Lewis County Weekender May 9 2019

HUB CITY COMEDY BRINGS BIG LAUGHS TO THE TWIN CITIES — Page 4

JOKE MASTERS EXPANDS TO CENTRALIA WITH SHOW AT COCONUTS — page 7

BEYOND TACOS: CHEHALIS BAR TOURS THE WORLD ON TUESDAYS — page 9

THE BEST BOOZE FOR YOUR BUCK — Page 11

2 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FRIDAY, MAY 10

Second annual Wine, Cheese & Chocolates, at Dawn’s Delectables hosted by Soroptimist Int. CentraliaChehalis. The event supports the Donna Karvia Scholarship Fund.

Tickets are $25 at the door and include eight tastes with additional tastes available for purchase. Event vendors include Scatter Creek Winery, Bateaux Cellars, Moonstruck Chocolates, Katie’s Chocolates and Dragonfly Chocolates. Must be 21 or older to attend.

“West Side Story” by Centralia College Theatre and the Ballet Theatre of Washington, runs from May 10-19 at Corbet Theatre on the campus of Centralia College. The play presents a story of two rival gangs fighting for control of the upper west side of New York City, which becomes complicated by a forming love interest. This musical theatre classic retells the story of Romeo and Juliet and includes Leonard Bernstein’s award-winning scores like “Tonight” and “I Feel Pretty.” Tickets are $12

tap into the scene

for adults and $10 for students and seniors and are available online at www.centralia.edu/theatre or by calling 360.623.8871. Pay-what-youcan night is Thursday, May 16 and the May 19 performance will be followed by a discussion with the cast and crew.

The Adarna (Jet City Rock) at Flood Valley Brewery, a rock band from Seattle returns to Chehalis to provide live entertainment. The show starts at 9 p.m. and is a great way to see the band before they leave on their tenth national tour through the United States and Canada with Hinder, Saving Abel and American Sin.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Hypnotist Ron Stubbs at the Chehalis Theater, presents live entertainment from a certified advanced clinical hypnotherapist.

Stubbs is also a nationally recognized body language expert and success coach, voted 2009 Entertainer of the Year in “Hypnotic Edge Magazine.”

PNWDS SUMMER OPENER

RAINIER INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL For the past 20 years, Stubbs has performed his “Hypnotic Mayhem Comedy Hypnosis Show” with his wife Jeanie around the globe, averaging 150 shows a year. The show begins at 8 p.m. and tickets are available online for $15 or for $25 at the door.

including Never Ending Threads, Vail Denim and Suno Henna, with goods ranging from purses, signs, denim and baby clothes. Live entertainment will also be provided by Kaitee Carney and there will be coffee available. For a full list of vendors, visit the Spring Shed Sale Facebook page. The sale will run from 12-4 p.m. Bossy Acres is 37th Annual Lewis County Historical located at 344 State Route 506.

Bike Ride, offers participants the choice of four loop rides all beginning at Bethel Church Assembly of God. THURSDAY, MAY 16 Each loop provides sites and sounds PNWDS Summer opener begins of rural roads in Lewis County, like at 3 p.m. and runs from May 16-20 Mount Rainier. Some historical sites at Cascade Peaks Campground in include the Evaline School and the Randle. The Pacific Northwest Dual historic Claquato Church. All rides are Sport organization takes bikers on family friendly, and children ride free a riding and camping experience. with a paying adult. The four loop Tickets for the event are $40-50 options are 20, 48, 68 or 100 miles. online and cover an event t-shirt, There are rest stops along the way, decal, group rides, meal vouchers, informational flyers and on-site basic prize tickets, camping, games assistance and repairs. Registration is and more. Selah Sweets will serve available on-site the day of the ride breakfasts and other treats and from 7-8:30 a.m. with the start line BIGWHITEFOODBUS will be selling closing at 8:30 a.m. For registration steak, potatoes and more. There will forms, contact ccoc98532@yahoo. be professional photos and video com. For more information, call coverage by Jackson Carpenter 360.388.7199 or 360.669.3386 or visit Productions. There is a bathroom www.chehaliscentraliaoptimistclub. and shower facility at the venue and org. Bethel Church is located at 132 dry camping in RVs or campers is Kirkland Rd. in Chehalis. included in the ticket price. There Spring shed sale at Bossy Acres are also reservations for those who in Toledo is the perfect mother- want electric and water hookups. For daughter date for Mother’s Day more information, visit the PNWDS weekend. There will be 11 vendors SEE PAGE 3.....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 3

website at www.pnwdualsport. com/. Cascade Peaks Campground is located at 11519 US Highway 12.

