Email Health & Home Editor Anne McGregor at annem@inlander.com.
The conversation continues on the Inlander Facebook page, and stay in touch with us at Inlander.com/Health&Home.
DON HAMILTON PHOTOSpokane is such a vibrant community, and here at Inlander Health & Home we’ve always been dedicated to showing off this region’s expertise in health and wellness, home design, and food. Starting with this issue, we’re happy to inaugurate a new Lifestyle section (page 34) to explore those things that add a little extra bling to the mix — from beauty and skin care news to boutique shopping destinations and delightful getaways.
We also want to highlight opportunities for you to get involved to help make the Inland Northwest a better place — either through donating your time and talent or through financial contributions. So check out the new Where to Give feature (page 18) in our Health section. In this issue, we highlight the work of the Master Gardeners, who assist with local community gardens, and also highlight the efforts of three other nonprofits devoted to addressing food insecurity.
Some things in our lineup haven’t changed, including our People feature. In this issue, Samantha Wohlfeil talks with Shauna Edwards (page 46), who saw a need and decided to just take care of it. Read about how she founded and now runs a high school for a very specific group of teenagers — those who have a child of their own.
Cheers!
SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home
1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, Wash. 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634
EDITOR
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annem@inlander.com
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ERICK DOXEY joined the Inlander as a staff photographer at the beginning of 2022. For this issue of Health & Home, he photographed Shauna Edwards, the Executive Director of Lumen High School (page 46) and spent several hours exploring and shooting the home of Jess Davis for our cover feature, “An Influential Home” (page 20)
SETH SOMMERFELD is the Music Editor for the Inlander, and has written for The Washington Post, Rolling Stone, Fox Sports and many other outlets. He also hosts the podcast, Everyone is Wrong. For this issue for Health & Home, in the depths of winter, we sent him on assignment to find out what makes heat so compelling. “I’ve always tended toward heat to relax hot baths, saunas, heat packs — so it was enjoyable to find that science actually backs up what my body likes.”
Health & Home is published every other month and is available free at more than 500 locations across the Inland Northwest. One copy free per reader. Subscriptions are available at $2.50 per issue: call x213. Reaching Us: Editorial: x261; Circulation: x226; Advertising: x215 COPYRIGHT All contents copyrighted © Inland Publications, Inc. 2023. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.
Nestled among the rolling hills of northern Idaho, Coeur d’Alene Casino has everything you need to feel right at home. Here, you’ll experience the very best of traditional tribal hospitality as you explore the beauty and wonder of our premier casino resort and its surrounding scenery while enjoying world-class gaming and amenities. In just a short drive you’ll find nearly 1,200 video gaming machines, 6 dining options, live entertainment, a 15,000 sq. ft. spa, a world-class golf course, and more.
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ON THE COVER: Erick Doxey Photo
FEBRUARY - MARCH 2023
MAKING TRACKS • A TWIRLING TALE INLANDER RESTAURANT WEEK
FEELING THE HEAT • COUGHING DOGS SPICY BENEFITS • MASTER GARDENERS
AN INFLUENTIAL HOME • PRECIOUS METAL COLLECTIVE MEMORIES • ART ON TRACK
WINTER SKIN REVIVAL BOMBAY BOUTIQUE
GETTING COMFORTABLE • BABA RECIPES DRINKS AND DICE • BILLIE’S DINER
EMPOWERING TWO GENERATIONS
FEB 23 THROUGH MAR 4
EXPLORE 100+ RESTAURANTS
Three Course Menus $25 • $35 • $45
EVENT GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE AT PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS & STCU LOCATIONS!
BY MADISON PEARSON
Soak up the last days of the snow sports season by learning the basics of snowshoeing during a guided hike hosted by the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation department. Travel on snowshoe trails through the snow-covered trees and hills around Mount Spokane and meet fellow snow enthusiasts. Cost includes: snowshoes, poles, trail fees, instruction, guides and transportation to the mountain. Meet at Yoke’s Fresh Market parking lot at 14202 N. Market St. Sun., Feb. 12, 9 am-1 pm, Mon., Feb. 20, 9 am-1 pm and Sat., March 18, 9 am-1 pm, $39, Mount Spokane State Park. spokanerec.org
Sir Paul McCartney made an appearance in Spokane not too long ago, checking off an item on most Beatles fans’ bucket lists. Another must-see for any Beatlemaniac is The Fab Four, an Emmy Award-winning Beatles tribute band that travels the world emulating the ’60s band. The group pays extreme attention to detail, changing outfits to represent different eras of the band and singing uncanny renditions of Beatles classics like “Yesterday,” “Here Comes the Sun” and “Hey Jude.” Fri, Feb. 17, 8 pm, $35-$65, Bing Crosby Theater. bingcrosbytheater.com
This second annual event highlights 25 craft breweries and cider houses from Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Hosted in multiple downtown Walla Walla venues, beer and cider lovers are invited to explore the town, imbibe and get to know their local brewers. Tickets include a commemorative tasting glass and five free tastings (additional tastings may be purchased at the event). Sat, Feb. 18 from noon -4 pm, $40 (in advance) $50 (at door), ages 21+, Downtown Walla Walla. downtownww.com/brewfest
This acclaimed musical won six Tony awards in 2017 and just wrapped up a six-year run on Broadway in September. Now in Spokane for the first time, the show centers around a high school senior with social anxiety who is credited for playing a heroic role in a tragedy. The trouble is he wasn’t exactly a hero. With a score by the musical duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the musical discusses life, the way we live it and the people we impact along the way. March 14-19; Tue-Fri at 7:30 pm, Sat at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, Sun at 1 pm and 6:30 pm, $48-$96, First Interstate Center for the Arts. broadwayspokane.com. Note that this musical also includes exploration of death by suicide.
This traveling exhibition at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture showcases a new form of bead art developed by a community of women living and working together in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The six artists featured in the exhibition call their paintings in beads “ndwangos,” which translates as “cloth” or “rag.” The show features 31 beaded mosaics for visitors to stare at in awe. While you’re there, check out the MAC’s other exhibits like Dancing with Life: Mexican Masks and local artist Lila Shaw Girvin’s Gift of a Moment. Through April 30, Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm, $10-$15, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. northwestmuseum.org
While Spokane’s Looff Carrousel delights young and old just the way it is, for first-time children’s book author Mary Carpenter it was a launchpad for inspiration. “I just thought it would be really neat to have the park come alive,” she says. “The Carrousel and the history of the Carrousel is just so magical.”
In PONIES IN THE PARK, written by Carpenter and illustrated by Mary Pat Kanaley, a young girl named Grace is disappointed to be stuck in the hospital overnight on her birthday. Unexpectedly though, magic dust, moonlight, and a birthday wish bring the historic Looff Carrousel and other sculptures in the park — the Bloomsday runners, Native salmon fishers, red wagon, garbage goat and a purple butterfly from Expo ’74 — to life, and together they help Grace save a puppy in need.
Carpenter received a $10,000 Spokane Arts Grant Award to complete the project. “The money from the grant went to help produce the book, but it also pays for us to give one to every second grade school teacher and elementary school library” in Spokane, Carpenter says. Carpenter and Kanaley also plan to visit classrooms to share not only their writing and illustrating process, but also their love of the park.
Spice up the last few weeks of winter and treat yourself when INLANDER RESTAURANT WEEK returns for its 11th annual run, happening Feb. 23 through March 4.
This year, more than 100 local eateries stretching across Spokane into the Idaho Panhandle are serving up delicious, three-course menus. Find all 113 of those restaurant’s menus online at InlanderRestaurantWeek.com, and in the Feb. 23 issue of the Inlander.
This year’s event offers diners a chance to enjoy a huge range of cuisine from American-style pub fare to international dishes, and traditional fine dining to creative culinary fusion. Three menu price points are once again offered at $25, $35 or $45 per person. Local beer, wine, spirits, cider, coffee, tea and more are also highlighted on each menu for Restaurant Week’s Drink Local highlight, which celebrates the Inland Northwest’s flourishing craft beverage industry that directly complements and boosts the region’s unique flavor identity.
Among this year’s participants are 21 brand new or returning venues, including plenty of buzzworthy spots that have opened since last year, like East Pan Asian Cuisine at Northern Quest, and chef Ian Wingate’s Outsider. Dozens of local favorites are back, too, with mouth-watering favorites and brand new specials.
