Extracted text · highlighting “Oakland Unified School”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 21      NO. 1      ISSUE NO. 219    January 7, 2006
 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

Sponsored by The Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 644-4228

The High Cost of Crossing Claremont
agenda: RCPC Town Hall Meeting
¡
Unable to enjoy
their wide-ranging
daily walks since
being hit by a car on
Claremont Avenue,
Bob and Mary Hazen
are wheelchair-
bound during their
convalescence. Much
of the downstairs
area of their home
has been converted
for recovery care.
Photo: Cy Gulassa
Thursday, January 19, 7:30 pm
Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College
Avenue at Manila; Community Room
	 Community Forum: Help set Rockridge’s direction for
2006. Join your neighbors as RCPC dedicates this January
Town Hall meeting to hearing about the issues and projects
important to Rockridge residents.
Topic: January Town Hall Meeting
RCPC Seeks Input
by Jessica Pitt, Vice-Chair, RCPC
R
CPC will ring in the New Year with a Town Hall
meeting to gather community input on RCPC’s goals
and priority projects for 2006. Please join us on Thursday,
January 19 at 7:30 pm at the Rockridge Library for an
open community forum where you can learn about the
accomplishments of RCPC in 2005 and share your ideas
about the future direction of the organization.
2005 Was Eventful for RCPC
Near-Fatal Accident for Rockridge Residents
Intrepid Daily Walkers Latest
Victims of Claremont Traffic
2005 was an eventful year for RCPC. We were able
to secure funding from City Councilmember Jane Brun-
ner to install new street trees and benches along College
Avenue. We strengthened our relationships with neigh-
borhood schools. We began the design of a new website
that will serve as a portal for information and news in
the Rockridge community. The 2005 Kitchen Tour was
a smashing success, raising $17,000 to support park and
streetscape improvements, contributions to our schools,
and other neighborhood projects.
Challenges
by Cy Gulassa
Odressed, Bob in casual khakis.
n a sunny morning last Novem-
ber, Bob and Mary Hazen began
one of their marathon daily walks.
“We think nothing of walking from
Rockridge to Jack London Square
for lunch and back,” Mary says.
“We even take different routes and
window shop along the way.”
When they stepped off the curb
at Auburn to cross Claremont toward
Safeway that morning around 10:30,
heading this time for antique shopping
in downtown Berkeley, the road was
clear in both directions. But just as
they passed the center stripe, “a car
shot out from nowhere, traveling fast,”
Mary said. “I didn’t even have time
to scream. I saw that grill coming
and knew this was it.” A millisecond
later, that BMW grill scooped both
For them, 10 or 15 miles a day
is typical. Many have seen the 70-
something couple strolling Rockridge
streets and shopping along Col-
lege Avenue, Mary always stylishly
2005 was also a challenging year for RCPC. We
hosted several forums intended to help form a vision
for growth and development in Rockridge that could
guide an update to
Town Hall Meeting, page 
¬
Claremont Accident, page 
¬
Crime Takes No Holiday in Rockridge
by Susan Montauk, Chair, Greater Rockridge NCPC
T
Update: Crime Report
Robbery Suspect Arrested
Ahe months of November and December should be festive and hopeful,
but for many Rockridge residents they were a time instilled with fear.
On November 28, violent crime struck in the normally quiet Rockridge
neighborhood of Ocean View just east of Broadway. A 19-year-old student
walking home from school at about 8 p.m. was forced into an alley by a
man with a mallet and then repeatedly raped over a twenty-minute period.
The victim found her way to a hospital and later provided a description
of the rapist for the OPD sketch artist. Sgt. Rodney Grimes, the detective
assigned to the case, has made no
No Crime Holiday, page 
¬
parolee arrested December 28 is a prime
suspect in a string of street robberies in
Rockridge, Elmwood and Berkeley, after publica-
tion of surveillance photos helped identify him. The
suspect, a huge man who targeted mainly women,
allegedly robbed eight people in a 3-day spree,
December 16-19. He is also believed responsible for
three robberies at the Rockridge BART station.


2.

January 7, 2006

In My Opinion

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue

Happy January 1 Through

December 31, Inclusive
by Cy Gulassa
T

597-5017
HOURS:
Mon,Tues:
Weds,Thurs, Sat:
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.

he war on Christmas, like the war on terrorism, is complex and exceedingly dangerous.
You can banish the word Christmas with a keystroke, but semantic insurgents are deeply
embedded in substitute words, ready to make a mockery of “mission accomplished.”

To win the war, Christmas must be secularized, antiseptically cleansed of Christ,
Christians and other religious clutter. But first, to be culturally fair, if Christmas must go,
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa must also be stricken. We should not play cultural favorites.

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.

The word Christmas, unfortunately, is problematic. Coined by Anglo-Saxons as short-
hand for the feast of the birth of Christ, “Cristes mæsse” (Mass of Christ), it has burrowed
so deep into our collective psyches that it’s hard to find an alternative that doesn’t suggest
a baby in a manger and a flock of angels.

The politically correct (PC) suggest a neutral word like “holiday.” That’s a good
choice, but it also poses problems. Holiday(s) include all 12 days of Christmas, making it
difficult to single out a particular day: “Merry holiday!” “What did you get for holiday?”
And how about, “Hurry, hurry, only 10 shopping days left ’til holiday.” Clearly, holiday
is much too generic to be useful.

Rockridge News Production
Cy Gulassa...........................Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Claire Wahrhaftig-Isaacs.... Writer
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &

Another way to test a Christmas substitute is to put it in a song or poem and listen:
“On the first day of holiday my true love gave to me….” Or, “T’was the night before
holiday and all through the house….” Nah!

Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson.....................Neighborhood Merchant
Lydia Gans...........................Photography
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2005-2006

But that’s only the half of it. Holiday derives from the Old English word “haligdæg,”
which literally means holy day, a day parishioners knocked off work but were required
to attend Mass and celebrate a saint or religious event. Even though many local folks
are unaware of the etymology of “holiday,” it’s sufficiently steeped in religious myth to
offend somebody out there. Sorry, holiday must go.

Deborah Weinstein...........Chair
Jessica Pitt............................Vice-Chair
Adrienne DeAngelo..........Secretary
Susan Montauk...................Treasurer
Kent Deverell, Jennifer Edmister, Cy Gulassa,
Al Hussian, Hiroko Kurihara, Mike McDonald,
Steve Meyer, Mike Taylor, Stephanie Upp, Robert Wiles

I examined an old, pre-PC neutering of Christmas to determine why it failed to take hold.
Orthographers a half-century ago tried crossing out the “Christ” in Christmas. Although a
good start, it didn’t go far enough. Xmas stirs suspicion that religious meaning has sublimi-
nally survived in the suffix, -mas, the shortened version of Mass. Further, words like Xrated,
Xtreme and Xtravaganza give an unwelcome cast to Xmas, associating it, so to speak, with
bad companions. So any truncation of the word is out — Xtirpated, if you like.

