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BY ANNE McGREGOR
Planning for our Health & Home holiday issue began way back in July and focused on what we thought was easily the most meaningful element of the Thanksgiving and holiday seasons — enjoying celebrations with friends and family! So you’ll find lots of ways to enhance your festivities scattered throughout this fun-filled issue.
We had a great time working with Jamie Roberts of Spokane Valley’s Three Birdies Bakery to imagine and then create the magical cookies for our cover. (Yes, they’re real, and yes, they were delicious.) And she shares her story and pro tips (page 48) for having your own cookie decorating party.
We visited Dry Fly distillery to learn about their expanding business and picked up a recipe for a delicious little holiday cocktail (page 60) that’s easily adapted to a party pitcher. You’ll find not one but two DIY holiday crafts (page 36), and our own Inlander team shares their holiday memories and traditions (page 42) — including some special family recipes.
And if, or when, it all starts to get a little overwhelming, refer to our 10 tips for happier holidays (page 26). Writer E.J. Iannelli sought out local and national experts for advice on how to better manage all those holiday demands.
Cheers!
VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ is a writer at the Inlander with regular contributions focused on news coverage in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. As a former resident of rural North Idaho and also a nature enthusiast, writing about breathtaking wildlife photography by Stacy Gessler for this issue of Health & Home was a unique opportunity for him to take readers along for a peek behind the camera.
ELIZA BILLINGHAM is an Inlander writer who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and has spent time in Boston and Vietnam. Like any good suburbanite, she loves brunch, which is why she was thrilled to interview House of Brunch’s executive chef Alex Szambelan for this issue’s chef profile. While she and Szambelan agree that savory breakfasts are superior, she can’t agree with his distaste for carbs in the morning. She loves pancakes, waffles, or muffins at any time of day.
SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home
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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 $3 per issue: call x213. Reaching Us: Editorial: x262; Circulation: x226; Advertising: x233 COPYRIGHT All contents copyrighted © Inland Publications, Inc. 2024. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.
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BY MADISON PEARSON
There’s always been a market for amazing musicians covering popular songs in unique ways. Vitamin String Quartet has been on that train since 1999! At this show at the Fox, the ever-rotating cast of musicians are performing the music of mega pop star Taylor Swift, popular Netflix show Bridgerton, music from K-pop group BTS and much more. Their heartfelt renditions of contemporary music bring new life to old favorites, and you might even walk away with a new artist to check out thanks to their fresh takes. This event blends the classical with the contemporary, truly making it an experience that everyone can enjoy. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Sat, Nov. 23 at 7:30 pm, $25-$45, foxtheaterspokane.com (MP)
Did you grow up in a Turkey Trot family? Were you forced to do a 5K with your family before digging into Thanksgiving dinner? If so, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Or… you can make new Turkey Trot memories at the Huffin’ for the Stuffin’ Turkey Trot this Thanksgiving Day! Head down to Riverfront Park with your family and/or friends and work for that delicious pie that I know you’ll be eating later. The course is relatively flat, making it a great activity for people of all ages and abilities. It also serves as a great opportunity to bond with the people who you’re most thankful for in life. Thu, Nov. 28 at 9 am, $35-$45, Riverfront Park, runsignup.com/Race/Info/WA/Spokane/TheTrot
Spokane is known for many things. The beautiful lilacs that bloom in springtime, the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament and, of course, our connection to multimedia renaissance man Bing Crosby. Crosby lived in Spokane from around 1906 until 1925, when he left in search of his big break in Hollywood with pal Al Rinker. The Bing Crosby Advocates, some of Bing’s biggest and most enduring fans, are back with their annual showcase of Bing’s best holiday films for the 18th year. On the slate this year is Here Comes the Groom, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court and, of course, White Christmas The films will be introduced by Spokane historian and narrator Tom McArthur and the Bing Crosby Advocates’ own Carol Capra. The Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave., Sat. Dec. 7 from 11 am-9 pm, $20; free for 17 and under, bingcrosbytheater.com
In my opinion, it’s never too early for holiday music. The joy of the holidays should be able to be felt (and heard!) year-round, but I digress. If you become overwhelmed with love for holiday music right as the air cools down in October, then the Spokane Symphony is eagerly awaiting your attendance at their annual Holiday Pops showcase. Featuring the Spokane Symphony Chorale and Spokane Area Youth Choirs, the program is filled to the brim with popular holiday tunes and even includes an audience carol singalong and a visit from Santa Claus. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Dec. 17-18; Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 3 pm, foxtheaterspokane.com (MP)
Northwest Winterfest debuted in 2015 as the Washington State Chinese Lantern Festival. And people loved it. Describing himself as “overwhelmed by the welcome from the local community” after the event’s first year, founder and organizer Sam Song has since dedicated himself to creating an annual event.
Now each new iteration of Winterfest brings fresh displays, crafted by Winterfest’s team of artisans in Zigong, China, who use traditional techniques
to make Chinese lanterns, Spokane-style. New this year are 40-foot animatronic dinosaurs based on real fossils found in Zigong — this is the part of the exhibit Song is most excited about.
Visitors will also find a glowing menagerie of pandas, dragons, axolotls and more. Painted trees representing different cultural groups are a highlight. Evening entertainment features local choirs and bands, and patrons can look forward to other traditional performances representing countries from around the world as well. Scavenger hunts offer the chance to win a nightly grand prize of at least $100, and there’s even a photo booth.
Song says it is “a treat to be able to do something like this for the community.”
— JOHN BERGIN
Northwest Winterfest • Fri, Nov 29 to Tue, Dec. 31, open Fri-Sun and select Thursdays • $10-$17, family pass $43, children under 10 free with paid adult • Spokane County Fair & Expo Center • 404 N. Havana • northwestwinterfest.com
We’re always searching out interesting and noteworthy projects at H&H, and we’re happy to report that two buildings we’ve featured have recently been honored with awards.
THE ROWE HOUSE, featured on our August/ September 2023 cover, has been chosen as the Spokane Preservation Advocates’ 2024 Residential Rehabilitation category winner.
“Annually, we award people or organizations that have done outstanding preservation work in the community,” Executive Director Dave Shockley says, noting that 11 projects were singled out this year. “The Rowes put the house back in its original condition — and did an excellent job. And they furnished the house in the character of its vintage.
munity, in addition to sponsoring several events each year, including the Autumn Tour of Historic Homes.
ton Council. Each year, the organization “celebrates the best examples of what can be realized when architects and civic clients work together to
STORY BY JOHN GROLLMUS
PHOTOS BY OLIVER IRWIN PHOTOGRAPHY
F or as long as I can remember, winter has been my favorite season.
I’ve been skiing at Schweitzer since I was 6 years old, and at a very young age it became one of my favorite places to be.
As I grew older and became a better and more adventurous skier, I began to ski beyond the boundaries of the resort. When I was finally lucky enough to buy my first home on the mountain, I started to experiment with out of bounds routes to ski home.
On one particularly glorious sunny winter day as I wound my way through towering trees freshly blanketed in snow, I came upon a view that stopped me literally in my tracks. As someone who had skied at Schweitzer for 25 or so years at that point, I had seen epic views of Lake Pend Oreille from a wide array of vantage points, but this one was different. At that moment I found what I still believe to this day is the best view of the lake and surrounding mountains that can be found anywhere. I told myself right then and there that if it ever became possible, I would buy that piece of land and build my dream home on it. Of course, I was a young man at that point and such a thing was well beyond my means, but one must have dreams.
...continued on page 15
There was always one looming problem, however: A dream this big needed the right partner to share it with.
As time passed and the resort grew, roads began to pop up everywhere. My secret backcountry dream home location became more connected to the developed area, and the possibility of buying and building there became more and more real. There was always one looming problem, however: A dream this big needed the right partner to share it with. After all, not just everyone wants to invest a huge part of their life and savings into building a dream home on a remote mountaintop that’s 10 feet deep in snow for a big part of the year.
That final stumbling block fell by the wayside when a long chairlift ride with a very special human led me to my future wife. The best part? She already lived just down the street from me on the mountain and loved skiing every bit as much as I did. Needless to say, the property that took my breath away so many years ago became ours pretty quickly, and that’s when the real fun started.
Together we started to dream about the possibilities and realities. We put the experiences we had both learned from after so many years on the mountain together and began to create design ideas. Of course, to really move things forward we had to find just the right people first to design the home, and then to build it. Fortunately, as it turned out, we already knew those particular individuals. A good friend of mine, Matt Melcher, whom I’d known since high school, was the architect behind some amazing projects. My wife, Kim, went to high school with the brother of a top-notch custom home builder who conveniently loved building homes on the mountain. After a couple of initial meetings, it became official: Our home would be designed by Matt through Uptic Studios out of Spokane, and it would be built by Lance Spielman, owner of Spielman Construction, based in Sandpoint. Who knew those high school contacts would come in so handy? As it turned out, our friendships with both became instrumental in creating the best possible house and home we could dream up.
