FATHERS | DAD LIFE
Raising Well-Rounded Humans WRITTEN BY: PAUL HANKEL
One of the main roles I serve in within our family is as Chief Transportation Officer to all of my son’s various activities. I serve in this capacity year-round and the pay is abysmal. While the absolute last thing I want to do is get up at 6 am on a Saturday morning for practice, I find that the benefits far outweigh the costs. I’m striving to raise a well-rounded mini-human so he’s involved in pretty much every activity we can find. Soccer, basketball, football, church activities, art classes and swim lessons dominate the evening hours and weekend time slots. We have yet to enter the traveling sports team phase of youth sports participation, but I’m told its…hectic. I constantly remind myself, as I’m running out to my car during practice because we forgot his water bottle, that this will all pay off when he lands a sports scholarship one day, only to be reminded by a quick Google search that only about two percent of high school athletes receive sports scholarships…time to double down on music lessons? 2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
While sports remains king, I think that it is extremely important for kids to experience as many different interests as they can while growing up, before settling into their chosen passions. Music and theater play just as important a role in the overall development of our kids as sports. I was what some would refer to as, “hyper,” growing up and this resulted in my parents, in lieu of overmedicating me, putting me in every activity they could find. Thankfully, Fargo was and continues to be a great environment in which to explore all types of activities. Coming as a surprise to absolutely no one, my son is exactly like I was when I was a child and I am eternally grateful that this area continues to invest in its youth by offering a literal buffet of child-age activities. Below is a list of some of the activities we hope to participate in this summer. FM Rugby Club My son began asking if he could play, “football without pads.” It took me a minute to realize what he was referring
to and then it dawned on me: rugby! Thus our rugby journey began. FM Rugby Club is a great option, offering rugby programs for all ages. Red River Valley Lacrosse Association Lacrosse programs are booming in the US and the sport is now more accessible than ever! Fargo is home to several local lacrosse programs, many of which provide the gear and equipment needed to play. Code Ninjas It's like playing video games…with a purpose! If your child is like is anything like mine, then electronics, tablets, and video games are all the rage. While YouTube and Fortnite are reign supreme, there are lots of coding programs and activities that combine the aspect of gaming with coding and computer science. Code Ninjas offers great childlevel coding experiences by making coding fun! Check out their website for a list of classes and programs, including Parents Night Out (I highly recommend)! Trollwood Performing Arts SchooL As a former theater geek, I could write an entire novel on the impact that Trollwood has had on my life, however, I do have a word count on this article. Suffice to say, Trollwood continues to offer the very best of theater, dance, and art through a combination of stage plays, theatrical classes, art classes, and an ever-growing list of offerings. Regarding more information, your best bet is to take your family to one of their summertime full-stage productions. They are excellent! Then, visit their website and get your child involved. Elevate Rock School Music is extremely important in our family. Thankfully, the FM area is home to a host of musical opportunities for busy families. Elevate Rock School, which opened in 2011, is located in Fargo and offers a full list of music lessons from beginner to advanced. Classes are available for almost all ages and they even offer a fully licensed daycare. In closing, I’d like to bring up a few universal parenting truths regarding bringing your child to various activities: – The parking always sucks. – Your child’s practice will always be at the earliest session on Saturday mornings. – Your child’s mouthpiece will always go missing, five minutes before you leave for practice. – Yes, you will be forced to sell pizzas door to door. Grin and bear. While these annoyances and inconveniences are rampant, overall, I think that its absolutely worth it in order to help your child grow and excel. As I mentioned, there are SO MANY great children’s programming options. Take a minute, check them out, and we will see you there! Cheers! • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3
JULY-AUGUST 2021
VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 1
2
fathers - dad life raising well-rounded humans
24
rocky mountain grilled t-bone steaks
6
wouldn't it be...Nice? Nice Barber CompanY
26
10
oven fried catfish with radish, Asparagus & citrus salad
having a beer with owner & licensed funeral director jim boulger
12
red river kart club
30
16
tattoo sunscreens protect your ink
18
on the cover fargo's meat jesus jason aamodt co-owner of meats by john & wayne dishes on life as a butcher
local hero serving veterans with a purpose andrew nathan desires to leave everything on the line
4 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
The
GOOD LIFE MEN’S MAGAZINE
PUBLISHED BY Urban Toad Media LLP www.urbantoadmedia.com OWNER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER Dawn Siewert dawn@urbantoadmedia.com OWNER / PHOTOGRAPHER Darren Losee darren@urbantoadmedia.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeff Benda Meghan Feir Paul Hankel Ben Hanson Krissy Ness Alexis Swenson Emma Jean Vatnsdal ADVERTISING INQUIRIES Darren Losee darren@urbantoadmedia.com
READ A PAST ISSUE yumpu.com/user/thegoodlife FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/urbantoadmedia FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @urbantoadmedia FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @urbantoadmedia
The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times a year by Urban Toad Media LLP. Material may not be reproduced without permission. The Good Life Men’s Magazine accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from content in this publication. The opinions expressed, or advice given, are the views of individual writers or advertisers and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine.