Newsletter Subscriptions
For annual subscriptions to The Rockridge
News, send your check for $18, payable to Rockridge
News Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions
at the address below.

I thought maybe Yule might suffice. It has a nice ring: “Merry Yuletide.” “Light the
Yule log.” “Presents all around the Yule tree.” But the word is not as secular as it seems.
Tracing it back to Middle English, Yule derives from “yole” which means “Christmastide.”
I could trace it to Old English and thence to Teutonic and beyond, but why be excessive?
Yule is useless.

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?

Will time quiet cultural misgivings? Consider the fact that many daily words are
loaded to the steeple with bulky religious trash, yet
we protest not. Take just one of dozens of examples:
A Merry Whatever?, page 
¬

	 Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
Contact us at one of the following addresses or
telephone numbers:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 510/644-4228
Articles published in The Rockridge News may be
reprinted only with the permission of the Editor.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 February 4, 2006
 February deadline is January 19.
Advertising rates are $22/column inch. Six-
month pre-pay rate available. For display ads,
call Jo Ellis at 653-3210 (after noon), or e-mail
joellis1@hotmail.com. (RCPC reserves the right
to refuse any display or classified ad that it deems
inappropriate.)


3.
January 7, 2006

What’s a New Year Without Resolutions?

The Zoning Counter
5646 Oak Grove Avenue
Proposal: To construct a horizontal addition
to the ground floor of the existing single family
residence and an upper story pop out to acco-
modate a new bathroom.
Applicant: Nadja Kuhner
Contact Phone Number: 510/301-8882
Owner: Nadja Kuhner
Planning Permits Required: Regular Design
Review for an addition in the S-18 Zone.
Historic Status: Potential Designated Historic
Property (PDHP);
Survey rating: C2+
Case Planner: Peterson Z. Vollman at 238-6167
or pvollman@oaklandnet.com
320 51st Street
Proposal: Condominium conversion of a vacant
exisitng four unit building.
Applicant: Boris Faybishenko
Contact Phone Number: 510/325-6744
Owner: Boris Faybishenko
Planning Permits Required: Tentative Parcel Map
for condominium conversion.
Case Planner: Peterson Z. Vollman at 238-6167
or pvollman@oaklandnet.com
The Zoning Counter provides Rockridge resi-
dents with an opportunity to review con-
struction project proposals in their neighbor-
hoods. It is a compilation of recent applications
filed with the Oakland Planning Department,
but not necessarily a complete or up-to-date
listing. Individuals may contact the case plan-
ner or the Planning Department for additional
information.
For the most up-to-date information about
applications on file at the city, go online at www.
oaklandnet.com.

Location: College Avenue & 63rd Street
“I resolve
to be a
much more
responsible
consumer
and not buy
a bunch of
crap that I
don’t need.”
“My
resolution
for ’06
is to hit
George
Bush with a
pie.”
Joe
Cassia
“My
resolution
is to go
dancing
with my
beautiful
girl friend
as much as
possible.”
“This year
I plan to
lose 10
pounds.”
Shamiela
John
“My
resolution
is to tap
dance
more.”
“My
resolution
is to be
more
mysterious
and be a
better
friend.”
Becky
Hadas
“I am now
legal so
this year
I will be
able to go
to Puerto
Rico to see
my family
and return
legally.”
“For next
year I plan
to stick with
organic.”
Chris
Jose


4.

January 7, 2006

the Clifton/Miles intersection, she
was accosted by a youth in his late
teens wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Brandishing a gun and threatening
her life, he demanded her wallet. She
gave him the $5 she had with her and
he fled to a waiting car.
Burglaries and attempted burglaries
group of teens in front of his house.
After an exchange of words, the kids
threatened him with a baseball bat and
then ran away. One frightened couple
moved to another neighborhood; most
are just taking extra precautions like
arming themselves with pepper spray
and being vigilant at all times.
Michelle Soto, a 20-year Rockridge
No Crime
Holiday
from page 
progress tracking the assailant down as of
this writing.

were not neighborhood-specific and
everyone was on the alert, reporting
many instances of suspicious behavior
— lone men peering into windows or
sitting in strange cars making phone
calls. Houses on 63rd Street, Lawton
Avenue, Virmar and Oak Grove were
broken into through back windows
and doors; burglars got away with
electronic equipment and jewelry in
all cases. Several attempted burglar-
ies occurred. In one case, frustrated
home owners waited hours for police
to come to take the report.
People are frightened. In late Decem-
Burglaries and auto thefts led the crime
statistics for the last months of the year (see
chart below) and the Rockridge Neighbor-
hood Watch Network subscribers grew
nervous as a slew of on-line reports were
made of assaults, attempted break-ins and
burglaries.

resident, is fed up. She wrote: “I
won’t walk home alone any more
and I don’t feel safe going for walks
[with friends] either. We live in such
a nice neighborhood, which we now
cannot enjoy to its full extent. What
a sad state of affairs.”
OPD is doing its part to curb problems.
On December 2, it conducted a DUI (Driv-
ing Under the Influence) check on College
Avenue. No information was available
regarding the results.
On December 5 at 7 a.m., a Rockridge

resident walking up Manila from
Hudson Bay Café was pushed to the
ground after she refused to yield her
shoulder bag to her assailant. He fled
with the bag to a black Taurus parked
on College Avenue.
In mid-December when a woman


Hear OPD Chief Tucker and the president of the
OPD officers’ association at Jane Brunner’s
February 4 meeting. See Calendar, page 15.
ber a Chabot Road resident found a
walking home from BART reached
2005 Crime Statistics
Safety Tips:
G
Type of Offense/Month
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Total
Aggravated Assault
1

2

3
et a whistle from the WhistleStop
program and wear it when you
walk in the neighborhood. Contact
Margaret at ml@chriswahlberg.com
Attempted Rape

2
2
Burglary
16
27
21
22
86
Disturbing the Peace
1
1
2
Always conceal what you have to
steal, such as money or a cell phone.
Cell phones are just like cash: To be
safe, treat them like cash. Don’t let
strangers know you have one.
Forcible Rape

1
1
2
Narcotics

1
1
Robbery
4
4
3
10
21
Call the OPD non-emergency num-
ber, 777-3333, to report suspicious
persons. The police want to hear from
you, and you could prevent a crime.
Provide as much information as pos-
sible, including the time you noticed the
person, the clothing worn, the shoes
worn, and the manner and direction in
which the person walked.
Simple Assault
1
5
3
7
16
Theft
8
12
9
19
48
Vandalism
1
2
2
5
10
Vehicle Theft
12
10
21
13
56
Other
7
4
13
11
35
Grand Total
51
64
78
89
282
For an enhanced map of these statistics, go to www.rockridgencpc.com
Norman H. Burg, DDS
size 12 and up
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
Says Who! says “Hello” to College Avenue
5831 College Ave 547.5181
www.sayswho.com
A Prevention Oriented Practice


