January 2011

January 2011

LIFEST YLE | JANUARY 2011

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22 The Shows Home:

Good Life on the Links (with a View, of Course)

CULINARY Piedmontese Beef Traditional porterhouse is taken to new levels of flavor with Italy’s favorite cut of beef.

8. Letter from the Executive Editor 10. Business Cents: The Not-So-Sacred Mortgage Interest Deduction

14. Word Play 16. Local Adventure: Full Moon Snowshoe Walk

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18. Charity: 30th Annual Christmas

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Tree Auction

S PECIAL EVENT Three Cups of Tea Activist, humanitarian, and author Greg Mortenson shares his vision for education with all who joined him at the Pro-Youth/ HEART benefit in November.

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Wine: More Wines Like This Please Travel: Addicted to Powder in Utah Fashion: The Look of Layers Performances: Vienna: Part II Happenings

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38 ARTIS T PROFILE Micheal Vagnino: Forging Ahead Master metalsmith Jack Vagnino is on the cutting edge of an ancient art.

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ON THE COVER: The master bath of Stan and Lesa Shows’ Kings Riverarea home features a tub with ornate contemporary metal work, as featured in this month’s Lifestyle Home Tour.

ABOVE: Leisure pursuits figure prominently in Stan and Lesa Shows’ Kings River Country Club-area home, including this billiards room.

JANUARY 2011 PUBLISHED BY DMI Agency 801 W. Main St. Visalia, CA 93291 BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Malkasian Accountancy LLP Gary Malkasian CPA JEFFREY Malkasian EA Bookkeeper Marilyn Harris Office Administrator Maria Gaston EDITORIAL Executive Editor Karen Tellalian Assistant Editor TAYLOR VAUGHN Content Editor Katie Desrochers Copy Editor DARA FISK-EKANGER Calendar Katie Desrochers CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aaron Collins Diane Slocum Carole firstman irene morse bruce Northam MARSHA PELTZER Randy Tellalian ART & PRODUCTION Creative Director DAVID JONES Senior Graphic Designer Kurt Baker ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Bridget Elmore

RACK LOCATIONS

Borders Books Music & Cafè DMI Agency Evolutions Fitness Center, Tulare Party City Tazzaria Coffee & Tea The Lifestyle Center Visalia Chamber of Commerce Visalia Coffee Company Visalia Convention Center COUNTERTOP LOCATIONS

210 Cafe Advanced Laser Clinics Bravo Farms Cheese Factory Creekside Day Spa & Wellness Center Exeter Chamber of Commerce Exeter Golf Course Holiday Inn Kaweah Delta Hospital Red Carpet Car Wash Sequoia Laser Aesthetics Smiles by Sullivan Tiffany’s Luxury Medispa Tulare Chamber of Commerce Tulare County Library V Medical Spa Velvet Sky Visalia Community Bank-Downtown Visalia Eye Center Visalia Imaging & Open MRI Visalia Marriott Visalia Medical Clinic Wildflower Cafe-Exeter Dr. Keith Williams Williams, Jordan, Brodersen & Pritchett, Attorneys at Law Windows Plus, Inc.

DARLENE MAYFIELD 559.739.1747 SALES OFFICE 801 W. Main St. Visalia, CA 93291 559.739.1747 • Fax 559.738.0909 E-mail: lifestyle@dmiagency.com See us online at VisaliaLifestyle.com

Facebook.com/LifestyleMag Visalia Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and is distributed via direct mail to nearly 13,000 homes in the upper-middle and high-income neighborhoods in Visalia and Exeter. An additional 2,000 copies are distributed at various distribution points around both communities. Views expressed in columns are those of the columnist and not necessarily those of Direct Media, Inc. or its advertisers.

Circulation of this issue: 15,000 © 2011 DMI Agency

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LEFT: A pot rack provides a visual centerpiece for the Shows home, as well as increased ease of use.

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LIFEST YLE | OC TOBER 2010

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EDITOR NOTE

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Photo by Becca Chavez | Hair and Make-up provided by Velvet Sky

kay, I admit it. It’s almost difficult to type out the words, but there just might be something learned from the sport of football. Not really a huge fan (now baseball, that’s another story) but afflicted with this year’s version of an annual respiratory ailment, I found myself tuned into a game. It was a close one – the lead changing twice in the last three minutes (which to the non-fan seems like hours) with the final go-ahead score coming in the last few seconds of play.

As I watched the quarterback, players and coaches shake hands and offer congratulatory remarks, it struck me that just days before, the winning coach had singled out the opposing quarterback, publicly stating there was no one in the world he wanted to defeat more. He seemed to have made it personal.

Just seconds before the end of the game it felt as though his goal would not be reached; but in the end, his team emerged victorious.

Was it personal? We don’t really know how the coach feels about the opposing players, but what we do know is that he had a healthy amount of respect for his competition, and what it would take on his part to win.

Immediately following the game, the television cameras focused on the coach hugging that very same quarterback whom he had set out to defeat, congratulating him on a great effort. The spirit of the coach had not been to put the quarterback out of the game permanently, but to outplay him during one contest. Such a subtle difference sometimes gets lost in our competitive daily lives.

Recent times have seen an increase in the attitude that not only is the business owner going to win, but that they must also see that the competition is “put out of business.” In sports, a lost game or a losing season does not mean that the team is out of business, rather, that over a period of so many games, you win some and you lose some.

The measurement of a successful business is not always in “defeating” the competition. A truly “winning” business is achieving the goals of its owners.

Yet, how often do we set the goal and then surrender our best-laid plans in the face of tough circumstances? In any competitive arena, there is only one #1, but all other teams or businesses can still consider themselves successful overall.

What a lesson that is for the small business owner – the importance of setting a goal and accepting nothing less than a win. The new year is the perfect time to revisit business goals and to look at challenges with the attitude of a winning coach ... accept nothing less. May 2011 be a great year for all of our readers, advertisers and supporters.

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Karen Tellalian, EXECUTIVE EDITOR For more information or to submit a story idea email Karen@dmiagency.com or call (559) 739-1747 or fax (559) 738-0909.

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B BUSINESS CENTS

The Not-So-Sacred

Mortgage Interest

Deduction O

n the federal legislative agenda for 2011 is a proposal to either eliminate or reduce the amount of mortgage interest that can be deducted on an individual’s federal tax return.

Of course, the real estate and homebuilding communities will be leading the charge against the proposed reductions of any amount, and as a Realtor, I would also be against any legislation that hampers our ability to build, buy or sell, and finance real estate of any kind. Unfortunately, the reality of a massive federal budget deficit has created new targets of revenue to turn the tide of continuing deficits. There seems to be no entity that can escape the crosshairs of Washington. The proposed changes would result in an increase in federal income tax revenue, no matter how they wrap it.

What would the reality be as determined by Washington, and what would the result be as determined by the markets? After all the posturing and debates, the actual economic shifts would probably result in little change other than perhaps the real estate recovery could happen in a shorter amount of time – fueled by real estate investors given a short window of opportunity to capitalize on ownership, driving up rents and the values of rental properties, before taking their gains and moving on to the next opportunity.

Start with the breakpoint of itemizing deductions versus taking the standard deduction, which varies for family size.

A family who can now afford to purchase a house for around $150,000 would be at the threshold of breakeven using the standard (versus itemized) deductions on their tax returns. So, for every lower-income family that purchases a house that is less than $150,000, chances are they are not using the mortgage interest deduction that would be itemized. For this group of homeowners, the economic benefit of owning is reduced to the control of their monthly housing expense: rents can be raised but mortgage payments of principal and interest stay constant, and homeowners have the possibility of equity build-up through appreciation of home values. This, of course, is offset by the unknown expenses such as busted water pipes, a leaky roof, etc., that most homeowners have experienced in their lifetimes. In short, even now, fewer households can take advantage of this tax break.

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Text Randy Tell alian

For those in higher income brackets that use the mortgage interest deductions, the legislation is leaning toward limiting the amount deductible to $500,000 in loans, versus the current $1 million limit. There would also be some offsets, such as a lower tax bracket; but this most likely is current on the table only as a negotiating point that will probably fall away. The higher the tax bracket, presumably the higher one’s mortgage interest would be; this is the group that does in fact take advantage of the mortgage interest deduction.

At the very first look, one should see clearly that every family or household must have a roof over its head. A recently married couple, a recent college or high school graduate that moves out of the parents’ house, or a newly created family all have one thing in common: they all need a place to live.

