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NOTE: RCPC has a new phone number. Call 510/644-4228 with questions and comments on community issues.
w w w.rockridge.org
VOL. 18 NO. 5 ISSUE NO. 190 May 3, 2003 CIRCULATION: 5,100 RESIDENCES; 200 BUSINESSES
Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 644-4228
A New Beginning for the Claremont Avenue Safeway Site
by Dan Ferdelman, RCPC Vice Chair
I
Former Safeway,
t’s been nearly 20 years since the Safeway
supermarket at 5354 Claremont Avenue
closed its doors and left neighbors looking
for another place to buy groceries. Since
then, the public has rarely seen the inside
of the old store. Passers-by may have
wondered what was going on inside and
why property in such a busy area was left
seemingly undeveloped.
emergency center,
and Children’s
Hospital storage
facility will soon
be home to
medical offices.
PHOTO: JACKIE TASCH
That is all about to change. The building
is being renovated to hold medical offices,
and the parking lot may soon be full of
neighbors coming and going in pursuit of
good health.
“One Stop Center”
for people seek-
ing help from various public agencies as
they worked to put their homes and their
lives back together after the devastating
1991 firestorm. Others may recall when
it served as a distribution center for Girl
Scout cookies.
However, Children’s Hospital has been
the official tenant, using the building for
storage and
occasionally
SAFEWAY SITE, PAGE 10
Many residents of Rockridge and the
Oakland Hills remember the site as a
Community Policing, Neighborhood
Crime Are Focus of May NCPC Meeting
Tour Open Studios 2003
The Rockridge Muse, page 9
by Mark Spellman, Chair
Iparticipants from the affected areas, the
Greater Rockridge NCPC helps develop
strategic plans to resolve problems.
f you are troubled by neighborhood crime
and other nuisances—or you’re ready to
be part of the solution—you’ll want to attend
the Greater Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council’s Town Hall meeting
May 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Rockridge
Library.
Duck, Duck, Goose
— Marsha Vaughn
Blight and Abatement Committee:
Seeks to curb graffiti in Rockridge neigh-
borhoods and remove blight as quickly as
possible after resident reports.
Community Outreach Committee:
Disseminates crime prevention information
to the greater Rockridge community, in
an expansion of the Neighborhood Watch
Network.
a g e n d a:
RCPC General Meeting
Community policing is already a growing
movement in Rockridge, with police and
residents collaborating to make neighbor-
hoods safer and better places to live. Lt.
Lawrence Green of the Oakland Police
Department will lead a Town Hall discus-
sion of how community policing works and
how it can create sustainable solutions to
neighborhood crime.
Thursday, May 15, 7:30 p.m.
Elections to the board of the Greater
Rockridge NCPC will also be held at the
meeting. Anyone who lives in the 12Y and
13X communities can step forward as a
candidate.
Rockridge Branch Library
Community Room
5366 College Avenue at Manila
The Good Old Days in Oakland
A
The Town Hall meeting will also hear
reports from NCPC committees formed to
deal with common problems.
If you were at the last Town Hall, you
know that some last-minute guest speakers
from city agencies (City Council or Traffic
and Engineering) are likely to participate
in the active and interesting question and
answer session.
uthor Bill Caldwell tells us about
his interesting new book of photos
comparing neighborhoods, landmarks,
and organizations of old and present-day
Oakland—from the gates of Rockridge to
the harbor to the Oakland High basketball
team. May Meeting, page 3.
Crime and Nuisance Problem-Solv-
ing Committee: Examines emerging and
chronic criminal and nuisance activity in
residential neighborhoods. Together with
Please join us.
May 3, 2003
2.
Around the Neighborhood
by Jacqueline Tasch, Editor, The Rockridge News
Wavy Gravy’s “Reverse Pot-Holes”
A
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
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
lmost a year ago, about the time I was deciding whether to
move to Rockridge, I was tooling along a side street east of
College Avenue when I ran afoul of a speed bump. I could say I was
distracted by the architecture or the landscaping, but in fact, I was trying to go around
the block and back to College and the block turned out to be longer and more irregularly
shaped than I expected. I wasn’t speeding, but I was making time.
SEE COMMUNITY CALENDAR, PAGE 15,
FOR LIBRARY PROGRAM DETAILS.
Except for the jostling I took, I thought no harm was done. After a lovely dinner at
a friend’s house, I headed home to San Francisco. Just as I made the last merge on the
pretzel-like freeways approaching the Bay Bridge, my car began to make a dreadful noise.
I was quite sure the entire transmission, along with whatever else lurks under a car, was
now being dragged along the pavement, ready at any moment to break off and leave me
stopped dead in the middle of speeding traffic. Alone in the dark without a cellphone.
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.
At the toll booth, I asked the collector if he would take a look, but he insisted that
it was “just noise” and passed me through. It wasn’t just noise, but the car and I did get
home in one piece each. The damage cost a bit more than $500.
Rockridge News Production
Jacqueline Tasch..................Editor-in-Chief
Ortrun Niesar,
Claire Isaacs....................... Writers
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Calendar
Theresa Nelson ....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Lauri Scharber....................Advertising
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
David Hatfield................... RCPC Liaison
This incident did not augur well for my long-term relationship with speed bumps,
but it didn’t dissuade me from moving to Rockridge. As I settled in on this side of the
Bay, I realized a relationship with speed bumps was inevitable. I can stand in my front
yard and hit two speed bumps with a baseball—and I throw underhand. To get almost
anywhere by car, I cross a half dozen or more. I also came to appreciate the rationale
for speed bumps: Trying to protect kids and pets from speeding vehicles is certainly an
admirable goal. By and large, I no longer tool along on side streets.
But I speak for myself: A lot of drivers are “tooling along a side street” these days,
at least in my neighborhood. The streets near my house are just a little more than two
lanes wide. If one—or two—of those lanes is occupied by parked cars, driving becomes
a test of agility.
Speed Bumps Offer an Opportunity to “Pay Attention”
RCPC Board of Directors, 2002-2003
Glen Tripp............................Chair
Dan Ferdelman...................Vice-Chair
Deborah Larson.................Secretary
Sally Fitzhugh......................Treasurer
David Hatfield, Susan Montauk,Theresa Nelson,
Eric Neville, Chad Thompson, Michael Whitfield
Drivers who are watching out for speed bumps have plenty of time to notice a car
turning a corner or backing out of a driveway, time to negotiate the little ballet required
to get both vehicles around the parked cars and past each other, usually with a smile and
a wave. If someone’s tooling, the situation can turn dangerous quite easily.
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.
