North County Life - May

MAY 2012

Pinot & Paella Sizzlin’ foodie fun in Templeton (pg.12)

Life NORTH

BEST VIEW IN NORTH COUNTY Local ballooning business reaches hot air heights

Photo by Jandy Jones

JOY RIDE – John Warren and his companions float silently across the tops of grapevines. Hot air balloons are one of the best ways to explore nature because they get in close without disturbing the scenic surroundings.

Giddy Up! Horsemen hit Paso (pg.8)

COUNTY

Jandy Jones

T

here are only 5,000 registered hot air balloons in the United States, and luckily, one of them resides in Paso Robles.

What started out as a fluke has turned in to a passion as well as busy business for owner John Warren.

The seasoned pilot – he has been flying planes since 1973 – decided on a whim to check out the activity after seeing a balloon in an ad.

Warren thought to himself, ‘Owning a hot air balloon could be fun.’ Also, as a pilot, he felt qualified to take to the skies.

“Next thing you know I am in Tennessee, looking at this balloon,” he said.

The Montana native started flying his hot air balloon in his home state, and it wasn’t until he succumbed to good friends that he decided to try flying on the Central Coast.

Warren was sold on the

area after the first trip. His original plan was to split his time between the two states; summers in Montana and the rest of the time in Paso Robles. That was in the fall of 2004, and Warren still hasn’t gone back.

“When I got down here, it went so well I haven’t been back yet,” he said.

Paso Robles is ideal for hot air ballooning. The weather is fairly compatible all year long and the scenery is amazing. Hot air balloons do not use an engine to propel, just the occasional hit of the butane burner. That means riders can get in close.

“You can control a balloon about an inch altitude wise and this allows the riders to skim above trees, grapevines and more without disturbing the environment around the balloon,” Warren said. “It is nothing to be a foot or two off the grapevines or float right off the top of a tree.”

BALLOONS pg. 9

Peace, love, happiness: Rock meets dance in ‘Let it Be’ Beloved Beatles tunes become backdrop for North County performance

BUSINESS

BAMBOO Add a lush touch (pg. 4)

CALENDAR

DAY IN THE SHADE Mother’s Day & more (pg. 10)

Hayley Thomas

W Courtesy photo

COME TOGETHER – Rock-dance performance “Let it Be,” presented by the North County Dance and Performing Arts Foundation, will rock Templeton May 11 and 12.

hat happens when you combine live renditions of Beatles tunes with contemporary dance? You get a truly rock-worthy experience in the form of “Let it Be,” presented by the North County Dance and Performing Arts Foundation May 11 and 12.

According to Music Director Terry Cline, “this is not ‘The Nutcracker.’”

“We have a lot of ballet it the show, but I would say not a lot of traditional ballet. It’s contemporary; it’s lyrical and all with deep elements of ballet and jazz-oriented styles. We have some tap, some swing and even some hip hop.”

Set in the ’60s, the groovy performances will take place at the Templeton Performing Arts Center. North County will, for the first time, feature a full band on stage performing alongside the cast of dancers, according to Cline. Combined with state-of-the-art lighting, the show tells a story of “peace, love and understanding.”

The original storyline – told completely through music, dance and lighting – follows a young man’s journey from innocence to awareness.

LET IT BE pg. 5

FITNESS

COOL OFF And have fun (pg. 14)

Paso Robles Press P.O. Box 427 Paso Robles, CA 93447

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May 2012 North County Life

page 2

Life NORTH

Courtesy image

Ready to relax? So are we. Flip through the calendar and find all the best ways to unwind, North County style. That means food, wine and fun community events.

COUNTY

There’s so much happening this May! I hope this issue of North County Life tips you off to some great local offerings here in our community.

This month, local dancers take the stage in “Let it Be,” Wine, Cheese & Chocolate will raise funds for the American Cancer Society, Day in the Shade offers family fun for all and the San Miguel Wine Experiencia will draw hundreds into the historic Mission.

Also, don’t miss out on the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance’s annual Wine Festival weekend, featuring local wineries spanning the region.

NEWS: 3

COMMUNITY: 4

There’s even more to explore in the community calendar. Whew!

LOCAL BUZ Z: 8

FITNESS: 14

Have a blast!

CALENDAR: 10

Hayley Thomas, Editor, North County Life

PUZZLE: 11

community@pasoroblespress.com

GOOD EATS : 12

NORTH COUNTY

PUBLISHER Jason Cross jasonc@pasoroblespress.com

Life

Published monthly by Paso Robles Press & Atascadero News Paso Robles Press P.O. Box 427 Paso Robles, CA 93447 Ph: (805) 237-6060 Fx: (805) 237-6066 www.PasoRoblesPress.com

Atascadero News 5660 El Camino Real Atascadero, CA 93447 Ph: (805) 466-2585 Fx: (805) 466-2714 www.AtascaderoNews.com

www.YourNCL.com

EDITOR IN CHIEF Hayley Thomas community@pasoroblespress.com STAFF WRITERS Jandy Jones Creig P. Sherburne Nena Benson Lisa Pretty Josh Petray

Life

NEWS COMMUNITY SPORTS

NORTH

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North County Life May 2012

page 3

A picturesque Easter service

at Santa Margarita Ranch

Locals swarm the Santa Margarita Ranch Asistencia for a special Easter Service.

Hayley Thomas

S

oft sunlight filtered through the rustic wooden panels of the Santa Margarita Ranch’s historic Asistencia last month as nearly 400 locals dressed in their spring finery congregated for brunch and a special Easter service.

Santa Margarita Ranch and Santa Margarita Community Church invited the community to attend the event, which recently celebrated its fourth year.

“When we started this event, it was the first time this building had been used for worship since the 1840s,” said Santa Margarita Church pastor Robert

Campbell. “Every year it’s grown.”

Serenity Tuckey watched her two boys frolic through the green grass.

“The church makes you feel like you’re part of a family,” she said.

Congregation member Marolin Stempson was one of many church members greeting friends and locals outside.

“We feel really honored to be in the Asistencia,” she said. “The church hopes to be significant in the community by serving. “ “And we would like to make friendships,” added Leslie Bryson of Garden Farms.

Santa Margarita Church

Outreach Director Karin Taylor said the ranch has become part of the community in a real way.

“Santa Margarita started here because the ranch set aside land for a community to develop, so it’s so integral,” said Taylor. “I think that the community loves to worship here on Easter. I also think it’s neat that the Franciscan monks actually built this place as part of a chapel.”

The barn replaced the chapel so to speak, but the original masonry has been preserved, along with the rich history. “I love that 150 years later, we’re worshiping here again,” Taylor said.

