Category Archives: Benicia CA

Benicia CA

Not your ordinary Benicia Peddlers Fair weekend Garage Sale

[Let’s start the long weekend with something very special from resident Cathy Bennett. It’s a little late to go up (the Peddler’s Fair was in early August) but the ‘epiphany of gratitude’ Cathy extends to the ‘kaleidoscope of humanity’ that attended the fair tells a story of warmth and welcome that is timeless and very, very Benician. Cathy shows us Benicia at its best in this lovely story. Please take the time to read this all the way through.]

By Cathy Bennett, Benicia resident

Folks come by the throngs happy to spend the day strolling First Street and looking for bargains at our annual Peddlers Fair.  Many in town take advantage of the chance to attract the spillover crowd by holding their own garage sales. Even though I live a fair distance away from downtown, I held my own garage sale across the street from a waterfront park that attracts a lot of folks from out of town.  I say “garage” sale, but my garage was too full of “stuff” to bring anyone inside, so the sale ventured out into my driveway and front yard.  The last time I had a ‘garage sale’ was nearly 20 years ago after clearing out my mother’s home as a result of her unexpected passing.  Like yesterday, at that time I took it on all by myself, and soldiered through the sorting & arranging as best I could, set up in the driveway, and positioned a chair that I rarely occupied because I was mostly on my feet talking with folks and moving stuff around as items got sold.

The amount of energy this requires reminds me of getting ready to take a long vacation.  All the necessary planning and preparation consumes you for days in advance, and sometimes the stress is enough to make you want to throw up your hands and say, “Oh forget it, I’ll just stay home!”  In this case, it was more like, “Who cares if I have too much stuff?  I’ll just shove it back into the closets, storage shed & various hiding spots, and avoid all this hassle!”  But I was determined, so again I soldiered on.

Just so you know, this isn’t going to be a rant about folks promising to come help out, (but don’t show up), or patrons that try to nickel and dime you to death. (If you price things low enough, you get very little of that, & most quickly snatch things up & happily pay you.)  Besides the physical exhaustion, I learn a great deal about myself and about others from the experience.

First to note, I am again reminded of my status as a white person that benefitted from privilege.  I initially realized this decades ago, but as I get older time and wisdom peel back & expose layers of awareness and I am continually being re-educated.  I’m no spring chicken.  As a woman of a “certain age” I occasionally see my former self in others, and am amused by the trips down memory lane to youthful naivety and innocent self-indulgences.  Sometimes I long for those youthful indulgences, but mostly I just smile and nod to myself, remembering my own personal version of it.

But yesterday as I watched the ebb and flow of folks coming & going in and out of my yard sale I was struck by the difference of those who “have” and those who “need”.   I’m not just referencing material “stuff”, but in every sense of “need”.

Before me was a kaleidoscope of humanity, and I took the opportunity to slow down and take it in without concern for time, status or judgement.  I was after all, a captive of my own advertised availability as defined by the posters I had put up all over the neighborhood.  So, I just surrendered to the experience, and in short time, I really enjoyed it.

What I was reminded of was just how many folks out there are struggling with loneliness, insecurity, grief and loss, unemployment, under &/or miserable employment, financial hardship, and lives that seem to be drifting in and out of uncertainty.  Yes, they were there to look at my “stuff” but they were also there to have someone to talk to, to feel some sort of connection, and to share their story with another person that might simply bear witness to their struggles and actually care about it.

