April 2012 by Lifestyle Magazine

April 2012

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MIKE SINOR'S PASSION FOR WINE WINE

RUSTIC MOTHER'S DAY BRUNCH CULINARY

Gardens We Love

HOME TOUR

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

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22 HOME TOUR Gardens We Love

ARTS

Eric Peltzer, Sculptor

Visalia native's art career takes its own form and line

Letter from the Executive Editor

10 Business Cents 12 Word Play 14 Local Adventure: Mist Trail 30 Culinary: Rustic Mother's Day Brunch 32 Literary Arts: David Mas Masumoto

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40 Exhibit: The Lisa Project 48 Kudos

WINE

50 Fashion

Mike Sinor's Passion for Wine

54 Happenings

52 Performances: Tulare County Symphony

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38 H U M A N I TA R I A N

To Mexico with Love

Visalia surgeon helps restore faces and futures

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44 4

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

ABOVE: An arbor at the former home of Joyce Nielsen stands ready to burst into bloom and offer cool shade for the summer months ahead.

APRIL 2012 PUBLISHED BY DMI Agency 801 W. Main St. Visalia, CA 93291 EDITORIAL Executive Editor Karen Tellalian Assistant Editor TAYLOR VAUGHN Copy Editor DARA FISK-EKANGER Content Editor Kyndal Kennedy ART & PRODUCTION Art Director ROSS YUKAWA Senior Graphic Designer CHRIS BLY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aaron Collins Diane Slocum ELANE DAKESSIAN JORDAN VENEMA PENNEY SICK ROBERT HIGHT Sharon Mosley BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Malkasian Accountancy LLP Gary Malkasian CPA JEFFREY Malkasian EA Operations Manager Maria Gaston ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Bridget Elmore

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 Advanced Body & Laser Center Creekside Day Spa & Wellness Center Exeter Chamber of Commerce Exeter Golf Course Holiday Inn Kaweah Delta Hospital Red Carpet Car Wash Sequoia Laser Aesthetics 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.

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

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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.

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

COVER: A large water feature in the backyard of the Raddish home adds to the already tranquil environment. (Photo by Kelly Peterson)

LEFT: A stone walkway leads the way through the garden of Fred Mendoza.

Let’s face it, there’s nothing like the sparkle and shine of a brand new home! LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

E EDITOR NOTE

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

Even after several years of publishing Lifestyle, we are still surprised (pleasantly so) when we receive a call or an email from a reader asking for a past issue. More often than not, someone remembers a particular Home Tour feature … a kitchen, a bath or many times, a yard. More than once we’ve been asked to retrieve a copy from a year, two, or even five years ago because something stuck with them and now they are ready to remodel or landscape and want to include one or more of the ideas found inside Lifestyle. We’re just starting to see some beautiful spring weather, and the mild temperatures drive people to their yards. So, it seems like the perfect time to recap some of the most beautiful landscapes we’ve featured over the years. We’ve included a few, “never before published” photos and hope you enjoy the varied styles of landscape as you peer over the fence into your friends’ and neighbors’ backyards. For some of the most beautiful landscape designs found in the South Valley, turn to page 22. While we’re on the subject of landscapes and gardens, you’ll want to check out the Hidden Gardens of Three Rivers Tour on April 21. This year’s tour features the property of Neal Baer, executive Hollywood producer. For information about this year’s event, be sure to check out the Happenings section starting on page 54. We like to include upcoming shows at various venues around town. You can always count on the Fox Theatre to deliver a superb concert series and the scheduled performance on May 18 is no exception. Nine-time GRAMMY award singer/songwriter Natalie Cole will perform at the black-tie event at the Fox Theatre, accompanied by our very own Tulare County Symphony. With Mother’s Day just two weeks away, you might be planning something special to do for your mother. Since my own mother has been gone for several years, I have finally gotten used to the idea that I am the mother now, and seize the opportunity to spend time with my kids and family. The day usually begins at church, then onto something my family would agree to only because it’s Mother’s Day – the Woodlake Lions Rodeo. I grew up going to rodeos, and still get such an adrenaline rush watching a 2,000-lb animal kick and twist and buck for a mere eight seconds, which must seem like a week to the person riding atop. There’s always plenty to see and do and eat at the rodeo, so if you’re looking for a great way to spend your special day, you can find more details in our Happenings section. While the cowboys and cowgirls are challenging life and getting roughed up in the arena, another, more gentle personality is using his skill and talents to perform life-changing facial surgery on children in Mexico. We all know him as one of the area’s premiere cosmetic and plastic surgeons, Dr. Alex Lechtman. We’ve come to expect extraordinary things from him in the field of beauty, and it’s so heartwarming to know Dr. Lechtman uses his abilities to restore the faces of children born with cleft lips and palates. As a mother, I can only imagine the grateful hearts these mothers have toward Dr. Lechtman and his team. The story begins on page 44 and you don’t want to miss it. The April issue comes to a close and we look forward to the months ahead. We hope everyone has a wonderful Mother’s Day and if any of us are feeling especially generous with our time, there are many among us who would love a call or a note on this special day – even from a complete stranger. Take a few moments and make someone’s day really special. Karen Tellalian, EXECUTIVE EDITOR For more information or to submit a story idea email Karen@dmiagency.com or call (559) 739-1747 or fax (559) 738-0909.

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

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B BUSINESS CENTS

Dividend Investing Text by Penney Sick, Stifel, Nicol aus & Company

he most visible and understandable way to judge a stock’s performance is by the rate of growth of its share price. It’s easy to focus only on capital gains, but one often-overlooked aspect of investing is dividends. The potential growth of dividends paid back to shareholders can, over time, be significant. Employing a strategy combining market growth and reinvested dividends can help you reach your financial goals while potentially minimizing the amount of risk in your portfolio. The stability offered by regular dividends can help balance out the generally more volatile nature of investing in stocks. What Is a Dividend? A dividend is a distribution of a corporation’s earnings to its shareholders, typically made on a quarterly basis. Dividends are paid on a per-share basis, so the more shares an investor owns, the greater the dividend he or she will receive. A company’s dividend payout ratio is the percentage of earnings distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends and is calculated by dividing dividend per share by its earnings per share. The dividend payout ratio offers an indication of how well earnings support the dividend payments. More mature companies tend to have higher dividend payout ratios. Dividends are one indicator of a company’s health. By issuing a dividend, a company is exhibiting its healthy cash flow and signaling that it believes its growth is sustainable. Who Issues Dividends? Many, but certainly not all, companies issue dividends. Companies that are experiencing rapid growth (growth stocks) generally do not pay dividends, instead choosing to plow their earnings back into their operations with the hopes of eventually rewarding investors through capital appreciation. Dividend-issuing stocks typically offer less volatility than do growth stocks, because the dividends they pay are based on the company’s profitability, not market perceptions. In a bear

market, this can be especially attractive, as dividend-paying companies may continue to provide a return while other growthoriented stocks are declining. Dividends also help encourage stability in ownership and lower turnover, as investors are more likely to hold onto the stock during difficult times in order to receive the dividend. Reinvesting Dividends Investors who receive dividends can do one of two things with the proceeds – take a cash payment or use the money to purchase more shares. Reinvesting allows investors to increase their position without providing additional capital, reducing the cost basis of the investment. Reinvesting also unlocks the power of compounding, a helpful way for investors to build wealth. What to Look For In dividend investing, look for stocks that have a track record of consistently increasing their dividends. These are usually strong, stable companies that have self-imposed discipline to continue to perform well and earn a profit year in and year out. Dividends offer a means of keeping a company’s management in check, helping encourage sound, responsible decision-making. Most companies that issue dividends are very reluctant to either decrease or eliminate their dividends, as that sends a negative message to the investing public, which could possibly result in a sell-off of the stock. Maintaining and increasing dividend payments requires consistent earnings growth. Looking at a company’s earnings growth over time can help you determine if it will consistently offer dividends in the future. However, it should be noted that changes in market conditions or a company’s financial condition may impact the company’s ability to continue to pay dividends, and companies may also choose to discontinue dividend payments. Dividend investing may be an especially good strategy for Baby Boomers to adopt as they near retirement. Finding and investing in stocks that not only offer a solid dividend, but also increase their dividend payments can help provide retirement income without having to sell off assets. And in order to outpace the rate of inflation, it generally makes sense for retirees to include some equities among their holdings. For more information on dividend investing, please contact your financial advisor today. Penney Sick is Vice President/Investments with Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated, Member SIPC and New York Stock Exchange. She is based in the Visalia office, located at 217 East Caldwell, and can be reached by calling (559) 622-1040.

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

W WORD PLAY

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

ational Poetry Month can be a good time to catch up on some of the poems of the Central Valley’s most recent National Poet Laureate, Philip Levine. His latest collection, News of the World, came out in February. Other current releases include eBook versions of Breath: Poems; The Mercy: Poems and New Selected Poems. Levine is one of the poets interviewed in Poetry in Person: Twenty-Five Years of Conversation with America’s Poets by Alexander Neubauer. Levine comes in at Number 165 in PoemHunter.com’s list of the 500 top poets. He is a little behind T. S. Eliot (#153), Geoffrey Chaucer (#160) and Joyce Kilmer (#161) and ahead of James Whitcomb Riley (#167), Henry Van Dyke (#169) and fellow Fresnan Gary Soto (#171). Most of the top 25 poets listed are classically well-known writers who have been studied in literature classes for decades, if not centuries, but a few may be unfamiliar to most people. The database at PoemHunter.com contains almost 800,000 poems. Other Valley poets listed include Larry Levis and Kay Ryan (a former US poet laureate). Valley Writers Visalia’s Janet Nichols Lynch combined her interest in cycling with her writing talent to produce her latest young adult novel, Racing California. The story concerns a young cyclist who is shocked to be chosen by his Tour de France hero to join him in California’s rugged AMGEN race. Risking his high school graduation and the disapproval of his parents and girlfriend, Evan darts between disappointments and triumphs as he participates in the eight-day competition. This is Lynch’s ninth book. Her previous works include two books about music for young readers, a short story collection, an adult novel and three other young adult novels. She also edited Fresh Ink, a collection of works by young writers. Some of Valley writer and artist Art Coelho’s canvases will be featured in “Montana 4-H Experience,” a PBS production airing this spring. The film recognizes the 100th anniversary of the 4-H organization and includes Coelho’s grandson, Beker, among the 4-H members. Coelho’s paintings are used to illustrate Beker’s Azorean heritage. Coelho was also filmed playing a blues harp song he wrote for a different grandson. Contests The Writer’s Digest offers 10 categories for competition in its 81st annual contest. Inspirational Writing, Memoirs, Magazine Features and Scripts are added to the more traditional short story and poetry categories. The grand prize includes individual attention from four editors or agents, a trip to the Writer’s Digest Conference in New York City and $3,000. The winners in each category will be published in a Writer’s Digest collection. First through tenth place winners in each category will also receive prizes of declining value. Early Bird Deadline is May 1. Entry fees are from $10 to $25. Details: http://tinyurl.com/7ef9643. The winners and honorable mentions in the 2012 Erma Bombeck Writing Competition come from eight US states and 12

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England, but none are from California. Watch for the dates of next year’s contest at http://tinyurl.com/ ydnfoj7 and let’s see if we can change that. In the meantime, to see what it takes to be a winner, and enjoy some write-alike heirs of the everwitty and oh-so-true Bombeck style, go to http://tinyurl.com/yeb9dpq. Writing Advice Keep up with the latest in the world of grammar at “The Mighty Red Pen” at http://mightyredpen.wordpress.com. “Grammar Girl” exposes some strict grammarian’s rules that may not be as hard and fast as they’ve been said to be at http:// tinyurl.com/2nxqkg. “Editor Mark’s Blog” reflects on journalism and copy editing, grammar, usage and style at http://markallenediting.com. “Sentence First” is scientist, writer and “swivel-chair linguist” Stan Carey’s blog about the usage, grammar, styles, literature, history and quirks of the English language, which can be found at http://stancarey.wordpress.com. The “Grammar Monkeys” blog of The Wichita Eagle offers “A guide to the slippery parts of language” at http://blogs.kansas. com/grammar. Writing Classes Go to http://tinyurl.com/758dxdc to see the latest live webinars offered by Writers’ Digest. Recent topics included “Author Blogs: How to Get Started with this Platform Essential,” “Podcasting as a Tool for Writers” and “Crafting Fiction & Memoir that Sells.” OnDemand Webinars include topics such as “How to Sell Your Fantasy & Science Fiction to Agents and Editors.” Writers’ Workshop The Kenyon Review Writers Workshop will be held June 16-23 in Gambier, Ohio. Workshops are limited to 10 so early application is encouraged. Workshops focus on generating and revising participants’ works. Details at: www.kenyonreview.org/ workshops/writers. Publishing Chris Hughes, Mark Zuckerberg’s roommate at Harvard, who helped him found Facebook, is the latest owner of The New Republic magazine. He plans to bring the magazine into the digital age. The Last Word “Meet some people who care about poetry the way you do. You’ll have that readership. Keep going until you know you’re doing work that’s worthy. And then see what happens.” — Philip Levine (1928- )

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

L LOCAL ADVENTURE

Yosemite National Park:

Mist Trail

One of the most unique experiences in the United States is located just over one hundred miles away in Yosemite National Park. For a hike to rival many, the Mist Trail brings you up close and personal with two gushing, truly magnificent waterfalls – so close, in fact, that bringing rain gear is encouraged. The Mist Trail starts at Happy Isles trailhead, where you will set off on a short walk along the Merced River. After an initial ascent to reach the first footbridge (after .75 miles), the majestic Vernal Falls comes into view. Many people end their hike here after reveling in the view, but going a bit further will take you to the top of the Fall, right to the edge – a view, and a feeling, worth the additional effort and waterfall mist. To get there you must climb steep granite steps, about 500, slick with moisture, so be sure to take your time to enjoy the surroundings during this portion of the hike. Once at the top of Vernal Falls, the 317-foot tall waterfall, you can relax on the granite platforms and take in the views below. And more importantly, sunbathe and sun-dry your more-than-likely wet clothes. Safety rails lead right up to the edge of the cliff that creates the fall, bringing you as close (and as safe) as possible. Continuing on, a short distance away is Emerald Pool, which used to be enjoyed by hikers as they slid into the water down the smooth granite slope known as the Silver Apron, a natural water-slide. However, this activity, as well as entering the Pool, is now prohibited and deemed very dangerous. After a 2.7-mile hike the Mist Trail leads you to the top of Nevada Falls, a 594-foot high waterfall at an elevation of 5,907 feet. Take in the views from this height and catch your breath before heading back down, satisfied with your intake of nature. The best time to view these Falls and take the Mist Trail is now, as the snow begins to melt and the water begins to gush forth from the Merced River. Though a short trail, the Mist Trail manages to pack extraordinary views into such a short distance, making it one of the most popular trails in the Yosemite National Park. Crowds can be large especially by mid-summer, but after making it to the top of either waterfall, you’ll agree that the lines were well worth it. For more information about the Mist Trail, visit www.YosemiteHikes.com.

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A ARTS

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ARTS A

ERIC PELTZER, SCULPTOR Visalia native’s art career takes its own form and line Tex t by A aron Collins

ormer Visalian and Redwood High graduate Eric Peltzer (’81) left a big part of himself in his hometown – somewhat literally, one might say. To wit: The stainless steel abstract sculpture that fronts Macy’s on Mooney Blvd. The artwork was commissioned in 1997 by defunct retailer Gottschalk’s, the former tenant at that location, via an open call that attracted more than 100 artists to pitch their best ideas.

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A ARTs

Peltzer now makes his home in Altadena, a Los Angeles suburb adjacent to Pasadena, and holds a bachelor’s degree in comparative lit from Occidental College in nearby Eagle Rock, where he studied with the late sculptor George Baker. He was best known for his kinetic, motorized, water or winddriven abstract works whose kindred artists would have to include Fletcher Benton, George Rickey and Mark di Suvero, a cadre perhaps all indebted to the best known kinetic sculptor, Alexander Calder. Baker was awarded prominent public commissions but just as his work was becoming more widely known, his untimely death from mesothelioma in 1997 at age 66 cut short his career just as he was coming into wider renown. Peltzer mostly avoids kinetic works in favor of simpler stationary pieces. His work occupies a lingering Formalist niche in the art world where artists’ names are nowadays less well-known than Baker’s, the latter who was commissioned in his day for high-profile works in Germany, California, Japan, Washington and Nebraska. But while Peltzer has marketed himself mostly for modest corporate commissions and without significant institutional support from museums, or recognition from curators and critics, he has carved out a living by taking his own unconventional path, as many artists must do outside the magnifying effects of recognition by officialdom. “I’m not a conceptual artist. So I would have to say that I operate outside the contemporary mainstream LA art world. It’s a bit tough for a sculptor like me to do a lot of gallery shows and get that kind of buzz going,” Peltzer said. Not having that art world imprimatur means that Peltzer does little speculative work. His career modus operandus reflects the constraints of any artist working in metal, his preferred medium. The considerable logistics of creating large-scale sculpture and the prohibitive costs and uncertain site requirements mean that stainless steel sculpture is something few artists can afford to dabble in speculatively. “I work mostly on commission, and I don’t really produce much work at all just on ‘spec’ as it were. It’s just a reality of working in metal and in a style that is so much more expensive and time consuming than, say, doing prints and 18

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painting. It takes months for me to complete one piece, generally. It’s just not a fast process. So it’s pretty hard to supply galleries with work to show, much less get enough work together for a oneman show or something,” said Peltzer. So commissions are the lifeblood of this kind of career. In Peltzer’s case, those can come from various sources, from interior designers, to private and corporate clients. Piecing together a career in this way can pose a challenge, but good fortune has come his way, too. The artist had the opportunity in the early ’90s to buy the home he now shares with wife, Miya, a fabric designer, and their two children, at a point when the market was low enough that starving artists could manage to buy LA real estate. “It had a big lot though with some space in the back, where I built my studio a couple of years later. So I have a nice big space with high ceilings, and it’s sound insulated pretty well so my neighbors don’t really object to the deafening sounds of grinding and all the power tools and welders it takes to work on metal,” Peltzer said. Peltzer may fly under the art world’s radar, but Altadena’s LA-adjacent location has its upside, according to the artist. “I definitely benefit from being in LA since it is recognized as a contemporary art hub,” he said. For instance, for the recent commission in Japan that took much of last year to complete and ship and install, the art consultant traveled from Tokyo to LA to see various artists who were under consideration for the project. Peltzer wonders if the consultant would have made the studio visit were it located farther afield. “There is certainly a lot going on in the LA art world in terms of opportunities and just the name association, really, that make it hard to leave,” Peltzer said. The sculptor said that most of his projects for corporate clients PREVIOUS PAGE: Bronze Construction No. 4 by Eric Peltzer. Bronze, walnut wood, 10" high, (1985); private collection. Peltzer is a 1981 graduate of Redwood High School. TOP LEFT: Eric Peltzer completes the finish work on a stainless steel sculpture in his Altadena, California studio. Peltzer is an alumnus of nearby Occidental College, where he studied with the notable George Baker.

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A ARTs

typically occur when large buildings are under construction or remodel. “For instance, in Japan the project I recently completed was for a resort that was doubling in size, and in one of the new wings they wanted to have an outdoor sculpture garden to really distinguish the place.” So the company ended up commissioning four large-scale sculptures, later adding a smaller fifth interior piece to the mix. In 2010, on another project in Bend, Oregon, Peltzer completed an eight-foot-high fountain and pool in bronze and stainless steel for a previous client, a couple from Dana Point. “I had done a large stainless steel kinetic wind sculpture for their entrance drive, as well as two stainless steel sculptures for the interior of the home. The new vacation home was a fantastic huge modern lodge. Frankly it’s the size of a small hotel. So I did this fountain for the outside deck. It’s always nice to have repeat customers. In that case there was no art consultant or gallery involved; they just found me through various other acquaintances in LA, and they knew George Baker as well, so my long experience working for him and developing relationships was helpful,” Peltzer said. The term “Formalism” sometimes carries a negative connotation in contemporary criticism. Yet certain artists like Richard Serra, among the artists Peltzer cites as influences, seem to evade any stigma from any such classification with the movement. Peltzer is unfazed by such discourse. “Well, of course the avant garde and certainly the big museums and galleries have completely embraced conceptual art. Unfortunately, for some of these people that means that any other kind of art is inconsequential or even invalid. So certainly these people can be dismissive of us ‘mere Formalists,’” he said. In fact, he points out, his sculptures are just as much representational as they are abstract. “My sculptures are really abstractions of general human characteristics: human shapes, poses, gestures. I like to say that what I’m trying to do is like the opposite of a portrait. Think about what a portrait actually is: it tries to bring out what is specific and recognizable in an individual. So the opposite of that is to bring out what is more universal to all humans. So I don’t deal with facial detail or anything like that of course. I don’t even want you to be able to say, ‘oh yes, that looks like an arm or a leg or a shoulder.’ That would be too stylized and specific for what I’m trying to do. It would be distracting. I’m more interested in body language and expressing what is common or universal in human form, rather than what is particular.” Peltzer is circumspect about where his work falls in the greater art world scheme. “Things swing one way, then they tend to swing the other. Fad and fashion in art will come and go. But I’m pretty confident that people will always love looking at truly fine and beautiful things. I’m not really worried about that falling out of fashion – at least, not for long.”

LEFT: Los Angeles-area sculptor and Visalia native Eric Peltzer at work in his Altadena, California studio. The piece shown is reminiscent of the Peltzer commissioned work that is prominently sited outside Macy’s on Mooney Blvd.

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H HOME TOUR

Gardens We W

ith the sunny hours growing longer and the gray winter Tule fog and frost seemingly banished for another season, full-on spring is a great time to tour some of the favorite residential gardens from notable area homes of past Lifestyle Magazine issues. And we’ve thrown in some never-before-published shots as well. Whether you’re looking for inspiration for a redesign, want a glimpse of current landscape design trends in the Valley, or just want to peak over the neighbors’ fence, we hope you’ll enjoy these diverse views of the collaborative art of gardening.

Photo by Forrest Cavale

FREEMAN RESIDENCE:

Southwest goes west

The grand Sierra Nevada foothills and high country beyond create a seamless backdrop for the grounds of Rich and Janel Freeman’s Mehrten Valley home. The openness and lack of hard visual boundaries might suggest they own the whole spread as far as the eye can see. Their visits to Sedona, Flagstaff, Prescott and other places inspired the various American Southwest-inflected residence and grounds which are nestled across the low, semi-arid Sierra Nevada foothills where some visitors might feel transported to a hillside near Santa Fe or Taos for a brief moment. Despite the home’s numerous subgenres of inspiration from throughout the Southwest, the home exudes integrity, perhaps owing to its underpinning ethos of simplicity, a trait which is reflected in the grounds. “Nothing about our home or lifestyle screams ‘formal,’” Rich says, a characteristic that extends to the grounds. With a 22

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majestic setting, perhaps one is best advised to simply yield to nature, rather than attempt to perfect it – just as the Freemans have done. However, creating access to the homesite and grounds required extensive grading due to the sloped hillside, which was conducted by Bob Gill of Gill-Reeves Co. But the wide-open vistas were provided by Mother Nature, who certainly would deserve some of the high praise for the fantastic way art and nature interact at the Freeman home. The Freemans and their good taste and vision get the rest of the billing alongside her.

ABOVE: At the Freeman home in Mehrten Valley, dubbed Rancho Salida del Sol, the blurred boundary between their grounds and the Sierra Nevada foothills creates a sense of vastness, eight acres of heaven for Tobi (center), their Jack Russell Terrier.

Love

HOME TOUR H

Six distinctive outdoor spaces that celebrate spring Text by Aaron Collins

Photo by Brian Brumley

Mendoza Gardens:

Mission accomplished When Fred and Lorraine Mendoza purchased their River Island-area lot west of Springville in the 1970s, it was a sloping, mostly barren hillside. Living in the same location for 20 years, Fred knew the site well when his big vision gripped him: Beginning in March, 2001, Fred and two assistants including Lorraine and their friend Sam began organically converting their large acreage into terraced grounds such as those which are found at California’s Spanish missions. Although Fred was an architectural drafting instructor, he put his technician’s hat aside and drafting techniques in favor of a more organic process which proceeded one section at a time, expanding considerably over the years as each new themed garden began to reflect the various stations of the cross familiar to Catholics and mission visitors. Entering the property, a few authentic mission features anticipate those to be found later.

A rustic palapa offers a parched visitor a spot of shade on a hot summer day. A hanging bell nearby looks very much like those which Fransciscan padres once used to beckon workers to meals, to mass, or to signal the rare visitors – or occasionally, intruders. Further up a rock path is a shaded pond that incorporates native rock from the site, rendering an unexpectedly cool and shaded grotto-like environment amid the often-parched tan foothills of the Sierra Nevada. “This is where I learned not to build a pond without a liner,” Fred jokingly recalls one of the many educational moments of the large-scale undertaking. ABOVE: This arbor recalls typical grounds of the early California missions that inspired the Mendozas to landscape their large acreage near River Island.

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H HOME TOUR

Photo by Forrest Cavale

Former Mierau Residence:

Planting a legacy Gardens can be enjoyed even in their nascent stage. They may look spotty in the beginning, but the true gardener can see the mature grounds in their mind's eye. But that maturation takes years, if not decades. Gardens are in many ways gifts to future generations, an heirloom that only increases with time. Former Visalian Sheri Mierau thought she was putting down long-term roots when she oversaw the planting of her new home’s ground in Cobblestone Estates. But enjoying her handiwork was not to be. She had not been in her home long when she met someone special in the Los Angeles area, eventually leading to her relocation. “I designed and planted most of the backyard. I wanted a pool that

was functional, but also a water feature for visual appeal.” She said that creating space for numerous sitting areas was functional for barbecues and large groups, uses that are reflected in her design well after she has moved on. She used uncommon trees and distinctive rocks to make it another room of the house. She says that interspersed among the redwoods are red Japanese Maples, weeping Blue Atlas Cedars, very small bonsai olives and roses for color. “I wanted a backyard that was an extension of my house and as comfortable as any room in my house,” she says. Now, new owners and future occupants will be the ones to see her vision come to fruition. ABOVE: Sheri Mierau put her soul into her landscape design before love swept her away to Southern California. New owners now enjoy the fruits of her labor.

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H HOME TOUR

PICTURED: The Valov home in Tulare features this increasingly popular outdoor kitchen with a swim-up bar. The home is sited on two adjoining lots with a trail for the kids to bike, skate and stay active.

Valov Home:

Garden as kid fitness course and nature sanctuary

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

Photo by Forrest Cavale

A business trip to Santa Barbara served as inspiration for the Jimi and Tammy Valov residence in Tulare. The couple purchased the property in 2005 in an area of northeast Tulare subdivided in the late 1950s. The original home was built upon two lots, in excess of 1 1/2 acres of land providing room for around 70 mature trees. The setting, say the Tulare natives, “feels like country in town.” The Valovs encourage their four kids to be active and limit time on computers and other electronics in favor of pursuits like drum lessons and outdoor activities. That’s easy to do with the large lot featuring an outdoor gourmet kitchen with three barbecues, a swimming pool with swim-up bar, and a stage flanked by stone balustrades above the pool which is fed by a 24-foot waterfall. If that doesn’t entice them, a one-eighth-mile bike and skateboard nature trail amid the trees probably would.

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Photo by Brian Brumley

H HOME TOUR

Photo by Kelly Peterson

Raddish Garden:

Contemporary landscape design, true to ‘50s roots Ronnie and Pati Raddish’s 1957 Old Green Acres residence features a garden that is at updated in design yet remains true to the geometries found in the home’s Mid-century Modernist roots. “It is a very mature, well-kept and peaceful area,” Pati said of their place near the Visalia Country Club. The newer elements reflect a growing trend toward more pronounced intermediate spaces between home and garden that share characteristics of both, a kind of outdoor room with furnishings that are as at home in an interior as they are in the garden. Despite those more contemporary touches, the integrity of the Raddish home has been kept intact by Ronnie’s love of the 1950s style, with the exterior grounds designed to coordinate with the interior, even featuring a koi pond that literally connects the indoors with nature outside, running beneath an exterior wall

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giving the fish the run of the place. A friend of the Raddishes bought the Eichleresque glass-and-slate home, intending to remodel it for sale, but the Raddishes saw a chance to preserve a ’50s gem of Mid-century Modern style and ended up purchasing it from their friend in 1991. If the Raddish residential grounds suggest that they were wrought by the hand (and eye) of a pro, it’s with good reason; most of it is the handiwork of Ronnie Raddish, landscape designer. Mr. Raddish, who cofounded landscaping firm Rainscape, is an aficionado of 20th-century architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright and Mid-century Modern style in general. “He has always had a keen eye for design,” said Pati, “be it for architecture or automobile style.” The Raddish garden brings together both his passions – landscape and Modernism – into one cohesive whole.

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Photo by Forrest Cavale

Shahan Paradise:

Their ‘last resort’ If the aforementioned trend toward “outdoor rooms” is reflected in the Robert and Sabrina Shahan home, so is the wish that a backyard feel like an escape to a tropical resort. The palapa is the vernacular sprouting in Valley landscapes like a prolific mushroom species invading from the south. The swim-up bar and the palapa – the cabana-like structures with palm-thatched roofs common in tropical climes – jet visitors off to Puerto Vallarta in an instant, without leaving Visalia. Mr. Shahan likes to “come home, take off the old work clothes and work boots, put on the swim trunks and kick back in the backyard. It feels like serenity, like I’m on vacation,” he said. It was via Mr. Shahan’s concept to import a bit of Mexico’s bright cerulean Pacific coast to the San Joaquin Valley. “I’ve taken all of our experiences from Cabo, Puerta Vallarta and Cancun and put in our own expression from each place that

we have enjoyed,” said Mr. Shahan of the place he likes to call “Shahans’ Last Resort.” And indeed they intend this home to be their final. With this much diverse local inspiration from backyard gardens and grounds throughout the South San Joaquin Valley, what legacy will you plant in the garden today?

ABOVE LEFT: The Raddish home in Visalia’s Old Green Acres neighborhood grafts contemporary landscape concepts with the home’s Mid-century Modern roots. ABOVE RIGHT: The Shahan paradise owner Rob Shahan likes to call it “Shahan’s Last Resort," which features a tropical theme with a palapa and swim-up bar.

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r u stic

MOTHER'S DAY

BRUNCH Recipes by El aine Dakessian | Photos by Taylor Vaughn

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ant to impress mom this year? Keep her out of the kitchen and treat her to a warm, delicious brunch – a perfect meal for Mother's Day in the comfort of your own breakfast nook. Check out these simple, rustic comfort food recipes that will leave mom feeling relaxed – and appreciated.

Potato Gratin Serves 6

2 ½ pounds Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced on the slicer attachment of your food processor or with a mandolin if you have one. You can make individual gratins in mini pots or one larger one in a casserole dish. Ingredients: 1 C cream 1 C milk 1 C shredded Gruyére or favorite cheese Chives to garnish Salt and white pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare casserole with nonstick spray. Line sliced potatoes, covering the entire bottom surface of your dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add another layer, continuing the process until the dish is filled to about one-inch from the top. Whisk cream and milk together. Pour over the potatoes. The mixture should fill the casserole. Put on stove top and slowly warm the liquid until is just starts to bubble. Top with cheese and put in oven to bake for 40 minutes. The top will get nice and brown. Don’t pull it out too soon; let it brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chives. Tip: I love these in individual mini pots which I purchased at World Market, but if using a casserole, let it cool a bit and then using a biscuit cutter, you can cut out individual molds for a nice presentation.

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Mediterranean Frittata Servers 6-8

(We used a 14” cast iron frying pan which looks great and goes directly into the oven to the table. The whole process takes place right in the fry pan. If you don’t have one, use a 12 to 14-inch casserole dish.)

Custard

Ingredients: 8 eggs 1 C milk 1 C heavy cream 2 C shredded mozzarella 1 C crumbled feta ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper Directions: Whisk eggs, milk, cream, one cup mozzarella, ½ cup feta, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. (Reserve one cup mozzarella and ½ cup feta for topping.)

Filling

Ingredients: 1 lb Italian sausage, casing removed 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 C sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped 2 C fresh spinach ½ C Kalamata olives, sliced in half lengthwise 1 T fresh thyme 1 C toasted pine nuts Nonstick spray Directions: Prepare pan with nonstick spray. Sauté sausage until browned and cooked through. At this point we drain it onto paper towels to remove the extra grease and we wipe the pan out with a paper towel, leaving a little fat to continue sautéing. It isn’t necessary but if we can cut the fat, why not? Add the sausage, garlic and tomatoes back into the pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Add spinach, olives and fresh thyme and wilt the spinach. If using a cast iron skillet, continue the process in the skillet. If using a baking dish, spray your casserole dish with nonstick spray and place the filling in the dish. Pour the custard over the filling. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or when a knife is inserted and comes out clean. Remove from oven and garnish the top with extra 1 cup mozzarella and ½ cup feta. Place back into the oven for 5 minutes or so just to melt. Remove from oven and garnish with additional thyme. Serve with potatoes, fresh fruit kebobs and mimosas for a special rustic brunch. The beauty of this recipe is that it works with virtually any filling your imagination can conjure. Another favorite is summer squash, zucchini, leeks and Gruyere or aspargus, mushrooms, onions, prosciutto and fontina……you get the idea!

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L LITERARY ARTS

David Mas Masumoto

Marries The Peach and The Pen Text by Diane Slocum

hen David Mas Masumoto was a teenager, he couldn’t wait to leave the family farm in Del Rey. He even went so far as to become a foreign exchange student in Japan for two years, where, ironically, he found out living on the family farm wasn’t such a bad thing, after all. His travels took him to the village and the farm where his grandmother had lived before migrating to America, a small village not much different from many in the San Joaquin. “I ended up working on the family farm, planting and growing rice,” he said, “and realized I had this affinity for farming and rural land and also began to understand where my home was.” Both of Masumoto’s grandfathers were second sons in their families, which in Japan at that time meant they would not inherit their families’ farms. The rural economy in those days was very poor, so both sets of grandparents set out to follow their hopes to America. Here, in the San Joaquin, they were farm workers most of their lives, except for the grim days of World War II when they were shipped off to the internment camp at Gila River, Arizona, for four years. After the war, Masumoto’s father bought the farm near Del Rey where young David Mas grew up. His older brother was given most of the responsibility for helping with the farm so Mas had lots of time to play. “That was exactly the character I needed to do two things,” he said. “One – to start writing and to explore the kind of creative stories that are a part of the life that I have here, and [two] that willingness to play probably was essential in understanding how to farm organically.” As soon as he was old enough, though, Masumoto took off for college in Berkeley. “Majored in sociology,” he said, “thinking it would never bring me back to the farm.” However, even this road turned out to lead to the farm. While he was in Japan, he researched immigration patterns, the push and pull of why people migrate – the “push” of the poverty where they live versus the “pull” of the better life they see elsewhere. “These were, I thought, fascinating, interesting,” he said, “and ironically, took me out of the world of academia because I became much more interested in the real life that was going on in small farm communities and family farms.” He also began writing a daily journal exploring the idea of reflection while he was in Japan. “And that’s what writing is, I think,” he said. “The ability to stop, pause, and reflect on what you see, feel, experience, and then write about it.”

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The journals helped him to see the world through a different lens, with the focus of a writer. His first book, Country Voices: The Oral History of a Japanese American Family Farm Community, published in 1987, was followed by Epitaph for a Peach, in 1996 and Harvest Son, Planting Roots in American Soil in 1998. “Every time I looked at the world around me, stories burst out,” he said. “When I wrote Epitaph for a Peach, it was clearly this fantastic peach that became homeless and it was a story that just leaped out. I said I have to write about this peach.” When his father suffered a major stroke, Masumoto had to take him back to the farm and re-train him as a farmer to help him recover. Wisdom of the Last Farmer: Harvesting Legacies from the Land (2009) developed out of the new relationship he was forming with his father. The story, too, “leaped out,” he said, as he explored what it meant to become a peer of his father and call himself a farmer along with him. Even though stories were throwing themselves at him begging to be written, getting published did not come easily at first. “It was terrible and hard, lots of rejection slips,” he said. He went through major self-doubt before he began to find a few agents who were interested. He chose one from Seattle. “She was wonderful,” he said. “She believed in my voice. She told me, ‘Mas, just tell the story.’ She gave me confidence to keep writing and believing there was an audience for my voice and the words that I wrote.” He said he was also fortunate that this was the early 1990s, a time when memoirs were becoming popular. This was combined with a growing interest in food and the story behind food. His peach story sold very well and continues to be popular. It has been reprinted more than 20 times and is still in print 16 years after publication. “It was wonderfully received by the world of food and people interested in that,” he said. Epitaph for a Peach even won a Julia Child Cookbook award in the category of literary food writing. Before winning, he never knew there was such an award, because he never wrote a cookbook. 36

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“I was very honored to receive the award and meet Julia,” he said, “and meet these fantastic people – writers and authors and people in the restaurant world. Right around that time, there was a whole explosion in the food world and it had room for non-chefs. Stories of farmers and families and rural communities fit perfectly into that.” The award was significant for him, he said, because it connected him with the world of food, while before that he was simply a writer and a farmer. Two other awards he especially appreciates were from the California Commonwealth Club for Harvest Son, and his alumni award of distinction from the UC Davis School of Agriculture. “That was wonderful to see the academy and the university recognize that this small voice from a little farming town in the Central Valley had a place within the larger academy.” Masumoto sees his life as a farmer, writer and family man as an integrated whole. He can’t separate the work that he does from his family. His children, growing up, saw him staying awake at night worrying about a frost, for instance. “It was nothing I tried to hide, nor separate,” he said. “Farming, family, community, culture, spirituality of the work that I do, all those I purposely try to integrate as opposed to separate. It’s how I work – sometimes successful, sometimes very trying. When you are unable to separate your work from play, it gets to be very tense at times. But that is part of the life I have chosen and the life I want to portray in my words and stories. “ Matsumoto is currently working with his wife and daughter, Nikiko, on a Masumoto Family Farm Cookbook. The women are great cooks, he said, so they are providing the recipes, while he writes most of the essays and stories. Nikiko will be following in her father’s footsteps by writing some of the essays. She is also following his example by coming home from Berkeley to add another generation’s touch to the organic peaches and grapes that please the palates and feed the souls of those who enjoy the fruits of David Mas Masumoto’s integrated labors.

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W WINE

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Mike Sinor's

Passion for Wine Text by By Robert Hight

he late Robert Mondavi, the godfather of the modern California wine industry, championed the notion that “wine is food.” It was his mantra as he became the point-man for the flowering of the industry. He felt the key to improving quality and increased sales was to inextricably tie wine drinking with dining. Drinking certain wines with particular foods enhances the taste of both. Today, chefs – both at restaurants and at home – seek to pair wine and foods where the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. Christmas, Thanksgiving, the 4th of July, Easter and Valentine’s Day bring to mind wine pairings with the foods associated with those days. As we celebrate the beginning of spring, one wine, pinot noir, particularly lends itself to the lighter foods we prepare and enjoy at this time of the year. In the world of wine, nothing speaks greater to the success of the finished product, especially pinot noir, than the place where the grapes were grown and the passion of the winemaker. If it’s true in life that behind every great man is a better woman, in winemaking it seems to be true that behind every great bottle is a better winemaker. Mike Sinor, winemaker at Ancient Peaks Winery and Sinor-Lavallee Wines typifies this with an unsurpassed attention to detail, knowledge of his craft, and a heart-felt passion that expresses itself in the wine he makes. Vintage after vintage, for over 20 years, he has consistently taken what nature has given him and with a personal touch, created some of the finest, most interesting wines made in California. Growing up in Visalia, the Mt. Whitney Class of 1988 graduate never thought for a moment his career path in life would take a right turn toward the vineyards of the Central Coast of California. It was only when he started working various jobs at wineries during his years attending Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo that he found an outlet for his passion and creativity that could satisfy those needs and allow him to make a comfortable living. Mike has said that “winemaking seemed to find [him].” But it seems that it was more of a collision course – two immovable objects, traveling at light speed: one, his unbridled drive and passion, meeting two, the flowering of the golden age of Central Coast wine. Most winemakers, even those with college degrees in enology, don’t start at the top. It takes years of hard work, including performing the most mundane of tasks such as pruning vines, washing equipment, sorting grapes, more washing and more cleaning, spending hour upon hour in the vineyards, gauging the pulse of the vines and the rhythm of the growing season, carefully watching and meticulously noting the performance of each vine as they race toward optimum ripeness. And so it was with Mike. He started his career at Corbett Canyon Winery in the Edna Valley near San Luis Obispo. Moving on to Byron Winery, then owned by Robert Mondavi, his passion and talent for the job were

immediately evident. He quickly rose to the position of assistant winemaker and honed his skills making pinot noir, perhaps the most difficult of all wine grapes to grow. Continuing his ascent, in 2000 he was hired as winemaker at Domaine Alfred Winery, again in the Edna Valley. It was here that he cemented his reputation as an outstanding enologist. His 2004 Domaine Alfred Chamisal and Califa pinot noirs rank as some of the finest California pinots ever made. On a 100 point scale, Wine Spectator rated the Chamisal at 94 points and the flagship Califa at 96 points. Mike Sinor was on the map. In 2006 opportunity knocked. Mike resigned from Domaine Alfred and was hired by the owners of the Margarita Vineyard to start Ancient Peaks. This winery and vineyard, located in the southern-most portion of the Paso Robles appellation produces wines that are associated with warm weather grapes: Cabernet, Merlot, Zinfandel and others. With Mike at the helm, the wines have grown in quality, vintage after vintage. Wine Spectator magazine recognized the wines for having an excellent quality-toprice ratio. As warm as grape growing is at the famous Margarita Vineyard, the cool-weather-loving pinot noir thrives in the regions of the Central Coast where the cool ocean breezes moderate the high temperatures and allow for a long growing season. Mike’s first passion with wine is pinot noir. With his wife, Cherri, in 1997, he started Sinor-Lavallee Winery with the purpose of making hand crafted pinot noir in the Burgundian style. In addition to pinot noir, he also makes a syrah with grapes sourced from the Luna Matta Vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles. The nexus of this has been to choose site-specific vines that seem to define and exemplify the place where the grapes are grown. The French call it terroir: the influence of a piece of earth on the taste of wine. Sinor-Lavallee sources their pinot grapes from a block of the eponoymous Tally-Rincon Vineyard and separate blocks from the most northern, western and eastern portions of the Aubaine Vineyard in Arroyo Grande. Each block of vines imparts a particular piece in the complex puzzle that creates these premium wines. Its exposure to the sun, access to cooling breezes and soil composition leave their mark and identify the wines as surely as fingerprints identify humans. Sinor-Lavallee pinot noir, with Mike’s deft guidance, is as fine an example of terrior as you can experience. Judging by his success, Mike Sinor has shown his willingness to accept opportunities and take creative risks to pursue his passion. That passion is our good fortune, times two. We find it in the bottles of wine he has crafted for Sinor-Lavallee and Ancient Peaks. Each bottle, when opened, will remind us of this outstanding winemaker and his commitment to excellence.

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E EXHIBIT

THE LISA PROJECT: Everything you thought you knew about child abuse is about to change. Text by Staff Writer | Photos by Taylor Vaughn

efore Morgan Spurlock's 30 Days (a reality television show), it was not often an individual had the opportunity to immerse themself in another's life for the sake of learning. But that was the idea looming over the dinner table one January 2010 evening when the question, “Why can't we take a child by the hand and let them tell you their story?” was asked. When Gene Hardin decided it was time to make a real impact about child abuse awareness, a “walk in their shoes” was the answer. Hardin, The Lisa Project's creator and member of the Child Abuse Prevention Council, wanted to reach people about child abuse in a whole new way. With the help of colleauges and family memebers, an empty box was transformed into a very “real life” stage set in just four months. The exhibit began in Stockton, CA, and has made its way to Visalia for the second time.

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It won't take 30 days to be affected by the message of The Lisa Project; the entire exhibit takes less than 30 minutes, and the first three is enough to awaken visitors as they listen to the real-life audio of fiveyear-old Lisa's 9-1-1 call. “Everything you thought you knew about child abuse is about to change,” says Lisa. Lisa's story is the first of six in the unique experience of the multisensory, walk-through exhibit. Visitors are taken from room to room— each of which are authentically staged to resemble a child's tragic reality, even down to the smell—as they listen to audio narration from each child's perspective as they tell their story of abuse, first-hand. The effects of child abuse do not end when childhood is over; a distorted self-image is often carried on into adulthood, and abuse often begins in a new generation. Statistics painted on the walls report, “Adults who were abused as children are typically diagnosed with at least one psychological disorder,” and, “thirty percent of abused children will later abuse their own children, continuing the horrible cycle of abuse.” At the exhibit's pre-opening event, Hardin went on to remind the audience that children do not get to choose the family they're born into. He concluded, “We don't give a voice to these kids. They have a voice, we just turn up the volume because they are powerless to stop it.” The Lisa Project is located in the Sears parking lot next to Rabobank in Visalia, and open until the end of April. Due to its mature content, children under 13 will not be allowed in the exhibit.

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To Mexico with love:

Visalia Surgeon Helps Restore Faces And Futures Text by Staff Writer

lex Lechtman, MD, has a comfortable plastic surgery practice in Visalia, providing operations that are largely elective. But for years he has put aside the comforts of home to travel to Mexico where he and a volunteer medical team called Interface provide life-changing facial surgeries for children. This year, Dr. Lechtman was met in La Piedad, Mexico, by 150 patients waiting for the miracle workers who would restore their faces and their futures. “We did 83 operations in two days,” Dr. Lechtman recalled. “It is an incredible opportunity to take what we have learned into this area of the world where children couldn’t otherwise access these skills, and to give back to them what was given to me in my education.” The team consisted of seven plastic surgeons, five anesthesiology providers, a speech therapist, a translator, operating room nurses, technicians and recovery room nurses. Their main focus each year is generally cleft lip and cleft palate surgeries, he explained. “In this area of central Mexico, the people are of Incan and Mayan descent and are genetically predisposed to cleft lip and palate,” Dr. Lechtman explained. “They also suffer from a lack of B vitamins because it is difficult to grow green leafy vegetables in their mountains.” A cleft lip is a physical split or separation of the two sides of the upper lip and appears as an opening or gap in the skin of the upper lip. This separation often extends beyond the base of the nose and includes the bones of the upper jaw and/or upper gum. A cleft palate is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth; it can involve the hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), and/or the soft palate (the soft back portion of the roof of the mouth). The result of this birth defect is an otherwise permanent disfigurement and a wide variety of resulting health issues. “These children are often shunned in society because of the birth

defect – which some consider a curse,” Dr. Lechtman said. “They don’t go to school and they are kept in the house. With repair, they are more socially accepted so they can get an education and get married – all the things we take for granted. The parents experience a huge sense of relief that their children came through the surgery well and that there are options open to them.” Cleft lip and palate patients require a series of surgeries in order to build facial structures, as well as speech therapy. The Interface team has been traveling to La Piedad for 27 years, and that continuity is essential to their patients’ ongoing care. “It helps alleviate the parents’ uncertainty, knowing that the Interface team will be back for follow-up surgeries and that we connect them with local caregivers,” Dr. Lechtman said. “We help them understand post-surgical care and what to expect. We see the same kids many times and get to know them pretty well.” The Interface team is a group of “incredible human beings,” and Dr. Lechtman welcomes the opportunity to work with and learn from them. Plastic surgery lends itself well to such humanitarian efforts because it requires a reasonably small set of tools and equipment and the post-operative recovery time is one night, at most. “We utilize the standard operating techniques of plastic surgery and we do amazing things for these kids. Other surgical procedures would require too much equipment or too much recovery time. ” Without physicians such as Dr. Lechtman and the Interface team, these children face shortened life spans, eating problems, ear infections and hearing loss, speech problems and dental problems. Cleft lip and palate is the fourth most common birth defect in the United States, and so is not uncommon locally, Dr. Lechtman added. “We have a cleft lip and palate panel here in Tulare County – the only one between Los Angeles and Madera,” he noted. “It is funded through California Children’s Services and Kaweah Delta Medical Center and is designed to provide services to lower-income families facing disabling medical conditions.” Genetics play a part, he reiterated, making it simply “the luck of PICTURED: Alex Lechtman, MD, performs surgery on a child born with a cleft lip during his most recent trip to La Piedad, Mexico. The conditions of the operating room are quite unlike those of the Sequoia Surgery Center, where Dr. Lechtman performs plastic surgery in Visalia. Plastic surgery requires little equipment and offers a quick recovery, making it the perfect specialty for changing lives.

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the draw” for some people. It is more common in Hispanics and Asians, followed by Caucasians. People of African descent have the lowest genetic risk. Dr. Lechtman is a graduate of the UC San Diego School of Medicine, where the Interface program began. He then served his general surgery internship, his residency in general surgery and then plastic surgery at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. He is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and has been since 2000. Since 1999, Dr. Lechtman has practiced at The Aesthetic Center of Visalia Medical Clinic. His practice is physically separate from the large medical clinic in the beautiful Mission Oaks office complex. He performs surgery at Sequoia Surgery Center, a small, privately owned center of surgical excellence in Visalia. Dr. Lechtman was drawn to plastic surgery by his interest in the management of wounds and the surgical correction of wounds, and the “huge change” that his techniques can make in the lives of his patients through both reconstructive and cosmetic surgeries. A job offer 12 years ago brought him to Visalia and he readily acknowledges that he had no plans to stay. But Visalia won him over.

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“Visalia is a really nice place to live and a great family town,” Dr. Lechtman said. “It is very warm and accepting and it offers ease of life – I work just one mile from my office, and I practice at just one hospital that is five miles from home. I can make reservations for the theater and dinner and not worry about having traffic as I cross town. It’s a wonderful place to live.” Dr. Lechtman is also active in the Congregation B’nai David, and has served for several years as chairman of the fund-raising committee. Through the committee’s efforts, $700,000 has been raised in just four years and the congregation now enjoys a nearly 5,000-square-foot building for education and activities. Life in La Piedad, Mexico, is truly a world apart from the comforts of life in Visalia. But for Dr. Lechtman, it is a long and tiring weekend that is very much worthwhile. “The people we meet … the people we care for, and the chance to learn from other medical professionals on the team – it is so rewarding,” Dr. Lechtman concluded. “I try to go every year, and I am always excited to be back.”

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a tip of the hat to... EMPTY BOWLS The Visalia Rescue Mission's Third Annual Empty Bowls event was held Tuesday, March 6. Over 200 guests chose hand-crafted artisan bowls (provided by Nutrius, Diamond V, and Zinpro) that the Mission filled with soup provided by The Vintage Press. Empty Bowls is an international service project to fight hunger, whose purpose is to raise money to feed the hungry, raise awareness, and have food and fellowship with like-minded community members. The bowls were free, but a donation of $25 was suggested; 100 percent of donations went directly to the Mission.

IRISH FEST Over 600 people were in attendance at the inaugural IrishFest on March 17 at Recreation Ballpark, during a convenient St. Patrickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day storm. The St. Patrick's Day atmosphere held true despite the threat of rain, as guests arrived wearing green outfits accessorized with shamrock sunglasses, beads, neon socks, and many other varieties of decorations, maintaining the spirit of the Irish holiday! IrishFest will be an annual event held at Recreation Ballpark, rain or shine.

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F FASHION

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extras! extras! Spring Fashion Accessories Text by Sharon Mosley

Hats, handbags, hairpins, and hello, shoes. Fashion would not be so fun without accessories, would it? With just a few special extras, you can transform that simple sheath dress into a glamorous style statement. Here are the top 10 new accessory trends to add to your wardrobe this spring:

talking about those little skinny ones, either. Make it wide and make it a big part of the “new look” for spring.

1. Serious sandals. The newest shoes are showstoppers. Leave your flip-flops at the beach, and step out in shoes that have major personality. They’re out there. Go artsy. Don’t be shy, and go for colorful combinations, shimmering details and architectural silhouettes.

7. Stellar sunglasses. These are not your typical Ray-Ban wayfarers. The shades this spring and summer are much more interesting in unusual shapes and colored lenses. Check out the retro-inspired looks updated in chic “geek” frames.

2. Fabulous fauna. Flowers have lots of power this spring, so pick a bunch of pretty petals adorning flirty shoes, printed clutches and sparkling hair accessories. 3. Ladylike handbags. Structure is the thing this spring with handbags. Whether it’s a boxy clutch or a framed doctor’s bag, top-handled bags are making a big comeback, especially in pastel sorbet colors. These bigger bags are functional as well, with plenty of room for electronic devices. 4. Arm candy. Don’t be afraid to pile on the oversized bangles this season. From golden snakes that crawl up your arm to braided leather wraps to wooden cuffs. Think tribal and go native.

6. Exotic earrings. Whether you like crystal clusters or long and dangling, earrings are one of the best ways to change up your everyday uniform. And don’t be afraid to wear these expressive accessories even during the day.

8. Funky hats. From printed baseball hats to menswear fedoras to oversized floppy brims, hats are a great way this spring and summer to put some personality into your wardrobe, not to mention protect your skin from sun damage. Look for hats to become more and more of a fashion statement. 9. Statement necklaces. When it comes to necklaces this spring, the bigger, the better. The bib necklace is a major scene-stealer. Ditto for the long chains or ropes of pearls á la the flapper days. No need for much of anything else, if you’ve got this kind of bling around your neck! 10. Jumbo cocktail rings. These are fun, fun, fun. If you haven’t snagged one of these inexpensive costume rings yet, then you’re missing a great accessory moment. In whimsical styles and colorful gemstones, there’s a ring for every outfit.

5. Bold belts. With the waist back in the fashion spotlight again (think peplum tops and jackets), the belt is once again making a statement. And we’re not

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

P PERFORMANCES Text By Jordan Venema

Monk's Secrets | Saturday, April 28 Visalia Fox Theatre | 7:30p | 732-8600

There will always be the night sky... For those who missed Tulare County Symphony’s penultimate performance of its 2011-2012 season, there will always be the night sky. It may not seem that sitting on a patch of grass under the stars could compare to a cushioned seat in a theater, but even without a 90-member orchestra, those distant planets and shining stars are more than capable of putting on their own awe-inspiring show. Which is why, perhaps, Tulare County Symphony chose English composer Gustav Holst’s symphony The Planets as the major work for its latest performance, to combine a stellar theme with out-of-thisworld orchestration. For 52 seasons, the Tulare County Symphony has consistently performed at a professional level, but in its last performance the orchestra reached new heights, so to say. The show, titled Up, Up and Away, used two ethereal compositions to represent its upward theme: Night on Bald Mountain by Modest Mussorgsky, and The Planets by Gustav Holst. While it’s common to divide symphonies into musical units called movements, the titles and themes of these compositions also suggest movements of another kind – a more literal and physical movement, up and away, from the height of a mountaintop to the planets’ revolutions in space. But for those who attended the concert on the evening of March 3, 2012, that movement never took them farther than their seats in Visalia’s Fox Theatre – not physically, anyway. The first composition, Modesto Mussorgsky’s Night on Bald Mountain, Kiesling described as an “exciting and colorful piece.” The word “bald” in English also means bare, Kiesling pointed out, while the Russian equivalent hasn’t the same dual meaning. So while it makes sense in English to describe a mountain as bald, the word in Russian is intended as a “kind of a pun.” Following a brief pause, Kiesling added with a humorist’s timing, “It would be funnier if we were in Kiev right now.” Kiesling also felt that the original title, The Witches, was “more descriptive than Night on Bald Mountain.” It is likely that Disney agreed with Kiesling, since Night on Bald Mountain was adapted into the score for Disney’s Fantasia, the popular 1940 film in which Mickey Mouse appears as an overreaching magician. The evening’s second and “major work” was Holst’s The Planets, a symphony divided into seven movements: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. “Each of the movements is based on an astrological version of the person who they are named after,” Kiesling explained, which is why the orchestral-suite does not include movements for either Earth or Pluto – the former hasn’t astrological significance and the latter wasn’t discovered until 1930, long after Holst completed the piece in 1916. Still, as Kiesling pointed out, Holst could have written an eighth movement after 1930, but “perhaps he was very forward thinking” and knew the planet would eventually be demoted. 52

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

“Mars,” Kiesling described as “mechanized and growling” and “Venus,” he said, “could not be more Eden-like. It’s so beautiful and luscious.” Mercury he called “light and fun” and “Saturn,” which is Kiesling’s favorite movement, illustrates the “different stages of life.” The Tulare County Orchestra, which had a larger than usual repertoire of instrumentalists (92 listed in the program), captured the vivacity of the movements with a fullness that cannot be duplicated in a recording. While outer space sometimes conveys an idea of something cold, silent and empty, Holst’s symphony is anything but. There is a quality in Holst’s work that is reminiscent of the wonder a child experiences while looking at the stars. And in a time before science could tell us more about the planets, the ancients, too, shared this childlike view of the heavens. In his book The Discarded Image, C.S. Lewis describes the classical and medieval cosmos – the stars, planets and heavens – as “a world lighted, warmed, and resonant with music.” In light of advances in astronomy and the discovery that the planets were inhospitable balls of gas, rock and ice, Holst preferred to depict a more wondrous view of the planets. His success at conveying the heavens as “a world lighted, warmed, and resonant with music,” might best be gauged by the responses of the audience at Up, Up and Away. Brian Johnson, pastor of worship arts at Visalia’s Grace Community Church and former piano soloist for Tulare County Symphony, was one member of the audience who thoroughly enjoyed the performance. He described being “viscerally moved by the power and rhythmic precision of the string section” during Holst’s first movement. And fitting with the upward theme of the evening, Johnson “found [himself] in brass heaven several times throughout.” And judging from the many audience members who closed their eyes and smiled unconsciously throughout the performance, Johnson was not the only attendee moved by the orchestra. Johnson is especially grateful for the number of professional players that perform with the symphony. He added, “Visalia is extremely fortunate to have so many first-rate players living in its vicinity.” And he’s right. Besides conducting the Tulare County Symphony Orchestra, Kiesling also conducts the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) and composes film scores, which perhaps explains the choice for the evening’s encore, a movement from John William’s score for the movie Star Wars. After the encore, the audience showed their own gratitude for the quality of the performance by giving a standing ovation with a robust applause and bravos. Tulare County Symphony’s 20112012 season ends with its last show in April, but the orchestra’s performance of Holst’s The Planets reminds that so long as the stars shine and the planets keep their course there will never go a night without a good show.

PERFORMANCES P

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LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

h happenings

California Antique Farm Equipment Show The Annual California Antique Farm Equipment Show is a celebration of California’s rich agricultural heritage, with antique equipment collectors from all over California and the US showcasing their prized possessions for the public to see. $8 general admission; children 12 and under, free. When: April 20–22, 8a Where: International Agri-Center, 4450 S. Laspina St., Tulare Contact: 688-1751

Theater & Performances

APR 22

Music at the Main Presents: Domonique Launey Launey is no stranger to Tulare County, having mesmerized audiences as a soloist with the Tulare County Symphony. Winner of the Gold Medal at L’Academie de Musique for piano performance, she has performed as a stand-alone soloist, as a chamber musician, and as featured soloist with orchestras all over the US and Europe. Her moving interpretations of classical standards will leave you feeling like you are hearing them for the first time. When: April 22, 3p Where: Main Street Theatre, 307 E. Main St., Visalia Contact: 739-4600 The Enchanted Playhouse Theatre Co. Presents Pinocchio Recreated on the stage is the story of the willful little wooden marionette who runs away from the carpenter, Geppetto, to encounter a host of fantastic adventures. On his journey he joins a traveling marionette show, gets tricked by a songand-dance fox and cat, meets the magical Blue Fairy, and finds himself turned into a donkey. And after all of that, he has to rescue Geppetto from a sea monster! Will he ever get his wish of becoming a real boy? Come find out! When: April 27–29, May 4–6, 11 & 13, Evenings, 7p; Matinee, 2p Where: Main Street Theatre, 307 E. Main St., Visalia Contact: 739-4600

APR 29

Humble Boy All is not well in the Humble hive. Felix Humble returns home after the sudden death of his father, James, an amateur beekeeper. He returns to the “hive” and his demanding mother, Flora, a glamorous former showgirl. Mother and son attempt to reconcile themselves to James’ death and to each other. The emotional turmoil increases with the arrival of George, Flora’s longtime lover, and his daughter Rosie, Felix’s former girlfriend! It is a play imbued with heartbreak and wit. When: May 4–6, 11–13, 18–20, Evenings at 7:30p; Sunday matinees at 2p Where: The Ice House Theatre, 410 E. Race Ave., Visalia Contact: 734-3900

Merging Hearts & Hands: A Night of Music at TCC Fusion School of Music and Hands in the Community present this night of music featuring Emily de Graaf and Martin Mora. Tickets will be sold at Tulare Community Church and Sunrise Community Church, HNC and at the door. Tickets: students and seniors, $5; adults, $10. When: April 29, 6-7:30p Where: Tulare Community Church, 1820 N. Gem St., Tulare Contact: hncvisalia@yahoo.com

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

MAY 5

Chicano Comedy All-Stars Chicano Comedy All-Stars presents special guest Manny Maldonado as seen on Comedy Central, BET, and ABC. This event is 18 and over. When: May 5, 7p Where: Fox Theatre, 300 W. Main St., Visalia Contact: 625-1369 POP ROCKS: Music Milestones and Legends The El Diamante High School Choral Department is presenting POP ROCKS: Music Milestones and Legends. The annual spring show will feature five different choirs and solo performances. Tickets are available from the El Diamante Choral Department and at the door. Tickets are $8 for general admission and $5 for students with valid ID. When: May 11 & 12, 7p Where: L.J. Williams Theatre, Contact: 735-3526 or EDHSchoirboosters@gmail. com

MAY 18

Natalie Cole Accompanied by the Tulare County Symphony Nine-time GRAMMY award winner singer/songwriter Natalie Cole has proven to be one of the most beloved performers of all time. She rocketed to stardom in 1975 with her debut album, Inseparable, earning her a #1 single, “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).” This black-tie, formal affair benefits our FINISH THE FOX campaign. Tickets: $100-$150. When: May 18, 7p Where: Fox Theatre, 300 W. Main St., Visalia Contact: 625-1369

happenings H

21st Annual Walk-A-Dog-A-Thon Collect donations, sponsorships and walk with your pet and/or your team. In addition to the walk there will be a raffle, vendor booths, canine agility course, doggie contests including best trick, happiest wag, and owner-and-dog look-alike contest, VOSPCA pet adoptions, and more. For rules, entry forms and more, visit website below. When: April 21, 8:30a Where: Plaza Park, Visalia Contact: 651-1111 or www.vospca.org

Art Exhibits Watermedia Batik: A Mixed Media Approach The Arts Alliance of Three Rivers invites you to create mixed media paintings, exploring a special batik technique with Japanese Masa rice paper mounted on canvas. The “dropped-in color” watercolor technique process will be investigated on the Masa paper support with a variety of watermedia hues. This method involves hue fusion, allowing the water to move color on the paper surface to create interesting values changes, color mixtures, and textures. Instructor: Helen Shafer Garcia. When: April 21–22, 10-4p Where: St. Anthony Retreat Center, 43816 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers Contact: 561-4671 Place/Time: Installation Exhibition by Bachrun LoMele In this upcoming solo exhibition, Bachrun LoMele will transform the gallery spaces at Arts Visalia, literally bringing the walls of his Badger, California, studio to the walls of Arts Visalia. LoMele will recreate the very walls of his own studio, making faux wood panels, doorways, windows and lumber – re-imagined. When: May 2–26; Reception: May 4, 6-8p Where: Arts Visalia, 214 E. Oak Ave., Visalia Contact: 739-0905 The Courage to Remember The exhibit, a tolerance project based on the Holocaust, provided by the Foundation for California from the Museum of Tolerance will be on display at one of the local Jewish sanctuaries in town. Ms. Elane Geller, a Holocaust survivor, will be giving a presentation not to be missed from May 7–11. When: May 3–4, 6–11, 13–14; Monday–Friday: 9a5p; Sunday: 1-5p Where: Congregation B’Nai David, 1039 S. Chinowth St., Visalia Contact: 635-0268

MAY 4

MAY 5

First Fridays Art Tour An interactive, progressive art show organized by the Arts Council of Tulare County, this art-infused event is fueled by local artists and venues and takes place the first Friday of each month. Art lovers and enthusiasts fill Downtown Visalia to meet and greet with the artists and enjoy the reception and music. Restaurants, studios, galleries and other venues don their blue lanterns and open exhibitions to the public for this free event. When: May 4, 5:30-8:30p Where: Downtown Visalia Contact: downtown@artsTC.org 1st Saturday in Three Rivers Celebrate art, music, dance, storytelling, food and drink as you browse the art galleries, studios and gift shops of Downtown Three Rivers. For discounts and participants visit website. When: May 5, 10a-5p Where: Maps at Anne Lang’s Emporium, 41651 Sierra Dr., Three Rivers Contact: Nadi Spencer, 561-4373 or visit www.1stSaturdayTR.com ART al fresco – Art Show and Sale The following 12 artists will have work on display: Andrea Guay, Betty Berk, Toni Best, Deb Nolan, Jeff Kelly, Jeri Burzin, Joy Harvey, Leonora Pescosolido, John Sundstrom, Linda Victory, Linda Hengst, and Elsah Cort. Cost: FREE. When: May 5, 12-5p Where: Sundstrom Studio, 37736 Road 197, Elderwood Contact: Chris Sundstrom, 564-2331

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

h happenings

The Lisa Project The Lisa Project is a unique multi-sensory exhibit experience allowing the visitor to hear, see and experience the reality of the world of child abuse. Through audio narration from a child’s perspective visitors are guided room by room through scenarios depicting abuse. This experience is fully immersing each guest into the world that these children face on a daily basis. The exhibit is rated PG-13 due to some mature content. The result of this experience is a community that is made more aware with positive and helpful steps given at the end of the tour to protect children and strengthen families. When: April 21 & 28, 9a-5p; 22 1-5p; 26 & 27 12-8p; 28 9a-5p; 29 1-5p Where: Sequoia Mall, 3303 S. Mooney Blvd., Visalia Contact: 735-0456

Diversions & Excursions

APR 21

APR 27

Hidden Gardens of Three Rivers Tour 2012 This year’s gardens highlight beauty, diversity, and conservation of California native plants. This year’s featured celebrity garden is property of Neal Baer, executive producer of Law and Order, ER, and A Gifted Man. Tour participants are allowed access to home as walk-through from one area to next. At each of the gardens are working artists and their wares, musicians and “A Taste of Three Rivers” that includes samplings from local restaurants. Tours held rain or shine. When: April 21, 11a-4p Where: Three Rivers Contact: 471-6624 or 349-7980 The Enchanted Reef: Planetarium Public Show This program transports the viewer to a tropical reef, a one-of-a-kind world: colorful and foreign, full of adventure and danger, riddles and mysteries, old legends and myths ... a world inhabited by creatures. An exciting adventure for the whole family. Weather permitting, there will be a telescope observation site near the Planetarium after the show, provided by the Tulare Astronomical Association. When: April 27, 7p Where: Peña Planetarium, 2500 W. Burrel Ave., Visalia Contact: 737-6334

MAY 5

Cinco de Mayo Celebration Come join the 3rd Annual Tulare-Kings Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Cinco de Mayo Celebration with food, entertainment, Cinco de Mayo Queen Coronation, and fun for the whole family to enjoy. When: May 5, 10a-5p Where: Garden Street Plaza, Visalia Contact: 734-6020 or www.tkhcc.net

MAY 11

Saturn: Jewel of the Heavens Once a planet of great mystery, now we know more than ever before about its amazing system of rings, moons and storms thanks to modern robotic space pioneers. From its bizarre moons with mysterious features to the millions of icy particles that compose the enigmatic rings, this is a three-dimensional tour of the Saturnian system. When: May 11, 7p Where: Peña Planetarium, 2500 W. Burrel Ave., Visalia Contact: 737-6334

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

MAY 12

Woodlake Lions Rodeo With hats a flyin’ and bulls a buck’n, the 59th Annual Woodlake Lions Rodeo is sure to be a good oldfashioned time. Amidst the beautiful backgrounds of the Sierra Nevadas, cowboys and cowgirls compete for money in rodeo events while spectators get to enjoy the show, food and fun at this all-time favorite event. When: May 12–13 Where: 19400 Avenue 398, Woodlake Contact: 564-8555 or www.woodlakelionsrodeo.org RedBud Festival in Three Rivers Redbud Arts & Crafts is a two-day arts and crafts festival, also featuring local musicians and food. The event is sponsored by the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers and is well attended by Three Rivers and surrounding communities. About 56 artists and crafters participate yearly. Proceeds support the Lorraine Young Memorial Scholarship Fund for scholarships to local art students and the activities of the Arts Alliance of Three Rivers. When: May 12–13, 10a-5p/4p Where: Lions Roping Arena, 42490 Kaweah River Dr., Three Rivers Contact: 561-4417 or www.artsthreerivers.org

MAY 17 MAY 18

35th Armenian Food Festival Come and enjoy a delicious lulu kebab meal. You may dine in or take out lunch or dinner. Armenian treats are also available. When: May 17, 11a-2p; 5-8p Where: Visalia Memorial Building, 609 W. Center Ave., Visalia Contact: 733-8741 Blues, Brews & BBQ Join in on live music by Bad Luck and Trouble, delicious barbecue and refreshing beverages at this fun downtown event. When: May 18, 6-10p Where: Garden Street Plaza, Visalia Contact: 732-7737 or visit www.bluesbrewsandbbq.net

happenings H

Visalia Farmers’ Market – Harvest of the Valley Weekly event open to the public featuring free live music, kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations and local, fresh produce available for purchase. When: Thursdays – Downtown Visalia, 5-8p / Saturdays – Sequoia Mall, Sears parking lot 8-11:30a Where: Church & Main / Sears parking lot at Mooney and Caldwell, Visalia Contact: 967-6722 or www.visaliafarmersmarket.com

Charitable Events

MAY 18

7th Annual Birdhouse Auction Habitat for Humanity’s 7th Annual Birdhouse Auction features birdhouses, created by local artists, up for the highest bid. In addition there’s great food from local restaurants, wine tasting from local wineries, and Haagen Dazs Ice Cream. Local DJ Greg Storseth and Auctioneer Flint Epps will host the event. When: May 18, 6:30p Where: Tulare County Fairgrounds, 215 Martin Luther King Junior Ave., Tulare Contact: 734-4040

Writers & Readers

MAY 12

Tulare READ Rocks There will be live music performed by a variety of local talent, family activities and food for a small charge. It is also a fundraiser for the literacy program to continue support of those seeking to achieve their literacy goals. When: May 12, 12-5p Where: Tulare Public Library, 475 N. M St., Tulare Contact: 685-4516 Tulare County Library First Tuesday Book Club (May 1, 6:30p) Mystery Readers (May 16, 6:30p) Where: Tulare County Library, 200 W. Oak Ave., Visalia Contact: 713-2700 or www.tularecountylibrary.org

APR 15

LIFESTYLE | APRIL 2012

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