Just the other day, I was making my way to Claremont Avenue, when an SUV made
the more-than-90-degree turn into Mystic, clearly unconcerned about what might be in
its path—speed bumps or my aging but beautiful Toyota. If I hadn’t taken cover behind
a parked car, there would have been a mighty crash. More than a dozen times in recent
months, I’ve swerved or hit the brakes to avoid being smacked by other tool-ers on
nearby streets. So far, in every encounter, one of us was watching out while the other
tooled. May it always be so.
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?
Anyway, I’m warming to the idea that speed bumps might be good neighbors rather
than macadam trolls waiting to attack the unsuspecting driver. And I’m very interested
in a new strategy for slowing traffic on residential streets. Speed humps. This is not a
typo. To learn more, see page 3 at right.
$5 FREE DRYCLEANING with garment orders over $28
or $3 OFF orders over $15
Dry Cleaning only Present with incoming order
Garden Cleaners
5808 College Ave., Oakland
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!
601-1188
Mon-Fri 7-7 • Sat 8-6
(Across from Albertson’s & Zachary’s Pizza)
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: 644-4228
NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING/DEADLINES
Publication date of the next issue is
June 7, 2003;
June deadline is May 22.
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 classified ad that it deems
inappropriate.)
3.
May 3, 2003
At the April RCPC Meeting
neighborhood character, the library, parks,
and fire safety.
Brunner Listens as Neighbors Cite
Rockridge Strengths and Weaknesses
Many topics had pluses balanced by
minuses. For example, while Rockridge
has a very low rate of violent crime, it has
the highest crime rate in the city when
nonviolent offenses—from auto theft and
house burglaries to vandalism of trees and
by Jacqueline Tasch
Tlive in Rockridge and those who come here
only to dine out or shop.
raffic safety and schools/youth
programs are the top priorities in Rock-
ridge as Oakland plunges deeper into a
budget crisis that will bring more than $20
million in cuts just in the next year.
plants—are included.
There was far less discussion
about schools. Chabot School
drew praise, but some said
too many parents are taking
kids out of the neighborhood
school after fourth grade.
Preteens and teens have few
options other than the library
as places to enjoy constructive
entertainment and safe social-
izing, participants said.
Some concerns were very
particular, noting intersections
and crosswalks with traffic
problems, for example, or
At least that was the view of the 50 or
so area residents who met with Council-
member Jane Brunner at the Rockridge
Community Planning Council’s April 24
General Meeting.
storefronts that need more
trash cans and streets that
lack trees. One participant
expressed a preference for
green rather than purple trees.
After reviewing the neighborhood’s
strengths and weaknesses in more than
a dozen areas, participants voted for the
two areas they felt were most in need
of attention. If traffic safety (11 votes)
is combined with roads (4 votes) —and
in the group’s discussion, the two were
often wedded—it came out first. Schools
and programs for youth were second with
11 votes, and crime and police issues came
in third with 8 votes.
Other issues were more gen-
eral. Participants looked ahead to
the possibility that College Avenue’s
attractiveness to merchants might
draw more antique and gift-oriented desti-
nation shops at the expense of services for
area residents. One noted that it’s easy to
buy shoes on College but not so easy to find
a place that repairs them.
Alphabetically,
subjects
ranged from bike facilities and
buses/BART to walkability, which was
unanimously viewed as perhaps the
most positive thing about Rockridge.
Other positive elements might be mea-
sured by the lack of comment they drew:
Jane Brunner
THE MAY MEETING: Seeing the Past in the Present
T
Brunner and her aide, Justin Horner,
took extensive notes and promised to
use them for guidance as a month of
city budget talks begins Other audiences,
large and small, will also be asked for
their opinions.
he imposing stone gates on Broadway that mark the entry to the original
Rockridge are the only identifiable structure in a 1911 photo. There are few
houses, and trees rather than roofs mark the ridgeline behind the gates. Astonish-
ingly, there is not only no traffic signal, there’s no traffic except for a few passersby
strolling along in their Sunday finest. This old photo is one of the “Then” pictures
in an interesting new book in progress by Rockridge photographer, Bill Caldwell:
Oakland at 150. It compares photos—old and new—of Oakland neighborhoods,
landmarks, and organizations.
Speeding was a major concern, with
participants disagreeing about whether
speed bumps or enforcement is the better
antidote. Parking came up in several con-
texts, from traffic hazards to potential
income from required parking permits,
to the plight of those who work but don’t
Caldwell will bring some of his photographs to the May 15 General Meeting of
the Rockridge Community Planning Council, giving
local residents a sneak of preview of the 104-page book
MAY MEETING, PAGE 4
Speed Humps (Not Bumps) – What They Are and How to Get One
by Michael Whitfield
Sare gaining acceptance in many communities around the United
States and abroad.
peed bumps or humps. There’s a lot more than one letter’s
difference. Speed humps are newer, more effective, and at
the same time less car-damaging than the old speed bumps that
are a regular feature of Rockridge streets.
Responding to the views of Rockridge residents at a January
General Meeting, the RCPC’s Traffic & Pedestrian Safety Commit-
tee set out to learn what’s new in the world of speed bumps/humps
and their contribution to streets that are safe for children, pets,
and other living things.
Speed bumps have been around since the 1950s, with a high
profile from curb to curb, creating the sharp jolt, quick-rise, quick-
drop that so many folks complain about. They are well-known for
the wear and tear they inflict on automobiles and the potential
difficulty they pose for emergency vehicles. Speed humps, on
the other hand, are only a few inches high, with a longer slope
and smoother transition to regular pavement. They minimize
the negative issues associated with speed bumps, and versions
This topic always creates a spirited debate, partly caused by the
confusion between speed bumps and speed humps. Both are used
in an overall strategy for local traffic speed reduction, referred to
as “Traffic Calming for Livable Neighborhoods.” Diverters, street
chokers, and roundabouts are other
elements used to slow local traffic
SPEED HUMPS, PAGE 12
May 3, 2003
4.
Group Advances Its Vision and Goals
For UnderBART Area Improvement
May Meeting
from page 3
he expects to have in area bookstores in
June.
by Teresa Drenick
“T
Improve the BART space’s
relationship to nature
Create an active, family-friendly
o transform the Rockridge Tran-
sit Hub into a dynamic public
space that: provides a safe and attrac-
tive venue for riders, residents, and
visitors; supports and promotes local
business and community activities; and
unites the Rockridge neighborhood.”
That’s the vision statement put together
by the UnderBART committee, a group of
local residents and business owners who
have been working for several months to
make plans for improving the space under
the BART station on College Avenue.
The making of the book makes a good
story in itself. Caldwell has taken care to
position his camera in exactly the same way
that the original photographer used.
plaza at the heart of Rockridge
The committee is eager to hear from
Rockridge residents and others who use the
BART station and College Avenue. Anyone
is welcome to attend committee meetings
on the second Thursday of each month at
7:30 pm. The May 8 meeting will be held
at the Rockridge Branch Library. Ques-
tions may be directed to Teresa Drenick
at TDrenick@aol.com.
