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Grain Let it
The sustainability of beer in northern Arizona
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TABLEofCONTENTS
Fall2019 COVER STORY
8
Let it Grain
As the craft beer industry in Arizona grows, so does the waste that comes from the
brewing process. Many breweries partner with local farmers, donating spent grain
as feed for livestock. Spent brewer’s grain
provides an abundance of nutrients for cattle and other farm animals, including high amounts of protein and carbohydrates.
DEPARTMENTS MATTERS OF TASTE MIND & BODY 26 While we know tobacco products are Downtown Flagstaff’s Hotel Monte Vista offers rooms for travelers, cocktails detrimental to our health, drawing for revelers at Rendezvous and Asian many people to instead vape nicotine to fusion cuisine for diners at Lotus help them quit, vaping may still cause Lounge, which opened in late 2017. unknown health issues.
NORTHERN ARIZONA'S
16
BY THE BOTTLE OUTDOOR LIFE 20 Long before the craft beer revolution, 28 West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon is mead and cider reigned over the land. popular for a reason. These ancient libations are now brewed by specialists right here in northern Arizona. DISTINCTIVE SPACES 31 Each year, several homes open to the THE ARTS public for the Flagstaff Symphony Guild’s home tour. One in Forest 21 A former train station in Winslow has been transformed into an art museum Highlands stands out due to its focusing on Route 66, with plans to modern contemporary build. expand in the future.
ALSO 6 7 34 35 4
EDITOR’S NOTES ABOUT TOWN PLAYING FAVORITES SPOTLIGHT Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
MAGAZINE
Grain Let it
The sustainability of beer in northern Arizona
$2.95
F a l l 2 0 19
Free with Arizona Daily Sun Home Delivery
PLUS
Route 66 Art Museum West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon Symphony Guild Home Tour
ON THE COVER While many people enjoy the final result of brewing beer, there's more going on behind the scenes to keep the operation sustainable.
Your future self will thank you. Now is the time to take charge of your health — and your heart. About 1 in 3 Americans have cardiovascular disease. The good news is, there are many ways to treat it. Your next step? Turn to Northern Arizona Healthcare and a team of cardiovascular partners, your partners in heart health. As cardiovascular experts right here in Northern Arizona, we’ll help you become a key member of your care team. Let’s start with a heart assessment to see where you stand.
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NORTHERN ARIZONA'S
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER
Advertising Director
Art Director
COLLEEN BRADY
COLLEEN BRADY 928.556.2279
KEITH HICKEY
Editor
Graphic Artist
MACKENZIE CHASE MCHASE@AZDAILYSUN.COM 928.556.2262
Sales Contributors ZACHARY MEIER
CALLIOPE LUEDEKER
LYDIA SMITH GABRIEL LOPEZ
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine is published monthly at 1751 S. THOMPSON ST. | Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Northern Arizona’s Mountain Living Magazine is published by
ISSN: 1534-3804
Copyright ©2019 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 permission 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
W
hen you drink a beer, you’re following in the footsteps of your ancestors. Although difficult to trace back to its origin, beer is considered the oldest recorded recipe in the world— documentation of the brewing process has been found on Ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls dating around 5,000 B.C. Since then, however, we’ve turned it into an art. From the wide variety of styles enjoyed by craft beer connoisseurs to the sheer volume of it all, the possibilities are seemingly endless when it comes to beer—just look at Dark Sky Brewing’s résumé for proof. This issue’s cover story explores the environmental impact of beer. What do brewers do with the hundreds and thousands of pounds of spent grain produced each week? How does a desert state recon with the amount of water used? And what of the plastic used in packaging, fossil fuels in shipping? It’s all part of a bigger picture. When I brewed my first batch of beer and sprinkled a packet of yeast in the wort to turn the sugar into alcohol while it sat in a fivegallon bucket, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had followed the instructions mostly to a T (my thermometer rolled off the kitchen counter and shattered, leaving me to guess when the wort was cool enough to add
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Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
the yeast, and the malt extract had slightly scorched the bottom of my brew pot), but I lacked confidence as a new brewer. My subconscious even got involved. I dreamed that, instead of undergoing the fermentation process, the wort turned back into water. Those fears were proven wrong several weeks later and I ended up with almost 50 bottles of tasty British brown ale; I should have just trusted the process and avoided the worry. After all, as I learned from scouring homebrew forums online, beer wants to be beer. Similarly, I’m trusting in the process as we undergo some changes with regard to the magazine. Beginning with this issue, Mountain Living will be released quarterly rather than monthly. I know the magazine has been a quarterly publication in the past, but this time will be a little different because readers can still find all the content they enjoy in the Sunday issue of the Arizona Daily Sun beginning Sept. 8. The current AZDS Arts & Living section will turn into Mountain Living, and we will publish content once a week in print and online. I’ll see you back here in November for our special holiday issue.
MacKenzie Chase mchase@azdailysun.com
Fall
ABOUT TOWN Favorites of the season from the area’s abundant offerings in art and entertainment
AUG. 23-24
SEPT. 20-29
Varying locations The annual Fungi Foray hosted by the Arizona Mushroom Society and Arboretum at Flagstaff celebrates the seasonal appearance of mushrooms in our area. Attendees will receive a tour of the Arb’s mushroom garden in our region. followed by a lecture on fungi Friday night. The following morning, attendees will be split into groups for forays led by local fungi experts. Limited space available. www.thearb.org. $30-$40.
Varying locations Billed as the best 10 days of the year, the annual Flagstaff Festival of Science features more than 100 activities, including field trips, guided hikes, handson exhibits, presentations and more. In celebration of the Lunar Legacy, this year’s theme is To the Moon and Beyond. Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke will get the festivities started as keynote speaker Sept. 20 at 7 p.m. in Northern Arizona University's Ardrey Memorial Auditorium. www.scifest.org. Free.
FUNGI FORAY
AUG. 31-SEPT. 2 ARTFUL WEEKEND
Wheeler Park, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Each Fourth of July and Labor Day weekend, artists from the Southwest and beyond converge on Wheeler Park to display their wares at Art in the Park. The festival, in its 27th year, is a laidback event that invites the community to meet artisans, purchase one-of-a-kind gifts and enjoy live music and a beer garden. www.flagstaffartinthepark.com. Free.
SCIENCE FOR ALL
OCT. 4-20
LEGENDARY IMPERSONATIONS
Doris Harper-White Community Playhouse, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Theatrikos Theatre Company presents The Legend of Georgia McBride as part of its 2019 season. Written by Matthew Lopez, this comedy follows Casey, who is down on his luck after getting fired from his gig as an Elvis Presley impersonator. When his wife reveals she’s pregnant, he takes on a new role as a lip-synching drag queen to keep their finances in check, learning more about himself and show business along the way. Call (928) 774-1662 or visit www. theatrikos.com for ticket information.
