Enjoy Magazine: South Valley Living—October 2015

®

South Valley Living Magazine

OCTOBER 2015

Happy 1st Birthday Enjoy www.enjoysouthvalley.com

Enjoy the magazine It’s on the house

Contents ®

South Valley Living OCTOBER 2015

cr a ft i ng

44 Three Fun Decor DIYS to Get Your Party Started

fu n facts

6 Celebrating Our Twelve-Month Anniversary with Twelve Interesting Tidbits

good fi nds

34 Ampersand in Fresno Serves Up Tasty Goodness

i nspir at ion

8 The Impressionistic Paintings of Heidi Steinman

i nt er est

16 Restoring a Piece of Exeter’s History

loca l s

19 Rich Sign Co. Makes its Mark 23 Hometown Value and Traditional Family Atmosphere at Special Occasions & Gifts

m a i n st r eet

63 Building Community in the Village of Three Rivers

SHOW TIME

12 Visalia’s Music Festival at Rawhide Stadium

I n Ev ery issue

30 Enjoy the View—Josiah Alter 40 What’s Cookin’—Shrimp and Grits with Creamy Gravy 42 Spotlight—Calendar of Events 33 Store Front—Autumn Sensations 46 Giving Back—Volunteers Work Together to Reach Those in Need

Ampersand Ice Cream Photo by Michael Gregory Photography

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

OCTOBER 2015

COVER PHOTO

Alana Little

By Kelli Avila Downtown Visalia

Happy birthday to us! This month marks the one-year anniversary of Enjoy South Valley Living. What an exciting road we’ve traveled together, and we thank our advertisers, our contributors, our staff and especially you – our loyal readers – for making all of our wishes come true. Ready to dive into another issue? Let’s go!

It’s a lovely time of year for a Sunday drive. Consider a trek to Three Rivers, where an array of charming new businesses have popped up. Or wander over to Exeter and check out the Clover House, which has been restored to its original glory – you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into 1908.

Mark your calendar for the Tastemakers Festival, where you can enjoy delicious food and craft beers while enjoying some rock ‘n’ roll music for a bargain price.

Locally owned businesses are the lifeblood of a community, and Special Occasions & Gifts has done it right for 34 years. We’ll tell you how they’ve kept customers coming back for generations. Need a sign? Look no further than Rich Sign Co., where craftsman Brian Rich creates each sign by hand, using reclaimed wood and corrugated metal.

And there’s always a good reason to treat yourself to dessert at Fresno’s Ampersand Ice Cream, where their small-batch recipes are garnering rave reviews.

Then meet Heidi Steinman, who lives authentically through her life and her art. Her impressionistic work strikes right at the heart. Another inspirational soul is Lester Moon, founder of Hands in the Community, which helps bear burdens for people in need. “Your time and abilities are precious. Share your gifts and those abilities with people,” he says.

Here’s to many more inspirational years together. Celebrate and enjoy!

®

south valley Living

Yvonne Mazzotta publisher Michelle Adams publisher Ronda Ball editor-in-chief Kerri Regan copy editor Michelle Adams graphic design JERED MILLER Stephanie Gimlin Juan Verduzco contributing graphic designers monica fatica consultant/ advertising sales representative Lynn Learned advertising sales representative VALERI BARNES advertising sales representative brandi O’BRIEN sales assistant/event calendar/website Tamara Orth event calendar/photography Alex PUjol Josh Garza Zachary Fatica 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.

Find us on Facebook and instagram.

Enjoy Magazine South Valley Living

Part of the South Valley staff OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 5

fun facts

c i f i r r Te

12

ve month annivers wel ar t t ur y teresting idbits o n i e g v n l i we at t r h b le wit ce

01 02

The 1993 comedy “Son In Law,” starring Pauly Shore, was filmed in Visalia. The farmhouse scenes were filmed at the Good Goods property off of Road 168, the square dance scene was filmed at the Green Acres Airport off of Goshen Ave. and the Ag scenes were filmed at the Ritchie Barn.

Actor Kevin Costner lived in Visalia during his teenage years and attended Mt. Whitney High School. Earlier this year, he starred in the movie “McFarland” as Coach White, which takes place just 45 miles south of Visalia. He attributes being able to relate to the McFarland story because of his Visalia roots, having been coached by Jim Barnett and playing sports with friends in similar situations.

6 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

03

Actress Ann B. Davis, best known for her role as Alice from the sitcom “The Brady Bunch,” once lived in Porterville. She appeared in approximately 22 shows at the Barn Theatre, including traveling shows throughout the valley. In addition, she was the Barn Theatre manager, box office director and she offered voice lessons at Porterville High School. Davis left Porterville after three years when an actress recruited her to Hollywood.

04

Sequoia National Park is home to giant sequoia trees that date back more than 150 million years to the Jurassic period – a time when the great plant-eating dinosaurs ruled the land and the ocean was stocked with ichthyosaurs and long-necked plesiosaurs.

The park is also the home of General Sherman, the largest tree in the world.

05

Actor Richard Kiel, who played the villain “Jaws” in the James Bond movies, lived in Coarsegold and Clovis for 34 years. Throughout his acting career, Kiel had roles alongside Adam Sandler in “Happy Gilmore,” Clint Eastwood in “Pale Rider” and with many others, including Harrison Ford and Gene Wilder.

06

09

07 08

10 11

Guitarist and vocalist Tom Johnston of the Grammy awardwinning rock group The Doobie Brothers was born and raised in Visalia. At age 12, Johnston discovered the guitar and at age 14 he formed his first band, The Rivington Quintet.

They performed at high school dances in Visalia, Tulare and Woodlake.

Ninety percent of the world’s almonds are produced in the Central Valley. There are approximately 6,000 almond growers who create more than 97,000 local jobs. These almond growers ship to some 90 countries worldwide.

Singer and actor Cher has roots in Fresno. Her father, John Sarkisian, has family from Fresno and she attended grammar school while once living there.

Bass singer Avi Kaplan from the acapella group Pentatonix is from Visalia. Pentatonix won the third season of NBC’s “Sing-Off,” earning a recording contract with Sony Music. Since then, they’ve earned a Grammy along with gold and platinum albums.

Kaplan performed in a jazz acapella group Change Up while attending Mt.Whitney High School and most recently played a role in the movie “Pitch Perfect 2.”

Dinuba is home to the only replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on the West Coast.

The permanent wall, featuring more than 58,000 fallen Vietnam troops, is located in the Rose Garden at the Dinuba Memorial Hall and is open to the public seven days per week.

Singer Steve Perry of the band Journey was born in Hanford and lived there until age 14, when his family moved to Lemoore. Perry grew up watching his parents perform in local musicals and began performing in bands while attending Lemoore High School. After graduating, Perry attended College of the Sequoias in Visalia, where he enrolled in choir, band and speech classes.

12

Major League Baseball left-hand pitcher Bob Ojeda attended Redwood High School and College of the Sequoias in Visalia. Upon graduation, he was signed to the Boston Red Sox and most notably to the New York Mets. Ojeda is best remembered as a Mets anchor in the 1986 World Series Championship. He was also a pre- and post- game analyst for Mets broadcasting.

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 7

inspiration

| By fache desrochers | photos by jacki potorke

t he i mp r ess i o n i s t i c pa i n t i n gs of he i d i S t e i n m a n

8 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

“We all know that art is not truth.

Art is a lie that makes us realize truth.”

