Mike Hirner January Issue American Lifestyle

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HISTORY

C ONTENTS

Blueprints and Batting

MIXED MEDIA QUILTER VALERIE GOODWIN Valerie Goodwin stitches together two of her passions—quilting and architecture—to create mixed media art inspired by aerial views, architectural plans, and maps.

Tailgate O’Clock

Toothpick Town

Restoration in the Rockies

Downsizing the American Dream

One Dish Wonders

Rhythm and Sole

HOW THE SOUTH COOKS ON GAME DAY Kick up your game-day grub with these tasty treats from The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football, and the South by Taylor Mathis (University of North Carolina Press, 2013).

SCOTT WEAVER’S SAN FRANCISCO Rolling through the Bay, created by Scott Weaver, is an abstract sculpture forty years in the making, composed entirely of toothpicks and Elmer’s glue.

SMITH FORK RANCH IN COLORADO Marley and Linda Hodgson breathe new life into an abandoned dude ranch in Colorado, with the help of local craftspeople and an amazing chef.

LIVING LARGE IN A TINY SPACE Tumbleweed’s Ella Jenkins and Tiny House Build’s Gabriella and Andrew Morrison discuss the transformational effects of living tiny.

LIMITED INGREDIENTS, ENDLESS IDEAS Six eateries around the country show off their knack for expanding on a single dish, creating inventive menus and dining experiences that are one of a kind!

ANDREW NEMR ON LIFE AND TAP DANCING Destiny landed Andrew Nemr within walking distance of a dance studio, opening the door to a profound relationship with the tap world and its inhabitants.

SMITH FORK RANCH IN COLORADO

AMERICAN LIFESTYLE

the bravest hearts beat the strongest.

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Every 15 minutes,

a child is born with a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD), leaving parents in sudden need of support. Mended Little Hearts has local chapters nationwide comprised of families and friends affected by CHDs who are available to support you. For support or to learn more, visit us at

www.mendedlittlehearts.org or call

1.888.432.7899

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After reading an article about how a colleague used quilt blocks to teach her students about designing a museum for quilters, my interest in sewing and quilting was renewed. A friend shared a copy of a catalogue of work by Quilt National artists. A whole world of potential was revealed to me!

Blueprints and Batting M I X E D M E D I A Q U I L T E R VA L E R I E G O O D W I N text: VALERIE GOODWIN

quilts: VALERIE GOODWIN

Valerie Goodwin stitches together two of her passions—quilting and architecture— to create mixed media art inspired by aerial views, architectural plans, and maps.

HOW DID YOUR CHILDHOOD PLAY A PART IN YOUR ARTISTIC ENDEAVORS?

My parents stressed excellence and nurtured whatever interests I had as a child. I remember my parents enrolling me in a summer art camp; it was such a great gesture and experience! Was creativity encouraged? Yes, creativity was encouraged, but I was also encouraged to use the left side of my brain and to appreciate math, science, and other more analytical pursuits. My parents wanted their children to get a good education and to become a successful and productive person out in the world. Architecture seemed like a perfect blending of art and science. HOW WOULD YOUR RELATIVES HAVE DESCRIBED YOU AS A CHILD?

I am sure my relatives thought of me as a very serious, introverted, and academically motivated child. HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR PERSONALITY HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS?

I am at peace with the introverted aspect of my personality; I think it has served me well. HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON ARCHITECTURE?

I studied art in junior and senior high school. I had one or two art classes in college. I never realized that architecture was a profession (yes, in the ’70s, this was a truth for me). One day I was rambling through Yale’s art and architecture building, I found myself on one of

MIXED MEDIA

the upper floors and right in the middle of an architecture studio. Right then and there, I decided to change majors from psychology to architecture. The energy of the students, the drawings, and models spoke to me. It was one of the best decisions of my life. WHEN DID ARCHITECTURE AND QUILTING COLLIDE IN YOUR MIND?

They have been on a collision course for quite a while. Quilting is in my DNA. As a child, I learned to sew simple things from Mama Steele, my maternal grandmother, but never made a quilt until 1998. She was a home economics teacher. My family cherishes the memory of a cousin who lived with my mother’s family. She was an avid quilter. As I remember the story, she would piece in the summer and quilt in the winter. When I got older, peer pressure affected my love of sewing. Oddly enough, I did not sew again until I taught architecture. After reading an article about how a colleague used quilt blocks to teach her students about designing a museum for quilters, my interest in sewing and quilting was renewed. A friend shared a copy of a catalogue of work by Quilt National artists. A whole world of potential was revealed to me! From then on, my goal was to discover how I could combine my love of architectural design with the medium of quilt making.

Labyrinth II | 2011

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I am captivated by the

language of lines, shapes, and pattern. The symbols and language found

in maps and architectural drawings are important.

DOES THE ARCHITECTURE BACKGROUND INFLUENCE THE QUILTING?

Along with my work as a fiber artist is my work as a professor of architecture. Simply put, I would not be the art quilter I am today without my background in architecture. Since becoming a quilter, I have pursued the goal of expressing architectural ideas in my work. HAS FABRIC ALWAYS BEEN YOUR PREFERRED ART MEDIUM?

Fabric is my preferred medium; however, I really think of myself as a mixed media quilter, combining fabric, paint, thread, and digital media in my work. My quilts are strongly influenced by aerial views of places, architectural plans, and maps. I am captivated by the language of lines, shapes, and pattern. The symbols and language found in maps and architectural drawings are important. City Grid V | 2007

WHAT ABOUT THIS MEDIUM SPEAKS

absolutely love the process of working with the fabric and the thread, and the fact that I can combine my design experience with the medium of quilting. WHY ABSTRACTIONS OF MAPS?

Maps use symbols such as points, lines, patterns, and color to convey information. As a child, I always liked maps. I also remember poring over the residential floor plans found in the Home and Garden magazines my mother would bring home. I think I was intrigued by their order and meaning in the real world. As an architect and professor, I noted how architects and other design professionals use maps to communicate information to contractors, clients, the public, and many other audiences. When I began to make art quilts, I was drawn to aerial views of places. Then I began to refer to my books on urban planning and site plans of places that interested me. Gradually, I narrowed my focus to maps of real and imagined places.

TO YOU?

I love the solitary activity of creating an art quilt. Being an introverted person at heart, the experience of working alone seems to appeal to me. Therefore, I suppose I am attracted to the fact that for the most part, I have total control. The tactile nature of the medium speaks to me. I am also fond of being able to manipulate, control, and touch the materials. As architects, we sometimes see the materials in the abstract on a set of drawings, unless we are actually out there in the field doing the construction. However, in art quilting, I

HOW DID YOU GET INTO TEACHING?

As I moved up the ladder in the profession of architecture, the long hours presented challenges. I found it difficult to juggle the demands of being a mother and a wife with those in the architectural profession. In the back of my mind, the idea of teaching had been lurking. When the opportunity arose to be an adjunct professor, I tried it and soon found that I loved teaching. WHAT IS YOUR TEACHING PHILOSOPHY?

I try to find common ground between art and architecture. I think of the Bauhaus School of Destinations | 2008

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Design, where design classes varied from architecture, painting, typography, and sculpture to crafts such as pottery and textiles. The program represented a distinctive interweaving of concepts from different academic disciplines of technology and art, with the fabric of architecture. I am fortunate in that I have been able to teach a design elective in our curriculum called Cloth Constructions. In the class, I introduce students to mixed media such as fabric, paint, and thread. I challenge them to use the media to express architectural ideas. It seems to be popular among both male and female students. One of the students has had his work exhibited at Ohio Wesleyan University’s 2007 Sagan National Colloquium. The theme for that particular year was Cities and Suburbs: Life in a Metropolitan World. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE FABRICS FOR A PIECE?

