Fresno Life Aug Sept 2013 Issue

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2013

FALL FASHIONS

UNDERGROUND ALSO INSIDE 10-minute Bulldog football guide Fresno Life Magazine

A day in the life of a derby girl and more...

AUG/SEPT 2013 $3.95

LIFE m a g a z i n e

A U G U S T / S E P T E M B E R

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Features 14 secret gardens: Fall Fashions Underground

See how to incorporate summer’s bright colors into a fashionable fall wardrobe with this fashion spread shot at Forestiere’s Underground Gardens.

photo by Cary Edmondson/Fresno State

photo by Corey Ralston

26 ladies who crunch: 22 fresno state football:

Your 10-minute guide to the 2013 season The biggest games, star players and a slice of Bulldog history to prepare for football season.

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Meet the Valley’s derby girls, who leave their fair share of blood, sweat and tears on the track every time they skate.

ON THE COVER:

Kiana Matthews and Karyn Hicks, McIntyre Model Management, at Forestiere’s Underground Gardens Photographer: Corey Ralston Fashion Editor: Silva Emerian On Kiana (left): Dress and bracelet from Banana Republic; Necklace from J. Crew.

On Karyn (right): Dress from J. Crew.

Roller Derby in the Central Valley

photo by David Costa

What’s Inside 5 Editor’s Letter

6 THIS & THAT:

The latte craze, the Grizzlies Farm Grown Fridays, Fresno State Football by the numbers, International Talk like a Pirate Day

SOCIAL SEEN 11 PATH Project High School Holla Event 12 Saint Agnes Summer Sizzle STORIES FROM THE CITY 31 A history of Fresno Memorial Auditorium HEALTH & WELLNESS 33 Dr. Bradley Wajda:

31 photo courtesy of the City of Fresno Historic Preservation Project

The equal opportunity shrink

FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

DINING 39 Sip: Spokeasy Public House 40 Savor: Sal’s Mexican Restaurant EVENTS 42 That’s the Ticket

August & September events

VISUAL ARTS 45 Benjamin Short: Ghosties and Goblins and Ghoulies…Oh My! 46 Erik Beltran: Never Finished 47 The Arthouse BOOK REVIEW 48 The Masumoto Family’s “The Perfect Peach” MUSIC 50 Hocus Opus: Band DNA 51 Concert Radar, My Indie Nation Playlist

PERFORMING ARTS 54 Children’s Musical Theaterworks

THE LAST WORD 56 Clique into Place Oops…we made a mistake. In the Street Style section of our last issue, we mixed up the photo captions. The names of Rowena Bermio and Mariah Caudillo were mixed up. Our apologies, ladies.

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photo by Amy Guerra

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PUBLISHER Family Tree Media Group Karen Maroot

karen@fresnolifemag.com

MANAGING EDITOR Amy D. Fienen

amy@fresnolifemag.com

MARKETING EXECUTIVES Michael Robbins

michael@fresnolifemag.com

DESIGNERS Beth Greene Todd Langley Tom Walzem

FASHION & BEAUTY EDITOR Silva Emerian

PERFORMING ARTS EDITOR Corey Ralston

VISUAL ARTS EDITOR Arynne Gilbert

MUSIC EDITOR Nicole Giordano Ashjian

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jefferson Beavers, Kendra Gilbert, Amy Guerra, Leon Kaye, Ryan Lucchesi, Mackenzie Mennucci, and Conlan Spangler

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS David Costa, Rick Dodd, Cary Edmonson, Kendra Gilbert, Amy Guerra, Michael Karibian, Gary Magill, Eddie Melikian, Corey Ralston, Staci Valentine, and Meza Films

Copyright Š 2013 by Fresno LIfe Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

For a discounted subscription or advertising opportunities visit fresnolifemag.com

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Fresno Life Magazine accepts or assumes no liability for the material contained herein. This magazine is for entertainment only and is not intended as an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any product or service. All statements and expressions are the sole opinions of the writers.

Fresno Life Magazine reserves the right to edit any editorial, photos or ad submissions for the purposes of layout, design or grammar.

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INDULGE ME FOR A MOMENT

It’s back-to-school time, which always feels to me like a new beginning. It’s been more years than I’d like to admit since I’ve darkened the door of a classroom, but the nervous anticipation I now experience in the weeks leading up to the first day of school is for my children. I worry whether they will like their teachers, whether they will find their friends on the playground, whether they will discover joy in learning. And I worry about how I will hold it together as I drop them off in front of their classrooms for that first day of school, blinking back the inevitable tears so as not to embarrass my boys. It’s always harder on mom than it is on them.

Usually, a beginning marks an end. In the case of a new school year, it marks the end of summer, of sleeping in and staying up late, of life without the rigidity of school schedules. It’s always hard for me to say good-bye to summer, yet I welcome the hopeful expectancy that accompanies those first day of school jitters.

photo by Jeff Wood The past month here at Fresno Life Magazine has been one of much change. We are welcoming Karen Maroot as our new interim publisher, and are in the process of forming an editorial advisory committee to help ensure we are tuned in to all that Fresno has to offer. Life is but a series of new beginnings, and we hope you will join us on this next leg of the journey. There are exciting things ahead.

– Amy D. Fienen, Editor

amy@fresnolifemag.com

Life in Fresno is more than a handful of self-proclaimed “special events” every year. Instead, it is an amalgamation of thousands of special events -- those moments in each of our lives that bring forth the passion that drives us. Most of these “special events” will never be known to others, yet they are what make life worth living. The volunteers at the Poverello House, the tears in the eyes of a mom who sees her child succeeding at the Central California Autism Center, or the neighbor who is always “paying it forward.” These are the stories that combine with the black-tie fundraisers and the “who’s who” in society to make Fresno what it is.

Fresno Life Magazine is returning to its roots and rededicating itself to bringing you ALL that is Fresno. You will see many new faces when you look at FLM, along with many familiar ones. We are committed to publishing a magazine with a purpose. Be it tears of joy or of sadness, success or persistence, dreams of what could be or nostalgia -- we are here to tell YOUR story, Fresno.

– Karen Maroot, Interim Publisher karen@fresnolifemag.com

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THIS & THAT

the latte craze

Why drink just coffee when you can drink coffee that’s Instagram-worthy?

Latte art is the latest trend that’s clogging our social media feeds.

But what is it exactly?

To make those adorable hearts and leaves in your caffeinated drink, steamed milk is passed through espresso. This can be done by pouring the milk by hand or by drawing on the coffee with a toothpick.

Check out this drinkable art form at Kuppa Joy in Old Town Clovis (and take a photo or two).

farm grown fridays WITH THE GRIZZLIES

Nothing quite says summer like than a night spent at the ballpark (and let’s face it…it’s going to feel like summer until Thanksgiving).

If you’ve lived in Fresno for any amount of time, chances are you’ve spent many a night at Chukchansi Park cheering on the Grizzlies.

This summer, there’s more to cheer about than just baseball. Every Friday home game, a Farm Forum is held in The Cru Club at 5 p.m.

Hosted by former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, the “meet the speaker” events give fans the chance to learn more about the Central Valley’s agricultural heritage. Community stars like Sherriff Margaret Mims gather to discuss topics including ag crime and the high-speed rail.

With tickets that include Cru Club seating for the game, it pays to keep up with the community. Call (559) 320-TIXS for details.

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THIS & THAT

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Fresno State Football

By the Numbers Are you ready for some football? The Bulldogs are poised to make Fresno proud in their second year in the Mountain West Conference. Here are some numbers that will make you want to break out your best Bulldog spirit:

6 home games scheduled for 2013 41,031 seats in Bulldog Stadium 18,000 season tickets sold in 2012 The team practices 20 hours each week 49 points scored on average per game in 2012 25 Bulldogs currently in the NFL 3 Bulldogs named to College Football Performance Awards Watch Lists for 2013

Ahoy! Have you heard of this holiday?

Avast ye mateys, International Talk Like a Pirate Day is Sept. 19. This year marks the 11th annual celebration of this swagger-filled holiday, and if you’ve ever needed an excuse to unleash your inner swashbuckling self, this is it. (We’re pretty sure summer movie-goers think Johnny Depp should’ve stuck to playing a pirate rather than an Indian.)

The official website provides a simple guide to the lingo in English, Dutch and even Mandarin. Facebook even allows you to program your page to pirate talk with a quick switch of the settings. Remember: it’s “arrrr” not “arghh.”

If X doesn’t mark the spot for you on ITLAPD, there are plenty of other offbeat holidays to take advantage of. Perhaps the most unproductive day of the year is Aug. 10—Lazy Day. Be sure to pop some tags on National Thrift Shop Day, which is Aug. 17. To close September, visit your local museum on National Museum Day on the 29th, where the Smithsonian teams up with certain museums to offer free admission.

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SOCIAL SEEN

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PATH PROJECT High School Holla Event Island Waterpark 7.31.13 Daisy Lopez - California Health Collaborative, Young Jizzo & DJ Kay Rich from B-95, Karen Maroot from Esano.

