Enjoy Magazine: South Valley Living—December 2015

®

DECEMBER 2015

South Valley Living

Magical Moments

www.enjoysouthvalley.com

Enjoy the magazine It’s on the house

Contents ®

South Valley Living DECEMBER 2015 CR A FT I NG

44 D.I.Y. Woodland Trees

DESTINATION

33 Relax the Night Away at The Cedar View Winery and B&B

GOOD FI NDS

16 Hillcrest Christmas Tree Farm in Reedley

HOLIDAY

21 Holiday Gift Guide 28 Shop Local

I NSPIR AT ION 12 A Tale of Love with Amber and Tim Kanallakan

LOCA L S

6 A Good Cup of Coffee with Mavericks’ Jordan Brown 9 Wine Tasting and Art Class Come Together at Blending Palettes

M A I N ST R EET

19 Downtown Exeter Opens House to Kick Off Your Holiday Shopping

SHOW TI ME 30 No Boundaries for Fresno Band Motel Drive

I N EV ERY ISSUE 36 38 40 42 46

Store Front—Welcome Winter Enjoy the View—Wayne Powell What’s Cookin’—Oatmeal Carmelitas Spotlight—Calendar of Events Giving Back—A Wish Your Heart Makes Brings Fairytales (and More) to Life

Cedar View Winery Photo by Jacki Potorke

Enjoy magazine is not affiliated with JOY magazine or Bauer German Premium GmbH. DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 3

r u o Y E M O H-on theD A RO 72 FULL HOOK-UPS · WIFI · PET DAY CARE

I-5 AT LIBERAL AVE • CORNING GAMING • DINING • EQUESTRIAN

WWW.ROLLINGHILLSCASINO.COM GOLF • LODGING • EVENT CENTER

DECEMBER 2015

COV ER PHOTO

Lincoln Wyatt Albertoni-Maldonado

By Tamara Orth

Saint Nicholas is beginning to check his list, silver bells are ringing and we’re all dreaming of just a little bit of snow – it’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Jump-start your holiday cheer with the Exeter Holiday Open House, which commemorates the values that this small town upholds yearround: a cohesive community, an appreciation for locally sourced goods and a readiness to come together and celebrate. Then stop by Hillcrest Tree Farms and cut down your own Christmas tree – for many, it’s a family tradition.

Reconnect with your creative roots at Blending Palettes, where guests enjoy art classes while sipping California wine. And speaking of creativity, catch a gig by Fresno’s Motel Drive, whose inspiration comes mostly from the 1950s and ‘60s.

Need to relax and unwind? Visit the award-winning Cedar View Winery in Sanger, where the owners also operate the lovely Sequoia View Bed and Breakfast.

And if you’re looking for that perfect cuppa joe to power you through that marathon shopping trip, stop by Mavericks Coffee in Visalia, where their off-the-beaten-path bean roasters will make sure you leave happy.

When you shop locally, you show that you care not only for the people on your holiday list, but also for your community. We’d love to help you put together a perfect gift at Enjoy the Store in Visalia, where local artisans sell their gift and food products. Get a head start on your New Year’s resolution and help strengthen our local economy.

Enjoy this magical time of year!

®

SOUTH VALLEY LIVING

YVONNE MAZZOTTA publisher MICHELLE ADAMS publisher RONDA BALL editor-in-chief KERRI REGAN copy editor MICHELLE ADAMS graphic design JERED MILLER STEPHANIE GIMLIN contributing graphic designers MONICA FATICA consultant/ advertising sales representative LYNN LEARNED advertising sales representative VALERI BARNES advertising sales representative BRANDI O’BRIEN sales assistant/event calendar/website AMANDA NAMBA event calendar/website ALEX PUJOL JOSH LOPEZ AUSTIN REYNOLDS deliveries www.enjoysouthvalley.com 505 W. Center Street Visalia, CA 93291 559.804.7411 Email General: infosouthvalley@enjoymagazine.net Sales and Advertising information: infosouthvalley@enjoymagazine.net

© 2015 by Enjoy Magazine. All rights reserved. Reproductions without permission are strictly prohibited. Articles and advertisements in Enjoy Magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management, employees, or freelance writers.

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Enjoy Magazine South Valley Living

Oliver Kanallakan Photo by Kelli Avila

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 5

LOCALS

| BY JORDAN VENEMA | PHOTOS: JACKI POTORKE

E R I C K S ’ J O R DA N B R OW N A G O O D C U P O F CO F F E E W I T H M AV

6 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

IT’S NO SECRET that some small coffee shops hold a perpetual grudge against Starbucks, that green corporate machine. But not Jordan Brown, owner of Visalia’s Mavericks Coffee. “Starbucks,” he says, “and some people won’t admit it, is actually good for businesses like this. It created the market for us.”

In the same way that Folgers paved the way for Starbucks, so Starbucks paved the way for roasters like Brown, who belongs to a movement known as thirdwave coffee roasting, a kind of craft-batch backlash to the mass-market profiteering of larger corporations. If these roasters had a slogan, it might be “coffee not commodity.”

Third-wave roasters are an off-the-beaten-path beanroasting bunch, which is why it was almost providential that Brown settled upon Mavericks, a name that conjures images of anti-establishment individuals. But none of that was intentional. Brown had never heard the term third wave. He just wanted to roast good coffee.

But when Brown opened Mavericks in 2003, he also felt he was doing something unique. “I felt a lot of coffee shops have kind of a quasi-Mediterranean feel to them, and I wanted to do something a little different. My dad has been into western memorabilia since I was a kid,” says Brown, “so that leaned me to the western motif.”

Mavericks tend to go against the grain, anyway. Brown explains that when old ranchers “found cattle that didn’t have a brand, it was called a maverick.” In that sense, a maverick means “you’re your own person, your own entity.”

Brown got into roasting almost by accident. “It just kind of happened,” Brown says. “I was looking for a job just to get through college.” He began working for a Carmel business called Caffee Cardinale, where after a few months, he began managing operations. “I’d handle almost everything, so that’s how I kind of learned the business.”

Through his college years, Brown acquired both a knowledge and taste for coffee. “Back when I was in high school, Starbucks wasn’t around,” so he didn’t even drink coffee. “But once I got into it, I enjoyed the nuances of it.”

So when Brown moved back to Visalia to open his own shop, it wasn’t the roasting that worried him – it was the business side of things. “I knew a lot about coffee, so I wasn’t worried about that, and creating a brand, I felt comfortable.”

But when it came to starting a business, “I really had no idea what I was doing,” Brown says with a laugh.

Like a true maverick, however, “I’ve always been somewhat of a risk-taker,” Brown says. Plus, he had his family to motivate him. “Without my wife and son and parents,” says Brown, “I wouldn’t be anywhere. They are the reason behind the shop.”

Now a decade and some 18,000 roasts later, Mavericks is one of the longest-running roasters in town. There may have been days when it was hard to wake up early, but having his own product at the ready probably helped. “If I had opened a mattress store, then I’d really be in trouble,” Brown says with a laugh. “There’s nothing like coming in early when you’re tired and firing up the roaster, having a cup of coffee.”

Which is really what Mavericks comes down to: a good cup of coffee. “I wanted to introduce what I thought was as good as coffee in Carmel to Visalia,” says Brown. And he thinks he’s done that. “Just this morning we had some German tourists come through and they ordered some cappuccinos,” Brown says. “The mother came up and said, ‘Best cappuccino in the United States.’”

Before it was cool and trending in cities like San Francisco and Oakland, Brown brewed his coffee by the cup, “so it’s always fresh.” And since he roasts his beans on the spot, you know that any of the 32 roasts sold at Mavericks were made in-house.

And though he opened his shop a little off the beaten path, quite literally, way on the southeastern side of Visalia on Caldwell, it hasn’t hurt him in the long run.

