July 2013

HOME TOUR

The HYDE Home

Life in the Saddle TRAVEL

ON SAFARI

Tanzania

NEXT GEN

ASHLEY RITCHIE

The Scoop

ECRWSS RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER LOCAL

July 2013

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PAGE

24 HOME TOUR The Hyde Home

CULINARY

Fresh & Easy Seared Albacore Tuna with a Romesco Sauce and Cucumber Granita

8

Letter from the Executive Editor

10 Business Cents: 7 Money-Smart Activities

for Kids 12 Word Play 14 Local Adventure: McDermont Field House 16 Hidden Gem: The Mission Inn

PAGE

34

20 History: Mill Creek – Winding Its Way

Through Visalia History

TRAVEL

40 Wine Pairing: What Makes

Wine Such A Special Beverage

On Safari

50 Fashion

Tanzania

52 Chamber: Visalia 54 Chamber: Exeter 56 Chamber: Tulare 58 Happenings

PAGE

42 NEXT GEN

Ashley Ritchie The Scoop

PAGE

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L I F E S T Y L E | J U LY 2 013

ABOVE: The home of John and Kate Hyde, in Badger, CA is full of western décor and naturally, Emmy Awards.

JULY 2013 PUBLISHED BY DMI Agency 801 W. Main St. Visalia, CA 93291 ART & PRODUCTION Art Director ROSS YUKAWA Graphic Designer CHRIS BLY EDITORIAL Executive Editor Karen Tellalian Assistant Editor KYNDAL KENNEDY Calendar KATIE PRESSER Copy Editor DARA FISK-EKANGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CAROLE FIRSTMAN CHERYL L. DIETER CHERYL LEVITAN Diane Slocum DONALD DeJONGE JORDAN VENEMA MICAH WADDELL RYAN LUCAS SHARON MOSLEY TERRY L. OMMEN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Malkasian Accountancy LLP Gary Malkasian CPA JEFFREY Malkasian EA

RACK LOCATIONS

DMI Agency Evolutions Fitness Center, Tulare Tazzaria Coffee & Tea Tulare County Library The Lifestyle Center Visalia Chamber of Commerce Visalia Convention Center COUNTERTOP LOCATIONS

210 Cafe Creekside Day Spa & Wellness Center Exeter Chamber of Commerce Exeter Golf Course Holiday Inn Kaweah Delta Hospital Red Carpet Car Wash Smiles by Sullivan Tiffany’s Luxury Medispa Tulare Chamber of Commerce V Medical Spa Velvet Sky Visalia Community Bank (Downtown) Visalia Eye Center Visalia Imaging & Open MRI Visalia Marriott Visalia Medical Clinic Wildflower Cafe-Exeter Dr. Keith Williams Williams, Jordan, Brodersen & Pritchett, Attorneys at Law Windows Plus, Inc.

Operations Manager Maria Gaston ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Bridget Elmore Account Executive BRYCE McDONALD SALES OFFICE 801 W. Main St. Visalia, CA 93291 559.739.1747 • Fax 559.738.0909 E-mail: lifestyle@dmiagency.com VIEW THE MAG ONLINE! issuu.com/lifestylemagazine

Facebook.com/LifestyleMag

Visalia Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and is distributed via direct mail to nearly 13,000 homes in the upper-middle and high-income neighborhoods in Visalia and Exeter. An additional 2,000 copies are distributed at various distribution points around both communities. Views expressed in columns are those of the columnist and not necessarily those of DMI Agency or its advertisers.

Circulation of this issue: 15,000 © 2013 DMI Agency

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KITCHEN: The rustic details on the walls and tables in kitchen of the Hyde home reflect the views of the foothills out its windows.

COVER: The hammock hanging in the screened-in side porch encapsulates the inherent feel of the Hyde home: casual, comfortable and serene.

E EDITOR NOTE

Photo by Becca Chavez | Hair and Make-up provided by Velvet Sky

Karen Tellalian, EXECUTIVE EDITOR For more information or to submit a story idea email Karen@dmiagency.com or www.facebook.com/LifestyleMag call (559) 739-1747 or fax (559) 738-0909.

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It’s really hard not to write about the weather. Especially when it’s the topic of almost every conversation. This week, while on the phone with someone in Arizona, one of the first questions asked was, “How hot is it in California right now?” Turns out not as hot as it was in Arizona; 116 as I recall. Since I prefer soaring temperatures over cold, foggy weather, I almost can’t believe I’m about to admit this, but – I’m glad I wasn’t living Arizona. Anything above 110 is a bit too hot even for a heat-seeker like me.

When it’s this hot even my husband, who’s usually a pretty good sport about these things, is less than thrilled about standing over hot coals to barbecue. He might be more agreeable if I’d only give him one meat at a time instead of three like I did last weekend – pork chops, chicken breasts and ribs. Thankfully our recipe contributors this month, Ryan Lucas and Micah Waddell, are much more considerate than I. This month we feature Fresh and Easy recipes requiring limited cooking time. If Seared Albacore Tuna with Cucumber Granita sounds refreshing, be sure and turn to page 34 for these recipes, and more.

We’re always so proud of our area’s talented young people who are doing amazing things with their lives, but none more than this month’s Next Gen profile, Ashley Ritchie. I first met Ashley when she was a sparkly-eyed six-year-old with nothing but a bright future ahead. Although you might recognize her photo as the co-anchor for KMPH news, there is much more to Ashley than what you see on camera – including cancer survivor.

Ashley’s profile can be found on page 48.

Have you ever dreamed about going on an African Safari? It’s one thing to take an armchair safari flipping through page after page of photos. It’s an entirely different thing trying to sleep just feet away from a lion with a roar so loud it shakes your tent. Just reading writer Carole Firstman’s account of Visalian Carlton Smith’s up-close-and-personal experience on safari in Tanzania made my spine shiver. If you don’t believe me, turn to page 42 and see if your nerves are better than mine. Whether they are or not, you won’t want to miss this story.

Maybe you’re not quite ready for a trip to Tanzania, but feel like you work in a jungle every day. As business owners and leaders, sometimes it feels like we fight our share of lions and tigers and bears. Even if you’re a natural-born leader, being more effective, more inspiring is never a bad idea. If you agree you absolutely will want to attend The Global Leadership Summit coming to Visalia in August. You can find more information about this event and other summer happenings on page 58.

At press time, I just realized four of our friends are in other countries doing what they can to improve the quality of life for others. Two are in Thailand, one in Guatemala and the other in Kenya, each sacrificing personal time and resources to make a difference. These are amazingly unselfish people and we wish them the best in their travels. While a faraway journey might not be in the cards for you right now, there are plenty of causes to get involved with in our community. You might not know there are people who travel here, to our area, to help our own citizens in need. Yes, we are a mission field.

If you are someone who would like to get involved, to help in some way, but don’t know where to start, visit our Facebook page for a list of nonprofit organizations in the area. There are a host of volunteer organizations right around us and any one of them would love your support.

We hope you’re having a terrific summer and you’re finding a way to stay cool. Whether you stay inside or take us outdoors by the pool, we’re grateful for your readership and we look forward to seeing you in August.

LOVE THAT

SMILE! Dr. Sullivan is the Past President of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, and the only AACD Accredited Member in the Central Valley. Call us today for a free smile consultation!

B BUSINESS CENTS

7 Money-Smart Activities for Kids Text By Donald DeJonge, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual

Day-to-Day Insights Add Up With more free time can come plenty of temptation to spend, spend, spend. With a little planning and creativity, you can find many affordable, day-to-day opportunities for teaching children valuable financial lessons. Consider these low-cost ways to help instill good financial sense: Bank on Savings – When children ask for money or a new toy, use it as a teachable moment, and suggest they begin saving to pay for things they may want in the future. Reinforce this message to help kids understand their options with money, including saving, spending, investing and the often overlooked, giving. Set a realistic goal, and when they reach it, take them to the bank or credit union to open a savings account, another opportunity to educate them on how banks work.

Count Coins – Daily transactions are chances to increase children’s money smarts. Show younger children how to identify and sort coins at home, and ask them to count money and pay for small cash purchases as they learn to add and subtract. Collect spare change for a few weeks, and have children count the coins to come up with a total. Or, try a craft project that teaches them about managing money: Have each child label and decorate four jars with “Spend,” “Save,” “Invest” and “Give,” and then talk about how they can allocate coins for each category.

Explain Your Expenses – When you pay bills, plan some teaching time to explain the costs of things children may take for granted, such as your car, cell phone plan, electricity, Internet and TV service. Use play money or even real cash to demonstrate how much of your total budget is used for different expenses. If you are comfortable sharing specifics, have older children calculate the total and compare it to your monthly budget to help them understand the importance of staying on track.