5.
January 7, 2006

Local Schools
Need You!
Coffee and Snacks for Temescal
Creek Cleanup Volunteers
Saturday January 28: Meet at 9 am, DMV Parking Lot
Please join the DMV Neighbors beside
Temescal Creek for a volunteer creek
cleanup that includes weeding, raking,
sweeping, pruning, cutting back the ivy from
Redondo to Clifton, and bagging debris. We
will meet at 9 am next to Temescal Creek
in the DMV parking lot (at Claremont and
Cavour) and work until noon.
The DMV Neighbors Association will
provide coffee and morning snacks and
the City’s Public Works Environmental
Services Division will supply tools, garbage
bags, loppers, rakes, hoes, brooms, litter
by Mike Taylor,
RCPC Schools Committee Chair
Cpickup sticks, and gloves. Or bring your
own favorite tools, marked with your name.
Wheelbarrows are always welcome.
ommunity support was the focal point of
a recent meeting of the RCPC Schools
Committee. In attendance were represen-
tatives from North Oakland Community
Charter School (NOCCS), Claremont Middle
School and Emerson Elementary School. A
common theme of community involvement
developed as representatives from each
school outlined their recent successes and
ongoing needs:
Wear boots or shoes since it’s very likely
that the creek bed will be soggy. Rain cancels
but not heavy fog — some of our best winter
cleanups have been on gray days.
The creek cleanup is sponsored by the
DMV Neighbors Association and Oakland’s
Environmental Services Division. Call
Margaret with any questions: 655-1767.
Please join us; we all appreciate a clean,
pleasant park to visit.
NOCCS is most in need of a new

location, but also needs large-scale
kitchen equipment for their hot lunch
program
Emerson would like additional help in
to see us undertake in the coming year.
Your input is very important to us so that
together we can make Rockridge the best
community possible.
Town Hall Meeting

their efforts to keep their all-volunteer
library open
Claremont stressed its goal of continu-
from page 
the 1994 Rockridge Area Plan. We learned
that community members have strong—and
sometimes conflicting—views about devel-
opment in Rockridge, and that RCPC needs
to engage more Rockridge residents in dis-
cussions on how we respond to and pursue
development opportunities. Towards that
end, we intend to undertake an extensive
community planning process in 2006 that
will result in an updated community plan.

ing to build involvement by parents
of current and future students.
All of the schools say they have oppor-
tunities for after-school tutors. More
information about all of the neighborhood
schools can be found by clicking on the
schools link at www.rockridge.org.
Discussion
Group, Anyone?
My house is cold and heating bills
are skyrocketing. I’m looking to
warm things up with some lively con-
versation. Is anyone out there interested
in a non-fiction book discussion group?
Or to talk about journal articles? I’m
near College and Claremont. Call me
at 658-4445.
A first step in that planning process is our
January Town Hall meeting. This meeting
is an opportunity for Rockridge residents
to help us set the direction for 2006. Let
us know what issues are most important to
you and what kinds of projects you’d like
— Lydia Gans
#FDPNF
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.

January 7, 2006

Claremont
Accident
¡
Hospital beds
and comforters
displace elegant
dining room
furniture until
the Hazens
recover
from injuries
sustained when
an auto hit them
as they crossed
Claremont
Avenue.
Photo: Cy Gulassa
from page 
up, slammed them into the windshield and
punted them into the air 20 feet ahead as
the car skidded to a stop.
When Mary saw Bob shatter the wind-
shield and go flying, she thought for certain
he had been killed. “As I lay in the street,
someone held me down, so I couldn’t turn to
look. All I could do was keep listening for
Bob’s voice—I was sure he was dead. Then
I heard him and felt incredible relief. He was
alive. I was alive. That’s all that mattered.”
Tchanging from the inside to outside lane. Or
she’s on a cell phone. Whatever, she didn’t
see them until too late.” Fairbank predicts
that the driver will see this scene over and
over again in her mind for the rest of her
life. “It haunts me,” he said, “and I’m just a
witness.” He adds that cars frequently fail to
stop when people are crossing Claremont.
“They don’t even slow down for them. I’m
surprised nothing’s done about it.”
nearly 30 years. The dining room has been
cleared of antique furniture and two hospital
beds have been installed. The living room
has been rearranged to accommodate two
wheelchairs, to which they’ll be confined
until sometime in early February.
he ambulance took a long time to thread its
way through the Bears vs. Trojans football
traffic that day. As soon as the paramedics
arrived, they cut the clothes off the couple to
assess injury and afterwards rushed them to
Highland Hospital’s trauma center.
Mary, always upbeat, feels lucky because
she has the use of her arms and can wheel
herself around, lift herself in and out of bed
and maneuver in the bathroom. Bob, with
his right leg locked in a brace and right
arm immobilized, has to be assisted by
Larry Fairbank, who runs the recycling
center in the Safeway lot at Claremont,
witnessed the accident. “It was like a movie
stunt,” he said. “I still see it in slow motion:
this car shoots out of Alcatraz going fast.
A loud thump, screeching brakes, and I see
these people thrown up in the air like dolls
and landing way down the road.” Fairbank
said he rushed to the man and held him down
to keep him from moving. “I’m an ordained
minister,” he said. “As I held him, he just kept
asking, was his wife okay? Over and over. I
meet a lot of people in my church and I could
feel this man was strong in spirit. He loved
his wife. I knew he would make it okay.”
Mary was bruised, had black eyes and
both of her legs were broken so badly they
required metal implants of rods and pins.
After several hours in surgery, she was
wheeled to a hospital room to await Bob.
When she worried because Bob didn’t arrive
until hours later, the nurse explained that
the surgery team had been interrupted six
times to deal with several gunshot victims.
Bob sustained a serious head wound but
no concussion. His right arm and leg were
shattered and, like Mary’s, required major
metal implants; and he’s still covered with
bruises. Thanks to their long walks, they
were in remarkable shape and that’s what
prevented worse injury, the doctors said.
Continued top of next page
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Fairbank says he feels sorry for the
woman driving the car, who was hysterical
and screaming and saying that something
distracted her. “Who knows how it hap-
pened?,” he said. “There was a kid in the
back seat. Maybe the child was crying
and the driver turns to see if everything is
okay. Or she looks over her shoulder while
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.
January 7, 2006