It started with the elderly gentleman who moved about with obvious pain in slow deliberate steps.  He loved my collection of handmade “redneck champagne glasses”- (a mason jar glued to a glass candlestick holder), and swept them up with a chuckle.  He hung around, & when no one else was there he told stories as different items I had on display reminded him of various times in his life.  He spoke of his wife’s extended illness and passing, and his years of dedicated caregiving to her.  As the stories flowed it seemed to open a hidden passageway & soon he was telling me about his 9 years as a CIA prisoner of war in a Viet Cong prison.  He told me about living in a cage, and being beaten & tortured on a daily basis, and what they did to other prisoners in front of him to further their attempts to extract information.  As my body involuntarily retracted & my jaw clinched, he repeated, “That is what war is like.”  I eventually had to interrupt because I was beginning to experience secondary trauma.  We both moved our heads slightly & closed our eyes as if to shake off the images that now haunted both of us.  After standing in silence for a moment we somehow managed to turn the conversation away from his very painful traumatic past.  I could see the courageous & loyal person he was, and I held a great deal of respect for what he had been through.  He eventually left with a few of my items, which I refused payment for and thanked him for his service to our country.  The Vietnam war was a particularly ugly & unpopular war, but he clearly had performed an unimaginable duty out of loyalty to our country & to the authorities that commanded his actions.  This was not the place or time, nor did I feel the need for any discussion about whether it was a worthy or unworthy war.

Then there was the young woman who was relocating with her elderly mother from La Vegas to Vallejo.  She pulled up in her old beat up car that looked  crowded and hot.  She asked if I could help her figure out what was wrong with her CD player.  We spent about 15 minutes trying to figure out why it suddenly wouldn’t operate.  I loaned her my disc cleaner & then a pair of tweezers, looking for the bobby pin she suspected her mother had inserted into it.  We eventually gave up on the CD player, and she took a much-needed break wandering through my rows of items, telling me the story of her life circumstances, while Mom sat in the car. I gave this woman my full attention, and eventually some advice on how to follow up on job leads, as well as community supports she could check into.  Then I sent her off with a Barbie doll for her niece, a retractable pull-down window shade for her car, and a box of craft supplies- beads, ribbons, colored pens, stationary & dried flowers.  She left with a smile & I waved them on.

A young man wandered in looking quietly around.  After a few minutes I engaged him in conversation.  He was thoughtful and polite and careful with each item he handled.  He eventually told me about his young high school aged brother who had been left paralyzed from the neck down after a horrible auto accident.  It had been 5 years since the accident and he was rejoicing the fact that his brother had fought hard to find meaning in his post-accident life, and had recently broken through the barriers with a newfound passion and purpose to his life.  This young man’s admiration and respect for his brother was so evident that I couldn’t help but smile even though the story was a harsh one.

Then came the Grandmother with her granddaughter on a scooter, who had wandered all the way from visiting the Peddlers Fair.  With bright blue eyes & a youthful smile, she spotted a lamp & a set of brass candle stick holders that she said would go lovely with her homemade beeswax candles.  She also admired a large framed watercolor painting of a dancing horse, and told me stories of her childhood & the horses she grew up loving.  After a bit, she shared that she managed to get by on just welfare to make ends meet, and she clearly was one who took an active role in supporting her children and grandchildren.  I sent them off with the items she fancied, and in turn the next day she left me a jar of some home spun honey.

I had started the day at about 7:00am, and the sun was beginning to lower in the sky.  I was exhausted, but folks kept stopping by.  I had ‘sold’ a lot of stuff- most of which were high quality items that I once thought entirely necessary, but now realized I had no need for.  It was a pleasure to witness the delight of others who excitedly told me what they would do with each item I sold (or gave away).  I was down to some small wood furnishings, some garden equipment, a few boxes of clothes and shoes, some framed paintings, pet carriers, dog car seats and a few specialty items.

I did not want to haul any of it back into my garage, so as the sun started to set, I encouraged everyone to pick things out, and take them for free.  A couple of young women that work in town at my favorite bakery delighted themselves with some cool shoes and clothes I had long ago stopped wearing. If I must say so myself, I have very good taste & have acquired a nice collection high quality fashion ware.  It was fun to hear their giggles of delight as they tried on shoes, and held things up to check for size.

A Spanish speaking family with young children looked longingly at some of my items, but didn’t understand that I was now giving everything away.  With some help from an interpreter I was able to send them off with a box load of things.  Their young son picked out a framed painting and smiled widely with his new acquisition.  I wish I could have heard his story about where he planned to hang it, as I could see the light in his eyes as he held onto it proudly.

