THE GREAT THING about writing this column is the people I meet.
Ordinary folks with extraordinary tales and accomplishments.
Take Howard Wheatley Allen, for example. Ringing his Glenview doorbell last week, I wasn’t sure what to expect. His wife had suggested I meet this man, whose sculptures have graced the homes of many world leaders.
But what struck me when we started talking, was his gentle unassuming nature. His bronze birds are treasured by everyone from presidents to princesses — yet his “gallery” is in his basement. And he’s pleasantly surprised when he gets an order for his work.
“I’ll go six months or a year and not much happens,” he says modestly, “then the White House calls, and I think it’s my brother playing a joke.”
In fact, the White House has called several times in Wheatley’s career, and the birds have been ordered by Presidents Clinton, Bush, Reagan and Carter. But his very first customer was another famous American, with a different claim to fame.
“When I was 9, I was sitting on a pier at Lake Tahoe carving a bird out of wood,” he says. “Trader Vic asked me what I would charge to make him a quail. I said $10 — and he said make it $20.”
That “big sale” was all it took to whet Wheatley’s whistle for bird sculpting. But it wasn’t until 1971 when his next big break came. When Gov. Ronald Reagan read an article on Wheatley in the Sacramento Bee and had his assistant order two quail sculptures — as gifts for the prime minister and the Emperor of Japan.
Years later, President Reagan remembered every detail of those transactions, obviously enamored with Wheatley’s work. But it was Reagan’s counterpart who said something at Stanford that Wheatley will never forget.
After presenting Mikhail Gorbachev with a sculpture of a snow goose in flight, the Soviet President referred to the bird as “a living link” between the United States and Russia. “Snow geese migrate from Russia to the United States,” Wheatley said, “and Gorbachev caught the poetry. His eyes twinkled.”
Maybe that’s Wheatley’s secret, too. Still sculpting at the age of 64 despite a 16-year battle with Parkinson’s disease, he keeps a twinkle in his eyes.
“God gives us what he thinks we can bear,” he says. I just wish he didn’t have such a high opinion of me.”
For more information on Wheatley’s work and his new book, log onto www.wheatleyallen.com

SMOLDERING CONTROVERSY: Not everyone is happy about Oakland’s municipal code on outdoor smoking. It prohibits “lighting up” within 25 feet of the entry of windows to any public building. Rocky Becker says 25 feet means he’d have to stand in the street to smoke in front of his workplace, Montclair Barbers. Sounds like a whole ‘nother health hazard to me.

E-MAIL BAG: Regarding my April 22 column on four local boys who made Eagle Scouts, reader Lisa Hines writes: “There are two more Eagle scouts from that 2001 Corpus Christi School graduating class: Patrick Hines and Mark Oehler” (That makes six Eagle Scouts from that class.) Patrick made park signs and trail markers for Dimond Canyon as part of his Eagle Scout project. Mark built a message kiosk at the Bridgeview Trailhead of Dimond Canyon. Congratulations guys!

‘DYNAMITE’ NIGHT: Hollywood in Moraga? The Rheem Theatre was packed to the rafters the other night with fans of the teeny bopper cult classic “Napoleon Dynamite.” The low-budget, independent film that has grossed millions had two showings at the Rheem, followed by a live Q and A with the stars that played Kip and Pedro. The evening was part of an ongoing film series organized by five marketing students Saint Mary’s College.

WHO IS this El Nino, and why is he messing with our weather? I haven’t seen a wet May like this since I lived in Minnesota, where spring showers were as common as ants at a picnic. All I can say is, the “big guy” upstairs has a great sense of humor. High above the clouds, he must get a kick out of sunshine one minute and rain the next.
I’m also thinking God is an environmentalist, and the members of Montclair Presbyterian Church would probably agree. Known for their social activism and earth-friendly agenda, the parishioners picked a Sunday, recently, to honor hybrids — cars that sip gas and barely pollute. The church’s Richard Larsen says they parked 16 hybrids at Thornhill School, including three Hondas and 13 Priuses.
“Our pastor, Karen Stokes, indicated during her sermon in late 2000 that she and her husband had bought a hybrid,” he says, “and parishioners were encouraged to look at the technology themselves.
As a Prius driver, I applaud your efforts and hope more folks follow your lead. We are stewards of the earth, and driving a hybrid is one way to make a difference. And if it gets you points with the “man upstairs,” that’s even better.

