FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 - ISSUE 49 - $4.95
WOO YOUR
VALENTINE
FINDING GOLD IN THE 209
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WE’RE IN THIS TOGETHER. At Kaiser Permanente, we don’t see health as an industry. We see it as a cause. And one that we very much believe in. During this extraordinary time we are especially thankful to the heroism of our frontline workers. And, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to all of our outstanding care teams and individuals who deliver on the Kaiser Permanente mission each day to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We are here to help you thrive. Learn more at kp.org.
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California Almonds A Perfectly Healthy Recipe with…
Snickerdoodle Hummus Ingredients: rbanzo beans; - 1 15.5 oz. can of ga times rinsed and drained 3 nd Butter* mo Al al tur Na - ¼ cup S&J p ru - ¼ cup pure maple sy - ½ tsp molasses - 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract er - 1/8 tsp baking powd l na tio op lt; sa - 1/8 tsp - 1 tbsp milk Glazed Almonds - S&J Snickerdoodle for garnish*
Instructions: 1.
2.
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ocesser, In a blender or food pr ients red ing the combine all of lt. sa d an lk mi except the re is Puree until the mixtu t 30-60 ou nice and smooth, ab and salt lk mi seconds. Add the d and ine mb co til and puree un hieved. desired texture is ac
3.
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FEATURES The Gold Rush is a huge part of 209 history and while the only 49ers found today are on the gridiron, it hasn’t stopped modern-day goldseekers from trying their luck — or at least appreciating getting hands-on with a piece of California’s past.
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FOLLOW THE GOLD The defining historical event that changed California forever was the 1849 Gold Rush following the discovery of gold by James W. Marshall in 1848. The dream of striking it rich is gone but residents of the 209 have a plethora of 209 localities where the discovery of gold is easily revisited.
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‘NUGGET NICK’ “Nugget” Nick Prebalick learned gold mining through his dad and has been panning his whole life.
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THE CROWN JEWEL Those seeking gold inspiration need look no further than the Ironstone Heritage Museum, which is home to the largest crystalline gold leaf specimen ever found in the Mother Lode.
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PANNING FOR GOLD Gold is all over the region of eastern Stanislaus County, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, and there are several businesses which give you the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and get to panning.
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7TOC
FEBRUARY/MARCH 2022 – ISSUE 49
IN THE KNOW 12 14 18 22 26 28 30 32
DEPARTMENTS 18
Scene in the 209 Calendar of Events Ways to Woo Your Valentine Calaveras Celtic Faire 209’s Wizard Contestant Foster Friends For the Love of Trees Woodfire & Whiskey
32
ARTS & CULTURE 36 38 40
Views of the 209 Discourse of Silence Treasured Art
FLAVORS 44 46 48
Hey Bartender Straight off the Vine The Oxford Kitchen
NAVIGATOR 62
Visiting Yellowstone
THE GREAT OUTDOORS 66 Sierra Splendor
FULL OF LIFE 70 72
Fitness and Beyond Dawn Healing
A PLACE CALLED HOME 76 80
Garden Joy Color Trends for 2022
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44
80
66
MARKETPLACE 81 82
Bonsu Elite Athletics Stockton Arcade
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8PUB LETTER
February/ March 2022
Vol. 9 No. 49
$4.95
PUBLISHER/OWNER Hank Vander Veen
EDITOR Kristina Hacker
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS & PHOTOGRAHERS Jeff Benziger Dale Butler Angela Gonzalez Teresa Hammond Marg Jackson Matt Johanson Angelina Martin Pawan Naidu Claudia Newcorn Candy Padilla Sabra Stafford Virginia Still Doane Yawger
ART DIRECTOR Harold L. George
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Sharon Hoffman
SALES & MARKETING Chris Castro Beth Flanagan Rich Matheson Karen Olsen Corey Rogers Melody Wann Charles Webber
SPECIAL CONSULTANT Larry Dovichi
Welcome to the first full issue in 2022 of 209 Magazine. We hope this year will continue to see our communities prosper as businesses and organizations get back into the swing of things. February — being the month of love — is a good time to check out the 209’s dining scene with someone special. The Oxford Kitchen, newly opened in Lodi, brings those in the 209 food all the way from the streets of London and romantic restaurant winners from the 2021 Best of 209 awards can be found in our Valentine’s Day feature. March is a good time in the 209 to get out and about, with moderate temperatures and green rolling hills. The Calaveras Celtic Faire returns this year to its traditional second weekend in March timeframe, planned at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp. Visitors can expect a full day of entertainment and activity, including knights in full armor jousting in the arena. Also in this issue, we have features on local artists, a Harry Potter quiz wiz and a local chef make big waves on social media. As always, we welcome your comments, calendar events and story ideas for upcoming issues and we look forward to being the most relevant magazine in your home, a place called 209.
Hank Vander Veen Owner/Publisher hvanderveen@209magazine.com
To advertise in 209 Magazine, call Manteca • (209) 249-3500 • Newman • (209) 243-8170 Oakdale • (209) 847-3021 • Turlock • (209) 634-9141 209 Magazine is published 6 times a year 121 S. Center St., 2nd Floor • Turlock, CA 95380 Comments: khacker@209magazine.com 209magazine.com ©Copyright 2022. 209 Magazine All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, photograph or illustration without written permission from the publisher of 209 Magazine is strictly prohibited. The opinions expressed in 209 Magazine are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of 209 Magazine management or owner. 209 Magazine assumes no responsibility and makes no recommendation for claims made by advertisers and shall not be liable for any damages incurred.
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Notes
with FRANKIE TOVAR
National Cheese Lover’s Day: Oakdale Cheese & Specialties
Smack dab in the heart of cowboy country sits Oakdale Cheese & Special�es, a family-owned opera�on that’s made a name for itself with awardwinning Gouda that brings a taste of Holland to the 209. Known for its Gouda grilled cheese sandwiches and picnic-ready grounds, it was an easy choice to hit the 120 for Na�onal Cheese Lover’s Day and visit these local cheesemakers. Woodfire & Whiskey: Turlock’s Tik Tok Chef
Marco Sanchez has given the concept of working from home a whole new meaning. Combining his love for filmmaking and cooking, the Turlocker has become a Tik Tok sensa�on with his profile/channel Woodfire & Whiskey. You don’t want to miss our trip behind the scenes as we find out how Marco cooks up his wildly popular content.
STUDIO209 is a weekly magazine-style video series filmed in the heart of the Central
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Valley. Join us every Thursday and enjoy a wide range of coverage from community events to personal profiles and more. ftovar@morrismultimedia.com
Episode 309: Knight Life Sword Fighting bit.ly/209PodcastApple
bit.ly/209PodcastSpotify
Most mar�al arts academies teach sidekicks or armbars, but in Tracy there’s a place where children and adults alike can learn the medieval disciplines of sword figh�ng, fencing and combat archery. Run by the husband & wife team of Allan and Hayley Gagner, Knight Life Sword Figh�ng also specializes in birthday par�es and team building seminars that include more modern weaponry, like GellyBall and Nerf guns! Watch as Angelina gets in on the ac�on and then book your session.
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STUDIO209.T V
WE’VE GOT THE 209 COVERED
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MORE EPISODES TO WATCH Episode 311: Alpine Climbing Episode 315: National Anthem Day: The Langley Sisters Episode 317: Battle of the Bands Modesto Episode 319: Oakdale Testicle Festival
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intheknow
Scene
in the
F
rom food festivals to fundraisers to the Celtic Faire, the 209 Magazine team was out and about capturing all the fun happening in the region. Want to have your organization’s event featured in 209 Magazine? Email sstafford@209magazine.com. Gatherings and events may have been thrown a curve ball over the last couple months, but 209 residents are resilient and found safe ways to come together and enjoy the holiday season and start the new year.
THE CAMMIE AWARDS The 2nd Annual Calaveras Arts and Music Awards was held on Jan. 15, at the Copperopolis Armory. With 180 in attendance and another 250 to 300 watching the livestream, the award show honored 51 of the Mother Lode region’s musicians, singers/songwriters, bands, events, festivals, venues and other professionals from the regions entertainment industry. The CAMMIES Awards was co-produced by Copperopolis resident music industry executive Richard Varrasso of Creative Copperopolis and Nolan Apostle or EventCity.net.
The members of Star Dog show off their CAMMIES, which were awarded on Jan. 15.
The Calaveras Arts and Music Awards has become a popular, and also revealing, event that promotes the cornucopia of talent that exists in the tri-county region of the Mother Lode of Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumne counties. “After two years of pandemic that has really hurt everyone on a global scale, especially the regional arts, music and entertainment, by making the decision to move forward with the Calaveras Arts and Music Awards, we really wanted to pay it forward and boost the morale of the community by acknowledging all of your artistic contributions to our communities,” Varrasso. “We believe the recognition of these awards will improve and elevate the profiles and increase the awareness of the best talent out there so that it may be an asset to them booking more lucrative and high-profile gigs postpandemic,” Apostle said.
Event publicist Christopher Buttner presents Grover Anderson with CAMMIE with winner and musician Anthony Delaney watching on at the CAMMIE-winning Murphys Irish Pub, the day after the ceremony.
For more information on the CAMMIES and a full list of winners, visit the Calaveras Arts and Music Awards page on Facebook.
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WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA Several cemeteries around the 209 region were selected to participate in the national Wreaths Across America ceremonies on Dec. 18. Wreaths Across America program strives to honor the service and sacrifice of deceased veterans during the holiday season. This year the national program helped place more than 2.4 million veterans’ wreaths on headstones of the fallen at cemeteries across the country. Wreaths Across America started as a simple gesture of thanks that has grown into a national movement of dedicated volunteers and communities coming together to not only remember the nation’s fallen and honor their service, but to teach the next generation about the sacrifices made for everyone in the country.
JROTC members walked in the wreaths ceremony in Newman with the national colors as local veterans saluted.
Newman veteran William (Bill) Mattos laid a remembrance wreath in memory of those who have served or who are serving in the United States Marine Corps.
Volunteers turned out in a respectable number on Saturday, Dec. 18 to place wreaths on each of the gravesites of veterans at Oakdale Citizens Cemetery. Close to 900 wreaths were laid, with a moment of silence and words of gratitude spoken before presenting each one.
CHRISTMAS IN THE PARK The weather was chilly, but hearts were warm as the annual Christmas in the Park celebration in Gustine returned. Visitors were treated to hot cocoa, s’mores, lots of vendors, games and food and a showing of “Twas the Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Gustine Police Department posed with Mr. & Mrs. Claus and the Grinch during the Christmas in the Park event.
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Aldana Santana, 6, poses for a picture with Snoopy, The Grinch, and two of Santa’s elves.
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intheknow
COMMUNITY EVENTS 10
FEB
12
2022
FEB
WATERCOLOR LESSONS
The Double Dip Gallery is hosting a three-day series of lessons on watercolor painting. The three-day workshop will cover supplies, brushes, paper, paint, strokes, washes, and effects.
2022
MARDI GRAS FUNDRAISER
The crab feed will include a raffle and vendors.
Our annual fundraiser will serve up a delicious taste of New Orleans with live music, dancing, French Market treasures, Café du MAC, fresh beignets, and more.
Cocktail hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and dinner is from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are $65 and are non-refundable. Parking is included in the ticket price.
Call (209) 365-3344 or email tony@tonysegale.com for more information and reservations.
2022
CRAB FEED
The Combat Veterans of America will host their 7th annual crab feed on Feb. 12 at Micke Grove in Lodi.
The workshop is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 10, 11 and 12 and is being led by Tony Segale.
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FEB
Micke Grove is located at 11783 N. Micke Grove Road in Lodi.
The Merced Arts Center will hold their annual fundraiser, Mardi gras at the MAC from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Feb. 26.
The cost of tickets are $40 to $50. For tickets call (209) 388-1090.
For more information call Brownie Elder at (209) 922-6292 or email at brownieelder@gmail.com.
20
MAR
MIMOSA FEST
AZ Food Festivals is hosting Mimosa Fest at Port City Sports Bar in Stockton from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 20. Guests are invited to enjoy mimosas, a live DJ and food. Admission is $15 and comes with one free mimosa. A VIP ticket for
2022
$35 includes two free mimosas and a limited-edition T-shirt. The event is for those 21 years and over. Any questions can be directed to customerservice. azfoodfestivals@gmail.com.
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PHOTO EXHIBIT
The 35th annual In-Focus Photography Competition and Exhibition opens March 10 and continues through March 20 for virtual and inperson viewing. The show is produced by Tuolumne County Arts and draws both amateur and professional entries. The show is at Angelo’s Hall on State Street in Columbia. The website is www.infocustcaa.org.
19
MAR
2022
MURPHYS IRISH DAY
The Murphys Irish Day is returning from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 19. The event in downtown Murphys will feature a parade, live entertainment, artisan vendors, food, wine and beers. For an up-to-date event schedule visit visitmurphys. com/event/murphys-irishday-2022.
