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Sponsored by the Rockridge Community Planning Council (RCPC)  •  4900 Shattuck Ave., PO Box 22504, Oakland  94609
RockridgeNews

THE

35th Anniversary Issue
(see pages 8 & 9)

VOL 38   •   NO. 3   •   ISSUE  NO. 384   •   MARCH 6, 2021                  CIRCULATION: 5,800 Residences; 200 Businesses

Annual Meeting & Board Election April 15;
Balloting Continues on April 17
RCPC
by Leonora Sea, Chair, Rockridge Community Planning Council
The Board of Directors of
the Rockridge Community
Planning Council (RCPC) is
pleased to announce the date of the
2021 Annual Meeting and Board
Election. Mark your calendar for
Thursday, April 15, with voting
starting at 6:30pm.
For those who cannot attend on
the 15th, balloting will continue on
Saturday, April 17, in the afternoon.
The meeting venue, at an outdoor
location, will be announced in the
April edition of The Rockridge News
together with public health measures
that will be in effect. Updates will be
posted online at rockridge.org and
on the RCPC Facebook page. n
The Community Is Invited to An
RCPC Town Hall on ADUs
by David Garcia, RCPC Board Member
Join us on Thursday, March 18, at
7pm, for a virtual town hall event
on how building a home in your
backyard could be right for you.
ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units)
— also known as granny flats or
in-law units — are gaining popu-
larity throughout the state as one
strategy to combat California’s per-
sistent housing crisis by providing
affordable and accessible housing
options for family and community
members. Rockridge is no excep-
tion, with many of our neighbors
building ADUs of their own. Our
town hall will focus on how you can
build your very own second unit.
We’ll be joined by representatives
from Maxable, an organization that
provides education and resources
for building ADUs, as well as local
homeowners who have gone through
the process of designing, permitting,
and constructing their own ADUs.
Please join us. For Zoom info,
please email info@rockridge.org. n

RCPC Election:
Virtual Candidates’
Forum: April 8
by Leonora Sea, RCPC Chair
One week before RCPC’s Annual
Meeting and Board election
(see article at left), the Rockridge
community will have an opportunity
to hear from Board candidates and to
pose questions in a Candidates’ Forum.
This event will be held as a Zoom
Webinar on Thursday, April 8, at
7pm. The event will also be streamed
on various social media channels.
Information on how to participate
will appear in next month’s Rockridge
News, and will be posted online at
the RCPC Facebook page. A YouTube
video of the forum will be posted at bit.
ly/RCPCYouTube. n
Take A Walk through
Local History with
Annalee Allen
by Judith Doner Berne
You might say Annalee Allen has
come full circle. Allen, who has
lived in Rockridge for more than 40
years, retired
this past
January
from her
long-held post
as coordinator of walking tours for
the City of Oakland. Now, Allen has
returned to the Oakland Heritage
Alliance (OHA) as a volunteer, where
she once served as president, ready “to
do whatever I can.”
The OHA, known for its Oakland
walking tours and advocacy for the
Allen, see page 13


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page 2
MARCH 2021

which feeds monarch butterflies. The
work includes trash pickup, weeding,
and pruning — at times hampered
by shut-offs and problems with the
watering system — and collaborating
with Caltrans for green waste and
garbage removal.
It is heartwarming and appreciated
to hear people shout out their thanks
as they drive by in a simple and
meaningful gesture of support to the
regular volunteers and a few infor-
mal consultants, in particular Agnes
Faughnan, who often donates plants
to the project.
The goal this year is to address
the irrigation system issues with the
help of a specialist to repair valves
and water lines and to redesign the
system overall to optimize usage.
While this is the primary use of
funding, some funds will be used
to increase the volume of plantings
as project proponents gain access to
wholesale-priced plants and succu-
lent cuttings.
Additional authorized grant funds
remain available, and we expect
to announce further grants in
upcoming issues of The Rockridge
News. If you have a project you are
considering or didn’t have time to
fully develop for this round, please
note that we anticipate announcing
an additional round of funding later
this year.
Want to donate time, expertise, or
labor? Contact Robin McDonnell at
info@rockridge.org to discuss your
thoughts on these proposed projects. n
More RCPC News:
RCPC Announces
First Round of
Grants
by Robin McDonnell, RCPC Grants
Committee Chair
The Rockridge News was founded March 1986
by Don Kinkead, and is published monthly (except
August).  It 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.
The Rockridge Community Plan-
ning Council (RCPC) is pleased to
announce the results of the first round
of the Kevin Faughnan Grants for
2021. Four applications were submit-
ted, and the RCPC Board has approved
a grant for Buzz Garden at 24.
This $750 grant allows for expan-
sion of an existing project originally
funded by the RCPC in 2016 when
the project proponents applied for
and received funds to create a garden
on the Caltrans property located by
the Highway 24 exit lane parallel to
Keith Avenue and Broadway.
The Buzz Garden at 24 is seen
by residents and commuters daily,
and it will be gratifying to see this
project continue to positively impact
neighbors and the local ecosystem.
The overall goal is to create a public
amenity that will provide natural
beauty and attract hummingbirds,
bees, and butterflies.
Creating and supporting biodiver-
sity in our urban setting is central
to the purpose of the garden. Native
and drought-resistant plants are
primarily used, as well as milkweed,
Rockridge News Production
Anna L. Marks ........................ Editor & Layout Artist
Jo Ellis........................Assistant Editor & Ad Manager
Susan Montauk................................Business Manager
Judith Doner Berne.......................Eyes on Rockridge
RCPC Board of Directors, 2020-21
Leonora Sea..........................................................Chair
Robin McDonnell..................................... Vice-Chair
Casey Farmer......................................... Co-Secretary
Michelle Boyd........................................ Co-Secretary
Ronnie Spitzer...............................................Treasurer
David Garcia, Stuart Flashman, Annette Floystrup,
Matt Levy, Eric Lombardo, Andrew Masalin, Kirk
Peterson
Contact the board: chair@rockridge.org
For information: info@rockridge.org
Contacting The Rockridge News
Are there community issues you’d like to see
covered in The Rockridge News? Have questions
about newsletter distribution? Want to volunteer
to be a Rockridge News block captain? Want to
write a letter to the Editor?
Articles submitted for consideration should be
emailed to the editor. All submissions are limited
to 600 words max (300 words for letters), and
must include the author’s name, email address, and
city or neighborhood of residence.
All submissions are subject to editing for clarity
and brevity. To submit content, or for reprints of
an article, contact: editor@rockridge.org.
Newsletter Subscriptions
To subscribe to The Rockridge News, send your
check for $20, payable to RCPC with “Rockridge
News” noted on the memo line.
Mail payment to:
RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Avenue,
PO Box 22504, Oakland, 94609
law office of
dave karlinsky
725 washington st., suite 313  oakland, ca 94607
(510) 788-5700    www.davekarlinskylaw.com
Display Advertising
Deadline for April 2021 issue: March 18
Advertising rates are $28/column inch. Six-month
pre-pay rate available. For display ads, call Jo Ellis
at 510-653-3210 (after noon), or email joellis1@
hotmail.com. Email Susan Montauk at smontauk@
gmail.com for information regarding classified ads.
Practicing exclusively in the area of trusts and estates:
• Estate planning

