February 2019 253 Lifestyle Magazine

ISSUE NO. 02

FEB 2019

LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

VETERINARIAN CARES FOR HORSES IN MONGOL DERBY

Q&A WITH NICOLE WAKLEY CORPORATE LAWYER TURNED ECO-FRIENDLY ENTREPRENEUR FOUNDER OF TREE 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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Feeling Good is Good to Feel

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PHOTO BY SAM TILLMAN 8 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

DISCOVER TREE AND READ ABOUT ITS FOUNDER, NICOLE WAKLEY, ON PAGE 32.

253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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WE’VE GOT A REBATE FOR THAT.

MARKETING TACOMA REGIONAL MARKETING MANAGER Julie Costello | 253.225.4293 julie.costello@livinglocal360.com GIG HARBOR REGIONAL MARKETING MANAGER Cassie Riendeau | 360.798.3061 cassie@livinglocal360.com DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER Amelia Dahl | amelia@livinglocal360.com

EDITORIAL SENIOR EDITOR | CONTENT MANAGER Jillian Chandler | jillian@livinglocal360.com STAFF WRITERS Patty Hutchens | patty@livinglocal360.com Colin Anderson | colin@livinglocal360.com

OPERATIONS 54 | 38

MANAGING PARTNER | Kim Russo EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | Steve Russo DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS | Rachel Figgins

DESIGN DESIGN DIRECTOR | Maddie Horton CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Whitney Lebsock GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Donna Johnson GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Darbey Scrimsher

CONTRIBUTORS Alinda Morris, Anneli Fogt, Bri Williams Kenny Markwardt, Marina Gunn, Dan Thompson, Marguerite Cleveland 252 Lifestyle Magazine is published monthly and distributed freely throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. 253 Lifestyle Magazine is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. 253 Lifestyle Magazine is produced and published by Like Media, and no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission of the publisher.

(253) 502-8363 MyTPU.org/Rebates 10 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

Proud To Partner With

JULIE COSTELLO

Director of Sales and Marketing

Contact me today!

1 253.225.4293 0 Julie.Costello@livinglocal360.com 4 253LifestyleMagazine.com Julie Costello joined Like Media Group in December 2018 as our Washington director of sales and marketing.

In this position, Julie is primarily responsible for the launch of our premier publication 253 Lifestyle Magazine. With over 20 years of leadership in sales and marketing management, Julie’s strength is in building community through strong and sustainable partnerships. You can contact Julie today to get started!

253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 11

PUBLIS HER’S

Picks

Steve Russo Executive Director

Exploring 253 I hope you enjoyed our premiere issue of 253 Lifestyle Magazine, which launched last month. It is a unique publication, providing inspirational stories as well as travel ideas and the latest trends. This publication is something we truly enjoy bringing to the community.

Living in the “253” is unlike many places. While the area is large, there is still such a wonderful sense of community wherever you look. In this issue you will read about how one Gig Harbor business is doing its part to give back to the community. Prepare to be inspired!

And like many of us, if you live and work in the 253, you rarely take the time to explore your own “hometown.” Now you will have no excuse as you read our Tacoma Focus article which will bring you to the north end of the city to discover all there is to do, whether it is taking in the historic culture or looking to explore the dining and shopping options.

Many want to get away to a warmer climate as the winter continues. Here you will read about one couple’s visit to Cabo San Lucas. You may find yourself planning your itinerary before you even finish the story.

We are honored to be a part of this community. Thank you for the support you have shown us, and as we continue to grow, we look forward to meeting more of you.

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A LAND WITH NO FENCES | VETERINARIAN CARES FOR HORSES IN MONGOL DERBY

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Q & A WITH NICOLE WAKLEY | FOUNDER OF TREE

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HERITAGE DISTILLING DEDICATED TO HELPING COMMUNITIES

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OFF SEASON IN CABO | THE SUN STILL SHINES

Live Where You Play.

Kanooga Beach Lots $399,000

Canterwood SOLD $1,295,000

Canterwood For Sale $1,075,000

Ruston Tacoma View Lot $523,000

GIG HARBOR HOMES GIG HARBOR’S PREMIER REAL ESTATE TEAM info@gigharborhomes.com LINDA PETERSEN Owner/Broker

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SEANA WOHLFEIL Broker

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INSI DE 20

36

60

16

26 HOME

About the cover This month’s cover of 253 Lifestyle Magazine features Nicole Wakley, the woman behind TREE, which offers eco home furniture from the heart at its three locations: Tacoma, Point Ruston and Bellevue. Cover photography by Kristina Wunsch of Poppi Photography, PoppiPhoto.com.

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Wallpaper Trends: Add visual interest to your space

LOCAL FOCUS

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Popular Distillery Continues to Give Back: Heritage dedicated to helping communities

TACOMA

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To The North: Exploring the miscellany of Tacoma’s North End

Q&A

32

Nicole Wakley | Corporate lawyer turned ecofriendly entrepreneur, founder of TREE

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HEALTH

36

Health and lifestyle tricks and tips to keep you happy and healthy

FEATURED

40

A Land with No Fences: Veterinarian cares for horses in Mongol Derby

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 52

Don’t miss a single anticipated event in the 253. We’ve got you covered

TRAVEL

60

Off Season in Cabo: The sun still shines

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Home

wallpaper trends

ADD VISUAL INTEREST TO YOUR SPACE

BY ALINDA MORRIS, ALINDA MORRIS INTERIOR DESIGN LLC PHOTOS BY MATT FRANCIS - OPEN DOOR PRODUCTIONS, MATTHEW WITSCHONKE & BRIAN LAFRENIERE PHOTOGRAPHY

L

ooking for a way to add impact to your space? Wallpaper is a great way to add visual interest to your interior environment and can take you far beyond what can be achieved with paint.

Use wallpaper in place of the painted accent wall to help define your space. If you have an open floor plan, custom area rugs, lighting and art can also assist you in this process. Incorporate layers of texture and pattern into more sophisticated spaces such as an entryway, dining room, master bedroom or a formal living space. If you are going take a risk, a powder room or a mud room is a great place to start. Geometric patterns and bold prints work great in small spaces. To take your project to the next level, don’t forget about your ceiling.

Texture is My Favorite Color - Grass Cloth Taking inspiration from the natural environment invites us to make our interiors warmer and more inviting. Grass cloth is a subtle beauty. However, it is not simple to install—or to remove—so do your research or hire a professional to assist you.

Imperfections and slight variations of color are inherent in natural materials. Seams are visible and often integrated into the design because color variance from one roll to the next can be quite pronounced.

Most grass cloth is made from materials like arrowroot, raw jute, sisal and reed grass. They require special care such as lightly vacuuming, as moisture will damage the paper. Some manufacturers offer wall coverings in a commercial-grade

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finish, offering the illusion of natural materials with a washable surface.

What to Expect Walls need to be prepared correctly in order to look their best. Walls that have even a light texture may need a liner. Some custom papers require level five (flat walls).

