Enjoy Magazine: South Valley Living—May 2015

®

South Valley Living Magazine

MAY 2015

A Mother’s Love

www.enjoysouthvalley.com

Enjoy the magazine It’s on the house

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Contents ®

South Valley Living MAY 2015

GOOD FINDS

10 Delicious Treats From The Frosted Muffin in Visalia 28 Adventurous Fare at Char-cu-te-rie

INTER EST 22 Redbud Arts & Crafts Festival

LOCA L S 6 Farmer’s Fury Wine Tasting Room in Lemoore 25 Thimble Towne Offers Quilting Opportunities for All

ON THE M AP

15 Visalia Players at the Ice House Theater

SHOW TI ME

18 The Musical Stylings of James ‘Sinatra’ Hitchcock

IN EV ERY ISSUE

30 Enjoy the View – Jacki Potorke 32 What’s Cookin’—Orzo, Veggies and Chicken Salad with Lemony Basil Dressing 34 Spotlight—Calendar of Events 36 Store Front—April Lancaster, Lancaster Creations 38 Giving Back—Deborah DeLong’s Speech Pathways

The Frosted Muffin photo by Jen May Pastores

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

cmayc welcome mom

Hunting c Vintage G

A new retail store focused on providing affordable quality antiques, collectibles, furniture, jewelry and delicious fresh taffy.

LEGACY Vintage Chic

605 E. Main St., Visalia (559) 731-5027

A little bit of Paris right here in the Valley. We are the one stop shop: Antiques, Collectibles, Glassware and Unique Items.

601 E Main St, Visalia (559) 636-8000 parisvintagemarket.com Unique antique store selling men’s and women’s vintage clothing accessories, European furniture, exotic chandeliers, outdoor/patio area with succulent plants.

FIND US ALL ON FACEBOOK!

PEDDLER’S MARKET 520 E Main St, Visalia (559) 713-0415

Looking for nostalgia? Do you like antiques, vintage clothes, or just plain old things? Then come visit us & let us light your way down memory lane.

Lamplighter Mercantile 521 E Main St, Visalia (559) 733-7120

Antiques - Collectibles - Gifts We Buy & Sell Estates Consignments Welcomed.

Main St. Mercantile 514 East Main St. Visalia (559) 733-3038

Char-cu-te-rie photo by Josiah Alter

®

SOUTH VALLEY LIVING

YVONNE MAZZOTTA publisher MICHELLE ADAMS publisher RONDA BALL editor-in-chief KERRI REGAN copy editor MICHELLE ADAMS graphic design MONICA FATICA consultant/ advertising sales representative LUCI LONG advertising sales representative LYNN LEARNED advertising sales representative BRANDI BARNETT sales assistant/event calendar/website

MAY 2015 We missed out on April showers this year, but we’re still showering bouquets of love upon the wonderful women in our lives who have earned the esteemed title of “mother.” Within these pages, we’ll give you plenty of creative ideas for honoring the loveliest ladies in your lives.

If your mom, grandmother, sister, aunt, daughter or best friend is a wine lover, consider treating her to a visit to Farmer’s Fury Winery. Created by farmers-turned-winemakers, its Tasting Room in Lemoore has been delighting diverse crowds since it opened.

And if your special Mom is sweet all the way down to her sweet tooth, consider a visit to The Frosted Muffin, where you’ll find an assortment of decadent confections that will make her feel as special as she is.

Meanwhile, it’s easy to treat the special woman in your life to the gift she will cherish most – quality time with the ones she loves. If she enjoys live entertainment, check out the imaginative lineup presented by the Visalia Players, who are in the midst of their 57th season at the historic Ice House Theater.

Looking for a change of scenery, but don’t want to spend the day in the car? Invite Mom on a little road trip to Three Rivers, where local artists are staging the annual Redbud Arts and Crafts Festival.

Don’t forget to stop by Enjoy the Store in Visalia, where we’ll help you find the perfect, locally made gift to honor Mom. Enjoy spectacular spring!

HAYDEN MCCAW 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

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COV ER PHOTO

Alex and Sophie Ericson

by Christy Canafax www.photophilous.co

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MAY 2015 ENJOY | 5

LOCALS

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BY JORDAN VENEMA

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PHOTOS: CHRISTY CANAFAX

A Farmer’s

attitude

FA R M E R ’ S F U R Y W I N E TA S T I N G R O O M I N L E M O O R E COTTON-PICKING FARMERS TURNED WINE MAKERS, well, that’s how the website describes them, anyway: the Stratford family behind Farmer’s Fury Winery. Brothers George and Charles and father Charles Meyer began Farmer’s Fury in 2009, nearly by accident. But what began by chance they’ve tackled with a farmer’s earnestness: they’ve grabbed that bull by the horns and wrangled to the ground a business that otherwise isn’t associated with men of the earth like themselves. Farmers have been used to market lots of products – beer, cigarettes, trucks – but wine?

After George completed his U.S. Marine Corps service, he returned home to enlist in another long-standing tradition – working the family farm. “It was started around 1906, I think,” George says. It’s been four generations, anyway, and they’ve grown different crops through the years, including wheat and cotton, and now, of course, grapes.

Perhaps it was the Marine in him, but in 2006 George set to rearranging the farm. “There was a lot of unorganized space going on,” George says. While cleaning, he came across a winemaking kit.

George admits he wasn’t exactly a wine-drinking guy. “I didn’t really 6 | ENJOY MAY 2015

drink wine at all, unless we went to Olive Garden,” he says. “To be honest, I’d make beer before I’d make wine. But what the hell, I thought.

I can make wine. Why not?”

So George bought five gallons of frozen grape must, and followed the instructions that came with the kit. All things considered, George says, it was pretty simple. “Step one, do this; step two, do this; step three, do this… and a month went by, we tasted it out of the barrel, and” – George slightly pauses, almost to brace himself for what he’s about to admit – “yeah, it was pretty good.”

Good enough that George used his GI Bill to study wine at Fresno State University. “After the first semester I got a pretty good look at how a winery works, so I told my brother and dad, ‘Let’s try to get our own winery going.’”

In 2009, the Meyers officially began making wine as Farmer’s Fury Winery. “I wanted a name that wasn’t just about me, or my family, but about a way of life, our community,” says George. “And I wanted attitude, because we (farmers) get the short end of the stick.”

Farmer’s Fury has embraced the agricultural community, and how

could they not? Both their farm and their grapes have roots in the Central Valley. But just because they’re celebrating their identity as farmers, don’t expect wine served from a box. Their wine is true vintage, bottled cabernets, chardonnays, reserve merlots, zinfandels and blends.

Farmers grew the grapes, farmers bottled the wine, and farmer’s in the name, but that doesn’t mean you’ve got to be a farmer to enjoy it.

Two years ago, Farmer’s Fury opened its Tasting Room in Lemoore, and they’ve been reaching diverse crowds. Beside Lemoore residents and the Visalia and Fresno traffic coming and going from the coast, they’ve been popular with people in uniform. “It sure is nice having that Navy base here. We didn’t think about it when we moved here,” George says, “but they’re our biggest customers.”

Bucking stereotypes and breaking barriers is practically written in their mission, and the Tasting Room makes that possible. With open mic events on Wednesdays, and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings, the Tasting Room is more than your typical wine bar.

