Blogs
Happenings
Benicia Literary Arts: New, Off The Ground, And Running With Publication And Events
Benicia Literary Arts, a new nonprofit organization that supports writers and publishes literary works after an extensive reading and editing process is becoming active with two events planned this spring and publication of Sign of the Times, an anthology produced jointly by the First Tuesday...
Stephen Schumm Exhibit At Benicia Historical Museum Through February
The Colorful Craft of Stained Glass features work by Benicia artist Stephen Schumm on exhibit through January 2012 in the Arts and Technology Case at the Benicia Historical Museum. The exhibit features the tools, plans and products of stained glass artist Stephen Schumm. Schumm, who...
Earthquake felt in Benicia
The upstairs office of Benicia Magzine felt a big jolt and a short rattle just after 6pm. It felt and sounded more like an explosion than a typical California earthquake. The LA Times blog reports that "a shallow magnitude 3.7 earthquake was reported Wednesday evening, two miles from...
GALLERY 621 Presents Nikki Basch-Davis "Inside Out"
GALLERY 621 of Benicia California, presents "INSIDE-OUT", a solo exhibition of Plein Air and Studio Work by Nikki Basch-Davis. Nikki has been painting since the early 70's. Originally embodying the California Landscape Style, she later joined with Jerrold Turner, Pam Glover and...
Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest
The Benicia Poet Laureate Program has partnered with The National Endowment for the Arts, The California Arts Council, The Solano Arts Council, The Poetry Foundation and The Benicia Public Library to present Poetry Out Loud, a National Recitation Contest. Benicia and Liberty High Schools...
2012 Tree Planting Season In Benicia Starts With Two Volunteer Events In January
The Benicia Tree Foundation (BTF) has partnered with the Benicia Unified School District (BUSD) to garner grants from California ReLeaf to plant 80 trees at Benicia High School (planted in 2011) and another 80 trees (to be planted this year) at Joe Henderson Elementary School. The partnership...
Benicia Holiday Open Studios Saturday & Sunday December 10th & 11th
Over 40 artists in Benicia's Arsenal will hold open studios on Saturday, December 10, and Sunday, December 11, from 10 to 5. The Current line up of Artists includes the following, who have studios in the Arsenal on both Jackson and Tyler Streets. Works available will include prints,...
The Colorful Craft Of Stained Glass at Benicia Historical Museum
THE COLORFUL CRAFT OF STAINED GLASS features work by Benicia artist Stephen Schumm on exhibit through January 2012 in the Arts and Technology Case at the Benicia Historical Museum. The exhibit features the tools, plans and products of stained glass artist Stephen Schumm. Schumm, who...
Solano Youth Theatre takes a magic carpet ride with Aladdin!
Solano Youth Theatre’s youngest company members will soon present Aladdin. Based upon the Tales of the Arabian Nights and adapted by Kathryn Shultz Miller, this production marks the first show produced under the auspices of Young Artist Conservatory of Music, and officially opens...
Holiday Open House Events At Benicia State Capitol & Fischer-Hanlon House
The annual Holiday Open House Events will be held at the Benicia State Capitol and Fischer-Hanlon House on December 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and December 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cookies and cider will be served in the Fischer-Hanlon House kitchen on both days, and volunteers in period attire...
Sustainability
Oops! Correct Information for Household Hazardous Waste at Devlin Transfer Station
Devlin Road Facility no longer accepts household hazardous waste from Benicia Residents
Butternut Squash Soup: A Winter Take On A Fall Favorite
Cool winter evenings demand that curvaceous flesh- toned beauty, still readily available in supermarkets for hearty, warming meals. That’s right, the sweet, long-lasting and bodacious Butternut and other squash varieties make for a delicious soup that never fails to please....
Cub Scout Pack 108 Leads Tree Planting Event
Benicia Tree Foundation held a tree planting in the Community Park on Thursday, October 13th, with the very motivated Cub Scout Pack 108 taking the lead. Pack leader Jeff Conner was there with Gretchen Burgess and many other Cub Scout Parents to support and witness the scouts plant a 24”...
Winter Vegetable Gardens
Whether you are a serious backyard farmer or just a dabbler in seasonal vegetable growing, you probably experience a pang of regret over the demise of garden-to-table summer produce. In California, however, we are blessed with weather that’s warm enough to sustain a winter garden,...
CODA and Amports Partner to Assemble Electric Cars in Benicia
For the past several years, Mayor Patterson and the Benicia City Council have discussed trying to bring green technology companies to the Benicia Business Park. On September 12 at a press conference at Amports, it was announced that a partnership between Amports and CODA, an electric car maker...
Lecture Series - Stewards of Our Children’s Future: 2011…
On Tuesday evening, April 26, the Benicia Sustainability Commission, in collaboration with Solano Community College, will be presenting the second lecture-workshop, in the series of five, called "Stewards of Our Children's Future: 2011..." For those who attended the first kick-off...
Tree Planting at Benicia High Brings Healing to a Community
On April 21, in celebration of Earth Day, the Benicia Tree Foundation held an event where Benicia’s young and young at heart came together to plant trees at Benicia High School. Wolfram Alderson, the foundation’s president, reports that the event was a huge success. I was sorry to...