Inlander Restaurant Week is partnering with Spokane-based nonprofit Big Table to help support workers in the hospitality industry. For donations made to Big Table (there’s a QR code on each menu to make a donation at your table), MultiCare is matching funds to provide medical, dental and mental health services to local hospitality workers. So go dine out, do some good and enjoy!
— CHEY SCOTTThe last five pages of Ponies in the Park include a historical timeline of Riverfront Park and background on each art installation. There are also two scavenger hunts — one to do inside the actual park, and one for hidden images in the book itself.
— LAUREN RODDISFind Ponies in the Park ($21) at the Looff Carrousel gift shop, Wishing Tree Books, Auntie’s Bookstore, Atticus Coffee & Gifts, the Small Biz Shoppe, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Sacred Heart gift shop, and online at ponies-in-the-park.myshopify.com
Ipass the smoothie bar and take the first door on the right. In a mildly cluttered little room, I enter a wooden box. As I sit there, I can see my reflection in the glass door — my left side bombarded by orange infrared light making my glistening visage look like something out of Blade Runner 2049. And I am sweating.
The temperature is 140 degrees in the sauna at Wellness Tree in the South Perry District. For $45, I’m spending roughly 35 minutes in the confines of the hot box seeking a healthier self. Spokane isn’t flush with sauna locations, but there are others to be found at various spas and gyms around the area. While saunas have long been lauded for health benefits such as loosening joints, improving blood flow and relieving mental stress, they’re hardly the only way that extreme heat can be part of a better health plan.
Christopher Minson, a thermal physiologist and professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon, is on a quest to find those health benefits of extreme heat. Through the work of Minson and his academic research peers throughout the country, we’re getting closer to figuring out when turning up the heat is actually the best practice.
“There’s a lot of work going on right now. In the ’40s and ’50s, this explosion about research about exercise and benefits of exercise really took off,” says Minson. “We’re kind of there with heat therapy. We know it’s good, we know it’s important, but there just isn’t enough research in all these different cases and situations. So I think over the next few years, we’re going to start really seeing: What’s the best therapy for this patient population? What’s the best time for this population? What’s the most easy use for that population? All that kind of stuff will really start coming out.
“In a lot of ways, the benefits from going to heat therapy are similar to those of exercise,” says Minson. “And by no means would I say replace exercise with just heat therapy if people are able and willing to exercise. But we believe a lot of the benefits from exercise actually come from a rising body temperature.”
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While some of Minson’s field of research is done in saunas like the one I found myself in, a large portion of the studies are conducted via hot water immersion — essentially people sitting in a hot tub (at 104 degrees Fahrenheit) for typically 45 minutes in order to raise body temperature to a certain sustained threshold, then repeating the immersion three to five times per week.
“So if we take someone who just goes into a hot room [or hot water immersion], a number of things happen,” says Minson. “One is we know that, similar to exercise, their heart rate goes up. We know that their heart has to contract a little harder, we know that the way that blood is distributed in their body changes, we know that the way that blood flows through blood vessels is improved. And with an increase in body temperature, we know certain molecules get released as well.
“We call these general classifications of molecules heat shock proteins,” Minson explains. “And these proteins have a lot of benefits throughout the body. They can help us to have reduced blood pressure. We can have more healthy blood vessels, decreasing the risk of things like atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis.
“We’ve actually shown that we also see improvements in the handling of glucose or blood sugar in our bodies. There’s even some evidence that it can help with injured muscles and other things. So there’s a really wide range of benefits that we’re seeing through the chronic use of heat stress.”
Other benefits of spending sustained time in high heat have included better sleep habits, and the potential for growth in the field is tantalizing. Minson is collaborating with researchers who hope to find positive benefits for people with severe spinal cord injuries, diabetes and even Alzhiemers. A 20-year sauna study in Finland saw decreases in everything from cardiovascular mortality to Alzheimer’s from consistent sauna usage, essentially the more visits per week the better.
For people looking to start heat therapy, there are an increasing number of personal saunas, inflatable hot tubs and other products on the market. Minson and his peers have yet to find a minimal effective dose of heat but suggest people need to raise their body temperature at least 1 degree Fahrenheit to see the heat stress
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benefits. He recommends people, especially older individuals, have their cardiovascular health checked before self-medicating with heat. And then it’s also crucial to listen to your body. Start slow, maybe five- to 10-minute increments, and then build up tolerance.
“I use a typical scale from zero meaning ‘I’m perfectly thermoneutral — not hot and not cold’ and 10 is ‘I am really extremely hot. I’ve got to get away from whatever I’m in right now.’ We want people like a six or a seven, right?” says Minson. “‘I’m feeling the heat, I’m definitely not uncomfortable, but I’m feeling very hot. I’m sweating and I could feel my heart rate up a little bit.’
“Humans have this incredible ability to adapt to heat,” Minson continues. “So as long as you start slow and remain hydrated, during and after and throughout the day, and you aren’t trying to do too much too fast. It’s a very, very safe way to go.”
I’m by far the least in-shape person in a dark, steamy room on this chilly Tuesday evening. I’m also the only one wearing a shirt. It soon becomes evident why that is a mistake. I do my best to keep my balance while grabbing my right knee to my chest, but my lightheaded self is wobbling like a toddler’s toy.
And I am sweating Good lord, am I ever sweating.
The temperature is 105 degrees with 65 percent humidity in the studio at Beyoutiful Hot Yoga on the South Hill. I’ve dropped into a hot hatha yoga class, the recommended entry-level offering from the regional chain (which also boasts North Spokane, Spokane Valley, Coeur d’Alene, and Wenatchee locations — $29 for a dropin class, $150/month for a membership).
The 60-minute class consisting of the same 28 positions every time is designed to test the strength, flexibility and balance of all participants. On this evening, I can roughly get through about 65 percent of it, spending the remaining time recovering and toweling myself off. I finally feel dry again maybe two hours later.
But here’s the thing: Exercising in extreme heat conditions was not at all a miserable experience. Employing heat for your health needn’t be a sedentary venture, it can also be a workout. Hot yoga offers intense exercise, but one that can also hit levels of relaxation that pumping iron or running on a treadmill wouldn’t provide.
“Once the body is able to withstand that heat, and get more accustomed to it, it allows us to go into that parasympathetic nervous state [the network of nerves that relaxes the body after stress or danger],” says Jessie Jo Skala, who’s been a yoga instructor at Beyoutiful for about two-and-ahalf years after training on the West Coast of India. “For somebody that might have not done it before, sometimes the heat can put the body in more of a fight/flight mode. So once we’re able to get that down we’re in more control of our bodies and our vagus nerve. I think that’s a huge thing with the hot yoga — that when we put ourselves in a stressful situation, we’re able to adapt a little more easily.”
Heated workout environments like the hatha class or other Beyoutiful offerings
“FEELING THE HEAT,” CONTINUED...
like power yoga and inferno hot Pilates provide a space to get in shape with improved circulation and increased flexibility thanks to your muscles being heated. While the humidity might leave you feeling sticky, it actually helps the body stay cool in the extreme environment. It’s still vital to not push past one’s limits (no ignoring pre-existing injuries!) and staying hydrated is crucial, but it can be enjoyed by a wide range of folks. Skala’s oldest student was 87 years old (and she’s still trying to convince her dad to take up hot yoga).
“Just being in that room is like having a sauna membership somewhere,” says Skala. “It’s good just for the body, whether you’re laying down in a horizontal position for the whole time, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. It offers benefits from anyone from a beginner to an advanced yoga practitioner. We really try to emphasize welcoming everyone, no matter what body shape or what condition you’re in.”
“We like to say at the studio, ‘The practice is not a workout, it’s a work-in,’” continues Skala. “To enhance your physical capabilities, but as well tap into your mental
capabilities and true potential.”
And while that might sound a bit hippie dippy to certain folks, Minson and his research compadres are also diving into how heat can improve athletic performance, and they’re seeing plenty of positive benefits.
The world of heat health might just be opening, but for most people it’s better than the polar opposite.
“Heat tends to be better than cold,” Minson states. “[Cold stress] is not nearly as well studied at this point as heat; there’s definitely some benefits to it.
“But people just don’t like to be cold.”
We really try to emphasize welcoming everyone, no matter what body shape or what condition you’re in.
