Extracted text · highlighting “Neil Getz”

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VOL. 18    •    NO. 1  •  ISSUE NO. 186 •  January 4, 2003!                              CIRCULATION: 4,500 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES

Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 814-6060

Caldecott Plan = Rockridge Gridlock?

a g e n d a:
RCPC General Meeting
Thursday, January 23, 7:00 p.m.
NOTE: Regular location, special start time!
Rockridge Branch Library
Community Room
5366 College Avenue (at Manila)
■  The Caldecott Tunnel Project
and Other Traffic Issues
Review the current status and time-
line of the Caldecott Improvement
Project. Review and prioritize local traffic
& pedestrian safety issues and add any
newly identified concerns. See article at
right and at bottom for details.

Will another
tunnel bore in the
Caldecott
complex worsen
traffic problems
in Rockridge?
PHOTO: DON KINKEAD
top of a list of traffic issues that will be
discussed at the Rockridge Community
Planning Council’s January 23 meeting.
The Caldecott Improvement Project, in
particular the addition of a fourth bore,
presents the most significant long-term
challenge to traffic flow and capacity in
Rockridge. CalTrans is currently gathering
public input on its proposals for the area
(see box at bottom of page). The decisions
that follow could lead to mind-numbing
“gridlock” in Rockridge in the not too
distant future.
That project and a variety of other
traffic safety issues are on the agenda of
the newly reorganized RCPC Traffic and
Pedestrian Safety (T&PS) Committee.
Now chaired by Michael Whitfield,
newly appointed RCPC Board Member,
Traffic challenges for Rockridge
by Michael Whitfield, Chair, RCPC
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Committee
The impact on Rockridge of the Calde-
cott Improvement Project is at the

Brunner Meeting Hosts Top Crimebusters

by Susan Montauk
Oakland police stand ready to protect College
Avenue pedestrians and shoppers despite voters’
refusal in the last election to approve funding for
an expansion of the understaffed Oakland Police
Department, OPD leaders assured North Oakland
residents recently.
Chief of Police Richard Word and Police Service
Area 1 Lieutenant Lawrence Green met with residents
at Councilmember Jane Brunner’s December Advisory
Meeting, describing
strategies to curb a
CALDECOTT, PAGE 3
CRIME MEET, PAGE 6

OPD listed six
armed and strong-
armed robberies
along College the
second week of
December. Lt.
Green: “We have
the tools to deal
with the problems.”

CALDECOTT PLANNING: Hurry for Input at Final CalTrans Scoping Meeting

January 9 is the date of the
last in a series of Public
Scoping Meetings that Cal-
Trans is holding to gather
community feedback on its
plans for the Caldecott Tunnel,
including a possible fourth
bore. The first was in Orinda
on December 11, and the
second was in downtown Oak-
land on December 12. The
final meeting will be held
Thursday from 7 to 9 pm at
Peralta Elementary School,
460 63rd Street.
CalTrans has built a dis-
play that represents the
overall approach, the options
moving forward and their
current thinking about the
development needs of this
transportation project from
now through 2030.
The scoping feedback pro-
vided by individuals or the
community at large (through
RCPC) will be integrated into
two reports on environmental
impact required by federal
and state law respectively.
CalTrans will use these two
reports to move the project
forward through funding
approval and construction.
Residents will have one
final opportunity to provide
feedback after Caltrans has
completed the option screen-
ing and evaluation phase and
selects the project option it
plans to implement.
RCPC urges Rockridge
residents to stop by the Cal-
Trans meeting on January 9,
then bring their concerns to
RCPC’s General Meeting on
January 23.


January 4, 2003
2.

Around the Neighborhood

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY

by Jacqueline Tasch, Editor, The Rockridge News
“I
sn’t it interesting how Rockridge is being taken over by
women between, say, 45 and 60?” my host says from
the head of the dinner table, appearing not at all dismayed
by this situation.
It’s easy to see how he drew his conclusion: three out of five
people at the table were women between, say, 45 and 60—one of them
being his wife. But is Rockridge being taken over, demographically or otherwise?
As a former newspaper journalist, I think maybe I’ll look for some facts on the
subject, so I head for my trusty laptop and check out the 2000 data on the U.S.
Census Bureau’s website.
Like my friend’s dinner table assumption, a lot of our
ideas about the neighborhood may depend on where
we go and who we see. Rockridge is 77% white, 5%
Hispanic, and 5% African American, but you wouldn’t
think so if you shop in Safeway or Albertson’s. One
coffee shop is full of students bent silently over laptops
and books, the next has clusters of folks over 40, engaged
in conversation.
On College Avenue at midafternoon, the place can
seem overrun with young mothers and tots in arms
or strollers. In fact, only 22% of Rockridge households
include children under 18, compared to 40% of California
households, and Rockridge has fewer children under
19—about 17% of our population and 30% of the state’s
population.
It turns out that about 34% of Rockridge households are occupied by a single person
(at least until the Census legitimizes cats and dogs), compared to only 23% of California
households. If you think that’s all students from Berkeley, consider that Rockridge has
about the same percentage of people in the 19 to 34 range as the rest of California. We
also have about the same percentage of people over 65 years old.
Which brings us back to my neighbor’s playful assertion at the dinner table. It
appears that the Rockridge population bubble—at least in comparison to the rest of
California—is indeed in middle age. Nearly 25 percent of the population is between 45
and 60, and slightly more than half the people in Rockridge are women. That means 12.5
percent of Rockridge residents are “women of a certain age.” In California as a whole,
the same math would give us about 8.5 percent middle-aged women.
If we stretch his age range a bit, nearly two-thirds of Rockridge’s population is
between 35 and 60, compared to less than half of the state’s population. Why, we could
rename the place Boomerland. Or not.
At this point I’m pretty impressed with my neighbor. Either he’s taken time off
from being a geologist to poke around the Census Bureau’s website, or he’s so
attuned to his social environment he should be employed at some think tank. So
I look further. My neighbors and I live in Census Tract 4002, which has slightly
fewer families with children but about the same balance of men and women and
people 45 to 60 years old as the rest of Rockridge, and about the same percentage
of people living alone.
It turns out that my street—Ross Street and Ross Circle—is Census Block 1006.
There’s very little data available at this smallest level of analysis, but it does say that of
13 households on the street, 9 are inhabited by people 45 and older.
So, demographically speaking, it looks like my neighbor may not be entirely wrong
in asserting that women between 45 and 60 are taking over the neighborhood. As for
whether we’re taking over in other respects, I think that’s obvious.

5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Monday, Tuesday, Saturday: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday: 12:30-8 p.m.
Closed: Friday and Sunday
SEE COMMUNITY CALENDAR, PAGE 15,
FOR LIBRARY PROGRAM DETAILS.
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don
Kinkead, is published monthly in Oakland and is
sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning
Council, a non-profit public benefit organization
founded to: preserve and enhance the unique character
of the Rockridge neighborhood; promote the health,
safety and quality of life of its residents; furnish a forum
for community involvement, and provide leadership
and representation of neighborhood interests.
Like my friend’s
dinner table
assumption, a
lot of our ideas
about the
neighborhood
may depend on
where we go and
who we see.
Rockridge News Production
Jacqueline Tasch..................Editor-in-Chief
Margret Elson, Ortrun Niesar, David Hatfi eld
Neil Getz ........................... Writers
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Calendar
Theresa Nelson ....................Neighborhood Merchant
Chris Ahlstrand, Ken Ellis,
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Lauri Scharber....................Advertising
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2002-2003
Glen Tripp............................Chair
Dan Ferdelman...................Vice-Chair
Deborah Larson.................Secretary
Sally Fitzhugh......................Treasurer
David Hatfi eld, Susan Montauk,Theresa Nelson,
Eric Neville, Jacqueline Tasch, Chad Thompson,
Michael Whitfi eld
NEWSLETTER SUBSCRIPTIONS
Annual 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.
Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.
CONTACTING THE ROCKRIDGE NEWS
■ Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News?
■ Do you have questions about newsletter
distribution?
■ Would you like to volunteer to be a Rockridge
News block captain?
Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:
Editor: jatasch@mindspring.com
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 814-6060
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING/DEADLINES
Publication date of the next issue is
☛ February 8, 2003;
☛ February deadline is January 23.
Advertising rates are $22/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. To advertise, call Lauri
Scharber at 655-2196. (RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classifi ed ad that it deems
inappropriate.)


