evening’s best applause. Finally, everyone
settled down for a screening of the classic
Buster Keaton film, “Sherlock, Jr.’ Original

The media says the market

Pi,

CS Oaraya SL lotley
is slowing. What does that mean in Rockridge?

During the month of April, 19 residential properties went pending &
sold in the Rockridge community. In May, 34 went pending and sold.
This is a 79% increase.

New listings increased by 89% in one month alone. This increase in supply,
or inventory slightly decreased the demand by widening the choice for buyers. |
Properties were still overbid by 18% in May,

It is still a HOT Market.
Call me for more information....

music by The Dactyls accompanied the
film, blending acoustic instruments with
an array of percussion objects. Following
the show, homemade horns were handed
out to the crowd, and we packed up our
picnics and left the site, blowing our horns
all the way home.

|S ieee thanks go to Jeff Norman,
who conceived and organized the

event. His vision revealed the vacant lot
to be full of the past and encouraged hope
that soon it will again be an important
part of the community.

The rich exhibit, “Nine Lives of a
Neighborhood Landmark” remains posted
at the site along the fence at Slst and
Telegraph. Take a few minutes to read this
fascinating summary of local changes over
the past 200 years, an illuminating example
of cultural and historical research.

paisa

If you are buying or selling in
Rockridge look to your
Complete Real Estate Resource- |

Saraya Motley (510)280-2162

Red Oak Realty a

2983 College Avenue + Berkeley, CA 94705

july 8, 2000

an

os one Cae 2. * Pe —_ * = Tt oe At, @, * a’? = it ae oe wet ee Fil a 7 a ee

R&ckridgeNews

11.

Going to
The Seashore

Remember when summertime meant
going to the seashore for weeks and
months on end ? There was this old.
fashioned notion around that people
needed some time away from everything
ro replenish body, mind and Spirit.

And so, many of us grew up spending
idie summer days doing nothing terribly
important, reading lots of books, hanging
out with friends we didn’t see every
day. And after a while we would come
home again, ready to hit the ground
running, hearts and minds refreshed and
new.

Here is Our current version of this
summer idyll: We jet to Hawaii for a few
days lashed to a long electronic tether,
and then we boomerang back, our brains

Claremont

er rr; re, " ee rr © tat ; A - >

BA eae Le Sr ee Be i hy ft ri die Sip Ae e
~
;

EOP ATO GA
DD Sy FY

es £e < ee a a ae
SOE ae Po he 6 RO Or Be

GREAT GIFT IDEAS

Photographs
Etchings
Lithographs

from $30- $500

Visit our New Gallery
2907 Claremont Ave (at Ashby)

near the Claremont Hotel.

Open by appointment Call:

(S10) 848-9300

7
Lis, i> “te ‘oe as er “ 1» ae Md a 7 > .y,
. . » Mam Oe". w+ Ft S Kew y - Pa Z en Le va . , . “7 Fie al

+ 4 2

by Ortrun Niesar ;

still compressed and perfectly preserved
In the same neat and tidy boxes they
were shipped in in the first place. No
spiritual or creative respite here. And
it's a point missed.

Summer is a time to relax a little, to
think out of the box. Maybe we don’t have
as much time for idle leisure any more.
But the seashore is always there. It is a
state of mind. You can go there anytime.
Just turn off that dang cell phone, give
the Internet a rest and head unarmed
Out into the unknown. Conceivably that’s
just a step away from you. Do a thing
you never did before: Talk or listen to a
person you have never met — or listened
to — before. Sketch a tree. Be a bird.
Learn to juggle. Try cooking something
without a recipe. Do nothing square,
nothing finite, nothing that comes with
instructions. Then feel the briny water
and warm sand between your toes....
Simple, no?

Oakland At Your Feet

If you’ve experienced historic Oakland
only from the window of your car, why
not make a date this summer to see it
all on foot. Be prepared to be surprised.
Downtown Oakland is undergoing a
major rebirth even as we speak, with
new buildings nudging old ones being

iP MAMAS
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7 CONTEWPORARY WOMEN'S CLOTHING, \
ACCESSORIES, VEWELRY, HATS, WHIMSICAL

. (OANC bY AND VISIT!
GiETS, AND 600KS! | i ce mM
| j QAKLAND, (A 94618

ALWAYS HONORING OAKLAMR

lip A

|

:

restored at a pace we have not seefl
in many years.. A good place to start
rediscovering our fascinating City might
be the Pardee House. It’s the one you
see from Freeway 980 near Preservation

Park and you've always meant to visit
one day. The Pardee Home, one of finest
historic houses in Northern California, is
inviting you to come see their progress
as well as enjoy a new program of salon-
style evening events this summer called
“Oakland Remembers.” Then call OHA
(763-9218) for their current schedule
of walking tours running right through
August.

