Health & Home 02/07/2022 by The Inlander

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

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Inside

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ON THE COVER: Erick Doxey Photo

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Health

PG. 8

A PATH TO FINANCIAL FREEDOM TIME TO EXPLORE • DELICIOUS DISCOVERIES

Home

PG. 22

THE ENIGMA OF EXERCISE • CELERY ROOT WORKING PETS • SPRINGTIME TROUBLES

Food

PG. 40

SMOOTH TRANSITION • GOING WITH THE GRAIN JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME • HOME IMPROVEMENT

DOG-GONE GREAT • MUSHROOM RECIPES FORTY YEARS OF FAMILY FAVORITES

Family

People

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A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME HEALTHY FUN

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PG. 54

HIDDEN GEMS: THE JUNDT ART MUSEUM’S BRITTA KELLER ARENDT

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FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

FROM THE EDITOR SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home

Stay Connected 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.

1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, Wash. 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634

EDITOR Anne McGregor

annem@inlander.com

ART DIRECTOR Ali Blackwood STAFF WRITER Carrie Scozzaro MANAGING EDITOR Dan Nailen

Working it Out

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Chey Scott

BY ANNE McGREGOR

hat if a magic pill was available to you, free of charge, that would benefit every aspect of your physical, mental and emotional well-being? Would you take it? I’m betting most of us would. So why do CDC statistics show that just 53 percent of American adults are getting enough physical aerobic activity? Fitness is actually a complex issue, as Seth Sommerfeld explores in “The Enigma of Exercise” (page 10), but there are things we can do individually, and as a culture, to get moving. In our Home section, Carrie Scozzaro checks in with some of the most practical-minded, creative artists in the region: woodworkers. From the carefully intricate cuts of CJ Morrison’s wall hangings to the elegantly subtle curves of a chair by Dan McGrew to the witty work of the Cody Schuler, woodworkers are carving out a lasting regional legacy in the Inland Northwest (page 26). With home prices continuing to climb, it’s more important than ever to make the most of every one of those expensive square feet. In our feature on a designer’s favorite space, “Smooth Transition” (page 22), Spokane designer Carter Crandall of Blythe Designs shares a recent project that reclaimed a puzzling, under-used space, and she offers some tips on finding — and maximizing — idle extra square footage in your own home. And in the Food section we visit Bark, A Rescue Pub (page 40) for a master class from chef Kayleigh Wytcherley in the use of the versatile, umami-loaded mushroom.

CONTRIBUTORS Stacey Aggarwal, LeAnn Bjerken, Erick Doxey, Jonathan Hill, E.J. Iannelli, Young Kwak, Madison Pearson, Charlie Powell, Lexie Powell, Bob Slack, Seth Sommerfeld ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kristi Gotzian MARKETING DIRECTOR Kristina Smith SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Carolyn Padgham ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Adrianne Haunert, Jeanne Inman, Tracy Menasco, Autumn Adrian Potts, Claire Price, Wanda Tashoff ADVERTISING AND MARKETING COORDINATOR Jess Kennedy ADVERTISING ASSISTANT McKenna Fuhrman PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Stover

Cheers!

CONTRIBUTORS

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Derrick King CIRCULATION Frank DeCaro, Travis Beck BUSINESS MANAGER Dee Ann Cook CREDIT MANAGER Kristin Wagner PUBLISHER Ted S. McGregor Jr. GENERAL MANAGER Jeremy McGregor

MADISON PEARSON is an Editorial Assistant at the Inlander and is writing for Health & Home for the first time in this issue, about the new, modern-minded registrar at Gonzaga’s Jundt Museum. “When talking with Britta Keller Arendt, I learned that the impact of art cannot, and should not, be underestimated. Take a jaunt to the Jundt Art Museum and see how impactful art can be to you.”

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E.J. IANNELLI wrote this issue’s Family lead story on e-game leagues. “Online gaming gets a bad rap for its hostile atmosphere, and not without reason. Then again, my own experience in Little League as a young boy was no different to the most vituperative e-sports session. It was heartening to see folks applying a healthy mentorship-style model to online gaming so that today’s ‘networked’ kids get the chance to interact with positive adult figures in a controlled environment.”

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. 2022. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.

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EVENTS

Time to Explore BY MADISON PEARSON Revisited: A Grand Tour — Images of Italy from the Permanent Collection

Gonzaga University’s Jundt Art Museum is showcasing a variety of works from the museum’s permanent collection. Every piece is by an artist who has spent time in Italy and has work that reflects their experiences in the country. For further insight into the Jundt Museum and the people who make it possible, head to our People section for a profile on the Jundt’s newly hired registrar, Britta Keller-Arendt. Mon-Sat, 10 am to 4 pm. Jan. 15-May 7. Free. Jundt Art Museum, 200 E Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/student-life/arts-culture/jundt-art-museum (509-313-6843) National Geographic Live: Untamed Filmmaker Filipe DeAndrade will talk about finding your passion in life and living it with intent for the latest National Geographic Live show, which is now being held at the Fox Theater. Along the way, he’ll bring you face to face with lions, sharks, snakes, jaguars, jumping spiders, whales and one of the rarest animals in the world — a hawk moth caterpillar that resembles a venomous snake. Wed, March 9 at 7 pm. $25-$31. All ages. NOTE: Proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior required; face masks also required. Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org (509-624-1200) Neil Simon’s Plaza Suite Hilarity abounds in this portrait of three couples successively occupying a suite at the Plaza. Karen and Sam are a long-married pair whose relationship may be headed for an early checkout. Muriel and Jesse are former high school sweethearts who seem destined for an extended stay. And Norma and Roy are the mother and father of the bride, ready to celebrate their daughter’s nuptials — if only they can get her out of the bathroom. Feb. 11-March 6. Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm. $10-$25. Firth J. Chew Studio Theater, 1020 N. Howard St. spokanecivictheatre.com (509-325-2507) Spokane String Quartet The Spokane String Quartet celebrates Black History Month with works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and George Walker, plus Daniel Bernard Roumain’s String Quartet No. 5, “Rosa Parks” with bass-baritone guest artist Derrick Parker. Sun, Feb. 20 at 3 pm. $11-$18. All ages. NOTE: Proof of COVID-19 vaccine or negative COVID-19 test taken 72 hours prior required; face masks also required. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. spokanestringquartet.org (509-227-7638)

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SAVINGS SECRETS

A Path to Financial Freedom D on’t let those new year’s resolutions to be a better saver and a smarter spender evaporate just yet. Spokane’s nationally known financial expert Kumiko Love, perhaps better known as The Budget Mom, is here to help with the release of her new book, MY MONEY MY WAY: TAKING BACK CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCIAL LIFE. While Love’s collection of Budget Mom-branded products (financial planners, budget-management workbooks and more) have been helping her tens of thousands of followers for years, this new tell-all outlines in detail how to develop a lasting and successful budget-guided lifestyle. Starting with Love’s personal journey and the life-altering moments — the birth of her son, her divorce and struggling to make ends meet as a single mom — that initially set her on the path to financial freedom, My Money My Way is formatted to help individuals and families navigate a similar path to success. The crucial key to successfully managing one’s money, Love explains, is not even the money itself, but all the complex human emotions that prompt a person to spend it. After discovering this truth for herself, Love applied it to create her customizable Budget-by-Paycheck system. Using this method, she was able to pay off $77,000 of debt in less than a year, and more recently saved enough to buy a brand-new home with cash. Through sharing her own story alongside those of Budget Mom followers from varying financial backgrounds in My Money My Way, Love dives deep into the psychology of budgeting, spending, saving and more. Whether you’re saving up for a vacation, buying a house or paying off debt, the book offers helpful tips and tools for budgeters at any stage — even those who already use The Budget Mom’s methods. — CHEY SCOTT

SO MANY CHOICES

Delicious Discoveries

Butternut Squash Ravioli from 1898 Public House

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hile it may seem like INLANDER RESTAURANT WEEK just happened since 2021’s event was moved to August due to the pandemic — the 10-day culinary celebration is back for its usual, late-winter run. The 2022 event runs Feb. 24 through March 5, with more than 100 local eateries serving up delicious, three-course menus. Find all the menus online at InlanderRestaurantWeek.com, and in the Feb. 24 issue of the Inlander. This year’s event offers a new, third meal price, giving diners even more options: $22, $33 or $44 per person. The sheer diversity of options at each price just may lead to some difficult decision making! This year, diners can explore a range of international eats or familiar pub fare, as well as exquisite and creative fine dining. Local beer, wine, spirits, cider and more are also highlighted on each menu under the Drink Local header, a part of Restaurant Week that shines a spotlight on the Inland Northwest’s flourishing craft beverage industry. Inlander Restaurant Week again is partnering with the Spokane nonprofit Big Table to help support workers in the hospitality industry. In North Idaho, CDAIDE offers similar services, and we’re highlighting them as well. For donations made to Big Table — there’s a QR code on each menu to make a donation at the 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 SCOTT FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

