Foothills April-May 2011

Wenatchee u LeavenwortH u ChelaN u and all of North Central Washington

oothills

Fashion Statement Searching for the local look

Inside Sending a message

Saint Laurent Winery is hitting its stride

Fairway to heaven

Golf course real estate shows signs of thawing April - May 2011

Contributors

Sharon Altaras is an amateur sociologist, wannabe motorhead and fashionista. She enjoys walking the neighborhoods and alleys of Wenatchee, and recently traveled the country in an RV with her dog. As a journalist, she’s covered North Central Washington’s courts, Washington state’s businesses, and has helped launch an eco-conscious fashion magazine.

Gary Jasinek, former managing editor of The Wenatchee World, has golfed for almost 50 years. Though he never lived next to a golf course, he has spent weeks of his life outside the edge of many, many fairways.

MK Resk cannot sit idle

for long. Consequently, she is a Wenatchee-based writer, teacher, performer, volunteer, athlete and traveler. For more on her current projects and escapades, visit her at freespiritedfreelancer.wordpress.com.

Give Mike Irwin a reason to go, and he’s gone. The World reporter and blogger loves to wander the area’s towns and backroads in search of the odd and interesting. Everyday objects intrigue him, too, so don’t worry if you find him transfixed by cloud reflections in a mud puddle.

It’s normal behavior. Somewhat normal.

Writing about unique homes is a joy for Bremerton native Dee Riggs. “I love exploring what people like about their homes and the thought process that goes into building or remodeling a home,” said Riggs. She is a communications graduate of the University of Washington and has worked at The Wenatchee World since 1977.

2

Foothills

April–May 2011

Continues W

elcome to the second issue of Foothills, a regional lifestyle magazine published bimonthly by World Publishing, owner of The Wenatchee World and Wenatchee Valley Business World.

What you’ll find in every issue are regular features on popular subjects — wine, sparkling homes and gardens, cool cars, food, a light-hearted Q&A via text with a prominent person from the region and a short lesson/ refresher on area history in the quirky Fast 5 column.

Other stories you’ll see on a semi-regular basis include travel, the outdoors, health and fitness, arts and entertainment, and sports and recreation.

We’ll also surprise you with something new now and then. One thing that will shine through in each issue is what a special place this is for work and play.

Have a question, comment, criticism, complaint or story idea? Drop me a line at foothills@wenatcheeworld.com.

We also accept compliments. ;)

Rick Steigmeyer is an amateur vintner who enjoys writing about wine, food and local entertainment on his Winemaker’s Journal blog on The Wenatchee World’s website.

He’s been a reporter for the Wenatchee World since 1989. He’s very modest.

Our Journey

Marco Martinez, editor

On the cover: Former Apple Blossom Princess Erin Charlton Cass models some of local fashion blogger Lisa Traum’s picks for must-have spring fashions.

The photo was shot in downtown Wenatchee. See story on Page 18.

Kathryn Stevens photo

Contents

16 Texting ...

Sam Reed

4 Fast 5

What do the Pipeline Bridge, God, concrete apples, a smiling icon and a miracle tonic have in common? They’re all in Mike Irwin’s latest column.

6 He Cooks, He Scores!

Sleeping Lady executive chef Ken MacDonald shares one of his favorite recipes.

The Secretary of State takes a few minutes to chat about his Wenatchee childhood, King County ballot counting, Dusty’s burgers and ... wait for it ... Katy Perry!

18 Fashion Maven Fashion blogger Lisa Traum talks Wenatchee stylesw

19 Cargo Fever

One style of pants ... three different looks

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 Advertising sales manager Wendy DalPez (509) 661-5221 dalpez@wenatcheeworld.com Design Jared Johnson johnson@wenatcheeworld.com Staff writers Mike Irwin Dee Riggs Rick Steigmeyer

24 Sweet Spot Living along the region’s fairways

8 North Shore

Manson carves its own identity along Lake Chelan

10 First Street Royalty We take you inside the stone home on the corner of Wenatchee’s First and Miller streets

14 Setting The Pace Mustang Pace Car shines under the hood

Staff photographers Mike Bonnicksen Don Seabrook Kathryn Stevens Contributing editors Russ Hemphill Barbara Tuttle Kevira Voegele

30 Sainthood

Mike and Laura Mrachek’s St. Laurent Winery stands tall

36 Center Stage

Local doctors who moonlight on local stages

Foothills Magazine is published bi-monthly

by World Publishing, 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801.

Subscriptions $24 annually Send check or money order to: Foothills, Subscriptions 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801 or email foothills@wenatcheeworld.com Copyright 2011 with all rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.

April–May 2011

Foothills

3

compiled By Mike Irwin

5

Fast The

Insider tidbits on the area’s local life and lore

2 4

1

Spanning a century If the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail has a thrill spot — a point where hikers and bikers say, “Whoa, mama, this is cool!” — it’s gotta be the 103-year-old Pedestrian Pipeline Bridge. It’s just plain fun to be held aloft on the 1,000-foot-long steel truss span, the very first road bridge across the Columbia River. Sure, the wagons and Model-Ts have been replaced with swoop-helmeted cyclists and young moms pushing giant strollers. But the big irrigation pipe — a fixture on the bridge since its construction — still carries water to 4,000 acres of East Wenatchee fruit trees. Sweet.

I’m not a racist, but ...

The appropriateness of the smiling Indian brave with the motorized, back-and-forth eyes has been in question ever since fruit company Skookum Inc. erected an early version of the sign back in 1913. Over the decades, the Skookum mascot’s design has evolved, its location shifted and its future debated. But the pig-tailed fellow’s staying power has never been in doubt.

He vanished for a few years in the 1970s, but has otherwise been perched full time atop a warehouse or business building, grinning upon Wenatchee. Today, he sits rooftop on the Office Depot building near the northeast corner of Ninth Street and Wenatchee Avenue.

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April–May 2011

4 5 3

Good for what ails you Got liver trouble? Thin blood? Female complaints? Then you need a dose of Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical Discovery, a bottled tonic from the early 1900s. Weak kidneys? Low sperm count? Then a single tincture of the licorice-flavored patent medicine — still touted on a pair of barnside billboards along Highway 2 west of Waterville — should set you right. Dr. Pierce, who many claim was, um, overexuberant in hawking his wares, plastered barns across the U.S. with his bold hustle, aiming to grab that new, affluent, American demographic: the automobile traveler. Every decade or so, the barns’ Waterville owners repaint to keep the signs — and public interest — fresh and alive.

