Extracted text · highlighting “Rockridge BART”

!
Also on
the meeting
agenda: Land Use
Committee Update
www.rockridge.org

VOL. 23    NO. 4    ISSUE NO. 244    April 6, 2008  
 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 5245 College Ave. PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94618 • 869-4200

✔

RCPC Board Vote Set for April 17 Town Hall Meeting

Meet the six RCPC board candidates, hear their
statements, and vote at the RCPC Town Hall
meeting in the Rockridge Branch Library, Thursday, April 17,
7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Rockridge residents may also vote on Saturday,
April 19, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at the library’s entrance. Anyone 18
or older with evidence of residence within RCPC boundaries (a
driver’s license, or utility bill) is eligible to vote. (Boundaries: see
http://rockridge.org.) Candidate statements and photos, page 3.
Preserving the Landscape of Childhood
Agenda: RCPC April Town Hall Meeting
Thursday, April 17, 7:30 p.m., Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila, Community Room
RCPC Board Election:
■
■
Vote for candidates for the RCPC
board of directors. Vote at the meeting or on Saturday, April 19,
at the Rockridge Branch Library, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
LWV Discusses June Ballot:
■
■
 A representative from the League
of Women Voters (LWV) will discuss state and local propositions on
the June ballot. Two state propositions are on the subject of eminent
domain which is of great interest to Rockridge residents.”
NCPC Has New Leadership:
■
■
Meet the new NCPC steering
committee and hear an update on crime and new approaches to
crime prevention by Rockridge community policing organization.
FORL Election:
■
■
The Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL)
will elect new board members at the April 17 RCPC meeting. The
candidates for a two-year term are David Brown, Karen Carlson
(Incumbent), Kristine Carraway (Incumbent), Dorothy Hackearth,
Jane McDermott, Jenny Scholten (Incumbent), and Kathy Shaw.
Storyteller Gay Ducey, center, swapped stories with attendees
at the March RCPC Town Hall meeting.       Photo: Don Kinkead
Storyteller Gay Ducey Featured
at March RCPC Meeting
Alcatraz Avenue
Safeway’s first proposal was to build
a 55,000 sq.ft. store on the 1.8 acre
site with parking on a second level,
replacing the present 23,000 sq.ft.
store and ground level parking. Arrow
shows present storefront on each
graphic for point of view.
by Don Kinkead, editor
“It
is easy to forget the landscape of childhood,” so family
members must pass on family stories — positive and nega-
tive — to the coming generations and anchor that landscape in
memory, said storyteller Gay Ducey at the March RCPC Town
Hall meeting.
College Avenue
Claremont Avenue
Ducey, invited by RCPC to speak on the importance of stories
in family and community life, described how storytelling provides
cautionary tales, family history and a sense of humor that can bind
communities and families to a greater sense of self. “Stories are
also a way to become acquainted with deceased relatives,” thus
keeping their history alive and providing further self-awareness,
she said. To demonstrate how easy storytelling can be for anyone,
Ducey invited audience members to pair off and tell each other
a story from their own childhood. A subsequent show of hands
confirmed Ducey’s point: storytelling is fun and feels good.
Gay Ducey is the children’s librarian at the Rockridge Branch
Library and staff trainer for story-readers for Oakland Head Start
programs. She has appeared at storytelling festivals throughout
the United States, Ireland and Canada. Her repertoire includes
traditional tales as well as personal recollections of growing up
in the South.
Site overview, left: Google Earth©;
Storefront: Rockridge News file photo.
Safeway Revises Store Plans;
‘Concerned Neighbors’ Meet
by Rockridge News staff from material provided by
Rockridge neighbors Nancy McKay and Susan Shawl
Addressing a crowd of more than 100 local residents gathered at
the College Avenue Presbyterian Church, Rockridge neighbor
Nancy McKay weilded a spindly 4-foot ruler like a classroom-
pointer as she discussed architectural drawings and explained that
Safeway intends to demolish the existing
Gay Ducey, page 4
¤
¤
Safeway, page 10
¤
¤


2.

April 6, 2008

Will the Lights Go Out?
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
by Susan Montauk, Oakland Parks
Coalition
Oakland property owners will soon
receive a ballot for voting on a proposed
increase in the Landscape and Lighting
Assessment District (LLAD) assessment
rate. The LLAD, established in 1989, annu-
ally assesses properties that receive direct
benefit from the maintenance of public
improvements such as landscaping, park
and recreation facilities, and street light-
ing. The assessments, which are included
in the property tax bill, provide funds for
the operation and maintenance of important
city infrastructure. There has not been an
increase in the assessment rate since 1993.
Property owners turned down an increase
proposed in 2006. Since the current pro-
posal was first floated, the Internet has
been buzzing with protests from citizens
fed up with being asked to pay more for
services; misinformation is
traveling like wildfire.
Before property owners
mark their ballots, they should
know the facts behind the
“new” LLAD. Park, lighting,
and street tree maintenance
services, delineated in a
number of reports (for example:
http://clerkwebsvr1.oakland-
net.com/attachments/18401.
pdf and http://clerkwebsvr1.
oaklandnet.com/attach-
ments/18730.pdf), currently
cost the LLAD $27 million a
year, yet the district collects
only $18 million. Meanwhile,
the City has added more than
300 acres of open space and
parks, planted 10,000 more
trees, and installed 3,200 more
street lights while the costs of
fuel, water, supplies, and staff
have increased dramatically.
Over the years, the City has
been able to plug the finance gap with rising
real estate taxes – especially transfer taxes;
but this year’s real estate transfer taxes fell
$20 million short of budget projections.
Given the present stagnant or declining
real estate values, there will be no more
windfalls in the foreseeable future. Yet,
revenue needs keep increasing.
The proposed LLAD increase would
add $70 annually to the average single-
family-residence tax bill in 2008-09. Funds
generated by the assessment can only be used
by the LLAD; they cannot be transferred
to the General Fund or any other account.
There is a cost-of-living increase built into
this proposal – an element missing from
the 1993 measure – which will help keep
up with inflation and avoid the growing
funding gap the City now faces. In addi-
tion, accountability measures built into
the LLAD include: litter pick-up at least
weekly; 95% of fields and lawns mowed
within 10 business days; graffiti removed
within 48 hours once reported; 90% of waste
receptacles emptied before they overflow;
and street lights repaired within 3 to 5
business days following report to Oakland’s
Public Works Agency (PWA) call center.
All LLAD-funded PWA vehicles will be
Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled
after the measure takes effect.
Oakland property owners should make
their decision with the facts in mind. If the
rate increase does not pass, either the City
will have to find a new source of funding,
or services will be cut, parks will likely be
closed, and the lights will grow dimmer.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
The Rockridge News, founded in 1986 by Don Kinkead,
is published monthly in Oakland and is sponsored by
the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC),
a nonprofit 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.
Rockridge News Production
Don Kinkead.......................Editor
Ortrun Niesar.....................The Muse
Barry Kaufman...................Food
Anna Marks.........................Writer
Jo Ellis...................................Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson.....................Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk...................Business Manager
Don Kinkead.......................Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2007-2008
Ronnie Spitzer....................Chair
Annette Floystrup ............ Vice-Chair
Gloria Bruce.......................Secretary
Susan Montauk...................Treasurer
Jennifer Edmister, Stuart Flashman,
Don Kinkead, Ellen Peterson, Peter St. John,
Danica Truchlikova, Margaret Wahlberg
Contact the Board: rcpcchair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send
your check for $20, payable to Rockridge News
Subscriptions, to: Rockridge News Subscriptions at
the address below.
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?
 Want to volunteer to be a Rockridge News
block captain?
 Would you like to write a letter to the Editor?
Contact us at one of the following:
Editor: editor@rockridge.org
www.rockridge.org
The Rockridge News, 5245 College Avenue,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94618
RCPC Voicemail: 510/869-4200
Articles submitted for publication may be e-mailed
to the above address. Submissions are limited to
600 words; must include the author’s name, phone
number, e-mail address, and city or neighborhood
of residence; and are subject to editing. To reprint a
Rockridge News article, please contact the editor.
$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 Avenue, Oakland
601-1188
Mon – Fri  7 – 7 • Sat  8 – 6
Across from Zachary’s Pizza
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 May 3, 2008
 May deadline is April 17≠.
Advertising rates are $26/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. (Classified ad contact, page 14.)
EXPERT
SHIRT
LAUNDERING!


