Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine | Summer 2021

MOUNTAIN NORTHERN ARIZONA’S

MAGAZINE M AGAZINE

A PATH

Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique welcomed into fabric of the community

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Summer 2021

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TABLE of CONTENTS

2021

COVER STORY

A winding path Page 1

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Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique opened in downtown Flagstaff at the beginning of the year. Helmed by expert seamstress Lynne Gallagher, shoppers can find materials for a variety of textile projects, as well as enroll in classes for children and adults.

DEPARTMENTS MATTERS of TASTE

MIND & BODY

14 From food truck to college cafeteria

20 Whether exploring city paths or rocky

to downtown brick and mortar, Alejandro’s Mexican Food and owner Georgette Quintero work toward big plans in Flagstaff.

mountain trails, bicyclists receive mental and physical health benefits.

Plus, read about Northern Arizona Healthcare’s Flo Spyrow.

BY the BOTTLE

OUTDOOR LIFE

17 Warm summer weather calls for

24 Little Rock Trail was completed this past

refreshing drinks. Read about the history of shandies and radlers, then experiment with new flavors following these suggestions.

the ARTS 18 Flagstaff Chocolate Company’s

handcrafted truffles, fudge, caramel apples and other creative chocolatedipped treats keep customers returning.

spring, joining Sedona’s expansive hiking trail system while offering an escape from summer crowds.

DISTINCTIVE SPACES 28 Transform the humble backyard into

a comfortable space for outdoor entertainment with a few additions, and learn about a home design trend that has taken off this past year.

EDITOR’S NOTES

7 ABOUT TOWN 4

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

MAGAZINE MAGAZINE

A PATH

Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique welcomed into fabric of the community

$2.95

Summer 2021

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ON THE COVER Lynne Gallagher moved her business to Flagstaff after almost 30 years of community building in San Francisco.

ALSO 6

MOUNTAIN NORTHERN ARIZONA’S

30 SPOTLIGHT

Photo by MacKenzie Chase.

MOUNTAIN NORTHERN ARIZONA’S

MAGAZINE

EDITOR MacKenzie Chase mchase@azdailysun.com 928.556.2262

PUBLISHER & ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Colleen Brady 928.556.2279

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is published quarterly at 1751 S. Thompson St. | Flagstaff, AZ 86001

SALES CONTRIBUTORS Zachary Meier Lydia Smith Heather Weisberger

Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is published by

ISSN: 1534-3804

Copyright ©2021 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs, illustrations and other materials are invited, but will not be returned unless accompanied by a properly addressed envelope bearing sufficient postage. Publisher assumes no responsibility for lost materials or the return of unsolicited materials. Publisher assumes no responsibility for any materials, solicited or unsolicited, after six months from date of publication. Cover and entire contents of this publication are fully protected. Reproduction or use without prior written premission from the editor is strictly prohibited. Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is not responsible for scheduled event changes. Any views, opinions or suggestions contained within Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine are not necessarily those of the management or owners.

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EDITOR’S NOTES

‌F

or this year’s special women in business edition of Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine, several of our reoccurring sections feature Flagstaff-based business owners and leaders such as cover subject Lynne Gallagher of Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique; Georgette Quintero, owner of Alejandro’s Mexican Food; Laura Snopek, longtime owner of Flagstaff Chocolate Company; and Michele James, the new executive director of nonprofit Friends of Flagstaff’s Future.

Of course there are many more successful women throughout northern Arizona, working hard day in and day out toward their respective missions, than we can fit in these pages each summer.

Special mentions include Hopi/Tewa entrepreneur Jennifer Himel who made the leap to self-employment with Big Sky Soap, www.bigskysoaparizona.com, as demand for hygiene products grew in her community of Second Mesa on the Hopi reservation.

Or artist and former Sedona wilderness ranger Kellie Day, www.kelliedayart.com, who launched an eight-week “Transform Your Art” mentoring program to encourage others to make sense, beauty and money from the chaos of the world. There’s also Diné poet Amber McCrary’s Abalone Mountain Press, www.abalonemountainpress.com, through which she aims to publish more Indigenous writ-

ers while collaborating with institutions like the Museum of Northern Arizona for its Poetry on the Plateau installation.

While encompassing different goals and media, each of the three aforementioned businesses were born from the pandemic over the past year and offer a lesson for others to take away—while everything begins with a simple idea, said idea will truly thrive with the support of the community.

But back to our regular features, this issue highlights familiar aspects of life in the high deserts of northern Arizona. Hiking trails beckon—especially with the addition of the sustainably developed Little Rock Trail in Sedona—plus we celebrate a wider return to in-person art exhibits and performances as vaccines have become more widespread, and offer a reminder of all the health benefits bicycling can provide.

I hope you find a new local business to support, as well as inspiration from all that is possible through dedication and hard work, in this issue of the magazine. After two years, this will be my last as editor. I plan to continue contributing articles and photographs in a freelance capacity, but, in the meantime, I’ll see you on the trails.

As always, thank you for reading.

MacKenzie Chase mchase@azdailysun.com

Arizona Daily Sun, AZdailysun.com, Flagstaff Live, Mountain Living Magazine & Direct Impressions, Amplified Digital Agency provides Flagstaff and surrounding communities with local news, community information and advertising solutions to help local businesses grow.

Meet our team who live and work in the Flagstaff area: Chris Etling, Editor

Zachery Meier, Retail and Key Account Manager

Jennifer Tompkins, Production and Circulation

Jake Bacon, Senior Photographer

Lydia Smith, Senior Digital Account Executive

Donna Tohonnie, Circulation Admin

Michael Hartman, Editor and Reporter

Heather Weisberger, Digital Account Executive

Harry Whitmarsh, Circulation

Sam McManis, Reporter

Bobbie Crosby, Classified Supervisor

Brady Wheeler, Reporter

Keith Hickey, Creative Director

Angila Menter, Direct Impressions General Manager

Adrian Skabelund, Reporter

Cindy Reynolds, Finance Coordinator

Eric Newman, Sports Editor

Brian Wallingford, Circulation Director

Colleen Brady, Publisher and Ad Director

Paul Garcia, Circulation District Manager

We believe in providing the best local coverage and the value of being part of this community.

