Wenatchee u LeavenwortH u ChelaN u and all of North Central Washington
March-April 2013
oothills Photo Contest Winners
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Editor’s Letter
Downtown is Happening ... Again I
nside this issue, you’ll find a pair of downtown Wenatchee-related features. It wasn’t that many years ago you could drive through downtown at night and see the tumbleweeds blowing across the street.
An exaggeration, sure, but not by much. Downtown used to be strictly a 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. scene before turning into a ghost town at night. Today, good luck finding a Wenatchee Avenue parking spot between Second and Yakima streets, regardless the hour. In case you’ve missed it, downtown is booming once more. I’m sure that very same sentence or something similar to it has been written in Wenatchee at least a half a dozen times or more over the past 100 years. A wide variety of retail shops draws loyal customers up and down the Avenue. Restaurants, though, are helping lead the latest revival, attracting customers well into the evening hours. It’s a strong mix of eateries with plenty of options within walking distance of each other. And it’s not a bunch of vanilla options — there is true culinary variety among the eating choices between Taco Loco and Bob’s Classic Brass & Brew — places like Salvadorean Restaurant, Inna’s Cuisine, Lemolo Cafe & Deli, Caffè Mela and Iwa Sushi & Grill. The latest addition is Country Boys BBQ , which brings to its new Orondo Avenue location the almost cult-like following it’s built over the years at its Cashmere home. And more are on the way, including India House in the former Smokeblossom location and a few restaurants in the Pybus Public Market opening sometime late this spring or early summer. For wine lovers, the addition of The Wine Thief across the street from the Performing Arts Center of Wenatchee is welcome. It’s a good complement to the Wenatchee Valley Visitors Bureau and Stemilt Creek Winery downtown tasting rooms. It all adds up to a healthy core once more for Wenatchee.
Marco Martinez, editor
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oothills A bi-monthly lifestyle magazine about North Central Washington
Publisher Rufus Woods rwoods@wenatcheeworld.com Managing editor Cal FitzSimmons (509) 665-1176 fitzsimmons@wenatcheeworld.com Editor Marco Martinez (509) 664-7149 martinez@wenatcheeworld.com
"On the darkest of nights the men from Lucerne were glad the ladies of Point Lovely left the light on for them."
Advertising sales manager Wendy DalPez (509) 661-5221 dalpez@wenatcheeworld.com Design Jared Johnson Staff writers Mike Irwin Dee Riggs Rick Steigmeyer Staff photographers Mike Bonnicksen Don Seabrook Contributing editor Russ Hemphill
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Subscriptions: $21 annually Send check or money order to: Foothills, Subscriptions 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801 or email foothills@wenatcheeworld.com Copyright 2013 with all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.
On the cover: Cierra Kohlman’s winning shot for our Foothills Magazine photo contest. Kohlman snapped this photo in Malaga of her 5-year-old cousin blowing bubbles, which she received from her grandparents for Easter.
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Contributors Longtime newspaperman Gary Jasinek was managing editor of The Wenatchee World for 13 years before leaving the paper to spend way more time enjoying the recreational and cultural delights of this valley. Writing about unique homes is a joy for Bremerton native Dee Riggs. She likes exploring the thought process that goes into building or remodeling a home. The University of Washington graduate has worked at The Wenatchee World since 1977. Give Mike Irwin a reason to go and he’s gone. The Wenatchee World reporter and blogger loves to wander the area’s towns and back roads in search of the odd and interesting. Rick Steigmeyer is an amateur vintner who enjoys writing about wine, food and local entertainment on his Winemaker’s Journal blog at wenatcheeworld.com. He’s been a World reporter since 1989. Mike Bonnicksen has been a Wenatchee World photographer since 1984. When not behind a camera working, Mike can often be found enjoying the region’s beauty and the world in general in the form of hiking, biking, motorcycling and scuba diving. Frank Cone is a freelance photographer based out of Wenatchee. His work mainly focuses on the outdoors but he enjoys new subjects and likes to explore different photographic techniques. Frank is married and has two children, Evan and Erin. Wenatchee World photo editor Don Seabrook graduated from Eastmont High School and earned a communications degree from the University of Washington. Check out his Living Images blog at wenatcheeworld.com. Kaylin Bettinger is a former Wenatchee World intern. She loves to travel, write human interest stories and is always looking for her next adventure. Dan McConnell is a member of the National Cartoonists Society. He does a monthly cartoon strip for The Good Life magazine and sells gags to the comic strips Bizarro, Rhymes With Orange and Pardon My Planet. Ron Mason is a retired Eastmont educator who has his own photography business, Photography by Ron Mason. He coached track for 42 years.
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Contents
6 3 Reasons We♥ 8 Fast 5 10 Crystal Clear 12 Gone, Not Forgotten 18 Kale? 20 Hillacious View 24 Texting ... Sen. Parlette
Color
Petula Clark sang it best.
Burritos, fossils and a classic Otis.
Winter trail shots feature snow and frost.
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26 Winning Images 40 Hard Times 48 It’s a Family Thing 52 Vine Views
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Barb Robertson spills on four favorites.
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♥ Downtown Wena
3 reasons we
♥ It’s Park-Like
Look beyond the collection of buildings in Wenatchee’s downtown core and you’ll see many amenities found in a typical public park. Trees, benches, Art on the Avenues pieces, and flowers and plants dot Wenatchee Avenue, making it a pedestrianfriendly area. There are a couple of big pluses on either end of downtown — the fountain outside the convention center/Performing Arts Center that is a fun summer stop and the small amphitheater at Centennial Park that is a great spot for a concert.
