the 13th floor - v1 i6
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The 13th Floor - A contemporary View on Klamath Falls - Night life in Klamath fallsTRANSCRIPT
INSIDE THIS EDITION…
Valentine’s Day: a look at this
ancient custom.
Winter Wings: Some great
shots from around the basin
Surviving After Baby: Local
author Erin Cox talks to us
about relationships after a new
baby
Surviving the Sleepover: do’s
and don’ts for your kids
favorite party
Always Open: 24hr locations
in Klamath Falls
Welcome to the Night Life edition of Klamath Falls. As a former member of
the graveyard crew, I have experienced the need for sleep when the sun is up,
and earn a living when it sets. Our town runs on many personnel after dark,
and keeps everything going smoothly when the normal crew is up for their
morning coffee. From our emergency response police, fire, and EMT staff to
the hospital workers on a 24 hour rotation, to the gas attendant at Pilot and
even the drive-thru employee at Jack in the Box, there are many people in
this town that keep our cars and bellies full, and our bodies safe, and work to repair any damage we may
have done during the day.
We have one of our biggest editions ever on Night Life. From a classy night out to not one but TWO
great venues, Biagio’s and Yesterday’s Plaza, to surviving at home during your kids’ latest sleepovers.
We are privileged to welcome back 2 published and professional writers. Alex Basche and Erin Cox, as
we examine Alex’s take on Nightmares and Erin’s relationship advice after a new baby. We look at
bringing the family together with game night, and some unique ideas whether you’re up to date on
technology or not. And don’t forget our events section, full of bazaars and other events coming up
during the spring, right here in the basin. For our Strangers Helping Strangers section, we have 2 great
events to share with you, from The Facebook Effect at our local theater, to the Meals on 2 Wheels
program that reaches out to the street people of Klamath Falls.
From our night shift employees, to food,
family, fun, and paying it forward, this edition
is packed full of something for everyone. I
know I say that every issue, and at the risk of
sounding too cliché, it’s very true. We are
excited to bring you our 6th edition, the 1st
edition of 2013, THE 13TH FLOOR for you
viewing pleasure. And my dearest hope is that
you will fall in love with Klamath such as I
have.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Celebrate Heart Healthy Cuisine: A review of Green Blade Bakery and K’z
Purple Onion
Class Act Rest: Date night with the Social Supper Club at Yesterday’s Plaza
The New B in Town: A night out at Klamath newest Italian bar and grill,
Biagio’s
One Hot Night: Tips on keeping your marriage alive after new baby, by our
very own local author, Erin Cox
‘Mares & Terrors: Counselor Alex Basche joins us to talk about the
difference in nightmares and terrors, and how they can be treated
Kids Night Out: Epicenter offers a fun Saturday out with their Cosmic
Bowling experience for kids
Surviving the Sleep Over: Tips and idea for surviving your sanity when kids
stay over
Night Shift: A look at some men and women that keep Klamath running
while everyone sleeps
Dutch After Dark: Ever wondered what they DO on that graveyard shift?
Family Game Night: Board games or technology, there’s a fun and healthy
experience for the whole family!
Unique Boutique: New Horizon School and their original ideas for their
March boutique
Stranger helping Strangers: The Facebook Effect and Meal on 2 Wheels
How will you keep your family
safe at night? Do you leave lights
on and lock the doors, activate a
security system, or just fly by the
seat of your pants? Here are
some tips on any budget that can
keep your home safer, even when
you’re not there.
Anyone over age 30 may remember the stern dog in a trench coat,
McGruff, and his admonitions of safety to grade school children. All
over the United States, McGruff traveled from classroom to classroom,
teaching children the basics of how to walk home safely from school,
how to avoid talking to strangers, and never, EVER get into a stranger’s
car. TAKE A BITE OUT OF CRIME! became a repeated battle cry among
a generation of 90’s children, one of the first generations with 2
working parents, which meant many children were home alone
between the release of school and the end of the 9-5 workday. This
generation spawned thousands of “latchkey kids” - meaning, a child
that would often let themselves into their home along while their
parents were still at work. For these kids, McGruff’s lessons of safety
were immortal truths that they clung to, to feel safe and secure even
when alone.
These safety lectures in a fun and interesting way were a thing of the 90’s,
but that doesn’t mean that safety is old fashioned, by any means. There are
still many things you can do to keep your home and family safe, whether you
are there or have to be away. The National Crime Prevention Council,
creators of the McGruff Crime Dog image of decades ago, is still going strong.
Their website is a very extensive home safety recourses, with information on
starting a neighborhood watch, a business watch, and tips on how to keep
kids safe from bullying and drugs. As for home safety, here is what the NCPC
recommends:
“In these times of economic distress, many people are concerned about the threat of rising crime in their
communities. Fortunately, there are ways to help protect your home and your neighborhood from crime. From simple
steps like keeping your doors locked to starting a Neighborhood Watch program, there
are plenty of things you can do to prevent crime: Work
with your neighbors to keep your neighborhood clean
and orderly. Keep spare keys with a trusted neighbor
or nearby shopkeeper, not under a doormat or planter,
on a ledge, or in the mailbox. Set timers on lights when
you're away from home or your business is closed, so
they appear to be occupied. Illuminate or eliminate
places an intruder might hide: the spaces between
trees or shrubs, stairwells, alleys, hallways, and entry
ways. With many law enforcement agencies cutting
costs, it has never been more important for citizens to
work together to prevent crime.”
Everyone is aware (in some form) the basics of home safety:
DO leave on the lights (or use a timer), so it looks like someone is home
DO activate your home security system DO teach your children how to be safe at home, by not
answering the phone unless it’s a parental figure, and don’t answer the door for anyone
DO Hide a spare key in a secure spot or leave with a neighbor in case of an emergency
DO not hesitate to call 911 at the first sign of any suspicious activity. Better safe than sorry!
DO make sure your windows and doors are locked, or in the summer, use a nail or thick piece of
wood to ensure it can’t be forced open
DO NOT ever leave your child under age 12 home alone (in the State of Oregon)
DO NOT answer the door unless you are expecting someone
DO NOT leave any doors standing open, ANY time of the day. Intruders don’t just come at night!
But what else can help keep your home secure, besides these basics? We asked our local community for
ways that they keep their house secure at night:
“In case of an unforeseen emergency – such as a car
accident or traffic – and you aren’t home at a promised
time, teach your kids what to do, whether it’s finding a
key, what emergency numbers to dial, and who to call
first.” - Julia
"Dogs. They bark when someone comes near the house.”
- Michele
“I had a cat that let me know when someone was
around. It helped [be]cause she stayed up all night... My
little watch kitty.” -- Heather
“Be a former Marine. They are legally trained weapons
of death and destruction. I feel really sorry for the
burglar that tries to mess with a Marine’s house.” --
David
PETS – BOTH DOGS AND CATS – WILL ALERT
THEIR OWNERS IF SOMEONE IS TRYING TO
BREAK IN. BURGLARS AND PEOPLE WHO
VANDALIZE ARE LESS LIKELY TO COMMIT A
CRIME IF THERE IS AN ANIMAL MAKING NOISE
IN THE HOUSE.
This isn’t your Grandma’s kitchen,
but it’s pretty close. The products
at Green Blade Bakery use only
fresh organic materials, and each
customer is greeted with a smile,
just like at Grandma’s.
We talked to Mike Connelly,
Owner of Green Blade Bakery,
about how their traditions of
bread making have changed little
since bread was invented 6,000
years ago.
Coming Home:
the green blade bakery
Remember that feeling of love and acceptance
when you walked in Grandma’s door, that there
was someone who cared, and would ask you
how your day went and pull up a stool while she
actively listened? She always greeted you with a
smile, and dished you a plate of her freshly
baked pastry, from cinnamon rolls to apple
turnovers? Recall how it spent all day for her to
hand make that those loaves and rolls from
scratch, putting a lot of hard work into each
loaf? Walking into Grandma’s kitchen was truly
an experience. Often, the aroma of dinner was
present just in her baked goods, from French
bread for tossed spaghetti, to oat cakes with
syrup and the list goes on. Whether it was Grandma, Mom, or a friend’s house, it was always like coming
home.
If there’s one thing that hasn’t changed in the 6,000 years since bread first graced the stone tables of
our ancestors, it’s that it’s still an all day process to provide fresh quality bread and bread products.
Mike Connelly and his staff certainly know this well. Often up and at work by midnight each night when
most are safely tucked in their beds asleep, he spends his nights from midnight to 6am mixing, scaling,
kneading, shaping and cutting a wide variety of breads, pastries, and cookies.
Green Blade Bakery not only slaves through the night for their business, but for the sake of other
businesses as well. They are very well connected in the community, and their products can be found
served by several other restaurants in the downtown area. Leap of Taste, Mermaid Garden, Basin
Martini Bar, Mac N Cheese Steaks are just some of the few local businesses that use Green Blade’s
products for their wares. Portland Street Market is also a retailer for Green Blade, offering a daily fresh
variety of bread and rolls.