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Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

Ben Henning, Direct Impression Coordinator

ABOUT TOWN

Favorites of the season from the area’s art and entertainment offerings

JULY 2-25 ON ART AND IDENTITY Museum of Northern Arizona, 3101 N. Fort Valley Road

PICKIN’ AT THE ZOO Museum Club, 3404 E. Route 66

JUNE 20

A Flagstaff tradition for almost two decades, this year’s Flagstaff Folk Festival is presented by Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music in partnership with the historic Museum Club. More than 70 acts on two stages will be featured at the new venue from 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m., showcasing the best in folk and acoustic music in Arizona and beyond. $5 suggested donation. www.flagfolkfest.org.

THROUGH JULY 10 SMALL BUT MIGHTY Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 N. Fort Valley Road The 10x10 Exhibition & Art Sale marks the return of in-person arts programming from the Flagstaff Arts Council. Original, affordable works donated by more than 100 Arizona-based artists will be on display in the Coconino Center for the Arts main gallery and sales will take place online at www. ccaflagstaff.org. All proceeds from the exhibition to benefit future programming at the center.

Celebrate the beauty and richness of the Indigenous people of the Colorado Plateau this summer with a new combined heritage festival hosted by the Museum of Northern Arizona. Held over the course of four weekends, Friday-Sunday, the Colorado Plateau Heritage Festival and Native Art Market will feature traditional and contemporary art for sale, and events on the history, artistry, identity and challenges of Indigenous communities. Reserve timed tickets at www.musnaz.org.

THROUGH JULY 31 FROM THE HEART The HeArt Box, 17 N. San Francisco St., Suite 1B Fine art and portrait photographer Margeaux Bestard presents “Time with Spring in Casita Azul,” a collection of photographs on the power of love and time, how it keeps a hold on life. Visit the exhibit in person or online; 10% of sales will go to Grand Canyon Youth. www.theheartbox.space.

JULY 24-AUG. 1 LIFE’S A GARDEN The Arboretum at Flagstaff, 4001 S. Woody Mountain Road Theatrikos Theatre Company will be reopening for the 2021 season with outdoor performances of Karen Zacarías’ “Native Gardens.”

The one-act comedy promises plenty of laughs as new neighbors butt heads while tending to their vastly different gardens. Matinee performances will be held 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, with a cast talkback Aug. 1. Tickets at www.theatrikos.com, or (928) 774-1662.

Summer 2021 namlm.com

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A

PATH

Wee Scotty Sewing and Craft Boutique welcomed into fabric of the community

T

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MACKENZIE CHASE

he excitement was palpable at Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique in downtown Flagstaff as Amelia, 11, and Selah, 10, neared the end of their eightweek sewing course one late afternoon in May. “Oh, it’s beautiful,” Amelia said as she held up the flowy blue blouse on which she had just completed sewing buttons.

“This is the best shirt I’ll ever wear. Ever.”

“Yeah, that’s ‘cause you made it,” Wee Scotty owner Lynne Gallagher said.

Selah drew inspiration from an Audrey Hepburn dress she found in a design book, choosing to use a dark fabric with a reoc-

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Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

If you go Wee Scotty Sewing & Craft Boutique is located at 18 N. Leroux St. in downtown Flagstaff. Visit www. weescotty.com for class offerings and more information.

A touch of whimsy finishes the outfits with the addition of woodland critters on both the young designers’ outfits—a mouse in the pocket for Selah and a squirrel on the skirt for Amelia.

“I’m gonna wear this every day!” Selah said upon trying on the completed dress.

“I’m gonna wear this on picture day!” Amelia responded, also wearing her brand new custom clothes.

“Eight weeks ago, they didn’t even know how to wind a bobbin or how to thread the machine,” Gallagher said after the two left.

“We’re just happy to see people interested in sewing and designing and develop-

ing. I mean, you could see the joy on their faces.”

Gallagher’s own interest in sewing began when she was young. Growing up in Buffalo, New York, she gravitated toward the Schwob family who lived next door and had a daughter her age, but it was the matriarch’s constant projects that drew her curiosity.

And Mrs. Schwob must have seen the spark of creativity inside her, as she took the young Gallagher under her wing and taught her how to stretch and sew with elastic when she was 7.

“That summer everybody had a bathing suit in the neighborhood,” Gallagher said with a laugh. “We were

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said with a laugh. “We were all little kids so it was just little triangles and the pants all had to have elastic, but nothing fell apart. It was awesome.”

This passion continued into middle school when all the students were being encouraged to explore a variety of elective classes; she refused to take anything other than sewing.

10 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

“My mom got called to the school and she said, ‘Well, if she’s not interested in music, let her sew,’ and there it was,” she said. “So I took every single sewing class that they offered from seventh grade all the way through high school.”

After briefly experimenting with an office job, Gallagher decided to instead support herself through sewing.

She began offering clothing alterations within her community, a decision which would eventually lead her down a path that’s been anything but boring.

She moved to San Francisco, California, in 1991, where she became the go-to seamstress for a local auditorium when acts like The Black Crowes

and KISS needed clothing repairs.

“It just started snowballing,” Gallagher said. “I worked then with Rolling Stones, [Led Zepplin singer] Robert Plant’s wearing my stuff for his induction into [the 1995 Rock and Roll] Hall of Fame, he’s rocking out with Neil Young and wearing my shirt.”

Her clientele list expanded over the years to include the likes of Ringo Starr, Steven van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, Shakira and Janelle Monáe more recently.

Established in 1995, Wee Scotty has served a different purpose, offering classes to members of the community in San Francisco and now Flagstaff, although some of Gallagher’s San Francisco students continue to attend via

cisco students continue to attend via Zoom.

Interest in sewing grew throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as people dusted off old machines or embarked on a brand new sewing journey in order to make face masks for themselves and all their friends.

“They tackled the masks and realized, ‘Hey, I like this sewing thing. What else can I do?’ And that’s where Wee Scotty has been stepping up,” Gallagher said. “A lot of people have been coming in with that interest and that background.”

She and her husband Frank— a sound engineer in the music industry who had become unemployed as the pandemic effectively cancelled all tours—

moved to Flagstaff at the end of 2020 to be closer to her brother. They already knew they would enjoy living in Flagstaff after four decades of visiting family there, but found the perfect spot for Wee Scotty sooner than anticipated.