And so, the day came and went.  Yes, I was exhausted, but my heart swelled with gratitude.  With all of my life’s imperfections and periodic struggles, I felt so much appreciation for the luxuries I enjoy (& often take for granted.)  Yes, I have a huge mortgage, but that means I have a home.  I have a big yard that requires constant weeding, raking, trimming of bushes & trees- but that is because I have the pleasure of pride in ownership & the physical ability to take care of my home & yard.  I get frustrated & impatient trying to figure out what to cook for myself each day, sometimes eating the same boring meals because I get too tired to be more imaginative. But I never go hungry, nor do I worry about where my children’s next meal will come from.  I bare the high cost of high Veterinary bills & have at times resented the expense of having pets & being anchored to my home because some of my animals have special needs. But having pets is a privilege that not everyone is able to embrace.  I am so fortunate to enjoy the love, companionship & loyalty of my animals.  Do you see where I am going with this?

Unless your work or personal life involves close contact with the full spectrum of the public, and even then, one rarely hears their stories, and gets to know of their personal struggles, you might miss out on this epiphany of gratitude.

Some may think, what a softy giving away so much of her “stuff”.  To that I respond that I recognize my privilege, and the opportunities that I have been blessed with.  Often for no other reason other than the color of my skin, and the luck of the draw I was born under, as well as the chances that came my way to nudge my life in a certain direction. I appreciate what I have, and know that my life could easily have turned a different direction, as my roots are from a family of working class “white” immigrants. I hope to carry this appreciation in my heart for as long as possible.  It makes me a better person- more kind, compassionate & content.  But like everyone, I am prone to the occasional pity party. My hope is to recognize it quickly and snap myself out of it.  Rather than risk losing this gift of gratitude, I might very well need to periodically hold a garage sale.  If so, please stop by and say hello.  I need to hear your stories as much as you might need to tell them.

Ashton Lyle, Benicia CA, Benicia Economic Development, Benicia Parks and Community Services Department, Benicia's Budget Crisis

Ashton Lyle: In Benicia, city-wide events rekindle community connections even amidst digital division

But they won’t survive without your attendance and support

By Ashton Lyle, July 31, 2023

Portrait of Ashton Lyle
Ashton Lyle, BenIndy contributor.

Benicia’s annual 3rd of July parade is a treasured tradition for my family and many others in town. I remember fondly the many times I walked in the parade (beginning as a seven-year-old with the Benicia Stingrays), and later, the occasions I wandered main street festivities with friends. This year I again found myself strolling First Street, but for the first time, instead of watching the participants, I was concentrated on the sizable crowd gathered downtown and reveling in the beauty of Benicia’s community.

This is an increasingly rare opportunity for me, and not just because, like many others my age, I am increasingly separated from the town’s physical community. Alarmingly, this separation from one’s community is systemic, driven by a decline in community events like our cherished parade. The digital world has continued to encompass more of our lives and America’s towns have necessarily mirrored the expanding proportion of time we live and socialize online. The togetherness of community-wide events has begun to fade from contemporary life, and, in turn, our public interactions have naturally evolved to fit the controversy-focused digital medium they take place on.

Perhaps this explains how much of our relations with other Americans are characterized by discontent. As Americans have grown to become increasingly disconnected from the physicality of the humanity which surrounds us, we’ve grown increasingly polarized in our social and political worldviews. Add to this the public nature of digital communication, and it’s no surprise that acrimonious interactions have become a more visible part of daily life.

The injection of hostility into our relationships with our neighbors is an especially concerning development for the suburbs, where the nature of demarcated living only amplifies the human tendency to show elevated aggression towards strangers. Privacy and the near-total sanctity of one’s home, once reserved for the rural few, have become the standard of American life. Whereas multi-unit housing and city life, broadly constructed, requires constant concessions to the humanity of those around us, in the form of noises, smells, or even time (for example, spent waiting for a shared laundry machine to open), the suburban homeowner is the de-facto ruler of their private domain.

The shift towards understanding the ideal life as an increasingly individualized and private, separated from communal living, is now a cultural norm reflected in our public lives. While it forms a core tenant of the imagined “American Dream,” the perception of self-reliance is disconnected from the reality of living in a community, as each facet of suburban life, from its roads to its schools, is determined through collaborative community (i.e., political) processes. Even as our entertainment media and political discourse highlight independence and self-sufficiency as a value of the highest order, the reality of any number of anti-social tendencies in our society, from polarized discourse to indiscriminate violence, is indicative of the need to reconnect with those with whom we are building a shared future.

