JACKSON HOLE’S ALTERNATIVE VOICE | PLANETJH.COM | MARCH 22-28, 2017
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f o t s Be e 2017:
e l o H n o s Jack
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2 | MARCH 22, 2017
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JACKSON HOLE'S ALTERNATIVE VOICE
VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 11 | MARCH 22-28, 2017
15 COVER STORY THE BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017 Best Elected Official: Mayor Pete Muldoon and Best in Uniform: Sheriff Jim Whalen Cover photo by Chelsea Holcomb/Old Time Photos
4 THE NEW WEST
70 CREATIVE PEAKS
6-10 THE BUZZ
71 CINEMA
12 IMBIBE
72 CULTURE KLASH
68 MUSIC BOX
78 SATIRE
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March 22-28, 2017 By Meteorologist Jim Woodmencey This is the first full-week of the Spring Season, the Vernal Equinox was this past Monday. During the last week of the Winter Season, we had high temperatures most days in the 50’s, and the same for the first days of spring. We also broke a record in town on Saturday, February 18th when the afternoon high at the Jackson Climate Station reached 62-degrees. The old record high temperature for that date was 60-degrees, set back in 1972.
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I can’t say there was anything “cool” about the weather this past week or so. With lots of cloudiness, overnight low temperatures have suffered from some sort of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Overnight lows have fluctuated from the twenties to the thirties, which is nowhere near the average low temperatures for this time of year, in the upper teens. That is also miles away from anything close to the record low temperature during this week of minus 27-degrees, from March 25th, 1965.
We spent all of December & January with well below normal temperatures, now it appears that February and March will be making up for that, with well above normal temperatures. As if Mother Nature is balancing things out. The long-term average high temperatures this week are still in the lower forties. Record high temperature territory might be untouchable this week, with the hottest days on record being a very hot 68-degrees, from March 24th, 2004 and March 28th, 1986.
NORMAL HIGH NORMAL LOW RECORD HIGH IN 2004 RECORD LOW IN 1965
43 18 68 -27
THIS MONTH AVERAGE PRECIPITATION: 1.23 inches RECORD PRECIPITATION: 4.2 inches (1995) AVERAGE SNOWFALL: 11 inches RECORD SNOWFALL: 26.5 inches (1985)
Carpet - Tile - Hardwood - Laminate Blinds - Shades - Drapery Mon - Fri 10am - 6pm Open Tuesdays until 8pm 1705 High School Rd Suite 120 Jackson, WY 307-200-4195 www.tetonfloors.com | www.tetonblinds.com
MARCH 22, 2017 | 3
Jim has been forecasting the weather here for more than 20 years. You can find more Jackson Hole Weather information at www.mountainweather.com
WHAT’S COOL WHAT’S HOT
THIS WEEK
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JH ALMANAC
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4 | MARCH 22, 2017
An Idaho boy almost becomes a casualty of the Western war waged on predators. BY TODD WILKINSON @BigArtNature
M
ost readers here have probably never heard of the notorious “M-44.” It’s not a gun, but rather a different kind of weapon deployed by the U.S. government in its century-old campaign still being waged against wildlife predators. Verbatim, this is how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s predator-killing bureau, Wildlife Services, describes the function of M-44s: “The M-44 device is triggered when a canid (i.e. coyote or wild dog) tugs on the baited capsule holder, releasing the plunger and ejecting sodium cyanide powder into the animal’s mouth. The sodium cyanide quickly reacts with moisture in the animal’s mouth, releasing hydrogen cyanide gas. Unconsciousness, followed by death, is very quick, normally
SNOW PACK REPORT SQUALLY SPRING On Tuesday, the vernal equinox marked the change in season. For the first time in months bare ground is visible without digging for it and the valley snow is melting. Last week temps were mostly above freezing up to 8,000 feet along with some rain. These warm and wet conditions melted bonds between snow grains and caused wet slides with the destructive forces that could injury or bury a person. Many of the reported avalanches occurred naturally. Even though artificially triggered avalanches were not reported, keep in mind it is easy for skiers and riders to push heavy, wet snow down a slope. Overall the snowpack is quite stable due to the many melt-freeze cycles morphing snow grains into strong rounds and the continuous snowfall since December,
YOUTUBE
The Real Prey
within 1 to 5 minutes after the device is triggered. Animals killed by sodium cyanide appear to show no overt signs of distress or pain.” Repeat that last line again, italics placed here for emphasis: “Animals killed by sodium cyanide appear to show no overt signs of distress or pain.” Should that give us solace? Only days ago, as 14-year-old Canyon Mansfield was playing with his beloved Labrador friend, Casey, in the hills above Pocatello, Idaho, both teenage boy and dog stumbled unsuspectingly upon an M-44-like device that later was described as detonation of a “cyanide bomb.” The encounter killed the family pet that came in contact with cyanide and left Canyon’s clothing covered with chemical residue, prompting the local sheriff to declare him “lucky to be alive.” Of course, the boys ‘parents are rightfully outraged. Other recent tragic incidents involving M-44s and pets in Wyoming, plus a wolf killed by an M-44 this February in Oregon, and a longer list of additional events that the government calls unfortunate accidents, are refueling public anger over M-44s, prompting Congressman Peter DeFazio-D, Oregon, to renew his push for a total ban. While Wildlife Services and its cooperating local and state collaborators tout the lethal efficacy of poisoning to
A still from the documentary Exposed: USDA’s Secret War on Wildlife.
death intended prime targets—especially coyotes given that we are now again in the middle of another domestic sheep lambing season in the West—the dangers of M-44s are undeniable, critics say. Namely, M-44s are menacingly super toxic and non-discriminating; in many cases needlessly used, especially on public land; and hazardous to the health of humans and pets. Most of all, noted Brooks Fahy, a
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so few layer differences have formed. Over the past week the snowpack has been settling an inch or more daily and at lower elevations an isothermal snowpack is melting. As spring squalls roll through the area they will change the snow’s surfaces. Moments of heavy snowfall may end with cold wind blowing the new snow away or the sun melting it into old surfaces. As the spring weather becomes more variable the snowpack will adjust forming a variety of surfaces, especially at different elevations. When the snow becomes saturated wet avalanches and cornice breaks are hard to predict and can be quite dangerous. Avoid the heat of the day, watch for clear nights with below freezing temperatures, and enjoy the spring skiing. – Lisa Van Sciver
founder of the organization, Predator Defense, and a national leader in pushing to have M-44s outlawed, their deployment “reflects an archaic mindset carried forward by a federal agency out of touch with 21st century values,” he said. A few years ago, Predator Defense produced a documentary Exposed: USDA’s Secret War on Wildlife (viewable free on YouTube), that won a number of awards and even drew praise
from legendary conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall. “What we desperately need is serious, objective, and transparent oversight of Wildlife Services by Congress but we haven’t had it because of Republican resistance to scrutiny of the agency’s tactics, especially from lawmakers in the rural West,” Fahy asserted. “They don’t want to know the truth; they don’t want their constituents to know the truth. They’re invested in promoting baseless propaganda which reinforces negative generalizations about predators that are just not factual.” As numerous studies note, predator control may indeed be a culturally engrained tradition in rural corners of the West, but its rationale does not always align with the conclusions of science. In some places, costly intervention by Wildlife Services has actually made predator conflicts worse and they’ve resulted in the killing of non-target species. In addition, as research makes clear, predators— including wolves, cougars, bears and coyotes—are actually important in helping to slow the spread of diseases
in wildlife, such as Chronic Wasting Disease, because predators target sick animals. Although Wildlife Services insists that M-44s are safe and subject to 26 different “use restrictions” mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (note: some Western federal lawmakers are now working to gut EPA’s role as a regulatory agency), Fahy says the agency and, in particular, state partners and private contractors have checkered records as noted in his film mentioned above. On the official USDA website, it states that “Wildlife Services personnel place M-44s along game and livestock trails, ridges, fence lines, seldom-used ranch roads, coyote and fox natural travel ways, rendezvous sites, and territorial marking sites/locations. Trained personnel inspect each M-44 at least weekly. Used mostly in the winter and spring, M-44s may be used year-round in some locations. When not in use,
they are stored in secured, locked locations.”(Read more: aphis.usda.gov/publications/wildlife_damage/content/ printable_version/fs_m44_device.pdf) Fahy notes the irony that M-44s are “stored in secured, locked locations,” yet as the Mansfield incident points out, they were sloppily deployed in a location that nearly cost a teenager his life. There are instances, Fahy acknowledged, where depredation of livestock, particularly on private land, can be a problem that must be resolved through lethal removal. But he and others argue that many conflicts on public land can be better resolved through more conscientious sheep and cattle management, vigilant deployment of non-lethal deterrents such as guard dogs, range riders and fladry, especially during calving and lambing seasons, and acknowledgment that the publicly-subsidized grazing of private livestock on public lands is a privilege.
“They’re invested in promoting baseless propaganda.”
Predator Defense is among several organizations pushing to reform how Wildlife Services does business. Together, they have also sought tighter restrictions on trapping to reduce the number of pets caught in legholds and conibears near towns and reducing the killing of non-target species such as imperiled wolverines and lynx. “With M-44s, it’s kind of like allowing a person with a loaded Glock to put a gun down on a picnic table in a public park along with a sign that reads, ‘Dangerous, do not touch.’ What would we be thinking if government agencies allowed that to happen?” Fahy said. “M-44s are more dangerous than a gun. You breathe some of this stuff in, and you’re dead.” PJH Todd Wilkinson has been writing his award-winning New West column for nearly 30 years. It appears weekly in Planet Jackson Hole. He is author of the recent award-winning book, Grizzlies of Pilgrim Creek, An Intimate Portrait of 399, the Most Famous Grizzly of Greater Yellowstone only available at mangelsen.com/grizzly.
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THE BUZZ Hotels not Housing? Large Town Square hotel project gets nod of approval from planning commission, drawing ire from residents. BY MEG DALY @MegDaly1
L
ess than a year after housing advocates marched through Jackson holding signs that read, “Housing not Hotels,” the Jackson Planning Commission approved a sketch plan Wednesday for a large hotel just off the Town Square. Crystal Creek Capital real estate development and Carney Logan Burke architects submitted their sketch plan application including a conditional use permit for the redevelopment of the Wells Fargo bank property located at 112 Center Street and 165 E. Deloney Street. Crystal Creek’s plan is to remove all existing buildings on the Wells Fargo site and replace them with a 99-room hotel, that will include a 4,544-squarefoot restaurant and bar, retail spaces, and employee housing. Town planning staff recommended approval of the sketch plan, and the planning commission granted the project unanimous approval at its regular meeting March 15. According to Crystal Creek’s president Jim Walter, the Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan calls for the building site to be “the center of the visitor experience; the center of economic activity; the starting point for the refined lodging overlay; a vibrant mixed-use area; and an active, engaging experience for pedestrians.” He said his project meets all these objectives. However, because of Jackson’s housing crisis and rising traffic problems, some people in the community expressed concern when reports of the 75,000 square foot hotel surfaced last week. Shelter JH representative Mary Erickson said that the housing advocacy group opposes the hotel. “Another big hotel will exacerbate the two primary issues our community is facing, housing and infrastructure,” she said. “This is not the time to be building more hotels when our community already cannot house its workforce or manage the quantity of vehicles on our roads.” Longtime local Joan Anzelmo said she was “stunned” when she heard that a new hotel was planned for the Town Square. “At a time when elected officials are asking the local community to step up to the plate and vote to approve a SPET measure to fund workforce housing, they are still enacting policies that enable commercial development,” she said. Erickson, however, cautioned against blaming town officials for current regulations. The hotel sketch
An artist rendering of the Crytal Creek Capital development, a 99-room hotel that would live on Town Square.
plan meets all current land development regulations and Comprehensive Plan requirements for the area’s zoning, according to town principal planner Paul Anthony, a fact that Erickson did not dispute. “Town council has no real ability to stop the project,” Erickson said. “This is important for people to understand because the town council will undoubtedly be vilified for ‘allowing’ this project to move forward. It is out of their hands.” Crystal Creek went before the town’s design committee twice before approval by the planning commission. “At each step of the way we are reading what the comp plan, planning staff, planning commission and design review committee have defined for this location, and we are responding to it,” Walter said. Planning commissioner Missy Falcey said she thinks the hotel will add vitality to the Town Square. She praised the project for sticking to the Comp Plan. “As a commissioner, it is refreshing to see a sketch plan that meets current regulations, is consistent with the Comp Plan, and exceeds workforce housing requirements,” she said. Workforce housing is a contentious issue in the valley, as businesses struggle to attract and retain staff. Increasingly, workers commute long distances—or live in sub-par housing—in order to work in Jackson. Tyler Valentine, an associate planner with the town’s planning and building department said commercial developers are not required to plan housing for every single employee they intend to hire, but they do have to provide some housing. “Whenever you have commercial development, it requires employee housing based on square footage,” Valentine said. “You have to mitigate something.” Crystal Creek’s employee housing mitigation includes 6,136 square feet of deed-restricted housing, which is 1,604 more square feet than they are required to build. However, the exact number of employees to be housed has yet to be determined. Falcey said that public outcry over the hotel is misguided. “Should the community question this project
relative to our pressing needs in the area of affordable housing and employment, I suggest they turn their attention to the completion of the LDRs in other town districts,” she said. “Those are the areas that we are looking to for housing solutions, rather than from the economically unattainable Town Square zone” Meanwhile the hotel sketch plan is due to come before the town council on April 17. Town councilors have yet to see the plan, and are awaiting a staff report. Vice Mayor Jim Stanford said that he plans to give it careful consideration based on community concerns. “The last time Jim Walter of Crystal Creek Capital came to the council for his condo project at the base of Snow King, I asked him how he could proceed with such a project given the community’s dire need for housing,” Stanford said. “I imagine I will ask him similar questions this time.” Walter told PJH that Crystal Creek understands the need to house its workers. “Since we will be the owners and operators of this mixed-use project, we share in the need to find housing for our employees,” he said. Because councilors have not reviewed the project’s sketch plan, Stanford preferred not to comment on Crystal Creek’s housing mitigation plan. However, he did say that the housing provision in the town’s current regulations is “weak” and is due for revision within the next year. Erickson urged the public to stay informed about when the commercial housing mitigation standards come up for review. “These standards are woefully inadequate,” she said. “If the public is angry about this kind of project, they need to speak up when the town revises these rules and demand a much higher housing mitigation standard than what is currently in place.” PJH
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8 | MARCH 22, 2017
THE BUZZ 2 The Party’s Over Massive drug bust highlights rising trend of drug use in Teton County. BY SHANNON SOLLITT @ShannonSollitt
TETON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
T
eton County Sheriff’s Department arrested two Jackson residents last week after seizing approximately $80,000 worth of narcotics in their apartment. Twenty-three-year-old Sheldon Bo Berglund, originally from Salt Lake City, and his wife 28-year-old Doina Seicuc-Berglund, who moved to the valley from Moldova, face numerous felony charges for possession of multiple controlled substances, intent to distribute, and conspiracy to commit crime. Officers responded to a tip from a citizen and obtained a warrant to search the couple’s apartment. They needed a second warrant to account for all they found: more than 215 syringes filled with cannabis oil, 46 grams of THC wax, 196 grams of LDS-infused gummy candy, 4.6 grams of liquid LSD, 223 doses of MDMA, 398 grams of MDMA, and 388 grams of MDMA ecstasy tablets. “This is the largest seizure of ecstasy we’ve ever had, at least in my 12 years [at the sheriff’s department],” Stanyon said. Stanyon is used to seizing marijuana, and occasionally methamphetamines and heroin. But while he says the amount of so-called “party drugs” in last week’s seizure is surprising, the drugs’ presence in the valley is not. Jackson is a “party town,” he said, and such an environment lends easily to drug use Curran-Seeley Foundation executive director Trudy Funk isn’t shocked either. “Sitting where I sit, working with the clients I work with, it’s not surprising,” she said. The obvious danger is overuse and abuse. Stanyon said that the potency of the drugs he finds is increasing, and thereby the danger. Some of the tablets he found last week contained three times the concentration of MDMA he’s used to seeing. Jackson’s party culture is not unique. Resort towns culturally normalize substance abuse, Funk said. But drug use in the valley is on the rise, and the demographics of who uses those drugs are expanding. Last week’s seizure is indicative of a concerning trend. Where there was once a more obvious divide in who had access to certain substances, Funk said that line is blurring. “I see people coming in for treatment from all over, using the same types of drugs,” she said. According to a report by the Prevention Management Organization of Wyoming, 6 percent of arrests in Teton County are drug related. Last year, approximately 17 percent of drug-related arrests were for “controlled substances” stronger than marijuana. Among adolescents, the Prevention Management Organization of Wyoming found that 52 percent of 10th graders and 43 percent of 12th graders in Teton County reported use of drugs by their peers. Both of
Sheldon Bo and Doina Berglund
those rates are the highest in the state. The Curran-Seeley Foundation provides drug and alcohol counseling, treatment and prevention to people at any stage in recovery. Each client requires their own unique evaluation, and each substance a different treatment. But the culture of drug and alcohol use make addressing abuse of any substance, to any degree, difficult. Often, treatment and prevention only happen at the hands of law enforcement. Such was the case for 33-year-old Danielle Jackson. Until just three years ago, substance abuse was all she knew. “I was raised in a drug culture,” she said. “I was raised to believe that all there was was using, even thought it was making me completely miserable.” Jackson, a valley native, smoked her first cigarette when she was seven years old, and “had a regular habit” by the time she was 10. She smoked marijuana by the time she was 12, and “quickly moved into methamphetamines.” She only began the road to recovery when she was arrested on Teton Pass in December of 2013. Instead of a prison sentence, Jackson was placed into Teton County’s Drug Court recovery program. She completed an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program (IOTP) through Curran-Seeley, and thanks to the tight direction of the drug court team, has been able to get on her feet and stay sober. “Being held accountable, that’s what made it easy for me,” she said. That’s not to say recovery is a straight and narrow road. In order to succeed, Jackson attends four to five Narcotics Anonymous meetings a week, and has cut out everyone in her life who isn’t sober. She can’t go out in town, or even work in most restaurants because so many serve alcohol. “It’s hard to do that kind of work and stay sober,” she said. For her, staying as involved in recovery groups as possible is “probably the only way” to stay on track. But until her arrest, Jackson said she didn’t understand that recovery was an option. “I had no idea that recovery is possible,” she said. Since her arrest, she has lost her father and her sister to drug overdoses. She has seen firsthand how
destructive substance abuse can be. A big part of her recovery, and now her life’s work, is to share her story so that it becomes less common. She was a smart kid, she said, but she never realized her full potential. She doesn’t want to see younger generations sell themselves short as she did. “They have so much potential, and drugs are gonna hold them back,” she said. “The only [outcome] is jail, institutions or death … I just want them ... not to settle for less.” Jackson shares her story as an advocate for high school students and as a peer specialist for CurranSeeley. “It’s absolutely amazing to be the person that people can lean on,” she said. “I didn’t really have a support group other than people that used. Being able to be the person, just being there is probably the most important job that I have.” Jackson’s story is a hopeful testament to treatment programs, even legally mandated ones. As far as prevention goes, however, stories like hers are perhaps the most effective, and only, tool. Prevention specialist Matt Stech says that the less legal something is, “the harder it is for us to do intervention.” “You can institute policies with alcohol,” Stech explained. Stricter sales regulations and mandatory responsible beverage server training are among the policies Stech has proposed to mitigate alcohol abuse. But drugs are already illegal, so he can’t legally impose prevention policies. The most he can do, he said, is educate. But that’s where different agencies become useful. “If we only go at it from one angle, we’re not gonna solve the problem,” Stanyon said. Instead, prevention agencies, law enforcement, and medical professionals must maintain constant communication with each other to ensure people are partying safely, and legally. For her part, Jackson will return to school in the fall to become a certified drug and alcohol counselor. In the next 10 years, she plans to build a sober living home outside of home to “get people off the streets and into recovery.” “I’m trying to build my life and do something,” Jackson said. “There is a better way to live.” PJH
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THE BUZZ 3 Livin’ on a Prayer Some electeds say proposed amendment tied to new apartment project would help developers but could hurt people who need housing most. BY SHANNON SOLLITT @ShannonSollitt
T
own chambers filled to the brim Monday night with people in support of restaurateur Joe Rice’s proposed 90-unit apartment complex on 550 W. Broadway. But for town council to approve the project as is it would first have to relax development requirements pertaining to affordable housing, both for Rice’s complex and all future projects like it. The project, many argue, is an immediate and substantial remedy to the community’s lack of workforce housing. But Rice’s project, specifically, was not the item in question, said Councilman Jim Stanford and Mayor Pete Muldoon. Instead, councilors were asked to vote on a text amendment to Land Development Regulations (LDRs) that would exempt all new apartment complexes like Rice’s from Affordable Housing Standards. As it is now, LDRs mandate that at least 25 percent of units in a new housing development be “affordable,” or priced below market value. Under the proposed amendment, all new rental apartment units would be exempt from such standards. In other words, all of the units could be rented at market value. “[Rice’s project] is precisely the kind of project we should be looking at and exploring,” Muldoon said in a closing statement. “But we’re not here to approve this project. I absolutely trust his promises, but that’s not why we’re here.” Christine Walker, director of Navigate JH and a housing consultant to Rice, agreed that the issue at hand was bigger than one individual project, but she says that is precisely why the council should consider the text
amendment. “We were looking at the path through the entitlement process, and wanted to identify barriers in the process and to educate the town as to what those barriers were to build apartment buildings,” she said. By presenting those barriers in a city-wide text amendment rather than asking for a single-product exemption, Walker hopes to incentivize more private-sector developers to build rental apartment complexes and make a dent in the housing process. Multi-family rental units, or apartment complexes, Walker says, are inherently affordable. The sheer density of the buildings makes them more appealing to working-class renters. “There are a lot of other options for second-home owners, and not a lot of demand to want to rent in a very dense building,” she said. Increasing the supply of rental units available also lowers market rent across the board, she noted. But Muldoon says that exempting apartment complexes in one sweeping, town-wide text amendment is too risky. He says the council was being “asked to trade guaranteed housing for a hope and a prayer.” The council’s goal, he said, is not just to build units, but to “build units for those who need them most.” Even if he trusts Rice and his project, Muldoon says there is not enough empirical evidence to suggest that apartments are inherently workforce-friendly. Deed restrictions, he said, exist to protect the valley’s most vulnerable populations from losing their homes to unregulated greed. Without them, there is nothing stopping private developers from renting the units to just about anyone, like a part-time resident who owns property in other places instead of a member of the local workforce. “They could just make a decision to rent it to rich people,” Muldoon said,” and there’s no recourse. We’ll just watch it happen.” Town and County planner Alex Norton said that the affordable housing restriction could be exchanged for an employment restriction, which would mandate that at least 35 percent of the building’s occupants work 30 hours or more a week in town. But that exemption, Muldoon says, would not be income-based, so residents with high incomes and good credit could push out a low-income worker and essentially defeat the building’s purpose of housing Jackson’s workforce. “There are no restrictions on any of that,” Muldoon said. “The only thing
An artist rendering of the 90-unit proposed apartment complex for 550 W. Broadway.
that’s been proven to work here [to protect tenants] are deed restrictions.” Walker argued that deed restrictions scare developers away from committing to projects that would ultimately provide rental units for more of the workforce. There’s a difference, she said, in multi-family ownership products, like condominiums, and multi-family rental products, like apartment complexes. There’s more money to be made in the former, she said, but that’s not what the community needs. “There’s a strong market here for for-sale products,” Walker said. Deregulating rental apartment units, she said, provides “real incentive for developers to build rental projects instead of developer projects.” The notion that existing regulations prohibit developers from building units is simply not true, according to Standord. He pointed to Greg Prugh’s 12-unit apartment complex that now houses hospital employees. That complex was built with a 20 percent deed restriction, he said. “The only reason we have the housing we do today,” Stanford said, “is because people have foresight.” Deed restrictions, he says, are that foresight. Still, Rice and Walker assert that the text amendment must be part of the solution to the housing crises. Recent affordable housing efforts like Redmond/Hall are “desperately needed,” Walker said, “but they are few and they are expensive.” With this project, “you have two private citizens willing to offer, at zero cost to the community, 90 rental units that provide new, safe, and reasonable apartments for local workers.” “Vote to make a change to regulations,” Walker said, “and get much-needed help from the private
sector to get much-needed housing to employees.” “How many people in this town have come to you and presented a 90-unit building that is 100 percent privately funded?” Rice asked the town council. “Probably zero. Because financing’s tough. The return on investment is small, and most people won’t do it. In this situation, it’s not about the money.” But Rice’s project is still just one project in a much larger conversation. “We’re not idiots,” Muldoon said of the council. “If somebody was really trying to give us 90 units of affordable housing and all we had to do was say yes, there’s no chance we would say no. But asking to eliminate deed restrictions on all future projects? It’s a real stretch to me,” Muldoon said. Only four town councilors were present at the meeting—Don Frank was out of town. Councilor Hailey MortonLevinson was the only councilor present in full support of the amendment. “Apartments are part of the solution, I want to see them built,” she said. “I agree with the text amendment. I understand that it applies town-wide, and I encourage us to pass it.” Councilman Bob Lenz said he was interested in the project and wants to see it proposed on a PUD (Planned Unit Development) proposal, but “the text amendment is more than I can handle as far as universality.” In the end, Walker requested a continuance for further discussion until the full council could vote. The council voted unanimously to continue the discussion at its next meeting on April 3 provided all council members are in attendance. PJH SEND COMMENTS TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM
NEWS
By CHUCK SHEPHERD
OF THE
WEIRD Entrepreneurial Spirit
Perhaps there are parents who, according to the Cinepolis movie chain, long to watch movies in theaters while their children (age 3 and up) frolic in front in a jungle-gym playground inside the same auditorium. If so, the company’s two “junior” movie houses opening this very week in San Diego and Los Angeles might bring a new dimension to family entertainment. Another view, though, is that the noise—often “screaming”—plus the overhead lighting required for parents to monitor their tykes’ equipment-usage, plus the planned $3-per-ticket surcharge, will soon create, according to The Guardian critic, a moviegoing “apocalypse.”