“EACH PATIENT AND FAMILY WE SERVE IS UNIQUE, and I feel it’s our job to customize the care that we provide because this is their journey. We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help them navigate this time with as much comfort, as much dignity, and as much peace as they can possibly have.”
– Gina DrummonD, rn, mSn, CEo
When it comes to a coughing dogs, it can be hard to tell if a trip to the veterinarian is necessary. Here’s a good rule of thumb: If a dog is coughing for more than three days or is having trouble breathing, it’s time to contact your primary care veterinarian.
Chances are, if your dog is sick for more than a few days, one of a handful of viral or bacterial pathogens —characterized as canine infectious respiratory diseases or CIRD — is the culprit.
Here’s the lineup of the most common potential offenders: canine distemper virus, canine influenza virus, canine parainfluenza virus, canine adenovirus and Bordetella bronchiseptica.
While vaccines for distemper virus and canine adenovirus are included in a dog’s core vaccines, most dogs are not vaccinated against canine influenza, canine parainfluenza or Bordetella bronchiseptica unless they have frequent contact with other dogs.
Of the respiratory diseases affecting dogs, canine influenza is the most severe and should be monitored and tested for by a veterinarian. In dogs, just as in humans, the flu can turn into bronchitis, pneumonia or a bacterial infection, which may turn deadly if left untreated.
Since antibiotics aren’t effective in treating viral infections, veterinarians are not going to prescribe them, but they may provide cough suppressants, supportive care and further monitoring of the health of your dog.
A canine influenza vaccination can also be helpful.
The vaccination for canine influenza may curb the symptoms and severity of the illness, but the vaccine is not guaranteed to prevent an infection. The vaccine must be administered annually and may require a booster and up to four weeks’ time before providing full immunity.
Respiratory signs of canine parainfluenza virus may resemble those of canine influenza, but the viruses are unrelated and require different vaccines for protection.
Unlike in humans, there is no season for canine influenza, and dogs that contract the virus often get it from close contact with large groups of dogs.
Because of this, the vaccine is recommended for dogs who may attend dog shows, agility competitions, are frequent flyers at boarding facilities or dog parks, or find themselves around many other dogs often.
Like canine influenza, Bordetella is a highly contagious respiratory infection, but unlike the other common respiratory diseases affecting dogs, the condition is caused by a bacterial infection rather than a virus.
Bordetella is often referred to as “kennel cough” largely due to the respiratory inflammation it causes and its ability to spread quickly in kennels and other areas where dogs are kept in close quarters.
Dogs often in close contact with other dogs should be vaccinated for the disease annually, at least seven days prior to entering a high-risk environment. If supportive care and rest are not effective in treating Bordetella infections, dogs can be prescribed antibiotics.
Bordetella bronchiseptica likely won’t kill an adult dog, but puppies are particularly susceptible to the bacteria, and it can be fatal in extreme cases if the disease is not addressed.
When coughing is severe, many dogs will cough so hard they vomit afterward. Owners may confuse this with gastrointestinal irritation or choking, but a
vomiting dog can be a sign of respiratory disease.
Other signs of respiratory disease in dogs include fever, discharge of the nose and eyes, and loss of appetite.
An owner who suspects his or her dog may have a respiratory disease, especially the canine influenza virus, should plan with a veterinarian before
arriving at the clinic to ensure the disease is isolated from other animals. Dogs with respiratory disease should also avoid contact with other dogs for at least seven to 10 days from the infection’s onset.
Jessica Bell is an assistant professor at WSU College of Veterinary Medicine and a small animal veterinarian in community practice at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
The art of using spices has been studied for as long as humans have been making foods. In fact, most herbs and spices found on modern grocery shelves have been used for centuries — or much longer. The historical use of spices transcends flavor, however, crossing into the realm of healing both the mind and body. Today we’re fortunate to have access to both ancient wisdom and modern science to inform our food decisions, including how and where to use various herbs and spices.
The plump root of the ginger plant is notorious for soothing an upset stomach, pregnancy-related morning sickness and even chemotherapy-related nausea. This powerful root has also been found to be useful for anti-inflammatory benefits for arthritis, muscle pain and migraine relief. Many of these effects are thanks to the self-named compounds, gingerols, found in ginger root. Ginger can be consumed either fresh or dried in main courses, baked goods or even a fresh ginger tea.
A cousin of ginger, turmeric is a root with yellow-colored flesh that has been valued for centuries for its medicinal properties. Most of turmeric’s medicinal properties come from its high content of curcumin, a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. High doses of turmeric have been shown to be as effective as modern anti-inflammatory drugs. It also has been shown to help balance blood sugar, by regulating adipokines in type 2 diabetes. Like ginger, turmeric can be used either fresh or dried in curries and other main courses, in condiments like mustard, or as a healing turmeric tea.
Fenugreek is a green, leafy plant commonly used in the Indian subcontinent. The plant contains high levels of 4-hydroxyisoleucine, a chemical known to improve the function of insulin to help regulate blood sugar levels. Fenugreek has historically been used for hormonal effects, both to improve testosterone levels in males and to help new mothers produce more breast milk. However, these hormonal claims have yet to be proven by modern science. Both the seeds and the leaves can be used as a flavor-enhancing spice in many dishes including curries, soups, breads and sauces.
Peppermint leaves and oil have a long history of medicinal and aromatherapy uses. Like many herbs, the medicinal compounds of peppermint are largely in the oil, which can be distilled out of the plant. Both as a tea and aromatherapy, peppermint is well known for anti-nausea effects. Ingesting peppermint has also been associated with improving irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. Peppermint leaves can be ingested as a tea or infusion, while peppermint oils and extracts can be either ingested in small quantities or inhaled.
Although we often see cinnamon as rolled sticks or a powder, it is actually the bark of the cinnamon tree. This spice has a distinctive sweet, spicy taste that complements many baked goods, coffee and tea. The active compound in cinnamon, cinnamaldehyde, is responsible for most of its medicinal properties. Studies have shown that cinnamon is effective at lowering blood sugar through a few different mechanisms, including slowing the digestion of carbohydrates and improving insulin sensitivity. Regular consumption of cinnamon may also be able to lower blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Cinnamon can be enjoyed as a spice in coffee or tea, used in baked goods, or even used in certain aromatic main courses.
Regardless of how you use your spice cabinet, most herbs and spices share the benefit of being loaded with antioxidants, largely related to the potent flavors many spices are known for. Diets high in antioxidants, in general, have been associated with improved cognitive function, digestion and often reduced cancer risk.
Stacey Aggarwal received a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Washington. She writes about biology, health and nutrition while running a lavender farm in North Idaho.
Cinnamon
BY CARRIE SCOZZARO
For nearly 50 years, Master Gardeners programs have supported the local food system, offering training in sustainable gardening practices and serving as a resource for all things plant-related. Featured in every state, Master Gardener programs are connected to universities, which in Washington is Washington State University.
In Spokane, the Master Gardener program is also connected to the Master Gardener Foundation, a county-based nonprofit which “is basically a fundraising arm of the Master Gardener program,” explains Cathi Lamoreux, past president of the Master Gardeners Foundation of Spokane County and recently elected president of the overarching Washington state foundation.
The group’s annual one-day Cabin Fever symposium on March 18 will feature keynote speaker Benjamin Vogt, who speaks nationally on all-season, wildlife-friendly garden design, as well as 12 additional gardening experts on topics like native plants, irrigation and
creating food forests, all delivered online. Tickets are $45.
The annual two-day Master Gardeners plant sale mostly features perennials grown in Master Gardener gardens and dug up just for the sale, Lamoreux says. There are also vegetable starts, shrubs, native plants, ornamental grasses and — new since 2022 — houseplants.
Many activities, including the plant sale, occur at the Spokane County Extension office at 222 N. Havana St., while others are part of the Master Gardeners’ outreach efforts, including through collaborations with similar organizations like Inland Northwest Community Gardens.
Mary Croston serves on the board of Inland Northwest Community Gardens, whose mission includes helping create gardens for underserved populations like Spokane Housing Authority’s Home Yard Cottages, which is a permanent supportive housing community for people who have a disability, are low-income and have been homeless. They also assist with the Holy Cross Nepali-Speaking Bhutanese Community Garden.
for a $25 annual donation; visit mgfsc.org or call 509-477-2181
Master gardeners help support the organization’s efforts, says Croston, especially through teaching classes on composting, season extension and more.