ONGOING
SEPT. 13-15
PICKIN’ THE DAY AWAY
Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill County Park, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. What began in 2006 as a way to introduce bluegrass to younger crowds is now one of Flagstaff’s most beloved annual events. Flagstaff Friends of Traditional Music’s Pickin’ in the Pines celebrates bluegrass in all its glory with a wide variety of acts, workshops, jam sessions and more. Visitors can secure a campsite nearby and attend all three days, or purchase a single-day ticket. More information at www.pickininthepines.org. $55-$175.
THE NATURE OF ART
Coconino Center for the Arts, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Two local artists, Sky Black and Jacques Cazaubon Seronde (“Cazo”), will be displaying their work in Space Between, a joint exhibit at the Coconino Center for the Arts, from Aug. 28 through Oct. 19. Black draws inspiration from classical painters in his surreal creations, while Seronde utilizes boldly colorful brush strokes to convey nature and the human form. Opening reception Aug. 24 from 6-8 p.m. Visit www.flagartscouncil.org for more information. Free.
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"Nobody gets into the cattle business because you’re going to get rich. You get into the cattle business because you just enjoy working with the land," said Zach Wolfe of Plowing Ahead Ranch. Photos by Gabriel Granillo. 8
Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Let it GR AIN The sustainability of beer in northern Arizona By Gabriel Granillo Fall19 namlm.com
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Right: Zach initially started raising his own chickens because of issues he'd have with storebought food. "I'd feel like someone punched me in the stomach," he said. Below: Lumberyard Brewing Company's operation.
10 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
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Grain silos outside of Mother Road Brewing Company's new Butler location in Flagstaff
t’s 6 a.m. on a Thursday, and the golden hue
of the morning sun blankets the mountainside. As alarms are waking people up for their workday commute, brewers across northern Arizo-
na are already deep into their work, brewing craft beer to
be consumed all across the state, approximately 173,472
barrels per year, according to the Brewers Association. While many of us are just beginning our days, inside breweries such as Mother Road Brewing Company in Flagstaff, there’s a world of activity already in motion—milling, mashing, extracting and fermenting, a scientific process that hasn’t changed much since ancient Mesopotamia, where the first traces
of beer brewing are said to have begun. And just outside the brewery, near three towering silver grain silos, Zach Wolfe backs in his dump truck for his weekly pick up. Zach owns and operates Plowing Ahead Ranch in Camp Verde along with his wife Shannon. Each week—sometimes
two or three times a week—Zach makes this 120-mile round trip in which he picks up spent brewer’s grain from Mother Road’s recently opened Butler Avenue location. Every trip yields somewhere between 10-12,000 pounds, all of which will feed his cattle and chicken, and is distributed among other ranchers with whom he shares the proceeds of their respective operations. With 11 acres of irrigated pasture, Zach and Shannon are able to raise horses and chickens, care for their neighbors’ donkeys and goats, and maintain an orchard that produces apples, apricots, pomegranates and more. Most importantly, and what brings Plowing Ahead the most business, is its cattle. The couple raise upwards of 20 cattle at a time, all of which are fed through pastures that utilize regenerative practices and holistic management, as well as the spent grain Zach picks up from Mother Road every week. “The benefits of [using spent grain] are that we’re able to maintain much healthier
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Mother Road's Butler location utilizes a new auger to help transport spent grain to dump trucks for pick up.
pasture,” Zach said. “Water conservation is a huge thing for us. I mean, when we’re not ranching cattle we’re river rafters. So it’s important to us to keep that water in the [Verde River]. By being able to take that spent barley, that brewer’s grain, you’re able to supplement. You’re able to give the cattle what’s like a treat to them. It’s a fantastic source of nutrition. [With the spent grain] we’re able to do on 11 acres what most people couldn’t on 100 acres.” So what is spent grain, and why are we feeding it to our meat? Beer is made from malted barley, and most breweries receive its grains already malted. The first step 12 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
in the brewing process is milling the malt, which cracks the grains and releases starch. The grains are then put through a mash mixer where hot water turns the starch into sugars, effectively producing wort. The wort is then drained and moved on to the next series of processes, leaving wet, spent grain approximately amounting to 85 percent of a brewery’s total byproduct. While breweries have very little use for the spent grain, its many nutrients (approximately 28 percent protein, 8 percent fat, 41 percent carbohydrate, 17 percent cellulose, 5 percent various minerals and about 75-80 percent water) make it a huge benefit to farmers and ranchers.
Ga r y Blaz ev ich has been a brewer for more than a decade. He started at Beaver Street Brewery a nd now work s at Lumber ya rd Brewing Company where he uses his environmental science background to keep the brewery running as sustainably as possible, given the limited resources it has. With regard to its spent grain, Lumberyard distributes it to a small handful of farmers who pick it up weekly. Blazevich said the brewer y produces about 40 to 50 barrels every week, each amounting to around 350 to 400 pounds. “It ’s prett y tough to take a 400-pound bucket of grain and dump
Below: Spent grain is a good source of nutrition for chickens as well as cattle.
it into the garbage, so it’s a lot easier for us to find people that want to use it and take it,” he said. “You can make dog treats out of it. You can make bread out of it, in theory. There are a lot of things that could be done with the spent grain, and that’s definitely our biggest byproduct.” Since Mother Road opened its first location on Mike’s Pike in Flagstaff in 2012, Plowing Ahead has been its partner. Zach said in those early days he’d drive away with four to eight 32-gallon trash barrels of grain, which was just barely enough, sometimes less than, to feed his cattle. As Mother Road has expanded, now with two locations and enough equipment to brew more than 8,000 barrels of beer a year, so too has Plowing Ahead, utilizing a new dump truck that cut
Zach’s trips in half, thus cutting his diesel fuel consumption in half, and increasing his yield. It’s a relationship that benef its both parties, Zach said. Yet the Federal Drug Administration almost threw a wrench in that relationship when it proposed the 2014 Food Safety Modernization Act. The act proposed new rules that would have required breweries’ spent grains for animal feed to be dried and prepackaged in a manner that did not touch human hands for fear of contamination, yet the FDA provided no evidence of such contamination. For many farmers and ranchers, including Zach and Shannon, these new rules posed a threat to their relationship with breweries to solve a problem “that wasn’t a problem at all,” Zach said.