Your wallpaper installer should confirm this with you.

This is not the step to skip. If this investment is outside your budget, go for self-adhesive removable wallpaper like tempaper. They offer fun, high-impact looks that are easy to apply and remove.

Best Tips • Always begin your project with a specific goal in mind. • If you are going to invest in a quality covering or custom product, leave the installation to the professionals.

For more tips and design inspiration, follow Alinda Morris Interior Design LLC on Instagram @alindamorris.

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Local Focus POPULAR DISTILLERY CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK Heritage dedicated to helping communities

By Colin Anderson

Big ideas can often come from seemingly simple conversations. The Northwest’s most recognizable distillery began as such. Jennifer and Justin Stiefel were sitting around a campfire with friends drinking scotch, and the conversation about creating their own distilling operation began. Less than a year later, and with a full business plan in place, the Stiefels were opening up their first Heritage Distilling Co. location in Gig Harbor.

Justin recalls first being fascinated with distilling while watching reruns of “M.A.S.H” with his father.

“I asked my dad frequently, ‘What’s that thing in the tent? What are they pouring in there?’” he said, in reference to Hunnicutt and Hawkeye’s still. From there the fascination grew, and by seventh grade Justin was already building a still for his chemistry class (with his teacher’s permission).

Today, that initial idea is a full-steam-ahead company that’s gone from a single location to six in just seven short years. It’s an aggressive expansion to say the least, but one the Stiefels were confident they could achieve.

“We are fairly aggressive, as you can tell by our current growth to date. But we challenge our team to think bigger, have a vision for the future and then execute,” said Jennifer.

Heritage Distilling Co. ships out thousands upon thousands of bottles each year, not just around the Northwest but across the country and even 20 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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“ We believe it is important that local businesses also be good partners in the community ...” overseas. The company distills vodka, gin, rum and whiskey, which is highlighted by its flagship product, Brown Sugar Bourbon. In fact, Heritage has won more awards than any other craft distillery in North America for the last five years in a row, and BSB - Brown Sugar Bourbon was just named World’s Best Flavored Whiskey by Whiskey Magazine in London.

“I hope local residents view our story with a sense of pride as a homegrown success story,” said Justin. “I know our employees view it that way,” adds Jennifer, “and as long as Gig Harbor wants us here, we want to remain here if at all possible.”

The Stiefels enjoy calling Gig Harbor their home base of operations and hope to do so while continuing to expand operations. The company is dedicated to giving back to all kinds of programs in the community and all across the Puget Sound.

Heritage Distilling recently won the Washington Secretary of State’s award for Community Service, one of only two small businesses to win the award. Since opening in 2012, Heritage Distilling Co. has donated to more than 1,200 nonprofit and charitable organizations, raising more than $900,000.

“We believe it is important that local businesses also be good partners in the community, and we take that obligation very seriously,” said Justin.

The company recently partnered with South Puget Sound Community College to announce the formation of a new state-of-the-art center and program for craft brewing and distilling because of its strong belief in the need to develop a local, highly trained workforce to support this growing industry. Jennifer is a former elementary school teacher and works with the Peninsula School District on workforce training advisory programs.

“We believe it is critical that we offer students of all ages different pathways and options to put their best skills to work. Local workforce development is a critical piece of this effort,” she said.

This past summer, Heritage partnered with Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation to join them in their efforts to alleviate homelessness during their Home Shows tour. Heritage Distilling, along with big names like Microsoft, Boeing, Alaska Airlines and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, took an active approach to help with the crisis. A very limited-edition bottle run and label of BSB - Brown Sugar Bourbon with the Pearl Jam “Home

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Shows” logo on it was created, and $20 of every bottle sold went to the cause—$106,000 total of the $11 million raised.

“We were thrilled with the response from the community, and we had people literally from all around the world trying to order these bottles,” said Jennifer.

Justin and Jennifer also have a special place in their heart for children who have lost a parent during active duty military service. More than $20,000 is raised each year for the Special Forces Memorial Fund and Gold Star Kids program at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. To date, more than $100,000 has been raised for the program.

Heritage Distilling Co. believes a community is a multi-layered, three-dimensional relationship of all parties. Everyone draws from similar resources, and they all contribute to a common effort in some way, even if subconsciously: schools, charities, transportation, medicine, economic development, construction, etc.

“We all have a role to play,” said Jennifer. “And if we figure out what our talents and skills are, and we willingly and joyfully contribute those to the greater good, then everyone in the community is enriched, if even just by a little bit.”

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Tacoma TO THE NORTH EXPLORING THE MISCELLANY OF TACOMA’S NORTH END STORY AND PHOTOS BY ANNELI FOGT

R

ocks crunch and clatter under rain boots. A light winter mist falls and water droplets stick to the eyelashes and loose hair of passersby. Nearby, the curious round face of a harbor seal pokes its head out of the gray water of Puget Sound.

It’s a late-January day at Owen Beach, and in true Northwest fashion people and their pets are taking to the rocky shoreline despite the rain. And with the treefilled Vashon Island as a backdrop for a game of fetch or leisurely stroll, who can blame them?

Perhaps it’s the potential for moments like this that drew the 36,300 residents of Tacoma’s North End to the area in the first place. Or maybe it’s the near-seamless mix of nature and historic neighborhoods. The North End is anchored by the 760-acre Point Defiance Park—which includes Owen Beach—at its northernmost tip. Stretching south is a patchwork of business districts interwoven with historic neighborhoods. Each district offers a vastly different experience and history. This diversity within the small, walkable North End is what makes living in this area so wonderful.

More than the Owen Beach waterfront and roughly 15 miles of trails, Point Defiance Park is also home to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the only combined zoo and aquarium in the Pacific Northwest. The zoo—which features Arctic Tundra, Asian Forest Sanctuary and Rocky Shores habitats as well as a kids’ zone—allows for up-close views of everything from polar bears and walruses to elephants and tigers. Two aquariums—the South Pacific Aquarium and the new 35,000-square-foot Pacific Seas Aquarium—allow visitors to touch stingrays and sea stars, and walk through a tunnel as sharks and colorful fish swim above.

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THE GOTHIC BRICK BUILDINGS AND EXPANSIVE GREEN LAWNS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PUGET SOUND CAMPUS ARE AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY BETWEEN NORTH UNION AVENUE AND NORTH ALDER STREET.

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Also within the park, the Fort Nisqually Living History Museum brings the 1850s to life. Actors in period clothing demonstrate crafts and captivate visitors with stories of what it was like at the Hudson’s Bay Company trading post—the first non-Native outpost on Puget Sound. In addition to the museum events and exhibits, the fort hosts escape games. Trapped: Escape Fort Nisqually and Arrested: Escape Fort Nisqually require players to explore hidden secrets of Hudson’s Bay trappers to escape the fort.