FRIDAY, MAY 17

13th annual Rainier Independent Film Festival runs from May 17-19 in Ashford. The festival will feature over 45 films with a variety of genres and topics. The opening night film will be “Return to Mount Kennedy” and will include a gala for attendees and filmmakers. This will also be the third year the festival will feature student films made by surrounding high schools who submit a film five minutes long or less. The students are given a prompt and three weeks to complete their films. The top 10 student films will be screened on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Lions’ Theater and the first place prize is a $1,441.10 scholarship.

For RIFF tickets, lodging specials, directions and film details, visit https://rainier.film/.

SATURDAY, MAY 18

Native American Showcase presented by Inter-Tribal Athletics at NW Sports Hub in Centralia. The showcase runs from May 18-19 for boys and girls ages 4-12 grade. Cost is $150 per player and camp features include a uniform package, camp instruction, full court games, awards and national media in attendance.

Players can register online at www. intertribalathletics.com.

Cheese Ball Dance Party will begin at 5 p.m. at the Kemp Olson Memorial Park in Toledo. The dance will raise money for Toledo parks, $10 per person and kids 12 and under are free. Donations are also welcome.

Vintage and thrift store formal wear is encouraged.

Anything Goes Car Show runs from 9-3 p.m. at the TEC parking lot on the Centralia College campus.

Registration is $20 per vehicle and is available online or day of event

beginning at 8 a.m. There will be eight classes: antique/vintage, American muscle, present day/ modern (25 years or newer), imports, misfits and helmet class. For trucks, the classes are pickups and working class. Each class will have a best in class and each category will have a best in show and a crowd favorite. All trophies are hand made by Centralia College Diesel Tech Students. There will also be food available, a raffle, a silent auction and vendors. Cash and cards accepted, but fees may apply for credit. For questions, contact Tyson Lucas at 360.623.8479.

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25th

Music in the Park

Live Country music with The Olson Band, begins at 9 p.m. at McFiler’s in Chehalis. The show is free and all ages are welcome. The Olson Band got their start in 2013 when they won a national songwriting contest at the Texaco Country Showdown for their hit song, “Sunrise.” The band originated in Olympia and is made up of brother duo Luke and Isaac Olson as well as Kaylee Rose Olson.

Since 2013, the band has released two albums, an EP and have toured around the Pacific Northwest. Their third album, “Dancin’ in Headlights” was released earlier this year.

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LEWIS COUNTY

WEEKENDER Editor Natalie Johnson njohnson@chronline.com Reporter Lydia Denney ldenney@chronline.com

Editorial and Advertising Mailing Address 321 N. Pearl St., Centralia, Washington, 98531

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To advertise, contact Ron Kostick rkostick@chronline.com • 360.807.8212 321 N. Pearl St., Centralia, WA 98531

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4 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

Courtesy Photo

Gabe Botten, right, stands with Jacki Winters, Lukas Seely, Jose Bolanos and the Chehalis Theater crew.

Chehalis Resident Runs Hub City Comedy, Boosts Scene in Lewis County

thought it would be fun to have a comedy show in town. After convincing the theater to let him produce a comedy show, He founded Hub City Comedy in 2014. With the experience he has gained in the past five years, he knows what he’s doing when it comes to producing a comedy show.

When Hub City Comedy

By Lydia Denney LDENNEY@CHRONLINE.COM started, the only comedy show in town was at Riverside Golf Five years ago, while watching Club, which had a show every a s h o w a t t h e F o x T h e a t re , few months, Botten said. He Chehalis resident Gabe Botten had always wanted to enter

the comedy world, and he felt that producing comedy shows would bring something fun to the Centralia-Chehalis area. His original idea was to book comedians who might be per forming in Portland and Seattle, hoping they could stop in between and per form in Centralia.

Even though more comedy has been brought to these towns, it’s not all good comedy, Botten said.

