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May 2013
bakersfieldlife.com
108 things we love about our town
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A th 0 2 10 reasons why Bakersfield is better than the rest Perfect pairs Lengthwise combinations
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THE EYES HAVE IT
BEFORE
AFTER
Joseph H Chang MD Oculoplastic Surgeon & Aesthetic Facial Specialist
www.theeyeliddoc.com It’s not a particularly pretty word, “blepharoplasty,” but it refers to cosmetic procedures for eye rejuvenation, specifically the upper and lower eyelids. Dr. Chang has had specialty training in various oculoplastic surgeries ophthalmic and and procedures. Dr. Chang, a board-certified ophthalmologist,
has focused on oculoplastics (another scary word), a range of cosmetic facial work that includes eyelid surgery. “As people age, they’re exposed to gravity and the eyelids come down,” says Dr. Chang. “This affects some people in their 50s, 40s, and even their 30s. My most popular surgical procedure is the eyelid lift.” As well as being an aesthetic concern, droopy eyelids are a medical concern because, when the eyelids drop, it affects overall range of vision. Upper eyelid surgery is done in an outpatient setting and takes about 30 minutes. Dr. Chang says, “My suturing technique takes about five minutes longer per eyelid than standard suture techniques, but it’s worth it because it cuts down on other postoperative wound-related
scar-related issues.” Dr. Chang also treats “bags” under the eyes with lower eyelid procedures to correct the puffiness. “We can remove the bags with either surgery… or we can use a laser to tighten the skin,” he says. By using the newer lasers, like the Sciton Contour Tunable Resurfacing Laser, Dr. Chang minimizes scarring. This modern technology, he says, allows for more effectiveness and safety. “These are permanent fixes,” Dr. Chang says, “and I like to use the phrase, ‘dramatic but subtle’ for the outcomes. The results leave people noticing that you look better, but they can’t figure out why.”
Before and After images are actual patients with procedures done by Dr. Chang.
Empire Eye & Laser Center 4101 Empire Drive, Ste 120 Bakersfield, CA 93309 Center & LaserM.D. Empire Eye Montecito Aesthetic Joseph H. Chang, 325 3937 PH: 661 Institute 4101 Empire Drive, Ste 120 1150 H Coast Village Rd theeyeliddoc.com empireeyeandlaser.com Bakersfield, CA 93309 Montecito, CA 93108 PH: 661 325 3937 PH: 805 565 5700 HOTLINE: APPOINTMENT & INFORMATION
Daniel H. Chang, M.D.
1-888-560-0047
Empire Eye & Laser Center: Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter
F E A T U R E S Family owned and operated since 1954!
May 2013
BEST OF BAKERSFIELD See who you — the readers — voted as the best in Bakersfield in 108 different categories. This 20th anniversary edition of “Best Of Bakersfield” includes more than a dozen all-new categories.
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24 MY PET We introduce a brand-new feature, which highlights members of our community and their pets.
110 Best Basque Restaurant
Best Place To Take Out-OfTown Guests
327-9584 620 East Nineteenth Street www.woolgrowers.net Closed Sundays
Wool Growers Restaurant &
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COCKTAIL LOUNGE
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
BAKERSFIELD VS. THE WORLD You’ve seen the bad lists. You’ve heard the jokes. Well, ignore them. We have it good here in Bakersfield — perhaps even better than anywhere else in the world.
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A LIFE INTERRUPTED Learn all about this powerful presentation for highschoolers, the people behind the program, and the effect it has on our youth.
Law Firm
Lawyer
D E P A R T M E N T S May 2013
SATURDAY MAY 25TH 2013 1:00 - 5:00 PM CSUB AMPHITHEATRE $35 GENERAL ADMISSION $50 EARLY ADMISSION $600 VIP TABLE Bakersfield’s First Craft Beer Festival benefiting the CSUB Alumni Relations Over 20 craft breweries including: KRBC, Lengthwise, Firestone, Anderson Valley, Lagunitas, Deschutes, Cismontane, and many more! Live music by Soulajar and others!
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Up Front It Manners a Lot Kelly Damian Dining Divas Food and Wine Entertainment Foodie On the Road Hometown Hero All-Star Athlete
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Talk of the Town For a Cause Pastimes Home and Garden Why I Live Here
imbibe
WINE & SPIRITS MERCHANT
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History Our Town Community Neighborhood Spotlight
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For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bakersfieldcraftbeerfestival.com or one of the following locations
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It’s a Guy Thing Personality Real People Fit and Fresh Trip Planner Health and Wellness Business Profiless Prime Finds SNAP! Inside Story
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Reboot yourself with a McCafé Premium Roast Iced Coffee at your locally owned and operated Bakersfield McDonald’s . It’s creamy, smooth and totally refreshing. ®
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FEEDBACK STAFF SHARES
Bakersfield’s Premier City Magazine May 2013 / Vol. 7 / Issue 8
WHAT BUSINESS OR PERSON RANKS AT THE TOP OF YOUR “BEST OF BAKERSFIELD” LIST?
Bakersfield Life™ magazine is published by The Bakersfield Californian. The magazine is inserted into The Bakersfield Californian on the last Saturday of every month. To subscribe, please call 392-5777. To advertise, contact Lisa Whitten at lwhitten@bakersfield.com or 395-7563. Publisher Ginger Moorhouse President/CEO Richard Beene
“For me, it has to be the
“Smith’s Bakery is my favorite! My best friend was raised in Bakersfield and has relocated to the Bay Area. When she’s feeling homesick, I send her Smith’s smiley face cookies!”
Bakersfield Condors. Not
only do they provide familyfriendly entertainment, they are also active members in the community and local charities.” — Mark Nessia,
— Emily Claffy, contributing writer
contributing photographer
“Bella at The Marketplace is No. 1 on my list for ‘best local women’s apparel’ because this friendly and stylish boutique has something for everyone; Sorella Italiano Ristorante for ‘best local restaurant’ because the food, service and atmosphere makes for a perfect date night.” — Hillary Haenes, specialty publications coordinator
“J’s Place ranks at the top of my list because of their wonderful customer service, welcoming staff and delicious Southern food that soothes the soul!”
“Lengthwise. Love the beer. Love the food. Love the atmosphere, concept and service. I’ve been a fan since ’98, and they continue to impress me with each passing year.” — Kevin McCloskey, contributing writer
“Luigi’s. It’s always a unique experience. I love the Italian dip on Thursdays. But you can also order a meat and cheese plate from the deli and a salad with a glass of wine and sit outside.” — Juan Ventimiglia, contributing writer
“It’s a well-known fact that I can’t get enough of the rib-eye at Tahoe Joe’s. Add some chicken pot pie soup and I’m one happy camper.”
— Danae Jarrett, contributing writer
— Gregory D. Cook, contributing photographer and writer
“Uricchio’s to me isn’t just the best Italian restaurant in town, it’s likely my favorite restaurant overall.”
“It is hard to beat the personalized service at the H. Walker’s men’s clothing store downtown. The service is always first class, and Tracy and her staff always make you feel at home.”
“There are so many, many gems here, that it is difficult to single out one. Every person in Kern County who sings her praises, protects her image, picks up a piece of trash, promotes her beyond the county line, supports and participates in the many businesses and community projects deserves to be at the top of the Best of Bakersfield list. It takes a village!” — Lisa Kimble,
— Richard Beene, president/CEO
contributing writer
— Jorge Barrientos, assistant managing editor
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Senior Vice President Revenue and Marketing John Wells Vice President, Administration and Operations Nancy Chaffin Director of Display Advertising Roger Fessler Interactive Sales Manager Gunter Copeland Advertising Sales Manager Lisa Whitten Advertising Traffic Manager Shauna Rockwell Marketing Manager Mira Patel Distribution and Marketing Representative Patrick Wells Editor Olivia Garcia Assistant Managing Editor Jorge Barrientos Specialty Publications Coordinator Hillary Haenes Editorial Assistant Marisol Sorto Art Director Glenn Hammett Photography Felix Adamo, Sally Baker, Henry A. Barrios, Casey Christie, Gregory D. Cook, Michael Fagans, Jessica Frey, John Harte, Alex Horvath, Michael Lopez, April Massirio, Greg Nichols, Mark Nessia, Carla Rivas, Ari Scott, Jan St Pierre, Rod Thornburg, Brian N. Willhite Contributing writers Sally Baker, Herb Benham, Allie Castro, Emily Claffy, Gregory D. Cook, Kelly Damian, Tami and David Dobbs, Breanna Fields, Jason Gutierrez, Lois Henry, Danae Jarrett, Lisa Kimble, Katie Kirschenmann, Stephen Lynch, Kevin McCloskey, Ken Hooper, Chris Thornburgh, Juan Ventimiglia, Brian N. Willhite Interns Marissa Lay, Jasmine D. Lowe On the cover Design by Glenn Hammett
Thank You Kern County for allowing us to serve as your trusted advisors for 39 years!
We couldn't be the best without you.
BROWN ARMSTRONG Certified Public Accountants 661.324.4971 www.bacpas.com
EDITOR’S NOTE
OLIVIA’S PICKS
The Grid For all you workout folks who experience soreness, consider The Grid foam roller, which will massage those muscles needing attention. Black and orange versions. Janus Sports Medicine Solutions, 326-8073, or find them on Facebook: facebook.com/JanusSportsMedicineSolutions. $36.
Evernote A number of my friends have encouraged me to use the Evernote app, which keeps track of your daily notes and digitally saves them so you can access them on your smartphone, iPad or computer. Free on Android and Apple OS, although a premium service is not, but offers more.
iPad keyboard I have tried a few keyboards to work with my iPad but have not been impressed. Then I ran into David Milazzo, founder of Macroscopic and local media tech expert, who introduced me to the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard cover. This keyboard is smooth, thin and Bluetooth ready. Great for working professionals. Best Buy. $79.99 to $99.99.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
SIMPLY THE BEST Welcome to our annual “Best Of Bakersfield” edition. This issue is extra special since it marks the 20th year that we have held the contest. It initially began through our parent company, The Bakersfield Californian, but has since evolved over to Bakersfield Life Magazine, where our staff has poured in plenty of planning, time and creativity into the project. The process of choosing the best of the best in Bakersfield is almost a year-long process, but the end result is priceless. To clarify, it’s not the Bakersfield Life team who is picking and choosing the winners. The judges are the readers and fans of The Bakersfield Californian and Bakersfield Life. That’s what makes the contest so great, because the voting comes from the community. There were more than 100 categories to choose from, and we feature the top three finalists, while highlighting the No. 1 winners throughout the magazine. In some categories, you won’t be surprised at the winners — a number of them have repeatedly won in certain categories year after year, a sort of stamp of approval yearly from local fans. However, we do have new winners in other categories, and even all-new categories. You will be surprised, and I encourage you to check out who they are inside of this issue. May is always a fun month because of the “Best Of” spirit; yet, it’s also a memorable time because of Mother’s Day. In tribute of Mother’s Day, I’d like to ask readers to share their favorite Mother’s Day stories by emailing us at bakersfieldlife@ bakersfield.com .Tell us why your mom is a cut above the rest, or maybe there’s a certain experience or incident shared by you and her — whether it’s funny, heartwarming or unforgettable — that is worth noting. We will consider it for publication in our “Letters to the Editor” section, and you will be placed in a drawing to win a prize. Only readers who are fans on our Facebook page are eligible to enter. The deadline is Sunday, May 12.
May 2013
I’d like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms, grandmas and godmothers. As a mother of four boys — ranging from teenagers to a preschooler — I know it can be quite challenging trying to strike a balance. But we wouldn’t be mothers if that wasn’t the case, right? And somehow we always find ways to meet that balance. Happy Mother’s Day also to my mom, sisters and especially my grandmother who is no longer with us. She played such a pivotal role in my life, and it’s holidays like this where I miss her the most. For our May issue, we have tons of other great features aside from the “Best Of” selections. Well-known Californian columnist Herb Benham shares a satirical piece about what makes Bakersfield the best, and better than other popular cities, including Los Angeles and Paris. Yes, Paris. Only Herb can tell you why. And we have two car reviews in this edition, one by Assistant Managing Editor Jorge Barrientos and the other by yours truly. Discover what cool cars are worth exploring. May is also filled with many community and charitable activities. Check out the “Short Take” and entertainment calendar sections for a list of fun things to do. Lastly, our staff would like send our thoughts and prayers to those affected by the Boston Marathon tragedy. We hope our country can heal from this senseless and cowardice form of terrorist act, and justice can be served.
Olivia Garcia Editor 395-7487 • ogarcia@bakersfield.com
UP FRONT
WORD ON THE STREET Compiled by Gregory D. Cook
“WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR MOTHER’S DAY?” Chad Danner
Johnny Rangel
Margaret Ursin
“Oh, I do the whole breakfast in bed thing. I bring her breakfast with flowers and everything.”
“I’m giving my mom a clean house.”
“I’m going up to Anchorage, Alaska to celebrate with my son and daughter-in-law.”
Christine Persel
Donald Gray
Nanja Galindo
“Family is very important to us, so we all get together with my daughters, (my mother) and my husband’s mother for a big family gathering.”
“Every year, my mom always gets chocolates. So this year I want to hide some jewelry in the box with it.”
“I’m flying to Nebraska to see my mom.”
Bryan Ramirez
Savanah Adams
Lilia Edu
“She works really hard and doesn’t get to go out much, so I’m going to her take out for a nice dinner.”
“I’m going to take my mom out for a nice dinner and give her flowers.”
“We’re just getting together and spending time with mother. She’s 87 years old.”
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13
UP FRONT THE BIG PICTURE
WATCH YOUR STEP Photo by Felix Adamo
A cyclist points out a road hazard to fellow racers during the De Vlees Huis Ronde road race April 14 on Bena Road. This group of Category 3 cyclists raced two laps totaling 60 miles while sharing the road with other motorists. The truck following was a support vehicle for the cyclists. About 400 cyclists from Central and Southern California participated.
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UP FRONT
NAMED AFTER
HODEL’S COUNTRY DINING
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
L
ong before all-you-can-eat national chains like HomeTown Buffet and Golden Corral established a local presence, there was Hodel’s Country Dining — a trailblazer in cafeteria-style restaurant dining here in the southern San Joaquin Valley, and the first of its kind in Bakersfield established more than 40 years ago. And Hodel’s has taken a circuitous route from its origins as a burger joint on Stockdale Highway to its current home on Knudsen Drive. Bob Donnie Hodel, for whom the locally-owned restaurant is named, was born in Beverly Hills in 1936. His mother was a cook and nanny, and his father was a chauffer for the wealthy Gettle family, who had made its fortune in oil and JCPenny stock. Five years after Bob was born, the Hodels moved back to Bakersfield and its drier climate after Bob’s sister became ill. His mother worked as a cook in the Greeley School cafeteria. t Bob attended Bakersfield High School. He loved s Be t sports but joined the Driller Band instead because e f B uf bus service wasn’t available to and from his home. As last chair trombone, he played under beloved band director Wes “The Colonel” Moore. He served two years in the U.S. Army and returned home to attend Bakersfield College where he played football for the Renegades. He transferred to UC Davis, and in 1960, while still a student, he married his wife Muriel. They have two children. Bob Hodel graduated with a degree in plant agronomy from Davis and moved back to Bakersfield. He worked for the farm bureau but was intent on being his own boss. In 1965, he purchased the Foster’s Freeze on Stockdale Highway. “But I got bored real fast,” Hodel recalls with a laugh. “I had this idea for a buffet, so I gathered some partners.” He opened Hodel’s at the south side of the Valley Plaza in 1967. The following year, developer Dean Gay asked if Bob was interested in occupying The Cookery Coffee Shop on Olive Drive.
Hodel's Country Dining displays a variety of muffins.
“I said, ‘Yes,’ if you will build me a banquet room,” Bob Hodel said. That was more than 40 years, and nine banquet rooms ago. In the 1970s, the “market” room was created for additional dining and later came a plant and gift shop. The rustic cedar western look lasted well into the 1990s before the popular dining spot received a charming country makeover. After 46 years of serving breakfasts, lunches and dinners, Hodel’s remains a family-run business that has outlasted many dining upstarts. Bob’s son Don oversees the kitchen and the catering arm of the business, and his son-in-law manages the office and maintenance. Their most popular menu item is still the fried chicken. This summer, Hodel’s will embark on its eighth remodel. Like the seven before, Bob Hodel says they will keep their doors open during the refurbishing. — Lisa Kimble
Push your body. Find your beat.
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Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
Everything served in Luigi’s Restaurant Can be purchased in our delicatessen
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martphones are becoming the “goto” gadgets for multi-tasking moms. There is an app for almost every conceivable need, and this is good news because everyone knows that a happy mom equals a happy family! Whether mom is managing an entire household, juggling income and expenses or running a small business, here are some favorite apps that save dollars, and make money management fun and convenient. Key Ring: To score discounts these days, you often must present a loyalty card to prove you’re in the club. No need to carry them around — Key Ring lets you store the info on your phone. Take a picture or enter the ID number, then flash your phone to save. Key Ring users Thornburgh receive special coupons and discounts on top of benefits offered by store loyalty programs. Grocery iQ: This intuitive app makes grocery shopping easy and efficient. You can type, speak or scan grocery items into your list, and the list automatically categorizes items, and alerts you if coupons are available. Coupons can be sent to your email or printer. The best part is you can email the list. RedLaser: This app isn’t new, but one that every shopper should have. It’s great for comparing prices. Simply scan the items (or manually enter) and the app provides detailed product descriptions and reviews, but more importantly it tells you where you can find the best price either online or at a store nearby. Pageonce: A free app for paying bills and monitoring account activity, PageOnce is simple to use. After linking your accounts, you’ll have a clear picture of what's going on with your money by displaying your spending, deposits and payments with tables, charts and graphs. You can pay bills, as well as view expenditures and deposits.
Mint: Mint offers a quick look at all your account balances, from bank accounts and credit cards, to loans and investment accounts, updated in realtime through the Internet. Mint is great for budgeting on the fly. Track spending by expense categories and set goals, like saving for vacation. When you make a purchase, Mint automatically categorizes the transaction, and alerts you when you’re about to go over budget. Mint will even remind you when bills are due. Your financial institution’s app: Mobile banking makes it easy to check balances, transfer funds, and pay bills from anywhere. Almost all major banks now offer banking apps that make managing your money super convenient. Some of these apps allow you to deposit funds by taking pictures of checks with your smartphone’s camera. Also, locate the nearest ATM machine. Shoeboxed: This simple app digitizes your receipts. All scanned receipts are IRS acceptable, making tax preparation much easier. Simply take a photo of your receipt through your phone, and it is documented for future reference. Expensify: Compiling expense reports is a breeze with this app. Expensify syncs with your credit cards and bank accounts to track business-related purchases. It also collects digital receipts from merchants and lets you send copies of paper receipts using your phone’s camera. Expensify will compile all necessary purchases and email a PDF to the appropriate contact. There are countless more useful apps, and clever programmers continue to create new ones we never knew we needed, and now can’t live without. While these apps can improve your financial management on the fly, changing your stripes can feel overwhelming. A good CPA or financial advisor can get you going in the right direction.
— Chris Thornburgh is a CPA and partner at Brown Armstrong Accountancy Corp. Contact her at cthornburgh@bacpas.com or 324-4971.
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UP FRONT
Stockdale High grad Blaine Swen heads up the Improvised Shakespeare Company. By Marissa Lay
BLAINE SWEN
E
mbarking on the journey to success can often begin with a failure. This is true for Blaine Swen, a Stockdale High graduate and creator and director of the Improvised Shakespeare Company. As a sophomore at Stockdale, Blaine tried out for baseball, but he failed to make the team. “I was really, really bummed out,” he said. “But, I’m now so glad that door was closed because God opened another one.” With more free time after school, Blaine, persuaded by his then-drama teacher CJ Pope, auditioned for the school’s spring play, and his journey took off. It wasn’t long before Blaine became hooked on theater. A friend of Blaine’s, Michael Lewis, told him about a local comedy show called ComedySportz that performed improvisation games. When the show started a high school league, Blaine auditioned and joined the Stockdale team. “I first discovered my love for improv by trying to make my mom laugh at the dinner table, but I didn’t know it was something that you could do for a paying audience,” Blaine said. After graduating from Stockdale, Blaine attended Biola
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May 2013
University in La Mirada. As an undergraduate, he continued to play in theater productions as a hobby. While in the Los Angeles area, Blaine and others from ComedySportz put together The Backstreet Bards, a Shakespearean improv group that performed as The Spontaneous Shakespeare Company at iO West, a famous improv comedy club whose headquarters are in Chicago. After graduating from Biola University in 2000, Blaine enrolled in Loyola University Chicago where he received his doctorate degree in philosophy. “While I was there, I thought I should take advantage of the fact that I was in the improv capital of the world,” Blaine said. He auditioned for the Conservatory at The Second City, a leader in improv-based sketch comedy, and was accepted. Through The Second City, Blaine was able to learn from some inspiring teachers. “Michael Gellman (executive producer of Live! with Kelly and Michael), a teacher at The Second City, taught me to stop trying so hard to be funny,” Blaine said. It was there that Improvised Shakespeare Company was born in 2005. Blaine and others performed under the group name on the student stage a few times. “There was something very exciting about this show when it started,” he said. “I remember feeling that this could grow into something very special.” And it did. The group took off when Charna Halpem, founder of the iO Chicago Theater, invited the group to perform. The iO Chicago Theater has been the home to Improvised Shakespeare Company for more than seven years. In 2008, while the group was performing in New York, their manager introduced the group to some booking agents, and the group now travels throughout the country to perform. This year’s tour brought Blaine full circle to perform in March with the group at Stockdale High to benefit the school’s drama program. Stockdale teacher Pope in The Bakersfield Californian called Blaine “a gifted young man” and “incredibly talented.” Earlier this year, the group was joined by a surprise guest during a performance in New York City. Star Trek’s Patrick Stewart joined them in a once-in-a-lifetime performance. “There were definitely moments where I had to stop myself from thinking, ‘This is amazing! I’m onstage right now with Patrick Stewart!,’ and remember that I was still performing a show,” Blaine said. Improvised Shakespeare Company had been named Chicago’s best improv group by the Chicago Reader and PHOTO COURTESY OF IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
PHOTO BY ARI SCOTT
FINDING FAME
Proudly presents… P
from the Chicago Examiner and has recently been honored by the Chicago Improv Foundation as its “ensemble of the year.” The group has received a New York Nightlife Award for “best comedic performance by a group.” As for Blaine, his credits and performances include with The DelTones, The Armando Diaz Experience, The Debonaires, Challenger, the house team Bullet Lounge and the one-man improvised musical, BASH! The Chicago Reader named him 2010’s “best improviser in Chicago.” — Blaine Swen For more information on Blaine and the Improvised Shakespeare Company, visit improvisedshakespeare.com. To see Blaine in action, check out the video on BakersfieldLife.com. — D o you know som eone from Bakersfield w ho isfinding fam e,or isrepresenting Bakersfield w hile in the spotlight? Em ailusan idea at bakersfieldlife@ bakersfield.com w ith the subjectline:Finding Fam e.
“
I first discovered my love for improv by trying to make my mom laugh at the dinner table, but I didn’t know it was something that you could do for a paying audience,
”
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UP FRONT
WHAT I’M READING
STEPHEN DINGER Compiled by Hillary Haenes
S
tephen Dinger really enjoys reading— anytime and any place, he said. “It expands my world view and keeps me from being myopic.” Not only does reading present new paths that he can apply to his life and vocation, but he also reads mysteries for sheer pleasure and relaxation ... and to help him fall asleep! Dinger, 62, is president of Bakersfield Christian High School, where he said he has “the privilege of serving with a group of dedicated, Christian teachers and leaders who are committed to honoring God as we strive to help students soar.” He has passed his love of reading onto his kids. His son, a hospital administrator, refers books and magazines on leadership, while his daughter, a middle school Spanish teacher, refers books on education. What I’m currently reading: “Coming Apart” by Charles Murray. Our son recommended Murray’s book as it analyzes the growing
Best separation of the “haves” Private and “have nots” in our School American society. It is a striking exploration, supported by statistical research, of significant trends that do not bode well for us as a society and as a nation. The implications are significant and cause for personal reflection. Favorite author: Patrick Lencioni for leadership and Ken Follett for pure enjoyment. I have re-read: “Lincoln” by Gore Vidal three times. I enjoy historical fiction, and Vidal is one of the best. The book that’s been inspirational in my life: “In Search of Excellence” by Thomas J. Peters and Robert H. Waterman, Jr. One of the hallmark books that identified significant characteristics of what makes excellent and healthy organizations. As an administrator in Christian institutions (before BCHS I was the superintendent and director of operations at St. John’s Lutheran Church and School), this pursuit of excellence drives me as we seek to give God the very best … especially as organizations that operate in His name. How I read: Usually my Kindle Fire, although sometimes I still like to flip a real page! What else I like reading: Fast Company, WIRED, Christian Science Monitor and Wall Street Journal.
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UP FRONT
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Celebrate mothers on their day
‘Job one’ is to ready students
I am the proud mother of five amazing grown children, five wonderful grandchildren and one beautiful great-grandchild who show me love and respect year-round. We celebrated a birthday on Feb. 20. It was for my beautiful new great-granddaughter, Tristyn Brianne. This new addition is our fifth generation of females. Mother’s Day is a very special day for our family. It is a day to honor our mothers and show the love and appreciation that they bestow upon us. They are the ones who will sacrifice their own needs to make sure their children’s needs are met; they are the cheerleaders, doctors, cooks, housekeepers, taxis and much, much more. Our family will be spending Mother’s Day at Hodel’s Country Dining for brunch, and then back to mom’s to spend time together, and wrap it up with a family barbecue. What are you doing to celebrate your mom? — Donna Hermann
Just wanted to take a minute to thank you for the very well-written article, “Turning the wheels toward employment” in Bakersfield Life Magazine (May 2013 issue). We at Bakersfield College are working very hard to achieve our goal of not only educating students but to ensure that they become employed and become productive members of our community. Automotive technicians have traditionally not enjoyed the best of reputations since the costs of maintaining today’s vehicles come at a very high cost; however, when our transportation is in need of repair, it takes a highly-skilled and trained person to do the job right the first time. Our “job one” is to take students from all walks of life, train them, and most importantly, see that they have the skills and work ethic to become successful. Thanks again, — George Canaday, associate professor of automotive technology, Bakersfield College
MY PET
TERESA ADAMO AND INDY
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Best al t Hospi
Teresa Adamo, senior marketing and communication coordinator at San Joaquin Community Hospital, adopted her terrier mix, Indy, from the Kern County Animal Shelter during a local pet fair in 2008. She explains how they found each other: “We were thinking of getting a dog, and I had actually seen Indy at the shelter a few days prior to that event. The shelter representatives were there for a low-cost rabies clinic. The decision to bring along some animals for adoption was supposedly a last-minute one. There’s no way they
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May 2013
could have known I would be at that event — I didn’t leave my name and certainly didn’t inform them of my weekend plans. To this day, I believe it was as if Indy ‘followed’ me to become part of our life, and part of our family.” In this new and ongoing Bakersfield Life section dedicated to local pet owners, Teresa shares a little more about Indy. Age: About 7 “human” years old What’s in the name? I named my pet “Indy” because our family loves all things racing. Indy is named after the Indianapolis 500 race, and not the famed fictional explorer “Indiana Jones.” How do you know when your pet is moody? I know when my pet is moody when she turns her head away from me, usually when I’m leaving her behind to go to work, or somewhere else. Indy is happiest when everyone is home. What makes my pet happy? Indy is a belly rub addict with no plans to kick the habit anytime soon. She also loves to go on walks, patrol her yards and perform her fierce jumpspin-bark move at our back gate to the delight of passersby! 5 words that describe my pet’s personality: Sweet, loyal, silly, fun and endlessly-loveable. Favorite food: Bacon! Talents: Indy can shake, dance and spin — for treats, of course. And I swear she can tell time, too, because she doesn’t get worked up when we come home for lunch. She knows we are going to leave soon after. Antics: If no one is home, Indy will jump on beds, sending all the pillows tumbling to the floor as conclusive evidence of her violation! Then she shows terrible shame about the whole thing later! She also enjoys throwing her own “parties” when someone accidentally leaves the trash door open. To read more about Teresa and Indy, go to BakersfieldLife.com.
