Enjoy Magazine: South Valley Living—June 2015 by Enjoy Magazine: Northern California Living

South Valley Living Magazine

JUNE 2015

Adventures Ahead www.enjoysouthvalley.com

Enjoy the magazine It’s on the house

Contents ®

South Valley Living JUNE 2015

Dest i nat ion 22 Ridge Creek Golf Course in Dinuba

Good Fi nds 12 The Court Barbershop in Hanford 18 Going Au Natural at Café Tommy’s

i nt er est 9 Marshall Kipp’s Roseland Studios in Woodlake

loca l s

6 Plano Jerky Puts Porterville on the Map 15 Family Time with the Jessen’s at Visalia’s Tazzaria

on the m a p

28 Kenny Hildebrand and Julien Sprague Stir the Pot at Kaweah Brewing

SHOW TIME

25 Keeping up with the Gospel Whiskey Runners

I n Ev ery issue

30 Enjoy the View – Josiah Alter 32 What’s Cookin’—Key Lime Pie with Coconut Whipped Topping 34 Spotlight—Calendar of Events 36 Store Front—Jon Bassett, Sophisticated Pallet 38 Giving Back—Envision Art Studio in Visalia

Ridge Creek Golf Course photo by Christy Canafax

Enjoy magazine is not affiliated with JOY magazine or Bauer German Premium GmbH. JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 3

Call us to cater your next gathering

Owners Miguel & Mikayla Reyes

THANK YOU

V I S A L I A

0 6 . 1 2 . 1 5 Downtown Gastropub One-Year Anniversary

F o llo w o u r u p d a t e s o n t h i s e v e n t a t P i t a K a b o b . c o m / Ye a r O n e Pita Kabob Gastropub 227 N. Court St. Visalia, CA 559.627.BEER (2337)

Pita Kabob WAkers 5101 W. Walnut Ave. Visalia, CA 559.635.PITA (7482)

Pita Kabob Mooney 2226 S Mooney Blvd. Visalia, CA 559.733.4016

pitakabob.com

/pitakabob

@pitakabob

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Café Tommy photo by Josiah Alter See page 18 for more on Café Tommy ®

south valley Living

Yvonne Mazzotta publisher Michelle Adams publisher Ronda Ball editor-in-chief Kerri Regan copy editor Michelle Adams graphic design JERED MILLER contributing graphic designer monica fatica consultant/ advertising sales representative luci long advertising sales representative

JUNE 2015

Lynn Learned advertising sales representative

Summer’s promise is upon us, with sunshine-soaked days and warm, starry nights. Floating on the lake, sinking your teeth into a tender slice of watermelon, squeezing your own fresh lemonade - some say this is the sweetest time of the year. In honor of Father’s Day, pull Dad away from the barbecue and the lawn tools for a day of celebration. Treat him to a delightful cup of coffee at Tazzaria, or perhaps a gourmet-but-casual meal at Café Tommy. Gift him with some ale from Kaweah Brewing, which is brewed with great care right here in the Valley. If he enjoys golfing, check out the delightful Ridge Creek Golf Course in Dinuba, which plays like a championship course. And check out “In the June Spotlight” for activities ranging from car shows to dance parties to jazz nights – you’re sure to find something to please that special guy in your life. We’ll also tell you about a woman who was inspired by her father to turn her love for jerky into a long-standing business, Plano Jerky. It’s a story of proud heritage and perseverance. The final school bell is poised to ring soon, but when the inevitable refrains of “I’m bored” echo through your home, don’t panic – our calendar of events includes an array of kid-friendly activities to keep your youngsters occupied. Don’t forget to stop by Enjoy the Store in Visalia and pick up a gift crate filled with treats individually selected for the delightful dad or the new graduate in your life. We’ll even wrap it for you! Happy Father’s Day, and enjoy!

VALERI BARNES advertising sales representative brandi barnett sales assistant/event calendar/website Alex PUjol deliveries www.enjoysouthvalley.com 505 W. Center Street Visalia CA 93291 559.804.7411 Email General: info@enjoymagazine.net Sales and Advertising information: monica@enjoymagazine.net

© 2015 by Enjoy Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproductions without permission are strictly prohibited. Articles and advertisements in Enjoy Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management, employees, or freelance writers. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings and omissions. If an error is found, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us of the mistake. The businesses, locations and people mentioned in our articles are solely determined by the editorial staff and are not influenced by advertising. Enjoy and Enjoy the Store are trademarks of Enjoy, Inc.

COVER PHOTO

Weaver Lake, Southern Sierra Nevada, Tulare County by Jacki Potorke www.jackipotorke.com

Find us on facebook... Enjoy Magazine South Valley Living

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 5

LOCALs

| By jordan venema | Photos: TAMARA ORTH

Well d e v r e s e r P p t erv i lle o n t he m a por s t u p Y K R E J O P L AN Second World War. interned for the duration of the y pick a was ra mu na d in the militar y to As a child, Kristi Na Given the option, Frank enliste to go e’d “W y. jerk f bee eater, but not when it came to e his countr y. dy and jerky, I would serv s were the first the store and even between can fter the war, the Nanamura A for love t Tha . says she return to Lindsay. choose jerky a lot of the time,” Japanese American family to to nk, Fra er, fath sti’s sti, “their belongings, jerky might have inspired Kri “W hen they came back,” says Kri e aus bec it ted star d Da t start Plano Jerky. “I joke tha everything was stolen.” ” up. g win gro ans of his generation, y jerk ch mu so I’d eat Like many Japanese Americ s “It’ . idea r’s the mo her eriences, but he bore The name Plano Jerky was Frank spoke little about his exp ’ old in ‘pla as it ber em rem ke of any of those catchy, because some people no grudge. “My dad never spo s pay also it But t.” tha like a traditional Japanese jerky,” says Kristi, “and they things,” says Kristi. “He was e nam e sam the by ent didn’t dwell on the homage to an old settlem American, quiet, soft-spoken, and . founded in the Porterville area e experiences.” , which has gone negativ ent lem sett e of his experiences, no Pla the ike unl But Kristi’s uncle Jim did share som red seve per has y Jerk no allowed,” and being the way of the buffalo, Pla about signs reading “no Japs a n bee has y pan com ice cream. The family through preservation. The refused service trying to buy n ofte ts den resi and 9, groceries. Porterville fixture since 197 required police escort just to buy put ed help dad ur “Yo years they’d lost, the approach Kristi and say, Without reparations for the dad taught himself to Porterville on the map.” Nanamuras persevered. “My s brim she er, fath her ut r navels,” says Kristi. When Kristi speaks abo sur vey the land, plant lemons, late also but lt, bui he ss ine bus farm from ground up, with pride – not just for the By 1979, the family built the e. rcam ove he ls to venture outside for his character and the tria and became successful enough ited Un the to ted igra ted to try something The Nanamura family imm farming. “My dad just felt he wan us citr a d nde fou 1 193 in he could produce a States in the early 190 0s, and completely different, and he felt and s ura nam Na the 2, farm in Lindsay. Then in 194 ter jerky product.” se Americans were bet ane Jap 0 ,00 120 tely ima rox app