The Enigma of

EXERCISE The health benefits of exercise are undeniable, so what’s the personal disconnect? BY SETH SOMMERFELD

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e’ve reached the point in the year when New Year’s workout resolutions and goals to work off holiday sweets-induced pounds have fallen to the wayside. By the time we hit February and March, that initial burst of exercise among the general population most often gives way to a return to our normal routines. While exercise often gets framed through a superficial lens — like desires to lose weight for appearance or wanting to tone up muscles — that mindset overlooks the most important potential of workouts. Exercise is medicine.

the entire body.” Studies have shown over and over how beneficial exercise is to our full body health and quality of life. Besides the obvious cardiovascular and strength upsides, Scandinavian studies have shown that being highly fit drastically reduces your chances of developing dementia. Stateside studies have also shown exercise to help slow the declines caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Carrying less weight can put less stress on one’s joints and reduce inflammation. Consistent exercise vastly lowers the risk for diabetes and an array of heart ailments (as Wambold points out, people often forget that

It absolutely is medicine. In fact, it’s the best medicine known to man. “I feel like if there was like a magic pill for our health it would be exercise accompanied by good nutrition,” says Laura Wambold, who has worked for a decade as a clinical exercise physiologist specializing in cardiac rehab at Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center. “Beyond thinking of physical activity and exercising as recreation, it absolutely is medicine. In fact, it’s the best medicine known to man,” says Glen E. Duncan, professor and chair of Washington State University’s Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. “Let’s say you have high blood pressure, and you take a medication to reduce your blood pressure, that drug impacts the systems that control blood pressure. But it doesn’t have major positive effects on other systems in the body. When you do something like physical activity, it affects

the heart is a muscle – one that needs to be exercised). There’s also evidence to support the emotional benefits working out can have on one’s mental health. What counts as “exercise”? The generally accepted benchmark is 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical exercise per week, or working out for 30 minutes five days per week. While Duncan stresses this isn’t a panacea with 100 percent effectiveness for everyone, it’s a goal to shoot for. It’s also important to note that the “moderate intensity” exercise should be approached on a sliding scale. While that might mean something like intense runs or pickup basketball for a younger, fitter person, it could be a brisk long walk or semi-leisurely bike ride for an older one. It’s all relative to the individual.

...continued on next page

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

“EXERCISE AS MEDICINE,” CONTINUED... “The three things that we all kind of should be trying to fit in with our lifestyle are cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and then some stretching or flexibility, mobility,” says Wambold. “Those are three components of fitness.”

o if exercise is the best medicine, why aren’t people “taking” their meds? “To me, the million-dollar question is why people don’t exercise?” says Duncan. “The benefits of physical activity are well documented, they have been for, for decades, for centuries. You can go back to historical literature from Hippocrates, and there’s comments about the active body being healthy and the inactive body being sick. So it’s not a news flash.” But there are plenty of barriers keeping us from realizing the medicinal benefits of exercise. It could be we are simply overwhelmed by work and a busy schedule, family obligations. Maybe we’d rather devote free time to nonactive entertainment options like bingeing TV shows. Wambold, who previously served as

a coach at the Spokane CrossFit-esque Farmgirlfit, emphasizes that planning exercise into one’s weekly schedule can help make the workout goals more achievable. And the key to maintaining a health-beneficial workout routine is finding activities you actually enjoy doing regularly. COVID restrictions have certainly not helped people stay active, when many gyms and indoor workout spaces have been closed or at least risky to attend, but other modern innovations like watches and fitness bands that track steps or YouTube workout programs have made getting on top of your fitness easier. It may seem overly simplistic, but if you hate lifting weights or hopping on the treadmill but enjoy pickup basketball or neighborhood jogs, do those things that invigorate you. From a psychological standpoint, don’t devise a workout plan that makes you dread exercising. Finding the right location to stay active can also boost one’s chances for success. Take, for example, the Marimn Health Wellness Center in Plummer, Idaho. Since opening in 1998, it’s been focused on

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providing a variety of fitness options to help keep both Native and non-Native locals active in order to curb preventable diseases like diabetes. And while they offered the obvious exercise options — group classes, swimming, basketball, racketball, and the like — they also tailored programs to the community. One such endeavor was Powwow Sweat, which focused on teaching tribal powwow dances to keep community members active. (Powwow Sweat videos can still be found on The StyleHorse Collective’s YouTube page, for those who want to try it at home.)

ut perhaps Americans’ inability to initiate better medicinal exercise routines isn’t a problem that most of us can fix on our own. Some nutrition and exercise scientists like WSU’s Duncan think of issues with obesity not as personal problems, but as a large-scale societal issue. “I have completely moved away from the behavior change model,” says Duncan. “That’s kind of the classic model for diet and activity studies — you recruit a sample of sedentary people, give them an exercise prescription, and you follow them over time to see what health benefits they derive.

We’ve hit this behavior change nail for decades, and it obviously just hasn’t worked.” “The reason it hasn’t worked is because we live in an obesogenic environment,” Duncan continues. “So an obesogenic environment is an environment that supports poor behaviors. In other words, behavior change doesn’t have a chance of working in an environment that doesn’t support it. I think we have it 100 percent backwards. And I think this is a uniquely American thing. We’re all fixated on the person, LAURA WAMBOLD you know, pull yourself up by the bootstraps. It’s just missing the greater picture. And the stark truth is that the society we live in is not conducive to good behavior change, as we’ve defined it. At least not for the majority of people.” Duncan and others in his scientific ...continued on next page

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Get Moving Consider these three tips to help you include exercise in your daily life CONSISTENCE: We all need to fit in certain components of fitness (strength training, flexibility/mobility, and cardiovascular exercise), but how we fit them in is up to us, so choose activities you enjoy because consistency is key! ACCOUNTABILITY: Stay on track with the support of a workout buddy. You can also turn to technology. Fitbits and Apple Watches are great ways to keep yourself accountable. PERSISTENCE: Workout routines may look different during different phases in our lives and that’s okay. Keep moving! — COURTESY OF LAURA WAMBOLD

Picking an activity that you enjoy, and can easily fit into your routine, will make exercising easier.

“EXERCISE AS MEDICINE,” CONTINUED... realm believe that placing the burden of health on the individual should be secondary to the ways we construct cities to benefit public health, the policies that mandate food production, and the cost controls on healthy and unhealthy foods. He points to Scandinavian countries that engineer towns with dedicated bike and walking paths away from traffic as a way that other countries foster active lifestyle choices, as opposed to GLEN DUNCAN America’s car-oriented society. “I know the car counterargument,” he says. “It usually comes from big business and people who are all about individual personal responsibility. ‘We need to move cars, and we need to move freight, and we need what’s good for business.’ But guess what? The other side of the coin is, this is bad for our health. And it’s clear with our ineffective medical system, it’s just not … working. We have higher health consumption spending per capita

than most high-income countries, yet we have some of the worst health outcomes among those countries.” The societal barriers preventing people from living healthier lifestyles full of exercise aren’t just the obvious structural ones either. They can also include things like people being hesitant to go running or biking because of neighborhood safety concerns or not having the leisure time or energy due to lack of child care or having to work multiple jobs to keep up with expenses. Duncan thinks a good parallel for changing the obesogenic society is actually the way people moved away from smoking cigarettes in the U.S. The behavior change among the large population didn’t come just from telling people that smoking was harmful — much as public health experts now hammer away on the points that exercise is good and junk food is bad. It took years of “scene-based” policy changes like warning labels and indoor smoking bans to create an environment that actively discouraged or punished the unhealthy smoking choices. Litigation targeted the tobacco industry. It was change on a macro level, rather than a micro level. “The greater point is we didn’t get people to not smoke by telling them smoking was bad,” Duncan emphasizes. “We did a whole bunch of societal shifts.”

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elery root, or celeriac, is a winter root vegetable native to Northern Europe and the Mediterranean. With a taste similar to celery stalks and flesh similar to that of a potato, this root veggie is packed with fiber and nutrients.