“I wasn’t planning on setting up my business for at least four months. I thought I would take time off. I saw this [building] and the sun was shining on it, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I got whiplash,” Gallagher said. “And my brother Brian said, ‘Oh, I know Mary, let’s go over there and I’ll set up an appointment and we’ll talk with her.’ And we signed a lease that night.”

“I don’t think we’re what people expect to be

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12 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

downtown, which is pretty tourist centric from what I can gather, and foot-traffic centric,” Frank Gallagher said. “Normally stores like ours would be destination stores, but we decided this would be a great location for us and it’s working out fine. We have people from all over come and buy fabric because they can’t get it [elsewhere], people from Holbrook, and Winslow.”

Inside the historic building, which includes a turn-

of-the-century vault from the first vaulted bank in Flagstaff—now used for storage purposes—bundles of fabric line shelves on the north wall with patterns ranging from cheerful florals and sturdy plaid to geometric abstraction and a variety of critters.

New fabrics are constantly being added to the shop, and customers can request a specific pattern or weight if they don’t see it in stock; the same goes for any tools they may need to complete their textile projects.

Embroidery hoops and floss, pin cushions, Brother sewing machines, Jean-A-Ma-Jigs for hemming thick seams, vintage lace trim, discounted scrap fabric, thread in all the colors of the rainbow, sewing patterns and more are available to help people craft. Other fun items include temporary tattoos, scented hand sanitizers, gum and double-sided face masks for kids and adults.

The couple quickly agreed that they have already felt welcomed into the fabric of the community since the store opened in February.

“Oh, without question,” Frank Gallagher said. “We’re a very creative business, and creative people gravitate to us, and us to them. We get to meet the community, we get to be a part of it. It’s not rocket science—if you’re nice to people they’ll come

back, and we actually genuinely like people.”

“I love the mutual response more than anything,” Lynne Gallagher said. “It’s important for us to be part of the community. I think sewing has always been part of a community spirit, you know, as far back as quilting and gathering fur, spinning and weaving and looming from the medieval times even.”

School fundraisers have provided a great entryway to get involved and connect with people from different walks of life.

“I do try and reach out, and it’s hard entering a new community because they’re like, ‘Who are you?’” she said with a laugh. “And we’re like, ‘We’re so excited is what we are! We want to share what we do, and we want to help donate to your school.’”

Throughout Wee Scotty’s time in San Francisco, the Gallaghers regularly donated gift certificates for silent auctions and other school fundraisers.

Winning bidders would receive the gift of creativ-

ity through discounts on sewing classes, and monetary donations would go directly to the schools to benefit their arts programming.

Local theater also benefited from Lynne Gallagher’s decades of expertise, and she’s already partnered with Flagstaff’s Theatrikos Theatre Company and TheatriKids to help design and make costumes for upcoming productions.

“There is a whole season on the horizon and we are partaking in costume work with actors but also working with actors on costume plots,” she said.

“Teaching the planning of actors’ costume changes from scene to scene and how this can really bring characters to the moment in portraying what is happening within the scene.

I worked for seven-plus years costuming a kids’ musical theater group and had an absolute blast.”

While her career has led her down many different paths, helping others has always been its core, whether that involved working on bridal

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MATTERS of TASTE

The sky’s the

LIMIT Alejandro’s Mexican Food settles into new brick-and-mortar location GAIL G. COLLINS

Georgette Quintero has consistently looked for creative solutions. When opportunities arose—like her daughter attending Northern Arizona University, finding space to store supplies for her food truck business or securing a commercial space during the pandemic while other businesses struggled—Quintero found a way forward.

“I go the extra mile, think

14 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

outside the box and always ask the question, ‘What is the next step?’” she said.

As owner of Alejandro’s Mexican Food, the newest eatery on Heritage Square in Flagstaff, Quintero thrives on change. And as a family, they are in it together.

College initiated their move from Phoenix to Flagstaff; everyone came with her daughter, Quintero said simply. Her children, Alejandro and Ariana, are adults

now and work in the business, while high-schooler Joey helps out.

Alejandro’s Mexican Food opened softly in April with much maneuvering behind the scenes. COVID-19 made it complicated, but was not an excuse.

Quintero had been searching for retail space for months, hoping to buy, and lease negotiations took time. With situations strained in 2020, landlords gave breaks to current tenants to hang on, but there were no concessions for new ventures coming in behind them.

The shift from Italian restaurant to Mexican cantina was straightforward and practical with a full kitchen and stylish seating in place from the previous tenant.

“It was already turn-key down to the colors,” Quintero said. “Green, white and red—the Italian flag has the same color blocks as the Mexican flag.”

Alejandro’s, named for her oldest son, began as a food truck in the fall

of 2017. Reputation increased the reach to two trucks, based on a solid selection of burritos and street tacos with handcrafted fillings. Nachos, quesadillas and carne asada, which continues to earn rave reviews, rounded out her recipe for a successful business model.

Running a food truck is much harder than operating in a fixed location, ac-

cording to Quintero.

“There is only so much electricity, water and sufficient space to store food,” she said. “We needed to expand and grow.”

Gaining the café at Coconino Community College gave her business a dedicated kitchen for the first time.

Still, from the start, the plan was

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always to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. What sets Alejandro’s apart is the striving for continuous improvement, making menu upgrades regularly.

“The recipes evolve because I’m tweaking them over time at 9 or 10 at night after we close—it’s hard on my weight,” Quintero said with a laugh.

Each night, she plays food critic, sampling a dish as it is presented to customers with a beverage. Then, the brainstorming on ingredients or garnish or… Recently, fried ice cream was the project. It begins with a taste goal, a list of ingredients and decisions—cornflake or bread shell? Such assessments stimulate Quintero.

The new sit down, upscale presentation of familiar fare includes signature carne asada, plated as steak with rice, beans and a garnish of spider-sliced peppers. House burros, chimichangas, tacos or tostados are stuffed with a

16 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

choice of carne asada, carnitas or pollo, and come fully loaded with extras, like guacamole, plus rice and beans. The trendy birria taco is sweet, sour, spicy and savory slow-cooked beef.

Ceviche is the Mexican answer to sushi with shrimp marinated in lime juice plus cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro and queso fresco—a lively, summer choice. More seafood and oysters will expand customer options.

The flan is a distinct recipe of smooth custard, strawberries, chocolate sauce and fresh whipped cream. It’s almost too lovely to eat, but too marvelous to miss.