“There isn’t any other place like it in Lemoore,” says George. “It’s a great place to meet new people, socialize, talk. We get people down from Fresno saying they wish they had a place like this.”

And then there’s the wine.

“Sometimes people can be standoffish with people who are new to wine,” says George. “So we try to break that barrier and show people that anyone can drink wine. It’s good with almost any meal, and good to sip on without a meal.”

That’s saying a lot coming from a man who admits he wasn’t always wine’s biggest fan. Now he speaks like a true sommelier. His favorite

bottle right now is their 2009 reserve merlot. “It’s very big, powerful, with raspberry tones, and it’s smooth,” muses George. “It’s just a beautiful wine with tons of flavor, heavy, and as far as drinking wines go, it’s like drinking a stout.”

George credits Fresno State with teaching him how to talk about wine, “but it has so many descriptors that you can’t possibly think about them all.” Anyway, he says, “you end up talking over people’s heads.”

And that’s not what Farmer’s Fury is about. They are about, however, making good wine for the “hardworking men and women” of the Central Valley.

“We need to be here in the Valley, and we want to make a good product.” Why? Because it’s home. It’s why they grow their grapes in Kingsburg, why they serve their wine at Rawhide Games, why they’re looking to open another tasting room in Bakersfield. So they plan to continue to embrace their identity as farmers, celebrate their agricultural roots, and stay local. That’s the plan anyway, says George, “and so far, it’s been working out.” • Farmer’s Fury Winery • Tasting Room: 358 West D St., Lemoore (559) 816-0019 • Open Wednesday through Saturday: 4–10pm Find them on Facebook

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.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 7

Explore Exeter SHOP

DINE

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Exeter Flower Company Deliveries to Exeter, Visalia and surrounding communities. exeterflower.com • (559) 592-2551 199 E. Pine Street • Exeter, CA 93221

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Saturday, May 9th 9 am to 2 pm Tour Unique & Beautiful Private Gardens & Enjoy a Lovely Tea Party at By the Water Tower Antiques Sponsored by

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Just Sprouted Juice Bar and Healthy Cafe 114 North E Street, Exeter • (559) 936-7056 downtownexeter.com/store/justsprouted

a full service hair salon

sometimes success demands a certain refined insanity

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111 North E St Exeter salon 559.731.8746

Jorie DiMeco, Tangles Salon Hair Stylist & Make up Artist

Monday, October 13, 2014 ALL CHANGES NEED TO BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2014 home and decor,email gifts,to:&Lauri@GreenDragonGraphics.com. refurbished furniture lease indicatevintage, corrections custom painted If all is good to go, please send anpieces email stating that fact.

117 E. Pine St., Exeter, CA 93221 (559)592-2634, cell (559)799-9815 158 E Pine Street, Exeter • 559-592-3960Date: ______________________ _____________________________________________________ owners: Jodi & Stefanie Changes: _____________________________________________ Date: ______________________

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GOOD FINDS

|

t es t e e w S thing

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEN MAY PASTORES

the

D E L I C I O U S T R E AT S F R O M T H E F R O S T E D M U F F I N I N V I S A L I A WRAPPED INSIDE A SINGLE­-SERVING accordion­ sided paper is a combination of dreamy, edible elements that make up the humble cupcake. Dress it up with a pure, sweet buttercream frosting, whipped up from scratch, on top of a denser baked good that leaves your mouth feeling well off, and you’ll have experienced The Frosted Muffin.

As a child growing up with a large family, The Frosted Muffin owner Kaity Draper first learned to bake with her mom using a family recipe for chocolate cake during the Christmas seasons. Over the years, the love for baking enticed Draper to enroll in a culinary arts program in Clovis,

10 | ENJOY MAY 2015

specializing in baking and pastry. She successfully evolved the family recipe into her cupcake inspiration that she uses to this day, turning her lifelong passion into a viable small business. Draper launched her cupcakery in her hometown of Visalia in July 2009 and offers up a scrumptious menu of cupcakes, cookies and creamy creations.

Draper stands out among her siblings in her creative career choice, as she is the only food industry professional pursuing work as a baker along with her mom, Tamara Doyal, who partnered with her in the early days of the sweet shop’s beginning. Draper’s creativity works its way into her pairing of mouthwatering, tasteful toppings:

Salted Caramel Pretzel, French Toast, Pineapple Upside Down, Pink Champagne, and Chocolate Dipped Banana highlight just a few of The Frosted Muffin’s specialty cupcakes featured on certain days of the week.

Their elaborate menu of 36 frosted flavors rotate each business day, but there are six flavors you can always look forward to every time they’re open: Vanilla Butter, Triple Chocolate, Cinnamon Red Velvet, Chocolate Chip, Triple Chip, and Psychedelic, a vanilla butter confetti cake frosted with classic vanilla cream cheese dipped in multicolor sugar crystals. Draper buys strawberries locally and adds them into their Strawberry Shortcake cupcake.

Other fresh fruit flavors are the new Blueberry Lemon and (a current favorite of Draper’s) Peach Cobbler.

“We’re not your light and fluffy cupcake,” Draper says when asked what helps keeps them memorable. “People become fans and they stay fans. Once people taste our cupcakes, they love them and they tell someone else.”

Draper believes the cupcake craze is still alive and remains to be favored locally. This often has Draper and Doyal baking as early as 6 am to prepare for the new day, including custom orders for special events like weddings or birthday parties, or crafting cupcake bouquets for holidays like Mother’s Day.

Recently added to their selections are generously sized cookies, cupcake sundaes and cookie ice cream sandwiches using ice cream from the local Rosa Brothers Milk Company. As if it couldn’t get any better, The Frosted Muffin is currently in the beginning stages of going on wheels to serve cupcakes in neighborhoods, workplaces and community events in a mobile division.

“It’s getting to be creative. It’s fun! It’s not sitting behind a desk doing the same routine everyday. I get to talk to a lot of people and experience different life events with them,” Draper says as she reflects on the fortune of doing something she’s loved since she was a child.

Cupcakes aren’t just for sweet­tooth foodies and dessert aficionados, but for anyone who’s up for enjoying a little more sweetness in life. • The Frosted Muffin • 2145 W. Whitendale, Visalia Open Tuesday to Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-3pm (559) 734-4024 • www.thefrostedmuffin.com Find them on Facebook Jen May Pastores is a photographer, teaching artist, and freelance writer. Her work can be viewed at jenmayphotography.com. She also enjoys sharing good food on Instagram @VisaliaEats.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 11

Visit the Swedish Speech Pathways

Taste the Goodness!

Communication Skills are the Pathway to Lifes Opportunities!

Deborah DeLong, M.A., CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

Two Locations: 1581 18th Ave, Kingsburg, CA 1126 East Leland Ave, Tulare, CA

Call Us Today! 559.859.2891 speechpathways@yahoo.com speechpathwaysca.com

FLOWERS ARE LOVE’S TRUEST LANGUAGE.

