SpecialReport

September 8 was a Sunday. A hot one. As many of us were getting ready to cheer on the Niners, Giants, As, or Americas Cup racers, a spark from target shooting on the back side of Mount Diablo started a fire that soon set our mountain ablaze... pg. 38

How it Started

Battling the Blaze

Meet the Heroes

october 2013 $4.95

W W W . D I A B L O M A G . C O M

The Inferno

Also in This Issue: Metallicas New Movie / the New Duck club / Guide to DIY crafts

The Magazine of

the East Bay

At Sutter Health, we believe you deserve great care from the right doctor.

Thats why we select doctors who establish relationships with you and who communicate with you through one-on-one conversations in person and online. With doctors, hospitals and clinics throughout the East Bay, fi nding the care you need close to home is easier than ever.

Its one more way we plus you.

(800) 4-SUTTER | TheDoctorForYou.com

ITS EASY TO FINDDOCTOR RIGHT

Alta Bates Summit Medical CenterEden Medical Center Palo Alto Medical FoundationSutter Delta Medical Center Sutter East Bay Medical Foundation

TimelessMaunaKea.com

What was, is

Island of Hawaii 866.977.4589

no

rm

a c

or

do

va

23Travel | Yosemite One family celebrates two 50-year wedding anniversaries at Yosemites gorgeous Ahwahnee Hotel. By Peter Crooks

29Get Crafty Its a DIY and Pinterest world. Get your craft on with these classes, and meet local crafters making big waves. Edited by LeeAnne Jones

38Fire on the Mountain Smoke from the Morgan Fire on Mount Diablo could be seen from all over the Bay Area. Here are perspectives from those on the front lines, from firefighters to evacuees. Edited by Susan Safipour

46Metallica at the Movies As rocks biggest band takes its show to IMAX, we trace Metallicas path from the East Bay to the silver screen. By Peter Crooks

Features

Department

OctoberVolume 34, Number 10

29

4 october 2013

top

to

bo

tto

m:

sa

ma

nth

a s

ch

ne

ide

r;

mit

ch

to

bia

s

Food Scene

91Food News All hail the mocktail! Alcohol-free mixed drinks are sophisticated thirst quenchers. Plus, boozy sweets for adult trick-or-treaters.

92Review | The Park Bistro An old-school favorite in Lafayette gets a major makeover, with winning results.

96Critics Reviews Diablo tries Mexcal in Danville and Homestead in Oakland. Plus, we visit Vanessas Bistro 2 in its new Walnut Creek location.

98Diablo Dish Esins owners double down with a new gourmet tavern in Danville, Japanese small plates head for Dublin, and more.

100Cheap Eats Breakfast and lunch done right at the new Danville Station Firehouse Bar and Grille.

In Every Issue

8Editors Note

10Glimpse

147Faces

152Click

Speak of the Devil

13Spectacular floral photography; meet the Oakland Museum of California employee who makes a living stuffing corpses; a rise in coworking spaces means you dont need to take your laptop to Starbucks anymore; fantastical success for a Pleasanton author; shopping Danvilles Prospect Avenue; and this months must-do events, including Mythbusters live, Ella Fitzgerald in Walnut Creek, and Kenny Loggins helping wounded warriors out of the danger zone.

92

On the Cover Photography by Eric Smith

OctoberVolume 34, Number 10

18

Modern Luxury is a trademark of Celebrity Cruises Inc. 2013 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships registry: Malta and Ecuador.

Our newest ships in Old World waters offer AquaClass staterooms designed to satisfy even the most enthusiastic spa lovers. Indulge in lavish perks, like an AquaClass Spa Concierge to arrange your spa treatments, exclusive dining in Blufeaturing refreshingly indulgent dishesand a private, spacious veranda, where stunning Europe views are always just a few steps away.

Because we believe every moment of your vacation should be measured by just how far it takes you from the ordinary.

Thats modern luxury.SM

Experience it at celebritycruises.com/sf To book, call us at 1-888-456-7887 or contact your travel agent.

10-year Cond Nast Traveler Readers Choice Award finalist

A l a s k a A s i a A u s t r a l i a /N ew Ze a l a n d B e rmu d a C a r i b b e a n E u r o p e G a l a p a g o s S o u t h Ame r i c a

6 october 2013

D i a b l o P u b l i c at i o n s F o u n D e r a n D P r e s i D e n t

Steven J. rivera

E s t a b l i s h E d i n 1 9 7 9

G r o u P P u b l i s h e r barney Fonzi

s e n i o r a c c o u n t e x e c u t i v e s

Marilyn beck rivera, toni tighe, Megan tuggle

a c c o u n t e x e c u t i v e

Jocelyne crossley

M a r k e t i n G D i r e c t o r Dave reik

M a r k e t i n G a n D c i r c u l at i o n M a n a G e r Melinda Solomon

M a r k e t i n G a s s o c i at e Amanda Stratmeyer

s a l e s a n D M a r k e t i n G i n t e r n Ashley Shpak, Jacob tarnow

s e n i o r a c c o u n t e x e c u t i v e e M e r i t u s

Francine Lyall

a d m i n i s t r at i o n

c h i e F F i n a n c i a l o F F i c e r brendan N. casey

s ta F F a c c o u n ta n t Sylvia bajjaliya

a c c o u n t s Paya b l e Ana Magaa

a c c o u n t s r e c e i va b l e / r e c e P t i o n i s t cheryl Davis

h e l P D e s k a D M i n i s t r at o r Nick rubalcaba

a s s i s ta n t t o t h e P r e s i D e n t a n D t h e P u b l i s h e r Jodie Aranda

n at i o n a l a d v E r t i s i n g o f f i c E s

h awa i i Lola cohen co., Lola cohen, (808) 282-1322

n a Pa / s o n o M a Stephanie ericson, (415) 307-5323; Wendy tognetti, (707) 544-3643

n e w yo r k couture Marketing, Karen couture, (917) 821-4429

s o u t h e r n c a l i F o r n i a a n D a r i z o n a

Dorie Leo & Associates, Dorie Leo, (310) 822-4938

h o w t o r E a c h u s

F o r a D v e r t i s i n G, s u b s c r i P t i o n, a n D G e n e r a l i n F o r M at i o n (925) 943-1111 c i r c u l at i o n e - M a i l a D D r e s s subscribe@maildiablo.com M a i l i n G a D D r e s s 2520 camino Diablo, Walnut creek, cA 94597-3939

t o c o M M e n t o n e D i t o r i a l c o n t e n t (925) 943-1199, ext. 4 b y Fa x (925) 943-1045 b y e - M a i l d-mail@maildiablo.com o n t h E w E b diablomag.com w E b s i t E f o r d i a b l o c u s t o m P u b l i s h i n g dcpubs.com

t w i t t E r twitter.com/diablomagazine fa c E b o o k facebook.com/diablomagazine

Diablo (ISSN 1051-3434) is published monthly by Diablo country Magazine Inc., 2520 camino Diablo, Walnut creek, cA 94597-3939. Periodical postage paid at Walnut creek, cA, and

additional mailing offices. Subscription rate: one year, $20, payable in advance. Single copies, $4.95. back issues, if available, $4.95. PoStMASter: Send address changes to Diablo

magazine, 2520 camino Diablo, Walnut creek, cA 94597. For inquiries, call (925) 943-1111. All rights to the contents of this magazine are owned in full by Diablo country Magazine Inc.

Diablo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers and do

not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or the management of the magazine. contents 2013. All rights reserved. october 2013, Volume 34, Number 10.

e D i t o r Susan Dowdney Safipour

a r t D i r e c t o r roger Gurbani

s e n i o r e D i t o r / s e n i o r w r i t e r Peter crooks

M a n a G i n G e D i t o r LeeAnne Jones

a s s o c i at e e D i t o r Stacey Kennelly

s e n i o r F o o D e D i t o r Nicholas boer

a s s i s ta n t e D i t o r caitlin Mcculloch

a r t / w e b a s s i s ta n t Samantha Schneider

e D i t o r at l a r G e Michaela Jarvis

c o n t r i b u t i n G a r t D i r e c t o r Greg Silva

c o P y e D i t o r s Judith Dunham, Linda Lenhoff

c o n t r i b u t i n G w r i t e r s Deborah burstyn, Hannah craddick, ben Davidson,

April Dembosky, Lou Fancher, ethan Fletcher, Gina Gotsill, Kristen Haney, Sara Hare, Sarah Henry,

James obrien, Martha ross, Angela Sasse, Lisen Stromberg, Sarah Sung

e D i t o r i a l i n t e r n s Mahsa Dinyari, Nick Golden, bella ohlmeyer,

elijah Sarinana

c r e at i v e D i r e c t o r David bergeron

D i r e c t o r o F o P e r at i o n s eileen cunningham

a D P r o D u c t i o n a n D P r o D u c t i o n Jennifer brazil, Debra Donovan, ron Henry,

Michele Johnson

P r o j e c t M a n a G e r / a D c o o r D i n at o r Sarah Schultz

International Auctioneers and Appraisers - bonhams.com/asian2013 Bonhams & Butterfields Auctioneers Corp. All rights reserved. Bond No. 57BSBGL0808

Fine Asian Works of ArtAuction December 2013, San FranciscoConsignments now invited

+1 415 503 3333 dessa.goddard@bonhams.com

A fine nephrite two-part table screenThe plaques 18th/19th centurySold for $218,500

8 OCTOBER 2013

sta

ce

y k

en

ne

lly

Susan with Mike Marcucci, Contra Costa battalion chief of Cal Fire.

It was hard getting to sleep that first night of the Morgan Fire. My family lives in Clayton, and while the wild-fire on Mount Diablo looked pretty far away, we just didnt know what we would wake up to.