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Nice Barber Company is bringing small town America back to the service industry, one shave at a time
WRITTEN BY: EMMA JEAN VATNSDAL PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the U.S. in early 2020, very few thought much of it. Sure, there were a select group of individuals who knew the possibility of what could happen to the country in the upcoming months, but one thing was for certain — life as we knew it was about to change, possibly forever. What followed was months upon months of new guidelines and rules, mandates and ordinances, all designed and redesigned to keep communities safe through something nobody quite knew how to handle. And while the fear of the unknown continued to grow, the hustle of everyday life seemed to come to a standstill. Offices began setting up at home. Morning commutes went from taking 15 minutes to drive across town (if you’re lucky), to sliding into the office chair as the clock strikes 8 a.m., after traveling a few feet from the kitchen to the living room. Online shopping became king, as words like “social distancing” and “masking” became ubiquitous and everyone began to really recognize what six feet was. Sounds like the perfect time to set up shop in the service industry, eh? 6 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Branden Ashmore thought so too. And after FargoMoorhead residents came out from behind their screens, there was no better time than the present to help them look their best. Through the smell of freshly-brewed beer and cedar planks, Ashmore has created a haven of manliness within the southeast corner of the newly-formed, hallowed halls of Fargo Brewing Co., and business has been Nice. “I’ve had many different jobs,” said Ashmore, co-owner and master barber of Nice Barber Company in Fargo, N.D. “But my most frequent and last job, I was a bartender.” Years of long nights and even longer weekends, with little time to see family and friends was taxing on Ashmore. Not only that, he was also dabbling in photography at the time, shooting weddings, concerts and motorcycle rallies — helping ensure his time card was never clocked out. “I just got burnt out to the point where I just wanted time to hang out with family and stuff like that again,” he said. “And my uncle used to always tell me that I’d make a great barber, but I was like ‘I will never run my fingers through a man’s hair for a living.’”
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"My uncle used to always tell me that I’d make a great barber, but I was like ‘I will never run my fingers through a man’s hair for a living." - Branden Ashmore As silly as the thought of running his fingers through a man’s hair for a living sounded right away, Ashmore says the more he thought of it, the more it made sense — a service industry job, whether it’s bartending or barbering, is no different from another service industry job. Nice. Ashmore completed his training at Moler Barber College in September 2019, and began working at Everett’s Barbershop in downtown Fargo shortly thereafter. 8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Then COVID hit. Workers stayed home and haircuts became scarcer and scarcer. “We were laid off for three months, and we’re sitting at home,” Ashmore said. “And the next thing you know, we’re back to work. We’re busy for two, three weeks, then we started plateauing. I was the newest barber over there too, everyone else was established, so I was getting two, three, four haircuts a day — if I was lucky — and it kind of made me think about, well, what if? What if this
brainchild that Jade Nielsen and Ian Johnson and I had talked about was worth trying out? I really didn’t have any intentions of leaving Everett’s, it just kind of happened. I just had to try to take the chance. The shop opened along with the grand opening of Fargo Brewing Co. on April 20, 2021. Ashmore says business was booming the first few weeks, but has started to settle down now that they’ve gotten into the groove of things. “It’s pretty consistent,” he said. “We have highs and lows because, you know, we’re a new shop.” But even though Nice Barber Company is a new shop, Ashmore and his fellow barber, Scott Ehresman, want to bring in that something that harkens back to “the good old days.” Less like going to the dentist, and more like visiting an old friend down at the hardware store in small-town North Dakota. “We’re all Midwestern, small town people,” Ashmore said. “And Nice was kind of created because — especially with this pandemic and how everybody started treating each other, you’re trying to be distant from everybody, everything started feeling really cold. There was no feel of community or togetherness or anything.” After a bit of brainstorming, Nielsen, Johnson and Ashmore kept coming back to the same idea: ‘Wouldn’t it be nice?’ “The word (nice) just kept popping up in everything we talked about,” he said. “We wanted to bring that sense of unity and community to a business and it just worked. At first we were kind of hesitant on it, but the more and more we thought about it, it just made perfect sense. I mean, we’re here, we’re a business, but we’re here to become a staple of the community.” Nice Barber Company is located inside Fargo Brewing Company. Stop in for a beer and a visit — the shop is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 9
10 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Serves 4
RECIPE AND PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: JEFF BENDA
The Red River of the North is home to over 70 species of fish, but my 5-year-old daughter and I love to catch and eat the whiskered warriors known as channel catfish. With spring officially here, it was time to turn in those winter soups and heavy casseroles and bring back a perfect light salad to pair with some fresh fillets from the one that didn’t get away.