Attributes

The vegetables celeriac and celery are from the same plant, as the name suggests, with celeriac varieties being cultivated to harvest the roots and celery for the stalks. Celeriac is rich in many key nutrients and can be enjoyed both cooked and raw. Peak season for celeriac is over the winter, with best availability from September through April. That makes this bulbous root veggie a great source of nutrients during these long, cold Inland Northwest winters.

Superpowers SUPERFOOD

Celery Root

High in fiber, vitamin K, potassium and phosphorus, celeriac is delicious in soups, sauteed or mashed, and packs a juicy refreshing crunch if eaten raw. Cooked celeriac contains less than half the carbohydrates of potatoes, while boasting similar fiber content. Fiber is an important part of any diet, keeping your gut microbiota fed and healthy. Raw celeriac is packed with antioxidants, including vitamin C. This pairs well with iron-rich foods like leafy greens or lentils, since vitamin C helps your body absorb non-heme iron. Another important nutrient found in celeriac is vitamin K, which has been linked to improved heart, bone and brain health.

Weaknesses

While celeriac is an incredibly versatile and healthy veggie, some nutrients are lost during the cooking process. In particular, heat often breaks down vitamin C and antioxidants, and reduces levels of other nutrients. If antioxidants are important to you, try eating celeriac raw, or steam it to preserve more nutrients than boiling. Although

PILL TALK

Side Effects When new medications bring new problems

here is a concept in medicine known as a “prescribing cascade.” A prescribing cascade happens when a new medication is started to treat a symptom that’s actually the side effect of another medication. In turn, the new medication can result in additional side effects — and additional prescriptions to treat them. The resulting prescribing cascade can be a particularly challenging issue for older patients who are more likely to have chronic conditions being treated with multiple medications. Prescribing cascades can occur not only with prescription medications but also with readily available over-the-counter medications. A well-established example of this can happen with the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Over-the-counter NSAIDs include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve). NSAIDs can cause an increase

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in blood pressure that can lead to the initiation or increased doses of blood pressure medications. Another example of this can happen with the prescription medication lisinopril, which is commonly used for high blood pressure. Lisinopril can cause a dry cough in some patients that could potentially lead to use of either over-the-counter or prescription cough suppressants.

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heat breaks down antioxidants, it’s also worth noting that cooking celeriac does help to reduce carbohydrate content and makes the veggie more digestible.

How to Use It

With a mild sweet celery flavor, celeriac can be prepared as the star of the show, like in a rich and creamy celeriac soup, or as a side dish, such as a warm Mediterranean slaw. To make it as a soup or mash, first boil or steam peeled cubes of celeriac. Celeriac can also be made as a simple sauteed veggie by combining cubes with a little olive oil, herbs and spices, and sautéing until golden brown. Finally, celeriac can be eaten raw – just peel and grate or julienne, then combine with a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. Whether you choose to prepare this versatile veggie in a hearty winter soup or as an extra crunch on a summery salad, it’s unique flavor and nutrients are sure to bring smiles to your table. — STACEY AGGARWAL Stacey Aggarwal received a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Washington. Now she writes about biology, health and nutrition while running a lavender farm in North Idaho.

So, what can you do? The first important step is to know what side effects to look for with a new medication. Your pharmacist will provide counseling on common side effects when you pick up a new medication, and the paperwork included with your prescription should also include a list of possible side effects. Second, pay attention to timing. Most often side effects will present shortly after starting or increasing the dose of a medication. Finally, before stopping a medication you think may be causing a side effect, or deciding to add an overthe-counter remedy on your own, discuss the issue with your treatment provider. — LEXIE POWELL Lexie Powell is an academic fellow at the Department of Pharmacology at the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences based in Spokane.

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Springtime Troubles When ticks latch on, here’s what to do BY CHARLIE POWELL

s the spring warms the Inland Northwest, out come the ticks. Mortified pet owners call veterinary clinics often wanting to know the best way to remove ticks. First off, eliminate all of the strange and bizarre methods of tick removal you’ve heard of previously. You know, things like lit matches, covering ticks with petroleum jelly, dousing them with volatile chemicals or painting them with fingernail polish. These methods don’t work well or consistently enough. In some cases, they may injure your pet or

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increase the likelihood that the tick injects disease agents or toxins into the animal. Second, to be most correct, assemble the following items: disposal latex or nitrile gloves for you, good tweezers with a fine point, rubbing alcohol or antiseptic wipes, a small jar with a lid, and lickable treats to distract the animal. Now in theory, you don’t truly “need” all these things, but this is the best way to do it. Tick removal is not painful. Find a second person to help you distract the animal with the treats while you remove the tick or ticks. The latter

refers to when you get home after a day afield and find ticks all over the pet. With the advent of preventatives and agents that kill fleas and ticks, it is less common now to find a lot of ticks attached. Before you start plowing through the pet’s fur, feathers or scales to find the tick you located previously, wash your hands well. Ticks transmit diseases to both humans and animals. In fact, worldwide, ticks transmit more disease than mosquitoes do. Next, don your gloves. Have your partner in crime steady the animal with the lickable treats. For example, my dog loves to chew part of an elk antler. With the fine tweezers, grasp the tick as close to the skin surface as possible. Pinch it lightly and begin to pull gently and hold tension. In a few seconds, it will detach from the pet. Squeeze too hard and you may push things from inside the tick into the pet. Pull too hard and you may pull the tick apart. Then you may have a harder time locating the head and getting it out. After it releases, take a close look at it to make sure you got it all: body, head and mouth parts. You should see all eight of its wiggly legs. Drop it in your container with a little of the rubbing alcohol, and you will render the tick metaphysically challenged (that is, dead). Disinfect the bite area with rubbing alcohol or the antiseptic wipes. Doff your gloves and wash your hands again. Save the tick in the container. If your pet (or a person) shows signs of illness within a few days after the tick is removed, your veterinarian or physician may want to see what species of tick your pet picked up. Lastly, stay vigilant for more ticks. It is very common for additional ticks to be found on a pet in subsequent days as they engorge. Charlie Powell is the public information officer for the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine.

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here is a growing movement among businesses to introduce wellness programs to help reduce stress in the workplace. After all, stress can lead to reduced productivity and in extreme cases even to the loss of a valuable employee. Programs such as yoga, meditation, exercise, nutritional advice and help for addiction are all directed toward improving workplace conditions and creating a positive work-life balance. This brought to mind a particular client of mine, Mary. She introduced a unique wawy to reduce anxiety in her work environment — both her own anxiety and her clients’. Mary is a psychotherapist. Her workplace is her home. One afternoon Mary arrived for her appointment at my vet clinic for Alex’s annual wellness exam. Alex is her toy poodle. During the exam she amazed me with an intriguing story about Alex, whom she referred to as her “business partner.” During her therapy sessions she allows Alex to be in the room with her if her clients don’t object — few do. Alex can lounge in a chair off in the corner, head between her paws, occasionally perking her ears to the sound of Mary’s gentle voice, quietly present. One day Mary was working with a very shy, nervous young woman who was having difficulty relaxing enough to begin her session. On a hunch, Mary asked her if she would like to hold Alex on her lap. She quickly nodded, and Alex became a participant in her first therapy session, quietly nestled in her lap. It was a wonderful example of “pet therapy.” Mary calls on her canine helper to assist with those pet-loving clients who need extra help relaxing. Alex can either settle comfortably in their lap or lie quietly at their feet, helping them enter much more readily into their therapy session. Mary confided in me her belief that pets have a special bond with people, giving them a feeling of acceptance — unconditionally. In a special way, pets sometimes act as a bridge, helping clients find their way back into the often more difficult world of human acceptance. The use of pets in therapy sessions, although not unique, is still uncommon. That’s unfortunate. Mary admits that she herself is more relaxed with Alex present, and this helps her to be a more effective therapist. Bob Slack is a retired veterinarian living in Spokane. He currently works with people struggling with addiction.