The second look is at who will own the unit. There are only two possibilities: the owner-occupied housing or the non-owneroccupied housing. Supposing that Washington succeeds in taking away the mortgage interest deduction for homeowners, fewer families would be inclined to purchase houses. But taking that demand out of the real estate market would only create an increased incentive for investors to enter the market (or increase their position). A short-term dip in values, as demand leaves, would be offset by the investor who would then be clamoring for an increased portion of the pie before the point of equilibrium is back closer to balance.

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B BUSINESS CENTS

As the investors increase their share of housing units, the rental rates would be pressured to rise as the demand for rental units would increase. (If one doesn’t purchase, then they would need to rent, so the shift of demand moves from owner-occupied to rental units). The disparity of demand across the value spectrum is a completely different analysis; size and quality of construction from the smallest to the largest house requires a much more indepth analysis.

The next phase of the cycle would see values rise as the rental income rises. This would then re-create the demand of families/ individuals for homeownership as the point of equilibrium determined by monthly housing costs (rent versus principal and interest payments) shifts to bring back the home owners from the rental units. Higher rental income results in a higher value for that property since the rate of return is the primary function.

For the real estate community, professionals and investors, this means a shift in the business model as more real estate agents and lenders would be working with investors versus the more typical family looking for a place to live. A short-term complication is the limitation for investor financing that comes with less favorable terms due to the added risk of a non-owner occupied property.

It is doubtful that Washington will be able to legislate itself out of the housing and mortgage doldrums, and yet this is the very sector of the economy that is weighing down the recovery.

It is not Washington alone but also the financial institutions that determine the ease of access to funds as determined by the inherent risk factors of lending in the current economic environment. With financing tight, no change in the tax laws will serve to stimulate the market. It will only create a short-term, partial solution to the longer-term problem: helping financial markets regain confidence in the housing sector.

Markets always (yes, always) regain balance, but it is the method and path of regaining that balance that makes any investment risky; whether it’s the owneroccupied housing market or the residential real estate investor market. If the sights are set on the trigger to change (elimination or reduction of the mortgage interest deduction) then the sight must look also at where the new path will lead us. In this

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case, it’s possible to see the full circle of supply and demand of housing looking similar to the past but with different and newer incentives for home ownership.

A certain number of roofs will always be needed to cover a certain number of heads; that is one certainty that Washington can’t change. That is also the certainty from which the real estate community, professionals and homeowners alike, can take some comfort: that the value of our home ownership will always be upheld by the need and demand for a roof over our heads.

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WORD PLAY

NEWS ON WRITING, BOOKS AND THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING Text by Diane Slocum

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anuary is a time of new beginnings. A new beginning for Karl Marlantes came last year with the publication of his debut novel, Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War. Editors at Amazon recently chose his book as the top debut novel of the year. It ranked number three on their list of all 2010 books, following The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Crown, February 2010) by Rebecca Skloot and Faithful Place (Viking Adult, July 2010)

by Tanya French. Though becoming a published novelist is a new adventure for Marlantes, his story was 30 years in the making. A decorated Vietnam veteran himself, Marlantes tells the story of a young, green second lieutenant who is sent into the war as commander for Bravo One platoon. His company is charged with the task of taking, relinquishing and retaking a hill nicknamed Matterhorn. The reader is immersed in the futility and capriciousness of their battles, the toll on the young soldiers and the miserable existence of living with mud and leeches, plus the ever-present threat of death.

Old Poetry

Poetry written in decades or centuries past can still inspire us today and bring us insights into deep thoughts. For easy access to old favorites, look up http://oldpoetry.com. One example is Henry W. Longfellow’s “A Psalm of Life” which includes the verse: Life is real! Life is earnest!

And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art, to dust returnest, Was not spoken of the soul.

The most popular American poet on the Web site is Langston Hughes (1902-1967). His poems favored by participants in the site are “Fire-caught,” “Ardella,” and “Sylvester’s Dying Bed.” His poems tend to be short, often under 20 lines. “Ennui” has only seven words.

Classes

Check out WritersEducation.com at http://authorlink.org for classes designed to help writers become published authors. Valley writer Bonnie Hearn Hill taught one recent live webinar on Writing the Standout Book Proposal. Hearn Hill covered subjects such as what makes your topic hot, one size bores all, the tease sheet, and polishing your gem. Hearn Hill also has an audio lecture on Advanced Tips for Fiction Writing available on Authorlink. She stresses 10 tips that include items such as how to avoid low concept stories and characters, how to create scene goals and test the psychic distance between the story and the reader.

Great Valley Books

2020: Visions for the Central Valley (Heyday Books, April 2010), edited by Amy Moffat, reports on a Modesto conference looking into ways to create a livable and abundant future for this Valley.

Reports include sustainable development, transportation, agriculture, urbanization and health care.

Workin’ Man Blues: Country Music in California by Gerald W. Haslam (Heyday Books, 2005) explores California’s role in nurturing country music. While he’s at it, Haslam delves into the lives of the working-class migrants who helped produce and popularize the music.

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Conferences

The Big Sur Writing Workshops for Children’s Books from Picture Books to Young Adult Fiction will be held March 4 – 6 at the Embassy Suites in Seaside. Faculty includes editors Deb Noyes Wayshak of Candlewick Press, Mary Colgan of Chronicle Books; authors Kristen Tracy (Lost It) and Eric Elfman (Almanac of Alien Encounters); agents Andrea Brown, Laura Rennert and Caryn Wiseman. Price for the entire package, including meals and lodging, is $720.

Details at www.henrymiller.org/AFW3.html#faculty.

Contests

The Glimmer Train Short Story Award for New Writers will accept entries during the month of February. The contest is also open for entries during the months of May, August and November. Entries must be no more than 12,000 words. Entry fee is $15 with prizes of $1,200, $500 and $300. The publication awarded Lydia Fitzpatrick the first prize in its Fiction Open contest for her story “In a Library, in Saltillo.”

The Ahsahta Press of Boise State University is seeking submissions for its Sawtooth Poetry Prize. The contest is for a book of original poems in English by a single author. Length is 48 to 100 pages. Reading fee is $25. Deadline is March 1. The final judge is Paul Hoover, author of 13 poetry collections and winner of a Carl Sandburg award. Details at http://ahsahtapress.boisestate.edu/contest.htm.

Publishing

Pulitzer Prize nominees in most categories may now use any format including texting, videos, databases, multimedia or interactive presentations.

McClatchy CEO Gary Pruitt said that reports of the demise of classified advertising have been exaggerated. In fact, he says the wantads are recovering from the slump faster than other forms of advertising.

Roadtrip is a magazine made for viewing in electronic tablet format.

Bonnier is creating this original publication as more than just another version of an existing product. News Corp.’s The Daily is a tablet newspaper.

The Last Word

“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”—Benjamin Franklin

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LIFESTYLE | O J ACNT U OA B RE Y R 2011 0

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L LOCAL ADVENTURE

Yosemite’s

Full Moon Snowshoe Walk

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very winter, the breathtaking vistas of the world-renowned Yosemite National Park are wrapped in a blanket of silent white. Although the park’s busiest season is during the mild summer, winter is perhaps the most exciting time to visit this area; when the unapologetic peaks and deep pine forests are thrown into sharp and beautiful contrast against the stark expanses of newly fallen snow. And there is no better way to view this exquisite scene than by the light of a crisp, moonlit evening: the still darkness of a winter’s night provides the perfect backdrop against which to watch the moon ascend through the spires of forest silhouettes to the twinkling stars overhead. On Yosemite’s guided Full Moon Snowshoe Walks, participants wend their way on a two-hour tour through the forest to a ridge where they can see the moon rise over a multitude of peaks in a scene that would render Ansel Adams himself speechless.

The walks start out from the Badger Pass Day Lodge, where the group of snowshoers (usually consisting of about 40 individuals) convene with an experienced guide for their magical outing. The Full Moon Snowshoe Walks are generally offered on the four days preceding each full moon as well as on the night of the full moon itself.

No experience is necessary to participate, but due to the moderately strenuous exercise and nighttime setting of this tour, the Full Moon Snowshoe Walk is not recommended for children under the age of 10.

As the group treks over the silent slopes, interesting points of lunar folklore are enumerated by the guide, along with facts about the winter habits and survival of area plants and animals.

Due to the relative rarity of a full moon and the possibility of uncooperative winter weather, interested parties only have a few chances a year to join in on a Full Moon Snowshoe Walk. Signing up for the walk in advance is required. Parties who have signed up for a snowshoe walk are encouraged to monitor the weather conditions leading up to their outing, and to check the Badger Pass Snow Phone at (209) 372-1000 ext. 5, two hours before the scheduled start time if the weather looks inclement.