“It’s built up a lot around here over the last 12 or 13 years,” says Brown. Anyway, he was glad it wasn’t too busy when he opened. “I was fairly young, 27 or something like that, and I don’t think I could have handled it,” he laughs. Now, he’s got people driving across town just to get his coffee, because sometimes it takes a little effort and legwork to be maverick. • Mavericks Coffee • 238 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia (559) 624-1400 • www.maverickscoffeehouse.com Mon. 5:30am-noon, Tues.-Fri. 5:30am-3pm, Sat. 6am-1pm Find them on Facebook and Instagram

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native.

He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan. venema@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 7

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e h t t n i a P LOCALS

| BY FACHE DESROCHERS

Town

W I N E TA S T I N G A N D A R T C L A S S C O M E T O G E T H E R AT B L E N D I N G PA L E T T E S

WHAT ART TOOL did you like best a child? Were you delighted by the abstract freedom of fingerpaints, or were you more enthused by coloring books and their suggestive structure? Did your heart beat fast at the sight of a new box of crayons, with their unforgettable waxy smell and uniform points? Was there anything better than a fresh set of markers, their felt tips loaded with juicy, generous color?

Whatever creative implement was the favorite of your youth, one thing is pretty certain: you had one. As a child, just about all of us doodled, sketched and painted as a matter of almost second nature. In school, at home, on long car trips – it’s as natural to see a kid with a handful of crayons and a stack of paper as it is to see him or her with a ball, a stuffed animal or a face sticky from a recently devoured ice cream cone. Even Picasso once observed, “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

With the exception of a relatively small percentage of the population who self-identify as artists either by passion, by trade or both, most people leave their art supplies behind just as they do their training wheels. But at Blending Palettes, Visalia’s first dedicated “paint and sip” art and wine studio, a small group of self-taught, local (and indeed, grownup) artists are challenging this marginalizing trend of maturity, and working hard to create a space where adults can remember the joys of art and reclaim what is rightfully theirs, one canvas at a time.

“As adults, it seems like a lot of us end up being alienated by the art world,” says Blending Palettes founder Chevella Mac. “Which is strange to realize, because people will sign their children up for art classes, and yet they often feel too intimidated to go themselves. And that’s crazy.

Art is for everybody. So at Blending Palettes, our goal is to make a space where it’s safe and fun for adults to relax, make art and forget about the stresses of life, like we did when we were kids.”

As the studio’s owner and operator, Mac possesses both a keen understanding of how ex-artists (also known as adults) relate to the creative process today, and a passion to help them rediscover their roles as natural artists. The studio opened its doors in February, and since then, Blending Palettes has been combining the soothing delight of California wine with the empowerment of a relaxed and absolutely natural return to artistic form. “It’s very rewarding, helping people find their creative side again,” says Mac. “It’s awesome to see people realize that they can do something they thought they couldn’t.” 4 continued on page 10

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 9

The structure for art classes at Blending Palettes is intentionally simple, stress-free, accessible and designed to fit in with the busy lives of Valley residents. Whether you are looking to get in touch with your creative roots alongside friends, have an inspirational date night, enjoy a unique private party or introduce a young person to the joys of painting, this studio has you covered. Blending Palettes’ calendar (updated regularly and viewable on their website) boasts a wealth of activities for all ages. Adult classes are held Wednesday through Sunday (typically in the evenings), and provide patrons with a glass of wine along with canvas, brushes, paints, instruction and an example piece of art to work from (all example art pieces have been created by one of Blending Palettes’ artists-in-residence). In addition, Wednesday nights feature an “Eat, Sip, Paint” evening, where patrons can enjoy a house-made salad or panini paired with art instruction – an all-inclusive scenario that is ideal for the Valley’s busiest patrons.

Meanwhile, every other Tuesday sees a free wine tasting event at the studio. Blending Palettes has partnered with a number of California wineries to function as an auxiliary tasting room. “Apart from bringing a tasting room to Visalia, these Tuesday events can be a really good icebreaker for people who want to come and paint, but may feel a little intimidated,” explains Mac. So whether you are a wine enthusiast, a re-awakened artist, someone looking for a unique Valley outing or all three, Blending Palettes is the perfect place to get in touch with your inner creative, while relaxing in an environment organized by artists who want to ensure that the young, uninhibited artist in each of us always has a place to paint. • Blending Palettes • 3332 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia (559) 372-9855 www.blendingpalettes.com • Find them on Facebook and Instagram

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist.

Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

10 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

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INSPIRATION

| BY JORDAN VENEMA | PHOTOS: KELLI AVILA

Oliver’s Story

A TA L E O F LOV E W I T H AMBER AND TIM KANALLAKAN

AMBER KANALLAKAN KNEW since she was a child, and while dating her would-be husband, Tim, she told him about it; there were hardships, growing pains and financial strains, but never any doubt: One day, the Kanallakans would adopt.

Tim and Amber’s journey to adoption began years ago, and while you could say it finally came to a storybook ending last March in China, when they met their son Oliver for the first time, it’s equally true they’ve only begun a new chapter.

It’s been little more than six months since they boarded that plane, full of anticipation and maybe even some anxiety, to pick up the 10-month-old boy who only weeks before had finally materialized in a letter and photograph. Since then, both Tim and Amber say the ride has been something of a rollercoaster, “with really good days and really hard days, “but at this point,” says Amber, “more good days than hard ones.” It’s been “a lot of adjusting for him, a lot of adjusting for us.”

The adoption process was anything but a nine-month pregnancy, and though Amber didn’t carry Oliver in her belly, both she and Tim carried other weight – financial concerns, worry over bureaucratic red tape, and sometimes wonder – will this ever happen?

But then, everything fell into place: they had the money when they needed it, the papers had been processed, they got the photo, and ultimately, in a word that doesn’t begin to describe the involved process: they got permission. And then it was a whirlwind.

“We had a lot of fears about going to China, travel concerns and stuff,” Tim says, but ultimately: it was awesome.

Amber says the experience was surreal, a this-is-reallyhappening moment. “There’s this weird period of time, a short period of time, between getting the referral and knowing: this is him, we have a picture, we have a name, we know where he is right now.” And, says Amber, “it went very quickly.” They got the referral Dec. 9 and they were on a plane March 12.

Like a real pregnancy, though, “it was like going up to the hospital while I was waiting. This is going to happen, this is getting real,” Amber recalls thinking. “So much anticipation, and joy, and fear, and you’re trying to process but not think too much.”

12 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

All that came to a kind of a rush, when the Kanallakans were thrown headlong into a different culture, with new scents and colors, try to imagine that blur before the fond familiarity of a child.

Though they’d never been to Asia before, they discovered, “we loved China so much.” It came naturally, and much more than they expected, and they look forward to celebrating his heritage with him.

Then they returned, where they were greeted by friends and family.

After the initial celebration, then came the settling. Amber describes that first week like a cocoon. Both were sleep deprived, their other two children had missed them, and Amber admits they weren’t exactly getting their parents back fully.

They may have retreated for a time, missed church and community, but it was a kind of chrysalis, a stability. That was their job, says Amber, to create a regular environment, a routine, build trust. Oliver, says Amber, “would have panic attacks, wouldn’t sleep.” It wasn’t all the time, and mostly at night, she says, but “I think a lot of times for kids that came from an institution, it’s such a traumatic event to go from something familiar to completely unfamiliar in a matter of hours…

Closure doesn’t exist.”

They had prepared how they could, reading books, talking with other adopting parents, but practically, they had to learn when and how to comfort Oliver. Lack of sleep was the biggest issue, “but we were prepared for that. We did as much preparation as we could… but it’s one thing to read that chapter in a book and another thing to live that chapter.”

But with time they noticed, Oliver began to smile more often, he grew stronger.

Tim recalls when they first came back with Oliver, “he could hardly sit up and his head was so heavy he would kind of fall – he’d sit up for a minute and that was all he could handle.” Amber adds, “His legs were like jelly… and to go from that to walking in August,” she ponders.

