Bakersfield Magazine • 29-6 • Go Red/Women In Business

Restaurant Renaissance A Life of Service Save us, Mrs. P! Fresh from the Farm Downtown is Where it’s at Gals in Government The 7 Garden Sins Yummy Recipes to Enjoy VOL. 29 NO. 6

YOUR CITY. YOUR LIFE. YOUR MAGAZINE.

winter 2013

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3.95

Women &Business Empowered to Lead...

Inspired to Help

Celebrating Heart Health Has Never Been More in Style!

Go ! d e R Special Issue Presented By

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4 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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v

WINTER 201 3

Try The Nines Restaurant for lunch.

Over 20 items to choose from for under $10.00

Contents

D E PA R T M E N T S The coolest name in local racing: pigeon Letter from the Editor.............15 Who helped us make this issue happen?

Featured Voices......................16

Why Be Happy for Just One Hour?

Enjoy your favorite drinks, signature cocktails and tasty appetizers all day long in the m.i. greatroom. Happy Hour specials are $3 Drafts and $5 Well and Wine drinks.

A dose of local people, places, and things

Kern Facts

19

No matter the occasion, dress for success The Bakersfield Look................35

Avoiding the seven deadly garden sins

Gardening with mrs p

79

This concoction will get you ready to rock Bottoms Up...........................83

Don’t get crabby—spring fare is here Quick Bites............................84

Downtown is where it’s at!

An Emmy-award nominee with big goals

Bakersfield Marriott

When only the best will do!

661.565.9319

801 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA bakersfieldmarriott.com

citizen kern

37

His business ventures were a real gamble Risktakers..........................39 In the workplace, “timing” is everything Human Resources..................42 Go from tired and bleak to hip and chic Home & Garden......................77

8 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

A revitalized downtown dining experience

What’s Cookin’

87

Nice pose! So where’d we catch you?

Party Chatter........................111

It was an uphill motorcycle race for the ages Bakersfield’s Sound..............114

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 9

v

Celebrating Our 40 th Year!

WINTER 201 3

Contents

W

e take this opportunity to thank our thousands of loyal customers for their trust over these decades. Quality flooring and window products combined with very personal service and top flight installation are the hallmarks of our store.

We will continue to provide excellent value offering products that have proven performance, like Stainmaster carpet, Karndean luxury design flooring, and Armstrong vinyl and wood.

©istockphoto.com/RainervonBrandis

f eat u res

Our annual section dedicated to helping improve women’s awareness to this devastating disease

Bakersfield Magazine’s

2013 Our favorite finds from around town

Stuff we like

23 Ladies in Red

Our carpet and rug offerings come from America’s best manufacturers including Camelot, Royality, Shaw, Mohawk, Dixie Home, Beaulieu, and Millikan in a variety of price ranges.

Designer Robert Luke (ASID) has assisted our customers for 23 years.

Find out who’s standing up for the cause

Ladies in red Inspiring local women has its own rewards

for women by women

53

66

Local survivors and stories of strength Special Ladies in Red...............71

Sam Stewart Owner She’s paying it forward in business and life

working like family

57 Hungry? Please your palate with local choices

Flavors of kern

5600 Auburn St.

www.abbeycarpet.com

Compassion and power go hand in hand

A life of service

10 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

59

96

BC’s Red Shield is here to save the day On the Ball............................103

A children’s charity turning can’t into can.

Challenges Be Gone..............105

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 11

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTIONS

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF Curriculum Vitae.................44

home & Garden resources

Home & Garden.................77

The Dining Guide The Dining Guide...............91 Complete Wall Systems Made From Solid Wood Wide Variety of Finishes • Ideal For Multi-Purpose Rooms Twin, Full, or Queen, In Many Different Configurations

MEDICAL PROFILES Medical Profiles.................100

Religious Schools & Worship Services Directory MON-SAT 10-6 & SUN 11-5 7921 Rosedale Hwy. • 661-834-4288 • WoodlandFurnitureBakersfield.com

Worship Directory.............101

community partners Community Partners.......102

Shoppers Bazaar.............108

everafters...

Weddings.....................110

Look Who’s Turning 30!

Back By Popular Demand KER

N C OU

NT Y

A Chronicle of Long-standing & Family-Owned Kern County Businesses

g in L m I Co APR 13 20 12 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

George M. Wahba, M.D. Harvard-Trained Spine Surgeon Specialized in Cervical, Thoracic, and Lumbar Spine Surgery Spinal Stenosis, Disc Herniations, Sciatica/Leg Pain/Arm Pain, Spinal Deformity/Scoliosis, Spinal Trauma, Spinal Tumors, Revision Surgeries

Dr. Wahba is locally-based in Bakersfield, and he is excited to be providing world-class care to Kern County and surrounding communities.

Complete Curriculum Vitae

Dr. Wahba obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and graduated Summa Cum Laude with College Honors. He earned his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, which is consistently ranked as one of the top medical schools in the country.

Dr. Wahba graduated from UCSF at the top of his class, as a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors

Society. He completed a 5-year residency in Orthopedic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine (UCI).

At that point, Dr. Wahba decided to expand his expertise by completing a prestigious fellowship in Spine Surgery from Harvard Medical School. During that time, he trained at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, two of the most renowned medical centers in the world.

Mercy Orthopedic, Spine, & Hand Center

Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield – Southwest Campus 400 Old River Rd. Bakersfield, CA 93311

(661) 663-6550

www.BakersfieldSpine.com

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 13

remembering

Donna Louise Corum founder . visionary . friend

Vol. 29 No. 6

We hope you enjoy our family favorites from my mother’s kitchen to our unique culinary creations. Expand your taste buds, close your eyes and capture the essence of Camino Real.

Mon-Sat • 10am-10pm • Bar Open Late

661-852-0493

Coming Soon!

New Location in SW Bakersfield

4501 Stine Road Visit us online at: www.Caminoed.com

Winter 2013

Publisher Les Corum Executive Editor Mike Corum Assistant Editor Anika Henrikson Garden Editor Lynn Pitts Wine & Food Editor Mike Stepanovich Creative Director Chuck Barnes Graphic Artist Laura Turner Systems/Production Ryan Turner Sales & Marketing Lisa Corum, Erica Lindquist Lisa Wilson Photography/Editorial Assistant Isabel Alvarez Photography/Parties Tara Ralston Staff Writer Maryann Kopp Contributing Writers Belinda Gordillo, Tracie Grimes David Nigel Lloyd, Robin Paggi Cynthia Pleitez, Eman Shurbaji, Yana Todorova Accounting/Human Resources Melissa Galvan Distribution/Circulation Brigit Ayers Cover Photo Randall Photography Bakersfield Magazine, Inc. 1601 New Stine Road, Suite 200 Bakersfield, CA 93309 Office (661) 834-4126 Fax (661) 834-5495 marketing@bakersfieldmagazine.net www.bakersfieldmagazine.net Bakersfield Magazine is published bi-monthly by Bakersfield Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. ©Copyright 2013 by Bakersfield Magazine, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of Bakersfield Magazine is strictly prohibited.

Bakersfield Magazine, Inc. is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or photographs, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Bakersfield Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of Bakersfield Magazine management or owner. Bakersfield Magazine, Inc. assumes no responsibility or liability for claims made by advertisers.

Subscription rate is $14.95 for 1 year, $21.95 for 2 years.

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Letter from the Editor

Gentlemen, Start Your...Pigeons?

Citizen Kern A retired network war correspondent (among his many other talents) calls our city home.

Page 37

Working Like Family The humble beginnings of one of Kern County's most successful female-owned companies.

Page 57

What's Cookin' The number and variety of local restaurants that make up the current Downtown Restaurant Revival.

Page 87

Kern County has long been known as a racing mecca, be it drag racing at Famoso, dirt track racing at Bakersfield Speedway, road racing at Buttonwillow and Willow Springs, or NASCAR at the soon-to-open Kern County Raceway Park. And we’ve been the birthplace of some pretty famous racing teams and drivers. From the Mears Gang and Warren, Coburn, and Miller; to Kevin Harvick—the list goes on. And that’s just in autos...

But one of the oldest, if not the oldest racing clubs in town (they just turned 75), is the Bakersfield Racing Pigeon Club (Kern Facts, pg. 22). I consider them the unsung heroes of the racing world, and after learning more about these ferocious flyers, we've decided to join the ranks of the Budweisers and Geicos of corporate racing sponsorship and sponsor our very own racing pigeon (Hey, we’ve got to start somewhere). We’ve christened her Maggiezeen and we’ll be following her triumphs and tribulations throughout the 2013 racing season in future issues and social media. Who knows, this could be the start of something big...

Speaking of big, this is our annual Women and Business issue and, once again, we are proud sponsors of the ever-growing Women's Business Conference which takes place in April. But what’s really amazing is the amount of time these ladies spend volunteering their efforts to pull off such an empowering event for the women in our county. You can read more about it in our story on the Conference (pg. 53).

And, of course, February is our annual Go Red for Women (pg. 66) feature and our Ladies in Red photo spread, done in partnership with the American Heart Association to promote a heart-healthy lifestyle and bring awareness to the dangers of heart disease.

Keep an eye to the sky and you might just catch a glimpse of Maggiezeen zooming by. In the meantime, enjoy another great issue!

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Mike Corum comments@BakersfieldMagazine.net

Murphy Says...We’re big believers in Murphy's Law around here, seeing as the phrase originated in our very own backyard. Back in 1949, in Rosamond, Capt. Edward A. Murphy, while working on Air Force Project MX 981, said of a technician, “If there is any way to do it wrong, he will find it.” Well, we found it! Due to an unforeseen production situation, Part III of our Filmed in Kern series has now been rescheduled to run in a future issue. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused our readers, and thanks, Murphy!

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*Featured Voices HAPPY HOUR 2-7pm TACO TUESDAY $2 Menu & Drinks

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A writer, journalist, editor, and student of life, Eman strives to present new facts and stories to readers.

In addition to Bakersfield Magazine, she writes for several national publications, and worked for KBAK/KBFX prior to focusing on writing and other journalistic endeavors. With a keen interest in features, she’s always looking for new story ideas, and enjoys making friends in the process.

Women’s Business Conference page 53

What was your favorite thing about writing the feature on the Conference?

Women have the remarkable ability to do great things in our communities and world. The WBC gives women the confidence and chance to explore their professional options, all while networking and having a good time.

What are your favorite types of stories to write?

Feature stories, especially those about interesting people.

Sometimes it’s those who remain silent that are most remarkable.

www.JeanLaborde.com 16 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

David Nigel Lloyd Cynthia Pleitez

Not only is she the marketing and communications intern at the American Heart Association in Los Angeles, she’s also a field organizer for the Emanuel Pleitez for Mayor of Los Angeles 2013 Campaign.

Pleitez, who has received White House Recognition for her writing, is pursuing a career in either public relations or journalism as she approaches graduation with a communications degree from California State University, Fullerton.

Special Ladies in Red page 71

What did you learn while working on the Special Ladies in Red stories?

Women are not alone in their fight against heart disease and stroke. No matter how alone and scared women may feel, all it takes is for them to speak up and share what they are going through.

Why did you get involved with AHA? Someone very near to me has a heart condition and I wanted to help make a difference in the lives of others and help raise awareness to the #1 killer of women.

A folk musician, a writer, and an arts-ineducation consultant, Lloyd has performed from California to Britain. He writes about arts issues, sequoia trees, and music. For six years, he was Director of Education Programs for the Arts Council of Kern. His long form birth certificate proves he was born in Kenya in 1954.

Expressions Page 26

What do you love about writing?

Aside from its lifesaving aspect, I love the puzzle that writing presents. Content has to fit into form. Form cannot destroy content.

When you get it right, the result may not be what you thought you wanted, but it’s right, nevertheless.

What did you enjoy most about your interview with Portia?

I know Portia as very generous and playful and, at the same time, quite professional and somewhat reserved. During the interview process, I think I glimpsed the reason for the reserve. It was most instructive.

Randall Barker

Randall is an award-winning photographer, capturing numerous accolades within his South Valley Professional Photographers group (not to mention an Addy for his work on one of our previous Go Red covers).

In 2005, Randall was “Commercial Photographer of the Year” for the western states.

He also won the Fuji Masterpiece and Kodak Photographic Excellence awards. This Bakersfield native has been a photographer for 20 years.

Go Red Photo Spread Page 66 What was your favorite moment from the Go Red Shoot?

My favorite moments were the time I got to spend with each woman—hearing their stories. I was amazed to see such positive attitudes.

I believe that positive attitudes make for better outcomes.

How did you get into photography?

Photography chose me. In 1992, I was working for a friend in another industry and a local business owner offered me a one-hour photo shop.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 17

18 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Kern Facts

People • Places • Events

She’s the owner of Woodland Furniture and he’s a hotel and restaurant developer, but this busy couple makes a point to carve out time for each other every day.

HIS

& Hers

Be honest—what was the first thing you thought when you met your future spouse for the first time?

Celina: When I saw Alfred for the first time I was impressed with his kindness. I went to work for his company and he bought lunch for all the employees.

Alfred: She was a pretty, 20-yearold girl and I liked her a lot.

What is the funniest thing that happened while you two were dating?

Celina: The funniest thing is that since my first language is not English, sometimes we had to use an English-Spanish dictionary to communicate with each other.

Alfred: I discovered that I was the one to take her to the beach for the first time in her life. We went to Morro Bay and now it’s her favorite place to go.

What is the craziest thing your spouse has ever done for you?

Celina: He has done so many things it is hard to choose just one.

One that really surprised me was when he came home with a yacht and named it after me. I think he did it so he would not get in trouble.

Alfred: Taking me to the little town in Mexico where she was born that involved a two-day camping trip and riding a horse (my first time, too). It was difficult to walk after that!

One that really surprised me was when he came home with a yacht and named it after me.

I think he did it so he would not get in trouble.

What is your spouse’s biggest phobia?

Celina: Going bald! Ha ha!

Alfred: Spiders crawling on her body while she’s sleeping.

Who’s the first one to admit when they’re wrong?

Celina: I do. Somehow it’s easier for me to say sorry.

Alfred: I think Celina is the first to admit it. It takes me a little longer because I tend to do a lot of reasoning.

What is your spouse most passionate about?

Celina: I have to say taking care and providing for his family, and his work. He is always planning on pro-

in step with:

Alfred & Celina Chang viding a better life for present and future generations.

Alfred: Family. She comes from a very large family and loves to celebrate holidays in our home and have everybody over.

What’s your favorite thing to do in Bakersfield?

Celina: Getting together with friends for lunch, and trying all the different cuisines and restaurants around town.

Alfred: Eating at the various Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese restaurants and spending time at home with our kids and pets. We have a macaw, a cat, and a dog.

What is your least favorite thing about your spouse and most favorite thing?

Celina: Least favorite—not throwing anything away. He thinks he will have a future use for everything! Most favorite—his funny side. He has always made me laugh for the 22 years we have been married.

Alfred: My least favorite thing about my wife is that she procrastinates and leaves paper work for the last minute. My most favorite thing is the time we spend together, going out or staying home and watching movies.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 19

Hello, my name is Dr. Bradley A. Dodenhoff At East Hills Chiropractic, our soul-driven purpose is to provide our patients with the finest personal and caring experience that we can provide.

Since 1985, we have treated over 20,000 area residents with state-of-the-art, cutting edge Chiropractic care.

My philosophy has always been: No Matter What the Life You Lead, You Can Do Without the Pain!!!!

To learn more, or to make an appointment with Dr. Dodenhoff, call:

661- 633- 23 86 2001 19t h St reet w w w.east hillschiro.c om

©istockphoto.com/Floortje

Kern Facts

Dining for

C

free

A

List extra

alling all A-Listers! We hope you’re hungry—hungry for delicious, local food and hungry to win! As we do in each issue, we’re offering up a $100 gift card to a fabulous local restaurant to the winner of our contest.* All you have to do it spot your name in the randomly-compiled list below. If you see it, email us at alist@bakersfieldmagazine.net. We’ll pick a winner, at random, from all entries received by March 1. If you’re selected, you’ll be rewarded with a $100 gift certificate to El Portal Mexican Restaurant. Yes, we know that’s rather generous of us, but what can we say? We love giving away prizes to our readers. If you want to get in on the winning action, make sure you’re a member of the A-List. Sign up today, for free, at bakersfieldmagazine.net.

Alan Dakak Marilyn George Chris Brewer Jana Barton

Manny Winners Anne Draucker Daryl Thiesen Dave Walters

Lisa Forry Elizabeth Allen Paul Yoon Beegie Ebersbacher

*contest eligibility for A-List members who have not won in the last three months

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Party Like it’s 1859 S

addle up, pardners, because the time has come for three days filled with more fun than you can shake a horseshoe at. Kernville’s annual Whiskey Flat Days is February 15-18! This marks the 56th year of bringing our local past to the present.

Every President’s Day weekend, Kernville transforms back into its earlier days as Whiskey Flats. Lookin’ for gunfighters? They’re here. How about a carnival, ax throwing, and parades? Or, Whiskerino, everyone’s favorite facial hair contest? It’s all at Whiskey Flat Days. Then there’s countless vendors and artisan booths, traditional western and Native American encampments, and more, with everything presented in a historically-accurate setting.

This year’s theme is Music on Movie Street (as in the famous street in Old Kernville where dozens of Westerns were filmed). Those who attend know how much fun it is to party like it’s 1859, and the festival has long been hailed as one of the most exciting things to do in Kern County! It’s educational, it’s tons of fun, and it is full of sights that you just won’t experience anywhere else. For more information regarding this Wild West fest, visit kernvillechamber.org/events/ whiskey-flat-days.html.

In & Around B•Town

did you know?

In 1910, under President Taft, the Kern National Forest was established by the U.S. Forest Service from a portion of Sequoia National Forest and other lands. Just five years later, on July 1, 1915, the entire forest was transferred to Sequoia and the name “Kern National Forest” was discontinued.

Source: ForestHistory.org

Like Cool Prizes?

W

e’ve never understood the phrase “Everyone’s a winner.”

Only winners are winners, right? And winners deserve some recognition.

That’s why we love including the names and faces of some local folks who’ve taken home some cool prizes that we’re giving out. Check out these winners and keep your eyes peeled for our many contests so you can be one, too.

David LaBauve

Stuff We Like

Robby’s Nursery and Calico Gardens David LaBauve La Dolce Vita Salon Abbie Lynch Frosting, Ink Paula Miller Kaur Boutique Luz Donahue Digital Creations Martha Benavides True Skin & Body Mary Kuczma

Mary Kuczma

A-List Nutcracker Tickets

Jocelyn Dunnegan Patricia Henson Peggy Ting Anthony Meeks Heidi Carter

Pop Quiz Winner

Sarah Garcia Our next big winner could be you! www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 21

So, you think racing is just for cars and track meets?

W

ell, you might want to rethink that a bit, especially when you talk to the members of the Bakersfield Racing Pigeon Club! All 29 members of this group have one very unique thing in common: they all own their own homing pigeons, which they enter into races that take place in spring and fall.

How, exactly, does one race a pigeon? “Every member has a homing pigeon that they start to train at three or four months [of age] by driving ten, twenty, or even fifty miles away. They release the pigeon, which then finds its way back to the loft on its own,” Stan Hullender, treasurer for the Club, detailed. “This is what prepares the birds for the races, when we release them at different locations and see which bird makes it back home first.”

These birds of a feather don’t necessarily flock together. Why? Well, while the homing pigeons are set free at the same time and place, they all must fly back to their respective

Did You Know?

elt visited On April 2, 1940, Eleanor Roosev camps to r labo ry rato mig Kern County's federal se and Hou te Whi the convey a message that ht. plig r thei ood erst President Roosevelt und nty

Cou Source: Historic Chronology of Kern

faster feathers coops. “Pigeons wear an electronic chip on their leg, and when they return home and trip a sensor in the loft, their time is automatically recorded, thus determining the winner,” Hullender elaborated.

The races begin in Fresno (100 miles away), and the distance increases with each subsequent race (the final race of the year has the birds flying home from Madras, Oregon, an astounding 600 miles from Kern County).

Hullender also stated that it is still unknown just how these birds know how to get back, though there are many theories that have been “flying” around for years. “There have even been GPS devices attached to the birds, but it was still difficult to determine how they actually navigate their flight.”

The Club just celebrated its 75th year of being a fun part of Kern County’s culture. Word of mouth has been enough to bring potential racers under the Club’s wing, but information can also be found by calling (661) 399-0500.

Your Local Alzheimer’s Disease Support Team You’re not alone.

Working to give you peace of mind and confidence that your loved one will be provided for by one of Kern County’s finest programs, while giving you relief from the extreme dedication of caregiving.

If you, or someone you know is suffering from memory loss, please contact ADAKC for help or information:

(661) 393-8871 www.ADAKC.org

22 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Photos by Stan Hullender/Bakersfield Racing Pigeon Club

Kern Facts

People • Places • Events

stuff we like

6” CandyLand Cake, $45 Frosting, Ink 1818 G St. (661) 326-1818

Become B-Town Famous!

Be the envy of friends and family!

Impress your neighbors and co-workers!

Get your name in your city magazine and your photo on the world-wide web... best of all

WIN $75 gift certificates

from these featured local merchants!

Log on to BakersfieldMagazine.net for details and entry form.

Good Luck!

Joseph Ribkoff Fuchsia Dress, $218 Sugardaddy’s 5512 Stockdale Hwy. (661) 325-8300

Discover Scuba Class, $65 Bakersfield Scuba 1931 H St. (661) 836-3337

Valentine’s Heart Vase, $79.99 Mt. Vernon Florist 1519 Mt Vernon Ave. (661) 871-7511

Montanico Coat, $170 Indulge Women’s Clothing 3011 F St. (661) 322-9900

Barcelona Jersey (Boys), $70 Premier Soccer Plus 4135 Ming Ave. (661) 827-8714

Studded Skull Handbag, $48 Shimmer 3201 F St. (inside Golden State Mall) (661) 868-9586 www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 23

24 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

PHOTO COURTESY LAURIE ALEXANDER/BLACK GOLD PRODUCTIONS

Kern Facts

Curtain Call!

A

trip to the theateR is always fun, but a trip to the theater that supports the Bakersfield Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society? Well, that’s worth an encore! It actually happens each year when the cast and crew of Black Gold Productions, a local nonprofit organization, take the stage.

“This will be our fourteenth year of putting on productions,” said Laurie Alexander, a longtime member of the Black Gold Productions Relay for Life team and cast member for the last four years.

“The whole thing started out as a team-building exercise with six employees from Aera Energy in 2000. They did an acting workshop and sold tickets.” The event ended up raising $2,500.

“Each of the six performers had been touched by cancer, so they decided to start a team with Relay for Life and donate all the money.”

Three years later, Black

Gold Productions was given its 501(c)3 nonprofit designation, and the organization has continued to grow.