Just outside the park, at the waterfront, the Washington State Ferry Chetzemoka motors back and forth on the narrow stretch of water between Point Defiance and Vashon Island’s southern point. In 10 minutes, ferry riders are transported to an island of contrast. On Vashon, quiet roads lined with farm stands exist just miles from a small, bustling downtown core filled with critically acclaimed restaurants.

A less than 20-minute walk from Point Defiance is the town of Ruston.

Formerly home to a copper smelter that operated throughout the early 1900s, the waterfront area is now known as Point Ruston One mile northwest and is a bustling metropolitan destination with high-rise of the campus is condominiums, apartments, a the Proctor District, movie theater, and shopping and dining establishments all a historic business built in the last decade. Locally district with locally crafted ice cream from Tacoma’s Ice Cream Social is a favorite owned shops, yea round, as is the Century Point Ruston movie theater. This restaurants and June, the Point Ruston Farmers entertainment.

Market will take up residence at the Grand Plaza every Sunday through September.

Leaving the waterfront and heading uphill, the Gothic brick buildings and expansive green lawns of the University of Puget Sound campus are an unexpected discovery between North Union Avenue and North Alder Street. The 130-year-old nationally ranked liberal arts college houses roughly 2,600 students from around the nation and world who are drawn to the school’s liberal arts values. The campus is a popular destination for neighbors who enjoy walking their dogs through the quiet, inspiring beauty. But more than just a beautiful campus, the university also regularly offers music and theatre performances, lectures and educational events that are open to the public.

One mile northwest of the campus is the Proctor District, a historic business district with locally owned shops, restaurants and entertainment venues. Some local favorites are the 96-year-old Blue Mouse Theater, the family owned Chalet Bowl and Metropolitan Market’s The Cookie—a gooey, chocolatey cookie considered by many to be one of the best chocolate chip cookies. Like many Northwest neighborhoods, the Proctor District also holds a farmers market, but vendors can be found here year round. Winter markets are held on the second Saturday of the month: February 9 and March 9. Starting March 29, the market is held every Saturday through December 14.

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THIS STRETCH OF “THE AVE” HAS THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF RESTAURANTS, COFFEE SHOPS, BARS AND SHOPPING IN THE ENTIRE CITY.

While the Proctor District is north of the university, 6th Ave. is five blocks south and stands as the historic southern border of the North End neighborhood. This stretch of “The Ave” has the highest concentration of restaurants, coffee shops, bars and shopping in the entire city, according to local blog Move to Tacoma. Due to its proximity to the university, 6th Ave. is a popular hangout for students, but the district’s artsy and eclectic vibe draws residents from all over Tacoma. The annual Art on the Ave music and art festival occurs every summer, and the July 19 event this year will mark its 19th year. The 6th Ave Farmers Market also takes place every Tuesday in the spring and summer on 6th and Pine.

Follow 6th Avenue east until it becomes Division Avenue, and the Stadium District and its namesake Stadium High School can be found perched high above Commencement Bay. This neighborhood is famous for its views of Puget Sound, Browns Point and Vashon Island, and for its historic landmark high school, which was originally built to be a French chateau-style luxury hotel in the late 1800s. It is perhaps most well-known for its prominence in the 1999 movie “10 Things I Hate About You,” where it was Padua High—the high school where Kat Stratford (Julia Childs) met Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). But beyond ‘90s movie filming locations, the district is well-known for restaurants like the German Rhein Haus and Indo Asian Street Eatery.

From shopping to dining, cultural events to college sports, North Tacoma has a little bit of something for everyone. So grab a bus, a bike or a pair of walking shoes and see how much the north offers.

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Q&A

NICOLE WAKLEY

CORPORATE LAWYER TURNED ECO-FRIENDLY ENTREPRENEUR | FOUNDER OF TREE 32 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

BY MARGUERITE CLEVELAND | PHOTO BY KRISTINA WUNSCH

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Many of us long to ditch our current jobs and follow our dreams but may lack the courage to take such a leap. Nicole Wakley is one of the rare people who took that leap. In 2005, she left her role as a lawyer in the corporate world to follow her dream. What started as a passion for eco-wood furniture has now evolved into TREE, Wakley’s one-stop destination for handcrafted, hand-finished furniture, sustainable style and lovingly chosen furnishings and finishing touches that make the heart sing.

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PHOTO BY SAM TILLMAN

“MY DREAM WAS TO HELP PEOPLE CREATE HAPPY, HEALTHY HOMES THAT REFLECT THEIR INNER STYLE AND UPLIFT THEIR LIFE.”

PHOTO BY SAM TILLMAN Q. TREE is more than just a word for you. Can you describe its importance and why you choose to name your business TREE? A. ‘TREE’ is so much more than branches and roots—it is a symbol of life and growth, of strength and solidity. I really learned tangibly the meaning of sustainability when I was raising my boys on our sustainable farm in Australia. I really understood the balance of roots and branches and the care required to allow seeds to blossom.

As TREE has branched out into the Pacific Northwest, we have also grown strong roots within our team, with partners, suppliers and all our TREE clients that we meet in-store and in-home.

I’ve also coined the phrase, ‘TREE feeling,’ which I describe as that intangible feeling that you feel when you walk into our gallery. So many clients spend their time in the gallery running their hands across the wood grains of our tables and experiencing the uniqueness of the pieces all while whispering, “I just love this!” The ‘TREE feeling’ is that warmth of home that you feel in your heart, and I strive to recreate that with every client and connection TREE makes in the local community.

Q. When you walk into your showroom in Tacoma, you have made this large cavernous space feel warm and cozy. Can you describe your interior design philosophy?

A. I had the dream for our heritage building the moment I saw it. Throughout the renovations, I wanted to honor the history and beauty of the building—the exposed brick, the vaulted ceilings, the large windows and all the industrial aspects of the space. The banana leaves and hanging

chandeliers bring a romantic and natural ambience to the space and draw the eye down to our curated collections in the gallery.

My philosophy for design is to never take it too seriously. I like to play with space and style to create a look and feeling that is unique for the individual client and room.

Q. Why is it important to you to offer a complimentary Home Design Service as part of your business model?

A. When I opened TREE, my dream was to help people create happy, healthy homes that reflect their inner style and uplift their life. We loved consulting with clients in our galleries and helping them choose the perfect pieces for their homes. We introduced our complimentary in-home design services after many requests from our clients. After a few positive client referrals and more interest and inquiries, we launched our design services to the public.

No project is too big or too small! Whether they are starting with a blank canvas and redesigning their home, or they just wish to move a few pieces around to create the perfect balance.

Q. You have traveled all over the world, what about Tacoma appealed to you as a place to put down roots?

A. We loved the Pacific Northwest for its ecoconscious mindset, lifestyle and landscapes, and felt it was the perfect place to open TREE in the U.S. What really brought me to Tacoma was the heritage building I found here in the heart of the

city. I saw my dream of TREE coming to life in this building, and here we are over a year later, growing strong roots in the community.

