Health & Home 10/02/2023

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Email Health & Home Editor Anne McGregor at annem@inlander.com.

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DON HAMILTON PHOTO

Moving Forward

BY ANNE McGREGOR

Despite the fact that Washington state is one of the world’s premier lentil producers, it seems they’re not all that common on our lunch and dinner menus. Inlander food writer Eliza Billingham is on a mission to share that lentils are wonderful. And that even though they may have a reputation as a not particularly attractive ingredient, they can indeed star in a beautiful entree. Chef Cynthia Monroe, who is passionate about using foods grown right here in the Inland Northwest, shares her recipe for a beautiful salad featuring lentils (page 40), plus lots of other locally grown ingredients including greens, carrots and even mushrooms. The chef says even young kids will devour this enticing recipe, that also happens to be vegan. And I think you’ll find the chef’s own story (page 38) to be particularly inspiring as well.

In our Health section, we take a look at the pros and cons of a popular way to try to just feel better: IV therapies (page 9). Chances are there’s an IV service in your neighborhood; here’s what you need to know before going in for a drip.

Now that our daylight hours are outnumbered by those that are dark, we sent Inlander writer Seth Sommerfeld to shine a light on the work of local candlemakers (page 32). Candles, used responsibly, aren’t just a way to add a little scent to your space, they’re also symbolic, says Tara Knight of Knighlights: “Candles bring beauty and light and peace.”

Cheers!

CONTRIBUTORS

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

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

HEALTH & HOME EDITOR

Anne McGregor annem@inlander.com

HEALTH & HOME ART DIRECTOR

Ali Blackwood

INLANDER EDITOR

Nick Deshais

INLANDER ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Chey Scott

CONTRIBUTORS

Eliza Billingham, Erick Doxey, Diane Holm, Young Kwak, Madison Pearson, Lisa Prins, Renée Sande, Summer Sandstrom, Carrie Scozzaro, Sara Shaw, Seth Sommerfeld, Ben Vandehey

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Skip Mitchell

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Carolyn Padgham, Kristi Gotzian, Autumn Potts, Claire Price

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tracy Menasco, Stephanie Grinols, Meghan Fitzgerald

ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER

Tamara McGregor

ADVERTISING ASSISTANTS

Raja Bejjani, Colleen Bell-Craig

PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER

Tom Stover

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Derrick King

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Leslie Douglas

CIRCULATION

Frank DeCaro, Travis Beck

BUSINESS MANAGER

Dee Ann Cook

CREDIT MANAGER

Kristin Wagner

PUBLISHER

Ted S. McGregor Jr.

GENERAL MANAGER

Jeremy McGregor

SUMMER SANDSTROM is a staff writer for the Inlander, covering various arts and culture events in the region, as well as some local news. In this issue, she writes about music and art nonprofits in the Inland Northwest who are dedicated to giving back to the community, such as the Spokane Jazz Orchestra, which gives music students vouchers to attend their concerts for free as a way of fostering their love for music and exposing them to new styles and sounds.

DIANE HOLM likes creating beauty wherever she goes and it seems she’s never short on inspiration. After her colorful home was featured in Health & Home in October/November 2022, we asked Diane to share her inspiring DIY talents — mostly using easily obtained or found objects — with our readers. In this issue, she fashions a gorgeous sunflower wreath and creates a friendly mocktail stand that will keep the warmth of summer in your heart long after the season has passed.

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.

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EVENTS

Fall Festivities

BY MADISON PEARSON

Spokane Symphony Barrister Chamber Soirée

As the air chills and activities move inside, you can always count on the Spokane Symphony for some incredible indoor entertainment. The symphony kicks off its Barrister Chamber Soirée series in October with musician-curated music performed by small ensembles of Spokane Symphony musicians. The event also includes small bites, wine, coffee and dessert. There’s nothing like some top-notch classical music in a cozy, serene atmosphere to kick off the winter months. Oct. 11 & 12 at 7:30 pm, $99, Barrister Winery. spokanesymphony.org

Spokane Writers Conference

Do you want to brush up on your writing skills? Are you looking to improve your poetry skills? Look no further than the Spokane Writers Conference! This annual conference held by Spokane’s library systems brings in local and regional writers to share their expertise. Whether you’re a fiction or nonfiction writer, there’s a workshop for you. This year’s highlights include a fact-finding/world-building workshop about historical fiction led by novelist and Inlander commentator Tara Roberts and a journalistic writing workshop by the Inlander’s own Chey Scott. To see the full two-day schedule, check out spokanelibrary.org or scld.org. Oct. 27-28, times vary, free, various Spokane county and public library branches.

Coasters

This annual coaster sale not only highlights local and regional artists but also benefits a great cause. A win-win! Through the month of November, Trackside Studio will be selling handmade coasters for $10, each featuring art by a local artist. All proceeds benefit Embrace Washington. Make sure to get in ASAP, the coasters tend to go fast! Trackside is holding a First Friday event where the public can be the first to see the coasters, have first choice and even meet some of the artists involved. Nov. 3-30, Wed-Fri from 11 am-5 pm, Free admission; $10/coaster, Trackside Studio. tracksidestudio.net

Les Misérables

It’s been five years since Spokane has seen a touring production of Les Misérables, so don’t miss out on it this time. This timeless story is centered on the life of Jean Valjean, a recently freed prisoner. After 19 years in prison, he promptly breaks parole and is relentlessly pursued by Javert, a prison officer. Eight years after his release, Valjean becomes the guardian of a child named Cosette during a tumultuous time in French history and what transpires after is a story of hope, redemption and true love. Nov. 14-19; Tue-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat also at 2 pm, Sun at 1 pm and 6:30 pm, $50-$110, First Interstate Center for the Arts. broadwayspokane.com

Numerica Lights Up The Night

The best part of the holiday season is all of the twinkling lights strung up on houses and trees alike, but finding amazing displays can be difficult. Well, look no further than your favorite downtown park! From the end of November until New Years Day, gorgeous displays of holiday lights will glisten from every corner of Riverfront Park. The trees will sparkle and the snow will shine from all of the holiday spirit in the air. Bring some hot cocoa in a thermos and bundle up, this is an all-outdoor event. Nov. 25-Jan.1, free, Riverfront Park. riverfrontspokane.org

Works of Love, Works of Art

Hundreds of tiny pieces of colorful fabric held together by undulating stitchery are what make quilts so magical to behold. And for three days in October, you’ll have a chance to see more than 500 of these inspired creations on display at the Washington State Quilters Spokane Chapter’s 45TH ANNUAL QUILT SHOW

Quilts of all types — traditional, modern and art — crafted by regional makers will be featured. Enjoy viewing them and then vote on your favorites. If you get inspired to try quilting, or if you just want to hone your skills, a stroll through the Merchant’s Mall offers the opportunity to explore quilting techniques and tools. Master Quilters will also be doing demonstrations. And don’t forget to enter the raffle — tickets are $1 each — for a chance to win a king-size quilt called “Farm Girl’s Garden.” Washington State Quilters is a non-profit devoted to enhancing the art of quilt making as well as the conservation and preservation of quilts.

If you’d like to take some of the magic home, and perhaps get a start on holiday shopping, quilts will also be offered for sale. Or if there’s a particular quilt style that catches your eye, you can also ask its creator about a commission. This is art with a purpose: A beautiful quilt used as bedding can become the focal point of bedroom decor, while also offering warmth and comfort.

“Quilts are both works of love and works of art,” notes Dina Pappas, incoming president of Washington State Quilters. “The quilter thoughtfully chose each pattern and fabric to create the finished work of art… They were made to cover precious loved ones in all situations.”