It is a very intuitive process—nothing analytical about it. I allow individual color choices to evolve as the quilt progresses. I audition fabric, stare at it on my design wall, and oftentimes I can visualize how it might work in the entire composition.

WHAT INSPIRES YOU AT THE MOMENT? FOOD? SMELLS? PATTERN? TRAVEL SPOTS? MUSIC?

During the summer of 2013, I was selected to do a residency at the Facility for Arts Research at Florida State University. The physical means of making has always been a part of my professional and artistic life. My goal was to see how the laser cutter could become another tool to further the range of artistic expression for contemporary quilters. I learned how to create digital drawings using image-editing software, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. I also tested over thirty fabrics to see how they would interact with the laser cutter.

Parallel Placescapes | 2008

Now I may start with a sketch, but I give myself the freedom to let the design morph and change during the entire process. I think that my work became richer and more fluid when I started working this way.

The possibilities for using extremely detailed and intricate cutwork is amazing. For me, this is just a small step toward discovering what the laser cutter can help me give voice to as an artist. It is something I plan to devote a lot of time to during the upcoming months. ARE YOU A MORNING PERSON OR A NIGHT OWL?

I am a middle-of-the-day person these days! WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN TERMS

The proudest accomplishment would have to be a work commissioned by Jack Walsh, a well-known and respected collector of art quilts. I would have to say that he was an ideal client because he is an experienced patron of the arts, and he lets the artist assume control of the design vision. The quilt is a triptych called The Lay of the Land. The whole experience was very liberating. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. It gave me the opportunity to explore some ideas about composition that I have been interested in as an architect. It was the artistic opportunity of a lifetime!

LOOK LIKE FROM CONCEPTION TO CREATION?

WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE GIVEN TO OTHERS?

I tell my freshman students that it takes patience, passion, and perseverance. Maybe it’s a bit clichéd, but very true! WHEN YOU ARE NOT TEACHING OR CREATING, WHAT FILLS YOUR FREE TIME?

I spend time with my family. I love to read and travel. WHAT DOES YOUR WORK STUDIO LOOK LIKE?

My studio is in a perpetual state of flux. It gets messy and unruly while I am creating a piece. However, I periodically feel compelled to tame it back into some kind of order. Currently, I am fortunate enough to have two studio spaces. One is a very small studio at home in a spare bedroom. The second one was acquired because of needing a larger space to work on a commission. It is in an art park, in a funky warehouse area near the campus. Right now, I usually work in my satellite studio outside the home.

OF ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT?

WHAT DOES THE PROCESS OF A MAP QUILT

I used to work very much like an architect. After the conceptual phase of design, most architects work in a linear fashion. Conceptual or schematic design progresses forward with few major changes until the building is complete. That is the way I used to think about the design of my quilts. However, I discovered that as an artist, I did not have to work that way! Now I may start with a sketch, but I give myself the freedom to let the design morph and change during the entire process. I think that my work became richer and more fluid when I started working this way. I also had to come to grips with the fact that fabric and thread would not produce the crisp, clean, rectilinear style that I was comfortable with in the field of architecture. My work became more improvisational and spontaneous—in my opinion, giving my work a completely new life.

worked very hard. At this point in my life, I am trying to take a more relaxed approach.

Crossroads | 2008

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING ON?

I am exploring use of the laser cutter design as a kind of surface design technique in my work. I am in the midst of creating a piece called The African Compound. It is inspired by an aerial view of an African village in the Cameroons. It is built up of laser cut layers. I am also using the laser cutter to create texture. This work will have elements that are lifted up from the main surface of the quilt to reveal images about the place, the architecture, and its people. AL :: www.quiltsbyvalerie.com

In addition, I am very proud of having been juried into various exhibits such as Quilt National 2003 and Visions 2008. WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN?

My dad has always told me, “Work smart, instead of hard.” Good advice, but I have always

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FOOD

A trip to the state fair isn’t complete without a funnel cake. When you’re tailgating on the fairgrounds, it makes sense to end your tailgate with this treat. Using a squeeze bottle and a pastry ring, you can make your

k c o l C ’ O e t a g l i a T OUT T H E S IS

H C

E N G A AM O IS S H T K M OO YLOR R hy: JEFF

ATH YLOR M text: TA

1½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt 1⅓ cups milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest 1 egg Peanut oil for frying Confectioners’ sugar for garnish

DAY

EY TA

Southern from The Football, ts a e tr y tast ood, ith these v e r s of F 2013). ay grub w ay Guide for Lo Carolina Press, -d e m a g r -D th e u r o o m y a N p f G rsity o Kick u ok : A g Cookbo r Mathis (Unive lo Tailgatin y a T y outh b and the S

HOW

rap photog

own mini funnel cakes.

ingredients:

mini funnel cakes M A K E S 1 5 – 2 0 ( 4 - I N C H ) CA K E S

cooking instructions: 1. The night before the tailgate, measure out the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pack in a sealable container. Add the milk, vanilla extract, grated lemon zest, and egg to a separate sealable container; refrigerate overnight, and transfer to your tailgate in a cooler. 2. Bring a plastic squeeze bottle, peanut oil, a shallow frying pan, a 4-inch metal pastry ring, and tongs to the tailgate. 3. At the tailgate, add the flour mixture to a medium-sized bowl with a lipped rim, and mix together. Pour in the milk mixture, and stir together, creating a thick batter. Slowly pour the batter into the squeeze bottle. 4. Place a large, shallow frying pan on a propane burner. Pour in about a ½ inch of the oil, and heat to 350°F. Place the metal pastry ring into the pan. Squeeze the batter from the bottle into the ring, moving the bottle back and forth and connecting pieces of dough in a zigzag pattern. Cook for about 45 seconds. With tongs, remove the metal ring, and flip the funnel cake. Cook on the opposite side for about 45 more seconds, until light brown in color. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.

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When you think of salsa, is pico de gallo the first kind that comes to mind? This combination of tomatoes, onions, and peppers works as an appetizer with chips or as a condiment for tacos and burgers. If you’re looking for a salsa that’s a little different from what you’re used to, try this one. It’s more tart than what you’ll find at most tailgates because of the Granny Smith apples in it.

ingredients: 1½ cups diced Granny Smith apples ½ cup fresh lime juice 5 cups seeded and chopped Roma tomatoes, drained on paper towels 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves 1 cup chopped yellow onions ¾ cup seeded and diced poblano peppers ¼ cup seeded and finely diced jalapeño peppers ½ cup chopped shallots 1 tablespoon grated lime zest 1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon McCormick coarse ground black pepper

granny smith apple salsa MAKES ABOUT 7 CUPS

cooking instructions: 1. As soon as you’ve diced the apples, place them with the lime juice in a medium-sized bowl, and stir. 2. In a large bowl, add the rest of the ingredients. Stir in the apples and lime juice until all ingredients are evenly mixed together. Store in a sealable container, and refrigerate overnight. On game day, keep in a cooler until ready to serve. Stir again before serving.