Favorite Deli! BAKERSFIELD’S
BY THE NUMBERS
BEST OF BAKERSFIELD 20TH ANNIVERSARY 33 Coffee shops in Bakersfield • 2013 winner is Starbucks; favorites are Dagny’s Coffee Co. and Covenant Coffee
320 Spa and beauty salons in Bakersfield • 2013 winner of “Best Hair Salon” is Essentiels Spa Et Beaute; favorites are
Protege Hair Designs and Paragon Salon and Spa Source: BusinessPoint (2012) and The Bakersfield Californian Market Research
1994 First year of “Best Of” 108 Categories in this year’s “Best Of” 1 “Best Of” winner in each category 2 “Favorites” in each category 7 Top winners in more than one category (Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse, Luigi’s Restaurant, Mexicali Restaurants, Dewar’s, Kern County Fair, The Padre Hotel, Bill Wright Toyota)
The Odds
834 Restaurants in Bakersfield 27 “Best Of” winners in food-focused categories in this year’s contest
82 Pizza shops in Bakersfield • 2013 winner is Tony’s Pizza; favorites are Rusty’s Pizza and Pizzaville USA
1231 18th Street (18th and L Streets)
Downtown
10:30am - 2:15pm Closed Sundays
Phone: (661) 323-2500
9160 Rosedale Highway (Target Shopping Ctr.)
Rosedale
11:00am - 8:00pm Daily
Phone: (661) 587-1600
9500 Ming Avenue (Just West of The Marketplace)
Southwest
7:00am - 3:00pm Closed Sundays
Phone: (661) 665-9990
765 West Herndon Avenue
Fresno/Clovis
(Corner of Herndon and Willow - Target Shopping Ctr.) 11:00am - 8:00pm
Phone: (559) 323-0330
See our full menu and order online at
sequoiasandwich.com
Thank you, Kern County for your continued support!
UP FRONT
SHORT TAKES
DOLORES HUERTA INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
S
he has already been honored nationally with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and now her home state is following suit. Labor leader, human rights activist and local icon Dolores Huerta, who recently turned 83, has been inducted into the California Hall of Fame, which honors “legendary people who embody California’s innovative spirit and have made their mark on history.” Huerta co-founded the United Farm Workers union with Cesar Chavez and is still active in human rights efforts here through her Dolores Huerta Foundation. She joins actor Warren Beatty and football star Joe Montana in the seventh class, among others, and Magic Johnson and Ronald Reagan already in the Hall. See who else is in at californiamuseum.org. To read about Huerta’s relationship with her seven daughters, pick up and read the newest issue of B Well Magazine, out May 12. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
‘BIGGEST LITTLE RODEO’ RETURNS TO FAIRGROUNDS It’s known as the “biggest little rodeo in California,” and it’s returning to the Kern County Fairgrounds May 3 and 4 for the 28th year. The Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Stampede Days Rodeo — which raises money for training and equipment for the Kern County Sheriff’s Reserves — brings competitors in from around the nation. The event includes bull riding, bareback, tie down roping, barrel racing and steer wrestling. Event performances will include Nate Reed, rodeo clown/barrel man, Starlets Equestrian Drill Team, power motor cross team, bullfighters, Aaron Hargo and Donny Castle. The Sheriff’s Reserves donate more than 20,000 hours of law enforcement services each year in Kern County. Gates open at 6 p.m., and performances start at 7:30 p.m. More information: stampededaysrodeo.com. 26
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PACIFIC CRUSH’ TO HELP KERN COUNTY BREATHE BETTER Certified Kern County “asthma educator” Sharon Borradori retired in 2009 after working more than 20 years with the American Lung Association. It didn’t take her long to unretire. In 2010, Sharon created The Asthma and COPD Education Center, allowing her to continue to educate locals, the majority of them children, about living with and controlling asthma. Borradori uses Rolling Asthma and COPD Education to transport volunteers, equipment and other outreach materials to various sites and appointments. These free services require funding. Enter Pacific Crush, a three-day
bike tour of the Central Coast held Sept. 13, 14 and 15 designed to unite enthusiasts of riding and wine with the common goal of helping Kern County asthma sufferers. Funds raised from the ride will benefit the nonprofit’s mobile care unit, allowing Borradori to expand her services. Registration is now open at pacificcrush.com. More information: 319-2098 or sharon@borradori.com, or Pacific Crush on Facebook. To read more about Borradori and Pacific Crush, go to BakersfieldLife.com — Jason Gutierrez
LOCAL CHP OFFICER TO RIDE FOR FALLEN OFFICERS When it comes to cycling long distances to fundraise and draw awareness for various causes, Bakersfield residents always seem up for the challenge. California Highway Patrol officer Angela Molinar is no exception. She will participate with thousands of others throughout the country in the Police Unity Tour on May 10. It’s a 300-mile charity bike ride from New Jersey to Washington D.C. aimed to raise awareness of police officers who have died in the line of duty and to support the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial at the nation’s capitol. Molinar has raised more than $2,500 and trains while working 121/2 hour shifts at CHP and raising two toddlers. She is one of the few women participating, and the sole rider representing the CHP Central
Division but is being joined by Tyson Davis, commander with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Participants and supporters have raised nearly $12 million in the ride’s history. More information: socalput.com. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
‘HONOR RUN’ FOR FAMILIES OF FALLEN DEPUTIES BACK FOR SECOND YEAR
T
hough it was raining during last year’s first Kern County Sheriff’s Benefit Association Honor Run, the event was by all measures a success, organizers said. More than 100 people laced up their running shoes and ran to support the families of fallen deputies. Event fees and donations helped raise $10,000 for three families, and donated scholarships to five fallen deputies’ children. And a portion of the proceeds helped bring back the Honor Run for another year. The Kern County Sheriff’s Benefit Association will host the Honor Run again this year on May 25 to coincide with Peace Officer Memorial Month, an observance that pays tribute to local, state and federal peace officers. The run will include a 5K, a 10K and a fun-run for kids. It will be start at 8 a.m. at Hart Park. Entry fee is $25 per person. All of the proceeds raised from the Honor Run will be donated to the Sheriff's Benefit Association, and a portion
will go to the Kern County Sheriff's Activities League, a nonprofit that offers activities for Kern County youth. Entry fees and donations not only help the families and provide scholarships, the funds help those families attend the annual Peace Officer Memorial events at the state and national capitols. More information: active.com or search “Honor Run” on Facebook. — Juan Ventimiglia
bakersfieldlife.com
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UP FRONT SHORT TAKES
KERN NUT FESTIVAL PROMISES TO BE ‘NUTTIN’ BUT FUN’
T
he first ever Kern County Nut Festival is right around the corner — June 14 and 15 at the Kern County Museum, 3801 Chester Ave. — and tickets are available now for purchase. The festival is aimed to celebrate Kern County’s prevailing nut crops — almonds, pistachios and walnuts, among others — and their health benefits. The festival will also benefit the Kern County Museum Foundation, and several other nonprofits taking part in the festival. Festival organizers are hoping the event will be an annual regional festival that attracts visitors from throughout California. For this first year, they promise “nuttin’ but fun.” Attractions include cooking demonstrations, music, dancing, art and agriculture exhibits, games for kids and adults, contests and other “nutty” activities. In the “running
of the nuts,” contestants are encouraged to dress nutty in a race from Memorial Hospital to festival. Several dozen restaurants and vendors will sell nut-focused foods and drinks, and several dozen more exhibitors and nonprofits will showcasing products and services. Presale tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children 5-12, and free for children 4 and under. Tickets include admission and entertainment, but food and beverages will be for sale. Tickets are available at Kern County Museum, Valley Republic Bank, Farm Credit West Bank and at Vallitix.com. Carpooling is encouraged, and a dress code will be in effect. More information: kcmuseum.org. Group tickets: 868-8400. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
STROKE SURVIVORS GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS A program designed to get stroke survivors back into the swing of life through the game of golf will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 1 at Stockdale Country Club. Participants of Saving Strokes are paired with PGA professionals for three 30-minute group lessons. The rehabilitation program also gives survivors a chance to meet others, and care-givers a chance to share their expe-
riences, while promoting a healthy activity. It’s run by the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association and sponsored by San Joaquin Community Hospital. The event is free, open to the public, and lunch will be served. More information, or to register: 916446-6505 or email Carrie.Vines@heart.org. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
GREENLAWN TO HOST MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATIONS This Memorial Day, join military veterans, families and friends in celebrating our local troops at Greenlawn Mortuaries. Greenlawn’s northeast location — at 3700 River Blvd. — is holding traditional services on May 27, organized by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Department. And this year, Memorial Day will also be celebrated at Greenlawn Southwest — at 2739 Panama Lane. Included in the celebration will be 28
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May 2013
guest speakers, the newly-chartered Kern River Blue Star Moms, color guard, rifle brigade and taps players, a motorcycle memorial ride ending at Greenlawn Southwest, music by wounded veteran Evan Morgan, and food and ice cream. For children, bounce houses and facet Bes al painting will be available. Funer e The celebrations are aimed to Hom support troops but also to bring awareness to local groups and people involved in veterans affairs. — Bakersfield Life Magazine
UP FRONT
Find more community events at bakersfieldlife.com or submit yours via email: bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com
HAPPENINGS: Can’t-miss events in May $50 advance; $40 advance; $45 before May 9; $55 day of the event. 654-3211.
Fri. 10-Sat. 11 27th annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival, 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday, CSUB Amphitheater, 9001 Stockdale Highway. Single-day pass $32.50; students $22.50 Friday; $37.50; students $25.50 Saturday; two-day $56.50; students $36.50; children under 12 free. vallitix.com or call 322-5200.
Miranda Lambert
Wed. 1 “Elvis Lives!,” 7:30 p.m. Rabobank Arena Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $25-$45. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. Dylan Scott, 7 p.m. Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. Free. 328-7560.
Thur. 2 “Winescapes,” auction, wine tasting, gourmet food, 6 p.m., Bakersfield Museum of Art, 1930 R St. $40; $75 per couple, $500 for table of eight. bmoa.org or call 323-7219.
Fri. 3 First Friday Downtown featuring live music, art openings, specialty shops, galleries and boutiques; artists will set up their artwork, 5 to 9 p.m., Downtown Arts District. Email don@themetrogalleries.com or info@themetrogalleries.com.
Sat. 4 Celebrate Chocolate. Vendors, taste samples, contestants will bring their finished products for judging; winners announced 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., St. John’s Lutheran Church, 4500 Buena Vista Road. $5; $1 raffle drawing tickets. Proceeds benefit St. John’s Celebration Choir. 396-1015. Cinco de Mayo Bomb, 7:30 p.m., Rabobank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $35 to $50. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000. Kentucky Derby begins at 9 a.m., races throughout the day with the big one around 3 p.m., Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 S. P St. $5; free parking. 833-4929.
Sat. 4-Sun. 5 2013 Relay for Life opening ceremony 8:30 a.m., survivors lap 10
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a.m., luminaria ceremony 9 p.m. Saturday; fight back, closing ceremony 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Wingspoint, Airport and Merle Haggard drives.
Sat. 11 2013 Concert Series with Hotel
Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. $14.50-$20.50. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
California — the Eagles Experience, 8 p.m., Bright House Networks Amphitheatre, 11200 Stockdale Highway. $10. ticketmaster.com, Ticketmaster outlets or call 800-745-3000. 41st annual Greek Food Festival. Greek music, dancing, food, children’s fun zone, games, vendor’s marketplace and shopping areas, noon to 11 p.m., St. George Greek Orthodox, 401 Truxtun Ave. $5 adults; children under 12 are free. 325-8694. Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra presents “Great Start — Great Finish!,” 8 p.m., Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $34 to $50; full-time students half price. bakersfieldsymphony.org or 323-7928. Cherry Festival, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Murray Family Farms, 6700 General Beale Road. $7.99; kids 3 and under are free. 330-0100.
Thur. 9 CSUB Athletics Spring BBQ,
Sun. 12 Mother’s Day Music Fest,
5:30 to 10 p.m., CSUB Icardo Center, 9001 Stockdale Highway. $30 presale; $35 at the door. gorunners.com or 654-3473. Miranda Lambert: Locked & ReLoaded Tour featuring Dierks Bentlely, Randy Houser, Joanna Smith, 8 p.m., Rabobank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $27 to $51. ticketmaster.com or 800-745-3000.
noon to 7 p.m., Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 P St. Free admission, parking. 3279711.
Sun. 5 “Side Street Strutters” presented by Bakersfield Community Concert Association, 3 p.m., Rabobank Theater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $80 for nine concerts. bakersfieldcca.org or 2058522 or 589-2478.
Tue. 7 An Evening with Stephen Neal, 5:30 p.m., Stockdale Country Club, 7001 Stockdale Highway. $75, benefitting CSUB Wrestling. 587-8157 or 654-2343.
Wed. 8 Junior Brown, 7 p.m., Buck
Fri. 10 CSUB Alumni Party in the Park featuring winetasting, micro brews, food and silent auction, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., CSUB Alumni Park, 9001 Stockdale Highway.
May 2013
Wed. 15 Cody Canada and The Departed, 7 p.m., Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd. $11.50-$14.50. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Thur. 16 Third Thursdays Faire in the Park, entertainment, barbecue,
arts and crafts, games, contests, farmers market, 5:30 p.m., Central Park at Mill Creek, 21st and R streets. 325-5892.
Fri. 17 Fifth annual Bakersfield’s Biggest Baddest BBQ, food, music by Mento Buru, vendors, 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 S. P St. Free admission on Friday; $10 adults; children 12 and under are free (Saturday). Includes barbecue tasting ticket. Proceeds benefit JJ’s Legacy and Mendiburu Magic Foundation. bakobbq.com or 3313900.
Sun. 19 An Evening with Steve Miller, 7:30 p.m., Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $48-$88. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Wed. 22 Primus 3D, 8 p.m., Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $29-$47. vallitix.com or 322-5200.
Fri. 24-Sun. 26 17th annual Standing Bear Powwow. Native American dancing, drumming, arts and crafts, food, demonstrations, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Kern County Fairgrounds, 1142 S. P St. $6; children under 10 are free. 589-3181.
SHORT TAKE
BUSINESS TRIO TO SHOWCASE CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL
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hat’s all this buzz about craft beer? Imbibe Wine, Eureka! Burger and Moo Creamery plan to show you! These three food and beverage establishments have partnered to put on the inaugural Bakersfield Craft Beer Festival from 1 to 5 p.m. May 25 at Cal State Bakersfield’s Amphitheater. It will benefit Cal State Bakersfield Alumni Relations. Live music by Soulajar and other local bands will be featured along with delicious food and craft beer tastings from nearly 20 breweries. Scheduled to pour are Kern River Brewing Co., Lengthwise Brewing Co., Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Anderson Valley Brewing Co., Lagunitas Brewing Co., Deschutes Brewery, Cismontane Brewing
MEACHAM
HAGEM AN RD. ALLEN RD.
HAGEMAN FRONT RD. TERRACOTTA CT.
JENKINS RD.
— Tami and David Dobbs
RENFRO RD.
Robby’s Nursery & Calico Gardens
N
Co. and many more. Each brewery will offer two beers, one staple brew and a seasonal or special beer brewed for the event. All beer will be draft. General admission is $35; early bird tickets for $50 (only 200) will let you in 30 minutes early, along with an inaugural Tshirt. VIP tables of eight close to the stage with your own Firestone beer tent, eight meals provided by Eureka! Burger and eight T-shirts, along with early admittance, is $600 (limited to 25 tables). Tickets can be purchased at Imbibe Wine, 4140 Truxtun Ave.; Eureka! Burger, 10520 Stockdale Ave.; or Moo Creamery, 4885 Truxtun Ave. Also, visit www.bakersfieldcraftbeerfestival.com for tickets and more information.
Robby’s Nursery & Calico Gardens
ROSEDALE HWY.
4002 TERRACOTTA CT
589-0859 bakersfieldlife.com
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UP FRONT
25 RANDOM THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT Best l Loca ity r Celeb
AARON PERLMAN Compiled by Hillary Haenes
H
e’s the bald guy with a big personality who delivers the daily weather reports on Channel 29 Eyewitness News. Aaron Perlman is quite likeable, which is probably why Bakersfield Life readers voted him “best local celebrity” in this year’s Best Of Bakersfield awards. This morning weather forecaster recently turned afternoon disc jockey also hosts the “Afternoon Joy Ride” from 2 to 6 p.m.
PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
1 I always wanted to marry a blond, blueeyed girl from California who surfed. Mindy has green eyes. Three out of four isn’t bad! 2 My wife’s a personal trainer, but I have never trained with her. Too afraid! 3 I proposed to my wife at Disneyland ... and she ran away when I asked because Mickey Mouse was behind me. She’s afraid of people in costume. 4 Ten years ago, I ruptured three lower discs in my back. I was told I would never walk again. I had surgery, and now I run 5Ks and hike the entire John Muir Trail (200 miles) in the Sierras once a year with Mindy. 5 I never wanted pets, but now I live in a zoo! I have three dogs: Jacob, a golden Lab; Shiloh, a terrier mix; and Solomon, a Siberian husky/pitbull mix. I also have three cats. 6 I have a twin brother, but he doesn’t live in Bakersfield. He’s a pastor in Phoenix. 7 I have two Jeeps. Both are red. My wife picked them out. 32
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May 2013
Monday through Friday on KAXL 88.3 Life FM, a Christian radio station. So next time you happen to see 34-year-old Perlman around town, be sure to say, “Hello.” He loves meeting people, even when they are upset that his forecast is wrong, which he claims is only about 50 percent of the time. And don’t forget to ask why he decided to become a weatherman ... he has a pretty good story (or read it at bakersfieldlife.com).
8 At one point in my life I had hair on my head. It has now moved to my back.
9 I love watching television. My favorite shows are “Doctor Who,” “Person of Interest” and “The Walking Dead.” Oh, and Eyewitness News. 10 This summer I will have my National Weather Association Seal of Approval. Then my name will have a cool symbol next to it on TV. 11 My favorite storms are monsoon thunderstorms. I like it when things go “boom.” 12 I need to travel more. I have never been to Mexico, north of Monterey or east of Indiana. But I give forecasts around the world. 13 Christian music changed my life. This is why I love to lead worship for church on Sunday mornings. 14 I am deeply afraid of lotion. I purposely go the opposite direction if someone is putting it on. 15 If I ever get alone time, I love to spend it playing guitar and writing music. 16 I have written more than 50 songs. None of them consist of bullfrogs and butterflys. 17 My first concert I opened up for Clint Black in Phoenix for more than 10,000 fans. And I don’t like country music. 18 I only get five hours of sleep if I am lucky. I work from 3 a.m to 6 p.m. Then I go work out for two hours: 45 minutes of cardio, 45 minutes of lifting weights and 30 minutes eating Baja Fresh. 19 I wear tennis shoes during all of my forecasts, which Rob Finnerty and Lynda Halligan tease me about every morning. 20 At Starbucks, I get the “weatherman special.” Only Chuck Norris knows the secret recipe. OK ... and some baristas. 21 I believe in Santa. The Easter Bunny isn't real. 22 Baseball is my favorite sport. The only other good sport ... curling. 23 I hate wearing suits on TV. I bring comic book T-shirts, shorts and sandals to wear in between news shows. 24 I have to wait for my wife to go to bed so I can watch cartoons — Ninja Turtles! 25 The biggest influence in life is my personal relationship with Christ, and my dad here on earth.
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IT MANNERS A LOT By Lisa Kimble
NEW ‘SMART’ PHONES SHOULD COME WITH INSTRUCTIONS — FOR PUBLIC USE
I
t was only a matter of time, really. The high-tech walls were closing in on me. Even my husband, who until recently was more out of sync with smart devices than our golden retriever, was drinking the Apple Kool-Aid. I waited for the supply and demand frenzy to die down, laid to rest my flip phone, which belongs on a covered wagon in a museum, and finally took a big bite out of the digitally nutritious Apple. Finally in step with the rest of the human race, my new iPhone has ended my love-hate relationship with my alarm clock. Now the Ole Miss fight song rouses me from sleep. We no longer need the accordion-folded maps the size of a table cloth (sorry, auto club). The Lisa Kimble over-priced Bose stereo we couldn’t live without in our kitchen is gathering dust. I no longer need to strain, even with the use of a magnifying glass, to read the tiny print of my 5,000 page Bible. And my new digital “aquarium” never needs cleaning. I can take copious notes with my new pen — my index finger — get directions from our house to Lithuania, track potential hurricanes in the tropics, touch up my lipstick with my mirror app, light up the hallway in the event of a power outage with my flashlight app, tweet, post, track our stocks, stalk the very-pregnant Kim Kardashian, determine how many Weight Watchers points in a slice of pecan pie, or find a recipe to make one myself, listen to a Brazilian waterfall, play chopsticks on the piano, look up the definition of “ridiculous” and read Psalms 95:2. And that’s now. Next week, I have no doubt I’ll be able to
download an app for help folding the laundry and fixing a flat tire. But to my surprise, nowhere in my new toy’s box of instructions was there any mention of the importance of being courteous in public when using the gadget’s most basic and original feature: the phone. Loud conversations in public overheard from bathroom stalls and in the check out lines are so commonplace that many businesses and medical offices have been forced to have signs made reminding people to silence their cell phones and end their conversations before conducting business. So before we all drown in the rising tide of incivility associated with cell phones, maybe it is high time that the makers of these “smart” devices insert something into their packaging instructing people when it is and isn’t appropriate to use them in public. Something like this — “Congratulations on the purchase of your new mobile phone. While it’s charging, please read and memorize these instructions:” 1) Never make or accept a call while in a public bathroom. 2) Or bank lobby. 3) Or restaurant. 4) Or doctor’s office. If you are in the middle of a call, end it. Don’t ask the nurse or physician to wait a minute. 5) Your phone does not come with an invisible phone booth. 6) Don’t subject other people in public places to your gutter mouth, health issues, financial problems or relationship drama. That’s my idea of a real screensaver — operating instructions that really do “manner a lot!” — Agree,disagree? Send yourquestions,com m entsortopics you'd like to read aboutto m e atitm annersalot@ bakersfield.com orvisititm annersalot.blogspot.com .
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20041 Hwy 202, Valley Blvd., Unit 3, Tehachapi, Ca 93561 (661) 822-0377 Fax (661) 588-8749
www.bakersfieldgi.com 34
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
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The Hyundai Sonata received the lowest number of problems per 100 vehicles among midsize cars in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Vehicle Dependability StudySM. Study based on responses from 37,917 original owners of 2010 model-year vehicles after three years of ownership about problems experienced in the past 12 months. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed September-December 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com/ Hyundai
K E L LY D A M I A N
MUSICAL FAMILY GIVES CAFE A COUNTRY MUSIC VIBE
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May 2013
The Patterson Family Band — from left Breeia, Latti, and Deryl — entertain guests in front of 24th Street Cafe.
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
I
t had been 18 years since anyone had seen the old man dance. But that night, when Breeia Patterson sang “Walkin’ after Midnight”, the elderly veteran was helped to his feet, and the Patterson family watched in amazement as he two-stepped across Trout’s dance floor while the Patterson’s played. It is a moment they won’t forget. You might not recognize the names of Deryl, Latti and Breeia Patterson, but no doubt you know who they are. This Memorial Day weekend will mark their five-year anniversary of playing live music in front of 24th Street Cafe on Saturdays and Sundays. The Pattersons’ arrangement with the cafe evolved organically. Latti, the oldest daughter, was giving guitar lessons to the daughter of a waitress there. She suggested they come out and sing for the patrons who were waiting for tables. The Pattersons played on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend, and they were asked to come back on Sunday. Then again on Monday. Soon, Mark Huggs, the owner of 24th Street Cafe, Kelly Damian was fielding several calls per day asking just who that group was belting out everything from blues, honky tonk, crooners and country. After a few weeks, Mark asked them if they would play every weekend. “I like the relationship,” said Deryl Patterson, the girls’ father. “It was done on a handshake. It’s a home base.” Deryl is an experienced performer. From the time he was 6 years old in Los Angeles, he was involved in the entertainment industry as a tap dancer and musician. “My thing was always being part of the ensemble,” he explained. “I never had a star mentality. I wanted to make the show good.” Best st In high school, he got a guitar and taught himfa Breakurant self to play. His mother, wary of the entertainment industry, worried about her son investing Resta himself whole-heartedly in the fickle world of professional music. She wanted him to have marketable skills, and a stable career. Heeding her advice, Deryl stayed close to the world of entertainment — working for the film and recording industry — but worked as an accountant on the business side. In 2003, he moved his family to Bakersfield after buying an apartment complex here. “We had to adjust to the country music vibe in Bakersfield,” said Latti Patterson, now 20. “I remember watching ‘Coal Miner’s Daughter,.’ That’s what got me.” When Latti sings, she favors a straightforward and endearing style, what Deryl calls “the girl next door.” But when she plays guitar, it’s a different story. “She rips on that guitar,” Deryl said. “I don’t know too many girls that play a lead like that. She can play a mean
lead.” When they started playing in public, Latti was painfully shy and her hands shook with nerves. Deryl encouraged her to turn that shyness into energy. And now, after years of playing parties and gigs, she is comfortable doing things she never would have thought possible. “I can actually carry on a conversation with people,” Latti said. “Now I can go up to someone, and shake their hand, and introduce myself and talk a little bit.” Breeia Patterson, 17, takes after her father in her lack of shyness. In fact, when they first started playing at the cafe, they struggled to find the right place for Breeia because her voice was so loud. Although she doesn’t get nervous when she sings, she is sometimes taken aback by peoples’ reactions to her voice. “‘Blue’ and ‘Faded Love’ — those are tearjerkers,” Breeia said. Breeia’s powerful voice isn’t the only thing that is surprising. Their choice of genre certainly defies people’s expectations. “We’re black and we’re girls, playing guitar and playing country,” Lattie said. When asked if it was fun to blow people’s minds, they both laughed and nodded. Music will always play a central role in the Patterson’s lives, but Deryl, like his mother before him, wants his girls to be well-rounded. He’s taught them how to lay tile and pay taxes, along with the fundamentals of how to put on a good show. And put on a good show they do. Their music is clear and moving and a welcome addition to the live music scene in Bakersfield. To see the Pattersons in action, go to bakersfieldlife.com to view YouTube videos of their performances. — To read more, visit kellydamian.com, or follow Kelly on Twitter @kellydamian2.
D I N I N G D I VA S
NARDUCCI’S CAFE Divas dine at long-standing Old Town Kern restaurant featuring Italian and Basque cuisine
The setup from Narducci's Cafe includes beans, salsa and soup. 38
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
Narducci’s Cafe Location: 622 E. 21st St. Phone: 324-2961 Hours: 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to midnight Saturday and Sunday.
Video
The Dining Divas — from left, Marlene Morales, Stephanie Brooks Pickering, Andrea Ames, Mai Giffard and Denise Ornelas — rode in style to Narducci’s Cafe.
Photos by Greg Nichols
N
arducci’s Cafe is a long-standing staple in Old Town Kern with a rich history. Marino Narducci and wife Jennie bought the Amestoy Hotel building in 1967 from Francisco and Marie Amestoy, who used to serve French and Basque food there, said current co-owner and manager Julie Shine. Eventually, the new owners renamed it Narducci’s. Son Jimmy Narducci took over in 1977, is well-liked by loyal patrons, and continues to help Julie run the place. This local restaurant and bar is now known for its Italian and Basque cuisine, refreshing Moscow Mules, $11 Thursday steak dinners and live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.
ATMOSPHERE AND SERVICE Denise on the atmosphere: This is definitely a place for all occasions. Narducci’s offers a banquet room for parties or events, as well as a dining room on the other side of the restaurant if you want to take the entire family to dinner. The main bar is filled with nostalgia, laughter, great service and a relaxing atmosphere, where you would be comfortable sitting having a cocktail (or a few) with the girls! Mai on the atmosphere: The additional dining room has pictures of Jimmy playing the saxophone from high school, along with other personal and locally historic photos and signs adorning the walls. I especially love the neon signs, jukebox and memorabilia that add so much distinctive character to the restaurant. Whether it’s your first or 20th time visiting, you can’t help but feel the history and the sense of familiarity amongst all of the bar regulars and diners in this establishment. Andrea on service: It’s evident that our server Jen Lund, who has worked at Narducci’s for six years, loves her job. She works days, but we had a great time with her this evening! Jen mentioned Narducci’s also serves breakfast all day, every day — it opens at 9 a.m. and the breakfast special is $2. Jen was quick to recommend her favorites, as well as dishes that are particularly popular. We wanted to taste a variety of menu items, but not neglect the specials offered that evening,
Hungry for more? Check out the video of the Dining Divas’ visit to Narducci’s Cafe on bakersfieldlife.com.
too. There were many things on the menu that we wanted to try; it was hard to narrow our decisions! Of course, once our orders were in, the generous portions for the setup started coming.
APPETIZER AND BASQUE SETUP Mai on the setup: Narducci’s setup includes salad, soup, beans, salsa, local Pyrenees French bread, pasta, pickled beef tongue (a Basque delicacy and favorite among locals). The soup and salad are full of flavor, have lots of depth and are so delicious that you’ll find yourself craving it again a day or two after dining at Narducci’s. Andrea on the soup and salad: This Basque soup was full of steaming veggies like zucchini, carrots, cabbage, leeks, garlic and onions — it was
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Firecracker shrimp
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The filet mignon can be topped with mushrooms, and comes with pasta and fries.