BAD GIRLS: Hundreds of women packed the Claremont Resort’s Empire Ballroom the other night to hear East Bay writer Cameron Tuttle. She’s the author of the “Bad Girl’s Guides,” which urge women to lighten up, to laugh, and to explore their inner passions. Cameron says too many women take on the burdens of family, friends and community, never giving themselves permission to have fun. It’s the Desperate Housewife syndrome and Tuttle saw it in her own family growing up, of all places, in Orinda’s Happy Valley. Look for a sitcom based on her books, coming out this month on the UPN network.

TAP TALK: What’s all the hub-bub about the new pub on Broadway? Apparently the old Hofbrau has been reincarnated into Luka’s Tap Room, and boasts not only beer but “the funkiest jukebox in all of Oakland with a tall stack of funky, funky, 45s for your listening pleasure. There’s plenty of room to groove, too, with a 1,200 square-foot dance space — and deejay — in the lounge. And remember the big neon hofbrau sign that graced that location for years? It’s been donated to the Museum of Neon Art in Los Angeles.

RIVER RAFTING: Heavy rains mean swollen rivers and that’s good news for hills couple Dick and Suzie Linford. They co-own Echo River Trips, one of the oldest river running companies in the west. One of their favorite rivers is the Tuolumne, which is running high and fast right now with over 40 rapids including the hair-raising Clavey Falls. It’s not Niagra in a barrel, but it’s a trip you’ll never forget. For more information, the web site is echotrips.com.

REAL SURREAL: It was like stepping into a Quentin Tarantino movie when I walked into Kingman’s Lucky Lounge the other night. Friends had been talking about the Grand Avenue bar and I soon found out why. Zagat rated for its nightlife, this is the perfect place for a cocktail and conversation. Fun and eclectic, deejays spin their own brand of background music as you sip $2.50 well drinks. And no, that’s not a typo. But sit there long enough and you’ll be pinching yourself to see if you’re dreaming.

The older I get, the younger I am.
Never mind the oils and creams and wrinkle removers. I am reversing the aging process with something much cheaper. Swimming. I’ve discovered the morning Masters Program at The Hills Swim Club. While most folks are rubbing the sleep from their eyes, I’m donning my goggles for a water workout at dawn. Back and forth along the lap lanes, the pool becomes an aqua blue chop — the spray catching rays from the early morning light.
My body feels supple, my skin feels alive — I am suddenly immortal as my muscles gets sculpted before my very eyes. The winter flab melts into spring.
Now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, I can move on to another hills favorite — hiking. Besides the obvious advantage of staying dry, hiking opens your eyes to the world around you, like birds, butterflies and slimy things growing on stumps.
What I didn’t realize was how many hiking trails we have in the area. The East Bay Regional Parks paths are one thing, but there’s a whole different set of trails in the watershed — run by the East Bay Municipal Utility District. For just $10 a year, you have access to some of the most stunning scenery around. The utility district owns over 27,000 acres of land in the East Bay, much with lush meadows and small, sparkling lakes (reservoirs).
My favorite, so far, is Kings Canyon — at the Valle Vista Staging Area off Pinehurst Road, just before Moraga. To hike this and other pristine watershed trails, call EBMUD for a permit at 510-287-0469.

E-MAIL BAG: A new book will be hitting the market this fall, and it’s guaranteed to get your interest. It’s a community yellow page guide called The Village Book, which will feature businesses in the Montclair/Piedmont and Rockridge areas.
Publisher Cathy Lonsdale says that by urging people to shop locally, merchants will be able to continue their support of local sports teams, service organizations and schools. That’s what it takes in a village — one hand washing the other.

THE BIRDS: It has all the makings of a Hitchcock thriller. Birds are ruling the roost at the mega Longs Drugs in the Rockridge Shopping Center. Attracted by the plethora of plants both outside and in, birds are nesting in the rafters above the gardening aisles. It’s impossible to keep them out, with the constant parade of customers opening the doors. And these birds aren’t “bird brains” by any means. They’ve figured out just how to help themselves to the round-the-clock buffet of feed and seed.