3.
April 6, 2008

Election 2008: RCPC Board Candidates

I organized permit parking in a large area
between College Avenue and Broadway,
south of the BART station. Presently, I am
participating in the effort to stop the large
proposed increase in parking permit fees.
I have previously
served on the RCPC
board, and participated
in the 11 year process
that got the Rockridge
library built. I am a
strong supporter of
the pedestrian scale
and orientation of the
retail corridor on College Avenue.
I am deeply committed to developing a
new collective project in Rockridge involving
the wider community in conservation
and collective action. I hope to serve the
community again, as it has been my privilege
to do the past two years. I believe that I
bring the important element of institutional
memory to the board.
Stuart Flashman
Ocean View Drive
Since moving to
R o c k r i d g e  i n
1992, I’ve run my
environmental and
land use law practice
from my house, just
off College Ave. As
resident and business
owner, I see Rockridge
issues daily. My appointment to the RCPC
Board last summer, and to chair the Land
Use Committee two months ago, have
provided even deeper understanding of
what’s needed to keep this a healthy,
functioning community.
Rockridge depends on its C-31
commercial zoning to keep College Avenue
vibrant but human-scaled. There’s always
pressure to “build up.” Our zoning protects
us from overbuilding. Some development will
occur, but with our limited infrastructure,
careful planning is a must.
Aside from helping to protect Rockridge’s
unique character, I also want to improve
public safety and help our local schools.
Joan Martin
Birch Court
As a Rockridge
homeowner and
resident for almost five
years, I have enjoyed
the benefits of the
hard work of the RCPC
Board. Because of their
diligence in keeping
the neighborhood
pedestrian- and merchant-friendly, my
wife and I, our friends and neighbors are
rewarded with a well planned, combo
urban/suburban lifestyle.
While I bring an undergraduate degree
in Public Administration and Conflict
Resolution, my graduate degree and
subsequent work life have been geared
toward finance and business. I would be
honored to bring my skill set to the Board
and our community and to be of service. If
needed, I would be happy to help act as a
financial steward for RCPC. I am neither
pro- nor anti-change or development but
rather thoughtful and fair-minded, and
with this spirit will analyze and help decide
issues brought forward.
I respectfully offer myself as a Candidate
to the RCPC Board.
Jonathan Gabel
Ocean View Drive
My primary purpose
in running for
the RCPC Board is
to help maintain the
special character of our
neighborhood, which
depends strongly on
keeping land use and
zoning as they are now. Also, in a time of
budget deficits at every level of government,
I want to work with the City of Oakland
to see that its limited resources are used
most efficiently.
I have lived in Rockridge since 1975 and
have been active mainly on issues involving
my immediate neighborhood. For example,
Annette Floystrup
Birch Court
I
have lived in Rockridge since 1955,
and seen its evolution from a thriving
transit-oriented community centered on
the Key System streetcars in the 1950s
to one centered on BART today.
Candidates, page 5
¤
¤

Meet the candidates and hear their statements at the RCPC Town Hall Meeting, Thursday, April 17,
at the library. Vote April 17 at the meeting or Saturday, April 19, in front of the library.

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we specialize in:
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Gardens/outdoor spaces
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4.

April 6, 2008

Letters to the Editor
will not continue. The RCPC Board can help with this by not
encouraging such limited distribution.
— Doug Faunt
Ed. Note concerning the availability of information about
Safeway plans: Safeway did make a presentation to an RCPC-
sponsored public meeting. The subsequent presentation to the RCPC
board was for the purpose of eliciting feedback from the board,
with respect to the preliminary concepts prepared by Safeway in
response to the earlier public comment. The board made clear that
it was still concerned about the potential incompatibility of the
plans with College Avenue’s C-31 zoning, as well as other design
elements. RCPC encourages Safeway to present its revised plans
to the public as soon as possible to obtain more public feedback.
(See Land Use Committee Update, page 5.)
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your
name, address, phone number and e-mail address and city/
neighborhood must be included for verification. Only your
name will appear with your letter. Letters may be edited for
clarity and brevity.
Parking Permit Fee Increase – I Support It
Editor:
I’m writing in support of the proposed increase in the fee for
residential parking permits. The cost of maintaining city streets
has certainly gone up — materials, personnel, etc. The proposed
price is a very modest amount of money once a year — a $35
increase. That’s less than $3 per month. In one of the most affluent
communities in Oakland, I think we can all afford $3 a month to
help maintain our city streets and to acknowledge the incredible
privilege of living in this beautiful, convenient neighborhood.
I notice that the same issue of Rockridge News has an article show-
ing that Rockridge home values have increased 47% over the last
5 years, equivalent to $326,000 for the median-priced home. On
College Avenue, there is a steady flow of people offering cash for
expensive prepared foods, gourmet coffees, designer housewares
and so on. Let’s support the city without grousing and continue to
invest in the infrastructure that we depend on every day.
— Carolyn Brown
‘Silent Spring’ Comes Home to Roost?
Editor:
Where have all the Steller’s Jays gone? Has anyone else noticed a
decline in their presence in your neighborhood?
For years I’ve had a plethora of these chatty, raucous characters
twittering about. They love the oak trees and acorns around  my
home in the  hills. This year, all is silent. I miss the chattering and
squawking of these intelligent birds; I have noticed only a couple,
one at a time, in the past month.
Searching the Internet, I have not been able to find anything about
missing Steller’s Jays. Anyone else notice this?
Have we truly reached that “Silent Spring” of Rachel Carson’s
prophecy?
— Claire Isaacs Wahrhaftig
No Need for Parking Permit Fee Increase
Editor:
I am writing to let you know my housemate and I are adamantly
opposed to any increase in the parking permit fees. There is abso-
lutely no demonstrated need for an increase in fees for a program
that cannot be expensive to administer. If the Council is looking
for ways to save money, then consider reducing the street cleaning
to once per month in this neighborhood.
— Gary Barg
Gay Ducey, from page 1
Following Ducey’s presentation, RCPC Land Use Committee
chair Stuart Flashman reported on the status of several development
projects in the Rockridge area. His report appears on page 5.
The RCPC board develops and presents monthly programs to
inform the Rockridge community about local resources, neigh-
borhood issues, and board activities. The meetings are publicized
in The Rockrdge News and are open to the public. To suggest a
topic, e-mail rcpcchair@rockridge.org
Limited Information About Safeway Plans
Editor:
I see that the Safeway people gave a presentation to the RCPC
Board, but are unwilling to make this information available to
everyone else. I hope this sort of limitation of information access
RCPC E-Mail List: Timely
Information Direct to You
The RCPC is happy to announce that an e-mail tree has
been established to notify you about upcoming events
on the RCPC calendar, including RCPC Town Hall meetings
and Land Use Committee meetings.
To join this e-mail notification system, simply send your
e-mail address to source@rockridge.org and you’ll be added to
our list. You can expect to receive no more than three e-mails
a month and your information will be kept confidential. E-mail
addresses provided will not be shared and will be used by the
RCPC for official notifications only.