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Chicken salad is always a crowd-pleaser; it can be eaten between two slices of grilled bread as a sandwich or as a side on your plate. If you like chicken salad, give this one a try.

ingredients: 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1½ cups chopped red apples, skin on 8 cups chopped cooked chicken 1½ cups chopped celery 1¼ cups chopped, toasted pecans 1¼ cups mayonnaise ⅓ cup apple juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce ¼ teaspoon McCormick coarse ground black pepper

apple-pecan chicken salad MAKES 8 SERVINGS

cooking instructions: 1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice and chopped apples. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, celery, and pecans. Add the lemon-soaked apples to the large bowl. 2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the mayonnaise, apple juice, Worcestershire, salt, Tabasco, and pepper. Stir. Pour the dressing over the chicken, celery, pecans, and apples. Mix until the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing. Store in a sealable container, and refrigerate overnight. On game day, keep this dish in a cooler until you’re ready to eat.

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Traditional hummus can be made to show support for any team. Like a chameleon that blends in with its surroundings, this hummus can fit in at any divided tailgate with the addition of green, red, yellow, orange, or purple bell peppers. Avoid an argument by having hummus to suit both loyalties. In the state of Alabama, Auburn fans can add orange bell peppers and Alabama fans can add red.

ingredients: 2 (15½-ounce) cans of garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved ½ cup tahini 6 tablespoons lemon juice 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon chopped garlic 1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest 1¼ teaspoons salt ½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce ¼ teaspoon cumin 1½ cups diced bell peppers, your choice of color

That way, everybody wins.

chameleon hummus MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPS

cooking instructions: 1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the garbanzo beans, 6 tablespoons of the reserved bean liquid, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, salt, Tabasco, and cumin. Process until the hummus reaches the desired smoothness. 2. Empty the hummus into a sealable container. Fold in the peppers. Store in the refrigerator overnight. On game day, keep in a cooler until ready to use.

From The Southern Tailgating Cookbook: A Game-Day Guide for Lovers of Food, Football, and the South by Taylor Mathis. Text and photographs copyright © 2013 by Jeffrey Taylor Mathis. Used by permission of the University of North Carolina Press. www.uncpress.unc.edu 18

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SCULPTURE

IN MY LINE OF WORK, I MEET EXTRAORDINARY

Toothpick Town

S C O T T W E AV E R ’ S S A N F R A N C I S C O text: ROBIN RYAN

photography: EXPLORATORIUM

Rolling through the Bay, created by Scott Weaver, is an abstract sculpture forty years in the making, composed entirely of toothpicks and Elmer’s glue.

people every day who are passionate about what they do in life; and whether it be their vocation or their avocation, they all seem to refer to the experience the same way—it’s always a labor of love. But I recently gained a new-found respect for that tried-and-true phrase after sitting down to chat with San Francisco–native Scott Weaver. After dedicating almost forty years to the creation of a single project, he certainly takes the cake for putting in endless hours of labor in order to create something he is passionate about. The object of Scott’s attention—and dare I say, obsession—is a nine-by-eight-foot abstract sculpture of San Francisco made entirely out of toothpicks and Elmer’s glue. Dubbed Rolling through the Bay, the piece is a conglomeration of the city’s well-known locales paired with nostalgic memories from the artist’s personal family story. From the Painted Ladies and the Golden Gate Bridge to the clock tower that bears the birth times of his children, there seems to always be something new to discover within Scott’s work-inprogress masterpiece. And when you add a

The object of Scott’s attention—and dare I say, obsession—is a nine-by-eightfoot abstract sculpture of San Francisco made entirely out of toothpicks and Elmer’s glue. Dubbed Rolling through the Bay, the piece is a conglomeration of the city’s well-known locales paired with nostalgic memories from the artist’s personal family story.

AL 21

ping-pong ball into the structure, which traversed smoothly throughout the seemingly rugged jungle of toothpicks.

He added a

ping-pong ball into the mix, the whimsical structure comes to life as the ball weaves in and out of the entire piece, drawing your attention to all the stunning detail. Although construction of Rolling through the Bay began four decades ago, Scott’s interest in sculpting with these slender tapered pieces of wood started much earlier than that. In the late 1960s, his fourth grade teacher challenged the class to build with toothpicks. The cathartic nature of the creation process, paired with the endless possibilities of what can be created, helped turn the class assignment into a full-time hobby for Scott. He would come home every day after school to expand upon his project to make it bigger and bigger. “It let me escape from day-in and day-out life,” recalls Weaver. “Despite the piece being abstract with no apparent rhyme or reason, I enjoyed what I created.” Scott’s friends would tease him about the pastime, as eight- and nine-year-old boys are wont to do, but Weaver had something up his sleeve that was a surefire way to gain the support of his peers. He added a ping-pong ball into the structure, which traversed smoothly throughout the seemingly rugged jungle of toothpicks. The surprise of the kinetic element impressed his classmates, and their reaction was all Scott needed to be hooked. From that moment, he set out to use his toothpick creations to challenge the minds and expectations of onlookers. Although Scott had no idea these abstract pieces would turn into something monumental all these years later, they were the prototypes for what would become Rolling through the Bay. The concept behind Rolling through the Bay developed by happenstance after one of 22

Scott’s abstract creations resembled Lombard Street. Inspired by the coincidence and wanting to make something unique and whimsical, he set out to create sculptures that resembled other California highlights, such as a cable car and the Golden Gate Bridge. Carefully stitching each additional structure to the last, the piece slowly morphed into the massive artwork it is today. Scott recalls. They ended up becoming a part of a heart that represents Tony Bennett’s song, “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.”

Scott is the only toothpick artist who adds a kinetic element to his structure. But it is more complex than one simple path from the top of the structure to the bottom. As the piece grew, Scott had to construct five points of entry, which then take the balls through nine different tours. Scott always envisioned Rolling through the Bay being one large project, so from the get-go, he had to consider how each piece interacted with the next addition—and ultimately how it would affect the course of the ball. Over the span of forty years, Scott would work on this hobby in spurts at his home, setting up drafting tables throughout the space as structures dried. Sometimes he’d work on the hobby for two hours a day, sometimes ten hours a day, and sometimes he’d walk away from toothpick building for a couple years at a time as he pursued other hobbies. But he always had the overarching understanding that Rolling through the Bay was not quite finished. The culmination of a lifetime of hard work, Rolling through the Bay radiates hometown pride and covers a little bit of everything that makes San Francisco special. The beginning pieces focus on items that most people who visit San Francisco would recognize—Coit Tower, Oakland Bay Bridge, Chinatown, and

“I love creating and having fun, and when I get a new spark of energy to work on it, I dedicate myself to the piece,” describes Weaver. “I always wanted to make people happy, and I enjoy changing elements along the way,” describes Scott, who compares the creation process to molding with clay. “The only difference is when you fire clay, it is done, where as the toothpick sculpture has the liberty to change over the years to accommodate additions. For instance, this is the third Golden Gate Bridge and the second Coit Tower and Transamerica building I made for this piece.” Alcatraz. You’ll find a skyline of the city in the background with Mount Tamalpais as well as a biplane pulling a Rolling through the Bay banner. For the architecture lovers, there’s the Transamerica Pyramid and the Palace of Fine Arts. Down below, he wanted to capture all the water aspects, and added a sailboat on one side, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Ferry Building, and even a surfer on a wave on Ocean Beach wall. But perhaps the most endearing are the personal memories Scott has weaved throughout the entire piece that circle around the representation of his family—from the house

where five generations of his family spent the holidays to the building where his greatgrandfather (who came over from Italy in the 1800s) started a wine cellar to his grandfather’s gymnasium. The 105,387.5 toothpicks that make up Rolling through the Bay hold special significance too. Scott has included toothpicks from all across the world as well as ones from his wedding. “My friends and family know me as Mr. Toothpicks, so they threw toothpicks at us as we came out of the church, and I bent down to pick them up, knowing that I would be building something sentimental with them!”