6 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

With his decision, Frank entered a business practically synonymous with Americana. Almost unconsciously, nostalgically, beef jerky conjures images of the Wild West, of cattle-driving cowboys. Even Plano Jerky’s logo, the silhouette of a longhorn, is like an unofficial symbol of Texas. Not surprisingly, customers often think Plano Jerky is from Plano, Texas. Kristi isn’t surprised. When people think of jerky, she says, “we do think of the Old West or Native Americans, and how they sustained themselves with dried beef.” But for all this, Plano Jerky is also quintessentially Japanese – and for more than her family’s heritage. That’s because teriyaki, a Japanese cooking technique, has also become synonymous with jerky. Teriyaki has become the most common flavor associated with jerkies – and not just Plano Jerky. Kristi can’t say for sure that her father set the teriyaki jerky trend. But he certainly didn’t follow it. He adapted his recipe from his mother’s teriyaki. “She had her way of marinating beef and dishes with her teriyaki recipe, and my dad adapted it the way he’d like to marinate jerky.” Plano sells 10 varieties of jerky – from mild to spicy with pepper, chili, garlic or teriyaki – but underlying all their recipes is a quality jerky, natural, without preservatives. But teriyaki will always be Plano’s signature jerky, a blend of Japanese and American cultures, much like the Nanamuras themselves. And since teriyaki has become a signature for other jerky companies, that might explain why the Nanamuras have been so successful in business. Though they operate out of a small processing plant, Plano Jerky sells nationally, even internationally through online orders, which they’ve offered since 1999. They’ve also diversified by selling local products and gift baskets alongside their jerky, both online and in their retail store. After Frank’s death in 1996, Kristi jumped headlong into the jerky business. For the jerky-loving child in her, running a jerky business is something of a dream come true; as an adult, it’s been a source of immeasurable pride. Like the product they sell, Japanese Americans proved remarkably tough. Kristi uses the word perseverance to describe her father and his generation. “I’m very proud of my heritage, and what (my family) accomplished and how they went about it. I’m just so proud, and I hope I can be even half of what they were.” •

“I’m very proud of my heritage, and what (my family) accomplished and how they went about it. I’m just so proud, and I hope I can be even half of what they were.”

Plano Jerky • 687 South Plano St., Porterville (559) 781-3487 • www.planojerky.com Monday-Friday 8 am-6 pm, Saturday 9 am-5 pm

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan. venema@gmail.com.

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 7

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T P

interest

| story and photos By FACHE DESROCHERS

The Passion Project

“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.”

m a rsh a ll k i pp ’ s rosel a n d s t u d i os i n w oo d l a ke

So goes the poetic observation of the great thinker Plato, as he mused on the nature of one of humanity’s greatest technologies: music. Music is precious, essential and by its very nature, ephemeral. So it would surely make Plato proud to see the ways that the world has innovated since his time to not only make music, but also to capture it, preserve it and share it with others. And at the forefront of this pursuit is one impassioned Valley man and his state-of-the-art recording space: Roseland Studios. The passion project of owner and founder Marshall Kipp, the studio officially opened in April, but the creation of this space is the result of Kipp’s lifelong love affair with music. As a dyed-in-the-wool musician and 25-year member of NARAS (better known as the organization responsible for the Grammys), Kipp has long known exactly what it takes to produce and record great music and video, and has built Roseland Studios from the ground up to help other musicians do the same. Roseland Studios is located at Kipp’s property in Woodlake, where he has been working for years to create the recording space of his dreams, down to the very last devilish detail. For anyone who plays or records music, Roseland Studios is an absolute candyland. The space consists of a complete sound stage or “tracking room,” separate control room and dedicated vocal booth. Features of the studio include a Yamaha G5 baby grand piano and keyboard, DW collector’s series drum kit, an incredible curation of microphones and backend amplifiers, and the crown jewel: an API 32-channel analog console paired with a Radar 24-track digital recording system which ensures the best of both worlds: analog sound and digital editing.4 continued on page 10 JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 9

Translation: ye musicians and tech enthusiasts rejoice, for at Roseland Studios, thou shalt find gear heaven. But although Kipp takes the nuts and bolts of his studio very seriously, the space is about much more than that. Roseland was carefully designed to be an environment of light and sound that awakens the mind and feeds creativity; a place where anything feels possible. “I think the visual elements of a space can change the way one thinks,” says Kipp. “And when you add the right lighting and such, the process of making music becomes more magical.” Kipp knows well that good music can happen anywhere and at any time. But he also knows that the best conditions are those that eliminate distractions by taking care of all the details. And thanks to Kipp’s welcoming intuition, Roseland Studios does just that. “My goal was to make Roseland a place where musicians could come with minimal worries about what to bring; not only with equipment, but with everything else as well,” Kipp says with a fond, understanding smile. “I know that most musicians who are totally dedicated to their craft are often operating on a shoestring budget. So I try to provide what they need, even if it’s just local tacos and cold beer.” For Kipp, music – and all the creativity, soulful vibes and likeminded people that come with it – is at the very heart of what makes life good. And Roseland Studios is something of a dream come true, as it is the place where all those things come together, right at his doorstep. “It’s an incredible experience to live in an environment where people come to play music,” Kipp says. • Roseland Studios • (559) 901-9552 • www.roselandstudios.com Find them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

10 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

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GOOD FINDS

| STORY AND PHOTOS By jEN MAY PASTORES

High

Court THE COU R T B Ar B E R S HO P i n h a n f o r d

It’s like recalling a past instance, a moment that carries you to another time; where families sat around the dinner table exchanging stories from their day while Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock” reverberated from the kitchen radio. This nostalgic feeling may be something you experience upon entering The Court Barber Shop in downtown Hanford, especially when greeted by gentlemen dressed in oldfashioned attire: black suspenders over a white dress shirt, black pants, black dress shoes, and a red, white and blue bow tie and sleeve garter. You can thank the twirling colored stripes on the barber pole perched outside the shop for transporting you back to the 1950s. “We greet our customers, ask them how they’re doing, and they feel at home,” says owner Steven Jackson, who reflects on the necessary yet simple gesture of taking care of people who come in for a haircut. There’s no rushing customers here. Time is respected at a slower pace where precision with the clippers and updates on how life is going are perfectly paired during your service. Standing with Jackson behind their own swivel chairs are Steven’s cousin, John Jackson, and grandfather to both, Darrell Jackson. Together, the Jackson family has been in the business of cutting hair for 125 years . “The Court Barber Shop is actually the oldest barber shop in the state of California,” says Steven, who said the business changed ownership several times before he took over in February 2014. John points to the cabinets behind them (currently used as styling stations) and explains how they kept the original decor from when the business was first established in the late 1920s.

12 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Displayed on the wall is a frame holding old clippers that Steven and John’s great-great-grandfather once used on Darrell when he was a child. Now 78 years of age, Darrell is a natural teacher and keeps up with his grandsons, giving straight razor shaves around the ears of customers, just like he did when he had his own barber shop in the Bay Area. As Darrell moves into a part-time position in the shop, newly added barber Joey Paschall will help the team of barbers. “(My grandpa) wanted to make sure I had a good job, and that I learned the craft real well,” says Steven. “It’s great to have him here. It helps to keep the old traditions alive, to carry over. We believe in strong family values and in working hard.” A standard request is a facial shave, which involves a warm lather, then a warm steam towel wrapped over the client’s face to properly moisten and prepare the skin. After a minute and a half, another round of warm shaving cream is thickly applied before a smooth straight razor shave. Next, another hot towel is used to remove the soap before the after-shave and talcum powder is patted on to further protect and soothe the face. “Know the show ‘Mad Men’? People like those haircuts,” Steven says of television character Don Draper, who has a vintage taper haircut with a clean, slick side part. Many customers visit The Court Barber Shop wanting a hairstyle like this or other rockabilly-inspired cuts from the ‘50s, including fades, flat tops and crew cuts – or as they were known back then, pompadours. Their practices are considered classic and appreciated by guests who come in. “We have the best mix of everybody. We have families. Ladies are OK with bringing kids into the shop. We have some really old customers, those from the U.S. Cavalry from World War II,” says Steven. A fourth chair will be added to the trio to welcome an increase in guests visiting the shop, because as the family has learned in good fortune, “If you take care of your customers, customers will take good care of you.” • 332 N. Irwin St., Hanford • (559) 585-0720 • Tuesday - Friday: 9 am-6 pm Saturday 9 am-5 pm • Closed Sunday and Monday Find them on Facebook and Instagram

Jen May Pastores is a photographer, teaching artist and writer. Her work can be viewed at jenmayphotography.com. She also enjoys sharing local food on @VisaliaEats and her travels @jenmay on Instagram.

