enjoy magazine: south valley living — february 2015

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FEBRUARY 2015

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South Valley Living Magazine

Heart to Heart

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Contents

DAT E N IGH T16 The 2nd floor at Crawdaddy’s in Visalia

DE s T I N AT IoN22 Wicky-Up Ranch Bed and Breakfast

G o oD F I N Ds 9 Up to Something Yummy at Max’s Cookie Co

12 L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room in Hanford’s Historic China Alley

28 Sweet Memories Flowers Lets the Customer Choose

I N sPI R AT IoN 6 The Reimagined Farm at Seven Sycamores in Ivanhoe

lo c A l s24 Going Local with the Naked Nut

26 Staying on Trend with Drop It Modern

I N E v E Ry I s s u E30 Enjoy the View—Peter Amend

32 What’s Cookin’—Valentine’s Baked Pears

34 Spotlight—Calendar of Events

36 Store Front—juliethefish designs

38 Giving Back—Visalia Resuce Mission: Empty Bowls Event

South Valley Living February 2015

Enjoy magazine is not affiliated with JOY magazine or Bauer German Premium GmbH.

Photo by Kelli Avila

Love, sweet love – it’s the month that we show our adoration for those we hold dear. Need a romantic getaway but weary of travel? The Wicky-Up Ranch Bed and Breakfast has preserved California history through the generations of a family that journeyed west more than a century ago. The proprietors will welcome you with gracious hospitality and regale you with the history of a very special place. Another date night idea? Stop by The 2nd Floor at Crawdaddy’s, a downtown Visalia landmark that features a sports bar on the first floor and fine dining upstairs. You might even catch the owner playing the guitar in a band up there. It’s tough to go wrong with flowers on Valentine’s Day, but don’t be discouraged when you don’t see a ready-made arrangement inside Shelley DeJonge’s shop — Sweet Memories creates all of its clients’ arrangements on demand, so they’re positively, precisely perfect. Feeling nutty? So are Sheridyn and Brody Blain, the proprietors of The Naked Nut. Every item they sell has been personally tested by Sheridyn, and she loves them all. She’s confident that you will, too. On the sweeter side is Max’s Cookie Company, where Max Lupercio believes that cookies aren’t just a tasty treat, but an offering of love to someone special. Countless people have relied on him to deliver that message through delectable baked confections. Few things are more lovely than a spot of afternoon tea, and the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room is just the place to find one. The Hanford tea room’s owners craft all of their own blends, and they offer handcrafted fusion fare to go with them. Feed your heart for helping others at the Empty Bowls event, where you’ll fill your artisan-crafted bowl with gourmet soup to benefit the Visalia Rescue Mission. This global, grassroots effort to fight hunger will feed your body, spirit and community. We also love an authentic entrepreneurial spirit, and Breanne Schaap and Kelli Avila have it in spades — their Drop It Modern business creates imaginative backdrops that break all traditional rules, and their customers wouldn’t have it any other way. Celebrate, love and enjoy!

FEBRUARY 2015


YVOnnE MazzOttapublisher

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KERRi REGancopy editor

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Luci LOnGadvertising sales representative

BRandi BaRnEttsales assistant/event calendar/website

JEREMY faticaaLEx PuJOL

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Naked cake by Max's Cookie Co.Photo by Megan Welker

t h E R E i M Ag i n E d FA R M At S E V E n SYc A M o R E S i n i VA n h o E

BoB McKELLAR iS not A MAn oF MAnY woRdS, but when he does speak, he’s direct, to the point. Perhaps age brought with it wisdom, an ability to listen sooner than speak. Or perhaps McKellar, like other farmers, is a man of the soil made taciturn and stoic by nature’s apparent ambivalence. Words cannot coax a seed out of the ground or cause the rain to fall. Men like McKellar have spent their lives communicating with their hands, through hard work, the planting and the harvest. Maybe silence is natural to a man like McKellar, the farmers and growers, men who are more deeply in tune with the world, to the earth under their feet – a thing with which words simply cannot communicate, a thing with which so many have lost touch. McKellar was fortunate to be born with a connection to the soil, and never, really, to leave it. He grew up in a small country home that his father had moved to Seven Sycamores Ranch, a property he purchased in 1927. For McKellar, every corner of Seven Sycamores is ripe with history: memories of playing in the fields, hunting doves, accidentally burning down a Monkey Puzzle tree in the front yard,

watching a group of orange pickers butcher a pig above the loading platform. And when he grew older, there was the work, a new intimacy with the land. In the 80-plus years since the McKellar family purchased Seven Sycamores, much has changed about the farm. In 1927, the property was nothing more than 10 acres of seedless Thompson grapes. The grapes gave way to orchards of navel and mandarin oranges, which still grow around the farm. They quickly bought a large loading platform, a barn that McKellar says is at least as old as he. They grew olive trees only yards from their back door, until McKellar’s mother replaced the trees with 4,000 camellias. The land has changed, but the farm has had its constants: the seven sycamore trees that give the property its name, the large 150-year old oak at its center, and the McKellars themselves. It must diversify to thrive, however, so McKellar has reimagined uses for the contemporary farm. He began Family Farm Fresh, which delivers weekly to its members a box of local, fresh produce from cooperating farms. Prices range from $30 to $50, depending on the size of the box. Also, McKellar began offering farm tours to reconnect

6 | ENJOY FEBRUARY 2015

INSPIRATION | BY joRdAn VEnEMA

Phot

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people with agriculture. “Last week we had 300 kids on our farm ... and German farmers who were here on vacation,” he says. “We show them that we’re the original environmentalists.” “A very small percentage of the people living in the United States live on farms or have family that live on farms,” says McKellar. Some children don’t even know where their produce comes from. There is a need, then, McKellar believes, to help people experience agriculture firsthand – but not only for their sake. “Right now, the life of a farmer is dictated by the voters in the city, so it’s important that we get folks to understand who farmers are and that there’s a benefit to farms.” This two-way need has led to the biggest transformation to come to Seven Sycamores Ranch. In 2007, McKellar married his wife Anne in his mother’s garden, the inaugural ceremony of the Seven Sycamores wedding venue. Since then, Seven Sycamores has been in high demand. “We just had three weddings over Thanksgiving weekend,” McKellar says, adding that they saw a 10 percent increase between 2013 and 2014. Why does McKellar believe farm weddings have become popular when so few people have ever experienced them? “Because they want to do something different,” he says simply. Is he surprised by the success? “No,” he adds quickly, “but I’m an optimistic person.” McKellar sells short the attraction of a venue like Seven Sycamores: its pristine orchards, the rustic atmosphere, and manicured garden under an oak canopy. McKellar

has converted many of the old buildings to make it a first-rate wedding venue. His old family house became a bed and breakfast, the Hummingbird Cottage, named for his mother’s love of the bird. The Glass Barn, one of the two possible sites for a ceremony, is the original loading platform. Once “littered with everything known to man,” McKellar renovated the barn by 2013, when it held its first ceremony. They converted “the old equipment shop” into a catering space, and “the old equipment parking shed” was retrofitted as bathrooms. “Typical farmer stuff, you try to use what you have,” says McKellar. There’s also the more traditional Garden, with its pergolas and trellised walkways. Ultimately, McKellar hopes to offer people a fresh experience of a way of life that used to be common. “My passion,” he says, “is to bring as many people as possible onto the farm so they can at least know a little bit about what’s going on.” Perhaps, McKellar is also introducing people to what should be a common experience: a nourishing connection with the soil, the earth, something that really can’t quite be put into words. •

sevensycamoresranch.com32988 Road 164, Ivanhoe • (559) 798-0557facebook.com/historicsevensycamores instagram @historicsevensycamores