3.

January 4, 2003

Surprise!
Rockridge Is a
Great Place to Live
For those readers who need to see it in print
before they believe it, the word is now
official: Rockridge is a great place to live.
So says Money magazine, whose edi-
tors started by identifying the 10 cities
people love to live near. To do this, they
measured population growth since 1990
and something they called the “housing
premium ratio”—in other words, how much
of their income people were willing to fork
over to live someplace. San Francisco (not
Oakland) made this list.
Then reporters scoured each area for
“attractive streetscapes, good schools,
community spirit, and plentiful recreation.”
Given those criteria, you can see how
Rockridge came to mind. The magazine
describes it as a “bucolic, tree-shaded area,
but pricier [than Montclair] because it
straddles the border with Berkeley.”
Although Oakland was ignored in all
this, Mayor Jerry Brown issued a press
release calling Oakland “the best-kept secret
in the Bay Area” and “a fabulous place to
live.” Obviously, the second part is true, but
if it’s such a big secret, how did some East
Coast magazine figure it out?
So what does it all mean? Very little
to a real estate market that’s already hot. A
quick and extremely unscientific survey
of a few local Realtors suggests that while
the magazine may have some impact on
folks in other parts of the country planning
long-distance moves, the Bay Area is
already well-informed about Rockridge’s
attractiveness. There’s no room for an
influx of new residents because just about
all of the seats are taken.
And we’ve got’em.

Thanks, Claire! Best Wishes
New future awaits retiring Rockridge News editor

by Glen Tripp, Chair, RCPC
If you’ve read The Rockridge News over the past year, you’ve been a beneficiary
of the rare talents of Editor Claire Isaacs. Claire stepped down as Editor of The
Rockridge News last month and will spend her time pursuing interests in the arts
and traveling with her husband, Bill.
Claire joined the News and the RCPC board in Fall 2001 shortly after moving
to Rockridge. It was immediately clear to all involved that her skills extended
well beyond journalism. As long-time board member Theresa Nelson said, Claire’s
“talent as an editor and writer was clear from the start, but it was her experience in
the nonprofit world and in working with public agencies that really brought a special
depth to her work. It was a great pleasure to work with her!”
Production Editor Don Kinkead echoed Nelson’s praise, saying that, “Claire
was a warm, dynamic, intense editor with a multitude of interests. Her social
conscience was always evident in her discussion of the newsletter and its mission
in the neighborhood.”
The RCPC Board thanks Claire for her service on behalf of Rockridge and The
Rockridge News. Her decision to dive so deeply into the community so soon after
arriving serves as an inspirational model for all. We look forward to the impact of
her energy unfolding in other ways.

Caldecott
from page 1
the Committee’s task is to identify, assess
and work to improve traffic flow, system
capacity, levels of service and parking
issues that impact our community. New
attention will also be focused on escalating
pedestrian safety issues.
For example, the RCPC Traffic
Report of June 22, 2001 identified
the pedestrian crosswalks located at
Broadway/Lawton and Claremont/Chabot
as high risk. Due to high traffic speeds
and the width of both of these arterial
roadways, using these crosswalks poses
potential dangers, especially for children
and older residents. Both crosswalks need
to be upgraded to enhance safety.
Of regional concern is the current
Caldecott Improvement Project plan,
which lacks any traffic volume, noise or
safety remediation plans for Rockridge.
Once the current scoping phase of this
project is completed, area residents will
no longer have an opportunity to speak
out about the community’s needs. Given
a very short window of opportunity to
respond to the CalTrans scoping study,
RCPC plans to use this time to gather
community feedback and submit recom-
mendations to CalTrans prior to the
January 30, 2003, deadline.
Participating in this process will ensure
that your viewpoint and feedback is heard.
RCPC is coordinating its efforts with
the North Hills Phoenix Association, the
cities of Oakland and Berkeley and the
Alameda County Congestion Management
Agency.
If you have any T&PS concerns or
issues you wish raised, email Michael at
michaeljwhitfield@hotmail.com.
ILDI & CO.
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Fri & Sat 10:30 - 6  Sun 11 - 6
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January 4, 2003
4.

Oakland Parks Coalition Seeks
Stewards to Monitor Parks

a year beginning in February 2003 and
monitor its condition between surveys.
Training for stewards will be offered the
first Saturday in February.
Parks and Recreation Manager Jim
Ryugo is working with the Coalition to
develop a system for stewards to report
problems directly to city staff.
Citizens who are interested in becoming
a steward of a favorite North Oakland
public area may consult the following list
of unclaimed parks and median strips.
Call or email the North Oakland,
District One Coalition Captain Susan
Montauk to volunteer: 547-3855 or
smontauk@juno.com
Support an Unclaimed Park or
Median Strip:
51st Street Median
51st Street Public Way
63rd Street Median
Aileen Street Median
BART Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Bayo Vista/Harrison Median
Bayo Vista/Oakland Median
Brandon Street Median
Driver Plaza Park (Stanford & Adeline St)
MacGregor Park (West Street & 52nd St)
Ostrander Park
Ostrander Road Median
Piedmont Plaza Park
Pleasant Valley Median
Ridgeway/Gilbert Median Island
Rockridge / Broadway Median
Rockridge Park
Santa Clara Ave / MacArthur Blvd Median
Stanford Street Median
Temescal Creek Park

employees would benefit from motivational
support, improved communication, regular
training opportunities and a system of
greater accountability to upgrade the
quality and efficiency of work.
The Coalition is seeking volunteers to
steward each park and, eventually, each
median strip in Oakland. They would
survey their assigned park three times
by Susan Montauk
Oakland’s parks and median strips are
in sorry condition, the community-
based Oakland Parks Coalition found in a
survey last year. Now the group is looking
for resident volunteers to monitor those
green spaces and report problems.
Last February and again in July, 2002,
volunteers surveyed the condition of
hundreds of Oakland parks, recreational
areas, public ways and median strips.
Their directions came from the Oakland
Parks Coalition, formed in 2001 by Gil-
lian Garro and Audrey Jones-Taylor to
implement “new standards of excellence
for the maintenance and programming
of our parks.”
The survey revealed that parks and play
areas in Oakland are in dire need of main-
tenance and upgrading. The Coalition’s
park status report convinced City Council
members of the urgent need to provide extra
resources for park maintenance. Given
budget constraints, the Council could only
shuffle money within the Department
of Parks and Recreation for extra person-
nel to clear garbage. The Department
itself remains understaffed, and existing

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5.
Newly Constructed Fire Station 8 Opens Ahead of Schedule