Building “Supergreen” to Conserve World Resources Makes Vital Sense
World-class Green Architect Christoph Ingenhoven Gives San Francisco Presentation
Style
Local Artist Mernie Buchanan
Mernie Buchanan, a local artist with a downtown studio for twenty five years, is best known for her fine art painting series, the ‘Faux Louvre’. Buchanan travels to fine art museums in Europe and the United States and sketches original masterpieces, then paints watercolor...
Bistro Jeanty a Perennial Favorite
Most of us have a favorite dining spot we return to over and over again. For my money, Bistro Jeanty never fails to entertain or to provide exemplary French food in an authentic, unpretentious atmosphere. Mike and I have been going there for years, and it’s still our number one go-to...
Port Sheds its Stuffy Image
Here in the US, and in other world markets, port wines seemed, for a time, to fall out of fashion. As the stodgy end of a formal dinner party or perhaps your grandmother’s nightcap, port has had a rather stuffy reputation. But the fortified wines appear to be enjoying a...
Post-Season Thoughts on Bocce Ball
Bocce Ball is a simple game, or one would think. Until I was asked to join a Bocce Ball Team this season I didn’t think much about it. I thought it was a game played mostly by older people to occupy their time after retirement. I was told that I should try out for the team...
FUR-ocious Fall Fashion
This season we seem to be revisiting the early 1970's, and recapturing the mood of the era with paisley, worn denim, crocheted trim, burn-out velvet and a renewed interest in fur. Fur, worn as protection by prehistoric man, has, as fashion, waxed and waned throughout history. From the days...
Free, Fresh and Organic - Blackberries Grow Wild in Benicia
Attention blackberry lovers: you can find fresh, local, organic blackberries, free, with exercise thrown into the mix. Take a stroll along the waterfront on the west side of downtown, where wild blackberries can be found in pockets here and there. Even better, try the entrance to the State Park,...
Restaurant Meals Delivered in Under an Hour
Sometimes you just need a break in the dinner routine. We usually head to First Street on Friday nights, but the June Gloom is insisting on a different approach: comfy sweats and a couple good movies. I’m hungry but don’t want to cook—what to do?Here’s one solution....
Currents: Market Fresh
Get Your Superfoods HereThis year’s Farmers Market is off to a rollicking start. Now in its 19th year, cooked meals at homes all over town have been supplanted with al fresco dining at the Market. In addition to the returning Mexican food vendors, Fox and Fawn Bakehouse, new this year, is...
Potato Soup: A Generational Staple that's Good for All Seasons
Potato soup reminds me of times past. It warms my stomach on cold days and makes me happy on evenings at home with my family, even during Benicia's long days of summer.One of my go-to meals when I can’t think of anything to cook, potato soup is a staple in my home as it was in my...
Politicians, City Staffers and Residents Model for a Good Cause
This year’s annual Spring Luncheon and Fashion Show, benefitting the Benicia Community Action Council (CAC), rocked the Clocktower with lively Beatle’s tunes and good times. Christina Strawbridge, Chair of the Economic Development Board and owner of Christina S, and Claudia Mahrt,...
Travel
Rahlves' Banzai Tour Hits North Tahoe February 23-24
The Rahlves' Banzai Tour returns to Lake Tahoe ski resorts with competitions in February and March. The event is considered the world's premier big mountain freeskiing meets skier/boarder-cross experience and is becoming one of the region’s most popular spectator events....
North Lake Tahoe Recreation Updates
Snow in the forecast for Tuesday, with sunny skies returning Wednesday through Sunday. Highs are in the 40s with lows dipping to the 20s. Resorts and Towns’ Update: As part of its $50 million renaissance, Squaw Valley welcomes new dining experiences, including the Rocker@Squaw in...
Lake Tahoe Athletes Medal At 2012 Winter X Games
Lake Tahoe competitors did the region proud with a dozen of the Sierra Nevada's best taking part in the 2012 Winter X Games held at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado January 26-29. "Lake Tahoe has a long history of producing some of the world's best ski and...
Native American Dance Brings Snow To Tahoe, More Expected
It's working. Yesterday (Sunday), Native American adults and youth held hands with the public in a traditional "Round Dance" asking for spiritual help to bring snow to the Lake Tahoe region. This morning, for the first time in two months, a dusting of snow appeared at lake...
Aspens Showing Signs Of Fall In North Lake Tahoe
It's leaf peeping season - almost. The trails and roads in North Lake Tahoe are just starting to show signs of autumn as the area's aspens transition from a sea of green to a brilliant shade of yellow, making for a stunning contrast against Tahoe's solid wall of pines and firs....
Healdsburg Offers Unique Wine-tasting Experiences
Healdsburg is always a fun day trip on its own, but getting outside the downtown shopping area adds a new level of enjoyment. A recent trip found us scoping out the Russian River Valley wineries, then meeting friends for dinner Downtown. Two winery gems just up 101 to the north that share...
Decoding Online Travel Reviews
Before booking a trip where I’ll be staying somewhere new, I consult the ever-expanding industry of online reviews. Navigating the different sites can be annoying, there are so many of them, each with different posting protocols. Some sites can be manipulated to favor advertisers, so I...
Fresh, Flavorful and Filling, bite Serves up Scrumptious Small Plates
Restaurants in small mountain towns have all the usual challenges that city eateries do, and then some: they also face the additional problem of navigating the seasonal ebb and flow of tourism, even when they are located around Lake Tahoe, and even when they are in affluent towns like Incline...
Best Biscuits and Gravy on the Lake
On Tahoe’s North Shore, locals and visitors rave about their favorite breakfast hangout.
