Wenatchee u LeavenwortH u ChelaN u and all of North Central Washington
January-February 2013
oothills Dream Meal
All-Star dishes from area eateries
$3.99
Health & Fitness Section Winter’s Bravest Shooters
6
81324
30003
0
Editor’s Letter
Be Open-Minded When It Comes to Your Stomach
I
t was a frustrating fall, at least for my stomach. In this issue you will find results from the Dream Meal contest in which we invited area restaurants to submit their top dishes for judging.
Only problem was, I wasn’t one of the three judges. My co-workers Rick Steigmeyer and Rochelle Feil Adamowsky, as well as former co-worker Annette Pitts —
three serious foodies — were given the responsibility of going around to the different restaurants to score the dishes. And at least once a week, they would come back raving about one dish, sometimes more. “It was fabulous!” “I can’t believe how good that tasted!” “It was perfectly seasoned.” And just so you know, they aren’t easy folks to impress. If they don’t like something, they’re not afraid to say as much. After chatting with Rick, Rochelle and Annette, the lesson that comes out of the Dream Meal experience — besides the obvious one about my being a judge next time — is that there are more local restaurants doing great things with food than we might think. It’s easy to overlook places because they’re out of the way, or sometimes because they’re right under our noses. Rebecca’s on Orondo next to McGlinn’s is a good example of the latter. There’s something comfortable about walking into McGlinn’s and ordering your favorite dish. The atmosphere is lively and you know the food is going to be good because it always is. Two doors over is Rebecca’s, which is a very different experience from McGlinn’s. Rebecca Condotta has created a quiet, intimate dining spot. And she’s cooking her heart out. Don’t take my word for it. Try it at least once and judge for yourself. And that’s just one example. You could say the same thing about the bistro at Vin du Lac, among others. Sometimes, we’re guilty of limiting our restaurant visits to the same one or two places. And then we tire of them and move on to the next one or two places. Or we might find a restaurant we really like, have a single mediocre experience, and never go back. Here’s my suggestion: stay true to those restaurants you truly enjoy, but be willing to try something new or re-visit the restaurant you gave up on after that mediocre experience two or three years ago. You might be glad you did.
Marco Martinez, editor
2
Foothills
January / February 2013
Follow us
facebook.com/Foothills.Magazine
@Foothillsmag
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 Special publications manager Michelle Jeffers (509) 661-5226 jeffers@wenatcheeworld.com Design Jared Johnson
Lake Chelan, www.hardrow.com
Staff writers Mike Irwin Dee Riggs Rick Steigmeyer Staff photographers Mike Bonnicksen Don Seabrook Contributing editor Russ Hemphill
Foothills Magazine is published bi-monthly by World Publishing, 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801.
Get the inside story on saving energy and money
Subscriptions: $21 annually Send check or money order to: Foothills, Subscriptions 14 N. Mission St., Wenatchee, WA, 98801 or email foothills@wenatcheeworld.com
Check in at:
Copyright 2013 with all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission.
On the cover: House-made Gnocchi from Vin Du Lac in Chelan. The dish was picked Best EntrĂŠe by judges in the inaugural Dream Meal contest.
lightly.chelanpud.org
Facebook.com/LightlyNewsAndTips
Kathryn Stevens photo
January / February 2013
Foothills
3
6 3 Reasons We ♥ Ice, ice, baby.
8 Fast 5 Some thrill with your chill.
10 Between Seasons Photos that aren’t quite winter, not quite fall.
12 Dark, Cold, Wet Outdoor photographers brave the elements.
20 Chili Charmer Chocolate in chili? You betcha!
22 Custom Comfort Lake Wenatchee home is built to please.
28 Magic Beans Region’s coffee roasters perfect their craft.
Contents
34 Texting ... Holly Starr She is only 22, but she’s got an old soul.
36 Dream On Judges pick best dishes from local restaurants.
48 Gym Pass Skip the gym today; exercise at home.
52 Exercise Excuses R US ‘My dog ate my gym bag’ won’t work anymore.
56 Winter Wheelies Follow these experts’ advice and you can bicycle in January.
60 Off the Grid Boudreaux Cellars is a hidden treasure.
66 Bottle Talk Barb Robertson likes bad boys.
68 Fleet of Foot Pics from Turkey on the Run.
Contributors Sharon Altaras is an amateur sociologist, wannabe motorhead and fashionista. She enjoys walking the neighborhoods of Wenatchee. As a journalist, she’s covered courts, businesses and has helped launch an eco-conscious fashion magazine. M.K. Resk cannot sit idle for long. Consequently, she is a Wenatcheebased 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 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.
Steve Maher, a former editor and reporter at The Wenatchee World, is an avid long-distance runner, cyclist, hiker and skier. He also enjoys keeping tabs on the local art and music scene.
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.
Kathryn Stevens, owner of Atlas & Elia Photography, merges her years of professional experience in photojournalism with her love for naturallight portraiture to specialize in fine-art wedding and family photography. See her latest thoughts at blog.atlasandelia.com.
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.
Kaylin Bettinger is a recent westside transplant who enjoys the outdoors, sunshine and bratwursts in her newfound home of Leavenworth. She loves to travel, write human interest stories and is always looking for her next adventure.
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.
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.
Ron Mason is a retired Eastmont educator who has his own photography business, Photography by Ron Mason. He coached track for 42 years. January / February 2013
Foothills
5
♥
3 reasons we
The Rink ♥ Public Skating
Don Seabrook
Round and round they go — most skaters with a smile on their face, as well as a newbie or two with a look of terror as they realize skating isn’t as easy as it looks. The community ice rink at the Town Toyota Center is a popular gathering spot for people of all ages. Public skating time — 1 to 3 p.m. daily and 6:45 to 8:45 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays — draws ice lovers of all ages. During the Saturday afternoon session, it’s common to see parents teaching their young children the slippery art of skating, while their older brothers and sisters dart in and out of traffic. Evening sessions, meanwhile, are a big social draw for the tween and teen sets. Haven’t tried skating in a while? You have nothing to fear. It’s still cool.
6
Foothills
January / February 2013
♥Hockey
Sure, the Wenatchee Wild hog most of the hockey glory in these parts, but there are still plenty of good reasons to put on the pads, lace up the skates and grab a stick. Young or old(er), male or female — there’s a hockey league for you. The community rink is home to all levels of play, from informal pick-up games aimed at getting newer players some experience to organized leagues where the board play is a little more serious. The youth leagues are a great breeding ground for the next generation of local hockey talent, many with dreams of one day donning the official Wild jersey.
Mike Bonnicksen
♥Curling Shuffleboard’s icy cousin not only has a place in the Winter Olympics, it has a place at the community rink. It’s legit, folks. C’mon, you know you want to push that 42-pound stone across the ice while a pair of teammates goes
By Marco Martinez
Don Seabrook
mad-crazy with brooms, clearing a smoother path for the orb as it approaches the button — don’t call it the bullseye or else serious curlers will roll their eyes before sucker-punching you. Just kidding. Curling is a contact sport of sorts. The objective is to score points by getting your orb closest to the button, even if it means ramming it into your opponent’s stone. Aaaaarrrggghhh! The Wenatchee Curling Club hosts “Learn to Curl” sessions as well as weekly league play. You can find club members doing their thing most Sunday evenings at the Town Toyota Center from 5 to 7:30 p.m. through March. Find more information at wenatcheecurlingclub.com. F
246 n mission | WenatcheePD.com | Like us! January / February 2013
Foothills
7
Chillin’
Fast five
1Head-to-head competition
Pre-race inspections are almost as much fun as the event itself. Toilet seat? Check. Toilet paper? Check. Privvy walls? Check. Pilot enthroned and comfy? Check. The butt huts are ready to roll for the annual Conconully Outhouse Races (Jan. 19), certainly one of North Central Washington’s most, ahem, moving winter celebrations. Believe it or not, the race has endured for more than a quarter century and, year after year, attracts teams with names like Sit-NBull, Potty Power, Thunderbox and Royal Flush. A helmeted “driver” squats inside while two outrunners grunt and push the outhouse (on skis) along an iced-up main street to the — ahh, yes — finish line. To all of this year’s competitors: “Bottoms up!”
2Icy art
Ablaze from the sun or glowing in moonlight, the ah!-inspiring Chihuly Icicles at Leavenworth’s Sleeping Lady Resort gleams like, well, real ice shards. Formally known as the Icicle Creek Chandelier, the 1,200-piece outdoor installation by one of the world’s top glass artists stands just outside the Sleeping Lady Chapel. Dale Chihuly and his team of glassblowers assembled the 12-foothigh masterwork during the 1996 holiday season after shaping the crystalline icicles in, appropriately, below-zero temperatures and frequent snowstorms. Chihuly called on engineers, welders, rock drillers, a solar consultant, a geologist and a forester to help give the project maximum impact. It worked. 8
Foothills
January / February 2013
3Pooch power
If there’s a downside to dogsledding, it’s staring at the bouncing butts of barking huskies or malamutes for an hour or two. Not a deal-breaker, though, because everything else about the ride is exhilarating. (And some people think hairy backsides are cute, thank you very much.) Bright sun, deep powder, bracing breeze, winter vistas and the North Country tradition of canine conveyance add up for many to be the ride of their lives. Plus, whether you’re a passenger tucked warmly in the sled basket or a musher riding the back-end footboards, you can feel the pulse of pooch power as the entire cool contraption — dogs, sled, people — flies low over snow. These two businesses can arrange a dogsledding experience — Lake Wenatchee Sled Dog Tours, 630-6782, and Leavenworth Dogsled Adventures, 630-0456.
4It’s a hoot
The petting farm at Smallwood’s Harvest in Peshastin is definitely all it’s quacked up to be. You and the kids’ll cluck over the 14 different kinds of animals — pigs, goats, rabbits, sheep, donkeys, ponies, ducks, geese and more — and coo at the farm’s
BUSINESS ORLD Wenatchee Valley
GO OR NO? The last word on Good-Bye Joe’s
W
See PAGE 10
BUSINESS W ORLD Politics & profits Wenatchee Valley
ENJOYING THE RIDE
Go-Bent Recumbent Bikes See PAGE 3
ISLAND GETAWAY
The Rock Bar and Grill See PAGE 6
FORTUNES L
’ See PAGES 20-27
Great perFormanCes
How campaign spending feeds local businesses PAGES 20-22
Nonprofits play a critical community role see Pages 20-24 PRESENTING SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSORS
HARD AT WORK Bethlehem Construction See PAGE 3
DAILY BREAD Dilly Deli See PAGE 6
BUSINESS ORLD Wenatchee Valley
W
GIVE A HOOT Owl Soda Fountain See PAGE 3
HOME FOR SHELLS
BUSINESS ORLD Wenatchee Valley
DE SI
W
IN
BUSINESS ORLD
PRESENTING SPONSORS
N IO
Some people know they’ve finally found their sport when they hear about Mission Ridge’s annual Downhill Dummy Race. “Sign me up,” they blurt. But here’s the thing … the race is only for real dummies — the stiff, stuffed, glassy-eyed kind. (Oh wait, you do fit right in.) Participants handcraft their dummies, or wildly dress up a mannequin, and then bolt them to skis or snowboards and let ’em slide to the finish line. The most elaborate concoctions are life-sized papier maché likenesses of baseball players or movie stars, or scarecrow-like characters riding a giant salmon or squeezed into an airplane. Last year, an inflatable sex doll in a hula skirt got offers for drinks at the lodge. Join the fun this year on March 30. F
Arlberg Sports see Page 6
CT L SE
5
Frozen expressions
www.wvbusinessworld.com
Fit For business
HOLIDAY
Wenatchee Valley
Comprehensive coverage of important business news each month, including an in-depth focus on critical topics.
ColleCtion ConneCtion Norm’s Coin Shop see Page 3
IA
easy critter access. Don’t snort, all you so-called grownups; this roadside, open-air, backyard farmyard really is something you’ll cackle about and maybe even tweet your friends. It’s open all winter, so plan now to sometime warm your hands in exhaled donkey breath. Best of all? Petting is cheep-cheep: just one buck. Find Smallwood’s just off Highway 2 at 10461 Stemm Road. For info, call 548-4196 or visit smallwoodsharvest.com.