We stayed up late with many of our neighbors, watching the smoke billow up into mushroom-like clouds, turn an angry red, and then dissipate as if the fire were dying down. Every time we thought it might be stopping, the flames would rise again. We couldnt take our eyes off it.

We live near the top of Seeno Hill, one of the highest points in Clayton, and everyone gathered there like it was an after-hours block party. A stream of cars came by, too, to get a better view of the blaze.

The view from Seeno Hill is one of my favorites. Every morn-ing when I drive down Eagle Peak Avenue to work, I marvel at that majestic mountain and thank my lucky stars that I live in Clayton.

But that Sunday night, it was dark and frightening. A small scar of fire started down the front of the mountain, as if heading toward

Captivated BY tHe FLaMeSAll eyes were on Mount Diablo, as the Morgan Fire grew.

Itown. Everyone worried about friends in Morgan Territory, many of whom were evacuated to the town library. We could not imagine how the firefighters were battling a blaze in the steeps near the ridgeline, where we have to stop frequently to catch our breath on hikes.

The next morning, we woke to blue skies: The fire had headed south and was trying to crest the ridge to Danville and Dublin, terrifying residents there. It took more than 1,000 firefighters just three days to contain the blaze, which they did with no loss of life or houses. We share the brave stories of these heroes, and those of evacuees and others on the front lines of the Morgan Fire, on page 38.

SuSan DowDney SafipourEditor in Chief

ssafipour@maildiablo.com

editors note

1Letters of the MonthRancho San Miguel in Walnut Creek, aka, Eichler-ville, has appreciated well over 25 percent in the past six months. [Hot Hoods, September.] Many families are buying these great midcentury homes and restoring them to their original look. sam benson via Facebook

Popcorn and wine? [This Wine Has Pop, September.] Im sold. Nice pairing, Wente! allie schr atz via Twitter

Congrats! I heart Diablo! [The Big 4-0-0, September.] darci m via Twitter

2Congratulations!Louise Lee of Orinda and Lisa Fisher of Lafayette each won a pair of tickets to see Plcido Domingo perform at UC Berkeleys Greek Theatre. Get the 411 on future contests by subscribing to the A-List at www.diablomag.com/a-list.

From Susans Desk

Proud dealer of

inspi ra tion .

all here.

San Jose Burlingame Pleasanton

allnaturalstone.com

We are the Bay Areas premier provider of fine tile and stone slab. Three locations feature numerous vignettes with sample installations for kitchen, bath and flooring, using the latest designer brands and a

limitless supply of colors, surfaces and textures. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff will help guide you through

the endless possibilities that will bring you joy for many years to come. Visit our showrooms to experience our wide

selection and see how we can help bring your dreams to life. Selection, inspiration, and creativity is all here.

10 october 2013

Diablo 11

Grand OpeningThe tower on the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge glitters in the night sky, as the first cars are escorted across. The old span finally sits dark, more than two decades after it was found to be unsafe, following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

p h oto g r a p h y by dav i d y u

Got a Glimpse?Submit your photos to glimpse@maildiablo.com.

Glimpse

Speak of the DevilTrends | PeoPle | CulTure | sTyle

Diablo 13

joson

joSon wasnt destined to be an artist. When he was growing up in Asia, art was not high on the list of profes-sions that parents envisioned for their children.

At age 10, joSon entered a Buddhist monastery to become a monk. As he pursued his calling, he took photos of religious events at the monastery.

At 18, his Buddhist masters, rec-ognizing joSons interest, suggested he leave the monastery and follow a more creative path. Now a commercial photographer in Emeryville, joSon has filled his studio with flowers.

My work is based on the values of the temples, he says. I love the

beauty of life. I dont do dark photogra-phy. Its just not who I am.

The flowers that fill his new coffee-table book, joSon: Intimate Portraits of Nature, were a natural choice.

The color, the texture, the exoti-cism of flowers is like a chocolate chip cookie for your eyes, he says. When I see them, I cant resist.

From orchids and tulips to mag-nolias, this flower lover searched high and low for his subjects.

I get some flowers from flower shops, but mostly they are from peoples yards, he says. Im not a big fan of flower shops. The flowers are too common, and often its hard

to find a perfect flower since they travel around.

Flowers are so easy to damage; for the eyes, its OK, but the camera lens can see everything.

Flowers provide a visual appeal, yes, but to joSon, the blooms are more than beautiful.

Flowers are like a missing language, he says. I find language very weak, not sophisticated enough to express our emotions. Flowers are another layer of expression.

To order the book, visit josonstudio.com. Get a sneak peek at his next proj-ect in our gallery at diablomag.com/joson. Caitlin McCulloch

Full Bloom A local artists photos are more than just pretty pictures.

14 october 2013

ter

ry

lo

ra

nt

Speak of the Devil

From a flock of graceful geese in flight to cringe-worthy preserved roadkill, taxider-mist Alicia Goodes work is a highlight of Oakland Museum of Californias newly renovated Gallery of Natural Sciences.

Early AptitudeGoode isnt squeamish. Before working at Berkeleys Bone Room and the Cal Academy, she grew up cleaning skulls for her dad, a hunter, and collecting insects. I had a pet black widow spider that my mom acciden-tally killed, she says.

Office SpaceHer shared, windowless workroom at Oakland Museum is filled with art supplies, taxidermy catalogs, animal forms, and drawers of glass eyes. On the table, a skunk specimen dries while orb weaver spiders are pinned. In the back is an SUVsized deep freezer.

Tools of the TradeFrom the ordinary (hair dryers and brushes) to what sound like medieval torture devices: the fleshing wheel, a wire wheel that scrapes off fat and tissue, and the tumbler, a spinning drum filled with ground corncob that dries skins.

Just Another Day at the OfficeSometimes, there will be a dead squirrel in a bag next to my sandwich in the refrigerator.

On-the-Job TrainingTaxidermy forms are commercially available for wild animals, but when Goode had to prepare a goat for the Oakland history exhibit, she got creative. I ordered a bighorn sheep form, measured the goat, and sculpted the form to be the right size and shape.

Safety HazardsIn addition to preparing new specimens (often donated from wildlife rehab centers), Goode restores old ones, like a 1960s grizzly bear whose matted fur needed vacuuming and styling. I have to be careful because these old mounts have arsenic in them.

FAQsMost people ask how she ended up in taxi-dermy. Its not like I thought, I want to be a taxidermist. I just followed the road, and this is where I wound up. But I love my job: It encompasses all the things that Im passion-ate about: art, natural history, and science. LeeAnne Jones

Odd Jobs |

Critter Preserver

Name: Alicia Goode Age: 30 City: Oakland Job: Taxidermist for Oakland Museum of CaliforniaBio

Sports Medicine CenterBerkeley | Dublin-Pleasanton | Livermore | Oakland | San Ramon

www.WebsterOrthopedics.com

Sports Medicine | Spine | Hand & Elbow | ShoulderHip & Knee | Foot & Ankle | Joint ReplacementPediatric & Young Adult | Chiropractic Care | Acupuncture Care

Reach your goal.

At Webster Orthopedics, weve been caring for professional

athletes for more than thirty years. So when youre seen by our sports medicine specialists, youre seeing the same doctors who care for elite

athletes and many other professional, college, and high school teams.

Dont let bone, muscle, or joint pain keep you from reaching your personal performance goals.

Call the sports medicine experts at Webster Orthopedics: 1-800-943-8099

Joseph R. Donnelly, M.D.Sports Medicine

Shoulder Knee

Fracture Care & General Orthopedics

Stephen R. Viess, M.D. Sports Medicine

Shoulder Knee

Fracture Care & General Orthopedics

Kevin M. Roth, M.D. Sports Medicine

Shoulder Fracture Care & General Orthopedics

16 october 2013

Hot Author |

Making Magic The Golum and the Jinni, by Pleas-anton author Helene Wecker, was released earlier this year to rave reviews, including a feature in the New York Times. Her tale of two mythological beings (one from Jew-ish folklore, the other from Arabic) meeting in 1899 New York examines the American immigrant experience with a supernatural twist.

Q: This book offers a creative take on the immigrant experience. A: My husband and I both grew up in suburban Chicago and had very similar childhoods, and we are also both children of immigrants. He is Arab-American, and I am Jewish. I was interested in exploring how char-acters from very different worlds can have a similar experience immigrat-ing into America.Q: How did you come up with such an imaginative premise?A: I was working on a story set in the real world, and having a hard time making it come to life. A friend in my writing workshop said, You love fantastical books; write stories like those. Once I made the characters supernatural, I no longer had precon-ceived ideas about them. They came to life in my imagination. Q: Does your success feel magical?A: While Ive had an amazing ex-perience, Im very much the same person. My daughters diapers are just as dirty as they were before the book came out.