Photography by Eddie Melikian The Performing Above the High (PATH) Project is a marijuana prevention program of the California Health Collaborative created through funding from Fresno County Department of Behavioral Health, Substance Abuse Services. Since its inception in 2011, the PATH Project has worked diligently to create a youth friendly and family focused program with the primary goal of reducing marijuana use rates among youth and young adults ages 12-20 throughout Fresno County.

PATH, B-95, The Island Waterpark and I Speak Hot Mess demonstrated to the Valley’s youth that you can perform above the high, and life is fun without drugs.

For more information about PATH, visit healthcollaborative.org.

Zackary Jesurm, Tamera Heming & Jacob Jesurum Eddie Melikian Terri Collins & Kimberly Guller

Taryn & Kourtney

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SOCIAL SEEN

Saint Agnes Men’s Club Night on the Range Summer Sizzle 7.13.13 Photography by Michael Karibian It was a rip roarin’ good time at this year’s Saint Agnes Men’s Club Night on the Range. During Summer Sizzle at Fig Garden Golf Club, guests saddled up for a night of gourmet grub, silent and live auctions and boot scootin’ music by Bigg Kidd.

This year’s event received a big “yeehaw” as the crowd of more than 900 cowboys and girls, both Sizzle veterans and newer friends to Saint Agnes, raised more than $60,000 for Saint Agnes patient care programs and services.

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SOCIAL SEEN

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Your 10-Minute Guide TO THE 2013 FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL SEASON

here hasn’t been this much excitement before T a Fresno State Bulldogs football season since 2001 when David Carr was the quarterback. This time around his younger brother Derek looks to lead the Bulldogs to a second consecutive Mountain West Conference championship, and possibly advance to a coveted Bowl Championship Series game at the end of the season. It will likely take an undefeated season to accomplish that feat, but the 2013 Dogs have a fighting chance to give fans what they’ve been dreaming of for years, thanks to one of the best passing offenses and defenses in the country. photo by Rick Dodd – Sophomore Wide Receiver Davante Adams was named the 2012 Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year and is on multiple college award watch lists this season.

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The biggest games, star players, and a slice of Bulldogs history to prepare for football season

by Ryan Lucchesi

Divergent paths The 2001 season started like a dream for members of the Red Wave – Fresno State’s loyal fan base – as the Bulldogs beat No. 10 Oregon State and No. 23 Wisconsin. That led to their highest national ranking ever at No. 8 and landed David Carr on the cover of the Sept. 17, 2001 issue of Sports Illustrated.

But those dreams came crashing down on Oct. 19, 2001. A sellout crowd of 42,881 fans watched as the Bulldogs lost to the Boise State Broncos 30-35.

Fresno State still ended that season with an impressive 11-3 record and No. 20 national ranking. David Carr won many postseason awards, finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting, and was

selected No. 1 overall in the 2002 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. However, the results of that fateful loss sent Fresno and Boise on divergent paths in the years to come. Boise State was chosen as a participant in the BCS Fiesta Bowl twice and won both times, including an overtime victory over Oklahoma in 2007 that is considered one of the greatest games in college football history.

Fresno State had a number of successful seasons, but the first taste of success on a national stage left fans wanting more, especially as everyone watched Boise excel on that national stage. The Bulldogs followed head coach Pat Hill’s “Anytime, Anyone, Anywhere!” motto

and sought out the toughest opponents in college football, including USC, Oklahoma and Oregon.

The same approach that ignited the renaissance of Fresno State football also proved to be the downfall. Early season upsets of top-ranked opponents led to late-season breakdowns in the Western Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs had not won a conference championship since 1999 when they finished the 2011 season with a 4-9 record. Those factors led to the decision to part ways with Hill, one of the longest-tenured coaches at the time. Fresno State moved in a new direction as they entered a new conference.

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star players to watch SENIOR QUARTERBACK DEREK CARR: Last season, Carr passed for 4,104 yards and was the MWC offensive player of the year. His 37 touchdown passes were the third most in college football, and he has garnered national attention from both college award watch lists and NFL scouts. Carr could get votes for the Heisman Trophy like his brother if Fresno State goes undefeated. Derek lists his brother David as his favorite athlete, and said in the media guide that, “He is the kind of person I want to be.” Derek is already well on his way in that regard.

SOPHOMORE WIDE RECEIVER DAVANTE ADAMS: The 2012 MWC Freshman of the Year had 102 receptions for 1,312 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns last season.

His college career already draws comparisons to the best receiver in Fresno State history, Henry Ellard.

Adams is also on multiple college award watch lists this season.

JUNIOR FREE SAFETY DERRON SMITH: Smith was a 2012 First-Team All-Mountain West selection and had six interceptions, which was tied for the fifth most in college football. He also had the second most tackles on the team with 79.

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photo by Rick Dodd – Senior Quarterback Derek Carr was the Mountain West Conference offensive player of the year last season. Carr will have one of the best receiving corps in the country to target this season.

Back on track in a new conference The 2012 season was a year of positive changes for the Bulldogs. Tim DeRuyter took over as head coach and the team left the WAC to join the Mountain West Conference. The team reversed their record from the previous year and went 9-4, including an undefeated 6-0 record at Bulldog Stadium. They also won a conference championship for the first time in 13 years, which is exactly what the blue-collar fan base wanted.

Quarterback Derek Carr followed in the footsteps of his brother to become a college football star, and defensive back Phillip Thomas was the first unanimous All-American in Bulldogs history.

The momentum of the 2012 Bulldogs suffered a setback in the postseason though, when they lost to SMU 10-43 in the Aloha Bowl.

“I think our older guys realize if you start thinking you’re pretty ripe, you’re almost rotten, and that’s what happened to us in Hawaii when SMU got after us. I think that was a great wake-up call for us going into this season because we’ve had a renewed energy,” said Coach DeRuyter in the Fresno State football media guide.

Despite the bowl loss, their impressive turnaround and young talent caught the nation’s attention. They were ranked

No. 20 in the USA Today early 2013 rankings released in January.

The success of last year has invigorated the team and fans, and Fresno State enters this season with the most optimism since 2001. Derek Carr is back and he will have one of the best receiving corps in the country to target, including wideouts Davante Adams and Isaiah Burse, along with tight end Marcel Jensen. The Bulldogs finished last season with 4,233 yards of passing offense, eighth best in the nation, and they have the talent to finish even higher in 2013.

That aerial offensive attack will lead the way while the defense looks to rebuild. Thomas is now in the NFL, but free safety Derron Smith will lead in his place. Smith is joined by talented defensive backs L.J. Jones and Sean Alston in a pass defense that will make the Bulldogs just as good at stopping the pass as they are at passing it themselves.

Even in the worst-case scenario, the Bulldogs will probably go 8-4, while the best-case scenario remains the dream of an undefeated season with a berth in a BCS bowl as the reward. The realistic scenario is that the Bulldogs will finish the regular season 10-2, win their MWC division, and get a shot at redemption thanks to a change in their new conference.

photo by Cary Edmondson/Fresno State – The Bulldogs celebrate their 2012 Mountain West Conference championship win.

The success of last year has invigorated the team and fans, and Fresno State enters this season with the most optimism since 2001.

Reason to watch: Season kickoff, home opener and toughest nonconference game all rolled into one.

Sept. 20 Boise State at Fresno State

Reason to watch: To become a BCS-Buster you must first beat a BCS-Buster. Boise is the toughest opponent this season. Luckily, the Bulldogs get to face them at home and it’s their best shot to beat the Broncos since 2005.

Nov. 29 Fresno State at San Jose State

Reason to watch: Fresno State has played their historic rivals 76 times dating back to 1921, and the Bulldogs hold a series lead with 39 victories. This will be an exciting, high-scoring game since both teams pass for a ton of yards.

2013 FRESNO STATE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

SEPT

Fresno State is the favorite to win the West Division, but they will face tough challenges from fellow California teams San Diego State and San Jose State. Boise State is the favorite over in the Mountain Division, with Utah State having an outside shot. If all goes according to plan, the Bulldogs will have a chance to change their fortune against Boise in December in the MWC Championship game. A win would not only erase some bad memories, it would make a very strong case for their first appearance in a BCS bowl game. In any event, you don’t want to miss the most anticipated college football season in Fresno since 2001.

Aug. 29 Rutgers at Fresno State

OCT

The MWC is up to 12 members in 2013 after a period of conference realignment has ended. There are six teams in the Mountain Division and six teams in the West Division. The winner of each division will face each other in the firstever MWC Football Championship game on Dec. 7 at the home stadium of the team with the highest BCS ranking.

The Mountain Division teams are Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State, and Wyoming; the West Division teams are Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State, and UNLV.

MARK THESE DATES ON YOUR CALENDAR

NOV

Will a new path start in December?

8/29 9/7 9/14 9/20 9/28

Rutgers at Fresno State Cal Poly at Fresno State Fresno State at Colorado Boise State at Fresno State Fresno State at Hawaii

7:30 p.m.