Continued from page 39 heartier and fresher than other traditional Basque soups. We all added beans and spicy salsa for an extra kick. I enjoyed the hard Jack cheese and French bread, which was great with the soup. The salad was one of my favorite things. It is more like an Italian antipasto salad with a beautiful variety of vegetables including toppings of baby corn, beets, garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, tomatoes, blue cheese and parmesan. The tangy vinaigrette complemented the salad without drowning it. I will go back just to have this salad! Marlene on the firecracker shrimp: Just like my old cheerleading days, “Firecracker, firecracker, boomboom-boom” is how I rate this shrimp appetizer! Outstanding flavor, texture and presentation. Nice jumbo size shrimp, lightly battered, cooked to a crisp and tossed in a unique sauce topped with sesame seeds, scallions and served in a martini glass. I asked how they prepared this delicious sauce, and I was told it’s their “secret recipe.” It’s sweet, creamy and spicy with just the right explosion.
the rib-eye steak that was mouth-watering and cooked to perfection. The rib-eye was served with a side of creamy blue cheese as a topping, pasta and french fries. Stephanie on the beef ravioli: I love the idea of Basque food with an Italian influence, so I wanted to try a more Italian dish after savoring the setup. The delicious pillows of ravioli arrived in a tasty tomato meat sauce sprinkled with fresh parmesan shavings. What a treat! Upon first bite of these fluffy delights, I knew this “pregnant Diva” had made the right entree choice! Andrea on the shrimp scampi: When you go to a Basque restaurant, an entree isn’t even necessary after the setup, but I love shrimp scampi and knew I had to make room! It is a perfect portion of large shrimp in a lemon butter sauce with a great lemon flavor. I loved spooning the garlic from the sauce onto the shrimp. The scampi is served with a generous portion of steamed zucchini, carrots and broccoli on the side. A little scampi sauce on the veggies is delicious, too! Mai on the filet mignon: I ordered my filet medium-rare and it was tender, juicy and seasoned very well, and not even a touch overcooked. I was given the option of sauteed mushrooms on top, with a side of creamy blue cheese and, of course, I said, “Yes!” I don’t eat red meat often, but this was worth it. I loved that there were no frills, no heavy sauces and unnecessary components to detract from a high-quality, well-prepared cut of beef. Marlene on the porcini mushroom ravioli: The porcini mushroom ravioli a dish rich with “umami” (a savory taste). The ravioli dough is filled with porcini mushrooms sauteed in butter. You have a choice of meat sauce, alfredo, pesto or marinara. I selected the homemade alfredo sauce, which was creamy with a hint of garlic. This dish was decadent and delicious! You also have the choice of splitting three ravioli dishes with the different sauces. Choose from raviolis filled with beef, cheese, porcini mushroom, butternut squash or lobster.
DIVAS ON THE DESSERT ENTREES Denise on the rib-eye: For my main entree, I chose
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We got to sample the caramel crunch cake, the chocolate cake and the apple galette a la mode. All were deli-
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The Divas had the pleasure of a limousine ride to and from dinner at Narducci’s Cafe, courtesy of Distinctive Limousine and Chauffeur Service. Drivers Tim Dobbs and Mary Pat were prompt, attentive, friendly and made the trip to dinner fun and memorable. Tim Dobbs, owner and driver of Distinctive Limousine and Chauffeur Service and Executive Car Service of Bakersfield, has been in the limousine business for 10 years. He offers a wide-range of sedans, SUVs and limos to accommodate your event. Whether it’s a wedding, anniversary, birthday celebration or just an evening out with friends, he can get you there safely and in style. His business also offers service to all airports for
Denise and Marlene on the limousine experience: We arrived in total Diva style! Thank you, Tim Dobbs and Mary Pat, for your outstanding service; hospitality, friendliness and treating us Dining Divas like royalty. Tim was very accommodating and made sure we all stayed ahead of schedule. Traveling in a stretch black limousine is the only way to roll. Whether it’s out to dinner with couples, a girl’s night on the town, concerts, sporting events to Los Angeles or LAX; why not pamper yourself with luxury, comfort and some peace of mind by not drinking and driving? Plus, it’s affordable. The limo service customizes any trip with a fully stocked bar, snacks, meals, fresh flowers, decorations and more.
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May 2013
Tim Dobbs
PHOTO BY APRIL MASSIRIO
Divas limousine experience
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cious, and a great way to end our meal on a sweet note. The chocolate cake had a truffle-like consistency that was rich and smooth. It even won over some of us who aren’t huge fans of chocolate. The caramel crunch was a hands-down favorite, the caramel was Caramel crunch nutty and the cake crunchy toffee-like layers in-between the cake layers provided great textural contrast. The galette was warm, buttery, not too sweet and the ice cream was just the right amount.
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CONCLUSION Narducci’s offers quality Italian and Basque food made from scratch with a great ambiance and even better service and warm smiles from the staff. It is family-and kid-friendly and the food, drinks and service are outstanding. This is an ideal place to throw a celebration, mingle, relax over breakfast, have a family-style dinner or hear live music. If you haven’t been, you are truly missing out on a classic Bakersfield establishment.
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FOOD AND WINE
CHEWS AND BREWS
Best ew br Microction Sele
Beer pairings? Lengthwise offers several delicious food and brew combination By Kevin McCloskey
Photos by Jessica Frey
W
hen you go out for a meal and a beer, considering how the two complement each other is not the norm. The norm is ordering your favorite beer at the server’s first visit, reading the menu, and then ordering food when the beers arrive. Pairing the two orders takes a little forethought, and if you want to give this a try, Lengthwise Brewing Company is the perfect spot to do it for two very good reasons: • Owners Darin Schwicker and Jeff Williams have crafted their menu to complement their excellent beer, which is frequently an ingredient of the food itself. • Secondly, when you go to a brewery for lunch or dinner, it’s a pretty safe bet that they won’t have your usual store-bought beer. Why not choose a meal to enhance a possibly new experience? I have been a fan of the Lengthwise since it opened in 1998, and it’s easy to see why it frequently tops several “Best Of Bakersfield” categories every year, including this year. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere has never waivered in 15 years and has now spread to three locations. Darin and Jeff experiment to provide tasty seasonal brews, like the Irish Red Ale and the Oktoberfest, and they continue to tweak the menu by adding subtle enhancements to make each item on the menu uniquely theirs. This dedication to improvement and excellence is largely responsible for its continued success. Here are five food and beer pairings to try at Lengthwise today.
HEART HEALTHY HALF-AND-HALF For the first combination, I wanted to try one of the great Lengthwise salads, but pairing it with their lightest Lengthwiser Golden Ale 42
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May 2013
The Grilled Southwest Steak Salad is a perfect match with the Lengthwise “black and tan.”
was too easy. Instead I opted for the “Grilled Southwest Steak Salad” and a “Black and Tan,” which is half a pint of Centennial Ale topped with the Kern County Crude Porter. By way of disclaimer, no one claims this salad, or the two-tone beer, is healthy for your heart, but when I see a plate filled with so many fresh vegetables, it just feels like I’m eating right. Even with the strips of lean, spicy tri-tip and the delicious taco dressing, this is a guilt-free menu option for me.
As for the beer, if you can combine steak and salad into one dish, surely you can combine two great beers to go with it. The smoke from the tri-tip enhances the smoke flavors in the porter, and there is something satisfying about roasted meat with dark beer. The Centennial pairs nicely with the crisp salad and crunchy bell peppers, and the housemade taco dressing adds a little extra zing. This is a great combination as the weather turns warm.
Order the L.B.C. Wings with the India pale ale.
Fish tacos at Lengthwise go well with Harvest Moon Wheat Ale.
MOON OVER FISH TACOS The Harvest Moon Wheat Ale is a polarizing beer, and the controversy stems from that little half-moon lemon slice at the top. Purists insist that it’s an unnecessary addition that eliminates the head, while others find it refreshing. To me, it makes for two different tasting beers, and with the lemon, it made for a pleasant pairing with fantastic fish tacos. The crispy cod strips that anchor these tacos are beerbattered with the Lengthwiser Golden Ale, topped with a creamy salsa dressing, shredded cabbage and cheddar cheese. Squirt a little lemon and it lights up the Harvest Moon. And if you prefer your fish sans-taco, this wheat ale pairs equally well with the fish and chips. If you like, you can even add a little malt vinegar to make that acidic connection to the lemon in your ale.
HOT AND HOPPY Wings have almost become a staple for bar and restaurant starter menus. I have never been much of a fan of the dish because wings were too much trouble for too little meat, and everyone seemed to use the same sauce. But wings have come a long way, as evidenced by the chains and local spots devoted to them. The “L.B.C. Wings” have inspired me to re-examine my opinion. These large drummettes blow away those skinny, meatchallenged wings of the past. Tossed with a spicy, homemade barbecue sauce and served with homemade ranch dressing, the wings pack a lot of flavor, along with some heat, to make them stand out. Pairing the wings with Centennial Ale was based on the idea that a strong, hoppy beer
Lengthwise Kern County Crude Porter pairs nicely with the “Stinky Burger” and “Nasty Fries.”
was needed to match the spicy flavors, and the theory proved to be sound. This India pale ale, or IPA, has an intense character and some spice of its own, which is needed to keep up with the wings. The Triple Hop Red Ale also pairs nicely with this appetizer, and it even adds a touch of sweetness to highlight the sauce.
STINKY, NASTY AND CRUDE While it may not be evident from the subtitle, my favorite pairing of the day was a “Stinky Burger” with “Nasty Fries” and a pint of Kern County Crude Porter. The Stinky Burger includes a large patty with the usual fixings and gorgonzola cheese on the fresh-baked focaccia beer bread. It
Continued on page 44
Lengthwise Brewing Company 6720 Schirra Court; 2900 Calloway Drive; 9000 Ming Avenue, Unit T-1 More information, hours: lengthwise.com or search “Lengthwise Brewing” on Facebook
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enough to knock down the fire from the fries, brings out the smoke flavor from the burger, and holds its own with the gorgonzola. Be sure to bring your appetite if you try this combo — it’s not for the feint of heart. The burger is one of Bakersfield’s finest, and when you incorporate it with the best porter in Kern County and beyond, you get a combination that is really hard to beat.
SWEET SURRENDER
Deep fried Twinkies with ice cream paired with Double ZZ Raspberry Ale.
Continued from page 43 comes on a regular bun if you prefer, but since they began trimming the beer bread to the size of the patty, stick with the focaccia. The fries are tossed with a homemade “A.V. sauce,” and are covered with gorgonzola. The dark delight that is Kern County Crude is strong
If you thought pairing beer with your meal was abnormal, I can only imagine what you’ll think about teaming it with dessert. Desserts are meant to go with coffee, Champagne and sweet wines, but Lengthwise has a couple of options to add to the list. The root beer float is hardly an unfamiliar pairing, but when the ice cream is coupled with the Lengthwise Draft Root Beer straight from the brewery, it takes on an authentic quality you won’t find from the chemical-laced, overly processed store varieties. This is how a float was meant to taste. If you are feeling a little more ambitious, try the deep-fried Twinkies with ice cream along with a glass of the Double ZZ Raspberry Ale. The sweetness from the cakes and cinnamon-maple syrup magnify the sweeter qualities of the ale, and the ice cream even adds a creamsicle element.
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JANE’S JEWELERS Where Bakersfield Gets Engaged
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9530 Hageman Road • 587-6242 Corner of Calloway & Hageman JanesJewelers.com Facebook.com/JanesJewelers Hours: Tuesday - Friday 10:00am - 6:00pm Saturday 10:00am – 3:00pm Closed Sunday & Monday
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E N T E R TA I N M E N T
BATTLE OF THE BADGES Interagency pride is at stake once again in this popular boxing contest for charity By Juan Ventimiglia
Photos by Rod Thornburg
D
uring the annual Battle of the Badges, interagency pride is at stake — and no one wants to be the loser. Sgt. Chad Jackman, of the Bakersfield Police Department, knows all about it. The most difficult part of the local boxing competition, which benefits charity, is “learning to keep your emotions in check.” The
Anthony Martinez, from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, rests and hears advice from his trainers between rounds at the 2010 Battle of the Badges.
Boxers Bradley Carey, left, of the Kern County Probation Department, and Richard Mullins, of the California Department of Corrections, take swings during Battle of the Badges under the watchful eyes of referee Dave Jackson. 46
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May 2013
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Anthony Aguero, left, and Julio Casas, both of the Bakersfield Police Activities League, trade punches during Battle of the Badges.
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mental aspect of contest is great for law enforcement officers, as they can apply it to their line of duty. “When someone punches you in the face, it’s hard not to lose your temper,” Jackman said. “You have to keep your focus on offense and defense and keep your head in the game.” Battle of the Badges, now its 19th year, is a charity boxing event that benefits the Bakersfield Police Activities League, a nonprofit charitable group formed in 1994 linking kids, volunteers and police for juvenile delinquency prevention and youth activities. Various law enforcement agencies in the battle jab and uppercut each Battle of the other for a gold medal and Badges respect. When: Saturday, May 11 (doors open at 5:30 p.m.; first bout at 7 p.m.) Where: Bakersfield College Tickets: $20 general admission; $40 for ringside seats On sale at Bakersfield Police Department downtown (1630 E. 11th St.), Westside Substation (1301 Buena Vista Road), Bakersfield Police Activities League (301 E. 4th St.), and Mr. Tuxedo (2409 Brundage Lane) More information: 283-8880
HISTORY
Battle of the Badges began as a barbecue at a pistol range with just three fights. Last year, there were 14 bouts. Officers have traveled from as far north as Sacramento and the Central Coast. And it has sold out every year. The format complies with U.S. Amateur Boxing rules, separated into three two-minute rounds. The officers are classified by weight, height and experience. They begin training in early November for the event. And they don’t take it lightly. Any time you’re going toe-to-toe in a ring with gloves on, it’s serious, officers said. Some choose to train on their own. Some officers train at a boxing ring in the activities league gymnasium, giving them a chance to interact with the youth there.
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DISCIPLINE Officer Jessey Esposito of the Kern County Parks and Recre-
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Continued on page 48 bakersfieldlife.com
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Continued from page 47 ation Department has competed in the event fives times. Officers in the event, he said, have had combat training, and many wrestled in high school. But boxing is like a different language, he said. “Most train by doing a lot of cardio and weight lifting. But boxing isn’t just about running three miles,” Esposito said. “Sparring, in my opinion, is the best form of training. If you’re doing that, then you’ll be alright.” And becoming a boxer takes discipline. “You have to take care of your body and cut out the bad food,” Esposito said. “This also means giving up beer.” Even after months of preparation, it can be nerve wracking actually competing. When the day comes for the officers to sign their name on the roster, reality sets in. Battle of the Badges in recent years has been held at Cal State Bakersfield and the Bakersfield Dome. Esposito’s grandmother has told him she used to watch boxing matches there during World War II. This year, it will be held at Bakersfield College.
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FOODIE
Lyndia Krausgrill enjoys cooking for family and friends.
LYNDIA KRAUSGRILL Jewelry designer, certified chef chooses family cooking over restaurant life Compiled by Hillary Haenes
L
Photos by Jessica Frey
yndia Krausgrill decided to take cooking to another level when she and her best friend enrolled a couple of years ago in professional baking and culinary classes at the New School of Cooking in Culver City. She spent countless Thursdays traveling over the Grapevine, but her work has paid off, and she is now certified to cook as a kitchen chef, creating savory and sweet dishes. Krausgrill, 57, had an interest in potentially opening her own restaurant some day, but her vision eventually grew faint when she realized how much she takes pleasure in cooking for family and friends instead. “The school is oriented toward those who have an interest in becoming professional chefs, but not everybody who enrolls has that ambition,” she said. “There is a 50
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lot of one-on-one interaction with the instructors, who are all very high-caliber cooks themselves. When Krausgrill isn’t cooking, she spends time between her job and other hobby, jewelry designing. She started Lyndia K. Jewelry in 2000 when her older daughter, Lauren, couldn’t find any baubles she liked for her senior prom. Thousands of jewelry pieces later, Krausgrill still loves disappearing to her bead room, or her “retreat away from the world,” on foggy, winter days. This self-described “exercise freak” also likes waking up early for boot camp or playing a round of golf. With an active lifestyle comes healthy eating. Krausgrill enjoys good food and good-for-me-food. “The idea of learning how to create the things I love to eat, and to control the ingredients in them appeals to me.”
COOKING ADVICE I developed an interest in cooking when: I got married. My mother-in-law was an excellent cook and graceful entertainer, and I knew from early on that was something I wanted to emulate. I also raised three kids. Somebody had to feed them. My recent interest in receiv-
Krausgrill puts the finishing touches on split stuffed baked chicken.
ing a professional chef education came from an idea that a friend and I had to open a restaurant. She and a couple of other friends attended school with me. Our enthusiasm for the restaurant idea has faded, but I’m very happy to have had the education. How often I cook/entertain for family and friends: Frequently. I love an intimate dinner with close friends who are game to try anything I want to make. But every once in a while, a bigger party is fun, too. Everything goes better with: Wine. I’m not a huge wine drinker, but I understand the importance of wellpaired, food-and-wine combinations. When that happens, each brings out the best in the other. I always mess up: My kitchen! I rock at making: Breads. One of my cooking secrets: Cook onions more than you think you should, and cook garlic less than you think you should. My disastrous kitchen story: I hate it when I forget that I already have flour in my KitchenAid mixer, and when I turn it on, flour goes everywhere! I do that all the time. How I find inspiration to create a new dish: Often, I’m inspired by something I ate at a restaurant. But friends keep giving me cookbooks, and it’s fun to read through those for ideas. One ingredient that I love to use in my recipes: I use a lot of good-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Although it has it’s limitations (you can’t cook it at a really high temperature), it is a great starting point for a wide variety of foods — and its good for you. If I could spend a day with a famous chef or fellow
foodie, it would be: Anyone who loves food and can laugh at themself.
TOOLS OF THE TRADE My favorite piece of cooking equipment: I love my Vitamix. They say it can crush bolts. I don’t think I’ll ever need to do that, but it is an incredible machine with a lot of uses. Must-have kitchen tools: It depends on how dedicated to cooking you are, and what specialties interest you. For instance, if you bake, a standing mixer is essential. It’s probably the single most important thing anyone can buy, regardless, of skill level, is a really good chef’s knife. Spice cabinet necessities: Fresh spices make a huge difference. This is something I learned in school. Fresh and whole are ideal, grinding them as needed. One of my cooking instructors described the difference between fresh and pre-ground spices as the difference between black and white and color. I agree. Even more important for herbs. Favorite cooking show to watch: “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” I like to know where to go and what to eat anywhere. Ingredients that I avoid: I’m open to all foods. It’s what I’ve learned with age — life is an adventure! I buy this in bulk: Everything. I never know what I might need, and I hate running to the store at the last minute, although it always seems to happen. Dream kitchen appliance: I am fortunate to have exactly the kitchen and equipment that I want. I can’t think of anything else I need.
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Continued from page 51
A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
GLOBE-TROTTING Favorite cuisine: I love real Asian foods, not American-style Asian foods, though. Favorite local restaurant and my order: I often meet friends at Luigi’s for lunch. I love the Giovanna’s salad, and I always ask them to add tuna. For dinners, I love Valentien Restaurant & Wine Bar. I think they’re the best restaurant in town, and they treat you like family. Best culinary destination: Northern Italy. Most expensive meal: I once Apple galette (rustic apple pie) had a $50 steak at Mastro’s Ocean Club at Newport Beach. It was amazing! Weirdest food I like: I’ll try anything!
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Always in the fridge: Fresh vegetables, garlic and butter. I’m addicted to: Healthy foods! I have high standards when I go out to dinner. Alcoholic drink: I like a good Cosmopolitan. Comfort food: Homemade chicken pot pies. Dessert: Caramel cake. Healthy snack: Fresh fruit. Or sometimes I make my own granola with lots of nuts. Local bakery: Sweet Surrender Bakery! Family recipe: There are many. One of the simplest: butter, olive oil, garlic, basil, red pepper flakes, sauteed mushrooms, parmesan cheese and bow-tie pasta. Sometimes I add more veggies and/or grilled chicken. My splurge at the grocery store: I buy my meat at Wood-Dale Market on Stine Road. I have found that if I buy just what I need, I actually save money versus buying at the grocery stores, and the quality of Wood-Dale’s meat is outstanding. The single tastiest thing I’ve eaten this month: There are a couple of standouts — I had a hot duck salad at the Green Valley Spa and Resort in St. George, Utah. That was simply delish! My younger daughter also recently made carnitas, which I thought were fantastic.
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Split Stuffed Baked Chicken One 3 to 3-1/2 pound chicken 1 sprig each of thyme, parsley and marjoram (leaves finely chopped) A few tablespoons olive oil Directions: Split the chicken along the backbone. Remove wing tips. Lay flat on work surface with breast facing up. Strike it firmly on the breast to break the breast bone, collar bone, wish bone and rib cage. Loosen the skin. Rub olive oil and herbs all over the outside of the bird.
Stuffing: 1 onion, diced 1 pound zucchini, grated 3 ounces ricotta cheese 4 ounces soft butter Leaves from 1 sprig marjoram 1 egg Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Sweat the onion in 1-ounce of butter. Cool. Salt the zucchini. Allow it to sit to remove water. Rinse. Squeeze dry. Sweat in 1 ounce butter. Cool. Combine remaining ingredients; adjust seasoning. Place the stuffing under the skin of the chicken. Season. Roast in oven at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour, until done.
Apple Galette (Rustic Apple Pie) 3 apples peeled, cored and sliced 2 ounces butter Brown sugar Cinnamon
Dough: 1-1/3 cup flour Generous pinch of salt 2 teaspoons sugar 4 ounces cold butter, cut into small cubes 3 ounces ice water Directions: Using your hands, combine the flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add 4 ounces cold butter cubes and, using finger tips, pinch butter into smaller pieces while combining with the dry ingredients. Try not to melt the butter. When complete, mixture should resemble corn meal. Slowly add ice water an ounce at a time, and combine with hands until the mixture just holds together. Avoid adding too much water. Place dough ball on a sheet of plastic wrap and seal in wrap, flattening the ball into a disc in the process. Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to one day. Roll out the disc into a thin sheet. Over medium heat, melt 2 ounces butter and brown sugar in a skillet and combine with apple slices and cinnamon. Cook gently until apples begin to soften (about 5 minutes). Mound apple slices in center of rolled-out dough and fold dough over the slices, leaving the center uncovered. Bake in oven at 350 degrees oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
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ON THE ROAD
2013 FORD FUSION ENERGI
Bakersfield Life assistant managing editor Jorge Barrientos and buddy Michael Espinoza took the new Ford Fusion Energi to Seven Oaks Country Club golf course.
Classy sedan doesn’t sacrifice luxury features for fantastic fuel economy By Jorge Barrientos
Photos by Michael Lopez
T
he first comment I heard repeatedly from several people as I test drove the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi came in the form of a question. “It’s a hybrid?” In essence, they were really asking how such a classy-looking sedan could be a hybrid vehicle and a plug-in hybrid at that? The answer: Ford this year has released a winner — literally. Ford’s hybrid has already taken home several national awards, including several by U.S. News & World Report: • No. 1 affordable midsize car out of 18 affordable midsize cars based on analysis of 47 published reviews and test drives, and analysis of reliability and safety data. • No. 1 hybrid car. • 2013 best hybrid car for families. Here why: the all-new redesigned Ford Fusion Hybrid is said to have the best combination of quality, size and familyfriendly features in its class. It has excellent fuel economy, strong performance, great reliability and safety scores, roomy interior and stylish exterior.
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And with Ford now unveiling it fourth-generation of hybrids with the Energi — its first plug-in electric gas vehicle — it has seemingly perfected the hybrid genre, said Kyle Galaz with Jim Burke Ford. “Hybrids don’t look like that,” said Galaz, repeating a reaction he typically hears from customers when he shows the Energi. “But with this car you don’t have to sacrifice looks, comfort and safety for fuel economy. It’s a world-class hybrid.” And excellent fuel economy is likely its biggest draw. The Fusion hybrid is powered by a four-cylinder gas engine and an electric motor, which are paired with a CVT. The car gets an astounding 100 mpg “fuel economy,” city and highway combined with electricity and gas, with up to a 620-mile range. It also gets an impressive 43 mpg combined city and highway on gas alone. You can travel in the Fusion Energi more than 20 miles on a electric alone, on a full charge. For many, that can be to work and back, or to the grocery store and back, without using a single drop of gas. Galaz said buyers have talked to him about going weeks without filling up and smile as they pass gas station after gas station, just like on the commercials. The plug-in mechanism is simple, just like any household plug-in item: just plug it in to a 120- or 240-volt current to recharge. The Ford Energi will recharge in as little as two and
Ford Fusion Energi Titanium comes with leather seats, and doesn't sacrifice luxury features for fuel economy.
Ford Fusion Energi features the intuitive MyFord Touch color LCD and an overall roomy and comfortable interior.
It’s all in the details a half hours. Public recharge stations are popping up more and more, too, and a handy Ford application on your phone will let you know where to find the closest stations. Or, local contractors can build a charge station in your own garage at affordable costs. Also helpful, the electric motor recharges with each push of the brake, called regenerative braking. If the fuel economy doesn’t impress you, the quiet powertrain surely will. At least that’s what impressed my buddy Michael Espinoza when we took it for a ride. It’s nearly impossible to tell if that car is actually on, he said — whether it’s running on gas or electric. I could only tell the car was on because the intuitive screens in the car told me the Ford was ready to drive. Those screens also update you on the car’s efficiency levels, how much battery life is left, and what mpg rate you’re getting. But the MyFord Touch color LCD lets you really control the car. It comes with a back-up camera, navigation, and allows you to sync up to 12 electronic devices via Bluetooth through the Microsoft Sync system. The Energi comes in two trims: SE and Titanium. I tested the Titanium, which adds exterior upgrades and more premium interior features like leather seats, blind spot warning system and 17-inch wheels, among others. Here are some other noteworthy features, some of them standard: • Dual climate control, keyless push-button start,
Mileage Ford Fusion Energi Titanium: 100 mpg gas and electric combined on city and highway; 43 mpg combined city and highway on gas alone
Price tag Ford Fusion Energi Titanium: $40,100 base price ($42,830 test drive model) Ford Fusion Energi SE: $38,700 base price Ford Fusion Hybrid: $27,200 base price
What makes the 2013 Ford Fusion Energi stand out from others? You are not compromising comfort, convenience, safety or technology by owning the Fusion Energi. Unlike other hybrids and plug-in designers/markers who delete features to increase fuel economy, Ford Motor Company designers have elevated the cars design and technology to add as many luxury features that we all love, and still kept the fuel economy and electric mode at the highest level.
Target customer Ford designed the Fusion Energi for all buyers who are looking for incredible fuel economy and like the idea of being able to charge the car at home. If you are in the market for a stylish, fuel-saving sedan, then a Fusion Energi is a great candidate.
Three words that define the Ford Fusion Energi Intelligent, stylish and impressive.
What do you like most about the 2013 Fusion Energy? You can drive 21 miles on pure electric mode. Trips to the store, work or school will use absolutely no gas, and when you get home, you simply plug it back in. Source: Kyle Galaz, new and used sales and leasing, Jim Burke Ford-Lincoln
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Ford Fusion Energi Titanium is sporty and luxurious. Passersby found it hard to believe it was a hybrid.
Continued from page 55 eight airbags, including knee airbags, 12-speaker system by Sony, USB connection, heated seats, voice commands, and a driver alert system that shakes the steering wheel if you veer out of your lane. The Wall Street Journal called the Fusion hybrid “a formidable rival for Toyota’s Prius.” In all, The Ford Energi offers dashing good looks, excellent fuel economy and a great (and quiet) driving experience.
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ON THE ROAD
TOYOTA AVALON, A CLASS OF ITS OWN
Bakersfield Life Editor Olivia Garcia showcases the new 2013 Toyota Avalon.