“They do a lot of things locally that help — people grow food, people grow plants — and just serve local agriculture,” says Croston who is excited to be part of the 2023 cohort of master gardeners.
More than a food bank, Second Harvest, based in Spokane, is a vast food resource center supporting food banks and related partners in 26 counties throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Programs include a mobile market, a backpack program for area schoolchildren to receive food on the weekends, and community cooking classes.
“If you or someone you love needs food, we are going to do everything we can do to get it to you,” says Eric Williams, Second Harvest’s community partnerships director.
To donate, volunteer or find out where to get food nearby, go to 2-harvest.org or call 509534-6678.
This network of private, independently run nonprofit organizations enables seniors to receive nutritious food regardless of income or other factors. While Meals on Wheels Spokane primarily covers the city of Spokane, Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels supports seniors throughout Spokane County.
In addition to delivering meals, Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels has 13 “silver cafes” designed for “seniors who are still mobile, still active, to come eat in a group setting,” according to Executive Director Jeff Edwards. “They can show up there, get a hot meal — soup and salad on a lot of days as well — and eat and socialize.”
To donate, volunteer or sign up for meals: in Spokane, go to mowspokane.org or call 509456-6597; in Spokane County, go to gscmealsonwheels.org or call 509-924-6976.
With three statewide food distribution centers, including one in Spokane Valley, Northwest Harvest distributes food to its partners throughout Eastern Washington. But the organization doesn’t just provide food. It also seeks to address the root causes of hunger and to influence public opinion and policy on issues that impact not only hunger, but also poverty and underlying inequities.
Learn about hosting a food drive or fundraising event, becoming an advocate, or making a financial donation at northwestharvest.org/ways-to-give.
In the great room at the Davis home, Jess deftly combines textures and patterns, creating the cozy functional look her followers admire. ERICK
DOXEY PHOTO
BY ANNE McGREGOR
When Jess and her husband, Mike, decided to renovate their home in the Spokane Valley in 2019, she began documenting the journey on her social media. “I just started sharing the process, and one thing sort of led to another,” she says.
Now Jess, under the name _thewelldressedhome, has 103,000 followers on Instagram, nearly 200,000 on TikTok and 1.1 million monthly views on Pinterest. She does regular affiliate marketing posts and has an Amazon storefront. Several times a week, Davis offers updates on the various platforms from her homefront, including decorating tutorials, DIY projects and design inspiration. And she also now runs an interior design business, often drawing clients from around the country from among her followers.
Raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Jess says she loved drawing as a child and always wanted to become a fashion designer. But her career path initially veered into education, training that continues to inform her design work as she helps her followers and clients approach their projects.
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For Jess Davis, working from home was not a pandemic side-effect — in fact, her home is her work
“I didn’t go to school for (design),” she says, “but I’d been doing interior styling projects for friends, and I had always cared about the aesthetic of my home. And when I got into this project I just realized I had a passion for it.”
As the home renovation project progressed and more people began following the journey, Mike realized Jess was poised to create a successful business. “I did a few projects for free, and my husband finally said, ‘No more! You have to charge for what you’re doing,’” she says. “And so that’s kind of how my business started.”
Their home renovation project spanned nine months, beginning in the fall of 2019. Before deciding to renovate, the family had lived in the home for eight years, which Jess feels was valuable. “I think sometimes we can be rushed and pushed by trends and just want to just get into it. Sometimes taking that time can make such a huge difference.”
Indeed, every detail of the home
received careful consideration as the couple took the original “builder grade” 1,300-square-foot home down to the exterior studs, says Jess. They worked on a strict budget. After getting a good deal on the home, Mike wasn’t eager to overspend on the renovation. “That is actually what made us get really creative,” she says. They lucked out with a structure that originally had no interior supporting walls, meaning they could open up the space without installing costly new support beams. Mike was able to do all of the electrical work for their “smart home,” which was a cost-saver. The couple say the project went surprisingly well considering that much of it occurred during the early months of the pandemic. Still, Mike says, “The very end is where all the detail work comes in, so you just have to be patient through that.” By the time they were finished, the home had grown to 3,300-square-feet with five bedrooms and an entirely new second floor.
...continued on page 24
“AN INFLUENTIAL HOME,” CONTINUED...Featuring vintage Chicago brick flooring, the mudroom offers ample storage for the Davis kids yet remains photogenic. Inset top: Some of Jess’ favorite finds, including a vintage volume of the complete works of Shakespeare, are on display on the entry table. Inset lower: One of Jess’ recent projects was adding a decorative molding to frame the fireplace and painting the portion below mantel in Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black. ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS
Standing in the great room, Jess describes her design process. “I draw on three things: Coziness for me is number one.” Then she says, “It needs to be functional, and it needs to be aesthetically pleasing.”
It’s easy to see her design imprint in the room’s details. Anchored by a large, cozy black fireplace topped with a frame television, there’s plenty of comfortable seating and conveniently located end tables to create an inviting space to sit and visit. And while the setting has the perfected look of a staged room, for Jess, “Function always outweighs aesthetics… So if there’s a basket, there’s a reason for it; if there’s a bin, there’s a reason for it — there might be remotes in there, there might be matches in there, that sort of thing.”
In fact, Jess credits that attention to function for making it possible for a busy young family — with three kids aged 9, 8 and 4 — to enjoy life in a house that’s regularly on display. “We live here — it’s not like my kitchen isn’t a mess when we cook and the kids get out games and stuff. It gets messy!” she stresses. “For me everything has to have its space. It’s a peace. I feel like when I started to be thoughtful about where things went — you know, a ‘don’t put it down, put it away’ mentality — I noticed an impact on my mood and my mental state, and my childrens’ moods too. Having them see that this is a community that they participate in — we’re all working together — is such a valuable thing.”
...continued on page 26
“AN INFLUENTIAL HOME,” CONTINUED...The primary bedroom features swing arm sconces against an olive wall, all softened by plenty of layers of textured bedding. Below: A soaking tub and heated floors make the primary bath one of Jess’ favorite spaces. ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS
An upstairs bathroom features intricately patterned tile that reflects Jess’ Spanish and European heritage. Keeping the tile in line with the rest of the home’s color palette ensures it doesn’t appear out of place.
• Function outweighs everything else. Before launching into decor, Jess says to carefully consider your objective. “What do you want to get out of a space?” As a busy mom, she wanted the convenience of a door to the laundry room from the primary suite.
• Start at the floor and work your way up.
“A rug is a really good place to start. Then you know your color palette, and you build from there.” Incorporating the same color palette throughout the home lends continuity even when the style elements of various rooms are different.
• Make choices that have meaning to you.
“Think about connections back to yourself. Is there something that is relatable, connectable?” Jess chose the blue and white tiles in her daughters’ bathroom because they reflected her Spanish and European heritage.
Jess says, “I’ve now come to believe that it’s sort of a commitment issue when you just do one wall.” Consider boldly treating all the walls — whether in paint or wallpaper — the same.
• Think about resale.
“When I’m working with clients, that’s something I talk to them about. If you do sell it, what can you do to make it more appealing?” Jess opted to create an ADA compliant bedroom on the home’s main floor with resale in mind.
— ANNE McGREGORIf you’re remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, let Gold Seal Plumbing help!
Aesthetically, Jess particularly enjoys combining patterns and textures — a checkered throw tops a striped settee in front of the fireplace, while block-printed pillows find a home on the sofa nestled with a fuzzy knitted throw, all of it settled on a muted-toned patterned rug. The secret to combining successfully is careful observation of the color palette, something Jess carried through the entire home — including the kids’ bedrooms and bathrooms upstairs — to create continuity. “Even if you change the space stylistically, that’s OK — the color palette holds it all together.”
The kitchen features soft gray below-counter cabinetry with ample windows above, an island that seats four while concealing storage underneath, and a walk-in pantry for even more storage. The pantry was recently renovated — for a second time — by Jess, who just wasn’t happy with their initial efforts. Also unhappy about having to re-do it, she gave herself a strict budget of $300 for the project. She installed beadboard wallpaper and crown molding, then painted it all in a moody deep green. The shelving and counter got updated with a darker stain. With a little help from Mike on the crown molding, Jess did the whole project herself, and says it’s now one of her favorite rooms. “Aesthetic and function really can co-exist!” she says. “Such a cool project. It was really my first big DIY.”