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This home’s front entry felt cramped thanks to a closed-off room that also lacked function (inset). Designer Carter Crandall opened up the space to the rest of the main floor and created a welcoming sitting area with easy flow to the rest of the house. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Project Profile Construction: Ehlers Construction, Eugene, Oregon Design, select home furnishings: Blythe Interiors Railing: Premier Manufacturing Flooring: NW Trends

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AFTER BEFORE

mooth S FAVORITE SPACE

n o i t i s n a r T Carter Crandall of Blythe Interiors transformed an underused space into a multifunctional highlight BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

here others might have seen an untenable transition space between a home’s living area and bedrooms, Blythe Interiors’ Carter Crandall saw an opportunity. Her clients had sold their house, were building a new one and wanted a temporary home that would eventually become a rental property if only Crandall could address the layout. One of the biggest challenges during the September 2021 whole-house remodel was a separate room off the entryway that had to be passed through to reach the bedrooms.

“One’s instincts would be to treat it like a transition space, because there is an active access doorway to this space, but what a waste of an opportunity, I think, for a family that loves to entertain,” says Crandall. It’s prime real estate in the house, says Crandall, who envisioned the space as a “coffee to cocktail” area, connected to, but distinct from, the living/dining/kitchen area. “You can still be part of all the life happening in all the other locations, but doing your own thing alone or with a few friends,” ...continued on next page FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Expert Advice

truggles with a "problem space" are most likely because the area sits just outside of another identified space; often it can be a transition space from one room to the next. These spaces can be easily addressed with a shift away from tradition to thinking about adding experiences or moments.

Here are 3 helpful tips for your home's "problem areas." • Large stair landings make a fantastic spot for a bookcase library. All you need is ten to 12 inches of depth for this magic to happen. • Got extra space in the dining room that makes the room feel bare? This can be the ideal spot for a small conversation area. And if you have two head chairs, you're already halfway there. Just pull the chairs away from the dining table, add an end table and you have a cozy spot for tea and conversation.

Refinishing this family heirloom armoire in black revitalized it, creating a statement piece perfect for the dining room. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

“SMOOTH TRANSITION,” CONTINUED... says Crandall, who directs Blythe Interiors’ Spokane division and has more than 20 years of industry experience. The remodel called for removing doors and walls to open up the floorplan. That exposed the staircase to the lower level, so Crandall added metal railing with chrome cables on either side of the stairs; they’re functional without compromising the feel of the space. Share Your Work! openEasy-to-maintain luxury Have a favorite project you're vinyl plank flooring replaced ready to share? Send photos and carpet throughout the entire a description of the project to: first floor, visually connecting HealthAndHome@Inlander.com all the spaces, says Crandall. Furnishing the new space was a balancing act, according to Crandall, who has a BFA from the Design Institute of San Diego, where Blythe Interiors maintains an additional location. “The room was a very square space, and the inclusion of

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• You may find you no longer need a formal living room or maybe the dining table fits better in that area, leaving you with an empty room in need of a purpose. Consider adding functionality with built-in storage and books, plus some seating — two occasional chairs would be perfect — to create a more intimate gathering spot to reconnect or unwind after a long day. — CARTER CRANDALL

organic shapes helps to soften that,” says Crandall, who incorporated numerous round elements: lamps, a table, an ottoman, plant containers, a chandelier and roundish mirror. A cowhide rug adds a rugged component to balance the softness of the wingback chairs, two of which are robin’s egg blue to offer a pop of color. Otherwise the colors are neutral, including a black, rectangular Blythe Interiors table that serves two purposes: “a perfect drop zone for those that enter in the front door as well as [displaying] the clients existing pots” from their European travels, Crandall says. The use of black throughout the first floor — the chandelier, lamp, table and one of Crandall’s favorite pieces — also helps tie the spaces together. The cabinet in the dining room is a family heirloom that the couple could not part with, but were open to giving a new life, says Crandall, who got the clients’ thumbs-up to paint over the existing gold sponge paint. “Holy cow, now it’s a statement piece,” she says.

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Going with the Grain Local woodworkers share their fascination with this enduring, versatile and beautiful material

F Cody Schuler’s woodwork combines attention to time-honored joinery techniques and finishes, but also inspiration from the wood itself. CODY SCHULER/PACIFIC CARPENTRY PHOTOS

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BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

rom acacia to ziricote, tree wood has been prized for millenia for its use in building everything from ships to structures and to fashioning functional objects like bowls and furniture to delightfully and strictly decorative applications. The grain, the sheen, the color, the texture — all these and more factor into the choices of the woodworker, whose legacy spans nearly every culture, time period and geographic region. Read on for insight into the inspiration and craftsmanship that go into locally made wooden objets d’art.

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CODY SCHULER

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it, and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” — Michelangelo The task for woodworker Cody Schuler is sussing out the perfect piece of wood for his custom dressers, desks, tables, chairs, keepsake containers and more. For example, Schuler was in Portland picking up a slab of wood for a customer’s table and happened upon an independent sawmill operator with a large inventory of wood. “I spent a couple hours with him perusing maple rounds, but in my nosiness I found a stack of black walnut under a tarp, out of the way,” says Schuler, who knew the stack contained the perfect wood for a different and no less important job — his mother’s dinette. Schuler got into woodworking in 2015. He’d graduated from college and was preparing to work in social services, though he explored woodworking as a creative release. Then three years ago, looking for a change for himself and his growing family, he started Pacific Carpentry as a more permanent endeavor and a new career. “Two of our three kids were a part of the foster/adopt system, my wife was a therapist for families struggling with abuse and neglect, and I was a social worker investigating abuse and neglect cases,” says Schuler, who felt that social work wasn’t the best fit for him anymore and decided to start his own business. He then spent several months cold-calling contractors and homebuilders looking for work. One of his first jobs came from a former Child Protective Services colleague, Theresa Forshag, who commissioned a large toy chest for the nursery in her home. The nursery is used for medically fragile foster babies until they’re healthy enough to go to another foster home, Schuler explains. “The toy chest was left up to my own design and is a large box made from flamed birch wood, with entirely hand-cut dovetail joinery — over 30 joints, cut strictly with hand tools — and interior walnut accents.” Now, Schuler works out of a 1,400-square-foot shop at his home northwest of Orchard Prairie. He employs hand tools such as planes, chisels, saws and rasps, as well as power tools like saws, sanders and a lathe, and importantly, he has a dust collection system. Finishing is done in a separate space. “My business is pretty much a 50-50 split between heirloom furniture making and production trim work — hanging doors and windows, installing cabinets, and installing baseboards, casings, and crown molding,”

...continued on next page

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CJ Morrison’s work incorporates precise cuts with careful attention to woods’ natural grain patterns. CJ MORRIS/ROAMING ROOTS PHOTOS

“GOING WITH THE GRAIN,” CONTINUED... says Schuler. Schuler has an old school approach to working: His plans start with graph paper, a ruler, a protractor and lots of notes. Next he builds a prototype, typically with medium-density fiberboard (MDF) to help him flesh out his concept and avoid costly mistakes with the real wood, he says. Sometimes Schuler uses the model as a cutting template. Joining methods depend on what he’s building. For weight-bearing furniture like chairs and bed frames, he uses mortise (a recess in the wood) and tenon (the protruding piece that fits into the recess) joinery. For artistic pieces like keepsake boxes and frames, Schuler uses an ancient technique called dovetailing because the repetitive, interlocking shapes are visible (look inside an antique drawer to see an example of dovetail joints). “In my opinion, joinery is where true

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heirloom furniture sets itself apart,” Schuler says. “I’ve seen and owned plenty of furniture that looks great and is styled well for its environment, but as soon as it is put under stress, it will literally fall apart.” His goal is to create, design and manufacture his own furniture line, a project he’s chipping away at, hoping to have it underway by summer 2022. “When I make furniture, a primary goal is to create something that my customers feel is an investment — something that their great-great-grandchildren will still be able to use in their time,” says Schuler. See more of Cody Schuler’s work at www.pacificcarpentry.com.

CJ MORRISON

CJ Morrison remembers being intrigued while watching her dad in his woodshop, but it wasn’t until she was in Oklahoma, attending college and working in the food industry,

that she explored woodworking herself. Her then-boyfriend had a carpentry background and an enviable woodshop, and together he and Morrison made mostly wall-hung artworks. To their surprise, their art resonated with art lovers. By June 2015, the couple were making art full time. Two years later, Morrison relocated to Spokane — alone — bringing Roaming Roots with her. Morrison works out of a 600-square-foot shop behind her West Central home. Her miter saw is a key tool for cutting the numerous angled pieces in her frames, shelves, trays, table tops and mosaic compositions that range from abstract to mountains and feathers. She uses a drill press for the plant propagation shelves she developed in 2020. Her raw materials come from several sources, including repurposed wood from barns, fences, old lath strips and cabinet maker remnants. Her wood of choice is cedar.