January 4, 2003

by Jacqueline Hoeppner-Freitas,
Chair, DMV Neighbors Association
Rockridge and the rest of North Oakland
got an early Christmas present: The
new Fire Station 8 opened almost a month
ahead of schedule. On December 21, eight
firefighters, Fire Engine No. 8 and Ladder
Truck No. 5 were on call again at 463-51st
Street above Telegraph Avenue—less than
a year after the old station at that site was
demolished.
“This is probably the fastest you’ll ever
see a fire station go up,” said Rob Lim,
Project Management Division Manager
and Project Director of the Station 8 job
for the City of Oakland Public Works
Agency. This was also the first time in
the City’s history that the City utilized the
Construction Manager/General Contractor
(CM/GC) approach to construction, a
method well known to the private sector, he
said. Swinerton Builders, the CM/GC, had
guaranteed a completion date of January
18, 2003.
Four firefighters per shift who were
deployed elsewhere during 2002 have
returned to North Oakland with fire engine
No. 8. In addition, four firefighters per shift
returned to Station 8 with Ladder Truck
No. 5 from temporary quarters at Station
19 on Miles Avenue near the Rockridge
BART Station.
The reopening of Station 8 provides
a happy ending to a rocky episode in the
history of relations between North Oakland
residents and city government. The dispute
began when the City Council voted in June
2001 to remove all Station 8 firefighters
from North Oakland and place 8’s Ladder
Truck and Engine in storage for as long as
it took to rebuild the station. Area residents
protested strenuously. In a compromise
reached in December 2001, the City Council
reversed itself and temporarily retained
four of the eight firefighters and Ladder
Truck No. 5 at Station 19.
Councilmember Jane Brunner began
monitoring response times once Station 8
shut down and forwarded that information
to activists in North Oakland. As a result of
the firefighter deployment, response times
in 2002 were not as good as they would
normally be. Steve Splendorio, President,
International Association of Firefighters,
Local 55, noted: ”Response times have
The new Fire Station 8 evokes memories of
firehouses of the past while incorporating state
of the art equipment. Above: Ladder Truck 5
leaves for a call. Right: Firefighters show their
pleasure at being back in their own station.
PHOTOS: ABOVE: DON KINKEAD; RIGHT: LYDIA GANS
Marlene Moncada, Swinerton Builders
Project Manager, explained that the process
involves bringing the General Contractor
on early, before the architect — in this
case, Shah Kawasaki Architects — begins
the process of finalizing the designs. This
leads to early CM/GC input and a nonlinear
approach to construction. For example,
under the CM/GC approach, Station 8’s
foundation was under construction before
the rest of the building was fully designed.
Such a method allowed costs and avail-
ability of builders and materials to be
evaluated early before the design was set,
saving time and money.
Besides being finished ahead of sched-
ule, the project also came in under
budget, said the City of Oakland’s Rob
Lim, and it was built with attractive qual-
ity features which the community will
appreciate: The building is energy efficient,
has other green elements, is architecturally
interesting and modern, provides double
the square footage for the firefighters,
and contains local artwork and a com-
munity room for the use of North Oakland
citizens. Some of the special features were
influenced by community input early on
from Temescal artist-historian Jeff Norman,
among others.
A formal dedication of Station 8 will
take place January 24, according to Deputy
Fire Chief Ron Carter. At that time,
North Oakland can celebrate the welcome
return of all our firefighters and thank the
construction team for their efforts.
been generally 1- to 1-1/2 minutes more.
We’ve been fortunate that no fires have
gotten out of hand because of the increased
response times. It appears to have worked
out for this time frame.” Oakland Fire Chief
Gerald Simon said he was “pleased with
response times… and looking forward to
getting back to even better response times.”
City Councilmember Jane Brunner
recently expressed gratitude for the com-
munity’s efforts. “I wish to thank the
activists who were dedicated to making
the firefighters stay in the area during
construction and pushing the administra-
tion to get the station open as quickly as
possible,” she said.
And quick it was. Construction took
less than 10 months, whereas many
skeptics, including this writer, predicted
that it would take one to two years to
complete the job. How was the job done
so quickly?
The City placed the rebuilding of Sta-
tion 8 on a fast track. In place of the
usual competitive bidding process, the
City Council passed Resolution No. 76780
in October 2001, authorizing the award-
ing of a professional services agreement
to Swinerton for CM/GC services. The
rationale was the need to expedite construc-
tion to minimize the disruption of fire
services to this area. Swinerton was thus
authorized to handle the bidding process
and most other aspects of the job. The old
building was demolished in March 2002,
and building got under way in April.


January 4, 2003
6.

from page 1
Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council Begins Safety Patrol

Crime Meet
recent increase in violent crimes and the
spike in holiday season criminal activity
“N
orth Oakland is quite safe,” Lieu-
tenant Green assured the audience.
“We have the tools to deal with the prob-
lems.” Less reassuring are recent data
regarding robberies along College Avenue.
OPD listed six armed and strong-armed
robberies in the area in the second week
of December.
“Unfortunately, Temescal, Rockridge,
Piedmont and Montclair are robbery
destinations for criminals,” Lieutenant
Green acknowledged. “Robbers often
come into these nice areas because of
their perception that this is where the
rich people are. We’ve had a number of
robbers tell us this.”
To deter such activity, Rockridge
received some extra coverage during
the holiday period from both the police
department and Rockridge merchants.
OPD Officer Michael Weisenberg was
assigned to fill in for Walking Beat Officer
A. J. Frye, who has been out with an injury
for several months. The Rockridge District
Association hired two holiday security
guards to patrol College Avenue from the
Berkeley border to Broadway.
In the best of worlds, Chief Word
would like to see at least 50 new officers
hired and assigned to the highly effective
Crime Reduction Team units, but he also
recognizes the need to invest in crime
prevention programs, a need that was
hammered home to him by some city
officials and citizens while the Chief
was promoting Measure FF before the
election.
Measure FF, which would have added
100 officers to the department, was
In December
volunteers
began patrolling
College Avenue
during evening
hours, helping
to make the
streets safer for
residents
returning from
work. Persons
interested in
joining these
patrols should
call OPD
Neighborhood
Service
Coordinator
Angela Davis-
Lincoln at
510/777-8720.
post-release program. Chief Word has
the strong backing of the mayor on these
priorities, and they are working together
to develop new funding for measure FF
for the next ballot.
Meantime, the OPD’s crime-fighting
resources will remain limited for the
foreseeable future. Without the additional
officers, the department has taken a three-
pronged approach to the current crime
problem according to Chief Word:
supported by 53% of the voters in the
November election. However, it could not
be implemented without the accompany-
ing ballot tax measures GG, HH and II,
which were defeated perhaps because
voters found them confusing. Although
OPD is almost fully staffed at 777 officers,
the department is considerably smaller
than those in many cities of comparable
size (e.g., Miami, Pittsburgh, Atlanta,
St. Louis).
Chief Word also supports strengthening
pre-release programs that offer convicts
counseling in anger management and
substance abuse and provide job training
and job search assistance. One study
indicates a recidivism rate of only 20% for
those who participate in such programs;
about 70% of those who have no counsel-
ing return to prison. The Chief also cited
San Francisco’s Delancey Street as a model
■ The partnership of OPD with neigh-
borhood lawyers from the City Attorney’s
office and code enforcement officers from
CEDA to crack down on code enforcement
(“Where there’s grime there’s crime.”);
■ The deployment of special Crime
Reduction Teams in a citywide violence
suppression project;
■ Restoration of the Beat Health Unit
to gather information on drug activity.
ROCKRIDGE CRIME ALERT HOTLINE
Dial 814-2255 (814-CALL) to report
suspicious activity to the RCPC
Crime Alert Hotline and to hear
weekly updates on crime in Rockridge.
Email your reports to:
rcpc_crime_hotline@yahoo.com.
Subscribe to weekly emailed Hotline
updates at: http://seg.support.net:81/
guest/RemoteListSummary/Rockridge.


7.

January 4, 2003

Not Feeling Quite
Like Yourself?
Preventing identity theft
The Oakland Police Department Com-
munity Services Section offers the
following tips for avoiding identify theft
and fraudulent use of your credit cards:
• Memorize your Social Security number
and leave your card at home;
• Save credit card receipts and match
them to your monthly statements;
• Shred unused applications, receipts,
bills and financial statements;
• Never give personal information over
the phone unless you initiated the
call;
• Make a copy of the documents in your
wallet and keep in a safe place.
If you discover any unauthorized trans-
actions on your accounts, immediately
advise your financial institutions of your
suspicions. In addition:
• Contact the Department of Motor
Vehicles to see if another license was
issued in your name.
• Make a police report by contacting
the Oakland Police Department
(OPD) non-emergency number at
510/777-3333.
ROCKRIDGE RESIDENT

Rockridge Area Crimes
Reported to OPD
Report Period: 11/18/02 – 12/15/02
by Neil Getz
11/20/02....Petty Theft............................................Florio & Auburn

Theft: Personal Property...................B’way & Napa

11/21/02....Burglary: Residential...........................James (Clifton - Cavour)
 11/22/02....Burglary: Commercial ........................College (Lawton - Ocean View)
Theft: Personal Property...................66 St. & Telegraph
 11/22/02....Burglary: Auto......................................Desmond & 51 St.
 11/24/02....Robbery .................................................College (Ocean View - Lawton)

Burglary: Commercial ........................College & Harwood

Vehicle Theft.........................................James & Clifton

Vehicle Theft.........................................Taft (College - B’way)
 11/26/02....Burglary: Auto......................................Whitmore (Gilbert - B’way)

Burglary: Auto......................................65 St. & Dana
 11/27/02....Vehicle Theft.........................................Claremont (College - Auburn)

Theft: Personal Property...................College (Birch - Miles)

Grand Theft..........................................Coronado (49 St. - 51 St.)
 11/29/02....Robbery .................................................Lawton (College - McMillan)

Burglary: Auto......................................Ross (Miles - Chabot)

12/1/02....Petty Theft: Shoplift ...........................Telegraph (50 St. - 51 St.)