He suspects that a lot of residents might not know what to expect, or have never been to a comedy

show before.

“I bring the best comedy,” Botten said. “If you’re just doing one night at this bar and one night at this bar, you don’t establish a crowd. It’s hard to train a crowd.”

Botten worked with a friend in Los Angeles, finding comedians that he could fly up to Centralia and Chehalis for shows. It can be a struggle to work with comedians’ schedules, as well as book a venue, he said. Picking SEE PAGE 5.....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 5

FROM PAGE 4............................

a lineup can also be tricky, but he tries to find diverse comics to perform at his shows. Though the beginning of his comedy journey was trial and error, he thinks his shows are successful now.

“I try to get variety in (the lineup),” Botten said. “There’s not a ton of females in the game, but I always try to find at least one per show. Sometimes it can be okay to listen to three white guys tell their stories, but sometimes you want a little variety.”

As a one-man production, Botten has a hand in every part of his shows. He can take criticism personally because it’s all on him, but he has to do it himself to make sure he’s happy with the outcome, he said.

He said he thinks the quality of the comedians separates Hub City Comedy shows from other comedy shows in town.

He often flies comics up from California for shows, comics who do stand-up for a living and are working on the material all the time, compared to Northwest comedians who haven’t made it

Courtesy Photo

Gabe Botten, right, stands with Caitlin Weierhauser, Zoltan Kaszas and Chase Brocket at the Chehalis Theater.

to that level yet, he said.

“If anything, I’m over-analytical of every aspect of the show,” Botten said. “People will be like, ‘That was a great show,’ and I’m like, ‘Except for the audio, and the lights sucked… we have to do better next time.’”

Along with his experience producing shows for Hub City Comedy, he is also the talent director for Big Sky Comedy Festival, one of the biggest comedy festivals in the nation that takes place in Billings, Montana every year. As talent director, Botten’s job is to watch anywhere from 800 to 1,000 video submissions, review them and narrow down the list to the top comedians who will compete SEE PAGE 6.....................................

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Courtesy Photo

Left: Comedian Nick Guerra performs at the Chehalis Theater for a Hub City Comedy show.

6 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

FROM PAGE 5. . ...........................

at the festival. The festival gets submissions from all over the country, and the process of going through each video can be very emotionally draining, he said.

Hub City Comedy recently produced a show with a past Big Sky winner, Nick Guerra, and on May 18, the 2018 winner, Kira Soltanovich will per for m in Chehalis as well. Since he has started doing shows at the Chehalis Theater, Botten has built a whole new crowd for comedy, he said. Businesses in the area have also been supportive and willing to sponsor shows, which means the marquee sponsorship changes month to month.

“Because we bring in such bigger names, we have a lot of support from local businesses that will sponsor a portion of the show,” he said.

Once the Fox Theatre is restored, Botten plans to use both the Fox and the Chehalis Theater for shows. As long as people keep attending comedy shows, Hub City Comedy will continue to grow, he said. There is a Fall lineup of comedy names coming to the area and there are already shows in the works for 2020.

“With the success of the shows

Courtesy Photo

Comedian Nick Guerra performs at the Chehalis Theater for a Hub City Comedy show.

we’ve been having at the Chehalis Theater, we’re moving up to the next level,” Botten said.

“Since people keep coming out, and as long as people keep coming out, we can bring bigger people. But I can’t do it by myself.”

May 17 & 18, 2019 Starts at 6PM Southwest Washington Fairgrounds www.relayforlife.org/LewisCountyWA Call Josh at 360-388-6817 or Michelle at 360-520-6115 for more information Courtesy Photo

Gabe Botten, right, stands with Chris Mejia, left, Andrew Sleighter and Jeremiah Coughlan.

Last Team Rally is May 13th 6PM at O’Blarney’s/Gibson House.

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Join us for food and fun as we Celebrate,Remember, and Fight Back!

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 7

COMEDY: Show Set for May 11 at Coconuts Island Grill

By Lydia Denney

LDENNEY@CHRONLINE.COM

After moving on from Date Night Comedy, Amanda Wilhelm decided to start her own comedy production called Joke Masters

Courtesy Photo

Casey McLain is a stand-up comedian based in Tacoma.

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SEE PAGE 8.....................................