Or, be a kid again and order ice cream with a churro.

Handmade beverages offer quality, such as horchata, a traditional rice-based drink, sweetened and shot through with cinnamon. Agua de Jamaica is a tart and refreshing tea of hibiscus flowers. Agua frescas chase

away thirst, but a liquor license brings additional alternatives to Alejandro’s.

The michelada, made with light beer, like Tecate or Modelo, and mixed with tomato juice, lime and Worcestershire is bloody Maria, the perfect pick for brunch.

Alejandro’s is open for a filling, budget breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, except Monday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Like the proprietor, it’s a flourishing phenomenon.

Quintero’s business card lists all of the hats she wears: Owner, Marketer, Head Chef, Baker. She is nothing if not determined. Plus, when schools were closed during the pandemic, her food truck fed any child who could not afford a meal.

“We work hard; we are nonstop soldiers,” she said. “We are transitioning to a restaurant—please, be patient with us, and it will be fantastic.”

There is no doubt.

BY the BOTTLE

SHANDIES AND RADLERS First, some definitions: A radler is a mix of equal parts beer and lemonade. A shandy is made with beer and lemon-lime soda or ginger ale instead.

Biermischgetranke, russ, panache, diesel, lagergraff and more.

History

Today the term radler refers to the beer-lemonade mixture, while shandy can encompass a wider range of mix-ins.

Because they are low in alcoholic content, in some areas, shandies and radlers are exempt from alcohol regulation.

Bottled shandies hit the store shelves in late spring and summer, and are a staple of American barbecues. Brewer 312’s Lemonade Shandy is a popular option.

According to 312’s website, “We were just as tired of that same old shandy as everyone else—so we made our own, combining two of our favorite things: 312 and Italian lemon ice. Expect a lemony, crisp and refreshing sip that’s sure to hit the spot, no

The “shandygaff” has its origins in 1850s Britain, where it was originally made with beer and ginger ale.

In the 1920s, a similar concoction became popular in Germany when tavern owner Franz Xaver Kugler was serving a group of cyclists and running low on beer, according to Eater.com. He added lemonade to the mix and gave birth to the “radler,” or cyclist in German.

In fact, the shandies and radlers in various forms (with varying ratios of beer and lemonade, soda, ginger beer, ginger ale, sparkling wine or other mix-ins) is known by many names across the world: refajo,

Modern shandies and radlers

matter if the stand is open or not.”

For a radler with a bite, try Stiegl’s Radler Grapefruit, described as a “refreshingly effervescent’’ with “tart grapefruit juice, which yields a fresh and bright mouthfeel plus an aromatic mix of sweetness and bitter grapefruit.”

Do it yourself It’s easy to customize a shandy or radler with the beer and soda of your choice. Consider these variations from AllRecipes.com: Peary Good Shandy: nutty/malty/smooth brown ale (such as Newcastle Brown Ale), sparkling pear juice, a lemon twist and a pear slice; Smokin’ Cherry Radler: a chocolaty smoked porter (such as Bell’s IV: To a Locomotive in Winter), black cherry soda or cherry juice and a lime wedge; and Pumpkintop Shandy: pumpkin ale (such as Southern Tier’s Pumpking Imperial), ginger beer, a squeeze of orange juice and an orange slice.

Get creative and dream up your own shandy or radler recipe. Then break out the barbecue and enjoy a relaxed summer afternoon.

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the ARTS

‌L

MARGARITA CRUZ

A SWEETER

OUTLOOK Laura Snopek and the Flagstaff Chocolate Company

18 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

ocated among the stores in the Old Town Shops on Leroux Street, a sweet treat awaits visitors of all ages at the Flagstaff Chocolate Company. Floor-toceiling containers filled with colorful Jelly Beans of all flavors and jars of gummy candies catch the eye, but it’s the handcrafted chocolates that keep customers returning.

The Flagstaff Chocolate Company, originally Mountain Candy in 1978 and then Brookside Chocolates from 2002 to 2011, has been a local staple since it opened in the Flagstaff Mall more than 40 years ago.

Current owner Laura Snopek bought the shop in 2012 a few years after leaving an upper management position at a local credit union where she had worked for 20 years. She decided to take on a sweeter endeavor while becoming her own employer, and found herself in good company as both her parents and her husband are self-employed. With her business degree from Northern Arizona University, years of working in the banking and finance industry, and her love for creativity, running the chocolate shop was the perfect way for Snopek to combine her passions.

“In the bank environment you deal with touchy subjects. When I was released from my position with the bank, I was devastated,” Snopek said. “In hindsight, it was a really good opportunity. [In] upper level management, I was dealing with people who maybe weren’t so happy, but this position has allowed me to be around really happy people and have conversations with them.”

Now more than a year since the beginning of the pandemic, Flagstaff Chocolate Company is operating on a more regular schedule these days. Snopek typically arrives an hour before opening to work on finances and bookkeeping. Occasionally Snopek’s mother will come in to help make handcrafted treats like fudge and caramel apples, too.

If you go Flagstaff Chocolate Company is located at 120 N. Leroux St. inside the Old Town Shops in historic downtown Flagstaff. Visitors can purchase edible chocolate art seven days a week, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday.

The shop makes many of its products in-house, and the previous owner stayed on long enough to pass the recipes dating back to 1978 to Snopek, such as one of her favorites, the specialty Peaks truffles that take their shape and name from the San Francisco Peaks.

It takes about two to two and a half hours to make each batch of these original truffles. Snopek uses the same vendors the owners in 1978 used and recently learned the recipes had been passed down from the first owner’s grandmother. Everything about the truffle visitors can buy today—save for a few new flavors—sticks true to the original recipe. And even Snopek’s newer additions feel right at home and are natural sellers.

“It’s hard to make good fudge, chocolate treats and caramel,” she said, but the investment pays off as each truffle, each caramel apple, each batch of fudge goes through a time-consuming labor of love in order to be transformed into delicious works of art.

Not only does owning the chocolate shop allow Snopek to surround herself with clientele looking for sweet treats to boost their days, she’s also enjoyed the flexibility to spend time with her family.

“I got to watch my kids grow up,” Snopek, a mother of two, said. “There are a lot of women like me who are also mothers. You have to put a lot of time and effort into making a business successful, and sometimes you do have to choose to put that business first in certain situations, but we were out of town two weekends a month for my kids’ baseball and softball games. This was something I decided I didn’t want to miss out on.”