“This is a symbiotic relationship that’s gone on for as long as humanity has made beer. For as long as we’ve made beer, we have used that grain and fed our animals,” he said. In addition to the proposed rules adding more plastic and more fossil fuels into the mix, Zach said the wet state of the grain helps provide hydration for his cattle, cutting down the ranch’s water consumption significantly. The proposed rules would have cost breweries millions of dollars. In response, the FDA received approximately 2,000 comments from breweries, farmers and ranchers from across the country, the majority of which were in opposition, including the Wolfes. Shannon had a third party conduct a feed analysis of the spent grain the ranch obtains Fall19 namlm.com
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Top: Lumberyard's Thermaline heat exchange system works like a car radiator, cooling hot wort and recycling water. Below: Zach and Shannon Wolfe of Plowing Ahead Ranch.
14 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
from Mother Road and submitted it along with a letter from Zach to the FDA. Later that year, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine Michael R. Taylor wrote on the FDA’s blog, “We agree with those in industry and the sustainability community that the recycling of human food byproducts to animal feed contributes substantially to the efficiency and sustainability of our food system and is thus a good thing. We have no intention to discourage or disrupt it.” Since the FDA backed off, Zach said he hasn’t heard much from the agency, and business has been steady and normal. But the response to the FDA’s proposal showed t he rel at ionsh ip bet ween bre wer a nd farmer—“foam to farm,” so to speak—is not necessarily unique to Plowing Ahead and Mother Road. Breweries across the state, like Flagstaff Brewing Company, Dark Sky Brewing Company, Grand Canyon Brewing and Distillery—which just opened a new location in Flagstaff—Historic Brewing
Company and more, donate spent grain to local farmers and ranchers. Many breweries are going even further, looking deeper into ways to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly. As well as working with Plowing Ahead, Mother Road recently created the “Conserve and Protect Kölsch-style ale,” a revamping of its German-style beer in support of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. For every case that’s purchased, $1 will go to AZGFD to fund its wildlife conservation and preservation efforts. In addition, the brewery donates much of its waste to Forestdale Farm in Flagstaff. The farm uses the waste from Mother Road and sawdust from a local sawmill to create compost for its produce. “We grow using organic standards and do not use commercial fertilizers, so compost is very important for our farm,” Rylan MortonStarner, owner and operator of Forestdale Farms, said. “The partnership with Mother Road is beneficial for our farm, but it is also important from an environmental standpoint
as we can use what is often considered a waste product in a sustainable and practical way.” Water is another concern among breweries, especially in Arizona where our water resource is sometimes scarce. For the average brewery, it takes about seven to 10 gallons of water to produce one gallon of beer. To combat this vast usage of water, Blazevich said Lumberyard recycles its own water during the brewing process. It starts with capturing and defusing carbon dioxide which is produced when yeast eats up the sugars in wort during the fermentation process. Carbon dioxide is rerouted using a tube that runs into a barrel of water to be used in the cooling process. Using a heat exchanger, which “works like a radiator in a car,” cold water flowing on the outside of the exchanger cools the wort after the mashing process. Rather than dumping the water, it’s then pumped into a hot liquor tank to be reused down the line. Blazevich said while the brewery does what it can to maintain sustainable practices, “there are not a lot of resources available to us.”
Bigger brewing companies such as Anheuser-Busch, MillerCoors, Sierra Nevada and even Mudshark Brewery, a brewery based out of Lake Havasu that runs on solar energy, have practices in place that are environmentally conscious but also require huge amounts of money. “On a smaller level, it’s pretty hard for an average Joe to have that type of technology. It’s millions of dollars,” Blazevich said. “We do the best that we can with what we got to be sustainable, especially around here where Arizona has very, very limited water resources and things like that. Really, it starts with consumers. You buy local, and that beer doesn’t have to travel from Colorado to Flagstaff. It travels from here to Safeway or wherever it may be in town.” The cost of beer goes beyond the price of a six-pack. It’s the transportation, the water usage, the energy consumption, the cost of bottles versus cans; it’s everything in motion in the early hours of morning that goes in to letting us take the edge off with a cool glass of beer in the evening.
Every astronaut who walked on the Moon trained in Flagstaff. You can walk in those same footsteps. discoverflagstaff.com
Flagstaff’s Lunar Landmarks Trail Map & Passport
Available for FREE at the Flagstaff Visitor Center, One E. Route 66
FREE
September 20, 2019 | Festival of Science is hosting Apollo 16 Astronaut Charlie Duke. FREE, advance tickets are available at the NAU Central Ticket Office by calling 928.523.5661. Fall19 namlm.com
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MATTERSOFTASTE
Lotus LOUNGE
By Gail G. Collins
Pan -Asian dining in the hear t of downtown
F
lagstaff has been a crossroads since its inception. It’s no wonder that offering a bed as well as food and drink emerged as its enduring trade. To meet the growing needs of travelers, the Hotel Monte Vista was built, opening on New Year’s Day in 1927. Funded by prosperous area leaders, including author Zane Grey, the 73-room hotel was originally dubbed the Community Hotel before the longstanding name change to Monte Vista, meaning “mountain view.” As one of the oldest continually operated hotels in Flagstaff, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the current 16 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
proprietor, Jimmy Craven, celebrated 25 years of ownership in May. Included in this legacy property on the corner of San Francisco Street and Aspen Avenue are Rendezvous and Lotus Lounge, located in what once was the town’s third post office. Its evolution continues as a Pan-Asian restaurant and bar. Genie Kuester enjoyed a longtime love of the hotel, blossoming into oversight as general manager for Lotus Lounge. “It’s a great place to work, and I love the hotel’s history,” she said. The feel is urban Asian with mod, fun accents like cheerful lanterns and maneki-neko
figures, lucky Japanese waving cats. Contrasting a flat black backdrop with gleaming white tile accents, the second-level loft overlooks a U-shaped main bar with overall seating for 177 guests. “Come in for a quick meal or drink stop, or head upstairs for date night and stay awhile,” said Kuester. Twinkle lights lead the way. Curated local art revolves monthly for ongoing visual appeal. Lotus Lounge opened in late 2017 and built a cohesive core of staff quickly. The hours expanded to lunch this past April and the restaurant can service a turnover crowd with bento box-style choices or guests can linger over sashimi and wine. Weekly specials keep it fresh.
