Extracted text · highlighting “Jennifer Cooper”

www.rockridge.org

VOL. 27    NO. 10    ISSUE NO. 294    November 3, 2012                    CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 BusInesses

Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council • 4123 Broadway, PMB 311 • Oakland, CA 94611 • 869-4200

Fences Gone, Plaza Open, People Gather

Safeway Hearing Date
* * * C H A N G E D * * *
Safeway/College Ave Project
Appeal Hearing date now set
for November 13.
See details, page 3.
Also: Sign petition by Nov 12;
donate to legal fund.
Inside:
Photos from
Rockridge
Out and About
and the
RCPC-RDA
Halloween
Parade,
pages 7 and 12.

/D. Kinkead

BART Plaza Creates New Rockridge Meeting Place

15
by Judith Doner Berne
Like me, Matt Wood is delighted with
the new Rockridge BART Plaza.
“I spend a lot of time meeting people
here, and now it’s a nice place to hang
out. A lot of places are getting into these
little parklets to create a great sense of
community,” he says.
Sarah Persing, out for a walk with
5-month-old Liyam, sees the plaza as an
extension of the congenial picnic-like
atmosphere outside Market Hall. “There
are never enough seats.” She’ll “get coffee
and bring it back (to the new benches).”
And Kathleen Kane, a publisher’s
representative from Minneapolis making
her first BART trip ever, was relieved to see
the Rockridge sign surrounded by benches
as she descended the escalator.
“I am supposed to meet someone to
take me around to the local bookstores,”
she says. “It helped a lot” to see an obvious
spot where we would meet.
Their comments certainly fit in with
Greer Alley’s aim in designing the newly
configured plaza that opened in early
October, a decade after it was first envisioned.
By day, “I hope it’s a place that people
gather, meet each other and have community,”
she says. And at night, when subtle lighting
beneath the benches makes them glow, “I
hope people are hugging and kissing on
these benches.”
Alley, a Cal-Berkeley-trained landscape
designer who has lived in Rockridge since
1983, took on the plaza’s redesign as a pro
AGENDA
☞
November 2012 RCPC
Town Hall Meeting
Joint RCPC-NCPC Meeting
November 15, 7-8:30 p.m.  (Note
time change.) This is the annual
joint meeting of RCPC and the Greater
Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council (NCPC).
y
y Meet NCPC and OPD representatives;
discuss OPD staffing and priorities
➧➧High Praise for BART Plaza, page 9
y
y Review local crime and public safety
issues and their resolution
The first bench sitters
at the newly-opened
Rockridge BART Plaza
are nearby residents
Sarah Persing and her
5-month-old son Liyam.
Persing was excited
about the new plaza.
“People will get their
coffee and bring it over
here,” she said.  /J. Berne
y
y Identify priorities for new District 1
and at-large City Council representa-
tives to discuss at an RCPC Town Hall
in early 2013.
* See details and more
information, top of page 2
Thursday, November 15 | 7-8:30 p.m.
Rockridge Branch Library,
5366 College at Manila
☞


November 3, 2012
2.

RCPC and NCPC to Hold Annual Joint Meeting
The annual joint meeting of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council (RCPC)
and the Greater Rockridge Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) will be
held Thursday, November 15, from 7-8:30
p.m. (Note time change from regular RCPC
Town Hall times.)
The two neighborhood groups will
consider local issues of mutual concern
including policing, crime and the preservation
of neighborhood character.
Specifically, OPD Problem Solving
Officers (PSOs) will be on hand, as they
are at all NCPC meetings, to report the
status of local crime or nuisance problems
targeted at previous meetings and to discuss
new concerns raised by meeting attendees.
RCPC representatives will discuss the
outcome of the Council hearing on the
appeals filed challenging the Planning
Commission findings on the College Avenue
Safeway project proposal.

ROCKRIDGE BRANCH LIBRARY
5366 College Avenue
597-5017
HOURS:
Mon, Tues:
Weds, Thurs, Sat:
Friday:
Sunday:
Library program details: See Calendar, page 15.
What is the NCPC?
The Greater Rockridge NCPC was
established in 2002 to coordinate with
Oakland’s community policing program.
It represents OPD’s beats 12Y and
13X, as part of Public Safety Area (PSA)
2. Beat 12Y covers Rockridge west of
Broadway, while beat 13X covers upper
Rockridge east of Broadway and north of an
imaginary line from the College/Broadway
intersection east to the border of the city
of Piedmont at Ramona. Besides these two
beats, PSA 2 encompasses Oakland’s north
hills, Piedmont Avenue, Temescal, and the
northwest corner of Oakland.
The NCPC holds public meetings, usually
at the Rockridge Branch Library on the
second Thursday of each month, at which
OPD patrol officers (and, when available,
BART police) update participants on area
Tue: 12:30 – 8 p.m.

Wed, Thu, Sat: 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Friday: 12 – 5:30 p.m.
12:30 – 8 p.m.
10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
12 – 5:30 p.m.
CLOSED
CLOSED: Sundays and Mondays.
Also: Tues, 11/13 and Thurs-Sat., 11/22 – 11/24.
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, 2012-2013
Andrew Charman	��������������Chair
Christopher Chin	�������������Vice-Chair
Laura Schlichtmann	�����������Secretary
Cesar Angobaldo	���������������Treasurer
Stuart Flashman	�����������������Chair Emeritus
Bernard Baltaxe, Michael Kan, William Kaufner,
Don Kinkead, Ronnie Spitzer, Ann Winterman
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
➧➧RCPC-NCPC Meet, page 7

Thanks for the Memories; Board Departures Create
Three Open Seats to Fill....   Are You Ready?

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC boardmember
Three RCPC board members have left
the board this fall. We thank them for
their service and now need replacements.
Cesar Angobaldo joined the board in
2009 and has served as treasurer for the
past two years. His financial expertise will
be missed, but he’s moving on with a new
business and a new baby, so his life will
be busy in different ways. Alex Naughton
joined the board in 2010 and has helped out
in many ways, including serving as board
liaison to the FROG Park Committee and
contributing his efforts to events, including
last year’s highly successful Halloween
parade. A new job is making many demands
on his time. We appreciate his service to the
community. Lastly, James Kachelmeyer
was appointed to the board in July of 2011
and was elected to a full board term this
last April. Unfortunately, he is now moving
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 Voice-mail: 510/869-4200
➧➧Board Vacancies, page 11
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:
  December 8, 2012
  December deadline is November 22, 2012
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.)


November 3, 2012

3.

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.
This month’s meeting: Wednesday, November 28.
Agenda topics include the status of the College Avenue
Safeway project approval (see below) and an update on the
Rockridge Shopping Center Project.

experts to advise the board on this potential
litigation, and has hired Michael Graf, local
California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) attorney, to represent it.
■
■Rockridge Shopping Center
Rebuilding Project;
Broadway & Pleasant Valley
According to Darin Ranelletti
(dranelletti@oaklandnet.com, 238-
3663), the Oakland planner handling this
project, the draft environmental impact
report for this second Safeway-sponsored
project is due out some time in November.
The project involves a phased rebuild of
the shopping center to add roughly 120,000
square feet of additional retail and office
space with a mixture of structured and
surface parking.
Unlike the Safeway development staff
involved in its College Avenue project,
Safeway has been responsive to community
concerns on this project, and has made
extensive modifications to its designs.
RCPC is looking for a few more changes
in the area of sustainability, and hopes the
project will be able to replace most or all
of the important community functions that
had been met by the former Longs Drugs
store (since taken over by CVS).