On high Cast your eyes toward heaven — well, toward Wenatchee Heights, anyway — and you’re likely to spot the lighted Wenatchee Valley Cross. The 108-foot steel icon with almost 1,000 bulbs is the latest, local permutation of the classic symbol, which first graced an area ridgeline in 1994. Randy Smith, keeper of the cross, says it’s fueled now by both the power of the Lord and the power of the Chelan County PUD. That means no more gasoline generators and easier maintenance. The cross lights up during the Christmas and Easter seasons, but also when sponsored by residents for special occasions.

Cost: $10 per night. Get details at wenatcheevalleycross.com.

How you like them apples?

This year, those full — but phony — apple crates at the entrance to Cashmere celebrate 60 years of welcoming travelers to downtown. The boxes, perched on 5-foot pedestals at the north end of the Aplets Way bridge, brim with succulent fruit (30 Reds in one box, 30 Goldens in the other). Rumor has it that in 1951 resident Clyde Decker painted the original fruit so accurately that tourists often stopped to pluck one out of the box. Trouble is, the fruit is perfectly cast concrete with great paint jobs. Former resident Alan Moen remembers an April Fools Day joke in which he painted the reds yellow, the goldens red and applied “Product of New Zealand” signs. “I’m not sure everyone found that funny,” he said.

kitchen creations

compiled By marco martinez Photos By don seabrook

Elegant taste

Kenneth MacDonald Title: Executive chef Place of work: Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort, Leavenworth Professional experience: Executive chef at Sleeping Lady since 2008; former executive chef at Esteban Restaurant inside Casa Munras Hotel in Monterey, Calif.; City Tattersals Members Club in Sydney, Australia; Pan Pacific Hotel in San Francisco; Pan Pacific Sonargoan

Hotel in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Dom Restaurant and Bar in Sydney; Sir Standford at Circular Quay in Sydney; and the Sydney Convention Exhibition Centre on Darling Harbour in Sydney Personal: Married with one son Place of birth: Glasgow, Scotland Current hometown: Cashmere Hobbies: Tennis, soccer, golf, collecting rare soul/funk records, cinema, hiking and cycling

Grilled Long-Line Caught Sea Bass

8-ounce skin-on sea bass fillet Sea salt to taste Pepper to taste 1 teaspoon grapeseed oil 1 teaspoon butter Fresh lemon juice, one squeeze Season sea bass with sea salt and pepper. Heat up your non– stick pan, add grapeseed oil and a teaspoon of butter. Place fish skin-side down in pan, cook 4 minutes on both sides, basting the fish with the cooking juices.

When fish is firm to the touch, it’s cooked. Finish with squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Crushed Organic Red Potatoes 6 ounces organic red potatoes 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced 1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley, chopped 1 green onion, finely chopped Sea salt to taste Pepper to taste Cover organic mini-red potatoes with salted water, bring to boil and cook until soft.

Drain when cooked. Crush gently with a fork, add garlic, chopped flat leaf parsley, green onion. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Place potatoes in center of plate, fish on top, pour champagne sauce over fish and serve.

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Sleeping Lady executive chef Ken MacDonald shares his recipe for sea bass and potatoes.

Champagne Sauce ½ cup mussel stock ½ cup fish stock ½ cup chicken stock ½ cup Champagne ½ cup white wine ½ cup mushroom trimmings ½ cup onion trimmings ½ cup parsley/herb trimmings 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves ½ bay leaf

Zhug Spice (Yemen Dry Dip) ½ cup leeks chopped 2 cups cream Juice of one lemon wedge Place all ingredients, minus cream, in a deep pan and reduce until nearly all evaporated.

Add cream, boil for few minutes.

Strain, add pinch of cayenne and lemon juice.

½ teaspoon cloves 1 tablespoon cilantro powder 5 cardamom pods 2 teaspoon cumin seeds ¼ pound green chiles, fresh 10 cloves garlic 1 bunch cilantro Salt 5 teaspoons cold water Heat spices in pan, cool and grind all in pestle and mortar.

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Foothills

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path ways

story By MK Resk Photos By richard uhlhorn

Manson’s Rustic Magic

A cheese plate from Lake Chelan Cheese includes Italian dry salami, dried fruit, fig bread, olives, crackers and, you guessed it, cheese.

Lakeside town has many flavors to share

E

ven Manson’s nickname, The Village By The Bay, is quaint.

This tiny town usually gets overshadowed by its bigger neighbor, Chelan.

Sure, Chelan is grand, but for a real treat venture a bit farther uplake to this charming village.

Summer visitors get the place buzzing, but locals can enjoy Manson’s serenity and treasures year-round.

On a recent cobalt-blue-sky meets glistening-turquoise-water kind of day, I explored all that Manson has to offer an off-season visitor. I was pleasantly surprised to find sophisticated shopping, eating and lodging in abundant supply.

The recent culinary tourism trend has been a boon to this agriculturally rich area. From the exotic dairy selections at 8

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April–May 2011

Lake Chelan Cheese and Formaggio at The Old Firehouse (don’t miss the innovative Cheese Cones, a gourmet update of an ice cream cone!) to locally sourced food with an Italian flair at Tanti Baci Ristorante, foodies have more than enough to whet their appetites.

Blueberry Hills is a favorite too-big breakfast and U-pick berry option set amidst the picturesque farmland just outside of town. My Buddy’s Tavern and Troy’s Pizza are both in the heart of downtown and were recommended many times over for their good pub food, authentic vibe and local music.

Local resident Cheryl Ann Ellingson suggests Café Manson. “(It’s) AWESOME! We went there on Valentine’s Day and it was superb. Fletcher (Cheryl Ann’s husband) doesn’t like to spend

money on eating out and this place is not cheap, but he wants to go there once a month now. That says a lot.”

Numerous wineries dot the area’s patchwork-quilt rolling hills. Wine Press Northwest has named Tildio Winery a Winery To Watch. Cheryl Ann’s current favorite winery is Benson Vineyards Estate Winery. “We went there about a month ago and they had a fire outside in their huge, gorgeous yard. We sat out there and visited with our wine and met some tourists.”

Hard Row To Hoe is also a hit. “Their wallpaper alone is worth a trip, but the wine is really good, too,” Cheryl Ann says. Manson is also the home of CR Sandidge Wine Tasting Room, which produces award-winning wines that have garnered attention far beyond

Quality

Vacation In Your Own Backyard Tanti Baci Ristorante offers some Italian flair in downtown Manson.

North Central Washington.

Shoppers will enjoy the beautifully appointed items at Allisons of Manson.

With everything from cushy home furnishings, artwork and quirky gifts like turn-of-the-century marriage etiquette books and pocket tape measures in stock, there’s something for everyone.

