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 PHOTOWith the housing market taking a breather, it might be time to consider nudging the home you have into becoming the home you love. In this issue, I had the good fortune to talk with designers and homeowners about the process for making a house’s style — but more impor tantly its function — fit a family’s needs, whether that’s a family with young children or a multi-gen erational household. I think you’ll enjoy seeing the results of the careful and innovative processes, in “Staying Put” (page 20).
I must have been thirsty when I was planning this issue, because we have two features on bever ages. In our Health section, Samantha Holm explores the physical — and social/emotional — benefits of taking time for a spot of tea (“Healthy Sipping,” page 8). And as you can see, we have three lovely cocktails on our cover. One of them is not like the others. Can you spot the mocktail?* The option for sophisticated, no-alcohol beverages is a giant step toward inclusivity — those who are abstaining from alcohol for whatever reason are no longer relegated to imbibing Shirley Temples (page 34). And to that, I say…
Cheers!
NATE SANFORD joined the Inlander as a staff writer in spring 2022. In this issue of Health & Home, he profiles Dawn and Mateusz Wolski, a pair of prominent Spokane musicians. “As a semi-amateur musician myself, I felt like I could relate to a lot of what the Wolskis said about the joy and struggle of art and live performance. I did not, however, relate to Mateusz’s story about getting a last-minute invitation to sub for a Broadway musical.”
CARRIE SCOZZARO is an Inlander writer with an extensive background in edu cation and the arts. For this issue of Health & Home, she spent time with Simon Moorby, the “spirit wizard” at Hogwash Whiskey Den. This popular downtown spot is as focused on flavor in its food as in its drink menu, which Moorby is continuously tinkering with, including an expanded line of what he calls “zero proof” or non-alcoholic drinks.
SPOKANE • EASTERN WASHINGTON • NORTH IDAHO also at inlander.com/health&home 1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, Wash. 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634
EDITOR
Anne McGregor annem@inlander.com
ART DIRECTOR Ali Blackwood
STAFF WRITER
Carrie Scozzaro
MANAGING EDITOR
Nick Deshais
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Chey Scott
CONTRIBUTORS
Stacey Aggarwal, Jessica Bell, Erick Doxey, Jonathan Hill, Samantha Holm, Young Kwak, Madison Pearson, Lexie Powell, Nate Sanford
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Kristi Gotzian
EVENT & SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER Kristina Smith
SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Carolyn Padgham, Autumn Potts
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Jeanne Inman, Tracy Menasco, Claire Price, Stephanie Grinols
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Raja Bejjani, Colleen Bell-Craig
PRODUCTION MANAGER Tom Stover
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Derrick King
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Todd Goodner
CIRCULATION
Frank DeCaro, Travis Beck BUSINESS MANAGER Dee Ann Cook
CREDIT MANAGER Kristin Wagner
PUBLISHER
Ted S. McGregor Jr.
GENERAL MANAGER Jeremy McGregor
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. 2022. Health & Home is locally owned and has been published since 2004.
*It’s the one with a sprig of rosemary!
Some things can’t wait until Monday. That’s why Asuris is here for you on Saturdays. From your kid’s boo-boo to a baffling medical bill, you can call us for help. Because life doesn’t happen only on weekdays.
Here for Eastern Washington since 1933.
Spokane is turning into an art city, thanks to the incredible local artists who stick around and present their hard work to the community year after year. BrrrZAAR is the one-stop shop for all things local art, but it might take you a few hours to see it all. Taking place on all three levels of River Park Square, it’s one of the largest art markets in Spokane. Not only will patrons find thousands of locally made items, the event also includes live music and activities for all ages. Spread holiday cheer by supporting local artists and buying some amazing last-minute gifts. Dec. 17 from 10 am-8 pm, free admission, River Park Square. terrainspokane.com
Whose Line Is It Anyway? is a classic 1990s to early 2000s improv comedy show in which both Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood starred as regular cast members. Time hasn’t slowed these guys down though — they regularly appear on the reboot of the show and are also appearing at the Fox Theater for an entire night of non-scripted comedy. From making up original scenes to singing completely improvised songs, plan for plenty of laughs with this comedic duo up on stage. Fri, Jan. 13 at 7:30 pm, $28-$58, Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox. foxtheaterspokane.org
Take traditional holiday lights and multiply them by a thousand, and you’ll have Northwest Winterfest. Staring and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the lights is a delight, no matter how old or young you are, but you’ll also want to take in displays showcasing holiday traditions from cultural groups around the world. All the wonder will surely make you hungry, so plan to check out local food trucks and drink options onsite as well. Dec. 2-Jan. 1, 2023, Fri from 5-8 pm, Sat from 4-8 pm and Sun from 3-6 pm, $10-$15, all ages, Spokane County Fair & Expo Center. northwestwinterfest.com
Food can transport us back to childhood with one bite and, no matter how old we get, mac and cheese is still the ultimate comfort food. So celebrate your childhood for a day at this annual event that features variations on the cheesy dish by local chefs competing for the Golden Noodle Award. Wash down your pasta with craft beer pairings, and don’t forget to vote for your favorite creation to win the People’s Choice Trophy. Sat, Jan. 14, price TBA, downtown Coeur d’Alene. cdadowntown.com
About a month after the Gregorian calendar New Year comes the Chinese Lunar New Year. This local Lunar New Year celebration features cultural dances, an Asian Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander business expo and other events — many take place in the Spokane Convention Center, but various performanc es can be found all around downtown Spokane. And there will be fireworks, starting at 7 pm! Vist the fol lowing link for a full schedule of celebratory events. Sat, Jan. 28 from 1-7 pm, free, all ages, downtown Spokane. spokaneunitedwestand.org
Autobiography can in some ways be considered a DIY manual for navigating our own lives. How have others dealt with all the stuff ordinary life throws at us? What about things that are almost too scary to contemplate? What can we learn from how it all turned out?
In Dawn Picken’s memoir LOVE, LOSS & LIFELINES: MY YEAR OF GRIEF ON THE RUN, she takes readers along on the terrifying roller coaster that begins, unexpectedly in her mom-with-a-career life, with what seems to be her husband Sean’s ordinary case of the flu.
It was not. Readers will feel the pulsing immediacy of the deepen ing crisis as Picken, who was a former well-known Spokane TV news an chor, weaves together archived social media posts with her reflections from more than a decade later. As Sean struggles to survive in the ICU, she struggles to balance caring for him, their two young kids, and her own mental and physical well-being.
Ultimately, as Picken reveals in the introduction, she finds herself a widow and a single mom. She decides to take a yearlong trip around the world to attempt to find her footing. ”Planning the trip had already given me something indispensable: hope,” she writes. “My life was already split by Sean’s death. I wanted a new line of demarcation… I needed to learn what would grow from extended travel rather than focus on what grew from misfortune.”
By turns heartwrenching and humorous, Picken’s explores not just many locations — from Paris to South Africa to New Zealand — but also
the profound and shifting facets of grief when, as a mother with two young children, life simply must go on. Reflecting on writing the book, Picken emails from New Zealand, “I’m thrilled and relieved to finally see the memoir in readers’ hands. This project has given me extra time with Sean; it is a love letter to him, to our caring community in Spokane and to the people we’ve met since we left the Inland Northwest. I also think it will help a lot of readers process their own grief.”
— ANNE McGREGORThe Spokane Civic Theatre’s production of THE 39 STEPS, opening Jan. 20, promises to carry audiences through a rollicking tale of romance, espionage and murder. With just a handful of actors tackling more than a hundred parts, the show, which originated in London in 2006 and became one of the West End’s longest-running shows, has since delighted audiences and critics on both sides of the pond. Civic Creative Director Jake Schaefer says that’s because it has something for everyone, “You’ve got the action and the suspense and the historical relevance,” he says, noting that the farcical show is based on Alfred Hitchcock’s cult classic movie of the same name. To keep everyone on the edge of their seats, the set design “will make it feel like the audience is in the story,” Schaefer says.
The production is suitable for all ages, and like Civic Theatre shows when Schaefer was a Spokane theater kid, it will feature American Sign Language-interpreted performances.
“This is the Civic’s 75th season and our values are all about being inclusive. Getting ASL performances back is a priority,” he says.
Plan to grab a seat for yourself and don’t forget — show tickets make a great gift!