8 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

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Comedy. Wilhelm used to live in Centralia, but eventually moved away because of the lack of entertainment within the town.

With the success of her comedy shows in the Olympia area, she decided to begin producing shows in Lewis County to provide more entertainment options.

“I like making people laugh, or at least helping get them to a place where they’re going to be laughing,” Wilhelm said. “The world is kind of depressing right now and laughter is the best medicine.”

Wilhelm plans to have a monthly comedy show at Coconuts Island Grill in Centralia, even though Lewis County has been a hard community to get into, Wilhelm said. The next Joke Masters Comedy show at Coconuts will include host Taylor Bronzer, Narin Va n n a n d h e a d l i n e r C a s e y McLain. When booking a lineup, Wilhelm tries to find a comics that will entertain most people and aren’t too crass, she said “I love the comedian community,” Wilhelm said.

“They’re all funny, happy-go-lucky people and they’re fun to talk to.”

Though McLain has performed in Chehalis multiple times, he has never performed in Centralia. He has been in the comedy game for four years now, but it’s something he had wanted to do his whole

Joke Masters Presents Comedy at Coconuts Island Grill Saturday, May 11 at 8 p.m.

1232 Alder St. Centralia, WA 98531

Courtesy Photo

Casey McLain describes his stand-up as relatable and witty.

l i f e . S t a r t i n g a t t h e Ta c o m a Comedy Club, he finally took a chance at stand-up seven days before he turned 29 years old.

“I was going to turn 30 (soon) and I didn’t want it to be a weird midlife crisis thing,” McLain said.

“I’ve always thought I could do (comedy), but it’s really scary to go on stage for the first time so I

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In the past, McLain has per formed with comedians like Ron Funches and David Koechner and has per for med in areas outside the Pacific Northwest including New York, Houston, and British Columbia. McLain is also good friends with both featured comics, Vann and Bronzer, so he is excited to be performing with them at the show. He described his comedy style as relatable and witty and said he is addicted to the feeling of a crowd enjoying a new joke.

“I try to find places where there

is tension in the world and then kind of point out the absurdity in that tension,” McLain said.

During the week, he also produces a podcast called the “Casey McLain Show,” where he talks about sports with journalists, former athletes and other comedians.

The show begins at 8 p.m., but people can arrive as early at 7 p.m. to find seating and get food or drinks. There are also VIP seating options available, but they are very limited. Tickets for the show are $15 online or $20 at the door the evening of the event.

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 9

Left: Chicken Provençal is served with Flamiche and Vegetable Au Gratin with a French Martini Tuesday afternoon at McFiler’s in Chehalis.

Jared Wenzelburger / jwenzelburger@chronline.com

ecruited his friend Liberty BEYOND TACOS: rDuncan to help create and produce the meals on Tuesday Menu Takes Tuesdays at thethemed bar.

Duncan can usually be found Customers Around cooking at Centralia’s Boccata where she has been a chef for the World

By Lydia Denney

LDENNEY@CHRONLINE.COM

E v e r y Tu e s d a y , M c F i l e r ’ s dinner menu takes customers to a different part of the world, trying out a new dish and drink, available one night only.

McFiler’s owner Tim Filer wanted to do something special during the week, so he created “Tours Tuesday” or “Toursday.”

He chooses a new countrybased menu each week. He

Duncan first met Filer when he Duncan to come in and cook was her bartender. Filer would something different every week, often tell Duncan about how he thus beginning the “Toursday” wanted to open his own bar and menu.

Every week, Duncan and collaborate with her on food.

When he opened McFiler’s, he Filer work together on a special wanted to do something different nearly 11 years. Duncan has than “Taco Tuesday” and asked SEE PAGE 10.................................... been cooking since she was old enough to be in the kitchen and said she always wanted to be a chef. She originally considered going to culinary school, but instead began her career at Dr. Matthew O’Brien specializes in Musculoskeletal Radiology.

Boccata where she learned on Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan Dr. O’Brien is a former the job from owner Darin Harris. musician who is married with one daughter.