“Six months later,” she says, “he’s loud, thinks he’s so funny, he loves to dance… He’s constantly laughing, constantly exploring… The first

three weeks we were home, he wouldn’t really go anywhere but the living room. But it was fun to watch him as the weeks progressed, get brave and crawl into the hallway, or another room.”

Both Amber and Tim admit they sometimes don’t know what they’re doing. So really, they’re like every other parent – learning as they go.

But the familiarity, the joy they’ve experienced, to witness his growth – that is a story every parent is familiar with. Tim agrees: “Just seeing him thrive, and being a happy little boy. I was stressed about financial stuff, but he’s awesome. I can’t imagine had we not done it. He’s a fun, crazy, kid that we love.”

“Everyone’s story is different,” Amber says, saying that also makes it hard to give advice. But how does any parent offer advice, when the best they can do is really to empathize, to say, “I’m here, because I’ve been through this, too.” Which, coincidentally, is what every parent implicitly says to their children. And that Oliver was their child was never a question. “It was an immediate: this is my son, I love him as much as I love my other two children,” says Amber, with Tim agreeing thoughtfully, “Yeah.”

And while advice might be harder to come by than empathy, there is one bit of advice the Kanallakans would give. “Just say yes, just go for it.

You don’t want to miss out. The risk is worth it,” says Amber. And yes, there were the financial fears, she adds, “but God gave us everything we needed” – so they could give their son everything he needs. • Find them on Instagram @standard_goods www.dadwillbuildyourleg.blogspot.com

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan.venema@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 13

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GOOD FINDS

| BY JORDAN VENEMA

H I L LC R E S T C H R I S T M A S T R E E FA R M I N R E E D L E Y “THE CHRISTMAS TREE FARM, from everything we can figure, is the oldest in the valley,” says Melissa Bautista, who owns the familyoperated Hillcrest Tree Farms with her husband. “Evergreens don’t generally like this weather, but it was started by Ed Toews, a Mennonite pastor. That was in 1960.

“Fast forward 55 years, and as far as we know, we’re the only ones growing Monterey pines for a couple counties,” says Bautista.

Bautista and her husband bought Hillcrest Tree Farms 25 years ago.

The 30-acre property is about 15 miles east of Highway 99 and an hour drive from Sequoia National Park. “It’s just a few minutes from where the foothills start,” adds Bautista.

Hillcrest sits along a creek, a riparian habitat that creates a surprisingly lush area along the valley floor, and possibly explains why pines thrive at their farm. With rich soil, a Monterey pine can grow six to nine feet in three years, though Bautista says some mature after five or six years when the soil hasn’t gone fallow.

When the trees have matured, and Thanksgiving is but a hiccup and

16 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

full belly behind us, then Hillcrest opens its arms – and branches – to anybody who would chop ‘em all down. That’s how Hillcrest has done it for 55 years, offering Central Valley residents the opportunity to harvest their own Christmas tree while staying close to home.

Sure, Hillcrest imports trees, too, “just like everybody else,” says Bautista; but about 20 percent of the trees they sell are still planted.

“The ones we grow are still in the ground,” explains Bautista, “and you have to go and get your saw and cut them down yourself.”

It’s one of those Christmas traditions that some families do every year, and Bautista believes every family should try it at least once. “Some families love to do it no matter what, and for some people it’s fun with smaller kids; it’s educational. Then, after a while, they’d rather not get muddy,” she says with a laugh.

And if you don’t mind the trek, the mud or the manual labor, cutting down your very own pine costs just about as much as the other imported ones. “For 50 bucks you can cut down any Monterey pine that’s growing,” says Bautista.

One of the best experiences of chopping one’s own tree, Bautista adds, is catching the train on the way back. After the Bautistas purchased the farm, they laid tracks for a five-inch scale, narrow gauge train. With about 15 cars, their locomotive holds more than 100 people, and tickets are $4. After you’ve scouted and scoured your tree “and if there’s room,” says Bautista, “throw it in the back of the train and you can ride the train, too.”

The Hillcrest train has become one of the farm’s highlights, but since it only runs on weekends, Bautista says there can sometimes be a wait. In fact, the ride is even popular among employees, who during an impromptu, after-work train ride, helped the Bautistas come up with the idea for Pajama Night.

Hillcrest employees wear red flannels – “like lumberjacks,” says Bautista – and one evening after a hard day’s work, some employees jumped on the train, calling it “the red flannel express.” By the end of that ride, the Bautistas decided to start a Pajama Night, opening the train from 6 to 9pm on weekend nights.

On Friday and Saturday nights in December (prior to Christmas), a $16 ticket gets a nighttime train ride, which includes homemade cookies and a hot chocolate bar. Bautista says what really makes the ride special are motion detector Christmas lights that hang from trees around the farm that are triggered as the train approaches. After the ride, guests are welcome to sit around a fire while listening to live music. • Hillcrest Tree Farm • 6943 S. Reed Ave., Reedley (559) 638-2762 • www.hillcrestreedley.com Open daily Nov. 28-Dec 20 Find them on Facebook Pajama Christmas Nights: 6pm-9pm Dec. 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20 & 21

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan.venema@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 17

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BY FACHE DESROCHERS

SPREADING

Christmas CHEER

D O W N TO W N E X E T E R O P E N S H O U S E TO K I C K O F F YO U R H O L I DAY S H O P P I N G WHATEVER WINTER HOLIDAY you and your family celebrate, one thing is true across so many cultures: December is a time for coming together, spreading cheer and perhaps most of all, countering the cold and dark of early evenings with cozy clothes, goodwill toward humanity and the annual delight of a street festooned with lights, decorations and bustling shoppers. And for 24 holiday seasons running, the small Central Valley town of Exeter has not only understood this truth about the holiday season, but excitedly embraced it with a level of festive joy, hard work and community cohesiveness that might just rival Santa’s village itself.

One of Central California’s most celebrated cities, the charming foothill town of Exeter has long been a haven for those who value local offerings of every type. From curated retail to restaurants whose menus boast a mouthwatering selection of Valley products, Exeter has long strived to foster a municipal culture where everyone is welcome and everything is appreciated, but it is area-code artisanship that enjoys the most cherished elevation. “As a city, we really encourage our community members to shop locally and patronize our local businesses,” explains Exeter’s Chamber of Commerce head Sandy Blankenship. “And there is a certain level of community pride to that

– a personal touch that you can’t find with the big-box retailers. After all, small businesses are the backbone of America.”

Started by a group of local merchants nearly a quarter century ago, Exeter’s Holiday Open House began with a simple goal that is still intact today: to foster a culture of celebration, cater to holiday shoppers with extended hours, and encourage the community to come out, be together and have a good time. The Open House always kicks off on the first Thursday after Thanksgiving, and recurs on each subsequent Thursday in December until the week of Christmas. This year’s inaugural event falls on Dec. 3, returns on Dec. 10 and closes on Dec. 17. In honor of the Holiday Open House, Exeter’s retail businesses extend their hours until 9 pm on these Thursday nights, creating the perfect opportunity for people to have a few bonus hours for holiday shopping and a dose of wintertime cheer. “But it’s not just a shopping atmosphere, it’s a social one,” says Blankenship. “A lot of us locals will do our shopping during the rest of the week, but then just come out to see everybody during the evening.”

“The social aspect is my favorite part,” says Blankenship. “It’s so nice to get out and catch up with people that you don’t always get to run into.” 4 continued on page 20

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 19

Even if you visit Exeter’s Holiday Open House without the intention to shop, you might find yourself more compelled than usual by a high street whose retail storefronts strike a selection of merchandise that is nearly perfectly balanced in distribution. “It’s great because a lot of our retailers work together and communicate so they aren’t competing with each other with the same merchandise,” Blankenship says. “They know that when we work together, everybody does well.”