Bella Rose Bakery & Cafe • 1537 Lincoln Street, Kingsburg • (559) 419-9054

Kingsburg’s Little Indoor Village

—Park Benjamin

CAFE, BAKERY, ART, HOME, HANDCRAFTED, & GARDEN SHOPS

• Diane’s Village Bakery & Cafe 559-897-7460 • Kingsburg Arts Center 559-960-2428 • Mitt i Dalen - Handmade & Handcrafted in the Valley 559-374-2844

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ON THE MAP

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BY FACHE DESROCHERS

|

PHOTOS: JACKI POTORKE

TAKE THE STAGE V I S A L I A P L AY E R S AT T H E I C E H O U S E T H E AT E R

AS A CULTURAL MAINSTAY, few things have stood the test of time quite like theater. When one looks at all the entertainment options available today, it feels tempting to categorize a live stage performance as archaic. But there is something about treading the boards, or sitting in that darkened audience: Something alive and intoxicating and utterly irreplaceable. Perhaps that’s why the Visalia Players and their home at the historic Ice House Theater have been such a proud local fixture for so long.

June will see the Players’ completion of their 57th season of providing live entertainment to the community. The Visalia Players’ legacy boasts more than 300 shows that have been produced, directed, acted in and supported by generations of South Valley culture vultures who found their way to the Ice House Theater’s audience, audition line and board of dedicated members. “A show is so much more than the actors on the stage,” says President William Martin. “It’s truly a community effort that makes the Ice House Theater possible.”

“The board is all volunteers who are passionate about theater in some way, and not necessarily about acting,” says longtime board member Leeni Mitchell.

The Visalia Players are wrapping up their 2014-2015 season in June with a stage adaptation of the 1960s film triumph The Graduate. It’s a fitting end to a fascinating season, which featured an ambitious lineup with something for every theatergoer. From the rollicking musical Bonnie & Clyde, to the quirky Hitchcock adaptation The 39 Steps, to the contemplative drama The Trip to Bountiful, the Visalia Players are in possession of some serious range.

But that has always been a priority. “One of the things we are most proud of here is the diversity of our shows,” says Martin. “We’ll have musicals and lighter stuff in the year’s lineup, but we also like to do edgier performances as well; satirical farces and dark comedies and plays that address certain issues.”

When it comes to their seasonal lineup, the Visalia Players stress not only diversity, but innovative presentation.

In addition to staging productions in the main theater, the Players have also branched out into what they call “lobby shows.” “Once a year, we usually do a show here in the lobby,” says Mitchell. “This helps us do seven shows instead of six, because your main stage is free, so you can present two productions at the same time.” 4

continued on page 16 MAY 2015 ENJOY | 15

“THERE’S SO MANY WAYS TO GET INVOLVED,” SAYS MARTIN. “AND IT TAKES A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF TALENT. THEATER NEEDS EVERYBODY.” For the lobby shows, the Players choose smaller, more esoteric productions that are ideal for smaller audiences. “It’s a lovely, intimate environment, which is nice, because often these lobby shows are performances that you might not get a very big audience for,” says Martin. “But that’s perfect, because these are usually types of shows where you want to be close. You want to see the expressions in the eyes…the movement of the hands… you can see the actors blink and blush…you’re not going to miss anything.”

In fact, this smaller show setting has been so well received by audiences that the Players have decided to take this creative use of space as far as it can go. “We’re doing cabarets in the lobby now,” Mitchell says. “It’s a limited engagement; we only stage them for a three-performance weekend. But they’re so much fun.”

After the curtain falls on The Graduate, the Players take a brief summer hiatus, and return fresh in August to start the 2015-2016 season with the inaugural show Broads of Broadway, directed by Mitchell herself. “I’m very excited about that show because we are putting every aspect of it together ourselves,” she says. “It’s an original musical based on the golden age of Broadway.” Looking ahead, the Players’ upcoming season includes the wry comedy Over the River & Thru the Woods, the haunting musical Dogfight, and cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show (including a midnight Halloween showing of course) – to name just a few.

If you know that the theater is in your blood, (or if you’ve always wanted to know), you’re in luck; there are a myriad of ways to get involved with the Visalia Players.

Auditions are always open call, but for those who don’t crave the limelight, the Players’ volunteer program is the perfect way to break into lighting, set design, directing or any other element of the theater. The Players’ membership program is also an excellent place to get one’s feet wet. “There’s so many ways to get involved,” says Martin. “And it takes a lot of different kinds of talent. Theater needs everybody.”•

Visalia Players at the Ice House Theater 410 E. Race Ave., Visalia • Find them on Facebook (559) 734-3900 • www.visaliaplayers.org VISALIA PLAYERS 2015/2016 SEASON May 13-29—NEXT FALL “Lobby Show”—Dramedy June 10-26 ­—VANYA, SONIA, MASHA & SPIKE—Comedy June 12-28—THE GRADUATE—Drama August 14-30 —BROADS OF BROADWAY—Musical October 16–November 1—ROCKY HORROR SHOW—Musical February 5-21—DOGFIGHT—Musical April 1-17—OUTGOING TIDE—Drama

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

16 | ENJOY MAY 2015

Helping your body feel the way it was meant to feel.

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SHOWTIME

|

BY JORDAN VENEMA

|

PHOTOS: CHRISTY CANAFAX

being

frank T H E M U S I C A L S T Y L I N G S O F J A M E S ‘ S I N AT R A’ H I TC H C O C K JAMIE HITCHCOCK SAYS HE’S SHY, but that could be an act, a front for one of his many personas. There’s Jamie the family man, then Jamie the handyman, and the more formal James “Sinatra” Hitchcock, so who can really say?

Shy or not, one thing is obvious – Hitchcock likes to laugh. Like, a lot. The laughter seems inseparable from Hitchcock – until he dons the tux, because then it’s all business.

“It’s kind of cool,” he says. “People do look at you a little different once you get that tux on.”

That’s when he becomes James “Sinatra” Hitchcock. And the gig is serious business. It’s hard enough to sing in front of people, but to croon like Ol’ Blue Eyes himself? Definitely not a gig Hitchcock would have predicted. “I loved all kinds of music growing up,” he says – Dean Martin, Sinatra – but Hitchcock never so much as sang in choir, and he hated standing in front of classmates in high school.

Impersonating Sinatra in front of strangers? Unthinkable.

18 | ENJOY MAY 2015

“I was a closet singer,” says Hitchcock. But when he became a father, everything changed.

“Some of my shyness started going away after I had kids, almost like my mission in life was to embarrass them,” he says with a laugh.

If he could embarrass himself to embarrass his kids, then logically, “ I could get up in front of people and not care if they laugh.”

In the late ‘90s, Hitchcock put his newfound confidence to the test. He sang karaoke at the Visalia Depot, though he admits he never looked up from the screen. And though Hitchcock couldn’t see the crowd, the crowd saw him. A friend asked if he’d perform at a vintage fashion show. They had the garb, they just needed a voice, and Hitchcock agreed.

For the next couple years, Hitchcock performed at the fashion show, but otherwise only “once in a blue moon.” People would ask him, “Where do you sing regularly?” And Hitchcock just laughed, “Well, I don’t.”

Then in 2011, Visalia’s Ice House held auditions for the musical My Way. Hitchcock had never acted before, but he already knew Sinatra’s lyrics by heart, so he thought, “You know, maybe I’ll try out.” He got the lead role.

Ice House lit a fire for Hitchcock, after which his career “just sort of snowballed.” He has since performed regularly for the Visalia Republican Women Federated, the Visalia County Club’s 3rd of July event, and Tulare County’s Family Services Guest Chef Series.

And though Hitchcock now regularly books larger events, he doesn’t shy from backyard parties. No gig is too small, “unless I just can’t get into the room,” he says.