How did this little bakery become such
a staple of the Klamath Falls
community? Well, it all started with
cattle and the recession. About 10 years
ago, Mike and his wife moved to
Klamath Falls with their cattle and hay
background, and quickly fell in love with
the basin. Due to the recession, they
ended up changing professions, and
decided to move into town and pursue
other income. At that time, the Green
Blade building was a very small closed
diner, which had once been a
thriving center of commerce with
roller skating waitresses, a long ago
part of Klamath Falls’ history. Five
years ago, Mike saw this old empty
building as an opportunity to
expand his at-home obsession with
baking bread. He saw that Klamath Falls had a need for a bakery, and
wanted to fill that opportunity with something he loved to do.
It’s not hard to believe that Mike enjoys a challenge. For him, making
bread isn’t just a hobby, it’s an occupation, and it’s one that is very high
risk. Just a small mistake in an ingredient can ruin a day’s work of profit.
A few degrees difference in the ovens, and the bread is over baked and
unsellable. His takes this very seriously, and has a high commitment to
quality over quantity of his wares.
But besides the challenge, what does he love most about owned a
bakery in Klamath Falls? “We love the people,” he said. “We have a high
value in this community.” He is proud to have an establishment where
customers are often greeted by name, and are treated like family. He
also loves to hear the stories about how different people in the
community use their breads. At Green Blade, every day is different, and
they love to rise to meet those challenges with open arms.
Because of this chivalry, Green Blade strives to give their customers the
best product they can. One of the ways they do this is by using “BEYOND
Organic” flour from Shepherd’s Grain flour. What’s unique about
Shepherd’s Grain Is that each bag comes with a grower’s code. This
code can be used on the internet for finding the specific growers that
supplied the wheat for the flour. This is especially unique because anyone, not just the baker, can see an
actual picture of who is providing the bread that Green Blade so carefully bakes. This is a service that
isn’t offered at any other bakery or chain store.
LIVIN’ THE NIGHT
LIFE - BAKERY STYLE
[OWNER MIKE CONNELLY
STARTS HIS DAYS BEFORE
MOST OF US EVEN ROLLS OUT
OF BED. HERE’S WHAT A
TYPICAL DAY LOOKS LIKE:
12AM: TURN ON OVEN AND
PREPARE FOR SHIFT CHANGE AT 2AM
2AM: PREPARE AND MIX DOUGHS
FOR BREAD, PASTRIES, AND ROLLS,
COMPLETE ALL PASTRIES
3AM-5AM: SHAPING AND SCALING
OF BREAD DOUGH
5AM-9:30AM: BAKE ALL BREAD
AND BREAD PRODUCTS
9:30AM: OVENS OFF, PREPARE FOR
BUSINESS DAY]
Even though Green Blade is shaping,
scaling, and baking over 50lbs of
sourdough bases a day, they still find
time to keep it simple. Their
ingredients are heart healthy, and
only include whole grains, even in
their ‘white’ bread. Their whole grain
goes beyond organic, with 9 chunked
– not minced like in traditional brand
names – whole grain ingredients.
There is over 52 ingredients in a
typical store bought brand,
and Green Blade uses less
than 12 in their most
popular types of bread.
Their breads also have no
GMO’s, no preservatives,
and because of the
exceptional flour they use,
will stay fresh outside the
fridge for over 2 weeks.
When’s the last time store
bought bread did that?
Not only is their bread baked
with the highest quality flour
and other ingredients, but
they also put their passion
and quality into their other
products too. With a full espresso
bar, many options for sticky buns
or pastries, and fresh made
sandwiches and calzones with
local organic products, Green
Blade becomes not just a bakery
but a breakfast and lunch
destination. Enjoy a latte or
mocha with a caramel and peanut
topped sticky bun, or relax over
house coffee of the day with a
daily fresh made turkey sandwich.
So whether you’re looking for a decadent
white chocolate plum coffee cake, a quick
(and huge) cookie, or some jalapeno cheese
bread for cheesy steak sandwich, Green
Blade Bakery is a great choice for a business
that supports local community, from the
healthy needs of everyone or the purpose
of providing a meeting area and fellowship
room for every age and walk of life.
Five years and a few renovations later, the
Green Blade Bakery building has nearly
tripled in size. The outside has changed
little since the 50’s, but the inside is new,
modern, and inviting. With a full counter featuring delicious pastries, a tall rack of the daily selection of
bread, and not one but 2 dining areas (one of them in the luxury of a comfy couch), Green Blade is more
than just a bakery. It has brought back
the sense of community and meeting
that this building held once upon a
time. If the walls could talk, they
would have stories to tell of
overcoming challenges to provide a
quality services that the community
couldn’t live without. – Staff
Check out our new
dessert items starting
Feb 20th.
DAILY SPECIALS *
SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS LIKE us on
Hi friends,
I'm Tracy Fields, general manager at Starv'n Marv'ns Family Restaurant. Yes its' true, we will begin serving some of the best desserts in town. We will have famous homemade pies and "drum roll please" . . . . . . the richest, died and gone to heaven cheesecake ever! Coming to your favorite restaurant on Wednesday Feb 20th. mark your calendar!
In this edition we featured K’z
Purple Onion, a fusion of both
American and Greek foods. With
both hamburgers & gryos on the
menu and straight to your car
service, this Rolling Plate is sure
to be a huge hit whether you’re in
the mood for roasted lamb or
garlic parmesan French fries.
For anyone who has traveled abroad, Greek is one of the most
difficult palates to master. The marinated soft lamb and beef
donner meat for gyros, (pronounced HEER-O) the feta topped
Greek salad, and the creamy tzatziki blended with dill, lemon, and
cucumber, all need to blend together for a perfect gyro.
Traditionally wrapped in a soft warmed garlic pita bread, the gryo
has been a go-to lunch and snack for Greeks for centuries. With
an abundance of onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese,
this can be called the “sandwich of the Gods,” lending back to a
time when this was as common place as the cheese burger is to
America.
If you’re looking for a new European experience, K’z Purple Onion
offers a gyro in two different styles. The first
is the rationally wrapped gyro, topped with
Greek salad and tzatziki. Secondly, they also
have a gryo plate, which comes separated for
newcomers. The gryo plate has all the
ingredients, with the inclusion of rice pilaf
with crunchy almonds or garlic parmesan
fries. Besides their beef and lamb combo,
they also offer a lemon chicken plate as well.
To make your meal complete,
don’t forget to order traditional
Mediterranean baklava. This date
and walnut filled sugary dessert
with very thin layers of pastry is
sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!
Unlike donuts, it actually have
healthy benefits for you. The
walnuts in this dish are high in
Omega-3 fatty acids, and have
also been proven by the FDA as a
heart-healthy medication that
can lower high cholesterol. Dates
have also shown to be lower in
fat than traditional sugary fillers
and are high in anti-oxidants.
Do not be alarmed if Greek food isn’t your thing. Wildly hailed as having some of the best garlic
parmesan fries and onion rings in town, the American side of this Rolling Plate ensures there is
something for everyone. With a variety of burgers with all the trimmin’s (including avocado and
gorgonzola cheese for the adventurous), a selection of different types of hot dogs, and for the healthy-
conscious, Cobb salad, Greek Salad, and gluten-free bread.
Of course, K’z Purple Onion wouldn’t have made it in our edition if it wasn’t for the high marks of quality
service provided by this Rolling Plate. Owner Kay has a high commitment to providing the best customer
service they can. As they proudly display on the menu, they are not a “fast food kitchen” as their food is
prepared fresh when you order it. They prefer “mobile kitchen” because each meal is prepared with
quality, quantity, with a dose of love in between. On a cold winter afternoon, they will gladly bring it
your car, and as the weather in Klamath warms up, enjoy
their provided seating area, so your food doesn’t get
cold.
Greek or American, Gryos or Burgers, what will
you indulge? Enjoy a taste of Mediterranean
with their authentic Greek cuisine, chow down
on a chili burger with the works, or watch your
waist with a healthy alternative of a salad with
gluten-free bread. Whatever you love to eat, K’z
Purple Onion has something for the whole family.
For a full menu and pricing plus location, please visit K’z Purple
Onion’s facebook page or their website.
Relay For Life needs your help to WIN the fight against Cancer and create a world with more birthdays
now! You might be asking yourself, “How can I make a difference - I am only one person?” Here are
some ways you can help us work together to fight cancer:
- Start a team and recruit your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to join you in this battle.
Make something very serious be extremely fun and rewarding.
- Join a team that is already registered
- Create an event at your local high school, middle School or elementary school (we have
programs for every age group)
- Recruit business owners to become corporate sponsors and encourage their employees to
participate
- Host an independent fundraiser at your business or place of employment
- Join the Relay For Life Event Planning Committee
- Make a donation of goods or services to be auctioned off at Relay For Life’s July Event
- Make a cash donation in any amount to Relay For Life, because every dollar literally does help!
- Contact us with your idea for getting involved with Relay for Life
There are many ways to be a part of defeating this beast, it just takes us all being engaged and working
together to make that difference happen.
Please get involved today, and I promise you won’t regret it! For more information on how you can get
started, contact Erika George, Event Chair, 541-880-8704, [email protected] or Becky Collins,
Team Development Chair, 541-281-4050, [email protected]
One day…One night…One Community…One FIGHT!
Please visit The 13th Floor: A Contemporary ‘eye’ on Klamath Falls’ website for more upcoming events and
information: www.the13thfloorkf.com, or see them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/The13thFloorKF
The combination of the newly
remodeled City Club with the
Victorian décor of the Mezzanine
room, with a delicious catered
dinner and live entertainment,
makes this historic Klamath Falls
landmark an forgettable date
night atmosphere.