So spoke Pablo Picasso. But while this statement may hold true for some artists, for others it falls a bit short of the mark – particularly for someone like local painter Heidi Steinman, whose cherished endgame is to live authentically, both through her life and through her art. “I want to be quite real in my convictions and follow them through experiences,” confides Steinman. “I really value the genuine.”

And genuine is what one feels when gazing deep into the heart of Steinman’s paintings. Executed mainly in oil, Steinman’s work is an impressionistic celebration of subtle, yet bright joy born from a world whose diverse scenes never fail to strike at her heart. “The things that inspire me are things in nature, and things that are real,” muses Steinman. “Texture, color, light…stuff that doesn’t change. Authentic things.”

This commitment to authenticity plus a wandering spirit has already resulted in a near lifetime of experiences and travel under this young artist’s belt. Steinman was born and raised in Visalia, and began honing her signature style as early as high school. But a characteristic wanderlust led her to Ecuador shortly after, where some challenging life experiences awaited. But that’s the thing

about experiences when you’re living the authentic life: some are intense, some are beautiful, some are painful, but all are true and therefore precious. And through all the miles and latitudes and cultures, the anchor of her art held Steinman fast. “Through all of my journeys, I painted as I went,” she recalls. “I’ve always known that I liked to paint, and as I traveled, that love remained consistent. So I knew that’s what I wanted to do in some way, but I didn’t want to worry about how it was going to happen. I just figure that my art is a gift, and if I can enjoy that gift, that in itself is a wonderful achievement.”

For Steinman, South America meant a stint at Bible college, then a marriage and subsequent divorce.

Spiritually taxed, the young artist migrated back north, where she gave herself some recovery time in Colorado before moving back to California where she worked at a summer camp, then continued the good nature vibes by pitching a tent for three months in the vegetable garden of some gentle, mountain-dwelling friends. But the siren song of travel found Steinman before long, and guided her further north for a tour of the Pacific Northwest that included an epic, five-week backpacking trip up the Oregon coast, then rolled smoothly into a spell of time 4

continued on page 10 OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 9

in Spain. “In Spain, I just painted and rode a bike around, and it was a very sweet experience, but I felt a bit like I was swimming upstream and couldn’t really rest and belong,” recalls Steinman. “By now, I’ve lived a lot of places, but I’ve come to realize that something has always pulled me back to the Valley. It’s kind of a searching, a restlessness, a homesickness, where I’ve kind of felt out of place in other locations…sort of missing my roots.”

True to her truth, Steinman heeded the irrefutable call of her roots, and returned to Visalia, where she remains today. But in a way, it seems like location doesn’t actually matter, as her roots extend down past any physical place and burrow right into her soul. “Spritiual conviction is my main motivation for art. I feel like this is a gift that God has given me, and I know that He wants us to enjoy life,” Steinman says. “I’m not sure why I choose what to paint; it’s just a gut feeling.” But that gut feeling – more than any compass point – gives Steinman her sense of direction. And she has learned not just to recognize this personal North Star, but also to honor it, use it and let it guide her. “In art, overthinking can actually keep us from

10 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

creating,” says Steinman. “You have to subscribe to the flow as much as you can. Kind of a meditative state where you just let things happen.”

Given her raw talent, adventurous spirit and open heart, Steinman’s future seems bright. But interestingly, it is her newfound root structure that inspires her most at the moment. “I’ve drawn and painted my whole life, and more than anything, I’d rather paint,” says Steinman.

“But I do feel as though I have a moment to breathe now, and just let my ideas come out.” A slow smile spreads across the artist’s expressive, articulate face. “And that feels pretty beautiful.” • Art by Heidi Steinman • (559) 786-9153 www.fineartamerica.com/profiles/Heidi-Steinman.html Find her on Instagram and Facebook

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

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 10

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| By jordan venema | photos: juan verduzco

V i s a l i a’ s m u s i c fes t i va l at r aw h i d e s ta d i u m

“We really just honed it all in.”

If you missed last year’s Tastemakers Festival, mark your calendars: On October 17, the Visalia musical festival returns to Rawhide Stadium, but with a bit of a makeover and more of a mission. So if you’re big on firsts, consider this year’s festival a second opportunity for the first go-round: Tastemakers isn’t just changing; it’s improving.

12 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

“…the more you pay the more you get, and the more music gets to kids who need it.”

Festival coordinator Aaron Gomes says last year was an opportunity to work out the kinks. While last year’s festival also featured music and food, it relied heavily upon vendors, such as local artists and craftsmen.

For 2015, Gomes and the event committee decided to simplify things.

Says Gomes, “I didn’t really have an identity for the festival last year, and therefore people didn’t really know what they were going to get.”

But this year, he says, “We just really honed it all in.”

As founder and director of musical nonprofit Sound N Vision, you could assume Gomes knows a thing or two about music. So when he says Tastemakers “decided to whittle it down to what we do best,” there’s little room to doubt what he was talking about: “Music, man, and good food.”

Doing things right, Gomes reached out to other likeminded individuals – community tastemakers, if you will – and shrunk the planning committee to a handful. “The group is half the size of last year,” says Gomes, and includes Sound N Vision Board Member Marc Dwelle, Pita Kabob’s Chafic Dada, Dana Galante, and representatives from Tioga Sequoia and 4Creeks Creative.

“It’s a rock show now,” says Gomes, “with good craft beers and good food” – with the likes of Quesadilla Gorilla, Pita Kabob, Planing Mill and Tioga Sequoia. And with everything coming right out of the valley, Tastemakers is “really celebrating the creative types in the community.”

As such, Tastemakers’ lineup will feature some familiar names: Strange Vine, Slow Season, Gospel Whiskey Runners, Dirty Limbs, Evelyn and Light Thieves. Headlining the event will be the Los Angeles band Wand, since “we didn’t want to decide on one local band to end it,” says Gomes.

Not only will the event feature a more concentrated lineup of rock ‘n’ roll, but at a fraction of last year’s price. Tickets start at $5 (compared to $25 previously), and offers full access to the event.

Ticket sales will fund nonprofit Sound N Vision’s latest venture, which may help extend its free music classes from summer to yearround.

“Finally, after years of dreaming about year-round music classes for free, I finally got everything organized to the level where this summer

we’ve got a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, and we’ll have a Fresno location, Visalia location and Tulare location this fall,” he says.

“So this music festival is supposed to pay for my music instructors,” he continues. “I buy the instruments – the guitars, the drums, that kind of stuff – and I pay my teachers by the hour, and I just factor all that out for the three sites, then fundraise all year to keep that going.”

Even though the festival will be more affordable, Gomes and company have come up with some creative ways to raise additional funds to support these music classes: By selling tickets through crowdfunding website, Indiegogo.

While tickets will start at $5, there will be other tiers of payment, explains Gomes. “Ten, 20, 50, 100 dollars, whatever… $5 gets you a ticket to the show, at $20 you get a six-pack of tickets, at $50 you get a hand-screened poster for the show (as well as six tickets).” Basically, the more you pay, the more you get, and the more music gets to kids who need it. Affordable tickets and a great lineup are the ingredients for a rocking concert, but with proceeds going to help out kids in the community: that’s a recipe for success. • Tastemaker Festival • www.tastemakerfestival.com October 17, 6-11pm • Rawhide Baseball Stadium 300 N. Giddings, Visalia

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.