This is a journey you'll never forget.
You'll never have to ask again where

Jingletown is, or doubt that Oakland had

a cable railway.

For other free tours put on by the
City of Oakland , call 238-3234.Volunteer

guides are always welcomed by all these
organizations, by the way.

Odds And Ends

Anyone interested in joining us for
our project, Rockridge 2000 A Pictorial
Essay?

We are a loosely organized group
of photographers and other creative
types who are working toward putting
together a portfolio of Rockridge images
for exhibition and publication in the
spring of 200].

Call me for more information at
652-6664.Also, thinking ahead, if you have
any interesting story ideas for future
articles, please let me know. Right now,
| would love to hear from the story
tellers and puppeteers in our midst. |
know you are out there.

Wishing all of you a wonderful
summer at the seashore!

SIERRA CLUB
BOOKSTORE

Specialists in travel & field guides
maps ¢ globes « and activist books

Visit our web site
www.sierraclubbookstore.com

(510) 658-7470

6014 College Ave., Oakland
M-Sat 11-6 Sun 12-4

12.

Rdckridge News

July 8, 2000

Rleiassifiedis

Your Message Here

Your 36-word message: $18 (phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5856 College Avenue, #130, Oakland, CA
94618. September deadline is August 24.

Jazz & Classical Piano Lessons
Rockridge jazz pianist with Berkeley Music
B.A. offers lessons in theory, eartraining, blues,
jazz, technique, beginning and intermediate

classical. Experienced, patient teacher of all
ages! Janet, 653-6783

Elder Caregiver
seeking live-in position. Experienced, licensed

graduate student. Quiet and non-smoking.
486-8243

voice/faxi510/428.0305

e-mailidbrarch@sirius.com

Daniel Ruark
Architect

Additions

Lic #699595
Service, Repair, Drain
& Sewer Cleaning

SEAN COLLINS : 654-5793

/ | Check Your...

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Submit Items To RCPC COMMUNITY CALENDAR,
5856 College Avenue, #130, OAKLAND 94618 or call 814-6060.

College Avenue Adult Activities Center
College Avenue Presbyterian Church, 5955 College Ave.
All activities Wednesdays, 11-noon. Lunch follows, $1.75.
Slide and video (V) shows (SS) in Lighthouse Room.
July 12: (V) “History of Modern Household Appliances”
uly 19: (SS) Bob and Jessie Neptune
July 26: (SS) “Hanoi, Vietnam", Cathy Connelly
Aug. 2: (SS) “Sweden”, Charles Fitch
Aug. 9: (V) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
\ Aug. 16: (V) “Liberace”

Aug. 23: Social
I jug. 30: BINGO

 —

y 15 City Center
y 19 Uptown to the Lake

y 22 Churches & Temples
y 26 Chinatown
uly 29 Old Oakland Historic District

-

4

ce cc &

4

no

Gripe Session, Working with Elders
Beginning Wednesday, July 12, 3-5:30 p.m. at the Rock-
ridge Library, 5366 College Avenue. This free class
meets the second Wednesday of every month. Call
Pam Wong, 879-4090 for information. PLeasant Vattey
Aputt ScHoot, Oaxtano Uniried Scoot District

IGreenbelt Fleamarket Bazaar

I Sunday, July 30, 10-4 p.m. at the Department of Motor

j Vehicles parking lot (Miles/Cavour). Sell or buy flea

, market wares; live music, food and drinks, entertainment

, for the kids and fire engine and firehouse safety lessons.
Parking on DMV lot off Claremont Avenue. Call 814-6060

J for market stall reservations @$5/stall and see Bazaar

icle on page 5.
| artic pag

jJane Brunner North Oakland

, Community Summer Picnic
Sunday, July 30, 1-5 P.M., Temescal Park picnic site,

I parking lot off Broadway Terrace. Barbecue and drinks
| provided. Salad & dessert dishes welcome.

pNCPC Meetings

i Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) meets
2nd Thursday of each month, 7:30 p.m at the Methodist

I Church, Manila/College. Public invited.

lOakland Tours

I Discover Ookland’s changing skyline, landmarks, churches

| and high rises on one of many free guided walking tours

offered Wednesdays and Saturdays, May through October.
Call 238-3234 to add your name to our mailing list and to

I receive a 2000 Schedule. Log on to www.oaklandnet.com,

| click on the community link for map, dates and

" starting places. Sunday, July 16, 2-4:30 p.m., An African
American Walking Tour of Downtown. Meet at Preserva-

Bion Park Entrance-13th/MLK Way. Call OHA 763-9218.

