Nspire Magazine 2021 Winter/Spring Issue

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EDITOR’S NOTE Exercise is so important. The physical benefits alone can extend your life by warding off diseases that could take it. There are mental benefits, too. Those can amplify your quality of life and your longevity. Just 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day is all you need. Doesn’t seem like much.

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Problem is, I’m in an exercise rut. I haven’t been to the gym or spin class in months. Exercising at home is sporadic and boring. I miss my regular routine.

Kristina Lyman

I’d like to blame it solely on Covid, but I wouldn’t be completely honest. These cold, wet, dark days really squash my motivation.

It’s hard to think about putting on workout clothes when by the middle of the day I’m longing for my jammies.

Fitness writer Diana Okon talks about the topic in this edition of Nspire Magazine. She tells us to incorporate more home fitness options to shake things up, and she offers some suggestions that I’m excited to try. I just need the motivation. And I think I may have found it.

I came across this list of motivators that I’ll share with you.

They seem easy and practical enough to actually work.

1. Find a routine you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy something, chances are you won’t do it.

2. Schedule it. Like any appointment, if you don’t have it on your calendar you’re more likely to forget it or let something else get in the way.

3. Create your space. Dedicate a workout spot that’s ready when you are. The idea of setting up your space every time you want to exercise is a motivation killer.

4. Dress for success. You wouldn’t go into a board meeting in shorts and a t-shirt. You’d go in looking fierce and powerful.

Dressing the part helps you feel the part. So get on your lululemon and get after it.

5. Dangle a carrot. Rewards are great motivators. The anticipation of getting something you want may be just enough to get you moving.

6. Be easy on yourself. If you set expectations too high, you might be setting yourself up to fail. Be realistic. You’ll find it’s easier to crush your workouts when you don’t have all that build up.

Not on the list but worth adding: Never give up. Any exercise is better than no exercise.

Good luck and know this: You can do it!

6 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

ROSENBERGERHOMES.COM

WINTER/SPRING 2021 7

THE NSPIRE TEAM

PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

ARE YOU PROTECTED FROM RADON?

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER CREATIVE DIRECTOR SR. DESIGNER

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Joel Riner Chris Celentano Adam Graves Patrick Fanning Michal Bennett Diana Okon

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Kyler John Kelly Miller Abby Owens, Michaela Delavan, Riley Haun, Andrea Nagel, Bob Legasa,

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

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Andreas John

Rosemary Anderson, Jason Wilmoth ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY:

Freeride Media, Stephanie King, Jason Wilmoth, Red Hog Media

ON THE COVER:

Chris Acosta charging hard in the steep and deep at North Cascade Heli Skiing.

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Nspire Magazine is published by Mauer Publishing.

Opinions expressed by authors and contributors in this issue are not necessarily those of Mauer Publishing.

All materials in this issue of Nspire Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the publisher.

For advertising information email: info@nspiremagazine.com or call 208-930-0114.

Nspire Magazine • 409 E Coeur d’Alene Ave, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 (208) 930-0114 phone • (208) 765-0769 fax Nspire Magazine, Copyright, 2021

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If you’re looking for something different...

J O E L A N D E R S O N & S H AW N A N D E R S O N I 2 0 8 - 7 7 2 - 9 3 3 3 I M O N A R C H C U S T O M H O M E S . C O M WINTER/SPRING 2021 9

IN THIS ISSUE

>> ADVENTURE

>> FOOD

20 SWEET LIFE ON THE RANCH

12

TOP CHEFS

Breakfast treats.

Western Pleasure offers yearround immersive western experiences.

28

ENJOY THE GLIDE

Cross-country skiing combines fun and sport.

North Cascades are often referred to as the Alps of America.

70

4 STUNNING HIKES

Getting outside with local photographers.

78

CABLE CAR HOT SPRING

The search for a hidden treasure.

10 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

LOCAL DINING

Experience the area’s finest epicurean hot spots.

Life on the Coeur d’Alene River is a life well lived.

46

>> HOME

48

52

BEAUTY OF LAKE CDA

This custom-built home is the true definition of a lakehouse.

REINALDO GIL ZAMBRANO The art of printmaking begins with a story.

GARDEN MUNCHERS Dealing with animal pests.

DON’T QUIT 3 ways to stay out of the fitness rut.

42

BULL RUN RANCH

>> LIFESTYLE

Earthy, sweet, and vivid in color.

92

OLD WORLD CHARM With a modern touch.

64

44 BEETS

34 HELI-SKIING

58

84 CONSERVATION

Water - nurturing the flow of life.

88

MIKE OSWALD On a mission to make a difference.

if eally, eally

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AMAZING RECIPES

BAGEL FLORENTINE MICHAEL D’S EATERY CHEF MICHAEL DEPASQUALE

Photos by Joel Riner

Michael DePasquale has been owner and operator of the Eatery for 22 years and counting. He got his start in restaurants 45 years ago. In 1980, he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Michael is married with four children. In his free time, he loves to ski and play the drums.

INGREDIENTS (TWO SERVINGS) » 3 cups fresh spinach » 2 to 3 tbsp virgin olive oil » 2 cups heavy cream (40% fat content) » 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese » 4 whole eggs » 2 everything bagels sliced in half and buttered » Salt, pepper, ground rosemary to taste

Poach 4 eggs by bringing a small pot of water to a boil, then a simmer. In a stainless steel bowl, toss the fresh spinach with olive oil and seasonings.

Using a sauté pan, add heavy cream and heat slowly bringing to a simmer but not a boil. Add the parmesan cheese a little at a time using a whisk.

Sauce should be thickening at this point. Slowly add the spinach and fold into the sauce until it wilts. Use tongs if needed to stir and toss spinach. Let simmer on very low.

Continued recipe available at: NspireMagazine.com

12 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM Download a complete copy of this

recipe at NspireMagazine.com

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yourgoldsmith@gmail.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 13

AMAZING RECIPES

Beet & Ginger Photos by Joel Riner

COFFEE ROBOTO / STEADY BAR MICHAL BENNETT

Michal and her husband live in Coeur d’Alene, where they operate the mobile coffee business Coffee Roboto. They enjoy the outdoors, supporting the local community and pursing food and drink adventures.

JUICE » 2 raw beets, quartered » 2 inches fresh ginger » 1 bunch parsley or greens from the beets » 1 large sweet apple, cored and quartered » 1/2 of a lemon, with peel

Using a juicer of your choice, juice the ingredients in the order listed.

Drink immediately for full benefit.

SMOOTHIE » Handful parsley or spinach » 1 beet, steamed or roasted, cut into chunks » 1 inch fresh ginger » 1 medium sweet apple, cored and cut into chunks » Juice of 1/2 a lemon » Water, to taste » Ice cubes or frozen banana (optional)

Continued recipe available at: NspireMagazine.com

14 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM Download a complete copy of this

recipe at NspireMagazine.com

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2ND FRIDAY ARTWALK - January - December ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR - Late summer ARTS BUZZ - 1st Friday each month RIVERSTONE SUMMER CONCERTS Thursdays in July and August

• KIDS DRAW ARCHITECTURE - Mid-September • MUSIC FOR THE WISE - January - April • ART FROM THE HEART - A series of arts events during Arts & Humanities month in October ulturecda.org

n, visit artsandc

atio For more inform

artsandculturecda.org |

cda.artsalliance WINTER/SPRING 2021 15

AMAZING RECIPES

SMOKED

Rib

Breakfast Poutine

DOCKSIDE CHEF CASEY

Photos by Joel Riner

Chef Casey Fassler began his career in May 2000 at the Coeur d’Alene Inn. He continued his culinary studies under Chef Gene Tillman until 2010 when he transferred to Dockside as sous chef. He returned to the CDA Inn, opened two food trucks and in 2020, he returned to Dockside as executive chef.

SMOKED RIB BREAKFAST POUTINE » 1lb French fries » 1lb smoked beef short rib (shredded) » 1 batch sausage gravy » 1lb shredded cheddar cheese » 1 batch caramelized onion jam » 8 poached eggs » 2oz scallions » Paprika (for garnish)

Deep fry (or air fry) French fries and divide on four plates. Top with sausage gravy, cheddar cheese and smoked beef short rib then place in oven to melt cheese. Carefully remove plates and top with caramelized onion jam, poached eggs and scallions, garnish with paprika.

Continued recipe available at: NspireMagazine.com

16 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM Download a complete copy of this

recipe at NspireMagazine.com

Experience the Nspire Walla Walla Custom Wine Tour this Summer 2021

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ARTIST STUDIO TOURS

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ADVENTURE TOURS

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Nspire Tours will operate an exclusive two night stay in Walla Walla with a wine tour to four of Walla Walla’s top wineries. Lodging, wine tastings, meals & transportation included. For a complete list of the trip itinerary and available dates visit nspiretours.com Purchase tickets online and reserve your space for the wine tour and many other amazing adventures.

NSPIRETOURS.COM WINTER/SPRING 2021 17

AMAZING RECIPES

M O N T E

CRISTO GRILLED SANDWICH

CHEF MICHAEL FINN

Photos by Joel Riner

Chef Michael Finn was born and raised in Southern California.

He received his licentiate in philosophy from the University of Navarre in Pamplona, Spain. Says Michael, “Perhaps the inseparable tie between food and memory accounts for my interest in cooking.”

INGREDIENTS » 3 Pieces of Bread » 2 oz thinly sliced ham » 2 oz thinly sliced turkey » 1 slice cheddar cheese » 1 slice swiss cheese » Butter » Powdered sugar

We use Golden Pullman bread (Texas Toast). Each sandwich is made with three pieces of bread. It is best to lay out the bread to dry for about fifteen minutes. Meanwhile, whip some butter until it will easily spread onto the bread. Spread whipped butter onto each side that is facing up. Place a slice of cheddar, then two ounces of thinly sliced ham onto the first piece.

Place a slice of Swiss, then two ounces of thinly sliced turkey onto the third piece of bread. Flip the middle piece over onto the first, then butter the top of the middle piece of bread. Finish by flipping the third onto the middle.

Plastic wrap the constructed sandwich and refrigerate to let it set up (about twenty minutes).

Continued recipe available at: NspireMagazine.com 18 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM Download a complete copy of this

recipe at NspireMagazine.com

NIBCA 2016 Parade of Homes Show WINTER/SPRING 2021 •1919

ADVENTURE

SWEET LIFE ON THE RANCH

20 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

By ABBY OWENS

Photography By JOEL RINER

One of the best things to do at the ranch is take a timeless sleighride through the snow.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 21

Pristine view of Lake Pend Oreille from Schweitzer Mountain Resort.

This rustic lodge is the centerpiece of the Western Pleasure Guest Ranch.

Sunlight glitters on the white blanket of winter covering the land. A fire crackles softly in a grand rock fireplace. A log lodge sits perched upon a hill, its windows gazing out over the pasturelands below.

Somewhere below the trees, a horse exhales, warm air flowing from its velvet nose creating a frosty cloud in the crisp country morning. Despite the cold, ranchers mill about their daily chores, garbed in jeans, boots, thick jackets and warm hats. This life is early mornings and hot coffee; cold leather and spirited equines; peaceful routine and the wide blue sky.

Life on a ranch carries a sense of nostalgia when compared to the constant bustle of our complicated modern age, but it is anything but boring. This is exactly what guests get to experience when they take a break from their normal lives and step into the Old West adventure that is Western Pleasure Guest Ranch.

22 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

In fact, owners Janice and Roley Schoonover have been so successful at fostering this environment that they’ve received the award for Favorite Dude Ranch Hosts by Duderanch.com four years in a row.

Located just 16 miles northeast of Sandpoint, Western Pleasure offers year-round immersive western experiences, replete with beautiful horses, breathtaking nature and good old-fashioned country fun.

On my visit to Western Pleasure, the first friendly face I encounter in the gorgeous Grand Lodge is Buster, one of the lovable ranch dogs and a staple member of the greeting committee. I immediately fall in love with the lodge’s homey yet elegant log wood architecture and notice how

open the space feels, so unlike the crowdedness often felt in traditional log cabins.

The lodge’s great room is flooded with natural light from its many windows. And it features vaulted ceilings, a wagon wheel chandelier and walls tastefully decorated with mounted wildlife and art from local artists. As I’ve visited during a snowy February, the river rock fireplace in the corner boasts a flickering fire.