After the whirlwind of the last few years, Jess reflects on her relatively new career as a designer and influencer. She says she makes about half of her income from affiliate sales and half from her design business at this point. She’s taken on a design intern to help with smaller projects, but most of the business flows directly through her. “It’s a lot of pressure, and you feel you have to constantly evolve and keep up. And it can feel like a lot. It’s my home, but more than that, I just want to love what is and not always feel like I have to change everything.”
Nonetheless, Jess reveals she’s already designing a new home for property the couple has purchased in Liberty Lake. “I have very big plans for that property,” she admits. “But I’m loving this house a lot and not wanting to rush it.”
I just want to love what is and not always feel like I have to change everything.
BY E.J. IANNELLI
For homeowners who are looking to give their living space some individual flair, custom metalwork can be a way to achieve a satisfying and distinctive mix of form and function.
Ana Funderburk is an Atlanta-born artist and former competitive chainsaw carver who began working with metal several years ago. Since then, operating out of rural Eastern Washington under the name Earthen Indigo, she’s created hundreds of pieces — large and small, interior and exterior — for customers around the world.
“For architectural ironwork, I would have to say that the majority of people look for railings for balconies or staircases,” she says. “But furniture makes up about 75 percent of my orders. Table bases seem to be the big thing, mainly — and sometimes bench legs.”
But mid- to large-scale projects like railings or furniture certainly aren’t the only available options. As Funderburk points out, custom metalwork can encompass pieces as modest as drawer pulls or cabinet handles.
“There’s a pretty wide variety of metalwork that can be found in the home. There’s decorative hardware for the fireplace. There are racks to hang your coats and your towels on. There are mailboxes and plant hangers.” These “accents,” she says, offer more accessible and economical ways to bring artisanal elements into your home.
David Kailey, who runs Spokane-based Morgan Jade Ironworks, says his experience as a blacksmith has been similar to Funderburk’s.
Standing in his shop next to a wall full of variously sized scrolls, which are ornamental
sections of looped metal, he notes that things like railings and entrance gates account for most of his residential commissions. Furniture has been perennially popular, too, but of late Kailey has seen more requests for decorative items like garden lattices.
“People are now using [metal] wall art for décor,” he says. “One customer, she wanted me to make her a bunch of flowers as a centerpiece on her table. It was basically a vase with flowers that I hand-forged. I like to be challenged. I like to have to think about what kind of tooling to build.”
To anyone who’s contemplating architectural metalwork or even custom-made furniture, Funderburk would remind them that it sometimes takes more than just the homeowner and artist to correctly determine the shape, size and design of the piece.
“There’s usually an interior designer or some sort of contractor or architect who’s involved. Sometimes the pieces will have to fit into a space where the builder or the designer will have to make special provisions, especially with things like fireplace inserts or pieces that are outside and exposed to the elements,” she says. If the metalwork is being integrated with other materials, such as wood or marble, artists who specialize in those media will have to be included as well.
With structural work in particular, homeowners will also need to ensure that they’re attentive to local building codes and properly permitted. Railings and balconies, for example, can become a serious liability unless they meet certain safety specifications.
Another thing to bear in mind is scheduling. Handmade pieces take time to design and craft, so it’s best to temper any expectations of a quick turnaround.
“Usually artists are already working on something,” Funderburk says. “So give yourself at least three to four months.”
When it comes to finding an artist to work with, the web can be a good place to start. Established metalsmiths generally have online portfolios of their work and storefronts on established sites like Etsy. And while it’s not uncommon to purchase or commission pieces from artists based elsewhere, distance does add shipping costs and the risk of damage. Should that prompt you to narrow your search to local artists, arts advocacy organizations and steel suppliers can be excellent sources for recommendations.
There’s also the matter of budget. The word custom might sound like a euphemism for expensive, but Kailey says that’s not necessarily the case. He works regularly with clients who prize his creations but have strict caps on their discretionary spending.
“I’ve found that, for me, success is when I ask for a price point and then design to a price point,” he says. “That way, I can give the customer the best bang for their buck. When I can squeeze every last bit of detail and grandeur into [the piece] for the money they want to spend, that’s always the best situation.”
Along with skill and cost, it’s also important that any artist you work with has a willingness to collaborate. Both Kailey and Funderburk say that working toward a shared vision has been key to their most successful and memorable pieces, which in turn makes those pieces even more special.
“When metal’s handmade, you can really tell,” Funderburk says. “It has a lot of character and a lot of charm to it. That makes it lasting and unique, and that adds to the beauty and the value of the piece.”
DIY WITH DIANE
Have you ever wanted to capture your vacations in a fun way to remind you of some of your favorite places you have been to?
Why not frame maps to highlight the places you’ve visited, catalog the cities that you’ve lived in or document your bucket list reminders? Hanging your map art as a collage on a wall is an easy project. You can also accessorize the scene with globe-inspired lanterns for a colorful splash of interest.
I was fortunate to be gifted some well-loved vintage atlases a few years back and have been happily using them for many projects since. These fun map finds are usually spotted in estate sales, garage sales and antique stores. Folded U.S. and state road maps can work for this project as well.
SUPPLIES
• Frames
• Maps
• Embroidery floss
• Needle
• Scissors
• Scotch tape
1. Carefully remove pages featuring your favorite locations. Draw hearts, stars or circles around the city of your choice.
2. Use your needle to pre-poke holes around your city to help guide your path for your thread to go through.
3. Thread your floss, tie a knot at the end, and get to stitching.
4. Use Scotch tape over the holes on the back side to strengthen the paper as well as tape the end of the string down at the end of your shape on the backside.
5. Frame and hang your map artwork — create more than one to build a fun pattern on your wall.
Adding battery-powered twinkle lights inside these pretty pendants will create a soft glow in the evening.
• Maps
• Paper lantern kit ( 10” 12” 16” rounds)
• 2½” circle punch
• Hot glue gun and glue
• String
• Clear tack
1. Punch out a pile of little circular rounds from maps.
2. Flip the lantern upside down and place a line of glue on the bottom part of circle map pieces. Attach each piece, overlapping one another, to the bottom of the lantern around in a row.
3. Then flip the lantern to the correct hanging position and attach the next row, spreading a line of glue on the top of the map circle piece and begin placing it on the next line in an over-under pattern. Hint: The top of the map piece will be attached to the lantern, while the bottom will flair out into an asparagus-looking shape.
4. When all the rows are completed, tie a string to the lantern and hang it on the ceiling. It will be light enough to hang with a tack.
Diane Holm is a prop/product stylist whose home was featured in the October/November 2022 Health & Home. For this project, Diane had help from Jenny Cashion @chicandshab for set dressing and Angie McCoul Weaver of @marigod_vintage_angie for the vintage atlas maps.
We’re excited to announce that the new smoke-free gaming area is getting close to completion. In this fresh, airy space, you can enjoy all the slots and table games you love, plus a bar.
Visit our website for more information: spokanetribecasino.com
spokanetribecasino. com
Music was Spokane artist Chris Kelsey’s first love and still informs his ceramic art.
“I drum, I pot, and I ride bikes,” says Kelsey, who spent his young adulthood drumming in a Billings, Montana-area cover band before earning a bachelor’s in art from Montana State University. He laughs, adding “that explains why I have back and shoulder issues.”
Kelsey is seated at his electric-powered pottery wheel inside Trackside Studio and Ceramic Art Gallery. He’s hunched over, arms braced, resting wet fingers and hands on the clay. As the wheel spins, Kelsey presses into and shapes the lump of wet clay, gently lifting the clay upwards to form a tall, hollow cylinder.
This is “potting.” With slight variations, the cylinder might become a mug, like those he’s making for Hop Chaos Brewing Company’s mug
club, or a vase Kelsey will let dry, fire in the kiln, then dip into a liquid concoction called a glaze and fire again.
It’s also possible the cylinder will get recycled.
“If I don’t have an idea of what I’m making, it’s not going to be good,” says Kelsey, who typically begins with a sketch of the functional pottery — mugs, vases, bowls, dishes — and sculptural works he has been creating for the past 15 years or so.
Kelsey moved to Spokane with wife Julie in 2001, settling on the north side. Building a ceramic studio in his home would require specialized space and equipment, including ventilation and a kiln, so Kelsey rented space at Clay Connection (formerly North Star Ceramics) downtown.
