IdaHome Magazine (June) - Issue 8

Community + Culture + Recreation +

Idaho Lakefront Living with

La Bella Vida in Caldwell Summer’s Best:

Beer & BBQ

Tribe Author Sebastian Junger Speaks to Veterans

BOISE, EAGLE, MERIDIAN, NAMPA, CALDWELL & BEYOND

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W E ' R E A T I G H T- K N I T T R I B E of writers, editors, publishers, and many-hat-wearers at IdaHome, and this month is no exception.

Summer is busy for us, and, in true Idaho style, she started off quickly and is coming in hot. Our publisher has spent some of the month in India (if you want to talk about heat…), where, between filming for another project, she interviewed writer Sebastian Junger, a renowned journalist himself.

He’s got a new book called Tribe out that explores the rarity of the tribal sentiment in modern society and what we might learn about loyalty, belonging, and finding meaning.

I feel like I’m on a constant quest to make meaning myself, and part of that process for me involves exploring the landscape of my own home.

I’m not talking just about mountains, though that is part of it. For me, this landscape includes community, family, and recreation. This month, we’re featuring Sun Valley nonprofit Higher Ground, a military and recreational therapy program dedicated to just that. They’re having a Hero’s Journey Gala at the end of the month, and guess what?

Junger will be speaking, so grab your ticket now.

Summer has us feeling beer and BBQ as we look forward to fireworks and rodeos and state parks, a true sampling of summer. It is a great season to be feeling those tribal impulses, and I guess that’s why we’re drawn to these activities—things in which we congregate in celebration of humans and hops. It’s also the month where we celebrate Independence Day, and if that doesn’t initiate a tribal mentality—all of us joining together in celebration of freedom across the nation, I don’t know what does.

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And baseball, the perfect combination of fireworks, beer, and patriotism, add hotdogs. I love baseball at all levels, and I think it has a lot to do with that quest for meaning Junger talks about in his book. There’s poetry in baseball, and nine innings to think about it. Whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor fun, playing or contemplating sport, we promise that we’ve got something right up your ally, and we hope you’ll join us for the long haul.

HE ATHE R HA M ILTO N - P OS T Editor in Chief

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OUR TEAM COMMUNITY Explore Idaho Chow Down: Beer + BBQ REAL ESTATE NEWS Boise’s Carnegie Library Caldwell Container Homes

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ARTS & CULTURE

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An Interview with Sebastian Junger

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Idaho Makers Higher Ground MONTHLY EXTRAS

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JULY 2019 publisher K A R E N DAY karen@idahorem.com managing editor H E AT H E R H A M I LT ONPOST heather@idahorem.com

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copy editor Z ACK CR E NSH AW art director K AR EN K EY art@idahorem.com designers and illustrators JOH N AT H A N S TOK E S DON N A S TACK HOU SE director of operations and sales manager N ICOL E G O ODL E T T nicole@idahorem.com contributing photographers K A R E N DAY J OH N W E B S T E R

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THE CARNEGIE PUBLIC LIBRARY S TA RT S N E W C H A P T E R , R E TA I N S H I S TO R I C RO OT S

BY ANNA WEBB

T

he old Carnegie Public Library at 815 W. Washington St. may truly be a building of a thousand stories.

After operating as Boise’s library from 1905 to 1973, it was home to a myriad of tenants, from law firms, to the Idaho Academic Decathlon, to a.l.p.h.a., the HIV/

Photos courtesy of Colliers International

AIDS prevention organization, to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anthony Doerr, who kept an office in the basement.

This spring, Ednetics, an Idaho tech firm, bought the building from St. Michael’s Episcopal Cathedral. Ednetics plans to preserve it and use it as

office space while devoting part to “education and arts,” according to a company press release.

Whatever its new chapter holds, the Carnegie will remain a beloved Boise icon associated with one of the most famous chapters in American philanthropy.

After making his fortune

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in the steel industry, magnate Andrew Carnegie spent some $60 million to pay for more than 2,500 libraries in communities in the U.S. and beyond between the 1889 and 1930. Boise, along with Caldwell, Nampa, Mountain Home, Idaho Falls, Pocatello, Wallace and Preston, built libraries with help from Carnegie.

One of Carnegie’s requirements was that cities raise matching funds to guarantee that any library he built would be maintained. Boise’s Columbian Club, a still-active women’s service organization that founded Boise’s first library in the original city hall that stood at 8th and Main, naturally took on the challenge and raised the money. Boise’s Carnegie library, designed by the celebrated Boise architectural firm Tourtellotte & Hummel, opened in the spring of 1905 to much fanfare. A “May Day Ball,” written up in the society column of the Idaho Statesman, marked the building’s official opening. The writer made special note of “many exquisitely gowned women,” dancing, historic displays, white lilacs lit by scarlet lights, and frappes, served on the library’s receiving desk.