5.
April 6, 2008

Candidates
from page 3

Updates: Hauser and Safeway Projects,
5175 Broadway, 5666 Telegraph

Land Use Committee Meeting: Wednesday,
April 23, 7 p.m., Rockridge Branch Library
Doug Patton
Ocean View Drive
My family and I
have lived in
Rockridge since 1965.
At that time College
Avenue was mostly
boarded-up storefront
buildings, and the area
seemed depressed and
not going anywhere.
Since then it has been exciting watching the
area develop into a first-class residential
and friendly commercial area. It is apparent
that things are changing, and pressures are
increasing to make changes that could, if
we are not vigilant, significantly impair the
livability of Rockridge. While some changes
will occur, we need to insure that changes
only improve the area, and do not result
in overdevelopment resulting in a negative
impact on our community. My interest in
serving on the Board is to help do whatever
is necessary to keep Rockridge as a prime
residential experience.

by Stuart Flashman, committee chair
Committee Notes
■
■
5666 Telegraph Residential
■
■
Project
As noted in March’s LUC Update, the
Planning Commission denied an appeal on
this project. A lawsuit has now been filed
challenging the City’s approval.
5175 Broadway Residential/
■
■
This has been a relatively quiet month
for the RCPC Land Use Committee (LUC).
Although several major projects are pending,
there are no significant changes to report. The
status of several current projects follows:
Hauser/Creekside Residential/
■
■
Mixed-use Project
After being rejected by the Planning
Commission last month, this project is
scheduled for design review before the
Planning Commission on April 9. (The
agenda and staff report will be available at:
http://www.oaklandnet.com/government/
ceda/revised/planningzoning/Commission/
default.html.) The developer has scheduled
a public meeting for April 7 from 5:15 to
6:30 p.m. in an upstairs meeting room at
the Rockridge Branch Library. Contact the
developer’s consultant, Lucy Armentrout,
220-6445 or e-mail lucy@plananddev.com.
The Land Use Committee recently received
final drawings; the rendering is reproduced
below. Due to the delayed receipt of the
material, no committee response could be
made. The short time available for public
review of the final plans is disappointing.
Mixed-use Project (Global
Video Site, 5132 Telegraph)
There are still no revised plans available,
although the project is apparently being
redesigned. The City is working on a draft
environmental impact report; there is no
firm date for its release.
College Avenue Safeway
■
■
Rebuild, 6310 College Avenue
at Claremont
Safeway has apparently done a major proj-
ect redesign. LUC representatives have been
assured informally that the design submitted
to the City with Safeway’s pre-application was
nothing more than a placeholder. Reportedly,
the new design will be far more consistent
with the site’s C-31 zoning. Safeway will
release a new set of designs some time in the
next couple of months. RCPC will announce
a community meeting once
they are released. A neigh-
borhood meeting was held
on March 18 at the Col-
lege Avenue Presbyterian
Church. (Article, page 1.)
One virtually unanimous
conclusion of attendees at
the meeting was that the
proposed 55,000 to 62,000
sq. ft. store was far too big.
RCPC is following this
project closely.
Kathy Taylor
Manor Crest
I
a m
e a g e r
t o
participate in the
RCPC. My family and
I recently re-located
to Rockridge. We
deliberately selected
this neighborhood for
our home because of
its vibrant commercial
district and spirited residents. I have a
Master’s degree in landscape architecture
and a keen interest in urban design and
public space. I feel strongly that designers
have a responsibility to help create and
sustain unique communities such as ours.
As a designer, a new resident, and
a renter, I believe I offer a unique and
important voice to add to the leadership
of the community. I have a great passion
for our neighborhood and I am very
interested in its ongoing success. It would
be a sincere pleasure to help shape the
future of Rockridge.
5175 Broadway Project
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6.

April 6, 2008

haps the most innovative brunch restaurant
on College Avenue. Combining European,
Latin American, and American breakfast
traditions, Somerset is a Bay Area brunch
destination. Barclay’s Restaurant and Pub,
best known for its brewpub fare, serves
an outstanding stick-to-your-ribs Sunday
brunch. And, of course, our very own
Rockridge Café continues a long-standing
down-home Sunday morning breakfast of
the best French toast, pancakes, and eggs
any style.
This month’s recipe is adapted from
Bette’s Oceanview Diner located at Berke-
ley’s 4th Street shopping center.
Ricotta-Lemon Pancakes
Ingredients
3 eggs, separated
¼ cup flour
¾ cup ricotta cheese
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely chopped
Vegetable oil
Instructions
Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Stir in
ricotta. Add flour, salt, and lemon zest, stirring
just to combine. Put egg whites in a bowl and
beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg
whites into batter until just combined.
Lightly oil a griddle over medium heat.
Portion batter with a 2-ounce ladle onto hot
griddle, leaving space between pancakes.
Cook until bubbles cover surface of pancakes
and undersides are golden brown, about 2
minutes. Gently turn pancakes and cook
until second side is golden brown, about
2 minutes. Serve with crème fraîche, sour
cream, or jam.
Yields 12-16 3-inch pancakes
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
Breakfast Time
When traveling through Southeast Asia,
one of the first things you might
notice is that there are no defined dining
times that match our Western conception of
breakfast, lunch, and dinner. People seem
to eat all day with little attention to specific
foods that are served in any given hour.
On our first day in Hanoi, I came down to
breakfast at our hotel where “breakfast”
was included in our daily rate. The menu
was divided into “typical” Western break-
fast items and traditional Vietnamese fare.
My eyes were immediately drawn to pho
ga. Pho is the Vietnamese national street
food noodle soup and ga means chicken.
Chicken noodle soup for breakfast? I had
been dreaming of having pho on the streets
of Hanoi and here it was for breakfast! My
partner ordered a more standard Western
breakfast, but I went for the pho ga. I noticed
our waiter going out of the restaurant with
a large bowl. Within minutes he was back
with a steaming bowl of pho ga from a
Vietnamese street food vender outside our
hotel. With all due respect to pancakes,
bacon, and eggs over easy, this was the best
breakfast I’ve ever had.
It is common knowledge that “breakfast”
literally means to break the fast. However,
the traditional American breakfast is a
unique culinary institution. Like so many
culinary traditions, the American break-
fast represents a collage of our melting
pot immigrant history: British and Irish
eggs and bacon, German sausages, ham
and potato pancakes, Jewish bagels and
lox, French omelets, Belgian waffles, and
Scottish and Irish oatmeal, other cereals,
and biscuits.
Compare the traditional American break-
fast with other global cuisines. In China, a
bowl of rice porridge – known as jook or
congee – with tea is a typical breakfast. The
“continental breakfast” for most of Europe
consists of a cup of strong coffee (espresso or
cappuccino) and toast or a small pastry. The
continental breakfast is a staple in countries
where the mid-day meal is the big meal of
the day – light breakfast, big lunch, and light
supper. In Latin America, leftovers and corn
dishes, chilaquiles, tamales, empañadas, and
pupusas are standard breakfast fare.
Since the middle of the 18th century,
regional specialties have come to define the
American breakfast. Southern or low-country
breakfasts are a unique American culinary
tradition – grits, hash, scrapple, Dutch baby,
smoked ham, and Hoppin’ John. When travel-
ing in the Southwest, I enjoy a breakfast of
green chili with Native American sopaipil-
las – fried dough with honey.
The weekend brunch is a modern Ameri-
can invention. According to food historians,
the concept started with Mother’s Day for
the upper class. What better way to celebrate
our hard-working mothers than to transport
the working Mom into the status of the
leisure-class, elite mother – breakfast in bed
and sleeping-in late. But a meal that began
as a tribute to moms came to be a meal that
challenged the church for the primacy on
Sunday morning. By eliminating the need
to get up early on Sunday, brunch would
create a new Sunday tradition. Although
the day-to-day American breakfast is apt to
be a quick coffee and a pastry, we all look
forward to a more relaxed weekend and
vacation American-style “big breakfast.”
On any given Sunday, breakfast and
brunch restaurants are packed with fami-
lies waiting in line for their lazy, yummy
breakfast.
In Rockridge, we are fortunate to have
some of the best Sunday breakfast/brunch
restaurants in the Bay Area. Somerset is per-
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net
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7.
April 6, 2008