HUMAN PLEASURES: Speaking of buffets, it’s time for my annual fix of feta and olives at the Ascension Greek Orthodox Cathedral. The popular Greek Festival is next weekend, May 13-15, and besides the yummy gyros and great grilled lamb, there’s a new dish that I can’t pronounce. Saganaki with Kefalograviera cheese set aflame with brandy. Try saying that five times fast.
Better yet, try eating it under the stars as you take in the intoxicating music and dancing and all that is Greek — just minutes from your Oakland neighborhood. If I never get to this ancient land, I will at least feel satisfied that I’ve been there in my mind.
Got news? You can reach Ginny Prior by phone at 510-273-9418 or by e-mail at ginnyprior@yahoo.com.

Who says you can’t go home again? Mark Zinns did it, and things are working out just fine.
Zinns is the new director for Montclair Park and Recreation. It must be like deja vu for him since he grew up here and worked part-time at the center in college.
“Having the opportunity to come back here is like a really great homecoming for me,” he said.
After serving in the National Guard in the ’91 Gulf War, Zinns returned to Oakland to run the Dimond Recreation Center for 13 years before transferring to Montclair.
“At Dimond we really got the community involved in our programs,” he said, “Neighbors were taking pride of ownership in the park.”
That’s what’s needed in Montclair.
Just last year, a city-funded study showed Montclair Park and Rec was weak when it came to tapping the community for advice and support. But Zinns is already changing that.
“We have an advisory council now and have already had a cleanup night to get the center back in shape,” he said. “Just walk inside, and you’ll see the difference. The old walls have a new coat of paint, and there’s a new attitude as well. Wheelchair ramps are going in this fall, and new furniture has been ordered for the center — kind of a “mini-makeover.”
But with budgets so lean and expectations so big, Zinns would like to see more volunteers with an interest in the park. The programs and time commitment is up to the individual.
“There’ll be no more than one night meeting a month,” Zinns promises, “and if you can’t make the meetings, that’s fine too.”

• HIGHWAY HOOPLA: Local Realtor/columnist Pat Talbert wants to know the latest on the barrier replacement along Highway 13.
“It seems to lose more vegetation daily,” she notes, echoing the concern of other readers who say our once-scenic byway is looking pretty barren these days.
Councilwoman Jean Quan tells me she is working with state officials to find funding for both vegetation and irrigation for new highway plants, but says “little can be assured until the budget process in the state and other agencies moves forward for the next fiscal year.”

• E-MAIL BAG: Brenda Lynch wants readers to know that hills jazz singer Barbara Dane will perform May 1 at a benefit for the East Bay Agency for Children.
“This will be a wonderful afternoon on the waterfront in Alameda,” she says, at the home of Alice and Frank Fried. If you haven’t heard Barbara Dane, her band The Golden Gate Hot Seven “trumpets” some of the Bay’s best jazz musicians, including KKSF featured artist Ric Alexander on saxophone. Their style is ’50s jazz revival, and they’re often called the Buena Vista Social Club of the Bay Area.
It’s a great party for a great cause, and you can find out more by calling Tandra DeBose at 510-268-3770.

• OUT AND ABOUT: Congratulations to local author Carole Terwilliger Meyers for her new book, “Weekend Adventures in San Francisco & Northern California.” This is actually her eighth edition of this travel guide, which includes everything from restaurants to river rafting trips.
In Oakland, she touts the tulips at Mountain View Cemetery, the Chabot Space & Science Center, the USS Potomac, the zoo and a cavalcade of cafés and fine restaurants, including Fentons. The book is available in stores and at carousel-press.com

SEEING the Sabatte brothers at the Montclair Malt Shop the other day reminded me of my childhood. Some of my earliest memories are of Mom and Dad bringing in the milk from the little metal delivery box on the front porch. I didn’t grow up here, so the Sabatte family didn’t deliver our milk — but they might have delivered yours. Their grandfather owned Berkeley Farms, one of the most enduring and endearing East Bay institutions.
Commenting on the company’s famous “Farms in Berkeley” cow campaign, Herb Caen once said it was the most successful and longest running advertising slogan in Bay Area history. The “cow” was none other than voice man Mel Blanc, who did a few other animals you might remember, including Porky Pig and Bugs Bunny. Like those famous cartoon characters, the Berkeley Farms “Mooo” has achieved cult status, according to the founder’s grandson, Gary Sabatte.
Like all of the male family members, Gary drove the home delivery trucks for Berkeley Farms as a youth.
“It was an exhausting six to seven day a week routine,” he remembers, “and it seemed one could never get enough sleep.”
That lack of sleep may have led to an incident Sabatte still remembers today.
“Four cases of glass bottled milk fell out of my truck’s side door at the intersection of MacArthur and Broadway near the old Pland’s Restaurant. What a mess!”
As I think of the old days of milk delivery and, yes, even cows in Berkeley — I can’t help it yearn for that simpler time. Like the cream that rose to the top of the bottle, hard work was rewarded with success. Gary, George and Jack Sabotte (all Oakland hills residents) should be proud of their accomplishments. Berkeley Farms has survived because of their family’s strong work ethic and the company has earned its place in history.