Q. What makes you South Sound Proud?

A. Our own tagline when we opened TREE in Tacoma was actually, ‘TREE loves 253!’ I have been so amazed and grateful for the support and positivity of this community. We’ve been welcomed into local communities, networks and homes, and we are here now as part of Tacoma and the Puget Sound.

In its first year, TREE was voted ‘Best Place to Buy Furniture’ in the South Sound. We were awarded the Tacoma Chamber’s Medium Business Spotlight Award for exhibiting ethics and integrity, and we were named ‘Product of Choice’ for the 2018 NW Idea House this summer. We have had some incredible experiences, and we can’t wait for more in 2019.

Q. Giving back to the local community and the world is an important part of your business philosophy. Can you share with our readers some of the ways you give back to the local community?

A. Our commitment to giving back to our community sits at the very heart of TREE. To date, we have globally planted over 77,000 trees, and the number’s growing. We are also very proud to partner with Forterra, a local nonprofit, whose mission is to keep the land we love sustainable for the future, … Compass-360 Association and NW Furniture Bank.

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Health SUMMER BEAUTY YOUR GUIDE TO LOOK AND FEEL YOUR BEST BY SUMMER

BY BRI WILLIAMS, RN, BSN

D

uring the cold, short winter days, it is hard to imagine that warm weather will soon be upon us. In a few short months the busy days of summer will be in full force, and with that comes weddings, class reunions, family trips and social gatherings. Whether you are going to be a blushing bride or a guest at an event, you want to look and feel your very best, and now is the perfect time of year to start a skincare regimen, in-office treatments and healthy habits to have you glowing by the first day of summer.

A personalized skin-care regimen can help you achieve skin that you are proud of, but it isn’t a miracle overnight cure. Skin issues like acne, hyperpigmentation (brown spots), large pore size, fine lines/wrinkles and laxity all take time to correct. The good news is that it isn’t too late. If you start a routine of using quality products, you can have a beautiful and glowing complexion before the first heat wave.

When choosing a skin-care line and products that will most benefit you, it is best to consult with a specialist to ensure you achieve the results you desire.

For the ultimate skin-tightening, wrinklereducing and pore-shrinking treatment, consider microneedling with platelet-rich plasma. During a microneedling treatment, very small needles create controlled microinjuries to your skin. This process stimulates your body’s wound healing cascade, and as your body works to heal the micro-injuries, new collagen and elastin are created. Results

are accelerated when your own plateletrich plasma is used in conjunction with microneedling. This involves drawing a small amount of your own blood and separating the whole blood from the platelet-rich plasma, which is rich in stem cells and growth factors.

The PRP is then rubbed on the surface of your face while microneedling. The PRP is able to travel down the small channels that are created with microneedling, reaching the dermis where it works to generate new collagen and elastin. This treatment leaves your skin looking sunburned for approximately one day, and it can take up to three months to see the full benefits, so be sure to schedule several months before your event. It is also important to seek this treatment from a licensed and trained professional.

A healthy lifestyle remains at the root of not only looking but also feeling your best. Now is a great time to develop healthy habits to improve your well-being and appearance.

Eating a nutrient-dense diet, staying well hydrated, exercising several times a week and making sure to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night (preferably eight) will help you to feel lively and energetic.

A balanced and wholesome lifestyle, combined with quality skin-care products and in-office aesthetic treatments, can help to ensure that you radiate self-confidence from the inside out. When you look your best, you feel your best. Let this summer be your summer to shine.

A healthy lifestyle remains at the root of looking and feeling your best.

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A personalized skin-care regimen can help you achieve your goals.

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Health

Meal Timing Don’t sabotage yourself, plan for success

BY KENNY MARKWARDT, CSCS

T

here’s a lot of purported information out there surrounding meal timing these days.

Long story short, there are no secrets. But I’d like to point out some things you should consider when planning your day around your meals.

My preface to these points is that calories in versus calories out is still the primary driver of weight and fat loss. No ifs, ands or buts.

So, regardless of what you decide to do after reading this, that is still the most important factor to consider if weight management is your goal.

With that in mind, in regard to meal timing, you should plan your meals in the best way that allows you to adhere to your calorie plan. If you race out the door every morning and can barely remember to put on pants, adding in an extra layer of complication of trying to make a complete breakfast is probably not in the cards for you. You might do it for a week or two, but it probably won’t stick forever.

The side of that coin is that you need to prevent yourself from getting to a point where you’re famished. When you get to that starving point, you make bad decisions. There’s a trigger within all of us that allows us more leeway when we think we’ve suffered through that starvation. “I’ve been hungry for at least two or three hours; I’m eating the first thing I can get my hands on.” That’s not a good place to put yourself in.

Be sure to do whatever allows you to get your calories in and doesn’t leave you starving or making bad decisions.

Honestly, you can stop reading right here and be just fine. But if you’re interested in fueling your workouts and helping with recovery from those workouts, I’ll add some other considerations.

If you’re interested in performance or fitness, you should consume something before you work out. Ideally, this is 30 to 60 minutes beforehand and consists of easy-digesting carbohydrates (20 to 30

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grams is a rough suggestion). This will be your fuel and will ensure you are able to work out with intensity. I strongly recommend that people experiment with this. You want to know what helps you perform and feel the best. You should notice a significant difference, especially between fasted and non-fasted workouts.

Additionally, you should consider your post-workout meal. So many people have been trained to believe in the post-workout window, where all of your gains are lost or made depending on when and what you eat. Unfortunately, the science behind this is murky at best, and it goes in the face of your body’s natural behaviors. Working out, especially with any intensity, will turn your body’s fight or flight hormones on. Your body doesn’t know whether it’s working out or working to dig itself out of a pile of rubble for survival. To ensure these physical tasks are completed as best as possible, your body will allocate all of its resources away from its rest and digest functions and send those resources to the limbs and brain. In that post-workout window, your body is still coming down off that rush of effort, your blood is still in the extremities and your digestion functions are impaired. Bottom line is that your post-workout meal should be delayed until you’re settled down from that workout.

A final consideration is what you should eat before bed. Ideally you’re eating protein combined with some fat. Your body repairs itself during sleep. Giving it a dose of protein before bed will help those repairs get made. Think of it as leaving out building materials for your body’s construction crew. Pair that protein with fat and those building materials are digested slower, allowing for a full night’s worth of rebuilding to be done.

The point of all of this is to remember that food is fuel. Sometimes delicious but always fuel—fuel for maintaining your organism and keeping your body functioning every hour of every day; fuel for performing in brief moments of training/moving with intention; or fuel for repairing or storing excess fuel as tissue.

When that fuel is added, it can certainly make a difference if you know how to use it.

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Land Fences

A

With No

VETERINARIAN CARES FOR HORSES IN MONGOL DERBY

BY DAN THOMPSON | PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRUCE PEDERSEN

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Feature

A

s a traveling veterinarian and a world traveler, Bruce Pedersen is accustomed to rugged terrain.