W
Wenatchee Valley
W
EC
edition
Business orld Wenatchee Valley
Business orld
SP
Out By mike irwin
Taco Loco See PAGE 8
W
GOODNESS FOR YOU Bear Foods Natural Market See PAGE 3
READ ALL ABOUT IT A Book For All Seasons See PAGE 8
BUSINESS Minding our
The
Roots of new fruits
Ever thought of opening your own place? We have, too ...
How nature and nurture put the pieces together PAGES 20-24
Orchard
Pages 20-24
orchestration The instrumental roles of pickers & growers
PAGES 20-23
PRESENTING SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSORS
PRESENTING SPONSORS
Your locally owned business news magazine Call me today to discuss your options. Some people think Allstate only protects your car. Truth is, Allstate can also protect your home or apartment, your boat, motorcycle - even your retirement and your life. And the more of your world you put in Good Hands®, the more you can save.
Debbie S. Feist, LUTCF (509) 884-4800 363 Eastmont Ave. East Wenatchee debbiefeist@allstate.com Insurance subject to terms, qualifications and availability. Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Fire and Casualty Insurance Company. Life insurance and annuities issued by Lincoln Benefit Life Company, Lincoln, NE, Allstate Life Insurance Company, Northbrook, IL, and American Heritage Life Insurance Company, Jacksonville, FL. In New York, Allstate Life Insurance Company of New York, Hauppauge, NY. Northbrook, IL. © 2010 Allstate Insurance Company.
Objective, Transparent and Unbiased Financial Guidance Independent and locally owned | Fee-only, 100% commission free No conflicts from brokerages or insurance companies | Held to a fiduciary standard of care
Services Provided • Investment Management • Retirement and Financial Planning • Charitable and Estate Planning • Retirement Plans including 401, PSP, 403, and 457 • Portfolio Review
Call today to schedule a FREE portfolio review. 509.886.8866 Registered Investment Advisor | Member FPA
Scott T Blaesing, CPA 640 Valley Mall Pkwy, Suite B East Wenatchee, WA
www.cascade-wealth.com January / February 2013
Foothills
9
On the trail
Above, the view down into the Wenatchee Valley, seen from the road to Twin Peaks from No. 2 canyon. At right, rose hips provide some of the brightest colors seen along the shore of Lake Clara, near Mission Ridge.
photos By mike bonnicksen
Fall leaves along the trail to Lake Valhalla covered in early snow.
Somewhere Between
F
all hiking had me chasing the yellowing Western Larch trees as they shed their needle-like leaves, always knowing that snowcovered hills would soon follow. For the next couple of months, I’ll be wandering the foothills around the valley and getting out into the Columbia Basin. These are my winterhiking places of choice. I occasionally do some snowshoeing and love it for the freedom it gives you, releasing you from the confines of a trail. But what I like more is using some mini crampons for traction and just cruising around the foothills. F
Fall & Winter
Western Larch needles on a log near Lake Clara.
Western Larch trees color up and start to lose their needle-like leaves near Lake Clara.
Wintersca artful life
M
arc Dilley has three words to describe what it’s like photographing outdoor scenes in Chelan County during the winter. Dark, cold, wet. And not necessarily in that order. But before you begin to doubt the North Central Washington winter mantra of sunshine and dry snow, there is a reason for the conditions that Dilley encounters. Many of his best shots come when the sun is not even above the horizon — and with him standing in a knee-deep stream, aiming at the frozen landscape or a stone at water’s edge. “The best, most subtle light is just before the dawn,” says Dilley, a Leavenworth resident who has been documenting the region’s outdoors since 1974 when he moved to Wenatchee from California. Dilley is part of a cadre of highly skilled outdoor photographers who capture winter scenes — off the beaten path in Chelan County — that few others ever witness. But what they have to go through would stop less-adventuresome souls cold. Leavenworth photographer Shane Wilder, who specializes in extreme skiing shots in the Cascades, says his shoots require hours of coordination and work. He has to arrange for skiers to go with him. They usually walk or “skin up” to get to spots, sometimes leaving at 2 or 3 a.m. That also requires analyzing terrain and avalanche danger. “You generally spend 90 percent of your time in the clouds, so you have to find the right weather, right snow
12
Foothills
January / February 2013
Shane Wilder used Photoshop to create a surreal look of a skier at Stevens Pass. conditions, right angles, right athletes,” Wilder says. “Not everyone can ski like those higher-end athletes can. ... If I don’t have an athlete lined up or we’re
not going to meet at the ski area, I don’t go out.” “If there is a bluebird powder day when the conditions are just right, I’ll
pes
pretty much drop everything to go and utilize that,” he adds. Ian Mackie, a Vashon Island photographer who used to live in
Story By steve maher
Three expert photographers capture what few witness
Leavenworth, does most of his winter shooting during backcountry ski tours. The environment is, predictably, a battle.
“I have to spend at least a few hours just getting to the really serene spots in the middle of the wilderness, with no one around except for ski partners, of course,” Mackie says. “You have to be prepared for unpredictable and often crappy weather. More times than not, the sun isn’t going to come out — not great news for photographers. Add to that temperatures that vary between freezing and frost-bite cold, and it makes keeping your gear dry and in working order a constant challenge.” Yet those challenges often lead to the breathtaking. “Part of me feels like I need to share these places — through photos — with those who can’t, for whatever reason, experience them first hand,” Mackie says. During the winter, Dilley prefers “front-country” areas where he focuses on water — he admits to a fascination with water — particularly water that is frozen or has formed into crystals. That also means he spends plenty of time wearing hip waders with his camera and tripod smack in the middle of a stream or river. One of his favorite spots is the Wenatchee River adjacent to Cashmere’s Riverfront Park. “I like cobbled areas in the winter,” he says. “There is a tremendous amount of real estate there that has different kinds of conditions.” Cold snaps are ideal for his line of shots. So is getting out there just before the dawn, with a head lamp strapped on tightly. “As soon as the sun comes up, the shooting is over,” Dilley says. January / February 2013
Foothills
13
A scene from Mission Ridge, by Shane Wilder.
Shane Wilder Occupation: Outdoor photographer and videographer, co-owner and founder of Icicle TV in Leavenworth Websites: http://icicle.tv, skipow.com Favorite local place for winter shoots: “Side-country” at Stevens Pass and Alpental. “I like both of those spots because they are conveniently located, have lift access, and have rugged terrain,” he says. Favorite lens: Nikon 24-70 is his “go-to, all-around lens.”
“What I am trying to say (with my photography) is, ‘Wow, the earth is amazing.’” 14
Foothills
January / February 2013
Essential gear: Backcountry gear, ski touring equipment, avalanche safety equipment, altimeter map and compass, and whatever photography gear he has chosen for that particular shoot.
Most difficult outdoors shoot in winter: A year ago, Wilder accompanied friend and Patagonia-sponsored athlete Bryce Phillips to Switzerland for a nine-day ski adventure. He ended up packing around two cameras and two tripods in a large backpack filled with items needed for a long trip at 10,000-foot elevation. “That was definitely intense just because it was so heavy. It was the heaviest I’ve carried. Luckily, the snow was excellent so the skiing was as easy as it could get.” What motivates him: “It’s always intriguing to try to capture a great image, something that is really powerful and conveys what you are trying to say. It’s extremely difficult to get an amazing ski image. A lot of things have to come together.”
Advertisement
Vista Rehab Therapy Wenatchee’s Premiere Rehab Center Inpatient or Outpatient — Vista Rehab Excels at both
W
BJ
hen Carl Campbell built the Colonial Vista campus, caring for people of all ages here in the Wenatchee Valley was his desire and his passion. Enter BJ Little and the start of aquatic therapy. BJ, certified by the Aquatic Therapy Rehab Institute, along with Mr. Campbell, helped to pioneer this innovative and tremendously successful therapy program that is used in conjunction with landLittle based therapy.
Vista Rehab has been widely successful treating patients of all ages and with a wide array of therapy needs such as: ■ Sports injuries of all types, recreational and work related injuries, knee and hip replacements, foot surgeries, sprained muscles, fractured or injured backs, ■ Spinal cord injuries, as well as traumatic brain injuries. Vista Rehab offers North Central Washington’s only deep water pool (depths to 7
feet), non-weight bearing patients can be treated enabling them to maintain their strength until weight bearing is possible and a more inclusive treatment program can be implemented. ■ One previous patient, a nationally ranked karate competitor hoping to reach the Olympics in the near future. Once the initial injury was treated, he was able to continue therapy to increase overall strength and speed. Another patient, a competitive ice skater, experienced successful results in a very short amount of time enabling her to return to the ice quickly. ■ Rehabilitation therapies are specifically designed for each patient where a detailed assessment is taken and a very comprehensive treatment program is outlined and followed to maximize treatment and minimize recovery time. What are the benefits of aquatic therapy? To mention a few, faster recovery times with less pain resulting in fewer pain medications, decreased swelling/edema, improved and increased circulation, and one of the biggest benefits, quicker recoveries and back home sooner. Water can reduce weight bearing by up to 90% depending on depth (a 180 pound person only weighs approximately 60 lbs. in chest deep water). This is why deep water therapy is so important and a large advantage over small shallow pools. Vista Rehab Therapy’s pool is kept at a comfortable, therapeutic tempera-
ture of 93 degrees. Vista Rehab offers our patients the most innovative equipment on the market, ACP, the equipment of choice for professional and collegiate sports teams utilize highly sophisticated omnicycles and patterned electrical nerve stimulation or Pens devices that improve outcomes and gains for a broader range of patients and conditions. Vista Rehab Therapy is able to treat the small needs to the more intensive therapeutic interventions by introducing new treatment options due to years of experience unmatched in the valley. ■ Vista Rehab is a complete and comprehensive therapy center employing full time therapists with a wide array of specialties including physical therapy as well as occupational and speech therapy. One thing is certain, all therapy is not equal. These guys and gals have the experience, the technology, and the equipment to help you with your rehab and therapy needs. We all have a choice and when it comes to your health, don’t settle for second best. For more information: www.VistaRehabTherapy.com 509-663-3337
“Lunar Goblets” by Marc Dilley.
“This place has a thousand lifetimes just waiting for someone to shoot.”
“Primeval Mist” by Marc Dilley. 16
Foothills
January / February 2013
Marc Dilley Occupation: Outdoor photographer, retired from the WSU Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center in Wenatchee
Experience the Advantage
Website: marcdilley.com Favorite local place for winter shots: Dilley loves to visit the cobbled riverbank areas near Cashmere. He also considers Icicle Creek, Chiwaukum Creek and Lake Wenatchee as ideal spots for his river shots. Favorite lens: Canon 16-35 wide angle Essential gear: Dilley dresses warmly, wearing winter boots, two pairs of socks, fleece long johns, ski pants, sweater, down jacket, hat and thick gloves. In his pack, there is another sweater, water, energy bars and, of course, his camera gear — an extra lens, tripod, cable release, polarizing filter for each lens and a density filter for each lens. Most difficult outdoors shoot in winter: One winter day before dawn, Dilley hiked from the northern-most bridge at Cashmere upstream along the Wenatchee River for about 300 yards. He was on snowshoes and had to traverse boulders along the way. He stopped where a great view of Icicle Ridge awaited and then waded knee-deep into the river. “It was so dark when I first started I couldn’t see the camera controls, so I used my head lamp,” he says. “In the photo it looks lighter than it really was. I was probably in the water for about 30 minutes. It was slippery and there was a bit of a current. But I got the shot I liked. I call it ‘Blue Dawn.’ ” What motivates him to get out and capture images: “I just have to do it. The same thing with my rock climbing. I just have to do it. It’s not money. It’s not recognition. I just do it because I get such satisfaction from being out there.”