reading. “I just finished McCullers’ The
Heart is a Lonely Hunter and I’m looking
forward to The Historian, by Kostova. It’s
about vampires.” Bob loses himself in the
newspapers and consoles himself with a
can of beer now and then. The brightest
moments for both are all the friends and
neighbors that stop by to visit.
up their walking shoes again.
Claremont
Accident
When asked why they look so happy, they
both laugh. “We’re just so darn thrilled to
be alive together.” The door bell rings. It’s a
neighbor carrying a lovely bouquet of roses.
“Come on in,” Mary says. “Ohh, those flowers
are so beautiful!” Bob smiles a greeting.
from page 
an around-the-clock caretaker and endure
another month of bedpans. “See these
legs,” he says. “They got more miles on
them than the car in our garage. The first
thing I’m gonna do when I get them back
is walk down to McNally’s on College and
have John pour me a Guinness.”
Both are angry with the driver of the car,
who disrupted their lives so brutally. “She
should be in jail. It was a clear day, the sun
was behind her, we were in the crosswalk
and very visible when she hit us. There’s no
excuse. She just whipped around the corner
and ran us down. She shouldn’t be allowed
to drive.” The Hazens have hired a lawyer,
“One of the best in Oakland,” Mary says.
She does the talking and Bob nods agree-
ment. It’ll be February before the two lace
Metal
inserts
in Mary
Hazen’s
Tibulae
immobilize
the bones
while they
heal.
Mary says that besides the joy of walking
again, she’s looking forward to using her
exercise equipment and playing the harp,
which she used to practice every morning
with her tutor. “You can’t press pedals with
broken legs,” she says. In the evenings she
watches vintage films and spends long hours
So, after lengthy consideration, the most
timely and politically neutral name I
can think of as a substitute for Christmas,
Hanukkah and Kwanzaa is December 25,
as in “Happy December 25.” When applied
to all the 12 days of the Christmas season,
this solution provides uncanny precision.
Witness, “What are you doing December
25 eve?” Or “Have a great December 25
through January 1, inclusive.” No confu-
sion here.
just fine. “Merry December 25” improves
with repetition and is culturally neutral, an
idyllic repose in the heavy seas of religious
controversy.
A Merry
Whatever?
I urge its adoption. In a generation or
two, most everyone will regard the change
as immutable tradition and bask forevermore
in cultural quietude. The war on Christmas
would be won definitively, and Christ and
Christians banished forever. The victory
could be celebrated on Armistice Day,
oops, sorry: Veterans’ Day, which could be
renamed National November 11 Day.
I hope you all had a Merry December 25,
and to everyone, Happy January 1 through
December 31, inclusive.
from page 
The fifth day of the week, Thursday, named
after Thor, the god of thunder. Despite its
explicit homage to a pagan deity, no one has
implored The Rockridge News or any other
publication I’m aware of to strike “Thor”
out of Thursday. The same for the rest of the
days of the week. Have you ever met anyone
carrying a sign demanding, “Free Friday of
Freia?” In fact, few know who the pagan
goddess Freia is. I’m not sure myself.
True, it is difficult to adapt to traditional
song:
I wish you a merry December 25,
I wish you a merry December 25,
I wish you a merry December 25,
And a happy January 1.”
In spite of the infelicity of this rendi-
tion, I’m convinced the new system will do
I suspect, however, that opponents of
Christmas are much too impatient to wait
a few thousand years for time to quench
long-term associations.
Cy Gulassa is Editor-in-chief of
The Rockridge News
Happy Holidays Rockridge!
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8.

January 7, 2006

Trader Joe’s, and many burger restaurants
offer them as condiments. The French may
have invented aioli, but it was American
culinary artists who blended in traditional
Mexican and Japanese condiments to create
a unique addition to culinary history.
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
This month’s recipe is a San Francisco
American classic.
Barry A. Kaufman
Joe’s Special
As American as ………………..?
1 pound washed and trimmed spinach
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
½ pound ground beef
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste
The scene: Your living room, where
friends are deciding where to go for
dinner.
Whereas most world cuisines adhere to
rigid preparations and recipes, American
food has never stopped changing and this
constant innovation is its hallmark. As a
result, American food has been ignored
by historians until recently.
“I’m in the mood for Italian. Let’s try
the new place reviewed in the Chron.”
Blanch spinach in a pot of salted boiling
water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool under
cold running water. Squeeze out excess
water and coarsely chop spinach.
“Nah, we had Italian last night. What
about sushi?”
Starting in the 1970s, with the advent of
the American culinary revolution started by
our own Alice Waters, interest in Ameri-
can food has become a serious matter for
culinary historians and anthropologists.
American cooking is the ideal expression
of our revolutionary and democratic spirit.
American chefs and cooks are constantly
assimilating and adapting traditions from all
over the world. Depending on the region of
the country, there are Americanized versions
of almost every ethnic food. Former New
York Times critic Raymond Sokolov once
said, “There is no such thing as American
food, only food that American like to eat.”
Like Jewish food, American food is a spe-
cial interpretation of dishes and ingredients
borrowed from other people. We have New
England, Southern, mid-Western, Texan
and Californian cooking. But no matter
where you eat, American food is about
the people who prepare and eat it.
“I really don’t like sushi, but Chinese
or Thai’ll be fine.”
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high
heat. Add onions and cook until soft (10
minutes). Add beef, breaking up the meat
until brown (3-4 minutes)
“Mexican, anyone?”
“Hey, I’ve got an idea. Let’s do Ameri-
can!”
Add spinach, cook for 2 minutes, then
add eggs and cook without stirring for 30
seconds. Remove from heat, stir, and season
to taste with salt and pepper.
“American? Like what?”
Although a world power, the United
States does not have a national cuisine that
comes close to French, Italian, Chinese,
Indian, or Mexican. We don’t even have
a national soup like Spanish gazpacho,
Italian minestrone, Vietnamese pho, or
French onion. One can find Italian res-
taurants in Madrid, Indian restaurants in
London, and Japanese restaurants in Latin
American countries. But when you are in
Paris, London or Moscow, American food
is McDonald’s or KFC.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net
Coming to Rockridge: San Francisco’s
Miss Millie’s will soon be opening at the
current location of King Shang, College near
Chabot. Miss Millie’s serves classic American
comfort food.
Culinary historians keep asking, is there
any authentic American food? If there is,
how do we recognize it, what are its unique
cultural and historical roots and most of all,
is it a true cuisine? Until recently, American
food and cooking has been described by
food connoisseurs as bland, overcooked,
underseasoned; it was canned or frozen; it
was hamburgers. After purchasing the two-
volume Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and
Drink in America, I began to understand
that American cuisine is about its people.
While a student at the Culinary Acad-
emy, I was required to take a course in
classic French sauces. Students were not
permitted to deviate from the classic reci-
pes. I asked the instructor if I could put
some additional ingredients into an aioli I
was preparing. He curtly responded: “You
could, but don’t call it aioli!” Now, you
can buy chipotle or wasabi mayonnaise at
Mon – Fri 9:30 – 6:00
Sat 9:30 – 5:00
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9.
January 7, 2006

