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VOL. 25 NO. 11 ISSUE NO. 273 December 4, 2010 CIRCULATION: 5,100 Residences; 200 BusInesses
Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200
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In Consideration of Tax-Deductible Donations to RCPC Projects and/or RCPC at Year’s End
The film “The Bucket List” told a story of two men, each with
a list of things to do in the limited time before they “kicked
the bucket.”
The buckets pictured above represent projects in Rockridge
that have vital futures rather than limited existence, and these
projects need your attention now to reach their fullest potential;
the attention they need is donations. A donation to one or more of
the projects can also help with a pressing activity many people face
at this time of year; making qualifying tax-deductible donations
before December 31.
Alongside the general articles in this issue of The Rockridge
News are articles identified by a bucket with descriptions of the
particular project and how you can donate to support it. Find a
bucket – or two or more – and help to fill it!
To support particular Rockridge projects or institutions, direct
your donations to those specific choices. To donate to RCPC for
general support of the organization’s efforts on behalf of Rockridge
without regard to use of the funds for specific projects, pick the
RCPC bucket.
If you plan no donations presently, remember the buckets and
the projects in 2011. Donations are always welcomed, regardless
of the time of year. — Editor
Public Review of
Tunnel Mitigations
■
■The November Town Hall
Library Progress Report
and Teen Zone Plans
Of Special Note
Topic
Pg
Design Review hearing set for
Rockridge Center: December 8 3
by Ronnie Spitzer, RCPC
City Council Presi-
dent Jane Brunner
and the city’s Public Works
Agency hosted a public
meeting to discuss and
review the merits of a series
of proposed transporta-
tion projects addressing
issues related to Highway
24, and, in particular, the
Rockridge
Branch Librarian
Pat Lichter
describes plans
for the library’s
new Teen Zone
and related
projects at the
RCPC November
Town Hall
meeting.
RCPC and other local
community groups forge a
unified position on the Rockridge
Shopping Center Proposal
3
RCPC Election, Vacancy
n RCPC Board issues first
call for applicants for the April
board of directors election
n RCPC Board Vacancy to be
filled by appointment. Interested?
2
D. Kinkead
Anne Smulka,
Fourth Bore
Coalition chair.
D. Kinkead
➧➧Tunnel Mitigations, page 4
by Jon Gabel, RCPC boardmember
The Rockridge Branch Library was the
focus of the November RCPC Town Hall
meeting. Head Librarian Pat Lichter and
NO
December RCPC Town Hall Meeting.
See you in January, 2011!
➧➧Library Plans, page 5
2.
December 4, 2010
ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
First Call for RCPC Board Applicants
The Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC) will hold its annual election
for seats on the board of directors in April, 2011. Six board seats (out of a total
of 13) will be up for election. One of them could be yours.
What do RCPC boardmembers do? Among current projects facing Rockridge
are: two major Safeway building proposals; stimulating College Avenue retail;
supporting Rockridge public schools; and confronting Rockridge’s continuing
problems with traffic and crime. RCPC is involved in all these issues and more.
Watch for further announcements in The Rockridge News. For more information
or to tell of your interest in the meantime, e-mail chair@rockridge.org.
RCPC Plans Appointment for Board Vacancy
Prior to the regular board election in April, RCPC plans to fill a board vacancy
by appointment. Board members must be Rockridge residents living in the area
defined by the boundary map at http://rockridge.org/boundaries.html, 18 years of
age or older, and are expected to sit on an RCPC committee. For more information,
e-mail chair@rockridge.org.
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
CLOSED: Sunday and Monday; also Dec 25-Jan 1.
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, 2010-2011
Stuart Flashman �����������������Chair
Andrew Charman ���������������Vice-Chair
Michael Kan ������������������������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo ���������������Treasurer
Annette Floystrup, Ashley Etling, Jonathan Gabel,
William Kaufner, Don Kinkead,
Alex Naughton, Robert Orenstein,
Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the Board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
In My Opinion
Got Plants? Watch Out!
within an arbitrary two-year period results
in a fine of over $1,300. And, standards
are imposed so loosely that two different
inspectors can have radically different takes
on the same property.
When what Alfred Crofts and I believed
to be an attractively landscaped yard on a
rental property we have owned for 10 years
motivated an angry neighbor to make a
complaint, we learned what every Oakland
home and apartment owner/renter with a
garden should watch for.
Differing Right of Way
Requirements
We were cited with “Overgrown vegeta-
tion, overgrowth obstructing public right of
way.” We learned that could mean different
things at different times. One inspector wants
36 inches clearance on the sidewalk. CEDA
employee Lee White, handling “engineer-
by Robert Brokl
Oakland’s Blight Ordinance was enacted
during the administration of Mayor
Elihu Harris. Most community activists
supported it, hoping glaring and intractable
blight could be corrected: vacant lots or
front yards with dead cars and refrigerators,
illegal dumping, empty and deteriorating
buildings. But, as the cliché goes, be careful
what you wish for. Your prized landscap-
ing, important for screening, aesthetics,
and habitat has also come to be defined as
blight. Because of the extraordinary powers
of the City to collect heavy fines and fees on
seemingly open-ended blight investigations,
the ordinance has been redefined.
But most Oakland residents no doubt
assume the ordinance, enforced by the
Community and Economic Development
Agency’s (CEDA) Building Services
Department, is targeting major offenders.
Most would be unaware that a repeat offense
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, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611
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.
➧➧Blight or Benefit?, page 12
$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 Trader Joe’s and Zachary’s Pizza
Newsletter Advertising/Deadlines
Publication date of the next issue is
January 8, 2011
January deadline is December 23, 2010.
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!
December 4, 2010
3.
Getting Close! College Avenue Safeway EIR Matching
Grant Fundraising Drive Makes Gains
R
CPC is getting
closer to reaching
its $10,000 goal for the
matching grant from
the Rose Foundation for Communities
and the Environment. The grant (and
matching donations) will fund professional
consultants to review and critique the
ay
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af
S
R
I
Ent
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environmental impact report for the College
Avenue Safeway Shopping Center Project.
As of November 24, RCPC had received
donations totaling $7,500. The RCPC
board will next focus on talking to College
Avenue merchants about supporting this
community effort.
The draft environmental impact report
(EIR) is likely to be released in December
or January, so we’re scrambling to reach our
goal and bring in a full slate of consultants
for the draft EIR’s 45-day public review and
comment period. You can contribute via
PayPal or credit card at RCPC’s Web site,
http://rockridge.org, or, you can send your
check made out to RCPC/Safeway EIR Fund
and a completed copy of the coupon below
via mail to: RCPC, 4123 Broadway, PMB
311, Oakland, CA 94611. Contributions are
tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
YES! I want to help RCPC protect Rockridge by making sure the EIR
for the College Avenue Safeway Project is complete and accurate. Here is my
contribution of $
.
$10,000.
$7,500.
Name
Address
City
ZIP
Phone #
e-mail
Thank you!
Mail to: RCPC, 4123 Broadway PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611.