Yesterday’s Plaza, located at 9th & Pine in
historic downtown Klamath Falls, is a building
with much history. Originally built nearly 100
years ago as a Montgomery Ward, Klamath’s
first and only department store of the time, it
offered a generous 3 stories of shopping
luxury for the early 20th century. Ladies in full
skirts pursed the fabrics and premade
dresses, while men shopping for tools and
hardware. Children excitedly sucked away on
a variety of candied treats. This was an
afternoon event for the family, a time of
community and sharing, before the invention
of big box stores.
This building has much history invested in it;
something that owner Terry has worked hard
to maintain since purchasing it over 25 years
ago. Her and her late husband worked hard to
turn this once thriving community store into a
boutique, cantina, dining room, and ballroom
all in one, making it one of Klamath’s most
uniquely nostalgic decorated businesses in
town. With the modern décor of the newly
renovated City Club, the Victorian era interior
of the dining and ballrooms, this is an ideal
place for any type of gathering, from a
wedding to a funeral, a Christmas party or a
dinner date with friends and loved ones.
Terry’s Social Supper Clubs
were a brain child of her and
her husband a few years ago.
They wanted to provide a classy upscale dinner for couples to attend on a
weekly basis for all occations. But due to the recession and lack of affordable
advertising, the numbers in attendance dwindled to a slow trickle. She has
recently reinvented this special night as a weekly dinner events, including a
catered continental dinner (meaning, no menu), live entertainment
including dancing and performances, and local professionals playing a
variety of instruments from piano, to violin, reggae, and big band genres of
music.
The kick-off Social Supper Club was a truly unqiue event. Served in the
Victorian room decorated with rich 19th century colors and artifacts, Terry’s
professional catering services really shine. Dishes for this 4 course meal for
the finer palate included baked clams and shrimp, cranberry green salad,
mushroom chicken with twice baked potato and green beans, and a dessert
cart. Each course was served personally to the table by an invidiual waiter
who was very attentive and pleasant.
This is unlike any other restaurant experience in town, not
only because of the special fresh product meal, but also
because of the old-fashioned décor of the dining and
adjacent ballroom. With the light pinks, deep crimson, and
gold accents of both rooms, this experience will set you
back to a time before much technology, when life was
much simpler. A time when ladies swirled in hooped skirts
among the dance floor, their silk slippers lightly touching
the polished ground. As a tribute to these days gone by,
the entertainment for the first Social Supper Club was
dancing lessons provides by professional dance instructor
Manuela Pascula, who taught couples the brief introduction to swing, salsa, and
even a few waltz steps.
Couples enjoyed the bonding experience that many never get to do – holding
each
other tight on a dance
floor, without the
embarrassment of being
uncoordinated or not
being able to dance. This
ballroom hands-on
entertainment led to an
amazing conclusion to
the evening of dinner and
dancing for a classy night
out.
Manuela Pascula and
dancing partner show
some basic steps to
classic dance routines
in a well light old
fashioned ballroom.
THE “BARON OF BEEF” [THE BARON OF BEEF IS A TRAVELING CART OF FRESH SLICED ROASTED BEEF,
SERVED WITH AU JUS SAUCE. THIS PRACTICE DATES BACK TO 16TH CENTURY
ENGLAND, WHEN HENRY VIII WAS SERVED A SPIT ROASTED DOUBLE SIRLOIN OF
BEEF AND WAS SO TAKEN BY THE ROAST THAT HE DUBBED IT “SIR LOIN, THE
BARON OF BEEF.” CLASSY RESTURANTS OF THE VICTORIAN AGE SERVED THE
BARON OF BEEF CARTS AT EACH TABLE AS A TRIBUTE TO THEIR BRITISH
HISTORY. THE TRADITION IS STILL CONTINUED TO THIS DAY IN AMERICA AND
ENGLAND ALIKE. THIS UNIQUE ENTRÉE AT THE SOCIAL SUPPER CLUB REALLY
MAKES THE NIGHT MORE SPECIAL WITH THIS TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA.]
The second floor of Yesterday’s
Plaza holds a contrast between 2
worlds. The newly remodeled City
Club, with the modern tan, black,
and white interior provides an
intimate cantina to enjoy a leisurely
glass of wine or a cold beer.
One of the the amazing facet to this
bar is the old-time vibes that it
emanates. It features a country
western theme, including wooden
furniture and deer antlers on the
wall. The leather couches that line
the walls offer an opportunity to
relax with your loved one
But this bar is unique, because it features portraits of Terry’s
famous baseball husband (former Pitcher to the LA Angels and
Red Sox many moons ago), as well as dozens of and signed
baseballs from many of the greats in baseball history.
Yet, the City Club is certainly no sports
bar or club. The clientele at the City
Club is not the traditional 20’s
something that enjoy the bar scene,
although many of them do enjoy this
atmosphere. On a typical Friday night,
this place is packed with all ages,
watching a game, playing cards, or just
enjoying each other’s company. An
older couple lounges on the couches
sipping wine, buddies toast beers to a
touchdown, and ladies enjoy a few
drinks. But this intimate atmosphere
makes a night out with your loved one
complete, as you can enjoy each
other’s space without loud pounding
music or a packed club with bright
lights swirling. The City Club is a classy
place to end your date night out.
Relay For Life needs your help to WIN the fight against Cancer and create a world with more birthdays
now! You might be asking yourself, “How can I make a difference - I am only one person?” Here are
some ways you can help us work together to fight cancer:
- Start a team and recruit your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers to join you in this battle.
Make something very serious be extremely fun and rewarding.
- Join a team that is already registered
- Create an event at your local high school, middle School or elementary school (we have
programs for every age group)
- Recruit business owners to become corporate sponsors and encourage their employees to
participate
- Host an independent fundraiser at your business or place of employment
- Join the Relay For Life Event Planning Committee
- Make a donation of goods or services to be auctioned off at Relay For Life’s July Event
- Make a cash donation in any amount to Relay For Life, because every dollar literally does help!
- Contact us with your idea for getting involved with Relay for Life
There are many ways to be a part of defeating this beast, it just takes us all being engaged and working
together to make that difference happen.
Please get involved today, and I promise you won’t regret it! For more information on how you can get
started, contact Erika George, Event Chair, 541-880-8704, [email protected] or Becky Collins,
Team Development Chair, 541-281-4050, [email protected]
One day…One night…One Community…One FIGHT!
Please visit The 13th Floor: A Contemporary ‘eye’ on Klamath Falls’ website for more upcoming events and
information: www.the13thfloorkf.com, or see them on Facebook, www.facebook.com/The13thFloorKF
Biagio’s Bar and Grille at Harbor
Isles offers a full sports bar and
dinner menu with an Italian twist.
From burgers, hot wings and pizza
to their fire-roasted pizza and
Alfredo dishes, this know dining
establishment in town is unique
blend of old European dining with
the modern concept of a sports
bar. We sat down with Mike
Connelly, who reviewed this
restaurant for us.
Biagio’s Bar and Grille at Harbor Isles has been open for a little
over a month now. They came out with a bang on New Year’s
Eve, with a unique themed dinner, featuring locals in flapper
attire form the 1920’s (staff featured above). Since then they
have kept the ball rolling by offering a variety of delicious
entrees, from the Delux burger, to their New York styled Buffalo
wings and stone fired pizza, among other indo-European dish.
This new Italian-inspired bar and grill, with their new location
out at the majestic harbor isles, provides quite a different scene
for those in Klamath Falls that wish to have a nice night out.
Please Join Mike Connelley, as he reviews the new place in
town:
“Sandy & I went to Biagio's Bar and Grille at Harbor Isles last night, and I have to say it's been a long time
since we've had a night out that nice.
The atmosphere was well done, with
appropriate lighting, table spacing, and a
nice balance of elegance and home-style,
old world informality (like the fruit jars,
the fireplace, the corked glass water bottles,
and the cordial-style wine glasses). Also,
the silverware was lovely and substantial
(This is a peeve of mine. Always confuses
me when an otherwise nice place cheaps
out on the cutlery and you have to be
careful not to bend your fork in half
cutting through a noodle).
I had a stone-fired pizza, "The Biagio" with salami,
sausage, mushrooms & arugula, and Sandy had the
Citrus Fettuccine with sunchokes. The pizza was as
good as anything I can remember ever having,
and the pasta was very good as well, served with
some crusty, house-baked no-knead bread.
My family goes back to Giorgi's and Tomassini's on
my mother's side, so it did me good to see some
authentic family-style Italian food on a menu here
in town (that you don't have to take out a second
mortgage to pay for).
There were only three wines on the wine list, but
the Italian table red from Abruzzo was just right --
dry, with a playful fruit that worked well with both
dishes. They also offer two whites, a Pinot Gris and
a Pinot Grigio.
Table service was friendly and attentive, without being intrusive, and the food was ready without a long
wait. Although, I have to say, the brightly-glowing devices they used to take orders seemed out of place,
and made the servers look a little bit like space aliens in the low light of the dining room. And paying the
bill was a bit awkward, trying to sign my name with my fingertip on what looked like somebody's cell
phone. But maybe we're just behind the times, and others are more used to this technology.