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 13

Also check out: Saturday Morning

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Bullard & Pollasky

interest LOCALS

| By By jordan jordan venema venema || Photos: photos: JACKI POTORKE

fa m i ly t i me w i t h t he jesse n ’ s at V I S A L IA ' S TA Z Z A R IA

“My whole career is 30 years of basically going from construction to kitchen, back and forth,” says James Jessen, owner and chef at Visalia’s Tazzaria. Like his restaurants, James built his career “from the ground up … from dishwasher to prep cook to busboy,” he says. In 1986, James worked for a concrete company that transferred him to Visalia. That was his last real job, he jokes, and two years later, he opened Main Street Café and Deli and launched his career as restaurateur. James sold the café after seven months, “did two more restaurants, then basically went into property development.” A decade later, he combined his love for coffee and construction and patented a concept for drivethru lighthouses, calling them Tazzaria. “Tazza meaning cup in Italian, and ria place. The place of the cup,” explains James. He and his investors sold two units before, “well, 9/11 wiped us out,” says James. His investors backed out, and James was left with the patent and a name. 15 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Not long after, James stood outside the Main Street coffee shop, Java Jungle. “Basically, with the last of the funds… I asked if they would sell.” Java Jungle’s owners agreed, and a week later James moved in and renamed the place Tazzaria. Now James only lacked customers. “Dead” is how he describes those first years. “It was really tough,” he says. “Really, really, really tough.” Though James immersed himself in its culture, coffee proved a difficult business. And the few customers who came still called his cafe Java Jungle. Just when James needed customers most, Michelle came through his door – not to buy, but to sell. “She’d come in selling her Bacci Bars” – a homemade granola bar – “but I wanted to have coffee with her,” says James. “So I’d buy her inventory, even though I had no use for it.” Week in, week out, James bought Michelle’s inventory. “That’s how we started dating.”4 continued on page 16 JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 15

Michelle didn’t know it then, but today she says with a laugh, “He had no use for them because he had no business… He’d buy everything, and I thought, ‘Wow, this guy is super busy.’ I found out later they weren’t even being sold.” “Thankfully, she gave in before I went broke,” James says. “In the end I got the bar and the girl.” It might have been coincidence, but Michelle and James’ relationship and ultimate marriage marked a turn in Tazzaria’s fortune. That relationship provided Tazzaria with what had been lacking: family. “Home. Tazzaria is our home,” says Michelle. If James and Michelle aren’t working behind the counter or cooking in the kitchen, you’ll find them sitting on the patio, eating with family, employees, customers – every one of them, friends. “Our customers, when they become loyal, they are so loyal,” says Michelle. “Really, our customers became family, too.” James says the same of his 32 employees. “Oh, staff, they’re not like family. They are family,” he stresses. “They do everything: we work through holidays together, we fight, we make up.” As their family has grown, so has their business. They purchased Visalia Coffee Co. in 2011 and operated the business under the same name. “But we did get smarter because we didn’t drag it on this time,” Michelle says, referring to their attempt at running a second coffee shop. Five months later, the Jessens renovated Visalia Coffee Co. and reopened as Pizanos, a wood-fired pizzeria. “We wanted to do one thing and do it really good,” explains Michelle, “something that stayed within our core concept, but different from Tazzaria.” That core concept: “ingredients simple, clean, as organic as we can get,” she says. Simple, fresh ingredients and a family-oriented atmosphere have been a successful combination, one that has allowed the Jessens to expand. They helped start Quesadilla Gorilla, which is now under different ownership, and last fall they opened PHD, a brewpub 16 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

beneath Tazzaria. Just this March, the Jessens purchased Glick’s Old Fashion Meat & Deli, and will soon open Eighty/20, a gourmet burger joint in what was formerly Mike’s Camera. While they’re following the keep-it-simple mantra, James also admits, “we take something so simple and then make it complicated.” Eighty/20, which refers to the optimal lean-to-fat ratio of a burger patty, won’t serve only gourmet burgers, but also homemade ice cream and handcut fries. The meat will come from Glick’s, but the rest of the produce won’t travel much farther, either. They plan to source their food locally “as much as we can,” says Michelle. “All our lettuce is grown for us, and the breads are baked in town.” Basically, they’re keeping it all in the family, which is the same as keeping it here in Visalia. And other than attributing their success to good food and family, the Jessens say it has a lot to do with stubbornness. “That’s the only reason we made it,” says Michelle. “We’re both super stubborn.” Stubborn enough when it counted: when Tazzaria’s original idea didn’t pan out, when James bought Bacci bars for customers he didn’t have, and when coffee’s future seemed black, the Jessens stuck it out. Visalia, and its residents’ appetites, are the better for it. • Tazzaria • 208 W. Main St., Visalia (559) 636-1618 • www.tazzaria.com Pizanos Wood Fired Pizza • 129 E. Main St., Visalia (559) 732-6333 • www.woodfiredpi.com Glicks & Co., 604 W. Murray, Visalia (559) 732-6439 • www.glicksandco.com

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good finds

| By jordan venema | Photos: josiah ALTER

“We grind our own meat, use fresh potatoes for hash browns,” he says. “If you call yourself a chef, you should practice what you preach.”

go i n g a u n at u r a l at c a f é t ommy ’ s

It might not be Main Street, but don’t let the warehouse fool you. Café Tommy, the latest brainchild of chef Tommy Chavez, offers gourmet food in a laid-back atmosphere. “It’s just casual, man, but you’re getting downtown food,” he says. Café Tommy is Visalia’s newest restaurant, but has long been in the works. Chavez started cooking young, learning from his grandmother who catered Mexican food at weddings. His hobby turned profession nearly by chance. Chavez worked at a grocery store, where he had a regular customer “always buying different produce,” says Chavez, “and I would ask her questions. Turns out she was a culinary instructor.” That customer was Laura Bullene, and Chavez credits her with jump starting his career. He enrolled in her courses, then worked at her restaurant, Bullene’s. After Bullene’s, Chavez worked as a chef in Tulare and then Fresno, but even at the age of 22, he didn’t feel challenged. “I stopped learning,” says Chavez. “So I was watching a show called Great Chefs, and Emeril Lagasse was on and I thought, I want to work for him… I went to Vegas and applied (at Emeril’s) just for the hell of it.” Within a week Chavez got a call back. He worked at Emeril’s the next four years. At Emeril’s, Chavez developed a new food philosophy. “You learn more there than you do at culinary school,” says Chavez – nothing compares to experience. “We made our own ketchup, our own Worcestershire sauce, our own bread. Nothing came out of a can, nothing was frozen.” Au natural – that the philosophy Chavez applies to his café. “We grind our own meat, use fresh potatoes for hash browns,” he says. “If you call yourself a chef, you should practice what you preach.”