For more information visit www.YosemitePark.com/Activities_ EveningPrograms_FullMoonSnowshoeWalks.aspx

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C CHARITY

A

ROYAL

TRADITION

The 30th Annual Christmas Tree Auction Text by Carole Firstman | Photos by Studio 317

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radition. Community. Giving. The holiday spirit was alive and well on December 3 as the Christmas wishes of 30 local charities and nonprofit organizations were granted this year at the Visalia Chamber of Commerce 30th Annual Christmas Tree Auction. Nearly $300,000 was raised at this year’s event, held at the Visalia Convention Center.

The halls were decked in purple and gold in keeping with this year’s gala theme, A Royal Christmas. Although the gala embodies fabulous entertainment and the finest of food and wine, it is really about giving back to the community. For three decades now, this event has enabled countless charities to provide services to individuals in need and impact lives in positive ways. For many organizations, this event is the primary fundraiser on which they rely to keep their operations running.

To date, in excess of four million dollars have been raised.

Profits from this year’s event were down a bit from previous years, but Visalians proved themselves to be generous nonetheless. “Considering the current economy, we are pleased with the results for the charities,” said Chamber Vice President of Operations Sue Summers.

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C CHARITY

In keeping with the annual tradition, the night included a live auction of big trees, a silent auction of small trees, and a silent auction of a wide variety of art, jewelry, gift baskets, vacations and other items. Visalia Rescue Mission had the highest-selling live auction tree, which was sold for $51,500. The highest-selling silent auction item went for $1,100 to benefit Assistance Service Dog Educational Center, and the most profitable silent tree brought in $1,700 for the Mt. Whitney High School Band/Color Guard.

Despite the grand profits garnered on behalf of the local non-profits during the auction, taking part in this event is anything but easy for the recipient organizations. It takes months of planning for the organizations to prepare, and there’s more involved than hanging a few ornaments. Early each year, organizations must apply through the Chamber for a coveted slot in the auction line-up. Many groups then form two working committees, one to decorate and one to raise money.

Most organizations recruit a tree sponsor to cover the costs of decorating the tree, and there is usually a team of volunteers charged with meticulous decorating details.

Planning the event itself entails much labor, too. For more than 20 years now, committee chair Barbara Mayeda has donated countless hours, creativity and finances to make the event successful. In a recent Chamber newsletter Mayeda said of her role, “It’s like having Christmas all year long – the planning, tree decorations (that inevitably end up in my house), and the different groups I talk to about decorating and fundraising all bring a warm feeling to my heart. We’re blessed to have such a fine event in our community that gives back to those non-profits that provide much-needed services in the local area all year long.”

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For three decades now the annual Christmas Tree Auction has managed to make an impact on the community. When times are tight we all search a little harder for gifts that communicate meaning, rather than settling for the extravagant gadget or trinket. This holiday season, giving back to the community was more important than ever. The hours volunteered, the dollars contributed, and the spirit of the celebration demonstrated the community’s ability to come together and overcome.

“We continue to be gratified and amazed at the outpouring of generosity,” explained Chamber President/CEO Glenn Morris.

“The community should be proud to have sustained such a high degree of financial support for this event over the last 30 years.”

BOTTOM LEFT: Chamber President Glenn Morris auctions off a ring donated by Michael’s Custom Jewelry in Visalia.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Cheryl Levitan, Gary Amon, Donna Amon, Dru Quesnoy & Gene Quesnoy.

LIFESTYLE | DECEMBER 2010

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H HOME TOUR

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HOME TOUR H

ON THE LINKS

THE SHOWS HOME:

GOOD LIFE

(with a View, of Course)

Text By Aaron Collins Photos by Brian Brumley of Generations Photography Studio

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H HOME TOUR

A

re blind dates the worst idea ever? Maybe not. Ask Stan and Lesa Shows.

When Stan’s best friend fixed them up for a blind date nearly 24 years ago, who could have imagined them in 2011, living happily in the second home built by the couple. Considering the inauspiciousness of most blind dates, the future would have looked unexpectedly bright, indeed.

“I was 22 years old,” Lesa said of the year she met Stan, a stat that makes an unlikely story even less likely. “But it worked! We were married two years later. And it’s still working.” She said that Stan brings her coffee in bed every morning. It’s the little things, people say.

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ON THE SPREAD: The Kings River Country Club-area home of Stan and Lesa Shows was designed with large open spaces for casual entertaining, which the homeowners envisioned as “the hang out” for their kids.

ABOVE: A formal dining area reflects the Shows’ more traditional side, and offers excellent views of the adjacent Kings River Country Club.

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H HOME TOUR

ABOVE: The living area of the Stan and Lesa Shows home.

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Apparently a helpful guy, he also gives rides to their cat, Jack in the Box, who is known to pounce in their golf cart for short hops along the fairways at Kings River Golf & Country Club near Kingsburg. The couple completed their home there in 2004 – a year that Lesa remembers as a whirlwind.

“It was a crazy year! As usual, construction took longer than expected. We were living in Visalia but we had started the boys in Kingsburg schools. I drove them to school in Kingsburg every morning then drove back to pick them up,” she recalled.

It was also the same year that the couple opened up Advanced Laser Clinic of Visalia. “I was also Harvest Moon Ball chairperson for the Boys and Girls Club. We moved in the same day as the ball. We were exhausted,” Lesa remembered.

The house was designed to maximize views of the adjacent fairway. The golf links offer a beautiful and serene setting but also a constant lure that tempts Stan, a real estate appraiser with a home-based business, to knock off work and hit the course.

“The main thing I wanted was to be able to take advantage of the incredible view of the golf course. We have seven rooms with a direct view of it,” Stan said.

One of his favorite spaces is his small hobby shop. “I can go out and make all the sawdust I want. It’s great,” he continued.

“My wife had total control of most all design and decorating [on] the inside and I took care of the outside. I designed the pool and most of the rear yard,” with help from a landscaper.

His real estate background came in handy for that planning process. “Stan has been a real estate appraiser for 38 years, so he has been in hundreds, maybe thousands, of homes. He has great taste and had lots of input,” Lesa said, adding that she, too, had a hand in the design process. “I cut hundreds of pictures out of decorating magazines and put them in folders.When we would meet with our builder, John Hover, I would pull out my pictures and he would say, ‘Oh great; another picture!’”

The result was what Lesa calls a classic Ranch house, but with Tuscan overtones that have come to define most contemporary residential buildings in the San Joaquin Valley. “When Stan and I were dating and first married, we loved going to the Apple Farm in San Luis Obispo. We loved the Victorian style so we built a beautiful Victorian Home in Stonebridge in Visalia. We thought that would be our home until our kids moved us in with them,” Lesa joked. “But we tired of the Victorian style so we decided that our next home would be a classic style.”

H HOME TOUR

Moreover, and more than any style, Lesa, a native of Madera, characterizes the home as, “Just an all-American house with an American flag flown proudly that hosts lots of barbecues with family and friends.”

Casual atmosphere was one goal for the project, said Lesa. “I love my house and just want it to feel like home to people who enter. I wanted it to be the home where my kids would bring their friends.”

The informality is expressed in the layout, too. “Our house is big, but it does not have a lot of rooms. We have an open floor plan. This gives it a very comfortable feeling. I love my open kitchen. We have a wrap-around bar with seven barstools so I can cook and company can sit around the bar and talk to me. This is definitely a ‘get together’ house … very comfortable,” Lesa said.

The home’s setting is perhaps the major draw. “We have the best of both worlds. We live in the country but have neighbors, too. So we can still borrow a cup of sugar if we need it. We just drive over in the golf cart to get it,” Lesa said.

TOP: The master bedroom, like most of the major rooms at the Shows home, was designed to maximize views of the adjacent Kings River Country Club.

ABOVE RIGHT: Stan and Lesa Shows go for a spin in the golf cart along with their Yorkie. Their cat, too, is known to hitch rides on occasion, according to Stan.

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w w w . V i LsI a F E lSiTa Y LH Eo | Jm A NeUS Ah R Yo2w 0 1s1 . c 29o m

H HOME TOUR

The country part of that took some adjustment after living in Visalia for many years. “I am pretty used to living in the country now. It’s beautiful. You can see the stars at night, hear the frogs and crickets.” She does not, however, like the coyotes; and contrary to belief, tomato juice does not work well to rid skunk smell, as she discovered following a tangle with the Shows’ little Yorkie. Such is the rural life.

“Stan has always wanted to live in the country, but me?