They also seemed to be in need of a maitre d, or perhaps just a more well-defined entrance/greeting
area, since we saw several parties arrive who seemed a bit confused about what they should do or
where they should go. That's an easy one to fix, though, and worth the effort, since as we know first
impressions are so important in a restaurant.
Driving home, Sandy & I found ourselves talking about when we would return. I guess that says it as well
as anything else I could say.” -- Mike C.
To date, we have heard only good things about this new bar and grille, and were delighted to find they
also have a kids’ menu and welcome families into their establishment. They have already connected with
a few organizations in town, raises money for both Relay for Life and the SMART reading program. We
hope to see more out of Biagio’s in the future, including more fresh and tasty Italian dishes and an
expanded wine list. -- Staff
Winter Wings Festival February 14-17 The Winter Wings Festival, produced by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, is one of the longest running festivals in the nation. Explore the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California, a major migratory stop on the Pacific Flyway and host to the largest congregation of wintering bald eagles in the lower 48 states. Keynoters for 2013 include photographer George Lepp, birder and photographer Kevin Karlson, and naturalist Alvaro Jaramillo. Enjoy guided field trips, workshops, free family activities, receptions, and more! Oregon Institute of Technology More Info: 1-877-541-BIRD Calender of Events: http://www.discoverklamath.com/event-calendar.htm
Cuts for Cancer February 26 Come support your local cancer center. Raffle prizes throughout the day! You can meet your next stylist there! School of Costmotology 357 E Main St (541) 882-6644
Master Gardener Program
February 27 - April 01 Apply for the Class of 2013! Join this unique program that educates Oregonians about the art and science of growing and caring for plants. The 13-week training begins February 27. Applications are available at 3328 Vandenberg Rd. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/kbrec/horticulture/mg 541-883-7131
Norman Foote February 28th 7:30 pm
talented story teller and song writer is fun for all ages. Ross Ragland Theater http://www.rrtheater.org/home
Meals on 2 Wheels March 2nd & April 6th 12pm-3pm Help serve a fresh cooked meal to the unseen population of Klamath Falls. Join us in this opportunity to touch lives and hearts with a simple mission of goodwill. Veteran’s Park
Ragland Classical Series: Classical Jam March 8 7:30 pm
A vibrant ensemble that includes highly sought after soloists. Ross Ragland Theater http://www.rrtheater.org/home
Rock, Gem, Mineral & Fossil Show March 9-10 9am-5pm This year’s show will feature dealers, demonstrators and kids events. Kids activities include the craft table, wheel-of-fortune, sand box, and treasure hunt (for rocks, of course). There is also a special area reserved for kids at the silent auction, where only the kids are allowed to bid.
Klamath County Fairgrounds 541 882-8826 www.klamathrockclub.org
Burlap & Lace Boutique March 15 & 16 10am-3pm Shop this sping bazaar and support a good cause at the same time! Help New Horizon raise money for their physical education department in this Etsy and Pinterest inspired event. New Horizon Christian Church 1909 Homedale Rd. (541) 273-1292
Irish Days March 15 & 16 Enjoy a traditional dinner Friday night, complete with Irish Dancing Saturday, a parade, outhouse races, games for everyone and a free BBQ for anyone with an “O’Button” Lake County Fairgrounds 541-947-6040
“Plants Vs. Zombies” March 16 & 27. 23 & 24 Enjoy this 20 minutes Little Linkville Production for the little ones at a great affordable cost. Linkville Playhouse 541 884-8101
Tulelake Area Service Club Annual Pasta Feed March 16
Support a local cause and enjoy an all you can eat meal of pasta, bread,
salad, drink and dessert, purse auction and fashion show. This year will feature the fashion show featuring "local celebrities." All money raised goes to deserving senior’s scholarships. Tulelake Basin Elementary School 541-891-2591
Shrine Circus March 18 & 19 4:30 & 7:30pm Come support the Shiners Foundation with this amazing show, featuring all the elements of a traditional circus show including: lions and tigers; amazing aerialists; dashing, daring, dauntless daredevils; fabulous funny clowns; enchanting elephants; boundless feats of balance and agility; hazardous horsemanship; precision performing animals of all shapes and sizes; plus we can bring in those mania motorcycle manipulators, the amazing Jordan 'Danger Zone' riders in the unbelievable Globe of Death! Klamath County Fairgrounds www.thejordanworldcircus.com
Hosanna Spring Bazaar March 22 & 23 11am-3pm Support a local school with this array of homemade crafts, products, and treats at the annual spring bazaar. Hosanna Christian School 541 884-8101
[EVERY EDITION WE ASK A LOCAL
PHOTOGRAPHERS TO SUBMIT
THEMED PICTURES FROM OUR
LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS EDITION
OUR THEME WAS “WILD WINGS” IN
CONJUNTION WITH THE ANNUAL
WINTER WINGS FESTIVAL THAT IS
CELEBRATED HERE IN KLAMATH
FALLS. OUR WINNER THIS EDITION
WAS A TALENTED AUTHOR NAMED
JESSICA TOMLINSON, WHO
SUBMITTED THESE BEAUTIFUL
OUTDOORS AND WILD FOWL
PICTURES TO US. WE TALKED A
LITTLE WITH JESSICA ABOUT HER
PHOTOGRAPHY, INCLUDING HER
FAVORITE SPOTS TO CAPTURE,
WHAT CAMERA SHE USES FOR HER
TRADE, AND HOW LONG SHE HAS
BEEN INTO PHOTOGRAPHY. KEEP UP
THE GOOD WORK JESSICA, YOUR
PICTURES ARE AMAZING. ]
“Off The Beaten Path”
(Taken from a path that leads out of Veteran’s Park.)
“Bald Eagle”
Taken at the Tule Lake
National Wildlife
Refuge (just south of
the Oregon border.)
How long have you been interested in photography?
I've been interested in photography since 2004.
Do you use any special equipment, and if so, what do you use and why?
The only special equipment I use is my camera. It's like an extension of my arm. The camera
I use is a Canon SX40 HS.
What are some of your favorite things to photograph?
Some of my favorite things to photograph include:
landscapes, wildlife, my family, couples, and
macro shots of textures in nature.
What do you love most about it?
I love sharing crisp beautiful photos with family
and friends. Sometimes people don't have the
ability to go out and see the world around them,
and it makes me happy to be able to take
photos in an emotionally evocative way to share
with them. Photography also gives me a reason
to get outdoors as often as possible with my
family.
Interview with
Jessica Tomlinson
“Red Tailed hawk”
Taken at the Lower
Klamath Lake National
Wildlife Refuge.
A unique and cozy
café in the heart of
downtown Klamath
Falls specializing in
espresso, gourmet
deli sandwiches,
sustainable grocery
items and gifts.
907 MAIN STREET
541.850.9414
Women’s and men’s Boutique Petri’s Interiors Large and small ballroom and dining rooms Social Supper Clubs on Friday nights
If you’re part of the 10% of the
world that is left-handed, you’re
certain part of the minority.
Centuries ago, left-handed people
were considered to have a
predisposition to demon traits,
and were often considered
possessed. Now, we have
dispelled these archaic beliefs,
but some myths still abound
about this special part of the
population.
Evil has always been associated with the left hand.
For centuries, as long as man has had the ability to paint, portray, and draw, left-handed people
(referred to as “lefties” or by the British nickname, “southpaw) have been shown in a negative manner.
Women that were accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake were left-handed. In France it was held
that witches greet Satan “avec le bras gauche” or “with the left hand.” Joan of Arc was said to be left-
handed, or was she simply drawn that way to demonize her image to 14th century rebels?
In the middle ages, when many of our modern
day superstitions were created, the left side of
the body was associated with many “bad luck”
regimens. Salt was thrown over the left shoulder
to ward off evil, and Roman and Greek women
wore rings on their left hand to discourage evil
spirits. A ringing in the left ear meant someone
was cursing you. Getting out of bed on the left
food meant a day of bad luck. During the Salem
Witch trials, 12 of the 20 girls hanged for
witchcraft were convicted on nothing besides
being left-handed, a “sure sign of consorting
with the devil.” During Victorian times, it was
bad luck to pass to the left at the dinner table. A
twitch in the left eye means the presence of an enemy. It may never be known where this aversion to
the left side of the body was created, and society has mostly dismissed many of them as being false or
just downright silly, but some myths still live on today.
MYTHS ABOUT BEING LEFT-HANDED
Left-handed people are
commonly associated with
clumsiness in all they do. This
notion, totally false, is
probably a distorted version
of the translation of the
phrase 'having two left feet'.
While the phrase is used to
relate to someone who can't
dance, it is very wrongly
associated with awkwardness
and the left-handed.
Use of the left hand for eating is immoral and unholy.
This myth was probably first spun by vague
fanaticism. It is totally untrue. We make our social
norms and abide by them. However, shunning a
person who eats with his or her left hand does not
even offer modern education credibility. Left-handed
people show a more coordinated hand-to-mouth
movement and that does not in any way make them,
of all things, 'unholy'!
It is difficult for left-handed children to learn writing
of the alphabet, without personal tutoring. Not true at
all. Observe the left-handed toddler. Everyone else is
more bothered about his left-handedness than he is
himself. The left-handed child adapts to writing,
drawing and all other activities that require him to
hold a writing tool as early as the right-handed. In
fact, many left-handed people display neater
handwriting than their right-handed colleagues.