18 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Chavez moved back to the Valley after Emeril’s. He worked as a sous chef at Tachi Palace, and “three months later, I became the executive chef and opened seven restaurants there.” After Tachi, he worked at Harris Ranch, opened Tommy’s Restaurant in Visalia, and ultimately became the regional chef at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. “But I missed cooking a lot. I was pretty much walking around with a pencil and paper. It just wasn’t me,” Chavez says. So he and fiancé Vanessa Romo opened a catering business to get back to cooking. They found a warehouse in northwest Visalia, the industrial neighborhood around Goshen and Shirk. They had planned mostly to cater, but included a small café. It was a downgrade, so to speak, from running a staff of approximately 150 bussers, servers, dishwashers and cooks. Chavez expected that Café Tommy would be run by him and Romo, maybe a server. “But from day one it’s been so much busier than I thought it would be. We’re not doing too bad for a warehouse,” says Chavez, who immediately corrected himself. “You know what? We’re not a warehouse.” So what is Café Tommy? A laid back restaurant serving modern American meals that is quickly outgrowing its 60-person capacity. Chavez attributes their early success to his opening crew, which also helped him open Tommy’s Restaurant. But don’t be confused. There’s no relation between the two. Why open another restaurant under the same name? “Well, that’s my name,” Chavez says matter-of-factly. Chavez says by using his name, he creates transparency, reliability, and freedom. “That’s why we went with Café Tommy, so I could do whatever I want.”

“But go to any of the big chain restaurants and you’re not going to know who’s cooking,” he adds. “To feel welcome, like you know (the cook), that’s part of being in the community.” “What’s on the menu is there because I love to cook it…. And we’re a kickback café, but also more than a café because we have fish and steak. There’s not the full-blown fancy stuff I’m used to doing, but we’re having fun.” Customers can expect “good American cooking, and nowadays American is everything.” That means fish and chips, steaks, patty melts and hand-formed burgers with hatch peppers from New Mexico. “But my main focus is quality. You’ve got to start there,” adds Chavez. Chavez also plans to change the menu three times a year “so guests don’t get bored,” he explains. Chavez also expects his cooks to create daily pastas as well as other daily specials, which they share on their Facebook page. “Oh yeah, I forgot,” says Chavez. “We also sell a lot of bread pudding,” based on a recipe from his grandmother’s French toast. They’ve been busy since they opened in February, and if the pace continues, they might have to find a new space, maybe even downtown. Chavez says that’s a possibility. But rest assured, Café Tommy isn’t going anywhere, no matter how busy it gets. “I’m here every day, my name is on the building… Our goal is just to continue doing what we’re doing.” • Café Tommy • 6836 W Pershing Ave, Visalia • (559) 749-0711 • Find them on Facebook Monday-Friday: 7:30-10 am; 11 am-3 pm • Sunday: 10 am-2 pm

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 19

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592-1250 • 165 East Pine Street, Exeter www.hometownemporiumexeter.com

DESTINATION

| By jordan venema | PHOTOS: CHRISTY CANAFAX

tee t me r i d ge c reek golf c o u rse i n d i n u b a

The course is new and remote enough that valley golfers might overlook Dinuba’s Ridge Creek Golf Course, but odds are, during hot summer months, this municipal course will prove an oasis in the desert. That’s because Ridge Creek plays more like a championship than municipal course, and happens to be the only course in six surrounding counties that offers championship tees. “It has the feel of a country club, but it’s 100 percent accessible,” explains Rosa Areduin, the sales and marketing director at Ridge Creek. “We’re also the longest golf course in the surrounding six counties, and have one of the longest par fives in the state of California.”

22 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Areduin refers to the 653-yard 15th hole, which is appropriately named Tragedy. Technically, the name refers to a variety of plum, not the emotional state of its golfers. “That’s another unique thing about Ridge Creek,” Areduin says. “We definitely honor our roots. The front nine are all named after grapes native to our area, and the back nine are reminiscent of other fruit” – Emperor, Thompson, Alberta and Valencia, to name a few. The course also boasts a 25-acre practice facility, “one of the biggest west of the Rockies,” says Areduin. There’s a 360-degree driving range, two greens, chipping areas, a fairway, “so even if you’re not on the course, you can get your passes in.” If Ridge Creek plays like a championship course, that’s probably because it was designed by a champion: two-time PGA Tour winner John Fought. The city of Dinuba personally picked the Scottsdale-based architect to design a course incorporating native elements. Fought’s design yielded a visually stunning, low-maintenance course that accentuates a view of the Sierra Nevadas. “We are a Heathlandthemed course, reminiscent of the St. Andrews courses,” Areduin says. “There’s little trees, little water, and the challenges on the course are rough fescue and deep bunkers, some as deep as six or seven feet.” In terms of water conservation, Dinuba’s decision to design a Heathland-themed course proved prophetic. “It was the brain child of the management team back in 2006. The issue was too much wastewater.” So the city built a course whose water supply comes from neighboring wastewater plant. “All that unused water down the drains comes out to Ridge Creek,” says Areduin, “all 250 acres of the course and range.” With California in the midst of a historically severe drought, and Gov. Jerry Brown mandating water agencies reduce use by 25 percent, golf courses will likely bear the brunt. And since the average golf course can use up to a million gallons of water a week, sourcing wastewater seems a natural next step for golf courses, especially as reservoirs drop to record lows.

According to Areduin, it’s still rare for golf courses to source wastewater, but the idea is become more prevalent in the industry. “For the city of Dinuba, it was a forward-thinking idea.” The wastewater plant is near the course, but it’s out of sight and out of scent. “The water is treated so it doesn’t create any funk for our guests,” says Areduin. When other courses start browning, Ridge Creek’s greens will remain green. So in all likelihood, Ridge Creek could see more traffic. And considering other amenities, that wouldn’t be a surprise. The clubhouse, Three Finger Jack, is also an award-winning restaurant. “We offer American cuisine, and recently our paper awarded us best fine dining and best steak house,” says Areduin. They also cater and host events, “something as small as a bridal shower or up to a 250-person reception.” Naturally, there’s plenty of golfing happening, too. “A whole lot of charity-focused tournaments,” Areduin says. Areduin also points out that most courses have eight-minute increments between tee times, whereas Ridge Creek has 10-minute increments. “Pace of play helps create the experience on the golf course,” she says. And the course offers something money can’t buy: the assurance that teeing off isn’t also draining one of California’s most precious resources, which during this drought translates to a guilt-free golfing experience. • Ridge Creek Golf Course • 3018 Ridge Creek Dr., Dinuba (559) 591-2254 • www.golfridgecreek.com Monday-Sunday 7 am-5 pm Three Finger Jacks Restaurant & Bar • (559) 591-7064, Sunday-Wednesday 7 am-8 pm, Thursday-Saturday 7 am-9 pm Find them on Facebook

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 23

Welcome

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Health Foods Mon-Thurs 9-6/Fri 8-5 Market: (559) 732-3866

617 W. Main Sreet, Visalia www.watsonshealthfoods.com

SHOWTIME

| By jordan venema | PHOTOS COURTESY OF GOSPEL WHISKEY RUNNERS

K eep i n g u p w i t h t he gospel w h i skey r u n n ers Just because you haven’t heard of the Gospel Whiskey Runners doesn’t mean you haven’t heard the Gospel Whiskey Runners. Visalia’s best-kept musical secret is equally the cat let out of the bag. As such, the Runners are something of a paradox. Gospel? Whiskey? The two haven’t paired well since Graham Greene’s whiskey priest in “The Power and the Glory” – which didn’t really end well, either. But since 2009, this Americana quintet has quietly gone about the business of making upbeat, hope-filled tunes. And with a new album expected this July, the Runners are probably busier than ever. Well, maybe. According to Ryan Stillwater, the Runners played only a “handful” of shows last year, and none in 2015. “Oh yeah,” Stillwater laughs: There was a show in March. Excuse Stillwater’s lapse in memory. Between his full-time job at the Rescue Mission and his other career as father and husband, Stillwater keeps busy, as do the rest of the Runners – spouses and parents, pastors and teachers, regular and busy folk, all. “We all have jobs, we all have lives, we’re not trying to live the rock star life,” says Stillwater. “Nobody is quitting their day jobs.”