Can’t Possibly Be True
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in January granted IBM’s 2010 application for a patent on “out-of-office” email message software—even though such messages have, of course, been ubiquitous for two decades—after the company finally convinced examiners that its patent had enough software tweaks on it to qualify. Critics, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation, laughed at the uselessness of the tweaks.
n Lawyers for former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. have convinced federal officials that his bipolar disorder was “caused” by the stress of being a congressman and thus that he is entitled to “total disability” worker compensation for an “on-thejob” injury—and thus to about $100,000 a year, tax-free, according to a February Chicago Tribune report. (Jackson, 51, also receives Social Security disability payments.) Lawyers said his disorder (often attributed to genetic factors) surfaced during an investigation into Jackson’s looting of his campaign treasury for luxury goods and vacations (charges eventually settled with a guilty plea). Jackson dated his onset to June 2012, meaning that his last 72 House votes came while “totally” disabled.
Bright Ideas
A councilman in Overtornea, Sweden, introduced a bill (a “motion”) that workers be given paid “sex breaks” during the business day in order to improve well-being and, thus, job performance. The primary beneficiaries would be married, fertile couples, but all workers would receive the benefit. And employers, said Councillor Per-Erik Muskos, would have to “trust” their employees because some surely would “cheat” (by not having sex!).
Not Clever Enough
n Also in January, the office granted Daniel Dopps a patent for “adhesive vaginal lipstick,” which his Mensez Technologies claims can cause the labia minora to tighten so strongly as to retain menstrual fluid until the woman can deal with buildup in privacy.
Daniel Crowninshield, 54, pleaded guilty in federal court in Sacramento in 2016 to illegally manufacturing assault weapons that had no serial numbers—despite efforts to circumvent the law by claiming that his customers actually “made” their own weapons using his equipment. Crowninshield (known as “Dr-Death” online), an expert machinist, would take a “blank” metal casting and, using special equipment and computer programs, create the firing mechanism for a numberless AR-15—provided the customer presses a button to start the process. “Pressing the button,” Crowninshield figured, made the customer the creator, not a buyer or transferee of the gun, and thus exempt from federal law. In February, Judge Troy Nunley, unimpressed, sentenced Crowninshield to three years and five months in prison. (Department of Justice press release, Feb. 16, 2017)
News of the Pretentious
Wrong Place, Wrong Time
Why live with a cat if one cannot take it out for some wine together? The Apollo Peak in Denver and the Pet Winery in Fort Myers, Fla., serve a variety of the real grape to humans and nonalcoholic proprietary drinks for the kitties to enjoy tableside (or underneath). “Pinot Meow” ($12) in Denver and “Meow and Chandon” ($15) in Fort Myers, are specialties—basically watered catnip, according to a February New York Times report (so the felines can also get buzzed). The wine outing is the human’s preference, of course, with a loftier cachet than the “happy hour” most cats might prefer (say, a “sardine bar”).
Wait, What?
Anglers fighting to preserve choice spots on the fishing pier on Sebastian Inlet, north of Vero Beach, Fla., have taken to tossing lead weights and other items at “competitors,” especially those who approach the pier to fish directly from their boats. Such territory marking by the “piersters” includes, according to a February report in Florida Today, perhaps a version of classic mammal behavior, like strategic urination and hurling their feces at the waterborne invaders.
Government in Action
Miami defense lawyer Stephen Gutierrez caused quite a spectacle on March 8 when, representing a man accused of arson, he rose to address jurors, and his pants appeared to catch fire. He insisted afterward that a malfunctioning e-cigarette caused smoke to billow from his pocket, but observers had a field day with metaphors and “stunt” theories. n Despite an exaggerated, widely read headline in London’s Daily Mail, the recent death of a 50-year-old man in Japan was indeed pornography-related. The man was a hoarder of porn magazines, living alone with an unimaginably large collection, and when he suffered a fatal heart attack sometime early this year, he collapsed atop the piles, where his body was found in February. The Daily Mail headline had him “crushed” to death under a six-ton stack, but the Mail conceded below the headline that he might have just fallen.
A News of the Weird Classic (June 2013)
Chengdu, China, barber Liu Deyuan, 53, still provides traditional “eye-shaving,” in which he holds the lid open and runs a razor across its inner surface. Then, using a thin metal rod with a round tip, he gently massages the inside of each lid. Liu told Chengdu Business Daily in April (2013) that he had never had an accident (though the reporter balked at volunteering for him), and a highly satisfied customer reported afterward that his eyes felt “moist” (surely the easiest part of the story to accept) and his vision “clearer.” Thanks this week to Jim Weber, Elaine Weiss, Bob Stewart, Neb Rodgers, Robin Daley, Mark Hazelrigg, Gerald Thomason, Paul Kaplan, Alex Boese, Chuck Hamilton and the News of the Weird Board of Editorial Advisors.
MARCH 22, 2017 | 11
A $130 billion unfunded pension crisis, 19 months without a budget, the lowest credit rating and highest property taxes in the country, and the murder rate in Chicago. However, at least the state house of representatives is not standing by idly. In February, it moved to designate October 2017 as Zombie Preparedness Month (basically, adding “zombie invasion” to the list of mobilizations for any natural disaster and urging residents to stockpile food and supplies for up to 72 hours).
Readers’ Choice
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n “I tried the $5,000 hamburger, and it was absolutely worth it,” wrote the apparently straight-faced CNBC reviewer Robert Frank in February, describing his meal at the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay restaurant Fleur. (The burger included wagyu beef, foie gras and truffles, and was served with a similarly inexplicably priced wine.) Other recent consumer challenges: an $18 cup of coffee at Brooklyn’s Extraction Lab; a $100 bottle of Norwegian iceberg water (svalbardi.com); a $2,000 pizza at New York City’s Industry Kitchen (caviar, truffles, gold flakes); and a $25,000 taco at the Grand Velas Los Cabos resort in Mexico (caviar, brie, Kobe beef, langoustine lobster, rare tequila—and once again with the gold flakes).
“Life’s full of peaks and valleys, man,” Californian Georgiy Karpekin told a reporter, but Jan. 18 seemed all valley. Karpekin has both a pickup truck and a car, and as he was leaving Sacramento City College that day during violent storms, a falling tree crushed the truck. When he got home, he learned that the same storm had taken down another tree—on top of his car. (Karpekin, insured and uninjured, called himself “the luckiest guy.”)
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12 | MARCH 22, 2017
BEER, WINE & SPIRITS
Mr. Natural Will Bucklin makes gnarly wines from ancient vines. BY TED SCHEFFLER @critic1
I
’m pretty sure winemaker Will Bucklin would shudder at being called a hippie. I’m of the opinion that the proprietor of Sonoma’s Bucklin winery (founded with siblings Arden, Kate and Ted) is probably uncomfortable with any label, except perhaps winemaker and/or farmer. He’s a downto-earth (literally) guy who spends most of his time tending to soil. Bucklin is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever met—someone with a great sense of humor who is fascinating to engage with on topics far beyond just winemaking, including 1970s music. He tends to call me the “Zappa Guy,” since one of our earliest conversations revolved around the music he listens to while on his tractor
working the vineyards. Although he has a lot of beliefs and principles concerning winemaking, Bucklin ultimately believes in nature. There are only three things he will add to his wines, and only if necessary, the goal being “to add nothing.” Those three things are water (in cases of dehydration due to a hot harvest), tartaric acid (which is already found in grapes naturally) for stabilization if required, and minimal sulfites. The yeast in his wine is natural; yeast culture builds up in the vineyard and the winery, and these are native indigenous yeasts. “If we can deliver perfect grapes to the winery, they are all prepped to become wine and all the winemaker has to do is punch down [the wine cap], press and bottle,” Bucklin said. He is also an adherent of dry-farming. With hearty, gnarly wines—established in 1885 and thought to be Sonoma’s oldest vineyard—the Bucklin vineyards aren’t irrigated. Bucklin believes watering vines dilutes their fruit intensity. At the winery, farming techniques are probably similar to those used in the 1800s: No herbicides, pesticides,
IMBIBE or chemical fertilizers are used, and even pest maintenance is “natural.” “We don’t scare away or kill animals,” Bucklin said. “We try to redirect them,” with the use of fencing and other techniques to try to manage gophers, bobcats, deer and such. Although I tend to think of him as “Mr. Natural,” he’s also a science advocate. He doesn’t believe in biodynamics (where’s the scientific evidence for biodynamic winemaking claims?), and is not averse to busting out a microscope. Having said that, Bucklin wines aren’t “laboratory” wines. He would be
the first to tell you that great wine is made in the vineyard. And, Bucklin thinks of himself as merely a custodian of the Old Hill Ranch vineyard. It was there long before he and his family came along, and will be there (hopefully) long after they’re gone. In the interim, his job—not to put too fine a point on it—is to not fuck it up. Bucklin wines are field blends. The 24-acre Old Hill vineyard is about three-quarters Zinfandel, the rest being Grenache, Alicante Bouchet and a dozen or so other varieties. I’ve written previously about Bucklin wines such as his Rosé, Ancient Field Blend Zinfandel, Bambino Zinfandel, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and others. They are all spectacular, affordable and as natural as wine comes. PJH
THE LOCALS
FAVORITE PIZZA 2012-2016 •••••••••
$7
$5 Shot & Tall Boy
LUNCH
SPECIAL Slice, salad & soda
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••
TV Sports Packages and 7 Screens
Under the Pink Garter Theatre (307) 734-PINK • www.pinkygs.com
Local is a modern American steakhouse and bar located on Jackson’s historic town square. Serving locally raised beef and, regional game, fresh seafood and seasonally inspired food, Local offers the perfect setting for lunch, drinks or dinner.
Lunch 11:30am Monday-Saturday Dinner 5:30pm Nightly
HAPPY HOUR Daily 4-6:00pm
307.201.1717 | LOCALJH.COM ON THE TOWN SQUARE
CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE TODAY TO LEARN MORE
SALES@PLANETJH.COM OR CALL 307.732.0299
ASIAN & CHINESE TETON THAI
LOCAL & DOMESTIC STEAKS SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK @ 5:30 TILL 10 JHCOWBOYSTEAKHOUSE.COM 307-733-4790
Serving the world’s most exciting cuisine. Teton Thai offers a splendid array of flavors: sweet, hot, sour, salt and bitter. All balanced and blended perfectly, satisfying the most discriminating palate. Open daily. 7432 Granite Loop Road in Teton Village, (307) 733-0022 and in Driggs, (208) 787-8424, tetonthai.com.
THAI ME UP
Home of Melvin Brewing Co. Freshly remodeled offering modern Thai cuisine in a relaxed setting. New tap system with 20 craft beers. New $8 wine list and extensive bottled beer menu. Open daily for dinner at 5pm. Downtown at 75 East Pearl Street. View our tap list at thaijh.com/brews. 307-733-0005.
GOT SOME GRIPE-WORTHY ISSUES, OR EVEN… SOMEONE TO PRAISE? MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD WITH A LETTER TO THE EDITOR. EMAIL EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM WITH “LETTER TO THE EDITOR” IN THE SUBJECT LINE.
CONTINENTAL ALPENHOF
Serving authentic Swiss cuisine, the Alpenhof features European style breakfast entrées and alpine lunch fare. Dine in the Bistro for a casual meal or join us in the Alpenrose dining room for a relaxed dinner experience. Breakfast 7:30am-10am. Coffee & pastry 10am-11:30am. Lunch 11:30am-3pm. Aprés 3pm-5:30pm. Dinner 6pm-9pm. For reservations at the Bistro or Alpenrose, call 307-733-3242.
THE BLUE LION
A Jackson Hole favorite for 38 years. Join us in the charming atmosphere of a historic home. Ask a local about our rack of lamb. Serving fresh fish, elk, poultry, steaks, and vegetarian entrées. Live acoustic guitar music most nights. Early Bird Special: 20% off entire bill between 5:30-6:0pm, Open nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations recommended, walkins welcome. 160 N. Millward, (307) 733-3912, bluelionrestaurant.com.
CAFE GENEVIEVE
ELEANOR’S
Enjoy all the perks of fine dining, minus the dress code at Eleanor’s, serving rich, saucy dishes in a warm and friendly setting. Its bar alone is an attraction, thanks to reasonably priced drinks and a loyal crowd. Come get a belly-full of our two-time gold medal wings. Open at 11 a.m. daily. 832 W. Broadway, (307) 733-7901.
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Serving inspired home cooked classics in a historic log cabin. Enjoy brunch daily at 8 a.m., Dinner Tues-Sat 5 p.m. and Happy Hour TuesSat 3-5:30 p.m. featuring $5 glasses of wine, $5 specialty drinks, $3 bottled beer. 135 E. Broadway, (307) 732-1910, genevievejh.com.
FULL STEAM SUBS
MARCH 22, 2017 | 13
The deli that’ll rock your belly. Jackson’s newest sub shop serves steamed subs, reubens, gyros, delicious all beef hot dogs, soups and salads. We offer Chicago style hot dogs done just the way they do in the windy city. Open daily11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Located just a short block north of the Town Square at 180 N. Center Street, (307) 733-3448.
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14 | MARCH 22, 2017
LOCAL
Local, a modern American steakhouse and bar, is located on Jackson’s historic town square. Our menu features both classic and specialty cuts of locally-ranched meats and wild game alongside fresh seafood, shellfish, house-ground burgers, and seasonally-inspired food. We offer an extensive wine list and an abundance of locallysourced products. Offering a casual and vibrant bar atmosphere with 12 beers on tap as well as a relaxed dining room, Local is the perfect spot to grab a burger for lunch or to have drinks and dinner with friends. Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am. Dinner Nightly 5:30pm. 55 North Cache, (307) 201-1717, localjh.com.
LOTUS CAFE
Serving organic, freshly-made world cuisine while catering to all eating styles. Endless organic and natural meat, vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. Offering super smoothies, fresh extracted juices, espresso and tea. Full bar and house-infused botanical spirits. Open daily 8am for breakfast lunch and dinner. 140 N. Cache, (307) 734-0882, tetonlotuscafe.com.
Two- fer Tuesday is back !
Two-for-one 12” pies all day. Dine-in or Carry-out. (LIMIT 6 PIES PER CARRYOUT ORDER, PLEASE.)
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
20%OFF ENTIRE BILL
Good between 5:30-6pm • Open nightly at 5:30pm Please mention ad for discount.
733-3912
11am - 9:30pm daily 20 W. Broadway 307.201.1472
PizzeriaCaldera.com
160 N. Millward
Make your reservation online at bluelionrestaurant.com
®
FAMILY FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT PIZZAS, PASTAS & MORE Large Specialty Pizza ADD: Wings (8 pc)
Medium Pizza (1 topping) Stuffed Cheesy Bread
$ 13 99
for an extra $5.99/each
(307) 733-0330 520 S. Hwy. 89 • Jackson, WY
HOUSEMADE BREAD & DESSERTS FRESH, LOCALLY SOURCED OFFERINGS TAKE OUT AVAILABLE Dining room and bar open nightly at 5:00pm (307) 733-2460 • 2560 Moose Wilson Road • Wilson, WY
A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965
ELY U Q I N U PEAN EURO Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally FRESH FOOD at reasonable prices, is a always a FUN PLACE to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel RIGHT AT HOME and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit. Reservations at (307) 733-4913 3295 Village Drive • Teton Village, WY
www.mangymoose.com
F O H E‘
TH
R DINNEAGE I H LUNCTETON VILL I T S IN FA BREAKE ALPENHOF AT TH
AT THE
MANGY MOOSE
Mangy Moose Restaurant, with locally sourced, seasonally fresh food at reasonable prices, is a always a fun place to go with family or friends for a unique dining experience. The personable staff will make you feel right at home and the funky western decor will keep you entertained throughout your entire visit. Teton Village, (307) 733-4913, mangymoose.com.
MOE’S BBQ
Opened in Jackson Hole by Tom Fay and David Fogg, Moe’s Original Bar B Que features a Southern Soul Food Revival. Moe’s Original Bar B Que offers award-winning Alabama-style pulled pork, ribs, wings, turkey and chicken smoked over hardwood served with two unique sauces in addition to Catfish and a Shrimp MoeBoy sandwich. Additionally, a daily rotation of traditional Southern sides and tasty desserts are served fresh daily from recipes passed down for generations. With a kitchen that stays open late, the restaurant features a menu that fits any budget. While the setting is family-friendly, there is a full premium bar offering a lively bar scene complete with HDTVs for sports fans, music, shuffle board and other games upstairs. Large party takeout orders and full service catering with delivery for any size group for parties, business lunches, reunions, weddings and other special events is also be available.
MILLION DOLLAR COWBOY STEAKHOUSE
Jackson’s first Speakeasy Steakhouse. The Million Dollar Cowboy Steakhouse is a hidden gem located below the world famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. Our menu offers guests the best in American steakhouse cuisine. Top quality chops and steaks sourced from local farms, imported Japanese Wagyu beef, and house-cured meats and sausages. Accentuated with a variety of thoughtful side dishes, innovative appetizers, creative vegetarian items, and decadent desserts, a meal at this landmark location is sure to be a memorable one. Reservations are highly recommended.
SNAKE RIVER BREWERY & RESTAURANT
307.733.3242
America’s most award-winning microbrewery is serving lunch and dinner. Take in the
atmosphere while enjoying wood-fired pizzas, pastas, burgers, sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts. $9 lunch menu. Happy hour 4 to 6 p.m., including tasty hot wings. The freshest beer in the valley, right from the source! Free WiFi. Open 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. 265 S. Millward. (307) 739-2337, snakeriverbrewing.com.
TRIO
Owned and operated by Chefs with a passion for good food, Trio is located right off the Town square in downtown Jackson. Featuring a variety of cuisines in a relaxed atmosphere, Trio is famous for its wood-oven pizzas, specialty cocktails and waffle fries with bleu cheese fondue. Dinner nightly at 5:30 p.m. Reservations. (307) 734-8038 or bistrotrio.com.
ITALIAN CALICO
A Jackson Hole favorite since 1965, the Calico continues to be one of the most popular restaurants in the Valley. The Calico offers the right combination of really good food, (much of which is grown in our own gardens in the summer), friendly staff; a reasonably priced menu and a large selection of wine. Our bar scene is eclectic with a welcoming vibe. Open nightly at 5 p.m. 2560 Moose Wilson Rd., (307) 733-2460.
MEXICAN EL ABUELITO
Serving authentic Mexican cuisine and appetizers in a unique Mexican atmosphere. Home of the original Jumbo Margarita. Featuring a full bar with a large selection of authentic Mexican beers. Lunch served weekdays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nightly dinner specials. Open seven days, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. 385 W. Broadway, (307) 733-1207.
PIZZA DOMINO’S PIZZA
Hot and delicious delivered to your door. Handtossed, deep dish, crunchy thin, Brooklyn style and artisan pizzas; bread bowl pastas, and oven baked sandwiches; chicken wings, cheesy breads and desserts. Delivery. 520 S. Hwy. 89 in Kmart Plaza, (307) 733-0330.
PINKY G’S
The locals favorite! Voted Best Pizza in Jackson Hole 2012-2016. Seek out this hidden gem under the Pink Garter Theatre for NY pizza by the slice, salads, strombolis, calzones and many appetizers to choose from. Try the $7 ‘Triple S’ lunch special. Happy hours 10 p.m. - 12 a.m. Sun.- Thu. Text PINK to 71441 for discounts. Delivery and take-out. Open daily 11a.m. to 2 a.m. 50 W. Broadway, (307) 734-PINK.
PIZZERIA CALDERA
Jackson Hole’s only dedicated stone-hearth oven pizzeria, serving Napolitana-style pies using the
freshest ingredients in traditional and creative combinations. Five local micro-brews on tap, a great selection of red and white wines by the glass and bottle, and one of the best views of the Town Square from our upstairs deck. Daily lunch special includes slice, salad or soup, any two for $8. Happy hour: half off drinks by the glass from 4 - 6 daily. Dine in or carry out. Or order online at PizzeriaCaldera.com, or download our app for iOS or Android. Open from 11am - 9:30pm daily at 20 West Broadway. 307-201-1472.