Making the jump to become her own employer, while a scary prospect for anyone, has allowed her to enjoy life more.

“I thought I’d spend the rest of my

life there, and I realized I don’t want to live like that,” Snopek said of the banking industry. “Leaving made me realize that you shouldn’t let your world revolve around business. There are other things that are so important that you might miss out on. Everything happens for a reason and 90 percent of the time it’s for the better.”

Life is less bitter because of Snopek’s decision to continue crafting with the traditional recipes at Flagstaff Chocolate Company. Running the shop allows her to put friendliness and her family at the forefront of her business philosophy. After all, there’s more to life than just work.

Summer 2021 namlm.com

19

MIND and BODY

Leading

through compassion Flo Spyrow: President and CEO, Northern Arizona Healthcare

T

CHRISTINE MAXA

here was a time when Flo Spyrow’s candor would have rubbed people the wrong way. The president and CEO of Northern Arizona Healthcare got in a bit of hot water now and again because of it when she started out in the industry more than 30 years ago. People didn’t want to hear the truth from a younger person. Today she counts her honesty one of the reasons for her success—that and being a nurse.

“I think nurses bring a different perspective to any level of leadership,” Spyrow explained, “and they should wear that uniqueness, that perspective on their collar as a badge of honor and not try to hide it. They should also know that their success will be driven by what they accomplish and what kind of leader they are, and they should expect no special favors based on being a woman or any other kind of diversity issue.”

Success a team sport The perennial student (Spyrow has five degrees after her name, including a JD) also learned the importance of team building.

Spyrow found success comes not from the 20 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

strength of any individual leader, but whether or not capable, bright leaders can form a strong team to execute on challenging and audacious goals.

For Spyrow, these would be the kind of goals that make a difference for the whole community. One of those goals, a new medical campus, has been particularly energizing for Spyrow. She knows the campus will make a difference in the health of the community and the way healthcare is delivered for generations to come. The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to confirm this.

“We learned a lot,” Spyrow said about the pandemic, “let me say that. It was the most challenging and, I think, overwhelming healthcare experience I’ve been through in over 30 years. We made a lot of changes internally in order to be able to care for those patients.”

The pandemic hit Flagstaff Medical Center fast and hard due to the accelerating rate of incidences on the Navajo Nation. The hospital quickly added two more to its three adult ICUs. All the while, Spyrow’s teamwork sensibilities helped NAH navigate the unprecedented time. Besides forming nearby partnerships with Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and W.L. Gore & Associates, NAH worked with hospitals across the country in a way it had not done before.

Battles and blessings “New York was in the height of its pandemic about the same time,” Spyrow explained, “and we collaborated with a lot of providers, a lot of healthcare systems—how are you treating these patients? This was a very aggressive respiratory disease like many physicians and practitioners had never seen before, and so we were learning together on how was the best way to care for them.”

While NAH’s intensive care areas roiled, the ambulatory surgery centers stayed silent.

The hospital quickly transitioned to telehealth visits, from less than 5% to 35-40% (which Spyrow expects will eventually level off at around 20%).

At the same time Spyrow’s son, Andy, was in the midst of an ongoing battle with glioblastoma brain cancer. In the past three years, he’s had multiple surgeries, radiation seeds implanted in his brain and five rounds

of chemotherapy.

“His career,” Spyrow detailed his journey, “his dreams in life, the things he enjoyed from a personal perspective were sidelined. Yet he gets up every day and he counts his blessings.

He never complains. He faces each challenge with strength, and each challenge far outweighs the challenges I face every single day.

And he does it with grace and faith and with the love of his family; and I admire him so much. He’s way outlived his life expectancy.

Every day is a blessing, and he’s taught me that.”

COVID pulls back the curtain The pandemic became a litmus test for the state of healthcare across the nation and ripped open the curtain to show its inadequacies. In FMC’s case, Spyrow saw the urgency to start afresh from a hospital perspective due to the many challenges of its 50-year-old facility.

“We believe we’ll be in this kind of battle again in the near future,” Spyrow said. “So as we looked at our facility, there were a couple of things we learned and that needed to change.

We will be looking at our campus in a new way and how we meet the needs of our patients through all elements in their care process as well as our staff and providers and how we take care of them while they’re taking care of our patients.”

The need includes a significant ambulatory campus where patients can have elective procedures done. With a pandemic going on, people don’t want to go to the hospital, they want an alternative for care. The pandemic also pointed to the need for all private rooms in the campus hospital. Spaces where families can safely convene and where staff can find respite from the significant challenges they encounter while caring for critically ill patients. Spyrow said additional plans include housing, health lifestyle-builders and opportunities, and education research.

“This new project is truly not the legacy that NAH will leave behind in any given time,” Spyrow emphasized. “It is the people that are here that have that commitment to care for others and do so in a compassionate and excellent manner. That’s the gift that we will leave to our communities from Northern Arizona Healthcare into the future.”

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Summer 2021 namlm.com

21

MIND and BODY

sweet spot The

of cycling CHRISTINE MAXA

Everyone likes finding the sweet spot when it comes to exercise, that activity that’s fun and feels good. It’s worth the search because research shows regular exercise has so many healthful rewards. Research has also confirmed what cyclists innately know—that adding the outdoors to the equation turns the sweet spot into a bit of magic by increasing the perks.

Brain benefits Cycling’s rhythmic and aerobic characteristics impart big benefits to the brain. One of the more notable is the feel-good release of endorphins after a long ride. But a bicycle ride doesn’t have to be long in order to feel good. It—or any other physical activity— just has to be done. Megan Gavin, Director of Counseling Services on Northern Arizona University’s campus, talks about physical activity with “every single student” she sees.

“We know there is a lot of research and really dramatic links between exercise and mood enhancement, depression management or alleviation of depression,” Gavin, who includes mountain biking as an aspect of her mental health, explained, “as well as a means to reduce anxiety. Just kind of painting broad stokes with the terms of depression and anxiety but speaking specifically of symptoms, we know exercise, including cycling, can help alleviate some of those things.”