Redesigned Avalon is packed with plenty of choices and irresistible features By Olivia Garcia
Photos by Mark Nessia
I
didn’t realize how popular I could be until I stepped into 2013 Toyota Avalon Limited. As I test drove the Avalon for a few days, I encountered so many friends, colleagues and even strangers who stopped to ask me about the car: How does it drive? Is it roomy? Do you like the new look? Before I could answer any of these questions, everyone had already filled in the blanks for me — and all with affirmations, praises and approval. For a moment, I realized that I was the one who had been missing out on the beauty, power and impressiveness of the Toyota Avalon. Over the years, it had earned a steady base of loyal fans, and the 2013 model, with its sleek changes and major improvements, drew the curiBest r & ous and the faithful alike. a Of course, it is no surprise that Toyota has a loyal New Cd Car Use rship base, especially since it has, not one, but two local dealerships: Bill Wright Toyota in the Bakersfield Deale Auto Mall, and North Bakersfield Toyota Scion near the intersection of highways 99 and 65. Although Bill Wright Toyota and North Bakersfield are two 58
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The 2013 Toyota Avalon comes with the Entune multimedia system. completely distinct operations, both work together to serve local buyers, managers from both dealerships say. “With a combined inventory exceeding 600 new vehicles, both dealerships are keenly postured to offer a huge selection far exceeding other dealerships,” said Kevan Juergens, general sales manager of Bill Wright Toyota. A neat factor noted by Juergens is that the 2013 Toyota Avalon “was designed and assembled exclusively in the Unit-
It’s all in the details
The 2013 Toyota Avalon has an all-new body style, and was built here in the United States.
ed States.” The sleek new design is eyecatching. When I described the color as white, one of my good friends and proud Avalon owner Magda Menendez quickly corrected me, saying it was “blizzard pearl.” She, too, wondered about the upgrade, as did my cousin Eddie Ronquillo. He just paid off Video his Avalon See the Toyota Avalon in and is seriaction. Watch the video on BakersfieldLife.com ously considering the new one, especially because his wife Sofia told me she has fallen in love with it. As I volunteered at the recent Bakersfield College Red & White Wine & Food Festival, another friend and volunteer, professor Cornelio Rodriguez, turned to me to find out more about the Avalon. Again, as I mentioned a few things, Rodriguez already knew the answers. I am now beginning to understand the Toyota Avalon’s fan base. When dropping off my sophomore son at his school one morning, I was quickly flagged down by the campus security officer Tim Hall. For minute, I became worried that I had driven too fast into the campus parking lot. Then I learned the real reason for stopping me — Hall was interested in checking out the Avalon. A proud owner of an older Avalon model, Hall was thoroughly impressed and almost ready to upgrade. He was in awe of the new
technology capabilities and body style, and said the front end lights and design reminded him of a Maserati. The Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, which can be set up to set you one to two car lengths apart from others (you decide), and the convenient power rear sunshade were bonus points for Hall. The Avalon also comes with Entune multimedia system, which gives motorists and passengers access to more information, and it works with your smartphone! You can stream your music from your phone’s Pandora, Spotify or music playlist. Entune also allows you to find restaurants with the help from Bing, and purchase movie tickets from MovieTickets.com. It took a mere few seconds for my 14year-old to figure how to Bluetooth connect his iPhone and play his music playlist. And my 15-1/2-year-old was impressed by the JBL audio system. In fact, both boys gave it a thumps up, and these boys are some picky boys, trust me. Matt Provencio, the floor manager at North Bakersfield Toyota Scion, said Avalon underwent a major redesign for its 2013 model to offer a more sportier ride, and a bolder, sleeker appearance, complete with the right luxury and performance appeal. He also pointed to the five-star rating overall for a full-size sedan issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. What else makes it hot? • A 3.5 liter V6 engine with 268 horse-
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Toyota Avalon’s best features The 2013 Toyota Avalon is more stylish and technologically advanced than ever before! The ride is very well controlled and offers everything that a luxury sedan offers, without the pricing of a luxury sedan. The six-speed automatic transmission with the sport paddle shifters make the Avalon more fun to drive than ever, especially with 268 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque under the hood. When it comes to safety, Toyota does not compromise a single detail, and the new Avalon comes with a laundry list of safety features included in the Star Safety System with like 10 air bags, Smart Stop Technology, Antilock Brakes, electronic brake force distribution, vehicle stability control, brake assist, and traction control, just to name a few safety features. Mileage Avalon Hybrid: 40 mpg city, 39 mpg highway Avalon (gas): 21 mpg city, 31 mpg highway Price Tag Starting at $30,990 Toyota Avalon is perfect for… Any and everyone looking for a luxury sedan without the pricing of a luxury sedan! What makes the Toyota Avalon stand out from others? The all new body style. The Avalon was conceived and built right in the heart of the United States of America by the hands of Americans. Target customer The body style is not age specific. Regardless your age, you are sure to fall in love with it!. Three words that define the Toyota Avalon Luxurious and classy, yet sexy. What do you like the most about the Toyota Avalon? The Avalon has completely redefined the full-size sedan market. It has the most technologically advanced technology and safety features of today, and it looks beautiful. You could spend tens of thousands of dollars on another luxury sedan and may not even get close to what the Avalon has to offer. As a owner, you can feel confident knowing that your passengers will be protected, all while looking gorgeous in your car. With Toyota’s world-renowned quality, durability and reliability, Toyota delivers the best car for your money with this all new Avalon!. Source: Alexander B. Ayyoub, general sales manager, North Bakersfield Toyota Scion
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Continued from page 59 power and estimated 31 mpg highway (if you are thinking about a hybrid model, we will cover that in a second). • Heating and cooling seats, tri-climate control, a precollision system, automatic high beams and wireless charging capabilities for certain smartphones. Yep, get rid of the USB plug and just set your phone down on a mat to be charged. Ah, the good life. • A backup camera for getting in and out of tight or congested spots. • “Each body panel has been sculpted to quiet the wind while using a more rigid chassis for better handling and a crisper driving response,” Juergens said. “Safety was further improved by adding 10 standard airbags, an available Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and a backup camera to prevent any previously concealed mishaps. The all-new 2013 Toyota Avalon redefines the expectations of a true luxury sedan.” In addition, the Avalon comes in a hybrid model. Using its Hybrid Synergy Drive system, the Avalon still delivers a spirited ride while offering up to an EPA-estimated 40 mpg and an Advance Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) rating, Juergens said. “The all new Toyota Avalon hits it out of the park when it comes to customer responses,” Juergens said. “An Avalon experience is like no other car. In most cases, it’s love at first sight.” I now see why.
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HOMETOWN HERO
CJ BAUSANO U.S. Air Force commander Compiled by Marissa Lay
CJ
Bausano, 46, has served in the military for 22 years. Her time with the U.S. Air Force includes being stationed throughout the country and multiple deployments overseas since 9/11. She is a 1985 graduate of Bakersfield High School. Assignment: I recently relinquished command as the 47th Garrison Commander at the Shindand Air Base in Afghanistan in March, where I stood up a new unit. Basically, we provide base operating support for the population of the installation for more than 5,000 U.S. and coalition Forces. In June, I’ll be assuming the position of mission support group commander in Kunsan Air Base in South Korea. I didn’t think that area would be getting some attention right now, but I guess after 16 months in Afghanistan, what’s another year in a hot zone? Stationed: I’ve been stationed at Eielson Air Force Base in Arkansas; Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama; Hurlburt Field in Florida; Fort Bragg in North Carolina; Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas; Luke Air Force Base in Arizona; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio; and multiple deployments since 9/11. Why I decided to join: I didn’t know what I was going to do after college, and I needed to tell my parents (John and Nancy Bausano)
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something. I thought I needed more time to figure it out, so I joined the Air Force. It was only supposed to be for one assignment. It’s hard to believe it’s been 22 years. Why I continue to serve: The jobs granted to me have intrigued me along the way, and commander is the ultimate position to hold. The people I’ve met along the way have made very memorable imprints to me as time has passed. While in the Air Force, I have visited: Qatar, Oman, England, Taiwan, Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan. My greatest military accomplishment: The promotions and tougher jobs bring me closer to the people who serve. What I like most about my job: Taking care of the great men and women who love their country. My favorite memory of being in the military: The camaraderie between service men and women, especially while deployed. Valuable advice I learned while in the Air Force: Focus on the job at hand, and don’t worry about the next job down the road. What you want will come if you take care of the people and the mission. Don’t wear your rank. If I had to choose a different career path, I would have become: Probably a teacher of some sort. But when I retire, I’ll probably help with my husband’s family business, Valley Motorcycle Safety, where we teach people how to ride. What I miss most about Bakersfield: My family and friends, and, of course, Dewar’s. How I stay connected to family and friends back home: Visits when I can, email, letters. I’m trying to get more family members on Skype or FaceTime, but we haven’t gotten that far yet. How I stay positive while away from home: Doing the job you’ve been given to the utmost of your ability, getting enough sleep and staying fit are all major factors. But daily prayers and faith that those back home are taken care of is an incredible help. The first thing I’m going to do when I get home: Take my dogs for a long walk with my husband, Warren. My boys mean the world to me. My favorite activity in Bakersfield: Enjoying ice cream with almond topping at Dewar’s. I love to visit all the stores when I can. Something I would like to accomplish this year: Find a way to bring my family closer together. — Do you know a Kern County resident who has served honorably in the military, or is currently serving? Email us at bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the message subject line: Hometown Hero. Please include an email, phone number and/or Facebook link to reach the nominee.
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Sam and Sue Frantz decided four years ago that they were going to stay in the home that they’ve owned for over twenty years. It was then that they decided to update and remodel their kitchen. After giving much thought about how they wanted to design the kitchen, Sue went to visit a friend who recently had her kitchen remodeled by Stockdale Kitchen & Bath. She was so impressed by their work; she decided to give them a call. After sitting down with Certified Kitchen Designer Rick Sorci, he created a 3 Dimensional design with her input and together they created her “dream kitchen”. After seeing the design, and being able
to actually see exactly how the finished project would appear, they decided to go with Stockdale Kitchen & Bath. One of the key features to the look of the kitchen was the cabinetry Rutherford doors, which is a Stockdale Kitchen & Bath exclusive door. They were very impressed with the fact that Rick was so involved in the process from beginning to end. From picking out the right appliances, to overseeing the project on site, it really took the stress out of the experience and made it very enjoyable. Everything went smoothly and they couldn’t be happier with their new kitchen. The Frantz family are third generation almond growers in Shafter. They have three grown children, and are heavily involved in the community and their church. They’re looking forward to the next 26 years in their beautiful home with their “dream kitchen”.
A L L-S TA R AT H L E T E
JOHNNY CARTER Track and field star was ‘born to run and jump’ By Stephen Lynch
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
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Things haven’t always been as rosy for Carter as they are now. After his triple jump state championship as a freshman at Ridgeview High, he bagged a total of three state silver medals in the next two years and didn’t compete for Ridgeview as a senior. “There was a struggle personally for me because of the high school crowd I was hanging around,” Carter said. “A lot of personal decisions I made weren’t the greatest. But I’ve learned from all of that. And that experience that I went through in high school has shaped me into the young man that I am today.” Carter said he believes that his God-given talent is one of the two main reasons for his track success. “(God) has blessed me,” Carter said. “Secondly, I believe I have a passion to be great. I have a hunger to achieve a lot with this track business because I believe this is what I was made to do. Like I told my mom when I was 8 years old, ‘I was born to run and jump.’” Carter said he hopes that the combination of his innate ability and willingness to work hard will one day land him a spot in the Olympics. “Just to be there would be great, but the other goal I have is win a gold medal in the Olympics,” Carter said. “I believe I’m doing this for life. I’m putting all my heart and energy into it. I’m just going to keep that dream alive.” PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
J
ohnny Carter believes he was born to be a great track athlete. Based what he’s accomplished so far in the sport, there isn’t any reason to believe he’s wrong. Carter, a redshirt freshman at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, recently captured the NCAA Division II indoor title in both the triple jump and long jump. The Ridgeview High alumnus is very familiar with success at big meets. He won the California Interscholastic Federation state triple jump championship as a high school freshman in 2008 with a windaided mark of 49 feet and .75 inches. “It was really like sort of unbelievable,” Carter said of his two NCAA championship victories. “Hard work does pay off and God answers prayers. It was definitely a life experience that I’ll always remember.” Carter posted the top Division II marks of the entire year in winning the two NCAA titles (25 feet, 1.75 inches in the long jump, and 52 feet, 1.75 inches in the triple jump). Soon after his gold medal performances, Carter was chosen as the NCAA Division II West Region male Indoor Track and Field “Athlete of the Year.” The notoriety that comes with winning championships and receiving awards is something that Carter enjoys, he said. “The feedback that I get off of doing things such as winning the state or NCAA (title), that feeling is just incredible,” Carter said. “... I’m very grateful and I try to remain as humble as I can.”
THANK YOU, KERN COUNTY FOR VOTING US ...
Johnny Carter Born Sept. 15, 1993 in Chicago, Ill. Parents are Patricia and Johnny Carter, Sr. Siblings are Jordan, Eric and Anthony. Enjoys music, track and church. Took first place in August 2009 in the Intermediate Boys Division triple jump (48-feet 1 inch) at the National AAU Track and Field Junior Olympics in Des Moines, Iowa. Chosen in 2010 as Co-All-Area track and field “athlete of the year” by The Bakersfield Californian. Won the Intermediate Boys Division triple jump title later that year, as a member of Team RAW Track Club, at the prestigious Lee Evans Invitational with a mark of 46 feet, 5 inches. Won the age 17-18 men's triple jump at the AAU Junior Olympics last summer in Houston. His jump of 52 feet, .25 inches was a personal record that he has since broken.
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TA L K O F T H E TO W N
FROM THE FARM TO THE LAB TO US Bolthouse Farms Innovation Center aims to develop new, healthy foods for consumers By Bakersfield Life Magazine
Photos by Casey Christie
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olthouse Farms unveiled its new state-of-theart, $5 million Innovation Center this year at its southeast Bakersfield headquarters. Scientists and marketing representatives at the center will help Bolthouse develop new foods and expand its healthy food menu with its staple products — carrots, juices and salad dressings. “Flavored carrots” developed at the center, for example, are being test-marketed now and could reach our local supermarkets soon. Bakersfield-based Bolthouse Farms gave Bakersfield Life Magazine access to the center, and our photographer was there to document what exactly happens inside. 66
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Scientist Nitika Dhamankar, in the Bolthouse Innovation Center lab mixing a beverage.
Left: Scientists and technologists keep busy in the Bolthouse Innovation Center lab.
Above: Amrish Chawla, Bolthouse Farms scientist, is adding flavoring drops to a beverage base at the Bolthouse Innovation Center lab area.
Above: Jason Bernardo, Bolthouse Farms technologist, is in the sensory room taste testing various products where Bolthouse Farms uses many of their own employees on a regular basis to taste test their products.
Left: Cecilia Colin, Bolthouse Farms scientist cooks some carrots in the kitchen at the Bolthouse Innovation Center. They were sweet flavor, on the left burner, and spicy, on the right burner.
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Bolthouse Farms employees including Martina Heithoff, left, taste test various products in the Bolthouse Innovation Center sensory room and then express their opinions.
Baby carrot Shakedowns available in vending machines at the Bolthouse Farms headquarters on E. Brundge Lane in Bakersfield.
Pine Mountain Club Commercial Property Owners Association
May 18 & 19, 2013 Saturday & Sunday 9am to 5pm In the Pine Mountain Village Center
Presents the 31st Annual
For Information www.pmclilacfestival.com 661-242-1996 E-mail: info@pmclilacfestival.com Sponsored By:
FREE ADMISSION Parade • Great Food • Live Music & Shows • Arts & Crafts • Unique Shops • Kiddie Amusements
Presents the 9th Annual
Wine In The Pines Saturday June 8, 2013 12 Noon - 4:00 pm In the crisp clean air of the picturesque Pine Mountain Village Center, In Pine Mountain Club, California
For Ticket Information, to Reserve a Spot for your Winery, Lodging, or any other Information, visit www.wineinthepines.com 661-242-1996 Fax: 661-242-4931 E-mail us at: info@wineinthepines.com Sponsored By:
Proceeds to benefit the Pine Mountain Village Gazebo Project.
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ROMANTIC RESTAURANT SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
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4831 Panama Lane (Next to Jacalitoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grill) bakersfieldlife.com
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Refugio and Angie Verdugo laugh as they mix their menudo pot during the 11th Menudo Cook-off.
15TH MENUDO COOK-OFF Annual event features cooking competition, family fun while raising funds for Kern’s Hispanic Chamber, scholarships By Danae Jarrett
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hefs: get your spices and utensils ready for the challenge! Eaters: get ready, too. Sweet, spicy, savory — you name it, it’s all there. Hominy, tripe, and red chiles are just a few key ingredients you’ll need to cook, or expect to savor, in the 15th annual Menudo Cook-off. Each year, multitudes swarm the gates in anticipation of the cook-off hosted by the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, its largest fundraiser of the year that supports local businesses and high school seniors.
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CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
FOR A CAUSE
“My family has been participating in the cook-off for years,” said Laura Munoz, cook-off contestant. “I enjoy cooking menudo and receiving family input. It’s a great, fun family affair. Last year, records were broken when 14,000 people attended. The reason: there is something for everyone, whether it’s live entertainment, generational bands and games, or rock climbing and folklorico dancing. More than 80 booths will feature ladies accessories, sportswear, memorabilia, and face-painting, among many other things. “This is a great way to incorporate family and culture by embracing and promoting the popular Menudo dish, while also raising funds for the Hispanic Chamber,” said Jay Tamsi, Hispanic Chamber president. Proceeds from the event have helped fund more than a dozen business workshops, seminars and consulting services, other culturally-focused chamber events, daily administrative functions for the chamber, and more than $10,000 in scholarships for high school students in Kern County. In the last five years, what originated as a smaller menudo cook-off at Stramler Park has expanded to include the Latino Food Festival at a much larger location. It will all take place once again on Sunday, June 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Kern County Fairgrounds. Tickets are
ORECK ORBITER PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
®
Mind of Menudo Q: How did menudo originate? A: Years ago, menudo became a popular dish on Mexican soil when the best cuts of meat would go to hacienda owners, while the leftovers (organs, brain, head, tail and stomach, for example) were left for the common people. Inventive cooks took advantage of the large cow stomachs (tripe), and created what is now called menudo.
Q: Are there different types of menudo?
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A: There are pork and beef variations, as well as menudo blanco (no red chile added).
Q: What do I need to buy to make menudo? A: 7 pounds of tripe (cow stomach), 1 cow pata (cow hoof), 1 pound can of hominy, 4 pods of New Mexico chiles, 4 pods of California chiles, 1 small onion, fresh garlic, salt and cumin to taste.
Q: Do I have the proper cooking utensils? A: You will need a large pot, a dutch oven, a large ladle, a blender and bowls.
Q: How do I get started? A: Boil chiles until soft, and blend together into a paste. Set aside and add to the pot the last hour of cooking. You will cook menudo approximately four hours, or until pata is soft. — Recipe courtesy of Blodgie Rodriquez, co-chairwoman of the Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Menudo Cook-off
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$10 presale; the cost will increase at the door. The Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce promotes Hispanic and minority-owned businesses. Founded in 1985, it now has more than 400 members and is affiliated with the California and U.S. chambers of commerce. The Hispanic Chamber is currently seeking sponsors for the
Continued on page 74
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Continued from page 73 cook-off. More information, sponsorships: 633-5495 or kchcc.org.
READY, SET, COOK! For the menudo cook-off, the Hispanic Chamber is only accepting the first 60 contestants who register. Each contestant will have five-and-a-half hours to prepare and cook the menudo on site. The menudo cannot be precooked or treated in any way prior to the cooking period, and it must contain red chile. Local celebrity judges will then sample each variation and select first, second and third-place winners for prizes of $500, $300, $200, trophies, and, of course, bragging rights. “I look for appearance, smell, and taste,” said recurrent menudo cookoff judge and local attorney H.A. Sala. “I like to see that the pancita is cut in smaller pieces, the smell is sweet and spicy, and the taste is not strong in any way.”
MENUDO MYTH: • Menudo is believed to be the perfect cure for hangovers, so if you’ve had too many drinks, eat up! Some scholars, however, claim that the combination of spices in the soup simply distract your mind and body from the hangover.
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AN h 0t
E NIV
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By Marissa Lay and Jasmine D. Lowe
wenty years ago, The Bakersfield Californian decided to host a contest where readers would select the best that Bakersfield had to offer. You nominate, you vote, you choose the best restaurants, shops, services and people in our community. Twenty years later, the contest is alive and strong, with results announced annually in Bakersfield Life Magazine. As part of the 20-year celebration, we highlight the 108 categories in this edition’s Best Of Bakersfield contest, with one winner and two favorites in each category. Introduced this year are 13 new categories, including “best local celebrity,” “best local teacher,” and “best made in Bakersfield product.” And this year, we’re highlighting 20 of these businesses, people or places that have the privilege of being called the “Best of Bakersfield.” Enjoy!
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Food and drink BEST BREAKFAST RESTAURANT 24th Street Cafe 1415 24th St.; 323-8801; 24thstreetcafe.com
Favorites Cope’s Knotty Pine Café Village Grill
BEST WINE SELECTION Imbibe Wine and Spirits Merchant 4140 Truxtun Ave.; 633-9463; imbibewine.com
Favorites
Left to right: Essentiels Spa's Helen Haymond, Deana Barrera, Dara Burton and Julie Knoles watch over Vanessa Enriquez.
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
Costco Café Med
BEST BUSINESS LUNCH Luigi’s Restaurant and Delicatessen 725 E. 19th St.; 322-0926; shopluigis.com
Favorites Mexicali Uricchio’s Trattoria
ESSENTIELS SPA ET BEAUTE Best Hair Salon No longer is a trip to Los Angeles, San Francisco, or anywhere else outside of Bakersfield required for beauty and wellness needs, said Dee Dee Todd, owner of Essentiels Spa Et Beaute. “It has always been our passion to deliver to the women and men of Bakersfield the highest quality and most luxurious beauty products and services once only reserved for the largest, most metropolitan cities,” Todd said. For 12 years, Essentiels has been offering a full-service salon, spa and beauty boutique that offers everything from extensive hair services to massage treatments and facials to waxing. “Essentiels puts the needs of its clients first,” Todd said. “Our goal is always to make you look and feel your best.” Essentiels is now in the process of upgrading and modernizing its hair salon to create a more open and comfortable atmosphere for guests. 9000 Ming Ave., Suite K7; 654-0321; edayspas.com
BEST BUFFET Hodel’s Country Dining 5917 Knudsen Drive; 399-3341; hodels.com
Favorites Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace Steakhouse Golden Corral Restaurant
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT Mexicali 631 18th St.; 327-3861 and 5601 California Ave.; 327-5201; mexicalifood.com
Favorites La Costa Mariscos Red Pepper Restaurant
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BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT Red Lobster 8180 Rosedale Highway; 589-9956; redlobster.com
EUREKA! BURGER
Favorites Cafe Med La Costa Mexican Restaurant
Best New Restaurant Since last April, Eureka! Burger has been offering residents plenty of choices, from special gourmet burgers to craft beers, not to mention the finest of whiskeys and bourbons. “We have a great concept and a wonderful menu,” said Carolyn Serot, general manager of Eureka!, a small Californiabased operation. “We use all American-made products and ingredients, and when possible, local produce.” From Angus chuck beef burgers to gourmet salads, signature hand-cut fries, and even gourmet veggetarian offerings to go along with a long list of select beverages, Eureka! has something for everyone. “Eureka! thrives because of our great menu selection, consistency of our food, and our knowledgeable and friendly servers,” Serot said. Eureka! will be hosting the first “Craft Beer Festival” on May 25 at Cal State Bakersfield’s Amphitheatre, along with Imbibe Wine and Spirits Merchant and Moo Creamery. Also, be on the lookout for new menu items this summer.
BEST BASQUE RESTAURANT Wool Growers Restaurant 620 E. 19th St.; 327-9584; woolgrowers.net
Favorites Noriega’s Benji’s French Basque Restaurant
BEST BURGER PLACE In-N-Out Burger 5100 Stockdale Highway; 2310 Panama Lane; 800-786-1000; in-n-out.com
10520 W. Stockdale Highway; 241-5999; eurekaburger.com
Favorites Juicy Burger Eureka! Burger
BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse 9000 Ming Ave.; 664-7750; tahoejoes.com
Favorites Luigi’s Restaurant & Delicatessen BJ’s Restaurants & Brewery
BEST MARGARITA Mexicali 631 18th St.; 327-3861 and 5601 California Ave.; 327-5201; mexicalifood.com
Favorites
The Fig Marmalade Burger at Eureka! Burger.
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PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Chili’s Mauricio’s Grill & Cantina
BEST MICROBREW SELECTION Lengthwise Brewing Co. Various locations including 6720 Schirra Court; 836-2537; lengthwise.com
Favorites BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery Eureka! Burger
BEST YOGURT SHOP Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt 8200 Stockdale Highway, Suite M-2; 396-8000; tfyogurt.com
Favorites Yogurtland Bakersfield Daddy O’s Frozen Yogurt & Gelato
BEST PIZZA SPOT Tony’s Pizza Various locations including 4750 Coffee Road, Suite 101; 588-4700; tonyspizzabakersfield.com
Favorites Rusty’s Pizza Pizzaville
PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
BEST BAKERY
Lisa Cooper heads Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp for Women.
Smith’s Bakeries Various locations including 2808 Union Ave.; 325-3411; smithsbakeries.com
Favorites Sweet Surrender Cupcakes N Crema
BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH
LISA COOPER AT BAKERSFIELD ADVENTURE BOOT CAMP FOR WOMEN Best Personal Trainer Lisa Cooper knows firsthand the challenge of fitting a workout into a busy schedule. After all, Cooper owns her own business, Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp, and is a mother of four. But she’s also a sports and fitness enthusiast — she plays recreational soccer, volleyball and softball, holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and kinesiology, is a National Academy of Sports Medicine
certified personal trainer, and is a National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association certified boot camp instructor. Six years ago, Cooper started Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp for Women, and offers in home personal training. Cooper said her camp is very much like personal training. She gets to know her campers, their families, and because the camp is for women only, “there is a lot of camaraderie in the group.” For her work, readers voted her as “best personal trainer.” “It’s just an honor to be part of this category,” Cooper said. “To be recognized for making a difference in so many lives is really an honor for me. I really appreciate it." 601 Mondavi Way; 327-8602; bakersfieldbootcamp.com
Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.; 328-7560; buckowens.com
Favorites The Padre Hotel Hodel’s Country Dining
BEST SUSHI/ JAPANESE RESTAURANT Akira Japanese Restaurant 4154 California Ave.; 326-1860
Favorites Tokyo Garden Love Sushi
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BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT Uricchio’s Trattoria 1400 17th St.; 326-8870; uricchios-trattoria.com
Favorites Cafe Med The Belvedere Room at The Padre Hotel
BEST NEW RESTAURANT Eureka! Burger 10520 W. Stockdale Highway; 241-5999; eurekaburger.com
Favorites Salty’s BBQ & Catering The Mark Restaurant
BEST CUPCAKES Sweet Surrender 6439 Ming Ave.; 8358530; sweetsurrenderbakery.com
Favorites Smith’s Bakeries Cupcakes N Crema
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT Bill Lee’s Bamboo Chopsticks 1203 18th St.; 324-9441; billlees.com
Favorites P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Great Castle Chinese Restaurant
BEST DRIVE-THRU In-N-Out 5100 Stockdale Highway; 2310 Panama Lane; 800-786-1000; in-n-out.com
Favorites Starbuck’s Coffee Co. Dewar’s
BEST SALSA Mexicali 631 18th St.; 327-3861 and 5601 California Ave.; 327-5201; mexicalifood.com El Jacalito Grill Mauricio’s Grill & Cantina
Skip Slayton and Sarah Slayton-Price own Jake’s Tex-Mex Cafe. 80
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PHOTO BY ALEX HORVATH
Favorites
BEST DELI/ SANDWICH SHOP The Sequoia Sandwich Company Various locations including 1231 18th St.; 323-2500; sequoiasandwich.com
JAKE’S TEX-MEX CAFE
Favorites Caesar’s Italian Delicatessen Panera Bread
Best Catering Service
1710 Oak St.; 322-6380; jakestexmex.com
Community BEST PLACE TO TAKE OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS Dewar’s 1120 Eye St.; 322-0933 and 2700 Calloway Drive; 587-2056; dewarscandy.com
Favorites
Jake’s Tex-Mex Cafe’s pit beef sandwich.
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
For 27 years, Jake’s Tex-Mex Cafe has been serving country, cowboy-styled barbecue food in a fast and casual buffet atmosphere. Whether you’re looking to eat at the restaurant, or have it catered for you, Jake’s has been offering the best of both since day one. “We give a considerable portion of food (with catering),” said Sarah Slayton Price, acting CEO of Jake’s. “Customers know what to expect, that they’re going to get the same thing every time, and that the quality is going to be high.” This year, along with being voted “best catering service,” Jake’s was voted a favorite for “best lunch spot” and “best barbecue restaurant.” And it’s getting better. Along with adding a couple of new cookies to the menu, Jake’s will be expanding its parking lot and moving seating to accommodate the busy lunch hours.
Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace Wool Growers Restaurant
• Locally owned and operated since 1998! WHEN YOU PRESENT THIS AD AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE
• Highest quality at affordable prices • Licensed & insured (Lic. #80485)
Conquer Your Clutter In 2013 Call for FREE consultation from your Local Family Operated Business
IDEAL CLOSETS 661-246-8828 idealclosetcompany.com 6732 Charity Avenue, Bakersfield, CA 93308 bakersfieldlife.com
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BEST GOLF COURSE Seven Oaks Country Club 2000 Grand Lakes Ave.; 664-6404; sevenoakscountryclub.com
Favorites Bakersfield Country Club Riverlakes Golf Course
BEST LOCAL CELEBRITY Aaron Perlman facebook.com/ AaronPerlman
Favorites Jake Varner Buck Owens
BEST PLACE TO WORSHIP Valley Bible Fellowship 2300 E. Brundage Lane; 325-2251; vbfbak.org
Favorites St. Francis of Assisi Parish Valley Baptist Church
Thousands come each year to the Kern County Fair.
BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL Bakersfield Christian High School 12775 Stockdale HIghway; 410-7000; bakersfieldchristian.com
KERN COUNTY FAIR
St. Francis Catholic School Garces Memorial High School
Best Place to People Watch and Best Annual Event
BEST LOCAL BAND
Come fall in Bakersfield, you know the leaves are going to change colors, the days are going to get shorter, and the Kern County Fair is coming to town. That’s when roughly 400,000 people attend the fair to enjoy the festivities — no wonder it’s the winner of the “best place to people watch” category. This year, the fair returns on Sept. 18 for the 87th time. And it tops the popular Relay For Life and California Living Museum’s HolidayLights as the “best annual event.” “The Kern County Fair is the largest event in the county,” said Mike Olcott, CEO and general manager to the Kern County Fair. “People love the food, the free entertainment, our locally entered exhibits, fun carnival rides, and one of the largest livestock exhibits in the country.” For 2013, attendees can expect to see new carnival rides, new entertainment and a high school rodeo.
Mento Buru reverbnation.com/ mentoburu; facebook.com/ MentoBuru
Favorites Thee Majestics Korn
BEST LOCAL TEACHER Ryan Coleman Centennial High School
Favorites Sara Lewis Norris Elementary School Jennifer Hardin Shafter High School
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1142 S. P St.; 833-4900; kerncountyfair.com
May 2013
Kimberly and Erick Miranda wave as they ride the ferris wheel at the Kern County Fair.
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
Favorites
BEST ART GALLERY Bakersfield Museum of Art 1930 R St.; 323-7219; bmoa.org
Favorites Metro Galleries The Foundry Art Gallery
BEST PLACE TO PEOPLE WATCH Kern County Fair 1142 S. P St.; 833-4900; kerncountyfair.com
Favorites The Marketplace The Valley Plaza Mall
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
BEST MADE IN BAKERSFIELD PRODUCT Dewar’s (Ice Cream and Chews) 1120 Eye St.; 322-0933 and 2700 Calloway Drive; 587-2056; dewarscandy.com
Favorites Smith’s Bakeries (Cookies) Pyrenees French Bakery
MEXICAN RESTAURANT & SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
Fine Foods of Mexico and Traditional Dishes
Bringing a little bit of Puerto Vallerta to Bakersfield
716 21st Street • (661) 322-2655 O P E N E V E R Y D AY 1 1 : 0 0 A M T O 9 : 0 0 P M
Holiday Parties Catering Covered Outdoor Patio Private Parties – Available Year Round bakersfieldlife.com
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BEST WORTHY CAUSE
PHOTO COURTESY OF MENTO BURU
Relay for Life Held at Wingspoint, southwest corner of Airport and Merle Haggard drives; 327-2424; relayforlife.org
Favorites Wounded Heroes Fund of Kern County SPCA
Mento Buru has been a local staple since 1991.
BEST ANNUAL EVENT Kern County Fair 1142 S. P St.; 833-4900; kerncountyfair.com
Favorites CALM HolidayLights Relay for Life
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MENTO BURU Best Local Band Since 1991, the unique sound of Mento Buru has been heard all throughout Bakersfield. The band’s music is described by Matt Munoz — lead vocalist, sax and percussionist — as “a melting of Jamaican ska, reggae, Latin, funk, jazz and rock styles, and anything under the sun that makes people move, ranging from our original compositions to popular and obscure cover song hits.” Mento Buru’s fan base is a diverse one, too, spreading throughout Bakersfield’s demographics
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
and crowds. And they’re not hard to find. Munoz, along with Joe Vazquez, trombone; Caleb Moore, bass; Cesareo Garasa, drums; Pablo Alaniz, lead guitar and vocals; Salvador Galindo, guitar; and Paul Perez, saxophone, can be seen and heard performing at various locations around town and sometimes at clubs throughout California. You can catch them live May 5 at Buck Owens’ Crystal Palace for the Cinco de Mayo show. “The goal of Mento Buru has always been to make everyone in the audience to feel welcome [and] to be part of the festivities when we hit the stage,” Munoz said. reverbnation.com/mentoburu; facebook.com/MentoBuru
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
John Lofgren is the new executive director of the Bakersfield Museum of Art.
BAKERSFIELD MUSEUM OF ART Best Art Gallery The goal of the Bakersfield Museum of Art, according to its staff, is to help artists pass down their talents to future generations and preserve the community’s heritage and history. In 1991, the museum gained national status with accreditation from the American Association of Museums, and it unveiled its gorgeous new redesign in 2001. Through the years BMoA has been showcasing some of the finest local, regional and even international art. They encourage the community to come and enjoy the museum, which promotes the spread of art and historical education. The community, it seems, has done just that — voting it “best art gallery” for 2013. “Art is something that should be enjoyed. And what you like is good art ... it doesn’t have to be some individuals in New York telling you what you should like,” said John Lofgren, executive director of Bakersfield Museum of Art. “We’re excited to see people come and enjoy their museum.” 1930 R St.; 323-7219; bmoa.org
4560 Coffee Road 661-588-7503
Coffee & Hageman Vons Shopping Center fabriejewelers.com
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BEST COMMUNITY THEATER The Gaslight Melodrama Theatre & Music Hall 12748 Jomani Drive; 587-3377; themelodrama.com
Favorites Stars Theatre Restaurant Bakersfield Community Theatre
BEST WEEKEND GETAWAY Pismo Beach pismobeach.org
Favorites Santa Barbara Las Vegas
BEST PLACE FOR SINGLES TO MEET Church Lengthwise Brewing Co. The Padre Hotel
BEST COLLEGE/ HIGHER LEARNING SOURCE California State University Bakersfield 9001 Stockdale Highway; 654-2782; csub.edu
Chain Cohn Stiles attorneys specialize in personal injury cases.
PHOTO BY MARK NESSIA
Favorites
CHAIN COHN STILES
Favorites
Shops and services BEST SHOE STORE Guarantee Shoe Center 2101 Chester Ave.; 325-8751; guaranteeshoecenter.com
Favorites Macy’s Famous Footwear
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Best Law Firm, Best Lawyer Not only did readers vote attorney David Cohn as the “best lawyer,” but his team — Chain Cohn Stiles — is equally valued as the “best law firm.” Cohn is one of the most highly-regarded trial lawyers in the San Joaquin Valley and has been named a Super Lawyer in Southern California, an honor bestowed to the top 5 percent of lawyers in the region. He grew up in Bakersfield, graduated from West High, and attended the University of Southern California for his undergraduate degree before earning his law degree from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. He moved back to Bakersfield, joined the firm, became managing partner in 2000, and has since obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts for his clients. But the firm has also given back. In 2012, it donated $200,000 to name the Grossman Burn Center ICU at San Joaquin Community Hospital. “I’m very honored and humbled that, not only my peers, but former clients and others have thought enough of me to nominate me in that category,” said David K. Cohn, managing partner at the firm. “And I
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
David Cohn
PHOTO BY MARK NESSIA
Bakersfield College Taft College
will continue to work as hard as I always work to maintain not only the excellence of the firm, but my excellence in handling personal injury cases.” 1430 Truxtun Ave., Suite 100; 323-4000; chainlaw.com
BEST DOCTOR/ GENERAL PRACTITIONER Dr. Raj Patel Preferred Family Care Physicians 5925-A Truxtun Ave.; 638-2273
Favorites Dr. Susan Helper, Mohawk Medical Group Dr. William J. Farr, Farr Medical Group
BEST TRAVEL AGENCY AAA Travel Agency 1500 Commercial Way; 327-4661; aaa.com
Favorites Uniglobe Golden Empire Travel Lambourne Travel Service
BEST USED CAR DEALERSHIP Bill Wright Toyota 5100 Gasoline Alley Drive; 735-4989; billwright.com
Favorites Motor City Buick GMC Jim Burke Ford
BEST TUXEDO STORE AJ’s Tuxedos Junction 2527 F St.; 325-2044 and 3699 Ming Ave.; 831-4114; ajstuxedo.com
Favorites Mr. Tuxedo Men’s Wearhouse
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE Urner’s 4110 Wible Road; 396-8400; urners.com
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Ryan Coleman is the Centennial High Social Studies Department chairman. 88
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May 2013
PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
Deborah Baker Emporium Western Store Wayne Marden Ole Boy Outdoors, Inc.
BEST BIKE SHOP Snider’s Cyclery 2700 New Stine Road; 833-2700 and 2700 Union Ave.; 324-4751; sniderscyclery.com
RYAN COLEMAN
Favorites
Best Local Teacher
BEST CAMERA SHOP
Centennial High’s Ryan Coleman leads the We the People team.
Henley’s 2000 H St.; 324-9484; henleysphoto.com
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
For 17 years, Ryan Coleman has aimed to instill civic knowledge, civic disposition and the importance of voting into his students while preparing them to become active and productive members of the community. His efforts have not gone to waste. As a Centennial High history teacher and coach, Coleman has led the school’s We the People team to become a national powerhouse. The team regularly finishes at or near the top of regional constitutional competitions, made it to the national finals five times, and even finished third in the United States one year. The Centennial Social Studies Department chairman is also part of a civic education initiative called Project Citizen that “promotes competent and responsible participation in state, local and federal government.” He was selected as Centennial’s teacher of
Finish Line Action Sports
Favorites Best Buy Costco
BEST HEALTH FOOD STORE Lassens Natural Foods & Vitamins 4308 California Ave.; 324-6990; lassens.com
the year in 2011-12, and this year has been voted “best local teacher” by readers. “Every day I try to make an impact on students, and I try to hopefully show them the importance that they have in society,” Coleman said. “There are so many amazing teachers here in Bakersfield, and I feel very humbled by the idea that individuals in our community feel that I’m the best at anything,”
Favorites Cay Health Foods Cone’s Health Foods and Vitamins
NEW PROGRAMS have recently been released to help homeowners who are upside down on their mortgage. Whether your loan is FHA, VA, or Conventional we may be able to lower your interest rate with little to no out of pocket expense.*** Call one of our experienced Loan Officers today. Locally Owned and Operated
3977 Coffee Rd. Suite A, Bakersfield, CA 93308
661-615-1111 www.GoToSummitFinancial.com NMLS# 303625 DRE# 01522391
FAMOUS FAMILY STYLE RESTAURANT
BILL LEE’S BAMBOO CHOPSTICKS
Celebrating Our 75th Anniversary 1203 18th St. - Established 1938 11AM - 10PM M-F • 11AM - 11PM SAT • 11AM - 10PM SUN
324-9441
***Subject to qualification, terms & conditions.
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BEST CPA/ ACCOUNTING FIRM Brown Armstrong Certified Public Accountants 4200 Truxtun Ave., Suite 300; 324-4971; bacpas.com
Favorites Daniells Phillips Vaughan & Bock CPAs & Advisors Hocking Denton Palmquist CPA
BEST JEWELRY STORE American Jewelry Co. 3200 21st St., Suite 500; 325-5023; americanjewelrycompany.com
Favorites Rogers Jewelry Co. Knight’s Jewelers
BEST MATTRESS STORE Urner’s Z’s Please Sleep Center 4110 Wible Road; 396-8400 and 9500 Brimhall Road, Suite 201; 241-9329; urners.com
Students head to class at the Science III building at Cal State Bakersfield.
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CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD
BEST DENTIST
Best College-Higher Learning Source
Thomas A Berry, DDS 500 Old River Road; 663-4451
Favorites Thomas Frank, DDS Kurt Sturz, DDS
BEST NEW LOCAL BUSINESS The Mark Restaurant 1623 19th St.; 322-7665
Favorites Brazilian Wax Boutique Village Pet Market
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Making the decision to continue your education past high school is the first step, but choosing which institution is right for you is a next step, and among the most difficult. Cal State Bakersfield opened in 1970 and has since been committed to serving the community with excellence. “Reasons for choosing CSUB are as varied as the students themselves,” said Colleen Dillaway, CSUB spokeswoman. “We offer world-class education, including undergraduate, graduate and doctoratelevel degrees at competitive prices.” Some of the reasons students choose CSUB include low faculty-to-student ratios, comparatively low tuition fees and the ability to work alongside faculty on research projects, even as undergraduates. It also helps that CSUB is now a Division I campus. And CSUB is growing. It recently opened a new complex for its engineering programs and is also breaking ground on two new projects: a studio and class space for the School of Arts and Humanities and sustainable student housing that will provide suite-style living for 500 students.
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
9001 Stockdale Highway; 654-CSUB (2782); csub.edu
Students take notes during an economics class at Cal State Bakersfield.
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Mattress Land SleepFit Center Mr. Mattress
BEST COFFEE PLACE Starbucks Coffee Co. Various locations including 9000 Ming Ave.; 655-8065; starbucks.com
Favorites Dagny’s Coffee Co. Covenant Coffee
BEST FLORIST Log Cabin Florist 800 19th St.; 327-8646; logcabinflorist.com
Favorites Mt. Vernon Florist Vons
BEST SPORTING GOODS
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Dick’s Sporting Goods 9300 Rosedale Highway; 588-8100; dickssportinggoods.com
Favorites Big 5 Sporting Goods Action Sports
Thank You Kern County For Supporting our Local, Independent Business
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BEST MEN’S APPAREL Macy’s 2601 Ming Ave.; 832-5550; macys.com
Favorites
SEVEN OAKS COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE
BEST WOMEN’S APPAREL Forever 21 2801 Ming Ave.; 832-2090; forever21.com
Favorites Macy’s Kohl’s
BEST SPECIALTY DOCTOR Dr. Ravi Patel Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center 6501 Truxtun Ave., 322-2206; cbccusa.com
Favorites Dr. Jason Helliwell, Advanced Women’s Health Center Dr. Gregory Stainer, Southwest Eye Care and Laser
Best Golf Course The Seven Oaks Country Club has many recreational and social amenities, but it has the reputation of being one of the most spectacular country clubs in California because of its wonderful 27-hole championship golf course, designed by world-renowned architect Robert Muir Graves. It features breathtaking fairways, beautiful lakes and meticulous bunker-guarded greens. And it’s not just for members — the course regularly opens for charity fundraisers and hosts golf tournaments, including for the PGA. “We want to thank the residents of Bakersfield because our club here is a big family, and everyone who supports our club is part of our family,” said Seven Oaks membership director Gayle Tape. “With that family mentality in
Lush fairways are the signature feature of Seven Oaks. mind, we’re just very appreciative that our community embraces what we’re offering.” 2000 Grand Lakes Ave.; 664-6404; sevenoakscountryclub.com
Thank You, Kern County! Come See Why Pete Tittl Raves About Our Specials! www.kcsteakhouse.net
2515 F Street • (661) 322-9910 Family Owned & Operated Monday: 11:00am - 10:30pm Friday: 11:00am - 12:00am Tuesday - Thursday: 11:00am - 11:00pm Saturday: 5:00pm - 12:00am Happy Hour: Weekdays 3:00pm - 6:00pm
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Men's Wearhouse JCPenney
Kelly Archer Designer - 12 Years
FURNITURE STORE
KELLY ARCHER INTERIOR DESIGNER
Over 241 years of design experience! Call now for your in-home consultation. What are you waiting for?
IT’S FREE!
Robert Taylor
Connie Taylor
Owner - 40 Years
Owner - 35 Years
Sarah Ward
Barbara Hefner
Linda Lincoln
Kathleen Davis
Debbie Ahrens Welch
Designer 8 Years
Designer 25 Years
Designer 30 Years
Designer 23 Years
Designer 35 Years
2300 Eye Street (Across from Rite Aide) 327-9999 Monday - Friday 10-6 • Saturday 10-5 • Closed Sunday
www.reddoor-interiors.com
VISIT US AT OUR RED DOOR FURNITURE OUTLET
RED DOOR FURNITURE OUTLET - THE OUTLET Violet Laneaux Outlet Manager 33 Years
2701 F Street • 661-322-9079
Tuesday - Friday 10-6 • Saturday 10-5 • Closed Sunday & Monday www.reddoor-interiors.com
“LET VIOLET HELP YOU WITH YOUR HOME” bakersfieldlife.com
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BEST HOTEL The Padre Hotel 1702 18th St.; 427-4900; thepadrehotel.com Bakersfield Marriott Hotel DoubleTree Hotel
THE MARK RESTAURANT
BEST VETERINARIAN
Best New Local Business
Bakersfield Veterinary Hospital 8610 Harris Road; 327-4444 (small animals) and 4408 Wible Road; 832-1150 (large animals); bakersfieldvet.com
Favorites Dr. Travis Thurman, Thurman Veterinary Center Dr. Kim Bonham, Stockdale Veterinary
The Mark is making waves in Bakersfield’s fine dining scene. Since its opening in August 2012, The Mark has dedicated itself to offering guests the best experience possible, said Ro Fernandez, general manager and executive chef. The restaurant serves everything from steak and seafood, to pastas and salads, and hosts a long list of wines available. “We never say ‘no’ to the guest and will accommodate any special dietary need, or modify our menu items to meet the taste of our guest,” Fernandez said. “We always try to ‘over deliver’ in order to make the guest feel they definitely got their money’s worth.” The Mark is toying with the idea of opening for brunch and is planning on
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Favorites
The filet mignon at The Mark Restaurant. hosting Mother’s Day and Father’s Day brunches. Besides winning the “best new local business” category, it was also voted a favorite for “best new restaurant.” 1623 19th St.; 322-7665
Thank Thank you you Bakersfield Bakersfield or yyour our Votes Votes ffor New Spring Arrivals! • Dresses • Hats • Scarves • Jewelry • Sandals • Purses/bags
BEST SALSA BEST MARGARITA BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
FAVORITE BAR & BUSINESS LUNCH
We look forward to offering you the same quality food & service. We appreciate your loyalty.
2 Locations
631-18th Street • 327-3861
Like us
834-7467 8200 Stockdale (Stockdale & Gosford)
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www.bobbishallmark.com
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5601 California Ave. • 327-5201
Jon Busby is honored to have served Kern County for 28 years offering exceptional customer service in resale, new construction, investment, and commercial real estate. We’re Honored To Be Nominated For
BEST OF THE BEST Again.
Thanks!! CA
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REAL ESTATE AGENT
Jon Busby • Kim Busby • Jennifer Busby • Annette Huston Jeri Schueler • Lisa Anderson • Angelica Roquemore • Denise Wiley
661- 410-SELL (7355)
www.TeamBusby.com ␣ jonbusby@teambusby.com
BEST DEPARTMENT STORE Target Various locations including 11000 Stockdale Highway; 617-3657; target.com
Favorites Kohl’s Macy’s
BEST NEW CAR DEALERSHIP Bill Wright Toyota 5100 Gasoline Alley Drive; 735-4989; billwright.com
Favorites Jim Burke Ford Three Way Chevrolet Cadillac
BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER Robert Moseley House of Moseley 8200 Stockdale Highway; 397-7222; houseofmoseley.com
Favorites Melissa Hutton Beladagio Kelly Archer Red Door Interiors
BEST HOSPITAL San Joaquin Community Hospital 2615 Chester Ave.; 395-3000; sjch.us
Favorites Bakersfield Memorial Hospital Mercy Southwest Hospital
BEST WESTERN STORE Emporium Western Store 1031 19th St.; 325-8476; emporiumwesternstore.com
Favorites Boot Barn Floyd’s General Store
The Marketplace 9000 Ming Ave.; 714545-1400; themarketplacebakersfield.com
Favorites Valley Plaza Mall Northwest Promenade
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Eggs and salmon from 24th Street Cafe, which has long been one of the city’s most popular breakfast and lunch restaurants.
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
BEST SHOPPING CENTER
BEST REAL ESTATE COMPANY Coldwell Bankers Preferred Realtors Various locations including 9100 Ming Ave., Suite 100; 836-2345; cbbakersfield.com
24TH STREET CAFE Best Breakfast Restaurant
Favorites
1415 24th St.; 323-8801; 24thstreetcafe.com
Watson Realty Miramar International
BEST PERSONAL TRAINER Lisa Cooper Bakersfield Adventure Boot Camp for Women 601 Mondavi Way; 327-8602; bakersfieldbootcamp.com
Favorites
Shara Collom, of 24th Street Cafe, brings an order to customers.
PHOTO BY JOHN HARTE
Since 1987, 24th Street Cafe has made sure its employees are treated like family, and the people of Bakersfield come first, said owner Mark Huggs. The result is consistency and quality in the diner’s breakfast and lunch offerings. “We’re in the middle of our 26th year, some of the cooks have been with us for 20 years, and some of them for 26 years, and I believe that we are just really consistent,” said owner Mark Huggs. “All the employees appreciate going to work, and they are happy working because of our wonderful customers.” Even though 24th Street Cafe boasts a perfectly immense menu, Huggs routinely tinkers with the menu to keep the place fresh and evergrowing. As Eye Street Editor Jennifer Self once wrote in The Californian: “24th Street Cafe is like the Disneyland of Bakersfield restaurants: its owner never seems to think it’s finished.”
Peter Pang In-Shape, Custom Built Personal Training Gina Rolow Body by Gina
OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY/INFERTILITY
4000 Physicians Blvd, Building E, Suite 211 Bakersfield, CA 93301
661.401.2000 661.401.2000 “Thank you Kern County for nominating us”
8200 Stockdale Highway
A Family Tradition Since 1948
•H Hysterectomy ysterectomy •M Myomectomy yomectomy • EEndometriosis ndometriosis Basic Infertility, IUI In-office Ultrasound Urodynamic Testing
Weight Loss Program
(661) 397-5070 Located Next to Trader Joe’s
Specializing in: Minimally invasive procedures by Robotic Laparoscopy
knightsjewelers.com
661.401.2000 bakersfieldlife.com
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BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT Jon Busby Remax Magic 110 New Stine Road; 410-7355; teambusby.com
Favorites Gary Belter Coldwell Banker Preferred Mary Christenson Watson Realty
BEST CHIROPRACTOR Christopher Berry Advanced Wellness Center 8501 Brimhall Road, Building 300; 410-9355; chiropractorbakersfield.com
Favorites David Mongold Alpha Omega Wellness Center Troy Sorensen California Chiropractic
BEST HOME APPLIANCE STORE Urner’s Appliance Center 4110 Wible Road; 396-8400; urners.com
Favorites Lowe’s Home Depot
DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen 5880 District Blvd., Suite 19; 837-1117; dreammakerremodel.com
Favorites Chris Bertolucci Construction, Inc. Blue River Cabinetry & Construction
DR. DARSHAN SHAH Best Plastic Surgeon Dr. Darshan Shah completed most of his medical training at the University of Missouri, Kansas City before moving to Bakersfield in 1995. At that time, he worked at the Kern Medical Center and UC San Diego’s five-year surgical training program. He eventually turned to plastic surgery to be more challenged, he said. He trained at the Mayo Clinic for two years before returning to Bakersfield again in 2002. He started his own practice by renting office spaces and quickly expanded to employ six doctors. Now, Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center thrives locally. “It’s been an amazing ride,” Shah said. 4850 Commerce Drive; 865-5009; drshah.com
Darshan Shah of Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center. 98
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PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
BEST HOME IMPROVEMENT BUILDING CONTRACTOR
BEST BANK/ FINANCIAL INSTITUTION Kern Schools Federal Credit Union Various locations including 4530 Ming Ave.; 833-7900; ksfcu. org
DEWAR’S Best Made in Bakersfield Product, Best Place to Take Out-of-Town Guests
Favorites Wells Fargo Bank Chase Bank
BEST DRYCLEANER Today Cleaners Various locations including 8200 Stockdale Highway, Suite M11; 634-1210; todaycleaners.com
Favorites Sparkle Cleaners New City Cleaners
McMillin Homes 10008 Jersey Shore Drive; 391-2779; mcmillinhomes.com
Favorites Castle & Cooke Homes Froehlich Signature Homes
The Black and White at Dewar’s is a crowd pleaser.
WHERE QUALITY COUNTS
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BEST NEW HOME BUILDER
Dewar’s Family Candy and Ice Cream Parlor first opened by James and George Dewar in 1909, and the rest, as they say, is history. The internationally-known brand, synonymous with Bakersfield, now serves our community in three locations. Dewar’s this year was voted “best made in Bakersfield product” and “best place to take out-of-town guests.” It’s also a favorite winner for “best drive thru.” “It’s the loyal customers that keep us in business, and it’s the icing on the cake to get an award like that, and to know that they appreciate Dewar’s as an institution,” said Heather Dewar, fourth-generation owner of the family-owned shop. “We take that very seriously and that’s why we run the business the way that we do ... To be appreciated back and to know that the community is supportive, and obviously they’re enjoying what we’re doing, it makes it a win-win for all of us.” 1120 Eye St., 322-0933; 2700 Calloway Drive, 587-2056; and 11320 Ming Ave. Suite 300, 665-1102. dewarscandy.com.
BROWN ARMSTRONG CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS Pete Brown founded Brown Armstrong Certified Public Accountants in 1974, with four employees and $20,000 of borrowed money. In 1985, Burt Armstrong joined the firm, and Brown Armstrong was born. Today, the accounting firm employs more than 90 people with five offices throughout California and looks for the best and brightest CPA candidates with personality to join its family, said
Your hearing is our
Chris Thornburgh, partner and CPA at Brown Armstrong. And they continue to cater to the people of Bakersfield by always presenting their best work, she said. Bakersfield responded by voting Brown Armstrong “best CPA/accounting firm.” “We love what we do and have fun doing it,” Thornburgh said. “We recognize there are other choices. I don’t see this as a competition as much as an opportunity to thank our clients for their loyalty and business and to thank our team at Brown Armstrong.”
PHOTO BY MARK NESSIA
Best CPA/Accounting Firm
4200 Truxtun Ave., Suite 300; 324-4971; bacpas.com
TONY’S PIZZA
1 priority
#
at WALL’S. At Wall’s Hearing Aid Center, we’re committed to our customers and dedicated to ensuring your satisfaction. Come to us and you’ll get the personal attention, superior service and advanced, customized solutions you need to keep you hearing your best. Just like all our customers have, since 1946.
Call to schedule your FREE screening and hearing evaluation today!
NORTHEAST
NORTHWEST
3615 Mount Vernon Ave.
4750 Coffee Road
The Original Hearing Aid Center of Bakersfield
(661) 871-3556
(661) 588-4700
4800 Easton Drive, Suite 108 Bakersfield, CA 93309
CENTRAL
SHAFTER
4130 California Avenue
300 Lerdo Hwy.
(661) 325-4717
(661) 746-9244
Kenneth V. Wall Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences
(661) 368-9865 © 2012 Starkey. All Rights Reserved. 5/12 09801-12 S9351
www.tonyspizzabakersfield.com bakersfieldlife.com
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BEST ELECTRONICS Best Buy 8300 Rosedale Highway, 587-0675, bestbuy.com
Favorites Urner’s Appliance Center Costco
BEST PEST CONTROL COMPANY Clark Pest Control 530 California Ave.; 888-589-9508; clarkpest.com
Favorites Terminix Banks Pest Control
BEST LAW FIRM Chain Cohn Stiles 1430 Truxtun Ave., Suite 100; 323-4000; chainlaw.com
Favorites The Law Offices of Young Wooldridge Klein, DeNatale, Goldner, Cooper, Rosenlieb & Kimball, LLP
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Robert Moseley gets comfortable on a sofa in his “house”— The House of Moseley.