Although Scott would probably continue adding and changing his masterpiece if he could, he is currently content with what he has accomplished. “This is the first time where I am beginning to feel that the project is where I want it to be,” he states. Rolling through the Bay is currently on exhibit at the Exploratoruim at The Tinkering Studio at Pier 15 in San Francisco. AL :: www.rollingthroughthebay.com www.exploratorium.edu

AL 23

TRAVEL

Restoration in the Rockies SMITH FORK RANCH IN COLORADO text: MARK BEDOR

photography: AS NOTED

Marley and Linda Hodgson breathe new life into an abandoned dude ranch in Colorado, with the help of local craftspeople and an amazing chef.

photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

ONE MAN’S JUNK IS ANOTHER MAN’S

treasure. But few people would have seen much value in the run-down, trash-strewn ruins of a Colorado ranch Marley and Linda Hodgson first laid eyes on more than ten years ago. “The real estate guy said, ‘Don’t look at the buildings . . . they can be bulldozed in two or three days,’” remembers Marley. “‘Everything will be gone, and then you can build your dream home.’ That’s what all the real estate people thought we wanted.” The ranch’s spectacular setting was obvious enough—nestled along the Smith Fork of the Gunnison River, on the western slope of the Rockies, with the Gunnison National Forest and the West Elk Wilderness area for nextdoor neighbors. But Marley saw something in the dilapidated ranch buildings that to others, were just an eyesore. “I thought, ‘This looks like an old Hollywood movie set,’” he mused. “Like a ghost ranch . . . which it was!” “He’s saying, ‘Oh, it’s got possibilities!’” Linda remembers. “And I’m groaning.” Like someone who takes in strays and nurses them back to health, the Hodgsons had a long history of restoring historic properties to their original grandeur. They’d done it photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

AL 25

“ AS ANY RANCHER KNOWS, IT’S NOT EASY MAKING A LIVING IN THE RURAL WEST.

But those who want to live here do what it takes. The Hotchkiss Fire Chief is also an excellent blacksmith. The man who did much of the log work raises the elk the Smith Fork now serves for dinner.

photo | MARK BEDOR

photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

with their Manhattan brownstone, restored a second home in Connecticut, and had spent many a summer sailing the Atlantic on a vintage yacht Marley had brought back to life. He and Linda had long loved the American West as well. Dude ranch vacations were a family staple as they raised their now grown son and daughter. And those trips may be when the seed of Smith Fork Ranch was first planted. “Well, it made us like ’em,” says Marley of their dude ranch stays. “But we’d always come back from ranch vacations saying, ‘The hiking was great, and the fishing was great, but I wish the food was better, you know?’” The Hodgsons had been looking for their own place out west for years, but never with 26

photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

“That was our original plan,” he continues. “Having a guest ranch was not on the radar. We already had enough to do!”

The run-down property had been a guest ranch before. In 1928, newlyweds Grant and Mamie Ferrier combined two cattle ranches that had been staked out in the 1800s to form the Bar X Bar. They began taking guests in the 1930s, and ran a successful dude ranch operation into the 1960s. But then the property went through a series of absentee owners, steadily deteriorated, and was a literal junkyard when the Hodgsons came along.

But he says their children had other ideas. “Our kids said, ‘Let’s bring it back as a guest ranch.’”

“We spent six months just hauling trash off this place,” tells Linda. “There were old toilets, discarded sinks . . .”

“They said, ‘Remember how much fun that was!,’” adds Linda. “And I was thinking, ‘It was probably a lot of work for those people.’”

“A pickup truck cab buried in the back,” adds Marley. “I mean just all kinds of junk.”

the intention of getting into the dude ranch business. “When we saw this, we thought, ‘How cool!’” tells Marley. “‘We can have our friends from New York come out, and we’ll fix up these three little cabins. They’ll stay there.’

Word soon got around to the people of the nearby town of Crawford that the Bar X Bar had new owners. “So they come up and say, ‘Well, you’re not gonna tear that place down, are ya?,’” smiles Marley. “‘I was married there in 1958!’ Of course, it’s been falling down for decades. Nobody cared about it.”

approval. The work to bring the ranch back to life got underway. And it was a godsend to the many craftsmen who lived in the area.

So with the final approval of their son, the Hodgsons took the plunge. “Our son came out before we bought it and said, ‘You’re not gonna buy this place unless it’s fishable yearround, are you?’” Linda says. “He came out with all his temperature gauges and his rods.”

“The craftspeople out here are fantastic!” Marley finishes.

“He’s a major fly fisherman,” explains Marley. The fishing on the Smith Fork River got his

The Hodgsons had been looking for their own place out west for years, but never with the intention of getting into the dude ranch business. “When we saw this, we thought, ‘How cool!’” tells Marley. “‘We can have our friends from New York come out, and we’ll fix up these three little cabins. They’ll stay there.’”

“We didn’t bring anybody from the outside,” Linda says proudly. “All the craftspeople were from these three towns.”

As any rancher knows, it’s not easy making a living in the rural West. But those who want to live here do what it takes. The Hotchkiss Fire Chief is also an excellent blacksmith. The man who did much of the log work raises the elk the Smith Fork now serves for dinner. And while Marley did the design work, AL 27

guests, there’s a lot of personal attention. And the horses are excellent. They include Lady, a registered AQHA horse from the Poco Bueno bloodline. My paint, Lefty, was a pleasure, especially on the daylong ride we took around the base of the mountain known as Tater Heap in the West Elk Wilderness area. Smith Fork has the only commercial use permit in the 46,000-acre area. And we had the whole place to ourselves that day. It was the kind of ride in the kind of place where you just forget yourself and just enjoy being alive. Ahh! What fun that was!

the creative entrepreneurs who rebuilt the ranch had some great ideas of their own, like turning the discarded horseshoes laying about the place into fixtures for stair railings. Woodworkers from a Mennonite community played a major role too. “They worked all winter on this place,” marvels Linda. “They’d just put up canvas and heaters underneath. The wind would be blowing and snowing and everything. And they’d just be working away! It was amazing! You’d never get this done in New York!” The old cabins were taken apart, logs numbered, and then with new wiring and plumbing, put back together. A few old gems were discovered along the way, like the dinner bell that was half buried in the dirt. A few pieces of furniture were salvaged as well, along with lots of arrowheads, apparently left behind by the Ute Indians who once called this area home. The restored cabins were stocked with area antiques. Local craftsmen made the beds. And today, ten years after the first guests arrived, the entire property looks authentically aged, but lovingly cared for.

photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

As splendid as this restored ranch is, it is the people that truly bring it to life. The Hodgsons are down-to-earth, genuine, warm, friendly, and welcoming. And Smith Fork Ranch is an extension of them. “We want people to feel like they’re guests at a family’s private ranch—that has one heck of a chef!” laughs Marley. They do. In fact, thirty-four-year-old Seth Bateman is such a prized member of the staff that he’s kept on the payroll year-round, even though Smith Fork is primarily a summer ranch. (They are open during the Christmas season too.) He spends those winter months making much of the food guests will savor during the season, like homemade jams, salami, house-cured meats, and even the amazing bacon they serve here. “The bacon we have tastes better than bacon you’re going to buy at the store, just because you can control the amount of smoke you put on it,” he explains. “You can control the amount of seasoning. It has a richer, deeper flavor.” Whether it’s pork, bison, or beef, Seth buys all his meat from local farmers and ranchers. Virtually all of the fruit is grown in the

unique microclimate of this part of Colorado. And all the vegetables are raised just outside Seth’s kitchen, in a very impressive and totally organic garden that is the labor of love of staffer Alma Roberts. “I try to create a healthy soil environment to create healthy plants,” says this passionate young man, who’s added a full two feet of soil to the garden from his compost pile. “My goal is to grow thriving, healthy plants.” And they sure are tasty plants. Alma even grows the potatoes they serve here. I’m not a foodie. But I kid you not, I’ve never had a potato as delicious as the one Alma grows in his garden.