— ANNE McGREGOR

The Spokane chapter of the Washington State Quilters 45th annual show, Oct. 20-22, 10 am-6 pm, $15 admission for all three days, Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, wsqspokane.org.

LOCAL AUTHOR

Coffee Time

Who hasn’t dreamed of starting over with a simpler life, moving to a new city and, perhaps, opening a little coffee shop?

LEGENDS & LATTES: A NOVEL OF HIGH FANTASY AND LOW STAKES is a book about an entrepreneur with that exact dream — and who just happens to be an orc.

Written by Spokane-based author Travis Baldree and released in February 2022, Legends & Lattes quickly became a runaway sensation on “book-tok” — a corner of TikTok for book lovers — and is now a bestselling novel that’s also been nominated for both a Hugo and Nebula award, an esteemed recognition in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. Baldree works a day job as a fulltime audiobook narrator, and previously designed and built video games including Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy and Fate.

Part of the “cozy” subgenre of fantasy literature, Legends & Lattes

is a slice-of-life tale that follows a retired warrior orc named Viv who decides to cash in her spoils of battle forever and start a new, peaceful life by opening a coffee shop in a small town. A town where nobody has ever tried, or even heard of, coffee.

It’s a charming read with sweet protagonists and an enter taining cast of characters — the perfect book to curl up and enjoy with a cup of coffee by the fire, just in time for the Nov. 7 release of its prequel, Bookshops & Bonedust

— ALI BLACKWOOD

Travis Baldree hosts a reading, Q&A and book signing for Bookshops & Bonedust at Auntie’s Bookstore on Monday, Nov. 6 at 7 pm.

WASHINGTON STATE QUILTERS PHOTO

TRAVIS BALDREE

Dripping with Promise?

BY BEN VANDEHEY

Offering concoctions like “The Resurrection,” “The Quencher” and “The Glow,” IV centers’ proponents contend that infusions boost hydration and health by delivering a high dose of vitamins and minerals directly into the bloodstream.

Despite facing scrutiny within the medical community, the treatments have captured the attention of individuals from an array of demographics — from top-level athletes to middle-agers looking for a boost. And providers are standing by with a wide variety of IV blends aimed at targeting a spectrum of concerns such as low energy, sleep difficulties, chronic pain, age-related changes, anxiety, weight management and stress.

SEEKING REJUVENATION

IV therapy is frequently sought to address acute symptoms such as post-workout dehydration, hangovers or just an overload of stress.

Physician assistant and owner of The IV Method Peter Glanville attributes the widespread appeal of the treatment to its convenient and rapid approach to addressing these immediate concerns.

“It’s a great way for people to quickly get some of the things they need to help them feel better without having to go through doctors’ offices and insurance issues,” he says.

At IV centers like The IV Method, clients can simply walk in and receive an infusion after completing a medical history questionnaire and brief consultation with an on-site nurse. As a result, the centers attract an array of people with short-term agendas.

“We get anyone from business professionals coming in for their midday energy boost to athletes stopping by before a big game to moms just looking for an extra pep in their step to keep up with their kids,” Glanville says.

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Feeling drained? Looking for help with weight loss? At multiple intravenous infusion centers around Spokane, providers suggest the solution to your troubles could be hanging in an IV bag.

SEEKING RESTORATION

Many individuals turn to therapeutic IV services in an effort to counteract what we might call persistent health dissatisfaction. These can be chronic issues that don’t rise to a medical situation, but interfere with generally enjoying life.

The Myer’s Cocktail is the most frequently received IV blend for this purpose. Named for the late John Myers, a doctor who pioneered therapeutic IV treatment in the 1960s, the blend was initially implemented as a method to treat conditions such as asthma attacks, migraines and fibromyalgia.

Jeanine Smith, a client of Spokane’s Prime IV Hydration and Wellness, credits the IV blend with alleviating lingering effects of her two brushes with COVID-19.

Following her initial bout with the virus, Smith says she grappled with respiratory and cardiac issues. Then, during her second encounter in 2022, a full month of fatigue and cognitive fog made her desperate to find a solution.

“I would be up for two hours and be so exhausted that I couldn’t even talk. I knew I had to do something,” she says.

Smith says she discovered IV therapy through a “post-COVID” Facebook group. After doing her own background research on the treatment, an advertisement for a discounted visit to Spokane’s Prime IV prompted her to give it a shot.

“After the first infusion, I noticed a difference like within a week. So the next week I had another one and started feeling even better. I continued to go two times a month and after three months, my fatigue was gone,” Smith says.

Since then, she has continued to visit the IV center once a month for maintenance.

Restorative IV therapy is aimed at treating the whole person, rather than focusing on a particular organ or symptom.

“It’s a complex medical care for patients who are unable to find answers from the traditional medical system,” says Jeff Rosenberg, an osteopathic physician who previously worked in emergency medicine and now owns Spokane’s Prime IV with his wife. They

“DRIPPING WITH PROMISE?” CONTINUED...

Peter Glanville, owner of The IV Method. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

also represent Prime IV Hydration and Wellness franchises in the state of Washington.

Smith says the improvement in her health has been dramatic. “There’s nothing that I’ve done that’s helped as much,” she said.

SEEKING RESOLUTION

Some IV clients have a particular goal in mind, such as remedying a vitamin deficiency or losing weight.

In addition to a poor diet, various medical conditions and chronic diseases can impair the body’s ability to acquire essential nutrients. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a range of symptoms, though the specific symptoms depend on which vitamin or vitamins are at low levels, as each plays a different role in the body. Testing for vitamin deficiency can either be done by a doctor or sometimes through simply ordering an at-home test.

Should the results indicate a deficiency, IV therapy could serve as an alternative to dietary supplements for replenishment. Glanville says IVs may offer an advantage over oral consumption as IV infusions bypass the body’s oral absorption mechanisms. As a result, he says the vitamin enters the body at its full potency and more quickly than when it’s consumed in a food or pill.

And then there are IV concoctions claiming to help people lose weight. Prime IV’s “The Skinny Drip” contains the standard vitamins and hydrating fluids but also something called lipotropics. According to Rosenberg, lipotropics assist the body in natural fat breakdown and accelerate calorie burning. He emphasizes, however, this IV drip should be thought of as an adjunct treatment.

“It’s not a magic cure-all. Rather, it’s most effective when combined with healthy eating and regular exercise,” Rosenberg says.

THE EXPERIENCE

No matter the outcome a client is seeking, every session of IV therapy offers the same general sequence of events. The procedure is as simple as a blood draw, Glanville says. First, after numbing the area, a needle is used to place a thin plastic catheter directly into the vein. The needle is then removed, and the catheter remains in place to deliver the IV infusion.

But to sweeten the experience of an ouchy poke in the arm and also enhance the time spent on the drip, many IV centers are designed with a spa-like ambiance and offer a range of amenities to elevate the overall infusion experience. Rosenberg says Prime IV provides a massage chair and blanket for clients.

“We call it a one-hour vacation,” he says.

Glanville agrees, while also placing emphasis on fostering a sense of community at The Method IV. He says that, along with private rooms, the center features a large area furnished with multiple chairs arranged to face each other.

“What we find is that a lot of patients come in and find incredible amounts of support from the other patients in the room. They build a community of wellness within themselves,” Glanville says.

A typical appointment ranges from 30 to 60 minutes and usually costs between $100 and $300.

The most common ingredients in IV blends are B complex vitamins and vitamin C. Vitamin C is an antioxidant

that helps to maintain muscles and bones and offers immune support. B complex vitamins perform a range of vital functions including cardiovascular support, helping the body convert food into energy and boosting immune function.