Bakersfield Life Magazine
May 2013
BEST LAWYER
HOUSE OF MOSELEY
David K. Cohn Chain Cohn Stiles 1430 Truxtun Ave., Suite 100; 323-4000; chainlaw.com
Favorites
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Best Interior Designer Feeling at home in your own house is not always simple. A lot of time and effort goes into making a living space comfortable and admirable. House of Moseley commits itself to making your interior decorating dreams come true. “Choosing House of Moseley for one’s interior design needs means feeling like you are part of the design process,” said Robert Moseley III, interior designer and owner of House of Moseley. “It’s about feeling like you’re a part of the House of Moseley family and feeling comfortable to walk in and talk one-on-one with the designers.” House of Moseley operates as a full-service design firm, providing any and all services for your interior, including fabrics, tiles, accessories, wallpaper and more. Moseley III also opens his services regularly for community charity events. “No matter the budget, your space looks like a million bucks when we are done.” 8200 Stockdale Highway; 397-7222; houseofmoseley.com
George R. Horrigan, Floyd & Horrigan Nicholas P. Azemika, Azemika & Azemika
BEST PET SUPPLIES PETCO 5151 Gosford Road; 664-6874 and 8220 Rosedale Highway; 587-1097; petco.com
Favorites PetSmart Biscuit Boutique & Doggy Spa
BEST TIRE STORE Costco 3800 Rosedale Highway; 852-2643 and 4900 Panama Lane; 398-4750; costco.com
Favorites America’s Tire Store Big O Tires
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BEST AUTO SERVICE North Bakersfield Toyota Scion 19651 Industry Parkway Drive; 615-1100; northbakersfieldtoyota.com
Favorites Motor City Lexus Barber Honda
BEST FITNESS/ HEALTH CLUB In-Shape Health Clubs Various locations including 4801 White Lane; 398-4970; inshapeclubs.com
Favorites Body Xchange Sports Club 24 Hour Fitness
BEST TILE STORE Bill Ray Ceramic Tile Center, Inc. 6301 E. Brundage Lane; 366-3255; billraytile.net
Favorites Carpet Outlet Plus Stockdale Ceramic Tile Center, Inc.
Linda Larma, Kim Slikker, Morgan Slikker (upside down), Michael Prince, Jennifer Prince and Arnie Carlos of The Gaslight Melodrama Theater.
Thank-you!
for your vote for the Best Of Kern County! For over 45 years, it's been our extreme pleasure to serve all your heating and cooling needs.
BEST WESTERN STORE
FAVORITE CUSTOMER SERVICE
(661-322-2665) www.322cool.com
Call & find out how Oasis can help make your home more efficient, comfortable and healthier! TH h.v 3TREET $OWNTOWN "AKERSlELD s OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK
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FINANCING OAC 路 CREDIT CARDS WELCOME Friend us on Facebook 路 Estamos Aqui Para Servirle 路 Locally Owned & Operated 路 CA Lic #297547
BEST MEDICAL GROUP Kaiser Permanente Various locations including 5055 California Ave.; 334-2020; kp.org
THE GASLIGHT MELODRAMA
Favorites San Dimas Medical Group Bakersfield Family Medical Group
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
Best Theater Leaving behind life’s problems for a few hours of fun can sometimes feel impossible. Not for The Gaslight Melodrama. “We are committed to bringing fun, family-oriented live entertainment,” said Linda Larma, producer and coowner of The Gaslight Melodrama, which has been around since 2005. “We want all of our guests to leave their troubles and worries at the door and enjoy a couple of hours of laughter.” Gaslight is one of just three full-time professional melodrama theaters in California. The theater’s melodramas are all interactive, and oftentimes written in-house, containing local references throughout the show. “The more audience participation, the more fun it is for everybody,” said Larma. Gaslight is also a three-generation family-run business, and it prides itself on presenting family-friendly fare. Upcoming events and the season lineup can be found on Gaslight’s website.
BEST FUNERAL HOME Greenlawn Mortuary & Cemetery 3700 River Blvd.; 324-9701 and 2739 Panama Lane; 8348820; greenlawnmotuaryandcemetery.com
Favorites Hillcrest Memorial Park & Mortuary Basham Funeral Home
BEST BRIDAL WEAR David’s Bridal 1210 Wible Road; 8315400; davidsbridal.com
Favorites
12748 Jomani Drive; 587-3377; themelodrama.com
Ladies & Gents Bridal A J’s Tuxedo
Thanks to all our loyal customers!
We’re honored to have the opportunity to serve you!
www.TheMelodrama.com
Jomani Dr.
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Showtimes: Fri. & Sat. -- 7 p.m. Sundays -- 2 p.m.
Northeast 3700 River Blvd. • (661)324-9701
Southwest 2739 Panama Ln. • (661)834-8820
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BEST HEATING/AIR Oasis Air Conditioning 1000 E. Truxtun Ave.; 322-2665; 322cool.com
Favorites Stockdale Aire Econo Air, Inc.
BEST HAIR SALON Essentiels Spa Et Beaute The Marketplace 9000 Ming Ave., Suite K7; 654-0321; edayspas.com
Favorites Protégé Hair Designs Paragon Salon Spa
BEST PHYSICAL GROUPS Terrio Physical Therapy & Fitness Various locations including 8302 Espresso Drive, Suite 100; 3771700; myterrio.com
Favorites Glinn & Giordanno Physical Therapy Pair & Marotta Physical Therapy
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The focus at the family-owned Luigi’s Delicatessen is always on the customer.
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BEST PLASTIC SURGEON Dr. Darshan Shah 4850 Commerce Drive; 865-5009; drshah.com
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Best Business Lunch, Best Lunch Spot
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BEST CARPET FLOORING Carpet Outlet Plus 4301 Rosedale Highway; 323-3133; carpetoutletplus.com
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Luigi’s and Lemucchi’s Grocery is one of the oldest family operated businesses here, delivering delectable cuisine and ingredients since 1910, when Italian immigrant Joe Lemucchi founded the store with his wife, Emilia Degiuli. The restaurant continues to be family-owned, mixing longtime traditions with local ones. Local sports memorabilia and photos hang on the walls of the dining room. And it has grown with the times, adding an outside patio area. “We are always trying to make things better, and we’re always trying to work on consistency,” said Luigi’s fourth generation owner Gino Valpredo. “Our customers are our No. 1 focus here. Everything we do is because of the customers. We are so very blessed and honored to be a part of Bakersfield.” Besides winning in the “best business lunch” and “best lunch spot” categories, it was also voted a favorite this year for “best Italian food” and “best overall restaurant.”
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BEST FURNITURE STORE Weatherby’s Furniture 620 Chester Ave.; 327-2747; weatherbysfurniture.com
Favorites Urner’s Red Door Interiors
BEST NURSERY/ GARDEN STORE White Forest Nursery 300 Morning Drive; 366-6291; whiteforestnursery.com
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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
Robby’s Nursery & Landscape Service Bolles Nursery
BEST TATTOO ARTIST Nick Manning Pretty In Ink Tattoo Studio 1660 Oak St.; 325-5548
Bakersfield Harley-Davidson is the largest motorcycle dealership in Kern County.
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As the largest motorcycle dealer in Kern County, Bakersfield Harley-Davidson has specialized in everything, even motorcycle servicing. “Harley-Davidson is all-American,” said Debbie Irwin, co-owner of Bakersfield Harley-Davidson. “It’s the ultimate in motorcycle riding.” The Harley shop first opened in Bakersfield in 1913 under the name Thorp’s Harley-Davidson. Now, Bakersfield Harley-Davidson’s dedication to
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helping others is what really makes them stand out as one of the leading motorcycle shops, Irwin said. The shop is the typical meeting spot for local charity rides. “Our outreach to charity and military makes us special,” said Irwin. “We have a lot of repeat customers because they see how active we are (in the community).” Besides winning this year’s “best motorcycle shop” category, it has also won Harley-Davidson’s prestigious “Bar and Shield Award” for outstanding customer service. This year, Bakersfield Harley-Davidson’s largest fundraiser of the year, the MDA Ride, will take place June 22. 35089 Merle Haggard Drive; 325-3644; bakersfieldhd.com
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Bakersfield against the World 10 ways Bakersfield is better By Herb Benham
Bakersfield has strengths, many of which outshine its bigger, brighter and more famous brethren. They speak to the texture of our community, the qualities that make our lives interesting and worthy of note, even if we are the only ones who appreciate them. 110
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1 SPRINGTIME
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PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
hen spring arrives, it lingers unlike back east where it can break your heart with its fickleness. In LA, spring is barely discernible. During March and April, Bakersfield is the best place in the world. It makes no sense to leave, even for Paris. Does Paris have lupines, popcorn and California poppies?
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2 PARKING
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he glory of good parking cannot be overstated. New York? There are books and television scripts written about how to nab good parking. Los Angeles and San Francisco? Think of the despair when you find a parking space only to realize the spot is reserved for residents who have a special sticker. I’ll tell you what you can do with your special sticker. Parking in Bakersfield is relaxed. Downtown, the parking world is your oyster. You can choose from a smorgasbord of 15-minute, 30-minute, an hour or even two-hour zones. At shopping centers, you might have to walk a short distance to the store, but walking is good for you.
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4 99-CENT STORES
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ome towns suffer a shortage of 99 cent stores. Not here. We have 20 or 30, one in almost every shopping center. These are a teacher’s delight. You’ll never have to pay full price for movie candy again.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
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ou’ll never run out of them here. There are hundreds with more opening every day. This doesn’t include the Mexican markets and taco trucks with the portable grills that will come to your house for parties and cook chicken, beef and pork tacos, and serve them on those small, delicious homemade tortillas.
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
3 MEXICAN RESTAURANTS
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J"=FC!. #9*%!. *%E NC"&! *"C CAACFN=KC $% N>C E*NC $A #L(9=F*N=$% *%E !L(;CFN N$ F>*%@C 7=N>$LN %$N=FC, JC"!$%! =% #>$N$! E$ %$N "C4CFN "*F=*9 #"CAC"C%FC *%E housing is open to all without regard to race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Square footage/acreage shown is only an estimate and actual square footage/acreage will differ. Buyer should rely on his or her own evaluation of useable area. Depictions of homes or other features are artist conceptions. Hardscape, landscape, and other items shown may be decorator suggestions that are not included in the purchase price and availability may vary. To be eligible for a commission, (1) agent/broker must be an active real estate licensee in the state where the home is located; (2) agent/broker must accompany and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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
wo hours and sometimes less from mountains, oceans, theater and music. Two hours from fun, and then two hours back to home sweet home.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
5 CENTRAL LOCATION
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7 TATTOOS
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f you want a tattoo, but are having trouble with the design, Bakersfield is the right place. They’re everywhere and people wear them proudly.
PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
W
e don’t have much of that here, so if you have an aversion to snow, you moved to the right place. However, if it snows like it did on Jan. 25, 1999, it will prove to be one of the most joyous, memorable and magical days of your life.
PHOTO BY HENRY A. BARRIOS
6 SNOW
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8 NATIONAL CEMETERY
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PHOTO BY FELIX ADAMO
f you served, you can be buried here. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s located on land donated by Tejon Ranch, and one of the prettiest places in Kern County. Red-tailed hawks circle above, California oaks surround it, and you can hear the rustling of native grasses. Your children will want to visit you there.
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ired of those thin, snotty people? Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll feel right at home here. People have more meat on their bones, and are more comfortable with who they are. If you are not feeling at the top of your game, there is always someone else who will make you look like an Olympic pole vaulter.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
9 NO INTIMIDATION BY MILL VALLEY BODIES
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here is no town friendlier than Bakersfield, no people more welcoming, no place easier to sink roots. In San Francisco and Southern California, both of which are replete with gifts, you skitter over the surface, going years without meeting the family that lives next door. Not here. The day you move in, there will be a plate of brownies on your front porch, or perhaps a visit from neighbors who have time to visit, and will.
PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
10 FRIENDLINESS
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PA S T I M E S
Kahla Sullivan fires her shotgun at clay target discs at 5 Dogs Range.
HOME ON THE RANGE Shooters of all skill levels, families, charities come together at 5 Dogs Range Story and photos by Brian N. Willhite
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estled in the sprawling hills north of Bakersfield, 5 Dogs Range offers shooters of all levels a place to hone their skills, compete, take in a show, or just have a picnic with the family and enjoy the picturesque views of the Sierra Nevadas. The 200-acre facility was established 27 years ago by owner and operator David Olds, who wanted to create a place where anyone could shoot their guns, and have a good time doing so. "We just have a lot of good, family things happen out here all the time,” said Olds, adding the 5 Dogs catering to “mom, pop and the kids” is the secret to its success.
RANGE OF CHAMPIONS The range is a multiuse facility that includes areas for rifles, shotguns and handguns, as well as law enforcement training and designated courses for competition. A commu118
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nal area includes a store to purchase supplies, seating benches, dining tables and large barbecue grills where staff cook the day’s lunch specials. Members-only ranges are available and leased by private shooting groups, like the 5 Dogs Action Shooters. They host the United States Practical Shooting Association, a run-andshoot competition, and the International Defensive Pistol Association, which focuses on scenario-based shooting. Club president Bill Bailey said the Action Shooters have also hosted state and national championships with some of the top shooters in the country, including one of their own — 2011 pistol association champion and California Rifle and Pistol Association junior champion Edward Reyna, 16. He first started shooting three years ago when he was asked by his father if he wanted to enter in a shooting competition when he was 13. Since then, Reyna has been actively competing, perfecting his skills. "I plan on shooting more major matches and hopefully be able to become a national champion,” Reyna said. “Then, later on, get into law enforcement and become a U.S. Marshal.”
TIGHT-KNIT Newcomers looking to get the feel of competitive shooting are encouraged to join in the fun, Bailey said. New shooters are welcome, and many experienced shooters are more than willing to help them out. Friends Cesar Ramirez and George Mateo recently started shooting competitively, though for them, the matches are
more about gaining proficiency with their handguns, which they purchased for home defense. “This way you’re more responsible,” said Mateo, adding that matches help to build confidence and test you to be calm and proficient. Ramirez and Mateo have found that the matches are a lot of fun, and also an opportunity to meet good people, too. “Everybody is just so willing to lend a hand and help you out. We’ve been here a couple of times and every time we learn something else,” said Ramirez. “It's really a tight-knit community of people.” Shooter Cynthia Gomez spends time with her family at the range, and is treated equally. “It is primarily dominated by men, but out here, it doesn't matter,” Gomez said. “They treat me just as good as anyone else out here. And it's a lot of fun.” She and her husband bring their two children to the matches, and when their son turns 12 next year, he'll be competing alongside his parents in matches, she said. A competency assessment is required before one can shoot in a match, Bailey said.
SHOOTING FOR CHARITY The 5 Dogs grounds also host corporate events. Jim Roberts, for example, organizes the American Petroleum
Institute’s “fall fun shoot,” a charity event that raises scholarship money for college students. That event includes well over 400 people each year, and raises upwards of $75,000 for students. “They go out of their way to make sure the (institute) is well taken care of, and we enjoy doing business with them,” Roberts said. The family-friendly atmosphere and the kindness of volunteers have been instrumental in getting the range where it is today, David Olds is the owner and owner Olds said. founder of 5 Dogs Range. "A lot of people put a lot of time in, and never wanted anything for it other than a place to shoot,” said Olds. “We couldn’t have built it without the volunteer help.” To learn more about 5 Dogs and membership options, visit 5dogsrange.com.
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HOME AND GARDEN
MAGNIFICENT MAY GARDENING This time of year is ideal for growing everything from veggies, fruits, flowers and trees By Breanna Fields
Photos by Mark Nessia
A
May garden includes the growth of new plants that fill the yard with vibrant colors to the tender greens and vegetables harvested for the family meal. This time of year is especially ideal for planting warm seasonal veggies, said Jere White, owner and plant expert at White Forest Nursery. “There is no better place to garden than in Bakersfield,” she said. “We are blessed with a climate where we can grow the widest variety of fruits, flowers, trees and shrubs of anywhere in the world.” During this final month of spring, as we enter into the warm summer days of June and July, many warm season veggies will thrive. They include tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, beans, corn, okra, watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkins and many
Best y/ r Nurse Store n Garde
Jere White, owner of White Forest Nursery, holds his favorite flowers, Gerbera daisies. 120
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more. Now that the weather is warm, these plants will grow in abundance and produce much faster. For those who prefer to liven up their garden with the fragrance of flowers, try planting zinnias, marigolds and vinca from seed or bedding plants. “Shrubs, such as hibiscus, bougainvillea, Mexican sage and the dwarf sweet pea bush, cannot be beat for the explosion of color that they provide,” White said. “These plants all love the warm weather and will bloom continuously until frost.” If you don’t already have a garden, it’s important to acknowledge the crucial role that soil plays in how much plants will yield. It’s necessary to do the groundwork first, even if it means getting your hands and knees in the dirt. To ensure healthy plants and experience fewer problems with insects, be sure to prepare the soil by adding compost and fertilizer. Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned pro, fresh fruits, vegetables and alluring flowers are certain to brighten up your garden this season.
FIVE TIPS FOR MAY GARDENING: 1. Prepare the soil before planting by using a combination of Harvest Supreme and Green Max fertilizer. Your fruits and vegetables will be healthy, flavorful and full of vitamins. 2. Do not overplant. Plant a short row of your favorite fruits
and vegetables now, then plant more in two months. This will ensure that you have a manageable garden. 3. Do care for your garden every day or two. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s much easier to take care of weeds, insects and disease when they first start to pop up, and before your plants are damaged. 4. Use organic fertilizer, such as Gardner & Bloome. The plants Sweet pea bush will be healthier with fewer insects and diseases. Use it monthly for best results. It is difficult to burn or kill your plants with organics. 5. Be adventurous and try new varieties. Part of the fun of gardening lies in the anticipation of something you have not had before. Variety is truly the spice of life.
Source: Jere White of White Forest Nursery
Hibiscus
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WHY I LIVE HERE
ISHMAEL KIMBROUGH Compiled by Jasmine D. Lowe
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PHOTO BY GREGORY D. COOK
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shmael Kimbrough III was raised in Bakersfield but left at age 20. The 43-year-old returned to his northeast Bakersfield neighborhood 13 years ago and is now a professor of American History at Bakersfield College. Teaching is in his blood, he said. Kimbrough’s father, Ishmael Kimbrough Jr., was a well-known local pastor who taught “the word” for 40 years, and his sister is a longtime teacher at Fremont Elementary. “I cannot help but try to share the things I have learned,” said Kimbrough III, the father of a 10-year-old girl, and 7-year-old boy. “If I were not a professor at Bakersfield College, I may be bugging people at Starbucks with historical facts. I love the study of history. The ability to deal with all things history as my career is a blessing. Working with students in a classroom setting hardly seems like work.” What piece of known Bakersfield history do you think is the most interesting? The Okie migration is what makes Bakersfield unique. Without the influence of those Dust Bowl migrants, this city would be a very different place. Three words that describe Bakersfield: Family-oriented, conservative, active. Where you can find me eating lunch or dinner: Moo Creamery, Mama Roomba, La Costa Mariscos. My favorite Saturday activity: Sports; visiting public parks. When I want to get out of town, I go to: Pismo; Valencia; Dallas, Texas. What I think Bakersfield is most famous for: The Bakersfield Sound! My best memory of Bakersfield: Going to Green Valley Miniature Golf with friends and playing video games in the arcade on Saturdays. What I enjoy most about living here: The size of the city. It’s large enough for diversity of activities but with a small-town feel. What surprises me most about Bakersfield compared to other places I have lived: I have visited very many places and have lived in McPherson, Kan., Emporia, Kan., and Baton Rouge La. I am surprised by how beautiful Bakersfield can be when the air is clear. It can be breathtaking. Two words that describe my neighborhood: Quiet and friendly. The positive list I think Bakersfield would rank near the top on is: High school sports achievements. My favorite community event: One Book, One Bakersfield, One Kern. The best-kept secret in Bakersfield: The importance of Bakersfield College to community success. — Do you know someone from outside of Bakersfield who now calls Bakersfield home, has chosen to stay in Bakersfield above anywhere else, or returned here after living away, and is proud of it? Please let us know. Email us a name and contact information to bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the message subject line: Why I Live Here.
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HISTORY
GLIDING THROUGH LEBEC Lindbergh’s newsmaking honeymoon stay near Bakersfield featured flight above mountains By Ken Hooper
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AP FILE PHOTO
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harles Lindbergh was once one of the most famous people in the world. His non-stop flight from New York City to Paris in 1927 captured the attention and imagination of the world. He personified the American pioneer spirit of the 19th century, coupled with the modern technological ingenuity of the 20th century. If the Wright Brothers are credited with conducting the first motorized flight in 1904, then Charles Lindbergh is credited with ushering in an era when flight would be accessible to everyone. And he and his wife Anne spent part of their honeymoon in nearby Lebec in 1930. Pilot Ross Peacock and Don Cardiff of the Cardiff and Peacock Sailplane and Glider Club were launching a brand new engineless sailplane off the Panorama bluffs in northeast Bakersfield in January 1930. The club purchased their new sailplane from Hawley Bowlus, America’s sailplane champion and manufacturer of gliders based in San Diego. Bowlus was also the construction superintendent of the Spirit of St. Louis, the monoplane that made Charles Lindbergh’s famous flight to Paris. Lindbergh and his wife Anne had stopped in San Diego on their extended honeymoon in late January 1930. After flying Bowlus’s sailplane near San Diego, the Lindberghs were hooked. They stayed in San Diego long enough for Charles to become the ninth person in America to hold a gliders license, and Anne to become first woman to hold a
Charles A. Lindbergh in November 1932.
gliders license. Attempting to take advantage of the extreme air currents that the mountains offered, the Lindberghs and Bowlus had quietly set up camp south of Lebec to fly a sailplane on Feb. 3, 1930. Their isolation was spoiled when a local resident spotted them eating lunch at a restaurant at the base of the Grapevine and called local reporters. When part of the wing used to guide the sailplane, known as a wing-tip aileron, fell off in front of several witnesses and newspaper reporters, the event was “flashed” to newspapers around the world. Even with the lost aileron, Lindbergh continued to fly
CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN HOOPER
Lindbergh soars above the Tehachapi Mountains.
for many miles above the mountains. But instead of crashing, as the newspapers first reported, Lindbergh landed gracefully miles from his point of take-off. The 175-pound sailplane was so well built that only one aileron was needed to control the plane. But one observing pilot was not convinced — he said “it could only be Lindbergh who could do it.” The newsflash spoiled their isolation and reporters and photographers flocked to Lebec. By Feb. 5, 1930, Bakersfield pilots Peacock and Cardiff had brought their sailplane up to Lebec to join the Lindbergh camp. However, the wind was never favorable for extended flight above the mountains, and after several days of short flights, the encampment broke up. The Lindberghs and Bowlus headed back to San Diego, and Peacock and Cardiff headed to Carmel, both groups hoping to break the world sailplane record of a six-hour flight. Lindbergh declared to The Bakersfield Californian on Feb. 5, 1930: “The embryo pilot probably can learn to fly much easier in a glider than
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The Lindberghs at their camp, south of Lebec, prior to sailing over the Tehachapis.
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEN HOOPER
Kern County Historical Society
Continued from page 125 in a powered plane,” he said. “It would be good practice to have every flyer qualify first as a glider operator.” Charles Lindbergh would order an Albatross glider from Bowlus, but except for a few flights on the pacific coast in March 1930, the glider chapter of Lindbergh’s flying career would close without him taking flight in a glider again. — Ken Hooper is a history and archiving teacher at Bakersfield High School. He is the past-president of the Kern County Historical Society and the current historian for the Kern Veteran's Memorial Foundation.
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The Kern County Historical Society is a countywide, nonprofit organization founded in 1931, as an outgrowth of the Society of Kern Pioneers. Today's membership is open to all people who are interested in history, and Kern County history in particular. Our current membership includes people from many diverse occupations, as well as retired people, longtime residents and more recent residents. The society is devoted to preserving, publishing and distributing information related to the history of Kern County. Society meetings are held monthly between September and May, with the exception of December. Programs feature speakers on subjects pertaining to county history, historical sites and Kern lore. Field trips are led by experts wellacquainted with the sites. Programs and field trips are open to members and guests. The next scheduled program is: • Bakersfield College: Move to the Hill at 12 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at Bakersfield College. For more information on membership and programs, visit kchistoricalsociety.org
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RED CROSS ‘REAL HEROES’
Here are this year’s honorees.
American Red Cross honors courageous, selfless, inspiring local residents By Bakersfield Life Magazine
Photos by Michael Fagans
T
he world is full of heroes who don’t don capes and masks. Instead, these everyday people act courageously and selflessly in times of need. Bakersfield is host to many of them. The American Red Cross’ Real Heroes event recently honored several local residents who have showed tremendous courage, overcame enormous obstacles to help others, or inspired us through their contributions to our community.
Rescue workers who saved two hikers stranded on Owens Peak. 128
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Carol Parks, Animal Rescue: Carol Parks has reunited countless lost animals with their families, and every week you’ll find her volunteering at the Bakersfield SPCA or the Kern County Animal Shelter, doing everything from cleaning cages to showing Carol Parks the animals some love. Carol checks lost and found posting in the newspapers and social media sites with the goal of matching people with their lost four-legged companions. Salem Palmer, Young Hero: When a fellow student at Highland Elementary School began choking on a piece of
pizza, Salem leaped into action. Without hesitation, the 10-year-old performed the Heimlich maneuver on the boy and dislodged the food, allowing him to breathe again. And this wasn’t Salem’s first heroic act. A few months earlier, Salem helped save his neighbors and their home when he spotted a fire and got help.
Salem Palmer
Fire Rescue: Saving two hikers who became stranded after climbing to the top of Owens Peak proved to be a massive team effort. As night fell and temperatures dipped to freezing, an emergency beacon triggered a chain of lifesaving action by Kern Valley Search and Rescue volunteers, China Lake Mountain Rescue Group, Kern County Sheriff's Department and a Kern County Fire Department helicopter. After hiking for five hours, the group reached the injured hiker and her son. It took 15 rescuers eight hours to carry the victim down the mountain. Both hikers are now OK.
Hall Ambulance and Harvey Hall, Community Partner and Life of Service: Hall Ambulance employees help save lives, but they also volunteer at numerous community events. Employees fulfill the Christmas wishes of 40 seniors every year, and conduct free screenings at senior centers. In addition, workers coordinate a Christmas party for children at the Lamont Sheriff's Activities League Center and donate to Toys for Tots. Harvey Hall, owner of Hall Ambulance, was first elected Bakersfield’s mayor in Mayor Harvey Hall and David 2000, and is serving Taylor of Hall Ambulance his fourth term. He donates his mayoral salary to the Kern Community Foundation to fund scholarships for local high school students. He also hosts monthly
Continued on page 130
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Eric Singleton, Educator: Singleton works hard to motivate his students at Vista Continuation High School to graduate. His lessons aren’t limited to the classroom. He’s has taken students on field trips to colleges, The Holocaust Museum in Los Angeles, The Staples Center and numerous businesses to open his student's eyes to a world of possibilities. He also brought work training programs to campus. He and his family have opened their home to two students living at Jamison Children's Center to give them a stable home.
Continued from page 129 freeway litter cleanups, and is active with the Keep Bakersfield Beautiful committee and the Great American Cleanup. In 2008, Hall introduced a 10-year plan to combat homelessness in our community. He is also a past or present board member for nearly two dozen local organizations including Bakersfield Firefighters Burn Foundation, Police Activities League and the Boys and Girls Club of Kern County. Wendy Jones, Good Samaritan: Wendy Jones and husband Danny were headed to Visalia on Highway 99 near Lerdo Highway for a doctor’s appointment when Danny suddenly passed out behind the wheel. As the car sped down the highway in the pouring rain, Wendy desperately tried to push Danny's foot on to the brake pedal, but was unsuccessful. She managed to keep a firm hand on the steering wheel, and eventually brought the car to a stop inches from a cement divider. If not for Wendy’s actions, Danny and other drivers may have been injured. Wendy Jones
Eric Singleton
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Dr. Royce Johnson, Health Care: Johnson is widely regarded as an expert on valley fever, was a colleague of the late Dr. Hans Einstein, and is often called upon for his expertise in treating the most difficult cases. In 1991, Johnson created the Valley Fever Clinic at Kern Medical Center, the only one of its kind, and continues to work on a vaccine.
Paul Hinkle, Law Enforcement: Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Hinkle risked his life to save a 75-year-old woman whose husband was driving erratically with her in the car. As deputies pursued the vehicle, they learned her husband also had a handgun. Several times during the chase, her husband stopped the car and then sped off. During one stop, the Paul Hinkle woman was able to get her legs out of the car, but her upper body became stuck. Without regard for his own safety, Hinkle ran and pulled the woman out of the car moments before her husband sped away. She was unhurt, and her husband was later arrested.
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20 YEARS OF ‘BEST OF BAKERSFIELD’ CALIFORNIAN FILE PHOTO
Staples in our community top annual lists year after year By Bakersfield Life Magazine
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wenty years ago, The Bakersfield Californian decided to let its readers choose and vote on the best of what our community had to offer — “Bakersfield’s Best Of”, so to speak. “We thought this contest would be fantastic for the community, and great for our readers,” said John Wells, Californian senior vice president of revenue and marketing, who has been with The Californian for more than 25 years. The “Best Of” contest soon turned into a mighty annual event. In the early years, dozens of Californian employees would count thousands of paper ballots that were submitted, and categorize them to figure out the winners and favorites. The nomination and ballot process soon went digital, and each year, contest organizers analyze each category, and even add new ones. For the past 20 years, no matter how stiff the competition has gotten, some usual suspects make their way to the top, 132
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Jim Snider, owner of Snider’s Cyclery, is proud that his store has been voted “best bike shop” each year since 1998. and repeatedly are voted the “Best of Bakersfield” year after year. The reason, Wells said, is that many of these businesses have become part of Bakersfield history, and are appreciated by our community. “They’re a part of our heritage,” Wells said. Take RE/MAX Magic real estate’s Team Busby. Since “Best of” began, Team Busby has been voted “best real estate agent” 18 years, and as a favorite twice. Realtor Jon Busby said that’s because his team cares about “the end result.”