Checks should be made payable to: RCPC/Safeway EIR Fund.
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Federal tax ID no.: 94-3011284
Graphic: Stuart Flashman
The RCPC Land Use Committee meets on
the fourth Wednesday of the month at the
Rockridge Branch Library, Upstairs Meeting
Room, 7:30 p.m. Next meeting: December 22.
Subject to change. Check Rockridge.org for meeting updates
Land Use Meeting Agendas
Contact Stuart Flashman at 652-5373 or chair@
rockridge.org for a copy of the current Land Use
Committee meeting agenda.
may be released this spring.
The Oakland planner assigned to the
project is Darin Ranelletti, 238-3663,
DRanelletti@oaklandnet.com.
community groups to present an alternative
community proposal.
■ In Rockridge; Friends and Neighbors
of College Avenue (FANS)
■ In Temescal; Standing Together for
Accountable Neighborhood Development
(STAND) and Urbanists for a Livable
Temescal Rockridge Area (ULTRA)
■ In the Piedmont Avenue Area,
the Piedmont Avenue Neighborhood
Improvement League (PANIL).
Working together, the groups are
designing a proposal to meet Safeway’s
project phasing requirements while providing
a shopping area that is better integrated
into North Oakland’s urban fabric. When
complete, the design will be posted on
RCPC’s website: http://rockridge.org.
Community support at the public
hearing will be important in getting the
Planning Commission to take the community
alternative plan seriously. An environmental
impact report (EIR) currently in preparation
■
■Rockridge Shopping Center
Reconstruction Project
(Broadway and Pleasant Valley)
The Planning Commission’s design
review committee will hold a public
hearing December 8, 5 p.m., at City Hall,
Hearing Room 1, to review this project,
which will reconstruct and expand North
Oakland’s most important shopping center.
RCPC is working with four other local
■
■Citywide Zoning Update
The Planning Commission continues
its review of the proposed citywide zoning
revisions with a public hearing on commercial
area zoning changes scheduled December
15, 7 p.m., at City Hall, Hearing Room 1.
While the current rezoning proposal for
the most part respects Rockridge’s successful
commercial zoning, RCPC continues to
push for “fine tuning” to eliminate some
problematic aspects.
RCPC is particularly concerned about
the way conditional use permits for ground
floor non-retail uses have nibbled away at
College Avenue’s retail base.
If you can attend the public hearing, your
support for strengthening College Avenue’s
retail zoning would be most welcome and
important for the commission to note.
Praying - Serving - Growing
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.
Reconciliation
Saturday, 4 p.m.
www.staugustineoakland.com
4.
December 4, 2010
Tunnel Mitigations
from page 1
Choose a Bucket; Choose a Future
■
■RCPC:
The Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC) was incor-
porated in 1985 as a non-profit public-benefit organization founded to:
Caldecott Tunnel 4th Bore project now
under construction. The proposed project
list was developed by the city based mostly
on a 2008 agreement between Oakland and
Caltrans settling Oakland’s objections to
adding the fourth bore, and also on a series
of walk audits of the area that took place
last summer.
Speaking to a full room at Kaiser
Elementary School at the November 8
meeting, planning consultant Victoria Eisen
presented 33 draft mitigation projects. The
projects are divided between North Hills
areas nearest the tunnel, Rockridge, and
Temescal. Of the 33 projects, 19 include
areas within RCPC’s boundaries.
Proposed Mitigations
The proposed mitigations, which must
stay within a budget of $8 million, include
bike lanes and sidewalks, traffic signals,
and sound walls in the vicinity of Highway
24. Many of the proposed project designs
illustrating the mitigations are conceptual at
this point, with community input and more
detailed designs needed for construction.
The Rockridge mitigation receiving the
most audience interest was the Broadway/
Lawton intersection.
Residents described the hazardous
crossing conditions at the intersection and
expressed support for improvements. Over
$400,000 was proposed for the intersection
by the agreement, with the final configura-
tion to be decided in future public meetings.
Soundwalls on Highway 24 were also
mentioned by many members of the public
at the meeting. The proposed soundwall-
related project is not for actual construction
but for studies needed to qualify each
segment for state construction funding.
Several speakers supported soundwalls as
■
■ 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
■
■ Provide leadership and representation of neighborhood interests.
RCPC is comprised of a 13-member board of directors representing the Rockridge
community to the city of Oakland. Directors are elected by residents
of Rockridge living within RCPC boundaries. RCPC supports
its services with donations and with the proceeds of fundraising
activities such as the biennial Rockridge Kitchen Tour.
Donations to RCPC may be made by check payable to RCPC
and mailed to 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611,
or online at RCPC’s Web site: www.rockridge.org.
C
P
C
R
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Federal tax ID no.: 94-3011284.
■
■Rockridge BART Plaza:
The Rockridge BART Plaza is a
long-time plan coming closer to fruition. RCPC, RDA (Rockridge
District Association) and BART have developed a plan to enhance
the open, planted area at the corner of Keith and College, creating a
more inviting, urban space. Funds for matching grants and project
amenities are needed to advance the project. BART has already set
aside most of the project funding. You can help bring this plaza to
life. Contributions may be made via PayPal or credit card online
at RCPC Web site, www.rockridge.org/rockridgeplaza.html.
T
R
B
Aa
z
la
P
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Federal tax ID no.: 94-3011284.
a way to enhance the quality of local life.
The health impacts of noise at the measured
levels along Rockridge streets, particularly
on young children, was noted. Aesthetics
was a concern of some speakers, as was the
cost, and doubts about their effectiveness.
Further analysis and review of the mitiga-
tion projects, including petitions and public
meetings, should be expected.
The city accepted written comments
through November 22. RCPC submitted a
comment letter pointing out some potential
issues, but generally supporting projects
within the Rockridge area. Following the
comment period, the city will review the
public comments, then determine the next
steps to prepare a final list for Council
approval.
Funding for the highest ranked projects
should be available immediately. See future
Rockridge News issues for evolving details
Rockridge
Optometry
Your neighborhood
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Warmest thoughts and
best wishes for a wonderful
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
holiday and a very
Happy New Year.
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
510-655-3797
www.rockridgeoptometry.com
5.
December 4, 2010
Keep the Rockridge Library Vibrant
Rockr
idge
f the
Libra
nds o
ry (F
Frie
ORL
Join
)
L
R
O
Fge
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Fr
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Li
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The Friends of the Rockridge Library
(FORL) funds numerous programs
and activities at your local library and,
in these challenging economic times,
is being asked to fund more and more
programs whose budgets have been
eliminated or reduced.
Your tax-deductible donation to
Friends of the Rockridge Library will
help the library buy books for children,
young teens and adults, including the
popular Hot Picks books in 2011. FORL
also funds an intern to assist with the
children’s summer reading programs;
sponsors the Teen Advisory Board
and other teen programs; and provides
subscriptions to The New York Times,
New York Review of Books, The Economist
and many other periodicals read daily by
Rockridge patrons.