A professional photographer who studied
film at San Francisco State, Caldwell has
spent as many as 60 hours a week on the
project. To get a sampling of the project,
visit www.oaklandat150.com, then come to
the May 15 meeting.
Passersby have long noted that while
College Avenue is a vibrant, bustling street
north and south of the BART station, the
dark and unfriendly space beneath it tends
to cut the neighborhood in half. Last Decem-
ber, a general meeting of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council provided a
forum for discussion of this situation, and
the UnderBART committee was formed.
Besides the vision statement, the group
has established a list of goals over the past
two months. These are:
Promote transit options
Orient people to the neighborhood
Use art and design to create a
unique, sophisticated, and inviting
urban center
Improve safety and a sense of
security
Unite the two sides of College
Avenue
!
!" $
" !$
#
GXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGXGX
5.
Peralta Festival Celebrates School,
Community Spirit and Spring
T
May 3, 2003
John Wagers,
the
he Oakland Fire Department is bring-
ing a truck, and the Oakland Zoo will
have some invertebrates—that’s bugs—to
look at. There’ll be free bike helmets for
200 kids, courtesy of the City of Oakland
Bike Program.
committed staff and a dynamic parent group
in the PPTG. While enrollment declines in
Oakland, Peralta has a fall waiting list of
students who’d like to transfer there. Festival
attendees will enjoy the colorful murals
and courtyard gardens in the school yard
or visit the new playground garden.
“Tree
Man”
And all that’s in addition to the inflat-
able jumper and the carnival games, the
crafts activities and puppet show, the live
band and magician, the cotton candy and
popcorn, the barbecue and sno-cones.
Best of all, you can get in for the price
of a smile—although there will be modest
charges for food and some games.
The LRPG is a network of families
looking to build a stronger sense of com-
munity focused around the neighborhood
school. It has formed neighborhood play
groups, sponsors community meetings,
and hosts a monthly Sunday brunch. For
more information, call Susan Killebrew at
655-2737 or e-mail lowerrockridgeparents
@yahoo.com.
PHOTO: LYDIA GANS
by Lydia Gans
As you drive up Telegraph Avenue
in Oakland, look to your left when
you get to 58th Street. You’ll see a young
cypress tree that promises to grow into an
imposing sentry on the tiny triangle of
greenery where Racine Street meets Tele-
graph. Come closer and feast your eyes on
a variety of native grasses and flowers and
golden California poppies. It can’t be called
a park—you can walk all around it in a
minute—but it’s a refreshing bit of nature
in a world of concrete.
This year’s Peralta Spring Community
Festival, held on the school grounds on Alca-
traz between Telegraph and Dana from noon
to 4 p.m. on May 17, will be an extravaganza
of food and fun, thanks to a collaboration
between the Peralta Parent Teacher Group
(PPTG) and the Lower Rockridge Parents
Group (LRPG) to celebrate Peralta Elemen-
tary School and its neighborhood.
Can you scoop popcorn? Paint daisies on little
faces? Make change? Set up or clean up booths
and tables? If you’d like to spend an hour or so
in the middle of a vibrant community gathering,
the Peralta Spring Community Festival could
use your help. Call Margit Birge (428-0366) or
Susan Killebrew (655-2737) to volunteer.
Tour Open Studios 2003
Frequently you’ll see a man there tend-
ing the plants, a tall, vigorous man with
curly gray hair and sparkling eyes. He is
John Wagers, 84-year-old retired chemist,
the man who energized the neighbors and
the city bureaucracy to create that bit of
greenspace.
Past Peralta Community Festivals have
had a program of student performances—
and that will be featured this year, too. But
community organizations and businesses
are contributing to make this the biggest
and best to date. The Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council has contributed
$150 to support the event, and Ron Kriss
of Lawton Associates Realty is sponsoring
all the entertainment.
The Rockridge Muse, page 9
Ten years ago, when city traffic engi-
neers closed the entry into Racine Street
off Telegraph, all they could think about
putting there was a “huge expanse of paving.”
Their concept of traffic control was “stop
signs and speed bumps,” John recalls. He
and some neighbors wanted something with
esthetic value, something green and beauti-
ful. They had plans drawn up, but the city
said it would cost “too much money” and
— Carol Aust
Letter
Peralta Elementary School is one of the
most successful schools in the district, with a
TREE MAN, PAGE 10
WANTED: Homes for sale in Rockridge!
Address
Bed/Ba
List Price
Selling Price
Close Date
5245 Shafter
3/1
$489,000
$536,000
04/03/03
5233 Shafter
2/1
$495,000
$532,000
04/04/03
5351 Belgrave
1/1
$299,000
$328,000
04/09/03
5265 Lawton
4/1
$849,000
$880,000
04/09/03
356 62nd St
1/1
$410,000
$475,000
04/11/03
6122 Ocean View
4/3
$795,000
$795,000
04/15/03
6408 Regent
2/1
$689,000
$750,000
04/24/03
Average overbid was almost 8.5% over the asking price. In April, none of
the properties listed in Rockridge sold bellow the asking price.
If you are thinking of buying or selling,
call me for a free consultation.
May 3, 2003
6.
T-Shirts, T-Shirts,
T-Shirts; Get’em
While It’s Hot!
With warm weather on the
horizon, Rockride residents
can suit up fashionably with
Rockridge T-Shirts. Shirts are
embossed with the copyrighted
RCPC Rockridge craftsman cot-
tage, pictured above, and are
available in Navy blue and Kelly
green designer colors. Your order
will be filled and delivered to
your doorstep within a week of
receipt.
Where Cooking IS the Party!
OFFERING
In-Home Cooking Classes
Custom-Designed Cookbooks
www.LulusKitchen.com 510.520.6397
Now! Order Your Navy Blue and/or
Kelly Green Rockridge T-Shirt!
(Sorry, tan not
presently available)
ROCKRIDGE T-SHIRT Order Form
Name_______________________________ Phone____________
Address______________________ City_________ Zip________
I would like to order the following T-Shirts:
Navy Blue with Craftsman Cottage in Cream @ $15 each.
Indicate quantity in each size desired
L______ XL______ XXL______
Kelly Green with Craftsman Cottage in Cream @ $15 each.
Indicate quantity in each size desired:
S______ L______ XL______ XXL______
Total Quantity _______ @ $15/each =
$__________
Outside Rockridge area add $3 shipping =
$__________
Total =
$__________
Mail check and order form to: RCPC T-Shirts, 5245 College Avenue
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618 or log on to www.rockridge.org
7.
May 3, 2003
Kitchen Tour Seeks Volunteers; Planning Underway
by Natalie Mehta
A
The 2003 Kitchen Tour
Committee.