Exeter’s Holiday Open House also features free antique fire truck rides, carolers and the iconic presence of Santa Claus in Mixter Park for the delight (and photo opportunities) of Valley children of all ages. And with one of the most exciting emerging dining scenes in the Valley, a bite at one of Exeter’s local eateries is the perfect, walkingdistance bookend to your Holiday Open House outing.

Although it only happens once a year, Exeter’s Holiday Open House is not just a tradition, but a kind of annual commemoration of the values that this small town upholds year-round: a cohesive, supportive community, a valuation of locally sourced goods and services, and a readiness to come together and celebrate.

“There’s a wonderful sense of pride and generosity here in town,” says Blankenship. “Business owners, building owners, the city…everyone pitches in to get ready.”

Somehow, despite the chilly weather (or perhaps because of it), there are few December activities more delightful than strolling up an avenue that is bustling with the sights and sounds of the holidays. From cheeks flushed pink with cold, to the notes of familiar songs, to lights that twinkle all the more merrily against a winter night, it’s really the little things that come together to make the holiday season so special. And with the attention to festive detail, dedication to local products and culture of small-town generosity, Exeter’s Holiday Open House is this community’s annual gift that keeps on giving. • Downtown Exeter Open House • www.exeterchamber.com Free fire truck rides, carolers and Santa Dec. 3, 10 and 17 until 9pm

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist.

Her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

20 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

Holiday Gift Guide

merry gifting

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 21

Destination Porterville Gifts for Friends, Family and Home • Free Gift Wrapping • Join our Famous Gift Registry Est. 1979, 2nd Generation

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Downtown Porterville’s Quilt Fabric Shop

1 7 5 N MAI N ST / / PORT ERVI LL E / / ( 5 59 ) 7 84 -7 1 2 3

Give yourself the gift of comfort this season at affordable prices.

122 N. Main • 559 793-2510 Tuesday-Saturday 10-6 • Sunday 1-5 fabric - classes - Handi Quilter dealer www.CalicoMermaid.com Follow us on Facebook

FASHION NETWORK

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125 N. Encina, (559) 625-4600

Destination Exeter

Exeter Flower Company

Flowers & Gifts for your ® STYLE GUIDE FOR Holiday ShoppingFTD MEMBER FLORISTS New Inventory for Christmas of the Popular Toys From

PRIMARY LOGOS Any of the following three logos can be used in active FTD Member Florist advertising.

Please note that the square version is preferred. FTD Florists also have access to the FTD logo with the "We Send Flowers Worldwide" tagline. High-resolution versions of all logos pictured can be found at www.FTDi.com/imagelibrary.

exeterflowers.com 559-592-2551 199 E. Pine Street Exeter, CA 93221

Book Garden

LOGO MINIMUM SIZE REQUIREMENTS The logo should never appear smaller than 1/2" wide in any application. The logo should also be proportionate to the finished size of the print or digital media.

BOOKS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS ARE GOLDEN! PRINT AND WEB COLOR MATCH FORMULAS

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Here Your Imprint 1234 Main Street IL 12345 Downers Grove, 7 1-800-123-456 sitehere.com www.yourweb

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Tangles Salon

117 E. Pine St., Exeter, CA 93221 (559)592-2634, cell (559)799-9815 Valerie DiMeco Jorie DiMeco Crystal Vasconcellos

Chelsea Leach Becca Medina Lauren Mills Donna Webb

Our gift cards and products make excellent Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers!

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CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE

Exeter Downtown Shops Open Late Thursday Evenings December 3,10 & 17 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Come see Santa & enjoy FREE Old Fashioned Fire Truck Rides, Refreshments and Family Holiday Spirit!

Exeter Gift Certificates make Great Christmas Gifts for Employees, Friends, Loved Ones, Teachers, Stocking Stuffers and MORE! Available at the Exeter Chamber of Commerce all Year Long.

101 W. Pine St. Exeter • (559) 592-2919 www.exeterchamber.com

151 south E Street, Exeter 323-683-7538 • 559-967-2007

Let small businesses STUFF YOUR STOCKING!

our products tell stories 505 W. Center Street Visalia • (559) 901-3513 Monday-Friday 10am-5:30p Saturday 10am-4pm Extended holiday hours: Thurs 10a-8p, Sun 12p-3p Enjoy the Store Visalia @enjoythestorevisalia

HOLIDAY SALE 10% OFF HOLIDAY DECOR & GIFTS PLUS FREE GIFT WITH PURCHASE OF $60 OR MORE PROMO CODE: ENJOY12

SHOP * DINE * DISCOVER * ENJOY The holidays in downtown Hanford!

Enjoy to your hearts delight in any of the 350 businesses with an incredible variety of unique gift items, fabulous restaurants in a refreshingly relaxed atmosphere.

Blinds | Shutters | Shades | Drapery | Home Decor | Gifts

For more information visit www.mainstreethanford.com

1585 Draper Street, Kingsburg | (559) 897-2132 www.meritsdesign.com Offer valid thru December 31, 2015. Limit one free gift per customer. Offer may not be combined with any other offers, coupons, or discounts. Offer valid on regular priced merchandise. Not valid on sale, clearance, special orders or workshops. To redeem, coupon must be present and surrendered at the time of purchase. Additional expulsions and limitations may apply. See store for details.

Subject to change without notice.

Is Your Pantry Ready For The Holidays?

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Let us help you get your pantry organized and ready for all those family meals this Holiday Season!

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Open 7 Days a week 10:00 - 6:00 Monday - Saturday • 11:00 - 4:00 Sunday Gift Certificates available

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The Looking Glass

• nd of t e year sales • la Friday spe ials • great pla e to do somet ing spe ial for t at man in your life or yourself • Gift ards a aila le

FEATURING OVER 50 LOCAL CRAFTERS AND ARTISTS 242 E. CALDWELL AVE. VISALIA, CA 559-732-2787 TUES-FRI 10am-6pm SAT 9am-4pm

The General’s Trading Post 315 E. Main St., Ste A // Visalia, CA 93292 559.651.2525 // www.generalstradingpost.com

exceptional selection of gifts and gourmet fare

p.s. i love you too.

Holiday Hours: Mon-Fri 10a-6p Sat 10a-5p Sun 12p-4p

Shop Local • avoid the crowded malls • support our local merchants • free horse-drawn carriage rides • small town charm

Visit our website, OldTownClovis.Org for a full list of merchants, businesses, services & restaurants, as well as a list of things to do for the holidays in Old Town Clovis. Or call the Business Organization of Old Town at 559-298-5774

119 W. Main Street, Visalia, Ca 93291

559-734-9646

HOLIDAY

| BY LYNN BALL

When you support local businesses, you are putting money back into your local economy. According to the Small Business Administration,

$68

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN: The days “have gotten shorter, the nights have gotten cooler... the holidays are here. The day after Thanksgiving has been given the title of Black Friday, and seems to have taken on a life of its own. However, in 2010, a movement was started to encourage shoppers to support their local businesses. Since then, the Saturday after Thanksgiving has been dubbed Small Business Saturday. Now, with more than 3.3 million fans on Facebook, Small Business Saturday has gained traction and momentum over the last five years. As we enter the 2015 holiday season, it is beneficial to discuss why the concept of shopping local is one that we should not ignore. Here are five reasons we should support local businesses.

l a c o l p o sh s ’ t e l

Owners and employees of local small businesses are generally more interested in

Supporting local businesses means more employment opportunities in our community.

Compare that to $43 when you spend the same amount at a large company.

When you shop locally, you are helping give back to the community.

This means that nearly two-thirds of new jobs were created by small businesses, not large corporations. in ways that do not come across with larger companies.

28 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

and tend to get more involved in decisions that will shape the local environment.

Shopping local benefits everyone.

Entrepreneurs, small businesses and start-up companies are the driving force behind the growth of this country.