The mission of FORL is to champion
the Rockridge Library; to stimulate public
enthusiasm for library programs, and
interest in its needs, services and facilities;
to serve as advocates for the library; to
generate new ideas for the enhancement
of library facilities and programs; to
encourage gifts and volunteers for the
library; and in general, to foster the
continued development of the library so
that it can respond to the needs of our
diverse population.
Make a donation via the website
(www.friendsofrockridgelibrary.org), or
by mail, sending the coupon below to Post
Office Box 3723, Oakland, CA 94609.
Friends of the Rockridge Library
Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) is a nonprofit neighborhood committee which works to enhance the Rockridge Branch
Library by providing books, magazines, equipment, furnishings, and amenities not covered by the City of Oakland Library budget.
✁
Yes, I want to be a Friend!
Support Your Library:
❐ $200 Book Lover
❐ $100 Book Worm
❐ $50 Book Friend
❐ $35 Family
❐ $25 Individual
❐ $15 Senior/Student
❐ Other $
❐ My employer will match
my contribution.
____________________________________________________________________
Name (as it should appear on the donor roll inside the front door)
___________________________________________________________________________
Street City Zip
___________________________________________________________________________
E-mail (please include for library news and FORL up-dates)
Make a donation online at www.friendsofrockridgelibrary.org or send this completed form
and your check made payable to FORL to:
Friends of the Rockridge Library, Post Office Box 3723, Oakland, CA 94609
Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) is a committee of the Rockridge Community Planning Council
(RCPC), a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation. Tax ID No. 94-3011284
aged 12-18, and both will be stocked with
rugged, moveable furniture. The current
DVD and CD area will become the new
adult computer area, with DVDs and CDs
moving to an expanded home in what is
now the teen section.
Other library areas will remain as they
are but with better lighting upstairs in the
balcony, which will continue to function
as the wi-fi area.
Library Plans
The Rockridge DVD Project
Following this presentation, Jon Gabel,
co-chair of the Rockridge DVD Project,
reported on fund-raising progress to fill the
expanded DVD shelves.
For more about this project, and
to learn how to make your donation,
see page 7. You can also visit
www.rockridgedvdproject.org for DVD
titles and other information.
from page 1
Teen Specialist Librarian Susy Moorhead
presented the latest plan for construction
slated to start in April, 2011. The current
computer area will become the “Teen Zone,”
which will be glassed off from the main
reading room. Both quiet and noisy areas
will be provided for the use of patrons
6.
December 4, 2010
Public Works planner Denise Louie,
responsible for the Bella Vista restroom
project, noted that it was built at the request
of the community and is on Oakland Unified
School District (OUSD) property. A special
agreement limits its use to only during events
and programs supervised by Oakland Parks &
Recreation, OUSD or Friends of Bella Vista
Park. It was never intended to be open day
and night. The Friends of Bella Vista Park
community leader recently confirmed to
Ms. Louie that they are “happy to have the
restroom” and the community supports the
limited hours for the restroom because of
the special circumstances involved.
The sfgate.com article the writer cites
refers to Mission Dolores Park, an intensively-
used park in San Francisco, which hosts
large special events. Two restrooms were
not sufficient for their large crowds. Frog
Park cannot be used for such large events,
so the comparison is not relevant.
Given that hundreds of people have signed
petitions supporting a regular restroom
at Frog Park, we believe this new facility
responds to community wishes.
Letters to the Editor
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.
A Porta Potty for Hardy
Park is the Best Choice
Editor:
FROG Park Committee
Responds: Permanent Restroom
is a Better Solution
Editor:
I am writing to make the case for the
Porta Potty in Hardy Park. If there must be
a restroom, a Porta Potty is the best choice
for Hardy Park. Why? Most importantly,
functionality:
Rather than being a mistake, a regular
restroom at Frog Park has been part of the
long-term plan and community priorities for
years. A Porta Potty is never as hygienic a
solution as a regular restroom, and is not
the best choice for a long-term facility like
a park. Porta Potties can be damaged so they
are not usable (this has happened at Frog
Park), and they can be difficult for ADA
users, the elderly and small children. Porta
Potties are best suited to short-term uses,
such as construction areas and special events.
■
■A Porta Potty cannot be stopped up
and become unusable.
■
■A Porta Potty cannot be intentionally
blocked to cause a messy nuisance.
■
■A Porta Potty does not need water
service to be of service. It functions as the
emergency stopping spot it is.
■
■If the Porta Potty were to be vandal-
ized it can be repaired or replaced easily.
This is not the time to add to this part
of Oakland’s infrastructure creating a new
maintenance project.
Oakland built a similar toilet at Bella
Vista Park in 2005. I visited two times to
see it in operation. On both occasions, it
was locked and parents at the park told me
it was always locked.
I thought the plan to build a permanent
structure had been stopped, due to the cost
of construction, but more importantly the
cost to maintain. I was dismayed to read
that construction was to begin by year’s end.
Removing the Porta Potty and replacing
it with a locked building serves no one. If we
must prove this to ourselves, take the Porta
Potty away for three months to simulate a
locked restroom.
Please help stop this huge neighborhood
mistake. E-mail forhardypark@aol.com or
call 655-1767. Let’s ask City Council Presi-
dent Jane Brunner to reconsider adding a
problem to our park.
Read “A Little Relief” http://www.sfgate.
com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/10/08/
BA9P1FPRHG.DTL for a report on a Porta
Potty solution to restroom problems at a
park in another part of the Bay Area.
— Margaret Pinter
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510-652-8014
www.winstonsplumbing.com
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
“”May your toilet never runneth over!”
h fh fh fh fh fhh fh f
7.
December 4, 2010
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
the Rockridge community
in lifestyle and service.
e
g
d
Rockridge DVD Project Seeks to
Fill Library DVD Shelves
by Annette Floystrup, DVD Project co-chair
The Rockridge DVD Project seeks to raise $33,000 to place
more than 2,800 DVDs into the collections at the Rockridge
Branch Library. A $1,000 challenge grant has been donated, which
will be matched by the donor’s employer. This gift, together with
the $500 towards security cases from Friends of the Rockridge Library, launched the
fundraising drive.
To see which documentaries, PBS series and specials, TV series, and classic and
contemporary films for adults and young people your donations will add to the library
collections, visit the Rockridge DVD Project Web page at www.rockridgedvdproject.
org. You will be able to view the project database and see a synopsis, cast, cover art and
many more details for each title.
Donations can be made via PayPal and by check. Checks should be made out to:
“RCPC/Rockridge DVD Project” and sent to: RCPC/Rockridge DVD Project, 4123
Broadway PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611. Contributions will be gratefully and publicly
acknowledged. Anonymous donations are welcome, as well.
Donations to the Rockridge DVD Project are a tax-deductible charitable donation,
and will be handled through RCPC, which is serving as fiscal sponsor for the project.
Article condensed and adapted from previous Rockridge News articles.
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
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.