The leather couches before it beckon me to curl up with a mug of hot coffee and a good book; to let time fade away as I lose myself in fantastic stories and the picturesque view of distant mountains out the windows.

I have the honor of being shown around by Janice, whose intimate knowledge of the ranch’s rich history paints every space and building with a more profound reverence. As she leads me from building to building, I learn her grandchildren mark the fifth generation to live on the land.

In 1939, her grandparents Riley and Gladys Wood had visited the area from Colorado, and by the next year had moved here to raise their family and cattle.

own theme. On the ground floor of the lodge, tucked away down the hall from the rec room, are the Grandma and Grandpa rooms, both of which have a cozy, rustic feel and quilts handmade by Janice’s grandmother.

The four rooms upstairs adjoining the lodge loft are the Duke, named for John Wayne and complete with gunslinging cowboy artifacts; the Miss Belle, with its sophisticated female touch; the Siesta, with a southwestern desert flair; and the Nez Perce, complete with a handmade quilt and decor reflecting aspects of western Native American culture.

If guests are looking for more of a true getaway feel, there are four

cabins tucked away among the trees just a short walk from the main lodge.

The snow crunches under our boots as we walk over, and Janice gestures toward the forest north of the lodge, explaining they have about 6 miles of multi-purpose trails used for horseback rides, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and more.

Each cabin sleeps six guests, and includes a kitchenette, eating space and freestanding wood stove. The Meadow View cabin is a bit different from its counterparts with its beautiful river rock fireplace, and includes an enviable view overlooking the fields where the horses graze. We step into the Settler cabin, which is the closest of the four to the Grand Lodge and

In the summer, ranch guests fill their days with horseback rides, mountain bike riding, horseshoes, archery, campfires, skeet, roping and basketball.

It was Janice’s father, Jim Wood, who took the first steps toward building a guest ranch to be enjoyed by guests from all over. He purchased 960 acres from his father Riley in 1957, and in 1996, helped design and build what is now Western Pleasure’s Grand Lodge. Janice and Roley took over ranch operations in the 90s and gradually built it up from horseback riding lessons to the incredible country experience it is today.

Western Pleasure guests can choose their preferred flavor of the Wild West for their stay, starting with where they room. There are four cabins and six rooms in the Grand Lodge to choose from, all with their WINTER/SPRING 2021 23

Percheron draft horses pull the ranch’s sleigh.

has a warm country theme. Next to it is the Wrangler cabin, which sports a more traditional Old West theme. The Hunter cabin is appropriately named with its deer antler chandelier and wildlife mounts adorning the walls, and is located the farthest from the Grand Lodge.

In the lodge’s great room, three gourmet country meals are served a day, and dinners are often accompanied by live music. Young guests can find entertainment on the outdoor playground by the Grand Lodge, or on the main lawn where water games and campfires are held in the summertime. If guests need a break from the sun and elements, the rec room downstairs contains a pool table, foosball, and an array of familyfriendly movie options to watch on the TV. Those staying in the lodge can also take advantage of the quiet space in the loft, which is where I can easily imagine myself in the mornings.

24 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

I’m impressed by the variety of housing options the Shoonovers offer their guests, but am even more so by the extensive list of activities they host. In the summer, ranch guests fill their days with horseback rides, mountain bike riding, horseshoes, archery, campfires, skeet, roping and basketball. Western Pleasure also offers summer packages for the ultimate getaway, such as whitewater rafting, Kootenai Riving fishing, a Kootenai River float, a ranch-spa combo, and dinner cruises on Lake Pend Oreille.

Janice explains that although their busiest months are June through September, they still keep plenty busy during the colder months. In the winter, they function as a bed and breakfast, host Christmas parties and group retreats, do old-fashioned sleigh rides, and often shuttle guests 45 minutes across the valley to Schweitzer Mountain Resort. She

says they actually get a greater variety of guests during the winter season because groups will come out just for the day versus week-long vacations.

After exploring the main buildings, Janice and I head over to the indoor arena where her son Isaac is harnessing one of the draft horses to take us on a sleigh ride for the finale of my tour. Isaac and his wife Libby are both heavily involved in the ranch’s operations, as is Janice’s daughter Danielle and her family.

Western Pleasure’s honorary family members are their herd of about 68 horses, 11 of which are draft horses, and about 30 of which are guest-ridable.

WALLA WALLA WINE TOURS

ARTIST STUDIO TOURS

ADVENTURE TOURS

PARADE OF HOMES TOURS

Enjoy the comfort of the Nspire 27 seat passenger tour bus on your next adventure Nspire Tours will operate an exclusive two night stay in Walla Walla with a wine tour. Other planned trips for the summer will include a two day one night rafting, biking and overnight hot springs adventure, a Parade of Homes tour and the artist studio tour.

Purchase tickets online and reserve your space for these amazing adventures.

208 930 0114

NSPIRETOURS.COM WINTER/SPRING 2021 25

I recognize the intrinsic beauty of this temporary disconnection from civilization as the sleigh carries us through the idyllic winter landscape.

mystically silent as the forest around us hibernates deeply. Major pulls us steadily along carved white paths, the jingle of bells on his harness and the muted drum of his crisp tread invading a revered past with the vibrant life of the present. Our voices, merely at the volume of casual conversation, feel almost cacophonous against the whispering chord of this winter wonderland.

There’s something about the sound of sleigh bells that always reminds me of the magic of winter scenes in movies such as in The Chronicles of Narnia, when the Pevensie children meet Father Christmas, or to the seasonal wistfulness of classic songs, like Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas.”

The cold air on my bare face only intensifies this feeling of sleigh riding’s quintessentially winter essence; of its effortless ability to be perfectly romantic or whimsical, or both.

Major pulls us steadily along carved white paths.

Many of their horses were either born right here on the ranch or were purchased from nearby ranches.

Janice and Isaac explain that they pick themes for the names of foals born around the same time, and laugh about how one such batch all received Marvel superhero names like the Hulk, Spider Man, Captain America and Wonder Woman.

my hand in greeting to Major, the grey speckled Percheron draft horse who will be pulling our three-person sleigh today. He looks down at me intelligently, and I’m struck by just how massive this gentle giant is. Janice grabs a blanket, we load up in the sleigh, and then Isaac directs Major toward the trails just above the arena.

As Janice and I approach the awaiting sleigh, I respectfully extend

As we pass beneath the trees, the land seems frozen in time,

26 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

As incredible a vacation as Western Pleasure Guest Ranch is, what infuses it with that special touch of the unforgettable is the staff’s passion for the lifestyle, and the strength of family heritage woven into every facet. Janice loves getting to share her affection for the ranching world with others, and to witness the joy on their faces as they get to experience it for the first time.

I recognize the intrinsic beauty of this temporary disconnection from civilization as the sleigh carries us through the idyllic winter landscape.

I’m touched with gratitude to the Shoonovers for sharing their home and lives with so many; for allowing their guests to step into the romanticized past, where we are reminded it’s often the simpler things in life that are most worthy of our precious time. N

WINTER/SPRING 2021 27

ADVENTURE

ENJOY THE

GLI Cross-country skiing combines fun and sport

By ANDREA NAGEL Photography By CHRIS CELENTANO

28 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

IDE Lisa Sunderman brings up the rear in a group of exceptionally talented ladies on a beautiful winter day at Mt. Spokane Nordic Ski Center.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 29

While XC skiing can be done alone, it is also a fantastic way to socialize and get outside with friends.

Nordic Ski School and former president of the Spokane Nordic Ski Association board. For over 20 years Sunderman has called the trails of the Mt. Spokane Nordic Ski Park home.

Beginning as a way to get outdoors as a family, cross-country skiing quickly developed into a lifelong passion and escape during the long winter months.

Sunderman describes cross country skiing as “an escape from the rest of the world. The only time when I can think about nothing — It can be meditative. It fills your soul.”

Despite breathing heavily as I near the top of the slope, catching up to the others, I can see what she means.

While cross-country skiing can be a lively, social engagement as depicted by my companions, it can also serve as a means to connect back to yourself and nature. As we continue moving forward I do my best to channel my best yoga breath. Finding peace in each inhale and exhale, I watch as the steam rises toward the sky in front of me.

T

he chill of the air nips at my nose, and for a split second I question whether I’ve worn enough layers to keep me warm.

Finding my rhythm, I begin to gaze up at the trees, admiring the soft glinting of the snow as the sun graces the tips of each branch. The forest around me is completely silent aside from the swish, swish, swish of my rented cross country skis. With each glide forward I can feel the warmth of my core spreading to my limbs and am grateful when I finally feel it reach the tips of my fingers.

30 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Up ahead I catch a glimpse of my husband and our friend as they speed up a gradual slope, chatting and laughing as they go. A novice to the sport, I focus on my skis, doing my best to keep them straight and in their tracks. Having never crosscountry skied before, I struggle to find my rhythm between strides, poles and breath. My off-kilter rhythm aside, I take long deep breaths of the crisp winter air and let any thoughts other than my motion melt away.

This is a sensation known well by Lisa Sunderman, director of Spokane

I have yet to earn my snow legs, which makes this inner peace a bit harder to find. But for those as experienced as Sunderman, it’s easy to slip into the comfortable and familiar stride. For her, the most peaceful time comes when most are back at home. She prefers waking early to catch the sunrise or head out at sunset to take in the view of the city lights and night sky.

“It’s incredibly peaceful to be out skiing at night,” she says.

“Some may find it a bit eerie, but to be alone out on the mountain — with the city lights below and the stars above lighting up the snow around you — is like magic.”

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Don’t hesitate to get the entire family out on the trail. Mt. Spokane is the perfect place to take family for a day of outdoor adventure and exercise.

For those of us new to the sport, the magic doesn’t come instantly. Like most sports, it takes time and practice to feel at ease in your movements.

Each time I shift my focus away from my path, looking for birds or deer in the surrounding woods, I catch a slight edge and am jolted back to reality. As an avid hiker and snowshoer, I’m not foreign to earning your views through a bit of hard work, but the long skis require more focus on my footwork than I’m used to.

We break for water and a snack and beyond the chatter and regaling of the trip thus far, I am once again astounded by the quiet around us.

The snow insulates us from the typical sounds of branches breaking, the breeze winding through the trees, and echoes off the surrounding hillsides. When we stop, the sounds 32 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

of our skis no longer break the stillness, and that feeling of peace and connectedness begins to take hold until our movement once again breaks it.

taken up skiing in high school rather than snowboarding, I give myself a slight push, assume the universal athletic stance, and hope for the best.

The guys move on, making way down our first downhill slope. Having experience, they make the gradual slope look like a break more than sport, riding out the descent much like children on a slide. As I approach the crest, the mere molehill suddenly seeming more like the first drop of a rollercoaster rather than the gentle slide I had witnessed just seconds before, my stomach sinks a little.

Gaining speed, or what I would qualify as speed, I attempt the pizza maneuver to slow myself. In theory it seemed simple enough, but in practice the tips of my skis crossed and the remainder of my descent was spent on the ground with my eyes closed. I could hear the sound of laughter just up ahead. Dusting off the snow with little injury other than a bruised shin and ego, I give myself a pep talk and carry on.

I hear their encouraging words and try to remember the pizza vs. french fry article I Googled the day prior and my husband’s advice on how to control my speed. Suddenly wishing I had

The remainder of our journey is largely uneventful. I ask question after question about what I can do differently, but each answer circles around to more practice and more

patience. A lesson we can probably all apply to many aspects or hobbies in our lives. We laugh off our falls or small failures and fill with pride at a day well spent with good friends, exercise and time in the great outdoors.

It is this camaraderie and communal love of sport Sunderman most enjoys sharing with others. She found early on cross-country skiing has a way of connecting people and forging friendships.

“It’s a great way to catch up with friends or just enjoy being outside together,” she said. “You can’t beat a good ski with friends.”

I may be a novice, but I couldn’t agree more.

GIVE IT A TRY Get outside this winter, stay active and spend time with friends, family or Mother Nature while trying something new. Sunderman recommends cross-country skiing for people of all ages and abilities. Be prepared before you go with some of her favorite tips for new skiers:

>>

Rent some good skis: Ski equipment isn’t known for its comfort, so getting quality gear with the right fit will help.