...continued on page 30

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“GOING WITH THE GRAIN,” CONTINUED... “The grain pattern is so yummy if you know how to spot which boards have it,” says Morrison, who also sells her work through From Here in River Park Square. Her finishes vary, from opaque surfaces to translucent stains to bright colors with natural wood, and make for striking woodwork with a distinct contemporary vibe. See more of CJ Morrison’s work at roamingrootswoodwork.etsy.com.

DAN McGREW

DEAN DAVIS PHOTO

Shaker and Mission styles, and even Danish Modern all owe their appeal to the idea that “less is more,” and that furniture is at its best when it is well-made and functional with minimal adornment. That’s the theme in much of longtime Spokane-based woodworker Dan McGrew’s work. McGrew has spent the last 15 years or so building chairs, bar stools, dressers, tables, staircases, restaurant and bar fixtures, doors, and more. “I got into woodwork as a kid in the ’70s and made my share of crummy

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Dan McGrew’s projects (above, and facing page) emphasize the use of solid wood and simple, clean lines. DAN MCGREW PHOTO projects until figuring better ways of doing things later in life,” says McGrew, who as a teenager worked for a contractor building custom homes. McGrew finds inspiration in the designs by early American chair makers, as well as the Shakers. An offshoot of a Quaker religious group that emigrated from England in the late 1700s, the Shakers espoused a lifestyle of modesty and utilitarianism, which translated to solid wood furniture — versus using wood veneers — and no decora-

tion. Their furniture is still popular today. In addition to creating a barnwood table purchased by actor Viggo Mortensen, who you may know from his roles in Lord of the Rings and The Road, McGrew’s commercial clients include Overbluff Cellars, Versalia Pizza, Inland Pacific Kitchen and the original Lantern Tavern in the Perry district (which became the Lantern Tap House, and is now the South Perry Lantern). For the Lantern project, McGrew repurposed barnwood to create the cabinetry, using mortise and tenon joinery. He also created custom crown molding and integrated the tavern’s sound system into the cabinetry. McGrew repurposes his own scraps too. “I like making modern chairs from the remnants of other projects,” says McGrew, who works out of a 700-square-foot shop at his South Hill home. “They come out pretty cool, and it’s a good use for all the little scraps.” Depending on the project, McGrew uses cherry, maple, both red and white oak, walnut, poplar, mahogany and sapele, an African import with properties similar to mahogany (Some species of mahogany are considered endangered). Like many of the early American woodworkers he admires, McGrew does not use stains. Rather, he’ll use six to eight coats of oil polyurethane depending on the wood species. “Finishing can be a hard lesson to learn, and if my name is on it, I never want it to fail,” says McGrew. See more of Dan McGrew’s work at danmcgrew.com.

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Fixing up the backyard to allow pandemic socializing got all the attention, but now the front porch is ready for a revival. Whether the goal is to connect with neighbors passing by or just to add curb appeal, providing a social gathering spot at the front of the house is right on trend, according to Better Homes & Gardens. “Get your porch ready for socializing by adding comfortable seating, containers of plants, and an outdoor rug. Don’t have a porch? Go with a front yard patio. You’ll gain living space and have less grass to cut.” Also consider adding a fire table to up the ambiance, and fill those pots with pollinator-friendly or edible plants to make the most of your space.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT RESOURCE GUIDE

Window on Design Choosing the right window coverings can be complicated, but when done

correctly, shades, blinds, curtains or draperies can become a key element of a room’s design. Practically speaking, blinds and shades work best when the need to control light is paramount and in areas where there is already significant visual

clutter. Just be careful that cords won’t be a danger to children or pets. For a more sophisticated vibe, consider tailored, lined draperies crafted from luxurious fabrics; for a lighter look, curtains of various transparency may be the perfect choice.

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HOME IMPROVEMENT RESOURCE GUIDE

Lively Displays Got a bare wall begging for something to make it interesting? Consider using your own photographs to liven up the space. They’ll be fun conversation starters for guests and bring back happy memories for you. Spokane photographer Don Hamilton advises the best way to display photos is in a black frame with a white matte. “This suits me for both black and white and color,” he says. “Your work will look better if it’s finished as it would be in a museum or gallery. I also like canvas prints, self-framed on stretcher bars.”

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Fresh from the Kitchen As the heart of the home, the kitchen is generally a key selling point, even in red-hot real estate markets. Design trends for kitchens include extending cabinetry all the way to the ceiling, and the use of mixed metals in fixtures and knobs. Color is making a comeback in the classic white kitchen, often in the form of a contrasting finish on the island or a colorful tile backsplash. Built-in coffee stations and custom range hoods are luxury additions. And for some, more is more. HGTV designers report clients are requesting “double everything” – from islands to refrigerators and dishwashers.

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Journey of a Lifetime Dianne Sherman enjoys exploring creativity — her own and her clients’ — in her reclaimed detached garage studio BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

D BEN DELANEY PHOTO

iane Sherman is a journalist of sorts, but not in the traditional sense of covering news stories; rather she shares her stories and helps others do the same. “I am a journalist of the inner world,” says Sherman, whose forms of expression include visual art, writing and dance. Past projects include making and giving away several thousand postcards with words like “create” or “we the people,” simply to share love, kindness and beauty, she says. Walkabout, a 2011 poetry book, offers “glimpses into the places we stumble, pick ourselves up, take another step along the path and hopefully enjoy some of the journey,” she writes. Currently she’s working on a memoir of 108 stories, corresponding to the number of mala beads on a prayer necklace used in meditation and prayer for many eastern religions. “I think art saved me in many ways,” says Sherman, whose father died when she was 7 — he was a journalist in the traditional sense, whose extraordinary career included winning a Pulitzer Prize. Her mother’s remarriage meant frequent moves for the family, so Sherman turned to art and writing to entertain herself and express her inner world, she says.

CARRIE SCOZZARO PHOTO

S BEN DELANEY PHOTO

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BEN DELANEY PHOTO

herman lives near Corbin Park in a 1914 home full of period-furniture, eclectic artwork, reminders of travel to India, Mexico, Nepal, Tibet, and Europe, and beds for two her two canine companions. She converted the backyard into a pollinator’s paradise, replacing grass with pathways, colorful perennials and a hardscaped “river” of gravel.

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Her studio is a vibrant, multifunctional space inside and out. Formerly the garage, the exterior facing the house is turquoise with chartreuse trim. It’s covered in a free-flowing mural of various flowers. Inside are beige and teal walls and a tangerine floor, and French doors and large windows usher in plenty of natural light. A corner shelf holds treasured objects: a jar of sacred feathers, a Nataraja sculpture of the many-armed Hindu god Shiva as the divine dancer, and Sherman’s “smudge” stick, which she burns to prepare the space for whatever happens next.

The Taylor Wynn Collection BEN DELANEY PHOTO

Sometimes she transforms the space into a classroom. “As a teacher I’m most interested in supporting people to find their authentic voice whether it be through writing, visual art or movement,” says Sherman, who has led yoga workshops and retreats for 25 years. Sherman, who holds a bachelor’s in art history from UCLA and a master’s in consciousness and transformative studies from JFK University, is also interested in the “meta” impact of creativity. “I am fascinated with how the creative process shifts our consciousness — as artists, but also how artists speak for the collective and the era they are living through,” says Sherman, whose artistic influences include Gustav Klimt, Frida Kahlo (especially her journals), Picasso, the Impressionists, Van Gogh, Chagall, Miro and Salvador Dali. In her practice, she tries to remove barriers to creativity so that it simply flows through her, something she also shares with those who take her classes. “I believe in knowing ourselves deeply,” she adds. “We become our own best friends and find contentment and joy from within. In this way we are not disappointed by outer circumstances so much.” She emphasizes, “We are creative beings, and when we activate our creativity we step into the magic of the present moment.”