Lefties have a lesser chance of surviving a hand-to-
hand combat. This is anything but true. History bears
witness to the advantage left-handedness had during
hand-to-hand combats and even within the boxing
ring. In fact, a common observation is that the left-
handed combatant is able to strike a strong surprise
attack on the open, unprotected right side.
FAMOUS LEFT-
HANDED
PERSONALITIES:
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA: James A. Garfield, Herbert
Hoover, Harry S. Truman, Gerald
Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W.
Bush, Bill Clinton and the current
President Barack Obama
LEGENDARY PERSONALITIES: Joan of Arc,
Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar,
Horatio Nelson, Queen Victoria,
Friedrich Nietzsche, Helen Keller
MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS: Carl
Philipp Emanuel Bach, Phil Collins,
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr
ARTISTS: Michelangelo, Raphael,
Leonardo da Vinci
ACTORS: Charlie Chaplin, Tom Cruise,
Robert DeNiro, Greta Garbo,
Whoopie Goldberg, Angelina Jolie,
Nicole Kidman, Steve McQueen,
Marilyn Monroe
SPORTSPEOPLE: Babe Ruth, Barry
Bonds, Larry Bird, Pele, Brian Lara,
Martina Navratilova, Rafael Nadal,
Phil Mickelson, Terry Baker, Tim
Tebow
THE AWESOME BENEFITS OF BEING LEFT HANDED
There’s benefits?! Recent studies by Georgetown University, the Mayo Clinic, and Harvard have all
uncovered the benefits that are attributed to the lucky few who are left handed. Included are hearing
different, effect on health issues, better at sports and music, and even getting to celebrate Left Hand
Day, on August 13th!
Lefties Hear Speeches Differently: People who are using their left hands when listening may
more easily hear rapidly changing sounds than those who are using their right hands, according
to a study from Georgetown University Medical Center.
Lefties Make Better Artists: Southpaws have been bragging about their creative clout for years.
But is it true -- does being left-handed mean you’re also more likely to be artistic or innovative?
According to research published in the American Journal of Psychology, there is some evidence
that left-handed people have the upper hand in at least one creative facet -- they’re better at
divergent thinking, a method of idea generation that explores many possible solutions.
Lefties have better health: you may be in luck when it comes to other health conditions: A
survey of more than 1.4 million participants, which was published in the journal Laterality, found
that left-handers had lower rates of arthritis and ulcers.
Left-Handed people ("lefties" or "southpaws") tend to be better at displaying emotions, learning and playing music, being creative, and using their imagination,
among others, due to the use of the ride side of their brain.
Although being the demonic myths surrounding lefties has been shrouded has mostly been forgotten or destroyed, there are still challenges to being left handed. Using every day supplies like scissors, mechanical pencils can be difficult, due to their design. Tools such as table saws and some screwdrivers were also designed with right handed person in mind. Never fear! In the last 30 years, there has been a revolution of left-handed stores popping up all over the country and world, and also companies have started to produce universal tools and supplies, such as pictured on the right. Recognizing that more and more musical artists are left-handed, music stores have also start carrying more left-handed string instruments in stock, as well.
Recently, left handed stores like Lefties in San Francisco and Southpaw in London, England, have created a line of merchandise just for left-handed people. Although not local, these stores can still provide relief for those that are tired of using scissors upside down and other inconveniences. A tool retailer has yet to release left handed products, but hopefully in the future, as the “dark side” of being left handed is dismissed, there will be more people accepting the more creative and imaginative side into society. Gone are the days of superstition, where lefties were nothing more than demonically altered humans. Today we are a group of artistic and colorful individuals, and we are just like everyone else. Well, except we are more special. After all, us lefties have to stick together, am I right? -- Tracy
NICE TO “MEAT” YOU: A REVIEW OF DICK HOWARD’S MEAT CENTER
By Mike Connelly (posted in The BITE of Klamath Facebook Group.)
The BITE of Klamath Is a very unique group on Facebok. Several times a day, local share pictures and
experiences of their local establishments. Once in a while we see an amazing jewel of a review, and this
edition’s winner goes to Mike Connelly, on his review of local butcher Dick Howard. Thank you, Mike, for
this truly appetizing review! - Staff
”Currently marinating two big porterhouse steaks in ponzu, syrah & sweet mustard. After the grill, we'll
make steak sandwiches with caramelized shallots, roasted red bells, swiss chard, & Rogue Creamery
cheddar, all on some toasted jalapeno sourdough we got from some local bakery . . .
The point is: Dick Howard's Meat Center.
This local, family-owned & operated shop is a wonder of the world, and everyone in the county should
go there at least seven or eight times a week. In addition to the beef, I also got sliced rosemary-garlic
turkey and some elk pepperoni sticks.
Meat is routinely at or below grocery store prices (steaks today a full $1.25 cheaper than Freddies), and
the quality & service will make it painfully difficult to ever buy grocery store meat again.
And the best part? You get to cook it yourself, in the comfort of your very own kitchen . . . where the
drinks are a whole lot cheaper, and you can blast whatever music you want to! Salud!”
(For more appetizing meat products from a local store, and for information on location, hours of
operation, and inventory, visit the Dick Howard’s website.)
Sure, we all know that caffeine
has the wonderful ability to keep
us up all night. For some
graveyard employees in town,
Dutch Bros is their 4th meal, that
keeps them running through the
night. We talked to Hunter
Stewart, graveyard employee at
the downtown Dutch Bros
location, about what it’s like to
work graveyard with the world’s
most magical substance.
Dutch After Dark
How many people typically
work graveyard?
One person works graveyard a
night. [During Rave Grave in
the summer, it’s usually 3 or
so.]
How many customers do you
typically get on a shift?
We typically get about 35
customers a grave.
What kind of customers do you typically get (i.e. doctors/firemen, insomniacs, college students, etc)?
We typically get hospital people, mainly any business that is 24/7.
What's your favorite thing about working graveyard?
My favorite thing about working grave is that
you can basically do your own thing without
being stressed out with customers and trying to
get there drinks to them ASAP. You can kind of
hangout and talk.
What's your favorite drink on the menu?
My favorite thing on our menu is an 8 oz.
Americans with a half scoop of Irish
cream in it and cream. And we are doing
the rave graves in the summer time when
it is warm!
[WE TALKED TO DUTCH BROS
EMPLOYEE HUNTER STEWART
[PICTURED ON THE LEFT] AND
ASKED HIM TO SHARE A LITTLE
ABOUT WHAT IT’S LIKE TO WORK
THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT, WHAT HE
ENJOYS, AND HE EVEN SHARED
WITH US HIS FAVORITE DRINK. ]
Although The Grave Rave is a Dutch Bros event that only takes place during the warmer months, it is
worthy to mention this unique experience that Dutch Bros has created and made it its own. Using the
colorful techniques of the rave experiences from the early 90’s, including glow sticks, bright flashing
neon lights and black light, Dutch Bros has taken its graveyard shift at many of their 24-hour locations
and turned it into a fun experience. Combined with the intense industrial and techno music of the era
the Rave Grave has become an inimitable part of the Dutch Bros culture.
Between the dazzling lights and the ardent music, the Grave Rave is sure to wake up even the most tired
workers, on their way to start their night shift. If that doesn’t prove effective, coffee will certainly
provide the extra jolt needed. Try the ER 911 drink just for graveyard workers: the 6 shots of steaming
espresso spiced with Irish cream will keep even the drowsiest employee awake!
More amazing than the ability to create this distinctive shift, Dutch Bros has also used the Grave Rave
(with the help of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter) to offer specials that connect
businesses, such as Pelican Cinemas, Fred Meyer, Gamestop, and others, to their customers. For nearly
all midnight releases of popular theater movies, video games, and much anticipated books, drinks are
significantly reduced, and sometimes even free. For the non-night owls, staying up late for the best
action film of the year doesn’t look so bad when you’re powered by delicious Dutch Bros.
For more information about Dutch Bros, visit the Dutch Bros Facebook page, or for up to date
local info on their Grave Rave, specials, and other amazing Dutch Bros events for Klamath
Falls, visit the Dutch Bros Coffee of Klamath Falls Facebook page.
What is the “Grave Rave”?
In years gone by, family night was
a weekly event that families
planned and looked forward to.
With the rise of technology, we
have shifted away from the
traditional board games and into
video games and home theater
systems. Here are a few unique
ideas to help create an family
night your kids won’t forget, and
will hopefully pass on to their
children.
Today, family nights have become a few and far between. With many 2-parent working households,
mom and dad are often too tired on the weekend, and in many split families, children have a different
parent to spend the weekend with. For others, the economy has made it difficult to go out to eat, to the
movies, and other events that cost money. Family night also doesn’t have to be on a weekend, and since
it usually involves staying home, it can be in the middle of the week. For those that like to do it on the
weekend, family night offers a way to wind down after a long week, and doesn’t have to costly or time
consuming. Family night can offer a variety of positive and bonding and team building exercises for your
family. Here are some great benefits of family night:
Quality Time. The importance of spending quality time together as a family cannot be
overstated. It is important for bonding, building relationships and improving communication.
