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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
FUNNY, IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE A DOCTOR’S OFFICE.
Announcing A new wAy to connect witH your doctor. Many of your records such
as recent immunizations, future appointments, and many lab results can all be accessed online. And, these days, that’s just about anywhere. You can even e-mail your child’s doctor. Just another way that we at Kaiser Permanente help you to live well and thrive. To learn more, go to kp.org/centralvalley.
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The
FOUR PILLARS of ESTATE PLANNING BY SCOTT G. BEATTIE, JD, LLM
Whether you have a large or small estate (simple or complex asset holdings), there are four major issues that should be addressed in your estate plan and four common d o c u m e n t s that should be considered to SCOTT BEATTIE implement your wishes. If you understand the issues, your documents can be better tailored to meet your needs. The most important issues in an estate plan are: (1) who should control financial and health related decisions if you are unable to do so yourself; (2) what risks (such as dementia, unnecessary tax costs, administrative expenses, or potential losses to creditors or a spouse in a lawsuit or divorce) can be addressed by your plan; (3) what specific plan designs and documents are best suited to resolving these risks (thereby reducing the potential costs and assisting with continued liquidity); and (4) what actions do you need to take with regard how you hold title to your assets to implement your estate plan. The most common documents used in estate planning in California are the Will, the Revocable or “Living” Trust, the Durable Power of Attorney for financial matters, and the Advance Health Care Directive. These documents are the Four Pillars of most estate plans. Supplemental documents may include assignments of assets to your Trust, deeds to transfer title to real estate, irrevocable gift trusts for lifetime gifts and long term wealth preservation, buy-sell agreements or other contracts and beneficiary designations controlling the disposition of your estate. 4
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
The Four Pillar documents help you incapacity of the person creating the Trust. control the disposition of your estate by However, the Trustee can only manage naming a successor to manage your assets assets that are vested in the Trust. A Trust and assist with your personal affairs. Each does not resolve issues with assets held in of the Four Pillar documents affects some an individual’s name. The agent under a aspect of control. For example, an Advance Durable Power of Attorney handles nonHealth Care Directive directs who can make trust assets and the DPOA but a DPOA medical decisions for you in the event of your expires on the death of the principal. Because assets transferred by Will must incapacity. Your agent can then act during a period of temporary incapacity (due to an go through Probate Court many people have accident) or more permanently incapacity turned to living trusts as their primary estate planning documents. This does not mean a (due to dementia or stroke). A Will does not deal with lifetime events, Will should not be included in your Estate but rather directs who is in charge of your Plan. A Will still is necessary to appoint a probate estate only after your death. A guardian of minor children and to deal with Will gives your named Executor various assets that are not properly funded to your powers including the power to retain or Trust during your lifetime. When analyzing an estate, each asset sell assets, the power to continue (or sell) a business, and the power to distribute assets must be looked at separately for control to your heirs at designated times. A will can purposes to determine whether it is disposed also be used to name guardians for minor of by your Will, by your Living Trust, by children. However, a Will does nothing survivorship provisions (e.g., joint tenancy or to assist with lifetime asset management community property with right of survivorship) if you are incapacitated, nor does it or by beneficiary designations (as used for life insurance and IRAs). avoid probate. This article only outlines how your Will, Both a Living Trust and a Durable Power of Attorney (DPOA) assist in the lifetime Trust, Durable Power, and Advance Health management of assets and help avoid Directive work together to resolve the four conservatorship and probate. By using a primary issues that should be addressed in DPOA you can appoint an agent to handle your Estate Plan. your financial affairs during a period of incapacity. However, Agents under durable powers generally do not handle assets held in a trust, but they do have the power Save taxes, preserve wealth, secure your family's future. to manage personally held financial and investment accounts and can pay bills, sign contracts, and file tax returns. Living Trusts bridge the gap between LAW FIRM Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney and (209) 222-3686 | www.Legacy-Law-Group.com address control issues both during lifetime FOR MORE INFORMATION: and on the death of the trust creator. A CONTACT SCOTT BEATTIE properly funded trust can also avoid probate. at (209) 222-3686 The Successor Trustee named in the Trust can then manage trust assets on the death or
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FEATURES
November
volume twelve issue 11 • November 2013
56
THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS
40
STELLA
33
DELL’OSSO
60
WHEN DESSERT COMES FIRST
As timeless and essential as a pair of pearls, the ever-versatile little black dress takes many forms in this gorgeous fashion feature. By Sarah Bel Gray
A one-stop shop to find an eclectic mix of clothing and jewelry. By Michele Bird
Dell’Osso farm transforms into a winter wonderland. By Michele Bird
These local eateries will leave you considering dessert the new appetizer. By Heather Reagan
76
WHEN LOVE MAKES A FAMILY November is National Adoption Month. Local families powerful stories of their experience with fostering and adopting will warm your heart. By Alisa Zoccoli
103 BUENO ITALIANO CAFE An Italian café home to family history and delicious fare! By Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford
88
THE EASTERN SIERRAS Journey through this majestic area full of breathtaking views, thrilling activities, and cozy fires. By Don and Ann Jackson
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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November DEPARTMENTS
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | November 2013
103
16 EDITORIAL NOTE 33 UP FRONT | 209 9th Annual Run & Walk Against Hunger, Crane Festival, Fall Footwear 46 Out and About
116 Ten Great Dates
56
HISTORY
44 Stockton's Children Home
GETAWAY
88 Eastern Sierras
FOOD&WINE
103 Bueno Italiano 106 Local Wine Pick: Onesta Wines
60
110 Taste of the Season: Key Limes 112 Dining Out 114 Thanksgiving Table Settings 120 Last Word
SPECIAL SECTIONS:
92 SENIOR SECTION 112 DINING GUIDE
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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editor's note
I
’m going to start this editor’s letter by letting you all in on a little secret about me: I live my life backwards, especially when it comes to eating. It’s not uncommon to find me eating a bowl of cereal at 9 p.m. or relishing a juicy burger for breakfast. In fact, everyone who knows me
knows that is why I hate McDonald’s – their breakfast/lunch service times don’t adhere to my meal schedule. I want to be able to eat what I want anytime of day or night, which brings me to our cover spread and the main reason we are highlighting desserts instead of turkey and all the fixings this year. Thanksgiving is a time when we get to reconnect with family and good friends and catch up on things that have happened in our lives over the past year. The majority of this reflecting and celebrating is, of course, done sitting around the dinner table while savoring a fantastic feast. We start with a glass of wine and some hors d’oeuvres or appetizers and work our way into the main event – a bountiful bird surrounded by our own traditional variations of the classic stuffing, mashed potatoes and green bean casserole side dishes. Often, we are so utterly stuffed by the time the piece de resistance is ready to be served, we are forced to forgo the dessert portion of our meal entirely…but not this year. This year we have decided to start a revolution and take back dessert! This November 28th, we solemnly swear to exercise our right to turn the culinary tables and eat our pumpkin pie and whipped cream first. It is, after all, the best part. Speaking of the best part, aside from the delicious food and time spent with family
“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.” - W.J. Cameron
and friends, helping out those who are less fortunate is truly one of my favorite things about this time of year. So many wonderful charities like the Lodi Salvation Army and United Way of San Joaquin County are out there collecting toys, clothing and food donations for families who have fallen on hard times and don’t have anywhere else to turn. What’s perhaps even more disheartening than knowing there are people out there who can’t put food on their Thanksgiving table is seeing the children who don’t even have a family to spend the holiday with. But organizations like the Stockton Children’s Home and local adoption agencies are giving them hope that next year – with the help of the loving people in the community – that might change. If you are fortunate enough to have food on the table and people to share a meal with this Thanksgiving, consider donating your time, money – or even opening up your home – to someone who isn’t so lucky. Have a happy Thanksgiving, and save me a slice of pie!
Tony Zoccoli Publisher
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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beautiful smiles inside and out!
At Wheeler Orthodontics our #1 goal is to provide the highest quality orthodontic care in a family-based, high-technology practice. We offer a unique orthodontic experience that is fun, affordable, interactive, and effective. We maintain the most advanced procedures and equipment available, including digital radiography, digital photography, and advanced computer graphics, to ensure that every patient achieves a healthy and beautiful smile.
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Dental Care you Can trust
NOVEMBER 2013
SanJoaquin T H E P R E M I E R M A G A Z I N E O F C E N T R A L VA L L E Y L I V I N G
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER | EDITOR Tony Zoccoli
MANAGING EDITOR Lindsey Rodrian CREATIVE DIRECTOR David Martinez DIRECTOR OF SALES Lauren Sturman SECTION EDITOR Kimberly Stredney, Michele Bird
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachael Kanner, Randy Caparoso, Amanda Rife, Rodric J. Hurdle-Bradford, Don and Ann Jackson, Kelly Soderlund, Kelly Pollard, Nissa Hallquist ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Michelle Cox, Valerie Zoccoli, Neelam Patel ACCOUNTING Melissa Peralta EDITORIAL INQUIRIES editorial@sanjoaquinmagazine.com
Sedation Dentistry • Dental Implants • Cosmetic Dentistry Clear Braces • 6 Month Smiles • White Fillings Evening & Saturday Appointments Available Yusuke C. Suzuki, D.M.D. & Associates 801 S. Ham Lane, Suite L • Lodi, CA 95242
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PHOTOGRAPHY Dani Adams, Dan Hood, Sarah Bel Gray, Rich Turner DISTRIBUTION SERVICES Rebecca Ristrim WEB DESIGNER Violet Whitworth
EDITORIAL/ADVERTISING OFFICES
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Specialist in Pediatric Dentistry
“making kids smile”
SanJoaquin T H E P R E M I E R M A G A Z I N E O F C E N T R A L VA L L E Y L I V I N G
MAGAZINE
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Visit our website for exclusive complimentary subscriptions not available to the general public. One (1) Year $9.95 (12 issues), or Two (2) Years $17.95 (24 issues). Special corporate and group rates are available; call 209.833.9989 for details. To begin a new subscription, or to change your address, call 209.833.9989 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. To subscribe, send
“Our office provides a warm,
caring, environment specialized for treating the dental needs of infants, children, and adolescents”
Rafat S. Razi, D.M.D, M.P.H. DMD: Harvard School of Dental Medicine MPH: Harvard School of Public Health Specialty Training in Pediatric Dentistry: Univ. of Rochester Eastman Dental Center Member of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
your check to address on previous page, subscribe online at www. sanjoaquinmagazine.com, or call our office today at 209.833.9989. Don’t miss another issue of San Joaquin magazine.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, CALENDAR, DINING GUIDE: We welcome your input. Letters to the Editor must include your name, address (though these can be withheld on request), and a daytime phone number. Letters may be submitted via regular mail, fax, or e-mail (tony@sanjoaquinmagazine.com). Calendar events should include a basic description of the event; its time, date, place, and cost; and a phone number that readers may call for more information. The e-mail address for calendar items is (editorial@sanjoaquin magazine.com). To have a restaurant considered for our Dining Guide listings, contact us by phone or e-mail (editorial@sanjoaquinmagazine.com). We also encourage you to contact us if your experience at a restaurant differs significantly from our listing. Information for these sections should be submitted at least six
www.TracyPediatricDentist.com
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WRITER’S GUIDELINES: San Joaquin magazine is always on the lookout for story ideas and talented freelance writers. To suggest a story idea, contact us via mail, fax, or e-mail (editorial@ sanjoaquinmagazine.com). San Joaquin magazine accepts freelance
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LEGAL STUFF: San Joaquin magazine assumes no responsibility or liability for claims made by advertisers contained herein. The opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of San Joaquin magazine or its parent company, Inside Magazines Publishing Company, or its owners. Inside Magazines is not responsible for typographical errors or omissions.
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
San Joaquin Magazine 318 W. Pine Street Lodi, CA 95240 Phone: (209) 833-9989 Fax: (209) 833-9979 comments: tony@sanjoaquinmagazine.com www.sanjoaquinmagazine.com
JOIN THE FIGHT Call (888) 94-BLOOD for more information or visit our website at deltabloodbank.org
BRING IN YOUR OLD APPLIANCE WORKING OR NOT AND RECEIVE
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complimentary follow-up: moniemonie.bodybyvi.com
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
25
HOW TO LEAVE A
holiday HINT
Tear this page out and...Tuck a page under pillow. Tape to the bathroom mirror. Tape to fridge.Dog ear pages and leave Hint Book on coffee table, If all else fails, fill out the wish list below.
I wish for . . .
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
26
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
HAIR STYLIST & MAKE UP ARTIST AT CIAO BELLA SALON
■ BRIDAL & SPECIAL EVENTS ■ HIGHLIGHTS ■ HAIR COLOR ■ HAIRCUTS
20% OFF ANY COLOR SERVICE WHEN YOU MENTION THIS AD. *NEW CLIENTS ONLY
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209.676.9913
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209.224.8157 WWW.SMARTALIC.COM Like us on Facebook! facebook.com/smartalicaccessories
MAKEUPSUNGLASSESJEWELRYFLASKS
aquel R
PIN-UP CLOTHINGSHOESGIFTS
ROCKSTEADYPURSESSOURPUSS
Your HolidaY Headquarters Your place to sHop for unique, extraordinarY and wHimsical gifts for tHe HolidaYs!
sHowcasing mark robert’s fairies and introducing Jingle nog.
Christmas Light Installation Making rooflines look fantastic and your landscaping come alive!
Our service includes all lights, installation & take down We also do Christmas tree decoration for home or business.
Come join us for our
& Lights KT
Open House November 7th 10am - 9pm
2206 Pacific Ave. • Stockton On the Miracle Mile • 209-933-9009 WithGardenFlair.com WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
209.957.0829
www.KandTlights.com Fully insured and licensed
RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL
PACKAGES STARTING AS LOW AS $
175
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
27
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Salon
15 off
$
ANY OF THE FOLLOWING SERVICES. PERM • FULL HAIR COLOR HIGHLIGHTS • JOICO COLORS WITH COUPON, 1 PER CUSTOMER
Concepts & Nails EXPIRES 1/1/13
full service salon & beauty supply 3255 W. Hammer Ln. #10 ∙ Stockton
209.473.2860 monday 9am-6pm | Tuesday - saturday 9am-6:30pm Closed Sunday We carry TIGI complete line of make up.
Shandra Som 209.473.2860
Jazmine Selcedo 209.483.5580
FREE HAIRCUT
FREE HAIRCUT
WITH COLOR OR HIGHLIGHT SERVICE.
WITH COLOR OR HIGHLIGHT SERVICE.
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Vanessa Fermin 209.390.3009
Sophia Ork 209.473.2860
FREE HAIRCUT
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WITH COLOR OR HIGHLIGHT SERVICE.
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Kea 209.473.2860
Kristen Martinez 209.507.9401
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FREE HAIRCUT
WITH COLOR OR HIGHLIGHT SERVICE. $35 VALUE. NEW CLIENTS ONLY
WITH COLOR OR HIGHLIGHT SERVICE. $35 VALUE. NEW CLIENTS ONLY
MANICURE & PEDICURE $24.95
Kay 209.473.2860
FULL SET NAILS
16.95
$
3 G e ne rat i on s of Jewel er s s i n ce 1 951 2349 Pacific Ave. • (209) 464-9904 • kevinschimkejewelers.com
WE DON’T SELL NEW FEET. BUT YOU’LL FEEL LIKE WE DO.
NOVEMBER SPECIAL Mention this ad and receive a complimentary sample of AVEDA’S newest product, Dry Remedy Daily Moisturizing Oil.* *While supplies last IN SERVICE, DESTINATION SALON TEAM
Stop by our store for a complimentary footwear fitting with a Fleet Feet FIT Expert and receive
Cyndi Alvarez 209.808.8400
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209.351.4717
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BEST OF SAN JOAQUIN 2013 Most Earth Friendly Business
Offer valid for first time customers only. Coupon redeemable at this Fleet Feet location only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discount
277 Lincoln Center Stockton 95207 209.952.1446
www.fleetfeetstockton.com 28
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Destination Salon is Stockton's Exclusive AVEDA salon. We offer signature experiences in haircutting, customized color, organic straighting system as well as makeup and facial waxing. AVEDA products are derived from 100% certified organic plant and flower essences. We offer a complete line of hair care, skin care, makeup, and lifestyle products. AVEDA a top 10 global leader in corporate environmental sustainability. We invite first time guests to receive a customized AVEDA botanical hair treatment with any scheduled service.
6360 Pacific Avenue Ste. 3 | 209.473.1043 Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/destinationsalon
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
SAN JOAQUIN M A G A Z I N E
FINA
240 Lincoln Center Stockton, Ca Now open on Sundays 12-4
(209) 478-5670
It's not about your boding finding the perfect pose, It's about finding the perfect pose for your body.
Our small class size allows us to help each student find the safest and most beneficial practice for their body. • Therapeutic to Advanced Yoga • Yoga for Cancer Survivors • Prenatal Yoga
Now & Zen Yoga Studio
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• Indoor Standup Paddle Yoga • Pilates • Meditation
located in the beautiful
GOLD WINNER
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OF
OF
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exclusively at
Stonecreek Village, Ste. 110 | Stockton | 209.477.6000
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GOLD WINNER
We create individual styles for you and your lifestyle.
SAN JOAQUIN M A G A Z I N E
Thank You for Voting us We proudly welcome our newest stylist
Celelia Medina
Excellent “35 years” service Celelia Medina your haircare specialist NOW available at Salon Avanti. She invites all her valued, and new clients to come and experience her attentive approach to creating the best you!
209.487.3413 Remember to book early for the busy
Holiday Season and
F
Tr e atm e n ts | J a pa ne se H a ir S t r a ig h t e ning | Pr of e s sion a l h a ir color ing | pr e c i sion h a ir c u ts
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617 S. Lower Sacramento Rd. C-1, Lodi nowandzenlodi.com SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
29
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Copyright JATW 2013
How long is your hunting trip?