19
MAR
2022
DANDELION DAYS STREET FAIR
The Jackson Lions Club will present the Dandelion Days Street Fair in downtown Jackson from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 19 and 20. The street fair will feature free, family-friendly fun including arts and crafts vendors, live music, pancake breakfast, beer and wine garden, kids’ carnival, and food booths. Dandelion Days is a major Lions Club’s fundraiser. It supports their Third of July Fireworks Display, Halloween Parade in Jackson, college scholarships for local students, and many other local projects. For more information contact jacksonlionsclub.org or call Bryan Welch at (209) 2962275.
Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all events are tentative.
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intheknow
WAYS TO
WOO YOUR VALENTINE By KRISTINA HACKER
Y
ou don’t need to be named Casanova to plan the perfect Valentine’s Day for the object of your affections. The best way to show someone you care on the most romantic day of the year is to spend time with them doing something you both enjoy. There is a plethora of places in the 209 to spark the flame of love, below are a just a few ideas to get you started. ●
ROMANTIC HIKE The 209 has some of the most majestic landscapes in the country — the perfect backdrop for a romantic hike for two. Yosemite National Park — A national icon of natural beauty, Yosemite has awe-inspiring cliffs and dramatic waterfalls. The park is open year-round and you do not need reservations for a day trip. The park entrance fee is $35 per car. Visit nps.gov/yose/ for park information, including road closures and COVID-19 protocols before planning your trip. Calaveras Big Trees — This state park near Arnold in Calaveras County features two groves of giant sequoia trees — the largest trees in the world. This park is open year-round with both easy and more advance hikes. For up-to-date park information, visit parks.ca.gov/bigtrees Merced River Trail — This is a moderate 6-mile round-trip excursion that’s mostly flat with some rocky portions that takes you down the Merced River’s lower gorge from the Railroad Flat Campground at the 1,050-foot level north of Mariposa reached by taking Highway 140 to Briceburg. Much of the hike is along the long-abandoned Yosemite Valley Railroad that ensures a gentle grade for walking. The river below the trail often echoes off the walls of the canyon providing a gentle roar punctured occasionally by the chirping of birds.
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MOVIE NIGHT If the outdoors is really not your thing, try planning a romantic movie night. Pop some popcorn, grab a few boxes of candy and indulge in one of these films sure to bring all the feels: “Casablanca” (1942) — Starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid, “Casablanca” is filmed and set during World War II. It focuses on an American expatriate (Bogart) who must choose between his love for a woman (Bergman) or helping her and her husband (Henreid), a Czech resistance leader, escape from the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Germans. “The Notebook” (2004) — Starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, “The Notebook” is the story of a poor, yet passionate young man who falls in love with a rich young woman in the 1940s, giving her a sense of freedom,
but they are soon separated because of their social differences.
stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the ship during its ill-fated maiden voyage.
“Pride & Prejudice” (2005) — Based on Jane Austen’s 1813 novel of the same name, the film features five sisters from an English family of landed gentry as they deal with issues of marriage, morality and misconceptions. Keira Knightley stars in the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, while Matthew Macfadyen plays her romantic interest Mr. Darcy.
“Roman Holiday” (1953) — This film stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess out to see Rome on her own and Gregory Peck as a reporter.
“When Harry Met Sally” (1989) — Starring Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally, the story follows the title characters from the time they meet in Chicago just before sharing a crosscountry drive, through 12 years of chance encounters in New York City. “Titanic” (1997) — Incorporating both historical and fictionalized aspects, the film is based on accounts of the sinking of the RMS Titanic, and
“The Princess Bride” (1987) — Starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn, André the Giant, and Christopher Guest, “The Princess Bride” tells the story of a farmhand named Westley, accompanied by companions befriended along the way, who must rescue his true love Princess Buttercup from the odious Prince Humperdinck. The film preserves the novel’s metafictional narrative style by presenting the story as a book being read by a grandfather (Peter Falk) to his sick grandson (Fred Savage).
FINE DINING
DAY TRIP
A romantic dinner for two is a great way to spend quality time with our valentine. Try out these Best of 209 winners in the Romantic Restaurant category for your Valentine’s Day reservation:
Spend the day at the first ever Love Murphys Valentine Wine and Dine Soiree — From the producers of the Murphys Witch Walk, the Love Murphys Valentine Wine and Dine Soiree encourages guests and locals alike to walk and explore the historic Main Street and its wine tasting rooms, restaurants, pubs and fine dining establishments at their own pace and discover what makes the town so special that it has been crowned the Queen of the Sierra. Enjoy romantic meals, aphrodisiacal wines, passionately plush accommodations, and an afternoon of shopping at some of the most unique shops in the Motherlode for that special Valentine’s Day memento of heartfelt significance for that magnificent suitor who continually makes your heart skip a beat. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 5 in downtown Murphys. For more information, visit Facebook. com/lovemurphys or Instagram.com/ lovemurphys.
Redwood Café, Modesto — With its trellises of green, leafy vines hanging romantically about the patio area and its chic dining room, a menu full of enticing dishes and a 300-label wine list, the Redwood Café is the ultimate experience in casual fine dining in Modesto. Redwood Café is located at 4342 Dale Rd., Modesto. For more information, visit www.redwoodcafemodesto.com or call (209) 5459248. Galletto Ristorante, Modesto — Galletto Ristorante resides in a 1930s-era art deco former Wells Fargo Bank located in the heart of Modesto’s renovated downtown. Offering a rustic Northern Italian menu specializing in inspired cuisine, they provide a variety of private dining settings, and an unparalleled wine selection. Galletto Ristorante is a truly unique experience. Galletto Ristorante is located at 1101 J St., Modesto. For more information, visit www.galletto.biz or call (209) 523-4500. Verona’s Cucina Italiana, Modesto — Verona’s serves up authentic Northern Italian dishes, including pastas, steaks and antipasto using only the freshest of ingredients. Verona’s is located at 1700 McHenry Ave. #46, Modesto. For more information, visit www.veronacucina.net or call (209) 549-8876.
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COOKED WITH
LOVE PESTO CAPRESE VEAL CUTLETS PREP TIME 15 minutes Sometimes the best way to show you care is to put your heart and soul into making the perfect Valentine’s Day dinner or treat yourself. Here are a few romantic recipes to get you started
COOK TIME 15 minutes
SERVINGS 6
1
pound veal cutlets (about 2 ounces each) 1 pint grape tomatoes, chopped 4 tablespoons prepared pesto ½ cup flour 2 large eggs 2 tablespoons whole or 2% milk kosher salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs 2 tablespoons butter, divided 6 ounces regular or partskim fresh mozzarella, sliced into ¼-inch slices 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts (optional)
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 F. Pound veal cutlets to 1/8-inch thickness. In small bowl, toss tomatoes and pesto to mix well; set aside. Place flour in shallow dish. In second shallow dish, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper, to taste, until blended. Place breadcrumbs in third shallow dish. Dip each cutlet into flour then egg mixture then breadcrumbs to coat both sides. In large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon butter until hot. Place half of cutlets in skillet; cook 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown and veal is cooked through, turning once. Remove cutlets; place on baking sheet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel. Repeat with remaining butter and cutlets. Place one slice cheese on each cutlet. Bake 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted. Transfer cutlets to plate and evenly top with tomato mixture; sprinkle with pine nuts, if desired.
Funded by Beef Farmers and Ranchers
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PECAN-CRUSTED PORK TENDERLOIN T O TA L T I M E 35 minutes
SERVINGS 6
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pork tenderloin (about 1 1/2 pounds) salt, to taste pepper, to taste ½ cup brown sugar, divided 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided 2 teaspoons minced garlic ½ cup pecan pieces ¼ cup pineapple juice 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 F and lightly grease large baking dish. Season pork tenderloin with salt and pepper, to taste; set aside. In small bowl, stir 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and minced garlic. Spread mixture over pork. Press pecan pieces into brown sugar mixture on pork. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes. In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine remaining brown sugar, remaining soy sauce, pineapple juice and Dijon mustard. Bring mixture to boil; reduce to simmer 3-5 minutes then remove from heat. Slice pork, spoon sauce over top and serve.
DREAMY CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SERVINGS 4-8 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, plus chocolate shavings (optional) 40 large marshmallows 2 ¼ cups heavy cream, divided
DIRECTIONS In large bowl, combine chopped chocolate, marshmallows and 1/2 cup heavy cream. Microwave 2 minutes on high, or until marshmallows are melted. Let mixture cool 1 hour. Using mixer, whip 1 3/4 cups heavy cream until soft peaks form. Reserve and refrigerate 1/2 cup whipped cream for topping. In cooled chocolate mixture, fold in 2 cups whipped cream until combined. Add remaining whipped cream and mix until combined. Spoon mousse into ramekins. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. To serve, top with 1/2 cup reserved whipped cream and sprinkle with shaved chocolate, if desired.
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By MARG JACKSON
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF Patrick Michael Karnahan
here there’s a will, there’s a way – as the saying goes – and that proved true in 2021 for the Calaveras Celtic Faire, which was moved to June but still put on, making the 2022 version the 36th annual event. Founder Patrick Michael Karnahan said the 2022 edition returns to its traditional second weekend in March timeframe, planned at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds in Angels Camp from March 11-13. The fairgrounds are at 2465 Gun Club Road in Angels Camp.
We try to represent everything, not just the history but also the culture, the food, beer, whiskey and the crafts, things people have made. —Patrick Michael Karnahan
“We had to manipulate it some, the (COVID) restrictions of last March forced us to move it to June,” Karnahan explained of the 2021 faire. “The fairgrounds were available in June so instead of skip a year and lose our annual status, I decided to go ahead and move it to June; we had it Father’s Day weekend.” While smaller in scale, he said it was still successful, although having it in June also meant they dealt with hotter weather than normal. Thankfully, Karnahan said, they are back to midMarch and he is excited to welcome crowds back to the fairgrounds. The event goes on, rain or shine. He also said the faire had a humble beginning, all those years ago, and has been hosted either in Sonora or Angels Camp throughout its tenure, having settled the last few years in Angels Camp as its preferred venue. “I just spent a lot of time in Ireland in my 20s,” he said. “Besides being a musician, I am also an artist, a painter, and I was honored to teach art over time in the west of Ireland.” After returning to the states, he continued to paint and decided to put on a small art show one year around St. Patrick’s Day. “I put together a show that became a small festival, I grabbed a couple of other painters and it kind of grew,” he said of starting the faire in the mid-1980s. “I thought, maybe we can do this again, it was a focal point for artwork and we had music for the reception, some food and drink … before you know it, it’s a fullblown festival celebrating the culture of everything Celtic.” That premise has remained the same throughout the years, even as the faire has expanded and now includes multiple bands, specialty acts such as jousting, sword fighting demonstrations, ‘street’ acts like magicians and jugglers, and plenty of authentic food, drink and wares.
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“The beauty of the faire,” Karnahan added, “is that it’s good when they start out small; it takes a while for a concept to grow. Thirty-six years ago Celtic music wasn’t that big, it didn’t have much of a following and really the only time people would think about it was St. Patrick’s Day when they were drinking green beer.” The Celtic Faire, he said, served up an alternative, providing plenty of culture to go along with music and
libations. “It was called a Celtic event, a Celtic Faire and it was the first of its kind ... there have always been groups that have done Highland Games (athletic competitions) and Irish Days,” he said, noting that the Celtic Faire encompasses Irish, Scottish, Cornish and Welsh and is the largest faire of its kind on the West Coast. Music is the cornerstone and visitors can expect a full day of entertain-
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ment and activity. March 11 the faire runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is geared more toward school field trips, with seminars, programs and reenactments. It is open to all but students make up the bulk of visitors the first day as educational programs are in the forefront. March 12 the grounds are open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; March 13 the hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ticket prices vary by the day and
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age of the attendees, with some package deals available. The faire will also post current health department recommendations due to the ongoing COVID situation. More information on the event and ticket prices is available at the website: celticheritagecelebration.com There is a whiskey tasting competition, the jousting, the music, the food, and many booths with a wide variety of handmade wares and specialty items. Headlining musical group, Skerryvore, is named for an island off Scotland and is a group that has been popular there for about a decade, said Karnahan. Another returning favorite band is the Wicked Tinkers, while the Black Irish Band will also be back on stage and The Fire will perform. These are just a few of the groups on the schedule. “There is real diversity, it’s not just one style of Celtic music,” Karnahan said. “We go from the traditional bagpipe or the fiddle to the ancient Irish harp so you will hear different time periods, different styles. We will have full-on bagpipe bands, dancers, a few Celtic rock bands with real high energy.” For those that like competition, there will also be such events as the hammer throw and the caber toss, common to Highland Games, and the knights in full armor jousting in the arena. You might even run in to a Viking or two, he said. “We try to represent everything, not just the history but also the culture, the food, beer, whiskey and the crafts, things people have made,” Karnahan added. “We have 100 vendors; it’s amazing, there are kilt makers, flags, foods that are imported … there are always people there that are friendly, will talk about the culture. A lot of our re-enactment groups will be there … it’s kind of neat, you get all the different history.” So whether it’s an archery demonstration the swordplay, perhaps the chance to sample and rate whiskey or just enjoy music and immersing yourself in culture, Karnahan said visitors will not be disappointed. “It’s a full day of entertainment, four stages of music and all the side acts, the ones that are more spontaneous for children to enjoy, a fire eater, puppet show, juggler, magician,” the longtime event director said. “We offer a well-rounded day of sights and sounds.” ●
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WHEN I CAME HERE TO THE U.S. TO START AN ENTIRELY NEW LIFE IS SIMILAR TO HOW LORD VOLDEMORT SUDDENLY GOT WHISKED AWAY INTO THE MAGICAL WORLD.