Lotus Lounge's tiger roll presents a symphony of fresh flavors. Photo by Ben Shanahan
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For lunch, a burger or salad is a staple. The Lotus Lunch Burger is made with Kobe Beef, miso mayo, cream cheese, tempura sweet potato, serrano peppers and butter lettuce on a toasted, buttery bun and served with steak fries or signature Hawaiian macaroni salad, rife with chopped veggies. The good luck salad showcases chiffonade cabbage, zucchini, carrot, peppers and fennel with arugula and butter lettuce plus udon noodles. Tossed in tamarind-yuzu (Asian citrus) vinaigrette, the plate is scattered with wonton crisps and chicken or fried tofu. Bright flavors and textures earned the salad a promotion from menu special to standard. Dietary options are indulged. In fact, the miso soup is vegetarian for simplicity, and rice noodles meet gluten-free needs. “We have our finger on the vegetarian and vegan populace,” said Kuester. “We try hard to say, ‘Yes,’ to our guests.” The overall menu covers Thai, Japanese and Chinese cuisine plus sushi. Honolulu Fish
The Fresh Fashions cocktail is made with Akashi Japanese whisky, Ancho Reyes liqueur, mole bit ters and oleo, finished with a t wist. Photo by MacKenzie Chase
Lotus Lounge can seat up to 177 guests across t wo levels. Photo by Ben Shanahan 18 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Company delivers fresh product twice weekly while Massachusetts’ Island Creek Oysters have been voted hands-down best by Lotus guests. “There are no compromises on quality,” said Kuester. Javier Cortes and his brother, Eddie, run the sushi program. The tiger roll is wildly popular with spicy tuna, avocado, cucumber and sprouts, topped with salmon, shaved lemon, red tobiko roe (flying fish), black sesame and tataki sauce—a sweet soy, ginger and garlic blend. The roll zings with vibrant color and tartness. The chupacabra roll binds salmon, cucumber and avocado, topped with tuna, green onion, white and black sesame plus fragrant eel sauce. The plate lunch specials mix it up, like beef stir-fry with gyoza (pork wontons), salad and house dessert, such as lively lychee sorbet. As a sister to Rendezvous, Lotus Lounge builds on her reputation for classy cocktails and infused spirits while discovering new tastes. With 10 beers on tap and a full
complement of Asian-branded liquors, it’s not just about sake. Try a flight of half-ounce pours of gin, vodka, whisky or sake to explore high-end possibilities within an affordable price structure. Among the rum-forward cocktails, try the subtly sweet Moonrise Mai Tai. Unique is the Avocado Smash, blended with Blanco tequila, avocado, lime, serrano and simple syrup for creamy, green refreshment in a tipsy glass. Community is huge for Lotus Lounge, and the restaurant participates in many fundraising events, such as Wine & Dine in the Pines, Palette to Palate, Feast for Flagstaff and more, with enduring devotion to Victim Witness Services. In the end, Lotus Lounge delights in gaining new ground. The restaurant is expanding into the previous Pato Thai space and growing team skills. “We educate about our fish, liquor, wines and sushi to build confidence in staff to pass on to clients,” said Kuester.
IF YOU GO Lotus Lounge is located at 106 N. San Francisco St. Hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday and Monday. To reserve seating for groups larger than 10, call the restaurant at (928) 4 40-5568. Visit www.lotusloungeflagstaff.com for more information. Price range: $$-$$$
Sides of fered by Lotus Lounge include crispy Brussels sprouts, topped with chili threads. Photo by MacKenzie Chase Fall19 namlm.com
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BYtheBOTTLE
Honey&Apples
S
Refreshing summer libations By Adam Harrington
ummer in Flagstaff is one of the best times to enjoy a beverage on a patio or backyard deck, curled up with a full glass looking out on the rains—a far cry from the blazing summers of my youth in Tucson. With the warm days and monsoons feeding wildflowers, bees are busy at work building up their sticky, sweet stores for winter while apples are plumping themselves in the sun. Following the second annual Arizona Mead and Cider Festival, which was held at the Arizona Historical Society Pioneer Museum on Aug. 3, I’m primed to focus on northern Arizona’s best mead and cider producers. Closest to home is Flagstaff’s ow n D r i n k i ng Hor n Meadery. Husband and wife team Evan Anderson and Kelly Czarnecki launched the meadery back in 2017 with the intention of producing a beverage that brings awareness to bees’ importance, as well as to re-introduce an ancient and delicious beverage. The two most popular varieties are the apple mead (also known as a cyser) and traditional mead, which is Anderson’s go-to favorite. It’s simple, dry finish allows the classic characteristics of honey to shine though without pretense. The meadery has no plans to slow down anytime soon. August will herald the release of Drinking Horn’s prickly pear mead, created to celebrate the Centennial of Grand Canyon National Park. September will introduce a tea mead, which will be Drinking Horn’s first iteration of this kind of fusion, and, as the year continues, a coffee-infused mead and an elderberry mead are planned for release. Taking a hard left from mead, we head down to an old dairy farm just outside of Prescott. Instead of cows wandering the pasture, there are rows on rows of fruit trees. This is the home base of Stoic Ciders, a family-run business that strives to make the best cider in the world. According to Cody Routson, one of the owners, “Moving incrementally toward fermenting the finest cider drives us to incessant testing and innovation.” And they seem to be doing something right. With one bronze medal, three silvers and one gold at this year’s Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition, Stoic is putting Arizona cider on the map. Serenade cider, the recipient of the gold medal, is a crisp cider that bursts on the taste buds with fresh apples that overlay dark, complex notes.