3 days
6 days
However long it takes
220 S. School Street • Lodi
(209) 368-0424 visit us online at:
www.danzjewelers.com
11 W. Pine Street Lodi, CA 95240
209.625.8194 or 209.224.1225 d • Creative Affordable • Experience
Shadowboxes • Original Art • Sports Jerseys Mirrors • Canvas Stretching • Collage Mats Military Metals • Diplomas • Posters/Prints Wedding Photos • Stitcheries • Professional Consult Décor Items • Local Artwork
www.McKinleysFrameShop.com
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE LOOK FOR US NEXT TO STARBUCKS
209.369.7231
224 N. HAM LANE, SUITE 102 • LODI, CA Monday-Friday 10:00 - 6:00 • Saturday 10:00 - 5:00 and Sundays in December 10:00 - 5:00
CHAN LUU CHASER FREE PEOPLE WHETHERLY ALLEN ALLEN ELLA MOSS MICHAEL STARS
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209.834.1395
SAN JOAQUIN
M A G A Z I N E
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CARATS
OF
9 E. 6th Street, Tracy
BRON ZE WINN ER
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20 13
209.469.0369
Westfield San Francisco Centre 845 Market Street (2nd floor) San Francisco • 415.371.1175
309 Lincoln Center • Stockton 209.955.0715 www.DENMARK-BEADS.com
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
31
SPECIAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
MANTECA FUNDRAISING PROGRAM • TRUFFLES • GIFT BASKETS SUGAR FREE • FUDGE • GIFT CARDS • BOXED CHOCOLATES PARTY FAVORS • WEDDING FAVORS • CARAMEL APPLES
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WINN
Here at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Manteca, We want to say Thank You for your support and for shopping local
209.823.6500
ER
OF
2 01 3
BEST
Corporate giving for the Holiday Season? Now is the time to start placing those very important gifts. Make an appoinment to discuss your gift giving needs. We can even have your decadent chocolates personalized with your company name and logo. Enjoy your Holiday Season without the stress of "What To Give". Chocolate is a perfect gift. What's life without Chocolate?
SAN J
www.rmcfmanteca.com 303 E. Yosemite Ave., Manteca
IN OAQU N E
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
10% OFF with this ad
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Designer Labels on Consignment Also A Large Array of Formal Wear 821 N. Central Ave. Downtown Tracy
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Closed Sundays and Mondays www.mybestfriendsclosetintracy.com
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
33
Every relationship is about trust. That’s why our Sutter Health doctors believe in establishing a consistent relationship with you through one-on-one communication, And with TheDoctorForYou.com we make it easy to find the right doctor to partner with. It’s one more way we plus you.
Find your doctor at TheDoctorForYou.com 34
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
01565
UpFront 209 TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
SUSAN DELL'OSSO
PICTURED: RON AND SUSAN DELL'OSSO
WHEN TEAM EFFORTS TRANSFORM
A FARM INTO A
HOLIDAY ADVENTURE BY MICHELE BIRD
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Dell’Osso Family Farm is a holiday staple for families and friends in San Joaquin County. By fall, the farm is home to a labyrinth
of corn and a plethora of pumpkins. As winter approaches, the farm transforms into a snowy wonderland; something that is rarely seen in the Central Valley. All of the magic becomes possible thanks to the neverending efforts of the team working behind the scenes.
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
35
upfront 209
TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
Dell’Osso Family Farm was founded back in the 1920s by three bothers who came from Italy with the original plan to harvest asparagus. In the 1950s, Rudy Dell’Osso, who was the son of one of the original founders, expanded the farm by harvesting new crops including tomatoes, beans, and alfalfa. By the 1970s, Rudy’s son Ron Dell’Osso began growing pumpkins, melons, and sweet corn at the farm. The mid-1990s was when it all changed and Dell’Osso Family Farm became one of the go-to holiday spots for people living in the Central Valley. In 1997, Ron and his wife Susan Dell’Osso introduced the farm’s first corn maze where visitors are challenged to navigate through winding roads and dead ends in order to find their way out of the overgrown corn. Susan took her skills as a land developer and Ron’s skills as a farmer to create a one-of-a-kind family experience in the Central Valley. Since then, the farm has grown to offer more activities not just for Halloween, but the holiday season as well. In 2009, Dell’Osso Family Farm began offering a Christmas-themed event called Holidays on the Farm. Snow is a common theme for Holidays on the Farm because there’s an ice rink and inner tubing course. Activities such as these are hard to find in the Central Valley unless you go to an indoor ice skating rink or trek out to one of numerous snow resorts like Dodge Ridge or Squaw Valley. Dell’Osso Family Farm offers a unique experience by accommodating snow lovers for a great price and even shorter commute. Susan Dell’Osso, co-owner and cocreator of the corn maze, noted that operating the farm can be a challenging task. “We re-start a business each year and there is just so much to do,” Susan says. The initial inspiration for Holidays on the Farm was when Susan and Ron’s son, Brian, thought they should start selling Christmas trees. She noted that the idea “just grew from there.” This year, Holidays on the Farm is set to kick off on December 7 through January 4. Visitors have a lot to look forward to with activities such as pictures with Santa, Dell’Osso Express Train rides, fresh-cut Christmas trees, and shopping at the Country Store. Another essential stop during your 36
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
visit is Lights on the Farm, where you get to journey through a mile of twinkling displays. Zip lines are also a must for those with an adventurous side. One of the best parts about the farm is “seeing the smiles on the children’s faces when they run and play,” Susan shares. She also mentioned that it’s the closest snow to home! Outside of the farm, the Dell’Osso family loves to spend time together during the holiday season. “We love having family
around and during the holidays it is the more the merrier!” From Santa’s Village to a snowy forecast, Dell’Osso Family Farm is a place like no other in San Joaquin County. Whether you’re planning to visit with family or friends, surrounding yourself with the company of loved ones is what the holiday season is all about. Not to mention, you’ll have memories to cherish for years to come.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
DELL’OSSO FAMILY FARM
501 S. Manthey Road, Lathrop (209) 982-0833 holidaysonthefarm.com
Lights on the Farm A magical drive through a trail of holiday lights.
Santa’s Village
Holidays on the
Farm www.DellossoFamilyFarm.com
Santa Claus • Fresh cut trees
Imagine a place where it snows every day. A place where you can pack up the family and enjoy the snow just minutes away, and feel the spirit of Christmas every day. Your children will giggle, their eyes will light up, and you can enjoy the splendors of Christmas.... Welcome to Holidays on the Farm.
Snow on the Farm
Visit the newest mountain in the Valley-Snow Mountain!
Featuring Snow Mountain Ice Skating Available all day everyday
A 300 foot long tubing hill
Reservations for Snow Mountain STRONGLY Recommended (Only limited walk-ons available) Call (209) 982-0833 or www.SnowOnTheFarm.com
All day Open Air Ice Skating
300 foot long ride
passes are available.
Visit HolidaysOnTheFarm.com WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
for more information and for reservations. JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013 37 Open fromSAN December 7th, 2013 until January 4th, 2014
upfront 209
TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
17TH ANNUAL
LODI SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL BY MICHELE BIRD
9TH ANNUAL
RUN & WALK
AGAINST HUNGER BY MICHELE BIRD
Are you athletic and want to help support a good cause? The 9th Annual Run & Walk Against Hunger is slated to take place on Thanksgiving morning in downtown Stockton. Proceeds raised from the event help benefit the Emergency Food Bank & Family Services. Thousands of people participate in the event each year, and all ages are welcome to join in on the fun. Festivities will kick off at 8 a.m. with the ¼ mile run for children ages nine and under. For those who are marathon runners, the 5K and 10K will begin at 8:30 a.m. If you are more of a power walker or just want to enjoy a nice stroll, there is also an untimed 5K walk to choose from. Courses are on flat terrain and participants
38
will enjoy the views of McCloud Lake, Banner Island Ballpark, and more! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, non-perishable food items are being collected during pre-registration from November 25 – 27 and will be donated to the Emergency Food Bank. There’s no better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than by helping support a local charity and enjoying some outdoor fun! Online registration will be available through November 22 and entry fees vary.
Sandhill cranes are just one of the many wonders people can enjoy in San Joaquin County. From November 1 – 3, the 17th Annual Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival will take place at Hutchins Street Square to commemorate the return of these beautiful birds. Wildlife and nature enthusiasts will have plenty of activities to choose from during the weekend event. Festivities include wildlife tours, workshops, presentations, exhibits, and live animal displays. Pieces from local artists illustrating Sandhill cranes, California wildlife, and natural habitats are another key part of the festival. A variety of sculptures, photographs, watercolors, and other fine art pieces will be on display at the art show throughout the weekend. Guests can vote for their favorite fine art piece and photograph to help select recipients for the People’s Choice Award. Cash prizes ranging from $25 – $100 will be awarded to the winners. Artists of all ages are encouraged to submit a piece for the show. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with the art community and show off your creative side! Be sure to check out the work of this year’s festival artist, Lon Yarbrough, a local photographer from Sacramento. If you’re looking for a family-friendly and educational outing, the Sandhill Crane Festival is something to mark on your calendar. Admission is free and wildlife fans are guaranteed to have a blast! Additional information and how to participate in the art show can be found on cranefestival.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: FOR MORE INFORMATION:
FLEET FEET SPORTS 277 Lincoln Center, Stockton (209) 952-1446 fleetfeetstockton.com runagainsthunger.org
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
SANDHILL CRANE FESTIVAL, LODI (800) 581-6150 cranefestival.com
Conquest ImagIng
the ultrasound Industry servICe leader... Local- we are a local, family owned business with resources in your own backyard. Economical - Up to 50% less than the manufacturer for service and original equipment parts Compliant- our Preventative Maintenance (PM) services meet or exceed the accreditation standards of ACR, Joint Commission, AIUM, ICAEL, and ICAVL.
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
39
upfront 209
TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
MID HEIGHT BROWN BOOT: BED/STU "GOGO" BOOT
Available at Stella
REZA SHORT BOOT BY CALLEEN CORDERO
Available at FINA
SHORT BOOT: BED/STU "GHENT" BOOT
Available at Stella
FIONA TALL BY CALLEEN CORDERO
Available at FINA
FESTIVE FALL FOOTWEAR This holiday, trade in your heels for a cute pair of comfy boots!
JOSIE TALL BY CALLEEN CORDERO
Available at FINA MALIKA BY DVI
Available at FINA
VENICE BY DVI
Available at FINA
MID HEIGHT BLACK BOOT: BED/STU "TURN" BOOT
Available at Stella 40
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Theresa Sutton
Lina Carloni
Hair Stylist
Owner/Stylist
Hilda Loza Hair Stylist
Hair DISCOVERY F U L L
S E R V I C E
Susie Munugia Hair Stylist
S A L O N
WE ARE MOVING! come see us at our beautiful new salon Kathy Ingram
6231 Pacific Ave., Ste #3 | Stockton | 209.478.9537
Hair Stylist
Fawn Yee
Permanent make up & skin care
(209)478-1266
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Sandra Gordon Hair Stylist
Monika Tan Hair Stylist
Vince
Receptionist
Nikki
Nails by Nikki
(209) 478-9537
Olga Rico Hair Stylist
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
41
upfront 209
TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
RETAIL RHAPSODY
STELLA
BOUTIQUE BY MICHELE BIRD
42
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Stella Boutique opened its doors last fall to bring the women of Lodi a unique selection of clothing, accessories, handbags, and more. Whether you’re out on a mother-daughter day or just shopping for yourself, Stella Boutique is a place fit for everyone. The shop opened on November 21, 2012 by owner Kelli Gai. Stella, which is the Italian translation for star, holds a strong tie to Gai’s family. “Our Italian grandmother called [my] three children Mitchell, Heather, and Brittani that when they were younger, especially when they were all dressed up,” said Gai. This month marks the one-year anniversary of the shop and it has grown tremendously since first coming to the Lodi community last year. “Our one year anniversary will be celebrated the entire month of November,” said Gai. “Going into the holiday season and reflecting on the year we
have had at Stella, I am appreciative of the response by the community to Stella Boutique. I will continue to support the numerous local organizations that are doing wonderful things for Lodi, Stockton, and surrounding areas.” Stella Boutique is the one-stop shop that caters to women of all ages with its eclectic mix of clothing and jewelry. “Stella Boutique is unique from the moment you step inside,” said Gai. “We explored other boutiques all over the country and Europe in order to help pinpoint and define our own unique style and mix of clothing lines.” Customers can choose from a variety of brands including Free People, True Religion, Michael Stars, and more. Gai selected the lines with the help of her mother, Sharon, and two daughters, Brittani and Heather. “Every woman has something about themselves that is beautifully unique and I love to bring that out,” said Gai. “I love it when we are able to bring out their individual style and they feel great about themselves.” According to Gai, some of the most popular items this season are leather, oversized sweaters, and leopard prints. Over the course of the year, customer feedback has played a part and new lines have started being offered at Stella Boutique such as Velvet by Graham and Spencer, J Brand, and Gypsy 05. The Michael Stars Collection has expanded to include additional pieces such as cashmere sweaters and outerwear for customers to enjoy. There are also two more shoe lines available to help you complete your perfect outfit. In addition to the great selection of merchandise instore, Stella Boutique offers another number of amenities to shoppers including personal shopping, wardrobe consulting, and complimentary gift-wrapping. This year, customers can utilize the wish list service when shopping
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
for family and friends. “Just come in and let us do all the work,” explained Gai. “From sizing and selection to beautiful gift wrapping, we will help put the joy of giving into your holidays!” Gai hopes to offer customers the best possible price while shopping in store, as well as a new and fresh selection by carrying new merchandise every week. “My favorite part about Stella is definitely meeting and assisting customers,” said Gai. “We want our customers to enjoy visiting us at Stella Boutique and we hope customers feel like friends from the moment they enter.” Gai describes the boutique as “girly and feminine with a bohemian chic edge.” After spending a year of scouting locations for Stella Boutique from Pleasanton to Sacramento, Gai ultimately chose Lodi. “I decided on Lodi because I live here and felt a real need,” said Gai. “There is such a sense of community here and people are motivated to shop local.” If you’re not already amazed by the array of clothing and accessories, customers can also look forward to outstanding customer service provided by Gai and her staff. Stella Boutique is the go-to shop for all of your holiday shopping this season thanks to the unique variety of merchandise and services. Whether you’re looking for a fun outing with your girls or looking for a brand new outfit, Stella Boutique is bound to have just what you need.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
STELLA BOUTIQUE 224 N. Ham Lane, Suite 102, Lodi (209) 369-7231
stella-boutique.com
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
43
upfront 209
TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE
BY KIMBERLY STREDNEY
LODI’S
C
H
A
R
I
T
Y
S P O T L I G H T
COMMUNITY Sometimes all a person needs to get back on their feet in life is a warm meal and a shoulder to lean on. Since 1991, the Lodi chapter of The Salvation Army has been helping local individuals and families in need do just that through their many programs and services. Captains Martin and Tory Ross (a husband and wife team) are the administrators of the Lodi Corps and Hope Harbor Shelter. They provide oversight, supervision, direction and vision for this chapter that services the San Joaquin Valley area, including Lodi, Galt,
44
Jackson, Woodbridge, Acampo, Lockeford, Victor, Herald and Thornton. “Perhaps the favorite part of doing what we do is being able to know we are making a positive difference in the lives of men, women and children that we interact with,” Martin shares. “When we hear someone testify about how their life was transformed because of part of our efforts in being part of a greater team of people, it puts a smile on our faces and helps us have meaning and purpose in our lives.”
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
COURTESY PHOTO
CORPS The Salvation Army was founded in 1865 by William and Catherine Booth. Though a Stockton chapter was established in 1889, it was closed in 1913 and reopened as the Lodi Corps in the early 90s. The organization, now worldwide in over 126 countries, offers a variety of services including recovery support groups, parenting and anger management classes, tutoring and mentoring, summer camps, Sunday school, women’s groups, counseling services, and music and culinary arts courses. According to Tory, this is the busiest time of year for The Salvation Army. Their Christmas fundraising efforts to raise $215,000 to support programs offered throughout the year will begin on November 18 with kettles set up through December 24 at local vendors. They also plan to offer a hot meal on Thanksgiving Day at the Hope Harbor Shelter and will solicit food and toy donations for needy area families throughout
the holiday season. “Our goal is to provide toys and a food bag to at least 750-1,000 individuals and families this Christmas season,” she says. Along with monetary donations the couple assures “stay local”, the Captains are grateful for the many volunteers who donate their time and talents throughout the year and especially during the holiday season. “We have opportunities for volunteers to ring the bell during the Christmas season, help serve a meal on Thanksgiving Day, or to help with our Angel Tree program,” Martin offers. “We strive to ‘Do the Most Good’ with your time, talents and treasures, while giving a ‘hand up and not a hand out’.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
THE SALVATION ARMY, LODI CORPS & HOPE HARBOR SHELTER
525 W. Lockeford St., Lodi (209) 369-5896 salvarmylodi.com
Tri-Valley Orthopedic Specialists has been proudly serving the extended Tri-Valley community since 1985, providing the highest quality patient care for all kinds of musculoskeletal injuries or problems. We have a dedicated team of eight surgeons and medical professionals who work at three convenient locations throughout the Tri-Valley area. Our surgical team is quite diverse and can handle your orthopedic needs from head to toe – you can count on specialized expertise for shoulder, hand, knee, foot and ankle problems, as well as sports medicine and joint replacement.