Burglary: Residential...........................Boyd (Clifton - Hudson)

Burglary: Auto......................................66 St. & Telegraph

Burglary: Auto......................................Claremont (Clarke - Telegraph)

12/2/02....Burglary: Commercial ........................College & Lawton

12/4/02....Petty Theft: Auto Accessory............Harwood (Auburn - College)

Theft: Personal Property [Over $400].Miles (Clifton - Cavour)

12/5/02....Petty Theft: Shoplift ...........................Telegraph (Alcatraz - North)

Burglary: Commercial ........................College (Birch - Miles)

12/6/02....Vehicle Theft.........................................Ocean View (College - McMillan)

Vehicle Theft.........................................B’way & Lawton

Vehicle Theft.........................................B’way & Lawton

12/7/02....Burglary: Auto......................................Alcatraz & Colby

12/8/02....Burglary: Residential...........................49 St. (Manila - Lawton)

Burglary: Residential...........................Lawton (51 St. - Cavour)

12/9/02....Burglary: Commercial ........................College (Lawton - Ocean View)

Burglary: Residential...........................Alcatraz (Colby - Dana)
 12/10/02....Robbery .................................................College & Keith

Attempted Robbery............................Oak Grove & College

12/11/02....Vehicle Theft.........................................Dana & Alcatraz
 12/12/02....Robbery .................................................College & 63 St.

Petty Theft: Shoplift ...........................B’way (Coronado - 51 St.)

Petty Theft w/Prior for

       Theft/Burglary/Robbery...........B’way (Coronado - 51 St.)

Robbery .................................................College & Claremont

Burglary: Residential...........................Alcatraz (Telegraph - Dana)

Vehicle Theft.........................................College (Lawton - Taft)
 12/14/02....Attempted Burglary: Auto ................Claremont & Hillegass

Burglary: Auto......................................Claremont (Forest - Martin)
 12/15/02....Burglary: Residential...........................Shafter (Clifton - Cavour)
Dial 911 to report crimes and suspicious actvity in progress.
(Cell phone users in Oakland, call 777-3211 for 911 service.)
REMEMBER: If you don’t report it, it didn’t happen.


January 4, 2003
8.

Rockridge Library Friends Assemble Music Collection

by Marilyn Citron, Chair,
Friends of the Rockridge Library
In the coming year, Friends of the Rock-
ridge Library (FORL) will be building
a comprehensive music collection for the
library representing the last 500 years—and
perhaps even earlier periods—thanks to a
generous donation. Making the selections
will be the task of a music subcommittee,
consisting of Kevin Flynn, Treasurer, and
Marilyn Citron, Chair of FORL, with an
array of local experts.
“I am an all-day listener of KDFC,” said
Mr. Flynn. After he learned that radio host
Dianne Niccolini is an Oakland resident
(although not Rockridge), he contacted
her and she agreed to help out. David
Abel and Julie Steinberg “are neighbors
in Rockridge and well-known performers
in their field,” he says, being musicians
in residence at Mills College and two
thirds of the Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio.
A college friend of Flynn, Diane Nolting
is a harpsichordist and librarian who has
degrees in music and library science.
Ms. Nolting has provided lists from
other library collections. The committee
plans to begin from a consolidated “short”
list and expand from there. Flynn recently
did a quick inventory of the library’s
available titles and “was pleased to find
out that the library already has an excellent
collection of opera” donated by another
FORL member.
The next FORL meeting will be in
January, and the music subcommittee will
meet again in February or March.
Mon–Fri 9:30 - 6:00
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
2002 Sales in Rockridge Up 9% Over 2001
Address
List Price
Selling Price
Close Date
511 Forest
$499000
$505,000
11/05//02
5509 Taft
$539,000
$640,000
11/19/02
6732 Manor Crest
$575,000
$625,000
11/22/02
5270 Locksley
$539,000
$532,000
11/26/02
5236 James
$525,000
$598,000
11/27/02
5663 Miles
$650,000
$675,000
12/03/02
4975 Desmond
$429,000
$435,000
12/05/02
5733 Ross
$789,000
$737,000
12/06/02
5799 Country Club
$965,000
$930,000
12/06/02
6016 Chabolyn
$949,000
$975,000
12/12/02
5645 Broadway
$533,000
$560,000
12/20/02
Rockridge Sales
volume is down
23% (97 homes
sold in 2002 vs.
119 in 2001)
Median price of a
home in Rockridge
is up 9% ($625,000
in 2002 vs.
$575,000 in 2001)
If you are thinking of buying or selling
call me for a free consultation.

Dianne Nicolini,
standing, David
Abel, and Julie
Steinberg met
recently to discuss
a new classical
music collection
for the Rockridge
Library.
PHOTO: SUSAN MONTAUK
Face the Music
If you would like to donate to
the Rockridge Library’s classical
music collection, send your contri-
butions to: Friends of the Rockridge
Library, 5245 College Avenue #311,
Oakland CA 94618.
DOES YOUR GROUP,
SCHOOL OR ORGANIZATION
NEED TO RAISE MONEY?
Try our fundraising events for great
results and returns. We are a Fortune
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:     :     :     :


9.

January 4, 2003

Long-Time Rockridge Resident Has an Ideal Job

Rockridge
resident Julie
Clark wound
up as general
manager of the
East Bay Depot
for Creative
Reuse when
her original
intent had
been merely to
donate some
intriguing
trinkets she
had around the
house.
PHOTO: LYDIA GANS
All recycling, all the time
by Lydia Gans
There comes a time in life when we
get tired of acquiring stuff and start
getting rid of it. That started happening
to Julie Clark, artist, decorator, collector,
39-year Rockridge resident. She had her
own business designing displays and
special effects for trade shows. She recalls
her first jobs were window displays at what
was then the John A. Brown Kitchenware
on the corner of Harwood and College
and at Star Grocery on Claremont Avenue.
Though she’s not in business any more,
she has a house and garden full of all
sorts of intriguing, beautiful, strange, and
rather useless objects — everything from
baskets of trinkets to a larger than life
sized statue of an Indian — left over from
her days as a decorator.
About five years ago, she says, she
decided she had to find a way to dispose
of things. She contacted the East Bay
Depot for Creative Reuse, a marvelous
place that provides a way to recycle —
creatively reuse — all sorts of materials
that would otherwise end up in landfills.
East Bay Depot not only accepted her
donations but recruited her to help. She
started as a driver, cleaner, organizer and
is now on staff as the general manager.
The East Bay Depot at 6713 San Pablo,
just south of Ashby, is a place to visit, to
donate to, to shop at, to volunteer to work
for. It is filled with decorative objects,
art supplies, paper, boxes, jars, candles,
scraps of wood, leather, fabrics, yarns,
the list goes on and on and on. Julie’s
daughter, Nikola, who is assistant general
manager and works at soliciting donations
from businesses, gives an example of
palettes of beautiful candles that were
recently donated. Julie talks about what
a great place it is to shop. “Bring your
children in: instead of going into the chain
drug store to buy $10 worth of stuff, they
can come to East Bay Depot — kids love
it.” And that $10 can buy an amazing lot
of fascinating stuff!
East Bay Depot, which is a nonprofit,
runs several interesting off-site programs.
Julie describes some: “Project Create goes
into schools and works with teachers,
Art in the Heart goes into some schools
for afterschool kids’ programs. Madame

Ovary started doing festivals, fairs, special
events; Yearly Trash to Treasures, an art
competition and exhibit; a new project
called Street Chic (pronounced Sheik),
taking old pieces and redoing them, which
recently showed in Walnut Creek and was
a huge success.”
For the many school and community
activities as well as all the aspects of
running the store, East Bay Depot has
a tremendous need for volunteers. Julie
talks about the rewards of volunteering
there, the interesting people, teachers,
artists, and community folks who come
into the store as well as the wonderful
people who work there, the great variety
of jobs that need to be done and intriguing
objects to deal with, “And after awhile,”
Julie declares, “you’ll never want to take
anything home again.”
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January 4, 2003
10.