Helene Wecker will be at the Contra Costa Jewish Book and Arts Festival in Walnut Creek on Novem-ber 14. helenewecker.com. Peter Crooks

Speak of the Devil

laptop loungeLocation: Halfway between Walnut Creek BART and downtown.Vibe: Probably the most suburban of all the East Bay coworking facilities, with two receptionists and a modern, business-chic decor that appeals to an established professional work crowd. Seating: Ranges from communal tables, to comfy couches in the lounge, to private desks. Plus, a conference room with views of Mount Diablo and a private phone booth for making calls.Cost: Monthly membership: $50$495. Pay as you go: $35 per day.Bonus: Weekly educational and net-working events, free for members.(925) 482-8300, laptoplounge.biz.

third workplaCeLocation: In the new Contra Costa Cen-ter/Pleasant Hill BART development. Vibe: Eco-hip, with reclaimed wood, succulents, and big photos of misty treescapes. Youre more likely to see a grad student here than a lawyer. Seating: The large central working space is filled with communal tables, and surrounded by private workspaces and conference rooms.Cost: Monthly membership: $99$399. Pay as you go: $6 per hour. Bonus: If you want a change of scenery, an S.F. location will open next. (925) 482-0910, thirdworkplace.com.

the portLocation: Two facilities in Jack London Square, with a quick walk to ever- expanding restaurant options for lunch. Vibe: At the Washington Street loca-tion, several of the private rooms are rented out full-time by lawyer types, giving a buttoned-down, professional feel. At the newer Broadway space, the fun, casual vibe includes a spiral slide.Seating: Communal seating, private offices, and conference rooms. Cost: Monthly membership: $200$300. Bonus: Both locations have game rooms with billiards and Ping-Pong to work off any stress.(800) 900-0506, portoffices.com.

impaCt hubLocation: On the fourth floor of down-town Berkeleys David Brower Center. Tenants in the LEEDplatinum building are dedicated to green business. Vibe: Very Berkeley. Spotted: free-trade coffee burlap sacks, a Solidarity With Honduras poster, and a Tibetan mortar and pestle. Seating: Fairly tight communal seating. Theres a beautiful glass-encircled con-ference room (with tree stump base for the table), and three phone booths. Cost: Monthly membership: $495. Day pass: $30. Bonus: Some memberships grant ac-cess to Hubs San Francisco location.(510) 649-7700, hubbayarea.com.

next spaCeLocation: In downtown Berkeley, directly across from BART.Vibe: With the historic Wells Fargo bank building setting (high ceilings), wooden desks, and retro orange accents, theres a bit of a Mad Men feel. Seating: The 9,000-square-foot space offers communal caf seating, dedi-cated desks, and private offices. There are two conference rooms, including one inside the old bank vault.Cost: Monthly membership: $275$475. Day pass: $25.Bonus: Among the amenities are a pin-ball machine, and a holistic room set up to accommodate local masseuses.(510) 990-0500, nextspace.us. Ethan Fletcher

Its a bold, new world out there. As more people go freelance or work remotely, co-working facilities have sprung up to meet demand for spaces that bridge the gap between home, a caf, and an office. Here are a few options in the East Bay.

On the Job |

The New Workplace

clo

ck

wis

e f

ro

m t

op

le

ft:

co

ur

tes

y o

f th

e p

or

t; s

he

ldo

n w

ec

ke

r;

co

ur

tes

y o

f h

ar

pe

r c

oll

ins;

ne

xt

sp

ac

e/n

ath

an

ph

illi

ps

ph

oto

gr

ap

hy

; c

ou

rte

sy

of

th

ird

wo

rk

sp

ac

e

The Port

Third Workplace

Next Space

get ready to get sweatylululemon athletica stoneridge pleasanton - opening fall 2013

18 october 2013

sa

ma

nth

a s

ch

ne

ide

r

Speak of the Devil

When news broke that Elisa Wen was back with a new boutique, we couldnt wait to check it out. To our delight, the store is on East Prospect Avenue in Danville. This small street is a shop-pers dream. Heres our guide on where to go and what to buy.

Dress for the Occasion: Elisa Wen From basket-weave backs to pops of neon and splashes of leather, Elisa Wen has any kind of dress a fashionista could hope for. Here, you can find well-known brands like Milly, and Robbi and Nikki, which offer con-temporary, cutting-edge looks with feminine flair. Bonus: The French coun-trystyle furniture is also

Street Scene |

Retail Lane Explore East Prospect Avenue, Danvilles superchic shopping block.

by c a i t l i n m c c u l lo c h

available for purchase.134 E. Prospect

Ave., (925) 263-9750, elisawen.com.

The Basics: Christinas Fine Clothing Sometimes, the simplest things are the hardest to find. Need a red ban-deau? Check. How about a cami thats extra long or has lace detail, or is a specific shade of blue? Christinas has that, too. Bonus: For about 15 bucks a pop, you can stock up on style staples.

145 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 362-8682, christi nasfineclothing.com.

Mens Jeans: Edge With clothing options for men and women, theres no reason your date cant tag along. Find mens

jeans for any style, or scope out the array of shaving products, plus the coolest womens casual pieces.Bonus: All profits go to five different local and international charities, including Danville-based Teen Esteem.

145 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 831-8500, shop- edge.com.

Foot Candy Aficionados: Flaunt In addition to finding a plethora of tops and dresses, we stumbled upon Yosi Samra shoes. These folding flats are fashionable and can easily be slipped into a purse. Go from day to night with ease, or from heels to comfort in seconds. Bonus: A huge sale area for finding high-end items on the cheap.

145 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 831-9923, shop flaunt.com.

Visit Wonderland: Niquea D Old-world charm meets upscale French flair at this enchanting bou-tique, which holds such offerings as perfumed soaps, candles, fancy candies, bags, and jew-elry. A chandelier fit for a queen meets the hand-painted royal blue walls. Bonus: Enjoy free spar-kling water with flavored syrups and macarons to feel extra pampered.

154 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 855-5538, niquead.com.

The Perfect Skirt: Ella J Maxi skirt lovers rejoice! These feminine, tricky-to-find bottoms fit just right, plus they come in marvelous colors and patterns. Aztec prints are in for fall, and I just so happened to spot a skirt here that fits the bill.Bonus: These skirts are a steal. A coral stunner for $36? Yes, please.

169 E. Prospect Ave., (925) 820-8367, ellaj boutique.com.

OUTPATIENT SURGERY DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING SUBSPECIALTY CLINICS HEARING & SPEECH CENTER NEW! LAB DRAW SERVICES

APPOINTMENTS925-979-4000

CONTRA COSTAS ONLY OUTPATIENT CENTER JUST FOR KIDS

CHILDRENS HOSPITAL OAKLANDSWALNUT CREEK CAMPUS2401 Shadelands Dr., Walnut Creek

NOW AT OUR WALNUT CREEK

CAMPUS!The new 6,000 sq.ft.

sports medicine center o ers

state-of-the-art sports performance

equipment speci cally designed for

the developing young athleteAPPOINTMENTS

925-988-0100

SPORTS MEDICINE CENTER FOR YOUNG ATHLETES PHYSICAL THERAPY

OF SPORTS-RELATED INJURIES IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

SPORTS PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT

INJURY PREVENTION TECHNIQUES

20 october 2013

clo

ck

wis

e f

ro

m t

op

le

ft:

co

ur

tes

y o

f th

e c

ity

of

sa

n r

am

on

; c

ou

rte

sy

of

the

tec

h m

us

eu

m;

co

ur

tes

y o

f w

ou

nd

ed

wa

rr

ior

s; r

ya

n m

on

tgo

me

ry

Speakers Uncharted (10/2510/26) The Berkeleyside blog launches its first annual festival of ideas, featur-ing some of the citys brightest minds, includ-ing writer and robotics expert Chris Anderson, political blogger Markos Moulitsas, and UC Berke-ley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks. berkeleyideas.com.

Music Rick Springfield (10/26) Don your Jellies and acid-wash denim, and head for San Ramons Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center, where 1980s rocker Rick Springfield will play his hits, including Jessies Girl. ci.san-ramon.ca.us/parks/theater.

For more event picks, check out the weekly Top Tickets at diablomag.com. LeeAnne Jones

Theater Ella the Musical (9/610/12) Ella Fitzgerald comes to life in this Center Rep production set in 1966, as the legendary jazz singer prepares for a concert and reflects on her life and careeralong with performanc-es of all her top hits. centerrep.org.

Seasonal Corn Maze (10/110/31) Head to Livermores G&M Farms for fall fun for the whole family. Trivia questions help guide the way through a six-acre corn maze, and a smaller straw bale maze and pumpkin patch are nearby for the wee ones. gmfarms.com.

Benefit Wounded Warriors (10/10) Support injured veterans in the East Bay at this benefit concert at Wente Vineyards. Actor Joe Mantegna of Criminal Minds hosts, with per-formers Kenny Loggins and American Idol finalist Lacey Brown. wounded warriorconcert.org.

Television Mythbusters: Behind the Myths (10/12) Hosts of the popular Discovery Channel show Mythbusters, which films around the East Bay, share behind-the-scenes stories and onstage experiments in two appearances at San Franciscos Orpheum Theatre. shnsf.com.

The List |

October: Fall gets festive, with a wine fest, star-studded concerts, and a six-acre corn maze.

Theater The Robber Bridegroom (10/1610/26) Brand-new Clayton The-atre Company debuts with this Robin Hoodesque comedy set in 18th century Mississippi with a bluegrass score, at Endeavor Hall. clayton theatrecompany.com.

Exhibit Science of Star Wars (10/192/23) Go inside the world of Star Wars, with costumes and props from the films, hands-on design labs, and exhibits on space travel, robot-ics, and magnetic levita-tion, at San Joses Tech Museum of Innovation. thetech.org.

Rick Springfield

Science of Star Wars

Lacey Brown at Wounded Warriors

Ella the Musical

Speak of the Devil

Full Range Of Services From Pre-Construction Detailing To Complete Interior Design. Visit Our 13,000-Square-Foot Design Center, Art Gallery, And Showroom.

J. Hettinger Plaza 200 Hartz Avenue Danville California 94526 925.820.9336 www.JHettinger.com

J. HETTINGERINTERIORS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIALPlease visit our new website at www.jhettinger.com

Thinking about remodeling?

Diablo 23

co

ur

tes

y o

f th

e a

hw

ah

ne

e h

ote

l

Not many couples get to celebrate their 50th anniversary, but my grandparents, Chester and Madeline, did. For their special celebration, our family took a trip to dine at Yosemites historic Ahwahnee Hotel.