♥ Wenatchee’s
International District
It’s been subtle, but there’s a growing international flair among the downtown eating choices. Cuc Tran Café and its Vietnamese/Pan Asian fare has been a longtime staple among downtown eateries. In recent years, though, it’s been joined by Inna’s Cuisine, featuring fine European food selections, as well as Tropical Salvadorean Restaurant, Iwa Sushi & Grill, Taco Loco, and Thongbai Thai Restaurant. Next up is India House, scheduled to open sometime in the next few weeks. Vive la différence! 6
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March / April 2013
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atchee
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The downtown standard-bearers are many, starting with the Mills Bros. menswear store. Then you throw stalwarts American Shoe Shop, Davis Furniture, McGlinn’s Public House, Lemolo Cafe & Deli, The Gilded Lily, Palmer’s Shoes, Wok About Grill and Caffè Mela into the mix. Those are all good reasons to spend time downtown. Now there’s a new generation of businesses — The Wine Thief, Cupcake Blues, Revival, iLa Yoga and Tumbleweed Bead Co. — helping downtown shift into a higher gear. It all adds up to an increasing energy for Wenatchee’s core. F
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fast five
By mike Irwin
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Holy fossils
Ease into a pew at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, bow your head in prayer, ask God to shine His grace on your sin-wracked soul and … hey, is that a leaf embedded in the wall? Not just a leaf, mind you, but a 35-millionyear-old leaf fossil — one of dozens, maybe hundreds of fossils peeking from the sandstone blocks that form the walls of this architectural treasure near downtown Wenatchee. Quarried in Dry Gulch, a geological curiosity southwest of the city, the rough-cut “undressed” sandstone bears the impressions of leaves, twigs, ancient grasses and — if you can believe one cute know-it-all kid on a recent Sunday — snail shells (which couldn’t immediately be located). The church walls offer a mindexpanding diversion into science, religion, architecture, history and plain ol’ God-given wonderment.
Not-SoObvious EDITION along the lunch counter — offers one of Wenatchee’s most interesting dining experiences. With every bite, you can watch Oil Can Henry’s employees in their turno’-the-century costumes as they drain oil and check fluids from their under-chassis stations. Watching all that hard work can really work up an appetite, too. Can we get some nachos here, please?
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Lube job
Here are two ways to, ahem, lubricate your engine: 1) Take your car to Oil Can Henry’s in North Wenatchee for an oil change, and 2) while seated next door at the 30-foot observation window, chow down on one of Taco del Mar’s Mondo Burritos loaded with spicy shredded beef, jalapeños and super-hot habanero sauce. That’ll de-gunk your exhaust system. The side-by-side pairing of quick lube and fast tacos — connected by that big window 8
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March / April 2013
Ups and downs
With no amusement parks, we find thrills where we can get ’em. That means frequent trips to the Chelan County Courthouse for rides in the building’s original, 87-year-old Otis elevator. This smooth-running, cablelift, five-story conveyor still boasts its original accordion brass doors, steel rails and cage (the cargo-passenger box). Of course, safety improvements over the decades have brought better lights, brakes,
emergency phones and electronic controls to minimize any actual thrills. But it’s still fun to pull back the spring-loaded elevator gate, step inside, punch the button and know you’re gliding up the same vertical shaft used by high-level judges and low-life hooligans. Ride to the fifth floor for a view west through big exterior windows. OK, it ain’t the Space Needle, but you can’t see Saddle Rock from the Space Needle.
environment. Young artist Peggy Strong — already noted at age 25 for her remarkable talent — painted the mural from her wheelchair hoisted to ceiling-height on an adjustable platform. She had been injured in a car accident, but that didn’t stop her from earning national acclaim for her works. By the way, the mural — its colors and themes still vivid — is owned by the Smithsonian Institution, which means you’ll have the Feds on your butt if you try to chip out a chunk as a souvenir.
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Rural mural
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Need a quick refresher course in local history? Look no further than the 1940era WPA mural at the Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center. On a south wall over the old post office door, the huge (but easily missed) painting depicts pioneer farmers, orchardists, gold miners and, yes, mail carriers as they carved a civilized society out of a dusty shrub-steppe
Walk-up wonder
You’re walking the dog on the Wenatchee side of the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail when Fido suddenly craves a triple-scoop chocolate sundae with extra whipped cream and a doggie treat on top. The two of you immediately veer west over the First Street pedestrian bridge to arrive at Owl Soda Fountain & Gifts, the 118-year-old goodies dispensary with its handy walk-up window. That’s where hundreds of springtime dog walkers,
bicyclists, skateboarders, picnickers, moms with giant strollers and sun-loving tourists (no way they’re stepping inside) fill their needs for sundaes and old-fashioned ice cream sodas. Of course, many window customers just grab and go. But owner Pam Higgins provides lingering ice-cream lovers with a real tablecloth to spread over dusty picnic tables in adjacent Hedeen Plaza. And for Fido? No sundaes, but she does have doggie treats and bowls of water. Arf! F
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on the trail
Shape Shifters
I
’m not much of a winter person, so I find most of my winter hikes are close to home. I do some snowshoeing, but I find that I like using microspikes better for traction. Most of my time is spent in the Dry Gulch and Saddle Rock areas, with the occasional trip up Burch Mountain and the Mission Ridge area for a change of scenery. All are easy to access and easy to find 4- to 6-mile loops for a good workout. I think my favorite part of winter hiking is looking for the interesting patterns formed by snow and frost crystals. That being said, I look forward to the spring thaw and the new season of life in the hills. F
photos By mike Bonnicksen
Frost covers sagebrush on Burch Mountain. Badger Mountain can be seen in the background. Opposite lower left, interesting cloud patterns viewed from the Saddle Rock trailhead looking toward Rooster Comb. A dead plant makes a sparse pattern on a snow-covered field.