7 p.m.

11 a.m.

6 p.m.

9 p.m.

10/5 10/19 10/26

Fresno State at Idaho UNLV at Fresno State Fresno State at San Diego State

2 p.m.

7 p.m.

Kickoff Time TBA

11/2 Nevada at Fresno State 4 p.m.

11/9 Fresno State at Wyoming Noon 11/23 New Mexico at Fresno State 4 p.m.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

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FEATURE

NOtown’s Elizabeth “Propain” Payne lays into a jammer during a bout.

Ladies Who CRUNCH Roller Derby in the Central Valley

by Kendra Gilbert, photos by David Costa

Emerging from the shadows of “sports entertainment,” skater-organized roller derby leagues have assembled in towns up and down the San Joaquin Valley, from Stockton to Bakersfield. In sleepy suburbs and major cities, known more for agriculture than counterculture, the female athletes who participate in this new wave of derby focus more on training and strategy than on pulling each other’s hair out. But make no mistake, this is still a full-contact sport and these women leave their fair share of blood, sweat and tears on the track every time they skate. They are the derby girls of the Central Valley. (continued) 26 | Fresno Life Magazine

A DAY IN THE LIFE

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Visalia’s Angela “Doomsday Darling” Gonzales is pushed into a NOtown jammer by teammate Melissa “Rambo” Hawkins.

“Every day is a derby day,” said Janelle “Ravioli” Whitener, a member of Fresno’s NOtown Roller Derby.

Since joining NOtown in 2011, the 32-year-old owner of a Fresnobased printing business said her dedication to the sport has grown.

This year, “I eat, sleep, breathe derby,” Whitener said.

She’s not alone in her devotion.

“If you want this sport to keep growing, you have to invest,” said Kelly McNeil, captain of the Merced Rollin’ Roulettes Derby Girls.

Known on the track as “Kelarella de Vil,” McNeil, 41, said derby is

“a full-time job.” Although she has one of those, too.

The modern roller derby revival kicked off in the early 2000s in Austin, TX and hinges on do-ityourself, skater-run leagues. The game is played on a flat track, with five players from each team skating in a series of jams which make up the overall bout. During a jam, one skater from each team, the “jammer,” tries to break out of the pack and lap the other teams’ blockers to score points.

In the Valley, leagues hold practices two to three times a week on average, skating until the lights go out on outdoor tracks or in

neglected roller rinks to prepare for bouts. Some girls, like Whitener, skate on more than one team and often serve as referees at matches between other leagues, spending four or five nights a week on the track in various capacities.

In 2008, Christina Lewis, NOtown’s current captain, was 20 years old and skating with the Smog City Roller Grrls. When the founder of that team decided to retire and take the Smog City name with her, Lewis formed NOtown.

“This was a huge and daunting decision, especially at 20 years of age,” Lewis said. “We didn’t have experience forming an organization

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FLM

FEATURE

You can’t throw up until I tell you to throw up.

– COACH MARTY

or running a business, but we knew that we wanted to continue playing the sport we loved.”

Leagues like NOtown, the Rollin’ Roulettes and Visalia’s V Town Derby Dames, are set up as non-profit organizations, each with a governing board of directors. Currently, Lewis serves as NOtown’s president and sometimes spends 20 hours a week on derby-related business.

Along with the heightened focus on athleticism, community involvement is also a component of revivalist derby. When they aren’t skating or running their leagues, the Valley players are involved in outreach projects within their communities. Earlier this year, the NOtown derby girls formed a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club in Fresno to teach skating and derby techniques to kids at the Zimmerman center.

V Town’s Darcy “Pyro Princess” Stotesbery estimated that over the past four years, her team has used their home bouts to raise close to $20,000 for local organizations.

“For every home bout, we partner with a local charity,” Stotesbery said.

This year’s partners have included CASA of Tulare County, Valley Oak SPCA and Visalia Firefighters Association.

With skaters in control of the leagues, fixed bouts, hair pulling and all-out fist fights are generally only seen in old-school derby videos on YouTube. Today, the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), an organizations governing flat track roller derby leagues, sets standards and implements rules by which the modern version of the sport is played. NOtown and the Merced Rollin’ Roulettes are both apprentice leagues working towards full membership in WFTDA. Even so, the “sports entertainment” stigma still lingers. But derby girls don’t let that stop them from training and playing like the athletes they are.

“We always put on a good show, but it’s all real,” Stotesbery said. “In the old days it was more of the theatrics similar to (continued)

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

NOtown practice The first time I practiced with NOtown, everyone pitched in to make sure Death Midler (my self-appointed derby name which I didn’t share with any of the players) didn’t kill herself. Pookie paired with me to practice hits and was mercifully patient. Ravioli coached me through drills and Smearella kept trying to sell me on bruises as a fashion statement. With a forehead so covered in sweat it was attracting gnats that probably thought it was a slip n’ slide, I called it quits just over halfway through practice.

From my spot on the bench, I was in awe of the junior skaters who are tiny things in their teens, yet they skate with the confidence of women twice their age. There was so much laughter, mostly from Ravioli, even though I knew those girls were sweating their guts out.

NOtown’s coach, Marty, a bear of a man, shouted and heckled but I could tell he just wanted the girls to give it their all...I think. And, oh…the one liners. Here are some of my favorites from that first night of derby.

“If you make yourself ralph by the stench of your own gear, you might be a derby girl.” -Ravioli

“You and I should have a massive roller derby shopping spree.”

-One junior NOtown member to another “You’re okay. You ain’t dead yet.”

-Coach Marty

“You can’t throw up until I tell you to throw up.”

-Coach Marty

A DAY IN THE LIFE

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wrestling, but that went away a long time ago. We train hard and play hard. I’d challenge anyone who thinks it’s not a legit sport to come to one of our practices and check it out.”

While derby girls are pushing for their sport to gain legitimacy as a serious athletic contest – roller derby is currently being considered for the 2020 Olympics – many don’t want the to see the sport disown its punk rock feminist heritage entirely.

“I come from that riot grrrl, punk rock mentality,” McNeil said.

Combine that with never having been a good team player and it was a “natural progression” for McNeil to go from being in an all-girl band and having a zine, to playing roller derby.

Mock-violent nicknames, pin-up outfits, fishnets and face paint are some of the more recognizable, old-school elements of derby that are still used today.

Elizabeth “Propain” Payne, a 35-year-old assistant professor of theater arts and faculty costume designer at Fresno State, loves that derby allows her to indulge in another side of her personality. Or, create a new one entirely, if only for a night.

“The idea of alternative personalities (professor by day and Propain by night) is very interesting and compelling to me,” Payne said. “It’s a chance to take on the attributes of someone else, someone maybe more assertive than you. Someone maybe more interesting.”

There’s the athletic part of derby and the performance part of derby.

But let’s not forget this is still a full-contact sport. And sometimes, bones get broken.

(top) Janelle “Ravioli” Whitener of NOtown is all smiles after a bout. (bottom) Merced Rollin’ Roulettes Captain Kelly “Kelarella de Vil” McNeil.

“My favorite derby moment was when my coach sent me a picture of what my broken ankle looked like while paramedics worked on it,” said NOtown’s Lita Weber, also known as “Smearella.” “It was my first major derby injury and I was so excited to show it to my co-workers.”

Only in derby is a broken ankle something a 43-year-old mother can brag about.

That’s the life of a derby girl. A few bones must be broken. She’ll have to show her kids how to do their own laundry so she can go to practice.

Bruises are worn like accessories to an outfit. And casts are souvenirs of a hard-fought battle against an opposing player or her own physical limits.

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STORIES FROM THE CITY

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Fresno Memorial Auditorium

by Mackenzie Mennucci photos courtesy of the City of Fresno Historic Preservation Project

T

he Fresno Memorial Auditorium has been transformed many times over since its dedication in 1936 from the creation of a 500-seat theater to the changing of its name. The auditorium that spans a full city block across from the historic Fresno Water Tower in downtown Fresno has a rich cultural history that has lasted to the present day.

Designed to be a prominent cultural facility that could host renowned political and entertainment figures, the Fresno Memorial Auditorium was built with grandeur in mind. The space was originally comprised of the auditorium, foyer and the stage. With 2,000 seats in the main auditorium and an additional 1,500 on the balcony, it’s easy to see how the building attracted so many significant personalities.

In 1992, an association of American war veterans primarily from Fresno requested to have the city change the name of the building to Veterans Memorial Auditorium and allow them to use the office space that was freed up when the new city hall was built. The auditorium is now home to the Veterans Memorial Museum “Home of the Legion of Valor,” which contains an impressive amount of military memorabilia and attracts approximately 15,000 visitors each year.

The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its invaluable place in the city’s cultural history.

While many parts of its interior and name have changed over the years, its mission to entertain and inform has stayed the same.

“At one time, it was the prime auditorium between San Francisco and Los Angeles,” said the Director and CEO of the Veterans Memorial Museum, Bob Specht. “Virtually every celebrity known to man performed here, from Frank Sinatra to Tony Bennett.”

