THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW

LOCAL

THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS

UOP STUDENT DYLAN BLISS WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES AT GOLDEN 1 CENTER

BY NORA HESTON TARTE / D SOPHIA ELLE

SPOTLIGHT

Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Tyler the Creator, Eric Church, Daddy Yankee, Pepe Aguilar, and WWE Live. It’s an impressive list of entertainers to have worked with at 20-years-old. But, for UOP Student Dylan Bliss, a member of concert support staff at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, it’s par for the course.

As a music industry studies major, Dylan is right where she wants to be. “I hope to work with Golden 1 as long as I can,” she says. “As concert support, I go wherever I’m needed. One show I could be running errands and picking up food for the production office, another show I could be working as a VIP assistant checking in all the VIP attendees, or I could be putting wristbands on attendees who are in the general admission pit.”

While her job at Golden 1 fits right in line with her career path, she actually landed the important gig by chance. “Through connections at UOP, I was able to work in the box office at a festival in Napa called BottleRock in 2021,” Dylan explains. That’s when she met a concert goer just by making small talk while assisting with the ticketing process. It turns out that particular attendee was the director of event management at Golden 1 Center. “We exchanged contact information and she asked a few questions throughout the festival weekend, and then a few months later I reached out to her. She asked if I wanted a job and now here I am!”

The gig is undoubtedly preparing Dylan for her future. Wearing so many hats, she’s learning the ins and outs of the live concert business, whether it involves working with fans for VIP experiences at a WWE Live! event or picking up fifty pounds of goat meet for an A-list celebrity’s 200-member touring crew.

“Being able to have a place directly in the live aspect of music is extremely beneficial to me,” Dylan says. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

SPOTLIGHT

BRINGING SIDESHOW TO THE MAIN STAGE

STOCKTON NATIVE MAT FALLS MAKES POP CULTURE INTO FINE ART

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

As a kid, Mat Falls used to rush home from school to create sculptures. Exposed to science fiction and horror films at a young age, he was enthralled with the monsters on the screen so much so that he would stay up late to watch Bob Wilkins’ "Creature Features" and full-length genre films whenever he could.

The world was a different place when Mat grew up in Stockton. “I knew then that I wanted to be in the film business, but there was no internet with a wealth of knowledge of these films,” he says. “Instead, I would buy pulp magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland and Fangoria.”

Soaking up as much of the culture as he could, Mat had another barrier; there weren’t any programs or courses locally at the time that could propel him into the film industry. So, when a production company came to Stockton in the early 1980s to film what Mat describes as “a forgettable movie,” called The Vals, he asked for advice. The film crew told him to go to Los Angeles—and he did.

“My training came from watching and learning from an exceptional

batch of artists in the business,” Mat says, adding he didn’t go to school for art or film. “I was fortunate enough to work with some make-up effects industry greats like Rick Baker and Greg Cannom, as well as a diverse community of sculptors, painters, designers, fabricators, etc.”

Working retail jobs to make ends meet, he quickly got into special effects makeup, but Jurassic Park sent him hurtling into a new direction and back to his roots, creating upgraded versions of the sculptures he was making as a kid while filming stop-motion animation movies with his Super 8 camera. The shift originally came from a fear that special effects makeup would no longer be as necessary to film as technology took over, and it was then that he met his partner Greg Anzalone. What started as creating prototypes for Mattel quickly morphed into designing miniature sculptures of classic movie monsters for mass consumption. Then, they decided to step it up a notch.

As more licenses trickled in and film studios started seeking out Mat and Greg’s talents, the work changed. They shifted focus to limited edition pieces that were more intricate, blending pop culture and fine art effortlessly. Over the years, they’ve created just about every super hero and movie monster you can think of. “Superheroes have never been out of fashion, historically speaking, they just have to find their way back into popular culture at the right place and time,” Mat says. “As for Sideshow, we fortunately were positioned to pick up the torch for a languishing fan base. That’s when the superhero franchise exploded and as a matter of course it was embraced by the mainstream.”

The work of Mat and Greg is now on display at the Haggin Museum as part of a temporary exhibit through January 29. “'Sci-Fi to Superheroes' brings

the fans closer to their favorite characters from Batman to Iron Man to Luke Skywalker through 2D and 3D artwork by Sideshow Collectibles’ international artists,” says Susan Obert, CEO of Haggin Museum. “Exhibitions like this help show how various art forms and genres influence one another.”