I was a young teenager, which made everything from the high ceilings of the Ahwahnees stunning dining room to the steep face of El Capitan seem that much more epic and beautiful.

It made sense to recognize such a milestone amid a landscape so spectacular that it caused John Muir, famed naturalist and former Martinez resident, to observe, But no temple made with hands can compare with Yosemite. Every rock in its wall seems to glow with life.

My favorite memories, however, are of the giant smiles on my grand-parents faces, as they celebrated a half-century together and shared a fine meal with the family.

Two years ago, my parents cel-ebrated their 50th anniversary and decided to continue the tradition at the Ahwahnee. Since their anni-versary is in December and because my mother has always wanted to experience the hotels famed Brace-bridge Dinner, that was the setting for their special night with family and friends.

Travel

Food and Wine

nA Yosemite for

All Seasons The historic Ahwahnee Hotel offers delicious fall and winter getaways.

by p e t e r c r o o k s

24 october 2013

They picked the perfect night for a dinner at the Ahwahnee: Snowflakes tumbled in the brisk air, making the enormous banquet hall feel warm and cozy, full of festive merriment.

The annual Bracebridge dinner is a journey back in time that reimagines the hotels dining room as an 18th century English manor. The evening began with Lord Bracebridge wel-coming guests to his estate for an extravagant four-hour, seven-course feast complete with pheasant and plum pudding.

A large chorus sang holiday carols and broke into groups to entertain each table. There were various other entertainments throughout the evening, although I could have done with less of the admittedly talented court jester, due to my lifelong allergy to clowns.

Throughout the dinner, I kept sneaking looks at my parents in their formal evening wear, enjoying every minute of their anniversary celebration. Thank you for making a dream come true, my mother told Lady Bracebridge as we exited.

Ill file that memory next to my grand- parents glowing smiles in my personal Ahwahnee scrapbook.

Travel

Of course, the beauty of the Ahwahnee is that you dont need to be celebrating an an-niversary to visit. Just a three-hour drive from Danville, the hotel makes for an easy, elegant getaway from the East Bay. Throughout fall and winter, the Ahwahnee schedules wonder-ful food and wine events, in addition to the Bracebridge Dinner.

Last November, I was invited to try another of Ahwahnees great food and wine traditions: the Vintners Holidays. These wine retreats make a perfect pairing with the bright gold and yellow leaves in the parks black oak and cedar trees, which add a Technicolor tint to the landscapes perennial magnificence.

Vintners Holidays are scheduled mid week and feature afternoon tastings with prestigious winemakers. The sessions are moderated by wine journalists and experts, and the breezy, stream-of-consciousness chats with the wine-makers are fun and informative. Guests learn

The East Bays Premier Mens Clothier

Featuring:Canali, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni, Eton, Etro, Zanella, and Corneliani

Visit Daskalos at their new location

1243 Broadway Plaza

Walnut Creek

925-937-1808

www.daskalosfashions.com

Diablo 25

co

ur

tes

y o

f th

e a

hw

ah

ne

e h

ote

l

The Ahwahnee was en-visioned to host world leaders and elite guests in luxury. Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth, the Shah of Iran, and Bob Seger have slept there.

about each winerys history, and the winemak-ers background and approach to their craft.

The tastings take place in the Ahwahnees Great Room, a magnificent space with 24-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows, with hand-stained glass that transforms the after-noon light into colorful beams.

Its a pretty cool place to sip wine between lunch and the evenings feast.

Indeed, the Ahwahnee, which opened in 1927, is the most ambitious hotel ever built in a national park. It was envisioned to host world leaders and elite guests in luxury, right in the heart of Yosemite Valley. Winston Churchill, Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Elizabeth, the Shah of Iran, Lucille Ball, Will Rogers, and Bob Seger have slept there.

During Vintners Holidays, the wines are also showcased during the closing-night din-ner, when the vintners wines are paired with an elaborate, five-course meal prepared by the

PersonalizedIndividually tailored programs based on fresh, real food meal strategies

Private One-on-one support from a team of nutrition, psychology and fitness experts led by Stanford-trained physicians

Proven Clinical results up to 4 times better* than other programs and popular diets

TOLL-FREE 1-855-586-7782 | * See results info at www.JumpstartMD.com/stats and program comparisons at www.JumpstartMD.com/comparison. Trademark 2013 JumpstartMD. All rights reserved.

Ready for Fast & Healthy Weight Loss that Lasts? Call today to see if our program is right for you.

Ask about PPO Insurance billing.

No One Wants Temporary Weight LossWeve transformed the lives of over 10,000 Bay Area men and women with our comprehensive Meals, Movement and Mindsetapproach.

Providing the care you deserve

1-855-JUMPSTART

JUMPSTARTMD.COM

26 october 2013

Ahwahnees executive chef, Percy Whatley. The hotel hosts one more big foodie event

each year. In January and February, top chefs convene at the Ahwahnee for mid week Chefs Holidays retreats. These getaways are food-focused, with cooking demonstrations and kitchen tours, and plenty of face time with the guest chefs during wine and hors doeuvres receptions.

The lineup of chefs is culled from both coasts. There are almost as many New York chefs scheduled for the 2014 event as there are from California. The East Bay will be well represented by Kim Alter of Oaklands Haven (January 1516) and Peter Chastain from Walnut Creeks Prima (February 24).

I have not had a chance to attend one of the Chefs Holidays sessions, but thats OK. Its an-other reason my wife and I have to visit Yosemite before our 50th anniversary trip in 2059.

Travel

Yosemite food and wine events Yosemite National Parks Ahwahnee Hotel is open year-round. For information, call (801) 559-4884, or go to yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx.

Six Vintners Holidays packages are scheduled November 1112 through December 45. They range from two to three nights, and cost $664$1,148 per person. Sessions tend to sell out, so early reservations are strongly recommended. yosemitepark.com/vintners-holidays.aspx.

The 86-year-old Bracebridge tradition used to be very difficult to attend; dinner tickets were awarded by lottery. To meet the demand in recent years, eight dinners are scheduled between December 13 and 25, including Christmas Eve and Christmas night. Reservations are strongly recommended, and prices are $389 per person for dinner. (801) 559-5000, bracebridgedinners.com.

Eight Chefs Holidays packages are scheduled for 2014, between January 1214 and February 56. Packages start at $449 per person. yosemitepark.com/chefs-holidays.aspx.

Reshape your body. Reshape your life.

Return to work in a couple of days.

Take off what dieting wont.

Ask Dr. Kwolek

how

Smartlipo permanently

destroys fat cells in just one treatment.

Youve tried everything to get rid of cellulite.

Complete Dermatology and Advanced Laser Skin Care

917 San Ramon Valley Boulevard, Suite 199Danville, CA 94526 925-838-2677Look here first to start looking your best: www.drkwolek.com

Cellulaze Reduces the appearance of cellulite in just one treatment.

93% customer satisfaction.

Ready to try the one treatment that attacks its

very structure?

Call today

and save $500

on special fall pricing*

*Fall Savings until October 15, 2013 over $3,500.

model

model

board certified dermatologist

A t The Plumbery we understand that you want possibilities with affordabilityand we offer it. Visit our beautiful showroom of

decorative kitchen and bath fixtures.

Take advantage of our quality products,

exceptional service, and competitive

pricing today.

925.829.1234

6694 Amador Plaza Road, Dublin

www.plumbery.com

Store Hours:

Tuesday Friday: 10 a.m. 6 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. 3 p.m.

Scan to view Kohler in action

kitchen

reimagine your

Diablo 29

You can blame Pinterest. Everyone from your BFF to your grandmother has gone gaga for perfect party invitations, gallery walls, craft and food blogs, upcycled fashion, scrapbooking, and DIY everything. It can become overwhelming, if you let it. But it can also be really fun.

Let go of perfection and dont take your skills too seriously: Anyone can get crafty.

photography by norma cordova

getcrafty

diy guide

I30 october 2013

In the center of Scrapbook Territorys bright, high-ceilinged shop, my class-mates settle around a table, discussing their favorite stamp designers and spray ink brands. Despite being a lifelong scrapbooker, I can barely follow their card-making jargon.

Our instructor, Georgia Summers, demonstrates tip-to-tip blending with Copic markers, which well be using to color pre-stamped images of ballerinas and fairies. Georgia fills in an area with a light shade and makes shadow lines with a medium shade. Then, she touches the tip of the lighter marker to the darker and uses it to blend the colors together on the paper with small circles. As the ink dries, the shadows soften and look natural.

We pair off and share a supply boxes for each of the four card designs. My partner works quickly but sighs a lot. She exhales and exclaims, This hair is going to be the death of me! But I notice shes halfway done before Ive even started.

The markers feel like paintbrushes in my hand, as I slowly make circular blending strokes, the depth of color building on each layer like oil paint. Across the table from me, a young, aspiring anime artist puts her own cre-ative spin on the designs while I glitter a tutu in precisely the same fashion as the class sample. I glue my ballerina to

ClASS

ADORABLE CARDs

scrapbook territory | berkeley

patterned paper and then a prefolded card, embellishing with a tulle bow.

With 45 minutes of the three-hour class remaining, my classmates begin leaving. With 30 minutes left, Im all alone. Im finally getting the hang of the tip-to-tip technique on my third card, as Georgia cleans up around me. Youre doing really well, she says over my shoulder. I suddenly feel OK about my slow, methodical approachmy ballerinas bouncy curls casting a con-vincing shadow across her brow.

Scrapbook Territory offers classes in card making, scrapbooking, and other paper crafts. Berkeley, (510) 559-9929, scrapbookterritory.com. leeanne Jones

paper&glueScrapbooking, card making, paper quilling, letterpreSS, papier-mch.