>>

Take a lesson: Taking a lesson or two will help get you off on the right foot and hone important skills you’ll need on the trail.

>> Go with friends: Trying new

things as a group helps to keep the mood light and provides plenty of support.

>> Dress appropriately: It’s easy

to overdress for cross country skiing.

Wear light layers (similar to what you’d wear to run outside when it’s chilly) because you will generate a good amount of body heat. Moisture wicking layers, light gloves, a hat or headband, and a light jacket should be enough. N

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HE The A-Star is about to drop off its precious cargo of powder skiers at one of the many LZ’s spread across the rugged North Cascade Mountain range.

34 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

LI

ADVENTURE

Skiing the country’s most rugged terrain Story and Photography By: BOB LEGASA/FREERIDE MEDIA

T

he helicopter door opens. We take off our seatbelts and one by one we slide out, immediately dropping into hip-deep snow.

As I wade a few feet forward toward the front of the aircraft, I join the others who are huddled together.

Our guide and co-owner of North Cascade Heli Ken Brooks can be seen on the other side of the bird quickly unloading gear. The pilot is powering up and the noise is getting louder as the rotation of the spinning rotors increases. Snow is flying everywhere now. I try to cover my face, but it’s getting worse from the rotor wash.

The helicopter is now just a few feet above our heads, quickly gaining altitude. I can hear the pilot give it more power, and as I glance up I can see the nose of the bird tipping forward and the heli diving down out of sight on the other side of the ridge. Seconds later it reappears a quarter of a mile down the valley, cruising at speed. Soon it disappears over the horizon.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 35

It’s pretty easy to see why the North Cascades are nicknamed, the Alps of America

There’s hooting and hollering coming out of the huddle as we look around at the vast, jagged landscape.

Courtney Altringer Acosta, a Spokane native was blown away by the ruggedness of the North Cascades.

“I’m from Washington state and I didn’t even know this existed,” she said.

Gathering our gear, we all notice an indescribable silence and realize we are standing on a snow-covered peak in the middle of one of America’s most rugged mountain ranges, the North Cascades of Washington.

Oddly enough, this is what we came here for, and our only way down is to step into our skis and slide effortlessly through untouched, bottomless powder snow. This is heli skiing at North Cascade Heli.

36 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

North Cascade Heli utilizes an A-Star heli, which is sometimes referred to as the Ferrari of the sky.

The A-Star can seat four riders, a guide and the pilot. Our first drop off was in the Silver Star area, a zone surrounded by granite spires, cliffs and plenty of steep slopes.

This landing zone sits at 8,600 feet and is the highest in the company’s tenure. Looking around, it’s easy to understand why the North Cascades are often referred to as the Alps of America.

On this heli-ski adventure I was joined by Courtney and her husband Chris Acosta, who were both very successful collegiate ski racers. Heliskiing has always been something

they have wanted to do together as most of their time skiing has been either training or hitting the gates on the racecourse.

Courtney grew up ski racing at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Idaho. She was talented enough as a ski racer to get recruited by the University of New Mexico’s ski team, where she ski raced for four years.

During that time, she earned an AllAmerican title and met Chris, who was a teammate.

“Heli-skiing was only something you dreamed about living out in the Midwest being a ski racer,” said Chris, who grew up in the small town of Ashland, Wis. “That’s what I pursued my whole life.”

Like Courtney, Chris grew up ski racing. He skied Division One for the University of Mexico Lobos ski team and had a six-time All-American record. For the past five years, he’s

Surrounded by huge Granite walls Chris makes his way down through the Kangaroo Bowl.

“First time heli skiing, by far the best day of my life,” Chris says.

“North Cascade Heli gave me the thrill that I’ve never had.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 37

been ski coaching and sharing what he knows with the next generation.

“I’ve been skiing my whole life,” he said. “I’ve never been in a helicopter.

I’ve never experienced heli skiing before, so when I got in that helicopter, it was by far the most exciting time in my life.”

North Cascade Heli is located on the east slopes of the North Cascades in Mazama, Wash., which gets hammered with snow. It’s no wonder the company set up shop in these mountains back in the late 80’s. Getting there is easy as it’s only a three-hour drive from Spokane.

Each winter the North Cascade Highway is blocked at that location to restrict vehicle transit through these rugged, snow covered mountains.

The road basically dumps you at North Cascade Heli’s heli barn, which is located adjacent to the Freestone Inn. Most of the company’s clients stay at the Freestone, which is a beautifully appointed log lodge with comfortable rooms and après amenities like a bar and a 24-hour hot tub to unwind after a day of heli skiing. The Freestone has excellent food at the Sandy Butte Bistro, where we had breakfast each day, or Jack’s Huts for dinner and beers.

For me, there’s nothing better than a good pizza and a few cold brews after a day of crushing powder. I highly recommend getting the The Mack at Jack’s Hut, which is a fresh, handmade pizza loaded with pesto, bacon, chicken, artichoke hearts and ranch dressing.

in the chance of needing to conduct a search.

Before our group or any group sets out on the first day of riding, North Cascade Heli’s certified mountain guides and pilot run through a snow and heli safety course. Each person learns how to properly use an avalanche airbag, an avalanche transceiver and a probe and shovel

Owner Ken knows these mountains very well and it shows as he navigates Chris, Courtney and I through his little playground, which is over 300,000 acres and has over 125 named runs. With each run, Ken would set us up for some mindblowing powder turns that consisted

38 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Courtney making bottomless powder turns on one of the many, open, gladed runs at North Cascade Heli

of steeps, open bowls, tree skiing and every once a while some nice features for Chris to send it! You couldn’t keep that smile off Chris’s grill as he recounted his experience.

“First time heli-skiing, by far the best day of my life,” he said. “North Cascade Heli gave me the thrill that I’ve never had. You’re dropped off on top of that mountain, and you feel

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From the looks on Courtney and Chris’s face, it’s understandable how this might even be better than their wedding day.

40 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

The group getting a Heli safety briefing by Shea the Pilot before we head up into the high country.

like your heart’s going in your throat and you are like, ‘let’s go, we’re going to go shred some pow.’ You feel free.

You experience a sense of flow, like you’re floating and then you get hit with a big face shot of powder blasting into your goggles and helmet. Oh, we hit it so good.”

If the skiing wasn’t enough of sensory overload for Chris, the heli ride definitely put him over the top.

“He’s a little kid in most situations,” Courtney mused. “I knew if he sat in the front seat of the heli, he was gonna lose it and have the time of his life. Yep, I expected it!

Courtney knew it would be a trip to remember.

“For the two of us, out here skiing this together might even be better than our wedding day.” N

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ORGANIC GARDENING

Rodent pests can range from squirrels to mice, voles, marmots, rabbits and even raccoons and skunks.

Dealing with ANIMAL PESTS

By S. MICHAL BENNETT

A

s we strive to grow abundant, efficient and sustainable gardens and yards, we often

encounter vertebrate pests that enjoy nibbling on soft shoots, fresh leaves and juicy roots.

Here in the Inland Northwest, wildlife and underground rodents can be abundant in urban as well as rural settings. This past summer, a doe and her two fawns found our container garden and nibbled the top stems, buds and leaves off of all our pepper plants. Squirrels also like to bury their nuts in our blueberry bush pots, but I enjoy watching them try to find them in spring.

42 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Mule deer and whitetail are native to our region and are considered “edge” species – they prefer to graze in and along the edges of open areas near forests and dense shrubs.

Gardens and urban landscapes have an abundance of “edges,” which inevitably attract deer.

These animals, although they eat on average 7 pounds of food per day, like to nibble through an area, tasting one plant, then another. They will then return and eat in earnest if they find something good to eat. However, they’re not terribly picky, and their tastes can change, depending on drought, shortages of wild food sources and weather. Typically they

enjoy fruit (tree and shrub), acorns, lichen, dead leaves, twigs, bark and evergreen boughs. But they also have a particular palate for tender new shoots and buds, which is terrible news for a gardener.

Rodent pests can range from squirrels to mice, voles, marmots, rabbits and even raccoons and skunks. Mice and voles travel in tunnels and love grassy areas and leafy mulch. They feed on a variety of vegetation, including flower bulbs, vegetable roots, tubers, young tree bark and shrubs.

Marmots, also called rock chucks or whistle pigs, are the largest

Deer in the Northwest can devour a garden if the proper fence is not installed.

member of the squirrel family and are common in Idaho. They love juicy vegetables and can strip a garden to the ground in just a few nights.

Rabbits will consume your flowers, greens and vegetables and multiply quickly. Raccoons and skunks are not solely herbivores, however, raccoons do love fresh corn. Both live in rural wooded areas or lightly populated neighborhoods. Skunks can also carry rabies.

>> What to Do

1. Identify your animal. Every animal leaves damage unique to them.

2. Get a pet. Domestic cats and dogs deter many wild animals.

3. Modify your habitat to co-exist or discourage pests. Deer tend to avoid plants with strong scents, bristly or thorny textures, and fuzzy leaves, although they might eat if

hungry enough. Planting clover close to a known marmot den can keep the rodents from wandering into your garden. For rabbits, remove brush, stones and weed patches.

Secure your trash cans and bring pet food and water inside at night to ward off raccoons.

4. Establish fencing, chicken wire or row covers appropriate for your pest as well as your dog or cat, which might want to dig in your beds.

5. Use a repellant such as castor oil or garlic spray (which helped with my deer situation), depending on the season, animal and situation. Using poisons can negatively affect your plants, vegetables and health. Inflatable snakes may help with rabbits.

Light and noise emitters, moved regularly, may discourage deer.

6. Lay traps, but first inquire if there are any protected animals in your county. For deer, call wildlife control to help relocated the animals.

You can also hire a professional to remove rodents or use store-bought traps or glue boards. Peanut butter and vitamin D are decent bait for mice and voles. Marmots can be baited with sprigs of clover. Skunks and raccoons prefer sardines or cat food. If trapping live, be sure to have a removal plan and location at least 5 miles away and not your in-laws’ house. And always wear protective clothing and eye goggles with skunks.

Check with your local Department of Wildlife or Extension Office for more animals that might become a nuisance in your garden and other solutions that may be effective in your area. N WINTER/SPRING 2021 43

HEALTHY INGREDIENT

Beets are versatile and full of nutrients

BEETS E

arthy, sweet and vivid in color, beets are either beloved or hated. I have to admit, they are some of my favorite vegetables.

The beetroot, which grew wild in antiquity in northern Africa, belongs to the same horticultural family as chard and spinach and was first cultivated on Mediterranean coastlines for its edible leaves. The roots, originally long and pointed, as well as fibrous and tough, were used medicinally until cultivation made the roots more edible. Once edible, they were considered nature’s first Viagra, an aphrodisiac, and an easy way to counteract “garlic breath.”

In 1747, a German chemist also discovered that beets are high in sugar. The first cultivated sugar beet contained 6 percent sugar.

Today’s sugar beets, which provide 20 percent of the world’s sugar, can contain up to 20 percent sugar. But beets are more than sweet.

The most significant nutritional contribution beets make to your diet is iron, which benefits anemia, liver detoxification, hormones and hangovers. The greens are richer in iron than the roots, and are also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and healthy fiber. The roots are dense in calcium, vitamins A and C, folic acid and potassium 44 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

and are also a good source of fiber, especially if eaten raw. Finally, the pigment that gives beets their purple-crimson color, betacyanin, as well as beet fiber and juice, have been shown to be a powerful cancerfighting agent.

Because of its pervasive pigment, the color of red beets typically takes over anything it touches. Try removing a beet juice stain from a white shirt, and you will discover futility. Throughout history, this juice has been used as a natural coloring for textiles, hair, skin (used as rouge) and food. Borscht, a popular beetbased soup in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern and Central European countries, is blood-red in color and earthy-rich in flavor. The USDA even has a numbered food coloring derived from betacyanin, and small amounts of juice turn frosting lovely shades of pink, purple and red.

Beet greens add a sweet dirtiness chopped into a fall salad, sautéed into a ginger spiced stir-fry or wilted into a sausage and lentil soup. Like kale, these greens are also hearty enough to bake into chips. Remove the stems, toss with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of salt and a dash of nutritional yeast and bake at 350°F for 5-10 minutes, until crispy. For something a little different, check

By S. MICHAL BENNETT Photography By JOEL RINER

out our Pickled Beet Stems (and root) full recipe on Nspire’s website.