Top row (l to r):
Brian Deans, Marilyn
Mansfield, Susan
Montauk,
Nancy Sale, Laura
Gentile.
Bottom Row: Natalie
Mehta, Maureen Alano,
Deborah Larson,
Jane Meyer.
Not pictured: Don
Kinkead and Jo Ellis.
host of spectacular kitchens will be
on display in the Rockridge Kitchen
Tour, set for September 28. Now, the
planning committee is looking for volun-
teer docents and committee members to
contribute their ideas and talents. If you
would like to participate in this fundrais-
ing event—and receive complimentary tour
tickets for your efforts—please contact one
of the numbers listed below. Here are the
volunteer assignments:
Docents: Guide visitors through the
homes and provide background informa-
tion to tour guests. Docents are treated to
a pre-tour visit of three kitchens and will
have time to visit the other six kitchens when
their shift is over on the day of the tour. If
you are interested in being a docent, please
contact Nancy Sale at 655-4625.
PHOTO: PAUL WEINSTEIN
set-up, and registration. For more infor-
mation, please contact Deborah Larson
at 595-3352.
residential home decoration professionals
with an opportunity to reach an interested
and enthusiastic audience. For more infor-
mation about securing advertising space in
the tour brochure, please contact Jo Ellis
at 653-3210.
Committee Volunteers: Assist with
pre-tour and event-day activities includ-
ing publicity, the raffle, food, flowers,
Brochure Advertising: Provide mer-
chants, real estate brokers, builders,
architects, designers, decorators, and other
Photography: A volunteer professional
photographer takes publicity pictures
for the tour press releases. The time
involved is approximately six hours.
Contact Susan Montauk at 547-3855 for
more information.
With both the Kitchen Tour and
Market Hall Fair occurring on Septem-
ber 28, there will be a wide variety of
activities in the neighborhood. Whether
you want an insider’s look at some of the
most beautiful and innovative kitchens
in the area or want to taste a variety of
gourmet treats from Market Hall—why not
both?—Rockridge will be the place to be
on September 28.
May 3, 2003
8.
cookbooks. The pictures are beautiful, but
the recipes are often not tested for home
kitchens. On the other hand, I adore Joyce
Goldstein’s Mediterranean Kitchen, which
features many of her signature dishes from
her now closed Square One restaurant.
This month’s recipe comes from A
Treasury of Great Recipes by Mary and
Vincent Price. It was my very first attempt
at making a French gourmet dessert and is
still a mainstay for our family.
By The Book
French Chocolate Ice Cream
(Makes 1 quart)
We are in the midst of painting the
downstairs of our house. Need I say more?
I had to pack up over 120 cookbooks, six
binders of recipe clips, and 10 years of
cooking magazines after sorting through
everything. Although it was an all-day job,
I felt great comfort in looking through 37
years of my cookbook collection.
the largest-selling category of nonfiction
books? Bookstores organize cookbooks
into general, regional, ethnic, specialized
techniques, ingredients, and restaurant.
Every cookbook library should contain at
least one comprehensive general cookbook.
These include Joy of Cooking, The New
Basics Cookbook, The Fannie Farmer
Cookbook, and the out-of-print Amy
Vanderbilt’s cookbook.
Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
3 egg yolks
11⁄2 cups of whipping cream
Directions
In a small saucepan combine sugar and
water. Bring to boil and boil rapidly for 3
minutes.
Our first cookbook, given to us by a
wonderful cousin, was A Treasury of Great
Recipes, by Mary and Vincent Price. That’s
right: Vincent Price, the great Hollywood
film star. Published in 1965, the cookbook
is a collection of recipes from the world’s
most famous restaurants. For every res-
taurant, there’s a full-color photograph of
the dining room and a reproduction of the
menu, including prices. Oldtimers might
appreciate an original 1965 menu from
the Blue Fox. Check these prices: Caesar
salad, $2.00, double French lamb chops,
$7.00, and espresso, $.60. I still make the
French Chocolate Ice Cream from La Pavil-
lon (see recipe).
I purchased a copy of Amy Vanderbilt’s
cookbook in 1967. Years later, I noticed
that the beautiful pen and ink line drawings
were done by a then-young and unknown
artist named Andrew Warhol. Warhol’s
perfect napkin-folding illustrations are a
delight. My personal choices for general
cookbooks are The New Basics Cookbook
and The Best Recipe by the publishers of
Cook’s Illustrated. I still continue to make
reference to Craig Claiborne’s classic New
York Times Cookbook, which has a recipe
for mushroom pie that we have been making
on Thanksgiving for over 30 years.
Put chocolate chips in a blender. Add the
hot sugar syrup, cover, and blend on high
speed until the chocolate is smooth.
Add the egg yolks. Stir to combine and
blend for 30 seconds.
Whip cream in large mixing bowl until
firm peaks are formed. Fold chocolate mixture
into the whipped cream.
Spoon into a flat cake pan. Cover with
waxed paper and freeze for 2 to 3 hours.
Remove from freezer about an hour before
serving to soften, so it’s ready to scoop.
(Optional: I often add 1⁄4 cup of orange-
flavored liqueur to the mixture before placing
in the freezer.)
In addition to providing me with new
cooking ideas and techniques, cookbooks are
just plain good reading. I may never prepare
any of the recipes in two recently purchased
cookbooks—Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culi-
nary Journey Through Southeast Asia, by
Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid, and Thai
Food, by David Thompson (photos by Earl
Carter)—but I find them fascinating. Win-
ners of James Beard Best Cookbook awards,
the books are a glorious combination of
travel, history, cultural anthropology, and
culinary tastes. Another in that category is
Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food:
An Odyssey From Samarkand to New York,
also a Beard award winner. In addition to
providing over 800 recipes, The Book of
Jewish Food interweaves stories, history,
and remembrances of 2,000 years of the
Jewish diaspora.
Cookbook collectors should always
check the overstocks and used books
found in our local bookstores, Pendragon
and Diesel. “Like new” used books can
also be found at Jessica’s Biscuit on the
Internet. While recently browsing at Pen-
dragon, I picked up a used near-perfect copy
of Madhur Jeffrey’s World Vegetarian by
the guru of Indian cooking, far below the
jacket price. Ten years ago, while in New
York roaming the Strand Bookstore, I
found an overstock copy of Christopher
Schlesinger’s The Thrill of the Grill for $10.
Now considered a classic in grill cooking,
the book has recipes for jerk chicken and
my favorite barbecue sauce, both mainstays
in my grilling repertoire.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California Culinary
Academy. His e-mail is kaufman42@earthlink.net.
Barry is available for private cooking classes and
fundraising events.
Every cookbook library should contain
at least one volume for each ethnic cuisine
and several personal favorites. I tend to
stay away from celebrity chef restaurant
Did you know that cookbooks are
9.