Ingredients:
4 (4 to 6-ounce) skinless catfish fillets 1 egg, beaten 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs 1 ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 16 asparagus spears, cut into long, thin strips 1/3 cup orange slices 1/3 cup pink grapefruit slices 2 green onions, chopped 2 radishes, sliced thin 2 Tablespoons mayonnaise 1 Tablespoon honey ¼ teaspoon poppy seeds ¼ teaspoon dry mustard 1/8 teaspoon each salt & pepper Zest and juice from half of 1 orange
Directions:
Preheat oven to 4250 F. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray. In a shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs and Old Bay seasoning. Dip catfish fillets in egg, then place them into bread crumb mixture and coat liberally; place on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the salad. In a bowl mix together asparagus, orange, grapefruit, green onion, and radish. In separate small bowl make your dressing by combining mayonnaise, honey, poppy seeds, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and zest & juice from half of 1 orange. Whisk together, pour over salad, and toss well. When fish is done, take out of the oven, place one fillet on a plate and garnish with ¼ of the salad. Repeat with remaining plates and serve immediately. Jeff Benda is an avid outdoorsman and family man who spent 25 years in the restaurant and catering business. He now focuses his time as a home cook and professional wild game recipe creator. He hopes that by sharing and celebrating the food he creates with fish and wild game, he can highlight the great contribution so many hunters and anglers have made to conservation in this country, and reflect the freedom we have to enjoy America's great outdoors. For more recipes, visit his website: www.wildgameandfish.com or follow him on Instagram: @wildgameandfish urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 11
WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
For more than 12 years, Red River Kart Club has been hosting drivers young and old. Their youngest members begin at age five. However, this club accepts drivers of all ages, some being as old as 70 years. This club can be a feeder program where the kids can go onto drive modified or sprint cars. Located on the Red River Valley Fairgrounds, in the northwest corner, you will find the track, paved in asphalt, which is onetenth of a mile.
When this program began, there weren't nearly as many drivers as there are today; a lot of it had to do with cost. "My nephew raced karts at the Red River Valley Fairgrounds many years ago, and it didn't seem like a lot of kids were involved in it at that time. It was getting expensive. We were looking for different avenues to be able to save people money," said Nick Skalicky - President of the Red River Kart Club. "At that time, there was a different
engine package that came out, that really catapulted us, and was very affordable to have. So now the karters coming in, even at age five, are buying the nicer karts that have all the adjustments - so they can run that same kart throughout their whole career." Six years ago, Red River Kart Club became a non-profit. It is not about making money but providing a club for kids to race and have the whole family involved. What is even better is the community support. It
Located on the Red River Valley Fairgrounds, in the northwest corner, you will find the track, paved in asphalt, which is one-tenth of a mile.
12 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
is a pleasure to see companies donating funds and equipment that go directly to keep the club up and running. In addition to speaking with Skalicky, I had the pleasure of talking to Jeremy Clark. Clark has two boys in the Red River Kart Club, Alex, 10, and Andrew, 8. "We have been racing for years," said Clark. "Alex has over 100
feature wins, and Andrew has more than 30 wins." Clark used to race when he was younger, but you can see that the passion never left, and it has been instilled in his boys. When it comes to getting prepared for a race, you better believe this is a family affair. "The boys have their list of things
they need to check and clean during the week, and they work on getting the trailer loaded the day of the race," mentioned Clark. "They check their own tires and are responsible for taking them on and off. Additionally, they each have their own tote, and it is their responsibility to make sure they have all their gear in there, and if it is not in there, they don't get to race."