Elegant gifts are available at the many cute cafes and wine shops throughout town, too.

If you wish to indulge even more in Manson’s offerings, stay awhile. Good lodging options include the popular Wapato Point Condominiums, Pickens Landing Cabins and Cottages, and Mountain View Lodge. Area inns provide a range of amenities and prices to suit every taste and pocketbook.

Take things one step (or a few) further by staying and playing around Manson’s hills and shores. Outstanding hiking, biking, skiing and strolling trails exist nearby.

Depending on your mood and season, enjoy the water either submerged or from afar. Summer boat rentals are available at Wapato Point Resort and Manson Bay Marina or enjoy downtown’s convenient lakeside Manson Bay Park any time of year. Or if gaming and nightlife are more your style, head to the Colville Tribe’s Mill Bay Casino.

Sleepy, seaside Manson is like slipping back in time equipped with today’s amenities. Its rustic elegance is well worth discovering.

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Foothills

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inside Home

Owners: Mike and Sheila Salmon Address: 919 First St., Wenatchee Built: 1926 by Lou Ovenden

Above, the family room, an addition to the original home, features high ceilings and replica leaded-glass windows on two walls. A stone fireplace sits on the other wall, reaching more than halfway up. At right, large windows light up the living room. An antique light fixture in the study is from Mike’s father’s former home on Chatham Hill Road.

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April–May 2011

Story By Dee Riggs Photos By kathryn stevens

History at Home Y

ou’ve got to look hard to see it.

In a back hallway, right where a rock wall juts out, there’s a blending of old and new that’s so imperceptible, visitors have to be told where to look.

“It’s right here,” said Mike Salmon.

“That’s where we added on.”

The rock wall is from the part of the house built in 1926. The wall on one side of the rock is plaster, and the wall on the other side is drywall textured with a mix of mottling and smoothness that mimics plaster.

This is where Mike and his wife, Sheila, added 2,000 square feet onto the original 1,800-square-foot house at the southeast corner of First and Miller streets. They did that in 1993, three years after buying the Tudor Revival-style house that is on the city of Wenatchee’s Register of Historic Places.

Mike said they were fully aware of the challenges when they bought the home.

“You’re limited by what you can do to a stone house,” he said. “You don’t just easily knock out a wall and do things to it.”

The addition was necessary, the Salmons said, because the original house would not accommodate their growing family. For bedrooms, there were two large ones on the second floor and a small den-like room on the main floor.

The Salmons added a master bedroom onto the main floor and another bedroom on the second floor of the addition. They also upgraded the electrical and air-conditioning systems.

“It’s made it very livable,” Mike said.

The addition also includes a large family room and an entry onto a courtyard that blends a vintage stone

A stone chimney rises above the northfacing entrance to the First Street home. walkway with a new stone walkway.

The outdoor courtyard also incorporates an original stone fireplace with a swimming pool that the Salmons put a lot of thought into.

“I didn’t want it to look like a brand new swimming pool,” Mike said. “I wanted it to look like it was built in that particular period.”

The pool features a fountain and a April–May 2011

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Clockwise from left, the hand railing along the staircase in the original portion of the Salmon house is crafted from wrought-iron; the Salmons added a swimming pool; various floor materials are used throughout, including the study’s brick inlay pattern; a lion head knocker greets visitors. negative edge that both cascade toward the house.

Sheila notes that the fountain and the waterfall help keep down the traffic noise from busy Miller Street.

Mike, who lived for a time with his parents in an English Tudor home on Chatham Hill in Sunnyslope, said he bought the house for its charm.

“I like when you walk through the 12

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April–May 2011

house, the floors creak in some places, and the patina on the wood — you can’t duplicate that in new construction,” he said.

The original house also features a living room, a sitting room, a dining room, a kitchen and a small eating area. Mike said his favorite room is the sitting room, with its high ceilings and stone fireplace.

“It is so characteristic of the crafts-

manship that was done in the late 1920s,” he said. “And it’s extremely cozy.”

Sheila’s favorite is the living room. “I like being able to look out the windows into the rose garden,” she said.

The Salmons say they have more plans for remodeling the house. Sheila wants to upgrade some appliances in the kitchen, which was remodeled in 1993. And Mike talks about adding a

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carport, a wine cellar and maybe a larger dining room.

“The final chapter hasn’t been written yet,” he said.

If you know of a home that should be considered for a feature in Foothills magazine, contact reporter Dee Riggs at 664-7147 or deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com.

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Foothills

13

Under the Hood

Going the distance for a Mustang

I

f you love something, let it go. If it comes back, you’ll know.

For 33-year-old Chris Tubbs of Wenatchee, love returned 3½ years ago in the form of a silver 1979 Mustang with orange pin striping.

Ford’s Mustang was the Indianapolis 500 pace car of that year, and Tubbs had dreamed of owning one since he was a young teen.

He saw his car for the first time in 2006, parked outside Brian’s Automotive on Orondo Avenue.

“The windshield was broken out, but that was it,” Tubbs remembers of the vehicle.

After unsuccessfully imploring longtime owner Brian Thorpe to sell, “I walked away,” says the mechanic and house repair contractor.

“A couple years later, I was cruising through Cashmere and I saw it again,” says Tubbs. “I saw the ‘Ford Motorsport’ license plate and knew it was the same car.”

The car was in an impound lot and had no motor or transmission.

Its owner at the time agreed to sell the body to Tubbs for $500.

Then the work began.

Tubbs didn’t have a shop, so he and

Wheels of wonder

his friends did everything on the side of the road, visible to traffic that passed up and down South Mission Street.

Tubbs acquired his know-how over years of observation and participation, beginning with his father, Edward Tubbs.

“My dad didn’t like baby sitters,” says Tubbs, who is married with two sons, ages 10 and 13. “He was a pretty heavy mechanic, so ever since I was about 6 years old, I’ve been in the shop with him.”

Tubbs had a 460 big-block engine waiting when he got the Mustang. A year earlier, he had bought a Ford install kit with the headers, oil pan, dip stick, motor mounts, oil pump and shaft for about $860.

He’d acquired three or four other Mustangs over the years and had just about given up on finding a pace car when he passed the impound lot in Cashmere, he says.

“We used to put cones out when we were working on it,” he says with a laugh. “We just got it done.”

In the end, his resourcefulness got him a job.

The owners of B & B Auto Repair in Wenatchee watched his progress on

Car: 1979 Ford Mustang, Indy Pace Car edition; one of 10,471 produced Modifications: l 460 big block engine, bored and stroked l B and M Z Gate automatic shifter l Edelbrock 600 carburetor l Hooker Super Competition headers with 2½-inch primaries and 3-inch collectors l Flowmaster Super 44 dual exhaust l 1988 Ford Thunderbird positraction disc brakes l BBK rear boxed control arms l Full-length subframe connectors Future plans: Owner Chris Tubbs plans to switch to a beefier carburetor and put in a T56 six-speed transmission. He’s currently installing an eight-point roll cage.