The building was, and still is, known for its outstanding Art Deco design. Many of the architects and artists that contributed to the construction of the building were heralded for their work at the time.

Many elements of the design remain untouched including the large bronze light fixtures mounted on the columns and the lettering on the signs within the auditorium.

The 500-seat theater was created in 1966, which took over two-thirds of the original auditorium. The remaining space was dedicated to rehearsal activities and administrative offices largely used by the City of Fresno.

Today, local groups like Children’s Musical Theatreworks continue to use the auditorium on a regular basis. Only now, the auditorium goes by a different name.

Governor Earl Warren and Mayor Z.S. Leymel at the 1936 dedication of the Memorial Auditorium.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

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Dr. Bradley Wajda:

THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY SHRINK

By Leon Kaye Photos by Eddie Melikian

It is a few minutes past 7 p.m. on a Sunday evening in Fresno, and Dr. Bradley Wajda takes off his headphones, leans back and gives a wink to the staff at the studio of Power Talk 96.7, where his weekly show, Radio “Psyched”, has wrapped up after an hour of laughs, tears and exasperated sighs. A recent broadcast, “The Philosophy of Me,” discussed how selfishness and self-centeredness have a detrimental impact on relationships. Callers included a woman who recently became prematurely blind and a man who is still scarred 30 years after the family of his incapacitated lover prohibited him from coming around. It also happened to be Father’s Day, a day that reminds many about the complexity of family relationships.

But no complicated family, no volatile relationship, no debilitating mental health condition stumps Dr. Wajda. “The equal opportunity shrink,” who loves to talk in his Oklahoman twang about how he is “the cure for stinking thinking,” hardly sounds like someone professionally trained to dig into our most fearful thoughts and traumatic childhood memories.

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hat weekly hour on the radio is among many endless hours “Dr. Brad” toils each week with determination as he transforms society’s attitudes about mental health and the fundamentally broken model by which millions of Americans access mental health care. His combination of the latest science, gentle no-nonsense counseling, and humorous approach sets him apart from what you might stereotypically think a psychiatrist is. This doctor uses the media to engage and educate beyond the Central Valley, and offers a fresh approach to providing mental health treatment in a system almost everyone acknowledges is clearly broken.

Weighing about three pounds and containing almost 100 billion cells, the human brain is the most complicated organ in the body. But while we are quick to rush to the cardiologist for a heart problem or to an allergist to combat the Central Valley air, many of us are hesitant to take care of our brain, even if we are miserable.

And so mental health issues still fester as one of the country’s most pressing public health problems, still susceptible to misunderstandings and social stigma. Both the public and private health systems assign mental health as a low priority. Private insurance plans generally offer only a handful of sessions with a mental health professional; public health departments across the country, including

those locally, have slashed mental health care treatment due to recent budget crises.

Just as the brain is complex, so too are the variety of treatments available to treat the bevy of issues we often bundle together in the category of “mental health.”

Addiction, depression, bipolar disorder, and obsessivecompulsive disorder are only a few of the psychological challenges which thousands of Central Valley residents struggle with on a daily basis. No cookie-cutter method exists; each individual’s brain is different and thus each mental health challenge requires a customized approach.

Unfortunately, many doctors simply prescribe a pill if their patients report feeling anxious, stressed or depressed.

The proliferation of antidepressants has surged in the United States at a dizzying rate. According to the Harvard Medical School, one in 10 Americans is on an antidepressant. That figure has doubled from only a decade ago and is a 400 percent leap since the early 1990s. However, for the vast majority of patients, the antidepressants do not work. Only 27 percent of Americans report they found relief after their first antidepressant prescription. By the time a doctor prescribes a fourth antidepressant medicine, that rate falls to a paltry seven percent. (National Institute of Mental Health Star *D study) As many who suffer from depression and other disorders have experienced, popping a pill is not enough. Treating the symptom rather than the cause with medication only can result in more heartache due to treatment failure which leaves patients even more despondent.

Dr. Wajda, who has been a mental health care professional for 25 years, insists that only an integrated approach to mental health treatment can work.

Numerous interventions can be utilized, including psychotherapy, group therapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and eye movement desensitization and

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reprocessing (EMDR). And whether patients come in for a scheduled appointment or call Dr. Wajda in the middle of the night, he is determined to be there for them.

Being approachable is important to Dr. Wajda because many of his patients have spent years walking on eggshells around those closest to them. Discretely located in an office park in north Fresno, Dr. Wajda’s office feels different. The setting is quiet. Tall cedar and redwoods offer shade and privacy.

“We want patients to feel like this is home,” says Karen Maroot, CEO of Esano Corporation.

Esano Corporation is the administrative side of Dr. Wajda’s practice. “Es sano” is Spanish for “physical and mental well-being,” and the space definitely exudes such a vibe. The office feels more like a living room within a large apartment and less like a clinic. Oversized leather chairs fill most of the rooms. One waiting room is private and perfect for patients who either wish to be alone, feel they need discretion before their visit, or maybe just want to play foosball.

Dr. Wajda stays abreast of the latest scientific knowledge about mental health. His Oklahoma country doctor demeanor combined with his bluntness, humor and empathy helps his patients get on the right track.

“There’s no shame in having a mental illness,” he says as we sit for an interview in the office’s kitchen. “A mental health professional is not someone to be afraid of, but someone there to help with your overall health care.”

It was the frustration created by changes in the delivery of mental health treatment that drove Dr. Wajda out of local county health care systems and out on his own. After graduating from medical school in his native Oklahoma, Dr. Wajda moved to the Central Valley in the late 1980s.

He worked for many years as a contracted mental health professional for several Valley counties. The work was challenging, the hours were long, but Dr. Wajda felt as if he were making a difference for his patients, many who were living on the margins of society.

Then came February 2010, when the county he was working for faced yet another budget crisis. Dr. Wajda was told the clinic was cutting his hours by half.

“I remember asking,” Dr. Wajda says with an incredulous

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HEALTH AND WELLNESS look on his face, ‘How am I going to continue to see all my patients?’”

“Well, the good news is,” he was told, “is that we’re increasing the number of illnesses that do not quality for treatment!”

From that point on, the limited mental health diagnoses that the county clinic would accept meant that patients who had conditions not as severe, but still debilitating, such as generalized anxiety, borderline personality disorder, and milder forms of depression were required to see a general practitioner.

“I had to turn 60 percent of my patients away,” Dr. Wajda said, shaking his head, “and refer them to their family doctor.”

So Dr. Wajda opened his practice last year, free to pursue his passion without any distractions from government or health insurance company bureaucracy. There are no contracts with insurance companies.

“ There’s no shame in having a mental illness. A mental health professional is not someone to be afraid of, but someone there to help with your overall health care.”

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“Once you sign that contract, you lose your freedom as to how you can treat your patients,” Dr. Wajda says.

Instead, he has one full-time administrator on staff whose job it is to advocate for his patients. Patients who seek treatment pay an upfront fee, and when an insurance company does agree to reimburse for treatments, the check is in the patient’s name. For patients with financial difficulties, there is a reduced fee schedule. Many of his patients who would otherwise qualify for Medi-Cal bypass the system and pay out of pocket to see Dr. Wajda.

“They drive from as far as Kern County,” Dr. Wajda says.

“That should you tell you something about the current state of mental health care.”

“When you need someone, you need them now,” Dr. Wajda says, so he vows to see new patients within a week after they call for an appointment. During that initial consultation, he goes over their entire health history and occasionally finds the problem is not mental health, but another health issue, such as a thyroid condition, which patients have been coping with for much of their lives.

The steps Dr. Wajda takes in evaluating and treating his patients are rigorous. He explores all the alternatives for treatment. Dr. Wajda reviews their diet, lifestyle and stresses in their lives—after all, even a vitamin deficiency can trigger depression.

New technologies are part of Dr. Wajda’s repertoire.

One of them is transcranial magnetic simulation (TMS), a technology that the FDA approved in 2008. If antidepressants do not help a patient, this is one regimen that could be an option. Dr. Wajda’s approach is sciencebased: nothing can be ruled out. In fact, a new diagnostic procedure involving taking a swab from a patient which then matches the DNA to the best potential antidepressant medication, is now another tool within the doctor’s kit.

In addition to a well-read doctor, treatment also requires a motivated patient. And where Dr. Wajda makes the difference is that he has a way of connecting with patients that inspires them to become motivated and better themselves. He views his patients as equals; after all, he just happens to be professionally trained in mental health and has the capacity and experience to set them on the right course to happiness and fulfillment. He can help them open up to see that a life confronting past traumas and

HEALTH & WELLNESS

current demons does not have to be the course they take for the rest of their lives.

Gregarious, wickedly funny and successful in business, “Doug” is a prime example of how Dr. Wajda’s patients come from all backgrounds and cannot be pigeonholed.