“When I got older I was like, ‘I Call us for Healthy Savings and compare prices! don’t want to do something I love for work and ruin it,’ but it’s been (360) 736-0200 really cool because (cooking) is Longview longviewradiology.com so much fun,” Duncan said. “I go 910 S. Scheuber Rd., Radiologists to work and it doesn’t even feel Centralia, WA 98531 MRI-Ultrasound CH597305rk.do like working.”

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10 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

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Tuesday menu focusing on a different country. Filer gives Duncan free reign since she’s in the kitchen, and “Toursday” has become Duncan’s baby, Filer said.

“It forces me to be a lot more creative and step outside of my comfort zone,” Duncan said. “It’s really interesting because it’s really confidence building, too, to try something that I’ve never done before and to get really good feedback.”

Duncan and Filer have been trying to find a happy-medium where they don’t sell out of the special menu right away, but also where they don’t have a ton of leftovers.

As the menu has become m o r e

p o p u l a r, M c F i l e r ’ s h a s s e e n some guests become regulars, returning for the unique Tuesday menu. Because of the open kitchen at McFiler’s, Duncan can interact with customers while she cooks, which is a different experience from the kitchen at Boccata, she said. Customers will often make suggestions for future “Toursday” specials, like the France tribute to Notre Dame.

“I like to talk to the customers a lot because I’m right there when I’m cooking,” Duncan said.

“It’s really cool, too, when you collaborate with a customer like that or they throw in an idea and then the next week they’re like, ‘Oh my gosh, we talked about this.’”

Filer recently brought in Stiv Reisdorph, a second chef, to help Duncan on Tuesdays, and they are working well together, Duncan said. For the France

Jared Wenzelburger / jwenzelburger@chronline.com

Stiv Reisdoprh, right, talks to Liberty Duncan about a dish he was preparing Tuesday afternoon at McFiler’s in Chehalis.

menu, Duncan and Reisdorph made chicken provencal with flamiche and vegetable au gratin.

Along with the special menu, there is also a new drink paired with the food every week.

It’s nothing on the menu, just something bartender Zane Verley makes up at the last second every Tuesday, he said. To go with Duncan’s France menu, Verley

Chicken Provençal is served with Flamiche and Vegetable Au Gratin Tuesday afternoon at McFiler’s in Chehalis.

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created a French martini made with raspberry vodka, Chambord and pineapple juice.

“Usually my bartender will ask me what I’m working on and then they’ll try to pair a drink with whatever I’m doing,” Duncan said. “They kind of do all their cocktail pairing on the fly like I do.”

Filer said the “Toursday” dishes are becoming more popular, where some weeks the finite number of dishes will sell out in less than an hour. Since starting t h e “ To u r s d a y ” m e n u t h r e e months ago, they haven’t repeated a single dish.

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Alice, a two year old French Bulldog, enjoys an afternoon during Toursday, which included French-themed dishes, at McFiler’s, in Chehalis.

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 11

By Tan Vinh

THE SEATTLE TIMES

When it comes to cheap liquor, Trader Joe’s and Costco have become the go-to big-box stores.

Costco’s vodka costs $12.99 (before taxes). That’s for a 1.75 liter bottle. Trader Joe’s gin goes for a song — $11.99.

But are these any good? We wanted to know.

I enlisted a couple of discerning palates to sample some of the stores’ best-sellers.

Joining me on the tasting: Paul Clarke, executive editor of Imbibe, a must-read bimonthly

magazine for the bartending and distilling community.

Andrew Friedman, a former judge for the American Distilling Institute and former owner of the Capitol Hill bar Liberty, which, under Friedman, boasted one of the city’s largest collections of whiskeys and agave spirits, two categories heavily represented in this tasting.

We focused on the everyday consumer, not the connoisseur. No geeking out on mashbill or yeast strain. Adjectives like “quaffable” on tasting notes earn banishment to a dark corner. I run a tight ship here, people.

The goal: pick booze based on

the yummy factor and price value.

Our rating system: “not recommended,” “recommended buy” and “highly recommended.”

Our conclusion: four are duds that you shouldn’t buy just because they’re dirt cheap.

The best value is a $16.99 bottle from Trader Joe’s.

One bottle from Costco is a stunner that you likely haven’t heard of.

Vodka (Costco brand) Kirkland’s French vodka, 40% alcohol, $21.99 for 1.75 SEE PAGE 11....................................