Story By sharon altaras Photos By don seabrook

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Speed is Chris Tubbs’ priority when it comes to his 1979 Ford Mustang with a 460 V-8 big block engine under the hood. The 1979 “Fox Body” model was the second of three Mustangs to pace the Indianapolis 500 race.

the pace car and told him if he could successfully build something on the side of the road like that, he could work for them, Tubbs says.

One of his sons gave him a sticker of X-Men comic character “Beast,” which he stuck under the hood of the car.

He also affectionately refers to it as “Bounty Hunter.”

“Everyone I’ve raced in it, I’ve beaten.

I’ve never lost, yet,” Tubbs says.

He enters the car in shows and parades each year, including the Classy Chassis in East Wenatchee at the beginning of May. He is also a founding member of the Quarter Mile Club, a group of area drag-racing enthusiasts.

But don’t be surprised if he turns a challenge down.

A lot of people look at it as a drag car, but it’s kind of valuable,” he says.

“I built it just to cruise on Friday and Saturday nights.”

Tubbs drives another vehicle that has childhood nostalgia for him, too — a 1978 Ford Pinto wagon he’s owned more than a decade.

He says people joke about how long he keeps his cars. Of the Mustang, he says: “No, never, I won’t sell.”

When it’s love, you just know.

For more information about Quarter Mile Club, email qmc.1978@yahoo.com.

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Foothills

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By cal fitzsimmons

offbeat

Texting ... Secretary S

am Reed, who grew up in Wenatchee, has been Washington secretary of state since 2000. He is known nationwide for the state’s election reforms following the hotly contested and controversial 2004 governor race between Republican Dino Rossi and Democrat Chris Gregoire. This interview, done in March, was completely by text. Words in parentheses were not part of the texts.

Should I refer to you as Mr. Reed, Mr. Secretary, Sam or the grandkid who’s texting for Sam? Just call me Sam

What’s your fondest childhood memory of Wenatchee?

Is King County still counting ballots from the 2004 governor race?

What’s your favorite fruit?

Going with my cousins to the Wenatchee Chiefs baseball games.

lol .. Fortunately, they have gone from being one of the worst operations to one of the best in the state. Much credit goes to former Chelan County Auditor Evelyn Arnold who is the new superintendent of King County Elections.

So, you’re confident fewer dead people are voting these days?

lmao ... We are Chicago no more. We have a new statewide database that lets us clear the voter system properly.

Apples from the Apple Capital of the WORLD ... and cherry milkshakes.

We also would have accepted pears. Do you kind of hope Dino Rossi will run against you in 2012, considering his statewide track record?

Oh geez ... laughs.

Are the political parties still fighting Top 2? (primary election system where top two candidates advance, regardless of party) We have won each case but the parties continue to appeal ... hard to believe, huh?

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April–May 2011

of State Sam Reed Can’t go wrong there. What’s your favorite “odd” thing a candidate has said on the ballot after prefers ... Party?

(Former Nirvana bassist) Krist Novoselic has been a leading critic (of Top 2). Did you tell him he’s a sellout to the system for even caring?

Salmon Yoga Party. Though, it was a foolish thing to do. I wouldn’t encourage candidates to pick offthe-wall names.

Ah ... actually ... I really appreciate that he cares so deeply about our political system. Besides ... he’s a great rocker!

Robust!

Great! Whatever happened to that lawsuit demanding you prove President Obama is a U.S. citizen?

It was dismissed without even going to trial.

A little grungy, but OK. When you’re in Wenatchee is there a restaurant or bar you must visit?

Oh yes there is ... lifelong favorite is Dusty’s burgers.

It’s been a year since your kidney cancer surgery. How’s your health?

I’m sure that puts it to rest. Is there a (initiative king) Tim Eyman wing in your building?

Prefers Parties Back Off might be good for you, though.

Nice ...

Just for fun, a pop culture question. Can you tell me the name of Russell Brand’s wife? No help!

Hahahahaha ... he gets frequent flyer mileage

Just watch Sesame Street. Or not.

Katy Perry!

Chuckles ... ummmm ... can I google? ... call a friend?

Cheater.

in style

Story By sharon altaras Photos By Kathryn Stevens

An Eye for Fashion S

pring is a time of color and reinvention. Delicate crocuses sprout overnight, while magnolia and

dogwood trees erupt in bold blooms. Rivers swell

with mountain snow runoff and wildflowers adorn our thawing, green foothills.

The ritual exchange of winter coats and snow boots for short sleeves and sandals also is reason to celebrate.

Festivals, such as Apple Blossom, give locals a chance Lisa Traum shops at Collins Fashions in downtown Wenatchee. She blogs about fashion at closetdiva.net.

to show off their colors and style, resulting in a pictorial fashion snapshot of the city.

At the global level, apparel trends were set last fall, when models walked the catwalks in New York, London, Milan and Paris during Spring Fashion Week.

The move was toward modern, minimalistic shapes in jewel tones, earthy hues and bold prints, paying homage to designs from the late ’60s, ’70s and ’80s.

Flirty, skin-baring looks are perennially welcome as babies and rain. But this year’s crop of utilitarian pieces — military style blazers, nude-colored trench dresses and sturdy platform shoes — should fit well with Wenatchee’s casual, western vibe.

Around here, rugged practicality and individualism are appropriate lenses to interpret every season’s trends.

“Denim and tees — that’s what people live in, it seems like. I don’t think they’ll really ever get away from that,” says fashion blogger Lisa Traum.

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The Wenatchee resident sold plenty of jeans and T-shirts, especially novelty tees, at Studio 10 Boutique, a women’s clothing store she operated in downtown Wenatchee from September 2006 until November 2009.

For the past year, she has maintained closetdiva.net, which she hopes will someday be a DailyCandy.com-type shopping and events directory for North Central Washington.

“Women will pay anything for a pair of jeans to make their butt look good,” but in Wenatchee, high-end slacks and blazers didn’t sell nearly as well, Traum found. She said her clients liked the idea of having an item that was one-of-a-kind and that no one else would be seen in.

Spring Trends I

f you splurge on just one piece this spring, choose the skinny cargo pant, says local fashion blogger Lisa Traum. It’s chicly practical and can be worn a variety of ways – a perfect break from denim for Wenatcheeites.