“But my big dream right now,” he says, “is to have a live orchestra behind me one day.” Hitchcock currently performs with backing tracks, and well enough that more than a few event-goers have failed to realize they were listening to a live performance. With the Tulare County Symphony at his back, none could make that mistake.

“Wouldn’t that be so cool? Just to be able to get in a sing one song, as they’re rehearsing, even from the back,” says Hitchcock. “I don’t even have to be on stage. I would just love to sing with them.”

The symphony hasn’t approached him – yet. In the meantime, Visalia Holiday Inn has. “They called me,” he says with a laugh, saying they wanted to class the place up.

“Me,” he says again, incredulously. “I never though I’d be a lounge singer.” Now Hitchcock performs every other Saturday night at the Mahogany Lounge.

“Actually, I was worried people would get tired of it,”

says Hitchcock. But regulars keep coming. That shouldn’t surprise Hitchcock. Long ago, he shed whatever shyness stood between just singing Sinatra and performing Sinatra. The regulars come for the show.

“I can walk out into the crowd, grab somebody up to dance, bring somebody into the song,” says Hitchcock.

And whether he’s passing out roses or singing with the audience, “it’s just a kick, just a kick and a half.”

With his recent success, perhaps Hitchcock will follow in Sinatra’s footsteps? Dabble in acting? “Unless I can sing the whole thing, I don’t think there will be an acting career.” Or perhaps there’s a solo career on the horizon?

Unlikely. Hitchcock still has his day job: a handyman, “a local man about town,” he says. Which actually sounds an awful lot like something Sinatra would say.

So if you don’t catch him at the Mahogany Lounge on a weekend night or someday singing on stage at the Fox, you might just hear him humming a tune, doing it his way, while painting the walls of your house. Because whether he’s in overalls or a tux, Hitchcock says “there’s always an occasion” for Sinatra. • (559) 300-6819 • jamie2tammi@sbcglobal.net Find Jamie Sings Sinatra on Facebook

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.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 19

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INTEREST

|

BY JEN MAY PASTORES

|

PHOTOS COURTESY OF REDBUD FESTIVAL

Festival Magic R E D B U D A R T S & C R A F T S F E S T I VA L

Because of the anniversary of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon, we really wanted to try and honor the parks, because we’re the neighboring gateway here.

22 | ENJOY MAY 2015

NESTLED IN THE FOOTHILLS of the southern Sierra Nevada mountain range is Three Rivers, a small town boasting a surrounding landscape of ancient woodlands, flowing rivers and natural spectacles, including a famed forest of giant sequoia trees in the neighboring Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The land naturally and historically inspires a community of environmentalists, backpackers, tourists and creatives to explore the allure of abounding nature in the area.

One such visiting individual was John Muir, an American naturalist and advocate of wilderness preservation, who devoted his work to preserving forests like Sequoia National Park. He wrote in one of his observations, “Everybody needs beauty... places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.” Perhaps this spirit of reverence is what draws people to the town.

Since the 1960s, groups of local artists living and working in Three Rivers began exhibiting their artwork, and in the 1970s an annual event known as the Redbud Arts and Crafts Festival bloomed. “I think it all started because Three Rivers always has been an artists’ community. Artists are always looking for venues to showcase their art,” says Karen Kimball, chair of this year’s Redbud Festival and

“The Redbud Festival is a celebration of art, food and fun,” says Stephen Jonnum, director of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers. “We live in a magical place and we want to share the magic.”

member of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers, a nonprofit serving the creative arts community of Three Rivers and host of the traditional Redbud Festival. “We’re working a lot harder to develop partnerships in our community.

Because of the anniversary of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon, we really wanted to try and honor the parks, because we’re the neighboring gateway here. We want to bring a unique energy and focus on the heritage of the parks to the community.”

This year marks Sequoia’s 125th anniversary and King Canyon’s 75th anniversary, and they’re celebrating the preservation and protection of the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada. Students enrolled in Pro­Youth/HEART, a local after­school program, are invited to photograph the park and share their written thoughts on what the parks means to them in an Outside the Lens photo exhibit inside the Harrison Hall of the Community Presbyterian Church at the Redbud Festival. The Festival is the first weekend of May at the Three Rivers Memorial Building.

The Redbud Festival is free, but proceeds from the event’s raffle tickets go toward the Arts Alliance’s Jonnum­Young Scholarship for local high school seniors who desire to pursue art in higher education.

Other festival highlights include live music, freshly made food from the Three Rivers Bread Basket and Antoinette’s Coffee and Goodies, and original artwork

by more than 65 vendors. New to the festival will be a quilt challenge that invites quilters from the region to enter panels to commemorate the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks’ anniversaries. The Sequoia National History Association will help give insight to the parks’ history by performing reenactments, part of Three Rivers’ 1st Saturday monthly celebration. Maps for the event can be picked up at Anne Lang’s Emporium and at the Three Rivers Historical Museum.

“The Redbud Festival is a celebration of art, food and fun,” says Stephen Jonnum, director of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers. “We live in a magical place and we want to share the magic.” • 41st Annual Redbud Arts and Crafts Festival Three Rivers Memorial Building 43490 Sierra Drive, Three Rivers Saturday, May 2, 10am ­5pm Sunday, May 3, 10am ­4pm www.artsalliancethreerivers.org

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

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 23

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| BY JORDAN VENEMA |

PHOTOS: JOSIAH ALTER

SEAMS T H I M B L E T O W N E O F F E R S Q U I LT I N G O P P O R T U N I T I E S F O R A L L

WHATEVER YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT QUILTING, you can go ahead and leave at the door. The hobby has come a long way since covered wagons and bonnets were the rage, when grandmothers quilted patchwork fabrics by candlelight from the comfort of a rocking chair.

All technological advances aside (and machines costing in the tens of thousands of dollars), the face of quilts and quilters has drastically changed. “Sewing and quilting is like the top hobby,” insists Jeremy Swaim. And that’s coming from a guy who’s tried it all. “I’ve had jet skis, I’ve had quads, I’ve done just about every hobby out there, but quilting is the only one that lets me leave the world behind.”

Quilting has become so popular that the once casual hobby has become downright competitive. No, not a rivalry a la “West Side Story,” with knitters and quilters rumbling on the streets. We’re talking national and international competitions, quilts on display like pieces of art. There’s even a large competition held annually in nearby Lindsey.

Surprisingly, Visalia has become something of a quilting hotspot, with local quilting store Thimble Towne right at its center. Just

last year, Thimble Towne was a top-10 dealer of Baby Lock sewing machines among nearly 500 retailers nationwide. And while Thimble Towne’s success has a lot to do with quilting’s popularity, it also has a lot to do with its owners, Swaim and husband Greg.

Swaim first learned to quilt from his mother about 11 years ago.

She had opened her own quilting store in Bakersfield, where Swaim also worked. She had taught him how to use a long-arm quilting machine “when I really fell in love with it,” says Swaim.

He loved it so much that nearly five years ago, Swaim moved to Visalia and purchased Thimble Towne. But if Swaim came only for the business, he soon found himself in the midst of a thriving, tight-knit community.

“I love Visalia,” Swaim says emphatically. “You’d probably have to drag me kicking and screaming from here. I love the people, the sense of community… The quilting and sewing community welcomed me with open arms. I’ve probably made more friends in the last four-anda-half years in Visalia than I did my entire life in Bakersfield.”