Though more than a century has passed, “Columbian Club members are still very proud of that building,” said Donna Wisdom, a member and past club president. “They worked so hard to put books on the shelves.”

That work continues, even 12

if today it involves providing books to residents of several Boise apartment complexes. The club members still feel, Wisdom said, “a strong ownership of the library system.” They recognize that their predecessors helped to build a landmark.

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The Carnegie’s doors closed in 1973 when the library moved to its current home in the former Salt Lake Hardware warehouse on Capitol Boulevard. But many Boiseans still recall the old building on Washington Street with affection. They remember going

there from nearby Boise High, purportedly to finish assignments, but really to flirt with classmates. They remember librarian Dona Barnes, also known as the “Purple Lady,” for her habit of dressing entirely in purple—from her feet, to her violet-tinged hair.

They remember the murals, painted by Olaf Moller in the 1930s: Neptune in his underwater kingdom, and a prince with a pageboy, encountering a mermaid on a dreamy beach.

“I remember the complicated stair arrangement,” said Judy Austin, retired coordinator of publications at the Idaho State Historical Society and former editor of its quarterly journal Idaho Yesterdays. “You’d go up the stairs to get in, then up a short flight, or down to get to

anything.” Austin remembers the dark wood that made the building cozy, and the fireplace (it still exists, with a frieze of horses and riders).

“A fireplace in a library. That’s either wonderful, or terrifying, however you want to look at it,” said Austin.

Kay Hummel has many ties to the building. Her great grandfather, Charles F. Hummel, was one of the Carnegie’s architects. As a child, she attended St. Joe’s Catholic School, a couple blocks north.

“After school, I would wander down to the library, and spend hours there before getting on the city bus to go home,” she said.

She was only vaguely conscious of her great grandfather’s role in the building.

“My parents (her late father, Charles Hummell was a notable architect in his own right) didn’t brag. They didn’t dwell on it,” said Hummell. “And I was just in love with the warm atmosphere, the librarians, the children’s department in the basement, the paintings. I just loved the romance of the library.”

Photos courtesy of Colliers International.

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SHARING FOOD WITH STRANGERS:

A CONVERSATION WITH SEBASTIAN JUNGER

BY K AREN DAY “THIS BOOK IS ABOUT WHY—FOR MANY PEOPLE—WAR FEELS BETTER THAN PEACE AND HARDSHIP CAN TURN OUT TO BE A GREAT BLESSING AND DISASTERS ARE SOME TIMES REMEMBERED MORE FONDLY THAN WEDDINGS AND TROPICAL VACATIONS.” —SEBASTIAN JUNGER

Would you share you last bit of food with a stranger? In his new book, Tribe, Sebastian Junger asks us to examine why or why not, and how society’s collective shift from a tribal, one-for-all mentality to a solipsistic, all-for-me motivation has stripped veterans, as well as modern humanity, of a sense of personal belonging and purpose.

“This book is not meant to offer a solution,” Junger said in a recent interview with IdaHome’s publisher, Karen Day. “It’s an analysis of how detribalization presented in a historical context has negatively impacted returning veterans with PTSD, as well as Americans in general.”

Junger is coming to Sun Valley on July 2nd to speak at the Hero’s Journey Gala, a fundraising event for Higher Ground, a non-profit providing military and recreational programs created for people with disabilities to experience nature and outdoor activities. (Page 40) Junger opinions are undiluted in person on in print. “I think 18

we’re headed toward a global catastrophe and the actual solutions are too radical for society to embrace. It’s up to individuals to make healthy choices. That’s the

only way to make positive change at this point.”

Nihilistic or realistic? Either way, the author of The Perfect Storm and War has carved his philosophy and lauded career in the maw of life’s most tempestuous situations.

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Embedded for a year with a platoon of soldiers in the Korengal Valley of Afghanistan, Junger felt the deadly breeze of sniper’s bullets to direct the Academyaward nominated documentary, Restrepo, with photojournalist Tim Heatherington, who lost his life in 2011 on the Libyan front.

Junger’s best-selling book-turnedblockbuster-movie chronicled the doomed fishing vessel the Andrea Gail and served as another modern crucible of men who bind together at risk of death to prove themselves worthy and productive males.

Documenting the harsh reality of men being genetically predisposed to survive death-defying trials is central to Junger’s work.

His personal experience informs this recurrent theme and haunts the pages of Tribe.