Contact Stu Flashman (652-5373 or stuflash@aol.com) to confirm meeting location and to get a copy of the
agenda. Land use committee meetings are generally open to the public.

by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use
Committee chair
QR Code for Council Petition
M a ke a d i r e c t
connection via your
smart phone to sign
RCPC’s petition to
City Council about
the Safeway project:
Scan this QR code.
More info?: http://
www.qrstuff.com/
■
■College Avenue Safeway
Shopping Center Project;
Corner of College and
Claremont Avenues
If you have been following this project,
which would replace Safeway’s current
22,500 square foot store with a 62,000
square foot shopping center, you know that
it was approved by Oakland’s Planning
Commission in July, that the approval
was appealed by RCPC and by a group of
Berkeley residents, and that the appeal was
scheduled to be heard by the City Council
on October 16.
You may also know that the hearing
date was postponed. Safeway said their
architect and their traffic experts had
somehow agreed to attend professional
meetings that conflicted with the hearing
date. The hearing is now rescheduled
to November 13. Unfortunately, that date
conflicts with the date of the regular Berkeley
City Council meeting, so several Berkeley
council members who wanted to testify will
be unable to attend.
Sign the petition now. A petition, which
must be signed by November 12, will be
presented at the City Council appeal hearing
November 13. The petition is available at
several merchants near the Safeway store,
including Vino and Star Grocery, and also
online at www.rockridge.org, the change.
org website, http://vf6f.qr.ai, or use a QR
smart phone app to capture the URL from
the accompanying QR code.
If the council rejects the appeal, the next
step would be litigation. RCPC has set up a
Rockridge Legal Defense Fund to raise the
money needed to mount a legal challenge.
(See article below.) Assuming the council
approves the project on November 13, a
lawsuit would need to be filed by mid-
December.
The RCPC board has set up a litigation
advisory committee of local Rockridge legal

Help Safeway/College Ave Appeal;
Donate to Legal Defense Fund
Do you believe the
proposed Safeway
project is just too big for
beleaguered, two-lane
College Avenue? Do you
think it will overwhelm the
neighborhood, threaten
nearby small businesses,
and/or worsen already
congested traffic flows?
T h e RC P C b o a rd
shares your concerns,
and suspects the issue
may ultimately play out in
the courts. This could be
expensive.
In the past, RCPC
has used legal means to
push for a better design
of the Dreyer’s building,
and to help win funds
for the community and
public schools to mitigate
Caldecott Tunnel Fourth
Bore project impacts.

Similar steps may be
necessary to encourage
Safeway to listen to
community concerns; your
support will be critical.
RCPC has established
the Rockridge Leg al
Defense Fund to prepare
for legal costs. If Safeway’s
plans and power concern
yo u ,  p l e a s e  s e n d  a
check, or use the donate
button on the RCPC
w e b s i t e .  D o n a t i o n s
are tax deductible; all
donations are welcome.
Mail checks to RCPC,
4123 Broadway, PMB
311, Oakland, CA 94611.
Make online donations
at www.rockridge.org.
(Tax ID no. 94-3011284).
Funds not used for legal
fees connected with this
project will be retained
for future cases when
RCPC may need legal
help to uphold meaningful
zoning regulations for the
neighborhood.
QR Code for RCPC Donation
Make a direct
connection via
your smart phone
to RCPC’s web
page for donations:
Scan this QR code.
More info?:
http://www.
qrstuff.com/


November 3, 2012
4.

FROG Park News: DMV Planting; Your Opinions; Park Cleanup

DMV Creekside Restoration Update and Community
Comment Opportunity

Help Your Park:
Frog Holds Monthly ‘First
Sunday’ Cleanup Parties
DMV is moving
ahead on plans
to restore areas
of FROG Park
d a m a g e d  b y
o v e r z e a l o u s
work crews. At
left, a tree newly
planted in the
parking lot, part
of the larger area
to be restored.
In August 2011, the Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV), without notice, removed
14 trees located along the banks of the
creek and in the agency’s parking lot at
Miles Avenue and Cavour Street.
The community was outraged, and the
DMV agreed to work with the community
to restore the area. True to their word,
the DMV has replanted beautiful trees
in the parking lot and has begun work on
a creekside plan. FROG, in coordination
with DMV Neighbors Association and
local residents, has now finalized a
creekside restoration plan and submitted
it to the DMV, with the hope that it can be
implemented soon.
An original plan for the creekside was
prepared and presented to the community by
the DMV in early 2012. Afterward, FROG
retained MIG, the design firm that initially
developed the greenbelt, to modify this plan
to better reflect a restoration design desired
by local residents, Farmer’s Market patrons,
and the community at large. As a result,
Embrace Your Inner Broom!
F
ROG holds family-friendly
monthly cleanups the first
Sunday of each month, 10
a.m.-1 p.m. Join
your friends and
bring your kids
to rake, plant and
tackle child-sized
tasks.
The Oakland Tech
BuildOn service
club has partnered
with FROG on these
events.
Meet at Big
Frog Park (Hardy
Street cul-de-sac)
which remains
open during the
cleanup. Remaining 2012 workdays are
November 4 and December 2. Rain cancels.
(Calendar of events: www.frogpark.org.)
this restoration plan reflects the character
of the surrounding areas and restores the
creekside to an urban green space that can
be cherished by the community, the DMV
and its patrons.
Visit www.frogpark.org to review the
plan online. Then, join us with your thoughts
and concerns on Thursday, November 8
for the FROG meeting at the Rockridge
Branch Library, 7:30-9:30 p.m., or e-mail
us at info@frogpark.org. (Plans discussion
begins at 8:30 p.m.)
— by Misti Groves,
Miles Avenue residents
and Carol Behr, FROG chair
/Leonora Sea

Online Survey: FROG Wants Your Opinion on Park Planning and Improvements
You can help guide Frog Park
improvements and FROG committee
decisions by completing a brief online survey:
go to www.frogpark.org and click on the
survey link, or type www.surveymonkey.
com/s/FrogPark2013Priorities-Survey into

your browser.
We would like to hear from you in
particular and the community in general.
Survey results will be used to guide decisions
and improvements and, later, to help make
planning, funding and purchasing decisions
for Frog Park, comprising Redondo and
Hardy parks and the Greenbelt connecting
them.           — Carol Behr, FROG chair
Next FROG meeting: Thursday, November 8,
Rockridge Branch Library, 2nd floor, 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Coming
Coming
Soon!
5
Offers!
5
Offers!
Soon!
5486 Kales
74 Ross
5272 Lawton
432 McAuley
Daniel Stea
Rockridge
Broker/Owner/
Attorney
and beyond
since 1997
510.867.4094
2987 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705  N  DRE #01452156


November 3, 2012

5.