May 3, 2003
East Bay Open Studios
Each spring we are invited to celebrate
the visual arts and the artists among
us who create such marvelous paintings,
sculptures, photography, jewelry, and other
art objects. The event, East Bay Open
Studios (EBOS), has been produced by
Pro Arts every year since 1979.
Pro Arts was founded in 1974 as the
Alameda Neighborhood Arts Program to
serve the needs of the Bay Area’s diverse
artistic and cultural communities. Today,
there are well over 1,000 members, about
550 of whom will open their studios to
the public during the first two weekends
of June. In the absence of other East
Bay venues to show and sell art, Open
Studios represents an important means
for artists to make a living. Even more
than that, it provides all of us a unique
opportunity to share in the rich creative
life of the East Bay.
by Ortrun Niesar
furniture, stained glass, prints, dolls
and dolls’ clothing, mixed media and
jewelry. Two other Rockridge artists,
Linda Lemon and Karen LeGault, will
exhibit at Jerry Brown’s “We The People”
Auditorium in Jack London Square.
How to See Open Studios
What is the best way to experience
Open Studios? Two weekends are hardly
enough to scratch the surface of all there
is to see. Through June 8, samples of each
artist’s work will be on display at the
Pro Arts Gallery in downtown Oakland
(963-9425). Consider planning your tour
by first visiting the gallery to select
In Rockridge and environs, at least
25 artists plan to hold their studios
open. See the map and list of artists on
this page. These artists will be showing
painting, photography, sculpture, art
the artists you won’t want to miss. The
gallery will be open Wednesdays through
Sundays, 11a.m. to 5 p.m. Complimentary
maps will be available there, or you can
find maps in the East Bay Express and
the Rockridge Library.
With luck and some planning, you may
be able to group your chosen studio visits
in such a way as to avoid excessive driving.
Also, be adventurous, try adding a new
neighborhood or a new group of artists
to your list of destinations each year.
A wonderful way to enjoy your touring
is to hook up with a friend or two. Wear
comfortable shoes and be prepared to
do some walking and stair climbing.
Don’t worry too much about stopping
for lunch. Almost all studios will offer
refreshments, as many are not located
near restaurants.
If you focus on Rockridge, you can
do a walking or bicycle tour for added
pleasure. We are sure the weather will
be fine.
Buying Art
Do plan to purchase some original
art. There is nothing like owning a
work that tugged at your heart strings
the first time you saw it, one that made
you come back again and again. Many
works on display during Open Studios
can be purchased at very reasonable
prices. Some artists will accept credit
cards, but most will ask you to pay by
check or cash (artists are often willing
to work out time payment plans).
Handmade post cards, jewelry, dyed
fabrics, and small sculptures are available
for a few dollars almost everywhere.
Think Christmas in June and bring a
cloth bag to hold your treasures. Artists
tend to forget about wrapping materials.
Finally, do put your name on your favorite
artist’s mailing list if you want to be
included in future events.
Here’s wishing you a wonderful
day of adventure and discovery at
EBOS 2003.
May 3, 2003
10.
Safeway Site
Tree Man
gas line under it. The plants that had been
growing for two years were destroyed. The
garden had to be started all over again—and
it was thanks to a half-dozen volunteers with
John in the lead.
from page 1
from page 5
subletting the lot to car dealers on Broadway
who needed extra parking space.
the plans were ignored.
Some years later, the traffic engineer
“found some money,” John says, but the city
drew its own plans. “If we hadn’t been there
to protest, it would have been mostly con-
crete. …Our idea was to develop a model,
open space with native plants like what was
here originally.”
An amateur horticulturist, John has been
critical of the city’s choice of street trees,
many of which have been destroyed because
they were the wrong trees for the area or
were planted in paving cutouts that are too
small. John has developed a list of trees
appropriate to local conditions and guidelines
for how they should be planted.
As time went by, there was growing
concern about how the site was being
used and, more important, how it might
become a vital part of its neighborhood
again. Working with area residents, the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
argued to the City of Oakland that Children’s
Hospital was making inappropriate uses of
the property. The parcel of land is zoned
C-28 Commercial Shopping; warehousing
and/or storage are not a permitted use.
The neighbors finally got approval for
their plan, and 20 people showed up to help
on planting day in October 2001. They
selected drought-tolerant native plants and
worked in huge quantities of mulch: The
garden flourished.
It seems to John that some city officials
“love concrete, they love paving. The con-
crete contractors must have an influence
… and they’re paranoid about weeds.” But,
John says, with enough neighbors organized,
the city will listen. And in that there is a
lesson for all of us.
Not long ago, Children’s Hospital issued
a proposal to convert the building into a
just-in-time warehouse for its use. While
the RCPC board and the Rockridge com-
munity stand by the mission of Children’s
Hospital, spokesmen contended that plans
to make 5354 Claremont Avenue a ware-
house were just plain wrong, not permitted
and not supported by the City of Oakland’s
general plan.
Then, two months ago, a PG&E worker
ran a bulldozer right through the middle of
the garden, mistakenly thinking there was a
$&$ %&"" %)
$"" ' &
$&$!%
((( % #&# " # &
In January, RCPC learned that Children’s
Hospital had negotiated an early termina-
tion to its long-term lease with the property
owner, James Falaschi. Since then, Falas-
chi has requested a building permit and is
currently improving the structure’s interior
to hold medical offices. Because medical
offices are a permitted use in the C-28 zone
and the work was mostly on the interior,
the project was not subject to public review
or comment.
Your Rockridge
Mortgage Expert!
However, RCPC is pleased with the out-
come and appreciates Mr. Falaschi’s efforts
to consider the surrounding community.
Those who had hopes for other develop-
ment possibilities of that site—and there
were many constructive suggestions—will
have to wait for another day.
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Mortgage Loan Specialist
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510.814-4
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Real Estate Broker, California Department of Real Estate License # 00930036, (916)227-0931
11.
May 3, 2003
F R O M E D I T O R T O A D V E N T U R E R
Former Rockridge News Editor Reports from Abroad
by Claire Isaacs
“W
“honorary Orindans” and left for Thailand
under the guidance of then-Orinda Mayor
Gregg Wheatland. Gregg’s friendship with
the owner of the Thai Orchid restaurant
across from the City Council chambers—and
his fondness for Lamphun food—had grown
into a Sister City relationship with educa-
tional and cultural exchanges.
beautiful golden stupa. We paid homage
to living elephants, too, at the Elephant
Conservation Camp, where entrance fees
supply cash to save the wonderful beasts
from extinction when their services are
no longer needed for logging in Thai
forests.
Ae’re either going to be cheered or
get shot!” I shouted to husband
Bill, as we joined 21 other Americans to
lead a parade down a darkened street in a
foreign country. It was a hot night, Novem-
ber 20, 2002, and we were about to march
two-and-a-half kilometers past thousands
of strangely silent people in Lamphun,
Northern Thailand.
nd, of course, there was the parade.
The occasion was the major annual
Festival of Loi Krathong, which marks the
end of the rainy season and celebrates the
bounties of the river. As we walked to the
At the moment, I didn’t know whether
the streets lacked lamps, or the lights
were deliberately turned off. The gloom
made me uneasy, even though we were
escorted by the city’s mayor and his
staff, dressed in brilliant traditional
garb. We, in turn, wore the very vis-
ible white shirt jackets the mayor
had given us earlier that day, which
seemed to make us perfect targets
for any angry anti-Americans among
the throng.
starting point, many gracious local citi-
zens picnicking by the riverside offered
to share their family’s food with us.
Why then, were the people lining the
parade route so cool? Why was the
street so dark?
Finally, I understood. People
wanted to see, not the politicians
and their guests at the head of the
parade, but the show that would follow
us. Darkness was essential to enjoy the
forty or so full-size floats, brilliantly
lit, adorned with water lilies and lotuses,
demons, Buddhas, and Thai temples. Riding
on them were beauteous classical and folk
dancers, musicians, and acrobats in full
costume. A group of kick boxers stopped
to demonstrate their ferocious sport inside
a portable ring.
A
How did we get into this mess?
It’s a long story but I’ll stick with the
highlights.
For a while now, my husband Bill Wah-
rhaftig has been saying that if we were to
enjoy all those exotic trips abroad we had
imagined since our retirement, we’d need to
start soon. Although I agreed, my beloved
mother needed care; her death last August
7, after a long cruel battle with Alzheim-
er’s, left us free to travel. We began with
a long-planned journey to Japan in October
and couldn’t resist an invitation to join a
people-to-people Sister City Tour to Lam-
phun, Thailand, leaving only three weeks
after our return from Osaka.
T
Claire and husband Bill at the start of a
festival parade in Thailand.
When we arrived at Changmai airport,
a throng of traditionally costumed
women and men from Laphun greeted us
with a welcome banner, music, cheers and
clapping. They garlanded our necks and
wrists with fragrant jasmine and roses.
After a 28-hour journey, it was a delight-
ful surprise.
fter completing our ceremonial task,
we retired to a reviewing stand to
watch the rest of the parade. Then we
all descended to the river to launch little
bamboo floats, or krathongs, decorated
with flowers, candles, incense and Thai
and American flags. These were intended
to form a stream of floating lights pouring
south to Bangkok and out to sea, carry-
ing our hopes and dreams. My float was
unbalanced and too heavily weighted with
its flags. It sank rapidly.
During the next few days, officials
and citizens of Lamphun welcomed us
at City Hall, the Provincial Government
Headquarters, the local waste treatment
plant (impressively up to date), recycling
plant (compost, paper), and herb production
plant (fragrant).
o take advantage of all these opportuni-
ties, I reluctantly cut myself loose from
a self-imposed schedule of news deadlines
that began with reporting assignments for
neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco.
When I became editor of The Rockridge
News—wonderful as that job was—my life
became locked into a relentless production
schedule. Sorry to leave the wonderful
friends and associates I’d made through
the newsletter and as a member of the
sponsoring Rockridge Community Plan-
ning Council, I nevertheless submitted my
resignation. It was time to move on.
Next evening, on a quiet tributary stream
by the Golden Pai resort village near Mae
Hong Son, I tried again. This time, I got
it right. My wishes for peace and long life
joined those of millions of Thais.
In return, we presented 20 boxes of
English language books to the local school
librarian, helped teenage Buddhist nuns
practice their English, and heartily
applauded the public school children’s
songs and dances. We offered our respects at
the spectacular local Buddhist temple, Doi
Sathep, with its ferocious demon figures,
sacred white elephant, and stupifyingly
At home now, reminiscing about those
lovely gracious people, I realize that I
have become a sister both to Orindans,
our neighbors across the hills, and to the
people of Lamphun, across the sea. Near
and far, it is all the same.
Soon, Bill and I were officially dubbed
May 3, 2003
12.
Speed Humps
be spaced as far apart as 750 feet. A recent
study conducted by the British Govern-
ment recommends the installation of speed
humps in pairs 100 feet apart, finding that
this pairing strategy produces the most
effective results in noise reduction.
The good news is that speed humps
really work to slow traffic down on
residential streets. The bad news is that
the ongoing budget crisis in the City of
Oakland will make it harder to get them
installed. Given the fact that they are a
self-enforcing long-term solution to speed-
ing traffic, many people think the effort
is worth it.
from page 3
down and divert cars seeking shortcuts back
to the arterial streets that are designed to
accommodate higher speeds. We only need
to go a few blocks up College Avenue into
Berkeley to see how this strategy has been
implemented and how effective it is.
For the most part, speed humps are only
workable in residential settings with posted
speed limits of 25 or 30 mph. The humps
are never installed in areas with restricted
visibility, such as sharp curves, hillcrests,
steep grades, intersections, or driveways.
Designed to accommodate larger vehicles
such as school buses and fire trucks, they
do not impede emergency vehicles.
For more information on Rockridge
traffic issues, or to obtain a sample
City of Oakland “Petition For Speed
Bumps”—please contact michaeljwhitfield
@hotmail.com
Since speed bumps are responsible for
a lot of the bad PR, we decided to take a
closer look at speed humps. An interest-
ing article in TA Magazine’s Summer 2002
issue calls speed humps “the most effective
device the city has to slow traffic and reduce
crashes on neighborhood streets. Indeed,
their very effectiveness is why shortcutting
motorists do not like them.”
All About Adding a Hump to Your Street
I
f you think your street might benefit from speed humps, here’s what to do:
Contact the City of Oakland Public Works Agency–Traffic & Engineering Depart-
ment, 250 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 4344, Oakland, 94612, phone 238-3466. A
traffic engineer will return your call and interview you about your block.
The magazine’s publisher, Transpor-
tation Alternatives, is a New York-based
coalition that advocates traffic calming.
While some motorists complain that speed
humps increase traffic noise, the New York
City Department of Transportation’s Speed
Hump Noise Impact Survey “found that the
loudest noises decreased substantially after
humps were installed, while background, or
ambient traffic noise, remained unchanged,”
the article says.
To qualify for the installation of speed humps, your street must:
be classified as a local/residential street;
have a curb-to-curb width of 40 feet or less;
have no more than two lanes (one in each direction);
be relatively flat with a grade not exceeding 7%;
have a speed limit of 25 mph, while 85% of traffic exceeds 32 mph;
not be part of an AC Transit route;
not be a cul-de-sac or dead-end street.
