Health & Home 12/04/2023

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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Baking from the

Heart A Coeur d’Alene baker brings European flavors to the Inland Northwest PAGE 42

Inside:

Weddings PRO TIPS, FLOWERS & PHOTOS

PAGE 30

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FROM THE EDITOR 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.

DON HAMILTON PHOTO

On Your Guest Behavior

BY ANNE McGREGOR

P

lanning a wedding is obviously a joy and privilege but also a bit of a minefield. It’s when previously less consequential issues of religious traditions and how they’ll be reflected in the festivities may come to the fore and potentially cause friction. There can be generational differences of opinion. Struggles may arise over compiling the guest list and who is asked to be a part of the wedding party — and, of course, how much it’s all going to cost.

I hope our first-ever special feature on weddings will help. I had the distinct good fortune to sit down and chat with event planner Jaime Johnson, who candidly shared her wisdom developed over more than 20 years of helping couples with their special day. Not a single one of those weddings was ever free of some sort of unplanned occurrence, which, she emphasized, is okay! It all depends on how you pivot.

The more I thought about Jaime’s advice, the more I realized it doesn’t just apply to weddings, but also to all of our social interactions. RSVP! That’s really just a charming term for saying “Communicate!” Don’t pout about obstacles; instead, be calm and flexible. Be thoughtful about how your own actions affect the group dynamic, and be welcoming to newcomers. In short, if we could all behave more like considerate wedding guests in our daily lives, wouldn’t that be nice?

Cheers!

SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home 1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, Wash. 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634

HEALTH & HOME EDITOR Anne McGregor annem@inlander.com

HEALTH & HOME ART DIRECTOR Ali Blackwood INLANDER EDITOR Nick Deshais INLANDER ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Chey Scott CONTRIBUTORS Stacey Aggarwal, Eliza Billingham, Erick Doxey, Young Kwak, Linda Martin, Will Maupin, Madison Pearson, Colton Rasanen, Summer Sandstrom, Amelia Troncone ADVERTISING & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Skip Mitchell SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Carolyn Padgham, Kristi Gotzian, Autumn Potts, Claire Price ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Tracy Menasco, Stephanie Grinols, Meghan Fitzgerald ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER Tamara McGregor ADVERTISING ASSISTANTS Raja Bejjani, Colleen Bell-Craig PRINT PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Stover SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Derrick King

CONTRIBUTORS

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

SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL is a staff writer for the Inlander, covering the environment, rural communities and cultural issues since 2017.

Like many, she was skeptical about the efficacy of LED light therapies (see story on page 10), but once she read about the NASA research that kickstarted the field and spoke to local providers, she learned there can be benefits. Be forewarned: Her social media feeds have been filled with nonstop ads for funky looking at-home LED masks since reporting the story.

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COLTON RASANEN is a staff writer for the Inlander, covering news in the Inland Northwest. In this issue, he sits down with KSPS President and General Manager Gary Stokes for the inside scoop on his diligent work in broadcast media and some of his more extreme hobbies.

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. 2023. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.

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EVENTS

A Musical New Year

BY MADISON PEARSON Six: The Musical

Spokane’s Best of Broadway season is chock full of the hottest shows coming out of Broadway, and this year is no exception. Six is a product of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, debuting in July 2017 and making its way to London’s West End in January 2019. The musical itself is a comedic modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry Vlll. The twist is that it’s presented in the form of a pop concert. The musical won two Tony Awards in 2022, one for Best Original Score and the other for Best Costume Design in a Musical. And rightfully so, the fashion on stage is just as phenomenal as the story. Jan. 23-28; Tue-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat also at 2 pm, Sun at 1 pm and 6:30 pm, $52-$100, First Interstate Center for the Arts. broadwayspokane.com

Mount Spokane Moonlight Snowshoe Tours

Put on some snowshoes and hike Mount Spokane on a beautiful moonlight tour through some of the mountain’s snowy, wooded areas. Groups are led by an experienced guide; however, you should probably have a bit of snow sports experience before embarking on this journey. Peacefully make your way through the woods in about two-and-a-half hours while basking in the moonlight and enjoying the company of your fellow snow enthusiasts. The registration fee covers snowshoes, poles and headlamp rental, as well as instruction and transportation. Tours meet at Yoke’s Fresh Market in Mead and bus up the mountain together.

Dec. 24, Jan 19 & 26, Feb. 23 from 6-9:30 pm, $41, meet at Yoke’s Fresh Market in Mead.

Bluey’s Big Play

The children’s show “Bluey” features an adorable family of Australian heelers, including the titular pup Bluey herself, living life to the absolute fullest. This stage show follows Bluey, Bingo, Bandit and Chilli as they attempt to get Dad off of his bean bag chair and outside into the Sunday afternoon sun. The production includes puppetry, live actors and set pieces that look like they were taken straight out of the TV show. Take the kiddos, or the whole family, to this heartwarming performance that’s sure to leave everyone giggling and happy for days to come. Thu, Jan. 18 from 6-8 pm, $35-$120, First Interstate Center for the Arts. firstinterstatecenter.org

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

There’s nothing quite like a Postmodern Jukebox show. If you’ve never been, allow me to give you a rundown: Founded by jazz pianist Scott Bradlee, the band reinvents popular songs in the light of oft-ignored genres, mostly the vintage early 20th-century forms like swing and jazz. The band consists of a rotating cast of singers and musicians who often invite guest vocalists to perform with them. Highlights from this recent tour include covers of “Thriller “by Michael Jackson and a rendition of the ever-popular “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. No matter your musical taste, there’s something for everyone at a PMJ show. Mon, Feb. 12 at 7:30 pm, $35-$188, The Fox Theater. foxtheaterspokane.org

STOMP

STOMP is an explosive, energetic and unique experience for audiences of all ages. This eight-member troupe uses everything except traditional percussion instruments to create beats. They trade drums for garbage cans and use brooms to invigorate the audience as they combine music, dance and theatrical performance into one show that has thrilled audiences since 1991. Don’t miss out when the talented performers literally stomp their way into Spokane in February. Feb 23 & 24; Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat also at 2 pm, $39.50$69.50, First Interstate Center for the Arts. firstinterstatecenter.org

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LOCAL SERIES

A Mystery in the Woods I n a confession that’s going to baffle a lot of would-be writers, Rob Phillips says he wrote his first book in 24 days. “I’ve been a writer most of my life, more as an avocation than a vocation,” he says. “When Covid hit, I decided to give it a go.”

His latest, CREATURE OF THE CASCADES, released Dec. 9, is the sixth in the fast-paced series featuring game warden Luke McCain and his yellow lab Jack. (Yes, Phillips has written six books since the pandemic began and is at work on the seventh.) The new book, which can be read as a standalone, finds McCain investigating a series of baffling animal deaths. In a side plot, a couple of Russian immigrants who arrived years before to work the oil fields in Wyoming have now embarked on a new, and illegal, venture involving the capture and export of wild Northwest birds.

Readers will enjoy the regular appearance of Washington locales, animals and plantlife in the series, which is informed by the author’s years as an avid outdoorsman.

“I try to keep it as true to life as I can,” says Phillips, who’s now retired after owning an ad agency in Yakima for 40 years. He’s also well-known in his hometown as an outdoors columnist for the Yakima Herald-Republic.

Phillips says he was about three-quarters of the way through writing his first book when he showed it to Latah Books’ publisher Jon Gosch in Spokane, who helped him polish it up. Gosch notes: “A fun fact is that the first book in his Luke McCain Series (The Cascade Killer) is now the bestselling book of all time at Inklings Bookshop in Yakima.” Even more than Harry Potter!

— ANNE McGREGOR

When author Rob Phillips isn’t writing, he’s chasing salmon on the Columbia River.

The Luke McCain series is available at local bookstores, including Auntie’s.

GET A RESERVATION!

Tastes of the Inland NW

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Miso Marinated Sable Fish from Post Street Ale House.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

oodies get ready for one of the best weeks of the year, as more than 110 local restaurants in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area create special three-course menus for a set price of either $25, $35 or $45. This year’s INLANDER RESTAURANT WEEK features plenty of newcomers, as well as local favorites in its 10-day run from Feb. 22-March 2.

Ruins, Zona Blanca, Clinkerdagger and Kuni’s Thai all return this year, while new restaurants the Bowery, Skewers and Lorén Social Club are appearing for the first time. And there are more diverse, global flavors in 2024 than ever before. Diners can explore eight Indian restaurants, including Mango Tree, India House and Karma Indian Cuisine & Lounge. Lebanese, Middle Eastern, French and Japanese cuisine also entice diners at places like Lebanon, Skewers, Francaise and QQ Sushi, as they all join the Restaurant Week ranks. For more information, visit inlanderrestaurantweek.com.

Inlander Restaurant Week has had a longtime commitment to not only supporting the culinary community but also using the event to support our local beer, wine, cider and spirits producers.

This year, a number of beloved wineries and breweries — including Lumberbeard Brewing, Uprise Brewing and Maryhill Winery — have expanded to include full kitchens, allowing them to also offer three-course menus.

— MADISON PEARSON DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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An LED light therapy and electromagnetic frequency blanket and face mask at Spokane’s Clinic 5Ĉ..

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Light therapy is used for both cosmetic and medical purposes. What’s the real deal behind each use?

STORY BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL • PHOTOS BY YOUNG KWAK

C

an different colors of light really do everything from reduce wrinkles to reverse potentially cancerous sun damage? Surprisingly, the answer is yes.

Decades of research has shown that different wavelengths of light can be used in a targeted way to kill precancerous cells, induce collagen production (providing that youthful look), and even help bones and wounds heal faster and reduce chronic pain.