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“When you take care of the people first, the referrals and everything else will come,” Busby said. “I think that’s true in most businesses. I think that’s why you see repeating businesses doing well in every market in the ‘Best Of’.” As for winning in the competition, Busby said: “We don’t take it lightly. I’m glad The Californian cares about our local businesses to recognize them.” Jon Busby Among other frequent winners are: Urner’s, Little Red School House, Buck Owen’s Crystal Palace, The Marketplace, Smith’s Bakeries, Mexicali, Log Cabin Florist, Valley Bible Fellowship, Wool Growers Restaurant, Weatherby’s Furniture, La Cabana Restaurant, Mauricio’s Grill & Cantina, Dr. Darshan Shah and Beautologie Cosmetic Surgery & Laser Center, Today Cleaners, Ashley Furniture, Terrio Physical Therapy and Fitness, Carpet Outlet Plus, Ladies and Gents Bridal and Bill Lee’s Bamboo Chopsticks, to name a few. Garces Memorial High School, too, has appeared on the Best Of list every year, being voted “best private school” each year, except in 2010 and this year when it was voted as a favorite. Garces Memorial credits its “long, storied tradition of providing an excellent Catholic and college preparatory education in a close, spiritual, nurturing environment for students and their families.” “It has been quite an honor for our little school on the hill,” said
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Lou Ann Durrett, Garces director of communications and alumni relations. “It is an honor to be included so many times, and we are appreciative.” Snider’s Cyclery has been voted “best bike shop” each year since 1998, and opened as Kern Cyclery in 1904. “It’s really all about the customers,” said Snider’s Cyclery owner Jim Snider. “We try to get the job done and meet the customers’ needs so that we can make the sale.” And Pyrenees French Bakery has been a Best Of winner and favorite for years. “We feel like we are a staple in the community because of the quality product we produce here,” said Cheri Laxague, who is married to Pyrenees French Bakery, Inc.’s third generation family employee Rick Laxague. “We are using the same starter for our dough, and have been in the same location since 1945.” The longtime Best Of winners are serving our community everyday, and as Wells says, they “should take a bow, and thank their employees.” “Obviously someone is doing something right.” — Bakersfield Life Magazine writer Jasmine D. Lowe contributed to this article.
Kern County for nominating Snider’s as the Best Bicycle Store!
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A LIFE INTERRUPTED Profound presentation aims to make sure young people reach next stage, and perhaps save lives
Bakersfield Police Department Senior Officer Chance Koerner shows a crashed vehicle during A Life Interrupted presentation to Stockdale High School students.
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By Lisa Kimble
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everal hundred Stockdale High School seniors, on the threshold of their bright futures and just weeks away from graduation, assembled in the school’s auditorium recently. They were flip, cocky and sure of themselves. And some likely believed they are invincible. But by the end of the hour-long presentation aimed at preventing young lives from being cut short, the silence in the building was deafening. Everyone in attendance appeared to have been scared speechless, many wiping away tears at the thought of not being around to greet summer. A Life Interrupted, a longtime collaboration between the Bakersfield Police Department and area business sponsors, is the pre-graduation speech officials intend to deliver to every member of the class of 2013 by June — and probably the most profound. “This is high-risk time for young drivers,” says Nancy Chaffin, who has helped champion the program, and whose son Jeff’s fatal accident is featured in the program. “Young people are celebrating moving on to the next stage of their lives.” It is not a drunk-driving lesson, but one of responsibility with everything that is involved inside of a motor vehicle — deciding not to drink and drive, deciding not to respond to a text, and deciding not to hitch a ride with someone who is under the influence.
Stockdale High School students listen carefully during A Life Interrupted presentation at their school.
MAKING IT PERSONAL Chaffin’s son Jeff, a Stockdale High graduate, was a passenger in a vehicle driven by a drunk driver at speeds in excess of 100 mph on a country road on a foggy November night in 2001. The vehicle lost control and struck a utility
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Continued from page 137 tower. Jeff and three young girls were killed. He was only 20. The driver is now serving a prison sentence of 15 years to life. The following year, Bakersfield Police detective Don Cegielski, then a patrol officer and father of three daughters, was growing weary of the increase in young deaths associated with distracted and impaired driving. He was concerned that the current presentations weren’t driving home the message effectively. The following year, A Life Interrupted was created and quickly managed to do what other programs had not — it made things personal. At many schools, those in the audience either knew some of the victims or had traveled through the very same intersections. Organizers reached out to Chaffin, still early on in her grieving, and she was the perfect messenger — a selfdescribed average person with two children, but because of one ill-fated decision, life as she knew it ended. “I just knew I wanted to be involved in this so I started speaking,” says 58-year-old Chaffin, vice president of operations and administration with The Bakersfield Californian.
PULLING NO PUNCHES The program pulls no punches. It opens with video stills and audio of the aftermath of an automobile accident. Bakersfield Police officer Chance Koerner, a father of two daughters, uses the acronym BRFYA often — Be Responsible For Your Actions.
“In the end, it is about you determining your fate,” Koerner said. “There is no rewind button in life. You don’t get a second chance.” Koerner details another accident two years ago at Coffee Road and Stockdale Highway that generates audible gasps from some of the students in the audience who knew some of the young people involved. An inebriated passenger steps outside of a stopped car to vomit. Within minutes, she is struck and killed by another motorist, also under the influence. He chronicles another accident seven years ago in which two young men burned to death in the back of vehicle rearended by another impaired driver, before handing over the microphone to Bakersfield Police officer Sonja Peery. Peery, a tough-as-nails mom, shares with the audience what she tells her children. “Nothing good happens after 10 o’clock at night,” she said. Then she recounts the chilling final moments of Jeff Chaffin’s young life, and of the young girls also riding in the same car. They went on a beer run that ended four lives at 7th Standard and Zerker roads. The horrific 9-1-1 calls from frantic and helpless bystanders as one of the victims screams in vain inside of the burning vehicle are excruciating for Nancy Chaffin to hear, the images on the giant screen too agonizing to look at. “The pain is so great,” Nancy Chaffin said. Kern County Assistant District Attorney Scott Spielman, who prosecuted the driver in the Chaffin accident, also
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addresses the audience. He is blunt. “I’m a cold-hearted bastard,” he said without blinking an eye. “This program started because a cop got tired of going to autopsies and talking to parents of kids who had died. I too am sick and tired of talking to families of victims. It’s not worth dying. It’s not worth killing or maiming someone.”
REPLACEMENT WINDOWS
SAVING LIVES By the time Nancy Chaffin begins to speak, the numbness of the presentation is setting in. “That day defined my future,” she tells the students, as her tender voice trails at times. “If what I do saves one person’s life, spares another mother or father the heartache my family has suffered, I will continue to do this. “The reality is I could be your mother. The decisions you make, there are always consequences with those decisions. If your parents lost you, they would never get over it. I’m asking you from this day, think about the choices you make. You don’t want this to happen to you or your family. You can make a difference on the example you set.” Nancy Chaffin returns to her front row seat, trembling and teary. “Every time I speak, it takes a bit out of me,” she said. “But I am going to save a life.” A video montage is played of young lives lost, including a perky cheerleader, an athletic eighth-grader and Highland High senior Derrick Duff, whose only mistake was not wearing a seatbelt before a March crash killed him on his way back from a spring break trip to the Central Coast. The students take a break to head outside to view a trailer that encases a mangled vehicle from another fatal accident, another stark and sobering reminder of the ramifications of poor decision-making. “It changes what you think about what you do,” said 17-year-old Suzanne Soudah. Isaac Cortez, 19, agrees: “This makes you imagine how your life can go in a second.” Chaffin, who helped design and build the mobile display from the ground up, says she was overcome when it was finished. “There was something about seeing that car in there,” she said. “It took my breath away.” Exactly how many students have narrowly missed having their own life interrupted over the years because of this program is hard to guage, officials say. “There are times I think I can’t keep doing this,” Chaffin said. “And then I think it is going to change my life, but really, it is going to change someone else’s.”
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NEIGHBORHOOD SPOTLIGHT
Nancy and Marlan Walker enjoy a glass of wine from their scenic backyard in the Granite Road neighborhood.
GRANITE ROAD Residents of close-knit hilltop area north of Bakersfield enjoy ‘country’ living Story and photos by Gregory D. Cook
N
early 20 years ago, when Anne and Keith Stevens first looked at the land near Granite Road where their home stands today, it was just a barren hilltop. "When we first walked on our property, the tallest thing on it was a cow pie," Keith joked. "Now, there are over 200 trees, an acre of gardens and a house." The Stevens purchased their plot of land from local rancher Wendell Weller in 1994 when Anne's garden outgrew their Oildale home. “She ran out of room for her seeds, so I said, 'Let's look for a bigger garden’," Keith said. After a year of looking at properties all throughout California, they found themselves on a hilltop north of Bakersfield. 140
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Anne and Keith Stephens were the first to construct a home in the area.
Street signs in the South Granite Road neighborhood show some of the playful character of the area's residents.
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“She looked around, kicked the dirt, and said, ‘This is it’,” Keith said. “And we haven’t looked back since,” Anne added.
NEARLY NEIGHBORS In recent years, more than a dozen other families have built homes on the surrounding parcels, and a close-knit community of
friends developed despite the fact that most of the houses are more than a quarter of a mile apart. “Even considering how far we are apart from each other, we all know each other,” Granite Road neighborhood resident Lori Sundgren said. “We know more people in this neighborhood than any of the neighborhoods we lived in town.” Along with being friends, residents of the neighborhood also know that they can count on one another when the need arises. Living 10 minutes from the nearest fire or police response often means that neighbors have to look out for each other. "We're pretty alert when we see someone out here we don’t recognize,” said longtime resident Marlan Walker. “And if you see or smell smoke, you call and warn the neighbors before you call 911." For some, like the Sundgrens, having a place to escape the noise and hectic pace of the city initially drew them to the area. "We had just built a house in town on a cul-de-sac, and lived in it for two years,” said Darin Sundgren, who had grown up on a midwest farm and missed the peace and quiet of rural living. “I found out there were sections for sale out here, and I brought Lori out to see it. And she said, 'No way. There's no Starbucks out here’." But she, too, became tired of the constant noise of the city, and they decided to sell their house, buy a piece of land and build a home for their family.
HILLTOP LIVING Of course, carving a neighborhood out of barren hilltops comes with its own unique set of challenges. “For somebody that comes out here for the first time, it’s just overwhelming all you have to do,” said Darin. “To make a road, bring in power, drill a well ... none of that’s here.” After all of that is accomplished and the houses are built, residents still have to contend with wild animals — such as rattlesnakes, coyotes and the occasional bobcat — as well as the ever-present threat of grass fires. But in return, the residents of this neighborhood are rewarded with fantastic views of the surrounding mountains, fields of wild flowers in the spring, and stunning starfilled night skies. “There's not a day goes by that we aren’t thankful to be living out here,” Keith said. “Every sunrise and sunset is just awesome, and the moon rises ... well the moon comes
Continued on page 143 bakersfieldlife.com
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Amberhill Lane leads to homes in this South Granite neighborhood.
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Continued from page 141 up like thunder out here. Come out and stand on hill and watch it and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll understand.â&#x20AC;?
BEST OF BOTH WORLDS In many ways, the Granite Road neighborhoods offer the best of both worlds, residents say. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re just 10 minutes from Vons,â&#x20AC;? Anne said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bakersfield is right there. You can't see it, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right there if we need it.â&#x20AC;? And even though they live, as they say, â&#x20AC;&#x153;out in the country,â&#x20AC;? the residents of this neighborhood arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exactly roughing it. The homes are spacious and modern, and wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look out of place in any of Bakersfieldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newer developments. Residents are made up of the young and old alike. They are business owners, electricians and high school coaches. Kids ride bicycles and play in their yards, and couples take evening walks just like in any other neighborhood. The only things missing are the paved streets, and the chaotic hustle and bustle of the city. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Have a suggestion for a neighborhood you want us to feature? Email us at bakersfieldlife@bakersfield.com with the message subject line: Neighborhood Spotlight. Please briefly explain why the neighborhood deserves a spotlight.
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IT’S A GUY THING
REPPING LOCAL RESTAURANTS These guys play a key role in some of your favorite local restaurants Compiled by Marissa Lay
Photos by Mark Nessia
T
hese four play a part in filling Bakersfield’s bellies with some of the best eats our town has to offer. In fact, their restaurants were voted at the top of categories in this year’s “Best Of Bakersfield” contest for their offerings. Meet some of these key players.
Nick Hansa Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar
Dr. Nick Hansa opened Chef’s Choice with his wife in April 2011. Two years later it’s considered Bakersfield’s “best Thai food” restaurant, as voted by readers. What is the history behind your restaurant? I have always Best od wanted to open a restaurant o since bussing and serving Thai F tables during my college years, and with the help of my beautiful wife, we finally did it! Being of Thai heritage and having lived in Thailand for 12 years, we decided that Thai food was the cuisine we would have the most familiarity. We conducted a search for Thai chefs through Thai newspapers published and distributed in the United States. What is your favorite part about running a restaurant? Interacting with all the people involved in our store — from the cooks and staff to the individual customers. How do you choose items for your menu? Our base menu was inspired by Thai street fare, which visitors to Thailand would be very familiar 144
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Nick Hansa, Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar with. We added some of my favorite home-cooked recipes such as the ahi poke, the salads, the marinates for the steaks, and prime rib. What is the most popular item on your menu? Drunken noodles. I believe the unique spices and the flat rice noodles combine to make this the favorite. What else besides food do you offer? We try to bring more people in to our restaurant by staging special events, from wine dinners to beer tastings, and we are adding some live musical acts on
Tuesdays. Additionally we are continually working on improving the dining experience — audio and visual equipment for our banquet room, building a wine bar, adding new lights through out the restaurant, and adding equipment for our catering service. What is the most interesting thing that has happened at your restaurant? Having a customer faint in the restaurant on Friday night last summer. I had to switch gear from restauranteur to a physician (my main daytime job) until the paramedics arrived.
Best / Sushi ese Japanurant Resta
Yung In, Akira Japanese Restaurant
Best ot Sp Pizza
Quite a scene, which I hope not to have repeated! What is the greatest thing you have learned through owning a restaurant? I believe my greatest lesson has been how to bridge the cultural gap between my Thai cooks and my American staff. The success in mending the two is the most important ingredient to the success we have had at Chef's Choice. This is clearly seen in our staff’s devotion to our restaurant on a daily basis. Their dedication makes the dining experience stand out. Why do you think Bakersfield has chosen your restaurant as a finalist? We are honored to be nominated to be “Best of Bakersfield” and believe our commitment to the quality of the food and service, with the emphasis on grasping the “affordable fine dining” concept, has earned us the support from everyone. We are truly grateful.
Yung In Akira Japanese Restaurant
Akira opened in Bakersfield in the mid-1980s and Yung is the second owner, taking over in 1993. This year, Akira has been voted “best sushi/Japanese restaurant.” Why did you decide to open up a restaurant? I’ve been the chef since 1982, and it was right moment. So, I took over. What is your favorite part about running a restaurant? The challenges. You deal with different situations everyday. How do you choose items for your menu? We select the best consistent products that customers enjoy. What is the most popular item on your menu? Filet
Tony Martinez, Tony’s Pizza
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Best Bar & Hotel
Carlos Rodriguez, Padre Hotel
Continued from page 145 mignon from Teppan Grill .... so tender and well-priced. What do you do to try to bring in more customers? Consistency. What is the most interesting thing that has happened at your restaurant? World-famous golfer Greg Norman came and ate at our Teppan Grill, and I didn’t recognize him until one of my chefs told me. What is the greatest thing you have learned through owning a restaurant? It prepares you for life — it’s hard work. What makes your restaurant stand out? Consistency in service and food. Why do you think Bakersfield has chosen your restaurant as a finalist? We've been here in Bakersfield for long time, and our food and service is fantastic.
Tony Martinez Tony’s Pizza
Tony’s father opened his first pizzeria 34 146
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years ago, in 1979. In 1992, Tony and his wife Doris opened their own pizza parlor in Shafter. And with their three children, they opened three more pizza spots throughout Bakersfield within a five-year period. The Shafter parlor is now a full diner, called Tony’s Firehouse Restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and, of course, pizza. This year, Tony’s Pizza has been voted “best pizza spot.” Why did you decide to open up a restaurant? I have always had two dreams and goals: being a firefighter and someday opening up my very own pizzeria. I can humbly say I have been blessed with both. Being a firefighter and a restauranteur has been a pleasure and a privilege. What is your favorite part about running a restaurant? Running the daily operations of the restaurants. Also, meeting so many people from our community that I would have never had the pleasure to meet if not for the restaurants. Yet, my most favorite part is working alongside my
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Continued from page 146 wife and children on a daily basis. What is the most popular item on your menu? The combo. It is always a traditional favorite. Then, there is the Marty’s Meat Lovers, and the Bubba’s BBQ Chicken, and our daughter’s favorite, the Veggie and the non-traditional Mexicana with our fresh homemade freshly ground chorizo. The most buzzed about pizza on the menu is by far our original Chili Verde pizza. I think it is well received due to it being a non-traditional topping on an Italian pizza. What is the greatest thing you have learned through owning a restaurant? I’ve learned that it is not easy. You are tied to the daily operations, and you really have to have a passion for this industry. And it has given me a great sense of accomplishment when they are running successfully due to all of our hard work. How involved are you with day-to-day operations? Everyday is a workday and something is needed to be done whether it is opening or closing in the evening, or actually cooking the pizzas in the back kitchen daily. What makes your restaurant stand out? Our family and the employees that we hire create enjoyable dining experiences for our patrons. Why do you think Bakersfield has chosen your
restaurant as a finalist? We genuinely care about creating the best product that we can and using the best ingredients no matter the cost. We never cut corners to try to save a buck. I believe all of this shows in the taste and quality of our pizzas.
Carlos Rodriguez The Padre Hotel Chef De Cuisine
Carlos began at The Padre Hotel as the sous chef to executive chef Brad Wise, and has worked his way up to executive sous chef, and now to chef de cuisine. His work, with the work of The Padre Hotel staff, has helped the hotel rack up several “Best Of” awards this year: “best hotel,” “best bar,” favorite for “best Sunday brunch,” favorite for “most romantic restaurant” (The Belvedere Room), and favorite for “best place for singles to meet.” Why did you decide to become a chef? I always had a strong passion for cooking that began at an early age, watching my grandma in the kitchen. I got my first start working in New York in my aunt's Puerto Rican restaurant: dish washing, busing tables and prep cooking. I see each plate I create as a canvas, and beginning at an early stage, I used this as an artistic outlet. What is your favorite part about working in a kitchen? Working with my crew, and constantly learning
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from them. Everyday is different, and I continue to grow. How are items chosen for the menu? I try to branch out, and see the latest trends in produce and proteins, what is in season and the freshest product to bring to our customers. What is the most popular item on your menu? Our most popular item is our scallops. The creaminess of the risotto, the earthiness of the roasted hazelnuts, mixed with the sweetness of the brown butter, and the bitterness of the Brussels sprouts, all together complement our star — the scallops. How do you keep customers coming back? Changing the menu each season. Bringing new trends to Bakersfield, while continuing to keep what our locals love, such as our signature steaks. How involved are you with day-to-day operations? I am a prep cook when I walk in, and I am a prep cook when I walk out. I take pride in all of our work, so it is important for me to still get my hands dirty and show the rest of the crew I am still a fellow cook, and we can all learn from each other. That kitchen bond is important, from the dishwasher to the executive chef. What makes the restaurants stand out? Our service, and our atmosphere. What executive chef Brad Wise has established here is something this town has never experienced. Why do you think Bakersfield has chosen The Padre as a “Best Of” winner and favorite? We have something for everyone here, whether its formal dinning, a bar and grill, rooftop bar, a quiet coffee shop, or hip nightclub, and its all mixed in with excellent service and delicious food.
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PERSONALITY
GOOD GRIEF
Shelley Goodell is a coordinator of St. Francis of Assisi Churchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s GriefShare support program.
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PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
Local woman helps others turn bereavement into hope
By Lisa Kimble
O
n a recent Thursday evening in a conference room downtown, Shelley Goodell is trying her best to raise the hopes of a group of strangers paralyzed by their grief over the loss of a loved one. It is a place the 43-year-old Bakersfield native says she never imagined she’d find herself just five years ago. But as the coordinator of St. Francis of Assisi Church’s GriefShare support program, death now becomes her.
‘WORST YEAR OF MY LIFE’ The divorced mother of three grown children moved back to Bakersfield from the Bay Area 10 years ago to be closer to family — and not a minute too soon. In January of 2008, her sister-in-law, Robynn Goodell, was diagnosed with cancer. In August, her great aunt and uncle, Joe and Dorothy Parrish, were brutally murdered in a crime that shocked the community. Goodell says she believed she couldn’t withstand any more heartache. But the worst was yet to come. Less than three months later, her best friend, Kelly Brown Haines, died suddenly. She was just 39. The following
month, her sister-in-law lost her cancer battle, and she buried a favorite uncle. It was the worst year of my life,” Shelley recalls. “I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.” She began to pour her energy into all of survivors who had been left behind. Then came a phone call from St. Francis’ Monsignor Monsignor Harrison Craig Harrison. “He called me into his office one day and said to me that this doesn’t happen to everyone, that all this is so extraordinary, that we have to take these horrible circumstances and turn them into something good,” she remembers. She tried, in vain, telling Monsignor Craig, “No.” But he persisted and the GriefShare support program at St. Francis was born. In time, she saw the lifeline he’d thrown her way as an opportunity to heal.
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GIFTS IN DISGUISE Despite no background in counseling, she researched other programs and received training. “Never ever did I think this is what I’d be doing,” she said. “Nobody chooses this.” Goodell says she was able to see the gifts in disguise. The day her best friend died, the adoptive mother of the son she’d given up as a teenager contacted her about reuniting. And she still had more to give. She responded to a newspaper ad seeking volunteers for a program through San Joaquin Community Hospital to spend — Monsignor Craig Harrison time with patients
“
GriefShare and Shelley’s ministry have been a true blessing to our parish. To watch families move from pain and tragedy, to purpose and triumph shows God’s hand at work.
”
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who were at death’s door. “The program was to make sure no one dies alone,” she says. “For me, that idea that anyone would die alone was unheard of.” So Goodell volunteered to be the “last human contact” when others would leave this world. “We have to fix where we are,” she said. “None of us gets to where we are by ourselves.” It wasn’t long before the hospital tapped into her warm and engaging personality, and found a volunteer position for her with the Grossman Burn Unit at San Joaquin, working with the youngest patients. “I feel so blessed. It was definitely God’s timing,” she said. “My family and my community are more important than any money I will make in this world.”
‘GOD’S HAND AT WORK’ Launched in 2009, the GriefShare program at St. Francis runs 13-week fall and spring sessions at no cost to the participants. There are videos, workbook exercises and a lot of talking. “GriefShare and Shelley’s ministry have been a true blessing to our parish,” says Monsignor Harrison. “To watch families move from pain and tragedy, to purpose and triumph shows God’s hand at work.”
GriefShare When: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays (September through December, February through May) Where: St. Francis of Assisi Conference Room, 900 H St. More information on recovering from the deep hurt of loss: griefshare.org or 978-5774.
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More than 100 people have gone through the program, some repeating two or three times. “Most people go through once, and it is a blur, so they come again,” she said. Goodell says she uses one of her coping mechanisms, humor, throughout the program. She is also social media savvy, inadvertently building a fan base on Facebook with her daily inspirational quotes and motivations. A complete stranger from the other side of the continent, for example, responded to the blogs she’d written in the wake of her friend’s death. “If it touches one person, it is worth it,” Shelley said. “If I die tomorrow, I’ve done exactly what I wanted to do.”
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REAL PEOPLE
PHOTO BY JESSICA FREY
Best ctor ra Chirop
Chiropractor Christopher Berry co-owns Advanced Wellness Center.
CHIROPRACTOR CHRISTOPHER BERRY, DC ‘Best Of’ winner had several career changes before becoming a chiropractor Compiled by Hillary Haenes
T
alk about a major career change! Christopher Berry, 43, worked in the banking industry while earning his bachelor’s degree in business-finance from Cal State Bakersfield. After graduation, he helped open and manage several small amusement park facilities, like Camelot Park in Bakersfield
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and Boomers at the Central Coast. Berry did this for a few years until deciding to do something completely different — become a chiropractor. Though he has only been in practice for five years, Dr. Berry, who co-owns Advanced Wellness Center, has won “best chiropractor” the last three years in a row, including this year. What inspired you to become a chiropractor? When I was younger, I used to play a lot of recreational hockey and would frequently suffer from nagging back injuries. One of my teammates at the time was a practicing chiropractor. He would work on us and get us back playing very quickly. I knew little about chiropractic at the time, so I started visiting his office to observe him treating his patients. From that point on, I knew that was the direction I wanted to go. Where did you receive your education? I am a Bakersfield native and graduated from Bakersfield High School. I earned my bachelor’s degree at CSUB. I went on to earn my Doctor of Chiropractic degree at Southern California University of Health Sciences.
Proudly Serving Kern County’s Homecare Needs for 23 Years. Describe what a typical day is like for you: Aside from Thursdays, when I volunteer at my daughter’s kindergarten class, I usually begin my day seeing patients at 8 a.m. I see a wide-range of different cases from simple neck and back pain, to more complex cases involving multiple injuries from auto-accident trauma. I spend most of my time treating and communicating with the patients one-on-one. Each day can be exciting and unpredictable since you never know who is going to walk in your door needing immediate care. I once recall a pregnant women, who was in active labor, stopped by our office for low back treatment on her way to the hospital. It was very exciting. What do you enjoy about your job? The people I meet. I see many of my patients for multiple visits, which gives me a chance to get to know them on a personal level. Ultimately, our conversations will often lead to my favorite topic, which is food. What kind of services does your practice offer? Our practice is integrated and offers chiropractic, massage therapy and acupuncture under the same roof. The treatments we perform are different for each individual depending on their specific condition. We also perform youth sports pre-participation physicals, Department of Transportation physicals, and DEXA bone density and body composition scanning. What’s your specialty? I hold post-graduate certifications in the treatment of pregnant women. So much of my practice is devoted to that. Our pregnancy treatment consists of gentle pelvic adjustments, soft tissue therapy and prenatal exercises. Many people don’t realize that chiropractic is a safe and viable option for the treatment of pregnancy-related aches and pains. Another treatment I perform is Graston Technique, an instrument-based treatment for acute and chronic soft-tissue injuries used extensively in athletics. I hold advanced certification in whiplash and brain injury traumatology for the treatment of injuries from motor vehicle crashes. What advice do you have for those who have never visited a chiropractor before? Chiropractic is a very safe, conservative treatment option for a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. I always encourage people to give chiropractic a try before escalating to more serious treatments, such as harsh medications or surgery. Our practice is somewhat unique in that we collaborate with many local primary care doctors, orthopedists, OB/GYNs, physical therapists and other specialists. In fact, many of our patients are referred to us by local medical doctors and specialists who feel they can benefit from a course of chiropractic therapy. Many people don’t realize that chiropractic is a covered benefit under Medicare, and by most private insurances. There are so many different practice styles and philosophies in our profession. The key is to find a reputable chiropractor that you feel comfortable with. Asking around or looking one up on the California Chiropractic Association website is always a good start. I believe the impression of chiropractors is improving overall, and that most chiropractors are honest and ethical professionals. My advice is to seek a chiropractic second opinion if you feel your chiropractor is using scare tactics, pressuring you or is asking for extreme sums of money up-front.
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PHOTOS BY KATIE KIRSCHENMANN
FIT AND FRESH
Turkey bu rg
Not your average burger, this turkey burger is served on a bed of arugula with avocado and spicy Greek yogurt dressing.