Jordan Venema is a freelance writer living in Visalia, where he enjoys photographing dilapidated barns. Besides appreciating contagious fits of laughter and sharing stories, he’s a reader, runner, traveler and thrift store junkie. But his favorite thing is being a dad.

Photo by Megan WelkerPhoto by Kelli AvilaPhoto by Megan Welker

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whEn MAx LUPERcio wAS 13 YEARS oLd, he made his first cookie using the ingredients he had on hand: sugar, water and Crisco. It was the beginning of a delicious hobby, one that would lead him to where he is today: the owner of Max’s Cookie Company, Inc. at Bothof ’s Bakery in downtown Visalia. That first cookie came not only out of a desire to eat something sweet, but also to offer something special to the people he loved. Though a young teenager, Lupercio recognized how hard his mother was working to provide a good life for her family. He began doing whatever he could to help: cutting lawns, cooking meals and, of course, baking treats. A less-than-stocked pantry was no inhibition for Lupercio; in fact, the limited ingredients may have encouraged his creativity.

“It’s crazy because you just use what you have,” he says. “That started me thinking, ‘OK, how can I add to this? How can I add flavor?’ That’s when I started developing.” Perhaps those early years gave him the persistence needed to make his most prized creation: a chocolate chip cookie that took three years to develop. “I am hugely proud of it,” Lupercio says, “because when people taste it, they say, ‘This is the best I’ve ever had.’” Although baking has been a long-time passion for Lupercio, the move from hobby to career was big. “It’s hard going into business for yourself because you never think people are going to pay for a product that you’re making,” he says. “You have to get over that initial hill of confidence.”4continued on page 10

GOOD FINDS | BY cAndAcE FEELY | PhotoS: PEtER AMEnd

U P to S o M E t h i n g Y U M M Y At M A x ’ S c o o K i E c o

Get over that hill he did, and with the encouragement of friends, Lupercio began looking for a bakery of his own. In the spring of 2013, he approached the Mosleys, owners of Bothof ’s Bakery, a Visalia bakery for more than 50 years. A month later, they were ready to sell. There were only two small details. First, there would be a soft opening, meaning the doors of the bakery would never close. One day it would belong to the Mosleys; the next day it would belong to Lupercio. Second, the sale would take place quickly. Within two weeks, in fact. Lupercio was in. He officially bought Bothof ’s Bakery on April 1, 2013, and on April 2, he opened the doors to his 3,600-square-foot facility complete with a proof room the size of a bedroom and a rotisserie oven capable of baking 950 cookies at a time. In the sale, Lupercio also acquired the original recipes of Bothof ’s, as well as those of Bof ’s and Copley’s, old Visalia bakeries that Bothof ’s had purchased years before. Those recipes were so treasured that Lupercio actually had to have a secret ingredient decoded. With the help of the Bothof family, other bakers and his supplier, Lupercio was able to bring back early recipes, like the breadsticks one customer recalled taking to the movies as a girl. The bakery is a blend of old and new, Bothof ’s classics and Max’s favorites, with a crucial common thread running through each recipe: everything is made from scratch. Unlike grocery store bakeries that “bake off ” their product, a scratch bakery does everything in house from start to finish, from simple thumbprint cookies to elaborate buttercream wedding cakes. This is how Lupercio likes it. He won’t even let his cookie dough touch a machine. “By doing it all by hand you don’t overmix, so you taste the salt, you taste the sugars, you taste the vanilla,” he explains. “When you take a bite, it almost tingles different parts of your tongue.”

And so Lupercio’s day begins at 4 am. When he’s not baking or interacting with customers, he’s probably on a delivery run or conferencing with a client or attending a meeting. Max the Baker is one of many roles Lupercio has in the community. Through mentors in his own life, he has learned the importance of working hard, developing character and walking in faith—and he brings these elements into everything he does. He hopes to pass these lessons on to others. “You never really know what you’re going to do. You can just plan, and if you develop those character traits, your ethics, those things matter, no matter what you do.” Although Lupercio’s cookie recipe has changed from the early sugar and Crisco version, one thing has remained: baking is always about people. Baking is always about creating a memorable experience for someone. Whether it’s friends enjoying a lemon bar together or newlyweds sharing the first bite of their wedding cake, the taste of something special lingers long after the last crumb. “We understand that this is a memory,” Lupercio says. “We’re building memories, and we want positive memories to be built.” There’s no better way to do that than by one delicious bite at a time. •

Max’s Cookie Company, Inc. @ Bothof’s Bakery221 E. Main Street, Visalia • (559) 734-5498www.maxscookiecompany.comHours: Monday – Saturday 7 am – 5 pm; Closed Sundaysfacebook.com/bothofsbakery and instagram @maxscookiecompany


Candace Feely grew up in the central Valley as a dairy girl. After receiving degrees in English and education from Biola University, she and her husband returned to Visalia where they now reside. She is a part-time teacher and enjoys diY-ing, gardening, writing and creating music.

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thiS FEBRUARY 19, celebrators of the Chinese New Year will bid goodbye to the Year of the Horse, and ring in the Year of the Sheep. Chinese Spring Festival — also called Lunar New Year — is one of the grandest and most important Chinese festivals. If you are in the mood to get a taste of this tradition, you’re in luck: a wonderful emporium is quite literally steeped in Chinese culture, history and flavor, and it’s right here on our West Coast doorstep. Welcome to the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room. Located in Hanford's historic China Alley, the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room was founded by Arianne Wing and Steve Banister as part of their ongoing efforts to revitalize this historic district. The Tea Room is named after “the first and oldest” Chinese herbalist in the Alley, Mr. L.T. Sue himself. “We started the Tea Room partly in honor of L.T. Sue, because he was the original herbalist here,” explains Wing. “Also, because teas are good for you, and I just love them.” Wing is not only a tea connoisseur, but an artisan as well. She and partner Steve Banister craft all of their own blends, and the result of their effort is a truly incredible tea mecca, boasting a selection of more than 100 teas to tempt everyone from the die-hard loose leaf purist to the most casual brew novice. A delicious menu of handcrafted fusion