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 13

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| By jordan venema | PHOTOS: jacki potorke

The

Clover HOUSE Res to r i n g a p i e c e of E x e t e r ’ s H i s to ry

Tricia and Terri Austin’s family moved to Exeter in 1965, a block from downtown and across the railroad tracks. Like other kids, the sisters probably developed a healthy curiosity about the large house across the street, which to them must have seemed ancient, maybe even mysterious. Whatever their imaginations built from the home, they couldn’t have guessed they would one day renovate the house, thereby restoring to Exeter an important piece of its heritage.

For more than 100 years, in different states of repair and for various purposes, the Clover House has been an Exeter fixture. Jonathan Grant Kirkland built the house in 1908, and according to Terri, his

family name “has been associated with the railroads throughout the years.” Built along the railroad, the house was a sort of rest stop for conductors. After his first wife’s death, Kirkland named a member of the Pogue family, who Terri says “were pioneers before they came here to Exeter. So the Clover House is real Exeter history.”

After the Kirklands and Pogues lived out their years, the home came under different owners. For a time, “it was a home where children from the court system came and stayed; it was used for a ministry location after that,” says Tricia.

Photo courtesy of The Clover House 16 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

Last year, Tricia and her husband, Charlie Kirksey, bought the house from friend Wes Clover. Clover moved to Exeter in 1982, and his vision was “to bring the house back to its original glory,” says Tricia. He had hoped to restore the house and use it for Exeter events.

Clover passed away in May, a few months after the Kirkseys bought his home. He was, however, able to see the beginnings of the renovation.

The Kirkseys and sister Terri partnered together to realize Clover’s dream, researching its history and meticulously renovating the home to its original condition.

Charlie spent the last year renovating the home. “Basically I took it apart and put it back together again,” he says. “We tried to use all the original material that we could… The house had been used in different ways for many years,” he adds, so a lot of work was needed: walls weren’t original, doors and windows had been covered up. “I actually went in and opened walls to retrieve doors and put them back into operation… We just tried to take it back to the era that the house was built in.”

Now, says Tricia, “the home has been restored so that you step into it, you step back into 1908, into the upper class.”

They achieved the time warp by decorating the home with Craftsmanstyle furniture. “We’ve been collecting antiques for a long time,” says Tricia.

The fully renovated home now doubles as an outdoor event venue with veranda patio that is equipped to host “pretty much anything,” says Charlie, including weddings for up to 250 people.

For wedding parties, the interior of the house will also be open for photos. “There’s a bridal room upstairs with a private balcony, and there’s a bridal bathroom, so the girls can get ready upstairs,” says Tricia. Men will also have their own area in the house, and Clover House will provide drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

Basically, say the Kirkseys, everything happens on site, from the ceremony to the reception, and they provide a catering menu exclusive to the Clover House.

But in an area where there’s no shortage of wedding venues, what makes Clover House unique? “Exeter is such a small town and history is prevalent in Exeter, and we still carry on a lot of that history through the families that have stayed here in the area,” explains Tricia.

“We’re bringing that history back to Exeter,” continues Tricia.

The Kirkseys and Terri also hope to open Clover House to the school district so students can picnic in the backyard while learning about railroad safety. “We’re really trying to find other ways to incorporate the history of the house that will hopefully benefit Exeter in other ways.” • The Clover House• 224 North E Street • Exeter www.thecloverhouseexeterca.com

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.

Photo courtesy of The Clover House

“We're bringing that history back to Exeter, and we want them to be able to see that history.”

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 17

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locals

| By jen may pastores

r i c h s i g n co . m a k es i t s m a r k ver look for a sign to point you in the right direction? A suggestive mark that assures you that you’re exactly where you need to be?

For craftsman Brian Rich, signs aren’t spelled out in the skies on a billowing banner or expressed on a thin piece of paper inside a fortune cookie. Signs, in his case, are found on larger-than-life canvases of reclaimed wood and corrugated metal that he shapes, paints and builds for individuals and businesses around Tulare County. “It’s a hobby that’s turned into a job that I enjoy. I wasn’t really looking for it. It just happened,” says Rich.

This great luck and happenstance is the start of Rich Sign Co, a sign-making service that’s swiftly stamping his style of classic signs across the South Valley. You may have seen his work perched on buildings, including Pita Kabob Gastropub in downtown Visalia, the Gardens Nursery in Tulare, Le Boulevard coffee shop across from the College of Sequoias, or his recently crafted sign for Exeter Meats.

Each is handmade without the use of plastic or vinyl, like many modern signs use today. Instead, Rich brings back to the shop the purity of creating old-fashioned pieces reminiscent of days gone past where small-towners used to horseback ride to the nearest general store or saloon.4

continued on page 20 OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 19

“Working with old wood is authentic,” says Rich. “I always liked antiques, classic cars and old signs growing up.” As a man of many talents, Rich’s first love began with his interest in a 1965 Volkswagen, his first car that he attentively worked on back in high school. Having read about the car in magazines, he learned the best ways to care for it and tricked out the car, thoroughly restoring it inside and out. His eye for detail led him to other auto detailing opportunities for other aficionados who recognized his show-quality level of performance. Soon enough, Rich made a name for himself as Brian Rich Complete Auto Detail through word of mouth.

More than two years ago, a different word traveled through his network when he posted a photo on Facebook of one of his first signs that he built for a local shop, Williams Street Rods. Rich credits social media for helping to grow his hobby from experimenting with materials in the garage to professionally designing signs for commercial businesses. “How do you argue with free advertisement?” Rich asks as he displays his Instagram feed on his phone and explains how he updates it as a work portfolio for new clients.

Many customers from his auto detailing work carried into his signage trade, proving Rich’s ability to market himself through the relationships that he’d built from a flat-out, genuine desire to know and serve his community. “Always keep the doors open with your contacts,” adds Rich. Soon after his first project, he had a handful of requests for custom orders – anything from rustic sheet metal signs for Christmas presents to old Hollywood glam signs with letters that light up. J Studio inside of Envie Boutique in downtown Visalia was his first lit-up sign, followed

by Glitz Nail Bar. Rich’s technique involves using wood and metal as his base and applying a reverse stencil for the text or logo with a decorative coating, especially with Annie Sloan chalk paint, a medium that’s stood against the outdoor elements and sun, an important feature for outdoors signs. His go-to inspiration is anything cool and classic – he prefers to stay away from using the word vintage, because his unique character stands on its own.

“A classic look is timeless. It won’t go out of style,” says Rich. •

Working with old wood is authentic.

20 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

Rich Sign Co., Tulare • (559) 679-7435 Find him 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.

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locals

| By jordan venema | PHOTOS: tamara orth

all in the family H ome to w n va lU E a n d t r a d i t i o n A L fa m i ly at mosphe r e at spe c i a l o cc a s i o n s & g i f t s Small towns have a knack for supporting their small businesses, and vice versa. While larger cities crave an authentic mom-and-pop shop experience, stores like Porterville’s Special Occasions & Gifts are as natural to small towns as the summer heat is to the valley – just much more welcome. Without the support of its community, Special Occasions wouldn’t be celebrating its 34th anniversary this October.

Located on Main Street, Special Occasions was opened in 1981 by Carrie Brinkley and her mother. Originally a party store, the kind that sells balloons, streamers, confections and the like, Special Occasions has adapted over the years, catering a bit more to the specific tastes of its community.

Jennifer Shannon, Brinkley’s daughter and thirdgeneration storeowner, says, “We’ve changed our look, changed our style.” Regardless of which wares are inside, having a daughter, mother and grandmother working together provides the shop with a real family atmosphere.

“I’ve been here since I was 5 years old,” says Shannon.