When you shop locally, you put money directly back into our local economy and you help establish a sense of community pride. Show some love for your community and shop local. • www.smallbusinesssaturday.com

Connie Kautz REALTOR

There’s no place like home for the holidays

Vintage Apparel & Goods 514 E. Main Street, Suite B Visalia, CA 93292 (559) 740-7356 www.theamigorow.com

559.901.1567 ConnieKautzRealtor.com 400 E. MAIN STREET, VISALIA

SHOWTIME

| BY JORDAN VENEMA | PHOTOS: JOSIAH ALTER

30 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

N O B O U N DA R I E S F O R F R E S N O B A N D M OT E L D R I V E MOTEL DRIVE MAY HAVE GOTTEN its start in 2008, but the Fresno band drew its inspiration from another time, another generation. Motel Drive is an allusion, straight out of the 1950s and ‘60s, to the Central Valley drags and strips where greasers cruised in Cadillacs between the roadside bars, restaurants and motels along Highway 99.

As founding member J.D. Goodwin puts it, think “old-school Fresno, neon signs and old school bars.” He had first written a song called “Motel Drive,” a kind of homage to “the bars that would let us in and play at 15, 16 years old” – even if they weren’t supposed to. When Goodwin and longtime friend Jake Finney started playing together in 2008, they decided to use the moniker as their band’s name.

Like Fresno’s original motel drives, a confluence of businesses and bars, greasers and roadster cars, the band’s music is equally diverse. “We wanted to mix all our roots tighter, like punk and country, rockabilly and surf music,” explains Goodwin. “Basically, the idea was to play whatever we wanted to play. There are no boundaries. If you want to play a pop song – cool. If you want to play a dark, country drinking song that can play on the jukebox – cool. And anything in between.”

If the band couldn’t peg a sound, they could probably blame their influences, from Hank Williams to the Beatles, and Led Zeppelin to the Doors. Those musical influences reached Goodwin early, as his father played piano, and of his mother, Goodwin says, “Willie Nelson is her deal.”

If Goodwin could emulate any of them, though, it would be Roy Orbison. “I wish I could play like him, but I can’t,” he says with a laugh. But he also draws from more contemporary influences, saying that “Chris Isaac picked up where they left off” – “they” being rockabilly legends like Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.

Despite its varied sound and diverse influence, Motel Drive is doing its own thing, and playing its own sound.

But like the old bands that influenced it, Motel Drive draws from some of the old tricks of the musician’s trade, always having a large arsenal of songs at the ready.

Goodwin believes live bands have given way to the DJ. “It’s easier to pay them,” he says, and their set list is virtually endless. “The days of the band going and playing a gig and having a repertoire of 100 songs, everything from the Bee Gees to Sha Na Na, or like Tom Petty and the Heartrbreakers” – it’s over, says Goodwin.

So Motel Drive likes to keep a few songs hidden up its already rolled-up sleeves. “We play a lot of original stuff, but we mix it up. We do Tom Petty, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, then new stuff like Bad Religion and Rancid.”

The band has that classic sound and throwback look – white t-shirt and slicked back hair – but it doesn’t have a problem connecting with younger audiences. “We get received pretty well, pretty much anywhere we go,” Goodwin says. “You play to the crowd.”

Part of playing to the crowd is relating to the crowd, and that’s where songwriting is essential. “I don’t know too much about life,” admits Goodwin, who is 35, “but I am learning as I go… I have my struggles and trials just like everybody else, but I just try and write what I know and be honest. I think just being a human being, we’ve all loved, we’ve all hated, we all have insecurities. I think pretty much every person in the world can relate to something like that, in some way or another.”

Motel Drive is working on its fourth release, which should be out by the end of the year, and it plans to record a live album titled “Live at the Goldstein,” one of its regular haunts from the Fresno Tower District.

Other than planning a February mini tour to play the Folk Alliance in Kansas City, Motel Drive will perform at car shows and bars throughout California, and might even make its way to the Northwest this summer. But in the meantime, find these musicians at Goldsteins, or perhaps just along one the many motel drives along the 99. For them, that’s really home. • Motel Drive, Fresno • www.moteldrive.com Find them on Facebook and Instagram

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native.

He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan. venema@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 31

Wishing you a beautiful holiday season & a new year of peace & happiness…

Jocelyn Buhler Iverson, DDS Dennis K. Buhler, DDS

202 South N St., Tulare • 559-686-6815

www.buhlerandiverson.com instagram.com/202_family_dentistry www.facebook.com/202familydentistry

Gary Hoey DSL presents

Rock’n’Roll Christmas Special Guest appearance of NOCO Aerial ~ fresNO dance COllective

Tuesday

Dec 15 7:30pm

sponsored by

Visalia307Main Street Theatre E. Main St Visalia

for tickets call 877.435.9849 www.ticketfly.com

Wine Down DESTINATION

| BY JORDAN VENEMA | PHOTOS:JACKI POTORKE

R E L A X T H E N I G H T AWAY AT T H E C E DA R V I E W W I N E RY A N D B & B

IT’S NOT OFTEN SOMEBODY FINDS FORTUNE at the bottom of an empty bottle, but maybe, just maybe, Jim and Debbie Van Haun are the lucky couple that did. The Van Hauns are the owners and operators of Sanger’s Cedar View Winery, and these vintners aren’t just about turning grapes into wine, but then wine into gold medals – their flagship Alicante Bouschet recently won 94 points out of a possible 100 at the California State Fair.

The Orange County couple who retired to the Central Valley may not be strangers to a good bottle of wine, but they didn’t imagine they’d find success making their own. Says Jim Van Haun, who belonged to the Orange County Wine Society, “I had a knowledge of wine, especially drinking it, but had no knowledge of actually making it.”

Though from Orange County, Jim wasn’t unfamiliar with the Sanger area. He used to guide whitewater rafting up on the Kings River, “so I kind of knew this area peripherally.” Then in 1998, the Van Hauns bought 20 acres in Sanger with a commanding view of the Sequoias, which also had 10 acres of vineyards.

Their original plan to open a bed and breakfast always included the idea of a winery – back in the mind, says Jim. They opened Sequoia View Bed and Breakfast in 2001, but the winery took a little longer due to permits.

“It took some work because the county had never permitted a bed and breakfast before, so they didn’t know what to do with us,” he says. Once they had the permit for the B&B and began operations, they still had 10 acres of grapes, “so we made wine as amateurs and gave it away, then came to the realization that having a winery with a bed and breakfast – it’s not one plus one equals two, it’s one plus one equals five.” In other words, the sum was greater than its parts.

“So we built a building in 2003 to house a winery, and now we have more than 300 wine club members, and we’re making upwards of 20,000 bottles a year, mostly local,” says Jim. What began with appreciation and amateur winemaking soon became an award-winning winery, which mostly bottles rare varietals from the Rhone region of southern France. Some of those grapes might be unfamiliar to the casual wine-drinker, like Viognier and Rousanne, but Cedar View Winery also bottles Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon.

But if you thought the more rare wines wouldn’t have reached anything other than refined palates, you’d be wrong. In their short history, Cedar View has won more than 100 medals, and was recently “voted the best wine in the entire region,” says Jim. “A lot of folks say we make the best wine within 100 miles,” he chuckles, “and we kind of think we do, too.” Plus they have the awards to back that up, even medals from international competitions.4 continued on page 34

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 33

Their flagship wine, of which they have five acres dedicated to the grape, is the Alicante Bouschet, which has to age at least three years.

Though a more rare varietal, the Van Hauns sell a bottle for only $21.

Their most expensive bottle is $25. “In Paso, that bottle would cost $50, but this isn’t Napa, this isn’t Paso, and we have to reflect the prices where we live,” says Jim. That price extends to their wine tasting, which costs a whopping $5 and includes a tasting of two whites, four reds and their gold medal port made from the Alicante Bouschet. You also get cheese and crackers, and if you buy two bottles of wine, the tasting is on the house. “Yeah, we waive that big $5 fee,” Jim says with a laugh.