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• Dispute resolution
The Rockridge News reserves the right to refuse any
articles, display ads, or classified ads.
• Special needs trusts
Please contact me during regular business hours to
      schedule an appointment.
Views expressed in articles accepted for publication do
not necessarily reflect those of The Rockridge News,
its editor, or the board of directors of the Rockridge
Community Planning Council.


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page 3
MARCH 2021

Rockridge Community Planning Council — Land Use Committee
RCPC
The March Land Use Committee meeting will be held on Monday, March 22, at
7:30pm, via Zoom. Please check the RCPC Facebook page the week before for details.
The meeting is open to the public. Send an email to landuse@rockridge.org or call
(510) 652-5373 to receive a link/phone number to attend.
RCPC Land Use Committee Update —
March 2021
by Stuart Flashman, RCPC Land Use Committee Chair
The Land Use Committee held its
February meeting on February 22,
via Zoom, with a quorum of members
present.
been specified, by the March meeting,
the Committee expects to be in a posi-
tion to begin discussing which bills
might affect Rockridge, especially its
housing situation. The results of that
discussion will be presented in one or
more Rockridge News articles to inform
Rockridge residents about possible
implications.
If you have comments on any of these
items, or suggestions for the Committee,
you can email them to landuse@
rockridge.org.  n
Rockridge Housing Study
The Committee continued its
discussion of the Rockridge Housing
Study. Thus far, the Committee has
been unable to identify a source for
analyzing the feasibility and effect of
the additional incentives that have
been identified.
The aim of the incentives would
be to make constructing new larger
housing projects, and particularly
affordable housing, more attractive to
potential developers. A subcommittee
made up of committee members and
interested residents was appointed to
pursue avenues for analysis and report
back at the upcoming meeting on
March 22.
The Future of College Avenue Retail
The Committee continued with its
discussion on whether it makes sense
to continue College Avenue’s current
CN-1 zoning, which is intended to
promote an attractive retail area. The
Committee is seeking input from
current College Avenue businesses,
as well as from organizations repre-
senting other CN-1 zoned areas in
Oakland. Rockridge residents are also
encouraged to submit their thoughts
via email to landuse@rockridge.org, or
by regular mail to the RCPC, P.O. Box
22504, Oakland, 94609.
Current Legislation Affecting Rockridge
The State Legislature is back in
session, and the deadline for submit-
ting new pending bills has just passed.
While some of the bills are still only
“spot bills” whose details have not yet

NCPC MEETING
The Greater Rockridge
NCPC will hold its next
meeting on Thursday, April
8, at 7pm, via Zoom (no
meeting in March). The link will
be announced closer to the
meeting date. See https://rock-
ridgencpc.com for details.
The February 2021 minutes
are now available on the NCPC
website, at this link: https://
tinyurl.com/y7r5qmbz
Although the February
meeting was very short with
minimal attendance, we met
our new Community Resource
Officers for Beats 12Y and 13X
and discussed crime control
issues. Neighbors are encour-
aged to attend and participate.