BEAT FLAVORLESS MONOTONY OF HEALTHY EATING Try this recipe for ‘best turkey burger,’ May fun runs, exercise of the month By Sally Baker and Katie Kirschenmann
THE BEST TURKEY BURGER, EVER I admit, eating right can get a little boring sometimes. Getting stuck in a salad rut happens. When I feel caught in flavorless monotony, I look to healthy foods that are loaded with flavor, like lemons, tomatoes and garlic. Healthy doesn’t have to be tedious and predictable. A good way to incorporate lean protein into your diet is finding ways to prepare ground turkey. However, the humble turkey burger is more often than not a dried-out hockey puck, and not yummy at all. This turkey burger recipe is one that I found a few years ago and have made changes to really ramp up the flavor. I promise: this recipe is not your average burger. — Katie Kirschenmann 156
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er 4 pounds lean groun d turkey 1 red onion , finely cho pped 2-4 cloves love for ga garlic, minced (adju st accordin rlic) g to your 3 tart apple peeled and s (granny smith or w hat is in se finely dice d ason) 1/2 cup ci lantro (or fl at leaf parsle 1 large lim y) e for juice and zest 1 jalapeno pepper, se eded, ribb chopped ed and fine ly 1/2 rib cele ry, finely ch opped 1/4 cup Tr ader Joes Mango Gin 1 tablespo ger Chutney on salt 1 tablespo on ground cumin 1 tablespo on pepper 1 tablespo on freshly grated gin 1 teaspoon ger hot sauce (I prefer Fr 2 tablespo anks RedH on canola ot) oil Spicy Gre ek
yogurt dr 1 cup fat-fr essing ee Greek yo gurt Juice of o ne lime 1 clove garl ic, minced Pinch salt and peppe r Crushed re you want) d pepper flakes (sp ice up as m uch as Direction s and apples : Sautee the red onio Transfer to in canola oil until cr n, celery, jalapenos is meantime, large mixing bowl a p and tender. nd let cool. h e at yo u r sufficientl grill or pan In the y the remain cooled, combine wit . After the sautee is der of ingre h th e turkey and porate the dients, be m into pattie together without o ing careful to incors that are ve rworking. about the cards, or a Shape si b hands. Gri out the same size a ze of a deck of ll for abou s th e p alm of you t 5 to 7 min depending r u of your gri on the size of your b tes on each side, ll. urger, and th e heat Serve over bun), with arugula (or on a toast sliced avoca e d whole Greek yog urt dressin do and drizzled wit wheat g. h spicy
MAY RUNNING â&#x20AC;˘ Yokuts Park Fun Run: On the second Saturday of each month â&#x20AC;&#x201D; May 11 this month â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the Bakersfield Track Club hosts this low-key, family-friendly and free run. This is a great way to enjoy some friendly companionship along the Kern River bike path. Everyone warms up with the one-miler before choosing a two-, three- or five-miler. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great way to meet new people who like to run or walk. All levels are welcome. â&#x20AC;˘ Carters Walk for CURED: Four-year-old Carter Stiles was diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis, a
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rare white blood cell disorder. All of the funds raised by this 5K and 10K run will go to the “Campaign Urging Research for Eosinophilic Disease,” or CURED Foundation. The race will be held May 18 in Yokuts Park. Register, more information: carterswalk4cured.com or email brandy@curedfoundation.org. — Sally Baker
Maggie Baker performs the “Fit and Fresh” exercise of the month: the medicine ball twist.
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH Medicine Ball Twist: Sit on the floor with a medicine ball (or if you prefer no ball, just fingers touching). Draw abs in firmly. Slightly recline back, lifting feet off ground. Keeping navel drawn in firmly, and spine long. Twist from one side to another. Start with 20 each side, and build up to 50 each side as you gain strength through the core. This exercise beautifully strengthens the core and tones the obliques. — Sally Baker
Twist from one side to the other to work core and obliques.
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Mother’s Day Lunch Buffet May 12, 2013 10:15am - 3pm Off site catering starting at $19.00 per person Contact Nick or Eden for details.
PHOTOS BY SALLY BAKER
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TRIP PLANNER
Beavers build dams along the river at the Panorama Vista Preserve.
PANORAMA VISTA PRESERVE The 1,000-acre getaway close to home will take you worlds away Story and photos by Lois Henry
I
f you’re yearning for a little outdoors time away from it all and only have an hour or two, you’re in luck. Bakersfield has a wonderful gift known as the Panorama Vista Preserve that takes minutes to get to but is worlds away. It’s great for the ultimate quick getaway and even better for a longer visit. The preserve encompasses more than 1,000 acres between the Panorama Buffs and the Kern River oil fields. Most of the land, which is privately owned and held in trust for the public, 160
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is along the Kern River — the part of the river that actually has water! You can explore it on foot, bicycle and horseback, just not motorized vehicles. Visiting the preserve really is like stepping back in time, back when the river had water in it all of the time and was lined with an abundance of trees. The Kern River Corridor Endowment and Holding Co., a private nonprofit, bought the land from ARCO in 1997. Volunteers have been sprucing it up, planting native trees and shrubs, all of these years, as well as leading tours for school groups and keeping the land open and accessible for everyone. And, by the way, they also have a few strategically placed portable toilets, in case the need arises. It’s really an amazing gift for our community. So, the best thing for you to do is go out there an enjoy it. (Oh, and you can donate to the preserve so volunteers can keep up their excellent work. Go here to learn more: panoramavista.org). There are several entrance points where you can access the preserve. I recently went to the Manor Street entrance. I brought my dogs along, of course. But be smart: bring
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There’s enough pollen to go around for bees at the Panorama Vista Preserve.
leashes and keep an eye on them because that side of the river has tons of equestrians, and it’s up to dog owners to keep Fido from spooking the horses and causing big problems. A little courtesy and common sense goes a long way. One of the best things about the preserve is the wildlife, especially the birds. The
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website has photos, with names and details of tons of birds you can expect to see at the preserve. Almost right out of the car, I spotted one of my favorite local avian members, the roadrunner. Oddly, I didn’t see that on the preserve’s site. But there he was, peeking
Where: Below Panorama Bluffs on both sides of the Kern River On the web: panoramavista.org Help keep it alive/Donate: panoramavista.org/support.html Facebook: Search “Panorama Vista Preserve”
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Continued from page 161 around a rock and flicking that long distinctive tail as he slinked along, probably plotting his next move against the Wile E. Coyote. Maybe next time I can get a decent photo and submit it for the preserve to consider for its website. But it lived up to its name and was too fast for me to get anything but a blurry rock. Then there were the hawks, wildflowers, other bird species I didn’t recognize but were really cool, and even a few beaver dams (so neato!). Hiking through the heavy growth along the river, I started to hear a low hum that turned into a loud buzzing when I stood still. I mean really loud. At first I didn’t register the noise as anything more than the regular urban jumble we’re all used to. But it was more. They were bees. Hundreds of thousands of them. They were gathering nectar from buds on the tree above me, their little legs fat with pollen. They were so focused on their chore, they didn’t bother with me, even when I sneaked up as close as possible to get a photo of their pollen-encrusted legs. Paths in the preserve are well worn and easy to follow, whether you want to hike up on the plain or right along the river’s edge. Or you could put on some old sneakers and have loads of fun tromping right up through the river. However you chose to enjoy it, do yourself a favor and get out there and make it part of your family’s weekend routine.
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WEEKEND GETAWAY
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ONE-STOP HEALTH SHOP For nearly 10 years, Lassens Natural Foods and Vitamins has offered healthy bites, drinks and vitamins By Emily Claffy
Photos by Mark Nessia
L
assens Natural Foods and Vitamins opened its first California store more than 40 years ago, but opened its Bakersfield store in 2003. For the last 10 years, it has been a regular as a favorite for “best health food store.” This year, Lassens tops the list as the Best Of winner in that category. The store specializes in offering the community low-processed, organic foods for the whole family, as well as vitamins and supplements, and some wonderfully wholesome lunchtime bites. In recognition, Bakersfield Life chose several offerings from Lassens worth exploring.
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Lassens’ Greek salad and Green Monster drink
BITES AND SNACKS Lassens recognizes the importance of maintaining a healthy diet and features one of the biggest selections of gluten-free products in Kern County. Lassens Egg Wrap is organically-sourced, when available, and uses eggs from humanely-raised, cage-free birds. This wrap is made fresh daily and features tomatoes, alfalfa sprouts, seasoning and more. Lassens Greek Salad is made fresh daily and uses all organic ingredients when available. The salad includes cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, balsamic vinegar and kalamata olives, which are a great source for monounsaturated fats and can help lower cholesterol levels, according to Livestrong.com. The Vitamin E in these olives also acts as an antioxidant, and works to protect the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heart and joint. Lassens Kale Chips are raw, vegan and gluten free. With the addition of nuts, juice and agave nectar, these kale chips are a perfect snack for any time of day and offer many vitamins and minerals.
DRINKS AND JUICES The store is fully stocked with liquids for anyone interested in kicking soda or other unhealthy beverages out of his or her diet.
Vitamins and supplements at Lassens. Lassens Green Monster is a certified organic fresh juice with celery, parsley, spinach, kale and cucumber. The combination of these vegetables can give the body folate, magnesium, potassium, fiber and Vitamins A, C, K and E. Lassens Organic Apple Juice is unfiltered, unsweetened, with no artificial ingredients ot preservatives. The
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Continued from page 165 apples are grown and processed without the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. Lassens 9.5 pH Mineral Enhanced Alkaline Water increases intracellular hydration, replenishes essential minerals to the body, and helps maintain the acid-alkaline balance within the body that can be easily disrupted by soda and processed foods. FREE ESTIMATES
VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS Vitamins and supplements ensure that the proper nutrients needed to maintain normal body functions are delivered to the body. Some vitamins and supplements are often used by fitness and strength building enthusiasts. Lassens Oregano Oil is an orally-administered herbal supplement harvested from the wild and created into oil that is believed to possess antibacterial capabilities. This supplement is especially popular during cold and flu season. Lassens Aloe Vera Juice is cranberry-flavored, full-strength and all-natural drink. The juice supports digestive functioning and is rich in polysaccharides, with no sweeteners or added water. Lassens Show Me the Whey is a whey protein concentrate with no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives, and is derived from hormone-free dairy. This protein supplement promotes muscle repair, maintenance and growth while providing antioxidant protection to the body.
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William J. Farr, M.D. Alycia G. Campos, M.D. Susan M. Schneider, FNP Barry J. Massiro, PA-C Jillian L. Heywood, PA-C 9880 Brimhall Road â&#x20AC;˘ Bakersfield, CA. 93312 661-587-8990 www.farrmedicalgroup.com
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BUSINESS PROFILE SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
TODAY CLEANERS Today Cleaners has been named the “Best Dry Cleaner” in The Bakersfield Californian’s Best Of Readers’ Choice Poll competition for 20 consecutive years. What are the reasons behind receiving this distinctive honor? Today Cleaners has 10 locations in the newest areas of town, and provides a level of service that is second to none. Our staff is well-trained and friendly. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have the most customers of any dry cleaner in Kern County, and we work hard every day to exceed those customer’s expectations. We are proud of our record and strive for continuous Today Cleaners improvement. Jeff Newman, Jr. president and CEO 10 locations to serve you Website: todaycleaners.com
What is it about your service that makes Today Cleaners so unique? Today Cleaners provides same-day service, seven days a week. Our regular service promise to our customers is, “In by 11 — ready at 4” every day. All 10 of our locations have full dry cleaning plants and shirt laundries. We also offer an express service that saves our customers valuable time. We have the longest hours of any cleaners in our market area. We also exclusively use the GreenEarth Cleaning system to care for our customer’s clothes.
What is the GreenEarth Cleaning system? GreenEarth was introduced in 1998 to develop the “best 168
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professional textile cleaning system possible.” Emphasis is on maintaining the highest standards of cleaning quality and environmental responsibility. Today Cleaners is licensed to use this proprietary cleaning system. This year, we are celebrating 10 years as the exclusive GreenEarth cleaner in our market, which is an important milestone for us.
What is express service? We provide you with a free pair of nylon express bags to accumulate and transport your clothes to us. Each bag is identified with a barcode tag indicating that it belongs to you. Just drop it off and go, no waiting! We have 24-hour drop boxes at all 10 locations as well. We also store your encrypted payment information in our secure point-of-sale system, so your orders are automatically paid for when you pick up, saving valuable time. Our regular customers love express service! What are the benefits of an on-premise plant? Your clothes never leave the place where you bring them, which allows us to give you faster service and prevents misplaced items. It also affords us the opportunity to have skilled garment care specialists at every location that can answer questions, and give more personalized service to our customers.
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BUSINESS PROFILE SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND INSTRUMENTATION, INC (ESI) What value or concept is emphasized the most at Electrical Systems and Instrumentation, Inc? We put a great deal of emphasis on safety at ESI, and we are very proud to say that our employees always make it the top priority in every situation. Our employees are our single most important asset; there is nothing more important than Electrical Systems and making sure they safely make it Instrumentation, Inc. (ESI) home to their families every Address: 6906 Downing Ave. day. And to our employees, it Phone: 587-9322 isn’t just their safety that is Website: elect-systems.com important, but also the safety of their team members, too. Everyone at ESI takes the concept of safety very seriously, which is why we have accomplished such a stellar safety record in our field. We have five years without an OSHA recordable injury, more than 1.7 million miles driven without a major vehicle accident, and more than 1 million man hours of safe work. Our technicians go through rigorous training and are highly-skilled professionals who produce superior results in the safest way possible. ESI goes above and beyond the state certification requirements with our training to ensure that each employee is ready for all situations, which transfers into a safer environment for everyone. 170
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ESI, Inc. has been on the “Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Companies” for four years in a row. What does this honor mean to your company? This is a prestigious honor that we are proud to have achieved! Despite a struggling economy, we are proud to still be growing and thriving. We have worked very hard to build a company that is based on trust and positive relationships, both with our customers and our employees, and we attribute our growth and success to those ideas. We want to give a big “thank you” to all of our employees and customers who make everything possible for us! Through our growth we have continued to build a family of quality employees who are the backbone of our success. What’s in store for ESI? ESI recently expanded and opened an office in MidlandOdessa, Texas. We made the decision, after thorough research, to expand into the Permian Basin, which is an oilrich area that reaches from southeast New Mexico to West Texas. With 21 highly-qualified people on staff, this office serves a mature oilfield that is home to many oil and gas companies to which we currently provide services. Our goal in Texas is to create an operation comparable in size to the Bakersfield office within five years. We will use existing policies and procedures that have been successfully established here. Our safety culture, coupled with the best people, will bring a special brand of value to West Texas!
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GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL CALIFORNIA Sheryl Chalupa, President and CEO Can you tell us about Goodwill’s programs? At Goodwill we believe that, through the power of work, everyone in our community should have the opportunity to achieve their full potential. From the proceeds of our 10 retail stores, we are able to provide job training and placement services to people in our community who have barriers to employment, such as disabilities or special needs. Our Transitional Employment Program, of which we are proud, is funded 100 percent through community donations. We receive no federal, state or grant money to run any of our programs and services. While we are happy to be known as a great place to find quality second-hand goods — the donations are very important to the work we do for our community.
Goodwill Industries of South Central California
What is the Transitional Employment Program? The best way that someone can 10 locations to serve you — learn to work is by being given the now in Porterville and Tulare, too! opportunity to work, and that’s Phone: 837-0595 where the Transitional Employment Website: thegoodwill.org Program enters. Our program gives on-the-job training, support services and intense development services that are designed to, through employment opportunities, help individuals continue to be active parts of our community and achieve financial independence. The motto of this program is, “Hire, Promote Up, Promote Out,” and it has been very successful. In 2012, 70 percent of all employees hired at Goodwill had a documented, declared disability or disadvantage; all Goodwill employees are paid at least minimum wage; and the average annual wage increase of our employees who successfully transitioned into community employment was 54 percent!
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Tell us about some of the many success stories to come out of this program. In September 2012, Goodwill hired an employee as a retail material handler making $8 an hour, working 35 hours a week. One month earlier he had fallen on hard times and became homeless. Goodwill Sheryl Chalupa hired him, and two months later, his on-the-job training and stellar work ethic allowed him to promote up to a Goodwill truck driver, earning him a 25 percent annual wage increase. Just three months removed from being homeless, he was placed in a higher paying job outside of Goodwill earning $24,960 a year — $10,400 more a year than his starting salary at Goodwill. This story perfectly illustrates how the Transitional Employment Program helps local individuals with barriers to employment transition to a better life and financial independence. He had a documented barrier to employment, yet that did not stop Goodwill from hiring him and giving him a chance. As Goodwill Industries Week approaches, what are you most proud of about your organization? Goodwill Industries Week will be celebrated May 5 to 11 at Goodwill organizations throughout the country and internationally. Our community’s Goodwill organization has so much to be proud of. Along with expanding with new stores in the Bakersfield area, we will be opening stores in surrounding areas, such as Hanford, very soon. Every time we open a new store, we are creating new job opportunities for local individuals, which makes us proud. Our goal is to help employees transition out of Goodwill and into gainful, community employment.
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BUSINESS PROFILE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
HEALTHSOUTH Since HealthSouth is the only rehabilitation hospital in Kern County, how can you measure quality of programs against the outcomes for patients of other rehabilitation hospitals? At HealthSouth we offer a wide range of specialized programs aimed at restoring and strengthening patients in order for them to return to their highest level of independence. Our hospital has been recognized for our abilities to assist patients in achieving excellent outcomes to help them return home as quickly as possiHealthSouth ble. All rehabilitation hospitals are Sandra Hegland, CEO required to report certain patient Address: 5001 Commerce Drive outcomes to a database, allowing Phone: 323-5500 for comparison between rehabiliWebsite: tation hospitals across the nation. healthsouthbakersfield.com Out of about 800 rehabilitation hospitals in the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation database, HealthSouth was in the top 10 percent in both 2011 and 2012. We are very proud of this stellar achievement. This ranking confirms that when you are being treated at our hospital, you know you are receiving the best care. Is there anything new or different at HealthSouth in 2013? Part of the mission at HealthSouth is to provide patients with the finest facilities and programs available. Our facility is designed with the patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s care in mind, and in 2013, we will be working to maintain and expand upon our facility and services to continue 174
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Sandra Hegland
offering the highest level of care possible for all of our patients. At the end of 2012, we added six more patient beds, giving us a total of 66 beds. We also submitted plans to the state for a 20-bed wing addition. We are hopeful that by the end of 2013, we will have approval to begin that construction, with completion about a year later.
Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve spent most of your career in the acute care hospital arena. Now you have been in rehabilitation for five years. What is the biggest difference? I have enjoyed all the different healthcare positions I have filled over the years, most of which were critical care, trauma, emergency room and cardiovascular surgery. I find rehabilitation to complete the circle. At HealthSouth, I get to see patients renew hope, learn new skills and return home. Success at our hospital depends on the quality of our care and how well our patients recover and get back to living their lives. Rehabilitation is a very hard job, but it is also one of the most rewarding that I have experienced. What is one piece of advice, given your background, that you would give to our readers? That is easy because I can combine my two great loves: cardiovascular health and physical fitness. Heart disease still kills more men and women every year than any other disease. And physical fitness, exercise, right weighting and diet play a huge part in that. Those also are mainstays that we depend on in the rehabilitation world. Bakersfield, exercise more!
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BUSINESS PROFILE
Steve Houston, owner of Houston Jewelers.
HOUSTON JEWELERS Houston Jewelers has been a tradition in Bakersfield for almost 40 years. What is it about your store that keeps your customers coming back? We pride ourselves on our extensive inventory, honesty and loyalty to our customers, and that is what keeps our customers returning. We carry an inventory selection of exceptional jewelry from world-renowned jewelers such as David Yurman, Jack Kelege, Omega, A Link and many more. When our cusHouston Jewelers tomers entrust us with their Steve Houston, owner jewelry needs, we take that seriAddress: 4717 Stockdale Highway ously and take care of them in Phone: 835-3530 every way possible to make sure Website: houstonsjewelry.com they are satisfied. We cater to every style, taste and budget, and have serviced generations of customers. I think that is why our customers keep coming back — we have something for everybody! We are inspired when we get an opportunity to create a custom-designed piece of art, a service with which our customers are especially pleased. We have created exquisite bride and groom sets, transformed heirlooms into renewed family treasures, and created jewelry that our customers have seen only in their dreams. Many of our bride and grooms-to-be have also given praise to our gemologists who have spent time with them explaining the importance of the cut, color and clarity of a diamond for their most special pieces of jewelry. 176
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PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
What other aspects of Houston Jewelers do your customers think sets you apart from other stores in town? Part of the culture at Houston Jewelers is that we personalize our customer service to address each individual’s needs. When one of our customers needed help finding buyers for her mother’s jewelry after she passed away, we helped her find what she needed, despite the fact that we do not do estate sales. She was extremely appreciative because she knew that whatever her needs are regarding jewelry, Houston Jewelers will always deliver, and we couldn’t ask for a better compliment. Our staff is an integral part of our success because they go above and beyond to make sure that our customers find exactly what they are looking for. Our staff has been complimented on the wealth of information they offer without making the customer feel any pressure to buy. At Houston Jewelers, we have on staff a graduate gemologist, two jewelers, a certified appraiser, artist and a team of loyal and qualified staff members. Your customers obviously love the service and selection they find at Houston’s, but can you tell us what makes Houston Jewelers the best place to buy jewelry? While our jewelry inventory is unbeatable, we are truly inspired by the idea that we can encourage and support our customers’ personal expression through artistry and in their choices in jewelry. We embrace our customers, and it is our mission to give them exactly what they are looking for. Since opening our doors almost 40 years ago, we have worked every day to create a tradition whereby we offer the most exquisite jewelry and service that is unsurpassed. We are not just selling jewelry, we are helping to create memories.
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PRIME FINDS
1
1 Perfect summer outfit You’ll feel fabulous in our yellow embroidered blouse, paired perfectly with shorts and custom made Cuadra boots. Get the full look, or make it the perfect gift for someone special. Stop by our boutique real soon, ladies. 205 18th St. near Union Avenue. 396-1609.
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Ilitchi Boutique
2 Mother’s Day handprint tray Whether serving cookies to the parent club or martinis to her girlfriends, Mom will be thrilled with this declaration of love from her little (or big) ones! Color Me Mine at The Marketplace, 9000 Ming Ave. 664-7366; bakersfield.colormemine.com.
Color Me Mine at The Marketplace
3 Uniquely Chic Mother’s Day gift Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12. Give the gift of “Uniquely Chic” from Uniquely Chic Florist & Boutique. 9500 Brimhall Road, Suite 701; 588-7997; uniquelychicflorist.com.
Uniquely Chic
4 Mother’s Day gifts Give her a gift she’ll love, or make it easy and purchase a gift card. You can also purchase a Mother’s Day Nerium AD gift box. Beautiful spring fashions and accessories. 5009 Stockdale Highway in the Stockdale Fashion Plaza.
Eva’s Boutique
5 A heart for Mother’s Day Handcrafted with clay and stars for a rustic look, this heart is 12-by-12 inches, and is only one of the many folk art items available for you to choose from. 1609 19th St.; kukasfolkart.com; 325-0000.
Kuka’s Folk Art
6 Thundershirt The drug-free solution for your dog’s anxiety, 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed. Come visit us at Biscuit Boutique & Doggy Spa for all your dog’s needs at 1617 19th St; 321-9602.
Biscuit Boutique & Doggy Spa
7 Mouth-watering toffee Fine, handmade English toffee by Aunt Mae’s Sweet Tooth. Available at Luigi’s, Sweet Surrender Bakery, Cafe Med, Flourishing Art and Sullivan Petroleum stores. 725-5200; auntmaessweettooth.com.
Aunt Mae’s Sweet Tooth
8 Clay canvas We now carry clay canvases in two sizes: 6-inches and 8-by-10 inches. Great for hand or footprints, or create a beautiful masterpiece for mom. Allow one week for completion. 9680 Hageman Road, Suite D; 588-7107.
Creation Craze Studio 178
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Hope Breast Cancer Team Roping Event April 6 Held at Thunderhead Ranch Photos by Gregory D. Cook View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Sierra Club Kern â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Kaweah Chapter Annual Banquet April 13 Held at Chalet Basque Photos by Gregory D. Cook View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
Ryan Taylor, Rosa Ayala, Isabel Stierle and Leah Carter
Jason Cater, Bob Smith and Stephen Montgomery
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Cioppino Feed April 6 Held at Monsignor Leddy Hall at Garces Memorial High School Photos by Greg Nichols View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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A Nurseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Prayer Let me dedicate my life today to the care of those who come my way. Let me touch each one with healing hand & gentle care for which I stand. And then tonight when day is done let me rest in peace, if I have helped just one. We think NURSES are special, especially OURS!
Bakersfield Senior Placement 395-1700 847-7342
Darlyn Baker, RN & Family Owned 182
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of great food and service in Bakersfield
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Red & White Wine & Food Festival April 12 Held at Bakersfield College Photos by Carla Rivas View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Brazilianwaxboutique.com 184
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Bakersfield Association of Realtors Bringing Home the Cure April 6 Held at Motor City Lexus Photos by Carla Rivas View these photos and more online at bakersfieldlife.com
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Thank you Kern County for your nomination for Best Real Estate Agent! I look forward to serving you in the future.
Gary Belter 661-836-6220 www.cbbakersfield.com 186
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INSIDE STORY
Best o t Place hip Wors
The main sanctuary at Valley Bible Fellowship on East Brundage Lane covers 37,200 square feet and seats 3,400.
From left: Ernie Waldo, administrative manager, Ron Vietti, senior pastor, and John Tweed, associate pastor, show off their handy stage work.
sanctuary. At a whopping 37,200 square feet, it is one of the largest indoor venues in Bakersfield. In this year “Best Of” contest, the church was voted “best place to worship.”
‘CHURCH IN DISGUISE’
VALLEY BIBLE FELLOWSHIP ‘Church in disguise’ Story and photos by Gregory D. Cook
V
alley Bible Fellowship’s main campus on East Brundage Lane may not conform to the traditional idea of a church, but then it wasn’t designed with conforming in mind. “It’s a little extreme, but that’s how we roll around here,” said Nicole Dickey, assistant to senior pastor Ron Vietti. “The typical people who sit in our seats aren’t the typical people who go to church, and sometimes you have to do unconventional things to reach people who otherwise would not go to church.” One example of “a little extreme” is the fellowship’s main
The decision to expand came six years ago when the fellowship outgrew its original sanctuary building. “We were just packed on Wednesdays, as well as Sundays,” said Vietti. “It got to where we were having overflows every night, and it was just getting really tough to manage.” The fellowship worked with Porterville architect Dennis Townsend to design a new main sanctuary building that would accommodate the church’s growing congregation while still keeping in line with the philosophy behind Valley Bible Fellowship’s style of worship. “We want people to come in and feel like they’re not in a church,” Vietti said. “When people come into a real ‘churchy’ looking building, if they aren’t used to it, they don’t like it. We like to think we are a church in disguise.” So the idea was to build a church that didn’t look like a church. “We felt that we were supposed to build a very simple building, and I said that I wanted it to be like a big barn on the outside,” Vietti said. “And that’s what it looks like. We didn’t care about fancy, and we wanted to seat a whole lot of people.” The price tag for the 3,400-seat building came in at just under $6.5 million.
LIVE ON STAGE
Sunday services can draw more than 2,000 attendees, with thousands more worldwide tuning in to watch on the Internet.
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The interior of the building is outfitted with the very latest in audio-visual equipment that allows Valley Bible’s services to be streamed live, all over the world. “Most of the major news studios are just now catching up to us,” said Ernie Waldo, administrative manager. “We’ve been broadcasting in (high definition) from day one. We have around $1 million in audio and video systems alone.” Where most churches would have an altar or pulpit, Valley Bible Fellowship has a stage that could easily handle most modern theater productions. “We’ve set off indoor fireworks and had fire dancers in here, and we’ve had a half-dozen Harley Davidson’s pull in from the
side doors and drive up onstage,” said Waldo. “We try to do things that are over the top.” Valley Bible Fellowship is perhaps best known for their elaborate Easter services, which in the past have included performances by Blue Man Group, a presidential impersonator who arrived on stage in a limousine, complete with and mock secret service escort, and most recently, an Elvis Presley impersonator and a touring Beatles tribute band. Every year, a new themed set is unveiled for the fellowship’s popular Easter services. This year, the theme is a throwback to the 1950s and 1960s, and the stage is decked out with facades of a diner, gas station and movie theater. Throughout the year, the set will be decorated to match the seasons. John Tweed, associate pastor, and Waldo are responsible for constructing the sets. “Each year, I tell these guys what I want,” Vietti said. “And each year, I’m astounded by how they are able to deliver.”
HISTORY Valley Bible Fellowship was founded by Vietti and several friends 38 years ago and has been at East Brundage Lane for the last 14 years. The original sanctuary building not only houses the church’s business offices but is also home to the children’s sanctuary, set up similar to the main sanctuary, with a stage of its own set up like a 1950s diner. “This is our way to bring people a fresh, new experience,” Vietti said. “People come in here, and we have a real solid message of keeping off drugs, getting your life together and coming to God.”
Service Times Sunday: 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study: 7 p.m. Live broadcast at vbflive.tv
On the Radio Monday through Friday on CSN 105.7 FM at 9:30 a.m.
Where to find VBF 2300 E. Brundage Lane, Bakersfield Contact: 325.2251, info@vbf.org Prayer Chain: 325.2251, ext. 315
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