As busy as they are, and with vocalist Colette Boley living in Oregon, catching the Runners might be difficult. But if you missed the one live show (so far) of 2015, there are other ways to catch their act. Over the last 90 days, their tracks have gotten about a million plays through online station Pandora. And since 2011? “Let me see,” Stillwater checks the statistics online. “Looks like we’re over 10 million plays.” Stillwater pauses. “Yeah, that’s kind of a trip.” For most bands, that kind of success comes only with the daily grind, the long tours, the nightly shows and hours spent crammed in a van. All the while, the Runners’ success has come smoothly, not to say undeservedly. There’s another paradox here. Bands that find success usually find it at the end of the road, at the expense of family, work and home. But the more the Runners stand pat, pursuing their families, careers and homes, the more success seems to find them. Even Stillwater admits the band is more of an extracurricular activity than a goal in itself. “We just really enjoy being able to do this and hang out, and if it stops tomorrow, it would have been a great experience. But,” he adds, “our friendships don’t hinge upon the band.” 4 continued on page 26

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 25

This might be why the band works so well: they’re just being themselves. The Runners aren’t focused on fame or imitating other bands, though Stillwater says with a laugh that they’re sometimes compared to Mumford and Sons. “But that’s just because Jerrod (Turner) has a long beard.” Maybe it’s easy for the Runners to keep things fun, since that’s also how they started. “We started kind of as a joke, a Christmas band, Jerrod, Colette, a couple other dudes,” says Stillwater. It just so happened Jerrod knew what he was doing. “At the end of the day, Jerrod is just a great songwriter,” says Stillwater. And Turner’s lyrics, which Stillwater describes as traditional and gospeldriven, are both deceptively simple and ambiguously catchy, like the Ticket’s “I’m going to ride this train to glory.” The Runners came out with their first album “Hold On” in 2011, but Stillwater says they hadn’t yet found their groove. “If you listen to our first album, there isn’t really any shuffle, there’s no Americana sound. It was hard maybe for people to categorize what genre it was.” Whether Turner’s beard got longer or the band a little wiser, expect a more solidified sound from their next album. And Stillwater admits some of the new songs are stuck in his head, and he’s “looking forward to getting them stuck in others’, too.” And no doubt they will, since the old songs have already proven to stick. Songs from their first album have been featured on television shows American Idol, Homeland, Criminal Minds and the trailer for the second season of Orange is the New Black.

26 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

But the Runners aren’t really focused on any of that. When the yet-untitled album comes out, they’ll send it to both their publisher and Pandora, “and if something comes of it, great,” says Stillwater. “If not, we’ll just keep playing.” Falling short of God’s intervention, don’t expect the Runners to quit their day jobs soon. So make sure to mark your calendars when they do announce a show. Stillwater says they’re considering a living room tour, and might put together an August run. “Or we may not.” Well, at least you can bank on one thing: new tunes by the Fourth of July. “Or maybe sooner,” says Stillwater. Well, whatever, whenever or wherever, the Runners’ new album should be worth the wait. • www.gospelwhiskeyrunners.com Find them on Facebook

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ON THE MAP

| story and photos By FACHE DESROCHERS

Brew-ha-ha 28 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

ke n n y h i l d ebr a n d a n d j u l i e n spr a g u e s t i r t he po t at K AW E A H B R E WIN G If someone with only a modicum of knowledge about beer Kaweah Brewing emerged organically, growing naturally out of the brewing were to visit the industrial space out of which Kaweah passions and motivations of the people behind it. And that’s how the Brewing operates at this time of the year –when the days are only just label still stands today, with a desire to grow at the rate that will best starting to vibrate with the fierce Valley heat – they might be surprised preserve the loving care that Hildebrand and Sprague take with their to find that the interior temperature of the brew space regularly soars product. “People often ask us why we haven’t opened a taproom just well over 100 degrees. But the reason for the yet,” Hildebrand says. “Those plans are totally Amazonian heat becomes immediately obvious there, but we don’t want to stampede into the upon view of the enormous stainless-steel kettles next phase. We want to let it happen when the that boil theatrically in the majority of the brew time is right.” space, casting a slow haze of grain-scented steam The ability to choose when the time is right is into the warehouse’s upper atmosphere. something that Kaweah Brewing clearly values, as Upon entering this area, one will inevitably do the many Valley businesses who pride themselves register two lone men moving about the large on their judicious product selection. “Howie & warehouse like the steam: seemingly everywhere at Son’s pizza in Visalia was the first place to carry our once, though in no discernable hurry; stirring the beer,” recalls Hildebrand. “And then The Depot boil, checking dials, fiddling with tubes and shifting and Jack & Charlie’s brought us on, as well as Ol’ heaps of equipment, all with the deliberate focus Buckaroo up in Three Rivers, and now several that one might find in a lab, or in an art studio. This places in Fresno.” The guys brew in Tulare, and the makes sense, because each is exactly what this place local grocery store Bob’s Market is a delightedly is, especially if you ask the man who first emerges supportive carrier, as is eatery Bravo Farms. “A lot Owner Kenny Hildebrand from the curtain of steam; the man behind the of the mom-and-pop shops are behind us, because brew, a smiling, impressively bearded gentleman that’s who we are too,” says Hildebrand. “It’s great named Kenny Hildebrand. “I think brewing is how independent businesses support each other.” part imagination, part art, part craft. It takes a Typically available in stores are the label’s little bit of everything to make it happen,” muses Frontline Beers, which comprises the Brown Ale, Hildebrand. “And there’s a lot of science behind it, the Black IPA, the Chocolate Cow and the Holy too. But the precision, the science, the creativity Toledo IPA. Three of these brews are now certified and the community that surrounds brewing is the award winners, as both IPAs and the Brown Ale reason I love it.” all took home the bronze at this year’s celebrated Although the culture of homebrewing has New York International Beer Competition. been around since time immemorial, it is only the Kaweah Brewing’s selection also extends into an public interest of recent years that has enabled established fondness for seasonal brews. “We call enthusiasts to draw a living. But the purists within them our Giant Beers,” says Hildebrand. “It’s in this discipline prize the integrity of the small-batch reference to the giant Sequoias, but also just to artist perhaps above all else. So it’s no surprise to giants, as these beers are called Fe, Fi, Fo, and learn that although Hildebrand doesn’t operate Fum, and they come out four times annually.” alone, his team remains very small. His partner in With their playful yet serious and localthe sweltering mist, an equally amicably bearded fellow named Julien centric approach to craft beer, it’s unsurprising that Kaweah Brewing has Sprague, is the lead brewer, and it’s typically just the two of them who established itself as an essential part of the Valley’s microbrew culture. “It patiently brave the painstaking process of turning hops, grains, water is a lot of work what we do,” says Hildebrand. “But you get to share that and yeast into Kaweah Brewing’s signature beers. And apart from work, that art with others. And then when you make those other people some sales and branding support and the encouragement of their happy, it’s just awesome.” • families, Kaweah Brewing’s working nucleus hasn’t changed much at all from when Hildebrand and his friends first started stooping over Kaweah Brewing • Find locations at www.kaweahbrewing.com their earliest backyard boils a few years ago. Their initial motivation Find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Flickr to brew was simple: “It just stemmed from a desire to have good beer made in the Valley to drink in the Valley,” says Hildebrand. Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 29

enjoy the view

| photo: josiah alter

30 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Yokohl Valley, Exeter Foothills Josiah Alter is a photographer and an adventurist who is wild at heart. Destination weddings, portraits and film photography are his specialities. When he is not shooting, he is often rock climbing, backpacking or mountain biking. View his work at josiahalter.com or @josiahalter on Instagram. JUNE may 2015 Enjoy | 31

