I haven’t found time to stroll First Street as much as I’d like as we speed toward the elections, the holidays and a new year. Have become even more aware of how fortunate we are to live in this Main Street Town, literally a one-horse town. Said horse is not a real horse, of course, but a horse head and torso made of plastic material, affixed to the front of an electric cart and driven by a fellow who delights in making the “horse” whinny as he buzzes around town. Have tried to talk to him, the fellow, not the horse, but he goes from trot to gallop, too fast for me to catch up.
Needed to make a trip to Sacramento Saturday to pick up something I’d bought on Etsy. They wanted $50 to mail it, so decided to save the shipping charges and also book a lunch with an old friend while I was at it. Sacto operates at a speed of about five times faster than Benicia. Parking is almost nonexistent downtown, and bicyclists ride so close to cars that one false move and you’re both roadkill. People talk and move faster. My friend and I planned to meet at a Thai Restaurant, and after circling the block several times I lucked upon a parking space. “Where are you?” my friend asked, calling from another Thai restaurant miles away. Finally found it after stopping once to call her and get more precise directions. Whew! After lunch the plan was to follow her to her house. I lost track of her at a stoplight and was surrounded by gray cars that looked identical to hers. I made a guess and followed the wrong car. Within seconds she sped up next to me honking like a long-haul trucker and motioned for me to turn left, crossing heavy traffic. Sheesh! I was quaking like an aspen. Missed the dog show due to this outing but did see a lion and then a dinosaur as I turned onto First. The poor lion’s ruff was askew. He looked exhausted and a bit chagrinned after a hard day of trying to impersonate a big cat. It was great to return to sanity.
So many art shows to see all appearing at the same time. Mark Eanes exhibit at the Benicia Public Library is a revelation. Thought the pictures were all collages until I read the descriptions. These are brilliantly staged photographs taken from actual sites in Beograd or Belgrade, Serbia. In addition to new offerings at our downtown galleries and Arts Benicia, there are numerous must-see museum exhibitions— Diego Rivera at SFMOMA, Ramses II and Faith Ringgold at the De Young, Guo Pei: Couture Fantasies at the Legion of Honor, and figurative painter Joan Brown at SFMOMA in November. Joan was mentored by Bay Area Figurative School artist Elmer Bischoff and collaborated artistically with Manuel Neri to whom she was briefly married. Other ties to Benicia include her inclusion as part of the Funk Movement of which Robert Arneson was also affiliated.
Thursday, at the second-to-last farmers market this year, I met friendly and knowledgeable Marie Knutson, Republic Services Recycling Coordinator, who was was handing out information about the recent “green waste” project that is being phased in Statewide. Small “organics carts or pails are now available and free to every household in order to keep organic material out of landfills and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “What’s wrong with the garbage disposal,” you might ask. “By placing leftover food scraps in the green organics cart, you’ll help to prevent sewage blockages, save water, and the food will be reused and turned into compost.” The goal is composting 75% of organic waste by 2025—the equivalent of taking a million cars off the road yearly. Questions? Contact Marie at (707) 694-4570 or mknutson@republicservices.com.
My sister and I had tickets for opening night of Benicia Old Town Theater Group’s latest play “Laura.” The classic film noir with Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews is a favorite. Allowed plenty of time to dress and practice with makeup which I hadn’t applied in almost three years. Even put in my contacts. “Why not dress up in 1940’s style?” I asked myself. Drew on pencil thin eyebrows and applied bright red lipstick, added a black fedora, red coat, and a costume jewelry brooch and earrings Alas, when we reached the theater, we spied President of BOTTG Brian Hough sitting forlornly in the dark wearing an N-95 mask. “We apologize but opening night has been postponed due to a Covid outbreak,” he said. Their plan is to open this Friday. We’ll be back. Would say, “break a leg,” but somehow it doesn’t sound right. May they all be well.
Sarah Beserra is an artist, collector, Dharma practitioner and retired lobbyist.
Letters From Benicia 