Other common add-ins are glutathione and biotin. Glutathione plays a role in preventing cellular damage by binding with toxins and facilitating their removal from the body. Biotin, also known as vitamin B7, is a common addition to beauty supplements, as it is associated with improving the strength, appearance and overall health of the skin, hair and nails.

Fortunately, according to Lingtak-Neander Chan, a professor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, there is minimal risk of overdosing on these substances.

“Our bodies only need vitamin supple-

mentation in trace amounts. Water-soluble vitamins like vitamin C and B complex vitamins are unable to be stored in our bodies and even slight excesses will come out in our urine,” he says.

CONCERNS

In addition to the prospect of components of an expensive IV being dispatched down the toilet, Chan says IVs, like most medical procedures, do carry some risks. Each instance of accessing the vein carries the potential for introducing infection or inflammation. So it’s imperative that those administering the infusion are trained and certified. Both Glanville and Rosenberg say that their registered nurses undergo thorough training and receive regular updates on safe practices.

Chan also emphasizes that despite the staff’s experience, these centers are not

certified medical clinics, which gives rise to several additional concerns.

First, there’s the question of where the products these IV centers use come from. Depending on the source, Chan says, the substances may not be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. According to their respective owners, The Method IV and Prime IV exclusively use FDA-approved ingredients, sourced from various local pharmacies.

Another issue revolves around the competition for these supplies. Chan notes that numerous vitamins and IV fluids are frequently subject to national shortages. If IV centers remain open during these times, they may be vying with hospitals for access to the substances.

“It becomes an ethical question of if these spa-like treatments should be taking products away from hospital patients who need them to sustain life,” he says.

Finally, while the individual ingredients in the IV blends may be FDA-approved, no IV blend itself has been, meaning there is no clinically validated study confirming that elective IV therapy is beneficial.

According to Chan, people likely report feeling better due to the rapid hydration their body experiences from the fluid intake, alongside a potential placebo effect. He suggests that visiting one’s primary care physician can be a better route to assessing and treating a health issue.

“I would not recommend IV therapy at all,” he says. “There should be clear medical needs for individuals receiving these products.”

However, for individuals like Smith who weren’t satisfied within the realm of primary care medicine, IV therapy can be appealing because it offers the hope of feeling better.

As both the numbers of people with chronic illnesses and the related medical costs continue to rise, Glanville believes more and more people will look to alternative and preventive healing modalities.

“We live in a time where people want to feel better faster, and IV therapies are the fastest way to receive hydration and absorb nutrients,” he says.

Rosenberg is also optimistic about the emerging world of elective IV treatments. “It’s an exciting new business. We’re going to continue to grow, treat more people and hopefully help.”

“DRIPPING WITH PROMISE?” CONTINUED...

A communal experience is an option at The IV Method. Says owner Peter Glanville: “A lot of patients come in and find incredible amounts of support from the other patients.”

ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Over the years, the practice of pharmacy has changed in many ways. People have discovered the benefi ts of having customized medication available through prescription compounding.

Koru Pharmacy takes pride in meeting these changing needs of our customers and has become a leader in prescription compounding in the Spokane area. Our staff is expertly trained in the area of prescription compounding for you and your pets and are ready to serve you.

SPOKANE JAZZ ORCHESTRA

BY SUMMER SANDSTROM

Since forming in 1975, the Spokane Jazz Orchestra has provided a space for the improvisational and complex genre of jazz music to be appreciated by musicians and music lovers alike.

The Spokane Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece band, occasionally adding another percussionist to the mix, and each season they put on four concerts at the Bing Crosby Theater.

Music director Don Goodwin says that he tries to feature a variety of traditional jazz music to give audience members a feel for the history and tradition of the genre, but the orchestra also plays newer music.

“I try to bring in music that maybe tries to challenge boundaries and opens up the ears of the listeners and of the musicians so that we can kind of think about jazz as more of an approach to music as opposed to a particular style,” he says.

The Spokane Jazz Orchestra is the longest continuously performing, community supported jazz orchestra in the country that Goodwin or Board of Trustees President Kevin Berkompas know of, and Berkompas attributes that to the number of professional musicians in Spokane.

“I think that’s been a big driver,” he says. “We have a large pool of extraordinary musicians to draw from.”

Both Goodwin and Berkompas want to make jazz music accessible to a wide range of people in Spokane, resulting in the orchestra’s most expensive ticket costing $35.

Additionally, the Spokane Jazz Orchestra offers vouchers for music students in middle or high school to get a free ticket, with a discounted ticket for their accompanying parent.

“Everyone that studies music of any kind benefits in many, many ways,” says Goodwin. “As professional musicians, anytime you can help to foster that and to improve the educational aspect, we always jump at it.”

The Spokane Jazz Orchestra’s 47th season begins Oct. 7 and ends May 11. More information on the orchestra and buying tickets can be found on the website spokanejazz.org.

SPOKANE JAZZ ORCHESTRA PHOTOS

SPOKANE JAZZ ORCHESTRA PO Box 174, Spokane, WA 99210 spokanejazz.org

MORE TO CHECK OUT

COEUR D’ALENE ARTS AND CULTURE ALLIANCE

105 N. First St., Suite 100, Coeur d’Alene

Since 2005, the Coeur d’Alene Arts and Culture Alliance has provided the community with a variety of art and culture experiences, such as ArtWalk where local galleries, artists and business are highlighted on the second Friday of each month. The alliance’s Music for the Wise program sends musicians to play for those in assisted or memory care facilities. The first Friday of each month, the alliance holds Arts Buzz, an event where artists and organizations come together to discuss upcoming events, share opportunities and network with others in the community. Donations can be made on their website artsandculturecda.org.

SPOKANE STRING QUARTET

For over 40 years, the Spokane String Quartet has brought chamber music to the Spokane area and remains one of the only ensembles to put on regular concerts. They play a variety of contemporary songs, pieces by local composers, and traditional pieces from as far back as medieval times. The Spokane String Quartet started an educational outreach program in 1983 to support young musicians by visiting schools and talking with students, and offering reduced-price tickets to students and their families. The quartet offers a Q Club membership, providing members with two special event performances per year for a minimum $250 donation, which can be made at spokanestringquartet.org.

SPOKANE VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL

Soon after the City of Spokane Valley formed in 2004, the Spokane Valley Arts Council was founded as a way to foster arts and culture in the new city. The council displays a 22- to 25-piece art exhibit in the lobby of CenterPlace Regional Event Center, and has placed a variety of sculptures throughout the city through its public art program, which aims to increase the accessibility of art to all members of the community. The Spokane Valley Arts Council is holding an Art Auction and Soiree on Nov. 3 and 4 to fund art in the community. Local artists can apply for a scholarship to further their artistic careers. More information can be found at spokanevalleyarts.org.

Spokane String Quartet members Mateusz Wolski, Jeannette Wee-Yang, Amanda Howard-Phillips, and Helen Byrne SPOKANE STRING QUARTET PHOTO

The Sweetness of Years

don’t want the padding to be so thick that it becomes awkward for them to walk, but definitely it should be soft enough to cushion those old bones. Some older cats also really like a low temperature heating pad to relax on. Each kitty is an individual so see what temperature and location your kitty prefers — one of my kitties liked her heated bed to be on the ground for easy access, but my other likes a heated window seat. An area of comfort that can be overlooked is keeping their nails trimmed. Older cats often struggle with long nails getting caught on things, making it painful to move. So keep those nails short!