WHAT’S COOKIN’

| BY LANA GRANFORS | PHOTO: KARA STEWART

June Recipe To say that this Key Lime Pie is delicious is an understatement. I’ll make this for Father’s Day this month as it is my husband’s favorite – well, next to German Chocolate Cake (I’ll save that recipe for a later issue). It is always completely devoured. If you like the tart and sweet flavor of Key Lime Pie, this recipe is for you. It is easy to make and won’t disappoint. Make this for Father’s Day – your friends and family will be begging for more. Enjoy!

32 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Key Lime Pie with Coconut Whipped Topping Serves: 8

ingredients Crust 18 whole graham crackers (4-section pieces) ¹⁄ ³ cup sugar 1 tsp. ground cinnamon ¹⁄ ³ cup butter, melted

Filling 1 T lime zest, heaping 2 large egg whites 4 large egg yolks 1 – 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk ½ cup fresh or bottled Key lime juice Topping 1 cup heavy cream 2 T sugar ¼ tsp. coconut extract 3 T sweetened flaked coconut Lime zest Sliced Key limes Total Time: 2 hours, 55 minutes Prep: 30 minutes Cook: 23-25 minutes REFRIGERATE: 2 hours

LOVE OUR RECIPES? Come into Enjoy the Store (Visalia, Redding or Red Bluff ) each month and ask for your FREE recipe card. For a limited time, spend $50 in any Enjoy store and receive a “Made to Enjoy” recipe box crafted by Phillips Brothers Mill. (while supplies last)

COC PIE WITH KEY LIME

ING RED IEN Crus TS t 18 whole Graham Crac kers (4-sectio ¹⁄ ³ cup suga n pieces) r 1 tsp. grou nd cinnamo ¹⁄ ³ cup butt I P n TOP PED O N U T W Her, melted Fillin g 1 T lime zest 2 large egg , heaping whites 4 large egg yolks 1 – 14 oz. can swe ½ cup fresh etened condense d milk or bottled key lime juice Topp ing 1 cup heav y cream 2 T suga r ¼ tsp. coco nut extract 3 T sweeten ed flaked coconut Lime Zest Sliced Key Limes

PING

June Recipe 2015

TOTAL TIM E: 2 hou rs, 55 min PRE P: 30 utes min COO K: 23-2 utes REF RIG ERA 5 min utes TE: 2 hou rs

ING RED IEN Crus TS t 18 whole Graham Crac kers (4-sectio ¹⁄ ³ cup suga n pieces) r 1 tsp. grou nd cinnamo ¹⁄ ³ cup butt n er, melted Fillin g ONUT I T H1 TC O C

GRANF ORS RECIPE BY LANA

WHIPPED

For the crust: Crush crackers in a food processor or use a zippered plastic bag. If using the bag, zip crackers into bag, removing the air as you close it. Using a rolling pin, lightly tap the bag and roll pin over the crackers to crush. In a medium bowl, stir together the crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle the melted butter over the crumb mix and stir until well combined. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake on rack in the middle of the oven until set and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside and allow to cool completely. Leave the oven on. For the filling: While the crust is cooling, fit a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, or use a large mixing bowl and a hand whisk or a hand mixer. Beat the egg whites until you have stiff peaks. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. Add the lime juice and whisk until combined. Gently fold in about half of the egg whites to the mixture, then add the remaining egg whites and fold until just evenly combined. Spread the mixture in the pre-baked crust and bake until center is set, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. It can be baked up to 3 days ahead – just store, covered, in the refrigerator. For the topping: When ready to serve, prepare topping. Like with the egg whites, use either a stand mixer fitted with the whisk or a large mixing bowl, using a hand whisk or a hand mixer. Beat the heavy cream, sugar and extract until stiff peaks form. Fold in the coconut, reserving some to add to top of pie. For topping the pie, either cut into slices and top each with a big dollop of whipped cream and garnishes, or I like to spread the topping, covering the entire pie. Sprinkle with reserved coconut and lime zest, and add slices of Key limes as garnish.

Lana Granfors enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her friends and family– especially her grandchildren, Jillian and Garet.

FOR THE CRUST: Crush crac kers in a food proc zip crackers essor or use a zipp tap the bag into bag, removin ered g the air and roll pin as you clos plastic bag. If usin the crum over the g the bag bs, sugar e it. Usin crackers , ga and cinn to crush. and stir unti amon. In a medium rolling pin, lightly l well com sides of bowl, stir bined. Pres Drizzle the melted a 9-in toge golden brow ch pie plate. Bake s the mixture even butter over the crum ther ly onto the n, on rack in the completely. about 8-10 min bottom and b mix middle of utes. Rem Leave the up the the oven ove from oven on. until set oven, set and aside and FOR THE allow to coo FILLING: l While the crust is coo large mixi ng bowl and ling, fit a stand mixe have stiff r with the a hand whis peaks. whis k or a han d mixer. Bea k attachment, or In another mixing bow use a t the egg milk. Add whites unti l, whisk toge the lime l you ther the egg juice and egg whit yolks and whisk es to sweetened evenly com the mixture, then until combined. condensed Gently bined. Spre add the rem is set, abo ad the mix aining egg fold in about half ut of the whites and at least 2 15 minutes. Transfer ture in the pre-bake fold unti hours befo d to a wire covered, rack to coo crust and bake unti l just re serving. in the refri l complet l center It can be gerator. ely, then baked up refrigerate to 3 days ahead – FOR THE just store, TOPPING: When read y mixer fitte to serve, prepare topping. d Like mixer. Bea with the whisk or a large mixi with the egg whit t the heav es, use eith coconut, y cream, ng bowl, er a reserving sugar and using a han some to extract unti slices and d whisk or stand add top each l stiff pea a hand with a big to top of pie. For ks spread the topping the form. Fold in the dollop of topping, whipped covering lime zest cream and pie, either cut into , and add the entire garnishe slices of pie. Spri key limes s, or I like nkle with as garnish. to reserved coconut and STEWA RT | PHOTO : KARA

JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 33

SPOTLIGHT

| JUNE 2015

in the june spotlight From Food to fun, something for everyone to enjoy

Dinuba Main Street Car Show

(Dinuba)

Under the Street Lamp

The fun kicks off with the Cruise Night concert. Experience the magic and fire of the ‘80s as The Dazz Band brings their high-energy show to Dinuba. Die-hard motorheads won’t want to miss the cars, pickups and motorcycles of all makes and models. There will also be food, music, raffle prizes and fun. The excitement continues Saturday morning with “Cars in the Park.” See hundreds of stunning cars, trucks, motorcycles and more. Enjoy music, food and street vendors throughout the day. For more information, visit www.dinubacarshow.com.