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12 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

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liters Kirkland’s American vodka, 40%, $12.99 for 1.75 liters Trader Joe’s vodka, 40%, $9.99 750 ml bottle Comparing just the two American vodkas side by side seemed logical, but Costco’s French Vodka is so wildly popular, I added that to the mix.

The result was an upset: We all favored Trader Joe’s in the blind tasting, concluding it would make the best martini of the three vodkas.

We f a v o r n e u t r a l - t a s t i n g vodka, which Trader Joe’s was, at least compared to the pair from Costco. I thought Costco’s American vodka had a harsh burn on the finish. Trader Joe’s was more rounded and structured.

On the famed Costco’s French vodka: Friedman detected a hint of sulfur. Clarke found it to be more “buttery and toffee on the nose.”

Costco’s French vodka finished dead last in our sampling, but I could see why it captivates the mainstream. It’s slightly silky in texture and the cake-doughy sweet finish makes it go down easy. It doesn’t taste like liquor, more like liquid candy. Fans swear this is better than Grey Goose vodka, which costs twice as much. So just for kicks, we did a blind tasting between Grey Goose and Costco’s French vodka. Two out

of three judges thought this was splitting hairs and couldn’t detect a big difference, while Friedman was the lone judge who favored Grey Goose. Clarke and I agree that if you love Grey Goose, this is a good deal.

Verdict: “Recommended buy” on Costco’s and Trader Joe’s America vodkas.

Costco’s French vodka: two voted “recommended buy,” with Friedman rejecting.

Gin Costco’s Kirkland London dry gin, 44% ABV, $21.99 for 1.75 liter Trader Joe’s gin, 40% ABV, $11.99 for 750 ml.

Costco’s gin lists nine botanicals i n c l u d i n g j u n i p e r, c o r i a n d e r, lime, nutmeg, fir needle, lemon, lavender and dill, while Trader Joe’s listed juniper, “zesty citrus” and coriander.

We a g r e e d n e i t h e r w a s complex. They were more middleof-the pack gins that will neither offend nor excite anyone.

Costco’s “is a very soft gin,” Clarke said, while Trader Joe’s “finishes drier. If you’re going to relax with an awesome martini, you can do better for a few bucks more; you can do a lot better.”

We w e r e n ’ t gaga for either, but, damn if you can find a passable gin at these prices.

Verdict:

“Recommended buy” rating for both gins.

Tequila Costco Kirkland Silver tequila, 40%, $21.99 for 1.75 liter Trader Joe’s Blanco tequila, 40%, $19.99 for 750 ml Our tasting discussion was tame.

Then the tequilas came out and so did the knives.

On Costco’s Friedman: “These two will upset any lover of agave. (Costco’s) has an unnatural sweetness like it does not come straight from an agave field or distillation.”

Clarke: It “has this odd, sweet jasmine thing going on. It’s like wearing clown shoes or something. It’s out of place. The nose on it is flat and sweet. It’s like sniffing a bowl of agave syrup. I like a peppery bite. Some texture.

This does not have that. It does not have that property you look for in a good tequila.”

On Trader Joe’s Clarke: “It’s really sweet and subdued, and then there is this — what the hell is that? — a little bit of toothpaste peppermint with wood ashes.”

Friedman: “It’s like infused (with) grandma’s old musty, polyester pants. It tasted musty. There is something plastic happening that is not supposed to be there. Even in a margarita, this would taste odd.”

Vinh: “I tried both as margaritas, and let me tell you, that was a waste of fresh lime juice.”

Verdict “Not recommended.” The tequilas were so atrocious, we felt compelled to come up with cheap alternatives to ensure you don’t buy these monstrosities just to save a buck. Without even c o n s u l t i n g o n e a n o t h e r, w e recommended the same tequila: Olmeca Altos, about $25 in most states before taxes.

Friedman offered two more good-value blancos to seek out: Pueblo Viejo and Cabrito, though he suggests shoppers should splurge about $40 for the Cabeza, because it’s “easily one of my favorite blanco tequilas in any bar or store, on even the most-wellstocked shelf.”

Anejo (Tequila aged in oak between one and three years.)