“I grew up in a wealthy suburb.

It was an insulated, human dead zone,” said Junger. “No one knew each other or helped each other.

There were not any connections. I had no outlet to define who I was

a young man. So, I went looking at nineteen years old and eventually, found myself, at age thirty-one in Sarajevo, surrounded by machine gun fire.”

“Young men today may or may not feel pressure from society, but as teenagers or in their early twenties, many feel pressure from within to test themselves,” Junger continued. “That’s why we see fraternity drinking in excess and reckless driving, etc. It’s an age-old process of selfdefinition. It comes from facing an ordeal where they not in control the outcome and must reach deep within themselves to have things turn out well. That process has for hundreds of thousands of years been part of a male maturation process. I think it’s pretty important. Think about it. How many times does a young boy hear, ‘Be a man about it.’ What exactly does than mean in today’s society?

Girls are assumed to become women when they menstruate, but young males are expected to demonstrate that they are men.

That doesn’t mean getting in bar fights or joining the Special Forces—it means putting yourself after everyone else.”

Becoming a man does not require joining the armed forces, but the societal constructs of manhood-- honor, duty, courage, sacrifice, strength and risk-- are an ancient human recipe for

brotherhood and inherent in the experiences of those who serve next to each other in the military.

Junger proposes this tribal-like experience provides validation and imparts purpose and value to one’s life, even in death and equally to female soldiers. This explains why re-entry proves difficult for veterans and PTSD claims have skyrocketed. Modern society has killed our tribes and erased our necessity within the community.

“People need to feel necessary,” said Junger. “Feeling unnecessary makes things like getting out of the military or not being able to get a job or retirement-psychologically perilous. This equates to high suicide rates and depression among veterans.”

Of ironic note, research also shows that as affluence rises in a society, so do general rates of suicide.

When asked about technology facilitating new methodologies of forming online tribes, Junger disagrees. “Scientific

research has proven that digital communication does not create the same positive chemical reaction in the brain as personal interaction,” said the author. “It’s like eating at Burger King every day. You might feel full, but you are not getting the nutrition you need to be healthy and survive.”

Harsh reality and assiduous research have honed Junger’s perspective in Tribe to a razor-sharp point, but he is not a pessimistic man.

He has plenty of advice for young people, most importantly: ”Fail.

If you don’t fail regularly, you are living an extremely safe life. I’m not advising you to put your life at risk, I’m talking about risks of the ego. Things you don’t know you can do—you need to fail at them.

That’s an extremely important aspect of becoming a solid, mature and connected person.”

In the end, the author and this book seem to reflect the phrase of The Osage Tribe, 'Travelers in the Mist.' It was the term used by the members of the clan who would take the lead whenever the tribe was venturing into unfamiliar realms. In this life, we are all travelers in the mist and Sebastian Junger is attempting to remind us we are members of the same tribe.

The human tribe.

Sebastian Junger will speak July 2nd in Sun Valley, Idaho.

For more information: www. higherground.com

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Explore I DAHO INTO AND OUT OF SADDLE: IDAHO RODEOS Idaho is great because we’ve really got it all­—hiking, biking, and sheep riding, all within minutes of your front door. Summer is rodeo season, and we’re kicking it off right. There are rodeos big and small throughout the state, including everything from a small town to big time qualifiers.

A few big ones—the Snake River Stampede runs in Nampa from July 16-20 and features longtime rodeo favorites—everything from barrel racing to bull-riding to team roping. They also host an annual Calf Scramble in which kids ages 14-16 can compete for $1,000

toward the purchase of a purebred beef or dairy heifer by catching, haltering, and leading a calf across a finish line. The Caldwell Night Rodeo is an outdoor rodeo, and one of the largest in the state.

With similar nightly events, it runs from August 13-17 with a ton of family-friendly events like the Buckaroo Breakfast, held throughout the rodeo.

But the silliest fun is in the small rodeos—events like the Gem County Rodeo, that combines forces with the county fair for a full day of fun, this year from July 31-August 3. These smaller rodeo

venues feel more intimate, and really showcase events like mutton busting, which places children under 55 pounds atop bucking sheep.

Kala Hernandez, whose then four year old son Gabe participated last year, says that the smaller rodeo allowed him to experience rodeo without all the pretense and pressure. Even though he changed his mind at the last minute and I held him up while the sheep ran into the arena without him.” she laughs.

“He had a great time. The audience was totally supportive.”

THE OLD BA A A ALL GAME: BOISE BASEBALL Few things say summer quite like a baseball game, and in Boise, things are heating up. Across the 20

city, baseball and softball leagues are starting up and playing on, even as temperatures rise. If you’re

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looking for a more professional game, check out the Boise Hawks, a class A, short season Rockies

affiliate who plays in a riverside stadium in the city. Their home opener is on June 17, with plenty of fun promotions happening all summer long.

There’s also National Adult Baseball Association, Boise, a wood bat adult baseball league with roots dating back to 1989.

The league consists of only seven teams, and begins their season in May, to last 18 games and culminate in a tournament. You can see them play in Meridian’s Storey Park—ages 18-80!

And, if you have something a little more adorable in mind, don’t despair­­—while Little League T-Ball season is over, the YMCA has your back. Their season runs

L AKESIDE LONGING: PONDEROSA STATE PARK If you’ve been to McCall, you’ve no doubt stepped foot in Ponderosa State Park, almost 1,000 acres of beautiful peninsula over McCall’s Payette Lake. The park is home to a variety of trails for hiking and biking, Ponderosa pines for miles, and meadows

Photo courtesy of Boise Hawks

June through August, with less frequent games and practices than the city-run T-Ball leagues, but is also open to children ages 4-6.

Games are on Saturdays and a YMCA membership saves you a few bucks on registration.

of marsh and wildflowers.

Whether you want to explore on your own or via one of a few interpretive trails, you’re sure to see wildlife ranging from bald eagles to bear, and you can explore yearround—there are snowshoe trails too! Of course, you can camp in one of the 113 sites available across four campgrounds, some of which have cabins and even showers.

Idaho’s state parks see roughly half Idahoans and half tourists, says David Langhorst, Director at the Idaho Department of Parks

and Recreation—and people are warming up to the economic benefits of recreation, and it is creating a demand for what he calls recreation infrastructure.

Infrastructure like the new Visitor’s Center in Cascade that serves as a gateway to all of Valley County, and lists available assets in the area. “It really serves as a starting off point to recreation in Valley County,” says Langhorst.

Ponderosa’s North beach is always a hit with people, but for an “off the beaten path” experience, Langhorst recommends Osprey Cliff, which offers beautiful views all year round.

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IDAHO POTATO HOTEL Love potatoes? Entrepreneur and local Idahoan Kristie Wolfe is counting on it.

She’s created a hotel room out of the 28foot potato from the Idaho Potato Commission’s Big Idaho Potato Tour. The tour’s aim is to promote Idaho potatoes around the country.

Starting in June, you can stay in the Big Potato for $200 per night through AirBnb. Bring your spuddy buddy to Idaho’s own potato AirBnb. Photos The Idaho Potato Commission gave the courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission.

28-foot potato structure to Wolfe when they retired it and replaced it with a new one.

The Big Idaho Potato Hotel has grabbed naWolfe built the Big Idaho Potato Hotel on her tional attention with media outlets like People and 400 acre lot about 25 miles outside of Boise.

Buzzfeed covering it—proving the giant potato is The 336 sq. ft. hotel has one queen bed, a firestill doing its job promoting more awareness about place, a sink, and a cooler. There’s also a separate Idaho’s #1 crop. bath, walk-in shower, and toilet.

HOP TO IT: MILL 95 Sure, our favorite restaurants serve us our favorite beer, we pick it up at the local supermarket, find it leftover in our fridge after a par22

ty. We know where to get the beer.

But what about before the beer?

Enter Parma’s Mill 95.

Mill 95 supplies fresh, local

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hops to some of your favorite breweries. Located on Route 95, the facility

supports Idaho as the fastest growing hops region in the country.

They themselves are independent and locally owned, working with brewers and growers to supply pelletized hops that are quickly and economically cooled, a process that is crucial to adding bitterness and flavor to beer.

Mill 95 tests for moisture, temperature, and sensory attributes (think color, texture, aroma), and scans product several times to ensure that, if you wanted, you could trace your hops from farm to glass. Your hops go through a bale breaker, hammer mill, mix tank,

and pelletizer before they’re even touched by your favorite brewer. Finally, hops are stored onsite, undergoing a rigorous quality assurance process along the way, eventually ending in the delicious variety of beers Idaho is serving up all year long.

Photo courtesy of MIll 95

PUPPY PORTR AITURE: SUN VALLE Y’S MAGGIE SHAFR AN Right now, Maggie Shafran is working on a large graphite nude portrait—business she acquired when she engaged with a client to paint pictures of her dog and cat. She’s a woman of competing talents—colorful nudes by day and black and white charcoal drawings of beloved pets by night. Or perhaps it is the other way around.

Shafran began her business when, as a senior in college, she gifted her stepmom a sketch of her dog, which was an immediate success.

She loved it, but so did her friends, and soon requests were flowing in. Shafran’s father suggested it as a way to fund her art, but that was five years ago. Since, she’s come to love supporting our furry friends through art, and has made a name for herself in Ketchum, where she’s based.

“I really like how happy people are with the work. They’re happy to see their animals captured, their personalities on paper. It brings them a lot of joy, and I feel good about what I’m doing,” she says.

Shafram gets a lot of repeat customers—people giving portraits as gifts, or who come back for different stages in their dog’s life.

Mostly, she draws dogs and horses, though there are cats, and once, a

Photo by Halsey Pierce

pig. Ideally, she meets the pet to take photographs, which clients later choose from as inspiration.

“Poodle mixes are very good posers,” she says.

If you’re interested in commissioning a piece, or just want to see some really great art, check out maggieshafran.com or send her an email at maggieshafran@ gmail.com!

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CONTAINER HOMES LET IDAHOANS LIVE LARGE IN SMALL SPACES

BY HEATHER HAMILTON-POST Even in Idaho, tiny (or even smallish) homes are having a moment. From livable vans to limited floor plans, houseboats to yurts, and yes, even shipping containers, people are living bigger lives in smaller spaces. The tiny home trend has been around for awhile, hinging on the idea that income is better spent in other places and operating on the premise that no one should

Shipping containers embark on a second life at the indieDwell factory in Caldwell, Idaho. Photo courtesy of indieDwell

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Shipping containers at Windy Court house whole families.

Photo courtesy of Leap Charities

be house-poor, and we should all probably own a little bit less.

Right now, the City of Boise estimates that it will need 9,500 new housing units to accommodate growth, and shipping containers may be at least a partial answer to the affordable housing shortage we’re experiencing in the Treasure Valley. This may be especially possible given local shipping container enthusiasm generated by indieDwell, a company dedicated to building small homes that “better their occupant health and well-being, but simultaneously improve the health of the environment and empower the community.” Ultimately, indieDwell seeks to offer affordable housing to everyone.

The homes, made from 40foot steel boxes that once hauled cargo by way of trucks, trains, and ships, are economical in more than one way. Their career as a shipping container is limited to

around 15 years, but their second life is limitless. The containers are energy-efficient, and run about $48,000 for a one bedroom without land. “Our homes are net zero ready and can be installed in under a week,” says indieDwell co-founder Pete Gombert.

If tiny isn’t your thing, there’s hope—companies are offering two and even four bedroom models, as well as duplexes and fourplexes. The most popular floorplan at indieDwell, according to Gombert, is the 960 square foot model, and the company is focused on smaller footprint homes—320 to 1280 square feet. While production time can vary, expect roughly a month of wait time. Let that sink in. In one month, you could have a brand new home, complete with appliances.

Of course, tiny homes of all varieties require land, which is getting harder to come by. This struggle is a familiar one for

indieDwell, who has partnered with Leap Charities, a Boise nonprofit opening a shipping container community called Windy Court in West Boise. The community exists on donated land and provides housing for four families who meet income requirements, with preference given to families caring for elderly relatives. All of the company’s models are available in ADA compliant floor plans.

IndieDwell expects $30 million in sales for 2019, up from a casual $3 million in 2018, which is some pretty serious growth— growth that certainly demonstrates a shifting mentality when it comes to how we approach our lives, homes, and spending. Container homes don’t appear to be going anywhere, and, while they’re not for everyone, they’re offering solutions for a housing problem that goes beyond the Treasure Valley.

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June 19

Alive After Five When: June 19th 5:00 pm Where: Grove Plaza Description: It's a mid-week Idaho music showcase! We’re happy to feature this local talent the Alive After Five! Fun for all ages!

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June 20

Beyond the Block When: June 20th @ 5:00 pm Where: JUMP- 1000 W Myrtle St, Boise, Idaho 83702 Description: Join us this Summer for laughter, music, food, and fun the third Thursday of every month. As the Treasure Valley continues to become discovered as one of the best places to live, work, and play, it's more important than ever to celebrate community and create connections with your neighbors. Because we believe you learn more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation, we are excited to kick off these monthly community celebrations that invite you to play with your neighbors and make new connections!

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June 21 - June 23

World Village Festival When: June 21st - June 23rd Where: Cecil D Andrus Park Description: Idaho’s vibrant multi-national community comes together at WORLD VILLAGE to celebrate culture through art, music, food and people. And celebrating Global Lounge as the new Cultural Ambassador to the City of Boise.

