Style
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,...