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The responsibility that this sport incites is no joke. Aside from the boys making sure they have fulfilled their part, mom and dad also have a laundry list of things to get done before each race. Whether that is making sure everyone is organized and fed to working on the karts after work to ensure they drive safely and accurately. "It is definitely a family sport; it's not like any other sport where you can go drop them off at practice." Laughed Clark. "You are probably more invested than they are." Clark gave the boys a leg up by building a track on their property. Furthermore, the precision, ability, and overall intelligence it takes to operate these vehicles cannot be overlooked."It has been a lot of fun," said Clark. "And they boys really enjoy it." 14 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
It is important to mention this is not a male-dominated sport."There are a lot of girls who have gone on to be very successful," mentions Skalicky. The Red River Kart Club has produced many racers that have gone on to drive modified or sprint cars. Many can be found racing at the RRV Fairgrounds, Norman County Raceway, or Buffalo River Speedway. "I have had kids that have won national titles that have come out of the kart club," exclaimed Skalicky. It is incredible to see a club excited about the youth in their community. Family and community mean the same thing when you are a part of the Red River Kart Club. "The good life to me means – seeing the kids grow from where they started with us and watch what they chose to do with their life, whether that be racing cars or not," said Skalicky. "We try to teach them life lessons about competitiveness; even though it is a singular sport, it is still a team sport." • urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 15
tattoo sunscreens protect your ink
protect your skin and your ink with these sunscreens
Keep your new tattoo out of the sun and direct sunlight. Allow your new tattoo to completely heal before applying sunscreen.
The sun is a tattoo's worst enemy.
The most best thing you can do to protect your tattoos is to stay covered with loose clothing and avoid direct sunlight. New tattoos are open wounds, and sunscreens can cause irritation if they are not fully healed. 16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Things to look for when choosing a sunscreen: • Application Method (spray or lotion) • SPF - Sun Protection Factor • UVB and UVA Protection • Water and Sweat Resistance • Moisturizing
1. Neutrogena® Ultra Sheer® Dry-Touch Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 100+ Goes on easily and absorbs quickly for an invisible, lightweight feel on your skin. Formulated with Helioplex® Technology, it offers superior broad spectrum protection from aging UVA rays and burning UVB rays. $15.99 | neutrogena.com 2. Banana Boat® Ultra Sport™ Clear Ultramist® Sunscreen Spray SPF 100 Provides powerful protection that absorbs quickly and won’t run into your eyes. This lightweight, clear spray is designed expressly for sport enthusiasts and other active folks who need sunscreen staying power in the sun! $11.99 | bananaboat.com
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, no matter the SPF.
• Wait at least six weeks
before applying sunscreen to a new tattoo.
• Protect your ink with SPF 50 or higher.
• Keep extra sunscreen in your car and office for on-the-go coverage.
3. Panama Jack® Continuous Spray Sunscreen - SPF 100 Escape Everyday®... Our Panama Jack continuous sunscreen sprays delicately combines antioxidants with moisturizing oils and a tropical fragrance in a reef-friendly, broad spectrum UVA/UVB formula. With SPF 100, this Panama Jack water resistant (80 minutes), UVA-UVB sunscreen lotion is best for use by very fair/extremely sensitive skin types that tan slowly and burns easily. $13.00 | panamajack.com 4. Coppertone® Sunscreen Lotion Sport SPF 50 Designed to stay on strong when you sweat, this highperformance sunscreen protects you from the sun with a durable and water-resistant formula (80 minutes) that leaves a light, breathable feeling on your skin. $11.99 | coppertone.com urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 17
ON THE COVER | JASON AAMODT
Co-owner of Meats by John & Wayne Dishes on Life as a Butcher
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
People always say, You know, he's quite the character. With no detectable filter or lack of selfconfidence, there may be no more of a character in town than Jason Aamodt, known by his proteinloving groupies as "The Meat Jesus." It's a fitting moniker for the co-owner of Meats by John and Wayne, one of Fargo's most beloved butcher shops that have been serving up hand-cut and homeprocessed selections of beef, pork, poultry, fish and wild game since the mid-2000s. "It was a friend of mine and long-time customer that walked in one day and threw that name at me… Meat Jesus," Aamodt recalled. "It just stuck. I was like, 'That's it!' That's what I'm going to brand myself as from here on out." Aamodt originally had dreams of getting into the broadcasting business, and with a background in advertising and marketing, he knew the importance of branding. While John and Wayne — the original founders of the company — had little interest in that side of the business, it came naturally to Aamodt… as did his natural hard work ethic.
The 'Third Wheel' Grabs the Mic
Aamodt was the "third wheel," as he described it when he first got hired, and he was only supposed to be part time. But the day he showed up, the other employee quit, and Wayne said "Well, looks like your full-time... starting now." As the saying goes, he never looked back, working his way up over about 15 years to become a third owner in the business. 18 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
With a knack for self-promotion, Aamodt would preach to anyone and everyone within shouting distance about Meats by John & Wayne. To this day, he says, they find it hard to pay for advertising considering how steadily they grew almost purely on word-of-mouth referrals. "John and Wayne always wanted a place for regular people who wanted good meat for a good price with different selections," Aamodt said proudly. "They created the old school butcher setup. Made everything in house, cut in house, beef was ground in house from full muscle meat. Everything that goes into our processed products, we're throwing in ourselves." Soon enough, though, the Meat Jesus was tapped to get the word out to new audiences. "Wayne handed me the golden microphone when we finally decided to advertise," Aamodt said. "To watch it grow from then to now... the wordof-mouth and then moving into being the spokesperson, it's been magic."