Melted ice forms a heart around this rock in the Wenatchee foothills. At left, Saddle Rock can be seen in the background on a cold, foggy morning. At right, ice crystals reside on basalt near Mission Peak.
Still Hanging Around The signs of yesteryear stay with us
artful life
W
ant to travel back in time in Wenatchee? Go downtown. Look up. There, along red-brick rooflines and on facades fanciful or functional, the early days of this town still speak. The stories are expressed most boldly in architecture, in geometric patterns of tile or block, designs of art deco intricacy or broad-shouldered simplicity. But stories of our past are also told in boldface painted letters that spell out the names of businesses that occupied
or owned them 80 or 100 years ago. Though the buildings remain, many of the businesses those block letters name are long gone. Remember Wiester Department Store? Didn’t think so. But others, like the Liberty Theatre and Eagle Transfer, remain going concerns, if not always within the same buildings advertised by their signs. Most are within the eight blocks that form the Downtown Wenatchee Historic District, bounded by North First, Kittitas, Columbia and Mission streets.
Story By gary jasinek photos By frank cone
Chances are you weren’t at the grandopening of the H.L. Wiester Department Store. It dates back more than 100 years.
The designation of “historic” not only protects certain architectural aspects of buildings, but the painted signs, out of date or not, said Kris Bassett, retired historic preservation officer for Wenatchee. Before the signs could be renovated, altered or removed, the building’s owners would have to take the proposal before the city’s historic preservation board, she said. But Bassett also noted that there’s little inclination to do so. Most owners understand and appreciate the signs’ appeal. Take Roger Bumps, for example. The former owner of Davis Furniture lives in one of several lofts he and his wife, Cindy, created in the Hamilton Building downtown. You know, the structure with the huge Wells & Wade Hardware sign on the south-facing side. Would he remove those huge words? After all, Wells & Wade has been out of business nearly 23 years. The sign likely is way older than that. “I never even considered it,” Bumps
said. “I like all those signs. They add historical value to our community. They remind us of times past and a history that I think we should preserve,” he said. “It’s what makes downtown interesting.” Linda Haglund, executive director of the Wenatchee Downtown Association, agrees. She thinks old-timey signs, still standing proud way up there on early1900s buildings, help give Wenatchee’s center of non-chain-store shopping its special appeal. If folks would only pay attention. “A lot of people don’t look up,” she said. “But if you do, there’s a whole lot to see.” Here’s a look at a few of downtown’s painted gems as captured by local photographer Frank Cone. Sources for background information include Wenatchee World files, Kris Bassett and a historic property inventory report created for the city several years ago to pave the way for designating a downtown historic district.
Liberty Theatre 1-11 S. Mission St.
When it opened in December of 1919, Wenatchee’s Show Palace was heralded by a special section in The Wenatchee Daily World. A sketch on its cover showed the theater’s landmark north-facing sign looking much as it does today. Writer Earl L. Bernier spared no superlatives in describing the wonders of the spectacular new $150,000 venue, which was dubbed “the theater beautiful.” “Here the high note of perfection in appointments and exquisite surroundings is reached,” Bernier wrote. Opening night featured a screening of the film “Soldiers of Fortune,” starring Wallace Beery. The 1,200-seat theater changed ownership four times before 1930. Later it housed a jewelry store, beauty shop, radio station and music store. In the 1960s, the dramatic foyer on March / April 2013
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The Liberty Theatre in downtown Wenatchee dates back to 1919. its northwest corner was removed to accommodate restrooms that would make the building ADA compatible. Today, the multi-screen Liberty Cinemas is owned by Sun Basin Theatres.
Wiester Department Store 21 N. Wenatchee Ave.
H.L. WIESTER DEPARTMENT STORE is the all-caps signature on the east-facing, alley side of the building whose opposite storefront on Wenatchee Avenue now houses The Kitchen Sync and Hot Dogz Canine
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This downtown building went up in 1925 and was historically known as Hamilton Cold Storage. Wells & Wade bought the structure in the 1960s.
Design and a couple of antique stores. The first reference to Wiester in Wenatchee Daily World pages apparently was an ad in the July 3, 1905, edition. The store was still open in 1912, when it was reported that Wiester had sold a half interest in the business to one M.A. Sorley of Neenah, Wisc., but notations in the printed record are few beyond that. Over the years, the building contained a string of shoe stores including Buster Brown and Trosper’s. A store called Classy Glass came in in the 1990s, and was the first non-shoe store in that location in 30 years.
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Wells & Wade Hardware 138 S. Columbia St.
Historically called Hamilton Cold Storage, this red-brick structure was built around 1925. Wells & Wade owned it for around 20 years beginning in the 1960s, and reportedly continued to use it for fruit storage, despite the hardware store the sign refers to. In the late 1980s, Roger Bumps purchased it to use as storage for his Davis Furniture store nearby. In the last decade, Bumps converted the upstairs areas into his personal residence and several loft apartments. An office of the Nature Conservancy is also in the building. Other structures downtown carry the Wells & Wade brand, and include the Wells & Wade Machine Works Shop at
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Eagle Transfer Co. has long since moved on to other locations, but this downtown building still carries the name. 200-204 S. Columbia St., built in 1948, and the Wells & Wade Fruit Co. packing plant at 101 S. Columbia, built around 1920. W&W continues, as an orchard equipment company, to this day.
Eagle Transfer 234 S. Columbia St.
