What a Saturday. Didn’t get out until noon when I saw some 20 sailboats sporting spinnakers in all colors of the rainbow heading up the Strait. The little covered space at the Community Garden was like a beehive, with vendors selling plants, soaps, cards and Filipino food. I found a large mature fan succulent for a great price. Too heavy to carry so they set it aside.
Stopped at Bookshop Benicia and bought a book which was highly recommended by them for entertaining summer reading. Later at home, I’d read some 25 pages before I realized I’d read it before. I scanned my notebook for books I’ve read each year hoping not to find it. But, alas, there it was. The disturbing thing was I’d read it only two years ago. Maybe I don’t need to read so many books — can just keep reading the same ones.
Headed up to the library to turn in some books. The library doors were open, but the library was closed. Currently they are open on MWF and pick-ups by appointment on TTS. Back on Monday, Che Soto-Vigil, the librarian and media specialist at Mary Farmer School, greeted me at the door. He had gotten Covid last year but luckily his family was spared. The library was quiet, acrylic screens protected the librarians, and the books-for-sale alcove was cordoned off. Much to admire in their cautious approach.
The building that takes up almost the entire block of First and East F St. has been painted a series of light grey and tans and gives a whole new look to the block. North American Title, State Farm, and Sparkly Rags look fresh as a daisy. Double Rainbow sports a giant ice cream cone on the front that looks like pistachio with chocolate on top. Back in the day, we used to get our cones at Curry’s in L.A. The jingle was “mile high Curry cone.” They were an outrageous ten cents, five cents more than those at SaveOn, but they had the waffle cone.
Discovered the tiny plant shop — Aquarian Plants — while at the Courtyard. Samantha owns it and the Courtyard Salon next door. It’s fun to get to, through a secret alley with ivy covered walls which open into the shop itself. Bianca was working and gave me a fascinating lesson in exotic plants. Mists of cool water permeate the space. I went back the next day and they had tables of plants set up in the Courtyard. I bought a miniature tree that reminded me of a bonsai. One plant looked like it had paint splattered on it and another had polka dots. Read in the Chronicle yesterday that indoor plants are the big thing now. Back in the day, the go-to indoor in plant was the fern— fern bars proliferated. Remember Henry Africa’s on Van Ness which looked like a fern grotto.
Hot time, summer in the City. It’s Father’s Day. Met my sister and a friend at the Union Hotel for a late breakfast — yummy French toast with mascarpone and mimosas under the umbrellas. The acclaimed former chef of Zuni Cafe, Judy Rodgers, was chef at the Union Hotel in the 1980s, having previously cooked at Chez Panisse. We sat out front and watched the action, which didn’t disappoint. Right away two classic vintage cars drove by — a mid-century bright turquoise Chevy pickup with navy sun visor and white walls followed by a 1960s red and white Chevy Biscayne station wagon. Those cars are from the days when even girls who didn’t know cars, like me, could identify a make, if not a model. I had to take the bus to school which definitely wasn’t cool. Still have nightmares about missing the early run.
Next, a fellow glided by on an electric unicycle making it look easy and did a U-turn in front of the Hotel. Wait, isn’t that the street that doesn’t allow U turns? After breakfast, we stopped by the Matilija Farm stand behind the Avant Garden and were delighted to find some fragrant melons — Butterscotch Orange Honeydew and Orange Sherbet Melon. The owner, Akeel and his wife Samantha, live in the little house behind that was formerly the Compass boutique and have turned the backyard into an edible garden. He gave each of us a slice of the Butterscotch melon and we were transported — my sister Susan back to Provence where she would eat the sweet Cavaillon melons in the summer. When Susan said she’d buy one for each of us, Samantha asked us individually which day we were going to eat them. She was spot on almost to the hour. The next morning, I could catch its sweet scent even before I got to the kitchen. Think I’ll finish off my melon tonight with a scoop of raspberry sorbet. Summertime, and the livin’ is easy …
Sarah Beserra is an artist, writer, collector, Dharma practitioner and former lobbyist.
Letters From Benicia 