The
Rockridge
 Muse
Once Upon
a Time…
I
can still hear my daughter Kirsten, then
age three, chanting in a lovely singsong
way, “onaposatime….” It was the way
all stories started when we were young.
We didn’t quite know what that meant,
except that it was a long, long time ago.
And that was quite believable because it
seemed that only old people told stories.
Probably they were the only ones who
had the time to do so. How lucky we
are that they did. Who can ever forget
those precious hours when Grandma
or a favorite maiden aunt would gather
you into her arms and begin telling, in a
magical tone of voice reserved for these
occasions, stories of adventures that
happened long ago to shadowy people
in far-away countries? It was not only
the story but the sound of the telling,
the rhythm, that would transport you to
those places that seemed to be located
in the mysterious depth of some ancient
communal memory.
storytellers. If you heard Gay Ducey
at the March RCPC meeting, you heard
one of the best. Gay will be one of the
workshop leaders at the upcoming Bay
Area Storytelling Festival, May 17-18
at Kennedy Grove Regional Park in El
Sobrante (www.bayareastorytelling.org).
At the festival you will hear – live – some
of the country’s best storytellers. The
event is organized by the Storytelling
Association of Alta California (www.
storySAAC.org). The association is also
a resource for finding storytellers for
hire for private events.
Closer to home, storytellers gather at
“Tell it on Tuesdays” every fourth Tuesday
from 7-9:30 p.m. at Julia Morgan Theater,
2640 College Avenue, Berkeley.
At Stagebridge (First Congregational
Church, 2501 Harrison Street, Oakland)
storytelling is taught Thursdays and Fridays
at 10 a.m. (510/444-4755). Stagebridge
also trains seniors in improvisation and
theater arts. They recently mounted an
original musical production of Patricia
Polacco’s delightful children’s story
“Chicken Sunday.” The play is now
making the rounds of East Bay K-6
schools. Patricia, a master storyteller,
grew up on Ocean View Drive, and
draws many of her stories from her
own childhood experiences. Patricia has
moved to Michigan, but you can follow
her story at www.PatriciaPolacco.com.
Her key advice on how to become a
good storyteller? Turn off the TV and
learn to listen to the voices around
you until you, too, can hear again the
magic of “once upon a time….”
by Ortrun Niesar
Fast forward to now, in our busy
tech world where we don’t even have
time to cook a proper meal. Do we
have time for remembering stories, and
do we even know how to go about
telling one? I don’t mean just reading a
story. I mean actually telling one with
all the bells and whistles passed down
by practitioners of oral traditions dating
back to the dawn of time.
Storytelling Events
and Resources
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provided fer tile ground for
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Rockridge Sales Spring Forward in March
	Close Date	 BR
Bth
Address
Orig Price
LP
SP
	 3/3/2008
3
1
502 Forest St
$499,900
$494,900
$550,000
	 3/3/2008
3
3
5849 Buena Vista
1,450,000
$1,200,000
$1,100,000
	 3/5/2008
3
2
6221 Chabot Rd
$1,395,000
$1,395,000
$1,600,000
	 3/5/2008
2
2
327 Hudson St
$699,000
$699,000
$675,000
	 3/6/2008
3
2
5842 Virmar Ave
$895,000
$895,000
$933,000
	3/12/2008
4
3
6450 Regent St
$779,000
$739,000
$715,000
	3/12/2008
4
2
6500 Chabot Rd
$985,000
$985,000
$1,103,000
	3/13/2008
3
2
6110 Colby St
$484,900
$484,900
$525,000
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2
2
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$615,000
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3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley


8.

April 6, 2008

East Bay MUD Asks, ‘Got Water?’