While it may sound like a new-age snake oil — a too-good-to-be-true cureall — some of the more modern trends in light therapy have their roots in NASA research. In the early ’90s, NASA-partnered scientists stumbled upon the healing properties of LEDs while studying whether light-emitting diodes could help plants grow in space. While working with the lights, the researchers noticed that abrasions on their hands were healing faster than normal.

...continued on next page

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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COMMON QUESTIONS Does LED light therapy require eye protection?

No. When it comes to LEDs, eye protection isn’t necessary, particularly with red light treatment, although many places that offer those services provide goggles for client comfort.

However, for other light therapies like laser treatments, eye protection is essential.

Facial plastic surgeon Cameron Chesnut says he puts metal eye contacts on the patients he treats with laser therapy to ensure their eyes are well protected.

Facial plastic surgeon Cameron Chesnut with the red light infrared sauna at Clinic 5Ĉ.

Does LED light therapy hurt?

Unlike laser treatments, which can cause discomfort and require healing time from 24 hours to several days or more, LEDs are a painless option that aren’t known to require any healing time or cause any negative side effects.

“SHINE BRIGHT,” CONTINUED...

After that, NASA wanted to study whether red or blue light could help astronauts heal in low- to no-gravity situations, which slow cell growth and make even small wounds hard to heal. The government space agency tested LEDs with the U.S. Navy, and learned that high-intensity red light and near-infrared light treatments helped heal service members’ musculoskeletal training injuries 40 percent faster than a control group, and lacerations healed 50 percent faster.

LEDs require far less energy than laser light treatments and can cover more of the body without the risk of tissue damage that comes with laser treatments. While laser treatments often need to be performed by medical professionals, LEDs have no side effects and don’t require healing time, opening them up to a broad audience for various uses.

Some light therapy is known as photobiomodulation — “photo” meaning light, and “biomodulation” meaning making changes to the cells — explains Cameron Chesnut, a facial plastic surgeon and owner of Clinic 5Ĉ, a medical practice with offices

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in the Spokane area.

Different wavelengths, like red light, can travel deeper inside the body, he says.

“It’s a way of delivering energy deeper into our tissue,” Chesnut says. “The trick is the different cells respond differently to that energy.”

RED LIGHT

Perhaps the trendiest light therapy featured on social media in recent years is the promise of red light therapy to give skin a more youthful appearance.

Red light penetrates deep into the body and cells to boost energy and help stimulate collagen and elastin production. But both doctors and aestheticians warn that no one should be expecting instant or miraculous results.

The therapy works best if used regularly over time, and often a specific treatment plan is necessary to figure out which wavelengths and duration work best.

To get the most dramatic results, doctors may also recommend starting with a more invasive procedure, with red light therapy ...continued on page 14

Does it work? Why would you need to undergo multiple treatments?

Because LED therapy is far less powerful, it often requires regular sessions (sometimes 10 minutes to 25 minutes per day, multiple days a week) to actually see an improvement.

“I think people think they’ll put a red light on their face for three months or four months and have brand new skin. That’s not how it works,” Chesnut says. “It’s more of a maintenance than a treatment.”

Are at-home options safe?

The good news, Chesnut says, is that it’s unlikely that any red light LED masks you can buy will be dangerous for your skin. But if a mask isn’t using the right frequency or power, it may not be effective.

“The greatest risk is they’re going to get something that’s not going to work very well, rather than going to get something damaging,” Chesnut says. “For at home use, I usually have a pretty deep conversation with my patients.”

— SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

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“SHINE BRIGHT,” CONTINUED... used afterward to boost healing.

“The daily driver use of red light falls a little bit short versus using it in a therapeutic fashion for recovery,” Chesnut says. “I’m not saying there’s no benefit without stimulus, but it’s significantly less. When paired with laser treatment or microneedling, you will get more bang for your buck. Red light therapy helps with the healing process by modulating inflammation, and it also improves the long-term results of that treatment.”

Still, there are options available that don’t require invasive procedures.

At-home light masks run the gamut from cheaper options with fewer LEDs, to highend face and neck pieces with more than 1,000 LEDs. The Omnilux Contour Face mask is $395, has FDA approval and clinical studies to back it up, and uses 132 medical-grade LEDs to treat the skin with red and near-infrared light.

Pricier options include masks like the Korean-designed Artemis, which runs about $4,000 for a face and neck piece that can use a variety of red, blue, green and yellow light

LED therapy can cover more of the body without the risk of tissue damage that comes with laser treatments. frequencies to treat everything from dyspigmentation to fine lines. The mask combo can be controlled through an app, has 1,080 LEDs, and has CE certification, meaning it meets European Union health standards.

MULTIFREQUENCY TREATMENT

Other light therapy options in Spokane include Di’ Amand Salon’s high-end photobiomodulation light bed, which was specially ordered from Serbia.

Di’ Amand owner Tara Smith says the bed looks similar to a tanning bed, but its

multispectrum treatments can address a wealth of issues, from chronic pain to athletic injuries and inflammation. Some clients use it to achieve firmer skin, and others use it to boost their mood, with some reporting that they feel more energized after using it, Smith says.

“We have a lot of people who use it for pain relief,” Smith says. “I work with a lot of athletes.”

The bed blinks between blue light, red light and near-infrared light, using thousands of LEDs, and sessions usually last about 25 minutes, Smith says.

She works with clients to schedule ses-

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sions so they’re most likely to benefit from the bed, typically starting out with three sessions a week for four weeks, and tapering down after that to maintain the benefits. She tries to make sure that people know not to expect results after just one time of using the bed.

“Some are blown away after one session, but someone who is healthy might not notice anything until they’ve used it a couple times,” Smith says. “It’s basically like jump-starting your little energy packs in your cells, your mitochondrial level.”

BLUE LIGHT AND GREEN LIGHT

In dermatology clinics, blue light is often used to treat acne because it has antibiotic properties.

“Blue light is a great treatment for facial acne,” Chesnut says.

“It’s more treating that bacterial cause than it is working on our own skin.”

Certain wavelengths in the blue light spectrum are also used in conjunction with medical creams to treat precancerous sun damage on the skin through what are called photodynamic treatments. That treatment is offered by many dermatologists, including at Dermatology Specialists of Spokane.

Green light sits in the middle of the spectrum of visible light, and is more of a jack of all trades and master of none, Chesnut says.

“It doesn’t penetrate as deep,” Chesnut says. “It does get used for middle of the spectrum dyschromia, but it doesn’t work very well compared to other types of treatment.”

Chesnut says he often uses laser treatment to address pigmentation issues near the surface of the skin.

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PETS

Snow Days When is the cold too cold for your pet?

BY LINDA MARTIN

W

inter is here in the Inland Northwest, and if you can’t tolerate the elements for long periods without bundling up, chances are your dog or cat shouldn’t either.

When temperatures dip below freezing, or 32 degrees, it’s good to remember that pets, especially shorthair cats and dogs, should be brought inside or at least provided shelter. Just as for humans, animals can become hypothermic when their body temperature drops below normal, and frostbite ensues once tissues and extremities begin to freeze.

At the Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, we see hypothermic and frostbitten dogs and cats every year. Whether they are primarily outdoor dogs with inadequate shelter or dogs that ran off and have been on the loose, they all share one commonality — they’ve spent far too much time out in the freezing temperatures.

Most dogs and cats (certainly those with thinner coats) should be exposed to freezing temperatures for no more than 10-15 minutes before having access to a warmer space. Depending on how cold it is, any longer could be enough for hypothermia to settle in and for body temperatures to drop.

According to the American Kennel Club, there are three levels of dog hypothermia: mild hypothermia, when body temperature is between 90 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit; moderate hypothermia, between 82 and 90 degrees; and severe hypothermia, less than 82 degrees. In general, these temperatures can apply to cats and horses too.

Owners who suspect their pet may be hypothermic can use a thermometer and insert it into their dog’s anus to check their temperature, but you can also look for other physical signs, like shivering, irregular heart rate and breathing, or visible exhaustion. Animals with hypothermia should be covered with blankets and allowed time

to warm up.

Hypothermia and frostbite go hand in hand.

Dogs with hypothermia often experience frostbite on their paw pads, nose and ears, but animals can get frostbite before becoming hypothermic. Frostbite is painful and can cause animals to look as if they are prancing when they walk. The color of their pads usually turns gray as that tissue freezes and dies. In extreme cases, frostbite may cause long-term tissue damage, and extremities may need to be amputated.

Booties or other covering of paws can help protect against the cold and against harmful rock salts and other ice melts.

Dog and cat owners should also be wiping the salt from their pets’ paws regularly. Salt and snow can get stuck in between paw pads and cause pain for pets, almost as if they are stepping on a rock.

Additionally, licking such salt can cause sodium to rise to dangerous levels in pets, resulting in excessive urination, dehydration, vomiting and lethargy.

Linda Martin is an associate professor and the lead emergency and critical care specialist at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

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SUPERFOOD

Super Tubers Tubers excel at storing nutrients for these cold-weather months

BY STACEY AGGARWAL

W

hile tubers — aka potatoes and their cousins — commonly grace our holiday dinner tables and cold-weather comfort food plates, their abundant nutritional value is sometimes overlooked. Unlike root vegetables like carrots and beets that are actually the edible roots of plants, tubers grow off of a mother plant in the ground. Whether you decide to bake, fry or boil your tubers, they will be a nutritious addition to your plate this season.

Potato

Perhaps because it’s such a favorite comfort food, the nutrition of the white potato may be discounted. But like other tubers, the white potato is packed with minerals, particularly potassium and B vitamins. Potatoes are naturally low in fat and have a good balance of carbohydrates, calories and fiber to keep you satisfied. However, white potatoes can potentially be harmful if they’re undercooked since they contain antinutrients like lectins, resistant starches and even toxic compounds like solanine. Thankfully, most of these harmful components can be avoided by proper cooking, preparation and storage (avoid green potatoes!).