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1/25/2022 1:07:00 PM
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Foster Friends Shelter dogs find comfort with Congressman By ANGELINA MARTIN
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hen Congressman Josh Harder isn’t in his office working on legislation, the Turlock native and his wife Pam are kept busy with their love of dogs — a passion which inspired the couple to foster a variety of pups throughout 2021. Photos shared on Harder’s official Facebook page January showed 10 happy pooches that the pair cared for during the course of the last year, some of which were fostered and others they cared for while their owners were away. Their busy travel schedule makes it hard to have a permanent pet, but multiple dogs who had no home found temporary solace with the Harders in 2021 and in years prior before being adopted into loving families. “We’ve tried to set an example, really, because the more exposure we can get for foster dogs, the better,” Harder said. “A lot of them come from challenging backgrounds or they’re not very well socialized. I think a lot of people want dogs, but there’s a barrier of knowledge and understanding.” Pet fostering provides temporary care to shelter animals who need to live in a home environment prior to adoption. Some of the dogs lucky enough to be fostered by the Harders have even accompanied the Congressman on the campaign trail not just because he says “people are happier to talk with you when you’re with a dog,” but also to help them find potential owners.
Pam and Josh Harder may be too busy for a full-time pet, but the couple spent 2021 caring for and fostering a number of dogs in need of a home.
“We’ve actually gotten a bunch of our dogs adopted by campaign volunteers and people we see on the street…I think it’s a really good way for the dogs to get socialized and maybe even find a permanent home,” Harder said. Foster dogs come from all kinds of backgrounds, with
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many suffering from past abuse and an overall fear of the world. Most of the dogs the Harders foster tend to gravitate towards Pam, he said, but a mix named Sammie was the one pup who took a liking to the elected official, and it turns out the feeling was mutual. “Sammie never left my side
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“...I really do think fostering is a terrific way to make sure that a dog actually understands what a loving home looks like…Having even a small piece of that and making sure they go to a good home is a really good feeling.” — Congressman Josh Harder
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and it was interesting because sometimes dogs, and especially fosters, have had negative experiences with men, which is something we’ve noticed and it’s very sad to see,” Harder said. “That’s something that I have to be very conscious about to not make the dog feel uncomfortable or scared, but for whatever reason Sammie had a very different experience and was very, very infatuated. And, you know, I guess it’s just human nature to love creatures who love you.” Those who have fostered a pet before know that it can be hard to say goodbye, which is something the Harders have had to deal with time and time again as their temporary pals find their forever homes. “It is a little bittersweet, but I do think there’s no substitute for when a dog actually finds a permanent home — especially when the dog finds the permanent home and you feel like you actually did a little bit to maybe get that dog socialized,” Harder said. “...I really do think fostering is a terrific way to make sure that a dog actually understands what a loving home looks like…Having even a small piece of that and making sure they go to a good home is a really good feeling.” Although millions of pets are adopted in America each year, the need for fostering is ever present. Pam routinely volunteers at the Stanislaus animal shelter, which is now classified as a no-kill shelter, and Harder believes there’s still more work to be done in terms of legislation when it comes to spaying and neutering, as well as budget support for animal shelters. Fostering doesn’t have to mean a dog lives with you, Harder added. Locals can stop by the shelter and play with a dog for even just 30 minutes to help make a difference in the animal’s life. While the Harders are expecting their first child and may have to put fostering dogs on hold for now, the Congressman encouraged animal lovers to help pets in need. “You can maybe make a difference and really help a dog out, and maybe even find the perfect fit for you,” Harder said. The Stanislaus animal shelter is always in need of fosters. To sign up, visit www.stanislausanimalservices.com/emergency.shtm. ●
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intheknow
for the love of trees By DOANE YAWGER
A
trees, especially oak trees. Williamson said there are 14 species of oak trees from all over the world planted there. He remembers his family driving up and down the fields throwing out acorns here and there. After a while Williamson’s forest became a site for the weddings of his children and grandchildren. Now it’s a habitat for wildlife, with hawks, owls, foxes, rabbits, possums and gopher snakes. Blue jays, doves, woodpeckers and other birds take up residence in the trees. At first the area was full of crows but the owls soon pushed them out. Williamson, 84, said his property feels peaceful and therapeutic, like a living mental health clinic. That’s a feeling his gardener of 35 years, Homer Hernandez, shares. He has been Williamson’s steady gardener since retiring from a fulltime, stressful career with Foster Farms. “I don’t come out here for what he pays me. It’s beautiful! I enjoy it so much. You would never guess what’s back here. I wish people would love trees more,” Hernandez says. Williamson said he and his wife Barbara had a little cabin in Jenness Park near Strawberry. But they soon expanded their Atwater property into their own retreat or forest.
bout three miles from downtown Atwater lies an area that is totally different from the surrounding and unassuming agricultural countryside. For the family that settled there almost 60 years ago it became an oasis - make that an urban forest - that boosts spirits to this day. Retired marriage-family therapist and tree advocate Dr. Jim Williamson has lived on the 15-acre property since 1962. He and his late wife Barbara used to call it “Whispering Hope” and people in the area call it “The Woods.” It’s a place where serenity is a product of the dense planting of oaks, redwoods and all manner of trees, shrubs and flowers. “Our neighbors thought we were crazy, creating our own forest,” Williamson chuckles. In 1962 the Williamsons were able to buy the property from farmer and dairyman Paul Rethwich; they had been driving in the area and walked through his field of corn and alfalfa which was about ready to harvest, with gentle winds blowing around them. When they first knocked on Rethwich’s door to inquire if the land were for sale, he told them he wasn’t ready to sell but that decision came just a few years later. Soon after buying the property, they started planting
PHOTOS BY CANDY PADILLA/ 209 Magazine
“They are our silent servants; that’s what they are. This (forest) is the most important thing to our family. It’s a legacy for the kids.”
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“We came out here to get our heads straight,” he says. Williamson, the founder of the Tree Partners Foundation, says a mature tree provides oxygen enough for 30 people. A full-grown mulberry tree removes the exhaust from 500 cars a day. The urban forest also includes native sycamores, elms, honeysuckle and rose bushes. Ferns and eucalyptus trees also share space on the grounds. Willamson said they have about 50 redwood trees on the property, most planted from seeds. He says redwoods are water hogs - each tree consumes 500 gallons of water a day. “They are our silent servants; that’s what they are. This (forest) is the most important thing to our family. It’s a legacy for the kids,” Williamson says. The Williamsons had three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Along with oaks and redwoods, Willamson’s comfortable home is surrounded by many succulents, native plants and fringe flowers. There are oleanders, begonias, potato bushes and giant Mozo bamboo bushes from China which provide brilliant colors at the appropriate times of the year. Cedars, ginkos, Canary Island pines and citrus trees soon joined the surroundings. Born in South San Gabriel, Williamson’s love for growing things, especially trees, was nurtured by his grandfather who owned land around Temple City. During World War I Williamson’s grandfather operated a truck farm which helped feed needy people in the neighborhood. He also had a small botanical garden which instilled a love of trees into his grandson.
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Williamson’s Tree Partners Foundation was founded in 2003; they developed a memorandum of understanding with Merced College to set aside land for a botanical garden. Next spring a greenhouse will be erected. The Tree Partners Foundation’s mission statement calls for the foundation to protect and preserve the urban forest in our cities. A nursery was established at U.S. Penitentiary, Atwater and trees have been planted in Merced’s Applegate Park. A grove of trees was planted about four years ago near Merced’s zoo. Most of the occasions where trees are planted involve school children, including the recent planting of 90 trees at Planada Elementary School. Williamson also collaborated with Dennis Riskey on the creation of the rosary garden several years ago at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in North Merced. Some of the plantings there have matured to the point where they add a prayerful aura to the church surroundings. What is Williamson’s favorite tree? It’s any type of oak. He says oaks are like people, some skinny and others looking like they were raised on steroids. Oak trees are misunderstood; there’s a myth that oak trees are slow-growing but an oak tree can grow two to three feet in a year. “Oak trees are probably undervalued. They live forever. But we as humans kill more trees than anybody,” Willamson laments. “A tree is your servant for 10 months of the year and then it drops leaves. People get fussy and don’t want to maintain them. Cut them down and your utility bill will double,” Willamson says. ●
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Home cook cashes in on TikTok
By ANGELINA MARTIN
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arco Sanchez has always loved cooking for his family, but he never could have imagined that his at-home hobby would turn into a social media influencing career. Since posting his first video to TikTok in the summer of 2020, the Turlock resident known as Woodfire and Whiskey has amassed nearly 2 million followers on the platform — and he isn’t stopping there. From giant steaks to lettuce wraps, Sanchez’s high-quality cooking videos feature himself, a variety of different recipes and, as his username suggests, whiskey. The U.S. Army veteran has spent the last 13 years as a cinematographer working mainly in marketing, but was able to quit his job thanks to his large internet following. His kitchen has now turned into a video production studio, where Sanchez makes videos viewed by his 1.7 million TikTok followers, 74,000 Instagram followers and 10,500 YouTube subscribers. Thanks to sponsorships and endorsement deals with brands and products he believes
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in, the full-time content creator now brings home triple the amount he was making at his previous job. “It’s very surreal, but it’s an incredible feeling. I’ve been trying my entire life to do things that would take off in some way,” Sanchez said. “So, for me to make food videos and for them to take off to where they’re at now, oh my goodness. All I have to do is cook for myself and show people that it’s easy and just entertain them with my style of cooking.” There’s a misconception surrounding TikTok that it’s simply an app for teens and children, but Sanchez says that isn’t the case. He’s discovered an audience of adults who are looking to simplify cooking at home and flock to his videos in droves. Sanchez has even been recognized in public once or twice, he said, but his fame is relatively low-key and still allows him to lead a normal life in town. While most videos on the app are filmed via cellphone, the awardwinning filmmaker values quality over everything and regularly uses a fourcamera setup to ensure his posts are up to his own standard. “I tell everybody I’m not a chef, I just understand how to cook and I’m a great filmmaker,” Sanchez said. “That’s my wheelhouse, and being able to combine my love for food and eating good things with my love for making videos is the most incredible opportunity anybody could have.” Sanchez started out posting cat videos to social media, as many do, but was recruited to TikTok by a seasoning company that noticed a few cooking videos he had uploaded to YouTube. The app is the present and future of social media and with over 1 billion active global users per month, going viral is a possibility for anyone. Influencers like Sanchez who are able to turn their following into cash have become increasingly popular in recent years, and a 2019 study by Morning Consult found that 86% of people ages 13 to 38 would be willing to pursue an
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I tell everybody I’m not a chef, I just understand how to cook and I’m a great filmmaker. That’s my wheelhouse, and being able to combine my love for food and eating good things with my love for making videos is the most incredible opportunity anybody could have.
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Turlock resident Marco Sanchez is racking up millions of views — and plenty of money — thanks to his nearly 2 million TikTok followers. Viewers tune in to Woodfire and Whiskey, seen here on TikTok, for Sanchez’s cooking videos which feature easy recipes and plenty of shots.
influencing career. Sanchez’s wife is also active on TikTok and already has nearly 20,000 followers on the app, he said. She also hopes to one day be able to leave her full-time job to pursue social media content full time. The couple’s goal is to ultimately become the Chip and Joanna Gaines of cooking, and they seem to be well on their way. “We’ve realized that this really isn’t going to go away,” Sanchez said. “This is only going to get bigger and bigger and bigger, and eventually 80% of marketing is going to come from these sites.” Sanchez’s advice to those attempting to turn their online presence into a fulltime job is to simply take the leap and to do so with something they’re truly passionate about. Despite troubling times the pandemic has brought for many, Sanchez’s love for cooking and dedication to his craft have turned the past two years into something great for his family. “We can focus on what was taken from us, or we can focus on what we can create from what was taken from us. We can look within our-
selves and say, ‘I’m good at this thing, too, in addition to what I was doing at that job. Let me see if I can exploit this for myself and for my family, and let’s see if I can turn this into something real,’” Sanchez said. “For those looking to start, don’t feel weird about how you’re going to look or sound to a
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bunch of people you’re never going to meet…Being a social media influencer is all about focusing on love rather than hate.” Sanchez’s videos can be found on TikTok (@ woodfireandwhiskey) and YouTube (WoodFireandWhiskey). Turlockers can also follow him on Twitter at @woodfire_ whiskey_official. ●
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Distinctively Delicious Since 1983 we have used the art of blending to create balanced and elegant wines. Our classic Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are crafted to showcase the standard characteristics of each varietal. Savor a bottle tonight. Marketed by Bronco Wine Company (855) 874-2394 www.broncowine.com
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arts&culture
Photos by DAN GOMES
From the Valley’s agricultural bounty to the rolling foothills and Sierra mountaintops, the 209 has a lot of natural beauty. In this section, we will feature photos of the 209 area submitted by our readers. If you have a landscape photo you would like to submit for publication, email: khacker@209magazine.com.