“We’re putting on shows at the Masonic Temple now, and we have been getting bigger and better each year.” And the Relay team has grown, too, to incorporate board members from American Petroleum Institute (API).

Between 250 and 300 people attend the evening performances, alone. “Last year, we raised $82,000,” Alexander added. In total, Black Gold Productions has raised over $400,000 for the American Cancer Society.

This year, the cast is performing Sunset Trail, a rip-roaring production about an aging actress and the hotel she runs for struggling actors. Get your March datebook out and mark in one of these dates: March 8, 9, 10, 15, and 16. Then go support a great cause while having a good time.

For times and tickets, visit www.bgp-plays.com.

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8 40

125

6,000 167,124

Ranking of U.S. House Majority Whi p Kevin McCarthy on IVN.com’s list of top five politicians that use Instagram Number of times Buck Owens’ Crys tal Palace has been nominated for Nightclu b of the Year by the Academy of Country Mus ic Percentage that Bakersfield’s popu lation increased between 2000 and 2011 Our ranking in the nation’s largest TV markets Acres of trails, parks, and waterways make up the Kern River Parkway Registered Kern County Library borrowers

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Kern Facts

Local

expressions

T

he coffee shop is jam-packed with poets armed to the teeth with sonnets, slams, odes, and lamentations— with verse straining to break free. Some confront their poems in anxious silence: Does it need a rewrite? Am I next to meet my microphone? Will I give it my best shot? Or… It is September 21st, 2002, the United Nations’ International Day of Peace. Bakersfield is doing its part.

Suddenly the hissing roar of an espresso machine is heard. Many poets never get used to that sound, though they have heard it a thousand times. Poet Portia S. Choi, M.D., has heard worse, however.

Though Bakersfield poetry readings are generally come-as-you-are events, Choi is wearing hanbok, traditional Korean clothing. Her full-length dress, or chima, is high-waisted and balloons out like a summer cloud.

“It was white,” Choi recalled, “with a blue tie in the front and small flowers on the edges.” In short, she was a vision. “It was for world peace.”

The poets and poetry lovers are all eyes and ears now as Choi, with a slightly pained look on her face reads poems of her wartime childhood. In “Oaksun My Doll,” a mother comforts a child.

I will protect and hide you from the soldiers.

I will look for you, so you cannot see the shattered arms.

I will cuddle you to sleep, so you cannot hear the cries.

“I was born in Wonju, South Korea, in 1948,” Choi explained. Wonju endured some of the fiercest battles of the Korean War, which began in 1950. “My mother was almost killed,” Choi said simply, “but she, my older sister, and I survived and joined my father in Los Angeles in 1956 when I was eight.” She had not met her father before. “He did not know whether we were alive or dead.”

Today, these experiences and those of two American soldiers are at the heart of

Sungsook: Korean War Poem, the working title of Choi’s chapbook due for publication this April. Sungsook is her Korean name.

You know Oaksun, I am frightened of the night.

I think that dying man may grab for you in the dark.

I will hide you.

Oaksun, no one will take you from me.

“When I consciously remembered the feelings of being in the Korean War, I was about 27,” she explained. “It allowed me to feel deeply and write poetry.”

I feed you a kernel or two of rice...

You are very lucky, Oaksun, having rice two days in a row.

You are very smart too, saving one for tomorrow.

Yes, Oaksun, who knows when we will eat again?

Choi graduated from UCLA in 1973.

She met Tim Chang, her husband, in San Francisco two years later when both were in graduate school. They moved to Bakersfield in 1996. Here she attended poetry workshops with the late Helen Shanley. “Helen was my mentor and a brilliant person and writer.”

26 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

By David Nigel Lloyd

Oaksun, my dear Oaksun, dressed in silk stripes of grass green, tomato red, butterfly yellow, and sky blue.

Your slip sewn together of tattered, thrownaway clothes.

Oaksun is a doll. Her “mother” is a little girl the same age as Sungsook, if not Sungsook herself.

I toss you up in the sky. You fall face down in my palms.

I toss you again, you fall with your back down.

Fly higher and higher, Oaksun.

With the Writers of Kern, Choi initiated Bakersfield’s National Poetry Month in affiliation with the Academy of American Poets in 2010. “We are already planning the April 2013 events,” she said.

Fly higher and higher, Oaksun.

Portia Choi

In & Around B•Town

Can You Hear The World?

S

©isotckphoto.com/SongSpeckels

ometimes, creating your own path is the only option.

The women who founded the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) certainly knew this, and their pioneering spirit still thrives in our own community! The DAR has been around since October 11, 1890. This period of time was marked by an upsurge of patriotism

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HISTORY and a keen interest in the developing of our nation while honoring those who forged it.

The problem? Women were not allowed in any of the existing organizations that upheld these notions.

Thus, much like the great patriots who came before them whom they sought to celebrate, some women in Washington, D.C. started a small revolution of their own and founded the DAR. Chapters began springing up all over the country, including one in Bakersfield. “The Bakersfield Chapter DAR was organized on April 26, 1921, as the eleventh chapter within the CA State Society,” said Chapter Regent Linda Adams. “Chapter members have been active within our city, state, and nation ever since, dedicating themselves to the ideals of the DAR—historical preservation, promotion of education, and encouragement of patriotic endeavor.”

Indeed, this active local group, with just over 100 members, donates to scholarships; participates in a myriad of projects for active military, as well as veterans; assists in local neonatal ICUs; contributes to reforestation; and assists in Native American schools; to name a few.

Not just anyone can join, though. Members must have a genetic link to someone who was involved in the American Revolution, as admission is genealogically-based. To see if you qualify for entry, visit the local chapter at www.bakersfieldchapterDAR. webs.com and then wave that flag.

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Kern Facts

National Treasure

t’s no secret that we live in an ecologically-diverse area. What may be a surprise to some residents of Kern County is that we have a number of conservationist groups and local ranchers standing up to keep our grasslands safe from urban development.

The Nature Conservancy, a global preservation organization, stepped in to buy the remaining parcel of land in 2011: the 15,000-acre Tollhouse Ranch (in the Tehachapi Mountains). Now, the 50-mile wildlife corridor, encompassing 272,000 acres, that runs through the Tehachapi range is protected.

According to Tom Maloney, executive director of the Tejon Ranch Conservancy, one of the local organizations behind this conservancy, these efforts will have a substantial impact on a local level, but there is also a global impact.

“Anywhere in the world, where you have large tracks of land like this, [it is considered] a

global conservancy priority,” he explained. “But in the context of Kern County, the traditional land use [by ranchers and farmers] is continued but the corridor is also intact for wildlife preservation.”

The corridor is made up of four ecological regions, meaning that the unique landscape is also home to unique wildlife populations. Protection is crucial.

“Mediterranean regions [like this area of Kern] only cover about four percent of the world’s land,” Maloney said. “But contain twenty percent of the wildlife.”

Ultimately, the importance comes down to the purpose of the land itself for locals.

“A big part of the motivation for these ranchers is the love of their lifestyle and the value of the landscape,” Maloney added. “We want to make sure it continues.”

If you’d like to learn more, visit tejonconservancy.org.

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People • Places • Events

Is That Really What I Think it is?

P

uff may have worked his magic down by the sea, but there was a new dragon in the valley for a very short while, courtesy of the experts in magic-making: Disney! It was just another day out at Minter Field Airport in Shafter this past summer when something extraordinary was seen flying through the sky. No, it wasn’t the latest in aircraft technology. It was more like the latest in Disney Imagineering— in the shape of a very large dragon that was not only seemingly flying

on its own, but also breathing fire.

Lookers-on were amazed to see the dragon flying above the city and a few of them started to snap pictures.

According to news reports, restaurant owner Tammy Zaninovich had taken some pictures of the flying creature— where, upon closer inspection, you can see a large motor, a parachute, and a single pilot—and posted them to her Facebook account. The elusive mythical

beast was spotted in action six months later at a celebration at Walt Disney World, where the grand opening of their New Fantasyland was taking place. This time, the dragon was soaring through the night sky, making it appear that much more realistic.

But why Minter Field? Considering Disney wanted to preserve this magical surprise that they had created for their fans, it isn’t any wonder. Director of Communications for Walt Disney Imagineering, John Breckow, who insisted on keeping the air of mystery and magic alive, slyly stated, “If we had done anything of that nature out there, then it would have been a much better area to test things out than a place like LAX, where it would turn into an issue of National Security.”

Despite their cover being partially blown, the folks at Disney seemed to have enjoyed their time spent in our county. Scott Trowbridge, Vice President of R&D, Walt Disney Imagineering, echoed these sentiments. “We’re always developing new magic for our Disney Parks guests and testing new and innovative methods of storytelling,” he began. “We recently completed some rather unique development work at the Shafter-Minter Airport, and our partners there were great to work with, very professional, and helped us maintain a low profile to keep the magic special for our guests.”

Now Kern County can add “Dragon Testing Site” to its long, impressive resumé concerning the entertainment industry.

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Naturally, Zaninovich’s photos started to pop up all over the internet, reaching everywhere from local Facebook profiles to even more surprising sites, like celebrity gossip blog perezhilton.com. Perez took the liberty of writing “Pretend like I’m not here!” right below the dragon in his famous white lettering. It was speculated all over the internet that the flying apparatus was part of the rumored Avatar Land that was said to be opening up at Walt Disney World. Eventually, several YouTube videos of the dragon soaring around Cinderella’s castle set everyone’s minds at ease, and their imaginations soaring. www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 29

Kern Facts

Y

ou don’t have to be MacGyver or Ethan Hunt to be able to get into a locked safe without a combination. On the contrary, you have go be much more skilled. Fewer people know this fact better than local business owner and locksmith Neil Messick. Twenty-five years ago, he began his journey at locksmithing school, where he learned the ins and outs of the business. Over time, though, Messick developed a fascination with a more specialized type of work in the industry—something that is otherwise known as “safecracking.”

“I took classes and studied under some experts from all over the country who I met through different associations and trade organizations,” Messick recalled. Through his extensive training, he was quick to

“Sometimes, it only takes me five seconds to take care of, but there have been times where I’ve had to spend all day on getting a safe figured out.

Regardless, I’ve never failed a single job.”

—Neil Messick

learn that you not only have to know a lot about safes, but you also have to be able to effectively visualize the inside of the mechanism that you’re trying to open. “You must know what the inside looks like, how it works, and where to defeat it. So it’s part knowledge, part skill, and part tooling. You can have all of

Skilled Hands

Safe

Bet

the tools, but without the knowledge or the feel and ability, you won’t get anywhere.”

It doesn’t take much sleuthing to realize that Messick possesses a strong combination of all three. His shop is a testament to his craft, as well as to the adage that there’s more than one way to crack a safe. (And, for Messick, doing so is far from being an impossible mission.)

One method to get into a locked safe is to start by using an electric drill. It may seem simple enough, but drilling through four inches of steel is not to be taken lightly, especially when trying to maintain the integrity of the unit. A device called a drill press is attached to the safe, and a drill with a small bit is connected to the press. A few maneuvers from a lever push the drill forward and through the lock, and Messick’s careful touch makes a small, clean hole with ease. This is where things get a little more stealthy.

He uses fiber optic scopes of

tools of the trade 30 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

varying angles, depending on what he needs to view. By getting these scopes inside of the lock, he can then figure out the combination by matching the number on the dial with the aligning of the inner wheels.

There is one catch that makes this all the more difficult, and that is that the scopes make everything appear backward.

“You have to be able to change your perspective and work in reverse,” Messick revealed.

As the years passed, the principles behind the methods may have remained the same, but the methods, themselves, have changed. Gone are the days where locksmiths would file their fingertips down so that they could feel the wheels clicking inside of the safe.

Similarly, the humble stethoscope has long been retired.

An audio amp with headphones is used, instead. With the amplifier attached closely to the actual lock, Messick

can then move the dial slowly to match up the numbers with the sounds of the clicks that indicate that everything is falling into place, allowing entry.

Messick’s expertise has led him to an array of different jobs, and he has had to travel extensively to fulfill them all.

While he works with families who may have had the only relative who knew of a certain combination pass away and different stores and restaurants whose locks just gave out over time, he has also been hired by the military to unlock highsecurity containers on bases.

This sort of resumé is why banks trust him to open their vaults, as well.

But what may be seen as the most impressive part is that, in his entire career, he has never met a lock that he couldn’t crack. “Sometimes, it only takes me five seconds to take care of,” Messick said.

“But there have been times where I’ve had to spend all day on getting a safe figured out.

Regardless, I’ve never failed a single job.” So it would seem we’ve got our own Mission: Impossible agent in town; a man who can stealthily retrieve the family jewels from even the most secure safes. Now stand back...this story will selfdestruct in 30 seconds.

photos courtesy of Wienerschnitzel.

Weiner Dogs gone wild

H

ow do you dress your wiener?

Mustard? Relish? Superman cape?

Wait, Superman cape? Yep, that’s how some people choose to dress their dogs.

Oh, we should clarify that we’re talking about canines, not food.

And the capes? Well, as local Danielle Porcho explained of Wienerschnitzel’s Annual Wiener National Finals, the dogs are actually dressed in capes for one of the events during the three-day competition.

Porcho and her adorable pooch, Boss 302, were given an all-expenses paid trip to San Diego for the finals after Boss 302 came in first place for the qualifying race at the Kern County Fair in September of last year.

“It was never something we thought about doing,” Porcho explained with a chuckle.

“But a friend of mine brought me a flyer she

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Boss 302, a six-year-old female dachshund, is just one of Porcho’s dogs (there’s also Lugnut and Shelby Cobra—her husband is a big car fan), and was one of only nine dogs from regions across the country competing in the 2012 finals this year. She didn’t cross the finish line first to claim the title, but she (and Porcho) had an amazing time. They got to go to the Holiday Bowl game and ride on the Wienerschnitzel float in the San Diego Big Bay Float Parade, too.

And while this local pooch and her owner raced for fun, there’s nothing funny about the love people have for these dogs.

“You can’t understand the love we have for our wiener dogs unless you have one.”

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32 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 33

34 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Eliseo Valdovinos, 43 Occupation: Owner, Valdophye Photography Are you a Bakersfield native?

Sort of. I haven’t lived here my whole life, but I consider myself one sometimes.

Is there a beauty product you absolutely can’t live without?

I’m a guy, so, for me, it’s really about the Zest bar soap.

Do you think Bakersfield has a style?

Yes, in a “rare” kind of way.

It’s all over the place.

Describe your personal style.

I like to change my style a lot, so I attempt to look different every day in every aspect.

How long does it usually take you to get ready in the morning?

Again, I’m a guy, so about 10 minutes.

Is there a celebrity or person in your life that you get your style from?

Not really. I don’t even look at what celebrities are wearing. But the World’s Most Interesting Man… he’s cool.

What are you wearing?

The shirt is by Seven, the suit is from Express, and the bowtie is Ralph Lauren. Shoes are by Aldo’s.

Oh, and the car is by Ford.

Does your style change when you are not at work?

No. I like to dress nice all the time, so there’s really not that big of a difference between work and other outings.

How do you personalize your “business” look?

By mixing a bit of business with pleasure.

Where are your favorite places to shop in Bakersfield?

Jezabelle’s, Express, and Macy’s.

What is your favorite item of clothing?

Easy answer. It’s my bowtie.

What’s the biggest fashion mistake you have made?

Letting my hair grow long.

Are you a bargain hound?

No way.

What mistakes do you think women make when they dress?

They usually don’t give themselves enough credit and choose the more conservative outfit.

FASHION TIP: dress nice all the time –there’s not that big of a difference between work and other outings.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 35

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CITIZEN KERN

How he got started: Phillips delivered newspapers as a kid, so media was always a part of his life. He worked in the Silicon Valley producing television programs, commercials, and stage plays, but 1988 was the year that catapulted his career into an exciting direction. “In December of that year, there was a devastating earthquake in Armenia,” Phillips detailed. NBC Radio assigned him to cover the aftermath of the quake, and that was the beginning of his career covering international conflict, resulting in him traveling all over the world to report on some of the most important events in recent history.

His heroes: “My father is my hero,” he affirmed. A Greek immigrant who dreamed of coming to America, his father spoke eight languages, traveled the world, and was also a great storyteller and athlete. “He taught me respect, and I try to apply that to my life every day.”

On a professional level, Phillips respects Jerome Lawrence, the famous playwright. He met Lawrence, took a class from him, and they subsequently became good friends.

meet

Terry

‘‘

Phillips

My father is my hero. He taught me respect, and I try to apply that to my life every day.

His favorite part of the industry: “I love meeting new people, and I love listening to everyone’s point of view,” Phillips intimated.

And he’s shaken hands with quite a few people, including Richard Nixon, Boris Yeltsin, Hillary Clinton, Mikhail Gorbachev, Al Gore, Ross Perot, Paul Simon, and Dan Rather. “I also love providing a forum that brings people together, which is what I did as a talk show host and what I try to do in politics.” Media, in his opinion, is at its best when it’s both educational and entertaining.

‘‘

Career highlights: Aside from being nominated for a handful of Emmys for his work with CBS News, he hosted an NPR talk show and was a candidate for Congress. He noted that witnessing the fall of the Soviet Union was one of the most remarkable parts of his career, thus far, because he was not only able to experience a historically-significant moment, but he was also interacting with a myriad of foreign political and religious leaders.

photos courtesy of ria novosti archive (gorbachev), NBC (NBC NEWS RADIO LOGO), library.osu.edu (lawrence), Terry Phillips (Off the air Book)

Name: Terry Phillips Age: 59 Birthplace: Fresno, Ca Title: Journalist, Business Owner, Former Congressional Candidate

What he’d still like to accomplish: He’s already published two books, Murder at the Altar, a historical novel, and Off the Air: Thoughts About Our Quality of Life, a compilation of his radio commentaries. But Phillips plans on living for a long time, so his “bucket list” is extensive and includes stepping foot in every country in the world. He’d also love to take his training in conflict resolutions and expand it to a larger audience. “I would love to help people to get along better. I’ve endeavored to be a peacemaker my entire life.”

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 37

38 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

RISKTAKERS

When Al Adler opened The Aviator Casino in February 2011, he wasn’t well-known in the industry. Oil and gas had been his game since the early ‘80s.

f

odds

rom a business standpoint, it made perfect sense for Adler to place one of the biggest bets of his life and build his own house of cards.

“I’d started playing a lot of tournament poker because I really love the game,” Adler said, sitting behind his beautiful wooden inlaid half-circle desk in his spacious Rosedale office.

“It’s a game of people that’s played with cards.”

In many ways Adler has learned a lot more from the game of poker than just when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. “I’ve learned to use my poker skills when it comes to doing business. When I’m in a business meeting—and I always prefer doing business face to face—I can read a lot more into the deal by just studying the person I’m meeting with. I’ve learned how to read people and situations, and have really learned how to trust my gut. Trusting your gut is the hallmark of a good poker player, but it’s never more important than when putting together a business deal.”

His approach was somewhat understated as he set out to build his dream card room. But it took him a good two years. “I

By Tracie Grimes

photo courtesy of aviator casino

beating the

Al Adler is certainly no stranger to taking risks and calculating odds. Getting his beautiful new Aviator Casino up and running would prove to be no exception.

really liked the model of a California card room [which means that the only gaming going on in Aviator is card games like Black Jack, Mexican Poker, and Texas Hold ‘Em—no slot machines] but found that the state of California wasn’t giving out any more licenses for card rooms. So I found a guy in Delano that ran one table, worked with him for about two years until we reached a deal, then The Aviator Casino was born.”

He used his instincts to get The Aviator Casino going, making it into “the nicest card room in California,” but that was nothing new to Adler. After all, it was those same kinds of instincts that put this man on the map in a trade totally different from the gaming industry: oil and gas. And talk about taking a gamble…

The odds aren’t that great when it comes to finding oil and gas. In fact, there’s about a 40 percent chance that you’ll come up empty-handed in your search for the “black gold.”

But Adler prefers to think of those odds in a glass half full kind of way; there’s a 60 percent chance that you’ll hit pay dirt. It’s that way of thinking that’s fueled Adler’s

>

“When I’m in a business meeting—and I always prefer doing business face to face— I can read a lot more into the deal by just studying the person I’m meeting with.” Al Adler

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 39

primary business, ABA Energy Corporation, a local independent oil-producing enterprise he started in September 1991.

Adler’s foray into the oil and gas industry began after he finished his degree in petroleum engineering at Texas A&M University in 1983.

“I learned the business pretty much from the ground up,” said Adler, remembering the summers he worked laying pipeline and digging ditches. “And when I graduated I went to work for Arco, sitting in an office and pushing papers. I learned pretty quickly that I hated being cooped up in the office and started working on ways to get back out into the field.”

“Be careful what you wish for because you may get it,” as the saying goes…It wasn’t long before Adler got his wish in a big way.

“When the downturn in the industry hit and there were big-time layoffs, the powers that be saw that I was the only engineer with field experience, and the next thing I knew I was running an offshore rig by myself.”

After spending some time on offshore rigs Adler was off to see the world as he headed for destinations like New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. “Not only did I get to see some pretty spectacular places, I got pretty good at golf,” he chuckled.

Golf wasn’t the only game Adler picked up as he traveled and worked abroad. He began dabbling in the oil and gas business himself, investing in a few small wells here and there. Soon, his “dabbling” began paying off pretty well and he became intrigued with the idea of striking out on his own. He decided it was time to take a risk, so Adler left Arco. He used his knowledge to raise money for his venture with a new company (whom he’d rather not name), trad-

40 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

photo courtesy of aviator casino

Risktakers­

The Aviator Casino strives hard to be “the nicest card room in California.”

ing in his portion of the earnings for stock in the company.

“After about eighteen months and with a ton of money coming in, things started to get a little strange,” Adler recalled, shaking his head and tapping his finger on his knee. “I decided it was time to leave, so in September 1991, with a mortgage, bills, a car to pay off, and a bunch of worthless stock, I took another big risk and left the company.”

By this time risk was second nature to Adler. He just picked up where he left off, started his own venture, and, over time, managed to grow into one of the foremost independent oil and gas producers in the country.

But risk continues to be a big part of his businesses’ successes, both with ABA and with the Aviator.

“It takes small companies with nimble thinking that are capable of taking risks to really succeed in the oil and gas industry because four out of ten times you are going to fail. You have to

spread the risk around and never take a risk that’s too big. It’s those healthy risks that lead to prosperity and job creation. Successful risks are what our country was founded on, the way you’re supposed to make money. Democracy isn’t about attaining things; it’s about working hard and learning from failures. That’s the mark of a good business person.

“What most people don’t realize is that eighty percent of all the oil and gas found in this country is found by us little guys. We’re going out there, finding opportunities, raising the money, taking a huge risk with each well we dig. It’s guys like us that are out there taking these big risks that are going to get America back on track again,” Adler said vehemently, leaning forward on his elbows. “Our government needs to look back at the way they pulled together during World War II—we all worked together as a country. Our country was built on businesses that take risks. And we sure have to take our portion of lumps along with those successes.”