Walt Horan, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology
Justin Fevold, Au.D. Doctor of Audiology
• Two Audiologists with 27 years of combined professional hearing care experience Proud Phonak Provider • Prescription & fitting of hearing aids • Comprehensive hearing evaluations for children and adults • Custom hearing protection for general use, shooting/ hunting, musicians and more • Knowledgeable and friendly customer support staff • Financing available with a variety of monthly payment plans - including 0% financing (through Care Credit O.A.C.) • Locally owned & operated • Most insurances accepted
Let us show you what the combination of professional care and personal service can do for you.
Wenatchee Office: 509-665-3100 • 1556 N. Wenatchee Ave., Suite D Moses Lake Office: 509-764-8642 • 423 West Third Ave., Suite A www.horanfevoldhearing.com
new CLARK + KENSINGTON
™
PAINT+PRIMER IN ONE
• Paint and primer in one for superior coverage in half the time • Fortified with microbeads for an ultra-smooth, easy to clean finish • Extra-durable, 100% acrylic formula
Clark+Kensington Paint + Primer in One is designed to save you time and money. Now you can get your painting projects done faster and still have a weekend to enjoy.
EAST WENATCHEE Grant Road Ace Hardware 220 Grant Road (509) 884-6647 BREWSTER Brewster Ace Hardware 604 Highway 97 (509) 689-2423
Available exclusively at
The helpful place.
QUINCY Quincy Ace Hardware 716 13th Avenue SW (509) 787-8025 EPHRATA Ace Hardware 1140 Basin Street SW (509) 754-4638
January / February 2013
Foothills
17
Solitude on the ridge atop a valley that separates Van Epps peak from Mount Stuart, by Ian Mackie.
“I love the feeling of being exhausted at the end of a day of skiing or mountain biking, of having pushed my physical and mental limits to a new level.� Looking at Mount Stuart from a ridge atop a valley that separates Van Epps peak from Mount Stuart, by Ian Mackie.
18
Foothills
January / February 2013
Ian Mackie Occupation: Director of Strategy at Point It, Inc. Website: mackieimages.photoshelter. com Favorite local place for winter shoots: Mackie loves the area around Mount Stuart. He describes the locale as being “remote, full of peaks and with stunning views into the central Cascades.”
A Book For All Seasons 20 years of independent book selling
Start the NEW YEAR with a good book! Whether you prefer a hard back, paperback or e-book you can search all books in print and order at
www.abookforallseasons.com
703 Hwy. 2 • Leavenworth, WA 509-548-1451 info@abookforallseasons.com / www.abookforallseasons.com
Favorite lens: Canon 10-22 Essential gear: Mackie carries all the essential avalanche gear — beacons, shovels, probe, first-aid kit — plus extra clothes, enough food to survive a night out, usually two pairs of gloves and socks. He generally does not carry a lot of photography gear — one lens, maybe two, and an extra battery. Most difficult outdoors shoot in winter: Mackie cites a ski ascent of Mount Stuart that started out in perfect weather, but by the time his group neared the summit they found themselves in a no-fall zone with deep snow and clouds rolling in. “But the light was amazing, as the sun occasionally broke through the clouds, creating the possibility for some really cool photographs,” he says. “It was an amazing spot to be in. ... We were all alone and nothing else really mattered.” What motivates him to get out and capture images: “We’re so absolutely fortunate to live in one of the most naturally beautiful and accessible places in the world. It blows my mind that people can live in the Northwest for 10 to 20 years and not even realize that, say, the North Cascades even exist. So part of me feels like I need to share these places — through photos — with those who can’t, for whatever reason, experience them first hand.” F
January / February 2013
Foothills
19
kitchen creations
Story By marco martinez photos By frank cone
It’s a winner — The Lone Ranger and Bindi’s Delight chili by Damian Browne.
Thriller Chili D
amian Browne is maybe best known these days as the front man of Leavenworth’s Schocolat retail store — though he’s quick to credit his chocolatier wife Susie Johnson as the true talent of their business. Before the couple started the popular chocolate boutique nearly six years ago, Browne worked 11 years as the food and beverage manager at Sleeping Lady Resort. A trained chef, he also ran the resort’s kitchen. The native Australian began his formal chef training as an apprentice at a European-style restaurant
in Sydney when he was just 16. “As a chef, you never stop learning,” he says. “There is always something to learn. It’s like a continuous education for the rest of your life.” Browne no longer cooks for a living, but he finds ways to keep his kitchen skills sharp. He’s brought home the firstplace trophy from two of the past three Chili Cook-Offs sponsored by KOHO Radio. The 2013 Chili Cook-Off takes place Jan. 19 at the Leavenworth Ski Hill. Browne says he won’t enter this year’s contest, but may lend a hand as a judge. His winning recipe from 2011 follows:
Damian Browne has won two of the past three Chili Cook-Offs sponsored by KOHO Radio.
The Lone Ranger and Bindi’s Delight 3 tablespoons butter 3 cups diced onions 1 large garlic clove, chopped 2 teaspoons peeled fresh ginger, minced 4 teaspoons chili powder 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 1/4 teaspoon (or more) cayenne pepper 3 tablespoons red vinegar 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 1/2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes (about 3 medium) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 6 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces 1 red bell pepper cut into 1/4-inch dice 1 yellow bell pepper cut into 1/4-inch dice 3 cups low-salt chicken broth or water 1 12-ounce can white navy beans, including liquid 1 12-ounce can red pinto beans, including liquid 1/4 cup 61-percent dark chocolate, melted 1/4 cup chopped cilantro 1/2 lime, juiced 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded Melt butter in 4-quart pot, brown diced onions until golden brown, add garlic and ginger and cook until they begin to brown. Add all the spices and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add vinegar and stir until absorbed. Add tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and cover. In a frying pan with a fitted lid, sauté chicken and peppers in oil. Add the chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cover with lid and turn heat low, cook for 15 minutes. Add the beans and chicken and liquid to the spice mixture in the 4-quart pot. Simmer for 25 minutes on a low heat, add chocolate and melt. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice before serving. Serve with sour cream, cheese, chopped green onions or other favorite chili toppings. F
Pizza/Baking Stones, Risotto Pots, Rectangle Baking Dishes, Pie Plates... Emile Henry’s ceramic guarantees healthy, flavorful cooking. 21 N. Wenatchee Ave., Downtown Wenatchee (509) 293-6005
Realistic Beauty for Real-Life Use.
star rating system
FIVE STAR WARRANTY
Defender Hardwood by Downs® is Flooring America’s collection of ultra-strong engineered hardwood floors. More resistant to denting, gouging, fading, and staining than any other hardwood floor. LiFetiMe WArrAnty Defender Hardwood by Downs® is the only hardwood floor tough enough to offer a lifetime warranty.
www.thefloorfactory.com 13 S Wenatchee Ave (Downtown Wenatchee) Mon-Fri 9-6, Sat 10-5 (509) 662-1421
January / February 2013
Foothills
21
Inside home
Story By dee riggs photos By ben benschneider
Wood plays a prominent role in the interior look and feel of Judy and Lauren Pflugrath’s Lake Wenatchee home.
A Shore Thing Couple finds their space at Lake Wenatchee
A
t first glance, the Lake Wenatchee home of Lauren and Judy Pflugrath is a simple two-bedroom affair. But take a closer look — beyond the two upstairs bedrooms — and guests could sleep in any number of places: There’s a built-in couch in a nook in the living room that sleeps one, a built-in couch in the screened porch that makes
22
Foothills
January / February 2013
into a queen-sized bed and a sleeping loft above the second-floor guest bedroom. But there’s more: Give a push to the built-in bookcase in the living room and it becomes a door that opens to a media room furnished with a Murphy bed. “I didn’t want a whole bunch of bedrooms that we’d never use,” Judy says, “but we really have plenty of
Judy and Lauren Pflugrath
Provided photo
Lauren and Judy Pflugrath’s Lake Wenatchee home was designed by DeForest Architects.
The Pflugrath’s Lake Wenatchee home features many windows — no shades, no curtains — to take in the views. sleeping space.” The key to building the lake home of their dreams, they both say, was lots of forethought. When the Ballard couple bought their property on the lake’s north shore in 2006, it contained a small cabin they used for a couple of years. And during that time, they talked a lot about what they wanted in a new home. They also worked with DeForest Architects, based in Seattle’s Fremont District. Among their ideas: ◆◆ That screened porch. It is critical, they say, to keeping mosquitoes and other bugs at bay during the warmer months. The room also features a wood-burning fireplace for the cooler months. ◆◆ An unimposing deck. “We wanted to flow in and out of the environment easily,” said Lauren. “One of our themes was ‘of this place,’ ” added Judy. And the couple got to know which direction the wind blows, prompting them to place the main part of their ground-level deck on the east side of the house. ◆◆ Lots of windows and no shades or curtains. “We wanted to be able to see out all the time,” Judy says. Even though the house sits close to the lake, they feel private because large trees form a natural barrier. “If people are going by in a boat, we can see them, but it’s really hard for them to see us,” Judy said. The Pflugraths let architect John DeForest pick out all the wood and were pleased to see lots of different 24
Foothills
January / February 2013
The kitchen features a bar with informal seating. The Pflugraths bought their north shore Lake Wenatchee property in 2006. They used a small cabin on the property for a couple of years before building a new home.
A gentle push to the built-in bookcase in the living room leads to a media room furnished with a Murphy bed.
Below, a stairway leads to the home’s second floor, which features oak floors. The lower level has tile floors.
Come see our wide variety of Hardwoods & let us bring you one step closer to your Dream Home.
First Choice
FLOOR COVERINGS LLC Scott Sanders, Owner ~ Over 25 Years Experience
1630 N. Wenatchee Ave. • Wenatchee, WA 98801
6636200
Across from Les Schwab
www.firstchoicefloorcoverings.com January / February 2013
Foothills
25
Even though their house sits close to the lake, the Pflugraths gets a sense of privacy due to the large trees that form a natural barrier. woods blend into a cohesive whole. The main wood inside is cedar, the beams and windowsills are Douglas fir, the cabinets are fir, the stairs are oak, and the wood around the built-in couches and bookcase is maple. It works, Lauren says, because “the woods are the same tones and color.” Floors on the second floor are oak, but the downstairs is all tile. They picked the tile color to match the color of the lake. Judy says the idea was to have people coming in through the front door see the tile and the lake as a single, flowing visual. The couple also planned for cold winters. The inside tile is heated, as is the outside front entrance and stairways. The couple call the style of their home contemporary modern. That is reflected in the walls, the cabinets, the artwork and the track lighting over the large dining room table, which is made out of maple. They say they were also pleased with the color palette that DeForest worked with, which was created from photos of the surrounding landscape. The Pflugraths, married in 1982, have three grown children. Lauren, a 1974 Leavenworth High School graduate, develops medical ultrasound equipment. Lauren, whose family had a small cabin at Lake Wenatchee, spent many summers at the lake while growing up. The couple moved into their new lake home about two years ago. “Because of all the preplanning we did, it’s been exactly what we thought it would be,” Judy says. F 26
Foothills
January / February 2013
Because life takes place in the kitchen.
662-9500
2101 N. Duncan Drive • Wenatchee Mon-Fri 9-6 • Sat 10-3 acebook.com/insidedesigncarpetone See the fabulous features of DeWils Cabinets at our showroom.
Let Our Friendly and Educated Staff Help You
Committed to Excellence
Full Line Showroom
Authorized Dealer
160 S. Worthen Street, Wenatchee • (509) 662-1590
pooltospaservices.com
Our best freestanding kitchen and most advanced technology
Whirlpool Gold® Suite 6th Sense™ Technology senses and manages what was once beyond your control. The ranges have AccuBake® temperature management to ensure even, consistent results. The microwave senses the humidity level in your foods and adjusts time and temperature. The dishwasher measures load size and soil amount to select the right cleaning level and cycle duration. And the refrigerator’s temperature system monitors and adjusts to help preserve foods.
Winner of 4 World’s Bests Open 8-8 WEEKDAYS 9-6 WEEKENDS
1729 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee • 509-663-1671 www.savmart.net January / February 2013
Foothills
27
good stuff
Story By Kaylin bettinger photos By kathryn stevens
The
Sweet Science of
Coffee Roasting How NCW experts turn beans into brews
I
Jesse Wilkinson, owner of J5 Coffee in Cashmere’s Mission District roasts coffee in his shop. At right, J5 Coffee before and after roasting.
t’s been decades since Starbucks revolutionized the coffee world by turning the idea of gourmet java into a multi-billion dollar industry. But while companies like Starbucks and Tully’s spread the big-box-store approach to coffee, small roasters slid into the artisan coffee niche market. Ever since, they have been slowly winning the David-and-Goliath-style battle, one genuinely good cuppa Joe at a time. The greater-Seattle area remains the epicenter of quality coffee, but North Central Washington residents have no problem getting their hands on tasty, locally roasted beans.
In the last decade, small coffee roasters have sprouted up throughout Chelan, Douglas and Okanogan counties. Despite the higher cost, coffee snobs flock to places like Backcountry Coffee Roasters in the Methow Valley, J5 Coffee in Cashmere, Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp and well-known Caffé Mela in Wenatchee. The niche market, it seems, isn’t going anywhere.
Why Small Roasters? Ask any small-scale coffee roaster — How do you get better coffee? Use highquality, freshly roasted beans. Coffee beans, which are typically
green before roasting, can be kept for up to a year without losing any flavor properties, said Lori Loomis, co-owner of Backcountry Coffee Roasters. But once the beans are roasted, the window is short before they begin to go stale. The number isn’t too scientific — some roasters think coffee should be consumed within a week or two, others think it can last for over a month. Whatever the length of time, roasters agree that the longer it sits out, the less flavorful it will be. “Something at Day 31 doesn’t taste a lot different than at Day 20, but as you go along, it starts to lose flavor until it completely deteriorates,” Loomis said. Each roaster in the area has a slightly different specialty. Backcountry Coffee Roasters in Winthrop focuses on customers who want to buy a bag of beans for coffee at home. Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp focuses on espresso. Most of J5 Coffee Roasters’ energy goes into selling its beans at the Leavenworth Farmer’s Market. As specialties vary, so does size. Backcountry roasts hundreds of pounds of coffee a week and employs two people. Blue Star roasted well over 50,000 pounds in 2012 and has six employees. J5 roasts in two-pound batches as the company begins to grow.
J5 Coffee Co. is one of the smaller roasters in the region, roasting in two-pound batches as the business grows. Donohue says a good cost estimate for a cup of coffee — if customers buy good beans and make their own coffee at home — is about a quarter per cup. “It’s the best deal in the world,” she said.
Cost Coffee is one of the most highly traded commodities in the world. Meg Donohue, co-owner of Blue Star Coffee Roasters, said specialty coffee beans represent the best 10 percent of the market in terms of quality. Blue Star tries to buy the best 3 percent of the specialty beans for its coffee. “So we pay up, for sure,” Donohue said. The cost of well-farmed, organic coffee beans from countries in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America is handed down to customers. A pound of Starbucks coffee costs about $10, while at Blue Star it will cost coffee lovers $13.50 a pound. 30
Foothills
January / February 2013
The Beginning
Wilkinson goes the low-tech route, using a pour-over coffee maker after roasting whole bean coffee and grinding the coffee.
Few people have been so involved in coffee’s growth spurt as Donohue and her husband, Dan. Their serendipitous coffee story started three decades ago, long before they opened Blue Star Coffee Roasters in Twisp. Dan kicked off his 18-year roasting career at coffee shops like Caffé Vita and Caffe Appassionato in Seattle. In the early ’80s, Meg found work as a barista at Starbucks when there were only four stores and accidentally fell into the beginning of the gourmet coffee movement. “It was so different back then,” she
North Central Washington roasters Blue Star Coffee Roasters
Conconully Coffee Co.
Highway 20 and Twisp Airport Road, Twisp 509-997-2583 bluestarcoffeeroasters.com
509-826-5181 conconullycoffee.com
Caffé Mela 17 North Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee 509-888-0374 caffemela.com
Backcountry Coffee Roasters 6 Horizon Flat Road #4, Winthrop 509-996-3371 backcountrycoffee.com
Alpine Coffee Roasters 894 Highway 2, Leavenworth (509) 548-3313 alpinecoffeeroasters.com
Blue Spirits Coffee Roasting 324 Minneapolis Beach Road, Chelan 206-310-3945 bluespiritscoffee.com
J5 Coffee 207-G Mission St., Cashmere 509-741-7707 j5coffee.com
OPEN Monday - Saturday 8:30am to 6:30pm CLOSED SUNDAY
888-351-1804
Ninth & Miller, Wenatchee • www.sangstermotors.com January / February 2013
Foothills
31
said. “We really had no idea what we were doing.” Dan and Meg matured along with the coffee industry, moving from Seattle to Twisp 10 years ago and opening their own roasting company in 2007. “People thought we were nuts,” Meg said. “ ‘You’re going where?’ ” Dan is the head roaster and roasts three days per week in batches up to 45 pounds. It takes less than 20 minutes to roast a batch. The beans are roasted, quickly cooled and bagged that day. The Donohues are quick to point out that though coffee is best fresh, the first day or two after roasting isn’t the best time to use the beans. The beans pop like popcorn during roasting and continue to gas and “relax” for a few days after being roasted. Blue Star, along with most other fresh roasters, use high-tech bags that have small one-way valves in the bag, which allow gas to escape.
Some Of The Best After being selected one of the top 32 coffee roasters in the western region of the U.S. and Canada, Blue Star went on to win the “America’s Best Coffee Roaster” competition at Coffee Fest in Seattle in September. For the competition, Dan roasted the beans and Meg poured the shots. The competition was set up in a bracket format, and they competed against one coffee roaster every day. “I kind of think of it as a smack down,” Meg Donohue said. “It was really intense. It was a group of really fine roasters who are all working at a very high level in a competitive industry.”
Tasting Rooms Wine shops surround the J5 shop in the Mission District in Cashmere. And owners Jesse (at left) and Courtney Wilkinson have taken note. They’re trying a similar strategy as their neighbors — a coffee tasting room. 32
Foothills
January / February 2013
North Central Washington’s coffee infatuation with coffee is fed by a group of talented coffee roasters. On Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m., J5 customers can do a coffee tasting, sampling a variety of J5’s roasts, before they buy a bag of beans. Backcountry in Winthrop is transitioning to a similar model. They don’t have specific hours for the tasting room, but brew samples for interested customers when they come to the store. Loomis said she thinks this is
the direction the industry is moving. It eliminates the cost of running a full cafe, but allows people to try the coffee before they buy, like they can at roasters like Caffé Mela and Blue Star, which are both coffee shops as well as roasters. “Some people are hesitant to buy something they haven’t tried before. This gives us the ability to let them try it,” Loomis said. F
The once-green beans turn a rich brown after roasting.
Roasting tips Meg Donohue of Blue Star Coffee Roaster offers these tips on getting the most from your coffee: u Use the right grind for your
brewing method Espresso and Aeropress: fine grind Hand brew cone/one-cup/pourover: fine Electric Drip: medium grind French press: coarse grind u Use the right amount: about two
tablespoons of ground coffee per 6- or 8-ounce cup. u Water should be used “just off
the boil,” anywhere from 195 Fahrenheit to 205 Fahrenheit. u French press: brew for four
minutes, then plunge and serve. u Keep your coffee fresh:
Buy one bag at a time. Store in a cool, dry, dark space. Don’t store in the fridge. Keep the bag rolled down and as airtight as possible.
January / February 2013
Foothills
33
offbeat
By cal fitzsimmons
Texting... Holly Starr H
olly Starr Grigg, who performs professionally as Holly Starr, is a Christian-themed musician and songwriter from Quincy who by age 19 was opening for such big acts as LeAnn Rimes. She recently released her third album, “Focus,” which includes the breakout hit “Don’t Have Love.” This interview was done completely by text message while Holly was on tour.
You’ve been on a whirlwind tour promoting Focus. Where are you now? City, state, hotel room, car, maybe Pizza Hut? Currently I am in South Carolina. Just tanburg! I finished up this tour last night in Spar so I get to have a friend who lives in Charleston, g home! flyin re befo days hang with her for a few Good for you. How did growing up in artist? Quincy help shape who you are as an Growing up in Quincy was amazing. Living on the farm was such a unique y people experience that I have learned not man k and have. It taught me the value of hard wor re ultu agric in only Not ons. the reality of seas do “seasons change” but also in life. The winter never lasts forever — the harvest always comes. My father and grandfather who and great-grandfather are three men lessons me h teac to ily fam the for endured a lot Those of perseverance through any season. working to lied app been qualities have directly ys alwa are gs in the music business. Thin ired! changing and patience is always requ
Wow, you sure you’re only 20? Anyway, your “Don’t Have Love” video has a lot of local-looking stuff like an orchard and maybe the Columbia River. Was it filmed in this area? Well, I actually just turned 22 on Thursday (Nov. 29th)! Nonetheless ... the video was filmed in Florida near Lakeland. I would have LOVED to film in our area, but the director was from Nashville and I guess Florida is a really good place to do film for video rights and such. However, I am so glad we were able to capture some places in the video that remind me of home. :) The orange grove was as close to an orchard as I could find, haha. :)
= So, I couldn’t tell an apple orchard from an orange grove and messed up your age? I’m feeling good about this interview. So ... what mainstream artists would you compare your sound to? I think I can hear some Taylor Swift and maybe even a little Katy Perry.
All is good. No worries at all :) People say they hear some Sara Bareilles, a little Colbie Caillat and Missy Higgins. Maybe a little Kelly Clarkson. I listened to all four of those artists at different points growing up and appreciate their vocal talent and melodies a lot!
Who is your favorite famous person you’ve met? Shawn McDonald. He is the most real, raw, authentic artist I have ever met. I really appreciate and admire his transparency. It’s not easy being real, but it’s super powerful to me when someone is willing to be that to you. I met him when I was given the opportunity to open for him for some shows he had out in the NW in April 2011.
Can you feel yourself getting famous? Was there a moment that made you go “wow, people know who I am?” There are moments that definitely catch me off guard. The first moment I will never forget was a time when I was at Costco in East Wenatchee and some girl was freaking out a little bit because I was there. It was funny. Home is always home so when that stuff happens at home it’s a little more crazy than out on the road. Just recently my newest single “Don’t Have Love” has been in the Top 30 Christian songs for radio, and since that radio attention has happened there have been fun moments online where people will post videos singing my song or stories about how it impacted their life in cool ways. There are definitely “moments” where I see it, but then I’m reminded of all the nights we sleep in Walmart parking lots on tour and realize that that stuff is cool but I’m still just the farmer’s daughter who happened to get the opportunity to share my songs with more people than just my community :)
Speaking of “Don’t Have Love,” that song is stuck in my head. Did you set out to write such a catchy song?
Well, I always hope to write a catchy one (ballads are much easier for me to write), but I didn’t really know this song was truly catchy until people started hearing it and responding that way. It has been so cool getting that response from people! When you’re hanging out with friends are you Holly Starr or Holly Grigg? Well my friend that I am with just responded “I call you Holly Grigg! :) So I guess Holly Grigg. But I would hope that who I am as Holly Starr and Holly Grigg would be the same, because my name is Holly Starr Grigg after all :) My desire is that who I am on stage is just a reflection of who I am off stage, if that makes sense. Holly “Starr” is just an easier name to remember, lol :)
I understand you were discovered on MySpace. How amazing is that? I mean that anyone was actually checking out MySpace?
Haha! Yeah, it is pretty crazy to think about! However, at the time I was discovered on there (2007), MySpace was still pretty popular so it wasn’t too weird I guess. But the whole concept looking back is pretty hilarious to me. I had no idea what was beginning to take place!
Some of your songs, like “I Love You Anyway” from Tapestry seem beautifully sad and haunting. But you seem so nice and well-grounded. How do you make that happen? Life is good, and stuff happens, good and bad. I’m definitely not exempt from that, nor do I want people to think I am. So I write about it. I believe it’s how we mentally handle life’s ups and downs that reflect our character. For me, I have personally chosen to try and handle those seasons in ways the Bible teaches. My faith is my core. It doesn’t take away hard things, but gives me tools to walk...
...through them with strength stronger than the strength I can find in myself. Stuff happens, we can’t avoid it — it’s reality. But it’s also reality that if we don’t learn how to handle that stuff somehow, the stuff will control us. Faith is definitely what keeps me personally grounded, and why I write songs from the places I write them. I’m in this world just as anyone else, and I just hope to be an encouragement to others who might be in a similar place.
Do you see yourself at some point moving away from Christian-themed music, to reach a larger audience? Honestly I don’t think so. I have dreams of having a larger audience, but if so, by way of continuing to stay true to my message. There is a hope that I have that I just want people to know about, so for me to give up that aspect of my music just for a larger audience would be a disservice to myself and to others I believe. There are lots of artists out there who play great music and that’s awesome! I just don’t want to be an artist who only plays great music. I want to offer encouragement to people in a real way. I have seen situations in my life that seemed completely hopeless and impossible be made possible, and everyone deserves to know that they are never, ever stuck. I feel a responsibility to not just entertain, but to help share hope, real hope. What do you miss most about Quincy when you’re gone, other than family and friends? I miss the quietness and seeing stars at night :) I naturally lean more introverted, so coming home to less traffic noise and people everywhere is an incredible feeling. It’s not just home, but the silence of the night and the beauty of the NW is unmatchable!
photos By kathryn Stevens
Area Restaurants Serve Up Their Best
A
bout six months ago, Foothills Magazine set out to build the region’s best
meal. The Dream Meal project was straightforward: We invited restaurant owners and managers in the Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Manson, Cashmere and Leavenworth areas to nominate their top regular-menu item in any of four categories — appetizer, salad, entrée and dessert. In late summer and early fall, a team of judges, Rochelle Feil Adamowsky, Rick Steigmeyer and Annette Pitts, visited participating restaurants to grade entries on a 50-point criteria — overall taste 20 points, creativity and uniqueness of ingredients 20 points and presentation/appearance 10 points. What follows are their picks for top dishes in each category, as well as other dishes that earned high marks.
Best Appetizer Bacon-wrapped Scallops The Chateau Grill at Chateau Faire Le Pont
I
t’s hard to beat Chateau Faire Le Pont for its exquisite, full-bodied red wines. And there’s no better place to try them out than over an equally exquisite meal at the winery’s own Chateau Grill. Manager-owner Debé Brazil recommended an extravagant quartet of courses from the menu, including Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Frisee Salad, Hickory Roasted Duck and Caramel Sea Salt Bread Pudding for dessert. Every item was superb in its presentation, creativity and taste. I thought the scallops stole the show at the beginning with the incredible aroma of wood-smoked thick bacon around those tender fresh scallops. The appetizer was drizzled with a mustard cider reduction sauce. The sweet and tender scallops were the perfect contrast for the salty, chewy bacon. The Frisee salad is a dish from Debé’s native home of Montreal and not often found on a Northwest menu, she said. Curly leaf lettuce was topped with bacon lardons, a poached egg and a light sherry vinaigrette. This was a meal in itself. The entrée of roast duck slices over a sweet polenta (chef Derek Solar called it a buttermilk cornbread pudding) and glazed with a sweet whiskey caramel got us all talking about memories and recipes from Southern France. There shouldn’t have been room for the bread pudding, which was spectacularly more impressive and delicious than any bread pudding I’ve ever had. This meal will set you back about $50 per person if you order it all. But the appetizer, salad and dessert could easily be shared. We shared a bottle of Faire Le Pont’s award-winning 2008 Pinot Noir. It’s probably one of the state’s best examples of the variety and a bargain at its $20 price — the same whether you drink it in the restaurant or take one home. We did both. —Rick Steigmeyer
38
Foothills
January / February 2013
Address: 389 Technology Center Way, Wenatchee Hours: Restaurant and winery are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday; winery is also open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday and Monday Owners: Debé and Doug Brazil Web: fairelepont.com
Judges’ comments The huge scallops were perfectly cooked, moist and sweet in contrast to the salty bacon. The mustard cider reduction was a perfect foil for the richness of the two. Judge Annette Pitts would have liked the bacon a little crispier. “Even so, this app was killer,” she wrote in her judging notes.
January / February 2013
Foothills
39
Best Salad Michelle’s Mixed Greens Garlini’s Napoletana
T
here’s good reason why Garlini’s Napoletana is one of Wenatchee’s most popular lunch and dinner spots. The food is deliciously traditional Italian, unpretentious and fresh. The atmosphere is casual, friendly and intimate with its high-backed wood booths. Owner Craig Still treated us to two appetizers that, with a fine bottle of Martin-Scott Raven Ridge Red, got us off to a great, chatter-inducing meal that did not disappoint. Still added several nice touches when he moved the restaurant from East Wenatchee in 2010. Richard and Diane Garlini took over the restaurant started by Richard’s Italian-immigrant parents in 1983. Still purchased the restaurant from the Garlinis and continued the family recipes and family-friendly atmosphere. He added a wood-fired stone oven in the new location for true Napoletana pizzas and rustic breads, and a relaxing open bar. Recently, he started making handmade pasta for several of his dishes. We had the crunchy crusted bread with our bruschetta. The simple Bartali pizza was brushed with olive oil and topped with mozzarella and Grana Padano cheeses, prosciutto and a mound of fresh arugula. The three of us split one of the restaurant’s signature Michelle’s Mixed Greens (named for Craig’s wife and Garlini’s co-owner), and I’m glad we did. It’s a meal in itself, with fresh mixed greens, roasted chicken, avocado, cranberries, feta cheese, pecans and a deliciously spicy balsamic-shallot vinaigrette that we were tempted to sip on its own like fine port. Our entrée was a lightly blackened wild salmon over fresh-made fettuccine with a light Alfredo sauce. Still said the fresh fettuccine is something new for the restaurant. We appreciated the extra effort. There’s nothing like fresh pasta and this was nicely matched with the mildly spicy salmon. We loved the food and especially the casual atmosphere fitting for relaxed gatherings with close friends any night of the week. —Rick Steigmeyer
40
Foothills
January / February 2013
Address: 212 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily Owners: Craig and Michelle Still Web: garlinisrestaurant.com
Judges’ comments This salad was a full-meal deal. Its combination of fresh greens with chicken, avocado, feta, pecans and apples complemented each other nicely. The roasted shallot balsamic dressing was to die for. We all wanted to take some home.
January / February 2013
Foothills
41
Best Entrée House-made Gnocchi Vin du Lac
N
ews that the Vin du Lac kitchen duo of Chef Francis St. Dennis and partner Michelle Lak will be opening their own bistro in the new Pybus Public Market next spring should come as good news indeed for Wenatchee-area diners looking for spectacular food. St. Dennis says the Bistro at Vin du Lac — one of Chelan’s premier wineries overlooking the lake — will be left in good hands with a couple of talented trainees, but he’s very excited about the couple’s new venture, Pybus Bistro. And we should be as well. Foothills Dream Meal judges Rochelle FeilAdamowsky, Annette Pitts and myself were recently treated to a tasting of several wonderful items that will continue on the Vin du Lac menu. Similar items are likely to appear on the Pybus Bistro menu, said St. Dennis, a graduate of the Portland School of Culinary Arts. Our tasting consisted of a pork paté and creamy leek risotto appetizers; butternut squash soup; a fabulous salad of Honeycrisp apple, endive, walnuts and bleu cheese; fresh green beans with pecans and shaved Parmigiano cheese. All were beautifully prepared and focused on fresh fall vegetables and fruit grown nearby. Star of the show was the house-
42
Foothills
January / February 2013
Chef Frank St. Dennis makes Vin du Lac’s House-Made Gnocchi.
made melt-in-your-mouth potato gnocchi, with sautéed Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, pecans and bacon in a light spinach cream sauce. This is a visually beautiful dish, alive with fragrant aroma, vibrant with complex flavors and textures. The gnocchi was light and comforting and well-married to the rich tastes and crunch of bacon, pecans and sprouts. St. Dennis and Lak put two desserts on our table for sharing: a pan-fried spiced pear and cranberry bread pudding and a chocolate tarte served with caramel and whipped cream. Heavenly. The couple — both Wenatchee natives, by the way — cook with a creative flair grounded in traditional
French methods, but a strong nod to fresh, local and lighter fare. Annette said it best when she noted that few local restaurants so well connect the food on the table to that grown in the region. All the items we had are on the standard Vin du Lac dinner menu. We enjoyed a 2010 Vin du Lac Lehm Dry Riesling made from grapes grown around the bistro and tasting room overlooking the lake. All the items on the menu are tailored to pair well with Vin du Lac’s selection of award-winning wines. The food is definitely worth the drive to Chelan this fall or winter when the town is quiet and the lake shimmers with serene beauty. —Rick Steigmeyer
Judges’ comments This was a tough choice among many great entrées, but Chef Frank St. Dennis’ pillow-soft potato gnocchi in a light cream spinach sauce with sautéed Brussels sprouts, wild mushrooms, pecans and bacon was visually stunning, different and delicious. The creative combination of ingredients gave a clear sense of place and time — fall in the Northwest. “What could have been a heavy cream sauce and rubbery gnocchi, were light, almost fluffy little mouthfuls with huge flavor and an inspiring sauce. This was a shockingly good dish,” judge Annette Pitts commented in her notes. Address: 105 State Route 150, Chelan Hours: Noon to 8 p.m., Thursday through Sunday Owner: Larry Lehmbecker Web: vindulac.com
January / February 2013
Foothills
43
Best Dessert French Vanilla Bean Ice Cream Rebecca’s on Orondo
A
romantic, quiet dinner, fitting for an anniversary or just a luxurious night out in a setting as comfortable as home. That may well be what Rebecca Condotta had in mind when she opened her stylish, intimate restaurant at 113 Orondo Ave. Condotta changed the restaurant’s name from Famé to Rebecca’s on Orondo. She treated us to a full meal, and we loved every course. An appetizer of her family-recipe Schratcha — a light focaccia baked with olive oil, herbs and just a sprinkling of gouda — reminded me of my Italian grandmother’s pizzas right out of the oven. Salad of very fresh mixed baby greens with plum raspberry vinaigrette included raisins soaked in cognac and gorgonzola cheese. Our entrée was a beautiful hand-cut tenderloin in a plum chutney sauce. We all agreed this was the steak of the year, extremely tender and flavorful. The ultra-fresh, perfectly blanched tender green beans draped over the steak nearly stole the show. The bowl of fettuccine Alfredo that came with it seemed a little much, but it was delicious. We all took most of it home. Lastly was a simple and elegant goblet of French vanilla bean ice cream, drizzled with a blackberry and Middle Eastern-spiced cognac sauce. It was everything a dessert after a fine meal should be without being too much. The three of us shared a bottle of Jones of Washington Syrah, which was excellent. Expect to pay about $50 per person plus wine. But it wasn’t difficult to conclude that Rebecca’s ranks right up there with Wenatchee’s best dining for a special night out. —Rick Steigmeyer
44
Foothills
January / February 2013
Judges’ comments This simple dish won our hearts with its understatement. Fresh vanilla bean ice cream with a light blackberry and spiced-cognac sauce. “Wow! This is delicious,” wrote judge Rochelle Feil Adamowsky, who also loved the presentation in a pewter and copper goblet with brass spoon. “Such a lovely way to cap off a special meal,” she added.
High Marks Since the competition was fierce, it seems only fair to nod to those dishes that were outstanding, but didn’t finish tops in their category. Here’s the list:
APPETIZERS Creamy Leek Risotto, Vin du Lac Creamy and delicate with fresh, fall leek flavor. This was perfectly prepared. Bruschetta, Garlini’s Simple and fun with fresh tomatoes, ricotta and olive tapenade to spread on the wood-fired toast at will. Habanero Shrimp Skewers, South These skewers are a great way to get the party started. Very spicy, but incredibly flavorful shrimp, served with a cooling guacamole and cabbage slaw to cool the fire.