fare is also available, with fresh specials invented daily. And in keeping with their philosophy of prioritizing local offerings as much as possible, many of the L.T. Sue Co. teas boast elements sourced directly from the Valley. “We try to use local ingredients in our blends wherever we can,” says Wing. “We also have our San Joaquin Valley line of teas, where we use entirely nuts and fruits that are grown here in the Valley.” This line is a collection of five premium blends, which was recently honored with the top award at 2014’s Fresno Food Expo. But the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room is about much more than exquisite loose leaf. The Tea Room’s vibrant presence in China Alley is part of Wing and Banister’s ongoing passion project of revitalizing this historic quadrant. And like so many things in China Alley, said project is not without a rich history of its own. Wing and Banister are long-standing members of the Taoist Temple Preservation Society, an organization founded in 1972 by one of Wing’s uncles and a few of his associates with the goal of protecting and restoring China Alley’s Taoist Temple. Their efforts were fruitful: today, the temple houses a fascinating museum where artifacts and stories collected from China Alley can be enjoyed, and the organization’s efforts to revitalize the Alley in its entirety are still going strong. 4continued on page 14

L .t. S U E c o . t E A R o o M i n h A n F o R d ' S h i S to R i c c h i n A A L L E Y


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These preservation efforts are close to Wing’s heart, as her family roots extend through China Alley with an astonishing reach. Beginning in 1883, Wing’s great grandfather opened a noodle house in the Alley, which eventually evolved into the Imperial Dynasty restaurant. This upscale establishment gathered many accolades and honors as Wing’s uncle Richard delighted palates with dishes like his award-winning escargot, and her uncle Ernie amassed an acclaimed wine collection for pairings. Sadly, the Imperial Dynasty’s windows have been dark since 2006. And then in 2011, China Alley was listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. This designation propelled Wing and Banister to expand their revitalization efforts into an Alley business, and in 2012, the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room brought one of the Alley’s long-quiet structures to life. In addition to providing a delightful menu and preserving the cultural tone of the Alley, the very existence of the L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room is a step forward for China Alley’s future, as 20 percent of the tea room’s profits go

toward the Taoist Preservation Society’s efforts to revitalize the Alley. Preserving the legacy of her family and cultural history is by no means easy, but Wing and Banister remain committed, sustained by the Alley’s incredible history and inspired by ideas of what it can mean to future generations. “What I think is important about China Alley is that it’s really living history,” says Wing. “It’s California history, it’s early Chinese immigrant history. And in America, we are almost all immigrants, aren’t we? So ours is kind of a quintessentially American story.” •

L.T. Sue Co. Tea Room & Emporium• (559) 583-8379402 E. 7th Street, Hanford • Tues-Sat 10-6pmwww.LTSue.com • www.facebook.com/LTSueCowww.twitter.com/LTSueCo

Fache Desrochers is a writer, photographer and artist. her work can be viewed at fachedesrochers.com.

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whAt iS it thAt MAKES A gREAt hoSt? An intrinsic love of entertaining, of course. And some expertise with food and drinks is certainly essential, too. But perhaps the quality that separates a good host from a truly great one is the way that a great host always seems to have something special up his or her sleeve. A surprise or treat that they’ve been saving for the right moment, and for the right guest. Something they seem to have been saving just for you. Dynamic and well-established, Visalia restaurant and bar Crawdaddy’s is something of a local landmark, and every inch the embodiment of a good host. Situated on a bustling corner in downtown Visalia, its iconic New Orleans-style structure rises three stories above the street, and exudes the kind of undeniable, fun-filled charm typical of an establishment that offers something for everyone. From the first floor’s combination of comfortable sports bar, casual classic menu and exciting tradition of live music six nights a week (including a delightful open-stage Sunday jam session), Crawdaddy’s is known to most locals as a relaxed place whose only requirement is that you come ready for a good time. Indeed, for owner and operator Keith Korsgaden, this instinct to let the good times roll is inherent to both his chosen industry and his outlook on life. “I’ve always worked in the restaurant business, and there’s something about it…every night is a party, and you get to see and meet so many different, great people,” says Korsgaden. “I just love being a part of it. I always have.” 4 continued on page 18


DATE NIGHT | BY FAchE dESRochERS | PhotoS: chRiStY cAnAFAx

t h E 2 n d F Lo o R At c R Aw d A d dY ’ S i n V i S A L i A


And for those in the know, just up Crawdaddy’s casual, jocular sleeve, this hotspot boasts one of Visalia’s best hidden gems: the second-floor restaurant. Featuring a separate, upscale menu that is an expert fusion of perfected all-American fare, California classics and Cajun must-haves, the Crawdaddy’s upstairs eatery is a major player in the local fine dining circuit, and for good reason. The ambience of this space is curated, comfortably intimate and truly one-of-a-kind. The second floor

vantage point affords a charming view of downtown Visalia, framed magically with quintessential New Orleans wrought iron curling gently into delicate balconies upon which you might observe a fellow diner enjoying a quiet moment with a post-meal cigar and fine brandy from the private upstairs bar. Staffed by a crew of some of Visalia’s most celebrated, seasoned servers, the desires of diners are not merely met, but exceeded with a gracious flourish. In keeping with this aura of attentive excellence, Crawdaddy’s acclaimed second-floor menu is the result of an organic collaboration between expert chefs and enthusiastic patronage. The kitchen has observed the favorites of its clientele over the years, and evolved its menu to suit their tastes. “When we first opened, our menu was strictly Cajun, but we quickly realized that wasn’t exactly right,” recalls Korsgaden. “We needed to add the favorites, the fine classics. People love our blackened catfish and jambalaya, but we’ll also charbroil you the most excellent steak in town.” The overarching attitude of Crawdaddy’s is one of celebration: to eat, drink and keep the good vibes going. But those who discover the delights of the second floor uncover a deeper kind of celebration; a carefully-crafted, intimate fête where fine dining, exquisite drinks and unparalleled service come together so seamlessly, it feels like the second floor has been expecting you. Like the most excellent host, Crawdaddy’s upper level awaits you, more than ready to festoon your plate with haute cuisine, fill your glass with the perfect libation and create an evening that rises above it all, in every sense of the word. •


The 2nd Floor at Crawdaddy's(559) 625-5300333 E. Main Street, Visalia Hours: Mon 4p-close, Tues-Sun 11am-closewww.crawdaddysvisalia.comFind them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

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109 North E Street In the Heart of Exeter

Tues. - Sat. 10 - 5 • P: 559-592-1516Facebook: etc.linda

Explore the Collectioncandles • soap • art gifts • home décoretc......

Just Sprouted Juice Bar and Healthy Cafe114 North E Street, Exeter • (559) 936-7056

downtownexeter.com/store/justsprouted

Fresh & Tasty

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120 S. E St., Exeter(559)592-9453monetswinebistro.com & on Facebook Open Tuesday-Saturday, Lunch & Dinner

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Valentine’s Day February 14th

Exeter Flower Companyexeterflower.comexeterflowers.com(559) 592-2551199 E. Pine StreetExeter, CA 93221

EXETER FLOWER COMPANY will deliver extraordinary roses and flowers to your sweetheart on this special day.