And in an era that’s seen more than its share of ups and downs in the oil and gas industry, Adler attributes a big part of his success to ABA’s ability to forecast some of those industry-wide lumps and switch gears almost on a dime.

“We don’t want to ride the horse until it dies,” Adler smiled, noting that just three years ago ABA’s production was 100 percent natural gas. “The problem with natural gas is that we expect the market to be riding on a rough road for the next couple of years because there is more of a supply in this country than there has ever been before. That means the price has come down while the costs of exploration and production have doubled, so we’ve been transitioning our production from mostly gas to mostly oil. And while we do most of our own production, we do, for leverage and

diversity, strike up partnerships in many joint exploration projects with other oil and gas companies. One that’s been particularly healthy is our partnership with Oxy in Oxnard.”

ABA's focus is oil and gas exploration and production, Adler continued, noting that their ability to do everything in-house gives ABA a huge advantage.

As far as where ABA is finding its gas and oil, the company currently controls thousands of acres of mineral interests through oil and gas leases, exploration agreements with other companies, and fee ownership. While these lands are primarily in Ventura, Kern, Contra Costa, Solano, and Glenn counties, ABA has an interest in lands in approximately 15 counties throughout California, Adler said. “ABA owns and/or operates production in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys of California as well as in Ventura County.

Historically, ABA has been one of the most active operators in the Sacramento Valley of California.”

Risk may be second nature to Adler, but don’t expect him to like taking all the risks he has to take to get the job done. “The biggest risk I see in the future is not just unique to my businesses. I see the biggest risk as being the continual failure of government to promote the principles that built this country.

Our government needs to be cheerleaders for those of us who are trying to build good, solid businesses in this country, not demoralize us by putting us through all kinds of red tape and making us jump through hoops.”

But he knows politics are a way of life when it comes to doing business in America. And he does love his job(s)—you can hear it in his voice. Politics aside, he’ll continue on the trajectory he’s shaped, but always with his eyes wide open, looking for “tells” and closing deals with a steady gaze and a handshake. v

When you’d like to buy or sell Real Estate, contact your local expert...

Debbie Banducci www.DebbieBanducci.com

661-832-2355

License #01787804

License #01083331

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 41

❖

HUMAN RESOURCES ❖

Flexibility a Desired Trait in Employers

“Money makes the world • Create an alternative workgo around,” according to the week schedule that allows popular song “Money” from hourly employees to work the musical Cabaret. Perhaps. more than eight hours in a However, numerous studies 24-hour period without havindicate that money is not the ing to be paid overtime. The be-all and end-all for even advantage to employees is cash-strapped employees these that they could work, for exdays. According to a report ample, four 10-hour days infrom the Workplace Flexstead of five eight-hour days ibility 2010 group at Georgeeach week, which would altown Law, “Today, making low them one business day ends meet is not just about to take care of their personal

By Robin Paggi money. It’s also about time.” business. Because there are In her article, “What Employees Want strict guidelines that employers must folMore Than a Raise in 2012,” Forbes low to establish a legal alternative workstaff writer Meghan Casserly says that, week (including filing certain paperwork “Coming out of the economic downturn, with the state), employers wanting to do so it seems priorities have shifted away should consult legal counsel. from the dollars and cents of paychecks and towards more intangible elements of • Allow flexible schedules in which emwork.” What are some of those intangi- ployees may start the workday earlier or later than their colleagues. For example, bles? Freedom and flexibility.

In his article, “8 Things Your Employ- an employee could work from 8:30 – 5:30 ees Need Most,” Jeff Haden, author of instead of 8:00 – 5:00 in order to take care numerous books on business, says that of family obligations in the mornings. the number one thing that employees With flexible schedules, employees still need from their employers is freedom. work eight-hour days and are paid over“Whenever possible, give your employ- time for all work in excess of eight hours. ees the freedom to work the way they Unlike alternative workweek schedules, work best,” he says. Issie Lapowsky, a flexible schedules may be implemented reporter at Inc. Magazine, echoes this at any time without having to file papersentiment in her article “10 Things Em- work with the State. ployees Want Most” by saying, “In addition to deciding how they work, the • Allow make-up time, which consists experts say employees also appreciate of hourly employees submitting a written request to work over eight hours one day having a say over when they work.”

Why are these intangibles so impor- in order to take time off another day durtant today? According to the Workplace ing the same workweek without earning Flexibility 2010 group, it’s because both overtime. The employee may not work parents work in over two-thirds of house- over 11 hours in one day or 40 hours that holds today and 18 percent of working week to make up the time off. parents are single parents. So, they say, Employers should establish a formal “it’s about getting children off to school or child care, trying to arrange back-up process for considering employee requests child care when plans fall through, tak- for flexibility that ensures consistency in ing the car to the mechanic…caring for order to avoid discrimination claims.

And, employers who don’t see the valan elderly parent, keeping a doctor’s appointment, attending a class to learn new ue in being flexible with their employees job skills, and going to a parent-teacher might consider these words by martial conference. It’s about doing all of these artist Bruce Lee: “Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the things, and still getting a job done.”

So, some flexibility from employers is ap- bamboo or willow survives by bending preciated in order for employees to handle with the wind.” the countless other duties life brings with it.

While employers should not be expected to al- Robin Paggi is the Training Coordinator at low employees to come and go as they please, Worklogic HR Legal Solutions and can be reached they can do the following to be more flexible: at rpaggi@worklogiclegal.com or (661) 695-5168.

42 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 43

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF

License #867069

Sergio Olmos

Superior Roofing

F

or eight years, Sergio Olmos and his company, Superior Roofing, have been bringing workmanship of the highest quality to Kern County’s citizens. “I was born and raised in Bakersfield,” Olmos said.

“All of my crew lives right here in Kern County, as well.”

What started out as a one-man operation has now been built up to eleven employees. Regardless of how much this business has grown, though, one thing still remains true: the loyalty to customers and the commitment to keeping them satisfied. “I believe that a happy employee is the best employee, and that will naturally produce happy customers. We all make sure that our customers are our number one priority. We refuse to leave a customer unhappy—even if it means that we have to break even or lose money on a job.”

The strong clientele is enough to show just how happy past customers have been.

Superior Roofing has done work on buildings at Minter Field, the Laurelglen Square Condominiums, La Quinta Inn on Rose-

Chances are, you have seen some of this company’s handiwork around town.

This locally-owned and operated roofing company services all of Kern County and is a true customer-oriented business.

Whether it’s a residential or a commercial job, Superior Roofing has you covered!

182 Quantico Ave., #3 Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-322-8300

44 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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dale Highway, as well as countless jobs in neighborhoods such as Haggin Oaks. Its specialties include complete re-roofings, repairs, maintenance, and even air conditioner replacements. Superior Roofing services both commercial and residential jobs.

Thanks to the company being smaller, service is personalized, so customers are always put first. “When you call, you’re not going to talk to a receptionist or salesperson,” Olmos said, “you are going to talk to me. I answer the phones and I give the estimates.” This not only creates an instant bond, but it also means that there’s less overhead to worry about, so that cost does not get passed on to the customer.

For all of your roofing needs, go with the company that not only knows Kern County, but also cares about the people it serves. There is no down payment, no deposit required—just solid, committed customer service and premium work. You can be sure that the staff will treat you like a neighbor because they are your neighbors.

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF

CA Lic. 0H56070

Rob Hill, Shannon Hill, Chuck Brummer

The Hill Agencies - Allstate Insurance

W

hen Rob Hill decided it was time to expand his business, he did so in a very smart way.

Rob owns and operates Valley Dealer Services, a company that has worked with Allstate Dealer Services assisting car dealerships in their finance and insurance departments for many years. So, Rob approached Allstate Insurance about opening an agency. It turned out to be a great decision for Rob and partners Shannon Hill and Chuck Brummer.

“From our perspective, we had never felt like we received great customer service from any of our prior insurance agents,” explained Shannon. “We wanted to do things differently—we really want to have a relationship with each of our customers.”

The trio’s first Allstate agency opened on November 1, 2010, in the Bakersfield Automall, and in its first year ranked 22nd in the state for sales. Just a few months later, Shannon took over an existing Allstate agency located in the southwest. Under Shannon’s direction, this office was

Rob, Shannon, and Chuck are involved in our community in big ways, including awareness events for texting while driving, and, through the Allstate Foundation, donating to CASA and Children’s Miracle Network.

Each office offers full-service insurance needs to every customer.

1100 Calloway Dr., #C200 Bakersfield, CA 93312 661-283-0300 CURRICULUM VITAE

awarded the prestigious Circle of Champions Award in its first year and is currently classified as a Premier Service Agency for its exceptional customer service. “And we have recently opened our third agency in the northwest, which Chuck heads,” Shannon continued. “Currently, we have a total of eleven agents working at our full-service offices, including two life insurance specialists.” Services include auto and home insurance, but also life and business insurance, as well as retirement planning.

Each of these agents takes their work seriously and their combined goal is to make sure all customers are educated when it comes to every aspect of their insurance coverage, before they need it. “Insurance is a serious business, but is something that a lot of people don’t think about until they need it,” Shannon said. “I love the fact that what we do every day truly matters to someone’s life.” After all, Allstate’s motto is “You’re in good hands.” And, Shannon added, “It’s our job to make that motto a reality for every one of our customers.” www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 45

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF

(l-r) Justin Eccleston, Tamara Hodges, Josh Hodges, Scott Hodges, Karen Hodges, Lonnie Baker, & "Abby"”

License #908014 (Electric) ACO #6924 (Security)

Wise Security Systems, Inc.

S

afety and security are always priorities when you’re raising a family at home or establishing a business. Luckily for Kern County residents, Wise Security Systems, Inc. services both residential and commercial areas in town and is also bringing some of the most innovative forms of security to customers. Co-owners Scott and Josh Hodges explained that the company specializes in fire and security alarms; closed circuit television monitoring; access control (from card swiping to thumbprints); and 24-hour monitoring services. Boasting well over 50 years of combined experience, the professionals at Wise Security truly are local leaders in the industry, and are committed to meeting the diverse needs of their clientele.

“We can set people up so that, even if they happen to have forty different sites they’re monitoring, it will all be networked back to one location,” said Low Voltage Manager Justin Eccleston. “A customer could be in China and can change permissions on access or even lock the doors for their businesses or homes right here in Bakersfield with ease.”

At the forefront of the industry, Wise Security Systems, Inc. keeps up with the latest changes in technology to offer the most up-to-date services to clients.

The company has over 50 years of combined experience delivering protection, peace of mind, and performance.

2301 Fruitvale Ave., Ste. 6 Bakersfield, CA 93308 661-395-0249 www.wisesecuritysystems.com

46 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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With the interactive monitoring feature, it is possible to do everything from remotely securing your home to adjusting the temperature from your phone or computer. And that isn’t the end of their technological accommodations. Even if you have a security problem that requires equipment that might not even be on the market yet, this forward-thinking group can help create that certain something that may be exactly what you’re missing.

“We worked with Verizon, Telco, and a solar manufacturer to create a solar-powered, wireless camera that can capture images in a place that had absolutely no way of being monitored, otherwise,” Eccleston detailed. “A camera of this kind isn’t even available for non-government use, so we went out and created a device our clients could use.” Wise Security will also streamline the process so that it is easy and accessible to people of all ages and experience.

Whether you’re protecting your home or business, you can trust your safety to the professionals at Wise Security Systems.

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF

Daniel Luna, Tito Luna

Valley Oxygen

V

alley Oxygen is a leading respiratory therapy company focused on home oxygen aerosol and sleep therapy. The company was established in 2004 by President & CEO Daniel Luna and Vice President Tito Luna. Having both previously worked in medical sales, the two brothers noticed that the industry, itself, lacked a level of compassion and care that the patients deserved.

Within seven years, the company experienced phenomenal growth, and currently services over 4,000 patients in six locations throughout California and Nevada. The growth expectation for 2013 is to add four to six new service centers.

As the industry changes, Valley Oxygen continues to show progress and forward thinking. The company has embraced technology and is now 80 percent paperless. In addition to investing in state-of-the-art equipment and supplies, the company also provides a wide range of services, including personalized inhome patient education for oxygen and

Valley Oxygen will continue its plans for expansion in 2013, thus allowing more patients to experience a higher level of service.

4825 Calloway Drive Bakersfield, CA 93312 661-589-6800 www.valleyoxygen.net CURRICULUM VITAE

sleep devices, complimentary overnight Pulse Oximetry, 24/7 On-Call Emergency Services, and Respiratory Therapists on staff to personally assist every patient with their needs.

Vice President & COO Tito Luna said, “Our patients are important to us and we make it our priority to focus on their needs first. We believe that if we take care of the patient first, everything else will fall into place. This is something that makes us unique.”

The future looks very bright for Valley Oxygen, and they are leading the way in their industry. But making investments in equipment and developing customized technology solutions aren’t the only changes being made. In 2013, Valley Oxygen will be introducing a new and revolutionary DME company. President & CEO Daniel Luna added, “It is a shedding of the old and moving into the new. We want to set the path for the next generation of DME companies. Stay tuned…” www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 47

ONE MINUTE BUSINESS BRIEF

Fresno Pacific University

R

andy Wallace is ready to help Bakersfield create its workforce of the future. From the introductory training needed by entrylevel employees, to leadership education for mid-level managers and strategic practices for senior executives, the challenges and needs are similar for business, nonprofit, and government organizations. “Fresno Pacific University can supply training for every level of employment,” said Wallace, the director of business programs at FPU Bakersfield Center.

Wallace, who oversees business administration and the Global MBA, likes mixing business and mission. “I have experience in looking at nonprofits in an entrepreneurial way,” he said.

On the education side, Wallace earned a Ph.D. in organizational leadership from Regent University, a master’s in human resource leadership for Azusa Pacific University, and a bachelor’s in religious education from Trinity College. Since 1992 he’s put that knowledge into practice as founder and president of Mustard Seeds and Mountains, a Christian community development agency in West Vir-

“[Wallace] demonstrated a working knowledge of where Bakersfield is coming from and where it is going.” –John Kilroy Areas of study at FPU include business administration, Global MBA, Christian ministry and leadership, early childhood development, liberal arts, kinesiology, education (several areas), and online programs.

Bakersfield Center 11000 River Run Blvd., Suite 200 Bakersfield, CA 93311 661-617-4500 fpu.edu/Bakersfield

48 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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ginia that sponsored micro-economic development and training for entrepreneurs in addition to traditional mission programs.

Wallace’s way of bringing together nonprofit, business, and political leadership, and the homework he did before he got to Bakersfield, impressed John Kilroy, dean of the FPU School of Business. “He demonstrated a working knowledge of where Bakersfield is coming from and where it is going,” Kilroy said.

To find out what businesspeople in Bakersfield need, Wallace is working with Kern Leadership Alliance, the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations. He hopes networking will build programs and identify new local adjunct faculty, “so students not only get cutting-edge academic training, but also valuable practical insights,” he said.

What he’s learned so far, Wallace likes.

“I’m impressed with what God is doing in Bakersfield, there are so many wonderful things going,” he said. “I appreciate the unofficial motto: ‘Big city with a small-town feel.’ ”

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(l-r) Jonathan Richards, Beverly Richards, Carolyn DiMolfetto

GS Family Music

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hat began 20 years ago as a sole proprietorship of a music studio has transformed into a multi-family partnership that serves a very important niche in our community. GS Family Music is here to infuse some musical magic into Bakersfield.

“We love the sense of serving the families of our community and enhancing quality music education,” explained Beverly Richards, who owns GS Family Music along with her son, Jonathan Richards, and partners Carolyn and John DiMolfetto.

Under the umbrella of GS Family Music are Gabriel’s Song 2U (which focuses on music lessons in the student’s home) and Family Music Center (a music instruction studio and retail store to meet clients’ musical needs). “We now offer guitar, drums, voice, and piano lessons,” Jonathan added. “In addition, we host two recitals per year, and we also put on music camps throughout the summer.”

With eight staff members currently working at the facility near Rosedale Highway and Calloway Drive, the Richards and the DiMolfettos are excited to continue expanding their services and student base. In addition to accommodating for physical growth, “we foresee adding more high-tech enhancements and incentive programs to help motivate students,” Beverly said. Clearly, they’re hitting all the right notes.

DRE #00975305

Jeanne Radsick-Century 21 Hometown Realty

W

ith a deep passion for her work, coupled with a personal philosophy of giving clients and agents more than they would have expected in service and knowledge, it is no wonder that Jeanne Radsick with Century 21 Hometown Realty has been a pillar in the real estate community for 25 years now.

As a State and National Director for the Association of Realtors (for 14 and 11 years, respectively), Radsick has enjoyed a successful career making homeowners happy and agents top-notch professionals. As a testament to her outstanding work, she has been the recipient of many awards, including Salesperson of the Year for the Bakersfield Association of Realtors in 1998; Realtor of the Year in 2007; and was also awarded special recognition from the Department of Real Estate for Outstanding Service in 2011.

Amazingly, her talents don’t end there. “I also volunteer to lobby our legislators on behalf of Realtors’ organizations for private property rights, because there are no homeowners’ grassroots associations that lobby,” she said. This means that Radsick is also on the political forefront, lobbying to keep laws fair to those who own or are looking to buy a home.

When you need someone to help you traverse the real estate industry, there’s no one better than Jeanne Radsick.

9600 Retail Drive, Suite 101 Bakersfield, CA 93312 (661) 247-7435 www.gabrielssong.net

4800 Easton Drive, Suite F Bakersfield, CA 93309 661-834-2121 www.JeanneRadsick.com

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3 0 - s e c o n d B U S I NESS B R I E F

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Linda Hartman, Armando Llamas

(l-r) Rene Meza, Marcus Castillo, Ryan Davis, Josh Hubble, Kelley Hubble, Omar Jimenez

BARC Bakersfield ARC

Jaguar Wrought Iron

S

ince 1949, BARC has been providing essential job training, employment, and support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

“Our goal is to give people a purpose in life,” explained BARC Foundation Executive Director Linda Hartman.

And Giving People Purpose™ really is the motto at this longtime nonprofit, which offers more than 10 programs designed to meet specific needs of clients.

“BARC’s training, vocational, and educational programs enhance the lives of our clients whose disabilities range from mild to profound,” Hartman added.

As the largest service provider for adults with disabilities in Kern County, BARC has many success stories, big and small. These successes happen every day for the 180 staff members and 450 clients who find empowerment while earning wages working at various BARC industries including Recycling, Document Destruction, Packaging, and the new Material Recovery Facility. “Revenues earned are reinvested in other client activities such as advocacy, enrichment, socialization, and family support,” Hartman said. “We invite everyone to take the Grand Tour. You’ll leave amazed, moved, and you may discover that one of BARC’s industries is a perfect fit for your business needs.”

2240 South Union Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-834-2272 www.barc-inc.org 50 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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aguar Wrought Iron has been one of Kern County’s top choices for custom-made decorative gates, handrails, fencing, and more since 1971. With a strong dedication to customer service and quality craftsmanship, this iconic business has thrived throughout the years, and plans to continue for many more to come.

“Not only can people come into our showroom and be able to see the many ornamental components so that they can pick and choose and design their own project,” said owner Josh Hubble, “but we can also go to them. We give free estimates, so we go out to homes, look at the project, discuss options, and then really work with the customer so that we can create a design that they’re sure to love.”

From decorative gates for driveways or wine cellars to ornate spiral staircases, Jaguar Wrought Iron’s ability to take a project from the design all the way to installation helps set them apart from other businesses in the industry. The versatility doesn’t end there, however. “For the do-it-yourselfer or the weekend warrior, we sell all sorts of parts in our showroom,” Hubble divulged. “We have lock boxes, hinges, tubing materials, and a variety of other parts to complete a job.”

Whether you want the staircase of your dreams or just need high-quality parts to enhance your own venture, Jaguar Wrought Iron can make it possible.

300 Union Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93307 661-323-5015 www.jaguarwroughtiron.com CURRICULUM VITAE

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License #01896162

Adam Belter Coldwell Banker Preferred

Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County, Inc.

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T

hen considering a Realtor, you can’t go wrong with someone who not only knows the business inside and out, but also knows Bakersfield just as well.

Adam Belter was born and raised in Bakersfield, and has worked his way up in the local real estate community over the years. “I started out as a file boy at American Title when I was thirteen,” Belter said. “In high school, I took summer jobs at First American Title and Westchester Funding, as well.” Upon graduating from BHS, Belter went to gain valuation knowledge at Pacific Appraisal Consultants while working on his appraisal license and attending BC. Later on, Belter went to Santa Barbara to continue his education. He returned to Bakersfield in 2009 and in 2011 decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, longtime Realtor, Gary Belter, at Coldwell Banker. In March of this year, he started as an independent Realtor and has already qualified for Coldwell Banker’s Chairman’s Circle based on his production level.

Having been in Bakersfield for the majority of his life, Belter asserted that he is most excited about the continued growth we’ve experienced as a city. He loves that our town has grown so much yet still maintains that friendly, smalltown feel and he aims to meet our community’s real estate needs for many years to come.

he Alzheimer’s Disease Association of Kern County, Inc. (ADAKC) is a hidden jewel in the Bakersfield community.

ADAKC’s vision is that everyone in Kern County on the Alzheimer’s journey has the help and support they need.

Their adult day care centers are of wondrous benefit for caregivers and their loved ones diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other related diseases. Caring for a person with declining memory is stressful and requires constant attention and redirection; as memory fades even the simplest activities become challenging. All too often, caregivers neglect their own health and wellbeing.

“The philosophy of our program is simple and unique: addressing the needs of caregivers. Respite day care at our centers gives families and caregivers time to step back and address their own needs so they may ultimately be of greater help to their loved ones. While their loved one is at our center, our staff provides a safe and loving environment where our clients engage in activities giving them much needed interaction, socialization, and stimulation. Research indicates that such activities can slow down the progression of the disease,” explains CEO Kate Eucce. In addition to the day care, ADAKC supports caregivers by offering services such as support groups and educational classes. After all, the ADAKC’s motto is: “families helping families.”

9100 Ming Avenue, #100 Bakersfield, CA 93311 661-334-4068

5500 Olive Drive, Bldg. One Bakersfield, CA 93308 661-393-8871 www.adakc.org

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3 0 - s e c o n d B U S I NESS B R I E F

Wigley Real Estate Professionals

Call for your complimentary analysis and professional staging of your home

Dre. Lic. #01766835

Our family serving your family.

Featured Home of the Month

12202 Harrington Ave., Grand Island

Denise:

661-978-4101

Denise@wigleyteam.com

Adventure Boot Camp

Kyle:

661-330-9863

Kyle@wigleyteam.com

www.WigleyTeam.com

L

adies, when seeking a way to lose weight and inches; a boost in self confidence; a lowering of body fat; and an elevated understanding of nutrition, look no further than Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp for Women! Certified Adventure Boot Camp Instructor and mother of four, Lisa Cooper, assured that any woman who joins her boot camps will benefit greatly.