Authentic Japanese Cuisine
ADDRESS 5335 College Avenue,
Oakland, CA 94618
Rikyu
TEL 510 595 7388
JAPANESE RESTAURANT
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RDA Hires Holiday
Security
VMA Security staff will soon
be walking on College Avenue.
Back row, from left: Officers
John Applegate, Anthony
Vines, John Mayerhofer.
Front row: General Manager
Elizabeth Caprini, Market Hall
Security Officer Chad Karli,
Officer Khalil Poole.
by Chris Jackson, RDA operations
manager
Once again, the Rockridge District
Association (RDA), will be hiring
V.M.A. Security to provide ambassador
service to College Avenue during the holiday
season. V.M.A., an Oakland-based security
company, will provide security personnel to
walk the avenue greeting customers, offering
directions and generally doing all they can
to make shopping, window shopping, and
Photo: Chris Jackson
spending time on the avenue enjoyable.
In addition to the V.M.A. Security staff,
Market Hall’s security officer, Chad Karli,
will be on the street, especially near the busy
Market Hall /BART intersection, to help
everyone feel more at ease and comfortable
as they proceed with holiday preparations.
RDA Operations Manager, Chris Jackson,
will help coordinate security services for
the district.
Happy Holidays to all from the RDA.
8.
December 4, 2010
are easy to make but have the unique flavor
Garten is known for. The stunning photo-
graphs and easy-to-follow recipes invite the
reader to have friends over for dinner. Check
out the French Mussel Bisque or the easy
Provençal lamb as luxurious additions to
your entertaining repertoire. She even has a
recipe for the classic New York egg cream.
The recipe calls for Fox’s U-Bet Chocolate
Syrup. What a treat! As with all of Garten’s
books, “How Easy Is That?” will instantly
become the go-to cookbook when inviting
guests to brunch or dinner.
My last suggestion is a cross between a
cooking magazine and cookbook. “Canal
House Cooking” is published three times a
year by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa
Hamilton. Each edition of “Canal House
Cooking” is a masterpiece of culinary art.
Hamilton and Hirsheimer cook in their
small rustic country cottage in Lambert-
ville, New Jersey. Hirshheimer was one of
the founders of “Saveur” magazine. Her
photographs in each issue of “Canal House
Cooking” are simply elegant. Hamilton
was an executive chef and food editor at
“Saveur.” Each issue comes to you with a
personalized card of thanks for purchasing
the book, which is only available online at
www.canalhouse.com.
Rock ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Iwas speaking recently with a friend
about a new cookbook I had purchased.
He looked at me quizzically and told me
he no longer gets recipes from cookbooks.
He uses various Internet sites to get all his
cooking ideas. No more cookbooks for him.
As a collector of over 300 cookbooks, I
found his comment somewhat disturbing. For
me, cookbooks are not simply about recipes.
I consider contemporary cookbooks as gas-
tronomic literature. With the publication of
Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French
Cooking” and Irma Rombauer’s “The Joy
of Cooking,” American home cooks began
collecting cookbooks. Last year, more than
1,000 cookbooks were published and 40
million copies were sold.
For dedicated home cooks, a good cook-
book is a gift that keeps on giving. With the
onset of the holiday season, I would like to
offer four new cookbooks as gift suggestions.
Perhaps your gift recipient will reward you
with a meal prepared from one of the great
recipes in these wonderful cookbooks.
First on my list is “The Essential New
York Times Cookbook: Classic Recipes for
a New Century” by Amanda Hesser. The
“father” of the contemporary cookbook is
Craig Claiborne. Claiborne was the New
York Times food editor from 1957-1972. As
New Yorkers, we were weaned on the weekly
Craig Claiborne column that appeared in
the Sunday edition of the Times’ magazine
section.
Products of the post-World War II diet
of canned and frozen vegetables, we were
introduced by Claiborne to international
cuisine. It was Claiborne who encouraged
home cooks to broaden their culinary hori-
zons and introduced Americans to the food
processor and the joys of authentic Chinese
cuisine. We’ve been making Claiborne’s
mushroom pie recipe every Thanksgiving
for over 40 years.
Hesser’s new book brings together the
Times’ classic recipes from 1850 to the pres-
ent. In her introduction, Hesser makes sure
the reader knows The Essential NY Times
Cookbook is not an update of Claiborne’s
classic “New York Times Cookbook,” but is
a 150-year collection of recipes that appeared
in the Times. It took Hesser over six years
to test-cook each recipe and update older
recipes with more contemporary measure-
ments and serving sizes. The result is a
cookbook for the ages.
“The Sunset Cookbook” is a celebration
of the California/Western-states lifestyle.
Artichokes, avocado, pesto, Mexican cui-
sine and, of course, gourmet grilling were
introduced to a generation of post WW II
“Sunset Magazine” readers. For generations,
Sunset has been showing home cooks how
to prepare the bounty of Western produce,
beef, lamb, seafood, and poultry. “The
Sunset Cookbook” is an homage to iconic
Western dishes such as guacamole, cioppino,
fish tacos, Dungeness crab, grilled tri-tip
and barbequed oysters, to name but a few.
It was not until I was in graduate school
and met friends from California that I had
my first taco with guacamole. The recipes
and wonderful photographs in “The Sunset
Cookbook” invite us to once again celebrate
the joys of the California food lifestyle.
New from the Barefoot Contessa Ina
Garten is “How Easy Is That?” My daughter
and I are major Ina Garten groupies. “How
Easy Is That?” is Garten’s seventh cook-
book in her series. This is not your typical
three ingredients, three steps, 30-minute
cookbook. The recipes are outstanding! The
Barefoot Contessa offers preparations that
Check out this Canal House recipe:
Pickled Carrots
n Blanch thick round slices of peeled car-
rots in boiling water. Drain and place
in a bowl.
n Cover carrots with rice wine vinegar.
Add a few cloves, black peppercorns,
and a bay leaf.
n Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day
and up to 2 weeks.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes and tours of Bay-area ethnic markets. His
e-mail is kaufman42@earthlink.net
• Stuck? Depressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed?
• People driving you to distraction?
• Doubting yourself?
• Difficulty coping?
It's time to engage the help of
a good Therapist . . .
Sharon Testa-Harker, MFT
CA License No. MFC29310
Berkeley Office near the Claremont Hotel
Office hours by appt.
510-655-3289
December 4, 2010
a
rk Corner
P
G
A monthly update on
what’s happening at the
best community-built
and maintained
park in Oakland
FRO
F
R
O
G
Par
k
9.
Rot found in
the wood FROG
Park play
structures has
been surveyed
and repairs are
starting. The
structures are
closed during the
repair period.
Closed
For Repairs
Year-End Report: FROG Park Repairs, Restroom Construction
by the FROG Park Committee
Frog Park Renovations Continue
F
ROG Park committee members have
collaborated with city staff and Leath-
ers and Associates, the original play area
designers, to determine how best to repair
drainage problems and wood rot at Hardy
Park, and to remove invasive redwood roots
in Redondo Park’s play area.
