Bliss Babe Magazine September/October 2016

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

MENA SPODOBALSKI EVOKING FITNESS SUCCESS

ELDORADO WINE GETAWAY POWERFUL GIFTING John Halcyon Styn

SKY DANCER Anna Serbinenko

CRAIG CHAQUICO of Jefferson Starship

DROP YOUR PANTIES THIS FALL DORINDA'S CHOCOLATE a Family Affair

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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@roundaboutgrill

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 â?¤

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 6

MARRIED TO MYSELF

7

POWERFUL GIFTING

8

BRING OUT YOUR INNER SIXTH SENSE

BECK, 26 CLAYTON ROMANTIC AND TIMELESS

by Andre Tyrell

by Ric De La Rosa

SPODOBALSKI, 28 MENA EVOKE FITNESS SUCCESS

by John Halcyon Styn

by Leslie McCarroll

ART OF CHILDHOOD 30 THE

by Chrisie Yabu

by Chrisie Yabu

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31

COLIN’S CORNER

by Colin Smith

KRUSE 32 10 STEPHANIE PERSON OF THE YEAR

by Kylie Rowe

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33

THE QUEEN BEESNESS

by Britton Douglass

DANCER 12 SKY DR. ANNA SERBINENKO

by Debbie McCarthy & Meg Steinitz

5TH ANNUAL RED SHOE GALA

by Rachel Gattuso

DOWNTOWN TRUCKEE WINE, WALK & SHOP

by Jen Eastwood

FALL IN EL DORADO COUNTY

by Meg Steinitz & Debbie McCarthy

34 EL DORADO COUNTY WINE MAP TOWN DEB” CREATIVE 36 “ABOUT ADVENTURES THIS SUMMER

by Katrina Stewart

DROP STAY SEXY 14 PANTY

by Meg Steinitz

THE AMERICAN RIVER 38 RAFTING

by Meg Steinitz

ZINFANDEL 15 FOOTHILL Michael Christian

RUNNING 39 CHI

by Cheryl Lloyd

CHOCOLATE 16 DORINDA’S A FAMILY AFFAIR

by Leslie McCarroll

A SHADOW OF DOUBT 18 WITHOUT

by JamalEdeen Barghouti SISTER'S JOURNEY 20 MY WITH BREAST CANCER

by Katie Coombs

21 by Amanda Magrini, MD

SCHEDULE A MAMMOGRAM MASSAGE, IT'S NOT JUST TO RELAX

by Kristine Kadel Gentile

MAIDEN 24 WHISKEY

by Tessa Marie CHAQUICO 25 CRAIG OF JEFFERSON STARSHIP

by Kelly Rush

40 RIVERWALK 41 SIERRA BELLE BOUTIQUE EVENTS 42 BLISS

by Christi Quatro VEGAS EVENTS & 43 LAS SOCIAL CALENDAR

by Yvette Auger

NEED TO TRAVEL 44 THE

by Danell Wilson-Perlman

45 FIND YOUR BLISS IN MIDTOWN SCARING YOURSELF 46 STOP

by Craig Nielson DAYS 47 950

by Morgan Dawn STATE OF WASHOE 48 THE COUNTY SCHOOLS

by Connie Anderson

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016

MENA SPODOBALSKI EVOKING FITNESS SUCCESS

ON THE COVER: Mena Spodobalski HAIR AND MAKEUP: Alexis Gamboa at the Ritz Salon PHOTO OF MENA SPODOBALSKI BY: Alicia Santistevan Styled by Labels Consignment Boutique, Reno NV

ELDORADO WINE GETAWAY POWERFUL GIFTING John Halcyon Styn

SKY DANCER Anna Serbinenko

CRAIG CHAQUICO of Jefferson Starship

DROP YOUR PANTIES THIS FALL DORINDA'S CHOCOLATE a Family Affair

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

1

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

Photograph by Kiley Howard

D

o you feel it?

That crisp air early in the morning? I love this time of year. It’s the winding down of summer, a reason to throw on a light knit top and even more so, it’s amazing sleeping weather.

Anyone who knows me well can attest that sleep is one of my favorite activities, besides being a mom, staying fit, and getting the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing team. I can’t say enough about the hard work and dedication of our Bliss Babe Magazine team. Despite adversity and juggling many obligations, it never ceases to amaze me the passion and dedication that surrounds our culture here at Bliss Babe Magazine.

I hope this issue inspires you to reach outside your comfort zone. To take a chance on yourself. To take that giant leap of faith you’ve been putting off. To change your circle of friends for the better.

This issue is about empowerment and being committed to your personal growth, even when life hands you undesired circumstances that don’t jive with YOUR plans. This issue is about healing, from the inside out, whether you have an unexpected illness, are new to sobriety or trying to find hope in this world. This issue is about reaching outside yourself to make a difference. Sure, we all want great bodies, chiseled abs and to look beautiful; but what does it matter if we are hurting on the inside?

Are you ready to show up? Are you ready to be accountable and pay it forward? We hope so, and if you’re just starting out on your journey we honor you and we are behind you 100%.

While you’re enjoying this issue we’d like to take a minute to send out a big thank you to all of our new

advertisers, sponsors, and storytellers. Without them, this wouldn’t be possible. There are great stories about self-discovery, health, gifting, transformation, fashion, our El Dorado wine country family, good local eats, and Riverwalk & Midtown Merchants.

Also, a big thank you to TESLA for supporting us as we grow! Finally, thank you to our amazing photographers from EXIT 186 Imagery as well as Diane Beall and Emily Reese. We love you all and we are almost to our one year anniversary. Stay tuned!

There’s going to be a big celebration!

Bliss Babe magazine is a women’s beauty, fitness and lifestyle multi-platform publication, which empowers women to be their best at any level, age, orientation, and life stage. Our goal is to assist women to fulfill their desires and passions, giving women the opportunity and tools to live a life full of purpose while becoming physically and mentally fit.

Bliss Babe uses captivating editorial content, stunning photography, and riveting videos published across various mediums including: social media, mobile, email, print, and our website. Bliss Babe Magazine will serve its readership in the Nevada and Northern California areas with the latest fitness and fashion-forward trends, technology, health advances, beauty, spiritual growth, personal development, and various other tools and services to help women become their best.

Bliss Babe’s intention is to encourage its readers to share their stories and experiences so we can all learn, grow and build a thriving network of women who want to support one another from the Battle Born State to the far ends of the earth. Wherever you are at this very moment reading Bliss Babe, we wish you an amazing journey filled with many miracles and blessings. Never stop believing in yourself!

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Be Brave. Be Bold. Be Remembered!

Yours Truly, Leslie McCarroll Leslie@Blissbabe.com

THE BLISS CREW

DEBBIE MCCARTHY aka About Town Deb Business Development

Yvette Auger Emily Reese Kelly Rush John Halcyon Styn Rachel Gattuso Amanda Magrini, MD Kristine Kadel Gentile JamalEdeen Barghout

Dorinda Vance Katrina Stewart Michael Christian Katie Knapp Jackie Peacock Craig Nielson Alyssa Starr Mena Spodobalski

DIANE BEALL

Creative Director

Tessa Marie Morgan Dawn Jen Eastwood Angela Rameriz Ryan Coulter Tres M Benzley Sara Robbins Katie Coombs

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EMILY REESE Editor

Danell Perlman Cheryl Lloyd Meg Steinitz Britton Douglass Kylie Rowe Colin Smith Maya Reyes Klein Ric De La Rosa

Christi Quatro Chrisie Yabu Andi Tyrell Rachel Karry Natasha Bayt Donna Stewart Lynn Marie Kremers Wine Concierge

BLISS BABE STAFF EVENT PHOTOGRAPHERS Mike Stram & Gavin Graham of Exit 186 Imagery CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Clayton Beck • Exit 186 Imagery • Scott Thompson • Alicia Santistevan • Debbie McCarthy • Christie Yabu

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

5

ANDREA TYRELL

I

“Married to Myself ”

have a particular fondness for tattoos. Say what you will about ink and those who have it, but I look at my tattoos with admiration and see the strength each symbol represents. I often get tattoos after a big life event. When I moved to New York City, I got my skeleton key inked on my arm, reminding me that my home was wherever I am. I didn’t need a physical address with a house key to call my own. The cherry blossom behind my ear signifies my mortality: that life is a mere whisper.

Three years ago, after an especially difficult break up, I got a black diamond inked on the ring finger on my right hand, or my independent hand. When I was living in Brooklyn, a couple of my friends bought themselves “independent rings,” which were sparkly diamond rings featured in the most luxurious of designer jewelry shops. These women were single and proud of it, declaring that their lives were complete without a significant other. They were committed to themselves and no one else, and they wanted something shiny to prove that.

I wanted to treat myself to the message that I am com-

mitted to myself. See exhibit A: my diamond tattoo. Now, a few years later, even though I am in a relationship where we are talking about marriage, I look at my ring finger and I still feel that sense of self-love. Although I adore my partner and am excited for the future that we are about to build, I am still committed to myself. I will put myself before others. I will continue to love myself with a vigorous passion.

As I end this piece, I think about the people who tell me I’m selfish for putting myself first. With putting myself first, I am able to meet my needs before effectively tending to others. I’m committed to my growth and my mental health which makes me a better person for my partner, my family, my friends, and my community. We become so afraid to take care of ourselves because we fear being judged, but then, who is supposed to take care of us?

Andrea Tyrell is a writer, blogger, bicyclist and proud cat mama living in Midtown Reno.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

♥ POLITICS, BURNING MAN & GIFTING WRITTEN BY: JOHN HALCYON STYN PHOTOS BY: ERIC SCHWABEL SCHWABELSTUDIO.COM

♥

A

s exciting as it may be to live in a democracy, few things can dim one’s spirit like an election cycle. The news is filled with fear, water cooler convo’s regurgitate angry soundbites, and online comments reek of righteous indignation.

It brings out the worst in people. It forces us to pick teams and magnifies our differences.

Amidst all the anger and divisiveness, it can feel like the world is beyond repair.

But when I calm down, I remember that my job is not to fix the darkness in the world. My job is to shine my light.

This can feel like a selfish pursuit, but I promise, it is not.

Read on.

I had a transformative experience 18 years ago when I first attended Burning Man. I experienced a Gift Economy where people freely give things to one another - not because they will get something in return, but because it feels good to make someone else happy.

(This is different from “barter” where goods and services are still exchanged in the same traditional transaction format of our monetary commerce system.) Over the years, Gifting at Burning Man became a deep

passion and a profound part of who I am.

But one week of rosecolored glasses isn’t enough to tint your worldview for the entire year. You need to look for opportunities to Gift everywhere.

That is why I started looking for ways to Gift year-round.

Everything changed when I started seeing everyone around me as an opportunity to make myself happier. How? By making them happier, even in tiny ways: holding a door open, being a good listener, or giving a dollar to the person in front of me at the store who couldn’t afford a second item.

These tiny acts of kindness have rippling effects. Not only do they change the way you see yourself in the world, but they transform the worldview of everyone who witnesses it. The person you helped, now knows that there are open-hearted people in the world. The other people waiting in line now have an example: a role model saying it is okay to be kind.

And often this is what the world needs: simple permission to be the kind and giving people we want to be. This is why those “pay-it forward” chains continue for so long at Starbucks, when people pay for coffee for the

person behind them. People want to be better, but they also don’t want to be suckers.

They don’t want to be taken advantage of.

But I would argue that it is impossible to be taken advantage of; even if your kind act does not set off a chain of ripples, it still confirms that YOU ARE AN AGENT OF LOVE. It is who you are in the world. When you act in this way, you start to attract kind and loving people into your life. When you start to see yourself as a helper—as one who gifts—you can’t help but act differently in the world.

You will do kind acts because it makes you feel better, and as you act selflessly, the ripples of your actions will make the world a better place.

Best of all, when you can see your fellow humans from this perspective, it doesn’t matter what their political views are. There is no “us” and “them.” Just millions of opportunities to make yourself happier.

So as the election season (thankfully) comes to a close, remember that a daily campaign of kindness is the real winning ticket.

I’m John Halcyon Styn and I approve this message.

John Halcyon Styn (JohnStyn.com) was the subject of an MTV documentary, won two Webby Awards, and hosted the NBC.com series, “Fears. Regrets. Desires.” He is the author of “Love More. Fear Less” and has hosted the weekly “Hug Nation” broadcast for over 15 years. In 2010, Halcyon founded the San Diego-based “1st Saturdays” homeless outreach program to practice Gifting in the default world.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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BRING OUT YOUR INNER SIXTH SENSE

(and not in the dead people kind of way) WRITTEN BY: CHRISIE YABU

Chrisie Yabu is a senior account director at KPS3.

You can see her preparing judges for media interviews, studying the effects of Japanese pop culture influence on business or down-dogging in the park.

I

never thought I would say that I have special powers. When I play the lottery, just like most everyone else, I can only dream up my future with millions in my pocket. I would love to think I will predict the outcome of my next 10 years, but that’s just not going to happen.

However, over the last few years, I have realized that I have what I call a sixth sense, or a heightened intuition. The dictionary describes intuition as “the ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning.” You may know this best as having a “gut feeling” about a situation or person.