20 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
One of my favorites from the cidery is the Javelina Rose. A blend of heritage apples and red wine grapes gives great depth of flavor and a beautiful color to this dry cider. True to its innovative spirit, Stoic will soon release its Seedling Perry, a bourbon barrel-aged perry made from 100 percent fermented pear juice. The seedling pears were handpicked from a giant volunteer pear tree growing wild in Skull Valley and pressed over a year and a half ago. Not too far from Stoic Cider’s location is Superstition Meadery. Superstition has been producing mead and cider since 2012 and has gained itself a worldwide following. From humble beginnings sharing space at a winery to multiple expansions and plans to build a tasting room in downtown Phoenix, Superstition Meadery has something for everyone’s palate. Production includes a variety of sweet and dry meads along with an array of ciders. Jeff Herbert, one of the owners, says his favorite mead is Lagrimas de Oro, which has taken a gold medal for dry specialty mead. It’s a mesquite honey-based beverage that spends time in the dark confines of freshly emptied bourbon barrels and boasts an alcohol content of 15 percent by volume. This noteworthy mead has complex flavors of American oak, the vanilla, maple and cinnamon coming from the barrel balanced out by the rich honey. It’s a sipper that evolves as it is enjoyed. A standout among Superstition’s selection of ciders, Blueberry Spaceship Box is made from tart, green apples and semisweet blueberries that combine to make a complex beverage that can still be enjoyed at 5.5 percent ABV. The motivation behind this cider came from recognizing that the old cider growing regions of the world have access to so many great apple varieties and are steeped in tradition. Blueberry Spaceship Box does not aim to compete with the great ciders of the world; rather, it’s carving out a niche for its own exemplary flavor, as well as being fun and approachable. Flagstaff is well poised to enjoy some of the world’s best mead and ciders made right here in our state. If you want to learn more about how to brew your own mead, cider or other ferments, stop by and visit me at High Altitude Home Brew Supply and Bottle Shop in Flagstaff. Learn more at www.drinkinghornmeadery.com, www. stoiccider.com and www.superstitionmeadery.com. High Altitude Home Brew Supply and Bottle Shop is located at 2710 N. Steves Boulevard. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
theARTS
Renaissance A LO N G T H E
RAILS By Seth Muller
Former Winslow train station transformed into an ar t space
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O Above: An oil painting featured in the Elisse Pogofsky- Harris show Spirits, Wolves and Metaphors Far right: A sculpture by Daniel Lutzick, "Stone Catcher," on display at the Route 66 Ar t Museum. Photo by Seth Muller Previous page: The author's daughter, Grace, in the "pleasure dome" upper deck of the Lamy 502, a docked rail car slated for restoration as par t of the Route 66 Ar t Museum. Photo by Seth Muller
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ne of two galleries in the Route 66 Art Museum draws visitors into a cube of a space, where two walls of windows frame the open land and sky of the high desert. The southfacing windows include the Santa Fe rail line in the foreground. Passing train cars—with their corporate logos, various colors and graffiti tags—interact with the space as they roll past. The north-facing windows reveal a packeddirt expanse that will soon serve as home of gardens and possibly a vineyard. Beyond that runs a street once part of the fabled Route 66. The Route 66 Art Museum is an embodiment of the best of contemporary Winslow, an attempt to reimagine a historic space that geographically sits between two deeply chronicled and iconic aspects of the past. The railroad and the Mother Road defined and shaped
the American West. Now, the Route 66 Art Museum embraces all that has come before it while also seeking its own contemporary and future purpose. The museum has been a long-gestating project that is an arm of both La Posada historic hotel and the Winslow Arts Trust, a sprawling collective that first began to galvanize the efforts of preservation and art that was happening with the hotel and other endeavors. The trust—founded by Tina Mion, Allan Affeldt and Daniel Lutzick—has spread beyond its original mission to include the acquisition of two historic hotels in Las Vegas and New Mexico, and a museum in nearby Lamy. With the Route 66 Art Museum, ambitions arose to turn the Santa Fe rail station adjacent to La Posada into an exhibition space. The station was built at the same time
as the hotel in 1930, designed by Southwest architect Mary Elizabeth Jane Colter. A vision to develop the train station into an art space surfaced, with construction beginning in 2016. It opened in late October 2018, and its staff has developed exhibitions and secured shows to anchor the venue. “Within our initial mission statement, contemporary art that we would consider showing was the work of artists, living or dead, who had done work along Route 66 or done work about Route 66,” Lutzick said, who also serves as director of the museum. “That was the initial concept. We have moved way beyond that now. Part of the mission of any museum is you are paying attention to customers. We’re finding they have a lot of questions about La Posada. They have a lot of questions about the town and the railroad.” Fall19 namlm.com
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Because of this, the missions and ideas will expand beyond the influences of the Mother Road and connect to other narratives of place. “I don’t think Mary Colter would be unhappy in that, in many cases, we are trying to bring in contemporary artists, people who have their own take on Route 66 and on the Santa Fe Railroad and railroad history,” Lutzick said. The 7,000-square-foot space is divided into four rooms. The first two rooms share displays on history. The second two rooms serve as the gallery space for rotating exhibits. One gallery is the former freight room of the depot, and it has even retained the historic floor scale. The other is the annex room, the aforementioned cube space built as a new addition. The current exhibit in the freight room, Spirits, Wolves and Metaphors, features the work of Southern California artist Elisse Pogofsky-Harris. The surrealist oil paintings intersperse objects and wolves and hidden doors.
“Her metaphoric language creates a dreamworld where past and present merge,” wrote Richard West, director of the Frye Museum, for a catalogue of her work. The resonant power of the Pogofsky-Harris exhibit, which will be up through August, demonstrates the quality of art visitors can expect. The museum also will soon hold the celebrated American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona exhibit In This Together: Sixty Years of Daring to Create a More Perfect Arizona. It will open Sept. 6 and run through Oct. 19. That exhibit has collected art from across Arizona and includes a work by Mion. Though the annex did not have a full exhibit during a recent visit, it remained open to the public and included two full-scale, high-end reproductions of Ed Ruscha’s “Rebel” and “Untitled (Flag on a Pole)” paintings. The former was commissioned by actor James Franco as part of an artistic collective honoring the 1955 film Rebel Without
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a Cause. The latter was included in the gallery to salute Independence Day. The Route 66 Art Museum has provided another cornerstone in the Winslow art scene, along with others established by the Winslow Arts Trust, and it is poised to expand and evolve. This includes plans to restore the Lamy 502, a historic luxury passenger Santa Fe rail car docked near the museum. The Arts Trust has further ambitions to build a Skyspace designed by monumental light artist James Turrell—about 50 miles away from his masterwork in progress, Roden Crater. “This is a [building and growth] project that will be ongoing for another decade,” Lutzick said. “The grounds will have a sculpture garden, and maybe a vineyard, and maybe the Skyspace.” With the art museum along the rails, its founders continue work to retell and reshape through art and creative forces the history of the American West and Winslow’s place within its narrative. It continues a steady revitalization of the small town once left to the wayside due to the seismic changes around it. The Route 66 Art Museum is open 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. Hours will expand during the ACLU exhibit. Entry is free for all visitors. The museum is located to the east of La Posada and can be accessed by parking at the hotel. Call (928) 289-4366 or visit www. winslowartstrust.org.
Two rooms at the Route 66 Ar t Museum are currently dedicated to the histor y of the region. Photo by Seth Muller Far left: The Annex Room of the new Route 66 Ar t Museum creates a space with windows that face in the direction of the Santa Fe rail line and the former Route 66. Photo cour tesy of Daniel Lutzick
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MINDandBODY
W
e have long known the health risks associated with smoking, yet it remains the number one cause of preventable death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 16 million Americans currently live with disease caused by smoking, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and more than 480,000 people die in the U.S. from smoking-related illness each year. It is no wonder smokers are looking for ways to quit. In fact, seven out of 10 smokers indicate that they want to stop, and are looking for viable options to transition away from smoking on the path to quitting for good. In recent years, many smokers have tried 26 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
e-cigarettes, an alternative nicotine delivery system akin to the nicotine patch marketed to help users slowly taper off use until they can quit. In fact, the first e-cigarette on the market, released in 2003, was created by a Chinese pharmacist whose father, a heavy smoker, died of lung cancer, and the technology was picked up quickly worldwide as a smoking cessation tool. The U.S. is no different, with Juul Labs owning 70 percent of the e-cigarette (or vaping) market. Their mission? To improve “the lives of the world’s one billion adult smokers by eliminating cigarettes.” E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat liquid nicotine into a vapor, which users “smoke.” Although e-cigarettes can look like a traditional cigarette, they often do not, instead taking the form of USB flash drives or pens.