— ANNE McGREGORThe 39 Steps • Jan. 20-Feb. 12, Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm; ASL-interpreted performances Jan. 22 and Feb. 3 • $10 students; $35 adults; $30 military/65+ • Spokane Civic Theatre • 1020 N. Howard St. • spokanecivictheatre.com • 509- 325-2507
When we think about “taking tea,” Down ton Abbey-esque images of posh British ladies in wide-brimmed hats, frilly dresses and silk gloves often come to mind.
To a certain degree, that’s an accurate portray al – many Western tea drinking customs emerged from the practices of the wealthy British elite. In the 1660s, tea was first popularized by King Charles II and Queen Catherine of Braganza. Over the next few centuries, British royalty embed ded the beverage into its cultural fabric through the invention of more tea rituals.
Meanwhile in India, chai tea dates back more than 5,000 years, though the introduction of green tea is shrouded in mystery. Whatever the origin, it is still customary to prepare and serve tea with each meal and offer it to visitors in your home. And in Japan, elaborate rituals surround the prepa ration of matcha tea.
By Samantha HolmSo what is it about tea that has proved so enduringly appealing across so many cultures? It’s probably a combination of the pleasures afforded by the multitude varieties and flavors, as well as the associated rituals and traditions, and at the most basic level, tea’s effects on the body.
Research on tea is ongoing, but recent studies are shedding more light on healthy benefits of drinking tea. A 2007 study in England found that the consumption and preparation of black tea lowered participants’ levels of the stress hormone cortisol. A 2020 study of 100,000 Chinese adults found those who drank more than three cups of tea a week had a 20 percent reduced risk of heart attacks and 22 percent reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease. And of course, tea contains varying amounts of caffeine, which offer wellknown benefits in alertness, but also may impact weight loss and athletic performance.
More work remains to be done, but so far, it’s safe to say that the benefits of consuming tea seem to far outweigh any risks.
The benefits of drinking tea extend far beyond what’s in the cup
True tea is a product of the tea camellia, an evergreen shrub – or sometimes a tree depending on the plant variety and growing conditions – native to Southeast Asia.
In crafting tea, the tea leaves are graded, says Drew Henry, owner of Spokane’s Revival Tea Company. “When you’re looking at tea leaves, you have these big leaves at the bottom,” he says. “As you work your way up, the leaves get smaller. We only import what’s called a flowery orange pekoe; it’s the little tiny bud on the top of the tea leaf.”
This part of the plant, Henry says, is the least acidic and most nutrient-rich. That attention to quality – both of the leaves and the resulting blends – have helped propel Revival Tea Company, based in Spokane, to becoming one of the leading tea retailers in the nation.
Henry says obtaining the best leaves has required casting a wide net. He’s secured partnerships with 10 suppliers from more than 30 countries, including China, Japan, South Africa, Brazil and India, and prioritizes organic farming and fair trade methods.
After acquiring tea leaves, it’s up to Henry to come up with creative blends. Some are crafted simply for flavor, while others include a nod to health benefits. There’s the “pregnancy tea,” including raspberry leaf, ginger root and peppermint, that’s aimed at soothing morning sickness.
Other teas are simply aesthetically pleasing on several levels. The blue tea includes an exotic combination of Viet namese butterfly pea flower, mango and lemon mint. “If you look at a tea and it just looks like plain black tea versus you see real mango, you see the yellow marigold petals … you have this idea of what it is going to taste like,” Henry says. “The way we view tea is you see it, you smell it and then you taste it, and there’s some science behind that.”
Whether sipping on some tea while catch ing up with a friend, or performing slow and deliberate rituals to participate in a centuries old ceremony, tea is an experience before anything else.
Nowhere is this more emphasized than the Brambleberry Cottage, a long-running, Spokane tearoom. Dawn Kiki and her mother opened the tearoom on Nov. 24, 1995, on, as Kiki says, “a whim.”
Parties can reserve the tearoom and sample Brambleberry Cottage’s food and blends. The Cottage offers three tiered tea services, which are modeled off tea drink ing customs in England.
The Tea and Light Refreshments pack age includes finger sandwiches, a freshly baked scone, fruit cake and bottomless tea, and is modeled after what the British call “afternoon tea” or “low tea” – that’s not a derogatory comment but rather an acknowledgement that “low tea” is tradi tionally served at a low table.
Meanwhile, the Cottage’s most exclu sive package is High Tea – and you guessed it, it’s served at a high table – which is a hearty meal served on the finest china.
Reservations, tiers, high and low! The truth is, these services are surprisingly affordable, with the High Tea package being offered at $32. And the atmosphere is far from pompous. “We just want you to feel welcome, and don’t want you to stress about which fork to use,” Kiki says.
When reserving the tearoom online, customers fill out a field explaining what the occasion is, which provides the Cottage staff further guidance on how to personally
tailor the experience to the guest. The Cottage has hosted everything from anniversary dates to baby showers to retirement parties and more. “They don’t just leave with tea, they leave with a memory,” Kiki says.
For Whitworth University student Hassan Shah, who’s from Pakistan, Kiki’s sentiment rings true because tea is so deeply entrenched in his memories.
While growing up in Pakistan, tea was a daily part of his life. Tearooms are prevalent there, and he learned as a child how to make tea, a process he perfected throughout his teenage years. He notes that in his culture, tea is prepared while cooking other dishes, so while brewing tea, “You don’t have to be focused.”
Having derived influence from India, the most popular teas in Pakistan are chai and green tea. With a smile, Shah explained that chai is the Hindi word for tea, so when Ameri cans order a “chai tea,” they’re ordering a “tea tea.” Chai is typically a blend of black tea with various aromatic spices – think cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves.
Without giving away Shah’s tea making secrets, he is willing to share that a key com ponent of brewing chai is aerating the mixture, which can be achieved through thoroughly mixing ingredients and straining them from a higher altitude. This, he claims, accentuates the flavor of the rich, earthy spices.
Along with its delicious taste, Shah says chai is used to treat headaches. In fact, whenever his mom had a headache, Shah would brew her a chai. He reflects that she probably misses his tea making skills since he moved to America, and he’s thankful for the opportunity to connect to his family and that experience every time he brews chai for himself or shares his skills at Whitworth’s International Student Center.
What it boils down to is pretty basic: In spite of the multitude of flavors, the ceremonies and service, and the health benefits, Kiki says, “Tea is really a labor of love.”
WHETHER YOUR CUP OF TEA IS A “TRUE” TEA OR AN HERBAL INFUSION, teas are a fabulous way to benefit from the healing properties of many plants. Black tea, oolong tea, green tea and white tea are considered “true” teas, all coming from the same tea camellia plant but each processed differently. On the other hand, herbal tea can be made from practically any edible plant, depending on the purpose of the tea you’re designing. You can even get creative by blending herbs with a “true” tea leaf of your choice for a unique tea of your own.
WHITE TEA is the least processed of the true teas, which all use the fresh leaves of the tea plant. White tea leaves are collected, steamed and dried. This simple processing preserves the most antioxidants and gives white tea a mild, fresh flavor. However, this also makes white tea more delicate and susceptible to damage from excessively high temperatures and times during steeping.
The leaves of GREEN, OOLONG AND BLACK TEAS are harvested once the leaves have withered a bit on the plant. Green tea is then briefly steamed or fired, then dried. Oolong and black tea both undergo a bruising process, followed by a brief (oolong) or long (black) oxidization step, before being fired and dried.
All of these processes leave the tea leaves with different flavors, components and levels of antioxidants. White and green teas are the least processed, leaving them with the highest antioxidant levels. WHITE TEA has a more fresh and subtle flavor than GREEN TEA. In contrast, OOLONG TEA has lower levels of antioxidants but famously develops an ample quantity of L-theanine, which is good for anxiety relief and calming benefits. Finally, BLACK TEA has a distinctive, strong flavor profile and the highest caffeine content for alertness.
They don’t just leave with tea, they leave with a memory.
Although herbal teas can be made of basically any edible plant for a range of health benefits and flavors, some of the most common herbs used for tea include CHAMOMILE, MINTS AND ROSES. Most herbal teas are packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants, though these vary greatly by herb.