During an interview at a Fig Garden Village coffee shop, Doug explained the long road of pain and frustration he was on before he finally met with Dr. Wajda earlier this year. Following a happy and stable childhood, “I developed a constant feeling of unease,” Doug says. He started losing interest in his hobbies, including his beloved photography.

He lost interest in his work and no longer felt motivated to work around the house.

Three months after his primary care physician gave him some sample packets of a commonly prescribed antidepressant, Doug noticed no improvement in his mental state but felt just about every side effect. After a few months Doug was still worried and said to himself, “I’m going to get better. I’m not going to allow myself to fail.” He researched various mental health treatment options, including TMS therapy, and then he came across Dr. Wajda. After discussing other possible treatments, the doctor and patient decided to try TMS therapy. Doug, without question, considers the treatment a success.

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“I just like feeling normal,” Doug says, and several months later, his outlook is much more positive. Doug believes his recovery has as much to do with Dr. Wajda’s rigorous evaluation and treatment as his determination not to give in to his symptoms.

There are other “Dougs” in and beyond Fresno who could benefit from more careful mental health treatment.

Similar to the various options he offers patients, Dr. Wajda explores different ways to reach out to the community and share his belief there that there is no shame, and no failing, in mental illness. His outreach includes his radio show, authoring many articles, his TV appearances on KSEE 24 about the treatment of mental illness, and his August debut nationwide on “In Focus” TV, hosted by Martin Sheen.

At a core level, his way of utilizing the latest science, being open to all options, and his frank humor inspire patients to feel better. Dr. Wajda doesn’t treat them as the stereotypical “patient,” but as a person whose vibrant personality is valued, and is just in need of some repair in order to live a life of wellness with inner peace.

Based in Fresno, Leon Kaye is a freelance journalist whose interests include business, energy, human rights, design, and health. He writes about sustainable business for The Guardian, one of Great Britain’s largest newspapers, and is also a regular contributor to TriplePundit. com and SustainableBrands.com. Leon’s travels have taken him to over 60 countries: earlier this year he visited India and South Africa to cover health and technology issues.

He completed his B.A. in history at Fresno State and has an MBA from the University of Southern California. Leon’s thoughts about topics including technology, the San Joaquin Valley, travel, architecture, and the intersection of sustainability and business are on his blog, www. greengopost.com; follow him on Twitter: @LeonKaye.

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Sip

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hen it comes to my taste in beer, one rule generally applies: If it’s from Belgium, I’ll drink it. I prefer Delirium Tremens above all else. When a friend recommended I try a Belgium sour beer at Spokeasy Public House in the Tower District, I was game.

On a busy Friday night, I made my way through bicycles and bearded men to the bar where I ordered a Cantillon. No luck, they didn’t have it in stock that night. Instead, the bartender suggested Hanssens Artisanaal, and I accepted his recommendation.

A minute later, he was pouring the $11 sour lambic from Belgium into a glass and I was second-guessing my choice of such an expensive and unfamiliar beer. But, what’s done is done. The beer was in the glass and the glass was in my hand, and I was once again moving through the bar to an open counter near the window.

SPOKEASY story & photos by Kendra Gilbert

Sure, it was poured from what looked like a petite champaign bottle, but the liquid in the glass was definitely beer. It was a bright golden color, cold and slightly frothy. What I tasted when I took that first sip was not like any of the crisp, refreshing beers I’ve tasted before.

I was warned. Tangy, tart, acidic, call it what you want, the beer was sour. Apparently, the sour flavor is a product of unpredictable yeast and some people say the taste is vibrant and refreshing. I am not one of those people.

While popular in Belgium, and building a fan base in the U.S., my pallet simply won’t allow me to join the masses of people who love sour beer. Nevertheless, I emptied my glass and was, at least, grateful for a unique beer-drinking experience.

Although the sour didn’t work out, Spokeasy is a great place to go for craft and specialty brews. And Skee ball. Next time, I’ll take my beer at its word. If the label says sour, it means sour.

Spokeasy Public House is located at 1472 N Van Ness, Fresno. For information call (559) 492-7765.

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RESTAURANT PROFILE

Savor Sal’s Mexican Restaurant It was Friday, and one of the most popular Mexican restaurants in the Central Valley, Sal’s Mexican Restaurant, was not surprisingly, very busy, filled with large parties, families and the familiar buzz of conversation and laughter that usually accompanies good food. Sal’s dates back to 1942, when Sal Salazar first opened a taco shop in Selma.

Sal married his wife in 1957, and together they turned the taco shop into the historic family business it’s known as today. Sal’s is co-owned by Sal and Eleanor Salazar’s children, their daughter Lorraine Salazar, and their son Karl Salazar. The Fresno restaurant is managed by Lorraine’s son, Aaron Vasquez.

Despite its historic reputation, the Fresno restaurant is decidedly modern, decorated in Mexican décor, tile and color. Brightly colored walls and open windows drew us in, but the odor of homemade food made us stay. Seconds after we arrived, we were greeted by a friendly wait-staff.

Along the wall to the entry, a poster advertising “Magic Night” and an enormous bubble-gum machine held the attention of children waiting for a table. We were one of many families looking for a table on a day that fell in the middle of a 110 degree heat wave. Given the crowd, we opted to sit on the cool patio under the newly installed misters while we enjoyed a near endless amount of chips and salsa.

Sal’s, like other Fresno restaurants, was preparing for Restaurant Week, where locally owned restaurants partner with the Fresno Regional Independent Business Alliance to offer special menu items from July 29 through August 9.

Sal’s has participated in the event, designed to encourage more people to dine out at local restaurants, for several years. Lorraine Salazar talked about the dishes and the catalyst for the entrees that had been selected: “Restaurant Week allows me to introduce flavors from my cooking travels in Mexico with Master Chef Rick Bayless.”

It is these travels that inspired items like Mexico City Enchiladas, which showcase the regional differences existent in Mexican culture and cuisine. The enchiladas came smothered in deep, rich mole sauce made with almonds, tempered by Sal’s classic sides. As the wait staff brought out dish after dish, it was apparent that Salazar’s careful planning of the menu was designed to introduce new fla-

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story and photos by Amy Guerra

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Sal’s is a family restaurant, but among its loyal customers, it’s far more.

It’s a place to celebrate, a place to relax and the type of place that’s been around so long that many of us can say we grew up on their food. vors while blending with the restaurant’s more popular favorites. We sampled the Santa Fe salad, a combination of Cotija cheese, black beans, corn, and crispy tortilla strips artfully placed along a rib of romaine lettuce; the cold and creamy cilantro dressing complemented a menu item well suited for Fresno’s July heat.

Sal’s shrimp cocktail came served in a cold glass, slightly sweet with creamy avocado squares and a side of lemon and lime. With a subtle marriage of squash and Mexican cheese, a platter of vegetable empanadas lined with a banana leaf proved irresistible. Even traditional items like Sal’s tacos were given a unique spin in the Taco Trio, a combination of chicken, beef and short rib tacos. As one would expect, Sal’s icy cold margarita was the perfect addition to the shrimp Diablo, a spicy shrimp dish garnished with a lime and served with rice and beans.

By the time dessert – fried ice cream covered in shredded coconut and drizzled with chocolate and whipped cream – arrived, it took a collective effort to finish it. After the meal, Lorraine inquired excitedly about which of the entrees we had chosen and enjoyed, her passion for both food and business evident. Sal’s food is a regular part of our lives, much like it is for their many fans who embrace the consistent flavors of Sal’s regular fare, from the fresh simplicity of their salsa to the comfort of a big weekend breakfast. Whatever the choice, no one leaves unsatisfied.

Sal’s is a family restaurant, but among its loyal customers, it’s far more. It’s a place to celebrate, a place to relax and the type of place that’s been around so long that many of us can say we grew up on their food.

Whether it’s the restaurant in Selma, Madera or Fresno, Sal’s is the restaurant we can rely on to get old favorites, as well as new flavors. From menu originals like the chili verde stuffed fancy burrito, to the custom specials and limited menus, Sal’s Mexican Restaurant is a Valley tradition.

Sal’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 7476 N. Fresno St. in Fresno. For more information, call (559) 438-3030 or visit them online at facebook. com/SalsMexicanRestaurant.

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That's the Ticket

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER EVENTS

August/September 2013

Woodward Shakespeare Festival Julius Caesar

53rd Annual Fresno Greek Fest

“Et tu, Brute?”

It’s that time of year again. Time for gratuitous shouts of “OPA!” and more Greek food than you can shake a souvlaki at. That’s right, it’s the 53rd Annual Fresno Greek Fest.

If you’ve ever been stabbed in the back by a friend, and we all have, then you know how Caesar felt when he uttered those words.

Thanks to the Woodward Shakespeare Festival, you can enjoy Shakespeare’s classic tale of betrayal set against the backdrop of ancient Rome acted live on stage when Julius Caesar comes to Woodward Park starting Aug. 22.

The play runs every Thursday through Sunday until Sept.