Diablo 31

DIY Paper CraftingClasses to try: Paper Source offers monthly workshops on card making and party favors, often with a seasonal twist. Get on the shops mailing list; classes fill up quickly. Berkeley, (510) 665-7800; Walnut Creek, (925) 357-6200, paper-source.com. Cut, fold, and glue life-size flowers made with fancy European crepe paper at Castle in the Air. Youll walk away with several different types of blooms and enough paper to test your new skills at home. Berkeley, (510) 204-9801, castleintheair.biz.

Shops to browse: Explore handmade paper, screen-printed washi, and more at Mikis Paper, which specializes in Japanese paper and crafts, and also sells jour-nals and photo albums. Berkeley, (510) 845-9530, mikispaper.com. Richards Arts and Crafts is packed with paper, craft scissors, and stickers, plus an entire section thats devoted to glues and adhesives. Alamo, (925) 820-4731; Livermore, (925) 447-0471, shoprichards.com.

Group to join: Volunteer at the East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse, a nonprofit that sells art and craft materi-als and vintage goods to divert waste from landfills. Oakland, (510) 547-6470, creativereuse.org. Stacey Kennelly

Resource Guide

ExpErt

Bindu Vijaypaper flower maKer | San ramon

Bindu Vijay learned how to make fabric flowers

from a friend 15 years ago, when she lived in India, and soon began experimenting with paper. when she moved to the United States in 2001, she decorated her San ramon home with paper flowers, and today, she sells those intricate, lifelike crepe paper poppies, orchids, and daffodils online, mostly to brides-to-be and event planners.

Q: what was your very first project, and how did it turn out?A: My first project was a white daisy. It was so simple that it turned out OK.Q: what is your favorite thing youve made?A: I really like hibiscus flowers, which are pretty common in India. But each time I make a new flower, I get excited, and that one becomes my fa-vorite for a short period. right now, it is a giant paper rose measuring about 14 inches across.Q: Describe your workspace. A: My living room is like a craft studio to showcase several of my paper and clay flowers. My dining table is a makeshift craft table. My craft supplies are stored in cabinets in the garage.Q: what is your most unique, surprising, or unusual crafting tool?A: I use a wooden barbecue skewer for curling the petals of

some flowers.Q: How do you push through creative blocks?A: Besides paper flow-ers, I also work on clay flowers and paint. Oc-casionally, I teach craft classes for kids, too. Working with different mediums helps me keep

up my enthusiasm.Q: If someone is inter-ested in paper crafting, where should they start? A: there are a lot of books and Youtube vid-eos teaching the basics of making paper flowers. Once you know the basics, you can start ex-

perimenting with various techniques. And nature can provide a good deal of inspiration.

View or purchase Vijays work at her website, flowerbazaar.net, or Etsy shop, etsy.com/shop/flowerbazaar. leeanne Jones

EACH TIME I MAKE A NEW FLOWER, I GET EXCITED, AND THAT

ONE BECOMES MY FAVORITE.

fa

r l

ef

t: l

ee

an

ne

jon

es;

po

rtr

ait

st

yli

ng

: h

air

, n

MC

; M

ak

eu

p, a

sh

ley

Bia

s

I32 october 2013

Its Friday night: Time for diversion, levity, and maybe a drink. Canvas and Cabernet, Walnut Creeks new art/wine studio, beckons from downtown. Rumor has it Ill leave the three-hour class with something good enough to hang on my wall.

I get there early and scope it out. Its a visual paradise with paintings hanging on every wall, jugs of paint lining the shelves behind the bar, and long tables with white canvases in neat rows. Then, I see the displays of one-of-a-kind jewelry, scarves, and handbags. Art, wine, and shopping? This could be better than I thought.

Its going to be a full house tonight, a friendly staff person tells me as he hands me brushes and a paint-stained apron. I order a glass of red wine and squirt puddles of tonights colors on my paper-plate palette. I settle into my spot, and students begin to arrive, mostly groups of women and a few couples.

Our charismatic teacher, Julee Herr-mann, puts on a mic and guides us step by step through our project. Were painting a red bridge with a twinkling metropolis behind it, and while her instructions are clear, Julee is quick to introduce us to artists choice. Basically, we are free to do exactly as she says or anything we want: Its your painting, and if you want to add a little more red to your sunset, you go right ahead, she

ClAss

Have a SplaSHc a n va s a n d c a b e r n e t | wa l n u t c r e e k

says. I add on Van Goghinfluenced swirls of paint and texture to my sky. Its mostly easy wide brushstrokes until we get to the bridge. Im a little nervous about painting a long red line across my beautiful sky. Julee is there to help, moving from artist to artist. she shows us simple techniques to add depth and detail, using a fine brush and white paint mixed with a few drops of paint water.

Three hours fly by, and we mill around, complimenting each others work. Its true: Were talented. I like my painting. It resembles Julees but has the swirly sky and pyramid Transam-erica building. I know exactly the wall in my office where it will go. Give your creative spirit some spaceand a little wineand the results may surprise you.

Canvas and Cabernet offers classes on Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Walnut Creek, (925) 287-1614, canvascabernet.com. Gina Gotsill

ink&paintWatercolors, oil paint, calligraphy, illustration, acrylics, oil pastels.

Diablo 33

Inspired by the hand-lettered price tags at

Berkeleys Tail of the Yak, Diva Pyari took a calligraphy class at the shop. She began selling hand-printed cards in 2007, expanded to screen-printed linens, and today, her designs can be found at stores like Anthropologie.

Q: What was your very first project, and how did it turn out?A: In my class, there was a bride-to-be who wanted to learn callig-raphy to make her own invitations and address the envelopes. I picked it up pretty fast, and she hired me for her project. It turned out so well and I enjoyed it so much that when word got out, I continued to take more and more custom callig-raphy and lettering work.Q: How would you de-scribe your style? A: Cheerful and pretty, with a side of playful-ness, au naturel.Q: Describe your workspace.A: I have a couple big work tables, and on the wall by my computer is a huge corkboard where I post things that make me smile: bright pink ribbon, a photo of my friends daughter wear-ing a cape she made of all her stuffed animals, a quick sketch of my dog, paper-cut feathersQ: What is your most frequently used tool?A: My pen and nib, gocco (Japanese screen

printer), and computer. Q: How do you push through creative blocks?A: For me, I find its so important to keep ac-tive and spend time in nature. I hike with my adorable dogs every day, do yoga and ballet

ExpErt

Diva Pyaric a l l i g r a p H e r | b e r k e l e y

DIY Drawing and PaintingClasses to try: Similar to Canvas and Cabernet, Pinots Palette instructs painting re-creations, from amber sunsets and beach dunes to Italian marketplaces and waterfronts. try it solo, or bring your girlfriends. Danville, (925) 743-9900, pinotspalette.com/danville. You can paint your own pottery any day of the week at Caf Art. plates, mugs, and picture frames start at $5, and staff members will help you get started. Dublin, (925) 829-7778; Liver-more, (925) 373-0222, ceramic-cafeart.com.

Shops to browse: Utrecht Art Supplies has a huge selection of paint and canvases, and is good for artists on a budget. Berkeley, (510) 649-0808, utrechtart.com. Blick Art Materials has been around for more than 100 years, and is a go-to spot for profession-al-quality artists paints, brushes, and canvases. Oakland, (510) 658-2787; Berkeley, (510) 486-2600, dickblick.com.

Group to join: Bond with other artists in the East Bay Land-scape Painters Group, a collaborative network that celebrates oils, watercolors, and pastels. eblandscape.blogspot.com. Stacey kennelly

Resource Guide

throughout the week, and although sometimes its just for five minutes, I meditate to start the day.Q: What do you think of pinterest and the rise of Diy culture?A: I think its great. Im such a visual person, so pinterest is a fun place

to get inspired. And Im thankful so many people are into DIY: the Cal-ligraphy Starter Kit is my best-seller.

Pyari teaches cal-ligraphy around the Bay Area. View or purchase her work at linea-carta.com. leeanne Jones

I'M SUCH A VISUAL PERSON, SO PINTEREST IS A

FUN PLACE TO GET INSPIRED.

far

le

ft:

gin

a g

ots

ill;

po

rtr

ait

st

yli

ng

: H

air

an

d m

ak

eu

p, n

iko

l d

ed

isc

He

w

34 october 2013

Class

Shiny Pretty thingS

Art GlAss studio | livermore

just right. I begin to find it all (dare I say it?) actually meditative. I dont say om or anything, but I dont need to.

You cant rush stained glass, the patient Jones reminds even her advanced glass-cutting students in the back of the workspace, so I relax into my cushy chair and contemplate my shimmering jigsaw puzzle, music playing softly on the stereo. I am at last really enjoying making something, and my fingers arent even that gluey. Ill be placing my mosaic heart in the window by my desk so the sun can cast raspberry hues over my work. Ive got plenty of other stuff I can give to the thrift store anyway.

Art Glass Studio offers classes in stained-glass cutting, mosaics, and glass fusing. Livermore, (925) 447-1962, artglassstudio.weebly.com. linda lenhoff

WWhen I enter livermores Art Glass Studio, I find myself in a wonderland of sparkly stained glass, from windows and ornaments to wind chimes, all of which you can make in the studios spa-cious workshop.

While my artistic skills are seriously limited, Ive enrolled in a beginning mosaic class in search of a craft I might like and to create something I can be proud of, or at least something I can give away to the thrift store if it turns out like my painting/knitting/beading/felting attempts.