FOOD FINE: They call it a “farm-acy” since it’s right next to Kaiser Permanente. The new branch of Food Mill is a mighty little market with some of the best selection and prices I’ve seen on healthy groceries.
Located next to the pharmacy in the MB Center, (MacArthur and Broadway) they have everything from wild salmon to Pomegranate juice, from Buffalo burgers to organic fruits and vegetables.
“Kaiser approached us at our store in East Oakland,” says manager Jutta Kaiser, who, despite her last name, says there’s no relation to the medical center. Still, she was happy to open the “farm-acy” as a way to reach Kaiser customers with the best foods available.

SAVING TIME: If you enjoy queuing up at the post office, then this story is not for you. The little Canyon Post Office is expanding its services to include passport photos and processing. Avoiding the drive to West Oakland is just one reason to discover Canyon. Another is the sweet country charm of this mail center and the redwoods that surround it. No noisy crowds of people and their packages here — just the babbling of the brook as it flows through the cool, damp forest.

EAGLE AWARDS: Four hills boys who started school together and scouts together are receiving the ultimate honor next month.
Cameron Copland, Ian Faison, David Pezzola and Ryan Sullivan are becoming Eagle Scouts on May 1 at a ceremony at Corpus Christi School. Not only did the boys attend this Catholic school, they graduated together before going off to different high schools. But their community service remained constant and their achievement is one that few boys reach.

TALKING TURKEY: In a year when the wild turkey population is exploding, several readers have reported a particularly tame bird along Skyline at Shepherd Canyon Road. I spent much of my morning last Friday tracking that turkey, which led me on a wild goose chase through some prickly canyon scrub. After getting no closer than 10 feet, I concluded this bird is not interested in being domesticated, nor is it eager to be part of a wild game dinner.

TEMPUS FUGIT. Time passes quickly, whether we’re having fun or not. But one way I’ve found to slow the hands of time is to slow down myself. An hour can seem like a day when I’m strolling, noticing new things and appreciating the old.
The new village clock caught my eye the other day. What a beautiful timepiece, stately and proud as it stands on the corner of Mountain and La Salle. Thanks to the Montclair Village Association for planning and purchasing this grand ornament and thanks to Raimondi’s for paying the monthly electric bill. Speaking of time, the long-awaited farmers market is coming to Montclair on Sunday, May 1. It’s been a long time coming, and I know we’ll turn out to support it.

SWEET CELEBRATION: The Montclair Safeway has always had great community spirit, so it’s no surprise it recently held a Spring Art Competition. Assistant Manager Susan Rodgers coordinated the event and every kid who entered was a winner, with lots of sweet treats and adorable stuffed animals for prizes. It’s this kind of tradition that makes our village so special.

EMAIL BAG: Reader Pat Grier comments: “I was interested to read in your column (April 8) that the landlord/owner of the space Montclair Produce was in, wanted a market in there. Uh, he had one.” She cites high rent as the reason Montclair Produce closed, and suggests the market concept is already springing up nearby. “Farmer Joe’s is going to open in the old Albertsons sometime this summer & Gabriel at Rocky’s is rumored to be putting in a meat counter,”she writes.

MORE EMAIL: With identity theft becoming a growing problem in the Bay Area, reader Scheria Smith suggests you look up her business on the Web. She says www.scheriasmith.org features a short, informational movie on how to protect your credit.
Smith’s company, Identity Theft Shield, offers a prepaid plan that continuously monitors your credit, provides you with reports, and helps you restore your identity if a theft occurs.

OBSERVATORY OBSERVATIONS: I took out-of-town guests to the Chabot Space & Science Center recently and they were star-struck. “We can’t believe you have something of this magnitude in your neighborhood,” they said as they spent hours in the Mars exhibit and taking in the Planetarium and the Megadome Theater. Having just been at the National Air and Space Museum, I can honestly say the Smithsonian has nothing on Chabot when it comes to covering the great beyond.