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Chef Kayleigh Wytcherley created the menu at Bark, A Rescue Pub, where takeout may also include a new furry companion BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

ark, A Rescue Pub had Kayleigh Wytcherley at dogs and diners. “I was so excited about the concept of being able to help rescue animals and cook, basically combining two of my favorite things,” says the executive chef who joined Bark just weeks before its launch in August 2020. First, the pub gave her an opportunity to create the new menu and shepherd the 1½-year-old restaurant through its critical startup period. Second, Wytcherley got to be part of something bigger than the food industry. “The animals are a whole ’nother element at the restaurant,” says Wytcherley, who admits that if she spends more time in the adoption area, she’s inclined to take them all home. Last fall, Wytcherley and her husband, Jack, who is the lead prep person at Bark, adopted CC, a cookies-and-cream blue heeler from Bark, which partners with the Spokane Humane Society to facilitate cat and dog adoption. Before Bark, Wytcherley worked her way up from sous chef to executive chef at Spokane Valley’s Craft and Gather, and did a brief stint at The Onion around 2016. “I didn’t know cooking was what I wanted to do until my early twenties,” says Wytcherley, who left home in 2010 to attend the graphic design program at the former Art Institute of Portland. She couldn’t picture herself continuing, however, and got a job at Portland’s 21st Century Pizza, then at the former Fat Heads Brewing.

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I was so excited about the concept of being able to help rescue animals and cook...” “I liked being behind-the-scenes,” says Wytcherley, who became interested in cooking at an early age while growing up in Cheney, helping her mother do Thanksgiving dinners, for example. And with five adopted siblings, that meant a lot of food. She also has a particular way of building a menu. “I’m a huge fan of taking an ingredient that I really love and building a dish around it — that is the way I typically build a menu,” says Wytcherley. Bark employs seasonal menus with recurring signature dishes like the Pretzel “Bones” with Cold Smoke Scotch Ale cheese sauce or the Frickle Burger with fried pickle. Many dishes are vegan, vegetarian, and/or gluten-free or can be made gluten-free. Wytcherley especially enjoys cooking with mushrooms. “Mushrooms are such a versatile ingredient and add nice flavor to so many things,” says Wytcherley, noting that mushrooms can be a stand-in for meat in vegetarian dishes, such as the pub’s portobello burger. But she has some advice for fellow cooks. “A lot of time when cooking mushrooms you lose all the juices,” she says. “The best way to avoid this is to start them in a hot pan and also wait to add the salt until the end because salt draws out moisture.” Though she’s fond of mushrooms, she takes a particular interest in making every element of a dish shine. “I think the key is to treat every ingredient special, ensuring you get the most flavor you can out of it.”

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Recipes on next page... FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Chef Kayleigh Wytcherley’s creamy mushroom soup features mushrooms in a variety of preparations. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

TRY IT YOURSELF

Cream of Mushroom Soup This soup requires a bit of extra effort, but the reward is a scrumptious bowl loaded with mushroom umami.

“I love to top it with pickled mushrooms,” says Kayleigh Wytcherley. INGREDIENTS MUSHROOM PUREE • ½ yellow onion chopped • 10 cloves whole garlic • 1 1/2 lbs whole mushrooms • ¼ cup oil • 3 cups red wine • ¼ cup veggie soup base, such as Better Than Bouillon • 4 cups water • 4 cups cream SAUTEED MUSHROOMS • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced • 2 tablespoons oil • ¼ cup red wine • 1 tablespoon salt • 1 tablespoon pepper

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DIRECTIONS

Mushroom Puree

1. In a large pot add in yellow onion, garlic, whole mushrooms and oil. Cook on medium heat until mushrooms are tender and the garlic and onions start to caramelize. 2. Add in 3 cups of red wine and let the wine reduce by half. 3. Add in veggie base, water and cream. Blend with a hand blender until as smooth as possible. 4. Bring back up to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Sauteed Mushrooms

1. While the mushroom puree is simmering, prepare the sauteed mushrooms. 2. In a saute pan, add oil and sliced mushrooms, and saute until mushrooms are tender. 3. Add red wine, salt and pepper. 4. Reduce until most of the liquid is gone, and save for later. 5. Once the main pot has simmered for 10 minutes, pour the contents through a mesh strainer and return the liquid to the main pot. 6. Add in the sauteed sliced mushroom mixture and bring back to boil. Then it’s ready to serve!

Chef Kayleigh Wytcherley strains Cream of Mushroom Soup.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Braised Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms For this recipe, you’ll first braise the chicken, then shred the meat and combine it into a stuffing. Mound the stuffing on top of large portobello mushrooms and bake for an elegant dinner for 10. Serve with a crisp green salad for a dinner party to remember.

Chicken:

Pickled Mushrooms • • • • • • • •

1 pound oyster mushrooms 2 cups red wine vinegar ½ cup sugar 3 tablespoons salt ½ tablespoon chili flake 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns 1 tablespoon dried thyme 1 tablespoon dried tarragon

1. Prep mushrooms by cutting most of the stems off with scissors to separate them from each other. Reserve in a bowl. 2. Place all remaining ingredients in a pot and bring to boil, cooking until sugar and salt are completely dissolved. 3. Strain spices out and pour hot liquid over mushrooms. 4. Place in the fridge and let sit for at least two hours.

• • • • • • • •

3 pounds chicken 2 tablespoons granulated garlic ¼ cup kosher salt 1 tablespoon ancho chili powder 1 tablespoon yellow mustard powder 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 15.5-ounce can tomato sauce 1 15.5-ounce can diced tomatoes

DIRECTIONS 1. Mix all spices together in a bowl. 2. Generously season chicken with the spice mixture and grill chicken to get a good char on the outside (it does not need to be fully cooked in the middle). 3. Put into a pan and add in tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. 4. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees for around 1 hour. Time may vary, chicken should be able to pull apart easily. Once chicken is tender, separate out from the remaining liquid. 5. Put the liquid in a pot and reduce by half on medium heat. 6. Once reduced, shred the chicken and mix in the remaining liquid. Set aside.

Mushroom Stuffing: • • • • • •

2 shallots julienned 2 red peppers julienned 2 tablespoons oil 4 cups spinach Chicken mixture 10 portobello mushrooms, stems and veins removed

Topping:

• 2 ounces gruyere shredded • 2 ounces parmesan shredded • 1 ounce fresh basil chopped

DIRECTIONS 1. Saute shallots and peppers in oil until tender. 2. Add in spinach and chicken and cook until spinach is tender. 3. Place mushrooms on a lined sheet tray. 4. Fill with stuffing and top with both cheeses. 5. Bake at 350 until mushrooms are tender, around 20 minutes. Top with fresh basil. — Recipes courtesy of Kayleigh Wytcherley of Bark, A Rescue Pub. FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

From left: Ellena Conway, Natalie Conway-Barnes, and Mike Conway make up the family of winemakers at Latah Creek Winery. VICTORY MEDIA PHOTO

Forty Years of Family Favorites Latah Creek Winery celebrates the joy of combining business and family BY LEANN BJERKEN

his year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of Latah Creek Winery. The Spokane Valley-based business is known as a pioneer in Washington state’s wine scene and continues to produce both new varieties and established favorites each season. Latah owner Mike Conway says he and his wife, Ellena, decided early on to keep the business a close, family-owned operation. “We wanted this to be a small family business, and set our expected production with that in mind,” he says. “Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to be able to maintain the business to support us and our staff, while still having time to be a family.”

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The couple’s daughter Natalie Conway-Barnes joined the business in 2004, and she and Mike have been a father-daughter winemaking team ever since. “Making wine alongside my dad for the past 17 years has been a unique experience, and I’ve enjoyed every moment,” says Conway-Barnes. “I think we’re one of the only wineries in the state whose winemakers are a father-daughter pair, with no assistants.” She says the two things that set Latah apart from other wineries are the ability to maintain its level of production with just two winemakers and a commitment to keeping their wines accessible to the average consumer.