These days, beetroots come in a variety of colors and nuances of flavor. Chioggia are sweet and clean with a red and white “candy-striped” flesh. Golden beets don’t have the intense earthiness of a traditionally dark variety, which comes in many shades of red. And you can find mild, white Avalanche beet seeds through Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Fresh beetroots tend to be tough and woody, so they either need to be broken down into smaller pieces or cooked.

Peeling is definitely easier when the root is cooked. Grating peeled beets is a quick and easy way to add bites of fresh beet to salads or coleslaw.

You can also slice thinly and sprinkle with sea salt, chile powder and lemon juice. Beets are delicious roasted, steamed, sautéed, boiled, pickled, juiced and fermented. In Lithuania, there is a version of kvass, a fermented drink, that uses beetroot, and it is a lively addition to sauerkraut. And one more thing – they are great for baking brownies. A quick web search for “beet brownies” will give you a myriad of delicious recipes. Check out our website for my favorite roasted beet recipe, as well as suggested juicing combinations. N

Recipes ROASTED BEETS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND HONEY

Beets make an excellent side dish.

(makes 8-10 ounces)

» 4 large beets » Extra virgin olive oil » Herbs de Provence or fresh rosemary » Sea salt » Black pepper » 4 ounces plain goat cheese or fromage blanc » 4 tablespoons honey

Oven: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash beets and peel with a vegetable peeler. Cut beets into 1 ½-inch chunks and place into a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs. Toss to evenly coat. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, until tender.

Crockpot: Wash beets and wrap whole in foil. Place into a crockpot and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Unwrap and remove skins. Cut into 1 ½-inch chunks and place into a bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs, salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat.

Serve warm or cold with crumbled cheese and honey. Enjoy! Makes 4 servings.

Fermented pickled beets are rich in probiotics.

PICKLED BEET STEMS (AND ROOTS)

» 1 ½ pounds beets w/greens » 1 cup water » 1 1/3 cups sugar » ¾ cup white or apple cider vinegar » 2 cinnamon sticks » 3 cloves » 1 ½ pounds beets w/greens Wash beets and greens. Remove the greens from the beets and strip the leaves from the stems. Reserve the leaves for smoothies. Chop the stems into bite-sized pieces and set aside.

Steam the beets whole in a steamer pan or boil until tender and the skins are easy to remove. Peel and cut off remaining stems and roots. Slice the beets and set aside.

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, vinegar, cinnamon and cloves. Bring to a boil. Add the beets and stems and return to a boil. Remove from the heat. Either add to cleaned, sanitized canning jars and process in a water bath canner (per the times listed here: tinyurl.com/yytg4teb. or cool completely, place in jars and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy alone as a side, paired with crispy prosciutto or added to a spinach salad with bacon, walnuts and blue cheese dressing.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 45

FITNESS

3

S

taying fit physically and mentally during the pandemic has been challenging for many.

Fitness routines took a hit at the onset of the pandemic. And while many gyms have reopened, the fear of acquiring Covid-19 has many people choosing to stay home and avoid the risks.

During the summer, it’s much easier to find outdoor activities to keep you in shape. Running, biking, walking and playing sports are good for the body – and mind. But with the winter months keeping us inside, the options for getting a good workout dwindle, unless you take up winter sports like skiing and snowshoeing.

You don’t have to sit this season out and Covid-19 doesn’t

46 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Stay fit by adjusting your routine.

Ways to stay out of the fitness rut have to derail your wellness plans indefinitely. Here are ideas to keep active and energetic during the colder, darker months.

>> Don’t be afraid to go outside.

Walking with great traction boots, shoes or purchasing add-on traction devices such as icy grips can keep you safe outdoors. Be flexible with weather, and pick a route that is safe even with snow and ice. Increasingly popular is snowshoeing. It is relatively inexpensive, and if you like to hike, snowshoeing is a great way to enjoy winter. Try something new such as ice skating, skate skiing or crosscountry skiing. New experiences and continuing to enjoy outdoors are a great way to keep mentally and physically fit.

By DIANA OKON Photos By JOEL RINER

>>

Workout inside your home.

For some people, outdoor activity is not always an option in the winter.

Weather and darkness can greatly affect one’s ability to be outside.

Technology has vastly improved our ability to workout indoors anywhere. Smart devices allow you to download several different exercise applications. There are so many free or inexpensive training applications. It is like having your own personal trainer or joining a group fitness class. The best part is many require little or no equipment. Literally any exercise you love from yoga to boxing is available. Also DVD or on demand fitness videos are readily available.

For those who want to spend more money, Peloton bike workouts, and the Mirror workouts have been

Exercise keeps you mentally fit.

increasingly popular throughout this pandemic. Familiarize yourself with what is available and enjoy all that the fitness applications have to offer.

>>

Track your steps. Although the idea of tracking steps such as with a Fitbit, has been around for a few years, for many people it keeps them on track.

Having daily goals and reaching those goals is a rewarding way to stay or get in shape. The common goal is 10,000 steps a day, which equates to approximately 5 miles.

However, you can set your own goals.

During the times when outside may not be an option, take the walks in an indoor mall or big supermarket.

Another way to add steps is to park far from entrances to stores, banks, appointments and also take stairs when possible. Tracking steps can greatly help keep you active, and reaching your goals will improve your mental health.

Staying physically and mentally active is important. Don’t fall into a rut. Go outside, stay inside, count steps or do them all. Just remember to pick activities you enjoy and do them often. N

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ART

Reinaldo Gil Zambrano The art of printmaking begins with a story

By ROSEMARY ANDERSON Photography By JOEL RINER

A

n artist’s tools — paint brushes, pencils, carving knives — have been shaped over the years to fit the hands that use them. They are an extension of human motion. But for Spokane printmaker Reinaldo Gil Zambrano, his tools go beyond the norm. He uses thousand-pound printing presses and industrial steam and asphalt rollers: anything but palmsize.

“I grew up drawing cartoons, copying comic books and children’s books my mom gave me, using charcoals, doing paper mache from magazines — I experimented and was never conventional,” Reinaldo

The expanse, and expense, of the printmaker’s toolbox has left printmaking mostly inaccessible.

Reinaldo, also known as RGZ, wants to change that.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela in 1990, Reinaldo grew up in an environment that fueled his creativity. Taking inspiration from his family’s support, Reinaldo played with different artistic mediums from a young age.

48 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

This digital makup by Reinaldo is one of many proposed for downtown Spokane buildings.

said. “My parents were always supportive, allowing me to paint on my walls and my clothes.”

As a teenager, Reinaldo attended the United World College Costa Rica and received a bilingual diploma.

Printmaker Reinaldo Gil Zambrano uses an array of tools to create.

Surrounded by students from around the world, it was here Reinaldo recognized his ability to tell stories not through sound but through sight.

With a large international scholarship and a desire to study the arts, Reinaldo moved from Latin America to Idaho.

At the University of Idaho Reinaldo was introduced to printmaking, teaching and his future wife Ashley.

He fell in love with all three.

At the university, he organized the now-annual Vandal Steam Roller Project, creating large-scale prints with sidewalk-sized stamps, bedsheets, and a steamroller. “[Reinaldo is] an amazing example of what a creative leader is and should be,” said Chelsea Marie Flores, a fellow printmaker and

former student of Reinaldo’s. “His hard work and talent has made a huge impact on the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The arts community is better with him in it.”

Although he steamrolls for events, like Emerge’s INK! Print Rally in Coeur d’Alene, Reinaldo uses more traditional printmaking methods for his own pieces.

His go-to print style is relief printing, a process in which an artist carves away negative space to create a “stamp” for the inking process.

First, Reinaldo starts with a story.

“I think back to stories I’ve heard and that triggers an idea,” he said.

“I’ll focus on the meaning behind a story and how I can preserve the storytelling process through art.”

He grabs a piece of fiberboard,

sometimes up to 6 feet in length, and sketches his idea with a pencil.

Using a string and ruler to ensure lines are straight and symmetrical, Reinaldo takes a permanent marker to outline the bolder areas.

The finished product will be two dimensional, but Reinaldo’s pieces appear 3D. The detailed crosshatching, shading and fine lines breathe life into his whimsical works. Viewers can almost run their hands along the fence posts in his depictions of home.

With the drawing laid out, he stains the block with acrylic paint to see his carvings as he works — leaving his raised drawing to be inked with a rolling-pin-like tool.

A piece of paper, fabric, or canvas is then laid carefully on the block.

Reinaldo will place the “paper-stampWINTER/SPRING 2021 49

Reinaldo sees himself first as an illustrator, then a carver.

sandwich” into a printing press that will create a “pressure sandwich.”

Depending on the size of the piece, the paper and block will be smashed together by a small metal plate or roll through a machine that operates much like a miniature steamroller.

The initial image Reinaldo stamps is traditionally black, because it “renders images perfectly.” If he wants to add additional details or a layer of color, Reinaldo will carve the block again and leave raised only the extra details. Creating these layers adds luminosity to an otherwise flat piece and gives Reinaldo that 3D effect.

He may use the block just once or as many as 40 times, small differences occurring between the prints. Reinaldo then signs and numbers each one-of-a-kind, limited edition piece of art.

“My favorite part of printmaking 50 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

is that I can transform myself into different roles,” Reinaldo said.

“First, I am an illustrator drawing my vision. Then I am a carver and last an inker. There is a place for experimentation at every phase.”

Often described as “magical realism,” Reinaldo’s work highlights the unified human experience through Western and Hispanic iconography. Using black ink and bright yellows to illuminate the darkest places, he creates graphic stories that share the universal feeling of home.

“I believe everyone has an internal home and an external home,” he said. “Your internal home is always changing through your experiences, and your external home is always changing through your surroundings.”

Without access to a university and its resources, it’s difficult to be

a printmaker. Most people can not afford the expensive printmaking equipment — printing presses, drying racks, inks, cleaning supplies and more. To fill the need, Reinaldo created his public printmaking shop RGZPrints.

“I believe in teaching through doing,” Reinaldo said. “I like to guide new artists so they can come back and become the teachers themselves.”

Looking to expand, RGZPrints partnered with Millwood Print Works and Bottlecrow Publications to open the Spokane Print & Publishing

Center (SPPC), a community facility with workshops, classes, gallery shows, and access to expensive print and publishing tools. Here people can learn letter pressing, book binding, action figure modeling, board game designing and printing on Victorian era presses. “[Reinaldo is] so committed to building the printmaking community in Spokane and his energy is contagious,” said Thom Caraway, a co-founder and letterpress instructor at SPPC. “He is always looking for ways to collaborate with all kinds of artists...People see his work, and I think they can see what the art form is really capable of because his work is so evocative and intricate.”

In partnership with Terrain, a Spokane nonprofit arts organization, Reinaldo also hosts the Spokane Print Fest. The one-day event is an annual print celebration with gallery shows, artist demos, workshops and more. For Reinaldo, the reward is when different members of the community can teach and share with each other.

Blackwell Gallery is located in the beautiful town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho just steps from the waterfront, and right in the heart of the retail and dining district. We feature exclusively local artists with various mediums in contemporary and modern paintings, sculptures, mixed media, encaustic, photography, mechanical parts creations and woodwork. Our mix of modern, contemporary, and abstract art makes us a very unique and exciting gallery to shop. Come visit us…we are sure you’ll want to take an original piece home to add to your collection.

“As a printmaker you can be solitary, carving for hours at your desk,” he said. “But I think of printmaking as a communication tool to reach more people, ask for help, and preserve stories. It goes beyond limitations of cultural and language barriers.”

Reinaldo has definitely found success in Spokane. But is he not one to be limited. His pieces have been shown around the country and around the world: Puerto Rico, Mexico, Spain, Australia and back in his home country of Venezuela.

Reinaldo has created a movement.

He encourages the art world with a spirit of creation and togetherness.

And Spokane has the pleasure of watching it all. N

205 Sherman Avenue Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814

2 0 8 . 6 9 9 . 2 1 1 6 BLACKWELLGALLERYCDA.COM WINTER/SPRING 2021 51

The home’s color palette creates a calming effect.