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arts&culture
Discourse of Silence By SABRA STAFFORD
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he Mistlin Gallery in Modesto is showcasing the works of prominent Iraqi artist Saadi Al Kaabi and his show “Discourse of Silence” through the month of February. Al Kaabi is a world-class artist and his paintings have been in museums and shows from Baghdad and New Delhi to Paris and New York. “Mistlin Gallery is honored to have Saadi Al Kaabi exhibit his art,” said Talal Mouala, a Syrian art critic.. “His works are complex and provocative, portraying images that demonstrate determination, which has distinguished him in the
His works are complex and provocative, portraying images that demonstrate determination, which has distinguished him in the Iraqi studio.
Iraqi studio. He has held on to the values and principles of his own beliefs while suffering aggressions, sieges, plunder and oppression, all of which have threatened his human existence.” Al Kaabi was born in 1937 in Najaf, Iraq. He showed an early aptitude and appreciation for art and began attending the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad in the late 1950s, graduating with his
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degree from the Department of Painting in 1960. Through the 1960s, Al Kaabi explored and tested his artistic skills with various styles, techniques and mediums. By the 1970s, he had developed his own signature syle that blended Expressionism, Cubism, and elements rooted in the Iraqi culture and ancient history. “Al Kaabi is able to create attention
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to character and cultural references of the Mesopotamian valley, using the memory of the smoldering people in their spiritual nudity, while also capturing their solitude,” Mouala said. “This is beautifully achieved with transparent colors he drives from the desert and the eternal imagination and loneliness of its visitors.” Over the decades and through the strife in his country, Al Kaabi pushed his own creative boundaries. During the 2003 Iraq invasion, Al Kaabi, still living in Baghdad, turned to his art to express the pain and uncertainty felt by
the nation. “Usually a crisis makes you feel better about your presence in the world… when you feel more aware of your presence, when it burns your insides, you can produce,” Al Kaabi told writer Kaelen Wilson Goldie in “Iraqi Artist Reflects a Lost Generation in a Time of Chaos,” published in the Daily Star in 2005. By 2010, Al Kaabi had left Iraq, first settling in Los Angeles and then Ceres, where he continues to create new works. His exhibit, Discourse in Silence, features some of his trademark styles.
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“In my artwork, form and symbols intertwine with earth colors, creating the balance among intellectual, rationalistic and physical values within a central core, which is the human being,” states Al Kaabi of his body of work. The exhibition will run through February with an artist reception planned for 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Mistlin Gallery. The Mistlin Gallery is located at 1015 J Street in Modesto. Hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. For more information call (209) 529-3369 or visit online at ccaagallery.org. ●
MONTH/MONTH 2022
1/25/2022 11:26:00 AM
arts&culture
IN GUSTINE By ANGELA GONZALEZ
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n the small town of Gustine in Merced County, where art galleries are usually rare to come by, Newman resident Katherine Crinklaw shares her love of art with her community through her fine art gallery. Crinklaw was first introduced to art at just 4-years-old through the painting lessons that her mother would give her alongside her siblings at home. From to this early introduction to art, Crinklaw’s passion for painting developed at a very early age and was an aspect of her life that she had discovered would be her calling very early on as well. After graduating high school, Crinklaw started her career and moved forward in accepting commissions from those who admired
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her work while working at a dress shop. While others would advise her to pursue a more “conventional” profession, Crinklaw’s family was nothing short of supportive throughout the beginning of her career. “I did of course deal with the advice about having a more conventional job but not from my family ” said Crinklaw. “I was always encouraged that ‘if you think you can do this then you need to do it.’” After taking this advice from her family, Crinklaw continued her work and soon had her art displayed in galleries all throughout the Central Valley, having a selection of hand-painted ceramics within Turlock’s Carnegie Art Center’s gift shop, and having
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her work featured in magazines such as “Southwest Art Magazine” and expanding her reach throughout the country by commissioning pieces to several clients across the nation. “You know with the website, the world is very small and I ship paintings,” Crinklaw said. “I have a lot of them back East and many different places across the country. I’ve been very fortunate.” Like many other artists, social media is also a platform that helps Crinklaw share her work, not only with those within her surrounding community. but to art enthusiasts all around the world. In 2013 Crinklaw, along with the help from her son Jason, created a Facebook business page to do just that and 81,000 followers later, Crinklaw is still immensely flattered by every person who expresses love for her work on the page. “I post a picture of the art and I write a paragraph about it and that’s it and there’s nothing ever personal, it’s just about the painting or the ceramics and people are very nice,” Crinklaw said. “I answer all comments myself. It’s only been a positive experience, everyone has been so nice.” For Crinklaw, though the support from those who follow her work on Facebook is greatly appreciated, Gustine and it’s surrounding community holds a special place within her heart. So much so that after 42 years of collecting clients and recognition for her art, Crinklaw opened Crinklaw Fine Art Gallery in Gustine. While the community of Gustine welcomed Crinklaw’s art gallery with open arms, Crinklaw, alongside her supporting husband and three sons, worked hard in preparing the gallery for its debut in 2019. Since opening, those who visit the gallery can see various paintings and ceramic art that take inspiration from nature and its surrounding colors and warmth. It
I post a picture of the art and I write a paragraph about it and that’s it and there’s nothing ever personal, it’s just about the painting or the ceramics and people are very nice.
is also from this gallery, which is located just down the street from where she graduated high school, that Crinklaw can recall many heartfelt memories, which make the city all that much more important to her. “I took painting classes down the street from David Shaw and I just felt that it would be so fitting to give my hometown something special that it didn’t already have and hopefully be a part of revitalizing my hometown, ” Crinklaw said. Alongside operating the gallery, Crinklaw also continues to work on commissions from clients around the surrounding communities within the Central Valley as well as those from around the nation. As Crinklaw’s gallery continues to be a treasured addition to her community, she hopes that her establishment will spark a wave of other art galleries opening within her hometown so that Gustine will one day be known as a fine art destination and share with the world what beauty can come from small places. “The thing that means the most to me is when people let me know that the work touches them in a way or makes them feel good or moves them. I think therein lies the power of art, ” she said. ●
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IF YOU GO CRINKLAW FINE ART GALLERY: 377 5th St, Gustine CONTACT: (209) 573-3523 FACEBOOK: Crinklaw Fine Art INSTAGRAM: @katherine_crinklaw_artist WEBSITE: www.crinklawfineart.com
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License No.: 397004125
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February is American Heart Month
Presented by
the Tracy Butterfly Auxiliary
Heart attacks and strokes don't stay home.
Date: March 19, 2022 11am – 1:00pm Location: Masonic Lodge 1601 N Tracy Blvd, Tracy, CA
$
Don't avoid the ER out of anxiety.
35.00 per person
Don't die of doubt.
Hospice of San Joaquin’s Tracy Butterfly Auxiliary invites you to our Annual Eggstravaganza Luncheon
Don't stay silent and don't stay home.
A twist on the traditional Easter egg hunt, guests are invited to a vendor-style Eggstravaganza event with the theme "Hop Around for Hospice" where participants can walk to stations to purchase eggs, pick up their lunch, and pick up their prize basket at the end of the event. Each egg offers a winning number for one of the hundreds of baskets. The excitement is accompanied by a pick-up or drive-thru lunch. This is a great event for the whole family.
If you have an emergency call 9-1-1. When seconds count, the hospital is the safest place to be.
Tickets are $35 per person. Participants may purchase additional eggs the day of the event for $20 which guarantees another basket. There will be three stations inside the hall and guests will be directed into the hall through the back parking lot door of the Masonic Lodge. Guests may “hop around” to one or all of the stations:
Heart.org/DontDieOfDoubt
Station 1: Pick up lunch Station 2: Pick an egg (Limit 10 eggs/baskets per guest) Station 3: Retrieve basket (What’s different? Each egg has a winning number!)
Don't Die of Doubt is locally sponsored by
Eggs sell for $20 each which equals 1 Easter basket valued at $20 or greater Assistance to your car will be available Let us do the hopping for you. Call us for scheduling your car deliveries of lunch and Easter baskets To register/purchase tickets go to website https://www.hospicesj.org/events/eggs-travaganza or call (209) 957-3888 All current COVID regulations will be in place
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flavors
By VIRGINIA STILL
R
PHOTOS BY VIRGINIA STILL/ 209 Magazine
ancho Fresco has expanded operations, bringing the 209 a cantina and nightclub at 950 10th St., downtown Modesto. Don’t let the name fool you, though, as this new hot spot has a rustic but contemporary country vibe and is more like a honky-tonk and far from their sister property Rancho Fresco Mexican restaurant around the corner.
The wide open space has two full bars, big screen TVs throughout, a VIP area, a stage for live entertainment, a PBR mechanical bull riding area and a barber chair that spins, rounding out this new adult fun zone. They have a pizza oven and a kitchen that will offer American cuisine to patrons. The cow skulls on the wall, the chandeliers hanging above and the muted colors and straight lines give this new place a cool country vibe. Owner Ismael Covarrubias and his team, General Manager Stephanie Valgos and sound and lighting specialist Todd Davis have been working on the nightclub for
several months and finally opened the day before Thanksgiving. They had their first big event in November that was very well attended. Since then they have been open seven days a week. Bartender Jared Kalapsa and Valgos welcome guests to stop by and grab a cocktail or beer. The full bar offers up a variety of concoctions from the very basics to the classics and a few specialties.
In March they have plans for some kind of St. Patrick’s Day celebration and other events.
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Since opening a few of the guest favorites are the Black Bottom Lemon Drop, which has a splash of Chambord in it giving the traditional lemon drop a fruity raspberry twist. The Buck’n’ Bull is a peachy cocktail that has a good balance of sweet and sour with a tajin rim for a little zest. The Palomas have also been a hit and some of the more tropical cocktails like the Mai Tai and Blue Hawaiians. The Micheladas are made from scratch and are very refreshing. They have 19 beers on tap including domestics, imports and local beers. The Bloody Marys come with their own skewer of goodies making this cocktail a drink with an appetizer. The crew at Rancho Fresco Cantina and Nightclub has big plans to keep the 209 entertained with comedy shows, live music, bull
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riding contests, karaoke, succulent nights and paint nights. In February they plan a Dueling Piano show from a group out of Los Angeles and a Valentine’s Dinner. They have had Latin Vibes Wednesday where guests learned Salsa, Bachata, Merengue, and more and on Thursday nights they have country line dancing. In March they have plans for some kind of St. Patrick’s Day celebration and other events like wine parings and whiskey tastings. Also on the schedule, a special spring showcase put on by VMI - Valley Music Institute, scheduled from March 7 through 9 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. They will be showcasing 50 bands over
three days and the showcase is open to the public. Covarrubias has been involved with rodeo and has lived a country lifestyle including bull riding and roping. Opening a country bar and club was an interest of his for some time and it has all came to fruition. “We’ve got our hands full with a lot of things that are going to happen here,” stated Covarrubias. “We just want to take it step by step.” For more information on Rancho Fresco Cantina and Nightclub visit Instagram and Facebook or call 209-303-1130. ●
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IF YOU GO WHAT: Rancho Fresco Cantina and Nightclub WHERE: 950 10th St., Modesto HOURS: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday; 5 p.m. to midnight Thursday; and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday CONTACT: Call (209) 303-1130
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flavors
From th e
stars TO THE VINEYARD By PAWAN NAIDU
T
ierra Luna Cellars is the culmination of the eventful life of astronaut and former Congressional candidate Jose Hernandez. Born into a migrant farm working family from Mexico, Hernandez, who didn’t learn English until he was 12 years old, spent much of his childhood on what he calls the California circuit, traveling with his family from Mexico to California’s southern San Joaquin Valley each March, then working their way northward to the Stockton area by summer, picking strawberries, cucumbers, cherries, tomatoes and grapes along the way. In late November, they would return to Mexico spending Christmas and waiting for March to start the cycle all over again. “Through all of this, my parents stayed strong and focused on their children’s education, which allowed
Through all of this, my parents stayed strong and focused on their children’s education which allowed me to dream of one day reaching the stars. me to dream of one day reaching the stars,” said Hernandez. “Determined to fulfill my dream, I obtained my undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering.” Hernandez joined NASA in 2000 and was selected as part of the 19th class of the U.S. Astronauts in 2004. On Aug. 28, 2009, Hernandez, assigned to the STS-128 Space Shuttle Discovery mission as the flight engineer, realized his main dream of
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reaching for the stars by blasting off into space on a 14-day mission to the International Space Station. Hernandez left NASA after 12 years of service and decided to come home and raise his family near his parents, who live in Lodi, and start the next chapter in his life. “I was able to focus on and realize my next big dream, which was to one day own my own vineyard and produce my own wine,” said Hernandez This is how Tierra Luna Cellars was born. Today, Hernandez along with the help of his father, Salvador, own and farm a small vineyard north of Lodi and produce their own line of wines. Hernandez’s view of the constellations from space inspired the naming scheme for his wines. The winery has two red wines to offer, Stella Roja and Stella Z, and one white wine, Nova Stella. ●
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Stella Roja utilizes a blend of various select grapes including Merlot, Tempranillo, Syrah and Petite Sirah. The wine, aged in French Oak barrels, is a dark garnet color. The Merlot has a taste of Santa Rosa plum, currant, dried fruit and ripe cherry flavors and soft tannins on the finish. Stella Rosa is priced at $28.99.