He practices veterinary medicine in Watford City, North Dakota, and Butte, Montana, boom towns 550 miles and 150 years apart, and lives the rest of the time—“the goal is half the year”—in Sandpoint, Idaho, he said. He has also traveled to India a number of times, climbed to the base camp at Everest with his daughter and taken a humanitarian trip to Swaziland and South Africa.

But none of those places quite compare to Mongolia.

“The landscape was like nothing I’d ever experienced,” Pedersen said. “No fences. I describe it as a Galapagos experience: It’s the same that it was probably 3,000 years ago. These horses were pure, naturally selected, semi-wild, just amazing.”

He was describing the 1,400 or so horses needed for the annual Mongol Derby, an event first run in 2009 that re-creates

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THEIR GOAL? KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY— MOST CERTAINLY THE HORSES—AND FINISH THE 1,000-KILOMETER COURSE IN 10 DAYS OR FEWER. and pays homage to Genghis Khan’s version of the Pony Express, meant to send messages across the vast Mongolian Steppe as fast as possible.

Pedersen, one who relishes new experiences and the personal connections that open such opportunities, was encouraged by a friend to apply to vet the race.

His application was accepted, and last August, he headed to Ulaanbaatar for pre-race training and a three-week adventure along with eight other vets (for the horses), a team of medics (for the humans), about 40 riders and a host of locals.

Their goal? Keep everyone healthy—most certainly the horses—and finish the 1,000-kilometer course in 10 days or fewer.

He nearly didn’t make it out of the United States. A day or two before the race he looked at his passport.

Expired.

So, he and Heather (his wife) drove through the night to Seattle, secured a last-minute passport, and then Pedersen boarded a plane headed across the ocean toward Mongolia.

“I didn’t really explore it that much. I’m not the best at preparation,” he said this winter, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the bed and breakfast he and Heather own and operate in Sandpoint. “It was like going to a movie where you haven’t seen the trailer.

“I’m gonna vet the Mongol Derby,” he said to himself.

“It sounds like fun.”

It went far beyond pure fun, though. For Pedersen, the trip became about the relationship between a people and the earth that sustains them, and the balance between how technology is an aide but also a hindrance to the human connections that it so often seeks to foster.

“Animals are a piece of our connection with the earth and what I saw in those people and how intimate their lives were with those animals and agriculture,” Pedersen said of the Mongolians. “How much removed we’ve gotten.”

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“Animals are a piece of our connection with the earth and what I saw in those people and how intimate their lives were with those animals and agriculture. How much removed we’ve gotten.”

The Mongol Derby draws riders from across the world. The 2018 roster included women and men from 11 different countries, mostly from the United States and Australia.

“The riders help each other, and that’s one of the big important points,” Pedersen said. “They call it a race, but it’s really more of a journey. It’s not as much about winning as it is about completing.”

The task is daunting: Ride 1,000 kilometers in 25 to 28 stages in 10 days—this year’s winners finished on day seven—navigating with a GPS and elementary maps that show little more than peaks, valleys and the next checkpoint.

At each checkpoint riders meet unique horses. If you’re first to reach a checkpoint, then you get first pick of your next steed.

All the animals belong to Mongolians who loan them to the race—part of each rider’s $13,000 entrance fee goes toward paying locals for their horses and hospitality—and are then returned after a leg of the event.

“There is enough value in 50 horses hired to the Derby to satisfy all their cash needs for a year. It’s a game changer,” Katy Willings, Derby chief since 2018, wrote in an email. “That said, we tend to hire the horses in fives and 10s, numbers which mean we can be confident that the herders have spent time on each horse to prepare it: Can it be caught and handled, saddled, mounted, is it fit to carry an adult at speed?”

No horse is ridden twice, and the horses that go well earn a financial bonus for the herder, Willings said.

Pedersen’s job was to check the horses for injuries and elevated heart rates. To some extent, too, he, along with the medics, was assessing the wellbeing of the riders and their fitness to keep riding, especially mentally.

But over the entire event Pedersen said he only assessed one penalty, and not one horse sustained a serious injury.

“We had one colic, but 1,400 horses, just pretty minor lamenesses, a cut we had to sew up,” Pedersen said.

“The riders were beat up way worse than the horses.”

The Steppe is unforgiving. Vast and varied, the terrain tests riders’ skills in navigation and horsemanship, and also their mental mettle.

Between checkpoints, riders wore an emergency SOS button that they could press if they got into trouble.

That happened a couple dozen times over the course of the event, usually because a rider had been thrown from the horse and it had sped off. Other times it was for minor injuries.

But this year, the majority of riders finished.

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Each rider wore a GPS, which, pragmatically, showed the operation center where everyone was at a given time, helping ensure their safety in an emergency. But it also ensured they followed the strict rules of riding only by daylight.

A rider could either bed down at a checkpoint or stop along the course overnight, taking care of their horse and lodging with locals or sleeping wherever they opted to.

They just couldn’t ride again until 6:30 the next morning.

Pedersen also stayed with locals and drank his share of yak milk and other fermented dairy. Their hospitality impressed him.

“It gives me a unique perspective on a working animal, and I think that’s where I’ve grown to really appreciate purpose, as in when animals have a purpose,” Pedersen said. “A sled dog, a Mongolian Derby horse. There’s a need to do something, something that drives us, to give us purpose.

“Out there they are one step away from being wild.”

Indeed, many of the horses still bore the faint stripes of their Zebra cousins, Pedersen said, and most were only about 13 hands tall. But they were stout, strong, fast— and they sure loved to run.

Pedersen knows a thing or two about competitions like the Derby. He has vetted the Iditarod in Alaska five 46 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

times—he plans to do so again in March—and has done so in other races as well.

Often the events recreate some sort of historical journey of necessity: The famed serum run in Alaska, for example, is the inspiration for the Iditarod. Others, like Race the Wild Coast in South Africa, are held so that riders and horses can test the limits of their capabilities.

Pedersen first worked the Iditarod when he was a young vet in Jackson, Wyoming. The parallels between the sled dog race and the Derby were many for him, especially the high level of respect for the animals.

But the level of support is much different. The Iditarod ensures very quick access to primary care for mushers and dogs, but that’s simply not possible in Mongolia.

“The Mongol Derby was a lot more isolated, more intimate with the way things used to be, not as much technology or modernization,” Pedersen said.

And for as harsh as the Steppe was in August, it’s not nearly as treacherous as Alaska in March.

Alaska wouldn’t be safe if there was less support, he said.

“The Alaskan environment in the winter is so much more unforgiving.”

The experience in Asia reminded him of the life-saving value of technology, most certainly. But the nights spent

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“ONE STEP AWAY FROM BEING WILD

with people who lack so much of what Pedersen has back in the United States also reminded him of the ways that technology gets in the way.

“To observe their family time was a bit enviable on the quality of those interactions. The single focus of tending for their animals, they milk yak, they lived off the land,” he said. “Modernization has infiltrated a little bit … but I still felt that it was preserved to some historical aspect of how it was.”

Pedersen sees parallels in North Dakota, where, when he sees large animals as a vet, they are ranch horses. Animals with a job, a purpose, a clear connection with the land.

Toward the end of the Derby, Pedersen and a handful of vets found themselves at the final checkpoint, and they had a realization: Why not ride?

“We said, wait a minute, we’re in Mongolia. We need to throw a leg over a horse and ride,” Pedersen said.

So, they cobbled together what equipment they had, including the Mongol saddles that were, to put it much more delicately than the saddles themselves, jostling to ride.

The final leg was about 36 kilometers, and Pedersen was on it. The horse he rode belonged to a Mongolian boy who loaned it to him.

“I was honored by that young boy. That’s his prized possession,” Pedersen said. “That was his horse and he let me ride it.”

The horse knew how to choose a path, much better, he realized, than he did as a rider. He nicknamed it Cereb, short for cerebrum, because it was so automatic for the horse to navigate the terrain.

One leg into a marmot hole—which were multitudinous and often obscured—would undoubtedly toss Pedersen and lame the horse.

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BUT HE IS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE. HE’S EVEN CONSIDERING RIDING IN THAT RACE ALONG THE SOUTH AFRICAN COAST.

“These horses want to run, so they are hell bent. It’s not just a trot. At first I’m steering them, and then I realized, no, you let them have their head,” he said. “Just to be on them and feel them, it gave us a real appreciation for the riders.”

They rode across the finish line and steered right into a lake.

It ended with a big party, including some Genghis vodka (he brought back a flask of it).

“I think among the crews in particular there is a feeling of having been into battle together,” Willings said. “So many of the challenges of the event are unbeknownst to the riders, thank goodness, and we adopt a kind of ‘game face,’ which at the event’s safe and successful conclusion, is fun to take off again and admit how crazy things got at times.”

Five or six days later, Pedersen boarded an airplane in Ulaanbaatar, bound for Beijing, then Seattle and then Spokane.

Pedersen is still often on the move, driving to Butte and Watford City, maintaining his role in the vet practices he helped start.

But he is always looking for the next adventure. He’s even considering riding in that race along the South African coast.

“I might still have it in me,” he said.

At the least, Pedersen has the Iditarod coming up. And maybe even another trip across the Steppe, where there is no fence in sight.

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From fine dining, to sunny courtyard lunches, our chef prepares meals meant to be savored.

Choose from a range of active living options that complement your personal requirements and lifestyle.

Independent Retirement & Assisted Living Community 1016 29th Street NW Gig Harbor, WA 98335 253.853.3354 HarborPlaceRetirement.com 253 LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE 51

IT’S FOR THE ANIMALS! The 2019 Whiskers, Wine & Dine is set for March 9 to support animal welfare through prevention

By Jillian Chandler

March

09 2019 MARKS NORTHWEST SPAY AND NEUTER CENTER’S 15TH ANNUAL WHISKERS, WINE & DINE FUNDRAISING GALA. Located in Tacoma and serving dogs and cats throughout the South Sound, the organization provides high-quality, low-cost spay and neuter services, even offering shuttle service to provide easy and affordable access to those with limited transportation.

According to Stephanie Moore, client relations and project manager for Tairis Group, who was hired on to support and grow the event, the group is handling the comprehensive event management, marketing and communications, sponsorship and procurement outreach for this year’s event. “But we’ve quickly fallen in love with the organization and mission, not to mention getting to work with Melanie Rushforth, the executive director at Northwest Spay and Neuter, has been incredible,” Stephanie says. “She’s a great spokesperson for the organization, and you can see her passion for pets in every interaction we have with her.

Also, getting to see the cats and dogs and the clinic and the work those professionals do on a day-to-day basis is an inspiration.”

Whiskers, Wine & Dine 2018 raised $125,000, and this year’s monetary goal is to raise $250,000, with proceeds going to prevent animal overpopulation in Washington state.

“We have a very loyal following who love this event, but we’re jazzing it up a bit this year, too,” says Stephanie. “To start the night, we’ll have (wine and beer) tastings; passed appetizers; interactive games including a cat collar wine toss and photo booth, plated dinner and a chance to bid on some incredible silent and live auction items, not to mention the

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feel good of supporting an incredible organization and mission in our community.”

Harmon Brewing Co featuring their Maincoon Pale Ale, Guardian Cellars featuring their Newsprint Wine, Madsen Cellars out of Olympia and Klickitat Canyon Winery will all be on-site serving up samples.

Dinner will be provided by Jonz Catering, who will be creating an incredible vegan and vegetarian menu.

This year’s event takes place Saturday, March 9, 5 to 9pm, at the McGavick Conference Center at Clover Park Technical College, located at 4500 Steilacoom Boulevard SW in Lakewood. Cocktail attire is recommended for this upscale event.

For those interested in attending Whiskers,Wine & Dine fundraiser, tickets are priced $100 for a single ticket, $200 per couple or $1,000 for a table of 10. To purchase your ticket, visit WhiskersWineDine.org. For those who are unable to attend the event but would still like to make a charitable donation to the cause, this can be done online as well. For additional information, please reach out directly to Stephanie Moore via email at smoore@tairisgroup.com or by phone at 206.819.7277.

Each year, the Northwest Spay and Neuter Center will serve more than 13,500 dogs and cats with NWSNC having to offset the cost of every surgery or service they perform in some way. The funds raised at Whiskers, Wine & Dine go directly to support the key operations of the clinic.

Arts & Entertainment

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09

02 8-9 08 Feb.

02

Feb.

Pier Into The Night with Live Dive

08

A Conversation with Michelle Obama

While you stay warm and dry on Jerisich Public Dock, WildWatch divers use an underwater video camera to live stream exactly what they encounter below the surface. Staff biologists and trained volunteers identify the plants and animals that appear on the 10-foot screen. This program takes place on the first Saturday of the month from October through March. Mark your calendars for the next dive on March 2. Visit HarborWildWatch.org for additional information.

Michelle Obama’s live U.S. book tour events in support of her highly anticipated memoir, “Becoming,” makes it way to Tacoma Friday, February 8, and will feature intimate and honest conversations between Mrs. Obama and a selection of to-be-announced moderators, reflective of the extraordinary stories shared in the wideranging chapters of her deeply personal book. The event takes place at the Tacoma Dome. Tickets can be purchased through TicketMaster.

Feb.

Feb.

8-9

3rd Annual Pinology Market

Join Pinology Market and The Great Junk Hunt at the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup for the third annual Pinology Market! Buy all the things that you love on Pinterest but don’t have time to make.

Vendors are hand selected, ensuring you get the best merchandise to choose from. Early bird shopping takes place Friday night, 6 to 9pm, and is just $15 (and gets you in Saturday, too!). General admission for Saturday is $7, with doors open 10am to 4pm. Kids 12 and younger are free. For more information, visit PinologyMarket.com.

Feb.

09

4th Annual Sip & Stroll

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09

APCC’s 21st Annual New Year Celebration

Asia Pacific Cultural Center presents their 21st Annual New Year Celebration featuring the beautiful country and culture of Hawaii.

Held at the Tacoma Dome, this fun family event takes place 11am to 6pm and is free to attend. The celebration offers a day of cultural entertainment, activities, games, crafts and more than 90 booths of cultural arts from many countries, food, drinks and retail booths. For more information, call 253.383.900 or visit APCC96.org.

The Gig Harbor Downtown Waterfront Alliance is proud to announce their fourth annual Winter Sip & Stroll on Saturday, February 9. This popular tasting event takes place just before Valentines Day, taking patrons on a tour along Gig Harbor’s waterfront sampling Northwest wines, brews, spirits and small bites at businesses serving as “Stroll Stops.” Tastings at the Sip & Stroll begin at noon and end at 4pm. Purchase tickets at EventBrite.com.

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Google Adwords

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Online Listing Sync

Feb.

09

Valentine’s 5k

Don’t miss the 2019 Valentine’s 5k, taking place 8 to 10am at the Ruston Way Waterfront. This 5k begins at Cummings Park (near the Lobster Shop restaurant), continues to Point Ruston and back.

All participants who have pre-registered will receive a red knit race beanie! Registration is $20 per person, and anyone 8 years of age and older is invited to participate. Visit Facebook for the link to register.

Feb.

10

Canterwood Golf and Country Club Wedding Showcase

Join Canterwood Golf and Country Club for their annual wedding showcase! Chef Chris will be preparing tasty bites for attendees to enjoy while meeting a handful of Canterwood’s preferred wedding vendors and touring the club. Be sure to ask about their wedding showcase new booking special for 2019 weddings. The event is free to attend. To find out more, contact Trista Ortiz, private event director, at 253.851.1845 ext. 610 or trista.ortiz@clubcorp.com.

ClubCorp.com/Clubs/Canterwood-Golf-Country-Club

Feb.

15

Mat Classic XXXI

On Friday, February 15, 10am to 10pm, hundreds of Washington’s elite high school wrestlers will descend upon the Tacoma Dome for one of the nation’s premiere high school wrestling events—Mat Classic XXXI. With six divisions wrestling on 24 mats, all in one location, this event is a must-see for Pacific Northwest wrestling fans. By Saturday evening, 84 individual champions and six team champions will be crowned. You can visit WIAA.com/MatClassic.com for tickets and additional event information.

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March

06

March

03 Feb.

16

March

Empty Bowls Fundraiser

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6th Annual ESB Bridal Showcase

This year’s Empty Bowls event takes place Saturday, February 16, 11am to 2pm, at the Boys & Girls Club in Gig Harbor. Potters from the region have worked all year to create beautiful soup bowls while a dozen or more local restaurants prepare their signature soups to serve.

The community then comes together to purchase a bowl, receive a simple meal of soup and bread, and know that their purchase will help feed thousands of meals to hungry kids next summer when local schools are out. Find out more online at AltrusaGigHarbor.org.

Join The ESB for their sixth annual Bridal Showcase at the Environment Services Building in University Place. They invite you to tour the facility and take in the amazing Puget Sound view. Meet with some of ESB’s preferred wedding vendors like Paper Luxe, X-Group Catering, Jonz Catering, Chambers Bay Grill and more! Complimentary mimosas for guest 21 and older provided

by Chambers Bay Grill. This event is free to the public. For more information call 253.798.4141 or email pceventrental@piercecountywa.gov.

Feb.

March

22

06

Bootleggers Blowout

Drive the Blues Away with libations, Southern bites and live music at America’s Car Museum. 8 to 11pm, it’s time to party like it’s 1929!

Prohibition in Tacoma will be formally re-ratified in an evening of hush-hush drinking and costumed cavorting. Tacoma’s best chefs will be preparing bites of what Prohibition food means to each of them. ACM is partnering with Dirty Oscar’s Annex, Cooks Tavern and Southern Kitchen. To top off the evening, Seattle six-piece live electro swing band Good Co will be performing. To find out more and purchase tickets, visit AmericasCarMuseum.org.

March

02

South Sound Sustainability Expo

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Be Bold Seattle: International Women’s Day Celebration

Celebrate International Women’s Day by attending Be Bold Seattle Wednesday, March 6, 5:30 to 8:30pm. An evening event featuring influential speakers who share the philosophy to inspire, empower and support each other to take bold pragmatic action to accelerate equality. This year the event will be hosted at the prestigious Benaroya Hall in the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall in Downtown Seattle. For additional information and to register, visit BBoldNow.com.

Celebrate, connect and cultivate everyday sustainability. Saturday, March 2, 10am to 3pm, head to the Greater Tacoma Convention Center and Tollefson Plaza for the 12th annual South Sound Sustainability Expo. This free family event connects community members to more than 100 local organizations and businesses dedicated to creating a healthy and environmentally sustainable South Sound. There will be workshops, special events and featured topics. Visit SouthSoundSustainabilityExpo.org for more.

TASTE THE NORTHWEST

JULY 11 -13, 2019

FOOD & DRINK CELEBRATION SPOKANE VALLEY • CraveNW.com

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Eat & Drink

* T I P : I LOV E U S I N G T H E I M AG I N E O R G A N I C B R A N D F O R M Y S O U P, O R Y O U C A N M A K E I T F R O M S C R AT C H I F Y O U ’ R E R E A L LY F E E L I N G E X C I T E D .

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WINTER COMFORT Recipe & Photo Courtesy of Marina Gunn Serves 6

BUTTERNUT CHICKEN POT PIE WITH SAGE BISCUITS INGREDIENTS:

FOR THE BISCUITS:

1 tbsp. olive oil 4-5 chicken thighs 1 head of celery 8 medium carrots 1 yellow onion 16 oz. butternut squash soup* 1 tsp. salt 1 cup arugula

2 cups flour 2 tsp. baking powder 3/4 tsp. kosher salt or pink salt 14 tbsp. unsalted butter, cold and cubed 1/4 cup whole milk 3/4 oz. chopped sage (1 clamshell at grocery) 1 large egg

METHOD: • Turn to medium heat and add olive oil to cover the bottom of a large pot.

Add chicken thighs and sauté for 5 minutes, flip and continue for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot, shred with a fork and set aside.

• Using the same pot on medium-low heat, add chopped celery, carrots and yellow onion. Add more olive oil and salt if needed, stir occasionally. Cook until the onions are slightly transparent (7-8 minutes).

• Add the shredded chicken to the sautéed vegetables, stir and add in the butternut squash soup. Cover, simmer on low for 20 minutes. Add and mix in arugula before removing from heat.

• While the soup mixture is simmering, make the sage biscuits (adapted from Molly Yeh’s recipe).

• Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter using a pastry cutter or your hands, incorporating the butter until the mixture is the consistency of oatmeal and the butter is the size of peas.

• Mix in the milk and chopped sage until the mixture comes together to form a dough. I usually use my hands at this point to make sure it’s combined.

• On a floured surface, pat the dough to 3/4” thick and then cut out round biscuits, re-rolling scraps as needed.

• Add the biscuits to top of butternut chicken and vegetables if using an oven-safe pot. If not, transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to an oven-safe casserole dish or pan and then top with biscuits.

• Brush the biscuits with the beaten egg and top with salt. Bake on 425°F until the biscuits are golden brown, 25- 30 minutes. Enjoy!

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Travel

Off Season in Cabo THE SUN STILL SHINES!

By Colin Anderson

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O

ver the past few years my wife and I have come to really appreciate traveling in the month of September. With summer vacations over, kids going back to school and tolerable weather around most of the country, people aren’t necessarily putting travel high on their list during this month. Residing in the Northwest and being far from pale blue and bathtub warm ocean waters, we are happy to take a beach vacation any time of year. If you do head to the southern United States, Mexico or the Caribbean this time of year, you are always rolling the dice as midAugust through the end of October is peak hurricane season. While that can certainly ruin a vacation, your chances of being stuck in a major storm are pretty miniscule and your chances of having prime beaches, easy reservations and calmer streets are all but a sure thing.

This past September we decided to book a six-night trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Located on the very southern tip of the Baja Peninsula, this once small fishing village would be unrecognizable to those who visited some 30 years ago. The towns of Los Cabos and Cabo San Lucas are connected via “The Tourist Corridor,” where a staggering number of all-inclusive mega resorts reside. As our friendly cab driver pointed out, there were six new massive resort complexes currently under construction.

As we traveled the near hour-long (and $70) ride from the International Airport to Downtown Cabo San Lucas, we were pleasantly surprised at how green and beautiful the surrounding landscape was. The area is very much a desert but still quite colorful.

The driver showed us where George Clooney’s oceanfront villa was (currently for sale) and some incredible golf courses where six-figure membership gets you through the front gate. Alas, these were not in our travel plans.

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“

We splurged one evening and went to Los Tres Gallos.

Many come to Cabo San Lucas for the all-inclusive hotels. Here you’ve already pre-paid for just about everything: room, food, drinks and entertainment. While I can very much understand a vacation in which you don’t have to plan anything, leave the pool or rarely take out your wallet (except to tip of course), we are much more into exploring new places, so our destination was an older condo complex set just a block back from the beach.

When we talked with several Cabo veterans about going down in September, they all told us to push the trip off until October when the heat and humidity would both drop significantly. There is no sugar coating it; September is a hot and humid month for the Baja peninsula.

With Hawaiian island-like weather most of the year, many locals actually leave during August and September to take their vacations away from the heat and humidity. With plane tickets and hotels 40 to 60 percent cheaper during these months, we decided the little bit of extra heat would be OK to deal with.

The Beach The main attraction to most tropical vacations is the beach, and Playa el Medano is the center of all the daytime action in Cabo San Lucas.

Playa el Medano stretches from the marina up along the entire bay and is the main safe swimmable beach in the area. The beachfront is littered with casual bars and restaurants, a few expensive all-inclusives and, as like the rest of Mexico, plenty of vendors. Dressed in all white and constantly meandering up and down the beach, they are looking to sell you everything from hair braiding and henna tattoos to sombreros, jewelry and cigars. While it can be a little overwhelming at first, a simple “No thank you” or just ignoring their attention-grabbing pitch will often lead them to move on rather quickly. Vendors are not allowed inside the

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beachfront restaurants either, so as long as you aren’t in the first couple rows of beach-front seating, you’ll be left more at peace to take down your margarita or Dos Equis.

Water sports are easy to arrange here with jet skis and parasailing easily rented right from the beach. A dip in the warm waters feels incredible after walking through the humid air. The seas are less tranquil in the fall, but you can still wade out about 20 to 30 yards with your feet on the bottom.

Water taxis are running constantly to take visitors out to Lover’s Beach at El Arco, the area’s famous landmark. While still busy, there are no services here, so it’s a little less hectic than on Playa Medano, and seeing El Arco up close is also a memorable sight.

The Food As you would expect, seafood is the specialty in most restaurants and cafés in Cabo. With high heat during the day, we found ourselves mostly munching on appetizers and fish tacos. We found Tacos Gardenias right behind our condo and ended up eating there several times. The fresh fish ceviche and molcajete were incredible. Fresh fish or shrimp tacos were grilled or fried and came with a tray of about a dozen different sauces, salsas and garnishes to make an awesome and affordable lunch or latenight snack.

Baja Brewing Company was started by a couple of friends from Colorado and now has three locations. We frequented the one atop the Cachet Beach Hotel roof just about every day. With so few tourists around, we were able to snag the tables with the best view, kick back and enjoy solid craft beers.

Come Celebrate life on the water.

Board the only authentic Venetian gondola in the Pacific Northwest and let the stress melt away.

Let Gig Harbor’s beauty be the backdrop of your celebration.

Visit GigHarborGondola.com for more information.

John Synco Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard 3117 Harborview Drive • Gig Harbor, Washington • 253.432.0052

8 gigharborgondola@gmail.com f Gig Harbor Gondola 5 gigharborgondola.com 5 gigharborgondola Gift Certificates Available!

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As mentioned earlier, many locals will take off during the humid season, so a few of the more heralded restaurants were closed for a few weeks while the owners took their vacations. I would estimate this was only about 5 to 10 percent of the restaurants, and we were able to find plenty to eat everywhere we went. We splurged one evening and went to Los Tres Gallos, which focuses on locally sourced traditional Mexican fine dining.

The open-air restaurant was dimly lit, and you feel like you are eating in a 200-year-old courtyard. The meal and ambiance were incredible.

The Nightlife Other than the beach, many come to Cabo for its renowned nightlife which is located around the marina and the streets directly behind it.

Once the sun goes down the music goes up and loud beats pump into the streets as employees look to lure you into high-octane parties at places like The Giggling Marling, El Squid Roe and Mandala. The over-40 crowd often makes its way to Cabo Wabo in hopes of spotting owner Sammy Hagar or some of his buddies up on stage for an impromptu live set. We found a few of the smaller bars a bit more appealing like Happy Endings

Cantina with its two beers and two shots for $5 daily promotion and Pochos with its open patio and views of the super yachts parked in the marina.

While partying and beach going is always available, there is plenty more to do with a week in Cabo. Some of the best sport fishing in the world is found off its shores; there are horseback and ATV trips into the surrounding desert; and a day trip up to the town of Todos Santos can give you a break from fast-paced Cabo to enjoy a peaceful and artsy community where you can also visit the Hotel California from the famed Eagles’ song.

There is always a reason off-season travel is cheaper, but those willing to risk the potential for less than ideal conditions often come away with an incredible experience for a lot less than they would have otherwise paid.

What are you waiting for? It’s never too early to start planning your fall getaway today.

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