In boom times, people have more stuff than space to keep it in. So it was in the 1920s in Wenatchee, when Eagle Transfer and Storage Co. and Arrow Transfer and Storage Co. occupied this building in a district dominated by other storage facilities called fruit warehouses. Besides personal effects, Eagle made room for downtown retailers’ excess merchandise. Eagle occupied the structure, which was built in 1922, through the 1970s, and its signs on three sides of the nondescript building remain its most notable feature. Today, the building contains tattoo and martial-arts studios and an athletic supply store. And Eagle Transfer Co. remains a successful and multi-faceted local company, though based in other digs. 16
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March / April 2013
Morris Hardware survived the ups and downs of the local economy from its opening in 1902 to its closing in the late 1960s.
Morris Hardware 23 S. Wenatchee Ave.
H.L. Morris’ name was active at this address from 1902, when he and fellow Midwesterner A.Z. Wells (of Wells & Wade) opened a hardware store there, until the late 1960s, when the company ceased to exist. The original building was razed and rebuilt in 1920. At that time, the nearly two acres of retail space between The Ave and Columbia Street was “generally considered to be one of
the largest and finest and most complete hardware establishments in the state of Washington,” according to a piece in The World. In intervening years, the structure was occupied by furniture, jewelry and saddle stores. Today the Morris Building contains professional offices housing around 30 businesses. The Morris Hardware sign, on the massive building’s south side, may be the most obvious reminder of its past. The west-facing storefront has been remodeled in contemporary design. F
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kitchen creations
Park Place
Asian Carrot and Kale Salad by Eatery Park in Wenatchee
Restaurant: Eatery Park Owner: Tony Davis (right) Location: Ground floor of Riverfront Center, 1 Fifth St., Wenatchee Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Phone: 664-9079 Restaurant description: Eatery Park is a seasonally influenced cafe that focuses on cooking from scratch —from milling its own grains for breads to delicious soups made fresh every day. For lunch, the cafe serves sandwiches, pizzas, soups, salads and a daily special with lots of vegetaran options and naturally raised meat from Mike’s Meats, as well as produce and other products from vendors at the area Farmers Markets. There is a also a fresh-juice bar and espresso featuring coffee from Caffè Mela. Visit Eatery Park and enjoy a great, fresh meal. 18
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March / April 2013
photos By frank cone
Perfection Asian Carrot and Kale Salad 2 pounds carrots, shredded 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup chopped almonds 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1 kale bunch or bundle Olive oil to taste Lemon juice to taste Salt to taste Pepper to taste
Miso glaze
1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup honey 3 ounces Bragg Liquid Aminos acid or soy sauce 1 13-ounce carton white miso pinch of cayenne 6 ounces olive oil 2 tablespoons lime juice Mix first four salad ingredients together in a large bowl.
Remove stems from 1 bunch of kale; rough chop the kale into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, dress the kale with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Combine all glaze ingredients in a blender and blend well. Pour into squeeze bottles. In a large bowl, place the dressed kale in the bottom and add the shredded carrots mix. Drizzle with the miso glaze and serve. Yield: 8 servings F
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inside home
Point of Vi Chatham Hill home offers a full 360 degrees
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iew
Story By dee Riggs photos By kathryn Stevens
Jerry and Barbara Gibbons in front of their 1931 home on School Street.
I
t’s hard to beat the view from Jerry homes project as “one of the most and Barbara Gibbons’ home. comprehensive and elaborate schemes “It’s one of the few places in the of this description ever undertaken in whole valley where you can see a 360this part of the state.” degree view,” says Jerry Gibbons. It further states that “both houses The home sits on the west side of are examples of a development of the Highway 2 and is just up the hill from English influence in architecture.” Lower Sunnyslope Road in the Chatham The Gibbons home was built for T.L. Hill neighborhood. Ross. The home next The home and the door was built for W.R. one next door were Jones. The magazine notes designed by the same that an “outstanding architect, L. Solberg feature” of the home in about 1930. The occupied now by the landscaping that flows Gibbonses was “the between the two large living room, homes was designed The original owners nicknamed set at an angle so as by I.B. Solberg. Both the School Street home the to command a view men were from “Somerset House” because the Seattle. wife was from Somerset, England. in three directions, taking in the upper The homes and Wenatchee River and valley, the their landscaping were featured in a magazine called “The Washington State mountains and the lower valley as well.” Architect” the year they were built, in In 1955, Jerry, who grew up in 1931. The publication’s masthead calls Ephrata, married Barbara, who grew it “the official organ of the Washington up in numerous states while her father State Society of Architects.” worked for Sears, Roebuck & Co. The magazine describes the dual March / April 2013
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The glass-paned door leads to the breakfast room off of the dining room.
The formal dining room features a candelabra-style chandelier. The arched doorway of the living room is seen looking in from the dining room in Jerry and Barbara Gibbons’ School Street home. At left, the downstairs bathroom has brass accents and fixtures. At right, the original garage was converted into an office area.
Barbara was a nurse, and Jerry, who went on to become a vascular surgeon, was pre-med at the time. He has since retired after being medical director for 15 years at Wenatchee Valley Medical Center. Jerry said Barbara always wanted an older home, and he fell in love with the view. He laughs about it today, as hundreds of houses have gone up all around him, but the area was considered extremely rural when they bought the home in 1968. “People at the time thought it was crazy that we wanted to live so far out of town,” he says. When they moved in, a detached garage had been converted to an apartment but the two sections were not connected. In 1971, the Gibbonses added a den and hallway that allowed the two buildings to be connected. The project also added storage space, which had been lacking in the rest of the house. In 1972, the couple enclosed what had been a screened porch. It is now a breakfast nook off the kitchen. The home has no air conditioning but stays cool, Jerry says, from breezes off the Wenatchee River. The house sits on 1.5 acres. In addition to the large living room, its main floor features a bedroom, one bathroom and a half-bath. Upstairs are two bedrooms and a bathroom. The main feature of the house, however, is the living room. It takes up 448 square feet. Exposed fir beams highlight the ceiling. The Gibbonses, who have three children and 11 grandchildren, say they use the room for family gatherings. They close it off during much of the winter to save energy but enjoy it almost daily during the summer. “In warm weather we often go in and sit in front of the big window and have coffee and read the paper,” Jerry says. “I love it because we just love looking out over the river and up at the Cascades, and you can see the geese going down the river. We just never get tired of looking out the window.”