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MARCH 2021

SAVE THE DATE:
MARCH 27
RCPC
Spring Cleaning for a
Litter-Free Rockridge

sidewalks accessible, and our park
spaces beautiful.
Individuals, families and household
units can come to one of three pick-up
locations in the neighborhood to
receive contractor bags, trash pick-
er-uppers, safety vests (if desired), and
rubberized gloves, and then visit spots
in the community that have accu-
mulated litter during these months
of sheltering-in-place. To maintain
protocols, only one household unit at
a time will pick up materials, and dis-
tribution will be done in a distanced
fashion, as much as possible.
We encourage you to join us as a
way to give back to the community by
beautifying our sidewalks and park
spaces. Each pick-up spot will have a
list of suggested locations to visit for
litter pick-up as well as advice and
recommendations regarding what
to pick up and how to stay safe. Bag

The following locations will have
materials available for pick-up on
March 27, from 10am-3pm.
A – 5743 Hermann Street
(between 58th & Ayala)
B – 5626 Ocean View Drive
(between College & McMillan)

by Eric Lombardo, RCPC Parks
Committee Chair
Tdrop-off instructions at a central loca-
tion will also be provided for those
who do not want to fit bags in their
own bins. Sealed snacks and drinks
will be available for those interested.
You do not need to sign up to
participate, but if you have questions
or thoughts, please send them to Eric
at eric@ericlombardo.com. Thank you
for helping to keep our community
litter-free… see you on March 27. n

C – Hemphill Place, at the end of
the cul-de-sac
he RCPC Board and Parks Com-
mittee is excited to announce
a pandemic-safe community clean-up
event to celebrate Cesar Chavez Day
and the Spring Equinox on Saturday,
March 27. Working collectively, we
can keep our storm drains clear, our
Update on Safeway Settlement Project
by Matt Levy, RCPC Transportation Chair
In late 2012, the Rockridge Com-
munity Planning Council (RCPC)
reached a settlement agreement with
Safeway to provide funding to address
the traffic impacts on the neighbor-
hood caused by their development
at College and Claremont. In 2019,
RCPC brought together concerned
community members to propose key
transportation priorities to Safeway
for approval and funding.
As chair of the Transportation
Committee, I plan to shepherd
this project to completion, which
will likely take 1-2 years, and has a
number of hurdles to cross (from
Safeway actually disbursing the funds,
to Oakland’s City Council approving
the proposed project).
It is my goal to be transparent and
communicative with our community
as we make headway on what could
eventually benefit us all. I’m hopeful
we will move swiftly to secure the
funds from Safeway and retain the
services of a transportation design
firm to help us cost out this work and
better understand what is feasible.
Although funds are still pending,
top priorities identified by
community members include:
• Rectangular rapid-flashing beacons
at Alcatraz/Colby & Alcatraz/
Hillegass
• Extending the curb (a.k.a. bulb-
outs) where Hillegass crosses
Alcatraz
• Speed bumps on Hillegass between
Alcatraz and Woolsey, Alcatraz and
63rd St, and 62nd St and 61st St.
• Speed bumps on Benvenue between
Alcatraz and Woolsey
• New crosswalk across Alcatraz
Ave at Benvenue, potentially with
bulb-outs
For any residents who live around
the proposed blocks mentioned above,
it will be very helpful if you email me
at mjmlevy@gmail.com. I will gather
the contact information for those who
would sign petitions/letters of support
to submit to the Oakland City Coun-
cil in the months ahead. n


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MARCH 2021

Peralta Elementary
Online Auction &
Magic Show
T
Oakland Police Walk
Through Rockridge
by Karen Ivy, Secretary, Greater
Rockridge Neighborhood Crime
Prevention Council
grounds and gardens; sustain our
vibrant art program; bring music to
the students; and ultimately keep
it all together in one of the hardest
teaching years yet — so we’re deter-
mined to keep our auction event alive
and make every effort count.”
For more information and to
contribute auction items, visit https://
www.peraltaschool.org/auction. n
he annual community event,
hosted by the Peralta Parents
Teachers Group (PPTG), will be held
online on Saturday, April 17, from
3:45 to 5:30pm. The Virtual Auction
& Magic Show is open to the general
public and free to attend with regis-
tration. The event will be hosted by
Master Auctioneer Steve Godfryd and
will include giveaways, a live auction,
and a live magic show by Magic Evan.
 “We are working hard to maintain
a sense of community and support
each other,” said Kristel Weaver-
Schoeneman, Co-President PPTG.
“Fundraising helps us to nurture the
Officers G. Lee, E. Macedo, and
D. Fowler talked with an employee
at Sukho Thai.
Angela Moore, under the City
Administrator’s office, coordi-
nated the second phase of the OPD
pilot project — walking through the
community to meet business owners
and residents. Myself, along with
Chris Jackson, of the Rockridge Dis-
trict Association, and some neighbors,
accompanied the OPD patrol officers.
During the three walks last month,
the officers explained their duties
as beat officers and listened to the
community concerns and challenges.
Some of these included slow OPD
response times, and dispatch issues
when police are not available to
respond. All concerns will be shared
with the local Community Resource
Officer (CRO). As we walked, Chris
Jackson pointed out the surveillance
cameras on College from Manila to
the BART station.
The biggest problem was the
unsheltered population, an increasing
number of individuals who present
a danger to themselves or others due
to signs of mental illness (in police
parlance, “5150s”). Also noticeable
was the lack of pedestrian traffic due
to the pandemic and its effect on the
local businesses.
To receive NCPC notifications,
visit RockridgeNCPC@groups.io.
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Competition Drives Price in January
Closing date
BR
BA