Using a mix of old and new tops and accessories, the skinny cargo pant evolves easily from an afternoon at Memorial Park to a weekend date.

“This item came on the radar last summer/fall, and we will see it in stores more this spring,” Traum predicts.

Here, Traum creates three looks from items available locally. The three models are former Apple Blossom Festival royalty.

Mommy Chic Amy Chapman Dilley, 1989 Apple Blossom princess

On the model

Green Cargo Pant, $46, J.C. Penney Co. Chiffon Tank, $48, Buckle Cardigan Sweater, $68, Buckle Earrings, $16, J.C. Penney Co. Bracelets, $12, J.C. Penney Co. Metallic Tote Bag, $70, J.C. Penney Co. Metallic Sandals, $39.99, J.C. Penney Co. Sunglasses, $12, J.C. Penney Co. Styling by Lisa Traum April–May 2011

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Date Night Erin Charlton Cass, 1991 Apple Blossom princess

On the model

Grey Cargo Pant, $24, Target Grey Ruffle Top, $23, Etcetera Black Short Blazer, $60, J.C. Penney Co. Pendant Necklace, $45, Etcetera Shoes, $65, J.C. Penney Co. Faux Snakeskin Clutch, $168, The Gilded Lily Cocktail Ring, $12, Buckle Silver Bangles, $20, J.C. Penney Co. Styling by Lisa Traum

Weekend Chic Jennifer Jakubal Bushong, 1990 Apple Blossom princess

On the model

Khaki Cargo Pant, $40, J.C. Penney Co. Cream/Blue Cardigan, $118, Collins Fashions Royal Blue Tank, $30, Collins Fashions Denim Jacket, $58, J.C. Penney Co. Pink Scarf, $28.95, The Gilded Lily Red Tote Bag, $135, The Gilded Lily Bagallini Animal Rolling Case, $224.95, The Gilded Lily Cocktail Ring, $15, J.C. Penney Co. Hoop Earrings, $18, J.C. Penney Co. Wedge Sandals, $39.99, J.C. Penney Co. Aviator Sunglasses, $30, J.C. Penney Co. Styling by Lisa Traum

Unlike larger cities that are known as fashion hubs, Wenatchee is “not an imagedriven town so they (residents) don’t have to try to be something they’re not.”

“People run in the same circles” and are known more for their character than their clothing, Traum continues.

“The masses here need affordable, disposable clothing. It’s buy now, wear now,” she says, adding: “It seems like this town has been a few seasons behind in terms of high-fashion trends.”

On average, household incomes here are not high enough to budget for extravagantly priced fashions. A cultural attachment to the surrounding lands also fosters athleticism and practicality.

Still, style matters. “I just think that first impressions are important to how somebody is going to receive you,” Traum says.

“I like to be classically hip — I like those updated classic pieces with a touch of the unexpected or something funky. I love color, but I find myself wearing black more than anything as I’ve gotten older.”

Traum, 39, spent part of her childhood in Omak and graduated from Wenatchee High School. She moved to Southern California in her 20s and in 2006 returned to Wenatchee with husband Brian Traum, 42, a sales representative for Wenatchee-based Giumarra. She was a wholesale buyer for Tommy Bahama for 14 years before opening her boutique. After closing shop, Traum consulted with several former clients as a personal shopper and stylist.

The couple have one daughter, Jaden.

“She’s been inspiring me from the day she was born,” Traum says of her daughter. “I love dressing her like a little doll. However, she has a mind of her own, and at 7 she likes to pick out what she’s going to wear on her own.

“She’ll take a poufy dress and turn it into a skirt and put a top with it or she’ll layer her clothes,” Traum relates.

Fashion is flexible for multi-tasking moms, too.

“I think a good alternative to denim is the legging trend. That trend is still around for spring, but you’ll want to pair it with long layers,” Traum advises.

“Don’t wear sweats and tennis shoes unless you’re going to the gym,” she advises.

If you don’t have time for an outfit change after working out, a little creativity goes a long way.

“With a basic pair of black gym pants, you can take off your tennis shoes and put on a pair of ballet flats, then layer on a longer sweater or cardigan, put on a pair of hoop earrings and head off to have lunch with your girls,” Traum says.

There are affordable options for spring 22

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April–May 2011

Accessories, like this necklace at Collins Fashions, can help turn an ordinary outfit into a head-turner. at big-box stores, such as J.C. Penney and Macy’s. Traum also is a fan of Collins Fashions and Palmer Shoes in Wenatchee, along with JT Blu, Simply Found and Mapel in Leavenworth, and Lulu Boutique in Chelan.

For fashion, “I’d like to see more choices within pretty much the whole shopping core,” Traum says of Wenatchee. “I think they’re slowly growing downtown into an identity.”

Traum plans to spur things along through her blog.

“I want to provide the girl’s guide for everything within fashion and beauty,” she says.

On the Web: closetdiva.net

Feel like going on a shopping spree with your tax refund?

Lisa Traum’s spring must-haves for women: Skinny cargo pants Khaki trench coat Floral novelty top or dress Wooden heels

For men “Jeans that fit well and cologne! A sporty button-up plaid shirt that is not oversized always makes a cool statement,” says Traum.

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Green Living NCW recreation

Provided photo

Some local golf courses have many neighbors, others a relative few. At left, homes line the course at Sunserra.

Above, townhomes along the 18th green at Kahler Glen.

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Which course would you take for your dream home?

hether you’re a duffer or a 2-handicapper, you’ve probably fantasized about it.

Wouldn’t it be great, you think, to rise on a cool summer morning, pull up the blinds and right there, beyond your deck, behold a lush emerald fairway, the pristine green and a manicured tee box.

From only a few yards away, you hear the unmistakably precise click of a golf ball well struck.

Like waterfront or view property, land adjacent to a golf course has a particular aesthetic appeal — and a value that’s enhanced by the fact that they’re not making much more of it.

In North Central Washington, at least a few houses line nearly all the twodozen or so courses within a couple hours’ drive of Wenatchee. Some courses have hundreds of residents soaking in the park-like ambiance they offer.

OK, this ain’t Palm Springs. But from the expansive homes at Bear Mountain Ranch near Chelan to the vacation condos clustered around Sunserra’s executive course in Crescent Bar, there’s a wide variety of real estate fronting the fairways of NCW. And new opportunities are popping up here and there.

Like real estate markets across the region, sales of some golf course homes turned white hot in the middle of the last decade. But of course, everything hit the wall in late ’08.

Banks got stingy with loans, especially for second homes, which many golf course properties are.

Here, in spring of 2011, there are signs of thawing. And it may be that the market, for golf course homes and other real estate, has bottomed.