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017
Best of Jackson Hole 2017: Let’s Get Weird
“W
Chambers and Kelly Kaiser, who almost every year take home the readers’ choice award for Best Teacher because of the indelible marks they imprint on their students. That Chambers showed up to the photo shoot with a box of props and that all three quickly slipped into character is a window into their teaching styles. Even the people who assume what have historically been considered the most torturous roles (dentists) are a different breed in Jackson Hole. Upon entering Larsen Dentistry, consistently voted Best Dentist by PJH readers, this editor with her camera in hand was greeted by a dental staff in full rock ‘n’ roll regalia including Dr. Larsen himself, who gleefully assumed myriad head banging poses. (Rock ‘n’ roll photo shoots aside, as a patient, I will readily admit this is the only dentist’s office I’ve ever enjoyed visiting.) It is true that many of us have lost count of the people who’ve dug up their Jackson Hole roots in search of reasonable rents, home ownership, or a place where raising a family isn’t synonymous with financial struggles. But if we can hold onto folks like the ones recognized in this issue, we’ve got a real shot at making Jackson Hole a place that regular people can continue to call home. Here’s to the Best of Jackson Hole. – Robyn Vincent
MARCH 22, 2017 | 15
meetings, acted out a scene from the O.K. Corral as a pair of Minnesotan tourists spectated from the sidelines tells you a thing or two about the kind of people we’ve placed at the helm. “Where you folks from?” Whalen asked the tourists with a smile. That as soon as the shoot was over the two men, still donned in their Western getups, began discussing what they can do to allay deportation fears in the valley tells you a little bit more. Moments like these are not lost on us at PJH, when we are reminded that our community is comprised of genuine people who look out for one another. People like Mary Erickson, a staff pick for Best Advocate who has worked tirelessly to be a voice for the voiceless during her time with One22 (formerly the Community Resource Center), and now with the housing advocacy group Shelter JH, and Jackson Hole United, an outfit she dreamt up to engage locals in social and political issues. An ordained priest, Erickson subscribes to the notion that being religious means embracing, not shunning, diversity. (Also worth noting: she appeared at not one, but two separate awkward family photo shoots, even donning her priest garb for the second.) Then there are folks like Krista Stevens, Reed
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e create the culture we desire, we can’t wait for it to come from the outside.” Words from Jeff Stein, staff pick for Best Reason to Stay Out Late, couldn’t ring more true today in Jackson Hole. A longtime DJ and party promoter, Stein is the architect of music and art events created with locals in mind. Like Stein, many of this year’s Best of Jackson Hole winners define and defend valley culture. In a transient tourist town with a deepening housing crisis—where people are constantly packing up and moving on—we have reason to celebrate the folks who’ve invested in the people of Jackson Hole, who’ve planted roots here, raised families, started businesses, or who simply never left. They make this place more than just a resort town. They make it home. They’re also the people who don’t mind getting a little weird—they don’t shy away from an “awkward family photo shoot” (this year’s theme), where they’re instructed to dress in odd clothing, or pose in peculiar ways for thousands of readers, while this editor laughs on maniacally. People like Mayor Pete Muldoon, who readers voted Best Elected Official, and Sheriff Jim Whalen, voted Best in Uniform. That these two, in between their blocks of
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017
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16 | MARCH 22, 2017
Contents PEOPLE & LIVING GOODS & SERVICES
FOOD & DRINK
SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
GOLD
BRONZE
ft to these teachers. Le yed in school forand Krista Stevens. sta ve ha ld ou w rs We r, Reed Chambe right: Kelly Kaise
PEOPLE & LIVING Readers’ Choice
BEST TEACHER 2017
For the last four years, these three teachers have been more or less winning in the Best Teacher category, so we thought it time to sit down with each of them. – Jessica Sell Chambers
Krista Stevens
[Full disclosure: Reed and the author happen to be married, but the author made a good case as to the intimate perspective she could offer as the winner’s spouse. – Eds.] Reed thinks the formality of our interview is weird but he indulges me. His eyes perk up as he talks about teaching, triggering admiration in me. He’s had this effect on people of all ages for as long as I’ve known him (read: late 90s Pittsburgh). “Since I graduated high school, I guess every job has been in education,” he said. As a teenager, he worked at an after school program, and his warm demeanor landed him a job as a preschool teaching assistant at 17. After hiking the Appalachian Trail the following spring, he went off to college for forestry, taking an education job in the Adirondacks when he finished. Skiing brought him to Jackson, where he worked as a wildlife guide while getting his master’s in teaching, finally settling in at Colter Elementary where he now teaches fifth grade. Chambers is a force in the classroom. He models what he teaches: courage, a willingness to try new things, grit, vulnerability, and perseverance. Students give him notes thanking him for what he does, which “make it all worth it,” he said. Clearly moved, he said the hardest part for him is the last day of school: “It’s tough watching them go.” But, judging from the countless students and parents who eagerly stop him (and me) around town, his effect goes with them.
Kelly Kaiser
Kelly Kaiser “learned to love teaching” in the Galapagos on Isabela Island off the coast of Ecuador, where in addition to instructing English from kindergarten to 12th grade, Kaiser, “ate lobster almost every day, played soccer on the beach, and met countless, amazing Ecuadorians.” Life is a little different in Jackson where Kaiser has been teaching language arts for the last four years at Jackson Hole Middle School. Creative, unique teaching practices are what set Kaiser apart from the rest. She uses a zoo-jungle tiger analogy, from Trevor Ragan, to impart the idea that there is safety in sticking with what you know (safety of the zoo), but she says that’s not necessarily how learning occurs. “One challenge I face is encouraging kids to live in the jungle, willing to make mistakes, take risks, and put themselves on the line while understanding that while scary, this is how we grow and learn best,” she said. In her classes, students learn about the power of argument, research, critical thinking, listening, speaking, writing, poetry, stories, etc., by keeping a focus on this powerful quote all year: “There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” They define silence as fear, apathy, indifference, or ignorance and explore the tools to combat silence. “I hope my students walk away motivated to use their voices and listen respectfully to others’ voices,” Kaiser said.
MARCH 22, 2017 | 17
After a week of grueling parent-teacher conferences when the teachers sometimes put in 12 hours a day, Stevens sat on a stool perched above her fourth grade students Friday morning as they huddled around to review factors, multiples, and additive angles for the upcoming PAWS test. I couldn’t answer any of the questions as the kids quickly rattled off the answers. With a degree in nutrition, Stevens moved to Jackson from Austin, Texas, and started subbing mostly at the high school where she coached girls basketball. (Stevens herself is a talented athlete.) She loved being in the classroom and around students so much she decided to get her master’s in education and got her start teaching at Wilson Elementary and then one year later landed at Colter Elementary, where she’s been for the last nine years. When she has a hard day, or asks herself why she’s a teacher, she refers to a framed letter on the wall from a student who challenged her every day. The girl thanked her for her kindness, her ability to make her laugh and feel safe, her trust and her support, among other things. “Knowing you’re a part of that [student growth], and just the relationships you build with them is great,” Stevens said.
Reed Chambers
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KRISTA STEVENS REED CHAMBERS KELLY KAISER
MEG AN PETERSON
SILVER
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
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18 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
MEG AN PETERSON
Best Bloggers Je and Annie Fenn ssica Gill (silver) (bronze).
Readers’ Choice
BEST BLOG
WANDERLUST OUT WEST Denim is a staple of any true Westerner’s wardrobe—and lots of it. Fifth generation local Jessica Gill is out to prove that “Western” and “fashion” can be used in the same sentence. Her blog Wanderlust Out West is only a year old, but has gained massive traction among photographers, fashionistas and outdoor enthusiasts alike. To Gill, those don’t have to exist as separate identities. “Jackson is such a bro town,” she said, “it makes girls try to hide or tame their girliness. There’s nothing wrong with being a badass skier, climber, fisherwoman, whatever, and liking clothes and makeup. I want to encourage people to embrace that.” Gill describes her style as “mountain fashion,” which is Western (read: denim-centric) but with a “flare of girliness.” Her blog is a series of well put-together outfits and fashion tips, combined with reports from adventures both locally and around the world. Gill says with her blog she is excited to explore and share the parts of Jackson that are still unfamiliar to her, even after growing up here. – Shannon Sollitt
Best Nonprofit
Best Teacher
Best Dentist
Best Banker
Gold: Habitat for Humanity Silver: Animal Adoption Center Bronze: PAWS
Gold: Krista Stevens Silver: Reed Chambers Bronze: Kelly Kaiser
Gold: Scott Larsen Silver: Catherine Tebay Bronze: Aaron Gailbrath
Gold: Frank Lyons Silver: Pete Lawton Bronze: Lance Windey
Best Charity Event
Best Lawyer
Best Nurse
Best Athlete
Gold: Old Bill’s Fun Run Silver: Teton County Library Gala Bronze: Dancing with the Stars
Gold: Dick Stout Silver: David DeFazio Bronze: Doug Schultz
Gold: Mary Ness Silver: Brian McGeogh Bronze: Tessa Enright
Gold: Travis Rice Silver: Crystal Wright Bronze: Jimmy Chin
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 19
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
Staff pick
BEST HOMEGROWN COMEDY
I CAN SKI FOREVER
The hilarious folks of ICSF3.
B E S T HAIR SALON
20 | MARCH 22, 2017
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
B E S T HAIR STYLIST
820 West Broadway, Suite A jenny@jhparlour.com ´ 307-201-6959 book online at jhparlour.com
Perhaps I Can Ski Forever’s biggest success is how hard it is to distinguish between audience members and fictional characters. Not only is the audience occasionally the butt of the joke, they’re also in on it. When a character jokes about how many flannel shirts he owns, audience members are forced to look down at their own flannel shirt they’ve probably worn on rotation for weeks. And that’s exactly the point, writer and director Andrew Munz says. He wants the audience to feel a little uncomfortable, but also recognize their own story being acted out on stage. “The characters aren’t based on anyone in particular,” Munz said. Instead, Munz identified generalizations about the town he grew up in and the people that inhabit it, and gave them names. Suddenly, he said, he had characters that felt “really real.” Munz draws his inspiration from daily interactions and observations of Jackson life. The third iteration of the hit production is the biggest yet: a fulllength musical, complete with 13 original compositions and professional choreography. The plot is based on a conversation that Munz heard out his window and recorded, word for word. It grapples with love, loss, financial woes, and maintaining a persona full of stoke and optimism, even when everything seems to be going wrong. Munz funded I Can Ski Forever 3 through a Kickstarter campaign that saw almost overnight success, which suggests that his core audience can’t get enough of the show’s raw yet rioutous accounts of Jackson life. Is the show about you, too? See for yourself at the Pink Garter this weekend. – Shannon Sollitt
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST LIBRARIAN
You know the tired trope of the librarian shushing kids from behind her desk? Maria Hayashida is not that librarian. She is endearingly known as the “potty mouth librarian” among some of her colleagues. “People are usually shushing me,” she said. Hayashida was an outside person for the first 18 years of her life in Jackson. All of her jobs, from firefighting to dog sitting/walking, required her to be outside. Finally in 2008, Hayashida said it was “time to settle down.” When she had to make the shift from outside to inside, her love of books and community made working at the library an easy choice. “I work with a lot of people who love to share their love of reading, but also love to share themselves,” Hayashida said. For her, the library is more than just a place of learning. It is a sanctuary. Hayashida said if she could keep the library open 24 hours a day, she’d do it. “I think we really imagine the library as being a community place, a safe place,” she said. “And I love that we’re always there for the community.” While she is eager to share her love of reading with every person who walks into the library, Hayashida is also proud to now share it with her six-year-old daughter. “Fostering her love of reading and her use of the library has just been such a great experience,” she said. “It’s been so fun to watch along the way.” – Shannon Sollitt
a Eden bookworms: Dian Monarchs of the Hayashida (bronze). (gold) and Maria
MEG AN PETERSON
MARIA HAYASHIDA
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 21
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
22 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST YOGA INSTRUCTOR
er
Neesha Zolling iel Mann (gold), Ar s gi yo p, to e er). From th Sue Mueller (silv (bronze) and Niki
MEG AN PETERSON
NIKI SUE MUELLER Shortly after Niki Sue Mueller moved to Jackson Hole 24 years ago, she discovered the practice of yoga. Though she recalls doing yoga postures as a small child, a close friend introduced her to the diverse and challenging sport. Though yoga might strike some as the elite domain of the most enlightened and flexible folks, Mueller, who takes home this award every year, insists it’s great for pretty much everyone. “Even though yoga is not only a physical practice and workout, it’s attractive to the Jackson athleticism. The yoga practice compliments any sport, activity and even addresses ailments caused by job demands; sitting at a desk, carpentry, throwing clay. It is important for people to do yoga as a way to counter the demands life puts on our bodies.” Mueller has a creative approach to sharing her expertise, too. No need to get your downward dog on in a crowded studio; if you prefer, she’ll bring a private, customized yoga class to you. When she’s not wrangling her two busy kids, Ruby Sue and Remy, or helping manage the aviation company, Fly Jackson Hole, that she co-owns with her husband Peter Lindell, she enjoys the full complement of local sports from skiing to wake surfing. In quieter moments, she’s passionate about cultivating orchids. Mueller, whose intense hot fusion class at Inversion has become the stuff of legend, is all about finding a perfect balance. – Melissa Thomasma
Thanks for your vote! Readers’ Choice
BEST DRESSED
CHRISTIAN BURCH To get a feel for the inimitable style of author and Mountain Dandy proprietor Christian Burch, picture a handsome red-head with close-cropped hair and a definitive five-o-clock shadow. He sports thick-rimmed eyeglasses in that geek-chic fashion that only some people pull off well (he does). He’s probably wearing a dress shirt and necktie with a hint of flair, and perhaps a suave black high collar cardigan, dressy but not. Loose-fitting jeans rolled ever so expertly at the cuff compliment his relaxed elegance, which is finished with dress shoes, no socks. Christian is one of those people who emanates style; he dons a blue gingham shirt and looks like he just stepped out of French Vogue. In the summertime, he’s at home in a rakish, narrow brimmed Panama hat, a polo shirt, and muted red shorts. But for all his sartorial expertise, he says he doesn’t think about how he puts his style together much. Maybe that’s because he’s been practicing since he was nine, when he received a clothes valet for his birthday and began laying all his clothes out on it for the next day at school. Now, he says, “I just love people, homes, retail businesses that are put together.” – Meg Daly
Best Athlete (Under 17) Gold: Anna Gibson Silver: Daniel Tisi Bronze: Neo Emery
Gold: Katie Colbert Brady Silver: Mack Mendenhall Bronze: Mary Beth Hansen
Best Elected Official
THANKS FOR FOLLOWING ME A LO N G OV E R AT THE EGG OUT WEST!
24 HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE .................
Best Elected Official Who Doesn’t Hold Office
ANIMAL CARE CLINIC
Gold: Mark Barron Silver: Sara Flitner Bronze: Captain Bob Morris
415 E. Pearl Jackson, WY • 733-5590
Best Boss
Gold: Joe Rice Silver: Gavin Fine Bronze: Bud Chatham
Longest running veterinary clinic in Jackson Hole!
Best Librarian Gold: Diana Eden Silver: Lori Clark Erickson Bronze: Maria Hayashida
Best Dressed Gold: Blake Morley Silver: Christian Burch Bronze: Ana Maretic
TheEggOutWest.com @MeagTheEgg
MARCH 22, 2017 | 23
Gold: Pete Muldoon Silver: Jim Stanford Bronze: Greg Epstein
It’s an award for the whole “pack”.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Best Real Estate Agent
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
SILVER
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
24 | MARCH 22, 2017
MEGAN PETERSON
Best hands of the West: Massage therapists Ollie Tripp (bronze), Rena Trail (gold) and Dan Hady (silver).
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST
DAN HADY
Dan Hady knows how to do up a massage. Walking into his studio in the plaza off of Scott Lane in Jackson, you are transported to a different world for an experience that caters to your needs, in mind, body, and spirit. You will walk out feeling like a renewed being, just like this author did. Body work comes naturally to Hady. “I started doing it more and more and eventually people said, ‘You should charge for this. You should do this,’” Hady remembered. “After a couple of years of doing it on the side, I decided to go to school, study up and make a real go of it.” This is Hady’s second year winning the Best of Jackson Hole, but he said it’s still a surprise to him. Hady moved to Jackson to “play outside,” following his four years at Colorado State University. Warm and personable, Hady chalks up his thriving massage business to the friends he has made since arriving to the valley 10 years ago. Anyone who’s into the local music scene knows Hady; he’s a huge music fan and he loves to dance. He just loves life, really. Maybe that’s why he has such healing hands. Hady’s parting words of wisdom: “Get massage more often … take that time for self-care.” – Jessica Sell Chambers
Hannah Pointdexter
Readers’ Choice
BEST ATHLETE (UNDER 17)
ANNA GIBSON
Runner Anna Gibson assures she has no “goofy race preparation habits like some people do.” Instead the fiercely fast Gibson uses her mental strength to achieve her goals. “When I am racing, I am always thinking about all of the workouts I’ve completed over the course of the season,” she said. “When I prove to myself that I have done everything I can to readily prepare, I realize how ready I am to race hard. It gives me confidence to think about the interval workouts I crushed.” Gibson, a senior at Jackson Hole High School who will run for Brown University next year, competes in three sports, two of which she races on the junior national scene, cross-country, nordic, and track. In cross-country, she won states and went on to place fourth at the Nike Cross Nationals; she also won states in nordic and competed at Junior Nationals. She gleans inspiration and motivation from her coach, Matt Chorney. “[He] keeps running fun, knows how to push me just the right amount, and always thinks I am capable of more than I think I am.” – Jessica Sell Chambers
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
GOLD
To book with Hannah call 307 699 9909
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 25
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
26 | MARCH 22, 2017
Staff pick
BEST SHOW OF SOLIDARITY
JACKSON HOLE WOMEN’S MARCH
The day after the presidential inauguration, an event of unprecedented size took place in Jackson Hole. When the organizers of the Jackson Hole Women’s March decided to hold an event coinciding with marches across the country, they expected just a small turnout. As Sue Wolff put it, “We thought it would be the five of us—the three of us, and Elisa’s [Stephens] and Shannon’s [Burns] babies.” Defying their expectations, the march garnered more than 1,000 people. The newfangled organizers planned the march because no one else did. “I kept waiting for someone else to do something ... when no one did, I realized it was my time to step up,” Wolff explained. Since the election, she has felt that everything she cares about has been threatened—the environment, reproductive rights, immigrant rights, health care access. Organizing the march was a way to channel her fear. Beforehand, Wolff felt intensely vulnerable. “I’m throwing my political views and my thoughts out to the community and I was afraid of judgment.” But seeing so many people stand beside her renewed her faith in the power and potential of this community. “We can come together. We have the energy to support one another for the next few years … I was crying the entire time. I started in the back of the crowd, and moved forward. I walked through the crowd, and listened to mothers talking to daughters, husbands and wives ... every single person marched for different reasons, but there was so much solidarity.” – Sarah Ross
Best Interior Designer (Individual)
Best Alternative Medicine Practitioner
Gold: Kristin Fay Silver: Jen Visosky Bronze: Kate Binger
Gold: Mark Menolascino Silver: Kevin Meehan Bronze: Taug Boschen
Best Knee Doctor
Best Physical Therapist
Gold: David Khoury Silver: Angus Goetz Bronze: Andrew Bullington
Best Physician Gold: Bruce Hayse Silver: Mark Menolascino Bronze: Christine Turner
Best Yoga/Fitness Instructor Gold: Ariel Mann Silver: Niki Sue Mueller Bronze: Neesha Zollinger
Gold: Hayden Hilke Silver: Francine Bartlett Bronze: Norene Christensen
Best Massage Therapist Gold: Rena Trail Silver: Dan Hady Bronze: Oliver Tripp
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
SILVER
THANK YOU for awarding PAWS of Jackson Hole BRONZE for Best Non-Profit!
Readers’ Choice
BEST MOUNTAIN GUIDE
BRENDAN BURNS
•
If you use these services, please consider making a donation to PAWS today!
MARCH 22, 2017 | 27
P.O. BOX 13033 • JACKSON, WY 83002 (307) 734-2441 • PAWSOFJH.ORG
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Brendan Burns has been guiding in Jackson for about 14 years, but the turning point in his career happened just two years ago when he became one of the first snowboarders to pass the American Mountain Guide Association certification test… on a splitboard. At the time, snowboarding in the backcountry was still battling for validity among some backcountry athletes. Back in the day, he said, people gave him a “bunch of slack” about splitboarding. Now, he sees splitboarding as essential to the industry. “It opened up the door for more boarders to guide, and for people to see that snowboards and splitboards are valuable tools for guiding,” Burns said. Today, Jackson is on the map as one of the premier splitboarding destinations in the world. To be at the forefront of that growth, he said, was the highlight of his career so far. But that’s not to say he doesn’t love his job on a daily basis. As a guide for both Exum and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Burns loves having the chance to share the outdoors with clients in a more “technical” way. “It’s empowering people to do something they think they can’t do,” he said. He loves the look on clients’ faces when they look back up at the line they just skied or the route they just climbed. And he gets to experience all of his favorite places through new eyes each time he guides. “I never get sick of it,” he said. Guiding is not without sacrifice. Burns estimated he sat in front of the guide office at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort for about eight years before they finally asked him what he thought. “I had to put my time in,” he said. “It wasn’t an easy path, but it makes me appreciate it every day.” Burns’s newest challenge is learning how to balance work and spending time with his five-month-old baby boy. – Shannon Sollitt
• • • • •
YOUR SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL TO OUR SUCCESS! With your help each year, we: Provide 150,000 free mutt mitts to our community Pay for more than 1,000 local spay/neuter procedures Support our local animal shelters with critical funding Help people in need pay for unexpected vet bills Provide a safe haven for pets of victims of domestic violence Work with TC Emergency Management to execute our disaster evacuation plan for pets And much, much more!