Explore ExeterExplore Exeter


“go wESt, YoUng MAn,” the old saying goes. And since the legendary days of covered wagons, the meaning remains essentially unchanged: go west for freedom, go west for adventure. Go west for oranges and wide beaches and tall trees and movie stars. “Go west, young man, go west and grow up with the country.” From pioneers striking out into a wild frontier to chilly East Coast dwellers dreaming of citrus trees and sunshine, California is pervaded with a spirit of active contentment, having been entirely populated by those who gambled on a journey to the edge of the map and arrived at their own personal Eden. At the historic Wicky-Up Ranch Bed and Breakfast in Woodlake, this kind of California history has been preserved through the generations of one family who journeyed west in the 1880s and never looked back. Hosts and owners Monica and Jack Pizura are the current stewards of the legacy started in 1898 by Monica’s ancestor Fred Harding. Out west on a trip with his wife, Harding was intrigued by the burgeoning citrus industry, and enamored with the beauty and potential of the area that would one day become Woodlake. The Wild West was still alive and well a century ago, and the area near which

Harding purchased his tract of land was still home to Native Americans. The people of the Wukchumna tribe and Harding coexisted happily, each fascinated by and welcoming of the others’ culture. Harding built the historic manor that houses Monica and Jack’s Bed and Breakfast today, as well as the 300-plus acres of oranges that surround it, and the story that he started has flowed through his descendants like the most charming Steinbeck novel that was never written. One of the most interesting aspects of Wicky-Up Ranch is its matrilineal heritage. “There were no men born into this family after Great Great Uncle Fred,” explains Monica. “So this place all went to his nieces. One of his nieces was my grandmother and she had my mother and the ranch went to her. Then my mother had two girls, but my sister didn’t want it, so it went to me, and we have one girl, Juliana.” Monica smiles, and a gentle, quite musical laugh escapes her. “But our one girl had a boy! The first male born into the family in over 100 years.” Although Monica grew up on the ranch and her roots there run deep, by her adulthood, she had settled back east with her third-generation Bostonian husband Jack, and couldn’t have imagined

DESTINATION | BY FAchE dESRochERS | PhotoS: KELLi AViLA

W i c K Y- u P R a n c H B E d a n d B R E a K fa S t


that the story of her life would find her nestled again against these foothills, turning her family’s history into an opportunity to delight guests. “All the inheritors have been women, but the joke is that none of the women wanted this place; we were all city girls,” says Monica. “But it was the men we married who convinced us to come back to this place, and we were all lucky that way.” Jack’s eyes twinkle. “Oh yes,” he says, an unmistakable Boston accent turning up the corners of his soft voice. “The reason the men in the family always wanted to take over this place is because it was just too much to give up.” Indeed, between Wicky-Up’s rich history, classic California beauty, and productive, sustainably farmed organic orchards, there was far too much for the Pizuras to give up, and even far too much for them to keep to themselves. Monica and Jack are the first ones to open up the ranch to visitors, but with their natural charm, gentle demeanors and welcoming traditions, a bed and breakfast seems the perfect, modern-day destiny for the Wicky-Up Ranch. Today’s San Joaquin Valley is a collection of bustling cities and farms within an even busier world. But here on this historic property, time seems to move slightly slower,

as though everything around you is not resistant to the passage of time and the evolution of the world, but merely untroubled by it. A stay within these original walls is the coziest trip back in time that anyone could ask for. Those fortunate guests who follow Monica’s intrepid ancestors to the threshold of Wicky-Up will find a luxuriously comfortable bed, an elegant, candlelit breakfast lovingly prepared with fresh, local ingredients, and a personalized, genteel kind of hospitality that could only be the result of generations who wandered west, and found paradise. •

Wicky-Up Ranch Bed and Breakfast • (559) 564-889822702 Ave 344, Woodlake www.wickyup.com • Find them on Facebook and Google Plus


Wicky-Up (or wikiup): (noun) a domed, single-room dwelling formerly used by certain Native American tribes, and still used for ceremonial purposes. The term wickyup is generally used to refer to these kinds of dwellings in the southwestern United States and west, and is purported to mean “shelter” in a number of western Native American languages.

ShERidYn BLAin hAS BEcoME a nut aficionado, through farming, exporting and selling them. She can probably also shell out every nut pun in the book. “Especially the ones regarding my husband’s nuts,” she laughs. “I’m selling them for a living.” Walnuts and pecans from Blain Farms, she means, which she sells at her shop, The Naked Nut. Blain’s love for nuts began when she met her husband, Brody. He took her to an orchard where she ate a pecan freshly fallen from a tree. It was like a new culinary experience; she’d never tasted a nut so delicious. “A raw, naked nut,” she explains, “when it’s fresh, is beautiful.” The Blains worked well together. She helped during harvest, made pallet tags, “and before long, we were both exporting,” traveling together to Hong Kong, working 70-hour weeks, she explains. “But we didn’t have children,” so it worked. Then, Blain got pregnant. Aware she could no longer travel or work 70-hour weeks, the Blains planned to open a shop. “We decided that a small little country store in front of our farming office would be great,” says Blain. And in 2010, at eight months pregnant, Blain opened The Naked Nut. Her idea was to sell nuts grown by Blain Farms and other local growers. “We started with, oh, I don’t know, maybe 20 or 30 products,” says Blain. Soon thereafter, Blain, a food enthusiast, began trying other locally grown products. “I would try foods and thought, ‘Oh, that’s really good!’ Well,

g o i n g Lo c A L w i t h t h E n A K E d n U t

Ahhhh Nuts!

LOCALS | BY joRdAn VEnEMA



of course I had to carry that, too.” Since its opening in 2010, The Naked Nut went from selling 20-odd products to roughly 1,500 products. Blain accounts for the growth simply: “If I like it and if it’s locally or California produced, I’m going to carry it.” Now The Naked Nut sells much more than raw, naked nuts, though it has plenty of those, too — nuts and seeds beginning with nearly every letter of the alphabet. They sell elaborate gift baskets and culinary specialty items, like sauces, jams and baking mixes. There are local candies and a whole section of dried fruits, “95 percent of which is California if not San Joaquin grown,” says Blain. “And we sell every kind of olive and nut oil that you can think of,” as well as honeys and wines. “I’ve tried every single thing in this store,” says Blain, vouching for her products, “and I especially like that part of the job when it comes to my wine selection.” The beauty of The Naked Nut, besides the quality of its goods, is that it reflects Blain herself. “It’s totally a reflection of what I’m enthusiastic about. It’s funny because people come in and ask for licorice, but I don’t like it and I won’t carry it,” she laughs. That’s not bad business; it means every single product in the shop truly has her stamp of approval. A customer will never get a false answer from Blain. Blain’s personal investment could be taken for granted, since some business owners don’t personally use, or love, the goods they sell. You might expect a person who lives, farms, breathes and eats nuts to tire of them, but “no, no,” Blain insists. “No, I don’t.” Her love isn’t limited to nuts, either. She loves her customers as though they’re friends, family, and “I insisted that it be that way from the start,” she says. “The beauty of having a small business is that you become emotionally connected to the people across the counter.”