Address                                Original price         List price
DOM
Selling price
1/04/2021
4
4.5

355 63Rd St                           $2,950,000
        $2,950,000
13
$3,500,000
1/07/2021
3
2.5

6426 Benvenue Ave             $1,149,500
        $1,149,500
15
$1,345,000
1/13/2021
4
2
         5127 Lawton Ave                  $1,495,000
        $1,549,000
75
$1,549,000
1/14/2021
2
2

5405 Carlton St                        $719,000
           $719,000
35
  $705,000
Homes sold in January closed 12% over the asking price on average.
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MARCH 2021
Exploring the Possibilities for Densification of
Rockridge under Current Zoning

by Jennifer McElrath, Upper Broadway Advocates

Win Rockridge. As we conducted our
survey, we met several seniors who
commented on how ADUs have
allowed them to stay in their homes
economically, or to have room for
caregivers to live on site.
We hope to find out what structures
currently make up our neighbor-
hood and the potential for adding
additional units via single-family
home conversions to duplexes;
creation of attached and detached
ADUs; re-conversion of office space
back to apartments; development
of opportunity lots; and/or in some
cases, replacement construction of
single-story commercial space.
Rockridge is no stranger to increas-
ing density. We discovered one block
with 29 units on 20 parcels, and the
potential to add 6-10 units, especially
with regulatory changes and/or
resource assistance. Another block of
44 parcels holds 54 units including
5 detached secondary units, and 5
non-detached that were created via
remodeling in recent years. As of
mid-February, 60 planning permits
and 37 building permits for ADUs
were issued in Rockridge.

hat is the right balance of
housing, commercial business,
green space, and the other elements
needed to have a thriving commu-
nity? Long-term city plans should
provide guidance, but with proposals
by developers and legislators often
conflicting with local plans, Rock-
ridge residents need to understand
how much additional housing, and
what type, will contribute to the
social and economic prosperity in
our community, and benefit greater
Oakland.
For starters, it helps to understand
what could be accomplished under
existing zoning. At Upper Broadway
Advocates, Diana Mitchell-Chavez,
Kirk Peterson, USF intern Alex Libed,
and I have embarked on a survey with
analytical and subjective components
to do just that by subdividing the
Rockridge boundary map into sections
of comparable development. The plan
is to evaluate these sections for growth
potential based on zoning, including
lot size, parcel taxes, commercial
units, multi-unit buildings, Accessory
Dwelling Units (ADUs), garages, street
parking, construction, and density.
We have started with sample blocks
in several sections and will expand to
a sample in each section, potentially,
and over time, covering most blocks
Find out more about ADUs in
Oakland at https://www.oaklandca.
gov/topics/secondary-units. n


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MARCH 2021

Room for Granny — ADUs Provide Additional
Living Options for Rockridge Homeowners

by Myrna Walton

Thinking of building an ADU?
Learn more about the fast-changing
world of Accessory Dwelling Units
at the
RCPC virtual Town Hall
Thursday, March 18, at 7pm

A
Their goal is to give a decent return to
their investors and provide long-term
income for the homeowner. They work
with multiple fabricators offsite who
deliver parts to the site. The construc-
tion is associated with Arizmendi (a
local co-op with several businesses,
including bakeries and landscape
design). They are also hoping to work
with community land trusts.
Rent the Backyard
(rentthebackyard.com)

ccessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
have recently come into favor as
a result of loosening regulations for
homeowners looking to expand their
living space options. For some, it’s to
accommodate an aging family member
or create additional space for guests.
For others, it’s to provide more income
without having to sell and move.
These modern-looking backyard
cottages can be relatively affordable
and resonably quick to design and
build. Several companies have stepped
up to provide these services.
Register by email: info@rockridge.org
ble, waterproof, fire-resistant, and
earthquake-rated body/chassis for the
rest of the build.
Having been previously certified by
the California Department of Hous-
ing and Community Development,
these units do not require permits,
except for site preparation, utility
connections, and foundation.
Prices range from $110,500 for a
320 sq. ft. studio to a starting price of
$198,500 for a 640 sq. ft. two-bedroom
unit, not including site preparation,
delivery, installation, and utilities
(approximately $30,000 to 40,000).
These are just a few of the many
companies offering their version of
stand alone ADUs, as well as archi-
tects who can design a custom unit.
They each have ingenious ways to
minimize costs. More inexpensive
ADUs can also be added to an exist-
ing house by converting garages or
unused space. n
Rent The Backyard’s model is
12x34 feet, a compact 418 sq. ft,
that can be built in any backyard
throughout the Bay Area that is
relatively flat and has 20x43 feet
of space. It takes 10 to 12 weeks to
manufacture the unit, and two to
four weeks to build a foundation and
install the pre-built unit. The house
is built at an Oakland factory using
environmentally conscious materials,
such as laminated wood.
The all-inclusive price of $185,000
includes project management, city
permit, the backyard home, a perma-
nent concrete foundation, installation
of the backyard home, connecting
the backyard home to utilities (water,
sewer, and electric), and even some
light landscaping to restore the back-
yard’s condition. The kitchenette also
includes a full oven and dishwasher.
Once the unit is built and installed,
the company helps the owner select a
pre-vetted property manager and find
a tenant. Co-founder and CEO Brian
Bakerman notes that the $185,000
purchase price can be paid for with
a home equity loan and the payment
can be less than $800/month — far
less than what homeowners can get in
rent from their unit.
Bay Modular (thebaymodular.com)
OBY (obyhouse.com)
OBY provides start-to-end man-
agement of the project, including
financing, a standard simple design
for a two-bedroom unit, permits, and
construction using pre-built wood
panels. OBY takes a long lease on the
structure, selects tenants, collects
rent, remits a portion (currently set
at $500) to the owner, and maintains
the ADU. Tenants use housing vouch-
ers. The units come with a kitchen,
bathroom, built-in furniture, and
solar power. According to Declan
Keefe, OBY’s Co-Founder, “OBY
makes use of modular prefabrication
techniques to build as much as pos-
sible off-site as a way to minimize
construction on site.”
OBY analyzed all of Oakland except
the hills and modeled their design to
fit in 50 percent of backyards. They are
currently trying out their product with
a homeowner in Castlemont.
The biggest constraint to building
ADUs is financing. Federal regulations
do not allow mortgage providers to
include the projected potential rental
income of the ADU before it exists.
Also, there are no clear guidelines for
home appraisers to appraise ADUs, so
their value on resale or “refi” is hard to
know or plan for ahead of time.
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THE
page 8
MARCH 2021

A Quick Retrospective — 35 Years of
The Rockridge News
In 1993, Rockridge residents Brooke Levin
and Annalee Allen (Allen is also featured in this
issue) helped organize the Firestorm Commu-
nity Mural at the Rockridge BART station.
The hand-painted tiles recognize the 3000+
homes that were destroyed in the Oakland Hills
Fire, and remember the 25 people who were
killed. More than 2,000 tiles were created and
displayed as a way to help heal our community.
by Anna L. Marks, editor
In March of 1986, Don Kinkead
(a Rockridge resident since 1970)
published the first issue of The Rock-
ridge News to inform his neighbors
about the then current development
issues surrounding the soon-to-be-
built Dreyer’s office complex, the
expansion of parking and housing
at Market Hall, and the local impact
of the Yoshi’s music venue. During
Don’s tenure, this newsletter went
from a one-page xeroxed handout to a
16-page newsletter (now also available
online in color with web hotlinks).
Over the years, this publication
documented many local issues and
events, including the 1989 Loma
Prieta earthquake and the 1991 Hills
Fire. Rockridge survived both of
these, but the hillsides of our neigh-
borhood were partially or completely
destroyed in the fire — including
Hiller Highlands, Broadway Terrace
and Upper Rockridge — nearly reach-
ing as far as the Claremont Hotel.
The News also covered events
involving our schools, libraries, land
use, and parks (to name a few), some
of which are captured in this sam-
pling of headlines that have graced
these pages over the years. n
The first issue of The Rockridge News was
printed in March 1986 as a xerox copy.
In the January 1989 issue, it was noted
that the first phase of the Rockridge
Area Plan had been completed with
surveys filled out by hundreds of
residents, merchants, and homeowners.
Many of them spent long hours to
support the integrity of our local zoning.
May 1993
Nov 1994
Nov 1989
“I believe Rockridge’s secret
ingredient is the extraordinary
number of people who care
enough about our community to
become involved, to spend time
and energy to work together to
find solutions.”
This cartoon by Examiner columnist,
cartoonist and Rockridge resident
Bradley Inman, ran in November 1987.
Some Rockridge homes were
red-tagged as “unsafe” and those
residents sheltered at Claremont
Middle School (60 people) and Oakland
Tech (300 people).
— Barbara Anderson,
one-time RCPC Chair, said of the
community’s Rockridge Area Plan

Chimes Grocery at College and Keith,
(which opened in 1930 when the area
was the “Chimes District”) hosted
a community bulletin board to help
people connect after the Hills Fire.
Nov 1990


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page 9
MARCH 2021

Several editors have followed in Don
Kinkead’s footsteps after he retired on
numerous occasions. These include Kathy
Walsh, Trish West, Clair Issacs and Cy
Gulassa. I am honored to continue Don’s
legacy as of September 2019 when the
torch was passed to me, Anna Marks.
May 1992
The Rockridge Kitchen Tour has been
the primary fundraiser for the RCPC
since it began 1995.
The success of this publication is due not only
to Don Kinkead’s vision, but also to his wife,
Bobbie Kinkead (pictured above) along with
Barbara Anderson and a vast number – 160 at
last count – of neighborhood volunteers who
bundle, box, and distribute to nearly 6,000
homes and businesses each month.
Dec 1994
May 2000
Library breaks ground
in  March 1995.
Dec 1994
The Rockridge Halloween Parade has
been an annual tradition since 1992.
Dec 1996
Dec 2000
Many locals contributed monthly
columns through the years.
Above: FROG Park breaks
ground in Oct 2001...
The Rockridge News is sponsored by the
RCPC (Board photo above from 1989),
a membership organization that came
together in the early 1970s and continues
to represent Rockridge residents today.
...and the Rockridge-Temescal
Greenbelt opens in Dec 2001.
(Don Kinkead is pictured above, top-right)