Story By Gary Jasinek Photos By Don Seabrook and Kathryn Stevens

“Now is a terrific time to buy if you’re an optimist and a golfer and have the cash,” said Cheri Farivar, owner of Touchstone Appraisals in Leavenworth, which specializes in high-end properties.

Farivar said it’s difficult to determine exactly how much a golf course location adds to a property’s value. Appraisals are all about comparative prices from recent sales nearby, and “because there are so few golf course-front properties sold in any given year, appraisers are forced to use comparable sales that are of similar value but not necessarily on a golf course.”

Now, “similar value” might mean waterfront, river-view homes or homes on large lots. Those attributes bring values up. But on the downside for some golf properties, sales of second homes, especially on the high end, have been the hardest hit by the recession.

In any case, if prices now are close to as low as they’ll get, there are a few golf course properties that might make that duffer’s fantasy come true.

What follows is a more-or-less random survey of what’s available, and relatively recently so, at five area courses. Dream on ...

Lk. Wenatchee 207

Kahler Glen

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Three Lakes

East Wenatchee Wenatchee

Colum b

ia Rive r Malaga Hwy.

By the time errant drives from slicers on hole No. 1 at Three Lakes Golf Course make it to Kent Lenssen’s front yard, they’ve pretty much run out of steam.

He’s just across the narrow asphalt of Golf Drive from the No. 1 fairway, but a good 300 yards from the tee. Still, long hitters occasionally leave a slightly scuffed Titleist on his lawn.

Better is how peaceful and idyllic his view. “I’m sitting here in my office looking out three windows at a perfectly groomed garden,” he said in a phone interview. Lenssen, along with his brother Kevin, is the developer of the 19-lot Tuscany on the Green development on the northern perimeter of the Three Lakes course.

They began the subdivision four years ago. Today, there are 10 lots with houses on them, five built by Lenssen Homes — including a 3,200-square-foot showpiece featured in the 2009 Tour of Homes.

Kent said the Lenssens are committed to craftsman architecture in this neighborhood. Covenants require certain design elements for fascias, roofs, siding. Large front porches, smaller windows, stone or brick, and heavy railings are all part of the look, representative of the solid homes from the 1920s.

Like many projects begun in the middle of the last decade, this one started fast and then hit the wall. The Malaga

Most of the homes surrounding the course at home Kent lives in was built on spec and is for sale at the moment, as is another home in the neighborhood (asking prices in the mid-$300,000s to $500,000s). Six lots remain unsold, and three more await construction.

Sunserra Timing was much better Crescent Bar for developers of Sunserra at Crescent Bar. It’s a 251-home planned unit development that encircles a nine-hole executive course a half-hour drive southeast of East Wenatchee.

In a planned-unit development, residents own the land under their homes, even though they may not be Co

bia River lum

At Kahler Glen Golf & Ski 2 Resort near Lake Wenatchee, six Leavenworth lots, a smattering of condos and one seven-figure home — owned by former Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Jeff Nelson — are on the market. And there are plans for an additional eight-unit grouping of patio homes.

Beyond that, 23 acres await development sometime in the future, all adding to the 146 homes that now nestle in next to the 18 holes of the challenging golf course, a hilly par-70.

Seventy-six of those existing homes are single-family, and the remainder are condos, said Larry Olson, Kahler Glen board president. About 20 percent of Kahler Glen residents live at the resort year ’round.

And why not? When the fairways are too snow-covered for golf, the resort grooms them for cross country skiing. A sledding hill provides chilly gravity thrills for non-skiers.

Leavenworth’s festivals beckon from only 19 miles away.

Olson and 51 other property owners at Kahler Glen own the resort and undeveloped land attached to it. That group, coordinated by the board Olson leads, two years ago began planning those new patio homes, which will be sold as lots and plans.

The six other lots now available range in price from $89,000 to $108,000, said Vicki Jackson, a broker for Windemere.

Olson said he’s seen more interest lately in Kahler Glen. “What we’re finding is that the people looking now are younger, and with kids,” he said.

“A lot are young executives coming up and doing well, and they want to have a place to go to have fun now and to retire to later.”

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Quincy

Marco Martinez

Sunserra are multi-family units. stand-alone houses.

Sunserra broke ground in 2004, and sales began in spring the following year. All the resort-themed project’s 250 units — built on spec — were sold by the end of 2008, said Realtor Faye Torgerson. She specializes in Crescent Bar real estate sales and rentals, lives in Sunserra most of the year and is on the Sunserra homeowners association board.

Torgerson said about 85 percent of Sunserra properties, three-quarters of which are multi-family, are second homes mostly for folks whose first residences are west of the mountains.

They must like the “sun” part of Sunserra.

Also appealing are the project’s five swimming pools and views of the nearby Columbia, the looming basalt cliffs and, obviously, the golf course.

It’s a par-27, so you can leave your

driver out of the bag.

In late February, there were 10 homes on the market there, ranging from $239,000 for a 1,700-square-foot two-bedroom attached townhome to $399,000 for a three-bed, threebath free-standing home with garage, Torgerson said. Those prices are down about 30 percent from what folks were paying before the market plummeted in late 2008.

The uncertain future of the remainder of Crescent Bar is widely known. But if the 400 holders of island condo or RV-lot leases do end up elsewhere, it would have a psychological effect on Sunserra residents. “We’d be sad, because they’re part of the Crescent Bar community,” Torgerson said. “There’s a lot of people on Crescent Bar who hedged their bets already and bought in Sunserra because they didn’t know what the future holds.”

April–May 2011

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At the Fore Front E

very year when Chris Quinn hangs his Christmas lights, he finds a couple of golf balls in his rain gutter.

Not the gutter on the back of his house, which faces a fairway at Wenatchee Golf & Country Club in East Wenatchee. The gutter on the other side, facing the street.

Those were some hooks.

For Quinn, who has lived with his wife and daughter in a house adjacent to hole No. 10 since 2002, the occasional onslaught of wayward Callaways is more amusing than concerning. He has chuckled when some guy walked across his retaining wall in search of a ball, or when he finds a collection of balls in his backyard landscaping.

But he’s a longtime golfer himself, and he knows all about the game’s unpredictability.

A lot of golfers have no idea where their next shot is going to land. It’s part of the game, and not their fault. It’s almost as if errant shots are an act of nature, except they’re not golf-ball-size hail. They’re golf-ball-size golf balls.

But who’s liable for damage or injury when some duffer’s banana slice smacks into a neighbor’s plate-glass window?

Basic legal principles apply,

apparently. Unless homeowners were totally unaware that the golf course was next to their house when they bought it, or someone snuck a par-4 fairway up to their back fence overnight, they implicitly have accepted whatever risk misplayed Maxflis might present.