As cats age, more things can start to go wrong, so veterinary care becomes even more important. By taking your cat to the vet for yearly checkups you can hopefully identify any problems early. I recommend yearly blood work because that is where you can diagnose two common senior cat illnesses: kidney disease and hyperthyroidism. In addition, cats frequently suffer from arthritis, which your vet can help you manage. Remember many medications that are safe for dogs and humans are toxic for cats, so never give any medicine to your cat without talking to an actual veterinarian. (Not Dr. Google!)

BY SARA SHAW

While I believe that everyone should have the experience of living with the little monsters we call kittens, what some overlook are the joys of living with a senior cat. Think all the sweetness but less of the biting, curtain-climbing, feet-attacking mayhem. What senior cats lack in craziness they more than make up for in peaceful snuggling and serenity. I have learned more about aging gracefully from my senior cats than any internet video or self-help book out there. Living with older cats has shown me how to enjoy the little things — like the perfect sunbeam. And how to roll with the changes that come with age — like accepting that I might need to move a little more slowly.

There are ways we can help our senior cats continue to age with dignity and grace. Some things to consider are accessibility, comfort and health care.

As anyone who has lived to a certain age will tell you, physical activities do get more challenging as we age. What used to be an easy hop, skip and a jump can start to feel like an Ironman marathon. While a senior cat’s physical prowess is still amazing, jumping up does become more challenging as they age. You can help them by providing stairs or ramps up to their favorite spots. You also want to make sure that the surfaces they use have some sort of traction, like carpeting, to help them move with confidence. Accessibility to food and water are also very important. I strongly recommend having multiple food and water stations throughout your house so that it’s never too far for your kitty to get a snack and drink. And remember, no one wants to jump a hurdle just to go to the bathroom, so get a litter box with low sides and put it in an easy access area.

When it comes to comfort, the key is softer and warmer. Because cats lose muscle mass as they age, giving them beds with a little extra padding can really help. You

While these routine veterinary visits are important there are some things you can watch for at home. An early sign of health issues can be changes in eating and drinking, so watch carefully. And as the saying goes, what goes in must come out, so also track pooping and peeing. Monitor general attitude and activity as well — remember you know your kitty best, if something seems off, schedule a checkup.

We are never going to make our senior kitties young again, but their golden years

can be better with just a little extra care and consideration. It’s really the least we can do in exchange for all the blood pressure lowering, purring, snuggling joy that they bring us. And for those of you who are not lucky enough to have a senior cat in your life, there are sadly many waiting for their forever homes at our local shelters. So go out and get yourself an in-house aging guru!

An early sign of health issues can be changes in eating and drinking, so watch carefully.

With just a little effort, you can help your senior cat age gracefully

Sara Shaw is a small-animal veterinarian who lives and works in the Spokane area.

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“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

Listen and learnListen and learn

STORY BY ANNE McGREGOR | PHOTOS BY INSIDE SPOKANE

While many of us may struggle to come up with what feels like a cohesive design for our homes, we all tend to know what we like when we see it. It’s just that wading through all the options for colors, textures, materials and styles — and trying to envision them in our own spaces — can be more than a little daunting. It’s easy to just give up!

Shawna Byrd says she was struggling just to pick an exterior paint color for her family’s home when she landed on designer Stephanie Sarro’s website. “I noticed that her projects were all very different,” Byrd says. “So, to me, I thought that means she’s probably a good listener and is, you know, designing for the person who hired her.”

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The living room features an Italian lime plaster fireplace surround, and two small landscape paintings, by artist Annette Tyrrell.

A handcrafted Hubbardton Forge light illuminates the home’s entry area. “They’re expensive,” says Sarro, “but I feel like these are more of a statement piece of art.”

“LISTEN AND LEARN,” CONTINUED...

The duo’s first project of choosing that exterior paint is now far in the rearview mirror, and they’re just finishing up their current collaboration: a complete remodel of Shawna and her husband Guy’s newly bought home, a house whose style had been mired in the ’90s.

The home’s location — near the Manito Golf and Country Club — was ideal for the couple, who enjoy the ability to go play a few holes in the evening. But Shawna says though the house felt good in many ways, its flow needed work to accommodate her husband’s large extended family.

Opening up the kitchen and dining room and moving a laundry room to the lower level created a new airy living and dining space that’s still on a scale that feels welcoming and cozy. Sarro ushered in the 2020s by installing black Anderson windows as well as new trim and molding throughout the home. The floors were liberated from their original shiny yellow-orange finish with a darker stain and matte finish.

...continued on page 22

The expanded kitchen now features Bedrosians Makoto tile on the backsplash, with contrasting black and white cabinetry and elegant brass pulls.

Though the kitchen was opened up to the dining area, two posts integral to supporting the roof couldn’t be moved, so Sarro opted to give them a distinctive treatment.

Framing the island between the two wood-clad columns helps the seating area feel grounded and lends a structural timelessness to the design, an effect mirrored by the newly installed box beams on the ceiling throughout the space.

The heart of the great room and dining area is a dramatic two-sided fireplace. Originally built of unremarkable red brick, it’s now enrobed in a deep gray Italian lime plaster finish crafted by local artist Annette

Tyrrell. The fireplace surround’s display shelves have the appearance of being hewn into the plaster. Sarro says choosing a metal mantle instead of wood permits positioning it closer to the firebox, creating a more pleasing composition. It also provides the perfect location to display two of Tyrrell’s landscape paintings.

One of the project’s elements that Sarro is most fond of is a large living room display of black and white family photos. The Byrds adopted their three children, now grown, from India, and they had always wanted to feature photos of the family in their home. But, says Shawna, “Guy and I are notorious for never hanging anything up.”

To get beyond the impasse, Shawna says Sarro asked her for a favor. “She says, ‘Why don’t you give me your favorite pictures? Do you trust me?’ And I said, ‘Yes, I do.’”

...continued on page 24

Adding color, “but not too much,” guided designer Stephanie Sarro’s approach to the remodel of the Byrds’ 1990s home.

“LISTEN AND LEARN,” CONTINUED...

Palette Picking

Have a hard time settling on a color palette? anie Sarro says it can help to look in your closet. She asks cli ents to show her their favorite pieces of clothing or something they especially like. “Sometimes people will actually show me a tie or even a piece of pottery or something from their kitchen that they just love.”

Client Shawna Byrd chose clothes in blues and greens, with a few pops of oranges and reds. Sarro took note, and further refined her understanding of her client’s natural likes and dislikes throughout the process by sharing photos to get a yay or nay. The Byrds even went shopping with Sarro to point out items they liked.

“I love color, but it has to be the right color for that person,” says Sarro. “I felt like in this house there was a real neutral palette. And that it would help to bring in splashes of color — like some of the color in the art — but not too much.”

Though she worked as an architect for a decade, designer Stephanie Sarro says she had a moment of insight while working on a client’s home plan. “I want to work with color!”

Sarro chose the photos to feature and, using a Pottery Barn hanging picture frame rail display, she told the story of how the Byrds formed their family.

“This, to me, was one of the most beautiful things about this couple. And so that’s what this wall is all about,” Sarro says.

Downstairs, Sarro created a spot for casual entertaining. Instead of trying to lighten the space, she opted for a cozier touch. “I’ve always found that if the ceiling is painted a little darker, that really makes the room a little more warm,” says Sarro.

The nearly white sectional sourced from Design for the PPL required a bit of courage for the Byrds, who loved it when they saw it and then spent months looking for something more practical. In the end, they felt comfortable with the purchase after they learned the fabric is pretty much impervious to mishaps, including spilled red wine. “You can put bleach on it, and it will take out stains but it won’t affect the fabric,” says Sarro.

“LISTEN AND LEARN,” CONTINUED...

Displaying family photos in a stylish way was a goal for the Byrds.

Performance fabric upholstery makes this white sectional a safe bet next to the home’s wine cellar on the home’s lower level.