Valentines Day
Party Will Honor
Rockridge News
Delivery Team!

ROCKRIDGE ZONING COUNTER
Planning Permits Required: RezoneHis-
toric Status: Area contains a large number
of Potential Designated Historic Properties
(PDHP). No development proposed with this
application.
Case Planner: Andrew M. Smith at
238-6414.
FAIRVIEW PARK NEIGHBORHOOD
(generally located north of Alcatraz Avenue,
south of Woolsey Street, east of Telegraph
Avenue, and west of Hillegass Avenue)
Proposal : To rezone approximately 196
parcels, comprising approximately 26-1/2 acres
of land, from the R-40 Garden Apartment
Residential Zone/S-18 Mediated Residential
Design Review Combining Zone to the R-35
Special One-Family Residential Zone/S-18
Mediated Residential Design Review Combin-
ing Zone.
Applicant: City of Oakland
Owner: Various
w w w.rockridge.org
o
VOL. 18    •    NO. 1  •  ISSUE NO. 186 •  January 4, 2003!                              CIRCULATION: 4,500 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 814-6060
Caldecott Plan = Rockridge Gridlock?


a g e n d a:
RCPC General Meeting
Will another
tunnel bore in the
Caldecott complex
worsen traffic
problems in
Rockridge?
PHOTO: DON KINKEAD
Thursday, January 23, 7:00 p.m.
NOTE: Regular location, special start time!
Rockridge Branch Library
Community Room
5366 College Avenue (at Manila)
top of a list of traffic issues that will be
discussed at the Rockridge Community
Planning Council’s January 23 meeting.
The Caldecott Improvement Project, in
particular the addition of a fourth bore,
presents the most significant long-term
challenge to traffic flow and capacity in
Rockridge. CalTrans is currently gathering
public input on its proposals for the area
(see box at bottom of page). The decisions
that follow could lead to mind-numbing
“gridlock” in Rockridge in the not too
distant future.
That project and a variety of other
traffic safety issues are on the agenda of
the newly reorganized RCPC Traffic and
Pedestrian Safety (T&PS) Committee.
Now chaired by Michael Whitfield,
newly appointed RCPC Board Member,
■  The Caldecott Tunnel Project
and Other Traffic Issues
Review the current status and time-
line of the Caldecott Improvement
Project. Review and prioritize local traffic
& pedestrian safety issues and add any
newly identified concerns. See article at
right and at bottom for details.
5823 ROSS STREET
Proposal: To construct an upper-story
addition to an existing single-family dwelling.
Applicant/Owner: Laura Zuckerman & Kirk
McInnis
Planning Permits Required: Regular Design
Review for a residential addition resulting
in a total floor area of greater than 3,500
square feet.
Case Planner:
Anne
Clevenger
at
238-6980.
Traffic challenges for Rockridge
by Michael Whitfield, Chair, RCPC
Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Committee
The impact on Rockridge of the Calde-
cott Improvement Project is at the
Brunner Meeting Hosts Top Crimebusters
by Susan Montauk
Oakland police stand ready to protect College
Avenue pedestrians and shoppers despite voters’
refusal in the last election to approve funding for
an expansion of the understaffed Oakland Police
Department, OPD leaders assured North Oakland
residents recently.
Chief of Police Richard Word and Police Service
Area 1 Lieutenant Lawrence Green met with residents
at Councilmember Jane Brunner’s December Advisory
Meeting, describing
strategies to curb a
CALDECOTT, PAGE 3
CRIME MEET, PAGE 6
OPD listed six
armed and strong-
armed robberies
along College the
second week of
December. Lt.
Green: “We have
the tools to deal
with the problems.”
CALDECOTT PLANNING: Hurry for Input at Final CalTrans Scoping Meeting
feedback after Caltrans has
completed the option screen-
ing and evaluation phase and
selects the project option it
plans to implement.
RCPC urges Rockridge
residents to stop by the Cal-
Trans meeting on January 9,
then bring their concerns to
RCPC’s General Meeting on
January 23.
vided by individuals or the
community at large (through
RCPC) will be integrated into
two reports on environmental
impact required by federal
and state law respectively.
CalTrans will use these two
reports to move the project
forward through funding
approval and construction.
Residents will have a one
final opportunity to provide
Thursday from 7 to 9 pm at
Peralta Elementary School,
460 63rd Street.
CalTrans has built a dis-
play that represents the
overall approach, the options
moving forward and their
current thinking about the
development needs of this
transportation project from
now through 2030.
oping feedback pro-
January 9 is the date of the
last in a series of Public
Scoping Meetings that Cal-
Trans is holding to gather
community feedback on its
plans for the Caldecott Tunnel,
including a possible fourth
bore. The first was in Orinda
on December 11, and the
second was in downtown Oak-
b
12 The
In rain or shine The Rockridge News has
been delivered to over 5,000 residences
and College Avenue merchants since 1986.
One hundred fifty volunteers make up the
stalwart delivery network and the Rockridge
Community Planning Council, publishers
of The Rockridge News, wishes to thank
them and their families with an invitation to
our February 15 Rockridge News Valentine
Party (look for an invitation in the mail in
late January and remember to RSVP).
Volunteers responded in record numbers
to the December call for block captains to
deliver the newsletter to vacated routes.
Many thanks to those who volunteered! The
list at right has some new routes and some
old ones. If you have an extra half-hour a
month to devote to your community, please
give us a call or an email and mention the
route along with your name, address, phone
(and email if you have one). Call Susan at
547-3855 or smontauk@juno.com
DISTRICT CAPTAIN NEEDED for 14A,B,C:
Deliver three bundles to Desmond, Coro-
nado and Hemphill Streets.
BLOCK CAPTAINS NEEDED
(Parenthesis refer to number of drops.)
#14B: (34) Both sides of Desmond
between Coronado and 51st, and
51st from Broadway to Coronado;
#14C: (27) Both sides of Coronado from
51st to Desmond;
#03C: (23) Eucalyptus both sides from
32-100;
#06A: (44) From Ocean View at Mar-
garido to top of Ocean View;
#06E: (? ) Margarido (6000 block);
#06H: (60) Alpine Terrace, Manchester.
5405 THOMAS AVENUE
Proposal: To construct a second story
addition and infill an existing deck and entry of
an existing single-family dwelling.
Applicant/Owner:
Planning Permits Required: Minor Vari-
ance to build within the required sideyard
(5'-0" required; 0'-6' proposed); and Special
Residential Design Review for a residential
addition.
Case Planner: Chris Candell at 238-6986.
Your Rockridge
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Mortgage Loan Specialist
tgage Loan Specialist
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510.814-4
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510.339.0400/206
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Real Estate Broker, California Department of Real Estate License # 00930036, (916)227-0931


11.