Insider Tips & Tales
When you've got the butcher's uninterrupted attention leading into peak grilling season, you get unvarnished access to the insider tips. With zero hesitation, Aamodt declared both his favorites, as well as
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ON THE COVER | JASON AAMODT
Favorite cut?
"New York Strip. Dude, it's got the right amount of marbling, just fatty enough to stay juicy, and you get to eat it all without risking the giant heart attack…" the top customer picks he sees week in and week out. But not before a quick story on the injuries he's seen over the years. "Dude I've seen people's hands get caught in saws, cuts that down to the bone, hands in slicers, guys run over by cows," he said. That one needed a bit more context: "So my first job in this business was at a plant, and one day a guy in the slaughterhouse got trampled by a cow. And this dude was as big as the cow." So maybe the best tip? Keep your blades sharp, but your eyes even sharper. On to the meat of the story... "Favorite cut? New York Strip," he said. "Dude, it's got the right amount of marbling, just fatty enough to stay juicy, and you get to eat it all without risking the giant heart attack… as much!" What about the most popular product walking out of the shop every day? "Ribs, without a doubt. Still to this day, we take the most phone calls on ribs," Aamodt said. "It's the Wednesday special — been that way since the beginning. That was the thing that started to bring people in. Everything else is popular, but those are what people call for on Wednesdays. We cook two 250 pound batches a day now!" And speaking of ribs, here's a tip you can put to use immediately to improve your BBQ game: always divide your cook into two. "If I buy one rack, I always cut them in half and do one with sauce and one without," Aamodt explained. "With ribs, you can smoke, grill, bake… they're so versatile. In the end, they're always kind of the same, but always awesome and very forgiving for less experienced cooks." 20 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
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ON THE COVER | JASON AAMODT
Meat Jesus Prep Tips: BEEF
I'm very impatient, so I'm a season right before I go on the grill kind of guy. The biggest piece of advice is just to pay attention to the grill, and to your meat. You've spent a lot of money on that meat, so don't ruin it.
PORK
Pork fat is so lusciously good. People forget about it too much. Everyone is all about burgers and steak, but don't forget about that lovely pork chop. They're easy. It's clean. You don't have to cook well-done anymore. Pork is safe. You can have some juice and not be worried about it as much anymore.
and summer. I like to just put a big pad of butter and some salt, pepper, garlic in foil, let it cook, and simmer in that butter. Deep-fried shrimp? Who doesn't love it? Salmon is a low and slow. The fat in salmon is like a ribeye, you want it to melt down and keep that salmon moist.
WILD GAME
Buffalo jerky is totally phenomenal. I'd never tried it until I had started here. That said, my favorite wild game that I've gotten to eat is moose. It's easy to dry out, though, so keep an extra close watch on it. •
POULTRY
I love the bone. The bone-in chicken — thighs and legs — with BBQ sauce just rock. My go-to chicken dish is legs and thighs on the grill. I grew up on that. Chicken breast is so versatile, and I do love homemade chicken tenders with your own breading and hot sauce like boneless chicken wings. Also, get yourself some Two Gringos 'Chupacabra Rub'… I cut up any and all leftovers, throw that on and turn it into fajitas.