And unless they intentionally aim tee shots at a neighbor’s home, golfers themselves probably would not be liable for the damage done by that shank or duck-hook.

Some courses do erect screens or lay out courses to minimize intrusions by balls that don’t do what they’re told. That can avoid the risk of negligence.

Case law on the issue is spotty.

When aggrieved neighbors have sued golf courses, courts “have treated them with a mixture of tolerant humor and inconsistent legal analysis,” says an article in the American Bar Association publication, Probate and Property Magazine. “Most, but not all, decisions on this subject have been favorable to the developers and golf clubs.”

In any case, if the prospect of a free, lifetime supply of golf balls doesn’t seem like a positive, listen to Quinn: “If those things are bothersome, you should live somewhere else.”

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Some of the lowest-priced golfcourse condos are available at Desert Canyon Golf Resort north of Orondo.

There, 25 multifamily units in a 37-unit project are for sale. Onebedrooms start at $99,000. Two- and four-bedroom units are also available.

Originally envisioned as timeshares, all the units come furnished and well appointed with granite counters and stainless-steel appliances, said Coron Polley, general manager of the resort, which is owned by Homestead Northwest.

At the top end is a two-bedroom penthouse that lists for $324,950. Desert Orondo

Provided photo

The dining area, as well as living room and deck areas, at Desert Canyon condos look out onto the course.

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Desert Canyon Looking out at the south end of Lake Chelan Canyon offers rental-pool services for buyers who would want to use their units as vacation rentals, Polley said.

All are located on, and with views of, the par-5 No. 3. Polley said most units that have already sold did so to west-side folks who use them as second homes, but “we do have a few individuals who live here and work in the Wenatchee area.”

Not interested in condo living? Polley said a group other than Homestead owns single-family-density property at Desert Canyon, and it’s hoped that property will begin developing in the next couple of years.

from the 16th tee at the Bear Mountain Golf Course.

Lake Chelan 97A

Chelan

Bear Mountain

If Desert Canyon offers a comparatively easy financial entry into golf course living, Bear Mountain Ranch near Chelan represents a higher-end approach.

Though undeveloped lots are available for $150,000 and up, one completed home there is being listed for $1.5 million.

Those who buy land and one of a dozen available plans from Bear Mountain can spend less than that.

“Some plans are set up to be completed in under seven figures. You create the number. You can come in, for house only, at $500,000 to $600,000,” said Chris Snapp, broker in charge of sales.

The first two phases of development, called Bandera and Sabio, respectively, have 36 lots each. Fourteen singlefamily homes have been built, one is under way and two more are expected to begin soon, Snapp said. All are encircled by the first nine holes of Bear Mountain’s 18-hole course, which

features highly elevated tees, wellseparated holes and spectacular views of Lake Chelan.

The architecture of the homes is unique, the result of an attempt to create a “Chelan look,” Snapp said.

Which means blending into, and taking advantage of, the natural world that surrounds Bear Mountain. It’s not just the panoramas of the lake and the surrounding mountains. There are no lawns. Outdoor living space is emphasized. Roofs are made of rusting steel. Siding must be stucco. It’s all sort of Santa Fe-meets-modern-ranch, and the ultimate effect is impressive.

April–May 2011

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The Vine

Story By rick steigmeyer Photos By don seabrook

Message in a Bottle Saint Laurent owners love what they do

W

hen Mike and Laura Mrachek planted their first 60-acre vineyard on the Wahluke Slope in 1999, there was no grand plan to start their own winery. Instead, it was a well-considered business plan to diversify the apple- and cherry-farming operation they had been building over the previous 20 years.

The vineyards have grown over the years to more than 260 acres of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, syrah, chardonnay and riesling grapes at three

Kathryn Stevens

Mike and Laura Mrachek of Saint Laurent Estate Winery.

Their award-winning vintages are displayed in the tasting room.

different sites near Mattawa, Quincy and Malaga. Nearly all the vineyard production — probably 98 percent — is sold on contract to two of the state’s largest wineries, Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest.

The rest of the Mrachek’s vineyard 30

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April–May 2011

Spring Wine Events

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A couple stroll the Saint Laurent Estate Winery grounds.

Tasting room hostess Koni McLean pours for Britt Dudek of East Wenatchee.

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production is used for their own winery label, Saint Laurent Estate Winery, which they established in 2003.

“It was a way to diversify. We were looking to improve our agricultural holdings,” said Laura, matter of factly, during an interview in the elegant, antique-appointed 1918 farmhouseturned-tasting room overlooking the Columbia River above Malaga. “Grapes were a guaranteed income because there were contracts available.”

Apples and cherries, in contrast, were open-market commodities, where farmers get what is left after fruit is sold and everyone else gets their slice. In the late 1990s, there wasn’t much left by the time the farmer got a share. But grapes were hot.

Laura, an energetic woman in her 50s, makes no bones about it. She and her husband are farmers first. They’re ambitious, first-generation farmers committed to creating a lasting legacy on their land. In addition to the winery and now farming more than 500 acres of grapes, apples and cherries, the couple run two other successful testing

Saint Laurent Estate Winery 4147 Hamlin Road, Malaga (509) 888-WINE Website: saintlaurent.net 1999: First vineyard planted 2001: First vintage 2004: Malaga tasting room opened 260: Vineyard acreage 5,000: Average annual production, in cases

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Syrah rose Lucky White Chardonnay Riesling La Boheme (Bordeaux blend)

Lucky Red Merlot Syrah Reserve Syrah Cabernet sauvignon

businesses, Cascade Analytical Inc. and Irrigation Scheduling Methods Inc. Laura was 2009 president of the Washington State Horticultural Association, the group’s first female president.

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Their accomplishments have won many awards from the agricultural community, as have their wines.

But grapes and wine were new business ventures for them a dozen years ago. When the couple tasted how good the wine was others were making from their grapes, they decided to start their own winery. They called it Saint Laurent. Laurent is Laura’s maiden name. Saint Laurent is the patron saint of winemakers. It’s the Wenatchee Valley’s first established estate winery and still one of only a few that grows all the grapes that go into its wines.

They hired famed winemaker Charlie Hoppes to make their first vintage in 2001. Craig Mitrakul took over as winemaker in 2004. Mitrakul previously worked at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Rosemount Estates in Australia, Ponzi Vineyards in Oregon and Three Rivers Winery in Walla Walla. He is also winemaker for Ryan Patrick Estate Winery in Cashmere and his own small winery, Crayelle Cellars.

Saint Laurent Estate wines have won dozens of awards and high ratings in some of the country’s most prestigious competitions.