Sweet Potato

Although these tubers share a name with the common potato, sweet potatoes are only distantly related to white potatoes and therefore offer a different variety of nutrition benefits. While they are also packed with fiber and healthy carbohydrates like the plain potato, sweet potatoes particularly excel in vitamin A and antioxidant content. The antioxidant content of sweet potatoes tends to be higher in those with a more vibrant color, with the purple varieties containing the highest and white varieties the lowest amounts of antioxidants. Sweet potatoes generally have a lower glycemic index than white potatoes, making them a better option for those with diabetes or blood sugar issues. Unlike their white potato cousins, sweet potatoes can safely be eaten raw (in which case, they would contain a good amount of vitamin C), though most prefer the flavor and texture of a cooked potato.

Cassava or Yuca

Cassava is a tuber native to South America, where it is commonly grown due to its wide variety of uses in food, as well as the plant’s ability to withstand difficult conditions including drought. Cassava is a great source of vitamin C and, like the other tubers, offers a good balance of fiber, healthy starches and low fat. You may be most familiar with it as a common ingredient in crackers and chips in the snack aisle, but due to its simple flavor and palatable texture, cassava is often a central ingredient in dishes from South American cultures.

Cassava is frequently available in the produce section, but you need to know how to use it. It should also not be eaten raw, due to its high content of a toxin called cyanogenic glycosides. To reduce your exposure to these compounds, cassava can be peeled and soaked before use for up to two to three days, then cooked thoroughly and paired with a healthy protein. Note that cassava, also known as yuca, is not the same thing as yucca.

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

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WHERE TO GIVE

GLOBAL NEIGHBORHOOD THRIFT

YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

BY SUMMER SANDSTROM

W

hether you’re decluttering for the new year or just getting rid of unwanted items, Global Neighborhood Thrift & Vintage provides a sustainable way to clear up some space at home while giving back to the community and supporting former refugees.

“The original founders, Brent and Amy, started Global Neighborhood first as an organization to just kind of connect recently settled former refugees and some Spokane citizens to help build friendship,” says general manager Julie Kimball-Bryant. “Through those relationships, [they] realized that the biggest barrier for refugees was employment.”

So, Global Neighborhood began offering job training programs and in-house English language classes to reduce barriers former refugees may face when searching for employment.

“We have former refugee staff through all GLOBAL NEIGHBORHOOD stages of the production THRIFT & VINTAGE process from receiv919 E. Trent Ave. ing donations all the global-neighborhood.org way up to cashiering,” Kimball-Bryant says.

“Every donation you make to Global Neighborhood, that money goes directly into paychecks to former refugees, and that money is directly going back into our local community and back into our local economy.”

The store has a drive-through donation center on the corner of Trent and Hamilton, on the backside of URM, where you can drop off donations Monday through Saturday anytime between 9 am and 7 pm and from 9 am to 5 pm on Sunday.

Global Neighborhood can’t take damaged or worn out furniture, mattresses, outdated technology, industrial furniture, or unclean or damaged textiles, but Kimball-Bryant says they’re pretty generous with what they accept.

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“We really want to create a sustainable community here, and we believe that just because you’re done with the product doesn’t mean that the product is done,” she says. “We want to put it in our store, we want to try to sell it and try to give it a second or third chance at life.”

This extends to vintage apparel and items, which Kimball-Bryant says is one of Global Neighborhood’s main pride and joys.

“We really pride ourselves on our vintage, so when you’re cleaning out your grandma’s house, if she’s got some old stuff and you don’t want it, just bring it down,” she says. “We really find a lot of joy in sorting through other people’s stuff.”

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MORE TO CHECK OUT OUR SISTER’S CLOSET

930 N. Monroe St. The YWCA Spokane’s Our Sister’s Closet is a free clothing boutique in town that provides a broad array of clothing options to those in need. It accepts clean, gently used clothes by appointment, which can be made by calling 509-326-1190 on Fridays, with donations received on Tuesdays. “We ask that the clothing be current styles because the goal is to empower the individuals we work with,” says Teresa Dixon, YWCA’s women’s opportunity center services coordinator. She adds that brand-new underwear, socks and toiletries are items are in high demand. More information about the program can be found at ywcaspokane.org/tag/our-sisters-closet/.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

1805 E. Trent Ave. The Habitat Store is a home-improvement store providing donated appliances, home accessories and building materials to customers at significantly discounted prices. All proceeds from the store go directly into Habitat for Humanity Spokane’s work to build affordable housing in the area. Donations can be dropped off at the store Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 5 pm, or you can schedule a pickup time. The Habitat Store store accepts most donations but urges people to call with questions. For more information or to schedule a free pickup, visit habitat-spokane.org/habitat-store/.

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12 E. Fifth Ave. As part of its mission to serve and advocate for vulnerable members of the community, Catholic Charities accept a wide array of items for a number of their programs. Donations can be dropped off at the Family Services Center Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm, and at other locations at varying times. Socks, underwear, winter clothes like gloves and coats, and toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and feminine hygiene products are items Catholic Charities always needs more of, especially during the winter months.

Other items people are encouraged to donate include water bottles, protein bars and canned foods.

Learn more at cceasternwa.org/wishlist.

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19

Tricia and Kendall Hopkins enjoy their new accessible kitchen, including the island’s table-height wraparound ledge.

Better for Everyone Universal design features make a house more livable for anyone who calls it home STORY BY ANNE McGREGOR • PHOTOS BY ERICK DOXEY 20

Health& Home

Chances are you’re familiar with Kendall’s soothing voice and friendly humor — he’s the “Ken” of the beloved Dave, Ken and Molly morning team at KZZU radio. (He uses his given name in real life.) And as his devout listeners know, he had a bicycle accident in 2015 that resulted in a spinal cord injury. Since then he’s used a wheelchair to get around.

“O

f course, when Kendall had his accident, it was devastating to, obviously, him, and his family,” says the Hopkinses longtime friend and designer Janet Phillips Jones. “And to those of us that knew them, it was very hard also… He was in the hospital for a long period of time, doing rehab, and just learning how to live life differently. And Tricia called me and said that they had to change some things at the house.”

Phillips Jones, who’s had an extensive career in design as co-founder of Design Works, at Wallflowers and at Great Floors in Spokane, as well as working in Arizona and Seattle, had

T

ricia and Kendall Hopkins were remodeling their kitchen last summer. And like any kitchen renovators, for several weeks they had no access to appliances (aside from a toaster oven). When dinnertime rolled around Tricia says she’d ask her husband, “What are you going to grill, Kendall?”

Grilling dinner isn’t a particularly noteworthy activity. But creating space where Kendall can do the grilling — and all the other activities of daily life — has required considerable renovation at the couple’s South Hill home.

…we’re gonna have to blow our whole house up. I don’t know how this is gonna work... already been working with the couple on updating the home, but Kendall’s accident created a whole new set of challenges.

“We’re thinking we’re gonna have to blow our whole house up. I don’t know how this is gonna work,” says Kendall.

While Kendall was still doing rehab at St. Luke’s Medical Center, he and Tricia went on a day trip to the home of his mentor, who also uses a wheelchair. It was there they began to get a glimpse of what the future could hold. The numerous ...continued on next page DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

21

An accessible no-curb shower (left) shares space with a tub for Tricia in the remodeled primary bathroom.

“BETTER FOR EVERYONE,” CONTINUED... design elements and clever adaptations resulted in a remarkably usable and still-beautiful home. “It gave us hope that you can live a normal life,” says Tricia.

Before Kendall could come home, the most pressing issue was creating an accessible primary suite. That meant some of the newly installed elements of the previously in-progress renovation had to be scrapped. Jones replaced plush carpeting in the bedroom with wood flooring so Kendall could easily roll across it. An adjustable bed was installed. The bathroom required more significant changes.

Still in rehab, Kendall had just one request. “We’re gonna spend a lot of money on the bathroom… I don’t want it to look like a hospital bathroom.”

And it doesn’t. Jones was able to reconfigure the space to provide a roomier setting for the toilet. A no-sill shower with a handheld shower and space for a chair facilitates bathing. And she was even able to squeeze in the tub for Tricia, all without altering the room’s footprint. Fitting it all in did mean there was less space for the vanity, but Jones compensated for the lost storage with two towers – one that holds Tricia’s stuff, and one that opens and has a pull-down shelf that Kendall can access.

After those necessary accommodations were made, the house was livable. But not quite optimal. In particular, the

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kitchen was often a traffic jam for the couple, who enjoyed cooking together. The kitchen island’s placement meant that if Kendall was getting something from the refrigerator, no one could get by.

“If he was in one place, I’d have to go clear around,” says Tricia.

It gave us hope that you can live a normal life…

It was difficult for him to access food stored in the closet-style pantry. The foot rests on his wheelchair were constantly banging into the cabinets. And while kitchen islands are notoriously a gathering place for entertaining, that casual communal area wasn’t accessible for Kendall, who instead sat at a pedestal table nearby.

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So last summer the couple at last completed renovation of the kitchen in a whirlwind five-week project.

Among the most significant changes, Phillips Jones designed a new and much longer island, rotating it 90 degrees to run lengthwise in the space. The altered orientation not only created a wider walkway but also, by incorporating a unique table-height seating ledge, made the island once again an accessible gathering area.

“Now Kendall and the kids and our friends and family can all sit here together,” says Tricia. It’s a perfect spot for lunch and catching some sports on the great room’s TV. The cabinetry also features inconspicuous features that make it accessible and practical. For the base cabinetry, “We kept the footprint the same, we just changed everything to drawers,” says Tricia.