Looking?: Tech & Claremont Middle School Invite Visits

Wow! Free Holiday
Parking in Oakland!
Plus: Snow in Rockridge?
The city of Oakland has announced it is
offering free holiday parking as part of
its shop local campaign.
Shoppers may park
for free in metered
spaces and city-owned
garages on Saturdays
between Thanksgiving
and New Year’s Day.
But note: Posted time
limits – typically two
or four hours or 30
minutes, for example
– will be enforced.
Watch for laminated
flyers on parking
kiosks and stickers on
meters for details.
This program is a
key part of the Oakland
Grown Holiday Marketing Campaign.
Show your support for your neighborhood
and your city, and shop local. A shop local
guide accompanying this issue of The
Rockridge News will help direct you to
the many shopping experiences available
along College Avenue.
Prepare for Snow in Rockridge
All are invited to join with the Rockridge
District Associaton (RDA) and
celebrate Rockridge in the Snow.
To help kick off the holiday shopping
season, RDA will bring a big pile of snow
and a load of entertainment to the Rockridge
BART Plaza and parking area on November
24 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bring your mittens
and your kids.
We’ll see you there.
— Chris Jackson, Manager, RDA

Oakland Tech Tours and Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser

■
■Shadow visits begin in January.
Eighth graders and high school transfer
students spend a day or part of a day with
a Tech student host, following the host’s
schedule. To request a shadow visit, a family
must have already visited Tech at least
once: at the Information Night, on a tour,
or through having another family member
already enrolled.
Sign-up for a Tour or a Shadow Day
after the November 8 Information Night at
http://oaklandtech.com/staff/admissions/
prospective-families.
Sports Booster Breakfast
The Oakland Tech Sports Booster Club
invites you to the First Annual Oakland
Tech Sports Booster Club Pancake Breakfast,
Saturday morning, November 10, 8:30-12:30,
in the school cafeteria. This event is a great
opportunity to support Tech’s growing
athletic programs, connect with members of
the Tech community, experience the amazing
Bulldog spirit, and enjoy some great food.
The club’s fundraising events supplement
the dwindling financial support our sports
programs receive from the Oakland Athletic
League (OAL) and the school district,
currently at an all-time low for basic items
for extracurricular programs including
uniforms, equipment, tournament fees, and
by Ronnie Spitzer, Oakland Tech parent
Every fall, families tour high schools
throughout the Bay Area seeking the
right fit for their students.
Oakland Technical High School (at
Broadway and 45th Street) with over 1,900
students, offers prospective
students the nationally
renowned Paideia program,
ou r awa rd-wi n n i ng
“schools within a school”
academies centered on
different career fields, special academic
programs, rigorous Advanced Placement
(AP) courses, the comprehensive Performing
Arts program, strong athletics, and involved
parents.
Families considering Oakland Tech
can learn more about the school through
Information Night, school tours, and
Shadow Visits.
■
■Information Night is Thursday,
November 8, 6-8 p.m. in the newly renovated
Oakland Tech Auditorium. The evening
includes staff presentations, school and
classrooms visits, and teacher introductions.
■
■School Tours invite families and
students to visit classrooms during a typi-
cal school day. The tours start at 9 a.m. on
November 27 and 29 and on December 4,
6, 11, and 13.
➧➧School Tours, page 13

Claremont Middle School Offers Open House Tours
Come learn about Claremont Middle
School (CMS). Tours will be held
Saturday, November 3 from 1-4 p.m., and
on three Fridays: November 9 and 30, and
December 7, all three 9-10:30 a.m.
Meet school and parent leaders, ask
questions, learn about the curriculum, and
tour the school, including 6th grade and











 
­
24


 
	

elective classrooms.
All prospective students and their
families are invited to attend.
For more details, contact Tanisha Benjamin
(tanisha.benjamin@ousd.k12.ca.us) in the
CMS office, 5750 College Avenue, 510/654-
7337x5000, or PTA President Amy Vaughan
(avaughan@stmaryscenter.org).
a
cross-cultural congregation
striving to partner with
         the Rockridge community
   in lifestyle and service.
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


November 3, 2012
6.

Letters to the Editor
Skateboards Are Noisy, Annoying
Editor:
I
read Karen Ivy’s article in the October
Rockridge News about riding bikes on the
sidewalks. She neglected to mention another
problem: Skateboarding on sidewalks is
noisy and annoying. I wish the article had
also mentioned how disturbing this noise
is. Parents may want to think about how the
noise of skateboarding destroys the “sounds
of silence” that Ortrun Niesar wrote about on
page 10, hoping to encourage our sensitivity
and appreciation of a quiet neighborhood.
I live in Rockridge and do not like the
sound of the skateboard on the sidewalk.
At least the bike is silent.
— Sandra Schnabel
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 at the editor’s discretion. Views expressed in any letter are the
writer’s own, and may not necessarily be shared by the editor, or by RCPC.
Rockridge is a healthy community. A
sound decision by Oakland’s city council
at its hearing November 13 can promote a
mediated compromise: a one-story 40,000
sf store, like others recently built in the East
Bay. This doubles the Safeway footprint
but does not kill the goose that lays the
golden eggs.
— Sara Hartley
Other Options for Safeway Fix
Editor:
In the October issue of The Rockridge
News, Ms. Lightner wrote to complain
that the RCPC did not represent her support
for the 62,000 sf two-story Safeway planned
for College Avenue. She claimed Safeway
needed improvement and had “addressed
neighborhood concerns and incorporated
suggestions from critics.”
The fact is, Safeway has not made
any substantive changes to its plan. They
certainly have not participated in any good
faith discussions with the neighborhood
groups who fear 258 more cars per hour
during peak shopping times.
This is easily confirmed by studying
public documents.
Such an oversized building will be
destructive to the area, creating a canyon-like
effect and pedestrian and traffic nightmares
from entering and exiting the underground
garage onto College Avenue. Ms. Lightner
fails to offer any evidence to the contrary.
While many share her enthusiasm for
a Safeway upgrade, there is no reason to
pretend the only option for improvement is
a mall-sized “Lifestyle Center” that violates
Rockridge zoning codes.
These codes were established to protect
our thriving pedestrian-based shopping
district and the surrounding residential
neighborhood.
Approving malignant growth hurts
everyone in the long run. Large retail was
supposed to “save” downtown Berkeley
and Telegraph Avenue near campus; both
became blighted neighborhoods with lost
tax revenue, increased crime and decreased
shoppers for small local businesses.
Added Traffic: I Feel Your Pain
Editor:
I’m not a resident of Rockridge but I
read with some amusement and sympathy
the articles regarding the proposed Safeway
plans.
For example, I was in the Lucky store
in the Marina Village Shopping Center in
Alameda recently and several ladies ahead
of me were shopping together.
After they left, the checker told me that
they don’t like the lack of parking at your
Safeway and come to Lucky’s since we
have more parking!
However, we face a similar situation with
increased traffic in Alameda as a Target
store is now being built on former Naval
Base property that will bring folks in from
everywhere. Maybe even some of you. Every
Saturday there is a flea market and every
first Sunday there is the Antique Fair. A
recent weekend was even busier since there
was a two-day street fair as well. Traffic
was at its worst going outbound through
the Webster Tube.
Our cities need the tax revenue but we
are the folks dealing with the increased
traffic. I feel your pain.
— Yvonne Alfaro
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November 3, 2012

7.

Halloween on College

CAPC Offers Annual Thanksgiving Day Meal
For more than 20 years, the College
Avenue Presbyterian Church com-
munity has hosted a Thanksgiving Day
C o m m u n it y
Meal. Designed
to deepen the
sense of com-
munity in our
neighborhood
and to respond
to concrete
needs, the meal
continues year
in and year out
to work toward
those goals.
When the
meals began,
Rockridge was
still emerging from the shadow of the
neighborhood transformation caused
by the building of Highway 24 and the
BART Station. Rockridge today is an
established, vibrant community; a desti-
nation for shopping, foodies and families.
Yet, in our current economic and
political climate, there is an opportu-
nity for us to gather as a community to
respond to the needs of those struggling
with hunger, solitude and joblessness.
This year, College Avenue Presby-
terian Church holds its Thanksgiving
Day Community Meal November 22, 11
a.m.-1 p.m., at the church gymnasium,
5951 College Avenue.
The meal is a joint project with diverse

RCPC-NCPC Meet
from page 2
crime trends. The meetings provide the
opportunity to tell officers about residents’
and merchants’ concerns and to formulate
priorities for crime prevention and response.
Check the NCPC website, http://www.
rockridgencpc.com/, for information on
Neighborhood Watch, reporting crime,
OPD’s anonymous tip line, Logitech
surveillance cameras,  and to confirm time
and place of regular meetings.
Find other neighborhood information
at the RCPC website, www.rockridge.org.

members of our Rockridge community,
involving congregational members, local
merchants and local residents.
We gener-
ally serve 200
to 300 people
with the sup-
port of over
50 volunteers
gathered in the
shared desire
to make this
event possible.
The meal is
open and free
for everyone.
Donations of
money a nd
food are grate-
fully accepted. It’s because of such
donations that the meal takes place.
You can also give of your time. Help is
needed beginning Monday, November 19
through Wednesday the 21st to prepare,
set up and decorate the church gym for
the meal. Significant help is needed the
day of the event to set up, cook, serve
and also to clean up. The latter requires
the most work and often is the one the
fewest people want to do!
To volunteer: sign up online at the
Thanksgiving section on the church
website at www.capcoakland.wordpress.
com or contact the church office at
510/638-3665 or capc1@sbcglobal.net.
— Pastor Monte McClain
G
/Monte McClain
Volunteer cooks and servers from the 2011 CAPC
Thanksgiving dinner. Put yourself in this year’s picture:
See contact details below.
GRUBBCO.COM
510.652.2133
3070 Claremont Avenue • Berkeley
510.339.0400
1960 Mountain Boulevard • Oakland


November 3, 2012
8.

Our family has been making onion jam
as a standard Thanksgiving side dish for
many years – so many, that the source for
this recipe has been lost in time. For us, it
is not Thanksgiving dinner without onion
jam. I know it sounds strange – onion jam?
The dish can be prepared the day before,
and the aroma of slow-cooked sweet onions
in the kitchen speaks to the true soul of
Thanksgiving.
I hope you try this very special dish as
part of your annual Thanksgiving plate.
Onion Jam
Ingredients
¼ cup unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
8 large sweet onions (Vidalia or Walla
Walla), thinly sliced
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoons black pepper
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Preparation
Heat butter and oil in a large skillet. Add
onion, sauté over medium-low flame until
brown. Don’t rush this. Add salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to low. Cook partially covered
until caramelized – about 30 minutes. Stir once
in a while. Stir in brown sugar and balsamic
vinegar. You want the texture to be jammy.
Rock  ridge
Cornucopia
Cornucopia
Barry A. Kaufman
On The Side
Every November, cooking magazines,
newspaper food and wine sections,
and food-related media feature articles
and stories on how to prepare a turkey for
Thanksgiving. Last year, I even noticed
several articles on special Thanksgiving
preparations for vegans. We all love the
turkey, but for me there is a special place
for the side dishes.
In our family, the sides are just as much a
tradition as the turkey. We’ve been preparing
many of our Thanksgiving side dishes for
more than 40 years. I’ve got shopping lists
stored on the computer with ingredients to
make our sides going back 15 years. Each
year we have heated arguments over whether
we should eliminate an old or include a new
side dish. How many cranberry relishes do
we need; can we give up the mushroom pie;
have we had it with the onion jam; and do
we really need pumpkin and apple pie? In
the end it’s always the same: Why change?
Several years ago, New York Times
food columnist Mark Bittman published
a list of 101 Thanksgiving side dishes,
divided into several categories: relishes,
chutneys and jams, soups, salads, stuffings
and grains, and vegetables. What stands out
for each of the 101 sides is that they reflect
the mood of the Thanksgiving tradition by
using only seasonal ingredients. None of
the dishes overpower or outshine the star
of the Thanksgiving dinner. Side dishes
should enhance and complement the flavors
of the roast turkey.
The turkey may be the main event, but
you want your guests to love the side dishes.
Traditionally, sweet potato casseroles, sautéed
green beans, cranberry sauces, mashed
potatoes with gravy, and Brussels sprouts
dominate the Thanksgiving plate. But you
may want to consider some new offerings.
In our recent trip to the Carolinas, I
found that restaurant menus offer diners a
long list of side dishes from which to choose.
These include corn pudding, brown sugar
glazed baby carrots, cheddar-cheese grits,
and sautéed greens of all sorts.
Another regional favorite for side dishes
is the American Southwest. Those dishes
focus on chilies and corn.
Recipes for regional Thanksgiving side
dishes can be found on Internet sites like
Big Oven and Epicurious. To make your
Thanksgiving as easy as possible, prepare
the side dishes a day or two before the
main event.
Barry Kaufman is a graduate of the California
Culinary Academy. Barry is available for cooking
classes and tours of East Bay ethnic markets. His
e-mail is kaufman42@comcast.net.
3rd Floor
Market Hall
TM
Ste. 312
rockdent.com
510.653.6677
Bruce D. Fong, D.D.S.
Filippo Cangini, D.D.S, M.S.
Advanced Preventive,  Restorative,  Periodontal  Gum Care,  and Dental Implants.


November 3, 2012

9.
High Praise for
BART Plaza

Greer Alley, pictured in the garden of
her Rockridge home, designed the new
Rockridge BART Plaza on a pro bono
basis as part of her philosophy that
“people should do more community
service.”                                  /Judy Berne
from page 1
bono project two years ago.
By the time she entered the picture,
Alley says, “they kind of knew what they
wanted. I got really good support. Sara
Wilson (owner and manager of Market Hall)
was very helpful. She’s been involved from
the get-go. She really went to bat for me.”
But Wilson insisted, “Greer’s the story.”
And Ann Winterman, RCPC’s liaison to the
project, agreed. “We told her what we were
looking for. Once she did the plan we loved
it. BART loved it.”
After studying past proposals and
spending hours “watching people and how
they inhabited the scene at the existing BART
site,” Alley concluded: “Everything gets too
serious in public sculpture. I wanted to have
some fun, some whimsy. That’s how I came
up with the rock ridge slicing through it.”
Her creative process “always revolved
around creating ‘a sense of place.’ So many
commercial transit plazas are simply cookie
cutter scenes that can be replicated in any
city. I wanted our plaza to be OURS.
“The image of rocks erupting through
land and bench came first,” she says. “Being
both a play on words and a strong visual,
those Sierra Granite boulders quietly let
you know where you are and will continue
to do so for decades.”
A compass rose, set into cement almost
as a kind of manhole cover, “furthers that
sense of place through imagery with ancient
roots,” Alley says. “You are in a community
surrounded by all the wonderful reasons
why we want to live here – oak woodlands,
foothills, city and bay – all within a few
miles of this spot.”
She also envisioned that neighboring
board of directors who worked with the
neighborhood to complete the project.
“Without Bob Franklin, this never would
have happened,” Wilson said.
And interim BART Board District
3 Director Mary King lauded Oakland
Councilwoman Jane Brunner. “She was
critical in getting the city to participate in
the project,” King said.
It’s been 10 years since BART
worked with a community (Fruitvale)
on one of its 44 stations, reports BART
communications officer Jim Allison. “So it
is not unprecedented, but welcome.”
It’s a way of making BART not just
stick in, but be part of the community,
Allison told me. It’s a wonderful example
of public-private partnership with BART,
Market Hall and community volunteers
working together to make a station much
more inviting.
“People should do more community
service,” says Alley. “The way the world is going
we’re going to need people to just ante-up.”
To counter the inevitable graffiti, rock
and bench surfaces have been treated with
anti-graffiti paint formulated to wipe clean.
A former fashion designer, Alley both
lives in and conducts her residential
landscape design business from her Ocean
View home. She met her husband Dale,
a general contractor, at a neighborhood
function. “This is one of those neighborhoods
that is really social,” she says.
They thought about buying a bigger
house some years back, but didn’t really
want to leave their street. Instead, they
recently added a second story to their house,
including an elevator.
Alley and others involved in the new
plaza may not be done yet. There is talk of
improving the ivy-covered areas on either
side of College Avenue at the station’s
northern corners.
“I want this plaza to be timeless,” she
says. “I want it to be fine in 50 years. I
don’t want it to lose its character and I don’t
think it will.”
That, of course, will be up to all of us.
Claremont Middle School classes will
utilize the compass rose as a way to teach
students the difference between magnetic
north and actual north.
The sign was the final component.
“I’ve never designed a sign before,” Alley
says. “It’s again a play on words, but also a
sculptural, fanciful element.”
She admits to being caught by surprise
when, at the dedication ceremony which
kicked off the annual Rockridge Out and
About street fair, children swarmed onto
the rock formation and playful sign.
Even a couple of adults could be seen
atop one or two of the dozen Sierra Granite
boulders.
“We did anticipate kids on the rocks,
but not on that sign,” Alley says. “I watched
one little girl doing flips through the ‘O’.
We should have had a child on our (plaza)
board. We were just a bunch of older people.”
At the same time, she hopes the
community recognizes the new plaza’s
mission as a gathering place but not a
playground. Although the sign is resistant
to high winds and the new plantings are
sturdy, “my concern has always been for
the redwood trees.” They don’t do well
when the soil is compacted by foot traffic.
As for any criticism of the project, Alley
is practical: “You can’t please everyone.”
In her residential landscape business she
finds, “a couple has a few different ideas. A
community has a thousand different ideas.”
The plaza dedication also honored Bob
Franklin, a former member of BART’s
LAW OFFICES OF
KYLE M. JOHNSTON
5315 COLLEGE AVE.
OAKLAND, CALIF.
510.527.1880
CALL FOR YOUR FREE
INITIAL CONSULTATION
PROBATE LAW   ♦   WILLS & TRUSTS   ♦   FAMILY LAW
Judy Berne welcomes your comments and column
ideas. She can be reached at judyberne@att.net.
WWW.KYLEMJOHNSTON.COM


November 3, 2012
10.

and who often take their inspiration
from this unique environment.
I
recently picked up a copy of “Telegraph
Avenue” by Michael Chabon and
thoroughly enjoyed his description of
the Lower Rockridge/Temescal/Berkeley
Border area as the “subduction zone”
between two different cultures. He got
it right. In “The Fifth Book of Peace,”
Maxine Hong Kingston delivers a trance-
like account of searching for her former
life and personal creativity in the ruins
of the Oakland Fire, an unforgettable
part of our history. Read Moshe Kasher’s
tragi-comic “Kasher in the Rye” and you
will find yourself wandering the halls of
Claremont Middle School.
This is only the tiny tip of the iceberg
of the local literary and artistic outpouring
in recent years. Diesel Books has a good
selection of novels, local history, poetry,
cookbooks and a number of very popular
children’s books (“Ivy and Bean” by Annie
Barrows and “Brixton Brothers” by Mac
Barnett). If you don’t see what you are
looking for, ask. Private publications may
be offered on consignment only for now.
But, perhaps one day, if this proliferation
of literary creativity keeps up, we just
may be talking about a Rockridge or
East Bay school of literature.
I trust we can count on our
“curmudgeonly” residents to uphold the
“vintage cool” Rockridge neighborhood
long enough for this to happen.
The Rockridge Muse
by Ortrun Niesar
A Sense of Place
age, background, resident or not, and
personal agenda.
At recent Planning Commission
meetings, for example, every point –
no matter how cogent – Rockridge
residents made for not wanting a “more
of everything bigger” Safeway store was
dismissed as “vintage Rockridge” meaning
old-fashioned, stubborn and out-of-
touch. If you haven’t been around this
place long enough to feel the rhythm
of the community, you might seem
right to think so. But, those who spend
time in the neighborhood and take on
some responsibility for it certainly feel
differently about that.
I, for one, salute those who care
enough to stand up for the community,
call them curmudgeons or not. To call
them “old fashioned” would also be wrong,
because they are actually the forward-
looking ones in so many ways. With the
wisdom acquired over many years of
living here, they know what it takes to
build a lasting, healthy community in a
vulnerable zone. So, “curmudgeon cool”
with clear vision for the community’s
future, is a better description for our
“community first” fighters.
Vintage Rockridge—Cool or
Old Fashioned? Trendsetter
or Curmudgeon?
Are We Vintage Yet?
It’s been at least 40 years since
the revitalization of the Rockridge
community under the leadership
of RCPC. In that time Rockridge has
developed a mature, distinct neighborhood
character all of its own. I don’t know if
we have reached the venerable status
of “vintage Rockridge” yet, but you do
hear that expression now and then.
Let’s admit it, living here is great. And
folks who come here from elsewhere
in the Bay Area and around the world
agree. Believe it or not, Rockridge is
on the “don’t miss” list in many tourist
guide books. They tell you that you
can come here and meet all kinds of
fascinating people, find hip shops, book
stores, cafés and fine restaurants. There
is also the option to explore the funky
thrift stores and clothes exchanges for
“vintage” clothes, find vinyl records,
antiques and pure junk, expensive or
cheap, take your pick. Further, if you
are into the gritty side of life, you can
get mugged here as well. So, maybe the
best way to describe our community
and the way we live is “vintage cool,”
not perfect, definitely alive and full
of character and with some degree of
longevity in sight.
Cool
That is how I would describe all those
fascinating writers, artists and poets who
live in Rockridge or its surrounding areas
Shopping? Shop Oakland, First
Specializing in Real Estate in Rockridge
Cool or Curmudgeon?
The problem with the word “vintage”
is that it can mean many things. Usually
it’s a compliment. But, the fact is that
people see us differently depending on
As the agent with most real estate transactions in Rockridge 2011-2012,
 let me use my local expert experience to guide you.
• Home inventory is down, interest rates are at all time lows, prices are on the upward slope of the curve

Tip of the month -  Be careful using published data to make decisions in your individual situation without analysis
from an experienced local agent.  Common statistics such as “median” prices, “average” days on market, “% sold
price to list price” can be misleading if not applied properly.  Data from the media is typically based on too large a
geographic sample to apply with any reasonable degree of specificity to your home in Rockridge. Conversely, data
based on a sampling of just a few homes in this low inventory area can easily be skewed by 1 or 2 atypical sales
and won’t accurately reflect the market conditions that apply to your home.

COLLINS ROOFING
Family Owned & Operated
482-2227  Seamus
www.collinsroofing.com
Quality Work  •  Free Estimates
Lic # 695711

Just Sold

• 2BD, 1BA Rockridge Craftsman Bungalow, Chabot District, Fireplace, built-ins, yard  $720,000
What might be coming?

• 2BD+, 2BA in Chabot District w/ FP, large bonus room, yard, detached garage, price and timing TBD.

• 3BD++, 3BA in Chabot District, Grand estate, price and timing TBD.

• Large multiunit investment property in the heart of Rockridge, price TBD.

• 2BD 1BA Rockridge Bungalow for Lease, price TBD.
Happy Thanksgiving!
L A W T   O   N
LAWTON ASSOCIATES REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE
 Call for a real local expert opinion.
Perry Riani, Senior Real Estate Specialist
Lawton Associates      DRE# 01402540
510.813.3799      priani@earthlink.net
A  S  S  O  C  I A T  E  S
R  E A  L    E  S T A T  E
B  R  O  K  E  R A  G  E


November 3, 2012

11.