The need for community returns me to the 3rd of July parade. The parade, and events like it, are a beautiful reminder that the bitterness and alienation present in the online nature of contemporary life don’t need to transfer into real-life interactions. I’m heartened by the reminder that the discourse of Twitter, CNN, and even blockbuster films is still distinct from how Americans actually interact with each other and how Benicia residents can come together.

During such a controversial age, fostering a growing sense of community in Benicia is essential. I have written in previous columns about the material changes which could keep people in town, namely more housing and social opportunities to keep the existing community together while allowing for new, sustainable growth. But there is, of course, more to be done.

Community-wide events can only thrive with the broad support of residents and are therefore constantly under threat of disappearance. As the City of Benicia struggles to balance its budget, citizens now more than ever must manifest the necessity of city-wide events through their attendance. We can take our friends and families to one of the notable events hosted by the Parks and Recreation Department, for example, Movies Under the Stars. Shared community spaces, like the garden downtown, could be expanded to include new locations in other neighborhoods and the block parties I remember from years past, organized by good-hearted neighbors, can be resurrected. We can support the events of Benicia Main Street, such as the weekly Farmer’s Markets and the recent Waterfront Festival.

All these events work to bring the Benicia community into more frequent contact with each other, allaying the worst aspects of our increasingly digital existence. In a country increasingly defined by its discontent towards one another, pulling our community together, with space for difference and new voices, is a stand against the forces of division.

MORE FROM ASHTON LYLE:
Benicia Arts & Culture Commission, Benicia CA, Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott

‘Jungle’ Piano to be dedicated 11am today (Saturday, July 22), on First Street

Benicia’s vibrant ‘play-art’ pianos combine art, music and culture to bring our community together

Artist Josie Grant’s ‘Jungle’ piano, featuring a natural scene with lush plants and colorful animals, also shows a vista Benicia residents and visitors will recognize from walks at Benicia State Park. July 22’s formal dedication and inaugural performances are open to everyone. | Photo by Will Stockton.

This is just a friendly reminder to music and art lovers to join the Benicia Arts & Culture Commission, public officials, musicians and performers today (Saturday, July 22) at 11am in the courtyard in front of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (120 East J St., Benicia) for the dedication of ‘Jungle,’ a new public piano.

The dedication will begin in the courtyard of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 11am with a special welcome from Arts & Culture Commission Chair Bizzy Lewis and public officials. After ‘Jungle’ artist Josie Grant is honored, local musicians will dedicate the piano with a lineup featuring performers both young and old, accompanied by Benicia Ballet dancers.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome. This is a very kid-friendly event and a great way to spend time with your family on this beautiful Saturday morning.

Learn more about the piano and ‘Play-Art’ program here.

Benicia Arts & Culture Commission, Benicia CA, Benicia Vice-Mayor Terry Scott

You’re invited! Arts & Culture Commission to dedicate new ‘Play-Art’ piano on Saturday, July 22

Benicia’s vibrant ‘play-art’ pianos combine art, music and culture to bring our community together

Artist Josie Grant’s ‘Jungle’ piano, featuring a natural scene with lush plants and colorful animals, also shows a vista Benicia residents and visitors will recognize from walks at Benicia State Park. July 22’s formal dedication and inaugural performances are open to everyone. | Photo by Will Stockton.

By Nathalie Christian, July 18, 2023

Join Benicia Arts & Culture Commission, public officials, musicians and performers this Saturday, July 22 at 11am at the courtyard in front of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (120 East J St., Benicia) for a celebration of art, culture and music at the upcoming dedication of a new public piano.

Now in its second year, the Arts & Culture Commission’s ‘Play-Art’ project invites local artists to transform a classic piano into a lasting piece of public art, available for the whole community to enjoy. After a blind vote, this year commissioners selected Benicia artist Josie Grant to bring her creative vision to life on a baby piano generously donated by Robert Gordon of Gordon’s Piano Shop.