Not so much,” Lesa said. “One Mother’s Day, we were at my sister’s house in the country in Selma, when Stan said to me, “It’s so peaceful here. It’s like nobody even knows we are here.” I responded by saying ‘No, I can’t do this.’

“By the time we arrived back at our home in Visalia, my sis called and asked, ‘OK, if you can’t do 20 acres in the country in Selma how about two acres in Kingsburg on the golf course?’ The next day Stan and I went and looked at the property and by the end of that week we owned it. That was before the prices went crazy.” It took one year to prep the site with 500 truckloads of dirt to build up the pad, followed by compaction tests and other technical details related to building near a river.

Another feature of the home, making it well suited to sunny Central California, is covered patios at all four elevations. “All bedrooms have their own private bath and patio. We were not sure about having doors to the outside from the boys’ bedrooms, but it worked out okay,” Lesa said. “They didn’t get caught anyway.”

The boys’ rooms also have lofts to give them more usable space. Eldest daughter Danee lives in Manhattan where she works for an international banking firm, but the couple made a room for her nonetheless. Son Skyler is in college in Orange County studying film production and theater, while youngest child Geoffrey serves in the Marines in San Diego. Naming Skyler was an honor given to the friend, Alan Johnson, who sent the Shows on that fateful blind date.

“We love to sit outside by the fireplace. Sometimes I come home from a hard day at the office and he has a candlelit dinner ready out there,” Lesa said of Stan’s domestic skills.

So at least there’s one blind date that worked out pretty well for everybody.

RIGHT: A current trend in home design is this indoor/outdoor room, perfect for casual entertaining and socializing with the neighbors and fellow avid golfers who happen along the Kings River Country Club course just beyond.

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Piedmo C CULINARY ARTS

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ontese CULINARY ARTS C

BEEF

Recipes by Chef Tony Garcia of Visalia Country Club

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iedmontese is a long-established breed of Italian cattle from the Piemonte region just south of the Alps. The Piedmontese are the result of a natural cross-breeding 25,000 years ago between the aurochs (native European cattle) and Zebu cattle migrating from Pakistan. The natural barrier of the Alps prevented further Zebu migration, and thousands of years of crossbreeding eventually resulted in the Piedmontese cattle.

In the late 1800s, a variation of this breed developed a condition known as double muscling. Recognizing the enormous potential of this development, the Italian breeders both selected for this trait and were able to breed out the detrimental aspects associated with the double-muscling variation. As a result, today’s Piedmontese beef has an incredible combination of excellent flavor, good tenderness and juiciness, very low levels of fat, and incredibly, less cholesterol than either chicken or turkey! While the meat can be difficult to find locally, supplies can often be secured from distributors in larger cities such as Los Angeles.

A variety of US-grown Piedmontese certified as “Montana Ranch Brand” is used, though these cattle are not necessarily raised only in Montana. But regardless of the source – and in addition to the natural health benefits of typical Piedmontese – the Montana Ranch Brand assures beef with absolutely no use of antibiotics or added growth hormones and steroids, guaranteed to be raised with only vegetarian feed, and sourced to working family ranches for transparent traceability.

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C CULINARY ARTS

After bringing your chosen two-pound Porterhouse to room temperature and giving it a light dry-rub coating of sea salt and freshly crushed peppercorns, you are ready to cook it to a perfect medium-rare. Like most tender cuts of meat, the Porterhouse will benefit from bringing it to room temperature before cooking. This will both reduce the cooking time and permit maximum flavors to develop from the grilling. (Exercise caution in defrosting your meat and in bringing refrigerated meat to room temperature – you need to ensure that the meat does not spend more than about 1/2 hour in the “danger” zone of between 40º and 140º Fahrenheit for reasons of food safety.)

Complement the flavor of your Porterhouse steak with a bowl of savory wild mushroom soup and a delicious corn pudding flavored with poblano and jalapeño chilies. The sweetness of the corn marries especially well with the tang of the chilies in the custard.

And for dessert, cleanse your palette with a fresh lemon tart.

Corn Pudding Serves four Ingredients: 1 poblano chile, medium 1 jalapeño chile 1 oz corn kernels 1/2 C cream 1/4 C milk 2 eggs 2 oz queso fresco 2 T extra virgin olive oil salt and pepper to taste Preparation - Peppers

Preheat oven to 350˚. Place both peppers on sheet pan. Brush with 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil. Place in 350° oven for approximately 10 minutes; turn them over and continue roasting for another 10 minutes. When skin is dark, peppers are ready. Remove from oven, place in small bowl, and cover tightly with plastic wrap till cool. Remove from bowl. Remove skin and seeds. Dice peppers and reserve.

Preparation - Corn Pudding

Heat small sauté pan to moderate temperature and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place diced peppers in hot pan, add corn and lightly sauté; set aside. In small bowl, whisk eggs. Add cream, milk, salt and pepper, and mix together. Divide corn and pepper mix into 4 portions; place into bottom of four 4-oz oven-safe ramekins. Add cream and egg mixture to ramekins; fill to top. Place into water bath and cover with foil; then place into 350° oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle 1/2 oz queso fresco on each ramekin and serve hot.

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C CULINARY ARTS

Lemon Tart Serves four Ingredients: 4 3” x 3” puff pastry sheets plus butter Lemon Sabayon filling 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 1/2 C sugar 1/4 C freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 oz butter, softened Preparation: Pre-heat oven to 325˚F. Drape individual puff pastry sheets over separate 1” oven-proof ramekins. Brush with butter and bake in oven 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Preparation - Lemon Sabayon filling Fill small pan with 1” of water, bring to slow boil. In small bowl (preferably stainless) that will fit snugly over pan, mix eggs and sugar.

Place bowl over pan of water (make sure that bowl does not touch water!) and begin slowly whisking. Eggs will begin to foam on the edges after about three minutes. Add 1/2 portion of lemon juice and continue whisking until mixture thickens (about another three minutes). Add remainder of lemon juice and continue to whip until mixture has thickened again (about another three minutes). Turn off flame and slowly add butter while whisking without removing from pan. When butter is mixed in, remove from heat and let cool for 15 minutes at room temperature. Be careful to whisk the sabayon continually until it sets – without the continual whisking the eggs will cook and ruin the sabayon. Pour sabayon into pastry shells and garnish with candied lemon zest.

Wild Mushrooom Soup Serves four Ingredients: 4 T butter 7 oz crimini mushrooms, chopped 1 1/2 T fresh thyme 7 oz oyster mushrooms, chopped 2 1/2 T flour 7 oz shitaake mushrooms, chopped 4 C beef broth 7 oz portabellos, chopped salt and white pepper to taste Preparation: Remove thyme from stem. Sauté mushrooms and thyme in butter until tender. Add butter to pan and continue sautéing till flour turns light brown color. Add beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until it reaches desired consistency.

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S SPECIAL EVENT

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SPECIAL EVENT S

THREE CUPS OF TEA

An Evening with Greg Mortenson Text by Irene Morse

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PREVIOUS PAGE: Humanitarian Greg Mortenson makes a difference around the globe with inspiration, kindness and education for all.

reg Mortenson is a mountain of a man – in every sense of the word. An average sized woman, I found the top of my head barely clearing an area somewhere south of his shoulder. When he reached to shake my hand, as he does that of everyone whose path he crosses, mine quickly disappeared into his bear-paw-sized and surprisingly supple one. He looked directly into my eyes and softly asked my name. I felt not so much greeted as enveloped.

Mortenson is the author of the book Three Cups of Tea. In the book, he chronicles his near-death experience trying to climb the treacherous mountain K-2. Lost and physically spent, Mortenson was trying to retrace his steps back down the mountain when he stumbled upon the small village of Korphe in Pakistan. The people of the village, living barely subsistence lives themselves, gave him the spot of honor beside the open hearth, food and healing tea.

Mortenson was not only physically sick but his soul was troubled as well. He had planned to climb K-2 as an homage to his sister who had died recently, and he had failed to summit the mountain. As he slowly regained his health, he came to realize that failure sometimes brings the greatest awareness, and he often quotes the Persian Proverb, “When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”

Many recuperative hours were spent with the village elder, Haji Ali, speaking in a combination of languages and gestures.

Haji Ali told Mortenson that the tea he was given was not only nurturing but symbolic as well, “Here we drink three cups of tea to do business; the first you are a stranger, the second you become a friend, and the third, you join our family, and for our family we are prepared to do anything – even die.”

As he regained his strength, Mortenson, a trauma nurse by profession, began to help heal the sick villagers. He also began to realize how near death he had been and how desperate the circumstances of the villagers were. He wondered how he would ever discharge the debt he owed these generous people. One day, while discussing how he could repay them, Haji Ali admonished Mortenson to, “Listen to the wind.”

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S SPECIAL EVENT

With eyes closed, he listened and heard the voices of the children, carried upon the wind, reciting their lessons. Although the village could only afford to pay a teacher to come three days a week, the children studied their lessons every day, sitting outside on the frosty ground. Mortenson put his hands on Haji Ali’s shoulders and spoke the words that would forever change his life, “I’m going to build you a school.”

In Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson recounts the years and Herculean effort it took to keep that promise. His second book, Stones Into Schools, begins where the previous one ended in 2003, and further describes projects in both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

From that fateful day in September 1993 until now, Mortenson has built more than 145 schools, most of them for girls. He has also built vocational centers, water projects, training programs for teachers, midwives and others; filled school libraries and furnished his new school grounds with play equipment. He has learned how to accomplish all this even in Taliban-controlled regions.

A 501(c)(3) organization, Central Asia Institute or CAI, was formed to accept donations to assist Mortenson in his mission of “Promoting peace with books, not bombs.” The CAI operates as the administrative center for Mortenson’s work. While he makes personal appearances around the world on behalf of the projects, Mortenson’s indefatigable manager, Sarfraz Khan, travels the remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan leading armies of villagers in building schools and educating girls – and boys.

Greg Mortenson was in Visalia as the guest presenter for the 2010 HEART Encore Event. These annual events help fund Pro-Youth/HEART’s after-school programs which provide a safe, enriching environment for the children of the community.

At the urging of Mortenson’s own children, a Pennies for Peace program was founded; a single US penny can buy a pencil for a child in Pakistan. CAI does no marketing for this program; it is all “kid-driven.” Children love to help and most are delighted to learn that even their small contributions are so valuable for less fortunate children in far-away lands.

On the run-up to Mortenson’s appearance in Visalia, more than 40 schools and 25 area businesses participated in the Pennies for Peace program. The local Read for Life chapter organized the campaign along with Pro-Youth/HEART. The program raised nearly $7,000 to split equally between CAI and our Read for Life chapter.

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Mortenson loves to sit and talk with children. In spite of his size, or maybe because of it, they seem drawn to him; he listens carefully when they speak. He often asks groups of children how many of them have interacted with their elders, their parents or grandparents, for at least ten hours in a week. Not surprisingly, American children rarely have consequential conversations with their parents or grandparents, but the children of Pakistan and Afghanistan do so nearly every day.

Mortenson believes that it is a national tragedy that American children do not have a tradition of consistent communication with their elders. He believes children can learn how best to “be” in the world from their parents and grandparents. He states, “There’s nothing we face today that our elders haven’t overcome.”

Mortenson has an impressive list of awards and honors given in tribute to his work. Among them is the Sitara-i-Pakistan, the Star of Pakistan. The Star is the highest civilian award in Pakistan and has been given to only three foreigners.

In addition, his work has won prizes here in the U.S. and praise from such national leaders as President Bill Clinton and First Lady Laura Bush. The Pentagon has made Three Cups of Tea mandatory reading for all senior officers and Special Forces in Afghanistan.

Mortenson and his Afghan and Pakistan staff hold regular strategic meetings with General Petraeus and other high-ranking military personnel in the region.

The sub-title of Mortenson’s book is, “One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace …One School at a Time.” Pro-Youth/HEART is going to have a very difficult time finding another guest presenter for their annual Encore Event who more perfectly epitomizes the value of every child and the importance of education.

TOP LEFT: Soren Grinsfelder (at Mortenson’s left), an elementary student from Eleanor Roosevelt Charter School in Visalia, was motivated to help children across the world get an education; Soren and his classmates presented Mortenson with a $211.78 check for his “Pennies for Peace” service-learning program.

TOP RIGHT: Pro-Youth/HEART presents Mortenson with a $3,750 check for his Central Asia Institute, signed: “Love from Tulare County.”

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A ARTIST PROFILE

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ARTIST PROFILE A

T Michael Vagnino:

FORGING AHEAD LEFT & BELOW: Michael Vagnino working in his shop forging his latest blade.

here is a whiff of the medieval surrounding the art of forging.

Something about the idea of metalworking calls to mind the image of a soot-streaked blacksmith silhouetted against an open flame, wielding an enormous hammer over the molten metals of his trade. But although Michael Vagnino’s workshop abounds with a litany of oldschool tools and implements, they share space with the machines of precision that number among the tools of metal smiths today.

The craft of forging blades is one of the oldest known metalworking techniques. Dating back centuries, forging traditionally required the use of a hammer and anvil. These time-honored implements are still used today, alongside a veritable army of additional forging machines: power hammers that exert up to 350 pounds of force with each blow; hydraulic presses that can flatten a bundle of steel down to the thickness of a fingernail; and cryogenic freezers that help treat the blades to perfection.

Surrounded by his tools – both old and new – Vagnino looks every inch the modern metal smith.

And he certainly has the chops to back it up. His passion is crafting knives that are as much works of breathtaking art as they are finely honed tools: truly the works of a master craftsman.

“I make all my own damascus,” explained Vagnino, “which is a much more complicated and time-consuming process than forging a traditional carbon steel blade.”

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He’s right about that.

Damascus steel is not a single type of metal, but rather an assortment of steels that are folded together, and then pressed and etched to expose the layers within the blade. Artisans like Vagnino are able to manipulate the folding and pressing of the steel layers in such a way that produces delicate patterns of feathered swirls; delightfully at odds with the straight simplicity of the blades they shape. But the blades of these knives aren’t their only exotic element; Vagnino crafts their handles and casings from a selection of materials that reads like an old world trader’s dream shopping list and includes fossilized walrus, mammoth and mastodon ivory, and fossilized whale bone.

“This stuff comes out of Alaska and Russia, and it’s extremely old. A lot of the materials come from repurposed artifacts,” said Vagnino, holding up a piece of a walrus-tusk sled-runner; carved and ancient and beautiful. “It’s not easy working with old things like this because they sometimes fall apart. And only bits of them are usable in the first place.”

However, Vagnino is well up to the task of coaxing beauty from stubborn materials. Bearing the title of “Master Smith” – the highest ranking offered by the American Bladesmith Society – he has learned his trade from the ground up, motivated by true inspiration for the craft. Early on in his bladesmith education, Vagnino attended a weekend course taught by a Master Smith named Tim Hancock.

“It was supposed to have been a four-day class, but on the beginning of the third day, I told Tim I had to go home,” recalled Vagnino. “He asked if there was something wrong, and I said, ‘No, you’ve given me more valuable information than I can possibly process.’

It was like somebody opened the gates, and it all just started flooding in.”

Inspired, and eager to learn all he could about forging and bladesmithing, Vagnino wasted no time in rising through the ranks of the American Bladesmith Society (ABS).

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“They have a program that you go through: you start out as an Apprentice, and then you can become a Journeyman Smith, and finally, a Master Smith” Vagnino said. “The shortest time in which you can achieve the rank of Master Smith is five years, which I did. I’m one of only 125 Master Smiths in the world.”

Any metal smith wishing to achieve a ranking with the American Bladesmith Society is obliged to undergo a gauntlet of tests to prove his abilities as a craftsman. Those trying to rise from Apprentice to Journeyman Smith must make five knives to present before a panel of seven Master Smith judges at the ABS’s annual show in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as craft a knife that can meet a series of stringent requirements.

“You have to show that your knife can cut a freehanging rope with one swing, cut through a two-byfour twice, and afterwards still be sharp enough to shave the hair from your arm,” said Vagnino. “Then you have to put the knife in a vice and show that it can bend 90 degrees without breaking.” He holds up a knife of his own, whose warped blade is clearly no stranger to the vice test.

Journeyman Smiths wishing to rise to the rank of Master Smith are subjected to the same battery of tests; although for Master Smith hopefuls, the blades judged are damascus, and the standards even stricter.

“Not everyone makes it,” Vagnino added, almost as an afterthought. And after making knives full-time for over 13 years, he should know. However, even with his esteemed rank of Master Smith, Michael Vagnino is still able to maintain a true artisan’s attitude of humility and grace.

“You can’t ever stop learning. I get in that rut just like everyone else, but no matter what, I know that every knife that I’ve ever made, ever sold, whether the person realizes it or not, they have a piece of me. And I guess that’s what I’m the most proud of.”

And as a master craftsman in a discipline that is almost as old as the concept of tools itself, Vagnino is a keeper of ancient knowledge who has quite a bit to be proud of indeed.

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Join us in celebrating the opening of our new branches at 3443 S. Mooney Boulevard in Visalia in the Sequoia Mall shopping center and 2005 E. Prosperity Avenue in Tulare at the corner of Mooney Boulevard.

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More Wines Like This Please Te x t by Ro b er t Whitl e y

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his week I recommend two wines that both thrilled me, and gave me pause. They are a Syrah and Merlot from Nickel & Nickel, the Napa Valley winery that is the epitome of impeccable winemaking.

Nickel & Nickel produces a number of vineyard-specific wines that illustrate the diversity and quality of terroir throughout Napa and Sonoma. The wines that got my attention were a Syrah from the Darien Vineyard in the Russian River Valley and a Merlot from the Suscol Ranch in the Jamieson Canyon district of the Napa Valley.

Merlot, as you may know, has been held in contempt ever since the movie “Sideways” cast a long shadow over the category with derisive comments from the star of the film. Syrah, rightly or wrongly, has never even had the cachet Merlot may have briefly enjoyed before it was so rudely dissed. Syrah has been touted as the next big thing in wine for nearly 20 years now, and we’re still waiting.

I bring this up because neither grape gets the respect it deserves from the American wine enthusiast, despite the fact that Merlot-based wines from the Right Bank of Bordeaux and Syrah from the northern Rhone region of southern France are widely recognized as some of the finest in the world.

I believe I know why, and Nickel & Nickel provides the most important clue. The Darien Syrah and the Suscol Merlot are as good as red wine gets in California. They are world-class wines that can hold their own, regardless of price or region of origin. If everyone in California made Syrah and Merlot at this level, there would be no lack of respect to discuss.

But everyone doesn’t.

Merlot suffered from its own popularity in the 1980s, when consumers fell in love with the wines of Duckhorn and Matanzas Creek. Vintners couldn’t plant Merlot fast enough to catch the new wave of enthusiasm for varietal Merlot. Prior to Duckhorn, Matanzas and a few others, Merlot had been used primarily for blending.

“Most of the Napa Valley is too warm for Merlot,” winemaker Cathy Corison said recently.

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Indeed, the best Merlot from Napa is grown in the cooler areas of the valley, such as Jamieson Canyon or Carneros. Too much Merlot ended up being planted in areas where it makes wine that isn’t very structured or interesting.

The same could be said of Syrah, although there is no doubt Syrah is more versatile than Merlot. Syrah suffers, I believe, from California’s Baskin-Robbins approach to wine. Too many wineries believe they must produce a little bit of everything, and Syrah goes in whether it’s suitable for the terroir or not. Then it’s treated like a Cabernet Sauvignon and made in a ponderous style that is anything but inviting.

The success of both grapes at Nickel & Nickel sends a message that should be loud and clear. When grown in the right place and handled intelligently and meticulously in the winery, California Syrah and Merlot can be as good as it gets.

To the California wine industry, I would simply say, more wines like this please!

BEST VALUE Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

Pine Ridge 2009 Chenin Blanc-Viognier, California ($14) – Let’s say you are in the market for a refreshing white wine to get you through the end of summer, and you’re in the mood for something different. It can’t be expensive because it’s going to be a quaffer for after work or while slaving over the outdoor BBQ grill. Oh, and it should be delicious. That just about describes the Chenin Viognier blend from Pine Ridge, which has long been among my favorite summer whites. The Napa Valley winery sources the Chenin from Clarksburg and the Viognier from Lodi. It shows lovely stone fruit aromas, a whiff of honey and all with a lively, juicy mouthfeel. And it’s below 12 percent alcohol. Rating: 88.

Seven Hills 2009 Riesling, Columbia Valley ($14) – This vintage of Seven Hills exhibits bright citrus nose, with mineral hints. On the palate it is crisp and fresh, with lively acidity and a honeysuckle note that carries through the finish. At 12 percent alcohol, it may be light in body but not in flavor. It’s off dry but beautifully balanced, with a clean finish. Rating: 88.

Chateau St. Jean 2009 Fume Blanc, Sonoma County ($13) – Looking for a pleasant quaffing white for summer, look no further. CSJ’s Fume is modestly priced at $13 and delivers lovely citrus and floral notes, with hints of pear and spice. It’s well balanced and comes in below 14 percent on the alcohol, making it especially suitable for those sizzling days and warm nights. And there’s enough substance to stand up to grilled fish and steamed clams and mussels. Rating: 87.

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TASTING NOTES Nickel & Nickel 2007 Darien Vineyard Syrah, Russian River Valley ($48) – The problem with Syrah in California is Syrah in California. There are plenty of good Syrahs, few great Syrahs. So Nickel & Nickel’s meaty, earthy Syrah from the Darien Vineyard in the Russian River Valley stands out from the crowd. It’s spicy, rich and smoky, with supple tannins and layered red and black fruits.

Though the alcohol is a bit high at 14.9 percent, the wine doesn’t come off hot. It’s well balanced and shows a sexy bit of minerality.

If you’re fond of the Syrahs of the northern Rhone, you will absolutely dig this classy, hedonistic Syrah from northern California. Rating: 96.

Nickel & Nickel 2007 Suscol Ranch Merlot, Napa Valley ($55) – There are a handful of California producers who consistently make exciting Merlot, and Nickel & Nickel is one of them. The secret is in the vineyard sources, for much of the Napa Valley is too warm for high class Merlot. Nickel & Nickel’s Suscol Ranch Merlot is grown in the cool southern end of the Napa Valley, an area known as Jamieson Canyon. The Jamieson Canyon is often blanketed with fog, and temps can be 10-12 degrees cooler than vineyards up in the valley. This vintage of Suscol offers ripe blackberry and plum fruit, a rich and juicy mid-palate, and a sexy, spicy finish. It’s a real crowd-pleaser that will make you forget everything you thought about California Merlot.

Rating: 95.

Ehlers Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, St. Helena ($28) – This is a Sauvignon style that goes against the grain in the Napa Valley, where the model is Bordeaux and the flavors tend to be riper. Ehlers Sauvignon is more Loire Valley than Bordeaux, exhibiting a lean structure, with firm acidity, bright citrus notes and a generous dose of minerality. Bring on the freshly shucked oysters! Rating: 90.

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Front L-to-R: Monica Peterson, Amy Gunn, Penney Sick, Jim Wohlford Back L-to-R: Sherri Rigney, David Sharp, Lupe Sanchez

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TRAVEL

Salt Lake City, UTAH Text by Bruce Northam

ABOVE: The white jagged teeth of the Wasatch mountains loom over Salt Lake City, Utah

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Addicted to Powder in Utah

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eny, meeny, miny, snow. When it comes to highaltitude recreating in Utah, the only bad choice is not making one.

Utahans calibrate snow in feet, not inches.

With 10 ski resorts within an hour of Salt Lake City, skiers can’t help but run across one even if they get lost.

Utah’s steep-and-deep myth has merit, but every resort can also accommodate skiing and boarding beginners. Here are three outstanding options to ride the heart of the Rocky Mountains blanketed by the greatest snow on Earth.

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T TRAVEL

Sundance Sundance is Robert Redford’s resort valley utopia and unofficial Wild West museum. The famous actor who won’t cave into a Hollywood-requisite facelift hasn’t let his ski resort suffer one, either. The Sundance arts campus and ski paradise inhabits a spectacular rock valley nook sprinkled with 92 woody cottages and 10 mountain rental homes. It has the feel of a national park but with attractions. The 440 skiable acres feel like 2,000, especially at night.

Redford initially bought two acres here in 1961 for $500 – he now owns 6,000 Wasatch Mountain Range acres, with only 500 of those acres developed. He continues to evolve the noble task of simultaneously promoting nature, sports and the arts.

The Tree Room restaurant and surrounding buildings double as American history archives with classic movie-shoot photos, Native American blankets and Kachina dolls on display. The waiters in The Tree Room wear B-52s-style cowboy shirts, which seem more suited to a San Francisco-themed nightclub, but everything else rings faithful to the mountain West.

The freestanding Owl Bar, once the original Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid hangout in Thermopolis, Wyo., has been transported here and remains an archetypal merriment den.

Perhaps most significant, Sundance pays recurring homage to the great American hearth. This place belongs in the Fireplace Hall of Fame.