No Pot of Gold at the End of Double Rainbow

by Hiroko Kurihara
Msmall business owner.
minimums. When a lease expires, however,
new terms are negotiated. Rainbow had been
paying $2,600 per month for 850 square feet
of space. The terms were 5-years fixed with
1.5 to 2% increases yearly thereafter.
any of you may have been surprised
by the sudden closure of the Double
Rainbow Ice Cream store at College and
Claremont. Well, at least my kids and my
90-year old neighbor, who walked there
most afternoons just for the pies, are sad
to see it go.
The nearly $1000 per month increase in
rent prompted Lee’s decision to close this
store as well as another in San Francisco.
After nearly two decades of commuting
between San Francisco, where he lives,
and the Rockridge store, he is hoping for a
shorter commute, affordable rent and a fresh
start. Next door to the shuttered Rainbow,
the rent was also a problem for the owner of
the former DBA Brown record store which
closed in October. Gen Ray Hair Salon will
expand into its space.
Mee says he is more interested in finding
the right tenant who will support and be
supported by the local community than in
just getting the place rented, so no Starbucks
for now. And he said he would not list the
property officially until local residents or
business owners had an opportunity to read
this article and respond.
We will sorely miss Robert Lee, the
proprietor for nearly 20 years, and his staff,
especially Marcos. Marcos may now have
more time to study for his exams, but he’s
lost a perfect job that supported him while
pursuing a degree in medicine (he is the first
one in his family to go to college).
The Rainbow space includes one bath-
room, existing refrigerators, some storage
upstairs and access to shared basement
storage. If you are interested, please con-
tact Mike Mee directly at 510/841-1171 or
510/965-9698. The rent is negotiable.
These changes, along with a rumor that
Starbucks was interested in Rainbow’s old
space, prompted me to contact one of four
owners of the property, Mike Mee. Most of
the owners are local. They purchased the
property in 1984, not as an investment per
se, but to provide office space for two of
the owners who work upstairs as therapists,
Mee said. He added that their general lease
policy has been to keep rents below infla-
tion rates and keep increases to incremental
Living five houses down from the corner
was convenient for me, for sure, but our
family not only enjoyed the people and the
times there, we succeeded in teaching our
kids about the importance of supporting a
The Rockridge Community Planning
Council is always concerned about changes;
please let us know the ideal business for this
corner location: h2oakland@sbcglobal.net
or 510/384-0557.
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10.

January 7, 2006

Letters to The Editor
4. While the traffic report prepared for this project concludes
that the “project would not result in any significant transportation
impacts,” how could the additional traffic from this project not
worsen the already congested nearby intersections on Telegraph,
51st St., and Claremont? Furthermore, despite the buzzwords now
in popular use, there is no proof that this “transit and pedestrian-
oriented” development would actually get the residents of this
project out of their cars.

The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Include
your name, address and a phone number for verification.
Only your name will appear with your letter. Letters may be
edited for clarity and brevity.
Beware of Telegraph and 51st Development
Editor:
5. Even though the shadow study presented by the developers
minimized the decrease in sunlight for those on Clarke Street, I
believe the impact on those who live there will be appreciable.
You should be aware of some drastic changes that may occur
in your neighborhood. I believe thoughtful real estate development
can be beneficial for our neighborhood, but I am gravely concerned
about a condominium complex planned for the corner of 51st and
Telegraph, a 67-unit complex that would be significantly higher
than zoning allows. This development will extend to Clarke St.
where 39-ft. high townhouses would cut out light and increase
traffic for those living in the mostly single-story homes nearby.
The 65-ft. tower proposed for the corner of Telegraph and 51st
would be twice the height of Global Video next door. (If planners
consider 10 feet equal to one story, this project would be equivalent
to 6-1/2 stories at this corner.)
6. No follow-through by the developers has been made on their
stated intention to work with the community to find a solution
to extending the Rockridge/Temescal Greenbelt to the corner of
Telegraph and 51st Streets.
Does this development need to be so detrimental to our
neighborhood? I don’t think so. We should work with our local
City Councilwoman, Jane Brunner, to create a long-range strate-
gic growth plan for this area. We should not be developing our
neighborhood piece by piece — making the developers rich at
the expense of the qualities that contribute to our neighborhood’s
uniqueness and appeal.
Please speak up against this project by emailing the Planning
Commissioners before they meet in January to vote on this project.
Ask them to deny any request for height variances on this project:
dboxer@gmail.com; mlighty@calnurses.org; nicoleyfranklin@gmail.
com; mmcclure@appplieddip.com; colland@aol.com; amdge@mofo.
com; suzie@yhla.net
Please copy the City Planner, Director of Planning, and our
City Councilmember: DRanelletti@oaklandnet.com; ccappio@
oaklandnet.com; jbrunner@oaklandnet.com.
This development is critical to Rockridge residents. If our
Planning Commission allows this complex as proposed, the way
will be paved for this developer and others to build more six-story
buildings throughout the neighborhood. It is important to recog-
nize that this developer plans to develop several properties in the
Rockridge area, including the Kingfish property on Claremont. I
am hoping our RCPC Council will listen and stand by the nearly
100 Rockridge residents who have signed the petition to lower the
height of this development.
For more information and to sign the petition, contact the
Telegraph/51st Gateway Coalition at 653-7190; jnorman@califor-
nia.com.
Janelle Cavanagh
Resident on Miles at Cavour
Growth and change is going to happen and can be wonderful
for the neighborhood, but we should not accept projects where the
height is out of scale with the neighborhood. Here are the reasons
I believe you need to join me in telling our Planning Commission
this excessively tall development cannot happen:
1. This plan exceeds zoning height allowances. If approved, it
would establish a precedent for more six-story (or higher) build-
ings in the neighborhood.
Everyone Makes Resolutions.
2. This proposal goes against the city’s General Plan, which
states that development must be compatible with the historic fabric
of its surroundings. On almost every side of this project, the pro-
posed heights would be twice as high as anything around it.
At Curves, You Keep Them.
3. A decrease in on-street parking availability resulting from
occupants of this project and their guests having an adverse impact
on nearby residents and local businesses.
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11.
January 7, 2006