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
28 | MARCH 22, 2017
WHAT’S IN YOUR GLASS? ARE YOU SURE? Look for coasters around town to check your drinks for hidden drugs. DARK BLUE (MAY BE POSITIVE FOR DRUGS)
INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Place a drop of your beverage onto both spots of the test
(TEST NEGATIVE)
2. Smear each gently, wait until dry 3. If either spot turns a darker blue color - may be a positive result for drugs
TETON COUNTY VICTIM SERVICES 307.732.8482 24 HOUR: 307.733.233
TETON COUNTY VICTIM SERVICES IS FUNDED IN PART BY THE WYOMING ATTORNEY GENERAL, DIVISON OF VICTIM SERVICES
BRONZE
NO CHANGE
Readers’ Choice
BEST PHYSICIAN
DR. CHRISTINE TURNER Dr. Christine Turner doesn’t regret trading in the metropolitan buzz of Washington D.C. for some cowboy boots. Her family left the East Coast and returned to her husband’s roots—one of Jackson’s oldest dude ranches, the Triangle X. “The ranch is a special place that we all love and appreciate,” Turner said. Turner loves that she has the best of both worlds here. She gets to spend time with her kids at the historic guest ranch, and explore the wilderness around the valley during camping and hiking trips. But that doesn’t mean she’s stuck practicing small town medicine. “As an internist here in Jackson, I have the opportunity to practice the full spectrum of internal medicine and manage complex patient issues in both outpatient and inpatient settings, which is why I chose to go into medicine in the first place.” She’s certainly not one to back down from a diagnostic challenge, and perhaps that’s part of why her patients love her so much. “I feel deeply honored to have the opportunity to care for my patients, particularly when they are faced with a terminal illness or frightening condition,” Turner said. Small town relationships meet top-shelf medical insight in Turner’s practice, and all of her patients benefit. – Melissa Thomasma
Best Architect (Individual) Gold: Jamie Farmer Silver: Nona Yehia Bronze: Peg Gilday
Best Blogger Gold: Meagan Murtagh Silver: Jessica Gill Bronze: Annie Fenn
Best Hair Stylist
Best Reason to Drive to Driggs/Victor
Gold: Jenny Bragg Silver: Rob Hollis Bronze: Hannah Poindexter
Gold: Victor Emporium Shakes Silver: Music on Main Bronze: Grand Targhee Resort
Best River Guide
Best In Uniform (Fire/EMS, Law, etc.)
Gold: Lily Shipley Silver: Adam Woolly Bronze: Ian Lynch
Best Mountain Guide Gold: Zahan Billimoria Silver: Brendan Burns Bronze: Dave Miller
Gold: Jim Whalen Silver: Mike Moyer Bronze: Ben Thurston
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO SHARE YOUR PASSION ABOUT ALL THINGS JACKSON HOLE. Evenitatis int. Elit, officia vitiundes esti ducideb itaqui omnis ea eum audae conseque suntota corum comnihil id entotat quassincimus et doloritius ni a nat quis exceptur, tem. Itatur, exeria vendellendam int acculli quidit qui berchil ma vendel imus, quia iderum quaspit platemporia qui nonsectum.
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FOR ADVERTISING AND MARKETING INFO , CONTACT JEN OR CAROLINE AT 307-732-0299.
NEWS TIPS?
We Love You!
290 N Millward St inversionyoga.com
MARCH 22, 2017 | 29
Thank You Friends
Come celebrate our 7 year anniversary on Friday, March 24th! Discounts on class packs & retail, dj flow, hula hooping, food, drinks, good company... party! Hope to see you there.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
for voting Inversion Yoga Gold: Best Yoga Spot & Bronze: Best Specialty Fitness Studio. Ariel Mann Gold: Best Yoga/ Fitness Instructor. Niki Sue Mueller Silver: Best Yoga/ Fitness Instructor.
EMAIL EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: PEOPLE & LIVING
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
30 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST NONPROFIT
The cat people of
Animal Adoption
Center.
Best Eco-Friendly Business & Best Vegetarian Offerings
THANK YOU JACKSON!
165 East Broadway ´ 307.200.9006 ´ healthybeingjuice.com
MEG AN PETERSON
ANIMAL ADOPTION CENTER
On the outside, the Animal Adoption Center appears just a boutique shelter, where cats lounge in “Kitty City” and dogs enjoy belly rubs in “Dog Town.” But AAC is making real strides when it comes to animal rescue in Wyoming. Its adoption counselors facilitate the adoptions of more than 250 animals a year that are rescued from all over Wyoming and Idaho. When someone comes in looking for a new addition to the family, AAC’s adoption counselors consider everything about that person’s lifestyle in order to make the ideal match between pet and owner. The AAC team holds spay and neuter clinics throughout the state, from Riverton and Fort Washakie to Star Valley. And to encourage pet owners to be a part of the solution, AAC works with local veterinarians to offer voucher programs that subsidize spaying and neutering costs. But like many valley advocates, the AAC team refuses to take the credit. “We would be lost without our volunteers and people that foster our animals,” said adoption counselor Jess Farr. “They are the heartbeat of the organization.” From 10-year-old dog walkers to the ladies that care for the kitties when the center is closed to the people who open their homes to pets in transition, “they are animal rescue,” Farr said. “I am floored by how many people fit us into their everyday lives.” – Robyn Vincent
Thank You, Jackson Hole! -Nicole K. Gaitan
NKGArt.com
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
vid Bowie.
L crew starring Da
The elusive KHO
& SERVICES
89.1 KHOL
Since station manager (and longtime volunteer DJ), Zach Zimmereman, took over KHOL a year and a half ago with assistant manager Michael Moeri the station has blossomed. “When Michael and I took the helm there were around 20 volunteer DJs. Right now we have over 60 volunteers creating the sounds that you hear on the airwaves 24/7.” Zimmereman explained how KHOL provides an outlet for unique local perspectives while building community. “With the exception of “Democracy Now” every weekday at 3 p.m., everything you hear on KHOL is created in-house, by your friends, neighbors, and co-workers. If you don’t personally know someone who is involved here, chances are one of your friends does.” While media consolidation is at an all time high and large conglomerates are swallowing up smaller radio stations, independent media outlets are increasingly crucial to providing balanced views and giving citizens a voice. “There are fewer, more powerful hands controlling the messages we see and hear on most media channels these days,” Zimmereman said. “With a truly community outlet like KHOL, we receive zero state or federal funding, and are beholden to no outside interests. You can pick up the phone and talk to a live person. You can become a DJ. You can stop by the station anytime. We really are your community radio station.” – Jessica Sell Chambers
MARCH 22, 2017 | 31
GOLD
BEST RADIO STATION
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
GOODS
Readers’ Choice
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
32 | MARCH 22, 2017
Best Hotel
GOLD
Gold: Four Seasons Resort Silver: Hotel Terra Bronze: The Wort
Best Full Service Spa Readers’ Choice
BEST SPA
SPA TERRE TETON MOUNTAIN LODGE Think resort spas are just for tourists? Think again. Spa Terre in Teton Mountain Lodge takes pride in their local guests. That’s why locals get 20 percent off spa treatments year-round, and facility access to guests who want to join their friends, partners, parents and visitors while they get pampered. “We cater towards what we can offer the locals,” said spa director Sara Dolentz. Dolentz also boasts that Spa Terre has “some of the best hands in the industry.” Its staff specializes in athletic bodies. “Our therapists are always thinking they’re not going to see repeat guests,” Dolentz said. But they always do. “They really do make a difference with people who are kind of crazy athletes.” Sound familiar? Dolentz and her staff are welcoming and accommodating. The facility is nestled in the back of Teton Mountain Lodge, and includes numerous pools and hot tubs, a Tranquility Lounge, and fitness center. Holiday season may be over, but Dolentz advises there’s never a bad time to treat yourself. – Shannon Sollitt
Gold: Spa Terre Silver: Four Seasons Bronze: Chill Spa
Best Hair Salon Gold: Frost Salon Silver: Champu Bronze: Jackson Parlour
Best Shop for Dropping Obscene Amounts of Cash Gold: Teton Mountaineering Silver: Altitude Bronze: Belle Cose
Best Rafting Company Gold: Dave Hansen Whitewater Silver: Mad River Rafting Bronze: Barker-Ewing Whitewater
Best Snowmobiling Company Gold: Scenic Safaris Silver: Togwotee Snowmobile Adventures Bronze: Leisure Sports
Best Fishing Outfitter Gold: WorldCast Anglers Silver: Snake River Angler Bronze: High Country Outfitters
Best Gear Shop Gold: Teton Mountaineering Silver: Skinny Skis Bronze: Hoback Sports
Kristin N. Fay, ASID, IIDA
MARCH 22, 2017 | 33
(307) 733 - 0902 • traunerfaydesigns.com
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Featuring Moe’s Original BBQ
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
Best Interior Designer
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
34 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST BIKE SHOP
The bike busines
s is no laughing
matter.
ROBYN VINCENT
HOFF’S BIKESMITH
Gold: Best Coffee Shop Bronze: Best Locally Roasted Beans
125 N Cache St, Jackson, WY 83001 | 307-733-7392
Hoff’s Bikesmith founder and owner Tim Hoff has worked in bike shops since he was 12 years old. “I’ve been a mechanic forever,” he said. His love of cycling started as a young sprout riding BMX, a passion he continues today. Now his repertoire includes mountain biking, road cycling, fat bikes, and practically anything with two wheels. Hoff started his own shop five years ago after a solid stint working for other shops in town, including Fitzgerald’s and Hoback (all while putting together used bikes in his garage). He started selling used bikes on his own and realized there was a void in the Jackson market that needed filling. Now Hoff’s is the go-to year-round place to buy used bikes, as well as higher end bikes from Rocky Mountain Bicycles, Devinci Cycles, and KTM Bicycles. But don’t expect a too cool for school attitude at this bike shop. Hoff and crew pride themselves on their laid-back attitude. They want their shop to feel inviting to everyone, regardless of cycling ability. “It doesn’t matter if you bring your Wal-Mart bike in or your high-end bike, we are going to fix it,” Hoff said. “We love getting people out riding bikes and seeing smiles on their faces.” – Meg Daly
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST PLACE TO BUY DRUGS
STONE DRUG
A few years ago, Stone Drug’s future was unclear at best. Locals shook their heads and heaved wistful sighs as Walgreens popped up right across the road. But not only did Jackson’s most old school pharmacy and general store survive the mega-chain’s short tenure, its authentic charm helped it come out ahead. As the mountainside sloughed down and wiped the competitor off the map, Stone Drug responded with stickers and T-shirts celebrating its victory and endurance: “Stone Drug Wins by a Landslide!” Clever pun, of course, but it is also a win for so many Jacksonites who love the small-town ambiance of the store, and prefer it to the corporatized pharmacies inside mega grocers. While you’re there, be sure to peruse Stone Drug’s offerings of custom fishing rods, bait and tackle, hunting gear and firearms, and kitchen classics like cast iron and canning materials. Need a birthday card or a model car? Look no further. Any visit to Stone Drug is a glimpse into a simpler time in Wyoming, and a great reminder that mom and pop businesses help keep the culture and character of this community alive. – Melissa Thomasma
Staff pick
BEST CULTURAL NEIGHBORHOOD
SCOTT LANE
LARSEN FAMILY DENTISTRY THANKS YOU for voting us the #1 dental team in Jackson!
Best dental team in Jackson for the past 9 years!
MARCH 22, 2017 | 35
Call to schedule your BEST dental visit ever! (307) 733-4778 www.larsenfamilydentistry.com • www.lfdds.com
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
The nexus of Jackson’s hippest, coolest intersection starts where Scott Lane and Alpine Lane converge. There, the stylists at Frost Salon—voted Best Salon by PJH readers—make people of all ages and genders look so good they outshine the chicest of city dwellers. The newly coiffed need only dip around the corner to grab a gourmet sandwich plus meat for dinner at Sweet Cheeks Meats (winner of Best Burrito). Then a perusal of Linen Alley in case your dishtowels or sheets are, ahem, unsightly, plus a foray at Penny Lane Cooperative to gather the newest in local art, or a cute dress. One need only venture across Scott Lane to continue the cultural delights: Atelier Ortega chocolates (Best Way to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth); Asymbol print shop and gallery with works by adventure sports artists and Matterhouse mid-century furniture and design. OK, you’ve walked less than a block. Radiating out, nearby businesses include Lucky’s Market, Twenty-Two Tattoo and Hole Bowl in the Powderhorn Plaza, plus a dozen other businesses, services, and restaurants nearby to answer nearly every need—from a Mexican beauty shop to a bookstore to a chiropractor. Basically you’d be lucky to just live right there—hello Grove!—and walk to home, health, and gustatory staples. Huh, culturally cool, locally dedicated businesses in a sustainable neighborhood? Jackson needs more of this. – Meg Daly
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
36 | MARCH 22, 2017
Staff pick
BEST MAVEN OF CULTURAL EVENTS
LEAH SHLACHTER OF TETON COUNTY LIBRARY
As Teton County Library’s adult program coordinator, Leah Shlachter dreams up a bustling mix of public events, from author visits to candidate forums, nature talks to storytelling soirees. In fact, she invented the Cabin Fever Story Slam, an ebullient community event that packs The Rose monthly. “My job is to be responsive to the community amid the changing cultural climate—locally, nationally and globally—and to help make sense of this constant flux,” she said. One of Shlachter’s most important contributions is her commitment to presenting writers of color. She has helped bring a host of heavy-hitting scribes including Claudia Rankine, Gregory Pardlo, Dinaw Mengestu, Bhanu Kapil, and Nam Le, among others. She believes that bringing these writers to Jackson will broaden the literary taste of the community, and expose local readers to voices they otherwise would not come across. “Writers of color give us the narratives that have been previously left out in American literature and history, giving us a more accurate depiction of what it means to be an American,” she said. “In other words, not only does cultural climate affect the art and literature produced, but vice versa: art and literature transform culture.” American literature, like the U.S. population, is becoming increasingly nonwhite, and Shlachter is there to keep Jackson current. – Meg Daly
Staff pick
BEST ORGANIZER
ROBYN VINCENT
SKYE SCHELL, SHELTER JH From the top: Greg
r and Skye Schell Epstein, Leah Shlachte
Readers’ Choice
BEST ELECTED OFFICIAL
BRONZE
GREG EPSTEIN
Born and raised in Jackson, Greg Epstein has deep roots in the valley. As a newly minted Teton County commissioner, Epstein brings a passion for this place that resides in his marrow. His first two months on the Board of County Commissioners was punctuated by a joint retreat with the town in January, out of which came several important initiatives. Epstein said he’s thrilled that health and human services were added to the top priorities of the town and county, along with housing and transportation. “I’m excited that we are really thinking about our community and how government can make a strong community,” he said. In recent weeks his focus has been on understanding how the board and its staff work together to reach the goals they are trying to achieve. As a newbie to politics, Epstein—who garnered the most votes of any commissioner in the November election—maintains that he is not a politician. Instead, he sees himself as an everyman who is doing his part to give back to the place he loves. He hopes that others are inspired by his example to participate in local politics. “Government is for the people,” he said. “It’s made up of your friends. I think people become intimidated when we talk about government, but when you really boil it back down, it’s about our local communities.” – Meg Daly
Ten years ago, Skye Schell was working with people struggling with homelessness in Brooklyn. Now, he’s one of the organizers of Shelter JH, a group tackling Jackson’s historic housing crisis and giving a voice to working class people. “Our goal is to be a membership organization of hundreds of Jackson workers. We want to create enough political power so that Jackson Hole builds truly affordable housing,” Schell explained. Along with other organizers, including Jorge Moreno and Mary Erickson, Shelter JH hopes to embody the values of grassroots activism. In Brooklyn, Schell “fell in love with the idea that we could build power among the most impacted people … and work for justice ‘upstream’ instead of just trying to do charity work for people who have been harmed by our unjust system.” Indeed, in Jackson, there is a vast dichotomy between those who have money and power, and those who do not. Shelter JH is working to shift this balance. “We have no shortage of vacant mansions, and we always talk about how much we care about our community members, but then we turn a blind eye as our most vulnerable workers are evicted from their homes so that new condos or hotels can go up … at Shelter JH, we’re trying to build a voice and power for affordable housing from all of us struggling to make it here.” As the civic engagement director for the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Schell has also helped create a leadership-training course to groom tomorrow’s activists. The Conservation Leadership Institute holds bi-yearly courses to “give people tools and knowledge on how to run and win campaigns for local change.” – Sarah Ross
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
SILVER
BEST SHOP TO BUY BLING
MADE
Seven years ago MADE was just a pop-up shop squeezed between other large businesses. Over a small counter, owner John Frechette sold his fused glass belt buckles. Today Frechette runs two brick and mortar MADE shops, one in downtown Jackson and one in Teton Village, both filled with unique items from more than 160 artists, many whose work is emblematic of Jackson Hole and the New West. Frechette had never been in retail before, and never expected any of this to happen. “It was all an experiment,” he said. Now, the MADE experiment is a popular destination for shoppers looking for glassware, stationery, accessories, and yes, some pretty cool bling. “We want to create a unique store that you don’t see everywhere, we love to highlight local artists and those from all over the country,” he said. MADE’s jewelry is affordable and high quality, often influenced by Western design—like the delicate antler necklaces crafted by the valley’s own Padgett Hoke— handmade earrings, porcupine quill necklaces, and Teton Range rings. On any given day in the store, Frechette says he hears four different languages. But he says locals are the bedrock of his business. “Jackson is really supportive of small business. There’s certain times of year where it’s hard to survive without the locals.” – Sarah Ross
It’s about CONNECTIONS.... Come have a blast! 307.690.7921 | SHOOTINJH.COM | HIGHCALIBERWOMEN.COM
MATT MELLOR PHOTOGRAPHY
Readers’ Choice
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 37
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
38 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST SPECIALTY FITNESS STUDIO
The uber serious
instructors of Re
volution Indoor
Cycling.
ROBYN VINCENT
REVOLUTION INDOOR CYCLING Men in Axl Rose wigs and women in blue sequined top hats sweated it out Sunday morning for Rock the Ride at Revolution Indoor Cycling. While a DJ hovered over turntables, owner Julie Guttormson told sweaty cyclists, “You woke up early to party!” The annual fundraiser Rock the Ride, where foursomes ride bikes for hours to raise money for stroke and cardiac patients, is personal for Guttormson. Eleven years ago, she suffered a stroke as a healthy, fit 31-year-old. She had three blood clots in her brain and though she came out of the fiasco unscathed, Guttormson decided to make some life changes. She quit her job in the hospitality industry to pursue healthy living and fitness full-time. She completed an Iron Man just one year after suffering her stroke, became a personal trainer and then opened Revolution, where her mantra is to host “classes for the masses.” Though costumed revelers may not be the norm at Revolution, the energy and lightheartedness swirling through the studio that morning certainly is. “Fitness is taken really seriously, especially in this town,” Guttormson said. “I want people to know they can work hard but they can also come in and rehab, or have the goal to lose weight, but it should always be fun. After all, we are on bikes and rowers going nowhere, it has to be fun.” – Robyn Vincent
Best Bike Shop Gold: Hoback Sports Silver: Hoff’s Bikesmith Bronze: The Hub
Best Veterinary Clinic
Best Pet Supply Store Gold: Pet Place Plus Silver: Teton Tails Bronze: Jackson Hole Feed & Pet
Best Cleaning Company
Gold: Spring Creek Animal Hospital Silver: Animal Care Clinic Bronze: Jackson Animal Hospital
Gold: Blue Spruce Cleaners Silver: Premier Green Cleaning Bronze: White Glove
Best Yoga Spot
Best Place to Buy Booze
Gold: Inversion Silver: Akasha Yoga Bronze: Pursue Movement
Best Specialty Fitness Studio Gold: Pursue Movement Studio Silver: Revolution Indoor Cycling Bronze: Inversion Yoga
Gold: The Liquor Store Silver: Smith’s Bronze: Liquor Down South
Best Florist Gold: Lily & Co. Silver: Floral Art Bronze: Jackson Hole Flower Co.
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST REASON TO BE RESCUED
LIZZIE WATSON
When you call for help on your worst imaginable day, you hope that Lizzie Watson is one of the people who shows up to help. If you’re sick or hurt? As a paramedic, she’s got you covered. Trapped in a fire? Don’t worry—she’s a highly trained firefighter, too. Stuck in the river? She’ll yank on her swiftwater rescue gear and be right there. Car accident? She can operate the Jaws of Life, no problem. And that’s just the beginning. Watson is something of a human Swiss army knife when it comes to rescue in Jackson Hole. She is, without question, one of the most extensively and diversely trained ladies in town. She’s equally capable fighting a wildfire as she is dangling from a helicopter with a patient freshly plucked from a remote mountainside. In addition to her full-time position with Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, Watson volunteers for Teton County Search and Rescue. “I always thought SAR looked like a lot of fun,” Watson said. “It basically encompasses all the sports I love and pushes me to get better and smarter at them.” Whether you’re facing an avalanche or river, a hazardous material spill or an active shooter, you can be genuinely relieved when Watson rolls up to give you a hand. – Melissa Thomasma
Staff pick
BEST PERSON ON THE PASS
ght the Jamie Yount brou it. extinguish
n fire, Lizzie Watso
is here to
Rena Trail
Gold: Best Massage Therapist
Dan Hady
JAMIE YOUNT, WYDOT
Silver: Best Massage Therapist
Oliver Tripp
Bronze: Best Massage Therapist
Thank you for your votes! Rena Trail (801) 920-9097
Dan Hady (484) 888-6712
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Jamie Yount has had a busy winter. Like, a really busy winter. As an avalanche technician for the Wyoming Department of Transportation, he’s spent many dark, cold mornings ensuring routes in and out of Jackson are safe and clear for drivers. “On avalanche control days, we usually start at 2 a.m. and do our mitigation work and debris cleanup early in the morning,” Yount said. “We try and have highways open for morning commuters.” A former member of Teton County Search and Rescue, Yount’s experience as a first responder makes him an especially important player on the pass when an avalanche occurs and impacts motorists like it did on December 15. His day typically starts by putting his meteorology degree from the University of Utah to good use: Yount studies weather and snow condition observations in order to generate a highway-specific avalanche hazard forecast. Then, it’s out to the field to measure snow and water content at the Mt. Glory, Snake River and Hoback Canyon study plots. With 50 documented avalanche paths that can impact regional highways, it’s not a short to-do list. “It’s been a busy winter with lots of large avalanches,” Yount reported. “The four rain events we’ve had have been exceptionally challenging and different from other winters.” From February 4 to 10 alone, there were 38 avalanches that impacted local highways. Now that spring’s rolling around, Yount’s looking forward to sleeping in a bit and spending more time with his family. Well deserved, Mr. Yount. – Melissa Thomasma
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
Staff pick
Oliver Tripp (253) 381-2838
MARCH 22, 2017 | 39
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: GOODS & SERVICES
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST IN UNIFORM
SHERIFF JIM WHALEN
40 | MARCH 22, 2017
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
“Thank you, Jackson Hole! You are inspirational!”