It wasn’t until Sideshow started getting involved with StocktonCon that the duo really landed on the museum’s radar. “We gained a greater understanding of the magnitude of Sideshow business and the industry as a whole,” Susan says.

The first partnership with Sideshow was in 2014 when Mat and Greg donated sculptures to be auctioned off during the "Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross exhibition." “Since that point, with help from his sister, Lisa, we have wanted to do an exhibition with Sideshow, recognizing how popular their work is and seeing how well the subject matter is received in our community. Also, as a local history museum, we take pride in spotlighting individuals from our area and so this was a fit on every level,” Susan says.

And that’s how Mat and Greg’s works landed at the Haggin Museum. “The exhibition showcases a selection of limited-edition fine art prints, statues, and figures from Sideshow’s extensive archives,” Susan says. “Visitors to the museum will see a whole pantheon of heroes, villains, monsters, and everything in between.”

HAGGIN MUSEUM

1201 N. Pershing Ave., Stockton (209) 940-6300 HagginMuseum.org

California Bucket List

BY NORA HESTON TARTE SELECTED PHOTOS BY ARAMARK DESTINATIONS

Bucket lists used to refer to a collection of accomplishments designed to complete before you die. In a lot of ways, they still do, but the glorification of experience-based travel has made bucket lists more common, even amongst those much too young to have death knocking at their door. Romanticized by movies like Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson’s The Bucket List and the Tim McGraw song “Live Like You Were Dying,” bucket lists are now suitable with timelines other than your own death, and often people have more than one “bucket list” they wish to complete.

Because California is filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, it’s easy to come up with an impressive collection of “to dos” before your expiration date—or even to complete in one year, before you turn 50, etc. Here is our collection for Golden State dwellers, filled with only the most interesting of items, (not your basic summit a mountain, but rather summit the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S.), and, if you plan accordingly, you could reasonably complete them all this year, with one adventure per month. Ready for the complete list? Read on.

PADDLE TO A LIGHTHOUSE ACCESSIBLE ONLY BY SEA

The fact that you can’t reach the 125-year-old, fully restored Point San Luis Lighthouse by land gives the monument an air of mystery, and we hope your intrigued to hear that this doesn’t mean you cannot visit.

Your excursion starts with a visit to Avila Beach Paddlesports, a paddleboard and kayak rental company located on the shores of Avila Beach. Here you are outfitted with all of the equipment you need to make the trek to Point San Luis, which takes about 30 minutes. You’ll launch from a boat dock and make your way underneath another dock (no need to duck, there’s plenty of room) past a group of heckling sea lions and swarms of adorable sea otters coasting just off shore.

Along the way an eerie scene of prehistoric-looking pelicans is enough to send a shiver up your spine, but they leave visitors alone. Get too close to one of their perches—large rocks jutting out of the sea—and they’ll scatter in a swarm to another rock further away.

If you hug the shoreline on your journey, you’ll soon come to a small stretch of beach and a wooden staircase leading up to a paved road. If you didn’t pack shoes, you’ll take the trek barefoot, ending at the lighthouse in question. In addition to walking around it and learning a little from the provided literature, we highly recommend a few rounds on the nearby tree swing. If you want to see inside of the lighthouse, you’ll need to book a tour.

Once you’ve finished, turn around and head back the way you came to complete the trip.

HIKE MOUNT WHITNEY

There are a lot of hikes that land on the bucket list of outdoor enthusiasts, but no beast is as grueling or rewarding as Mount Whitney. At 14,505 feet, it is the highest mountain peak in the contiguous United States. Part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, reaching the top involves an elevation gain of 6,656 feet over a 22.5 mile out-and-back trail. You can commit to climbing it all in one day, or take the overnight approach, but either trip requires a permit (which can be hard to come by).

If you can handle the peak in snowy conditions, a pass is easy to get, but during peak season, you’ll need to apply and get approved before entering the Mount Whitney Zone. To complete it in one day, leave early, but the best preparation is done before the day of. Acclimating to the higher altitude and prepping with grueling hikes like Half Dome and Mount Rose may help to prepare you for the punishing task ahead.