Boom to bust On the physical side, easy-on-the-joints cycling can build muscles, trim fat, buff up the cardiovascular system, increase overall endurance and strengthen bones. While happy to see Flagstaff’s boom for bike riding, sports medicine specialist Dr. Darius 22 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

Moezzi has seen how the boom can go bust. Besides the more common bruises, scrapes and cuts, Dr. Moezzi’s patients come in with broken collarbones, broken wrists and muscle strains and sprains.

“For those new to the hobby and cyclists increasing their mileage,” Dr. Moezzi said, “there is a higher risk of injury.”

So the goal for individuals is to find a happy medium in order to stay safe and have fun.

For road biking, that starts with knowing how to ride correctly with traffic.

Safety basics Cyclists tend to worry about getting hit from behind, but what happens in front of them matters more. Turning vehicles cause the most problems.

“A motorist doesn’t see you on your bike,” explained Anthony Quintile, spokesperson for Flagstaff Biking Organization. “The best thing you can do to protect your safety is to be educated in the best practices for riding in the road with traffic property.”

Quintile stressed that cycling is a relatively safe sport. To stay safer, he recommends cyclists assert themselves in traffic.

“Cyclists who are new and timid tend to stay as far to the right as possible,” Quintile said, “and that’s not nearly as safe as asserting yourself in the lane of traffic in most situations. People are more apt to see you there, and you’re less apt to run into a drain grate or something like that. And cars are less apt to pass you closely or slow down to pass you by going into the other lane.”

The safety guidelines for mountain biking mirror those of any outdoor sport.

“Be prepared for changing weather con-

For more information Bicyclists can familiarize themselves with Flagstaff’s rules of the road at www.flagstaff.az.gov/1684/Bicycle-Safety-Tips. For the basics, review your rights as a rider along with road cycling tips from The League of American Bicyclists at www.bikeleague. org/ridesmartvideos, or watch a safety video from Mountain Bike Training Center at www.mbtc.bike/ safety-instructions. ditions,” Quintile went down the list, “wear proper safety gear like a helmet and pads. Know where you are going and how to get back safely. Inform someone else of where you are going and when you’ll be back, especially if going out alone. Bring plenty of food, water, basic repair tools and supplies, and a basic first aid kit.”

Choose right routes Flagstaff’s engaging scenery provides a powerful backdrop for any outdoor exercise, and big scenery inspires big challenges. The lure of the challenge on the more rugged routes (and surrounding highways when cycling the road) is, for some, half the adventure. Dr. Moezzi emphasized cyclists should choose a route that’s right for the rider.

“Don’t exceed your skill level,” Dr. Moezzi said. “If the trail has drops, obstacles or sections outside of your riding ability, walk those areas, especially if the trail is new to you.”

Because the whole point of cycling, from recreation to racing, is the personal rewards and overall benefits. Neither one has to come by way of a fiberglass cast.

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23

OUTDOOR life

EARS

Amid visitor groundswell, newly developed trails in Sedona lead to quietude

TO THE GROUND A STORY AND PHOTOS BY SETH MULLER

long a section of slickrock pads near the newly blazed Little Rock Trail in the Sedona Red Rock District, a century plant stood 12 feet tall in full bloom. I paused to examine its coloration, olive to pinkish orange, against a searing blue morning sky.

With the lack of people and clamor seen on many Sedona area trails, I embraced the chance to quietly observe this century plant—also known

as the sentry plant or Agave Americana—and its once-in-a-lifetime flowering among the charred orange sandstone.

The striking agave marks the kinds of moments to discover along both the Little Rock and Rabbit Ears trails, where the intersection of quietude and the natural world allow local hikers, bikers and equestrians to escape the usual crowds and drone of Sedona’s main attractions and pathways. Built this spring, the two trails offer a newer, more distant loop from the Big Park and Bell Rock circuits, while also connecting to them. They offer experiences to remind of the

sublimity and solace of Red Rock Country.

On a recent May morning, I first hiked along a portion of the twoand-a-half-mile Rabbit Ears Trail to its modest summit point about halfway along the route. I joined Kyle Robb, trails supervisor for the Red Rock Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest. He, along with a handful of crew members and workers from the American Conservation Experience, spent six weeks marking out and developing the twin paths of Rabbit Ears and Little Rock.

They found perfect routes in the hills and pinon-juniper forests east of Village of Oak Creek and south of Munds Mountain.

Along the route, I reveled in the spring desert bloom that included

The red rock formation known as Rabbit Ears, adjacent to Munds Mountain, gave the new Rabbit Ears Trail in Sedona its namesake. It’s one part of the destination of this new hiking trail.

24 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

Trail Notes What: Rabbit Ears and Little Rock Trails Length: Up to six miles Difficulty: Moderate Where: Jacks Canyon Trailhead. Take Jacks Canyon Road out of Village of Oak Creek. At around two miles, make the right turn and drive up to the dirt lot. Trailhead is on the left.

Other: Red Rock Passes are required. Bring plenty of water, snacks and sunblock. Recommended as an early morning or late afternoon hike for the exposure.

the showy reds of kingcup cactus, the tangerine globemallow and pockets of violet and velvety milkvetch.

The trail picked up elevation and Munds Mountain came in fuller view to the north—along with its varying tawny cliffs and rocky steeples. As we reached the summit of the trail, the most prominent of the spires came into view: a towering, 350-foot-tall column that divides at the top and has earned the nickname Rabbit Ears. As a formation with an ascending route, local climbers call it the Pinnacle or Oak Creek Spire.

A few paces beyond the main view of Rabbit Ears, the vista opens to the north and west to reveal the back side of Courthouse Butte and, in the distance, the famed Cathedral Rock.

This place on the trail’s map is one of its important highlights. It offers a chance to both look beyond to the rugged east of the Munds Mountain Wilderness Area and in the other direction with two prominent formations of the Sedona viewscape. This is all while having a lightly used trail

ABOVE: Century plant in bloom along the new Little Rock Trail.

LEFT: A sign of the times with new trails coming into the Sedona area.

that is both new and not in any way social-media famous.

I closed my eyes for a moment at a soundscape restored. I could hear the bees and insects buzzing around a nearby flower. Catch the flap of a raven’s wing. Notice the thoughtful silence between the shifts of wind. The realization came not as a condemnation of the people or the busier trails,

but the understanding that routes such as Rabbit Ears and Little Rock have become necessary additions to the trail system. They allow an enriched connection to red rock country, in a way to notice its details, to connect with its interstitial moments and to listen to it speak in a clearer way.