As was the following adventure the very next day: rafting down the fourteen miles of the largely undiscovered Gunnison Gorge. We took off from Smith Fork at 5:30 in the morning for the trip. And while I hate to ever give up a day on a horse, shooting the rapids with our expert guide, Steve Wall, was another day to forget the world, and yet enjoy it in all its glory. That rafting trip begins just outside America’s newest and least visited National Park: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. The next day was our last one in a week that had flown by all too quickly. And yet what a treat to have been here at all—at a jewel of a ranch that would still be junk, if not for the creative vision and hard work of Marley and Linda Hodgson. AL :: www.smithforkranch.com

It’s great fun for Chef Seth as he prepares the mouth-watering feasts served at every meal. “I think to myself, ‘What’s the freshest stuff out of the garden? Let’s make something with that.’” The passion that Seth and Alma have for their work is also found among the ranch fishing guides, archery instructors, wranglers, and other staffers. And with a ratio of nearly one staff member for each of the twenty-six

photo | SMITH FORK RANCH

AL 29

TUMBLEWEED WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE PRE-TINY HOUSE?

Before I started building, I was in Scotland studying Scottish harp music and the Gaelic language. I played my harp on street corners for a living, and my career outlook didn’t seem to be progressing much past that.

DESIGN

WHAT DOES LIFE LOOK LIKE POST-TINY HOUSE?

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Postbuild, I live on a ranch in a coastal community of Northern California living in my tiny house with an ocean view, the love of my life, and our dog. It’s been over two years living tiny for us, and I have never been happier in my entire life. I work as a workshop presenter for Tumbleweed, and music gets to be fun again. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING PART OF LIVING IN A TINY HOUSE?

The hardest part was first moving in and getting my systems down. It was mostly difficult for me to believe it was actually done and get brave enough to use my sink and splatter on my lovely counter. I wanted it to be perfect forever, but that’s not how houses work! You have to use them.

photo | TUMBLEWEED

There are more perks to my tiny house life than I could possibly count. One great one is it’s much harder to burn your dinner because you can only be ten feet away from it at any given time.

WHAT HAS BEEN AN UNEXPECTED PERK?

There are more perks to my tiny house life than I could possibly count. One great one is it’s much harder to burn your dinner because you can only be ten feet away from it at any given time. WHAT MAKES THE CYPRESS MODEL SO POPULAR?

The Cypress is just such a beautiful, classic look. My house, dubbed Little Yellow, is a Cypress 18, and I love, love, love the little window seat space. photo | TUMBLEWEED

DO MORE PEOPLE BUILD HOUSES-TO-GO OR COTTAGES? DO YOU THINK THERE IS A LINK BETWEEN PEOPLE WANTING TO SIMPLIFY AND DOWNSIZE AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE A BIT OF WANDERLUST?

More people build on trailers. I think those two types of people could be very connected. I am a homebody personally, much more than I thought when I started building the house, but mobile houses tend to be very suited to folks who expect to move around. photo | TUMBLEWEED

AL 31

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE COMPANY?

I found out about Tumbleweed online and knew it was for me. I went to a workshop, started building, and they reconnected with me when I moved to Northern California about presenting workshops. WHY ARE THERE DIFFERENT REGULATIONS FOR HOUSES BUILT ON TRAILERS AND HOUSES BUILT ON FOUNDATIONS?

Trailers are considered part of the jurisdiction of the DMV, as mobile/nonpermanent structures. Foundation houses must comply with all ICC building codes for each aspect of the build.

I can’t think of much involved that wasn’t an obstacle actually! WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF LIFE CHANGE?

I would tell anyone looking at the tiny life to just start telling everyone. They might think you’ve lost your marbles, but the more people you tell, the harder it is to back out. I’d also tell them to start living with the tiny mindset—start downsizing, be conscious of what you buy and bring into your house, start saving, and don’t give up! DID YOU HAVE A MENTOR OR ROLE MODEL IN THE TINY HOUSE COMMUNITY WHO

TALK ABOUT THE BUILD AND THE

INSPIRED YOU?

MATERIALS YOU USED. WAS THERE EVER A

I was very inspired by other women builders, like Dee Williams and Brittany Yunker.

POINT WHEN YOU DOUBTED IF YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING?

I used wool insulation, cedar siding, burgundy metal roofing, a lot of copper accents, wood floors, and pine on the interior. It took me thirteen months to build. I thought it would only take me seven months. I only doubted myself the day I went to move the house for the first time. I was terrified it was going to bail off the trailer. Other than that, I was totally confident. WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU FACED WHEN EMBARKING ON THE TINY HOUSE BUILD?

Obstacles? Sheesh, I think almost everything seemed like an insurmountable obstacle. First you have to figure out the where, how, when, and if you can financially swing it. And then you have to tell people. And then you have to do it. And then you have to finish it. And then you have to follow through and live in it.

WHAT DID YOUR PURGING OR DOWNSIZING PROCESS LOOK LIKE?

It looked like the clothing section of the Goodwill! I had a lot of clothes. Now? Not so much. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU MISS ABOUT A LARGER SPACE?

I don’t miss anything significant about larger spaces. There are some things my house just doesn’t have, and when I need those things, I find alternative methods. I know some great folks with larger houses who are so kind with their washing machines and garages. I love my house like a limb—like the truest and most honest part of me. It is the rare combination of exactly what I wanted and exactly what I needed. And that is a beautiful thing.

photo | TUMBLEWEED

AL 33

Our experience in downsizing was

transformational. We became aware of patterns that we didn’t know

existed. Making the move to tiny allowed us to really dig into those patterns and to make changes that better support

our happiness

and well-being.

TINY HOUSE BUILD

replicate. All of our building materials came from our local lumber yard. Our cabinets are base models from IKEA as we wanted a building system that was economical as well as replicable. It took us four months to build—four months of very hard work and focus. Winter came early for us, and we were living in our pop-up tent trailer while we built, which made for a very miserable set of weeks. Not being able to get warm or dry took its toll, and there was more than one occasion that we were tempted to just stop the whole thing and resume in late spring. But we persevered and found coping strategies (like staying at a friend’s house for three weeks) and are so glad that we pushed through.

WHAT DID LIFE LOOK LIKE PRE-TINY HOUSE BUILD?

Before we ran headfirst into the tiny house movement, we were following in the Jones’ footsteps. We believed that success was measured in material possessions the size of our house. So, imagine our surprise when we found ourselves six months into living in the most lavish house feeling like we had failed. We felt like slaves to that house and began to resent it. The cost was high to keep and maintain. It was so large that each of us kind of scattered to various corners, causing our dynamic to suffer, and it took a depressing amount of time to keep clean and manage. The American dream had turned into a nightmare. As fate would have it, right at that time, we became aware of the tiny house movement. It was as though a light emerged in a dark corner, and we followed it. Looking back, it’s hard to imagine that we ever lived believing that success was measured by the size of someone’s house. Once you start taking steps toward simplifying and downsizing your life, all kinds of things begin to change, and perceptions and beliefs are no exception.