If your street qualifies, you will be sent a “Petition for Speed Humps.” Residents
or landlords representing 67% of the addresses on the block under consideration,
including the four corner properties, must sign the petition. It should also provide the
number and age range of the children living on your block and list any preschools
or nursery schools.
Let’s take a closer look. Speed humps
are about 3 inches high and, unlike speed
bumps, they are typically 18 feet long in
the direction of travel. They are generally
spaced every 500 feet, although they may
Petitions are reviewed by the Traffic & Engineering Department for signat-
ture confirmation and final approval. Your block will then be scheduled for
installation.
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
OPEN DAILY 12 - 2
5352 College Avenue
Your Neighborhood Pub
13.
May 3, 2003
rainbow are here as well. There’s a Reebok
fold-up trainer for travel and a soft sneaker
with lacing, inspired by bicycling shoes. The
store carries a number of limited edition
shoes as well, including a refined flat sandal
with Eames fabric and a Miharayasuhiro
sneaker with a unique heel (impossible to
PHOTO: DON KINKEAD
THE NEIGHBORHOOD MERCHANT
BY THERESA NELSON
twenty two
describe, you have to see it).
(Way More Than) 22 Shoes
T
For walkers there are many choices:
Clark’s clogs with stylish single-strap
open backs as well as shoes and short
boots from Germany’s trippen, an eco-
friendly manufacturer. The evisu shoes
for men are really stunning: casual tie
shoes in dark and earth tones lined
with brilliant kimono fabrics.
Chris Silverman
at the sales
counter of
twenty two shoes
he store’s name has nothing to do with
the number of shoes available, as you’ll
quickly see when you enter twenty two,
on College near Chabot. Located in the
former Laser Copy space, this new store
features plenty of shoes for men, women,
and children, as well as handbags and
other accessories. So why call it twenty
two? Patience, please.
PHOTO: LYDIA GANS
In addition to shoes, twenty two
carries a variety of handbags and
socks. A shoulder bag with a stylish
buckle is available from Sigerson Morrison
in dusty blue or black. The sporty bags from
Un Aprés-Midi de Chien … Paris come in
nylon or Teflon-coated fabric in blue, tan,
black, and multicolor, and all are lined in
hot pink fabric, which makes it easy to find
things in the bottom of your purse.
Owner Chris Silverman and his wife,
Alexandra, have been Oaklanders since
1995, and while living on Shafter some time
ago, they got familiar with the Rockridge
neighborhood. Both came from the world
of fashion and design, he from Old Navy
and Levi’s, and she from Gap and Levi’s.
Earlier in his career, Chris owned a surf and
skateboard store called X-Large with one
of the Beastie Boys, and he’s been in retail
and fashion since he was 16 years old.
sneakers and everything in between. When
I visited in mid-April, spring was in full
swing. Shoes ranged from strappy san-
dals and low heels from Marc Jacobs and
Sigerson Morrison to embroidered slides
and thongs from Le Plagiste in the south
of France, Italian earth-tone sandals from
L’Autre Chose, and cute rubber open-toe
clogs from Clone. The Robert Clergerie
(Paris) geometric sandals in gold and black
are very elegant, and the slides from Jet
in Italy, in bright striped fabric and clear
colors, seem to call out from warm beaches
on the Mediterranean coast.
So why did they call it twenty two?
Chris says, “twenty two is a lucky family
number, a number we love, and it allows
us to expand into other areas in the future:
shoe design, accessories, even clothing.”
The store is clean and modern, with an
interesting frosted plastic and white wood
wall in the rear. Local builder Rob Roster
helped the Silvermans fulfill their vision
for the space. twenty two currently features
artwork by Maggie Hill Ward, and the store
will feature a new artist every four to six
weeks.
For some time, the couple had wanted
to open their own retail store close to
home. As parents of a three-year-old with
another baby on the way, they thought the
time was right for a new direction, and they
decided that a shoe store would fill a need
in Rockridge. The store’s hours allow Chris
to spend mornings with his daughter.
For casual and athletic wear, there are
even more choices. The Onitsuka Tiger shoes
in suede and leather come in unusual com-
binations like black and orange and olive
and white, and Pumas in every color of the
twenty two carries a wide range of shoes,
from high-end designer party shoes to fun
As Chris notes, “We have gotten won-
derful support from the neighbors, who
have been very friendly since we opened
in September last year. We really love this
neighborhood and look forward to welcom-
ing more of our neighbors soon.”
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville...............The T
The T
The T
The T
The Team Y
eam Y
eam Y
eam Y
eam You Can T
ou Can T
ou Can T
ou Can T
ou Can Trust
rust
rust
rust
rust
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
You Come First
twenty two
5856 College Avenue
Providing Exemplary Service
In Rockridge since 1980
510/594-2201
www.twentytwoshoes.com
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Shannon Klatt
Buyer Specialist Realtor
(510) 339-4281 direct line
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Mary Jane McConville
Senior Realtor
(510) 339-4280 direct line
Open 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Monday - Sunday
Call
Call
Call
Call
Call Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane
Mary Jane today
today
today
today
today for all your Real Estate needs
for all your Real Estate needs
for all your Real Estate needs
for all your Real Estate needs
for all your Real Estate needs
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400
(510) 339-8400 office
office
office
office
office ♦www
www
www
www
www.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
.MaryJaneMcConville.com
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Jan Carlisle
Administrative Assistant
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
Escrow Coordinator
May 3, 2003
14.
Actors’ Training Project
Part-time, cutting edge, conservatory-style
training. Acting, voice, movement, more. Voice
Training Project for business, performing,
health. Lissa Tyler Renaud, Ph.D.: actress,
teacher, scholar. 653-8395. Acttrainproj@
earthlink.net or www.interarts-training.com
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. Ric 510/464-5934.
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. June deadline is May 22.
Pilates or Gyrotonic®
1 FREE SESSION with purchase of
package.CLASSES : Pilates MAT, Pilates
Group Reformer, NIA®, Yoga & Yamuna®
Body Rolling. First Class Free. Workshops &
Teacher Training Certifications. Mind-Body
Connection, 5255 College Ave., 420-0440
(www.mindbodyconnection.net)
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.
Jazz and Classical Piano Lessons
Rockridge jazz pianist with UC Berkeley
music B.A. offers lessons in jazz, blues, clas-
sical, music theory, ear-training, technique.
Experienced, patient teacher, all ages/levels.
Janet 653-6783.
Personal Tutuoring
Work with an experienced teacher; 18 years
teaching elementary/middle schools. Multiple
trainings in strategies/techniques of reading and
writing. Great collection of thinking games.
One size doesn’t fit all. Available in June.
Cynthia 635-4357.