Learning Opportunity. Children can learn many important things from family game night. Along
with good sportsmanship and the importance of following directions, they can hone their
communication skills, as well as testing and improving their agility and coordination skills.
Inexpensive Entertainment. In a day and age when even activities like going out to the movies
can be economically out of reach, a family game night is affordable. Games are generally
inexpensive, last a long time, and can even be borrowed.
Healthy Habits. Having a family game night is healthy. It is good brain exercise, can be good
physical exercise (depending on the game being played), and keeps kids from simply sitting in
front of the television for hours on end, which has been linked to many negative consequences.
Builds strong character. Children
(and adults) learn how to win
gracefully and lose graciously. They
learn to put others first when they
decide to enjoy the game rather
than just trying to win all the time.
Winners and losers (and every other
player) cooperating so everyone has
a delightful experience.
Get to know your children better.
Playing games together helps
parents see how their children learn,
react to different situations and
provides an idea of what they do and
don’t enjoy doing, as well as their mental and physical abilities.
Create communication. Two-way communication is important. If you can communicate with
your children, your relationship will be much stronger. Games provide an opportunity to teach
your children to communicate effectively as well as negotiate, a tool that will be useful as they
get older.
Trust building. The more time you spend together, the better you will know each other and be
able to talk with one another. All of these factors build trust.
The first step is planning out the family night, such as what day of the week and what time. If the family
has a weekly meal, it’s a good time to discuss and agree on what everyone wants to do. After deciding
on a date and time, let’s look at a few simple options for family night, including game night (traditional
and electronic) and movie night, including some creative theme ideas and menus for your family.
BOARD GAME NIGHT
The Game: There are a variety of games
on the market for 4 or more players
that are both fun and educationally.
The traditional games such as
monopoly, risk, and (for older kids)
scrabble are always 4 player. Jenga,
battleship, and card games are often 2
player, and a good choice for smaller
families.
The Menu: Finger foods are always a
good options for any family night. Try
kid friendly foods like carrot sticks and
ranch, chicken nuggets or fish sticks,
French fries or tator tots, and popcorn. This
way, not only does mom not have to cook and
clean, but clean up is extra easy. For a few
bucks, go to a local dollar store and get paper
plates, napkins, and a cheap polyester table
cloth (ranch always seems to get everywhere
when small children are around). Provide a
special drink, like sparkling cider or an easy
punch with and flavor sherbet and lemon lime
soda, to make it memorable.
The Benefits: Game play teaches communication, especially if you’re playing a team oriented game,
such as Risk or a trivia game. For games like monopoly, it teaches educational skills, like the math that is
needed to be the banker. It also teaches children the importance of being a “graceful loser”, a skill that
applies not only to game night but to other major factors in the “real world” as well.
VIDEO GAME NIGHT
The Game: The rise of “controller-
less” gaming, with the Xbox Kinect,
Playstation Move, and the Nintendo
Wii, offers hours of entertainment.
Games like Just Dance, Adventures,
and the Michael Jackson Experience,
to name a few, get your family up
and moving and having fun. And
they are relatively cheap to rent
from a local Red Box or sites like
Gamefly.com.
The Menu:
There are no controllers to
worry about getting sticky and
greasy, so have fun with this
one. Make pizza crust or use
bagels/English muffins and
have each family member
make their own mini pizza. Dip
pretzels in chocolate and serve
chips, veggies, and juice in
special cups. (Sheknows.com
has an amazing article on how
to decorate and cook for a
video game night.)
The Benefits: Three words: EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE. The Surgeon General recommends 2-3 hours
a day of exercise for healthy children under age 18, and more for children that are mostly sedentary.
This means kids need 2-3 TIMES the exercise they get at school. Video games increase hand-eye
coordination in both children and adults.
MOVIE NIGHT
The Movie: Movie nights are easy to throw
a theme together, but plan a bit more
planning than the game nights, but can also
be more entertaining. One theme that is
popular no matter what age/gender the
children are, is dinosaurs. Throw Ice Age,
Dinosaur, or Land Before Time into the DVD
player. For older kids, make it a Jurassic
Park night.
(Editor’s Note: A few more themes that are
fun to play with in conjunction with pop
culture (if the kids are older) are vampires,
Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, and Aliens. Have a
dress up night and prepare discussion activities
after the movie so the kids talk about their favorite
parts and ask questions. This can also be good
practice if the kids decide to do this for a birthday or
holiday party.)
The Menu: For Dinosaur night, there are a few
different options. Try a “dinosaur sandwich” with
dinosaur chicken nuggets and a cheese stick layers
on a hot dog put, and drizzled with ketchup or bbq
sauce, and serve with fries or chips. Or have a “no
silverware night” complete with “dinosaur steaks”
(steak or hamburgers can be used here) and encourage the kids – just this ONE time - to use their
hands!
The Benefits:
This one really has a fun factor to it, especially if you go for the steak dinner, and kids can pick a movie
they enjoy watching. It can also be educational. If there’s older children, allot time for an after movie
discussion, and talk to the kids about plot, characters, and climaxes. Encourage good communication
skills by letting them discuss their favorite parts and why they liked them.
A unique and cozy
café in the heart of
downtown Klamath
Falls specializing in
espresso, gourmet
deli sandwiches,
sustainable grocery
items and gifts.
907 MAIN STREET
541.850.9414
Women’s and men’s Boutique Petri’s Interiors Large and small ballroom and dining rooms Social Supper Clubs on Friday nights
With the swirling and
constantly moving black lights
that highlight many different
planetary and space shapes,
cosmic bowling is perfect for
all ages. It can be a fun Friday
night event for adults, or a
Saturday afternoon delight for
families with children.
CCCooosssmmmiiiccc BBBooowwwllliiinnnggg
FFFooorrr ttthhheee FFFaaammmiiilllyyy
Spring is getting close; the trees are starting to thaw
and some flowers and plants are poking their heads
through the frost. But Spring is still a long way away,
and it’s still too cold for outdoor activities, especially
for kids. But what is there to do in Klamath Falls
without freezing those buns off?
Klamath is lucky enough to feature not
one, but two bowling alleys. Epicenter,
located off Washburn Way, has a
unique blend of indoor entertainment,
including a full service bar, a snack bar,
and an up to date modern arcade, and
bowling.
But their bowling isn’t just something
for leagues and kids. They offer a
variety of bowling options, from the
neon lights of cosmic bowling for the
family, to contests and themes nights
for adults.
If you’re looking for a great opportunity to get out
with the family on those cold snowy nights, try a
few hours of cosmic bowling. You won’t regret
the look of awe and wonder on your kids’ faces
when they see the swirling neon black lights, that
light up not only images on the walls, floors, and
ceiling, but also put a magic glow to their clothes
as well.
Treat the family to pizza and wings at the famous
Snack bar, or let them go in the Faultline Arcade.
No matter what kind of indoor entertainment
you’re looking for, Epicenter has something for
the entire family.
For more prices and times of specific bowling
events, please visit the Epicenter website or
“like” them on Facebook for special contests and
announcements.
In years gone by, it was popular
for girls to have sleepovers, for
birthdays, special occasions, and
just because. In recent years with
the rise of video games, this
tradition has become popular
with boys, too. Here are some
helpful tips to having your child’s
sleepover a success.
Your text here
Surviving The Sleepover
Parents have come to dread the sleepover. The endless night of giggling girls, who change clothes and
put on makeup until the wee hours of the morning. The quiet boys that always end up making the living
room smell like their feet and never pick up after themselves. The sleepover party can be a bad
experience for some parents. Yet, most pre-teen children from the age of 8 and up look forward to
sleepovers every year. How can mom and dad survive the sleepover without pulling out their hair?
Not to worry, here are some tips for both boys and girls that can make the sleepover seamless, and
enjoyable for both child and parent:
DO’s:
Meet all the parents prior to the party.
Most children in this world have cell
phones for emergency contacts. But it’s
important as a parent to contact the other
parents and make sure to have
a list for your reference in case
of emergencies.
Send out invites stating what
will be the activities and menu
of the party. Activities help
parents help their children to
prepare for the sleep over, and
including the menu allows the
parents to contact you should
their child have any allergies.
You may or may not wish to
state if you have any animals, in case
their child has a pet allergy, or a fear or
bigger animals for those with dogs.
Arrange one room as the sleep room. If
possible, make sure there’s plenty of
sleeping bags, blankets, sheets, and if
you’re really lucky, a pull out couch.
Arrange another as the changing room.
This is pretty much only if you will be
entertaining girls – Dress up is always
huge event for girl sleep overs. A hallway or secondary bathroom is a good room to designate
for the night.
Assign each child a certain area or corner in the changing room for her personal belongings.
Don’t forget to do a final walk-through prior to the end of the party, ensuring that all belongings
are where and with whom they are supposed to be.
Engage the children in as many of the activities as possible. Serve a dinner and dessert they can
help create. Such as, Purchase or make mini pizza crusts,
and provide the kids with toppings so they can make
their own dinner. Provide the children with fat free
yogurt and a variety of fruits, and they can make their
own smoothies and/or shakes.
Let the birthday girl or host have a camera. Again, this is
usually girl specific but depends on the child. Disposables
work the best for this, but keep in mind that many
children can also take pictures on their cellphones. Have
a conversation with your child before the party
about what appropriate pictures are, if needed
(this will ensure the party doesn’t get out of hand,
especially with everything posted on social media
now).