FISH
I'm a local river and fish guy. I grew up on Devils' Lake. That's what we did. Walleye and perch, winter
"The biggest
piece of advice is just to pay attention to the grill, and to your meat. You've spent a lot of money on that meat, so don't ruin it." - Jason Aamodt
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rocky mountain
grilled t-bone steaks WITH CHARRO-STYLE BEANS
This recipe tastes great over the campfire or on your grill at home. Pepper-rubbed T-Bone Steaks are served with flavorful Charro-style beans. 24 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
COURTESY OF BEEFITSWHATSFORDINNER.COM
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 beef T-bone Steaks (1 inch thick)
RUB • • • • • • •
1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 teaspoon green peppercorns 1 teaspoon pink peppercorns 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns 3 juniper berries
CHARRO BEANS • • • • • • • • • • • •
1/2 pound pancetta, chopped 1/2 cup diced onion 2 teaspoons minced garlic 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) pinto beans, drained and rinsed 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) no-salt added Mexican-style diced tomatoes 2 fresh poblano chile peppers, fire-roasted, seeded, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth 1 medium jalapeno pepper, diced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon roasted ground coriander 1/2 ounce 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
COOKING
1. Combine Rub ingredients in a spice grinder. Pulse on and off until grind has sand-like consistency. Set aside. 2. Cook's Tip: You may substitute 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper for 1/4 teaspoon white peppercorns. 3. Preheat large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add pancetta; cook 7 to 10 minutes until crisp, stirring occasionally. Using a slotted spoon, remove pancetta; set aside. Pour excess oil from pan. Return same skillet to heat; add onion and garlic. Reduce heat to medium; cook 3 to 5 minutes until onions are translucent, stirring often. Stir in pancetta, beans, tomatoes, poblanos, broth, jalapeno, chili powder, cumin and coriander. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chocolate during last 5 minutes of cooking; stir until combined. 4. Meanwhile, press Rub evenly on steaks. Place steaks on grid over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 11 to 16 minutes (over medium heat on preheated gas grill, 15 to 19 minutes) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Remove bones and carve steaks into slices. Serve with Charro Beans. 5. Cook's Tip: To broil, place steaks on rack in broiler pan so surface of beef is 3 to 4 inches from heat. Broil 15 to 20 minutes for medium rare to medium doneness, turning once. Rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing off of bone. urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 25
HAVING A BEER WITH | JIM BOULGER
WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR
•
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Jim Boulger isn’t your typical 36-year-old guy. Hot dogs are his favorite cuisine. In high school, he jammed to movie soundtracks in his car. He also works at a funeral home. As the fourth-generation owner and licensed funeral director of Boulger
26 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
Funeral Home in Fargo, Boulger has continued the legacy his ancestors started in 1897. Starting at the age of 12, Boulger mowed the lawns of his father’s business, which eventually led to accompanying his dad on transfers and vacuuming the carpets and cleaning bathrooms in the
funeral home (tasks he still does to this day). He wasn’t always certain he wanted to meander the funereal path of his predecessors, so he attended St. Thomas and earned a business management degree
Good Life: If you were to rename the word “coffin,” what would you call it? I heard one guy call it “a to-go box for the Lord.” Jim Boulger: Maybe an underground condominium. GL: If any animal could be as big as a horse, what animal would you choose? JB: An English bulldog. I own one and her name is Blanche. If she were bigger, it would be incredible. GL: Would it be intimidating to have her extra large? JB: No, you talk to her and she rolls on her back. Is that possible as a horse? GL: I think so. JB: Do they sleep standing up? GL: I think they can sleep standing up, but aren’t they usually like, “Ehhh,” and they kind of sleep shifted to one side of their hip like this? JB: I bet they make that sound too. As a kid horses never scared me, but now I’m old and they freak me out. Thinking about what I do for a living, people die in really strange ways, so that’s always my fear; I don’t want to be the funeral Meghan, attempting to recreate—from memory— the stance of a sleeping horse. She got it wrong. HA-HA!
before graduating with a degree in mortuary science from the University of Minnesota. Fourteen years later, as we sat outside of Brewhalla in the heat of one of the hottest Fargo June evenings in memory, no regrets were
in sight. We chatted about how being a funeral director is a good fit for him, how it certainly isn’t for everyone, how much he enjoys working with his dad, and what kind of animal he’d love to have transform into the size of a horse. THE GOOD LIFE / 27
director that was kicked in the head by a horse. Every time I’m doing something where I’m like, “Is this normal because if I die right now…” GL: If you could make up a national holiday, what would it be and how would you want people to celebrate? JB: My favorite food on the face of the earth is a Chicago hot dog. It has to be done right. So mine would be National Hot Dog Day. GL: What was the most scarring movie you ever watched as a child? JB: Oh, I can 100 percent tell you it was “Poltergeist.” To this day, I still sleep with a cover over my head with a little spot for breathing. I wish that wasn’t true, but it is. Everywhere I go I do it. My wife is like, “You do it so quickly,” and I’m like, “I’ve been doing it for 30 years.” My feet cannot be out of the bed because somebody will grab them. I’m convinced. I sleep with three comforters. I need to be cocooned. To this day, I still sleep with a cover over my head with a little spot for breathing.”
GL: I definitely did that too with just a little breathing hole for my nose, so we have that in common. I don’t remember when I forced myself to stop. 28 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
JB: I got a lot of crap in college from my buddies and I think they took a picture of me once, but I’m like, hey—I’m still here and I’m not haunted. GL: What’s your heat tolerance for spicy foods? JB: Absolutely nothing, but I’ll eat it and suffer. I remember the first date I went on with my wife. We were in St. Paul and I was trying to impress her, so I went to this Thai place acting like I knew what it was. I was sweating and she was like, “You look like you’re miserable,” and I was like, “I am, but I’m enjoying it.” I’ll never forget that. And now I’m 36 and on stomach medication. What’s going on? Am I 70? GL: In the event of an EMP where we lose all electrical power, what would be one of the old-school skills you would offer to people, besides your current occupation? JB: You’re asking me what talents I have, and, apparently, there aren’t a lot. GL: What skill would you decide to learn right away? JB: I’d have to learn how to make a fire right away. I order a lot of food, so I’d have to learn how to cook better. I can hunt and I’m a fairly good fisherman. I can negotiate fairly well, so if we’re bartering at that point I could do that. And I’m not squeamish on things, so if we need to do something, I’m okay, whatever that involves.
GL: What’s one of your favorite memories as a kid? JB: My dad and I used to go to the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana and go fly-fishing every year. We’d spend a week or 10 days hiking and fly-fishing. We still do it. My dad’s getting a little older, but I want to keep going out there with him. GL: What does living the good life mean to you? JB: Having a family that loves and supports you, although the definition of “family” might not mean kids or a marriage to some people. The “good life” is doing what you like to do and being a good person while doing it. I like to think I make a difference. •
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LOCAL HERO | ANDREW NATHAN
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SERVING VETERANS WITH A PURPOSE Andrew Nathan Desires to Leave Everything on the Line
WRITTEN BY: ALEXIS SWENSON PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Andrew (“Drew”) Nathan is an Employment Coordinator for the Fargo Veterans Affairs Department carrying out his personal life mission of serving others. After graduating college, Nathan enlisted in the Army. With three jobs to choose from, Nathan became an Intel Signals Analyst. His first assignment was serving in Korea for a year. Afterward, Nathan submitted his Officer Candidate School (OCS) packet and was selected for OCS in February 2001. During his Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course in Fort Benning, G.A., 9/11 took place. “Our Infantry Officer Basic instructors came out to tell us there was something happening. As infantry, we realized we were probably going to have to fight...in the Middle East. Training picked up exponentially after that,” said Nathan. Nathan was then required to complete further education. He passed Airborne School following his first attempt at Ranger School. Nathan was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division as a Platoon Leader and was deployed to Afghanistan on January 2, 2003.
Deployment
From the moment their boots hit the ground, the 82nd was in continuous motion. They were responsible for finding weapons and capturing high value targets, putting the soldiers in constant danger. Due to the well-established network within country, capturing high value targets was complicated—oftentimes the platoon would arrive mere minutes after the target escaped. “In February we were told we’d been assigned a big mission to capture a very high value target. We didn’t know who we were getting. We linked up with a 2nd Ranger regiment and a Navy Seal team for a joint operation. We were getting ready for a combat air mission,” said Nathan. The platoon jumped on the night of February 25th, 2003 to provide security and secure the landing zone for the Navy Seal team. “We came to find out that the Navy Seals had captured the high value urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 31
LOCAL HERO | ANDREW NATHAN
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: ANDREW NATHAN
target. We found out later the target was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks,” said Nathan. Nathan finished deployment in August 2003 and entered Ranger School again. “It was career ending to not pass Ranger School. I ended up graduating in February 2004 which was a big accomplishment of my time in the military,” said Nathan.
Getting Out
Soon after graduation, Nathan completed a tour in Iraq and returned to the States exhausted. Nathan’s decision to leave the military was a difficult, but sure one. “I loved the military, but I was burnt out, so I decided to get out. One of the things that had me decide to get out was that I got engaged. I had two combat tours 32 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
and made my goal of becoming an Airborne Ranger, what more do I need to do?,” said Nathan. He returned to North Dakota and married his now wife, Fara. Still, leaving a life of service completely was out of the question for Nathan. Within three months of leaving the military, Nathan began drilling on a “weekend-warrior” basis with the North Dakota National Guard. “I had a really hard time. I was dealing with a lot of issues along with being newly married and starting a whole new job. I didn’t know what was going on with my own self. If you don’t get help right away and aren’t using the resources that are available, it can be quite damaging. I had a really tough time, but I got some help through the V.A.,” said Nathan.