“Adventure Boot Camp is a great way for women to get personal training in a smaller group setting—which also makes for a strong sense of camaraderie,” she said. “The courses aren’t competitive, and I make sure that no woman is left behind. For beginners, modifications are given for each exercise alongside advanced exercises that will challenge your body and keep you motivated!”

Cooper’s program—which has been going strong for five years—offers you the choice of attending classes at different times each morning. Not only that, but she also has specialty camps that cater to those with specific needs and schedules. Have a baby you can’t find a sitter for?

Then consider signing up for her stroller boot camp. If you’re a busy bride with a few pounds to shed, book a boot camp for you and all of your bridesmaids!

From before and after assessments to emails with recipes and motivational tips, this is one fun boot camp that is a step above the rest.

Register Online Now! 661-378-8602 www.bakersfieldbootcamp.com 52 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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Photo courtesy of Colleen Bauer

For Women, By Women

By Eman Shurbaji

There’s nothing quite like a little Girl Power to start the year off with a bang.

For thousands of women in our community, that power goes hand in hand with celebrating accomplishments, achieving goals, and inspiring others. And we do mean thousands.

Each year, the Women’s Business Conference caters to well over 1,000 women in our community by hosting celebrity speakers, orchestrating seminars, and offering a day of exciting opportunities for personal and professional growth. It’s a special day that addresses the unique needs and aspirations of Kern County women and the Women’s Business Conference Executive Board is proud that the annual event is in its 24th year.

“This year, we are a fully-fledged nonprofit organization, so it’s great,” said Colleen Bauer, a longtime board member and co-chair.

“We are really looking forward to having the Conference be the best yet— we’ve really gotten a lot of feedback from women who’ve attended in the past years, and we’re always switching things up to accommodate those suggestions and ideas,” she added.

And that’s the beauty of having board

members that are so involved in the community take part in the planning each and every year.

“None of the women on the board are paid, and they’re continuously meeting,” said Bauer.

Among the representatives on the board are women working for local colleges, Rabobank, State Farm Insurance, Aera En-

Each year, the Women’s Business Conference caters to well over 1,000 women in our community by hosting celebrity speakers, seminars, and offering a day of exciting opportunities for personal and professional growth.

ergy, Chevron, Bright House Networks, and local, women-owned businesses.

These women are volunteering their time, but they’re also enjoying themselves and, as an added bonus, finding their own inspiration through participation with this event.

That’s certainly been true for Caron McNearney, who’s been a board member for the Conference since 2002. For McNearney, getting involved was a way to give back to community. But she also saw, firsthand, a group of impressive local women making important decisions. And it’s inspired her in her own career.

“I’ve never seen a more organized group, one that is very diligent and devoted to tasks,” McNearney said. “It’s so synergistic, and the most talented group I’ve had the opportunity to work with,” she added.

After getting involved with the Board and meeting dedicated community-minded women, “I saw my own options as unlimited. I can put energy and commitment [into my decisions] and everything was possible,” she said contently.

McNearney has pioneered her career in healthcare management, and is now the chief operating officer (COO) of Clinica > www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 53

A d v e r t i s e m e n t

Direct Source Lending, Inc. Helping People Realize Their Dreams As the owner and CFO of Direct Source Lending, Inc., Sheree Desmarais has dedicated the last 25 years of her professional career to helping people realize their dreams of home ownership.

Yet mortgage banking wasn’t always her business.

“I formed my first corporation in 1978 as a general contractor and broker in the state of Washington,” Desmarais explained.

“Building homes was an unconventional career path for women in the day, and that was a good thing.” The recession that occurred in the early 1980s was a real test for Desmarais and her business.

“Like many business owners, I had to manage painful losses and make hard decisions about profit and risk, all to keep my company solvent. But that challenge certainly prepared me for the current housing recession.”

In 1986, Desmarais moved to Bakersfield to be closer to her adult children. “At that point, it was a natural transition to refocus my career in mortgage banking, developing partnerships with local builders and realtors,” she added. Direct Source Lending was created.

Early on, Desmarais realized the importance of mentoring and training young women and men in her office in the mortgage banking industry. This leadership and attention earned her the “Boss of the Year” award in 1992, presented by the Bakersfield Association of Professional Mortgage Women.

With dedication and tenacity, Desmarais focuses on delivering the best possible product and results for her clients while sustaining Direct Source Lending’s viability in today’s volatile lending climate. In addition to setting the business plan and creating goals, Desmarais delegates, prioritizes, and manages all production needs in the office. But she’s well aware that she couldn’t do it without such a talented staff at her side.

“I’m extremely proud of my staff for their positive attitudes, knowledge, dedication, and loyalty. These qualities enable Direct Source Lending to not only survive but come out strong in the future.”

As the housing industry continues to find its footing, Desmarais and the staff at Direct Source Lending are ready to put their knowledge and talent to work for everyone looking to own or refinance their own home.

Sheree Desmarais-Owner and CFO

Sheree Desmarais has dedicated the last 25 years of her professional career to helping people realize their dreams of home ownership.

54 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

5558 California Avenue, Suite #100 661-334-1553 Sheree@DirectSourceLending.com

For Women, By Women Sierra Vista. She has been with the agency for nine years; six of which she has served as COO. As a board member for the Conference, she works as part of the team to ensure the event is organized and welcoming.

She’s not the only one.

Colleen Bauer, this year’s co-chair, used her newfound knowledge and optimism to start her own business, in addition to her day

brighter futures.” For this reason, the celebrity speakers at the Conference will be Lynda Resnick, co-owner of Paramount Farms; Giuliana Rancic, the ItalianAmerican host of E! News and host of red carpet events; and local television news personality Robin Mangarin-Scott. Resnick will be the opening speaker; Rancic will be the keynote speaker; and Mangarin-Scott will be the closing speaker.

Past Conference speakers have included former model, author, and television personality Tyra Banks.

As Kern County remains a largely overshadowed area compared to the rest of California, celebrities and visitors are always pleasantly surprised when they attend the Women’s Business Conference.

Photo By Photography by Sylvia

job at Rabobank. She does event and wedding planning through her company, Fairy Godmother, currently in its third year.

“I never thought I could do it until I attended the Conference,” she said.

Part of the reason the Conference offers so much to the ladies in our community is because it’s supposed to relate to and impact local ladies. The Board selects a theme and tries to make sure that the women who attend are going to discover something about themselves that will help them in life.

This year, according to Deanna Blaise, Conference chair, the theme is “nurturing

For Deanna Blaise, getting involved was a way to give back.

“We wanted to bring in an ‘ag’ flair,” said Blaise.

This “flair”will largely be represented by Resnick, who, along with her husband Stewart Resnick, have established an empire of top-selling products, such as POM Wonderful pomegranate juice and FIJI Water.

“We are trying to address that agriculture [aspect] of the community, and she represents that wonderfully,” said Blaise.

Resnick isn’t just an entrepreneur and businesswoman—she has years of experience with respect to philanthropy and as a marketing head. She began marketing at the age of 19 with her own advertising agency, Lynda Limited, and is credited with being the mastermind behind the POM Wonderful logo and signature bottle shape. As the pomegranates are from trees grown in the San Joaquin Valley, she is perpetually linked to the area.

“Giuliana Rancic was selected as speaker because of her perseverance,” said Blaise.

Rancic is a celebrity who publicly battled breast cancer and infertility. Having undergone a double mastectomy and discussed her desire for a family and children, she speaks to many women who have faced challenges in their lives. Nevertheless, Rancic was able to rise above her struggles, and

today is the mother of two children, and continues to host and work in Hollywood.

Longtime local celebrity Robin Mangarin-Scott will be part of the local image at the Conference. As a former television anchor for Channel 17 KGET News, Mangarin-Scott now works in the community, working with local hospitals and championing causes close to her heart: she serves on the board of the American Cancer Society and Women and Girls Fund.

As Kern County remains a largely overshadowed area compared to the rest of California, celebrities and visitors are pleasantly surprised when they attend the Conference.

“Speakers always say, I can’t believe I’m treated like this,” said Bauer, happily.

Past speakers have included: Tyra Banks; Jackie Joyner Kersee; Vickie Lawrence; Debbi Fields of Mrs. Field’s Cookies; and Joan London.

And although speakers are an integral part of the Conference, sessions, booths, and displays are what give it livelihood.

This year, for the first time ever, a pre-Conference event will also take place. So there’s a lot for attendees to look forward to.

It’s important to realize, though, that the Conference would not be as successful as it is without the support of the Board. The women who really understand what it means to be a part of a committee that aims to inspire and encourage local women to stand up and fight for the career and the life they want.

And they have the energy to do that, because being involved in the Conference, itself, has given them confidence and courage to make those decisions in their own lives.

“Every year we have women really take charge of their own destiny, seeking out networking opportunities, and really hoping change takes place within themselves,” Blaise explained. >

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 55

For Women, By Women This year is no different. There will be three sessions that take place throughout the day, including 36 learning workshops. Each session has a facilitator, and the sessions will range from: mentoring and career advice; utilizing social media; how to change careers; and leadership training. Experts will give first-hand insight about their respective subjects of expertise.

For those unable to attend same-day sessions and speeches, there is a new “Mix and Mingle” event taking place the day before, on the evening of April 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“It gives women who purchased a ticket the opportunity to shop with vendors. That way, if they can’t leave work for the entire day, they can participate a little and watch a cook-off with the celebrities,” said Blaise, enthusiastically.

Since the Women’s Business Conference is now a nonprofit organization, the Board recognizes that it’s more important than ever to support local charities and give back to a community that gives so much.

For the last few years, nonprofits organizations have been invited to attend.

“We always have an area for nonprofit within the community and this year we are going to have a speaker and nonprofit corner, with a designated area and eight to ten spots,” Blaise added.

This corner will allow attendees to learn more about some of the local nonprofits in our area and find out ways that they can help.

And, the nonprofit presence means that every women attending can expand her outreach in the community, not only professionally, but personally as well.

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As always, there will be tons of opportunities for business and social networking, as well as shopping, the day of the Conference.

“We’re looking to help women grow and get to the next step— there are lots of options, and other women will help them grow.

It’s a place where you can go network and see what’s out there,” said Bauer.

The networking aspect of the Conference has been credited with helping women catapult and gain confidence in their professional lives. That includes women who’ve attended and, as we’ve seen, the women who help organize this one-of-a-kind celebration.

Clearly, The Bakersfield Women’s Business Conference isn’t just an annual event to enjoy—it’s a lifetime experience to treasure.

For more information or to how to purchase tickets, log on to bakersfieldwomen.org.

For Leslie Knox, running a successful company is more than just a way to make a living— it’s personal.

Working Like Family

By Tracie Grimes

“When we first started we were in a shell of a building with no heat, no airconditioning, and cockroaches so big you could ride them,” Knox laughed, thinking back on the early days of an old building her uncle offered to let them use. “The whole idea behind starting AIS [an industrial cleaning and coating company] came about because we had an opportunity to buy a water blaster for $6,000, so we decided ‘let’s do this’ and started looking around for an office building. Everything was so expensive! Then my uncle, who had an empty building on his property,

offered his building for nothing. Well, I couldn’t just use it for nothing so he said, ‘OK you can have it for $75 a month.’ ” So with the water blaster, a building they could call the AIS home, and big plans here in Kern County, Knox and her ex set out to make it big in a niche they were ready to carve out: industrial cleaning in Kern’s oilfields. It wasn’t long before AIS landed their first contract…but it wasn’t in their target market. “Even though we were geared up to work in the oil industry, our first contracts were actually in the food, glass, and cement industries.” >

Issac Pizano with Leslie Knox

Photos Courtesy of Artisan Photography

I try to run the business like a family. I think it’s hugely important that employees come to work because they feel like they are a part of something, not just because they want to earn a paycheck.

Leslie Knox attends the annual Fight For Life fundraiser.

Her company, AIS, sponsors the event alongside other efforts to combat cancer. www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 57

Whatever works, Knox thought as she plugged ahead, looking for an opening into the oil industry. But it was much harder to break into than she thought it would be.

“Having grown up here and with my father working in oil, I really thought I’d seen an opportunity to fill a need,” Knox explained. “But there weren’t a lot of women in the oil field at that time. Nowadays things are different and you see a ton of women working in the fields, but back then, women were mostly in the offices. In those early days I actually had to consider whether or not I should bring one of the boys working for me with me to talk to these oil guys so they would take me seriously.”

Slowly but surely, Knox started to gain the respect not only of the men running the show out in the fields, but of her own employees. She proved to them that she wasn’t a girly-girl afraid to get her fingernails dirty: “They saw that I wasn’t afraid to suit up, grab a shovel, and get dirty right along with them.”

Now, Leslie doesn’t have to worry about whether or not to “take one of the boys” with her; her relationships with all the majors in Kern County­­—Aera, Chevron, Oxy, for instance—gives her the respect she needs to make it in the “man’s” world of oil. AIS now services a base of about 60 clients and Knox works her solid relationships with local companies to make sure her 180 employees stay busy and employed.

“It’s a pretty good feeling being in the industry and being a woman, but I feel most blessed by the fact that I have a great team. I really can’t take the credit for any of AIS’ success; all I can take credit for is making sure that they stay employed— that there’s always a contract out there that will keep everybody working, every day. It’s because I have a team that will go above and beyond what is expected of them during the workday that AIS has the reputation it does today.”

And AIS doesn’t just show up to do the work they’re paid for; they show up to pay it forward for our community.

Giving back is a big part of Knox’s AIS corporate model and beating cancer is on the minds of every AIS employee. Relay For Life, the Wall of Life, and Fight For Life fundraisers sponsored by AIS have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for Kern County’s battle against cancer, and most recently a $2 million donation was given by AIS to the AIS Cancer Cen-

photo courtesy of Leslie knox

Working Like Familyike

Knox and her friend, Jeremy Riordan, at the construction site for the AIS Cancer Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital.

Riordan passed away last year and the Fight For Life in 2012 was held in his honor.

ter at San Joaquin Community Hospital.

“There are so many people right here at home fighting cancer that have to deal with the stresses and strains cancer puts on them and their families,” Knox said, thinking back on the fight close to her heart that started her on this journey to fight cancer here in kern county. “I saw first-hand what my friends were going through when their child was diagnosed with cancer at age one. I saw the emotions, the meltdowns, what it meant to

It’s a pretty good feeling being in the industry and being a woman, but I feel most blessed by the fact that I have a great team. lose the battle—this kind of experience really attaches itself to your heart. I just had to get involved in some way.”

And Knox gives back not just in “some” way, but in a big way. Through AIS. And her employee-family is behind her 100 percent.

“Every time I say, ‘hey, let’s be a part of this or that cause for our community,’ our employees are always ready to step up and give of themselves. Whether it’s donating $1 an hour for a charity, or walking in the Relay For Life, our employees always step up.”

58 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

It’s this kind of hard work and dedication that makes the difference between success and failure, according to Knox, adding that respect for life and all that it has to offer is equally important.

“My role models were my parents and they taught me that you have to respect what you get in life. It takes hard work and dedication, but not everything has to be rough. You can choose to create an environment that is enjoyable. When I think back on how hard it was to make that first dollar, I remind myself that I didn’t do it alone— I did it with the help from my employees.

That makes them an integral part of my day and since I want to surround myself with people who are happy, I really look at them, treat them, and feel like they’re family. I had one employee tell me, ‘At my last job my boss didn’t even know who I was.’ I think that’s just sad. You should get to know your people, from the inside out. I think we’ve done a pretty good job of that here at AIS. I think if you asked employees if they’re happy here you’d find that ninetynine percent of them answer, YES!” Sure, salary, hours worked, and a positive work environment contribute to that percentage, but more likely, it’s that Knox, herself, is leading by example. She’s chosen to work hard for herself and her company and she’s choosing to stay connected to our community by giving back. This is a woman who’s kept her sight set on success.

State Senator Jean Fuller

A Life of Service Some believe that behind every great man stands a greater woman.

That statement can easily be extended to great counties, as well, and Kern certainly isn’t any exception.

For decades, local women have served as representatives on the political field for all of Kern County’s citizens in an assortment of different ways, and they all have one goal in common: to help create the best life possible for all of us.

State Senator Jean Fuller had a keen interest in politics long before she was even fully aware that she was actually a player in the political field. “I ran for vice president of Richland Junior High School on the recommendation of a teacher,” she recollected. “I was elected, and often partook in many community activities. Through high school, my desire to serve the community kept building.” As part of the Horizon Girls (an exten-

When it comes to politics, Kern County has some of the best women for the job.

That means a better life for us and future generations to come.

sion of the Girl Scouts), Fuller was sent to Puerto Rico, Columbia, and Jamaica to learn about other cultures. “There were one thousand girls from all over the U.S. involved.

It changed my life. When I came home, I saw the world through different eyes.”

This spirit stayed with her well into adulthood, where she felt a growing need to give back to a community that had given her so much. She became a teacher and eventually became the Bakersfield City School District Superintendent toward the end of her academic career. “Several prominent members of the community approached me and started asking if I would run for office,” she said. “It wasn’t an easy decision because I loved what I was doing as the superintendent. However, I did have a lot to say about state government at the time and I thought I could help the community, so I ran.”

As a state senator, Fuller’s top priority is to advocate for the community’s wellbeing. (Considering she represents Kern, Tulare, Inyo, and San Bernardino counties, she has a lot to take into account.) “In Sacramento, I have learned that the state has somewhat of a ‘one size fits all’ approach.

The counties I represent are heavily involved in industrial, manufacturing, and farming industries, and they don’t quite fit that mold. It can be challenging but it is totally engaging. You can’t do it halfway— you’re either in it or you’re not.”

Overall, she feels as though being in politics is “very gratifying. I get to help the community which has given so much to me,” she smiled.

Karen Goh has held the position of Kern County’s Fifth District Supervisor for a number of years. Though she didn’t have a direct interest in politics, her need to serve her community has always been something of a point of pride for her over the years. “I was raised in a home that modeled the value of family, the significance of education, involvement in the arts, always working your hardest to seek to produce excellence, and the call upon our lives to serve others,” she detailed.

Goh found herself becoming involved in education as a career, and also helped a number of nonprofits over the years and in many places outside of our county. But in 2005, she returned to Bakersfield and volunteered as the executive director for Garden Pathways for six years.

Still, the thought of taking her skills to local politics hadn’t even crossed her >

Former Kern County Supervisor Karen Goh www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 59

A Life of Service

mind until her late friend, Wendy Wayne, suggested the idea. Goh saw that, if she were to get into politics, then she would be able to serve an even greater subset of people which were very similar to those she counseled through Garden Pathways. She decided to submit her application, and was appointed in 2010.

“I was actively engaging in hands-on work with community members and providing extensive constituent services,” Goh elaborated.

Aside from fulfilling her deep love for serving the community that she holds so dearly, she has found great satisfaction in motivating community members to make life better for themselves and the world around them. One such instance was seeing a group of people in east Bakersfield reclaim their area, including Virginia Avenue Park, which they made into a safe place for children and families to visit.

Former City Councilwoman Sue Benham

Assemblywoman Shannon Grove “I’m delighted that similar mobilization efforts by community members are taking place at Lamont Park and Rexland Acres Park as the Fifth District office has collaborated with and helped to empower the residents. I couldn’t ask for a better community in which to live and serve.”

There are fewer people holding local offices that understand the needs of the average Kern County citizen quite like Assemblywoman Shannon Grove. She and her sister-in-law started Continental Labor together in 1993, and they were the only two running the entire operation, at first. “If there was a job that needed to get done that we couldn’t staff, we would go out and do the job, ourselves,” she reminisced. Grove was a donor prior to running for assembly, and she had never held a public office before. “I called Kevin McCarthy up to see who [the local Republican party representatives were] supporting, and he suggested I run.” She and her husband fasted and prayed before she made an official decision. She decided to give it a try and, much to her delight, she won.

Grove’s greatest pleasure from holding her office is derived from helping citizens get the recognition and help they need from the government while empowering them so that they aren’t heavily reliant. “I believe that I think like the people here, which is why I’ve done well at representing Kern County,” she said. “I’m for a free market where there is the opportunity to succeed in business and as

60 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

entrepreneurs. It’s an easy area to represent. I represent my district’s core values and the people of the community as best I can. As a result, I am able to help people out every single day.”

In addition to daily duties, she is on the board for Garden Pathways and Flood Ministries, hosts radio shows on occasion, and also helps out with the Honor Flight, as she, herself, served in the military.

“We have a great community, here. I love it. It has been good to me in business as well as my nonprofit and political endeavors,” she affirmed. She also admitted that, much like her businesses, she entered the game of politics blindly, but is happier than ever that she decided to do so. “I’m very committed to my district, and doing my very best so that the people I represent are taken care of.”

The idea of becoming a politician wasn’t something that Sue Benham had ever truly given serious thought to. That is, until District Supervisor David Couch had asked her to run for the Ward 2 seat as part of the City Council. The idea intrigued her, but she was also fueled by plans someone had proposed to build a baseball stadium on California Ave. “I didn’t like the idea of having that put there; I wanted to enhance the downtown area. I started educating myself on the issues and I decided to go for it,” she intimated.

“This is a very large and diverse area,” Benham said, recalling just how interesting it was to represent Ward 2 (Benham’s term just recently ended in December). Finding motivation through her love of public service, Benham held the part-time position, and was fortunate to see many wonderful things happen during her time in office. The expansion of Central Park and Mill Creek; the placement of the new federal courthouse near Central Park; downtown streetscaping; and more, were all seen to completion during the 12 years that she served on the Council. These far-reaching accomplishments were all just part of her job as getting the city to respond to the needs of her constituents.

“I got to be a part of all of these amazing things,” she recalled.

“The idea of building for the future was the most exciting part.” And build she did. Her passion for the downtown area helped her to remain passionate about her position because, according to Benham, “by improving the downtown area, you’re benefiting the entire city.”

During her service, she also worked with the Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Foundation as the CEO and executive director—a title that she still holds today. She helped to bring the Lauren Small

Children’s Medical Center and the Sarvanand Heart and Stroke Center to Bakersfield, as well. Even outside of politics, she is working hard and building a better life for local citizens every day.

“When I was very young, my family would have dinner with another family every Sunday,” began former Bakersfield Mayor Mary Shell. “My father would always talk politics with the father of the other family. I was fascinated. I would sit and just listen.” She even recalled when she and other children were asked what their favorite radio programs were. While the other kids were naming off the likes of Little Orphan Annie, Shell’s matter-of-fact response was, “The news.”

This fervor stayed with her during her days at East Bakersfield High School, where she was the editor for the campus paper. She graduated during World War II and went right to work for The Bakersfield Californian. She was also instrumental in promoting a number of candidates during those years. It was only a matter of time before she was writing about politics weekly for the paper. In 1979, her friends and husband suggested she run for Mayor of Bakersfield. “My husband at the time said, ‘You ought to run! You love Bakersfield, and you would do a great job!’