Speaking of secret recipes: a drink called
“the European” has intrigued many patrons,
who wonder how Bittersweet obtains such
richness in a drink without milk. “It’s all
in the blend,” says Seneca. “To make good
chocolate, you want high cacao content with
lots of chocolate fat, then whip it to get air
into it and enough ‘mouth feel’ to make it
taste creamy.” Perhaps you can do this at
home, but then you’d miss the atmosphere
of Bittersweet and the chance to browse
the pastries and chocolates.
The Neighborhood Merchant
Photo: Don Kinkead
by Theresa Nelson
Sweet, Bittersweet
Imagine yourself surrounded by chocolate:
luscious hot drinks blended from several
different types of chocolate, melt-in-your-
mouth pastries like hot chocolate cake (truly
decadent) and delicious chocolate bars
— more than 120 of them. Add
a comfortable, warm environ-
ment with distressed redwood
and fir floors, brightly colored
cabinets, restored tables and
chairs, plus stunning original
mixed-media art and you have
Bittersweet: the Chocolate Café,
a rustic, cozy place to enjoy this
most sensual of pleasures.
head of an advertising firm); Bonnie Rostan
(a former chef and 7th grade teacher); her
sister Beth Rostan (formerly of Ask Jeeves
and a college friend of Seneca’s wife); and
Penny Finnie (also of Ask Jeeves). The
And oh, are there pastries and choc-
olates! Some are
seasonal, like the
pumpkin bread and
the upcoming rolled
ganache truffles
and fudgy brownie
dipped in 72% choc-
olate due in January.
The pot de crème
and custard for the
winter will also be
delicious, Seneca
assures me, and per-
haps a mint drink
will appear on the
menu as well. Their standards are items
like a pear-chocolate-ginger muffin, pain
au chocolate, various cookies, brownies,
macaroons, brightly frosted cupcakes, and
the amazing hot chocolate cake, which
must be tasted to be believed. Confec-
tions are offered on the counter where you
order drinks — delightful chocolates from
various local makers, with interesting and
exotic ingredients, an array that changes
every day.
¡
Miriam,
right and Jen
tend to the
Bittersweet
Chocolate
Café
counters.
They have
good reason
to smile a lot
on their jobs.
Photo:
Cy Gulassa
Bittersweet: the Chocolate
Café opened in January 2005,
in a space designed to convey
the warmth of this delicious
concoction. While most retail
shops offering chocolate are either somewhat
clinical in decor – think marble counters
and white lab coats or the cherry-paneled,
gold trim luxury of a Maison du Chocolat
— Bittersweet aims for a feeling of comfort,
a place to expand your palate without the
snob quotient.
Bittersweet: the Chocolate Café
5427 College Avenue, Oakland   654-7159
http://www.bittersweetchocolatecafe.com/
info@bittersweetcafe.com
8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Friday
9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Saturday
Combining chocolate and a café is a
popular concept in some other parts of the
world, but fairly new in the U.S. Owner
Seneca Klassen noted, “With all these won-
derful representatives of artisanal, varietal
foods, wines, cheeses, olive oils, vegetables
in the Bay Area – why not chocolate?” He
said that no other store in the US combines
a chocolate café, pastries and retail choco-
lates like Bittersweet does.
9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday
Closed Monday
four had been on separate trips which all
offered exposure to chocolate: in Provençe,
Oaxaca, and Hawaii (the farthest north
that chocolate can be grown). From a long
dinner conversation came discussion about
the possibilities of chocolate which led to
the concept of Bittersweet.
And then there are the chocolates
— the wall features about 120 to 150 bars
at a time, some seasonal, some available
year-round. I asked Seneca to describe
his favorites from each section. From the
baking section, he cites the Valhrona Gas-
tronomie Cocoa Powder, very soluble and
less bitter than most. In the dark chocolate
section, the Michel Cluizel Hacienda Los
Ancones, from the Dominican Republic,
with 67% cacao, is fruity, consistent and
always pleases. For milk chocolate, he
prefers the Chocolat Bonnat from France
with 65% cacao from Java, which is sweet
with caramel notes and a smoky undertone.
In the Surprises section, he selects the
flavored Vosges red Fire semisweet with a
hint of cinnamon and cayenne. The white
The beautiful artwork that graces the
walls is by CCA graduate Sabrina Ward
Harrison, whose mixed media panels were
commissioned especially for the space.
The murals, entitled “Spilling Open,” use
warm, chocolate-y colors, and include the
text of a secret recipe from Francesco Redi,
physician to the Medicis, who was the first
to combine chocolate with jasmine. You
can read parts of the recipes throughout
the mural.
“We felt that Rockridge would be a
wonderful place for Bittersweet. It’s a
neighborhood that fosters local businesses,
and we felt the idea would fit people who
live here,” Seneca said. All four owners live
in Berkeley and Oakland, so they knew the
area well. They also said the City of Oakland
was helpful to them as owners starting up
a small business. While they were building
the new space, they held chocolate tast-
ings, researched recipes, refined the stock
they would carry and created their secret
beverage recipes.
The partners of Bittersweet are four:
Seneca Klassen, whom I interviewed (former
Chocolate, page 12
¬


12.

January 7, 2006

So now you can stock up on good chocolate
in your home emergency kits.
Schocolate tastings (space is limited) to
experience the breadth and depth of fine
chocolates yourself. Even better, stop in
any day and just experience what many
people think is one of life’s true pleasures:
excellent chocolate in a cozy place, perhaps
with a good friend. There’s no better way
to spend an afternoon.
Chocolate
eneca offered advice on doing your
own chocolate tasting: “Start with the
highest percentage of cacao, then clean your
palate with water as you move to the less
cacao percentage, sweeter chocolate.” Or
you can attend one of Bittersweet’s monthly
from page 11
chocolate section has the El Rey Icoa from
Venezuela, a special aromatic chocolate
with a wonderful flavor.
The displays on the cabinets offer other
treats. A Pierre Herme cookbook has
great drink recipes and desserts, including
a cold chocolate/passion-fruit concoction.
The chocolate mask and chocolate body
oil invite you to create your own home spa
experience. And there are sauces of many
flavors, tasting kits, and special cans with
collections of bars ready for gift-giving.
For Valentine’s Day, Bittersweet will have
some special confections in holiday boxes,
passion fruit confections, and caramels and
truffles. They also offer gift cards in any
amount, and shipping as well.
East Bay Moms
Host Childhood
Resource Fair
E
"SHOULD YOU
SAVE FOR YOUR
ast Bay Moms will host its eighth annual
Preschool & Childhood Resource Fair
on Saturday, January 21, 2006, from 10 am
– 1 pm at the Scottish Rite Center located
at 1547 Lakeside Drive at Lake Merritt in
Oakland. Represntatives will describe a
variety of programs available that serve
children from infancy through elemen-
tary school. Phone 510/653-7867 or visit
KID'S COLLEGE
OR FOR YOUR
RETIREMENT?
An interesting chocolate fact which
emerged during our conversation is that
chocolate bars are very stable: their shelf
life in a temperate environment can easily
be several years, though with bars like
these, who would ever let them last that
long? Interestingly, milk chocolate is more
stable than dark chocolate alone or dried
milk, because of a quirk of food chemistry.
OR BOTH?"
www.eastbaymoms.com
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Barbara  415-381-0707
Rockridge studio
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13.
January 7, 2006