SQUARE FOOTAGE OF THE TINY HOUSE:

hOMe is built on a twenty-eight-by-eightfoot trailer. The square footage on the ground floor is 207 square feet. The two lofts add another 110 square feet for a total of 317 square feet. YOU LEAD WORKSHOPS ON BUILDING STRAW BALE HOUSES. WHAT IS THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE?

WHAT DOES LIFE LOOK LIKE POST-TINY HOUSE?

Our experience in downsizing was transformational. We became aware of patterns that we didn’t know existed. Making the move to tiny allowed us to really dig into those patterns and to make changes that better support our happiness and well-being. We are taking much better care of ourselves, especially with our diets. By having more time to cook and extra money to buy all organic, we are being mindful of what food we put in our bodies and using this opportunity to make some much needed changes to our lives. We are also working out more than we have before. We have much more time together as a family to support each other and to pursue our passions and hobbies. Living in hOMe (the name 34

photo | TINY HOUSE BUILD

of our tiny house) has given us the opportunity to embrace a wholesome lifestyle that we had only longed for before. WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST CHALLENGING

photo | TINY HOUSE BUILD

willing to share their feelings as they arise, even when they are uncomfortable. For a lot of people and couples, this is very scary, and for that reason, they don’t feel that they could live in a tiny house with someone else.

PART OF LIVING IN A TINY HOUSE?

There is nowhere to hide from negative emotions. We just don’t have the ability to sequester ourselves into opposing corners of the house when a challenge arises in our relationship. Sometimes this feels like a curse, but in the end, we always see it as a gift. Living in a tiny house works well for those that are

been really fun to share our experience and to be introduced as “those people living in a tiny house.” ARE THERE PERSONAL SPACE ISSUES? DO

unifying qualities that seem to be common in tiny house folks, I would say it’s a sense of adventure, a willingness to live outside of the mold, and a high level of care toward humanity and the planet.

YOU THINK PERSONALITY FACTORS INTO WHAT HAS BEEN AN UNEXPECTED PERK?

HOW WELL A TINY HOUSE WORKS?

WHAT MATERIALS DID YOU USE? HOW

It turns out that us living in a tiny house is kind of fascinating to others, and it’s been a great topic of conversation at parties and gatherings! We have been blown away at the response to hOMe and how interested people are in how we are living. It’s actually

I would say that I am an introvert and Andrew is an extrovert. We know a lot of people living in tiny houses though, and there are all types. I don’t think there is a defining personality factor that determines if someone will do well living tiny or not. If there were

LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO BUILD? WAS THERE EVER A POINT WHERE YOU DOUBTED IF YOU WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING?

We chose conventional materials when building hOMe. A large part of our motivation was to create a tiny house that others could easily

During our seven-day straw bale workshops, there is literally a transformation that happens for most participants. Most of them have no previous building experience, and many of them doubted that they had what it takes to learn how to build. If you think about it though, building shelter using our own hands is built into our DNA. It’s literally an intrinsic part of what makes us human. As the week progresses and people begin to gain the skills and confidence to build, they transform. It’s like a reconnection with one of our primary human purposes. There is also something magical that happens when people build shelter together. The experience of community in a straw bale workshop is strong, and deep friendships arise. AL 35

materials, and the green factor are big priorities for us in every aspect of our life. One of the principle reasons we chose to move to tiny was to minimize our carbon footprint. It’s just not possible to use a lot of resources when living tiny (less building materials, less energy to maintain, and less space for needless items and purchases). We use a composting toilet in hOMe, and it works extraordinarily well. Our electricity is generated by the sun and stored in a battery bank. We also have a generator for backup power when needed. HOW DID YOU TWO MEET? WHO WAS THE FIRST TO PONDER THE IDEA OF A TINY HOUSE?

We met in college when we were in our early twenties and have always been interested in housing, shelter, and how other people live. Fortunately, we were both onboard with making the move to tiny, and at the same time.

photo | TINY HOUSE BUILD

DO YOU THINK YOU WILL LIVE IN A TINY WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE YOU FACED WHEN EMBARKING ON THE TINY HOUSE BUILD? WHAT IS THE BIGGEST FEAR THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM PURSUING THIS LIFESTYLE?

Our biggest challenge was the build itself. Building during very wet and cold fall months really took a toll on our morale. It was a struggle to get out of bed each morning when everything we owned was damp and cold. What we hear from some others is that they want to make the move to tiny but are afraid that they don’t have what it takes. For most of us, tiny house living wasn’t modeled in our lives, so making a move to this lifestyle represents change. With change often comes nervousness, especially when stepping into the unknown. This fear is completely normal and just another part of the process. There is a great quote, “Feel the fear, and do it anyway.” WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERING THIS TYPE OF LIFE CHANGE?

The great thing about considering this lifestyle is that one can take things as slowly as needed (or as quickly!). One exercise we recommend to everyone wanting to get started is to apply the 365-day Rule to their lives. It’s 36

a simple exercise with profound effects. Start at one corner of your house, and go through every single belonging you have in your possession. Take each fork, spoon, and paper clip out of its drawer, and ask the question, “Have I used this in the last 365 days?” If the answer is no, it goes. I will say that making the move to tiny doesn’t have to mean selling everything and building a tiny house. The point of making the move to tiny is simply to bring awareness and presence of mind to day-to-day living by minimizing the distractions and noise in life. Through this process comes a greater sense of joy and inner calm. DID YOU HAVE A MENTOR OR ROLE MODEL IN THE TINY HOUSE COMMUNITY WHO INSPIRED YOU?

The very first resource that we bought about tiny house living was The Small House Book by Jay Shafer. I remember the moment when I opened it, and I knew in that instant that my life would never be the same again. Changes happened very quickly from that point on, and the rest is history.

HOUSE FOREVER?

The gift of living in our tiny house (which is paid for in full) is that if we choose to stay here forever, we will never, ever have another housing payment again. The sense of relief and comfort that come with that fact is priceless. I think it would be hard to justify leaving this lifestyle and home!

A large part of our motivation was to create a tiny house that others could easily replicate. All of our building materials came from our local lumber yard. Our cabinets are base models from IKEA as we wanted a building system that was economical as well as replicable.

affordable options for tiny houses emerge in the near future and moving forward, a spike in communities dedicated to people living the tiny house lifestyle. Tiny houses are becoming so popular that one was invited to the White House’s first Maker Faire this year. ONE THING YOU MISS ABOUT A LARGER SPACE:

The amazing thing is that, at least at this point, we don’t miss anything. There aren’t any objects or material possessions that we wish we had. That part feels fulfilled. The only thing I notice from time to time is that it’s easier to change downstairs where I can fully stand up than in our loft. But having to walk downstairs to put on my clothes comfortably is not a bad sacrifice to be able to live debt free! ONE THING YOU CAN’T GO WITHOUT IN THE TINY HOUSE:

Our large kitchen! We have traveled a bit since moving into hOMe and have also done some house-sitting for friends, and each time we come back, we are ecstatic to reunite with our kitchen. AL :: www.tumbleweedhouses.com www.tinyhousebuild.com

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE FUTURE OF THIS CONCEPT?

Fads in housing come and go, but one thing that stays constant is people’s desire to save money. As such, tiny houses are here to stay. As technologies for tiny house construction continue to refine and information about tiny house living makes its way to more people, tiny houses will become even more popular. I think we will see more modular and photo | TINY HOUSE BUILD

WHAT TYPES OF ECO-FRIENDLY/GREEN MEASURES DO YOU HAVE IN THE HOUSE?

Energy efficiency, the use of renewable AL 37

One Dish Wonders

WHAT INSPIRED THE BUSINESS?