Running the grain pattern horizontally on the lower cabinets makes it easy to cover up any marks the wheelchair footplates may leave,

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Health& Home

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The kitchen footprint stayed the same; rotating the island 90 degrees expanded the work triangle so the Hopkins can cook together. The closet-style pantry was replaced with more practical pull-out towers.

but Phillips Jones eliminated most collisions by raising the height of the toe kicks, creating just a bit more space for Kendall to be able to access the countertops. She says it was surprising how little the storage space was impacted by the change. Dishes are easy to reach, stacked on open-shelving at one end of the island. The placement also makes unloading the dishwasher a snap.

For the wall cabinets, “we put all of the hardware down at the bottom so Kendall can reach all the handles and also to create that sleek look,” says Phillips Jones. On two of the upper-level cabinets, pull-down shelving makes at least some of the upper cabinet storage accessible.

A big improvement was replacing the closet-style pantry with two pull-out towers, offering easy access to the full depth of the shelving; being able to see things from both sides makes it less likely for food to get lost in the shuffle.

And that all-important grill? The doorway from the kitchen to the deck was too narrow for the wheelchair, so not long after the accident, Tricia’s brother installed offset hinges that allow the door to swing completely out of the doorway. The opening is now just wide enough for a wheelchair and the simple change didn’t require more extensive altering of the door jamb. The Pit Boss smoker grill’s lower height puts it at Kendall’s level.

...continued on next page

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Health& Home

ut while Kendall is essentially independent — at home, at work, and in the community — there are still obstacles. For example, Tricia notes that travel is challenging due to a shortage of accessible hotel rooms. “In hotels, a very low percentage of the rooms have roll-in showers available,” she says. Instead of the ubiquitous bathtubs that most travelers never even use, she wonders, “Why don’t they flip that and just have a tub or two?”

It’s a good question and one that Phillips Jones says she addresses with her clients: Thoughtful design is both beautiful and accessible, so why not make it the default option?

“Even if they’re young, I still talk to them about accessibility.

If this is going to be your forever home… we need wide enough doors and doorways, wide enough hallways and so on,” she says. “And actually, it doesn’t make sense to even do a shower anymore with a curb. It’s so easy – either in remodel or new construction – to just go curbless.”

Other more subtle details Phillips Jones recommends include simple conveniences like putting an outlet behind the toilet to accommodate a warmed-water bidet, which can be surprisingly essential if someone has a shoulder or arm in-

Tricia Hopkins, Janet Phillips Jones and Kendall Hopkins enjoy late afternoon sunshine at the Hopkins’ home.

jury. Three-quarter-inch plywood behind shower walls makes it easy to install shower grab bars when and wherever they’re needed later. Handheld showers are pretty much standard, Phillips Jones says. “I do that for everybody if they agree to it. And you can clean the shower easier, right?

If nothing else you can rinse off all the walls.”

As for furnishings, while adjustable beds are widely available, Jones Phillips says finding stylish lift-up seating is tough. “Let’s put them in some pretty fabrics! You know, why do you have to just go get ugly burgundy, brown or tan?”

While they wait for the rest of the world to catch up, the Hopkins are grateful for now to have a home that works for them. And Tricia hopes that, just ast they benefited from seeing Kendall’s mentor’s home, others can benefit from hearing about their own journey to an accessible home.

“When it’s hard out there for us,” says Tricia, “In here, it’s easy.”

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Custom meets color in this playful but sophisticated bedding ensemble by Fabric Works in collaboration with Spokane interior designer Gregg Johnson.

FABRICWORKS PHOTO

Beauty of Sleep Restful sleep is key to good health so think of creating the perfect bed as a gift to your future self

BY ANNE McGREGOR

S

leep is one of the rare things that is both awesome and essential, so creating the perfect spot to maximize enjoyment of it should really be considered an investment in physical and mental health. And if it happens to turn out beautiful, all the better!

Let’s start with the basics. Though a good mattress is key to a blissful sleep, choosing one can be stressful.

Luckily there are ways to take a new mattress for a test run, which may be the only way to find out what’s really best for you. “I actually build beds for two different chiropractors. One says everybody needs a soft bed, and one says everybody needs a firm bed,” says Vincent DeFazio at Spokane’s Twilight Bedding Company, where more than 20 mattresses are ready for a test-lie in the showroom. “We have our customers try them out, and whichever one they like, we build that for them.”

Twilight only uses foam made in the United States and is also one of the few

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Health& Home

manufacturers that still builds two-sided mattresses, allowing customers to flip the mattress every six months, extending the life of the mattress to 10 to 15 years. After a 30-day break-in period, if customers aren’t finding their bed is “just right,” the mattress can go back to the shop, where the top quilted panel is removed, the foam adjusted, and the whole thing reassembled.

Another way to test a mattress is to book a night at the Historic Davenport Hotel. In the morning, if you liked the bed, stop by and buy one on the way out.

The mattress has a storied history tied to the reopening of the Historic Davenport in 2002. “Our former owner Walt Worthy actually brought in all the top mattresses of that year, cut them directly down the middle and picked what he liked about them. And then he had a chiropractor double-check his work. So it’s pretty unique. And we actually have a patent on the mattress,” says the Davenport’s Home Store’s Hailey Powell.

Linens

Sheets should contribute comfort to a bed in a virtually unrecognizable way: If you can notice them, they’re probably too rough or too wrinkled as a result of improper fit. Finding sheets that snugly hug your mattress is key, so check the allimportant height of the fitted sheet pocket against the height of your mattress.

Different fibers have different properties: Organic cotton’s longer fibers create a smoother finish that may make it sleep cooler; linen is able to absorb more moisture without feeling damp; bamboo offers some benefits in environmental sustainability and is silky soft, but may wrinkle more; Tencel is created from wood pulp and also has a soft feel, but like bamboo, it can be more expensive than cotton.

In sheet lingo, percale is usually made of cotton and has a relatively lower thread count that makes it crisp and breathable; sateen is softer than percale, may sleep

a little warmer and is more wrinkle-resistant. At the Davenport, you can pick up a set of the hotel’s sateen sheets

by Frette linens of Italy. Crafted from long-staple Egyptian cotton, they’re hospitality-grade, meaning they’ll stand up to repeated washing.

Then it’s time to cover up — comforters and blankets complete both the warmth and the finished appearance of a bed. At Spokane’s Fabric Works, you can customize your bed toppers.

“We carry over 40 different fabric supplier options with all sorts of prints, textures, and weights of fabrics,” says office manager Kat Warnock. “The client gets to have full control. We even have options for them to create their own fabrics. We have options to do coverlets, duvets, comforters.

We can pretty much pull anything off.” Warnock notes they can also work with most budgets and often assist designers in achieving just the right look for bedding and window coverings. “We are one of the last few workrooms in Spokane that does anything like this. It’s kind of one of those dying arts that you can’t just find anywhere.”

The Messy World of Thread Counts Consumers often rely on thread count when comparing and choosing sheets. Higher thread counts are often equated with more luxurious or better quality sheets, and often carry a higher price tag. But is what’s on the label accurate?

In August 2005, the Federal Trade Commission responded to concerns about inflation of thread counts by defining “thread count” as yarns per square inch, regardless of whether each “yarn” was a single or multi-ply thread. Thus, a fabric made with two-ply thread at 300 threads per square inch should not be labeled “600 thread count.”

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Since then, numerous companies have been the subjects of class-action lawsuits alleging deceptive labeling practices, including situations in which sheets were sometimes labeled as having thread counts of 1,000 or even 1,500, when in fact they were much lower.

Sound like much ado about nothing? In July 2023, Macy’s agreed to a $10.5 million settlement over misrepresenting thread counts.

What does all this matter to the average consumer? The sweet spot for thread count may be in the 400 range; higher thread counts up to about 800 can indicate a warmer, softer product. The fiber used in making the sheet may be more important for comfort and durability than the thread count. One of the best ways to assess a sheet is to feel it with your hand. If you like it, don’t obsess over thread count.

— ANNE McGREGOR

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WEDDINGS

Big Day, Big Plans, Big Smiles Y

ou’re engaged! You’ve found your person!

Now it’s time to plan the celebration. There are myriad decisions to be made, from choosing a date and location, to selecting a dress, deciding on flowers and finding a photographer. The process can be daunting! But be assured there are many professionals in the Inland Northwest who have helped countless couples on their trip to the altar, and in the following pages they share their wisdom with Health & Home. ...continued on next page

A wedding planned by Jaime Johnson at The Club at Black Rock featured drapes from Swish & Co. in Coeur d'Alene and flowers by Garden of Eden in Post Falls. Studio Cultive styled the bride’s hair.

RACHEL JORDAN PHOTOGRAPHY

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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Photographer Ifong Chen advises couples to relax and enjoy their special day. In particular she tells brides, “Don't worry about your dress!”

IFONG CHEN PHOTO

Q&A with a Wedding Planner Event planner Jaime Johnson talks about ways to make your wedding wonderful HEALTH & HOME: What are some things people can do to keep the wedding planning process fun and friendly?

Jaime Johnson

JOHNSON: Educate yourself. Know your boundaries. I’m a believer that with anything I do in life, at least when I know my boundaries, I can have the ultimate amount of fun within it, right? Overall, it doesn’t matter what that budget is. It’s just to know what that boundary is so that you can go and find the people that can work within and can make your vision come to life within your budget.

And the next thing would be to know what your vision is. And when I say your vision, might I add that your vision is often a collective? Not only bride and groom’s, but of course the families’. And again, that’s

where some of that boundary comes in.

And this is gonna sound like I’m taking the fun out of everything, but I really am not.