“Was the contest only involving bald guys who are members of AARP?” joked the modest sheriff. Humor and humility come with serving and protecting since 1976, when Jim Whalen began his law enforcement career in the Air Force. A few years later the sheriff became a civilian police officer in Garden Grove, California. Working in tough neighborhoods there, Whalen says he loved the work, but that he and his wife Bobbie wanted to raise a family in a place with better quality of life. So in 1989 Whalen answered an ad for the Jackson Hole Police Department. Ten years later he transferred to the sheriff’s office where he worked with then Sheriff Bob Zimmer. “Our philosophies essentially mirror one another’s,” Whalen explained. “His mantra was ‘fair, friendly and honest.’ Who doesn’t want to work under that?” In 2009, Whalen was elected to fill Zimmer’s shoes. For Whalen, it’s always been about being a veritable public servant. “Our philosophy is entrenched in a whole lot of discretion—can we provide what we need to provide, in terms of public safety, not by being enforcers first and foremost, but instead can we achieve compliance with prevention?” With no shortage of gratifying moments in his career, Whalen says they all surround one thing: “The ability to make a positive difference in people’s lives.” He remembered being a school resource officer when a child approached him with a problem at home. “We were able to help them … in law enforcement and public safety you can have an impact on someone’s life and they will always remember.” Whalen will close the chapter on a 40-year career when his term ends in less than two years. Next up? An African safari. – Jessica Sell Chambers and Robyn Vincent
Best Produce
Best Place to Buy Drugs
Gold: Jackson Whole Grocer Silver: Smith’s Bronze: Lucky’s
Gold: Stone Drug Silver: Smith’s Bronze: Albertson’s
Best Bank
Best Shop to Buy Bling
Gold: Bank of Jackson Hole Silver: First Interstate Bronze: Wells Fargo
Gold: JC Jewelers Silver: MADE Bronze: Thoenig’s Fine Jewelry
Best Eco-friendly Business
Best Resale Store
Gold: Blue Spruce Cleaners Silver: Jackson Whole Grocer Bronze: Healthy Being Juicery
Best Customer Service Gold: Jackson Whole Grocer Silver: Detail Driven Bronze: Smith’s
triofineart.com 307.734.4444 • 545 N Cache St, Jackson, WY
Gold: Browse N’ Buy Silver: Headwall Sports Bronze: Habitat ReStore
Best Local Website Gold: Buckrail Silver: Mountain Weather Bronze: JH Avalanche
Best Radio Station Gold: KHOL Silver: KMTN The Mountain Bronze: Wyoming Public Radio
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
h s/bear(?) of Hatc
ng drill sergeant
The tequila drinki
& DRINK
HATCH
Want the best margarita? Get rid of the mix. So says Hatch Taqueria and Tequila’s co-owner Andy Ward. “I wanted to give people the kind of margarita they make at home. The cleaner the better,” he explained There are only three ingredients in a classic Hatch margarita: Lime juice, fresh squeezed daily; Camarena tequila made from 100 percent blue agave; and 100 percent agave sweetener. No high fructose sweetener, ever. A two-two-and-one blend of tequila, lime juice, and agave, respectively, is shaken with ice, then poured through a strainer over what Hatch has determined to be the perfectly sized ice cube. The one-inch by one-inch cubes tumbled into a hand blown glass mean the drink won’t dilute too rapidly. Ward says the result is a margarita so tasty you don’t need salt, but for some of us, salt is half the pleasure of a marg, and Hatch’s rims come perfectly salted upon request. Indeed, Hatch knows its main ingredient well. It is the No. 1 seller of Camarena tequila in the state. Camarena hails from Arandas, Mexico, which is reportedly the “epicenter of artisanal highlands tequila production.” Perhaps like a wine’s terroir, the land where agave grows infuses itself in gourmet tequila, making Hatch’s margaritas a unique valley libation. But don’t stop with the classic iteration. Try the Spicy Hatch, with jalapeño infused tequila, or the smokey Mezcal Margarita. – Meg Daly
MARCH 22, 2017 | 41
BRONZE
BEST MARGARITA
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
FOOD
Readers’ Choice
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
42 | MARCH 22, 2017
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST PLACE TO SATISFY YOUR SWEET TOOTH
PERSEPHONE
Persephone does it all. It’s contemporary but cozy, traditional but innovative. Owner Ali Cohane says this is true of its decor as well as its baked goods: “We’ve modernized traditional French baking and pastries. It’s all modern and old at the same time.” Despite Persephone’s wild popularity today, there was a time when people discouraged Cohane from opening the bakery and cafe. “Nobody really thought it was a good idea to open a bakery in a recession when people were tending toward gluten-free things, but it was somewhere that I wanted to be that I couldn’t find in Jackson. We just went for it.” Turns out plenty of people want exactly what Persephone offers. It has become a community staple, and Cohane has met so many people she says she never knew or wouldn’t have known without opening the café. “I love our town. I love the people who make up Jackson and creating a spot that makes them happy is the coolest thing ever.” This very unbiased reporter has a particular obsession for Persephone’s chocolate croissants. As for Cohane, she recommends the kouign ammann, a croissant made in a muffin tin with caramelized sugar between every layer. – Sarah Ross
Best Restaurant
Best Bartender
Gold: Snake River Grill Silver: Blue Lion Bronze: Trio
Gold: John-Mark Roufs Haydens Post Silver: Samm Stuckley Sidewinders Bronze: Rachel Mazari Brewpub
Best New Restaurant Gold: Orsetto Silver: Moe’s BBQ Bronze: Big Hole BBQ
Best Chef Gold: Kevin Humphries - Spur Silver: Jeff Drew Snake River Grill Bronze: Paulie O’Connor Million dollar steakhouse
Best Wait Staff Gold: Snake River Grill Silver: Merry Piglets Bronze: Rendezvous Bistro
Best Local Food or Drink Producer Gold: Snake River Brewing Silver: Lockhart Cattle Co. Bronze: Melvin Brewing
Best Chinese Restaurant Gold: Chinatown Silver: Noodle Kitchen Bronze: Hong Kong Buffet
BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST BARTENDER
RACHEL MAZARI SNAKE RIVER BREWING When she isn’t island hopping in the Caribbean or exploring the Big Hole Mountains in Teton Valley, Idaho, with her Great Dane, Tuck, veteran bartender Rachel Mazari can be found at Snake River Brewing with a dazzling smile as she pours beer for locals and tourists five days a week. Mazari’s favorite flavor is the Nitro Speargun stout, released this fall, brewed with cold-pressed coffee from Snake River Roasters. On her 23rd year at the brewery, Mazari “genuinely enjoys her job.” She recalls the day SRB opened in 1994: “We had pale ale, Snake River lager and Zonker stout on tap,” she said. “It was utter chaos with a full house.” One of her most memorable moments at the pub came on her 20-year anniversary, (also SRB’s), when her coworkers and the guests—mostly locals—surprised her with flowers, champagne and a standing ovation. Mazari is accustomed to winning the readers’ choice silver and bronze awards, now on her fourth consecutive win. “It’s a really good feeling to know people appreciate you,” she said. However, after a double decade bartending for Oktoberfest and St. Patty’s Day festivities, the adroit tap master said, “If I don’t ever have to wear lederhosen again, I will be happy.” – Jessica Flammang
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 43
out late
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
44 | MARCH 22, 2017
for staying rgives Jeff Stein Mary Erickson fo the clear... this time). (Wren Fialka is in
Staff pick
Staff pick
BEST USE OF COMPASSION
WREN FIALKA
THE SPREAD THE LOVE COMMISSION Wren Fialka likes to spend time visiting with homeless people, to understand their struggles, their needs. She remembers talking to people living on the streets of San Francisco during the city’s Ferguson, Missouri protests. Folks there clued her in on ways she could easily impact their lives. They said that even the simplest items, having clean T-shirts and toothbrushes, would help. So she and friend Dani Robillard made care packages that they distributed to poor people around the city. From this effort the seeds of The Spread the Love Commission were planted. Since then, Fialka has not only led distribution efforts in places like Salt Lake City, Denver and South Dakota, delivering hundreds of care packages to struggling folks comprised of items donated from Jackson Hole businesses, but she is also working to help people in her own backyard. Her burgeoning nonprofit brought various people together to house a family that had recently lost their home when the Virginian Apartments were sold. She continues to focus on housing families affected by this area’s housing crisis. As she works to assemble a board and raise funds for The Spread the Love Commission, she is also involving young people in her efforts to help them understand the adversity their neighbors face. “I feel very strongly that we are all connected and one of our main purposes is to help one another,” she said. “Society crumbles without compassion … to remind us not of our differences but of our similarities gives us motivation to treat each other more like family members than strangers.” – Robyn Vincent
Staff pick
BEST ADVOCATE
MARY ERICKSON
Advocacy is Mary Erickson’s calling. Since moving to Jackson more than 10 year ago, she has committed herself to serving struggling segments of the community that need it most. Much of that work happens through St. John’s Episcopal Church, where Erickson works as an ordained priest. Social justice and inclusivity, she says, are in the Gospel and the pillars of her priesthood. But she also channels her activism into as many avenues as possible. Readers may recognize her trademark slogan: “Civility. Compassion. Love.” Those are the tenets on which she based her community organization, Jackson Hole United. What started as a way to encourage civil dialogue in the face of an ugly anti-choice protest has evolved into a dynamic advocacy nonprofit group. Erickson is a champion of immigrants’ rights and women’s rights, and actively addresses the housing crisis through her work with Shelter JH. She served as director of the Community Resource Center, now One22, for two years, but recently realized she was being called to fill a more active, politically engaged role in the community. Now she is laser focused on engaging people in the community on issues that affect them most, and wants to provide the tools for locals to become effective activists. – Shannon Sollitt
BEST REASON TO STAY OUT LATE
JEFF STEIN
NOMADIC EVENTS Jackson Hole would be a quiet (read: boring) place without Jeff Stein. The longtime DJ and party promoter has been shaping valley culture for almost a decade as Nomadic Events, throwing parties and after parties that meld unique music, art and performance art. In a remote mountain town, importing talent that many people here have never heard is a risky endeavor, but it’s a gamble Stein wages with pride and purpose. “We create the culture we desire,” he said. “We can’t wait for it to come from the outside.” Last weekend marked Nomadic’s ninth annual Intergalactic Ball, where people donned in space suits danced into the wee hours as electronic producers/DJs The Librarian and El Papa Chango commaded the dancefloor. It’s the type of party that is de rigueur in places like San Francisco and Portland, but not Jackson Hole. His posh dance party series Dapper, held at The Kitchen for a number of years, will also go down in Jackson’s late night history. In 2015, Stein, along with Matt Donovan, put Jackson on the map as a music festival destination with the inaugural Contour Music Festival. The multi-day fest featured luminaries like Thievery Corporation, Charles Bradley, Deltron 3030 and the earth shaking performance of Quixotic. “[Quixotic] is a perfect example of performance art, music and technology,” Stein explained. “I remember the audience’s amazed and wondrous looks … at the end of the night, it brings me great pleasure to see that something we have been able to share with people has brought them joy or happiness.” – Robyn Vincent
WE RAISE OUR GLASSES TO YOU!
Best Italian Restaurant (Il Villaggio Osteria)
Best Boss (Gavin Fine) Best Pint of Locally Brewed Beer (Rhombus IPA- Roadhouse Brewing Co.)
J H F I N E D I N I N G .CO M
Best Wait Staff (Rendezvous Bistro) Best Brewing Company (Roadhouse Brewing Co.) Best Happy Hour (Bin22)
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT, JACKSON HOLE.
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST UNDER THE RADAR RESTAURANT
STREETFOOD AT THE STAGECOACH
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 45
Amelia Hatchard knows the healing power of food. One day when she was under the weather her husband Marcus Hernandez made her a lamb burger to cheer her up. It was perfect. “If we ever have a restaurant, we have to put this on the menu,” she insisted. Now, the couple owns Streetfood at the Stagecoach, and the lamb burger is her favorite item to serve. Their burgers are indeed delectable—a friend fantasizing about one during a long backpacking trip was inconsolable when he arrived to find the eatery closed. But Streetfood’s offerings span the globe. Located at the base of Teton Pass, the casual eatery beckons to skiers, bikers, and hikers who fuel up with global dishes like bimbimbap, Moroccan shrimp, chicken tinga tacos, falafel, and fish n chips. With head chef Justin Anthony at the helm, Streetfood’s “Around the World” dinners, multi-course meals that transport people to a different country for one night, have introduced diners to the nuances of Spanish, Filipino and Korean cuisine, to name a few. Hatchard and Hernandez both worked at the Four Seasons, where they met, before opening Streetfood in August 2014. “We were going for something casual with good food ... we use as many fresh ingredients as we can and put a lot of effort into the food we make. It’s homey and fun.” Hatchard attributes Streetfood’s success to their loyal regulars from Jackson, but especially Wilson. “I’m incredibly thankful to the people who have supported us from the beginning as we worked through all the kinks ... they are our friends and almost our family now.” – Sarah Ross
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
46 | MARCH 22, 2017
GOLD
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
Readers’ Choice
TETON THAI
THE BIRD
BEST THAI RESTAURANT Thai food lovers across the valley have anointed Teton Thai with its eighth consecutive Readers’ Choice gold award. Thailand natives Suchada Johnson and her mother, Boonlua (if she’s cooking in the kitchen prepare for the spice), launched Teton Thai in the town of Jackson in 2001. Shortly after, Sam Johnson joined the family and the business as Teton Thai began amassing a following for its classic dishes and DJ scene. The Roasted Duck Curry, Pad Thai and BBQ Pork with Sticky Rice are just some of the plates that diners return for again and again. “We try not to change the menu too much because it seems to hit what everyone wants,” explained Sam Johnson. By 2011, the business had become so popular that the Johnsons moved it to Teton Village where the eatery has become a staple of the après scene. The Teton Village digs include a comfy waiting area dubbed “The Den” with crackling fireplaces. In the summer, the lively outdoor patio seats an additional 100 people, where locals and visitors ingurgitate spicy margs and Thai iced teas as the alpenglow dots the valley. Now the Thai eatery is venturing into frothy realms too. Teton Thai recently partnered with Q Roadhouse & Brewing to develop Teton Thai Fire Extinguisher, a light après lager that compliments the spice Boonlua lovingly dishes out. – Jessica Flammang
BEST BURGER
The Bird’s owners Ted Hansen and Will Nowack let PJH in on a little secret to their award-winning burgers: “Nothing fresher than roadkill, nothing more local than the side of Highway 89!” In all seriousness, the (beef!) burger is a veritable institution at The Bird, a menu item so foundational as to be rivaled only by The Bird’s other staple: beer. It’s not surprising that when you do one or two things specially, they get done really well. Which is not to be confused with well done, which Bird burgers NEVER are (or at least only under duress from a customer). As The Bird’s website proclaims, “If you order a steak medium, then why the hell would you order our burger well-done?” In addition to not overcooking its meat, The Bird gets it right in a multitude of ways. Brisket is ground fresh in-house every day. The patties are not the thin hockey pucks of most establishments, but rather big oblong hunks on top of which the bun sits like a demure little cap. Always juicy, the burgers come with a smorgasbord of topping options, sporting names like Filthy Harry (bacon and cheddar cheese), Cabo Greg (guac and salsa), and The Slue (American cheese, grilled onions, fried egg) to name a few. All come with lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle, and the most delicious greasy steak fries. Washed down with a cold German lager, this burger is top-notch. Hansen’s response to the gold win? “It’s about time we got the title back!” – Meg Daly
Best Mexican Restaurant Gold: Merry Piglets Silver: El Abuelito Bronze: Pica’s
Best Thai Restaurant Gold: Teton Thai Silver: Thai Plate Bronze: Thai Me Up
Best Italian Restaurant
Best Sports Bar Gold: Sidewinders Silver: Cutty’s Bronze: Eleanor’s
Best Teton Valley Restaurant Gold: Teton Thai Silver: Big Hole BBQ Bronze: Forage
Best Take-out Food Gold: Chinatown Silver: Thai Plate Bronze: Teton Thai
Gold: II Villaggio Osteria Silver: Orsetto Bronze: Pizza Artisan
Best Breakfast Joint
Best “Under the Radar” Restaurant
Gold: Nora’s Fish Creek Inn Silver: The Virginian Bronze: Bubba’s
Gold: Streetfood at the Stagecoach Silver: Noodle Kitchen Bronze: Thai Plate
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
Staff pick
BEST PUBLIC ART
WALGREENS
Now in its third year, the Walgreens installation on West Broadway (better known as the Leaning Tower of Sundries) continues to sink and slide down the hillside’s face as if orchestrated by a billion nefarious embedded ants. A paean to the impermanence of life, or at least the transitory nature of big box stores upon this earth, Walgreens beckons to viewers like a towering wooly mammoth sinking to its knees in the face of the Ice Age. No one can stop time, nor can anyone build a stable building on a pile of gravel, no matter how many structural engineers you pay to tell you otherwise. Walgreens is Jackson’s great urban ruin, a testament to the folly of humankind and an astute commentary on the David and Goliath struggle between mom and pop stores and corporate behemoths. In contrast to Michelangelo’s version, in which David slumps saucily in a contrapposto above the fallen Goliath, Walgreens is the dried husk of Goliath asymmetrically balanced across the highway from scrappy little David, a.k.a. Stone Drug, where you can pick up your gun license, Tampax, and, say, a model kit of the Area 51 UFO crash site in one go. Sure, toilet paper would have cost less at Walgreens, which is what is killing Davids across America. As public art, Walgreens reminds us that sentimentality is no match for the primacy of top-discounts. It was not our hearts that saved Stone Drug, but the eminent domain of geology and physics. – Meg Daly and Mark Morgan Dunstan
THANK YOU!
WOOF!!!
THANK YOU!
(THANKS!
IN DOGGY TALK)
BEST VETERINARY CLINIC
YOUR ONLY LOCAL AAHA ACCREDITED ANIMAL HOSPITAL
(307) 733-1606 | 1035 W. BROADWAY | WWW.SPRINGCREEKANIMALHOSPITAL.COM
MARCH 22, 2017 | 47
THANK YOU for helping us provide the highest quality veterinary care for all of our four legged friends!
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
All of us at Spring Creek Animal Hospital are honored to have been voted the
The very solemn
Dr. Norene Christensen, PT, DSc, OCS
Moe’s crew
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
48 | MARCH 22, 2017
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VOTES! IT TAKES A GREAT TEAM TO CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY
SILVER Readers’ Choice
BEST BARBECUE
MOE’S ORIGINAL BAR B QUE
SPECIALIZING IN: Orthopedics • Sports Medicine • Neck and Back Pain Surgical Rehabilitation • Fall Prevention • Headache • TMJ • Chronic Pain Prenatal and Post partum musculoskeletal disorders Pelvic Pain • Urinary and Fecal Incontinence Bladder Pain Syndrome • Overactive Bladder Oncology Rehab • Lymphedema 3 Locations to Better Serve our Community 1090 S Hwy 89, Jackson, WY 307-733-5577 3000 W Big Trail Dr (Legacy Lodge) 307-733-5577 46 Iron Horse Rd, Alpine WY 307-654-5577 www.fourpinespt.com
For those drowning in Jackson’s sea of high-end restaurants, Moe’s Original Bar B Que will throw you a delicious life preserver. The man behind Pinky Gs (voted Best Pizza in this poll since the pizzeria’s inception), Tom Fay teamed up with Alabama barbecue chef David Fogg to bring Moe’s to Jackson. We’re talking true Southern food—pulled pork (order it Bama style with white barbecue sauce), smoked chicken, fried catfish and fixins like cornbread, black-eyed peas and fried green tomatoes. Wash it all down with some sweet tea, a margarita… or if it’s happy hour, a Tallboy and a shot for $5. But it’s not only the affordable food and the laid back vibes that keep us returning to Moe’s since the eatery opened in December. The vaulted two-story restaurant with an upstairs patio happens to be the hippest barbecue joint to throw back a pound of $6.50 wings (happy hour). When asked about Moe’s cool aesthetic—we love the wooden palettes adorning the red hued walls—Fay was proud to report that it’s all in the family: his wife Kristin Fay happened to design the eatery’s unique interior. Well, we do declare! As the 2017 gold winner for Best Interior Designer, Kristin Fay’s involvement in this new culinary gem didn’t surprise us one bit. Indeed, delicious soul food, tasty cocktails and a cool interior are why we chose Moe’s to host this year’s Best of Jackson Hole party. See you tonight from 6 to 9 p.m. Did we mention Moe’s stays open late? – Robyn Vincent
MA/LPC
The best part of our season is you!
Licensed Professional Counselor • Medical Hypnotherapist
Counseling: • Individual • Premarital • Marriage/Family • Anxiety, Stress
• Anger Management • Pain Relief • Depression • Stop Smoking
THANK YOU
733-5680
Practicing in Jackson since 1980 • www.elizabethkingwill.com Flexible Hours - Evening & Weekends • Now Accepting Blue Cross Blue Shield
for keeping theatre LIVE!
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
Elizabeth Kingwill,
Thank you Jackson Hole for 34 years of support! Thank you team for earning another gold!
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
115 Buffalo Way, Jackson Albertson’s Is Next To Us!
MARCH 22, 2017 | 49
307.733.4466 TLSofJH.com Locally Owned - Community Minded
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
50 | MARCH 22, 2017
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
ORSETTO
At Orsetto, the bronze chairs match the bronze espresso machine behind the sleek bronze bar, where sommelier Colin Flory waits to share his vast knowledge of Italian wine. Everything behind Flory’s bar is Italian, from the wine to the liquor and even the man himself (Flory boasts Italian heritage, as does chef co-owner Josh Governale). The only liquor that isn’t Italian is the vodka that goes in the Milano Mule, but Flory infuses it with pistachios to make it Italian-ish. Orsetto opened on December 14 and was born from Fred Peightal and Governale’s desire to open a restaurant they’ve always wished existed in Jackson. The pastas are all hand-made, and the dishes are reminiscent of an Italian-American home-cooked meal. “While all of us had different ideas of Italian food, we agreed that we should be focusing on the Italian dishes we grew up with,” Peightal said. Patrons looking to try something new will delight in a glass of Aglianico del Vulture, a robust red wine from the Basilicata region of the south. Pair a glass with a traditional Bolognese and pretend for a minute that you’re basking in Italian sun a la Eat Pray Love (Orsetto will include outdoor seating in the summer). Most pasta dishes can be made with gluten-free pasta, and while Governale has yet to find a gluten-free option he likes as much as the real deal, it’s usually the sauce that really makes the dish anyway. – Shannon Sollitt
Best Lunch Spot Gold: Lotus Silver: Picnic Bronze: Persephone
Best Coffee Shop Gold: Cowboy Coffee Silver: Persephone Bronze: Pearl Street Bagels
Best Place to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Gold: Persephone Silver: Coco Love Bronze: Yippy I-O Candy Co.
Best Baked Goods Gold: Persephone Silver: The Bunnery Bronze: Picnic
Best Breakfast Burrito Gold: D.O.G. Silver: Bubba’s Bronze: Sweet Cheeks Meats
Best BBQ Gold: Big Hole BBQ Silver: Moe’s Original Bar BBQ Bronze: Bubba’s
Best Sandwich Shop Gold: Creekside Market Silver: New York City Subs Bronze: Pearl Street Market
Best Soups Gold: Jackson Whole Grocer Silver: Pearl Street Market Bronze: Lucky’s
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
150 E. HANSEN AVENUE, JACKSON, WYOMING 83001 • 307.699.7370
AKASHA AKASHAYOGAJH.COM
YOGA
yoga for everybody
We love our Jackson Hole Community! Bring a new friend, get a free class. Locals only please.
200-Hour Yoga Immersion & Teacher Training
Voted best PET SUPPLY STORE 7 years running!
Akasha and Teacher Neesha Zollinger Best of Jackson Hole Winners for Nine Years
Staff pick
BEST STUDENT DISPLAY OF FREE SPEECH
DAY WITHOUT AN IMMIGRANT
NESLEY PEREZ-CORONA, JAMIE VARGAS, MICHELLE TZOMPA
to all of our two & four-legged friends!