HUMAN CHAIN: You’ve heard of Lake Merritt’s Necklace of Lights? Well, Lake Tahoe is planning a necklace of a different sort this summer –77,000 people are wanted for a human “peace” chain around the lake on Saturday, June 25. With the winter they’ve had, the snow may just be melting.

CORRECT ME if I’m wrong, but isn’t it spring? I keep getting e-mails about new storms in Lake Tahoe and truckloads of snow falling in the Sierra.
An extension of winter may sound like a good thing, but it could put a chill on some of spring skiing’s best events. Like Squaw Valley’s bikini and boxer slalom this Sunday. If the weather doesn’t warm up, the racers could get frostbite. Many parts will be exposed to the elements.
Then there’s Sugar Bowl’s Hawaiian Luau party on Saturday. Skiing in a grass skirt doesn’t afford you much warmth, even with a mai tai in each hand.
And what about the long-standing tradition of pond jumping? You can’t jump a pond at the bottom of the ski run if there’s no snow melt.
If this is global warming — then I’d hate to see a really snowy winter.

ABOUT TOWN: It’s been almost a year since Montclair Produce closed its doors and the building’s only sign of life is the flower shop, which has taken over part of the space. But word is the landlord is trying to find partners for a Rockridge-style marketplace.
A likely tenant would be Montclair Bakery and owner Cheryl Lew says she’s considering the move next door but there’s a lot of money involved. “The landlord is pretty committed to trying to find a way to put in another market,” she said, adding he’s been approached by chains and mortgage companies and turned them all down. I think we’d all welcome a marketplace in this location, especially if they could open up more parking.
Meanwhile, Montclair Village has its own trouble keeping tenants. The latest business to say goodbye is Ps Home, which is expected to be out by the end of May.
Broker Ann Moody tells me the space will be split into three shops, and she’s looking at everything from a shoe store to an art workshop for two of the spaces. The third shop might be taken by an existing Montclair business –A Great Good Place For Books. As of this date, nothing is nailed down.

ON THE BAY: Thanks to reader Howard Smith for telling me the Potomac has launched its 2005 cruise season. More than 80,000 people have sailed aboard FDR’s floating White House since it opened to the public at Jack London Square in 1995. This ship is one of Oakland’s treasures and everyone, young and old, will enjoy the tour. For more information, call 510-627-1215.

HEAVENLY MUSIC: It may seem like an unlikely place for a concert, but Oakland’s Chapel of the Chimes has some wonderful live music events. Marilyn Kosinski at The Oakland Lyric Opera has put together an eclectic selection of songs for April 17 (2 p.m. Sunday), featuring a pianist and two sopranos doing French duets.
She calls these performances “opera light,” saying even the most die-hard opera haters will like them. The venue alone (Julia Morgan designed this historic structure) is worth the visit.

HOOP RIVALRY: It was a battle of the local Catholic Schools when grads from St. Theresa’s and Corpus Christi squared off in a basketball fund-raiser recently. The boys, all students at Bishop O’Dowd High School, packed the gym and raised $1,700 for tsunami victims.
Their moves may have been compromised by the skimpy uniforms (the guys were squeezed into their grade school shorts and jerseys) but it was a great game and St. T’s pulled out the win.

IT WAS 1988 when we first moved to Montclair. Young newlyweds, my husband and I found nightlife just down the hill at a place called The Equinox. The club’s closure marked the beginning of a long drought for those of us thirsty for live local music.
Finally, the drought appears to be over.
There was a warm, welcoming glow coming from the historic Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club last week. Folks filtered in for an evening of comedy, commentary and music. Many of us had never seen this remarkable building, which had quietly been part of the landscape here since the 1920s. The fire crackled and threw light on the persimmon-colored walls. The mahogany bar gleamed as the men and women of Montclair shared wine and warm conversation.
The evening was organized by Andrea Gordon, a local Realtor with a background in theater and a dream of starting an Art Salon in Montclair. “This community has everything going for it,” she said, “but rarely do we see live performance happening here.” With her own money, Gordon hopes to change that. And the Woman’s Club couldn’t be a better venue.
The grand old lady is already home to the 17-piece Montclair Women’s Big Band, and features a wonderful stage with a brand new sound system and great acoustics. The ballroom is a classy as ever, with its four double doors that open into the wooded courtyard. It’s a beautifully restored building that is perfectly situated across from the local library.
Gordon’s next live event is on May 16, with bi-monthly shows after that. Let’s support her dream to bring live entertainment to Montclair. Let’s make this a gathering place for everyone who celebrates music as the soul of a community — and the way to bring us closer together. For more information on upcoming shows, her Web site is www.andreagordon.com.