“I grew up in this storefront; my mom and grandmother worked together. So since I was 5, I’ve had little jobs. This is where my heart lies, and this is where I want to be.”4

continued on page 24 OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 23 23 | ENJOY SEPTEMBER 2015

“We appreciate them shopping with us, but we’re more thankful for the friendships we’ve gained.”

“It’s quite awesome to work side by side for years with my mother and grandmother,” Shannon says. “Both of these strong, independent ladies taught me how to run this business and how to be successful…

What a truly awesome thing to have not only that deep bond of family but to also learn and be guided by these women.”

Family has become tradition at Special Occasions, and according to Brinkley, that tradition is “based upon hometown values of being present in your business, and treating people as family as they enter the door.”

So it’s not surprising to hear Shannon says customers become family. “We appreciate them shopping with us, but we’re more thankful for the friendships we’ve gained.”

They realize it’s uncommon to have that kind of family familiarity between customer and storefront, maybe even in Porterville. “A lot of people do say that, and it makes us feel really good,” says Shannon.

“As we have grown, we have learned that there’s a lot of people that love specific things and we’re lucky they share them with us.”

Those things that customers have shared have helped define the direction of Special Occasions, from home and kitchen décor to candles and jewelry, as well as goods from GG Collection and items designed by Vancouver-based artist Sid Dickens.

“Honestly, it’s what our customers have asked for,” says Shannon.

“We have a customer base that’s more like family and friends, so they’ll come in and say, ‘Hey, I’ve seen this and I’d really like for you to carry it.’ Or it just comes from our heart, and what interests us and what we feel will sell.”

24 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

That’s also the best advice this family gives to their customers.

When buying gifts, “just give from the heart,” says Shannon. “We buy based upon instinct and gut feeling,” and that’s a method she believes can work for customers too.

When Special Occasions celebrates its 34th anniversary, they’ll likely do it with a sale, raffles and door prizes. But the store would want nothing more than another year, and then some.

“We love Porterville and we’re very thankful that they’ve supported us so long. We see families grow up, and they’ve seen me grow up, and they’ve seen my child grow up,” says Shannon, talking about her 9-year-old son.

Their hope, really, isn’t just to pass on lovely gifts, but that family tradition. “We hope to be here forever and ever. Personally, I hope that my son might be interested in this, because it’s such a great family tradition.” • 183 N Main St., Porterville • (559) 781-2575 Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday, 10am-4pm Find them on Facebook and Instagram: S.O.G. Lovely Gifts www.lovelygifts.com

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.

There's always a reason to Smile— Find it!

Jocelyn Buhler Iverson, DDS Dennis K. Buhler, DDS

202 South N St., Tulare • 559-686-6815

Dr. Iverson

www.buhlerandiverson.com • instagram.com/202_family_dentistry www.facebook.com/202familydentistry

882 West Henderson Ave. Porterville, CA 93257 | (559)784-6640

Spooky Sweet

HALLOWEEN

AVAILABLE INSIDE

505 W. CENTER ST. VISALIA , CA | 5599013513

main street | By jordan venema Photo by Rosa Mills

A river runs through it B u i l d i n g comm u n i t y i n t he v i ll a ge of Th r ee R i ve r s Visalia calls itself the gateway to the sequoias, but practically speaking, that title really belongs to Three Rivers, which could also be called the gateway to the gateway of Sequoia National Park. To valley residents and park tourists, Three Rivers might seem little more than a pit stop en route to the big trees, despite a few legendary fixtures, a la Sierra Subs, Pizza Factory and Reimers drawing the occasional stop. But lately, the sleepy town resting between the reservoir and the park, bounded roughly by North and South Forks, has been waking up.

Maybe it’s unfair that Three Rivers has been taken for granted by the lower valley locals. The town’s gems sometimes go unnoticed (like the Kaweah Park Resort, nestled by the river), while most visitors wonder about the businesses that didn’t make it – like the multi-

million dollar Shoshone Inn, which closed within a year, and the longer-living but still same-fated Bullene Vineyards.

Three Rivers’ sleepy reputation isn’t necessarily the fault of its residents; the town isn’t immune to recession, and other factors have lately played a role. Road construction in the national park diverted some traffic from the 198 to its northern entrances, away from Three Rivers, and the drought not only reduced water levels in the reservoir and river, but also the number of people who would have come through Three Rivers to escape the heat.

Despite these factors, over the last year there have been signs of a shakeup between the Forks, as new businesses are popping up and offering more options for locals and visitors alike.4

continued on page 28

Photo by Jacki Potorke OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 27

Photo by Tamara Orth

Photo by Tamara Orth

Gourmet food truck Ol’ Buckaroo heralded the revitalization, bringing to Three Rivers not just a new menu, but also an influx of new, even regularly returning customers. But add to the mix businesses Main Fork and Co. and Sage Roots, Kaweah River Trading Co., and soon to be Sequoia Snack Shack, and you’ve got a Three Rivers renaissance. What really makes these businesses interesting is that their owners represent a cross section of natives, prodigals and pioneers alike. Whether born here or new here, these entrepreneurs have found a reason to invest in Three Rivers.

Natalie Marini is a Los Angeles native who hopes to open Sequoia Snack Shack in the old Sayler Saddlery building (neighboring Ol’ Buckaroo) by early winter. She moved to Three Rivers after her father bought property off South Fork Road. Marini wants her shop to offer customers “the best of the valley.”

Sequoia Snack Shack will provide regular hours to complement its neighbors’ schedules, while serving what Marini calls “grab and go” packed foods from local producers like Tulare’s Top O’ the Morn Farms, pastries from Monet’s in Exeter and Visalia’s Slow Train Coffee, as well as some gift items.

“When we came to this town, we asked what’s the void, and everybody said early morning, quick and fast coffee,” says Marini.

“We’re just trying to fill the need without stepping on others’ toes.”

Farther up the road, two businesses share building space, Sage Roots and Main Fork and Co. Monica Rodriguez, who comes “from down the road” in Woodlake, opened Main Fork in May. With its airy, clean design, the candles and the glazed pottery, Main Fork would be just as comfortable along the promenade in Santa Monica as it is here in the foothills.

28 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

“I like to design stores,” Rodriguez says. “There’s so much potential in Three Rivers… It’s going through a lot of change right now,” and while there’s been a lot of established comfort with some storefronts, “there’s a new generation now.” The question is whether this new generation of businesses will also endure, but for now, Rodriguez says she has a hard time keeping her shelves stocked. Despite Main Fork’s success and popularity, Rodriguez decided to close Main Fork to focus on her local Air B&B. Neighboring Main Fork and Co. is Sage Roots, a small produce shop that looks like a perfectly and permanently displayed farmers’ market stand, set up for a photo shoot. Fruit and produce are separated by colors, displayed in baskets, arranged aesthetically.

Sage Roots actually began as a fruit stand outside Ol’ Buckaroo, but since moving to a brick and mortar, Sage has kept its charming accessibility. Besides produce, customers can purchase bulk products, nuts and grains; they plan to open a juice bar soon.

Kaweah River Trading Co. opened its doors to offer diverse goods and gifts, something that owner Holly Gallo believes Three Rivers lacked. From local food products to coffee mugs, Plano Jerky and postcards, bumper stickers that read “I’d rather be in Three Rivers,” bookends made from horseshoes and southwestern rugs, Trading Co. offers a little bit of everything.