Our home is also a place to celebrate skiing, which it does in many ways.
A shared love of skiing is what brought Kim and me together, and it became a staple in the design of our home. Kim is a lifelong professional ski patroller, and I am a backcountry ski guide, so when I talk about our mutual love of skiing you can be sure I mean it. We wanted a house that embodied the soul of skiing while also capturing and embracing that moment so many years ago when the view stopped me in my tracks.
Fortunately, with a little help from our team, we were able to do just that. From the moment you enter the house, you are enveloped in the view. Surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass and a dramatic floating stairway framed by windows nearly three stories high, you almost feel like part of the lake itself. Our shared love of clean lines combined with neutral tones and minimal distractions helps to draw the eyes to the majestic surroundings and the natural beauty that brought us here in the first place.
Our home is also a place to celebrate skiing, which it does in many ways. When Kim needs to be at work early for avalanche control work, she often skis down from the house before the plows have even cleared the roads. On the days neither of us works, we often ski home for lunch. When we find ourselves skiing powder laps until the lifts close, the house patiently awaits our arrival. Boot dryers stand at the ready for frozen boots, heated concrete floors await chilled toes, the hot tub beckons to soothe aching muscles, and Crock Pot wonders fill the kitchen with spicy aromas. Before dinner, we settle in with a warm beverage and put our feet up by the fire while we soak in the wonderous canvas of trees and snow-covered slopes that surround us.
...continued on page 19
Architect: Matt Melcher, Uptic Studios
General contractor: Lance Spielman, Spielman Construction
Floating stairs: Steve Peck Fabrication
Wood windows: Loewen Timber Curtain Wall System
Steel windows: Western Window Systems
Interior materials: Northwest Trends
Furniture procurement: Uptic Curated
Of course, nothing this magical comes about without some adversity. When we were just getting rolling into the project, COVID hit and the world came to a standstill.
We couldn’t visit display rooms to pick tile or countertops or cabinet hardware. Furniture stores certainly weren’t allowing people to browse. Supply chains for everything seemed to be broken. During these times we leaned into our team. We used Matt’s experience on previous projects combined with the design flair of the fine folks at Uptic to help translate our tastes into tangible results and products without necessarily seeing the products in person.
Of course, nothing this magical comes about without some adversity.
Fortunately, construction itself was deemed essential, so Lance’s progress moved forward. He became a part of our “COVID circle,” and his close understanding of our personalities and preferences became the pathway to take our abstract ideas into a concrete construction reality, though the process wasn’t without its struggles. As Horace so wisely put it, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.”
We are delighted to o er this historic venue for you to plan and celebrate your special occasion.
Our space combines charm and elegance, promising an unforgettable experience for you and your guests.
But after every last wall was up, every window installed, every yard of concrete cured, and all the paint was dry, our home — once just a dream — was indeed born.
Now when the front door opens and friends walk in for the first time, they are often left speechless by the view. Once settled in, they frequently comment on the quality, detail and craftsmanship of the design and build. Finally, for those who stick around long enough to go skiing, we all get to enjoy what was once just the dream of a young skier who stopped in the woods, on a glorious day, surrounded by all the beauty that a North Idaho mountaintop has to offer.
Transforming your space for the holidays — an activity that should be merry and bright — can sometimes feel like a chore. There always seem to be more boxes of decorations than you remember from last year!
And then there’s the matter of actually choosing what to display where.
Do you stick with a classic theme or try something out of the box? Go all in with nostalgic, homemade items or do a total refresh? Whether you’re looking to bring trendy decor into your space or keep things classic, we have tips from local holiday experts.
Obviously the holidays are big business. But did you know local shop owners start getting ready for the season really early in the new year? The holiday decor season begins in January with wholesale shows that are held in Dallas, Las Vegas and Atlanta.
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After a trip to Dallas, Ritters Garden and Gifts general managers and buyers Denise Thompson and Kirsten Wyman came back with plenty of new ideas to inspire shoppers. Pastel-themed trees, complete with glittery tinsel are in, and so is decor featuring pops of atypical colors — not just the more standard red, green and white — and crystal accents are adding sparkle to any color theme.
Decorate the Halls...
The more natural “lodge look” is also on trend with pieces featuring mixed wood, brown and tones combined with golden yellows and sage green accents. Black and gold elements also work well with this look.
Mulberry Market owner Hannah Carlson also traveled to the new year shows and noted the emphasis on “whimsical woodland” themes. Think green and terracotta decor, and consider populating your displays with forest creatures such as deer, hedgehogs, owls, squirrels and foxes. Carlson was surprised by the abundance of another natural feature: mushrooms, in colors bright or subdued, and crafted from diverse materials, including wood and velvet. For Mulberry Market, “We’re bringing more of the earth-toned mushrooms and woodland mushrooms,” she says.
Natural elements can also play a part. “[With] fresh greens and wreaths, you can decorate with ribbon,” Thompson says. Houseplants — especially rosemary and Norfolk Island pines — can be “dressed up” for the holidays with small ornaments or garlands. And of course, brightly blooming Christmas cacti are a natural fit.
Not all decor has to be new. At the holiday preview shows, sellers who mixed homemade elements with antique, Mercury glass ornaments caught Carlson’s eye. She also noticed natural features like orange slices and pine cones being incorporated for a cottage-core feel.
Spokane’s Danielle Loft, who posts DIY projects on her Instagram account, @themindfulhaven, likes minimalist decor and is careful about bringing too much clutter into her home. So she’s re-
The Candle Bar Co is a boutique in the middle of the Garland District. Come in and shop our large selection of candles, or bring in your container for a refill. We also have goods from over 80 different local, artisans and makers. We are always adding new classes and different events so check out our website for all the latest things.
purposing old items in new ways — like turning old blankets and sweaters into holiday pillows or stockings.
When she does want something new, Loft searches for downloadable holiday prints on Etsy. They’re inexpensive to print out and pop in a frame, and they can be updated from season to season. She’ll also dig through thrift stores for something special, like the two vintage brass trumpets she recently picked up.
“I love to add charm into my home with things that I know are unique that nobody else has because I’m buying it at a thrift store,” she says. “I know it’s one of a kind.”
Fireplace mantels are often a focal point in holiday decor, and Loft likes to substitute a branch, cut with permission, instead of a mantel garland. The asymmetrical look offers a fresh take that’s festive yet inexpensive.
“I come from a more simplistic, innovative mindset of ‘How do I make this work out?’” she says. “I like the creative process. Most people would go, ‘Oh, I don’t want to make my own garland.’ Well, I love making things. It’s really rewarding to work with my hands and take nothing and make it into something,” she says.
Carlson agrees with that mindset. She’s nestling wicker baskets into tree branches and then putting decor elements into the baskets to complete the look. She’s even using small cheese boards as shelves to enable display of things like gingerbread houses right on the tree branches.
“Don’t be afraid to add things that you might not think would be decor,” she says. “They could really make something special.”
Ten ways to tame those seasonal “shoulds”
BY E.J. IANNELLI
Autumn and winter are filled with holidays that can leave many of us feeling pressured to make each more special and memorable than the last. Even if you’re not hosting a lavish get-together, the season can be demanding of time and of energy – both physical and emotional.
No wonder a survey initiated by the American Psychological Association last November found that 41% of respondents said their stress levels rose during the holidays. An even greater proportion of respondents (43%) said that seasonal stress interfered with their ability to actually enjoy the holidays.
“Human beings are very adaptable. We adapt to the good and the bad,” says Monica Bartlett, a psychology professor and director of the Office of the Pedagogy of Hope at Gonzaga University.
“When we think about the negative things in our lives, this is a real blessing,” she says, because our innate adaptability allows us to build up a healthy resilience toward discomfort and even painful emotions. “But then, conversely, the same thing happens with the positive. We get used to it.”
By deliberately turning our attention to the things we enjoy about the holidays, we can shake off some of the jadedness and rekindle our appreciation for the positive, even if the experience as a whole isn’t perfect from start to finish.
“You might have this train wreck of a family dinner,” Bartlett says. “But if you ask yourself to notice it, you might say, ‘At least I’m getting to see my grandma who I haven’t seen in a long time.’”
Suzanne Apelskog, who runs the Spokane-based counseling practice Life’s Learning, emphasizes that stress is not a universal experience with a one-size-fitsall solution.
“It’s such a personal thing to each individual,” she says.
However, if you feel the weight of the holidays getting the better of you, there are some basic practices that might ease the burden. What’s more, there’s plenty of research to suggest that the things we associate with Christmas spirit —qualities like altruism, gratitude, philanthropy and fellow-feeling — can be a powerful antidote to stress and the negative feelings it evokes.