SPEAKING OF MUSIC: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention La Taza de Cafe here. Owner Daniel Brajkovich is creating a wonderful Latin music club where the old Thornhill Cafe used to be. Two of the featured musicians are from Havana and they (Evelio Roque and Coto Pincheira) set the mood for the sumptuous tapas that are served right up until closing at 11 p.m. It was Daniel’s dream for this to be a gathering place, too, and it’s become even more — as neighbors bring instruments to play with the band. It reminds me of Europe, where music is life and rarely a meal goes by without song.

EASTER CELEBRATION: The hunt was on, last week, as dozens of neighbors searched for eggs on the little storybook street called Fernwood Drive. Montclair writer Dennis Cavagnaro likens this street to a fairytale village of hobbit-like houses with diamond-shaped windows and medieval charm. He says the children were neatly dressed and well-behaved as they searched merrily for the brightly-colored eggs in the beautifully manicured garden. Sounds like something out of the society pages of the Montclarion — decades ago.

E-MAIL BAG: It’s good to know that this little column can make a difference. Pat Schwinn says that after last week’s piece on the mercury thermometer exchange at Montclair Presbyterian Church, she heard from a reader who had thrown her old broken thermometer in the trash. Schwinn gave her an emergency containment kit and the mercury is on its way to hazardous waste — instead of contaminating the landfill. Applause, applause!

MORE E-MAIL BAG: Regarding the piece on longtime radio personality Gene Nelson, David Ferrell Jackson writes: “Oddly enough, I am working this morning on a pair of 1965 air-checks of Gene from wonderful old KYA. The sound isn’t that good, but we should have them up on the Bay Area Radio Museum Web site (www.bayarearadio.org) by the middle of next week.

DALE MARIE GOLDEN always gets her man. No, this isn’t a tale of love in the hills — it’s a crime story. Our heroine is a senior executive at Montclair’s Wells Fargo Bank and her motto is none other than “not on my watch.” So in comes a guy trying to cash a stolen $5,000 check the other day. The man made the mistake of calling, first, claiming to be a relative of the customer. Our Ms Golden knew something was amiss so she called local beat cops Felicia Aisthorpe and Johnna Watson.
Aisthorpe had her squad car and Watson came by motorcycle with a backup patrol.
“We’re here for you, Dale,” they proclaimed as they rounded up the suspect and shoved him into the black and white. And this is where the story gets good.
The partner comes up to the police car and asks how long his pal is going to be.
“What’s your name?” the officers ask, and he tells them. They run a check and he has a rap sheet that reads like a book. “Apparently these guys were part of a pretty big fraud ring,” says Golden, “and we broke it up.” These three women are like the Mod Squad — kicking butts and taking names. I guess it’s all in a day’s work.

E-MAIL BAG: In the wake of last week’s piece on veteran KSFO/KYA radio personality Gene Nelson, Ben Bruening writes: “I was 15 when I first discovered Gene and 30 when the new owners came in and he left the air (in the mid-’90s) I can’t explain to those who never heard him (my wife, for example) what he did that made him special. You had to hear him talk about the “Little Missus” and “little nippers” and where they had dinner last night and what movie they had seen to appreciate him.” Thanks, Ben, for the memories.

WARM HEART: Reader Bob Anderson had a sweet experience in Montclair the other day. He was shopping for gifts to bring 19 girls in an orphanage near where his wife, Edna Mitchell, is working in Kabul, Afghanistan. “The things I looked at for the older girls (12 to 15) were inappropriately sexy for Muslims,” he writes, adding he was worn out and discouraged when he finally stopped at Annie’s Hallmark in Montclair. Not only did owner Mohammed Khatib pick out 20 beautiful origami kits, he insisted that they be his gift to the girls. “Montclair is indeed a special place,” says Anderson, “and it’s people like Mohammed who make it so.”