I already knew how to run a campaign from all of the years I helped others get into office.” Much to her—and to everyone but her husband’s—surprise, she won.

“I had a wonderful time as Mayor,” she said. While serving, Shell and her friends formed the Beautiful Bakersfield Committee, resurrected the Christmas parade, and established the Bakersfield Historical Preservation Commission. In 1984 she was elected to the Kern County Board of Supervisors—a position she held for two terms.

She established offices in underserved areas so that the population felt closer to her and to the decision-making process.

“I really enjoy people,” she concluded. “Politics gives you the

Former Bakersfield Mayor Mary Shell chance to meet people you may never meet, otherwise. It expands your opportunities, and each person has a very interesting story. My greatest reward was meeting all of the wonderful people I served.”

So when it comes to politics, Kern County seems to have the best women for the job, and that means a better life for us and for future generations to come. www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 61

Minimally Invasive Maximally Effective Approach for Optimal Cardiovascular Health

Dr. Tetsuo Ishimori

Dr. Peter C. Nalos

Dr. William Nyitray

Blending wisdom and excellence for 40 years!

Pioneer of electrophysiology in Kern County.

Raising the bar in interventional cardiology since 1988.

Dr. Kirit Desai

Dr. Brij Bhambi

Dr. Sanjiv Sharma

Pillar of Cardiovascular care for nearly three decades.

Tradition of world-class care and convenience of proximity.

Combining research and clinical excellence in a wide spectrum of interventional care.

Dr. Jared M. Salvo

Dr. Rasham Sandhu

Dr. Sarabjeet “Chhabra” Singh

Bringing the latest in heart rhythm management.

Expanding horizons of vascular care with state-of-the-art techniques.

Introducing a minimally invasive approach to structual heart disease.

A new paradigm!

“Heart is a Central Matter”

62 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

1-800-HEART24 Heart24.com

Bakersfield Magazine’s

2013

Ladies in Red It’s been almost a decade since we first partnered with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Campaign and we couldn’t be more proud to know that, in that time, thousands of local women have learned the importance of taking care of their hearts, and have taken steps to live healthier lives.

We are, as always, proud to unveil this year’s Ladies in Red: an impressive group of Bakersfield women with connections to heart disease and stroke who are willing to stand up and don red in support of a cause that affects so many in our community.

So, stand up with us as we salute these lovely ladies.

Heart health is always in style.

Special Issue Presented By www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 63

64 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

BAKERSFIELDMAGAZINE’S

for Women Special Issue Presented by:

Dear Women of Bakersfield, Join us in painting the town red this February, in celebration of the 10th anniversary of the American Heart Association’s “Go Red for Women” campaign.

This decade-long fight against heart disease has done much to increase awareness and lead us closer to optimum health. But heart disease remains the #1 killer of women in our country.

You can help reduce those odds by taking control. You can decide right now—today—to make different lifestyle choices and greatly reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.

And we’re here to help. We know that responsive, quality care is essential to obtaining and maintaining the best possible health.

That’s why we’ve made accessibility to quality care the cornerstone of our health plans. These include our health plans for employer groups, as well as our popular plan for Medicare beneficiaries.

Photography by Randall Photography

We’re fighting heart disease by focusing on: Early Prevention • Early Detection • Access to Quality Care The most important step toward winning this fight is one you make on a personal level—deciding today to make heart-healthy choices. Learn more about it at the “GoRedforWomen.org” website of the American Heart Association. There, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to reducing your risks.

Sincerely,

Michael R. Myers President and CEO GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

©2013, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund.

TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 65

Celebrating heart health has never been more in style!

These local women are dressed in red to bring awareness to the #1 and #3 killers of women in our community: heart disease and stroke.

Bakersfield Magazine’s

2013

Ladies in Red

66 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Special Issue Presented By

Š2013, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund.

TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.

Photography by Randall Photography

(L-R) Shana Mulgrew, Debra Bellerive, Frenchy Valenzuela, Julie Liebel, Madison Mulgrew, Becky Sutton, Cindy Steel, Kiersten Melendez, Laly Hernandez, Lorena Delgado Andrade, Robin Fleming, Tijuana Lusby www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 67

Making a difference is easy.

Learn your risks, adopt a healthier lifestyle including diet

and exercise, and talk to the women in your family to make sure these highly preventable conditions become a thing of the past.

Bakersfield Magazine’s

2013

Ladies in Red

68 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Special Issue Presented By

©2013, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund.

TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.

Photography by Randall Photography

(L-R) Allison Elam, Abigail Posey, Ashley Posey, Nicola Wright, Xochitl Ayon, Michelle Oxford, Marilee Reagor, Faith Kiana’Le Bradley Zachary, Dina Madden, Jazmine Ramsey, Raquel Clement, Brandy Johnson, Keyota Cole www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 69

70 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

We are, once again, proud to feature the survival stories of local women who’ve been personally touched by this devastating disease in order to continue educating everyone on the importance of watching for warning signs and taking care of your heart.

Special Issue Presented By

extra special

After all, heart disease in women isn’t just a national problem—it’s a local one.

Ladies in Red Photography by Randall Photography

Cindy By Cynthia Pleitez

Cindy Steel was in her garden digging up a tree when she began to feel what she thought was heartburn. In September of 2011, the 53-year-old human resources representative went to a gastrologist and he did not find anything wrong with her digestive system.

On March 16th, 2012, she began to experience discomfort at night—feeling pain in her shoulders and jaw. She had to prop her-

Cindy

self up to sleep properly. She knew something was wrong.

She immediately scheduled an angiogram.

By 4 o’clock that day, surgeons had prepped her for a quadruple bypass. The arteries around her heart were 95 percent blocked.

She wasn’t prepared for any sort of surgery, because up until she got the results of the angiogram, Cindy thought it was heartburn. She immediately called her husband.

They had scheduled to go on a trip to watch spring training in Arizona but now, with her unexpected heart problems, it was out of the question.

Prior to this health emergency, Cindy had never been diagnosed with any major medical condition. True, 10 years prior (after starting a new job and moving into a new home), she had experienced severe pain in her arm,

but after a few days in the hospital, doctors attributed the pain to stress.

This heart condition, and subsequent surgery, was not going to get Cindy down.

She was determined to get back to work.

Only one month after her surgery, she was back at the office—working fewer hours, of course.

She has since been on a steady regimen of medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol, which she didn’t know she had until the day of the angiogram. Only after her surgery did she learn that heart disease ran in her family.

When asked what life is like after her surgery, she explained, “I am amazed at all that I can do again. Eating habits, learning to cook healthy, and lifestyle changes have been critical.”

Cindy’s husband, Davis, was very supportive after her surgery and has chosen to make healthy changes with her. Life after her surgery is also very active, as Cindy is now a member of the American Heart Association (AHA) and her employer sponsored her for the 2012 Heart Walk. She raised $1,200 dollars for the AHA. Cindy wants women to know that it’s important to Go Red and participate in defeating the number one killer of women: heart disease. In Cindy’s own words, “there is always a support system out there.”

a mystery when she found herself gasping for air with pain in her chest during a basketball tournament. The first thought was that it might just be dehydration. Jazmine quickly dismissed that thought because it was never normal for her to feel so much chest pain when she played sports.

With great concern, her parents quickly sought medical attention. But after a series of various medical tests, the doctors were at a loss; nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

Then, in May of 2012, Jazmine found herself in the same situation during another basketball game. Once again it seemed as though the exertion of playing basketball was too much for her. She was gasping for air. Except this time, the then 14-year-old went into cardiac arrest. Others around her at the time described the reaction Jazmine had as looking like she was having a seizure. Consequently, she spent a week at Children’s Hospital and further tests concluded that she had a con-

Jazmine

Jazmine By Belinda Gordillo

“Determination, strength, and family will get you through any challenge,” said Jazmine Ramey, a courageous 15-year-old who recently underwent open heart surgery to save her life.

Since the age of four, Jazmine has had a love for basketball. She was always an active child and teenager, which is why it was

dition called Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery. This meant that she had two arteries in the same location in her body, which is what caused the chest pain and gasping during exertion.

On June 11, Jazmine was taken into the > www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 71

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operating room for open heart surgery. Not one person in her family had a history of heart disease and, prior to this diagnosis, Jazmine did not have any health concerns.

Fortunately, the surgery was a success.

Jazmine spent all summer right before her freshman year in high school recovering.

She knew heart disease was not going to stop her from doing what she loved. Amazingly, today she is back in the gym playing varsity basketball. She no longer has to take medications but she is well aware that she needs to listen to her body very carefully.

That’s why Jazmine pays close attention to how she’s feeling when she plays basketball and makes sure that she doesn’t push herself as hard as she did before surgery. She can’t play as vigorously right now and can’t play for the same length of time, but Jazmine is proving that she is resilient. Doctors predict that within a year of her surgery, she will fully recuperate. Today, Jazmine is happy to share her experience with others in hopes to raise awareness for heart disease.

Keyota and Faith By Cynthia Pleitez

Keyota Cole was born in 1979 in Los Angeles with a hole in her heart. She had her first surgery at the age of two, and her second surgery at age five.

It’s not an overstatement to say that, when it comes to doctors’ visits, Keyota’s had it rough.

Keyota

Though most of her life up to that point had been filled with difficult news and medical interventions, Keyota would still be shocked to find out that more bad news was on the horizon.

The year 2006 would bring with it a third heart operation. Before that surgery, she noticed that whenever she became upset she would experience an increased heart rate and her body would break out into a sweat.

She plucked up the courage to see a doctor about her concerns. That doctor referred her to a heart specialist. Much to Keyota’s surprise, the specialist found a flutter, which was the cause of her increased heart rate.

Her journey wasn’t done. In 2010, she found out she needed to have a tricuspid valve replacement. A few days after that surgery was performed, doctors had to put in a pacemaker because her heart rate would not get to the rate it needed to be.

Three months later, Keyota found out she was pregnant.

“Despite my pacemaker, I was determined to have my baby,” said Keyota.

Terrified, and not knowing what to expect, Keyota’s fears were only solidified when doctors told her that her pregnancy was lifethreatening. And not just for her.

At four months pregnant, specialists discovered her baby also had a heart condition. The baby was diagnosed with

Faith

double inlet left ventricle (DILV), a congenital heart defect that affects the valves and chambers of the heart.

Still, Keyota persevered through her pregnancy and delivered via C-Section at full term.

But the joy of seeing her baby was short lived as newborn baby girl Faith Kiana’Le Bradley Zachary needed open heart surgery at six days old.

After surgery, and after what seemed like forever, Keyota’s miracle baby opened her eyes. It wasn’t long before Keyota was able to take her baby home.

Keyota was connected with the American Heart Association recently and now serves as a spokesperson for the organization to help raise awareness for heart disease.

Because Keyota was able to recognize her symptoms early on and sought medical help from more than one doctor, mother and daughter are now both healthy and able to

72 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

share their story with the world. “If I could do it, you could do it, too!” said Keyota.

Raquel By Cynthia Pleitez

On Friday, June 1, 2012, Raquel Clement, a process safety advisor for Chevron, went into work at 7:30 a.m. She was in her office and started feeling a little tired, which was unusual for Raquel who is usually energetic in the morning.

Raquel then sneezed and, to her surprise, fell to the ground as she lost her balance. Her coworkers quickly came to her rescue and,

Raquel

noticing that she could not raise her left arm, were worried that she was having a stroke.

Her coworkers called 911 immediately.

Within five minutes, an ambulance arrived and Raquel was taken to a hospital. Doctors quickly determined that she had, in fact, suffered a stroke. She had a blood clot that had moved to the right side of her brain, causing paralysis to the left side of her body. A decision was made to put in a tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), a drug that would dissolve the blood clot.

Raquel could speak but her body was paralyzed.

Miraculously, the day after the stroke, Raquel was walking. She regained complete movement in her left side. Aside from the medications and the treatment she was given, she knows that time was a crucial part of her short recovery.

Today, six months after her stroke, Raquel is almost back to normal. Although some muscles in her throat, tongue, and neck are not fully recovered, she can speak, eat, and smile perfectly.

Prior to her stroke, Raquel was very healthy. She did not smoke, was very active, and in good shape. Doctors attributed Raquel’s stroke to her hormone levels and a combination of the medications she was taking. Strokes did run in her family, though. Both her grandmothers had experienced mild ones and they’d both recovered.

Life today for Raquel has new meaning.

“We need to be strong, keep fighting, and learn how to live a healthy life, even with the challenges,” she explained of all stroke survivors.

It seems as though Raquel’s bright outlook on life continues to inspire those around her.

Prior to her stroke, she had been a participant in three Bakersfield American Heart Association Heart Walks, in support of her family members who had cardiovascular disease.

But this year she participated as a survivor who wanted to raise funds for research.

Since the specialists who treated Raquel thought that a combination of medications could have been a contributor to her stroke, Raquel now encourages everyone to be aware of what they are taking and ask questions. “It is crucial to be informed of what you are taking and to note your risks,” said Raquel. “Knowing the symptoms not only of prescribed medicine but of heart attacks and stroke can be a matter of life and death.”

Luckily for Raquel, she is now able to share her story that a stroke can happen to anyone, but with knowledge of stroke symptoms, a support system, and a positive outlook, you can survive even the most unexpected of life’s challenges.

Shana and Madison

By Cynthia Pleitez Local teacher Shana Mulgrewa felt blessed and excited after discovering that she was pregnant. But this expecting

Shana

mother would soon learn that her pregnancy was going to be anything but normal.

At 22-weeks pregnant, Shana went in for her routine checkup and doctors were having trouble getting a clear look at the ultrasound of her baby. She traveled from Bakersfield to Los Angeles to have an echocardiogram performed on the baby.

To their surprise, doctors could not see the baby’s pulmonary artery or the braches con-

necting to her lungs. One of the first questions asked was if Shana was planning on terminating her pregnancy. Shana responded, “No, my God is bigger than that.”

The next time Shana went in, doctors performed another echocardiogram on the baby and discovered that the branches had grown but blood was not pumping to the pulmonary artery.

Doctors explained to the concerned mother that the baby was still connected to her, therefore surviving. She was also told that her baby was suffering from pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular stenosis and that surgery was going to be needed upon her delivery to open up the baby’s pulmonary artery.

Finally, Shana gave birth to baby Madison.

At only three days old, Madison underwent her first surgery. At day five, her blood wasn’t thickening properly so doctors had to perform surgery again and blood began leaking from her heart after a rupture occurred.

Life was never easy for Madison. At only 13 months old, doctors needed to perform what is called the Glenn Procedure, which helps to

Madison

reroute arteries. Sadly, two days after the procedure, Madison began to experience seizures.

Another test detected foreign matter in her brain. Anti-seizure medicine was given and she had to re-learn how to talk. The toddler then spent three years in physical and occupational therapy.

A second Glenn Procedure was performed in December of 2008. Today, brave little Madison is in kindergarten and loves to read and to play on the swing with her older sister, Lauren.

Shana went through so much to hold Madison in her arms and to finally be able to say that her daughter is healthy. As an advocate for the American Heart Association, Shana wants parents to know how much she appreciates the research and studies that have made it possible for her daughter and other children to live through cardiovascular conditions.

“If it wasn’t for the American Heart As-

sociation, the ultrasound technology that was used on Madison wouldn’t exist,” said Shana. Shana continues to tell her daughter’s survival story until Madison is old enough to share it herself and represent survivors all over Kern County.

Tijuana By Cynthia Pleitez

As a 64-year-old mother, grandmother, retired Los Angeles County city employee, and current Bakersfield resident, Tijuana Lusby knows that keeping faith can get you through even the most challenging of times.

Tijuana

It was May of 2011 when Tijuana began to take steps toward a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Her first step toward heart-health was taking control of her diet and weight loss, so every morning she began going on walks with her son. She recalled that on one particular morning, she wasn’t feeling normal. At first, Tijuana didn’t think much of it and attributed everything to a change in the weather.

Days passed and one night Tijuana woke up from a deep sleep after experiencing what she thought was “indigestion.” She entered the kitchen, took some pain medication, and went right back to bed.

In July of 2011, Tijuana started to wonder if she should see a doctor because she still wasn’t feeling quite right. Family members told her that she appeared to look swollen, but Tijuana attributed it to weight gain. Not thinking that it was anything serious, she simply increased her workout routines. While attending a conference, Tijuana began to feel like she would faint. She immediately scheduled an EKG and doctors were surprised to find that she had had a heart attack.

Tijuana remembers shouting, “You’re kidding!”

She couldn’t believe that she had experienced a heart attack without even knowing it.

An angiogram revealed that Tijuana was in need of a triple bypass, to which she replied once again, “You’re kidding!” >

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 73

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www.aggarwalclinic.com 74 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

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Because her father had open heart surgery, she saw heart conditions as an “old person’s” problem. She had not seen herself as at-risk at all.

On August 25, 2011, Tijuana was scheduled for open heart surgery. She prepared for surgery by telling herself that this medical intervention was a chance to be renewed and assured her family and friends not to worry. “I’m not going anywhere yet.”

Because she had worked so many years in Los Angeles, taking the Red Line Metrolink, she told doctors and nurses that she now has the Red Line to Heaven.

Tijuana completed her cardiac rehabilitation and is now a volunteer with the American Heart Association. She is an advocate for living a healthier lifestyle, and speaks on the importance of taking control of one’s health.

The exuberant and high-spirited heart disease survivor has a positive outlook on life. She enjoys spending her free time with family and her grandson, Rocco.

the tissue removed. But Caden was not done fighting. Just six months after the surgery, Caden had to be taken in for his post-operation appointment and doctors detected that the tissue had grown back. But doctors did not want to put more strain on Caden with another open heart surgery. They decided to monitor his heart in case the tissue grew back to the point where an obstruction could develop.

Caden was put on medication for a short time and, because of his surgery, he goes in every four months to have an echocardiogram.

With no family history of children with heart defects, Xochitl and her husband do not know what the cause of baby Caden’s heart

Caden

Xochitl and Caden

By Cynthia Pleitez Like any other mother, Xochitl Ayon felt blessed to hold her newborn baby, Caden, in her arms in March of 2008. But little did

Xochitl

Xochitl know that the normalcies of motherhood such as midnight feedings, diaper changes, and a crying baby were going to be the least of her worries. During baby Caden’s nine-month “well-baby” checkup, Xochitl was shocked to hear that Caden had a heart murmur. Then, they discovered that he also had a heart defect. He was diagnosed with a sub-aortic membrane, which is a life-threatening condition, as any tissue resting below the aortic valve can cause an obstruction.

In April of 2009, at only 13 months of age, Caden went in for open heart surgery to have

defect was. Doctors have not found a cause either for this particular heart defect, which affects one in every 100 babies.

For now, doctors say that 4-year-old Caden will one day need more open heart surgery. Xochitl has taken this experience to heart and has become an active community member and advocate of the American Heart Association. This year, Caden’s family and friends participated in the Bakersfield Heart Walk for a third year in a row so they could support “Team Caden.”

Xochitl wants others who are going through a similar situation to know that even though what Caden went through was emotional and heartbreaking, that it was only a small period of his life.

After Caden’s cardiologist connected Xochitl to “Moms with Heart,” she has been active in raising crucial funds to help fight heart conditions.

For now, Caden lives a healthy life and enjoys spending time with his two brothers. He may be young, but he understands that he is a survivor when he looks at the scar on his chest. “I walk at the Heart Walk to heal my heart,” he said. n

©2013, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.

2013 Go Red Sponsorship

National Sponsors Macy’s Merck Survivor Gallery Sponsor Mercy & Memorial Hospitals Speak from the Heart Sponsor San Joaquin Community Hospital Heart Seminar Sponsor Comprehensive Cardiovascular Medical Group Central Cardiology Medical Group PG&E Photo Sponsor Union Bank Passion Video Sponsor Halliburton Executive Breakfast Sponsor HealthSouth Luncheon Sponsor GEMCare Loving Your Heart Sponsors Atul Aggarwal MD Cardiology Clinic Bakersfield Heart Hospital Bakersfield Marriott Chevron HealthSouth Kern Family Health Care State Farm Insurance Media Sponsors Bakersfield Magazine KGET/ Telemundo Saba Agency Sierra Printers Clear Channel Radio Buckley Broadcasting American General Media Table Sponsors Around the Clock Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corporation Electrical Systems and Instrumentation, Inc. Houchin Community Blood Bank Kaiser Permanente Taft College Weatherford International Special Issue Presented By

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

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home & Garden

bing, bang, boom!

When it comes to redesigning or updating the look of a room, there are a number of small changes that many designers swear by; little standbys that can make a big difference. These include changing throw pillows, hanging new drapes or curtains, and slapping a bold coat of paint on a wall. Bing, bang, boom!

Typically, these changes will have the desired effect. But what if

carpet, or installing a wood floor, you’ve got options. Still, flooring

these quick fixes aren’t really cutting it for you anymore? Maybe

can be a chore, so if you’re not ready or willing to make that big of

you’ve gone through a few pillow rotations and paint colors. May-

a change, you can never go wrong with an area rug in a solid color

be you’re ready for something with a little more pizazz. If so, give

that will match your new scheme.

these ideas a try and transform your living room (or any room, for that matter) from tired and bleak to hip and chic.

n

Making Art Outta Nothing At All

n

Please excuse the Air Supply joke—it felt appropriate. But do you n

Floor It

know what else is appropriate when you’re transforming a dull room

n

For starters, work from the ground up. Look at what’s under

into a vibrant one? Inexpensive wall art. Forget wallpaper, forget

your feet. Is your carpet past its prime? Do your wood floors need

molding. You can make a huge statement without a lot of time or

a little TLC? Believe it or not, but the floor is actually a very impor-

money. One of the most sought-after wall treatments is simple to

tant element in giving a room a new and exciting look. Rugs are a

create. Go to the craft store, buy a dozen sheets of scrapbooking pa-

simple fix, especially if you have carpet and aren’t looking to replace it just yet, but some designers suggest actually painting wood floors. Grey paint provides an industrial look while white wood floors give off a romantic country cabin/shabby chic style.

Top colors include yellows, oranges, and even blues (but the latter is mostly used in kitchens).

Thankfully, Bakersfield is home to many local flooring stores, so if you are thinking about new

per in various styles, colors, and patterns (ones that

eak less bl ic

ch more

ew e for n It’s tim n’t at wo h t s k loo nk. the ba k a e r b

match your palette, of course), pick up any number of small- to medium-sized glass frames in varying sizes (usually only about $5 a piece), and then assemble.

Place the scrapbook paper in the frames and hang in an asymmetrical orientation. You can also use fabrics

>

or other materials instead of scrapbook paper. Another trend involves buying a large print image, like a poster, and cutting it up in different siz

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 77

home & Garden resources

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78 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

a can of wood stain and get to work. It’s a messy job, that can require a hefty amount of wood stripper and sand paper if the piece is Sources: HGTV.com; thestir.cafemom.com

e on th

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Tips & Tricks for your personal Oasis.