So, with that vision, if you thought that your best friend was going to marry you dressed as a vampire because you thought that was gonna be fantastic, but that is going to break your mother’s spirit, maybe that’s not the vision collectively that you have. Maybe you compromise and that same friend is willing to wear a suit, and your mom’s willing to let a friend be ordained and do the ceremony.

And the next piece of your boundary is your guest list. This is a tough one. People believe that if I have a space that is so big, why wouldn’t I want to fill it? Well, you’ve got to look back at what was your vision?

What was your budget? ...continued on next page

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Put your phones away and enjoy the moment while the professional photographer captures the images.

IFONG CHEN PHOTO

A bride and groom share a quiet moment in the urban garden courtyard at Spokane’s Barrister Winery.

IFONG CHEN PHOTO

What about choosing a venue and a date?

How do couples go about doing that?

Once these brides sign up for something in the wedding world, they are sent stuff constantly. They see a wedding in Aspen, they see a wedding in the Bahamas, they see a wedding in the Palouse. And those are all very different. Don’t swim upstream!

Don’t go to the Davenport Hotel and try to make it a barn. Don’t go to a barn and try to make it the Davenport. That’s going to cause more stress for you than it’s worth.

And that is part of that vision and that kind of boundary: understanding what it is that you have to work with.

Beautiful outdoor wedding photos are possible in any season.

IFONG CHEN PHOTO

WEDDINGS...

What about the guest list?

There’s no rule that says the more the merrier. I know they say that. But more people sometimes may dip into a budget that you were hoping to spend in other places. So having strong communication with your family and with your significant other is really important. I’ve had some weddings that have had so many people that the couple were never even able to get around to everyone. I’ve had others that have been really happy with 30 people. I just did a beautiful wedding that had 50 people. And they had to cut their list in order to accommodate that — there’s a lot of people that love them. So everybody’s a little different.

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This may not be an extremely popular point of view, but it is the truth: A wedding is a luxury. There’s really only two things that couples need in order to wed: if they choose to be legally wed in that state and if they choose to have their religion included.

Everything else is a luxury: a dress, a cake, a photographer. That’s all a luxury. So it’s about your comfort. There’s nothing that says you have to invite 250 people, you have to serve 250 people a plated meal, you have to have a DJ. You don’t HAVE to have any of those things. Those are all luxuries and the opportunity that we get to offer those gifts in celebration to our family and friends.

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BEACON H ILL While the wedding is about the couple, guests also have a big role to play. What are some of your observations on what makes a good guest?

If you’re lucky enough to be invited, you need to remember that is a gift. That it is a great opportunity to celebrate two humans in the magic that they are going to create. So being a good guest is very important. Most invitations have a lot more information than you think. The design of an invitation starts to set the tone of what the day is going to be. The location gives you a good idea of what to expect and hints on what to wear.

Read the room! At the ceremony, if you can see that there’s open seats, maybe scooch down, we’re all going to be friends and family here soon!

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There’s a photographer. We don’t need everybody to be a photographer. Having your cellphone out in the aisle… all you’re doing is getting in the way of those photos the bride’s actually paying for. So you’re not actually giving her a gift of like, “Oh I’m gonna send you this amazing video later!” You are actually kind of hindering what she already did.

RSVP. Do go ahead, RSVP. That’d be great. That is so great. Do not make us hunt you down! RSVP and select that meal if you have the opportunity. The couple is trying to give you a gift. They’re trying to honor you by having you there.

And making it hard on them is not being a friend. It’s just not cool. So if they’re asking for certain information on the RSVP, please give it to them. And if you choose not to, you should also be aware that the professionals on the back end are very much aware of who did and who did not RSVP. ...continued on next page DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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WEDDINGS...

How far in advance do couples need to plan?

I would say in our regional industry we’re usually about a year out. Most of the books don’t open till a year out. Most of the bigger venues in our area do require an outside planner. They have teams that are responsible for the venue, but all the other details in getting to the day, they are requiring that you have somebody else.

That’s not you. You can’t be the bride and be the planner on the wedding day.

What do you do as the wedding planner on the Big Day? I’m trying to set people up for success. I try to let people know my job is to do the choreography of the day. We’re storyboarding this whole experience.

There are really grea† ways wi†hin a budge† †o crea†e a wow fac†or I like to remind everybody that really we’re creating moments. So the day of, the planner is trying to keep everybody on time. It’s not that we enjoy bossing people around, I can tell you that. But we are aware of the moments. I can’t control the sunset. But I know that sunset imagery at Golden Hour is just so beautiful. If I can do my job behind the scenes to give them that moment, that’s what I want. They don’t know what time it is, but they know that they got these amazing photos in this moment. There’s a little bit of the magic of Disney when you get to that point. And I do love that about my job.

I like to say we don’t like to show the guests all of our cards at once. We stagger things out — you have a specialty cocktail and tray-pass appetizers. And then maybe it’s been an hour, and there’s a photo booth. And then we welcome you to come in and be seated for dinner. There are really great ways within a budget to create a wow factor — that timing and creativity is not always about budget. For example, if you greet your guests with a glass of champagne, they actually consume it, there’s much less waste, and it was a beautiful welcome, right? It’s something that was memorable.

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Health& Home

A just-married couple celebrates with their guests at Beacon Hill Events and Catering. KELSEY ADKINS PHOTOGRAPHY

You’re married. Did you have a big wedding? Did you plan it yourself?

That’s a fair question. I actually decided — and tomorrow is my five-year anniversary! — I took the opportunity to let it be a gift, in the sense of I turned to my florist who is a good friend — we met through the industry — and I just said, do what you want to do. And she exceeded my expectations and my dreams — I see these things all the time. It was so fun to let somebody shine through their talent and their gifts.

The DJ, you know, he actually came over and had dinner with us. And sat and chit-chatted with us and did some amazing mixes. And he just did some really fun things with the music to make sure that it represented both of us and

our families. And people still talk about how much fun they had on the dance floor with him. But again, I didn’t dictate every song. I didn’t give him the playlist.

I said, ‘Here’s the things that are important. And here’s kind of the general vibe,’ and he just created this beautiful party.

Here’s another real big shocker. My dress. So my dress was a custom gown, locally made, locally designed by Nina Cherie Couture. I said I wanted a very light blue dress. And I said you tell me what would work for my body. I could have never imagined this dress. And I wouldn’t want it any other way. This dress was absolutely amazing. And it was truly just for me.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed.

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“Make sure your bridal bouquet is amazing.”

MACK LLOYD PHOTOGRAPHY BEACON HILL CATERING AND EVENTS PHOTO

Event planner Jaime Johnson used rustic tables and chairs from Pine & Poppy Rentals for a recent North Idaho wedding.

RACHEL JORDAN PHOTOGRPAHY

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Tia Rojan of InBloom Urban Flower Farm in Spokane grows many of the flowers she uses for weddings.

Flowery Fun The best floral displays celebrate seasonal blooms

BY ANNE McGREGOR

W

hile specific flower orders don’t have to be submitted for a wedding months in advance, that doesn’t mean flowers shouldn’t be a consideration early on in the planning process.

“You’re always going to get the best quality if you pick within the season,” says Tia Rojan of InBloom Urban Flower Farm in Spokane, who grows many of the flowers she uses for weddings.

“If you’re having a spring wedding, it’s going to go much better if you’re picking spring blooms like peonies, ranunculus, anemones, even tulips. You’re just going to get the best quality.

The bouquets, the wedding, it’s just going to look right,” says Rojan. On the other hand, “If you want a really dark, moody look, maybe don’t choose April 1,” she says, though she adds, “You can always get almost every color, but it might be more expensive.”

And then couples should consider the style the florist works in. Rojan says there are plenty of florists representing a wide variety of styles, so choosing someone whose work resonates with the couple is key. Different styles abound in Spokane, and the floral community is not particularly competitive and are willing to refer clients to designers who might be more in line with their styles.

Standing near a bed of late summer cosmos, dahlias and straw flowers, Rojan notes, “I tend to be bloom-heavy and a little more on the romantic side because if I was a standard florist, stuff like this would cost me a lot of money and it doesn’t ship very well. So I can mix different things in because I grow a lot.” She’s pointed clients whose style doesn’t seem to align with hers — a client interested in black roses for example — to other vendors.

After a couple decides they like her style, Rojan says the planning process is relatively simple. She only needs the color of the bridesmaids dresses, the overall color palette and any pertinent design or decor, and a few inspiration photos.

“The hard thing (for couples) is not to ask for something you see on Instagram and say, ‘I want this exact thing.’ Because flowers are so different. This stem is different from that stem, so they’re not cookie-cutter. So be flexible.”

And then she encourages couples to consider where their flower budget is best deployed. She suggests prioritizing spending on things that are going to be photographed the most.

“Make sure your bridal bouquet is amazing,” she says. The arbor or flowers are also worth prioritizing since they’ll be in lots of photos. Rojan offers a variety of price-point options for bridesmaids bouquets and table arrangements.

As for traditional corsages and boutonnieres? Rojan says the pandemic sort of created a reset. “There’s no rules anymore. I always say if you don’t care about it, that’s fine, it’s your wedding. But kind of put your feelers out. Is grandma going to be really upset because when she got married, a corsage was a big thing? If it’s going to really hurt someone’s feelings, it might be worth it just to do it.”

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Precious Pic†ures Working with a photographer to capture The Big Day

BY ANNE McGREGOR

E

ducating clients about what to expect on their wedding day is a key practice for photographer Ifong Chen, who is celebrated Photographer for her beautiful, in-theIfong Chen moment photography.