“There’s just a different mentality to quilters,” he muses. “They’re extremely friendly.”4 continued on page 26 MAY 2015 ENJOY | 25

Thimble Towne 400 West Caldwell, Suite F, Visalia (559) 627–5778 www.thimbletowne.com Monday through Friday: 9:30am – 5:30pm Saturday: 9:30am – 4:30pm Find them on Facebook

It might have something to do with the quilting process, or maybe the quilts themselves. Traditionally, a quilt unifies patchwork materials – basically, quilts are a ready-made metaphor for community. But whatever they are, just don’t make the mistake of calling them blankets.

“Quilting is just so much more. So we don’t use that word,” Swaim says.

Take Swaim’s quilts as examples. Vibrant colors and intricate details swirl outward in geometric patterns, like a blossoming flower, like a Tibetan mandala. They really aren’t just blankets – they’re works of art.

“And there’s a huge variant to what a quilt can be,” says Swaim. “But I also love the creative process. I love starting with a pile of fabrics that get cut into pieces that are assembled into blocks and then turned into a quilt that’s given to somebody else.”

That element of quilt making, giving, is basically sewn into Thimble Towne’s fabric. As a quilt shop, they not only sell the essentials to make a quilt – from fabrics to patterns to sewing furniture – but through classes they also teach their customers how to make a quilt. And that’s the gift that keeps on giving.

These classes break barriers that might otherwise prevent people from giving quilting an honest shake.

Quilting can be pretty intimidating if you’ve never used a sewing machine before. It’s no different than going to a gym for the first time in years – and maybe even worse.

Without the proper teacher, quilting patterns are just as 26 | ENJOY MAY 2015

complicated as architectural blueprints.

Thank goodness for instructors like Swaim. “We do our best to take the intimidation out of it,” he says. And for first-time sewers, “if you don’t have a machine, take a class. We’ll lend you a machine during classes,” he adds.

Thimble Towne offers week-long classes for kids twice a year, like a sewing camp, where kids learn to sew pillowcases, bags, even clothing. It’s all part of Thimble Towne’s approach to make sewing and quilting accessible to everybody and anybody.

No, quilting isn’t just grandma’s business anymore. “It used to be,” Swaim agrees, “but there’s a whole movement to modern quilting…. Since the invention of Etsy, people are sewing their own kids’ clothes and blankets and selling them.”

“Even my service tech became a stay-athome-dad, and decided to learn to sew to make his daughter’s clothes,” Swaim says.

“And then he started his own sewing and embroidery business.”

Swaim’s point: sewing and quilting is a booming hobby that’s practically bursting at the seams. That’s just a metaphor, of course, but if you ever are faced with an actual bursting seam, or just have an itch for a new hobby, Thimble Towne might just be the needle for your thread. •

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.

Create the FIT BODY you want for the ACTIVITIES you ENJOY!

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Fitness and Relaxation Retreat 31359 Dahlem Dr. Exeter. *Call ahead for the gate code.

l Bring a yoga mat or two, and a beach towel. l You are welcome to bring your own lunch. l Go hiking or bike riding (bring your own) before or after class.

l Pay per class $15 cash or check.

About the class: Yoga on the Grass is conducted on an intermediate level. There are modifications for beginners and advanced yogis. There is music and a beautiful view. Lilly teaches a variety of yoga styles, and combines other disciplines, seamlessly, integrated into the class including: Pilates, Tai Chi, Chi Ball, and Budokon, to name a few. It is a unique method, created by Lilly, and you will not find anything like it anywhere else.

YOGA

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SATURDAYS @ 9:30 AM MAY 2 THRU JUNE 27

By: Lilly Hart, Certified Yoga Instructor and Professional Contact: RSVP by Phone, Call or Text: (559) 589-4143 Fitness Expert Or by email: lillyhart41@yahoo.com

With Guest Master Teachers, and a Fabulous View of the Beautiful Foothills of Mehrten Valley.

Classes & Private Instruction Also Available at Lilly’s Private Studio Vue.

www.LillyHart.com

27 | ENJOY MAY 2015

GOOD FINDS

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BY JORDAN VENEMA

|

PHOTOS: JOSIAH ALTER

NEW YOR

K N I A M ON

28 | ENJOY MAY 2015

A D V E N T U R O U S FA R E AT C H A R - C U -T E - R I E I N V I S A L I A IF YOU’VE SET FOOT in Visalia’s Char-cu-te-rie, you’ve probably caught a glimpse of owner Catherine Heaney. But only just before she dips behind the counter or through the back door, which, according to a warning sign, is home to killer bees and sharp knives. But she’s not dodging customers. As the owner, barista, proprietor and cook – call Heaney busy, but just don’t call her chef.

“No, no, no, no, no,” she emphatically declines the tag. “I’m just a borderline weirdo.”

Debatable, but however she cuts it, Heaney is the heart, mind, and hands behind Main Street’s culinary treatery, Char-cu-te-rie. The concept of Char-cu-te-rie is simpler to explain than pronounce, and loyal customers who don’t already call it home, fondly call it Char.

In Heaney’s words, “We’re a café and coffee shop that does light fare.” But it’s so much more. Light fare with simple ingredients, maybe, but complex flavors, and then there’s then epicurean treats and thirdwave coffee, cheese and meat plates, bottled beers, homemade donuts, soups and daily specials that are usually plated with a pun, a la getting piggy with it.

In short, Heaney has built much more than a café, and she’s done it without a lick of culinary training.

In fact, she spent eight years in New York studying to become a clinical psychologist, accruing two master degrees along the way. She returned to Visalia to complete her clinical hours, but realized soon thereafter she preferred a different course.

Heaney followed her passion, she followed the food, and decided to open a café in Visalia. She also admits, “I wanted to open a place so I didn’t miss New York and the other places I’d been.” Enter Char, her own little corner of New York on Main.

While living in New York, Heaney had access to some of the world’s best eateries, from high-class restaurants to back alley holes-in-the-wall. And though she never formally studied food from the kitchen’s perspective, she certainly studied it from the plate. Char is Heaney’s informal education manifested in Visalia. “It came about through my experiences and traveling and living in New York, and experiencing lots of different foods.”

If New York is the capital of cuisine, then Heaney is its ambassador. Char is her catalogue of comestibles, a synthesis of sustenance, entrees transcribed from her dietary diary. But it’s also a place where Visalians can be adventurous.

“I wanted a place where people could try and experience new things,” says Heaney. Pork belly burgers, perhaps, or maybe the carrot coconut soup.

Something sweet, then the milk chocolate donut bread pudding might be your thing.

And while Heaney’s culinary creations are her own, she neither shrinks from emulating the best

she’s tried elsewhere. Like the Canadian Club (a Char must), an idea inspired by a Montreal eatery is called Au Pied de Cochon – Pig’s Foot. Basically, she adds a little maple syrup to a fried egg topped with cheddar. The result “is like bread pudding, the best thing ever, and so simple.”

Though she’s found inspiration from around the world, Char’s menu reflects local tastes. When Char opened three years ago, it only served coffee and a maybe a daily sandwich. But regulars began requesting formerly offered specials, which were subsequently incorporated into a menu. “Yeah, the menu was created by the customer, which is the best way, really,” she says. Specials have proven to be her bread and butter.

So consider Char Visalia’s own corner of cosmopolitan cuisine, a place to find big-city dishes at small-town prices. “I’ve actually been told that our prices are too low, and it’s a weird thing to hear, because I want people to try things and feel comfortable.”