There he met Mark Moore, who joined Kelsey in taking over Trackside (formerly Red Sky Gallery) in 2008. Around that same time, Kelsey had an op-
portunity to develop the ceramics program at Spokane’s St. George’s School. He also taught one year at Eastern Washington University.
In 2014, Gina Freuen joined Trackside’s gallery as an exhibiting partner, where she, Moore and Kelsey share an interest in atmospheric firings.
“Different kinds of firings are called atmospheric because we we put stuff in [the kiln] and do not really know what’s going to happen,” Kelsey explains, adding that chemicals — sodium carbonate and calcium bicarbonate — introduced during firing react with the atmosphere inside the kiln to create unique surface effects on the glazed pieces.
Kelsey tends to work in series, alternating between functional pottery and sculptural work, which can be divided into geometric constructions — spheres, cubes, rectangular forms — and flatter, hollow forms that are freestanding or wall-mounted.
With names like “Groove Chart” and “Rhythmic Flow,” Kelsey’s hollow forms are inspired, in part, by music, including his jazz-oriented drum teacher’s percussion charts, showing “one measure of the beat and then the rest was just slashes, like, continue doing that same thing for 16 measures.”
That got Kelsey paying attention to music notes and spaces in between notes, the form and absence of it being equally important.
Rhythm, repetition, balance and creating visual tension are also important themes in his work, says Kelsey, who continues to experiment with clay, including just making things.
“I try to give myself permission that every piece doesn’t have to be this ‘save the world, all the answers’” artwork, he says, adding “but I hope to get a meaningful thing every now and then, or meaningful to somebody.”
Visit chriskelseyceramics.com or tracksidestudio.net.
Analisa Martin at The Glow Co says you can combat winter skin dehydration by using gentle cleansers. ‘We don’t want that squeaky clean tight feeling after cleansing,” she notes.
MADISON
While winter in the Inland Northwest can be a stunning and picturesque time of year, the season’s cold, harsh nature often brings its own set of challenges to our skin.
“The cold weather just pulls the moisture out of everything, including your skin, so you can get dry, itchy and flaky,” says Octavia Lewis, a master esthetician and the owner of Inter-Tribal Beauty in north Spokane.
To address these issues, some small, simple changes to your skin care routine may be in order.
Of course, Lewis recommends visiting an esthetician to learn more specifics about what issues your skin may be more prone to and to gain access to a wider array of products that you can’t find in most stores.
But she also suggests that if you’re looking for products to help bring your skin back to life from the winter frost, key ingredients to seek out are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, copper peptides and ceramides to help your skin retain moisture.
Analisa Martin, a master esthetician and the founder of The Glow Co in downtown Spokane, has curated a multistep regimen that helps hydrate your skin and can be easily customized by her or another professional to keep your skin looking alive and glowing.
While there are many products out there, Martin works primarily with skin care lines from Laurel Whole Plant Organics and Face Reality. She recommends starting off by using a cream cleanser like Laurel’s Effortless Cleanser.
“A lot of times if someone is using a gel or a foaming cleanser, it can be quite drying for the skin,” she says. “We don’t want that squeaky clean, tight feeling after cleansing, and for the wintertime especially, it’s great to create that shift by using a more creamy, hydrating cleanser.”
Next she recommends using Laurel’s Hydrating Elixir to increase product absorption for all of the products that go on your skin, followed by Face Reality’s Hydrabalance to target skin dehydration.
“Dehydration occurs either from not ingesting enough water or also just from a lack of water in skin care ingredients in the regimen,” she says. “Oftentimes, someone will come in thinking they’re dry, but they’re actually dehydrated, so we need to target it with that specific hydrator.”
Next she advises using Laurel’s Antioxidant Serum to bring more radiance to the skin and Face Reality’s Peptide Cream to add a final layer of hydration to the skin.
And to seal in all of the moisture that adds to the skin, Martin says to finish off
with Laurel’s Day Balm or Night Balm.
“It gives the skin a really gorgeous, finishing glow,” says Martin. “A lot of clients really love that dewy look, so something like finishing your regimen with a balm can give you that instant radiance and dewiness.”
Another thing to keep in mind is curating your skin care routine to address the different needs that develop as we age.
Lewis recommends the use of products with vitamin C for those in their 30s to protect skin from environmental damage, such as free radicals; retinol or products with vitamin A for those in their 40s to address fine lines and wrinkles; and more serums and hydrating products for those in their 50s and up.
But one of the main products that Lewis thinks everyone should use consistently is SPF, especially in the winter.
“The sun on the snow bouncing onto your face, it’s harsh, it’s really harsh,” she says. “In a perfect world, everyone would
Lewis also recommends when changing your routine to start out with one product to see how it reacts with your skin before adding on more products.
“Just take it slow because you don’t want to overwhelm the skin; that’s the worst thing you can do,” she says.
One of the biggest pieces of advice that Lewis has for people is to book a consultation with an esthetician to find out their specific skin needs.
“An esthetician will have tools that can actually tell you exactly what your skin type is based on your skin analysis,” she says. “I treat everyone specific to what their goals are and then exactly what I see, and we come up with a plan together.”
While the price of facials, visiting a professional and buying different products can be high at times, Lewis’s client Rayanna Tensley says it’s definitely worth it.
“When I first saw [Lewis], I went to go see her because I burned my face with a mask that I was trying to do myself to get rid of a lot of dark marks,” Tensley says, who started seeing Lewis in August 2020.
have a simple skin care routine that always includes SPF.”
Both Lewis and Martin recommend keeping a humidifier in your bedroom, and possibly keeping a second one in your living room or another room in your house to provide your skin with more moisture.
“The humidifier just helps the skin to retain that hydration,” says Martin.
By November of last year, Tensley noticed a dramatic improvement in her skin; most of the marks were faded, and her skin appeared to be noticeably clearer.
“Just trust the process,” she says. “The investment in the products and the investment in the time for the monthly facials is definitely worth it.”
For Bombay Boutique’s owner Cierra Hannum, offering a wide variety of size-inclusive and trendy clothing is at the heart of her business’s mission.
“I have some plus size friends that can’t shop at a lot of places or boutiques in Spokane, so that was another thing I wanted to do was make sure we could try to cater to everybody coming in,” she says.
pieces with some of the new dresses and skirts that will be on the racks at Bombay Boutique in the coming months.
9656 N. Newport Hwy. Bombayspokane.com
Hannum handpicks items from online retailers and tries to make sure to carry every piece in as many sizes as possible, such as from XS to 3X, so that everyone can come in and find something that’s perfect for them.
She hopes to also start going to trade shows, which are making a comeback following the COVID-19 pandemic, that way she can see and feel the clothes first and curate a more unique inventory for shoppers.
The boutique currently has a great variety of items for every season, such as warm fleece shackets, beanies and cardigans for the cold weather. And when the weather starts to warm up this spring, you can pair some of those fall and winter
In the future, Hannum hopes to get the boutique’s name out into the community more and to expand her in-store and online inventory, and maybe someday open another location.
“I have some great employees; they will make you feel right at home when you’re coming in,” she says. “And if there’s any time they want to come in and give us ideas for styles that we could bring into the store, we’re always open for anything like that.”
Before opening the boutique, Hannum was working with elderly people, and her love of fashion and desire to try something new led her to begin this journey.
“This is just something completely out of my comfort zone, but I’m beginning to see I like it a lot more than things I’ve done in the past and would just love for anyone to come shop,” she says.
3131 N. Division St.Spokane; facebook.com/audreysaboutique
Audrey’s Boutique opened more than 50 years ago with the goal of providing a wide range of bras, particularly for post-mastectomy clients. While the boutique remains destination shopping for “the girls,” Audrey’s also offers a substantial and carefully curated collection of clothing including dresses and special occasion gowns, as well as jeans and business wear, all at a variety of price points. Online, fans enjoy current, and fourth, owner “the Bra Whisperer,” Victoria Zvoncheck-Ferro’s wardrobe advice videos.
1407 W. 1st Ave., Spokane; rosesthreadboutique.com
Roses & Thread opened in 2018 to provide the community — particularly hard-working moms — with fashionable pieces that emphasize quality and comfort. You’ll find jeans, bottoms, shirts, jackets and more, all of which can be dressed up for an important business meeting or styled casually for a chill day in town. Find a new piece that stands on its own or build on your existing wardrobe at this cozy shop.