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN
L O C A L H I S TO R Y
STOCKTON CHILDREN’S HOME: AN EARLY HISTORY BY RACHAEL KANNER Photos courtesy of The Bank of Stockton Information obtained at the San Joaquin County Historical Society
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
What would eventually be morphed into the Stockton Children’s home began in 1882 as an idea from the newly formed Ladies Aid Society of Stockton. This group came together to serve the city and immediately recognized the growing need for a place for neglected and community dependent children. By 1883, after substantial fundraising efforts, a location was established and the Children’s Home was officially opened. The home created was not an orphanage; many of the children who came to the home were poor and had only one living parent or relatives who could not assist them. Additionally, the families of the children were expected to pay to what extent they could. In addition to the families’ payment and proceeds from fundraising, the Home was sustained by food donations from local farmers and clothing donations. The early home was made viable by the Ladies Aid Society and community support. By 1908, the Home had outgrown its first location, and construction had begun on a new building designed by Hotel Stockton architect E.B. Brown. While the Home cared for many children, it is important to note that most children stayed there for less than three years, with many only residing for several months. The interwar period between 1919-1941 is seen by some as the heyday for the Stockton Children’s Home. In this period, the Board of Directors were
extremely hands-on, providing many enjoyable treats for the children. They enjoyed fireworks and ice cream on the 4th of July, presents at Christmas, birthdays were celebrated and some of the older children could even receive an allowance. It was also in this time period that growing pains were felt by the board. For example, during the 1937 flu epidemic, 32 children became ill, bringing up staffing and health concerns. During World War II, the board ensured the children were provided for even after the growing need for rationing. The children’s very own victory garden was so well tended it provided all the vegetables for the Home. The local farmers were so impressed by it that they donated manure so the kids could get stated for the next year’s garden. Over time, the Stockton Children’s Home become larger and larger with many more children placed by the courts. Since its establishment, it has become more dependent on donations and services to provide for the ever-increasing amount of children in need. Nevertheless, the home has played and continues to play a significant role in lowering juvenile crime rates. The Home’s establishment was also a vital step in the social growth and consciousness of the city, and to this day remains a tribute to the hard working women who established it 130 years ago.
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Friends you can bank on. SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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PLAYERS, PARTIES & PREMIERES
PHOTOS BY: DANI ADAMS
Harney Lane Winery 3rd Annual STOMP Out Cancer In honor of their beloved patriarch, George Mettler, the community joined together to stomp and raise $5,000 for the American Cancer Society. Stomp competitions filled the day with fun and laughter, while Snap Jackson and the Knock on Wood Players jammed throughout the day. Fundraising included a silent auction and raffle. Wine was served wine by the glass and accompanied by salami and cheese plates and Velvet Grill ice cream.
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Maywell L. Inong, DDS General & Cosmetic Dentistry
Comprehensive Care • Spa-Like Atmosphere Cosmetic Dentistry • Zoom Whitening Implants • Invisalign®
new patients welcome
209-477-9105
www.inongdental.com 4568 Feather River Drive, Suite E, Stockton, CA
“Preventive dentistry can extend human life by 10 years.” - Mayo CliniC Study
UJ’s Restaurant
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner Open daily 6am- 10:30pm
7628 Pacific Avenue, Stockton
209-835-YOGA (9642) www.bikramsyogatracy.com
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French Soups & Salads | Daily Specials | Cocktails Banquet Facility fits up to 100 people
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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PLAYERS, PARTIES & PREMIERES
PHOTOS BY: DANI ADAMS
Lodi Grape Festival The family-friendly Lodi Grape Festival, where thousands showed up to enjoy the fun for four days only, featured festival games and rides, fried foods, live music, a butterfly sanctuary, and local grape art - just a few of the many highlights. This year’s festival was packed with fun-filled activities; not to mention local wineries showcasing their best local wines.
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San Joaquin County Office of Education prepares all kids for college and careers! San Joaquin County Office of Education provides educational leadership, resources, and services to support San Joaquin County schools. With its highly regarded programs, innovative staff, and community partnerships, SJCOE ensures that every student in San Joaquin has the opportunity of a quality education.
November 13: Premiere of the documentary, “Left Behind,” a film that chronicles the lives of San Joaquin County homeless youth shown in support of Homeless Awareness Month.
November 14: Dinner with a Scientist offers students in grades 7-12 an opportunity to interact with scientists from a variety of fields.
All-Yearlong: Career Academy of Cosmetology offers convenient day and night classes allowing students to attend full- or part-time to fit in your schedule.
San Joaquin County Office of Education - where Kids Come First! 2901 Arch-Airport Road, Stockton | (209) 468-4800 | www.sjcoe.org
IS HOME DIALYSIS RIGHT FOR YOU? Answer these important questions: 1. I want control of my time and schedule. 2. I’d like to enjoy more daytime activities. 3. I travel a lot, often on short notice. 4. I would like to have a more liberal dialysis diet.
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Lodi DaVita Tokay Home 777 S Ham Lane Lodi, CA 95242
To learn more about Kidney Disease and treatment options, call 1(209) 470-2194 or visit DaVita.com/Home. ©2011 DaVita Inc. All rights reserved. 05579-01-DVAH-Home
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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PLAYERS, PARTIES & PREMIERES
PHOTOS BY: DANI ADAMS
St. Joseph’s Caring For Me St. Joseph’s Caring for Me offers a Thursday evening of health and fashion. In the heart of Lincoln Center, supporters showed up for an exclusive night filled with discounted shopping, vendors, local food and beverages, swag bags, a runway fashion show, and dinner provided by Papapavlo’s. It was a night to remember with health in the spotlight.
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The Mediterranean Diet Select aMediterranean Mediterranean diet proven to be the healthiest in theDiet world! The The Valley’s Premier Restaurant specializing in a heart-healthy menu with ingredients that The Mediterranean Diet increase antioxidant levels, help prevent cancer and reduce the risk of heart disease.
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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PLAYERS, PARTIES & PREMIERES
PHOTOS BY: DANI ADAMS
Dr. Todd Franklin's 15th Annual Patient Appreciation BBQ Dr. Todd Franklin and staff threw their 15th annual Patient appreciation BBQ on Friday September 20th from 6-9, in their Lodi office parking lot. Over 200 patients and their families enjoyed dinner catered by Tin Roof and beer and wine!
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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New
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New & Again Consignment Furniture Gallery
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The First & Best Consignment Store in the Area! Please visit our Website at WWW.NEWANDAGAINONLINE.COM & sign up for our newsletter to find out about our upcoming events & estate sales! • jewelry • mirrors • artwork • sofas • chairs • dishes • recliners • dinette sets • glassware • room dividers • yard/garden decor• end tables • clocks • dressers • mattresses • desks • armoires • bedroom sets • Antiques • Collectible items and more!
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11 N. School St. | 209.368.3033 Mon-Sat 10am-6pm & Sun 1-5pm www.cheesecentrallodi.com
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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15 W. Oak Street, Downtown Lodi TRACY & ALAN BURGETT
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Mon-‐Sat: 10-‐5:30• Sun: 11-‐5 • 5 N. School St, Lodi, CA 209.334.5751 www.lodicooks.net
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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THE
Modern MUSE DRESS: GIANI BINI $50 BRACELETS: ANNA & AVA $20/EACH EARRINGS: BCBG $18 SHOES: ANTONIO MELANI $90
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
the little
dress “One is never overdressed or underdressed in a little black dress.” - Karl Lagerfeld The little black dress is as essential to every woman’s wardrobe as a great red lipstick or a strand of pearls. Whether your personal style is classic or eclectic, you are sure to find the right LBD to add to your closet.
PHOTOS/TEXT: SARAH BEL GRAY | MODEL: ANTONIA KASTILAHN (FORD/RBA) HAIR/MAKE-UP: PEARL ESPINOZA | WARDROBE PROVIDED BY: DILLARDS
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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THE
Classic LBD DRESS: ANTONIO MELANI $169 EARRINGS: ANNA & AVA $15 BRACELET: NATASHA $28 NECKLACE: ANNE KLEIN $40
THE
Boho BABE 60
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
DRESS: GB BY GIANI BINI $44 NECKLACE: NATASHA $38 CLUTCH: FOSSIL $128 SHOES: STEVE MADDEN $70
THE
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DRESS: CHELSEA & VIOLET $118 BRACELET: ANNA & AVA $20 EARRINGS: GIVENCHY $25 CLUTCH: KATE LANDRY $65 SHOES: GIANNI BINI $80 SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Nutty Buddy Crepe M&J BISTRO
With a voluptuous variety of savory or sweet fillings, the crêpe is the star when it comes to versatility. Self-proclaimed specialty crepe makers, M&J Bistro’s crepes are both complex and sophisticated, while also simple and humble. Popular for its name alone, the Nutty Buddy Crepe is a richly familiar taste of unbridled scrumptiousness. French vanilla ice cream and crunchy peanut butter fill the inside of a chocolate crepe. Once cooked and folded, whipped cream, salted peanuts and stripes of Ghirardelli chocolate and caramel sauces are drizzled over this confectionery concoction. Each velvety bite swirled with the rich sauces offers a taste of nearby San Francisco flavor, which the bistro works to infuse throughout their inventive menu. Recently added to the menu and available year-round, this delight is both rich enough and large enough to share, and you will assuredly relish every spoonful. EDITOR’S PICK:
The M&J Bistro Ribeye smothered in Cajun seasoning and secret recipe au jus served with bacon Swiss au gratin potatoes and grilled asparagus is a great precursor to the Nutty Buddy. M & J BISTRO 2125 Tracy Blvd., Tracy (209) 832-2727 mjbistro.net
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BY HEATHER REAGAN | PHOTOS BY MATT FRANCIS
WHEN
COMES FIRST Dessert has been in existence since the beginning of civilization. Once an elite treat indulged in only by affluent members of society, the advancement of sugar production allowed dessert to be enjoyed by people from all socioeconomic statuses. Dessert is thought to have originated from an ancient custom where the aftertaste of a meal was removed by ingesting something sweet, leaving the mouth with a desirable flavor. Today, there are some cultures that enjoy dessert first – as the appetizer – because sugar makes the stomach acid active, thus allowing better digestion of the rest of the meal. Whether or not that has been scientifically proven, the San Joaquin Magazine staff thinks indulging in a sweet treat before dinner sounds like a pretty good plan! We’ve come up with seven irresistible reasons why you should EAT YOUR DESSERT FIRST.
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Lemon Semifreddo ERNIE’S FOOD & SPIRITS
This melt-in-your-mouth semi-frozen dessert is like a lighter, more delicate version of ice cream. The soufflé-like decadence introduces your taste buds to a classic Italian dessert with a twist, Ernie’s Food & Spirits style. By definition, semifreddo means “half frozen”, so it is solid, but traditionally not firmly frozen. Egg yolks and cream are whipped until the texture is velvety soft and then flavored with tart lemon juice zest and tangy blood orange concentrate. The lemon and blood orange soufflé is then frozen overnight, allowing the mold to set for an optimal smooth, airy texture. A blueberry orange compote comprised of cinnamon, lime and orange zest, along with candied lemon peels (house made with caramelized bourbon) make up the crust for this celebrated custard. The soufflé piped into the candied crust makes for a dreamy, creamy dessert that always delights. EDITOR’S PICK:
Ernie’s Grilled Atlantic Salmon seasoned with sweet chili and served with cilantro rice, grilled asparagus and prawns in a rich butter sauce is a good choice to pair the Semifreddo with – before or after. ERNIE'S FOOD & SPIRITS 1351 N Main St., Manteca (209) 239-3351 erniesfoodandspirits.com
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Dixieland Crepe MIDTOWN CREPERIE & CAFE
Savored for centuries, crêpes are celebrating a revival today as crêperies continue popping up around the Valley and local chefs add them to their menus. Midtown Creperie’s Dixieland Crepe is definitely far from ordinary. Quickly rising to the top as the most popular menu choice, this crepe is a sumptuous dessert, indeed. Cooked to order on an élite crepe grill, guests can choose from three sweet cake batters: golden WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
(traditional), Hungarian (cinnamon vanillaflavored), or chocolate. Similar to pancake batter only more fluid, the crepe batter is stretched thin and then quickly cooked to perfection for less than a minute. Once removed from the grill, this wonderful wafer-thin French pancake is then filled with a heavenly cream filling and generously topped with fresh strawberries and Ghirardelli Chocolate sauce. It only takes one sweet bite to taste why this delectable desire is as coveted as Dixieland itself.
EDITOR’S PICK:
Before enjoying this sweet sensation, dig into “The Rex”, a powerhouse on the savory crepe scene filled with slow smoked tri-tip beef, fresh asparagus and pesto cream sauce. MIDTOWN CREPERIE & CAFE 2319 Pacific Ave., Stockton (209) 941-9070 midtowncreperie.com
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Blueberry Pie/ Blackberry Cobbler BUD’S SEAFOOD GRILLE
This blueberry pie is most likely the best kept secret in celebrated pie society. Offered as a daily special, you have to be “in the know” about this pie to be the beneficiary of such rich delightfulness. The legend unfolds as so…While on vacation several years ago, the owners of Bud’s Seafood Grille, Jeanne and Bud, were in Bar Harbor, Maine where they were reveling in a lobster lunch while taking in the autumn landscape. Included with lunch was a slice of blueberry pie, of which Jeanne is neither a fan nor critic. Graciously sinking into the slice, Jeanne discovered a whole new world of taste. She was so taken with the utter sweetness of this pie that the illustrious Bud’s Wild Maine Blueberry Pie was born right then and there. Returning home and using her secret, renowned family pie crust recipe (a 90- year-old heirloom), wild Maine blueberries (grown naturally in the area’s glacial soils for more than 10,000 years) and a heavy dash of doggedness, she recreated this blissfully indulgent dessert. A blueberry pie unlike others, this gem is on the short list of must eat treats. EDITOR’S PICK:
Pair this pretty pastry with any of Bud’s succulent seafood specialties for an evening of pure culinary delight. BUDS SEAFOOD 314 Lincoln Center, Stockton (209) 956-0270 budsseafood.com
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Strawberry Napoleon ROSEWOOD
With a menu that is ever-so-fresh and continually changing to match the season, Rosewood boasts a long list of delectable desserts. Using locally sourced ingredients whenever possible and emphasizing the abundant flavors of the San Joaquin Valley, Rosewood’s desserts are sure to tempt your taste buds. In particular, the Strawberry Napoleon is a confectionary masterpiece that intertwines flavor and texture.
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
A baked flaky, buttery puff pastry is layered with Nutella hazelnut spread, fresh strawberries (sourced locally when in season) soaked in Grand Marnier, orange zest and house made whipped cream. Rich chocolate and tangy strawberry sauces are drizzled over top. A second and then third layer of pastry, Nutella, strawberries, whipped cream and sauces are stacked to create this unforgettable and hugely popular dessert that is available year-round and does not disappoint.
EDITOR’S PICK:
The Strawberry Napoleon is so good you’ll most likely want to skip dinner all together, but we don’t recommend it. Instead, try the perfectly piquant Grilled Chilean Sea Bass with lemongrass, cilantro and garlic, served with roasted corn risotto and lemon spinach. ROSEWOOD 28 South School Street, Lodi (209) 369-0470 rosewoodbarandgrill.com
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Chocolate Silk Mousse PAPAPAVLOS BISTRO & BAR
Papapavlos’ chocolate silk mousse will astonish even the most diehard chocolate lover. Sometimes referred to as an old-fashioned icebox cake – a dessert consisting of whipped cream and chocolate wafers – this death-by-chocolate dessert is rich and rewarding. Papapavlos starts by melting semi-sweet dark chocolate chips and allowing them to cool ever so slightly, and then folds in the whipped cream, beaten egg whites and sugar until the texture has a fluffy consistency. The mousse is poured into a shell and whipped cream is placed on top of the mousse; the dessert is then frozen until chilled. The crust is a sweet blend of Oreo cookie crumbs and butter blended together. The finale comes together as the mousse and whipped cream layers are placed on the crust and chocolate ribbons are delicately inscribed around the pie on the plate. Perfect for sharing, this heavenly dessert will have you singing Papapavlos’ praises. EDITOR’S PICK:
Pick Papapavlo’s Combination Entrée, which features their most popular delicacies – Spanakopita, Pastitsio and Moussaka – to tantalize your palate before immersing your taste buds in the sweet symphony that is the Chocolate Silk Mousse. PAPAPAVLOS 501 N. Lincoln Center, Stockton (209) 477-6133 papapavlos.com
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Seasonal Fruit Streusel CRUSH KITCHEN & BAR
Not to be confused with the similar-sounding strudel (a famous Viennese pastry), streusel is a crumbly, crunchy dessert topping. The word ‘streusel’ itself means scattered or strewn. This highly seasonal and versatile dessert is flawlessly made by the folks at Crush Bar & Grill. Fresh, seasonal fruits such as strawberries, apples, pears and stone fruits – peaches cherries and apricots – are the foundation for this truly delicious dessert. The fruit du jour is par cooked to a tender, crisp texture, or al dente if you will, which holds the natural, juicy flavors within. The streusel is made using flour, oatmeal, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon and cardamom. The harmonious marriage of the decadent flavors in the seasonal par cooked fruit and the sweet walnut crumble come together when baked to order. This fresh-fromthe-oven, scrumptious streusel is garnished with freshly house made vanilla bean gelato, almost emulating the classic taste of the apple pie a la mode you remember so fondly. EDITOR’S PICK:
The classic Oven-Roasted Bone-In Breast Chicken served atop fire-roasted corn risotto with grilled Ronde de Nice squash and finished with a spiced chimichurri sauce pairs effortlessly with the seasonal fruit streusel. CRUSH KITCHEN & BAR 115 S. School St., Lodi (209) 369-5400 crushkitchen.com
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HALL of FAME
Open: 11am-3pm 5pm-10pm
3236 Pacific Ave. Stockton, CA
209.466.0130
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We let our patients know they are valued by serving them in a courteous, professional, and kindly manner. It is our hope to develop long-term relationships with each and every one of them so that we may help them enjoy a lifetime of good health.
CLASSES ALSO AVAILABLE AT: GymStars Karate 1740 W. Hammer Ln.• Stockton 209.957.1919 GymStars Karate 5170 Pentecost Dr.,Ste B • Modesto 209.549.1919 Hiers Goju Karate 1900 S. Hutchins St • Lodi 209.333.8509 Tibon’s / All Star Gymnastics Karate 6160 Enterprise Dr., Ste A • Placerville 530.622.7684
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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Grand Theatre
CENTER FOR THE ARTS
November 15, 2013 | 8 PM
Tickets $29 - $75 Initially known for his role as DJ in Kid Rock’s legendary Twisted Brown Trucker band, Uncle Kracker has made a recent breakthrough with his solo success in Country music. Uncle Kracker is actually no stranger to the audience, scoring a #1 hit with “When The Sun Goes Down”, his collaboration with Kenny Chesney. He also co-wrote Kid Rock’s multi-format smash “All Summer Long.” Tracy will be a stop on his nationwide tour releasing his newest album “Midnight Special.”
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GRAND THEATRE CENTER FOR THE ARTS | 715 Central Avenue in historic downtown Tracy, CA www.atthegrand.org | 209.831.6TKT (6858) SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
BY KELLY SODERLUND
DISCOVERING THE
TRACY
GRAND San Joaquin County residents may think they know about Tracy’s Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, but in reality, they probably have no idea. And it’s no wonderthe 37,000 square foot interdisciplinary arts center boasts two theatres, a dance studio, eight classrooms and three art galleries. In the words of Arts Education Coordinator, Elizabeth Sayre, “Even those who have been here
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before for a show may not be aware of all our facilities and what the Arts Education Program has to offer. We constantly meet new community members who are discovering the extent of our educational offerings for students of all ages, from children to teens to adults to seniors.” Now in their sixth year of operation, San Joaquin Magazine invites our readers to discover all that is new at the historical Grand Theatre.
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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A DRAMATIC HISTORY The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, located in the Cultural Arts Division of the city, came to be when four buildings on the corner of Central Avenue and Seventh Street in downtown Tracy were acquired by the city in order to renovate and combine them into one building that would become the Center. However, the Grand Theatre originally opened in 1923 as a vaudeville theatre and quickly became the centerpiece of downtown Tracy. Its art deco tower and marquee, which were designed by prominent San Francisco architect Alexander Aimwell Canton, were added in 1939. The theatre building closed in 1977 and was used as a storage facility for the next two decades.
A NEW VISION In 2002, the City of Tracy purchased the Grand Theatre and the adjoining properties. The city hired the architectural firm of ELS Architecture and Urban Design of Berkeley, CA to develop a renovation design for the new arts center. The Grand Theatre Center opened in 2007, and the facility is now comprised of the Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis Theatre (ETK Theatre), a 560-seat proscenium theatre; Studio Theatre, a 110-seat black box-style theatre; dance studio; music studios; a complete ceramics studio, including a kiln; children’s art space; and finally, a concession and catering area. The Grand now offers year-round classes in dance, drama, music, ceramics, and visual arts. Within each of the artistic disciplines, there is a wide variety of appeal to the community’s varying interests. Yes, probably even yours. Since its opening, The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts has served more than 2,000 students per year on an annual basis.
CLASSES Classes run in three sessions every year-- Fall (September to December), Winter/Spring (January to May), and Summer (June to August). In order to host these programs, the Center possesses a beautiful dance studio with mirrors, barres, and an excellent sound system; a studio theatre that seats approximately 100 people; four music classrooms, including one with a grand piano and enough room for groups of students, a drum and percussion studio; 74
a new digital recording station with state-of-the-art equipment; and three fully-equipped visual arts classrooms, including a studio especially designed for children’s activities. In dance, there is a plethora of offerings for all ages: combo classes for children (classes that introduce ballet and tap), ballroom dance, Polynesian dance, jazz, and hip-hop. Drama offerings include everything from “Little Actor’s Theatre” for very young children, to Acting Showcase for any age student, to private Auditioning Technique classes, to Elocution (voice production and pronunciation) for teens and adults. In music, the Center offers both a variety of group classes and private lessons in voice, piano, drum set, guitar, bass, and ukulele. Group classes include Piano for Pre-Schoolers, Children’s Chorus, and Suzuki Violin. The Langley Ceramics Studio at the Grand is one of the most unique and beautiful aspects of the Center. It is a college-level studio, equipped with six electric wheels, kilns, and spacious worktables. Here, they offer very popular Clay for Kids classes, as well as classes in wheel throwing for kids, teens, and adults. In addition, fused glass classes and labs are held within this space. Sayre affirms the Center has found many students and visitors are fascinated with clay and glass art. In visual arts, there are classes for toddlers and parents (“Toddler & Me Art”), introductory classes for preschool age children, drawing and painting classes for kids and adults, and writing/illustration and digital photography classes for older teens and adults, all of which are popular year round. In the future, visual arts will offer printmaking classes. In every session, the Center offers some special, one-time workshops and events. Offerings this fall include a workshop on making gourd baskets with pine needle weaving (November 2), and a “Child’s Introduction to Classical Music: String Section” (November 23).
EXHIBITIONS In addition to the Arts Education Program, the Grand has an Exhibitions Program and a Presenting Program. The Exhibitions Program presents five to six exhibitions each year in the Grand Galleries, on the first floor of the facility (at the corner of 7th Street and Central Avenue). The Exhibitions Program offers combinations of professionally
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
produced exhibitions and fine arts-based events. These exhibitions feature local, regional, national, and international artists, as well as arts organizations, in all disciplines and genres. Curators and collection lenders are also provided exhibition, arts education,
and community outreach opportunities. Exhibitions are often supplemented, and cross-collaborated with the Arts Education and Presenting Programs to develop educational and interactive components such as demonstrations, gallery talks, receptions, residencies, and workshops. Four to six featured exhibitions are scheduled in the Grand Galleries annually to comprise the Exhibition Season, and each season includes a diversity of topics, media, expression, education, and stimulating experiences to best serve target audiences and the community at large. The eclectic programming encourages curiosity, improves quality of life, rewards repeat patronage, and supports artists in the region. For instance, the “Art Co-Opted” program features works for sale by regional artists--affordably priced and constantly changing. Every year since opening, the Grand’s Presenting Program has offered a season of concerts, performances, and other events in the theatres, and has brought in some big names to boot (Drew Carey performed in September). This season's shows include recording country artist Uncle Kracker on November 15 and WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Cirque du Noel on December 8 (a blend of circus arts, street entertainment, and holiday-themed performance). In addition, the Grand hosts Jazz Nights presented by Main Street Music on fourth Fridays, and a yearlong cabaret series with seating on the stage of the ETK Theatre.
THE GRAND’S SEASON BROCHURE IS AVAILABLE HERE: atthegrand.org/Presenting Program For a list of events at the Grand, and to purchase tickets: atthegrand.org/BoxOfficeTickets
So if you haven’t yet discovered the Grand Theatre Center of the Arts, or haven’t explored all they have to offer via classes and exhibitions, well-- why are you waiting? And if you don’t see a class that appeals to your particular artistic nature, the Center is open to suggestions and community feedback, and any teaching artist in the region is welcome to propose ideas for classes, workshops, seminars, or spring break and summer arts camps. Truly, this is one Vaudeville theatre that has come a long way. The City of Tracy clearly knows how to put on a show. And a class. And an exhibition…
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CLASSES
YOU (Or Your Kids)
SHOULD BE TAKING
NOW HIP POP HIP-HOP COMBO FOR TOTS Introduce your child to tap and ballet in this fun, interactive class! Students will learn proper ballet and tap technique, coordination, and footwork combinations. The instructor will lead students through warm-ups, center floor exercises, and across the floor movements. No prior experience required. Ages 2-4.
Have you ever wanted to learn the dance moves of your favorite music artists? Well, here’s your chance! This class will teach you the latest steps and the most recent dance styles of artists like Lady Gaga, Usher and more. In addition, students will learn basic principles of pop and hip-hop. Ages 8-12.
POLYNESIAN DANCE In this introduction to Hawaiian and Tahitian dance, students will learn basic footwork, hip motion, and traditional hand movements within a choreographed dance routine. Ages 4-Adult.
KIDS’ PUBLIC SPEAKING Students taking this class will learn to be more comfortable speaking in front of an audience as they learn how to use verbal skills, nonverbal skills, and strategies for marketing themselves for roles in dramatic or verbal projects such as plays, musicals, or debate teams. Ages 10-14.
CREATIVE MASK-MAKING WITH CLAY This class allows participants to create a series of masks based on the human and animal face. 76
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Using the unique qualities of clay, students use texture and form to make masks decorated with satin/ glaze and then fired in a kiln. Finished masks will be ready to hang on a wall. Ages 14-Adult.
CREATIVE WRITING & ILLUSTRATING FOR ADULTS Experience the journey of brainstorming and planning a short story, children’s story, your first novel, or even a screenplay. Students will learn to outline stories, develop characters, and create storyboards. Come join a fellowship of new and ‘used’ (experienced) authors, while being inspired by fellow students’ creativity. For those who want to illustrate as well as write, the instructor will demonstrate while others work on writing. This class will also discuss publishing, self-publishing, online e-publishing and copyrighting. Ages 18-Adult. PERUSE THE NEW FALL 2013 CLASSES HERE:
http://atthegrand.org/NewClassesin2013. The complete Arts Education fall catalog can be viewed and downloaded here: http://atthegrand.org/ClassCatalog.
“When all’s said and done, all roads lead to the same end. So it’s not so much which road you take, as how you take it.”
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
When
LMakesvea
Family OPEN YOUR HEART, OPEN YOUR HOME NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH
Consider the following people: Aristotle, Charles Dickens, John Lennon, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, Steve Jobs, Willie Mays, Erma Bombeck, Julie Andrews, Magic Johnson, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Michael Oher, and Walt Disney. All of these remarkable people were adopted, and they are living proof that one person CAN make a difference. These “unwanted” children grew up to make their mark on history because each had one special person – one person who offered their love; one person who gave them hope; one person who showed them a brighter future. Here is the heart-wrenching truth. Visualize the Oakland Coliseum filled to capacity; its 63,000 seats each holding a child. Now, multiply that by eight. This is approximately the number of children currently in foster care across the U.S. – close to 500,000, a staggering reality. About 100,000 of those children are waiting to be adopted - today.*
BY ALISA ZOCCOLI | PHOTOS DAN HOOD
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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ADOPTION
Adoption means committing to loving and caring for a child as if they were born into your family. When everything is finalized, the adopted child is given a lifelong family, a new home, a new birth certificate, and a new future. Family isn’t always a biological connection. Family can also mean choosing to love someone. Adopting, whether internationally or domestically, gives new life to a child. International or private adoption can be quite costly – upwards of $30,000-40,000 including the home study, attorney fees and travel expenses. Through the foster care system, however, adoption can cost close to nothing. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to be part of a young, married couple to adopt or foster. A single parent can also provide a loving, stable home. In 2012, the number of children adopted by a single parent was close to 30 percent. And the number of “non-traditional” families is gradually increasing as well. In addition, approximately one in four adopted children lives happily with an adoptive parent 55 years or older. Many retirees have found great joy in mentoring, fostering, or adopting instead of joining social groups. Rather, their new social circles may include other families that foster or adopt.
FOSTERING
According to Tany Teas-Lim of Lilliput Adoptions, over 55,000 children are in foster care in California alone. Sadly, some of these children, even babies, are being placed in group homes and shelters because there are not enough families licensed to take them. Numbers can seem overwhelming, but they become almost too much to bear when you consider that each number represents a real living, breathing child. Consider the difference that can be made in the life of one child: an energetic toddler who could swing all day, if only he had a safe place to play; a sweet girl who yearns to dance and dreams of baking cookies with her mom; a little boy who wishes to play ball or fly a kite; the young woman who needs a father to teach her how to stand up for herself; a teenage boy who wants to ask a date to prom but hasn’t been taught how to properly treat a young lady. The joy that comes with experiencing life though the eyes of a child who may not have had a chance in life is immeasurable.
Fostering means giving loving, stable care to a child whose parents (or guardians) are no longer able to ensure their well-being. Typically, the case plan is to reunite the birth family, if possible. If it becomes evident that reunification cannot take place, the child may become available for adoption. In that case, many foster parents choose to adopt, as they are already emotionally invested and have come to love the child. To be licensed to foster, one must attend 30+ hours of training. On average, it takes about six months to complete the training, interviews, and home study required to be licensed to foster or adopt. Too many precious children sit in foster or group homes long-term, awaiting lifelong families without the support of the community. These are children who have lost everything familiar to them – their birth parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, and their homes. Many are whisked away to safety by someone they have never met,
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Log on to fostercaremonth.org. (*U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Children’s Bureau statistics, www.acf.hhs.gov). Here are some of the countless ways people in our community are making a difference: Teenagers Peyton and Ashton babysit for a large adoptive family for FREE to offer their support. Kimberly brings meals to families when they receive new foster placements, allowing them more time to stabilize the child and spend needed time with their biological children as well. An Eagle Scout project entails a book and toy drive to collect color crayons, coloring books, paints, markers and reading books for a local crisis center. A local organization does a “suitcase drive” to give suitcases to foster children, so they don’t have to carry their personal belongings in garbage bags. Rather than buying their adult children gifts 80
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
often without their favorite toy, baby blanket or pet. The fortunate few have a moment to throw a few clothing or personal items into a trash bag. Although their birth homes may not be safe or healthy, it’s all they have ever known. Sadly, they have been robbed of their sense of belonging, self-worth, joy, hope, and their dreams. The longer these children wait, the more uncertain their lives become. Some are juggled between multiple foster homes. Some – around 27,000 each year – age out of the foster care system never having known a real family. Without direction, many will end up homeless, become victims of human trafficking or end up in prison. Those who have taken in children by either fostering or through adoption agree that there is tremendous joy in raising these kids, whether it is for just a season or their entire childhood. The rewards come in smiles, laughter, relationships, and seeing these kids overcome tremendous obstacles. It is truly a gift to give a child new hope, but the gift is returned tenfold to the giver. In honor of National Adoption Month, consider one thing YOU can do to make a difference in the life of a child. You might investigate fostering, adoption or serving a child or family in need. There are countless ways you and your family can lend a hand. Whether you have only a few minutes to offer, a few hours, a few weeks, or just a small amount of money, YOU can help a child. YOU can change a life. YOU can make a difference!
at Christmas, one family has agreed to pay it forward this year. They will be purchasing three brand new bicycles and helmets for foster children. loveallourkids.com. David helps send three foster care youth to camp every summer. royalfamilykids.org. Stephanie has undergone training to be a court-appointed state advocate, helping make appropriate decisions for foster children. casaforchildren.org. Being a “Big Brother” has touched Travis’ heart as he mentors and tutors young, at-risk youth. bbbs.org. Chad and Mary pay for dance lessons for a young foster child. agapevillages.org. Nancy takes pictures of foster children to share with prospective families. heartgalleryofamerica.org. Robert and Lori donate money for foster children to receive school clothing. emqff. org. Tina helps “set up” apartments for foster youth who have been emancipated from the foster care system, collecting
sheets, towels, pots, pans, and taking the young adults on their first grocery-shopping trip. aspiranetadoption.org. Local clubs collects backpacks and supplies for underprivileged youth each fall. jlsjc.org, lovetracy.org, lovemodesto.com, lovelivermore.com. Sleep Train Mattress Centers donates mattresses for foster children, in addition to doing regular donation drives for clothing, backpacks and school supplies. sleeptrain.com. Sue collects scrapbook supplies and creates Lifebooks for foster children. One neighborhood group donates to help keep at-risk youth off the streets and safe from human trafficking. streetlightusa.org. Martha donates money to help pay for diapers for foster babies. afs4kids.org.
STEPHANY & KELLY | SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY “You were birthed in my heart.”
Love and gratitude fill the hearts of Kelly and Stephany. They adamantly assert that children are a gift. Taylor, their biological daughter, came after the age when most doctors advise getting pregnant. She brought surprising and tremendous happiness to their home, beyond what they ever dreamed. So much so, that they knew their family could not be complete. They desperately wanted a second child. Month after month, for three years, disappointment took a toll. They suffered a devastating miscarriage and were unable to conceive again. Sadness began to consume Stephany. In-vitro was briefly considered, but given her age and the health risks, they chose against it. It was then that they found hope with the possibility of adoption. WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Kelly and Stephany began calling adoption agencies and were told it could easily take 18-24 months. They prepared for the long ride. But less than four months later, they received a call they will never forget. A young woman had made a difficult decision and chose them to raise her child. There is a quiet understanding of adoption that on one side is a woman’s grief and on the other, a family’s immeasurable joy. Stephany felt empathy for the birth mother making plans for the child she would give up. In 2008, Kelly and Stephany received the most selfless gift a woman could ever give. And they are forever thankful. It was as thrilling a moment to meet Quinn as it was to meet their firstborn, Taylor. Stephany was in tears and couldn’t even
speak as she looked down at the precious little babe placed in her arms by the adoption worker. There are many times when Stephany is overcome with gratitude, like when Quinn climbs up into her lap just to cuddle, and watching her two girls immerse themselves in books, dolls, and all things Disney. But, especially those times when Stephany sees that Quinn is so obviously attached to her that no one could tell they are not biologically connected. It is then that it is confirmed that children can be born in one’s heart.
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WES & MEGGE | TRACY, CA “Love doesn’t divide – it multiplies.” Adoption
was always in the hearts of Wes and Megge. Megge’s parents raised her with her five boy cousins after her aunt died, so a blended family seemed “normal” to her. After having three biological children though, the couple sensed their family was complete, and discussions of adoption dwindled. Their adult children – Beckie, Erin and Kori – had moved out, the nest was empty, and the “grandparent stage” was sure to be full of travel, knitting, crafting and leisure time. Wes and Megge had just moved to California in 2003 when they received a phone call from Child Protective Services (CPS). A relative of theirs needed to find temporary care for 10-month old twin boys. This was their fork-in-the-road moment. Would they soon be spending hours sitting on park benches playing with grandchildren, or would they offer a safe, stable, loving refuge for other children as well? 82
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Knowing they were capable, they took in Jacob and Matthew and settled into life in their new home. When it quickly became apparent that the boys could not return to their birth family, the couple began making plans to adopt them. In the meantime, they became licensed for foster care. From there, the snowball began to roll. If they were already parenting, why not take in more children? In their first year, they fostered about twenty children. In addition, the twins’ birth mother had another baby. CPS automatically asked Wes and Megge if they would keep the brothers together. Naturally, they agreed to take baby Cameron and adopted him into their permanent family along with his two older brothers and three of the children they were fostering – Sabrina, Kevin and Jocelyn.
Some of their children have special needs ranging from developmental disorders and ADHD to attachment disorders and speech delay. Their family faces multiple challenges, and Megge understands that special needs are not truly appreciated by those who don’t deal with them. She says they get through difficult days with lots of prayer, a wonderful support system and “the masseuse at Massage Envy”. People commonly ask the couple if these are their “real kids”, which ones are brothers and sisters, and if Wes and Megge have any of “their own” kids. Megge’s typical mama bear response is, “Yes, they are all my real kids. They are all brothers and sisters. These are normal kids with desires and dreams just like yours. They were part of God’s plan all along. Oh, and if you’re up for some adventure, adoption is the best place you will ever find it!”
BILL & MONIQUE | TRACY, CA “Adoption is another word for love.”
Bill and Monique were a young couple full of love they wanted to share. After six years of marriage, it was painfully determined that they would never be able to have biological children. Their dreams were crushed. About a year later, they decided to look into adopting a child. They called the San Joaquin County Human Services Agency expecting to hear about the long wait and huge expenses they would incur. They were relieved to hear about the simple process and that there were lots of children waiting to be adopted locally. In addition, a county adoption would be essentially no cost to them. Hope was restored that they might someday be parents. Six months after they started the adoption process, they received a phone call about a five month old baby girl named Cassandra. It was love at first sight, filled with laughter and tears of elation. How could they not open their hearts and open their home to this baby? Sweet Cassandra had big, brown eyes and wore a huge smile. Their family bonded immediately. Cassandra brought incredible joy and laughter to their family. Nine years later, they decided to adopt another girl. They always wanted two children and hoped their girls would be close. Bill and Monique were called about a beautiful 5-year old girl. La Rosa fit right into their family. The day she walked through their front door, she very naturally became part of their forever family. She celebrated her fifth birthday with them two weeks later. The two sisters have the same complexion and long brown curly hair, so most people don’t question them being related. Both girls being adopted has bonded them together. They have a love for each other just like biological siblings. Through adoption, Bill and Monique’s dreams came true. These precious girls are the answer to their prayers. It is unimaginable to think they almost gave up on the idea of being parents. La Rosa is now 15 years old. Her parents beam with pride as she dances and sings incessantly. There is a sweet, quiet nature about her. La Rosa is crazy about fashion, clothing and make-up. She is a social butterfly and like most teenagers, enjoys spending time with friends. Last year Cassandra graduated from high school. Her caring nature has pointed her to college to become a pediatric medical assistant. There is no doubt in her parents’ minds that this will be a perfect profession for her due to her incredible compassionate and loving heart.
CALIFORNIA ADOPTIVE/ FOSTER CARE & SUPPORT AGENCIES Many of these organizations also offer postadoption support and discussion groups, social events, community service opportunities, counseling, resource libraries, trainings, family camps, and respite services. You will never be alone on your fostering or adoption journey!
Modesto, (209) 522-5121, bethany.org CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
childsworld.ca.gov EMQ FAMILIES FIRST FOSTER & ADOPTION
Stockton, (209) 954-3000, emqff.org FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN ADOPTION & FOSTER CARE
Stockton, (916) 789-8688, families4children.com ADOPT US KIDS
adoptuskids.org ASPIRANET ADOPTION SERVICES
Stockton, (209) 478-9862, aspiranetadoption.org
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BETHANY CHRISTIAN SERVICES
FAMILY CONNECTIONS CHRISTIAN ADOPTIONS
Modesto, (209) 524-8844, fcadoptions.org LILLIPUT ADOPTIONS
Stockton, (209) 943-0530, lilliput.org
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“By far, the best results of any advertising I have done!” Tiffany Gomes of Classic Design Floor to Ceiling in Lodi chooses San Joaquin Magazine to reach her clients and get the results she needs. Isn’t it time to call San Joaquin Magazine?
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SanJoaquin T H E P R E M I E R M AG A Z I N E O F C EN T R A L VA L L E Y L I V I N G
magazine
gatsby
Great THE
BY KELLY SODERLUND
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
A SPECIAL
WEDDING SECTION
It’s time to sweep last year’s ubiquitous Rustic Elegance off the (farm) table. As this year’s Indian Summer days slowly transition into cooler ones, so too are wedding trends shifting — and Glam has come roaring back onto the scene in a big way. As in, the Roaring 20s…probably thanks to decadent scenes showcased in this spring’s visually stunning adaptation of The Great Gatsby. Luckily, this is a trend that needn’t take a movie production team to pull off. So throw on some pearls and get the big brass band jumping: it’s time to party!
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According to the industry trend monitors at theKnot.com, Great Gatsby is the #2 Wedding Trend for 2013. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you need to start raiding your grandmother’s closet (although it might provide you with the perfect “something borrowed” or “something old” piece). Any winter wedding demands a dressier, more formal motif. Luckily, the Gatsby wedding provides all the necessary glitz, sans the (tired) ornament-laden Wonderland. The current incarnation is a bit softer and more streamlined, but just as glamorous as Daisy herself. Which brings us to flowers. While succulents are still big, a Great Gatsby-themed affair calls for ferns several dipped in gold, loose and structural. 86
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HERE ARE SOME MORE TIPS FOR CREATING A GLAMOROUS 1920'S WEDDING:
Where to do it…The best place to host your Gatsby-themed wedding would no doubt be at the Grand Island Mansion in Walnut Creek or Wine and Roses in Lodi, locations that are already imbibed with grandeur, romance and a touch of opulence. The University Hotel Plaza in Stockton and Berghold Estate Winery in Lodi are options as well. Really, any location that allows for an outdoor tent and tons of white lights strung about could be transformed into one of Gatsby’s famous all night parties.
WHAT TO WEAR…
While some people might associate Gatsby with all things extravagant, the real kind of dress you should be looking for is far simpler. Look for something with a vintage touch but that keeps with a sleek and slim look. Lots of beading and stonework would be very appropriate as long as it’s not on a princess ball gown. For the bridesmaids, you can go with a little more of obvious 20s look. This would be the time to incorporate the flapper dress, if you so desire. For the men, different colored threepiece suits are a possibility. Gatsby’s famous pink suit could easily be worn by the groomsmen or the groom himself! Regardless, the dapper dude look is simply a must.
SPECIAL WEDDING SECTION
HOW TO ACCESSORIZE…
This is the most distinctive feature when it comes to the dress from the 20s. Hairpieces, hats and feathers were all the rage in the 20s and are very prominent in the recent Gatsby revival. You can even wear long opera gloves that go to the elbow and a feather boa if you’re really getting into it! For the bride, you should definitely be looking to use long strands of pearls to accessorize and jeweled hairpieces. As far as hairstyles go, look to do something with a bob or with a retro up-do. Lots of jewels and statement pieces are the way to go when it comes to accessories for the bridal party!
We’ll capture the joy while you cherish the moments.
WHAT TO SERVE…
This season also marks a return to the formal side of things when it comes to the wedding meal. Definitely plan a sit-down affair with plated dinners and golden silverware. (Noticing a gold trend? It was the Golden Age, after all.) Going local is still a huge trend right now, so try and infuse some of your best local ingredients and caterers into your meal to give your guests a taste of home! Add some of your favorite Gatsby-style glasses for the cocktails and plating. As far as drinks go, champagne bars are all the rage right now, infused with your favorite flavors. Martinis are big too-- a Gatsby staple that is basically a requisite for any 1920’s affair. If you are not a fan of a traditional martini, you can use different flavorings that complement those served at the champagne bar. You could also serve scotch and whisky for a slightly more mature touch. When it comes to food, you’ll want to serve mini hors d’oeuvres for appetizers and then something much more seafood-based, such as lobster, for your main course. For white meat, serve something a little gamey, such as rabbit or duck. For desserts, serve anything you want as long as it is a miniature version-- mini cakes and macaroons are, ironically, huge!
TIPS FOR CREATING A 1920's LOOK (from OneWed.com)
Celebrate the beginning of your journey at the Doubletree Hotel, Modesto. Ideal for wedding settings from small, intimate ceremonies to large, lavish celebrations accommodating up to 1200 guests. Offering 49,000 sq. feet of unique indoor and outdoor venues to create the wedding of your dreams.
If you’re trying to get as close as you can to authenticity and your hair is long, wear it in a styled chignon. A hairstylist will know how to add dramatic rolls and Marcelling (deep waves). If your hair is short, try to get it going into a bob. Again, good hairstylists can “Marcelle” or style it to really look like you’ve been time traveling through the 20s. Also, great hairstyling lays the perfect canvas for adding just the right headpiece or veil.
• Veils and hats tended to be worn across or low on the forehead, as in some of the images above and below. • The 1920s were the decade of the dropped waist that sat either on the hips or fell into no waistline at all, found in the shift and chemise styles. • Zero in on accessories that polish off your look like long ropes of pearls you can tie, knotted or fringed shawls, and cloche hats. • Look for beautiful workmanship. Though the standard 1920s silhouette didn’t flatter every shape of woman, it was indeed an era known for incredible detailing on clothing like intricate smocking and hand embroidery, lace insets, pleats, draping, etc.
Please contact our wedding specialist at
209.525.3039
1150 9th St., Modesto, CA • modesto.doubletree.com WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
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SPECIAL WEDDING SECTION
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Simple, Relaxed, Romantic. Dodasa Ranch is designed to be a destination venue that’s conveniently close to home and offers a variety of activities that will make your rehearsal dinner, wedding, and day-after brunch a one-of-a-kind experience. We have all inclusive packages to make planning a breeze. Up to 100 guests can sleep comfortably in the various guest cabins, cottage house, and charming ranch house. Just a short drive from the valley…..come experience Dodasa Ranch.
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getaway
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EASTERN SIERRAS
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
BY DON AND ANN JACKSON
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
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getaway
EASTERN SIERRAS
As many times as we’ve visited Yosemite, we never ventured over Tioga Pass within the park to the Eastern Sierras. Big mistake! When we’ve visited the Western Sierras, usually in late fall or winter, this scenic highway east has been closed to traffic. Other times, when it was open, we just blew it off! Never again! The spectacular vistas we experienced traveling east over Tioga Pass Road enhanced our appreciation for Yosemite when we thought we had already reached the limits of our affection. The views from Olmsted Point and along Tenaya Lake and the Tuolumne River were practically inspirational. Other recommended stops are Tuolumne Meadows and Tuolumne Grove. And more importantly, the trip introduced us to the spectacular splendors of the Eastern Sierras, Mammoth recreational area and the region’s remarkably gorgeous lakes. Even 92
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
though forest fires occasionally plague the Sierras, the awe-inspiring beauty shall always return as Mother Nature invokes her restorative powers. www.yosemitepark.com Our first stop after crossing Tioga Pass into Eastern Sierra country was the town of Lee Vining, on the western edge of Mono Lake. Lee Vining is home to the remarkably well-known Whoa Nellie Deli, located in a very upscale gas station. Yes, you read that right. One of the most popular dining spots in the Eastern Sierras is in a GAS STATION! The day we were there, a wedding rehearsal dinner was scheduled that night. A rehearsal dinner in a gas station was definitely a first for us, but apparently not for Whoa Nellie. www. whoanelliedeli.com; www.leevining.com. Mono Lake is one of the most unusual lakes anywhere on our planet, mainly due to the geologically unique tufa towers ris-
DEVILS POSTPILE NATIONAL MONUMENT
ing above the water. These stalagmite-like rock formations resulting from petrified spring water mineral deposits have been forming for hundreds of years, giving the lake an eerie moon-like appearance. It’s also one of North America’s premier bird watching destinations. www.monolake.org A few miles north of Mono is Bodie State Historic Park, one of the best ‘preserved in decay’ and non-commercial mining ghost towns in the West. The town includes over 160 buildings, some with original furnishings as if frozen in time. It is now known as California’s official ghost town and was really much more interesting than any ghost town we’d ever visited. Frankly, we were mistakenly not too excited about visiting Lee Vining, Mono or Bodie but did so at someone’s suggestion. We are now wholeheartedly recommending them as ‘should sees’ to friends, family and readers because of their unique tourism features. www.bodie.com Heading back south, our next stopover was in the beautiful June Lake area. We stayed at the highly regarded Double Eagle Resort and Spa nestled in a WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
stunning wooded setting with awesome mountain views. Their luxury hotel-type accommodations are worthy of four-star status and are perfect for those seeking a romantic escape. Their cabins, although less luxurious, are much larger, come equipped with full kitchens and fireplaces, and are perfect for families or fishermen seeking more practicality. The critically acclaimed spa at Double Eagle has received national kudos and deservedly so. The spa’s ambience, utilizing a plethora of western antiques and accent pieces, is strikingly unique. Dining in their Eagle’s Nest restaurant was exceptional for both breakfast and dinner and their heated indoor pool was a welcome treat. One of the best family features is a fully stocked trout pond on property that is free to guests if you bring your own poles. A catch and release policy is in effect. The kids will LOVE it! For complete details: www.DoubleEagle.com. Other recommendations for your stay in the June area would include: a scenic drive around the June Lake loop; breakfast at the funky Silver Lake Resort Café-a local favorite; and a boat ride and/or fishing on Silver, June or Gull Lake. R.V. spaces, boat rentals and rustic cabins are also available at Silver Lake Resort from April to mid-October. www.silverlakeresort.net. Driving further south to our last destination of the Mammoth Lakes area was full of wonderful surprises. Mammoth is probably Southern California residents’ favorite skiing and snowboarding area but is more difficult to reach for northern California snow lovers during winter sports season. Limited or no air service and highway pass closings are the major factors. But late spring, summers and early fall are perfect times for our readers to head to Mammoth. World renowned fishing, incredible hiking, rock climbing and off-road mountain biking await your visit, as well as championship golf and horseback riding. When we arrived in early June, there were very few tourists and virtually no traffic. We understand from late June to Labor Day the tourism crowds escalate, but believe us the scenic wonders are absolutely worth it at any time. We had a very pleasant stay at the moderately priced Village Lodging’s Grand Sierra Lodge, a condominium hotel in the heart of the ‘village’.
Another lodging property to consider is the dazzling new four star Westin Monache Resort, the premier hotel in the Mammoth area. Dining in their restaurant, Whitebark, is a culinary adventure and should garner rave reviews from critics and diners alike. www.westin.com/mammoth Our personal favorite activities in the Mammoth area were our hikes to the strangely curious Devils Postpile National Monument, awe-inspiring Rainbow Falls, the scalding geothermal Hot Creek Geological Site and the infamous Convict Lake. Our drives around Lake Mary, Twin Lakes and Horseshoe Lake provided more indelible memories.
SNOWBORDER AT MAMMOTH LAKES
BOTTOM LINE: We can’t wait to return to the Eastern Sierras
and we recommend that our readers consider planning a trip there soon!
FOR COMPLETE INFO ON ACTIVITIES, EVENTS, LODGING, DINING, ETC. NEAR MAMMOTH GO TO:
www.mammothmountain.com or www.visitmammoth.com. EDITOR’S NOTE:
Next month our roving travel team will be writing about their recent unforgettable experiences in Washington D.C and nearby U.S Presidential estates.
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In-Home Care Services Based in and serving San Joaquin County since 2001. FREE In-Home Assessment Personalized Service Tailored to Individual Needs Customizable Schedule
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GoodLife THE
P L A N N I N G
F O R
R E T I R E M E N T
G U I D E
A SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Throughout their lives, your parents have worked hard to raise you, to provide for the family, and through thick and thin, they’ve always been there for you. But now you’re an adult, and it’s finally their time to kick back, relax, and celebrate the golden years—after all, they’ve earned it. Our Good Life Guide is a great way to help your parents make the most of their retirement. From dependable financial advisors and personal trainers, to beautiful apartments and the area’s top healthcare professionals, our local senior resources will give you the tools to make sure your loved ones are truly living the good life!
Resources to Ease into Retirement and Care for Aging Parents WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
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SENIOR LIVING
FEATURE | TECH-SAVVY SENIORS
SENIORSAND 96
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
TE
CHNOLOGY BY KELLY SODERLUND
When we think of senior activities, stereotypical images of knitting, bingo or sing-a-longs may come to mind. But the times, they are a-changing and none too soon to enhance the quality of life for this generation of senior citizens.
The fact is, according to Nielsen Wire, from 20042009 the number of seniors using the Internet increased by more than 55 percent. Even more interesting, users ages 74 and older are the fastest growing demographic on Facebook. Contrary to the stereotypes, computers, social networks, email and even video games are becoming essential parts of older peoples’ lives. This is a bandwagon worth getting on because learning to use new technologies may provide a multitude of benefits, such as reducing depression by 20 percent for the elderly, according to the Phoenix Center. Getting online enables aging adults to connect with others at a time in life when mobility is limited. Tech-savvy seniors can have better relationships with long-distance family and friends through videocalls, emails and photo sharing. Plus, activities like checking out the latest news and researching areas of interest keeps the mind active and the individual engaged in life. And don’t forget about love; according to the AARP, various studies have found that older adults are the fastest growing segment of online-dating services. Fortunately, technology companies have recognized this growing opportunity and are providing a nice array of products geared towards the senior market. One of the best is the Apple iPad. Though not specifically designed for seniors, with its lightweight, high-resolution expandable touchpad screen, big keys WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
and ease of use, it’s a fabulous tool for both information and entertainment. More and more seniors are using the iPad for chatting with friends and family, setting up photo albums, watching videos, and exploring the online world. Screen reflection can present a problem for some, however anti-glare screens are readily available to circumvent this issue. For the bookworm, eldergadget.com—a fantastic website that reviews gadgets from the perspective of seniors—recommends the Kindle, reasoning “It’s the smallest, lightest and all the integration makes it very easy to use. You can take it ANYWHERE. Plus the idea of not having to worry about charging it for a month is fantastic. You can [also] read it in very bright sunlight.” Still, they recommend the iPad over the Kindle, because although more costly, the keys are larger and it provides more overall versatility. Many other companies are offering communications’ products that feature simple graphics, large type and real names, such PawPawMail’s email service for computer users and Microsoft’s Big Screen Live, which simplifies its standard interface. A hand-held device called Peek makes sending and receiving email messages super easy, and a cellphone by Jitterbug boasts large, easy-to-read buttons and displays, and even an operator who will dial calls for you. Of course, this is just the beginning. As seniors become increasingly comfortable with today’s technology, they will set up special interest communities on Facebook, express their opinions on Twitter, play bridge games online with friends across the country, communicate with their doctors on iChat, travel virtually to faraway places, and publish their own photo or family history albums from the comfort of their (proverbial, and possibly virtual) rocking chairs. Welcome to the New Old Age.
12
FACTS ABOUT SENIORS AND TECHNOLOGY*
ONE: 53 percent of seniors 65 and older use the Internet or email.
TWO: Most online seniors (70%) use the Internet daily.
THREE: The top three devices for those 65 years and older are cell phones, desktop or laptop computer, and an iPod or MP3 player.
FOUR: 7 in 10 seniors own a cell phone. However, only 12 percent of seniors have smartphones.
FIVE: 61 percent of seniors 57 to 65-years-old text. While 41 percent of 66 to 74-year-olds text. SIX: 48 percent of online seniors 65 and older use email every day. SEVEN: 1 in 3 online seniors use social networking sites. EIGHT: 17 percent of people 65 and older are on Twitter
NINE: 11 percent are on LinkedIn TEN: 4 percent are on Pinterest ELEVEN: 4 percent are on Instagram TWELVE: 1 percent on Tumblr *source: dosomething.org SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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assisted living & memory care community
Moments that matter
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SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
SAN JOAQUIN GOOD LIFE GUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
THE SAN JOAQUIN
GOOD LIFE
RESOURCE DIRECTORY Plan ahead for retirement with our guide to local services, communities, and options for the most important time in life. n ASTORIA GARDENS ASSISTED LIVING & MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY
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Helping Families Cherish Life AseraCare Hospice® provides quality, compassionate care when you need it most. Our family-centered, holistic approach ensures that the needs and wishes of our patients and their families are met when faced with life-limiting illness. Our services include: • • • •
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Aseracare Hospice focuses resources to serve the emotional, spiritual and physical needs of the associates, patients and families with a sense of compassion, urgency and customer service. We preserve the dignity at end of life for our patients and families so that no one will ever reach the end of life in pain or alone. We create a culture that is dedicated to the alleviation of human suffering which finds expression through the ongoing gentle act of kindness, sympathy and compassion. Aseracare Hospice serves, educates and supports the local communities and referral sources as to the benefits, dignity and nobility of end of life care. AseraCare Hospice-Stockton 2529 W. March Lane, Stockton (209) 474-8349, AseraCare.com
n VIENNA NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTER
Vienna Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lodi combines a compassionate team of experienced caregivers and a modern facility to provide the finest in skilled nursing and rehabilitation services. Locally owned and operated since 1967, this 150-bed facility near Lodi Memorial Hospital features 24-hour registered nursing care. The new Vienna rehabilitation center—offering physical, occupational and speech therapy—is open six days a week for inpatient therapy and five days a week for outpatient services. The new, 3,000+ sq. ft. rehabilitation center features a gymnasium, flat screen TVs, and the latest in rehabilitation therapy. Visit anytime to meet administrator Corey Wright and his long-time staff and learn about Vienna’s activities, dining program, and allinclusive rates. Vienna Nursing and Rehabilitation 800 South Ham Lane, Lodi (209) 368-7141, ViennaNursingRehab.com
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(888) 903-5182 (888) 693-7796 (888) 693-7796 333-8033 (888)(209) 693-7796 Emeritus at Fulton Villa
Emeritus EmeritusatatAustin AustinGardens Gardens Emeritus at Austin Gardens Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s & Memory Care, Alzheimer’s & Memory Care, Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Alzheimer’s & Memory Care,Short Short Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Alzheimer’s Memory Care, ShortRehabilitation Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Short& Stay/Respite, On-Site 2150 2150WWKettleman KettlemanLane, Lane,Lodi Lodi #397002728 2150Lic.Lic. W Kettleman Lane,Stockton Lodi 517 E Fulton Street, #397002728 Lic. #397000370 Lic. #397002728
(888) (888)903-5182 903-5182 (209) 835-1000 (888) 484-9838 (888) 903-5182 Emeritus FultonVilla Villa Emeritus atatFulton Emeritus at Heritage PlaceAlzheimer’s Emeritus at Fulton Villa Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s & & Memory Memory Care, Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s & Memory Care, Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s & Memory Care, ShortStay/Respite, Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Short On-Site Rehabilitation Short Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Short517 Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation 517EEFulton Fulton Street, Stockton Street, Stockton #397000370 Lic.Lic. #397000370 W Grant Line Road, Tracy 517 E355 Fulton Street, Stockton Lic. #397003261 Lic. #397000370
www.Emeritus.com
(888)484-9838 484-9838 (888) Emeritus HeritagePlace Place (888) 484-9838 Emeritus atatHeritage Retirement Living,Assisted Assisted Living,Alzheimer’s Alzheimer’s & & Memory Memory Care, Care, Retirement Living, Living, Emeritus at Heritage Place ShortStay/Respite, Stay/Respite,On-Site On-SiteRehabilitation Rehabilitation Short Retirement Living, Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s & Memory Care, 355WWGrant Grant LineRoad, Road, Tracy Line Tracy Short355 Stay/Respite, On-Site Rehabilitation Lic. #397003261 Lic.100 #397003261 SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013 355 W Grant Line Road, Tracy Lic. #397003261
www.Emeritus.com www.Emeritus.com
www.Emeritus.com
SAN JOAQUIN GOOD LIFE GUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
n OCW ENGAGING AND ENRICHING!
Living at O’Connor Woods Retirement Community is an engaging, enriching experience! Although our campus is beautiful…filled with century old oak trees and walking paths...living here is about a lifestyle that most say they wish they had chosen much earlier.Residents enjoy beautiful apartments and cottages, designed with full kitchens, washers/dryers, and complemented by an array of services included in the affordable monthly fee. Additionally, they may choose to partake in a multitude of life enrichment programs, events and activities… running the gamut from stimulating trips and outings, to on-campus lecture series (affiliated with the university), to clubs and themed celebrations. 3400 Wagner Heights Rd. Stockton, (209) 956-3400
n ARBOR PLACE ASSISTED LIVING
Arbor Place Assisted Living, Lic #297004352, is located at 17 Louie Ave., Lodi, CA 95420. An assisted living center for the senior community, Arbor Place is committed to providing the highest quality of care with compassionate staff 24 hours a day. We understand the varying needs of your loved one and offer three levels of care that address each individual’s particular needs. Our home environment and intimate setting provide a comfortable atmosphere, and our daily activities and social functions offer carefree enjoyment for our residents. We invite you to tour our facility and experience why Arbor Place is the assisted living center of choice. Arbor Place Assisted Living 17 Louie Avenue Lodi, (209) 369-8282 Respect for Individual Preferences is a Service Mark of Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA. ®Reg. U.S. Patent and TM Office.
n ARBOR NURSING CENTER
Arbor Nursing Center in Lodi was awarded the Clinical Excellence Award for 2010! They exceeded Quality of Care in 4 Clinical categories EVERY month in the year 2010! Arbor Nursing Center is centrally located in the quiet northern part of town. A few minutes from downtown, a few blocks from H.W. 99 and only 5 minutes from Lodi Memorial Hospital and our Doctor’s offices. Their 149 bed family facility provides some Private Rooms, Private Dinning and Private Family room all located on the Terrace Unit. In addition their semi-rooms have views of one of two different large outdoor patios. The state-of the-art Therapy gym with full windows on three sides and access to one of the patios creates a very enjoyable atmosphere. Please come by for a visit and receive a complimentary gift from us. Have a very Happy & Healthy Holiday Season. “We are Family Serving Families”. Arbor Nursing Center 900 North Church Street Lodi, (209) 333-1222
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ARBOR
ARBOR PLACE
900 North Church Street Lodi, CA 95240
17 Louie Ave • Lodi, CA 95240
NURSING CENTER
ASSISTED LIVING 209.369.8282
209.333.1222
www.arborplaceresidential.com License #397004353
www.arbornursingcenter.com
We want to thank all the Staff at Arbor Nursing Center & Arbor Place, our Community Business Partners, Families & Friends. Thank You! We continue to be “Family Serving Families.”
THE AWARDS RECEIVED FOR 2012: Tyah Petersen, Arbor’s Administrator was promoted to CEO Designation Chairman’s Award 2012 1 of 2 received out of 57 Facilities in Covenant Care Innovation Award for The Care Alliance 2012 Therapy Operational Excellence Award 2012 Operational Excellence Award 2011 & 2012 Clinical Excellence Award 2010, 2011 & 2012
Congratulations to our new Medical Director AnnieMarie M. Santos, M.D., F.A.A.F.P.
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“From our Family to Yours, Happy & Healthy Holidays!
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
SAN JOAQUIN GOOD LIFE GUIDE
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
n VISITING ANGELS
It is stressful being a caregiver for a loved one, no matter how much you care for them. There can be a significant amount of disruption to your life, as well as the worry and sorrow of watching the one you love become more needy. There can also be feelings of frustration, guilt, and hopelessness. Ways to combat the stress of elderly care include maintaining your health, staying organized, and getting professional help. Maintaining your personal health helps deal with the stress of elderly care. Getting proper nutrition, rest, and exercise allows for your stable physical and mental health. Neglecting your health will lead to emotional exhaustion, depression, and illness. You must stay organized and aware of the details of the loved one’s care. You should be educated about legal matters, finances, and have knowledge of their medical condition. This helps the care process move smoothly so that you do not become overwhelmed with logistics. Allowing yourself assistance and support is critical to managing stress when caring for someone. Seek additional help from professionals, community resources, or support groups. Visiting Angels is the premier provider of in- home care that can provide the professional support you need. Their professional and caring staff offers a full range of services to help your loved one. They provide respite for family members with services like meal preparation, housekeeping, hygiene assistance, shopping, transportation services and companionship.
For more information on why Visiting Angels is “Americas Choice in Homecare” please contact their office at (209) 952-3585
Visiting Angels® is the premium provider of in-home care services for Stockton, Tracy and the surroundings areas!
• FREE In-Home Care Assessment • On-Call Coordinators 24/7 • Immediate response to scheduling needs • Comprehensive Personal Care • Medication Reminders • Light Housekeeping • Meal Preparation • Errands/Shopping • Joyful Companionship • Day or Night, Live-in or Live-out care • Temporary Long term Care • Weekends/Holidays • Respite for Family Caregivers • Flexible Schedules
EMPLOYEE BASED • SCREENED • BONDED • INSURED
NOW SERVING THE TRACY MARKET Call today for your FREE, no obligation assessment performed by a licensed LVN
209-952-3585 www.jmhomecare.com
n THE SENIOR'S CHOICE
Since establishment in 2001 by Phalin Klusman, The Senior’s Choice has provided in-home care services to the disabled and senior members of San Joaquin County and beyond. This has allowed our clients to continue living at home while being safely cared for. The services provided by our “Caregivers” may be Homemaker or Personal Care type assistance. While our services are not Home Health nursing, Physical Therapy or Hospice, we do support and compliment these medical services by having our caregivers available up to 24/7 if needed. The Senior’s Choice has qualified as a “Certified Home Care Aide Organization” from the California Association for Health Services at Home (cahsah.org).
Wagner Heights now has 7 day a week physician coverage
The Senior’s Choice 1806 W. Kettleman Lane, Suite L Lodi, (209)369-7712 seniorschoice@sbcglobal.net www.seniorschoiceoflodi.com
A Legacy of Caring and Compassion
n COMMUNITY HOSPICE
We Offer: • State of the art Accelerated Care Plus Therapy Equipment • Therapeutic Modalities used by Professional Sports Teams • Home Evaluation prior to Discharge • Transportation Available • Outpatient Therapy • Private Rooms • Therapy offered 7 days a week
Serving the Central Valley since 1979, Community Hospice provides compassionate care, comfort and support to terminally ill patients and their families, regardless of ability to pay. Care extends to over 260 patients every day in private homes, skilled nursing facilities and at the sixteen-room Alexander Cohen Hospice House. Community Hospice also provides bereavement and grief support to anyone in the community. For more information, please call (209) 4776300 or visit www.hospiceheart.org. Community Hospice (209) 477-6300, hospiceheart.org
“Call us for a personal tour of our premier facility” 9289 Branstetter Pl. • Stockton 209.477.5252 • www.WagnerHeights.com
“We are Family Serving Families” WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
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ga er toge er and
thanksgiving S H A R E A WA R M A N D I N T I M AT E G AT H E R I N G O F Y O U R FA M I LY A N D F R I E N D S A S O U R AWA R D W I N N I N G C U I S I N E I S S E R V E D FA M I LY- S T Y L E AT Y O U R TA B L E W I T H G R A C I O U S S E R V I C E
NOVEMBER 28 TRADITIONAL THANKSGIVING MENU WITH DESSERT BUFFET WINE & ROSES GARDEN BALLROOM Seatings between 1pm and 3:30pm $55 per adult, $25 ages 6 – 12, and $5 under 5 years
C e l e b r at e n e w y e a r ’ s e v e with wine & roses
and
DECEMBER 31 Featuring live music from high energy band C R O SSTOW N 5 PA S TA C H E F A C T I O N S TAT I O N W O K C H E F A C T I O N S TAT I O N D E C A D E N T D E S S E R T S TAT I O N PA R T Y FAV O R S & P H O T O B O O T H C H A M PA G N E T O A S T AT M I D N I G H T WINE & ROSES GARDEN BALLROOM 9pm - 1am, $85 per person N E W Y E A R ’ S H OT E L PAC K AG E - $ 3 6 5 * New Year’s Eve night stay in a King Guest Room Champagne for two in guest room 2 Tickets to Celebrate New Year’s Eve at W&R New Year’s Day Breakfast for two in the Towne House Restaurant
T O W N E H O U S E R E S TA U R A N T
*Plus tax and resort fee. Restrictions may apply, see website for details
Breakfast 8am-11am (Open Menu) Dinner 1pm to 7pm (Open Limited Menu)
R E S E R VAT I O N S , 2 0 9 . 3 7 1 . 6 1 1 7 O R sales@winerose.com
Lounge Open All Day R E S E R VAT I O N S : 209.371.6160 or online at
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loditownehouse.com
2 5 0 5 W. t u r n e r r o a d , l o d i , c a l i f o r n i a 104
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winerose.com
food&wine DINING | REVIEWS | WINE | SPIRITS
BY RODRIC J. HURDLE-BRADFORD PHOTOS MATT FRANCIS
BEING BUENO: ITALIAN CAFÉ IS HOME TO FAMILY HISTORY AND DELICIOUS FARE
Italian home-cooked food has become a generic term in the restaurant industry, thanks to several national chains that have diluted this dining experience. However, for Bueno Italiano Café, capturing an authentic Italian dining experience is a reality, thanks to the matriarch of the family.
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FOOD SPOTLIGHT
“My mother is the matriarch of the family and she is one of the owners, along with me and my daughter,” says Sara Randall about their Italian café on Kettleman Lane in Lodi. “My paternal grandmother is from Caraglio in northern Italy, and that is where we get the recipes.” Her mother, Barbara Coldani, is in her eighties and owned a restaurant with her father in the 1950s that was a hotspot for local farmers. “My father tended bar and my mom did all the cooking,” says Randall. “I wasn’t born yet but it still had a profound influence on me.” That influence led to the launch of Bueno Italiano Café in the Bella Terra Plaza two years ago. Because of their location on a rooftop patio - the only Lodi restaurant with such a spot - Randall calls the restaurant “Lodi’s best kept secret.” The secret lies in the Depression-era food and
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recipes that resonate with older guests. “They can tell everything we make is authentic and made from scratch,” says Randall. “This has allowed us to have a following of older-generation Italians who say the food reminds them of their parents, grandparents and great grandparents.” Because of their northern Italian roots, Bueno Italiano Café uses its homemade brown gravy sauce instead of the red sauce found in southern Italy. “Everyone leaves here full,” says Randall. “Word of mouth has spread, and it has helped us out a lot.” Their signature dish is the eggplant parmesan, a tough recipe to successfully execute. “Our eggplant is cooked properly; it is not bitter or too soft - we perfected it,” says Randall. “It is all about how you prep and cook it to achieve the taste we have perfected.” Another signature dish is the lasagna, made Old World Italian style, not the commercial American style that most people are familiar with. This is what has helped draw such a loyal base of older clientele. “Our lasagna is simply made with five ingredients,” says Randall. “They did not have ricotta cheese during the depression when they made these recipes.” The lasagna includes a meat sauce, jack cheese and a lasagna noodle. It is also offered as a ‘take and bake’ item. “A lot of seniors like this option so they can bring it home to eat over time,” says Randall. For guests who desire lighter fare, Bueno Italiano Café offers an extensive sandwich menu, highlighted by a Seafood Melt. The Seafood
Melt features Albacore tuna mixed with olive oil and broiled with mild parmesan cheese. The open faced sandwich is served with avocado and tomato on thick slices of Texas toast. Other sandwiches include All-Grown-Up Grilled Cheese, the Turkey Gobbler and the Pesto Chicken BLT. “Our food is very fulfilling,” says Randall. “So our desserts-to-go items are very popular. We have a clientele that comes in for the dessert and our café, which offers a totally different experience.” A highlight of the dessert menu is the Nutter Butter milkshake, peanut butter decorated with a Nutter Butter cookie on top. Pie fans love the apricot and apple pie, while the pumpkin muffin is perfect for the current fall season. Aside from the stellar food, the unique rooftop patio has allowed Bueno Italian Café to double its clientele in less than two years, while hosting everything from weddings to baby showers to wedding rehearsal dinners. “A lot of people initially come for our ambiance, then they experience our excellent menu,” says Randall. “We get a lot of restaurant owners in as guests, and that is always the ultimate compliment.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
BUENO ITALIANO CAFÉ 1110 W Kettleman Lane, Lodi (209) 369-1446
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WINE PICKS
L OCAL L ODI THIS MONTH'S PICKS FROM THE LODI WINE AND VISITOR CENTER
Lodi is quickly becoming known as the source of more “alternative” wine grapes than any other region in the world because of its moderate Mediterranean climate and rich yet porous, vine friendly soils. Simply put, you can grow anything here – it’s like heaven to Vitis vinifera. Therefore, it should also come as no surprise that the oldest continuously farmed vineyard in Lodi is not planted to Zinfandel, but to a grape called Cinsaut: found in the Bechthold Vineyard, originally planted in 1886 by Joseph Spenker. Cinsaut is grown throughout its native France, and is used almost exclusively (in blends with Grenache) to produce the most eponymous of Southern F r e n c h wines – dry rosé. From the cafés of Paris to the beaches of the Riviera, the French drink pink wines like water. The 25-acre Bechthold Vineyard is now owned by Wanda Woock Bechthold, Joseph Spenker’s great granddaughter. Wanda’s husband, Al Bechthold, farmed these Cinsaut vines for close to 35 years, before turning over vineyard management to their neighbors at Phillips Farms (the agricultural arm of Michael David Winery). Al would still be farming these ancient vines today, but the bones in his 84-year old body no longer allow it. Even more amazing is the fact that, just 10 years ago, these vines came perilously close to being pulled up and replanted with more commercial varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. Wanda was seriously considering it, since Mr. Bechthold
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Lodi’s oldest vineyard produces better wines than ever. BY RANDY CAPAROSO Exclusive to San Joaquin Magazine
was getting ready to hang it up and the grapes were being sold for a pittance. Luckily, the Bechtholds’ Cinsaut was suddenly “rediscovered” by contemporary style wineries such as Bonny Doon, Turley Wine Cellars, Michael David, and about a half-dozen others. Jillian Johnson – the former winemaker of Bonny Doon, and now the owner/winemaker of Onesta Wines – has more experience working with Bechthold than anyone else. If they could get it, the 2012 Onesta Bechthold Vineyard Lodi Cinsault Rosé ($18) would be a French rosé lover’s wet dream: a delicately pink wine bursting with strawberry guava-like fruit and suggestions of drippy white peach; bone dry, yet soft, lush, creamy, almost voluptuously textured in the mouth, finishing smooth as a Stephen Curry stroke. Although Cinsaut is a black skinned grape, its combination of typically large berries and fairly thin skin is the reason why the French never use this grape to make stand-alone red wines. But there are no Cinsaut plantings of nearly the age and quality of Bechthold in France: in Lodi, these 127-year old vines produce gorgeously deep flavored red wines, albeit with the soft textural qualities of thinner skinned red wine grapes. This is what makes red wines like the 2011 Onesta Bechthold Vineyard Lodi Cinsault ($28) so rare, even exotic – a living, palpable museum piece. It typically comes across with the delicacy of a Pinot Noir, the wild berry character of Zinfandel, and the subtle spice reminiscent of a Grenache Noir. The wine is teeming with compelling fruit qualities than Johnson likens to strawberry and brown kitchen spiced rhubarb pie. “Bechthold,” says Johnson, “is a magical vineyard. It may be something of a miracle that it survived all these years, but the vines are healthier than ever, and the wines we are producing from it just keep getting better and better each year.” So it should come as no surprise, even to future generations, if this vineyard continues to thrive – and outlast us all!
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
Randy Caparoso is the multi-award winning sommelier/restaurateur and longtime wine journalist who pens the blog for the Lodi Winegrape Commission’s lodiwine.com.
Wine Tours & Tastings
The Lodi winemaking industry has enjoyed tremendous expansion in the last decade. The land devoted to vineyards has increased from 46,000 acres in 1996 to nearly 100,000 today. Now the region produces more fine wine than Napa and Sonoma combined! The Lodi appellation is proudly blowing away the mists of anonymity that have shrouded local wines, allowing them to bask in the sunshine of worldwide recognition. We invite you to take a short ride and discover Lodi Wine Country for yourself.
112 West Pine Street • Lodi
209.365.6622
Wed-Thurs: 3pm - 10pm Friday: 3pm - 12am Saturday: 12pm - 12am Sunday: 12pm - 4pm
scan code & meet our winemaker
Lodi Wine and Visitor Center 2545 West Turner Road Lodi, CA 95242 (209) 365-0621 Klinker Brick Winery 15887 N. Alpine Road Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 333-1845 klinkerbrickwinery.com Harney Lane Winery 9010 E. Harney Ln. Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 365-1900 harneylane.com
‘Best Tasting Room & Winery’ -The Records Best of San Joaquin 2012 & 2013
Featured Wineries:
Heritage Oak – McCay Cellars Benson Ferry – Vicarmont
tasting room open daily 11:00am-5:00pm 340 w. hwy 12, lodi, ca 209.334.5722 www.vrwinery.com
Van Ruiten Family 340 W. Highway 12 Lodi, CA 95242 (209) 334-5722 vanruitenwinery.com Lodi Wine Cellars 112 W. Pine Street Lodi, CA 95240 (209) 365.6622 lodiwinecellars.com Lucas Winery 18196 N. Davis Road Lodi, CA 95242 (209) 368-2006 lucaswinery.com Woodbridge Uncorked 18911 N. Lower Sacramento Road Woodbridge, CA 95258 (209) 365-7575 woodbridgeuncorked.com Macchia Winery 7099 E. Peltier Road Acampo, CA 95220 (209) 333-2600 macchiawines.com
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food&wine
WINERY OF THE MONTH
VINO CULTURE
BY LINDSEY RODRIAN
Home to 2013’s “Best Zinfandel in the State of California,” Macchia prides themselves on making the best wine for the best price. Specializing in Zinfandels and Italians, the well-balanced, big and bold flavors that fill their bottles are awardwinning. A family-owned business, Tim and Lani Holdener and their two oldest children, Tanya and Jonathan, passionately submerge themselves in every aspect of their business. As Tim and Jonathan create each wine, Lani and Tanya develop a cozy environment for each sip. Embodying their Italian name, Macchia (“the spot”), their winery and wine club mirrors the bold and beautiful characteristics of their product. “My husband is just great at what he does,” smiles Lani. And others agree. Tim’s wines of 2011 including the Petite Sirah “Rebellious”, Zinfandel “Mischievous” and Zinfandel “Ambitious” all received Gold “Best of Class” at the California State Fair. Bringing home the Double Gold, yet again, was their 2011 Zinfandel, “Adventurous” which received Double Gold, Best of California, “Best of Class.” And, it doesn’t stop there. Macchia’s 2009 Port “Dangerous” was crowned a Double Gold “Best of Show” at the El Dorado City Fair. Their winery is full of many other “Double Golds” and “Best of Class” including the 2011 Sangiovese “Amorous” and Serious Old Vine Wine. In addition to this impressive list, Macchia’s Italian varietals have gained international recognition, and their Barberas have been named best outside of Italy. 110
Wine lovers, unite! Macchia offers two types of wine club memberships. Both clubs offer amazing discounts on their awardwinning wines and access to their Library and Reserve wines. New to the wine club is an expansion of a VIP area. This outdoor, earthy style area is calming and welcoming. Enjoy the tranquility of cracking wood in the fireplace as you sip on rich, textured flavors. This winery is muti-layered. From the sophistication of their production and the warm, welcoming atmosphere, to their fun and creative parties, Macchia has created quite a reputation. Come enjoy all of their personality and charm on November 23rd and 24th from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. “Kickin’ it with Macchia” is their upcoming themed “crazy shoe party”- It is the perfect place to start your relationship with this winery. The fall release party will feature awardwinning wines, new releases, live music by the “Vine Dawgz”, bocce ball, horseshoes and every other appropriate party accompaniment. Dig through your closet to find your craziest shoes because a prize will be awarded!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
MACCHIA
7099 E. Peltier Road, Acampo (209) 333-2600 MacchiaWines.com
SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY: OAK FARM VINEYARDS
Making Memories at Macchia
18911 N. Lower Sacramento Rd. (Downtown Woodbridge)
209.365.7575
www.woodbridgeuncorked.com
Join us as we celebrate the upcoming holiday season! Ladies Night Out - December 4th; 4-5pm Holiday Open House - December 7th; 11-5pm Open Thursday through Monday 11-5pm
9010 E. HARNEY LANE, LODI, CA 209.365.1900 HARNEYLANE.COM WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
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IN SEASON PUMPKIN & SQUASH
KEY LIMES BY KIMBERLY STREDNEY
Key limes are often confused with their larger, greener counterparts that are found in most grocery stores today, Persian limes. But Key limes (also known as Mexican or West Indies limes) are smaller – think golf or Ping-Pong ball – and rounder in shape with a yellowish tint to their thinner skin. Although many mistakenly believe Key limes come from the Florida Keys, they are actually thought to have originated in North Africa and the Near East, having made their way to Florida via Palestine, Mediterranean Europe and Haiti through Arab and European traders and settlers. This type of lime flourished in an area where soil had been depleted by hurricane damage, so in the 112
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early 1900s Floridians switched from pineapple commercial crops to Key limes. Business boomed until a later hurricane destroyed the lime groves, and they were unable be restored. Today, most Key limes come from Mexico. The juice of this tart fruit is most commonly used in meat and fish marinades and is the main ingredient in the signature Key lime pie. Due to geographical growing limitations, however, the fruit is not often readily available outside of Florida and California; many pies are actually made using the juice of Persian limes instead. One alternative that is carried in many grocery stores today is bottled Key lime juice.
While opinions differ on what constitutes a traditional Key lime pie recipe – eggs or no eggs, whipped cream or meringue, graham cracker or pastry crust – two rules are held sacred for Key West locals when it comes to making the dessert. True Key lime pies should be a creamy yellow color – never green, and they should always be made with sweetened condensed milk as opposed to regular. (Milk was unavailable in the Florida Keys until the 1930s when the overseas highway was opened, and trucks were finally able to deliver ice to island residents.) In 2006, Key lime pie became the official pie of Florida.
KEY LIME PIE 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick butter) melted 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk 1 cup key lime or regular lime juice 2 whole large eggs 1 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lime zest DIRECTIONS:
CREAMY KEY LIME CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup) 1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso速 chopped green chiles 2 1/2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken 1 container (6 oz) Yoplait速 Greek 100 Key lime yogurt 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro Juice of 1 medium lime 1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso速 enchilada sauce (hot or medium) 12 corn tortillas 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend (2 oz)
DIRECTIONS
Heat oven to 350属F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook onion, chiles and chicken over medium-high heat about 3 minutes or until chicken is warm and onion is starting to turn translucent. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, and the lime juice. Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Roll up; place seam side down in baking dish. Spread remaining enchilada sauce over tortillas; sprinkle with cheese. Bake about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Sprinkle remaining cilantro over enchiladas; serve warm. EXPERT TIPS
If you like a spicier enchilada, use hot enchilada sauce. If desired, serve enchiladas with salsa and shredded lettuce on the side.
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RESTAURANT GUIDE
DINING OUT S P O T L I G H T
Asian Cajun Crawfish satisfies your craving for fresh seafood along with Southern hospitality. Picnic style benches and butcher paper covered tables give you the feeling of an Authentic Louisiana Boil. The boils include generous potions of clams, mussels, snow crab, king crab, shrimp, and Dungeness crab when in season. Choose from five specific seasonings and five flavored heat levels. Side dishes include pepper jack crawfish mac & cheese, garlic noodles, corn bread with honey butter made daily. Asian-Cajun (as locals call it) has become a standout family friendly restaurant that’s simply fun! Tues-Thur & Sat 11-9, Fri 11-10, Sun 11-8 closed on Mon.
95 W. 11th St., Ste.103, Tracy (209) 207-9940, asiancajuncrawfish.com
A flavorful mixed grill of juicy steaks, tender chicken, fresh fish, and pasta dishes. Satisfy every taste with mouthwatering appetizers and salads. Every day, Outback starts out fresh, making every one of their soups, salad dressings, and sauces from scratch. At Outback, it’s all about quality —and all about the food. So let go of the worries of the day, and Go Outback. Open for lunch Mon-Fri at 11:30 a.m. Dinner 7 days a week Happy hour 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. M-F
TRACY THAI RESTAURANT
1243 West March Lane, Stockton (209) 954-9615 www.outback.com
1035 Central Ave., Tracy (209) 833-9703 Hours vary. Open for lunch and dinner. $$
From seafood to noodles, Tracy Thai Restaurant is home to an authentic menu full of unique and tasty dishes. Originally opened in 2006, Tracy Thai Restaurant is a go-to place for customers searching for a relaxing environment and delicious selection of cuisine. “We make everything with fresh ingredients,” said Gesaranee Wongphiboonrat, manager and owner of Tracy Thai Restaurant. “The atmosphere is cozy and warm.” Thai iced tea, spring rolls, and a variety of curries are just a handful of items customers can indulge in. Don’t forget to take a peek at the dessert menu featuring choices such as sticky rice and fried banana with ice cream!
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Ernie's Food & Spirits is a luxury boutique restaurant strategically located between Modesto, Stockton and Tracy. EFS brings a new twist on California Modern Cuisine to the Central Valley. Our menu is a composition of small plates to share, which are ideal in the lounge, as well as traditional entree selections with unique modern elements
1351 N. Main Street Manteca, (209) 239-3351 www.erniesfoodandspirits.com
Restaurant We use ingredients of only the highest quality when preparing our meals. We cook using 100 percent cholesterol-free cooking oils, for a delicious and healthy meal. If you would like to order something not listed in the menu, we will do our best to accomodate you in any way we can. Gift Certificates available. Mon-Fri: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m and 5-10 p.m. Sat-Sun: 12 p.m.- 10p.m. Serving San Joaquin County since 1979 7555 Pacific Ave., Ste. 115 Stockton, (209) 957-0617 www.pekingstockton.com
Sara Randall’s life long dream was to open her own Italian café where she could serve the community old style Italian comfort food, the same recipes her Northern Italian family had made for generations. Sara, along with her mother Barbara Coldani and daughter Heather, are living the dream at Bueno Italian Cafe. As Sara proudly puts it “We guarantee you that nobody else can cook like us.” Excellent local wines and beers compliment homemade pastries, entrees, deserts and an espresso bar. With cozy Italian style dining inside and out, the cafe also offers box lunch delivery to commercial establishments, plus catering. Follow us on Facebook. Open Monday-Friday 10:30am8pm. 1110 Kettleman Ln. #19, Lodi (Upstairs in Bella Terra Plaza) (209) 369-1446 fax: (209) 369-5202
M & J BISTRO A TASTE OF SAN FRANCISCO CREPES, SEAFOOD, STEAK, PASTA & CHOPS
Royce Farms BBQ serves a variety of mouthwatering BBQ food, including: tri-tip, ribs, chicken and pulled pork. We offer a casual, family friendly atmosphere with car shows and live music every 1st and 3rd Friday. In addition, we feature Live jazz, by Cell Block 7, every 1st & 3rd Tuesday. We feature a large variety of tap and bottle beers, as well as many local wines. Open: Monday-Friday 10 a.m-9p.m Saturdays 9a.m.-9 p.m 10880 N. Highway 99, Stockton (209) 931-8333, www.roycefarmsbbq.com
If you want San Francisco style cuisine without the commute, stop into M & J Bistro in Tracy. Our simple, but diverse menu features gourmet New American and French Basque Style: crepes, seafood, steaks, pastas and chops. Satisfy your palate with one of our popular dishes: the Eggplant Neapolitan, Cajun Ribeye, Blackened Tilapia or Shrimp and Lobster Ravioli. Begin with an order of our crisp shaved potatoes with crumbled bleu cheese sauce and save room for one of our heavenly dessert crepes. Ask our bartender about our fresh fruit cocktails. Join us for Tapas Tuesday starting November 2013. We serve an all day menu. Mon-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm 5pm-9pm, Sundays Available for private parties, Call now to reserve your platters or book your holiday parties.
2515 N Tracy Blvd. Tracy, (209)832-2727 www.mjbistro.net M&J Bistro, your Taste of San Francisco, right here in Tracy.
MILE WINE COMPANY Freshly prepared, seasonal ingredients with a delightful “TAKE” on the flavors! TAKE your family out for a delicious affordable meal, TAKE your friends out for a fun night out at the bar or TAKE your business colleagues out for a work lunch or after work happy hour. The perfect place to enjoy yourselves with a fun atmosphere created from the food and drinks to the fun movie memorabilia decorations! Featuring a full bar with creative cocktails, some of the best wines from local wineries, outrageous desserts or our delicious entrees, like our perfectly seasoned one pound steaks, chicken cordon bleu or our spicy Sicilian pasta to our famous pulled pork potato chips, avocado brushetta and our 2 foot beef dog. Lunch, dinner or Sunday brunch. Eat . Drink . Enjoy. Mon, Wed, Thurs- 11AM-9PM, Fri, Sat- 11AM11PM, Sun- 10AM-9PM, Brunch 10AM-2PM Happy Hour 3PM-5PM
– eat – drink – learn – ON STOCKTON’S MIRACLE MILE www.milewinecompany.com Holiday shopping or parties? We’ve got you covered. For wine, beer, and cheese lovers -- the list goes on – we have something for most oenophiles and foodies out there – or there’s our unique gift certificate booklet. We also provide specialty gift baskets geared to fit your preference and budget. For parties, we offer an intimate room accommodating up to 12 people, or the opportunity to buy out the restaurant for larger events. OPEN: Sunday Brunch 10a to 3p Mon – Thurs 11a to 10p Fri & Sat 11a to 11p 2113 Pacific Avenue (209) 465-9463
27 W. Elm St. Lodi | (209)224-8547 (right across from the movie theater) www.Take27lodi.com
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RESTAURANT GUIDE
Tracy Thai Celebrating their 7th year in the Historic Tracy Inn, the chefs at Tracy Thai Restaurant have produced countless satisfied customers, with their wonderfully inventive dishes. The chef makes classics dishes like 'Pad Thai' and 'Tom Kar Gai' that leave the diner feeling that they have been transported to a street in Thailand. Many of the dishes such as Eggplant prawns, or Garlic Pork reflect a homestyle feel. The Menu is a delight and there are always Lunch and Dinner Specials. The wood panels and decors at Tracy Thai will bring you to a classic home style in Thailand. With a warm, cozy ambiance and delicious food, you would enjoy your meal at Tracy Thai. 1035 Central Ave. Tracy, (209) 833-9703
THANKSGIVING
TABLE STYLES BY KIMBERLY STREDNEY
CLASSIC Choose a simple color scheme to allow your accessories to shine. Pair crisp white with chocolate brown for the perfect fall palette. VIBRANT Think rich reds and ornate oranges of the season. Add a glowing candle centerpiece to create a cozy scene.
Lodi’s HOTTEST restaurant and Bar. With their farm to fork philosophy, extensive wine, beer and cocktail menu, and customer service that is warm and inviting, it’s no wonder why Crush has received so many accolades in their four years of operation. Crush was named “Best Place to Stock Up” by Sunset Magazine and recently placed for "Best Happy Hour", "Best Martini" and "Best Fine Dining" by the Stockton Record. If you’re a foodie in search of your next great meal or someone who simply enjoys excellent food, Crush offers a hip and chic big city vibe with inviting small town service. When you are at CRUSH, you are FAMILY! Banquet space is available for groups up to 50 without a rental fee, so please remember Crush for your next corporate or holiday party!! Thursday-Monday 11:30am - close Tuesday closed, Wednesday 5pm – 9pm. Join us on Wine Wednesday’s for 50% off select European bottles! Happy Hour all day Sunday and Monday. Daily 4pm-6pm - $3 drafts/wines, $4 well drinks, $5 appetizers 115 S. School St. (inside Woolworth Place) Lodi, (209)369-5400, Crushkitchen.com
EXTRAVAGANT Fashion a table fit for a queen on a pauper’s budget by shopping in the discounted or slightly damaged items sections of your favorite home goods stores. CHIC Who says traditional and trendy don’t mix? Add a little bling to your black-and-white polka dot plates with some sparkling orange accessories. NATURAL Bring the outdoors in! Tie small branches from your yard together for a striking centerpiece, and top each place setting with a mini gourd or pumpkin.
ACCESSORIZE YOUR TABLE:
HOMEGOODS AT SHERWOOD MALL 5416 Pacific Avenue, Stockton (209) 955-1750 homegoods.com
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Italian-born chef Attilio Siena prepares Italian-inspired dishes, made daily with fresh, seasonal ingredients, purchased locally or grown in-house. From fresh pasta, to our famous brick-oven pizzas, to fresh fish, to prime rib served on weekends! We strongly suggest reservations on weekends, but are open 7 days a week from 11am-10pm. Book our full banquet facility for your holiday parties! OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 11AM-10PM 18938 E. Hwy 88 Clements, (209) 603-9451
2610 S. Tracy Blvd. Ste. 110 Tracy, (209) 830-8288
All of Flip’s custom crafted burgers and hot dogs are made to order using fresh, local ingredients. Our milkshakes are made using real milk and award-winning, hand scooped ice cream. We are known for our unique deep-fried specialties. Come and try a fried egg on your burger, deepfried hot dog, deep-fried pickles, and deep-fried twinkies, deep-fried oreos... Flip’s is Stockton’s place to pig out. Enjoy restaurant quality food at fast food prices. Flip’s has a family-oriented environment which will make you feel like you’re at your own home. We are only a short 15 minute drive from anywhere in Stockton. Located right off of Highway 99, take the Waterloo Exit, go west for 2 minutes. We are open Mon-Sat. 11 am-8 pm.
15138 S Harlan Rd. Lathrop, (209) 858-1818
2503 Waterloo Rd. Stockton, (209) 943-5477
Owners Harry and Susan Yu have been a major part of the local economy since 2007 when Mikasa opened its location in Lathrop. Cooking with local produce and only using the freshest fish right from the Bay has always been key to their success. Fortunately the Yu's chose Tracy for their newest location stocking the full bar with the most extensive liquor, sake, wine and beer selection around. Plus, with happy hour 7 days a week you'll be sure to get your fill! Mikasa also offers off site catering and a separate banquet room for all your rehearsal dinners, large parties or business needs. Stop in today to see what the buzz is about.
A favorite among guests who enjoy fine dining, Rosewood Bar and Grill offers an upbeat and sophisticated setting with its rich wood and black and white marble floor, while still remaining family friendly. With an exceptional menu, Rosewood offers Monday night prix fixe (French for “fixed price”) dining specials, letting diners order a complete meal for about half the price of doing so a la carte. Rosewood Bar and Grill also boasts a wine list that is out of this world. Voted Best Fine Dining in Lodi 5 Years in a row! Now open for lunch from 10am -2pm Friday and Saturday with a champagne brunch on Sundays 28 S. School St. Lodi, (209) 369-0470
With its seasonally based menu and gourmet preparation, the Towne House Restaurant at Wine & Roses boasts a charming venue with exceptional service. Offering a farm-to-table experience with ingredients sourced from local farms as well as their own garden, the Towne House Restaurant captures the subtle elements of fun and excitement while also providing unparalleled food. The Lounge features live music and an extensive wine list showcasing the best Lodi has to offer. Dine in the intimate setting of the dining room or outdoors on the veranda where guests are spoiled with beautiful views of the gardens. 2505 W. Turner Rd. Lodi, (209) 371-6160
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
Everyone is welcome at Bud’s Seafood Grille. Friendly service, hearty portions, and a range of fish, seafood, pasta, steak, and poultry entrees make Bud’s a great choice for a business lunch, family dinner, or night out for two. Every meal begins with a bottomless basket of fresh sourdough bread. The leafy outdoor patio seats thirty, and is the perfect spot to take a break from shopping in Lincoln Center and enjoy a leisurely lunch or even just a drink with a friend or two. We also invite you to come visit the newly renovated bar and lounge for one of our delicious specialty cocktails and bar bites. Please be sure to ask about our banquet and catering services for your special event or holiday party. Full bar and banquet room available. Open for lunch, dinner, and scrumptious Sunday brunch. Happy hour daily with $1.00 off all beer & well drinks and $5.00 bar bites 4pm - 6:30pm 314 Lincoln Ctr., Stockton (209) 956-0270 www.budsseafood.com
Shangri La Asian Bistro is located on beautiful School Street in downtown Lodi. The restaurant is open from 11:00am-9:00pm Sunday through Thursday and 11:00am-10:00pm Fri-Sat. Happy hour is available 7 days a week from 2:30pm5:30pm which includes $5.00 sushi rolls and discounted appitizers. All well drinks, house wines and beers on tap are $3.00. We are known for our Hong Kong Pan Fry Noodles, Honey Walnut Prawns and lunch bento boxes. The most requested sushi roll is the "Moms Roll" which consists of spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, snow crab, avacado, tai snapper, white tuna and a garlic Mayo. This one of kind roll is then toarched and topped off with unagi sauce, spicy mayo and massago. You can order online at our website www.Shangrilaasianbistro. com. We are a family run restaurant and family dinning is our style!
203-A S. School Street Lodi, (209) 366-0539
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EVENTS CALENDAR
GREAT DATES COMPILED BY KIMBERLY STREDNEY
Uncle Kracker NOVEMBER 15
Initially known for his role as DJ in Kid Rock’s legendary Twisted Brown Trucker band, Uncle Kracker has made a recent breakthrough solo success in country music. He scored a #1 hit with “When The Sun Goes Down”, his collaboration with Kenny Chesney. He also co-wrote Kid Rock’s multi-format smash “All Summer Long.” Tracy will be a stop on his nationwide tour releasing his newest album “Midnight Special.” 8 p.m. Tickets range from $2975. The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts, 715 Central Avenue, Tracy, (209) 831-6858, atthegrand.org
Franc D’Ambrosio’s “Hollywood” NOVEMBER 9
Don’t miss this exclusive concert staring Franc D’Ambrosio, best known for his portrayal of the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award winning musical, The Phantom Of The Opera. He will be performing songs from Les Miserables and Phantom Of The Opera, in addition to many other hits. 7 p.m. Tickets range from $23-31. Hutchins Street Square Performing Arts Theatre, 125 South Hutchins Street, Lodi, (209) 333-6782, hutchinsstreetsquare.com 118
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Incredible Edible Science and Mixology NOVEMBER 9
Witness culinary magic performed before your eyes as celebrated local chefs transform food with the help of chemical reactions. Join fellow foodies for an evening of food, wine and molecular gastronomy at this annual fundraiser. Highlights include cooking demonstrations from the Valley’s top chefs and a raffle and silent auction to raise money for the purchase of new exhibits. 6 – 9 p.m. Tickets are $45/person or $80/couple – must be 21 or over. World of Wonders Science Museum, 2 North Sacramento Street, Lodi, (209) 368-0969, wowsciencemuseum.com
Stockton Hmong New Year Celebration NOVEMBER 9-10
Join thousands of people from around the globe to celebrate the Hmong culture and heritage in this event showcasing a blend of historical and modern day culture. Enjoy traditional costumes, food, music, games and entertainment. Highlights include a song and dance contest, sports competitions, cultural performances and a live band. Sat: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Evening program 7 p.m. – midnight), Sun: 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. General admission $4, children (7 and under) and seniors free. San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 South Airport Way, Stockton, lfcempowerment.org
‘Tis the Season with the
Broadway Tenors
Atherton Auditorium
T h e Te n o r s r e t u r n b y popular demand, after delighting our audience at l a s t s e a s o n ’s Va l e n t i n e Pops, to “sing in” the holidays with the Symphony!
$ 2 8 to $ 6 4
REPTILE EXPO SAT., NOV 2 | 10AM - 6PM SUN., NOV 3 | 10AM - 5PM
Santa’s Arrival SAT., NOV 16 | 12AM - 4PM
Black Friday Fri., NOV 29 | MIdnight - 7am Hospitality Lounge, Goodie Bags Holiday Music
Holiday Boutique/ Tracy Relay for Life SAT., Dec 7 | 10AM - 4PM SUN., Dec 8 | 12pM - 6PM
Children’s Event/ Holiday Fantacy Comes Alive SAT., Dec 14 | 1pM - 3PM SUN., Dec 21 | 12pM - 4PM
FREE Gift Wrapping by Non-Profits Dec. 20 - 24 During Mall Hours (while supplies last)
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EVENTS CALENDAR
Thanksgiving Run and Walk Against Hunger NOVEMBER 28
Join 5,000 runners and walkers, burn calories, have a great time on the scenic Stockton waterfront, and help raise money for holiday nutrition programs at the Emergency Food Bank. Events include a 5K Run, untimed 5K Walk, 10K Run only and ¼ Mile Kid’s Run (9 and under). Races start at Stockton Ports Baseball Park and Stockton Arena, with goodies and food provided inside the scenic Stockton Ports Ballpark. 8 a.m., Stockton Ports Ballpark, 404 West Fremont Street, Stockton, (209) 464-7369, runagainsthunger.org
Stockton Cares Coat, Blanket & Sock Drive DONATE BY NOVEMBER 23
The Record, United Way, SMG Stockton, The Stockton Ports and St. Mary’s Dining Room are giving back through their 2013 Stockton Cares Coat, Blanket & Sock Drive. Over the past few months, they have been collecting new socks and clean, gently used blankets and coats in all sizes for women, men and children from the community. They are aiming to collect over 6,000 items to distribute to families in need at the Stockton Arena on November 23rd. Donations can be dropped off at the United Way of San Joaquin County. United Way of San Joaquin County, 401 East Main Street, Stockton, (209) 469-6980, unitedwaysjc.org
San Joaquin Kennel Club Annual Dog Show NOVEMBER 23-25
The San Joaquin Kennel Club (SJKC) will be holding their annual dog show, featuring more than 2,500 of the top canines from around the country to be judged on confirmation and obedience. SJKC has donated thousands of dollars to the San Joaquin Sheriffs Department’s K-9 Corps, as well as local and national canine organizations. For specific breed judging times and rings, visit the SJKC website. 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. General admission free, parking $5. San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, 1658 South Airport Way, Stockton, www.sanjoaquinkc.org 120
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Water Polo Championships NOVEMBER 29 - DECEMBER 1
University of the Pacific is hosting the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Water Polo Championships for the first time ever. The MPSF Champion has become the NCAA champion 8 out of the last 10 years. Come out and watch the action unfold live!, Chris Kjeldsen Pool, University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, mpsports.org
The Valley Concert Band DECEMBER 1
Christmas is coming to Lodi early this year with The Valley Concert Band’s holiday performance. The band features the finest musicians representing over 10 cities from the San Joaquin Valley. Under the direction of conductor Chris Anderson, the 30-piece band has delighted audiences throughout Northern California with programs of marches, show tunes, jazz, and classical concert selections. 3 p.m. Tickets are $28. Hutchins Street Square Performing Arts Theatre, 125 South Hutchins Street, Lodi, (209) 333-6782, lodicommunityconcert.org
Delta Reflections Lighted Boat Parade DECEMBER 7
Don’t miss the 34th annual holiday lighted boat parade as boats and yachts decorated with Christmas lights sail into the downtown Stockton Waterfront. Snag a prime viewing spot on the north shore behind the ballpark and marina, the south shore near the marina and waterfront warehouse, or at Weber Point. The parade is open to all boaters. To register, contact Chairman Lynn Hahn. 5-7 p.m. rain or shine. General admission free. Weber Point at the Downtown Waterfront, Downtown Stockton, (209) 477-7653, deltaboating.com
New
holiday Styles
858 W. Benjamin Holt Drive Lincoln Center (across the street from starbucks)
(209) 476-0913
ITALEE ▪ JUICY COUTURE
WWW.SANJOAQUINMAGAZINE.COM
PRADA ▪ JIMMY CHOO ▪ SPY ▪ MAUI JIM ▪ CAVIAR ▪ PERSOL KATE SPADE
RAYBAN ▪ VERSACE ▪ OAKLEY ▪ CARRERA ▪ DOLCE & GABBANA ▪ JAGUAR
FENDI ▪ GUCCI ▪ DIOR ▪ VERA WANG
ALL BIG GREEN EGGS
10%OFF EXPIRES 11/30/13
THE VALLEY’S SOURCE FOR BARBECUE GRILLS & ACCESSORIES Featuring Big Green Egg | Green Mountain Grills Steven Raichlen Products & Charcoal Companion Largest Selection of Smoking Woods Award Winning Rubs & Sauces 6036 Pacific Ave. | Stockton | 209.475.9931 info@fatcitygrillersupply.com SAN JOAQUIN MAGAZINE | NOVEMBER 2013
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FINAL THOUGHTS
LUMPY GRAVY AND
WHITE MEAT DREAMS BY KELLY POLLARD
Thanksgiving is quite possibly my favorite holiday. No presents to buy or returns to sneak back to the store. No irresistible pillowcases full of candy and stolen while your children sleep (not to mention the last-minute Halloween costume fixes at midnight the night before). Just food, family and football. Mix in the requisite wine or spirit of choice and it is a holiday of bliss and overindulgence, a few of my favorite things. You bet I’m thankful!
My family has unceremoniously handed the torch over to me as hostess. Although I love Thanksgiving and the menu at hand, there are a few complications. For example: my complete disdain for preparing Tom the Turkey. Don’t get me wrong. I love turkey - I gobble it up. To put it bluntly, I’m squeamish. Handling turkey necks and giblets doesn’t exactly fire up my appetite. Good thing I have the wine to dull the pain of the slippery prep. I have also yet to master the art of homemade gravy. Eventually I’ll have to learn the proper way without leaning on a hidden stash of the canned variety. How come it’s so difficult for me to skim fat from the drippings, for one thing? And then after all that work, those pesky clumps of flour still refuse to blend into a smooth gravy of fatty goodness. If only they blended as well as my extended mish mash of family.
ABOUT THAT BLENDED FAMILY...
My house isn’t huge, but mix my husband’s clan with my collection of biological and step-relatives, and it’s impossible to have a formal sit-down Thanksgiving feast. Buffet is the name of
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my game. Sure, I’d love to have a candlelit sit-down dinner with white tablecloths and a separate kids table complete with mini plates of china. But the buffet means my family can sprawl all over the sectional couch, various tables, benches and ancient TV trays inherited from my grandmother. The sprawl combined with blaring sports on TV and flowing wine encourages us to talk even louder over each other. One thing that has suffered under the responsibilities and weight of hosting a huge holiday dinner is my baking ambitions. In my carefree years, I always brought fresh pies made from scratch, right down to the buttery pie crusts. Once I had two wild boys underfoot, I relied on Betty Crocker for her pre-made crust shortcut and still passed off the pies as homemade. Now that I also make dressing, lumpy gravy and sweet potatoes, Costco has been my new pie chef. My grand scheme to pass off the slimey turkey prep and cooking to my husband this year may be at the mercy of which players are on his fantasy football roster that week in November. So, wine, please wash away my aversion to all things carcass-like and pull me through this day of cooking. Even while I’m screwing up the gravy, I will enjoy the loud chaos of my family as proof that I have so much to be thankful for.
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home improvement
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