Studies have shown that pleasant everyday experiences can lead to more sustained feelings of happiness than a momentous event. For example, the glow you might get from a handful of satisfying interactions with neighbors, co-workers, store employees or family members during a frantic holiday week can radiate a bit longer than the high from one big party.
“Most of us have what’s affectionately referred to as a ‘set point’ for happiness and well-being, and big, positive events make us feel really great. Then pretty quickly we habituate to that greatness, and life goes on,” says Emiliana Simon-Thomas, the science director of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley.
When mundane but uplifting experiences are “woven into” your everyday life, she says, “there’s data to suggest that your set point kind of slowly starts to meander upward. It’s like a small, iterative, incremental benefit to your baseline for feeling happy.”
Paradoxically, shifting focus from your own welfare to that of others — even strangers — has just as powerful an effect on your personal sense of well-being as “treating yourself.”
Simon-Thomas cites one study where economically minded researchers analyzed the Functional MRI scans of participants who were given $5 to allocate in one of three ways: keeping all the money themselves, giving half of it to a charity or giving all of it to charity.
The expectation was that the more charitable the allocation, the lower the subject’s dopamine rush would be. But the researchers found that’s not the case. The participants experienced a positive feeling in all three cases, a finding that countered the cynical assumption that selfishness is a more powerful motivator than altruism.
“Our brains are wired to signal pleasure when we perform an action or a behavior that uplifts the welfare of others. This is one of the primary drivers of compassion as a behavior,” she says.
...continued on next page
Let’s say you’ve taken some time for honest reflection, and you’ve identified something about the holidays that fills you with nothing but anxiety.
That’s where boundaries can be helpful. Instead of spending an entire day with certain family members or friends, for instance, you might agree to spend just a few hours. “When you get around the holidays, people have a lot of ‘shoulds.’ I think sometimes we get focused on saying ‘no’ to them, but it’s really about what you are saying ‘yes’ to,” Apelskog says.
To keep stress reduction from snowballing into a new source of stress, she encourages folks to be “compassionate and graceful” when setting boundaries — and to reciprocate that compassion and grace when others set boundaries of their own. HAPPIER HOLIDAYS...
“Psychological distancing or de-centering,” as Simon-Thomas notes, is the clinical term for thinking of others. And though we get a neurochemical kick out of doing so, it’s equally important not to forget ourselves in the meantime.
“Sometimes people are on the conveyor belt of staying busy,” Apelskog says. “But they’re just so busy that they can’t see what they need to do.” In the run-up to the holidays, with so much extra preparation on their to-do list, people can find themselves even busier than usual. That’s why she recommends slowing down and reflecting on what you want and need. By making a concerted effort to set aside time for introspection — however brief — you can better assess your priorities and determine what’s worth the stress and what isn’t.
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Not all of your reflection or boundary-setting has to be done by yourself. Sometimes turning to a trusted friend or confidant can offer welcome perspective on what reasonable boundaries might look like or how to go about implementing them.
“There’s all kinds of techniques out there to help manage the emotions or the physicality of stress,” Apelskog says. “It’s really about having somebody — a coach, pastor, friend, mentor, counselor, whoever you turn to — help you to reflect a little bit more deeply.”
Rather than shouldering responsibilities alone, asking for assistance can be a good way to alleviate stress while also creating bonding opportunities.
One of the reasons the holidays are so stressful is because we want reality to follow our idealized visions of them. Trying to recreate the meal in the cooking magazine or plan a picture-perfect celebration can be fraught with disappointment, especially when we feel like we’ve let others down.
“People pleasing runs deep. But if somebody’s not pleased, it’s not your responsibility,” Apelskog says.
She recommends trying to manage the pressure of high expectations by practicing gratitude and, if necessary, scaling things down to a more manageable level. It’s particularly good for adults to model that healthy behavior for children, who can bring their own lofty expectations to the holiday season.
“Kids will remember gifts, absolutely, but most often they’re remembering those memories and those times. What’s important is what you create together.”
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“What’s important is what you create together.”
– SUZANNE APELSKOG
Exercise and being outdoors can help reduce stress hormones.
Much like any other time of year, a good way to alleviate stress during the holidays is by engaging in something you love doing. Some activities, like cooking and baking, might even tie into the season’s festivities.
Exercise is a proven stress reducer, too. It’s been shown not only to reduce levels of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol but also to stimulate the production of mood-elevating endorphins. Going to the gym or jogging in the park could even give you a head start on some of your New Year’s resolutions.
But you don’t even need a dedicated hobby to mitigate stress. Something as simple as starting and maintaining a gratitude journal — that is, a simple daily record of things you appreciate in life — can be enough.
In 2023, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory about the epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States. And the holiday season is a time when lack of social connection tends to be felt even more acutely.
“Humans consider one another to be a biobehavioral resource, and being socially isolated is fundamentally stressful,” Simon-Thomas says.
One path out of isolation is through volunteering, which has the dual benefit of purposeful social interaction while also addressing a community need. Whether you ring bells for the Salvation Army or bring a dessert to a neighborhood potluck, a positive biological phenomenon is at work.
“When people engage in helpful behaviors and generous behaviors, particularly when they’re physically in each other’s presence, oxytocin is released in a mutual, synchronous way. It’s a signal to both individuals that they’re safe and protected.”
Expressing your gratitude to someone has myriad stress-relieving benefits — for both you and the recipient. Some conventional forms of gratitude expression during the holidays might be a card or a tip. In Apelskog’s case, she wrote her son a poem every year after he was born and presented them to him when he turned 18.
Building on that idea, Bartlett proposes writing a letter — “not a text, not an e-mail, an actual letter” — of gratitude to an individual who made an indelible impression on your life.
“You can send your gratitude to someone in your life from long ago that you feel you haven’t ever really thanked or haven’t seen for a while and let them know how much you appreciate them,” she says. “It’s a lovely thing to do for someone, reminding them of their beautiful purpose on the planet.”
Will taking vitamins help you have a healthier winter?
BY ANNE McGREGOR
Ask Spokane family physician David Ward about choosing vitamin supplements, and he first offers his best advice: You may not need any. “Most adults get the vitamins and minerals they need from a balanced diet and lifestyle.”
Noting that patients commonly have questions about vitamin supplements, Ward tries to help them explore ways to get those nutrients in a more holistic way.
“Your body can use sunshine to make its own vitamin D,” Ward notes. So he recommends getting out and enjoying any winter sunshine you can. “If you have the means, go up to the mountains — it’s often sunny up there.” He says an office visit with a patient may include a Google search to find arrays of foods that are high in particular vitamins that the patient may be interested in, then he’ll help them to figure out how to incorporate those into their regular diet.
But sometimes supplements do have a role to play in maintaining optimal health. For example, if you can’t manage to get sun exposure during the winter, vitamin D supplements can be helpful, and supplementing can also be important to particular subgroups. Ward says those who are 50 and older and are working on bone health could often bene-
fit from a daily supplement of 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D. “Patients who are feeling down in the winter or during cloudy times, could consider taking 600 IUs,” he says, though these are just general amounts and it’s alway beneficial to consult your own clinician.
Another workhorse in the vitamin world is vitamin C. “If you’re worried about your immune system in the winter months, Vitamin C is absolutely great. It stimulates the immune system, and though it may have only a small effect in preventing colds, it can reduce the duration.
And it will reduce your flu risk,” he says, adding that the annual flu vaccine is another key to a healthy winter.
It’s important to consider that supplements may have unintended consequences. “We do have to remember that vitamins can interact with other medications.” Ward says, and he recommends sharing specifics of any over-the-counter supplements you’re taking with your clinician. “Vitamin B and C usually
• Price does not always equate with quality. Find a trusted brand that has the desired amount of the vitamin.
• Look for a USP verified mark. Products with the mark are certified to contain the ingredients listed on the label, in the stated potency and amount, and in a form that the body can break down to use. These products are free from specific contaminants and manufactured in sanitary and well-controlled locations.
• Check the expiration date.
• Check the label for unexpected ingredients that you may be sensitive or allergic to, such as wheat or eggs.
— DAVID WARD
pass through naturally, but Vitamin A, D, E and K can build up over time, so have a discussion about the right amounts to take.”
Above all, Ward says it’s important to consider supplements as just one element of a healthy lifestyle. Good sleep, healthy relationships, a wholesome diet and plenty of exercise — outdoors in the sunshine if possible — will play a much bigger role in maintaining health than any supplement. “No vitamin or mineral replaces the good stuff in our lives… You can’t eat bad food and take vitamins to catch up!” Ward says.