Stella Z utilizes hand-picked select old vine Zinfandel grapes from the Lodi region. The wine grapes, sourced by a more than 60-year-old vineyard, begin its aging process in a combination of French Oak and American Oak barrels. They are then combined to form a unique flavor that features raspberry, dried cherry and pepper aromas. Stella Z is priced at $26.99.
Nova Stella utilizes premium Sauvignon grapes. Produced in 100 percent stainless steel, this Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and smooth. It features a pear blossom and melon bouquet and a lovely clean citrus finish on the palate. This unique flavor can only be achieved by combining the grapes grown in two distinct regions within the Northern California area. Nova Luna is priced at $24.99.
The winery also offers wine club options allowing individuals to get wine sent to them regularly for a monthly fee ranging from $71-$221. For more information about the winery visit tierralunacellars.com.
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flavors
Oxford K i tc h e n
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED OR BY VIRGINIA STILL/ 209 Magazine
By VIRGINIA STILL
“London is a very multicultural city and so is Lodi. . . . this is a perfect place for global cuisine.” — Neil Ramarapu
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he Oxford Kitchen is newly opened in Lodi, bringing those in the 209 food all the way from the streets of London. As London is very cosmopolitan with multicultural cuisine, Lodi has its very own sophistication and charm with a multicultural population which made it just the right fit for the Oxford Kitchen. Founder Neil Ramarapu and Chef/Owner Srijith Gopinathan created an environment and menu with inspiration from the street markets in London that offer food from different parts of the world. There are flavors on the menu from the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom. “London is a very multicultural city and so is Lodi,” said Ramarapu. “So, this is a perfect place for global cuisine. I wanted to go into a small town where we could offer all these cuisines.” The contemporary design and modern London flare gives this ‘Kitchen’ a very welcoming and trendy, fun vibe. The full bar seats about 20 and has a bit of an old-world charm to it with a library ladder and several libations lit up. There are booths and tables available as well as a two-level patio for outdoor seating. Executive Chef Gopinathan lived in Oxford, England
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which inspired the name of the restaurant. He is the Executive Chef of Campton Place in San Francisco and is bringing his experience and skills to Lodi. He created the menu and many of their offerings feature local, organic ingredients from businesses in the 209 like Fiscalini Cheese Company, Zuckerman’s Farm, Panorama Baking Company and Mary’s Chicken. The eclectic offerings begin with the small plates where guests can delight in Scotch Eggs, Ahi Tuna Tartare, Fresh Oysters, Stuffed Mediterranean Bread, or a Charcuterie Platter. What are Scotch Eggs, you might ask? Well, they are a traditional British dish that consists of a hardboiled egg and with the Oxford twist they are wrapped in a minced lamb crust where traditionally it would be wrapped in sausage topped with English mustard aioli, giving this starter two thumbs up. “There are not very many people that have tried Scotch Eggs before,” stated Ramarapu. “When they do try them, they always come back for them.” The fresh Ahi Tuna Tartare is not only pleasant to the eyes but very tasty with the Japanese white soy, maple sherry vinaigrette on crispy crackers washed down with an Oxford crafted Lodi Cosmopolitan. The bowl of Crispy Cauliflower takes guests to Spain as it is served in a Romesco sauce, garlic, red peppers and almonds giving this dish a little kick with earthy, rich flavors. All the sauces are made from scratch. The tour of global cuisine continues with the Oxford Classics including the Charred Peri-Peri Chicken, the Original English Style Fish ‘N’ Chips, the Oxford Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, Great Britain Chicken Tikka Masala, Seared Gnocchi, Macaroni Cheese and the Beef Wellington. While cooking in Oxford, England, Gopinathan
learned the secret to making a light and crisp batter for fresh cod to get dipped into for the Original English Style Fish ‘N’ Chips. They are exactly that, light and crisp with perfectly cooked cod that is flaky and tasty served with pickled vegetable tartar sauce, lemon, and malt vinegar. “There are many customer favorites on the menu already,” added Ramarapu. “Everything on the menu has been a really big hit.” The Beef Wellington is another dish of English origin and although it may look like it is a medium steak with some pink, the steak is actually well done and wrapped in a puff pastry with kale melt and mushroom duxelles served with mash and gravy. The combination of flavors melts in your mouth. The Charred Peri-Peri Chicken is a bone-in free range chicken served with Peri-Peri sauce, PeriPeri rice and fries. The newly opened restaurant slated its Grand Opening celebration for Feb. 9 and in early spring they will be opening for weekend brunch. For those that want to take their Valentine on a food adventure they will have a romantic Valentine’s dinner with a special menu. The current hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. “We are happy to serve people this multicultural cuisine and have them try something that they have GETTING THERE: never had before,” exTHE OXFORD KITCHEN pressed Ramarapu. “They 110 W. Oak St., Lodi are able to have a nice CONTACT: global adventure tasting Visit oxfordlodi.com or call (209) 263-7234 foods from different parts HOURS: of the world under one 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; roof.” ●
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IF YOU GO
4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday
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feature
FOLLOW THE GOLD By JEFF BENZIGER
When newspapers published exaggerated accounts of how easy it would be for ambitious young men to pluck gold from streams of the Mother Lode, California saw an invasion of miners that was unparalleled in world history.
T
he defining historical event that changed California forever was the 1849 Gold Rush following the discovery of gold at Coloma by James W. Marshall in 1848. When newspapers published exaggerated accounts of how easy it would be for ambitious young men to pluck gold from streams of the Mother Lode, California saw an invasion of miners that was unparalleled in world history. As those from eastern states, England, Europe, China and other points worldwide flooded creek beds for gold, towns like Auburn, Placerville, Sonora, Sutter Creek, La Grange and Mariposa sprang up overnight. Ports in San Francisco and Stockton saw a steady stream of ships ushering in miners and supplies headed for the gold fields. But most quickly became disillusioned from the backbreaking toil of panning or sluicing for gold with little payoff. The desire for female companionship was palpable and the lawlessness that infested the mining camps was something to be reckoned with. Some returned home, while many switched occupations such as store keeping and freighting.
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A great many like Daniel Whitmore of Ceres and Charles Weber of Stockton became wealthy by farming in the Central Valley. The dream of striking it rich is gone but residents of the 209 have a plethora of 209 localities where the discovery of gold is easily revisited.
MARIPOSA The California State Mining and Mineral Museum, 5005 Fairgrounds Road, Mariposa, offers a fascinating view of gold and minerals. One of the newest of state parks, this museum houses the official California State Mineral Collection of over 13,000 minerals, rocks, fossils, gems and historical artifacts. The big draw is the Fricot Nugget, found in 1865 in El Dorado County. At 12.5 pounds, it was the biggest piece of crystalline gold found during the Gold Rush. The museum is currently open Thursdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Phone (209) 742-7625 ahead to get seasonal hours.
MURPHYS Ironstone Vineyards, (1894 Six Mile Road, Murphys) has on display the “Crown Jewel,” which is larger than the Fricot “nugget.” The 44-pound hunk of gold was unearthed at the Sonora Mining Corporation’s mine in Jamestown in 1992 and is worth millions. The location also
has an outdoor gold mining museum complete with miner’s shack, water-powered wheel and stamp mill used to crush gold and silver out of ore.
LA GRANGE The small town of La Grange – originally called French Bar due to a settlement of French gold miners – in eastern Stanislaus County was another settlement that popped up quickly due to the influx of gold seekers. Nearby were the gold mining towns of Don Pedro Bar and Jacksonville, both at the bottom of Don Pedro Reservoir. On display outdoors at the east end of town is a bucket which was part of the La Grange Dredge. The 1937 dredge was partly dismantled by Canadian Bud Hennings but most of it remains on county property less than two miles south of Highway 132. Adventurous souls can take the short hike from the Clampers’ monument on La Grange Road to view the dredge but the dredge itself is off limits. La Grange has a museum at 30178 Yosemite Blvd., which is open Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free. Call (209) 853-2082 for more information.
COULTERVILLE The Northern Mariposa County History Center in Coulterville offers visitors a glimpse of early California, including the 1849 gold rush and the post gold rush era. Mining and farm equipment,
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THE DREAM OF STRIKING IT RICH IS GONE BUT RESIDENTS OF THE 209 HAVE A PLETHORA OF 209 LOCALITIES WHERE THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD IS EASILY REVISITED.
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THE KENNEDY MINE IS FAMOUS FOR BEING ONE OF THE DEEPEST GOLD MINES IN THE WORLD. old photographs and bits of local history are included in exhibits which are updated each January. A variety of old wagons, mining and farm equipment is displayed. Adjacent to the museum is “Whistling Billy,” an eight-ton Porter Locomotive shipped around the Horn and brought to Coulterville by mule team to bring gold ore from the Mary Harrison Mine four miles to the mill. The locomotive stands under the town’s Hanging Tree, from which the likes of Leon Ruiz was hung in 1856 for robbing and killing two Chinese miners. Hours are Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call ahead of time at (209) 8783015 to be sure about hours.
JAMESTOWN Woods Creek in Jamestown made many miners happy during the Rush. While gold panning is off limits for most of the creek, a must stop for anyone interested in modern-day panning is Gold Prospecting Adventures at 18170 Main Street, (209) 984-4653. The business offers the experience of panning at the Jimtown 1849 Gold Mining Camp. The business website answers the question: “Is there any gold left in California?” and answered: “You bet there is! According to the Gold Institute less than 2 million ounces of gold were mined during the height of the California Gold Rush in 1849. By comparison, 10.6 million ounces were found in the U.S. in 1993.”
COLUMBIA Columbia State Historic Park in Tuolumne County bears the scars of hydraulic mining used to retrieve gold. A large block near the visitor’s parking lot shows how the ground was washed away to expose marble rock. The museum in town also has exhibits relating to the mining that occurred there as early as the 1840s.
Each spring Columbia hosts Columbia Diggins, a reenactment of an 1852 gold rush tent town. This year’s event is set for May 19-22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily but check ahead in case COVID restrictions are enacted. Cost is $10 per adult and $2 for children 12 and under. The event is sponsored by Friends of Columbia State Historic Park. Find out more details on their events page at www.friendsofcolumbiashp.com.
JACKSON At 5,912 feet down, the Kennedy Mine, 12594 Kennedy Mine Road, Jackson, (209) 223-9542, is famous for being one of the deepest gold mines in the world. Visitors can get an understanding of how gold was mined. Opened in 1912, the mine produced approximately $34.2 million in gold before closing in 1942. One of the tallest head frames in existence today can be seen at the Kennedy Mine. The mine also had one of the largest stamp mills in the Mother Lode, moving tailings by means of huge wooden wheels, some of which are still standing. The Kennedy Mine is open weekends from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., March through October. Admission is free but guided tours cost $12 for those aged 13 and older, $6 for kids aged 6 to 12 and free for children under six. Tours are offered at 10:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 2:15 p.m.