Something in you may feel completely right or really off, although you may have no good, logical reason to back up that feeling. Spider-Man even has it – he calls it his “Spidey Sense”.

I do believe that most people have some kind of intuition. I also think that many people are often too closed-minded to even know how to apply it or simply, to understand it. Some may even deliberately try to block it.

Let me describe a little more about what I am referring to in terms of this sixth sense. There are certain things that I just know. Like the time we had a presentation and brought etched glasses with the clients’ proposed logo on them. I knew beforehand that my colleague would break one on the way to work.

There was another time when I just felt that someone from my beau’s past would show up in his apartment hallway looking for him, and I would

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

be there (this happened, but she showed up in the lobby, not the hallway). We never spoke about this occurrence prior to it happening, only years later when I said, “I knew it! I knew that would happen.”

My little voice also tried telling me once that I shouldn’t take a new job. I actually tried really hard to justify my way out of it because it was a step up in job title and compensation. But, I refused to listen to my gut. Guess what? It turned out to be the worst job of my life.

I do think it is possible for you to understand your intuition better. It is just a matter of bringing awareness to the nature of your intuition that allows you to bring out the best in it. That gut feeling could be more important than you may think.

I believe that my gut is comprised of three main things: common sense, life experience and a sense of morality (e.g. what I’ve been taught as right and wrong). I have learned in life, that this sixth sense could possibly be the biggest, most significant, and possibly most accurate compass I have.

What has guided the awareness of my intuition has been through the practice of yoga. By learning to be open in the practice of yoga, I have unblocked a lot of things in my mind and body. No joke. No voodoo. Over the years, I have gently and naturally guided myself to no longer push things away or shut things down. This has been a recent discovery – probably something I have accepted in the last few years. I truly think that I am able to understand situations or people more easily and thoroughly by just allowing my intuitive guidance to lead the way.

For the most part, my gut has guided my career and life-related decisions, aside from the few times I didn’t listen and it took me off my path. Now that I am in my forties, I look back and have probably made at least one major bad decision a decade due to doing the total opposite of what my inner voice was trying to tell me. This is why I feel compelled to share my knowledge with you. Uncover your gift!

Be open and accepting of your inner you. And let your mindfulness and creativity shine through.

WRITTEN BY: COLIN SMITH OWNER - ROUNDABOUT GRILL

Photo by: Debbie McCarthy

Roundabout Catering currently services several school lunch programs in the Northern Nevada area. This is not only rewarding, but it allows us the opportunity to provide healthier choices to our students.

● ➜

HERE ARE SOME IDEAS FOR HEALTHIER LUNCH OPTIONS TO TAKE TO WORK OR SCHOOL:  Arugula and steak salad with tomatoes and a balsamic vinegar dressing  Raisin mini bagels with peanut butter and bananas  Fruit skewers (a straw can act like a skewer for school) – alternate with a grape, raspberry and blackberry for color and flavor  Butternut squash and apple salad with turkey bacon  Baguette with olive oil, a bit of thinly sliced prosciutto, some provolone, roasted peppers and arugula  Butternut squash and apple salad with turkey bacon  Baguette with olive oil, a bit of thinly sliced prosciutto, some provolone, roasted peppers and arugula

Keeping it Clean

I

started thinking about clean eating years ago when I was ready to make a change to a healthier lifestyle. I think the key to a reasonable and successful health resolution, any time of year, begins at the supermarket. Educating yourself about food is the single most important aspect of weight loss. You cannot have long-term results unless you’re shopping correctly or having someone do the shopping for you.

Roundabout Catering started the Gym Rat and Caveman meal programs more than two years ago.

Our programs are based around a few fundamentals: seasonal ingredients, lots of good veggies and low fat proteins. The Gym Rat line stands for clean eating, and using fresh, seasonal ingredients. Gym Rat foods are designed to be in a balanced, proportioned fashion. The approximate breakdown is 45 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 25 percent high quality, “good” fats as general macronutrient guidelines.

Caveman is a Paleo-style meal program that uses fresh, seasonal ingredients. The approximate breakdown is 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent high quality, “good” fats as a guideline. Caveman replaces all grains with vegetables.

We also offer Show Prep meals for fitness “freaks” such as those who are training for bikini, fitness or bodybuilding competitions. All of our meals are planned and prepared by our Roundabout Catering team in our very own kitchen.

If you’re a busy individual, it is a good idea to consider a meal program like this, combined with a sensible exercise regimen. We do the science and portioning for you, so it allows you to open up your time to go to the gym or take a fitness class. Our customers are always asking us how we prepare the meals, so that is another good way to educate yourself on the foods you intake. They say it takes 21 days to break a habit, so it’s worth thinking about committing to a meal program for 2 to 3 months.

If you want to eat out, we do offer some healthier options on our Roundabout Grill menu. Colin’s Special is a popular choice on our breakfast menu and consists of an egg white scramble with chicken, spinach, feta, caramelized onion, artichoke and roasted red pepper. On our dinner menu is the spaghetti squash with either a turkey bolognaise or a 4-hour tomato sauce. It’s a great alternative to pasta without losing the taste.

Start thinking about food as a lifestyle. The results will be long-term, and enable you to make healthy eating sustainable.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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PERSON OF THE YEAR:

TOP 3 TIPS for EXCELLENCE from Ad and Public Relations WRITTEN BY: KYLIE ROWE

Stephanie Kruse grew up on a farm in a small Iowa town with 1,000 people. It’s a

part of the country where there are lots of churches and everyone’s taught that you do the right thing by helping your neighbor. Being raised in the Bible Belt of Iowa with great morals, values and work ethic is what defined her life.

Fast forward a few decades and Stephanie Kruse is now the President & Chief Strategist of KPS3, a full-service marketing, communications and digital agency. She started as a nurse, then immediately earned a second bachelors degree in journalism. After completing an MBA, she opened her own firm, which has changed and grown with new partners.

Stephanie

KRUSE

● ➜

This year Stephanie Kruse was recognized as the recipient of two Lifetime Achievement Awards. The first was from the Sierra Nevada Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and the second was from the American Advertising Federation of Reno.

These awards are about creative excellence and making significant industry contributions.

Stephanie Kruse is a person who is intrinsically motivated to reach her highest potential. She maximizes her gifts, talents and abilities and has poured that ethic into her life’s work.

When I asked Stephanie Kruse what her number one tip is to consistently perform at a high degree of excellence, she listed three: 1. NEVER STOP LEARNING There are a variety of ways to learn, ranging from professional education to being constantly self-aware in meetings with clients or colleagues, and in each opportunity it is important to be present. Value is found when you know how to absorb information and make changes from what you learn.

2. UNWAVERING WORK ETHIC There are days that you don’t feel like hacking away at the same thing, but you have to work long, hard and smart. Despite difficult situations, you must have the desire to always do the right thing and get the job done.

3. KNOW YOUR WEAKNESSES Get to know yourself and what your style preferences are in the workplace. Learn what direction you tend to go under pressure and then work with team members or partners who complement your style.

In the last 25 years, Stephanie Kruse has infused her Iowa ethics into all she’s done, ultimately furthering industry standards in both advertising and public relations in Nevada.

Connect with Stephanie Kruse on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @KPS3!

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

The Buzz with

BY: BRITTON DOUGLASS

HIVE HAPPENINGS

A

s we enter the spooky happenings of fall, the leaves begin to fade, the river glimmers with icy water and there is a foreshadowing of the winter season to come. Most important, the ghosts come out to play in the streets of downtown Reno. I adore Halloween more than a zombie loves brains and that is why I cannot wait to paint the downtown red…candy apple red, of course. The Riverwalk District will be decorated with spider webs, broomsticks and pumpkins as they welcome spirits, Trick or Treaters and ghoulish guests during the month of October. This District will be embarking on a month best suited for campfire stories and Ouija boards as they prepare to bring back from the grave one of Reno’s most beloved events, Halloween Hallows. On October 29th, this family friendly ghoulish-get-together opens up merchant’s shops and doorways for kids to get candy, parents to stop for cider, and for the entire town to get into some toil and trouble. Time to start thinking about costumes, maybe something black and yellow for a buzzing bee Halloween.

BEES’NESS

(New Business and/or milestones for companies)

B

ees are known for their tremendous ability to pollinate flowers and make the world taste a bit sweeter. Thanks to nature, we also have the ability to taste

basil, thyme and even MYNT. That’s right, not mint, but MYNT. This new company has given a common herb a whole new flavor and home in downtown Reno. Locally operated and grown, this cannabis company is setting up shop on Second Street and is the newest startup to open its doors and the industry to Reno. Scott Dunseath, the founder, has partnered with Strainz forming Kynd-Strainz, a new product that will be sold in the new 3,000 square foot building in the heart of the city. My guess is this will give the local pollinators something to flap their wings about.

stop will be the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project’s youth home, led by Marilyn York and Monica Dupea, which provides opportunities to young women to become self-sufficient. The tour will conclude with an event. hosted by Chris Shanks at The Depot with our honorary guest Mayor Hillary Schieve, to discuss the City of Reno’s plans, programs and how together, as citizens and a community, we can assist others on their road to hope.

THE BEE’S KNEES (A highlight of the season – Event/Launch/Campaign)

SWEETER THAN HONEY (Community Campaigns)

I

n every city you can hear a lot of ‘buzz’ about the homeless issue. Sometimes it sounds more like complaints and fear-based stories brought on by misinformation, instead of facts. In the season of practicing being grateful for what we have, some are choosing to help others who don’t have the same benefits and luxuries that they do. This November, the Regional Alliance for Downtown, with the help of community leaders including The Depot, Reno Tahoe Limousine, Reno Engineering and Design on Edge, will help to educate citizens on what, where and who poverty is affecting in our local community. The ‘Road to Hope’ is a bus tour that will take guests to different local organizations helping those in poverty in Reno and Washoe County. The event has three stops, each with a tour guided by the leaders of that organization. The tour begins with Pat Cashell and Sandy Isham, who will talk about the homeless shelter located on Record Street, Volunteers of America and additional programs they have, including the Restart program. Next, the bus will travel to Washoe Country’s Crossroads, with Commissioner Kitty Jung, to learn about assistance available to those with addiction issues. The last

T

hose of you who know me, know I am usually bright yellow with gratitude, joy and appreciation for all that Reno and our community does. One thing that turns me red, though, is graffiti. It is destructive, annoying, and an eyesore. Thanks to Nevada Youth Empowerment Project and their new #graffitifreeReno campaign, we will see less of this vandalism and more positive community improvements. The young women and leaders of this organization are launching their campaign by cleaning up Wells Avenue. The teams will work on removing graffiti, picking up trash, and improving public spaces and the District.

If you are buzzing around this District and notice some young women in green shirts and white hats cleaning up our city, give them a beep, a wave and a smile in thanks for all they are doing.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

11

An Interview with Dr. Anna Serbinenko

From Ice Dancing to Ballet to the Sky

W

WRITTEN BY: DEBBIE MCCARTHY AND MEG STEINITZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EXIT186IMAGERY.COM

We were lucky

enough to catch

up with stunt pilot

Dr. Anna Serbinenko before the July 9, 2016 Truckee Air Show. We left the interview feeling beyond amazed, and with a case of serious girl crush. Anna has been flying since 2009, and says it was love at first sight. Her initial motivation for learning to fly is that she wanted her own plane to travel, and she did not want to hire a pilot. When at an air show, Anna found herself thinking, “Next year, I will be there.” It took three years, but she is all there.

A native of Ukraine, Anna’s favorite quote is on the entrance to her high school. It translates to: “Through Thorns to the Stars.”

Now the one and only female aerobatic pilot performer in Canada, Anna thrills crowds with her sky dancing while blasting Ave Maria.

She is also the Chief Financial Officer, Aerobatic and Supervising Flight Instructor at Canadian Flight Centre, her own flight school based in Vancouver and Kamploops, British Columbia (www.cfc.aero). She has volunteered for multiple search and rescue missions in British Colombia and completed many training flights accompanied by her son as her co-pilot. In her other life, Anna is a doctor in Financial Mathematics,

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

programmer, university teacher and single mom, in addition to running multiple businesses. Not wanting to be perceived as a slacker, she has also studied and speaks eight languages fluently, including English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese Mandarin, Russian and Ukrainian.

She also has basic proficiency in Portuguese and Modern Greek.

Anna flies a two seat Super Decathlon high wing tail dragger, which she has nicknamed the “Super D.” Her eleven-year-old son has been flying with her since he was three. Watching videos of her flying provides a deep appreciation of her unique style, which she has aptly named “Sky Dancing.” Her face is calm and collected, conveying that she is completely in control. The movements of her plane are slow and graceful, making vertical climbs and upside down spirals appear effortless. Anna was an ice dancer from ages three to six, and danced ballet through middle school. The graceful movements of dance carry over into her flying.

Anna is a Christian and believes that God put her in the sky for a reason. She has deep gratitude for her mentor Bud Granley, who is almost 80-years-old and still performing at airshows. She describes the stunt flying circuit as

very much an old boys club, and says she had to prove herself in the beginning. The public who attends air shows is typically about half men and half women, and people are interested to see a female pilot because it is unusual. She has now been flying air shows for five years and it has been incredible. She has achieved a lot, met many people and enjoyed every step of the way. She is currently sponsored by the Canadian Flight Centre, and would not be able to do it without the help of her partner, Peter. Additional sponsors would allow her to do more, and she would especially love sponsorship from Breitling.