For 13 days beginning Dec. 3, elaborately adorned Christmas trees surrounded by a plethora of prizes will stand tall in the Historic Davenport Hotel and River Park Square for the annual Christmas Tree Elegance.
The event, which first took place in 1983, is the Spokane Symphony Associates’ largest fundraiser, with proceeds funding the Spokane Symphony’s musical endeavors.
CHRISTMAS TREE ELEGANCE
spokanesymphonyassoc.org
10 S. Post St. and 808 W. Main Ave.
“We’ve had great community support, and while the community supports us, it enables [the Spokane Symphony Associates] to support our symphony and keep it here,” Symphony Associates
President Elizabeth Raol says.
Raol fondly calls the event “dream for a dollar,” as each $1 raffle ticket purchased inches participants toward potentially winning one of the raffle trees.
“We have a variety of trees, and we have two cash trees which are very popular,” says Lori LaFrance, who is chair of the event. “One is cash for $4500 and the other one is for $4000.”
As part of the event, the Spokane Symphony Associates will hold luncheons on Dec. 11 and 12 at the Historic Davenport Hotel with live music from the Spokane Symphony.
“There is a small group of symphony members that come and play at that, and James Lowe will be there to direct it,” LaFrance says.
LaFrance says the organization is always looking for volunteers to help set up and take down displays and to help sell raffle tickets for the event. People can sign up by visiting the Spokane Symphony Associates website.
“Christmas Tree Elegance has grown into the kickoff for the holiday season,” Raol says. “There’s always a diverse number of packages and something for practically everyone.”
1441 N. Argonne Rd., Spokane Valley and 11008 N. Newport Hwy.
In the 1950s, the national nonprofit The Arc was founded with the goal of advocating and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The Arc of Spokane, a chapter of the national organization, carries out this work through its various programs, such as offering support for families and assisting individuals with disabilities transitioning to adulthood. While The Arc of Spokane is best known locally for its thrift stores, the proceeds from the stores go toward supporting Arc programs and advocacy work.
“We hope that people get introduced to The Arc through our thrift store, that they come in and they learn a little bit more about the mission behind the thrift store and what it supports,” says Kelsey Bumgarner, director of development.
Find more info on donating at arc-spokane.org
331 N. Post St.
Kids are filled with boundless curiosity about the world around them, and Spokane’s Mobius Discovery Center aims to foster that eagerness to learn through a variety of fun programs and exhibits to support education in childhood and beyond. Programs focus on STEAM – science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Visit the Children’s Museum and Discovery Center in downtown to explore a rotating array of exhibits and pick up souvenirs and take-home activities at the gift shop. Outreach education programs travel as far west as Yakima and east to the Silver Valley in Idaho.
No matter where kids encounter Mobius, the goal is the same: “Our mission boils down to sparking curiosity and igniting imagination,” Marketing Manager Amanda Gilliam says.
Find more info on mobiusdiscoverycenter.org
audubonspokane.org
Working to connect people with nature and advocate for birds and their habitats in the Spokane area, the Spokane Audubon Society has a number of programs for avid bird watchers and environmental advocates alike. Field trips are organized throughout the year, and from September through May, monthly meetings offer members the opportunity to learn about birds, insects, bats and more through speaker presentations. The society often partners with conservation groups on restoration projects and takes part in the annual Christmas Bird Count.
“I believe that the Christmas Bird Count surveys started here in the ’70s,” says Shenandoah Marr, outreach and conservation coordinator. “We have approximately 50 years of data for this region on birds and what species we’re seeing in what quantity.”
Spokane Audubon Society memberships are $20, with a discounted $10 option for students. Learn more about the Save a Bird group and Christmas Bird count, as well as other programs and events at audubonspokane.org.
BY MATT MASON
Cat owners love their cats, but when it comes to cat pee, they don’t want to see it, smell it or — you get the idea. Ironically, though, knowing your cat’s urinary habits could be what saves its life.
Feline lower urinary tract disease, also known as FLUTD, is a broad term that encompasses multiple disease processes. It includes urinary tract infections, bladder stones and urethral blockages, as well as feline idiopathic cystitis, a common form of the disease that has no true known cause.
Depending on the underlying disease process, it can be difficult to tell whether a cat has a simple UTI or is in need of life-saving care, which might even include emergency surgery.
The disease can present with very subtle clinical signs such as inappropriate urination outside of the litter box. More advanced stages can cause pain, nausea, decreased appetite and vomiting. When urinating, cats may cry out in pain, struggle to or not be able to pee, urinate frequently, or have blood in their urine.
While urinary tract infections and bladder stones can usually be treated with appropriate antibiotics and prescription urinary diets, urethral blockages are an emergency.
Urethral blockages in cats are common and usually occur in young to middle-aged male cats due to the narrowness of their urethra. When the urethra is blocked for
an extended period — most commonly by a buildup of crystals and sediment at the distal urethra — urine begins to back up into the bladder and kidneys and the body is unable to appropriately eliminate nitrogenous waste products and maintain electrolyte balance. This can eventually lead to dangerously high levels of waste products and even fatally high levels of potassium.
Your veterinarian can relieve this condition by inserting a urinary catheter, but when urethral blockages are not caught early enough cats can decline rapidly and these cases may end in humane euthanasia.
When no specific cause is found for an inflamed urinary tract, cats are diagnosed with feline idiopathic cystitis (FIC). Causes for FIC are still unclear, though it’s possible that underlying stressors such as negative relationships among cats living in the same house, abrupt changes in the home environment or moving to a new house, or owners being away from their cats for extended periods of time may play a role.
more hydrated the animal, the less likely it is to suffer from bladder stones and urine crystal formation leading to urethral blockages.
Feeding a high-quality diet designed for the life stage of the cat can also be helpful in preventing this disease. Ask your veterinarian which diet is most appropriate.
Other ways to ensure a cat’s urinary health include maintaining a healthy weight, providing access to clean litter
Be sure to provide plenty of clean water or even consider mixing water with food.
boxes, making time for exercise and play, and creating a safe, stress-free home environment.
There are many things that owners can do to avoid FLUTD in all its forms. At the most basic level, be sure to provide plenty of clean water or even consider mixing water with food to support hydration. The
The big message and point here is to be aware of your cat’s urinary habits. If you have any inkling your cat may have a problem, don’t make the mistake so many others have: Take your animal to a veterinarian sooner rather than later.
Matt Mason is a staff veterinarian at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
INSTRUCTIONS PG. 38
INSTRUCTIONS PG. 40
Clear the table after a meal and enjoy the camaraderie of a crafty evening
There’s no doubt it’s fun to get together with friends and family and catch up on one another’s lives during the holidays. But let’s be honest. There’s only so much to talk over before some members of the group — we’re looking at the young ones — are likely to surreptitiously drift away or resort to phone-scrolling. When the oldies’ conversation inevitably turns to their glory days or, worse yet, becomes contentious, you’re going to need an off-ramp. Having something to keep everyone occupied and engaged offers the chance to not only enjoy casual chatter and laughs together, but also creates a tangible keepsake of the day. And you never know, the little project might someday become a “glory day” reminiscence for one of the young crafters at the table. We enlisted two Spokane DIYers to come up with fun, just-challenging-enough crafts to create a fun and inexpensive crafty holiday event.
PROJECTS ON NEXT PAGE...
BY ASHLEY JONES
This holiday season, add a personal touch to your Christmas decor with these simple yet stylish Embroidery Hoop Christmas Ornaments. These handcrafted ornaments are not only customizable to fit any theme but are incredibly easy to make, offering a warm, cozy aesthetic that you can switch out year after year. Whether you’re crafting alone, creating with family or hosting a holiday crafting party, this project is perfect for any occasion.
I love how these ornaments combine a homemade feel with a polished finish. Their adaptability allows crafters to give them any style they like — whether they’re into boho, vintage, farmhouse or something else entirely, providing an array of fabric squares means everyone will find something they like.
MATERIALS:
• Embroidery Hoops (3 or 4 inches): $2.50
• Fabric (Fat Quarters): $2 per color
• Ribbon (found at most fabric stores or even the dollar store!)
• Wood Beads: $3-5 for assorted colors
• Optional: A hot glue gun for easier assembly (but not required)
You can find all of these materials at major craft suppliers. Or even better, reuse old baby clothes, sweaters or tablecloths for a more personal touch!
Gather and Visualize
Lay out all your supplies. Arrange the fabrics, ribbons and beads in a mix to see what combinations you like best.
Cut Your Fabric
Trim the fabric strips to fit the size of your hoop. Remember, the fabric will be snug once the hoop is closed.
Preview the Layout
Place the fabric strips and ribbons in the order you plan to assemble them. Lay the embroidery hoop over them to get a feel for the finished look.