CHAMOMILE is a flowering plant famously known for its calming benefits, making it a great choice for a nighttime tea or a midday stressbuster at work. The honey-like, subtle flavor of chamomile is wonderful enjoyed on its own or blended with other components.
MINTS are also a common choice for herbal teas, lending a strong and refreshing flavor to infusions. PEPPERMINT is wellknown for relieving stomach problems and may contain antimicrobial properties for when you are sick. On the other hand, SPEARMINT may boost respiratory function and aid in memory. Both mints are a wonderful choice to add a bit of menthol to an herbal tea to brighten your mood or help with a cold.
Finally, ROSE TEAS can be made with two very different parts of the rose – the PETALS or the FRUIT. While rose petals will give that floral, rosy flavor we all know and love, the fruit (also called ROSE HIPS) are a tart berry-like fruit. Although both parts have some similar benefits, the PETALS are known to boost mood and digestive function, while ROSE HIPS are incredibly high in vitamin C and antioxidants.
Just like in their human companions, pets’ teeth can develop plaque and tartar buildup that can lead to health problems. While dogs and cats don’t get cavities exactly like humans, weak enamel can lead to tooth fractures that cause severe pain, as well as infections that can be deadly if bacteria spread to organs like the heart and kidneys. Dental disease can also lead to gum recession and bone loss.
The worst part is, this could all be prevented by taking just a few minutes to brush at least two or three times per week. It seems even well-meaning pet owners could do a better job — roughly 85 percent of animals brought to Washington State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital have some form of dental disease. Maybe that’s because it’s hard to know how to go about brushing your pet’s teeth. The good news is, it’s probably a lot easier than you imagine. So let’s get started.
Brushing your pet’s teeth is quicker than brushing your own, but you’ll need some supplies. Special toothbrushes and toothpaste approved for use in dogs or cats can be purchased from a veterinarian. Note that human toothpaste can be toxic to pets that swallow it, and there could be ingredients in pet toothpaste your animal is allergic to, so be sure to check the label.
Put some toothpaste on the brush, and then concentrate your ef forts on the outside of the pet’s top and bottom teeth, as that is where most buildup is located. Brushing parallel with the gumline has been shown to be the most effective way to brush in pets.
In addition to brushing, also take a look at the label on your pet’s food. The Veterinary Oral Health Council’s light blue seal indicates the
food helps control the buildup of plaque and tartar.
Some treats are also designed to help scrape away plaque down the gumline. Even eating kibble has shown to help remove tartar and result in healthier teeth. But be aware that deer antlers, some raw hides, and plastic bones and toys may be hard and cause trauma to teeth, so don’t use these with pets experiencing dental issues.
Keeping track of your pet’s teeth by periodically taking a photo can help document dental health over time. Dogs with tooth pain will likely show irritation and may shake their head or paw at their mouth. Also, be aware that dental disease is more common in certain breeds of dogs with short noses and compact mouths — think Boston terriers and pugs. In their small mouths, the teeth are often not lined up, resulting in plaque and tartar buildup, making tooth brushing all the more important.
Young cats are also often prone to dental disease and complica tions, but given their survival instincts to not show pain, cats are much more likely to have dental disease that goes unnoticed.
However, in both dogs and cats, halitosis, or smelly breath, is often the easiest way to detect dental disease. So keep a nose out for tooth troubles, and remember brushing just a few times a week will help keep your pet happy and healthy.
Jessica Bell is an assistant professor at WSU College of Veterinary Medicine and a small animal veterinarian in community practice at WSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are readily available and can be sold to anyone without a prescription. These products are regularly used for everyday complaints such as allergies and pain; and the OTC aisle is also a frequently visited spot in the pharmacy during cold and flu season to treat symptoms like cough and congestion. As we enter into colder months with the potential for cold, flu and COVID infections, here are some important things to keep in mind when it comes to OTC products.
Pay attention to active ingredients. The active ingredient in a medication is the part that causes therapeutic effects. For example, acetamin ophen is an active ingredient, and it results in the therapeutic effects of relieving pain or reducing a fever. It is a commonly used ingredient that can be found in hundreds of OTC products as well as many prescription medications.
The tricky thing is that the brand names we see on the shelf in the OTC aisle don’t always include the name of the active ingredient. Tylenol, Unisom PM Pain, and Nyquil Cold & Flu are all examples of OTC products that contain the active ingredient acetaminophen. However, you’ll notice that acetaminophen is not in the brand name of
any of the above products. This can make it easy for someone to grab a product without even real izing what is in it. Some people may end up taking something they shouldn’t or doubling up on the same ingredient with different products. This can be a problem as some drugs like acetaminophen can have very serious side effects if you take too much of it.
So, what can you do? Make sure to read the product label carefully and look at the active ingredients when selecting a product In addition to the active ingredient, OTC product labels also include information on what the medication is used for, who should and should not take it, and how it should be taken.
Even with products you are familiar with it is important to read this because changes may be made to products or labeling. Additionally, some products may have different directions. For example, Tylenol has many different formulations including Tylenol Regular Strength, Tylenol Extra Strength and Tylenol Arthritis to name a few. All of these contain the active ingredient acetamin ophen, but the strength and directions for each is different. Make sure to familiarize yourself with a product each time you purchase.
It is also important to remember that over the counter medications have the potential for side effects just like prescription medications. A common misconception is that since OTC meds don’t require a prescription they do not have any risks. This however is incorrect and all medications including OTC agents have the potential for side effects. You can make yourself aware of these by again reading the package labeling. Warnings including potential interactions or side effects will also be included on the product label of OTC products. Read these before starting a medication so you know what to watch out for after you begin taking them.
The world of OTC agents can be overwhelming but familiarizing yourself with the information on product labels can help you be a more informed consumer. When in doubt, ask your pharmacist or health care provider if an OTC agent would be appropriate for you.
— LEXIE POWELL
Making yourself a salad can be a quick and simple daily task or the creation of an inspired masterpiece. It’s important for your salad greens to provide a nutritious foundation so you can get the most out of your salad. While most leafy greens are high in vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, folate and iron, each type has its own unique features.
This juicy, pale-colored lettuce makes a great crunchy base to a salad. Its crisp leaves create a refreshing balance with heavier toppings, like
tossed salad, since the softer leaves can catch the dressing during tossing but still hold their shape. Romaine lettuces tend to have slightly more nutrients than their cousin, the iceberg lettuce, notably vitamins A and K. Additionally, romaine lettuces come in multiple varieties and colors. As a rule of thumb, the deeper the color of your green, the more antioxidants the leaves contain. Therefore, a head of red romaine is not only a beautiful choice for your next salad, but might be better for you too.
Although Popeye prefers to eat his spinach out of a can, the fresh leaves pack more nutritional punch. Baby spinach makes a great salad base. Since spinach is a less firm leaf, spinach-based salads are best to drizzle dressings on top rather than toss the salad in a bowl, which could cause the leaves to get limp and soggy. This deep green leaf balanc es well with crunchy nuts and fresh fruits. Spinach leaves are a great source of nutrition in a salad. Compared with lettuce, spinach is notably higher in vitamin K and antioxidants, and also slightly higher in vitamins A, C, folate and iron. However, along with the higher nutrition comes a stronger flavor, so if you don’t enjoy the flavor of raw spinach on its own, consider it as a mix-in.
Arugula sits somewhere in between the lettuces and spinach in its vitamin profile, though still has high contents of antioxidants. This small, pointed leaf is also softer, and often makes a better mix-in than a base because of its strong, somewhat spicy flavor. This flavor balances well with rich but fresh flavors like tahini, goat cheese and nuts. Although less than spinach, arugula also has notably higher content of vitamins A and K than most lettuces, but similar levels of vitamin C, folate, and iron. Regardless of which of these timeless favorites you prefer, your next salad can get even more nutrition by combining your salad greens of choice with other leafy green relatives like microgreens, or shredded kale or cabbage.
— STACEY AGGARWALStacey Aggarwal received a Ph.D. in pharmacol ogy from the University of Washington. Now she writes about biology, health and nutrition while running a lavender farm in North Idaho.
The copper range hood provides a dramatic focal point in this French country kitchen renovation by Carter Crandall of Blythe Interiors. JOEL RINER PHOTOGRAPHY
By Anne McGregor
For 30 years, a Spokane Valley family lovingly cared for a small farmhouse built in the early 1900s by their ancestor, a French immigrant. Though they managed to work around the fact that the kitchen was tiny and isolated from the rest of the home, the cou ple each quietly harbored their own dreams for an eventual remodel.