You can mosaic anything, owner Roberta Jones says encouragingly, so I choose a heart mold from a variety of shapes and letters she has on hand. Jones presents me with platters of stained-glass pieces the colors of your favorite Crayolas, along with a familiar bottle of Tacky glue. she says creating a mosaic takes you away from reality, so I try to ignore the questions that have nagged at me since kindergarten: am I doing this right? should I start over? Would a more creative person do it a different way?

after about 20 minutes, I find the richly colored glass bits start to absorb my thoughts. I begin to breathe more deeply as I arrange the purples and pinks, throwing in a little sky blue here, a touch of white, a rich lavender. I get a little thrill when a swirly oval piece fits

clay&glass&metalPottery, jewelry making, glass blowing, beading, sculPting, welding.

Diablo 35

DIY MixedMediaClasses to try: Try your hand at fusing and slumping, bead making, or mosaics in one of Civic Arts Educa-tions beginners glass classes. If you can take the heat, move on to more advanced projects, like jewelry casting and fabrication. Walnut Creek, (925) 943-5846, arts-ed.org. Slow Burn Glass offers glass-blowing classes up to three times a week to teach beginners how to create a paperweight and cup. No previous experience is required. Oakland, (510) 832-2007, slowburnglass.com.

Shops to browse: House of Beads has been selling beads from around the world for nearly 20 years. Choose from standard beads like glass and wood, or more unusual ones, like bone, gold, or clay. Walnut Creek, (925) 934-5940, houseofbeadsonline.com. The Crucible offers free tours of its indus-trial arts facility (think blacksmithing and stone carving) and gallery throughout the fall. Oakland, (510) 444-0919, thecrucible.org.

Group to join: The Potters Studio offers 24/7 member-ships for those needing a place to cast, glaze, and blaze their artwork on their own schedule. Berkeley, (510) 528-3286, berkeleypottersstudio.com. Stacey Kennelly

Resource Guide

ExpErT

cheryl wolffpotter | walnut creeK

the Internet opened up new possibili-ties for cheryl

wolff, who took her first pottery class 30 years ago. the walnut creek artist sold to galler-ies and entered juried shows, and now also maintains a thriving online shop selling table-ware and birdhouses.

Q: what was your very first project, and how did it turn out? A: I took my first class be-cause I wanted to make a dinnerware set. I had no idea how ambitious a task that would be: I spent countless hours learning to throw on the potters wheel. The early pieces were precious to me but disappointing representa-tions of bowls and cups. I just kept at it, and eventu-ally, I was making work I could really be proud of.Q: How would you describe your style? A: It is simple and refined, sort of quiet and elegant. people have described it as calming, having a Zen quality about it. Q: Describe your workspace. A: My studio is at my home in a large converted garage. It is really rustic, overflowing with work in progress, equipment, tools, and ideas for future projects. There are big barn doors that slide open to a view of redwood trees and the occasional deer.Q: what inspires or influ-ences your work? A: I love making functional work, know-

ing that someone is going to enjoy using my pieces. When Im making tableware, I see that piece sitting on a table surrounded by someones family and friends. When Im making garden pieces, Im think-ing about how they are

going to look tucked into a natural environment. Q: Does ceramics re-quire a certain personal-ity trait or skill set? A: You have to be OK with dirty hands and clothes. It requires pa-tience because creating with clay is a process that

cant be rushed. Kilns and glazes have a way of teaching us that we are not always in control.

View or purchase Wolffs work at cheryl wolff.com, or Walnut Creeks Kitchen Table and Valley Art Gallery. LeeAnne Jones

KILNS AND GLAZES HAVE A WAY OF TEACHING US THAT WE

ARE NOT ALWAYS IN CONTROL.

far

le

ft:

lin

da

le

nh

of

f; p

or

tra

it s

ty

lin

g:

as

sis

tan

t, C

lau

dia

so

lis

36 october 2013

Class

Cats Gone Wild In Bet ween stItches | lIvermore

sew one piece of fabric onto another, and my classmates and teacher encour-age me through every minute of the six hours we spend together. Oh look, amanda has sewn on her first eye, remarks Nancy, after I have managed to attach the right eye of my psychedelic kittens cutout face. By the time class is finished, I leave with one nearly finished kitten (the class promised three), but a large amount of newfound confidence and appreciation for the art of sewing and quilting.

I now find myself eager to apply what I have learned and begin a project of my own. Maybe Ill turn my old ath-letic tournament tees into a quilt or add some flowers to a tote bag? at least now I know how to choose fabric colors.

In Between Stitches offers classes in appliqu, sewing, quilting, and embroi-dery. Livermore, (925) 371-7064, inbetwe enstitches.com. Amanda morris

aas my teacher, Nancy Brown, discusses colors typically used for sewing fabric cats, I stare at my newly purchased materials and realize I have no idea what I am doing. With fabric ranging from blue swirls to solid pink to bright green stripes, my finished piece of cat appliqu will look anything but natural. Despite my disappointment, Nancy and my three classmates have not given up hope. They scan my quirky options and help me choose colors that, surpris-ingly, dont look too bad together.

I have never done appliqu, a needlework technique that uses fabric and embroidery to sew together pat-terns and designs that are commonly used on quilts. But I find myself among experienced sewers in a class at livermores In Between Stitches, a bright shop on First street filled with colorful bolts of fabric and intricate quilts hanging on the walls. While I enjoy arts and crafts, I have tried to avoid anything that involves working with a needle. There seems to be little room for error in the craft of sewinga frightening idea to my inner perfection-ist. However, the challenge of learning appliqu appealed to the crafter within me. after all, how hard can it be to make a little cat?

There is no time to regret my deci-sion, as Nancy takes the class through step-by-step instructions. We begin to

fabric&yarnQuilting, knitting, embroidery, crochet, cross-stitch, sewing, macram.

Diablo 37

ExpErt

emma robertsondesigner and knitter | oakland

DIY Needle ArtsClasses to try: Learn to spin your own yarn at The Yarn Bou-tiques fiber-exploration workshops. previous classes have focused on silk and alpaca fleece. Lafayette, (925) 283-7377, yarnboutique.us. Civic Arts Education hosts beginners weaving classes at Heather Farm. Once you get the hang of things, check out the advanced loom-weaving workshops to create rugs and tapestries. Walnut Creek, (925) 943-5846, arts-ed.org.

Shops to browse: Article Pract, just off hip temescal Alley, is chock-full of knitting patterns, supplies, and yarn, plus theres a sale section in the back. Oakland, (510) 595-7875, articlepract.com. The Cotton Patch car-ries fabrics from basics to batiks and Japanese prints, as well as sewing machines and quilting DVDs to get you started. Lafayette, (925) 284-1177, quiltusa.com.

Group to join: Stop by Fashion Knit for free knit night, or take a workshop with the East Bay fiber-crazy group that meets there to relax and get creative. Walnut Creek, (925) 943-3994, meetup.com/fashionknit. stacey kennelly

Resource Guide

emma robert-son grew up watching her grandmother

knit and eventually asked for some lessons. a graphic designer by trade, the oakland-based knitter is about to take her hobby to the next level by releasing a book of fashion-forward knitting patterns.

Q: What was your very first project, and how did it turn out? A: I think it was a simple scarf, and I remember it had tons of dropped stitches. It was a mess, but I was so proud of it. Q: What is your favorite thing youve made? A: this really great vest featured in my book. It has a leather pocket and a big collar that folds over in the front. I have worn it a dozen times. I love it because you can layer it with just about anything.Q: What inspires or influences your work? A: Designing garments and patterns is new to me, so I enjoy seeing what other young knitters are doing. Also, because I am a graphic designer, my knowledge in this area pours over into my knitting. Its only natural to draw inspiration from the craft I spend the ma-jority of my time doing! Q: How do you push through creative blocks? A: I go for a bike ride or a walkthat usually does the trickor I make a phone call to someone I havent talked to in a long time. these allow

me to step back from my concerns or negativity and recalibrate. Q: How would you suggest someone get started with knitting? A: I have had many friends who want to learn to knit but seem to be too intimidated to dive

in. I encourage people to start out with the very, very basics: Cast on; knit, knit, knit; cast off. Boom, you basically just learned! From there, learn a few new stitches, and see how you do. See if your local knitting shop has classes: Sometimes

it takes another person physically showing you to make it click.

Robertsons book, Knitting by Design, will be available in stores on October 22. View more of her work online at emmadimeknitted.com. leeanne Jones

START OUT WITH THE BASICS: CAST ON; KNIT, KNIT, KNIT; CAST Off. BOOm, yOU jUST lEARNEd!

fa

r l

ef

t: a

ma

nd

a m

or

ris

; m

ar

iss

a m

ah

ar

aj;

ev

a k

ole

nk

o

38 october 2013

September 8 was a Sunday. A hot one. As many of us were getting ready to cheer on the Niners, Giants, As, or Americas Cup racers, a spark from target shooting on the back side of Mount Diablo started a fire that soon set our mountain ablaze. For those near Mount Diablo, it was a sleepless night as the fire grew. Local firefighters stayed on the mountain for more than 24 hours, until backup arrived from around the state, and 100 homes were evacuated along Morgan Territory Road. Residents along the 68024 corridor snapped photos of the smoke rising from the peak, and called friends and family to make sure they were OK. Here are the stories of the Morgan Fire, from the people who saw it up close.

Fire on the Mountain: Tales From the Front Lines

SpecialReport

Diablo 39

It burned so angrIly.

01Mike Marcucci Contra Costa Battalion Chief, Cal FireAs told to Stacey Kennelly.

I have a very close relationship to the mountain. It is the center-piece of my battalion as well as the centerpiece of the Bay Area. Its right out our window, and we stare at it all day long, wonder-ing, What would we do if it did catch fire?

I was on a day off in San Francisco, enjoying the Americas Cup and a show. When I got out of the show, I turned my phone back on, and by then the fire had exploded and was burning out of control. When I got to the fire scene, it had slowed down a bit. But not for long.