E-CIGARETTES But vaping is not the “safe” alternative many supposed it to be. Not only does it come with a host of health implications, it has also drawn an unintended market— teenagers. According to a recent CDC survey, the number of high school students using tobacco products, which include ecigarettes, increased by 38 percent from 2017 to 2018. Within that category, the use of e-cigarettes rose 78 percent. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reported this increase as the “largest year-over-year” jump for any substance, and led U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams to declare vaping an “epidemic among teens.” Part of the problem is that vaping has been marketed as a safer alternative to smoking traditional tobacco products, to the extent that it is often thought of as safe altogether.
A not-so-safe alternative to smoking? By Janel States James
But nicotine, no matter how it’s delivered, poses a significant health risk to teenagers. As Adams pointed out, the human brain develops until the age of 25, and nicotine harms brain development. It makes it harder for teens to concentrate, learn or control their impulses, and it can “train the brain to be more easily addicted to other drugs like meth and cocaine.” Nicotine isn’t the only potentially hazardous component of e-cigarettes. Manufacturers often add flavors to the e-liquid to make it more appealing. “People need to understand that ecigarettes are potentially dangerous to your health,” said Michael Blaha, director of clinical research at the Johns Hopkins Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease. “You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet understand and that are probably not safe.” While most of the liquids in these cigarettes are of food grade quality and therefore safe to eat, this doesn’t take into account what happens when you heat them, which changes their chemical composition, or inhale them. “E-cigarette users are heating and inhaling flavoring chemicals that were never tested for inhalation safety,” said Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. School of Public Health. Allen co-authored a study on the impact of e-cigarette vapor on the lungs, which was published this past February. The study, which documents the alteration of gene expression in the lungs after exposure to vapor, is only one of many studies underway on this fairly new technology. Other studies have shown that the vapors from e-cigarettes can alter the DNA in the cells of the mouth and cause inflammation— which may increase the risk of gum disease,
tooth loss and even cancer—and damage endothelial cells, the thin layer of cells that line the interior surface of blood vessels, important to our cardiovascular health. In a similar 2016 study, Allen found flavoring chemicals were linked to “popcorn lung,” named for a condition that at one time afflicted workers in microwave popcorn factories. The chemical used to add a buttery flavor to microwave popcorn, diacetyl, causes irreversible scarring of the lungs, which in turn narrows the airways. After the link between diacetyl and popcorn lung was established, some e-cigarette makers replaced it with another potentially problematic chemical, 2,3-pentanedione. “Although some e-cig manufacturers are stating that they do not use diacetyl or 2,3-pentandione, it begs an important question—what chemicals, then, are they using for flavoring?” said Allen. “Further, workers receive warnings about the dangers of inhaling flavoring chemicals. Why aren’t e-cig users receiving the same warnings?” That being said, the e-cig landscape is changing. To date, 16 states have increased the age for purchasing tobacco to 21, which includes e-cigarettes. Although Arizona is not among those states, two localities within Arizona have raised the legal age: Cottonwood and Douglas. San Francisco recently banned sale of e-cigs that do not have FDA approval, and the FDA has developed a plan to limit youth access to e-cigarettes. Until then, it is important to recognize some of the hazards associated with e-cigarettes. “There is no safe way to vape,” said Won Hee Lee, PhD, an assistant professor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. “It’s not as safe as originally thought, especially with the flavoring.” Fall19 namlm.com
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OUTDOORLIFE
Timing is EVERYTHING By Larry Hendricks
The simple trick to enjoying Oak Creek's West Fork Trail
C
icada songs and clicks and the soft chatter of water flowing over rocks offered the reminder of summer. Sun coaxed the smell of a fresh day from the dew on the ferns. The color green burst against glimpses of blue and rust. Along this trail just south of Flagstaff, divinity of solitude amazed — primarily because it is one of the most popular hikes in northern Arizona. The West Fork Trail in Oak Creek Canyon is usually full of hikers and outdoor lovers from all over the world. The trick, I was happy to discover, to enjoying it in the height of the most popular time of the year is to go at the right time. I had long avoided this trail because of its reputation of crowds. I wish I hadn’t. My plan: Go on a Sunday and get there at 7 a.m. The heat of the day would be hours away, and, with hope, people interested in 28 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
the hike would just be getting out of bed and preparing for breakfast. The plan worked perfectly. I arrived right at 7 a.m., and was surprised to find the check-in booth already staffed. The nice man at the Call of the Canyon Picnic Area booth gave me a knowing smile at my having arrived at the right time. “It’s usually full by 9 a.m.,” he said, but, for now, I had the pick of the parking spots. There were only three other vehicles with hikers that beat me there. The trail, located in the 48,000-acre Red Rock-Secret Mountain Wilderness of the Coconino National Forest, is maintained for 3.3 miles up the fork, and I decided to take it to the end of the maintained section. After crossing the bridge over Oak Creek, I quickly came upon the remnants of the Mayhew Lodge, built in 1928 and operated through 1968. According to the U.S. Forest
Service sign at the homestead, the lodge was a “rustic retreat attracting politicians and movie stars.” Hikers can still explore the stonework nestled among apple trees. Farther on, hikers soon hear the sound of water, and the trail follows the stream up the fork. Pines, willows and even cottonwoods co-exist, and deep green ferns and grasses fill the spaces in between. The air rests cool, and much of the hike rests in glorious shade. If one were to take the hike during the heat of the day, though, the creek offers plenty of pools in which to dip in to cool off. Be sure to bring drinking water. The trail varies from calfburning sand to sandstone, with more than a dozen creek traverses. I wore tennis shoes that I didn’t mind getting wet. My journey up the fork was marked by some precious alone time, save for a few encounters with other hikers who’d beat me to the punch. On the way up, I took my Fall19 namlm.com
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time, sitting next to the creek, snapping photos, listening to the running water, the birds and the cicadas, breathing deep of the stillness of the moment. As I made my way back, the traffic increased, as did the heat of the day. By the time I returned to the parking lot, it was full, and the sound of humans filled the air. But I had found precious moments of feeling like I had the place all to myself. Priceless, and highly recommended. An interesting note about West Fork is that it meanders all the way up to the plateau to an entry point near Flagstaff off Woody Mountain Road. According to the Forest Service, it stretches more than 14 miles down into the canyon before reaching the Call of the Canyon Picnic Area. Much of the area is not maintained, and it proves to be a rugged experience. I’ve long wanted to traverse the entire length, and I have even started a few sojourns from the top off Woody Mountain Road, but I’ve never made the push all the way through. Theoretically, it could be possible to make the entire journey in a day, with somebody at the other end in Oak Creek to give me a ride home. It might be time to give it a try.