“My parents started Latah with the idea of making wines people can enjoy at affordable prices,” she says. “While we love to hear our wines are those that people save for special occasions, we also want folks to be able to enjoy a bottle in their day-to-day lives, so maintaining affordability is important.” Latah Creek’s facility at 13030 E. Indiana is just over 7,000 square feet and includes space for warehousing, wine tanks, a tasting room and gift shop. “We designed and built this space from the ground up, and aside from a few minor interior changes, it’s stayed largely the same,” says Conway. “It was made to produce 30,000 gallons – about 13,000 cases

– of wine every year, and we stick pretty close to that.” “By our fifth year, we were already producing the same amount of wine we produce today,” he adds. “We’ve been good at reaching our capacity each year, maintaining consistency in our processes, and continuing to make quality, award-winning products.” Conway-Barnes says Latah handles most aspects of production other than growing and crushing the grapes, most of which come from the Ancient Lakes AVA. “A majority of our grapes come from Famiglia Vineyards, which is Cave B Winery near the Gorge Amphitheater,” she says. “We also use grapes from Wahluke Slope, Yakima Valley and various other vineyards, particularly for our small lot reserve wines.”

atah Creek was the 35th winery established in Washington state, but in the last 40 years Washington has now become the second-largest growing region in the country. “One thing that’s changed is the number of wineries we’re competing against,” says Conway-Barnes. “But another thing that’s changed is the winery experience. We’re not just a winery, or an event venue, we’re a place where people come to gather and spend time together.” Conway-Barnes says Latah remodeled its tasting room in fall 2019 taking out some walls and adding community tables with open seating, in part to help facilitate a “gathering place” atmosphere. “We were kind of lucky in deciding to open things up a bit right before the pandemic,” she says. “Now people can come in and watch our winemaking and bottling processes, taste wine, and share in the whole experience.” The winery occupies a bit of a unique niche. “We make both red and white, but if you ask around most people associate us with our sweet white wines because we’re so good at producing those,” says Conway. “That’s one reason we’ve started to do more with our small-lot reds, to help remind people that we do create some wonderful well-rounded reds.” Many local stores and restaurants stock Latah Creek wines. “The Huckleberry has always been a Northwest favorite,” says Conway-Barnes. “The pinot gris is also pretty consistently popular, and is our second-largest production item.” She says the winery’s Mike’s Reserve Red (originally called Monarch Red) is also gaining in popularity. “The reserve red is an iconic, legacy wine for us. It’s a different recipe every year, as it’s a blend of whatever

NATALIE CONWAY-BARNES PHOTO

reds we have on hand,” she says. “Funnily enough that’s my favorite thing about blends, creating something unique that can’t ever be duplicated.” Latah Creek is also one of the few wineries that creates its own sangria, which blends Latah’s merlot with huckleberry juice. “One day about seven years ago, I decided to blend some of our extra huckleberry juice with a reserve red, tasted it and loved it,” she says. “Our first batch of 70 cases sold out in two weeks, which was unheard of for us, and now it’s something we make every year.”

onway says Latah Creek’s wines have a similar taste and style to traditional Italian wines. “I learned from an Italian winemaker, so our wines mimic that style, which I would say is fruit-forward and designed to drink with meals,” he says. “Because that’s what I was taught, I’ve also passed that knowledge on to Natalie, and we continue to have success with that style.” “We practice what’s called Old World style techniques,” Conway-Barnes agrees. “The big part of that being we let the fruit speak for itself and do as little processing as possible, so you’ll usually taste the fruit before anything else.” When it comes to food pairings, Con-

way-Barnes says Latah regularly tries out its wine with recipes to find pairings that enhance both the food and the wine. “We really love trying new things,” she says. “Sometimes we’re surprised by a good pairing, but that only further emphasizes the process for us, knowing we need to keep tasting to find the best experience possible.” She says Latah keeps its website updated with a recipe section, and also has three different cookbooks of the Conway family’s recipes available for sale. “We’re working on a fourth cookbook now,” she says. “Some of our favorites are probably cracked pepper steaks, which uses our Mike’s Reserve Red in the recipe, and my mom’s spaghetti sauce, which is easy to make in large amounts for entertaining and goes well with either tempranillo or cabernet.” Conway-Barnes says this year Latah Creek’s biggest goal is to get back in touch with the community, post-pandemic. “The anniversary is a remarkable thing to celebrate, not only having been a Washington winery for 40 years, but having been a winery in Spokane, which isn’t always thought of as a wine region,” she says. “With the pandemic having canceled a lot of the community outreach we’d previously been part of, we are also looking forward to getting back out there and interacting again.” FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

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JONATHAN HILL ILLUSTRATION

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A Whole New Ballgame With help from forward-thinking companies, organizations are harnessing e-sports as a platform for safe recreation and personal growth BY E.J. IANNELLI

hen large parts of the world went virtual for work, socialization and education in spring 2020, recreation followed a similar trajectory. Despite mounting supply shortages of consumer electronics, console and PC-based gaming still saw a massive uptick as people of all ages looked to fill the void left by in-person activities and athletics. There are plenty of stats to back up what many households experienced anecdotally. According to market research firm The NPD Group, in North America alone video game sales were up 34 percent in March 2020 compared to one year prior. Twitch, the foremost livestreaming platform among gamers, saw its total viewing hours increase by 83 percent — marking over 5 billion hours’ worth of content — between the second quarter of 2019 and the second quarter of 2020. And in late 2020, gaming analysis company Newzoo projected that worldwide annual video gaming revenue would hit a record $174.9 billion — $15.6 billion higher than its initial estimate earlier that same year. Although the sudden jump in overall screen time has raised valid concerns over its broader impacts on health, some organizations are looking to channel the shift in a positive direction. “Kids need help with skills like self-awareness, self-management, self-discipline, awareness of others and building social relationships,” says Rebecca Yacono, head of the middle school at Worcester Academy in Massachusetts. “I was looking for ways to meet our kids where they were

socially, knowing that they were spending a lot of their downtime during COVID playing video games.” As Worcester Academy was busy preparing for its own transition from in-person to remote learning, Yacono was forwarded a timely e-mail from Vanta Leagues, a Boston-based company that operates like a Little League for competitive online gaming, known as e-sports. Vanta offered Worcester Academy students the chance to participate in their beta testing phase as the company refined its e-sports program. “We started partnering around how their coaches could start teaching those social-emotional skills in a really intentional way, especially given the fact that [our students] have missed socializing due to COVID,” she says. The school’s current team of six students includes a competitive gymnast, the lead in the school musical and a basketball player, among others. They practice twice per week with Vanta coaches and then compete against peers in popular third-party games, such as Rocket League or League of Legends, albeit within the Vanta program. Yacono says she’s encouraged by the fact that the team members have become increasingly fluent in the social-emotional learning (SEL) vocabulary that signals healthy development. “They’re talking about mindfulness, managing their stress and regulating their anger when they don’t win.”

ood sportsmanship is also helping to legitimize e-sports as a pursuit in its own right. According to Yacono, ...continued on next page FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

For skilled players, online gaming can help pay for college, with more than 175 U.S. colleges and universities now offering full or partial scholarships for gamers.

“A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME,” CONTINUED... Worcester Academy’s athletic director is considering how e-sports might be folded into the school’s athletic department rather than its student life department. That change in mindset is similar to what’s already happening in post-secondary education. More than 175 colleges and universities across America are now members of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), with many offering students full or partial scholarships based on their skill. Vanta Leagues is well aware of the mainstreaming of e-sports, a phenomenon that has not only fueled today’s multibillion-dollar industry but will lead to a growing number of scholarship and career opportunities in the future. In fact, the company’s co-founder and chief operations officer, Zack Fabi, is quick to point out that the 2019 League of Legends World Championship drew more viewers than that year’s Super Bowl. But Fabi also says that Vanta emerged out of a real and pressing need for a supportive gaming environment. Few experiences highlighted that need more than that of the company’s co-founder and chief revenue officer, Ed Lallier, whose 12-year-old son wanted to participate in pandemic-safe fun but was instead subjected to cyberbullying. “In 2020, during the height of COVID, his son came into the room crying because he was playing e-sports online and was getting bullied by 20- to 30-year-olds. There weren’t any controls in place to prevent you from being matched up with much older players. So the idea behind this was essentially, how do we eliminate some of the toxicity that exists in the online gaming world?”

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By pairing young gamers with trained coaches in a structured online setting, Vanta is looking to cultivate a new crop of “gamer-citizens” who will provide positive role models for future generations. “We’re trying to create a safe place for kids to game. And to try to teach them, so that, 10, 20 years from now when they’re the old guard in the online gaming community, they’re treating people with a bit more respect than you see right now,” says Fabi.

How do we eliminate some of the toxicity that exists in the online gaming world?

hat’s the prospect that appealed to Adriano Eva, a recreation supervisor and wellness specialist with the City of Spokane’s Parks and Recreation Department. Eva saw his own son spending more time online on account of the pandemic, and it therefore seemed as though his department had an obligation to offer vetted online options for a world that had gone largely virtual. “We knew we needed to offer e-sports as a program offering to the community,” he says. “But the world of gaming doesn’t need to be wild. This gives them the opportunity to be molded into a culture of courtesy. When they are playing in an environment that is monitored,

where you have some expectation of behavior, participants will learn a code of conduct. Vanta and organizations like it can help build a different culture around gaming.” To be sure, Eva admits to wrestling with mixed feelings about online gaming. Even with an increased emphasis on socialization and sportsmanship, does something as sedentary and screen-based as e-sports truly promote health and well-being? But he argues that digital recreation deserves to be seen as one of the many “dimensions of wellness” — not as a substitute for traditional in-person activities but rather a supplement to them. “It’s important to recognize that this doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing situation,” Fabi adds. “Just because you participate in a competitive e-sports league doesn’t mean that you’re not going outside and getting exercise and doing all those things that kids have always done.” Paradoxically, the prospect of participating in organized e-sports might even serve as just the leverage parents need to encourage kids to leave their chairs and spend a few hours outside.