Maintain control and have no favorites during
the party. Your rules are to be followed by all,
period. If there’s 5 people at the party and
someone wants to play a 2 player game, either
set up another game for the remainder OR
monitor them to make sure every is taking turns.
Remember, girls have fragile hearts when they
are ignored, and boys start fights over a turn
that’s skipped.
Extra Batteries. If the group will be playing video games, make sure there are enough batteries
for the controllers. A lapse in video game time (especially for boys) can be devastating.
[TYPE THE SIDEBAR CONTENT. A SIDEBAR IS A STANDALONE SUPPLEMENT TO
THE MAIN DOCUMENT. IT IS OFTEN ALIGNED ON THE LEFT OR RIGHT OF THE
PAGE, OR LOCATED AT THE TOP OR BOTTOM. USE THE DRAWING TOOLS TAB
Even if the Do’s checklist is complete, every sleepover can still
have a few issues. Kids will be kids, after all. Here’s a few Don’ts
that might help avoid any confusion or misunderstandings:
DON’Ts:
Do not let party times run over. Adhere to the start
and end times – communicate this specifically to other
parents. There’s nothing worse than a child feeling left
out because they missed an event, or a parent feeling
exhausted because a child is picked up late.
Do not let the children eat only junk food. They enjoy
making healthy snacks, just be creative. Instead of providing chips,
cookies, and cool-aid, try pretzel sticks, granola bars, and some juice
boxes.
Do not serve soda after dark- only water or juice. Cocoa if the
weather calls for it.
Do not let the children gang up on one particular child or omit one
particular child due to an argument. Be on hand to mend hurt
feelings, but far enough away to let them first try to mend hurts and
misunderstandings themselves.
Do not say there is no bedtime. Set a time for lights out, expect
giggling and whispering, but they will eventually pass out.
Do not prevent them from aiding with the cleanup. They can pick up
and put away. This shouldn’t be the parents’ responsibility. Teaching
the children to clean up not only teaches responsibility but also eases
the parent’s extra duties.
Do not spend a fortune or stress yourself out planning the perfect
party. It is a party and it is meant to be fun. Children can always have
fun when playing together, even if it means $5 Little Cesear’s pizzas
and video games. Do
not fret the small stuff
or the big stuff
[JUNK FOOD IS
PROBABLY THE #1
REASON SLEEPOVERS GO
WRONG] GIVING THE CHILDREN
HEALTHY SNACKS, SUCH AS
PRETZELS, CHEESE, GRANOLA, AND
JUICE BOXES WILL REDUCE
HYPERACTIVITY, HELP THEM FALL
ASLEEP QUICKER, AND PARENTS
WILL LOVE YOU FOR IT!
Sleepovers can be a great experience for kids and adults. It
can even become and event just before Christmas break and
for other holidays. Just keep in mind that it’s only one night,
and you will survive the sleepover.
Klamath Falls is, unfortunately, a
city of storms. During the summer
thunderstorms can appear
without warning, and residents
must always be prepared for
blizzard conditions in the winter.
Both can leave many without
power and heat. It’s important to
be prepared in the event that the
lights go out.
Baby, When The
Lights Go Out…
It’s inevitable. At some point, the power will go
out. The last few years, Klamath has suffered
storm after storm, from vicious fire-starting
lightning storms to blizzard like conditions. This
winter alone, Klamath Falls has received three
warning from the Emergency Broadcast
System, urging residents to prepare for
blizzards and power outages. Power outages
are especially common in the winter, when ice
and snow causes downed power lines, and
extreme cold can cause mechanical
malfunctions, leaving thousands without power
for several hours. This is especially a concern
with the colder temperatures, as families are left without heat.
But the truth of the matter is that power outages can occur any time of the year. Is your family
prepared? What will you do when the lights go out, and could be out for some time? Look at these
important tips to get you through a power outage:
Know where your circuit breakers are located, and how to check to see if a breaker switch is
tripped or a fuse blown. Keep spare fuses on hand, of various amp sizes if you don't have
breakers.
Have a number of flash lights with fresh batteries in your home, and know where they are
located. A plug-in flashlight that remains charged until you need it - use, for example, in a dark
hallway socket. Or consider one of the "shake it" flashlights that don’t need batteries.
Have spare batteries to replace ones that run out. (Make sure you dispose of the old batteries
properly - don't just toss them in the trash.)
Have a battery-powered (or one with a built-in, hand-crank generator) radio or television set
to listen to news and weather announcements. If you don't have those, a quick trip to your car
will give you a radio to listen to.
Have candles and or oil lamps
(don't forget matches) for light.
Make sure you keep them away
from flammable materials such
as drapes. Have additional
candles, lamp oil and wicks
available. (Don’t forget that
your Scentsy burner runs on
electricity, and doesn’t really
count as a candle.)
Post the emergency number for
your electric utility on the fridge or
other accessible place so it's handy in
case you need to call.
Have an ice chest available to
store needed medications that must
remain cold. Have "blue Ice" freezer
packs ready for the ice chest to keep
your medication cold or to prevent
foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt from
spoiling.
Have a regular, hard-wired
telephone, not just a cordless model. A cordless phone needs electricity in its base to operate
the transmitter. Unless the telephone lines are down, you should have telephones. Cell phones
may or may not work depending on whether there is power to the cell towers system.
If you use electricity for your water, such as a well with an electric pump, have enough water
available to last a couple of days. You should have at least a gallon of drinking water a day for
each person in your house for drinking and cooking.
If you want to have a backup generator, make sure it is installed by a licensed electrician.
Check with your local building department to see if a permit is needed. Make sure the system
has an automatic breaker that disconnects the house from the power company's regular
electricity lines when it is running. This prevents electricity from leaking back into the grid and
making it dangerous for utility workers.
Have a household first aid kit and a backpack
kit in case something happens and you need to
leave your house. Try the American Red Cross
disaster preparedness backpack kit, which not
only comes with first aid supplies, but also
food, flashlights, and water bag.
Have a household disaster plan that you and
your family can follow if something occurs.
This includes meeting places and phone
numbers, as well as accessible coats, blankets,
and winter gear (if necessary), in the event you
need to leave your home and may get separated.
Planned activities. If you have kids, make sure you have a stack of board games or other games
that don’t require electricity to operate, so that you can reduce the amount of boredom and
whining.
Follow these safety tips, and ensure that you and your family will be safe, warm, and entertained if
the lights go out. And when the power is restored, don’t be surprised if some bonding occurred.
Check out our new
dessert items starting
Feb 20th.
DAILY SPECIALS *
SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS LIKE us on
Hi friends,
I'm Tracy Fields, general manager at Starv'n Marv'ns Family Restaurant. Yes its' true, we will begin serving some of the best desserts in town. We will have famous homemade pies and "drum roll please" . . . . . . the richest, died and gone to heaven cheesecake ever! Coming to your favorite restaurant on Wednesday Feb 20th. mark your calendar!
Erin Cox, author of One Hot
Mama: Getting Your Mind and
Body Back After Baby, talks to us
about preserving your
relationship after the stressful
time of adding a new family
member. She shares how
important it is to take time to
reconnect in your relationship,
communicate effectively, and
ways to make your significant
other feel special.
Mandi and Ron Fruitt of Klamath
Falls, Oregon, welcome Jasper,
baby #6 into the world on October
17th, 2012. Photo Courtesy of
Aurora Simpson Photography.
By Erin Cox, Adapted from her new book One Hot Mama, The Guide to Getting Your Mind and Body Back After Baby, available for purchase here. Please visit Erin’s Facebook page for website for upcoming appearances and announcements!
While babies can help partners bond, they can
also be tremendously hard on romantic relationships. A marriage can collapse due to the strain of raising children and the lack of energy put into the relationship. The primary reasons for the dramatic increase in marital discomfort are the substantial drop in time spent connecting with each other, as well as a dramatic decrease in personal time for rest and rejuvenation. How can you have anything left for your spouse when you haven’t taken the time to care for yourself? Children’s needs are imperative and often must be met immediately, while tending to your partner’s needs often feels optional—saved for the rare occasion when time and energy allow. This depressing and gloomy trend can be turned around, if you take the time to care for yourself so you have something left for your spouse.
There are few things that have the ability to rock a marriage like starting a family. While having a baby is one of the most special and intimate things you can ever do with another human being, it also has the great potential to drive a substantial wedge between the two of you. You might be so busy and tired that you haven’t had the energy to notice—which is half the trouble.
From the father’s perspective, you have been taken over by this child. Someone other than him has hijacked your body, your mind, your energy, and most of your time. It is very easy for Mom to become singularly focused on the baby while Dad is left on the sidelines wondering if he will ever get you back. I didn’t realize this the first time I went through it, and not until a while after the second baby was born did I understand how my behavior was alienating my husband. He was lonely and felt very out of touch with me, but I was too wrapped up to notice. I also held a bit of resentment because I felt as though I had to do all the work for the baby and for keeping up our home. By the third baby, things went beautifully because I was aware of how my husband felt, and we were able to communicate and do things to make our relationship a priority as much as possible.
Here are some of the key challenges that
can arise for couples with new babies:
Mom’s body has undergone some substantial changes, making her feel self-conscious and unsexy.