IF YOU GO WEST FORK TRAIL Length: 6.6 miles round trip (for the maintained trail, but you can go much farther) Difficulty: Easy, with the full distance and water portages making it mildly moderate Directions: From Flagstaff, take Highway 89A south into Oak Creek Canyon for about 17.5 miles (about 9.5 miles north of Sedona). The Call of the Canyon Picnic Area is to the right, and there is an $11 charge to park. (Worth it!) The U.S. Forest Service states that the official hours for the picnic area are 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., but when I arrived at 7 a.m., it was already open. Info: For more information, visit the Coconino National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coconino/ recarea/?recid=55432 30 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
DISTINCTIVESPACES
BRINGING THE
OUTDOORS IN Contemporary home featured in annual Symphony Guild Home Tour By MacKenzie Chase | Photography by Ben Shanahan
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P
onderosa pines and penstemon line the quiet roads within the Forest Highlands community just south of Flagstaff. One of the newer luxury homes in the neighborhood, set against the expansive golf course, was made exactly as envisioned by homeowners Martha and Don Stoneberger. With a grand total of 111 windows, the home exudes warmth and is reflective of the couple’s life together. The walls throughout the house are adorned with paintings of Lake Tahoe, where the Stonebergers’ second home is located, as well as other picturesque places where they’ve enjoyed hiking and camping. “We both grew up in the mountains, and when we were thinking about [where to live] when 32 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
we were retiring, it was between here and Tahoe, really,” Don said. “So we chose both,” Martha said with a laugh. “We wanted to be closer to the grandkids,” Don added, “and we just love northern Arizona.” Their Flagstaff home was built with a number of unique aspects, and although the process began with very specific design ideas, others, such as an outdoor stone accent wall, evolved as the home came together. The Stonebergers originally were going to have ledgestone solely on the exterior, but it quickly made
its way indoors to cover a wall in the entrance way as well as columns both indoors and out. They ordered pallet after pallet of Ironwood Ledgestone from Anasazi Stone Company, Inc. out of Scottsdale to complete their ambitious vision. “The stone guys wanted to approach Phoenix Home & Garden because they said, ‘I don’t think we’ve done this much stone in a house,’” Martha said. “We used what inspired us and it was truly nature. We want the outside to come in our house.” With panoramic views of the
San Francisco Peaks to the north, a view of the golf range to the east and the Kachina Wetlands not far to the south, the location is perfect for the outdoorsy couple, who golf, ski, camp, hike, mountain bike and more. Martha also enjoys cooking and baking. She said she spends upwards of five hours a day cooking, so the location of their kitchen within the larger floor plan was crucial. “I actually put a 12-foot ladder here when we were looking at lots,” Martha said as she stood at the stovetop, looking to her left at the Peaks. “I stood on top and said, ‘This is going to be finished floor and that’s going to be my kitchen window, and that’s going to be my view out the range.’” Jon Poindexter with Builders Showcase, Inc. took on the proj-
the staircase. “We probably have two dinner parties a week here,” Martha said. “It’s a great place to socialize, too, Jon will tell you. We had a little Christmas party that turned out to be 50 people.” The Stonebergers will open their home to the public for the 15th annual Flagstaff Symphony Guild Home Tour on Saturday, Aug. 17. Mary Hostetler has served as the guild chair for 11 years and said she has enjoyed getting to know the homeowners who generously offer their spaces to be a part of the tour each year. “I just get lucky,” she said. “It’s a matter of networking and I just reach out and people sometimes come to me.” All proceeds from ticket sales go to the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. Musicians will perform ambient music in each home
ect, and said it was one of the more modern houses he has built around Flagstaff. “This is more contemporary, by a lot,” Poindexter said. “We’ve done other contemporary homes, but they didn’t have as contemporary finishes. We’re seeing more of a trend toward this, quite frankly. The rustic log look is still there, but not as popular.” “Your confidence exceeded almost every client I’ve ever had, without a doubt,” he told Martha while they sat in the expansive front room. One aspect of the interior design Martha recalled confusing the builders was her request to have small shelves built into the front powder room. These were specially designed to display several of the rocks and minerals from a large collection she inherited, which is fea-
tured throughout the house to add pops of color. The build took 14 months from start to finish and the house encompasses more than 5,200 square feet across two floors, with another 2,000 square feet of garage, storage and work space—a detached building at the front of the house plays host to Don’s woodworking and bike repair hobbies. Four bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms are sprinkled with personal touches, from the paintings and rocks to a nook built specifically in the master bedroom’s walk-in closet to fit Martha’s childhood daybed. The downstairs is perfect for entertaining with a fully stocked bar and pool table drawing visitors further into the space, and a wine cellar set against a wall underneath
on the self-guided tour, with volunteers including pianist Charly Spining, FSO violist David Koerner and more. “The guild always appreciates all the support of the people attending,” Hostetler said. “Many neighborhoods are represented from Pine Canyon to Flag Ranch to Forest Highlands to Linwood Heights, and a beautiful house out near Snowbowl which has an extraordinary view of the peaks. They’re definitely going to have a tour of Flagstaff.” The Flagstaff Symphony Guild Home Tour will be held Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Five homes located throughout Flagstaff, as well as the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany at 423 N. Beaver St., will be featured in the tour. Tickets are $40, and can be purchased at the church or by calling Mary Hostetler at (928) 5220549. Visit www.flagstaffsymphony. org for more information.