I met with my chief and the incident commander at the time, and we decided to take a helicopter ride to see if we were going to need to call in an inci-dent management team to help. At that time, the fire was about 800 acres.

The one thing you dont want to do is make a big deal out of a small fire. We have trigger points, and we have decision points. And we decided that if the fire crossed the North Peak road, we would order in a command team, which brings in 1,000 people. If we did that, wed also have to decide where we were going to put ev-erybody. We thought about a few locations, and decided on Camp Parks, a military base in Dublin.

I took about five helicopter flights over the fire to constantly reassess its conditions. This is my 24th year in the fire depart-ment, and in very few instances have I seen more spectacular fire behavior. There were parts of the mountain that had never burned, at least in our known his-tory. There were 80- to 100-foot flame lengths coming off the mountain. The way it sparked, it looked like fuel burninglike actual gasoline.cl

oc

kw

ise

fr

om

to

p l

ef

t: s

tep

he

n j

os

ep

h;

Gs

cla

rk

at

sp

yG

las

s h

ill

ima

Ge

s; j

os

e c

ar

los

faja

rd

o

(continued on 140)

40 october 2013

Day 1 September 8 A fire call is dispatched to the Sunshine Fire Station on Marsh Creek Road around 1 p.m. The original fire is quickly con-tained, but a spot fire nearby flares up and out of control. Crews attack the second fire and remain on the mountain through the night.

Day 2 September 9 Relief firefighter crews arrive on the mountain by the end of the day. The fire spreads to 3,077 acres and is only 20 per-cent contained. Evacuations are ordered for homes near Morgan Territory.

Day 3 September 10 Firefighters report that the fire is 45 per-cent contained. Fire chars 3,111 acres.

Day 4 September 11The fire is 80 percent contained, with hot spots smoldering in many places but no active flames. Engines, firefighters, and other resources from around the state start to head home, and fire duties are handed off to local departments.

Day 5 September 12 The firefighter compound at Camp Parks continues to demobilize. Fire officials release a cause: target shooting.

Day 6 September 13The fire nears full containment.

Day 7 September 14The fire is 100 percent contained. Mt. Diablo State Park reopens two days later.

It happened So faSt.

02Dylan Jorgensen Fire Apparatus EngineerAs told to Stacey Kennelly.

We were just finishing up lunch at the station and were really excited to watch the 49ers and Green Bay Packers game. Right as it was about to start, though, the buzzer from our dispatch center went off.

I went on the lower part of the fire, and my partner, the cap-tain who was behind me, went on the upper part. At that point, the fire was maybe a quarter of an acre. It was just burning in some grass and pine needles, and hadnt gotten into the trees yet or anything. I reported back that there wasnt much of a threat. Within 10 minutes, we had a hose around the fire, and the firefight-ers were starting to mop up some of the hot spots inside.

We started to investigate for the origin and cause, but as I was walking over to talk to a property owner, one of the battalion chiefs pulled up and told me there was a spot fire 800 to 1,000 feet away. But this one was burning in a different type of fuel bed.

The fuel bed the spot fire landed in was heavy, dense brush, with an oak and pine mixed overstory. Just really, really critically dry fuels. By the time we were able to move our en-gines and get hose lines in place, the spot fire had taken off like gasoline. The fuels were so heavy that it was hard for our crews to get in there and get the hose lines in place to put water on it. It was just it was gone.

By that time of day, it was still only, probably, 2 oclock. It hap-pened so fast.

I was assigned to the left flank, or the Morgan Territory side of the fire. It was probably 50 to 100 acres, and we started ordering more resources. For the next five to six hours, we were just trying

Map

Day by Day: A Fires Progress

19 Number of bull-dozers.

5Number of helicopters.

1,352 Number of fire personnel.

Stats

lef

t to

rig

ht:

ad

am

ha

ye

s; t

ho

ma

s b

ro

en

ing

(continued on 141)

Fire Apparatus Engineer Dylan Jorgensen and Cal Fire Contra Costa Battalion Chief Mike Marcucci.

42 october 2013

It was what hell looks lIke.

03Tamara TholeSteiner Editor, Clayton PioneerAs told to Robert Burnson.

It started Sunday afternoon. I heard a fire truck go by, and I followed it, and when I turned the corner a half mile up the road, I was blown away. The fire was huge. And it kept growing. Was it just over the next hill? We didnt know. It looked like a volcano with lava everywhere.

I was trying to get as much information as I could for the paper. But we lost Internet when the fire burned the power lines, and our cell phones only worked sporadically. Mostly, we were in an information blackout.

In the morning, I drove to town to get the paper out. We didnt finish until almost mid-night. When I tried to get home, the road was blocked. I stayed at the house of a friend, until the police called at 3 a.m. and said I could go home.

When I got to Morgan Terri-tory, the scene was indescrib-able. It was what hell looks like. The oak trees were glowing embers. Firefighters were cutting down the stumps to make sure they werent still burning. And behind that, the whole mountain looked like charcoal.

By Tuesday morning, it was still smoky, but we were no longer facing a wall of fire. There were lots of helicopters flying overhead making water drops. Things are getting back to normal now. Its still a little smoky, and theres lots of ash on the ground. Im wondering what its going to look like on North Peak. That was my place where I always hike. But were so grateful. No one lost a house. In the grand scheme of things, burning that mountain is good. Its natures way of taking out the trash.

There was a wall of fire.

05Anthony Carini EvacueeAs told to Robert Burnson.

I was up at Kennedy Meadows when I heard about the fire. I called my neighbor, and he said, You better get home. So I jumped in my truck and started driving.

It took me three and a half hours to get home. But when I got there, they wouldnt let me go up the road. I lied and said I had my horses at the house. So the officer said hed get a search and rescue team to go up there with me. But then I had to tell the truththat I didnt have any horses up thereand he got re-ally mad and told me to leave.

I spent the night at my sisters house. My neighbor hadnt evacuated, so I kept checking in with him. He said the flames were very close. He could see them. I was scared to death that we were going to lose the house.

I got up early and drove back to the roadblock. This time, I told them I lived on Morgan Territory Road, and they let me through. When I got to Oak Hill Lane, there was no roadblock, so I snuck in. There were lots of fire trucks go-ing up and down the street.

I found my neighbor, and we sat it out together. The fire seemed to be dying down. We thought we were out of the woods. But on Monday night, another fire started, and there was a wall of fire coming toward the house.

We packed up the truck with valuables and drove down the hill. They were able to stop it at the creek, about a quarter mile away. After it quieted down, we went back home.

We didnt get much sleep that night. We took shifts watch-ing the fire.

We were lucky. My neighbor lost an old tractor. Some other people lost fence lines. But no one lost a home.

The kids were nervous.

04Eric Niles Head of the Athenian School in DanvilleAs told to Robert Burnson.

The Athenian campus is set in a bowl, with the mountain rising around it. We had a good view of the fire on Monday, and that put the whole campus on edge.

The kids were curious and nervous. Parents were calling. And there was a time in the after-noonwhen the smoke and fire was at its worstthat we started wondering about the air quality, and about how fast the fire was moving. But they got the fire under control pretty quickly after that, and the moment passed.

Throughout the day, I stayed in close contact with the leader-ship of the fire department. They had my cell phone number, and I had theirs.

They promised to give us 24 hours notice if we needed to evacuate. But we were ready to go at any time. We kept the bus drivers on campus all day, and if I had to, I could have gotten the kidsall 460 of themoff the campus in a few minutes.

I wont overdramatize it: There was never a moment when we were in danger. Of course, most of my day was taken up by the fire. But if youre the head of this school and theres a fire on the mountain, thats your job.

Jos

e C

ar

los

FaJa

rd

o

4 Number of air tank-ers needed to battle the blaze.

142Number of fire engines.

1 Number of state park bathrooms de-stroyed in the fire.

Stats

44 october 2013

You could feel the heat.

06AlexShveyda Instructor at Earthquake ArabiansAs told to Robert Burnson.

I have never been so scared in my entire life. They called us at 8:30 on Monday night and said that the fire was literally burning across the street from the barn. We had moved some of the horses out of the barn on Sunday so that there wouldnt be too many left to fit in the trailers, if we had to get out in a hurry. But we still had 15 horses trapped in the barn with no way out.

We drove out there. But they wouldnt let anyone go down the road. So we had to walk the last half-mile. It was frightening. The fire was coming right up to the road. You could feel the heat. The fire had already jumped the road once, and I was thinking that one gust of wind could blow it right back on us.

Fortunately, it didnt, and we got to the barn, and the horses were all right. We wanted to get the horses out as soon as possible. But they still werent letting anyone on the road. So all we could do was to wait and get everything we could that was flammable out of the barn.

At about 2:15 in the morning, they opened up the road, and we loaded up all the horses on trail-ers and got them out of there.

Thank heavens for all the men and women who stopped the fire on our side of the road. If they hadnt, I dont think we would have been able to get the horses out.

Im so glad this is all over, and the horses are safe. But Im sad about what the fire did. I used to ride all the trails out there. But now all those trails are com-pletely destroyed. Its going to take a while before we can ride out there again.

I was obsessed.

07StephenJoseph PhotographerAs told to Peter Crooks.

I have been photographing Mount Diablo since 1987, and in all these years, nothing like this had happened. I was obsessed with the fire, following updates on my iPhone. It was beautiful and horrific all at the same time.

The night the fire broke out, I went to Dinosaur Hill in Pleas-ant Hill to take pictures. I got there around dark and stayed until midnight because it was so captivating. The tower of smoke looked like an atomic bomb had gone off.