Optional Gluing
If you want a more secure hold, use a hot glue gun to attach the pieces before placing them in the hoop. Without glue, you can still wiggle the fabric into position to get everything just right.
Close the Hoop
Secure the fabric and ribbons by closing the embroidery hoop around them.
Create the Hanging Loop and Trim
Fold a piece of ribbon in half, string some wood beads on it, and tie the ribbon around the hoop, leaving a loop at the top for hanging. Cutting off the excess fabric in the back is optional but provides a cleaner look.
Add Personal Details
Now for the fun part! Add bows, holiday stamps or little hanging doodads to make each ornament truly unique.
Display and Enjoy
Voila! Your handcrafted ornament is complete and ready to hang.
BY MIEKO TAKESHITA
Festive garlands are a quick way to get into the holiday spirit, but how about mixing up the standard look with something a bit more creative? This tutorial will show you how to quickly construct a handcrafted Origami Garland for an unconventional but eye-catching decoration you can hang immediately. Each crafter can make their own garland, or each guest could craft one or more origami diamonds to string together for a collab garland.
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
SUPPLIES
• 14 sheets of origami paper in colors of your choice (I am using shades of green and pink)
• 8 feet of kraft baker’s twine (I am using gold)
• Scissors
• 12-inch ruler
• Mechanical pencil
• Quick dry tacky glue
• Printer
• Bone scorer (optional)
• Scoring the paper where you need to fold will greatly help you fold straight, crisp lines — and save you some headache!
• Tacky glue is great for this project because it stays liquid long enough to line up your edges but dries quickly so you can build fast.
Measure and cut 8 feet (96 inches) of twine. Tie a small loop at each end, where you’ll eventually hang your garland.
Get the template: Scan the QR code to download the origami template, print it, then cut around the outside edge. Note: Be sure to print at “actual size.”
Cut: On each sheet of origami paper, trace the edge of the template, then cut each of them out.
Score paper: During this step, you will add soft creases to your cutouts to help you fold the paper in a straight line! Analyze the lines on the template; this is where you will be folding the paper. Now, look at your cutout shape. Line up the ruler where a fold should be. Using your bone scorer (or mechanical pencil with the graphite retracted), score the paper by running along the ruler’s edge to create a crease in the paper. Finish scoring the paper according to the template.
Fold paper: Carefully fold a hard crease along each score. At this point, you should be able to see how the diamond shape will come together, with the tabs on the inside.
Glue the top and bottom of the diamond: Draw a thin line of glue on any tab (remember, a little bit of glue goes a long way). Take the neighboring edge, place it on top of the tab, and line up the edges. Lightly press the paper together to flatten the glue. Do the same on the other half of the diamond. You should end up with glued “top” and “bottom” halves, like a clam shell. Glue the diamond onto twine: Take the twine and measure approximately 3.25 inches from the loop. This is where you’ll glue your first diamond. Inlay the twine in the diamond so that it stretches diagonally across the middle. Add glue to the three remaining tabs and close the diamond. Lightly press all three edges to get the glue to stick.
Finish: Measure another 3.25 inches of twine, then glue your next diamond until you’ve filled the twine.
Wherever you decide to hang your garland, it will add a burst of color and distinctive holiday cheer. Happy crafting!
Mieko Takeshita is a creative director by day and sole owner and crafter of Spokane’s Hanami Paper Co., where she makes paper flowers and inspired origami. Find her at @hanamipaperco on Etsy, Instagram and Facebook.
“Poinsettia Drinks — mimosas with cranberry juice instead of OJ. So festive!”
— TRACY MENASCO
Some seasonal traditions — along with a few special recipes — from Inlander staffers
“A couple years ago we got tired of traditional Christmas dinner food. We started doing themed dinners
Previous themes include BBQ, German, Appetizers, Mexican and Italian. My whole family is full of amazing cooks, so it’s exciting to see what everyone brings each year.”
— LESLIE DOUGLAS
“We always make our family macaroni salad recipe with extra pickle juice, to the dismay of my aunt.”
— MADISON PEARSON
“We always have my Gramma’s beef and vegetable soup for Christmas Eve dinner. After dinner’s done, we just put the whole pot of leftovers in the fridge, and then after Christmas breakfast
the soup goes back on the stove so everyone can just dish up lunch whenever they feel like it.”
— COLLEEN BELL-CRAIG
“In our family, inari sushi is made for Christmas Eve every year.
My grandparents and father were born in Hawaii, so we have a fondness for food with a Japanese influence. It takes time and patience to make and it’s well-loved by anyone joining our family.”
— DEE ANN COOK
“Midwest sushi (pickles wrapped in ham and cream cheese).”
— ELIZA BILLINGHAM
“For a Christmas negroni, just add star anise.”
— TOM STOVER
“King Crab legs, lamb chops, a signature cocktail, then red wine, finish off with Hungarian chocolates.”
— CAROLYN PADGHAM
“Decorating
the Christmas tree
is a big tradition in our family. My mom, however, has strict rules about when the tree can go up (after Thanksgiving) and when it has to be down (before New Year’s Eve). After I moved out, I realized I didn’t have to follow these rules anymore and can live my dream of having my own tree up for at least two months because its beauty brings me so much joy! I usually put it up the second weekend of November and take it down the weekend after New Year’s.”
— CHEY SCOTT
“Buying a tree from Hutton Settlement and hiding a pickle ornament in the tree when decorating.”
— TOM
STOVER
“We set up for Christmas the weekend after Halloween in order to experience the joy of the holidays for as long as possible.”
— STEPHANIE GRINOLS
“Rosca
de Reyes,
or Three King’s bread in English, is a baked, oval-shaped bread that my family purchases or is gifted for the Catholic day of Dia de los Reyes on Jan. 6. Everyone cuts a slice, and someone gets lucky with a baby Jesus in their bread. That person is expected to organize the next Christmas gathering the following year or Candlemas in February. It’s a very popular tradition among the Mexican Catholics, and the bread is delicious and is bejeweled with candies and gummies like a crown. My family usually doesn’t wait until Jan. 6 to eat the bread, which pairs well with cocoa, champurrado or coffee.
— VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ
“You basically make a strata — chunks of bread soaked in a mix of eggs and milk and baked into a tasty sliceable brick — but with more flavor. My mom’s brilliant idea was to spread mustard on all sides of the sourdough before chopping it up and putting it in a deep baking dish. Sprinkle that slathered bread with small pieces of ham and turkey (dicing up some deli meat works great), pour the egg mixture on top and sprinkle it with lots of swiss or provolone, and then bake until golden and the egg custard has set. Serve with a nice jam.”
— SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL
“I always make sure to pick out a tag from the Auntie’s Bookstore Angel Tree
on Small Business Saturday, which is when we do pretty much all our holiday gift shopping.”
— COLLEEN BELL-CRAIG
“Christmas became my favorite holiday when I had my daughter.
Seeing the holidays through her eyes and following her lead on fun new ideas has been one of my greatest joys as a parent.”
— STEPHANIE GRINOLS
“Ice skating at Riverfront Park!” — LESLIE DOUGLAS
“Elf on the Shelf pranks and mayhem, walking through the lights at Cowley Park below Sacred Heart.”
— TOM STOVER
“Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra Christmas albums on vinyl.”
— VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ
“Holiday music must NOT be played until after the Thanksgiving dinner! But then the gloves come off.”
— CAROLYN PADGHAM
“I always make sugar cookies using an old family recipe passed down from my great-great grandmother. It wouldn’t be Christmas without our cookies!”
— CHEY SCOTT
“My uncle Ronnie passed away before I was born, but he received a Nurd stress toy for Christmas one year. Each year, we gift someone the Nurd box and they have to pass it on the year after. This has been happening for over 30 years.”
— MADISON PEARSON
“We have personalized stockings. They’re homemade and some are quite embellished. Our son’s partner Austin has had a temporary stocking but is getting a ‘real’ one this year!”
“Having a mug of Rumple Minze spiked hot chocolate while watching The Polar Express.”
— MEGHAN FITZGERALD
DOXEY
Spokane Gallery, formerly called Pacific Flyway Gallery, opened in 1985 as a wildlife gallery, selling things like duck stamps and wildlife art. Current owner Holly Swanson has shifted the focus to serving customers as a gallery and framing shop.
“I’m a certified picture framer,” Swanson says. “It’s important for me to save art for the future.”
That’s why she offers restorative framing services to help preserve pieces that have been damaged in fires or floods.
It’s important for me to save art for the future.
The gallery itself holds a unique collection of art, jewelry and decor from local makers, plus crystals and plants.
Spokane Gallery offers workshops and other events throughout the year, including the Festival of Lights the first weekend in December.
spokane-gallery.myshopify.com
409 S. Dishman Mica Rd., Spokane Valley
“It’s all about lighting up the dark — kind of like the winter solstice but a little bit more fantasy-style,” Swanson says. “We have lighted headpieces, lighted outfits, fantasy lanterns and some stuff like that.”