I OHA members $5 donation, $7 general.

July 8 Preservation Park
July 12 Downtown Historic District

Mon-Fri 9:30 - 6:00
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
CHIMES

- PHARMACY

Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College
—— Near Alcatraz

652-1990

Rockridge Branch Library

5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
Srorytimes FoR Juty aNd Aucust, 2000

Toddler Story Times-Saturday mornings, 1030 a.m: 7/15, "
7/22, 7/29, 8/5,8/12, 8/19 and 8/26
Pre-School Story Times-Tuesdays: 7/18, 8/1, and 8/15 at i

ee eee

10:30 & 11:00 a.m. Hf
Pajama Story Times-Wednesdays: 7/12, 7/26, 8/9, 8/23
at 7:00 p.m.

Special Programs: Wed. 7/05, 7 p.m.-Musician Gary Lapow§
Wed. 7/19, 7 p.m.-Snapdragon Puppets doing The Big {
Little Circus”

Wed. 8/16, 7 p.m.-Barangay (Philippino Folk Dance)
Sat. 8/16, 3 p.m.-Flying Calamari Brothers-Magic Show
Wed. 9/6, 7 p.m.-Bubbleman and The End of Summer
Reading Party A
Oaxtano Pustic Lisrary SuMMER READING Game began
June 15, 2000 and ends August 19. Read any books you 1
choose, keeping track of your time on our gameboard,

and get prizes when you visit the library! Sign up on or
after June 15 at Rockridge branch, or at any Oakland

Public Library.

Lawyers in the Library: Free advice 6-8 p.m., first

Thursday each month. Signup starts at 5:00.

STUDIO ONE ART CENTER

365 45th Street, 597-5027 Some summer classes for
12-15 year olds, Monday-Thursday, 4-6 p.m. in photogra-
phy, painting and drawing, and ceramics.

Early risers. Conquer your fear of public speaking
and develop leadership skills in a supportive, relaxed
and friendly environment. Join Toastmasters. 7:00 a.m.

every Thursday. Please call 510/251-3066 or email:

{
:
{
{
f
:
TOASTMASTERS
;
y
spk2@flash.net fl

j

ATTENTION
HOMEOWNERS
I will show you how to

get top dollar for your
home and sell it now.

Selling Homes in the
East Bay since 1980.
Speak five Indian languages.

FATIMA ALI
510/845-0211
Buyali@aol.com

Prudential
—__Galifornia Realty___

uly 8, 2000

13.

Letters to
The Editor

The Rockridge News

5856 College Ave. #1309
Oakland,CA 94618

HYDRANGEA ALERT!

EpITOR:

ow that Hydrangeas are in ful] bloom,
Neivace be on the lookout for Strangers
(thieves) cutting your Hydrangeas to sel]
at the flower marts. For the past couple
of years, my plant has been robbed of its
beautiful flowers during the night. Not
only have mine been stolen (and the bush
hacked), but also my neighbor’s, I know
of one instance when a friend came home
to discover a person in their front yard
cutting the flowers. This is stealing!
Unfortunately, the Police Department does
not find this a crime worth investigating,
but aS a community, we can be on the
lookout and possibly stop the person(s).
It is acrime to have our bushes robbed of
their beauty for someone else’s profit.

Miss Hane
Locksley Avenue

Stock Market
Bubbles Come and
Go

We seek consistent
gains for the long term in
all market environments.

For a copy of our free
brochure, call Larry Luce
at 510-649-9261.

Mutual Fund Monitor

Registered Investment Advisor
Since 1985

Managed Accounts using

No-Load Mutual Funds
1600 Shattuck in North Berkeley

Park Alternatives

from page 4

some good elements but lacked active
play areas for children of various ages.
Alternative | adds an activity at Redondo,
a one-sided climbing wall for ages 8-15,
Costing about $45,000. Alternative 2
removes the four sling swings in the
Clifton Corridor, and adds a natural-
looking play structure with 3 slides for
younger children, ages 2-5, costing about
31 1,000. Alternative 3 creates a flat area
In the middle of the Clifton Corridor,
relocating the path and doing some ter-

racing to allow for a future play structure
to be built.