COLMA Just outside the 209 area code is Colma, the settlement on the American River where James W. Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill on January 24, 1848. The Marshall Gold Discovery
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State Park, 310 Back Street, Coloma, (530) 622-3470, offers a realistic replica of the famous Sutter’s Mill and close by is a stone memorial on the spot where Marshall found a nugget. A museum offers dioramas on mining life and displays of gold mining equipment. Stamp mills, tall machines used to crush gold out of rock, are also on display. While visiting, be sure to not miss the towering monument on the hill off of High Street where Marshall was laid to rest after he died in 1885. ●
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feature
‘Nugget’ Nick
Modern day miner wants to share his love of digging for gold By PAWAN NAIDU
“N
ugget” Nick Prebalick learned gold mining through his dad and has been panning his whole life. It all started when his father, Terry Prebalick, moved to California to work for the local newspaper. He was standing on a bridge in Woods Creek and saw a nugget in the river. The rest is history and the father and son duo have been mining ever since. “I like it because it’s hard work,” said Nick Prebalick. “You really get a workout, because you’re maneuver-
I get people coming from all over the world and a lot of people bring their kids, we get a lot of families.
ing through mud and stuff the entire time. It’s also really mediative. You can go mining and kind of forget everything else that is going on in the world.” When he was younger, he used bigger and complex equipment, but now he can go mining just using slopes and pans. The largest take he ever got was 127 ounces that he found in Woodscreek, which would be worth $232,137 USD today. “Most of the time you’re not going to hit it big,” said Nick Prebalick. “You’ll go home with $100 or $200, but sometimes you’ll find a lot or big stuff. That was a good find and I try to tell people what could happen.” These days Nick, along with his dad, lead other people on mining tours at California Gold Panning in Jamestown. According to him, he gets a lot of first timers and people still have a lot of interest in gold mining. “I get calls all the time from people who
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are interested,” he said. “I get people coming from all over the world and a lot of people bring their kids, we get a lot of families.” It doesn’t take a lot to go gold mining these days, all you really need is a bucket, shovel and gold pan. You “don’t want to wear your best dubs” because you’re going to be dealing with a lot of water and mud so expect to get a little dirty, he said. According to Prebalick, one the best places to mine gold today is up in Woodscreek and the father and son duo is more than happy to show people the ropes. It doesn’t matter the age, he sees a good mix of younger and older people mining and it’s a fun activity for the entire family. For those interested to see what has “Nugget” Nick and Terry so excited about gold mining they can call California Gold Panning for more information at (209) 213-9719. ●
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feature
By KRISTINA HACKER
T
hose seeking gold inspiration need look no further than the Ironstone Heritage Museum, which is home to the largest crystalline gold leaf specimen ever found in the Mother Lode. “The Crown Jewel” is 98 percent pure, making it a specimen of exceedingly high quality and value. The 44-pound specimen is on display at the museum inside Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys. The gold specimen was discovered on Dec. 26, 1992 by the Sonora Mining Corporation in a mine near Jamestown. Ironstone founders John and Gail Kautz heard about the gold specimen find in a newspaper story. “An article got our attention about a very large gold piece that Sonora Mining had found and that the French government was going to try to put
together a group of investors/buyers to purchase the piece and place the piece in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The French government owns 30% of Sonora Mining. I said to Gail that gold piece is our history and we have to see how we can somehow keep that piece in the Mother Lode,” wrote Kautz about obtaining the specimen. After much back and forth and a last-minute trip to the mining company with check in hand, the Kautz’s acquired the historic specimen and decided to put it on display for all to enjoy.
IF YOU GO WHAT: Ironstone Heritage Museum WHERE: 1894 6 Mile Rd., Murphys HOURS: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily INFO: ironstonevineyards.com
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“It’s a great draw,” said Daniel Kushnir, director of marketing for Ironstone. “Thousands of people come in each year to see the gold leaf specimen.” The Kautz gold specimen is the largest single piece of gold mined in North America since the 1880s. Between 1849 and 1880 several large masses of gold were found in California. None of them exist today. Just before World War II, several miners in the Mother Lode encountered large pockets of gold weighing several thousand ounces, but none as single masses or crystallized. The Kautz specimen is unique in that it is not only the largest mass of gold specimen found in California since the turn of the century, but it is also the largest specimen of crystallized gold in existence today. Of equal importance, it is gold in the rarest form - crystallized. ●
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By ANGELINA MARTIN
I
t’s no secret that California is known for its Gold Rush history, with the hills of the 209 holding some of the most prosperous places to hunt for the precious metal — and you can get in on the action. Gold is all over the region of eastern Stanislaus, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties, and there are several businesses which give you the opportunity to roll up your sleeves and get to panning. ●
ROARING MINING COMPANY 209-296-4100 Located in Pine Grove, Roaring Camp Gold provides gold panning, camping and guided tours. Roaring Camp was once a safe haven for Forty Niners, but it was so inaccessible that much of the gold remains. The location still has an operating gold mine that visitors can check out, and they can even find their own gold by panning, sluicing, metal detecting and dry washing. Gold panning tours are held May through September and cost $40 per person for an allday adventure. Tours take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Friday.
CALIFORNIA GOLD PANNING 209-213-9719 In the heart of gold country, California Gold Panning offers visitors the chance to live out their prospecting dreams. Through this experience, panners will dig, get water in their boots and get awfully dirty — but they sure will have a good time. California Gold Panning is open every day of the year, rain or shine, and provides panning tours for individuals and groups on an appointment basis. Prices range from $120 for an hour tour up to $900 for a three-day adventure, and you’re more than likely to find some gold. In 2019, visitors pulled more than 18 ounces of gold in Woods Creek during the company’s adventures.
GOLD RUSH ORIGINALS 209-736-0044 This Angels Camp business has helped locals and visitors alike find gold for years, providing tours and lessons on how best to pan. Visitors to Gold Rush Originals have been known to find valuables like Placer gold, quartz gold and even historical artifacts in the water. For a basic rate of $49 per person, Gold Rush Originals shows visitors how and where to look for gold, supplies tools and allows you to keep what you find during a three-hour tour.
ANYWHERE YOU WANT! Remember, California is flush with gold and with the right research, you can take yourself on a tour in the foothills. Panning for gold requires a plastic or metal pan, a screen or silting pan and moving water. Anyone planning to pan for gold on public lands should contact local officials or brush up on any restrictions. Most recreational areas allow recreational gold panning but have established guidelines to prevent stream bank erosion and prevent degradation of the wildland resource. Panning is allowed in Knights Ferry and at Tulloch Lake Road Fishing Access, both controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, on the Stanislaus River but only if trowels and pans are used. Panning must be located within two feet of the water’s edge. No dredges or suction devices are allowed.
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1/25/2022 10:37:07 AM
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navigator
By CLAUDIA NEWCORN
I
Stop and listen to the delighted trill of a mountain bluebird. Feel the grumble of an impending geyser eruption vibrate beneath your feet. Be engulfed by tumbling steam that comes from the earth’s heart. Experience Yellowstone.
cracks has led to a hyperactive “plumbing system” replete with geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. Geyser Country is parsed out into Upper, Middle and Lower Basins, with places like Black Sands, Fountain Paint Pot and Grand Prismatic Spring. You can literally spend days prowling just geo-thermal sites. Upper Basin is home to the broadest diversity, including Old Faithful. It’s neither the biggest nor the best, but its frequent and reliable eruptions (every 1.5 hours or so) make it popular. The Basin actually has numerous other geysers that erupt regularly, but the spread between eruptions (8-14 hours, give or take 2+ hours) requires visitors to settle on a convenient bench and enjoy the scenery. The Visitors Center posts estimated eruption times for all geysers, enabling you to plan your walk around the basin’s many trails accordingly. My favorite was Castle Geyser. Its ancient cone erupts for up to an hour in blasts of steam and water reaching over 75 feet. Old Faithful, just a few hundred years old, is a short amble away, and froths 130 feet, lasting 5-8 minutes. Both are an easy walk from the 1904 historic landmark Old Faithful Inn – itself well-worth a visit – and Old Faithful Lodge Cabins. The biggest surprises? No smell. I had expected a pervading
t’s 30 degrees outside. Scalding geysers are invisible in their steaming mantles. Snow drizzles among the pines, cloaking bison, elk and mountains in white. Welcome to Yellowstone National Park in the last week of May. Established in 1872, Yellowstone is our first national park. Home to one of the world’s super volcanoes, one third of the park lies within the last eruption’s massive caldera, including Yellowstone Lake. Over 600,000 years ago, the volcano vaporized an entire mountain range, exploding ash and debris in a footprint that reached all the way to Central Valley. Anchored by lodging and a Visitor’s Center complex, at 2.2 million acres, it’s so vast, it’s divided into five “countries”: Mammoth, Geyser, Lake, Canyon and Tower-Roosevelt. Each has its own highlights and characteristics.
GEO-THERMAL OVERLOAD With over 10,000 geo-thermal features, Yellowstone boasts the world’s largest concentration of active geysers. Magma is close to the surface – some three to eight miles beneath – and this, combined with water seepage through underground
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sulfur stink to permeate the park, but except for a few spots, there is little to no odor. Another was the thermophiles – heat-loving bacteria that thrive in the near-boiling waters, and produce a colorful rainbow ranging from acid green to buttercup yellow to rose pink. Minerals render many hot springs shades of turquoise to indigo. If you want to see bison, this is the place, with the world’s last freeroaming herd. Over 2,000 strong, they often cause “Bison Jams” as they use the main roads to travel about the park, stopping to burnish their horns on well-polished “bison rubs” that mark roadside trees, and forcing cars to wait or follow them at a creeping speed. “People Jams” are also commonplace – cars pulling over or even stopping in the road whenever wildlife is sighted to take photos.
GRAND CANYON, MAMMOTH SPRINGS & MORE Carved through colorful layers of volcanic rock by the Yellowstone River, the Eastern Grand Canyon and its waterfall is stunning.
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Unless you just want to skim the highlights, you can’t really do all of Yellowstone in one trip without staying there for a week.
Mostw people enjoy them from convenient paths and overlooks. On the other side of the park, Mammoth Hot Springs, viewed from historic Fort Yellowstone, is a huge ancient stair-stepped series of limestone terraces. Most of it is weathered pale grey stone, with only a scattering of sections offering the colorful images seen on TV. Lower Terrace has the most colorful; Upper Terrace the greatest variety. Even in late May, the 132-square mile Lake Yellowstone was still frozen, a glorious icy shimmer that reflected the glitter of the Grand Tetons and Absaroka Mountains. On my visit, Tower-Roosevelt Country was still sealed off by snow.
A GRAND VACATION Mostly on a 7,000-foot volcanic plateau, Yellowstone ranges between 5,300-11,400-foot elevation and spans the Continental Divide. There are literally two seasons: winter and summer. Most of the park is only open from mid-May to late September. Many facilities are closed until mid-June due to snow. This condensed season means it’s best to make reservations well in advance. Unless you just want to skim the
highlights, you can’t really do all of Yellowstone in one trip without staying there for a week. With so much to see, each “country” can easily take two or more days. Plan on dressing in layers (snow falls in July), sunscreen, brimmed hats, and good walking shoes. Save money by bringing a large cooler with beverages and snacks. Cell phone coverage can be spotty – which makes it a wonderful way to slow down and disconnect from the world for a few days.
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The park is exceptionally car-friendly, designed in an era when Model Ts chugged around, following a figure-8 road that is known as the Grand Loop. Countless pullouts, roadside trails and overlooks invite motorists to stop and experience their surroundings. Even those with limited mobility are able to enjoy the park, taking advantage of boardwalks and access ramps. Over 950 miles of hiking trails invite exploration deeper into the interior, and biking is also an option. Photography is awesome, yet can be challenging because of unpredictable weather and steam. Promptly wipe off any steam that touches your lens; the mineral content can damage them. Stop and listen to the delighted trill of a mountain bluebird. Feel the grumble of an impending geyser eruption vibrate beneath your feet. Be engulfed by tumbling steam that comes from the earth’s heart. Experience Yellowstone. ● For the most current information and park conditions, visit www.nps.gov/yell/ index.htm.
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1/25/2022 11:36:31 AM
thegreatoutdoors
GOOD NEWS HAPPENED OUTDOORS IN 2021 By MATT JOHANSON
J
oy and excitement filled a perfect day on Nov. 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno when the state’s best 2,007 high school distance runners gathered for the California Cross Country Championships. Brilliant performances broke records, especially the amazing Newbury Park boys team’s Division 1 win with a near-perfect 16 points. The majority of teens who didn’t win medals still achieved personal records, pride and memories that will last a lifetime.
Good news happened outdoors in 2021, as large group events like running races, bike rides and triathlons returned from a pandemic hiatus. Athletes registered sensational achievements in multiple pursuits. Here are a few that stand out. Timothy Olson, 37, ran the entire 2,650 Pacific Crest Trail in 51 days, averaging 52 miles a day. “Know that you are more powerful than you can ever imagine,” he told admirers after reaching the Canadian border. Jordan Moon, 33, ran 3,127 miles from San Francisco to New York in 71 days, averaging 44 miles a day, raising $20,000 for brain disease research and dedicating his effort to mental health. “No matter how hard times get, you can get through those tough times,” he said. In a 12-hour effort, 14-year-old James Savage became the youngest person to swim across the full 21.3-mile length of Lake Tahoe. Jack Greener, 26, overcame a spinal cord injury and two broken vertebrae in his neck to climb 14,505-foot Mount Whitney. His fellow climbers erupted in cheers when he reached the summit and broke into tears of joy.