Robb and I expanded our travels with a spur-hike part-way down and back on the adjacent Little Rock Trail, where we found the century plant

Summer 2021 namlm.com

25

and the pads of slickrock the trail snaked over and around. He explained how these trails checked the right boxes: they followed routes that were sustainable with limited erosion, they brought vistas and they had a strong line of sight where hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians can all see each other at an intermediate distance. The trails also expand the map of loops, as they are connected to the Big Park trail system to the west and can give mountain bikers and ambitious hikers an opportunity to expand their range.

These trails further provide an alternative experience to the extreme levels of visitation spiking along the Route 179, Dry Creek and Oak Creek corridors.

Robb explained how Dev-

il’s Bridge, a crowned and anointed social media destination these days, saw a record 33,000 visitors in March of this year. More than 1,000 visitors a day trekked out to the remote formation off Dry Creek Road, where visitors engage in the chance to photograph themselves atop the rocky span.

This and last year, the social media explosion for some specific destinations escalated visitation numbers in the time of the pandemic. With gyms, bars, movie theaters and other entertainment closed, more people have turned to outdoor experiences and destinations.

This combines further with the limitations of international

At a prominent point on the Rabbit Ears Trail, Courthouse Butte and Cathedral Rock come into view to the southwest.

26 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

and island travel, lending greater appeal to regional destinations. Welcome to Sedona 2021—where an already desired and trafficked location has been amplified and grown into an even greater draw.

Luckily, for the local and the nature lover in search of the pristine experience, quieter stretches of trail have been added to the

map. Robb also expects to see the Red Rock Ranger District further expand these quieter pathways with development in the more isolated Turkey Creek area near the end of Verde Valley School Road.

The hope is to expand those kinds of experiences to better remind visitors of the beauty and joys of the high desert landscape.

The red rock formation known as Rabbit Ears is also referred to as the Pinnacle by local climbers.

“I could hear the bees and insects buzzing around a nearby flower. Catch the flap of a raven’s wing.”

Century plant in bloom along the new Little Rock Trail.

Rabbit Ears and Little Rock trails are part of the Big Park trail system, which includes the Bell Rock Pathway and several other routes and trail loops.

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DISTINCTIVE spaces

WHAT IS MID-CENTURY MODERN? Mid-century modern, often abbreviated MCM, is an American design movement popular from 1945-1969, and it’s outrageously popular once again.

A product of the space age, mid-century modern looks back to the future with clean lines without decorative embellishment, easy organic curves and functional forms.

These minimalist pieces often explored different materials, sometimes juxtaposing different or contrasting materials. The color palette ranges from natural tones to bold colors and graphic black and white pieces. If colors were featured, they were bright or saturated to emphasize some design elements.

Some of the best-known mid-century modern designers include George Nelson, Edward Worley, Harry Bertoia, Alexander Girard, Jens Risom, Eileen Gray, 28 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

and Charles and Ray Eames. It’s not just limited to home decor. Architecture reflected it as well, with lower roofs, bigger windows and open floor plans—think the house from “The Brady Bunch.”

Today, mid-century modern, with its clean lines and materials, plays well with a variety of styles. Going full-on MCM might be a little overwhelming, particularly in small spaces, but a splash here and there works well. As with any decorating style, it’s important to balance colors, sizes and textures. Today’s MCM furniture is affordable and has geometric, curving lines. It’s multi-use furniture that can serve several different spaces if you pick quality pieces.

The modern MCM palette tends more warm—orange, yellows, greens and teals— with mustard yellow having a particular moment right now. Wood tones should

be rich and brown, but some pieces can and do feature Scandinavian-influenced lighter woods that work well. Remember that neutral colors never go out of style.

Decorating experts at Apartment Therapy recommend staying away from bold, saturated colors unless you really love it, and clear lucite furniture does open up a space, but it’s less durable than other materials. Retro textiles, when paired with the classic mid century shapes, can also be a bit much.

“Be selective in choosing your mid-century moments and mix them with pieces from other time periods for a more personal look and feel,” designer Courtney McLeod told the decorating website.

To find vintage MCM furniture, glassware and more in Flagstaff, visit Fourth Street Vintage, 1901 N. Fourth St. The owners regular rotate stock and often have one-of-a-kind home decor to add some mid-century flair.

To find vintage MCM furniture, glassware and more in Flagstaff, visit Fourth Street Vintage, 1901 N. Fourth St. The owners regular rotate stock and often have one-of-a-kind home decor to add some mid-century flair.

From backyard to

ENTERTAINMENT HUB

F

rom food to music to setting the scene, here are a few suggestions to will elevate your outdoor living spaces and events.

Dining Bring a decorative theme into your outdoor space with an outdoor rug under the dining table, or in the seating area. Add coordinating melamine dishes and acrylic drinkware.

A lazy susan on the center of the outdoor dining table makes it easier to pass dishes or condiments.

You might also consider outdoor place mats to protect the table and enhance the design of your outdoor eating space.

Music High-quality waterproof bluetooth speakers will allow you to connect a phone or indoor sound receiver to crank up your tunes in the backyard.

You can even coordinate your landscape lighting to change colors and dance with your music with a smart lighting setup.

Light a fire

Patio bar

Gathering around a fire with friends and family on a cool evening can make for a memorable night. There are many models to choose from, and it will all depend on what your preferences are.

A wood-burning fire pit is a traditional option that can provide plenty of heat, but blowing smoke is often an issue.

A gas fire pit or fire table eliminates the smoke issue but won’t radiate heat out as far as burning wood logs. Gas flames also tend to be at the whims of the wind and can be blown out altogether by a strong gust.

A newer option that has come on the market in the past several years is a “smokeless” wood-burning fire pit. While no wood-burning fire will ever be truly smokeless, these models are designed to use heated air to reduce the amount of smoke coming off the burning logs.

No matter your choice of heat source, check to see if fire restrictions are in place before lighting up.

If you enjoy a good drink, consider investing in an outdoor bar where you can mix up your concoctions. While tiki bars ar-

en’t in fashion at the moment, wood and resin models are readily available, and you can even buy one with a built-in ice chest.

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29

SPOTLIGHT

MICHELE JAMES

Executive Director, Friends of Flagstaff’s Future J‌ ust to start, tell us a bit about yourself.