Probably not; its environmental costs are still
high. However, Buckhorn backers (and there
are plenty, particularly east of the Hills) claim
it’s the best large storage option west of the
Delta. This could be important to EBMUD
customers if flooding in the San Joaquin
Delta were to destroy the aqueducts that carry
water from Pardee Dam on the Mokelumne
River, EBMUD’s major water source.
EBMUD staff and consultants are cur-
rently developing 12 portfolios for evaluation
by the EBMUD board and the public. The
board will reduce those options to six at a
public workshop on April 22. After more
detailed evaluation of the final six, a preferred
option will be selected at a public workshop
on June 24. (Both workshops will be held
at EBMUD’s offices at 375 11th Street in
downtown Oakland, and will begin at 8 a.m.)
EBMUD will then prepare an environmental
impact report evaluating its major options,
with a final decision on a water supply plan
scheduled for late 2008.
Look for lots of fireworks between now
and then.
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC boardmember
and East Bay MUD Community Liaison
committee member
Longtime East Bay residents may remem-
ber the early 1990s when East Bay
Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) prepared
a Water Supply Management Plan (WSMP)
to figure out how it would provide water to
its customers for the next 30 years. (Full
disclosure: I was an EBMUD board member
during most of that process, and board vice-
president when it was finally approved in
1993.) Now, 14 years later, much of that
plan has been implemented. EBMUD has
now moved its planning horizon out and is
working on WSMP 2040.
WSMP 1993 had its share of controversy.
The most contentious item was Buckhorn
Reservoir, a reservoir proposed for the East
Bay Hills southwest of Moraga to store
water from the American River as drought
protection. However, when filled, it would
have submerged hundreds of acres of oak
woodlands. The reservoir was later eliminated
from the WSMP because of its expense and
the environmental damage it would cause.
Instead, EBMUD traded American River
water for water from the Sacramento River
and, with Sacramento County, is now building
a regional water treatment facility that will
provide drought protection. The other major
part of WSMP 1993, cooperative groundwater
storage in San Joaquin County, was never
implemented. The San Joaquin County water
agencies were too suspicious of their big-city
partner to join in the proposal.
The new plan, like WSMP 1993, is looking
to a combination, or “portfolio” of options
to meet expected customer water demand,
including demand during a drought. Options
being considered include new conservation
measures, expanded water recycling, water
transfers from other water districts, and new
storage facilities. The most controversial
proposal puts Buckhorn Reservoir back on
the table. Will it be part of the final proposal?
What Was that Ballot in the Mail?
no alternate revenue sources to make up the
difference. With the advent of West Nile Virus
about four years ago, the District was forced to
beef up its operations to meet the threat. The
proposed special assessment ($5 per year per
single-family residence) is intended to fund
the district properly.
Until recently, such assessments didn’t
require voter approval. However, Proposi-
tion 218 requires that all assessments be
approved by a majority vote of affected
property owners. Since only property owners
source of funds was a small allocation from
county property taxes. Until 1977, that was
more than enough to keep the district run-
ning. After Prop. 13 passed, however, the
district had to cut its operations and lay off
employees. Mosquito control suffered.
In 1982, voters approved a small special tax
that supported ACMAD’s operations until the
mid-1990s, when the Legislature transferred
roughly 30% of all property tax revenue from
other agencies to the schools. ACMAD had
County Mosquito District seeks
supplemental funding.
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC boardmember
and Oakland Trustee, Alameda County
Mosquito Abatement District
Since mid-March, the Alameda County
Mosquito Abatement District (ACMAD)
has been mailing ballots to Oakland property
owners so they can vote on a new special
assessment.
ACMAD is a governmental agency set up
in the 1930s by Alameda County voters to
control mosquitoes. The District treats ponds
(natural and ornamental), marshes, tree holes,
and other potential mosquito breeding sources
such as storm drain catch basins.
The District’s treatment techniques are
designed to kill only mosquitoes, and it has
been especially careful in wetlands, which
are major mosquito breeding areas. ACMAD
prides itself on being environmentally con-
scious and benign. The agency regularly
receives permits from the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, which ensures that its
operations don’t harm the sensitive species
that inhabit marshes.
Why are property owners being
asked to vote now?
Since its beginning, ACMAD’s main
Mosquitoes, page 11
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9.
April 6, 2008

rk Corner
a
P
Celebrate
Earth Day 2008
Come on down to the
Temescal Creek Clean-up!
G
A monthly update on
what’s happening at the
best community-built
and maintained
park in Oakland
FRO
Saturday, April 19, 2008,
9 am ’til noon
Join us! We will meet at Cavour and
Redondo, across the street from the
DMV parking lot. We will clean along
Temescal Creek between Cavour and
Clarke Streets to clear the creek bed
before the city turns the creek back
on for summer. Plus: litter pick up,
ivy pruning, weeding.
First 50 volunteers
get a free t-shirt!
Spring is Here and it’s Time
To Get Things Flowing!
Are you looking for a local Earthday
activity to join? Give a look at FROG-
Park. You can help beautify and clean up
FROGPark on April 19 from 9AM to 1PM.
Participants will clean the creek bed and
the playgrounds, clear trash and fertilize
plants. Look for activity captains at the
Hardy and Redondo playgrounds who will
help you find the best way to help. Families
are welcome and water and snacks will be
provided. Hop to it!
To get more deeply involved with FROG
projects such as year-long creek flow, public
art and the new bathroom, contact Jennifer
Cooper, chair, at Jennifer@live-work.com
FROGNotes:
Plans for the bathroom continue to
■
■
develop and evolve. Watch for further
announcements.
Park enthusiasts may look forward
■
■
What you can bring for the cleanup:
tools, a wheelbarrow if you have one.
The City’s Public Works Department will
supply gloves, garbage bags, and some
tools (loppers, rakes, hoes, brooms, litter
pickup sticks, etc.). If you have a favorite
tool for these activities, please bring it.
Remember to label your tools. The creek
bed will be wet, so boots are recom-
mended if you want to muck about.
Sponsored by the DMV Neighbors
Association (DNA) and
the City of Oakland
Questions? call Margaret 510/655-1767.
to the creek returning after the
clean up.
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Entry on Shafter Avenue
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10.

April 6, 2008
Safeway

evening, March 18. According to the flyers,
the meeting was called to inform neighbors
of Safeway’s expansion approach, to seek
support to minimize adverse neighborhood
impacts, and to enroll volunteers to help
as a steering group to work with the City
and Safeway.
Shawl and McKay then introduced Arvi
Dorsey of the Rose Garden Neighborhood
Preservation Association (RGNPA) who
spoke of his neighborhood’s success in limit-
ing Safeway’s Grand Avenue store expansion
plans 10 years ago, achieving neighborhood
goals of preservation and protection. Dorsey
said the neighborhood association persuaded
Safeway to reduce its plans from a 55,000
sq. ft. store to one of 26,000 sq. ft. He said
the neighborhood’s success required hard
work but was worth it.
When comments were invited, speakers
pointed out that both the Grand Avenue store
and the College Avenue store are within a
1.4 mile radius of the Rockridge Center
Safeway – also slated for rebuilding and
expansion – and presently serve as satel-
lite stores to that much larger store. Why,
they asked, would the College Avenue store
then have to be as large as its current plans
suggest?
Attendance included Nila Kim, Assistant
to District 1 City Councilmember Jane Brun-
ner, and Barbara Ellis of Aroner, Jewel &
Ellis Partners, consultants to Safeway.
from page 1
store, incorporate the Union 76 property at
College and Claremont into the site plan,
and cover the entire 1.8-acre site with a new
55,000 sq. ft. store with an upper level of
rooftop parking.
The plans, she said, show customer
vehicles entering and exiting the rooftop
parking area from Claremont Avenue, and
delivery trucks entering from Claremont
and exiting onto College Avenue. The
new store’s design would be a significant
departure from that of the existing facility.
Travelers heading west on Claremont would
see a rooftop parking lot surmounting much
of the site. The Safeway façade on College
would be a continuous expanse over 400
feet long. The Claremont façade would be
over 600 feet long.
Shawl and her 63rd Street neighbor Nancy
McKay were dismayed by the scope of the
proposed rebuilding and disappointed at the
lack of available information. Organizing
as “Neighbors Concerned with Safeway/
College,” they contacted friends and neigh-
bors and leafleted 600 homes to announce
the informational meeting held Tuesday
Describing the plans, Shawl and McKay
worked with the only visual aids available
to them: digital photographs of the prelimi-
nary plans submitted to Oakland’s Planning
Department. Revised plans may be available
within 4 to 6 weeks, Shawl said, emphasizing
that although the current plans were to be
superseded, they are indicative of Safeway’s
overall approach to the site.
Closing the basic presentation, McKay
and Shawl listed the main goals of the new
group for the Safeway project: a) compliance
with the spirit and intent of the C-31 zoning
in effect along College Avenue; b) no roof
top parking; c) pedestrian-oriented retail
shopping on College; d) visually attractive
design compatible with the immediate neigh-
borhood; e) no feeder traffic on residential
streets; and f) no trucks on College.

a
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Individual and
Family Counseling
(415) 235-1071
Located at College and Alcatraz

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11.
April 6, 2008

Meeting: RCPC Traffic,
Pedestrian and Bicycle
Safety Committee

from page 8
Welcome, New Rockridge
News Volunteers
 Other Routes Available 
The Rockridge News welcomes District
Captain Dennis Richardson who took
over Steve Meyer’s route in March, delivering
bundles to block captains along Broadway.
Marge Pryle has also joined the Rockridge
News volunteer family and will deliver
papers to Auburn and Florio.
Long-time volunteer Janet Falk, has
chalked up 20 years of service and is stepping
down from her district captain position. If
you can take over her route, contact Susan
at smontauk@gmail.com or call 547-3855.
Janet delivers bundles to 10 block captains
between Claremont, College, Harwood,
Ross and Mystic.
We also need a block captain to deliver
door to door on route 20A – even numbers
from 5900 Claremont to the Shell station – to
replace Robin Patfield who has moved.
Thanks for all your help and service.

Mosquitoes
can vote, the election is by mail ballot, rather
than in-person voting at the usual public
polling place. If the measure receives a
majority of “yes” votes, the measure passes.
If not, it fails. If it fails, the
District’s situation will be
similar to what it was after
the passage of Prop. 13.
Aside from the assess-
ment vote, you can do your
part to help control mosquitoes: make sure
you have no standing water  where mosqui-
toes could breed, such as a puddle of water
in the basement, or in a rain-bucket or old
tire in the backyard. If you have a pond,
fountain or the like, ACMAD will provide
you with mosquito fish (free, including free
delivery) that will keep your water mosquito-
free. If you notice a mosquito problem, call
the District at 510/783-7744 or e-mail them
at acmad@mosquitoes.org, and they’ll send
a technician to deal with the problem. The
District’s website at http://www.mosquitoes.
org also has a wealth of information about
mosquitoes and their control.
APRIL 21, 7 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library
Jason Patton, Oakland Bicycle and
Pedestrian Program Manager, will talk
about the bike parking plan for Rockridge,
the Broadway bikeway proposal, and dis-
cuss other proposed bikeway projects like
Alcatraz Ave and a Rockridge-Emeryville
connection (via Cavour, Vicente, 55th, and
53rd). Questions about College Avenue
bicycle travel are welcome!
Other topics to be addressed:
Rockridge Triangle safety study. Commu-
nity prioritization of proposed neighborhood
pedestrian & bike improvements follow-
ing conclusion of the traffic study require
further City input. Jane Brunner’s office
would then seek funding implementing the
top priorities.
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12.

April 6, 2008

Yasai Market – a World of Delectables in a Tiny Space

by Lydia Gans
For health conscious foodies, Yasai Market
on College Avenue at 63rd Street carries
an amazing variety of food products in a tiny
store. On both sides of the narrow aisles and
along the walls, wares are stocked almost to
the ceiling, everything from traditional fare
such as slow-cooking oatmeal to the latest
favorites like kombucha. On the sidewalk in
front of the store, a gorgeous display of fruits
and vegetables tempts passersby.
There is no Mr. Yasai, by the way; “yasai”
means vegetable in Japanese. Nobody seems
to remember when the store first opened.
Old-timers in the area say it’s been there
“forever.” The original Japanese partners
sold it to its present owners, a Cambodian
family, 15 years ago.
The Paks came to the United States in 1981,
fleeing from the civil war in Cambodia, which
had taken a heavy toll on their family. They
brought their daughters, 7-year-old Bo and baby
Youza. They lived for a time in Texas, then
settled in the Bay Area. Here they joined with a
partner in a small produce store on Lakeshore
Avenue before buying Yasai Market. Now the
senior Paks are back in Cambodia, and Bo
and Youza run the store. Bo speaks with pride
about her father. He is now Director General
of higher education in Cambodia. “While
raising us and running a produce store, he
went to school part-time. It took him 15 or so
years to get his doctorate. He had to start all
over with his education. He was a law-school
student back in Cambodia.”
Youza talks about how she and her sister
gradually were prepared to take over the
business. “I was trained by my mom. She
used to do all the ordering for the groceries.
She slowly passed it on to me.”
Talking about the produce, Bo explains,
“We try to carry things that are as local as
possible, but we’re also price-conscious. The
feedback from customers, ideas for
different products.” On the counter
is a list labeled “New Items to Check
Out.” Among the more than a dozen
items are smoked goat cheese,
seitan, amazake, licorice, fresh pho
noodles, Applegate Farms natural
bacon, and tofu noodles.
They also carry all sorts of
dairy products, a variety of cheeses,
milk, sour cream, yogurt, ice
cream – foods that are nonexistent
in much of Asia. “All of our des-
serts in Cambodia, things that are
creamy, come from coconut milk,”
Youza says. And then there are the
drinks – particularly kombucha in
“all kinds of flavors,” the latest fad among
the health-conscious. The last, Youza says,
“is so popular we’re constantly refilling
the shelves.”
Running the market is hard work and
involves long hours. Yasai is open every day
from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bo’s husband Michael
Heng does the produce buying at the whole-
sale market, and other family members also
work in the store. They never really expected
to be running a market, Bo says – Michael
has a degree in engineering, she and Youza
are both Cal graduates – but it works out for
them. With two young children “it’s more
flexible than a regular job.” And Youza,
who is newly married, enjoys the work. “It’s
like shopping,” and she says “I really like
interacting with the customers.”
She appreciates the ideas and suggestions
from their customers. “We’re not afraid to
try anything once if it sounds good, if the
ingredients are good.” She adds, “People
are always saying that if we don’t sell it,
then maybe you shouldn’t eat it.” That’s a
pretty good recommendation for a neigh-
borhood market.
Youza Pak and Bo Pak, proprietors of Yasai
Market, with Bo’s daughter.     Photo: Lydia Gans
community is upper middle-class but there
are a lot of working-class people too, and
we want to meet everybody’s needs. So we
carry organic and that’s a little bit more….”
They carry commercial produce “if the price
is right and it’s fresh and it’s good quality.”
They have always made it a policy to carry
locally grown produce. It fits in with their
background. Bo says, “In Cambodia, when
we went back to visit, vegetables were from
the backyard. The local market was whatever
people sold on the street.”
For customers with limited incomes there
are always bags made up of a mixture of
vegetables left on the shelves at the end of
the day priced at a hefty discount.
Besides the produce there are dried fruits
and nuts, bins with grains and dried beans,
quinoa (also quinoa pasta!), packaged sweets,
condiments, oils, exotic canned and packaged
foods imported from Asia, crackers, matzos
... and halvah! “We don’t even know what
halvah is,” admits Bo. “A customer suggested
it.” Youza explains, “We’re constantly trying
to make everything here exciting, always
looking for new products. We get a lot of
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A Prevention Oriented Practice


13.
April 6, 2008

Pentathlete Wants Oakland Kids to ‘Think Olympic’

by Anna L. Marks
“F
ind out what you are passionate about
and think about it everyday.” That is
Oakland resident Marilyn King’s challenge
to kids of any age. An Olympic Pentathlete,
and one of the selected runners of this year’s
Olympic Torch in San Francisco, King fore-
sees a metaphorical passing of the torch of
what she calls Olympian Thinking.
For King, this comes down to one key
practice that all athletes do, and that all kids
can do too, and that is to wake up every
morning and “envision their gold.”
Says King, “What athletes have, over
and above everything else, is something
they are passionate about. When the kids
move into Olympian Thinking, it takes
them through a three-step process that has
them stay connected to what they are most
passionate about, to think more effectively,
and to create a contract for action.”
King knows that creating this systematic
strategy works because she has already
brought it to inner-city kids in Oakland
at the Boys and Girls Club, the Police
Activities League, and The Good Samaritan
Neighborhood Center. She has even seen
her program go on the road to Chicago and
El Salvador.
A competitor in Munich in 1972 and
Montreal in 1976, King understands the
importance of shining a light on things that
aren’t right in the world. She is especially
clear that protests can make important state-
ments. However, King feels that boycotts of
the games ultimately have a negative impact
that is greater than the positive impact on
the issues being addressed. She refers to the
original intention of the visionary behind
our modern-day Olympics, educator Pierre
de Coubertin.
He saw the games as a pathway to
global peace, is credited with establishing
the Olympic Charter and with crafting its
main guiding principle: “The purpose of
the Olympic Games is to educate youth
through sport for the purpose of creating
a better and more peaceful world.”
Following this ideal, historically, all
international hostilities were halted so
people could travel to see and participate
in the games from around the world.
Although this principle has since been
diluted, it remains a crucial element of
the Olympics.
 Park Day School student Torrey
Hart takes time for a photo while
interviewing King for her school
newspaper.               Photo: Richard Hart
developing partnerships with community
advocates, teachers and even the hip-hop
community as part of her larger initiative:
“Peace is the Only Gold.”
The program culminates with activities
on Peace Day — a day celebrated in more
than 123 countries and which recognizes
people who have worked toward peace
locally and globally. This year, on September
21, Oakland’s Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment is organizing a citywide multicultural
event, to be held at San Antonio Park. All
are invited to this event.
King encourages all Rockridge News
readers to take a “10-Day Challenge” and
apply these skills in their own lives, then
send her an account of the experience. To
contact King, and to learn more about her
programs, visit her website at www.way-
beyondsports.com.
It is in this spirit of peace and cooperation
that King brings her own Olympian Think-
ing to Oakland youth and is now passing
the torch to the younger generation, who
she believes has the power to continue the
vision of achieving full potential in their
own lives. King sees them able to apply
what she calls “high-performance” think-
ing by spreading the message that they are
already “wired to win.”
King’s Olympian Initiative program is


14.

April 6, 2008

Quality Gardening
Skilled monthly or bimonthly maintenance—
pruning, planting, design, irrigation, outdoor
lighting, ecological practices. 15 years in East Bay,
local refs. Green’s Gardens: 510/593-3490.
Pacific Boychoir Auditions
The Boychoir is auditioning boys ages 5-10.
No experience necessary for this once-in-a-
lifetime opportunity for boys, concerts with
orchestras, at sporting events, and around
the world. Convenient rehearsals at Alcatraz/
Colby. 510-652-4722.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $20. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Clas-
sifieds, 5245 College Avenue, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94618. May deadline is April 17.
For information: e-mail smontauk@gmail.com
HouseCalls – Handy
Person Services
Carpentry & Electrical Craftsmanship Since
1989. “Handy Hands and Clever Minds Solve
the Problem – EVERYTIME!” 510/295-9670.
R.Z.Smith M.A.
Non-Toxic House Cleaning
Lotus Cleaning Services provides excellent ser-
vice while protecting your health and the planet.
Licensed, bonded and insured. Experienced,
reliable cleaners. Great for households with aller-
gies, asthma, small children. Reasonable rates.
510/452-0755, lotusclean@comcast.net.
Aesthetic Pruning
I specialize in pruning trees and shrubs under 20
feet tall. I work with trees to enhance their natural
beauty. Specialties: maples, camellias, conifers,
fruit trees, focal points, hands-on pruning instruc-
tion. Bruce Thompson 510/428-4964.
Housecleaning Cooperative
We clean homes, apartments, offices, and help
you clean up for moves, in and out. Careful
professional attention to detail and reasonable
rates. Ask for our excellent references. Please
call: 510/499-5836.
Psychotherapy-Drama Ther-
apy-Expressive Arts-Coaching
In Rockridge. We see adults, teens, children,
families, couples for issues around: depression,
anxiety, addiction, trauma, relationships, parent-
ing, and more. Sliding scale. Merry Ross, MFT,
Heather Macbeth, MFT, 510/420-1979.
Home Services
I offer carpentry, electrical work and electro-
magnetic field consultation. For information
about EMF and my 34 years of home service
experience in the East Bay visit www.danmatt-
son.net or call Dan at 510/658-2819.
Unexpected Guests?
Short-term rental, lovely room 2 blocks from
Rockridge BART in owner’s flat. Wi-fi, cable,
t.v. Suitable for one person. Photos available.
Barbird@aol.com 510/652-7044.
Low Stress Carmel Getaway
Comfortable, cheery 3BR+2BA family home
available for short-term rental. Fully fur-
nished from piano to ping pong, sunny patio.
Quiet, peaceful—pines, oaks, birds. Only two
hours away. Reasonable weekly rates. E-mail:
lowstress-getaway@yahoo.com.
Handyman
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, tile, decks,
fence, drainage, foundation repair, windows,
walls, dry rot, termite damage. Lic#458473
Don 510/812-0310.
Custom Sewing for the Home
Window coverings--curtains, Roman shades,
top treatments; slipcovers—pillows and cush-
ions; bed accessories--duvet covers, bed skirts,
pillow shams & bolsters. Special projects.
Decorator fabrics & drapery hardware. Holly.
510/531-1177.
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Village is
available for rent! Sleeps eight, is fully equipped!
Close to everything! Call 652-6664 for more
information.
Manicure & Pedicure
20% off first visit. We use Zoya polish which
does not contain formaldehyde or toluene
or DBT. Call Halina @ Milagro Salon, 5269
Broadway @ College. 510/593-5080. Mention
this ad and receive a 10% discount.
Pregnant in Rockridge
Gentle effective chiropractic care available.
Robert Townsend Chiropractor. 5330 College
Ave, Ste 210. Call: 510/708-9363 or robert-
townsenddc@gmail.com.
Couples Therapy in Rockridge
Missing your partner? Rediscover the spark.
Center for Stress Reduction. Rebecca Connell,
LCSW. 510/594-8224. I have advanced training
in the highly-regarded Gottman Method, proven
to increase intimacy and improve conflict skills.
www.CenterforStressReduction.com.
sofas, chairs, ottos
30 % off

$PMMFHF
"WF
	




15.
April 6, 2008

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
Craig shows how to reduce clutter and get organized.
Monday, 4/14, 7 to 8pm.
Artist Reception: Opal Palmer Adisa
■
■
 will discuss
“The Intricacies of Cultures,” her photo images from
Egypt and Jamaica. Saturday, April 19, 4-6pm.
Mind Power Weight Loss
■
■
: Certified hypnotherapist
Catherine Walters will discuss how to lose weight
and create a new life. Saturday, 5/3, 2 to 4pm.
Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice
■
■
. First
Tuesday each month from 6 to 8pm. Advance sign-up
starts 5pm. More information: 597-5017.
to 5pm; rain or shine. Tickets: $50, includes a boxed
lunch. Info and to purchase tickets, call 653-0317x103
or www.SecretGardenTour.org.
Saturday April 12, 10am to noon. Peralta Elementary
School: 460 63rd St. (parking on Alcatraz, east of
Telegraph).Meeting topic: What Makes a Great Urban
Public School? Featured speakers: Vincent Matthews,
Stephen Wesley, Sheila Jordan and Kerry Hamill. Info:
238-7001, or view Brunner Report at www.oaklandnet.
com (the site for all City-related information).
Jazz at the Chimes
Concert and Artist Reception featuring Grammy-nomi-
nated pianist Taylor Eigsti with bassist John Schifflet
and drummer Jason Lewis. Benefit performance for
the Jazzschool Institute for Developing Young Artists.
Sunday, 4/20, 2pm. Tickets: $50 general (part tax
deductible)/$25 students. Tickets through the Jazzschool,
845-5373 or www.jazzschool.inhousetickets.
com. Reservations recommended. Sponsored by the
Lifemark Group Arts program that features Bay Area
talent. Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave.
Wheelchair accessible. More info at 228-3218 or www.
lifemarkgroup.com/oakland/special_events.
asp. • Many events and performances celebrating
Jazz Appreciation Month, in conjunction with the
Annual Piedmont Avenue Tulip and Art Festival:
For details and info on dates and times call 228-3218
or mdorazi@lifemarkgroup.com.
N’hood Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
Art Exhibits
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about
crime and public safety. New time and place: Meets
4th Thursday each month, 7pm, at Rockridge Library,
upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave. info@
rockridgencpc.com.
Gallery: April: “The Intricacies of Cultures;” photographs
by Opal Palmer Adisa.
May: Merritt College portrait class figure drawing
Lobby Display Case: April: Vaughn Hovanesian:
photographs.
May: Rockridge Library Teen Photos
LIBRARY HOURS:
Mon. and Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm. Closed Sundays.
Dreyer’s Ice Cream Grand Opening
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN:
Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday
■
■
, 10:30am.
Pre-School Story Time:
■
■
 1st and 3rd Wednesdays,
10:30am: 4/16, 5/7.
Pajama Story Time:
■
■
 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm: 4/8
(see Special Event), 4/22.
SPECIAL EVENTS FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES:
Stories to Play With:
■
■
 Tales told with puppets, paper,
toys and imagination. Hiroko Fugita, Master Japanese
storyteller, with Fran Stallings giving brief English
synopses of the tales. Tuesday, 4/8 at 7pm.
Montera Middle School Jazz Club:
■
■
 Spring per-
formance, directed by Khalil Shaheed. Monday,
4/14, 7pm.
FOR TEENS:
Anime Club: Teens 13 and up
■
■
, watch and talk about
anime (Japanese animation) with other teens. 2nd
Tuesday of each month, 5 to 6:30pm.
FOR ADULTS:
Writer’s Support /Critique Group:
■
■
 ALL writers
welcome. Third Saturday each month (4/19), 1 to
5pm. Bring 10 copies of up to 3 pages of your prose
for on-site reading/discussion. Sponsored by the
California Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.
berkeleywritersclub.org.) Info: 420-8775 or
Writefox@aol.com.
Knitting Classes for Seniors
■
■
 (50+): with instructor Teri
Barr. All levels welcome. Beginners bring light color
yarn and a pair of size 8 needles. If experienced, bring
projects to work on. Tuesdays, 12:30-2:30pm.
Clear Your Clutter:
■
■
 Experienced organizer Joan
Wisteria Ways Concert Series
Eliyahu and Qadim: Modern interpretations of ancient
mystical music of the Middle East. Sunday, 4/6, 3pm.
383 61st Street. Simple refreshments provided. $15-20
suggested donation for musicians (cash at the door). For
reservations (highly recommended), RSVP to info@
WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Ice cream lovers of all ages are invited to enjoy a FREE
SCOOP to celebrate the long-awaited grand opening of
Dreyer’s new College Avenue Parlor. Saturday, 4/19, noon
to 3pm. Balloon artists and face painters will entertain.
5929 College Avenue.
Amnesty International Meeting
Singers Wanted
Exchange information and ideas on action. All welcome.
Monday, 4/14, 7:30pm. Diesel Bookstore, 5433 College
Ave., 653-9965.
The Distaff Singers, the Bay Area’s longest-running
women’s choral group, is seeking new members. No
auditions necessary, just the ability to match pitch.
Practice Tuesdays, 7:15 to 9:15pm at St. Theresa Church
on Clarewood Ave. A benefit concert in the fall supports
local K-12 music programs. For more info: 547-1191 or
www.distaffsingers.org.
Chabot Elementary School Auction
Dinner, drinks, dancing, live and silent auctions. Proceeds
support student enrichment programs. Saturday April 12,
6 to11 pm, Pauley Ballroom, UC Student Union. Tickets:
$30 at the door /$26 in advance at www.chabotele-
mentary.org. Info: Karen Cheever: 654.9052.
California College of the Arts (CCA)
Spring Fair: Arts and crafts fair with unique, afford-
able gifts made by CCA students, alumni and staff.
Ceramics, glass, jewelry, clothing and textiles, photos
and paintings. Live jazz music. Saturday, 4/12, 11am to
3pm. CCA Oakland Campus (B’way and College), main
walkway. Info at 594-3678.
Claremont Middle School Fundraiser
Cocktail party and silent auction. Appetizers and drinks
sponsored by Citron restaurant. Saturday, 4/26, 7 to 10pm.
Hosted at the home of Ron Kriss and Sue Peck, 5810
Lawton Avenue. Donations still welcome (invitation and
donation forms are available at www.claremontms.
org. or contact Claudia Mills at 652-7782 or Claudia@
sparkworld.com). Proceeds support art, music and
gardening programs and more. Tickets: $18 at the door;
drinks $2 - $6. RSVP by April 20: 652-7782 or www.
claremontms.org.
Christensen Heller Gallery
Showing the work of local artist Patti Heimburger:
California textural landscapes in mixed media through
oil paint, fabric and yarn. Now through May 18. Gal-
lery hours: Wed. – Sat., 11am to 6pm; Sunday, noon
to 5pm. 5829 College Ave. Info: 655-5952 or www.
christensenheller.com.
Hillcrest School Carnival
Features Village Market BBQ, games, live entertain-
ment and more. Saturday, 4/26, 11am to 3pm. Proceeds
benefit Hillcrest PTA. School playground, 30 Marguerite
Drive, Upper Rockridge. Info: hillcrestpta.org/walk-
athon.shtml or hansonds@pacbell.net.
City Council & School Borad
Candidates Open Forum
All candidates for District One and At-Large City
Council seats, and all candidates for the Oakland
School Board, have been invited to speak and answer
questions in a forum setting on Saturday, 4/19, 1 to 3pm,
at Faith Presbyterian Church, 49th and Webster (east
of Telegraph). Light refreshments served. Sponsored
by Standing Together for Accountable Neighborhood
Development (STAND). additional Info: 655-3841 or
www.standoakland.org
Park Day School Benefit
Secret Gardens of the East Bay 22nd Annual Garden
Tour: Tour 11 fabulous gardens. Meet with many of the
garden designers; lunch on the grounds of the historic
Matilda Brown Home at 370 43rd St.; Outdoor market-
place from 9am to 4pm. Proceeds benefit academic
and financial assistance programs. Sunday, 4/27 9am


16.

April 6, 2008

Jan Fougner
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