“As locals, it was hard to buy gifts sometimes,” says Gallo, who believes they’ve found a niche in the market. Before she and her business partner opened Trading Co., Gallo had planned to leave Three Rivers. “It was supposed to be a pit stop, but I ended up staying.

Photo by Tamara Orth

Photo by Rosa Mills

I was doing odd jobs until I’d leave, and then we ended up doing this instead.” But now that she’s seeing the growth, she’s happier to stay.

Gallo hopes these new stores indicate positive growth in Three Rivers, and that collectively they can make their home a destination. “Yeah, once you’re out of that summer season, you’re kind of relying on locals and people from Visalia and from Exeter,” says Gallo. “No one is going to come up for just one restaurant or one store” – it takes a community.

Underlying Three Rivers’ recent growth isn’t exactly an economic gold rush.

These business owners know the limited market into which they’ve stepped. But it’s likely that money has very little to do with these residents’ decision to stay in or return to Three Rivers. It’s more likely that this new boom says nothing whatsoever about the recession, or the drought, or road construction, or anything about development trends. It’s probably much simpler than that: They believe in what they sell, and like the bumper sticker reads, they mean it – “I’d rather be in Three Rivers.” • Photo by Jacki Potorke 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.

Photo by Rosa Mills OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 29

Exeter Flower Company

sometimes success demands a certain refined insanity

hair salon New Inventory for Christmas of the Popular Toys From

exeterflower.com • 559-592-2551 199 E. Pine Street • Exeter, CA 93221

STYLISTS TAWNYA BROWN-GUERENA SHANNON HERNANDEZ KYLIE REED FABIOLA MORA

111 North E St Exeter salon 559.731.8746

Treating you like a front porch Friend

Robyn Stearns, GRI Follow us on Facebook

Full time Realtor ~ CalBRE# 01362001

559-679-2474

Fresh & Tasty WESTERN WEAR • JEWELRY • PLUS SIZES 121 E. Pine Street, Exeter, California 93221 559-592-9474 • Tues-Fri 10-6 - Sat 10-5

Spring Hi Hillll Ranch

S p r in g H ill R a n ch Fitness and Relaxation

Pilates • Yoga Dance Retreats • Cardio Hiking • Biking Strength • Step Swimming & more!

Call: (559) 589-4143 lillyhart41@yahoo.com

www.LillyHart.com

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

Hometown Emporium

For the taste you’ll remember, and the gift you won’t forget

Kristy Alves Owner

Cassi Alves Manager

Established 1996

Hours Monday - Friday 7a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 7 a.m. - 2 p.m.

145 E. Pine Street Exeter 559-592-1250

*Full Service Bakery *Breakfast/Lunch *Gift Baskets *Catering *Wedding Cakes

www.hometownemporiumexeter.com

Cassandra’s on Pine owned and operated by Hometown Emporium

*Private Parties *Lunch Meetings *Wedding Showers *Baby Showers *Birthday Parties

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

Exeter Chamber of Commerce

Exeter City Park “~ Celebrate Exeter, Hometown America ~

Run 4 Cover 11:30 am - 1:30 pm Exeter Chamber of Commerce 101 W. Pine St. Exeter, CA 93221 559•592•2919 www.ExeterChamber.com

clothing • jewelr y • home decor

joshua tree bloom where you are planted

Garrett German

Tuesday - Saturday 11-6

124 south E street, Exeter 93221 @joshua_tree_exeter

Main Street Exeter Treasures For You and Your Home

*Natural Fiber Clothing *Unusual Jewelry *One-of-a-Kind Items *Arts & Artifacts

Annual Holiday Party at the Gallery ART AUCTION FUND RAISER

Serving wine, champagne and hors d’oeuvres Date: Time: Place: Tickets:

145 North E Street • (559) 592-5578 32 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

November 14, 2015 4:30 - 8:00 p.m.

125 So. B St., Exeter $40 each

Get tickets at the Chamber of Commerce office & Exeter Flower Company

STORE FRONT

|

autumn sensations

Taste, Touch, See... welcome fall

Let the Adventures Begin.

SOUTH VALLEY

Ceramic sponge holder

by Honey Bee Pottery Handmade children’s moccasins

by Willow & Fig

Handmade wooden succulent boxes

by Ribbon & Leaf

Gourmet olive varieties

by Armstrong Olives

Come visit us at our new store location

505 W. Center Street Visalia • (559) 901-3513 Monday-Friday 10am-5:30p Saturday 10am-4pm Enjoy the Store Visalia @enjoythestorevisalia

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 33

good finds

| By jordan venema | Photos: michael gregory

34 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

a mpe r s a n d i n f r es n o se r ves u p ta s t y goo d n ess Ampersand. Ampersand. Say it out loud, slowly: amper-sand. The way the sibilant follows the stop, how it just flows? Beautiful. Forget the linguists who claim the phonetically perfect phrase is cellar door (though never unpleasant to whisper), but ampersand, well, it just rolls off the tongue. Or perhaps we should say it melts on its tip.

This past Memorial Day, Jeff and Amelia Bennett opened Fresno’s Ampersand Ice Cream – just in time to beat the summer heat. But their original small-batch recipe has been so popular that a single scoop has been hotter than the 100-degree weather.

But why Ampersand – that squiggly logogram (&) that represents the word “and”? Well, says Jeff, “we wanted to be that ‘and’ symbol that connects ice cream and community.” Once they found out its actual name, “it gave us a name and a vision to finalize that piece that we were looking for.”

The Bennetts wanted to become a fixture in Fresno, a fixture of the community. They believed small-batch, homemade ice cream met one of the city’s needs, but they didn’t expect to make such a quick imprint. The day they opened their doors, “the line was halfway around the block,” Amelia says.

The Bennetts couldn’t possibly have dreamed of this kind of success, but maybe the signs were there from the start. Jeff was living in Santa Barbara when the couple met online five years ago. For their first date, Amelia drove to Santa Barbara, where they shared scoops at Santa Barbara’s famous McConnell’s Ice Cream and talked about the future.

“Well, we talked on our first date about owning a business someday,” Amelia says, and though maybe not ice cream, “definitely something was on both of our agendas.”

The two married not long thereafter, and after Jeff moved to Fresno and experienced a Central Valley summer, perhaps the decision was made for him. Jeff says

they asked, “What does Fresno need, and how can we fill that? We live in a great city and it’s emerging and it has a lot of ” – “A lot of potential,” finishes Amelia. The ice cream shops in Fresno were mostly chains.

The Bennetts began experimenting with recipes at home. “We started with Alton Brown’s recipe online,” says Amelia, “and from there started learning more about the science behind it.” They shared their creations with family.

The couple honed their recipes and began using local products, like Tulare’s Top O’ the Morn Farms dairy.

“Usually all our specials are coming from local farms that bring us their goodies,” says Amelia, like berries, honey, peaches – whatever is available.

At any given time, Ampersand carries 16 flavors, rotating between 18 or 19 standard flavors, and with one or two specials over the weekend.

“Our most popular flavor by far,” says Jeff, “is our Whiskey Caramel Swirl,” a vanilla swirled with caramel whiskey sauce made in house. “That truly has outshined all other flavors by customer popularity, and following that is our Honeycomb,” made from homemade honey brittle. While those have been their most popular flavors, they of course have staples like mint chip and rocky road.

Other flavors have been more surprising. “Strawberry Balsamic has a pretty big following,” says Amelia, “and Berry Basil for a while.” But the most unique flavor, she says, had to be the Peach Habanero. They also partnered with Scout Olive out of Clovis to make an olive oil based ice cream.

