So there is a way via the $TOMCAT_HOME/conf/logging.properties without touching my servlet code...
before...
handlers = 1catalina.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 2localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 3manager.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 4admin.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 5host-manager.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, java.util.logging.ConsoleHandler
after...
handlers = 1catalina.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 2localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 3manager.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 4admin.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, 5host-manager.org.apache.juli.FileHandler, java.util.logging.ConsoleHandler, 6localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler
then add...
6localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler.level = FINE
6localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler.directory = ${catalina.base}/logs
6localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler.prefix = myAppName.
and add...
org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.[Catalina].[localhost].[/myAppName].level = INFO
org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.[Catalina].[localhost].[/myAppName].handlers = 6localhost.org.apache.juli.FileHandler
and bounce tomcat. This created a $TOMCAT_HOME/logs/myAppName.2008-10-14.log with my simplistic ServletConfig.getServletContext().log() messages only.