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offbeat
Texting... Sen. Lin L
inda Evans Parlette is a Washington state senator who has represented the 12th Legislative District since first being elected in 2000. Prior to that she served two terms in the state House. After the 2012 elections, two Democratic Senators joined a coalition with Parlette and Republicans to take control of the Senate. She now serves as majority caucus leader. She is a fourth-generation resident of North Central Washington who graduated from Chelan High School and now lives in Wenatchee with her husband Bob. This interview was done completely by text. Words in parentheses were not part of the original texts.
jority you ma e d a m ate the Sen sentment from tion in li a o n c w g a y re The ne u feelin o y e r A leader. caucus rats? Democ s— mocrat The De inority all the m ving a c e w o wh till ha — are s g. caucus tin e adjus hard tim ourself about y g in h t some know. Tell me ly don’t b a b o r ht ople p nch rig that pe up for lu never o s g in I I’m eat Oh, and sed to peak. :) u s m e a w I s eans now a m t a h T eal. miss a m he run. nt o eating
on bly bac . Proba t a h her t ig d h have I figure u o y o , soup. D t for fun potato ns? Jus io t p.) a e ir R . p s la (U.S politica de the words clu answer. try to in in your ” t r e h ) eic s. (Patty “Dave R inst Sen . I bet a g a n to ru eclined n asked ll and d e . w t I’ve bee n a ering. .. ria) C ill wond nd (Ma t s a y is a t r r r Mu Reiche ssman Congre
What kind of music do you listen to? Favorite band or singer?
I’m going to show my age — I still love The Beatles, Elton John, CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival), in addition to classical, depending on my mood. I love to dance and can never sit still. I will assume you’re dancing around with that bowl of soup right now. What are the best and worst things about being a legislator? The best thing is the constant learning of new things, since lifelong learning is a passion of mine. The most difficult thing is finding a balance between private and public life. As an accomplished pharmacist, orchardist and lawmaker, who would you rather have lunch with, Snooki or Honey Boo Boo’s mom? Neither of the above, since I don’t watch TV. Any free time I have is devoted to my three-and-a-half year-old granddaughter, who calls me gramsie. A politically wise answer. What is the single best thing about your district? Well, it’s the largest in the state, for one! I know it well, due to my family’s pioneer heritage. And it’s the place that folks from all across the state vacation! (Former executive aide) Shiloh Schauer ran for mayor and now will head the Wenatchee Valley Chamber. Why do you think she so badly wanted to find a new job? It’s not the first time people approached Shiloh with a new job opportunity. She’s an extremely talented and bright young woman and this looks like a great fit for her. I’m most excited for her husband of three years, Andrew, who will get to see his wife more often.
By cal fitzsimmons
nda Evans Parlette I thought for sure yo What’s th u’d say he e last mov r boss wa ie you wa s a tyrant. would yo tched and u give it o how man ut of five? y stars I know th at’s what you wante say. :) Last d me to movie I sa w was Zero Four stars D ark Thirty. — contro versial bu t well don e. Has the tr eatment o changed f women since you legislators first went to Olymp ia? At times th ere’s still a good old boys club in Olympia Occasiona . lly, I use m y sense of humor an d direct ta lk to bring it to their attention . A ll in all, this is a gre at workpla ce. Especially in your ne I’m sure. N w office, obody see ms to wan against yo t to run u anymore . Do you m thrill of a h iss the otly conte sted camp aign? I haven’t h ad one sin I forgot w ce 1996. hat the th rill is like. (Note: It w was eating as later confirmed th ch noodles w icken soup. Wheth at Sen. Parlette as not spec er it includ ed ified.)
Sen. Linda Evans Parlette and Rep. Brad Hawkins share a moment during the joint session for the State of the Judiciary on the Washington Legislature Campus. Provided photo
Foothills photo contest
And the Winners Are ...
T
he first Foothills Photo Contest drew more than 150 entries from local shooters. They sent us images in two categories: landscape and people. The only rules we set were that the photo had to be shot in North Central Washington during calendar year 2012 and that the image couldn’t be dramatically manipulated electronically. In the following pages, you’ll find the top three winners and three honorable mentions in both categories. Included with the photos are the comments submitted by the photographer. Our thanks to the photographers who shared their talent with us. Visit ncwfoothills.com to view all the entries.
Judging Wenatchee World photo editor Don Seabrook, World photographer Mike Bonnicksen and former World photographer Kathryn Stevens (now of Atlas & Elia Photography fame) were judges for the photo contest. They sat down in mid-January to pick contest winners. They did not know the names of the photographers as they viewed the images.
first place, landscape
photo by Stephen Hufman This is a shot I took in Icicle Canyon during late winter. The wind blowing the snow from the peaks is so beautifully cold.
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first place, people
photo by Dale Blair Nick Boersma ran the anchor leg of the Wenatchee Panthers 4x400 relay team at the Ray Cockrum Relays in March. I captured the shot as he crossed the finish line victorious. This was part of a multiple-shot series of Nick finishing the race. He became more and more emotional after he crossed the finish line realizing he has led his team to a first-place finish. I like the raw emotion on his face and neck as he begins the postrace celebration. Nick went on to win the State 4A 800 meter championship in June.