GAMING 101

Online Games To Try

est visualized as soccer but with nitro-boosted RC cars, Rocket League has been cast as the ideal stepping stone between the worlds of traditional sports and e-sports. It’s been a part of Major League Gaming (MLG) since 2015. Known as an FPS, or “first-person shooter,” Valorant puts the player in the role of an agent who has to attack or defend a target with the aid of four other teammates. It has some similarities with another popular tactical FPS, Counter-Strike. First released in 2009, the competitive battle arena game League of Legends has one of the longest pedigrees of any title mentioned here. Its popularity among

the e-sports community also comes with a reputation for being one of the harsher environments for young gamers. A bit like digital Lego, Minecraft allows its community of over 140 million active users to build entire worlds out of an ever-expanding palette of blocks. Spinoff series like Minecraft Dungeons have expanded its style of gameplay. The multibillion-dollar Fortnite franchise can be a very different game depending on what version you’re playing. Players can choose from a collaborative defense game, a massive open-world battle royale or a freeform creative mode. — E.J. IANNELLI

FEBRUARY - MARCH 2022

Learning about nutrition looks a lot like a game at the opening day of Mobius Discovery Center’s new Eat Well Play Well exhibit. MOBIUS PHOTOS

Healthy Fun Tired of nagging kids to make healthy choices? A trip to the new interactive exhibit at Mobius lets them figure it out for themselves BY ANNE McGREGOR

GOLDEN HARVEST Flour Sacks from the Permanent Collection

January 29-October 30, 2022

2316 W First Ave, Spokane, WA northwestmuseum.org

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t Mobius Discovery Center, the recipe for healthy learning is one part curiosity, one part fun and one part science education. “We like to call it sneaky learning,” says Amanda Currie, Mobius marketing director, about the center’s newest exhibit, Eat Well, Play Well. Created by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), “the exhibit explores the science behind nutrition, fitness and the food we eat. It’s about making healthy decisions,” says Currie. The interactive (and bilingual Spanish) stations offer kids all sorts of opportunities to learn about their own bodies. Kids will enjoy stretching their legs for the flexibility test. And “everyone loves to see how good their balance is,” says Currie. “There’s an exhibit that times how long you can balance on a wobbly platform.” During all the fun, sprinkling in some education on why balance and flexibility are important will hardly be noticed. The exhibit also ventures into the realm of how food and exercise are related. Kids can take a turn using a hand cycle to try to exercise away the amount of calories from various snacks. They’ll soon see some snacks are easier to burn off than others. And there’s a chance to compare your own version of a “serving size” with what’s actually considered a serving size. Hint: It’s probably smaller than you think. The results may even surprise adult companions. “There’s also an opportunity to build a healthy meal and get feedback on your choices,” says Currie. And there’s a little food market for the youngest participants to shop for groceries. The exhibit features activities for kids of all ages, but might be primarily of interest to younger kids up to about 12 years of age. Providence is the presenting sponsor

Graphically striking ﬂour sacks, vintage objects, art, and images from the late 19th/early 20th centuries provide a window into the early development of Eastern Washingtonʼs wheat industry.

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for the exhibit, Currie says. “We love that this exhibit lines up with their values and brings a resource to the community as a whole.”

hile the museum has had to make many difficult adaptations during the pandemic, including shuttering the former RiverPark Square location, one positive outcome has been the development of STEAM Kits ($15 for members, $18 for nonmembers), now sold online and at the center’s gift shop. “They launched when we were shut down for COVID,” says Currie. “They got

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Mobius’ Structural Engineering STEM kit. super popular and stayed super popular.” Current kits include Flower Dissection, Fantastic Contraptions and Slime Science. For Valentine’s Day, there’s a special kit ($20). “There’s math involved, circuits, electricity, crafts — it’s a good all-ages kit,” says Currie. “It could take up a few afternoons or a whole day however you want to split it up.” Also, each Saturday in February from 10 am to 2 pm WSU pharmacy students will be on hand to teach kids about blood, vital signs, and the heart and lungs. And attendees will have an opportunity to sign up for the Dr. Universe Club, which provides free STEM materials to kids. Mobius Discovery Center is located at 331 N. Post St. Masks are required for everyone except children 3 and under. Children must be accompanied by an adult; an adult must be accompanied by a child.

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In the vault in Gonzaga’s Jundt Museum, Britta Keller Arendt stands near rows of hanging racks storing art that’s not on display to the public. Inset: Ar on display includes Dale Chihuly glass bowls (top) and Harold Balazs’ Expresso Stand (bottom). ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

Hidden Gems At the Jundt Museum, Britta Keller Arendt is on a mission to make art accessible — not just to the Spokane community, but also to the whole world BY MADISON PEARSON

n the museum world, working for a big name institution with a huge collection like the Smithsonian is probably the end goal for most in terms of careers; however, the Jundt Art Museum’s new hire, Britta Keller Arendt, was eager to step down from her prestigious Chicago institution and make her way from one windy city to another. “It was honestly the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make,” says Arendt. “Everyone assumes it was some tough decision, but it was quite the opposite. I come from a long line of outdoorsy people, and eventually I realized I could just move here instead of hopping on an airplane to my favorite vacation spot every once in a while.”

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With a one-way ticket to Spokane in hand, Arendt finally made Washington her home. “When I saw that the Jundt had a registrar position available, I was really excited about it,” says Arendt. “A lot of people have these career goals for something bigger and better, to climb that corporate ladder, but for me, I want to enjoy what I do and I want to share my work with others.” As a registrar, Arendt is in charge of managing the collection of theGonzaga University’s Jundt Art Museum. She spends her time documenting and learning how to preserve the pieces that make up the museum’s collection. Before becoming interested

in the management side of museums, Arendt worked as a curator at the Field Museum in Chicago and managed the art collection in the U.S. Capitol Building. “One day I started asking myself all of these questions like ‘How do we preserve this so that future generations can see it?’ and ‘How many hands have touched this work of art?’ I realized that I wanted to change courses a bit and move into preservation and documentation,” Arendt recalls. Before the pandemic, and certainly during the thick of it, there were outcries for a way to experience art and museums without leaving home or paying expensive entrance fees to elite museums.

“This is a huge problem with museums all around the world,” says Arendt. “Museums have these amazing, fascinating collections but they only have so much space available to them. I would estimate that only 1 to 5 percent of a museum’s full collection is on display at any given point in time.” When Arendt changed courses in her career, from curator to registrar, she dreamed of digitizing museum collections and opening up the virtual doors of a museum for all to enjoy. She’s already working toward this goal at the Jundt and plans to make their entire collection available for viewing online. “My goal at the Jundt is to finish digitizing their entire collection,” she says. “Accessibility to art is so important because, for example, if a museum charges an entrance fee and a family of four comes in, that’s going to cost upwards of $100, and that’s just not feasible for most families. As staff at the Jundt, we are stewards of the art. Every day is like my birthday, opening the gifts of these objects, studying them, learning about them and making that information available to future generations.” Although the Jundt is a free museum, there are challenges regarding accessibility that aren’t just monetary. The winter months make roads in Spokane a challenge for even the most skilled drivers, sidewalks are not always shoveled or dusted with a layer of de-icer making travel difficult for pedestrians and also those who use wheelchairs and some choose to stay at home for reasons pertaining to COVID-19. “It’s become much more urgent during the pandemic,” Arendt says. “Since my first day here, that has been priority number one. I started researching what software might be required and different digital formats that we could use in the future in order to showcase our collection in the best way possible for anyone who wishes to see it.” Art has always been something that the world uses to cope during unprecedented times. It’s a way for people to relate to each other through shared experiences and remind us of our interconnectedness in times when we might forget about the shared human experience. “Art is this living thing,” says Arendt. “It’s a living, breathing creature, and I hope I can help more people gain access to it through my future work at the Jundt.”

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