2049 N. Main St., Coeur d’Alene; velvethammerboutique.com
With the tagline “We are chic and unique,” Coeur d’Alene’s Velvet Hammer delivers, offering a range of stylish clothing for women and children. If you’re looking for something casual and simple, yet with an air of sophistication, stop by to find staple and accent wardrobe pieces and friendly customer service. Velvet Hammer also carries locally made gift-able goods and home decor accessories to freshen up your space.
Chef Mary Weaver at her Kendall Yards restaurant. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS
BY CARRIE SCOZZARO
When she was executive chef at Eat Good Group’s Gilded Unicorn, Mary Weaver was partial to the duck stroganoff. But since moving from downtown Spokane to Kendall Yards to run the Mediterranean-inspired Baba, she’s become a fan of the pappardelle. Both are comfort foods — creamy, hearty, savory, flavorful — and both reflect Eat Good Group’s approach to comfort foods with a twist.
Consider Baba’s breakfast pita, which Weaver describes as similar to a breakfast burrito. “But it’s a very Middle Eastern take on it with the lamb sausage and chermoula and the tahini and the feta,” she adds.
Diners might be more familiar with tahini and feta cheese than the chermoula, a zesty sauce with North African origins but similar to chimichurri or gremolata in adding herby brightness to a dish. At Baba, Weaver uses it inside and over the top of dishes, such as shakshuka, but also as a marinade.
Lamb, for example, “has a flavor that is so unique and almost aggressive if you’re not used to it,” says Weaver, adding that many of the recipes she’s working with call for marinating it, “playing with ways to highlight lamb but kind of temper it” for diners unused to its strong flavor.
“Marinating lamb in chermoula,” Weaver explains, “you have that citrus that kind of breaks it down, but then you get the richness of all the herbs and spices and everything.”
Shakshuka, a hearty, red pepper and tomato-based stew, is as vibrant in appearance as it is in flavor. And it’s a perfect example of how Turkish, Syrian, Greek and related cuisines can be defined — and connected — by their use of warm spices, Weaver says.
“You do have a lot of tomato-based cooking in America, but when you look at cooking with tomatoes in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern style,” says Weaver, they “use a lot of nutmeg and cinnamon and things that we associate [in American cooking] with being more sweet.”
That makes for dishes with an interesting depth of flavor, says Weaver, who takes inspiration for Baba’s seasonally rotating menu from several cookbooks like Simple, by celebrated chef Yotam Ottolenghi, and Yasmin Khan’s Ripe Figs.
“The premise of [Simple] is taking just a few ingredients, but really highlighting them to the best of their ability without overcomplicating something, which is, I think, a super interesting dynamic,” Weaver says. She’s also a fan of Ottolenghi’s Jerusalem, which was named Best International Cookbook by the James Beard Foundation.
“It’s so much more than just a cookbook,” she says. “It’s actually telling you about the region and how dishes were developed during the history of that area.”
Seeing the way a single dish may have evolved fascinates her, Weaver says.
“Shakshuka,” she explains, “has roots going back into the 1600s and then depending on the region, it can be a lot more heavily spiced, have a lot more heat or, you know, you can have a lot of different pairings, but the basic idea of having some kind of spiced tomato base with eggs cooked in it is pretty consistent.”
RECIPES FOR SHAKSHUKA AND CHERMOULA ON NEXT PAGES
Shakshuka is a comforting yet healthy dish of eggs baked in a stew of vibrant red peppers and tomato. It uses harissa paste, a North African chile-based kitchen staple with sweet, smoky notes. The zesty chermoula sauce will be a new kitchen staple — try it as a topping for anything in need of a flavorful pick-me-up. Note that these direct-from-the-chef recipes require getting out your kitchen scale. Pop leftover chermoula and shakshuka base in the freezer for a quick future brunch.
• ½ ounce coriander seeds, toasted
• ½ ounce cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 ounce garlic, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 4 ounces lemon juice, fresh
• ½ ounce smoked paprika
• 1 ounce salt
• ¼ ounce toasted chili flakes
• 16 ounces of olive oil
• 8 ounces of cilantro, chopped and packed
• 8 ounces of parsley, chopped and packed
• 4 ounces of mint leaves
Combine all ingredients except herbs and oil into a blender. Puree and add oil slowly. After all oil is combined add herbs 1 cup at a time to incorporate and puree.
• 3 ounces chermoula sauce (see recipe)
• 1 ounce olive oil
• ½ ounce cilantro, chopped
• 3 whole eggs
• 16 ounces of shakshuka base (see recipe)
1. Heat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Heat shakshuka base in a flat pan. Once hot, make three separate spaces for whole eggs. Place eggs into sauce. Place the flat pan with eggs and shakshuka in the oven. Bake until eggs are cooked as you prefer.
3. Remove pan from oven, finish with chermoula sauce, top with chopped cilantro and a drizzle of olive oil.
• 4 ounces olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 ounce harissa paste
• 1 ounce tomato paste
• 8 ounces red peppers, roasted and chopped
• 4 ounces garlic, minced
• 4 ounces garlic confit – on the stove, slow cook garlic cloves in olive oil till tender
• 1 1/2 ounces cumin, ground
• 16 ounces roasted tomatoes, diced (canned works)
• 4 ounces cilantro stems and leaves, minced
• ½ ounce turmeric, dried, ground
• 1 ounce salt
In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil and then add the onions, harissa, tomato paste, red peppers, garlics, cumin, cilantro, turmeric and salt. Saute for about 10 minutes until garlic is translucent and peppers start to break down. Add the tomatoes, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
— Recipes courtesy of Mary Weaver, Baba Spokane
or as long as Reece Carlson can remember, he’s been something of a nerd. He says the same of his wife, Jackie. Together, they own Natural 20 Brewing Co. — the name is a reference to the best possible roll a Dungeons and Dragons player can have with a 20-sided die. The two realized their shared passion almost immediately upon first meeting, while out with a group of mutual friends for a night at the movies.
BY WILL MAUPIN
“We were the only two single people, and we ended up sitting next to each other in the theater,” Reece recalls. “The trailer for The Hobbit came on, and she leaned over and she’s like, ‘Have you ever played D&D?’ It kind of just went from there.”
The couple met in Seattle, where Jackie is from and Reece was working after college. They soon moved back to Reece’s hometown of Spokane and married a few years later. They fell in love in part thanks to their love of gaming and then fell in love
again on their honeymoon to the British Isles. This time, though, they fell in love with pub culture.
Upon returning home, they put together a five-year plan: open a brewery serving the beers of England and Ireland while catering to their fellow nerds. Maybe it was some lingering luck of the Irish because their five-year plan needed almost no time at all.
“About three months into that five-year plan, a friend of ours who owned English Setter Brewing was like, ‘Hey, we don’t really want to own the brewery anymore, do you guys want to buy it?’ So, our five-year plan quickly became a three-month plan, and we just took off,” Reece says.
From their start at the former English Setter location, in an industrial area off Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley back in 2019, Natural 20 has expanded twice. First to a more customer-friendly location at 13216 E. Sprague Ave., and then again this past
Natural 20 Brewing Co. brings an infusion of nerd culture to Spokane’s craft beer scene with new downtown taproomNatural 20 brewery owners Jackie and Reece Carlson offer creatively crafted beers in a gamer-friendly setting at their new downtown Spokane brewery. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS
Natural 20’s new taproom is located at the former home of Hidden Mother Brewery, and the interior retains much of the aesthetic of the previous tenant. On first glance, the place looks like any old craft brewery. Upon closer inspection, the stacks of board games in the corner, Twitch streams on the TVs, and pennants emblazoned with dice of all shapes and sizes make it clear this is a place not just for drinking, but for drinking and tabletop gaming.
“We get to be a downtown brewery that gets younger individuals who are really here for the beer experience and trying the cool creative things we’re coming out with,” says Reece. “We try to tread that line as carefully as we can. We lean into the nerd fandom as much as we possibly can without alienating other people. That’s kind of our big thing is just trying to be as inclusive as we possibly can with everybody.”
Their philosophy is that everyone is a nerd about something.
Of the downtown taproom’s 24 taps, 21 are reserved for Natural 20’s brews, most of which are sessionable at between 4 and 6 percent alcohol.