Atemiive 4 is really phase two of
Alternative 3 (see illustration, page

4), as it includes a larger, natural-looking
play structure in the Clifton Corridor,
which could handle ages 3-12, and keeps
the swings. This structure runs about
$80-100,000, including installing required
resilient play surfaces. All the designs
include increased planting and screening
for neighbors. The designers noted that
there is insufficient space at Redondo for
a play structure because the trees do not
allow room for the required “fall zone,”

nor is there space in the upper Clifton
Corridor area near Hardy.

Participants agreed to move the path
in the Clifton Corridor, leaving space for
a future multi-age play structure, parents
of young children want ti located in the
middle of the Clifton Corridor. Most liked
the climbing wall as an option for older
children. Designers will produce new
drawings reflecting these preferences.
(Tounetimemer Brunner announced

that the owner of the former Safeway
site is negotiating with Children’s Hospital
to convert the building to office use. Not
all current parking would be required, so
the community may seek to negotiate some
of the area by the creek for a larger play
structure. This is a speculative option.

Two subcommittees are forming to
work on the corridor play structure location
and on the possibility of the Safeway site.
Please contact Councilmember Brunner’s
office to serve on a committee.

Fundraising opportunities are being
developed (see article, page 5) for play
equipment, benches, entry features, and
other amenities, which will be announced
September in The Rockridge News.

For more information on the fundrais-
ing committee, please contact Steve Costa,

655-4818.

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14.

Rédckridge News

July 8, 2000

BURGLARIES

Officer Watson, our Community Policing
Officer, reports a rash of residential burglaries
in the month of June, many occurring during
daylight hours. Burglaries or attempted
burglaries were reported on the 5200 and
5400 block of Shafter, the 400 block of 6Ist
Street, the 400 block of 63rd Street, and the
5500 block of College. She advises locking
all windows when not at home and turning
on burglar alarms.

RoBBERY

The police responded to a robbery on
the corner of College Ave. and Forest, June
8, 3 a.m. No details available.

STRONG-ARM ROBBERIES

An attempted purse snatching occurred
May 9, 12:40 p.m., on the 400 block of Forest.
The two assailants were thwarted by the
victim and the intervention of a concerned
bystander. Officer Watson reports a wallet
stolen from a pedestrian June |, 2:15 p.m.,
on the 5500 block of College Ave. The
suspect approached from behind, bumped
the victim, grabbed the wallet and ran. He
was described as an Hispanic male, 18-24,
5'10", 165 pounds, with short hair, wearing a
white ball cap. An attempted purse snatching
occurred Saturday, June 10, on the 6300 block
of College at 11:30 a.m. The suspect, a black
male in his mid-teens, 5° 7" with a stocky
build, wearing a black T-shirt, attempted to
grab the purse, knocking the victim down
in the process. When the victim would not
release it, the suspect ran to his bicycle and

5 gROCKRIDGE z
CRIME
‘REPORT

Reach Rockridge community policing Officer
|. Watson by paging her 1|:00-11:00 p.m.,
Tuesday through Friday, at 330-4539; at the
tone, enter your return phone number. Officer
Watson urges residents not to hesitate to report
Suspicious activity to the police using the non-
emergency number, 777-3333. Dial 911 to report
suspected crimes in progress.

rode away up Claremont Ave.

On Wednesday, June 21, 11:05 p.m.,
an individual was shot in the hip when he
refused to surrender his wallet during an
attempted mugging on Oak Grove Ave. The
two assailants fled on foot toward Forest
Street. Neighbors came to the victim's aid,
and the police investigation is continuing.
Officer Watson says it is generally advisable
not to resist if faced with a demand to
surrender property.

Suspicious INDIVIDUAL

On Thursday, June |, from 10:00 to
10:30 p.m., a suspicious individual knocked
on doors at residences on the 300 block
of Clifton, 5300 block of Manila, and the
5150 block of Coronado, each time giving
a different reason for needing money. The
Suspect was described as a black male,

Dial 814-2255
(814-CALL)

to report suspicious
activities or to hear
weekly updates on
criminal activity
In Rockridge

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approximately 5'10", in his late 30s or
early 40s, clean-shaven with shaved head,
wearing gold-rimmed glasses. The police
were notified.

Officer Watson reports that a man has
been entering yards, claiming to be looking
for his dog “Oscar.” He may be casing homes
and should be reported to the police using
the non-emergency number (777-3333). The
suspect Is described as a black male, 6'|",
25-35, thin build with pocked complexion
and hair in a |" natural cut.