TOSSING TOXINS: If you’ve got an old mercury thermometer around the house, it’s time to bag it up and take it to church. From 11 a.m. until noon on Sunday, March 27, the Montclair Presbyterian Church Eco-Stewards will give any Alameda County resident a brand new digital thermometer in exchange for their used mercury thermometer. And how dangerous are mercury thermometers? Just 400 of them could potentially contaminate 2.5 billion gallons of water. Save The Bay and the East Bay Municipal Utility District are co-sponsoring this drive and Pat Schwinn has more information at 339-2669. By the way, the Eco-stewards also collect old batteries and fluorescent light bulbs each week.

THINK GREEN: If you like home tours, then check out this spring’s “Build It Green Home Tour”. Reader Larry Hayden (owner of Federal Building Co.) says up to 30 “environmentally friendly” houses will be showcased in Alameda and Contra Costa counties on May 1. Sign up for the tour and you can see everything from super efficient solar homes to healthy homes with low toxicity. For more information, check the Web site.

APPARENTLY I don’t get out enough. For years, I have known about the eclectic cuisine on College Avenue but have ignored its siren calls. I’ve lived in an oyster, having rarely experienced the pearl. All that changed when I walked in the doors of a charming trattoria called Locanda Olmo. I was greeted warmly by a couple with a passion for food and a yearning to share it.
Charlotte Oculisti took us upstairs to an intimate place that her husband, Leonardo, had spent weeks creating. Rich earth tones and a vineyard motif gave it the feel of a Tuscan villa as we breathed in the sensuous smells of toasted bruschetta and rich herb risotto. Like most family-run restaurants in Italy, Charlotte was our server, running up and down stairs with the flair of a dancer. In fact, dancing was her profession in Italy, and she spent many a night in the spotlight, even dancing on stage during a Prince concert.
But these days, stardom is the last thing on her mind. Charlotte’s life is rich enough with the success she enjoys in the restaurant and as the mother of two young boys. Not to be outdone by mom and dad, the kids have boundless energy of their own and thrive on simple things like shopping for produce and darting in and out of the kitchen. And the love of family spills over to the customers who dine here.
Yes, we are blessed to be living in one of the culinary capitals of the world. Our restaurants are second to none. And while some people only dream of going to Tuscany, we can find it just minutes away, at Locanda Olmo, on College at Ashby in Berkeley.

ANOTHER TREASURE: Not long ago, a reader told me about Lucciola Children’s Bookstore on Piedmont Avenue. Lucciola means firefly in Italian and the shop is as illuminating as its name. Run by three women from Argentina, Lucciola celebrates culture from around the world with children’s books in several languages, including Spanish and Italian. But it’s not just for reading material.
The women also teach Spanish to customers as young as 2, with weekly sessions.
“We teach by singing and talking and dancing and reading to the children,” says Rosanna Sosa Payne, who does the bookkeeping for the shop while her partners Ines Tisker and Laura Juarez teach the classes.
The inspiration, she says, is the service they want to provide to their community.
“When we were raising our kids we tried to buy books and teach them our language,” she says, “but it was so hard finding books (Spanish) in the big stores.” So this is their way of giving back, of sharing the spirit of children from all cultures who call the East Bay their home. For more information on Spanish classes and books, call 652-6655 or see their Web site at www.Lucciolabooks.com.

EMAIL BAG: Reader Therese Brewitz wants to invite everyone to her upcoming show at the Montclair Women’s Cultural Arts Club (across from the library). Her five-piece band, Implied Five, is playing a concert at 9 p.m. Monday, March 21.
Brewitz is Swedish and says her band actually plays Swedish rap, as well as some smoky jazz and surf pop. Radio legend Scoop Nisker of KFOG is the host and the show is a bargain for just five bucks.

SPEAKING OF LEGENDS: Call this a blast from the past. Mark Abboud, a young guy who works at both Montclair Antiques and Montclair Hardware, showed me an old radio station album the other day from the 1960s. KYA’s 21 Golden Gate Greats had the top picks from some of San Francisco’s legendary disc jockeys like Gene Nelson and Russ Syracuse. Abboud snagged the album after someone brought it into the antique shop. Since I grew up with these songs (“Hang on Sloopy” by the McCoys and “Along Comes Mary” by the Association, to name a few) and later worked with Nelson and Syracuse at KYA –I guess that makes me an “oldie” too. An oldie, but a goodie.