Three years later, Char has grown beyond Heaney’s original vision. But that’s because she has grown, too – especially as, ahem, a chef. “I’ve always liked to cook to an extent,” she says, though her cookbooks aren’t the prettiest due to frequent use. But when she began recreating dishes from memory, there was no blueprint to follow. “Cooking became more playful, though I was still nervous.”

Through trial and error – “add a little more salt, or what if I add currants?” – Heaney taught herself what culinary training might have otherwise limited: how to enjoy food from the other side of the plate, from the kitchen, as a chef.

In early January, however, Heaney finally caved in. She took a three-week culinary course in New York. Don’t expect her to begin calling herself a chef anytime soon, though, which is fine, since the proof is in the pudding: Heaney knows a thing about food, and her customers know it.

Which is why they keep coming. They long ago figured out that Char-cu-te-rie isn’t really that hard to spell, let alone pronounce. Because however you rearrange the letters, they always spell the same thing: Delicious. • 211 W Main St, Visalia • (559) 733-7902 Mon – Fri: 7am-4pm • Sat & Sun: 9am-4pm www.char-cu-te-rie.com Find them on Facebook and Instagram

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.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 29

ENJOY THE VIEW

|

30 | ENJOY MAY 2015

PHOTO: JACKI POTORKE

Kaweah River, Sequoia National Park Jacki Potorke is a wedding and lifestyle photographer based in the golden state of California and available for travel worldwide. She enjoys stellar coffee, meaningful conversation, mountain air, outdoor adventure, quirky kinfolk and creative quests. For more imagery and information, visit www.jackipotorke.com.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 31

WHAT’S COOKIN’

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BY LANA GRANFORS

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PHOTO: KARA STEWART

May Recipe This bright, colorful orzo pasta and chicken salad is packed with an assortment of chopped fresh vegetables and tossed with a refreshing lemon dressing. This dish will be great at that upcoming annual block party or even a picnic. It’s easy to substitute some rotisserie chicken, or

32 | ENJOY MAY 2015

make it without the chicken and serve it alongside your favorite barbecue or juicy grilled burgers. This healthy and flavorful pasta dish will be a hit with everyone who digs in! Leftovers, if any, will make a great office lunch… sure beats those vending machine foods. Enjoy!

OR ZO, VEGGIES AND CHICKEN SALAD WITH LEMONY BASIL DRESSING Serves: 8 (serving size - 1 cup)

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. orzo pasta Zest and juice of 2 large lemons ½ cup olive oil 1 tsp. minced garlic 1 tsp. honey 1 ½ cup chopped red bell pepper 2 cups red cherry or grape tomatoes, halved ½ cup thinly sliced green onions ½ cup diced English cucumber ½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped ½ cup fresh basil, chopped 4 cooked chicken breasts, shredded ½ cup crumbled feta

STEP ONE Cook orzo according to package directions, usually about 10 minutes, for a firm but not soft pasta.

STEP TWO While the orzo is cooking, make the dressing. Zest and juice the lemons into a large mixing bowl, and whisk in the olive oil, garlic and honey.

STEP THREE Drain orzo and place in a large bowl. Add the dressing to the orzo and toss. Allow the pasta and dressing mixture to cool while you chop the rest of the ingredients.

STEP FOUR Fold in the chicken, bell peppers, tomatoes, green onions, cucumbers, parsley and basil. Refrigerate for at least two hours. Sprinkle with cheese before serving cold. Enjoy!

TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes PREP: 10 minutes COOK: 20 minutes Lana Granfors enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her friends and family– especially her grandchildren, Jillian and Garet.

LOVE OUR RECIPES?

Come into Enjoy the Store (Redding, Red Bluff or Visalia) 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)

ING RED

IEN TS 1 lb. orzo pasta Zest and STEP ON juice of 2 E large lem ½ cup oliv Cook orzo ons IL DRE SSIN G according e oil BAS a firm but to H LEM ON Y, tsp. min not soft pas package directio AD1 WIT SAL ced garlic EN ns, usually ta.

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May Recipe

GIE S AND OR ZO, VEG

2015

GRANF ORS RECIPE BY LANA

ING RED

IEN

STEWA RT | PHOTO : KARA

TS SSIN G 1 lb. orzo Y, BAS IL DRE pasta AD WIT H LEM ON SAL KEN Zes ST HIC t

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 33

SPOTLIGHT

|

MAY 2015

in the may spotlight

FROM FOOD TO FUN, SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY One Ballgame Without Shoes Three Speckled Hens Vintage Wedding Showcase

(PASO ROBLES)

PASO ROBLES EVENT CENTER MAY 2 - 3 | 8 AM - 4 PM

In the garden area of the Paso Robles Event Center, there will be a display of everything needed to set up a beautiful vintage-themed wedding. Many of the dealers have been shopping specifically for this theme in order to bring one-of-a-kind vintage pieces for the bride-to-be. This special section promises to inspire wedding vision and all those who love the comfort and warmth that only antiques and vintage pieces bring to a wedding or special event. For more informaiton, visit www.threespeckledhens.com.

18 Garden Walk

(EXETER)

JOYNER PARK MAY 9 | 9 AM - 2 PM

Visitors are invited to explore beautiful and unique private gardens in and around the Exeter area. Be sure and take time to enjoy some refreshments. Relax in the ambiance of the lovely Victorian garden, at By the Water Tower Antiques, 141 South B Street. At Joyner Park, learn what to plant and how to grow, how to conserve water and how to landscape.

For more information, visit www.exeterchamber.com.

(KINGSBURG) DOWNTOWN MAY 14 - 17

RAWHIDE BALLPARK MAY 18 | 1 PM

Bring a new or slightly used pair of shoes for the Visalia Rescue Mission at Visalia Rawhide’s One Ballgame Without Shoes and receive a $5 Cold Zone ticket. Also, bring your spring cleaning donations if you wish to donate to the Visalia Rescue Mission. For more information, visit www.rawhidebaseball.com.

18

Grizzly Music and Arts Fest

(FRESNO)

CHUKCHANSI PARK MAY 16

Learn more about and enjoy the Swedish culture. Different events will be hosted each day and the Festival will end on Sunday at Memorial Park with a Renaissance Fair. For more information, call (559) 897-1111.

Rusty Roots Show

(VISALIA)

SEARS PARKING LOT MAY 17 | 10 AM - 4 PM

17 34 | ENJOY MAY 2015

14

49th Annual Swedish Festival

(VISALIA)

This annual fair hosts 30 local vendors selling a variety of wonderful treasures from antiques, vintage, shabby chic, junk, crafts, to art, food and so much more. Bring the family out. For more information, visit www.rustyrootsshow.com.

This year’s Grizzly Fest music lineup includes Fashawn, Delta Spirit, Iamsu!, Ty Segall’s FUZZ, Kool John, and much more.

The festival will also feature a skate demo, carnival games, vendor booths featuring local artists, and local food trucks. VIP tickets are available for those who would like meet-and-greet opportunites along with close seating to the stage. For more information, visit www.freznogrizzlies.com.

16

CALENDAR

Clovis

May 2 • Spring Wine Walk, Pollasky Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets, 5 - 8:30 pm, www.oldtownclovis.org May 8, 15, 22, 29 • Farmers Market, 5:30 - 9 pm, www.oldtownclovis.org May 24 • Glorious Junk Days, 8 - 3 pm, www.oldtownclovis.org

Kingsburg

May 14 - 17 • 49th annual Swedish Festival, various locations, (559) 897-1111

Lemoore

Dinuba

May 2 • 9th annal Golf Tournament for the Police Officers Association, Lemoore Golf Course, 350 Iona Avenue, (559) 585-4725 • Community Swap Meet, City Park, 9 am - noon, www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com

Exeter

May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 • Friday night market and street faire, Sweet Briar Plaza, www.thelindsaychamber.com

May 11 • Harlem Ambassadors vs. Rotary Rebounders basketball game, Dinuba High School, 7 pm, (559) 308-1082, www.dinubachamber.com May 3 • 14th annual Garden Party, Mixter Park, Pine and E Street, 5 pm, www.exeterchamber.com May 9 • Exeter Garden Walk “Full Bloom,” Joyner Park, 9 am - 2 pm, (559) 592-2919, www.exeterchamber.com May 16 • Exeter Relay for Life, Monarch Stadium, www.exeterchamber.com May 29 • Sequoia Union Jog-a-Thon, www.exeterchamber.com

Fresno

May 16 • Grizzly Fest, Chukchansi Park, 1800 Tulare Street, 3 pm, www.fresnogrizzlies.com May 30 • Tower District Comic Crawl, various locations, 7:30 pm

Hanford

May 2 • Happy Hearts Day, Best Buy, 9 am - 9 pm, (559) 582-8806, www.hanfordchamber.com May 3 • Cinco De Mayo Celebration, Hanford Civic Park, noon - 1 pm, (559) 582-0483, www.hanfordchamber.com May 9 • Annual spring book sale, Hanford Library, 10 am - 1 pm, www.hanfordchamber.com May 16 • Pioneer Days Celebration, Hanford Civic Park, (559) 582-0483, www.hanfordchamber.com May 22 • Girls Pajama Party, Hanford Senior Citizens Inc, 401 North Irwin Street,(559) 585-2525, www.hanfordchamber.com May 24 • Kids Safety Awareness Day, Downtown Hanford Civic Park, noon - 5 pm, (559) 572-9914

Ivanhoe

May 1 • Family Farm Fresh presents Date Night: Get Your Grill, Historic Seven Sycamore Ranch, 32988 Road 164, 6:30 pm May 8 • Family Farm Fresh presents Girls Night Out: Tacos, salsa, margaritas and laughter, Historic Seven Sycamore Ranch, 32988 Road 164, 6:30 pm May 12 • Family Farm Fresh presents Paris Nights: Crepes, Historic Seven Sycamore Ranch, 32988 Road 164, 6:30 pm May 19 • Family Farm Fresh presents Meal Prep: Improve your wellness by planning to eat healthy, Historic Seven Sycamore Ranch, 32988 Road 164, 6:30 pm May 29 • Family Farm Fresh presents Date Night: A Taste of Italy, Historic Seven Sycamore Ranch, 32988 Road 164, 6:30 pm

Lindsay

Paso Robles

May 2 - 3 • Three Speckled Hens vintage wedding showcase, www.threespeckledhens.com

Porterville

May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 • Music on Main Street, (559) 784-7502 May 13 - 17 • Porterville Fair, Fairgrounds, 2700 W. Teapot Dome Avenue, 10 am, www.portervillefair.com, (559) 781-6582

Selma

Through May 2 • Young Frankenstein, Selma Arts Center, 1935 High Street, (559) 891-2238, www.selmaartscenter.com

Springville

Enchanted Playhouse Theatre www.enchantedplayhouse.org

Through May 2 • Fantastic Mr. Fox

May 2 - 3 • 41st annual Redbud Arts and Crafts Festival, Three Rivers Memorial Building, 43490 Sierra Drive, 10 am - 4 pm, www.artsalliancethreerivers.org/redbud-festival May 9 • Three Rivers Music Festival, Lion’s Arena, (559) 561-4021, www.3r-aid.org May 31 • St. Anthony Retreat and Santa Teresita Youth Center fundraiser dinner, St. Anthony Retreat Center, 43816 Sierra Drive, 5:30 pm, (559) 561-4595

Through May 3 • Other Desert Cities

Tulare

May 9 • Barks and Bourbon, International Agri-Center Social Hall, 4500 S. Laspina, 5:30 - 10 pm, (559) 685-4542

Visalia

May 2 • Montessori Builders Bash, 1620 W. Beverly Drive, 6 pm, www.visaliamontessori.com/parents • 6th annual Kentucky Derby Party, Visalia Country Club, 1 pm • “El Bracero” a Mariachi Opera, FREE event Visalia Lumberyard, Garden Street and Oak (559) 802-3266 May 2 - 3 • 26th annual Tulare County Renaissance Faire, Plaza Park, 10 am - 5 pm May 5 • Crawdaddys Big Band Concert, 8 pm (559) 625-5300 May 9 • Walk With a Doc, Blain Park, 3101 S. Court Street, 8 - 9 am, www.walkwithadoc.org May 15 • Downtown Car Expo • Once Upon a Dream fundraising event for CASA, Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Avenua, 5:30 pm, (559) 625-4007

MAY 2015

• 21st annual Golf Tournament, Valley Oaks Golf Course, 1800 South Plaza Street, (559) 733-7753 • Strange Love with special guest Only-U, Cellar Door, 101 W. Main Street, 9 am, (559) 636-9463, www.depechetribute.com May 16 • Downtown Visalia Car Show, cruise begins at downtown A&W, 5 pm • Alzheimer’s Awareness Walk/Run, Plaza Park, 700 S. Plaza Street, 8 am - noon, (559) 972-9800 May 17 • Rusty Roots Show, Sears Parking Lot, 3501 S. Mooney Blvd, 10 am - 4 pm, www.rustyrootsshow.com May 18 • One Ballgame Without Shoes, Visalia Rawhide’s Stadium, 1 pm May 19-22 • The Creative Center Spring Show “Saving Planet Poochie”, (559) 733-7329 www.brownpapertickets.com May 23 • Sometime Yesterday CD release party with Boarding Gorgeous, The Cellar Door, 101 W. Main Street, 7 - 9 pm May 30 • 5 Diamonds Tulare Co. presents 4th annual Visalia Rescue Mission Benefit Run, 741 N. Santa Fe, 9:30 - 11 am, (559) 303-3930

May 2. 9. 16. 23. 30 • Springville Farmers Market, Springville Ranch, 36400 Hwy 190, 9 am - noon, (559) 359-0713

Three Rivers

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Ice House Theare www.visaliaplayers.org Tachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com

May 3 • Los Tucanes De Tijuana, 7:30 pm May 7 • Tachi Palace Fighs 23 Cinco De Mayhem, 6 pm May 16 • 6th annual Rez Made Car Show, noon

Visalia Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.com

May 8 • Visalia Fox Theatre 85th anniversary celebration, 7 pm May 9 • Paul Rodriguez, 8 pm May 12 • Visalia Rescue Mission benefit with Bob Goff, 5:30 pm May 15 • Slick Rock Student Film Festival, 9 am May 23 • Hart Pulse Dance Company California Tour 2015, 7:30 pm

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE CALENDAR! Please visit www.enjoysouthvalley.com or email info@enjoymagazine.net to post your calendar events. If you’d like your event to be listed in this section of Enjoy magazine, it must be posted on our website or emailed by the 5th of the month— one month prior to the next magazine issue. For example, a June event will need to post by May 5.