Photos by Hayley Thomas

Coltin Tuckey, 10, and his brother, Isaiah, 5, check out an old water fixture at the Santa Margarita Ranch. Santa Margarita Church partnered with the ranch to put on its fourth annual Easter Service.

page 4

May 2012 North County Life

Lush living: Paso Bamboo thrives From a hobby to a four-acre nursery, the bamboo business has room to flourish Hayley Thomas

“

t’s a fiery-hot Paso Robles afternoon, but surrounded by dense, green bamboo stalks, it’s pleasantly calm, cool and shaded. The serene rustling of bamboo leaves swishes in the wind high above the exotic landscape.

Paso Robles Bamboo, located on South River Road just across from River K Pumpkin Patch, is a lush sanctuary offering an extensive bamboo nursery.

The farm boasts four acres of the woody foliage, from thin, elegant shoots to bamboo stalks so thick and shiny they appear too pretty to be real. The plants are often used as privacy screens or to add a dash of tropical ambiance to local backyards and ranches. Guests can also take a “jungle tour” of the mature bamboo forest on site for a touch of Asian adventure in Paso Robles.

This is where you’ll find Gavino Villa, a self-professed “bamboo nut.”

He’s been growing bamboo for about 30 years. It started as a hobby when Villa lived in the Bay Area.

“I always had a dream to buy some land, and when I bought [in Paso Robles], I didn’t want to do grapes – everyone was doing grapes,” said Villa. “When I came here, I wanted to do something different. As far as I know, I’m still the only one.”

Villa said he loves living in Paso Robles, “the belly button of California,” for its incredible weather, friendly folks and great location between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

He and his wife, Estefana, bought the property back in 2000 and began their business in 2006.

However, if you haven’t heard of Paso Bamboo, that’s understandable.

Villa, an engineer, said its taken years to get to the point where he can finally focus on promoting and growing his bamboo business. Now, Paso Bamboo is poised for its big debut.

For the first time, Paso Bamboo has been shown at home shows and Villa was also able to hire on an employee (his kids used to work with the bamboo before they went on to college). Estefana runs the financial side of things.

“Like many small family owned-and-run businesses, it's been a slow transition from working for someone else and to being

I

We are excited to share our unique environment with the community.” – Gavino Villa, Paso Bamboo

able to work my business full-time. We are just now at that stage and are excited to share our unique environment with our community.”

That means educating the public on live bamboo: how it grows, the different types and what it can be used for.

“Most people don’t even know bamboo grows in this area, and they think it’s from Hawaii or the tropics,” said Villa. “We went through a lot of work to find out the varieties that grow well in Paso Robles.”

In 2001, Villa did a test planting of 60 varieties.

“Paso is very unique in terms of climate, and it is very stressing on plants, which is why we have such wonderful wines,” said Villa.

The temperature difference from day to night is stressful for bamboo as well, but not so much to the varieties hailing from the mountains of China and Japan.

“Paso Robles has similar climates to the mountains in Japan with the cold winters and hot summers,” he said.

Ten varieties did very well in Paso soil. Bamboos are some of the fastest growing plants in the world and the shoots grow out of the ground with the same diameter they’ll show throughout life. Villa pointed to a variety, which grows up, branches out and develops into maturity in just six weeks’ time. Paso Robles is notoriously brown and golden during the summer, but bamboo – an evergreen – stays relatively lush-looking all year long.

Then, there’s the beauty of the plant.

“Even in a very small space, bamboo can create a very unique environment,” Villa said. “And a bamboo screen is very private.”

It’s no wonder the plants are cherished around the world.

“Bamboo in Asia is a culture. The philosophy and life revolves around bamboo,” said Villa. “When you’re born, your umbilical cord is cut with a bamboo knife.

When you die, you are buried in a bamboo coffin. And in between, you eat bamboo and live in a bamboo house.”

Bamboo is also adaptive.

Dormant shoots can be transplanted most places and

spring right to life.

“We’re probably one of the largest growers in California because there aren’t as many commercial growers.

Bamboo is relatively new with the public,” Villa said.

As a longtime member of the American Bamboo Society, Villa hopes to educate the public on the plant. Paso Bamboo boasts black, yellow wine-colored and striped stalks, including a special variety that zig-zags as it grows upwards. You’ll also see plans anywhere from five to 40 feet tall, ready to transplant.

“It’s always refurbishing itself, and that’s a great thing for this sustainable movement we’re in,” said Villa.

“Paso Bamboo serves to provide awareness to people.

The plants are very efficient in producing oxygen compared to trees, so if everyone had a couple bamboos in their backyard it would certainly help [the environment].”

It’s been rewarding for Villa to see his love of bamboo come full circle. As a child, Villa was entranced by tropical plants on television and in movies.

“When I started looking for it, I couldn’t find it. That was about 35 years ago,” he said. “My dad had a landscaping friend who showed up one day with all these bamboo clippings.”

Villa laughed as he knocked on a tall, sturdy crop of bamboo.

“These timbers came from that bamboo. When I moved, I brought 200 plants and stuck them in my barn and watered them, and they somehow survived for a few months before I put them in the ground.”

It turns out, bamboo – like dreams – are very resilient, if you remember to tend to them.

“It’s very exciting when people come to Paso Bamboo and they see something new and it opens up their eyes,” said Villa.

Photos by Hayley Thomas

FAMILY BUSINESS – Paso Bamboo is family-owned-and-operated, offering a selection of lush greenery in the North County. Pictured from right is “bamboo nut” Gavino Villa, wife Estefana and daughter Victoria before Paso Bamboo’s jungle tour.

Grow a bamboo paradise Paso Bamboo, located at 5590 N. River Road, is open by appointment only. For more information, visit www.pasobamboo.com or call 712-1759.

North County Life May 2012

page 5 Courtesy photos

GROOVE – "Let it Be," a story of peace, love and understanding, will be presented at the Templeton Performing Arts Center May 11 and 12.

LET IT BE Continued from pg. 1

“It’s a story about love and life as told through events we’ve all lived through at some point, Cline added.

Locals may recognize the cast: ‘Let it Be’ will feature dancers from “The Nutcracker,” “Cinderella,” “Ishtar” and other performances. The live band features members of local groups Resination, Cuesta Ridge, Funk:30 and The Probes.

“This show is a unique opportunity for all of us to send our own ‘Thank you’ to the Beatles for everything their music has contributed to our lives,” said Cline.

Class Act Dance Artistic Director Cheryle Armstrong conceived the “rock ballet.”