14. All performances are free of charge and take place at 8pm on the WSF Stage. Entry to the park is $5 per vehicle.

Make sure to carpool with only your most loyal friends to ensure the drama and backstabbing stay on stage.

Held at the St. George Orthodox Church Aug. 23-25, this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than any before. Over 30,000 people are expected to attend this year’s 3-day long celebration, which boasts over 40 Greek-themed vendors, cooking demonstrations, Greek wine tasting and a kid’s play area with youth Olympics.

The festivities get underway at 4 p.m. on Aug. 23. Admission: $5 for adults, seniors (65+) and kids under 12 are free.

Adults who bring a canned food donation will get free admission on Saturday and Sunday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Details: fresnogreekfest.com

Details: woodwardshakespeare.org

Evening Canoe Tour on the San Joaquin River What better way to end a crazy work week than by getting back to nature with a relaxing and picturesque nighttime canoe tour down the San Joaquin River? Organized by the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust, the tours take you along a three-mile stretch of the river, over thrilling riffles to calm waters downriver.

The tours run every other Friday at 4:30 p.m. and last approximately 3.5 hours. Upcoming tour dates are: Aug. 30, Sept. 13 and 27.

Price: $25 per person, $20 for River Parkway Trust members.

Details: riverparkway.org

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2nd Annual Rock for Autism There are few instances where rocking out and drinking beer benefit anyone other than the person doing the drinking and rocking out.

The 2nd Annual Rock for Autism is not one of those instances.

All proceeds from the music and beer-tasting festival to be held on Sept. 28 go to the Central California Autism Center.

Rock for Autism will feature Valley musicians and beer tastings from several California craft breweries. There will also be games, raffle prizes and local vendors. Festivities get underway at noon at Engelmann Cellars, 3275 N. Rolinda Ave., and conclude at 6 p.m.

Tickets are $30 for general admission and are available through Brown Paper Tickets.

To purchase tickets, visit: rock4autism2013.brownpapertickets.com or call 278-6773.

Super Adoption!

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No—it’s SUPER ADOPTION! All the major Central Valley animal shelters and rescue organizations will come together on Sept. 7 to help you find a new best friend among the hundreds of animals up for adoption.

The event will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and will feature wine tasting, food vendors and vet clinics giving away coupons to adopters. All animals adopted that day will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

All the animal-adopting fun will take place at the Valley Animal Center’s new dog park. Located at 3934 N. Hayston Ave., the 1.5-acre park features a 2,000-gallon dog swimming pool.

Details: valleyanimal.org/super-adoption

36th Annual Highland Gathering and Games Great Scot! The Scottish Society of Central California is hosting the 36th Annual Highland Gathering and Games on Sept. 21 at Kearney Park, 7160 W. Kearney Blvd.

If you have a fascination with Scottish culture, or have watched “Braveheart” one too many times, you should definitely attend this event.

From 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., you can enjoy the music of Scottish pipers and singers, watch traditional Highland dancers, marvel at kilted athletes and eat your fill of hearty Scottish food.

The opening ceremony starts at noon.

Price: General admission, $14; seniors (60+), military with ID and students with school ID, $10; children 12 and under, free.

Details: robyngutz@gmail.com Phone: 250-1758

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VISUAL ARTS

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[Pt. 1]

Artist Benjamin Short

Benjamin Short is brewing a beastly concoction of a show

by Arynne Gilbert

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ctober may sound far away, but for Benjamin Short, that’s barely enough time to create a whopper of a double exhibit for this October’s Art Hop. On Oct. 3, Short will be exhibiting at his home studio at Broadway Studios, with a sister exhibit located just a hop, skip and a jump across the alley in K-JWL’s lobby gallery.

“I love the month of October for what it represents,” Short shared. “It is the time when imaginations seem to go their wildest.”

This is a perfect storm for Short, who creates fantastically surreal and imagination-bending sculptural artwork. For him, it’s all about the monsters, ghosties, goblins, and ghoulies...sometimes literally. But not always.

photo by Benjamin Short One of Ben’s fantastically ghoulish creepies

“It’s that which is fanciful and fantastical that serves as the metaphoric vehicle for a lot of my art,” Short says. I strive to tell a little story about the human experiences with each piece I make and attempt to ignite the imaginations of onlookers with what is possible, if you dare to dream...just a bit.”

Short was born and raised in Fresno, and hit the road for the life of a wanderer at the age of 16. Since then, he has lived in San Jose, Sacramento and San Francisco, where he honed his sculptural craft at the Academy of Arts. Short was inspired at a young age to be a sculptor, citing Michelangelo as his main source of inspiration. Knowing that he needed to make his living, Short tried to keep his art as just a hobby. Working as a house painter, which he describes as “miserable,” Short would use his free time to create masks and three-dimensional pieces out of papier-mâché.

But after meeting his wife and soulmate, Lisa (who he credits for bringing out the kid in him), he knew he needed to pursue his art full time. Now, Short hopes to use his cauldron full of imagination, dark-with-a-bit-of-whimsy humor and strange creations to inspire other artists. And although he credits his wife as his inspiration, Short also appreciates the work of others in the community, using that as his fuel to dream bigger and create more.

“Banality is my worst enemy,” says Short. “I need a world beyond this work-a-day grind to look for laughter, excitement or something extraordinary. And I like to share that world with others.”

Stay tuned for more of Benjamin Short’s frighteningly fun exhibit in Fresno Life Magazine’s October/November issue. Art Hop occurs the first Thursday of every month. Broadway Studios can be found in downtown Fresno at 1416 Broadway. K-JWL/KYNO is located at 1415 Fulton Ave. Fresno Life Magazine | 45

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VISUAL ARTS

NEVER FINISHED:

Artist Erik Beltran talks Fresno, family and the pursuit of perfection

by Arynne Gilbert

E

rik Beltran is proud to be from Fresno. So proud, in fact, that his latest collection of mixed-media creations all vividly reflect the city and state that he calls home. Beginning with a stylized Fresno skyline painting on a piece of California-shaped plywood, Beltran explained that he did not start out creating his collection with a particular theme in mind.

Instead, Beltran claims, “The theme finds you. My art is my expression, so some pieces may be violent or grotesque.

But the connection between the materials I use and the images I see in my head – it can have a very common theme in the end.”

When asked how he knew he was finished with a collection of pieces, Beltran smiled and said, “I don’t think I ever feel finished. I always want to add to a piece, or I want to go back and perfect something that I don’t feel was quite right.”

Passionate, he is. And according to Mr. Beltran, that passion started at a young age. He comes from a selfproclaimed “eccentric family,” and from the beginning, Beltran knew his roots would be in art. By fifth grade, Beltran had picked up a can of spray paint, and – like 46 | Fresno Life Magazine

Artist Erik Beltran. Photo by Gary Magill

many budding artists – began to experiment with graffiti.

His older brother would fuel his fire, urging him to create bigger and better pieces. So what for Beltran began as experimentation eventually became an integral medium in his studio art.

Beltran’s studio, housed in a Downtown Fresno warehouse – an open space he shares with three of his good friends and colleagues – is covered in paint supplies, found objects, random stickers, and all kinds of other goodies. Appropriately named “Arthouse,” the gallery/ studio is a renovated warehouse that brothers Chreighton and Chris Geigle, artist Adam Mena and Beltran inhabited in August 2012. Each month for Art Hop, the Arthouse resident artists showcase their latest work, and they often play hosts to a variety of other artists as well.

Here, according to Beltran, is where he noticed his art was changing.

“The other guys here influence or inspire me all of the time,” he said. “I have done a few collaborative pieces with Chreighton, which has pushed me to explore new perspectives and try to adapt my style, like a chameleon.” (continued)

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August Art Hop collection for the grand opening of Arthouse

Erik Beltran’s adventure continues. Deciding on graduate school after Fresno State, he will be attending school in San Francisco, pursuing painting and interdisciplinary art with an emphasis in sculpture. The program will be intense, but Beltran said he looks forward to a new challenge and a new city. As he finishes the last beer for the night, he tips back in his chair and thoughtfully says, “But I’ll be back. I love it here!”

You can see more of Erik’s work at erikbeltran.blogspot.com.

the ARTHOUSE: home to a new generation of artists

by Arynne Gilbert Though the exterior of the Arthouse blends well with the otherwise-industrial gray row of buildings, what happens inside is anything but boring. A warehouse-turned-gallery/studio space, Arthouse was the brainchild of friends and local artists, Adam Mena, Chris Geigle, Chreighton Geigle, and Erik Beltran.

“We wanted a space where we could help brand ourselves, but also make room for different brands and ideas out there,” says Mena.

“We encourage other artists to show here, and we always welcome bands and music acts for Art Hop.”

The resident artists of Arthouse.

From left to right: Adam Mena, Erik Beltran, Chreighton Geigle, Chris Geigle.

Photo by Gary Magill

Now that the fellows of Arthouse are gaining some notoriety, they want to extend that same chance to other up-and-coming artists.

Beltran states, “We are lucky to have this space where we can express ourselves. So we want to share it.”