Learn more at spokane-gallery.myshopify.com and on Facebook.
17325 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley
With over 40 local vendors and a wide array of home goods, decor, clothing and accessories, Mulberry Market offers ample shopping opportunities, but it’s also a haven for DIY learning opportunities. “The workshops are such a big part of our store,” owner Hannah Carlson says. “It’s so fun for someone to come in that’s never done something like that before and get to be creative and learn something new.”
Find classes on a wide array of crafting options, including fused glass, candle or soap making, flower arranging, and painting.
Upcoming events include the Small Business Saturday Shop Hop, in which shoppers who buy something at three businesses — Mulberry Market, Collected Goods and Adorkable Gifts in Liberty Lake — will get a swag bag.
And Mulberry Market is part of November’s Small Business Bingo, featuring 12 participating businesses. The grand prize winner receives $100 gift cards to each store.
203 N. Washington St. Ste. 200A
Located in the Liberty Building right next to Auntie’s Bookstore lies Pottery Place Plus, a gallery featuring works from local artists. Pottery Place Plus was started in 1978 by a group of potters, expanding over the years to include artists of other mediums into the cooperative. Inside the store, you can see a bunch of blown glass pieces, fused and stained glass, ceramics and pottery, jewelry, candles, paintings, and photography from many of the region’s artists. Pottery Place Plus also holds gallery showings, and more information about upcoming events and new arrivals to the store can be found on their social media or website potteryplaceplus.com.
2129 Main St., Coeur d’Alene
The Culinary Stone opened in 2013, serving as a multifaceted stop for all of your culinary needs. Inside you’ll find a collection of gifts for avid cooks and items to add to your own kitchen. Need a quick pick me up while shopping? Stop by The Culinary Stone’s cafe or deli. Additionally, they have a wine shop and wine club, which are aimed to help expand your palate and introduce participants to the world of pairing wine and food. The Culinary Stone frequently holds cooking classes to create dishes like pho and pastries and to teach you how to prepare meats like deer and turkey. For more information, visit culinarystone.com.
STORY BY ANNE McGREGOR
PHOTOS BY LESLIE DOUGLAS
Art has always been a big part of Jamie Roberts’ life.
“I grew up in a very creative household,” she recalls. “My mom was very artsy, very crafty and creative, and drew all the time. And that’s how we hung out — we just colored and painted and drew.”
What Roberts didn’t know as a child was that she’d later realize her calling as an artist via the medium of royal icing.
It all started in 2017 when she was baking cookies with her three daughters for the holidays and posted a photo of the cookies on Facebook. A friend messaged her that if those cookies had been available, she would have bought them.
So for Valentine’s Day, mostly as a lark, Roberts offered her cookies on Facebook, “just to see which 15 of my friends are gonna feel sorry for me and buy some cookies.”
She ended up selling 440 Valentine’s cookies. “Within a month, I had my business license and insurance and everything I needed to start my business.”
By 2020, Roberts, who is entirely selftaught, was doing business as Three Birdies Bakery, baking and decorating cookies full time out of her home kitchen. Last February, she moved to a professional kitchen in Spokane Valley. It was a relief to her, and her husband, for her to have her own separate workspace. But Roberts admits it’s still a struggle to balance her professional and home life. “My brain just does not stop. As a creative, you’re constantly thinking, ‘I could turn that into a cookie,’ or ‘I could be connecting with my customers this way.’”
It’s a busy business, especially during holidays — Christmas and Valentine’s Day are her two biggest — when she’ll bake upward of a thousand cookies a week,
sometimes spending up to 45 minutes doing intricate work on a single cookie.
“I try to take inspiration from the real world, more than I take it from other people’s cookies,” she says, noting that she does not take orders from clients wishing to copy other people’s cookies. “I have a certain style to my cookies. I hand write all my stuff, and I take a lot of pride in the fact that my fonts look really good.”
Roberts’ cookies are also distinctive because she uses a 3-D printer to create her own cookie cutters. She can recreate corporate logos or craft virtually any idea a client arrives
with. She recently printed a variety of shapes — slot machines and dice — for an order from a casino. And she’s responded to some amusing requests over the years. One of her favorites was an OB/GYN who treated the office staff to “very detailed vagina” cookies. Another favorite was the church group that requested “dabbing Jesus” cookies.
With so much effort going into producing each cookie, is she ever sad that all her artisanship gets, well, digested?
“There are some orders where I wish that I could just save them,” Roberts acknowledges. “But if people say, ‘They’re too pretty to eat!’ my response is, ‘I’ll make you more.’ I’ve made peace with the fact that I’m here to make things to be destroyed. I bring a lot of people joy, so it’s OK.”
...recipe on page 52
INGREDIENTS:
• ⅓ cup meringue powder
• ¾ cup water
• 2 pounds powdered sugar
1. Whisk meringue powder into the water until frothy.
2. On low speed of your mixer, slowly add in the powdered sugar.
3. Once incorporated, raise speed to medium and mix approximately three minutes or until the icing turns white and has a smooth toothpaste-like consistency.
4. To adjust consistency: Stiffen icing with additional powdered sugar; thin by spritzing with small amounts of water at a time.
Find Jamie Roberts’ cookie kits at threebirdiesbakery.com. Roberts also teaches cookie classes at the Kitchen Engine. Go to thekitchenengine.com to see the schedule and sign up.
One reason Jamie Roberts moved her business to a commercial kitchen was because it was a challenge working at home with “three inquisitive kids.” Her advice on decorating cookies with young kids? “Keep it simple. Kids are easy. They’re going to eat it as soon as they’re done.”
For the most basic cookie party, Roberts recommends getting canned frosting and tinting it with food coloring. Pop a dollop of frosting in a zip-close bag and snip a corner to create a piping bag for delicate work; plastic knives for bowls of frosting will suffice for more uninhibited young artists. The soft creamy frosting on these cookies will be easy to smear and ready to eat the minute the decorating is finished.
Royal icing, used by professional bakers, is “finicky,” Roberts says, noting that the consistency can vary. But this pro-style frosting offers the opportunity for creating fine lines and details that can provide a more challenging and artistic option for older kids and adults. Roberts says her recipe for royal icing can sit on the counter for a week, in the fridge for three weeks or in the freezer for six months.
Royal icing of a thicker consistency can be piped delicately through a small tip onto a cookie for distinct details. Or the icing can be watered down a bit, put into a piping bag with a broader tip and “flooded” onto the cookie to create a smooth, solid finish.
For the houses Roberts made for Health & Home, she first coated the cookies with a light layer of white frosting that was allowed to dry. Next she outlined the windows in red with a narrow tip piping bag, then flooded the rest of the house around them, using the outlines as a sort of dam to prevent the frosting from flowing everywhere. A tiny brush helped make sure the flood reached every nook and cranny. The “flooded” cookies need to dry as long as overnight before additional layers of decorative piping can go on top.
— ANNE McGREGOR
of
Alex Szambelan is an unexpected champion of the bougiest meal
BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM
Brunch. For guests, it means bottomless mimosas, cozy childhood classics and all the hot goss. For employees, it usually means entitled customers, unreasonable requests and hungover managers.
But for Alex Szambelan, brunch pretty much saved his career.
Szambelan is the executive chef at House of Brunch, the glitziest and glammy-est of breakfast spots in downtown Spokane. It’s an ironic twist of fate for the Colfax native who grew up eating his meals at normal hours and not giving the time of day to avocado toast.
But right when Szambelan was about to burn out on a chef’s steady diet of hectic services and late nights, he found brunch. Or rather, brunch found him.
He had been the chef at South Perry Lantern for about a year, helping Jeremy Tangen open the popular neighborhood spot in 2021. Before that, he had almost abandoned the stress of the kitchen completely.
“South Perry Lantern definitely got me back into it,” Szambelan says. “But I was starting to falter up there when my now-wife and I were getting more serious and we wanted more time together. I’d come home when she was already in bed, and then she’d leave for work while I was sleeping off the night before. We barely ever connected. So, the Lantern got me back into my passion for cooking and creating and working with my crew and running a restaurant. But then this place gave me the work/life balance I need to keep it alive.”
Szambelan wasn’t exactly destined for fine dining. Growing up, his go-to afternoon snack was a Tony’s pizza straight from the Pizzazz Pizza oven.
“I wasn’t a good cook,” Szambelan says. “But my grandmother was a wonderful cook, and she taught me a little bit. She wasn’t around for a lot of my formative years, since she passed away when I was relatively young. But I inherited all of her recipes, so I’ve got like 10 boxes full of stuff. She came up learning to cook during the Depression era, where you had to do what you could with what you had. That’s a lot of what informs my cooking style — I like taking the scraps or reusing other stuff.”