National Guard Service
Nathan held multiple jobs within the ND National Guard, but missed combat. When he had the opportunity to deploy with the Minnesota National Guard in 2009, he transitioned to the MN National Guard to complete a deployment in Iraq from 2009-2010. Nathan was tasked with helping establish a bazaar in Basrah, Iraq. “It helped create inter-connection between soldiers and Iraqis. There were camel rides, hookah bars, and a date palm tree—we called it ‘The Oasis’. We were supposed to be turning the country over and now the Iraqis would have established this business center. I had a little part in that,” said Nathan. Following that deployment, Nathan returned to the ND National
Guard with the Air Defense Artillery battalion in Grand Forks. His battalion was called to complete a domestic deployment in Washington D.C. Resulting from the 9/11 attacks, there are defenses established to defend against any further attack on the National Capital Region. Nathan’s battalion was the first ND National Guard unit to take a tour in Washington D.C. from 2013-2014.
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: ANDREW NATHAN
“I was the Operations Officer for that. It was a pretty cool thing how everything came around; I was involved in Afghanistan fighting the war on terror and then defended domestic soil,” said Nathan. Following this deployment, Nathan transitioned to the Army Reserve at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. He began instructing a Master’s level doctrine, strategic planning, military history, and leadership to Captains and Majors. Rounding out his last five years in the ND National Guard, Nathan instructed Command Staff before retiring August 5, 2019 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. “In those 22 years, I sought every aspect of the military. I was fortunate. Not everybody gets these opportunities; I was just in the right place at the right time,” said Nathan.
Patriot Assistance Dogs
“I struggled really horribly with active duty to civilian transition although I was still a civilian. This part of me that was so ingrained in me for 22 years was gone. If you don’t bridge that or fill it with something else...that’s the wrong move. There’s a void,” said Nathan. This led Nathan to a conversation with longtime friend Ray Pizarro who is a board member and former client of the Patriot Assistance Dogs organization. Based in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, Patriot Assistance Dogs (PAD) provides highly trained, certified psychiatric service dogs to qualified U.S. Military veterans. The cost of training each dog is roughly $15,000-$20,000 and all donated monies go directly toward the dog and veteran selected. urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 33
LOCAL HERO | ANDREW NATHAN
Learn more about Nathan’s ride across North Dakota: https://app.donorview.com/R9YeR
Nathan and Pizarro decided to fundraise for PAD through a bike ride across North Dakota. Adrenaline junkie Nathan trained for the three day ride for a year with a goal of raising $50,000. The inaugural ride was August 7-9, 2020. Nathan biked while Pizarro provided support along the route. Nathan’s son, Jerod, also biked intermittently and provided coaching, water, and nutrition. While the original plan was to bike along Old Highway 10, between the stretches of unpaved and nonexistent road, Nathan and Pizarro adjusted their plan to make I-94 their primary route. “The last 25 miles was a downpour and tornado warning; it was looking like I’d have to end the ride and not accomplish the mission. I was getting a lot of road rash and was ripped up pretty bad. I ended up getting a flat tire and had to use my son’s tire to finish. I was in an incredible amount of pain, soaking wet, tired, and hungry,” said Nathan. 34 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
It was all worth it when the final tally came in at nearly $30,000 raised to support PAD. “I’m doing it for the idea that dogs help Veterans with their Traumatic Brain Injury, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, general adjustments, getting into the civilian world, being a healthy individual, and repairing their lives. I’ve seen how much these dogs help Veterans,” said Nathan. This year’s ride is August 13-14, 2021—two days to bike roughly 370 miles for a goal of raising $75,000. Anyone is welcome to bike alongside Nathan by joining at I-94 exits, but he’s especially hoping for more bikers on the last 22 miles from Casselton to Fargo. In Casselton, there is a planned stop at the Memorial Bridge. Those 22 miles honor the 22 service members who die by suicide each day (US Department of Veteran Affairs). “If I can get a bunch of Boy Scouts that ride with me to the end that would be great. Boy Scouts earn a merit badge for biking different mile
levels. I have high expectations for this year and am hoping to get more people involved,” said Nathan. Nathan’s service would be empty without the consistent backing his wife, Fara, and son, Jerod, offer. “My wife is a saint. She’s been through two deployments where I haven’t been around and has put up with a very crazy schedule with me being in the military. She supports me 100%. I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if I didn’t have my family and community behind me,” said Nathan.
The Good Life
Nathan’s outlook is heavily informed by his faith. “The good life is being at peace with God and your fellow man. What are you doing to glorify God and help your fellow man? Especially in today’s world — everything’s so polarized. I’m not perfect at it, but I have a strong belief and purpose. I know that Jesus is Lord. Also, I enjoy a good single malt scotch,” said Nathan. •
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