Kirkland anejo, 40%, $24.89 for 1 liter Trader Joe’s, 40%, $23.99 for 750 ml This tequila category fared no better. We concluded Costco’s anejo was the worst of the 13 bottles we sampled. After a sip, Friedman grimaced and turned to me, “We’re not mad at you, Tan, but I’m going to pretend this didn’t happen.”

SEE PAGE 12....................................

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 13

On Costco’s: Clarke said he couldn’t tell this was tequila. Friedman thought this was cheap brandy. I thought it could pass for an experimental oak-aged gin that some hipster had distilled in his mom’s garage.

On Trader Joe’s: Clarke: “It’s a weird tasting tequila.” It’s like if someone were “trying to make a Mr. Potato Head without ever actually seeing a person before.”

Verdict Both “not recommended.” We couldn’t think of many cheap anejo alternatives to recommend.

Quality aged tequila is expensive.

There’s no way around that.

Clarke suggested El Jimador anejo, which costs about $25 at many liquor stores. Friedman swears by Pueblo Veijo Anejo, but that’s not readily available. Not cheap, but easier to find and a good value is El Tesodo anejo. At around $50, El Tesodo is better than many anejos I’ve tasted in the $80-$90 range.

American Whiskey Kirkland’s “premium small batch” bourbon 51.5%, $36.99 for 1 liter Trader Joe’s bourbon, 45%, $16.99 for 750 ml On Costco’s: Vinh: Costco’s 7-year-old bourbon hints of caramel candy and molasses with some toasty notes and vanilla. It’s a fiery finish and no wonder, it clocks in at 103 proof. I would sip this on the rocks.

It’s good for its price range. I’ve had a lot of crappy craft whiskeys that cost a lot more.

Friedman: “It has a top-end sweetness that really lasts. I find the finish balanced with the wood

and bourbon mash bill. It does not end dry or dusty as do many bourbons at a higher price.”

Clarke: “It’s thin. ... It has a few whiskey elements but it does not have a round complexity.”

On Trader Joe’s: Vinh: “A surge of maple syrup followed by some spice notes and tea leaves. It’s not a complex bourbon, but pleasant, easydrinking. At $16.99, it’s a steal. And it’s perfect for mixing, especially if you’re throwing a large party on a budget.

Clarke: “It is everything you look for in a basic bourbon. It’s not going to blow bourbon connoisseurs away, but it’s perfectly serviceable for everyday drinking. You can get by with an Old Fashioned. (For only $16.99), I would walk over to Trader Joe’s to buy this. I would buy two bottles of it instead of that (Costco bourbon).”

Verdict: Kirkland whiskey earned two “recommended buy” votes with Clarke rejecting.

Trader Joe’s bourbon: C l a r k e a n d I s c o re d “ h i g h l y recommended,” while Friedman scored “a recommended buy.”

finished in sherry cask, 46%, $59.99 for 750 ml Of the six sets of spirits we tasted, this “wowed” us. The other bottles were more for mixing cocktails. These two are quality sippers that didn’t need adulteration.

“If I showed up at your house, and you poured me either of these, I would be happy. I would not think that you bought this under a big-box label,” Clarke said.

On Trader Joe’s: Vinh: This juice, sourced from GlenAllachie distillery, was aged in oak for 13 years and finished briefly in sherry cask. Lots of raisins and cinnamon with hints of apple pie.

Clarke: “It has that nice honey aspect. Kind of roastery. Toasty.

Very pleasant.”

On Costco’s: Hands down the best bottle we sampled. We agreed even serious scotch drinkers would

be happy to sip this 20-year-old Speyside.

Vinh: Lots of dry fruits and figs, dates especially and a tinge of brown sugar, with a pronounced sherry flavor that meshed with all the fruity notes.

Clarke: “It has that roundness and fruitiness to it. It’s quite pleasant. That’s a decent bottle of whiskey.”

Friedman: “Unquestionably the clear winner. Someone at Costco did a great job finding these barrels.”

Verdict: Costco’s scored a “highly recommended” from Clarke and Vinh, while Friedman settled on a “recommended buy” since he thought this was priced $10 higher than it should have been.

At Costco’s Sodo branch, this bottle after taxes totaled $75.12.

Trader Joe’s was a “recommended buy.”

Scotch Trader Joe’s 2004 Speyside single malt aged 13 years and finished in sherry cask, 40%, $54.99 for 750 ml.