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Yosemite, as usual, saw astonishing exploits. Skiers Jason Torlano, 45, and Zach Milligan, 40, made the first known full descent of Half Dome. The daring duo risked avalanches and fatal falls as they negotiated perilously steep slopes between the summit and Mirror Lake, nearly 5,000 feet below. Brothers Moises Monterrubio, 26, and Daniel Monterrubio, 23, led a group
effort to rig and walk a highline at Taft Point, high above Yosemite Valley, for 2,800 feet. Their trek through the sky set a distance record for both Yosemite and California. And Dierdre Wolownick, 70, became the oldest woman to climb El Capitan. She and friends celebrated her birthday by ascending fixed lines with jumar ascending tools. Wolonick began scaling rocks ten years
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Dierdre Wolownick, 70 years young, broke a record on Yosemite’s El Capitan.
earlier to get closer to her son, climbing superstar Alex Honnold. Her group toasted champagne and camped on the summit. “I’ll never top that as a camping experience or a birthday party,” she declared. MAP MAKEOVER, REVISITED California’s map makeover, a years-long effort to replace offensive place names with more inclusive ones, revved up in the year after George Floyd’s murder. Squaw Valley changed its name to Palisades Tahoe after the ski
GOOD NEWS HAPPENED OUTDOORS IN 2021, AS LARGE GROUP EVENTS LIKE RUNNING RACES, BIKE RIDES AND TRIATHLONS RETURNED FROM A PANDEMIC HIATUS. ATHLETES REGISTERED SENSATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN MULTIPLE PURSUITS.
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resort acknowledged the racism and sexism of its former title. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland declared “squaw” an offensive term and moved to change hundreds of racist and offensive federal landmark names. Sue-meg State Park became the name of a coastal spot in Humboldt County previously called Patrick’s Point; a Yurok name replaced the name of accused killer Patrick Beegan. Alameda renamed a park which honored President Andrew Jackson,
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thegreatoutdoors Finishing the Boston Marathon delighted columnist Matt Johanson.
High schoolers race at the California Cross Country Championships.
who enslaved hundreds and forced the Cherokee on the deadly Trail of Tears; Chochenyo Park now carries a local Indigenous name. Just east of Yosemite, Highway 120 became Chiura Obata Great Nature Memorial Highway, honoring an artist who created breathtaking artwork of the region. And a new Concord park carries the name “Thurgood Marshall Regional Park — Home of the Port Chicago 50,” honoring the Supreme Court justice and WWII-era servicemen who objected to racist and deadly military policies. OTHER HIGHLIGHTS Far from California, President Biden and Congress passed a bipartisan infrastructure package that benefits the Golden State’s parks and forests. The law includes $1.7 billion for the National Park Service roads, bridges, wildlife protection and climate adaptations, and $3.3 billion for wildfire management. May your columnist include a few personal highlights? Racing the Boston Marathon felt great; the crowd was even more enthusiastic than I expected. Amazing scenery and people made hiking two weeks on the Pacific
I ENJOYED SUMMITING MOUNT LANGLEY, MY SIXTH OF CALIFORNIA’S 14ERS, LEAVING NINE MORE TO CLIMB.
Crest Trail delightful; I’ve got about 2,000 miles to go. I enjoyed summiting Mount Langley, my sixth of California’s 14ers, leaving nine more to climb. And I’m happy to have finished “California Summits,” a guide to summit hikes throughout the Golden State which involved years of joyful effort to produce.
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Of course, we shouldn’t completely overlook the hardships which impacted the outdoors, including drought, wildfires and COVID-19. Together these tragedies hurt millions. As usual, the outdoor community suffered losses, like Philip Kreycik, the 37-year-old who died after running in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park on July 10, possibly of heatstroke. Thousands of supporters assisted a 24-day search for the Berkeley ultramarathoner, a group effort unmatched in memory. Though the searchers were unable to save Kreycik, they eventually succeeded in finding his remains a few hundred yards off-trail, bringing closure to his family. Most of those who combed the park for weeks had never met him. Their tireless effort to help a stranger reminded me of the community spirit prevalent in outdoors circles. Folks out there help each other, and they are good people to have around in both good and tougher times. ●
F E B R UA RY/MA R C H 2022
1/25/2022 11:57:59 AM
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fulloflife
By TERESA HAMMOND
S
PHOTO BY JEREMY BISHOP H9NU6LATNZM/ UnSplash
ome mornings I just don’t have it in me … the words, the thoughts, the column. That lead makes me chuckle, as often times more than not I say to myself, “Self, who out there really cares about your two cents on this life that we’re living?” Without fail on occasion I will cross someone who shares the value they see in my random chosen topic for the given issue. Often times they are fellow mommies, women close to me in age or someone seeking a healthier lifestyle in the 209. Rarely are they younger than me and that’s no surprise. Just as my mom used to share with me, I’m now coming to learn; the young have it all figured out. That also makes me chuckle. I sit here typing, no clue where this will lead, yet I can’t help but reflect and acknowledge that indeed my first half of this life is now behind me. Some might say I have less than that, but I’d beg to differ.
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This column space was founded on the notion of well … Fitness and Beyond (quite simply). So, as I reflect on the 2021 year and the physical and mental challenges faced, thank you cancer, I also recognize many of our readers were faced by their own. The COVID-19 pandemic brought a number of challenges to individuals, as well as society. Yet all this aside, I’ve still got my sights on a long prosperous life. Resiliency was something I’ve come to learn can get you through the toughest of times. Optimism doesn’t hurt either. To live to a hundred was something I set my sights on just before having children. Late to the parenting game, I recognized my life path would need to be a bit different than most as I desired to do more than watch my children graduate from college or marry the love of their life. I want to hold grand babies, see my children thrive in their chosen careers and live life as fully as they possibly can. I also don’t want them to be in a hurry for any of these things as there is much life to live both pre-baby, as well as post. Yes, I know it is very possible that they may not marry or opt not to have children. Just as I may not live to a hundred, but this is my dream so if you don’t mind (naysayers) I’m going to continue dreaming it for just a bit longer. So many changes in this world, society and humanity since first getting my feet wet as a journalist 20 years ago, I can’t help but wonder what life will look like in two more decades. Heck, I don’t even need to sit at a
What I do know for sure… is that when I live to 100, I hope to be in a world of respecting elders, kindness and love, because the way things are headed, we’re in need of an earth-shattering shift. desk any longer to do what I do. Now living very a la Carrie Bradshaw, early morning coffee with my Mac opened pounding the keyboard. Isn’t life amazing. I wonder if the younger generation sees that as much as us “older” people do. Their lives have been so different than the simple times when we grew up it’s almost impossible to compare. One thing however (I believe) regardless of change should remain the same. The simplicity of morals and respect are just as important today as ever. I’ve thought about this a lot lately as I miss seeing doors opened for elders, offering help when you see another struggling with something or simply being courteous of others when driving. Not to be misunderstood, this isn’t being penned as a pointed slam on our youth, a lot of this behavior I’m witnessing from their parents. Younger than I, yet old enough to know better there’s somehow been a sad shift of selfishness which has transpired over
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the past year and a half. It’s not a “me too” movement, but rather a “me first,” or “my way or the highway” if you will. Quite honestly it makes me sad. What I know for sure is our children emulate, even repeat the behaviors they see from their parents. Somehow as a society we’ve lost a great bit of respect for one another. We’ve seen it unfolding for several years now, worsened in my opinion by the isolation of COVID-19. Keyboard warriors have now taken their on-line chat to a verbal stance and it’s not becoming. Case in point; traditional communication seems to have become rarer. There was once this thing called listening and replying, somehow, we’ve forgotten that. When we’re in live conversation with another it’s not appropriate to interject while they’re still speaking. It’s different than typing a comment on a social media post or replying to a text/e-mail as it’s sent. Some prefer this way of communication and maybe that’s part of the problem, I’m honestly not sure. What I do know for sure and simply landing the plane if you will, is that when I live to 100, I hope to be in a world of respecting elders, kindness and love, because the way things are headed, we’re in need of an earthshattering shift. So, as we look to life in this month of love (aka February) and enter into early spring, I hope we all begin to take a little self-reflecting inventory. I still remain an optimist; I believe as humanity we are bigger than this moment, awareness, however, is key. ●
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fulloflife
HEALTH FR M INSIDE
UT
By TERESA HAMMOND
A
different than achieving a physical body or health routine, achieving this takes both time and commitment. “We start by breaking; by changing ourselves, breaking those generational curses that get passed on to our children, or children we’re around,” she shared, adding teachers and mentors have just as big of an impact on this as parents do. “Adults have a huge impact on children whether you’re a parent or not,” LaRee shared. “I feel like I’m here breaking generational trauma,” she continued. “Tragedies happen, but by having the consciousness of what we’re dealing with and developing healthy ways to deal with it. We’re just going to be happier and healthier.” The child of a mother fighting kidney disease and later being afflicted with it herself, LaRee brings a lot of personal experience to her practice. Applying personal experience to proven practices which help one not only heal, but blossom on the other side of facing topics which are often uncomfortable. “It’s the beginning,” she said of speaking one’s truth and identifying triggers, as well as traumas. “You don’t want to
s a society and a world, there is probably no better time to examine one’s mental wellness than the present day. With isolation, distance and for some fear, now being a very present part of personal history, looking at one’s wellness from the inside out some believe is critical to achieving life balance, as well as joy. “We are three parts: body, mind and spirit,” Miranda LaRee shared. Specializing as a SelfHealing Guide, TraumaInformed Life Coach and Resiliency Master, LaRee’s 209-based business Dawn Healing offers the community a number of workshops, as well as personal guidance for those desiring to dig deeper into their overall mental health and release of any trauma. LaRee recently sat down with 209 Magazine to offer an understanding of the importance, as well as connection, of mental health to overall wellness. “Your body has three components and if we’re not addressing all three then we’re still going to be out of homeostasis,” she said. “To bring it back into homeostasis and we have to get all three in line.” Yet it’s not something which one can achieve overnight. No
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YOUR BODY HAS THREE COMPONENTS AND IF WE’RE NOT ADDRESSING ALL THREE THEN WE’RE STILL GOING TO BE OUT OF HOMEOSTASIS. TO BRING IT BACK INTO HOMEOSTASIS AND WE HAVE TO GET ALL THREE IN LINE.” —Miranda LaRee
“I think self-love is huge,” she continued. “Self-worth in and of itself has several components and working with your inner child and receiving your inner child. Having a relationship with your inner child.” Clarifying that one’s inner child can be any age from three to 27, she stressed the importance of having that relationship and knowing that version still exists and how much you let it control in your life. “Before surrender felt like giving up and telling the universe I’m okay with this, and then I’m telling the universe I want more dialysis and that wasn’t true,” she said of coming to terms with the changes in her life path. “Instead, I found acceptance to be very empowering. I could live a life that I’m very proud of, even while I’m sick. I looked back and I wasn’t like I had been. I didn’t put my life on hold.” A powerful shift, which is a prime example of how one can reflect on their life and circumstances and make a conscious decision to shift the pattern and the path which they may continue to travel. “I made this decision to officially stop waiting on the wait-
fake it. You’re not repressing. You’re not going to repress your real feelings, but you’re trying to share how you feel and that begins with your words because then your thoughts and your beliefs become your actions.” LaRee acknowledged that life isn’t easy. Every person is faced with hurdles or struggles which are uniquely theirs. It’s how one proceeds through the muck and struggle which will determine their path from there forward. Using herself as an example, she shared a story of preparing for her first kidney transplant at the age of 32. Faced with mortality and the life she wanted to lead for herself, as well as her children. “Realizing how unhappy I was and how much I was suffocating,” she said. “I felt like all of these things, it was like a midlife crisis at 32.” A midlife crisis which eventually led to divorce, as well as facing a reality that her life just might look different post-transplant and making peace with it all. “All of that was what led me to who I am,” she said, offering there are no regrets on marriage or of any of her early life.
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I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR INTENTION IN THE WORLD AND THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK INTENTION SETTING IS THE SAME AS GOAL SETTING AND THEY’RE NOT. —Miranda LaRee
It also comes down to self-awareness. “I think you have to really understand how your energy works,” she stated. “I think we need to understand the importance of your intention in the world and then a lot of people think intention setting is the same as goal setting and they’re not. Intention setting is how you’re showing up. How you arrive in the world, and I think that’s what’s really important to know your intention every day.” Equally important, LaRee shared that in this time of isolation, frustration and judgment, looking out is also needed to be better, well-adjusted individual. “Giving people the benefit of a good intention because I believe people in general are good,” she said. “We, everybody has a villain story and everyone has a hero’s story. We are all that in someone’s story with somebody.” And everyone has the opportunity to craft their own story. “The awareness just changes your life,” she concluded of facing one’s trauma and inner dialogue. “You have a new perspective and when you have a new perspective you have a new reality. In that new reality you start to know that anything is possible. ●
list. I was on the waiting list for kidney,” she said of a second transplant which came later, “but I wasn’t going to wait. I wasn’t putting my life on pause, hoping for this kidney that could never come. “If I have to spend the rest of my life on dialysis, what is it going to look like?” she confided of a conversation she had with herself. “How am I going to show up? What is my intention with this life? What example am I going to give my children? My children are literally the driving force between all of it.” LaRee shared that being a living example of resiliency for her children served as great motivation in her transformation of living a fuller life. “I think the first thing is you have to have the willingness to look at yourself and be aware and all of that is still going to come from taking ownership,” she shared. “A lot of people want to be able to blame someone else. What are you going to do? It’s not their responsibility to fix it. They’re not living your life; they’re off doing their own thing. So, taking responsibility and saying that it’s not a fault thing, it’s not a blame thing. What am I going to do now with this?”