Maybe the best part about wine tasting at Cedar View, should you tie one on, is the ability to stay at the Sequoia View B&B. Jims wife Debbie is the chef, and “she makes these gorgeous breakfasts,” says Jim. “This is a full breakfast: fresh peach frittata, homemade applesauce muffins, a meat dish, homemade orange juice freshly squeezed.” Their three suites range from $139 to $179 a night.

It’s hard not to leave the winery in a good mood. It’s basically part of the business model: no sour grapes. “Yeah, people don’t come wine tasting with a sour mood,” says Jim. “They’re coming to have a positive experience.”

34 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

It’s hard to argue with him, especially when you hear him describe the Viognier, “with a tremendous aroma of honeysuckle and peach and a little citrus on the back end.” Perfect, he calls it, for a warm day.

As for his favorite wine, well, “that depends on the day of the week.”

But that’s what wine tasting is for, right? The opportunity to find out for yourself, regardless of the day of the week. • Cedar View Winery • 1384 S. Frankwood Ave., Reedley www.cedarviewwinery.com • (559) 787-9412 Sat. & Sun. noon-5pm Sequoia View B&B • www.svbnb.com Find them on Facebook

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan.venema@gmail.com.

699 W. Center, Visalia (across from Smart & Final)

733-2582 • Mon - Fri 7:30 am to 4 pm DINE IN or TAKE OUT Breakfast & Lunch • WiFi • • • • •

Delightful Salads & Wraps Hot & Cold Sandwiches Breakfast Burritos Specialty Coffees and Smoothies American and Mexican Cuisine by Chef Rico

Banquet Rooms & Catering 733-9001 • Private • Business Lunches • Bridal & Baby Showers • Wedding Receptions • 25-2000 Guest Events • Co-Owners Sue Sa and Miguel Rico

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STORE FRONT

|

WINTER WONDERLAND

TASTE SMELL TOUCH SEE WELCOME WINTER

Let the Adventures Begin.

SOUTH VALLEY

Fruit & Nut Trays

by The Naked Nut

Soy candles

by L&M Candles and Soy Sisters Candles

Gift card sleeves and hang tags

by Vintage Letterpress

Adult and kids Aromatherapy Bag Sets

by Sacred Space

Hand crafted leather and canvas bags

by Iron+Copper+Bronze

Mini Pies

by Bella Rose

36 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

505 W. Center Street Visalia • (559) 901-3513 Monday-Friday 10am-5:30p Saturday 10am-4pm Extended holiday hours: Thurs 10a-8p, Sun 12p-3p Enjoy the Store Visalia @enjoythestorevisalia

Find the perfect gift at Embellish & Restore | 115 N. West Street in Downtown Visalia | 559-901-3037

December Schedule Thursday, December 3rd* Hand LeÂ?ering Thursday, December 17th* Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

Please visit freidacalifornia.com for dates and details

Tamara Orth | freidacalifornia@gmail.com Workshop location at Embellish & Restore *subject to change

ENJOY THE VIEW

| PHOTO: WAYNE POWELL

38 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

OAKS WITH SNOW YOKOHL VALLEY Wayne Powell is a freelance photographer and digital artist living in Visalia. Although he is best known in the photography world for his Mojave Desert night images, his focus these past 6 years has been on Yokohl Valley, just east of Exeter. His dream of making a book of Yokohl Valley photographs has come true. Visit his website: www.waynepowellphoto.com for more information.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 39

WHAT’S COOKIN’

| BY LANA GRANFORS | PHOTO: KARA STEWART

December Recipe As I stroll down memory lane in my mind, I recall a dessert bar I tried for the first time after a workout at the gym – yes, the gym! It was December, several years ago. One of the girls in our step class surprised us all after a workout with a large tray of Carmelitas. It was her Christmas gift to us, along with the recipe.

Just thinking about them, I knew I needed to share

40 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

this recipe. I knew exactly what the recipe card looked like, and I finally found the recipe card she gave me all those years ago. I wish I could remember her name to give her credit, but it wasn’t noted on the card.

Consider these for your Christmas party this year.

You won’t be disappointed!

Enjoy, and merry Christmas!

O AT M E A L C A R M E L I TA S Servings: 36 bars

CRUST 2 cups flour 2 cups quick cooking rolled oats (oatmeal) 1 ½ cups firmly packed brown sugar 1 tsp. soda ½ tsp. salt 1 ¼ cup butter, softened

FILLING 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ½ cup chopped nuts 1 - 12 oz. jar (1 cup) caramel ice cream topping 3 T flour

PREP TIME: 30 minutes BAKE TIME: 28-32 minutes TOTAL TIME: 58-62 minutes

DIRECTIONS STEP 1: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13inch pan. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. In a large bowl, blend all crust ingredients until crumbly. Press half of the crumbs, about 3 cups, into prepared pan. Reserve the remaining crumbs for topping.

STEP 2: Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

STEP 3: Sprinkle crust with chocolate chips and nuts.

Blend caramel topping and 3 T flour. Drizzle over chocolate and nuts. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.

STEP 4: Return to the oven and bake an additional 18-22 minutes or until golden brown.

STEP 5: Chill for 1 to 2 hours or until filling is set before cutting.

Lana Granfors enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her friends and family– especially her grandchildren, Jillian and Garet.

LOVE OUR RECIPES? Come into Enjoy the Store (Visalia, Redding or Red Bluff ) each month and ask for your FREE recipe card.

PUM PKI N PEC AN BRE AD 1 ½ cup chop ING RED ped peca IEN TS 3 ½ cups ns all-p 3 cups gran urpose flour ulated suga 1 T pumpkin r pie spice 1 tsp. baki ng soda 1 tsp. salt 1 - 15-oz. can 1 cup cano 100% pumpkin pure e R laEoilA D & A 4NlargeBeggs ING ²⁄³ cup wate R E A D P U D D A S T Br

PEC PUMPKIN EAKF PECAN BR PRE P TIM

November Recipe

PUMPKIN

E: 20 min utes BAK ING TIM TOTAL TIM E: 1 hou r – 1 hou r 10 E: 1 hou r 20 min utes min utes

– 1 hou r PUM PKI 30m inut N PEC AN es BRE AKF BRE AD PUD DIN AST G One loaf of Pumpkin ING RED IEN TS Pecan Brea (recipe abov d, cut into e) 2-inch cube 1 ½ cup heav s 4 eggs, well y cream or half and half beaten 1 tsp vani lla 1 tsp. pum pkin pie spic 1 oz. fresh e ly grated knob of ging 1 cup brow er n sugar ¼ cup peca ns

2015

PRE P TIM E: 10 min utes BAK E TIM E: TOTAL TIM 30 min utes E: 40 min utes

PUM PKI N PEC AN BRE AD STEP 1: Preh eat oven to 350 deg rees.

STEP 2: Hea a single laye t a large dry skill et. Add chop r, for abo occasion ped peca ally through ut 5 minutes or ns and allow until light Allow thes out the toas for toasting ly brow e to cool. ting time , in . Do not over ned and fragrant , stirring cook as they STEP 3: Stir can be bitte r. well in the together flour, suga center of r, pie spic the bowl In a sepa by moving e, soda and salt rate in a large the dry mix to dry ingr bowl, whisk toge bowl. Mak ture to the ther pum edients, stirr ea pkin pure outsides ing just unti e, canola of the bow l moisten oil, eggs STEP 4: ed.Fold in and water; l.

Prepare two cooled, chop add or spray ped peca with cook 9x5-inch loaf pan ns. s. Grease ing spray.

Scrape the both light Lightly batter into ly with the prepared dust with flour and discard a bit of butter loaf pans.