When Anna flies she wears a diamond bumblebee pin as a reminder that, scientifically, the bumblebee is not supposed to fly. Its wings are too small and its body is too heavy, but it flies anyway. It helps her to remember that no matter what others say, if you work hard enough, you can achieve your dreams, and in her case, be in the sky where she belongs. She wears a yellow flight suit for safety in air shows, but also loves to fly in a short skirt and heels.

Her parting advice to us is to never let anybody stop you, and don’t take no for an answer. Hard work and persistence always pay off if you are working toward a goal.

Anna is a doctor in Financial Mathematics, programmer, university teacher and single mom, in addition to running multiple businesses.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 â?¤

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panty drop

STAY SEXY WRITTEN BY: MEG STEINITZ

C JULIE ARSENAULT

"Being bold, confident and taking risks are the brand values, which come across in the provocative company name." pantydrop.me

Panties, knickers, underwear, drawers, unmentionables…

all them what you want, Panty Drop will deliver.

And not in an Orange is the New Black sort of way, but in a classy and fun way, and they do not disappoint. Founder Julie Arsenault came up with the idea when she was working for a start-up and too busy to sleep or eat, let alone shop for knickers.

Customers just need to visit her easy -to-navigate website at pantydrop.me and click on “Subscribe Now.” She offers a basic and premium plan, and all orders are customized for size, style and type of fabric. They also offer gift subscriptions, which can be customized by the recipient if the gift giver does not know their preferences (or want to guess their size!).

Being bold, confident and taking risks are the brand values, which

come across in the provocative company name. Julie also believes in the importance of giving back, and looks to companies such as Toms, Patagonia and SalesForce for inspiration. As an engineer, Julie is intimately familiar with the gender leadership gap. Panty Drop has teamed with Pledge 1% and several nonprofit partners to help underrepresented women find the skills, confidence, and opportunities they need to succeed. 1% of underwear shipped goes to organizations in need, employees spend 1% of their time volunteering, and each quarter Panty Drop donates 1% of revenue to their giving partners. Julie is a recent transplant to Reno from the Bay Area, and is investigating local nonprofits that are in line with the company’s mission for volunteer and partnership opportunities.

So far Julie has built her business primarily through social media and word of mouth, and she has plans to increase her marketing. She is happy with how well received the company has been, and says that her customer base has doubled every two to three months. When she’s not dropping panties, Julie loves to ski, mountain bike and kiteboard. She moved to Reno to be with her boyfriend of ten years and plans to stay. Bliss Babe is excited to welcome Julie to our community!

Anchor and Flourish Photography

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

FOOTHILLS ZINFANDEL WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL CHRISTIAN

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Many people think of Lodi when it comes to Zinfandel, but the Sierra Foothills is also a great growing region for Zin and there are some wonderful winemakers there turning out delicious Zin. Foothills Zinfandel has a different taste profile than the big jammy Zin of Lodi; Sierra Foothills Zinfandel is usually a bit lighter and not quite as much of a fruit bomb.

Here are some Sierra Foothills Zins to pay attention to:

Cedarville Vineyards Estate Zinfandel 2012 Red fruit, light and crisp. Cedarville is a charming, small-production, organic winery in Somerset, California.

C.G di Arie Break Away Zinfandel 2009 Dark fruit, blackberries and dark cherries. With moderate tannins that have been mellowed by a long time in oak and bottle, this Zin is sustainably farmed in Mount Aukum, California.

Crystal Basin Cellars El Dorado Reserve Zinfandel 2012 A medium weight, non-tannic Zinfandel. Raspberries and spice.

Crystal Basin is located in Camino, California.

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DORINDA’S CHOCOLATE IS A FAMILY AFFAIR! WRITTEN BY: LESLIE MCCARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EXIT 186 IMAGERY.COM

ADVICE FOR ENTREPRENEURS: Surround yourself with likeminded people. You only live once. What’s the worst that could happen?

You fail? Go bankrupt? You pick yourself up and do it again.

DUSTIN VANCE VP OF OPERATIONS ON BEING YOUR OWN BOSS: Go for something bigger than just having a job.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW I WAS GOING TO DO IT! ENTREPRENEURS NEVER KNOW THE "HOW". YOU JUST DO IT! I'm serious! Can't worry about the go, so JUST GO! Maybe that is part of the entrepreneur’s downfall. It doesn't matter though. You just jump in! If you thought about it too much you would think yourself out of it! I don't think about HOW; I just know I'm going to do it!

I use honey instead of corn syrup because I am allergic to processed corn, and I want to eat my own chocolate of course.

Stop on into Dorinda’s for some spooky treats this fall and say hello to her family.

JUST ONE BITE, AND YOU’RE HOOKED!

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

A

t 12 years old with a simple chocolate cherry recipe, Dorinda Vance set out on her chocolate culinary journey that has become a full-blown family affair. The chocolate cherries were a hit with family and friends throughout the years and were also a hit when she won “Most Original Taste” at the Chocolate Wine and Roses event at the Hyatt with her son Dustin in 2010. It was about that time that Dorinda took an online class on the science of chocolate while her son Dustin also did his 8th grade project on chocolate. What a pairing!

“I was starting to make a lot of chocolate and selling out of my car, and then next thing I knew somebody asked me if I

would do the Chocolate Wine and Roses event at the Hyatt. I entered my chocolate covered cherry and my sea salt caramel.

All the chocolates looked amazing and halfway through the event we noticed that all of the other chocolates were half eaten and mine completely devoured. We also noticed that people started coming back and asking about the chocolates!

My son Dustin was with me and he was like, ‘Mom, people keep coming back for your chocolates and asking about them!’ I ended up taking ‘MOST Original’ taste. And it was that point in my life I thought I MUST be doing something right. That moment was what kicked me into my career. So we looked for a commercial kitchen. I didn’t even know any of the recipes that I was going to do! We started with a little kitchen in Truckee that we outgrew within one year and then we moved down to our location on Riverside. It's been non-stop ever since.”

Moving right next to Hub Coffee was the perfect fit.

The Hub sells their cocoa and they make the Hub Truffle.

They also make Hub’s caramel

sauce, and they do well working together. Mark Trujillo showed them their space, which was a halfway house at the time. Dorinda immediately saw the vision and the potential of the space. She knew if she anchored herself next to someone that was doing well, she could be successful, too.

The most inspiring thing that keeps Dorinda moving forward are her sons. “I would probably have only one location, but now we have three. I love seeing the energy and enthusiasm of my sons and I want to build an empire and leave a legacy and hope they will continue this. I would have an exit strategy way sooner if it wasn’t for them.”

Dorinda is also excited to add another product to the Dorinda brand. “My other son Dillon, has introduced an ice cream called Rolled Mountain Creamery and it’s only at Dorinda’s Chocolates. We are also looking for another location that can accommodate our machines and a bigger kitchen so we can give our Riverside location more room for seating due to our successful wine and chocolate pairings.”

1155 Watson Way, Ste. 5 Sparks, Nevada Thursday-Friday 3:00 - 6:00 pm Saturday 11:00 am - 6:00 pm or by appointment www.7TroughsDistilling.com 775.525.9350

Dorinda's Chocolates offers wine by the glass and by the flight. Enjoy these fine wines individually or pair them with some of our award winning pieces!

Glasses, flights and pairings are available any day of the week during store hours from 10am -6pm ALSO, every Friday night experience wine and chocolate pairing events

We Ship Nationwide • 775-432-2024 • dorindaschocolates.com RENO HEADQUARTERS

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17

WITHOUT A SHADOW OF DOUBT Promoters Prepare for CrossReno’s Second Year WRITTEN BY: JAMALEDEEN BARGHOUTI Shadow Industries Group shot by Digiman Studios: from left-to-right: Heather Matheus VP of Operations, Teal Stetson-Lee VP of Marketing, and Michelle Quevedo CEO.

When you pull off the impossible your inaugural year, what do you do for an encore? That is the question facing Michelle Quevedo, Teal Stetson-Lee and Heather Matheus of ShadowIndustries LLC, founder and producer of the CrossReno cycling and music festival taking place Saturday, Oct. 1.

2015 could have been more scaled back, but we had the energy and enthusiasm and didn’t want to shortchange any of our ideas.”

FINDING BALANCE

Luna Riders photo by Nick Lee: Katerina Nash, Georgia Gould, and Maghalie Rochete

CROSSRENO 2.0

CrossReno pulled off what many didn’t believe was possible—it attracted 400 racers, 3,000 fans, five bands and multiple vendors to an all-day cycling/music/family fun event in its first year. However, the grand scale of the event took its toll on the promoters, who are taking the lessons they learned to make CrossReno 2016 even better while working smarter, not harder.

SHARED PASSION

Ironically, the three women running this feelgood community event came together when they were in pain. Stetson-Lee and Matheus met Quevedo as patients in her musculoskeletal therapy practice. A shared passion for sport and for catalyzing collaboration led them to form ShadowIndustries LLC, an organization committed to bringing community projects from idea to execution.

“We went big from the start,” explains Quevedo, ShadowIndustries CEO. “CrossReno 18

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

The first-time event went off remarkably well, but the event producers needed lots of recovery time. “Finding a better balance is a big goal for Shadow Industries this year,” explains Stetson-Lee, VP of Marketing. “We’re really proud of what we did in CrossReno’s first year, but we were really burned out.”

To find that balance, they needed only to return to their company mission and focus on collaboration. “We’ve learned there is a difference between managing and leading,” says Matheus, VP of Operations. “We’re focused more on leading this year and leaning on others to help manage.”

THE RIGHT PARTNERS

The partnerships CrossReno built in their first year has made that delegating possible. The women say they have refined their skill in identifying strong partners. “A lot of people say they want to help and are very enthusiastic, but the follow-through isn’t there,” Stetson-Lee explains. “We’re less naïve now and understand which partners are most valuable.”

• Venue is becoming more compact, bringing music, fans, racers and vendors closer together • New interactive craft beer garden featuring the brewers • Oliver X is managing music festivals • More food trucks and local vendors • New yoga boot camp • After party on site right after race As if bike racing, music, food, beer, and expo and kids’ activities weren’t enough, Shadow Industries has even bigger plans for CrossReno. They hope to increase racer participation by 25 percent, fan attendance by 50 percent this year, and develop the event into a full-fledged outdoor recreational festival in coming years (think dog agility and running events). It may sound like a stretch, but initially, so did CrossReno. With a year under their belts, these ladies have proven they can bring great ideas from out of the shadows and into the light.

BIGGER, BETTER, TIGHTER

Listening, evaluating and adjusting will make CrossReno 2016 even more successful. The partners solicited input from racers, fans, sponsors and vendors about how to improve.

The Peppermill returns as title sponsor, bringing the $10,000 cash prize purse, but other sponsors and vendors are changing. Other changes: Pro Men photo by Jeff Namba

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19

MY SISTER’S JOURNEY WITH BREAST CANCER WRITTEN BY: KATIE COOMBS

I

have known people who have successfully fought the battle against breast cancer. I have lost a very dear friend who left behind three boys.

I have even had guests on my radio show fighting the disease and was so impressed with their strength and resilience.

You always remember where you are when you get the phone calls that alter your life. When my father called to tell me had terminal cancer, I was driving down the Mount Rose Highway to get to an appointment with a client.

It was surreal walking into the Starbucks and meeting with the client. Life just suddenly had to move on right then no matter what call I had just received. I felt that way as he died when I looked out the window and a golfer was looking in for a brief second as he retrieved his bad shot that almost hit my dad’s window. He just picked up his ball and walked off to go hit his next bad shot. We made brief eye contact and I am sure he knew he was looking at a man who had just died.

When my sister called to tell me that she found a lump in her breast and was getting an ultrasound, I just knew. I knew it was going to be cancer. My sister Kristy is not an alarmist and she wouldn’t call with that type of news unless she was very concerned. I never

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once believed it was anything but cancer, as much as I wanted it to just be a cyst. She was diagnosed with cancer in December 2015 and had surgery the Monday before Christmas.

We were so hopeful that she would only need radiation but the tests revealed that chemotherapy was also going to be on her menu of cancer treatments.

That scared her the most I believe. The diagnosis shocked us all. The surgery was somewhat of a relief to get the cancer out of there but the need for chemo terrified everyone. She was not able to finish her school year as a first grade teacher.

She lost her hair and was able to find wigs, but those wigs were uncomfortable and hot. She was strong enough to remove those wigs at family dinners and show us how beautiful she is. I am certain we could see her soul through her big green eyes without her wig. She still has side effects that make it hard to be a single mom, as if that wasn’t hard enough.

They say the whole family gets cancer when someone is diagnosed and now I think I know what they mean. We all feel sick and sitting in an oncologist’s office is depressing as you look around at all of the people fighting this cruel disease. My sister wasn’t supposed to be here. She is too, well – she is just too

everything. She is too nice, too loyal, too sweet, too innocent. Her kids need her healthy. Her students need her healthy. I need her healthy. I’m sure everyone feels this way when they have a family member get diagnosed.