r
Going Shopping?
Pro Arts invites you to visit their
gallery store for unique gift giving at
250 Clay Street, corner of 2nd Street
in Jack London Square, across from
Cost Plus.
is February 12.
The
Rockridge
   Muse
Give Tech Help
Volunteer tech-assistance and newer
equipment are desperately needed by
many arts organizations. Improved systems
would relieve the pressure on limited
staff, allow better use of volunteer time
and greatly increase the group’s ability
to serve the public. If you have access
to such resources, or if your company
co-sponsors such activity, please contact
your favorite local nonprofit.
Learn More
About the Arts
Almost all major arts organizations
are focusing on making the arts more
accessible to the public. Art can be rich in
meaning, yet to many it is an enigma. We
hope that you will take advantage of the
many free talks, lectures and workshops:
call your favorite arts organization for
details. For contemporary arts, check
out programs open to the public at
CCA Oakland campus (Broadway and
College Avenues). If you can make it to
San Francisco, the CCA Wattis Institute
offers an excellent series of free lectures
on a broad spectrum of contemporary
arts on Tuesday evenings (call 415/551-
9251 or go online at www.cca.edu).
by Ortrun Niesar
New Year’s Wishes
Think Community
for the Arts
G
Center
Eood news! A quick review of the
local arts community indicates we
did better than expected in 2005 despite
enormous financial pressures. Thanks one
and all for your support, but we must do
more to rescue and grow the arts than
wish them well for the New Year. Here
are a few practical suggestions:
very community should have a place
where local arts can be fostered.
Rockridge is in need of a center that
could also function as performance and
exhibition space. We are a community of
10,000 homes without a community center.
The Rockridge Library, as wonderful
as it is, cannot serve this purpose. Is
it possible to begin a feasibility study
in 2006?
Continue Your Open
Support for the Arts
Go Online! Please!
Yes, please do! You will never have to
miss a performance again for lack of timely
information, and you might eventually save
a tree by helping to eliminate wasteful
paper advertising. With the advent of
user-friendly web programs, even small
local arts organizations have their own
Internet showcase. The result is rising
attendance and participation. Artists,
please note, Pro Arts registration for
Open Studios 2006 can now be handled
entirely on the Internet at a reduced
cost (www.proartsgallery.org). Deadline
Thanks to the many who made personal
commitments to sustain our local arts
organizations after they lost grants and
government support. Miraculously, many
groups have survived and were able to
create really inspired programs. Virtually
all of them, however, require additional
subsidies. Corporations have begun to
make efforts, but the real thanks go to
you, the board members, the fundraisers,
the financial supporters, the volunteers.
Please keep up the effort and know
that many thank you in their hearts
every day.
Speak Out
for the Arts
I was recently thrilled to hear that
the Oakland Public Schools system has
decided to fund a five-year program of
arts for its schools. There seems to
be a sudden recognition that the arts
might indeed bolster learning, school
attendance, self-esteem and many other
good traits. Let your representatives
know how much you support this kind
of program.
Wishing You All a
Happy New Year In

The Arts!
Ortrun Niesar can be reached
at oniesar@aol.com, or 652- 6664.
Note: Please send your arts events
announcements for inclusion in this
column at least three weeks in advance
of your event.
"EYOND
4RADITIONAL
2EAL%STATE

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14.

January 7, 2006

Artwork
Aliea Wallace is a talented East Coast artist
living in Rockridge, now available for commis-
sions. Experienced in realistic and abstract
painting/drawing and bookbinding. Call 415/272-
5323 for rates. Portfolio and e-mail available
at www.aliea.com.
Pride Chiropractic
15 years experience, same location. Quality,
affordable, friendly, healthcare in comfort-
able, no-rush office. Evening appointments.
Dr. Mark Heltemes, 6245 College Avenue,
near Claremont Avenue. 652-2059. www.
pridechiropractic.com.
Your Message Could Be Here
Beginning in January, 2006 your 36-
word message will be $20. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
5245 College Avenue, PMB 311, Oakland,
CA 94618. February deadline is January 19.
    For information: e-mail smontauk@juno.com
Housecleaning Cooperative
Reasonable rates. Expert & reliable services from
local employment cooperative. Call 499-5836 and
we’ll send someone to spiff up your home. Ask
for our references from Rockridge clients.
YOU MAY LIVE 30 YEARS
PAST RETIREMENT.
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.
ARE YOU PREPARED?
Rockridge Resident
[24778-v1-0668]RP-260-0805
Leila S. Gough,AssociateVice President-Investments
1999 Harrison, Suite 2050 • Oakland, CA 94612
(510) 452-8060
www.agedwards.com/fc/leila.gough
Carmel Family Home
Furnished 3BR+2BA available for short-term
rental. Peaceful setting, 15 minute walk to
town. Great patio, reasonable rates (1 week
minimum). Not cute, quaint or upscale, but
has character. Call 510/547-1856.
2004 A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. • Member SIPC
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Village is
available for rent! Sleeps eight, fully equipped! Close
to everything! Call 652-6664 for information.
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
Girls Love Math
…when I help them use their individual
strengths to excel in arithmetic, pre-algebra,
and geometry. I’m a UC Berkeley graduate
with 20 years’ teaching experience. References
gladly provided! Contact 510/845-6441 or
dbuckwald@hotmail.com.
Piano and Trumpet Lessons
At the Jazzschool in Berkeley. Beginning Adults
and Children. Ages 6 and up. Contact Marina
Garza. 415/269-7607. Over 10 years of teach-
ing experience.
Improve Fitness, Strength
And Flexibility
Certified Personal Trainer/Yoga Instructor
(female) for individuals or small groups. Con-
sultations, short blasts or ongoing sessions:
in home or outdoors. Programs designed for
your fitness goals. Rockridge based. 510/759-
1119 fitn@mac.com.
Individual And Family Counseling
Treating relationship issues, anxiety, depres-
sion, panic disorders, childhood trauma, grief,
infertility and adoption, and addictions. Sliding
scale. Located at College/Alcatraz. Call Rebecca
Lueck, LCSW 415/235-1071.


15.
January 7, 2006

E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone 653-3210 (after noon), 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.