Kirkland Speyside, aged 20 years and

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FROM PAGE 12. . ..........................

14 • LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019

By Jen Yamato

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Why so scary, summer? From c re e p y d o l l s t o w a t e r - b o r n e predators to more mysterious and murderous frights, horror is heading to multiplexes in a big way this season.

No longer relegated to the Halloween timing of a fall opening — although those slots remain golden — horror has crept into summer thanks to the proven profitability of hits like “It: Chapter One,” the burgeoning cinematic oeuvre of Jordan Peele and anything remotely related to “The Conjuring.” It’s a good time to be a fan of horror movies — and this summer, studios are hoping it’s a good time to release them too.

It certainly wasn’t always this way, even though the granddaddy of creature horror — Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” — ushered in the era of the blockbuster with a June opening 44 years ago. And summer remains the most costly season for movie openings, says genre producer Jason Blum.

But when horror movies score big all over the release calendar, as they’ve done in recent years, what formerly seemed like a risk looks increasingly enticing.

“Because horror movies were often thought of as ‘singles’ and ‘doubles’ it was the common wisdom that it wasn’t worth the (marketing and distribution costs),” says Blum, whose hits include “Halloween,” “Get Out” and “Glass” — all of which crossed $100 million domestically.

“When these movies can do over

Sony Pictures

Elizabeth Banks in ‘Brightburn’

a couple hundred million dollars worldwide,” he says, “the summer becomes a much more attractive place to have them land.”

While his Blumhouse Productions has been careful about summer releases, its “Purge” films have all opened successfully in the summer, the last two proving competitive over the lucrative July 4 frame.

Still, Blumhouse will launch just one theatrical film this season: Octavia Spencer vehicle “Ma” (May 31), a hard-R thriller with gory moments. (The Oscar-winning actress stars in a surprising turn that Blum compares to Kathy Bates’ in “Misery.”) Its next two horror releases are slated for September and December.

“The best release date for a horror movie ever would be a Friday the 13th in September,” Blum says, laughing. “That would be the dream horror movie release date — you’d have to make a really bad movie for it not

to open on that day.”

“I talk about (release date strategy) as three-dimensional chess,” says Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein, who has overseen the dating of the “Conjuring” franchise — including its “Annabelle” spinoffs and last year’s smash “The Nun” — as James Wan’s Atomic Monster shingle has churned out horror hit after hit for the studio.

The next installment — sequel “Annabelle Comes Home” (June 28) — moves even closer into the heart of the summer. The creepy doll mini-franchise initially launched in October, before an August date did robust business for the second “Annabelle” film. (The original “Conjuring” and its sequel became global blockbusters when they were released in July and June.)

“If you make a good movie, you put in some scares and it really works for that targeted audience,

they’re faithful and they come back,” Goldstein says, “and they come back early.”

Unlike other genres, horror is inherently conducive to the shared theatrical experience, he notes.

And while genre audiences today tend to skew young and female, those gaps are evening out. “ T h e re a re c e r t a i n R - r a t e d movies that really cross over and get a younger audience, like ‘It,’” he says. “’It seemed to defy the rating because parents thought that was a movie they could experience together with their kids.”

Leading the wave of killer doll movies is Orion/MGM’s “Child’s Play” reboot (June 21), which gives Chucky a face-lift, a new back story, a new Andy to terrorize and a new voice (Mark Hamill). It went into production less than a year ago to make its June release date.

“I don’t think there’s a bad time to open a horror movie anymore,” says “Child’s Play” producer Seth Grahame-Smith, who with partner David Katzenberg is also a producer on “It”). “I feel like horror is now a year-round genre.”

In a cheeky release date stunt, “Child’s Play” will hit theaters the same day as another franchise that started with a kid named Andy and the toy he no longer plays with: Disney/Pixar’s “Toy Story 4.”

“It’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in a release strategy and I love it,” says GrahameS m i t h . “ We ’ r e e m b r a c i n g i t !

Obviously ‘Toy Story 4’ will make a lot more money than we will on the weekend, but we will be, I think, a great alternative.”

LEWIS COUNTY WEEKENDER • The Chronicle, Centralia/Chehalis, WA. Thursday, May 9, 2019 • 15

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