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honorable mention, landscape
photo by Bonnie Schroeder I took this photo while kayaking in the Crescent Bar recreation area. We began by following the waters of the Babcock Ridge to the east, and enjoyed it so much that we decided to fulfill a goal of kayaking around the entire island. This was taken on the west side looking back to the south.
March / April 2013
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third place, landscape
photo by Peter Bauer I shot this while skiing the Winthrop Trail near Winthrop. I was skiing some of the trails looking for photo opportunities while waiting for the Doggie Dash to start. I shot it with a Canon Rebel TSi, a 17-85 zoom lens at 38mm, 1/250 @f9. I like the mystery of the disappearing trees in the fog, and the overall composition and balance of tones.
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honorable mention, people
photo by Michael Long My daughter was swimming in a friend’s pool and was getting ready to surface. Just before she broke the surface, as she exhaled underwater, the bubbles formed around her face. What I really enjoyed about the photo was how the bubble created an almost perfect shape around her eyes as if it was a snorkeling mask. Pretty cool! A second earlier, or later, and that bubble is not there. Sometimes the lucky shots are the best ones! Artistically, I was impressed before taking the photo of how the light played off the water, creating amazing designs and texture in the pictures I was taking that day, along with the aqua-blue color. Add to that the contrast of her skin and bathing suit, and the photo really has an almost dimensional effect to it. And, as an added bonus, I caught her as she was smiling, as she is always smiling when she’s in the water. A great photo framed by a perfect day!
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honorable mention, people
photo by Rich Stearns In June, my wife Lin and I found a rock ledge along the Wenatchee River just off Stines Hill Road, about halfway between Cashmere and Dryden, to await my brother’s church group from Bellevue. While we waited, a lot of rafts flipped right in front of us as they got caught up in a good-sized hole in the rapids. This unlucky fellow was the last of several in his boat to get ejected. The others are underwater. They all survived to continue their float. I shot this with a Nikon D300, 18x200mm zoom; adjusted slightly with Nikon Capture NX.
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second place, people
photo by Cierra Kohlman This is a picture of my 5-year-old cousin Maren Musson blowing her bubbles that she got from her grandparents for Easter. It was taken in Malaga. I like this because she looks adorable, and it was very entertaining taking pictures of her, and watching her blow bubbles.
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second place, landscape
photo by Peter Bauer I got up early to shoot tulips in our front yard garden after the sprinklers had run. In the most vivid specimen, a spider (jumping spider, I think) was resting. I got a few shots off before it slunk deeper into the flower.
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honorable mention, landscape
photo by Jason Turner I was out on the boat launch down at Lake Wenatchee State Park playing around, trying to put together a nice panorama shot of the sunset. As it got a little bit darker, I took a variety of longer exposures to try and pick up a shifty fog that had risen over the lake. This photo was one of the last that I took, and well after dusk. The only way I could have been luckier was to pick up some stars erupting out of the darkness. I made a couple of minor tweaks and a crop in LR 2.6, but nothing major.
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third place, people
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photo by Ken Trimpe I took this photo of my daughter and her fiance (now husband) right after they announced their engagement. We were celebrating at Visconti’s restaurant in Leavenworth when I snapped this photo. I loved the light and the color. It was very soft and fit the mood. They were obviously very happy and in love. I also liked how natural it all felt. I shot this with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II and an EF24-105mm f/4 lens. The settings were 1/40 sec; f/4.5; ISO 400. I used the table for a tripod and a steady hand.
March / April 2013
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honorable mention, landscape
photo by Roger Wallace I took this photo of the south shore of Lake Wenatchee in January. After a brief cold snap, the south end of Lake Wenatchee had a very thin layer of ice on the surface, thin enough to still provide a reflection of the snowand hoarfrost-covered trees in the background. I took the photo from the campground at the state park in the morning. For me, this photo epitomizes the beauty of winter here in North Central Washington.
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honorable mention, people
photo by Phyllis Jess I snapped this photo on Christmas Day as I was riding with Daryll Compton. We were riding along the Columbia River near Baker Flats. Daryll is a Washington High School Rodeo participant. She attends Wenatchee High School and is a National Barrel Horse Association competitor and a member of Appleatchee Riders. We ride the river together often.
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good stuff
Story By kaylin bettinger photos By ron Mason
The
Sweet, Hard Truth Fine bubbles swirl as Snowdrift owner Peter Ringsrud pours a sample of English-style Dry cider.
Turning apples into hard cider is a growing business 40
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D
riving north from Wenatchee toward Orondo Cider Works, it’s hard to believe alcohol in North Central Washington is made from anything but apples. While orchards stretch along the Columbia River as far as the eye can see, only three cideries call North Central Washington home. And whether it’s luck or fate, the owners of those cideries are finding themselves conveniently placed in the most apple-
centric area on Earth as cider begins to make a comeback nationally. Chuck Podlich has owned orchards around Orondo for nearly 35 years. When he bought his first small orchard outside of Orondo in 1979, he just wanted to try his hand at growing apples. As a farmer, he learned quickly that diversification is the name of the game and moved into everything from managing other people’s orchards to selling groceries in his roadside barn.
Cider started out as one of those diversification strategies — a Plan B. In 2003, Podlich was looking for something profitable to do with bruised apples that can’t be sold. Long before cider was in the picture, he began growing Manchurian Crab Apples to help with pollination, not to eat. But he discovered that adding them to cider gave it a great taste. “The challenge I’ve put to myself is, here we are in Washington State, we’ve got a bazillion apples,” he said. “Let’s learn how to use what we have to make a good hard cider product rather than go plant something totally new.” Podlich’s Orondo Cider Works will celebrate its 10-year anniversary this summer.