“The funny story here is we have been talking for years about a kitchen remodel and I have always just said I’m just really too busy to take that on,” says the homeowner. “And my husband is like, you know you need to do this at some point.” While she had been thinking about workable layouts, he had spent those years dreaming about appliances, and at one point, decided he’d waited long enough. “He went down to Fred’s…and came home and said, ‘I hope you get your kitchen started soon because the appliances come in one year.’” she laughs.
Teaming up with designer Carter Crandall of Blythe Interiors helped to get the French country kitchen underway at last. “We kind of have a three choice deal, which I love,” says the homeowner, who lived in the house during the project. “She gives us three choices and usually the answer’s in there.”
They started with the must-haves: the home’s original tongue and groove walls as well as its structural beams needed to stay put. The new kitchen needed to function as the home’s primary gathering place and would be opened up into a space occupied by a seldom-used formal dining area.
The design focal point was to be a big, new copper hood for the range, and as is typical in historic kitchens, the backsplash tile needed to extend all the way to the ceiling, with no upper cabinetry. The homeowner also did not want the now-ubiquitous kitchen island. “My focus was that I want a huge farm table that everybody in my family can come to… I didn’t want seating that’s too tall for older people. I want to be more encompassing of the whole age range of our family and how we gather.”
I want a huge farm table that everybody in my family can come to.
If moving isn’t an option, designers can remake an OK-for-now house into a perfect fit
The large space is now anchored by a 10-foot-long table – extendable for another 3 feet – crafted from reclaimed wood by RH and flanked by upholstered chairs. There’s still ample space for a small kiddie table at the far end of the kitchen, near the cozy fireplace.
Meanwhile, the custom copper range hood and a matching sink arrived after a long ocean voyage, says Crandall, who worked closely with the fabricators in China. “They literally hand make every single bit of it, and send you a picture” for approval, she says. Copper is also featured on the rectangular chandelier, accented with round crystals that have a teardrop effect.
White cabinetry is in a Shaker style, softened by slight distressing and chamfered edges on the panels,
CABINETS: Freeze Cabinets
APPLIANCES: Wolf Sub-Zero
SINK & HOOD: Sinda Copper
COUNTERTOP: Silestone
HARDWARE: Amerock
WALL TILE: Bedrosians’ Cloe
WALL SCONCES: Maxim + Ballard for the accent crystals
FAUCET: Delta
CHANDELIER: Arhaus
TABLE: Restoration Hardware
SIDE CHAIRS: Restoration Hardware
ARM CHAIRS: Bassett Furniture
TEA POT: Williams-Sonoma
and the inside storage was carefully planned to ac commodate everything from pots and pans to storage for Ziploc bags. On the outside, crystal knobs are interspersed with rubbed bronze pulls. “It’s just those little glints to catch your eye,” says Crandall, who notes she consciously used a variety of metal finishes in the space. “I know people really fear doing that, but it’s what makes a house have those little moments. It makes it feel custom and curated. If we come in and everything is just black, or just gold, then there is a little bit of a fabrication feel to that… This looks like it’s been curated over time.”
This looks like it’s been curated over time.A generously scaled farm table made from reclaimed wood can easily accommodate the homeowner’s parents, children and grandchildren, while layers of copper accents in the hood, chandelier and sink tie the space together. JOEL RINER PHOTOGRAPHY
CONTRACTOR: Timber Contractors
CABINETRY: Faber Built
COUNTERTOPS: Capaul Stoneworks
INTERIOR FINISHES: ProSource Spokane
DÉCOR ITEMS: Bide & Burgeon
White artisanal subway tiles extend to the ceiling, with two large new windows flanking the hearty range. Soft gray granite counters reveal unexpected tiny – and shiny – copper flecks, while the overall darker color offers delineation in the mostly white space.
The homeowner is looking forward to continu ing the remodel into the living room. But for now, she says, the comfy chair at the head of the table is just perfect. “I love sitting in this chair, and having my work computer right here and just working away... We look out over some horses. It’s just a nice area. And also just to know this is the house our family has sat in for years is really a big deal to us.”
Across town, Linda and Todd Jones faced a similar conundrum in the South Hill split-lev el home they bought in 2016. They weren’t planning to move anytime soon, and they knew they would remodel. Someday.
The sheer size of the house – with six bedrooms – was perhaps overwhelming. “We thought, ‘We’ll never grow into this house!’” Linda Jones says. “But with the pandemic, we have spent so much time at home.” By May 2022, she says, “We knew that we were ready to move forward and start remodeling.”
It’s a common theme among clients at Mint In teriors Studio, says co-owner Aileen Link. “COVID helped people realize what they either loved or hated about their homes.”
The couple had some clear objectives: a place to cook and bake with their young daughters and a ...continued on page 26
“STAYING PUT,” CONTINUED...
place to gather with family. The ’70s era house was simply getting in their way with its compartmentalized design – not one but two pocket doors could com pletely close off the windowless kitchen from the rest of the home.
After a meeting to talk over their needs and a site visit by the Mint design ers – Link and Hannah Mackin – Jones was impressed. “They came back with a plan that we hadn’t even thought of. They were able to envision our space in such a different way than we were able to,” says Jones.
The new kitchen features custom cabinetry locally designed and fabricated to tie seamlessly into the existing wood ceiling in the dining room and the new wood flooring throughout the house. Quartz countertops and a large island of fer plenty of space for the couple’s young children to eat breakfast every day.
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natural light and had existing plumbing connections. The Mint designers capital ized on those assets, installing a sink and ample storage for small appliances, includ ing a microwave. Maple butcher block counters are stained in a walnut hue, an option that offers the look of expensive walnut at a more affordable price point.
Glass doors from the pantry to the kitchen allow the flow of much-needed light, but not noise, into the kitchen. “We both really like coffee, and we’re kind of particular about it,” laughs Linda. “We really like to have fresh beans every morning.” What they didn’t like was wak ing their sleeping kids with all the noise of grinding beans and brewing coffee. Now, thanks to the pantry, the adults’ day can begin quietly.
One of the biggest challenges of the remodel was opening up the kitchen to the living area. The walls surrounding the kitchen were load-bearing, so remov ing them required the installation of a load-bearing beam. “A much cheaper
option is a column, but obviously that interrupts your flow,” says Link, who was pleased the couple opted for the beam. “We like coming up with ways we can splurge in one place and save in another… everyone finds value in different things.”
The remodel has transformed the home. And Jones says even though the
family lived in the house throughout the five-month project, it went surprisingly well. “Because I’m a designer and I kind of overthink stuff, I am so happy that we worked with Mint. It was nice to trust their aesthetic and their style… It was like, OK, these decisions are done, and I don’t have to agonize.”
All who wander are not lost, to paraphrase fantasy-adventure novelist, J.R.R. Tolkien.
For artist Michael Horswill, ambiguity is a familiar place, one he embraces in his artmaking.
“I have some pattern or process that I kind of go through to make something,” explains Horswill, a professor of art at North Idaho College. “But in the process of making it, I often don’t know the results so I have to kind of keep moving through it and being with it and playing with it before it starts to reveal itself.”
The result is artwork that has vaguely familiar images, objects and forms. His 2010 renderings
for the “Drawn to the Wall IV” installation at Jundt Art Museum, for example, remind of concept illus trations for the set of Alien. Work from this series depicts a confluence of organic and mechanical forms with titles like “Outpost” and “Tending the Machine.”
Although Horswill worked as a freelance illustrator in Seattle and eventually the Inland Northwest, including for the Inlander, he transi tioned out of illustration and has spent the past 20 years working mostly sculpturally, including paintings with sculptural elements.
Horswill grew up in Bozeman, Montana, where
he prowled the town’s alleyways for all manner of castoff stuff to ignite a young boy’s imagination. He also immersed himself in the rugged outdoors of southwestern Montana, and remembers family outings to explore the region’s ghost towns.
Those early memories, an inquisitive mind and such influences as the otherworldly sculpture of Lee Bontecou shaped Horswill’s approach to artmaking, which leans toward abstraction.