Sources

living room

FIREPLACE

Plaster surround and mantle paintings by artist Annette Tyrrell

AREA RUG

“Cappadocia” by Surya

WALL PAINT UPSTAIRS

Sherwin Williams 6203 Spare White

FLOOR REFINISHING

John Lorhan with

St. Joseph’s Flooring

FURNITURE

Madison Home, Four Hands

kitchen

ISLAND PENDANTS

“Bentlee Pendant” by Shades of Light

KITCHEN CABINETS

Linen White & Graphite by DuraSupreme

CABINETRY INSTALLATION

D & S Carpentry

COUNTERS

CaPaul Stoneworks

TILE

Bedrosians

TILE SETTER

David Busse

whole house

WINDOW TREATMENTS

Factory Rep Blinds

WINDOWS, WINE ROOM, SHOWERS AND DOORS

River City Glass

And ultimately, it’s that type of trust between a designer and client that’s key to a successful project, which in the case of the Byrds’ new home has spanned a year and a half.

“I like to get to know the person and what they really love,” says Sarro. “Because I feel like a home should be your little sanctuary and speak to you… I feel like, why talk someone out of what they really love, what they’re going to be comfortable with?”

But while Sarro’s all about collaborating over the course of a project, when the project is winding up, it’s time for the clients to clear out. “And then I do my thing,” she says.

She proceeds to decorate the entire home, based on her understanding of the clients’ taste and style. When they come home for the big reveal, she tells them, “‘Whatever you want to take down, let’s take it down. It won’t hurt my feelings.’And I’d say 98 percent of the time, they just keep everything.”

Shawna and Guy left for two days. And when they returned, the couple who had for years faced blank walls with indecision, found photos and art on the walls. “It was so fun to come home and have everything hung up,” says Shawna.

“LISTEN AND LEARN,” CONTINUED...

The primary bedroom incorporates Shawna’s favorite blues and greens.

The primary bathroom’s trio of mirrors gently overlap the tile backsplash, lending the room a classic look.

I like to get to know the person and what they really Love

Stop By for a Sip?

A handcrafted sunflower wreath and DIY mocktails will set the mood for an autumn gathering

CREATED BY DIANE HOLM

PHOTOS BY LISA PRINS

Fall weather brings get-togethers indoors, but the ease of summer entertaining doesn’t have to fade with autumn foliage.

Here’s a great way to add warmth and liveliness to a gathering: Set up a drink station. Your guests can enjoy putting together their own pretty libations, while mingling over the process. I’ve opted for a Sparkling Apple Cider mocktail, so that guests of all ages can enjoy the fun of making their own beverage. An easy-prep platter of sliced seasonal fruits and cheeses gets an elegant boost from my customized picks that are easy and fun to make.

And to create a festive autumn ambiance, I love making a big wreath of sunflowers from my garden, including the blossoms that have faded! Don’t throw these big spent blooms away. Their textural beauty and dark hues add a beautiful contrast to other still-vibrant blossoms. The wreath is easy to hang near your drink stand, but also consider adding a garland of blooms and berries to the table for extra texture and color.

Appetizer/Cocktail Picks

These little toothpicks add a surprising wow-factor to your appetizers, and they’re easy to make – just get them done a day in advance so the glue will be thoroughly dried.

SUPPLIES:

• Toothpicks (preferably with sharp tips on both ends)

• Small beads — I used silver ones for an elegant look

• Glue — Elmers or wood glue

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place a dot of glue on the top of the toothpick and slide a bead onto the end of the toothpick. Let dry before using.

Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

This recipe has only a few easy steps, and it’s perfect for an autumnal afternoon gathering indoors or out on the porch.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Apple cider

• Fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

• Ginger ale or ginger beer

• Ice

• Garnishes: Cinnamon sticks, apple slices

INSTRUCTIONS:

Muddle the fresh ginger with sweet apple cider. (You can also use apple juice, but using cider for this drink yields the most apple flavor.)

Pour the mixture into a container and place into the refrigerator to cool.

When you’re ready to serve, strain the mixture. Pour over ice and top with a splash of ginger ale or ginger beer. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a thin slice of apple. For a twist, I like to slice the apple vertically to show off the pretty heart-like shape.

NOTE: Ginger beer is a nonalcoholic beverage. The sweetness, spiciness and overall flavor will vary by brand. You should be able to find it in the soft drink or cocktail mixer section of the supermarket. If you like a very spicy ginger drink, use the boldest, spiciest ginger beer you can find.

...continued on next page

At the Conservatory in Vinegar Flats

Sunflower Wreath

An abundance of blossoms in various growth stages adds to the ambiance of a creative bounty. A little backyard scavenger hunt before you build your wreath should yield berries and various other bits of foliage to fill in between the blossoms. Be creative!

SUPPLIES:

• Wire wreath form

• Vine

• Sunflowers — you’ll need lots of blossoms!

• Other “found” greenery such as fall berries

• Wire

• Wire cutters

INSTRUCTIONS:

Wrap a vine around the wreath form and attach it with pieces of wire. Begin filling in the open spaces around the wreath with sunflowers by placing a wire through the back of the sunflower head

and then wiring the blossom onto the wreath. If you have leftover sunflower heads harvested from your garden from this year, try removing the petals and covering of the disk florets to expose the seeds and add a nice harvest effect. Or you can achieve a similar look by simply removing the petals from purchased sunflowers. Having a lot of blossoms in a variety of growth stages adds to the sense of a creative bounty. Mix in other foliage and berries to fill in around the sunflowers, adding color and texture along the way.

Light My Fire

Spokane candlemakers are crafting a healthy sense of calm

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

While candles can light up a room anytime of the year, there’s simply no denying how something feels more appropriate about the sweet-smelling flicker of burning wick as fall colors give way to the solemn chill of winter. And while it’s easy to pick up a big waxy pumpkin spice or Christmas tree-scented candle from a big-box store, there are plenty of local independent Spokane candlemakers whose handcrafted products are both more fragrant and legitimately healthier.

When it comes to buying candles, there’s one main thing all consumers should (but probably don’t) consider — toxins. It seems crazy that this is the case, but most candles you’ll find on a regular store shelf are made with paraffin wax, which is actually a petroleum product. This being the case, the simple act of burning such candles can release carcinogens like toluene and benzene into the air. Certain fragrance oils meant to fill your spaces with delightful aromas can also contain unwanted chemicals (check your labels — any candle with harsh chemicals has to have a Prop 65 label disclosing they contain carcinogens). While you might get the endorphins from the smell of the burn, your body isn’t gonna be digging the compounds it’s inhaling.

Local candlemakers like The Candle Bar Co. use nontoxic soy wax.

ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

With health in mind, most artisanal Spokane candlemakers use nontoxic soy wax and fragrance oils that are certified clean. After all, it’s hard for candles to bring peace of mind, when one’s body isn’t also at peace.

While there’s not exactly a Spokane candlemaking “scene,” journeying to meet the candle creators is (pun half-intended) an illuminating experience. Not only does each maker have their own approach, but their workspaces showcase how broad the world of candles can be.

The Candle Bar Co. on the main drag in the Garland District certainly stands out as the most public-facing indie candle shop in town. Founder Holli Brown has been pouring her own wax creations for 13 years and in the current store space on Garland Ave. for 4 1/2 years.

“I started making candles, because I couldn’t afford them,” Brown says with a laugh.

In addition to offering up 50 to 60 candle varieties (Earl Grey and wonder — vanilla, citrus, black currant — are standouts) on the floor at a given time ($10.50-$26) and hosting candle-making classes (usually twice a month on Saturdays), The Candle Bar Co. also provides a unique service — candle refills. Customers can bring back their old jars for a 30% discount or bring in a candle container of their own — even quirky ones like mugs — for $1 per ounce. It’s a bonus level of sustainability that may bring some mental peace even after the wick has burned away.