Thank you.

MAY 2015 ENJOY | 35

STORE FRONT

|

APRIL LANCASTER, LANCASTER CREATIONS

|

PHOTOS: JOSIAH ALTER

The Naturalist

MADE IN THE

“I HAVE TURNED MY LIFESTYLE into a business that is changing lives, while improving our own. ”

April Lancaster

36 | ENJOY MAY 2015

Lancaster Creations

SOUTH VALLEY EN JOY S

UPP

ORTS

LOC AL ARTISANS

AR &F

ME

RS

ENJOY: How did you begin making all-natural skin care products?

APRIL: My journey toward becoming an entrepreneur began following a medical diagnosis in 2012. My child and I both suffer from conditions which may be related to chemicals found in widely accepted and used home, personal and baby care items. In November 2012, following years of minimizing chemical exposure, I made the final decision to rid my home completely of commercial products that contained chemical toxicants, synthesized ingredients or potentially hazardous chemicals. In my attempt to replace those items, it became clear to me that if I wanted to live a chemical-free lifestyle, I was going to be forced to produce the majority of my home, personal and baby care items myself. So that is what I did. Over the following year, I chronicled my journey on my personal Facebook page and was strongly encouraged by friends and family to turn my lifestyle into a business. Following much thought and consideration, on October 16, 2012, that is exactly what I did.

ENJOY: What products do you create?

APRIL: I create a wide variety of items, ranging vastly from basic home care items like laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent to personal/body care items like deodorant, vapor rub, sunscreen and shave cream, herbal ointments, salves, balms and body butters to baby care products like baby powder and baby oil.

In October 2014, I attended a weekend at the California School of Herbal Studies and since that course I have been whisked into a world of herbalism and spa bath and body products. I have been distilling plant parts for the past six months and recently I have acquired a copper alembic still which gives me the capability to product plant hydrosols on a large scale as well as essential oils on a small scale.

ENJOY: What is in the future for Lancaster Creations?

APRIL: I was recently involved with a person-to-person micro loan campaign via Kiva Zip and my loan was fully funded, making it possible for me to initiate

a retail relationship with Whole Foods Market Northern California as well as Whole Foods Market Southern California. If all goes well and there are no hiccups during my onboarding, the Lancaster Creations Line should be available for purchase at Whole Foods Markets by the end of this year. I will also be launching my line globally on Amazon.com in the coming months.

ENJOY: Do you offer classes?

APRIL: Yes. I offer classes at Whole Foods Market Fresno once every couple of months. You can find the listings on the Whole Foods Market Fresno website or on their Facebook page. I also offer private classes and will be offering a class via the City of Visalia Parks and Recreation this summer.

ENJOY: What do you enjoy most about your business?

APRIL: There are so many things about this small business-owning journey that I love, but I will say above all, even above the elated calls and notes from customers telling me how my product has improved the quality of their life, I mostly enjoy the lesson that I am teaching my children. I am just a stay-athome mom on a mission to spread the word that chemicals are bad. I have turned my lifestyle into a business that is changing lives, while improving our own. The most satisfying aspect of owning, operating & maintaining Lancaster Creations is the pride of knowing that I have had my two young children at my side the entire journey. Literally. Every new account. Every batch of product. Every delivery. They have witnessed their Mama turn nothing into an organics business with nine retail locations and a legacy of sharing what “The Plants Know.” • KMK Organic Farm Store, Kingsburg • Peeve's Local Market, Fulton Mall, Fresno • To Better Health, Reedley • Meridian Center For Wellness; DownTown Visalia • The Nest Boutique, Antique Emporium, Hanford • Enjoy the Store, Visalia • B ​ lack & Birch, Flagstaff, AZ

Come see our new store location at 505 West Center Street

Enjoy the Store 505 W. Center Street Visalia • (559) 804-7411 Mon-Sat 10-5pm Enjoy the Store Visalia @enjoythestorevisalia MAY 2015 ENJOY | 37

GIVING BACK

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BY FACHE DESROCHERS

|

PHOTOS: JACKI POTORKE

EVERY STEP —O F T H E W A Y —

D E B O R A H D E L O N G ’ S S P E E C H PAT H WAY S “COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE THE PATHWAY to life’s opportunities.” So reads the tagline at the top of Deborah DeLong’s business card. It’s a slogan that is philosophical, intriguing and entirely appropriate for the kind of speech pathologist and person that DeLong is: gentle, thoughtful and utterly committed to helping others connect to the world, to their potential and to each other.

Talking with DeLong inspires confidence, a sense of being in the right hands. Even though her trade centers around the spoken word, DeLong seems to communicate on every level, including the subtler ones of gesture, inflection and pure presence. She exudes a knowledgeable self-possession perfectly tempered by a palpable human interest that broadcasts her intentions loud and clear: I am here for you. I hear you. I would love to help.

DeLong has been a speech pathologist for more than 20 years, and has applied her expertise and passion in just about every way one can: from acute care hospitals to outpatient rehab facilities, from schools to home health care, from very small children who have trouble forming their early sounds to adults recovering from cancers that have damaged their speech and swallowing muscles. In working with such a range of conditions and ages, one might imagine that a person could start to feel a bit overtaxed.

But not DeLong; it seems that she was born to do this. “I love it. It is so wonderfully gratifying,” she says. “I feel so blessed that I have this profession that opens up so many opportunities to work with people in different ways.

From a child who isn’t able to communicate to an adult who suddenly can’t swallow anymore…it’s amazing to know that I can help them. I can help them all.”

In many ways, DeLong is far more than a speech pathologist: she is a guide on the path to communication. “In my work, I am coming alongside families and joining with them on their path,” explains DeLong. “I’m

38 | ENJOY MAY 2015

there not just to provide therapy to my clients, but to give them the tools to go forward, and to walk along with them.” This philosophy has guided DeLong throughout her career, and was the foundation upon which she has built her private practice, Speech Pathways.

Located in Tulare, Speech Pathways is the result of DeLong’s years of multi-faceted service cumulating in one special office where DeLong offers her expertise to those in the South Valley who need her. And DeLong’s helping hand does not stop with the needs of her clients; it extends beyond the bounds of speech therapy and into the realm of others who need support. “I call it The Giving Tree,” DeLong says. “My goal was to give back, to pay it forward and to make a difference. So I’ve selected five charities that are meaningful to me: Angel Babies, Hospice Care, The Wounded Warrior Project, The National Children’s Leukemia Foundation and The Cat House on the Kings. Out of these, my clients choose the one to whom they’d like me to give 10 percent of my assessment fee.”

For DeLong, Speech Pathways is a gift that she has been given to pay forward in every way she can. From the first steps of basic speech skills, to the summit of communication, to the joy of involving her clients in her mission to give back, DeLong knows well that the path to life’s opportunities can be a beautiful and rewarding one. Especially when you walk it with someone who is committed to walking with you, every step of the way. • Speech Pathways • (559) 859-2891 1581 18th Ave, Kingsburg • 1126 E. Leland Ave., Tulare speechpathways@yahoo.com • www.speechpathwaysca.com

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

5051475 W. Center Street Placer St. Suite C Visalia CA 93291 Redding, CA 96001

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