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Ogden/Powder Mountain Ogden is a historic railway town that’s no stranger to sinful entertainment. In the 1940s 126 trains rolled through daily, including troop trains taking breaks at the local bars and brothels. Epitomizing a stopover town, this was the terminus (and link-up site) of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific lines. Uncharacteristic for a state that’s 60 percent Mormon, Al Capone noted that Ogden was too wild for his taste. Today, Ogden’s legendary 25th Street is lined with bars, shops and international restaurants. A few Prohibition-era tunnels still exist, too.

Ogden is 30 minutes from Powder Mountain, which boasts the most skiable terrain in the United States – 7,000 acres. Its 135 runs are all accessed from only seven lifts. It snows enough here to bury a mansion, creating a perfect combination of groomed runs, untracked powder and backcountry touring.

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T TRAVEL

Solitude Mountain Solitude Mountain is close to welcoming Salt Lake City’s international airport – just 25 minutes from baggage claim to a white-peak paradise. “Sol” is the root word here because the sun certainly does shine. There are nifty night options, as well.

The Yurt Experience, hosted by winter leisure guru Packy, is a deluxe five-course dinner inside a humongous Mongolian-style tent. Part of this cozy culinary adventure is snowshoeing or crosscountry skiing to and from the yurt in the dark. Back on campus there’s also an option for refined fireside dining.

Redefining the alpine retreat, these slopes invite every skill level to a crowd-free experience. For those hoping to avoid surgery, there’s an endless array of wide groomed runs yielding options to ride the mountain instead of hunting for the legburning chop of moguls.

When You Go For more information about skiing in Utah: www.skiutah.com Salt Lake City’s Hotel Monaco, the swankest place in town, drips with history. The 225-room beacon is the place to indulge guilty pleasures – and ponder life when the 14-story landmark was a classic drive-thru bank: www.monaco-saltlakecity.com.

Sundance: www.sundanceresort.com Powder Mountain: www.powdermountain.com Solitude Mountain: www.skisolitude.com 54

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LOCAL PROFESSIONAL L

LEFT TO RIGHT: Gamaliel Aguilar, Karen Pedroncelli & William D. Pine

Pine, Pedroncelli & Aguilar, Inc. 3924 W, Caldwell Ave. #B Visalia - www.pinecpas.com

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rincipal founders William D. Pine, Karen Pedroncelli and Gamaliel Aguilar are longtime Valley residents with deep roots in the local business communities.

There are many accounting resources out there, but south Valley residents in particular can rest assured that their financial health is in good hands with accounting firms like that of Pine, Pedroncelli & Aguilar, Inc. This CPA firm has offices in Visalia and Porterville and includes three principals whose varying accounting backgrounds allow the firm to draw from a wealth of knowledge, expertise and diverse talent to provide the highest quality accounting services available to our community. Their area histories and years of experience in the accounting industry provide the firm with a solid understanding of the local economic environment.

All three principals attended Fresno State University, where each obtained a degree in Accounting. Today, each of them boasts decades of experience in the accounting field, as well as numerous specific areas of expertise. William Pine specializes in corporate, individual and partnership taxation, business valuation, and manufacturing and fiduciary accounting. Karen C. Pedroncelli’s expertise lies in estates and trusts, individual taxation and agricultural accounting. And Gamaliel (Gil) Aguilar specializes in tax accounting, tax research and audit representations, and has 13 years of experience with the Internal Revenue Service in auditing and collection under his belt as well.

The principals of Pine, Pedroncelli & Aguilar, Inc., are not just a top team of financial experts, but also real people who are deeply invested in their community as a whole, and who regularly use their expertise for the good of local organizations. William Pine has served on the board for the Samaritan Center as well as

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A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Valley Children’s Hospital, and he founded CPAs for Charity and the M. B. Price Foundation. Karen Pedroncelli serves as assistant treasurer for Soroptomist International, and fulfills treasurer duties for the Sons of Italy, Roma Lodge and The Creative Center. Gamaliel Aguilar serves as secretary for the Tulare County Workforce Investment, as commissioner for the Tulare County Planning Commission, and is a past president of the Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Pine, Pedroncelli & Aguilar, Inc also has a long tradition of providing financial support through sponsorships, and continues to give of their time and resources to numerous charities including: CASA, Wish Upon A Star, The Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, COS Foundation, The Creative Center, The Samaritan Center, Tulare Baseball Association, Visalia Little League, and Cal Ripkin League. The firm is also a longtime Member of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce, and its partners are members of various professional organizations including: the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, California Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Tulare County Estate Planning Council.

Pine, Pedroncelli & Aguilar, Inc. is an excellent example of the good that professional commitment and community pride can do. Thanks to the efforts and expertise of this firm’s principals and staff, Valley residents are able to enjoy a top-notch resource for accounting expertise, and rest easy knowing that many of their local charitable organizations are staffed with the finest in civic-minded founders, officers and treasurers. So, whatever your financial question, you can rest assured that you’ll find the answer from an accounting firm that has both your best interests and those of your community at heart.

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FASHION

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LAYERS LAYERS L

FASHION F

the look of

ayering. It’s a simple, yet essential technique for sartorial success. Anyone wanting to put together an outfit must master at least some concept of layers, and fashion enthusiasts are often able to create fantastic silhouettes simply by combining the right ordinary pieces. In the winter months, layering is a strategic way to keep chills at bay, but the technique is equally useful for outfits all year round. In fact, wearing layers is a particularly effective way to dress during transitional seasons and their oft-changing weather. It’s a delicate balance however; overdoing things can send your whole ensemble spiraling into bag-lady territory. However, considering just a few basic guidelines can help ensure that your layered look is always fabulous.

Pair up A good way to start off a layered outfit is to combine two simple things that work well together, such as leggings under a dress, a hooded sweatshirt under a jacket, or a blouse over a camisole. If you are new to creating layered outfits, pairing things up is a good way to get your feet wet. Don’t be afraid to experiment: a good layering strategy can transform even your trustiest wardrobe basics into a unique new look. Get creative; try layering knee socks and boots over opaque tights, or pairing skirts of different lengths together.

Stagger hemlines Piling on layers can make even the most charming ensembles overwhelming and bulky in no time. A good way to avoid this fate is to layer pieces whose hemlines all fall at different parts of your frame. Staggering the hemlines of your outfit prevents individual pieces from getting lost in the combination, and helps ensure that the layers don’t get too bulky in any one area. For instance, instead of wearing a sweater inside a coat of the same length, streamline a cropped jacket over a longer cardigan for a look that showcases both pieces while remaining functional.

Balance It’s key to make sure that the layers you choose balance your frame and vice-versa. For instance, shorter frames have less room to accommodate layers and often need to choose their pieces carefully to avoid being swallowed up by the outfit.

Similarly, dressing curves in layers can pad out a frame fast.

The essential thing is to balance your layers to flatter your frame: add heels to give height to longer hemlines, combat bulkiness by pairing a voluminous top with skinny jeans, or balance swathes of fabric with a glimpse of skin at the neckline, arms or legs.

Theme The best way to create a layered outfit is to choose a theme of repetition. Refraining from wearing “clashing” patterns is a time-honored tradition of modern fashion, but it’s amazing how well different prints can pair together if their main color elements are similar. Even the quintessential clash duo of polka dots and plaid can be worn together successfully if their color schemes are compatible. In fact, the use of different patterns helps to break up a layered ensemble and adds interest throughout the silhouette. In a layered look, one can also go the opposite direction and assemble an outfit that is more monochromatic. Neutrals are a favorite on the runway in recent seasons, and layering pieces in shades of gray or camel feels fresh and elegant. When layering similar colors (especially all black), try to choose pieces with different textures, which helps break up the layers in the same way that a choice of patterns does.

Accessorize Strange as it may sound, accessories are perhaps the best way to truly make or break a layered outfit. The strategic use of items like scarves, jewelry, handbags and eye wear provides an easy way to add balance and interest to any ensemble. Add a pop of color to an all-neutral ensemble with a bright clutch or dramatic necklace, or balance out the color and style of your footwear choice by adding a compatible scarf or pair of sunglasses to the top of the equation.

Elegant yet flexibly interpretive, layered outfits are practical, fun and offer endless combination options for any personal style. So ditch the basic jeans-and-tee combo and get creative by reinventing your wardrobe favorites with a fabulous layered look.

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PERFORMANCES

February 19, 2011 Text By Marsha Peltzer

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oes this pique your interest? If so, you will certainly want to attend this fourth concert in the Masterworks series. The orchestra will follow up last year’s wonderful “Vienna” program as they perform music composed by two of the city’s most famous residents – Mozart and Beethoven.