“I think I get my excitement from noticing things in day-to-day experience,” says Horswill, who is drawn to mechanical things, architecture, and objects or systems that depict the “human agency to control our various activities.”
Although Horswill has done numerous public commissions himself, including a series of colorful totems titled “Trilogy” in a roundabout adjacent to North Idaho College, most of his artmaking is designed for the interior.
Horswill’s Hayden-area home studio is twopart. He does his welding in a garage space, above which is another space that overlooks the garden and rustic woodlands surrounding the home he shares with Laurie Olsen-Horswill, a fellow profes sor at NIC.
Inside the studio, Horswill works at a central table, pulling from fabric, paper, wood, glass and other materials as well as parts from old machines. Not only does Horswill let the materials and process suggest the next step in a sculptural work, he’s also trying to stay open to the mystery about its final iteration. He compares that to being a traveler who turns down an alley and experiences a frisson of excitement.
“I want that kind of feeling when you come to the [artwork], like it’s kind of familiar, but it’s kind of not,” Horswill says. “I love that sense of mystery that you may have to contend with.”
Horswill looks for this in his own life and tries to instill something similar in his students.
“I think it’s getting them to be comfortable with the unknown, because so much of it has to be driven by something that’s recognizable for them to make sense of it,” Horswill says, noting
that students are in the early stage of develop ing art skills and tend to stick with what they know. Part of his job is to expose students to artwork across different mediums, cultures, styles and time periods.
“You never get to the point you know everything,” he says. For Horswill, that makes the journey and joy of discovery all the more interesting.
See more at michaelhorswill.com or his current works page at theartspiritgallery.com.
Sometimes interior design trends are, in retrospect, head scratchers, like popcorn ceilings in the 1970s, massive living room furnishings in the ’90s, and the white-on-white aesthetic that is finally showing signs of fading in popularity. Other trends, however, have gained a
Maximize daylight in your space with sheer curtains or mirrors.
foothold in the design community, but man ifest in different ways. The trend toward more sustainable design might mean using more natural materials in the construction and furnishing of our homes, or approach ing design with humans in mind.
In 2016, for example, the word “hygge”
(pronounced hoo-guh) entered our lexicon from the Danish, meaning a minimalist aesthetic that creates a “cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfort able.” Natural materials, neutral colors and mood-setting lighting were all part of the trend.
Two years later, the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum gathered more than 40 objects with multisensory appeal like lights that emit fragrance and tactile picture books in an exhibition titled “The Senses: Design Beyond Vision.”
While the term “sensory design” isn’t as well-known as the hygge trend, both are relevant, says Judy Theodor son, a Washington State University associate professor at the School of Design + Construction.
In the engineering environment, if no one is complaining about light, sound, smell, etcetera, that’s a win, says Theodorson, whose teaching focus is “to facilitate linkages between environmental issues, human experi ences and design.”
Humans need light. Not only is it essential to one of the five senses upon which we most rely — vision — it’s also integral to our mental and physical well-being.
“As a Southern California transplant, Pacific Northwest gray is hard to take,” says Designology Luxury Interiors co-founder Deanna Goguen. In both her design practice and her home, Goguen looks for every oppor tunity to maximize available light sources.
Using paint with a higher light reflective value and employing shiny surfaces — mirrors, of course, but also tile and metallic fixtures — helps amplify light, she says.
“The more we can light your space during the day without electricity, the better,” says
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Goguen, whose designs use numerous ways to extend the sun’s reach, from transom windows that can direct natural light into an otherwise windowless room to thoughtful consideration of surfaces.
Those same techniques for giving sunbeams places to bounce around inside your home also work for artificial light, says Goguen, who cautions that not all lightbulbs are created equally.
There is a downside to compact fluorescent lamps or CFL bulbs that power companies promoted, Goguen says. Yes, they are energy efficient, but the color temperature of the bulb is actually quite cool for our climate, she says, whereas newer LEDs tend to be warmer.
Goguen uses higher-end LED bulbs with a tempera ture similar to an incandescent bulb. The downside is the cost. Higher end bulbs cost $50-$120 for a recessed can light compared to builder-grade bulbs at $10-$20 each. Goguen tries to balance cost and function, recommend ing the higher end cans for primary spaces, such as the kitchen or other task-intensive areas.
Like any expenditure involving the home, good lighting is an investment, one that Goguen says can impact more than your ability to see well.
“We use light that makes you happier,” Goguen says.
A graduate of Washington State University, Goguen co-taught several studio experiences with Judy Theodor son, head of the interior design program at WSU’s School of Design + Construction, whose research substantiates the link between light and good health.
“People are phototropic — drawn to light — so electric light sources can be used to stimulate behaviors, create atmosphere and reinforce spatial settings such as zones, hierarchy, etcetera,” says Theodorson.
Theodorson notes her own affinity for light. “I’ve had this longtime sense of light as a fluid substance,” says Theodorson, who suggests that humans are hardwired to respond to light’s inherent variability. “People are really drawn to the patterns and those patterns end up convey ing information you might need,” such as time of day or change in the weather.
Daylight — and the windows with which we experience it — also creates a biophilia connection, Theodorson says, explaining that “we are of nature, therefore, we need to be in contact with nature.”
“I like to think of daylight as breathing life into space,” she adds.
While engineering focused on structure is important, she says, “I think designers are trying to push those limits in what we might call the sensory experience.”
A fireplace. The smell of cookies. Varied textures that invite touch. All these things appeal to the senses, Theodorson says, and they, along with vision — our dominant sensory organ — are important in design.
“Apparently scent is the most potent trigger for memories,” Theodorson says. “In terms of design, a scent can immediately set the impression of a space,” she says, describing how the retail sector has keyed in on the power of scent, like how the smell of baking cinnamon rolls lures mall-goers toward Cinnabon.
Similarly, sound is a key consideration for designers, says Dean na Goguen, founder of Designology Luxury Interiors.
“When a home gets done being built, it’s all hard surfaces, and pretty soon you’re living in an echo chamber,” Goguen says. “Every bit of fabric you can bring into the space will soften and disburse
IBarn doors may be beautiful but they don’t offer a barrier to sound or scents.
When Ashlie Beal couldn’t find a chandelier that fit her budget and her style, the former Eastern Washington University business major had an idea to make her own by using a lighting kit she purchased at a local retailer and adding blownglass bubbles she also bought.
“Lighting is like jewelry … the thing that brings it all together,” says Beal, who went from selling a few fixtures on Etsy into a business with a national customer base and four distinct product lines. That was in 2013.
Since then, Beal and her husband quit their day jobs — she was a flight attendant, he was a middle school teacher — and returned to Spokane, where both grew up.
[sound],” she adds. Drapes, rugs, pillows, even things on the wall help create layered patterns of sound.
A more affordable option for clients, notes Goguen, is the use of a stationary drapery panel on the sides of the win dows to provide color, texture and sound absorption. That leaves an additional set of curtains or other window treatment to control light.
Sometimes a single design detail can impact numerous senses.
“Everybody thinks they want a barn door,” says Goguen, who reminds that barn doors don’t fully close. So — think bathroom or kitchen — if you’re trying to control sounds or scents, barn doors are a trend to be avoided.
Beal and her staff of seven, including her husband, custom-build every order, the bulk of which are for chandeliers and pendant lights. Standard cloud-shaped and cascading configurations incorporate a range of bubble sizes and finishes, from clear and iridescent to frosted, smoky gray, chrome and assorted colors to create fixtures with names like “rainbow,” “seaglass” and “sunset.”
Both the cord and mounting components are integral to the design and can be spec ified to contrast or complement the glass. Hardware options include black, brass, brushed or polished nickel, and white. There are 10 cord finish options: jute, natural cotton and leather, which is available in seven colors from matte black and rawhide to pearlescent white and metallics.
In addition to finish, size can also be customized.
“If you’ve ever been to a person’s house and almost hit your head on a too low light fixture, you know how important it is to have a properly sized light,” Beal says. “We’ve gone as large as 15 feet.”
Beal continues to invent new fixtures, including flush mount bubble lighting, several types of sconces, and two midcentury modern variations on the bubble chandelier. She never tires of working with glass, she says.
“I think it’s beautiful, and it can be really magical, but it’s sculptural too.”
Visit thelightfactory.net.