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PlayingFAVORITES
POP CULTURE REIGNS By Douglass K. Daniel
F
or the King of Rock ‘n’ The 1950s and ‘60s were Roll, the 1960s was a golden years for the city in the slow-moving abdication. desert. Besides hearing songs Elvis Presley spent the from Rosemary Clooney, Vic better part of that decade ap- Damone, Dinah Shore and othpearing in one silly movie after ers, visitors could see first-rate another instead of performing comedians (Shecky Greene, Don live, a career strategy that tested Rickles, Buddy Hackett, Bob the patience of his fans and cost Newhart), film and TV favorites him his edge in the music world. (Danny Kaye, Milton Berle, Red Meanwhile, The Beatles and the Skelton, Ginger Rogers, Betty rest of the British invasion bands Hutton, Van Johnson), and muwere redefining popular music sical reviews featuring barely just as he had done years earlier. dressed if not topless showgirls. In 1969 Elvis decided he A future president had a Vegas wanted to regain his throne. gig at one time: actor Ronald Elvis in Vegas is author Richard Reagan, whose opening act was Zoglin’s fascinating tale of how a group of performing chimps. the king got his groove back and Eventually, even the stars Las Vegas refreshed its own im- who came to define Vegas cool— age, together supersizing live en- chief among them Frank Sinatra, tertainment in America’s adult Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. playground. Blending new inter- and the rest of the Rat Pack— views with top-drawer research faced in the early 1960s the same focusing on how Las Vegas problem that would confront Elevolved as the pleasure capital, vis at the decade’s end: a creaky Zoglin produces a gem of pop act and increasingly creaky fans culture history. as tastes in music and comedy For the promoters of Las changed. Vegas in the 1930s, live music Elvis was no stranger to Vewas just another way to attract gas. He had been a fish out of visitors to the desert, follow- water when he first performed ing in the footsteps of saloons, there, in 1956, and with just one prostitution, easy divorce and hit, “Heartbreak Hotel,” to his and, in Zoglin’s words, “estabgambling. After World War II, credit. Rock ‘n’ roll wasn’t what lished a new template for the high-class hotels like the Fla- the typical Vegas patron sought Las Vegas show: no longer an mingo, the Thunderbird and the at the time and the gig fizzled. intimate, sophisticated, SinaDesert Inn made their debuts But Elvis the man loved the all- tra-style nightclub act, but a with the help of mobsters eager day, all-night quality of the city big rock concert-like spectacle.” to invest in an all-cash industry and would frequently visit be- Two backup singing groups, a ripe for exploitation. Hotels of- tween movies. rhythm band, a full orchestra fered headliners—among them Thirteen years and millions plus the indefatigable Elvis— singers Nat King Cole, Ella of records later, Elvis chose Las ”the star,” wrote Zoglin, “was Fitzgerald and Mel Torme—and Vegas for his return to live per- now his own spectacle.” For soon Vegas was tops in night- forming. He pulled out all the two shows a night for four weeks, club-style entertainment. stops at the International Hotel this star filled every seat. 34 Northern Arizona's Mountain Living Magazine
Vegas revitalized Elvis’ career—he returned twice a year to repeat his initial success—and he showed the town the way forward for continuing to attract people with money in their pockets. It all came crashing down for Elvis in 1977 when the drugs that kept him going finally overpowered him. The King is dead, but Vegas lives on, making itself over again and again.
LARRY LANG
Executive director, Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra
SPOTLIGHT Just to start off, tell us a bit about yourself. I’ve been involved in music for most of my life. I remember being drawn to the band program in my elementary school, leaning toward the trombone. My band director was thrilled because most kids wanted to play the trumpet, drums, flute and saxophone! Fortunately, I had exceptional music teachers throughout my formative years and remain very close to several of them to this day. Those educators have been central figures in my life’s journey, and I owe much of my success to their inspirational and caring instruction. It was my teachers’ example and encouragement that inspired me to become a band director. My high school band director placed me in various leadership roles—drum major, band president, section leader, soloist. I loved that responsibility and had good success in those positions. Deciding to study music in college was a natural choice, aided by a full scholarship to New Mexico State University for my undergraduate degrees in music education and music performance. My music professors and band directors at NMSU continued to challenge and inspire me and gave me remarkable opportunities for performance and leadership [such as] playing in the faculty brass quintet, performing in numerous professional ensembles, serving as lead trombonist in the university’s student groups, leading the marching band as drum major, to name a few. Did you ever consider going down a different career path? Briefly. I struggled with music theory during my freshman year in college and considered changing my major to business. However, my theory teacher encouraged me and provided some private tutoring. With his confidence in my abilities and some extra study on my part, I grew to love music theory, even excelling in it. Following your teaching career, you took a job with the U.S. Air Force, working your way up to commander and artistic director of the band. How would you describe that experience? My father was a C47 Maintenance Officer in WWII, and my stepfather was a Master Sergeant in the Army during Vietnam. My father-in-law was also in the Army, serving in the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. I have a deep respect for my family’s military heritage, but never contemplated serving in the military myself because I wasn’t aware of the amazing music career opportunities available in all of the service bands until well into my college teaching career. That changed when I went to a conducting workshop at the University of Colorado in 1987 and met an Air Force bandleader. She encouraged me for over two years to become an AF bandleader, and I won an audition in late 1989. I have had a remarkable 29 ½-year Air Force career, serving as the commander and conductor of five Air Force bands, including the premier band in the Air Force in Washington, D.C., these past seven years. The Air Force band program recruits some of the finest musicians in
America into its band program, typically with a strong professional performance and teaching background. The AF bands are some of the best military bands in the world due to the caliber of its Airmen-musicians. Working with them was the highlight of my professional military career. I also have great admiration for the bands from all of the armed services and have enjoyed many positive experiences working with them for special joint-service events around the world. Your career has taken you all over the world. What drew you to Flagstaff and this position with FSO? I knew when I left the Air Force I wanted to either go back to teaching or to lead another professional music organization. My wife and I also wanted to be closer to our children, one in Colorado and the other in California. The executive director position with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra fulfilled both of those goals. What is your favorite part of working with professional musicians? Whether in the Air Force bands or with the FSO, professional musicians bring a dedication to their craft and a work ethic that ensures excellence in performance. My experience has also shown me that professional musicians are often very creative people and a lot of fun to work with. I look forward to getting to know the entire FSO team and to the exciting programs we can create together. Can you briefly describe what your role as executive director consists of? My position as executive director will involve building positive relationships with patrons and donors, serving as the FSO’s primary advocate and development officer, and running the day-to-day business of the symphony. I will also be working closely with our conductor and creative team to develop exciting, transformative programs and build creative ways to market those performances. Close to my heart is our music education outreach, including the very successful Link Up program for elementary school children, run in partnership with Carnegie Hall. I will enjoy working with our education team to promote and expand these important programs. Is there a particular concert you’re looking forward to FSO performing in this upcoming season? I have eclectic tastes and love all types of music, so I know I will enjoy the wide range of offerings that are part of this 70th anniversary season. I am particularly excited about our featured soloists and ensembles, including our local dance troupe and choruses. Our audiences are in for an exciting season! Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-2020 season begins Sept. 27, with Masterworks I, featuring piano soloist Daniela Liebman. The concert will be preceded by a Conversation with the Conductor at 6:30 p.m. before it begins at 7:30 p.m. in Northern Arizona University’s Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, 1115 S. Knoles Dr. Visit www.flagstaffsymphony.org for more information. Fall19 namlm.com
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