Two Rockridge News
Routes Open Up
James Kachelmeyer has been doing double
duty delivering The Rockridge News to
houses on two contiguous routes for the
past couple of years as well as serving on
the RCPC board. Sadly, he is moving out of
Rockridge and we are losing an exemplary
volunteer. We are looking for one or two
people to fill his shoes.
If you live in the neighborhood and have
an extra 15-30 minutes a month, please call
510/547-3855 or e-mail smontauk@gmail.
com and lay claim to the route(s) you would
like to take on.
Studio One Offers Classes, Classes, Classes
Studio One Art Center is a vocational and
expressive art center offering art classes
to the community. The only city-run program
dedicated to studio arts instruction for
persons of all ages, it has provided hands-on,
high-quality art experiences for children and
adults through classes, workshops and labs
since 1948. Events and programs include
Family Days, open houses, art receptions,
and poetry readings.
New classes are added every season.
Friend us on Facebook for the latest
updates. Download our brochure at www.
studiooneartcenter.net or call us at 510/597-
5027. Interns and volunteers are welcome.
Visit our renovated facility at 365 45th
Street to take classes in any of the following
creative arts:
Ceramics, Sculpture,
Flower Arts, Glass
Fusing, Stained Glass,
Bead-Making, Jewelry,
Painting, Mixed
Media, Drawing,
Life Drawing, Labs,
Calligraphy, Sewing,
Photography, Digital
Photography, Yoga,
Dance, Language
Arts, Drama,
Cartooning, Youth
Sports, and Winter,
Spring and Summer
Art Day Camps.

Studio Hours: M-Th; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. F, Sa; 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | 510/597-5027  www.studiooneartcenter.net

board seats and also help their community by
applying to join the board. RCPC’s volunteer
board of directors has been helping to support
and improve Rockridge for almost 40 years.
Send your letter of interest to: Board
Chair c/o RCPC, 3123 Broadway PMB 311,
Oakland, CA 94611, or via e-mail to chair@
rockridge.org. The board will select new
board members at its December meeting.
Board Vacancies
from page 2
out of Rockridge, and so has had to leave
the board.
Joining the Board
We hope others here in Rockridge will
take the opportunity presented by these open
November 25th
Faith for the iPod generation!
Announcing a NEW Mass time,
Sunday at 6:00p.m.
Also join us on:  December 16
food and drink to follow service
Saint Augustine Catholic Church
400 Alcatraz Ave • Oakland, CA 94609
Powerful & relevant liturgy
Contemporary music • A new time for busy schedules
Watch us live via webcam every Sunday (8:00a.m. and 10:30a.m.)
At http://www.staugustineoakland.com

Route
 Area
18Ga
Both sides of Claremont
Avenue from freeway to
Clifton
Both sides 5200 Claremont,
including apartment building
at 5248, and 5400 block
Claremont Ave, west side
only from Clifton to Cavour
16D
Rockridge
Optometry
Your neighborhood 
family eyecare providers
since 1947
Dr. Donald Sarver
Dr. Larry Sarver
Dr. Scott Yokoi
Dr. Cindy Sakai
5321 College Avenue, Oakland
510-655-3797
www.rockridgeoptometry.com


November 3, 2012
12.


Ou
t
&
Ab
o
u
t

Ha
l
l
o
w
e
e
n
Accordianist
Salane Schultz
Storyteller
Bobbie Kinkead
Out & About and Halloween Photos
Pages 7 and 12: Sara Feinberg,
Annette Floystrup, Don Kinkead,

Home Energy Roadshow Available at Oakland Tech
Homeowners interested in energy
efficiency are invited to a Home Energy
Roadshow in front of Oakland Tech from
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, November 17.
The Home Energy Roadshow is a
hands-on demonstration of energy efficiency
technology that can save energy, save
money, and make for a less drafty, more
comfortable home. Up to $4,000 in rebates
are available for homeowners who do energy
efficiency improvements through Energy
Upgrade CA, and participating local schools
receive $250 for every energy upgrade job.
Participating local schools include Oakland

Rockridge design
firm providing
creative, livable
design solutions

Ronnie Spitzer, Susan Strahan.
Tech, Emerson, Park Day, Chabot, Hillcrest,
Peralta, and Aurora.
Local participating contractors will
be at the Roadshow to answer questions.
Admission is free, lunch will be provided,
and children are welcome. This is the only
stop the Roadshow will make in Alameda
County. Drop by to learn how to make your
home more energy efficient, get thousands
of dollars back on your project, and help
local schools in the process. Learn more
at homeenergyroadshow.eventbrite.com.
Energize for the Prize/Energy Upgrade CA
— Edie Irons, Outreach Coordinator
ANCESTRY	
  QUESTIONS	
  
ANSWERED
Accredited	
  genealogist	
  
to	
  research/design	
  family	
  
genealogical	
  charts.
Honor	
  an	
  anniversary,	
  birthday,	
  
reunion,	
  or	
  personal	
  enlightenment.
Call	
  510.847.7709	
  for	
  samples,
estimates	
  or	
  basic	
  inquiries.	
  
Association	
  of	
  Professional	
  Genealogists
Inventory is Low but Prices are up

Closing date BR BA
Address
Original price
List price DOM
Selling price

•  Residential Remodels
•  Kitchens + Baths
•  Green Building Design
•  Color Consulting

9/27/12 3
1
5739 Presley Way
$875,000
$875,000
15
$1,100,000
10/23/12  4
 2
5328 Lawton Avenue
$880,088
$880,088
9
$1,052,000

W e ’ re  In  The   
neIghborhood
Jennifer Cooper, owner
5275 James Avenue
Oakland, CA  94618
5 1 0 . 6 5 2 . 5 0 3 6
pumpkinhousestudio.com

Average original list price to sales price is currently 122% vs 90% last year ·
 Median sold price is currently $1,076,000 vs $616,500 last year
Properties are selling in an average of 12 days · Currently a 3 week supply of inventory


November 3, 2012

13.

New on the Avenue
Dianne Ayers
Textile Studio & Friends
Owner: Dianne Ayers
Arts & Crafts textiles, furnishing and gifts
Note: Pop-up store through December
2012, permanent studio at
5427 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland
5550 College Avenue, Oakland
510-654-1645
www.textilestudio.com

LeKube + Studio
French design collective,
home décor and gifts
5451 College Avenue, Oakland
Owner: Romain Saide
510-882-6099
Open noon – 8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday
– Saturday, noon – 7 p.m. Sunday,
closed Tuesday
The flower and the b
Flowers, arrangements, gifts and cards
5655 College Avenue (Market Hall),
Owner: Brian McRonald
510-428-1547
www.theflowerandtheb.com
Open 9:30-7:30 Monday – Friday,
10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Saturday,
11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday
Toast
Restaurant and wine bar
with terrace dining
Owners: Heather Sittig and Kristen Policy,
Chef: Rebecca Boice
5900 College Avenue
510-658-5900
www.toastoakland.com
Open noon – 11 p.m. Monday – Saturday,
noon – 10 p.m. Sunday
LOOT
Home décor and gifts
Owner: Ron Morgan,
Manager: Betsy Hecht
5391 College Avenue, Oakland
Open 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Tuesday – Saturday,
noon – 4 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday
510-547-1400
lootantiques@yahoo.com
Old Brooklyn Bagels and Deli
Bagels, sandwiches, coffee
6000 College Avenue, Oakland
510-658-4963
www.oldbrooklynoakland.com
Open 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday,
8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturday - Sunday
Takara Sushi Restaurant
5097 College Avenue, Oakland
510-601-1424
www.takarasushioakland.com
Open 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and
5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday,
11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday – Saturday,
and 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. Sunday
School Tours
from page 5
facilities maintenance.
Nevertheless, Tech’s athletic programs
are thriving. In the 2011-12 academic year,
nearly 500 of its 1,800 students participated
in at least one sport. Tech has added boys’
and girls’ lacrosse clubs, boys’ volleyball, a
coed ice hockey club, and JV teams in both
boys’ and girls’ soccer to its slate of sports.
Pancake Breakfast tickets are $10 for
youth (18 and under), and $15 for adults. Day
of event tickets are $15 and $20, respectively.
Sponsor Tables for eight may be purchased
for $150, and include wait service, decorated
table with gift centerpiece, beverages, fruit
and bread basket at table, OT Spirit items,
and raffle tickets.
Purchase tickets online via PayPal: http://
tinyurl.com/1st-pancake-breakfast, or
request tickets by e-mail to: boosterclubinfo@
oaklandtech.com.
Thank you for your support of Oakland
Tech and Bulldog Athletics.
Design, Installation and Maintenance
Native Plant Gardens & Stonework
Andrea Hurd, Horticulturist and Stonemason
License #883905 h tel. 510.558.8429
www.mariposagardening.com
INTERIOR-EXTERIOR LEAD
CERTIFIED PAINTERS
Professional preparation. Many local
references. All work Guaranteed
(510) 654-3339