The Light Factory founder turned an idea into extraordinary light fixtures and a thriving company
Bartender doesn’t seem adequate for what Simon Moorby does, nor is the fixture behind the bar at Hogwash Whiskey Den keen on “mixolo gist,” either. “Spirit wizard” conveys the alchemy of craft ing drinks, Moorby says, noting cocktails have a storied history rooted in apothecaries that dispensed herbal blends, tinctures and tonics to promote wellness.
Bitters, for example, were historically administered as a digestive aid. Now they add complexity of herbal, citrus or spice notes to drinks, such as the old fashioned, a classic cocktail Moorby likes to change up with season al flavors like spiced apple or clove bitters.
Knowing the history of cocktails is important, says Moorby. “No one considers themselves a chef without reading Escoffier,” the French founder of the so-called brigade system of cooking found in fine dining, Moorby says. Moorby frequently collaborates with Raising the Bar’s Renee Cebula, a self-styled cocktail historian, to offer themed cocktail classes at Hogwash.
Moorby learned his craft on the job while working at Seattle’s Naga, the lounge inside Chantanee Thai restaurant, which in the 2000s grabbed attention for its spirit-forward, artisan cocktail offerings.
By the time Moorby moved back to Spokane, where he had lived since age 12, he was a budding spirit wiz ard, but lacked the combination of skills, mindset and support to master his own addiction to alcohol. Fortu nately, the founder of Hogwash Whiskey Den, Jeremy Hansen, took a chance on Moorby, who has been with Hogwash — and sober — since 2016.
“I see people at their worst on their best day,” Moor by says. “It’s just part of the profession, and that’s just a constant reminder why I choose not to imbibe anymore.
I’ve had a lifelong struggle with it.”
The holidays can be especially challenging for peo ple, and even more so for those who don’t drink alcohol, he says. And although someone’s reasons not to imbibe are numerous and varied, the options for what Moorby calls zero proof drinks — versus mocktails — have been limited to sugary syrups and juices.
New ingredients like Seedlip’s line of zero-proof spirits have enabled Moorby and others to expand the range of nonalcoholic options. Even as Moorby contin ues to refine the Hogwash drink menu with zero-proof variations of popular cocktails, he acknowledges the inherent challenge of spirits that don’t contain alcohol. Because they’re water-based, explains Moorby, and since bar drinks are served cold, that means figuring out a way to chill them without diluting the flavors.
Those interested in learning how to master mixing would also do well to invest in basic bartending equip ment: jiggers for measuring, a long cocktail spoon, a shaker, assorted glasses, such as a pint size beer or wide-mouthed glass for mixing. A Hawthorne strainer with a semicircle of coiled wire and little wings on the side for sitting on the rim of the glass — it looks a bit like Princess Leia in Star Wars — keeps the ice in the shaker so you can pour chilled contents into your serving glass. The julep strainer looks like a bristleless hairbrush with a series of small holes, while a fine mesh strainer like you’d use for loose tea leaves is an ideal filter for pulp and other fine particles.
Above all, the key to making good drinks, with or without alcohol, says Moorby is “quality ingredients, proper technique and the right mindset.”
Every day is a day to celebrate, he says.
Whether you like zero-proof or highoctane bar drinks, Hogwash Whiskey Den’s Simon Moorby has you covered
Hogwash Whiskey Den’s Simon Moorby elevates everyday cocktails to an art form with housemade syrups and infusions, and an emphasis on taste and presentation. Many of his signature drinks can be made zero proof, or nonalcoholic, so everyone gets to be in on the fun. Balanced beverages require some math and some measurement to ensure flavors (and the alcohol) don’t overpower each other, so while a typical 1.5 ounce shot glass can be used, a jigger allows for more precise measurements. — recipes courtesy of Simon Moorby, Hogwash Whiskey Den
You might be able to purchase a pear shrub, which is a kind of old-fashioned soda drink made with vinegar. If not, it’s easy to make. Acid-adjusted orange juice needs to be made fresh, however. It increases acidity so that you get the sweetness of the orange but more of a lemon- or lime-like acid element that stands up better to the spirits, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic.
• 1.5 ounces Seedlip Garden 108 nonal coholic spirits
• 1 ounce The Pathfinder Hemp & Root nonalcoholic spirits
• 1 ounce pear shrub (see recipe on facing page)
• .5 ounces acid-adjusted orange juice (see recipe on facing page)
• .25 ounces fresh lemon juice
• soda water
• ice
1. Pour nonalcoholic spirits into rocks glass.
2. Combine shrub and juices in shaker tin. Add ice and shake vigorously.
3. Pour shaken juices over contents of rocks glass.
4. Add splash of soda water.
5. Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Burnt sugar syrup is easy to make and adds a new dimension to this classic cocktail.
• .75 ounce (or more) bourbon
• .75 ounce (or more) apple brandy (Moorby uses Bottled in Bond)
• .25 ounce Tuaca liqueur
• .25 ounce burnt sugar syrup (see recipe on facing page)
• dash Angostura bitters
• dash clove bitters
• ice
1. Put fresh ice in a rocks glass.
2. Measure and pour all ingredients in a pint glass or a tall, wide-mouthed glass. Add ice and stir 30 seconds.
3. Put strainer over top of glass and pour liquid through strainer into rocks glass. Discard old ice.
4. Garnish with apple wheel and cinnamon stick and serve.
Ube is a vividly purple yam from the Philippines finding its way into all manner of food and drink. Here, its nutty, vanilla notes are enhanced by the inclusion of allspice dram, a spiced liqueur. Egg white adds opacity and body to the drink, which is surprisingly simple to make and a festive addition to your cocktail menu.
• 2 ounces dry gin
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• ½ ounce ube syrup
• ¼ ounce allspice dram
• 1 egg white*
• ice
• ginger beer
*Aquafaba (the liquid from canned garbanzo beans) can be used in place of egg white though Moorby says the flavor will be slightly different.
1. Combine ingredients in shaker and shake
• ½ quart orange juice
• 8 grams citric acid
•
INGREDIENTS
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup water
1. Heat 1 cup white sugar in a high-sided pot over high heat, stirring constantly. The sugar will melt and might even smoke a bit. Keep stirring and do not leave unattended. This process will likely take 15 minutes.
2. Once sugar is melted, lower heat to medium, still stirring. When all the clumps are gone, add ¾ cup of water a few spoonfuls at a time and be pre pared that the mixture will “spit” a bit.
3. Continue adding water and stirring until the liquid turns amber.
4. Let reduce until it’s syrupy, roughly three minutes, then let cool enough to pour into a glass container.
5. Syrup keeps indefinitely without refrigeration.
INGREDIENTS
• 6 ripe pears, washed, cored and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups white sugar
• ½ quart apple cider vinegar
1. Muddle pears with small amounts of sugar until mixture is liquefied.
2. Add vinegar, seal (canning jars work well for this) and let sit at room tem perature for 24 hours to ferment a bit.
3. The next day strain the mixture through cheesecloth or fine mesh, discarding solids. The shrub will be bubbly and have a mild but distinct sharpness.
4. Store unused shrub in refrigerator.
Local ladies leverage love of cooking to create Inland Empire Spice
By day, Searri Shipman and Mindy Gagné work with num bers but off the clock, it’s all about the nuance of flavors one gets from herbs, spices and related ingredients. The duo, who own a Spokane-based tax and accounting firm, started INLAND EMPIRE SPICE in fall 2021 based on a shared love of cooking, says Gagné.
“We just had this passion for food,” says Gagné, who likes to work with Italian and Mexican flavors, as well as fire up the grill.
Shipman also likes grilling. “We have a pretty wide palate at our house,” she says. “My husband enjoys grilling and smoking,” Shipman adds. “He’s always shaking an empty bag [of spice rub] at me and saying we need to get more.”
Building on their own recipes, Inland Empire Spice quickly expanded to include more than at least 100 individual spices and 50 spice blends. Some of the company’s more popular blends in clude the Smashburger seasoning and Smokin’ Huckleberry rub.
In spring 2022, Inland Empire Spice added loose leaf teas, developing more than 60 blends, to which they’re still adding. Try the Bigfoot Morning Brew with black tea and “Bigfoot’s favorite local plants — rosehips, elderberry, and blackberry,” plus bee pollen and stevia leaf for sweetness. New seasonal tea releases include apple pie black tea, pumpkin spiced chai tea and butter beer tea — a nod to Harry Potter.
Inland Empire Spice products are available at their shop (8601 N. Division St., Suite A) or online at inlandempirespice.com.
— CARRIE SCOZZARO
DOMA Coffee adds line of instant coffees for that fresh-brewed flavor wherever you may be
Search for a “local” coffee company in the Inland Northwest and you’re likely to find plenty of roasters with tasting facilities, as well as places serving those brands, and retail outlets for your favorite beans or ground coffee.
DOMA COFFEE goes one step further with its line of instant coffees that make it even easier (and faster) to brew a cup of coffee literally anywhere you have access to hot water.
They’re “ideal for dawn patrol ski hikes, fishing or any camping situation,” says company co-founder Rebecca Hurlen Pata no. She also likes them for airline travel and hotel stays or a no-fuss quick cup at home.
“Gone are the days of instant coffee tasting poorly,” says Hurlen Patano, who started DOMA with husband Terry Patano in 2000.
Based in Post Falls, Idaho, DOMA is an innovative small-batch roaster with sus tainability and innovation built into its DNA. It partnered with SWIFT Coffee to develop the instant coffee line featuring completely compostable packaging, for example, using the same coffee in its signature blends. Try the decaf or the Chronic, with nutty, spicy, chocolatey notes.
DOMA’s instant coffees are available in boxes of six sachets for approximately $16 at Rocket Market and Kitchen Engine, both in Spokane, as well as Pilgrim’s Market in Coeur d’Alene.
You’ve never tried DOMA coffee? Visit the DOMA Coffee lab (6240 E. Seltice Way, Unit A, Post Falls) to try their award-win ning blends or go online at domacoffee. com to find out more.
— CARRIE SCOZZARO
BY ANNE McGREGOR
The Plastino brothers – Nick and Marco – have deep roots on Lake Pend Oreille’s Bottle Bay, and it only made sense to pay homage to their ancestry when they de cided to start a brewery. “We’ve been going up there forever,” says Marco, of the Bottle Bay property originally owned by his great great-grandfather, almost a century ago. “Spokane is so embedded with this lake culture,” he adds. “There’s like, what, 300 something lakes within a hundred-mile radius of Spokane? And so a lot of people have their own lake that they go to. We have our spot, Bottle Bay, so kind of the whole idea is, where’s your bay?”
It’s a question the brothers are hoping their customers will want to chat about over a nice cold pint of beer at their tasting room on 30th Avenue right next to Gordy’s Sichuan. Most local longtimers, as well as newbies, will find something they’d like to learn more about just by perusing the items hanging on the brewery’s walls: For starters, there’s the stern photo of ancestor Joseph Plastino, a Spokane entrepre neur in the late 1800s and early 1900s, who presides over the center of the bar. Vintage water skis and fishing gear jockey for wall space with all sorts of family photos and vintage lake cabin memorabilia that will bring back happy memories to many lake lovers.
But while the interior invites stories of the past, the beer
at Bottle Bay is actually decidedly contemporary.
For Marco, a co-owner of the brewery, the journey to becoming the brewmaster wasn’t exact ly linear. “I started out going to art school — fine art at the Falls here,” he says. “It wasn’t till I started taking the prereqs to get into UC Davis that I had to take all these science classes… It really helped me to see — with the beer, it’s this art and science coming together.”
His aim is to create “something no one’s had before, but at the same time using science to make things extremely high quality and super accessible. Something that’s everybody’s beer. It might be different, and it might be something you haven’t had before, but it’s still something the majority of people are going to enjoy.”
Marco’s brother and co-owner Nick adds, “We have these day-drinker beers that are basically our version of a pilsner or a lager — but it’s brewed with ale yeast, so we’re getting the clear, light flavor that people look for in like a Coors light, but also have a little more complexity to it because it’s a microbrew, but not all the calories and gunk.”
Marcus Robinette, who met Marco when the two worked at Spokane’s Rocket Market, is also a co-owner and runs the bar. He’s ready to help the uninitiated learn all about the beer. Tastings are always available. “One of the things that makes us
unique is there’s people that will come here and turn their nose up at an IPA and then they’ll try one of ours, and we’ll sort of evangelize them,” he says. “Clean, clear and accessible is what I always say.”
After an inauspicious opening date at the cusp of the pandemic in February 2020, Marco says the brewery is making a steady recovery. There’s live music every Thursday from 7 pm to 9 pm, and vari ous game nights are also evolving. So far, cribbage is a popular favorite.
All in all, the group hopes Bottle Bay Brewing will become a familiar spot for neighbors to gather. “We’ve got deep roots here in Spokane, and now it’s kind of our turn to take on that next entre preneurial step… We’re all about building up the community. And beer is one way to really get the community together,” says Marco.
This is Jade. She battled Wilms Tumor, the most common type of kidney cancer in children. For over a year now, she has been cancer-free. Your donations help Community Cancer Fund support local programs and Inland Northwest organizations providing tremendous care and critical support to patients like Jade and so many others. We are committed to investing donated funds in local programs that benefit cancer patients, their families, and the Inland Northwest organizations that serve them.
Instead of toys, give shared multi-generational experiences like art classes this holiday season.
JONATHAN HILL ILLUSTRATION
BY ANNE McGREGOR
What makes people happier — getting a new thing or having a new experience? Turns out, research in the fascinating intersec tion of psychology and economics shows spending on “doing” brings more satisfaction than spending on material possessions. In a 2022 paper titled The Unmatchable Brightness of Doing, University of Texas researcher Amit Kumar compiles research on the topic, noting that looking forward to experiences is fun, but that looking back afterward also adds to the enjoyment. And even an experience that wasn’t so great at the time can, over the years, take on new luster, as compared to a less-than-satisfying material purchase. “An uncomfortable couch re mains uncomfortable, but a rainy day on the beach can be romanticized,” writes Kumar.
Experiences can also go much deeper, according to Spokane psy chologist Leslie Blevins, who spe cializes in child psychology and young child behavior. “Even more than giving memories, they help kids to understand who they are, what it means to be in their family and develop their values,” says Blevins. “The experiences that they participate in can teach them that they’re cre
ative, or adventurous and physically strong or emotion ally strong, or have perseverance or are a hard worker.” Taking part in an activity also stimulates a special kind of learning. “Our brains work through move ment, and so actually having an experience where you demonstrate that to yourself makes it easier for your brain to say those thoughts. So it’s a nice way for parents to guide their kids to having a higher sense of self-esteem,” Blevins says.
So instead of buying material gifts for young people in your life, here are some options for mul tigenerationalt experiences that will be fun in the moment, and almost surely bring back happy memories long after.
Teens, with their acute knowledge of what is in and what is definitely out, are often the hardest people to buy gifts for. Instead of trendy clothes, consider a trip to an escape room.
At Spokane’s THINK TANK, co-owner and founder Jeff Savelesky says the three current experiences are designed so that people from young kids to great-grand parents can take part. “No outside information is necessary … Anybody from a family unit can come and participate at an equal level with everybody else.” That’s in part because the experiences are designed to have elements that appeal to all varieties of personali ty styles — from visual problem solvers to those who prefer manipulating objects. Everything needed to solve the mystery is in the room, and if the group gets stuck,
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The experiences that they participate in can teach them that they’re creative, or adventurous...
hints can be delivered in such a way that the immersive experience isn’t interrupt ed. The newest room opened in June and features a space mission, including a ride in a 10 passenger simulator. The experiences are designed to tantalize all the senses, so expect to encounter “sights, smells, sounds and feeling — we want to transport you where you’ve never been before,” says Savelesky. For the apprehensive, “We don’t have any horror rooms or actors trying to scare you. We want people to feel like the space is theirs to explore. We strive to get every single group through to the end successfully.”
Middle schoolers most likely aren’t anxious to appear in public with a band of older rel atives on a quest for bonding experiences. But time away from school and peers can be golden for this age group. “They get to kind of relax — they’re not trying to put on this show of being more mature than they actually are,” says Blevins.
One option for getting out of the house but still being together as a family is a private tour at CAT TALES WILDLIFE CENTER. The tours are offered on Tues days and Wednesdays, when the center is closed to general admission. “It’s very intimate and totally unique,” says executive
director Lisa Grey. Up to 12 guests per tour will learn about the nonprofit center’s foxes, pumas, bears, tigers, coyotes and lynxes — all non-releasable animals that needed a place to live. After the tour, kids can check out the taxidermy and skeleton displays, and have a hot beverage. For an additional fee (all proceeds go to benefit the animals), consider participating in feeding time. Kids can feed the tigers from just a few feet away, but Gray says an unexpected highlight turns out to be flinging food to the compet itive foxes. “They start making all sorts of noises, and they try and get to the pieces before their roommates.” An added bonus of a winter visit? “Oftentimes in the winter
the animals are way more animated,” says Grey. “The snow is nothing to them. They’re like, let’s play!”
It’s not hard to find fun outings for preschoolers — think Disney on Ice. But it is sometimes harder to find things that adults and the youngest kids can do together. That’s exactly the purpose of the Corbin Art Center’s MAKE ART TOGETHER class es. “(They’re) more for preschoolers not quite ready to do a class on their own,” says Carissa Gregg, program coordinator at the art center, noting that for many kids born during the pandemic the classes may be their first experience with group partici pation. She says the workshops are usually themed, such as a holiday theme for December, or February’s winter wonder land, which promises to delight. “It’s glitzy with lots of sparkles and, oh my god, they love cotton balls,” she laughs. Add to that there’s no cleanup to worry about, and in the end, “The parent and child get togeth er and make something they’re proud to hang up at home” she says.
Of course the options for experiential gifts are only limited by your imagina tion. Cat Tales’ Gray says she tells her grandkids, “This grandma doesn’t buy you stuff!” So, she’s always seeking out experiences. A recent success was a family trip to a farm she found on AirBnB. When choosing an experiential gift, it’s also good to keep an open mind about age groups. “In my experience, children ap preciate things for far longer than what we think they’re going to,” says Blevins. “It’s so funny because sometimes you’ll have a 16-year-old doing something and you’re like, ‘Really didn’t think you were gonna enjoy this.’” Perhaps proving that it’s really the time spent together that makes all the difference.
BY NATE SANFORD
In early July, Mateusz Wolski was teach ing a private violin lesson at his home in the South Hill neighborhood when his phone buzzed with a text message from a New York number.
“Hey, I’m a manager of a Broadway tour,” Mateusz says, recounting the mes sage. “We had a violinist get sick, and we’re looking for someone to play the Broadway show Hadestown.”
Mateusz, the concertmaster for the Spokane Symphony, knew this was a big opportunity. He paused the lesson and called the number back.
“The guy says, ‘Well, the show is to night at 7 o’clock,” Mateusz says.
It was already 4:45 pm. Mateusz didn’t know the musical or the music. The direc tor explained that Mateusz wouldn’t just be playing in an ensemble, he’d be the sole violinist — onstage and in costume.
“It’s not even like I’m playing in a sec tion of violinists,” Mateusz says. “So if you
screw anything up, everybody will know.”
The clock was ticking. Mateusz told the director he was down, but first, he had a lesson to finish.
The lesson wrapped up around 5 pm. Mateusz jumped in his car and raced down to the First Interstate Center for the Arts. He spent a frenzied 45 minutes going over the part with the music director and changed into his costume — a 1950s-esque tie and vest with a loud, red striped shirt.
Mateusz made it to the stage by 7 pm. As the show began, he played his newly learned parts to an in-ear monitor click track — a metronome that gives the musicians a cue for entrances and when the various songs start. The first half of the show went off without a hitch, but as the lights dimmed for the second act, Mateusz realized he had a problem.
The click track was gone.
Frantic, he gestured to the cellist next to him. She was able to use visual cues
to let him know when to play. It worked, and Mateusz went on to play the next six shows of the musical. He was so focused on getting things right, it wasn’t until the third or fourth show that he started to actually understand the plot of the musical.
“It was chaotic,” Mateusz laughs.
Despite the chaos, Mateusz says the Hadestown experience was deeply rewarding. As a lifelong musician, he’s not just used to the unpredictability and challenge that comes with live perfor mance — he thrives on it. So does his wife, Dawn Wolski, who recently stepped down from her job directing the Inland North west Opera and now teaches vocal studies at Eastern Washington University.
“I find that we both always strive for excellence,” Mateusz says. “For things to just be easy, middle of the road, not adven turous — it’s just boring.”
Dawn and Mateusz met in college in the
early 2000s at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. Dawn was tasked with studying a tricky set of songs by Polish composer Frederic Chopin and tracked down Mateusz, a Polish native, for help translating some of the text. The pair clicked and married in 2003.
Dawn spent a few years in the U.S. Army’s Field Band, and then took a job teaching voice at New York University. In 2007, Mateusz got a job offer with the Spokane Symphony, and the pair decided to pack up and move West. Spokane is a far cry from the bustling music scene of New York City, but the Wolskis say they quickly fell in love. In New York, there are dozens of concerts on any given night. In Spokane, there might just be a few. It’s easier to catch everything, and people are more engaged in supporting the arts and making sure the scene thrives, Dawn says.
“We were embraced so quickly here,” Dawn says. “We felt like such a valued part of the community.”
After performing with the Inland Northwest Opera for several years, Dawn took over as the organization’s executive director in 2017. The new role brought all sorts of challenges. Especially in spring 2020, when the pandemic halted live performances and threw arts orga nizations across the country into chaos. Dawn adapted quickly and spearheaded an effort to take performances to the street with an Opera Truck — a 16-foot truck converted into a mobile performance space. Mateusz, a car enthusiast, helped with the design process.
The Opera Truck was a ton of fun, Dawn says, and a great way to bring music to the people in a challeng ing time for arts and the community as a whole.
Mateusz says being unable to perform for a live audience was especially tough. As a performer, you become addicted to the adrenaline and dopamine rush that comes from going on stage, he says. Your whole life revolves around the routine of performance. Taking those things away can cause a sort of existential crisis.
“Not having a performance that is looming in front of you, it kind of erases your purpose,” Mateusz says.
As Dawn worked on the Opera Truck, Mateusz found ways to adapt too. The Spokane Symphony ar ranged virtual performances. It was great to play music on stage again, but playing to a camera instead of a live audience was deeply weird, Mateusz says. As perform ers, the musicians were used to feeding off the energy of the crowd. They also wore masks on stage, which made it difficult to read each other’s body language. And with everything recorded, there was no room for mistakes.
Mateusz says those performances were some of the most difficult he’s ever done, but also some of the most rewarding.
“We did adapt, and we managed to deliver, I think, some of our finest performances,” Mateusz says, adding that the performance was a testament to the importance of flexibility as a musician.
“It’s a requirement of the job,” Dawn adds.
As pandemic restrictions on live music fade, the couple has been staying busy. In addition to teaching, Dawn has continued to perform. Mateusz recently played a John Williams tribute to a sold-out house with the Spokane Symphony and took on a featured solo on a song from Schindler’s List. (“It’s brilliant music, but it’s so many notes,” Mateusz says.)
Over the past year, Dawn and Mateusz have collaborated on a different type of challenge: home renovation.
The Wolskis are redoing the entire upper level of their South Hill home. It’s a massive, many-month
project, and Mateusz is handling much of the con struction himself. He speaks about his plans for the wooden doors and kitchen cabinets with the same passion he uses to describe a piece of music. (He once built a bedframe in the shape of a violin.)
The construction project is a nice change of pace, he says. A live music performance is temporal; a moment suspended in time that quickly evaporates. When you build a home, it’s there to last.
“When you actually create something from wood or metal, or anything else, you can go a few years after that like, ‘Hey, I actually built that,’” Mateusz says. “There’s definitely that element that sometimes is missing when you’re a performer.”
The renovation will give the couple more room to host private lessons, Dawn says, but the larger goal is to create a place where people can come together: a place where fellow musicians can come hang out after concerts; a place where they can cook meals for friends and strangers; a place where their 6-year-oldson, Stefan, can grow.
It’s an ambitious project to balance on top of their busy performance schedules, but the Wolskis say they’re committed to the challenge.
“Both me and Dawn, what brought us together was projects,” Mateusz says. “We’re always proj ect-ing something.”
“Part of how our marriage survives is always having some kind of fun project to get into together,” Dawn laughs.
Part of how our marriage survives is always having some kind of fun project to get into together