What drew you to a career in sustainability?

I’ve been interested in sustainability my entire life. I began my career as a wildlife biologist focusing on the protection of threatened and endangered species and their habitats. This work directly related to humanity’s lack of awareness of our impact on the environment. That led me to understand that humanity must live in a sustainable manner with the other life on our planet. I completed a master’s degree in Sustainable Communities at NAU in 2003. I’m drawn to the interdisciplinary nature of both sustainability and community and, in my studies, I focused on places where art can connect us to science in new ways and change our interaction with the natural world. Specifically, I examined how to create a memorial for extinct species on the Colorado Plateau.

I taught environmental communication at NAU while also working as a research coordinator for the Fossil Creek stream restoration project. In both of those positions, I focused on how quality communication in a variety of forms, including visual art and poetry, can help us to connect with and understand how to live more sustainably in the environment.

Just prior to working for F3, I taught the topics of climate change, poetry and activism, and the zombie myth to first-year students at NAU. Believe it or not, there is a connection between those diverse topics!

30 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine

How have you used art as an advocacy tool?

In my teaching at NAU, I would illustrate to students the history of how art has been used for more than 100 years to advocate for protection of the natural world and around social issues. We would read about and discuss issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline, sexual assault on college campuses and climate change.

Then the students would create poetry and art to advocate on those issues in the public sphere. I would write my own po-

etry as well, but the best part for me was to see what the students created.

I’m very excited about an art project in the planning stages at what will be Flagstaff’s newly designed Downtown Connection Center on Phoenix Avenue in the Southside neighborhood. The city’s Beautification and Public Art Commission is bringing the amazing and qualified artist-team Haddad-Drugan to design a building and onsite art that incorporates natural, social and historical aspects of Flagstaff and the Southside.

As the new Executive Director of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, what does a typical day on the job look like?

I seek to keep track of everything happening in Flagstaff that may impact one or more of F3’s eight identified Focus Areas. Much of my focus is following what the city is discussing and planning, as well as the plans of other groups that work with the city, such as Mountain Line, to help ensure that their actions protect and expand upon the values that make Flagstaff sustainable, just and thriving.

A typical day has me attending virtual city commission meetings about sustainability, bicycle/pedestrian transportation, open space, housing, or planning and zoning. I talk with city staff and council members, stream city council meetings on Tuesdays, often preparing statements of support about an issue they’re addressing. I attend working group meetings where a handful of community members are working toward goals such as ways to address the issue of affordable housing, actions needed to reach carbon neutrality by 2030, how to address competing needs for water, and so on. I spend time reading about issues such as the zoning for accessory dwelling units, what other cities are doing to address their housing issues and new ways incentives can be used to create affordable housing. I’m working with our board of directors to design an educational series bringing together experts to discuss innovative ways to address some of the issues our community is facing.

The position also entails writing lots of emails, posting to social media about issues of importance to our members and the Flagstaff community, and keeping the F3 board aware of developing issues.

Sometimes I’m lucky enough to supervise a student intern as well.

In what ways has F3 had to adjust its approach during the pandemic?

Just as everyone else has, we’ve had to conduct all our meetings and communication virtually. I even had my two job interviews for the director position

via Zoom last fall. We’ve kept in touch with our members via two Zoom gatherings in the past six months or so. We usually have a large member gala each year and that didn’t happen in 2020, but we’re hoping to hold a COVID-safe member meeting and gala this fall. All of my meetings with city staff, council members, Mountain Line and others have been online thus far. I’ve only just started to have some in-person meetings with F3 board members and some partner organizations in outside environments. I’m very much looking forward to meeting with everyone in person as soon as that’s safe again!

One positive thing that’s come out of the city’s response to the pandemic is the livestreaming and recording of city council meetings. Not everyone in our community is able to attend those meetings when they’re live at City Hall due to work schedules and other commitments. The livestreaming and recording of the meetings allows a much broader audience and a means for Flagstaff citizens to both see how local decisions are made and voice their concerns directly to council. I was pleased to see the city prioritize the audio-visual needs to allow this to continue when the council meets again in person.

How can the community support F3 in its mission?

Our strength is in our membership. We are a grassroots multi-issue organization, and we seek to achieve a sustainable, just and thriving Flagstaff through community education, engagement and advocacy. There are so many issues of importance right now in our community, and F3 tracks and works to guide decisions in a way that promotes and sustains our community’s quality of life. We communicate what we learn in working closely with city staff and others to our members and the public, provide education on relevant topics and engage our members in activities of interest. Flagstaff needs a group like F3, composed of citizens, to advocate for the values we want to see in our town. If you want

to engage with current issues and help guide how Flagstaff grows and adapts, or if you just want to support the people who do, joining F3 is for you.

Affordability—particularly of housing—is a major issue right now, so much so that the city declared an affordable housing emergency in December 2020.

How will Flagstaff grow in a way that allows the opportunity for everyone to have a roof over their head while also addressing sustainability and quality of life for its residents? And how can we grow sustainably while addressing climate change and the need for resiliency?

Flagstaff declared a climate emergency in June 2020 and is currently working on a plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. What about providing water to all of our residents as we deal with the pressures of growth and the need for socially just practices? This is difficult as many of the things we currently identify as important about Flagstaff may be in conflict with other issues as we grow and adapt to climate change.

What activities do you enjoy in your spare time?

I love to spend time outside, walking the trails on Observatory Mesa and Buffalo Park, taking photographs (I’m exploring macro photography right now) and attempting to grow vegetables in our backyard. I took up mountain biking in 2020 with my son who joined the high school team and I’ve been having a blast with that. I love to travel and spend time in different countries, and I hope to be able to do that again next year. I’m the Visual Arts Editor for the journal Carbon Copy, which explores artistic responses to climate change. I like to explore cooking new foods. I am a prolific reader, mostly of fiction, but I also like to read about social issues and to read poetry. A pandemic habit I’m growing is listening to podcasts about a whole slew of different topics. I like to always be learning about interesting people and new things.

To learn more about Friends of Flagstaff ’s Future, become a member or make a donation, visit www.friendsofflagstaff.org Summer 2021 namlm.com

31

patient & community COVID-19 Services

•Curbside Appointments

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Keeping you healthy to do the things 928.522.9400 you love to do. northcountryhealthcare.org 32 Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine