Palms toMagazine Pines MARCH/APRIL 2015 | Vol. 2 No. 2 palmstopinesmagazine.com
Your guide to Idyllwild, Palm Springs and everywhere in between
COMPLIMENTARY
PHOTO BY JOHN DRAKE
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015  1
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4  Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
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INDEX Idyllwild Association of Realtors Welcome..................................8 Real Estate Perspectives – Chris Davis ...........................10 Real Estate Perspectives – Dora Dillman .......................12 Real Estate Perspectives – Marge Muir ..........................14 Real Estate Perspectives – Barbara Hunt .......................16 Real Estate Perspectives – Johnny Wilson .....................18 Don’t Let Escrow Scare You ................................................20 I’m an Alien ............................. 22 Idyllwild Street Map ...............26 The Grand Lodge, Part 2 ......28 Stratford Players – Engaging Shaw ......................................31 Eye of the Artist ......................34
T
This is Idyllwild
his morning I stopped our majestic mountains – one for coffee and a donut that I am grateful for every at Village Market, like morning. I see squirrels, I do most every morning. As Blue Jays, deer and coyotes I entered, Mark Croudy, the almost daily. And as I move through my day, I find myself store manager, said “Good smiling and saying ‘hello’ morning Jay, how’s it going.’ often. Local realtor, Marge I made my way to the pastry Muir, tells potential home counter (a mistake I repeat buyers that the most popular often) and Teresa, the pastry places in Idyllwild are the Post chef, tells me that she made Village Market pastry chef Office and the Dump and it’s my favorite treat, a croissantTeresa Duarte, holding my true. Most folks here allow donut hybrid covered in favorite of her creations, cinnamon sugar. She asks me a croissant-donut hybrid dipped extra time to socialize with in cinnamon sugar. Yum! friends as they run their daily how my fiancé is doing and PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK errands. pulls out a donut with white icing (her favorite) without me even asking. What you will discover as you read the As I get in my car to leave, I pass several stories in this issue is that I am not alone locals entering the store who all smile and in my love for Idyllwild and the wonderful bid me a ‘Good Morning.’ community that calls it home. It is a special This is Idyllwild. place filled with special people – talented, For those of us that have been seduced giving, passionate people, whose generosity by Idyllwild’s charms the thought of living of time, money and spirit are unparalleled. anywhere else is difficult to fathom. My This is our Idyllwild. morning commute is 3 miles and along the It could be yours too. way I am treated to a breathtaking view of – Jay Pentrack
Idyllwild Events Calendar .....36 Making a Difference .............38 Living a Palms to Pines Lifestyle ................................................39 Destination Indian Wells Art Festival ..................................41
Publisher | Idyllwild House Publishing Company, Ltd. Editor | Becky Clark Content Editor | Jay Pentrack (jay@palmstopinesmagazine.com)
Fun Facts About Palm Springs ................................................45
Creative Director / Webmaster | Halie Wilson (halie@palmstopinesmagazine.com)
Greater Palm Springs Event Calendar ..............................47
Advertising Sales | Lisa Streeter (lisa@palmstopinesmagazine.com) & Sandy Cloyd (sandy@palmstopinesmagazine.com)
Advertiser Index ......................48 The cover photo, featuring the home of Christina Stewart, was taken by John Drake on the annual Idyllwild Area Histocial Society Home Tour.
Graphic Design Assistant | Teresa Garcia-Lande
Goddess of All Things | Dolores Sizer Photographers | Careena Chase • John Drake • Jenny Kirchner • John Pacheco Contributing Writers | Chris Davis • Delene Garbo • Neil Jenkins James Meyer • Shanna Robb
Palms toMagazine Pines MARCH/APRIL 2015 | Vol. 2 No. 2 palmstopinesmagazine.com
Your guide to Idyllwild, Palm Springs and everywhere in between
General Counsel | Jack Clark Palms to Pines Magazine is published bi-monthly by Idyllwild House Publishing Company, Ltd., P.O. Box 157, 54405 N. Circle Drive, Idyllwild, CA 92549. Please send subscription and change of address requests to the above address. Please allow up to two weeks for requests to be processed. All contents of Palms to Pines Magazine are copyrighted by Idyllwild House Publishing Company, Ltd. © 2014-2015 all rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or part without the express written consent of Idyllwild House Publishing Company, Ltd.
COMPLIMENTARY
PHOTO BY JOHN DRAKE
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 1
6 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
Idyllwild House Publishing Company, Ltd. is located at 54405 North Circle Dr. (P.O. Box 157), Idyllwild, CA 92549 (951) 659-2145 or toll free at 1-888-535-6663 email: info@palmstopinesmagazine.com Full magazine online at www.palmstopinesmagazine.com
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Making the mountains home
PHOTO BY CAREENA CHASE
By Chris Davis President, Idyllwild Association of Realtors
I
t is my pleasure as the President of the Idyllwild Association of Realtors to welcome you to this real estate edition of Palms to Pines Magazine. Idyllwild is a small community nestled in the San Jacinto Mountains, just an hour from Palm Springs and approximately two hours from Los Angeles and San Diego. I am still amazed at how often I meet people
8  Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
that wish our quaint mountain community was on their radar sooner. I look at Idyllwild as a town unique to Southern California.
There are not many places where you can hike beautiful mountain trails every day before work, or where you know the first names of your children’s teachers and the school staff. There are not many places where you can go to one of the fine restaurants in Idyllwild and personal know the fabulous musicians
providing entertainment, or where the town meets in the Village Center and waits for Santa to arrive by fire truck, or where the entire town and many visitors count down the lighting of the giant Christmas tree in the heart of town. There are not many places that celebrate Halloween with local children parading down the main street in their costumes to the waiting merchants handing out candy outside of their shops. There are not many places that celebrate the 4th of July with a parade of old fashioned cars, local heroes and marching bands. There are not too many places where 800 volunteers come together for 5 days to build a community playground, or where there are free summer
concerts in the park, and you can dance under the stars. There are not many places as small as Idyllwild that will soon have its own Amphitheater, or where the local newspaper, the Town Crier, keeps everyone abreast of the latest happenings. There are not many places where there is a world renowned school of arts, the Idyllwild Arts Academy, teaching future generations the skills they will need for their craft. These are just a few reasons that there are not many places like Idyllwild. Real Estate in Idyllwild is just as unique as the community itself. There are no tract homes, in fact you will seldom, if ever, find two homes exactly alike anywhere on the Hill. Properties range from cozy little weekend cabins to comfortable homes for fulltime living to opulent show places. Some prefer the mountain theme using wood for heat, and knotty pine all around; other enjoy a mixture of the mountain feel and granite countertops, forced air heating and modern appliances. One thing for sure is that whatever your idea of a mountain home is, we have it here in Idyllwild. With mountain real estate come some unique characteristics that you may not be familiar with. The majority of homes here are on septic systems. These systems are
A MOUNTAIN TRADITION
1-888-675-4025
Chris Davis
PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
efficient and will last for a very long time of cared for properly. If not, they can be a real headache and expensive to replace. All of the homes here are either electric or propane or a combination of the two. Propane systems should be inspected periodically, and always at the change of ownership. Another concern is wood destroying pests and organisms like termites, carpenter ants, mold and fungus. Wildlife inspections are important as well. In an area like ours there are lots of critters. A wildlife inspection will tell you if any have taken up residence in the home. Finally, home inspections are very important to insure the buyer knows what they are getting. I always recommend
HILLTOP REALTY
that buyers have these five inspections done during their investigative period. I believe that home buyers and sellers in unique areas like ours do themselves a disservice by not using a local realtor. It pays to have local knowledge to educate and guide both parties through the process. With today’s technology for marketing, I don’t see any benefit to using a brokerage from outside of the immediate area. All realtors in the Idyllwild Association of Realtors are members of the National Association of Realtors and held to those standards. I encourage anyone reading this who has not been to Idyllwild to come up for a visit. You might just stay!
Est. 1972
CalBRE# 01367581
“Metropolitan Close ... Feels Like a Million Miles Away” 4 INTO THE WOODS
Larry Bischof CalBRE# 01310589
Nestled among towering cedars and pines is this impeccable Idyllwild retreat. Recently renovated. Enter through red bricked porch. Open floor plan, including Living Room with raised hearth fireplace and hand hewn log beams, Dining area and Kitchen all meld into a Great Room. One bedroom on main level plus massive Master Suite/Retreat on upper tri-level. Lower level encompasses large Media Room or separate Guest Quarters and Laundry. Superb craftsmanship. Continue the loving legacy. $299,999
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Compelling contemporary home on over three acres w/ panoramic views from every window. Nearly 2,400 sq.ft. Incredible double sided cultured stone hearth and fireplace unite the entry and Great Room. Open beams and Pine planked ceilings. Spacious Master on the ground floor. Additional Bedroom and Office area on upper level. Multiple decks. A masterpiece perched high on a hill. $369,000 For additional properties call or e-mail larry@hilltoprealty.com
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 9
RE eal
state
Perspectives
with Chris Davis
PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
C
10 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
hris spent 30 years in law enforcement, 22 of them at stations in Temecula, Lake Elsinore and Riverside. He retired as Captain of the Cabazon station. After 3 years of retirement, Chris was looking for something to do that would engage his passion for problem solving. “I’ve always enjoyed the hunt … I just thought, ‘Man, I’ve got to do something, I can’t sit around, it’s just not my nature.’ So I thought, ‘Well, I enjoy real estate,’ he explained. “It’s fun because like hunting or fishing or police work, you’re trying to put things together. If somebody wants a house, you’re trying to find the right house for them. I really enjoy it, it’s challenging.” Chris’ first encounter with Idyllwild was during the adolescence of his children who attended camp in Idyllwild. It took a few years for him to actually take notice of the town he had visited often. “It wasn’t until a few years ago when we bought a house up here that we really explored the community. It was actually the 4th of July parade that sold us. We came up for the 4th of July and saw the parade and thought, ‘wow, what a great community,’ and it seemed like [it had] old fashioned values and it was kind of a quaint community so we started looking at properties and three months later we bought a house.” The house they purchased was intended to be a second home, but within 8 months, they were living in Idyllwild full-time. Chris still marvels at the effect the move has had on him, “It was just a whole back to nature experience; just a calming effect. I worked in law enforcement for 30 years before I came up here so it was just what I needed. My blood pressure went down and I got happier again,” he said smiling. “I tell my wife, I’ll drive through Garner Valley and I look around and think ‘My God, we live here. People come for a vacation and we live here.’”
Working with Hilltop Realty was Chris’ first experience in real estate. “I knew [realtor] Larry Bischof and I asked if he would mind if I came to his office to learn the trade and he said sure. He works for Shane like I do,” Chris explained. Once he gained the experience he needed, Chris moved to the Idyllwild Realty office in the heart of Idyllwild. Today he is in his second year as President of the Idyllwild Board of Realtors. “Right now we’re going through the process of going to a new, modern, more technically advanced system, so that is going to be the biggest challenge,” Chris said. “This new system has got everything we could possibly need … to provide better service to our clients.” According to Chris, the real estate market in Idyllwild is improving, “We did see an increase in higher end home sales,” he said. In 2013 we had 9 properties that sold for over $400,000. In 2014 we had 18, it doubled. So now, what I see is that we used to be selling a lot of the foreclosures and lower end cabins that were like basic cabins for under $200,000. Now it is kind of creeping up more to the mid$200,000.”
“Idyllwild is very unique; you can go to the market at 6 a.m., you can be in fuzzy slippers and pajamas, and no one would care. You can be in a tuxedo and top hat and nobody cares. It all fits, it all works. We’re such a diverse community. And like I said, for the most part, people are happy to be here, they are kind to each other and it just makes it a pleasant place to be.” For folks that live off of the Hill, there are some considerations in relocating to our mountain paradise. “I think the main thing they need to do is get a local realtor that knows the area because there are intricacies here that most people don’t know about. You’ve got some places that have wells which is not common to everybody and there are certain things that come into play with wells, testing and so forth, so you want to make sure you have a good well,” Chris cautioned. “Septic systems are
not common, so you want to know what a septic system is, how it works, and most importantly you want it inspected to be relatively sure that you have a good system before you buy.” Among the many reasons Chris has made his home in Idyllwild are the people, as well as the lack of people (compared to larger cities like Hemet) that call Idyllwild home. “After 30 years of law enforcement [I was] stuck in the middle of it… People up here are generally happy to be here; you don’t have a bunch of grouchy people walking around,” he said with a smile. “We all have different interests, we all have different ideals, but it all works. Idyllwild is very unique; you can go to the market at 6 a.m., you can be in fuzzy slippers and pajamas, and no one would care. You can be in a tuxedo and top hat and nobody cares. It all fits, it all works. We’re such a diverse community. And like I said, for the most part, people are happy to be here, they are kind to each other, and it just makes it a pleasant place to be.” Chris Davis can be reached at 951-2820918 or online at www.homesofidyllwild. com.
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 11
RE eal
state
Perspectives
with Dora Dillman Idyllwild is a long way from Dora’s birthplace in Pennsylvania, and she couldn’t be happier. “I’m thoroughly convinced that Idyllwild finds you; that Idyllwild pulls you in when you’re supposed to be here,” Dora explained. “I feel like we are guided here at whatever time we need to be here.” In 1977, Idyllwild beckoned. After a brief time working in West Los Angeles at a store owned by a friend of one of Dora’s very dear friends, a weekend climbing trip to Idyllwild would change the course of her life. “We came up to go climbing and I wasn’t doing well in the city and I said, ‘you know what, I think I’m going to just stay,” Dora recalled. “It all just unfolded because I got a job at the [Red] Kettle, which at the time was the Coffee Cup, and the Gastrognome … I stepped right in to a waitressing position over 4th of July weekend. I was supposed to be here, there’s no doubt about it.” After waitressing for a time, Dora was introduced to construction by a boyfriend who was a framer; one simple question, “Do you want to go look at my work?” resulted in a 26-year career for Dora. Anyone who has worked in construction knows the toll it takes on the body, and Dora was no
Dora Dillman participating in the Idyllwild HELP Center’s Spring Fashion Show Fundraiser.
exception. “The body was saying, ‘Dora you really need to get out of this,’ so I got into home inspecting and I did that for 10 years; I had to work smarter instead of harder.” Her home inspection work introduced Dora to many of the local real estate brokers and agents, and it was at the urging of several agents and two key brokers that Dora began her real estate career. And, since 2004, when Dora got her real estate license, she has continued to find joy in helping folks with their real estate journeys. She has learned a great deal about people in her 11 years as a realtor, “You have got to have compassion; you’ve got to be a good listener. If you talk all the time you’re not getting the information you need from them on what they want; what are their fears,
One of Dora’s current Idyllwild listings. 12 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
how can we help. Every deal is different,” she observed. “The joy of [working in] real estate is helping people with their journey. It can be the seller needing a life change and having to move off the Hill; it can be health issues, it can be time to move to be by the grandkids – [I can] help them with that.
“With buyers it is always exciting because they see the beauty of Idyllwild and you want to help them to be able to enjoy it as much as we do as realtors.” A brief bout with cancer would prove, once again, that Dora’s place is indeed in Idyllwild. “I went through, fortunately, a very, very short bout with cancer, and the town blew me away,” Dora said gratefully. “My friends … they all just came together; that’s where you really see the beauty of this community. That’s the way the town is – if people are in a car accident you have a fundraiser; if you have people with cancer, you have a fundraiser; the town really supports the community.” For clients considering Idyllwild as a first or second home, Dora’s advises, “I tell clients, when you first come up here and you fall in love with the beauty of the mountain and the geography, it’s really the tip of the iceberg. The real beauty of Idyllwild is the community.” Dora Dillman can be reached at 951288-5604 or online at www.lovethehill.com.
IF
dyllwild acts:
Founded: The Rayneta Post Office was established on March 3, 1893. The Idyllwild Post Office opened on September 26, 1901. Population: 3,874 Government: Unincorporated; Riverside County 3rd District Supervisor (currently vacant), 4080 Lemon Street, Riverside. 951955-1030 County Seat: Riverside Nearest Courthouse: Riverside County Superior Court, Hemet Branch, 880 N. State Street. Hemet. 951-766-2322 Elevation: Varies from 5,300 to 6,500 feet throughout Idyllwild area communities.
Idyllwild’s largest grocery store, Fairway Market. PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
Weather Averages:
Average January February March April May June July August September October November December
High 56 55 59 65 72 80 86 86 81 72 62 55
Low 30 30 31 35 41 47 54 54 49 41 34 29
Average Precipitation: 26.4 inches Average Snowfall: 39 inches
Is Idyllwild pulling at your heart strings?
Historical estate on Strawberry Creek, walk to town. Main lodge accommodates large family w/original rock fireplace. Guest house for in-laws and/or company. Great work shop, 2 car ports, totally fenced, level 1.6 acres!
$689,000
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Elegance at its finest! Main house has high, vaulted ceilings, gourmet kitchen, two master suites, family room, 4/bths. Guest house, cabana, 2car garage, wheel chair access. All fenced in quiet neighborhood.
$645,000
MLS# 6342
Give a call!
Dora Dillman CalBRE# 01436174
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CalBRE# 01367581
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 13
The Muirs Mountain Realty office on Highway 243 in the heart of Idyllwild.
RE eal
PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
state
Perspectives
with Marge Muir Few people have the wealth of knowledge about Idyllwild Marge Muir possesses, along with an uncanny ability to recall dates and events spanning her 58 years on the Hill. “We came to Idyllwild in 1950 on our honeymoon, but we didn’t know where we were. We just found a campsite and camped out and then we went back to Alhambra; Temple City is where we were living,” Marge recalled. One day, her husband Robert “Bob” Muir had had enough of the smog and congestion. “My husband was working in a canyon 14 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
building custom homes, and we were also building a bridge across a dam,” she said. “It was so smoggy he couldn’t breathe; he came home and said we’ve got to get out of this valley for a few days.” Marge’s uncle, Phillip Memoli had moved to Idyllwild in 1949 or 1950, so they packed up the family and came up for a visit. During their visit, her uncle showed the couple a piece of property and over dinner, said he would buy the property if they didn’t. “We said, ‘Let’s buy it,’” and then a bit of panic set in. “This was in December of 1956, so we go home and tell everybody, ‘We’re moving to the mountains,’ and we both looked at each other and said, ‘Did we really say that? What are we doing?’” she said laughing. In 1977, after raising her children and working with her husband in the family’s construction business, at the behest of friends, Marge obtained her real estate license and began working with Gracie Curnow Realty. “I went to work for [Gracie] and she passed away; Robin Oates had gone to work up there, too, and we thought, ‘what are we going to do,” Marge recalled. “I called Bob Johnson who owned the Grey Squirrel at that time and asked
Marge at her desk.
him if he would build a building for us and he said he would.” And while it is hard to believe that you could simply call someone to construct a building for you, at that time, things were simpler. “Everybody knew everybody back then; it was real easy. Bob owned the property and he went to the county … You go down with a plan, say this is what I want, and they say, ‘it looks okay to me,’ they stamp it and you’re
done. You go home and start building. That was then, this is not now,” Marge said. Marge recalls the peaks and valleys of the Idyllwild real estate market: In the late ’60s Marge recalls, “The market was good up here for us because it wasn’t until sometime in the late ’60s, if I remember right, you couldn’t even borrow money; banks did not recognize this mountain [and would not] loan money. Back then people built with their own money up here so everybody owned what they had.” Of the ’70s and ’80s, “When the market went sour in the late ’70s and early ‘80s, we were selling because people carried paper. So, people could come up with a down payment on houses that were $50,000 or $69,000, whatever it was and then they would carry a note. The sad part of it was none of us saw the future and they would carry a note for maybe 2-3 years. Well in 2-3 years the interest was still so high and that was the first time we started seeing foreclosures. People were not going to wait, they wanted their money; they had moved on and thought they had sold their house. That continued
until about the mid-’80s; then the market started turning around again.” And in the ’90s, there was another dip in the real estate market. “We get into the ’90s, and of course in the early ’90s it goes down again. We usually see about a 5-year wave. We go up and we go down. We never paid attention much to what was happening in the city because we were this little isolated island up here.” According to Marge, the market is currently trending upward. “Dodd-Frank [The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act] has affected it some but a year ago in January, everyone said that this was when it would go into effect. If you read the Dodd-Frank Bill there are blank ages in it so when you get to there you want to change something you can write something new in it and this is what’s happening,” she explained. “They’re asking more and more from the lenders by asking more personal things, and it’s surprising, but we’re still getting loans and we’re still doing some of them within 30 days.” Most of the homes Marge has sold recently have been to folks planning to make Idyllwild their full-time residence.
“I always tell people that we’re kind of like an island. We don’t have a high school and we don’t have a hospital. If they’re retired they usually don’t care, but for some [not having] a hospital does detour some people. When they ask, ‘when does it snow and how much,’ I say, ‘pick a year, any year, what year do you want to talk about,” Marge offered.
“I always tell people that we’re kind of like an island … I also tell them that the two most social places in Idyllwild are the Dump and the Post Office.” Of the community Marge has called home for the past 58 years she adds, “This is a very well-educated community, there are a lot of bright people, a lot of talented people; they have come here to get away, they come here to get out of the rat race. They don’t care if you know who they are, they don’t care if you have a dime or two dimes, that’s not what they’re here for. They’re here to relax and enjoy life.” Marge Muir can be reached at 951-4400114 or online at www.muirsmountain.com.
One of Idyllwild’s finest homes. Sited on 1.66 acres along Strawberry Creek and just a few steps to the center of the Village. A covered entry opens to the foyer and a hallway to an interior done in fine cedar. The formal living room with brick fireplace is across from the formal dining room, adjacent to the family friendly kitchen, pantry and laundry room. The den has its own rock fireplace. The master bedroom and bath open to a private patio. Two more large bedrooms and a bathroom are down the hall away from the master suite. A breezeway separates the 3-car oversized garage and double carport from the house. Zoned as Village Tourist Residential. MLS 6008 • $675,000
Muirs Mountain Realty
MLS
Marge Muir, Broker-Owner CalBRE#0635890
cell: 951-440-0114 office: 951-659-8335 marge@idyllwild.com www.muirsmountain.com
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 15
RE eal
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Perspectives
with Barbara Hunt Few Idyllwild residents can recall the history of Idyllwild better than Barbara Hunt. She was born here in 1936 and has never left. As a child, she attended the then one room school that served grades K-8. “It was one building and every row was a grade and we had two teachers, a principal and a teacher,” she recalled. “The school went up to 8th grade then, and in our class there were only 7 of us.” Idyllwild was very small back then, with only about 300 full time residents, and the only services were a gas station and a market. By the time Barbara reached her teens, however, Sportland, which housed a bowling alley, roller skating rink and swimming pool, served as recreation.
“I just feel very blessed that my folks moved up here when they got married and that’s where I stayed.” In 1954, after she had attended college, Barbara married Bud Hunt; “[Bud] came up, his folks were running Camp Maranatha. He came out of the service, he was in the Air Force, and he came home and got a job up here. He came up in 1952 and we were married in 1954,” Barbara said. They married at the Community Church (on North Circle), only the second couple to be married there; the first was Bud’s sister, Carol. Bud and Barbara had two children, daughter Christy who sadly passed from breast cancer and a son, David. The couple raised Christy’s 13 year old daughter after her passing. “It was a tough time,” she said sadly. Barbara (and seemingly almost the entire population of Idyllwild) worked at the Charthouse Restaurant that opened in Idyllwild in or around 1964. As Barbara recalls, it was a family affair; “We opened the Charthouse and I stayed there until 16 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
1978. The whole family worked there, we had the kids working, we had the kids washing dishes standing on milk cases, the littlest one was folding napkins for us after school, and then my daughter was working in the kitchen … Bud was with the Fire Department but he worked there on his days off as bartender.” In 1978, Barbara began her real estate career and in 1998 she partnered with Jackie Kretsinger, also a long time Idyllwild resident; (noteworthy: the pair also worked together at the Charthouse back in the day). Their combined real estate experience is over 75 years! There are things to consider in adopting the Idyllwild lifestyle Barbara tells me, “It takes a certain kind of person that can rough out the winters and learn how to shovel snow and cut their own wood and build a fire. A lot of people are not used to doing that. There are a lot of old timers up here that can live without the luxuries and appreciate Idyllwild,” said Barbara. “There
TOP: Bud and Barbara Hunt, the second couple to be married in the Idyllwild Community Presbyterian Church in 1955. ABOVE: Earlier this year, Bud and Barbara celebrated their 60th anniversary at Datillo’s Restaurante in Hemet. PHOTOS COURTESY BARBARA HUNT
is also a lot less stress. [People] laugh about “Idyllwild time” and the contractors taking their good old time getting there, but on the other hand it is a good life.” And according to Barbara, it’s a great time to shop real estate on the Hill. “It’s a great time for the buyer; prices are still down and have not started climbing yet; this is a great time for a buyer. I think [the market] is coming back slow, but it is coming back stronger.” Barbara Hunt can be reached at 951659-2114 or online at www.idyllwildvillageproperties.com
GARNER VALLEYWWW.GARNERVALLEYREALTY.COM REAL ESTATE A
Karen Price
karenprice@windermeresocal.com
37316 Gold Shot Creek Rd 4BD/4BA 6.8 AC - $749,000
36100 Chimney Rock Rd 3BD/2BA 5.07 AC - $419,000
COMPANY
Linda Wilson
lindawilson@windermeresocal.com
59742 Hop Patch Spring Rd 59309 Devils Ladder RD 5BD/4-1/2 BA 4.78 AC - $689,000 4BD/3 BA 5.12 AC - $619,000
35280 Tool Box Spring Rd 3BD/3BA 4.85 AC - $399,000
59301 Donna Mae Pl 2BD/2BA - $205,000
FERN CREEK MEDICAL CENTER Family Practice & Therapeutic Lifestyle Medicine Kenneth C. Browning, D.O. Brenda Scherlis, MSN, FNP Jodi Cunningham, Lifestyle Educator
Open 6 days a week • 951-659-9912 (available after hours & Sundays for emergencies) Located at 54910 Pine Crest Ave. at Fern Valley Corners in Idyllwild. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fern-Creek-Medical-Center/264525963620226
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 17
RE eal
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Perspectives
with Johnny Wilson The Wilson family is to Idyllwild what the McCallum family was to Palm Springs, albeit with less pomp and circumstance. Johnny’s grandparents moved to Idyllwild in 1932 and raised their two children, Ronald (Johnny’s Dad) and Barbara (his Aunt), in the small mountain community. Johnny was born at Loma Linda Hospital and spent his first two months of life in a little house off of Foster Lake, before heading to Thailand where his Dad worked. The family relocated again, this time to Switzerland, where they lived for 9 years. And while the distance was great, the family still managed to spend their summers back in Idyllwild. In 1991 the family moved back to Idyllwild where they live today. Attending grammar school in Switzerland forced Johnny to learn a new language. “No
Johnny Wilson with son Finley and wife Halie. PHOTO COURTESY JOHNNY WILSON
The Village Properties office, in the center of Idyllwild. PHOTO BY JOHNNY WILSON
18 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
one knew English. I went to a 100% French speaking public school and I didn’t know a lick of French; I just had to learn it really quick.” Johnny graduated from UCSB (University of California at Santa Barbara) in 2002 with a degree in Film Studies. “I got really burnt out, and actually that year, the year after I graduated, I had a bunch of friends that went down to Costa Rica to start a new life and so I followed them down there and fell in love with traveling as opposed to wanting to do anything in the film industry,” Johnny recalled. “I did a lot of traveling in the 10 years after college.” With wanderlust in full effect, Johnny would travel to 27 countries during those 10 years. In May of 2011 Johnny returned to Idyllwild, like he did on and off for the 10 years he spent traveling. “It was always transitional; I always had somewhere I was planning on going,” he said. But in 2013, he realized that his globetrotting days were over when Halie Johnson came into his life. “We went to elementary and high school together, but we had lost track of each other. Then she shows up at one of our gigs … well, she caught my attention.” That night
or
O
the pair spent time getting reacquainted. “I thought she had stayed here this whole time. I told her you’ve got 60 seconds to break down what you’ve been doing the last 10 years, and she named all of the places she had been. It was like, ‘wow, that’s very similar to my story.’ That turned everything around for me.” In October 2013 the couple had a son, Finley, who, in addition to Halie, is by all appearances and accounts, the light of Johnny’s life. A career in real estate never dawned on him until wife Halie suggested it. In January of 2014 Johnny became a full time Dad and student of real estate. “I was home schooling and taking care of Finley who was 3 months old at the time,” Johnny explained. “I had 1500 pages of real estate to read and I averaged it out that if I read 100 pages a week then I could get my license by June.” He passed the real estate exam on his first try. With Aunt Barbara Hunt in the real estate business in Idyllwild for 37 years, along with business partner Jackie Kretsinger, (the pair have a whopping 75 years of real estate experience combined), Johnny is in very capable hands. “I’m learning from the best basically and it’s
ld
people I can trust. I just love the way they work, it’s all team work. It’s just the three of us in the office, Jackie, Barbara and I, and it’s not everyone for themselves - everybody helps each other out. I guess it’s kind of unique. I love the office environment because it’s team-work. Our office is like family …” Traveling provided Johnny with a deep appreciation for the small mountain community of his birth.
“Growing up here as a kid, you don’t realize how unique and quaint Idyllwild is… it’s only after you explore the world for some time that you truly realize it. Now 12 years and 27 countries later, I feel very fortunate to be able to raise a family of my own and have a career that I love - right here in my hometown.” Johnny Wilson can be reached at 951-659-2114 or online at www.idyllwildvillageproperties.com.
“The perfect getaway for those in need of a little fresh air and a break from the hustle and bustle of city life.”
W he 00 t f p o 9,0 o 4 n T $4
– From the article “10 Small Cities to Visit in 2015 That Should Absolutely Be on Your Travel Bucket List” in bustle.com
The Realtors you recommend to friends.
Johnny Wilson MLS RealtoR-associate
bRe
# 01955505
Bus.: (951) 659-2114 Cell: (951) 537-8195 Fax: (951) 659-9670 P.O. Box 822 • 54278 N. Circle Dr. Idyllwild, CA 92549
MyIdyllwildHome.com
johnnyidyllwild@gmail.com
ay w a e id 00 H ,0 ozy 201 C $ Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 19
The Mountain High Escrow team: John Graham and JoAnn S. Graham (sitting), Sue Westfall, Tori Thomas and Mary Zintzun (standing). PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
Don’t let Escrow scare you! 20 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
By JoAnn S. Graham Mountain High Escrow Purchasing or selling a home can seem to be a process that might feel like you’ve entered into an “unknown” zone! As the majority of individuals will only purchase or sell a piece of property every 5 to 10 years, it is a process that can be quickly forgotten once passed through. Let’s define what an escrow is. An escrow is opened for the benefit and protection to the parties – customarily a Buyer and a Seller. There are certain instances in which an escrow is opened for the benefit of a Lender and Borrower as in a refinance or loan escrow. Escrow is the neutral third party that is the holder of documents and funds and will follow the written escrow instructions of the parties as well as making proper disbursement of those funds and documents deposited in
the escrow. Escrow cannot give advice, particularly legal advice. Funds or property will not change hands until all “puzzle pieces” (terms and conditions of the escrow) have been fulfilled. Although it sounds as if only a Buyer and a Seller are involved in an escrow transaction that is not the case. There are many parties that may facilitate an escrow closing. Besides the Buyer and Seller, there may a Listing Real Estate Agent, Selling Real Estate Agent, Lender, Title Company, Homeowners Association, Termite Company, Insurance Agent, Home Warranty Company, Existing Lender, Natural Hazard Zone Disclosure Company, IRS, Franchise Tax Board and Attorney to name a few. Each state in the United States might handle the escrow, or settlement, process a bit differently. In California, the parties to the escrow do not have to be present
at the escrow office on the day of closing. Documents are submitted to the County Recorder in which the subject property is located (Riverside County is our local County Recorder). Once the County Recorder records the documents with its stamp and assigns it an Instrument Number as proof of the recording in the county records, the escrow is considered transferred or “closed.” Upon hearing of the confirmation the recording of the documents, the escrow holder will then balance out the escrow, disburse funds and issue final closing statements and documents. Every penny must be accounted for in an escrow! When a Buyer is procuring a new loan, the process becomes a bit more complicated as there may be additional documents and additional requirements. Here is a quick summary of that process and what occurs nearing the end of the transaction in the proper order:
1
. Loan Document Signing: When all loan documents are signed generally in front of a Notary Public.
2
. Loan Funding: When the lender signs off on all conditions and releases funds for closing.
3
. Recording/Closing: When the County Recorder stamps the documents as recorded. We at Mountain High Escrow try to make what might seem to be an “unknown” experience through an escrow as pleasant as possible for our customers and our real estate agents. We hope that you will contact our office if you have any questions about the escrow process. We are so happy and proud to be part of Idyllwild and the surrounding Mountain Communities!
Moving to Idyllwild – important information Utility Hookup:
Trash:
Southern California Edison: 800-655-4555 Anza Electric Cooperative (Garner Valley): 951-763-4333
For Business: Waste Management: 800874-7774 Residential: There is no residential trash pick-up. Trash should be taken to the Idyllwild Transfer Station located on Saunders Meadow Road in Idyllwild.
Propane Vendors: AC Propane: 951-769-0227 Amerigas: 951-296-3118 Diamond Valley Propane: 951-654-6104 Ferrell Gas: 951-659-4085 Mutual Propane: 888-926-8574 SoCal Propane: 951-791-8686 Suburban Propane: 951-659-2642 Water Service: Fern Valley Water District: 951-659-2200 Idyllwild Water District: 951-659-2143 Pine Cove Water District: 951-659-2675 Lake Hemet Municipal Water District: 951-658-3241 High Valleys Water District: 951-849-2612 Mail: Mountain residents receive mail in Post Office Boxes Only. Idyllwild Post Office is located at the Strawberry Creek Plaza off of Village Center Drive Mountain Center Post Office is located at the intersection of highways 243 and 74.
Newspaper Delivery: The local weekly paper, the Town Crier, is mailed to subscribers and can also be found in newspaper stands around town. New issues arrive on newsstands and in stores on Wednesday of each week. Online subscriptions can be arranged online at www.idyllwildtowncrier.com Stores: Village Market, 26000 Hwy 243, Idyllwild – 951-659-3800 Village Hardware, 54190 Hwy 243, Idyllwild – 951-659-4457 Fairway Market, 54411 Village Center Drive, Idyllwild – 951-659-2737 Sky Island Natural Foods, 54432 Village Center Drive, Idyllwild – 951-659-4555 Forest Lumber, 54200 Lower Pinecrest, Idyllwild – 951-659-2609
Over 30 years of Escrow Experience
John Graham, Sue Westfall, JoAnn S. Graham, Mary Zintzun & Tori Thomas
54545 N. Circle Dr. Phone: 951-659-1911
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 21
I’m an Alien,
Donna Elliot and Neil Jenkins with their rock-climbing-inspired painted deer “Rocky,” part of the Art Alliance of Idyllwild’s public art project, located in front of La Casita.
I’m a legal Alien,
PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
I’m an Alien in Idyllwild!
A few notes on culture shock by one of Idyllwild’s many aliens By Neil Jenkins
L
Neil is an avid rock climber. PHOTO BY DONNA ELLIOT
22 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
ife’s not easy when you’re an alien, people making fun of your green skin and no hats to fit your antennae. Well it’s not actually that bad but there are adjustments to be made, foreign food and foreign ways. I was born a Welshman (never call me English) and have lived on both sides of the Atlantic and, come to think of it, both sides of the Pacific. That has given me a unique perspective on cultural differences between many countries. I have chosen to live, with my American born wife, Donna Elliot, in Idyllwild; one of the 100 best art towns and one of the top ten small towns to visit in America. To make this choice I compared our two countries, here are a few of the things that came to mind: The annual tax form – Viewed with dread in both countries; my UK form is
typically 8 pages long, my first in the USA was 62 pages! Not a problem, just think of all those deductions.
Politics
UK election campaigns are about 3 months long, American ones go on for 2 years. Not too much of a problem as we could hide out in the USA’s National Parks, the very best in the world, while the politicians natter on. Of course while both our countries are democratic we have very different systems. In the UK power is given to the winner so things, for good or ill, get done. In order to prevent someone like old King George from gaining too much power, the US system is designed to prevent anything much from happening. I would like to congratulate your congress on achieving the Founding Fathers’ wishes. Language. In this common language of ours we have many words, which are
“There was an 18-month period where we both were working 7 days a week. I don’t think there was a single day we didn’t work. Even an easy day was 7 or 8 hours.” – Brad Rechtfertig
A river rock waterfall stream leads to the entrance of the Grand. Below, the lodge seen from the front while the third floor was being framed. PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRAD AND JACKI RECHTFERTIG
The Grand Idyllwild Lodge Building Paradise, An American Story – Part 2 By Jay Pentrack
I
n our January/February issue we introduced you to Brad and Jacki Rechtfertig, a young couple who both hail from small towns, Brad’s home was in Kansas and Jacki is from West Virginia. Somehow the universe placed them in each other’s path in San Diego and the rest is … well, the rest is the story of how this talented couple built the Grand Idyllwild Lodge, the preeminent lodging in Idyllwild. Construction of the Lodge began at the end of 2011 which meant that much of the framing was done during the Winter months in Idyllwild. With a crew of two (including Brad), work began. “We started framing in January of 2012 – we were framing in the snow. We were laying 28 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
block in the snow; it was super cold. Sometimes we couldn’t mix mortar, we had to use water from inside the house because water wasn’t flowing from the hose bib,” Brad said. “Most of the framing was complete by midsummer of 2012.” Because it was basically a two-man job, Brad opted to budget for all of the “fancy tools.” “Most of the beams, like the beams in the living room, were set with a machine, it’s called a beam lifter, it’s like a little hand crank device that can lift a couple thousand pounds and it puts it exactly where you want it,” Brad explained. And while it sounds easy, one beam in particular, weighing in at about 1300 pounds, took almost 2 days to set using a come along (a small portable winch usually consisting of a cable attached to a hand-operated ratchet)
and patience, lots and lots of patience. The only other option was to use a helicopter to set the beam. The only subcontractors utilized during construction of the Lodge were electrical (Brad did about 50% of the
meaningless to one another or, even worse, mean something completely different. I used the word natter which means to talk endlessly without including any substantial content, a thing both British and American politicians have mastered; something in common there then. I have a jumper I wear over my shirt but when I mentioned it to a local she seemed to think I was about to do something unpleasant involving the Golden Gate Bridge. This would probably be a good moment to mention that Worcestershire is pronounced “Wuss-stu-shu” not “War-cest-ush-higher”. I believe your Arkansas is pronounced Are-kin-saw which in the West Country of England would probably mean I just saw my brother.
Food
I do so enjoy American “comfort” food but where is all that “healthy” British-style cooking? A breakfast of Blood Pudding, followed by a spot of Tripe for lunch and Haggis for supper, then Spotted Dick for pudding (aka dessert!). Let me see, that’s blood, sheep’s stomach lining, intestines and the other thing – perhaps I came here for the hamburgers after all!
Neil enjoying a cup of tea at home in Idyllwild. PHOTO BY DONNA ELLIOT
Beverages
Tea is not good with salt water so please stop
throwing it in the sea. And why so much coffee when there are so many flavors of the Great British beverage –English
HigHer grounds
Come visit Idyllwild ...
... in the cool air of the San Jacinto Mountains and have a cup of our Fresh Roasted Coffee. We are just a short hour away. Our organic coffee is roasted on location and served with assorted pastries.
Open Sun.-Thurs. 7am-7pm • Fri. & Sat. 7am-9pm LIVELY MUSIC EVERY SATURDAY NIGHT.
IdyllwildCoffeeRoasters.com • 951-659-1379 54245 N. Circle Drive, Idyllwild, CA 92549
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 23
Breakfast Tea, Earl Grey, Darjeeling, Lapsang Souchong; I could wax lyrical for many hours. While the USA may be seen as somewhat backward in tea appreciation, the case is very different for beer. My British friends may be shocked to hear this, but American craft beers are now probably the best in the world; I relish the taste of Moose Drool and while Peter Piper Peppered Pale has a wonderful “nose,” I find it difficult to order after 3 or 4 bottles. So we have hamburgers and beer, National Parks and hilarious verbal misunderstandings. We have the best little art town in the world so is it really any surprise that I chose to settle here? But what happens on the return journey, here are a few warnings should you go to the UK.
Health Care
and Religion It is the opinion of many in America that the UK is a godless, secular country. This is far from the truth. If in the UK you should happen, in passing, to criticize the national institution known as the NHS (National Health Service – a Government provided health care system) you will soon discover that it is regarded with religious fervor; its budgets to be protected, its doctors and nurses praised and its hospital wards to be worshipped in.
Understatement
The British way is to make it clear through your body language that you are in intense pain while keeping a stiff upper lip (i.e. no whining). So for example if you are asked how you are doing, under no circumstances smile and say “Awesome”; instead grimace and say “Oh, not so bad.” Also, under no circumstances, wish that someone “have a nice day,” you may be reported to the “Parliamentary Committee on Un-British Activities”
Navigating buildings
In America the 1st floor is on the 1st floor while in the UK the 1st floor is on the 2nd floor because the Ground Floor is on the ground and the 1st floor is the 1st floor you come to above the ground – oh, this could go on for a while, I suggest you read the rules of cricket (a game similar to baseball but which stops for tea and can last up to 5 days) if you wish to investigate the logic of this.
REA L FOR ESTAT One of a Very Few Properties SAL E E Zoned MEDIUM MANUFACTURING 0.6 acre
PRIME LOCATION!
2 Buildings: 1,600 sq. ft. & 2,000 sq. ft. Income Property With Tenants and Well Established Auto Repair on Premises. $496,000 Contact STEVE TAYLOR (CALBRE# 01257191) Idyllwild Realty (951) 288-1945 • stevejt92549@gmail.com 24 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
Sport
In the UK, football is a game played primarily with the feet, though the head may be used in extremis. Should you wish to appear knowledgeable in the pub, from where most football is watched, simply shout “offside ref ” at random intervals (an explanation would take require an entire article in itself ).
Policing
For the most part British police are unarmed. This is not to say they are not dangerous; a stern look has been known to make even the most hardened gangster surrender using the words “it’s a fair cop guv’nor.” Of course the great advantage of this is that UK police shot no people in 2013 while 458 were reported shot by American police – food for thought?
Sunshine
This is not a phenomenon known to commonly occur in the UK. Hence the paragraph on understatement!
So there we are, and at the end of it all we share a common language; we have fought wars against each other but fought more in support of each other; we both watch “Doctor Who” and “The Simpsons.” We can laugh at each other but, most importantly, we can laugh together. In the words of the song from “Paint Your Wagon,” “It didn’t matter where I went so much as where I stayed.” I have been many places, I choose to stay here, the best little town in the best big country in the world – Idyllwild, USA.
Idyllwild’s first public art installation By Marshall Smith and Jay Pentrack
“I
dyllwild Deer Sightings,” the first public art exhibition in Idyllwild, was sponsored by the Art Alliance of Idyllwild. Twenty-two nearly life-size aluminum deer were entrusted to 23 local artists who spent three months transforming them into works of art for the community and visitors to enjoy. The herd includes eight bucks and seven does standing, five fawns grazing and two recumbent fawns. The deer are installed at 12 locations throughout Idyllwild and Pine Cove including the village’s central business core, Fern Valley Corners, the Nature Center on Highway 243, and the Pine Cove Market and Station property. Shane Stewart, owner of the Pine Cove Market built a special garden location for the buck and two does that permanently reside there. The deer
Each of the 22 deer is totally unique. PHOTO BY JENNY KIRCHNER
were sponsored by 22 donors. Artists included Idyllwild School smARTS students, Rachel Welch, Jerry Baccaire, Neil Jenkins and Donna Elliot, Robert Bush, Karlis Dabols, Helen Haskell Molles, Millie Shaw, Brenda Underwood, Richard Stergulz, Mimi Lamp, Lois Sheppard, Fariad and Jennifer Ali, Kathy Harmon-Luber, Marilyn Boire, Darcy Gerdes, Jan Bruner, Jan Jaspers-Fayer, Betty Anderson, Ron Singerton, Pat Hughes and
Erin Murray. Each artist was assigned a theme, some of which were the Cahuilla Native American tribe, hiking and climbing, the legend of Tahquitz and quilting. The project was immediately embraced by the community and visitors make it a point to visit the various installations located throughout Idyllwild. To obtain a free map of the deer installations, stop by the Visitor Center located at 54405 N. Circle Drive in Idyllwild.
Idyllwild Ice Cream
Hot Drinks: Hot Cocoa (Marshmallow, Peanut Butter, Peppermint, Pumpkin and White Chocolate Cocoa) Hot Coffee • Hot Cider • Hot Chai Tea • Hot Specialty Drinks
Entertainment All Weekend Long to 1 am Friday & Saturday! Full Bar • New Expanded Menu Big Parties Welcome • Catering Available
Gelato • Hand-Dipped Giant Ice Cream Bars • Shakes • Soft Serve Chocolate-Dipped Bananas and Cheesecake • Fruit Smoothies Shaved Ice (dozens of flavors) • World Famous Date Shakes Cold Drinks • Nachos w/Cheese • New: Caramel Dipped Apples Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs • Giant Pretzels • Angus Burgers
Relax On Our Dog-Friendly Patio Ask About Our Famous Paul Bunyan Challenge!
— And —
World Famous
“Idyllwild Jerky”
25985 Hwy. 243 • 951-659-0315
www.idyllwildjerky.com 54282 North Circle Drive. Next to the Rustic Theatre 951-468-8118 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 25
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26 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
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PINE DELL DRIVE E4 PINE AVENUE E5 PINE ROAD (PINE COVE) C1 PINE NEEDLES LANE A2 PINE RIDGE ROAD A2, B2 PIONEER ROAD G1 PONDEROSA DRIVE C2 POINT OF ROCKS DRIVE E2 RAINBOW LANE D5 REED LANE F4 REEVES WAY B2 RED HILL TRUCK TRAIL A2 RIDGE CREST E4 RIDGEVIEW DRIVE E3 RIM ROCK ROAD G2 RISING GLEN ROAD G3 RIVER DRIVE F3 ROBIN DRIVE D5 ROBLE DRIVE H1 ROCKDALE DRIVE E2 ROCKDALE SPUR E2 ROCKMERE DRIVE C1 ROCKY POINT DRIVE C1 ROCKY WAY D3 ROSA WAY C2 ROSALINE ROAD B2 SADDLE ROAD D5 SAN JACINTO ROAD G2 SAN JACINTO TRUCK TRAIL B1 SAUNDERS MEADOW ROAD D6, E6, E5, F5, E4 SCENIC DRIVE F3, G3 SCENIC VIEW DRIVE C2 SCHAFFER DRIVE C1 SENECA DRIVE G2, G3 SHADOW OAK DRIVE A2 SHADY VIEW DRIVE G3 SHANNON LANE E4 SHERMAN DRIVE C2 SILVER FIR DRIVE D3 SILVERTIP LANE G2 SKYLINE WAY C2 SLATE WAY C2 SOUTH CIRCLE DRIVE F2, E4, F4, F3 SPRUCE AVENUE E5 STARLITE LANE C3 STRAWBERRY VALLEY DRIVE E4 STRONG DRIVE F4, G4, G3 SUGAR PINE DRIVE B2 SUNRISE DRIVE C3 SUNSET A2, B2 SUNSET VIEW DRIVE G3 SYLVAN WAY A2, B2 TAHQUITZ DRIVE F3, F4 TAHQUITZ ROAD F2, G2 TAHQUITZ VIEW DR. E5, F5, F4, G4 TEMECULA DRIVE B5 TANGLEWOOD LANE F5 TOLLGATE ROAD C5, D5, D4 TRAILS END F4 UPPER PINE CREST F2 UPPER RIM ROCK ROAD G1 VALLEY VIEW DRIVE E5 VILLAGE CENTER DRIVE E3, E4 VILLAGE VIEW DRIVE E4 WALTER DRIVE C2 WALLACE WAY F4 WANDA WAY C2 WAYNE DRIVE G3 WEST MARIAN VIEW DRIVE C5, D5 WEST RIDGE ROAD D5 WILDWOOD DRIVE F4 WILLUMSON B2 WOOD ROAD F2 WOODLAND DRIVE B2 WRIGHTWOOD DRIVE A2
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Compliments of the Idyllwild Town Crier, “Almost all the News, Part of the Time.” (951) 659-2145
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IDYLLWILD
Pomona Los Angeles
Riverside Corona
Banning
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Palm Springs Indio
Hemet
Long Beach
Palm Desert
Newport Beach
Temecula San Juan Capistrano
May Valley Truck Trail
MAIN ROADS To Mile-High F IDYLLWILD
Oceanside
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Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015  27
work), HVAC, drywall and plumbing. During construction, a typical day for Brad was 14 to 16 hours; “There was an 18-month period where we both were working 7 days a week. I don’t think there was a single day we didn’t work. Even an easy day was 7 or 8 hours. For me it was 7am to 10pm, 7 days a week for 18 months.” All the while, Jacki, a nurse by trade, was pulling 12-hour shifts in addition to designing the inside of the Lodge, purchasing furniture and seeing to all of the details. Jacki did about 85% of the design (Brad says it’s more like 95%), and towards the end of the project hired San Diego designer Cheryl Rice to bring everything together and offer ideas. “Anything that’s color, fabric, design like that, it’s all [Jacki],” Brad said proudly. A project of this magnitude can test a relationship, but the couple fared well. “We’re still married,” Jacki exclaimed. And while the couple disagreed from time to time, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing according to Brad. “Going to back to what I said about design always being a balance, generally speaking, if she experienced resistance from me and I experienced resistance from her, I knew we
were probably going down the right path. Whatever decision we came to, generally mine was function and hers was form. The whole design process for this building was form following function which is kind of true to the Craftsman architecture.” Always, the couples’ goal was to create a warm and welcoming environment for their guests. “We focused on the natural beauty of Idyllwild and of the property so that was exactly what I did for the decor for the inside. Just nature colors; everything is neutral, even the rooms, they are neutral and then I added a bright splash of color with pillows or other accessories. It all kind of mimics nature outside,” Jacki explained. “That’s why everybody comes to Idyllwild; it’s for the nature so I knew that that would be a good choice for the inside, for the
THE RETURN OF FRANCIS MACHINE CUISINE
Jacki and Brad Rechtfertig. PHOTOS BY JON MILHOUSE
décor, because that’s why people are coming here.” Among the many impressive features of the Lodge is how it flows seamlessly from inside to outside. “The key to good design is that you don’t really notice anything, you just have this feeling of it feeling right. A space is just not a space, the Lodge is a combination of a living room, a lounge, a small restaurant – breakfast area – you have
O NT E P O IC UBL P THE
Idyllwild
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Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 29
to create all of these different spaces and do it in a way that when people see it, you want people to say ‘I love it, I don’t know why, but I just love it,’” Brad explained. “You know what it’s like when you see things that are a little questionable design-wise where you say, ‘I like that, but I’m not sure about that,’ it has to be subtle.” Custom features can be found throughout the Lodge - most notably, the water feature in the entryway to the Lodge and the concrete bar in the lounge area. Jacki felt a water wall was perfect for the entryway; unfortunately, the ones she found online were the wrong size and cost prohibitive, so Brad opted to build his own even though he had never built one before. “It had to be the exact right height to fit that space and it had to be wider than the ones [Jacki] found online. It needed to be 4 feet wide and it needed to be 7’3” or something like that,” Brad determined. Problem was, they were days away from opening. “He’s focused on this water wall. It’s already built so I said, ‘so what if the water isn’t running. It’s already built and it looks beautiful,’ but he was focused. We all thought, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s going crazy!’ You should have seen this place and here he is focusing on
30 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
[the water wall]. The first time the water came out it all splashed all over the floor,” Jacki said laughing. But true to Brad’s nature (and skill) when the Lodge opened, the water wall was (and still is) working perfectly. The concrete bar weighs in at a whopping 1,000 pounds and was constructed and poured in place. Architects who have stayed at the Lodge marvel at its design. “It’s cantilevered. It cantilevers right in the middle so not only does it want to fall, it wants to fall [in both directions]. There’s nothing holding it up,” Brad offered. “I embedded a post, it goes all the way through the floor to create this incredibly strong backing and then the whole thing was formed and the concrete poured. It’s just like a structural side for a parking garage.” The Lodge opened in October of 2013 to a packed house. “We had no idea what we were doing, still don’t,” Brad said laughing. But based on guest reviews on TripAdvisor. com, the Rechtfertigs are naturals, boasting a #1 ranking in Idyllwild and 5 stars. Dottie H. of La Quinta writes: “Welcome Home is exactly how you feel from the moment you step into the
Grand Idyllwild Lodge! The owners, Brad and Jacki, invite you in and treat you like you are guests in their home. From the luxurious, romantic suites to the comfortable, warm living areas, your stay will be like none other! We enjoyed delicious breakfasts; wine tasting; deer that wander by outside the lodge. Your experience will be so relaxing you will never want to leave...and won’t be able to wait to visit again! Thank you again Brad and Jacki for a stay we won’t soon forget!” Janet M. of Solana Beach gushed: “My husband and I just returned from a weekend getaway at the Grand Idyllwild Lodge. It was absolutely beautiful! It sits on a scenic hillside surrounded by pine and manzanita trees. We stayed in the Harmony Suite which had a private deck and a beautiful view of Tahquitz Peak and Lily Rock. We loved sitting outside on the deck on the comfortable chaises just enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of the mountains. The attention to detail in the architecture, design and furnishings of the lodge is amazing. The pictures that are posted of the lodge and the rooms is exactly as beautiful as it truly is. A full breakfast is served on Saturday and Sunday mornings between 9:00 and 10:00,
and it was delicious! My husband and I loved sitting in front of the large fireplace in the living room every evening enjoying a glass of wine and the solitude of the lodge. The location is ideal. It’s walking distance to great restaurants and shops. We dined at Café Aroma and Gastrognome and loved both restaurants. “The owners, Jacki and Brad, who designed, built and decorated the lodge could not have been more friendly and accommodating. It’s quite apparent how much love and hard work they put into making the lodge as special as it is. I’ve already booked another weekend and can’t wait to go back. I highly recommend the Grand Idyllwild Lodge to anyone looking for a beautiful, high-end place to stay in Idyllwild.” The Lodge is fully American Disabilities Act compliant and in addition to the elevator and ramps, offers an ADA-compliant room that includes a wheel-in shower and rails. “A lot of older people are leery of coming to the mountains, especially in the winter because they are afraid of slipping and falling and walking upstairs. If you have an elevator you can get anywhere without having to walk upstairs,” Brad said. “The other thing that makes us extremely unique is that we are probably the greenest inn in Southern California. I say that for a couple of reasons. It is new construction, so pretty much any new construction in California has strict codes you have to follow, so we are very energy efficient. All of our common-area lighting is LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design designation], which is the newest and it is all controlled by a computer,” he explained. For Brad and Jacki, giving back to the community they love is important. The Lodge plays host to numerous events for local non-profit organizations and has raised, in the one year they have been open, over $10,000, not including the free stays they have given. “We wanted to give back as much to the community as we could,” Brad said. The Grand Idyllwild Lodge is located at 54820 Pinecrest Avenue in mile high Idyllwild. For more information and a complete list of amenities, visit them online at www.grandidyllwildlodge.com. For reservations call (951) 659-2383.
Meg Wolf as Charlotte Payne-Townshend and Christopher Morse (as Sidney Webb; as George Bernard Shaw in this photo), John Wesley Leon (as Shaw) and Rosalyn Leon (as Beatrice Webb) are the featured performers. PHOTO BY MARSHA KENNEDY
Stratford Players to Perform ‘Engaging Shaw’
G
eorge Bernard Shaw just may fall in love with Charlotte PayneTownshend, but he is determined to fight the temptation tooth and nail. That’s the story behind Engaging Shaw, a delightful comedy being staged in April by Idyllwild’s own Stratford Players. The setting of John Morogiello’s play, based on actual events, is 1890s London. Charlotte Payne-Townshend is a wealthy patron of the Fabians, a high-minded social reform society, of which the great Irish playwright is the most prominent member. Shaw, a confirmed bachelor (and celibate) nonetheless delights in having attractive ladies fall in love with him; Charlotte, he decides, must be the next to succumb to his considerable charms. He succeeds! – but to his dismay and confusion, he finds himself equally drawn to her. How appalling. Shaw is an intellectual, a literary artist, a selfproclaimed Superman: surely he cannot be dragged into the sordid business of erotic
love! But the brainy and persistent Charlotte has other ideas. Critics have praised “Engaging Shaw” as “a charming romantic comedy with four razor-sharp tongues” and “a spirited and intelligent combat of words.” Says the New York Times, “If there’s a minute of the play that’s less than clever, you’ll be hard pressed to find it.” Stratford is fielding four of its best players for this endeavor. Noted Shakespearean actor John Leon brings special verve to the role of Shaw, while film/television actress Meg Wolf makes a beguiling foil as Charlotte. The cast is rounded off by Stratford founding member Christopher Morse and the talented Rosalyn Leon as Sidney and Beatrice Webb, fellow Fabians and good friends of G.B.S., who endeavor to sell him on the virtues of wedded bliss. The play is directed by veteran stage professional Kathleen Walker. Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 31
ABOVE: A scene from the Stratford Players’ performance of “Night of the Iguana.” BELOW: The Stratford cast of “Calendar Girls.” PHOTOS COURTESY MARSHA KENNEDY
“Engaging Shaw” will be presented as a “chamber reading”: actors perform on a set with scripts in hand, employing some props, costume pieces, and music to enhance the full theatricality of the experience. “We love doing full productions, of course, but there are distinct advantages to staged readings,” explains Stratford artistic director Marsha Kennedy, “Actors love them, for one thing. Ninety percent of stage jitters comes from anxiety over forgetting lines. Put scripts in actors’ hands and everyone can relax and have great fun. Some of the best performances I’ve seen from troupe members have been in our staged readings.” This will be Stratford Players’ tenth production in Idyllwild. The troupe has enjoyed two successful years on the Hill, presenting a wide array of works from serious dramas to breezy comedies. “Excellence is the only criterion,” says Kennedy. The group is also known for its annual collage of Shakespeare scenes and soliloquies, “Will in the Woods.” Stratford’s reputation grows with each production, and the players have attracted some of the very best professional and nonprofessional talent from Idyllwild, 32 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
Hemet, Banning and the Temecula area. “Engaging Shaw” will have three performances: Sunday, April 12, Saturday, April 18, and Sunday, April 19, all 2pm matinees. The venue is the chapel of the Christian Science Church, 25970 Cedar
Street, across from Town Hall. Seats are just $12, and refreshments will be served. For reservations and further information please visit the troupe’s website: www. stratfordplayers.com. Theatre is good. Come play with us.
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Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015  33
In the eye of the beholder By Donna Elliot
“W
Art oppurtunity winner (Josh Whitney) and artist (Rachel Welch). PHOTO BY CAREENA CHASE
34 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
Attendees admire the submissions. PHOTO BY BARBARA REESE
e don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are” held Anais Nin. The Art Alliance of Idyllwild’s (AAI) “Eye of the Artist” show provides the perfect opportunity to see the world through the eyes of local artists. I joined AAI in 2013 and the Eye of the Artist was my first show. That year’s theme was “Sensuality” with artwork ranging from paintings, drawings, pottery, glass, sculpture, jewelry, photography, to mixed media and many other media and styles. At that time, many of the artists’ names were just that to me, names. Since then, these artists have become friends and the Art Alliance has become a creative force in the community. The “Whimsical” theme in 2014 amused the crowds with its colorful and creative entries. Most appropriate for our mountain community, this year’s theme is “Mountain Mystery” and will be held on Saturday, March 7, at the Caine Learning Center (54385 Pine Crest Avenue, Idyllwild, 92549). It wasn’t until I met Chris Trout, one of the co-founders of AAI, that I discovered the fascinating evolution of this event. Its inspiration came from a chance attendance at a unique event in Waimea, Hawaii, where artists, architects and designers got together once a year to paint/decorate an egg. It was to have a profound effect for AAI as Chris and Grace Songolo, the other cofounder, adopted the concept as the “Egg and the Eye” event.
Artists were invited to paint/decorate an egg, be it ostrich, emu, rhea, clay or other materials, and to donate their artwork to the event. They were displayed in nests, voted on, raffled off, and treasured by those who won them. Chris said that even the food, created on a big decorated cart by Shelly Laff … was all about eggs … deviled eggs, chocolate eggs, etc. Chris reminisced that “we had no database, no website, social media or email capabilities.” Galleries and local businesses distributed fliers, which were also posted around town. These, together with an editorial in the Idyllwild Town Crier, attracted some 200 people to this first event in 2000. Although the event was borne out of creative inspiration, it was also financial necessity that drove the pair to stage it. Prior to this, funds for artist member activities were simply non-existent. According to Chris, “the Egg and the Eye was followed by the Mask and the Eye, the Shoe and the Eye … the Window and the Eye … and other themes as it is today.” The AAI’s current president, Marc Kassouf, believes that "The Eye of the Artist is one of AAI's most successful fundraising events because our member artists generously donate original pieces of art that attendees can win by purchasing raffle tickets. Money raised not only enables AAI to provide our artists with a kaleidoscope of annual opportunities to exhibit and sell their work, but also allows us to organize art workshops, give donations to keep art education alive in Idyllwild, and support our local community." From these humble beginnings, the Art Alliance now proudly promotes community art projects such as the Idyllwild Deer
Sightings, several judged art shows, an Artist Series of workshops, Second Saturday Art Fairs, Gallery Tours, a Plein Air Festival, and the Art Walk and Wine Tasting, another premier event. The Art Alliance also teams up with other local organizations for events, such as the Master Chorale for its annual Winter Solstice celebration. New this year is a Young Adult and Youth Art Show in May. For a complete schedule and to find out more information on this year’s Eye of the Artist event, visit AAI’s website at www. artinidyllwild.org. And so, not only has the Eye of the Artist event evolved, but so too has my art. My first entry into this fun, social gathering was a photograph, my second was a mixed media piece, and this year’s will be an alcohol ink painting: of a mountain, of course!
Lilac Tea & Walk A day in the Pines & Lilacs
Docent guided tours & a chance to enjoy a Victorian Tea overlooking the Gardens
Saturday, May 2nd, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Alpenglow Gardens - 25025 Fern Valley Rd., Idyllwild Entrance & Walk: $5 • Entrance, Walk & Tea: $20 Purchase tickets at Garden entry, Idyllwild Pharmacy, or www.idyllwildgardenclub.net – 951-659-2907
Tommy’s Kitchen Breakfast and Lunch
Hours: Wed.-Sat. 7 a.m.-2 p.m., Sun. 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
54700 North Circle Drive, Idyllwild (951) 468-4222
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 35
The Art Alliance of Idyllwild’s annual Eye of the Artist is on March 7 at the Caine Learning Center PHOTO BY JOHN PACHECO
Idyllwild Events: March - April 2015 Eye of the Artist
March 7 The Art Alliance of Idyllwild is hosting their annual judged art show featuring artist members with the theme “Mountain Mystery.” The fundraiser is free to the public with opportunity tickets starting at $2 each. Festivities will be held at the Caine Learning Center (54385 Pine Crest, Idyllwild) from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Visit www.artinidyllwild. org for more information.
4th Annual Celebrating Women In the Arts
The Idyllwild Master Chorale PHOTO BY JENNY KIRCHNER
36 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
March 18 Hosted by the Soroptimist International of Idyllwild, this event aims to bring attention to the human trafficking trade (See article on page 38). Opal Singleton, CEO of Million Kids will be the key note speaker. Event includes
Local service organizations
You can learn much about a community by its service organizations. Listed at right are several organizations in Idyllwild and surrounding communities. This list is not exhaustive; visit www.idyllwildtowncrier.com for an online version of the Idyllwild Phone Book in its entirety.
Alcoholics Anonymous: 951-659-2409 American Legion, Post 800: 951-659-3517 American Legion, Women’s Auxiliary: 951659-3517 ARF (Animal Rescue Friends): 951-659-1122 Art Alliance of Idyllwild (AAI): 877-439-5278 Associates of Idyllwild Arts Foundation: 951659-2171 Caring Community Lunch, Christina Nordella: 760-699-4912 Feeding America, Crossroad 243 Church: 951-659-0097 Forest Service Volunteer Association: 951659-2117 Friends of the Idyllwild Library: 951-6599834 Garner Valley Women’s Group: 951-7197319 Golden Carrot Equine Rescue: 951-763-0800 Idyllwild Area Historical Society: 951-6592717 Idyllwild Association of Realtors: 951-6592345 Idyllwild Garden Club: 951-659-0550 Idyllwild HELP Center: 951-659-2110 Idyllwild Master Chorale: 951-659-2650
Idyllwild PTA: 951-659-2819 Idyllwild Summer Concerts: 951-659-2229 Idyllwild Volunteer Fire Company: 951-6592153 Isis Theatre Company: 951-692-9553 Leg Up Theatre Company: 760-699-4912 Lemon Lily Festival: 562-212-2353 Living Free Animal Sanctuary: 951-659-4687 Mary Austin Scholarships and Grants: 951659-3346 Mile High Radio Club: 951-659-4438 Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council: 951-659-6208 Mountain Community Patrol: 951-659-4904 Mountain Disaster Preparedness: 951-6592647 Mountain Emergency Medical Services: 951659-2153 Mountain Quilters: 951-992-9892 Olde English Theatre Players: 951-659-2250 Riverside Mountain Rescue Unit: 951-5378223 Rotary Club: 951-468-4159 Rotary Anns: 951-852-2306 Stratford Players: 951-659-4087 Teen Book Group: 951-659-9793
The Idyllwild Library hosts weekly events for all ages throughout the year. PHOTO BY JAY PENTRACK
Artist Series
March 28 / April 25 Artists bring their talents to the table in small workshop environments. Class size is generally kept under 10 students and price includes supplies. For more information visit www.artinidyllwild.org.
Stratford Players Perform ‘Engaging Shaw’ a silent auction of art donated by local woman artists, a wine reception, and hors d’oeuvres. The event will be held at the Rainbow Inn (54420 South Circle Drive, Idyllwild) starting at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 each and seating is limited. To reserve a ticket, call 951452-4599 or email karendoshier@ gmail.com.
Idyllwild Master Chorale Spring Recital March 28
An annual favorite, this year’s Spring Recital once again features the vocal talents of jazz singer Sherry Williams and Dimyana Pelev. A timeless classic, the musical selection takes the audience into Shakespeare’s exploration of love, ambiguity, passion, jealousy and war! Highlights from Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” and “West Side Story” will round the evening out. Held at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in Stephens Hall, event starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 and are available at www.idyllwildmasterchorale.org.
April 12, 18 and 19 The Stratford Players bringing live theatre to Idyllwild with the stage reading of “Engaging Shaw” by John Morogiello. Directed by Kathleen Walker, this is a charming romantic comedy featuring four razor-sharp tongues that is based on a real-life courtship. Event is at 2 p.m. at the Christian Science Church (25970 Cedar Street, Idyllwild) and tickets are only $12. To purchase tickets, visit www.stratfordplayers.com.
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 37
Making a difference Soroptimists International of Idyllwild hosts author Opal Singleton By Shanna Robb
K
ids will be kids. That is unless they are one of over a million kids trafficked worldwide every year per statistics provided by UNICEF. A modern day form of slavery that is often believed to be a foreign issue, those blessed to live in Southern California may be surprised to learn that Riverside County is at the crossroads of two major trafficking corridors and our beloved California is frequently listed as the #1 state for human trafficking cases. With 3 out of 4 victims being United States citizens, human trafficking is no longer another country’s problem. Leading the effort to educate local communities about this 32 billion dollar industry is Opal Singleton, President and CEO of Million Kids (www.millionkids. org), a Riverside based nonprofit that works closely with law enforcement and parents of kids who were recruited into “the life” or have gone missing. Opal’s organization spends countless hours developing public programs to unmask how predators access, groom, recruit and exploit young people. As a published author, sought after speaker, and Director of Development for Rapha House International, one of Opal’s key messages is, “Today one bad decision can change a young person’s life and the life of their family.” Working with local law enforcement, she brings constructive insights about how serious this issue is in our community and what we can do about it. Opal and Million Kids’ volunteers have received many awards recognizing their efforts to assist families of missing kids and empower communities to eliminate human exploitation across the board. Million Kids emphasizes that human trafficking is often a crime of psychology and therefore education is the key to prevention. Joining forces to expose this global epidemic through education is Soroptimist International of Idyllwild, an organization
38 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
serving the hill since 1973. Honored to have Opal as their keynote speaker, their March 18th “Celebrating Women in the Arts” event brings together two seemingly polar concepts. As explained by Trine Bietz, local artist and Soroptimist, the event format aims to “peel back the horrific layers of human trafficking” while also celebrating the power of creativity and women. Having lived in Thailand where sex trafficking is very present and in the U.S. where it is kept underground, Trine was motivated to expose the ugly truth. Drawing inspiration from Mother Nature and feeding off her artistic roots, Trine joined forces with Mary Morse in 2012 to create an inspiring educational event like no other. Mary Morse, a member of the Soroptimists for over 5 years and president of the Human Relations Council in Hemet, explained that she and Trine went into research mode to learn more about human trafficking. As they dug deeper into understanding the role played by the United States, Mary said she was disheartened to discover that human trafficking is the fastest growing crime in the United States and more people are enslaved today than in the 1800s. Troubled by what their investigation unearthed, they were motivated to bring attention to the secretive world of human trafficking while simultaneously celebrating women artists. Inspired by the undeniable passion of these two members and recognizing that their event proposal supported the mission of Soroptimist International to eliminate violence against women and children, Soroptimist International of Idyllwild launched their first “Celebrating Women in the Arts” in 2012. A part of Soroptimist International (www. soroptimist.org) which has been publicly campaigning against Human Trafficking and the sex trade since 2007, the Idyllwild chapter aims to make a difference. Per Karen Doshier, Idyllwild Chapter President, “We want to hit the community in the gut with the facts that this is a local
Opal Singleton of Million Kids. PHOTO COURTESY OF OPAL SINGLETON
problem and that Hemet is a hotbed of sex trade that could eventually affect us, especially kids who are vulnerable.” Marking their 4th year on March 18th, in addition to Opal Singleton’s moving presentation (Seduced: The Grooming of America’s Teenagers), the event will again feature a silent auction showcasing artwork donated by local women artists. Attendees will be given the opportunity to win a piece of local art from a number of art mediums. Since 2012 over $4,400 has been gifted and this year’s goal is to raise a net profit of over $2,500 to be donated to Million Kids. The Wednesday, March 18th, event starts with a wine reception and silent auction at 5:30pm followed by the presentation at 6:30pm. Tickets are $20 each and are available at the door or for purchase in advance at Prairie Dove, Muirs Mountain Realty in Idyllwild, and BBVA Bank in Idyllwild. The event will be held at the beautiful Rainbow Inn located at 54420 South Circle Drive in Idyllwild and with limited seating, event organizers suggest purchasing tickets in advance for this popular event. Soroptimists International is a 501(c)(3) and tickets are tax deductible. For ticket information or to make a tax deductible donation, call 951-452-4599 or email karendoshier@gmail.com.
James M. Meyer and Paul J. Zapala in Palm Springs.
Living a Palms to Pines lifestyle “H
By James Meyer
ey, are you guys interested in renting a cabin for a couple of nights in Idyllwild with us?” That’s how it all started, just by renting a little cabin in Pine Cove with friends for a
desert to mountain getaway several years ago. And, it’s been a love affair ever since. For those of us who live in the Coachella Valley, the quick hour drive to Idyllwild feels like being a world away when we arrive. Desert to mountain? It IS a world away. And, just as we see people from the coast come to Palm Springs for the weekend go home relaxed, we get the same feeling after a couple of days on The Hill. The Hill, by the way, was a term that took a long time to get used to. It didn’t seem to convey the greatness of the majestic
mountain scenery and the thrill of the twist and turn drive up 5,500 feet to the top of the mountain. “Let’s go up the mountain”, we’d say. After all, it is the omnipresence of the majestic mountain that amazes us below in Palm Springs as we look at it in awe every day. But, it didn’t take long to realize that the term had a lot less to do with geography, but more to do with the charm and character of those who live on the hill and welcome guests year round. Back to our love affair…it was soon after our first visit and renting that cabin that we’d frequent a trip to The Hill for a lunch or a drive to escape summer heat or just to getaway for an afternoon. Being Realtors, it is in the blood to be curious and check out local real estate when we travel, and that is exactly what we did . Shortly after exploring, we saw the PERFECT cabin nestled on a quiet street in Pine Cove that became love Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 39
at first sight. We certainly had no plan to buy real estate that day, but couldn’t resist this little cabin calling our names and soon found ourselves owning our own mountain getaway. As Realtors in the desert, so often we are asked about how we handle the summer’s heat living in the desert full-time. Retirees wonder if they will be able to handle it and potential full-timers always ask us what we do and where we go in the summer. We talk about Idyllwild and it being so close. About the wide range in daily temperatures. Where the desert may not cool off at night in the summer, it does in the mountains. We have personal friends who drive their RV to Idyllwild for a few weeks during the summer as their escape. Idyllwild has become a natural part of our overall discussion of real estate with clients moving to Palm Springs. When we talk about a desert lifestyle, we include the mountain getaway of Idyllwild. Soon the question comes in: “Can you help us find a cabin, too?” And we have done so for several friends and clients who live in Palm Springs and beyond. For many buyers moving from pricey locations like Los Angeles or New York City, the idea of having a “desert home” and a “mountain retreat” an hour apart is something they never thought possible. And for the artists moving to Palm Springs, they love the idea of Idyllwild as a place to hold (or attend) writing retreats, “check-out” and be inspired to do their work since there is such a large and supportive creative community there. One client needed solitude to finish her latest novel and disappeared in the pines for a month to do so. A couple we know who have two small children that crave playing in the snow spend family holidays in Idyllwild. In the summer, they fish, hike and name the squirrels that run across the deck railing. City kids getting some exposure to the real nature. There is so much to offer for many walks of life. Last summer we hosted our first annual “Party In The Pines” at our cabin. We wanted a way for our Palm Springs friends and clients who have purchased in Idyllwild to meet one another and to celebrate the mutual joy of owning on The Hill. It was a way to extend the sense of community since we all have the Palm to Pines lifestyle in common. Lately we’ve seen a change in who is discovering the Palms to Pines lifestyle. Generation Y or the Millenniums as they are called in marketing terms (that is the 20-35 year olds) are the latest wave of clients contacting us about owning property in Palm Springs and Idyllwild. This client base from Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego, who have been wooed by Palm Springs tourism and the push to get them to come here rather than the typical Las Vegas weekend, love to come to the desert. For those that find Palm Springs too crowded or expensive, Idyllwild is their answer. This generation of alternatives are not attracted to Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead and the developed ski resort areas. Idyllwild serves them both purposes: an anti-city getaway and a financial investment. They love the small town appeal of Idyllwild. No huge resorts, strip malls or chain restaurants. And we do, too. When our non-local friends learned that we bought a cabin in Pine Cove as a vacation home, they asked, “you LIVE in a vacation destination and you bought a vacation home an hour away?” Well, that’s the answer. We LIVE in Palm Springs. And 40 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
Paul J. Zapala and James M. Meyer in Idyllwild.
we love the tourists and vacationers loving to come where we live. But, when we need an easy getaway that is worlds away from the responsibilities of home, our cabin on The Hill is that place. Paul Zapala and James Meyer are Zapala/Meyer Team of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Realty in Palm Springs. www.PalmSpringsGetaway.com
From Palms to Pines ... We can help you find the perfect getaway
THE ZAPALA/MEYER TEAM Paul J. Zapala • James M. Meyer 760-332-8782 • CalBRE#01709859
PalmSpringsGetaway.com • info@palmspringsgetaway.com
PHOTOS COURTESY DELENE GARBO
Destination Indian Wells Arts Festival By Delene Garbo
T
hinking of changing it up Spring Break weekend? Why not join thousands of art lovers and day trippers making their way to the worldrenowned Indian Wells Tennis Garden, host sponsor and venue for the 2015 top-ranked Indian Wells Arts Festival, April 3-5. Only a short 45 minute drive from nearby mountain getaways, the muchanticipated Indian Wells Arts Festival has something for everyone. The weekend comes alive, wine, cocktails, live entertainment, and great food finds, including a Sunday “Eggs + Champagne in the Garden” brunch, menu available until noon; as well as a children’s area offering a variety of activities including holiday photo opportunities for both kids and adults. Throughout the charming artisan village 200 acclaimed judged and juried artists will showcase their wares. Festival-goers will be able to observe various techniques as they explore the marketplace surveying everything from paintings, drawings,
ceramics, glass, photography, sculpture, jewelry, and apparel, to hand-crafted, oneof-a-kind finds. This year’s commemorative print by Erin Hanson, “Indian Wells in Bloom,” is available for purchase on line. Adding a new twist to this year’s Festival, the innovative Objet Trouvé Festival conceptualized and co-chaired by William Schinsky of the Coachella Valley Art Center (CVAC) and Karen Riley of Student Creative Recycle Art Program (S.C.R.A.P), will include the debut of the L’Intérieur de la Boête (art in a box) exhibit. “The Indian Wells Arts Festival is delighted to announce our second collaboration with the Objet Trouvé Festival,’” said event producer Dianne Funk, of Dianne Funk Productions. “Together we are able to generate an inspired Festival of Festivals; and are excited to celebrate one of the most cutting-edge art forms, currently trending nationwide.” As is tradition, the Festival will donate to a variety of local charity partners’ Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 41
scholarship funds; including the Ophelia Project, a five-year team mentoring program serving girls from 8th grade through high school. A significant part of Ophelia’s curriculum engages students in an annual art project; this year the girls are creating hand-painted silk scarves to be exhibited throughout the three-day event. Festival artists will once again donate selected works to the program’s silent auction; proceeds to benefit the Ophelia Girls.
The 13th annual Indian Wells Arts Festival, held on the Indian Wells Tennis Garden’s East Plaza grass concourse (Enter from Washington Street between Hwy. 111 and Fred Waring Drive, Indian Wells, California), opens Friday through Easter Sunday, April 3-5, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Gates close at 4 p.m.). Adults, $13; Children, FREE. Free parking and valet available. For more information, please visit http://www. IndianWellsArtsFestival.com, email, info@IndianWellsArtsFestival. com or call 760-346-0042. The Indian Wells Arts Festival can also be found at www.facebook.com/IndianWellsArtsFestival and on Twitter @IWArtsFestival.
FLEMING RANCH
Mountain Center, California
160 Acres • $2,400,000
Main house 5b/5b, 2b/2b guest house, Indian cabin & railroad caboose w/ 3/4b on a 40 acre parcel. 1b/1b cottage also, on a 40 acre parcel + an undeveloped 80 acre parcel. 3.3 miles off Hwy. 74, 2 easement roads. All utilities in place. Adjacent to the San Jacinto mountain wilderness area. A unique opportunity.
Susan Larison, Realtor Associate An Indian Wells Sunset. PHOTOS COURTESY GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
42 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
DRE# 01023179 310.487.1360 susan.larison@vistasir.com
Good Life! Start living the
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Fun facts about Palm Springs Courtesy of Palm Springs Tourism Greater Palm Springs is the home of more than 115 golf courses, which is why many refer to us as “the Golf Capital of the World.” The native Cahuilla Indians own more than 40 percent of Greater Palm Springs, and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs is the wealthiest tribe in North America.
The BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. PHOTO COURTESY GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
grounds of Two Bunch Palms Resort & Spa. The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway operates the world’s largest rotating tramcars and the eight-minute ride up from the desert floor to the mountain station is one of the steepest ascents in the world. Notorious gangster Al Capone is believed to have hid out in an elegantly furnished bullet proof stone house in the hills of Desert Hot Springs, complete with a stone gun turret on the roof. Visitors can stay at the home today, which remains on the
The Cabazon Band of Mission Indians opened the first commercial card casino in the United States established on an Indian reservation in 1980. It is now called Fantasy Springs Casino Resort & Spa. Greater Palm Springs hosts the nation’s only citywide Golf Cart Parade, held each October. About 25,000 spectators turn out each year to watch more than 100 floats parade up and down El Paseo Drive in Palm Desert.
The Indian Wells Tennis Garden is the second largest tennis stadium in the world, and the BNP Paribas Open is the fifth-most attended professional tennis tournament in the world. See more at: http://www. visitgreaterpalmsprings.com/articles/ fun-facts-greater-palm-springs#sthash. HV3gUbwj.dpuf For more information or to plan your Palm Springs getaway visit www. visitpalmsprings.com.
Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015 45
The Stagecoach Country Music Festival happens April 24-27. COURTESY GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Desert Events: March - April 2015 Native Film Fest
March 3-8 Camelot Theatres, 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs
BNP Paribas Tournament March 9-22 Indian Wells Tennis Gardens Information: (760) 200-8400 www.bnpparibasopen.com
American Documentary Film Festival
Fun and frivolity at the White Party Poll Party.
COURTESY GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
46  Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
March 26-30 2100 East Tahquitz Canyon Way, Palm Springs, CA, 92262 760-322-3689 www.americandocumentaryfilm festival.com
37150 GOLD SHOT CREEK RD, MOUNTAIN CENTER The ever-popular Coachella Music Festival.
COURTESY GREATER PALM SPRINGS CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
Food + Wine Festival Palm Desert March 27-29 www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com
Club Skirts “The Dinah” April 1-5 thedinah.com
Jeffrey Sanker’s White Party
April 24-27 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, www.jeffreysanker.com Garner Valley! Custom-built 4 bedroom, 4 bathroom, 3,200-square-foot home on almost 5 acres.
Indian Wells Art Festival April 3-5 Indian Wells Tennis Garden www.indianwellsartsfestival.com
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: Weekend 1 April 10-12 Empire Polo Grounds, Indio, CA, 92201 www.coachella.com
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival: Weekend 2 April 17-19 Empire Polo Grounds, Indio, CA, 92201 www.coachella.com
Stagecoach Country Music Festival April 24-26 Empire Polo Grounds, Indio, CA, 92201 www.stagecoachfestival.com
No expense was spared in renovating this gorgeous over 3200 sq ft home with 4 bedrooms, 4 baths. This home boasts an unobstructed panoramic view of the mountains. As you come thru the front gate, you are greeted by a cobble stone drive way, followed by a custom front door, real wood flooring, and an open gourmet kitchen commercial that 37150equipped GOLD with SHOT CREEKappliances, RD., would make any chief envious. The dining room and family room MOUNTAIN CENTER boasts rolling mountain views, or you can entertain around the bar area. Vaulted ceilings in the family room, master bedroom on one wing of the house with walk in closet and custom bath, large double paned windows and sliding glass doors thru out the house. Upstairs holds two bedrooms and a bathroom, recessed lighting, ceiling fans, and a wood burning fireplace in the living room. Enjoy the miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, and many other outdoor activities or simply enjoy the various birds and wildlife from your picture windows. MLS# 213008555
$898,000 • MLS# 215000166
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Palms to Pines advertiser index Advertiser Index............Page # New Spirit Vacation Homes.......IFC Morongo Casino..........................IBC Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians..............................................BC Alhatti Christian Retreat Center.7 Berkshire Hathaway - Zapala / Meyer Team.....................................40 Bluebird Cottage Inn....................... 3 Café Aroma.....................................30 Cahuilla Casino...............................33 Cannabis Collective.......................44 Date Palm Country Club.............43 Dore’s Mountain Art....................... 5 Fern Creek Medical.......................17 Ferro Restaurant............................29 Garner Valley Realty .....................17
Grand Idyllwild Lodge..................... 1 Higher Grounds Coffee House..23 Hilltop Realty ................................... 9 Idyll Awhile Wine Shoppe Bistro.33 Idyllwild Arts Academy.................... 4 Idyllwild Garden Club...................35 Idyllwild Hypnotherapy.................35 Idyllwild Ice Cream & Jerky.........25 Idyllwild Realty - Chris Davis / Jim Palmer...............................................11 Idyllwild Realty - Dora Dillman...13 Idyllwild Realty - Steve Taylor......24 Jack Farley’s Art Supplies................ 5 La Casita Mexican Restaurant....... 7 Living Free........................................35 Lumbermill .....................................25 Luxury Desert Home Search Houy Kirkpatrick...........................47
Mile High Café.................................. 7 Mountain High Escrow.................21 Muirs Mountain Real Estate .......15 Palm Springs Subaru........................ 5 Priority Lighting..............................43 Sky Island Natural Foods..............24 Sotheby’s - Susan Larison.............42 Sotheby’s - Tim McTavish..............43 The Fort............................................. 2 Thousand Trails...............................29 Ticor Title........................................21 Tommy’s Kitchen............................35 Tortuga del Sol................................45 Town Real Estate - Rick Martinez.. .......................................................30 Triangle Inn Palm Springs..............44 Village Properties - Johnny Wilson. .......................................................19
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Palms to Pines Magazine Celebrates its 1 Year Anniversary in our next issue – May/June! Our Anniversary Issue will be dedicated to Man’s Best Friend, so send in your photos of you and your Best Buddy and you may be included in our next issue! Have a special story? Email Jay@PalmstoPinesMagazine.com. 48 Palms to Pines Magazine, March-April 2015
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