1645 Martin Lane
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
South Park Loop
733-5355 Mon - Fri 9:30am - 6pm Sat 9:30am - 5pm
Maverik PPP Martin Lane
Smith’s High School Road
MARCH 22, 2017 | 51
On February 16, more than 100 people marched from Jackson Hole High School to the Town Square as part of a national protest called Day Without An Immigrant. The intent was to highlight the contributions immigrants make to communities everywhere. At the march, organizer and JHHS senior Nesley Corona wore a shirt that read, “The land belongs to those who work it with their own hands.” In just one day, with the help of classmates Jamie Vargas and Michelle Tzompa, Corona dropped off informational pamphlets around town, created a Facebook event, and rallied as many people as possible. “I was very surprised [by] all the people who came to the march. I was very proud since this was the first time that I organized something for the community. It was a big step in my life.” Organizing felt urgent for Corona: “Everyone, everywhere, wherever I went … the most common question was, what if the government deports us? What if immigration comes to get us?” The day served as an opportunity to acknowledge this fear as well as to take pride in the Latino community. Corona said she never expected such high attendance, though she says many did not attend for fear of immigration officials touching down on Jackson Hole. The march was about visibility, pride, and inclusivity. “Another reason we did this was to tell our community we are a part of Jackson and its economy … we are part of companies that are getting rich with our services, we want respect for our Latino community … I wish the non-Latino community could support us more and care about us a little more.” Thanks to Corona the hopes and fears of Jackson’s Latino populace are being heard on a larger scale. – Sarah Ross
THANK Y U
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
52 | MARCH 22, 2017
BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST BURRITO
SWEET CHEEKS MEATS
Thank you for loving the Library!
The “Butcher” sign in front of Sweet Cheeks is subtle and unassuming. But the breakfast burrito will change your life—or at least cure your hangover. The secret to Sweet Cheeks’ breakfast burrito is its house-made sausage gravy. And it started as an accident. One day, explained Sweet Cheeks’ Tommy Price and Nick Phillips, the kitchen had leftover breakfast gravy from their biscuits and gravy. They didn’t know what to do with it, so one employee put it in a burrito and handed it off to Price to try. Price was unsure at first, but his uncertainty didn’t last long. “It tastes like biscuits and gravy in a burrito,” Price declared. For this reporter, it’s a combination I didn’t know I was missing, but now I don’t know how to live without—like peanut butter and jelly, but infinitely more exciting. Patrons are in for a surprise each week, as the gravy flavor is on rotation. I tried habanero, which added just the right amount of spice to my Tuesday deadline. Like all Sweet Cheeks’ beloved menu items, the burrito is only available once a week. Catch it on Tuesdays for just $5, and leave a nice tip for Tommy and Nick for curing your Tuesday doldrums. – Shannon Sollitt
tclib.org
Best Vegetarian Offerings Gold: Lotus Silver: Noodle Kitchen Bronze: Healthy Being Juicery
Best Burger Gold: The Bird Silver: Liberty Burger Bronze: Local
Best French Fries Gold: Trio Silver: Liberty Burger Bronze: Local
Best Salsa Gold: Merry Piglets Silver: El Abuelito Bronze: Pica’s
Best Sushi Gold: King Sushi Silver: Sudachi Bronze: Kazumi
Best Pizza Gold: Pinky G’s Silver: Cutty’s Bronze: Pizzeria Caldera
Best Wings Gold: The Bird Silver: Eleanor’s Bronze: Snake River Brewing
Best Food on the Fly Gold: Everest Momo Shack Silver: Jackson Hole POP Bronze: Sweet Cheeks Meats
Best Locally Roasted Beans Gold: Snake River Roasting Company Silver: Jackson Hole Roasters Bronze: Cowboy Coffee
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST RESTAURANT IN TETON VALLEY
FORAGE
Forage owners Lisa and Christian Hanley take pride in making almost everything from scratch. “We are trying to showcase mountain cuisine and local foods,” Lisa Hanley said, “and celebrate what this region has to offer.” The fresh venison, daily market fish from Hawaii, duck Reuben, veggie muffuletta and braised lamb are some of the most popular in-house delights. The restaurant name embodies its business concept of foraging for fresh foods. Its soups, desserts, sauces, ice cream, sorbet and cakes are all made from scratch. The Hanleys, who tied the knot in 2007, have been in the restaurant industry for 20 years. Together they bought Forage in 2016 with the goal of bringing European-inspired epicurean dishes to the mouths of locals. Their strategy has worked; PJH readers are not the only ones digging in at Forage. In less than two years, customer ratings on Yelp and USA Today made the Teton Valley eatery Best Restaurant in Idaho. In early March, Business Insider Magazine called Forage Lounge Best Bar in the Spud State. Locals on both sides of Teton Pass and out-of-towners frequent the 35-seat intimate eatery. “People like the casual and comfortable environment,” Lisa said. “They enjoy a rotating selection of delectable, high quality food and wine.” – Jessica Flammang
Thank you for the recognition! “We thank our staff for their years of commitment.” Fernando Sanchez - 21 years Florencio De Jesus - 4 years Gavin Murray - 1 year Gina Rocha - 5 years Gonzalo Bedolla - 15 years Gus Suclla - 2 years Hector Bedolla - 16 years Hugo Gonzalez - 1 year Jamie Goldstein - 2 years Jeff Drew - 17 years Joe Ertle - 1 year Juan Carlos - 3 years Kaity Novikova - 3 years Katie Cooper - 19 years
Kyle Nicholson - 9 years Leo Festek - 1 year Leo Mendoza - 1 year Liz Schafer - 5 years Louis Suazo - 1 year Lucas Nash - 3 years Mary Beth Kirby - 3 years Matt Donovan - 1 year Matt VanderPoel - 18 years Michael Judy - 1 year Michael Krulin - 2 years Myles Trainer - 1 year Nick Versace - 1 year Olga Vovc - 2 years
Olivia De Ninno - 2 years Omar Huexoyuca - 10 years Oscar Perez - 1 year Polly Evangalista - 1 year Rafael Infante - 1 year Ransom Valley - 7 years Rob Denton - 2 years Rob Meehan - 24 years Sara Trent - 3 years Sarah Konrad - 3 years Scott Steen - 5 years Tim Conan - 2 years
MARCH 22, 2017 | 53
Aaron Rice - 3 years Alejandra De La Peña - 1 year Alfonso Contreras - 9 years Amy Anastos -1 year Annie Mitchell -1 year Ben Squires - 19 years Ben Walker-Brummer - 3 years Brandy Borts - 8 years Chris Richards - 24 years Dave Hemphill - 12 years Dave Houlton - 13 years David May - 13 years Dustin Booth - 3 years Felipe - 18 years
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Best Restaurant - Best Wait Staff
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: FOOD & DRINK
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
54 | MARCH 22, 2017
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST PINT OF LOCALLY BREWED BEER
2X4 MELVIN,
MELVIN BREWING The floral, citrusy beer got its name when an employee said, “Man, that beer hit me over the head like a 2x4.” Melvin Brewing has made waves in the craft beer industry. “In today’s sophisticated and competitive beer world, few people outside of Wyoming have sampled Cowboy State beer,” said Jeremy Tofte, owner and founding brewer. “It’s great to be shipping our beer to San Diego, Portland, Seattle and Denver.” In 2010, Melvin brewed a keg a day at Thai Me Up Restaurant. Now, in its expanded Alpine riverfront location, the local brewery makes 500 kegs per day. “The 2x4 is a dank hop bomb that tastes like a light ale,” Tofte explained. “With 10 percent alcohol by volume, we use hard-to-find hops, and balance them with the malt.” The double IPA has won the Great American Beer Festival Gold, World Beer Cup Gold, two Alpha King victories, the Australian International Beer Award Gold and two North American Brewers Association Golds. Tofte and Co-Founder Kirk McHale hired an all-star staff, with head production brewer Dave Chichura from Oskar Blues, and other talented brewers. Now, two new Melvin brewpubs are slated to open in Bellingham, Washington. – Jessica Flammang
Best Pint of Locally Brewed Beer Gold: 2x4 - Melvin Silver: Rhombus - Q Roadhouse Bronze: Pako’s IPA - SRB
Best Brewing Company Gold: Snake River Brewing Silver: Melvin Brewing Bronze: Q Roadhouse
Best Margarita Gold: Pica’s Silver: Merry Piglets Bronze: Hatch
Best Place to Après Gold: Spur Silver: Mangy Moose Bronze: The Handle Bar
Best Happy Hour Gold: Local Silver: Eleanor’s Bronze: Bin 22
Best Bar Gold: Local Silver: The Rose Bronze: Silver Dollar Bar
AARON LINSDAU
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Jackson Hole
Juggernauts
Readers’ Choice
& ENTERTAINMENT
In 2011, after Mersadee Lulay and Sara Michael watched the roller derby documentary Whip It, the Jackson Hole Juggernauts were born. They wasted no time lacing up their skates and recruiting eager rookies. Juggernauts board president Janice Bushnell (a.k.a. SassN8r) explained, “Most of our players had not skated before, but with the help of a veteran derby player, clinics, other leagues, and lots of practice, the Juggernauts played our first bout only months after getting on skates.” The Juggernauts have since amassed a team of vibrant players, hosting games on its home turf at Snow King and traveling all over the Rocky Mountain West to compete. This year—after placing third in the Wyoming Roller Derby Cup in 2016—will be the team’s first opportunity to be publicly ranked by the Women’s Federation of Flat Track Association. In a place like Jackson Hole, where there is no shortage of resilient, dynamic women, it’s not surprising that the Juggs are thriving. And for its players, roller derby is more than a contact sport on wheels, said team captain Tracy Perkins (a.k.a. Gauntlet). “If anyone chooses to stay in the derby world for more than two years, s/he has found a community that promotes physical and mental strength, acceptance, and above all, a sense of humor. We might be a group of misfit toys, but we’re the most fun kind of misfits.” – Jessica Sell Chambers and Robyn Vincent
MARCH 22, 2017 | 55
SILVER
JACKSON HOLE JUGGERNAUTS
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
SPORTS, ARTS
BEST LOCAL SPORTS TEAM
MEGAN PETERSON
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
56 | MARCH 22, 2017
SILVER
Readers’ Choice
BEST FILMMAKER
JENTEN PRODUCTIONS
Left to right: JenTen collaborators Rebecca Huntington, Marni Walsh, Jennifer Tennican, Lori Roux, Melinda Binks (and Blake Ciulla as The Invisble Man).
Thank you Jackson Hole, for voting us best pizza.
A common question motivates all of Jennifer Tennican’s films: “How do you nourish community?” Since 2002, Tennican has documented the people and places in Jackson that do just that. The Stagecoach Bar, for example, has united beer lovers, disco dancers, cowboys, extreme athletes, and millionaires for more than 70 years. Tennican’s award-winning film tells its story: “It’s the kind of place that brings together people of all kinds of different backgrounds … that shows we’re all more similar than we are dissimilar.” Her current project documents the first year of Vertical Harvest, one of the world’s first vertical greenhouses. To tell these stories, Tennican seeks local collaborators who can offer their expertise. As the only person behind her production company, JenTen, she relies on others’ talent to elevate her work. “In general, projects are better when you have a team involved,” she said. “While I wear a lot of different hats, from director to producer to camera person to fundraiser and writer, it’s lovely to employ local, quality people.” She works consistently with a group of about six people who are also invested in illuminating unique community narratives. Tennican seeks authentic voices and personal stories, and she’s found all that in Jackson and more. “The power of film is to transport you into other people’s worlds, and the scenery here is so amazing for the kind of stories we’re telling.” – Sarah Ross
Best Cover Band Gold: Deadlocks Silver: Lazy Eyes Bronze: One Ton Pig
Best Annual Event Gold: Old Bill’s Fun Run Silver: Hill Climb Bronze: Jackson Hole LIVE
Best Band Playing Original Songs Gold: Sneaky Pete & The Secret Weapons Silver: One Ton Pig Bronze: Canyon Kids
Best Musician Gold: Jason Fritts Silver: Peter Chanman Bronze: Pam Phillips
Best Classical Musician Gold: Byron Tomingas Silver: Pam Phillips Bronze: Jason Fritts
Best Teton Valley Musician Gold: Miller Sisters Silver: Ben Winship Bronze: Derek Huffsmith Bronze: Pam Phillips
Best Church Choir Gold: St. John’s Episcopal Church Silver: Our Lady of the Mountains Bronze: Presbyterian Church
Best Club DJ Gold: DJ Vert One Silver: DJ Londo Bronze: DJ ERA
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
MARCH 22, 2017 | 57
ROBYN VINCENT
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
58 | MARCH 22, 2017
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o awards, Peter brought home twKathie for Best ily m fa er dl an ed The Ch and PJH nominat for Best Musician hysical. ap et Way to Get M
Staff pick
BEST WAY TO GET METAPHYSICAL
KATHIE CHANDLER & CAROL MANN
Kathie Chandler: Master Channeler of the Beyond
Do you want to know what messages your spirits can impart? Intuitive and medium Kathie Chandler to the rescue. She transcendentally connects her clients in Jackson, Wilson, and Idaho Falls to their spirit guides. For Chandler, a near death experience in a 1994 car accident was the catalyst that unveiled her otherworldly gift, and sent her down the path that can metaphysically tune you right up. Donned in sandalwood and frankincense, which she calls “high frequency oils,” she channels the beyond for clients at her business Sacred Messages. Chandler points out that “your guides will always reveal something I never could have known.” Chandler’s flowing red hair, deep gaze and gentle manner distinguish her in the local spiritual community. “The energy from the guides is so potent,” Chandler said, “it can be like an out-of-body experience for people to have a reading done.” Her 22 years of holistic healing using reiki, massage, reflexology and essential oils have offered messages to those seeking help on their earthly journeys. But Chandler considers herself merely an interpreter. “All I am is a mouthpiece. I teach people to learn and listen to their guides.”
Carol Mann: Clairvoyant Soul Reader
One day Carol Mann’s two cats wandered over to Kathie Chandler’s house while Chandler was healing from her car accident. The two women were neighbors at the time but didn’t know each other. Chandler called Mann to ask if the cats belonged to her and if she wanted to come and get them. “No, they will return home when their work with you is done,” Mann said. And that’s exactly what happened—the cats stayed for two months while Chandler was on the mend. Now, the two women share a friendship and mutual bond offering metaphysical services. Mann’s weekly column Cosmic Café in Planet Jackson Hole is widely read and appreciated for its interplanetary wisdom. “The soul is to a human being as a cloud drive is to a computer,” Mann said. “The soul records everything it has experienced since it was created. When a person is able to access this, they have access to a true cosmic internet.” The former psychology professor, radio personality and decade-long Grand Targhee owner offers soul readings: “a clairvoyant glimpse into the blueprint of your soul, revealing informa-
tion about your current life’s purpose, what you are intending to evolve in yourself now, and what you are naturally designed to contribute in this life.”
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She also provides transmissions from those who have passed on, channeling, workshops, and life coaching with an intuitive twist. – Jessica Flammang
Readers’ Choice
BEST ARTIST
An artist could spend her entire life painting the Tetons. The range looks different every day, every hour—morphing with the light, clouds, shadows. Kathryn Mapes Turner captures the mountains in all their complexity, their unfathomable enormity. “I have been taken with the magnificence of this valley for as long as I can remember. From an early age, surrounded by the beauty of my childhood home at the Triangle X Ranch, I needed to find a way to express my appreciation for it. Painting and drawing became that mode of expression,” Mapes Turner said. After so many years spent in Grand Teton National Park, she captures this landscape with a loving and precise eye—the way dust rises above sagebrush, the way elk stand alert and watchful in the first snow, the way summer sunsets soften the edges of everything. “I do not try to recreate a photorealistic representation of the natural world, but rather paintings that depict my emotional connection with it,” she explained. Mapes Turner has been recognized for her art locally, regionally, and nationally. “From the beginning, I have been blessed with amazing support from my family and friends. This is a gift,” she said. “The community of Jackson really celebrates art and artists in a special way.” Indeed, Jackson is proud to claim her as its own. – Sarah Ross
Kathryn Mapes Turner, lover of paintbrushes
MEGAN PETERSON
KATHRYN MAPES TURNER
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
GOLD
BEST KNEE DOCTOR(S) “Thank you Jackson Hole community, we appreciate your support and will continue to care for all your orthopaedic needs.” — Knee Specialists
555 E. Broadway | 733-3900 | TetonOrtho.com
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
Angus Goetz, D.O.
Andrew B. Bullington, M.D.
MARCH 22, 2017 | 59
David Khoury, M.D.
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
60 | MARCH 22, 2017
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST CLUB DJ
Best Hair Stylist
Jenny Bragg wor
ks her skills on Be
st DJ Vert-One.
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DJ VERT-ONE Rocky Vertone has been slaying this category for almost a decade. But he’s pure humility when talking about his reputation as the best DJ in town. “I’m flattered,” he said. “But I laugh because I don’t think I’m the best DJ. There are a lot of good DJs in town.” He’s been DJing in the valley for nearly 20 years, at times doing four gigs a week. But today Vertone is at the point in his career where he is picking and choosing his gigs, mostly private events. The owner of the framing shop Full Circle Frameworks stepped away from the regular bar scene about a year and a half ago. “I can’t do that anymore,” he said, “I’m tired.” But not so tired as to give up his love of heavy metal and punk music, his personal music foundations (The Clash is a favorite). One of his strengths as a DJ is being well-versed in a diversity of styles, from metal to hip-hop, jazz, trip-hop, house, dance, a bit of funk, and even disco. He hosted a disco night for seven years, where he perfected his music mash ups. “I’m totally into that,” he said. “I could seriously go to any party and play whatever they ask for.” He says his favorite club moments are “when people are screaming and just stoked.” – Meg Daly
Best Live Entertainment Venue Gold: Pink Garter Theatre Silver: Center for the Arts Bronze: Snow King - JH LIVE
Best Outdoor Concert Series Gold: Jackson Hole Live Silver: Music on Main Bronze: Concert on the Commons
Best Local Sports Team Gold: Jackson Hole Moose Hockey Silver: Jackson Hole Juggernauts Bronze: Jackson Hole Broncos
Best Shake-a-Day Gold: The Bird Silver: Eleanor’s Bronze: The Virginian
Best Art Gallery Gold: Tayloe Piggott Gallery Silver: Altamira Silver: Diehl Gallery Bronze: Trio Fine Art
Best Local Artist Gold: Kathryn Mapes Turner Silver: Amy Ringholtz Bronze: Nicole Gaitan
Best Photographer Gold: Thomas D. Mangelsen Silver: Ashley Merritt Bronze: Flo McCall
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST ACTOR
We are grateful for your support and your help in saving the lives of homeless animals!
MARCH 22, 2017 | 61
Andrew Munz died for the first time this year—on stage, that is. But damn, was it convincing. Real tears fell from his eyes (and I think also from mine). His role as Laertes in Hamlet is testament to the miles and miles of progress he’s made since his theater debut in fourth grade. His acting career started humbly, as 1/6 of the caterpillar in Missoula Children’s Theater’s Alice in Wonderland. But he stuck with it, and now he not only stars in shows, but also writes and directs them. Believe it or not, Munz hates public speaking. But as a shy kid with low self-esteem, he found solace in being someone else on stage. “It’s the one form of self-expression that I felt comfortable with,” he said. The thespian life is full of concessions. Constantly benching his own identity to become someone completely different is addicting, Munz said, but it’s also taxing. To play Laertes required “so much raw emotion.” (For those who skipped the reading in high school, Laertes is brother to Ophelia and son of Polonius. They all die. It’s not pretty.) Munz has never lost anyone close to him, like Laertes who loses his family, so to tap into that character and try to understand what that felt like required a complete transformation. Munz left each rehearsal and show “emotionally exhausted.” Still, his spirits are always high. As one of the founding members of Laff Staff, Munz also knows how to keep it light. The third iteration of his renowned original play I Can Ski Forever, based loosely on Jackson life, is a full-length musical, and on stage now at Pink Garter Theatre. – Shannon Sollitt
Jackson Hole for voting us BEST NON-PROFIT!
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
ANDREW MUNZ
THANK YOU
It’s more than just a ride.
riderowtrain.com | Movie Works Plaza | 307.413.0441
MEGAN PETERSON
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
62 | MARCH 22, 2017
|
BFFs? Ryan Stolp (left) and Walt Gerald
BRONZE
BRONZE Readers’ Choice
BEST ILLUSTRATOR
WALT GERALD & RYAN STOLP Walt Gerald
Many people know Walt Gerald as a printmaker, but he says illustration is the best overarching concept for what he does. According to Gerald, “the technical definition of an illustrator is someone who specializes in enhancing a concept by providing visual representation.” This he excels at in spades. Whether it’s an eye-catching poster of an old-timey army general with a lettuce for a head to advertise the Jackson Hole People’s Market, or a greeting card with a snow boot and a ribbon proclaiming “Send It,” Gerald illustrates concepts with nuanced aplomb. He works both commercially and privately on his own designs, and enjoys both. “I love getting to work with different people and help them tell the story of their ideas visually.”
Ryan Stolp
Ryan Stolp’s illustrations imagine a convergence of the Old and New West, where cowboys ride Lunch Counter on a kayak, modern outdoorswomen kick back by their covered wagon singing songs at their campfire, and train robbers outpace their quarry via ATVs. Stolp’s exuberant West is populated by the wild, visionary types inhabiting the region. He mixes history in with his contemporary drawings for a colorful, idealized world of freedom and adventure. Stolp arrived in Jackson two and a half years ago and co-founded the creative agency, Orijin. Look for his April show at The Rose. – Meg Daly
GOLD
Readers’ Choice
BEST TETON VALLEY MUSICIAN
THE MILLER SISTERS
Moving and grooving to the harmonic sound of The Miller Sisters has become a locals’ pastime. Once a trio, the rockabilly-soul, rock ‘n’ roll, bluegrass acoustic sisters began 19 years ago, with their third sibling, Muriah. Candice and Karee have been performing locally in Teton Valley for 10 years with Candice strumming guitar and banjo and Karee playing mandolin, guitar and harmonica. “Our vocal harmony is our biggest asset,” Candice said. The sisters’ new CD, The Miller Sisters Hymnal Favorites, is a compilation of their favorite hymns. “Singing in church on Sundays is where we started,” Candice explained. Both Candice and Karee are song leaders at their respective congregations in Teton Valley. As the valley’s music scenes on both sides of the hill have grown and matured, so too have the careers of the Miller Sisters. “Jackson Hole and Teton Valley have become musical hubs, where musicians can do the same things as those who play in Nashville and Los Angeles,” Candice said. “We are in a good place where we can focus on our families, and play music professionally.” The sisters also play with Bootleg Flyer, a folk-rock country and soul band, and Mandatory Air, a soul funk and rock band. – Jessica Flammang
Gold: Tim Tomkinson Silver: Kelly Halpin Bronze: Ryan Stolp Bronze: Walt Gerald
Best Actor/Actress Gold: Andrew Munz Silver: Zoe Joralemon Bronze: Brian Lenz
Best Place to Get Your Groove On Gold: The Rose Silver: Pink Garter Theatre Bronze: Stagecoach
Best Late Night Hangout Gold: The Rose Silver: Pinky G’s Bronze: Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Best Illustrator
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BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST BAND WITH ORIGINAL MUSIC
CANYON KIDS
“Everyone’s third favorite band.” Canyon Kids frontman Bo Elledge was quick to point out that this is the band’s third year winning Bronze in the Best of JH readers’ poll, but they’re working tirelessly to prove themselves here. The band played 80 shows this past calendar year, and this is the first season Elledge can call himself a full-time musician since joining forces with band mate Dusty Nichols six years ago. “Somehow I’m surviving off these gigs,” he said. Canyon Kids’ sound is a reflection of all of Jackson’s elements—from its gritty Western-folk roots to its young, contemporary, dare we say hip developments. The sextet is getting ready to release its fourth full-length album, and this one comes packed with political commentary. Elledge said the album includes songs about gun control, foreign policy, and the war on drugs. But it’s not all politics. “It’s a big, heavy record with cool interludes and reprises between the heavy stuff,” he said. The band’s powerful sound and local charm has garnered the Canyon Kids national attention. The group has scored supporting slots with the likes of G Love and the Special Sauce, Lukas Nelson, the Infamous Stringdusters and Galactic. Still, its focus is local. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it.” Elledge said, whether playing empty rooms or to a massive crowd in Teton Village for Out West Fest in summer 2016. “I just really want people to support this local music scene,” he said. “We’re definitely puttin’ the shows out there.” This year Out West Fest includes a series of singer/songwriter nights to take place in the Jackson Playhouse theater lobby, and features local singer/songwriters in a casual and completely unique setting. – Shannon Sollitt
BEST UNEXPECTED PLACE TO IMPRESS VISITING FOODIES
The Rose will as tonish your discerning foodie friends.