Blain immediately starts talking about Hank. “He must be in his 80s if he’s a day,” she says. “He comes in because he likes to send nuts to his high school girlfriend back east.” Every other week or so, Blain greets him, “Heeeey, Hank’s here. How you doing, Mr. Harvey?” For Blain, Hank is as much an uncle as a customer, and she cherishes those connections. It’s hard to imagine that there’s a customer too hard for Blain to crack. No order is too large at The Naked Nut. “We have people come this time of year and buy 30 pounds of almonds, and we say, ‘Alright, where’s your truck?’” Blain Farms can export tons upon tons of walnuts, as well as sell a pound. “In the same 2,000 square-foot office, we have orders coming in for 20 containers of walnuts, and pass through this little, thin hallway to Naked Nut, and we have Hank the octogenarian ordering a half-pound of nuts to send to his high school sweetheart.” There’s really no nut too large, too small. Whether you want an almond or a ton, expect to be greeted warmly. Because at The Naked Nut, says Blain, “we give the same level of love and customer service” — no matter the nut. •

The Naked Nut1240 E. Caldwell Ave., Visalia • (559) 697-6561Monday – Friday: 9 am – 6 pm; Saturday: 10 am – 5 pm41969 Highway 41, Oakhurst • (559) 641-2031Open Daily: 11 am – 7 pmfacebook.com/thenakednut


Ahhhh Nuts! Photo by Ryan Krauter Photo by Ryan Krauter


ASK BREAnnE SchAAP, founder of Drop It Modern, and she’s quick to admit the business takes two. Her partner, Kelli Avila, keeps her grounded, says Schaap. “I’m a bit of a rebel, and she’s the sophisticated one.” Admittedly, Schaap’s tastes are more modern, while Avila describes herself as Bohemian. They are a blonde and brunette duo, the flip side of a coin, the yin to each other’s yang. Bottom line: they’re a balance, and they complement each other. Schaap brings the modern and, as the more down-to-earth of the two, Avila brings the drop. Together, these ladies are the creative and entrepreneurial force behind Drop It Modern, and they are making the world a more beautiful place, one backdrop at a time. The birth of Drop It Modern roughly coincides with the birth of Schaap’s first daughter in 2006. “I decided to become a photographer,” she explains, “and my daughter was the inspiration for that.” Schaap didn’t have a business background: “I was just a student trying to make a buck.” At a trade photography show in Las Vegas, Schaap was looking to purchase material and equipment, “stuff for studio shoots, photographer backdrops,” she says. “But they were all kind of outdated and expensive.” Imagine the ubiquitous pale blue backdrop behind every family portrait ever taken at a mall studio. Schaap believed there was more to offer as a photographer. She began purchasing fabric from Los Angeles and New York, “upholstery materials that I liked,” says Schaap, “and then began using them for backdrops.” Soon, customers and other photographers were asking Schaap

LOCALS | BY joRdAn VEnEMA | PhotoS: KELLi AViLA

S tAY i n g o n t R E n d w i t h d R o P i t M o d E R n


where she got her backdrops. “I noticed there was a demand.” She opened Drop It Modern as an online store in 2008, working from home, cutting fabrics and sewing them together in her patio and breezeway. With the business’ early success, Schaap was able to save and source fabrics from overseas. For most photography backdrops, Schaap needed 9-foot-wide material, “but you can’t really find upholstery material that’s wider than 56 inches in the U.S.,” explains Schaap. So when she began to purchase her fabrics outside the United States, “that’s when the company really started to take off.” By 2009, Drop It Modern moved out of Schaap’s home and hired Avila to help with “social connections.” Together, Avila and Schaap keep Drop It Modern afloat of the latest trends. “The design world is like technology,” explains Schaap. “If you don’t stay on the cutting edge, you’ll fall behind really quickly.” So the two follow trends through social media, Instagram and blogs. “It’s a never ending job for us, trying to stay up on the trends, but it’s equally fun, too,” says Schaap. “And if we’re not excited, it shows. What I’ve found is that the most success I’ve had is when Kelli and I put our hearts into it.”

Whether it’s photographers or event planners, people want the unique, sequined and patterned backdrops offered by Drop It Modern. “We’ve found our niche in the photography industry,” says Schaap. “Nobody else was doing it. We’re the place to go for it.” Now Drop It Modern sells internationally to Canada, Europe, China, Japan and Australia. But they also cater to the “stay-at-home mom who is also a photographer,” says Schaap. And thanks to the recent photo booth phenomenon, they’re tapping into other markets. They’re selling balloons and tassels, confetti and frills, pretty much anything that can help take a party or event to the next level. The success of Drop It Modern has surprised Schaap, but the rebel in Schaap set her up for success. In Photography 101, photographers are taught that backdrops should be subtle, that they shouldn’t contrast with the subject, Schaap says. “We kind of broke the rules when we first started doing this. Everybody liked the sequin backdrop. It was glamorous and fun.” Who knew that being a rebel could also be glamorous? • Visalia • www.dropitmodern.comfacebook.com/dropitmoderninstagram @dropitmod


Kelli AvilaBreanne Schaap

GOOD FINDS | BY joRdAn VEnEMA | PhotoS: johAnnA dEjongE


ShELLEY dEjongE StRUggLES to Find An AnSwER. “It’s a a good question,” she ponders, then goes silent. “But I don’t think there is one.” DeJonge can’t think of a favorite flower, but since she spends her days surrounded by them, it’s understood: she loves them all. Sweet Memories carries flowers from all over the world — Holland, South America, Australia, Thailand — so she’s not without her professional opinion. “Proteas are exotic and hardy… peonies are beautiful… and the Free Spirit Rose has a wonderful smell,” she offers. But more than those, she lets her customers choose their pleasure. DeJonge opened Sweet Memories in 1990 after her husband sold his logging business. The timing was right. “My sister had Good Goods in this building, and she wanted to sell and do