Redondo Park Repair Update
The matted redwood roots have been
removed. Volunteer leader Gordon Piper
and his Weekend Training Academy worked
tirelessly on November 13 and 14 to clear
most of the redwood roots and fibar out of
the Redondo play area. More volunteers
worked on a subsequent rainy Saturday to
complete the root removal. The community
volunteers worked alongside FROG’s
incredible Oakland Public Works gardeners
Luciano Cortes, Mohan Singh, and Theresa
Kennedy. We thank them all for their work.
Next, city staff will repair areas of the
structures, the drainage system will be
restored, a root barrier installed, and the
city will put in new fibar. Redondo should
be open by mid-January. In the meantime,
the play area is closed. Children should not
be allowed to play on the gravel in the area.
FROG seeks a Certified Arborist to
design and implement a redwood root
Support FROG Parks
Please consider supporting the FROG
Committee’s work, either through a
monetary donation or volunteer labor.
We have contributed roughly $10,000
towards repairs so far and anticipate
further expenses. Funding will be needed
for critical park items, such as a drainage
system and redwood root barriers, includ-
ing installation costs.
The Greenbelt Parks were built by
volunteers, with community donations.
Let’s continue Rockridge’s proud tradition,
and support our park. You can make a tax-
deductible donation using a check, credit
card or PayPal. Visit: http://www.frogpark.
org/donate for details. A donation coupon
is also available on page 13.
City gardener Luciano Cortes, right,
directs young volunteers at the
Redondo Park clean-up as an adult
neighborhood volunteer joins in.
Photo: Ronnie Spitzer
barrier. If you are interested or have
recommendations, please contact info@
frogpark.org.
Hardy Park Update
New Southern Yellow Pine with a non-
toxic preservative treatment and synthetic
wood has been ordered, so city staff can
begin repairs. Also, a replacement tot slide,
purchased by FROG, will be installed.
Other changes include closing the small
Survey: FROG
Park Users
Express Facilities
Preferences
New FROG Committee Member
Carol Behr developed a survey
to assess park users’ preferences and
feedback. Behr and other volunteers
contacted park users near the Hardy
play area. Others completed the
survey online. Nearly 100 responses
were received. Most responders were
Rockridge residents. About 60 percent
come to the park two to seven times or
more a month, with about 20 percent
coming eight or more times a month.
Findings
Surfacing: People preferred
the fibar to options such as sand or
➧➧Report: FROG Park, page 13
Preston Grant
REALTOR
LIC R01375357
Direct 510.220.7908
preston_grant@sbcglobal.net
➧➧FROG User Survey, page 13
10.
December 4, 2010
Giving Thanks for
Being a Little Cold
The sun is shining today, but I’m
freezing in this drafty 1927 Rockridge
home. Recently, we added eco-friendly
insulation made of shredded jeans to the
attic for added warmth, but, honestly,
what good does that do when, in true
Rockridge fashion, our home is not
exactly plumb, the windows don’t quite
fit square and the doors are always open
to admit dogs, cats, children and good
neighbors. Considering the alternative,
I think I’ll be a little cold now and then.
And, when my fingers are finally warm
enough to hold a pen, I will be mindful
of the benefits of living in an organic,
open – if drafty – community like ours,
and of all the good things people here
do for each other day in and day out
to make life so wonderfully livable in
Rockridge.
My list of people to thank is, of course,
totally inadequate and incomplete. Please
fill in the blanks, whether in your hearts
or on paper, with persons you would
like to thank. If you like, send us their
names and we will honor them in the
January issue.
raising funds and promoting the park.
Other key community members whose
names are practically synonymous with
FROG Park are Jennifer Cooper,
Ronnie Spitzer, Howard Ferrier
and Mike McDonald. Thank you all!
The
Rockridge
Muse
Thank You to Our
Neighbors
I
don’t know all of your names, but you
know who you are and we thank you
every day. You look out for the well-
being of the elderly in our community.
You pick up our newspapers when we
are out of town. You remind us to
close our garage doors. You park your
cars so others can park as well. You
are mindful of living lawns, flowers and
shrubs and curb your dogs. You return
our dogs and cats and kids when they
temporarily go AWOL. You call the fire
department or the police when there is
trouble. To Ben Hamburg and others
who organize the CORE earthquake
committees in their neighborhoods.
To John Wagers who looks out for
the legal rights and well-being of our
trees. To Carl Maes who volunteered
to place storm drain markers on our
curbs. To people like Kate Rivera
who organize tree plantings, and speed
bump and sidewalk repairs on their
blocks. To our neighborhood crime
by Ortrun Niesar
basis to keep Rockridge a functioning
community. To Don Kinkead and the
entire Rockridge News staff and
contributors for their devotion to
getting the local news out every month
to every Rockridge household since the
mid-1980s. To Jo and Ken Ellis who
open their home each month for the
newsletter bundling team. To Nancy
Dutcher, without whose tenaciousness
we would not have a Rockridge Branch
Library today. To Principal Jonathan
Mayer, the PTA and the many people
who made the expansion of Chabot
Elementary School happen so efficiently.
To the Caldecott Tunnel Watchdogs.
To all those marvelous FROG Park
volunteers, particularly Theresa
Nelson, who has been involved with the
FROG Park project from its inception
in 1997 and is currently the chair, still
Thank You to Our
Community Leaders
To Susan Shawl and Nancy
McKay who have worked ceaselessly
to keep Safeway from disrespecting
the rights of Rockridge residents and
merchants. To Stuart Flashman and
so many other RCPC volunteers who
give their time and talent on a daily
➧➧With Thanks, page 11
Give
Gift ART
of
the
Give someone the opportunity to express their
creativity with a gift certificate for an Extended
Education course at California College of the Arts.
Registration for winter/spring 2011 is going on now.
Courses are offered year-round in San Francisco and Oakland.
Featuring a variety of evening classes
and weekend workshops:
Jewelry / Metal Arts
Painting
Photography
Sculpture
Textiles
Writing
...and courses for
high school students
Third Generation
Rockridge Resident
Architecture
Ceramics
Computer Courses
Drawing
Graphic Design
Illustration
Interior Design
Ann Lovi
510.339.0400/351
alovi@grubbco.com
D.R.E. Lic. #01716499
GRUBBCO.COM
Visit www.cca.edu/extended to browse our course offerings.
510.594.3710
To purchase a gift certificate or to register for classes, call
11.
December 4, 2010
With Thanks
the artists, the merchants, the lawyers
and doctors and other professionals
who volunteer their time and talent to
keep our community viable. To the many
volunteers, to all who think it is important
to give back to the community in some
way. You are the real heroes, the glue
that holds our community together for
all to enjoy.
A Big Thank You to All and
Best Wishes for the Holidays!
Shop local if you can; buy an art work;
do something nice for a neighbor;
and try to catch at least one of those
wonderful holiday concerts out there.