In an extremely cozy garage-adjoining shed just a few minutes drive from The Candle Bar Co., Tara Knight of Knightlight Candles plies her trade. Knightlights doesn’t go overboard with varietals — there are nine standard fragrances (like Nightcap’s bourbon, peppered apples and firewood), six in the Spokane Parks line (Manto Park smells of lilacs and roses), and other seasonal additions ($14-$36).

“Candles bring beauty and light and peace,” says Knight. “They’re symbolic of so many things: meditative, spiritual, bringing light. And part of health and well-being is giving back.”

...continued on next page

Holli Brown pours a candle at The Candle Bar Co.

To that end, Knight also brings a very socially conscious approach to her business. For her Curious Candles line, Knight crafts unique scents and then gives 50% of proceeds with local community aid organizations like Global Neighborhood and 90+ Project. Knight’s dream is to eventually expand the business and specifically hire women-in-need to be Knightlight’s employees.

Rocking a more do-it-at-home vibe, Sue Griffith runs Bungalow Candle Studio out of her somewhat crowded apartment in Southgate. Now an empty nester, the former payroll tax accountant uses

the extra space her sons vacated to run the creative business she’s always dreamed of running. While Griffith has built Bungalow into a thriving enterprise that she says needs to move to an exterior studio, there’s something delightfully DIY about her mildly cluttered living room creation space. She packs so much into the tiny space, crafting around 100 varieties of her soy creations like Trails of Mt. Spokane (huckleberry with pine) and Spokane Sweater Weather (cashmere, vanilla cassis, sandalwood) ranging from $10 to $36. Most notably, she offers candles with wooden wicks, which add a comforting crackling to your candle-burning experience. For Griffith the human connection and the memories that scents can evoke make the whole endeavor worthwhile.

“There’s something about burning a candle that can help reduce anxiety, reduce stress. These may not be what the Western medicine world is saying, but in other sort of homeopathic arenas, it’s beneficial to our health,” says Griffith. “This wasn’t just making candles, it was about connecting with people through scent. Scent’s amazing. It’s one of our most powerful senses.”

In terms of pro tips that the three candlemakers offered — do a long first burn, and trim your wicks! While counterintuitive, making sure you do a burn that melts the entire top layer of wax will actually lead to the candle burning evenly, which will extend its life. Short initial burns lead to tunneling (when a crater develops with a lot of wax buildup on the side). Wicks should be trimmed to a quarter of an inch after use to reduce the black smoke the candle creates, minimize soot and lead to longer burns.

No matter what gets your heart a’ burning, Spokane candlemakers have just the thing to make your home a safely scented cornucopia of calming aromas.

Health plans worth a high five.

With Asuris you get more than a health plan. We’re your partner in health too. Whether you need virtual or in-person care at home or help from our local Customer Service team on a Saturday, we’re there for you—and all your family members.

Here for Spokane since 1933.

“LIGHT MY FIRE,” CONTINUED...

Knightlight Candles’ “Curious Candles” line raises funds for community-aid organizations. KNIGHTLIGHT CANDLES PHOTO

Members Michael F., Matt N., & Christa S.

WHERE TO SHOP

LOLO

BY SUMMER SANDSTROM

Alongstanding boutique in Spokane, Lolo carries a wide assortment of items and apparel that embody their tagline, “Unique by Design.”

“We try not to buy all well-known brands,” says owner Lainey LaRue. “That’s the whole point of a boutique, it’s supposed to be different and unique, not a department store, so that’s what we try to do.”

Lainey and her husband, Denny, bought Lolo from the previous owner in 2015, keeping the name but changing the look and feel of the store to fit their personal tastes and ambitions for its future.

Upon walking in, you’ll notice a wide variety of apparel, fun gift items, a wide selection of kitchenware and housewares, and other accessories.

319 W. Second Ave. Lolospokane.com

While you will find some name-brand items at Lolo, the LaRues prioritize buying from local vendors as much as possible.

“Local small businesses are important,” says Denny. “They’re the backbone of any city in my opinion, and they are important parts of the community.”

Recently, the pair made the decision to stop purchasing items from China, a decision they say many of their peers and vendors have begun to make as well.

“This has nothing to do with the people of China,” says Denny. “It’s a statement about the way their government conducts their business throughout the world and the way they treat their people inside of their country.”

Denny says they took a risk by doing so, due to the volume of items made in China, but that it allowed them to be more mindful of where their inventory comes from and support more local and regional vendors.

Giving back to the community is a big focus for the LaRues, as they donate unsold items to local shelters and charities. Lolo also is part of Project Beauty Share, which allows people to drop off gently used beauty products to be distributed to women in need.

“It would be impossible for you to go in here and not find something,” says Lainey. “There’s something for everybody here.”

Lolo owner Lainey LaRue.

LESLIE DOUGLAS PHOTOS

RITTERS GARDEN AND GIFT

10120 N. Division St.

Ritters isn’t just a garden shop, but a great stop to pick up a gift for your outdoorsy, nature-loving friends and family. With a wide selection of houseplants, home decor, pottery, candles, even honey and more, you’ll be sure to find something that incorporates nature into indoor spaces when the weather pushes us indoors. Additionally, Ritters offers classes, such as a cooking class on Nov. 5 in which attendees will learn to make hot and sour zucchini noodles with chef Teague Tatsch, as well as various classes throughout October on pumpkin carving, citrus plant care and how to easily keep houseplants alive.

MIX IT UP

513 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, and 305 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene

With two locations, Mix It Up carries a wide range of vibrant and unique home decor items, gifts and accessories. They also sell a variety of art and goods from local artists, which can also be viewed on their website. Mix It Up has two locations, both on Sherman Avenue but each with a different focus. Mix It Up GIFT is the original location, currently the main stop for your Gurgle Pots, games and fun gifts like bird wine corks, while Mix It Up HOME — their new location — is home to furniture, wall art, throws, pillows and more.

FRENCH TOAST - MAMA & MINI

1170 W. Summit Pkwy.

Parenting isn’t an easy job, so it’s important to find fun and stylish toys, clothes and gifts for any soon-to-be-parents in your life or for your own family. French Toast makes that simple, with a variety of cute toys like puzzles and nesting animals for toddlers, and stuffed animals perfect for younger kids. They carry a wide variety of books, as well as baby clothes, booties and blankets, and clothing for kids sizes 0-7Y. Plus, they have a section of self-care goodies for moms too, including candles, mugs and cozy beanies.

Chef Cynthia Moore’s Mushroom and Lentil Salad

Even as a trained chef, she didn’t give fungi a second thought. That is, until Gem State Mushrooms, a gourmet mushroom farm in North Idaho, brought pounds of Blue Oysters to the American Culinary Federation meeting last March. As ACF president, Monroe had to do something. She sauteed the shrooms, put some on rice, and tasted it.

“I was like, ‘OK. That has flavor. That has texture,’” she says. “Now it was like, ‘All right, what else can we do with these?’”

Monroe is an ACF-certified executive chef, a culinary instructor at NEWTech Prep, and a regular cooking demonstrator at farmers markets, public libraries, and community fundraisers. As a chef, she has supervised kitchens for Gonzaga and chef Chad White. As an ACF coordinator, she has worked with culinary celebrities Duff Goldman, Marco Pierre White and Gordon Ramsay. But she’s happiest as a gracious host and teacher — she spends most of her time feeding and educating her community about the food around them, whether that be Idaho mushrooms, Palouse lentils or the edible weeds in their own backyard.