Since the grand opening of Arthouse in August 2012, the space has hosted a variety of shows – such as an all-female art show and gallery exhibits with live skateboarding. Arthouse’s gallery space is also available to rent out for events.

For more information on Arthouse’s gallery and studio spaces, contact Adam Mena at adam@fresnoarthouse.com. Arthouse is located at 1612 H St. in Fresno.

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FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT

BOOK REVIEW

peaches as performance Masumoto family mixes food with culture in new cookbook

by Jefferson Beavers photos by Staci Valentine, courtesy Ten Speed Press

O

n her 21st birthday, Nikiko Masumoto gave herself a gift: a tattoo of a peach on her ankle.

“The very first day after I got it,” she says, “I looked down at my ankle and said, ‘Oh! Why weren’t you there all along?’”

It’s impossible for the 27-year-old performance artist and farm apprentice to separate her identity from the pinkishyellow stone fruit. The Masumoto family has farmed peaches and other fruits and vegetables on an 80-acre farm in Del Rey, southeast of Fresno, for four generations.

Nikiko joins her father, David Mas Masumoto, and her mother, Marcy Masumoto, in sharing their peach love through their new literary cookbook, “The Perfect Peach,” which they wrote together.

The book – packed with an equal measure of family stories and mouth-watering recipes from the Masumoto Family Farm – delivers lovingly chosen selections about peach beverages, savory peach dishes, sweet peach desserts, and peach preserves, as well as an educational and personal “peach primer” that could only come from one of the Central Valley’s most well-known farm families.

For the Masumotos, delivering a single peach from their farm to your table has become like a time-capsule performance, and the peach itself is the time capsule. In this way, Nikiko says, “The Perfect Peach” cookbook becomes the script of a grand peach performance, open to each cook’s creative interpretations.

Eating a peach, she says, is a sensory experience.

“There’s drama, there’s expectation, there’s closure, there’s loss. The peach itself is like a play. It is alive while you are consuming it and eating it, and then it’s gone. Just like theater, it is born and then dies as soon as it’s over.”

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The peach as performance is not the book’s only metaphor. The authors organized the main sections thematically: thirst and sweat (beverages and stories about work); at the table (savory dishes and family farming); sweet dreams (sweet dishes and peach pleasure); and harvest memories (preserves and legacy). They worked hard to strike a balance between the literary aspects and the cooking, Nikiko says.

Each recipe, for example, starts with a headnote by either Marcy or Nikiko, explaining the dish’s backstory. Additional short essays – most by Mas, but some also by Marcy and Nikiko – are then sprinkled throughout.

So how, then, should a “literary cookbook” be read? From start to finish, like a novel? Or one recipe at a time, like a traditional cookbook?

Mother and daughter agree that different readers will have different tastes.

Marcy says: “I have never read a cookbook from cover to cover, and I have a lot of cookbooks!

But I think this book does lend itself to that. It’s more than a recipe book.”

Nikiko says: “My hope is that people can sit down and read this on a leisurely afternoon. And also cook with it, get it dirty, get it sticky, full with flour and butter stains and peach juice.”

The Masumotos tried to make their recipes

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rather as being both simultaneously.

“I walk in the world not with a fraction at my belly button but as a whole being,” she says. “I have shifting understandings depending on what context I’m in, but the term allows me to be whole as opposed to segmented.”

For another example, in the headnote to Nikiko’s recipe for peach pickles, she connects a family trip to Kumamoto, Japan, where her paternal greatgrandparents are from, with her thoughts of her family’s experiences on the farm here in Fresno.

“My hope is that people can sit down and read this on a leisurely afternoon.

And also cook with it, get it dirty, get it sticky, full with flour and butter stains and peach juice.” – Nikiko Masumoto reflect and celebrate who they are as a multicultural and multi-generational Central Valley family. Dishes range from the simple (peach margaritas, pork chops with grilled peaches, and peach cobbler) to the elaborate (summer Thai shrimp with noodles and peach salad, rolled pork loin with peaches inside, and orange-peach phyllo cups), and the book also includes extensive advice on preserves, freezing and canning.

Marcy sees most of the cookbook’s dishes as everyday food, bistro-style California cuisine from an eclectic range of the family’s Japanese-American and German-American roots, and also the region’s countless ethnic food influences, including Mexican, Vietnamese, Armenian, and more.

But those wonderful, diverse flavors can also come with challenges. Nikiko says that the issue of race runs throughout the book in subtle but very present ways. The family faces the issue within the farming industry, as they toil side by side with many Mexican farmworkers who have become their friends, but they also face it in their kitchen.

For example, in the headnote to her recipe for panko-fried peaches, Nikiko identifies herself as “hapa,” a term typically used to describe mixedrace Japanese Americans. Nikiko calls the label “deliciously slippery,” and she prefers to think of it not as being half Japanese and half German, but

“I love this place,” Nikiko says of the Central Valley.

“I feel fortunate that I feel very rooted here. At the same time, just a couple generations back, my greatgrandmother, a Japanese immigrant who worked this land – she lived in the same room that I live in now – she could not own land because of explicitly racist land-owning laws in California…Her ghost is absolutely weaved throughout this book and when I cook with peaches.”

The questions arise for Nikiko on her mother’s side of the family, too. In the headnote to her recipe for peach shortcake, she writes that she didn’t have a perfect relationship with her maternal grandmother. Part of that might have been distance – Marcy’s family lived in Wisconsin – but part of that may have been tied to race.

“I have learned a lot from her via my mother,” Nikiko says of her maternal grandmother, who passed away in 2011. “Even though we did not have a very open or frequent dialogue, I do remember the first strawberry shortcake I had at her house, and that is a joyful memory.”

Marcy acknowledges that her daughter didn’t have much of an opportunity to spend time around her maternal grandmother, but she thinks it’s a deep compliment that her daughter is thinking about her elders when she is cooking.

“I think food is all about communing, anyhow,” Marcy says. “So whether you’re together physically or not, it’s a nice way to connect.”

Those connections in the kitchen, Marcy believes, can be a real blessing for everyone, especially when they’re connected to culture.

“I think it makes me a richer, stronger person,” she says.

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MUSIC

the burning ear by Nicole Giordano Ashjian, photo by Meza Films

hocus

opus The planets aligned and the forces brought together the band Hocus Opus. Aside from sharing a common passion, their education in music speaks volumes for how serious they are about the songs being created. The story of this duo grounds itself on friendship, while showcasing solid talent. Hocus Opus is a whimsical interpretation of varying styles but represents a vintage pop/rock sound with an emphasis on vocal performance.

In a nut shell, Raul Vasquez and William Ryan George started as a singer/songwriter/piano/acoustic guitar duo. But after a few shows, they decided to shoot for a bigger sound and grow their circle of trust. Ryan Ray joined in on bass and they experimented with a few drummers before ultimately deciding to remain a trio and work off of a drum machine.

Here’s how Hocus Opus came to life: In 2011, Vasquez had returned to Fresno from Los Angeles after attending Stella Adler Conservatory. At the same time, George had also returned from NYC following his hiatus with the NYC band called Flying Machines, who had just released an album with EMI Records. Both George and Vasquez attended high school together at Roosevelt School of the Arts in Fresno where they received vocal and artistic training and performed together. They became fast friends after attending Idle Wild Arts Academy in the summer of 2000.

After reconnecting in Fresno, they rekindled the songwriting partnership they had experimented with in high school more than 10 years ago. This new collaboration led to the first Hocus Opus performance at The Revue in Fresno’s Tower District in April of 2011. The show featured George on the piano and Vasquez on the acoustic guitar. They played 20 original songs and received a standing ovation. With

such a positive reaction, the duo decided to turn their project into a full band.

Expect some really awesome things from their debut album, called “The Chase. The Rhythm.

The Struggle.”

“It’s a statement of the bond we share as songwriters and is a nod to the classic recordings of the past,” said Vasquez. “The structure of the album is very loose. The recording process was relaxed. We did what we wanted to do. Just friends making music without boundaries.”

Overall, the songs are an expression of the human experience and are intended to be honest and vulnerable, as all great music and art should be.

Details: facebook.com/HocusOpustheband

Nicole Giordano Ashjian brings her colorful style to the airwaves on 101.1 FM radio for Y101 After Hours. She is a regular host and emcee for Fresno’s biggest nightlife events, as well as fundraisers and charities. Out of her love for indie and obscure music, Nicole co-created and maintains the online music blog, My Indie Nation, myindienation.com.

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THE BURNING EAR

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something for every mood Get the suitcase packed with a little bit of function and a whole lot of spontaneity. The lonesome road awaits your company on a trip to nowhere land. Summer rays anticipate your arrival and the music you desire longs to fill the air with purpose. Don’t forget your imagination and get lost somewhere with these songs!

1. Jules Goodhart, “I’m In Love” A happy-go-lucky ode to love that takes cupid’s arrow to a whole new dimension. The song comes in with a fun little beat that quickly turns into a sing at the top of your lungs kind of song. It’s a light-hearted track that’s a must for a drive through Big Sur with the honey!