Check out the offerings of the East Bay
Children’s Choir (www.piedmontchoirs.
org). Christmas Revels will be doing
an Irish Immigrant Christmas this year
at the Scottish Rite Temple (510/452-
8800). Lastly, Theresa Nelson and the
Bungalow Ensemble have a new CD out,
entitled “Lullay My Sweet One.” It’s not
in the stores yet, but go to CDbaby.com
(http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bungalowens)
or iTunes to listen and purchase. Visit
the ensemble’s Web site: http://www.
lullaymysweetone.com/
Parents:
Note
Oakland Unified School District’s Options
Enrollment Window for the 2011-12 School
Year runs from Dec 6, 2010 to Jan 14, 2011.
http://publicportal.ousd.k12.ca.us/ousd/site/default.asp
from page 10
watch volunteers. To our neighbors
who deliver The Rockridge News to
every home. To all the wonderful folks
who show up each year for Earth Day
clean-up. To Rockridge keepers of the
flame, like Catherine Christensen
who was born here more than 80 years
ago and never thought of leaving. To
Annalee Allen who, as the city of
Oakland historian, writes it all down
for posterity. To the music teachers,
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.
RAYCO ENERGY
Free Solar Energy has
never looked this good.
Susan Bernosky, LUTCF
(510) 450 9050
1. Residential Systems for your home
2. Commercial Systems for your business
3. Non-Profit Systems for your organization
5940 College Ave, #A
Oakland
susanbernosky@allstate.com
Ortrun Niesar can be reached at onieser@
sbcglobal.net or 510/326-2161.
CALL RAYCO ENERGY TODAY FOR A
FREE SOLAR SYSTEM CONSULTATION
COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
888.320.7566
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
482-2227 Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work • Free Estimates
Lic # 695711
Please visit us at www.raycoenergy.com
HAPPY HOLIDAYS from THE MOTLEY TEAM!
Closing Date
BR BATH
Address
Original Price
LP
DOM
SP
10/29/10
3
2
6231 Rockwell St.
$979,000
$979,000
8
$1,050,000
10/29/10
4
2
5898 Romany Rd.
$1,150,000
$1,150,000
8
$1,160,000
10/29/10
4
3
6021 Acacia Ave.
$1,549,000
$1,549,000
4
$1,549,000
10/29/10
5
5
73 Beechwood Dr.
$2,295,000
$2,195,000
82
$1,905,000
11/02/10
3
2
5453 Kales Ave.
$539,000
$499,000
30
$500,000
11/02/10
3
2
5591 Lawton Ave.
$859,000
$859,000
24
$844,000
11/05/10
4
2
5816 Chabot Rd.
$989,000
$989,000
9
$989,000
11/9/10
3
1
5524 Lawton Ave. $799,000 $799,000
11
$839,000
11/17/10
3
2
5427 Carlton St.
$849,000
$849,000
9
$973,000
12.
December 4, 2010
Blight or Benefit?
was about to list.
Green Concrete or Green?
The message from CEDA affirms the safer
course of concrete and cyclone fences to
the detriment of landscaping, or, as the blight
ordinance brochure puts it: “Keep your yards
neat and tidy...” But landscaping is often cal-
culated as 10 percent of a home’s value. Some
neighborhoods, like Rockridge, are defined
by lush plantings and trees, the “community
standard,” maintained and underwritten by
the property owner but benefitting all. Habitat
supports vulnerable bees and birds, trees soak
up carbon dioxide. Deciduous trees shade in
summer and let sunlight through in winter,
saving energy.
Councilmembers have embraced street
trees and greening Oakland, but the rhetoric
hasn’t kept pace with the City’s insatiable
need for fees and fines; a permanent, mostly
faceless bureaucracy that makes and enforces
its own rules.
Now: Stop reading and rush outside
to rake. Oakland handles 22,000 blight
complaints a year. Your number may
come up next.
from page 2
Thank You, RDA
ing design and right of way management,”
told us he prefers 48 inches but said ADA
requirements, Title 24, California and
Oakland building codes had varying and
overlapping requirements.
A second inspector and his supervisor
are applying the most rigorous interpretation
(“property to face of curb”) of Oakland
Municipal Code 12.04.070: “Grass and
other obstructions: Every owner of real
property in the city shall keep the entire
sidewalk in front of such property, from
curb to lot line, free and clear of all grass,
weeds, rubbish, or other obstructions or
materials which from any cause whatever
shall have accumulated or may accumulate
upon such sidewalk above the established
grade of the same.” Grass or leaves maybe,
but does this include landscaping?
One person’s blight is another’s ambiance.
The space between table and chairs and curb
plantings at the Nomad Cafe on Shattuck
are, on average, 21 inches. The fortnight
lilies planted curbside at the Jane Brunner-
sponsored new entrance to Bushrod Park
overhang the sidewalk and constrict it to
about 30 inches. All blight?
A Complaint-Driven Process
Calls to some Council offices revealed
unhappiness with the ordinance. Neighbors
and community activists see a pattern of
grudge complaints and inspectors conducting
fishing expeditions and costly re-inspections.
A realtor we know routinely called in blight
complaints about properties near houses he
Photo: Yeda Altes
October’s Halloween parade and
entertainment event was another
Rockridge success as the Rockridge
District Association (RDA) and the
Rockridge Community Planning
Council (RCPC) coordinated planning
and presentation of the event.
In the spirit of the season for RDA, left to
right above, were Susan Bernosky of Strathan
Insurance Services, Inc., Andrea Griffith-Utne,
formerly of Bernosky’s office, and Chris
Jackson, RDA operations manager. (Find more
parade pictures at www.rockridge.org.)
Regency Antique Restoration
Professional and Experienced
ALL Furniture Repairs
In-Home Services
New finishes & waxing
FREE ESTIMATES
Pickup & Delivery
517-6280
Bruce Wagg
bruce@bayareaantiques.com
We’re excited and proud to announce that McGuire Real Estate
has acquired Elmwood Realty & Investment Co.
ERI, located at 2991 College Avenue in Berkeley’s Elmwood neighborhood, will serve as
McGuire’s 9th Bay Area office. This acquisition allows McGuire to reinforce its presence
in the East Bay and extend its services to Berkeley, Albany and other surrounding
communities. This is McGuire’s 4th acquisition in 2 years. As a result, the company has
increased its ranking in the Bay Area from 8th to 5th, all while delivering a high level of
service to our clients and providing a luxury experience at all price points.
Please look for more innovations and growth from McGuire soon.
December 4, 2010
Insurance Services contributed $500 toward
the cost of the tot slide. We are grateful for
both merchants’ continued support.
Restroom Update
Park users have worked more than four
years to get a functional restroom at the
Hardy end of Frog Park. FROG committee
member Mike McDonald and others gath-
ered hundreds of signatures in support of a
restroom, and worked with Councilmember
Jane Brunner and her staff to secure fund-
ing. A recent survey of almost 100 park
users showed that a regular restroom was
the number one priority.