And the Bennetts don’t plan to slow down where creativity counts. They’ve already paired with Fresno’s Mad Duck Brewery to create an oatmeal stout ice cream, and to celebrate Oktoberfest, they’ll work with the brewery to make a whole line of beer-flavored ice creams.

The idea behind Ampersand is doing right by doing small batch, which isn’t necessarily the easiest way, since 4

continued on page 36

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 35

it’s slower and limited. “We make our ice cream in four-gallon batches, so we don’t always have every flavor,” says Amelia, though they try to keep popular flavors well stocked. “But our small-batch,” says Jeff, “is what makes our quality what it is. It’s unique to us, and unique even to bigger cities.”

“We never expected how busy we’d be,” says Amelia, with Jeff adding, “Yeah, we’ve been probably triple, if not quadruple busier than we thought.” Which isn’t exactly a bad problem to have, unless you’re a customer craving one of those hard-to-get flavors on a hot summer day, only to find out the small batch has been finished. Well, there’s always tomorrow. But with so many people rushing to get their hands on the latest premium ice cream in the valley, you better rush to see if it really does melt on the tip of your tongue, or you’ll just have to be satisfied by letting the word ampersand roll off it instead. • Ampersand Ice Cream • 1940 N. Echo Ave., Fresno (559) 264-8000 • www.ampersandicecream.com Find them on Facebook and Instagram Tuesday - Saturday, 11am – 11pm Hours may be limited to availability

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.

36 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

Embellish & Restore A collaborative group of flea market pickers, vintage junkies, party stylists, Chalk Paint® lovers, and furniture up-cyclers.

Visit our store at 115 N. West Street in Downtown Visalia. 559-901-3037 Monday-Friday 10am-5:30p • Saturday 10am-4pm

A Maker ’s Market 1 0.1 6 .1 5

Mark your calendars for our holiday shopping event of the year! Embellish & Restore and Enjoy the Store, 115 N. West Street in downtown Visalia. Contact embellish.restore@yahoo.com to sell your handmade goods.

enjoy the view

| photo: Josiah Alter

38 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

The Milky Way over the South Valley 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.

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 39

WHAT’S COOKIN’

|

BY LANA GRANFORS

|

PHOTO: KARA STEWART

October Recipe

A year ago this month, we traveled to South Carolina, Georgia and Tennessee, and along the way, sampled many indulgent dishes of the south. Charleston was our first stop, arriving late in the evening. At check in, we asked where to eat. She started with the Cracker Barrel, but we quickly asked, “Where would you eat dinner?”

She recommended Nigel’s Soul Food. Directions, please!

Shrimp and grits were on the menu, and they were delicious! The folks in Nigel’s kitchen know what they are doing, producing perfectly seasoned dishes, with all the Southern Low Country flavor one could possibly hope for when visiting this area.

Wherever we went, one of us would order Shrimp and Grits. Every dish was just as good as the last. Recipes may have varied with milder or stronger flavors, but the gravy, always thick and rich and the grits, creamy and delicious.

40 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

At a popular restaurant in Charleston, I asked our server if the kitchen would share its recipe for Shrimp and Grits. Soon she emerged from the kitchen, paper in hand, on which she had written the ingredients the chef called off to her…a splash of this… a dash of that. On the reverse was the recipe for the biscuits that Ron had enjoyed. Love Southern hospitality!

I’ve played with the list and with the help of other great Southern recipes, I think this is pretty close to dishes we loved on our trip. It is pretty simple, but do have everything ready before you begin cooking the shrimp.

They only take a few minutes to cook, and you won’t have time for chopping or juicing a lemon. Once everything is assembled, this recipe is a snap. This Southern comfort food will warm your soul.

Enjoy!

Sh r i m p a n d G r i t s w i t h C r e a m y G r a v y Servings: 4

ingredients

1¼ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Juice of 1 lemon Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. ground black pepper 4 cups water 1 cup stone-ground white grits, not instant or quick-cooking 2 T butter 1 tsp. salt ½ cup shredded white Cheddar cheese 6 thick slices bacon, chopped 1 small onion, finely chopped ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper 1 T minced jalapeno pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced ½ cup thinly sliced green onions, plus 2 T for garnish 2 T unbleached all-purpose flour 1 cup chicken stock Prep time: 25 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Total time: 55 minutes

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)

ND GRITS SHRIMP A

ING RED IEN 1¼ lb. m TS Juic edium shrimp, pee led and d e of eveined Taba 1 lemon sco or other hot pepper V Y ½ tsp. salt A E A M Y G R sauce R roun H¼ tCsp. g W I T d black pepp 4 cups er 1 cu water p stone-g round wh quic ite grits, not k-cooking instant or 2 T butter 1 ts p. salt ½ cup s 6 th hredded white Ched ick s dar cheese 1 sm lices bacon, chop ped all onion, fine ly chopped ¼ cup f 1 T inely chopped green minced jalap bell pepper 2 c eno pepper loves ga ½ cup thinlyrlic, minced sliced green 2 T onions, p unbleached lus 2 T fo all-p 1 cu r garnish p chicken sto urpose flour ck

October Recipe 2015

PRE P TI ME: 25 min utes C OO K TI ME: 30 min T OTA L TI utes ME: 55 min utes

GRANF ORS RECIPE BY LANA

N

ING RED IEN 1¼ lb. m TS Juic edium shrimp, pee led and d e of eveined Taba 1 lemon sco or other hot pepper ½ tsp. salt sauce ¼ tsp. g round bla 4 c ck pepper ups wate REAMY C r H ITS W R p stone- I T D G 1 cu

G R AV Y

directions STEP 1: Combine the shrimp with the lemon juice, a couple of generous dashes of hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Let sit while you begin the grits and gravy.

STEP 2: In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits a little at a time until all incorporated. Continue whisking for about 30 seconds to keep from clumping. Once the grits return to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until tender, thick and creamy.

Remove from heat and stir; add the butter and salt, followed by the cheese. If desired, add a splash of hot pepper sauce and cover to keep warm.

STEP 3: While the grits simmer, get the gravy under way. Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until brown, but still limp. Stir in the onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and continue cooking until onion, pepper and jalapeno are limp, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, sprinkle the flour over the mixture, combine and cook for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the stock and allow to come to a slow boil, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove from the heat.

STEP 4: Just before serving, return the gravy to medium heat and stir in the shrimp. Let mixture cook just until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 3-5 minutes. To serve, mound the grits in individual large shallow bowls or on plates and cover with a serving of the shrimp gravy. Garnish with green onions and dig in!