S w E E t M E M o R i E S F Low E R S L E t S t h E c U S to M E R c h o o S E


her own thing, expand,” explains DeJonge. So when her sister, Sandra Hall, sold the shop, DeJonge moved in. It wasn’t the first time DeJonge had a small business or followed in her sister’s steps, so to say. When DeJonge was a student at UCLA, she worked at Hall’s shop, Country Stuff, selling her own goods – plants, Indian baskets and rugs, jewelry. “They worked their tails off,” DeJonge says with a laugh, “but I kind of goofed off. I mean, I was 18.” More than 20 years later, DeJonge again found herself selling plants – dried flowers. She and her husband settled on the name Sweet Memories. “We were riding the car trying to think about a name for the shop,” explains DeJonge. “We were thinking about the best ice cream and candy shop, called Dewar’s… and about Bakersfield and being raised there, and we had such sweet memories of the place. And I thought, that’s it! I want people to have sweet memories here.” Sweet Memories began as a gift shop selling Christmas ornaments, small furniture, throw rugs, and dried plants and flowers. Sometime in April of their first year, DeJonge had “200 little short bunches of roses on the back porch, and we were starting the process to hang them to dry,” when a customer asked if he could buy them fresh. DeJonge had never before imagined selling fresh flowers, she says, laughing: “We didn’t know how to do that!” But she sold the roses fresh to the customer, “and lo and behold,” says DeJonge, other customers began asking to have fresh flowers put in jars, tied together, arranged. That was how Sweet Memories began its transformation into what DeJonge calls her “floral workshop.” Sweet Memories isn’t your typical floral shop. While you can walk in and buy a single rose or a bouquet, you won’t find ready-made arrangements or a glass case display. She makes everything custom, exactly to the specifications of her customers. DeJonge wants to keep the flowers fresh and give customers exactly what they’re looking for – whether it’s a large arrangement for a wedding or shower, or a single corsage for prom or a personalized bouquet. Basically, explains DeJonge, “if we’ve got it, and you want it, you can have it whichever way.” In the nearly 25 years since DeJonge sold her first fresh flower, she’s learned a lot about the industry, but never through a formal education. She admits they didn’t know a thing about floral arrangements and learned everything through the school of hard knocks. “Somebody wanted a corsage and we didn’t know how to make a corsage,” DeJonge says. “So we bought one and tore it apart, dissected it and learned how to put it together.” They’ve come a long way in 25 years, says DeJonge, enough that her daughter, who works for DeJonge, has entered competitions for magazines “and she’s won all kinds of contests for these crazy corsages.” If you love your work, you’ll pour yourself into it, which helps explains why DeJonge has become such a talented and successful florist, even without the training. DeJonge explains that she has the great pleasure of working with people during the hallmarks of their lives, the moments they’ll remember and cherish: weddings, births, anniversaries and proms. “You get to know these people,” says DeJonge, “and I love my customers. I consider them friends. If I didn’t have bills, shoot, I’d probably do this for free.” Perhaps when DeJonge retires she will do it for free. In the meantime, she spends her days working at Sweet Memories, arranging flowers for her friends – that is, her customers. “But I’m 64, so I’ve still got a ways to go.” So does DeJonge keep flowers in her own home? “No, never,” she says. “I’m like the cobbler. No shoes for his children. Anyway, I’m hardly ever home, so why should I? I’m surrounded by flowers all day here.” And for now, that’s how she likes it. • Sweet Memories Flowers • 2244 East Mineral King Ave., Visalia(559) 625-5242 • Hrs M-F 9 am - 5 pm and Sat 9-12pmwww.sweetmemoriesweddings.com • facebook.com/sweetmemoriesflowers


Photo by jacki Potorke

Photo by jacki Potorke

ENJOY THE VIEW | Photo: PEtER AMEnd



Peter Amend is a destination wedding, commercial & adventure photographer from Visalia, cA. More fond of sleeping underneath the stars than a roof, he finds joy in capturing beautiful people in amazing places. www.PeterAmend.com • 559 280 9707

Atop Florence Peak, Mineral King, Sequoia National Park



WHAT’S COOKIN’ | BY LAnA gRAnFoRS | Photo: BEtSEY wALton


For Valentine’s Day, indulge your sweet tooth with a special dessert for yourself and your special someone. Instead of that decadent dessert, give way to the delights of a healthier, baked dessert. Show your Valentine that you care with this easy homemade treat. It is the perfect light and satisfying end to your Valentine’s dinner. You and your sweetie will love it. Happy Valentine’s Day!


StEP onE in a medium bowl, stir flour and sugar together. cut in the butter with a

pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. wash and peel pears; cut in half

lengthwise and remove the core and seeds using a melon baller, creating a

hole in each pear half. Place pear halves, cut sides up, in a buttered 9-inch

glass pie plate.

StEP two Sprinkle fruit with the lemon juice and sherry. combine the sugar, cinnamon

and nutmeg and spoon evenly over the pear halves. top each pear with

cranberries and the flour/sugar mixture. Pour juice into pan, in and around

the pear halves so as not to disturb toppings. Bake the pears in a moderate

350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft. test for doneness

with a fork.

StEP thREE Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the pears to individual serving plates.

drizzle any remaining juices over the pears and enjoy warm with a scoop

of frozen yogurt.

totAL tiME: 40 minutes

PREP: 20 minutes

cooK: 20 minutes

V A L E N T I N E ’ S B A K E D P E A R S Serves 4

ingREdiEntS ¼ cup flour

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup butter

2 large Bosc, Anjou or Bartlett pears, ripe, but not overripe

2 t lemon juice

2 t sherry

2 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. teaspoon cinnamon

¼ tsp. nutmeg

¼ cup dried cranberries

½ cup apple or orange juice

½ cup vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt, divided into

4 small scoops

Lana Granfors enjoys traveling, gardening, cooking and spending time with her friends and family– especially her grandchildren, jillian and garet.

SPOTLIGHT | FEBRUARY 2015


Betsy Wolfe Concert(ViSaLia)fOx tHEatERfEBRuaRY 13 | 8 PM

Orange Blossom Klassic(PORtERViLLE)PORtERViLLE faiRGROundSfEBRuaRY 21 - 23

The Orange Blossom Klassic is a jackpot show for market sheep, goats and hogs being shown by well seasoned and beginning exhibitors from throughout the state of California and Nevada. Exhibitors ages 5-19 are eligible to compete. For more information, visit www.portervillefair.com.

Bella Mariee Bridal Workshop(iVanHOE)HiStORic SEVEn SYcaMORESfEBRuaRY 21

This workshop will help brides develop a wedding plan that is realistic and enjoyable versus the usual feelings of stress that wedding planning can bring. The workshop will be a place where brides will walk into a setting to inspire them and at the end of the day feel a more confident to tackle the wedding planning. The workshop will also feature inspiring and affirming stories from women who have been married and will help prepare them with tips and personal experiences as they go into marriage. For more information, visit www.dropsofhoneydesigns.com.

Jason Eady Concert(LEMOORE)fROnt PORcH HOuSEfEBRuaRY 15

Jason Eady’s inspired new album “Daylight and Dark” embraces multiple styles of die-hard country music to weave together 11 songs about the deep, messy details of love and life. Although country music was Eady’s first love, he was exposed to the musical stew of the lower Delta — blues, soul, R&B and primal swamp rock — while growing up in Jackson, Mississippi. Eady was performing in local bars by the time he was 14, singing and playing guitar. He began writing his own songs, and eventually his own album. For more information, visit www.jasoneady.com.