The Moaning Caverns are one of the best-known adventures in Murphy’s, but there is more than one way to tour the Gold Rush era mines that date back to the 1840s. The Spiral Tour allows for a descent using the largest single cave chamber in California built in 1922 from scrap metal scored from a WWI battleship and it’s available to explorers of all ages.

In total, the spiral staircase is 100-feet high. You’ll initially make your way 65 feet underground by way of an enclosed staircase with a 20-to-30-foot-thick ceiling. At the end, you’ll land on the marble deposit in front of openings to smaller passageways to explore. A second staircase leads an additional 10 stories to a second platform in the caverns.

The staircase boasts 144 stairs and spirals 7.5 times on its descent. The tour is accessible to anyone with the capacity to walk the steps, available year-round, and leaving at the top of every hour. In all, it takes 45 minutes to complete.

CAMP OVERNIGHT IN A TREEHOUSE IN BIG SUR

Seeing the rugged coastline of Big Sur and driving over the famous Bixby Creek Bridge are bucket list items themselves, but if you’re looking to complete the ultimate Big Sur experience, you’ll need to book your overnight accommodations at Treebones Resort.

Story time. There once was this show on Animal Planet dubbed Treehouse Masters and the men behind the brand built epic treehouses all over the country. Those same builders created a treehouse for Treebones Resort inside of Big Sur State Park, but for one reason or another, the property has kind of kept it a secret. A quick Google search unveils details of overnight stays in the unique accommodations, but it still isn’t detailed on the property’s website. Instead, you’ll need to call to book.

This overnight luxury is a step up from the property’s yurts. It sleeps two comfortably, there’s a sink with running water inside (but you’ll have to use the communal bathrooms), a private fireplace, a queen-sized bed, two Adirondack chairs seated in perfect view of the coast, and a private drawbridge to your room.

To say this once-in-a-lifetime stay is iconic may be an understatement. And with the property’s other amenities including a lodge, restaurant, yoga pavilion, in-room massage appointments, and a hot tub, there’s really no excuse not to visit.

REACH NEW HEIGHTS AT THE YOSEMITE MOUNTAINEERING SCHOOL

Getting to the highest peaks in Yosemite National Park is a common bucket list item for adventurers, and while many plan to reach their limits by hiking, it’s not the only way. The Yosemite Mountaineering School & Guide Service began in 1969, taking visitors rock climbing throughout the park. As the only authorized climbing guides in Yosemite NP, you’ll need to go through them to realize your rock climbing dreams.

Opportunities for newbies include climbing lessons, but those with some experience can take advantage of private guided climbs, and even overnight trips. Lessons are typically 7.5 hours long and guides recommend taking classes a few days in a row to perfect your skills. When you’re ready to take those skills to the highest level, you can book a private lesson and choose the climb of your choice. Options start at a ¾-day, or six hours, but can be enjoyed for five- and six-day excursions on Half Dome and El Capitan respectively. Students as young as 12 years old are welcome at the Yosemite Mountaineering School.

SLEEP IN A DOME IN JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

Domes have become a popular accommodation on sites like Airbnb and VRBO, and while they are popping up all over the world now, one of the first places to actively promote dome living nearby was in the picturesque Joshua Tree National Park.

The rugged rock formations and desert landscapes are enough to pull most to the outdoorsy mecca named for its vast collection of naturally growing twisted Joshua trees while hikers enjoy the Coachella Valley views and trails that weave in and out of Hidden Valley boulders.

In the end, what takes this vacation to the next level is where you decide to crash for the night. Sure, camping is a suitable option, but wouldn’t you rather stargaze from the comfort of your very own dome? The good news, since this phenomenon has taken off, there’s more than one, including everything from an effortlessly chic glamping dome with a large open “window” to take in the view to a completely clear dome located on 30 private acres with a deck, hot tub, and other picture-perfect amenities designed with your Instagram feed in mind.

HIT THE BEACH – ON AN ATV

There are no shortage of places to test your nerves with an ATV adventure, but regardless of how many people we ask, it seems Pismo Beach is the ultimate destination, perhaps because it just so happens to be the only place in California you’re allowed to ATV on the beach. The 315 days of sunshine each year doesn’t hurt either. And it’s also near the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area. Here, naturally formed dunes make for epic rides with a little more oomph.

You can rent gear from a nearby shop such as B.J.’s ATV Rentals in Grover Beach (six minutes from Pismo Beach) or at Steve’s ATV Rentals and Sunbuggy Fun Rentals in Oceano where both ATVs and UTVs are available.