I have watched her go through an emotional roller coaster and it breaks my heart. She has been brave and then terrified. She has cried, yelled, laughed, and just stared off into the distance at times. We feel that it was caught early enough that she will be okay in the long run, but not without this very difficult journey.

The emotion I have felt the most is anger. I didn’t want it to be my sister. I would have preferred it to be me. I can’t imagine a life without her and I really hate every second that I know she is suffering. I tried to hide this emotion all through her treatments, but I am sure it came out sometimes. I still feel angry today as I know she is scared that it is going to return and her life will never be fear-free again. Every mammogram or check-up is going to scare her. I am sad and mad about that. I wish I could just take the last eight months away and go back to the day before she found her lump. I am grateful that she is recovering, but cancer tried to invade our family once again and this time it lost.

SCHEDULE A MAMMOGRAM for Early Detection of Breast Cancer

BY AMANDA MAGRINI, MD, Family Medicine Physician, Northern Nevada Medical Group Dr. Magrini is a family medicine physician. She earned her medical degree at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, where she also completed her residency. She sees patients at the Northern Nevada Medical Group’s Vista Clinic in Sparks at 5975 South Los Altos Parkway, Suite 100. Dr. Magrini is accepting new patients, and accepts most of the area’s health plans including Medicare.

To schedule an appointment call 775-352-3080

You can find the Diagnostic Breast Care Center at 2385 E. Prater Way, Suite 107, in the Sparks Medical Building. The center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Call 775-356-5800 to make an appointment.

Recently the American Cancer Society issued new recommendations on women having mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society defines early detection as finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than might have happened if a person had waited for symptoms to start.

Recently the American Cancer Society issued new recommendations on women having mammograms for early detection of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society defines early detection as finding and diagnosing a disease earlier than might have happened if a person had waited for symptoms to start.

They recommend that women at average risk for breast cancer get mammograms according to these age groups • 45 to 54: Every year.

• 55 and older: Every two years, or a woman should have the choice to continue annual screening.

• Screening should continue as long as a woman is in good health and is expected to live 10 more years or longer.

• Any woman with a family history of breast cancer or any other risk factors should consult her physician regarding frequency of examinations.

The Medical Director for NNMC’s Diagnostic Breast Care Center recommends speaking with your physician about

the benefits and risks before having a mammogram.

When you are ready to have a mammogram, the Diagnostic Breast Care Center at Northern Nevada Medical Center is ready to provide the advanced technology of digital mammography.

Digital mammography uses a computer and specially designed digital detectors to produce an image in seconds that can be displayed on a high-resolution monitor.

The physician can adjust the brightness, change contrast and zoom in for close ups, to ensure detection of even the smallest abnormality. The ability to manipulate and refine the images has led to more accurate diagnoses of tissue abnormalities.

Because they are electronic, digital images also can be stored, copied and transmitted easily, quickly and without any loss of information. This eliminates dependence on only one set of original films. Digital mammography also reduces the need for the patient to return for another round of images.

SO WHAT DO YOU DO NOW?

MASSAGE:

Massage therapy can help, with a technique called MLD, or Manual Lymph Drainage.

It’s not just to relax!

WRITTEN BY: KRISTINE KADEL GENTILE

O

ctober, as many people know, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

This article will focus on a lymphatic massage called MLD (Manual Lymph Drainage).

Perhaps you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer. You’ve gone through a bilateral mastectomy and have your axillary lymph nodes removed. Months later you are diagnosed with Lymphedema.

Lympha what?

There are many types of massage therapy such as deep tissue, sports massage, therapeutic, and Swedish. But for Breast Cancer Awareness month we will focus on one you may not have heard of: massage for lymphedema.

First, what is the lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system consists of lymph vessels and lymphatic organs. Some of these organs are the spleen, thymus, lymph nodes (600-700 in the body), cap-

LMT NV License #5338

illaries, ducts (such as the thoracic duct), trunks and lymph. The body maintains homeostasis by collecting and accumulating tissue fluid around the cells and returning it to the blood stream.

The lymph nodes play an active part in the immune system by filtering out and destroying foreign substances and microorganisms. When an imbalance occurs, the lymphatic system cannot drain enough fluid fast enough.

Lymphedema occurs when there is increased tissue fluid, possibly caused by some of the following reasons: • Cancer • Removal of lymph nodes • Scar tissue • Chemotherapy treatment • Radiation • Trauma • Surgery • Infection

MLD uses a gentile technique of moving the skin in a specific direction based on the physiology of the lymphatic system.

The intent is to drain the lymph already in the vessels and to stimulate movement to capillaries, in order to support normal flow to tissues with external compression (or outside help).

MLD is a rhythmic rocking and compression. Moving the skin moves lymphs, which is the goal.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF LYMPHEDEMA: • Full or heavy sensation in limbs • Tightness of skin or tissue • Decreased flexibility at hands, wrists, ankles or foot

For the patient: • MLD is very light pressure compared to deep tissue massage • Remember to breathe slowly and deeply, which will stimulate blood flow • Make sure your physician or PT diagnoses you with lymphedema • It is usually a 50-55 minute treatment • Make sure to ask your massage therapist: how long have you been doing MLD?

Remember: lymphedema can stay dormant for a

month to a year in your body. It will take more than one treatment to keep your lymphedema under control.

Also, compression sleeves, stockings, and bandaging may be needed for treatment.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

21

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WHISKEY MAIDEN INTERVIEW BY: TESSA MARIE  PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EXIT186IMAGERY.COM

LIVE MUSIC. It always turns a good night into a great time. Luckily,

one band is bringing the goods, and you’ll be seeing more of them in Northern Nevada. Whiskey Maiden - A killer country/rock/pop group with a whole lot of talent. And the fair maiden on the microphone?

That would be Sandy Nuyts (Pronounced NIGHTS). A vocal talent that burst on the scene in Sacramento just a few short years ago, she has moved beyond dipping her toes into the water, and is full-on cannonballing into music and making a splash. When you hear her sing, you’d think she’d been at it forever. And, she sort of has.

“No one in my family does any kind of music. But there were stories from my Grandma of me signing even before I could talk.

Climbing up on my high chair and grabbing the handle as if it were a microphone, and just singing! I was always entertaining the family. And no one really knows where that came from.”

Thankfully her mom noticed the performer in her, and got her started in dance at a young age.

She moved on to church choir and musical theater, and says the stage became her outlet. Yet even with encouragement, singing still felt more like a hobby than a pursuable career. In fact, she decided to go quite the opposite route and became a Volunteer Firefighter in Fremont, CA. Fast forward a few years and Sandy found herself bartending at a country bar, where she would enjoy singing karaoke some nights to get the crowd going. Soon word spread about her vocals, and the live bands and national acts that came through would ask her to join in for a song or two. She learned a lot behind the scenes of what it took to put a show together, and observed what each band did differently.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

Then one day, a phone call out of the blue gave her the opportunity to try being a lead singer on for size, and it lead her down a completely different road. First filling an open spot, then eventually building her own band. That opportunity, plus exciting treks up and down the West Coast, fueled her on-fire attitude for music.

Soon the winds of change brought her a chance to fully travel and sing, backed by incredible musicians who played for the likes of Kenny Chesney, Tim McGraw, Hootie & the Blowfish, and more. Sandy admits, “It was a tough transition at first because I was so comfortable where I was. But now, I’m so glad I did what I did. Home really is on the road for me. And I love what I do.”

Thankfully the group gelled, found their stride, and coined the name Whiskey Maiden. “By the first of this year, we were really putting ourselves out there. Saying, ‘Hey! We’re here! And we’re taking names.’” The band was quickly offered a week-long headlining spot on the Vegas Strip at Tobey Keith’s, playing long sets for international crowds that were alive and vibrant.

More dates filled up fast, and the gang is now set to show up and show off far and wide through the beginning of next year!

When it comes to performing in Northern Nevada, you’ll find Whiskey Maiden rocking the house and filling the dance floor at Gilley’s (inside the Nugget Casino Resort in Sparks, NV). Their covers satisfy the crowd, and their original tunes are taking flight, too. You’ll find yourself amongst their growing number of fans after you hear Sandy’s powerful, gritty voice belting out Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” with a unique twist. Be sure to grab your girlfriends and catch Whiskey Maiden October 6-8th at Gilleys!

For more on the band and their upcoming dates, visit whiskeymaiden.com.

CRAIG CHAQUICO THIS LEGENDARY GUITARIST IS BOTH RENOWN AND NOTABLE WRITTEN BY: KELLY RUSH PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DARA CROCKETT CRAIG CHAQUICO may be one of the biggest and best superstar guitar players whose name you’re not very familiar with. Original founding member, lead guitarist, and songwriter for both Jefferson Starship and Starship, this Grammy-nominated acoustic jazz solo artist was born in Sacramento to musician parents in 1954. He got his first guitar at the age of 10, and started playing in earnest at the age of 12 while in the hospital recovering from a catastrophic head-on collision. His dad promised to buy him a Les Paul guitar if he’d work through the pain, and he did. At the same time, he realized that music was a healing art.

Starting in the mid-'60s, Jefferson Starship evolved through several iterations with different members, but Craig was the one consistent piece of a complicated puzzle. “Remember that movie The Road Warrior?

There’s that little kid with the boomerang? I always felt like [him] around the rest of the older crowd. I always felt like I was that young compared to everybody else, but just crazy enough to be part of the group. It was fun!

It was like running away and joining the circus.”

As the '70s transitioned from progressive rock through the disco era into '80s pop, the newly named Starship also found its style changing with the times. “With songs like We Built This City, Sara, and Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now, we weren’t featuring a lot of guitar. We started using these pop producers and writers and it became more keyboard-oriented.

It was a lot of fun, and it was the third chapter of the musical evolution of the band; however, it led us into a direction that by the end of Starship in 1990, there was nobody left but me and [lead singer] Mickey (Thomas).”

Craig’s career has spanned five decades, and in that time, music styles and the music industry itself have changed dramatically. Chaquico has played alongside a number of classic artists, many of whom are seeing a resurgence of interest in their music. “With computers and the Internet and webpages, that information is available, and I’m surprised how many people are recognizing me for that work. There’s like this dual thing of the fantasy world with being in music, but there’s also the real world where you need to go to the store and buy milk. So [even after] five decades with multi-platinum records, top of the charts, I still feel like that kid riding my bicycle to school going, wow, did that really happen?”

Having experienced the healing powers of music himself, Craig has since applied his talent in another aspect – music therapy. “When my first solo record came out, Acoustic Highway, I went back to the hospital (from his childhood) to play for those kids and families to let them know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. That was when I found out that the American Music Therapy Association has been around since 1971.” Craig has since been an Artist Advocate for AMTA for over 20 years.

Craig also has a local connection with Reno. “The most significant thing I’ve been able to do as an Artist Advocate is to meet and perform with, and for, people who have all different kinds of challenges in hospital settings." While performing at the Nugget Resort Casino in the Reno area in June, Craig was able to visit sick children, their families, and

support staff at the Renown Children’s Hospital. He brought his guitar and Beamz laser beam instrument so they could experience the magical healing powers of music.

He was also invited to perform with a very well-known band called the Note-Ables. "I’d heard of them already so they said there might be a way for me to play with them. I said, now that would be far out! If I could play with the Note-Ables, that would be wonderful. Sitting in with them was really inspiring because all these people are what you might, in the old days, call ‘disabled,’ and now they’re note-abled. They’re notable.

They are able to play notes. They can sing, they can play, and one of the best guitar players that I’ve ever played with was their guitar player!

We played for a couple of songs before I realized he was blind. We just completely related on all the other senses and communicated in such a way that it didn’t dawn on me. As I got to know the rest of the musicians, I realized how enabled they were, and how well they played. It reminded me that with challenges in all our lives, music can be a highly inspiring part of overcoming them.” craigchaquico.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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WRITTEN BY: RIC DE LA ROSA PHOTOGRAPHY: CLAYTON BECK MODEL: CHELSEA MARY HARRAH Special Thanks: Lynn Marie Kremers, LMKWineConcierge.com Fashion: The Castile Gown by Clayton Beck and The Chateau Gown by Clayton Beck.

Shop now at www.ClaytonBeckCreative.com Location: Miraflores Winery, Placerville CA SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤ 26

Just as a great wine starts with great grapes, an incredible photoshoot often begins with an amazing dress.

"I had been wandering the garment district of Los Angeles when I came across this beautiful woven fabric," said designer and photographer Clayton Beck. "It caught my attention because at first glance it almost looked as if the flowers had been painted on."

Twenty-five yards of cloth and dozens of hours later, Clayton Beck had created a striking floor length gown unlike anything he had designed before. The simple silhouette still managed to have the striking quality that the designer has become known for across the world, while maintaining the softer grace of a more traditional ball gown. Then, almost as if the dress had conjured its own photoshoot, the phone rang.

"I got a call from a model asking if I had ever done a photo shoot at a winery or vineyard," Clayton Beck said. "I told her that I had never done a shoot like that before, but I had the perfect dress for the occasion!"

Clayton and his model Chelsea traveled to Miraflores Winery in Placerville, California, to infuse fashion with the elegance of a Mediterranean-inspired vineyard. Combining the California country side, delicious wine, and debonair model with his hand-made clothing, the final result conjures a feeling that is both romantic and timeless.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 â?¤ 27

mena spodobalski WRITTEN BY: LESLIE MCCARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ALICIA SANTISTEVAN

Some of the thoughts that may cross your mind without knowing Mena personally may include: It’s probably her genetics. She was born that way. It’s so easy for her to look like that. However, this is not the case at all. I sat down with Mena Spodobalski as she was giving her last piece of encouragement to her fitness competitors that were about to step on stage at the Tahoe Show on August 27th. Not only is she a mom, but she is an amazing leader and inspiration for women everywhere. She is also the owner of Evoke Fitness and professional fitness trainer for fitness competitions.

BB: What was the defining moment that started you on your fitness journey?

MS: I had two children and when my youngest was two years old I went to work part time. At the time, I didn’t have any clothes to wear to work, so I went shopping. I remember that I ended up in a fitting room trying on a pair of pants that were exactly the same size that I had worn when I was nine months pregnant. I remember looking so fat in that sitting room and cried for literally 30 min. I was like, “Oh my God, what's happening to me?” and I left without buying anything! That very next day, I started exercising and that is when things really changed. I was never a high school athlete and I hated to sweat. I worked all the time and I was always dressed up with perfect hair and makeup, but it didn’t matter when I realized what my body was going to start doing if I didn't begin taking care of myself.

BB: How long did it take before you stepped on stage the first time and what did that mean to you?

MS: So, it’s a funny story about me competing. I had been in the gym for a long time—roughly six years—teaching classes and training clients; there were a couple of people in the gym that were training for a show. I watched them go through the whole process and honestly I had a very negative connotation of what show training and getting on stage in a bikini was going to be like. I felt like it was not the right thing for women. I thought, “You know, we judge ourselves enough: are we too skinny, are we too fat, are we good enough, do I look good in these pants? I’m not going to put myself through that nor do I think anyone should.” That was originally my thought regarding what competitions were all about. So as the years went by, I had several clients asking me to train them for shows. The way I started was that I said, “I have no idea how to train for a show, so let’s learn and train together and I will cheer you on! I’ll never get on stage but I will support you!” Six months of training and dieting went by and I had lost 30 percent body fat and learned so much about eating clean, our bodies, and how the body responds. It’s very different and very specific from any other training.

At the end of six months and a complete body transformation, I decided that I had come that far, so why not step on stage and see what happens?

It was really an empowering moment and I enjoyed the whole process.

Getting on stage didn’t have to do with winning a trophy or a judge telling me that I looked like. It was about finishing what I had started and putting in all of that hard work and dedication and not giving up.

It’s a big commitment! You’re not drinking, you’re eating clean, you’re prepping your meals and getting in your workouts when you don’t feel like it. It’s a lot of work and dedication getting to that spot and when I got to the point that I said I’m going to own this, I wanted to be able to say, “I did this!” and then I got hooked.

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“It’s is not just about looking good in a pair of jeans or in a bikini. It's about being healthy and feeling good and knowing that you're doing everything you can for your body to live for a long time. It’s for you to be able to do the things that you should be able to do as you get older. You want to play with your children, you want to play with your grandkids, you want to be able to retire and go hiking and travel and do all kinds of fun things..”

People make a lot of excuses about why they can't workout and here are these women who've been through a lot and they’re giving it their all!

Your body is going to be good to you if you’re good to it!

We’re here to Evoke your fitness journey and wherever that journey may lead to.

– MENA

HEATHER REIMER Creator of Breast Cancer to Bikini Program and competitor

BB: What is the most meaningful event that has happened to you in the last five years since you have had EVOKE Fitness.

MS: I have had a lot of clients come through here and have trained a lot of people for different reasons, but by far the Breast to Bikini Journey has been the most amazing journey that I have been a part of. Of course, the top moments in my life for sure are getting married and having my children, but training these amazing women for the last six months has been so empowering.

These women trained under me and they trusted me to take them through this process; I took that very very seriously. I didn't want them to be injured and I didn't want them to be fearful. I didn't want them to be concerned that they were going to hurt something because of their surgery. Some of them have had a lot of different issues and different medications that they were on and we had to do a lot of research on how to train these women safely. We got to know their stories and got to know them personally. We learned that everything in life is kind of subjective and there's so many things that could be worse; we make a lot of excuses especially when it comes to fitness.

One woman that started with us was going through chemo as well as a lot of other issues at the time. She was stage 4 cancer. She ended up having to back out after the first month, but here's this woman who was like, “I’m going to give it my all.” Would everyone be able to do that? Like, if you are going through chemo, wouldn’t you just go home and curl up in bed and cry or feel sorry for yourself? Not one of these women ever felt like that and I think they empowered everyone that came into contact with them here at the gym. They certainly impacted my life and we're still very good friends. They're amazing BB: What keeps you moving forward?

MS: When I went through my fitness journey—had my children, gained all the weight and then lost my weight—I was very confident in my body. I looked and felt amazing. So many people asked me for advice on what I was eating and how I got into shape. I started feeling so confident; I felt good, was buying new clothes and just felt like a whole different person. I wanted women to feel like that and that's why I became a personal trainer. I wanted people to feel that same kind of confidence I think everyone should feel: feeling good in your own skin and healthy!

BB: What’s next for Mena and EVOKE? MS: I don’t know if there is going to be any really big event. I just know that Breast Cancer to Bikini that was documented on KTVN Channel 2 with Kristen Remington was the most amazing event so far. I hope that we can inspire other women to take fitness seriously and have it help them through major life events such as cancer.

JACKI PEACH-HALLERBACH Breast Cancer to Bikini Competitor PHOTOGRAPHY BY: EXIT 186 IMAGERY.COM

BB: What do you want other women to know?

MS: It’s really important to take care of you. We put everyone else in front of ourselves—our children, our spouses, our friends—but we put ourselves last. It’s first dibs and we’re always last so we find ourselves at 30 or 40 years old, and are unhappy with the way we look. Our health is suffering; we’ve been through some major depression or some kind of major setback and we're sitting there going, “Now WHAT? My life is over.” Your life is not over. You just have to make the right choice when it comes your health and eating clean. It’s an hour a day out of your life.

Go for a hike instead of going to lunch with your girlfriends. It’s the little choices that you make in your life that will had add up to big changes and progress! Put yourself first! We want to look good whether we’re 60 years old or 20! evokefit.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

29

Keeping Children Safe and Families Together The Children’s Cabinet has reason to celebrate its long-standing work in the community he 18th annual Art of Childhood gala graces the Nevada Governor’s Mansion on September 16. This year, guests will kick up their spurs to live country music by Jimmy Wayne, a former foster child turned country music singer/songwriter, whose songs and story continue to bring awareness to kids who age out of the foster care system and become homeless. Jimmy will also perform for children and community partners in a concert at Cargo at the Whitney Peak Hotel.

The Art of Childhood will spotlight and raise funds for The Children’s Cabinet’s Youth and Family Support Services. When a child or parent comes to The Children’s Cabinet, they find a team of experienced counselors and caring adults ready to help. They can access dozens of individualized services—including food, child care resources, education programs, and free family counseling—all in one place. The E.L. Cord Foundation, Grand Sierra Resort and Casino, Peppermill Resort Hotel, and Eldorado Hotel Casino are sponsoring the event.

Carl Rueckl, senior vice president at Morgan Stanley, will receive the Dixie May Philanthropy Award in honor of his years of professional guidance and personal commitment to The Children’s Cabinet.

“Our mission is to keep children safe and families together,” explains Mike Pomi, executive director.

“Providing access to services is very important to us. At The Children’s Cabinet, we have an open door and believe that each child has the right to lead a healthy and safe existence, with the opportunities and encouragement

needed to become a happy, productive adult.”

The Children’s Cabinet was established more than 30 years ago, when Reno businessman Michael Dermody of Dermody Properties and Family Court Judge Charles McGee organized a high-level group of public officials and business leaders to address the needs of children in northern Nevada. Today, the nonprofit organization collaborates with public partners statewide and assists more than 11,000 families annually.

One person who has influenced the lives of children on a daily basis is Kathleen Sandoval, director of operations. While most people know Kathleen as Nevada’s First Lady, she has been a fulltime employee and leader at The Children’s Cabinet for 15 years. “I get to see the difference we make in people’s lives,” she says.

“Kids can come here and feel safe, get the services they need, and no one is going to judge them. We’re helping them to set and achieve life-changing goals, step by step.”

Earlier this year, The Children’s Cabinet and the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services launched Enliven, a statewide program that assists 15- to 25-year olds who are struggling with early episodes of psychosis. This fall, The Children’s Cabinet will open a Transitional Living Center in Reno-Sparks for runaway, homeless, and foster youth.

“We’ve come a long way, but we still have more to do,” says Pomi. “The Art of Childhood fundraiser gives community members a great chance to help move our programs, and the kids who participate in them, forward.”

Please contact Jessica Stack at 775.856.0356 or jstack@childrenscabinet.org for tickets to the Art of Childhood. For more information, visit childrenscabinet.org.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

Photo by Brian Burgess

T

WRITTEN BY: CHRISIE YABU  PHOTOS BY: CRAIG MARSHALL

Jimmy Wayne, a former foster child turned country music singer/songwriter, will perform at The Art of Childhood on September 16th

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and First Lady Kathleen Sandoval at the Art of Childhood

Mike Pomi, Kathleen Sandoval, Dixie May and Michael C. Dermody celebrate the philanthropic efforts of The Children's Cabinet

A Young Patient Pays Compassion Forward

IN

WRITTEN BY: RACHEL GATTUSO

addition to school, choir, and being a big sister, 14-year-old Sierra Terhune balances a bevy of doctor’s appointments.

In early 2015, the eldest of Ken and Amber Terhune’s seven children began experiencing severe headaches.

Doctors located a tumor and diagnosed it as a malignant neoplasm of the brain, astrocytoma (a type of brain cancer). Life had thrown the Gardnerville, Nevada, family another hurdle.

A year prior, their seventh child, Makenley, was born premature and hospitalized in Reno. The family stayed with the Ronald McDonald House Charities® Northern Nevada (RMHC® Northern Nevada), a non-profit that offers lodging for families with children receiving care at Reno or Sparks hospitals. Makenley’s early birth struck a nerve after the family’s heartbreaking loss of daughter Arianna, who passed on April 5, 2008, from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). “[Sierra’s diagnosis] felt like strong kicks to the gut and heart,” Amber Terhune wrote in a blog post from April 2015. “Our walls, our strength, our hope, our very foundation suddenly feel shaken and unsteady, crushed under the weight...I know this info doesn't change the outlook, or change the course of treatment, or change anything other than the fact that suddenly this new reality feels very, overwhelmingly real.”

Even after the tumor was removed, Sierra suffered headaches and dizziness and met frequently with specialists in Oakland, California. In addition to community-organized fundraisers, the family uses RMHC® Northern Nevada’s program, Travel-forTreatment, to defray travel costs. But today her health seems to be stabilizing and she’s using her choir training in a special way.

On October 7, Sierra will sing at the 5th Annual Red Shoe Gala, a benefit for RMHC® Northern Nevada at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Her siblings, Kai’Lani, Phoenix, Zion, Bryce and Makenley will join her onstage to share more of their story. The performance will add to Sierra’s legacy of compassion, including a group she started in third grade to befriend lonely, bullied and special needs children, and a support group for those dealing with the loss of their child.

“We’re honored Sierra’s helping us celebrate at the Red Shoe Gala,” said Marty Ozer, executive director of RMHC® Northern Nevada. “The Terhunes exemplify what it means for families to stick together.”

For Sierra, it’s another chance to help. “I want to share our hope with others and let them know there are so many people who care,” said Sierra. “Having a loved one in the hospital battling an illness or injury is a lonely and frightening time. We have experienced this several times with my surgeries and cancer, the premature births of my siblings, the NICU stays, and the death of my sister. The Ronald McDonald House helped our family stay close and my parents found support in some very difficult times. I want to encourage people not to lose hope.”

Learn how you can attend the 5th Annual Red Shoe Gala in support of patients like Sierra at www.rmhc-reno.org.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

31

I 13th Annual

DOWNTOWN

TRUCKEE WINE, WALK & SHOP Saturday, October 1 from noon-4 p.m.

Historic Downtown Truckee, Calif. $35 advance, $45 day of, $65 Bliss Babe Bus Package Benefits Tahoe Food Hub and Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Lake Tahoe and Nevada County Produced by Brinn Talbot Communications

t’s no wonder the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop has been attracting attendees from near and far for 13 years.

It offers wine tasting from more than 30 wineries, including local favorites like Truckee River Winery, premium labels like Six Sigma and power-house brands like Rombauer. Plus there is shopping in historic downtown Truckee, and bites from some of TruckeeTahoe’s most popular restaurants, for just $35 in advance.

For first time attendees and Wine Walk veterans alike, here are our tips for how to best enjoy the event.

PLAN YOUR ROUTE. Have a winery you don’t want to miss?

Is there a food stop you just have to try, or a dress you’ve been eyeing at a certain boutique?

Plan your route and make sure you have time to hit the must-stop spots on your list.

“Four hours seems like plenty of time to make your way through the quaint mountain town but you’ll want to pad your schedule for extra shopping time, an educational chat with a winemaker, or time to just sit for a moment and watch the lively crowds go by,” said event owner, Brinn Talbot.

DON’T SKIP LUNCH. The event ticket includes five food tickets that attendees can exchange for delectable food samples at various locations. It’s up to the restaurants as to what they provide, and offerings can range from one delectable gourmet bite to more substantial items.

“We ask our restaurant partners to provide 500-600 items, which are donated, and that should last through the event if we have 1,000 attendees, but it’s not uncommon for a location or two to run out of food before the end of the event,” explains Talbot. “If there’s something you’re dying to try, hit that spot early in the event.”

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

SAVOR AND SIP. Some wineries bring one or two varietals, but some may bring five or more.

There can be more than 90 different wines to try with no limit on tastings. Need help remembering that incredible Malbec or crisp Sauv Blanc?

Ask the wine representative for a cork, and check in with local wine shops The Pour House and Uncorked as they often carry many of the wines participating in the event. Just don’t forget to pace yourself.

PLAN YOUR RIDE. Whatever you do, don’t drink and drive.

The Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop contracts with High Sierra Taxi in Truckee, which gives attendees free rides within town limits during the event (don’t forget to tip your driver!).

For Reno residents, there’s the Bliss Babe Bus. RIDE IN STYLE FROM RENO. The Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop has partnered up with Bliss Babe Magazine, Roundabout Grill and Reno Tahoe Limousine to offer an incredible package deal. For $65, attendees will start their day with mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and pastries at Roundabout Grill, located in Whitney Peak hotel in downtown Reno, and then ride up to Truckee in style. The package also includes advanced VIP check-in, exclusive gifts from Bliss Babe, and a ride back to Reno at the end of the event.

A CAUSE TO CELEBRATE. Over the years, the Downtown Truckee Wine, Walk & Shop has donated more than $26,000 to various non-profit organizations in the Truckee-Tahoe basin. This year, the event benefits Tahoe Food Hub and Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Lake Tahoe and Nevada County. So, raise a glass to yourself and feel good knowing your event ticket is going to help two great causes.

Fall in El Dorado County Fall view at Bella Vista Bed and Breakfast • Photo by John Broski

THERE’S MORE THAN WINE IN THE HILLS ou don’t have to be a wine expert to enjoy El Dorado County; you just have to be up for some fun. During our most recent visit we sent a photo of Gold Hill’s Vineyard to our graphic artist, who responded with excitement: “Are those wine trees?” And there is so much more to the region than good wine.

–––––––––– Fall is peak season for Apple Hill, which features a huge variety of apple and fruit farms, bake shops, wineries, a spa, flower gardens, wedding spots, berry farms, and Christmas tree groves. Visitors can pick their

own apples, enjoy delicious apple pie and other baked goods, see colorful fall foliage and interact with farm animals and ponies.

The area is large and can be overwhelming, so be sure to download the free map available at applehill.com, and have a plan for the day.

–––––––––– The area is rich with history, and this year visitors can see The World Gold Panning Championships from September 11th – 18th at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds.

The fairgrounds will look like the gold rush that started in 1848 when James Marshall discovered gold in his lumber mill tailrace,

just a few miles away in Coloma, along the South Fork of the American River. Spectators and participants who stay at Bella Vista Bed and Breakfast will receive two hand dipped Artisan Gold Country Chocolates from Annabelle's Chocolate Lounge.

Call (530) 622-3456 or visit bellavistainc.net to make a reservation.

Photo by Kathleen Ash

Y

WRITTEN BY: DEBBIE MCCARTHY and MEG STEINITZ

Here are some other upcoming events in El Dorado County. I hope you will add a few to your calendar.

We will be returning to Nello’s for Nevada Day weekend, when they host their annual “Grapes and Ghosts” Tours on October 27th and 31st.

All you'll need is walking shoes, a flashlight and the courage not to turn back! For more information and to make a reservation, call the tasting room at (530) 409-5603. The event sells out every year, so call early to buy your tickets. They also have live poetry every third Sunday from 2 – 4 p.m.

Miraflores offers food and wine pairings every weekend now through the end of October. Each event features a delicious menu prepared by a local chef, paired with wine picked by a guest sommelier.

We look forward to the September 11th pairing, where we will be showcasing the beautiful vineyard with sommelier Orietta Gianjorio, who will be featured in our January/February issue. Call the tasting room to purchase tickets at (530) 647-8505.

Because one Halloween party is never enough, we will also be attending Crystal Basin’s Costume Ball on October 30th.

The event will include live music by Island of Black and White. Crystal Basin will also hold a French Regional Wine/Food Pairings featuring Rhone Wines on September 10. You can also catch their Grape to Glass Celebration, where you will have the opportunity to “Get Your Lucy Show On” and stomp grapes barefoot on October 8th. Call (530) 647-1767 for more information and to buy tickets.

El Dorado County celebrates Nevada Day Weekend October 29th – 31st, so be sure to ask about special deals and promotions.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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2120 Four Springs Trail Placerville, Ca 95667 Open Daily, 10am - 5pm Except major holidays www.mirafloreswinery.comw

The El Dorado Wine Country Map is proudly sponsored by:

Lynne Marie Kremers • 775-815-8688 LKMwineconciergeservices.com 34

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

Map not to scale

To Jackson/Yosemite

Danell Wilson-Perlman • Reno Tahoe Limousine 3200 Mill Street Ste A, Reno 530-277-0431 | 775-348-0868 | 800-660-4546 www.RenoTahoeLimo.com CPCN# 1101 | MC#258670 | TCP#8185P

CONSISTENTLY WINNING Gold, Double Gold Best of Class and Region

The Grapefather “Never underestimate wine from a man confident enough to go shoeless in a magazine ad.”

Nello Olivo a.k.a The Grapefather

miraflores

643 Bee Street, Placerville 2 blocks from Hwy 50 530-409-5603

Miraflores proudly stands as a premier winery in El Dorado County—with unparalleled natural beauty and wines that complement the bounty of the land.

MIRAFLORES WINERY 2120 FOUR SPRINGS TRAIL PLACERVILLE, CA 95667 530.647.8505 • OPEN DAILY 10AM TO 5PM www.mirafloreswinery.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

35

abouttowndeb

Creative

Adventures this Summer

WRITTEN BY: ABOUT TOWN DEB

T

WRITTEN BY: KATRINA STEWART 

his past July I had the pleasure to accompany friends during a special ranger led art hike in the Tahoe area. Not knowing what I was in store for, you can imagine my surprise when I arrived bright and early to a circle of picnic tables and a traditional Scottish Bagpiper performing underneath the shadow of the tall pine trees. Our group of 20 was greeted by a friendly team of volunteers from Trails and Vistas, a local based non-profit out of Truckee, California, whose mission is to combine art and nature for both children and adults.

On the over six-mile hike, my new group of friends and colleagues were able to take in the breathtaking views of Marlette Lake, Lake Tahoe and beyond. Sean Cummings, our resident Tahoe bag piper that greeted us when we arrived, showed his musical talent while he led us up the trail. At the overlook of Marlette Lake and Lake Tahoe, we listened to the musical styling of a local Flamenco guitar player Wolf Schaefer, as he strummed his guitar and sang songs from his Latin roots while we took in the spectacular view. Higher in elevation, we encountered snow and found blooming wildflowers where the snow had melted only a couple of weeks prior. After working off the morning’s breakfast of fruit, bagels, muffins and coffee provided by Rounds Bakery in Reno, we reached the top and were rewarded with a

36

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: SCOTT THOMPSON

bird’s-eye-view of Sand Harbor. A glass of bubbly provided by the Coffee Bar, a proud sponsor of Trails and Vistas, was an enjoyable way to toast our accomplishment. The unbelievable views, talented local musicians, and great outdoors had me wondering what other captivating art events were available to experience in the Reno-Tahoe area.

Art Hikes, hosted by Trails & Vistas happening in September, allows hikers to experience a dozen site-specific art installations with music, performance art, ephemeral sculpture, and literary arts placed along the earthen trail for hikers to discover on a

three-mile path. Each hiker is encouraged to slow down, read poetry hanging from limbs, touch the trunks or bar, close one’s eyes to enjoy a ballad or poem, breathe deeply and listen to the nature surrounding them. Small sculptures will be hidden along the hike while performances take place in trees and around boulders. In the summer months, the artists are invited to find the perfect place to display or perform their masterpiece. The hikes are offered every 15 minutes for morning and afternoon hikes spanning over two weekends. Spooner Lake State Park on September 10th and Donner Ski Ranch on September 18th, include no

more than 24 people per group. Hikes are geared towards the experience you are looking for, offering family hikes for those hiking with children, meditative hikes for those seeking an especially quiet and spiritual connection (adults only) and leisurely hikes for those who like to go at a slower pace. Advance ticket purchase is highly recommended because the event sells out every year.

Artwalks in Reno happen the first Thursday of the month from 5-8 p.m.

See the works of local and regional artists displayed in venues between Liberty Street and Second Street, and Virginia Street and Arlington Avenue.

A ticket for $5 includes a raffle ticket and program for the evening. A portion of the proceeds will go to a non-profit group focused on art, education and community.

Would you rather enjoy art and music while sipping wine, drinking craft beer and nibbling on small bites?

The Art & Soul artwalk is happening in downtown Truckee on September 17th and a portion of the proceeds benefits Arts for the Schools. Stroll through the historic town while enjoying live art demonstrations with 30 stops celebrating local artists.

World Concert for Peace on September 10th at the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Amphitheater in Sand

Harbor will be the encore showcase festival. Featuring a variety of music from around the world will have you up and dancing on your feet. Celebrate the night with your family and friends under the stars with Todo Mundo, a six-member band from San Diego, who plays a range of musical genres from Rumba, Reggae, Samba, and Gypsy.

Other notable performers include the soulful blues of Peter Joseph Burtt and the KingTide Band, inspirational sounds of Emily Tessemer, innovative jazz harpist Motoshi Kosako, three-time Grammy Winner Paul McCandless, gypsy jazz from Jessica Fichot and performance painting with Susie Alexander.

This is one night of eclectic music that you won’t want to miss.

Haunted Historical Tours, is an event that happens every year in October that benefits Trails and Vistas. The event, which has sold out yearly, takes small groups and immerses them into engaging tales performed by talented characters at seven historical sites. Dramatic, funny, and downright haunting stories inspired by the past are shared, along with treats and tricks, will keep you intrigued all the way through. If you are 21 and older and are ready to partake in an adventure that will give you chills and thrills on October 13th or 14th, this is the tour for you.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 â?¤

37

RAFTING THE AMERICAN RIVER

WRITTEN BY: MEG STEINITZ

Gold to Silver. Or, what do you mean there’s no chili?

We talked to blacksmiths in the country’s oldest, continuously operating blacksmith shop, and saw the original site of Sutter’s Mill.

We met Eric Carter, the Friendly Ranger, who was all smiles when he cautioned us not to speed when driving through the park, or he will give us a ticket. We piled back into the raft feeling ready to face Troublemaker, the most challenging rapid we would encounter.

KZ’s guidance got us safely through, and the rest of the trip was a relaxing float with great conversation and minimal paddling. If you are interested in a similar adventure, check out O.A.R.S’ website at oars.com

We ended the day at Smith Flat House in Placerville, which features fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced food. Originally named the Three Mile House and built in 1853 over the Deep Blue Channel, diners can still view two of the original mine shafts from the downstairs dining area. The food was amazing and the service was fantastic. After our food was served, we heard lively piano music coming from across the room. It turned out that our friendly and attentive waiter was also a talented entertainer. It was the perfect ending to our day on the American River, and we will definitely do the trip again.

Photo by: Karen Marie Zuschlag

We

set off in search of adventure and found it with Karen “KZ” Zuschlag of Crystal Basin Cellars, who invited us to join her on her personal raft. We met up with KZ at Chili Bar, named for the Chilean miners who played an important role in the early days of the gold rush. Debbie was disappointed and confused that, at no point on the trip, were we served chili. (It reminded me of the time that my friend Cassie visited Reno and I told her we were getting Awful Awfuls after a night out on the town. She just heard me say something about “falafel,” and agreed it was an excellent idea. The look on her face was that of sheer confusion when she was served a giant cheeseburger. But I digress.) We traveled down class two and three rapids of the American River, thankful that our bellies were not full of chili. Mike Owen and daughter Sophia of Crystal Basin Winery joined us, along with our good friends Peggy and Angelo Terranova.

KZ provided expert instruction on safety and technique before pushing away from shore.

Because we were on a private trip, we had the luxury of stopping along the way to play in the water, take photos and snack on wild blackberries. We took a break in Coloma and walked through Marshall Gold Discovery Park, which is where the 1849 Gold Rush began.

Photo by: Karen Marie Zuschlag

Meg is a San Diego native, happily living in Reno who loves food, wine, travel and adventure.

Not a wine expert but enthusiastic about wine.

Crazy cat lady who keeps it under wraps.

Photo by: Sierra Nevada Photos

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

ChiRunning Have you ever heard someone talk about running and not been able to relate to the joy and passion they have for it?

Have you told that person that you would love to feel that way about running but you’re old, injured, or your knees can’t take it anymore? Perhaps you’ve never really liked it that much, or it’s too difficult? If you recognize yourself in these questions, then ChiRunning may be the answer you’ve been looking for!

Making running more fun through alignment and relaxation.

WRITTEN BY: CHERYL LLOYD PHOTOGRAPHS BY: CHERYL LLOYD

ChiRunning (pronounced chee-running) is a running technique that combines the inner focus and flow of T’ai Chi with the power and energy of running to reduce running’s forceful impact, making running easier, more efficient (speed), and more fun. You don’t even need to know T’ai Chi to learn.

The ChiRunning and ChiWalking techniques were created by Danny Dreyer in 1999. The Chi technique is built on the principles of T’ai Chi, such as alignment and relaxation. These techniques cooperate with the forces of gravity and the road so they work for you and not against you. Danny has written several books and training manuals so that many thousands of people all over the world have learned how to run easier and more efficiently. The ChiRunning and ChiWalking techniques are for all abilities and ages. From off-the-couch and overweight to chronically injured and very fast, the ChiRunning technique has something for everyone.

Cheryl Lloyd is a Certified Master Instructor in ChiRunning and ChiWalking. She teaches all over northern Nevada, Las Vegas and Sacramento. She is a Registered Nurse and has Bachelor degrees in Exercise Science, Nursing and a Masters in Health Care Administration. Visit her website at www. movinginbalance.com to learn of upcoming workshops and free talks. The next Reno Workshop will be June 18, and Cheryl is offering a special discount in honor of Father’s Day. Contact Cheryl at cherylrunner@gmail.com for more information.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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SPOT A

SPOT B

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

SPOT C

SPOT D

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

SPOT E

SPOT F

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

3.8” wide x 2.47” high

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

Belle is a women's clothing and accessory store bringing a modern bohemian twist to the Midtown District.

Known as being: Simple. Affordable. Trendy and Chic.

Sierra Belle is located at 726 South Virginia St. Or visit them online at shopsierrabelle.com, Facebook: Facebook.com/ShopSierraBelle, Instagram: @Shopsierrabelle

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 â?¤

41

Sponsored by

Christi Quatro of Big Fish Consulting Solutions Bigfishconsultingsolutions.com

➜ SEPTEMBER EVENTS ●

➜ OCTOBER EVENTS ●

SEPTEMBER 9-11

SEPTEMBER 17

OCTOBER 1

OCTOBER 10-16

LAKE TAHOE AUTUMN FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

WISH ROUND UP 2016

TRUCKEE WINE, WALK AND SHOP

RENO BITES RESTAURANT WEEK

gotahoenorth.com

Benefits Make A Wish Foundation of Northern Nevada Come get your cowboy on and enjoy world champion cutting and reining exhibition shows, topped off with a concert featuring talent by Emily Kuzanek, Jazz by Caitlin Collins, and country music headliners Buck Ford Band and CMT Artist to Watch–JASON CASSIDY! 5cranch.com

A iconic fall event in beautiful downtown Truckee. Attendees will receive a commemorative wine glass to sample wine at 30+ venues as well as five food tickets and a map to all participating venues. Get ready to wine, walk and shop! eventbrite.com

The 5th Annual Reno Bites Week is October 10-16, 2016. Join us for dining events, amazing offers and more from the best local independent restaurants. renobitesweek.com

Northstar California SEPTEMBER 9-11

THE GREAT RENO BALLOON RACE

Rancho San Rafael Park

The Great Reno Balloon Race is the world’s largest free hot-air ballooning event. The event has floated into the hearts and minds of Reno’s visitors and locals for the past 34 years. With nearly 100 balloons and 120,000+ in attendance each year. renoballoon.com

5 Clover Ranch Equestrain Center- Minden

SEPTEMBER 24-25

GENOA CANDY DANCE Downtown Genoa genoanevada.org

SEPTEMBER 14-18

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES Stead Airport

THE PRODUCERS – THE MEL BROOK MUSICAL Eldorado Resort Casino

airrace.org

SEPTEMBER 16

ART OF CHILDHOOD FUNDRAISING GALA Governor’s Mansion, Carson City

Benefits the Children’s Cabinets programs and supports their mission to keep children safe and families together childrenscabinet.org

42

SEPTEMBER 27NOVEMBER 1

“The Producers” is a Mel Brooks masterpiece, based on the hit 1968 film of the same name, which chronicles the hilarious adventures of washed-up Broadway producer Max Bialystock and his mildmannered accountant, Leo Bloom, as they scheme to get rich quick by producing the most notorious flop in the history of showbiz. eldoradoreno.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

Truckee, CA

OCTOBER 7

5th ANNUAL RED SHOE GALA

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern Nevada Fundraiser rmhc-reno.org

OCTOBER 8-9

ELDORADO GREAT ITALIAN FESTIVAL Downtown Reno

Every year in October, the Eldorado has brought the sights, sounds and flavors of Italy to downtown Reno during the Eldorado Great Italian Festival. The festival is held each year during Columbus Day weekend and is a celebration of Italian culture and traditions. A wine and food event called Vintage Eldorado and the annual Paesano Open Putt for Pets charity golf tournament give guests a chance to celebrate the Italian Festival all week long. eldorado.com

Throughout Reno

OCTOBER 21

NEVADA HUMANE SOCIETY’S DENIM & DIAMONDS Atlantis Casino

Denim & Diamonds- A Wags & Whiskers Affair is a premier dinner charity event which will take place on Friday, October 21, at the Atlantis Casino and Resort from 5:30– 9:00 p.m. Combining denim attire, your best bling and the love of pets, this event is sure to sell out. For more information, visit nevadahumanesociety.org

OCTOBER 29

NEVADA DAY PARADE

Carson City

The "Battle Born" state was the 36th to enter the Union on October 31, 1864. In commemoration, the parade is the largest and longest running admission's day celebration in the nation. This year's event will be the 78th annual and is held in Carson City, the state's capital. Over 200 entries (led by law enforcement and public officials) include floats, marching bands, horses, entertainers, youth groups, celebrity guests and even Burning Man creations.

Two of our Cosmopolitan Connections events members got married this month and it got me to thinking about all the amazing and historic Las Vegas Wedding Chapels that we have in town. I mean, where else can you say you got married where Britney Spears and Joan Collins did? Nearly 82,000 couples obtain marriage licenses each year in Las Vegas, making it the marriage capital of the world. On a side note, the new Marriage License Bureau hours are 8 a.m. to midnight, so they are no longer open 24 hours like they were in the past. Perhaps their goal is to have less annulments!

The MISS ASIAN LAS VEGAS and MS. ASIAN NORTH AMERICA 2016 contests kicked off with a bang in July at the beautiful Venetian Hotel Theater. I was asked to judge the preliminaries this year, and my goodness! My job was extremely difficult as all the pageant contestants were gorgeous, inside and out. This national competition is open to the public every year at The Venetian Hotel, and since it‘s a national pageant, anyone can enter. The requirements are that you need to be 21+ years old, and one quarter Asian descent.

SQUEEZE IN LAS VEGAS, the famous breakfast restaurant from Reno and now located all over the West Coast, had its grand opening and ribbon cutting in July. I was honored to be asked to announce the presentation of awards to its amazing owner Chris Lowe, the GM Allie Duby, and staff, including Amy J. Amis and many more. You can meet all of them while dining in their great atmosphere.

Their menu is out of this world! They now serve alcohol, which makes for an extra perfect brunch experience, offered during their operating hours.

I checked out the new INTRIGUE NIGHTCLUB, located inside the Wynn Hotel last month for the private VIP List Party. It is the newest concept in Wynn Nightlife and still has the waterfall feature that helped make Tryst (it’s previous incarnation) such a beautiful venue to party. It still is!

Last, but not least, I couldn’t sign off without mentioning my free weekly networking mixers. You’re invited to come check them out with me at our first class venues around Las Vegas. Find information at cosmopolitanconnections.com/events-2/

Yvette Auger is a licensed Las Vegas real estate agent, along with her husband Eric. She is also the founder of Cosmopolitan Connections Inc., a free weekly Las Vegas Networking Events entity, which brings together like-minded business professionals and entrepreneurs.

Photo Credit: Juliana Goldberg/ The Boudoir Club

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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VIRGINIA CITY

THE NEED TO TRAVEL: If you have limited time, explore a short distance away to fuel that Wanderlust WRITTEN BY: DANELL WILSON-PERLMAN

T

he days are still beautiful, sunny and warm. We live in a region where nature and its bounty is on our doorstep. The smells of pine trees and the sounds of nature refresh your mind, body and soul.

Below is a quick, beautiful escape into one of my favorite areas, which is something you can experience in an afternoon, followed by an early dinner, before heading back to Reno.

Head north on Highway 395 to Hallelujah Junction, then travel west on Highway 70.

Here, the mountains feel very close and you can suddenly breathe easier. Turn left at the Chilcoot-Vinton turn-off towards Loyalton, and you will find yourself in ranch land, with cows grazing and historic barns greeting you in the distance. When you arrive in Sierraville, the smell of smoked meats beckon you to the tiny historic building on your right in the middle of town: Smithneck Farms Cafe. Stop and enjoy its old, wooden porch while dining on their tri-tip sandwich, thick and delicious biscuits and gravy, and their homemade apple pie.

Afterward, the road climbs out of town through towering pines into higher elevations. This is the drive that will inspire you to take more time for yourself. Here you will also realize there is no cell service for quite some time, which is truly a freedom, if you let yourself be open to it. If you are desperate for a phone, Bassets Station is located on this stretch, with an actual phone booth. But remember: be in the moment now and drink in your surroundings.

Going five minutes further, you come to the turn-off to Sardine Lake. A beautiful mountain stream welcomes you there and sets the tone for what is to come in this breathtaking setting.

As you cast your eyes towards the sky, you will be overwhelmed at the majestic Sierra Buttes greeting you. At its base, you will discover the crystal clear Sardine Lake surrounded by fairytale cabins at its resort, a quaint, fine-dining restaurant serving American food (reservations in advance is a must), and a boathouse-turned-bar where you can enjoy an afternoon libation.

Sardine Lake is the perfect spot for hiking, fishing and boating (boat rentals are available), and it is very difficult to leave this piece of paradise.

As you wrap up your day and head back to Reno, make your way through Graeagle and stop for a small-town bite for dinner at the Coyote Grill in Blairsden for their famous Southwest-inspired cuisine.

As you head back home down Highway 70, you will be thankful for this short but sweet escape, which will leave you feeling refreshed and ready for the new week.

Until next time, explore, dream, discover and stay curious.

Contact Danell at Danell@RenoTahoeLimo.com or danell@Africanskiestravel.com THE SARDINE LAKE RESTAURANT Wednesday - Sunday, 6 pm & 8 pm seatings THE LAKESIDE BAR is at the gazebo opening at 5 pm, closed Mondays & Tuesdays.

SARDINE LAKE RESORT - Open from Memorial Weekend through mid October.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, visit sardinelakeresort.com, and to find out more about the area, visit plumascounty.org.

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

GHOST TOURS

That time of year is near, when frights delight and things go bump in the night.

Here in Northern Nevada, there is an historic place filled with spirits whose stories, or presence, will surely send chills down your spine: good ol’ Virginia City, Nevada.

Y

WRITTEN BY: TESSA MARIE

ou may have seen some of these haunted spots featured on Ghost Adventures and The Dead Files, but the best way to experience the thrills of the Comstock is on a guided ghost tour hosted by Virginia City Ghost Tours. The same folks you’ve seen on television, Debbie Bender and Tom Cruz, take you to see the places, share the frightening tales, and even let you hold an EMF meter to keep an eye on activity!

The tour begins at the Silver Queen Saloon. Here you are introduced firsthand to a former lady of the night who still resides in her suite (and who really likes to meet the men on the tour!). The number of ghosts reported at this hotel is staggering, and yet patrons still choose to book a room for the night. Should you choose to stay, just know that the couple you hear arguing in the hallway late at night has been at it for over 140 years.

Once those spooks have you going, it’s time to head

out in the fresh high desert air. The hour-long tour that takes you to spots that have you wondering if you will see a ghost peeking out the window, or showing up in your camera later on. Plus, you will learn a surprising secret that is right under you nose. Or rather, your feet.

The walking tour finishes in a place that is truly for the bold: The Crypt at the back of the Washoe Club. This room is where dead bodies were stored in caskets throughout the cold winters, until spring arrived and the ground thawed enough to bury them.

Pictures captured in this very room show faces of sorts that will not be forgotten.

Additionally, it is beautiful drive with sights to see, with a twilight stroll that takes you back to what things were like when silver was booming from the mines and Mark Twain was making his name.

The price is only $20 per head, and they promise you will come back with yours. Dress warm, wear comfortable shoes, and Happy Hauntings, Bliss Babes!

* For more information and to sign up for your Halloween weekend now, visit www.virginiacityghosttours.com

heart ofMIDTOWN

❤ 6

find your bliss

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7

3

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DRAGONFLY BATH & BODY 728 S Virginia St • (775) 470-8505 www.dragonflybath.com

2

MARI CHUY'S MEXICAN KITCHEN 764 S Virginia St • (775) 502-0191 www.chuysmexicankitchen.com

3

SIERRA BELLE BOUTIQUE 726 S Virginia St • (775) 470-8390 www.shopsierrabelle.com

4

CEOL IRISH PUB 538 S Virginia St • (775) 329-5558 www.ceolirishpub.com

5

RENO MIDTOWN MASSAGE 955 S Virginia St, Ste 219 • (775) 772-8325

6

1864 TAVERN 290 California Ave • (775) 329-1864 www.1864Tavern.com

7

HELLO YOGA 732 S Virginia St • 775) 420-5357 www.helloyogashop.com

8

MIDTOWN WINEBAR 1527 S Virginia St • (775) 800-1960 www.midtownwinebar.com

9

CALIBER HAIR & MAKEUP STUDIO 141 E Pueblo St • 775) 284-8620 www.Calibersalon.com

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5

10 11

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CHOCOLATE WALRUS 1278 S Virginia St. • 775-825-2267 www.thechocolatewalrus.com

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SIERRA NEVADA CHOCOLATES 1290 S Virginia St. • 775-323-2462 www.sierranevadachocolates.com

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mexican kitchen

Celebrate Nevada

T R E S

B E N Z L E Y ’ S

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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STOP SCARING YOURSELF: CRAIG NIELSON MA, CPC

is a Professional Coach, Speaker, and Educator who helps women who are insecure with self-doubt to become fully empowered with self-confidence. Learn more at myinternalimage.com

A

Understanding and Controlling Your Anxiety

nxiety is estimated to affect thirty percent of the U.S. population, with twice as many women than men suffering from general anxiety. To combat the symptoms of anxiety, many are resorting to medication to feel better believing their symptoms are how they're hardwired. I believe there is power in education, and gaining an understanding of what causes anxiety can give you an alternative solution, granting you the knowledge to take control and create for yourself a calm and confident mind, body and spirit.

For starters, understand the difference between fear and anxiety.

Both inflict the same physical response of feeling panic, a racing mind, accelerated heart rate and rapid breathing. They both put us in a mental state commonly referred to as fight or flight and are activated by the subconscious mind. Fear is a natural response to a legitimate threat. I’m an avid hiker and fear serves me well, especially if I encounter a rattle snake along the trail. Without consciously thinking about it, my subconscious activates fear in me as it recognizes the threat and activates the senses in my body to respond to danger in the fight or flight mode. My conscious mind then kicks in to assess the threat and my next move. In this instance, I choose flight. I don’t run away in a panic, but I cautiously remove myself from the presence of the snake and let it know I pose no threat to it so it will also retreat.

Anxiety occurs when I imagine a threat. I’m a public speaker.

Early on when I first started out, before I got up to speak I had terrible anxiety. I had thoughts that I was going to suck, that my audience wouldn’t like me, I was unprepared, or they’ll think I’m a fraud. The same physical response occurred: my heart rate increased, my throat became constricted, and I was feeling like I wanted to run away. All this response was created by my imagination of how things would go wrong. I couldn’t prove any of it. There was no truth in it, yet my physical response was activated by my subconscious as though it were true.

It’s also important to understand how powerful our subconscious mind is. Unlike our conscious mind, the subconscious never sleeps.

It works constantly our entire lives as it keeps our heart pumping and our lungs breathing without us even thinking about it. It triggers our fear response when we are confronted with danger. Therefore, the subconscious mind seems to be more powerful than our conscious mind. However, the subconscious mind has one major flaw. It cannot distinguish between a legitimate threat and an imaginary one. It triggers the body to respond the same.

It’s the subconscious mind that powers nightmares when you’re asleep. You wake up from a nightmare with your heart rate accelerated and possibly sweating. There is absolutely nothing real in a nightmare, but consider how powerfully it affects you physically.

Now, the subconscious mind does give us some benefits when we are awake as well. For instance, it allows us to get emotionally involved in a movie and experience fear, excitement and sadness even though consciously we can tell ourselves what were are watching is simply people acting out a script with a film crew around them. But even that doesn’t shut down our emotional experience. Why? Because the subconscious mind is always at work responding to the stimulus it’s being fed. It’s always at work feeding off of everything, whether it’s feeding on a visual stimulus or an imagined one.

Our thoughts and words are powerful. Thoughts trigger feelings that determine our actions. For instance, if you have a habit of comparing yourself to others, your subconscious picks up on thoughts of inferiority and causes you to feel depressed and insecure. If you happen to be single and you’re wondering why by thinking what is wrong with me?, on a subconscious level you actually believe there is something wrong with you, otherwise you wouldn’t ask the question.

Words are powerful. You believe everything you tell yourself. Therefore, to begin retaining your brain to combat anxiety, first become aware of what imaginary threats you are feeding into our subconscious. This takes practice. By consistently applying intervention between your thought and subsequent feelings, you can train your subconscious to buy into a more positive, calming and empowering belief of who you are and what your situation is. Replace your defeating thought patterns with powerful affirmations.

Meditation is also very effective. While you meditate, imagine yourself in the most positive light. Create in your mind the ideal image of yourself. The subconscious likes consistency and the more you can fill it with images of you at your best, the more it will buy into the positive, powerful person you truly are. Always be mindful of what you tell yourself. The words I AM are the two most powerful words in the universe, for whatever follows those two words is your truth. You can begin your meditation with: “I am always, and in all ways, greater than I think.”

If you continue to struggle to gain control over your anxiety, consider investing in professional help. Just like many plan to exercise to get in shape then find they get better results by hiring a personal trainer, the same applies to personal development. Don't be scared.

DON'T BE SCARED

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SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

950 DAYS I

WRITTEN BY: MORGAN DAWN

always thought I was just a nice person who drank a lot. Back in high school, if I got too drunk I was laughed at because that was part of being young and rebellious. In college, if I got too drunk, it wasn’t a big deal because I was in a sorority and drinking was part of our social environment. I was always friends with people who liked to drink and party just as much as I did. However, unlike my friends, I never quite got the hang of drinking and since the beginning of my drinking days at 16, I would always get considerably more intoxicated than everyone else. I still remember being at a party and the look on a classmate’s face when I told her I blacked out every single time I drank. We were seniors in high school. I was 17.

A “normal” drinker knows their limits. They can tell when they’ve had too much and they know what it takes to put them over the edge.

A “normal” drinker can take alcohol or leave it and they are responsible about it. Taking a Gatorade bottle full of mixed vodka to the library or the gym or to class just because it’s “sneaky” and therefore “cool” is not normal. I missed out on a lot in college because I was too drunk to make it out to the event; or, I would blackout halfway through the event and have no recollection of the evening. Besides a few stories in my mind that particularly stand out, I made it through my drinking days in college relatively unscathed. I graduated with a 3.7 GPA and an internship with Walt Disney World.

The internship lasted less than three months; I was fired for being drunk on the job. I moved back to Chicago where I landed an amazing job doing fundraising and recruitment for a non-profit. Over the next couple of years things went great, at least professionally.

I met my numbers and my volunteers adored me. There were a handful of times, though, that my boss sent me home for smelling like booze and a couple of times where I blew off meetings or appointments because I was drinking, drunk, or hungover.

So while work was great for the most part, in my personal life my level of drinking was becoming serious. I was drinking daily, mostly by myself at home. I had gained a lot of weight and I didn’t really care about social activities like I once had. My sister and mom had a few talks with me over the years about my drinking habits and how they were concerned for me, but the talks didn’t sink in. I didn’t think

that my drinking affected them because it was my choice and I wasn’t hurting anyone. I was blind to the disappointment and pain that I was causing people as a result of my actions while drunk, and more accurately, my actions NOT taken because I was already blacked out or passed out. I was ruining relationships with boyfriends, my best friends, and family members. All I could think about was drinking and as long as I had that, my life was more interesting and full.

Then Friday, December 13, 2013, I hit my bottom. I won’t go into the story here (although I am happy to share it with anyone over a plate of nachos), but that Saturday morning I “came to” and knew that things weren’t right. Whatever had happened the night before could not be fixed with an apology and promise to buy the next handle of vodka. Much to the utter disbelief and disgust of everyone close to me who knew what happened that Friday, I kept drinking for the rest of the weekend. I knew in my heart that when the weekend was over my drinking days were as well.

My last drink of alcohol was December 15th, 2013. That Monday the 16th, at 25 years old, I went to my first AA meeting and have been sober ever since. Fast forward to today (937 days sober), I am a sober alcoholic and ecstatic with the life I live. I recognize my Higher Power as The Universe and I give thanks every day to my HP that I’m an alcoholic and for blessing me with this life and everything yet to come. Getting sober was scary at first. In social situations I didn’t know how to act. What would I say? Who would I talk to? Who am I now as a person without the liquid courage of a cocktail (or seven)? But through prayer and meditation, it got easier. Then one day, I realized it’s not an issue anymore and I am living a life better than I could have imagined.

Burning Man 2014 was an eye opening experience. It was my fourth burn and at the time

I was eight months sober. It had the potential to be overwhelming, but I brought my 24 hour chip with me, kept my journal with me at all times (journaling is a huge part of my sobriety toolbox), and I made it a point to find all of the sober camps, in case I felt overwhelmed. At first I was outside my comfort zone A LOT, but just like how I’m comfortable in my own skin in life now, it was the same way at Burning Man. That was one of my most notable burns because I remembered more of it and everything that I did was based on me making conscious decisions, not the booze-induced judgement.

If you work the 12 Steps (and really work them), you will find that you don’t move on to the next phase of your recovery until you’re totally ready. With your sponsor, you work on building a working relationship with your Higher Power, you learn how to live at peace with yourself, and then figure out how to live a meaningful life with others. You will continue a program of recovery every day, for the rest of your life.

As far as my yoga practice and how that is connected, my yoga journey began at the same time I got sober because I used my practice as a way to connect with my Higher Power. The connection I felt to my HP through my moving meditation helped release me from the turmoil going on inside my brain as I came to terms with my alcoholism. As I progressed in my initial recovery, I progressed in my practice as well. The week that I started AA was when I decided to take my first class. As I celebrated 90 days, I achieved Crow pose. As I reached five months, I accomplished my head stand. December 2015 I celebrated two years sober. I also started my 200-hour yoga teacher training so that I could get my certification and use yoga to help other alcoholics achieve sobriety. To this day, I sit and meditate and move and mediate through my yoga practice every day. For me, the two go hand in hand because in both sitting mediation and practicing yoga as a moving mediation, my mind is clear.

As I write this I am 950 days sober. Together, sobriety and yoga saved my life. Life is a beautiful journey and I'm blessed to be able to experience it the way I do. Today, I am One with my Higher Power, and I am at peace with myself. keepbending@gmail.com

CHEERS TO THE GOOD LIFE. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2016 ❤

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THE STATE OF WASHOE COUNTY SCHOOLS

Washoe County schools are facing unprecedented challenges.

WRITTEN BY: CONNIE ANDERSON Fall brings autumn leaves, crisp mornings and school days in full swing. Backpacks are now stocked with books, kitchen counters are filled with science experiments and the excitement of a fall break looms.

This fall, Washoe County residents are also being asked to make a choice that will impact the future of all Washoe County students.

Together, we have the opportunity to change schools for the students of today, tomorrow and years to come.

Washoe County schools are facing unprecedented challenges.

One in three Washoe County school buildings do not meet current building standards, having gone 30 or more years since their construction or major renovation.

Furthermore, one in five schools are severely overcrowded, leaving students to learn in “makeshift”

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classrooms such as crude temporary trailers, corners of cafeterias designated by tarps, and in hallways with portable desks.

By joining Governor Sandoval, Mayor Schieve, Mayor Martini and voting yes on WC-1 this November, we will protect students from leaking roofs, failing ventilation systems, and other inadequate learning environments, all with a law-binding, dedicated revenue stream. Washoe County Question 1 will designate by law that all funds generated can only be used for school construction. A local volunteer Community Oversight Committee is responsible for ensuring the money is spent properly and with transparency by prioritizing school needs and evaluating competing construction bids.

Learn more and join at SOSWahoe.com.

WHILE MOST SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT ARE FACING A MULTITUDE OF THESE PROBLEMS, BELOW IS A LIST OF FIVE SCHOOLS MOST IN NEED OF OUR HELP: • BROWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, built in 1989, is at 163% capacity with major needs for a modernized fire safety system and a need to fill eroded areas on the playground.

• MT. ROSE ELEMENTARY, built in 1911, is at 147% capacity in addition to needing necessary exterior waterproofing throughout the facility, as well as replacement of panic hardware and modernizing locksets throughout the facility.

• TRANER MIDDLE SCHOOL, built in 1956, is at 113% capacity with needs to replace aging duplex receptacles and light switches throughout facility and to remove incinerator and seal roof penetration.

• REED HIGH SCHOOL, built in 1974, is at 107% capacity with major replacement needs to remove asbestos floor tiles and roofing throughout the facility.

• MCQUEEN HIGH SCHOOL, built in 1982, is at 126% capacity with important replacement needs of boilers for necessary systems and master lock system throughout the facility.

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