Although neither of the composers was born in Vienna, their illustrious careers eventually led them to Europe’s cultural and music center. It was there that these legends would become friends with virtually all of the important composers and artists of the period: Haydn, Schenk and Salieri, to name a few.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, in 1756, and began his studies under the strict tutelage of his father Leopold – also a famous composer of his time. Young Mozart’s abilities in music were obvious even when he was young. At the age of six, his father took him on a concert tour to Munich and Vienna, and later through the south of Germany, Paris and London. Thanks to his excellent piano playing and improvisations, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was celebrated as a wonder child everywhere.

In 1781 several circumstances led Mozart to Vienna where he married Constanze Weber, and had six children.

Although he wrote many pieces that were successful, Mozart was unable to achieve financial success, and he died in poverty at the age of 36.

The Symphony will feature one of Mozart’s most beloved pieces: the Overture to the Marriage of Figaro, and his best known Horn Concerto #4 featuring guest soloist Richard Todd.

Beethoven arrived in Vienna a year after Mozart died (1791). Born in Bonn, Germany, in 1770, his skills were cultivated by his Grandfather Ludwig and father Johann who were both musicians in their own right. At age 12, Beethoven had his first music published. At age 17, he left for Vienna, which was to be his home off-and-on for the rest of his life.

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Beethoven’s music is best described by his “early,” “middle,” and “late” periods – each developing and enhancing the high classical style into a more dynamic and individualistic style. But even as he learned to control his craft, Beethoven also suffered from reminders of the pains of real life. He had discovered in his youth that his hearing wasn’t what it should be. His deafness seems to have affected his social life to a great extent, and eventually, around 1812, he could no longer perform. During this “late” period, however, Beethoven’s music became more mature and had the “flavor of genius.” It has been said that his lifelong poverty and difficult personal relationships contributed to his deteriorating health and his death in 1827.

Beethoven’s powerful Seventh Symphony will be featured in the program. Bruce Kiesling’s enlightening pre-concert discussion is sure to enhance your listening pleasure, so plan to be on hand at 6:45 p.m. for this informal talk.

Guest Artist Richard Todd From Carnegie Hall to the Hollywood Bowl, from the Jazz Bakery to Birdland, internationally renowned concert, jazz and recording artist Richard Todd has earned acclaim as one of the finest horn soloists today. He has performed under the batons of such luminaries as Bernstein, Guilini, Marriner, Ozawa and Previn. Noted for his performances that are “simply startling in their dexterity” with “a heart-clutching sound,” he is also deeply committed to arts education and making the arts more accessible to all.

Tickets may be purchased at the Symphony office: 732-8600.

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Betsy Wolfe at the Fox Theater January 31

Visalia’s very own Betsy Wolfe returns to the Fox Theater this month to wow hometown fans with her incredible voice. Joining her on stage are Broadway’s Lindsay Mendez and Bryan Perri.

Tickets: $33 VIP; $28 adult; $17 student w/ID When: Monday, January 31, 7:30p Where: Fox Theater, 300 W. Main St., Visalia Contact: 625-1369 or visit www.foxvisalia.com

Theater & Performances F E B . Chookasian Armenian Concert Ensemble The Armenian Cultural Visionaries present a unique evening of traditional Armenian music and dances. Come and enjoy this beautiful performance by these Armenian National Gold Medal Award Recipients, and 2010 Armenian Grammy winners.

When: Friday, February 4, 7:30p Where: Bullard High School Theater, 5445 N. Palm, Fresno Contact: John Chookasian, 213-1909

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Charitable EVENTS F E B . The Enchanted Playhouse Presents: Cinderella It’s a delightful collision of fairy-tale favorites when The Fairy Godmother must enlist the help of none other than Alice in Wonderland’s White Rabbit to help Cinderella and her prince.

When: Friday, February 4, 7p Where: Main Street Theater, 301 E. Main St., Visalia Contact: 625-1369 or visit www. enchantedplayhouse.org

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F E B . Lonely Planet Told with remarkable humor, this is the story of an unlikely relationship between two very different men.

Straight-laced Jody owns a map store, while Carl tells outrageous lies about himself and will not explain the chairs he inexplicably deposits in Jody’s tiny shop – a nod from playwright Steven Dietz to Eugene Ionesco’s absurdist farce, The Chairs.

When: February 12, 13, 19 & 20 at 7:30p; February 11 & 18 at 2p Where: Ice House Theatre, Race and Sante Fe, Visalia Contact: Reservations 734-3900

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J A N . One Night In Chicago A benefit for the Miracle League of Visalia, featuring football Hall-ofFamer, Dick Butkus, and baseball Hall-of-Famer, Andre Dawson. The night will include dinner, silent and live auctions, and “all that jazz.”

When: January 29, 6p Where: Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Contact: Gary Gieger 738-8552

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F E B . Service Dog Fundraiser Tiffany’s Luxury Medispa will host a fundraiser for the Assistance Service Dog Educational Center, a Woodlake-based non-profit organization that provides trained service dogs for disabled soldiers.

Join in on the fun, food, drinks, gift baskets, raffle, and door prizes.

Tickets $25.

When: February 3, 5:30-7:30p Where: Tiffany’s Luxury Medispa, 4037 S. Mooney (Mooney/Cameron) Visalia Contact: 321-8884, Holly@cartercoco. com, www.servicedogcenter.org

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F E B . Valentine’s Wine Pairing Habitat for Humanity of Tulare County hosts its second wine pairing at the Visalia Marriott. A menu is designed to create a memorable Valentine’s evening of exquisite tastes. Tickets $100.

When: February 14, 6-9p Where: Visalia Marriott, 300 S. Court St. Contact: 734-4040

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Broker/Owner NMLS #252789

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18th Annual Visalia Springfest Home and Patio Show February 11-13

This annual exposition of everything new for your home and garden features over 350 exhibits with the best in outdoor living, landscaping and remodeling. Come enjoy gardening seminars, unique valentine’s day gifts, plenty of discounts, prizes and giveaways, and much more!

Tickets: Friday - $5. Saturday and Sunday -$7. Senior discounts available, kids attend free.

When: February 11, 12 & 13 Where: Visalia Convention Center, 303 E Acequia Ave, Visalia Contact: 713-4000

ART EXHIBITS F E B . Mario Kiran at COS Art Gallery A family-friendly art exhibition featuring pieces by printmaker Mario Kiran. Admission: free.

When: February 7-25,11a-3p Where: COS Art Gallery, 915 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia Contact: 737-4861

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DIVERSIONS & EXCURSIONS F E B . 1st Saturday in Three Rivers Celebrate art, music, dance, storytelling, food and drink as you browse the art galleries, studios, and gift shops of Downtown Three Rivers.

For discounts and participants visit website.

When: Saturday February 5, 10a-5p Where: Maps at Anne Lang’s Emporium, 41651 Sierra Dr. (CA 198), Three Rivers Contact: Nadi Spencer, 561-4373 or visit: www.1stSaturdayTR.com

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CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

CHILDHOOD DISTRACTIONS

Chinese Brush Painting & Calligraphy Class Arts Visalia offers a variety of art classes for adults, where you can enjoy a creative outlet and familiarize yourself with new techniques. Artist Joy Harvey instructs participants in this ancient and elegant art.

When: Thursdays, 6:30 - 8:30p Where: Arts Visalia, 214 East Oak Avenue, Visalia Contact: Joy Harvey, 539-6123.

ImagineU Story Hour An hour of imagination-inspiring stories read by guest story tellers.

Children participate in the storytelling process by singing, acting out movements and dancing.

When: Fridays, 10a-11a Where: ImagineU: Interactive Children’s Museum, 700 E. Main St., Visalia, CA 93292 Contact: 559-733-5975 or www. imagineumuseum.org

Acrylic Painting Arts Visalia offers a variety of art classes for adults, where you can enjoy a creative outlet and familiarize yourself with new techniques. Artist Rey Ruiz instructs participants of all skill levels in some common techniques for this medium.

When: Wednesdays, 6:30 - 8:30p Where: Arts Visalia, 214 East Oak Avenue, Visalia Contact: Arts Visalia, 739-0905

If you would like to have your event considered for a free listing in our “Happenings” section, please email your submission to

CASA Volunteer Orientations When: Mondays, 5:30p; Thursdays, 12-1p Where: CASA office, 1146 N. Chinowith, Visalia Contact: Sid Loveless, 625-4007

lifestyle@dmiagency.com or fax to 738-0909, Attention Happenings.

Please note, we do not guarantee listing of any submission.

Submissions are due 6 weeks prior to publication.

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