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page 10
MARCH 2021

The Dish On
Takeout Food in
Rockridge
by Terre Beynart
(a.k.a. “The Green Celiac”)
The Green Celiac reviews Rockridge
eateries that offer takeout with a
focus on ease of ordering, clarity of
the menu for those on special diets,
and a critique of the sustainability
of takeout packaging.
When the award-winning restau-
rant Millennium moved across
the Bay to 5912 College Avenue in
2015, we licked our lips in anticipa-
tion. Its reputation had preceded it as a
fine top-shelf vegan restaurant. While
I never made it to the San Francisco
location, I have been a frequent diner
at Millennium College Avenue. The
dish that keeps me coming back is the
Coriander & Arborio Crusted Oyster
Mushrooms ($15), which is listed as a
starter. It is served with lovage (a root
vegetable), sweet pepper remoulade,
lime, and cabbage slaw. It is a gener-
ous portion for a starter, and in our
house, there is a race to see who gets
that last mushroom.
Our main course selections were
the Enchiladas ($18), Mac N Cheese
($17), and the Little Gems Salad
($13). The butternut squash, cashew
cheese, and plantains in the Enchila-
das gave this dish a smoky sweetness
which was balanced nicely with the
sauce. The Mac N Cheese featured a
sherry mushroom and sage-cashew

Photo: Terre Beynart

Millennium offers take out, delivery, and limited seating on the outdoor patio.

cream, spinach, roasted broccoli,
and almond gremolata. The dish was
hearty and the cashew cream made
it rich and slightly sweet… very nice.
I must say that their Enchiladas and
Mac N Cheese, although heavenly,
are unlikely to taste like any other
you have eaten. Do your palate a
favor and give these thoughtful inter-
pretations a try.
The food came in a paper bag. The
Little Gems Salad and Crusted Oyster
Mushrooms came in cardboard boxes.
The Enchiladas and Mac N Cheese
came in molded cardboard boxes with
plastic-like lids which were labeled
compostable. No cutlery, no napkins
— way to go, Millennium.
Since this is a vegan restaurant,
most food labeling issues are moot,
with the exception of gluten-free.
Their online ordering system (through
Toasttab) seems well maintained. I
checked it the day before Valentine’s
Day and it was clear what was, and
was not, available for ordering. Glu-
ten-free items are clearly labeled. The
online ordering worked well, which
is excellent because calls often aren’t
answered when the restaurant is busy.
Question: Why did the ghost decide
to go vegan? Answer: Because it is
super natural.
Kitchen Story
It’s been interesting to watch the
changes happening at 5422 College
Avenue. For 25 years in that location,
Rockridge treasure Café Rustica
operated a pizzeria and dining room,
and, during later years,The Conga
Room, a funky tiki bar upstairs.
The Dish, see next page


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page 11
MARCH 2021

Rockridge
Dining Guide
Contact these local restaurants
for pickup and delivery — and ask
about outdoor dining options.
A Coté
A16
Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers
Becky’s Chinese Restaurant
Beer Baron
Belotti Ristorante
Cactus Taqueria
Cole Coffee
Crepevine
Enoteca Molinari
Filippo’s
Flavors of India
Great Wall Chinese
High Peaks Kitchen
Holy Basil Pho
Hudson Bay Cafe
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches
Khana Peena
Kitchen Story
La Farine
Marica
Millennium
Mitama
Momo Ramen
Namastey Patio
Noodle Theory
Oliveto Restaurant
Philz Coffee
Ramen Shop
RareTea
Redfield Cider Bar & Bottle Shop
Rikyu Japanese Restaurant
Rockridge Cafe
Smitten Ice Cream
Soi 4 Bangkok Eatery
Southie
Sukho Thai
The Burrito Shop
The Chocolate Dragon
The Golden Squirrel
Uzen
Wood Tavern
Yimm
Zachary’s Chicago Pizza

Kitchen Story serves up Asian-style California cuisine.
Photo: Terre Beynart

The Dish, from previous page
ble ($19) that had shrimp, smoked
salmon, crab, bacon, garlic, cherry
pepper, and cheddar. He loved it. This
is a good place for big eaters.
On the packaging front, the takeout
came in a paper bag but both break-
fasts were delivered in plastic. They
get a point for asking if we needed
cutlery. The online menu does not
provide the type of information those
on special diets need. However, you
can call and ask questions. You can
also place order requests by phone.
Kitchen Story is a great addition
to the neighborhood. I am happy for
their success, and I look forward to
sampling some of their lunch and
dinner offerings.
For more details on these reviews
and info about accessibility and
sustainable takeout packaging, visit
thegreenceliac.wordpress.com. n