Again, we’ve taken a bucket list item that feels good enough on its own and upped the ante to make the experience just that much better. Ziplining takes adrenaline junkies to great heights through the forest, over the mountains, in a vineyard, etc. The scenery is usually the big draw. But that all changes when you turn out the lights.

In Sonoma, at Sonoma Zipline Adventures, guests can zipline through the forest at night, adding an extra element of eerie to the activity. Dubbed the Night Flight Tour, those tree-top podiums are transformed into viewing decks for the stars, sky, and moon two hundred feet above the forest floor. On the excursion, guests will enjoy seven ziplines, two sky bridges, a 30-foot spiral staircase, and a 60-foot final rappel. All in, that’s 2,157 total feet of ziplines with the longest line reaching 800 feet.

SWIM AT A DESERT OASIS IN THE HOTTEST PLACE ON EARTH

Did you know that Death Valley is the hottest place on the planet? Summer temperatures routinely average 113 degrees, with a record of 134.1 degrees reached in 1913. While it’s known for its warm temperatures, it’s still a popular destination in large part because of Death Valley National Park’s diverse landscapes. But you may prefer visiting in winter or early spring.

The Oasis at Death Valley offers a picturesque and historic Hawaiian-style resort in the middle of the desert, complete with remodeled guest bedrooms, high-end restaurants, and a pool boasting old Hollywood glam. It almost appears like a mirage in the distance, beckoning those who are hot and tired from exploring the park to its palm tree encircled property.

There are two resorts as part of the Oasis—The Ranch at Death Valley and The Inn at Death Valley. When you stay, you’ll be able to explore both, each of which has its own pool and restaurant. The Ranch is home to an old-timey, western-style saloon while The Inn provides an easy breakfast and heavy snacks in the evenings at the lounge/bar.

While you’re there, be sure to enjoy the picturesque views. A rooftop bar is known for its stargazing year-round (best enjoyed with a glass of wine from the bar) and a wraparound patio provides seating and private access from guest bedrooms. The best spot on property, however, is the pool. Loungers and cabanas surround the iconic tiled, spring-fed waters where you can sip a pina colada ordered poolside. There is also a state-of-the-art spa and a fitness center available to guests.

RIDE A CLYDESDALE THROUGH CAMBRIA

Cambria is a cute little town on the Central Coast known for a lot of activities—wine, olallieberries, and a Christmas market among the most popular. Riding a Clydesdale (yes, those gorgeous, big-hoofed animals that once starred in Budweiser commercials) through the countryside, however, seems to be one of the town’s best-kept secrets (and it may be the only place stateside you can do it).

Covell Clydesdale Ranch was started by Tara Covell at just 15 years old, using her family’s collective (that’s the name for a group of horses) to offer rides to the community. With views of the Pacific Ocean, you can walk, gallop, and graze with these majestic animals, and with more than 100 Clydesdales calling the ranch home, there’s an animal for every person, regardless of skill level.

The leisurely ride is made extra special by the scenery that abounds with breathtaking vistas, ocean views, and more than 2,000 acres of rolling pastures just minutes from the crashing waves.

EMBARK ON A WHITE-WATER RAFTING TRIP NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART

There are several opportunities for white water rafting throughout California, and with varying degrees of difficulty and drops, it’s easy to find one that suites the whole family. If that doesn’t sound like enough excitement, however, there are a few places you can turn for a bigger rush.

Near Auburn—just a hop, skip, and a jump away—the Middle Fork of the American River has some level three and four rapids, which are a bit more exciting than other shoots of the American River. This particular 18-mile stretch boasts steep drops and churning white water. If you were wondering just how much better it is, the minimum age is 12, while most tours on this particular river cater to those of all ages or with a minimum age of 7.

Look out for Kanaka Falls, Tunnel Chute, and Ruck-a-Chucky Falls as you careen down the American River. While most opt for a one-day trip, true adventurers will get more bang for their buck with a two–to-three-day excursion. The company warns these vacations aren’t for the faint of heart. You should know how to swim and be in good physical shape if you plan to climb aboard.

Catalina Island is likely the most popular landmark off the California Coast, but it’s also not the only one of its kind. Catalina beckons travelers from across the country to enjoy its quaint and cozy life for a few days of fun and relaxation, but there’s a more rural option for nature lovers.