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aplacecalledhome
By MARG JACKSON
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artnering with a Pilates business – Studio Joy in Ripon – the non-profit organization Garden Joy continues to grow. First started in 2017, the community garden project is a teaching tool and also benefits area food pantries, the produce grown there donated to help those in need. “There’s about an acre space,” said co-founder and Executive Director Sarah Darpinian of the lot behind the 929 W. Main S., Ripon, Pilates studio. Some of the space, she said, is used for classes and the rest is devoted primarily to the garden itself, with a wide variety of produce growing there. There are also some picnic tables and a small children’s play area, in addition to ornamental plants and fruit trees. “We have free classes for any children in Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties,” Darpinian explained. “We do have a few paid classes but the majority are free and they are open for anyone to come to, they cover gardening, earth science and nature concepts.” The move to West Main Street occurred in 2019, after the non-profit outgrew its original location. They were able to reach an agreement with Studio Joy and “transformed an overgrown lot, full of weeds and no irrigation” to the flourishing garden that it is today, said Darpinian. Though they share the word ‘Joy’ in their name, Darpinian said Studio Joy and Garden Joy are two separate entities, as the Pilates studio is a for-profit business and the garden is a non-profit. “All the food we grow, we donate to food pantries and children’s crisis centers” in the area, the executive director shared. The free classes for children run from March through October, hosted the third Saturday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. “The program is an hour, then there is time to work in the garden,” Darpinian said of the hands-on learning experience. They also partner with Ripon Elementary School to offer classes to school children there on a regular basis. On the horizon is an expansion into offering classes for adults, as one of the Garden Joy board members is currently training to be a Master Gardener through the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and will soon be able to provide workshops and classes on pest management, water wise practices and more.
Youngsters show off some of the vegetables and fruits produced at Garden Joy in Ripon; the organic products are donated to local food pantries and children’s crisis centers.
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aplacecalledhome The hands-on learning experience served up at Garden Joy in Ripon sees kids planting, tending and harvesting produce.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF Sarah Darpinian & PEXELS’ Lil Artsy
A small children’s play area and some picnic tables are part of the overall design at Garden Joy in Ripon, situated behind Studio Joy Pilates on West Main Street.
Monthly programs on the schedule for 2022 for youngsters include: March, Garden Bug, Friend or Foe; April, Hens and Chicks; May, Flower Dissection; June, Plant Parts That We Eat; July, Kindness in the Garden; August, Pollinator and Plant Pairings; September, Apple Pollination Cycle and Tasting; October, Winter Planting and Creation of a Rain Gauge. Darpinian said the monthly classes provide a well-rounded experience for the young attendees. “They always do themed lessons, they come with a craft, a story, and then the kids get to work in the garden,” she explained. “Every third Saturday we also have work days that coincide with the children’s classes; the workday is 9 a.m. to noon, so families come, they can all work together. And we get a lot of high school students that need service hours.” Garden Joy has a presence on social media as well, with an Instagram, Facebook and a website, www.gardenjoyca. com to keep their name and activities in public view. Vegetables planted in the garden range from squash to cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant, among others, along with fruit trees including lemons, permissions and figs, while some herbs are grown on site as well. “We have done some cooking classes
The process at Garden Joy takes kids from the initial planting of the seedlings in the garden to harvesting the crops, which are then donated to food pantries and children’s crisis centers in the area.
“All the food we grow, we donate to food pantries and children’s crisis centers.” —Sarah Darpinian
and we are going to do more of those, in conjunction with the Ripon Farmers Market,” added Darpinian. The weekly market, which runs Thursday nights, is scheduled from May 5 through Sept. 29 for 2022 and is hosted in the Studio Joy parking lot in Ripon, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. “All the vendors pay a fee to be there, that fee benefits Garden Joy,” Darpinian said. Five years ago, when Darpinian and her friend and organization co-founder Elizabeth Schuiling started Garden Joy, they really didn’t know it would take on such importance for the community. “We both homeschool our kids, and we thought, this would be fun to do and probably there were other kids that want to know where their food comes from, since we are in the heart of the Central Valley,” Darpinian explained of the impetus for the organization. They originally rented a couple of
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garden boxes from the Ripon Community Garden, an organization that rents out space for those that want to garden but don’t have the land available where they live. “We started there and rented a couple of boxes from them; we had 70 kids come to our first meeting,” she explained. After about a year and a half with the planter box rentals, it became clear that they would soon outgrow the location. “We learned Studio Joy wanted to put a garden behind where they are now; we talked to Studio Joy and it was an instant match,” noted Darpinian. And while Schuiling is no longer involved, Darpinian said it has been a true joy to see their small idea grow exponentially. “We like it, the kids seem to like it; we have been blessed with a lot of community support,” she said. And she added that sharing the wealth, donating the food to those in need, has been the best benefit of all. “It’s hard for them to grasp sometimes that there are kids in our area that don’t have enough to eat,” Darpinian pointed out of the youngsters involved with the program. “The kids seem to really love it; they feel that they are really making a difference.” For more information, contact Darpinian via email at gardenjoyca@gmail. com or call 209-818-7177. ●
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aplacecalledhome
Stylish color trends for 2022
A
new year brings opportunities to refresh your living space and add colors into your life. These four trends are all about incorporating more of yourself and your lifestyle into your home, whether it’s answering your need for a serene escape or dialing up the energy with vibrant surroundings.
Bring in Nature Soothing earthy tones help bring a sense of calm and balance indoors. When designing with nature in mind, use gray-green tones to connect your aesthetic with the serene elements of the outdoors. Incorporate nature’s palette with greens in fabrics, accessories and even on the walls. Wood and stone materials naturally complement these shades for a look that’s cohesively pleasing and peaceful.
Stylish Sophistication If you’re aiming to infuse some sophistication with an update to a favorite space, opt for a monochromatic look in a dark (almost black) hue. The approach is simultaneously bold and classic, but the secret to this trend is finding a shade that’s rich and deep, but not quite black, then complementing it with fabrics and furnishings that let the hint of color shine.
Connect with Your Inner Self Creating a living space that is uniquely yours requires understanding your inner motivations, traits and talents. One source of personal inspiration may be your zodiac sign, a reflection of the earth’s orientation to the sun on your birthday. The color experts at Valspar partnered with Ophira and Tali Edut of the AstroTwins to make it easy to explore the intersection of your character and style by explaining which 2022 Color of the Year best aligns with each zodiac sign. When you combine your sign with the convenience and advanced one-coat coverage of premium Valspar Reserve Interior Paint + Primer, available at Lowe’s, you can create a luxurious space that reflects the real you. ■ Aries - SUNSET CURTAINS: A warm and soothing color like this supports a transformational year full of new opportunities. ■ Taurus - GILDED LINEN: This clean, cozy color makes spaces feel open, perfect for celebrating togetherness. ■ Gemini - GREY SUIT: This is a color of warmth and versatility, a signature combination for Geminis. ■ Cancer - DELIGHTFUL MOON: A spirited, playful color inspires a year of growth and adventure. ■ Leo - MOUNTAIN RIVER: A dark and dreamy color invites inspiration for a year filled with abundance. ■ Virgo - SUBTLE PEACH: It’s the year of
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partnerships for Virgos; this harmonious color works well alongside others but can also stand on its own. ■ Libra - ORCHID ASH: A cool and breezy color keeps it simple so Libras can focus on a year of vitality. ■ Scorpio - FIRED EARTH: This warm and approachable color is perfect for Scorpios who plan to bring new people into their lives this year. ■ Sagittarius - RUSTIC OAK: A relaxing and comforting color that welcomes coziness in the new year. ■ Capricorn - BLANCHED THYME: For Capricorns, this is the year of variety, and this is a refreshing tone to support change. ■ Aquarius - COUNTRY CHARM: This hue provides warmth and stability for a year of productivity. ■ Pisces - LILAC LANE: A playful pastel hue that brings softness along with optimism and renewal.
Add Comfort and Warmth Treating your home like a sanctuary never goes out of style, and one way to create a soothing, inviting space is through the use of cozy neutrals. Whether it’s applied to a bedroom retreat or a more bustling space like the living room, a neutral palette can add to the allure of comfort and warmth. Keep the visual interest strong by incorporating subtle patterns, textures and layers of complementary neutral colors. ●
F E B R UA RY/MA R C H 2022
1/25/2022 11:48:02 AM
By DALE BUTLER
F
rom young athletes just starting their training regiment to Olympic hopefuls looking for perfection, Bonsu Elite Athletics in Ceres has been helping athletes with a wide range of sports performance and fitness training options. “I always had an idea of what I wanted it to become,” said Les Bonsu, founder, owner and trainer, who’s business will mark the 13th year later in 2022. “But it exceeded what I expected. I created an environment where everyone has the same common goal. Everybody works hard and supports each other.” Bonsu Elite Athletics, which specializes in speed, agility, strength and power training, has over 16,000 followers on Instagram. The height of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a brief shutdown, but now BEA is back to helping athletes of all ages train. The majority of BEAs’ clients are in high school and more than 200 have gone on to earn college athletic scholarships. “I’m definitely proud of them,” Bonsu said. “The number of athletes that get to move on is small. It’s a tough road. It takes a lot of work.”
Bonsu has been the go-to trainer for many of the top athletes in the area, including Logan Gibson, Blane Abeyta, Cade Cowell, Nicole “Sis” Bates and Madilyn Nickles. Gibson, a senior at Modesto’s Enochs High School, signed a national letter of intent with NCAA Division-I University of Hawaii in November. A standout baseball player, Gibson started training at BEA nine years ago. “He was part of the youth group when I first came to Ceres,” Bonsu said. “He’s worked hard to make his dream become a reality.” Abeyta, a 2017 Ceres High School, moved to Florida in March to begin his professional baseball career with the New York Yankees organization. A key contributor with the Low-A Tampa Tarpons, Abeya was named Southeast League Pitcher of the Week in September. H played college baseball for Division-I Nevada and Modesto JC.
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“I’ve known Blane since his sophomore year of high school,” Bonsu said. “I’m not surprised at how far he’s gotten because of his work ethic. He never misses a training session.” Cowell, 18, made his debut with the United States Men’s National Soccer Team in December. Cowell signed a five-year contact at the age of 15 with the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer in January of 2019. He collected five goals and six assists, both career highs, during his third season of professional soccer with the Quakes. Bates (Ceres High School) and Nickles (Merced High School) wrapped up their illustrious softball careers with Washington and UCLA, respectively, this past spring. Bates and Nickles, former youth travel teammates, were both selected in the 2021 Athletes Unlimted Softball Draft this past May. Bonsu and his staff train up to 180 people per week. The 9,000-square-foot sports performance training facility is located at 3427 Railroad Avenue in Ceres. The facility is open Monday through Saturday and hours change depending on the season. For more information about Bonsu Elite Athletics, call (209)-247-2695. ●
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marketplace
By PAWAN NAIDU fter more than 20 years living in San Francisco and serving his community as a member of the San Francisco Police Department, Mike Hutton decided to move to Stockton for the more affordable cost of living. After he got here, he decided to share his childhood passion with everyone and opened the Stockton Coin Operated Amusement Game Arcade just two months ago. Growing up he was a big fan of coin-operated games, but had to shelve playing so much after he joined the police force. “I wanted to get into the business a lot sooner, but you can’t really do anything else when you’re in the force,” said Hutton. “After I retired, I finally had the opportunity to get back to playing and I want to share it with other people.” While most people think of arcade games as being for children, most of Hutton’s demographic falls into the 20 years to 40 years old age range. “People want to come here and play the games they did as kids,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting there to be a lot of older people like me that still wanted to play games. It’s really neat because they bring their
kids as well, and get to relive their childhood with them.” The arcade has a mix of newer and older machines and Hutton plans on bringing in more. He gets most of the machines from Craigslist and has used Ebay before as well. His favorite is the Millipede game, which he calls “a great stress release.” There also are classics like Mr. and Ms. Pac Man, and one of the most popular is the Jurassic World pinball game. “I took out the snack bar to make more room for games,” said Hutton. “There’s a lot more games
I wanted to get into the business a lot sooner, but you can’t really do anything else when you’re in the force.
to get and now I could fit in a lot more games.” The snack bar was a large part of the arcade when it first opened but Hutton thought giving people a better selection of games would better utilize the space. He still sells snacks and refreshments that are kept in a smaller section of the arcade. The arcade is one of a kind in Stockton and it gives people another activity to participate in locally. “Moving here, I realized there aren’t a whole lot of things to do in Stockton,” said Hutton. “Hopefully opening up a place like this will give people something to do and take their kids.” Being open only for a few months means Hutton is still attracting a customer base for the arcade. He hopes as the months go by and word gets out, more people will visit him and he will be able to expand with more games. The arcade is open daily from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is located at 802 E. Weber Ave. Hutton can be reached at (415) 585-7777 for more information. There is no fee for entry and all the machines take only a few quarters to play. ●
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