I was a fan of both. The current
occupant, Kitchen Story, serves con-
temporary Korean-American cuisine.
The breakfasts and lunches are Amer-
ican dishes with a touch of Asian
influence. The dinners are innovative
Asian. We went for the breakfasts.
We each ordered an Egg Scramble
that comes with crispy Yukon pota-
toes and toast. For an extra $2 you
can substitute fruit for the potatoes.
I got the Big Hass Scramble ($16)
that includes bacon, mushrooms,
spinach, avocado, kimchi pico de
gallo, and mild cheddar. The scramble
was rich and hearty, the potatoes were
crispy as advertised, and they have
gluten-free toast, which delighted me.
The portions were gigantic and I
am ashamed to admit that I ate it all.
My husband got the Sailor’s Scram-
Fundraiser for Becky’s Chinese Restaurant

Sometime around the Chinese New Year, Becky’s Chinese Restaurant,
located at 5620 College Avenue, was vandalized and both front doors were
shattered. Rockridge resident Suzanne Koga set up a GoFundMe page to help
pay for their replacement. This act bore all the hallmarks of an anti-Asian
crime, one of a rash that occurred around the holiday in Oakland and else-
where, including here in Rockridge.
As a fixture of our Rockridge neighborhood since 2005, Becky’s offers
delicious, well-priced Chinese cuisine, and often donates food and gift
certificates for schools, fundraisers, and local events. In a demonstration of
strong and immediate community support, as of this printing, the fund has
already surpassed its goal of raising $2,000.


THE
page 12
MARCH 2021
Oakland Tech to Hold Online Annual
Fundraiser and Virtual Gala

by Sara Drekmeier

Thank you for your generous
support of these local sponsors:
Tom Nitsan/MPR Financial
Ruth Goldstone/Red Oak Realty
Cogley Property Inspections

Tshops; cookbooks; jewelry and acces-
sories; eco-friendly products for home
and garden; professional services;
tutoring; and much more. Members of
the community are invited to bid and
compete for any of these terrific items.
Raffle tickets for an Instant Wine
Cellar and a Public C7 bike will be
for sale. Please contact auction@
oaklandtech.com for how to purchase
those tickets. Community members
are also invited to the Virtual Gala
featuring a Live Auction for vacation
homes, wine club membership and a
private movie screening for two, and
other great prizes.
Registration is required but

he Oakland Tech Parent Teacher
Student Association (PTSA) will
be holding its annual fundraising
event — and its first virtual gala,
“Mask-erade,” on Saturday, March 13,
at 5pm, to bring the community
together and raise much-needed funds
for the school during this unprece-
dented time. The Virtual Gala will
be preceded by an online auction
beginning on Saturday, March 6, at
9am, and continuing through Saturday,
March 13, at 5pm.
The online auction will feature
over 300 items for bidding, including,
but not limited to: gift cards to local
restaurants, grocery stores, bookstores,
admission is free. Proceeds benefit
the Oakland Technical High School
PTSA, which funds a wide range of
activities and support services for
students and teachers through their
regular budgetary process as well as
special projects through their mini-
grant program.   A portion of overall
proceeds will also be donated to the
Equity Fund for Oakland Schools,
which distributes financial support
for Oakland public schools facing the
greatest stresses and needs.
Link for online auction and virtual
gala: Oakland Tech Auction 2021. n

The Bhatia Group
Ruth Stroup/Farmers Insurance
Maxi Lilley/Red Oak Realty
Financial Fitness Center, LLC
Terraphase Engineering
Mariposa Bakery
Pt Reyes Cheese
The Diamond Cartolano Group
and
Temescal Works


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page 13
MARCH 2021

The only Oakland mayor to take
one of the tours was Jean Quan, who
was part of a group Allen led through
the streets of Chinatown during
Quan’s 2011-2015 term. “I made sure
I knew everything. But she knew all
kinds of things that I then added to
the tour. I ended up with a better
understanding of the area.”
Under various mayors, including
current Mayor Libby Schaaf, Allen
described her role as “sort of the
hostess of city hall,” and said that
“Mayor Schaaf is a big one for the
tours.” “When she had guests to
breakfast, I would take them through
the City Council chambers, her
Allen, from front page
preservation of the city’s landmarks,
welcomes her back, said Naomi Schiff,
board member and past president.
“I first met Annalee when we were
each managing young families. We
brought our babies to board meetings,
hoping they wouldn’t make too many
disturbing noises. A lot of OHA’s
activities were centered on Rockridge’s
Lawton Avenue — home to Annalee.”
When Allen was president, Schiff
said, she helped the organization’s
preservation efforts through the
Loma Prieta earthquake (“yes,
there were those who advocated for
demolishing City Hall”) and the
Oakland firestorm after which she
coordinated the Firestorm Tile Mural
Project at the Rockridge BART sta-
tion. As one of the leaders of OHA’s
summer walking tours, “she invented
lively walks chock full of information
and anecdote.
“Annalee built on all that experi-
ence, and expanded her reach, to run
the city’s Oakland Tours program
for all these years,” Schiff said. “She
does the research, knows the stories,
and has succeeded in highlighting the
virtues of our spectacular built and
human resources.”
Allen, who has written three books
and a regular column on local history
that ran in the old Oakland Tribune,
is quick to say she relies for much of
her information “on other people who
know more about the history than I
do. I work a lot in the Oakland His-
tory Room. I’m not a trained writer.
Allen, see next page
Annalee Allen, who wrote a postcard
history of Oakland, enjoys walking
to U.S. Postal Service mailboxes
scattered throughout Rockridge.
But I had myself a fun little time.”
Her efforts as chair of Oakland’s
Landmarks Preservation Advisory
Board, the first OHA member to
serve, led to the Oakland Tours Coor-
dinator job that she held beginning
in 1996. She praised the corp of vol-
unteers who lead the eight tours that
normally span the summer months.
But if someone is sick or on vacation,
she admitted, “I can do any of them.”
“My tours were always free,” Allen
said, and centered on the landmarks
of downtown Oakland. In contrast,
people pay for the OHA tours which
focus on outlying neighborhoods. “It
was an unwritten rule,” she said.
“I wouldn’t encroach on them.”
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THE
page 14
MARCH 2021