The new restroom will be located about
where the Porta Potty now sits, utilizing
existing sewer and water lines. FROG
funded the Porta Potty for the past nine
years – at a cost of about $2,000 a year – as
a part of the long-term construction plan.
Restroom construction should begin later in
December. The single, unisex restroom will
be about 6 feet by 8 feet in size, with a sink,
flush toilet, and solar panels for lighting.
It will be locked at night. City staff expect
construction will take about three months.
Report:
FROG Park
from page 9
tire swing under the play structure because
it is unsafe for small children. The lower
tire swing will remain. The train will be
mostly rebuilt. Leathers and Associates
said much of the wood rot was due to sand
mixing into the fibar. Later, a new entrance
added to the sand area will open directly
onto the walkway instead of into the train
area, reducing the chance of sand mixing
with fibar. Lastly, the suspension bridge will
be rebuilt off-site this spring. To help with
this project (some carpentry skills would
be helpful), please contact Howard Ferrier,
hwferrier@sbcglobal.net.
Local Merchant Support
We are grateful to Economy Lumber
Piedmont (formerly Piedmont Lumber)
for procuring, at a substantial discount,
the special synthetic wood for the repairs.
They’ve provided materials at cost to FROG
since 2001. College Avenue’s Strahan
FROG User Survey
Yes!
13.
Nestled under
Hwy 24 next to
the dog run, the
FROG Park Porta
Potty will soon be
replaced – in the
same location –
by a permanent
restroom providing
typical modern
facilities and
changing tables.
Photo: D. Kinkead
FROG Park Donation Coupon
I want to help FROG fund needed repairs at Frog Park!
Here’s my tax deductible gift to support renovations and improvements:
Gift Amount: $
o Check Enclosed o I’ll give online at:
www.frogpark.org
Name
Address
City
State
Zip
Phone (
)
E-mail *
* Note: FROG does not trade, exchange or
rent e-mail addresses. This will be used only for FROG e-News.
from page 9
shredded rubber throughout the play
area. They preferred coarse sand for
the sand play area, rather than fine sand.
Desired Improvements
The number one suggestion was for
a new restroom. The next most popular
suggestions called for:
■ more picnic tables in the grassy
area
■ baby swings
■ more swings overall
■ new sand
■ improved maintenance.
Please send your check to: FROG c/o RCPC, 4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94611. You may also contribute online with your credit card at www.frogpark.org
5431 College Ave
Oakland Ca 94618
510. 652. 5431
www.elizabethh.net
Donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Federal tax ID no.: 94-3011284
E xperience the Unique Difference...
Ortrun Niesar
510.326.2161
ortrun.niesar@sothebysrealty.com
sothebysrealty.com
DRE #01161032
I look forward to serving you!
14.
December 4, 2010
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.
Private and Cozy Rental Unit
Between Manila and Lawton. Good for one or
two people. Close to shopping, transportation.
$1000 per month & deposit. 510/652-8803.
Free Yellow Page Listings
Save Money. Market Smarter.
SmarterYellowPages.
SFbay.SmarterYellowPages.com
Your Message Could Be Here
Your 36-word message is $22. (Phone number
counts as one word). Mail to: RN Classifieds,
4123 Broadway, PMB 311, Oakland, CA
94611. January deadline is December 23.
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Electrical Repairs &
Remodels
From doorbell repair to whole-house rewiring,
we’ve been doing electrical work in Oakland
and Berkeley for over 30 years. Sutorik &
Company, www.sutorikandco.com, lic#397149.
510/655-3677.
Holiday Concert at St.
Augustine Catholic Church
(400 Alcatraz Ave.), Friday, December 17, 8:00
p.m. The evening features carols by Bay Area
singers Elizabeth Durand, April McNealy, Daniel
Leal, and Todd Minson. Adults-$15, Children/
seniors-$10.
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.
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.
Berkeley Rose, a Waldorf-
Inspired Kindergarten
(Ages 3-6), invites your child to blossom through
imaginative play and guided activities. Through
nature and stories, children learn about them-
selves and the world. www.berkeleywaldorf.org.
Lic#013420737.
Holiday Special! Penelope’s
Aesthetics Skin Care Salon
25% off waxing and facial services. Gift cer-
tificates available. Receive excellent, relaxing
services with a gentle and personalized treat-
ment. www.penelopecalef.com. By appointment.
510/594-1552.
Organic Janitorial Services
Houses, apartments, offices, move in/out.
Weekly bi-weekly, bi-monthly, one-time.
Excellent prices and references. Our cleaning
products leave your premises smelling good
and sparkling. Call for Natalia 510/395-4461.
Bank Foreclosures &
Distress Sales
Receive a Free list of foreclosure properties
and Best Buys with pictures and addresses. Call
510/504-1522. Leave message. Barbara Levy,
BHG/Mason McDuffie, #1228537.
TAI CHI and QIGONG
Improve your health through breathing and
awareness with practitioners of this ancient
gentle exercise. Rockridge Methodist Church,
303 Hudson at College. Thursday, 9:30 a.m.
Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Visit www.harmonytaiji.com
or e-mail gail@harmonytaiji.com
Find Out What Your Home
is Worth
With no cost or obligation. Even if you owe
more than it’s worth, we may be able to help
you. Call 510/504-1522. Leave message. Barbara
Levy, BHG/Mason McDuffie, #1228537.
j
5278 College Avenue
Oakland, CA 94618
510.654.6755
www.jarvisarchitects.com
New homes at
121 &123 Sheridan Road
to be completed late fall!
call for a free consultation
15.
December 4, 2010
St. Albert Priory Christmas Concert
E-mail Rockridge News Community Calendar items to: joellis1@hotmail.com, phone
653-3210 (after noon), or mail to: Rockridge News Community Calendar, 4123 Broadway,
PMB 311, Oakland, CA 94611. Deadline is the next to the last Tuesday of the month.
Holiday Cheer and
a Happy New Year!
The Schola Cantorum of St. Albert Priory presents its
annual Christmas concert entitled “In Dulci Jubilo.” Joined
by the Women’s Antique Vocal Ensemble (WAVE),
and the Renaissance wind band Alta Sonora, they will
perform works by Leonel Power, Praetorius, Buxtehude,
Orlande de Lassus, Marc-Antoine Charpentier, and
others. Plainchant and music from Codex Speciálnik
and Piae Cantiones will also be performed, in addition
to a sing-along of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”.
Saturday, Dec. 18, 8:00pm. St. Albert Priory Chapel,
6172 Chabot Road. $20 General/$10 Students/Seniors.
No advanced ticket sales. Info: 510/596-1800.
Calif. College of the Arts (CCA)
Interface Exhibition
Compiled by Jo Ellis
Community Calendar
Neighborhood Crime Prevention
Council (NCPC)
Saturday each month (12/18), 1 to 5pm. Sponsored
by the California Writers Club, Berkeley branch
(www.berkeleywritersclub.org.) Info: 420-8775
or Writefox@aol.com.
Residents and business members of NCPC’s 12Y and
13X areas can voice their concerns about crime and
public safety, 2nd Thursday each month (12/9), 7pm.