Turning the Tables

A wood table can appear boring if not treated correctly. If you are

already finished, so head to the garage or, better yet, outside (since you also need to be in a well-ventilated area). If you don’t have any wood furniture and want some, head to an antique store or thrift store and you’ll be sure to find interesting pieces. If staining isn’t for you, and you want a little more pop, painting end tables or a coffee table a solid, bright color will make your furniture really stand out.

These few ideas represent the tip of the iceberg when it comes to updating any room’s décor. There are so many ideas floating around out there for someone looking to transform a tired and dated room into one with modern touches. Just remember, go with your gut and incorporate your own tastes into every design decision! n

G A RDENIN G W ITH MRS . P

A spring garden party can easily be spoiled by some annoying, if not too deadly, transgressions.

And Mrs. P is quite familiar with some of them.

I

By Lynn Pitts

can’t think of any two months in a row that have more “holidays” than February and March. Just think about it.

We begin with Ground Hog Day (Feb. 9), Chinese New Year (Feb. 10, Year of the Snake), Lincoln’s Birthday and Shrove Tuesday (Feb. 12), Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), Washington’s Birthday (and coincidentally President’s Day, Feb. 18), Purim and The Academy Awards (both on Feb. 24). Moving on to March, we will toast Daylight Saving Time beginning on the 10th, The Ides of March (Mar. 15), St. Patrick’s Day (Mar. 17), the first day of Spring (Mar. 20), Palm Sunday (Mar. 24), First

After a few balmy February days, it’s difficult to imagine that the weather can turn cold again, but oh my, it certainly can!

Day of Passover (Mar. 26), Good Friday (Mar. 29), and wind up with Easter Sunday on March 31st. Party! Party! Spring is peeking around the corner.

Haven’t you noticed dormant lawns are greening up and trees blossoming? Our green thumbs are crossed that all the fog is behind us and we can get cracking on a new gardening season in Bakersfield. After a few balmy February days, it’s difficult to imagine that the weather can turn cold again, but oh my, it certainly can! Sometimes our first plantings are nipped by Jack Frost, so we’re advised by those who must be obeyed in the garden world to be safe and not plant too soon. It’s hard, I know, to be a party pooper when all the plant centers and nurseries are bombarding your pent up senses to splurge on colorful annuals and baby veggies. Far be it from Mrs. P to tell you to, like, totally resist, as she has been known to uncontrollably boogie down the plant aisles waving her arms in pure rapture just from the intoxicating scent of damp peat moss. >>

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www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 79

After a few months of winter, it’s “HooHa” time for this California girl, itching to plant, plant, plant in her garden. Not leaving everything to chance, weather-wise, it’s beneficial to invest in floating row covers, walls of water, and other protective coverings. They allow you to get a jumpstart on tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. I’ve used my walls of water for four or five years now and feel they’ve been worth the initial expense as they’re re-useable. One trick in setting out newbie plants is to hold them by their root-balls or by the leaves to avoid damage to the stem which is the duct or circulation system that feeds the plants.

Try not to buy too many varieties of plants. Think of yourself as a curator of nature and edit! Ten different kinds of plants in one flower bed will look like a banquet gone wrong and give everyone a queasy feeling. Not good. Choose three favorites and try massing each one in a separate area to keep harmony.

Don’t line up plants in a straight row unless they’re in your veggie garden.

If you want a straight planting against a walkway for example, at least stagger the plants. To repeat my advice, set out plants of the same kind in drifts or pools, the way they grow in nature.

Our spring garden party can easily be spoiled by some annoying, if not too deadly, transgressions. Mrs. P is quite familiar with at least some of the seven deadly sins.

She’s had cats and dogs that were distinctly guilty of both gluttony and sloth. If plant lust counts, then she is drenched in guilt.

On occasion, she’s had more than a touch of envy when visiting someone else’s garden. If there is a subset of deadly sins for Bakersfield gardeners, these are the suggested seven for early spring:

1.

Failing to improve heavy clay soil before planting. You know if you’ve got clay soil and you also know how to amend it. Wishing for little gnomes to come out at night and add organic compost is a non-starter.

2.

Not digging a planting hole big enough to allow for root growth.

Don’t take the wimpy, shallow-hole shortcut. The top of the root ball will fry in the sun and your plant will lose it fizzle faster than day-old champagne.

Lighten up on the pruning this year!

3.

Pruning maliciously (giving trees flattops and rounding evergreen shrubs into balls). This is why shopping center landscaping always becomes an eyesore. You’re better than this. Leave poodle cuts to the dogs.

4.

Waging chemical warfare. Before reaching for the herbicide, try hand-weeding, hoeing, and, my all-time favorite, weed cloth. As for “natural” pesticides, “natural” does not mean “harmless.” Read the labels.

5.

Planting invasive plants and noxious weeds. Ivy is near the top of the Bad Boy List. Planted in the ground, it will spread and climb. On the ground it’s a “Home, Sweet Home” for rodents, especially Norwegian rats. Climbing almost any vertical surface, it will forcefully creep into your house through any opening it can find. It’s almost entirely impossible to remove from surfaces that need to be painted.

Oxalis is another hooligan at this moveable feast. Sure, those dear little pots of Shamrocks are irresistible in March, but promise me you won’t plant any Oxalis in the ground, unless you find the term “spreading indefinitely by creeping rhizomes” romantic.

6.

Including poisonous plants in gardens that children frequent, unless everyone present is on the same page regarding avoidance. You might be surprised that azaleas, boxwood, nandina (Heavenly Bamboo), hydrangea, oleander, and ivy can harm if ingested. Some kids will stuff

80 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

anything in their mouths. Be vigilant and give them PBJ sandwiches instead.

7.

Not mowing your lawn. This is, of course, a transgression that can set neighbors after you with torches and pitchforks, like they did in the old Frankenstein movies. Repeat after me: basic lawn maintenance is a duty laid down by our creator.

Most of us aren’t guilty of seriously deadly garden sins. Instead, we trip up in little ways. I thought about this the other day when I drove by a home with a dreadful single line of tulips all in a row like guests at a buffet.

Want to fill in bare spots quickly, cover spring bulb beds, and add a bit of festivity to the job? Mix packs of sweet alyssum with colored sand in a re-sealable bag, shake it up, and lightly sprinkle on dampened soil. The colored sand is available at any craft store. Because sweet alyssum seeds are so very tiny, it’s easier to spread them around when mixed with the sand.

The colored sand is just to juice it up and see where you’ve sowed. I use purple sand.

And that’s it, no need to do anything more except to keep things watered.

Oh, the color purple reminds me of former neighbors of mine who lived behind me. They were Cajun. Cajuns like to entertain. A lot. They didn’t seem to need an excuse; any old night was fine to turn on the outdoor Christmas twinkly lights they kept up (all year) strung all over their backyard, fire up the enormous barbeque grills, and start the Zydeco music. One Tuesday night in early spring, the music started early and lasted late. I walked out to my patio to listen (the music really got my toes tapping) and noticed sparkly objects glistening in their Gingko tree (which, being deciduous, hadn’t bloomed yet). They looked like brightlycolored necklaces waving in the tree. And then it hit me. They were necklaces and they’d decorated their tree with them. It was Fat Tuesday! It was Mardi Gras! Another spring holiday to celebrate! “Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler!” Let the Good Times Roll in your garden on February 12! v

Lynn Pitts, better known as Mrs. P., is a native Californian, master gardener in four counties including Kern, a garden writer, and professional botanical artist. She has been featured on The Art of Gardening, on PBS, and has conducted flower workshops throughout California for botanical gardens and arboretums.

©istockphoto.com/MDCooper (clay), focus in (plant), Prill (pruner), other photos by Ed Markovich (grass), rama (mask)bernd sauerwein (ivy), asit ghjosh (Flower)

Gardening with Mrs. P

food

Switch on the burner, grease up the skillet, or spark up the coals, it’s time to get eating. It’s not hard to eat a meal fit for a king—we’ve done the research for you. Whether you’re searching for juicy new recipes to thrill dinner guests with or looking for a new, exciting place to dine out with family, our Food Section has all the spice and flavor you’ll need.

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We’ve got reviews, recipes, entertaining tips, and more! This is the place to explore local eateries that have good food and good service, find out which ones cater to your budget and your taste buds, and get culinary inspiration to bring back to your own kitchen. Sumptuous, mouth-watering meals await you whatever your mood— grab your apron and peruse these pages for your favorite recipe.

Bon Appétit.

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 81

Ba n q u

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Dinner For Two CHOICE OF: Each meal includes salad, bread, a choice of two Rib • 1/2lb Prime sides, and a slice of our ak Ste k Yor w • Ne Mud Pie to share • Salmon • Swordfish • Full Rack Baby Back Ribs ordering.

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Valid for up to four guests.

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Valid seven days a week.

Daily Lunch Specials Happy Hour: Mon - Fri, 2 - 6pm

We’ve Got The Best Prime Rib, Steak, & Seafood in Town!

Taste the Difference!

661-328-0580 3580 Rosedale Highway (Next to Costco)

82 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

www.HungryHunterSteakHouse.com

bottoms up!

good times

Year Established: 2009

b ryder’s Address: 7401 White Lane #8 Quick Facts Happy Hour: Monday-Friday, 2-6pm

For a fun night full of unique drinks and live music...

and drinks (including specials just for the football fanatics in town), and

or for an afternoon filled with friends, hot wings, and

there really isn’t any way you can go wrong.

a cold one, there’s no better place to kick up your heels than at B Ryder’s Rockin’ Sports Bar!

This rockin’ spot isn’t just known for the delicious food, fun, and entertainment. The bartenders at B Ryder’s are so talented that they each

“We have live entertainment every weekend,” said Bobbie Straw,

make up their own drinks to order, one of which being “The Big Cheeta.”

office manager and bartender. “We also have the NFL Sunday Ticket,

Bartender Brandon Yarbrough made up this sinfully delightful concoction

UFC Fights, and concerts. We obviously have the venue for it,” she said,

and was kind enough to share the recipe. This drink starts out tart and

motioning to the stage that takes up a great deal of the dining area.

packs a little kick with blue raspberry flavor, but by the time you get to

This is a well-known fact for the people of Bakersfield: B Ryder’s is the

the bottom of it, you will be in sweet cherry heaven. n

place to catch shows of all kinds, from local favorites to big names like Reverend Horton Heat. The thing that makes it a perfect local hangout, though, is the atmosphere. It’s casual and comfortable, but there’s also a fun edge to the décor. From arcade games, shuffleboard, a jukebox, and a smoking area that is not only enclosed, but also has comfortable, clean furniture; it’s nearly impossible to not have a great time at B Ryder’s.

Throw in some seriously stupendous happy hour specials on both food

B Ryder’s

The Big Cheeta 3 parts Bacardi Dragon Berry Rum 3 parts Island Pucker 1 part Bacardi 151 • 2 parts 7-Up 2 parts Pineapple Juice Grenadine, to float Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Pour all of the ingredients (except for the Grenadine) into the shaker. Cover and shake well. Strain into a rocks glass. Pour in enough Grenadine so that the bottom half-inch or so of the glass is completely red.

drink: rockin’ your world www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 83

QUICK BITES WITH LOCAL FLAVOR

say goodbye to hearty fare It’s time to say goodbye to the rich, heavy meals of

modified from my mother-in-law’s dish,” she explained. That’s why

winter and turn to lighter fare.

we’re calling it “Mama’s Crab Pasta Salad.” It’s light and creamy with

And we all know there’s nothing like a fresh pasta salad to get everyone excited for warmer weather. So as soon as Jessica Lessaos,

amazingly fresh flavors that’ll really get your taste buds ready for spring. And it couldn’t be easier to make.

the manager and bartender at the Highland Café, accommodated

So whip some up for a quick dinner for two, or bypass boring old

our request for something savory by coming up with this recipe for

potato salad or macaroni salad at your next get-together and start

crab pasta salad, our mouths started watering. “It’s a recipe that I

wowing friends with a bowl of this. Enjoy! n b Pasta Salad Highland Café Mama’s Cra shell pasta 2 lbs. crab meat • 1 lb. clam ed, rinsed, and chopped) 1 can whole black olives (drain am • 1 cup mayonnaise 2 oz. fresh dill • 1 cup sour cre lemon juice • Sea salt • Pepper 1 celery stalk (diced) • 3 tbsp. out 10 minutes). Chop up the Boil your pasta until tender (ab sour a small bowl, mix together the crab meat into small pieces. In h the lemon juice. Set aside. cream and the mayonnaise wit put in large mixing bowl. Add When pasta is ready, drain and and n, add the sour cream mixture celery and olives to pasta. The Add b meat and, again, stir gently. dill and stir gently. Add the cra can with any extra crab meat. You salt and pepper to taste. Top garnish. even use extra olives and dill to

Cuisine: on the lighter side 84 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Entertaining the Bakersfield Way

“no-fuss”gourmet During this time of year, with the holiday season behind us, it’s nice to unwind and relax in the evenings.

There’s no denying that everyone is excited to come home after work and cook simple, homemade meals without a lot of fuss.

Well, I’m here to help! If you’re looking to serve your family some new, delicious, and uncomplicated dishes, I’ve got some recipes that won’t disappoint.

It doesn’t matter if your household consists of two, three, four, or more, these recipes can be easily adapted to fit your family’s palate and budget.

What’s extra nice is that you can find all the produce included in these recipes right here in Bakersfield. Local fruits and veggies always taste better in my opinion, so if you want to try some of these recipes, I’d start by visiting some of our farmers’ markets. After all, seasonal produce is so versatile and tasty.

Dinners at home have never been so good!

For a healthy lunch, try my Herb Shrimp and Fingerling Potato Salad. Okay, so the shrimp isn’t exactly local, but we have many stores that offer fresh, high-quality

shrimp. This dish is packed with colorful vegetables and, most importantly, with lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids from the shrimp. I came up with this recipe because I was trying to use the ingredients we had in the house instead of running to the store. And you can always find red bell peppers, arugula, and cherry tomatoes in my refrigerator. What’s great is that this potato salad is not

By Yana Todorova

mayonnaise-based, so you won’t feel as guilty serving it to your loved ones.

Herb Shrimp and Fingerling Potato Salad 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on 2 oz. baby arugula 2 tbsp. white balsamic vinaigrette 1 roasted red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered 6 oz. multicolored fingerling potatoes, boiled and cut into bite sized pieces Olive oil, salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence In a small bowl, toss together the raw shrimp, 1 tsp. olive oil, 1/8 tsp. salt, 1/16 tsp. pepper, and 1/4 tsp. Herbes de Provence. Preheat a medium-sized nonstick pan to a medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp two minutes on each side or until done to your liking. >>

Cuisine: bursting with flavor www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 85

CUISINE: bursting with flavor In a medium bowl, combine the arugula, red peppers, tomatoes, cooled potatoes, and the vinaigrette. Toss the vegetables. Divide the mixture evenly into two plates. Top each with six shrimp. To complete this delicious meal, spread some goat cheese on four slices of ciabatta bread and have them on the side! Serves 2.

Tomato Soup with Balsamic Vinegar

As always, our intrepid Yana sends us so many recipes that we couldn’t possibly include them all in each feature (but maybe there’s a cookbook in the future). To discover recipes for scrumptious and creamy Tomato Soup with Balsamic Vinegar, a savory and light Butternut Squash Risotto with Roasted Salmon and Avocado-Feta Salsa, and a decadently sweet Chocolate Tart (made with local honey!), visit us on our website. n Butternut Squash Risotto with Roasted Salmon and Avocado-Feta Salsa

Mon-Fri 10am-9pm Sat-Sun 10am-7pm

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3615 Coffee Rd

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www.maxmuscle.com 86 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

these recipes and others can be found on our website! www.bakersfieldmagazine.net/home-a-garden

WHAT’S COOKIN’

dining

scene

©istockphoto.com/webphotographeer

By Mike Stepanovich

For a while, the only reason to be downtown was work or for government. That’s all changed.

©istockphoto.com/gvision

Bakersfield’s downtown renaissance has made the area a favorite destination for eating, shopping, and entertainment.

Locals and visitors alike are creating magical evenings in the heart of town now.

No longer do people view a trip downtown as something to avoid. Good vibrations emanate there now and you can sense excitement in the air.

ot long ago, my wife, Carol, and I got tickets to a concert in the Rabobank Arena in downtown Bakersfield. The concert began at 7:30 p.m., so we thought we’d have dinner beforehand at one of the burgeoning number of downtown restaurants.

I started calling for reservations the day before the concert, thinking that was plenty of time to find a couple seats. Nope, not even close. I called half a dozen downtown places, and at each the answer was the same: earliest we can get you in is 9:30. We finally got a reservation at Hungry Hunter, at Rosedale Highway and Camino del Rio Court on the west side of Freeway 99 at 5:30 p.m.—and felt lucky to get in as it was packed, too.

I’ve learned my lesson. If we’re planning an evening out downtown, start calling a week in advance to get dinner reservations, because, simply put, downtown is back.

Debbie Moreno, the recently retired president and CEO of the Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce, saw downtown’s renaissance up close from her vantage point in the Chamber’s offices at 18th and Eye streets.

“I remember back in the ‘70s and ‘80s I used to go to Santa Rosa [in Sonoma County] on business trips, and loved to go out to

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dining

the better restaurants, which had outdoor dining. I thought, we’ll never have that in Bakersfield.”

Today, you can dine outdoors at several places, including Uricchio’s Trattoria, Sequoia Sandwich Co., Brimstone at the Padre Hotel, and The Mark.

“When we got that, I thought, we’re really going to make it,” she said.

“It’s still a challenge downtown, but it’s not the problem it used to be. More people are coming to downtown on purpose—to dine, for entertainment.

And who thought you’d see valet parking in downtown?” You do at the Padre Hotel and The Mark, plus Uricchio’s has validated parking.

While the Rabobank Arena—originally known as Centennial Garden— had a significant impact on downtown, bringing in sports, concerts, and other top-tier entertainment events, it wasn’t until the Padre Hotel reopened in February 2010 that downtown hit the afterburners.

The Padre, at the corner of 18th and H streets, is the showpiece of a revitalized downtown. For years it was a dilapidated reminder of downtown’s better days—a time when downtown was the city’s retail center. Retail is now at the city’s periphery, while downtown has evolved into a government, financial, and entertainment center. Gone are anchor stores such as Brock’s Department Store and J.C. Penney, replaced by boutiques, restaurants, and the arts district.

I worked downtown during the transition, and it was a bleak time. The downtown restaurants back then catered to the weekday workforce, and closed each day at 2 p.m. They weren’t open weekends.

Claire Uricchio, proprietor of Uricchio’s Trattoria, remembers those days well. Like Moreno, she’s had a close-up view of the changes that have come over downtown: “When we first opened (in June 1995) people told us, don’t open at night. Weekday lunch spots were about all we had.” Uricchio’s, at the corner of 17th and K streets, gave people a reason to return to downtown.

Now it’s much different. “The Padre has definitely made people think about coming downtown,” she said. “It’s bringing more people from out of

scene town who stay there or at the Marriott [at Q Street and Truxtun Avenue].

And those people are coming to our place and other places downtown.”

The Padre has impacted more than the restaurant scene. Adding the hotel rooms to the mix helped downtown enormously, said Jeff Hayward, the catering director at the Marriott and chairman of the Downtown Business Association (DBA). “Our principal focus is on selling hotel rooms. The majority of our business is driven by Rabobank Arena [adjacent to the Marriott] and hotel occupancy. A vibrant downtown with a nightlife makes it a lot easier to sell hotel rooms.

“The Padre helped us, no doubt. With more hotels downtown we attract more conventions. So the Padre isn’t a competitor; they help us attract more travelers to Bakersfield.”

Hayward said the Padre’s reopening crystalized a downtown revitaliza-

tion process that had been years in the making. He credited the DBA and the City of Bakersfield Redevelopment Department under Donna Kunz with working to recreate downtown.

The Marriott’s restaurant, The Nines, has added to the mix. The Nines “fills up on concert nights,” Hayward said. “Downtown is a good place to come.”

Moreno agreed. “I think the Padre has been a huge catalyst in people wanting to come back to downtown,” she said. “First Friday [a

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88 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

dining monthly event by the Downtown Business Association that promotes the downtown arts scene], dining, the arts—the Padre has been huge in terms of people changing their habits and coming back downtown.

“It’s easier now for newer restaurants to take a chance and tap into what’s happening downtown. More people hear about what’s happening so there’s a better chance of success. For a while, the only reason to be downtown was work or for government. That’s all changed. Now it’s a destination for eating, for shopping; people make an evening of it.”

Uricchio couldn’t be more pleased. “It’s all good,” she said. “I look at it as less about competition and more about downtown becoming a destination.

Now you have a number of choices.

“First Fridays have helped a lot, bringing people downtown for art or music—then they decide to dine.”

Lunches are also big now, with a variety of choices luring people to downtown. “There’s tons of competition for lunch now,” Uricchio said. She said that lunchtime parking has become so difficult that her restaurant now validates parking at Superior Parking a block away. “That’s helped.”

No longer do people view a trip downtown as something to be avoided. Good vibrations emanate there now. People look forward to both lunch and dinner there.

scene

“I would say, too,” Uricchio added, “that…Bakersfield is very loyal to family-run businesses, and downtown is loaded with locally-owned restaurants. People like to spend money with people they know.”

Downtown has several of what might best be described as destination restaurants: restaurants that have transformed downtown Bakersfield.

Here are my picks for Bakersfield’s top 10 downtown destination restaurants. By no means is this a comprehensive list. KC Steakhouse, Jerry’s Pizza, Sequoia Sandwich Co., and Village Grill, among others, have a loyal following. Also, Stars Theatre Restaurant is a good lunch spot and is certainly a destination when shows are in production. The restaurants I’ve listed here—in no particular order—are helping make downtown a destination.

• Padre Hotel, Belvedere Room (dinner) and Brimstone (lunch) – Exclusive might best describe the Belvedere Room. Chef Brad Wise has an exotic menu that features a variety of game entrées, including Wild Boar Bolognese ($24) and Roasted Rabbit Loin ($29). Brimstone’s Padre Burger ($10) is one of the best anywhere, though you’ll be tempted by one of the most imaginative menus around.

• Uricchio’s Trattoria – One of my favorite places for linguine and clams ($16.95). The Chicken and Sausage à la Nick ($15.95), named for founder Nick Uricchio, is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. And don’t miss the Chicken Picatta ($15.95). The clam chowder, available Fridays and Saturdays, puts anything on the coast to shame. Really. It’s that good.

