Places Of Note

Take Five In Montclair

Did you know that jazz great Dave Brubeck used to live in Montclair?  Brubeck had been given a steep lot by his father, and built a cantilevered home.  Apparently there was a large boulder that held it all together.

Brubeck explained how the boulder became a linchpin for his home and career.  “The whole lot [was] suspended from the boulder, in an ‘L,’ with I-beams coming out which faced the Bay and the canyons.”  His young and growing family moved into the home by 1954, where he was inspired by this cool design.

“I had a nine-foot grand [Baldwin] piano right next to that rock, and many of the most famous things I’ve written were written there,” says Dave.  At that time, he had already formed the eponymous quartet and was quite prolific.

While we would have to confirm exactly which tunes emerged from the hills, I’m guessing Brubeck’s 1950s hits were among them – link and listen to Blue Rondo a la Turk, Strange Meadow Lark or Take Five.

Although Brubeck lives on the other coast now, he has not been forgotten by Golden Staters.  This past May, he was inducted into the California Hall of Fame by the Governator and First Lady Maria.

Dave is in his late 80s and continues to tour and perform nationwide.  He’ll give his next Bay Area performance at the San Francisco Jazz Festival on October 22nd, and tickets are still available.

At Least Montclair Makes The Grade

Montclair’s Mountain and Antioch intersection makes the grade!  We’re one of the 18 Defining Intersections in Oakland, according to the latest issue of Oakland Magazine.  This spot really is our city-center, where you run into everyone just by hanging out.

Our intersection is described as a “crucial crossroads” where the benches are always full.  There are a few tips of the hat to yesteryear, including the historic Julia Morgan-designed Hansel and Gretel firehouse down the street.  (Speaking of which, we have to decide what to do with that place.)

Sometimes I am concerned that old Montclair is a dowager and not sufficiently hip compared to other Oakland burgs.  It’s a reliable, steady-eddy kind of village.  It’s very easy to live here.  But a destination for others beyond the locals?  Not so much.

We earned respect because there is a basic character to the Village that’s grown organically over time.  The Village has been settled, period.  There’s no super-gentrification and no new stucco overhaul except for the Lucky Supermarket (nee Albertsons) below.

Besides Montclair, three of our nearby neighbors made the grade.  I’m not surprised that Rockridge, Piedmont and even little Glenview are included in the intersections – they all are pretty nice alternatives when we want to leave our village for a little dining, movie or what have you.

Anyway, I’m sort of proud of the article because it lists the typical places Montclarions go to eat, shop, exercise and run errands.  The simple, walkable village is a dying breed but we still have one.  I guess it doesn’t matter that we don’t attract much attention, but this recognition feels right.

Who Painted The Dogs?

Stefen did!  He’s a terrific Berkeley muralist who creates art on a grand scale.

For the Thornhill Pet Hospital (map), Stefen painted “Kirkwood Lake” on the side of the hospital.  There you see this pristine, Tahoe-inspired mountain lake – and feel like hanging out with the lucky dog who’s relaxing nearby.

Several pets then greet you at the hospital door, except for the retriever who’s jumping up and surely can’t wait for someone to let him inside.

Whenever I’m hitting the 7-Eleven next door, these murals make me smile and escape from Oakland.  If you aren’t from this part of town, take a quick drive and admire Stefen’s building art too.

That Pharmacy On The Fault

Montclair Pharmacy’s been around since 1936, and at this La Salle location (map) since 1957.  I’m not a native villager, but am loyal to this pharmacy for my drugstore needs.  It just seems like the right place to go, with staff who have been around the block.

A few years ago, these guys came to my rescue when I was dealing with sciatica.  As I hopped down the aisles writhing in pain, they made the prescription and home-delivery process easy.

Their matter-of-fact approach was important, because I couldn’t drive and was in dire need.  The delivery person arrived quickly and, as a fellow sciatica sufferer, brought a little more empathy too.

I’m sure the other pharmacy options in town are fine.  Yet given the chance, I’ll always favor the independent Montclair Pharmacy in this era of chains-are-everything.  It feels better to visit pharmacist Bill Sullivan, who’s been here since the store opened 51 years ago.

The first time I set foot in this place, I wasn’t needy at all.  I simply wanted to kill a little time, and stopped by to inspect the travel books on hand.

Instead, I engaged in friendly banter with the shopkeeper about the Hayward Fault.  While he’s likely shared the geological markers over and over, he took the time to point out the 1989-era crack running through the store and across La Salle.  All part of the charm, I think.

Neighbors Unite Through MONS

Where is your MONS?  To prepare for calamities of all types, Montclarions have been organizing into hyper-local groups called “Montclair Organized Neighborhoods” or MONS for short.  These are groups of roughly 30 households that get organized to look out for each other.

According to Doug Mosher, there are already 50 groups and new groups are joining up.  He has even mapped many of their detailed locations.  Since this is a Google map, you can find out whether you’re specifically included in a group or organize one yourself.

If there’s mud, quakes, fires, crimes, plagues or pestilence, your neighborhood group would be the best place to turn.  By organizing beforehand, you also have a built-in excuse to meet nearby neighbors – something we all did in earlier eras but need a push these days.

Each neighborhood organizes for slightly different reasons, and generally aims to “beef up their ability to prepare and respond to natural disasters and emergencies, deter crime, clean up and beautify the neighborhood, and socialize.”  For more MONS info, check out these guides and links.

MONS are also part of Oakland’s CORE or “Citizens of Oakland Respond to Emergencies” groups.  After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Oakland Fire Department knew it would be impossible to respond directly to everyone’s needs – and created this organization to teach Oaklanders what to do.

While admittedly a “manana person,” I found the MONS and CORE materials to be very practical.  For example, they advise you to share rosters/names of neighbors, including utility shut-off locations.  They also encourage you to share tools and resources.

These experts have thought about everything, including my favorite emergency preparedness lists for dogs and cats too!