Builder / MONARCH CUSTOM HOMES

52 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

HOME

MAXIMIZING THE BEAUTY OF

Lake Coeur d’Alene

By ROSEMARY ANDERSON Photography By RED HOG MEDIA

This custom-built home is the true definition of a lakehouse.

When the turquoise front door opens to views of the water, it is clear this home is made for Lake Coeur d’Alene.

This nearly 5,000-square foot home on Lake Coeur d’Alene features a panaramic view of the water.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 53

The homes open floor plan is perfect for entertaining.

Local homeowners knew they wanted to create a home with North Idaho’s natural elements as the centerpiece. They just needed the right team.

Monarch Custom Homes and d’Zign group Architecture, in collaboration with Coeur d’Alene’s XACT Interiors, brought the homeowners’ ideas together on the northeast shore of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The core of the home’s design lies in the raw beauty of the lake. Almost every room of the 4,900-square-foot home has a view of the water.

“We have been truly blessed to have been able to build our dream home on Lake Coeur d’Alene,” the homeowner said. “To be right on the water is beyond our wildest dreams. The location afforded us a full 180-degree lake view, and we wanted to capture every inch 54 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

of that panorama as unobstructed as possible.”

to create the perfect backdrop for the view of a lifetime.”

Even the homeowners’ guests can’t get through the front door without a jaw-dropping reaction to the view.

The large dining and seating areas are perfect for gatherings, but the lake is perfect for conversation. Regardless of weather, the homeowners find the lake views are always a main attraction for their visitors.

Clean, calming, and contemporary were the guiding principles for this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home. The lack of window trim and heavy use of natural elements, like stones and woods, seamlessly blend the home’s interior with the outdoor scenery. Everything from the rich walnut fireplace to the leafy kitchen backsplash mimics the textures and colors of North Idaho.

“When you walk into the house, whether in the kitchen, the bedroom or the bathroom, it feels like you’re right there, in the middle of the lake, enjoying the tranquil blue water and green lush surroundings,” said Shawn Anderson, co-owner and designer at Monarch Custom Homes. “All the finishes and trim details were chosen for their ability to compliment the grand lake view.

These details could not be contrived; they had to feel natural, be authentic

Some of the most spectacular lake views are seen in the great room. The unique curved windowwall, inspired by the tower cupula at the Grand Hotel in Mackinac Island, Mich., brings a little bit of the northern Midwest to this Pacific Northwest home.

Stone carving is a passion of one of the homeowners and many of her pieces can be found throughout

L O V E the P R O C E S S

208-772-2799 | MBBuilders.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 55

The master bath’s picture window adds tranquility to the space.

the home — including the handcarved stone pedestal sink in the master bath. Her artistic influence is found throughout the home, from the dramatic chandeliers to the fireplace’s backlit display shelves to the kitchen’s live-edge reclaimed walnut table.

Even the outdoor living areas have an element of artistry. Each deck has a custom-made steel privacy panel.

In the outdoor firepit sits a natural 5,000-pound pink champagne rock.

North Idaho’s changing seasons can make outdoor living difficult, but the homeowners aren’t worried about winter weather. The radiantheated, sloped garage and heated driveway, sidewalks and outside staircases ensure there is no shoveling needed. The time the homeowners don’t spend shoveling can be spent relaxing on the covered and gas-heated deck.

With warm spaces and incredible views, fun can be had year-round. N 56 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

This covered deck allows for year round viewing of the lake.

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WINTER/SPRING 2021 57

HOME

Old World Charm WITH A MODERN TOUCH

By MICHAELA DELAVAN Photography By JOEL RINER

R

olling wooded hills surround this stunning home on just under 2 acres looking out over Lake Coeur d’Alene. Kevin and Elizabeth Westfall chose this location for their home due to its scenic location, lake view and proximity to The Club at Black Rock.

“We fell in love with the wild look out here,” Elizabeth said. “This spot was perfect for us. We wanted to feel like we were in the country, far away from everything.”

When faced with the question of how to maximize the home’s potential, the Westfalls knew Eric Hedlund Design LLC could bring their vision to life. They started designing the residence in January 2018 and completed the home in October 2019.

58 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

A wall of windows connects the interior and exterior spaces to create a grand and scenic entertaining area with an expansive view of Lake Coeur d’Alene.

Designer / ERIC HEDLUND

WINTER/SPRING 2021 59

“The house was a great collaboration with Kevin and Beth as they brought concepts to us,” said Eric Hedlund. “We worked on every aspect of the design from the architecture, interior architecture and down to the furnishings.”

A detached garage satisfies Kevin’s hobby. “My husband lives and breathes cars and I’m pretty sure his favorite spot is the garages,” Elizabeth says.

The design aesthetic was heavily influenced by Elizabeth’s Scandinavian heritage and the couple’s travels in Europe. They wanted a home with the soul of the Old World, but also modern touches such as clean lines and multiple living spaces. Hedlund created a unique residence where the rustic charm of a hill country home meets a modern farmhouse.

“The farmhouse look is perfect for the surroundings out here; the natural stone and reclaimed timbers make it look like it was here already,” Elizabeth said. “We wanted to keep as many trees as possible as the house is surrounded

The large kitchen island has dual sinks to allow the Westfalls to prep dinner while entertaining guests.

60 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

by huge, beautiful pine and fir trees.

We added a large lawn in the back, but everything else will remain wild and natural looking.”

synergy stucco on the exterior of the

A combination of limestone veneer, reclaimed wood siding and

for the stonework to maximize the

home play as well as a cobblestoned courtyard play with a sense of age.

Elizabeth chose an over-grouted look Old European aesthetic.

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Reclaimed timbers from Montana are repeated throughout the various sections of the 4,742-square-foot home to continue the Old World sensation and define spaces. Custom Durango steel windows provide both modernity and an abundance of natural light throughout the home.

Both wings of the home have covered patios that overlook the lake, providing a private place to sit and reflect upon the day.

“It’s a very comfortable home, very inviting and warm,” said Hedlund.

“The home doesn’t feel brand new and is much more worldly with eclectic materials and design.”

The primary focus of the interior living area – aside from the lake view – is an oversized fireplace with a custom mantel and herringbonepatterned red bricks that flicker with flame.

“I wanted an enormous fireplace like in the old European manor homes,” Elizabeth said. “It makes quite the statement in the living area, and it’s my favorite place to curl up all winter.”

In the kitchen charming shades of grey cabinetry offset the reclaimed wood ceiling and mask the oversized fridge. A custom hood sits over the oversized range, flanked by windows on each side to maximize natural light. Two custom Durango steel and glass curio cabinets showcase the Westfalls’ glassware and dishware.

The kitchen opens into the outside dining area, offset by a built in BBQ and a large covered seating area that provides front row viewing of the lake. “We still can’t believe we’re so lucky to live in a place this beautiful,” Elizabeth said. “I still get giddy every day when I get up and walk into the living area and see my two beautiful deer and their babies right outside the windows – it’s an amazing view.” N

62 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

The living room, great room and kitchen flow together for a collaborative entertaining space that maximizes the lake view with a wall of Durango windows.

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HOME

Bull Run Ranch Life on the Coeur d’Alene River is a Life Well Lived

By MICHAELA DELAVAN

The expansive patio provides intimate sitting areas along the river.

WINTER/SPRING 2021 65

Custom blue tiles showcase two swimming turtles, while four pool laminar jets shoot color-changing arcs of water into the pool.

Ken and Debbie Smith chose this location for Bull Run Ranch over Rock on the fireplace was hand picked from a 12,000-area rock business Ken and a friend owned.

30 years ago. It was the ideal spot for their home: scenic, private and equidistant from Coeur d’Alene and their car dealership.

“We built our dream place both inside and out,” said Ken. “This can never be duplicated.”

At 7,843 square feet, the home has four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms, a gourmet kitchen, a great room that converts to home theatre, and a five-car finished garage with a Tesla charging port.

The home’s front entrance is dramatic; a beautiful gate grants entry to the estate, while black slate steps embedded with copper dragonflies lead to the driveway.

“Of course it’s all heated, so you don’t ever need to shovel,” said Ken. 66 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Wood is featured throughout the

The great room is designed around

home creating warmth and elegance.

a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace –

Debbie spent three and a half months

sourced from Ken’s rock business –

designing the home’s woodwork. She

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One of several, this private sitting area provides a quite place to relax and take in the views of the sprawling estate.

Automatic blinds and surround sound support the drop-down, 11,000-lumen Laser projector so that movies can be enjoyed at any time of day.

“We put everything we ever wanted in this home and spared no expense,” Ken said. “It’s the most comfortable home ever to live in and share with friends.”

The home has several private seating areas that overlook either the Coeur d’Alene River or mountains (In some spots, both), making it the perfect place to host large gatherings and still maintain a sense of intimacy among guests.

For those who can’t take the grand stairs to move between the home’s three levels, the Smiths installed a discreet elevator.

68 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

The 95.28-acre lot has 3,700 feet of river frontage with a covered boat dock and private beach. It takes roughly 30 minutes to boat to Harrison from the property or to drive to Coeur d’Alene.

The Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes runs through the property for easy access to activities such as biking, winter Nordic skiing and snowshoeing, hiking, birding and wildlife viewing.

Several moose are fans of the apple trees, and the Smiths enjoy watching the wood ducks and geese babies each year.

A 2,592-square-feet barn houses both horses and a workshop.

Fenced and cross fenced pastures provide ample space for horses to meander and graze, while the huge outdoor riding arena provides

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a lovely riverside area to hone equestrian skills.

Areas such as the gazebo and the koi pond create more intimate spaces for those seeking a little privacy on the vast estate.

Ken said he and his wife have many fond memories of all their years at Bull Run, from the joys of hosting family gatherings to the pleasant solitude of sitting by the pond hearing the waterfall.

“Cutthroat trout fishing right off your dock and almost a mile of your own private river frontage. It doesn’t get better than that,” he said. N

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HIKING

At 130 feet tall, Upper Mesa Falls is truly a sight to behold. The viewing platforms on the right allow for an up-close feel of the waterfall.

Upper & Lower Mesa Falls Scenic Area / ASHTON, IDAHO Photo By CHRIS CELENTANO

70 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

WINTER/SPRING 2021 71

Lower Mesa Falls in all its multi-tiered glory sits magnificently between towering cliffs and pine trees.

UPPER & LOWER MESA FALLS SCENIC AREA Photographer:

CHRIS CELENTANO

Closest city to the trailhead: Ashton, Idaho Average distance of hike: .5 - 4 miles Why do you recommend it?

It is not often that two massive and stunningly beautiful waterfalls are so close in proximity to each other with such easy access for viewing.

This place is a literal one-stop-shop for any level of adventure a person or family could want. The viewing areas are within a couple of hundred feet to quarter mile of the parking areas with ADA accessibility at both falls. If you are looking for the perfect place to take small children or elderly family members, this is the perfect place to soak in incredible scenery in a semi-remote location without the need to make an expedition out of the day. If you want to spice things up a bit, take the 4 mile out and back trail from the Upper Falls down to the Lower Falls; those with 72 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

a much higher sense of adventure can scramble down to the water level for viewing of the roughly 60 foot tall falls.

What was most noteworthy?

The multi-tiered Lower Falls is right around 60 feet and falls into a cliff lined canyon. This waterfall is often paddled by whitewater kayakers in the spring and early summer. Keep an eye out for a group of brightly colored kayaks and kayakers! The Upper Falls viewing platforms get you right up close to the roaring 130 foot tall waterfall. It truly is a sight to behold!

from bears. Bring water and good footwear as well.

Where to celebrate after: Five 11 Main Old Fashioned Soda Fountain and Pizzeria in Ashton.

How do you get there?

Are there restrooms?

From Idaho Falls, take Highway 20 Northeast toward Rexburg/St. Anthony and ultimately Ashton.

Take a right turn off of HWY 20 and take HWY 47 east from Ashton.

Stay on Highway 47, The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, 13-15 miles. The Lower Falls Parking area will be on your left first. The Upper Falls Area is about a mile further up the road on the left.

Yes.

Nspire Challenge Rating:

Know before you go:

1

Lazy Sunday Stroll

Day-use fees are required at the Upper Falls area. Otherwise, the Lower Falls area is free to use.