• The Nines – In the Marriott, inviting earth-tones décor and executive chef Jose Sanchez’s inspired menu make this an excellent choice for either lunch or dinner. The Steak and Wedge Salad ($11) is a great deal for lunch. For a couple extra bucks, I added Italian sausage to

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dining

scene • Mama Roomba – It bills itself as Caribbean, but the tapas menu is sprinkled with South American and Cuban creations, as well. The menu features flavorful Chilean empanadas, delicious calamari, plus I like the classic Cuban sandwich. Has the best Sangria this side of Santa Fe. And the colorful décor is delightful.

• Muerto’s – In the former site of Suds Tavern in Wall Street Alley, it’s also in a century-plus-old Bakersfield fire station. They’ve got a burger here that will light your fire, so if you like spicy, try Muerto’s. Also, their fish tacos are incredibly good.

the Veggie Linguini ($9.25), and enjoyed it immensely. The Key Lime Pie ($7), made on the premises, rivals Florida’s. Really good!

• The Mark – One of the newest entries in the downtown dining scene. Old brick building that was once home to Goose Loonies (now further east on 19th Street). Classic East Coast steakhouse feel. I recently had the Southwest Flatiron Steak Salad ($15.95). The steak was done perfectly, the salad not over dressed. If they do that well with a salad, imagine what they’ll do with a steak.

• Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar – One of my new favorites in downtown.

Owners Nick and Pum Hansa have created a delightful restaurant that re-

• Sandrini’s – A basement setting for an Italian and Basque restaurant that appears to lean slightly more toward Italian. An inviting menu has entrée salads, a variety of pastas, including a penne and Basque sausage offering ($15), plus an intriguing entrée called Halibut Basquaise ($19).

• Bill Lee’s Bamboo Chopsticks – Another downtown icon, Bill Lee’s has soft lighting and a mainly Cantonese menu. The Mandarin Duck individual dinner ($10.50) and Lobster Cantonese dinner ($17.50) are popular. Bill Lee’s lounge features classic cocktails such as a Mai Tai and Singapore Sling. n

flects their Thai culture. I have a hard time not ordering the Drunken Noodles with pork ($9 plus $2 for the pork), but have managed to sample most of the curries ($10 plus $2 for meat choice), which are also splendid. Be sure to try the ice cream; it’s not what you think!

• T.L. Maxwell’s – Talk about history: this place reputedly was an old speakeasy during Prohibition. The lounge with its horseshoe bar is a great place to wind down after a tough day. The dishes are always fresh and imaginative. Owner Terry Maxwell has created a gem.

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90 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

The Aviator Casino Bar & Grill

The Aviator Casino – Where fun takes flight! Now offering Catering Services brought to you, for your events or at The Aviator Casino! Open seven days a week, from 7am-2am with Happy Hour All Day! Right off Freeway 99, exit 54. 1225 Airport Drive, Delano, Ca. Visit our website for casino information and our NEW menu. www.theaviatorcasino.com (661) 721-7770

Benji’s French Basque

Benji’s offers something a little different from Bakersfield’s Basque fare. In addition to traditional Basque entrées of lamb, chicken, veal and beef, Benji’s has pan-fried frog legs with garlic lemon sauce, lobster tail, roasted duck, escargots and calf liver.

And the beef isn’t just tri-tip; Benji’s serves a scrumptious filet mignon and New York steak with pepper cognac sauce. All dinners are served with the customary Basque family style set-up. Don’t forget Benji’s specialty soufflés flavored with Grand Marnier, raspberry, chocolate or lemon. Basque family owned and operated for 25 years.

Banquet facilities available. Conveniently located 2 blocks west of Highway 99 at 4001 Rosedale Hwy. Open daily 11:30am-2pm and 5:30-9:30pm except Tuesdays.

Lounge opens 11am. (661) 328-0400

Valentien Restaurant and Wine Bar

French Cuisine Fused With California Freshness Seafood, Poultry, Beef, Exotic Game, Vegetarian. A welcoming environment in the tradition of a neighborhood bistro. Extensive Wine List and Craft Beer Selection. Coffee Program Featuring Siphon Brewers and Sustainable Sourced Beans. We believe in preparing food from scratch with the freshest ingredients available. We source locally and organically as often as possible. Enjoy the bounty of Kern County’s Agriculture!

Open for Lunch: Tue-Fri 11:30am-2pm. Open for Dinner: Mon 5-8pm & Tue-Sat 5-9pm. All major credit cards are accepted. Reservations recommended but not required. 3310 Truxtun Ave., Ste. 160, 93301 www.valentienrestaurant.com (661) 864-0397

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 91

The Dining Guide

El Portal West

We invite you to enjoy our newest Mexican Grill and Cantina, El Portal West. We offer a great selection of appetizers, soups & salads, seafood, and our specialties are chicken, steak and shrimp fajitas. Our full service bar features the best margaritas in town! Happy Hour Mon-Fri 3-7pm (bar only), Lunch specials every day, 11am-2pm. Fabulous Sunday Brunch, 10am-3pm, reservations accepted. 1100 Calloway Drive. (661) 829-2737

Saigon Restaurant

We invite you to try the best place in town for fresh and traditional Vietnamese cuisine! Since 1998, we have served the absolute healthiest dining options to the people of Bakersfield. From unique appetizers, soups, salads, and vermicelli dishes to Boba drinks and Vietnamese beer, we have everything you crave for a true culinary experience. Our pho, noodle soups, vegetarian dishes, and a la carte items featuring seafood, pork, beef, and chicken will satisfy your craving for traditional Vietnamese food. Lunch Specials from 11am-3pm. Individual Dinner Specials after 4pm. Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-9pm. Closed Sunday. 3113 Chester Ln. www.saigonbakersfield.com (661) 327-8810

Lorene’s Ranch House Coffee Shop

The Dining Guide

Where Everything’s Homemade! If you’re in the mood for an early morning breakfast, lunch, or a casual evening dinner, stop by Lorene’s for a hearty meal you won’t forget. Our extensive menu includes traditional breakfast skillets, country fresh eggs and omelettes, and a large selection of pancakes and waffles. For lunch or dinner try our South-of-the-Border section or one of our charbroiled burgers. We also serve great steaks and numerous seafood entrées. Stop by today for family-friendly dining. Hours: 6am-9pm daily, Visa, MC, AE, DC, accepted. Two locations to serve you: 1531 23rd & Eye St. (661) 322-6887 and 6401 Ming Ave. (661) 831-9250

Brookside Riverlakes Market & Deli

We welcome you to come enjoy our signature salads, sandwiches, and burgers at your local Brookside Market & Deli. Stop by and try our homemade Fish & Chips with our savory clam chowder every Friday. We also BBQ our own Tri-Tip sandwiches daily! Brookside carries a wide variety of fine wines & market products you may need, including Smith’s Bakery goodies to satisfy your sweet tooth! In addition to our Brookside breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, we also offer a catering menu that will help you celebrate any occasion with ease. Deli hours: Mon-Sat 5am-8pm, Sun 6:30am-4pm. 4700 Coffee Rd. Store: (661) 588-1338, Deli: (661) 588-2329

Casa Muñoz Mexican Food

In 1952, the Muñoz family started a legacy in Hispanic style family restaurants in Bakersfield, starting with Sinaloa and culminating in 1990 with the opening of Casa Muñoz. Our first priorities are cleanliness and great service with good food always being the tradition in our family. Whether you order a Margarita, or the Suizas, you can be assured that Casa Muñoz will bring 100% authentic quality to your table. Be sure to try our lunch specials. Enjoy! Happy Hour: 4-7pm $2.50 Margaritas. Open daily 10:30am-9pm. Located at 1736 Union Ave. (661) 861-1625

92 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc

Chalet Basque

A restaurant of distinction. Served family-style, dinners include French bread & butter, soup, pink beans, hot sauce, hors d’oeuvres, vegetables, and french fries, and a variety of entrée choices. For 45 years, locals and visitors alike have savored favorites such as garlic fried chicken, lamb, and hand-cut steaks including filet mignon topped with blackberries and brandy. Chalet Basque offers tasty lunch specials from 11am-3pm and happy hour specials on beer and cocktails all day. The banquet room accommodates 15-150 people, $8.95 per person. Perfect for wedding parties, anniversaries, and retirement dinners. If you’re looking for a spacious banquet room with delectable dining options, they will match any competitor’s price.

Open every day from 11am-9:30pm. 200 Oak Street. (661) 327-2915

Luigi’s Restaurant & Italian Delicatessen

Enjoy an old world Italian delicatessen since 1910 with over 200 wines to complement your lunch. From sandwiches to Pasta Bolognese, you’re sure to find flavorful choices to make everyone happy! Don’t forget to shop the gourmet delicatessen for unique gift ideas, wine and authentic foods. Restaurant Hours: Tue-Sat 11am-2:30pm, Deli Hours: Tue-Sat 8am-4pm. 725 East 19th Street. shopluigis.com (661) 322-0926

Izumo Japanese Restaurant & Sushi

Variety and style is what you can expect at Izumo. Experience our casual atmosphere where you have your choice of dining experiences. Visit us to enjoy the teppan-yaki, sample the sushi bar, or our more conventional order-off-the-menu setting. The teppan-yaki comes one dish at a time as the chef prepares it in front of you - they will amaze and impress with their skill and expertise. Our relaxed dining gives customers a chance to really enjoy our food and friendly service. Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm, Mon-Sun 5-10pm. Reservations accepted. Visa, MC, AE. 4412 Ming Ave. (661) 398-0608

Asia Market - Teriyaki Bowl

Asia Market & Teriyaki Bowl carries a wide selection of all Asian foods, including Chinese and Japanese favorites! The best part about our store is that after you have chosen your favorite item, you can either take it home and prepare a meal for yourself, or you can come into our restaurant and have us prepare a delicious meal for you using your selection! We have a full-service store and restaurant, so you can come in for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Join us today for excellent food provided by a friendly staff in a great atmosphere! Hours: 9am-9pm daily. 7701 White Lane. (661) 837-0982

Photo By Miguel Angel Gonzalez

Camino Real Restaurante & Bar

In a town full of Mexican restaurants, take a break and try food that’s Mexican inspired with California love. Check us out at Instagram@caminoed and Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CAMINOED. Open daily from 10am to 10pm.

3500 Truxtun Avenue. caminoed.com (661) 852-0493

Frugatti’s Italian Wood-Fired Oven

Real Italian by Real Italians! Whether dining in or al fresco on our patio, come in and enjoy our new menu that’s bursting with flavor for lunch, dinner or just dessert. You’ll love our steaks. We use only the highest quality Certified Angus Brand® Beef. You’ll also love our chicken, seafood and pizzas cooked in our imported Italian wood-burning oven. We also offer a wide selection of pasta dishes and other Italian favorites. For dessert try our homemade New York cheesecakes or Tiramisu. Come experience our friendly atmosphere. Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-9:30pm, Friday 11am-10pm, Saturday 11:30am-10pm, Sunday 11:30am-9pm. All major credit cards accepted. 600 Coffee Rd., corner of Truxtun and Coffee. frugattis.com (661) 836-2000

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The Dining Guide

Noriega Hotel

Since 1893, Noriega Hotel has been bringing some of the best in Basque to Bakersfield. Awarded the James Beard Award in the American Classics category in 2011, this family tradition serves exceptional meals to not only the Basque community, but to the public, as well. Open Tues-Sun. Breakfast is served 7-9am for $10; Lunch is served family style at 12pm for $15 with children $1 per year of age, up to 8 years; dinner, family style at 7pm for $20 with children $1 per year of age, up to 12 years. Reservations are recommended. 525 Sumner Street. www.noriegahotel.com (661) 322-8419

Steak & Grape Restaurant

STEAK & GRAPE RESTAURANT / BAR / CATERING delights the senses as a family friendly, California steakhouse featuring classic steakhouse entrées combined with tantalizing favorite local dishes. Steak & Grape delivers “The Best Steak” in town, complemented by wines for every budget. 50% off! Join our email list on Facebook or website and buy one entrée and receive the second one of equal or lesser value at half price, some restrictions apply. Bar: 10am daily to close. Dining: 11am daily to close. 4420 Coffee Rd. Call for reservations. www.steakandgrape.com (661) 588-9463

Belvedere Room in the Padre Hotel

The Dining Guide

Executive Chef Brad Wise offers a distinctive dining experience that marries oldworld style with modern tastes. From ranch raised beef to seafood delicacies, each dish is thoughtfully prepared for your culinary delight. Explore our innovative wine list, or allow us to find you the perfect pairing. Open for dinner nightly with a live pianist on Friday and Saturday nights. 1702 18th Street. www.thepadrehotel.com (661) 427-4900

Sinaloa Mexican Restaurant

Serving traditional Mexican cuisine to Bakersfield residents since 1948. Perfectly situated downtown, just west of Mill Creek Park. Open Tue-Thu 11:15am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11:15am-9pm, and Sunday 11:15am-8pm. Closed on Mondays. Sinaloa is located at 910 20th Street. (661) 327-5231

Gimmee Some Sugar

Gimmee Some Sugar Cakes was created with a motto that food should be experienced, not just tasted. We proudly stand by the ground rule that all of our products are made with only the best ingredients, like real Madagascar Vanilla Beans, whole sweet cream butter, and fine Callebaut European Chocolate. Our team was built with the love for art, food, and people! With our unique passion, we create the most beautiful wedding and 3D cakes, gourmet sweet tables, and tasty cupcakes in the Central Valley. There is nothing we cannot make and want to continue to be Bakersfield’s local source for the up and coming cake and cupcake trends.

Hours: Tues-Fri 11am-3pm, Sat 10am-12pm (pick up orders only). Closed Sun-Mon. 2100 19th Street Ste D. www.gimmeesomesugar.com (661) 321-9922

94 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc

Narducci’s Cafe

A fixture in historic Old Town Kern since 1894, Narducci’s Cafe has some of the best food and drinks in town. Come in on Thursdays and try one of our hand-cut steaks on $10 Steak Night. Take in the friendly atmosphere while enjoying a Basque family-style dinner. Plan your next large party here for a memorable family gathering. Have a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa with breakfast, or try a Moscow Mule in the traditional copper cup. For dinner, the lamb chops and pickled tongue are a local favorite. On a weekend night, you might catch Jimmy Narducci on his sax.

Breakfast and lunch served 9am-2:30pm Mon-Sat, dinner served Mon-Tues 5:30pm-9pm, Thu-Sat 5:30pm-10pm. Food served all day on Sun 9am-8pm.

Bar open all day. 622 East 21st Street. (661) 324-2961

Uricchio’s Trattoria

Now Offering Curb-side To-go Service and free validated parking for lunch guests! Nestled in the heart of Downtown in the historical Haberfelde Building. Steaks, chops, seafood, and classic Italian dishes, complemented by an extensive wine list, have made Uricchio’s a mainstay for over a decade.

Uricchio’s San Francisco style setting is family owned and operated, and the perfect spot for a business lunch, or a romantic dining experience. After your meal save room for the fabulous desserts from LaMousse of Beverly Hills. Hours: Lunch Tue-Fri 11am-2pm, Dinner Tue-Thu 5-9pm, Friday & Saturday 5-10pm.

Reservations recommended, lunch reservations for large groups only. www.uricchios-trattoria.com. 1400 17th St. Downtown. (661) 326-8870

Café Med

Café Med has been a Bakersfield tradition for over 20 years. Their diverse menu includes Mediterranean and American cuisine, as well as an extensive wine list, now on iPads! Monthly Wine Tastings are held the last Friday of the month from 5:30-8pm. The $25 cover includes featured wines and sumptuous appetizers. Enjoy live music on both Friday and Saturday evening. Café Med is open 11am to close 7 days a week. Reservations accepted. Visa, MC, AE, DC. Located at 4809 Stockdale Hwy., in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza. Like us on Facebook, or go to Cafemedrestaurant.com (661) 834-4433

Anita’s Mexican Grill

We would like to welcome you to our newly renovated restaurant and invite you to try our new menu, offering many classic recipes that we have been cooking up since 1988 as well as new veggie and lite options. Visit our lunch buffet during the week and Sunday brunch to sample authentic homestyle recipes made from scratch with fresh and high quality ingredients. Thank you Bakersfield for your continued patronage! Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/anitasmexgrill. Rumba Nights with Salsa & Bachata every Friday. Our bar has been extended, come and enjoy Happy Hour M-F 3-7pm. 10pm-2am. 4240 California Ave. (661) 328-0500

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Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA & HomePath FHA Streamline Refinance without Appraisal Conventional Refinance without Appraisal • Residential Purchase & Refinance • Vacation & 2nd Homes • Rental & Investment Properties

Milt’s Coffee Shop

We’re celebrating our 48th anniversary! Join us for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and you won’t be disappointed. Everything on our menu is made from scratch giving a meal at Milt’s that fresh, homemade taste you can’t find anywhere else.

Plus, all our deli sandwiches are served with your choice of soup, salad, fries, potato salad, chips, fresh fruit, or cottage cheese, making the perfect lunch. And the variety doesn’t stop there. Try the Texas Chile Size—a burger loaded with chili and topped with cheese and onions. Dinner is a belt-busting affair with steaks, trout, pork loin, and honey stung fried chicken on the menu. We’ve also got fare for the calorie-conscious. “We are a happy place for hungry people.” Open seven days a week from 6am-10:30pm. 6112 Knudsen Dr. (661) 399-4975

• Commercial Property

Mike George

“Exceeding Customer Satisfaction”

661-331-3900

mikegeorge@agapemtgco.com

NMLS# 226626 Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc., DBA Agape Mortgage

661-324-2427

5001 California Ave., Suite 200

www.agapemtgco.com

΄t Bon Appeti Bakersfield Magazine Dining Guide

834-4126

Licensed by the Department of Corporations under the California Residential Mortgage Lending Act License #8171169 • Branch NMLS #354349

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 95

Flavorsof Kern

Mexican & Latin Cuisine

There are those of us who know

how to cook using the freshest, most readily-available ingredients in our county— and then there’s Sheila Fry! This local farmer and gourmand has brought us not one, not two, but three ways to take the bounty of Kern County and use it to your stomach’s delight.

Carrots, tomatoes, oranges, and parsley are all featured and can all be found grown locally,

Camino Real

3500 Truxtun Avenue (661) 852-0493 Bakersfield www.caminoed.com Where you can experience Mexican flavor infused with California love.

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $$

El Portal West

Farmer’s Wife Recipe and by Fry’s family. Opal Fry & Son Walker Fry Ranch— a true family-run farm—is now in its fifth generation

of owners. All of that time spent surrounded by amazing produce has made some of them very skilled cooks!

arrot Sochouppped Orange1C medium onion, finely

1 pound carrots • minced 6 garlic cloves, peeled and ger, peeled and chopped 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh gin stock nge • 4 1/2 cups chicken 3 tbsp. olive oil • 1 large ora oil sed nfu y-i sle to taste • Par 1 bay leaf • Salt and pepper 1/4 cup sour cream heat the oil rots. In a large saucepan, Peel and thinly slice the car and ginger, lic, gar , ons oni rots, chopped over medium heat. Add car , about 6 to 8 ly, until the onion is golden and cook, stirring occasional grated zest. of the orange to get 2 teaspoons chicken minutes. Meanwhile, grate the d Ad e. cup of orange juic Juice the orange to yield 1/2 ng to a Bri s. ble eta veg ked leaf to the coo stock, orange zest, and bay pot the . Cook, t to medium low and cover boil and then reduce the hea minutes. Re20 carrots are tender, about stirring occasionally, until the nder (or in ble ion ers soup. With an imm move the bay leaf from the juice and nge ora the in Stir until smooth. a blender), puree the soup heat, stirring to taste. Cook over medium season with salt and pepper parsley oil the h ough. Serve garnished wit occasionally, until heated thr oy! . Makes 4 servings. Enj and a dollop of sour cream More recipes from sheila fry can be found on our website! www.bakersfieldmagazine.net/food-a-wine/recipes Our Policy These listings are provided as a free service by Bakersfield Magazine for its readers. As such, inclusion is based on editorial consideration and is not guaranteed. If you would like your dining establishment to be considered for this listing, send information to editorial@bakersfieldmagazine.net, including your name, the name of the establishment, address, and contact information.

$ Under $10

Entree Pricing $$ Under $17 $$$ Under $24

$$$$ Over $24

96 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

1100 Calloway Drive, #300 (661) 829-2737 Bakersfield When you have a craving for delectable Mexican food, this grill and cantina has you covered.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $

Don Juan’s Latin Grill

20700 South Street (661) 822-6612 Tehachapi www.donjuanslatingrill.com Latin fusion cuisine that makes for an exciting change of pace in local dining.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$

Casa Muñoz Mexican Food

1736 Union Avenue (661) 861-1625 Bakersfield From Taco Tuesdays to Summer Enchiladas, this is Mexican food you’re sure to love.

Beer & Margaritas Only Lunch/Dinner $

Los Molcajetes Restaurant & Cantina

2500 Brundage Lane (661) 631-9731 Bakersfield www.molcajetesbar.com There is a reason why the molcajetes are becoming a thing of legend in Bakersfield.

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $$

Red Pepper Restaurant 2641 North Oswell Street (661) 871-5787 Bakersfield www.redpepperrestaurant.net Where amazing Mexican and American food meet.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$

Don Perico Restaurant

9021 Grapevine Road W (661) 248-6903 Lebec Patrons rave about the salsa and the convenient location right off of I-5.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$

Steakhouses & Grills Steak & Grape Restaurant 4220 Coffee Road (661) 588-9463 Bakersfield www.steakandgrape.com More than just a steakhouse— it’s a true local dining experience.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$$$

Hungry Hunter Steakhouse

Sinaloa Mexican Restaurant

3580 Rosedale Highway (661) 328-0580 Bakersfield www.hungryhuntersteakhouse.com Steaks, seafood, pasta, and happy hour specials on drinks as well as appetizers.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$$

Anita’s Mexican Grill

B Ryder’s Sports Bar and Grill

910 20th Street (661) 327-5231 Bakersfield A mainstay in authentic Mexican cuisine in Bakersfield since 1948.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$ 4240 California Avenue (661) 328-0500 Bakersfield www.anitasgrill.com Incredible Mexican dishes, a newly extended bar, and a wide variety of vegetarian and lite options.

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

7401 White Lane, #8 (661) 397-7304 Bakersfield www.brydersbakersfield.com Customized drinks, a rockin’ atmosphere, live music, and fabulous food.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $

Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace

Luigi’s Restaurant & Italian Delicatessen

2800 Buck Owens Boulevard (661) 328-7560 Bakersfield www.buckowens.com Aside from the overall great American cuisine and music, the brunch is a must-try.

Full Bar Dinner/Brunch $$$$

725 E. 19th Street (661) 322-0926 Bakersfield www.shopluigis.com Grab a gourmet Italian lunch and shop their delicatessen for coffees, sauces, olive oils, and spices.

Extensive Wine List Lunch/Private Dinner Parties $$

Casey’s Steaks and Barbeque

Rosa’s Italian Restaurant

1337 N. China Lake Boulevard (760) 446-8000 Ridgecrest The ribs and pulled pork are said to be some of the best in town. The meat falls right off the bone!