(Visalia)

Fox theatre June 27 | 7 - 10 pm

With their unique style and modern “Rat Pack” persona, Under The Streetlamp brings the American Radio Songbook to a whole new level. They deliver an electrifying evening of classic hits with a unique blend of tight harmonies and slick dance moves to favorite DooWop, Motown, and old time Rock ‘n’ Roll hits. They are composed of recent leading cast members of the Tony Award-winning sensation Jersey Boys, proving that retro never sounded so “now.” For tickets or more information, visit www.foxvisalia.org.

34 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Pizza, Wine and Jazz Night

(Kingsburg)

Ramos torres winery June 5 | 7:30 pm

Enjoy time with friends and family while enjoying some great pizza. Zamore Pizza will cater at this event while Dale’s Jazz Quartet comes for another jazz-filled night. For more information, visit www.ramostorres.com.

(Hanford) Civic Auditorium June 20 | 7 - 11 pm

Downtown June 5 - 6

KFUN Summerfest Dance Party

The Graduate

(Visalia)

Ice House Theatre June 12 - 28

The Graduate brings the inspired movie hit of the sixties vividly to life on stage. Benjamin Braddock, recent college graduate and prodigal son, returns home and promptly becomes embroiled in an affair with the wife of his father’s business partner, one Mrs. Robinson, but soon finds himself falling in love with her daughter. For more information, visit www.visaliaplayers.com.

Dance your socks off at this annual event benefitting the Hanford Rotary Club to support a variety of charities. This dance will feature The Marie Wilson Band. Purchase tickets in advance for a discount. For more information, visit www.kfunradio.com.

Dairy Princess Coronation and Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner

(tulare)

international agri-center June 12 | 6 pm

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce along with the Tulare County Dairywomen will host this 31st annual fundraiser. They will also be “Saluting our Dairy Industry” that evening. For more information, visit www.tularechamber.org.

CALENDAR

Dinuba June 5 • Car show cruise night and concert, downtown Dinuba, 5 - 10 pm, (559) 591-2707, www.dinubacarshow.com June 6 • Cars in the Park car show, Rose Ann Vuich Park, 855 E. El Monte Way, 10 am - 2 pm, (559) 591-2707, www.dinubacarshow.com • The First Tee of Fresno and The Dinuba SportsPlex golf day, Dinuba SportsPlex, 201 Uruapan Way, www.dinubachamber.com

Exeter

June 6, 13, 20, 27 • Yoga on the Grass, 9:30 am, Lilly Hart call (559) 589-4143 for location information

Hanford

June 4, 11, 18, 25 • Thursday Night Marketplace, Hanford Fox Theater, 326 North Irwin Street, 5:30 - 9 pm, www.hanfordchamber.com June 7 • Kings Symphony Orchestra at Concerts in the Park, Hanford Civic Park, 7 - 9 pm, (559) 585-2525, www.hanfordchamber.com June 11 - 14 • Kings Fair, Kings County Fairground, 801 10th Avenue, (559) 584-3318, www.kingsfair.com June 13 • Little Texas live in concert, Kings Fair, 801 S. 10th Avenue, 8 pm June 19 • Roadhouse performing at Concerts in the Park, Old Kings County Court House stage, 7 - 9 pm, www.hanfordchamber.com June 20 • KFUN Summerfest Dance, Historic Hanford Civic Auditorium, 400 North Douty Street, 7 pm

Kingsburg

June 4, 11, 18, 25 • Kingsburg Farmers Market, Memorial Park, 5 - 8 pm, www.kingsburgchamber.com June 5 • Pizza, Wine and Jazz night with Dale’s Jazz Quartet, Ramos Torres Winery, 1665 Simpson Street, 7:30 - 10 pm, www.ramostorres.com June 18, • Summer Band Concerts, Memorial park, 7 - 9 pm, www.kingsburgchamber.com June 19 • Movie Night: Dirty Dancing, Ramos Torres Winery, 1665 Simpson Street, 7 - 10 pm, www.ramostorres.com

Lemoore

June 6 • Community Swap Meet, City Park, 9 am - noon, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com June 13 • Kings Lions Brewfest 2015, Kings Lions Complex, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com June 19 , 26 • Rockin’ the Arbor, 7:30 - 11 pm, (559) 924-6401, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com Porterville June 5, 12, 19, 26 • Music on Main Street, Centennial Park, 6 - 8 pm, www.portervillechamber.org

Selma June 19 - 27 • Into the Woods, Selma Arts Center, 1935 High Street, (559) 891-2238, www.selmaartscenter.com

Springville

June 6, 13, 20, 27 • Springville Farmers Market, Springville Ranch, 36400 Hwy 190, 9 am - noon, (559) 359-0713

Three Rivers

June 6 • First Saturday activities, various locations, 11 am - 5 pm, www.1stsaturdaytr.com June 15 - 18 • Christy Wood’s Summer Horse Camp, 42846 North Fork Drive, (559) 561-4268, 8:30 - 11 am, www.wdnhorse.com June 21 - July 12 • Center Stage Strings Music Camp and Festival, www.centerstagestrings.com

Tulare

June 10 • Brad Wilson performance at Concerts in the Park, Zumwalt Park, 7:30 pm June 12 • 31st annual Dairy Princess Coronation and Scholarship Fundraiser dinner, International Agri-Center, Heritage Complex, 4500 South Laspina Street, 6 pm, www.tularechamber.com June 15 - 31 • Camp Summer 2015, Claude Meitzenheimer Community Center, 830 S. Blackstone Street

Visalia

June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 • Balletfitt Mondays, 7 pm, Lilly Hart, 113S. Willis June 3, 10, 17, 24 • Yoga Fusion Wednesdays, 7 pm, Lilly Hart, 113S. Willis June 5 • Bob Log III plus Strange Vine, The Cellar Door, 101 West Main Street, 9:30 pm, www.cellardoor101.com • Visalia Art League Members Exhibition, Arts Visalia, 214 E Oak Avenue, 6 - 8 pm, (559) 739-0905 June 5 - 6 • Brad Wilson performance at the Blues, Brews and BBQ, Garden Street Plaza, 5 - 6 pm June 6 • Alex Calder plus special guests, The Cellar Door, 101 West Main Street, 8 pm, www.cellardoor101.com • Music Movies and Moonlight benefit for the Tulare County Symphony, Visalia Country Club, 625 N. Ranch Street, 6 pm, (559) 732-1343, www.tcsymphonyleague.org June 8 • 14th annual Golf For Life tournament, Visalia Country Club, 625 N. Ranch Street, 10:30 am, (559) 732-5000 June 9 • Book club - The Millionaire Next Door, Tulare County Library, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, www.visaliachamber.org June 12 • Ceremony plus Tony Molina, The Cellar Door, 101 West Main Street, 7 pm, www.cellardoor101.com June 13 • Walk with a Doc, Blain Park, 3101 South Court Street, 8 - 9 am, www.healthyvisalia.com

JUNE 2015

• Exeter City Dance presents “Midnight at the Museum,” College of the Sequoias, 915 South Mooney Boulevard, 11 am, 3 pm June 18 • 2015 awards honoring man, woman and businesses of the year, Visalia Convention Center, 6 - 9:30 pm, www.visaliachamber.org June 20 • Wishes Were Fishes live at Summer Jam, Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Avenue, 4:30 pm June 20 -21 • Rocky Mountain Gun Show, Visalia Convention Center, 26773 South Mooney Boulevard June 21 • Visalia Rawhide game time, Rawhide stadium, 6 pm, www.rawhidebaseball.com June 23 • Vetiver plus special guests, The Cellar Door, 101 West Main Street, 7 pm, www.cellardoor101.com June 25 - 28 • Visalia Musical Theatre Festival, Enchanted Playhouse, 307 E Main Street, (559) 732-1851, www.clcvisalia.org June 27 • D.E. Dance Company Showcase - Edge, LJ Williams Theater, 1001 W. Main Street, 7 pm June 29 • Asist training, 210 Cafe, 210 West Center Street, 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Ice House Theare www.visaliaplayers.org