January 4, 2003

Rockridge Neighborhood Watch Network
Seeks Volunteers to Help Connect Neighbors
You can be
part of the solution to combating crime in your
neighborhood. Volunteer as a block captain for the
Rockridge Neighborhood Watch Network. The project aims to connect all of Rockridge
in an email network. Thirty-six blocks are already connected in the eight geographical
sectors and the network is being used to broadcast crime incidents and suspicious
behavior reports. Here’s how to connect to the Network:
Log on to www.rockridge.org and click on Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
on the left side of the opening screen. Then click on Watch Network from the menu bar.
Scroll down to the Block Captain list and follow directions below:

Rockridge Kitchen
Renovation in Progress
PHOTO: SUSAN MONTAUK

To Volunteer as a Block Captain.
Anyone wishing to volunteer as Block Captain should first check the posted list to
see if your block is listed. Then email the Network Coordinator (smontauk@juno.com)
with your full name, block (state the block boundaries, please) and address. Instructions
on how to proceed will follow.

To Contact your Block Captain
If your Block Captain is listed and you wish to join the network you can do it with an
email to the Network Coordinator. Name your block/Block Captain in your email and
your reason for contacting him or her. Your email will be forwarded.

Fall Tour Wants
Renovated
Rockridge
Kitchens

To Obtain Updated Block Captain Sector Lists
If you are already on the Block Captain list and need an updated email list for your
sector, contact the Network Coordinator via smontauk@juno.com

T I M  W R I G H T
E L E C T R I C A L  C O N T R A C T I N G
2831 Hillegass Avenue, Berkeley
Phone: 510.729.5352 / Fax: 510.549.9251
License# 729761
The
C L A R E M O N T  O F F I C E
O F  P R U D E N T I A L  C A L I F O R N I A  R E A L T Y
C L A R E M O N T  G R O U P  A G E N T S
Fatima Ali, Luisa Castillo, Natalie Cuttler, Colette Ford, John Gardner, Roy Grigsby, Carmen Grim, Rick Gutierrez,
Rita Harrington, Amy Hayashida, Barbara Hopper, Julie Lehman, Barbara Levy, Ortrun Niesar, Gaby Olander, Anja
Plowright, Leo Rachal, Jeff Robarts, Libby Royster, Steve Ryman, Ernie Sexton, Don Stone, Daisy Tan, Nancy Taussig,
Ted Normart, Manager
Since 1887
Two Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA 94705 • Phone 510/845-0211 • www.pruweb.com/claremont

Rockridge
Kitchens
by Natalie Mehta, Tour Volunteer
The Rockridge Kitchen Tour committee
is gathering a list of renovated kitchens
to consider for the 2003 tour. Past tours
have featured a variety of styles including
bungalow, traditional, and contemporary.
If you or someone you know is putting the
“final” touches on a kitchen remodel or is
already enjoying a completed renovation,
please let us know! Submissions may be
directed to Susan Montauk at 547-3855 or
smontauk@juno.com.


January 4, 2003
12.


Olive Oil: Selection Abounds on College Avenue
Is a bottle of EVOO really worth $25 to
$35? It depends on whether you’re plan-
ning to cook, dress, or simply drizzle.
EVOO, you see, is extra virgin olive
oil: the highest quality oil, with less than
1% acidity. It’s free from defects (rancid or
musty elements) and scores positively for
other flavor characteristics (grassy, fruity,
buttery, bitter). You can also buy virgin,
pure virgin or lampante olive oil, but I
wouldn’t recommend it.
Are all EVOOs equal? Not on your life.
It’s about taste, quality, and freshness.
Taste
The taste of olive oil (like wine) is
defined by the varietal of the olives (or
grapes) as well as the climate and soil
condition. Oil from Mission olives tastes
different than oil from Picholine olives,
and Picholine olive oil will vary in taste
depending on whether the olives are grown
in southern France or California.
Harvest time (usually November through
February) also makes a difference. Early
harvested green olives give the oil a grassy,
herbaceous and sometimes peppery taste
and a greener color. Fully ripened olives
give a beautiful golden hue and a more
buttery and nutty flavor to the oil. Olives
harvested in between produce oils with a
milder, fruity note. Some suggestions for
using each kind appear with this article.
Quality
The International Olive Oil Council
sets the standards for olive oils, but not
in the United States. However, more than
95% of America’s 300 or so olive growers,
producers and companies are in California.

OPEN DAILY 12 - 2
5352 College Avenue
Your Neighborhood Pub

In 1992, the California Olive Oil Council
was established to raise U.S. standards and
provide consumers with better and more
consistently graded oil.
Freshness Counts
Olives oxidize and ferment faster than
grapes so time is of the essence when it
comes to harvesting and crushing. The
freshest oil is processed from olives that are
picked and crushed within two days or less.
In Italy, EVOOs are labeled and sold with a
harvest date. In the United States, this is not
common practice. Some boutique olive oil
makers are starting to date their EVOOs,
following the Italians, just as California
vineyards looked to Europe when they
sought international respect.
It’s no wonder then that California’s
olive industry is starting to resemble our
wine industry in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
Many new varietals of olive trees have
been planted, and the quality of California
EVOOs is starting to be quite competitive
with oils from Italy, Greece and Spain.
Advice
Buy at least two bottles of olive oil, one
for cooking and one for drizzling and
dressing. You should use oil only in the year
that it was harvested and bottled—and within
two or three months of opening the bottle.
You can find reasonably priced extra
virgin olive oils in chain grocery stores,
and these less expensive EVOOs are fine
to use for cooking. Heat destroys the taste
of olive oil so it’s best to use the expensive
oils for “drizzling and dressing” dishes at
the end of the cooking process.
For the dress and drizzle EVOOs, your
best bet is to buy from a reputable vendor.
For example, the Pasta Shop in Rockridge
carries over 50 EVOOs from Europe and
the United States and is a strong supporter
of local growers and producers. Many of the
oils are available for tasting. Or visit Oliveto
to taste the magic they’re doing with the
2002 Early Harvest McEvoy Ranch Extra
Virgin Olive Oil on fabulous dishes.
Why not have a tasting in your own
kitchen? Try the oils with different recipes
and enjoy!
Lulu Yang
Executive Chef — Lulu’s Kitchen
Contact Lulu at 510/520.6397 or visit her
website at www.LulusKitchen.com.
Try These Olive Oil Treasures
Early Harvest (green, grassy, peppery,
herbaceous) oil is best drizzled over soups,
pastas, grilled or steamed vegetables or
risotto. Or grill a slice of sour batard bread,
rub on some garlic, sprinkle with sea salt,
drizzle the bread generously with this oil
and serve immediately. If you want to “take
it up a notch,” top the bread with fresh
tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms,
pesto sauce, artichoke puree and anything
else you like.
Fruity olive oils are best for salads and
marinades, complementing the ingredients in
a dish without dominating them. Coat lamb
chops in a fruity olive oil and a squeeze of
Meyer lemon juice, then rub with a mix of
minced fresh rosemary, ground pepper and
sea salt. Let sit for at least an hour and either
broil or grill.
Late Harvest (Buttery, nutty) oils are
best to use for the kinds of things you would
use butter on, such as dipping steamed crab or
lobster, or mashed or baked potatoes.
Mary Jane McConville...The Team You Can Trust
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
Providing Exemplary Service
In Rockridge since 1980
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Buyer Specialist Realtor
(510) 287-5520 direct line
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Senior Realtor
(510) 287-9583 direct line
Call Mary Jane today for all your Real Estate needs
(510) 339-8400 office  ♦  (510) 287-9583 direct line
Jan Carlisle
Administrative Assistant
Lisa Anderson
Escrow Coordinator


13.