The next morning, I headed to Kregor Peak, the very first peak east of the mountain, just east of Clayton, where I had a birds-eye view. I thought I would stay for an hour or two, but I was there all day.

It was absolutely mesmerizing to watch the way the fire was fought, to observe the strategy of the battle, from the giant DC-10 swooping and dropping fire retardant and helicopters dropping water, to the firefighters on the ground attacking every wisp of smoke and fire that would break out. It was terrifying from a distance to see those firefight-ers up against walls of flame. I cant imagine what it would have looked like on the ground.

Theres the part of you that worries about the immediate threats, the possible loss of homes and life. But then, there is the realization that fire is a neces-sary part of the environment.

1977 The year Mount Diablo last burned. (Before that, it was 1931.)

3,111Acres burned.

6 Number of months restoration efforts are expected to last.

Stats

Read more first-person accounts of the Morgan Fire, and view our gallery of reader-submitted photos, at diablomag.com/morganfire.

OnlineExtra

Diablo 45

It was round the clock.

08Mayor of Claycord BloggerAs told to LeeAnne Jones.

I was visiting with family in Concord, when my phone started blowing up. E-mails were coming in from readers out in Morgan Ter-ritory who saw smoke and wanted to know what was going on.

I knew this was going to be something big; you could just tell by the response in the commu-nity. I walked outside and could see the smoke. People were coming to the site looking for information, so I put up a general post that basically said, Hey, there is a fire in the area, and were looking into it. Stay tuned.

That day, I stayed up until 1 or 2 in the morning, and then got up at 4 or 5 to check in. I got up again around 7 for Cal Fire updates. It was round the clock. The website nearly crashed: There were 250,000 page views in one half hour on Monday. I knew there were people out there at evacu-ation centers or staying with friends, wondering what was go-ing on. It was hard for me to take extended breaks when someones house might be burning down.

I also worried about firefight-ers losing their lives or being severely injured. Seeing some of the photos, you really get a sense of what theyre doing up there on the mountain. Its unbelievable: walls of flames up against these guys and gals. Its not an easy job. I dont even like to go out-side in 90 degrees, let alone fight a fire in it. I cant stress enough how important they are.

I went down to Station 11 in Clayton just to see what was go-ing on. While I was there, about 20 people dropped off bottled water or bags of food from Burger King. There were kids who made hundreds of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The fire is the big story, but the way the community came together is a huge story, too. I am so proud of the Claycord community. Jo

se

Ca

rlo

s Fa

Jar

do

M46 october 2013

Rock n Roll

Making a Concert Film

t h i r t y y e a r s a g o , a g r o u p o f young musicians moved into a tiny house in the East Bay, set up their equipment in the garage, and set their sights on becoming one of the biggest hard rock bands ever.

The humble little house, now known as the Metallica Mansion, is still there, although the band members have moved into the kind of actual mansions that can be afforded after selling 100 million albums, and playing countless sold-out stadiums around the world.

More than three decades into its run, Metallica continues to try new things: The band has recorded a live album with the San Francisco Symphony, and recently played its first-ever shows in China, then headed to Harlem for an intimate concert at the famed Apollo Theater. And this month, the band will release a feature film, Metallica Through the Never, in IMAX cinemas around the world. Both an epic concert film and a surreal narrative, Through the Never uses many forms of new-technology 3-D cameras, high-definition sound, and an enormous high-tech stage) to create one of the most ambitious rock movies of all time.

Hitting IMAX theaters on September 27 and standard theaters on October 4, Through the Never follows one of the bands roadies through an apocalyptic fever dream outside of Metallicas sold-out concert in Mexico City.

Metallica at the Movies The rock legends have blazed a creative trail from El Cerrito to IMAX. by p e t e r c r o o k s

co

ur

tes

y o

f m

eta

llic

a

Diablo 47

48 october 2013

Rock n Roll

Making a Concert Film

M

eta

llic

a t

hr

ou

gh

th

e N

ev

er

, C

ou

rte

sy

of

PiC

tur

eh

ou

se

(Think Pink Floyds The Wall crossed with The Bands The Last Waltz.) An accompanying soundtrack album hits record stores and iTunes on October 1.

In the past few years, Ive had the opportunity to feature Metallicas lead singer, James Hetfield, and guitarist, Kirk Hammett, in Diablo. For this story, founding band member and drummer Lars Ulrich called me from the road, somewhere outside of Shanghai, to talk about Through the Never and Metal-licas constant drive to push its creative envelope.

Q: Youve just played your first shows in China, which is par for Metallicas course, in that you always seem to be doing new things.A: China has been really cool. Shanghai is a city full of life and energy and culture. Its a really invigorating place. We have been going through a phase the last few years where we have been exploring new things. We love poking our heads out of our comfort zone and finding situations that are a little edgy. Were very fortunate that we have the capacity to do that.

Were very appreciative that the success that we have had can let us go into these uncharted territo-ries. It keeps us alive and creatively curious, and its pretty awesome that 32 years into this, we can con-tinue to stick our nose into places we havent been, or shouldnt go. [Laughs]Q: The spirit of creativity is something thats very apparent in your new film, Through the Never. Ive always found that concert films have a hard time capturing the experience of a live concert. So its interesting to see you adding this surreal

narrative to your music, to create a new kind of experience on film.A: We did not feel that the world needs another documentary-style concert film about a rock n roll band. You know, folding the lunch meat on a piece of bread, and here we are in a prayer circle, and here we are getting stretched before we take the stage.

So what else can you do? We thought of two things: first, bringing a narrative into it and having a story to tell. And instead of the live concert footage being filmed from the audiences point of view, we wanted to bring the cameras up on stage so the audience feels like its onstage with Metallica instead of watching Metallica from the audience.Q: Can you talk about the technology used in the film, specifically the 3-D photography for IMAX and advanced sound work?A: Yes, the 3-D effect we went for was more of an im-mersion effect, rather than the traditional thing where

its: Here I am sticking my drumstick in your face. IMAX came to us about 15 years ago about doing a specialty concert film. The cameras at that time were too big and bulky, and it would have been a nightmare.

The idea circled back around again three years ago, and it was the right time because of the ad-vancement in the cameras as well as the next-level sound experience. We spent as much time, effort, and resources in bringing the sound up to the level of the visual experience. Its pretty exciting: I was listening to the last cut a couple of weeks ago on the soundstage where they filmed the last James Bond film. Its all next-level stuff.Q: I heard James Cameron [director of Avatar and Titanic] consulted on how to use the 3-D cameras. Why?A: Obviously, if youre doing a 3-D undertaking, the road leads through James Cameron, as he has been the most innovative with 3-D. So in the early stages, there were meetings with James and his team about how to use the cameras and technologies.

There are two ways you can do a 3-D film: You can shoot it in 2-D and convert it later into 3-D, or you can shoot it in 3-D and go for that next-level experi-ence throughout. We opted for the latter, shooting it with 3-D cameras and a whole bunch of technical stuff thats way above my head. That technology is con-stantly changing and evolving. Im sure the equipment we used a year ago is already outdated.Q: The last time we spoke, it was about your act-ing role in the HBO film Hemingway and Gellhorn [filmed in the East Bay], in which you played an

The stage we built was the size of an aircraft carrier, and we built it first on Treasure Island in the old seaplane hangar.

Diablo 49

innovative director making a cutting-edge film in the 1930s. Is there any connection between those experiences?A: I wish I could tell you that there was. Hemingway and Gellhorn was an amazing project; it was a great experience, but the Metallica film was already in the works. I learned a lot from director Phil Kaufman, and one of the reasons I wanted to do that was to be in a situation where Im unfamiliar, but surrounded by people of that caliber, so I could just be a sponge and absorb that experience.Q: One of my favorite concert films is Gimme Shelter, about the Rolling Stones infamous concert at the Altamont Speedway. Theres the amazing mu-sic, but also its a powerful document of a scary and tragic event. What concert films influenced Through the Never?A: I would rank Gimme Shelter up at the very top, see-ing all the footage of the Stones behind the scenes, helicopter rides, and in the editing room, and its such an amazing snapshot of an amazing period of time.

Also, The Bands The Last Waltz is a reference as a concert with a real emphasis on the performance. Whats happened over the past couple of decades is that there has been a lot of quick editing and shorter attention span stuff that came out of the MTV era. Now, I love MTV, and MTV has been responsible for a lot of Metallicas success. But The Last Waltz is edited like a movie: You get nice long shots, and its not edited in that machine-gun style.

Finally, its impossible not to think of Pink Floyds The Wall and Led Zeppelins The Song Remains the

Same. Those were real films, and thats what we wanted to do.Q: I wanted to make sure we touched on Metal- licas East Bay heritage. I heard that you guys rented out the entire Oracle Arena to rehearse for the concerts. A: Yes. Everything about this film was thought out. We didnt just film the last few shows of a world tour. So the stage we built was the size of an aircraft carrier, and we built it first on Treasure Island in the old sea-plane hangar. Then, the second round of rehearsals was at Oracle, where we have always had great experi-ences, both playing there and going there as fans of music to see our favorite bands. Weve spent a lot of great time in that building over the years.Q: Last year, I ran into James Hetfield at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, and Ive interviewed Kirk Hammett about growing up in El Sobrante and all his haunts and hangouts. What are your favorite spots in the East Bay?A: My fiance [model Jessica Miller] and I go almost every week to the Shattuck Cinemas in downtown Berkeley. We drive over from Marin, and watch art house movies and these cool under-the-radar films that we love to see. Hit a restaurant, grab a Starbucks, and park ourselves at the Shattuck for two or three films.

Listen, I could talk to you for six hours about the East Bay, with our history in El Cerrito, going back to those crazy days in the 1980s. But these days, Shattuck night is our favorite night out.

The East Bay