2. Little Hurricane, “Grounds For Divorce” This is a confident song that packs a western punch! It’s something you’d hear in the middle of the desert while following a pack of sneaky rattlesnakes. Bust out a bit of attitude and get ready for the slither.

3. Soleil, “Carousel Waltz” Prepare for a tune that unfolds with a ghostly lullaby and slips into hypnotic vocals. It puts you in a whimsical mood and sends you straight into sleepy town.

This shall be the soundtrack to your star gazing eve at the edge of the sea.

4. The Wealthy West, “Love is not Enough” A simple song with a memorable message. As soon as the chorus comes in, you’re immediately taken by the melody. This is a song of contradiction that sheds light on a four-letter word that wraps us all up at some point or another.

5. The Caves, “Bad Astronomy” Seduction at its finest. Your eyes will feel heavy after the first few seconds of this song, and you’ll be swept off your feet. It’s an easy listen that promises to set the tone for a magnetic, romantic little night.

For a free download of this playlist, go to myindienation.com.

A look at upcoming local shows

BACK TO BLACK Saturday, Aug. 24 at 9 p.m.

Me-N-Ed’s Victory Grill 4010 N. Cedar, Bldg. F, Fresno menedsvictorygrill.com On Aug. 24, make it a date to Amy Winehouse-it-up with Fresno tribute band Back to Black. This is a free, all ages show happening at Me-N-Ed’s Victory Grill in Granite Park at 9 p.m.

Back to Black is a special tribute to the music of the late Amy Winehouse.

The band features Danielle Rondero on lead vocals and a seven-piece band comprised of some of the Valley’s most talented musicians: Sean Alderette on drums, Ben Betita on guitar, Crissy Martinez on bass, Steve Coleman on keys, Gary Anderson on trombone, Pierce Yamaoka on trumpet, and Richard Scroggin on tenor sax.

Back to Black’s repertoire includes Winehouse’s most popular hits and plenty of other favorites, as well as a few posthumously-released gems; their mission is to share her music in a live capacity to help her legacy live on. If you are an Amy Winehouse fan, this tribute is not to be missed.

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THEATRE

Children’s Musical Theaterworks:

Turning Kids into Stars

by Corey Ralston

photo by Kristin Goehring A scene from last summer’s hit, “Disney’s Sleeping Beauty, Jr.”

C

hildren’s Musical Theaterworks is the step-off point into the mix of Fresno’s diverse and thriving theater community. For nearly 20 years, this theater company has been training and churning out some of the Valley’s best and brightest rising stars.

Started in 1996 by Joel Abels, who currently runs Stageworks Fresno, CMT was founded to provide musical theater training to children by producing full-scale musicals. Since its inception, CMT has produced more than 30 main stage and touring productions consisting of 2,200 youth performers (give or take a few). A staggering 62,000 Valley residents have purchased tickets to see their favorite musicals performed by gifted children at the Veteran’s Memorial Hall.

“What CMT strives to do is give young performers an opportunity to be in high quality, large productions that they might not get a chance to do elsewhere,” said Marketing Director Kylie Briggs. “By doing shows entirely with performers the same age as them, our actors have different opportunities than if they were playing a child role in an adult performance.

They gain a maturity and experience level that they can then carry with them into other endeavors.”

What sets CMT apart from other children’s companies is that they treat these productions as if professional adult actors perform them. From set design to costumes to special effects, these productions are at the level of the touring Broadway productions that sometimes come through town.

Pair that with the expectations of excellence that produce high-caliber performances, and something magical happens.

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“We want our audiences to be blown away by what these kids can do,” Briggs said.

During the summer, the performers are split into three age groups: 6 to 10, 11 to 15 and 16 to 20.

This summer, the youngest group performed “Disney’s Aladdin, Jr.,” the middle performers are preparing for the upcoming “Seussical,” and the older group is putting their own spin on “Chorus Line.” And once a year, CMT Underground uses adult performers (many CMT alumni) to put on shows like “Grease” and “Spring Awakening.”

Children involved in CMT are taught everything about putting on live theater, from sound and lighting to costume and make-up to stress theater’s behind-the-scenes aspect.

Throughout the year, there are a variety of classes offered in singing, acting and dancing to hone the children’s skills. The goal is to further their talent and create experienced

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“We want our audiences to be blown away by what these kids can do.”

–Marketing Director Kylie Briggs

performers that will one day grace other local stages, or even make it in Hollywood (Hey…it can happen. Look at “Glee’s” Chris Colfer).

“CMT performers have found that they do very well when they move on to other theater companies and experiences,” Briggs boasts.

“Fresno is great at sharing performers between companies, and we have had performers in Good Company Players, Stageworks Fresno and the Organic Theater Factory. Too many to count go on to prestigious college programs.

Additionally, we have had performers go on to theater companies in New York and Los Angeles, as well as doing TV and film.”

One alum, Daniel Rodriguez, credits CMT as a factor in his success. Rodriguez just finished playing Marius in Stagework’s “Les Miserables,” and is about to embark on a journey to Louisville, Ky. where he will participate in a ninemonth apprenticeship with the Actors Theatre of Louisville.

“CMT showed me what it really meant to be a part of a full company,” he said. “Doing shows like ‘Tommy,’ ‘Side Show’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’ really showed me how much of a challenge a show can be and how much of a team effort goes into productions. It taught me just how much knowledge and appreciation can come out of an educational environment.”

Rodriguez reiterates the importance of youth programs like CMT. “I believe that starting in the arts as a child is a fantastic way to spark creativity and grow a strong appreciation for the arts,” he said. “I know that CMT has done that for a lot of people that I know, myself included.”

Cameron Briggs is proof that learning theater through CMT is great training for bigger and better things. After appearing in several show, Briggs is ready to tackle what may be the hardest job in theater: directing. He will make his directorial debut in “Seussical,” a musical

photo by Corey Ralston Genevieve Becker and Ben McNamara in CMT Underground’s production of “Spring Awakening.” with more than 30 songs that draws the audience into Dr. Seuss’ most famous books. “’Seussical’ is the kind of musical everyone can enjoy,” Briggs said. “It has characters that are very simple and great for a younger audience, and more complex characters for the adults who will be there with their children. The show has amazing music that flows throughout the entirety of the musical and connects the plots together.”

As CMT continues to grow and create more fantastic opportunities for Valley children, the objective stays the same.

“CMT’s main goal is to continue putting on high quality shows starring young performers,” Kylie Briggs said. “We hope to continue to grow the amount of students who participate and give more opportunities to more kids, year after year.”

Seussical, Jr. Aug. 16-25 Tickets and information: cmtworks.org

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THE LAST WORD

Clique into Place

by Conlan Spangler

creative fresno is a unique organization that I don’t think could exist (or at least be as effective) anywhere but here.

H

umans are in a perpetual identity crisis. We crave belonging, but we also crave individuality. This weird, stupid dual desire compels us to form tribes — religions, nations, political parties, iPhone users, people who dip their pizza in ranch dressing. In all of these identities, we’re simultaneously defined by a similarity to some people and a dissimilarity to some other people.

For most of us, our sense of self really starts to take shape as a teenager. High school is like a fertile petri dish of identity cultures. When you lock up a bunch of kids together for four years, of course they’ll begin to form their own tribes based on similar interests, attributes and sensibilities. Because the ecosystem is relatively closed off, these different cliques become really well defined — which makes it easier to choose (or be shoved into) the one that best fits your sense of identity.

Once you get out into the real world, though, things are more complicated.

After high school and college, you’re no longer limited to a fixed social pool. For many of us, our jobs help define us. People who work in the same industry tend to socialize in the same circles, and that becomes who we are.

In cities with very large, dense populations, it’s relatively easy to find people who are just like you — not only in terms of profession or interests, but even down to very specific points of view. It’s easier to create and maintain self-contained subcultures. Ironically, what you end up

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with looks a lot like the narrow tribalism of our school days.

But in a city like Fresno, where the population is less dense, it’s a bit different. There are no well-defined cliques. You’re less likely to come across someone who shares your exact interests or perspective. That means you have to do something that no person really likes to do: branch out.

Creative Fresno (creativefresno.com) is a unique organization that I don’t think could exist (or at least be as effective) anywhere but here. Its goal is to use creativity and the arts to improve Fresno in lots of different ways. Its membership isn’t limited by a strict definition of “creative professional.” Sure, it’s got designers, writers, filmmakers, and photographers as members. But there are also architects, crafters, web developers, hobbyists, and others who don’t fit any of those labels — people who are just interested in making Fresno better. This inclusive approach allows for even greater innovation and collaboration, because it brings together people who would otherwise seem to have little in common.

When we’re forced to seek out those who are different, we instinctively try harder to find areas of agreement and compromise. And we end up finding better solutions to problems, or new solutions to problems we didn’t even know we had. That’s when we discover who we really are.

Conlan Spangler doesn’t know who he is.