LIMITED INGREDIENTS, ENDLESS IDEAS text: AS NOTED

photography: AS NOTED

Six eateries around the country show off their knack for expanding on a single dish, creating inventive menus and dining experiences that are one of a kind!

california avocado grill escondido, california

photo | JOHNNY CASSEROLE

ALEX MACLACHLAN • WWW.CALAVOGRILL.COM

AVOCADO AND CHILDHOOD:

My childhood home was literally built around the remnants of an old avocado orchard. It was shaped like a capital E, with trees growing in the unbuilt recesses and then down the backyard. Avocado trees were the first trees I climbed, swung from, built tree houses in, and used their bounty for mischievousness.

As a young adult, I met a guy from an avocado farming family who taught me about the economics of the avocado farming business, and I was hooked by the thought of going back to my roots and building a family home for a not-yet-created family.

Early on, we got a lot of support and enthusiasm from the California Avocado Commission who put us in a national media campaign showing off our true farm-to-table concept, and local icons in the avocado industry stopped by for a meal and swapped stories of the early days in our industry. WHAT IS MOST FULFILLING ABOUT

We designed the space to feel elegant but comfortable, with dark woods, granite, sage greens, and plenty of windows and light. The front patio seating starts at the sidewalk level, then rises to bar height, so a good view of the classic cars and people on Friday nights is had from any table. The rear patio is for private parties, and has a large grape arbor and built-in barbecue.

THE BUSINESS?

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR RECIPES?

The menu consists of family specialties and concoctions my wife and I created from scratch. She created the more feminine dishes like our avocado shrimp salad with avocado oil vinaigrette, avocado caprese salad, shrimp stuffed avocado half, Mahi tacos, and 38

A lot of them are traditional. I started off with what was regional. What do Americans eat, casserole-wise? There are very specific ones. You have to have the standards there that people always associate with casseroles.

COMING UP WITH RECIPES?

BEST CASSEROLES IN TOWN?

Shepherd’s pie took a long time to get how I wanted it. I don’t try anything crazy, and I wouldn’t put something out that I thought was too nutty. Everything has to be tested first before it is offered to the public. ANY NEW FLAVOR COMBINATION YOU’RE DYING TO TRY?

photo | JOHNNY CASSEROLE

SHOP’S NAME:

I was part of a theater company here in Chicago called Factory Theater. There was a guy in the company who always said, “Johnny this” and “Susie that.” It was just a word that he threw in all the time. He’d ask, “So what are you doing? Oh, you are doing casseroles. Johnny Casserole over here.” And the name kind of stuck. photo | CALIFORNIA AVOCADO GRILL

HOW DO PEOPLE REACT TO YOUR FOOD?

A lot of it has to do with memories people have from growing up. We have a lot of old Pyrex dishes that generate reactions from customers. We definitely draw people who have a love for casseroles, and there is a number of them. It is fun and humorous at times.

DESCRIBE THE AMBIENCE AT THE RESTAURANT:

WHAT INSPIRES YOUR RECIPES?

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CHALLENGES WITH

TALK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE

HOW DO PEOPLE REACT WHEN THEY LEARN ABOUT YOUR UNIQUE RESTAURANT?

RESTAURANTS

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO HAVING THE

Well I am the only casserole joint in town. That is the big secret! We use fresh ingredients. We make them to order. There is a lot of love that is put into them that reminds people of home cooking, only better. Most everything is made from scratch.

avocado fudge sundae with balsamic vinegar, and I created the avocado bacon burger, Maui avocado burger, Cali slaw dog (brat), Thai chicken tacos, and avocado pistachio ice cream for the fellas. My mother-in-law already had an avocado cashew salad to add to the menu, so it was a family effort.

WHAT INSPIRED THE BUSINESS?

I have always been fascinated by how cultures can be identified by specific specialty dishes. To me, casseroles are the quintessential American comfort food. I came up with the concept to do a casserole place a number of years ago, but I thought it was a little crazy, especially as a sit-down restaurant, so I sat on it for a few years. The idea resurfaced when I started brainstorming a food truck idea that I had that never fully came to fruition.

It is especially rewarding watching our kids, who are now nine and twelve, enjoy working on Friday nights. Adults love watching kids work hard and be attentive and respectful, so to have a young person take their order or bring them something they need seems to give them faith in the future. They tip generously too, which my son used to treat his family to Disneyland when he was ten years old. He was so proud that day. Don’t tell him, but I paid and put his money in a bank account to go toward his first car. The achievement and gesture were the important parts. Now his little sister is earning the same tips, and becoming just as proud of a job well done.

johnny casserole chicago, illinois DAVID BRYSON • WWW.JOHNNYCASSEROLE.COM

Right now, I have too many casseroles. Part of it is maintaining what we have while also discovering new things. MOST POPULAR DISH:

Chicken potpie is definitely the most popular, with mac and cheese a close second. DESCRIBE THE AMBIENCE AT THE RESTAURANT:

It is masculine without being over the top. We try to have the ambience feel like you are coming into your uncle’s place. It’s nice and clean and fresh. There is that fantastic smell of food cooking when you walk in. It is a comfortable, little spot to hang out and stay awhile, enjoy a meal, and have some good conversation. WHAT KEEPS YOU IN THE BUSINESS?

It is the people who come in and really love the food and have a great time. It brings them back to family and fond memories of family gatherings. Most people get that feeling when they are here and have our food. That is the best when people feel that our food is the best meal they’ve have in a long time. It is pretty awesome. WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MANTRA?

I try to keep it simple. And it takes a village. photo | CALIFORNIA AVOCADO GRILL

AL 39

photo | POTATOPIA

WHAT INSPIRED THE BUSINESS?

Erin: Allison and I met in a café five years ago. We both had this dream of opening a restaurant, but we were working at jobs that we didn’t enjoy (I was an attorney, and Allison was in marketing). One day, not that many months after meeting, we decided to go for it. We both had a love for macaroni and cheese—Allison with her grandmother’s recipe and me with my father’s recipe. TALK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SHOP’S NAME:

potatopia new jersey and new york ALLEN DIKKER • WWW.POTATOPIA.COM

WHY POTATOES?

WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MANTRA?

I always had an obsession with potato chips when I was a kid. I had to eat them with everything I ate. Now it’s more like a guilty pleasure. But the greatest part of potatoes are the diversity of tastes, shapes, and ways of cooking them.

Find your inspiration, and make it your passion.

TALK ABOUT THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE SHOP’S NAME:

We actually had another name for it. When we met with our designers, Riscala Agnese Design Group, and explained the entire concept, they really listened to everything I was saying, and when we came in for our second meeting, Fadi Riscala and Michelle Agnese said, “We were listening to everything you said, and we hate the name you came up with,” and showed us a logo with the name Potatopia. My wife instantaneously loved it, and I hated it. I said, “Let me sleep on it.” I said it maybe 1,000 times in bed, and woke up the next morning loving it. More importantly, it represents exactly what we want Potatopia to be, and it is one of the biggest conversation pieces when customers are dining at the stores. WHAT INSPIRES YOUR RECIPES?

Listening to my customers. When I hear the comments on social media—good or bad—it inspires me to be more creative with potatoes. 40

ANY SPECIAL TRICKS FOR OVERCOMING

WHAT KEEPS YOU IN THE BUSINESS?

CREATIVE BLOCKS IN THE KITCHEN?

My customers, partners, and employees. My partners came onboard after six months of operations; their passion and belief in the concept give me energy. My customers’ loyalty and the way they spread the word give me drive. And my employees, who believe in the same vision that I have, keep the business moving forward.