This amazing 3-day festival is at the beautiful Cecil D. Andrus Park in Downtown Boise in front of the Idaho State Capitol. Enjoy participants from Idaho's diverse communities at this free and family friendly event.

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When: June 22nd @ 6:00 pm Where: Meridian Idaho Description: Celebrate 90 years of Dairydays, with Idaho Largest Parade. It will be LegenDairy!!

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When: June 20th @ 6:00 pm Where: Boise Spectrum - 7709 W Overland Rd. Boise ID 83709 Description: Who's ready for the opening night of Thursday Thunder summer concerts?! Live on the big stage will be none other than Pilot Error Band! Located off of Overland and Cole, the Boise Spectrum is thrilled to bring back Thursday Thunder for the 2019 summer. The event is family friendly, FREE, and food & beverages will be made available through many of our fantastic tenants! We suggest bringing lawn chairs as provided seating is limited.

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When: June 28th @ 7:00 pm Where: Discovery Center of Idaho 131 W Myrtle St, Boise, Idaho 83702 Description: Join us for this 21+ event and enjoy a variety of programming provided by our awesome partners. Due to the popularity of this event, we strongly encourage you to buy tickets ahead of time because we do sell out! Live music from The 504 Plan, LED displays from Rhythmic Friction and MORE!

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June 22

Water Lantern Festival When: June 22nd @ 6:30 pm Where: Julia Davis Park Description: Water Lantern Festival in Boise is an amazing experience where you'll witness the magic of lanterns as they light up the water. Get your tickets fbefore they sell out atwww.WaterLanternFestival.com

BOISEEVENTS

June 28

Adult Night: Summer Glow

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June 28 - June 29

When: June 28th - June 29th @ 8:00 am Where: Rhodes Skate Park1555 W Front St, Boise, Idaho 83702 Description: See you at Rhodes Skate Park June 28-29 to watch the world’s top skateboarders and BMX riders compete in the Road to X Games: Boise Qualifier. FREE and open to the public!

Thursday Thunder: Pilot Error

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June 22

Meridian Dairy Days Parade

Road to X Games: Boise Park Qualifier 2019

June 21 - June 23

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June to July 10

July 4

Independence Day Celebration When: July 4th 3:00 pm Where: Meridian Parks and Recreation 33 E Broadway Ave, Ste 206, Meridian, Idaho 83642 Description: Meridian Parks and Recreation is pleased to present an afternoon and evening of family activities in celebration of the Fourth of July.

Meridian’s Independence Day Celebration will kick off at 3:00 pm on Thursday, July 4, in Storey Park.

We will kick off the day with three-legged races, hola hoop contests and other games for the whole family. The band Big Wow will turn up the volume at 7:30 pm to get everyone tapping their toes. The evening will culminate with a spectacular professional fireworks show, presented in partnership with the Meridian Speedway, shortly after dusk (approximately 10:15 pm). Festival goers are welcome to bring their own picnic into the park or be liberated from the kitchen by picking up tasty treats from the local food vendors.

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July 12

Rock the Village Concert - The Long Run - Eagles Tribute When: July 12th @ 5:30 PM Where: The Village at Meridian Description: Enjoy music and festivities at our Rock the Village Concert Series. Seating is limited and is available on a first come, first serve basis. All ages welcome and pet friendly event!!

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July 13

Noodle Mania When: July 13th @ 1:00 PM Where: The Village at Meridian Description: Come play and float at the Lakeview Waterpark, as we throw all of our foam floatable noodles into the pool! Fun for the whole family.

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June 29

Capital City Public Market When: June 29th @ 9:00 am Where: 8th Street and Idaho Street Description: Capital City Public Market is Idaho's Largest Outdoor Farmers Market! Located in the Heart of Downtown Boise! On Idaho Street (between 9th and Capitol Blvd) & on 8th Street (between Bannock Street and Main Street). We are open every Saturday, starting April 13th through December 21st in the Heart of Downtown Boise.

Our members offer fresh local produce, beautiful flowers, delicious specialty food items, and one of a kind locally crafted art. Come see us at the 2018 Market, where there is something for everyone to enjoy!

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July 5

Eagle Fun Days When: July 5th - 6th Where: Eagle Parks & Recreation - 660 Civic Ln, Eagle, Idaho 83616 Description: Eagle Fun Days returns for another exciting year for the community with food, games, music fun!!

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GOOUT

LOCAL.COM

THE EXPERTS AT GOING OUT

chow down Beers + BBQ Brother Brown’s Bar-B-Q

Carlas Brown has been cooking brisket, hot links, ribs and more since 2001, catering at many events. He recently moved to Roots & Company, a bar in downtown Caldwell, where his pulled pork is the most popular item.

“I just tell (people) it’s a whole lot of love and a little bit of cayenne,” Brown said.

No spoilers, but keep an eye out for Brother Brown’s in Boise in the next few months.

Boise brewing As breweries go, Boise Brewing’s model is a bit different. Rather than one or a few owners, this one has 453. It began as a Kickstarter project in 2014, and opened for two rounds of investing to any member of the public. Five years later, it is home to many award-winning brews, including Black Cliffs American stout, Hip Check IPA and Snowboarder Porter. Their success may be due in part to the 453 people who vote on their offerings.

mister BBQ Zach Matheney started Mister BBQ to cater events, and eventually made his way to a restaurant space near Glenwood and Chinden, opening a food truck too. He calls his brisket, pulled pork, chicken, tri-tip and turkey 30

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“old-fashioned barbecue” since it is smoked exclusively with wood. “We’re classic Southern-style barbecue, and everything’s cooked old school with wood outside,” he said.

Look for occasional shrimp and grits specials, and perhaps a location in Nampa or Caldwell coming soon.

2C Family Brewing Company Here is your opportunity to know about a new brewery before it’s cool. 2C Family Brewing Company has opened for business after many months of renovating a 115year old building in downtown Nampa. Owner Alvin Mullins says the taproom is a “rustic” beer hall with a glass roll-up door for summer days, and he hopes it will become downtown’s community gathering space. Stop in and enjoy a Belgian or German beer or craft soda over a board game.

Big Mike's Tids and Bits At this barbecue stand on State Street, the “tids” consist of more than teriyaki chicken and dry-rubbed brisket­—they also include street tacos, enchiladas, tamales, spaghetti and lasagna. The “bits” are equally diverse, with homemade barbecue sauces, “Idaho’s Best Potato Salad,” ceviche and garlic bread. The food truck will travel to various events or Big Mike can cater your tailgate party or wedding--pile the mac and cheese high.

Clairvoyant Brewing Company This brewery is inside what used to be an auto repair shop in west Boise, and offers various food truck services and trivia nights for its patrons. There are also nights with live music and other celebrations. While the usual IPAs and pale ales can be found at Clairvoyant, they also feature red or brown ales, a coffee brown ale, and a chocolate stout. If you’re in the mood for cider, try a Meriwether Cider Co. beverage.

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IDAHO MAKERS 34

CONCRETE ARTISTS www.idahomemagazine.com

Boise has always been beautiful­—so much wild space in our capital city, foothills nestled up to homes and buildings with downtown addresses. Quickly though, we’re becoming a hot spot for outdoor art pieces, commissioned by local buildings that want to add to our unique land and cityscape.

From the Modern Hotel’s colorful art installation by Judas Arrieta to the ACLU-commissioned piece by Chris Fonseca on Carr Street in Garden City, Boise is alive with art that seeks to tell a story about the community we

live in. For Fonseca, at least for this particular mural, that story revolves around finding voice. “I hope people will think about the ramifications of misplaced security, how small we really are, and that we all have a voice the world needs to hear—but it requires a certain distance from the world to find your unique voice,” he says.

Of course, there’s also the silhouetted cityscape on the Fowler apartment building by Daniel Carmack Lewis on Myrtle (one of the largest murals in the state) for commuters to enjoy, and his mys-

terious floating chair in twilight on the Watercooler Building (he says it symbolises a way for Boise to think about all that wilderness).

And, if you want to see a lot of great art in one place, Freak Alley showcases a lot of really cool stuff too! Nestled in downtown Boise, the alley is one of the largest outdoor galleries in the northwest, and has been in Boise since 2002. The location is totally volunteer funded and run, and features murals built upon murals built upon murals.

Photo courtesy of Chris Fonseca

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Walking on Sunshine: Beat the Heat With Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation

Idaho summer is officially here, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a person among us who isn’t enjoying the season in some way. At Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation (IDPR), there are tons of options for individuals, couples, and families. Whether you’re hoping to cool off with a weekly film or get your hands dirty at a volunteer day, IDPR is committed to keeping you active during this warm Idaho summer.

Stargazers, unite!

If the night sky is calling your name, check out this summer astronomy program, held Friday and Saturday nights from sunset to 11:30 pm. The program runs through October at the Spring Shores Blacktop Observatory at the east end of the east parking lot at Lucky Peak State Park, weather permitting.

Put on your uniform!

Ever wanted to be a Junior Ranger? Now’s your chance! IDPR partners with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Lucky Peak State Park to teach campfire safety and building, knot tying, and outdoor survival! Saturday programs take place at Spring Shores Marina and Sunday programs are held at Macks Creek Campground beach. Attend multiple sessions to attend badges, patches, and Junior Ranger certification throughout the summer!