If you plan the trail between the falls, it is wise to carry protection

2

Family Adventure

3

Average Outdoor Enthusiast

4

Bring Your A-Game

5

Master Adventurer

BEAUTY CREEK

Beauty Creek runs along with Forest Road #438. There are many pull-off areas for picnics.

Photographer:

STEPHANIE KING

Closest city to the trailhead: Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Average distance of hike: 6 miles Why do you recommend it?

The beautiful forested trail begins at Beauty Creek and winds through the trees for 6 miles and does eventually connect to Caribou Ridge trail to the north. Both hiking and mountain biking enthusiasts love this one.

What was most noteworthy?

Beauty Creek trail winds its way through forests and streams for 6 miles. The trail has many areas of flowers.

Hiking, trail running and mountainbike worthy in a very forested area.

Hikers will pass various tributaries along the trail. This trail can be out and back or continuing farther to the west to connect with Caribou Ridge trail for a 20-mile trip.

service road out and back trail, or connect to Caribou Ridge trail (20mile round trip).

Are there restrooms?

Where to celebrate after?

No

MoonTime in Coeur d’Alene

Know before you go:

How do you get there?

Take water and keep dogs on leash.

It’s an uphill hike for 2 miles and eventually comes to the forest

Take forest road #438 off of Hwy 97.

Drive 4 miles to trailhead #257 on the right-hand side. You can park on

the left side of the road.

Nspire Challenge Rating: 1

Lazy Sunday Stroll

2

Family Adventure

3

Average Outdoor Enthusiast

4

Bring Your A-Game

5

Master Adventurer

WINTER/SPRING 2021 73

Closest city to the trailhead:

Why do you recommend it?

Coolin, Idaho

This is a fairly easy hike with some of the best views in the region.

Views of the Idaho Selkirks and both Upper and Lower Priest Lake are

Average distance of hike: 5 miles

Some of the best views in North Idaho can be enjoyed on this hike.

Picturesque Priest Lake is one of the examples.

phenomenal. It’s a bit of an adventure to get to the trailhead but once there the hike is well worth the effort.

What was most noteworthy?

About a mile into the hike is Lookout Lake, which is a nice place to explore a bit and offers a few spots to camp.

It’s then only about 1.5 miles to the top where you can take in the amazing views. The old lookout cabin built in 1929 still stands at the summit.

Are there restrooms?

No Know before you go?

A high clearance vehicle is pretty much a necessity on the road approaching the trailhead. Always be prepared for changing weather conditions. At 6,727 feet elevation it could be much different than when you were down by the lake.

Where to celebrate after?

Moose Knuckle Burgers and Brew How do you get there?

The original fire lookout was built in 1929 and it still sits atop Lookout Mountain with panoramic views.

Photographer:

JOEL RINER

LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN 74 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

At Coolin, go right on Dickensheet Hwy for 5.4 miles. Turn right on Cavenaugh Bay Rd. and continue on E Shore Rd. past Lionshead Campground (22 miles) past mile marker 23. Take a right on Rd#44 for 2.5 miles until junction of #44 and #43. Turn right on #43. At the first switchback, #43 veers right. Follow main road up the switchback to the left and you will now be on Rd #432.

Climb for about 3 miles until you reach a parking area. The trailhead is on the left.

Nspire Challenge Rating: 1

Lazy Sunday Stroll

2

Family Adventure

3

Average Outdoor Enthusiast

4

Bring Your A-Game

5

Master Adventurer

The Spirit of Living in the Pacific Northwest

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Closest city to the trailhead: Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho Average distance of hike: 4 miles Why do you recommend it?

On the way up to Red Top Mountain, you will pass Hidden Lake on the right. This is a beautiful and very scenic trail all the way to the top.

There are many beautiful rock outcroppings and remnants of a lookout tower at the peak of Red Top.

What was most noteworthy?

Trail #102 climbs for about 3 miles, with occasional steep, rocky stretches before reaching Red Top. There are remnants of an old lookout at the top and spectacular views of the Selkirk Mountains and into Canada.

Are there restrooms?

No Know before you go?

There is no water along the trail. At the top of Red Top, the remnants of the old lookout tower have left a lot of shards of glass on the ground. Make sure to take bags for huckleberries if you go in September.

This is at the top of Red Top Mountain, where there’s an incredible overlook of the Selkirk range and into Canada.

Where to celebrate after?

Jalapenos in Sandpoint How do you get there?

Travel north on US 95 from Bonners Ferry for 15 miles. Turn left onto Highway 1 and continue north for approximately 2 miles to Copeland Road (County Road 45). Turn left on Copeland Road and follow it across Kootenai Valley to Westside Road #417.

Nspire Challenge Rating: 1

Lazy Sunday Stroll

2

Family Adventure

3

Average Outdoor Enthusiast

4

Bring Your A-Game

5

Master Adventurer

76 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Photographer:

STEPHANIE KING

RED TOP MT. TRAIL

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PO Box 585, CdA, ID 83815 sunvalleytreeservice.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 77

TRAVELS

Cable Car Hot Springs is in an abandoned mine shaft piercing the slope.

The search for a

HIDDEN TREASURE Story and Photography By JASON WILMOTH

I

knew I wanted to get away for the weekend. I was a few days away from completing a twomonth-long construction project that had absorbed nearly every thought.

I was in desperate need of a reset.

Thinking about a weekend road trip would get me through the difficult week ahead. But with North Idaho expecting snow over the weekend, I wondered where I might go.

I considered the directions. North and east would just get me into more snow. West would take me into Eastern Washington and the desert, but the weather forecast there looked 78 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

bleak and rainy. That left south.

The weather to the south looked great. Now I just had to decide what I would do. I weighed the possibilities as I determinedly worked through the end of my construction project.

A distant memory slowly worked itself into my awareness as I worked, setting the last of the cabinets.

Years ago, I had read about some hot springs outside of Riggins that were rarely frequented because the approach was difficult. They were on the other side of the river and the trail was only accessible by boat.

That evening, after failing to find my hot springs book, I searched online and found some vague descriptions about the Cable Car Hot Springs. I checked the weather for Riggins then I checked the river levels.

I could make this adventure happen. I was going to Riggins for the weekend.

Friday arrived, and after a long day of working, I cleaned up my equipment and then dashed home to empty my truck of tools and replace them with adventure gear.

Saturday morning, I woke to

several inches of fresh snow on the ground. I had expected the snow but the reality was disheartening. I realized as I loaded up the last of my stuff that I had neglected to change out my almost bald tires for winter ones. I glanced at the note taped over the speedometer that read “winter tires!” and laughed at myself. The drive might be sketchy. I was faced with a decision. Stay home and not risk the long drive on snowy roads, or GO! I’ve learned in my time adventuring that no matter how much I prepare, nothing will go as planned. I drank the last of my coffee, wrote down the vague directions I had found online onto a piece of scratch paper and left.

At first, the drive was as expected: sketchy and slow. All of North

Idaho had been blanketed by the first snowstorm of the year. As I proceeded farther south, however, the snow disappeared, and I chuckled to myself because I thought I had pulled something off and escaped the wintry North. Driving past Lewiston and south through Grangeville, I watched as the sun began peeking through the clouds. By the time I reached Riggins it was warm and sunny, but when I turned up the Salmon River and faced a wall of black clouds, I wasn’t laughing anymore.

As I drove the 18.5 miles upriver toward French Creek I watched the darkness turn to snow. I looked for the handwritten directions and realized I had left them on the kitchen counter, probably right next to my coffee cup.

When I reached French Creek, I pulled into a campsite and quickly made a fire to beat back the cold dampness. I watched snow falling heavily just a few hundred feet above my campsite on the mountain and I wondered if I was about to fall into the misadventure portion of my weekend. I made dinner quickly as the light faded. I retreated to the back of my truck just in time to hear the rain begin to fall and sizzle on the rocks surrounding the fire.

As I curled up in my sleeping bag and listened to the rain, I hoped the temperature wouldn’t drop overnight. I knew I was at a balancing point — a few degrees colder and I would wake to snow. More than a couple inches of snow would make retreating out of the valley difficult.

An abandoned mining shack encloses a hollowed out log tub.

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I grew up in Western Washington.

As kids we made our forts inside blackberry thickets. We would make wood machetes and slice trails through the green mounds of thorns and berries. I thought I was well suited to tackle the bushes that stood in front of me, especially since I could easily see the correct and muchmore-used trail 15 feet in front of me on the other side. For 20 minutes, I fought those bushes, which tore off pieces of skin on my hands and ripped a hole in my down jacket. At that point I admitted defeat, sighed, walked back down to the beach and found the beginning of the trail I should have been on.

Deeper within the mine shaft the water is still and calm.

Once on this trail, I hiked uphill about 2 miles, wondering as I plodded along if I was still on the wrong trail, until I came around a corner and found a steaming mine shaft in front of me.

Cable Car Hot Springs is in an abandoned mine shaft piercing the slope about 50 feet from an equally abandoned shack housing a small carved out log bathtub with hot water piped into it.

I quickly dropped my gear and climbed into the nearly 100-degree water.

I woke in the morning, crawled out of my cocoon to discover blue skies and breathed a sigh of relief. The clear skies had brought the cold, but the snow was still hundreds of feet above me on the valley walls.

Fingers numb, I lit my camp stove and made a cup of coffee.

I ate a quick breakfast as I scanned the hillsides across the river, wondering where the hot springs were. Without the handwritten directions I was left to take an educated guess. I spotted the A-frame 80 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

remains of the cable car that once crossed the river here, giving the hot springs their name, and a trail leading upriver.

As the sky brightened to azure, I hauled my kayak down French Creek to the Salmon River and ferried across the swift current towards the remnants of the cable car on the far side. I stashed my kayak on the riverbank and followed the faint trail until it came to a small ravine, where I discovered Salmon River blackberries.

The mineshaft went deep back into the mountain toward complete darkness. I have never been very content in the dark, but I swam back far enough to feel the hot water dripping from the ceiling and to see the remnants of support timbers.

Occasionally, as I explored farther back, I could hear a tempo change to the drip of the water. A few times there were loud kerplunks, which sounded eerily like someone trampling through the water.

I retreated to the entrance rationalizing away the chills running down my spine.

Tommy Knoebber, Michael Rude, Julie Doty, Jennifer Brumley, Craig Zanetti, Matthew Rakes

65

YEARS COMBINED

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Managing Partner Craig Zanetti’s primary area of emphasis during his legal career has been criminal defense. He has been defending citizens since 2008, initially as a Kootenai County Deputy Public Defender and later in private practice working alongside his mentor, Gary Amendola. Craig is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College, a premier trial advocacy program dedicated to zealous criminal defense.

Julie Doty and Jennifer Brumley each possess experience as Deputy Prosecutors in Washington and Idaho and in criminal defense in private practice. Michael Rude has been practicing criminal defense since law school, initially working with the Kootenai County Public Defender’s Office and now in private practice. Matthew Rakes brings past law enforcement experience to the firm, rounding out a legal team of attorneys dedicated to defending your rights.

Our aggressive, attentive Coeur d’Alene criminal law attorneys are ready to help you at a moment’s notice. Contact our Coeur d’Alene law offices today to secure a free initial consultation. Amendola Doty & Brumley, PLLC is where the defense never rests.

Appeals

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Phone: 208-664-8225 Toll Free: 866-958-9512 adbattorneys.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 81

The mineshaft went deep back into the mountain toward complete darkness.

A carved out log bathtub still holds water.

Trying not to think about the darkness behind me, I sat in the mouth of the mineshaft and lazily watched the world wake up.

fully immersed in an adventure on the beautiful Salmon River and the real world seemed distant and inconsequential.

As the sun continued to climb above the valley walls, I watched the line of shade retreat and birds begin to wake. Chickadees fluttered around in the bushes, steam floating in the air around them.

I delayed as long as possible, but the sun was now high above the Salmon River and I had to return to that real world. I donned my clothes and sauntered down the trail, watching mule deer swish their tails as they kept a watchful eye on me.

High above the Salmon River on the edge of the Gospel Hump and Frank Church Wildernesses I stretched out in the warm water for hours, nothing but the trickle of water and the occasional birdsong to disturb my contemplation.