The Beginning Snowdrift Cider Co. and the Methow Valley Ciderhouse were started in the last decade with the help of Peter Mitchell. Mitchell, an esteemed cider and
Orondo Cider Works owner Chuck Podlich inspects Golden Delicious apples before they are sent to the shredder.
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Snowdrift owner Peter Ringsrud sets freshly corked bottles into a bath pasteurizer. At right, Grace Larsen doses a fresh bottle of Snowdrift’s Méthode Champenoise Perry with a perry-andsugar reduction.
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“We’re kind of a tight-knit group. We’re all trying to promote each other and spread the word of the drink of cider.” Richard Wasson Methow Valley Ciderhouse
perry expert from Worcester, England, began teaching a weeklong cidermaking course at the Washington State University extension campus in Mount Vernon in 2003. Snowdrift’s Peter Ringsrud and Methow Valley Ciderhouse owner Richard Wasson completed the course, and two local hard cideries were born. Despite sharing a region and a niche business, the cidery owners don’t feel the pressure to outdo the competition
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the way they may in a saturated market. Cider’s slow revival comes almost 100 years after prohibition stomped out its popularity in America. Modern-day ciderists are just happy to get the word out. “We’re kind of a tight knit group. We’re all trying to promote each other and spread the word of the drink of cider,” Wasson said.
Trending Cider is making a splash across the country, and for bar frequenters, it’s hard not to notice. In Wenatchee, McGlinn’s Public House has had Orondo Cider Works cider on tap since summer 2012 and Saddle Rock Brewery has had a rotating cider, usually one from Snowdrift, on tap since they opened in October 2011. All the ciderists say demand has been increasing over the years. Nationally, Anheuser-Busch released Michelob Ultra Light Cider in May last year and MillerCoors bought Crispin just a few months before that. Peter Ringsrud, owner of Snowdrift Cider Co. in East Wenatchee, retired from Douglas County as a civil engineer and started Snowdrift in 2008. Since then, the family business has exploded, winning awards in the United States and beyond, most notably two first-place awards and one second place in the Three Counties Show, an international cider competition In England. Grocery stores and bars across Washington call asking for Snowdrift products. “We can’t keep up,” said Tim Larson, co-cider-maker and Ringsrud’s son-inlaw. Podlich still only uses about 200 bins a year of his 11,000 bins of apple orchards to produce cider. But he’s dedicating more apples to cider all the time, and he doesn’t think cider’s popularity has even begun to peak. “Before it was trendy, you know, we had a really good product, and we had a few people in the world that appreciated it, but it wasn’t a big deal,” Podlich said. “Now, the time is right. It’s a much bigger deal. And it’s still fun.” F 46
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After being shredded, the apples at Orondo Cider Works are sandwiched between plastic trays and cloth wrapping, where the juice is pressed out.
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From Orchard to Vineyard Tunnel Hill’s sustainable transition the vine
G
uy Evans had no idea 10 years ago he would be operating a vineyard and making wine on land that had been the family’s apple orchard since he was a child. Tunnel Hill Winery may be one of Lake Chelan’s smallest wineries,
bottling fewer than 1,000 cases of wine a year, made mostly from grapes grown in surrounding vineyards. But with its postcard view location next to Highway 97A overlooking the lake, its eyecatching rock construction and awardwinning wines, Tunnel Hill has quickly
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Tunnel Hill Winery got its start in 2001 when Denny Evans planted a block of Pinot Noir grapes. Today, his son Guy Evans, seen here walking out of the winery’s new production room, runs the show.
become one of the region’s gems of success. Denny Evans and many other apple growers around the lake had already pulled out large portions of their orchards in 2003 when his son released his video about the apple industry’s March / April 2013
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Tunnel Hill’s 2012 vintages — Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Merlot — bide their time as they age in the winery’s barrel room.
Tunnel Hill wines captured multiple medals in the 2011 and 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards.