“One of the aims of the NCDPAF is to give performers in our community opportunities to perform in major theatrical production,” Armstrong said. “We’re featuring dancers from ages five to 85, from first timers to pre-professional talent.”

Five choreographers are working on the show

alongside Armstrong: Molly Comin, Amy Wescom, Mindy Hartman, Tiffini Hansen and Rachel Dodson.

Cline said the cast and crew has had to work with what they have, and the result is a creative use of costuming and set design. He pointed out the use of a mountain backdrop. “[The mountain] is acting as a number of things throughout the show. It’s a way to ad elevation and some dimension to the performance,” he said. Combined with lighting and sound provided by Bill Gaines Audio, “it’s a major production in every way,” said Cline.

It’s safe to say working with the Beatles’ discography – from the iconic “Abby Road” to

the beloved “White Album” and eclectic “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band” – has been a stimulating experience for the cast.

“There’s no question that each of the choreographers has been inspired by the various songs,” said Cline.

“When I first came in with the songs we were going to use for the production, it was immediately apparent which songs resonated with each choreographer, and it was interesting.” Said Cline, “The breadth of personality that The Beatles’ music brings absolutely resonated with [the cast].”

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page 6

May 2012 North County Life

This way to freedom: Ground breaks on veterans’ memorial sign Creig P. Sherburne

G

round broke recently for a new bronze and granite sign which will be erected on Highway 41 and point the way to the Atascadero Veterans’ Memorial at the Atascadero Lake Park.

The sign’s designer, Mark Dariz, said that the sign will be shaped like a large V, with the point aimed toward Highway 41.

Each arm will be 12 feet long from the apex, and it will be 10 feet tall.

Mark Greenaway sculpted the memorial’s bronze statue in 2008.

For the sign, he said, he will make two bas relief images, one for each

panel of the sign, reproducing the soldiers on the primary statue’s flag. The effect, he said, will be somewhat like a coin, but much bigger. Each sculpture will be approximately 40 inches in diameter, though the exact size is not yet known.

Atascadero Veterans’ Memorial Foundation President Jimmy Quinonez said that further fundraising is still required, but when that is finished, two slabs of granite, approximately five feet tall and eight feet wide, will be shipped from India, engraved locally, and installed at the park. The entire process, not including fundraising, will take approxi-

mately four or five months, he said.

According to a press release issued by the foundation, the sign got kick-started with a $20,000 donation by Greg Hind of the Hind Foundation. Hind spoke at the groundbreaking.

“This has value,” he said. “It shows us that the things we enjoy are not without price.”

Atascadero Mayor Bob Kelley agreed and praised the foundation for its good work.

“This is almost becoming a hallowed place,” Kelley said. “At some point, it will be recognized nationally and people will come here for this.”

Also according to the press re-

lease, the sign is hoped to be complete by Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11.

The sign is expected to cost approximately $50,000 and fully half

of that cost still needs to be raised.

To donate or get more information, call 466-7076 or go to www.face soffreedommemorial.org.

Photo by Creig P. Sherburne

A watercolor painting by Faces of Freedom sculptor Mark Greenaway shows what the sign for Faces of Freedom will look like. Below, members of the Atascadero City Council, Atascadero Veterans’ Memorial Foundation members, sign designers, city employees and others break ground of the site for the proposed Faces of Freedom sign at the Atascadero Lake Park.

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North County Life May 2012

page 7

by Nena Benson

Wine Lips & Beauty Tips Brought to you by Vino +Therapy Studio. The skin and body wine experience is located at 5990 Entrada Ave. in downtown Atascadero.

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Sited due east of the “Templeton Gap,” the winery receives the evening's cooling breezes that the west side of Paso Robles is noted for. The winery also rests far enough from the coast to generate the heat needed to optimally ripen the Rhone varieties grown in their vineyards.

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MAY 18-20 PRWCA 30TH ANNUAL WINE FEST More than 200 wineries will feature events, tastings and more spanning the Paso Robles Wine Country region. Call 239-8463 or visit the PRWCA web site.

BEAUTY TIPS “The price we pay for the complexity of life is too high.”

–Jean Baudrillard

M

ost of us could use some help managing our busy, often-hectic lives. If your stress levels are rising and your to-do lists are getting longer and longer, these sweet and simple tips can help you to take a deep breath of relief.

Serenity will blossom when you feel more relaxed, one of the hallmarks of real inner beauty.

This is such great advice for making your life a saner and more beautiful place to be!

1. Even if you don’t meditate, you can practice one of meditation’s most valuable lessons: do only what you are doing, be only where you are.

2. Keep downtime sacred and don’t feel guilty about it.

3. Find some quiet time to think . . . about where you are in life, about your goals, about your disappointments, and so on. Insight can be very curative and energizing, but it requires thought.

4. Be sure to avoid exercising too close to bed-

time. It can be too stimulating and interfere with your sleep.

5. Warm milk is a natural tranquilizer and calcium helps you relax. Try a glass at night before you go to bed.

6. Take a Sunday after noon nap.

7. Drop out of one committee or evening meeting and dedicate that time to family activities.

8. Take five minutes to relax your back, neck, and facial muscles.

9. Stop and think about what you enjoy that’s readily accessible.

10. Remember: you may have more control over your time than you think.

This Spring, lets focus on a couple beauty regiments that will surely get you less stressed.

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WINE PEDICURE (MONDAY-WED) $32 The ultimate spa pedicure starts with a relaxing wine soak in an aromatherapy foot bath and is followed by a luxurious massage of the legs and feet. A nourishing grape seed and sugar scrub is then applied. This treatment concludes with an expert application of polish to leave your feet feeling fresh and beautiful. Includes a glass of wine.

page 8

May 2012 North County Life

First-Ever Horsemen’s Re-Union: Six days, 20 horsemen and 40 colts Paso Robles Event Center hosts music, wine tasting, calcuttas, cowboy cooking and more

Photos by Hayley Thomas

HOWDY – Featured horseman Jim Neubert started his first horse when he was just 7-years-old and now runs a successful business starting performance horses around the globe. Twenty top-notch horsemen were featured at the first-ever Horsemen’s Re-Union held last month.

RIGHT: Robert Heely prepares Tamale pie with the use of his restored chuck wagon. BELOW: Horsemen share a laugh on horseback.

Hayley Thomas

W

hen it comes down to starting colts, every cowboy has his own way. That being said, it was fitting that the First-Ever Horsemen’s Re-Union celebrated the nuances among 20 top-notch horsemen April 2 -7 at the Paso Robles Event Center.

Forty colts were featured over the six-day western experience, complete with chuck wagon meals, western vendors and a horse sale. The event was presented and produced

by Chris Cox, Martin Black, and Rowly and Cathie Twissleman.