“For my couples, I always meet them in person, chat with them, make sure my style is what they’re looking for, my personality is what they’re looking for,” she says. “I Ifong Chen says an engagement photoshoot helps couples get comfortable with her, setting the stage for beautiful and intimate photos at the wedding. IFONG CHEN PHOTOS

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always suggest having an engagement session. They know what I’m looking for, they know I’m going to make them dance on the street!

Squeeze in! Tight hug! They know certain things I’m looking for, they’re laughing. The engagement session is a big plus for me as well as for them because they get tons of beautiful photos to display at the wedding.”

Chen recommends setting aside an hour and 15 minutes on the wedding day for photos. “Twenty minutes only gives you snapshots,” she notes. “We are all kind of nervous in front of the camera, so it takes a couple of minutes to forget the photographer is there… The time to catch an image is quite fast, but the time to catch a moment requires some time.”

The †ime †o ca†ch an image is qui†e fas†, bu† †he †ime †o ca†ch a momen† requires some †ime.

And she wants brides to loosen up. “Don’t worry about your dress! It will get a little dirty — don’t feel like you have to hold your dress. Swing your skirt!”

And Chen says that sometimes she notices an irresistible opportunity and implores the couple to be with her in the moment.

“Please trust me! Just give me three minutes, and I’m gonna take

five pictures… and see what’s magical comes in.”

Chen’s wedding photos include all sorts of posed and candid shots. “I’m going to capture all the traditional style, to make sure the older generation will have something beautiful to send out. But about 70% is in creative, very cool styles. That way I’m making three or four generations in the family happy in different ways.”

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WHERE TO SHOP

JEWELRY DESIGN CENTER STORY BY SUMMER SANDSTROM • PHOTOS BY YOUNG KWAK

N

ot only can jewelry elevate and complete any outfit, but it can also serve as a marker of some of life’s most important moments.

Jewelry Design Center, which opened in Spokane in 1977, is a family-owned and operated business that offers custom pieces, jewelry collections and jewelry repair at three locations: Spokane, Kennewick and Missoula.

“No matter the budget or price point or specifications that you’re looking for, [we’ll]... help you find that and kind of guide you through the process, which can be pretty scary and intimidating,” says Jewelry Design Center’s administrative assistant and media director Kayla Keane.

Quality is of utmost importance to the center when they’re sourcing jewelry, resulting in their collection of exclusive brands such as A.Jaffe, Noam Carver and Mikimoto.

They also have a myriad of sizes, shapes and colors of diamonds available across various price points. Keane says that only about 10% of the diamonds they receive make it onto the showroom floor to provide customers with quality products.

Jewelry Design Center works with guests shopping for a variety of events, but Keane says weddings and engagements are their bread and butter.

A wide variety of rings and bands are available, and there are extensive customi-

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zation options for center stone placements and other design elements. And weddings aren’t just about the bride and groom, so the store carries champagne flutes, Buck knives and watches that are often purchased as gifts for members of wedding parties.

JEWELRY DESIGN CENTER 821 N. Division St., Spokane; 1350 N. Louisiana St., Kennewick; 2501 Brooks St., Missoula jewelrydesigncenter.com

Plus, Jewelry Design Center allows you to make your own pieces or gifts for loved ones even more memorable with extensive engraving options, including a hand engraver that can take on more detailed projects.

“We do it all 100% here in house,” says Keane about their custom design options. “It is fully customizable, meaning throughout the entire process you have every opportunity to make little changes or alterations.”

Overall, Keane says Jewelry Design Center prioritizes making customers’ experiences in store as seamless and fun as possible.

“We really just want to make every client feel at home when they come to our store,” she says.

MORE TO CHECK OUT TENEFF JEWELRY 421 W. Riverside Ave. Ste. 280

Since 1944, Teneff Jewelry has worked to provide quality goldsmithing services and custom design work to jewelry lovers throughout Spokane. Although they have always been known for their skillful goldsmithing, they recently began selling their own custom designs, which are made with sustainable materials by using 100% recycled gold and lab grown diamonds and gems — both of which are identical to their earth-mined counterparts. They also use 3D printers to create a model of your custom pieces before completing the design in metal.

Their collection includes both classic pieces and nature-inspired jewelry that are great for engagements, weddings or a gift for any special occasions.

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Meaghan LaPrath examines a cut stone. PARAGON GEM SERVICES PHOTO

PARAGON GEM SERVICES 421 W. Riverside Ave. Ste. 1050

Located in the Paulson Center, Paragon Gem Services offers a unique and completely personalized shopping experience with one-on-one appointments for all services, ranging from jewelry repair, restoration and redesign to creating pieces with extensive customization options.

“I do try to encourage people if they’re wanting something special, I’m not a last-minute shopping location,” says owner Meaghan LaPrath. “And I’m OK with that, because in return what people get is to be a part of the experience of getting exactly what they want and having it be the highest quality.”

CHERYL BURCHELL GOLDSMITHS 1524 Northwest Blvd., Coeur d’Alene

In Coeur d’Alene, Cheryl Burchell Goldsmiths carries an extensive variety of pieces, including necklaces and earrings, and offers repair and custom design services. One of Burchell’s goals for shoppers is to make the process as simple and informative as possible. “The biggest thing with a jewelry store is some folks are sort of afraid to walk in the door,” she says. “We like to work with our people that come in and work within the means that they have… we try to steer them in a direction that makes sense for them.”

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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Black Forest Bakery’s Italian Cream Cake YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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Baking from the Heart

Coeur d’Alene’s Black Forest Bakery brings fine cakes, strudels and breads to the Inland Northwest

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

E

very Sunday afternoon, in a town called Mörfelden-Walldorf near Frankfurt, Germany, Doris Sandstrom and her family gathered in their kitchen to eat cake.

Six chairs surrounded a big dining room table where she, her siblings, her parents and her grandmother sipped on mugs of dark espresso. It was a time to be together, though friends would sometimes stop by, too.

“It’s that coffee time in Germany,” Sandstrom says.

“So when you invite somebody for coffee, you don’t have to give them a time because they know it’s three o’clock.”

To prepare, Sandstrom’s grandmother made all sorts of goodies — pastries, cheesecakes, breads or an apple strudel from a 100-year-old family recipe. She taught her granddaughter traditional tarts and kuchens, so she could always continue Sunday afternoons with the family.

Today, Sandstrom lives and bakes in Coeur d’Alene, bringing authentic German baking to the Inland Northwest. She started her own bakery soon after moving to North Idaho in 2016. Now, Black Forest Bakery sells fine German cakes and pastries at the Kootenai County Farmers Market, and also offers year-round custom orders for birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers and holidays. Sandstrom also hosts baking classes for German desserts or savory breads, which differ from typical American baked goods.

“In German baking, there’s a lot of flavor and it’s not oversweet,” she says.

A Käse-Sahne-Torte is one of her favorites, a tangerine cheesecake that her mother would make for birthdays. Sandstrom brought it to the summer market every week.

But German baking changes with the seasons. In the fall, friends brought her Italian plums, which Sandstrom put straight into a traditional flat plum cake. She warned customers that the cake wasn’t overly sweet, and suggested sprinkling a teaspoon of sugar over the top. But the fresh plums nestled in crumbled pastry were satisfying all on their own, thanks to a European touch.

“I’m more of a savory girl,” Sandstrom says. She could eat her Schwäbischen Zwiebelkuchen — a savory,

Doris Sandstrom at the fall Kootenai County Farmers Market. ELIZA BILLINGHAM PHOTO frittata-like onion cake with bacon, eggs and cream — by the pan. But she relies on her American husband, Brian, to taste test most of her streusels, danishes and turnovers.

The couple met at Rhein-Main Air Base in Frankfurt, an American Air Force base that was returned to the German government in 2005. She was a local dental hygienist; he was an American GI from Long Beach, California. They married in 1990 and moved a few times between Germany and California before settling in Coeur d’Alene, where people are so friendly and Sandstrom is happy to have four seasons again, she says.

...continued on next page

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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“BAKING FROM THE HEART,” CONTINUED...

When they lived in California, Sandstrom took a head pastry chef job at Old World Village in Huntington Beach. There, she learned how to bake for thousands of people each Oktoberfest, Mother’s Day brunch and Christmas dinner.

“It all started with a cookie,” she says.

“When I started there, it was a deli and a little German shopping center. It was right before Christmas, and I said, ‘Do you not make Christmas cookies?’”

The head baker didn’t have time, so Sandstrom offered to make a few vanilla crescent cookies.

“They flew off the shelf,” she says.

“Then we made Linzer cookies. We couldn’t make enough. Then my boss offered me the position.”

When she moved to Coeur d’Alene, Sandstrom started as a bread baker at Caruso’s. She offered to make some handmade pastries for their cold case. Then, coffee shops started calling her to ask if she would sell to them. She rented out a com-

mercial kitchen to fill wholesale orders.

One of her customers asked her for an Italian Cream Cake, which was an American recipe she hadn’t tried before.

But she went straight to work developing the decadent, coconutty cake, which she usually tops with individual cake pops for extra flair.

B

efore long, the loneliness of wholesale started weighing on Sandstrom.

“When you do wholesale, nobody knows you, and you don’t know the peo-

ple,” she says. Her business was a constant loop of baking and fielding frantic calls from sold-out coffee shops.

So in 2020, Sandstrom switched from wholesale to face-to-face customers at the Kootenai County Farmers Market, a market known for its strict commitment to local, made-from-scratch, high-quality goods.

“You have that one day in a week where you sell it and you actually learn to know your customers,” she says. “They become your friends. That’s the reward, to me.”

TRY IT YOURSELF

Italian Cream Cake As seen on the cover, and later devoured by Inlander Health & Home staffers, this luxurious cake is tall and dense. Requested by a customer during Doris Sandstrom’s time as a wholesaler, this cake can be decorated to suit any occasion and will satisfy any sweet tooth.