I head straight to the food market and browse aisle by aisle. By taking the time to walk around, I come up with ways of incorporating a new flavor profile for a sauce or an entire new dish. Or sometimes I just start making another meal that has nothing to do with potatoes, and the meal inspires a potato dish.

WHAT IS YOUR SECRET TO HAVING THE BEST MAC AND CHEESE IN TOWN?

A: All of our mac and cheese is made to order. It is not sitting in lasagna pans under heat lamps somewhere. We serve thousands of mac and cheese dishes every week, and they are all made when the person orders it. TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE DISHES ON YOUR MENU:

WHAT HAS BEEN THE CRAZIEST FLAVOR

A: Our most popular mac and cheese is our Gilroy garlic mac. We use a compound garlic butter, Gouda, and pecorino. People really go nuts over this one as soon as they try it. It is really creamy and not too garlicky. We also have tons of add-ins that people can put in mac and cheese if they want. They usually add bacon and breadcrumbs with that one. The recipe that took us the longest to come

COMBINATION YOU HAVE CREATED?

One creation is sweet potato fries with brown sugar and Nutella, which has been very popular in other regions. I love steak tartar. I created a Jersey white sweet potato that will be thin, crispy chips lengthwise, with steak tartar layered in between. MOST POPULAR DISH:

Our most popular dish is the smashed potatoes. They are roasted red skin potatoes, which have been marinated in our seasoning, then smashed, and lightly fried, or you can ask for it to be roasted and then add scallions, onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cheddar cheese, asiago cheese, and roasted red pepper. I personally like to add bacon and garlic aioli to it as well.

Allison: We were originally going to be called Little Mac. We had a logo, a website, and all of our branding done around it. But we then learned it was too close to a McDonald’s product. Erin and I ended up coming up with Homeroom. What we loved about it was the nostalgic school feeling and thinking back to the times in life when you ate mac and cheese. It was when you were passing notes in class and laughing with friends, coming home from school, and having play dates.

photo | DAN JUNG

up with was actually our classic mac. It took us so long because we wanted to find the perfect combination of cheese. What we ended up with was a two-year aged yellow cheddar combined with a little bit of pecorino cheese (that gives it a little bit of saltiness). ANY FLAVOR COMBINATION THAT COMPLETELY FLOPPED?

E: We did one with caramelized onions, Gruyère, and bacon. We were really convinced that it would be a winner, but it was disgusting. It tasted like a dessert, but not in a good way. DESCRIBE THE AMBIENCE AT THE RESTAURANT:

E: We played off the idea of homeroom. We didn’t want it to feel like a cheesy theme restaurant, but we did like the idea of adding in nostalgic elements of school without being over the top. For instance, our husbands created all of the tables in the restaurant from bleacher wood from a local high school— they still have numbers and etchings on them. Our customer loyalty program is kept in a big card catalogue. We have library cards that get stamped, and people store them in there. We tried to make it really welcoming. It is a bright, open, and airy space.

homeroom oakland, california ALLISON AREVALO AND ERIN WADE • WWW.HOMEROOM510.COM

photo | DAN JUNG

WHAT KEEPS YOU IN THE BUSINESS?

A: When we first opened, I thought it was going to be our customers. I do love chatting with our customers—it is a great part of our business and is very fulfilling. But what I love even more is our staff. We have such an amazing staff at Homeroom. They all care about the restaurant so much and each other. Just seeing the community that came out of a business that we developed is cool; knowing that we created that is an amazing feeling. E: When people come into the restaurant, the biggest compliment we get is how great our staff is. You don’t think about that, but what really makes a restaurant is not the two people who own it, but instead it is the people who are there every single day interacting with customers. Finding ways to make them feel happy and fulfilled has been really happy and fulfilling for us. I think it rubs off on everyone they come in contact with. WHAT IS YOUR BUSINESS MANTRA?

E: Our mission statement is to be the best part of people’s day. We mean it equally for both customers and for our staff. That really is our driving philosophy when we make a decision or try to change something.

photo | POTATOPIA

AL 41

medium rare washington, d.c. WHAT WAS THE REASONING BEHIND

MARK BUCHER • WWW.MEDIUMRARERESTAURANT.COM

SPECIALIZING IN ONE TYPE OF DISH?

“Do one thing, and do it really well”—we embraced this motto when we were creating our concept. We thought about pizza, burgers, cupcakes, noodles, and more! We realized no one had conquered or even attempted to do a concept around meatballs; so we thought, “Why not?” photo | MELISSA HOM photo | LEN DePAS

TELL US ABOUT THE SHOP’S HISTORY. WHAT

WHAT INSPIRED THE NAME OF THE

INSPIRED THE START OF THE BUSINESS?

RESTAURANT?

My business partner, Tom, was living with his family in Paris for a year. I had gone over to visit him, and he wanted to show me his favorite restaurant in Paris, where all they had on the menu was steak and fries. As we pulled up to the restaurant, there were lines of people waiting to go inside. One thing I know about Paris and French folks is they do not wait for anything. And this place was packed and doing incredibly well. Although I already had restaurants in Washington, D.C., I kept thinking that if we could Americanize this concept, we might have something.

At one point, we were going to have our friend, who is a very prominent chef in Washington, D.C., be involved in the restaurant. His initials are MR. I was playing around with his initials, and came up with Medium Rare. As it turned out, he didn’t get involved with us for other reasons with his own restaurant, but we loved the name, and it stuck. And of course, the majority of people order their steaks here medium rare, so it is subliminal advertising, I guess.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR MENU:

We only offer one cut of steak—the coulotte. There is only about three to four pounds of coulotte per cow, so it is very rare, but it is also very consistent. The fries are hand-cut, old-fashioned fries. We soak them overnight and fry them twice. It is the old way of making fries that not a whole lot of people do anymore. You have to blanch them first, and then fry and refrigerate them before bringing them out the next day to fry until puffy and crisp. It is a lost art. Everyone is going to the frozen fry because it is easier and quicker, but we figure if we only do two items, we better be the best at both. And of course, we wanted to have a secret sauce, something that was memorable that people could latch onto and crave at times. That was part of our formula. 42

the meatball shop new york city, new york

photo | LEN DePAS

DANIEL HOLZMAN AND MICHAEL CHERNOW • WWW.THEMEATBALLSHOP.COM

a job—it is mentorship, it is being a father figure, and it is being a sibling. It is helping them through good times and bad in their personal lives, and celebrating all the wins we have had together here. That is what makes it so great to me.

TALK ABOUT A MOMENT WITH A CUSTOMER YOU WILL NEVER FORGET:

When I came up with these recipes, I tried to keep everything in balance. Nothing is offthe-charts acidic or sweet. Our sauce is very pleasing when you taste it. Some may say it is sweet. Some say it is mustardy. And it is both. People can make it what they want it to be based on their taste preferences. Our desserts are homegrown, proven American staple recipes. We weren’t looking to reinvent how a chocolate cake is made. We just made the best chocolate cake on the planet based on the best recipes we could find that were time proven. It is all authentic, concise cuisine.

When we first opened, we were knee deep in the Iraq War, and being in Washington, D.C., we are not too far from Bethesda naval hospital where a lot of the wounded warriors come after they get airlifted out of Germany. We had a wounded warrior come in here to have a meal with his girlfriend. This was their first dinner together since he was allowed to travel out of the hospital after his surgeries. He wanted to come to Medium Rare. They came, sat in our front window, ate, and laughed. It was an amazing moment. That gave us a little more meaning to what we do.