Get your hands dirty!

If you’re looking for a way to say thank you to your beautiful state, look no further! IDPR’s Annual Volunteer Week runs from July 8 through July 13, culminating in a BBQ on July 13 at the Idaho City Backcountry Yurts. Help with cleaning, repairs, and wood-chopping, with the option of coming home nightly or staying in a yurt for free!

For more information on these or any of our other fun activities, check out the Calendar of Events via the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation webpage, or follow us on Facebook!

you can do to lower your energy use!

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• Set your thermostat at the desired temperature.

Setting it lower won’t cool your home faster.

• Turn lights, appliances and electronics off when not in use.

• Replace air filters in your heating/cooling system at least twice each year.

• Clean coils on refrigerators and freezers twice a year.

• Use timers on landscape pumps and either motion or dusk-to-dawn sensors on outdoor lights.

• Lower the water heater temperature to 120°F. • Install high-efficiency showerheads.

• Wash clothes in cold water.

• Fix leaky faucets.

• Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.

• Install weather seals around doors, light switches and outlets.

Learn more: idahopower.com/save

C O N T R I B U T O R S STEPHANIE NELSON

is a freelance writer who has lived in Boise for 16 years and probably won’t ever move. She has a BA in Anthropology from University of Washington and she’s passionate about travel, hiking and trying out local restaurants with her husband and two kids.

+ Community + Culture + Recreation

K A R E N DAY

is an author, journalist, filmmaker and publisher who likes to dabble, albeit professionally, with Nikon cameras. A member of Journalists Without Borders, Day has dragged her cameras through war zones and wilderness for TIME, O Magazine, Marie Claire, NBC Nightly News and CNN.

KELCIE MOSELEY

is a former journalist turned proposal writer for a software implementation company. She can't seem to entirely quit journalism, so she is also a freelance writer.

She lives in Meridian with her husband, Loren, and dog, Olive.

ANNA WEBB

a Boise native, worked as a reporter for Boise Weekly and the Idaho Statesman before joining the communications staff at Boise State University in 2017. Webb wrote the book, 150 Boise Icons, for the Idaho Statesman to mark the city’s sesquicentennial in 2013.

JOHN WEBSTER

is an accomplished freelance photographer who resides in Boise. Being an Idaho native, the area surrounding the Treasure Valley has motivated him to capture the culture and lifestyle the West provides.

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39

Higher Ground

Photo courtesy of Higher Ground.

At Higher Ground, recreation is life saving. “We’re helping people of all abilities get back outside by using recreational therapy in an individualized way, which strengthens confidence, communication, and independence that translates to all aspects of their lives,” says Executive Director Kate Weihe.

What began as a program based on adaptive skiing has become so much more—though they’re still helping people of all ages hit the slopes. From hour-long lessons to week-long summer camps, Higher Ground is making a significant difference in a lot of lives in Sun Valley, LA, and New York now, and offers whole-life healing to people who benefit from emotional and social tools, which includes veterans and folks with disabilities.

In 2001, when Higher Ground hosted their first summer camp, they had five participants.

Now in their late twenties and thirties, they’re still involved with the programs. Veterans who have 40

attended programs frequently become instructors, mentoring younger veterans who join summer camps. This is a testament to the power of rec therapy, Weihe believes. “When I started as a volunteer coordinator 11 years ago, I learned so much—I didn’t understand the inherent therapeutic power of being outdoors—the

togetherness, how important that is. To teach that to people who really need it—people bubble over with excitement and optimism for what they can do,” she says.

Programs focus on mental health care and sustainability, offering time for various mental health services with trained professionals during events and then funding and support for continued recreation after. For veterans, these programs are life altering. Weihe recalls a group of Vietnam vets

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who attended a camp, many from Blaine County. “They’d known each other for years—and had no idea they’d all served. It isn’t talked about.” Through Higher Ground, this group built a community so strong that one man moved to Twin Falls from another state to be close to his new friends.

“That was such a shift in perspective for me,” Weihe says.

Another veteran remains in touch after eight years, and remarked recently in an email that when he wakes up in pain, he thinks briefly about reaching for painkillers, and then goes outside instead. “He says he feels like a new person,” says Weihe. “Going outside won’t fix everything, but it will certainly help!”

Hero’s Journey, Higher Ground’s annual fundraising gala, is on July 2 in Ketchum, and seeks to raise money for the group.

Journalist, author, and filmmaker Sebastian Junger, also featured in this issue, will speak.

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