“That’s what we really attach to more than anything is the ability to sit down, have a few pints, and still be able to have your wits about you while playing,” Reece says.
The “Silent Cartographer” New England IPA references the video game Halo. The aptly named “Critical Hit” properly conveys the potency of their English barley wine. Popular during warmer months is their “Multi Pass” shandy made straight from the tap by combining their homemade lemonade with the “Fhloston Paradise” fruit beer — both names reference the 1997 sci-fi film The Fifth Element.
Food and beverage pairings are in the works with the taproom expanding its food menu from mostly salads and finger food to more varied fare.
The Carlsons have built a committed customer base who come to drink beer, hang out and play tabletop games. They’re also working to bring new gamers into the fold. Their one-shot D&D events allow novice gamers to play through an entire campaign in just four hours, giving them a chance to roll a natural 20 of their own.
BY CARRIE SCOZZARO
The West Plains is experiencing a surge in growth on many fronts. Home to Fairchild Air Force Base, Spokane International Airport, two continuously expanding tribal resorts and — most recently — a massive Amazon fulfillment center, the area encompassing Spangle, Cheney, Medical Lake, Reardan, Davenport and Airway Heights has seen a boom in building of both homes and businesses.
That’s one reason McKenzie DonTigny decided to open Billie’s Diner in Airway Heights in September of 2022. The other reason? Growth of a different sort: on farms.
“There is obviously a strong consumer base,” says DonTigny, “but I wanted to be in a place that was easily accessible to work with the farms.”
It may not be obvious from one’s perch on the South Hill or a drive through downtown Spokane, but the county as a whole is home to an estimated 2,500 agricultural areas yielding produce, livestock, dairy and more.
Billie’s West Plains burger, for example, features Spangle’s Browning Beef and onions
from Spokane-based co-op LINC Foods. The Northwest Garden Benedict and bread pudding French toast are made possible by eggs from the Reardan-based Spokane Hutterian Brethren.
Sourcing locally means seasonal menus and communicating with diners about their process, DonTigny says.
“Now we’re just having to be very creative, which is an exciting opportunity for us and really gives us an opportunity to start that conversation with customers of ‘Oh, you’re not seeing tomatoes on your burgers right now because we’re out of tomato season.’”
DonTigny knows that her farm-first approach means more work, but that’s OK with her.
126 N. Division St., Spokane
It’s likely that even if you’ve never been to Red Lion Pub, your parents, or someone you know has been to the downtown eatery, which dates back to 1959.
“I didn’t realize how much people loved it until it was closed,” says Jon Tampien, who bought the building in 2020 and spent two years refurbishing it.
The menu has changed, of course, but it’s still the place for stick-to-your ribs food like barbecued brisket, mac n’ cheese, burgers, and Samual Adams beer-battered fish and chips. Add a beer or bloody mary for brunch time game-watching with friends or bring the littles for a family-friendly outing at this longtime favorite lunch-and-dinner spot.
903 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane
Talk about conveniently located. In December 2021 LoKey Café opened in Spokane’s downtown hub across from the post office and county courthouse, offering convenience foods that are actually health-conscious, especially for people on keto-friendly diets. Try the veggie bowl, dark chocolate chia pudding or bread-free Monte Cristo egg bites. And to drink, LoKey serves local Indaba Coffee, as well as Revival Tea Company brand tea.
13008 W. Sunset Hwy. Airway Heights
“One of the goals that I went into this adventure with is I don’t ever want to get to the point where I’m doing something just because it’s convenient,” says DonTigny, who named the diner after her father, Billie, and features her mother’s watercolor paintings on the diner’s walls.
“I take farmer-first very, very seriously, and I don’t really want to depart from that, unless absolutely necessary,” DonTigny says. “And so it’s important to me that we do go the extra mile because it also reflects on the quality of our food, which is why I feel people are excited about us.”
825 N. Monroe St., Spokane
The soup is definitely on at Chowderhead, which features standard bowlfuls like smoked steelhead chowder and classic New England clam chowder, as well as rotating specials. Also look for sandwiches, salads and breakfast items designed for people on-the-go.
Chef Travis Tveit opened Chowderhead in spring 2022 on North Monroe Street in a cozy location previously home to McRuins and before that, Ruins, both owned by chef Tony Brown, for whom Tveit used to work. And like his predecessor, Tveit likes to keep things fresh with a seasonal menu and frequent specials like spicy Korean fried chicken and scratch made pasta.
Opening a brand new school can be nerve-wracking even in normal times, but by the time Lumen High School was ready to open in fall 2020, the downtown Spokane charter school for teen parents was facing the added challenges of a global pandemic.
Lumen’s founder and Executive Director Shauna Edwards, 40, had worked for years to get everything in place to open the school to its first students.
In 2008, the former elementary school teacher and new mom was working on her
master’s in school counseling when she started the Spokane Young Lives program for teen parents. Pairing teens with mentors and offering life skills classes and regular dinners and supplies like diapers, the nonprofit work helped Edwards learn about the many struggles teen parents face.
In particular, she was discouraged over the years to see public school options for teen parents come and go in the Spokane area as the traditional school funding model failed to keep programs going for the relatively small population of students.
“In my head I kept just feeling like, ugh, I know all these students, they have these aspirations, they want to go to school, and right now there’s not a lot of opportunities for them,” Edwards says. “Being a parent is hard, and I felt like the teen parents I was working with were doing something even harder and didn’t always have a ton of support. So I felt like I wanted to use whatever privilege I have, or access, to create pathways for them to have opportunities.”
So, by 2018, after receiving some encouragement from community members
and educators in the area, she left her job with the nonprofit to work on the application to establish a charter school specifically for teen parents.
Washington state’s charter rules enable alternative schools to get public funding while offering education in a different format, often with smaller class sizes. After designing a school plan roughly 700 pages long with input from teen parents, mental health professionals and educators, the school was approved in June 2019.
Then they had a year to hire staff, find a location (above the Ridler Piano Bar downtown), and get all the gear in place to run a school — everything from furniture to books, lighting and more. The school also partnered with community members to start a not-forprofit early learning center right next door called G.L.O.W., or Go Light Our World, so the teens’ kids could go to day care at the same time.
work in their kids’ early learning classrooms regularly, and can access a slew of appointments right at Lumen, including therapy and different state programs. The students also get to enjoy electives that might take them out for everything from snowshoeing to walks through the park, while field trips connect real life experiences to what they’re learning about.
“For example, they went to a golf course and went to the driving range and hit golf balls, and that was connected to physics and math,” Edwards says.
Students are also able to participate in internships on Fridays, where they gain valuable real-life career experience, and the school tries to make sure those are paid opportunities, Edwards says.
The work is meaningful for Edwards, who grew up in Spokane after moving to the area as a kid because of her dad’s Air Force career.
“I think a lot of it, in my head, comes with not doing something for someone but doing something with someone, to help them make the choices to go on their path,” Edwards says. “We’re all learning together. I approach a lot of things just like in my own life — I’m a really collaborative person.”
Even when hosting a party, Edwards says she might organize a fondue night where everyone brings something to share.
“That really is one of the pieces that helps our students come here,” Edwards says. “They also serve community kids over there, but their whole thing is they will never turn a Lumen student away.”
With the pandemic, the high school operated remotely for its first quarter, with students getting computers to work from home and staff members dropping off food and supplies to the teen parents as needed.
But it soon became clear that model wasn’t working as well for many of the students, so the school was able to start bringing small groups onto campus on different days of the week. By the end of that year, the program was able to offer full-time in-person classes, and then the 2021 school year was able to start normally.
Now, the school serves about 60 teen parents, with about an 80 percent/20 percent split of teen moms and dads.
In addition to taking classes, the teens
In her free time, Edwards loves to run, hike and spend time outdoors and in her garden, and considers herself adventurous. The mother of three kids between 8 and 14 years old also spends a lot of time at sports activities and doing things like taking the family skiing or getting out on the lake.
“I love planning trips and going to places like Leavenworth or on a big road trip to California,” Edwards says.
And, of course, she loves helping her students find the confidence to embark on their next steps as they raise kids of their own.
“I really believe everyone should have opportunities to do what they want and pursue their dreams,” Edwards says. “So any way that I can be a piece of that and give people a voice in the process is what I strive to do.”
I really believe everyone should have opportunities to do what they want and pursue their dreamsERICK DOXEY PHOTO