January 4, 2003

Serrahna: Like Opening
PHOTO: DON KINKEAD
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MERCHANT
A Jewel Box
On a cold and rainy day, walking into
Serrahna is like stepping into the
film “Monsoon Wedding.” The store is
filled with jewel-bright colors, luxurious
fabrics, enticing smells and traditional
music, opening a window into the vibrant
Indian culture.
Open since last summer, Serrahna is
the dream of Andrea Serrahn, owner and
designer of most of the clothes in the store.
After years of globetrotting and work in
costume design, she fell in love with Indian
fabrics and colors and was awarded one
of the very rare individual artist Fulbright
scholarships to study traditional textiles
in Gujarat. The scholarship allowed her
to stay in India and work with masters of
Indian tie-and-dye and block printing and
to refine her own design work. For years,
she’s been selling her work in specialty
galleries in New York, Santa Fe, Vienna
and London. Now she’s able to bring it all
together in her own store.
The store’s name comes from Andrea’s
own surname, but it also means “to be
a queen” in Hindi. Any woman dressed
in clothing from Serrahna will certainly
feel like a queen, surrounded by luscious
fabrics in gorgeous colors that brighten
both everyday and specialty occasion
wardrobes. Most of the clothing in the store
is of Andrea’s own design, and she also
carries handmade items from some local
and Indian designers as well.
One special item is her own line of
deconstructed/reconstructed sweaters and
hats, made in the rear of the store. Andrea
cuts apart old sweaters and Indian fabrics
and puts them together in clever color
combinations. For someone who likes
BY THERESA NELSON
Serrahna
Custom Designs in Clothing
unique and one-of-a-kind clothing, this is
a treasure trove. As Andrea noted, “What
makes these items so special and exotic is
that they are made by hand in traditional
methods, but with a contemporary fashion
feel. I personally appreciate anyone who
does things with their hands as an artist,
and these are the kinds of clothing and
accessories I offer at Serrahna.”
One favorite item is the Angelica coat,
with small angel-wings on the sleeves and
covered with small Indian mirror work
in star patterns. An iridescent dress in
gold, green and teal would be perfect
for a special evening, covered with its
matching shrug. The shawl-collared coats
and Moghul-style jackets are lined with
old saris, making each one as exciting
inside as it is outside. Her popular skirts
are bias cut in back to shape perfectly to a
real woman’s figure. The silk pants feature
hand-stitching on the lower legs and go
perfectly with the silk side-cinched dresses.
Teens and young women especially like
the semi-translucent wrap tops in soft
cotton trimmed in metallic fabric, perfect
over a tank top. Andrea also offers shirts
for men in hand-loomed cotton and silk in
a variety of beautiful colors.
The accessories are equally creative:
hand-beaded bags in silver, blue and
black, key chains featuring oversize beads
in amber and coral, and pillows with
incredible mirror work, beadwork and
stitching. And, of course, jewelry: from
inexpensive slender bangles by the half-
dozen to stunning semi-precious stones
in a variety of earrings, necklaces, rings
and bracelets.
This is the place to come if you love
scarves, one my very favorite acces-
sories. You can find literally every color
of the rainbow and almost any fabric
here, from silk organza stripes to crushed
viscose. The tie-and-dye is not your basic
1960s tie-dye but rather an intensive process
where each tiny pinpoint is hand-tied
before multiple layers of dye are applied,
yielding a stunning pointillist look. A
Andrea Serrahn and some of her designs.
PHOTO: LYDIA GANS
shaded silk chiffon scarf features mukesh,
a metal thread which is hand-stitched,
tied, and then pounded with a hammer
to make an undulating pattern of tiny
gold dots.
Andrea decided to open Serrahna as
a way to create an environment that
honors the creative process and brings
shoppers the feel of faraway lands. One
wall features a large mural of interlocking
pinwheels and stars in a Moorish tile
pattern, and the walls are done in jewel
tones and a soft curry color. Even the
dressing rooms are topped with Taj Mahal-
like finials, and green and brass obelisks
frame the granite counter.
Located near Broadway, Serrahna is
well worth the walk, and you’ll be rewarded
by feeling as though you’ve entered the
luxurious and exotic world of the maharani,
right on College Avenue.
Serrahna
5303 College Avenue, Oakland
654-2332
www.serrahna.com
Open 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Monday – Saturday, closed Sunday
Where Cooking IS the Party!
OFFERING
In-Home Cooking Classes
Custom-Designed Cookbooks
www.LulusKitchen.com  510.520.6397


January 4, 2003
14.

Self Hypnosis Classes
Reduce stress, increase confidence, achieve
your goals. Instructor: Barbara Magrie, B.A.,
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Sponsored
by the City of Albany. $105. Four Thursdays,
7 pm to 9:15 pm. Ongoing sessions. For dates
and location: 510/524-9283.
Concerned About an
Elderly Loved One?
Seeking expertise in elder care services and/or
elder/caregiver psychological issues? Licensed
clinical social worker with 20 years experience
available for consultation and psychotherapy.
Monica Nowakowski-Carlson  510/802-1725
LCS#13419.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message: $18 (phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94618. February deadline is January 23.
Happiness Isn’t an Accident
Psychotherapy can help you discover priorities,
remove roadblocks, find new solutions, and yes, feel
happier. Explore work issues, relationships, creative
goals, self-esteem–you decide what’s important. Jan
Graham, MFT. 510/207-5402. MFC#35757.
Wee Care Pet Sitters
Going away on vacation? Working late?
Wee Care Pet Sitters provides daily visits,
dog walking, love and attention, medication
administered. Reliable and bonded. Betty
510/530-5592.
Need Furnished Guestroom
With Bath…
while remodeling my Rockridge home. 4-5 weeks
beginning Feb 15 to March 21 or so. Excellent
references. Please call me at 510/652-3362
(home) or 415/793-1841 (cell). Susan.
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Village
is available for rent! Sleeps eight, is fully
equipped! Close to everything! Call 652-6664
for more information.
Jazz and Classical Piano Lessons
Rockridge jazz pianist with UC Berkeley
music B.A. offers lessons in jazz, blues,
classical, music theory, ear-training, technique.
Experienced, patient teacher, all ages/levels.
Janet 653-6783.
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/464-5934.
R N N E W S
R N N E W S
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
OR BOTH?"
BREEMA
Nurture Yourself
in the New Year
Three ways to receive an
Introductory Breema® Bodywork
Session in January:
• Call the Breema Health & Wellness
Center to schedule, 428-1234  Mon.–Sat.
(Rockridge)
• Come to an Open House, Sunday January
12; call 428-0937 to reserve your place
• Drop in at the U.C. Berkeley Recreational
Sports Facility on Jan. 15 or 23 between
11:00 and 6:00, 2301 Bancroft, 643-5151
All sessions free  •  www.breemahealth.com
photo: Bruce Barrett
ANNUITIES,
MUTUAL FUNDS,
LIFE INSURANCE
AND A PLAN.
You may live 30 years
past retirement.
Get a plan.
Susan Bernosky
Anthony Rutz

510  450  9050
510  450  9050
[27541-v1]RP-260-0302
Call for a free
retirement plan analysis.
Leila S. Gough
leila.gough@agedwards.com
FINANCIAL
A d d r e s s
C i t y,  S t a t e
P h o n e
1999 Harrison Street, #2050
Oakland, CA 94612
510/452-8060
Allstate Financial is the marketing name for Allstate Life Insurance
Company (Northbrook, IL), its subsidiaries and certain affiliates.
Securities offered through Allstate Financial Services, LLC. (LSA Securities in LA,
and PA). Registered Broker-Dealer. Member NASD, SIPC. Office of Supervisory
Jurisdiction: 2920 South 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506 877-525-5727.
© 2002 Allstate Insurance Company   allstate.com
Member SIPC • 2001 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. www.agedwards.com


15.

January 4, 2003

Check Your…

COMMUNITY CALENDAR
✔
Compiled by Jo Ellis

✁

E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210, or mail to: Rockridge News
Community Calendar, 5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618. Deadline is the next to the last Tuesday of the month.