21

Chinese New Year Celebrations(HanfORd)cHina aLLEYfEBRuaRY 7 | nOOn

Chinese New Year is celebrated starting at noon the first Saturday in February. The Taoist Temple and Museum is open and artists present the wares in China Alley along with crafts and other items. Hot tea sampling and almond cookies provide warmth this cool time of year. For more information, visit www.chinaalley.com.

7

in the February spotlight

World Ag Expo(tuLaRE)intERnatiOnaL aGRi-cEntERfEBRuaRY 10 - 12

From Food to FuN, somethiNg For everyoNe to eNjoy

21

13

This expo is the world’s largest annual agricultural exposition. More than 1,400 exhibitors display the latest in farm equipment, communications and technology on 2.6 million square feet of exhibit space. Free seminars focus on a variety of topics important to dairy producers, farmers, ranchers and agribusiness professionals. For more information, visit www.worldagexpo.com.10

Rising star Betsy Wolfe made her Broadway debut in 2007 in “110 in the Shade” and appeared with Sherie Rene Scott in “Everyday Rapture” and the Encores! production of “Merrily We Roll Along.” A native of Visalia, she is coming home again to do a benefit concert for Hands in the Community. For more information, visit www.foxvisalia.org.

Tulare February 6• Dru Down live, Fiesta, 2345 South K Street, 9 pm,

(408) 582-8989 February 10 - 12• 2015 World Ag Expo, International Agri-Center,

4500 South Laspina Street, 9 am - 5 pm, (559) 688-1030, www.worldagexpo.com

February 21• A Night of... Wine, Cheese and Chocolate!, Tulare Historical Museum,

444 West Tulare Avenue, 6:30 pm, (559) 686-2074, www.tularehistoricalmuseum.org

• Moo Mile Run, Live Oak Park, 600 North Laspina Street, 8 am, www.active.comVisalia

February 1• Creative Center’s Superbowl Sprint 5k,

Mooney’s Grove Park, 4241 Aouth Mooney, 8 am, (559) 733-4400

February 3• Monthly book club, Tulare County Library,

200 West Oak Avenue, 6:30 - 7:45 pm, (559) 713-2707, www.tularecountylibrary.org

February 5 - 7• Mary Poppins presented by Redwood High School

Drama Department, LJ Williams Theater, 1001 W. Main Street, 7 pm, (559) 786-2909, www.visaliachamber.org

February 6• Sofa Art SHow: Highways and Byways reception,

Arts Visalia, 214 East Oak Avenue, 6 - 8 pm, (559) 739-0905, www.artsvisalia.org

February 6 - 8• SpringFest Home and Patio show,

Visalia Convention Center, 303 East Acequia Avenue, www.visaliahomeshows.com

February 7, 14, 21, 28• Farmer’s Market, Sears parking lot, Mooney Blvd,

8 - 11:30 am, (559) 804-8372, www.visaliachamber.org

February 10• Yappy Hour, The Planing Mill Pizzeria,

514 East Main Street, 5 - 9 pm, (559) 713-4694 February 13• Betsy Wolfe benefit concert for Hands in the

Community, Visalia Fox Theater, (559) 429-1145, www.visaliachamber.org

February 14• Walk with a Doc, Blain Park, 3101 South Court Street, 8 - 9 am, (559) 624-2416 February 18• Mystery Readers book club, Tulare County Library, 200 West Oak Avenue, 6:30 - 8 pm, (559) 713-2709 February 18 - 21• Mt. Whitney High presents Grease, LJ Williams Theatre, 1001 West Main Street, 7 pm, (559) 730-7602 February 20• Karaoke, 210, 210 West Center Aveunue, 6:30 pm,

(559) 739-9009

Exeter February 21• Chamber of Commerce annual awards banquet,

Memorial Bulding, 324 North Kaweah, www.exeterchamber.comFresno

February 6• Tommy Emmanuel concert, Tower Theatre,

815 East Olive Avenue, 7:30 pm, (559) 486-9050, www.towertheatrefresno.comHanford

February 7• Chinese New Year celebrations begin,

China Alley, Seventh Street at Green Street, noon, www.chinaalley.comIvanhoe

February 21• Belle Mariee Bridal Workshop,

The Grass Barn at Historic Seven Sycamores, www.dropsofhoneydesigns.comKingsburg

February 7• Hearts for Heidi Fundraiser,

Bella Rose Bakery and Cafe, (559) 419-9054Lemoore

February 14• Kiwanis Valentine Dinner, (559) 924-8811,

www.lemoorechamberofcommerce.com February 15• Jason Eady, Front Porch House Concert,

17612 Lacey Boulevard, 8 pmLindsay

February 14• Juni Fisher, western music for sweethearts everywhere,

Lindsay Community Theater, 190 North Elmwood Avenue, 7:30 pm, www.lindsaycommunitytheater.comPorterville

February 14• Love Our Kids 5k run, Porterville Sports Complex,

2701 West Scantron, www.active.com February 26• 24 hour Rocking Chair-a-thon annual fundraiser,

Porterville Ault Day Serrvices, 227 East Oak Avenue, 5 pm, (559) 783-9815

February 28 - March 1• Orange Blossom Klassic, Porterville Fairgrounds,

2700 W. Teapot Dome Avenue, www.portervillechamber.orgSelma

February 10• Chris Curtice and Wildhorses, Selma Arts Center,

1935 High Street, 7 pm, (559) 891-2238, www.selmaartscenter.com

Springville February 7, 14, 21, 28• Farmers Market, Springville Ranch,

36400 Highway 190, 9 am - noon, (559) 359-0713Three Rivers

February 5, 12, 19, 26• Hero Appreciation Months: Square dance party,

Three Rivers Arts Center, 41763 North Fork Drive, 7 - 9 pm, (559) 561-4270, www.threerivers.com

CALENDAR | FEBRUARY 2015

February 28• 12th annual Chinese New Year Celebration, 210,

210 West Center Avenue, 1:30 - 5 pm, (559) 739-9010Enchanted Playhouse Theatre www.enchantedplayhouse.org

February 6 - 21• House at Pooh Corner

Fox Theatre www.foxvisalia.org

February 4• The Second City 55th Anniversary Tour, 7:30 pm February 6• Bstars and Tulare-Kings Counties Mass Choir, 7 pm February 14• The Avett Brothers, 8 pm February 21• Tulare County Symphony presents

Great Movies/Great Music, 7:30 pmTachi Palace Casino www.tachipalace.com

February 5• Champions Collide II, 6 pm February 26• Roots and Boots, 7:30 pm

Tulare Encore Theatre www.tulareencoretheatre.org

February 6 - 21• Nunset Boulevard

The Cellar Doorwww.cellardoor101.com

February 6• S ( Jenn Ghetto) plus Flying Tigers, 9:30 pm

Event times and dates are subject to change without notice. Please check event phone number or website to verify dates and times. Enjoy Magazine is not responsible for any inconvenience due to event changes.