November 3, 2012
14.

Quality Gardening
Skilled Maintenance, Clean-ups, Aesthetic
Pruning, Real Estate Prep, Irrigation, Design
and Installation. Local refs. Ecologically
minded since 1995. Personal Attention,
Small Local Business. Free Estimates. Green’s
Gardens. 510/593-3490.
Learning/Writing Coach in
Rockridge
Is your child or teen struggling with reading,
writing, or school in general? Highly experienced,
credentialed teacher helps students become
more successful learners. College essay writing,
too. 510/655-2468 or anne.diskin@gmail.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.
December deadline is November 22, 2012
For information: smontauk@gmail.com
Property Management and
Leasing Services
Need someone reliable, efficient and avail-
able 24/7 to manage your rental property?
Bringing landlords and good tenants together
is my job! Contact George Vassiliades at
510/710-6826. GvRealtor@gmail.com.
Cuisine and Crafts Boutique
Saturday, December 8, 10-4, St. Peter’s, 6013
Lawton at Broadway. CUISINE: Jasmine Rice,
Meyer Lemon Marmalade, Minestrone Soup
Kits, Pickles, Rubs, Baked Goods... CRAFTS:
Aprons, Scarves, Hats, Placemats, Purses…
Come see! 925/284-9090.
Holiday Special! Penelope’s
Aesthetics Skin Care Salon
25% off waxing and facial services. Gift
certificates available. Receive excellent,
relaxing services with a gentle and personalized
treatment. www.penelopecalef.com
Traditional Anglican
Worship in Rockridge
St. Peter’s Parish, 6013 Lawton at Broadway.
Mass Sunday 8 and 10 am, Wednesday at
noon. Sunday School and Childcare Sunday
at 10. 510/597-1400. St.peters.oakland@
gmail.com (corrected address) www.saintpe-
tersoakland.com
Write Your Own Will: Free
Workshop
Everyone should have a will. Local Attorney
Kyle M. Johnston explains estate planning basics
and helps you write your own will. Oakland
Library, Rockridge Branch, 5:30-6:30 pm
Tuesday Nov. 13, 2012. RSVP at 510/527-1880.
Repairs
Kitchen & bath remodel, tile, decks, dry
rot, drainage, walls, termite damage, doors,
windows. Lic#458473. Don 510/812-0310.
Have a Toddler?
Try a 6-week instructional/discussion group
with Jess Levith, MA. Explore ins and outs
of raising a little one. Class starts Nov 6.
Limit 10 parents. Call now for more info!
510/883-3074 (corrected number).
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.
Spectacular Service
Housekeeping
We provide excellent housecleaning ser-
vice with greatest attention to detail. Local
recommendations. *Let us create free time
for you* WWW.spectacularhousekeeping.com.
510/228-5704. Free estimate.
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
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.
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
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

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
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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.
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
L
L
Fa
mi
lie
s
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)
.
Lic. #0670129
w w w . t b a o a k l a n d . o r g / k i n d e r g y m


November 3, 2012

15.

Donations for Oakland Museum
White Elephant Sale
A van is now available for free donation pick up. Drop-off
days are also scheduled at the warehouse site on Nov.19,
& Dec 10 (and other dates through Feb. 23, 2013). All
items donated to the Oakland Museum Women’s
Board White Elephant Sale are tax deductible. For
details about how to schedule a van pick-up; where to
deliver donations; what items are/are not accepted, go
to http://www.whiteelephantsale.org/donation-general-
information.
Volunteer at Chabot Space and
Science Center
Learn about volunteer program, training and perks.
Register now for next Volunteer Orientation on
Saturday, Dec 1, 10:00am-2:00pm. Volunteers welcome
visitors, share exhibits and historical telescopes, and
learn how to make earth and space science come alive
for visitors through interactive experiences. A variety of
volunteer shifts and times are available. 10000 Skyline
Blvd., 336-7300. More information and to register for
orientation, visit chabotspace.org/get-involved or
e-mail volunteers@chabotspace.org.
Jazz at the Chimes
Featuring Marcos Silva – “Made in Brazil”. Keyboard-
ist and composer from the forefront of the Bossa Nova
movement. Sunday, 11/18, 2pm, followed by artists’
reception and refreshments. Tickets at the door (cash
only).Sales begin 12:30 pm; doors open 1:30 pm. $15
general; $10 seniors (60+) and students. The concert
series features Bay Area jazz musicians in a landmarked
Julia Morgan venue. Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Pied-
mont Ave. Wheelchair accessible. Free parking. Info:
654-0123 or chimesjazz@gmail.com.
Square Dance in North Oakland
Music by The Squirrelly String Band. Calling by Jordan
Ruyle (with occasional guest performers). 1st and 3rd
Fridays each month, 8 – 10pm. All levels welcome; all
dances taught on the spot. $5-10 sliding scale donation.
The Niebyl-Proctor Library, 6501 Telegraph Ave. Info:
http://squirrellystringband.com.
North Oakland Senior Center

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.