A tip from Sandstrom: “To assemble the cake, use a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate in between steps.”

Coconut Cake

INGREDIENTS • 1 cup buttermilk • 1 teaspoon baking soda • ½ cup butter • ½ cup shortening • 2 cups white sugar • 5 large eggs • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 cup flaked coconut • 1 teaspoon baking powder • 2 cups all-purpose flour

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Black Forest Bakery’s almond twists ELIZA BILLINGHAM PHOTO

This past summer was her third season at the market. Every Saturday morning at 9, returning customers started lining up in order to get the pastries they wanted. Sandstrom would chat in English or German, since many of her customers are Old World transplants like herself. But as the mornings progressed, Sandstrom always met new people who were discovering her bakery for the first time — and promising to come back.

North Idaho has a friendly German population, and many buy from Black Forest Bakery to remind them of home, parents or grandparents. They also get together once a month for Stammtisch, the German tradition of gathering, drinking, eating and playing games. Sandstrom likes to join when she can, especially during the winter months when the market doesn’t monopolize her schedule.

Even when she doesn’t have to prepare for market, Sandstrom keeps baking. Custom orders always stack up during the holidays.

She’s also looking for a bigger space to host baking classes this year. She loves the winter months because she has more opportunity to bake hearty, whole grain German breads. Her sourdough starter is named Fritz, after the baker who offered her the pastry chef job in Huntington Beach.

She likes to share her bread with customers, who may not realize she can make more than cake. But more than anything, she loves to bake for her own family.

“I make our rolls and make pretzels just for us,” she says. “I cannot be a week without baking.”

OVER 900 WHISKEYS ON THE WALL & GREAT FOOD A TRULY UNIQUE

WHISKEY & RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE

Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS • 2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese • 1 cup butter • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract • 2 pounds confectioners’ sugar • ½ cup chopped and toasted walnuts, optional • 1 cup flaked coconut DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.

MAKE THE CAKE: 1. In a large measuring cup, combine buttermilk and baking soda; set aside.

2. Beat butter, shortening and sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer/stand mixer until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs, vanilla, coconut, baking powder and flour. Now slowly add buttermilk mixture and stir until just combined.

3. Divide batter into thirds and pour into the prepared pans.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

5. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes then remove cakes from pan, transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

MAKE THE FROSTING: 1. Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla until creamy.

2. Add confectioners’ sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer/stand mixer.

3. Stir in walnuts and coconut.

4. Spread frosting between the cake layers, on the top and the sides of the cooled cake. Decorate as desired.

— RECIPE BY DORIS SANDSTROM, BLACK FOREST BAKERY

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More Bubbly Options Maryhill Winery Maryhill regularly produces a pair of sparkling wines made from grapes grown on a hillside overlooking the Columbia River in Klickitat County and served at a tasting room overlooking the Spokane River in Kendall Yards. Its sparkling rosé has hints of berries and citrus while the blanc de blanc is a lighter and more traditional sparkling wine.

Treveri Cellars One of the few sparkling-focused producers in Washington, Wapato’s Treveri Cellars produces a variety of sparkling wines. From gewürztraminer to syrah and just about everything in between, Treveri’s selection is broad enough to suit any taste, and all are produced using the traditional method of bottle fermentation.

Yellowhawk In 2020, Walla Walla’s Yellowhawk Resort introduced a sparkling wine program under winemaker George-Anne Robertson of Walla Walla Vintners at the former home of Basel Estate Winery. Check out the aptly named “Bubbles” series with equally succinct offerings such as “Red,” “White” and “Rosé.”

Time For a Toast!

Tirriddis only produces sparkling wines using traditional methods

BY WILL MAUPIN

T

here are over 1,000 wineries in Washington, and while many of those produce sparkling wine, only a handful focus exclusively on the bubbly.

A relative newcomer to that small Washington sparkling wine scene is Tirriddis. The Prosser winery was founded in 2021 by Andrew Gerow, Gabriel Crowell and Matthew Doutney, who met as classmates at the nearby WSU Tri-Cities campus, where they studied viticulture.

Naturally, the trio bonded over glasses of wine, specifically sparkling ones.

“During our program, we kind of formulated a friendship, and we were really ambitious to explore international wines.

One of the styles of wine that really spoke to Matthew was Champagne, and one of

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the things about Champagne and sparkling wine that we found out the hard way through college is that it is seldom taught how to make it,” Crowell says.

That is, at least in part, because sparkling wine production is more technical and precise than non-sparkling wine. Especially when produced following the traditional method, which Tirriddis subscribes to — unlike many run-of-the-mill, grocery store varieties of sparkling wines, which are carbonated unnaturally through forced injection of carbon dioxide, known as the Charmat method.

The name, Tirriddis, is an homage to the traditional method. It’s a portmanteau formed from tirage, riddle and disgorge, the three main steps of the traditional

method.

“Not only does it showcase our devotion to the traditional method, but it also is a point of educating the consumer and showcasing the traditional method made famous by Champagne,” Crowell says.

T

he first step, tirage, involves blending two wines, including one sweet, with yeast to produce carbonation.

Next, the riddling process removes the yeast from the bottle, which is stored neckdown, by using gravity to force the yeast toward the bottle’s mouth.

Finally, the disgorging process involves freezing the gravitationally condensed yeast, which takes on the form of a plug.

Sparkling wine made in the traditional method “literally dances in your glass,” says Tirriddis co-founder Andrew Gerow.

TIRRIDDIS PHOTO

The bottle is then gently opened, allowing the internal pressure from the carbonation to expel the yeast plug.

Unsurprisingly, this laborious process results in higher costs than the mass-produced Charmat method sparkling wines, but what else does the traditional method bring to the table?

Traditional method wines tend to be slightly lower in alcohol content but higher in carbonation. That results in finer bubbles, and more of them, than in Charmat method wines. While Crowell refers to these qualities as “delicate,” they’re also a bit dangerous when it comes time to uncork the bottle.

“It does definitely give you a big pop, but you do have to be careful. Flying Champagne corks kill eight people a year,” Gerow notes.

While that may seem like a superfluous detail, the pop truly is part of the fun in enjoying a sparkling wine. It’s part of the excitement that makes these beverages so popular for celebrating momentous occasions.

“That pop when you open up the bottle — that’s a super iconic sound that just instantly garners people’s attention — instantly quiets a room and everybody’s like, ‘Ooh, it’s about to be a good time.’ It’s the only living wine. It literally dances in your glass, it dances on your tongue,” Gerow says.

“That lower alcohol content is another reason why it’s so good for celebrations. And traditional method sparkling wines, on top of that, holds the carbonation for a long time. So you have that long carbonation, and then you can drink it over a longer period of time,” Gerow says.

Tirriddis wines can be found at its tasting room in Prosser and are also available locally at specialty wine shops like Vino, Wanderlust Delicato and Rocket Market.

DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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WHERE TO DINE

Juli Norris offers French bistro food at Lorén.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

LORÉN

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

L

ongtime restaurateur Juli Norris has transformed a century-old cellar into Lorén, a chic, upscale French bistro. The elevated Parisian-style restaurant with a selective members-only social club is a new concept from Norris, who also owns Kasa Restaurant and Taphouse on the first floor of the same building, just north of Riverfront Park.

In a modern, sleek, dimly lit dining room, gold-encrusted geodes cascade down the dark gray stone walls for a subtle feminine flair. You’ve found a hidden gem, though it’s a far cry from the orange leather and cigar smoke that Norris says make some modern speakeasies feel like an old boys’ club.

Both Norris and her executive chef, Tyler Gardner, are classically trained French chefs. Lorén premières, otherwise known as appetizers, include fried calamari ($17), housemade fougasse ($12), a garlic- and herb-infused bread served with honey brie butter and confit garlic, and flamenkuche ($14), a pizza-esque flatbread topped with prosciutto and sherry-poached pear.

But Norris’ favorite plate is the grilled filet mignon (served at market price) with a classic bordelaise, housemade pasta and Gorgonzola steak butter.

Just as important as the food is the wine.

Lorén offers both imported French wines and LORÉN local Washington wines, three of which are made 908 N. Howard St.

by Townshend Cellars for Lorén alone. But in case lorenbistro.com you prefer cocktails, Norris also partnered with Dry Fly Distilling to create a Lorén-specific gin.

The secret Sophia Room can be rented out for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, anniversaries or business meetings.

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MORE TO CHECK OUT BIRDIE’S PIE SHOP

712 N. Monroe St., 1003 N. Spokane St., Post Falls and 9375 N. Government Way, Hayden Birdella Cox Lybbert was always baking. Pies and cookies filled her kitchen, awaiting the grandchildren who walked to her white farmhouse after school every day.

Her granddaughter Sharee Moss now owns Birdie’s Pie Shop, a made-from-scratch, pie-only bakery named for Birdella. This September, Moss opened her third Birdie’s location in Spokane.

Birdie’s makes sweet and savory full-size pies, personal pies and pie bites. Flavors rotate daily, but the classics are always available — apple, triple berry, pecan, chocolate and key lime pies for a sweet tooth, and chicken pot pie for a full meal. Birdie’s also offers a whole slate of gluten-free pies so that everyone can enjoy. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM) Thunder Pie Pizza YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

THUNDER PIE PIZZA

816 W. Sprague Ave. Joel Barbour, Ben Poffenroth and Ramsey Pruchnic decided to open Thunder Pie to give new life to the perpetual pizza space that previously housed Fire Artisan Pizza, Slightly Charred Wood Fired Pizza and Gozo Brick Oven Bistro.