Szambelan originally went to Washington State University to get a criminal justice degree, which his dad promised was easy. Szambelan got kicked out during the first quarter because his grades were so bad. He reapplied, got back in and did enough of his coursework to stay in. But he also took a part-time job with the university’s food service team.
“I got hired as cook’s help, which I wasn’t really expecting,” Szambelan says. “I had worked in kitchens a little bit in high school — I was just a dishwasher for a local retirement home, and I cooked like one night once and was stupid enough to put it on the resume. But when I went to find a job, I applied to be a server. The chef and the front of house manager shared an office, and the chef got to the office before the front of house manager. I was sitting there for my interview, and he was just glancing at my resume, and he said, ‘Hey, you’ve got some cooking experience. You want to be a cook instead of a server?’ I was like, ‘God yes. I hate people. I want to be in the back.’ And he’s like, ‘Alright, cool. Let’s get the hell out of here before the front of house manager shows up.’ He pulled me into the kitchen, and I’ve been cooking ever since.”
Szambelan found himself skipping class to put on catering events. After graduating from WSU, he eventually went to culinary school at Spokane Community College, which is accredited by the American Culinary Federation and meets the same standards as top programs around the country.
“The ACF calls us the blue-collar culinary school, because you might not get all the fancy stuff, — you don’t get to meet Bobby Flay
I like all the steps and all the techniques to make something that's relatively cheap into something that looks, tastes and smells amazing.
or watch somebody break down a whole tuna — but you will know how to work in the industry by the time you’re done.”
Culinary school meant Szambelan could learn with his hands, which he says fit him much better than book learning. But he was also the kind of student who could digest Harold McGee’s entire classic On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, almost 900 pages of intense, intricate food expertise.
Szambelan fell in love with all 300 chemical reactions that happen during caramelization, and the ratios that speed up emulsifications, and the way that a smear of ketchup will make the sear and braise on a chuck flap immeasurably better. Of the 21 students who started in his class, Szambelan was one of three who graduated. He had perfect attendance and a perfect GPA.
While still in culinary school, Szambelan had begun working at the Davenport Grand. He started as their overnight baker, and eventually moved up to banquet lead. He then took a summer off to work at Stock Farm Club in Montana, a premier golf course and the kind of place where bil...continued on next page
lionaires will pay a whole lot of money to be treated like a regular person, Szambelan says.
It was his first foray into extreme fine dining, an experience he prefers to make but not to eat.
“I’m the kind of guy who will make this and then go get a McDonald’s cheeseburger for myself, because that’s what I want to eat,” he says.
It’s exciting to get to work with really exotic or exclusive food. But, like grandma, like grandson. Szambelan’s favorite style of cooking prioritizes time over ingredients.
“I like all the steps and all the techniques to make something that’s relatively cheap into something that looks, tastes and smells amazing, and that people will pay money for,” he says. “I like to focus on the labor more than the product.”
House of Brunch is owned and operated by Jackson Connery and Brad Duffy, who both have experience at Gozzer Ranch, a celebrity spot in Coeur d’Alene similar to Stock Farm. When they tapped Szambelan to come cook for them, the trio realized his familiarity with the fine dining world but grounded level-headedness would be the perfect combination for a high-end but welcoming brunch spot in Spokane.
Now, Szambelan gets to make cool food all day and be home in time for dinner.
“That is probably the best part about this job,” Szambelan says. “I mean, the food is amazing, and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a great team and a great kitchen to work for. But the owners, having been in the industry for as long as they have, are the kind of owners that you want because they’re the guys who understand the day to day to day struggles that service industry workers go through.”
If you’d like to make savory salmon mousse crepes like the ones at House of Brunch, here is Chef Alex’s favorite crepe recipe. He tops his crepes with tzatziki made with creme fraiche, deep fried capers, fresh tomatoes and a poached egg.
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 large eggs
• ¾ cup whole milk
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup Grand Marnier
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 Tablespoons melted butter
• ¼ teaspoon salt (for savory crepes)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse together.
2. Refrigerate for at least one hour. The batter will be useable for up to 48 hours.
3. Coat a small nonstick pan with spray and place over medium heat.
4. Add one ounce of batter to the pan and swirl to coat the pan evenly.
5. Cook for 30 seconds and then flip. Continue cooking for 10 more seconds.
6. De-pan the crepe and stack under a clean tea towel to keep warm until serving.
A note from Chef Alex: “This is a very versatile recipe. We at House of Brunch use it as a filling for crepes, but it works just as well spread on toast or crostini, piped into phyllo cups or onto cucumber slices, or on its own as a dip for vegetables and chips. It’s just a great all around recipe for someone’s next party or get-together.”
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups of cream cheese
• 2 ounces smoked salmon
• 1 shallot
• 0.2 ounces fresh dill
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 5 sliced pickled Fresno peppers
• 1 Tablespoon pickled Fresno juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Spiceology Smoke Junkie seasoning
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until well combined.
2. Place mousse in a piping bag. Use as desired.
— RECIPES COURTESY OF HOUSE OF BRUNCH CHEF ALEX SZAMBELAN
Nearly two decades in, a local distillery still uses local ingredients to craft signature spirits
BY WILL MAUPIN
Maybe you shouldn’t be surprised that Spokane’s most notable distillery has an origin not unlike its host city. It’s an enterprise with pretty humble origins, tucked away in a part of the country that’s always valued its natural resources.
Maybe it’s a bit of a surprise, though, that a distillery has thrived in a land where the beverage industry has focused more on grapes and hops than the corn and wheat that go into crafting spirits.
Since its founding by Don Poffenroth in 2007, Dry Fly Distilling has grown from its hyperlocal origins into a nationwide enterprise. Named for a kind of lure used in fly fishing, the company now makes its home in a prominent downtown building on the corner of Riverside Avenue and Monroe Street that used to house the Spokesman-Review printing press. It’s a long way from the meager space along the Spokane River near Gonzaga University where the distillery was first located.
But no matter the location, the company continues to value its local roots. Current president, Patrick Donovan, worked his way up from being one of the first employees.
“I’ve known Don since I was probably 13 or 14 years old and had done a few things after college and moved back into town, and he asked me to get on board and I guess the rest is history,” Donovan says. “So I didn’t go to school for distilling and didn’t know a whole lot about it before I worked here.” On Donovan’s way up, he’s seen Dry Fly expand from being just a distillery to including a restaurant, as well as offering regular classes in making cocktails and even crafting spirits, as well as running a large space that serves as an event venue.
Dry Fly offers cocktail staples including bourbon, gin, vodka and multiple whiskeys, as well as a rotating cast of specialties. The company focuses on maintaining its Inland Northwest roots. For its O’Danagher series of Celtic whiskies, Dry Fly uses wheat from Tim Danaher’s multigeneration farm on the Palouse. Corn for the Bourbon 101 is sourced from the Hutterite community near Reardan. And to capture a fruity taste from the mountains, the Huckleberry Vodka features wild-grown berries harvested every summer.
Perhaps a more surprising connection revolves around the restaurant’s Randal’s Farm Burger. It’s made with beef from cattle raised in Medical Lake that were fed by spent grains from the distillery. And those grains? They’re from a farm in Rosalia.
“It’s a cool agricultural circle,” Donovan says.
As diners enjoy a burger in the restaurant, they can also take in a close-up view of the distilling process in action. Last fall, sunflower-yellow mash boiled in the huge copper vessels that stretch more than two stories high in the light-filled space. Palettes of Dry Fly products, including their popular canned cocktails, were bound up and packaged up for shipping all over the United States. At the blending station varieties of grains, spices, herbs, and even a large bag of Rose Hips from local Revival teas awaited experimentation. For Donovan, a North Central High School and Gonzaga University graduate, the work requires an adventurous mindset. “It’s trial by fire and a lot of learning as we go,” he says.
Enjoy Dry Fly bartender Jillianne Bartholomew’s festive take on a classic bourbon-based cocktail. This recipe can be made in larger quantities in a pitcher for a party. Just pour over ice and add club soda to serve.
• 4 mint leaves
• ½ ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce peppermint simple syrup (recipe below)
• ¼ ounce spiced cranberry syrup by Side Hustle Syrups*
• 2 ounces Dry Fly Bourbon 101
• Club soda
Place four decent-sized mint leaves in your shaker along with the lemon juice, peppermint simple syrup and the spiced cranberry syrup. Muddle together, then add Dry Fly’s Bourbon 101. Add ice and shake! Then double strain** over ice into your preferred glass. Add a float of club soda, garnish with a sprig of rosemary and crushed candy cane. Finally, enjoy Christmas in a cup. Cheers!