Compiled by Jo Ellis

Community Calendar

Rockridge Branch Library
5366 College Avenue, 597-5017
***Find out how your library card allows you to get
free or discounted passes to museums and cultural
institutions with the “Discover & GO” program.
Some participating partners are the Asian Art Museum,
the Aquarium, Exploratorium, Oakland Museum Cal
Shakespeare Theater, Yerba Buena Ctr. for the Arts
and many more.***
FOR CHILDREN
FOR ADULTS
y
y PEN Oakland Literary Awards: presents the Jose-
phine Miles Book Awards (named for the late UCB
English Prof. and poet). 22nd Anniversary honoring
outstanding books published the previous year. Sat.,
12/1, 2 – 5pm. Info: Kim McMillon, 681-5652.
y
y Writers Support/Critique Group: All writers welcome.
Bring 17 copies of up to 5 pgs. (double-spaced, MS
margins) of any prose for on-site reading/discussion
(also welcome to come empty-handed). Third Saturday
each month; 1 to 5pm. Sponsored by the California
Writers Club, Berkeley branch. Info: 420-8775 or
Writefox@aol.com.
y
y Pre-School Story Time: (ages 2 to 5) Every Thurs,
10:30am.
y
y Toddler Story Time: (up to age 2) Every Thurs,
10:30am, upstairs.
y
y Lawyers in the Library: Free legal advice and
referrals. First Tues. each month, 5 to 7pm. (Advance
sign-up starts 4:45pm at adult reference desk).
Volunteer lawyer leaves before 7pm if no more
people present.
ART EXHIBITS (subject to change; call to confirm)
Gallery:
Nov: Irving Wiltshire; photographs.
Dec: Judith Marcellini; mixed media paintings.
Lobby Display Case:
Nov; Lori Anne Fischer; Dolls 4 Art Sake.
Dec: Kwanzaa display.
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: Tues, 11/13 and Thurs-Sat., 11/22 – 11/24.
Diesel Readings and Events
All FREE and open to the public.
y
y Family Story Time: Stories/songs/rhymes (to age
5). Every Saturday, 10:30am.
All story times followed by Playtime.
Special Event:
Miwok Crafts Session: Thursday, 11/29, 3:30-4:30.
Celebrate Native American History Month with crafts from
the Miwok culture of California, led by docents from the
Museum of Craft and Folk Art of San Francisco. Sign up
at Children’s Reference Desk: workshop limited to 25.
FOR TEENS
y
y Teen Advisory Board: (ages 14-18) Advise the library
how to better serve teens and get community service
credit for school. Snacks provided. 1st Saturday
each month from 1-2 pm. To confirm, call Megan
Kinney, 597-5017.
y
y Rockridge Ninjas: Watch and talk about Anime. Nov
20 and Dec 11 from 5 to 6:30pm. Info: Lisa Harter.
y
y Teen ‘Scape: Play video and board games; make
crafts; light snacks provided. Every Wed 2:30 to
4:15pm. Info: Emily Weak, 597-5017.
y
y Thurs, 11/8, 7pm. Poetry Reading with Norma Cole,
Sarah Riggs and Rebecca Farivar.
y
y Sun., 11/11, 3pm. Dylan Tomine: Closer to the Ground.
y
y Mon, 11/12, 7:30pm. Amnesty International Meet-
ing (2nd Mon. each month): All invited to exchange
ideas on action.
y
y Programs include: Arts/crafts; health counseling;
dancing and exercise; trips, tours and theater outings;
Alzheimer’s Caregivers support groups, computer
classes/more. Annual $12 membership entitles seniors
55 and older to discounts on activities and trips.
y
y Thurs, 11/15, 7pm. Annual Holiday Book Extrava-
ganza: Three reps from Random House will discuss
their favorite books of the season. Snacks and prizes.
NAMASTE
y
y Free Flu Shots: Wed.,11/14, 9am to noon. Bring
Medicare card.
y
y Fri, 11/16, 7pm. Co-Launch Party for Beeswax and
Monday Night Magazines. Readings by 4 local
poets and writers: Hough Behm-Steinberg, Diana
Aehegma, Sean Craven and Valerie Witte.
DIESEL, A Bookstore, 5433 College Ave. More info
(and other events and discussion groups): 653-9965
or events@dieselbookstore.com.
y
y AARP Driver Safety Course: Tues. 11/27 and 12/4;
9am to 1pm. (Free for Veterans and spouses; all
others welcome).
NEW TO YOGA?
y
y Holiday Shopping Trip: to Jelly Belly factory and
Vacaville outlets. Thurs, 12/6. Call for details.
Mon. – Fri., 9am to 4:30pm. 5714 Martin Luther King, Jr.
Way. Subscribe to “The North Oakland Senior Times”
for full schedule of classes/events, lunch menus, and
volunteer opportunities. Info: 597- 5085.
Temescal Farmers’ Market
Open Sundays, 9am to 1pm (all year). Locally grown
fruits and vegetables; fresh ranch eggs; home-made
bakery items; fresh cut flowers; unique prepared foods,
fresh locally caught fish, handcrafts and more. Sample
the goods; meet the grower; learn about unique food
varieties and cooking tips; and listen to live music. Bring
your own reusable bags. 5300 Claremont Ave. at DMV
parking lot. More info about Certified Farmers’ Markets
at www.urbanvillageonline.com.
3 CLASSES FOR $30*
* New students only, good for 30 days
Norman H. Burg, DDS
Now serving your yoga + wellness
needs from two Oakland locations
General Dentistry
(510) 652-1517
5700 Broadway, Oakland
ROCKRIDGE | GRAND LAKE
WWW.NAMASTEOAKLAND.COM
5416 College Avenue, Oakland, CA 510.547.YOGA
3229 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland, CA 510.832.YOGA
Happy Thanksgiving
A Prevention Oriented Practice


November 3, 2012
16.

pending sale
aboutface&body
dayspa      oaklandberkeley
mulTiple offers in 9 days
6070 ocean View drive,
 rockridge four Bedroom Tudor
Vaulted, wood-beamed ceiling in large living room,
hardwood floors, leaded glass windows, enchanting gardens,
Family Room, SF and Bay Views from Master Suite.
serving you since 1981
AVEDA PRODUCTS
Now offering men’s waxing
Call Today! (510) 682-5917
RockridgeHomeSales@Gmail.com
www.Rockridge-RealEstate.com
Over 400 homes sold -
Experience Counts
3190 college avenue
at alcatraz
berkeley, ca 94705
p 510.428.2600
www.aboutfaceandbody.net
KEVIN BROWN
Broker
654-8707 or 593-4780
Rockridge
Located on Market Hall’s Lower Level
Entry on Shafter Avenue
510-655-8808
sun-tues 10:30-5:30
wed-sat 10:30-8:00
PROVIDING

Professional,

Full Service

Real Estate Brokerage

To Rockridge Clients
 For Over 26 Years.
SPECIALIZING IN

OResidential Sales

OIncome Property

OCommercial

OProperty Management
www.curvesrockridge.com
Free Parking!
Across from BART
Open 7 Days
Mon- Fri  6:00 -7:30
Sat & Sun 8:00 - Noon
FOR SALE
ROCKRIDGE/TEMESCAL
473 55th Street  $495,000
3Beds/1Bath
Craftsman Bungalow w/Remodeled kitchen
and bath. Built-ins and Hrwd flrs. Charm!
www.473-55thst.com
31
PENDING – ROCKRIDGE
PENDING
5451 Broadway - Fixer    $549,000
2++Beds/1 Bath
Nice Period Arch Detailing intact. Ready for
your TLC & Ideas.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5451Broadway.com
Better Homes
Realty
5353 College Avenue
Oakland
PENDING
5394 Bryant Avenue    $659,000
2 Beds/ 1 Bath
Perfect Craftsman on the hill. New Designer
paint, Kitchen, and casita opening to a
stunning yard.
Award Winning Chabot Elementary School
www.5394Bryant.com
PENDING
5748 Ivanhoe Road     $1,500,000
4 Beds/ 3 Baths
Amazing Mediterranean Revival in Perfect
Condition.
www.5748Ivanhoe.com
Playing? Start in Oakland!
PENDING – TEMESCAL
PENDING
4701 Manila Avenue   $595,000
2 Beds/1Bath
Charming Craftsman Bungalow. Split-level
w/hardwood floors and awesome wood
detailing. Updated eat-in-kitchen and
detached garage.
www.4701Manila.com
Ron Kriss, Broker
Lawton Associates
L A W T O N
ROCKRIDGE
5327 College Ave
510.622.8300
ELMWOOD
2991 College Ave
510.883.7000
510-547-5970 Ext. 55
ronkriss@jps.net
“#1 in Rockridge Real Estate”
A S S O C I A T E S
Over 100 Homes Sold in Rockridge
www.LawtonAssoc.com
R E A L   E S T A T E
B R O K E R A G E
www.mcguire.com
Living? Love it in Oakland!