Public Meeting On Caldecott
Tunnel/route 24
Thursday, Jan. 9, 7-9pm. Peralta Elementary School,
460 63rd St. Information on proposed tunnel project:
opportunity for public input on the scope of the envi-
ronmental analysis. More information, Brigetta Smith,
CalTrans Public Information Officer, at 510/231-7182
Under-BART Project
Development Meeting
Thursday, Jan. 9, 7:30pm, Temescal Library, 5205 Tele-
graph Ave., downstairs meeting room. Meet with City
planners and BART project developers: share your vision
for the future of the passageway under the Rockridge
BART station. More info, Teresa at spn690@aol.com
District 1 Councilmember Jane
Brunner’s Monthly Community
Advisory Meeting
First Saturday each month, 10am to noon. Peralta Ele-
mentary School: 460 63rd St. (parking on Alcatraz Ave.,
just east of Telegraph). NOTE: No January meeting.
Meeting Topic for Sat., Feb. 1st: SENIOR NEEDS AND
RESOURCES IN NORTH OAKLAND. Providers will present
available programs and discuss how to make north Oak-
land more senior-friendly. More information: 238-7001
or www.oaklandnet.com.
Oakland City Council Meeting
Every Tuesday, 7pm, City Hall
Oakland Planning Commission
1st and 3rd Wednesday each month, 6:30pm, City Hall
Get agendas and details at www.oaklandnet.com.
Greater Rockridge Crime
Prevention Council
Monthly steering committee meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 21,
Poets and Writers Meetings
Spasso Coffeehouse, 6021 College Ave., Oakland,
First and third Saturday each month, 3:30 to 5:30pm
Read and critique each other’s work; occasional writing
exercises.
AD ASTRA READING SERIES; Each Monday evening, 7pm;
sign-up at 6:30pm. Featured reader, followed by Open-
Mic. For more info, e-mail holly@hitx.com. For info on
occasional free music events, call Spasso at 528-1818.
Free Comedy Showcase & Open Mic
Start your career in comedy at A’Cuppa Tea, 3200 College
Ave, (corner of Alcatraz). Every Tuesday, 7:30 to 9pm. Be
there by 7pm to sign up. Also: Every Sunday, free acoustic
music performance 4 to 6pm. For more information call
420-0196.
College Ave. Adult Center
College Ave. Presbyterian Church, 5955 College Ave.
Every Wednesday, open from 9:30am to 1:30pm
Light exercise, socializing, travel programs and music.
•     Special programs 11am to noon
1/8  Fitch Slides of Alaska.
1/15 Celebration of Life – ours and our family.
1/22 VCR: Famous Lodges – Awahnee and Old Faithful.
1/29 Kathy’s slides of Sierras and Bodie.
2/5  Fitch Slides of Alaska.
•     Field Trips
1/24 Stanford: Exhibit of China in the 20th Century.
2/8  Planetarium Anniversary Show at Golden Gate Park.
Hot lunch available at noon for $1.75
For details call Kathy at 531-6724
Elder Care Support Group
Alta Bates Medical Center, Herrick Campus, 2001 Dwight
Way, Berkeley, 3rd floor, room 3369B (take elevator B).
Free for family/friends caring for older adults. 3rd
Wednesday of each month, 4-5:30pm
For information on all support/education groups offered
by Alta Bates/Sutter Health: call Monica at 802-1725 or
e-mail Monicalcsw@alum.calberkeley.org
Volunteers Needed
•     ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK. Assist
in the warehouse or office; staff the Hunger Hotline,
the Food Bank’s toll-free food referral service. Hotline
shifts Mon-Fri, 9am-12pm and 1-4pm. Volunteer Mgr.
Mary Schoen:510/834-FOOD(3663) or www.accfb.org.
•     OAKLAND ELIZABETH HOUSE. A Transitional Residence
for Women and Children in Rockridge, 6423 Colby St.,
Oakland. Residential and support services to homeless
and low-income women and children. Orientation and
  training for new volunteers. Help with childcare, home-
work, mentoring, field trips and house chores.
7pm, Claremont Middle School, 5750 College Ave.
Meet with Community Policing Officers to discuss issues of
neighborhood crime and plan crime-fighting projects.
More information, markspellman@yahoo.com
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Ave. NOTE: Library Closed: Wednesday, Jan.
1; Monday, Jan. 20 (MLK Birthday); Wednesday, Feb. 12
(Lincoln’s Birthday); Monday, Feb. 17 (Presidents’ Day)
FOR CHILDREN:
• Toddler Story Time on Saturday: 1/4, 1/11, 2/1, 2/8
at 10:30am
• Pre-School Story Hours on Tues.: 1/4, 1/21, 2/4, 2/18
at 10:30 and 11am
• Pajama Story Time on Wed.: 1/8, 1/22 at 7pm
SPECIAL EVENTS:
• “Tall Tales” Warrior team members read aloud at the
library!: Thursday, Jan. 16th, 7pm
• “Dayo’s Circle” will perform African music and dance:
Wednesday, Feb. 5th, 7pm
• Make a Valentine’s Day Pop-up Card: Thursday, Feb.
6th, 3:30 to 5:30pm
FOR YOUNG ADULTS:
• Teen Advisory Council meets 2nd Thursday each month,
3:30- 5:30pm, January 9th and February 13th
FOR ADULTS:
• Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice. First Thurs-
day of each month from 6 to 8pm. Sign-up begins 5pm.
Library Hours: Mon. Tues. Sat. 10am to 5:30pm
Wed. Thurs. 12:30 to 8pm. Closed Fri. & Sun.
For more information call 597-5017
Diesel Books:
Poetry Readings and Events
5433 College Ave. Events are free and open to the public.
•     Diesel Book Group #2 Meeting
This month’s selection: “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier
and Clay” by Michael Chabon. Tuesday, Jan.7, 7:30pm
•     John Oliver Simon: “Caminante.” This poetry reading
will be filmed for use in an upcoming documentary. Wednes-
day, Jan. 8, 7:30pm
•     Ascend School Students Reading. The students from
Ascend School, after thorough research of the book publish-
ing business, have created a book of their own. Please come
and support them as they read from the fruit of their labors.
Sunday, Jan. 12, 2pm
•     Amnesty International Monthly Meeting; Monday, Jan.
13th, 7:30pm
•     Diesel Book Group #1 Meeting
This month’s selection: “In the Skin of a Lion” by Michael
Ondaatje, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 7:30pm
•     El Grupito – Spanish Language Discussion Group.
Meets every two weeks. Casual, friendly opportunity to
improve your Spanish. Wednesdays, Jan., 15 and Jan.
29 at 7:30pm. For more information: 653-9965 or
www.dieselbookstore.com


January 4, 2003
16.

ATTENTION
HOMEOWNERS
I will show you how to
get top dollar for your
home and sell it now.
Free reports & Indian
recipes on my website.
Don Coelho
339-4721
27th year
serving Rockridge!
FATIMA ALI
510/845-0211
www.homesbyfatimaali.com
Buying or selling real estate in 2003?
Call me… the proven professional
He’s on the move...
“YOUR 24/7”
  REALTOR”
L A W T O N
Ron Kriss, Partner
Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
“I Know Rockridge”
He can help with yours!
When you need a real estate agent...
KEN KATZ
(510) 527-2700x40
A S S O C I A T E S
marvin
      gardens
real estate
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
Terry Kulka *
339-4789
Proven Results in Selling Rockridge Homes
* Terry is in the top 5% in production for
Coldwell Banker nationwide and is a proud supporter of
Chabot Elementary School
O Full Service Real Estate O
Serving Home Owners, Renters, Buyers, Investors
25 years of Marketing/Negotiation Experience
20 years of Renovation Consulting
Complete Client Support from Pre- to Post-Sale
Rockridge Resident for 25 years
Jeff Auen
"I wholeheartedly recommend Jeff to any prospective seller or buyer.
He lived up to his promise of providing full service — and more."
         C.O.: seller/investor, Shafter/Forest, Rockridge.
www.HomesEastBay.info    1-800-805-8827
Heritage Century 21

Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
ROCKRIDGE? IF YOU
NEED THE SERVICES OF
A REALTOR, CALL ME.
I HAVE 26 YEARS OF
ROCKRIDGE SALES
EXPERIENCE AND THE
EXPERTISE YOU NEED.
6 5 5 - 2 3 3 0
ROCKRIDGE
R
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A
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T
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6 0 1 9  C O L L E G E  AV E N U E
ORTRUN NIESAR
Rockridge Real Estate Marketing Consultant
Direct: 510/986-9560
Email: oniesar@aol.com
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING
Professional,
Full Service
Real Estate Brokerage
To Rockridge Clients
For Over 23 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN
❖ Residential Sales
❖ Income Property
❖ Commercial
❖ Property Management
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland