Extracted text · highlighting “Doug Patton”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 24   NO. 3    ISSUE NO. 254    March 7, 2009  
 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 Businesses

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

Brunner Panel
Considers Stimulus
Effect on Oakland

RCPC Town Hall Meeting
AGENDA
March 2009
Thursday, March 19, 7:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College Avenue at Manila,
Community Room (Upstairs)
W • a • t • e • r
How Much Do We Have? How
Much Do We Need? How Do We
Get It? How Do We Save It?
Oakland is entering its third successive
year of severe drought (although you
might not think so from the last week or two
of rain). How bad is it? Will we have to ration?
Will the recent rain make a difference? Hear
from East Bay Municipal Utility District
(EBMUD) about our current water supply
situation and what it will mean for your water
use. EBMUD Board member Andy Katz has
been invited to give part of the presentation.
Katz represents EBMUD’s Ward 4: Albany,
Berkeley, Emeryville, El Cerrito and Kensing-
ton and a portion of Oakland. (Boundaries
from EBMUD Web site.)
And what about the future? The
second half of the program will discuss
EBMUD’s long-term water supply planning.
Hear EBMUD’s plans and learn about environ-
mental documentation circulating for public
comment. (See EBMUD story, page 5.)

Rockridge Kitchen Tour: Time to Join!

you have a recently renovated or remodeled
kitchen you’d like to show off, or if you’d
like more information about the Rockridge
Kitchen Tour, please contact Jennifer
Edmister at kitchentour@rockridge.org or
call RCPC at 510/869-4200, and reference
the kitchen tour in your message. Be sure
to leave your contact number.
Pictured on the overhead monitor,
Council President Jane Brunner led a
panel discussion considering how the
financial crisis and stimulus bill might
affect Oakland.          Photo: Don Kinkead

by Jennifer Edmister, tour co-chair
It’s no accident that Rockridge homes
hold their value in difficult times, and
the Kitchen Tour Committee has had the
opportunity to visit several wonderful,
newly renovated kitchens in this thriving
neighborhood. It’s still not too late to submit
your kitchen for the September 20 tour. If
In My Opinion
California’s Budget Process is an
Invitation to Legislative Extortion
by Don Kinkead
As bipartisan debate of President Obama’s
stimulus bill was beginning to gener-
ate heat in the press and on television talk
shows, more than 100 Oakland citizens
gathered in mid-February in the solemnity
of the Oakland City Council chambers to
join in a roundtable discussion of a pro-
gressive response to the current financial
crisis. The stimulus bill soon became the
major topic.
Convened by Council President Jane
Brunner, panel participants included a poli-
tician, two academics, a labor leader, and
an Oakland grandmother, a city resident of
30 years. The mayor had been invited, but
explained by video that he had been called
to Washington on urgent business.

Following is a statement of a personal point of view by Stuart M. Flashman.
Flashman is chair of RCPC. However, the following represents his own views
which are not necessarily those of the organization. In his article, Flashman
discusses how recent developments occurring at the State level will have a
direct effect on Rockridge and its residents.

Brunner Panel, page 3
¤
¤

The eminent jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes
once said, “Hard cases make bad law.”
To that one might add: so do bad politics. A
case in point is the recent budget impasse
and its effect on Rockridge through the
Caldecott Improvement Project.
The Caldecott Improvement Project is the
culmination of efforts by politicians east of
the Caldecott Tunnel in Contra Costa County
to add a fourth bore to the tunnel. While the
long primary commute-direction back-ups at
the tunnel are infamous throughout the Bay
Area, this project won’t help that commute.
In fact, it will only make it that much worse.
Invitation to Extortion, page 2
¤
¤


2.

March 7, 2009

Invitation to
Extortion
from page 1

in the Legislature were engaged in the
predictable annual game of “chicken” over
approving a state budget. This year, however,
Governor Schwarzenegger decided to add an
extra twist. He announced that he wouldn’t
sign a budget unless it was accompanied
by a special bill exempting 11 highway
projects, including the Caldecott Project,
from environmental review. Of course, that
review for the Caldecott had already been
completed and was under court challenge.
The governor insisted that the legislature
step into the courts’
bailiwick and throw
out the pending
court case. (He also
asked that a judgment
already entered in a
similar case involv-
ing Highway 50 be
thrown out.) This
was almost unprec-
edented. Sadly,
however, the courts
had ruled some 25
years ago that what the governor wanted
to do to our case was legal.
To their credit, at least some legislators
felt uncomfortable about the governor’s
proposal. Our state senator, Loni Hancock,
vowed to lead a floor fight against the pro-
posal, if necessary. She admitted, however,
that with the budget hanging in the balance
and full Republican support, the exemption
was very likely to pass. Darrell Steinberg,
President Pro Tem of the Senate, stepped in
to try to broker last-minute settlements of
the two pending lawsuits and avoid having
to deal with the retroactivity provision.
The settlement discussions were more
like a hostage negotiation, with the State
budget being held at gunpoint by the governor
and his Republican allies. After two weeks
of exhausting meetings, conference calls,
and e-mails, a settlement was hammered out
and executed on January 23. Given the cir-
cumstances, the agreement, unsurprisingly,
is highly favorable to Caltrans. Nevertheless,
our area will receive some small amount of
relief and compensation through this agree-
ment and a parallel agreement negotiated
earlier by the City of Oakland.
There will be street improvements in
Oakland and Berkeley to improve pedestrian,
bicyclist, and motorist safety; Caltrans will
extend its lease of right-of-way property for
FROG Park and look at adding more unused

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.

12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
Instead, it will eliminate the much smaller
back-ups in the reverse-commute direction
and weekend recreational trip back-ups on
Highway 24 and SR (State Route) 13. For
this, the State will be paying well over $244
million. The remainder will come from Bay
Area toll payers ($50
million) and Contra
Costa County shop-
pers ($125 million
in county sales tax
revenue). Even that
total doesn’t count
the costs for bond
financing.
Meanwhile, the
project will mean
five years of round-
the-clock major
construction impacts for those living
near the west end of the tunnel. When it’s
finished, there will be more traffic, noise,
and air pollution for everyone in Oakland
and Berkeley who lives or works close to
Highway 24, including students at Chabot
Elementary and Claremont Middle schools –
the latter with its schoolyard a mere 75 feet
from the freeway. Caltrans, however, had the
effrontery to claim that the project would
have no significant impacts and provide only
a pittance for mitigation efforts.
RCPC, along with the FROG Park Com-
mittee, other community groups in the area
and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition, sued
Caltrans over its approval of the project. The
plaintiffs, now called the Caldecott Tunnel
Fourth Bore Coalition, insisted that more
attention be paid to the project’s impacts
and project alternatives that would promote
transit and actually improve transportation
on the Highway 24 corridor. To support the
lawsuit, thousands of dollars were donated
and volunteers spent literally hundreds of
hours compiling, preparing, and reviewing
the 132-volume, 33,000-page administrative
record for the case.
The case was heard at the end of October
in Alameda County Superior Court by
Judge Frank Roesch. He then spent over two
months reviewing the record and pondering
the major legal issues involved, and was
preparing to issue a decision. Meanwhile,
in Sacramento, Democrats and Republicans

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
Jo Ellis	�����������������������������������Advertising &
Community Calendar
Theresa Nelson	��������������������Neighborhood Merchant
Susan Montauk	�������������������Business Manager
Don Kinkead	�����������������������Graphics & Layout
RCPC Board of Directors, 2008-2009
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair
Ronnie Spitzer	��������������������Vice-Chair
Danica Truchlikova	������������Secretary
Joan Martin	��������������������������Treasurer
Annette Floystrup, Jonathan Gabel, William Kaufner,
Don Kinkead, Colby Lavin, Katy Taylor, Doug Patton,
Ellen Peterson, Andrew Charman
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
With permission from the Sacramento Bee
and editorial cartoonist Rex Babin.
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.
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
 April 4, 2009
 April deadline is March 19.
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.)
Invitation to Extortion, page 12
¤
¤


3.
March 7, 2009

as a context for the financial crisis. Until
recently, she said, wealth was divided
somewhat stably in an hour-glass shape,
“with a majority of wealthy and poor at
the top and bottom, with middle-income
folk in the middle.” Now, she suggested,
the shape is more like a martini glass with
all the wealth at the top, less in the stem,
and more poor in the base. In other words,
“we now have many rich over many poor.”
Cornu hopes to see more consideration given
to public-private partnerships as the money
is parceled out. “Don’t depend on private
philanthropy alone,” she cautioned.
In closing, Council President Brunner
said she saw the stimulus package as “a
capital projects program that will not fix
Oakland’s budget problem.” Still, Oakland
is looking forward to the funding and is
already oriented to “Green” building, she
said, a challenge in stimulus projects that
Oakland is prepared to meet.
numbers of vacant homes, small businesses
closing, and transients replacing formerly
stable households. Education, too, has taken
a big hit, she said. “Oakland needs money
to save schools, support businesses, and
help the community.”
Speaking of help and the form it might
take, Dr. Victor Rubin of PolicyLink Institute
saw the stimulus package as an “equitable
recovery package” that could strengthen
Oakland, create jobs, fix infrastructure and
expand transit. To be most productive, he
said, “the money should be used to build
capacity and the workforce.” Spending deci-
sions must be transparent and accountable,
he emphasized. “What’s remarkable about
the stimulus package is how ordinary it is,”
Rubin said. “It involves projects that should
have been taken care of already.”
Alameda Labor Council Executive
Secretary-Treasurer Sharon Cornu pointed
to “a growing divide of income inequality”
Brunner Panel
from page 1
California State Assemblymember
Sandré Swanson opened the discussion
to report on the tortuous budget negotia-
tions just completed in Sacramento. “I am
not happy with the budget,” he said. “It
represents minimum efforts for services
and neglects education.” With the budget
passed, he suggested that it was now time
to work to shape the issues facing the state
and its troubled cities.
“People have been aware of the present
financial, or capital, crisis for a number of
years,” according to Dr. Steven Raphael of
UC’s Graduate School of Public Policy, citing
FDIC sources. He characterized today’s
problems as the “result of irresponsible and
bad lending practices” in financial sectors.
Although many tend to compare today’s situ-
ation with the Great Depression of the ’30s,
Raphael said the current financial contraction
“occurred with a speed and depth greater
than that of the Depression.” Its effect will
be felt heavily in Oakland because of the
city’s already high unemployment rate, and
a revenue base oriented toward property and
real estate sales and transfer taxes. “Lower
prices and declining sales will lead to less
income for the city,” he warned.
Oakland resident Shirley Burnell agreed
with Raphael. “This is the biggest impact
of any I have seen,” she said. She described
her failing neighborhood with growing
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets the
fourth Wednesday of each month, 7 p.m.,
at the Rockridge Library.
Next meeting: Wednesday, March 25, 2009
In the opinion of several of the groups,
including RCPC, the best option still on
the table is to urge Safeway not to waste its
time with designing an oversized store, but
to work with the community on a modest
remodel of the existing store. RCPC under-
stands that Safeway may not wish to invest
large amounts of time and money, especially
in this economic climate, in a full rebuild
unless it will be a much more profitable store.
However, a much larger store is a poor fit
for the neighborhood, and will have other,
broader impacts.
Until the economy improves, small
modifications that make the current store
incrementally better make more sense than
any kind of rebuild.
Land Use Update
by Stuart Flashman,
RCPC Land Use Committee chair
College Avenue Safeway
■
■
rebuild (6310 College Avenue
at Claremont)
Safeway has announced that it has hired a
different architect — the third in a row — to
design the company’s proposed new store.
This time, the architect is Ken Lowney, the
Oakland architectural firm that designed the
Whole Foods store in the Broadway Cadil-
lac dealership building. Safeway does not,
however, appear to have changed its basic
concept of a 50,000 sq. ft. store.
With the change of architect, Safeway is
delaying the roll-out of its plans for the new
store until some time in April. In the mean-
time, with the stakeholder process having
ground to a halt, the local stakeholder groups
are taking stock of the new situation.
Continued top of next column
¤
¤
The Zoning Counter
The Zoning Counter is a compilation of re-
cent applications filed with the Oakland
Planning Department. Individuals may contact
the case planner or the Planning Department
for additional information by phone or on-
line at www.oaklandnet.com.
Land Use Meeting Agenda
Contact Stu Flashman at 652-5373 or chair@
rockridge.org for a copy of the current Land Use
Committee meeting agenda.
5125 Miles Avenue
Proposal: To legalize a 496 sq. ft. second unit
constructed at the ground floor level (base-
ment conversion) of a two-story residential
dwelling.
Contact Person: Christopher Candell
Phone Number: 510/238-6986
Owner: Christopher Candell
Planning Permits Required: Minor Variance to
legalize a second dwelling unit and permit an
additional, tandem, parking space located in
the existing driveway, in front of one of the
two existing garage parking spaces, whereas a
non-tandem space is required
Case Planner: Ann M. Clevenger, 510/238-6980
or aclevenger@oaklandnet.com
$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
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4.

March 7, 2009

Letters to the Editor
is as follows:
Ms. Jewel:
I appreciate your e-mail describing your
position and Safeway’s plans for the near
future. And, everyone would appreciate your
interest in coming up with a good design
for the Safeway project. However, at our
last stakeholders meeting, Todd Paradis
emphatically said that Safeway will not
return with a design smaller than 50,000
sq. ft., a store more than twice as large as
what exists now.
You and Todd have heard the overwhelm-
ing community sentiment that Safeway
should not enlarge the size of the store over
what exists now, while a few neighbors would
be able to tolerate a small increase.
The other sentiment unmistakably
expressed is the total dislike for rooftop
parking. In order for Safeway to get approval
for a store of 50,000 sq. ft., the site will have
to be configured for parking for at least
167 cars. This project is in fundamental
conflict with the intentional pedestrian
scale provisions of the C-31 zoning along
College Avenue. This zoning was created
by and for College Avenue, and, in turn,
has resulted in the dramatically desirable
character of the Avenue and the adjacent
residential neighborhoods. Safeway’s pro-
posal is abusive of, and destructive of, this
zoning’s fundamental provisions.
The large store with its required parking
results in what the community is overwhelm-
ingly opposed to: the massive impact of a
store so grossly out of character with the scale
and design of Rockridge. Safeway has been
hearing this message from the community
for nearly two years since the first meeting
we had in your office and in the subsequent
meeting at the Presbyterian Church in June
2007. This was echoed emphatically again
at Jane Bruner’s forum meeting last June
at the Peralta School auditorium, and has
The Rockridge News welcomes letters to the editor. Your
name, address, phone number, 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.
economic sense and it goes a long way to
help keep our neighborhood healthy and
rental income more reliable.
So in many ways, we have lessons to
learn from Rockridge Past. Out of every
economic downturn comes an opportunity.
Strategically thinking about the kind of
stores we are lacking in order to increase
foot traffic may be the opportunity we can
all benefit from.
Camille Reed
Economic Downturn an
Opportuity for Improved
Rockridge Vitality
Editor:
As we sadly watch one store and then
another close its doors on College Avenue,
we wonder how long it will be until a new
business opens. At the same time, I have
been reading that wonderful little book on
the history of Rockridge and see pictures
of a very busy district. Finally, having
many times walked along College Avenue
in the early 1960s from Oakland Tech
to my home near College and Claremont
avenues, I experienced Rockridge through
several transformations. I sense we are at
the beginning of a new one.
What neighborhood businesses had in
the past was a sense of self containment.
There were grocery stores, hardware stores,
butcher shops, notion shops, shoemakers,
appliance repair shops, restaurants, soda
fountains, book stores, a movie theater, hair
salons, etc. Many of those kinds of stores are
still here today and seem to be doing well.
But many helpful ones are missing.
For Rockridge businesses to continue
to do well, we need to increase foot traffic.
People are likely to walk the streets to shop
if they have a variety of errands to do. If
we had a hardware store, a variety store, an
appliance repair shop, an increasing variety
of functional shops... those kinds of shops
that make it easy for people to want to walk
and do several errands... that would help
keep all stores busier.
In order for that to happen, landlords are
going to have to consider lowering rents.
However difficult that may be to accept,
they are more likely to keep the space rented
going forward. The economy has changed,
and we all have to change with it. It makes

The Problem with Safeway’s
Plans: Size, not Merely Design
Editor:
An e-mail dated February 12 and
addressed to “Neighbors and Interested
Parties” from Elizabeth Jewel of Safeway’s
PR consulting firm outlined Safeway’s latest
plans for the College at Claremont Safeway
Store. She mentioned that Safeway is making
a new effort, with a new architect to come
up with a better design for the new store.
She said the new design would address
the comments and concerns expressed in
the recent stakeholder meetings. Further,
Safeway will hold a community meeting
in April to present the new plan and then,
“shortly after that meeting,” will submit it
to the city as a formal application.
It should be noted that the existing
store was built in the early ’60s when C-30
zoning ruled the Avenue. The existing store
exceeds the permitted area allowed by C-31
by nearly a factor of four.
My response to Elizabeth Jewel’s e-mail
Letters, page 10
¤
¤

Rockridge
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5.
March 7, 2009

Bicycling on
Rockridge Streets
East Bay MUD Issues Water Supply
Draft Report; Comment Period Open
by Stuart Flashman, EBMUD
Community Liaison Committee member
For the past two years, the folks at our
water provider, East Bay Municipal Util-
ity District (EBMUD), have been studying
and planning how to keep us supplied with
water for the next 30 years without destroy-
ing the environment in the process.
They’ve now released a Draft Program
Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) that
outlines the major available water supply
options and what each would do for us and
to our environment. Options range from con-
servation to water recycling to groundwater
storage to new or enlarged reservoirs. Each
has its benefits and its costs, both monetary
and environmental. Now it’s our turn.
The PEIR will be circulating during the
public comment period that began Febru-
ary 19 and ends April 6, 2009. Hear about
the report in person and pick up a copy
on CD-ROM or paper by coming to the
March 19 RCPC Town Hall meeting. (See
agenda, page 1.)
You can also review the report on-line
at www.ebmud.com, or order a copy
on CD-ROM by calling 287-1303 or by
e-mailing tfrancis@ebmud.com.
If you’re concerned about where our
water will come from, how much it will
cost, and whether there will be enough
to supply humans and salmon, now is the
time to check it out and let EBMUD know
what you think.
Comments may be submitted by mail
to: Thomas B. Francis, PE
EBMUD Water Supply
Improvement Division
375 11th Street MS 407
Oakland, CA 94607,
or via e-mail to tfrancis@ebmud.com.
Next TPBS meeting Monday, March
16, 7-9pm, Rockridge Library
Bicycle friendly streets are pedestrian-
friendly streets. The RCPC TPBS
(Traffic, Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety
committee) discussed collaborating on three
Rockridge bicycling projects with the East
Bay Bicycle Coalition (EBBC):
1) Completing the Colby/Hillegass/Forest
bikeway including sharrow markings (arrow-
like designs painted on a roadway to mark
a bicycling route) on Colby and Alcatraz
bike lanes, and a safe bicyclist/pedestrian
crossing on Alcatraz at Hillegass.
2) Resurfacing Chabot Road to improve
bicyclist safety.
3) Reducing speed on Broadway with
lane reduction.
Your help is needed for future followup.
Stay up-to-date on TPBS activities; come
to our next meeting (date in headline).
Also, join the RCPC TPBS yahoogroup at
RCPC_Traffic_Pedestrian_and_Bicycle_
Safety_Committee@yahoogroups.com
Ed. note: Stuart Flashman wrote about early
developments on this topic in the July 7, 2008
issue of The Rockridge News.
a
rk Corner
P
G
EBBC Bicycle Safety Courses
A monthly update on
what’s happening at the
best community-built
and maintained
park in Oakland
FRO
■	 Day 1: Street Skills Class. 
3.5-hour
classroom course teaches the basics of safe
cycling, riding in traffic, equipment, crash
avoidance, rights and responsibilities. Adults 14
and over. No bike needed. Oakland, Thursday,
March 26, 6-9:30pm, Kaiser Oakland Medical
Center, Conference Room G65A, Fabiola
Building, 3801 Howe Street, Oakland.
Celebrate Earth Day at FROG Park
We need your help! Offer three hours
out of an April weekend to help honor
the Earth and lend a hand at your community
park. FROG is organizing a fun family-
friendly clean-up day on Saturday, April
18, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, as part of the City of
Oakland Earth Day clean-up. Please bring
work gloves and gardening tools, including
a rake or gardening fork, if available. Hope
to see you there! See www.frogpark.org
or www.oaklandearthday.com for more
information.
Publice Art for the Greenbelt
Have you noticed some changes along
the Greenbelt? The public art project is
being installed, at last. Look for more addi-
tions over the next few months. An opening
celebration is planned for June.
■	 Day 2: On-Road Instruction. 
6-hour
Road I course provides an opportunity to put
into practice what was learned in the Day
1 Street Skills class, including emergency
maneuvers and riding in various traffic
conditions. Bicycle required for Day Two.
Alameda, Saturday, May 16, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.,
Alameda Point Collaborative, at the former
Naval Air Station.Sign up online at www.ebbc.
org/safety or call 510/533-7433.
FROG Steering Committee
The next FROG steering committee
meeting will be Wednesday, March 25, 7-9
p.m. For more information, please contact
Jennifer Cooper, FROG chair, at jennifer@
live-work.com
Two-person DMV Park clean-up
crew savoring the result during
a recent community project day
in the park.
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon


6.

March 7, 2009

You never want the garnish to overwhelm
the dish. Another garnish form is drizzles
along the plate rim. Squirt bottles are very
handy when it comes to drizzle garnishes.
Fill them with colorful sauces such as pesto,
or red pepper. A micro-plane is a great tool
to add flavorful garnishes such as lemon, or
orange zest. Use your imagination.
This is one of my favorite soups. Red
pepper soup is a very easy recipe that
uses a simple garnish of yogurt and basil.
Beautiful color contrast and deep flavors
will transport you to your own 4-star
restaurant.
Red Pepper Soup
(adapted from Joyce Goldstein’s
Mediterranean Kitchen)
(serves 6-8)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, sliced
10 red peppers, stemmed, seeded, coarsely
chopped
4-5 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Yogurt
Basil leaves
• Melt butter in large pot over medium
heat. • Add onions, cook slowly until soft.
• Add peppers and enough broth to cover
them. • Heat to low boil, then reduce to
simmer until the peppers are tender, 20-30
minutes. • Allow to cool. • Purée the soup
in a blender or food processor. • Thin the
soup with remaining broth or water to desired
consistancy. • Layer basil leaves on top of
each other and roll into a cigar shape. • Cut
thin ribbons called chiffonade.
Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of
yogurt and sprinkle with the chiffonade of
basil. For a more French accent, use crème
fraiche and fresh chopped thyme in place
of the yogurt and basil.
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
Simple to Spectacular: Turning Everyday Meals
Into a Four-Star Dining Experience
Given the current economic environment,
everyone is trying to economize, and
dining out is one of the first budget trim-
ming items for many families. However,
with some very simple techniques, home
chefs can make ordinary everyday meals
into a four-star dining experience. The
plating of food, presentation, and garnishes
make even the simplest meal a feast for the
eyes. At the Culinary Academy, we were
constantly admonished that you “eat with
your eyes.” One of the first things we enjoy
about dining out in an upscale restaurant
is the artistry of the plate when it’s placed
on the table.
Let’s start with the plate itself. Try to
use color-neutral plates such as classic bone
white or earth tones. A large plate allows
for separation between items and lets you
create an eye-appealing palette of color. Our
Academy chef instructors would constantly
yell at us, “Less is more – no more than three
items on a plate – and focus, focus, focus!”
View the plate as a clock. Place the starch
item at 10 o’clock, the protein at 2 o’clock
and any vegetable at 6 o’clock. For more
drama, position the focal point of the meal,
usually the protein, and elevate it by placing
it on or learning against the starch. Keep
it simple and quick. You want the food to
look attractive but not overwhelming. The
“in” plating technique at many high-end
restaurants is building towers to add height
to the plate. Although very dramatic, it often
does not work with many food items. You
can add height simply by mounding pota-
toes or rice and leaning other vegetables or
meat against it.
Presentation is everything. A plate of food
is like a painting and the rim of the plate is
the frame. You need to strive for a pleasing
arrangement. Keep the arrangement simple.
A too-elaborate plate will overwhelm the
eye. Two, or at most, three colors on a plate
are usually more interesting. Visualize this
combination: poached chicken breast, rice,
and steamed cauliflower. Very nutritious,
but a little monotonous. Now picture this,
grilled chicken breasts on a bed of herbed
orzo, roasted red julienned peppers, and
a drizzle of green pesto along the rim of
the plate – dazzling. In addition to color,
another 4-star tip is to dress up the plate
with a variety of shapes and forms. Cutting
vegetables into different shapes gives a plate
that extra glow. Carrots, for example, can be
cut into a dice, rounds or sticks. Cut items
like zucchini and carrots on a bias.
Garnishing is a simple addition to a
plate that adds color and dresses up a dish.
Often noted as optional in many newspaper
recipes, I see garnishes as one of those
additions to a plate that require very little
effort but deliver the extra dazzle. Fresh
herbs are a fantastic and easy way to add
instant color and flavor (there is more to
life than chopped Italian parsley). Once
again, remember the rule: Less is more.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes. His email is kaufman42@earthlink.net.
Praying - Serving - Growing
Jeff Auen
REMAX ACCORD
りきゅう
After 25 years of preparing
authentic Japanese cuisine
for exceptional restaurants
such as Kiku of Tokyo,
Mikaku San Francisco,
Kirala, and We Be Sushi,
Chef Tatsuya Koyake
decides to have his own
space to share his passion
for cooking. Come join
him for a taste of Japan.
St. Augustine
Roman Catholic
Church
400 Alcatraz Ave.
Oakland
(between Telegraph
and College
Avenues)
510-653-8631
Mass Schedule
 Saturday: 5 p.m.
 Sunday: 8 a.m.
  & 10:30 a.m.
 Weekdays: 8:30 a.m.
Residential
■
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Income Properties
■
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REO Specialist
■
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Reconciliation
 Saturday, 4 p.m.
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,

 Oakland, CA  94618
WWW.REO-SFBay.COM
WWW.JLAHOMES.COM
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
JeffAuen@comcast.net
800-805-8827
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
www.staugustineoakland.com


7.
March 7, 2009

The Delicate Art
of Size and Space
I
suppose all of you have gotten the
latest communiqué from the Safeway
public relations department announcing
to us how happy we will be with their
latest version of corporate benevolent
blight to be foisted upon this little spot
on Earth we call our community, our
neighborhood, our home. There have
been several meetings on the matter
in past months. We’ve attended those.
We might even think that the stake
holders, RCPC, God or at least your
neighbor is looking to see that all will
go well. But the truth is, there is much
for each and everyone to ponder and
act upon now before it is too late. You
see, there is a monster in our midst and
its name is Bigness.

gardens. The buildings are not large, often
not architectural gems, but they all are
rather delicate in proportion and design,
recalling an earlier life style on a more
intimate, human scale. And then I look
with sadness at the elephant footprint
in the butter—the Dreyer’s building.
I remember the bitter fight over the
size, impersonality and intrusiveness of
this building. Nothing has changed. It is
still exactly what we feared it would be.
Somehow it has little to offer to our
organic neighborhood. And then there is
the Alameda County Blood Bank, looking
like the QE II in dry dock on Claremont
Avenue. The shadows on Auburn Avenue
have become a permanent reminder of
things gone wrong. These were mistakes
we might have been able to avoid. Now
we have to live with them.
The
Rockridge
 Muse: Opinion
by Ortrun Niesar
and sustainable community. Think about
what we have achieved over the past
decades that makes this place so livable.
We have quiet neighborhoods where
people can walk their dogs, jog and bike.
We’ve built a library and a community
park. We’ve kept out fast food franchises
and mega stores and have encouraged
local merchants, restaurants, professionals
and artists to thrive here. We meet and
greet each other while dropping off our
children at school, picking up a loaf of
fresh-baked bread or catching a ride
into the City in the morning. We form
school and earthquake safety committees.
We know each other’s names. We talk
to each other.
A Plea
Please let’s be careful about allowing
big business to overtake our community.
There is nothing they can add that would
be beneficial. Bigger is not better. Bigness
by its very nature destroys smallness. We
don’t need Bigness and more stuff. We
need less traffic noise and air pollution,
more senior housing and more open
space. And we need a community center.
We dream about such things as we sip
a cup at Cole Coffee and drink in a
spectacular open view of the East Bay
Hills, perhaps beginning to realize that
this view is one of the irreplaceable
pleasures we could lose to Bigness.
We are blessed with having great
neighborhoods and neighbors within
a fairly well-defined, well-functioning
community; not too little, not too big,
but just right. It has been the work of so
many that has allowed this phenomenon
of sane living to happen here in our
lifetime. We ought to be able to let it
thrive and flourish.
Our Unique Space
One of the principles Rockridge
residents have consistently espoused is a
desire for harmonious coexistence between
residents, our natural environment and
the business community, based upon
and guided by mutual respect for the
space we share. That space is vast when
it comes to ideas, thanks to the many
people who live here, but physically it
is rather small. It can be traversed on
foot in little more than one-half hour
in any direction. It is this space that has
given Rockridge its unique character, a
happily human one that does not take
well to big commercial enterprises.
Almost everything we do here
corresponds to a sense of neighborhood
When Mistakes
Are Made
We all know it takes a lot longer and
much more effort to undo mistakes than
not making blunders in the first place.
Walking down College Avenue — about
120 paces per block if you’d like to know
— I take in a collection of small shops
and restaurants, each distinct, like the
many varieties of flowers growing in our
Rockridge
    Optometry
Your neighborhood
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Norman H. Burg, DDS
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
Monthly Features
for March:
20% off Morel or
Gucci Frames
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
A Prevention Oriented Practice
5418 College Ave. (510) 420-1928
510-655-3797  Rockopt@yahoo.com


8.

March 7, 2009

Library Presents
Teen Areas
Survey Results

Library Friends Seek Candidates
for April FORL Board Election

by David W. Brown, FORL boardmember
The Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) board is looking for a few good men
and women to become new board members. The board meets four times a year to
plan and coordinate good and useful work that supports the Rockridge branch of the
Oakland Public Library.
The mission of the FORL board is to champion the Rockridge Branch Library, to
stimulate enthusiasm and interest for library programs among area residents, and to
advocate for the branch to the community and to government bodies. FORL generates
new ideas to enhance library facilities and programs and to encourage volunteer service
and gifts to the library. We foster continued support for the library’s ability to respond
to and serve the needs of our diverse population.
FORL’s annual election will be held during the April 16 RCPC Town Hall meeting
at the Rockridge Branch Library.
For more information, contact FORL co-chair Karen Carlson at KarenCarls@sbc-
global.net, 654-0588, or Carol Bieri at cbieri@pacbell.net, 547-5660. Candidates need
make no speeches nor submit resumes or photos. Shy bookworms are welcome, and at
our meetings we serve excellent cookies.

by Gerry Garzon, Associate Director,
Oakland Public Library
The Oakland Public Library has received
city funding, requested in FY 2007-
09 by Council President Jane Brunner, to
develop a Teen Area for the Rockridge
Branch Library. With feedback received
from the community through survey
responses in September 2008, the Library
is planning a community meeting for
Thursday, April 2, 6-8 p.m., to discuss the
results of the survey and the development
of a Teen Area. This meeting is envisioned
as the first of two to three meetings with
the community about this concept.
In addition to staff from the Library,
Council President Jane Brunner’s office, and
CEDA (Community Economic Development
Agency) project management, the Library
will also have an architectural and planning
firm to assist with the meeting – Noll &
Tam – local consultants versed in library
program space planning and development.
For any questions you may have regarding
the meeting, you may contact Gerry Garzon,
Associate Director, Oakland Public Library
at 510/238-6720.
Mon – Fri  9:30 – 6:00
Sat  9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
G
R   E   A   L   T   O   R   S
The GRUBB Co.
A New Year
and a
NEW DAY
 to help
those in need.
Throughout 2009, I will donate 10% of
my net proceeds to the charity of your
choice whenever I represent you (or a
friend) in the purchase or sale of a home.
You pick the charity and I will promptly
send a check after the close of escrow. So
pass the news along and please send your
referrals my way.
LOOKING FOR DIRECTION IN THIS
VOLATILE MARKET? LET'S TALK.
Together, we can truly impact some
very worthy causes.
Julie Gardner
510.339.0400/245
jgardner@grubbco.com
JulieGardner.com
G
Lan J Shaw
Financial Advisor
.
2161 Allston Way Suite A
Berkeley, CA 94704
510-704-8854
www.edwardjones.com
Member CIPF
Member SIPC
! ! ! ! ! ! !

Me. I’ve been an Allstate Agent for 10
years. And riding bikes for 17. That means
I can talk all day about insurance features
and discounted rates, but I’d just as soon
talk about a new route you’ve found.
Let’s talk today.
Susan Bernosky, LUTCF
(510) 450 9050
5940 College Ave, #A
Oakland
susanbernosky@allstate.com
The Cupped Hands logo is a registered service mark of Allstate Insurance
Company. Life insurance and annuities issued by Allstate Life Insurance
Company, Northbrook, IL and Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE.
In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge,
NY.  Property-casualty insurance products issued  by Allstate Fire and
Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate
Insurance Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company:
Northbrook, IL. © 2007 Allstate Insurance Company


9.
March 7, 2009

Chabot Elementary Presents its Annual
Fundraising Auction, ‘A Spring Gala’
by Jane Mason, Chabot parent
Chabot’s community is gearing up
for its biggest fundraiser of the
year—the annual auction. Every spring
the school reaches out to parents and
local businesses, which donate gener-
ously, and students and teachers get busy
creating one-of-a-kind baskets and craft
items that are auctioned off. Some of
this year’s exciting items include a five-
night condo stay at the Waikaloa Beach
Resort on the Big Island of Hawaii, a
private lunch at Garabaldi’s Restaurant
with OUSD School Board member Jody
London, the chance to be a live, on-air
DJ with Grateful Dead authority David
Gans on KPFA, and more! The auc-
tion takes place Saturday, March 21, 6
p.m. to 11 p.m. at Oakland’s Lakeside
Park Garden Center. Tickets are $30
in advance (chabotelementary.org), or
$34 at the door, and include a wonderful
buffet dinner, live music by the East Bay’s
own Drop Off Zone, great company, and
silent and live auctions.
The money raised directly funds
such essential and beloved enrichment
programs as Library, Music, Art, Tech-
nology, and Garden.
Join your friends and neighbors
for an evening of fun and fundraising.
You’ll enjoy a great night out and be
actively contributing to your local school
community.
Peace of Mind
Bodywork
The art of hair design
A touch therapy to relax
the fabric of your being.
5431 College Ave Oakland Ca 94618
510.652.5431
www.elizabethh.net
Sharon Smith, CMT
6097 Claremont Ave., Oakland
www.peaceofmindbodywork.com
510-461-6431
Eco-friendly salon
Experienced Stylists
Organic & Sustainable products

OUSD School Board
Member Thanks
RCPC, FBC
Caldecott 4th Bore Settlement
Has Money for Rockridge Schools
On behalf of the Oakland Unified School
District, and especially the students
at Claremont Middle School and Chabot
Elementary School, many thanks to the
Rockridge Community Planning Council
and the Fourth Bore Coalition.
Your relentless advocacy for Oakland’s
children has resulted in $3 million to help
mitigate noise and air quality problems
associated with the Fourth Bore.
I also want to thank State Senator Loni
Hancock and her staff for their critical role
in securing these funds. You have set a great
standard and example for other community
groups in Oakland.
We have several other schools located
adjacent to freeways, and would like to
identify ways to improve conditions for
them as well.
Jody London
Director, District 1
Oakland Unified School District
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339
Kimberly Lang
Draperies
Roman Shades
Cushions and Pillows
Fabric and Style Advice

j j p j j p j j p j j p j j p j j p j j p j j p j

510.540.6864        www.kimberlylang.com


10.

March 7, 2009

from page 4
Girl Scouts to Hold
Spring Break Event
Girl Scouts of Northern California wants
you to join us to Rock the Boat! Girls
in grades K-5 are invited to attend Rock the
Boat, a week-long boating, environmental
and crafts event to be held April 6-10 from
9 a.m.-4 p.m. at Lake Merritt’s Boat House.
The week’s worth of fun and exciting activi-
ties is $90; financial aid is available. Girls
will learn to use several different types of
boats, learn what makes the Bay Area a
special place to live and how they can protect
it, and lots of fun crafts, games and songs!
Sign up by Friday, March 27. Contact Sheryl
Graab: sgraab@girlscoutsnorcal.org.
Letters
been stated repeatedly at the Stakeholders
meetings. Yet, in opposition to this senti-
ment, Safeway has consistently pursued its
massive proposal.
So, even though good design is always
welcome, it will in no way make your
proposed project acceptable to the com-
munity because the fundamental issue is
size and not design. As long as Safeway
fails to recognize this, Safeway will fail to
get community support and will face active
community opposition.
Richard W. Smith, Ph.D, Architect
Ed. note: Richard Smith is a former member
of the RCPC board of directors.
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
Restoration / Renovation
Custom Wood
Windows and Doors
(510) 893 1157
College Avenue Presbyterian Church
5951 College Avenue, Oakland  510 658-3665
Sunday worShip 10:30 aM • ViSit: capcchurch.org
our wonderful coMMunity Meal, fridayS, 6-7pM
a great opportunity to SerVe
www.woodenwindow.com    Lic 640153
Rebecca Lueck, LCSW
Individual and
Family Counseling
(415) 235-1071
Located at College and Alcatraz
Treating relationship issues,
anxiety, depression, panic disorders,
childhood trauma, grief, infertility
and adoption, and addictions.
Sliding scale : Insurance accepted

Kitchens
• Design
• Remodeling
• Showroom Sales
www.acornkitchens
andbaths.com
KITCHENS & BATHS
510
547-6581
4640 TELEGRAPH AVE  •  OAKLAND
HOURS: T-F  10-5  •  SAT. 10-4
get bendy
3 classes for $30*
Beginning Yoga Workshop
Saturday, March 21
Also visit our store for the largest selection of
women’s yoga wear and yoga props in the East Bay

*new students only; valid for 30 days
When hiring
a service
company,
make sure
that they are
the best at
what they do.

Residential &
Commercial
Armed Patrol,
365 x 24 x 7
547-SAFE
(547-7233)

www.namasterockridge.com
5416 college avenue  510.547.YOGA
(near Rockridge library)


11.
March 7, 2009

John Oldoni, Rockridge Artist, Sculptor, Builder, Dies

John Oldani, the gentle giant of Manoa
Street, died Monday, February 16, sud-
denly and most unexpectedly, at his farm
in Brooks, CA. He was in good health right
up to the end. He was 63 years old.
John had a B.A. in history from the
University of Wisconsin, Madison. He
was a member of the Institute of General
Semantics, a board member of Pro Arts
in Oakland and of FERL (Friends of the
Esparto Region Library). He worked for
25 years as a drywall, plaster and painting
contractor. He was also an accomplished
and celebrated sculptor, painter, toolmaker,
inventor and teacher of art. He did dishes,
mopped and mowed and was beloved by
all who knew him. He will be remembered
as caring, gentle, patient, funny, creative,
enthusiastic, happy, innovative, a deep
thinker and provocateur, thoughtful, good
looking and a lover of animals.
He is survived by his wife Claire; son
Cisco and wife Tiffany; son Luigi and
In a photo taken about five years
ago and provided by the family, the
late John Oldani is pictured with his
granddaughter Camille.
was very attached to his tools and many
of his old favorites were ultimately incor-
porated into pieces. He loved things that
have been well used.
In recent years John spent many focused
and happy hours creating cards from ink-
wash, watercolor and collage. John was a
firm believer that everyone should have
access to art they enjoyed and he gave the
cards away freely.
His invention art included kinetic water
sculptures, garden and flower “plant props”,
the “trool” a triangular tipped garden tool
for digging and weeding; “le bateau‘t’”,
a garden/studio bag he designed in col-
laboration with his sister. He made lamps,
tables and benches and enjoyed seeing his
work in use.
John has left us all a rich legacy of how
life should be lived and loved. He will never
be forgotten.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be
made to FERL: PO Box 787, Esparto,
CA, 95627 or Pro Arts, 550 Second Street,
Oakland CA 94607.
— Ortrun Niesar
granddaughter Camille; brother, sister-in-
law and nephew Terrence, Dagmar and
Tony; Sister Francesca and nephew Jack,
and nephews Mario and Nathan.
John’s art started with wire forms and
mobiles inspired by Alexander Calder
and Isamu Noguchi and grew to include a
long series of non-ferrous sculpture and,
more recently, welded free-standing fer-
rous sculptures. He loved working with
copper and made all manner of utilitarian
and non-utilitarian objects from sheets of
copper. He was also prolific painter. His
paintings were often highly textured and
incorporated elements, techniques and
materials from his days as a plasterer. He
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HALLIE HART, CFP®, FINANCIAL ADVISOR
510-208-3823
MERRILL LYNCH
1111 BROADWAY, 22ND FLOOR
OAKLAND, CA 94607
Group Classes
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Child Care
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WWW.INSIDEOUTSIDEFITNESS.COM
CFP® is a certification mark owned by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.
Total Merrill (design/words) is a registered service mark/service mark of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc.
© 2007 Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated. Member, SIPC.


12.

March 7, 2009

Invitation to
Extortion
local  sustainable  residential  architecture
BUTTRICK WONG
from page 2
property to the park, and install a protective
debris barrier on the freeway above the park;
there will be some construction restrictions
to reduce the impact on those living near the
tunnel, and, thanks to the legislative lead-
ership, the new budget includes $3 million
for improvements to reduce the freeway’s
noise and air quality impacts on the two
public schools most impacted by the long-
term effects of the project. The agreement
and a full listing of what it contains can be
seen on the RCPC website at http://www.
rockridge.org.
While things would have been far
worse if the exemption had been enacted,
this situation only further illustrates how
dysfunctional California’s current budget
process has become. Senator Hancock has
said she intends to try to simplify the budget
process so that similar “trainwrecks” don’t
continue to occur. Until recently, many
California voters apparently supported the
two-thirds legislative vote requirement to
pass a budget (although recent polling sug-
gests a change in that attitude). Unfortunately,
the results of this year’s impasse are practi-
cally a roadmap for further extortion efforts
in coming years unless something changes
in the current political equation.
Architects
New Stores/Restaurants
 
 
Fiddlesticks
Clothing and accessories for
women and children
(recently relocated from San Pablo
Avenue in Berkeley)
5336 College Avenue, Oakland
510/985-1845
Open Monday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 6
p.m., Sunday 12- 5 p.m.
Currylicious
Indian and Pakistani cuisine
Dine in, or free delivery for orders of
$25 or more
5299 College Avenue, Oakland
510/450-0644
Open Monday – Sunday,
11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
www.currylicioussfbay.com
Jerome Buttrick, AIA
Tim Wong, AIA
www.buttrickwong.com
510.594.8700
Exceptional interior and
 exterior service.
Call for a free estimate.
 510.407.7749
Or visit us on the web at:
www.coastalwestpainting.com
New Service
 
 
Hipline Belly Dance Fitness
3167 College Ave. at Alcatraz Avenue
510/350-7784
www.myhipline.com
Owners: Gabriela, Samar &
Alexandra Nassar
CA License #892264
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
G
Closed/Moved
 
 
Favor – moved to San Francisco
Was at: 5337 College Avenue,
Oakland
Moved to: 2420 Polk Street,
San Francisco,
415/563-2741, www.shopatfavor.com
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
GRUBBCO.COM
SIMPLIFY!
Clutter Control
Paper/Filing Systems
Kitchens/Closets
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
Space Planning
Packing/Unpacking
Solutions for the critical mess
Non-Judgmental & Confidential
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland
www.SummersOrganizing.com
Barbara ✔ 415-381-0707
j p j j p j j p j j p j


13.
March 7, 2009

Sarah Dunbar, ready to meet your vintage
or contemporary clothing needs at Pretty
Penny.                                    Photo: Don Kinkead
The Neighborhood Merchant
Photo: Don Kinkead
by Theresa Nelson
Pretty Penny | 5488 College Avenue | Oakland
510/594-9219 | www.prettypennyclothing.com
Monday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Pretty Penny is a delightful store
featuring women’s and men’s vintage and
new clothing and accessories on College
Avenue at Lawton, in the location formerly
occupied by Saturn records (whose sign is
still visible).
Approaching the large storefront win-
dows, you’ll see clever combinations of
vintage finds and new items, built around
a decor of natural materials and interesting
found objects. Inside, the store is spacious,
with new wood floors, tree branches and
cuttings used for display, alongside a cheerful
pink and black retro couch. A wire frame
hangs above the center of the store, with
black feathers and other natural materials
hanging from it, gently animated by airflow
from a nearby fan. A burnished redwood
burl table shows off vintage jewelry and
scarves, and an old mirror was turned into
a wall display for shoes and sunglasses.
Slices of agate display jewelry, old picture
frames and even mounted antlers present
vintage accessories.
Owner Sarah Dunbar has enjoyed buying
and selling vintage clothing for years. She
started out with a monthly sale in her living
room on the first Sunday of the month.
Friends liked her taste in clothing, and the
event grew so popular that she moved into
a store in Berkeley near University Avenue.
Owner: Sarah Dunbar
There, she could buy and sell more items
and be open all week.
The opportunity to share the Saturn
Records space arose, and she moved to 5488
College Avenue in 2007. Last year, she took
over the entire space when the record store
business went online. In addition to offer-
ing vintage items and more new, seasonal
clothing and accessories, Sarah also buys
clothing from the public on Saturdays and
Sundays between 12 and 5 p.m. (guidelines
for selling clothing are on her website).
Petty Penny offers something for nearly
everyone. For women, there are ’50s
cocktail dresses, ’60s bohemian-style
dresses, ’80s block patterns, street graphics
t-shirts and hoodies, trousers and jeans of
various periods, evening wear, and a section
of menswear for women, à la Katherine
Hepburn. For men, you can choose among
leather jackets, vintage sport coats and pants,
sweaters, t-shirts, ties, belts and suspenders,
and looks ranging from punk to skate to
vintage rock and Western. Vintage acces-
sories include shoes from every era, leather
bags, jewelry and sunglasses.
About one-fourth of the store is new
items, including all-cotton clothing from
Alternative Apparel, made in the US
according to ethical clothing manufacturing
standards. A line called Salvaged Beauty
features old cameos, lace and metal work
combined into unique jewelry.
Sarah lives in the Temescal District, has
a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and
worked for Children’s Hospital Oakland
and community-based health clinics. She is
inspired by the community-based concept
and carries it into her retail store. Every
month features a different local artist,
and she has hosted benefits for various
organizations, including women’s issues,
media, and gay/lesbian youth. On the first
Friday of most months, Pretty Penny hosts
an opening reception for the artist featured
that month, staying open later and inviting
the neighborhood to support local artists.
The next artist’s clothing showcase is set
for March 11.
Sarah notes that vintage for her is “a job,
a hobby, an obsession, and a service.” She
focuses on a price point that is about one-
third of what you’ll see elsewhere. Pretty
Penny was awarded “Best Vintage Clothing
Store” in the 2008 East Bay Express awards,
and awarded “Best Women’s Clothing”
in 2007. So stop in soon and enjoy the
extraordinary variety and welcoming feel
of Pretty Penny.
Rockridge Sales Fumbling this February!
Closing Date BR Bth	 Address
Original Price
DOM
LP
SP
2/13/2009
3
2
5631 Buena Vista
$864,900
61
$799,900
$740,000
2/4/2009
4
3.5
5230 Cochrane
$1,725,000
178
$1,249,000
$1,130,000
The Average Market time has increased by 33%.
There is currently a 3.75 month supply of inventory in Rockridge.
The Average List to Sell Price this February was 91% vs. 96% in 2008.
100% of Rockridge sales last month sold for below the asking price.


14.

March 7, 2009

Psychotherapy for Older
Women/Grandmothers
Brief or long-term therapy for women wanting
a better relationship with their adult children/
grandchildren. Older, 30 years experience,
interactive psychotherapist. Maggie Rochlin,
LCSW. 510/845-6556.
Lake Tahoe Summer Rental
Two-bedroom, 2 bath, full kitchen condo for
rent weeks of July 10-17 and August 14-21. On
beach- pool, hot tub, kid’s playgrounds. Close
to shopping, casinos, parks. E-mail janebcal@
yahoo.com or 510/658-9530.
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Clas-
sifieds, 5245 College Avenue, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94618. April deadline is March 19.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Baby Furniture
Small, 1st size rocking chair. 510/652-4526.
Gardener
Over 15 years of service to the Rockridge
area. Maintenance and garden restoration.
Reasonable rates and excellent references.
Please call Chris: 510/655-0157.
Rockridge Bass Lessons
Suited for Beginning and Intermediate stu-
dents. Focus on Technique, Theory, Grooves,
Bass Lines and Improvisation. 15 years play-
ing and teaching experience. $50/lesson or
4 lessons/$160. Ben 415/531-4671 captain@
benbernsteinmusic.com
Judith Glass & Sheila Sabine
Your Grubb Company Agents appreciate
Rockridge. If you are thinking of selling your home
contact us-Moving changes your life-we make
the process easy. www.GlassSabine.com.
Home Repair Expert
Carpentry, remodeling. Doors and windows,
glass and locks, small electrical, plumbing jobs,
drywall, painting, fences, decks and other odd
jobs. Good rates. Rick 510/761-7168.
Anger Management
Workshop for Women
Learn to express your anger in better ways,
get heard instead of shut out or attacked
and how to calm yourself. Saturday, April 11.
10am-3pm. Rockridge. $50. Esther Lerman,
MFT. 510/548-6241.
RockridgeResidents.Org
We’re a non-profit, no-ad based website
intended to increase the sense of community
between Rockridge Residents. Connect with
neighbors on the Online Forums. Read resident-
submitted articles, review local businesses. Visit
www.rockridgeresidents.org today!
Quality Gardening
Skilled monthly or bimonthly maintenance,
aesthetic pruning, planning, design, irrigation,
consultations, ecological practices. 15 years of
horticultural experience in the East Bay. Local
references. Green’s Gardens, 510/593-3490.
Couples Workshop
Building Communication and Intimacy Skills:
Learn to identify “red flags,” re-claim your
projections, gain communication tools and spe-
cific techniques for feeling closer. Friday, April
24. 7:30-9:30pm. Rockridge. $50/per couple.
Esther Lerman, MFT. 510/548-6241.
Home Repairs
Carpentry, electrical, kitchen, bath, decks,
fence, drainage, tile, windows, walls, dry rot,
termite damage, crown molding. Lic#458473.
Don: 510/812-0310.
Jazz and Classical Piano
Lessons
Jazz and classical piano lessons from Rockridge
jazz pianist with B.A. in music from U.C.
Berkeley, 15 years experience teaching and
performing. Reasonable rates, patient, dedi-
cated. All ages welcome. Janet 653-6783.
Manicure & Pedicure
20% off first visit. We use Zoya polish which
does not contain formaldehyde or toluene
or DBT. Call Halina Wednesday-Saturday at
Elizabeth H. Salon, 5431 College Avenue at
Kales. 510/652-5431.
Hairstylist Needed
With established clientele plus room for walk-
ins at an eco-friendly salon that is as enjoyable
for the stylists as it is for the clients. Open
daily. 510/652-5431.
Help with your PC or Mac
College student can help you in your home.
Affordable rates. Experienced & patient. Routine
scans/maintenance $35/hr. Internet applications
training, repairs & upgrades $25/hr. Call Tony,
653-1079. Rockridge only.
I’m your Local Handyman
Repair what you have, minimize your costs,
keep your house running smoothly. Carpentry,
painting, electrical, plumbing, even tree pruning.
Steady Builders Handyman Service. $30/hour.
Leave message for Amos. 510/654-5554.
Aesthetic Pruning
I specialize in pruning trees & shrubs under 20
feet tall. I work with trees to enhance their
natural beauty. Specialties: maples, camellias,
fruit trees, & focal points. Pruning instructor
Merritt College. Bruce Thompson 510/428-
4964.
Spiritual Journey
Join us on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje and the
shrine of Our Lady of Peace, International
Youth Festival (all ages), July-August, 2009.
Visit www.MyUITour.com or call 866/984-8687.
CST: 2070359-40.
Patios, Decks, Fences,
Painting /Custom Artistic
Tiling
I build outdoor amenities and have 20 years
experience with lots of Rockridge references.
www.Diegodesigns.com. Call Diego: 510/828-
9473. “We listen to your dreams.”
TaiChi and Qigong Classes
in Rockridge
Methodist Church, 303 Hudson at College.
Cultivate the chi. Integrate mind, breath
and movement with meditation and qigong.
Enjoy increased flexibility. Relax with gentle
movement. Thursdays 10am, Saturdays
9am. Info: harmonytaiji@yahoo.com, gail@
harmonytaiji.com.
Skin Care Salon
Penelope’s Aesthetics, a serene garden setting
in Rockridge 12 years, specializes in professional
beauty needs. Facials, waxing, lash/brow tints,
skin tag/capillary removal, permanent make-
up, reflexology and more! 30% off w/ad. www.
penelopecalef.com 510/594-1552.
6
%
Custom Sewing for the Home
Window Coverings: Curtains, Roman shades,
top treatments: Slipcovers; Pillows and Cush-
ions; Duvet covers, bed skirts, pillow shams &
bolsters; Special projects. Decorator fabrics &
drapery hardware. Holly. 510/531-1177.
Unexpected Guest?
Short-term rental, lovely room 2 blocks from
Rockridge BART in owner’s flat. A steal. Wi-fi,
cable, TV. Suitable for one person. Photos
available. Barbird@aol.com 510/652-7044.
Decorative Painting
Faux finish, children’s murals, refinishing,
interior painting and color consultation. Call
Deco Art. 510/593-4574
Since 1986
realtyadvocates.com
Tahoe Condo for Rent
Our lovely 3br/2+ba condo in Incline Village is
available for rent! Sleeps six, is fully equipped!
Close to everything! Call 652-6664.
(510) 428-0757


15.
March 7, 2009

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.

Compiled by Jo Ellis

Kelly Mulhollan and Donna Stjerna, songwriters and
vocalists who perform on traditional American folk instru-
ments and a variety of other instruments from around
the world. Sunday, 3/22, 3pm (house opens at 2:30pm).
$15-20 suggested donation for musicians (cash please at
the door).383 61st Street (inside venue, not wheelchair
accessible). For reservations (highly recommended),
RSVP to info@WisteriaWays.org or 655-2771.
Christensen Heller Gallery
Dusk on Lucy’s Pond: Fine oils by Calif. Artist
■
■
Juliana
Harris. Mar. 15 through May 3. Gallery hrs: Wed.-Sat.
11am-6pm; Sun., noon - 5pm.
Seminar on estate jewelry with noted expert
■
■
Elizabeth
D’Mitrova. Sun., 3/22, 1 -3pm.
5829 College Ave. Baird Heffron: 655-5952 or Baird@
christensenheller.com.
Peralta School Auction

Community Calendar

Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
book signing of Transforming Lives $40 at a Time:
Women+ Microfinance: Upending the Status Quo.
Gail G. Uilkema, Ed.D., founder and CEO of Lantern
Projects, and AAUW International Fellow Hava Maloku
will also speak. Program co-sponsored by the American
Association of University Women (AAUW) Oakland-
Piedmont Branch. Saturday, 3/28, 2-4:30pm.
Lawyers in the Library:
■
■
 Free legal advice. First
Tuesday each month from 6 to 8pm. Advance sign-up
starts 5pm. More info: 597-5017.
ART EXHIBITS
Gallery: March: Darrell Hunger: Paintings, drawings
and photos of desert scenes.

April: Vaughn Hovanessian: Photography.
Lobby Display Case:

March: Anne Prescott: Illustrations of Chaucer’s
House of Fame.

April: Children’s Art.
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas are invited to voice their concerns about
crime and public safety, 4th Thursday each month, 7to
8:30pm. Rockridge Library, upstairs meeting room,
5366 College Ave. info@rockridgencpc.com or
infofordenise@yahoo.com.
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.
New additional Baby and Toddler Story Time:
■
■
1st
and 3rd Wednesday, 10:30am, upstairs Community
Room (same days and times as Pre-School Story
Time).
Pajama Story Time:
■
■
2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 7pm (see
special events below).
Special Events for Children:
Three auctions: Silent Auction, Live Auction and Sign-
up Auction for events. Fabulous items donated, from
luxury vacations and trips, theater and show tickets,
gourmet food and wine and jewelry, to gift certificates
for every imaginable service. All proceeds benefit school
programs. Saturday, 3/14, 4-7:30pm. Peralta Elementary
School (Multi-Purpose Room), 460 63rd Street (at Dana).
Free admission and fabulous Hawaiian BBQ dinner
available for $5.
Chabot Elementary Annual Auction
LIBRARY HOURS:
Mon. and Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm. Closed Sundays. Also closed:
3/13, 4/9 and 4/10 for City of Oakland
Non-Emergency-Services Shutdown.
Diesel Book/Poetry Events
All events are FREE and open to the public.
Mon., 3/9, 7pm.
■
■
Amnesty International Meeting.
All welcome.
Wed., 3/11, 7pm.
■
■
Clive Matson: Mainline to the
Heart.
Thurs., 3/12, 7pm.
■
■
Jane Vandenburgh: The Pocket
History of Sex in the 21st Century.
Sun., 3/15, 3pm.
■
■
Poetry Flash featuring Etel Adnan,
Hayan Charara and Fady Joudah.
Wed., 3/18, 7pm.
■
■
Brad Warner: Zen Wrapped in
Karma Dipped in Chacolate: A Trip Through Death,
Sex, Divorce, and Spiritual Celebrity in Search of the
True Dharma.
Thurs., 4/2, 7pm. Diesel and the Institute of European
■
■
A Spring Gala: Good food and hundreds of fabulous
items up for bid, plus live music by the East Bay’s own
Drop off Zone. Saturday, 3/21, 6-11pm. Lakeside Park
Garden Center, 666 Bellelvue Avenue (enter park near
Children’s Fairyland). Tickets: $34 at the door, or $30
in advance (chabotelementary.org).
Claremont Middle School Play-a-Thon
Irish and Green Pajama Story Time:
■
■
Celebrate with
stories about Ireland and the color green; make good-
luck symbols to take home. Tues., 3/10, 7pm.
Spring Special Story Time:
■
■
welcome in the Spring
with stories about plants and growth; assemble and take
home a miniature indoor plant. Tues., 3/24, 7pm.
FOR TEENS:
Rockridge Ninjas (Anime Club): Teens 13 and up,
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation) with
other teens. Second Tuesday each month (3/10), 5 to
6:30pm, upstairs meeting rm. Info: Susy, 597-5017.
FOR ADULTS:
Writers’ Support/Critique Group
■
■
: ALL writers
welcome. Bring 12 copies of up to 5 double-spaced
pages of prose for on-site reading/discussion. Meets
3rd Saturday each month, 1 to 5pm. Sponsored by
the California Writers Club, Berkeley branch (www.
berkeleywritersclub.org.) Info: 420-8775 or
Writefox@aol.com.
Knitting Classes for Seniors
■
■
(50+): 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. Every Tuesday, 12:30-2:30pm,
upstairs meeting room.
Alternative Health Panel
■
■
: with Greg Vrankovich,
DC, Certified Active Release Technique Provider,;
Reggie Bass, raw foods chef; and Catherine Walters,
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. Alternative ways
to lose weight, deal with pain, and achieve healthier
lifestyles. Saturday, 3/14, 2:30-4:30pm.
Your Dream Remodel:
■
■
 Andus Brandt of Blackbird
Designs. Overcoming the difficulties of getting started
on a home remodel. Saturday, 3/21, 2-4pm.
Women + Microfinance:
■
■
 Dana Elizabeth Whitaker,
Berkeley author and photographer. Discussion and
The school’s band and orchestra will play 100 songs
in front of the school in this annual fundraiser for the
music students’ travel expenses to upcoming band and
orchestra competitions. Neighbors and passers-by are
invited to bring their own instruments to join in and jam
with the students. Stop by on Wednesday, 3/25 from
2-6pm at 5750 College Avenue (across from Trader
Joe’s). Info: Sid Cowles, 380-8661.
Calif. College of the Arts (CCA)
Undergraduate Exhibition Program
■
■
: Exhibitions of
CCA student work, rotating weekly. Receptions every
Wed., 5:30-7:30pm. 5212 B’way, Oliver Art Center. Info
and hours: 658-1223 (or 1224) or www.cca.edu/
students/undergadexhibitions.
Lecture by Christine Wertheim:
■
■
 writer of poetry and
aesthetic criticism. Teacher in the School of Critical
Studies at Calif. Institute of the Arts. Wed., 3/25, 7pm.
CCA campus, 5212 Broadway, Nahl Hall.
Info: 415/703-9563 or kgould@cca.edu.
Free Hands-On Bicycle Classes
Studies at UC Berkeley present Persis M. Karim
as part of a year-long public outreach program on
Women, Islam and the West. Her lecture is titled,
Beyond Memoir: Women, Writing and the Making of
Iranian Diaspora Identities.
Sun., 4/5, 3pm.
■
■
Poetry Flash featuring Diane di Prima,
Michael McClure and David Meltzer.
Wed., 4/8, 7pm.
■
■
Pico Iyer: The Open Road: The Global
Journey of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. Info about
other events, book discussion groups and El Grupito,
the Spanish discussion group: 653-9965 or www.
dieselbookstore.com.
An Evening With the Peace Corps
Learn how to maintain your bike in excellent working
condition. Sundays, 3/8 and 3/22. The3/8 class covers
flat repair. The 3/22 class covers safety inspection; how
to check wheels, derailleurs, gears and much more for
wear and tear. Bring your bike and tools; the REI bike
technician will provide expert guidance. No member-
ship or registration required. REI, 1338 San Pablo
Ave. (near Gilman), Berkeley, in the bike parking area.
More Info: REI bike shop, 527-4140.
AARP Free Tax Assistance for Seniors
Opportunities in 76 countries in education, health,
business, environment and more. No upper age limit to
join. Special Topic: Serving in Muslim West Africa:
Returned Volunteer Sarah Peters will share photos
and stories of her service in Mali as a Small Enterprise
Development Volunteer from 2006-08. Mon. 3/23, 6 to
7:30pm, Rockridge Library, 5366 College Ave. Info:
Heather Driscoll, 452-8442, sfevents@peacecorps.
gov or www.peacecorps.gov.
Wisteria Ways Concert Series
“Safety Dynamics
Patrol… These guys
really know what they
are doing!”
— Clifford M., Oakland
homeowner since 1974
Feb. 5 through Apr. 2, Thursdays only. Make appt. at
reception desk. North Oakland Sr. Center, 5714 Martin
Luther King, Jr. Way. 597-5085.
Still on the Hill: Acoustic folk duo of the Ozarks with


16.

March 7, 2009

Jan Fougner
OWNER – BROKER
BUYING OR SELLING IN
ROCKRIDGE? IF YOU
NEED THE SERVICES
OF A REALTOR, CALL
ME. I HAVE 31 YEARS
OF ROCKRIDGE SALES
EXPERIENCE AND THE
EXPERTISE YOU NEED.
6 5 5 - 2 3 3 0
ROCKRIDGE
R
E
A
L T
Yaboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
serving you since 1981
Specialists in
Brazilian waxing
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

WResidential Sales

WIncome Property

WCommercial

WProperty Management
29
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland

Rockridge Opportunity
5602 Taft Avenue            $850,000
This spacious two-story, 5-bedroom
2-½ bath home features lovely hardwood floors and a big
family room. In the backyard is an oversized doll house
nestled under the peach tree and a large
“plus building” with adjacent workshop.
Is there a move in your future?
Talk to me about featuring your home
For Sale in this ad space as well as other
creative marketing ideas
Terry Kulka 510/339-4789
terrykulka@att.net
http://www.terrykulka.com
With over 300 homes sold –
Experience Counts
WINSTON’S PLUMBING
ROBERTS ELECTRIC
HEATING & ELECTRICAL
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Since 1979
• Trenchless Sewers
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• Remodel & Repair
SERVING THE EAST BAY SINCE 1932            CA. LIC# 728215
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www.winstonsplumbing.com
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”
WHAT’S SO SPECIAL
ABOUT
ASHBY LUMBER?
M A R K E T  U P D A T E
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For Sale In Rockridge…
5336 Locksley Ave
$955,000 $899,000
2+ Beds & 3 Baths w/ a Cottage
www.5336Locksley.com
Pending
5247 Locksley Ave
$799,000
ASHBY LUMBER
HARDWARE & BUILDING SUPPLIES
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www.5247Locksley.com

For Sale In Temescal
824 ASHBY AVE    BERKELEY
(510) 843-4832  OPEN 7 DAYS
2295 ARNOLD INDUSTRIAL WAY
CONCORD  (925) 689-8999  Mon-Sat
Pending
367 49th Street
$519,000
2+ Beds & 1 Bath – Completely Redone
www.367-49thStreet.com

For Sale In N. Oakland
Pending
658 Fairview Street $649,000
4 Beds & 2 Baths - Completely Redone
www.658Fairview.com

Newly Listed In Elmwood
3040 Benvenue Ave
$1,495,000
5 Beds & 2.5 Baths – Traditional w/ Flair
www.3040Benvenue.com
L A W T O N
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
A S S O C I A T E S
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E