Monroe donates so much of her time to supporting others, like cooking for the Camp Fire and Christ our Hope fundraisers this fall or providing demos at Kootenai County Farmers Market and Shadle Park Library, that the Spokane Independent Metropolitan Business Alliance honored her as Volunteer of the Year in its first Marmot Awards. She’s been dubbed “The Community Chef” by nonprofits in the area.

Monroe doesn’t care much about specific titles or awards. She mostly cares that people realize that mushrooms can, indeed, be delicious.

Monroe is an unlikely chef. As the child of a restless single mother (Monroe attended 43 different elementary schools), money was tight, and food was mainly sustenance.

“I didn’t know asparagus didn’t come out of a can,” Monroe says. “I had no idea I would like asparagus. I love it. Asparagus is amazing. There’s different kinds! There’s different colors of asparagus!”

Monroe originally went to school for business. After graduating from Spokane Falls Community College, she started car-

ing for her wife’s sick father. Monroe was the only one who could make food that he would eat. Her wife suggested Monroe try culinary school. She found a world of exciting new knowledge and meaningful, service-oriented camaraderie.

Now, when Monroe teaches cooking, she prioritizes three principles: Respect the ingredients. Know where they come from. Highlight each component in the best way

drugs and alcohol, and says she has all the letters her students throw around — BD (bipolar), PTSD, OCD.

She’s willing to talk about her past in the hopes that it can help someone right now. Her experiences have given her an eye that notices when a student is struggling, the attentiveness to listen to them, and the wisdom to know when to be gentle and when to be firm.

“My philosophy is that we are on this journey together,” she says. “I just happen to know how to guide the ship a little bit.”

The kitchen at NEWTech is easy to find, because you can almost always hear Monroe laughing.

“I don’t want to be somebody else’s negativity,” she says. “I’ve seen what

each ingredient, from veggies and lentils to meat and potatoes, shine for what they are. Although, when it comes to her NEWTech students, Monroe has ulterior motives.

“Really, I’m just trying to make them decent humans,” she says. “If I’m lucky, I get to teach them some food. But getting them to be an employable person is our first goal in this environment.”

NEWTech Prep is a skills school in the Spokane Public Schools district. Monroe teaches about 100 students a semester, preparing them with professional skills like punctuality, work experience and resume writing as well as kitchen skills.

Monroe has learned some hard lessons herself. As the “chronic new kid” (See: 43 elementary schools), she was “in a shell” for a long time. She’s had times of abusing

damage that can do. So if I can be somebody else’s light for just even a moment, hearing my barreling laugh up and down the hall — it’s worth it.”

Monroe’s ultimate dream is to have a local grocery processing store, similar to Grange Restaurant and General Store in Snoqualmie Valley, where farmers can bring in fresh produce, Monroe can make dishes with it, and hungry shoppers can come buy or eat. She wants to shorten the local food chain and see to it that food grown locally is eaten locally, so people would be more connected to where their food comes from.

“We rely so much on a grocery store,” Monroe says. “I think we need to start relying on each other.”

Cynthia Monroe

Cynthia Monroe hated mushrooms. She’d see sliced button mushrooms on pizza or at the salad bar — no fun, no flavor, and looked awful, she’d think.

TRY IT YOURSELF Lentils and Mushrooms Over Wilted Greens

FROM CHEF CYNTHIA MONROE:

“I’m a meat-etarian. I grew up on meat, potatoes and things like that. But I value other diets. I find it awesome to be able to make vegan food fun and approachable. For me, I’m not one of those ones where you’ll insult me because you don’t want the chicken on your plate.

“I want people to see that [lentils] aren’t just what you think. I had 5-year-olds eating this because it just looked pretty and they didn’t know, right?”

Servings: 4

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• ½ teaspoon maple syrup (can use honey, agave or other liquid sweeteners)

• ¼ cups neutral oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and sweetener.

2. Drizzle in the oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.

3. If your dressing is too tangy, add more oil, to taste. Season to taste. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The oil will solidify a bit in the fridge. To soften, let the dressing sit at room temp for a few minutes and stir before using.

Mushroom and Lentil Salad

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tablespoons oil, divided

• 16 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced about ¼ inch thick

• 2 green onions, chopped

• 8 ounces choice of mixed vegetables (suggested: carrots, red bell peppers, celery)

• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 ½ cups cooked lentils (canned or cooked from dry)

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon salt and pepper

• 8 cups spinach, kale, beets greens, any leafy green that you can wilt in a pan

• 1 teaspoon oil (for wilting greens)

• Garnish: variety of microgreens

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sliced mushrooms and cook, undisturbed, for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add vegetable mixture, green onion and seasoning, toss to combine, and continue cooking until mushrooms are golden and carrots are soft, about 5 to 7 more minutes.

2. Add additional 2 tablespoons oil, along with lemon juice, lentils, salt and black pepper; cook 2 more minutes.

3. Pull mixture from pan, add a splash of oil back to pan, and add greens. Season with one sprinkle of salt and pepper and a dash of granulated garlic. Greens will wilt in two or three minutes. Make sure to stir them around.

4. Add greens to bottom of bowl, top with lentil and mushroom mixture. Drizzle on dressing, add microgreens on top, and enjoy.

For this recipe, the microgreens were from Kerr Microgreens, other greens and carrots were from Courage to Grow Farms, and mushrooms were from Gem State Mushrooms.

— RECIPE COURTESY OF CHEF CYNTHIA MONROE

Water Works

Authentic ingredients — and that includes water — are key for Coeur d’Alene’s Vantage Point Brewing

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

To master the nuanced craft of brewing, Kevan McCrummen, Vantage Point Brewing Co.’s co-owner and head brewer, attended the 151-year-old Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago and spent a month in Germany. But in addition to using traditional German, continental European, and English hops and grains, McCrummen is very particular about the water he uses.

As your bladder is well aware, beer can be upwards of 95 percent water. The remaining ingredients are variations of hops, malted grain and yeast, and perhaps flavor additives like coffee or fruit. But water is crucial to the process. So McCrummen’s starts his brewing regimen by transforming tap water according to exact standards based on the beer’s country of origin.

“I carbon filter the water, dechlorinate it, soften it and put it through a reverse osmosis system — it pulls all the minerals out — and then I rebuild the water based on the water profile of the origin beer,” McCrummen says.

Pilsner, for example, has a soft water profile, so he adds magnesium and calcium back in before brewing. That ensures a chemical profile close to water that might have been used in Czechoslovakia, where pilsner originated more than 180 years ago.

“A lot of American breweries, they Americanize other countries’ beers,” says McCrummen. These beers, he adds, are “usually more

DAVID ZAHRADNIK PHOTOS

hoppy, they have more flavor, aroma or bitterness” than the original version that inspired it.

McCrummen starts his brewing process by looking into a beer’s history, including where it first came from, before building a plan. “All the beers that I brew I try to brew true to the origin of the beer style,” McCrummen says.

“Theoretically the goal is to have, like a true Munich-style Helles lager when you come here. And a true Mexican lager profile. Or a true London porter experience,” McCrummen says.

Though there’s plenty of beer on tap, Vantage Point, which is located in Coeur d’Alene’s burgeoning east end, is a family-friendly venue for anyone looking for a less “pubby” brewpub.

The two-story space has an industrial vibe, with a concrete floor and behind the bar, a wall of Japanese-style charred wood known as shou sugi ban. The wood is a nod to McCrummen’s connection to firefighting as well as the Northwest’s historical fire lookout towers. A fire lookout tower is also incorporated into the brewery’s logo.

