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ssentials 34 E ic n ic P r e umm FOOD S Prefab 46 f o r o s s e f o r People P SUPPLEMENT TO THE INLANDER

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ON THE COVER: Young Kwak Photo, Ali Blackwood Photo Illustration

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PG. 6

SCOOPS & BOWLS • EVENTS KATE LEBO’S DIFFICULT FRUIT

Home

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EBB & FLOW • ARE OATS THE GOAT? FEELING HESITANT? • STEPPING OUT

Food

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RESTORATION TO RELAXATION • DESIGNER STEPHANIE SARRO • ARTIST MEL MCCUDDIN

MARKET VALUE • MAIN MARKET PICNIC RECIPES BARREL TASTING AT BARILI

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FABULOUS PREFAB WITH RYAN SMITH

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FROM THE EDITOR SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home

Stay Connected Email Health & Home Editor Anne McGregor at annem@inlander.com. The conversation continues on the Inlander Facebook page, and stay in touch with us at Inlander.com/Health&Home.

1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, Wash. 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634

EDITOR Anne McGregor

annem@inlander.com

MANAGING EDITOR Jacob H. Fries ART DIRECTOR Ali Blackwood

Streaming Thoughts BY ANNE McGREGOR

ith no fewer than 76 lakes in the region, plus a mighty river and its smaller tributaries, the Inland Northwest provides ample opportunities to enjoy the wonders of water. Whether we’re fishing or floating, paddling or just sitting in a beach chair, people of all ages are instinctively drawn to the water. Who can resist a cool swimming pool on a hot day? The sounds of water in the form of rain or a trickling creek are found on nearly every “relaxation” soundscape. Homes with a water view can command up to twice the price of similar homes without a water view. Why does water have this effect on us? Nathan Weinbender checks in with Wallace Nichols, author of the bestselling book Blue Mind about his research into our innate connection with the water. And he talks with local experts who are finding ways to use that connection to heal bodies and minds (page 8). Now that summer is finally here, it’s time to hit the road for a picnic. We’ve asked Spokane’s Main Market for unique recipes to impress your picnic partner (page 34), and we include a checklist of all the equipment you’ll need to thoroughly enjoy the occasion. Then, keep your supply kit in your car all summer for impromptu feasts wherever you happen to roam. Happy wandering!

EVENTS EDITOR Chey Scott CONTRIBUTORS Stacey Aggarwal, LeAnn Bjerken, Ed Boks, Jonathan Hill, E.J. Iannelli, Young Kwak, Dan Nailen, Carrie Scozzaro, Matt Thompson, Nathan Weinbender, John R. White, Samantha Wohlfeil ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kristi Gotzian MARKETING DIRECTOR Kristina Smith ADVERTISING SALES Autumn Adrian, Jeanne Inman, Claire Price, Carolyn Padgham-Walker, Wanda Tashoff SALES COORDINATOR Jess Kennedy PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Stover SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Derrick King CONSULTANT Wayne Hunt

CONTRIBUTORS

CIRCULATION Frank DeCaro, Travis Beck BUSINESS MANAGER Dee Ann Cook CREDIT MANAGER Kristin Wagner PUBLISHER Ted S. McGregor Jr. GENERAL MANAGER Jeremy McGregor

CARRIE SCOZZARO is a regular contributor to Health & Home and writes about renovating campers in this issue. “Ours was a camper family, first a pop-up, later a Terry pull-behind that our family of four dragged up and down the Northeast coastline. So although I was already a camper fan when this story assignment (page 18) came along, I’d never really considered the community aspect of the camping lifestyle.”

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SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL is a staff writer for the Inlander, covering the environment, rural communities and cultural issues since 2017. Like WSU’s Ryan Smith (page 46) she’s interested in innovative techniques to address the demand for housing. “How cool would it be to help solve our affordable housing problem with aesthetically pleasing, modern apartments that can easily ship out from a factory and stack right on top of one another?”

Health & Home is published every other month and is available free at more than 500 locations across the Inland Northwest. One copy free per reader. Subscriptions are available at $2.50 per issue: call x213. Reaching Us: Editorial: x261; Circulation: x226; Advertising: x215. COPYRIGHT All contents copyrighted © Inland Publications, Inc. 2021. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.

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A FUTURE WHERE YOUR PAYCHECK DOESN’T IMPACT YOUR PREGNANCY. People who can’t afford or access prenatal care are more likely to suffer pregnancy-related complications. Healthier communities make healthier people. The University of Washington is leading the way in addressing the interconnected factors that influence how long and how well we live, from poverty and health care to systemic inequities and climate change. In partnership with community organizations, the UW transforms research into concrete actions that improve and save lives across the country — and around the world.

LEARN MORE uw.edu/populationhealth

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EVENTS

Scoops & Bowls BY CHEY SCOTT

rban Art Co-op and Pottery Studio’s annual fundraiser was, like everything else, on hiatus last year. Locals can get a handmade bowl and ice cream, however, when the event returns this summer. Hosted in idyllic Manito Park, Scoops & Bowls offers a wide selection of handmade bowls for purchase; each piece lovingly handmade by a member of the studio and art education center. Anyone who buys a bowl gets to enjoy some ice cream, too, and while the summer treat isn’t served in your new bowl for several health and safety reasons, you’ll be able to enjoy plenty more scoops in it at home in days to come. All funds raised help keep the studio’s doors open so that current and future students can take classes, and members can use its equipment to craft their next masterpiece. Sat, July 17 from 10 am-4 pm. $10+. Manito Park, 1800 S. Grand Blvd. urbanartcoop.org and facebook. com/urbanartcoop (509-327-9000)

URBAN ART CO-OP PHOTO

Need a Bike?

Cyclists of any age and interest level can get a fresh set of wheels, new or used, in all sizes, types and price ranges at the annual Spokane Bike Swap. Register on Friday June 11, between 3 and 7 pm, to sell a bike. Local bike shops will be onsite with gear and special event discounts. Donate a bike and you’ll get free entry in exchange. All proceeds from the Spokane Bike Swap are donated to a local charity. Sat, June 12 from 10 am-4 pm. $5; kids 12 and under free. Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. spokanebikeswap.com

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Smoke Ready

With the possibility of wildfire smoke once again blanketing the region during the peak of summer, the Spokane County Library District is co-hosting an online session with the Washington State Department of Health and the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency to help residents prepare for “smoke season.” They’ll offer information and techniques to help reduce exposure to harmful smoke particles, including ways to keep indoor air cleaner. Tue, June 15 from 6-7 pm. Free. Online; register required at scld.org

Animals on Parade

Teams can start forming now for the Spokane Humane Society’s 18th annual Parade of Paws fundraiser. Gather five or more friends and family members to form a “Dog Pack” and challenge each other to collect pledges that support the nonprofit animal shelter’s important work. Choose a two- or four-mile walk (pets on leashes), in the northeast Spokane neighborhood. Sat, July 24 at 10 am. By donation. Spokane Humane Society, 6607 N. Havana St. spokanehumanesociety.org (467-5253)

Spokane Writer and “pie lady” Kate Lebo. FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Learning to Love Unruly Fruit BY DAN NAILEN

t’s a testament to Kate Lebo’s curiosity, knowledge and sheer writing chops that she can spend a chapter describing a fruit called a durian as tasting like “peaches laced with onions and garbage” and smelling “a little like turpentine” yet leave you wanting to merrily try some for yourself — laughing all the way. The durian is just one of the featured foods in Lebo’s new The Book of Difficult Fruit: Arguments for the Tart, Tender, and Unruly (With Recipes), and while you might not actually try her recipe for durian ice cream, there’s plenty more-pleasing fruits along the way that could inspire you to put down the book for a bit and head to your kitchen. The difficult fruit in Lebo’s title doesn’t mean just fruit that’s literally hard to keep down like the durian, but fruit that’s challenging to work with, hard to find in stores or rarely referenced in mainstream food writing and recipes. And this book, Lebo’s third, isn’t simply a guide to tackling dishes featuring those fruits (although it is partly that). Difficult Fruit is a remarkable combination of food writing, memoir, medical and natural history, and cultural anthropology that’s unlike anything you’ve read before. And it’s as welcoming for non-foodies as it is for those familiar with Lebo as the “pie lady” writer of A Commonplace Book of Pie and Pie School: Lessons in Fruit, Flour and Butter, or as co-founder with husband Sam Ligon of the annual Pie & Whiskey bacchanal during

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Spokane’s Get Lit! Festival. Lebo’s book introduces readers to certain uncommon fruits (aronia, medlar), and reintroduces them to familiar ones (pomegranates, blackberries) in unexpected ways. It also delves into the fruits’ histories in the natural world, their uses by medical practitioners and herbalists, and their culinary, cultural and spiritual roles in communities around the globe. Taking a “food book” into all those areas in a compelling way is a highwire act that Lebo performs with seeming ease and an inviting style. There are hilarious lines, and poignant reflections as well. It’s organized alphabetically like a reference book, but at no point does the writing feel dry or merely academic. That’s because Lebo puts so many personal touches throughout. She writes about her own kitchen failures, about her family and tackling dandelion issues in her yard. She takes readers back to her childhood, back to a cancer scare during the writing of this very book, back to the nursing home where her mother worked, and where a teenage Lebo worked for a summer, too. The memoir-ish passages weave throughout to make Difficult Fruit probably the most intensely personal “cookbook” imaginable. JUNE - JULY 2021

& FLOW Whether it’s a trip to the lake or a session of hydrotherapy, water has the power to heal physically and mentally BY NATHAN WEINBENDER

ater makes up a majority of our planet’s surface, and it also makes up most of our bodies. We’ve long been told we need to consume more of it for our own health. And every time summer rolls around, the first thing many of us do is head out to a river or lake.

This isn’t merely supposition; there’s actual science involved. Look no further than a recent study funded by the European Union, which specifically explored the health benefits of water — consuming it, swimming in it, simply being near it. Over the course of five years, the so-called BlueHealth study aimed to determine how access to water affected mental health. Using census data from various European countries, the study found that people who live near coastlines or have easy access to bodies of water had decreased stress and increased relaxation, and that living near the sea actually encouraged more physical activity and positive social interactions. Marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols explored similar theories in his book Blue Mind, Mind, a title that refers to the mental state of being near water. Living in California, Nichols says that being around the water has become a form of therapy for him, much as it earlier helped him overcome his adolescent introversion. “The reason why I got through my teenage years, probably, was pushing the canoe out to a lake in Illinois, instead

of going to the keg parties,” Nichols says. It was a natural progression, then, to go into marine biology, and Nichols received a Ph.D in wildlife ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Arizona. He says that in all his studies, however, a major component of being on the water — one that he had personally experienced — was never covered: “the social, psychological, cognitive and, some people will even say, spiritual health benefits [of lakes, rivers and oceans]. That just wasn’t taught in school,” Nichols says. Of the studies that Nichols has participated in to support his findings, a notable one took place at the U.K.’s largest aquarium, the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth, England. Scientists put test subjects in front of a giant tank that was in the process of being drained and cleaned, and then gradually filled it back up with water and wildlife. With each new phase, researchers asked the subjects about the levels of calm or focus they felt in front of the tanks, and measured their heart rates, breathing rates and blood pressure levels.

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burn out. That’s when you end up in gray mind, and that’s breakdown, burnout, mild or severe depression. And there’s nothing good about it.”

Running on an underwater treadmill at Spokane’s Physical Therapy Associates is popular with patients. “Most people are immediately in a good mood,” says therapist Dylan Palmer. DENIS KALAMAR PHOTO

“EBB & FLOW,” CONTINUED... “[When there was] a low level of biodiversity, say one species of fish in the tank, it held their attention,” Nichols says. “You add a few species, and it starts going up. … People reported that they felt better looking at it. They felt better watching fish swim.” Nichols’ studies of the connection between water and mental health led to the publication of Blue Mind. If “blue mind” is

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the ultimate mental state, which is ideally captured while being around water, then the alternate mental modes are “red mind” (stress, unhappiness) and “gray mind” (disassociation, depression). As Nichols explains: “Red mind is extremely useful and powerful. It helps us win games, go to the moon, meet the deadline. But if it’s your only mode, you will

ichols isn’t alone in these assertions. Water has become a popular tool in medical and holistic spaces, as well. At Physical Therapy Associates on the South Hill, patients have access to a 4-foot-deep indoor pool that’s heated to about 92 degrees, and which helps alleviate pain and improve mobility from injuries. Dylan Palmer, an aquatic therapy specialist at Physical Therapy Associates, works with patients with all sorts of ailments, from sprained ankles and thrownout backs to people who suffer from stiff or inflamed joints. He also works with athletes, from Gonzaga basketball players to goalies on the Spokane Chiefs. The water seems to have a transformative effect on all of his patients, he says, and he sees an immediate transformation as soon as they step into the pool. “People love the water,” Palmer says. “Most people are immediately in a good mood. They’re happy to be there. [With] traditional physical therapy, you’re on a table, you’re getting pushed on, and it’s not real comfortable. People will walk in [to the pool], and their pain will dissipate. It’s amazing the effects that pain has on peoples’ personalities.” In a typical hydrotherapy session, patients will work through the range of motion of their joints underwater, as well as walk or run in place on an underwater treadmill. It’s like moving in slow motion or in an anti-gravity environment, and being submerged in water provides gentle pressure on the patient without actual physical contact. “You have time to think about what you’re doing,” Palmer says of patients who benefit from hydrotherapy. “There’s no real downside to messing up. It’s a pretty safe environment.” Another popular practice within the realm of water-based therapy is the sensory deprivation tank, or float tank, which allows folks to soak in warm, salty water for a prescribed amount of time, completely free from light and sound. Olivia Gusic is the studio manager and a massage therapist at Elements Massage, which offers float tank sessions in conjunction with its more traditional massage services. Elements Massage has about 300 locations around the country, including ...continued on page 12

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This printed material is supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $250,000. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS, HHS or the U.S. Government.

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“EBB & FLOW,” CONTINUED...

Marine biologist and Blue Mind author Wallace J. Nichols’ says his research dives into, “The social, psychological, cognitive and, some people will even say, spiritual health benefits,” of being in and around water. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

three in Spokane. But the Wandermere location was actually the first franchise in the U.S. to offer float tanks to its customers. Gusic describes the floating experience as existing somewhere between meditation and physical therapy: Ideally, you’re able to shut out all outside stresses, and because you’re unable to sink in the salty water (Gusic likens it to floating in the Dead Sea), all the pressure on your limbs is instantly gone. “It helps with circulation. It helps with focus,” Gusic says. “There are people that use it for mental clarity. Anxiety, depression, PTSD — a lot of our clients use it for those things specifically. … Because it’s taking all the pressure off your muscles and your joints, the only thing in your body that’s actually having to work is your internal organs. It gives you that weightlessness of just letting your body completely relax, which is a pretty rare thing.” Nichols echoes the sentiments about the benefits of floating, and points to its use in professional athletics as testimony. “Steph Curry, [one of the finalists] for MVP of the NBA — he floats. The guy is cool as a cucumber on the court, even under extreme pressure,” Nichols says. “I’m not saying, ‘Float and you

win MVP of the NBA,’ but it’s part of his regime for a reason. … Sometimes people think the floating research is narrow, but for me, it’s just proof of concept.” Floating has grown in popularity since the tanks were installed at Elements a little more than two years ago, and Gusic says she has noticed interest spreading via word of mouth. Gusic also recommends trying out the float tanks more than once: By the third session, she says, customers have typically become acclimated to the experience and are finally able to get the most out of it. “A lot more people come in and give it a try and really love it, especially since COVID,” Gusic says. “We’ve had quite a few clients that … are not completely comfortable being in a massage session with another person, but they’re comfortable coming in and being in a float tank by themselves.”

he pandemic was certainly a drain on many peoples’ happiness, and it also literally drained some peoples’ access to water, as public pools and even beaches were closed. “There’s a large group of people who rely on their water ther-

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Wild Turkey, circa 1858-1860. John James Audubon, Julius Bien (printer). Ink on paper. On loan from the John James Audubon State Park Museum in Henderson, KY.

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apeutically, whether they realize it or not,” Nichols says. “It was getting them through this thing called life. When they couldn’t swim at the YMCA, or couldn’t surf or paddle on the river in their town or city, or go for a walk by the water, they start to lose it.” Nichols encourages people who might need a dose of happiness to spend time either with wild water — that’s lakes, rivers and streams — or domesticated water, which includes everything from park fountains to water parks to splash pads. (In the case of Spokane, we get the best of both worlds, with a river that cuts straight through our downtown core.) And even if you can’t make it out of your apartment or have easy access to a riverbed, Nichols says that disappearing into your favorite beach-themed songs or waterlogged movies can do the trick. In fact, Hollywood has been using water as a narrative symbol for years: “Maybe the remaining goal in my life is to get water a Best Supporting Actress Oscar,” he says. But why do people gravitate toward water in the first place? Although scientists like Nichols have shown that our brains and bodies react positively to the calming ripples of a lake or the cocoon-like enclosure of a heated float tank, the reason for it is still

nebulous. It almost seems like a primal response, a cognitive association that instinctively links water with tranquility in our minds. “Most of us grew up playing in pools or around water, especially here in the Pacific Northwest,” Palmer at Physical Therapy Associates says. “People immediately become kids again.”

As humans, we’re 75 percent water. It’s such an important element to our life. “As humans, we’re 75 percent water. It’s such an important element to our life,” Gusic explains. “It’s so important for our physical well being. For floatation therapy specifically, you can completely take the weight off of your mind and your body. There’s really nothing else that can do that for you.”

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SUPERFOOD

Are Oats the GOAT? M

ostly well-known as a breakfast staple, oats are a versatile grain that come in many forms and have a multitude of uses. Packed with fiber, wholesome oats will boost your digestive health, and steel-cut oats in particular will keep you satisfied for longer than refined processed grains. Oat milk, meanwhile, can be used as a dairy milk alternative, from your morning bowl of cereal to your rich frothy cappuccino.

ATTRIBUTES

Oats are typically harvested from midsummer into autumn, but they have a long shelf life for storage once processed. Oats can be eaten in their whole-grain form — steel cut, rolled thick, or rolled thin for instant cooking — or processed into a flour. No matter the form, this super grain is loaded with fiber that helps boost the important digestive microbiome. Oats also have been shown to help lower cholesterol, improve type 2 diabetes and even help with milk production in breastfeeding mothers.

HOW TO USE THEM

SUPERPOWERS

Did you know that rolled oats can ground into a fine flour right at home using a blender? Then the oat flour can be used in baking to create a variety of nutritious sweet treats or in savory recipes, such as scallion pancakes. Oatmeal prepared with dried or fresh fruit is delicious for breakfast, but consider expanding into the realm of savory oatmeals with one of the many recipes online, where you’ll find everything from a Turkish-style oatmeal with feta to a spicy Thai peanut version. — STACEY AGGARWAL

WEAKNESSES

Stacey Aggarwal received a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Washington. Now she writes about biology, health and nutrition while running a lavender farm in North Idaho.

In addition to being packed with fiber, oats boast a strong nutritional profile. They contain powerful antioxidants, a particular category of phytonutrients that decrease potentially dangerous oxidation and help reduce inflammation in the body. Oats are also high in iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, and zinc.

Oats are truly a super grain, with very few negative effects.

While oats are naturally gluten-free, if being gluten-free is important to you, be sure you’re purchasing oats from a certified gluten-free facility, since many production facilities share equipment with wheat and other grains.

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JUNE - JULY 2021

WINNING ODDS

Feeling Hesitant? I haven’t had a COVID-19 vaccine yet. Since it’s not 100 percent effective anyway, I would rather not risk the possible side effects.

ou are correct that the vaccines are not 100 percent effective. But before dismissing the vaccines, let’s consider what’s meant by “effective” and how that has been assessed. The vaccine’s “effectiveness” has been measured primarily in a pretty obvious way: calculating the fraction of people who contract COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. There have been a variety of studies. Some considered only people who were symptomatic and others answered this question by looking at multiple blood tests that identified asymptomatic people. Another confounder was the time that had elapsed since the vaccine series was completed. Overall, though, studies showed that individuals who had their second vaccine at least 14 days prior have an exceedingly small chance of developing COVID. One study evaluating health

care workers in the University of California system — people who are by definition high risk due to their working environment — found that only 0.05 percent tested positive for COVID-19 when evaluated two weeks or more after their second vaccine. The CDC reported that 5,800 people in the general population had tested positive for COVID out of 77 million vaccinated people (that’s .0075 percent). Based on these data (which I admit are fluid) you have almost the same lifetime likelihood of being struck by lightning (.0065 percent) as contracting COVID after the vaccine. So, while it is possible to be infected by the virus if you have been fully vaccinated, it is also exceedingly rare. But say you are vaccinated and do go on to contract COVID. You’re still in luck. The chance of having a clinically significant infection — getting very ill and being hospitalized — is rarer still. Only

about 7 percent of those few who had been vaccinated and then developed an active infection required hospitalization. And I think we can agree that’s what is ultimately the most important consideration when evaluating the “effectiveness” of the vaccine. Based on the data that we currently have these vaccines are extremely safe and the benefits far outweigh the risks. Bottom line is that if you have not been vaccinated yet, and you are over the age of 12, you should be vaccinated for COVID-19 in almost all cases. — JOHN R. WHITE John R. White is the chair of the Department of Pharmacology at WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences based in Spokane.

THE BEST BASKETBALL WEEKEND ON EARTH IS BACK!

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PETS

Stepping Out E

ver wish you had a trainer to help you meet your fitness goals? Have you considered your best four-legged friend? Research shows dogs are perfect personal trainers. According to studies conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the American Geriatrics Society, walking your dog twice a day provides an easy way to accomplish the recommended minimum 30 minutes of daily exercise. Not convinced? Research has shown that dog walkers walk twice as long as walkers without dogs in an average week. Dog owners who exercise with their dogs walk faster than those who don’t, and walking faster increases both your respiration and heart rates, which can help burn calories and allow you to maintain or lose weight. Walking your pooch is good for your heart, too. Individuals who walk their dogs

on a regular basis tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. And walking your dog can be an excellent way to blow off a little steam and temporarily escape the stresses of the day. It’s also a great way to get to know other dog walkers. Those casual greetings and chats about your pets can help fend off the blues and reduce the likelihood of depression. Make sure while you’re on your stroll that your dog stays safely by your side. Animals who are not neutered have an instinctual drive to find a mate and can detect a female in heat from even three miles away — making their desire to escape hard-wired. Reduce your pet’s “need to breed” by spaying or neutering them today. Then they will only have eyes for you! — ED BOKS Ed Boks is the executive director of the Spokane Humane Society.

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This Aloha camper, now nicknamed “Dinah,” was manufactured by a Beaverton, Oregon company in the 1960s and restored by Doug and Teresa Johnson at their Mead workshop.

Vintage trailer enthusiasts share their journeys restoring and enjoying their home-awayfrom-home masterpieces STORY BY CARRIE SCOZZARO | PHOTOS BY YOUNG KWAK

here’s plenty to like about trailer camping, from pop-ups to pull-behinds, the latter being the perfect synthesis of creature comforts and outdoor-readiness. Warm, safe and dry? Check. Plenty of storage, the basics for cooking and hygiene? Check. A comfortable bed (and the least likelihood of sharing your pillow with spiders or ants)? Double check. While a new camper can fulfill those requirements, for Doug and Teresa Johnson, the fun of restoring a vintage trailer together was the initial appeal. Since acquiring and restoring a ‘68 Kit trailer they named Baby several years ago, they’ve gone on to restore numerous models. Currently,they’re working on a rare 1962 Aloha extra-wide, originally used for temporary housing at the ’62 Seattle World’s Fair.

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“Trailers now find me,” says Doug Johnson, who has commissions lined up at the Mead workshop where he restored his personal 1968 Aloha 18-foot travel trailer in a vintage diner style, complete with cold beer on tap.

“RESTORATION TO RELAXATION,” CONTINUED... They’ve turned their experience into a word-of-mouth side business in Mead called Retro Rides & Custom Transport. Doug is self-taught (with some coaching early on from other restoration experts, like local Dovetail Woodworks’ Scooter McGregor) and now finds enjoyment in doing the plumbing and electrical; Teresa does some demolition and contributes design ideas, while painting, welding and upholstery work get subbed out. “Trailers now find me,” says Doug, who wanted to be an architect in his early years.

comfy sleeping spot is what renewed Sonya York’s interest in trailer camping after several years doing so when her two children were small. The kids were grown when she acquired and restored a ’64 Serro Scotty for herself, giving it a red and white kayak theme. Next up was a ’64 Aristocrat she restored for her son in a lodge theme. And then, like Doug Johnson, this past year yet another trailer found her. Someone gave her ’64 Bell, asking only in return that York share photos of the finished camper. She collaborated with her daughter on the restoration.

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Sonya York (left) has restored several campers on her own, but for this little 1964 Bell, she teamed up with her daughter Brandi.

“RESTORATION TO RELAXATION,” CONTINUED... York describes coming home from work one day last year to discover Brandi had removed, repainted and reinstalled both the refrigerator and stove. “This is the biggest gift,” says York, who is thrilled to share not only a love of camping and the outdoors with her kids, but also the knowledge and satisfaction that they are now resourceful and confident enough to tackle big projects. The camaraderie of camper restoration is in fact one of the benefits. “Everybody we’ve done one for becomes acquaintances,” says Doug Johnson, “and the greater majority have become friends.”

GROUP CAMPS

Vintage trailer enthusiasts love to meet up with other like-minded adventurers. SISTERS ON THE FLY is perhaps the best known national group, with thousands of members (all women) who are encouraged to "get up, get outdoors and get together." Camping weekends are planned for numerous regional locations including Spokane, Spangle, Colville and Grand Coulee, from June-Oct. Learn more at sistersonthefly.com.

hat includes Les and Valerie Watson, who have owned not one but two of the rare ’62 Aloha World’s Fair models — only 200 were made and only five are known to have been restored, says Valerie. The Post Falls couple fell in love with the ’62 Aloha during a vintage rally about four years ago, realizing that a vintage trailer combined Les’ interest in vintage cars and hers in vintage trailers, providing something they could enjoy together. Although they wanted a World’s Fair model, none was available at the time, so they purchased a modest, 14-foot 1964 Cardinal and rebuilt it themselves. Next was an 18-foot 1960 ...continued on page 24

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An in-progress restoration of a 1962 World’s Fair Aloha Trailer.

Roll Up Your Sleeves

Are you ready to go retro with a trailer of your own? Consider these words of wisdom from our vintage veterans. • Follow your nose, says Doug Johnson. “If it smells funky, it’s telling you something,” he says. Mig Jumel Whitt feels the floor for spongy spots that indicate water damage, and looks for rust outside and fresh paint inside that might indicate someone is covering something up. Mold and rot are the biggest issues, they say. • Don’t let your passion get the better of you. Take someone knowledgeable with you, do your homework first, and consider the cost of ownership: a place to store your trailer, the time and energy to fix it up and maintain it, and a vehicle sufficient to tow it safely. • Pay attention to the title, tires and maintenance record of anything you’re considering purchasing, says Whitt (and note that title requirements vary by state). • And when you’re ready to tackle the restoration project, take lots of photos and measurements before you start the project, says Johnson. It’s fun to see the progress, and you’ll need that info as you organize each step, including if you need to sub out any of the work. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

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For Les and Valerie Watson, locating and helping with the restoration of their 1962 Aloha Seattle World’s Fair model fulfilled a longtime dream.

“RESTORATION TO RELAXATION,” CONTINUED... Holiday House, which is actually modeled after the World’s Fair style, distinct for its curved corner windows. But it wasn’t the 1962 Aloha, and the Watsons’ interest in a bona fide World’s Fair model hadn’t waned, so when Johnson found one, the couple was ecstatic. “It just absolutely spoke to me,” says Valerie, who was born in — you guessed it — Seattle in 1962. Johnson restored the ’62 Aloha 16-footer, adding custom touches like a hydraulic lift under one of the beds for easy-access storage and the backlit light fixture featuring the Seattle Space Needle. While Johnson did the “heavy lifting,” says Valerie, she handled some of the custom interior touches, including themed curtains and linens. They dubbed her Blue Jewel. Their second Aloha ’62 World’s Fair trailer is a roomier 22-footer and presents them with a decision about whether or not to sell one of the Alohas. They’d already gotten rid of their ...continued on page 26

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JUNE - JULY 2021

Les and Valerie Watson enjoy taking their restored 1962 World’s Fair camper to events with other vintage trailer enthusiasts. “It’s all about the people, it’s all about the crowd,” says Valerie.

“RESTORATION TO RELAXATION,” CONTINUED...

RELIC TRAILERS PHOTO

Rethinking Restoration? Like anything vintage, but especially a camper (or vehicle) that has also been exposed to the double-whammy of weather and speed-related stress, you might want to consider something new that just looks old. Tacoma’s Relic Trailers (above) is one of a handful of companies that use fiberglass bodies in a “retro” style, but with all new materials inside. The company, founded by Jayne Barocela, is the happy accident that

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comes when you pair a motivated vintage camper enthusiast with a ’60s-era inventor who created the original design but let it languish in a warehouse until Barocela discovered it and started Relic Trailers. Whichever way your trailer quest takes you, remember that educating yourself beforehand is one of the best ways to minimize the bumps in the road you’re likely to encounter along the way. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

conventional motor home, partially because they really enjoy the sense of community among vintage trailer enthusiasts, Valerie says. “It’s all about the people; it’s all about the crowd,” she says. For North Idaho’s Mig Jumel Whitt, campers serve numerous functions, including a way to center oneself. She fondly remembers growing up camping and backpacking with her father. Whitt still has the 1971 Shasta she bought and restored 12 years ago. Although it’s just one of several she owns and has restored, it’s the only one she hasn’t made over from the first theme she created for it: island girl, a nod to her upbringing in San Diego amid surf and sand. In addition to serving as a backdrop for her artistic urges, Whitt’s campers are a model for an adventurous lifestyle. “I don’t let anything stop me,” says Whitt, who camps year-round, sometimes alone, and upward of 40 weekends a year. Camping is about a “community of people who are such a huge support group no matter what’s going on in your life,“ she says. “I really think in this day and age — we’re connected to everything — you have to unplug.”

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KAYLEEN MICHELLE PHOTOS

Light and S Colorful Designer Stephanie Sarro’s great room reflects her cheerful style BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

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tephanie Sarro’s Liberty Lake home is flooded with light and punctuated by color, a joyous yet serene place that accurately captures the versatile designer’s personality. Light pours into the great room — her favorite space — from every direction: the glass entryway, the slider onto the enclosed patio, and through a series of rectangular windows that line the upper floor where Sarro has her studio. Next, color! Dania chairs and a live edge dining table sit atop an abstract turquoise rug, a color reiterated in art prints on the entry wall, but also the subdued teal tone of a leather chaise-couch. Variations on orange and red appear in pillows, the glow of glue-lam ceiling beams, the fox motif rug in the grandchildren’s playroom off the main entry, and numerous artworks, including Sarro’s large watercolor of leaves that hangs over the fireplace. Her favorite item — located just off the great room — is a vibrant, rainbow-striped quilt visible every time she walks in the door, like a beacon. “It’s called ‘The Hope,’” from the story of Noah, explains Sarro. Sarro’s interest in art and design started as a youngster growing up in the Washington, D.C., area. She remembers designing and sewing intricate outfits for her dolls. Her grandfather worked in a furniture factory, which he eventually took over, and Sarro knows

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that both his ambition and being around furniture influenced her. Likewise, her uncle was an artist, and Sarro’s mother enrolled her and her sister in all kinds of lessons at a young age: swimming, skiing, cooking, acting, knitting. Sarro was drawn to architecture and attended North Carolina State University’s School of Architecture/College of Design. Her mother’s best friend — a female — was an architect, which was an eye-opener for Sarro. “I thought, ‘I can be an architect and a mom, both,’” says Sarro, who raised and homeschooled four children, all grown now. Interior design seemed a better fit, however, and perfectly synthesizes Sarro’s interest in art, design and helping others. She’s maintained her skills in art — still hand-rendering all her clients’ interior designs — and is particularly attuned to watercolor. As a young mother she provided art lessons to local children and later, Elizabeth Kincaid’s book Paint Watercolors that Dance with Light fueled her passion for painting. Although she has sold many of her pieces and continues to exhibit, she says, she hasn’t wanted to try to make a living with her painting. And she still sews, creating custom draperies for clients. “I don’t have a favorite style,” says Sarro, whose own home is mostly midcentury modern, while her current projects include a Tudor-style remodel, a farmhouse chic project and a Craftsman. What’s important to her, says Sarro, is that she’s accommodating clients with their style.

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Immersed in Art

art programs, while also working — as a janitor, driving truck — to support his young family. Struggling yet determined, McCuddin left school and committed himself to painting, which he’s done for nearly 60 years, much of it in the studio behind their home. To get there, we walk through the pink and orange door in the kitchen, cross the deck, pass the fish pond and the metal sculpture of a rooster in primary colors, and go down a crunchy concrete path littered with glimmering shell casings. His studio is actually a converted barn that’s adorned, both inside and out, with assorted

Mel McCuddin’s home and studio reflect the longtime painter’s upbeat attitude STORY AND PHOTOS BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

he patina of a life lived joyously with art is as thick and colorful inside Mel McCuddin’s home as the 40-plus years of dried oil paint around the makeshift easel in his studio. Home base for McCuddin is in a modest east Millwood house he’s shared with his wife, Gloria McCuddin, since 1976. It’s chockful of artwork — much, but not all of it, by his own hand. Drawings by the couple’s grandchildren hang alongside McCuddin’s distinct, otherworldly figurative paintings. And the walls and shelves illustrate a who’s who of the local art scene — some of the works purchased, some traded with other artists.

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In the bathroom is one of many artworks by Harold Balazs, McCuddin’s lifelong friend and fishing buddy who died in 2017. “I miss him,” says McCuddin, and this is the only time you can’t hear a smile in his voice, which anyone who has had the good fortune to know McCuddin knows is completely genuine. “Mel is the most positive person you’ll ever meet,” says Gloria, who is 86 to Mel’s 88 years. Their commitment is mutual and endearing. One of his earliest pieces, an abstract landscape from 1953, hangs in the kitchen. By the early 1960s, McCuddin had enrolled in several local

artwork and ample evidence of McCuddin’s sense of humor. An arrow-shaped sign outside with the word “bar” on it points to the door. Inside, a shelf above one work area is packed with mementos, photos of family and friends, and toys, including a Frankenstein doll whose pants have fallen down, tucked in among other ephemera like the shark’s teeth and blow dart his brother gave him. In a far corner, an old, mostly white and paint-splattered table is laden with coffee cans full of paint brushes or paint thinner, plastic lids where

McCuddin mixes oil paint, and dozens of paint tubes mostly organized in trays. Beneath the table are several decades worth of spent tubes. Nowadays, McCuddin says, he only spends two to three hours in the studio at a time but works quickly and on several canvases at a time, allowing the imagery to emerge from the layering of paint. “It takes longer for paint to dry than to create a finished work,” he says, laughing. Next to the painting area is the shop where he makes frames and stores the larger works that he’s accumulated but not found a place to exhibit. Not including these paintings, McCuddin says, he figures he does around 70 to 90 paintings a year. “I like to think there’s going to be something worthwhile when I’m gone,” says McCuddin, who has exhibited at Coeur d’Alene’s Art Spirit Gallery since 1997 and will do so again in October 2021. It’s a show not to be missed.

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TEMPORARY FIXES

The Stylish Renter Crafting a home in a space you don’t own BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL Marble-patterned contact paper is an affordable and easy way to update your countertops. SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL PHOTO

andlords tend to recoil at the idea of renters taking on DIY home improvement projects. But as someone who’s lived in many rented spaces, I’m here to tell you there are in fact many reversible upgrades you can make to your temporary home without fear of retribution. Not only are they affordable, but even small upgrades can quickly make a space feel more like home. Here are some projects that are easy enough that anyone can handle them.

“MARBLE” COUNTERTOPS

My apartment has amazing built-in storage in a style from the early 1900s, but the small kitchen counter was covered in an unappealing, chipped, faux wood laminate from the ’80s or ’90s. Enter the magic of contact paper. Nowadays you can buy rolls in extremely realistic patterns that will not only go on easily, but come off without damaging the counter underneath. A roll of white marble-patterned paper lifted my kitchen space with a lighter, more timeless feel. The surface is even waterproof, meaning it can handle the spills and wipedowns expected in a kitchen. Maybe your style matches better with a granite or tile pattern. It’s up to your imagination. Contact paper can also be used to change up backsplash areas and even kitchen drawers.

SWAP OUT KNOBS

Speaking of those built-ins, old-school cupboards may come with tacky knobs or

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drawer pulls. Easily unscrew those, keep them in a bag so they can be reinstalled when you move out, and screw in new knobs and pulls that fit your aesthetic better. You can also replace door knobs fairly easily with the same idea in mind: put it back where you found it when you leave.

WALLS

While many property owners will readily admit that a fresh coat of paint is one of the cheapest ways for them to spruce up a newly vacated apartment when transitioning between tenants, it’s best to ask permission before you tackle any painting in your rental. So if you’re sick of that particular white in your room, ask to try out another shade or to add a more dramatic color on an accent wall. Neutral colors likely won’t be an issue, but if your landlord requests it when you’re moving out, it’s pretty easy to paint that room right back to the color it was before. Or, simply choose from the amazing array of stylish peel-and-stick wallpaper that generally can be gone in a flash when you’re ready to move on. Designs range from subtle textures to attention-grabbing graphics. Some caveats: Be sure to follow directions carefully and avoid applying peel-and-stick wallpaper to walls that have been painted in the last month or two. Avoid using on walls that have a matte or heavily textured finish. RoomMates is a popular brand that promises their papers won’t leave a sticky residue or pull paint off the walls. Or check out colorful and unique handmade options on Etsy.

WASHI TAPE

If you’re nervous that even a coat of cream paint might start an unnecessary tiff between you and your landlord, washi tape is an inexpensive way to create artistic and totally nonpermanent accents in your living space. Try making a pattern on one wall with the very easily removable tape — think a chevron, repeating minimalistic lines or geometric shapes. Or, go crazy and create an entire art piece or faux wallpaper design. For inspiration, try browsing DIY sites like Apartment Therapy, HGTV’s DIY Network and Curbly.

CURTAINS

Have some boring old blinds? Pull those all the way up, install some hooks on either side of your window frame (use 3M sticky hooks for the no-hole version, or hooks that require small nails if your walls don’t take well to adhesives) and throw up a curtain rod with some fresh curtains. In just a few minutes, you’ve updated the entire feel of your living space. Not finding affordable curtains you like at the store? Check thrift or craft stores for fabrics that appeal to you, and it’s very simple to sew or even hot glue a tube or loops on top so you can easily thread the homemade curtain onto a rod.

MIRROR MAGIC

Put up a large mirror in a tight space, even if that means just leaning it against the wall, and you’ll instantly feel like the space got bigger and brighter.

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YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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Market Value Behind the scenes with Main Market Co-Op’s Josh Diogo BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

hen he’s looking for inspiration or a recipe ingredient, Main Market Co-Op’s Josh Diogo needn’t go far to find it. “What’s really cool about Main Market is if I don’t have something in the kitchen, I can go to the ‘store,’ which is Main Market, and I just got the best ingredient I can use,” says Diogo. As deli manager, Diogo oversees specialty cheese, bakery and the meat department, as well as the graband-go items like the popular tofu banh mi, chicken carnitas burritos and Korean barbecue chicken. Main Market has four daily soup options, a daily breakfast and lunch hot bar, and added rice bowls since last summer’s remodel. It might sound like a lot of food to be responsible for, but that’s all in a day’s work for Diogo, whose prior job was for Sodexo, Gonzaga University’s food purveyor. Working his way up from dishwasher, Diogo served as sous chef at Hemmingson Center, making an estimated 2,000 meals a throw with six stations and 20 cooks, he says. His recipe for kalua pork is a scaled-down version of one he once prepared for 4,000-plus students at Gonzaga’s opening barbecue, preparing 300 pounds of pork in a 40-gallon kettle lined with banana leaves and a makeshift smoker. After nine years with Sodexo, Diogo was looking

to grow his career. His wife was the cheese and beer buyer at Main Market until their first child was born, so Diogo signed on as kitchen manager. Staffing ranges from seven to 13, says Diogo, who credits the tight-knit team with the popularity of Main Market’s deli. Although the pandemic meant some adjustments, the staff has adapted, including everyone taking turns washing dishes, says Diogo. “It’s been good team building,” says Diogo. His older brother, Matt Diogo, introduced Josh to the food industry during the 2008 recession when Josh had just earned his pneumatics and hydraulics degree but found few job offers in his field. The food industry proved to be a good fit, and Matt now works with Josh at Main Market. The kitchen is a comfortable place for the Diogo brothers, who used to help their father when he was attending culinary school. They were also influenced by their father’s wife, who is Japanese and who introduced them to unusual flavor combinations like rice dumplings with pickled plum. Although he appreciates a well-plated dish, Josh says he’d rather focus on the fundamentals and honor original recipes. Small adjustments — like using good stock instead of water, a better cut of meat or blending spices from scratch — can all elevate a rustic dish, says Diogo. “I like simple foods done well.”

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Main Market chef Josh Diogo’s kalua pork is adapted from a recipe he used to feed thousands of Gonzaga University students at his previous job. Here, he tops it with Lomi Lomi salmon and coleslaw. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Main Market Picnic

Northwest weather can be unpredictable, so be ready for it with meals that work well whether it’s warm or cold. Main Market’s Josh Diogo uses the best and freshest ingredients for the best results. He likes Pure Country Pork from Moses Lake and salmon from Thunder’s Catch in Sandpoint. Both of these meals are versatile, and the proteins can be served over rice or as a handheld (try topping with slaw), and they also work well as leftovers.

Kalua Pork

• 5 pounds boneless pork shoulder • 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth (to nearly cover pork) • 8 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed • 2-inch piece of peeled ginger, left whole • Two 6-inch stalks of lemongrass, mashed • ½ cup soy sauce (or for gluten-free, use tamari) • Olive oil

Directions 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Chop the pork into two-inch cubes. 3. Pour a little olive oil into a deep-sided, oven-safe pot and sear the pork on all sides over medium-high heat. 4. Add ginger, garlic and lemongrass, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until you can smell the aromatics.

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5. Add stock to nearly cover the pork and bring to a simmer. 6. Cover the pot, and place in oven to braise for 1½ to 2 hours or until pork is falling apart. 7. Remove ginger and lemongrass. Add soy sauce to taste and stir.

Cabbage Coleslaw

• 1 cup mayonnaise (or vegan substitute) • 1 tablespoon sambal (also known as sambal oelek), a Thai chili paste available in most groceries • 1 tablespoon honey or agave • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar • ½ head green cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced • ½ head red cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced

Directions 1. Combine ingredients for dressing. 2. Just prior to serving, add dressing to cabbage, and mix so that cabbage stays crisp.

Lomi Lomi Salmon

• ½ pound salmon, deboned and skinned • ½ cup kosher salt (do not use other types of salt as they will not cure the fish properly) • ¼ cup white sugar • 1 tomato, seeded and diced • 3 scallions, thinly slice on the bias • 1 teaspoon sesame oil • Soy sauce to taste

Directions 1. Do-ahead: Mix sugar and salt and coat the salmon in it, pressing the dry mix into the flesh. Wrap the salmon tightly in plastic, and leave in the refrigerator overnight to “cure” it. 2. Rinse the cured salmon under cold water. It should have become firmer and a darker red color. Pat dry. 3. Dice the cured, rinsed salmon into 1/2 inch pieces. 4. Put into a bowl and add the tomato, scallion, and sesame oil. Mix and taste, adding soy sauce if it needs salt. — RECIPES COURTESY OF JOSH DIOGO AT MAIN MARKET

Family Owned and Operated

Portable Picnic Essentials

n a year when curbside pickup became the norm for those still wanting to feast on their favorite restaurant foods, we’ve learned to love dining out — as in outdoors. To make your takeout an al fresco delight, here is our recommended equipment list. • Folding chairs, ideally with a drink holder • Cutting board, which can double as a temporary tabletop • A knife (wrapped in a thick towel, which can be used for cleaning up) • Serving spoons and real flatware because those plastic utensils just don’t cut it • Sturdy, reusable, deeper-sided plastic plates and bowls. Seriously, have you ever tried to balance a Styrofoam container on your lap and not spilled something or poked through it with a knife? • Container of water for rinsing, cleaning up, etc. • Disinfectant wipes • Cloth napkins — they are durable and can double as covers for food or help with cleanup • Trashbag, and extra bags for wrapping up leftovers and things that need to be washed • Empty lidded plastic containers (for leftovers) • Bottle opener or Leatherman-type tool • Seasonings you’d typically use at home — such as salt and pepper, hot sauce, packets of sauces — stored in a plastic container • Tall, sturdy reusable glasses appropriate for whatever beverages you’ll be drinking • Reusable shopping bags • Thermal bag (to keep hot foods hot) • A lidded tub to store it all can double as a table • And, if you’re wanting to add a little romance, consider battery-powered candles and a tablecloth. — CARRIE SCOZZARO

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BARILI CELLARS PHOTOS

Barrel Tasting Barili Cellars offers a glimpse into winemaking in the heart of downtown Spokane BY LEANN BJERKEN

arili Cellars owners share the belief that wine is meant to bring people together. Russell and Marlene Feist founded Barili Cellars in 2007, along with Steve and Dana Trabun. “Steve and I had been sharing winemaking equipment and tips with each other, and eventually we decided to do our own winery,” Russell Feist says. Although the Trabuns eventually sold their ownership in the winery to Gary and Sue Hustad in 2011, Feist says the couple still help out occasionally

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with bottling and other tasks. “We’re a very high-touch, family-style operation,” he says. “So we always appreciate help and input from family, friends and wine club members.” As self-taught winemakers, Russell says evolving from a hobby into a business was a natural progression. “For people like us who have a passion for it, once you realize you can make a decent bottle, you just naturally start to challenge yourself to do more.” Barili Cellars now produces about 600 cases of wine annually

at their tasting room and cellar at 608 W. Second Ave. in downtown Spokane. The winery sources grapes from several American Viticultural Areas in the state of Washington, including Red Mountain, Rattlesnake Hills, Ancient Lakes and the Columbia Valley. “Our process is kind of unique,” Feist says. “We bring the grapes in on a flatbed, crush them outside on the sidewalk and then pump the juice downstairs into vats where it’s fermented and barreled.” The tight quarters offer guests a distinct advantage. “Being a smaller winery enables us to provide customers with samples directly from the barrel, which isn’t really done at larger wineries,” Feist says. As wineries began to reopen after closure during the pandemic, Barili Cellars found its tasting room wasn’t large enough to accommodate social distancing, so tables and chairs were moved downstairs into the cellar. “It’s actually been better having everything down there, where people enjoy the atmosphere, hanging out among the barrels, and watching our whole process,” Hustad says, noting, “Here, there’s also usually always at least one owner and winemaker working that you can interact with.” With no connections to distributors, Barili Cellars relies primarily on sales through the tasting room, with its wines also available at several other Spokane locations including Mama Mia’s Italian Restaurant, LeftBank Wine Bar, Steelhead Bar and Grille, Black Label Brewing Company, and the Hi Neighbor Tavern. Both Feist and Hustad describe Barili wines, which have won several Seattle Wine Awards, as having bold, fruit-forward flavors. “Our wines are probably a bit less tannin-heavy than others, but still chewy, and enjoyable,” Feist says. Customer favorites include the Double Barrel Red and the Sauvignon Blanc. “The Double Barrel Red is a blend we created in the beginning by mixing a barrel of our syrah with a barrel of our cabernet, and it became one of our flagship varieties,” he says, noting a new cabernet franc will debut this year. “Ultimately, winemaking is a business, but that’s not why we do it,” he says. “We do it because we love making, drinking and sharing wine.”

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Syrup on the Side T

he headline possibilities for this story are endless. “Spokane man converts craft brewing experience into all-natural syrup business.” Or “Dillon Hueser’s contacts in the spirit world give life to extraordinary drink mixer.” Or the more obvious: “Hueser’s Side Hustle Syrups evolve from side hustle while working in the beverage industry.” All are true. In 2017, Hueser was working at a local brewery when Dry Fly Distilling’s Mikel Lenox approached him about making a nonalcoholic ginger beer for their tasting room, Hueser says. Making ginger syrup for the beer led to experimenting with syrups, which led to a business opportunity. The syrups, which are part of Dry Fly’s new ready-to-drink line of canned cocktails, are now his main focus, Hueser says. “Side Hustle Syrups manufactures drink mixes that are intended for, but not limited to, cocktails,” he says. “Users can create cocktails, mocktails, flavor their tea or coffee, or even create premium sodas.” There are currently six flavors: elderflower, lemon-lavender, ginger, orange-vanilla and tonic. Hueser is working on new flavors and expanding availability, including collaborations with interested businesses. He also sells kits to infuse alcohol with flavors

Cocktail Time!

When he’s not working, Dillon Hueser enjoys living the outdoor life, from soccer to “pretty much any boarding sport,” he says, all of which pair nicely with a cocktail like this Spokane Side Hustle twist on a French 75, using his lemon-lavender syrup. He suggests pairing it with brunch instead of a mimosa, noting it’s equally at home as a refreshing drink to accompany a casual lunch or a more elegant dinner. Side Hustle French 75 • ½ ounce lemon Juice • ½ ounce Side Hustle Lemon-Lavender Simple Syrup • 1 ounce gin (he recommends Dry Fly) • 3 ounces champagne Combine the first three ingredients in a shaker with ice, strain into a champagne flute, add champagne and top with a lemon twist.

like tropical fruit or citrus, including one that can turn plain-tasting spirits into an old fashioned. Several local brewers, distillers, restaurants and bars serve Side Hustle Syrups, including Lumberbeard, The Viking, Bijou, and Joe’s House, which is also one of several retail outlets for the 8-ounce syrup bottle ($12). You can also find Side Hustle Syrups at Riverfront Spring Market, South Perry Thursday Market, Spokane Valley Farmers Market and Liberty Lake Farmers Market, Hueser says. — CARRIE SCOZZARO JUNE - JULY 2021

JONATHAN HILL ILLUSTRATION

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Talk About It Back and forth conversations, starting in infancy, help kids develop better brain power BY E.J. IANNELLI

alk might be cheap, or so the saying goes. But research is showing that with a little adult guidance, young children of all backgrounds might be able talk their way into better academic and social achievement later in life. “In the last maybe five or so years, there’s been a pretty significant advance in research around early language development by using brain-imaging scans,” says Allison Wilson, an assistant professor of early childhood education at the University of Montana. “What we’ve found is the number of conversational turns, or backand-forth interactions between children and their adult caregivers, relate to areas in the brain that are really critical for language development. It’s a really predictive metric of later childhood outcomes.” Wilson says the number of these conversational turns appears to have “more brain-building power” than factors that were once thought to be more influential — such as exposure to large vocabularies. As it happens, the conversation doesn’t even have to involve the spoken word.

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Students from EWU’s Visual Communication Design program provided the graphics for the ELLO pilot program in the Airway Heights Grocery Outlet store.

“TALK ABOUT IT,” CONTINUED...

Children who haven’t even learned to talk can be engaged through “gestural back-andforth communications — a smile, a mimic or a laugh.” Inspired by the growing body of research on this subject, Wilson developed the Everyday Language & Learning Opportunities public engagement campaign, or ELLO. It’s based on another acronymed framework known as QRST+, which stands for Question, Repeat, Stretch and then Talk a bit more. During a QRST+ interaction, an adult might ask a child an open-ended question — that is, one that can’t be answered with

a simple yes or no. The adult would then repeat the child’s answer back to them, followed by some additional questions and discussion that explore things further. It’s a template that helps guide the kinds of conversations that are proving to be so beneficial. “The ELLO project started around six years ago now, always with the overarching goal of increasing the number of quality, language-rich interactions between caregivers and young children. The way that we have approached that has been to find a way to connect with families through familiar home routines and community spaces

that they’re already accessing — things like going to the grocery store, doing laundry, riding public transit or having a meal together,” she says.

hat last point was key. Wilson didn’t want the campaign to force parents and other adult caregivers who were already busy to have to connect with additional services. Instead, ELLO was intended to become something they could incorporate into their everyday routines and, equally importantly, in their native tongues, including Marshallese and Salish.

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With that in mind, ELLO intentionally placed “conversation starter” signage that was designed to prompt QRST+ interactions among families wherever they happened to be, whether it was at the bus stop or the library. That naturally led to community partnerships with organizations like the Spokane Transit Authority and the Spokane County Library District. “We worked with ELLO to design an outdoor learning trail that we have at three of our libraries: Moran Prairie, Otis Orchards and Deer Park,” says Mary Ellen Braks, a public services manager at Spokane County Library District. The district also secured a grant that was used to develop the ELLO website,

later math experience, obviously, but early math can also predict later reading achievement even better than actual early reading skills, which is really interesting,” says Wilson. “What our work has done is to really try and combine this understanding of the importance of early language interaction and add this extra layer of being really intentional around early math vocabulary embedded into those interactions.” COVID-19 limited the public signage that ELLO has set out in recent months and compelled the project to rely more heavily on the mail and its website to distribute its materials. The 90-day period from November 2020 to January brought over 900 visits to the ELLO

Lots of times parents think they need to have all kinds of stuff to be able to educate their child. But really, ELLO shows that all it takes is a conversation. where families can browse and download ELLO materials like conversation cards and coloring pages for free. “I loved that this had a community connection. We were hoping that people would start to recognize the ELLO characters. They’d start to see these images around them, and that would inspire conversation between the adult and the child,” she adds. Since its inception, ELLO has evolved to incorporate early math skills as well. That doesn’t just mean basic addition or subtraction but also concepts like classifying things or estimating an amount. “There’s been newer and more updated research showing that early math knowledge strongly predicts

website. But Wilson says ELLO is already working on offering more mobile displays that can be transported to even more places like playgrounds, farmers markets and food banks. “Lots of times parents think they need to have all kinds of stuff to be able to educate their child,” says Braks. “But really, ELLO shows that all it takes is a conversation. You can do that with your child by your side as you’re sorting the laundry or putting dinner on the table. You can incorporate all this into your everyday moments.” For more information, visit www.helloello.org.

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THIS BITES!

What’s the Deal with These Dang Black Flies? BY MATT THOMPSON

grew up about three blocks from the Spokane River, and I never recall being bitten by any bugs really, except for the occasional mosquito that sucked a bit of my blood. However, in the past decade or so, “black flies” have appeared in our region. They’re also known as no-see-ums or buffalo gnats. Evidently, they are local residents now because of the excellent job that’s been done cleaning up the river. Only the adult black flies live outside the water, while the larvae are laid and hatched on the riverbed, and they thrive with highly oxygenated water, which we now have. Apparently, these flies are especially prevalent after winters with a heavy snowpack, as more flow means more grow. Also, the adults are more likely to be out seeking blood to feed their kin on overcast, windless, humid days. Many a parent has called my office alarmed and suspecting their child has cut their ear or scalp because of the sudden appearance of free flowing blood. These pests are endowed with a specialized cutting mouth and have saliva that contains an

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anesthetic, so you don’t feel the bite, and an anti-coagulant, making their bites bleed a surprising amount. Fortunately these flies do not transmit disease, although dogs can have a robust response to their bites giving them “black

BB to an M&M. These are normal lymph nodes (and yes,there are normal lymph nodes, even though you only hear about the scary ones on medical TV shows), which serve as the recycling bins for the white blood cells that respond to inflamma-

Once bitten, it is best to wash the bites gently with soap and water and apply a little over-the-counter antibiotic ointment fly fever.” I actually believe that humans can have a robust inflammatory response to these bites as well, giving them aches and even fevers. In addition to a pretty nasty, often bloody scab, the bitten will often be found to have bumps under the skin downstream from the bite ranging in size from a

tion. More inflammation means more cells, which means more packed recycling bins, and the “bins” are most noticeable in areas with less padding, like the scalp and neck. Lymph nodes don’t move, they just fill and empty over several weeks, so if one is getting bites every few weeks upstream from

the node, they will likely have nodes present all the way downstream. Evidently the flies are attracted to sweat, as well as the CO2 that we exhale. So if you can’t stay cool and hold your breath, you’ll need to figure out a way to prevent the bites. Unlike mosquitoes, black flies don’t get through clothing, so sleeves, pants and hats are good for limiting their access. But the most attractive place for the flies tends to be at the hairline, over the neck, behind the ears — all areas which can be hard to cover in the summer. So let’s look for other ways to avoid these annoying bites. The Farmer’s Almanac has several “natural” ways to try to do this, such as applying lavender, vanilla extract or pine scent to the neck and hairline. It is best to avoid sweet-smelling fragrances like perfumes and fabric softeners that may attract the flies. A fan on the porch may help keep the air moving and prevent flies from settling down. Apparently regularly eating garlic or drinking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar three to four

times a day for several days before expected exposure, and continuing on, can prevent them biting. Good luck with getting your children to drink ACV. One effective way to repel the flies is with a strategically applied bit of permethrin or picaridin over the neck and hairline. These are less stinky than DEET and may work even better for black flies. There are numerous brands to choose from. Once bitten, it is best to wash the bites gently with soap and water and apply a little over-the-counter antibiotic ointment, or even Vaseline, to act as a barrier to keep the spots clean and dry. A topical corticosteroid is OK for itch, but try to stick with the ointments as creams can sting. A dose of Zyrtec or Claritin can be another way to take the edge off the itch. Aloe vera can simmer these bites down pretty well. So, good luck, and just remember: Black flies are a sign of a healthy river — and that is important. Matt Thompson is a pediatrician at Spokane’s Kids Clinic.

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Ryan Smith, director of Washington State University’s School of Design and Construction, is an an expert on prefab construction. JACOB JONES PHOTO

Fabulous Prefab Prefab construction could be having a renaissance, and WSU’s Ryan Smith is at the forefront BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

s the director of Washington State University’s School of Design and Construction, part of Ryan Smith’s job is to keep up with the latest trends in building techniques. Smith, also an architecture professor, moved to Pullman with his family three years ago from Salt Lake City, where he taught and worked for 14 years at the University of Utah. It was a bit of an adjustment moving to the much smaller city at first, he says, noting that “the kids at first were like, ‘Where’s Forever 21?’” There was also that whole pandemic thing this last year, which moved teaching to a virtual setting. But the good news is faculty and staff will be able to return to campus come July. In addition to his tenure teaching architecture, Smith has also literally written the book — well, six of them actually — on prefabrication, a.k.a. prefab construction. In a nutshell, prefab refers to projects where instead of doing something like framing a house bit by bit on site, different elements are constructed in a factory to a fairly finished state before being brought to the building’s ultimate location. There, cranes can lift full walls, rooms or even full living units into place to be quickly sealed together. The process isn’t novel, Smith explains, with the idea really

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taking root a century or so ago. “It’s been toyed with by architects and builders since the Industrial Revolution,” Smith says. “Taking advantage of machines to build our houses isn’t necessarily new.” But since that time, the technique has had fits and starts in popularity, he says. First, there was a boost in prefabrication’s popularity just after WWII when soldiers returned and started settling down and starting families. Then in the late 1960s and early ’70s, Mitt Romney’s father, George Romney, took charge of the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, Smith says. Romney came from the auto industry, known for its assembly lines. “George was an industrialist, and he had this idea: ‘Can we meet the pent-up demand for housing by using WWII factories that lay dormant across the country?’” Smith says. So the federal government invested in several factories across the country, including one in Seattle, to explore prefabrication techniques for housing. But Smith says when Ronald Reagan took office, funding for the program dropped off. While HUD had come up with high quality designs to meet the need for single-family housing, Smith says the most well-known

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Prefab homes are constructed in sections at a factory and then assembled on site, reducing construction labor costs and saving time. TYLER SCHMETTERER, MOD X PHOTO

idea that came out of the program was a lower quality product: the mobile home. “That is the legacy from our country’s last major investment in prefabrication,” he says. Unfortunately, mobile homes built to federal standards often leaked, were inefficient and became associated with lower quality of life, even as they helped meet the overall need for housing, Smith says. Fast forward to 2002, he says, and people were asking why the U.S. wasn’t using prefab construction with the same success as other countries such as Sweden and Japan. So Dwell magazine ran a contest telling architects to partner with mobile home/prefab factories to design high quality, affordable homes. The creative ideas entered for that contest spurred some companies that still exist today, Smith says, and helped put prefabrication back in the spotlight. Currently, labor shortages in the construction industry are causing a bit of a prefab resurgence, Smith says. “Labor has increased in cost, and the availability of labor to build homes is not there. It’s a real problem right now,” he says. “Because of that, now people are saying, ‘Wow, this idea of prefabrication could really fly economically. It makes so much more sense: It’s more productive, and frankly we don’t have the labor. This could be something we look to.’” In the Spokane area, Katerra, a cross-laminated timber manufacturer, has big plans to expand production of prefabricated walls and building elements. Another company, Washington-based Blokable, has designed full modular affordable housing units that can be stacked next to and on top of one another. They’re completely finished in the company’s factory,

making it much faster and more affordable to finish a multifamily apartment project. So far, while prefab techniques definitely save time on projects of different sizes, Smith says it’s really in that multifamily or hotel size where the speed translates to cost savings. “The advantage that has been realized has been speed. We’ve seen 30 to 50 percent time savings,” Smith says. “That may not benefit you all that much financially on a single-family home. But on a big, multifamily project or a hotel where you’ve gotta open to get revenue? Yes.”

EMERGING TECH

There are a few other building techniques on the horizon that Smith says someone building a single-family home might keep an eye out for. If you’d like to help reduce the impact of your new home, you could build it to the voluntary international building standard known as a “passive house.” These homes require very little to no energy to heat and cool. Smith says he’s also a fan of something called ICF or insulated concrete forms, in which semi-hollow foam blocks are put next to one another to create the form for concrete pours for, say, a basement. The blocks help insulate the room better and reduce the time that would’ve been spent building steel or plywood forms, he says. Another recent innovation Smith says he’s seen is something called “BamCore,” which is a framing alternative to wood. “So you’re building walls not out of two-by-fours, out of lumber, but out of bamboo that is rapidly renewable and sustainably harvested,” Smith says. “I think there’s a lot of potential for this, though it still needs to go through a lot of testing.”

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