STEP 5: Bake any loose flour. the center. for 1 hour to 1 hou r It should then rem come out and 10 minutes. Test ove from clea by n. inse Cool in pan pans to wire s on a wire rting a toothpick rack and in rack for 10 cool com PUM PKI pletely, usua N PEC AN minutes, lly 1 hour.

BRE AKF STEP 1: Preh AST eat oven to 400 deg BRE AD PUD DIN rees.

G STEP 2: Gre pan. Com ase a 9-inch cass erole or bine all the baking dish remainin . Place the g ingredie nts together bread cub STEP 3: Pour over es in a bowl bread cub and mix well in the mixture. es and pres Bake for .

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DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 41

SPOTLIGHT

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DECEMBER 2015

in the December spotlight FROM FOOD TO FUN SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE TO ENJOY Rockin’ Rudolph 5K Run

(HANFORD)

Global Winter Wonderland

DECEMBER 6 | 7:45 AM

(TULARE)

TULARE COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS DECEMBER 1 - JANUARY 3

1

Celebrate the season at Global Winter Wonderland, a multicultural holiday celebration.

This holiday festival lets guests travel the world without leaving town through larger-than-life lanterns featuring landmarks from around the globe like the Taj Mahal and Eiffel Tower. From 70 gigantic Chinese lanterns made from millions of LED bulbs and 200,000 feet of silk to a dinosaur-themed maze, there’s something for everyone. For more information, visit wwwglobalwonderland.com.

42nd Street Tulare County Symphony Concert

(VISALIA) FOX THEATRE DECEMBER 5

5 Don’t be a Scrooge! This holiday concert will showcase the best of Tulare County’s talent. Featuring new music and nearly 300 performers of all ages, these popular concerts are sure to put you in the brightest of spirits for the holiday season.For more information, visit www.foxvisalia.org.

42 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

1

(FRESNO)

SAROYAN THEATRE DECEMBER 1 - 2 | 7:30 PM

42nd Street tells the story of a starryeyed young dancer named Peggy Sawyer who leaves her Allentown home and comes to New York to audition for the new Broadway musical “Pretty Lady.� When the star breaks her ankle, Peggy takes over and becomes a star. For more information, visit www.broadwayinfresno.com.

6

Sierra Vocal Arts Christmas Concert

(PORTERVILLE)

FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DECEMBER 6

Come enjoy the sounds of the ensemble put together from around the South Valley. Get into the holiday spirit with the classics and carols. For more information, call (559) 804-7995.

The Rockin’ Rudolph Run is a great way to start the holiday season with a great stroll through downtown Hanford. The event features a 5k Run/Walk, Kid’s Elf Run and a costume contest. Your team can be made of your family, co-workers, friends, or even with Santa’s reindeer.

What a great way to start a new family tradition. For more information, visit www.runhanford.com.

6

Holiday Open House Kick-Off

(VISALIA)

DOWNTOWN DECEMBER 3 | 5 - 8 PM

Bring the whole family to enjoy “How the Grinch Stole Christmas� and to meet the local Grinch on the first night of the Downtown Holiday Open House. Bring four canned goods or non-perishable items and receive a free movie ticket.

There will be more fun each Thursday night leading up to Christmas with horse drawn carriage rides, photos with Santa and downtown merchants will stay open until 8pm. For more information visit www.downtownvisalia.com.

3

CALENDAR

Hanford

Clovis December 5, 12, 19, 26 • Old Town Clovis Farmer’s Market, 521 Pollasky Avenue, 7-11am (559) 298-5774, www.oldtownclovis.org December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 • Horse Drawn Carriage Rides, Old Town Clovis, 1-4pm, www.oldtownclovis.org

Dinuba

December 4, 11, 18 • Downtown Dinuba Farmer’s Market, Downtown Dinuba, 5-9pm (559) 591-5940

Exeter

December 3, 10, 17 • Exeter Holiday Open House, Downtown Exeter, 5pm (559) 592-2919 December 4 • Christmas Parade, Downtown Exeter, 6:30pm (559) 592-5262 December 5 • Spirit of the Holidays, 4-7pm (559) 592-2919 December 11 • Holiday Home Tour, 4pm (559) 799-3641 December 31 • New Year’s Eve Celebration & Doo-Dah Parade, Downtown Exeter, 6pm (559) 592-2919

Fresno

• •

•

• • • • • • • •

December 1 - 2 42nd Street, Saroyan Theatre, 7:30pm www.broadwayinfresno.com December 3 9th Annual Lights of Love Memorial Tree Lighting Ceremony, Shops at River Park, 6:30pm (559) 320-0308 December 3 - 31 Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater presents: A Christmas Story, The Musical www.rogerrockas.com December 3 - 20 Good Company Players presents: Meet Me In St. Louis, 2nd Space Theatre, www.gcplayers.com December 4 - 6, 8 - 12 Really Really, Woods Theatre, Fresno State, (559) 278-2216 December 5 86th Annual Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade, 11am, www.downtownfresno.org Fresno Philharmonic Pops- “Home for the Holidays”, Saroyan Theatre, 7:30pm, www.fresnoconventioncenter.com Warnors Center for the Performing Arts presents: Puscifer, 8pm, www.warnors.org December 12 The Nutcracker, Saroyan Theatre, 7:30pm December 17 Motley Crue “The Final Tour”, Save Mart Center, 7pm December 18 Mythbusters (Special), Saroyan Theatre, 7:30pm, www.broadwayinfresno.com

December 6 • Rockin’ Rudolph 5K run, 325 N. Douty St., 7:45 am, www.runhanford.com

Kingsburg

December 5 • Santa Lucia Celebration, Downtown Draper Street, 10:00am-7:00pm, (Festival of Lights Parade at 5:30pm) www.kingsburgchamber.com

Lemoore

December 5 • Community Swap Meet, City Park, 9am-noon • Christmas Parade, D Street, 6-8pm December 6 • Breakfast with Santa, 711 W. Cinnamon Drive, 8:00am-noon

Lindsay

December 19 • Tree Lighting and Christmas Parade, City Hall

Porterville

December 3 • Children’s Christmas Parade, Downtown Main Street, 7-9pm December 5 • Zonta Christmas Home Tour & Artisan Boutique, Grand Avenue Methodist Church, noon-4pm, www.zontaclubofporterville.org December 6 • Sierra Vocal Arts annual Christmas Concert: Home for the Holidays, First United Methodist Church, 3pm (559) 804-7995

Selma

December 12 - 13 • The Dancing School presents A Nutty Nutcracker, Selma Arts Center, www.semaartscenter.com

Three Rivers

December 1 - 24 • Three Rivers Historical Museum Open House & Holiday Gift Shop Sale, Museum Gift Shop December 5 • 1st Saturday Festival in Three Rivers: Pinecones & Holly, 11am-7pm, www.1stsaturdaytr.com December 12 • High Sierra Jazz Band in Concert with annual Christmas Party, Three Rivers Memorial Building, 12:30-3:30pm • Community Caroling Around a Bonfire, Three Rivers Museum, 5-7pm

Tulare

•

• • •

December 1 - January 3 Global Winter Wonderland “Travel the World in One Night”, Tulare County Fairgrounds, www.tularechamber.org December 1, 8, 15, 22 Pages with Piper, Kid’s Space, Tulare Public Library, 6:15-7pm December 4 Children’s Christmas Parade, (559) 685-2350 December 4 - 19 The Best Christmas Ever, Tulare Encore Theatre, (559) 686-1300, www.tulareencoretheatre.org

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DECEMBER 2015

Visalia December 2, 9, 16, 23 • Quail Park Farmer’s Market, 4520 W. Cypress Ave, 10:30am-1:30pm (559) 624-3500 • KJUG Country Music Night, Crawdaddy’s, 333 E Main Street, 7-10 pm, www.crawdaddysvisalia.com December 5, 12, 19, 26 • Visalia Farmer’s Market, Sears Parking Lot, 8am-11:30am December 11 • Christmas Tree Auction, Visalia Convention Center, 5:30-11:30pm, www.visaliachamber.org December 12 • An Evening with That 1 Guy, The Cellar Door, 101 W Main Street, 7 pm, www.that1guy.com December 15 • Ho-Ho-Hoey Rock ‘n Roll Christmas show with Gary Hoey, Main Street Theater, 307 E Main Street, 7:30 pm, www.garyhoey.com, www.ticketfly.com December 28 • Pizza with a Purpose, The Planing Mill Artisan Pizzeria, 5-9pm www.vrmhope.org

Ice House Theare www.visaliaplayers.org

December 4 - 20 • Over the River & Thru the Woods

Tachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com

December 10 • Merle Haggard, 7:30pm

Visalia Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.com

December 3, 10, 17, 24 • Visalia Open House December 5 • Tulare County Symphony Presents 2015 Annual Holiday Concert: Don’t be a Scrooge!, 3pm and 7pm December 9 • Classic Flicks at the Fox: Gremlins, 7pm December 11 • Mariachi Sol De Mexico, 7:30pm December 12 • Sons of the San Joaquin, 3pm December 18 • John Mueller’s Winter Dance Party, 7:30pm Event times and dates are subject to change without notice.

Please check event phone number or website to verify dates and times. Enjoy Magazine is not responsible for any inconvenience due to event changes.

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE CALENDAR! Please visit www.enjoysouthvalley.com or email info@enjoymagazine.net to post your calendar events. If you’d like your event to be listed in this section of Enjoy magazine, it must be posted on our website or emailed by the 5th of the month—one month prior to the next magazine issue. For example, a January event will need to post by December 5. Thank you.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 43

CRAFTING

| STORY AND PHOTOS BY TAMARA ORTH

5. Continue the toothpick layers until you have reached the top of your styrofoam cone or until you can’t fit anymore layers on.

6. Hot glue the wooden ball on top of the cone.

7. For styrofoam showing at the top, wrap the top of tree with jute rope. This step is optional but does help conceal any imperfections or hot glue residue.

8. Enjoy!

WOODED ACRES D . I .Y. WOODLAND TREES SUPPLIES

1 Medium foam cone 1 Small foam cone Hot glue gun (low temp.)

Sandwich toothpicks 2 Wooden balls (found at Hobby Lobby) Twine or rope

INSTRUCTIONS 1. Starting at the base of one of the styrofoam cones, in small sections at at time, apply a small horizontal line of hot glue.

2. Quickly attach the toothpicks (rounded side down) into a line, making sure that the bottoms of the toothpicks are flush with the bottom of the styrofoam cone.

3. Continue this gluing and applying method until you have made it completely around the base of the cone. This is your first layer.

4. Once you determine how much spacing to keep between rows, begin the second layer of toothpicks the same way you applied the first. Make sure to cover any hot glue residue left over from the previous row.

GIVE IT AS A GIFT A cute way to give these woodland trees as a gift is to display them in a craft box with white crinkle paper to mimic snow. Place lid on the box, wrap with twine or rope and tie a bow. Embellish with a cute tag and a little bit of greenery.

Now you have a cute, personalized gift ready for holiday gift giving. •

HOLIDAY CRATE GIFTING

Preorder your Bella Rose Bakery pies for pick up at Enjoy the Store

Pick your size, choose your local made products and we'll wrap it up for you!

44 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

505 W. Center Street Visalia • (559) 901-3513 Monday-Friday 10am-5:30p Saturday 10am-4pm Extended holiday hours: Thurs 10a-8p, Sun 12p-3p

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 45

GIVING BACK

| BY JORDAN VENEMA

Once Upon a Dream A W I S H Y O U R H E A R T M A K E S B R I N G S FA I R Y TA L E S ( A N D M O R E ) T O L I F E “WHAT LITTLE GIRL DOESN’T WANT to become a real princess?” asks Kathee Brown, owner of A Wish Your Heart Makes. The answer to that question has a lot to do with the rest of this fairytale, and discovering how wishes can be made reality.

A Wish Your Heart Makes began, says Brown, “when my daughter came to me in 2007 and was inspired to start this business.” Brown’s daughter Ashley, an actress and singer, was a preschool teacher for four years and has a special love for children, says Brown. “She saw Wish as a way to give back to so many more children, and bring the magic.” Not to mention, Disney had always been her special love.

The mother and daughter duo make a perfect team, and together bring magic that is much more than an accessory to a party. Wish provides actors dressed in character for any circumstance – parties, get-togethers, you name it. “Real princesses and superheroes and pirates

46 | ENJOY DECEMBER 2015

step right out of the storybook, and they bring joy and laughter and magic to every event,” explains Brown. “It’s amazing to see the smiles, see all the hugs. You can’t put a price on that.”

Of course, Ashley was the first princess, and though the business began with a handful of princesses, now she has a number under her belt. “Oh my goodness, countless,” says Brown. “Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, all the classics,” as well as “Mary Poppins, Cat in the Hat, Jasmine, all the princesses.” But Ashley’s favorite character, says Brown, is Belle.

Wish provides more than just a live mannequin, however. Princesses tell stories, lead sing-alongs, set up tea parties and organize crafts. “They even do makeovers,” says Brown. “But one of the special highlights for the little girls is the red carpet princess coronation, with the little girl receiving her own sparkly sash with her name on it and a rhinestone tiara.”

Wish isn’t just about princesses. “Superheroes lead an adventure with interactive games, and the children receive an initiation with certificates,” says Brown.

Star Wars parties are really popular right now, she says, as well as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle parties. And with the movie coming out soon, you could have Darth Vader or Princess Leia arrive at a Star Wars party with a Storm Trooper or Jedi Trainer.

It will probably come as no surprise, though, what has been the most popular party over the last two years. “It’s been all about Frozen.

Between the Central Coast and Central Valley, we have about eight Elsas and seven or eight Annas,” Brown says with a laugh. A Wish even has a snow machine for the chillest parties, with a hand-painted backdrop for photo ops. “If they want real snow brought in, we have the capability to do that so they can build their own snowman,” adds Brown.

To date, the largest party Wish has thrown was a Cinderella party, where the parents actually hired a horse-drawn pumpkin carriage which carried the performers to the party – with Prince Charming, Fairy Godmother, and of course Cinderella.

So now that Wish has been around the block, can fans expect any new characters, or has the company already run through the gamut of princesses and heroes? “That’s a secret,” Brown says. “But I will tell you with the new Star Wars movie coming out, that will be really popular.”

While these wishes may be fairytales, for some children a visit from a superhero or princess can be a dream come true. While Wish is a business, it also donates time and resources to bring joy to children who

need it most. In its first year, Wish gave an Alice in Wonderland party to a Visalia girl with a brain tumor. This year, Wish teamed up with Fresno Barnes and Noble to support Valley Children’s Hospital. “We had some of our superheroes and princesses collect story books and comic books for the children,” says Brown. While in character, they picked up books bought through donations, then delivered more than 150 books to children in the hospital.

“That’s our special love,” she says. “We have a program that we call Just Believe Foundation. Actually it started about three years after we started the business, and once a year, we would give a free birthday party for a child who had faced extreme circumstances either through illness or other tragedy.”

That’s where the real wishes come true, giving to these kids. And it’s not exactly easy to become a princess, “but we want to make a difference.

And they can make a difference by becoming their own superhero in the world, or becoming a princess. It’s not about your gown or crown,” says Brown. “ It’s about the love in your heart.” And that is the wish your heart can make. • Awishyourheartmakes.com • Find them on Facebook and Instagram Central Valley (559) 784-4064 • Central Coast (805) 784-0848

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer and California native. He’s a fan of wild stories, impetuous traveling, live music, and all the food. But mostly, he’s a fan of his six-year old son, Cassian. He can be contacted by email at jordan.venema@gmail.com.

DECEMBER 2015 ENJOY | 47