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch $$

KC Steakhouse

2515 F Street (661) 322-9910 Bakersfield www.kcsteakhouse.net It’s not just steak—their Veal Marsala takes “steakhouse” to the next level.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$$

Gracian’s Grill

860 E. Tehachapi Boulevard (661) 822-4016 Tehachapi From steaks to chile verde omelettes, this is the place to dine when you want the best.

Beer, Wine, & Margaritas Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

2400 Columbus Street (661) 872-1606 Bakersfield www.rosasitalianrestaurant.net This wonderful spot has been keeping people full and happy for years!

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $$

Pacino’s Spaghetti Factory

1100 W Tehachapi Boulevard (661) 822-9400 Tehachapi www.pacinossf.com An Italian food experience, completely made from scratch.

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $$

Tony’s Pizza

4130 California Avenue (661) 325-4717 Bakersfield www.tonyspizzabakersfield.com Come see why all of the locals are raving for this one-of-a-kind pizza.

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $

Frugatti’s

4001 Rosedale Highway (661) 328-0400 Bakersfield Not your average Basque! Try frog legs, escargot, and roasted duck!

Full Bar, Lunch/Dinner $$$

600 Coffee Road (661) 836-2000 Bakersfield www.frugattis.com Wood-fired oven cooked recipes straight from Italy with a new Fitness Menu!

Beer, Wine, Some Mixed Drinks Lunch/Dinner $$$

622 E. 21st Street (661) 324-2961 Bakersfield Traditional Basque with a $10 steak night that leaves patrons raving.

Full Bar, Lunch/Dinner $$$

Uricchio’s Trattoria

Noriega Hotel

1400 17th Street (661) 326-8870 Bakersfield www.uricchios-trattoria.com A spot where the authentic Italian food is as comforting as the atmosphere.

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$$

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5116 woodmere Drive • 661-619-4740 www.BakersfieldDetail.com

Basque Cuisine Benji’s French Basque Restaurant

Italian Cuisine

Bakersfield’s Premier Auto Detail Center

Narducci’s Café

525 Sumner Street (661) 322-8419 Bakersfield www.noriegahotel.com Basque good enough to win the James Beard Award in the American Classics Category in 2011.

Wine Only Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $$

DENTS

DINGS

FREE M obile Service

• Minor Dents & Door Dings • No Bondo - No Painting • Cost Less Than Insurance Deductible • Mobile 1 Day Service • Free Estimates • Avoid Costly Penalties At Lease Termination

Call Mike: 661-406-6863

Text or Email us a picture of your Dents & Dings for your FREE ESTIMATE dentdynamicsLLC@gmail.com www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 97

Chalet Basque

Gimmee Some Sugar

200 Oak Street (661) 327-2915 Bakersfield Everything you love about Basque complemented by some of the best entrees in town.

Full Bar, Lunch/Dinner $$

2100 19th Street, Suite D (661) 321-9922 Bakersfield www.gimmeesomesugar.com Not just for special occasions, satiate your sweet tooth with their grab ‘n’ go goodies.

No Alcohol Grab ‘n’ Go / Cakes $/$$$$

Mediterranean Cuisine

Brookside Riverlakes Market & Deli

Café Med

4809 Stockdale Highway (661) 834-4433 Bakersfield www.cafemedrestaurant.com Bakersfield’s top pick for Mediterranean food with a wine list available on iPads!

Beer, Wine, Martinis Lunch/Dinner $$$$

Pita House Restaurant

3825 Ming Avenue, Suite B (661) 243-0900 Bakersfield www.pitahousebakersfield.com The freshness of this restaurant will leave you feeling like you’ve had Greek for the first time.

No Alcohol, Lunch/Dinner $$

The Grape Leaf

901 North Heritage Drive, #102 (888) 243-3806 Ridgecrest www.thegrapeleaf.biz With everything from bagels to dolmas, the selection is hard to beat.

No Alcohol Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

Cafés, Diners, & Delis 24th Street Café

1415 24th Street (661) 322-8801 Bakersfield www.24thstreetcafe.com A local favorite featuring all-day breakfasts and delicious lunches.

Beer, Wine, Some Mixed Drinks Breakfast/Lunch $

Lorene’s Ranch House Coffee Shop

6401 Ming Avenue (661) 831-9250 Bakersfield With a south-of-the-border section, this is American fare with a fun twist!

Beer & Wine Only Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

4700 Coffee Road (661) 588-1338 Bakersfield www.brooksidecatering.com A market, a deli, and a Smith’s Bakery all in one!

Beer & Wine Only Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

Keene Cafe

30256 Woodford-Tehachapi Road (661) 823-7010 Keene People from all around know this as a place to eat some great grub next to some real cowboys.

Beer & Wine Only Breakfast/Lunch $

Hotels & Casinos The Aviator Casino Bar & Grill

1225 Airport Drive (661) 721-7770 Delano www.theaviatorcasino.com/dining Enjoy upscale American cuisine and make top-notch service your destination!

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $$

The Belvedere Room at The Padre Hotel

1702 18th Street (661) 427-4900 Bakersfield www.thepadrehotel.com World-class dining in a world-class hotel and local legend.

Full Bar, Dinner $$$$

The Nines Restaurant at The Marriott

801 Truxtun Avenue (661) 565-9319 Bakersfield www.bakersfieldmarriott.com American fare with an upscale atmosphere and amazing cocktails and appetizers are served all day.

Full Bar Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner $

98 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare Health Plan, Inc.

Ching Yen

Other Ethnic Cuisine Kabob House

4701 White Lane, #E (661) 837-8330 Bakersfield www.persiankabobhouse.com With full bragging rights of being the only Persian restaurant in all of Bakersfield!

No Alcohol, Lunch/Dinner $$

Café India

3017 Wilson Road (661) 833-1313 Bakersfield www.cafeindiabakersfield.com Whether you choose to order off of the menu or try their buffet, there is no way you will leave unsatisfied.

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $$

Valentien Restaurant & Wine Bar 3310 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 160 (661) 864-0397 Bakersfield www.valentienrestaurant.com The only place around where French cuisine meets California freshness.

Beer & Wine Only Lunch/Dinner $$$$

Taste of India

20687 Tracey Avenue (661) 764-6464 Buttonwillow A great place to relax and enjoy some wonderful Indian dishes, like lamb curry.

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $$

Asian Cuisine Canton Cafe

745 Bear Mountain Boulevard (661) 854-5660 Arvin Hands down, some of the best Chinese food you will find in Arvin.

No Alcohol, Lunch/Dinner $

Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar

1534 19th Street (661) 325-1234 Bakersfield www.chefschoicenoodlebar. wordpress.com Thai and Japanese food that boasts healthy and unique dining.

Beer & Wine Only, Lunch/Dinner $

1207 Columbus Street (661) 871-5292 Bakersfield www.chingyen.info Undeniably the best in local Szechuan. Did somebody say Sizzling Rice Soup?

Beer & Wine Only Lunch/Dinner $

Enso Japanese Bar

1419 19th Street (661) 327-7785 Bakersfield www.ensosushibar.com This sushi is nothing short of fabulous. The California Roll is one of the best in town!

Full Bar Lunch/Dinner $$

Chinese Cuisine

563 James Street (661) 746-3266 Shafter Scrumptious Chinese food and New York steak? We’ll see you there!

Beer & Wine Only Lunch/Dinner $

Izumo Sushi

4212 Ming Avenue (661) 398-0608 Bakersfield The perfect place for sushi, and their lunch specials will leave your stomach and wallet full.

Beer & Wine Only Lunch/Dinner $$

Saigon Restaurant

3113 Chester Lane (661) 327-8810 Bakersfield Authenticity matters at this Vietnamese restaurant.

The pho won’t let you down!

Beer & Wine Only Lunch/Dinner $

Great Castle Chinese Restaurant

410 Union Avenue (661) 325-3311 Bakersfield Incredible Chinese food that will surely leave your taste buds wanting more.

Full Bar, Lunch/Dinner $$

Asia Market Teriyaki Bowl

7701 White Lane (661) 837-0982 Bakersfield Order off the menu or get your own ingredients from the store and let them customize a dish!

No Alcohol Lunch/Dinner $

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 99

MEDICAL PROFILES

Wall’s Hearing Aid Center

Interim HealthCare

www.interimhealthcare.com People you count on, care you trust by the ONLY RN owned & operated Medicare/Medi-Cal home care provider in the county.

The Original...Hearing Aid Center of Bakersfield Serving the Community Since 1946

Darlyn Baker, RN

Kenneth V. Wall

“It’s Never too early to hear better” • It’s not only the quality of your hearing. We provide hearing products to improve your quality of life.

• Beyond the best products on the market, our staff gives you the personal attention, support and care you deserve.

Don’t go another day wondering if you could be hearing better.

(661) 368-9859

• Established in 1994 • Nursing and/or Physical Therapy • AssistedCare – help with bathing, dressing, errands • Senior Placement – when one can no longer live alone • Published in national nursing journals • Bedside Buddy-We’ll stay with you or your loved one in the hospital

(661) 395-1700

4800 Easton Drive, Suite #108, Bakersfield, CA 93309 www.whaci.com

4801 Truxtun Avenue Bakersfield, CA 93309

Kern Faculty Medical Group Internal Medicine/Primary Care Your Health is in Good Hands

Central Valley Physical Therapy

At Central Valley Physical Therapy our mission is simple: to provide the best care to our community. We are an award winning private practice physical therapy clinic. We boast doctoral educated & specialty certified practitioners.

We love what we do. We love helping people.

We love providing Movement for Life ®.

Greti Petersen, MD Alaleh Bazmi, MD

• •

• •

(661) 827-8959

Board certified in internal medicine.

Multi-specialty group with 12 providers. Specialties include Endocrinology, ENT, Family Practice, Infectious Disease, Pediatrics, Pulmonary Disease, Urology.

Most insurances accepted.

New patients are welcome.

(661) 872-7000

2201 Mt. Vernon Ave., Bakersfield, CA 93306 www.kfmg.net

8200 Stockdale Highway # B1, Bakersfield, CA 93311

The Womens Care Center

Hoffmann Hospice

Armi Lynn Walker, M.D. Cary Shakespeare, M.D.

Beth Hoffmann Director of Operations

Pellevé tm Now Available Look Lovely, Feel Refreshed

As Director of Hoffmann Hospice, Beth oversees the day-to-day operations of Kern County’s only locally founded nonprofit hospice. The mission is to celebrate the sanctity of life, provide compassionate end-of-life care, and comfort the grieving. Hospice is a special way of caring for patients, providing comfort care as opposed to heroic measures that provide no real medical benefit.

(661) 410-1010

www.HoffmannHospice.org 100 Bakersfield Magazine / Presented By: GEMCare GEMCare Health Health Plan, Plan, Inc Inc.

• • • •

• • •

Obstetrics, Gynecology & Infertility Pregnancy Testing Personalized Prenatal Care and Delivery Complete Gynecological Care, Contraception, Menopausal Issues Minimally Invasive Surgery Urinary Incontinence Testing Comfortable, Relaxing Atmosphere

(661) 633-BABY (2229)

2021 22nd St., Bakersfield, CA 93301

Rev. Msgr.

Craig F. Harrison,V.F. Pastor 900 H St.

(1 block south of California Ave.)

661-327-4734 FAX 661-377-0363

Sunday:

6:45 a.m. (English) 8:30 a.m. (English) 10:30 a.m. (Family) 12:00 p.m. (High School) 5:00 p.m. (Spanish) 7:00 p.m. (English)

Got Fundraising Hassles?

Bakersfield Magazine Supports the Community and Can Help Your Nonprofit Organization Raise Money.

For More Information About “Bakersfield Magazine’s Hassle-Free Fundraising” Call 834-4126 or log on to www.bakersfieldmagazine.net

Spread the Good Word For participation in the Religious Schools & Worship Services Directory call:

834-4126

Kern Chapter The American Red Cross strives to provide people with the skills and confidence to act in an emergency at home, in school, and in the workplace.

For more information visit us online:

KernRedCross.org

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 101

Religious Schools & Worship Services Directory

Mass Schedule

Saturday: 8:00 a.m. (Honoring Mary)

5:00 p.m. (Vigil-English)

7:30 p.m. (Vietnamese)

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SPOTLIGHT

Rah-Rah-Sis-Boom-Bah! There’s nothing like a little cheering to get you in the mood for a football game...especially when our own Bakersfield College Renegades are taking the field.

But those boys in red and white can’t work their magic on the field without help from the community off the field. That’s why The Red Shield, an arm of the BC Athletic Foundation, was founded.

“The Red Shield is a new initiative for BC Athletics; an annual giving campaign

R IT Y PA

Ryan Beckwith, Bakersfield College Director of Athletics

cates itself to providing a comprehensive and preeminent community college environment where teaching, student learning, and public service are of the highest quality,” Beckwith continued.

“And the Renegade athletic programs are the foundation of enthusiasm and loyalty; they invigorate and enrich the life of our academic community; they engage our graduates with the college long after they leave our campus; they serve as a common rallying point for the community of Bakersfield; and they reinforce the college’s commit-

“The Renegades and the Renegade Legacy are staples in the Bakersfield heritage. We always strive to uphold and enhance the positive reputation of Bakersfield as one of the most flourishing communities in the state of California.”—Ryan Beckwith that will support all eighteen [athletic] programs,” said Director of Athletics Ryan Beckwith.

The Athletic Foundation was started in 1985 by Gerry Collis, Carl Bowser, and Tharrell Ming, and, after so many years, was beginning to lose some steam. Enter The Red Shield, created to not only support BC athletic programs, but also give much deserved recognition to that person, family, or business that financially supports these student athletes.

“The BC Athletic Department dedi-

ment to diversity and community.”

That community spirit was in full force this past December when our Renegades won the 2012 CCCAA State Football Championship. It’s another highlight in a long line of accomplishments for BC. “The overall impact [of that game] on the college, community, and the Athletic Department as a whole [was huge],” Beckwith said. “That one game—that one championship—brought about a feeling of pride to our community that we were once so accustomed to.

THE RED SHIELD

Bakersfield College Athletic Foundation

It made BC Athletics relevant in this great town of Bakersfield once again.”

The hope is that more people will realize the value of supporting BC Athletics.

“We are in the planning process now of laying out an annual schedule of fundraising events for The Red Shield,” Beckwith added. Currently, there’s an annual Christmas Tree Sale/Delivery, put on by the baseball program, and the Athletic Foundation Golf Tournament, to name a couple.

“The Red Shield events will be geared toward the major ticket priorities of the BC Athletic Department.”

And any funding that comes from these events will go directly to the athletic programs, providing uniforms, equipment, and travel costs, as well as renovating and maintaining facilities for the teams.

Donors can also specify which sport they want their contribution to benefit, be it tennis, softball, baseball, or football.

“We are looking to support our programs in order to be a first-class, well run collegiate athletic department,” Beckwith added. “So while the aim is financial, we would not turn away donated items or volunteer service.”

Since The Red Shield is in its infancy, Beckwith is currently running the entire show. “But we are currently building our Advisory Board for The Red Shield.

Once we solidify our events and individual campaigns, we will be in need of volunteers to help facilitate the efforts.”

And now is the time to get involved.

“The Red Shield plays a vital role in facilitating the necessary academic and athletic tools to continue the Renegade tradition of excellence,” Beckwith noted.

“The Renegades and the Renegade Legacy are staples in the Bakersfield heritage.

We always strive to uphold and enhance the positive reputation of Bakersfield as one of the most flourishing communities in the state of California.” n For more information on how you can help support The Red Shield, visit gogades.com. www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 103

community partners

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF Society for Disabled Children

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For children who are living with a disability, life can be riddled with obstacles. Everything from basic communications to engaging in social activities can be more challenging.

Similarly, the added strain placed on family members and caretakers can make life a little more difficult for everyone involved.

Thankfully, when disabled children in Kern County are seeking services that are geared toward them and enriching their lives, specifically, they can rely on the Society for Disabled Children.

Having originated in 1947 as the Society for Crippled Children & Adults, this nonprofit was started by parents and doctors who petitioned the many local rotary clubs, as well as the Kern County Spastic Society Foundation of Infantile Paralysis, for funding.

Over the years, they had poster children and celebrity spokespersons (like Annette Funicello, Rick Mears, Rusty Shoop, Don Clark, and Anson Williams) to help support their cause and raise funds. In 2002, due to sheer need, the Society decided to change its name and started focusing solely on children.

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From birth all the way up to 18 years of age, the nonprofit is currently helping the disabled children of over 2,300 families, and mostly on scholarship. “We say that all of our services have a fee,” Executive Director Patricia Henson began, “but it’s really all on a sliding scale. And we are almost one hundred percent scholarship-based.”

The programs that the organization offers to its clients are vast, highly beneficial, and very unique to Bakersfield. (As Henson pointed out, there are quite a few different programs for adults with disabilities locally, but hardly anything for children with the same ailments.) Speech language and therapy services—which includes their S.T.A.R. (Speech Therapy and Reading) program—are available to the children who need it.

Social activities are held at least once a month, and these help to “extend contact between physically and cognitively impaired young people” so that they may learn to thrive in a social environment. At busier times of the year, like in December, there can be as many as four social engagements planned out.

The Society even assists with transportation aid, so whether it’s gas money or a bus ticket that’s needed, the children and their guardians will be sure to make it to any doctors appointments, regardless of any financial difficulty. Should a child attending the facility need anything like glasses or medical equipment, but can’t afford it, the nonprofit works to help them out, as well.

The experiences that the Society for Disabled Children brings these kids is truly one-of-a-kind. If, through the S.T.A.R. program, the youngsters are assigned a book to work on, staff members are sure to follow up with plenty of fun and interactive

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www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 105

community partners

Challenges beGone!

Challenges beGone

PHOTO COURTESY OF Society for Disabled Children

community partners

exercises. When reading Spaghetti and Meatballs for All! A Mathematical Story, the organization brought in a chef to cook spaghetti and meatballs with the children.

By helping to measure ingredients, they got hands-on learning with mathematical concepts that also apply to daily living skills.

Though it’s evident that the Society for Disabled Children provides many wonderful services to foster growth in countless ways, there is one program, in particular, that gives everyone involved something to chirp about: Camp Blue Jay. Nestled up in the Tehachapi Mountains,

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kids with special needs are able to experience something that they truly can’t anywhere else. “In 1975, our group decided to hold its own camp for the children here, mostly because this gives them all a chance to do things that they just can’t do in day-to-day life,” Henson explained.

“Also, it gives the parents or caregivers a chance to relax and have some time to themselves while their children are in a fun, safe, supportive environment.”

At Camp Blue Jay, those in attendance get to swim; fish; participate in arts and crafts; build relationships with their peers; enjoy campfires; and also get to be a part of themed activities, like Nerdy Olympics, Space Race, or Fantasy Renaissance.

“There are a lot of learning opportunities for all of the kids who attend Camp Blue Jay,” elaborated Henson. “It helps them socially, as well as with cognitive development and it also instills within them a sense of independence.” These are the very objectives that guide what the organization tries to accomplish.

This year, the Camp is going to be a little different as a means to make the experience that much more beneficial. The du-

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If you’d like more information on the Society for Disabled Children or would like to find out how you can help support this worthwhile charity, contact Patricia Henson at (661) 322-5595 or visit societyfdc.com.

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ration has been extended up to 10 days, as the main comment the nonprofit received from the children about camp was that it didn’t last long enough. There will also be a Family Day, which has never been done before. “Families are encouraged to come out and join the campers for lunch on that day. This gives them a chance to get to interact with the counselors and the other children there, as well.” The guardians and family members of the kids can then feel directly involved without necessarily feeling the daily pressure they may encounter, otherwise.

But whether it’s at camp or in the main facility, this local pillar in the nonprofit community can say one thing for certain: the employees there have all witnessed some remarkable improvements with the children they work with, and within surprising periods of time. “Through our various programs, we have seen reading levels increase by as much as five grades,” Henson happily disclosed. “We have seen children who were all but noncommunicative go up on stage and sing a song for an audience.”

Something that makes this group even more admirable is the fact that it is a nonprofit that exists without any form of government funding. All funds come from donations, grants, and fundraising events.

The amount of donations the Society for Disabled Children receives directly affects the number of programs that it can have available to those in need of care.

There is still room for growth (Henson added that they are currently looking into specialty programs for children from ages zero to three), but what this organization already provides to the disabled children in Kern County—and their families—is simply invaluable.

“We’re very proud to be a Kern County nonprofit that was started so long ago by families, doctors, and local rotaries,” Henson concluded. With the sheer amount of good this group is doing for families in our community, we should all be so proud. n

www.bakersfieldmagazine.net / Go Red 2013 107

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bakersfield’s sound View from atop the bluffs.

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Motorcycle hill climb c.1923

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verlooking a veritable sea of oil derricks, the hills of Bakersfield were once the holding place of some incredible endurance tests. At least, they were when it came to motorcycle racing—an activity that was engaged in a few times a year in decades past. Some of these famous “hill climbs,” however, were more extreme—and far more exciting—than others.

On April 1, 1923, the Kern County Motorcycle Club hosted a hill climb for the ages.

Beginning at the foot of the Panorama bluffs, the climb ascended at a “better than 79 per cent [sic] grade,” according to the Bakersfield Morning Echo, that had never before been successfully climbed. The feat wasn't constructed just for fun, though. The Club had one clear intention: to put Kern County on the map in the motorcycle racing world.

Careful preparations were made to ensure that the climb would be safe for the 15 riders who were slated to participate. The distance was measured several times, and a well-respected Kern County engineer vouched for the grade percentage. The turf, itself, was tended to so that the competitors wouldn't have to be subjected to unnecessary dangers. This was imperative because, as an old Bakersfield Californian article reported, it had “been the scene of more than one climbing event and offers just about all of the grief the average motorcycle can survive in the way of tough going.”

Word spread quickly (and loudly), and famous riders from all over California were invited to brave the daunting climb for the shot at possible record-setting fame and “handsome prizes.” Who would be the first to brave the hill and make it all the way to the top? Would it be Miles Austin of Los Angeles? Perhaps Everette Bresee of Fresnoriding fame? The well-known Archie Rife and his signature bike, “Eisle,” were also big contenders—even if “local followers of the gasoline horse claim[ed] she [would] meet her waterloo Sunday afternoon,” the Echo stated. Regardless, a massive, enthusiastic crowd gathered to witness history in the making.

To much a local's elation, the winner was none other than Henry Bianchi, a Bakersfield resident and the owner of Kern Cyclery on Sumner Street. He and his “Harley machine” brought honor to Kern County that memorable Sunday, not to mention it also brought the second hill climb win he and his brother had achieved that year. Bianchi attributed his success to his motor and the fact that he used Pennzoil heavy motorcycle oil, affording him “'safe lubrication' and the maximum of speed and power.”

the story of bakersfield is all around us, you just have to look — and listen.

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