Barbour owns The Great PNW, a Northwest-inspired clothing company, Poffenroth owns Durkin’s Liquor Bar, and Pruchnic owns Hello Sugar as well as Uno Más Taco Shop.

Poffenroth developed the pizzeria’s menu — including 13 pies — with various chefs he’s worked with over the years. He also created the cocktail menu, which he says is an area that sets Thunder Pie apart from other local pizza establishments.

The trio of owners also worked to revamp the pizzeria’s interior, getting rid of TVs and adding their own edgy, yet family-friendly design.

(AMELIA TRONCONE)

DE LEON’S TEX MEX GRILL

412 W. Haycraft Ave., Coeur d’Alene Sergio and Mayra De Leon expand their beloved southern flavors across the border to Idaho. What used to be the Coeur d’Alene location of Cosmic Cowboy Grill is now De Leon’s fourth restaurant location, featuring burritos, enchiladas, chilaquiles, quesadillas, tamales, nachos and more made from De Leon family recipes.

The fast-casual spot is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus delivery and catering services. The new grill has a comfy, modern vibe with white subway tile walls, midcentury chandeliers and sleek blue booths.

For now, the Coeur d’Alene location will be restaurant-only without an alcohol menu. A patio will be open for diners in the seasonal months, but tacos, queso and chimichangas are sure to keep people warm and happy while it’s cold outside. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM) DECEMBER 2023 - FEBRUARY 2024

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Blue Oyster, Golden Oyster, Lion’s Mane and Chestnut mushrooms from Gem State Mushrooms YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Farming Fungi COOKING

Family-owned Gem State Mushrooms produces tantalizing crops year-round

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

G

varieties of gourmet fungi — from blue, pink and eorge Viaud is a guy who got hopelessly golden oysters to king trumpet and lion’s mane — lost in a Google search. all year round.

“One day, I was just curious: How do Gem State has been featured in classes at The they make mushrooms?” Viaud says. “I started Culinary Stone, showcased at regional culinary looking into it and before you know it — down the festivals like Crave!, plus they’ve partnered with rabbit hole. Then I’m like, I think this is something I chefs Caleb Hansen at Terraza and Rory Allen at can get into. But I need help.”

Table 13 for special paired meals.

Paul Platt is George’s next-door neighbor and “We were hosted at someone’s house just to a vice president at a national solar company with talk about mushrooms,” an operations background and a green Jennifer says. “They’re thumb. He’s also George’s brother in law.

Winter CSA boxes wanting to know where “Paul’s got an amazing ability with are available at their food comes from. things that live and grow,” Viaud contingsm.farm/csa/online They really want to meet ues. “So I said, ‘Hey Paul, do you want to the farmer and know grow mushrooms?’” their practices.”

Growing mushrooms sounded like a A lot of work goes into “demystifying” mushfun idea to Platt. Then Viaud asked his wife, Jennirooms, which, for how common they are, still seem fer, to join, and Platt asked his wife, Stephanie, to pretty exotic to many consumers, Paul says. join, and together the two couples founded Gem “They’re not animals, they’re not plants, so State Mushrooms in 2019. what are they?” George asks. In the four years that Gem State Mushrooms in Coeur d’Alene he’s been growing mushrooms, George hasn’t lost grows gourmet mushrooms for fine dining and his fascination with fungi. home kitchens alike. The Viauds and Platts are “A pinhead of mycelium, a tiny little sample committed to the highest quality “culture to table” of mycelium that starts on a petri dish, will yield produce, while also educating their community hundreds if not thousands of pounds of mushabout the delightful diversity of edible fungi. rooms,” he says. “So what that also means is that if anywhere along with that process, something goes ince Gem State Mushrooms are grown wrong, and you’re unaware of it, you won’t be indoors in a carefully controlled environment, successful at the end of the day. It’s very humbling. they can grow and harvest about a dozen

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Table 13 chef de cuisine Rory Allen YOUNG KWAK PHOTO Just when you think you’ve got things figured out, something will come and get you.”

Growing mushrooms is a 24/7 job for George, Jennifer, Stephanie and Paul, on top of their other full-time jobs and families. There are fungi and finances on the line, which might stress other sets of in-laws. But it’s “a labor of love,” Paul says, in more ways than one.

“We know we have a good time together,” Jennifer says. “Stephanie and I think that’s like a priority. We’re all working together, and you just have to laugh. There are hiccups and there’s frustrations and we’re humans. But at the end of the day, you have such love for each other, right?

At the end of the day, what we’re doing is just such a happy, wonderful thing.”

ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Broadcasting a Legacy KSPS President and General Manager Gary Stokes reflects on his career in public media

BY COLTON RASANEN

W

hen Gary Stokes moved to the Inland Northwest to accept a job in 2011, he thought it’d just be another stop in his career. He’d worked across the country, usually spending about three years in a position. Now he’s celebrating his 12th year in Spokane.

“Most of my family has resigned themselves to the fact that there’s a good chance that I’m going to be here forever,” he says.

“This is a place that grows on you.”

It took time for Stokes to settle in though. Shortly after starting as the executive director of Friends of KSPS — the fundraising organization behind KSPS Public

Television — he was faced with a crisis.

At the time, the station was run by Spokane Public Schools. However, in 2012, school board directors and Friends of KSPS decided it was time for the school system to get out of the television business.

That decision saw Stokes spend the next year transitioning from solely fundraising to running the entire station.

“I’d been here a whole year and had to learn a whole lot about a whole lot of people all at once,” he says.

They were under a strict deadline: If they didn’t get the station licenses transferred by Aug. 31, 2013, he says they

wouldn’t have been able to move forward at all. Like any experienced journalist, he cut it as close to the deadline as possible by having the licenses finally transferred the afternoon of Aug. 31.

He then transitioned into a role as the KSPS president and general manager.

A

Philadelphia native, Stokes graduated with a bachelor’s in criminal justice from the University of Dayton in 1978. He moved around the Midwest and East Coast as he worked his way up in broadcasting. Before moving to the west side of the country, he recorded journalism jobs at stations in Texas, Ohio, New York, Alabama, Virginia and Washington, D.C., often working in management roles after about 1996.

The shift in leadership, however, was only the first hurdle in his tenure at KSPS. After the dust had settled, Stokes had to contend with an industry exploding with competition.

“Back in the day, when I was a wee lad, we had three television channels,” he recalls. “Now there are 300 plus. Anybody can now curate their own viewing guide.”

This doesn’t even begin to take into account the overwhelming uptick in streaming services in the past decade. ...continued on next page

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“BROADCASTING A LEGACY,” CONTINUED...

“People watch us because they want information. They want to feel better when they’re done,” Stokes explains. “I’ve been fortunate enough to work in the PBS system long enough that I look at where we are now compared to where we used to be, and we are more valuable than ever given the fractious nature of what’s going on in television right now.”

That’s why about five years ago Stokes sat down with his team to brainstorm how they could best move forward. The answer — simplifying their efforts to focus on the four key pillars of the station without losing their mission of enriching the communities they serve.

…we are more valuable than ever given the fractious nature of what’s going on in television right now.

FOUR PILLARS

Arts and culture. Education. Civic health. Workforce development.

Everything that Stokes oversees at the station fits under one of those four categories. And with a coverage area that comprises Eastern Washington, North Idaho, Western Montana, a chunk of Oregon and most of the Canadian province Alberta, he says it’s imperative to provide programming that all can enjoy.

“Our Canadian friends care just as much about what we do, and why we do it, as our friends right here in Eastern Washington,” he says. “That’s why our donor base is so important to us. We are serving so many different organizations and factions out there.”

Since the KSPS team simplified its mission into four easily identifiable categories, Stokes says they were able to take the COVID-19 pandemic head on.

When pandemic lockdowns shuttered most performance venues, musicians had nowhere to go. Because of this, KSPS began producing Inland Sessions — a program meant to showcase musical talent across the Inland Northwest.

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Health& Home

Even with venues open again across the country, the station has continued filming the program to elevate local musicians to platforms wider than any venue’s stage.

Education and workforce development were a bit easier to address, Stokes says. After a four-year search, he hired an education director. KSPS has since built a program called Career Explorer Northwest. The simple model showed folks doing a specific job and guiding viewers to more information on the job.

Because of this, Stokes says they’ve exhibited well over 100 jobs.

Addressing civic health, however, took more time and consideration. Ultimately, a Civics Bowl for teams of high school students was born. “It just lights me up,” Stokes says, noting it is the most fun he’s had on the job in a long time. Had he been able to participate in a civics bowl as a kid, “I would have been right there,” he says.

FREEFALLING INTO THE FUTURE

After years of service to the communities he’s lived in, the 66-year-old doesn’t see an end in sight any time soon.

“I have no real plans to go anywhere unless the perfect job comes up,” Stokes says. “And right now, I think I already have it.”

It’s not just his work life that has excited him lately, his personal life has taken a turn for the extreme — in a good way.

On his 65th birthday Stokes plummeted to the earth in a death-defying stunt after hopping out of a plane thousands of feet in the air. Connected to another person who he says would soon become one of his closest friends, Stokes had fulfilled his goal of skydiving. He then went again for his 66th birthday, cementing the activity into tradition.

Someday he hopes to take a solo one-way ticket to the planet’s surface, but for now, he must jump in tandem with an experienced partner.

Not all of his goals include jumping out of a plane though.

Before his 66th birthday, he ran six half-marathons (and another third of a marathon) all in under three hours. Again, cutting it to the wire, Stokes says he finished one of the races with four seconds to spare.

Stokes says he’s done running these races now, but he’s got plenty of personal and work goals for the next few years — none that he would disclose though.

“There are still some plans that we have here that are not yet realized,” he says. “And I’m hoping by the time I retire, we’ll be in a position to take us to the next level.”

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