Allen, from previous page
who were high school sweethearts,
returned to the Bay Area, raising
their three sons in Rockridge. Now,
they have a 6-year-old grandson and
another on the way.
A month into her retirement, she
is ready to sort and organize her
past columns as well as help with the
new grandchild. And walking will
continue to be a big part of her life.
She, together with a group of friends,
regularly makes the loop around Lake
Merritt. One of her books was devoted
to picture postcards of old Oakland,
and, particularly during the Covid-19
pandemic, a favorite walk to the U.S.
Postal Service mailboxes scattered
throughout Rockridge.
“She’s a contributor to the culture of
the neighborhood,” said Ron Yank, a
longtime friend and neighbor. “She’s
outside a lot. She takes care of stray
cats. She’s the kind of neighbor who’s
extremely helpful,” said Yank, a retired
attorney who led then-Gov. Jerry
Brown’s California Human Resources
Department. “Annalee’s one of the
main fixtures on the block.”
Allen’s job was 20 hours per week,
but that never stopped her from put-
ting in whatever time was necessary.
“I was a long-time pro-bono person,
and the actual time did not matter so
much.” She and others are worried
that her position, which is one of the
city jobs that has been frozen due to
the economic fallout from the pan-
demic, is in jeopardy.
“The Oakland Tours Program has
provided a window into Oakland
history for many Oakland residents,
visitors, and businesses considering
Oakland as a home,” said Brooke
Levin, retired Oakland Public Works
Director and fellow Rockridge resi-
dent. “Now is the time to expand the
tours to be inclusive of many other
aspects of Oakland, especially since
the Covid-19 pandemic has changed
the landscape of our community.”
“I’ve tried to leave my office so
whoever takes over will have all the
resources they need,” Allen seconded.
“I want our city to shine.”
honed at an early age and by local
architecture. She told this writer
for an earlier column, “It was so
inspiring,” to look out her bedroom
window at the iconic Claremont
Hotel as she was growing up. “I
knew who Julia Morgan was as a
young girl” because she roamed the
Morgan-designed Berkeley City Club
where her grandmother lived.
After majoring in art history with
a focus on architecture at UCLA,
Allen and her attorney husband Jim,
offices, and the gallery.”
Indeed, in the Mayoral resolution
that Allen received upon retirement,
Schaaf framed her as “Ms. Oakland
History” and lauded her for coor-
dinating with “Oakland Schools
third-grade classrooms for civic tours;
the Mayor and City Council Offices
on special tours and recruiting and
training; and supporting a group of
volunteer tour guides on public tours.”
Allen’s love of old buildings was
To suggest topics for future columns,
please email judyberne@att.net. n


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page 15
MARCH 2021

Nominations Now
Open for “Mother
of the Year”
O
RNClassifieds
agency, or service-related organiza-
tion. The call for nominations is open
until 4pm on March 31, and anyone
can make a nomination of someone
whose contributions to the commu-
nity symbolize the finest traditions of
“motherhood.”
Past awards have gone to those
who reflected the best of humanity
through leadership and perseverance
against all odds to make a positive
impact for families or community life.
Do you have a nominee? If so,
email your request for a nomination
form with quantifications for
the 2021 Mother of the Year to:
oprydmotheroftheyear@gmail.com.
Visit www.oaklandwiki.org to learn the
history and names of past “mothers.” n
List your 36-word message here for only $22
(phone number counts as one word). Make
check payable to RCPC, and write “Rockridge
News Classified Ad” in the memo line.
Mail to: RCPC, 4900 Shattuck Ave., PO Box
22504, Oakland, 94609-20131. The deadline
for the April 2021 issue is March 18 – available
on April 3. For more information, email Susan
Montauk at smontauk@gmail.com.
akland’s Mother of the Year is a
tradition dating back to 1954.
Every year on the Saturday before
Mother’s Day, a new “Mother” is
proclaimed, and her name is added to
the walk of fame at the Morcom Rose
Garden. Honorees will be recognized
on Saturday, May 8, at 10:30am
through a Zoom virtual event.
The individual must be nominated
by a business, community group,
professional association, government
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Large jobs or small. Twenty-plus years in
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jobs. Free estimates. Rockridge references.
Please call or text Flor at 510-485-4735. n
http://oaklandlibrary.org


THE
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