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

STEP 1: Com generous da bine the shrimp with the you begin th shes of hot pepp er sauce, sa lemon juice, a e grits and g cou lt and pe ravy. pper. Let s ple of it while STEP 2: In a in the grits a medium saucepa n, littl brin e at a ti g water for about 3 0 seconds t me until all incorpor to a boil. Slowly to a boil, co whisk o keep from ated. Contin ver and red clumping. ue w 25 minut Once the gr hisking es or until te uce the heat to its return very low stir; add the nder, thick a and sim butter a nd cream mer for 20nd s splash of ho y. R t pepper sa alt, followed by the emove from hea t and uce and cov cheese. If d er to kee STEP 3: p warm. esired, add a Wh bacon in a ile the grits simmer skillet over , get the Stir in the gravy medium-hig onion, gree h heat until under way. Fry cooking unt n the brown, b il onion, pep pepper, jalapeno ut still limp Add the , and garl per and jala . green onio ic and con pen o are lim ns, sprinkle and cook fo p, about 5 m tinue the flou r 5 minut r over es lo inutes. slow boil, ab out 5 minut nger. Stir in the sto the mixture, com ck and allow bine es longer. Re to come move fro STEP 4: to a m the he Just befo at. re serving, stir in the sh return the gravy to throughout, rimp. Let mixture med coo abo large shallow ut 3-5 minutes. T k just until the shri ium heat and o serve, mo mp gravy. Garni bowls or on plate und the grit are opaque s an sh with g s in individu reen onions d cover with a ser al ving of the s and dig in! hrimp

STEWA RT | PHOTO : KARA

STEP 1: Com generous da bine the shrimp with the you begin th shes of hot pepp er sauce, sa lemon juice, a e grits and g cou lt and pe ravy. pper. Let s ple of it while STEP 2: In

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 41

SPOTLIGHT

| OCTOBER 2015

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

Fall Festival: Celebrate Exeter Taste the Arts Festival

(Visalia)

Garden Street Plaza October 17 | noon - 6 pm

17 The Apple Festival

(Springville ) October 17-18

Two days of family fun with free parking, free shuttles into the village, free entertainment with art, craft and food booths.

Taste the Arts offers a full day of free activities for the community. Check out more than 70 regional visual artists and their paintings, sculptures, steel work, photographs, gourds and jewelry. Enjoy entertainment on two packed stages featuring musical acts, dance troupes and cultural performers. Participate in aerosol art and printmaking workshops. Take advantage of numerous youth activities and much more. For more information, visit www.artsconsortium.org/tastethearts.

Fall Glorious Junk Days

(Clovis)

18

5

Happy Trails Riding Academy Round-Up

Celebrate the academy’s 31st anniversary with a Cowboy Picnic BBQ, music, wine buy, rider demonstrations, live and silent auctions. For more information, visit www.happytrailsridingacademy.org.

(Visalia)

October 30 | 7-9pm 210 Cafe

42 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

You will not want to miss this year’s Fall Festival and all of its fun family events.

There will be old and new traditions, pancake breakfast, car show, parade, bratwurst eating contest, scarecrows, art & craft vendors, food & live entertainment and much more. For more information, visit www.exeterchamber.com.

2273 E. Oakdale October 2 | 6-9 pm

See a great variety of antiques and collectibles, as well as vintage and vintage-inspired things, repurposed/repainted furniture and accessories, handcrafted items and more.

30

October 5 - 10

(Tulare)

October 18 | 8 am - 3 pm

Carmen the Opera

17

(exeter)

Visalia Opera Company presents Bizet’s Carmen.

One of the world’s most famous operas brought to you by the talented opera singers of the South Valley.

2

CALENDAR

Clovis October 2, 13, 16 • Lunch Connect, 11:30 am - 1 pm, www.clovischamber.com October 3 • Old Town Clovis Fall Wine Walk, 5 pm-8:30 pm www.oldtownclovis.org, (559) 298-5774 October 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 • Old Town Clovis farmers’ market, Old Town Clovis, 521 Pollasky Ave., 7 - 10 am, www.clovischamber.com October 7, 14, 21, 28 • Open Mic Night at On the Edge, On the Edge Coffee House, 412 Pollasky Ave., www. clovischamber.com October 18 • Fall glorious junk days, Old Town Clovis, Pollasky Ave., 8 am - 4 pm, (559) 298-5774 October 21 • Chamber Mixer, Kings River Winery, 4276 S. Greenwood Avenue, 5 - 7 pm, www.clovischamber.com Dunlap October 3 • Fall Twilight Tour, Projext Survival’s Cat Haven, 38257 E. Kings Canyon Road, 5 - 8 pm, www.cathaven.com Exeter October 1 - 30 • Scarecrow Contest, (559) 592-2919, www.exeterchamber.com October 2 • Sequoia Riverland Trust’s “An Evening Under the Oaks,” Kaweah Oaks Preserve, (559) 738-0211 October 5 - 10 • Fall Festival: Celebrate Exeter, Hometown America, (559) 592-2919, www.exeterchamber.com October 5 • Miss Exeter Coronation, Faith Tabernacle Family Center, 515 S. Filbert Road, 6 pm October 7 • Pumpkin carving contest and family fun night, Mixter Park, Pine and E Streets, 4:30 - 7 pm October 9 • Lip sync contest, Exeter City Park, 6 pm, (559) 592-5262 October 16 - 17 • Christmas in October Holiday Boutique, Exeter Women’s Club, 201 N. Kaweah, Friday: 5:30 - 9 pm, Saturday: 10 am - 5:30 pm, (559) 909-4135 October 24 • Handweavers of the Valley show and sale, Exeter Memorial Building, 324 N. Kaweah, 10 am - 3 pm, www.hwotv.org October 27 - November 16 • EFAMilies care packages for the troops drive, (559) 786-6896 Fresno October 2 • Yellowman,Woods Theatre, Fresno State, 7:30 pm, (559) 278-2216 October 3 • Sudz in the City turns 21, Fulton Mall and Mariposa Plaza, 11 am - 5 pm

Hanford October 10 • Relay for Life, Hanford High School, 120 East Grangeville Blvd., www.hanfordchamberofcommerce.com Kingsburg October 10, 24 • Music Jam, 1450 Ellis St., 5 - 9 pm, www.kingsburgchamber.com Paso Robles October 3 - 4 • Antiques and Old Stuff show, Frontier Town, 2198 Riverside Ave., 10 am, www.threespeckledhens.com Porterville October 2 • First Friday coffee, Galaxy 9 Theatre, 7 am, www.portervillechamber.org October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 • Music on Main Street, Centennial Park, Main Street, 6 - 8 pm October 10 • Pioneer Days and Rib Cook Off, downtown, 11 am - 3 pm, www.portervillechamber.org October 24 • Museum Murder Mystery Dinner, Porterville Elks Lodge, 386 N. Main St., 6 - 11 pm, www.portervillechamber.org Selma October 3 • Kiwanis Club of Fresno 17th annual golf tournament, Fig Garden Golf Club, 9:30 am - 4 pm, Springville October 17 - 18 • Springville Apple Festival, www.springville.ocsnet.net/applefest Three Rivers October 1 - 31 • Raven Festival, various locations, (559) 561-4373, www.1stsaturdaytr.com October 25 • Full Moon on Moro Rock, www.threerivers.com Tulare October 2 • Happy Trails Riding Academy round up, 6 - 9 pm, www.tularechamber.org Visalia October 1 • Oktoberfest, Cossler Farms Pumpkin Patch, 5:30 - 9:30 pm, www.visaliachamber.org October 2 • Bill Gaither Concert, Visalia Convention Center, 7 pm, (800) 713-3773 October 3 • CASA Las Vegas, Visalia Country Club, 7 pm, (559) 625-4006, www.casatulareco.org • Walk to End Alzheimer’s, Mooney Grove Park, 27000 S. Mooney Blvd., 8 am - 1 pm, (559) 300-9101, www.walktoendalz.info October 10 • 4th annual Run for Hope, Cutler Park, 15520 Ivanhoe Drive, 7 - 10 am October 13 • Pink Tea Party, 1-4pm (559) 624-2463 Visalia Convention Center, www.kaweahdelta.org/tea October 16 - 31 • The Rocky Horror Show, Visalia Ice Hosue Theatre, www.visaliaplayers.org October 16 • A Makers Market, 6pm-9pm 115 N. West St., (559) 804-7411 Shop handmade goods by local artisans