POTLUCK: bring food to share. Rockridge Library,
upstairs meeting room, 5366 College Ave. Info: chair@
rockridgencpc.com.
Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
FOR CHILDREN
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month, 5 to 7pm (note
new times). Advance sign-up starts 4:45pm.
ART EXHIBITS (call to confirm)
Gallery:
yy Dec: Julie Bracker: oil paintings.
yy Jan: Nancy Duscenteau: documentary photographs.
Lobby Display Case:
“Art Using Technology Using Art”: interactive, kinetic,
robotic, generative and computer-based artworks.
Dec., 17, 7pm to10pm. CCA campus, 5212 Broadway,
Oliver Art Center. Info 594-3656 or www.cca.edu/.
Studio One Art Center Annual
Winter Pottery and Crafts Sale
y
y Toddler Story Time: Every Saturday, 10:30am.
yy Dec: Anya Eehn: sculpture.
yy Jan: TBA
LIBRARY HOURS
Tues, 12:30 to 8pm.
Wed., Thurs. and Sat. 10am to 5:30pm.
Fri., 12 to 5:30pm.
Closed: Sundays and Mondays; also all Oakland
Public Libraries closed Dec 25 through Jan 1.
Re-opens Tues., Jan 4, 2011.
Peralta Kindergarten Open House
y
y Pre-School Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed., 10:30am.
y
y Baby and Toddler Story Time: 1st and 3rd Wed.,
10:30am, upstairs.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Sunday, Dec 12, noon to 4pm. To sell your work or crafts
at this event, purchase a table at 597-5027 or www.
studiooneartcenter.net.
North Oakland Senior Center
y
y Special Winter Pajama Story Time: Come in your
warmest pj’s for stories & a winter craft. Tuesday,
12/14, 7:00 pm. All ages welcome.
y
y Berkeley Rep School of Theatre presents A
Story Builders Workshop on Lemony Snicket’s
The Composer Is Dead for 7- to 10-year-olds. Solve
the mystery by becoming a character in this living
theater. Wednesday, 12/15, 3:00-4:00pm. Sign up at
the Children’s Reference Desk.
FOR TEENS
Programs include: Arts and crafts; health Insurance
counseling; dancing and exercise; trips, tours and the-
ater outings; Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Groups
and more. Mon.-Fri., 8:30am to 4pm. (call for Dec.
hrs). 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way. Subscribe to
“The North Oakland Senior Times” for full schedule of
classes/events, lunch menus, membership, and volunteer
opportunities. Info: 597- 5085.
American Red Cross
Meet Principal Rosette Costello and kindergarten
teachers. All prospective families with kindergartners or
transfer students invited to attend. This is a parent only
event with very limited childcare available, so please
leave children at home if possible. Thurs., Dec 9, 6:30 to
8pm. Peralta Elementary multi-purpose room; 460 63rd
Street. Parking available on the school yard (enter on
Alcatraz). More info about enrollment and scheduling
school tours (on 12/9, 12/14, 1/6 and 1/11): 879-1450 or
www.peraltaschool.org.
Amnesty International Celebration
of Human Rights Day
yy Rockridge Ninjas Anime Club: Ages 13 and up,
watch and talk about anime (Japanese animation).
Second Tues. each month (12/14, 1/11), 5 to 6:30pm,
upstairs meeting room.
yy Teen Advisory Board (ages 14-18): Help advise the
library how to better serve teens. Get community ser-
vice credit for school. Snacks provided. 1st Saturday
each month from 4 to 5pm. NOTE: Jan. meeting
re-scheduled to 1/15 because of New Year’s Day.
For questions: Susy, 597- 5017.
FOR ADULTS
Mobile Blood Drives: In Dec., there will be 4 weekly
drawings and 4 winners for $100 Macy’s gift cards
(not available at high school or college blood drives).
Call 1-800/Red Cross (1-800/733-2767) or visit www.
redcrossblood.org to find a location near you.
OUSD Enrollment for 2011
Join the Write for Rights Global Write-a-thon, the
world’s largest letter writing event: write letters on
behalf of individuals at risk from human rights abuses and
send letters and cards of hope to prisoners of conscience
around the world. Bring writing materials and stamps.
Sunday, Dec. 12, 10am to 4pm. DIESEL, A Bookstore,
5433 College Ave. More info: Warren, 655-5749 or www.
amnestyusa.org/writeathon/cases.php
Oakland Unified School District’s Options Enrollment
Window for the 2011-12 school year runs from Dec
6, 2010 to Jan 14, 2011. For more information, visit:
http://publicportal.ousd.k12.ca.us/ousd/site/default.asp
yy Oakland PEN 20th Annual Literary Awards. PEN
Oakland presents the Josephine Miles Literary Award
to outstanding book titles published in the previous
year. Will include brief readings by the winning
authors, followed by a reception and book signings.
Sat. 12/11, 2pm-5pm. Free and open to the public.
More info: Tennessee Reed, 206-6107.
A Prevention Oriented Practice G
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers welcome.
Bring 15 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-spaced, MS
margins) of any prose for on-site reading/discussion
(you’re also welcome to come empty-handed). Third
Norman H. Burg, DDS
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
Wonderful, ongoing,
weekday classes for
babies or toddlers
A
Mov
e
m
e
nt
Prog
ram f
or
Drop-ins or sign ups
for ALL families: songs,
slides, tunnels, parachute play,
bubbles, a fab ball pit, rocking
horses & more!
A
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lie
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For 9 months up to 3 years with an adult
Dawn Margolin | 510.547.7726
Temple Beth Abraham
327 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland
(near the Grand Lake Theatre)
.
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16.
December 4, 2010
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Professional preparation. Many local
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KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
PROVIDING
Professional,
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Real Estate Brokerage
To Rockridge Clients
For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN
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5353 College Avenue
Oakland
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Sat 9:30 – 5:00
CHIMES
PHARMACY
Serving Rockridge Since 1909
3210 College Avenue
Near Alcatraz
652-1990
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
Happy
Holidays
Sustainable Living
Starts at Home
Sustainable Building
Starts at Ashby Lumber
and a
Happy & Prosperous
New Year
Looking for a Contractor?
Visit our Contractor Directory
at ashbylumber.com
.
824 Ashby Avenue Berkeley
Ph: 510.843.4832 Fax: 510.843.3840
PENDING
5131 Desmond Street 2bed/1bath $699,000
A Perfect Craftsman Bungalow with Amazing
Architectural Detailing in Beautiful Gumwood, Big
Eat-in Remodeled kitchen and Updated Bath.
Hardwood floors, Fireplace, and Built-ins
www.5131Desmond.com
545 43rd Street
2beds/1bath Plus big South facing yard $414,000
A really nice split-level starter Bungalow in the heart
of Temescal. Hardwood flrs, nice detailing, breakfast
nook.
www.545-43rdSt.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”
www.LawtonAssoc.com
R E A L E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E