The Channel Islands, located in the Pacific Ocean, include eight islands separated into two groups, the Transverse Ranges geologic province and the Peninsular Ranges province. Visiting Channel Islands National Park is easier than you think. The islands are completely uninhabited but welcome overnight guests for camping (with permits) and day trips. You can choose which island you want to visit, but most involve wildlife watching (including whale spotting in summer and winter), bird watching, and hiking.

To visit, book a tour through Island Packers. Each tour takes you to one island. Santa Cruz Island is the largest while Santa Rosa is the second largest and boasts two high mountain peaks that make for epic hiking and views. There is even an option to visit one of the largest known sea caves at Prisoners Harbor. San Miguel Island is a good choice for those looking to camp, with transportation for camper pick-up and dropoff available during the day.

RESTAURANTS | WINE | DRINKS | SWEETS

THE DISH SEASONAL SUPPERS

THE VINE HOUSE SERVES COMMUNITY-TO-TABLE FARE

BY SARAH STEFFENS / D DAN HOOD

Humans love seasons. We build tradition according to the 4 Gregorian calendar seasons. We live by routine, habit, ritual, and custom, and we refer to the earth’s elements to guide our decision-making. We jump in lakes and ride roller coasters when the sun seems to never set. We save indoor activities such as reading a good book for a rainy day. We light candles and wear cozy sweaters on chilly evenings. And we schedule an annual deep cleaning when we see fresh blades of grass making their way up the wet soil.

Perhaps the biggest way we can participate in the seasons is by eating according to them. These days it is not uncommon to have access to strawberries (with flavors that peak during spring and early summer) or Brussels sprouts (at their height during fall) year-round. We’re fortunate for this, and yet perhaps it has made it harder to tune into the foods that nature is begging us to taste at their prime.

Luckily, fixing those habits and getting in tune with nature is a quick fix. Step inside the wine bar and bistro at Ripon’s The Vine House for a dining experience that will engage your senses in a way they’ve been longing to.

The Vine House is a French-inspired restaurant with California flare, offering farm-to-table cuisine and a menu that changes with each new season. They have partnered with several local farms throughout San Joaquin Country to obtain the fruits, vegetables, cheeses, breads, wines, meats, and seafoods you will find on the menu. As a result, they are supporting the local economy, reducing the likelihood of food spoiling and wasted in transit, and cooking with ingredients that are at their nutritional and flavor peak. This, in turn, promotes balance with the earth’s resources and its life forms. This helps us, the eater, connect as well.

A common misperception of eating seasonally is that you will be limited to a small number of foods that you are sure to bore of, but The Vine House has proven it is actually quite the opposite. Their winter menu specifically includes items such as a Tartine with Sunchoke Hummus, garnished with preserved Meyer lemon, sunflower seeds, parsley, and extravirgin olive oil. Have you tried sunchokes? A tuber harvested in North America, they are eaten as a root vegetable, with nutty flavors of water chestnut, hazelnut, and jicama. Maybe you’ve passed it by at the market thinking it was ginger— they look similar. Equally impressive is that The Vine House uses sourdough in their tartines handmade by neighboring business Clean Eats.

Other menu items that serve to connect you with the land and season is their Spinach & Artichoke dip, baked until golden and served with freshly pressed cauliflower flatbread. There’s also the Butternut Squash Cavatelli with mushrooms, braised kale, pecorino

Romano, breadcrumbs, and sage. The cavatelli is made inhouse and coated in browned butter, producing a texture that is soft, yet hearty, with a subtle crunch. In short, it’s perfect pasta.

The Beef Bourguignon is slowly braised with red wine, bacon, carrots, mushrooms, onion, and smashed fingerling potatoes. Each bite is a reminder of the warm and comforting winter season.

Be sure to save room for dessert. This January, The Vine House is serving a Maple Ginger Crème Brulee. Cracking through its thin top layer of caramelized sugar is as if your spoon is happily ice-skating across a frozen—and sweet— lake. Its bottom layer of creamy custard has exactly the right balance of sugar and spice.

And of course, never skip the wine. If you’re not sure which to order, the friendly staff, a passionate bunch, are happy to guide you.

THE VINE HOUSE

222 W. River Rd. B, Ripon (209) 253-0280 TheVineHouseRipon.com

The Vine House is a French-inspired restaurant with California flare