Please visit www.enjoysouthvalley.com or email [email protected] to post your calendar events. If you’d like your event to be listed in this section of Enjoy magazine, it must be posted on our website or emailed by the 5th of the month—one month prior to the next magazine issue. For example, a March event will need to post by February 5. Thank you.



The Jeweler

“IT’S VERY REWARDING to have an idea,

work through the development of the design

and have it all come together. ”

Julie Campbell juliethefishdesigns

STORE FRONT | jULiE cAMPBELL, jULiEthEFiSh dESignS

SOUTH VALLEY

ENJOY SUPPORTS LOC AL ARTISANS & FARMERS

MADE IN THE


ENJOY: What’s the origin of juliethefish designs? JULIE: Many years ago, a friend of mine wore a simple necklace with her son’s name stamped on it. I was intrigued by it and wondered if I could make something like it. Hand stamping was new in the jewelry industry and I didn't even know what it entailed. I studied, bought supplies and taught myself a new trade. I found Etsy and decided I would try to make a business out of my new craft. juliethefish designs opened online in June 2008.

ENJOY: What jewelry items do you sell? JULIE: I design a lot of necklaces. I also make bracelets of all different styles, rings and earrings. Most of my pieces are sterling silver, and I work with brass and copper a little.

ENJOY: What is the process?JULIE: In my garage workshop, I shape the metal and stamp the customization. The stamping is done by hand, letter by letter, with metal tools. Once that process is complete, I bring the metal into my home studio. At a little table next to a window looking out into my backyard, the jewelry takes form. I buff and file the metal, oxidize, drill and assemble. One of my favorite parts of the process is packaging each piece and getting it ready to ship. It’s satisfying to see a piece of metal go through many steps to become a beautiful keepsake.

ENJOY: Tell us about your wedding and personalized gift line.JULIE: Over the last few years, I have designed more and more wedding pieces. I have received excellent feedback from the brides I work with. Personalized pieces add a totally unique, custom element to a wedding. I make several styles of cake toppers, personalized cake servers, cake forks, bouquet charms and custom gifts for the whole wedding party. In my Etsy shop, I also offer a huge variety of personalized gifts: everything from baby cutlery to business card cases.

ENJOY: What do you love about your business?JULIE: The first aspect is creating new designs. It’s very rewarding to have an idea, work through the development of the design and have it all come together. The second is working with my customers. Personalized pieces allow my customers and me to share a lot during the creation process. I love the stories they share. I hear about the joy of upcoming weddings, newborn babies, birthdays and holidays. I hear about the heartbreaking losses of loved ones. I think about those stories as I create each unique piece. That is what inspires me. •

www.juliethefish.com , www.juliethefish.blogspot.comFind juliethefish designs on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Etsy and PinterestProducts also available at Embellish & Restore in downtown Visalia

Inside Embellish & Restore115 N. West StreetVisalia • (559) 804-7411www.embellishandrestore.blogspot.comwww.facebook.com/embellishandrestore@embellish_and_restoreMon-Sat 10-5pm

oF ALL thE ViRtUES oF hUMAnKind, generosity and the art of giving are perhaps among the most profoundly effective; in addition to directly benefiting another person, the act of generosity nourishes the soul of the giver. As Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” At the Visalia Rescue Mission, this philosophy is in full effect every day of the year, as its members and their supporters tirelessly pool their time, efforts and resources with the express purpose of rebuilding people’s lives through the power of giving. A wholly local organization, the Visalia Rescue Mission is a particularly effective vehicle for changing lives in the community, as all profits from its fundraisers, thrift stores, donations and other efforts go directly back to the homeless men, women and children they serve with programs, shelters and meals. “We are a private organization, so we don’t receive much government funding, but we are strong because we are so supported by the community,” explains Director of Development Jessica Cavale. “We could not be more grateful to the area for their amazing support of what we do day to day, which is to transform people’s lives.” The Visalia Rescue Mission is involved with a myriad of events and fundraising efforts all year long, but one of the most popular is the upcoming Empty Bowls event, which will happen on the evening of February 24 at the Rescue Mission’s community center. This event is part of a global, grassroots effort to fight hunger. The philosophy of the Empty Bowls Project is simple but profound: local artisans create handcrafted bowls, and guests from the community are invited to a delicious soup dinner. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. Each participating community donates the money raised to a local organization that works to end hunger in their area.

GIVING BACK | BY FAchE dESRochERS | PhotoS: FoRRESt cAVALE


V i S A L i A R E S c U E M i S S i o n : E M P t Y B o w L S E V E n t

feed the soul

This year marks the sixth anniversary of the Visalia Rescue Mission’s involvement, which began when local dairy nutrition company Nutrius decided that in lieu of its usual large Christmas party, it would prefer to use those funds to benefit the community. So Nutrius approached the Rescue Mission, and the first Empty Bowls event came together. Over the years, this occasion has grown in popularity and size, and now the event is sponsored by five dairy nutrition companies and supplied with the finest catering Visalia has to offer. Celebrated local chef David Vartanian has been a longtime participant, taking charge of the main course with four or five different soups of his own creation. Local favorite Pita Kabob has also been a big supporter for the past several years, balancing out the soup selection with hummus, pita bread and appetizers. “The gracious participation that we receive is amazing,” Cavale says. “Apart from the incredible support that we have with the meal itself, the individuals in this area show so much interest and generosity. It’s a $30 suggested donation for the event ticket (which includes the meal and artisan bowl), but very often people give so much more, and all the proceeds go directly back to the Mission. It’s kind of wonderfully mind-blowing.” In addition to an excellent meal, the Empty Bowls event provides patrons with a window into the lives of the individuals that the Rescue Mission serves. “People come to the event, they pick out their bowl and they actually

walk through the line and into our kitchen just like one of our Mission guests would,” says Cavale. “It’s a very family-oriented event, and it’s amazing to have people of all ages come to our property and experience a connection to what our program guests’ lives are like.” The Empty Bowls event also features live music and a testimony from an individual who has been through one of the Rescue Mission’s programs, and how it has changed his or her life. When you fill your beautiful artisan bowl, know that you are feeding not only your body with wonderful local cuisine, but you are also feeding both your soul and your community with the wonderful power of giving. •

Empty Bowls • February 24, 5:30 pmVisalia Rescue Mission’s community center, 741 N. Santa Fe St. Tickets available at the Simply Chic Boutique in downtown Visalia, at the Visalia Rescue Mission administrative office or through the Mission’s website

www.vrmhope.org • Find the mission on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Vimeo



david Vartanian and jessica cavale

1475 Placer St. Suite cRedding, cA 960011475 Placer St. Suite cRedding, cA 96001

115 n. west StreetVisalia cA 93291

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enjoy magazine: south valley living — february 2015

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