Benicia, CA

Start your own holiday tradition in downtown Benicia at the Camellia Tea Room. Every year for at least 10 years that I know of, the local hot spot for tea and lunch takes reservations for two sittings. One is Sunday 11/10 and the other is Sunday 12/7.

I can remember a cold, rainy morning in 1998 waiting in line before the shop opened to secure coveted tickets to the tea. My twin daughters and I would make a big production of what to wear. All of us eagerly waited for THE DAY. Dressed in our finery we made our way downtown. Children are encouraged to bring their teddy bears along with them!

What a warm cozy tea room, festive with Christmas trees, and decorations everywhere. The aroma of freshly baked goods, tea brewing, soft music, and the voices of excited children are wonderful memories I share with my daughters.

My girls were treated to sing alongs and story book readings, while sipping a fragrant tea, daintily snacking on a deliscious assortment of goodies.

As a memento of the occasion we would buy a teacup ornament to put on our tree at home.

Make your own memories this year, call 707-746-5293 and reserve a spot!! I guarantee you a delightful time that you will want to do over and over again.

This last week of October don't miss out on the First Street Scarecrows!

Stroll the sidewalks on First street and pick your favorite scarecrow. Local businesses have dressed a scarecrow. Some are truly scary and others are fun. You might recognize some of the "crows". Edward Scissor Hands is one of my favorites. Of course my very favorite is in front of Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific!

You can pick your favorite scarecrow for the contest sponsored by the Benicia Main Street Program. Stop by any business for a ballot.

The fall season is one of my favorites as Downtown Benicia is forever having events and activities to satisfy any picky person or family! Drop by the Benica Main Street Depot at the end of First Street for first hand information.

Or visit: www.beniciamainstreet.org

Coldwell Banker Solano Pacific has a team supporting The Cancer Relay For Life. Our team is called the Cancer Buster Sole Patrol. Round Table Pizza in Benicia, CA is allowing us to take over their restaurant for an evening to help support the Cancer Relay event. 20% of the proceeds will promptly be donated to the Relay For Life fundraiser.

On Tuesday, May 6th from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Southampton Shoping Center in Benicia, California we will be taking over. Our team and supporting Realtors will be serving pizza, and clearing tables to do our part. Round Table Pizza will do their part by baking up their delicious pizzas for us to enjoy, and donate 20% of all proceeds rceived within this four hour period.

Now my appeal to all of you in our area:

Please come support the cause. All you have to do is come down, and have a pizza dinner. Bring your family and friends. Tell someone else to join you. The more, the merrier. I hope it's standing room only, and if it is; I promise to give you my seat. :-)

• Come experience 'A Tast Of First Street' in Benicia, CA on February 28th from 6 to 9 p.m.
• SAMPLE: the Cuisine of many of First Street's fine reastaurants

• Participating Restaurants

  • Captain Blyther's
  • Double Rainbow
  • First Street Cafe
  • Java Point
  • Matsuri Sushi
  • Nancy's Bake Shop
  • Petals
  • Randy's
  • Sahara
  • Sala Thai
  • Sandoval's
  • The Shoreliine
  • Union Hotel Restaurant
  • Venticello's
• ENTER: a drawing to win a prize from your favorite merchant

  Participating Merchants

  • A Faery Tale
  • Artcentric
  • Be Chir Boutique
  • Benicia Knitting Circle
  • Buttons & Bows
  • Christina S
  • Cooper's Dollhouse
  • Courtyard Customs
  • Down Famiily Lane
  • Earth Touch Wellness
  • Kinder's
  • Kindred Spirits
  • Lindsay Art Studio
  • My Girl
  • Otis Gallery
  • Pioccolo
  • Posh
  • Romancing the Home
  • Shiroco's
  • Studio 41
  • Urban Alternatives
  • Wellness Wisdom
  • Wine Miles
  • ENJOY: live music and wine tasting

Event tickets are $35. per adult ansd include a taste of all participating restaurants and two glasses of wine with glass. The drawing tickets are $5. each, or three for $10., or ten for $20.

Event tickets can be purchased at Benicia Main Street, 90 First Street or Bookshop Benicia located at 856 Southampton Road. For more information, call 745-9791 or visit http://www.info@beniciamainstreet.org/.

When Green Valley Mortgage expanded into the whole top floor of 909 First St. the managers at the time rushed to move desks and copiers and put up bulletin boards. The building's character was of little concern; the high ceilings, crown moldings, the turn-of-the-century character was just lost. Also of little concern was the enclosed outdoor patio visible to the whole office and accessed through French doors.

Despite my descriptive prose, this is not a fading monument to mortgage excesses but rather an office space that can put on more than one face. By relocating desks and better identifying task areas I was able to free up a fair amount of 'floor space' to install a rotating art gallery. (point of clarification, the art work rotates, the office doesn't, pardon my grammar)

This is a not-for-profit venture aimed to create not only a great place top park your laptop but also to fit in with the art community that is strong in Benicia, CA. Our first show opened December 7th and displayed work by fourteen artists, mostly local, some nationally and one internationally acclaimed.

This venture was met with rave reviews but alas, must come to close. We hosted two meet-and-greets and put the wheels in motion for an outdoor seminar series on the deck, weather permitting, in the spring.

I'll be replacing the works with a bunch of vintage posters I own as an interim display while I think of the next theme and begin to contact artists for participation.

If you're in our neck of the woods call or email for current gallery info and hours. The coffee pot is always on (even fresh grounds as escrows permit, lol).

Tonight is the Arts Benicia opening party for their next exhibit, The Art of a Community. Google them 'Arts Benicia' for details