“The ‘Jungle’ piano is great – that’s what I call it,” said Grant, who is a graduate of the San Francisco Art Institute and newer Benicia resident.

Grant didn’t have to look far for inspiration. “I used a portion of my classic visionary oil painting that was created during my MFA, which became an early poster success, called Phantom Lovers, [revising its] design to include the vista of the beautiful Benicia State Park, which I see daily from our new home after relocating from San Francisco and a Sausalito art studio.”

Vice-Mayor Terry Scott was chair of the Arts & Culture Commission during the inaugural installation of Benicia’s first public piano, designed by Phyllis Hartzell and named ‘Hippo.’ His pride in seeing this program survive to entertain the community another year, despite threatened budget cuts, is palpable.

“The Benicia Piano Art Program aims to blend the worlds of music and visual art, fostering moments of joy and connection, and provides a unique background of music to our First Street,” Vice-Mayor Scott said. “By providing these two decorated pianos, the program encourages people of all skill levels to sit down and play, promoting a sense of public ownership and inviting participation.”

The public pianos indeed attract visitors of all stripes, their playful, accessible designs signaling an open welcome to amateurs and professionals alike, appealing to musicians both young and old. It is not uncommon to walk by St. Paul’s on the way to one of First Street’s many bakeries and catch a bit of Chopin, then find a new player plinking out an homage to Dr. Dre on the way back.

“I think it’s fantastic that local musicians, neighbors, and visitors feel encouraged to publicly share their musical talents on these one-of-a-kind decorated pianos,” Vice-Mayor Scott added. “Such community-driven programs can truly bring people together through the power of art and music.”

“For me, it’s a community builder,” Arts & Culture Commission Chair Bizzy Lewis agreed. “There’s something about seeing children, families, even tourists stopping in their tracks to check the pianos out. Rather than keeping their heads down, eyes on their phones, walking briskly, people instead stop to listen to the music, then appreciate the beautiful decorated pianos. They stop, and they take in the moment.”

Musicians and performers of all ages will be at the public piano dedication this Saturday. After the dedication, the Benicia Performing Arts Foundation is inviting the community to upload videos of themselves playing to have a chance to win Downtown Dollars. | Photo by Will Stockton.

“Even when it’s not being played, it’s a beautiful piece of art,” Lewis continued. “It’s great seeing everyone stand together, to listen to music and to appreciate art in community. It’s what we need, and it’s what these pianos do.”

Adding to this year’s fun, the Benicia Performing Arts Foundation is sponsoring a contest where entrants can use a QR code that will be posted on the piano to upload videos of themselves playing. Through the summer, until the pianos are rehoused for the winter, video entrants will have a chance to be randomly selected to win Downtown Dollars, redeemable at participating Benicia businesses.

Even without the added draw of a contest and the promise of Downtown Dollars, Benicia kids appear to have given the public pianos their collective seal of approval. Outside of a few instances of petty vandalism, Benicia youth have embraced the piano, playing alone, in pairs or in larger groups. The low-key, high-creativity setting  offers a little something for everyone, but kids especially seem to love the accessibility and promise of the whimsical, open-air instrument.

“I think the piano inspires young musicians and people that want to be piano players. I like it because my friends and I can mess around with music and play some notes,” said Elle Allure, 9.

“The pianos are artsy and colorful,” said Cadence Cronon, 9. “I enjoy playing and I like playing the notes painted on the ‘Hippo’ piano.” The piano painted by Hartzell was moved to and will remain on display at the Benicia State Capitol building until the pianos ‘hibernate’ during winter.

“I like hearing people play the pianos when I am downtown,’ Pennyroyal Stockton, 6, agreed. “It makes my heart feel good.”

The dedication will begin in the courtyard of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 11am with a special welcome from Arts & Culture Commission Chair Bizzy Lewis and public officials, including Vice-Mayor Terry Scott. After introducing artist Josie Grant and honoring her beautiful design, local pianists and musicians will dedicate the piano with a magical lineup featuring performers both young and old, accompanied by Benicia Ballet dancers.

Admission is free and everyone is welcome.