SALADS Plum Raspberry Vinaigrette, Rebecca’s on Orondo Another fine salad with dressing judges wanted to sip like fine port. A perfect balance of acid, sweet and savory that reminded us of the holidays. Salad Bar, Kingfisher at Sleeping Lady So many choices. You can order just the salad bar at Sleeping Lady’s Kingfisher restaurant, and you haven’t lived until you’ve done so. Many of the items come right from the Sleeping Lady’s organic gardens. The selection of exotic olives, cheeses and heirloom tomatoes (summer and fall) is mind-blowing. Local Apple Salad, Vin du Lac The quintessential North Central Washington fall salad with slices of Honeycrisp apple, fresh-from-the-garden greens, blue cheese and walnuts. Remarkably good.
ENTRÉES Address: 113 Orondo Ave., Wenatchee Hours: 5 to 9 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday Owner: Rebecca Condotta Web: facebook.com/ FameRestaurantWenatchee
Hickory Roasted Duck, The Chateau Grill at Chateau Faire Le Pont Where else outside of France can you get a dish like this? Tender slices of roast duck on a bed of cornbread pudding drizzled with caramel sauce — downright exciting. Handmade Fettuccine with Blackened Salmon, Garlini’s We applauded the extra effort of Craig Still’s fresh-made fettuccine, served in a light cream sauce with fresh arugula beneath a slightly blackened filet of fresh salmon. Very nice. Indeed. Hand-cut Tenderloin with Plum Chutney Sauce, Rebecca’s on Orondo There was no dispute among the judges on this one. This was one of the best steaks we have ever had the pleasure of eating. And we’ve all been trying to duplicate in our own kitchens what Rebecca Condotta did with those perfectly cooked fresh green beans draped over the steak.
Dream Meal Judges Rochelle Feil-Adamowsky Day job: Copy editor/page designer, The Wenatchee World Foodie credentials: I love to cook, eat and read about food. I’m the food section editor and had a World column/blog called Nosh On. Favorite dish to make at home: Simple, apple pie Finish this sentence: My love affair with food began ... when I was a little kid and got to help my grandma can applesauce in her kitchen. The secret to her pink-tinged applesauce? Make sure to use red apples, and leave the peel on while cooking. Use a food mill to get rid of the peel and ensure the sauce is smooth.
High Marks DESSERTS Marionberry Pie, Anjou Bakery Pie this good should be served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The recipe for Anjou’s delicacy was published in Sunset Magazine last year. One taste will tell you why. Spiced Pear and Cranberry Pudding, Vin du Lac Light and seasonal and simply lovely, wrote judge Rochelle Feil Adamowsky. Chocolate Mousse, Kingfisher at Sleeping Lady The unpretentious little blue cups were filled with heaven, bursting with intense chocolate and flavors of cinnamon and Mexican spices. Caramel Sea Salt Bread Pudding, Chateau Faire Le Pont This was judge Annette Pitts’ favorite dish of the whole competition. “The combination of fluffy, chewy, crunchy textures is just crazy delicious. I would like to eat this dessert every birthday I have left,” she wrote in her notes.
Annette Pitts Day job: Executive director, Cascade Loop Scenic Highway Foodie credentials: CCTP (Certified Culinary Travel Professional, International Culinary Tourism Institute) Favorite dish to make at home: Risotto (depending on the season, I choose what kind to make) Finish this sentence: My love affair with food began ... when I was very young and learned I could pick food right out the ground in my grandparents’ garden — it was enlightening.
Rick Steigmeyer Day job: Wenatchee World staff writer, blogger, Foothills wine writer Foodie credentials: Writes the wine and food blog Winemaker’s Journal, former line cook and sous chef, amateur winemaker Favorite dish to make at home: All kinds of pasta dishes Finish this sentence: My love affair with food began ... at age 5 when I would help my Italian grandmother roll out dough for homemade pasta and pizzas each night for the family deli in Chicago.
Surprise Dishes As part of this grueling Dream Meal ordeal, judges came across some dishes that didn’t really fit a particular category but deserve some mention. Portobello Mushroom Soup, Kingfisher at Sleeping Lady It was probably fortunate that we didn’t find this soup on the Kingfisher gourmet buffet earlier than we did because we wouldn’t have been able to stop eating it. Light, flavorful and divine, we tried to figure out a way to smuggle a quart out with us. Green Beans with Pecans and Shaved Parmesan, Vin du Lac Green beans, let me count the ways I love thee. This recipe for sure. Olive Bar, Kingfisher at Sleeping Lady Happiness is an assortment of olives from the Kingfisher’s salad bar and a glass of red wine, said judge Rochelle Feil Adamowsky. Bartali Pizza, Garlini’s Appetizer or dinner, Garlini’s Bartali pizza fills the bill. Cooked crusty in the 850-degree wood-fired oven with olive oil and fresh mozzarella, then topped with prosciutto, Parmesan and lots of fresh arugula. Buon appetito! F
Looking for a dentist? Overdue for that annual check-up? NUTRITIONIST ON STAFF
Resolving to get in shape for the New Year?
A boutique style natural food store.
Visit the 2013 North Central Washington Medical, Health and Wellness Directory http://wellness.wenatcheeworld.com
Little changes can make a big difference.
Chelan Valley Spa a Center for Rejuvination
ORGANIC FOOD • RAW FOOD GLUTEN-FREE • BULK FOODS HERBS & SUPPLEMENTS • TEA BEAUTY & BODY • BOOKS
Our first-class service includes: • Transforming Facial Treatments • Body Treatments • Massage • Full Body Waxing • Bionic Hydrotherapy Footbaths MONTHLY SPECIALS
chelanvalleyspa.com
509-888-6304
Always make it a Lemongrass day! www.lemongrassnaturalfoods.com 1052 Springwater, Wenatchee
509-888-3885
January / February 2013
Foothills
47
Health & Fitness Special section
Tone With Four Simple Exercises
Standing Biceps Curl
Story By Hillary Conner photos By Kathryn Stevens
at Home S
taying in shape does not always have to mean a trip to the gym. Here are a few exercises you can do in the warm,
Standing Biceps Curl starting position
comfy confines of your home. Please check with your
doctor before beginning any formal exercise program. Begin with one set of 8-12 repetitions two or three nonconsecutive days per week (example: Monday, Wednesday Friday or Tuesday, Thursday); progress to two sets after two or three weeks.
Standing Biceps Curl Counter/Tabletop Push-up Target: Chest To begin: Place heels of hands on edge of countertop in line with shoulders, gently pressing through the hands to engage the chest and core muscles with arms extended. With core engaged and spine neutral (avoid swaying through the low back), step back 1 to 2 feet from the edge (or further for more difficulty) with feet shoulder-width apart. Inhaling, slowly bend the elbows to lower the body toward the countertop, until upper arm is parallel with the countertop edge, keeping weight through the balls of the feet; exhaling, press back to the starting position, repeating up to 12 times. Modification: Perform the same exercise against the wall Advanced: Kneeling or Full Plank Push-up from the toes with feet hip distance apart
Target: Biceps To begin: Stand with spine aligned and core engaged. Keep the elbows in tight to the sides of the body throughout the full range of motion. Do not bend the wrists, shrug the shoulders or arch the back. Action: Exhaling, slowly bend both elbows and rotate the forearm to curl palms toward your upper arm (as shown at far left). Inhaling, slowly lower the weights, by rotating forearms, returning palms to the sides of the body. Avoid swinging the weights. Modifications: Can perform the exercise seated January / February 2013
Foothills
49
Health & Fitness
Special section
One-Arm Row with Triceps Kickback Target area: Back and Triceps To begin: Start in staggered stance, with feet hips-distance apart and toes facing forward. While maintaining a neutral spine, lean forward at the hips to draw the torso toward the front thigh and floor at a 45-degree angle. Place one hand on the front thigh for support, with core engaged to support the spine. Action: Hold the weight with the opposite arm (the same arm as the back leg), with hand directly below the shoulder; Exhale and contract back muscles to slowly raise the weight toward the base of rib cage with elbow close to the body. Do not bend the wrist. Pause and inhale at the top of the movement with upper arm parallel to the floor, keeping the shoulders and hips square to the floor. Do not arch or round your back or rotate your torso.
Triceps Kickback: From this position (upper arm parallel to the floor) without bending the wrist, exhale and slowly straighten your elbow by contracting the triceps (back of the upper arm) until your arm is fully extended; your upper arm should remain stationary. Pause, inhale and slowly lower the weight by bending the elbow to return to the top of the One-Arm Row, then slowly lower the weight back to starting position, performing up to 12 repetitions before repeating on the other side/arm. Modifications: This exercise can be done using the back of a secure chair or a bench for more support. One-Arm Row and Triceps Kickback can be broken out into two separate exercises for less difficulty.
Standing Lateral Raise Target area: Shoulders To begin: Holding dumbbells, stand with feet shoulder-width apart, spine aligned and the core engaged with elbows bent at 90 degrees. Action: While exhaling, raise the arms and dumbbells to shoulder height while leading with the elbows and emphasizing the shoulder muscles (deltoids). Do not raise hands higher than shoulder height, and do not shrug shoulders or move at the elbow joint. Inhaling, slowly lower the weights to the starting position and repeat up to 12 times. Modifications: Can be performed with no weight or can be performed sitting in a chair for more support Advanced: Can be repeated with arms extended fully, palms facing down or thumbs up (depending on comfort at the shoulder joint) raising dumbbells no higher than shoulder height, then slowly lowering to the starting position. F 50
Foothills
January / February 2013
Spinning TRX
ÂŽ
Ellipticals Treadmills
Hillary Conner Occupation: director of health enhancement, Wenatchee Valley YMCA Professional credentials: B.S. Exercise Science, ACSM certified Cancer Exercise Trainer, ACE certified personal trainer, YMCA of USA Trainer (training and certifying instructors) for Foundations of Group Exercise and Group Cycling Training: Yoga Instructor/ Instruction, Exercise for Special Populations, Group Cycling, Pilates, Resistance training, and Functional training Noteable: 30 under 35 honoree, Wenatchee Valley Business World
Circuit Training Free Weights
1/2 OFF Enrollment
*
Personal Training Group Exercise Classes
212 Fifth St., Suite #6 Fifth Street Plaza Wenatchee
We honor Sterling & Soundpath gym memberships. *1 or 2 year membership
509-888-9870 alt12ďŹ tness.com
Walk-in Clinics Wenatchee - 820 N. Chelan Avenue
East Wenatchee - 100 Highline Drive
8 a.m. - 8 p.m. 7 Days A Week
Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
(509) 663-8711
(509) 884-0614
Our Walk-in Clinics provide convenient, high quality, low cost family health care when you need prompt medical attention for non-emergencies.
When to visit our Walk-in Clinics: Sprains, strains Fractures Minor burns Flu or cold
Sore throat and fever Ear ache Stings or bites Work-related injuries
Visit us online at wvmedical.com January / February 2013
Foothills
51
Health & Fitness
Special section
Story By M.K. Resk photos By Mike Bonnicksen
No-Excuse Exercising I
f you would rather hike your feet up on the couch than take a hike, you probably don’t exercise regularly. If so, you’re not alone! To help kick-start an active you in the new year, here are solutions for the toughest exercise excuses.
No Time Despite our speedy society, you can surely find a sliver of time each day 52
Foothills
January / February 2013
to care for your sporty self. Hillary Conner, the Wenatchee Valley YMCA’s director of health enhancement, says you can achieve health benefits in just 10 minutes. Do “quick, 10-minute bouts” throughout the day — in the morning, at lunch, on an afternoon break or at night, she suggests. Those mini sessions accumulate toward the Surgeon General’s recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity
Tricia Stagg teaches a family Zumba class along with her daughter Sophia, 7, at the Wenatchee Valley YMCA.
Solutions for getting into shape
most days of the week. Schedule a daily, uninterruptible exercise appointment with yourself. Create an acronym like “MEB” (My Exercise Break) and take it as seriously as a doctor’s appointment, Conner recommends. Choose a good book on tape, your favorite music, or a TV show to motivate you as you exercise. You can usually watch your favorite show at a health club, she adds.
Too Expensive
Therapeutic & Wellness Massage
If money’s an object, look for no-frills gyms that offer just the basics. Several offer corporate, student, senior and even volunteer discounts. Or head to the hills instead. Choose a park, trail or nearby mountain and enjoy a free walk, hike or run. “It doesn’t have to be expensive to be worth it,” says Conner. “Something as simple as a walking program can be tremendously beneficial.” Homebased activities — like the circuit she designed on Pages 48-51 of this issue — require little or no equipment. Find inexpensive workout DVDs at discount stores, check your cable or online channels for routines, or find smartphone apps to suit any level and style. Check with your doctor before starting any program to make sure it’s appropriate for you, Conner reminds.
Don’t Know What To Do Or Where To Begin Not everyone is destined to be a kickboxing champion. Choose activities that match your interests. Consider what you’ve been successful at in the past and start there, says Conner. “Know that if you’re doing more than you were doing, you’re gaining health benefits.” “Join a group. Buddy up with someone who could become a mentor who has your same likes and dislikes,” Conner suggests. Clubs like Wenatchee Outdoors, RunWenatchee and Leavenworth Winter Sports provide great support. They periodically offer free or inexpensive workshops for beginning hikers, runners and crosscountry skiers.
Too Hard/Too Out Of Shape “People think, ‘no pain, no gain,’ but it doesn’t need to be strenuous,” says Conner. The good news is it’s never too late to start. But it is important to begin carefully to avoid injury. By adopting a wellness program, “we
Since 1982 Nationally Certified • AMTA Member License# MAOOO14691
• • • • • •
Craniosacral Therapy Myofascial Release Orthopedic Massage Pregnancy and Postnatal Massage Restorative Exercise Sports and Relaxation Techniques Gift certificates available. Dr. referrals are welcomed. Some insurances accepted. 2004 Voted Best Massage Therapist by WBJ Readers Choice
Denise Holland, LMP
Myo-Therapeutics, Inc. (509) 665-0126
MY RESOLUTION “Joining�the�WRAC�has�been�a�real�life-changing experience!�I�have�more�energy�than�I’ve had�in�years.�The�staff�is�so�encouraging, the�classes�are�really�motivating.” -Carolyn�Hannas
The
Wenatchee�Racquet�& Athletic�Club
662-3544 www.wrac.org
Next BIGGEST LOSER CHALLENGE begins January 20, 2013 January / February 2013
Foothills
53
Health & Fitness
Special section
You don’t have to be a member of a gym to get a workout. Something as simple as going for a walk on the Loop Trail can make a difference in your health. want to be doing this for the long haul,” she says. “Everyone asks, ‘What’s the best exercise? What burns the most calories?’ The best exercise is the one that you’ll do and do again and again,” she says. “You might just start with 10 minutes. If you can’t do 10 minutes, then that’s OK,” she says. “Go as long as you can. This might be three or five minutes. Try adding a little each time. Stay with what’s comfortable and successful. Each week with consistency you’re going to be able to build on that,” says Conner.
No Childcare “Be active with your kids because you’re role modeling positive behavior,” Conner advises. Play soccer or freeze 54
Foothills
January / February 2013
tag; if running isn’t an option, “come up with another game where you can feel successful.” She also suggests partnering with another friend with kids. Walk, play together or trade off watching each other’s children while one adult does a solo activity. Remember that many health clubs offer childcare and youth activities. The YMCA offers youth fitness classes and Friday night Family Zumba (for preschoolers and older). “That’s a great way to get active with your kids and shoot towards that recommendation for a healthier lifestyle.” At home, challenge your kids to pushup, sit-up and jumping-jack sprints, play active games on your Wii or other game console, or toss a Frisbee or ball
around in your yard or a nearby park. There’s no better way to instill healthy habits in your child than to be active together. F
Get Fit For the majority of adults to achieve and maintain health/fitness benefits, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20 to 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity activity, 3 to 5 days per week. One set (8-12 reps) of 8-10 major muscle group exercises twice a week fulfills their strength training recommendation. Increase duration by five to 10 minutes every one to two weeks over the first four to six weeks of exercise training.
THERAPEUTICTOUCH
Home Health Care Center
MASSAGE & WELLNESS
Sales and Rentals
We’re here for you. Locally owned & operated since 2000.
Massage Body Treatments Services for Two Deep Tissue Facials Add-Ons O P E N to the P U B L I C
• Home Medical Equipment • Post-Mastectomy Prostheses & Garments • Wound Care Supplies • Braces & Supports We have it!
This will amaze you!
S E V E N D AY S A W E E K
Great Selection Call us today! 509.548.8081 505 HIGHWAY TWO • LEAVENWORTH FIRST FLOOR of the ICICLE INN RESORT • STE 100 MENU | therapeutictouchspa.com CONNECT | fb.com/therapeutictouchspa
Deep Pressure Massager
Raymond N. Doggett, Owner
1737-D N. Wenatchee Ave. • Wenatchee
509-663-8772Raymond N. Doggett, Owner
Mon.-Fri. 9:30-5:30 • Sat. 10-2:00
Vibrant Health Svcs. Fri. 12-281x4.688 FOOTHILLS Therapeutic Touch Michelle JW Proof to Michelle 1228.139740.1x4.688.JanFebFoothills
January / February 2013
Foothills
55
Health & Fitness
Special section
Story By steve maher photos By Mike Bonnicksen
Mike Broxson of Wenatchee rides through Riverfront Park on his way to work at Chelan County PUD.
Two-Wheeling Through Winter Snow-going and other seasonal cycling tips
56
Foothills
January / February 2013
R
ick Uhlrich started braving Wenatchee winters on his bike when he moved to the valley more than a decade ago. What he discovered should make others considering a two-wheel trek in the snow feel at ease. “The snow is not that big a deal,” says Uhlrich, who rides consistently two or three times a week during the
coldest months of the year. “It’s the rain, when it’s 34 degrees out, that’s when it’s awful.” You know, drippy Seattle-like weather. That’s not to say Wenatchee conditions are ideal for winter two-wheeling, whether that be for commuting, recreation or training. On the valley floor, the snow has a
Congratulations!
John Smith
1st Place Masters 1st Place International
Dan Baber, the bike shop manager at Arlberg Sports in Wenatchee, shows a studded bike tire in the shop.
Come see John for the best training.
Taste Our Award Winning Wines
Fitness America 2012 Muscle Mania Las Vegas 24/7
at 207 Mission Ave., Cashmere, WA
Key Card Access
tendency to come and go, with periods of slush in between. For biking, it would be better if the snow hung around all winter long, say Uhlrich and other local cyclists. “The snow is easier to roll through,” says Dan Baber, Arlberg Sports’ bike shop manager, who commutes to and from work, a two-mile ride, virtually every day during the winter. By installing tire studs and fenders and taking other steps, though, cyclists can get by just fine. “Around here, I don’t know if there are any days I can’t go out,” says Jason Jablonski, owner of SET (Specific Endurance Training) Coaching in Wenatchee. “There are no bad days. There are only bad clothing choices.” Jablonski says he always departs on a ride with at least three layers of clothes and good gloves and socks. He also suggests winter biking pants, a hat that can fit under the helmet, and a shoe that is more insulated and has a higher cuff or shoe cover. Make sure the ears are covered. And in really cold temps, consider donning a face mask for more protection. You don’t want to be too warm, however. One way to determine that is to check to see if you are toasty before you have even started pedaling. If you are, you’ve likely overdressed. In addition to warding the cold off, winter cyclists should wear bright clothes and have flashing lights on both the front and back of their bikes. Hours of daylight are short. And snow plowed to the side of the road means bicyclists must ride closer to traffic. When it comes to bikes, Uhlrich and Jablonski say there are essentially only two choices: A mountain bike or
1544 N. Wenatchee Ave. • 663-8234
www.dutchjohnwines.com bygeorge@usa.net
www.fitcitywenatchee.com
509-264-1612 206-612-8244
Come Enjoy the Best Value in the Valley!
Relaxation Massage $30.00 Reflexology Treatments $25.00 Hot Stone Massages $40.00 Body Scrubs $50.00 Our Student Clinic is open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 230 North Mission Street, Wenatchee Book online at www.crimassage.com or call 5098887272 Follow us on Facebook for Special Discounts!
2013 January / February
Foothills
57
Health & Fitness
Special section
Studded snow tires can make your winter ride a lot easier. a cross bike. However, a road bike will work if the roads are entirely clear of snow, ice, gunk and debris, they say. “The mountain bike is easier to manage in the snow than a road bike,” Jablonski says. “You get the wider tires so you can float more on the surface.” Studs also are a wise investment. Mounted on the rings of rubber, they help keep riders upright even while navigating ice. “If you want to get up in the morning and ride, whatever the condition, you kind of want studs,” says Uhlrich, a competitive cyclist who works for the Chelan County PUD in its information technology department. “It becomes a lot more fun with them,” adds Jablonski. “It opens up a lot of more terrain.” And a lot more options for winter recreation in the Wenatchee Valley. “To me, winter biking is kind of like cross-country skiing,” Uhlrich says. “I want to be outside and doing something.” 58
Foothills
January / February 2013
Jason Jablonski says there are no bad days for cycling in Wenatchee, just bad clothing choices.
Q&A
With Winter Riding Experts
intertime doesn’t mean the end of bicycling in the Wenatchee Valley. But you have to do it right. And that means different equipment, different clothing, different goals. Here are a few more insights from two local experts — Jason Jablonski, owner of SET Coaching
in Wenatchee, and Rick Uhlrich, a longtime cyclist. Q: What advice would you offer the novice winter biker? Jason Jablonski: Know your limits. If you’re riding three or four hours in the summer, cut that in the winter by half. Let someone know where you are
W
Jablonski recommends wearing warm gloves for winter riding. going. And spend your money on tires — tires make the ride. Rick Uhlrich: Ride with somebody else. It will help you stay on track. Plan your route — know where you intend on going and determine whether you have the right clothing for it. Talk to people who’ve done it, and find out what’s fun and what’s the safest way to go. Q: Say you have three friends coming in early January and they want to do some biking. Where do you take them? Jablonski: The funnest place is the Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail. It’s doable, and it’s not too extreme. They plow part of it and part of it they don’t. So it’s at your own risk and it’s fun. If not there, we’d go up Canyon Two. We’d ride the road up there until you can’t go any farther. Uhlrich: From town, we’d head to Monitor, do the Old Monitor Loop and then the dirt road into Cashmere. From there, we might do the side road route into Leavenworth or an out-and-back on Mission Creek. Q: OK, spill the beans. Tell us the best time you’ve ever had biking in the winter. Jablonski: We do a race in the winter with friends and the riders get handicapped each lap. You race as hard as you can for 30 minutes — we usually pick a park or a grassy area and we always do it in the snow. We always wait until there is a good six inches on the ground. It’s probably the funnest race I do. Uhlrich: The best winter rides are those that you get in three hours before work. You get up at 4:30 and you’re riding with lights, when the conditions are just right, and you get an epic ride in just before work. F
Transform Yourself • Lose 2-5 lbs per week for the first 2 wks & 1-2 lbs per week thereafter. • Be fueled by Medifast • Be empowered by your Health Coach • Be invigorated by the Habits of Health Let me coach you to Optimal Health:
Sheryl Arends
Independent Health Coach, ID: 30295444 Phone: 509-670-7732 http://healthychange.tsfl.com
Fueled by Medifast
Start Your New Year’s Resolution NOW!!! Join
January 2nd, 3rd or 4th
for just $13 24/7 Access
Now @ Anytime Fitness!