Inspire Entrepreneurship – Earning is learning. Even young children can earn money for doing extra chores or yard work at home, and they will learn valuable lessons by working with people outside the family. With your support and encouragement, young people can see what it’s like to be their own boss and have fun in the process with business opportunities from running the classic lemonade stand to helping neighbors with pet sitting or errands.

Being paid for their work teaches kids about managing time and money, paying expenses and taking care of customers. When they are old enough for a work permit and their first part-time job, you can help them understand their paycheck, and encourage them to set aside money for the future.

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Practice Money Management – There is no substitute for experience when it comes to handling money. Give children a chance to do so by allocating a weekly allowance and giving them the freedom to manage it on their own. Provide clear direction on what they should spend versus save, and be firm about staying within budget. If they ask for more before the next allowance is paid, use it as another teaching moment. When they reach the teenage years and begin earning their own money, open a checking account and teach them how to manage their transactions through a bank.

Pursue Low-Cost Fun – Assign older children to come up with budget-conscious summer activities for the family to enjoy, from water fights at home to picnics at the beach. Look online for free family events and coupons or discounts for museums and water parks, and matinee prices for movies. Enjoy the free learning opportunities available through summer programs and events at your local library.

Shop Smart – Teaching children to be smart shoppers will help them understand their spending decisions and live within their means throughout life. Fortunately, there are many day-to-day decisions that illustrate important concepts such as finding good value for money, whether it’s sticking to your list and comparing costs at the grocery store or researching a major purchase to find the best product at the best price.

Summer free time can be fun and productive when you think creatively and take advantage of daily opportunities to teach your children about money.

Donald DeJonge is a Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual. Northwestern Mutual is the marketing name for the sales and distribution arm of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NM), Milwaukee, Wisconsin, its affiliates and subsidiaries.

010, 2011, 2009, 2 201 , 8 0 2 0 2

2013

W WORD PLAY

NEWS ON WRITING, BOOKS AND THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING Text by Diane Slocum

J

uly is a time for travel and perhaps a time to meet new people in exciting locations, maybe even someone who will turn out to be a soul mate.

In The Twelve Rooms of the Nile (Simon & Schuster, 2012) Enid Shomer fictionalizes the possibility that Florence Nightingale might have met Gustave Flaubert when their paths did cross on a cruise up the Nile. Using a heavily researched backdrop, Shomer postulates on how the two very different historical figures would have reacted to each other at a time when both were feeling vulnerable and out of sync with society’s expectations of them.

In Carlene Bauer’s Frances and Bernard (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2013), another pair of unlikely soul mates meet at a writers’ colony and begin corresponding. The story is told through their letters as their relationship waxes and wanes in the late 1950s through mid-1960s. Bauer’s story was inspired by the letters exchanged by Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop. As in Shomer’s book, the question becomes whether the attraction of their souls can overcome the difference in their personalities.

Hannah Kent presents a very different pair in Burial Rites (due out in August from Picador). Agnes Magnusdottir has been sentenced to die for murdering two men. Toti is a young assistant priest who has been sent to save her soul before she dies. The story is based on a well-documented case from 1829 in northern Iceland. Kent captures much of the harsh reality of that time and place and the struggles of the people to not only survive, but to live with understanding and compassion.

Valley Writers The Masumoto family knows how to grow, write about and eat peaches. The Perfect Peach: Recipes and Stories from the Masumoto Family Farm (Ten Speed Press, June 2013) by Marcy, Nikiko and David Mas Masumoto launched last month with events in and around Fresno, most of which included peachy treats as part of the evening. Their book tour will continue into the fall with stops in Oregon and Washington. The cookbook was featured in the June issue of Country Living Magazine. The book not only includes tantalizing recipes, but Mas’s endearing and thoughtprovoking stories of family and farm life.

Tim Z. Hernandez is currently working on a book about the 28 farmworkers who were killed in a plane crash near Coalinga in 1948. Since that time, they have been buried anonymously in a common grave in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Fresno.

From Woody Guthrie’s protest song, “Deportee (Plane Wreck at

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Los Gatos),” written the year of the crash, to Hernandez happening across the Fresno Bee story of the crash while researching a different book last year, the fate of these workers have captured creative imaginations. For his book, currently titled All They Will Call You, Hernandez has been conducting extensive research to dig deeper into the story of these workers.

Hernandez’s efforts have not only been literary, however. He also instigated research to find the names of the deportees and joined in efforts to raise funds to give them a proper headstone.

The dedication of the stone is scheduled for Labor Day this year.

Kings River Life is an online magazine created by Lorie Lewis Ham, a Valley journalist and mystery writer. The magazine features the small towns along the river plus the bigger cities of Visalia and Fresno, while also including articles of broader appeal. It has a sister site called Kings River Lite (that one is with a “t”) at kingsriverlife.blogspot.com.

First Lines Name the book that begins: “It was a bright, cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”** Writing and Reading Groups Contact Val Lanter at (559) 222-1354 for details about the Established Writer’s Group and to arrange an interview.

Janice Stevens heads a world classics reading club that meets on Tuesdays from 9:45 to 11:30 a.m. in the Memorial Building at 808 Fourth Street in Clovis. Details: (559) 222-4443.

Publishing The case of the Justice Department versus Apple and five book publishers accused of raising prices for e-books in violation of antitrust laws was scheduled to go to trial last month. Customers might receive refunds according to settlements reached with publishers. Government officials are also hoping the case will result in lower prices for e-books in the future.

The Last Word “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” — Maya Angelou (1928– ) **1984 by George Orwell.

L LOCAL ADVENTURE

McDermont Field House

A

re you ready to beat the summer heat while adding a much-needed adventure? Well here is your chance to get off that couch, put on your sneakers, and take a short drive out to The McDermont Field House in the foothill town of Lindsay.

This indoor facility is just the place for a family field trip to cool down on a hot summer day.

Being one of the most unique experiences around the Central Valley, The McDermont Field House is a renovated sports facility that was originally an abandoned orange packaging house previously called McDermont Fruit Co. Growers and Shippers. The entire facility is nearly 172,000 square feet with a multitude of activities and events that leave possibilities for endless fun.

This family-oriented adventure offers something for everyone in the group to enjoy. Feel like taking a ride on the wild side? Hop on the Flowrider, the indoor surf stimulator that allows you to get your inner surfer on.

Everyone wanted to be a surfer once or twice in his or her life, right? Or you can race up the challenging 50-foot Eagle Mountain Rock Climbing Wall – with a harness, of course. Run, jump, hide and dodge those laser beams in the midst of bright neon lights, loud music, and huge trenches in the 10,000-sq. ft. laser tag arena in the facilities basement.

Other attractions are the hippo water-slide, one of the largest inflatable water slides to date, hundreds of arcade games, a skate park, basketball/volleyball courts, regulation-sized indoor soccer field and so much more.

And here’s the good news, its inexpensive to visit for a day!

The facility is used for a variety of events. From team building experiences for your employees, to corporate events, concerts and pizza parties, just about anything and everything can be done here. Take a day trip with your office and look to strengthen or boost your company morale, or maybe just stir up a little friendly competition between co-workers. The McDermont Field House keeps a calendar with a list of upcoming events on their website.

Some of the events in the past include a Wine Tasting & Art Exhibit, Concert with live DJs from around the state, Chili Cook-offs, and dodgeball tournaments.

In addition to enjoying the daily attractions, McDermont is also home to sports and league play including wrestling, youth soccer, adult flag football, dodgeball, youth basketball, baseball, softball, cheer and many more. There is a full fitness center, with over 50 cardio machines, and group fitness classes such as yoga, Zumba and Pilates.

This facility is truly a one-stop shop of a destination for a great family-friendly time!

For more information on facility hours and pricing, please visit www.mcdermontfieldhouse.com or call: (559) 562-3326.

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H HIDDEN GEM

The d e t c e p x e n u pleasantly eryl Levitan Tex t and Photos by Ch

W

ith Visalia’s central location in the state, we are perfectly situated to take advantage of many travel destinations for “mini-vacations.” These options vary widely in topography, population and activities offered. But secreted away here and there are some truly spectacular sites, many of which are relatively unknown. These are the hidden gems of the Golden State.

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HIDDEN GEM H

Sometimes the most interesting destinations are the least expected, and The Mission Inn falls within this category. Located in downtown Riverside, The Mission Inn is within an hour’s drive of frequently visited spots like Palm Springs, Pasadena and Disneyland with all the requisite components of a fine resort: beautiful spa, lovely pool, great restaurants (one being the recipient of the AAA Four-Diamond Award for the last 21 years), and an amazing array of unique rooms and suites. But unlike other resorts, this one inhabits an entire city block so unusual and unexpected it’s truly one of a kind.

It is historic (a National Historic Landmark, actually), fascinating and beautiful, and yet also reminiscent of the eccentric entrepreneurial spirit that created Hearst Castle and the Winchester Mystery House.

The Inn began very humbly in 1876 as a 12-room adobe boarding house in the middle of a city block of weeds.

The original builder, Christopher Miller, felt the area was poised for development and believed these rooms would quickly fill. History proved him right. Unbeknownst to Miller, that same year saw the planting of two small experimental orange trees in a Riverside back yard. These two trees launched the huge naval orange industry in California. This new easypeeling seedless orange caused orchards and packing houses to spring up quickly, bringing wealth and visitors to the area, filling Miller’s boarding house beyond capacity. In fact, by the 1890s, Riverside was the wealthiest city in the United States.

Miller’s son, Frank, was a visionary as well, but one with a much grander plan. He secured the financing to replace the boarding house with a magnificent hotel which opened in 1903. It quickly filled with wealthy, coldweather tourists escaping winter, as well as visitors seeking business opportunities. This “U”-shaped four-story hotel was the first wing of what is now The Mission Inn, built with structural elements reminiscent of the 21 California missions.

Over the next 30 years, three more wings, public spaces, courtyards, atriums, minarets, a pedestrian sky bridge, a clock with rotating life-sized historic characters, and

a five-story rotunda were all added, incorporating seven different architectural styles. Each area has integrated Frank Miller’s eclectic collections; gathered as he traveled around the world, most of these items have stories attached to them that equal the larger-than-life personality of their collector. In fact, an entirely new chapel was added simply to accommodate a 25-foot-tall cedar and 18-karat-gold-leafed altar (spirited from Mexico, covered in smelly used barn straw to ward off bandits) and seven priceless jewel-toned Tiffany stained-glass panels. Frank Miller had convinced Louis Comfort Tiffany – son of Charles Lewis Tiffany, founder of Tiffany & Co. – to sell them, despite the fact that Miller would not sell Tiffany the Nanjing Bell, which had sparked the negotiations in the first place.

After Miller’s death in 1935, management of the Inn remained within the family until 1956, but the hotel was in decline. Tourism was shifting from leisurely train travel and extended hotel stays with huge steamer trunks to people driving themselves in automobiles for shorter vacations in the growing Palm Springs area. In 1992, a Riverside businessman, Duane Roberts, bought The Mission Inn, finished the renovations, and reopened it to the public.

Over its 137 years, the Inn has Rayas Altarpiece seen many notable guests including 10 presidents, numerous authors and lyricists, and an extensive list of entertainers and social leaders from Einstein and Helen Keller to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Osbournes.

Many have left their mark with dedicated suites and memorabilia adding to the abundance of things to see.

Movies, TV shows and music videos have used the inn’s unique architecture to film there as well. And each Christmas season it’s decorated with more than 3.5 million lights and 400 animated figures for the Festival of Lights.

You don’t have to be a guest of the hotel to experience it.

Docent-led tours are offered multiple times daily through The Mission Inn Museum. The docents offer fascinating stories and explanations and are an absolute must to see the Inn … and they keep you from getting lost!

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H HIDDEN GEM

Nanjng Bell

What else to do or see in Riverside: Casey’s Cupcakes: Located just outside the hotel on the pedestrian mall along with many other restaurants and shops. Visit www.CaseysCupcake.com.

Simple Simon’s Bakery & Bistro: A Riverside “must do” for breakfast or lunch located on the Main Street pedestrian mall. Call (951) 369-6030.

Gourmet Detective: Located across from the Inn along the same pedestrian mall, these comical mysteries and dinners have won awards from both Sunset and Orange Coast magazines. Visit www.GourmetDetective.com.

Tiffany Stained-glass Panel

ArtsWalk: The first Thursday of every month, 20 locations in downtown Riverside open 6–9 p.m. for art showings, performances and lectures. For more information call (951) 781-7335 or visit www.RiversideCulturalConsortium.org.

UC Riverside Botanical Gardens: Located two miles north it offers many hiking trails and gardens with plants and flowers that thrive in the area.

Visit www.Gardens.ucr.edu.

Courtyard Entrance

California Citrus State Historic Park: Located nine miles north, it’s reminiscent of a 1900’s city park. It still produces high-quality fruit and tells the story of the industry’s role in the history and development of California. Call (909) 780-6222 for information.

Riverside Metropolitan Museum Heritage House: This 1891 Victorian showplace depicts life in Riverside when the streets were lined with fine Victorian homes.

Visit www.RiversideCA.gov/museum/heritagehouse.

Where to stay within walking distance: The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa 3649 Mission Inn Ave. (866) 819-4308 www.MissionInn.com Hyatt Place Riverside Downtown 3500 Market Ave. (951) 321-3500

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All follow-ups are performed personally by Dr. Lechtman at The Aesthetic Center. ASPS CareCredit Financing accepted.

H history

Mill Creek – Winding Its Way Through Visalia History Text by Terry L. Ommen

W

Refle

hen the snow melts in the Sierra east of Visalia, the water works its way into the Kaweah River and eventually makes it to the Valley floor. From there it splits off into several gently sloping channels that begin their journey to the Tulare Lake basin. One of them, Mill Creek, has been flowing through Visalia for over 161 years.

Throughout this time, the sometimes unpredictable waterway has been both a blessing and a curse.

Mill Creek, today.

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ections

history H

of Main Street

The creek, being prepared for concrete in the early 1900s.

When European settlers first camped on the north bank in 1852, they found this beautiful creek flowing through a heavily wooded oak forest where the soil was fertile and the landscape abundant with wildlife. They liked what they saw, decided to stay, and soon Visalia began to take shape.

The creek offered many benefits to the settlers. It provided abundant fresh water and aesthetically, it was charming. It provided fish to eat and a way to cool off during the intense summer heat.

The creek also worked hard to help the settlers. One of the first businesses in the new town was the Matthew brothers’ gristmill. The businessmen diverted some of the water from the creek into another smaller channel called a “race” which drove their water wheel and in turn, ground the grain. Thus, the name “Mill” Creek was born.

Sewage and trash disposal was a problem for early Visalians and the creek provided an easy way to rid the community of this unwanted material. The remains of butchered animals, garbage, and trash were dumped in the creek and a good water flow carried them downstream and out of the city.

But the little creek had its undesirable side too. Using it as a sewer line worked fine when the seasonal stream was flowing, but when it stopped, the waste material would puddle in the bed giving off a foul odor; at times the stench would be unbearable. Then there were the mosquitoes. Stagnant pools of filthy water were just what mosquitoes needed to thrive – and thrive they did. The vicious, biting critters gained a notable reputation and some jokingly claimed the Mill Creek mosquitoes were equipped with drills. As a result, Visalia became part of what was called the “Quinine Belt,” a reference to the drug used to fight malaria.

Clearly, lack of water in the channel created a serious problem, but too much water had serious consequences as well. When harsh winters dropped heavy snowfall in the mountains, the spring runoff raced unchecked

to the Valley floor, oftentimes spilling over the banks of Mill Creek. Flood waters covered Visalia streets and left residents scrambling to save their homes and businesses.

The community took steps to manage some of the problems associated with Mill Creek, especially the flooding problem. They narrowed and straightened sections of the channel and lined the walls with wooden planks. But nothing seemed to help.

In 1906, water flooded the town on five separate occasions and the city fathers knew it was time to take a decisive and bold action.

City Engineer Morve Weaver devised a plan to encase almost 2,000 feet of the stream in concrete. In theory, by doing this water would flow smoothly underneath and through the city thereby avoiding a flood. The plan was approved, and by 1912 the major construction project was finished. The community was pleased and concluded that the “danger from a flood in Visalia is a thing of the past.”

But, the flooding continued. It wasn’t until 1962, the year Terminus Dam was completed, that the serious flood threat was over. The dam offered a controlled release of water from Kaweah Lake, which allowed the downstream channels including Mill Creek to more easily handle the flow.

Since the taming of Mill Creek, Visalians, especially the young people, have found it alluring. Bill Allen remembers as a young boy catching bullfrogs there while others recall getting their first collection of polliwogs from the creek. Many, including Art Browning, liked to swim in its cool water, and many others just enjoyed exploring along its banks.

The portion of Mill Creek that flows under Downtown (from Santa Fe between Main and Center, to just south of the intersection of Floral and Acequia) has held a special fascination. But not everyone was willing to explore the entire 1/2-mile section. One day Browning and his friends entered the dry underground streambed, walked about 40 feet and turned around, calling their short trip L I F E S T Y L E | J U LY 2 013

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H history

Map shoes Mill Creek as it was through downtown in 1892.

“real creepy.” Marian Shippey Cote, a native Visalian never went into the underground portion, but her father, Chester Shippey did. He described seeing trapdoors in the buildings, and shared that water and garbage would occasionally drop from above. In the 1960s, Rick Mangini floated the entire underground portion on an inner tube. He saw exposed rebar and concrete as he looked up. He doesn’t recall if his parents ever learned of his Indiana Jones experience.

In the late 1970s, Kathleen Daniels also floated the creek with her cousin.

Each had a flashlight, but early in the trip one fell into the water and the other stopped working, so the two girls made the journey in the dark. She recalls on the trip that the water level was high, creating a low ceiling and forcing them to get off the tubes and push them through. On another trip she remembers her tube was punctured and she had to swim out.

Despite the community’s oftentimes ambivalent attitude toward Mill Creek, it is a historic part of our community and has been used as a backdrop for trails and parks. Today, the Kaweah Delta Water Conservation District has responsibility for creek maintenance and since 1993 they have had an agreement with the City of Visalia Public Works Department to maintain the portion of the creek within the city limits.

Jim Ross, Public Works manager, and his crew are responsible for keeping the channel in good condition. According to Adam Ennis, Public Works director, “Mill Creek is definitely a City of Visalia amenity and whenever feasible the city will work to make it more accessible.”

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Although filled with adventure, Mill Creek can also be a dangerous place. Broken glass and other sharp objects in the creek can cause serious injury and drowning can occur. Therefore, please stay out of the Mill Creek channel, especially the underground portion. With or without water, it is still dangerous. Enjoy it safely from maintained trails along its banks.

H HOME TOUR

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LIVING ROOM: The living room remains a place for friends to gather and relax after a day on the ranch, with views as far as the eye can see.

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the hyde home

Life in the Saddle, by the Bit and by the Bridle Text by Jordan Venema | Photos by Forrest Cavale, Third Element Studios L I F E S T Y L E | J U LY 2 0 1 3

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DINING ROOM: Mix-matched chairs surround the dining room table, giving the space charm and warmth.

SUN PORCH: A room devoted to showcasing the Hyde’s treasures.

MUD ROOM: Lined up under the back window, the Hyde’s boots look like artwork.

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he road out of Lemon Cove to Badger is a slow and steady climb through the foothills. The scenery is constant, golden brush and green oaks, but occasionally brown and black cows are seen lying under the shadow of a tree. Past the wooden fence posts and barns full of hay, the road narrows and the yellow dividing-line disappears. There’s a significance to this, as though to mark where the city and traffic finally have been left behind.

Along this road, about 2,500 feet above sea level, there’s a collection of barn-like structures with faded, peeling paint.

The buildings once belonged to a poultry farm, then to Linda Tellington-Jones’ Pacific Coast Equestrian Research Farm, and then to the Synanon organization. Now, the buildings look like the facade of a Hollywood set for a western ghost town. These buildings, and the surrounding 1,500 acres of land, currently belong to John and Kate Hyde, owners of Fairlea Ranch, which breeds and raises world-championship Quarter Horses for competitive rodeo events like cutting, barrel racing and roping.

In a converted school house that houses the administrative office Kate can usually be found, dressed in denim and boots and looking the portrait of a cowgirl, a natural born roper, but “oh no, never,” clarified Kate. “I don’t ride horses.”

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from their busy life in Los Angeles. “John always wanted to have a ranch,” explained Kate, whose husband practically grew up on his grandfather’s farm in Michigan – Fair Lea Stock Farm, the namesake of their ranch. John had found an ad for the property in a magazine during a business flight, which he ripped out and later showed Kate. Her response was simple but deflating, “Are you nuts?”

Six months later, when the Hydes were “screamingly tired” from work and couldn’t put together more than a weekend to themselves, John dug out the ad from his briefcase and proposed a drive to Badger. They fell in love with the ranch, and Kate agreed to buy it – but with one condition. “John, you have to promise me that we’ll come once a month to make this worthwhile,” she said.

Once a month soon turned into a lifestyle. They bought their first Quarter Horse from a neighbor, and by ’98 they were managing what Kate described as a full-blown circus. “We had three horse trailers, went to every major event and had 140 horses,” said Kate. During the first years, Kate managed the Ranch over weekends, but continued to work and live in L.A. “I was totally preppy and business,” Kate described herself. “I used to drive down the freeway 80 miles an hour, cell phone in one hand, Starbucks in the other.” Now, “You’d have to put a gun to my head to get me to go back to L.A.,” she said.

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The Fairlea Ranch residence was built between 1938 and ’39 and has that practical simplicity found in many country houses. Maybe the mud porch, where the Hydes hang their flannels and hats and keep their boots in a neat row, gives the home its salt-of-the-earth quality; or perhaps it’s the antique accouterments, like the wood-burning stove in the kitchen or the hammock hanging on the screened-in side porch. The white tower above the old guesthouse, now used for storage, no longer gravity-feeds water through the home, but an artesian spring is still its source of drinking water.

None of the five fireplaces are used for cooking or heat, but the Hydes have adorned the hearths with rusted tools and artifacts they’ve found on the ranch: a wrench, horse shoes, railroad spikes, an animal trap. Call it a hallmark of their love for the land that the Hydes have incorporated the landscape into their decor, like the sun-bleached bones of deer and cattle that lie in a row on a shelf outside the wall of the old guesthouse. Worn-out farming equipment, a porcelain tub, wooden wheels and a whetting stone lie on the lawn of the lower tier of their backyard, or the “rust garden” as the Hydes affectionately call it.

The Hydes wanted to keep the original feel of the home, and kept renovations to a minimum. They converted a bedroom into a smaller office for John, and enlarged the walk-in closet, which now looks like a small western apparel shop. “We didn’t want to make it a high-tech, modern house,” said Kate. So they kept the original wood, pulled up carpets and refinished the wooden floors; they wash-brushed the wood paneling, giving the interior a lighter, softer finish. Little touches, like the sliding barn doors between the bedroom and bathroom, whose white paint and blue trim match the home’s exterior, help to preserve the home’s integrity.

John and Kate have made the cozy, compact home comfortable by making it personal. In its corners and on its shelves, the house is full of things – an old bat with John’s name scratched into the wood, a leather buggy whip, a large wooden mallet, the painted wooden head of a horse that came off a gypsy wagon in France. There’s nothing showy about any of it, however. What was once half-buried “trash,” the Hydes have proudly displayed in their home with the same kind of enthusiasm that a child would demonstrate when showing his special treasures to friends.

The Hydes display the bulk of their treasures in the sun porch, a window-lined, south-facing hall that commands a view of the descending valley. Gold and silver belt buckles emblazoned with the titles won by their prize horses, Silver Gun, Fairlea Daro Lena, and Smart Steady Date, lie on a table in the center of the porch. It’s no surprise to find these trophies in the home of a ranch that raises and breeds championship Quarter horses; it is a surprise, however, to find next to those buckles golden statuettes: Emmys, Saturn Awards, an MTV, award that John won for his work as a producer. Between the buckles and the winged women, it’s hard to discern who is more accomplished, John or the horses.

When Kate was asked to identify one award, she casually replied, “I don’t know what it is, some sci-fi award my husband won,” and then proceeded to enthusiastically talk about insulators. As impressive as the trophies are, they are easily overwhelmed by that humbler collection, the “thousands and thousands” of insulators the Hydes have collected. The ceramic and glass and even adobe insulators of all colors and sizes, differently named – beehives, helmet heads – are found in every room, on every bare space. Most homes’ ceilings are sealed with crown molding, but in nearly KITCHEN: The wood-burning stove in the kitchen remains from the original pre-renovated home.

INSULATORS: The collection of insulators can be found in literally every room of the Hyde home.

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H HOME TOUR

every room of the Hyde house, lying on a shelf where the walls meet the ceiling, there is a neat row of insulators. “You can tell we have good insulation,” joked Kate.

Among the gifts from friends, and antiques from John’s grandfather’s farm, Kate picked up a heavylooking, hand-painted ostrich egg from Africa and said, “This is pretty cool.” The ornament was a gift from their friend, actress Talia Shire, whose husband, producer Jack Schwartzman, was a very good friend and business associate of John’s. Before he died of pancreatic cancer, Jack said to his wife, “When I’m gone, talk to John Hyde, he knows my deals and he’s the only honest guy in Hollywood.

He’ll help you.” That’s no small compliment to pay to a man who makes his living as a producer and financier in Hollywood, a profession that is stereotypically portrayed (and by Hollywood itself, no less) as a group of self-interested cutthroats.

John lives and works in L.A. but “comes up here on the weekends and rides, ropes and cowboys,” said Kate. “He rides for hours on end,” she added, but surprisingly John doesn’t compete in equine events.

“He says he already has to compete every day in L.A.,” she explained. No, John rides purely for the joy of it. Perhaps any honest man must eventually remove himself from such a competitive lifestyle, even if only for a weekend, if he hopes to remain honest. That’s why monks fled from the opulence of the cities for the simplicity of the desert; perhaps that’s why the Hydes found Badger, an atmosphere of isolation in the foothills and with the 30

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HORSE: One of the many Fairlea Ranch award-winning competitors.

MASTER BEDROOM: The master bedroom, like the rest of the home, remains simple and peaceful.

CLOSET: A renovated bedroom made closet, this room gives the appearance of a retail store.

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H HOME TOUR

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HOME TOUR H company of their horses. “But it’s a good isolation,” said Kate. “Just like my grandfather’s farm in the past, Fairlea Ranch is a magical place where I can recharge my soul three days a week,” added John.

Of course any stereotype should be taken with a grain of salt, but Kate insisted there’s a real difference between life in Los Angeles and life in Badger. “Do you know when I knew my life had changed?” she asked. “After I’d been here a while I went down to Save Mart and some little old lady with her cart was going through the parking lot and everyone stopped for her. I thought, in LA everybody would be honking their horn, cutting her off.” It was then that Kate thought, “I like this.”

Now Kate, who “never in a million years” envisioned for herself life on a ranch, has found her natural home. And they’ve made it a truly comfortable one, not only for themselves, but also for their guests – especially friends from L.A. who otherwise might not experience life on a ranch. “I just wanted people to come in, sit anywhere, and it didn’t matter if you’d been riding horses or hiking through the woods,” she said. Maybe in a former life, but it’s impossible to imagine John or Kate bothered by a little mud on the floor, or by a few fingerprints on a little gold statue. That’s not to say the Hydes weren’t easygoing, hospitable people before they found Fairlea, just that the Hydes and Fairlea Ranch has been a fairly perfect fit.

EXTERIOR: Though the 1,500-acre ranch can be deemed the backyard of the Hyde home and Fairlea Ranch, the immediate exterior off the back of the house features a pool, open to friends and family and ranch-hands, and provides unparalleled views from the rest of the property.

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C CULINARY

FRESH & EASY Recipes by Ryan Lucas and Micah Waddell, Bravo Farms Photos by Nicole Renteria

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hat else do we want in the summertime? No one wants to slave over a hot stove for hours at a time during the hot summer months. This month’s recipes are full of fresh ingredients and limited “heat” time, making them a great solution for a dinner party or a weeknight meal. Plus, the Cucumber Granita will cool you down and invigorate your palette

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C CULINARY

Seared Albacore Tuna Ingredients 6 oz. Albacore tuna steak Salt and pepper to taste Directions Season fish with salt and pepper.

Make sure your grill is hot before putting fish on it.

Cook fish on each side for 5 minutes (depending on the thickness).

Once fish is cooked, remove from grill and plate on top of Romesco Sauce. (See next page for sauce.)

Asparagus Ingredients 1 bunch green asparagus 2 tsp. salt Juice of one lemon Directions Trim ends off of asparagus.

Fill a large stockpot half way with water.

Add salt, lemon and bring to a boil. Throw asparagus into pot and boil for 3 minutes.

Once cooked, transfer to ice-bath and let cool.

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Romesco Sauce

Cucumber Granita

Ingredients

Ingredients

3 dried sweet chiles

4 C of half-inch pieces cucumber (seeded)

6 plum tomatoes (cored and halved lengthwise)

1 T fresh lime juice

1 red bell pepper (halved lengthwise, cored/ seeded)

½ tsp. Matcha green tea powder [Matcha is available at Asian markets]

½ large red onion (cut in half)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

1 large garlic clove ¼ C extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

In a blender, puree cucumber to a fine pulp. Add lime juice, green tea powder, and salt. Transfer to a large metal baking pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, use the tines of a fork to scrape into fine shards.

2 T Canola oil 6 crust-less two-inch cubes country bread ¼ C slivered almonds 2 T paprika Directions Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Soak dry chiles in warm water for 30 minutes.

Add tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic in a baking dish. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour, until vegetables are well browned. Remove from oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, add canola oil to a frying pan. Heat oil and toast bread on all sides. Remove bread once finished and set aside. Toss in almonds to frying pan. Sautee almonds for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Combine all ingredients into blender. Break up bread and blend everything together, along with the paprika and vinegar.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Don’t forget about the wine!

Turn to page 40 for a suggested wine to pair with this meal.

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What Makes Wine Such

a Special Beverage?

Text by Sonny Martin

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n 2000, a 6L bottle of Screaming Eagle Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon set the record selling for $500,000 at a charity auction. Recently, a 6L bottle of 1947 Cheval Blanc sold for $304,000 at a commercial auction in New York. The month before, the record was set for the highest price ever paid for a standard bottle of wine, an 1869 Chateau Lafite Rothschild that sold for $232,000.

While there are collectors of rare Coca Cola, it is not the liquid inside they seek but rather the painted bottle. There are literally dozens of wine companies from around the world that sell their newest vintage for high hundreds, even thousands of dollars per bottle. What drives people to make such a fuss about something that at its core is nothing more than fermented grape juice?

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There is a record that mankind has been making wine continuously since before 4,000 BC. Throughout the world there are many other foodstuffs, i.e. other fruits, corn, malted barley, etc., that are fermented into an alcoholic beverage, but none of those have the consistent following and demand that wine does.

What makes wine such a special beverage?

Is it the over 1,000 different flavor molecules that wine can have or is it the additional subtleties that are created when some of those flavor molecules combine with each other during the aging process?

Maybe it is the scarcity of certain wines like Screaming Eagle (500 cases produced) or Chateau Cheval Blanc (7,500 cases produced). I believe it comes down to a single word,

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the “experience,” which a bottle of wine can be a part of.

Further, I believe that it is the emotional connection to a particular experience that drives people to try and relive the memory with a particular bottle of wine.

I have been a wine merchant for the majority of my adult life. I learned very early on that, as long as I used my expertise to select the highest quality group of wines, what was going to drive someone to choose one bottle over the next was an emotional connection. That is why I have always had personal stories about any wine that I was presenting.

“The owner of this winery came to the Napa Valley from Los Angeles to raise his kids in a more ‘back to the basics/nature’ environment,” etc.

The more personal the story the more likely it will spark an emotional connection. The holy grail of wine marketing

five characteristics: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and savory.

Aromas can be listed in the thousands and I call the combination of the two, flavor.

The complexity of flavors in wine triggers the brain in the areas of memory and emotion. Because of this, wine tends to generate appreciation, reflection and conversation more than any other beverage.

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to generate memorable experiences with wine. All you have to do is include it. A relatively inexpensive bottle of rosé, shared with a loved one, enjoying a sunset, can become a memory you seek to relive over and over again.

There are many thoughts about how to match a particular food with a wine. One train of thought is to think regionally.

The Romesco sauce served with the seared tuna, in this

“Wine in moderation is an integral part of our heritage, and of a gracious way of life.” would be a story that universally connected to everyone on an emotional level. That will not likely ever occur.

The patriarch of Napa Valley wine, Robert Mondavi, said: “Wine has been with us since the beginning of civilization.

It’s the temperate, civilized, sacred and romantic mealtime beverage recommended in the Bible. Wine in moderation is an integral part of our heritage, and of a gracious way of life.”

As a social beverage, wine really is king, recognized around the world. As I’ve said before, personal taste dictates the best wine and personal experience dictates the emotional connection you will have. Memorable experiences are what everyone seeks in life and wine has played a big role in many of my life’s most memorable experiences.

This month’s culinary feature, beginning on page 34, triggered a memory of one of my most ethereal wine and food pairing experiences, which triggered this entire article.

Include wine in your life experiences and you will be able to relive those memories each time you drink that wine again.

Socializing around a meal is an almost universal part of civilized behavior. Food and wine pairing became fashionable in the latter 1800s when multi-course dinners would be centered around matching different wines with each course. This is still a popular event theme.

One of the things that sets wine apart from other beverages is the capacity to be cerebral as well as sensual.

When we say that we taste something it really only involves

month’s culinary feature, originates in the Catalan region of Spain. Tuna is a very meaty fish so traditionally that would point to a red wine. The primary red wine grapes of Catalonia are Tempranillo, Grenache and Mourvèdre. So, picking a wine made from any or a combination of these grapes would be one choice you could make.

Another way of looking at matching food with wine is balancing flavors. The primary flavors in the seared tuna recipe are meaty, from the tuna; savory from the nuts; and heat from the chilies in the Romesco sauce. To balance those characteristics you would want a wine without excessive alcohol (perceived as hot, which would accentuate rather than balance the heat of the chilies) and fruitiness to balance the savory and similar meaty characters.

Combining the two philosophies would direct you to choosing a lower alcohol, newer vintage (which would retain more fruity character) Tempranillo, Grenache or Mourvèdre.

Grenache and Mourvèdre are also the primary grapes grown in the Rhone region of France and keeping in the spirit of eating local, Tablas Creek winery from Paso Robles (known as one of the “Rhone Rangers”) makes a wine, Côtes de Tablas, that is relatively reasonably priced, moderate in alcohol and has a great black plum and cherry fruit character. Try it, or any other wine you like, with this month’s culinary feature and create your own memorable experience.

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T TRAVEL

On Safari: Tanzania Text by Carole Firstman | Photos by Carlton Smith

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Text by Marsha Roberts

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anzania – it’s the quintessential African safari destination. It teems with exotic wildlife and promises adventure. When Visalia’s Carlton Smith returned from his photo safari adventure, he brought back more than a digital archive of breathtaking views and candid shots worthy of Animal Planet’s Wild Kingdom. He also came away with a big-cat interaction not spelled out in the pre-trip itinerary, and a visceral connection to nature you can’t order up via travel agent.

It had been a strenuous but rewarding day on the Serengeti plains, and back at camp, Smith was in for the night. This was just the third night into the trip and already he was exhausted and eager for bed. From sunup ‘til sundown he’d been hoisting himself in and out of an open-air truck, sometimes waiting in complete stillness

for what seemed like forever, his finger poised on the camera button, clicking and re-clicking to get the perfect shot. He’d only been in Tanzania a short time, but already he’d learned that the wild animal encounters he’d come to photograph could happen at any second – and just like that, in an instant, the moment would be over. The trick was to get ready … and wait. Then maybe wait some more, climb in and out of the truck a few times, and start for the next destination to do it all again. It had been a long day.

As he readied himself for bed that night, Smith took mental inventory of the animals he’d spotted in the bush. There’d been so many in the preceding days, and there’d be more to come in the following weeks: elephants charging the four-wheel drive vehicle; a lion springing to capture a wildebeest; hundreds of L I F E S T Y L E | J U LY 2 013

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T TRAVEL other wildebeests thundering away as the lion feasted on its kill; hippos turning a pink hue in the noonday sun; mother leopards grooming their young; vervet monkeys balanced on tree limbs; baby hyenas roughhousing at the edge of a muddy waterhole.

From inside his tent cabin at about eight o’clock that night, Smith heard a booming roar. It was a male lion. “I’d say he was about a half mile away, although he could have been considerably closer,” Smith recalls now. “A nearby lion’s roar is hard to describe, but it is awesome and frightening, like a thunderclap just overhead. In a word, unforgettable.”

Smith traveled to northern Tanzania not for a leisurely vacation, but for a safari adventure. Located near the Equator along Africa’s east coast, the country’s neighbors include Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. Not far from Mount Kilimanjaro, the rugged Serengeti and Ngorongoro topography, Spartan infrastructure and rustic accommodations are not for the tender-footed tourist.

Travelers unaccustomed to lesser-developed countries might experience a bit of culture shock at first. Most tent lodges have limited hot water and electricity. The main lodges are artistically constructed with native materials. The main roads are narrow and filled with small, three-wheeled vehicles that “need to be pushed up hill.” Off the main roads, drivers navigate deeply rutted riverbeds and slog rough rushing streams. Smith says he did go through some mild culture shock the first couple of days, but the locals he met and grew to know quickly put him at ease.

The group’s safari outings took place in various locations throughout the country’s northern region, including a trip into the 110-square-mile Ngorongoro Crater, one of the largest intact, unfilled volcanic calderas in the world. Many

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of Smith’s 1,800 photos were taken in this area, where rhinos, zebras, waterbuck, gazelles, crocodiles, impalas, giraffes and flamingoes constitute just a fraction of the biodiversity he captured on film.

While his photos portray hundreds of animal species, Smith admits that some of his favorites are the big cats – lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards and cheetahs. His affinity for cats of all sizes is apparent here at home, too. He volunteers for the local SPCA, manning weekend cat adoptions at Pet Smart and taking photos of adoptive hopefuls for the SPCA’s Cat of the Week. He also volunteers weekly at the Cat Haven in Dunlap, where he helps maintain a conservation facility for lions, tigers, jaguars and other big cats.

It’s one thing to volunteer at a facility where the lions are locked inside their enclosures. And it’s another thing to photograph African lions in the wild, using a powerful lens from the safety of an official safari vehicle. But what went through his head the night a lion roared outside his tent cabin?

What was the likelihood that this meat-eating King of the Jungle would lunge through a thin canvas wall? And to top it off, the lion roared not just once that night, but three different times: at 8 p.m., 2 a.m., and then again at 4 a.m. “Each roar shook our tents and our nerves. He was very close.”

Smith knew that the lion was either calling out to other lions to let them know it was his territory and they should stay away, or he was looking for a lioness mate. It was probably the latter, because the next night the male lion roared again, and this time he was rewarded with a lioness roaring in response.

“They were very noisy and it was obvious they were following their instincts. I could hear them breathing right outside my cabin. While either of them could have easily clawed their way into our canvas tents, they obviously had

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Carlton Smith with a friendly elephant and its trainers.

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other things to do. The guards were outside our tents all night, but I don’t know if they were armed or not.” Needless to say, Smith didn’t get a whole lot of sleep either of those nights.

Somehow, though, he did manage to sleep completely through another nighttime event (probably because he was so exhausted from two nights with no sleep) when a herd of elephants knocked down several trees at the end of their row of tents. Elephants will often tip trees over so they can reach the leaves when grass is not available.

And in this case, they jostled a few tents in the process. But Smith slept right through the whole thing, unaware until the next day.

Out in the bush, his goal was to photograph nature in action, big cats and otherwise. And action is what he got. Plenty of it. “Things happen so fast out there,” he says of the interplay between predators and prey. He recalls one incident in particular, when a female lion hunted and killed a wildebeest. “There was a flash of golden-tan, and wham-o, the lion snatched the baby wildebeest and took it away. The whole thing happened in a split second. In that instant, just as the one animal was killed, hundreds of other animals of all kinds – zebras, hyenas, gazelles – all stood still and stared.”

Even after the kill, when the lion was busy feasting on its prey, the other animals gauged their own moves according to the lion’s actions. “The lion ate while at least 40 hyenas stood around.

But they did not come within 15 feet of the lion.

Whenever the lion turned its back, the hyenas would creep forward, move in to see what food might be left over for them. And each time the lion lifted its head or turned its shoulders, the hyenas all jumped back again. Back and forth they went like that – move forward, jump back, freeze; move forward, jump back again.”

What insights did this traveling Visalian come away with? “All in all, this safari brought home to me what nature is really about, what life is about. It’s all about birth, the struggle to survive, reproduction and death. I saw so many animals killed. Each so that another could live.

Intellectually, we already know this. We know that life and death is all connected. But to witness it, to see it up close – it’s life changing. It’s an experience I can’t fully put into words.”

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then this adventurer’s photo bounty speaks volumes. Amid the famous Serengeti plains, beneath dramatic clouds and unusual trees, the wild animals of Tanzania live and die within the interconnected circle we call life.

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N NEXT GEN

A S H L E Y Text by Carole Firstman

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R I TC H I E

ou’ve probably seen her on television.

Poised in front of the camera, Ashley Ritchie, co-anchor for KMPH Ten O’clock News, brings the outside world into our living rooms. The week Lifestyle caught up with her for an interview, she’d recently reported on a range of topics – the deadly tornado in Oklahoma City, a rash of California grassfires, an officer-involved shooting in Fresno, and heath inspection results of local restaurants.

She certainly gets the scoop. But who is Ashley Ritchie off-camera? So much more than a just pretty newsreader, this colorful young woman is an award-winning journalist, mother, book author and cancer survivor.

A third-generation Visalian, Ashley graduated from Golden West High School before majoring in European History and Communications at Santa Clara University. Since childhood she’d been interested in journalism, but it was during a broadcasting class her junior year of college that she got the broadcasting bug. Opinion Editor of the college newspaper at the time, Ashley was called upon to create a tribute for a schoolmate of hers – who happened to be on the plane that crashed in Pennsylvania during the 9/11 attacks.

“It was an incredibly interesting time to be involved in journalism,” Ashley recalled, and being involved in the tribute sealed the deal for her. “I knew this was the industry I wanted to pursue.”

After graduation she moved to Springfield, Missouri, for her first job with an ABC affiliate.

During her three-and-a-half years there she was twice awarded the Spot News Story of the Year from the Missouri Broadcaster’s Association. She took second place for an investigative story on DWI (driving while intoxicated) checkpoints in Springfield, and first place for her coverage of a notorious murder trial. “I spent all day, every day for a couple of weeks in that courtroom listening to testimony about a case involving a man accused of killing his brother,” she recalled.

Ashley’s career was zooming brightly ahead when fate threw her a dark curve. Just about the time she was notified of the award honors, she was diagnosed with cancer: Stage II Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “I moved back to California and stayed with my parents for a few months and was fortunate enough to be treated at the Stanford University Cancer Center. I went through two months of chemotherapy and two-and-a-half weeks of radiation.”

Ironically, Ashley found herself playing dual

roles during that period of her life. “The ABC station in San Francisco followed me through everything. I had interned for that station during college and they wanted me to share my story,” she said. “But it was really hard to separate myself from the story. My instinct was to be a journalist, but I was also the subject. It was a weird position to be in and I didn’t like it. I definitely gained a lot of appreciation for the people that I interview all the time about the most personal parts of their lives.”

The cancer treatments were a success. Staying close to home and her parents became a big priority after her battle with cancer. “And then life happened,” she said excitedly. She met the man of her dreams, started a family, and is now expecting her second child.

She was on maternity leave with her first child when she got the idea to write a children’s book.

“I was reading so many children’s books and I’ve always loved writing. So in between nursing and changing diapers, I decided to give it a try.” Mr. Pickles Paints the Town is about a guy (a pickle) who goes to bed one night and wakes up to find that the world has lost its color. Charged with the task of painting the world back to the way it used to be, he meets several people along the way that help him figure out what color things are supposed to be.

Now, back in front of the camera as an anchor, her life is busier than ever, researching and writing many of the news stories she covers. What’s the most rewarding part of her work? “Giving a voice to people who don’t normally have one. Standing up for people who are being wronged.” She recalls a story she covered about a little boy who had alopecia, a medical condition that includes hair loss. It was the school district’s policy that kids couldn’t wear hats, so the other children teased him constantly.

“As a cancer survivor, I know what it’s like to have people stare at you or make comments about being bald, so this story hit me especially hard. We did the story and put pressure on the school district to change its policy. It worked. The boy’s father later told me what a difference I’d made in his son’s life and how much happier he was about going to school. It’s those days that make all the terrible days – like going to fatal car accidents – worth it.

It’s nice when the gut-wrenching stories are offset by times we can make a positive difference.”

Perhaps through her work in journalism, Ashley, like her protagonist Mr. Pickles, is also helping to re-color the world.

NEXT GEN N

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F FASHION

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FASHION F

P a c k i ng It i n Last-minute pack rats, beware.

Traveling in style does not have to be an oxymoron.

Text by Sharon Mosley

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hile many of us love to schlep on our ratty jeans and T-shirts for a plane ride, there are lots of ways to look great while seeing the sights this summer. But it does take a little bit of planning before you hit the tarmac.

Whether you’re flying off to an adventure in Italy or rolling down the road to rendezvous with college girlfriends, here are some tips to packing it in in style: First of all, choose your luggage carefully. This is more important than most of us realize: With new airline regulations about carry-on luggage, having lightweight but heavy-duty portable roller cases and totes are critical. Tip: Black does go with everything, but hot pink is easy to spot at the airport carousel. And another tip: Pack makeup in a small zippered bag that can double as a clutch for evenings out.

Make a list. Yes, it may take a little more time than just throwing in what you wore last week into a suitcase, but thinking through what you will be doing on your trip will pay off, and you don’t want be stuck slogging through sand in stilettos at the beachfront clam shack. Start at least a few weeks ahead if possible, so you can fill in the blanks if you need to.

Think double-duty. This is a nobrainer, but I do have friends who think they have to wear something different everyday, complete with matching accessories.

Whew. That is just too much to pack, right? Instead, think about ways the same item can be worn different ways: a slinky tunic dress can be worn over a swimsuit and dressed up for cocktails, or a cardigan sweater can be worn buttoned up for a daytrip exploring ancient ruins and left open over a camisole for dinner at night.

Mix and match. The best advice I have is to choose two colors, and plan your travel wardrobe around them – then add accent color with accessories.

Black and white is usually my go-to travel combo accessorized with red or turquoise shoes and jewelry. A boldcolored handbag or tote is also another great way to add some style factor to your wardrobe.

Go for wrinkle-free fabrics. I love linen, but I usually leave these clothes behind when I travel. Instead, I like to pack cotton-nylon blends of T-shirts and pants and tissue-weight cotton skirts that are easy to roll up and wear right out of the duffel bag. Soft knits are perfect for a long plane or car ride.

Loose-fitting cotton or jersey tank dresses and tunics also make great travel companions.

Add accessories. Freshen up those mix and match pieces that you doubled up on wearing during your vacation with extra accessories that will transform your outfits. Try an oversized scarf that you can use as a shawl at night and perhaps a swimsuit cover-up during the day. One statement necklace or cuff bracelet will also give your travel wardrobe a style boost as will a head wrap scarf – another big trend this summer. An oversized tote can double as a beach bag. And packable hats are a must-have for sun protection.

Travel in flats. Flip flops may be your go-to shoes for travel, but standing in the security lines at the airport barefooted is not my idea of fun. Instead, I wear sheer socks and tuxedo-style flats that are easy to slip on and off. For dressed up occasions, I like to substitute metallic thong sandals for flip-flops. Canvas slip-on espadrilles are another favorite. And yes, I always pack my Nikes for hikes and long walks.

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C CHAMBER

in the

community 1

The mission of the Visalia Chamber of Commerce is to preserve, model and advance business vitality and prosperity for our members and the community.

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AT THE CHAMBER ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATION 1. Marie Morris, Mary Hill, and Cheryl Christmas chat before the Award Ceremony begins.

2. Chamber CEO, Glenn Morris, presenting the outgoing Chairman’s gavel to the 2012-2013 Board Chair Stephen Peck.

3. Man of the Year Steve Salomon (second from right) poses with his family who surprised him after winning his award.

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4. 2013 Woman of the Year Nina Clancy (left) with friends.

5. Rawhide General Manager Jennifer Pendergaft accepts the Medium Business of the Year Award.

CHAMBER C

Discover Cuba Includes airfare, first-class accommodations, 16 meals, Cuban travel visa & health insurance.

V I S A L I A’ S TO P P R O D U C I N G L U X U R Y S P E C I A L I S T

February 9 - 16, 2014 For more information on the Chamber’s tours please call Nicola Wissler at 559.734.5876 or go to www.visaliachamber.org Grand Circle Cruise Line CST#2041626-40

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C CHAMBER

in the

community 1

Our mission is to promote, support, and enable Exeter to prosper.

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AT THE JUNE AMBASSADOR LUNCH, JUNE MIXER, AND RIBBON CUTTING 1. Exeter Chamber Ambassadors enjoying themselves at the June Ambassador Lunch at Hole In The Wall Pizza.

5. Owner of Exeter Specialties, Bruce Wileman with son Kenny and grandson Jackson.

2. Garrett German, Chamber board member and owner of Valley Financial Group and Jason Lombard, owner of Anagram Design Werks enjoying the Mixer at Exeter Specialties.

6. Tami Flowers (right) enjoying hearing testimonies from clients during her June ribbon cutting.

3. Rose King greeting guests at the June, Exeter Specialties Mixer.

4. Mark Hull and son Ethan from Exeter hobbies playing with Rochelle Wileman and her son Jackson Wileman at the June, Exeter Specialties Mixer.

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7. Natalie Null and Rachel Hill of NSE Insurance Agency at the Tami Flowers – Certified Message Therapist Ribbon Cutting.

8. Shirley Curtis from Mirror Image Ministries talking about their upcoming ribbon cutting on July 18.

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CHAMBER C your central valley family resource

The Central Valley’s only magazine designed for parents of children ages pre-K through high school

To advertise your business in RAISE call 559.739.1747

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C CHAMBER

in the

community 1

The Tulare Chamber of Commerce, Inc. exists to serve its members and the citizens of the Tulare area and surrounding rural areas of Tulare County.

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AT THE ALPINE VISTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GRAND OPENING AND RIBBON CUTTING

1. Justin Stoner, Nina Akin, and Kerissa Chapman.

2. Alpine Vista school auditorium and grand opening ceremony.

3. Superintendent Luis Castellanzo.

4. Front Row – Mike Scott, Alan Crawford, Ben Crawford, Fred Scott, Manuel Madrid, Terri Martindale, Clare Gist, Melissa Janes, Luis Castellanoz, Teresa Garcia, Phil Plascencia, Irene Henderson.

Back Row John Beck, Philip Pierschbacher.

5. Alpine Vista courtyard.

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CHAMBER C

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h happenings

Celebrant Singer Homecoming Concert After an exciting summer of ministry and travel around the United States, Portugal and Venezuela, Celebrant Singers return to Visalia for the 36thAnniversary Grand Homecoming Concert.

Hear testimonies from their time of ministry and listen to inspiring music. All seats are free and a love offering will be taken.

When: August 10; 7p Where: L.J. Williams, 1001 W. Main St., Visalia Contact: 740-4000, www.celebrants.org

THEATER & MUSIC Inherit the Wind

Come and enjoy the theatrical production of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival’s Inherit the Wind, a play written by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee. Bring your blankets and lawn chairs, and grab a spot on the grassy meadow as this performance is located on the WSF stage in Woodward Park. This contemporary play is free to the public.

When: July (18-20, 25-27) & August (1-3, 8-10); 8p Where: Woodward Park WSF Theater, 7775 Friant Rd., Fresno Contact: www.woodwardshakespeare.org

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Sara Evans

Multi-platinum country star Sara Evans will be performing a couple of her most popular hits that will get the crowd up and singing along.

Don’t miss this incredible concert at Eagle Mountain Casino. Tickets $25.

When: July 20; 7:30p Where: Eagle Mountain Casino, 681 S. Tule Reservation Rd., Porterville Contact: 788-6220, www.eaglemtncasino.com

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JUL 27

Johnny Winter

Johnny Winter has been a guitar hero without equal. Constantly shifting between simple country blues and all-out electric slide guitar blues-rock, Johnny has always been one of the most respected singers and guitar players in rock. Tickets $35-$65.

When: July 27; 7:30p Where: Visalia Fox Theater, 300 Main St., Visalia Contact: 625-1369, www.foxvisalia.org

Rockin’ The Arbor

Free to the public and featuring some of the best bands in the Central Valley, the Lemoore Chamber of Commerce Summer Concert Series is sure to please. Join in the fun where food vendors, beer and wine gardens, and a bounce house for the children will all be available.

When: Fridays thru August 23; 6p Where: Depot Arbor, 300 E. St., Lemoore Contact: 559-924-6401, www.lemoore.com/parks

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Art Exhibits

DIVERSIONS & EXCURSIONS

The 2013 North American Print and Drawing Exhibition

Neon Night Run

A juried competition, which will showcase exemplary works in print and drawing produced in the past three years. All accepted artworks will be featured in a full-color exhibition catalogue and on the exhibition website.

When: July 3 – August 2 Where: Arts Visalia, 214 E. Oak Ave., Visalia Contact: 739-0905

JUL 27

This 5k is not your average stroll through the park. The Neon Night run is quite possibly to most luminously electrifying 5K race you will ever compete in. Create a team and come decked out in your best disco threads and glow sticks. Register for $50 online at neonnightrun.com When: July 27; 8:30p Where: The Big Fresno Fair, 1121 S. Chance Ave., Fresno Contact: info@reconrun.com

Young at Art

Arts Visalia features artworks created by each and every student who participates in its summer program. The Young At Art exhibit is one of the year’s most enjoyable exhibitions.

Students, along with their families and friends, have the opportunity to see their artistic creations presented in a professional gallery setting.

When: August 7 – August 30 Where: Arts Visalia, 214 E. Oak Ave., Visalia Contact: 739-0905

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h happenings

Riverway Sports Park “Movie in the Park” featuring Grease Enjoy a fun and free night out with the family by taking your living room outdoors.

Bring your blankets and chairs, and a picnic dinner and watch the classic movie, Grease.

When: July 26; 7:30p Where: Riverway Sports Park, 3611 N. Dinuba Blvd., Visalia Contact: 713- 4365, www.liveandplayvisalia.com

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Shaver Lake Car Show

The 13th Annual Shaver Lake Car Show presented by Sequoia Chevrolet is a benefit for Big Creek School. This event is open to all who enjoy cars and want to have a good time. There will be multiple car clubs, enthusiasts and vendors as well. This is one way to beat the summer heat!

When: July 27; 10a-3p Where: Shaver Lake Downtown Tollhouse Rd., Shaver Lake Contact: www.shaverlakecarshow.com

Blues, Brews and BBQ

Beat the summer heat by attending this event where you can purchase soft drinks, brews, delicious BBQ and other summertime favorites. This family-oriented free music event will benefit the Visalia Emergency Aid Council.

Music by Mofo Party Band.

When: August 2; 6-10p Where: Garden Street Plaza, Visalia Contact: 732-7737

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AUG 3

China Peak Mud Run

Grab your friends, family and co-workers and get ready to get muddy as you take on China Peak’s challenging 5K course of mud and obstacles. Enter as an individual, or in a team of four and cross the finish line together. Bring along the kids and enter them in the Mini Mud for age 12 and under. After the race, relax and enjoy the rest of the day with great food, drinks including a Brew and Wine Fest, and music. Registration online before August 2 for $45 per person, $55 on the day of.

When: August 3; Registration opens at 8a; Race begins at 10a Where: China Peak Mountain Resort; 59265 Highway 168, Lakeshore Contact: 233-2500, www.skichinapeak.com

The Global Leadership Summit

“Lead Where You Are.” Whether at church, school, a business or home, you are leading people and projects every day. You’re invited to gather with thousands of leaders across North America for the Global Leadership Summit at Visalia First Assembly. Commit now to be a part of this annual event designed to stretch and challenge you with world-class speakers, interactive dialogue and practical training.

When: Aug. 8-9 Where: Visalia First Assembly, 3737 S. Akers, Visalia Contact: 733.9070 or visit www.v1ag.com/gls

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Tulare Farmer’s Market

Weekly event open to the public featuring free live music, kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations and local, fresh produce available for purchase. The market also accepts EBT and WIC. When: Tuesdays; 5-8p Where: 1407 Retherford St., Tulare Contact: 967-6722, www.visaliafarmersmarket.com

Visalia Farmer’s Market – Mooney Weekly event open to the public featuring free live music, kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations and local, fresh produce available for purchase. The market also accepts EBT and WIC. When: Saturdays; 8-11:30a Where: Sears parking lot at Mooney and Caldwell, Visalia Contact: 967-6722 or www.visaliafarmersmarket.com

Visalia Farmer’s Market – Downtown

Weekly event open to the public featuring free live music, kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations and local, fresh produce available for purchase. The market also accepts EBT and WIC. When: Every Thursday (March – October); 5-8p Where: Church St. and Main St., Downtown Visalia Contact: 967-6722 or www.visaliafarmersmarket.com

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h happenings

25th Annual Tommy Elliott Memorial Golf Classic Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Tommy Elliott Memorial Golf Classic at a fun-filled day of golf and food. Win prizes and gift certificates at most of the holes.

Shotgun-start at noon. Enjoy lunch, an awards ceremony, silent auction and the opportunity for networking.

When: August 9; 12p Where: Visalia Country Club, 625 N. Ranch St., Visalia Contact: Kaweah Delta Hospital Foundation, 624-2359 or dvolosin@kdhcd.org

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Charitable Events

WRITERS & READERS

The Taste of Vino

Tulare County Library

The balance between fun and fundraising, The Taste of Vino is an annual event benefiting the Make-A-Wish Central California foundation. 45 wineries, 200 wines, and a variety of restaurants will be in attendance. To purchase tickets before the event, please visit Vino & Friends located at 1560 E. Champlain Dr. #101 Fresno, CA 93720. Tickets are $70 prior the event; $80 at the door.

When: August 4; 1-5p Where: The Savemart Center, 2650 E Shaw Ave., Fresno Contact: 434-1771, www.centralca.wish.org

Celebrant Singers 36th Anniversary Banquet

You are invited to the 36th Anniversary WorldTouch Partner’s Banquet. Enjoy a delicious dinner while hearing testimonies and inspiring music from the summer teams.

Purchase a whole table or attend as an individual. Please call the Celebrant office for reservations.

When: August 13; 7p Where: Visalia Convention Center, 303 E. Acequia Ave., Visalia Contact: 740-4000

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First Tuesday Book Club (August 6, 6:30p) Mystery Readers (August 21, 6:30p) Where: Tulare County Library, 200 W. Oak Ave., Visalia Contact: 713-2700 or www.tularecountylibrary.org

Event Listings If you would like to have your event considered for a free listing in our “Happenings” section, please email your submission to lifestyle@dmiagency.com or fax to 738-0909, Attention Happenings. Please note, we do not guarantee listing of any submission.

Submissions are due six weeks prior to publication.

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