The wine the Mracheks produce may not be the biggest moneymaker in their portfolio, but it is the grand symbol of the quality and commitment to agriculture in all that they do.

“It’s a message in a bottle from our family,” Laura said.

There are few other products, she said, that are exchanged directly between a farmer and a consumer that include the same sense of geology, climate, agricultural practices, skill of production and presentation as a bottle of estate-grown wine.

“Wines are an amazing value,” she said. “People come here and expect to be mesmerized by the wine and the story of how it was produced and made. We provide them with that. It’s a unique experience. There are not many things that are sold in such an intimate way.”

The wine really is the result of the family’s efforts. Mike and son Bryan grow all the grapes on their own land.

The wine is crushed, fermented and aged at their winery in Quincy. Laura and Bryan’s wife, Emily, market the wine and oversee events at the gardensurrounded tasting room in Malaga.

“It’s all about farming for us. We work at it every day,” Laura said. “It’s all about place. The wine is truly from our farm to the table to your glass.”

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“People come here and expect to be mesmerized by the wine and the story of how it was produced and made. We provide them with that. It’s a unique experience.

There are not many things that are sold in such an intimate way.”

Laura Mrachek

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Health & happiness

Story By MK Resk Photos By Mike Bonnicksen

Playing Doctors

Medical professionals hone artistic talents

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hen you were a child, did you dream of becoming a doctor?

An actor? A nurse? A singer?

Did you have to let go of one dream to reach for another?

An adventurous few have discovered ways to pursue multiple passions despite challenging logistics. They have found ways to explore creative endeavors in spite of notoriously long, stressful hours.

North Central Washington is rife with creative people who tend to patients and their own artistic callings.

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Singing Doctors Obstetricians Deborah Cahill and Kevin Pitts share a talent beyond delivering babies — singing. Cahill is a classically trained soprano who has performed locally with Confluence Vocal Octet since its inception in 2004.

Pitts has sung with ACME A Cappella barbershop quartet for 16 years.

A chance opportunity to usher at a college barbershop quartet performance served as a life-changing moment for

Pitts. “A cappella sounded like an organ.

I’d never heard anything like that, and I was hooked on barbershop after that,” Pitts recalls.

Pitts was inspired to take to local stages after watching his children act in the Short Shakespeareans. “I made a statement to (my wife) Susie that the kids shouldn’t be the only ones having the fun, so I auditioned for The 1940s Radio Hour,” Pitts remembers.

Cahill left music for several years during nursing and medical school but has sung off and on with auditioned

Dr. John Schulz, an ophthalmologist at Wenatchee Valley Medical Center, does an eye exam on Leona Massengale. At left, Schulz, who enjoys acting in his spare time, applies makeup at home before heading off to perform in a one-act opera.

groups throughout adulthood. She has studied voice with Leslie McEwen for almost eight years. She prefers group work to solos.

“We all have different backgrounds, and I love being part of a group that can create a beautiful piece of art. What we can do individually is not the same as what we can do together. It’s a gift to create it and to share it.” Cahill says.

Up until March, Cahill was commuting between her home in Wenatchee and her job in Western Washington. She recently made the permanent move to the other side of the mountains. Her music experience here helped her quickly gain a spot in the respected a cappella ensemble The Esoterics.

For both Cahill and Pitts, music is an outlet. “I’ve constantly got a song and a melody in my head. Singing relaxes me tremendously and is a wonderful escape. It helps me in a lot of ways psychologically. It makes me happy,” Pitts says.

Cahill says she feels, “lucky to have a job where I can share a gift of experience — birthing babies. I see the

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Dr. Deborah Cahill performs with the Confluence Vocal Octet earlier this year.

Don Seabrook

same with my music. Seeing beauty in things is great. Music is such an important part of healing, too. I am really a believer in encouraging people to express themselves. Music can help so much in expressing emotions.

Sometimes in medicine you cannot show all of your emotions. With music, you can kind of let it all go. It (music) makes you more balanced. The better we are, the better we can be for others. It feeds your soul. It’s just as important as eating well, sleeping well. It’s one of the things I need to do for my health.”

Columbia Valley Community Health family doctor Louise Simons agrees. “If I can’t do some of the things that make me Dr. Louise Simons a complete person, then I can’t be a good doctor. It (performing) makes me a more balanced and happy person, which makes me a better physician,” she says.

Simons started out as a serious music student. She began as a musical theater major at the University of Denver. But when an acting teacher told her 90 percent of actors will be out of work at any given time, Simons realized she needed a more grounded career. She double majored in biology and music and went on to study medicine.

But Simons has always included music in her life. She auditioned for the 38

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New York Metropolitan Opera and now sings locally with Columbia Chorale.

She has performed with Chelan Valley Players and Music Theatre Of Wenatchee (MTOW), frequently performing alongside her husband, John Ryan. “The biggest loves of our life — acting and music — we share together,” Simons says.

Comic Actors Pharmacist Dave Sutherland and ophthalmologist John Schulz have a knack for making people laugh. Both have performed with MTOW and other local groups. “I enjoy being a hambone,” Sutherland admits.

As a boy, Sutherland played piano, sang in choirs and even traveled with a musical church troupe. But studies, sports and his job eventually trumped those hobbies. When he noticed how much fun his wife, Sheryl, had performing with MTOW several years ago, he gathered his nerves to audition for Grease. They were both cast and have performed together in the Follies and other local productions ever since.

Schulz’s path to the stage came quite differently. Though he has always wanted to act, he never thought he could afford the time, given his busy schedule. In 2007, Schulz’s wife, Caren, bid on a tree at the Festival of Trees that included a walk-on role in MTOW’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

What was supposed to be a one-nightonly appearance turned into a small part for the whole run of the show and

he was hooked on the theater scene.

Since then, he has acted in a number of local productions including portraying a doctor in The One Act Wonder Opera Company’s production of Puccini’s comic opera, Gianni Schicchi. He will play a lead role in MTOW’s June production of Who Will Remember William Weston?

Schulz views life as an opportunity to continue learning and playing.

“Life is multi-dimensional, and many get stuck in one dimension,” he says.

“Many people recognize family. They recognize careers. But there’s also personal development.”

“How does one (medicine) interplay with the other (creativity)? They don’t!”

Schulz says. “The beauty is they’re the opposite sides of my brain — one is analytical, one is creative. They complement each other rather than draw on each other.”

“Life is multi-dimensional, and many get stuck in one dimension,” says Dr. John Schulz.

parting shot

Photo By Don seabrook

A field of cattails, blown over in the wind, lies down at the Confluence State Park Horan Nature Area near the mouth of the Wenatchee River in March.

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