“I lived in Portland, Seattle and Chicago,” McCrummen says, noting that he wanted a more urban vibe that still conveyed aspects of the Northwest.

Vantage Point offers a large outdoor space and kids’ play area stocked with toys, games and books, and this fall, live music is slated for Tuesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

“Our whole thing was that we wanted to be a center in Coeur d’Alene for recreation and entertainment,” McCrummen says.

BOWERY

STORY BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM • PHOTOS BY YOUNG KWAK

Bowery offers every moment of a day in Paris — pastries and espresso in the morning, elevated dinner in the evening, cocktails and mystique late at night. It marries Northwest flavors with classic French techniques, seeking the elegance of French food, but ditching the snobby French ego. French cooking isn’t so much a cuisine, executive chef Todd Andrews says, as an extreme attention to process. It is an invitation to experience expert craftsmanship, the way you would admire a skilled musician or a polished athlete.

“Every food comes from French food, even the simple, three-ingredient Italian food,” Andrews says. “It’s not necessarily that it’s a French dish, but the idea behind it — the technique behind it, the prep behind it, how we approach it and how we look at it — is almost purely based in French cuisine.”

BOWERY

230 W Riverside Ave boweryspokane.com

Bowery is the place to go whether you can recognize great French food or are desperately trying to figure out what all the hype is about. Thoughtful and unique flavor combinations are approachable and tempting. Gnocchi and hazelnut. Salmon and morel. Duck breast and grape.

Bowery has a comfy interior of exposed brick and wrought iron scrolling, like a French patio brought indoors. It hints at avant garde with an acrylic galaxy painting in the dining room.

Service is laid back and friendly, the kind you might find at your favorite local cafe. No one is in black tie, and you probably won’t geek out with your server about wine pairings. But you’ll be welcomed, pampered and well-fed for much less than a ticket to Marseille.

MORE TO CHECK OUT THE UNITED

5016 N. Market St.

The United Building is a collaboration between Bellwether Brewing, Derailer Coffee and Locos, a new Tex-Mex extension of The Grain Shed by chef Victor Lewin. The building’s first floor is a modern food hall featuring all three businesses. Each has its own kiosk facing a bright, open seating area where everyone can eat, drink and meet new people.

Lewin calls the food at Locos “modern redneck cuisine,” with creative takes on comfort foods like barbecue ribs, tacos and pulled pork sandwiches. But he’s got dishes for meat-ers and vegetarians alike, like his famous portobello mushroom burger.

KONALA

107 E. Seventh Ave., Post Falls

There is no frying of any kind at Konala, no high-sugar beverages, and the menu is nearly gluten-free. All meals are also high in protein and comparatively low in sodium — even lower in fat — says Trace Miller, who opened the Post Falls eatery with his wife, Jammie, in May.

Six full-size and six other mini bowls on Konala’s menu offer around 40 grams of protein and allow for a choice of base: greens, rice, half greens and half rice, or cooked multigrains. Sauces are served on the side so you can decide how much sauce, if any, you want.

And if your companion at Konala’s drive-thru or walk-up window is canine, the pooch gets as good as you’re getting.

SKEWERS

1007 W First Ave.

Spokane’s No. 1 food truck for four years running takes up permanent residence in the spaces previously known as Scratch Restaurant and Rain Lounge. Armenian chef Mirak Kazanjian of Skewers teams up with Chef Michael Wiley to offer authentic shawarma and falafel to Spokane five days a week.

In the lounge area, Skewers offers a convenient counter service for lunch, plus a late-night weekend hang-out space with great snacks and nonalcoholic options. Family-style sit-down meals will be served in the other half of the restaurant, which also can be rented out for events.

By serving up traditional Armenian food, Kazanjian creates a safe gathering space for the Armenian community, while educating the city about the historic and current violence that Armenians face.

Armenian cuisine at Skewers.

Exploring the Positive

Whitworth University’s Patricia Bruininks ponders the meaning of hope

BY RENÉE SANDE

Patricia Bruininks had no idea she would study hope when she attended Hope College in Michigan as an undergraduate in the mid-1990s. Perhaps it was a sign, though, of where her path would take her.

It wasn’t until she made her way to the University of Oregon for her doctorate in social psychology and was studying decision-making that she became curious about what are called “anticipatory” emotions — feelings like desire, want, wishing and hope.

“I thought how do emotions like hope or fear affect the decisions you make or even your decision-making strategies? Then I got interested in what exactly is hope and how do you define it and how is that different from optimism,” Bruininks said.

So what defines hope? “It turns out hope gives you a little bit more license, there’s more possibility; optimism is a bit more tied to reality — it’s based on likelihood and probability.” Think of it like this: While optimism may be seriously tamped down when the chances of success are minimal, we can still hold out a glimmer of hope.

As a professor at Whitworth University for 16 years,

in addition to teaching courses like stats and senior thesis, Bruininks has created her own classes into which she says “hope is inherently woven,” including Psychology of Poverty, Psychology of Emotion, and Psychology of Consumerism

“I get bored really easily so I create courses,” Bruininks says with a laugh. “I’ve been really lucky that I’m able to do that here.”

Named most influential professor in 2010 and 2018, her courses are popular among students.

“I think what appeals to them so much about the topic [of hope] is how much they need it right now,” she says. “It’s especially relevant given the world today — climate change, the disrespect between political parties, the lack of trust in institutions — or really, what it will look like 30 years from now.”

Bruininks, who has two grown sons and enjoys camping and photography, is also an avid traveler. She’s led student trips to Tanzania to explore the psychology of poverty, including not only the effects of deficiencies in material goods, but also the spiritual and social implica-

ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

tions for people experiencing poverty.

“I would see these [Tanzanian] kids just playing, and while they had so little, they were so joyful. The contrast was eye-opening. I just felt so bad for American children. Like we have so much, but yet we’re so lacking,” reflects Bruininks. “This joyfulness, I don’t even see it in my life, yet I lead a very comfortable life.”

To study poverty in the U.S. firsthand, a few years ago Bruininks conducted an “urban plunge” into the homelessness situation in Spokane. It was eye-opening for both the professor and her students. “Probably the best church service I’ve ever been to was at the House of Charity. They were the most real and raw people. It just blows your conception of what community means. I learned just how much I didn’t know about that whole culture,” she says.

I am always moved by how powerful their stories are…

After the class, students expressed how the plunge changed their attitudes about people they otherwise would have avoided. “They would instead try to talk to them,” Bruininks says. “It’s just people being people, it’s seeing similarities with people whom you think you couldn’t be more different from.”

Bruininks is looking forward to resuming her cross-cultural investigation into hope, with early-stage plans for returning to Tanzania. “I’m really interested in the language of hope, like what do we mean when we say we’re ‘hoping’? How do we communicate that with each other? How do other cultures communicate that? Or do they?” Bruininks says. “How we [in the U.S.] openly talk about emotion is really unusual worldwide. In some countries, it’s just something that occurs between two people, and they’re not open to sharing with strangers necessarily. I want to figure that out.”

And she’s looking forward to her consistently sold-out January term course, called Love, Altruism and Forgiveness. (Each January, Whitworth students spend the month focused on a single class.)

“Oh my gosh, I love that class,” Bruininks says. “The class shows them the immense power of love, why love isn’t perfect and how we connect this to hope. We look at altruism from an evolutionary perspective, and they — hopefully — gain an appreciation for its presence, not only in humans but also in animals. They explore why compassion is difficult to engage in at times. And they see the hope in forgiveness,” Bruininks explains.

“On the last day of class, each person shares how they have seen love in their own lives. I am always moved by how powerful their stories are and how vulnerable they are willing to be with one another.”

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