* Side Hustle Syrups is a brand of hand-crafted syrups created by Dillon Hueser. He’s the owner of The Boneyard, which is a cocktail lounge located in Spokane Valley, and he’s been a longtime partner with Dry Fly.
** Double strain means to use both a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to keep the muddled mint leaves out of your drink.
Jillianne Bartholomew’s peppermint simple syrup infuses candy cane flavor into a standard simple syrup. Here’s her recipe:
• Combine one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
• Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat and pour into a heat-safe container, preferable a shallow metal one.
• Add two normal-size candy canes to the container, then let it cool and steep for one hour in the refrigerator.
• Remove the candy canes and pour the simple syrup into a container for storing. A mason jar works perfectly for this.
— RECIPE COURTESY OF DRY FLY’S JILLIANNE BARTHOLOMEW
Slàinte mhath (pronounced slawn-ja-va) is Scottish Gaelic for “good health.”
It’s the perfect way to cheers a glass of Scotch or a cup of tea.
Thankfully, at Torra Tea, you don’t have to choose between the two.
This August, Kathryn Soady (pronounced so-AY-dee) opened the stylish Scottish high tea shop and craft cocktail bar in a shopping district off Dishman Mica Road. It features nearly 40 loose-leaf teas and almost as many whiskeys, plus small plates of sweet or savory comfort foods, from freshly baked scones and finger sandwiches for afternoon tea to short ribs and meat pies for heartier, pub-inspired bites.
assortment of small plates, lunch plates or entrees, then pair your own cuppa or cocktail if you like. Plates range from a savory snack of cheese, cherries and nuts ($8) or a Scottish oat cake with butter, chutney and fruit ($7), to a sandwich platter ($8) or savory pie with salad ($18), to bourbon maple short ribs ($34) or coddle, a traditional Irish dish with pearl barley, bacon, potatoes and banger-style sausages ($26).
11205 E. Dishman Mica Rd., Unit 104-C, Spokane Valley torratea.com, 509-798-8432
Open Tues-Sat 11 am- 8 pm
It’s all served in a swanky dining room that ditches kitschy cottagecore for more streamlined, gold-gilded glam.
“My mantra is ‘Tradition with the unexpected,’” Soady says.
There are two ways to order meals at Torra Tea. You can choose from an
Or, you can let Torra Tea do the pairing for you, and experience more of the care and thoughtfulness of a prepared tea service.
“Afternoon tea really is more British and came out of one of the queen’s desires to have a little something to eat before supper time,” Soady says. “A tea service is just designed to bring tea and some food together.”
And of course, don’t skimp on the cocktails. In addition to whiskey, Torra Tea has every other classic spirit available. The mixologists behind the bar are just as comfortable creating your favorite negroni or gimlet as they are with guiding you toward your new favorite tea.
126 N. Division St., Spokane
Open Mon-Thu 11 am-10 pm; Fri 11 am-1 am; Sat 9:30 am-1 am; Sun 9:30 am-8 pm
Last summer, Pure Northwest, an homage to home sweet Washington, opened where Red Lion used to be. The big antique bar and built-in booths are still there, but gone are the darkened windows, the bison head and the Sam Adams banners. Instead, a cascading wall of ivy and hanging planters give the space a refreshing, welcoming vibe.
Not only is the new spot clean and comforting with a cozy new patio, but it’s open for brunch, lunch and dinner — a food-centric option on a corner that’s typically dominated by drinks and nightlife.
“We’re trying to do something that’s affordable and approachable, so you can actually go out and enjoy your time out,” co-owner Darin Talotti says.
2020 N. Monroe St., Spokane
Open daily 6 am-6 pm (kitchen closes at 2 pm)
The last Indaba coffee shop, which owner Bob Enslow affectionately calls the “world headquarters” of Indaba, is the newest spot in the North Monroe Business District.
The spacious coffee shop gives Apple store vibes, and it’s where guests can try Indaba’s most select roasts and food items like bagel sandwiches and pastries from West Central’s Made with Love Bakery. It’s also the new home of all the company’s roasting operations, which Enslow relocated from Spokane Valley.
In his next chapter of life, Enslow plans to transition from coffee connoisseur to coffee consultant. The new flagship location will provide space for baristas to take Enslow’s new certification program or for entrepreneurs to participate in workshops focused on opening coffee shops in their own neighborhoods.
920 W. First Ave., Spokane
Open Tue-Sat 5 pm-1 am
Tucked between the rocking concerts at the Knitting Factory and the rowdy jam sessions at its sister venue The District Bar, there’s now a chiller, cozier joint with plenty of plants, cushions and conversation-centric vibes.
Jade, a Pacific Northwest-focused “microbar,” opened this September thanks to co-owners Aaron Andreson, food and beverage director for The Knitting Factory, and Roman Bobrovnikov, The District’s bar lead. The small spot between the two concert venues on First Avenue provides a haven from some of the excitement down the rest of the block.
“We’re shooting for a very comfortable, casual living room vibe,” Andreson says.
They celebrate home with plenty of Pacific Northwest-based spirits, plus cider and beer from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
“We didn’t know for sure how easy [it would be],” Andreson says. “But it turned out there are a lot of distillers in these three states that we found out about that carry incredible products.”
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Capturing and sharing dazzling photos of the natural world is Stacy Gessler’s calling
In January 2024, Stacy Gessler found herself outdoors in below-freezing temperatures at Yellowstone National Park, waiting for just the right sliver of a second to photograph scenes of a pack of wolves as they went about their day.
Gessler and a group of four other women photographers were only able to reach the interior of Yellowstone via a snow coach and with the help of a dedicated guide who knew where to go for their mission.
In eight hours of shooting through her telephoto lens, Gessler maintained a safe distance from the pack, while still capturing majestic photos of the wolves and their pups.
Gessler’s photos, and those of the other women in her group, became the basis for a collaborative photobook published in October titled Wolves Across the River: A Yellowstone Journey.
Gessler captured scenes from that day that were light and charming, as well as instances revealing the life-and-death drama of the wild, such as when bison arrived on the scene. She particularly recalls “heart-pounding moments” when the bison nearly kicked one of the pups. “The sheer respect the bison commanded of an entire pack of wolves: It was amazing,” she says.
But the wolves ended up ruling the day as the bison ultimately jumped into the river to escape the pack. It was a dramatic moment for Gessler and the other women. “Watching the bison choose his own fate — the cold waters of the river! ‘Awe-inspiring’ just doesn’t cover the emotion so many of us experienced.”
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Anative of Montana who nows lives near Moscow, Gessler grew up outdoors, developing an understanding of wildlife habitats, and habits, that even now underlies her success as a photographer.
“It’s luck because wildlife do what they do, but kind of knowing where to go, knowing what the animals’ behaviors are, helps predict how to find them,” Gessler says. “So a big part of it is just being prepared.”
Those insights helped her capture spectacular photographs of a hummingbird balancing on a flower in a twinkling shower of water droplets, a work she’s titled “Water Ballerina.”
Her work was featured in the Outdoor Idaho photo competition organized by Idaho Public Television and is being considered in the National Audubon Society’s
photography competition.
Gessler’s not just a spectator. During a triple-digit heat wave last summer, she discovered a sick juvenile great horned owl and rushed it to the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
“It didn’t end well for the poor baby, and I cried all the way home, but I don’t regret trying,” Gessler says. “These acts matter, and they are worth it.”
Advocacy for wildlife — whether through acts of caring or sharing of her photographs — is important to Gessler, who still has a day job at WSU in Pullman. She’s made photo contributions to the International Wildlife Coexistence Network, Nimiipuu Protecting the Environment nonprofit, and the Children of Wolves documentary, all in hopes of creating awareness of issues facing wild creatures.
Being able to photograph moose, eagles
and deer — and even wolves — in the wild is something Gessler doesn’t take for granted.
She’s the grandmother of a 13-yearold boy, who uses and cares for one of her older cameras and says he wants to be just like her.
“At one point, he said, ‘Nana, will I be able to photograph what was in the wild someday?’ He lives in Montana and understands the controversy there,” Gessler says. “That inspires me, just to know that if he gets half of what I’ve gotten out of doing this, that’s pretty amazing to me.”
She hopes her work can make a difference, helping to safeguard the future of the wildlife she loves.
“It’s not about selling photos; it’s about advocacy,” Gessler says. “If all I do through my photography is touch that one person that can make a difference, that can go on to save wildlife. That, for me, is what it’s about, preserving what we have.”
Wolves Across the River: A Yellowstone Journey by Stacy Gessler, Julie Barrick, Deby Dixon, Beth Moos and Irene Reti is available on Etsy. Find Stacy Gessler’s photos at gesslernaturephotography.com.
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