FEATURING
Oscar Lopez OC Xtacy Zumba Dance to Fitness
the paintings of
Ginger Reddington Affordable original art for your home
Wednesday-Saturday: 11-4 First Fridays: 11-8 ~ Sunday: 1-4 102 N. Columbia Street, Wenatchee For Information: 888-9504 2riversgallery.com An artist-run non-profit cooperative
Schedule:
Mon. & Wed. 8pm to 9pm Tues. & Thurs. 8:30am to 9:30am Free for Members ~ Only $7 for Guests 950 N. Wenatchee Ave.
888-7200
anytimefitness.com January / February 2013
Foothills
59
the vine
Rob Newsom has more than 10 years of experience making wine. His simple but ambitious goal: “I want to make the best wine ever made.� Nestled deep in the woods and four miles off the power grid southwest of Leavenworth, Boudreaux Cellars is one of the more remote wineries in the state. Its award-winning vintages, though, are no secret among serious wine drinkers.
Off the Grid, On the Mark 60
Foothills
January / February 2013
Story By rick steigmeyer photos By ron Mason
Boudreaux Cellars has a taste to drive for
E
ven if you don’t find Boudreaux Cellars, the drive up Icicle Canyon is stunning in fall, exciting in winter and exhilarating in spring and summer. The search can be a treat in itself, but at times adventurous. Owner and winemaker Rob Newsom recommends you stop in at the
Boudreaux tasting room in downtown Leavenworth if you just want a taste or two of his award-winning wines. Definitely call ahead for an appointment at the winery, in case he has to pull you out of the frozen creek. It’s not that the loquacious Louisiana native doesn’t want your serious
business. It’s just that the hand-built, off-the-grid winery, nestled deep in the woods along Eight Mile Creek, is also his home, or at least right next to the rustic log house he built 25 years ago. “We’re not a wine-entertainment destination, but we’re always open for people who are super interested in
January / February 2013
Foothills
61
It took Rob Newsom nearly 10 years to complete his cathedral-like stone winery.
November was bottling time at Boudreaux Cellars. Grapes, above right, picked from Washington’s oldest and most renown vineyards near Walla Walla are transported to the winery to be crushed and fermented into fine wine. At right, a cork press stays busy when you bottle about 2,500 cases a year, as Boudreaux Cellars does. 62
Foothills
January / February 2013
THE WINE THIEF
C. R. Sandidge Wines, Inc.
Wenatchee’s PREMIER Wine Shop & Wine Bar
“Wines of Supreme Elegance”
• Wine Club Membership • Wine by the Glass • Small Production & Specialty Wines • Specialty Beer on Tap • Free Internet Access
—
There’s a weight restriction on the Eight Mile Creek bridge you have to cross to get to Boudreaux Cellars. Looking for a shorter drive to try their wines? Check out the winery’s tasting room in downtown Leavenworth. high-end wine,” Newsom said in the twangy Southern drawl familiar to KOHO Radio listeners when he hosted the station’s morning bluegrass show from 1999-2002. Once there, you’ll find Newsom a very entertaining fellow who loves to tell stories about his days as a guide on Denali and Mount Rainier, about fly fishing for tarpon in Florida and king salmon in Alaska. He might even pull out a Martin guitar and play you a tune. He especially likes to talk about wine, particularly his wine. He and wife Tamara were especially excited about their trip to New York City earlier this year to serve Boudreaux wine at a gourmet dinner for 50 diners at the James Beard House. Having your wine nominated for the James Beard Award and served at the James Beard Foundation’s prestigious restaurant is akin to having your wine served at the White House. “It’s quite an honor,” he said without stopping his work in the cathedral-like stone winery, recently completed after 10 years of labor-of-love construction.
Events —
Tasting Room Location: 145 Wapato Way, Suite 1 Manson WA 509.682.3704
• Friday night tastings • Live music Thursdays See our website for a complete list of events.
winethiefstore.com 120 N. Wenatchee Ave. 509-670-8522
crsandidgewines.com
www.facebook.com/winethiefstore
Amoré Spoken Here Join us for a Romantic Special 4 course Valentines Dinner Don’t miss our
Romantic Valentines Cooking Class Sunday, February 3rd. Voted #1 Winery in NCW Winner of 5 Gold Medals in NCW Wine Awards Open Sun. & Mon. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tues. - Sat. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Free Tastings & Tours, Call Ahead for Barrel Tasting
EnjoyWenatchee’s 1st Ultra-Premium Winery in a beautifully renovated 1920’s brick fruit warehouse.
One Vineyard Way Olds Station in Wenatchee
667-9463 888-874-9463
www.fairelepont.com
Join us on facebook for discounts
Chateau Grill
Download our free app. at Bluedoorway
Open Tues. – Sat. Lunch 11-2:00 Dinner 5-9:00
January / February 2013
Foothills
63
Boudreaux Cellars Tasting room: 821 Front St., Leavenworth, 548-4848 Winery: 4551 Icicle Creek Road, Leavenworth, 548-5858, tastings by appointment only boudreauxcellars.com
The couple and two other helpers were busy filling, corking and casing bottles of 2008 Boudreaux Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon when I visited them in November. The efficiency of their system showed more than a decade of experience. Bonded for retail sales in 2001, Boudreaux was one of North Central Washington’s first wineries. It’s wine is also arguably one of the best around anywhere, attesting from the long list of awards and 90-plus ratings its wines have received from state and national wine reviewers. That’s not by accident. Newsom is nothing if not ambitious. “I want to make the best wine ever made,” he said without reservation. “I buy the best fruit off the oldest vines off the oldest vineyards in Washington. I age it twice as long in the most 64
Foothills
January / February 2013
The downtown tasting room includes a comfortable New Orleans-style seating area to chat while enjoying a Boudreaux pour.
expensive barrels. I put it in the best bottles and use the longest corks. I don’t cut any corners. You’re only as good as the last bottle you make and you only get to try once a year.” The wines, he said, are made for cellar longevity and will only improve with age. Newsom cultivated his winemaking knowledge with the help of fishing buddy Gary Figgins, owner of Leonetti Cellars, the prestigious Walla Walla winery. “We would drink wine and hang out together. I told him his wine was getting a little expensive for me. He said you ought to make your own. I said ‘How do you do it,’ and he said ‘You just get a trash can and some grapes and then stomp them down and let it alone,’ ” he said. Figgins helped Newsom get hooked up with several of Washington’s most famed vineyards while he took winemaking classes at Walla Walla Community College. The winning combination of Newsom’s fearless aspirations and Boudreaux’s bodacious style has won plenty of accolades in spite of its small stature and off-the-grid simplicity. Everything in his house and winery is powered by a propane-fueled generator and heated with wood. The winery only makes about 2,500 cases a year, a good size among North Central Washington wineries, but tiny compared to most better-known wines. Still, Newsom was named Best New Winemaker and Boudreaux Best Winery of the Year at the 2007 Seattle Wine Awards. The winery has been featured in several magazines and video wine reviews. Newsom, 60, admits there’s still a lot of the driven mountaineer and rock climber in him. He’s very competitive, he loves challenges and likes to shoot for the top. “Our brand is low key and yes, off the grid. It’s a reclusive brand in a canyon,” he said. “But it’s a thin candy shell over the belief that we can put our wine up against anybody else’s wine anytime.” F
Reasonable Racks Custom Wine Storage Solutions
Commercial & Residential
Call for a Free Consultation
509.860.1320
www.reasonableracks.com
January / February 2013
Foothills
65
upon further review
Boudreaux 2007 Reserve Cabernet, $100 When you pop the cork on this
a taste of ncw wines with barb robertson
Okanogan Estate 2008 Merlot, $20 Okanogan Estate Winery has
Lost River Pinot Gris 2011 $15 Year after year, this small family
bad boy, you better stand back and
been around since 2000 and is
winery in the Methow Valley makes
let him breathe. It’s like letting a
owned by a fruit co-op in Oroville.
a consistently good Pinot Gris.
Genie out of his bottle after a long
They grow the grapes and bottle
Their version is bright and zesty;
time spent confined in a tight space.
the wines with a dedication to show
it’s medium bodied and tastes like
Exotic spices waft from the glass
the unique terroir of the Okanogan
a fruit salad. Pear, mango, lime and
… like the Indian spices my friend
Valley. This is a classic merlot with
pineapple are drizzled with a honey
Ashish cooks with — cardamom,
nice acidity and juicy blackberry
Galliano glaze. The slight sweetness
star anise, maybe a hint of nutmeg.
flavors. It is fairly light on its feet
is balanced by crisp acidity that
On the palate, the spices are
and should pair up well with many
has resulted from the stainless steel
complemented with persimmon, fig,
entrées. Basil and black olives give
fermentation. My husband and I
cassis and black cherry. The texture
the background some savory notes,
polished this off in no time flat when
is rich and the tannins are integrated
while white chocolate gives the finish
we enjoyed it with an Artisan cheese
with mouth-coating balance. The
a bit of sweetness.
board and Ella Fitzgerald playing in
finish shows bittersweet chocolate,
the background. I’m pretty sure Ella
the perfect ending. The grapes are 75
would have enjoyed it, too.
percent Champoux (Horse Heaven) and 25 percent Loess (Walla Walla) vineyards.
66
Foothills
January / February 2013
n
n
230 Grant Road, East Wenatchee
ENJOY THE GOOD LIFE! DINE IN! ORDER OUT! ✔ Delicious Lunch Specials
ti o
n
(Served until 3:00 pm!)
ci
a
Menu in Phone Books & GoldenEastWenatchee.com!
ti o
n
so F a r mla n d As
✔ Daily Dinner Specials & Combos CLOSED MONDAYS ✔ Two 7-Course Family Meals (Min. 2!) ✔ Hot & Spicy ✔ Vegetarian (509)884-1510
F a r mlan
ss d A
oc
ia
ineries nds • W Fruit Sta ons Attracti Tourist eriges Dinin s •• Win dg dgnin Sta FruitLo Mnosre ctio n& ora titt tA To Reucrirsea ing
Barb Robertson City: Wenatchee Profession: Restaurateur and account manager for Sysco food service Credentials: Earned advanced certification through London-based Wine and Spirit Education Trust; currently working toward higherlevel 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.
g • Din Lodgin
re n & Mo Request a FREE Ag Tourism DrivingReMap! creatio www.visitwashingtonfarms.com • Phone: 509.433.1054 Request a FREE Ag Tourism Driving Map!
Request a FREE Ag Tourism Driving Map!
www.visitwashingtonfarms.com • Phone: 509.433.1054
EstherBric ues
Anticipate...
Winery
Finely Crafted Wines from Washington’s North Okanogan Valley
509-476-2861 42 Swanson Mill Road, Oroville,WA Tastings Tours Sales RV parking
Winter Hours 1-5 pm weekends or by appointment
estherbricques@nvinet.com www.estherbricques.com
663.1733
GildedLilyHome.com
2 N. Wenatchee Ave. • Wenatchee, WA
January / February 2013
Foothills
67
the scene
photos By frank cone
Alicia Lindsey and Samantha Valdez
I
t was a holiday atmosphere at Wenatchee’s Rotary Park on Thanksgiving Day as 700 runners turned out for the fifth annual Turkey on the Run. RunWenatchee organized the event, which resulted in 2,000 pounds of food being donated to the Women’s Resource Center, as well as a sizeable cash donation. Turnout at the event was nearly double of the previous year.
Zack and Jeff Godfrey
Vivek, Rainah and Maliha Rajan
Vaishali and Vasudev Bhide
Brook McAllister and Theresa Brandt
John and Jocelyn Flitton
Shaylynn and Brianne Thorpe
January / February 2013
Foothills
69
parting shot
photo By mike bonnicksen
Lake Valhalla, near Stevens Pass, seen from the trail just after a fall storm.
oothills
Wenatchee
u
LeavenwortH
u
ChelaN
and all of North Central Washington
10th Annual
benefitting Wenatchee Valley
Museum & Cultural Center
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2013 6pm to 9pm Wenatchee Valley Museum, in partnership with Foothills Magazine, presents area vintners and chefs offering the best tastes of our region. This event features award-winning wines from the 2012 NCW Wine Awards and food from Dream Meals in a unique and welcoming atmosphere.
Tickets and information: 888-6240
store.wvmcc.org Group Pricing Available.