Fourteen hours prior, I was doing everything I could to not let the stress of work get to me. Now I was

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I paused near the river’s edge to explore the rock foundations and rock walls along what was once a road leading to a gold rush in the mountains to the north.

Then, I paddled back across the river and began the drive home, with a long-sustained smile on my face and a mental reset complete. N

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CONSERVATION

Over one billion people residing on this planet live every day without the luxury of clean, or even running, water.

WATER ALL THE WATER THAT WILL EVER BE IS, RIGHT NOW. National Geographic

84 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

By S. MICHAL BENNETT

Nurturing the Flow of Life

W

ater. H2O. It covers 75 percent of our planet and connects the ocean to land, plants, humans, animals and the atmosphere. The Earth’s water cycle (precipitation, runoff, groundwater, evaporation, transpiration and condensation) is vital for every living thing, down to the depths of the planet and up to the boundary of the sky, where our atmosphere mingles with space.

It plays a vital role in agriculture, raising livestock, drinking, cooking, processing, transportation, construction, decomposition, breathing, cleansing, preserving – it is the one element that we have been seeking for on other planets as a sign of past or future life. In fact, you could say that water is life.

Generally, humans can survive without food for 30-40 days – if they are properly hydrated (about 5 quarts a day). You cannot live more than three days without water.

A minimum of 60 percent of the human body is composed of water.

Every living cell needs it to continue functioning. So, yeah, water is a big deal. And a fundamental element of societies, politics, municipalities, homes, cultures and basic existence.

In fact, 30 to 60 percent of water from our pipes goes to keeping yards and gardens green and pretty, which often results in waste from over-watering, evaporation (using overhead watering systems that spray too high) and misdirection onto sidewalks and driveways.

The number of people using that space for growing and watering food is minimal, and counties often discourage citizens from utilizing rain catch systems in order to protect municipal water banks. But we can’t see the problem for accessibility.

Water is everywhere, right? And it’s ours for the taking.

Yet, over one billion people residing on this planet live every day without the luxury – yes, luxury – of clean, or even running, water. That’s more

Worldwide, we use 10 billion tons of fresh water, every day. That includes showering, drinking, doing laundry, washing dishes, running sprinklers and other domestic uses.

If kept clean and nurtured, it is also a renewable resource that rises and falls, literally, with the seasons.

>> Water in Our World

I must admit, I often take water for granted. I turn a knob, and it pours into my glass or sink or bathtub or washing machine. As I’m writing this, I am sipping on a cup of ice water infused with lemon. In the United States, the average water use per capita is 170 gallons per day.

than twice the population of the U.S. Only 2.5 percent of available water on our Blue Planet is drinkable.

Drinking, cooking with and bathing in unsafe water results in diarrheal and other diseases. According to the World Health Organization, 80 percent of all diseases in developing countries are related to water.

I experienced the repercussions of this in Saltillo, Mexico and rural Ethiopia. We only drank bottled

water, and all foods were cooked, boiled or fried for a period of time to deal with contaminants that might make us sick. In Ethiopia, although there were toilets in the bathrooms of the clinic where we stayed (an extravagance in itself!), we were unable to flush. In Mexico, a friend thought it would be safe to eat some cut melons at the Mercado rinsed in local water, but regretted it within an hour when she broke out in a fever and diarrhea. In both countries, we were also advised to use bottled water for brushing our teeth.

On a larger scale, agriculture can eat up 75-90 percent of a region’s available water supply. And processing meats requires a hefty amount of running water. The oceans supply fish, seafood and nutrientdense plants for our consumption, but salt water is undrinkable and can kill humans and animals if drunk in any substantial capacity.

Today, our oceans and seas have largely become a dump for trash, waste, toxins, chemicals and more. If we flush it down the drain or wash it off the driveway, it will eventually find its way to the ocean.

In municipalities, especially those along rivers and downstream from dams and large cities, water shortages, limitations and usage rights can be a divisive issue, sometimes resulting in legal action and even in the U.S. A 30-year dispute between Georgia and Florida over sharing water will once again end up in the U.S. Supreme Court this year. Downstream, Florida is asking the court to limit how much water upstream Georgia can use, in order to preserve their ecosystem and farming. Through conservation pricing and other means, Atlanta has already reduced its water use by 10 percent since 2000, in spite of its growing population. However, WINTER/SPRING 2021 85

Don’t overwater your lawn, water during peak periods, keep the water on your lawn and off of sidewalks.

with increasingly unpredictable and uncertain weather, the myriad of farmers in Georgia and Florida are concerned about sustainably supplying adequate water for their operations.

>> Water in Your World

Like me, you may struggle with the idea that water shortages will affect you, especially if you live near the ocean or close to lakes and rivers, like we do in the Inland Northwest.

Yet, water conservation can benefit everyone, regardless of your location.

Remember, it all flows downstream and tumbles into the ocean. No matter your location, I challenge you to try a few of these simple actions that can ease the burden of consumption and waste on our local water supply, as well as make a difference in the world.

86 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

1. Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and the hose in between watering.

2. Run the washing machine and dishwasher only when you have a full load.

3. Get an adjustable or low-flow showerhead and faucet aerators.

4. Fix leaks, even in hoses.

5. Install a dual flush or low-flow toilet or a conversion kit.

6. Don’t overwater your lawn, water during peak periods, keep the water on your lawn and off of sidewalks, and install rain sensors on irrigation systems.

7. Install a rain barrel for outdoor watering, if allowed. And plant a rain garden to catch runoff from your roof, driveway and other hard surfaces.

(www.nspiremagazine.com/catch-alittle-drop-and-put-it-in-a-barrel/) 8. Plant a vegetable garden instead of a lawn, utilizing the water you would use on your grass for food and positively contributing to the ecosystem.

9. Buy an inline filter for your kitchen sink and drink “tap” water instead of bottled water, canned soda or other expensive liquids that often make you more thirsty and contribute plastics and waste to our landfills and water systems.

10. Invest in companies that contribute to the water health of our planet, such as charity:water, LifeStraw, BoxedWater, KeepCup and Water.org. N

A GREAT BUILDING ASKS ITS SITE,

“What Should I Be?”

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If you have a piece of land just crying out to become even better, we’d love to help.

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WINTER/SPRING 2021 87

NSPIRED

ON A MISSION TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

By RILEY HAUN Photography By JOEL RINER

L

ake Atitlan is the kind of place you want to keep your eyes on.

Ringed by steep volcanoes and verdant hills, the lake’s jeweltoned waters glint in the sun like a mirror. Around the water’s shoreline nestle towns and tiny villages, each a mosaic of colors. If it’s a feast for the eyes you’re after, you could spend a lifetime looking here.

But Efrain hadn’t seen the beauty of his lakeside hometown of Sololá, Guatamala in years. At 29 years old, he was completely blind.

88 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

He’d started developing cataracts a few years prior as a result of untreated diabetes. Now, he couldn’t work to feed his young daughter. In fact, it had been years since he’d been able to truly see his daughter’s face.

Two hours from the nearest big city, Sololá’s residents didn’t have much access to quality healthcare. And in a region predominantly populated by indigenous Maya people, Efrain faced the hurdles of prejudice and poverty in regaining his sight.

So the next time Mike Oswald

social workers, dozens of people like Efrain can now see through the fog of pain.

Mike Oswald has dedicated nearly 15 years to providing medical care in Guatemala. He and his wife Teresa recently started ALMA to further their efforts.

“He’s seeing 20/20 now,” Oswald said. “And he got to recover at home, surrounded by people he knows and who care for him, instead of being whisked off to a strange operating room full of gringos.”

Oswald, a Coeur d’Alene resident, started visiting Guatemala in 2007 with the International Eye Institute.

He’d served a mission to Colombia with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as a young man, where he got the hang of Spanish and discovered a passion for service.

Oswald became a nurse anesthetist back in Idaho, and once or twice a year he’d take a week off from his full-time job and four children at home to assist with medical missions to small towns around Lake Atitlan.

But he found himself wanting more from those missions.

“It was arriving on a Sunday, doing all these pre-op visits, scheduling surgeries throughout the week and we’re gone by Friday or Saturday,” Oswald said. “And they may or may not have proper follow-up once we leave. So I was kind of intrigued – what can we be doing better here?”

and his group of medical volunteers came to town, the community sprung into action. The villagers scraped together the money needed to get Efrain the surgeries he needed – first one eye, then the other a couple of months later.

If not for that mission, it’s likely Efrain would never have gotten together the $400 needed to get that operation at a national hospital in Guatemala. Thanks to a collaboration between Oswald’s nonprofit ALMA and a group of local doctors and

Oswald saw a lack of communication between the local experts and American doctors who often had only a week to address the dozens of latent medical problems in a village. He knew there were locals with the skills and knowledge needed to change the way medical missions were done in Sololá.

So Oswald and his wife Teresa started their nonprofit, ALMA, out of their Coeur d’Alene home in 2018.

The name in English is an acronym for “A Love for Missions Abroad” – but in Spanish, it’s the word for “soul.”

Oswald teamed up with Virginia

Loza, an ophthalmologist who had turned down a comfortable life in Guatemala City to serve the people of Sololá. Her eye clinic was working to address the needs of low-income locals, too – she was a “year-round missionary” in Oswald’s eyes.

ALMA also linked up with a general surgeon, Julio Estrada, who could repair hernias and remove gallbladders, addressing serious problems that often went ignored because local people didn’t have the time and money to see a doctor.

They hired a local social worker that could visit patients in their homes, determining their needs and checking in on them after surgery.

Now, the idea of fixing those longignored aches and pains was no longer so far out of reach or so scary.

When ALMA came to town, they brought much-needed resources and equipment – a welcome addition in a country where doctors often reuse disposable tools or “MacGyver” the equipment they lack, Oswald said.

And when Oswald would visit Sololá a couple of times each year, he’d bring a team of volunteers ready to share their medical expertise.

“Where we could usually only do a few surgeries every week, we can do close to 40 with the mission teams,” Oswald said.

Now, though, Oswald’s been shut out of Guatemala for nearly a year – longer than he’s ever gone without WINTER/SPRING 2021 89

touching base in the region. With COVID-19 restrictions locking down the United States and Guatemala alike, ALMA is facing some strain.

According to Loza, the Guatemalan healthcare system is faulty under the best of circumstances. There are no public hospitals with ophthalmologists on staff around Lake Atitlan, and surgeries for other ailments are out of reach for Sololá residents who typically live on $5 or less a day, Loza said.

Then when coronavirus hit, villagers who made their living selling wares in town markets were locked down at home. Crops that could have gone to market rotted while farmers and fishermen went hungry. The country’s alreadyoverstretched hospitals reached their breaking points.

From his living room in Coeur d’Alene, Oswald – known in Sololá by the honorific “Don Miguel” - kept in touch with his troops on the ground in Guatemala via endless WhatsApp chats and bulky cardboard boxes of medical equipment heading to Sololá from his local FedEx office. ALMA’s donors helped distribute flour, eggs and other necessities to over 100 families through their social worker to get them through the lockdown.

The supplies and support were more sorely needed than ever, but Oswald and his surgical partners wanted to ensure life-changing surgeries were still possible until he could come back to help in person.

For the first two years, ALMA’s funding had come from small donations here and there, but a big chunk had come from Oswald’s own pockets. He wanted to bring more like-minded donors into the fold.

So he struck a deal – the surgeons in Sololá would donate their time if donors in the States would sponsor 90 NSPIREMAGAZINE.COM

Mike (pictured with ALMA team members Sandy Calderon and Dr. Vicky Loza) holds Willi, a Guatemalan child who had nasolacrimal duct reconstruction.

the costs of the surgery. From their own living rooms, donors could give the gift of sight or a pain-free life without ever setting foot in Sololá.

“Obviously it will never be the same as having the joy of seeing those people in person after this lifealtering surgery, watching someone get to see their families for the first time in years,” Oswald said. “But we needed to be able to keep the good work going while we couldn’t be there.”

Oswald feels optimistic that ALMA will be able to return to Guatemala before long to continue the work.

But in the meantime, he and Loza think the expansion from twiceyearly mission trips into year-round sponsorship will leave a lasting impact in Sololá.

“This new system that we are creating, we want to keep it when things go back to normal,” Loza said. “Maybe we only do a few now compared to the mission trips, but for these poor people it is so much better than nothing.”

Someday, in the far future, Oswald dreams of expanding ALMA’s work out of Sololá, helping people throughout Guatemala and beyond.

But for now, he’s happy if he’s served even just one person.

“I always joke that I feel a little guilty doing what I do, because I get almost as much out of this mission work as my patients do,” Oswald said.

“It gives me more energy to continue wanting to be a better person and to help other people. It truly recharges my soul.” N

AMERICAN

Geno’s Traditional Food & Ales Following the simple formula of good food at reasonable prices in a comfortable atmosphere Geno’s doesn’t disappoint. Whether its fresh salads, our delicious house made soups or just a plate of wings you’ll be sure to find a new favorite!

meNu Nspired dining guide SPOKANE

1414 N. Hamilton, Spokane, WA 509-368-9087 wedonthaveone.com

Gilded Unicorn Gilded Unicorn is a Modern American, Classic restaurant featuring hand crafted foods and drinks located in the historic Montvale Hotel in downtown Spokane 110 S. Monroe St., Spokane, WA 509-309-3698 gildedunicorn.com

The Elk Public House Located in the heart of the historic Browne’s Addition neighborhood, The Elk boasts what is widely considered the best patio dining in the city, and a great place to enjoy one of our creative weekly specials, homemade soups and inventive cocktails.

1931 W. Pacific, Spokane, WA 509-363-1973 wedonthaveone.com

The Onion Area 51 Taphouse Est. 1978 - Fantastic scratchmade meals plus 51 taps of craft beverage and two locations.

Downtown: 302 W Riverside Ave, Spokane, WA: 509-747-3852 North Side: 7522 N Division St, Spokane, WA: 509-482-6100 theonion.biz

The Two Seven Public House The Two Seven follows the simple concept of great food and drink in a comfortable atmosphere.

Whether it’s dinner with the family, a business lunch or Mojitos on the patio, the friendly staff will always leave a smile.

2727 S. Mt. Vernon #5, Spokane, WA 509-473-9766 wedonthaveone.com

Wandering Table at Kendall Yards Small plates showcasing the best the Inland Northwest has to offer from local seasonal farms and producers.

1242 W. Summit Parkway Spokane, WA 509-443-4410 thewanderingtable.com

STEAKHOUSE

Masselow’s Steakhouse Greater Spokane’s only AAA Four Diamond restaurant. Enjoy exquisite cuisine like Dakota bison rib-eye, scallops capellini and more.

An impressive list of Northwest wines, too.

100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights, WA 509-481-6020 northernquest.com

WINTER/SPRING 2021 91

AMERICAN

315 Martinis & Tapas Live music Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Full dinner menu.

Located in Downtown Coeur d’Alene. Open Tuesday through Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

315 Wallace Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-9660 315martinisandtapas.com

Bardenay The first distillery-restaurant in the nation, Bardenay specializes in hand-crafted cocktails using house-distilled spirits & Pacific Northwest cuisine.

1710 W. Riverstone Dr. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-765-1540 bardenay.com

Candle in the Woods Our dinners are 10 – 12 course, prix fixe menus, with each course perfectly paired with an outstanding wine from our award winning cellar, one of the best in the entire northwest. Limo service available. Reservations are required.

5754 E Hwy 54., Athol, ID 208-664-0135 candleinthewoods.com

Chomper Cafe Situated in Stoddard Park, we offer a cozy, farmhouse feel with a friendly staff. Our corned beef, chicken fried steak, and fresh hand formed burgers are some of our favorites. Open daily 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

2345 W. Prairie Ave., Hayden, ID 208-719-0441 chompercafe.com Crystal Toreson-Kern/Ctoreson Photography

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meNu Nspired dining guide CO E U R D ’A L E N E

Collective Kitchen Public House At our upscale restaurant, we offer contemporary fine dining with something for everyone. We change our menu every couple of months, and it can be viewed on our website. Open 11-9, 7 days a week.

501 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-930-4762 scratchcda.com

Cricket’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar Cricket’s offers a large variety of fresh homemade items, sauces and creative preparation. A casual, lively entertaining atmosphere, Cricket’s is open for lunch, dinner and late night every day.

Open Daily 11 a.m. - 1 a.m.

424 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-765-1990 cricketsoysterbar.com

Floating Green Restaurant Dine with a spectacular view of Lake CdA and the world’s only floating golf green. Open for breakfast and lunch year-round with NW inspired cuisine served for dinner through Labor Day. Reservations are suggested.

900 S. Floating Green Dr. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-4653 floatinggreen.com

Moon Time From the world famous Moon Burger to our 5-star spicy Gumbo, locals and tourists alike will always find something to enjoy.

Serving delicious food and cold pints 7 days a week for 20 years and counting.

1602 E. Sherman Ave. Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208-667-2331 wedonthaveone.com

The Oval Office Quaint, romantic restaurant that serves Northwest Cuisine with a foreign flair. You will love the steaks, ever-changing fresh fish selection and extensive selection of appetizers and martinis to choose from.

620 N. Spokane St. Post Falls, ID 208-777-2102 whitehousegrill.com

The Porch Our scenic location in Hayden Lake creates an idyllic setting for an outdoor meal. Offering delicious food, creative cocktails and a fantastic beer selection stop in and see why locals say, “every neighborhood should be so lucky.”

1658 E. Miles Ave. Hayden Lake, ID 83835 208-772-7711 wedonthaveone.com

Republic Kitchen+Taphouse Sharing the craft foods we love to eat and the local brews we love to drink in a converted 1910 home on the National Historic Registry.

120 E. 4th Ave., Post Falls, ID 208-457-3610 repub.pub

Satay Satay Bistro is a fine restaurant comprised of American fusion food.

Our primary focus is traditional Northwest foods prepared with infused flavors and sauces.

2501 N 4th St Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-765-2555

Seasons of Coeur d’Alene Enjoy seasonally inspired, spirited cuisine in the intimate dining room, vibrant bar, or quiet fireplace lounge. Live music & daily happy hour! Open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week.

209 Lakeside Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-664-8008 seasonsofcda.com

B R E A K FA S T

Red Tail Bar & Grill Located at The Coeur d’Alene Casino Resort. The order of the day at our Gathering Place is “fresh & local.” Our menu emphasizes seasonality, variety and value while our entertainment line-up features both established and emerging local musicians.

Michael D’s Eatery Laid-back, neighborhood spot with American comfort food for breakfast & lunch, plus outdoor seating.

203 E. Coeur D’Alene Lake Dr. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-676-9049

The CdA Casino Resort, ID 800-523-2464 cdacasino.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 93

DELI

The Culinary Stone Our artisan deli includes gourmet meats and cheeses from around the world, Kraft Beers that are locally brewed, as well as all natural grain fed and grass fed meats that are GMO and Hormone free.

2129 Main St. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-277-4116 culinarystone.com

meNu Nspired dining guide CO E U R D ’A L E N E

EUROPEAN

Vine & Olive Small plates, eight local drafts, Northwest wines with interesting imports and wine club.

Open daily for lunch and dinner at 11:30 a.m.

2037 N. Main St. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-758-7770 vineandolivecda.com

Tony’s on the Lake Fine Italian cuisine in a cozy and elegant surrounding with beautiful lake views and comfortable outdoor seating.

Call for winter hours.

6823 Coeur d’Alene Lake Drive Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-9885 tonysonthelake.com

FRENCH

JA PA N ES E

Fleur de Sel

Syringa

Our 35 seat restaurant is elegant yet casual. Experience our fantastic view and authentic cuisine from France, where we are from. Menu is seasonal and diverse. Full bar. Reservations recommended. A bientot!

4365 E. Inverness Dr., Post Falls, ID 208-777-7600 fleur-de-sel.weebly.com

I TA L I A N

Angelo’s Ristorante A taste of homemade, authentic Italian cuisine in midtown Cd’A. Angelo’s offers fresh, organic (when available) handcrafted food, extensive wine selection and warm romantic decor. Reservations recommended. Open daily 5-10pm.

846 N. 4th St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-765-2850 angelosristorante.net

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Japanese Cafe’ & Sushi Bar is one of Coeur d’Alene’s top sushi restaurants.

Comfortable atmosphere with many selections to choose from.

1710 N. 4th St. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-664-2718 syringasushi.com

L AT I N A M E R I CA N

Cafe Carambola Here at Cafe Carambola, we specialize in serving the authentic flavors of Latin America. Open for lunch 11am-3pm, Monday-Friday 610 Hubbard Ave #110 Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-676-8784 cafecarambola.com

MEDITERRANEAN

White House Open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week. If you want a taste of the Mediterranean, drinking Ouzo and eating a crazy amount of garlic, just drive to Post Falls to be with us in our crazy, noisy, but also romantic White House Grill.

712 N. Spokane St., Post Falls, ID 208-777-9672 whitehousegrill.com

MEXICAN

Toro Viejo Along with our homemade chips and salsa we are proud to offer home style Mexican cooking at very reasonable prices.

117 N. 2nd St., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-7676 toroviejo.com

SEAFOOD

Fisherman’s Market & Grill Your home for fresh fish.

Outstanding Sushi bar, fish and chips with eight specialty tartars, ahi steaks, fish tacos, fresh oysters and clams, sandwiches, entrees and fresh catch delivered daily.

215 W. Kathleen Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-664-4800 fishermansmarketcda.com

SPORTS BAR

Capone’s Capone’s is a hot spot for viewing your favorite sporting event via satellite. Featuring over 41 revolving beer taps in an atmosphere of sports memorabilia.

751 N. 4th St, Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-4843 caponespub.com

PIZZA

Fire Artisan Pizza Located in downtown CdA, Fire Artisan Pizza is a wood-fired oven pizza restaurant offering a menu of unique pies crafted using only the finest ingredients.

517 Sherman Ave. Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-676-1743 fireartisanpizza.com

Sweet Lou’s Restaurant Offering an American fare experience with fresh ingredients and creative twists. Enjoy a view of Lake CdA while you sip on one of 32 beers on tap - 16 reserved for local favorites.

601 E. Front Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-667-1170 sweetlousidaho.com

STEAKHOUSE

Flame and Cork Wood fired Pizza Family owned wood fired pizza restaurant with a comfortable family friendly atmosphere in Hayden. Flame and Cork is known for authentic wood fired pizza made with fresh high quality ingredients..

Chinook Our USDA Prime Beef undergoes a 28-day aging process, which includes a full 14 days of dry-aging, double the time of most prime beef.

The CdA Casino Resort, ID 800-523-2464 cdacasino.com

8592 N. Govt. Way, Coeur d’Alene, ID 208-635-5836 flameandcork.com WINTER/SPRING 2021 95

FINAL IMPRESSION

JOHN 20:20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.

The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Yaak Falls

Photo by JOEL RINER Signature Print - To order prints of Joel Riner's Photography, visit joelriner.com

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!

in Coeur d’Alene From fine art to public art, theater to concerts, and music on the streets, art is alive here in North Idaho, including the following Coeur d’Alene Arts & Culture events: • 2ND FRIDAY ARTWALK January - December

• RIVERSTONE SUMMER CONCERTS Thursdays in July and August

• ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR Late summer

• ARTS BUZZ

Relax into bliss.

Bathed in natural light, water and stone, affordable luxury comes to life at our full-service, 15,000-square-foot spa. Treat yourself to our signature massages, body treatments, including our exclusive Vichy Shower, facials, manicures and pedicures. Plus, shop tax-free at our boutique for clothing, accessories, professional skincare products and more.

CALL 1 855-232-2772 TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. BOOK A SIGNATURE SPA TREATMENT TODAY.

1st Friday each month

• KIDS DRAW ARCHITECTURE Mid-September

• MUSIC FOR THE WISE January - April

• ART FROM THE HEART A series of arts events during Arts & Humanities month in October

For more local arts events visit artsandculturecda.org/calendar.

culturecda.org

d ation, visit artsan For more inform W E LC O M E H O M E .

CASINO | HOTEL | DINING | SPA | CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF 3 7 9 1 4 S O U T H N U K WA LQ W • W O R L E Y, I D A H O 8 3 8 7 6 • 1 8 0 0 - 5 2 3 - 2 4 6 4 • C D A C A S I N O.C O M

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