These are the halcyon days in town – the off-shore breezes continue to cool us off and ruffle our hair, the skies are a blue backdrop for the pelicans and herons diving for fish. Come out and celebrate Benicia’s cornucopia of delights and make hay while you can.
When I got up this late morning, I noticed a humongous yacht parked just beyond the common area at the end of “B” Street. It looked like something from Monte Carlo or Cannes, so I whipped off my old bathrobe and Uggs, doffed some jeans and a shirt, and moseyed over to check it out. When I shouted to the crew “where are you from” they didn’t understand me. Definitely international jet set material. There were mariachis on the main deck playing to guests from the Benicia Yacht Club. The next day in the Herald I saw that it was registered Bikini, MI. I didn’t know that you could get from Michigan to Benicia by sea. They must have gone through the Panama Canal? Soon realized that MI also stands for the Marshall Islands, a favorite place off-shore to register yachts free from bothersome fees and taxes.
I approached First Street by way of the Marina and hit a fork in the road — take the shady path close to the condos or the path by the water. Lucky for me I chose the water because just seconds before a huge branch from one of the large trees crashed to the ground, blocking the shady walkway. Could have been squashed like a bug. Please do mind the trees during these droughty times. They need hydration just like we do and they’re not getting it.
Approaching Avant Garden, I saw Lindsey loading a gazillion yellow squash into her car. She has pulled up 500 pounds of squash, so far, for Food is Free. Her plot is very efficient with peppers growing hidden beneath the marigolds to keep them from burning.
It’s Thursday and I hit the Farmers’ Market just before 4 pm. Was stopped in my tracks by the “Bloom Bar” at Vallejo Street Dahlias booth where each exquisite dahlia was showing off in its own vase. The grower, Max Critchfield, described the myriad varieties, zinnia and camellia lookalikes in saturated colors and feathery white blossoms. Craving something sweet, stopped at the Cosmic Gelato Shop booth for a hit of berry sorbet – velvety and smooth. The proprietor, Rachel Bautin, is looking for a place on First Street to open her own shop.
Popped into the Tannery and discovered Rosie Mae Uniques: Vintage Jewelry & Knick Knacks. The new owner has a roomful of one-of-a-kind treasures, many from her personal collection, which must be vast. Ended up getting a gorgeous pair of dangly silver and heishi bead earrings for a song.
Noticed that Fabulous Finds Antiques has taken over Vin’s now deserted antique shop at the front of the Tannery and is opening The ResalEmporium which will sell vintage items with an on-line store. Deja vu all over again seeing antique stores coming back to Benicia.
Stopped by HQ Gallery and chatted with Susan Street, the artist and activist who is the source everything you need or want to know about our town and Benicia’s unofficial welcomer. Drop a bee in her bonnet and she will resolve your issue or know someone who can. She gave me the name of an upholsterer, will be on the lookout for a wing-back chair for my den, and resolved the mystery behind an occasional odor whose origins had stumped me — just the Honey Bucket man doing his job at the Marina. Susan and ten of her college friends will be celebrating their 80th birthdays together in San Diego shortly. Congratulations Susan!
I’m hearing him now! From time to time I think I hear a horse whinnying but never get out in time to see the actual horse. Mystery solved. The horse is actually a gentleman of a certain age driving an electric three-wheeled cart with a plastic horse head mounted on the front. He somehow makes the horsey sound driving up alongside cars like he wants to race. He might give a thoroughbred a run for his money.
While crossing First, saw one of those huge, shoebox shaped ships on its way to somewhere exotic, I imagined. The name “Glovis” was written in huge, blue letters on the side. Looking it up later, I read their mission statement: “Through differentiated and value-added logistics & trading services, we pursue sustainable growth by maximizing efficiencies of the customer’s value chain” Huh? I was hoping for something more mysterious and imagining exotic ports of call, Zanzibar, Madagascar — perhaps some rum running. Their headquarters are in Irvine California, within miles of where I grew up! How mundane!
That night my friend and I went out to dinner at Ventricellos, hadn’t been in over a year. It was magical sitting outside, scarfing down that great bread and Italian-style salsa. Am missing “Gus” the mainstay waiter who is back in school. Jose is my “go to” now. More bread and salsa please?
Sarah Beserra is an artist, writer, collector, Dharma practitioner and former lobbyist.
Letters From Benicia 