Mon–Fri 9:30 - 6:00
Sat 9:30 - 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
Italian Cooking Classes
Learn Italian cooking with Rossella Labarile,
arriving from the southern province of Puglia,
Italy exclusively to teach authentic Italian cuisine
here in Rockridge. Classes: May 18-31, weekdays
& evenings, 2-hour course/$25. Normandie,
654-1422, normandie@mrproductions.net
3210 College
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, May 3, 1 ² 4pm
Help us kick-off the
Fundraiser for A Safe Place,
Shelter for victims of domestic violence
Raffle Tickets ³ Great Prizes
Vero donates 15% of product revenue in May
6052 College Avenue at Claremont
(510) 985-0406
Rockridge Resident
Leila S. Gough
leila.gough@agedwards.com
1999 Harrison Street, #2050
Oakland, CA 94612
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
OR BOTH?"
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May 3, 2003
Compiled by Jo Ellis
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Check Your…
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.
District 1 Councilmember Jane
Brunner’s Monthly Community
Advisory Meeting
Writer’s Support/Critique Group
North Oakland Senior Center
Rockridge Branch Library, 1st Saturday of the
month: Call or e-mail to verify meeting time. ALL
writers welcome. Bring 6 copies of any 5 pages of
your prose for reading/discussion with warmhearted
peers. Sponsor: California Writers Club, Berkeley
branch. Call 482-0265 or Writefox@aol.com
Peralta Spring Community Festival
5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Monday
– Friday 8:45am to 4:45pm. Variety of classes,
workshops and educational/social events:
• Computer Classes
• Craft and sewing classes
• Walking groups and field trips:
Sign up in advance for trip to Yosemite, June 4-6.
The Newsletter, “North Oakland Senior Times”
provides a schedule of classes and a monthly
menu for lunch: (suggested donation: seniors age
60 + $1.75 and $4.00 for those under age 60).
Call 597- 5085 for membership and other details.
Elder Care Support Group
First Saturday each month, 10am to noon. Peralta
Elementary School: 460 63rd St. (parking on
Alcatraz Ave., just east of Telegraph)
Note: No June meeting. Annual Summer Picnic,
Sunday, June 22nd from 1-5pm at Lake Temescal
North Picnic Area. For more information: 238-
7001 or www.oaklandnet.com.
Oakland City Council Meeting
May 17, noon to 4pm, at Peralta Elementary School,
460 63rd Street. See story, page 5.
East Bay Open Studios 2003
Every Tuesday, 7pm, City Hall
Oakland Planning Commission
Produced by Pro Arts. Examples of each artist’s
work will be on display at the Pro Arts Gallery
through June 8. See story, page 9 for map and list of
artists and open studio locations.
Diesel Book/Poetry Readings
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
1st and 3rd Wednesday each month, 6:30pm, City
Hall. Agendas, details at www.oaklandnet.com.
Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council
5433 College Ave. All Events are free and open to
the public.
• Tuesday, May 6, 7:30pm. Michael Chabon, Daniel
Steering committee meets the 3rd Tuesday of
each month, 7 to 8:30pm, Claremont Middle
School, 5750 College. For more informa-
tion see the link to the NCPC webpage at
www.rockridge.org.
NOTE: SPECIAL NCPC TOWN HALL MEETING ON COMMU-
Handler and Ayelet Waldman: Stories of Love and
Neurosis.
• Thursday, May 8, 7:30pm. Dennis Lehane:
Shutter Island. Mystery;
• Sunday, May 18, 2pm. Small Press Extrava-
• 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: 834-
FOOD(3663) or www.accfb.org.
• Oakland Elizabeth House: A Transitional
NITY POLICING, May 27, 7-9pm, Rockridge Library
(See article page 1).
Rockridge Branch Library
ganza returns for its 3rd year of celebrating
Bay Area small press magazines and presses.
Participants include 26 magazines and surprise
guests.
• Monday, May 19, 7:30pm. UC Extension Reading
5366 College Ave. NOTE: LIBRARY CLOSED
MONDAY, MAY 26, MEMORIAL DAY.
FOR CHILDREN:
• Toddler Story Time, Saturday at 10:30am:
features student writers from writing classes.
• Wednesday, May 21, 7:30pm. Adam Hochschild:
Residence for Women and Children in Rock-
ridge, 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, homework, mentoring, field trips
and house chores. 658-1380, ext.4, or e-mail
volunteer@oakehouse.org
Co-sponsored with North Oakland Neighbors for
Peace and Justice: “The New World Order.”
• Thursday, May 22, 7:30pm. Richard Greenfield:
5/3, 5/10, 5/31, 6/7.
• Pre-School Story Hours, Tuesday at 10:30 and
11am: 5/6, 5/20, 6/3.
• Pajama Story Time, Wednesday at 7pm: 5/14,
Carnage in the Lovetrees. Poetry.
• Sunday, May 25, 2pm. Leonard Chang: Underkill
• Sunday, June 8, 4pm. Kimball Jones: The Casual
5/28, 6/11.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
• Kathak Dance Performance of the Chhandam
Vineyard Table: From Wente Vineyards. Cookbook,
co-authored with Carolyn Wente.
• Diesel Drop-in Book Groups: • Tuesday, May 13,
Tour Open Studios 2003
School; traditional storytelling dance form
from India. Wednesday, May 21 at 7pm. All
ages welcome; best for ages 7 to 12.
• Origami Get-together, Thursday, May 29, 3
7:30pm. Reading Mrs. Dallaway by Virginia Woolf.
• Tuesday, May 20, 7:30pm. Reading Madame Bovary
The Rockridge Muse, page 9
by Flaubert.
to 5pm. All ages welcome; folders with small
hands will need adult help. No sign-up needed.
FOR YOUNG ADULTS:
Teen Advisory Council meets the second Thurs-
day of the month, 3:30- 5:30pm: 5/8, 6/12
FOR ADULTS:
• Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice.
For more information: 653-9965 or
www.dieselbookstore.com
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
Saturday, 7 to 9pm: free acoustic music perfor-
mance. For more information call 420-0196.
College Avenue Adult Center
First Thursday 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.
College Ave. Presbyterian Church, 5955 College Ave.
Every Wednesday, open 9:30am to 1:30pm. Light
exercise, socializing, travel programs and music.
• Special programs 11am to noon.
For more information call 597-5017
Rockridge Toastmasters
Every Tuesday, 7pm: Veterans Building, 200
Grand Ave., Oakland. Improve your public
speaking skills in a friendly and supportive
environment. For more information call Craig at
597-0951 or e-mail www.rockridgetoastmast
ers.org
— Liz Maxwell
5/7 Charles Fitch slides of Europe
• Field Trips: 5/10 Stinson Beach.
Hot lunch available at noon for $1.75. For details and
inf. on upcoming field trips and events, call Kathy at
531-6724.
Growing Out
May 3, 2003
16.
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339-4721
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