THE ROSE
When you’re looking for a classic cocktail—we’re talking the best Old Fashioned in the valley—or an herbaceous 1920s punch bowl to share with a table of five, The Rose is the place. But not as many folks are aware of the Speakeasy-style bar’s culinary offerings. On a recent evening in November, I found myself with the daunting duty of entertaining visitors while Jackson Hole was in half hibernation. It was only 9 p.m., after all, but kitchens were shut down, bars were dimmed and my people were hungry. I knew The Rose would be open (something in and of itself to celebrate) so I led the group there with the intention of getting them intoxicated, and subsequently wiping from their memories any notions of food. Instead we ate sturgeon cured with Yellowstone salt and served with beets and egg yolk. Then it was on to Carter Country beef cooked in sauvignon blanc and served with potatoes from Haderlie Farms. As The Rose’s attentive servers delivered us plate after plate complete with creamy local butter and fresh baguette, I tried to conceal my surprise. Apparently, with places like The Rose, you can convince visitors that Jackson Hole indeed has it all. – Robyn Vincent
THE SPECIFIC PURPOSE EXCISE TAX (SPET) TUESDAY, MAY 2ND, 2017.
To insure that all registered voters in the County have the opportunity to cast their ballot, we will begin absentee voting for the Specific Purpose Excise Tax (SPET) Special Election on Thursday, March 23rd, 2017. A qualified elector may cast their ballot at the absentee polling site, or request that a ballot be sent to them. The absentee polling site is located in the basement of the Teton County Administration Building at 200 S. Willow Street, and will be open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from March 23rd through May 1st, 2017. Vote Centers will only be open at the Teton County Library, Teton County/ Jackson Recreation Center, and the Old Wilson Schoolhouse Community Center on Election Day. If you are unable to vote at one of these locations on Election Day, please arrange to vote by absentee ballot! Please contact the County Clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot by mail, or to obtain more information regarding the Special Election. All absentee ballots must be received by 7:00 p.m. on May 2nd, 2017 to be counted.
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE: TETONWYO.ORG/CC | ELECTIONS@TETONWYO.ORG | 307.733.4430
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
SPECIAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Staff pick
Gold: Off Square Theatre Silver: Riot Act, Inc Bronze: Jackson Hole Playhouse
Best Filmmaker Gold: Teton Gravity Research Silver: Darrell Miller Silver: Jennifer Tennican Bronze: Jimmy Chin
Best Ski Run Gold: Hobacks Silver: Corbet’s Couloir Bronze: Crags
Best Liftee Gold: Riley Doyle (JHMR) Silver: Will Freihofer (JHMR) Bronze: Nelson Nolan (JHMR)
Best Golf Course Gold: JH Golf & Tennis Silver: Teton Pines Bronze: 3 Creek Ranch Golf Club
MEGAN PETERSON
BEST OF JACKSON HOLE 2017: SPORTS, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Best Theater Production Company
Pam Phillips and
Thank you JH! We're so happy to be a part of the community!
Let's us know what we can do for you. Private parties and catering.
Best New Restaurant
Best BBQ
n Fritts
gold winner Jaso
BRONZE
Readers’ Choice
BEST MUSICIAN
PAM PHILLIPS Pam Phillips was only six when her fingers first danced across piano keys; her passion flourished in high school, and led her to study piano performance at the University of Cincinnati. In the years since, her musical talents have carried her across the nation and the globe. From Broadway to the stages of Europe, Phillips has an impressive résumé to say the least. After 15 years of touring—and luckily for Jackson Hole—the Phillips family decided to settle in and make their home in the Tetons. If you want to catch some of Phillips’s tunes, head up to the Granary Restaurant and listen to her play some of her favorite gigs. “Weekends in a great room with fantastic views with a wonderful piano—I love both nights,” Phillips said. “Fridays with the band are energizing, but Saturdays solo are also great because I get to stretch out and experiment with the Great American Songbook.” Phillips isn’t limited by her songbooks, though. She enjoys composing her own music, and finds inspiration in the beauty of the natural world that surrounds her home in Jackson. From looking out the window at the mountain peaks or hitting the trail for a hike with friends or dogs, Phillips doesn’t regret trading the bright lights of the city for the clear view of the stars in the Western sky. – Melissa Thomasma
THIS WEEK: March 22-28, 2017
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22
n TAUK with Yak Attack 9:00pm, Town Square Tavern, $10.00, 307-733-3886
THURSDAY, MARCH 23
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Conception/Perception to Realization 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $495.00, 307733-6379 n 41st Annual World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb 9:30am, Snow King Mountain, $15.00 - $30.00, 307-734-9653 n Intermediate Throwing 10:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $154.00 $184.00, 307-733-6379 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307-733-2164 n Growing Through Grief 1:00pm, St. John’s Medical Center, 307-739-7483
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n Explorer Launch Party 5:00pm, Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Free, 307-733-3316 n Nature Mapping Jackson Hole Community Celebration 5:30pm, The Center Theater & Lobby, Free, 307-739-0968 n Processes of Life Drawing 5:45pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $95.00, 307733-6379 n 9th ANNUAL BEST OF JACKSON HOLE PARTY 6:00pm, Moe’s BBQ, $15.00, 307-732-0299 n Open Studio: Figure Model 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Master Class with Dan Walczak 6:30pm, Dancers’ Workshop, $25.00, 307-733-6398 n KHOL Presents: Vinyl Night 8:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500
Compiled by Caroline LaRosa
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Sustainable Farm Law 101 (Driggs) 8:30am, Teton County Extension Office, 208-354-2961 n Conception/Perception to Realization 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $495.00, 307733-6349 n Fall Line Camp 4 9:00am, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, 307-733-2292 n Digital Photography 9:00am, CWC-Jackson, 307733-7425 n Fables, Feathers & Fur 10:30am, National Museum of Wildlife Art, Free, 307-7335771 n Get Your Taxes Done For Free 3:00pm, Teton County Library, Free, 307-733-2164 n PTO 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913
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MUSIC BOX A Taste of The Werks Jam-bands The Werks & Cure for the Common at the Knotty, Dragondeer soul at the Tavern and The Last Revel at the Trap. BY AARON DAVIS @ScreenDoorPorch
T
here’s quite a buzz in the jam world around The Werks. The post jam-band scene has circled back in full form to jam-band era 2.0 here in 2017, and The Werks are emerging as a major player. Instensely and technically exploratory with a bag full of frenzied, crescendoing guitar lines, the very Phish-y quartet has seemingly got the goods. “It’s a mixture of classic rock, straight up rock ‘n’ roll, blues, the dance sensibility of funk and electronic music and ever ything in between,” drummer/vocalist Rob Chafin told Bullet online zine. “The overarching dance music can be anything, mixed in with a lot of jamming. We try to bring all of that together. Some people compare us to Phish, some people compare us to STS9. It’s funny how we touch a variety of the jam scene. We’re very blessed to be in the situation we’re in.” The Werks formed in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio, while its members were attending a local music contest, and the current four-piece has been intact since 2015. The newest members are Jake Goldberg (bass) and Dan Shaw (keys/vocals). Having member changes didn’t hold them up one bit. In fact, it propelled the band’s dynamics in a big way.
The Werks
“Songs that we’ve been playing for a bit, with someone new, there’s a fresh perspective,” Shaw said. “It’s been pushing us to revisit and reinvent playing songs we’ve been playing for a while. It’s always new and exciting to redefine your roles and your position. Jake just being a different position, and different player in general, is forcing us in different directions, which are fun, exploratory and experimental.” This past year’s The Werk Out Music and Arts Festival—its seventh iteration and inhabiting Ohio’s natural amphitheatre and campground property Legend Valley—featured STS9, Lettuce, Twiddle and Motet, among others. The fest says a lot about the industry respect they’ve earned from their technical skill, dreamlike mystery improvisations, and flat out shredding. You’ve ordered the works, and you’ll get
The Werks. Opening the show is Montana’s electro thunder funk unit, Cure for the Common, which has adopted Teton County as its second gig home. The fivepiece offered an ambitious “lost legends” set in Teton Village this past New Year’s Eve to a sold-out crowd. The Werks with Cure for the Common, 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23 at the Knotty Pine in Victor, $10 advance, $12 day of show. 208-787-2866, KnottyPineSupperClub.com.
This Deer spits flames
There’s something about the reverb-drenched psych-folk and swampy blues that emits from Denver’s Dragondeer that lulls the listener into a cosmic wonderland. Imagine an offspring blend of Dan Auerbach and Jack White down in the Mississippi
WEDNESDAY Tauk with Yak Attack (Town Square Tavern), The Texas KGB (Million Dollar Cowboy) THURSDAY The Werks with Cure for the Common (Knotty Pine), Dragondeer (Town Square Tavern) FRIDAY Batdorf & Brother Wolf (Town Square Tavern), Boondocks (Silver Dollar) SATURDAY Switchback (Town Square Tavern), One Ton Pig (Under the Tram), Clusterpluck (Trap Bar)
Dragondeer
Delta, collaborating while on acid and booze. The key to the blues highway is a soulful voice, and Eric Halborg has the throaty chops. Once you consider the mix of electric mandolin and lap steel, this group has a lot of originality worth perusing. Just check out the quartet’s “Jam in the Van” video from Telluride Blues & Brews to get the blood flowing. Dragondeer, 10 p.m. Thursday, March 23 at Town Square Tavern, $5. 733-3886.
Trappin’ revelry String trios are fairly uncommon in the Americana world. It’s not a power trio like Jimi Hendrix Experience, not akin to an organ trio like Medeski Martin & Wood. Though being multi-instrumentalists that can cover a lot of dynamic ground a la larger ensembles could be a genre of its own. Bringing
acoustic guitar, upright bass, fiddle, and banjo while also multi-tasking harmonica, kick-drum and threepart vocal harmonies, this Minneapolis trio is capable of delicately textured performances that have been labeled as “bombastic.” It’s a storied mix of folk, rockabilly, old-time, and rock that will be complementary to your tired Targhee ski legs. The Last Revel, 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 26 in The Trap Bar at Grand Targhee Resort, free. GrandTarghee. com. PJH Aaron Davis is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, member of Screen Door Porch and Boondocks, audio engineer at Three Hearted Studio, founder/host of Songwriter’s Alley, and co-founder of The WYOmericana Caravan.
SUNDAY DJ Cut La Whut (Casper Restaurant), The Last Revel (Trap Bar), Canyon Kids (Silver Dollar) MONDAY JH Hootenanny (Dornan’s) TUESDAY Jackson 6 (Silver Dollar), BOGDOG (Town Square Tavern)
n Food Talks 5:30pm, St. John’s Episcopal Church Hansen Hall, Free, 307733-2603 n Processes of Life Drawing 5:45pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $95.00, 307733-6379 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Glaze Chemistry 101: A Guide To Creating Custom Glazes and Firing Kilns 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $184.00 $220.00, 307-733-6379
n Advanced Papermaking 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $132.00 $158.00, 307-733-6379 n Apple Technology Class 6:30pm, CWC-Jackson, $175.00, 307-733-7425 n Jackson Hole Communty Band 2017 Rehearsals 7:00pm, Centre for the Arts, Free, 307-200-9463 n The Met: Live in HD 7:00pm, The Center Theater, $12.00 - $20.00, 307-733-1128 n Major Zephyr 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939
n Salsa Night 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500 n The Werks 9:00pm, Knotty Pine, $10.00 $12.00, 208-787-2866 n Dragondeer 9:30pm, Town Square Tavern, $5.00, 307-733-3886
FRIDAY, MARCH 24
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398
n 41st Annual World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb 8:00am, Snow King Mountain, $15.00 - $30.00, 307-734-9653 n Open Studio: Portrait Model 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $10.00, 307733-6379 n Conception/Perception to Realization 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $495.00, 307733-6379 n Feathered Fridays 12:00pm, Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center, Free, 307-201-5433
n Screen Door Porch 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n Friday Tastings 4:00pm, The Liquor Store of Jackson Hole, Free, 307-7334466 n FREE Friday Tasting at Jackson Whole Grocer 4:00pm, Jackson Whole Grocer & Cafe, Free, 307-733-0450 n Après Ski and Art 5:00pm, Diehl Gallery, Free, 307-733-0905 n Processes of Life Drawing 5:45pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $95.00, 307733-6379
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n Beginning Drawing 1:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $145.00 $174.00, 307-733-6379 n After School Monthly Workshops 3:30pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $180.00 $216.00, 307-733-6379 n Stackhouse 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n Après Ski and Art 5:00pm, Diehl Gallery, Free, 307-733-0905 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539
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CREATIVE PEAKS
Image Intervention A visiting artist shifts the valley into slow motion; Jackson Hole Still Works asks artists to get saucy. BY MEG DALY @MegDaly1
B
efore the internet (back when dinosaurs walked the earth), we consumed images and information at set times and in set ways. Television only existed on television—not on your iPad or smartphone screen. A magazine article could only be read on the printed page, not jumped to for a moment while scanning for other information. The advent of digital space transformed the way we consume images, creating mishmash left to our minds’ random associations. Australian artist Charlie Donaldson argues that in the pre-internet days, we consumed images in a linear narrative—information came to us in a comprehensive chunk via one mode of transmission. Now, he says, we lack a narrative structure to our image consumption, and so we make up our own narratives. “The dismantling of the linear conception of images has really come about due to the internet as all media is collapsed into digital space and we switch between it all very readily,” he said. “When we search or casually wander the internet, our experience is running on a system of associations based off things you’ve purchased, videos you’ve watched, and articles you’ve read. However, these systems are rarely perfect, and often things can go awry, resulting in magical extrapolations of what we seek to answer, purchase, or learn.” Donaldson is the visiting artist in residence at
Teton Artlab. He will give a presentation about his work on Thursday, and an open studio Friday. Collaging prints of digital imagery, Donaldson investigates the meaning of images and associations. His art delves into how our minds work, and the storytelling impulse hardwired into our way of making sense of the world. For instance, he questions the way we organize digital images by hashtags. “Images are marked and sorted into set tags and associative systems to make them easier to navigate, but that information is essentially infinite and often images that don’t fit into that system are sorted into them, resulting in bizarre combinations of images,” he said. Donaldson argues that when we are bombarded with information we have to make cognitive leaps, and along the way our thinking can become muddled and our minds can fabricate strange stories. “My practice involves taking that bombardment, mining a lot of data from it and then attempting to marry that data with the process of storytelling,” he said. For his Jackson project, Donaldson explored the folk history canon of the United States, especially stories associated with the American Midwest, such as gold mines, Bigfoot, lost expeditions, and UFO encounters, which he sees as intrinsic to modern American cultural mythology. “I wanted to create a body of work that was polished yet seemingly insane and absurd,” he said, “In the way that someone investing such a huge amount of time into something so false and ridiculous (UFOs, Bigfoot) gives it some amount of cultural and historical significance.” His final collage will tell a story that begins with a lone gold prospector striking it rich in late 19th century Wyoming and ends with a treasure hunting society based in Jackson that disappears off the face of the earth. Artist talk by Charlie Donaldson, 6 to 8 p.m.
Thursday, March 23, at 175 Center Street. (Please note this is a different location than Teton Artlab.) Open studio with Charlie Donaldson, 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, March 24 at Teton Artlab, 130 S. Jackson Street.
“I wanted to create a body of work that was polished yet insane and absurd.”
High spirits
A few years ago, two energetic, inspired friends started an artisanal grain-to-bottle spirits company with a special twist. Jackson Hole Still Works founders Chas Marsh and Travis Goodman envisioned a company that partnered with local community organizations and businesses, and highlighted local artists. To that end, they decided their signature vodka, Highwater Vodka, would feature artwork by a local artist on a yearly basis. Each year, JH Still Works would partner with the Art Association to hold a contest for new art. Now in its third year, the competition just opened and runs through May 30. “Travis and I come from families that are very passionate about the arts,” Marsh said. “We believe whole-heartedly in all of the amazing support that the Art Association provides to our local and greater Wyoming community as well as to the artists who live here. Our contest is designed to draw focus to both.” Previous winners include Katy Ann Fox and Emily Boespflug. The theme of the competition is simply, “Wyoming,” and artists from the state and from Teton County, Idaho, are invited to submit their work for consideration. Media considered includes 2D work in watercolor, oil, pastel, pencil, acrylic, collage and multimedia. Original works only; no prints. Each work must be 12 by 12 inches and framed. The winner receives $2,000 and their winning artwork on the label for one year, plus, and most importantly, a six-bottle case of Highwater Vodka. For more information and to apply, check CallForEntry.org. PJH
n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Altered Books & Papermaking 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $121.00, 307-733-6379 n Pam Drews Phillips Plays Jazz 7:00pm, The Granary at Spring Creek Ranch, Free, 307-733-8833 n Free Public Stargazing 7:30pm, Center for the Arts, Free, 844-9967827 n I Can Ski Forever: An Original Musical by Andrew Munz 7:30pm, Pink Garter Theatre, $30.00, 307733-1500 n Boondocks 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939 n Bartdorf & Brother Wolf 9:30pm, Town Square Tavern, $10.00, 307733-3886
SATURDAY, MARCH 25
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SEE CALENDAR PAGE 73
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n 42nd Annual Karen Oatey Pole Pedal Paddle presented by Rendezvous River Sports 8:00am, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, $40.00 - $85.00, 307-733-6433 n 41st Annual World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb 8:00am, Snow King Mountain, $15.00 $30.00, 307-734-9653 n Women’s Retreat 8:30am, Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church, Free, n REFIT® 9:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 $20.00, 307-733-6398 n 4 Essential Elements for the Landscape 2:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $130.00 - $156.00, 307-733-6379 n Music Under the Tram with One Ton Pig 3:00pm, Teton Village, Free, 307-733-2292 n Clusterpluck 4:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-3532300 n Après Ski and Art 5:00pm, Diehl Gallery, Free, 307-733-0905 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Hennessy X.O Sensory Dinner at Four Seasons 6:30pm, Four Seasons Library, $135.00, 307732-5620 n I Can Ski Forever: An Original Musical by Andrew Munz 7:30pm, Pink Garter Theatre, $30.00, 307733-1500 n Boondocks 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307732-3939
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SARGENT SCHUTT
CULTURE KLASH
‘The Daddy of All Races’ When witnessing carnage and day drinking is all in the name of charity. BY SHANNON SOLLITT @ShannonSollitt
J
ackson local Cody Daigle has only missed three Hill Climbs in his 24 years of life here. It’s one of his favorite weekends of the year. An estimated 10,000 people will descend on the valley this weekend from all over the Rocky Mountain West to partake in the 41st annual World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb. Approximately 300 of the region’s best snowmobilers are registered to compete. The rest are here to watch, cheer, and spend a weekend in town. Jackson Hole Snow Devils president Jeff Toolson calls it the “daddy of all races.” “Basically, you have 10,000 people standing on the ground watching some of the best athletes get to the top of a mountain,” Toolson said. And any time 10,000 people gather in one place for a weekend, “things are bound to get a little rowdy.” Locals are fairly divided on how they feel about the event. To some, the influx of snowmobilers, regarded even among themselves as rednecks, is reason to avoid town for the weekend and for townies to lock themselves inside. But for die-hards like Daigle, “it’s just a really great, huge party” with “a bunch of really cool people. We rednecks are pretty laid-back,” he said.
Words of wisdom And really, many will not complain about an opportunity to drink the day away. ‘Bilers and skiers have coexisted in Jackson for decades, and if there’s one thing they have in common it’s an ability to hold
Bud Lite drinkers unite—the World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb is upon us.
down their beer. Remember, though, it’s only a race for the people on sleds. “Don’t get too drunk too quick,” Daigle advised. Daigle said he’s certainly seen his share of debauchery at the Hill Climb, but so has law enforcement (we’re talking fist fights and topless chicks, though it’s been some time since the Hill Climb has hosted that kind of excitement) and they will be on full alert. Locals might actually be able to hide in the shade of Hill Climb debauchery. With so much attention on Snow King, Daigle joked, “if you wanna do anything else illegal in town, that would be the weekend to do it.” (He clarified that he does not actually condone illegal activity, and law enforcement will likely be alert throughout the valley, so exercise caution.) For celebrity encounters, Daigle recommends paying a visit to either the Cowboy Bar or the Virginian any night of the weekend. Those are the racers’ go-to bars, he said, and spectators will likely have a chance to meet face-to-face with the competitors. Alternatively, people less into the ‘biler scene should probably avoid those bars, or any bars, altogether this weekend. Daigle says that when the sleds stop racing, pretty much every bar in town fills up. Alcohol consumption during the day is at least mitigated by cash flow. Anyone planning to drink should budget accordingly, as all alcohol must be purchased at one of the many vendor booths in the area. Don’t even bother trying to bring your own, Toolson said. Security guards will be checking bags at the entrance. “If you bring booze, it’s not your booze anymore,” he warned. Toolson expects people to reserve the rowdiness for after-hours. The scene at the base of Snow King Mountain, he said, is actually “perfectly family-friendly.” “People are just having a good time.”