Community Calendar
Compiled by Jo Ellis

Councilmember Brunner’s
Community Advisory Meeting
Book Discussion: of The Mistress of Spices by
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, in the context of the
Indian Diaspora, facilitated by Professor Gautam
Premnath, UCB Dept. of English. Presented as a part
of the “One City, One Book” series of events. Friday,
January 30, 6pm to 8pm
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice. First
Tuesday of each month: 6pm to 8pm. Advance sign-
up starts 5pm.
Art Exhibits:
DMV parking lot at Claremont and Cavour. Sponsored
by the DMV Neighbors Association, who will provide
coffee and morning snacks, and the City’s Public Works
Environmental Services Division, which will supply tools
and equipment, (or you can bring your own). Cancelled
only in case of rain. For more information or questions,
call Margaret at 655-1767.
ó
First Saturday every other month, 10am to noon.
Peralta Elementary School: 460 63rd St. (parking on
Alcatraz Ave., just east of Telegraph). No January meeting.
February 4 meeting: Oakland Police Chief Wayne
Tucker and the President of the Police Officer’s union
will discuss their “Vision for Policing in Oakland.”
For more information on all District One issues or events,
call 238-7001 or www.oaklandnet.com (the site for
all City-related information).
ó
Sick Plant Clinic
Bring your ailing plants to the University of California
Botanical Garden and get a free diagnosis by UC plant
pathologist Dr. Robert Raabe, UC entomologist Dr. Nick
Mills and their team of experts. First Saturday of every
month from 9am to noon. UC Botanical Garden, 200
Centennial Drive, Berkeley (above Cal Memorial Stadium
in Strawberry Canyon). For more information: 643-2755
or http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu.
Gallery: January: Karla Higgins; Mixed Media. Febru-
ary: Bill Kepner; BAPC Photo Group.
Display case: “Season for Non-violence” display.
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
ó
The Greater Rockridge N’hood
Crime Prevention Council
ó
LIBRARY HOURS:
Monday and Tuesday, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday 10am to 5:30pm
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about crime
and public safety. Meets 3rd Tuesday each month, 7 to
8:30pm at California College of the Arts (CCA), 5212
B’way (at College Ave.), Bldg. B-4. Directions and more
information: www.rockridgencpc.com.
Friday, 12 to 5:30pm
Closed Sundays.
NOTE: Closed Monday, 1/2 and Monday, 1/16
(for Martin Luther King’s Birthday).
Activities and Events for Seniors
College Avenue Adult Center. Light exercise,
socializing, travel programs and music. Hot lunch
at noon for $2. Every Wednesday from 9:30am to
1:30pm at College Ave. Presbyterian Church, 5955
College Ave. For details about upcoming field trips,
call Kathy at 531-6724.
North Oakland Multi-Purpose Senior Center.
Program Highlights: Computer classes; Health Insur-
ance counseling and advocacy program; driver safety;
trips, tours and theater outings. Center Hours: Monday
– Friday, 8:45am to 4:45pm. 5714 Martin Luther King,
Jr. Way. The newsletter, “North Oakland Senior Times”
provides a full schedule of classes as well as a monthly
lunch menu: (suggested donation: seniors age 60 +
$2.25; $4 for those under age 60). Call 597- 5085 for
details about membership, newsletter, classes/events
and opportunities to become a volunteer.
ó
Rockridge Branch Library
For Children:
Diesel Book/Poetry Events
All events are FREE and open to the public
Toddler Story Time: 1st and 2nd Saturdays, 10:30am:
1/7, 1/14, 2/4.
Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 1/4, 1/18, 2/1.
Pajama Story Time: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm:
1/10, 1/24.
Special Event for Kids and Families:
Snowflake-Making for our windows and your own.
Free materials and instructions provided for all ages.
Ask at the Children’s Reference Desk for materials.
For more details call Erica: 597-5017.
Presentation by Morris Turner, cartoonist of
“Wee Pals” comic strip: In Celebration of Black
History Month, he will talk about his characters and
demonstrate his drawing technique. There will be a
door-prize of an autographed sketch of one of his
characters. All ages welcome. Saturday, February
4, from 2:30pm to 4pm.
For Teens:
Bookwormz (Teen-Led Book Club): last Tuesday
evening of each month from 1 to 2pm. For more informa-
tion and to confirm date, call Susy: 597-5017.
New Anime Book Club: First meeting, Tuesday, 1/31
from 5:30 to 6:30pm, in the upstairs meeting room.
For Adults:
ó
Monday, 1/9, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meet-
ing; all welcome.
Tuesday, 1/10, 7:30pm. Book Group #3: Discus-
sion of The Plot Against America by Philip Roth. All
welcome.
Thursday, 1/12, 7:30pm. Reading by Contributors to
Literary Mama and It’s a Boy. Both are anthologies of
fiction, non-fiction and poetry by women authors.
Saturday, 1/15, 3pm. Andy Couturier: Writing Work-
shop using techniques from his book Writing Open the
Mind: Tapping the Subconscious to Free the Writing
and the Writer.
Tuesday, 1/24, 7pm. Book Group #1: Discussion of
Zeno’s Conscience by Italo Svevo. All welcome
5433 College Ave. For more information about read-
ings, book discussion groups and El Grupito, the
Spanish discussion group: 510/653-9965 or www.
dieselbookstore.com.
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
Volunteers Needed
Second Start Adult Literacy Program: Teach an
adult to read. Free training. Nine month minimum
commitment. Volunteers can meet with their students
at the Rockridge Branch Library. For more information:
238-3432 or www.oaklandlibrary.org/services/
SecondStart.
North Oakland Community Charter School
(NOCCS): Tutors to work with 1st to 5th graders,
one-on-one or in small groups, on math, reading and
writing skills; time commitment of at least one hour
per week. Located at 410 Alcatraz Ave. (cross St.
Colby). Contact Julia Kassissieh, Director: 655-0540
or director@noccs.org.
Friends of Temescal Creek: Monitor water quality by
collecting water samples at Temescal Lake for analysis.
Important for Rockridge residents because Temescal
Creek runs above ground near Frog Park. Volunteers
meet on the third Saturday of each month from 10am
to noon. Regular commitment preferred. For more
information and for where to meet, contact Friends of
Temescal Creek at fotc2005@yahoo.com.
HEROES: is the volunteer placement program for
the Oakland Unified School District which helps to
enhance the quality of educational experiences for
students in the Oakland public schools. To volunteer,
call 879-2908 or www.oaklandheroes.org.
ó
Writer’s Support/Critique Group
ó
ALL writers welcome. Bring at least 10 copies of 5 pages
of your prose for on-site reading/discussion. Sponsored
by the California Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.
berkeleywritersclub.org/) Rockridge Branch Library,
third Saturday of the month from 1 to 5pm. For more
information: 420-8775 or Writefox@aol.com.
ó
ó
Readings by two mystery writers from “Sisters in
Crime”: Faye Snowden and Camille Minichino will read
from Fatal Justice (sequel to The Savior) and The Nitrogen
Murder. Saturday, January 21, from 2pm to 4pm. Hosted
by the Rockridge Library in conjunction with the American
Association of University Women (AAUW).
Workshop on Healthcare Planning: Joanna Smith,
LCSW,MPH will discuss Advanced Directives, a
healthcare planning tool which allows people to
express their wishes in advance and appoint an agent
to speak on their behalf if they become unable to do
so. Discussion will include long-term illness, living wills
and other options and healthcare choices. Tuesday,
January 24, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm.
Indian Cooking Demonstration: Laxmi Hiremath,
chef and food writer, will show how to create delicious
appetizers, side dishes and breads from her cookbook
on Indian cuisine, The Dance of Spices. Saturday,
January 28, from 2pm to 4pm.
ó
Peralta School K’garten Events
Kindergarten Open House: Meet principal and
teachers. Wednesday, January 18, 6:45pm.
School Tours: now available Wednesdays and Thurs-
days. Call 879-1450 to schedule a tour date.
To RSVP to arrange childcare for events or for more
information call 655-2737. or www.geocities.com/
peraltaschool/   460 63rd Street. 879-1450.
Open Enrollment Reminder: Oakland Unified
School District’s Open Enrollment period is January
16 - 28, 2006. Contact student services at 879-8111 for
exact times and location.
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
ó
Temescal Creek Winter Cleanup
Join neighborhood volunteers to weed, prune, rake and
bag debris from Temescal Creek. Saturday, January
28 from 9am to noon. Meet next to the creek in the


16.

January 7, 2006

What’s Your
Home Worth?
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e-mail: Buyali@aol.com
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