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downturn and his own hopes for a more sustainable style of agriculture. The video, “Broken Limbs,” co-produced with Jamie Howell, was aired nationally on PBS television and nominated for an Emmy Award. Denny Evans planted a couple of acres of grapes in desperate hopes of farming the land with a crop that could survive. The land and lake climate had famously produced prized apples for decades before overproduction and corporate consolidation in the industry caused grower returns to plummet. “Dad planted a block of Pinot Noir in 2001. It was a symbol of hope for him. I have to tip my hat to my dad; he’s one of the most determined, tenacious people I know,” said Guy, 41. That block now produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the state, he believes. One would think making an awardwinning video might lead Evans to a
career in videography. He thought as much himself. But the subject matter of struggling farms led him back to the family ranch. “I had to come back and apply some of those ideas about sustainable agriculture myself,” he said. Wine and wine tourism are the answer for Lake Chelan, he believes. It’s one of the few ways a farm can profit from a small piece of land without selling it. He took over his father’s bustling Sunshine Market fruitstand in 2004 and began helping him in the vineyard and winery that was just getting its start. They planted more grapes — Syrah, Riesling, Malbec and Viognier, varieties that seem to do especially well in Lake Chelan’s unique climate. With stonemason Felipe Banuelos, they expanded the farm’s old stone cottage — built from granite rubble produced when Knapps Tunnel was blasted
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Benson Vineyards
The winery gets its name from the old stone cottage built from granite blasted when the nearby Knapps Tunnel was under construction in the early 1930s. The cottage was converted into the winery’s tasting room. through a few miles away in 1933. Rock walls and walkways now snake up the terraced hillside to the vineyard with picnic areas and event sites for weddings and parties. Last year, they added a 1,000-square-foot wine production room with another 600 square feet of underground barrel storage. The rock building has tall ceilings that will allow wine production to gradually increase to about 2,500 cases a year. Guy took online winemaking classes from the University of California at Davis and hired experienced winemaker Michelle Fanton as an assistant. They’ve expanded wine selections with Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and other grapes purchased from the Wahluke Slope growing area. With more than 800 wineries now in Washington, producing world-class wines is essential, but only part of what’s needed to succeed, he said. Tunnel Hill offers plenty to entertain guests who won’t have any problem finding its scenic location just off the main access to the lake. When the tasting room switches from weekends only to daily visitation in March, weekly vineyard tours and occasional
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Upon further review
Ryan Patrick Reserve Chardonnay 2011 $20
You’re most likely to catch Guy Evans playing piano at Tunnel Hill’s Thursday Happy Hour during the warmer-weather months. wine-tasting classes will be resumed. Guy plays piano for Thursday night happy hours during the warm months. Other musicians play seasonal concerts, too. Sunshine Market, walking-distance away, offers an array of farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, locally produced jams, jellies, sauces, coffees and gifts. One thing Guy said he’s learned as winemaker and new businessman is
patience. It takes time for a batch of crushed grapes to become great wine. It takes time to create a familiar brand, a product and a place that consumers will want again and again. “People come here for the wine, but also for the experience,” he said. “Authenticity is something we have in spades. You really can’t compare this to picking up a bottle of wine at the grocery store.” F
Tunnel Hill 2010 Pinot Noir $25
“People come here for the wine, but also for the experience,” says Evans. “Authenticity is something we have in spades.”
This is an elegant and restrained Burgundian-styled Pinot Noir. The light body keeps the flavors lively and they seem to skip around on the palate. Pie cherry and red plum are the dominant fruit notes while an essence of tea, fennel and vanilla lend complexity. The acid gives the wine structure and also creates a nice counterpoint against many foods. I drank it with pork loin roasted with apple and cranberry but it would pair well with a locally caught salmon, chicken, duck and vegetable entrées, too. Or, just pour yourself a glass and watch the snow melt. — Barb Robertson
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From the time they started making wine over a decade ago, Ryan Patrick has made consistently great wine from its family-owned vineyards. One of its more celebrated wines has been the Reserve Chardonnay. It is an excellent example of the kind of Chardonnay that Washington state produces. It’s not over the top, oaky or sweet. The mouthfeel is full, smooth and subtle. Fuji apples and Bartlett pears are covered in a lightly vanilla-scented cream. The Milbrandts have done a good job retaining the quality the Flanagan family strived to achieve years ago. Salute!
A taste of NCW wines with barb Robertson
Icicle Ridge Cherry Chocolate Passion $34
Karma South Red Wine 2010 $40
Barb Robertson
Icicle Ridge has made use of our region’s abundant cherries and created a lovely dessert wine. At first sniff, it reminded me of a cherry Tootsie pop, which I happen to really enjoy, especially on long car trips. However, on further review, the cherry had a nice, bright acidity that kept the sweetness from being cloying. There is also some sandalwood and spice notes woven into the cocoa that give it some interest. It’s a nice finish to a dinner all by itself or pair it with crème brûlée, cheesecake or a not-too-sweet gelato. The attractive packaging makes it very giftable.
The name South is a reference to the traditional blends in the Southern Rhone area of France. This lovely wine seamlessly melds 56 percent Mourvedre, 37 percent Grenache and 7 percent Syrah to create a harmonious blend of flavors. Blackberry and pomegranate mix it up with cinnamon, white pepper and minerals. Chocolate and a hint of bacon whisper in the background in the long, smooth finish. Winemaker Craig Mitrakul gives credit to the Stone Tree Vineyard in Mattawa and previous winemaker, Ray Sandidge for giving it a good start. Bravo to all involved.
City: Wenatchee Profession: Restaurateur and account manager for Sysco food service Credentials: Earned advanced certification through Londonbased Wine and Spirit Education Trust; currently working toward higher-level diploma through WSET. Earned degree in marketing from Central Washington University. Owned The Wine Bin retail shop in Wenatchee for five years. Has worked in the Northwest wine industry more than 10 years, including distribution, sales, production and marketing. Judged the 2011 and 2012 North Central Washington Wine Awards.
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parting shot
I wasn’t one of the three judges who picked their favorites from the 150 or so entries we received for the inaugural Foothills Photo Contest. This is my favorite of the photos that didn’t place among the top 12 finishers. Here are photographer Carl Mattheis’ thoughts about the image he captured: “This was taken almost exactly one week after the Canyons Fire that burned through the foothills on the western side of Wenatchee. It was taken right off our driveway. During the fire our house was at one point completely surrounded by fire. This is the best picture I took during 2012 because it represents resilience and regrowth. If you look closely you can see a spider web spanning between two pieces of grass. It is inspiration to keep going and understand that no matter how hard it gets, it will always get better.” — Marco Martinez, editor
oothills
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Reasonable Racks
Phone: 509-322-5926 okanoganriverguesthouse.com okanoganriverguesthouse@gmail.com
• Great for fishermen, hunters, snowmobilers, families, or retreats • Great river views • Sleeps 8 • All amenities plus phone, Directv, and Internet access • Private and peaceful • Perfect for Weddings
Custom Wine Storage Solutions
Commercial & Residential
Call for a Free Consultation
509.860.1320
www.reasonableracks.com
Catering For Any Event Customized Menus
March / April 2013
Foothills
55