Three cheers for carnage Snowmobiling is a spectator sport. Toolson said there are two different outcomes to any weekend:
either the mountain wins, or the racers win. The racers win when more competitors actually make it to the top of the mountain than don’t. When the mountain wins, more people get stuck or wreck their sled than complete the course. The former is better for the racers, but the latter is more fun to watch. “It makes it a long day,” he said, “but it’s better for the spectators if the mountain wins.” Even viewers with no experience on a snowmobile can appreciate a good crash. If an entire weekend is too much to handle for a curious newcomer, Toolson says Saturday is the most exciting day to watch. That’s when the big sleds come out to play. “Snowmobiles with ridiculous horsepower just blaze this course,” he said. Daigle prefers Sunday, when the finalists compete for the cash prize and the trophy. The winner, he said, is either the racer who made it the farthest on the course, or, if multiple people finished, the racer who finished fastest. Daigle and Toolson both recommend arriving early to stake out a spot on the baseball field. Snow King will also run the chairlift all weekend, and the deck at the top is one of the better vantage points. “At least ride up and take a look at the trenches these guys are running through,” Toolson said. “You cannot get the whole perspective on how steep that is [from the bottom].” Races begin mid-morning Thursday and continue through Sunday. The Cost to watch from the spectator field is $15 per day, or $30 for the whole weekend. All profits from the weekend go toward funding scholarships and charitable donations, Toolson said. Last year, Snow Devils raised $80,000, all of which went back into the community. “It’s one of the reasons it makes it fun to do this,” Toolson said. “The Snow Devils are completely volunteer—a bunch of people that all want to do the same thing, and that’s give back to the community.” Plus, Daigle said, “It’s a kick-ass good time.” PJH
Football is over. Let the BRUNCH begin! Sat & Sun 10am-3pm •••••••••••
HAPPY HOUR
1/2 Off Drinks Daily 5-7pm
••••••••••• Monday-Saturday 11am, Sunday 10:30am 832 W. Broadway (inside Plaza Liquors)•733-7901
Music Under the Tram with One Ton Pig Saturday, 3pm, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Year 6 of this massively popular free spring concert series. Grab your friends, and après in this unforgettable, sunny location, slopeside under the tram. n Switchback 9:30pm, Town Square Tavern, $10.00, 307-733-3886
SUNDAY, MARCH 26
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n REFIT® 8:30am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $20.00, 307-7336398 n Printmaking/Painting/ Embossing/Drawing Workshop 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $495.00, 307733-6379 n Toddler Time 10:05am, Teton County Library Youth Auditorium, Free, 307-733-2164 n White Lightning Open Mic Night 3:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-353-2300 n The Maw Band 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n POP UP: Art FUNdamentals 3:30pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $70.00 $84.00, 307-733-6379 n REFIT® 5:15pm, First Baptist Church, Free, 307-690-6539 n Art N Soul 6:00pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $88.00 $105.00, 307-733-6379 n Jackson Six 7:30pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n B.O.G.D.O.G.. 9:30pm, Town Square Tavern, Free, 307-733-3886
FOR COMPLETE EVENT DETAILS VISIT PJHCALENDAR.COM
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MARCH 22, 2017 | 73
n Dance & Fitness Classes All Day 8:00am, Dancers’ Workshop, $10.00 - $16.00, 307-733-6398 n Printmaking/Painting/ Embossing/Drawing Workshop 9:00am, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $495.00, 307733-6379 n Digital Photography 9:00am, CWC-Jackson, 307733-7425 n Foreign Policy Series Prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan 12:00pm, Teton County Library, Free, 307-733-2164 n Silent Space 12:15pm, St. John’s Church, Free, 307-733-2603 n B.O.G.D.O.G - Band On Glen Down on Glen 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n After School Kidzart Club: Grade K-2 3:30pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $165.00 $198.00, 307-733-6379 n Studio Sampler 3:45pm, Art Association of Jackson Hole, $264.00 $316.00, 307-733-6379 n Hootenanny 6:00pm, Dornan’s, Free, 307733-2415 n Foreign Policy Series Prospects for Afghanistan and Pakistan 6:00pm, Teton County Library, Free, 307-733-2164
TUESDAY, MARCH 28
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
n 41st Annual World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb 8:00am, Snow King Mountain, $15.00 - $30.00, 307-734-9653 n Casper Deck Party presented by Bud Light with DJ VerT-OnE 11:00am, JHMR Casper Restaurant, Free, 307-7332292 n Fly Tying with Dave Tucker 11:00am, JD High Country Outfitters, $75.00, 307-7333270 n Major Zephyr 3:30pm, Mangy Moose, Free, 307-733-4913 n The Last Revel 4:00pm, The Trap Bar & Grill, Free, 307-353-2300 n Great Until Late 6:00pm, Local Stores, Free, 307-733-3316 n Stagecoach Band 6:00pm, Stagecoach, Free, 307-733-4407 n Canyon Kids 7:00pm, Silver Dollar Showroom, Free, 307-732-3939 n Hospitality Night - Happy Hour 9:00pm, The Rose, Free, 307733-1500
MONDAY, MARCH 27
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
74 | MARCH 22, 2017
WELLNESS COMMUNITY
SUDOKU
Complete the grid so that each row, column, diagonal and 3x3 square contain all of the numbers 1 to 9. No math is involved. The grid has numbers, but nothing has to add up to anything else. Solve the puzzle with reasoning and logic. Solving time is typically 10 to 30 minutes, depending on your skill and experience.
WITH A ONE YEAR COMMITMENT: • 1 SQUARE = $15 cash OR $30 trade per week PLUS you’ll receive a free Budget web ad (300 x 120)
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L.A.TIMES “SECRETLY JEALOUS” By Garry Morse
SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2017
ACROSS
1 Plush carpet Lunchbox staples, initially 5 9 Two-time Argentine president 14 Piglike rhino relative 19 Sword handle 20 Beat but good 21 Texas Revolution battle site 22 All-page link 23 Field: Pref. 24 Scrape in the sandbox 25 Hold fast, as one’s attention 26 Get behind, as a desk 27 Pouilly-__: wine 29 Sure thing 32 Sam Spade type 33 Wrote to, nowadays 35 Low-tech travel guide 36 “You can’t fool me!” 38 Explorer Ericson 39 Washroom item 43 Nine months, for some tots 44 “Lou Grant” star 46 Wash. neighbor 47 Language of many mottos 48 Spikes 50 Reduce in importance 52 Oath 54 Titanic undertaking 57 Really gets to 59 Native of Nigeria 60 Sloppy kiss 61 Cause of a close shave 64 Epidemic-fighting agcy. 67 Belief sys. 68 Investment descriptor that should sound alarms 69 For instance 70 Actor Stephen 71 Suffix with stamp 72 Order to swabs 73 Donizetti opera “L’elisir __” (“The Elixir of Love”) 74 Poet’s adverb
75 Emotion indicator, often 77 City NNW of San Diego 80 Gourmet 84 Hardly fleeting 85 Casual tops 88 Work well together 89 ’60s protest org. 91 “If I Were a Rich Man” singer 92 Pasta ending 93 Pal 94 Longfellow’s bell town 95 Half a fly 96 Like some ancient Celts 99 Dessert square 101 Long John Silver creator’s monogram 104 Many a side dish 109 “__ Fideles” 111 Little bits 112 Base lines 113 Oater actor Jack 115 Capital south of Helsinki 116 Lycée student 117 Industry leaders 118 Hieroglyphics bird 119 Rise in a big way 120 Cold fall 121 Exaggerated on stage 122 “Eli’s Coming” songwriter 123 Word homophonically hidden in the eight longest puzzle answers
DOWN
1 Harsh treatment, with “the” 2 World Court site, with “The” 3 Tanzanian flowering plant 4 Classic muscle cars 5 Introduction 6 Acknowledge applause 7 Better, as gossip 8 Metal marble 9 Medicare Rx section 10 Lamb pen name 11 Indian musician who
influenced Beatle George Symbolic warning Homework shirker’s punishment 14 Puccini heroine 15 “West Side Story” girl 16 River to Chesapeake Bay 17 Hitting the roof 18 Enters again 28 Pfizer-owned trademark 30 One crying foul? 31 James’ creator 4 Skin-treatment plant 37 Go 9 Field unit 40 Dined 41 __City: computer game 42 Vacation spot 44 Look up to 45 Wet floor 47 Theater option 48 Irish truck 49 Parrot’s cry 51 Not yet interlaced, as yarn 52 Putted into the hole 53 Like some bad weather 55 Up-and-down inventor? 56 2015 World Series winning manager Ned 58 Hollywood adaptation 61 Trucks with ovine logos 62 Mine, to Mimi 63 Refines one’s aim 65 Dance runner 66 King of pop 68 Smallish iPods 69 Tammany Hall Tiger artist 73 Childless couple’s acronym 76 “I’ll take what I can get,” in classifieds 12 13
77 R&B singer Gray 78 Authenticated 79 Riles up 81 DVD predecessor 82 U.N. workers’ gp. 83 Cru output 85 Tot’s toes 86 Hot 87 1992 Kentucky Derby winner 89 Entered on tiptoe 90 Med. man of ’70s TV 93 MML ÷ X 94 NYSE trader 97 Go 98 A metro area may be shown in one 99 Low in pitch 100 Playground dispute words 102 St.’s second-in-command 103 Sordid 105 Part of NYSE: Abbr. 106 __ Strip 107 Final __ 108 Semester, e.g. 110 First name in legal fiction 114 Tune
FREE WILL ASTROLOGY
BY ROB BREZSNY
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Of course you want to get the best of everything. But that doesn’t mean you should disdain cheap thrills that are more interesting and gratifying than the expensive kind. And of course you enjoy taking risks. But there’s a big difference between gambling that’s spurred by superstitious hunches and gambling rooted in smart research. And of course you’re galvanized by competition. But why fritter away your competitive fire on efforts to impress people? A better use of that fire is to use it to hone your talents and integrity. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) If you own an untamable animal like a bull, the best way to manage it is to provide a fenced but spacious meadow where it can roam freely. So said famous Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki, using a metaphor to address how we might deal with the unruly beasts in our own psyches. This is excellent advice for you right now, Taurus. I’d hate to see you try to quash or punish your inner wild thing. You need its boisterous power! It will be a fine ally if you can both keep it happy and make it work for you. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) If I were to provide a strict interpretation of the astrological omens, I’d advise you to PARTY HARDY AND ROWDY AND STRONG AND OFTEN! I’d suggest that you attend a raging bash or convivial festivity once every day. And if that were logistically impossible, I’d advise you to stage your own daily celebrations, hopefully stocked with the most vivacious and stimulating people you can find. But I recognize that this counsel may be too extreme for you to honor. So I will simply invite you to PARTY HARDY AND ROWDY AND STRONG at least twice a week for the next four weeks. It’s the medicine you need. CANCER (June 21-July 22) You are on the verge of achieving a sly victory over the part of you that is unduly meek and passive. I believe that in the coming weeks you will rise up like a resourceful hero and at least half-conquer a chronic fear. A rumbling streak of warrior luck will flow through you, enabling you to kill off any temptation you might have to take the easy way out. Congratulations in advance, my fellow Cancerian! I have rarely seen our tribe have so much power to triumph over our unconscious attraction to the victim role.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) William Boyd writes novels, which require him to do copious research about the real-world milieus he wants his fictional characters to inhabit. For example, to ensure the authenticity of his book Waiting for Sunrise, he found out what it was like to live in Vienna in 1913. He compares his process of searching for juicy facts to the feeding habits of a blue whale: engorging huge amounts of seawater to strain out the plankton that are good to eat. Ninety percent of the information he wades through is irrelevant, but the rest is tasty and nourishing. I suspect you’ll thrive on a similar approach in the coming weeks, Virgo. Be patient as you search for what’s useful.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) I’m not suggesting you should listen to your heart with rapt attention every waking minute for the next four weeks. I don’t expect you to neglect the insights your mind has to offer. But I would love to see you boost your attunement to the intelligent organ at the center of your chest. You’re going to need its specific type of guidance more than ever in the coming months. And at this particular moment, it is beginning to overflow with wisdom that’s so rich and raw that it could unleash a series of spiritual orgasms.
RABBIT ROW REPAIR WE SERVICE THEM ALL …
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The empty space at the end of this sentence has intentionally been left blank. The serene hiatus you just glided through comes to you courtesy of Healing Silence, an ancient form of do-it-yourself therapy. Healing Silence is based on the underappreciated truth that now and then it’s restorative to just SHUT UP and abstain from activity for a while. (As you know, the world is crammed with so much noise and frenzy that it can be hard to hear yourself think—or even feel.) With Healing Silence, you bask in a sanctuary of sweet nothingness for as long as you need to. Please try it sometime soon. Wrap yourself in the luxurious void of Healing Silence. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) I hope you won’t feel the need to say any of these things: 1. “I’m sorry I gave you everything I had without making sure you wanted it.” 2. “Will you please just stop asking me to be so real.” 3. “I long for the part of you that you’ll never give me.” Now here are things I hope you will say sometime soon: 1. “I thrived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.” (This declaration is lifted from novelist Joshua Graham.) 2. “I’m having fun, even though it’s not the same kind of fun everyone else is having.” (Borrowed from author C.S. Lewis.) 3. “I’m not searching for who I am. I’m searching for the person I aspire to be.” (Stolen from author Robert Brault.) PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Are you fantasizing more about what you don’t have and can’t do than what you do have and can do? If so, please raise the “do have” and “can do” up to at least 51 percent. (Eighty percent would be better.) Have you been harshly critiquing yourself more than you have been gently taking care of yourself? If so, get your self-care level up to at least 51 percent. (Eight-five percent is better.) Are you flirting with a backward type of courage that makes you nervous about what everyone thinks of you and expects from you? If so, I invite you to cultivate a different kind of courage at least 51 percent of the time: courage to do what’s right for you no matter what anyone thinks or expects. (Ninety percent is better.)
Go to RealAstrology.com for Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes and daily text-message horoscopes. Audio horoscopes also available by phone at 877-873-4888 or 900-950-7700.
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MARCH 22, 2017 | 75
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Here’s a new word for you: enantiodromia. It’s what happens when something turns into its opposite. It’s nature’s attempt to create equilibrium where there has been imbalance. Too much NO becomes YES, for example. A superabundance of yin mutates into yang, or an overem-
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) When I was 24, I lived in rural North Carolina and had a job washing dishes in a city four miles away. I was too poor to own a bicycle, let alone a car. To get to work I had to trudge down backroads where hostile dogs and drunk men in pick-up trucks roamed freely. Luckily, I discovered the art of psychic protection. At first I simply envisioned a golden force field surrounding me. Later I added visualizations of guardian animals to accompany me: two friendly lions and two sheltering wolves. Maybe it was just the placebo effect, but the experiment worked. My allies made me brave and kept me safe. You’re welcome to borrow them, Scorpio, or conjure up your own version of spirit protectors. You’re not in physical danger, but I suspect you need an extra layer of protection against other people’s bad moods, manipulative ploys, and unconscious agendas.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Leo journal entry, Thursday: Am too settled and stale and entrenched. Feeling urges to get cheeky and tousled. Friday: So what if I slept a little longer and arrived late? Who cares if the dishes are piling up in the sink? I hereby refuse law and order. Saturday: I’m fantasizing about doing dirty deeds. I’m thinking about breaking the taboos. Sunday: Found the strangest freshness in a place I didn’t expect to. Sometimes chaos is kind of cute and friendly. Monday: The nagging voice of the taskmaster in my head is gone. Ding-dong. Let freedom ring!
phasis on control generates chaos. Flip-flops like these tend to be messy if we resist them, but interesting if we cooperate. I figure that’s your choice right now. Which will it be? The latter, I hope. P.S.: The reversals that you consciously co-create may not be perfect. But even if they are baffling, I bet they will also be amusing and magnificent.
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
76 | MARCH 22, 2017
The Best of Cosmic Café
how we fill our cup in order to be present and freely loving to ourselves and to others. As you care for yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and soulfully everyone benefits. You feel happier and empowered; others are inspired by your example, and positive energy is contagious.
A Cherokee teaching to help us during chaotic times
Soul love is unconditional love
A wise Cherokee grandfather teaches his grandchildren about life: “A fight is going on inside me,” he says to the children. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.” The grandfather continues, “The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you and inside every other person, too.” The grandchildren thought about it for a minute and then asked their grandfather, “Which wolf will win?” Their Cherokee grandfather simply replied, “The one you feed.”
Animal altruism: The rat who paid it forward May this true story remind us that all life is intelligent and interconnected. A young boy bought a white rat to feed to his pet snake. By the time he got home, the boy changed his mind and decided to keep the rat as a pet, sparing the rat’s life. One night, months later, toxic fumes from the family’s garage began pouring into the boy’s bedroom as he slept. The rat smelled the poisonous air, escaped from his cage in the bedroom and scratched on the boy’s face until rousing the child from a near comatose state. The rat and the boy were saved. The white rat was the hero.
Love yourself Instructions for how to handle an emergency on an airplane include putting on our oxygen masks before assisting others. Why? Because if you are out of oxygen you are no good to anyone. That’s an extreme example, and may it never happen, but the same metaphor applies to everyday life. It’s our responsibility to take care of managing our energy and making choices for our well-being. Self-care is not selfish; it is self-full, which is precisely
Soul love is unconditional. It means that you see, love and accept the good and bad, or the beautiful and ugly of the other person. You may not like some of their behaviors. You may not agree with all their ideas. However, the love for the other is never subject to conditions nor is it ever under threat. It’s always there and always deep. There is no energy focused on changing the other person. They are loved for who they are and vice versa. As you might imagine, unconditional love is a recipe for thriving and naturally moving in the direction of living to your full potential. Cherish the gift of unconditional love whenever you feel it, share it and receive it.
8 mind-blowing expansions • There is intelligent life everywhere in the universe more advanced, as advanced, and less advanced than we are in both technology and consciousness. • If only 0.1 percent of stars in our Milky Way have orbiting planets, that means there are still 10 million solar systems in the Milky Way alone. • We are souls and we have a physical body. • There is no junk DNA; there is DNA, which is not yet activated. • Sculpture, art and literature from every ancient civilization credit ET contact with accelerating our human evolution. • People with credible positions in military, government and civilian life have experienced contact with ET intelligence, and have gone on record describing what transpired. • Extraterrestrial archaeology is a new science focusing on remnants of intelligent civilizations discovered on the moon, on Mars and on some of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter. PJH “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” – A. Schopenhauer, 1788-1860
Carol Mann is a longtime Jackson resident, radio personality, former Grand Targhee Resort owner, author, and clairvoyant. Got a Cosmic Question? Email carol@yourcosmiccafe.com
WELLNESS COMMUNITY
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MARCH 22, 2017 | 77
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Professional and Individualized Treatments • Sports/Ortho Rehab • Neck and Back Rehab • Rehabilitative Pilates • Incontinence Training • Pelvic Pain Rehab • Lymphedema Treatments Norene Christensen PT, DSc, OCS, CLT Rebekah Donley PT, DPT, CPI Mark Schultheis PT, CSCS Kim Armington PTA, CPI
TRAINING TO BE BALANCED TRIAL MEMBERSHIPS $99
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78 | MARCH 22, 2017
REDNECK PERSPECTIVE SATIRE
The Real Best of BY CLYDE THORNHILL
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WRITERS WANTED · UNTOLD STORIES · · ALTERNATIVE VOICES · · EDGY PERSPECTIVES · BE AN IMPORTANT VOICE IN THE COMMUNITY WHILE SHARPENING YOUR STORYTELLING SKILLS. EMAIL CLIPS TO EDITOR@PLANETJH.COM
very year The Planet does a Best of Jackson Hole issue and every year they get it wrong. Where are the categories for women wearing the shortest skirt, the skimpiest top, the silkiest black lace, most eye shadow, possessing the largest breasts and the winner for most overall trashy? What about the biggest pickup, the biggest gun, the biggest TV screen in the smallest trailer, the best belch, best stripper, biggest beer belly? The Planet actually has a category for best sushi? How can one raw fish be better than another? It can only be worse. If I had to choose best sushi I would choose Bubba’s mainly because Bubba’s restaurant does not sell sushi, you have to eat smoked pork ribs instead. Darn! They also have no edamame, tartare, shiro miso soup, seaweed salad or anything with tofu! For those whose urbane self-image won’t allow the consumption of hamburgers or barbequed ribs, Bubba’s offers deepfried fish and chips. It’s the same as sushi, only batter, I mean better! There was no category for best mountain bike ride and while Hog Islanders are not known for nonmotorized travel, this year a new bike trail was blazed by a couple of Hog Island high school rodeo club members. Basically, they were bored one autumn full moon night when the elk were bugling and chasing each other across the bike path between Timber Island and the LucasFabian cabins. I won’t go into details, as park rangers might frown on this particular activity, but by creatively combining cowboy traditions, mountain biking, an elk bugle and a well-thrown lariat, they got a fast ride across the sagebrush. Warning for those who wish to attempt this ride: Don’t tie hard and fast around the handlebars unless you have a helmet and full suspension. Best sustainable neighborhood is not a category because the West Bank would be embarrassed, as Hog Island
would surely win hands down. While not known to sport eco bumper stickers on the bumpers of Escalades, Hog Islanders do not have electric toilet lid lifters, heated driveways and yearround temperature controlled vacant second trailers. Hog Islanders reduce their carbon footprint by taking vacations in the local hills during hunting season, instead of flying across the world to Hawaii for an eco-chic-spiritual-enlightenment retreat. In an attempt to preserve our farmlands from overuse, Hog Islanders drink Bud Lite, a beer so watered down that thousands of bushels of barley and hops are saved annually. Rather than driving to yoga class, art openings, plays or lectures, they watch NASCAR on TV, saving oil for future generations. They ice fish in winter (well at least those who are really hard up for any excuse to drink whiskey) thereby saving the jet fuel required by West Bankers to fly in fresh fish daily. Lastly, for the fourth year in a row Harrison Ford’s ranch was voted best goose hunting. While not an official Planet category, local goose hunters are having a plaque made up to present to Mr. Ford at the Ducks Unlimited banquet. PJH
See Greece like a local..... september 15 - 25 Price: $1350* th
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(per person, based on double occupancy)
4 Nights in Athens, 5 Nights in Crete
OPTIONAL DAY TRIPS (ADD ONS) AEGINA, POROS AND HYDRA 3 ISLAND TOUR MAGNIFICENT DELPHI EPIDAVROS AND CORINTH ...AND MORE
EMAIL JBRIGGS@CITYWEEKLY.NET FOR TRIP DETAILS Limited spots available. *Triple and single occupancy rates available *Airfare not included, **does not include historic sites or museum fees
MARCH 22, 2017 | 79
Tour Greece with someone who speaks the language and knows what to see!
| PLANET JACKSON HOLE |
INCLUDES: TRANSFER FROM ATHENS AIRPORT (AT SELECT TIMES ONLY) WELCOME DINNER IN ATHENS BREAKFAST DAILY IN ATHENS AND CRETE HOTELS UNIQUE FOODS AND BACK ALLEY TOUR OF ATHENS ATHENS HOTEL/PORT TRANSFERS OVERNIGHT FERRY TO CRETE BUS FROM HERAKLION, CRETE TO CHANIA, CRETE WALKING TOUR CHANIA, CRETE
80 | MARCH 22, 2017
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