THEFT

A resident of Manila Ave. near Clifton

reports that a large number of hydrangea
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R&ckridge News

15.

a

THE NEIGHBORHOOD MERCHANT
BY THERESA NeLson

rn eson

COTTON AND Company

5901 College Avenue,
10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m,

n a sunny June morning, I had a

before-hours look inside the new
location of Cotton and Company and a
chance to talk about changes in children’s
retailing with owner Claudette von Rusten.
A longtime Rockridge resident, Claudette
runs the store with her daughter, Dawn
Grundler.

Like many other specialty children’s
stores, Cotton and Company has ridden
the wave of the second baby boom. After
opening in 1990 at the corner of Chabot
and College, the infant/maternity section
moved to the Capezio building in 1995,
cribs and bedding to the former frozen
yogurt store in 1998, and a companion
store opened in Lafayette (a game of
musical stores?). Last March Cotton and
Company made its big move into former
Global Video, a 5,000 square-foot space,
and now plans to expand next door into the
vacated Tribeca Restaurant. Claudette’s
aim in consolidation is to create more
room for displays, enhance access for

a

Welcoming You Home To
Rockridge

|
I

=
-_

y =; -

The GRUBB Co.
510.339.0400

grubbco.com

———————— ,

Chris AAlstrand

Photo

Oakland 653-8058
Monday - Saturday

the disabled and make the place more
kid friendly with fun colors and motifs.
Customers are immediately struck

by the Stunning carpet, Kelly green
with children’s
drawings and
the ABCs and
123s of child-
hood. When
Customers ask,
Claudette tells
this story: “I’ve
always loved
children’s art,
SO my sister,
who’s an artist,

helped me
design it,
inspired by

carried by the store.
some of the y

children’s art we’ve collected at the stores
over the years. The carpet was made
especially for us, but we’ve had so many
requests we may start to sell it as well.”

(veren and Company is known for
the Flapdoodles brand, cotton knits
in luscious colors and prints in sizes
from newborns to 14-16s. Claudette, who
says, “I’m a bit French myself,” also sells
popular French and Italian brands. Her
philosophy is to shun faddish clothes,
which are often poorly constructed, and
stick with high-quality basics and special-
occasion items. The maternity section
includes Japanese Weekend, Mother To Be,
Carewear, and nursing bras and pumps.
A shimmery green warm-up jacket and

Norman 4, Bura, DDS

General Dentistry

(510) 652-1517

Cotton & Company employee Alemtsehay
Tsega shows the wide array of shoes

Photo: Chris Ahlstrand

5700 Broadway, Oakland

A Prevention Oriented Practice

black athletic top with pants caught my
eye. Clearly, maternity wear has changed
a lot over the years.

“Many young families make use of the
store’s gift registry for their new babies,
Claudette explains, “and then bridge to
tough-wearing pre-school and elementary
wear like the popular ‘trekker’ pants.
Trekkers are unique to her store and
the only pants my child was unable to
wear through at the knees. For style-
conscious kids, the classic cargo pants and
print t-shirts maintain
the high quality and
simplicity both they
and parents want, up
to size 16. Claudette
stocks camisoles and
crop-top bras for young
girls as they develop,
but she encourages par-
ents to help their kids
stay children as long
as possible with age-
appropriate clothing.
Shoes from Elefanten
and Doc Marten span
sizes from first walkers
to big-kid size 5, and a shoe card program
awards a free 10th pair.

While customers come for quality
selections, they also appreciate the cheerful
service of an experienced staff. Claudette’s
daughter Dawn, a wonderfully cheerful
young woman, is asked for by name by
many neighborhood children and receives
valentines and flowers from her young
customers. One adult customer introduced
Dawn to her future husband, and a young
customer was the flower girl at Dawn’s
wedding.

B oth mother and daughter clearly enjoy

the long-term relationships they have
built with their customers. As the store
opens this morning, Claudette greets a
young mother by name, assists her with a
maternity selection, and helps her daughter
try on a feathered and bejeweled dress-up
outfit. Another mother-to-be asks for help
with nursing equipment, and Claudette
(a grandmother herself) details options.
As long as the baby boom continues
in Rockridge — and from the looks of
the store on a weekday morning it is
going strong — Cotton and Company will

provide the quality and service customers
want.

Rdckridge News

~ - ee?

a), a tf." ‘evr pet ie > «~8. 40 7 + ma Sar iar €. ”“@aye eS. * i 1 a

July 8, 2000

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