June 12 - 28 • The Graduate

Tachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com

June 4 • The Doobie Brothers, Bingo Hall, 7:30 pm

Visalia Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.com

June 5 • An evening with C.S. Lewis, 7:30 pm June 13 • Comedy Blast All Stars, 7 pm June 25 • REO Speedwagon, 7:30 pm June 27 • Under the Street Lamp, 7 pm

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JUNE 2015 Enjoy | 35

STORE FRONT

Jon Bassett, SOPHISTICATED PALLET

| PHOTOS: CHRISTY CANAFAX

The Visionary

MADE IN THE

“It was incredible to see how beautiful a pallet’s wood was. I joked I had made the pallet look sophisticated, thus the birth of Sophisticated Pallet. ” Jon Bassett

36 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

Sophisticated Pallet

SOUTH VALLEY EN JOY S

UPP

ORTS

LOC AL ARTISANS

AR &F

ENJOY: How did you become interested in handcrafted woodwork? JON: My interest in woodworking was sparked when I found myself at home one day, bored out of my mind and wanting something creative to do. I’ve always been drawn to working with my hands. There was an old, run-down bench on my parents’ property that had been there long before they bought the place in 2000. It had seen countless sun-scorched days, sat through hundreds of downpours and was riddled with termite rot. It was beautiful. I knew next to nothing about woodworking; all I knew was that there was a story under all the ugliness. I bought my first power tool, a sander I still use today. I dismantled the bench and spent the next two days determined to find the gem beneath all the grime. From that point, I worked on creating pieces of my own and made use of the wood around me, primarily pallets. It was incredible to see how beautiful a pallet’s wood was. I joked I had made the pallet look sophisticated, thus the birth of Sophisticated Pallet. But without a doubt, it all started with the bench; it lit the fire and it’s been all uphill from there. ENJOY: What types of things do you create? JON: I’m a sponge for creative ideas. I want to build anything and everything that looks interesting. I’ve made all kinds of tables, home decor, outdoor furniture, gift-oriented pieces like my caddies and bottle openers, and anything my wife decides to add to the “honey do” list. I want to make it all. I don’t want to limit myself to only one type of project, but right now my most popular would definitely be my beer and wine caddies.

ENJOY: Who is your typical customer? JON: I think my typical customer is the person looking to give a gift. For custom orders, I’ve made things for all types of people, from people looking for furniture for their home, decor for their walls or something special for their outdoor space. ENJOY: Do you offer custom ordering? JON: Absolutely. Fifty percent of my business is from custom orders. My ideal customer is someone who lets me have free creative reign over the project; not to say I won’t build exactly what someone is looking for, I just love being creative. I think that is what is most appealing about purchasing something that is handmade – there is always the uniqueness of the piece, be it in the varying wood grains, the mixed contrast of boards that have been cleaned to look new and those that still carry the natural patina of age, or the attention to detail most all makers give to their work. ENJOY: What do you enjoy most about your business? JON: It all goes back to that run-down bench, seeing beyond the neglect and discarded pieces of wood to how beautiful they really are, when anyone else would throw them away. I love coming home covered in sawdust from a long day of sanding. I love the hum of the shop immediately after I finish my last cut. And I love losing myself in a build. To me, it’s all poetry for the eyes, and I’m addicted. • Find Sophisticated Pallet on Facebook, Instagram, Etsy and Twitter. For more product locations: www.instagram.com/sophisticatedpallet

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GIVING BACK

| STORY AND PHOTOS by jen may pastores

envision art studio in visalia Everyone was once a child, perhaps wild at heart, with a natural curiosity to explore. Rick Alonzo’s quest to define his world began as a small boy living in the Philippines. Not having much, he and his family spent hours outside in their hometown of Mabalacat hunting for food, climbing trees and fishing in nearby streams. Alonzo notes, “We would swim in the rivers even though they were filled with leeches. It’s just different.” Different made for a unique setting for his childhood, where at age 4, Alonzo began drawing. “Pencils and paper were very expensive, so we couldn’t afford those. I would find charcoal in a bonfire and would take a stick, draw on the ground and learn that way,” says Alonzo. The world of rice fields, forests of balacat trees and their elevated bamboo home took a change in scenery when Alonzo migrated to San Francisco with his family in 1979. “When we came to America, we were totally culture shocked. We noticed how bright America was. So many lights and so many tall people. Out of all the things that shocked me, it was carpet. I was used to bamboo. And we slept on it. A lot of us slept on the carpet, it was so soft,” Alonzo reflects affectionately. His love for art progressed at his new school, where his teachers recognized his artistic abilities and encouraged him to enter competitions, which he did, taking first place in all. “Now I had the right type of tools, because they’re there in the classroom. I had so much freedom to learn as much as I can.” After high school, Alonzo’s passion took him to Long Beach State University and Fresno State University to study art. “I did a lot of going door to door, painting mailboxes just to make extra money. I did drawings for people. Instead of finding a job, you create a job for yourself.” One of the first jobs Alonzo landed, ironically, was after he landed from a backflip performed in front of an employer at Breaking the Barriers in Fresno, a nonprofit integrating sports and performing arts in classes for students of all abilities. He was hired on the spot to teach art, gymnastics and martial arts. Although the work he performed was rewarding, Alonzo sought out a deeper purpose for his life. “I don’t paint to make

38 | Enjoy JUNE 2015

pretty pictures. I paint to make a difference and to inspire people,” he says. Alonzo decided to pursue ministry, using his creative talents to connect with people on a spiritual level. “God is the original artist.” Using the luminescent glow of ultraviolet paint, black lights, music and martial arts, Alonzo creates a rapid and captivating performance. Nunchucks thresh the air, staffs rotate with quick turns of the wrists, both used as painting tools that apply neon paint to a black canvas. Within minutes, splashes of colorful paint quickly become well-known icons like Po the Panda (from Dreamworks Animation) or Jack Sparrow (Walt Disney Pictures). Sometimes it’s not revealed until close to the end, when the painting is flipped right-side up, that it’s a portrait of Jesus Christ. The paintings are often used to raise money for charities, and one raised $20,000 during a Make-a-Wish Foundation auction. After years of using a positive program to perform his speed-painting act for schools, universities, churches and other venues while also delivering an educational message, Alonzo decided to open an art school in Kingsburg in September 2014. Envision Art Studio and Gallery is a nonprofit organization committed to making a positive difference in the lives of people through the use of art. “People want to do something fun, (especially) if they’ve never really tried art. A professional artist can guide them through. There’s a coach there to guide them,” says Alonzo. Three-day summer art camp workshops will be offered in June and July for children ages 7 to 12 with a focus on acrylic, ultraviolet paint, and watercolor. A speed-painting course will also be offered for ages 10 and older. Private art lessons can be arranged with Alonzo, and the studio can be reserved for private events like birthday parties. During studio hours, anyone is welcome. “Anyone can come to Envision. Anyone can experience art. We won’t turn anyone away,” says Alonzo. •

1333 Draper St., Visalia (559) 238-5067 Tuesday - Saturday: 10 am-5 pm or by appointment Closed Sunday and Monday www.envisionartstudio.com www.rickalonzo.org Find them on Facebook

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