Three-time undefeated world champion of the Road to the Horse, Chris Cox’s love for horses began at a young age. Born in Florida and raised in Australia, Cox has lived his dream of working with horses around the world.

Martin Black is a fifth-generation Idaho rancher and fourth-generation rodeo competitor with a lifetime of experience handling horses, cattle and roping. Fellow horsemen hailing from Nevada, Illinois, Texas and Switzerland crowded into the Event Center much to the excitement of an enthusiastic crowd.

Featured horseman Jim Neubert started his first horse when he was just 7-years-old and now runs a successful business starting performance horses around the globe.

“It was a weaner colt that’s mother had died…I only weighed 50 pounds and my dad helped me start him,” said Neubert. “The next year, I started the whole batch of yearlings.”

At 12, Neubert started riding outside horses for money, and now he and his brother, Luke, travel the country starting performance horses.

When asked what he liked about the Horsemen’s Re-Union, he smiled and said it’s neat to see so many riders doing what they do, all under one roof.

“Everybody gets started and does it, but everyone has their own way of doing it,” he said. “I try to make the right things easy and the wrong things difficult. I try to put the horses in a learning state of mind where they want to progress.”

The six-day show featured a slew of events, including cowboy music jam sessions, wine tasting, goat roping, calf-branding and a meet-and-greet session with the horsemen.

All that roping and riding can cause a cowboy’s belly to bellow, so it was good to have Robert Heely around. I found him preparing tamale pie at his restored chuck wagon.

Backed by Dutch ovens and a crackling fire, he looked as if he’d stepped out from an old photograph.

“Cowboys are naturally drawn to the fire and everyone likes to sit around it when it’s cold in the morning, enjoying a warm cup of cowboy coffee,” said Heely. “People have enjoyed the food and the Dutch oven cooking.

Chuck wagons are fun to be around, because there’s always something to eat at the end of a chuck wagon.”

“We’re happy to bring together these fine horsemen in a new and exciting format,” organizers said. “You’ll see them all, everyday…We think it will be something you’ll remember for a very long time.”

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North County Life May 2012 BALLOONS Continued from pg. 1

Generally, the ride lasts around an hour.

However, Warren gives himself several hours because he is at the mercy of the breeze. If the balloon is pushed to an area where he can’t land, he has to wait until the breeze pushes him back to one where he can.

forces a lot of air out of the balloon. When that has been done, the pressure around the balloon buoys it up. When the air in the balloon starts to cool down, the pressure around it and inside starts to equalize and the balloon comes back down, Warren added.

Direction is controlled by the breeze which tends to be layered. The breeze can change directions at different altitudes.

“You can control a balloon about an inch altitude wise, and this allows the riders to skim above trees, grapevines and more without disturbing the environment.”

“All you control in a balloon is altitude,” Warren said. “You can’t have any kind of thermal or convection currents making the balloon go up and down causing it to go out of control.”

So, how does it all work? When the air is heated up in the balloon, it causes the molecules to push each other apart, he said. It creates a low pressure in the balloon and

- John Warren

“If you take off and are headed to the north, if you climb to say 200 feet, you can easily find yourself headed to the south, east or west,” Warren said. “As you change elevations, you change directions.”

It wasn’t flying the balloon that bothered the seasoned pilot – it was the landing that he was concerned about. Warren felt like he needed a 10-acre field to land the “mon-

page 9 strous” machine.

“What is intimidating is the size of those balloons,” Warren said.

“You feel like, ‘Oh my gosh, this thing is huge.”’

As he became more acclimated to the size, he realized that he could land it in a space as small as 60 feet by 120 feet pending the weather is just right.

Although he can do it, he does prefer larger areas to land it in. The balloon that Warren Photos by Jandy Jones uses are 70 feet tall AIR TIME– The balloon is first filled with cold air with a and 55 feet wide large portable fan. Then, it is heated and will hold one with a butane burner to get it to stand to four passenupright, and eventually, take off. gers. If passenFUN FACT:The first hot air balloon had a gers aren’t in awe sheep, goat, chicken and a duck as passengers. When it came back down with of the balloon, the the animals still kicking, that’s when ride itself will take humans set their sights on reachtheir breath away. ing higher altitudes via hot air balloons.

The quietness of ballooning is like no other and may even be described by some as stealth-like. If you weren’t paying attention, you wouldn’t even notice a balloon was there.

It’s a unique way to observe nature without disturbing it.

For more information, visit www.slobal loon.com and for reservations call 458-1530.

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May 2012 North County Life

Community Calendar Get involved, see, taste and play WEDNESDAY, MAY 2 AG TOUR Agricultural enthusiasts will get an up-close-andpersonal look at local ranch lands, producers, cattlemen, farmers and everything in between while witnessing the evolution of the local industry during the Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce's 50th Annual Ag Tour, slated for Wednesday, May 2. Waiting lists are available for Paso Robles, but the event is sold out. For more information, visit www.pa sorobleschamber.com.

FRIDAY, MAY 4 WOMEN’S CLOTHING SALE The public is invited to a women's clothing sale at the Women’s Center in Templeton, 691 S. Main St. (across from Upscale Resale) on Friday May 4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday, May 5 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Closeouts and overstocked items starting at $10, locally designed, made in the USA and sold at fine boutiques nationwide. Come out and shop for Mother's Day. WINE, CHEESE & CHOCOLATE On Saturday, May 5 from 2 to 5 p.m., a wine, cheese and chocolate fundraiser sponsored by Team Vino Vice featuring wine tastings from 30 Paso Robles Wine Country wineries will take place at Vina Robles Winery, 3700 Mill Road. This event features wine tastings from 30 Paso Robles Wine Country wineries, plus gourmet food, silent and live auction, as well as live entertainment. All proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society's research, education, and support programs.

For more information, visit www.vinovice.com or email ab4sam@aol.com.

MOMS & MUFFINS The Paso Robles Children's Museum, 623 13th St. invites the public to

our Moms and Muffins event on Saturday, May 5 from 9 to 10 a.m. We are opening an hour early to treat you special - join us for coffee, tea, juice, fruit, muffins and more. The Creation Station will offer mother and child crafting experiences. Call 238-7432 for more information.

WINE EXPERIENCIA Wine Experiencia Event will be held at Mission San Miguel on May 5 from 2 to 6 p.m. Over 30 local wineries pouring, olive oil tasting, over a dozen local restauranteurs, caterers, local artists, live entertainment and silent auction. For more information, visit w w w. m i s s i o n s a n miguel.org.

INDOOR YARD SALE St. James Episcopal Church on 14th and Oak streets in Paso Robles will hold an indoor yard sale on Saturday, May 5 from 9 a.m. to noon. A variety of small appliances, books, clothing, and miscellaneous items will be available.

SENIORS IN ACTION Seniors in Action (SIA), a non-profit organization, will be holding their annual “Spring Fling” on Saturday, May 5, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Rancho Paso Senior Park at 2945 Theatre Drive. For more information call Giedra Vaicius at 237-7620.

FIRST SATURDAYS First Saturdays: Wine and the Arts will be held in downtown Paso Robles starting at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 5. They're held the first Sunday of every month and end at roughly 8 p.m. The event promotes artists, galleries, wine tasting rooms and other venues that showcase the arts.

SUNDAY, MAY 6 FANCY HAT TEA The Fancy Hat Tea Party to benefit the work of Community Action Partnership’s Adult Day Center, will be held on Sunday, May 6 at Robert Hall Winery, 3443 Mill Rd. in Paso Robles from 1 to 3 p.m. This is an annual fete where attendees

don their prettiest, funkiest or most outrageous fancy hat and join 120 revelers for High Tea. A fun party where everyone is guaranteed to have a great time. Tickets are only $35 and must be purchased in advance.

Call Mara Whitten at or email 434-2081 mwhiteen@capslo.org for more details.

CUESTA SPRING CONCERT The Cuesta College North County Chorus presents their Spring Concert “Love, Laughter and Lieder” on Sunday, May 6 at 3 p.m. at the Atascadero United Methodist Church, 11605 El Camino Real. This delightful and diverse concert features the poetry of Lord Byron, music of Palestrina, Brahms, Moses Hogan, and wit of Gilbert & Sullivan. Tickets are $10 for general admission, $7 for students and seniors 65+. For reservations, call 5463195.

THURSDAY, MAY 10 WOODWORKERS The Central Coast Woodworking Association will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, May 10 at the Pioneer Museum, 2010 Riverside Ave. in Paso Robles. A program about how-to with routers will be presented. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. For more informat i o n visit www.ccwwa.org or call the president at 2370051.

SATURDAY, MAY 12 CRESTON SWAP MEET The Creston Swap Meet will be held on Saturday May 12, 8 a.m. to noon at the Creston Elementary School ball fields on Adams and O'Donovan roads. Admission is free.

12' x 25' spaces are available for $25 for those who wish to sell crafts, rummage items, food, beverages, household goods, and hobby items.

No live animals. Proceeds will benefit field trips for Creston school

children. Contact Creston Elementary School at 238-477 to reserve a space or email chiguero403@gmail.com for more information.

DAY IN THE SHADE Mark your calendars for the 10th Annual Day In The Shade: A Celebration of the Arts taking place the Saturday before Mothers’ Day, May 12, in Templeton Community Park, at Crocker & 6th Streets, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featuring Big Daddy Blues Band and other local musicians, wine tasting from 12 local wineries, and delectable food options, this year's event will be the best place to whisk mom away for a day of shopping and family fun.

NCCS AUCTION & BENEFIT Come and be dazzled in a night devoted to 1940's music, fine chocolates and confections, during one of North County Christian School's most community-driven auctions yet this year at the Atascadero Lake Pavilion on Saturday, May 12 at 6:30 p.m. Music by Secondhand Swing Dancing and singing by La Bella Trio. Tickets to the event $25 per person; raffle tickets $5 for two chances to win a $500 gift card of your choice.For information or tickets call 4664457.

SUNDAY, MAY 13 GRANGE BREAKFAST The Paso Robles Grange will hold its monthly breakfast the second Sunday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Paso Robles Grange Hall, 627 Creston Road in Paso Robles, from 7:30 to 11 a.m. This month's breakfast is scheduled for Sunday, May 13. Pancakes, eggs, bacon, orange juice and coffee will be served. For more information, call Lester Reugot at 2382340 or 801-1766.

MOTHERS DAY BRUNCH Pear Valley Estate Wine presents a Mother’s Day brunch on Sunday, May 13 with the first seating 11 a.m. and second seating at 12:30 p.m. Come at and

WINE, CHEESE & CHOCOLATE Help raise funds for local Relay of Life team Vino Vice. Enjoy 30 wineries, an array of fine cheeses and rich chocolate delights on Saturday, May 5 at Vina Robles Winery. The best part?

Funds go to the American Cancer Society. enjoy a fabulous buffet brunch catered by Chef Charlie set in a gorgeous Tuscan setting. $50/per person, $40/wine club members, $18/guests under 18. For full menu or additional information contact the tasting room at 237-2861 or email kwells@pearvalley.com.

SATURDAY, MAY 19 5K/10K Kennedy Club Adventure of Paso Robles invites you to join us in its annual 5K and 10K Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, May 19. The 10K starts at 8:30 a.m., and the 5K starts at 8:45 a.m. with check in at 7:30 a.m. This is a benefit for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. The cost is $20 for the 5K and $30 for the 10K before May 9 and $25 and $35 after May 9. This includes a race T-shirt, race bag and refreshments. Register online at www.ac

tive.com or by calling the club at 239-8488. There are awards for the first 3 male and female runners on each course.

CLUTTER TO CASH To promote and encourage recycling, reuse and other sustainable strategies, the Templeton Community Services District is holding its annual Clutter to Cash community-wide garage sale on Saturday, May 19 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. All shoppers may pick up a free guide beginning on Friday, May 18 at Templeton Market, Hewitt's Hardware, Templeton Donuts or the TCS office at 420 Crocker St. or download the guide at www.templetoncsd.org.

For more information, call 434-4914. Main Street Association and the Paso Robles Bearcat Boosters’ athletic programs. For more information, call 238-4103.

North County Life May 2012

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Mother's Day fashion show promises to please Inaugural event to be held Sunday, May 13 at the Templeton Farms Equestrian Center Contributed

T

he Inaugural Mother’s Day Fashion Show Charity Classic will be hosted by Templeton Farms Equestrian Center.

The State-of-the-Art farm is the realization of owner Gina Bornino Miller, United States Dressage Federation Gold Medalist and Community Wellness Founder.

The world class 24-stall barn, covered arena and 52 pastoral acres is the perfect backdrop for the lineup of events scheduled for what promises to be a day to remember.

This equestrian-themed

event is a showcase of the Central Coast’s finest fashions, food, wines, horses and equestrians. From farmer to fashionista, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

"There is simply nothing like it on the Central Coast,” said Christie Kelly, Executive Director of the Wellness Community. “It's definitely the place to be on Mother's Day. The day is a special celebration of mothers, daughters, families and survivors, all while raising funds for cancer support in our community."

LADIES HAT CONTEST What would a fashion show be without a hat con-

FARMER’S Markets Atascadero Farmer’s Market WEDNESDAYS 3PM - 6PM Albertsons parking lot Atascadero (805) 239-6535

Paso Country Farm & Craft Market SATURDAYS 9AM - 1PM 11th and Spring streets Downtown City Park Paso Robles (805) 238-4029

Paso Robles Farmer’s Market TUESDAYS 3PM - 6PM 11th and Spring streets Downtown City Park Paso Robles (805) 237-9254

Paso 101 Open Aire Farmer’s Market THURSDAYS 3PM - 6PM San Paso Truck Stop (off HWY 101) Paso Robles (805) 286-1436

Paso Robles Farmer’s Market FRIDAYS 4PM - 7PM Golden Hills Plaza at Lowe’s Paso Robles (805) 610-5023

Templeton Farmer’s Market SATURDAYS 9AM - 12:30PM City Park at 5th and Crocker streets, Templeton (805) 239-6535

test? Ladies will be asked to decorate their hats, which will be judged by a panel of judges in several categories.

The Community has been asked to create hats for the event and a separate runway presentation will take place to show off their creations. Those hats will be donated to the silent auction and will be on display with information on each company, business or organization.

VENDOR VILLAGE The event will feature a village of local wineries pouring tastings for show goers eager to taste and learn about boutique wineries on the Central Coast.

DRESSAGE DEMONSTRATION A Grand Prix Freestyle demonstration will take place during the event as well as an exhibition of Reining, the Western rendition. Both beautiful and educational, this event will be one to remember.

BAREBACK PUISSANCE A Puissance is the highjump competition in the equestrian sport of show jumping, without a saddle.

Spectators may bet on their choice for the winning horse and rider combination.

Thrills and spills, a real crowd pleaser.

MODEL MAKE-OVER Cancer survivors and caregivers will be strutting down the runway dressed to the 9s, modeling local designer fashions.

LIVE AND SILENT AUCTION The event will host a silent auction to raise additional funds for the Wellness Community, featuring local packages, wines, beauty items, salon makeovers, wine tours, etc.

The Mother’s Day Fashion Show Charity Classic is expected to draw over 300 attendees and is on target to grow into a Central Coast family tradition.

MOTHER’S DAY FASHION SHOW Tickets go on sale May 1 and are $75 per person. All proceeds benefit the Wellness Community -California Central Coast.

Visit www.twcccc.org for more information or contact the Wellness Community at 805-238-4411.

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May 2012 North County Life

Life

Paso Robles Pinot with Duck Paella & mushrooms

FOOD & WINE LISA PRETTY Owner/winemaker at Pretty-Smith Vineyards & Winery/Pretty Café One of Lisa’s favorite activities is to experiment with food and wine combinations to find ones with the “wow” factor. You can find several of her favorite pairings on the blog EatThisWith.com or reach her by email at lisa@eatthiswith.com.

Photo by Lisa Pretty

A DINING DELICACY – Duck paella with mushrooms (created by Maggie D’Ambrosia of Windward Vineyard) is the perfect way to celebrate the upcoming Pinot & Paella Festival, held June 3 in Templeton.

This year’s Pinot & Paella Fest Lisa Pretty

W

hen most people think of Paso Robles wine they typically think infandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Rhône varietals and various blends. Pinot noir is likely not a wine that comes to mind. I have to confess in the past if I was going to drink a pinot noir from California I looked for wine produced in the Russian River or Santa Rita Hills area.

When I was working on my Eat This With Paso Robles Wine book, I was surprised to find 45 Paso Robles wineries producing pinot noir. Several of the producers with excellent pinot noirs source their fruit from other growing regions.

For example Wild Horse, Kenneth Volk and Tassajara Cellars all purchase the fruit from other regions and make the wine in their Paso Robles based winery.

Then there are wineries that actually own estate vineyards outside of the Paso AVA that grow their own pinot noir. A couple of examples of this would be J. Lohr and Derby Estate Wines (who by the way also make an excellent sparkling from their estate pinot noir grapes). In each of those situations, the label will not

“

Sunday, June 3 Going into the ninth year, it is rewarding to see the sell-out crowds that attend this unique and special Paso Pinot & Paella event celebrating the chefs and pinot noir of the area.” – Marc Goldberg, Windward Vineyards

have Paso Robles since the AVA on the label must be where the grapes are grown, not where the wine is made.

There is a growing list of Paso Robles wineries who have been growing pinot noir in the Paso Robles AVA. One of the first, and likely best known, is Windward Vineyard, which makees exclusively pinot noir from its estate vineyard.

There are now more than 20 pinot noir producers making wine from Paso Robles fruit and they are forming an alliance to promote the fact that Paso is a great place to grow this noble grape.

The group is in the early stages and will begin promoting their wines by hosting industry and local events. They will be creating marketing materials and will soon be spreading the word about Paso Pinot Producers outside of the region.

Many of the members have participated in the Paso Pinot & Paella annual event for many years. The event is being held next month, so

get your tickets today and taste for yourself what Paso pinot is all about.

Paso Pinot & Paella Sunday June 3, 2-5pm

A great way to try a large selection of Paso Robles pinot noirs is at the Paso Pinot & Paella event. Not only is it an opportunity to try the pinots, but also an opportunity to sample with a wide range of flavors.

Marc Goldberg & Maggie D’Ambrosia were searching to create a wine and food pairing event that was different from the usual winemaker sit-down dinner format. The event needed to be a unique way of showcasing the diversity of Pinot Noir with a wide range of food and flavors. With a little help from Tom Fundaro from Villa Creek and Lynn Diehl of Wine Region News the First Pinot & Paella Event, in 2004, attracted 125 guests at Windward Vineyard.

Paella was selected since there are about 450 different

SPARKLE & SHINE – Just in time for June’s Pinot & Paella Festival, try out a bottle of Derby Estate’s own sparkling pinot noir.

types of Paella that could all pair well with Pinot: from seafood, to duck, lamb, vegetarian, basically incorporating any locally available ingredient with short grain rice and cooking on an open fire.

This year’s event will be held on Sunday, June 3 and tickets are now on sale for $65 per person at www.pinotandpaella.com.

There will be 20 Paso pinot noir producers, 20 outstanding chefs creating 20 differ-

ent paellas, live music under the shade of the big oaks in the beautiful Templeton Park with live music and dancing.

Attendance is limited to 500 guests in order to emphasize the quality, and not quantity and 100 percent of the proceeds benefit local youth arts foundations. This is an excellent event to showcase many impressive Paso Robles pinot noirs.

North County Life May 2012

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Photo by Lisa Pretty

Duck paella

HEAT UP THE PARK – Chef Charlie cooks up a mean paella at last year’s Pinot & Paella Festival at Templeton Community Park. RIGHT: Wild Horse Pinot is ready for tasting. This year’s festival will feature dozens of paella and pinot pairing combinations courtesy of local chefs and wine producers.

– Recipe –

by Maggie D’Ambrosia

Serves 6

r e c ip e

Patio Dining!

■ WHAT YOU NEED

1 cup dry white wine 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads 1 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 2 tablespoons fresh parsley 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 1/2 pounds duck breast or legs 4 ounces sliced, fully cooked smoked Chorizo 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 pound mushrooms, cleaned and coarse chopped (porcini and baby bellas are perfect) 3 cups Arborio rice 5 1/2 cups low salt chicken broth 1-14 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice 2 red bell peppers, cut in half inch pieces ■ Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix white wine and saffron threads in small measuring cup; set aside. Combine salt, smoked paprika, black pepper and herbs in small bowl; rub mixture all over duck. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.

Add chorizo and sauté until fat begins to render and sausage browns, stirring occasionally about three minutes.

Transfer chorizo to large plate. Add olive oil to skillet. Add duck to skillet and cook until browned, about four minutes per side. Transfer to plate with chorizo.

■ Pour off all but one tablespoon of drippings from skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Add chopped onion and cook until translucent, stirring often.

Add four cloves minced garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and sauté. Add rice and stir to coat. Add wine-saffron mixture and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of skillet.

■ Add chicken broth, tomatoes with

juice, and red peppers. Bring to simmer. Stir in browned chorizo. Place duck atop mixture in skillet (if using breasts, do not add until last 10 minutes of baking for medium-rare).

Bake paella uncovered until rice is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

■ Transfer duck to plate. Stir rice;

season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return duck to skillet, nestling into rice. Bake until rice is tender, 5-10 minutes longer if necessary.

SLO Home Show BBQ Contest People’s Choice Winner 1st Place Tri-Tip • 1st Place Ribs • 2nd Place Chicken Family owned and operated, we offer a world of BBQ under one roof. You Delivery will find slow cooked classics in a range of styles from Texas, Kansas City Now and the Carolinas. We take great pride in our Angus Beef Brisket, meaty Available! and tender dry-rubbed baby back ribs, premium quality pork butts, tender young smoked chickens, and all the great side dishes including fried pickles and fried green beans. Our meats are smoked low and slow with our signature dry rub.

Relax on our covered patio and choose from 8 premium draft beers, a couple of dozen bottled beers and several local wines.

NEW MENU ITEMS: TRI-TIP • FISH & CHIPS • SALADS • VEGETABLES FRESH RB GROUND BEEF BURGERS

Happy Hour Monday thru Friday – 11am to 6pm $2 PINTS - BUD LITE & SMOKIN’ BLONDE DRAFT $2 DOMESTIC BOTTLED BEER

Visit us on line at www.rbsmokinbbq.com where you can even place an order for pick-up!

1467 Creston Road, Paso Robles • 805-221-5863 Located in the Food-4-Less Shopping Center

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May 2012 North County Life

Life

FITNESS

The joy of swimming Jennifer Parham teaches swimming and fun Creig P. Sherburne

Creig P. Sherburne

J

ennifer Parham lives in Paso Robles, but teaches swimming all over the county. She was hired by Kennedy Club Fitness in Atascadero almost a decade ago as head lifeguard, but “built a job to suit my interests.”

Those interests are oriented on swimming and always have been.

Parham grew up in San Jose and spent umpteen hours per week in community and school pools.

“The pool was like day care for us,” Parham said.

She said she would begin the summer days of her youth at the pool for formal swim practice, then head home and “eat like seven bowls of cereal, then watch T.V. till the whistle blew at noon.”

The whistle signaled that the pool was open for free swim and her next seven hours became accounted for.

“How do you play for seven hours?” she asked with a grin. “I don’t know what we did.”

That’s not entirely true. She knows that the last 10 minutes of every hour in those days was adult swim time. She said the lifeguards would jump in to cool off, but Parham and her friends would also jump in and hide behind a bulkhead. Sometimes, she said, the group would get caught and have a time out, but it was fun.

At 16, Parham became

a Red Cross certified lifeguard, but she’d been giving private swim lessons since about 12 or so, usually informally, during free swim at the community pool.

She was also on the community intramural swim team.

“We had these coaches we worshipped,” she said with what can only be described as an impish grin. “The blondhaired surfer dude. He had a V.W. van with surfboards sticking out the back.”

That swim coach, she said, helped keep his followers on the straight and narrow. His message was clear: you don’t need booze to have a good time. Look around while you’re in the pool, he would say, you’re not drinking, and life is good.

When he came back from college to say “hi” to his old students, Parham said she was absolutely heartbroken when he told them how wrong he was and that, he said, alcohol really is a many-splendored thing — just you wait till you get some.

“I was so let down,” she said. “So, so let down.”

It’s why, now, she hires wholesome junior lifeguards and insists that conversations about drinking and sex stay out of her pool.

“The kids are listening,” she said. “I make a fun, safe environment. We focus on getting educated and getting good job skills.”

Jennifer Parham is in charge of the swimming pool at Kennedy Club Fitness. She teaches good swimming habits in the Total Immersion style, but urges swimmers to take some time to just play and enjoy being in the water.

In high school, Parham said her participation on the school’s team was haphazard because of the amount of travel involved, but she practiced with the boy’s swim team anyway, just to swim.

But while she was on the team, the most excit-

taught photography. In New Zealand.

Interestingly, she was moving during the events of 9/11, she did not have a T.V. and was in the middle of moving across an ocean, so didn’t learn about the events until more than a week had

“Sometimes we just have to swim to swim. Don’t count laps. Pay attention to the joy you’re having.” – Jennifer Parham

ing thing of her entire swimming career happened at a league championship.

“We won the league championship one year by a tenth of a second,” she said. “It all came down to that last relay.

Everyone was on their feet, cheering.”

She was unable to swim in college due to an injury in which the L3 and L4 discs in her spine were damaged; they remain damaged, but she said that swimming seems to be the best treatment, so that’s fortunate for her.

Then followed a period of unrest. Parham said that while she learned to be an expert photographer, she didn’t take any business classes, and had no idea how to open up a photography business. So instead she

passed.

New Zealand only lasted about a year. But she kept teaching in San Jose, though in retrospect, she said she wasn’t mature enough for it then.

“I considered piercing my eyebrow to irritate the principal,” she said.

She moved to San Luis Obispo County to help care for a friend’s elderly mother. She took the job at Kennedy along with the move.

At the time, she said, the job really was just what the title said: head lifeguard. But that bored her and she remembered having fun in the pool as a kid. There were two events from her youth that prompted the big changes that followed.

First, she said, she and her friend, at about age 12 or 13, would use a clean trash can as a submarine

in the friend’s pool, and that was a blast.

The other was on the Fourth of July every year in the community pool — they’d grease up a watermelon, choose teams and play the “shove the greased watermelon to the other side of the pool” game.

She wanted to try to recreate that, not only for kids, but for herself and all of the other adults who, she said, have forgotten how to just play.

So what she’s done at Kennedy, inspired by the playtimes of her youth and her three-year-old son’s needs, is make a safe place for kids to play in the pool.

“You know when you’re a kid and in the zone and your mom calls you in after two hours and you feel like it was only five minutes?” she asked.

“You could do that for hours. You’d only stop when you’re going to faint from hunger.”

She started the programs with organized games, but she quickly learned that the kids just want to play “king of the mountain” and practice holding their breath. So that’s what free swim at the Kennedy pool has evolved into, and the kids couldn’t be happier.

Despite how much Parham might wish it were otherwise, it’s not all fun and games. She also teaches Total Immersion swimming. It’s a style of

swimming which focuses on being utterly streamlined and relaxed and teaching a swimmer why he or she does the little things required to go fast.

“It’s sort of like yoga; it’s a way to meditate and train your brain to be better in all areas,” Parham said. “You get rid of all the things in your stroke that slow you down.”

She said she teaches anyone from neophytes to the elite, and she doesn’t just do it in the pool.

“The Wildflower [Triathlon]’s swim is in the lake,” she said. “It’s different from practicing in the pool. There’s no bottom, the water is murky, the taste is different. If you’re not used to that, sometimes panic attacks happen.”

And on the other end of the spectrum, Parham told a story about a woman who had never been in water deeper than her ankles. Parham taught that 60-year-old client how to swim slowly, but successfully.

And now, Parham said, that woman in her 60’s has learned the joy of swimming.

“I’m so excited to share the joy of swimming with people who haven’t had that,” she said.

“Sometimes we just have to swim to swim. Don’t count laps. Pay attention to the joy you’re having.

Just bring a towel. Just play, don’t worry about times.”

North County Life May 2012

page 15 LOCAL PROFILE

Real-life ‘super mom’ is a healthy inspiration for all Pregnant runner blasts through SLO half marathon with a true glow Creig P. Sherburne

A

t 33 weeks pregnant, Sarah Goible, 32, went for the inaugural San Luis Obispo half marathon on Earth Day, April 22.

What makes the Paso Robles resident interesting is that she is not a lifelong health nut or marathoner. She only started a couple years ago, after the birth of her first son, Jackson, 4-almost5.

“I started running after Jackson was born as a way to get a good workout that was quick,” Goible said.

To keep motivated, she said she started signing up for 5K and 10K races because “it pushes me to keep exercising.”

Growing up in Massachusetts, Goible’s dad played baseball, and Goible herself started playing basketball in fourth grade. She played on her high school’s varsity team all four years.

Along the way, she also played softball and soccer.

She even ran cross-country for a season in her freshman year, but said, ironically, that she hated it.

Things began getting real for Goible when she ran a 5K with a cousin who’d lost approximately 90 pounds. The race began a little late, 10 a.m., and the heat, she said, was pretty miserable, but they finished and had something to be proud of.

“Passing the finish line is a big thrill,” she said enthusiastically.

Goible’s last big, official run was the Big Sur half marathon in November 2011. A marathon is 26.2 miles, which makes a half marathon 13.1 miles.

There’s a famous saying for half marathons: “half the distance, twice the fun.”

Goible finished in two and a half hours; not the best time ever, but her longest run before that was only six miles. Oh, and she was 11 weeks pregnant.

“My goal is finishing, getting exercise and burning calories,” she said.

Much of Goible’s running happens on her lunch break. She works as a recreational therapist at

Atascadero State Hospital.

Goible said that her job title can mean quite a variety of things including gardening, art or physical fitness. For Goible, it’s meant physical fitness for only a short time.

She said she does a lot of pre-diabetes work with her patients, teaching them how to be healthy, how to achieve a balanced lifestyle.

“I felt like I had to live it, too,” she said.

So now she goes to yoga twice a week with coworkers, runs on her lunch break, works out at home with her husband, Josh, where their son can see them living healthy and works out with the guys at work.

“It’s really hard for the guys to not work out when getting their butts kicked by a girl,” she said laughing. “That was fun. It was why I made that part of my day.”

Now, being as healthy as she is today is a far cry from how things were when she was pregnant with Jackson.

“It’s been interesting this time around,” she said, smiling.

The big difference is that exercise wasn’t a regular part of her life then.

She said she’s the type who would — and did — get a gym membership and then never use it.

So how does one blend running with pregnancy?

One way that Goible has done it is by stopping run-

ning. She actually walked the SLO half marathon, not run it. But, she added, she probably could have run it safely.

“You don’t have to stop running,” she said. “I feel like I can run, I just choose to walk or hike now.”

One major reason for that is that, when pregnant, a lot of extra gear is required for running. A support belt and a lot more water begin the checklist.

“I’m not doing it for any reason other than to stay healthy,” she said. “I would never put this baby at risk, not for any race.”

She’s done her research and is under the care of a doctor and a pair of midwives, and is assured that her upcoming labor will be easier than her last because she’s much fitter now.

She’s also a big fan of fun gadgetry and exercises with a heart-rate monitor — handy in non-pregnant times to help her keep her pace up, handy nowadays to keep her pace down.

Besides, “it’s fun to get new gadgets; I need the reinforcement,” she said.

For his part, Jackson is enthusiastic both about getting a new brother or sister and about being healthy with his parents.

“I’m a little fast,” he said. “We got a lightning machine. It shoots baseballs so you can be a better hitter.”

FIT MOM – Sarah and Jackson Goible round the first turn at Atascadero High School’s track recently. Jackson is “a little fast” and his mother has used running to stay fit since shortly after his birth.

Creig P. Sherburn

13 MILES AT 33 WEEKS – Sarah Goible walked the San Luis Obispo half marathon recently. The fit and healthy Paso Robles resident is an occupational therapist at Atascadero State Hospital and an inspiration for moms everywhere.

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May 2012 North County Life