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October 2015

October 16 • Visalia Breakfast Rotary Golf Tournament and Crab Feed, Valley Oaks Golf Course, 10:30 am - 9:30 pm, (559) 269-5986, www.vbrotary.org • Off to the Races at the Big Fresno Fair, Visalia Senior Center, 11 am - 7 pm, www.liveandplayvisalia.com October 17 • Tastemaker’s Festival, Recreation Ball Park - Visalia Rawhide, 300 N. Giddings St., 6 - 11 pm, www.tastemakersfestival.com • Taste the Arts Festival, Garden Street Plaza, Garden Street and Main Street, noon - 6 pm, www.artsconsortium.org/tastethearts October 20 • Visalia Rescue Mission’s annual banquet, GateWay Church, 6 - 8 pm, (559) 740-4178, www.vrmhope.org October 22 • Wine, Cheese and Jazz Festival, Jon Ginsburg Gallery, 6 - 9 pm. www.thecreativecenterfoundation. org October 24 • Food Day, FoodLink, 611 2nd St., 10 am - 1 pm, (559) 651-3663 October 26 • Pizza with a Purpose, The Planing Mill Artisan Pizzeria, 5 - 9 pm October 30 • Harvesting the Blessings, Visalia Convention Center, 6 - 9 pm, (559) 625-3822 October 30 • Visalia Opera Company presents Carmen 7 pm, 210 Cafe, 559-802-3266 www.voccarmen.brownpapertickets.com Tachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com October 1 • Frankie Ballard and Gloriana, 7:30 pm October 22 • Night Ranger, 7:30 pm Visalia Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.org October 3 • Tulare County Symphony presents Celebracion!, 7:30 pm October 7 • Russian Grand Ballet - Swan Lake, 7:30 pm October 14 • The Exorcist, 7 pm Event times and dates are subject to change without notice. Please check event phone number or website to verify dates and times. Enjoy Magazine is not responsible for any inconvenience due to event changes.

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 November event will need to post by October 5. Thank you.

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 43

CRAFTING | story and photos By tamara orth

let’s have a party

Th r ee f u n De c o r DI Y s t o G e t Y o u r Pa r t y S ta r t e d Supplies Needed Food Topper Flags: Long toothpicks or skewers Paper in desired color Pen (we recommend Micron®) Double-sided tape

44 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

Confetti Poppers: Patterned tissue paper Cardboard tube Double-sided tape String or ribbon in coordinating colors confetti

Letter Photo Props: Chipboard letters (found at Hobby Lobby) Mod Podge® Sponge brush Wooden dowels Glitter in desired color Hot glue gun and hot glue sticks Washi tape (optional)

Food Topper Flags: 1. Cut your paper in long rectangular strips in various sizes.

2. Once cut, fold in half.

3. With a pen, begin writing out your desired saying or word close to the folded edge of the paper.

4. Once you have “decorated” your paper as desired, unfold paper.

5. Attach a piece or two of double-sided tape on the inside fold of the paper, then lay toothpick on crease.

6. Fold to secure.

7. Trim ends at an angle to create flag shape.

Confetti Poppers: 1. Cut your cardboard tube in half.

2. Re-attach the two pieces together using two strips of double-sided tape on each side of the tube. (Try not to use too much tape since it will make it difficult to “pop” in half when twisted ) 3. With the tissue paper laid out, place the tube on the edge and begin to roll.

4. Once the tube is completely covered in tissue paper, cut excess tissue paper off and secure the edge with a final piece of double-sided tape.

5. Gently gather one of the ends of tissue paper and tie closed with ribbon or string.

6. Next, begin to fill the open end with desired amount of confetti.

7. Carefully gather and tie that end as well.

8. Trim ends if desired.

(To use, hold in both hands and twist in opposite directions. Just be prepared for the fun mess!)

Letter Photo Prop: 1. Paint Mod Podge® onto the front of one of your chipboard letters.

2. Once you have created a complete coat, sprinkle glitter onto the wet Mod Podge®.

3. Shake off any excess glitter.

4. Let dry.

5. Continue steps 1 - 4 until entire letter is covered in glitter.

6. Repeat on remaining letters.

7. If desired, wrap wooden dowels with washi tape 8. Use a hot glue gun to attach dowels to the back of the letters 9. Enjoy!

OCTOBER 2015 Enjoy | 45

GIVING BACK

| By jen may pastores

Helping HandsU vol u n t ee r s w o r k toge t he r to Re a c h t hose i n n ee d

“If you want the community to be better, you give back,” says Lester Moon, founder and executive director of Hands in the Community. “There are people sitting in their homes right now who need a little bit of help. They don’t have the resources to help themselves.”

Moon begins with a story of a phone call he received in the Christmas season just before the organization formally opened its doors in January 2009. A gentleman on the other line wanted to donate more than 60 brand-new toys, wrapped and ready to give away. The generosity came as a pleasant surprise for Moon, who went to the donor’s house and filled his truck to the brim with a collection of gifts. As with any good fortune, the blessings continued to make a positive spiral outwards, influencing anyone in its way. Moon connected with a woman named Gloria at the Ambassadors of Christ Church in north Visalia, asking if he could deliver the gifts to the families they serve. Together, Moon and Gloria walked door-to-door delivering the gifts to families in need.

Moon admits that he kept one of the gifts, a vintage toy train, which serves as a reminder of the provisions Hands in the Community has received since the start. “Every time I see that, I’m reminded of what God has provided,” says Moon.

The organization stands on the shoulders of more than 1,100 volunteers who support it through various hands-on skills, such as professionals donating their services, volunteers picking up people in their car and driving them to a doctor’s appointment, or teams helping to clear out environmental hazards surrounding a house. “The first major project involved an 81-year-old widow named Anna. She called our office, talked to one of our volunteers, and asked for help. She shared that her husband died of cancer, and in the last four years of living in the house, she needed help with her yard and house. We organized 29 people and went on her property in the morning. By lunchtime, Anna tells me these people are amazing and doing more than I expected. It didn’t matter that we had people from different churches or different ages. We had people just wanting to help. We’re doing this every day, 46 | Enjoy OCTOBER 2015

every week, every month,” explains Moon.

As someone who has been the recipient of others reaching out to him during his youthful and troublesome days, Moon grew up without the luxuries of running water, electricity and sometimes food. He fondly remembers families caring for him and speaks with deep gratitude of the help that touched his life. Moon dedicates his life to serving others and encourages people to do the same for anyone in need.

“Your time and abilities are precious. Share your gifts and those abilities with people,” says Moon. “A lot of the people we help are single parents, widows and widowers, young families and seniors.”

This will be the sixth year that Hands in the Community holds its silent auction, a celebration of what it has accomplished as a community.

It’s expected that around 300 to 400 supporters will attend the event at the Visalia Convention Center. Last year, they had more than 100 silent auction items raised in excess of $30,000. They hope to exceed that amount this year. “Every year we get to tell more stories of how we meet people’s needs. The challenge we’ve always had is staying ahead of the curve. We will always have more needs than we can meet. We want to do more,” says Moon. Hands in the Community has an open invitation for donations, funds, connections and volunteers wanting to make a difference. “We are an organization helping people help others.

It’s all about the connections. We are stronger together.” • Hands in the Community • (559) 625-3822 • www.hnconline.org Harvest the Blessing Fundraiser Friday, October 30, 6-9pm Find them on Facebook

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.

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