Mom is often the primary baby feeder, so she is up at all hours of the night getting more and more exhausted and worn down, to the point where sex feels like one of the last things in the world she wants to do.
Photo Courtesy of Aurora Simpson Photography
Dad understands that his woman is exhausted, but he feels helpless and as though he doesn’t have a lot to offer early on.
Men are problem solvers, and when they can’t solve a problem (like a baby who won’t stop screaming), they feel very frustrated.
Dad is intimidated and a little leery of Mom’s body and all it has gone through.
DDad just wants to have an intelligent conversation with his wife that doesn’t involve the baby’s bowels or latest skills.
Dad wants someone to listen to him and pay attention to his needs but feels guilty for wanting more from his wife because he can see that she’s spent.
There are many more, but you get the picture. You and your partner are likely experiencing this baby thing in two very different ways. The best way to find out what’s going on with your partner is to sit down and talk. You need to set aside time to just be together and catch up, which leads me to one of my first suggestions.
TAKE TIME TO RECONNECT When was the last time you and your partner sat down at the end
of the day and sipped leisurely on a glass of wine while bringing each other up to date on your lives? Better yet, when was the last time you had an engaging discussion about politics or your dreams together? If you are like the majority of couples with young children, you might say it’s been a while.
Successful couples generally do the following: communicate openly, resolve to work through problems and conflict, make each other their number one priority, and schedule time together alone. You heard me. You need to put your spouse before the baby. This doesn’t mean that you ignore your hungry or screaming child. It means that your marriage is the central relationship in your family. Happy marriages equal happy children.
An article in Scientific American Mind discussing the most important “parenting competencies” listed “love and affection” and “relationship skills” as two of the most important things that influence a child’s health, happiness, and success in school.2 This
article was referring to a healthy and loving relationship between the parents, which models effective relationship skills for children. In addition, it makes children feel secure.
You need to make time to nurture your romantic relationship. Give it the attention it needs wherever and whenever you can. Now that you have a baby, you might not be able to just fit it in; you will probably also have to schedule it in. Find someone you trust to watch the baby, even if it’s just for an hour or two at first, so you and your husband can get out and reconnect over dinner or a hike.
We will discuss ways to reignite your sexual relationship later. Before you can even get there, you need to be sure you are connected emotionally and mentally first. Women, in particular, need this connection before they are ready to really enjoy the physical stuff. How can you reconnect with your partner?
The simple act of staying connected and keeping the lines of communication wide open will do amazing things for your relationship. Be in touch enough to realize when something feels off, such as your partner is acting a little distant. Ask him if everything’s okay in a way that is friendly. If something is
[”SO REMEMBER TO PAY ATTENTION
TO YOUR PARTNER’S SUBTLE CUES
THAT YOU ARE OR AREN’T GIVING HIM
WHAT HE NEEDS. BE HIS FRIEND, AND
BE ON HIS SIDE. IT’S A LONG HAUL
THROUGH LIFE TOGETHER, AND IT
WILL BE SO MUCH MORE FUN IF YOU
ARE ON THE SAME TEAM.” ]
really bothering you, bring it up. Don’t raise too many issues at once, but if something bugs you for more than a week, it needs to be discussed. Otherwise, you might start taking it out on him, even if it’s completely subconscious. Another thing that will keep you connected with your husband is showing an interest in what he’s doing. Be involved and ask questions. For example, my husband loves when I can engage in a discussion about the type of flight he did at work that day. He feels like we are a real team when I attend his work functions and know about what is going on at work. Be interested in his friends and treat them well.
Men like to feel that their wives are “on their team.” We women also like to feel that our men have our backs. As a Pollyanna type of person, I try to see the best in people. So in the past, when my husband would come home from work and vent or complain about someone, my typical response would be something like, “I am sure he’s actually a great guy and didn’t mean it like that” or “He must have just been having a bad day.” In my mind, I was helping my husband see humanity in a brighter light. To him, I was telling him that his feelings were invalid and I was downplaying how he felt. Instead of being his best friend, I was “siding with the enemy” from his viewpoint. He would often say, “Hey, be on my team.” Steve is definitely my best friend in many respects, but sometimes I take him for granted and don’t spend time giving him what he needs from a friendship standpoint. What he needs is someone who is going to be on his side and whom he can count on to listen and be empathetic when he has crappy days. Isn’t that really what we all want?
COMMUNICATE This goes hand in hand with reconnecting, but it’s so important that I am going to give it a little
more coverage. Communicate every day, about every little thing, both good and bad. Tell him about your day, and be interested in hearing about his. Let him know about the little things that are bothering you so he doesn’t have to play a guessing game. Men like things to be straightforward. They don’t like trying to figure things out based on our moods. As clear as things may seem to you, I can almost guarantee you that it isn’t that clear to him.
Your relationship with your husband can start to feel very distant and lonely when you aren’t talking to each other. I know this from experience. There are many weeks in my marriage when my husband and I feel so busy that we don’t connect and hardly talk. At times I have been a little cranky for reasons that make perfect sense to me: I am completely exhausted from taking care of our entire house; caring for the kids and all of our appointments, gifts, grocery shopping, meals, etc.; and working and writing a book on top of it. Yet he doesn’t ask what’s wrong; he just assumes he has pissed me off and gives me some space. Can’t he see why I am cranky? Surprisingly, he can’t. He just thinks I am being bitchy, takes it personally, and avoids deep discussions because he’s wondering what he did wrong. Does this sound familiar?
COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY
When we reconnect regularly, we communicate more often. This is a great start. Another key to communication is speaking in a way that your partner will hear. Effective communication is key for all areas of life but in particular between spouses. My friends and I have discussed the following pattern: We try to let little things go and don’t bring them up until they build up more and more until we nearly explode. At that point, we communicate with anger and frustration. We instantly put our partners on the defense. I know that when I’ve gotten to that point, my husband doesn’t really listen
to what I am saying; he just puts up his defenses. Using certain words and phrases can be immediately inflammatory. Here are some ways of starting sentences that do not usually elicit the responses we are hoping for:
“You always . . .”
“What’s wrong with you?” and other insulting phrases
“Why can’t you . . . ?”
When your partner responds to whatever it is you have to say, take a deep breath and become completely present before you fire back any kind of reply. Emotional responses will not always convey what we really feel and intend. What you want to do is disarm your partner so you can have a rational, adult conversation that accomplishes something and moves your relationship forward. Do not have an emotional or heated discussion when you are already exhausted or not in a good place, because you may not have enough control over your reactions.
Be Direct. I can’t stress this enough. When your man asks you a question, give him a straight answer to the question he asked. When polling men about how women can communicate better with them, nearly all of them said they wanted women to be clear and concise.
Here is a hilarious example that was given by a friend’s husband: “Answer the question that I asked, not what you think I wanted to hear or an explanation of events. For example: Question: Would you like me to pick us up some dinner? Bad answer #1: Oh, I don’t know, what do you want to do? Bad Answer #2: Well, I don’t want you to have to go out of your way . I know you’ve had a busy day, so maybe I can just make something or . . . maybe you could just stop somewhere easy. Good Answer: Yes, I’d love to have Chinese from XY Restaurant.”
Women have a way of wanting to explain things. Instead of giving a clear answer, we often give all kinds of ancillary data, like our girlfriends would enjoy hearing. Our men truly just want us to be straightforward. I have to be very conscious to be successful with this one, but it’s important if we want to be effective and get the results we want in life.
Make Your Partner Feel Special One of the other best things you can do to baby-proof
your marriage is to go out of your way to make your husband feel special. I know, he is the one who should be making you feel special since you’re the one who delivered the baby and does most of the work, but I promise that (usually) the more you give, the more you get.
As I have mentioned, men can feel a little threatened by the baby, mostly because the baby takes you and the majority of your attention away from him. You need to make him feel extra special so he still knows how very important he is to you. Most men have much more fragile egos than they let on, so we need to stroke them from time to time. How can we do this? We have provided a list of way to make him feel special, even when you are busy with baby. By learning to communicate effectively and making your husband feel like the center of your universe, you are on your way to building a successful marriage.
– Erin Cox
MAKING YOUR PARTNER FEEL SPECIAL: CELEBRATE HIS SUCCESSES IN A BIG WAY. DID HE
JUST GET A PROMOTION? THEN HIRE A
BABYSITTER, MAKE A RESERVATION AT THE NICEST
RESTAURANT IN TOWN, AND PUT ON A SEXY SHIRT.
EVEN IF HE JUST PASSED A TEST OR ACHIEVED SOME
OTHER MILESTONE, MAKE HIS FAVORITE DINNER OR
GET HIM A SPECIAL TREAT.
WRITE EACH OTHER NOTES. MY HUSBAND OFTEN
HAS TO GET UP REALLY EARLY TO GO TO WORK, SO
WE HAVE A PAD OF PAPER ON THE COUNTER
WHERE WE WRITE EACH OTHER LITTLE LOVE NOTES.
SOME ARE EVEN AS SIMPLE AS, “HAVE A GREAT
DAY!”
FLIRT WITH HIM. OTHER WOMEN PROBABLY DO,
SO YOU SHOULD DO IT THE MOST AND BE THE VERY
BEST AT IT.
BRING HIM COFFEE OR SOME TYPE OF TREAT AT
WORK (OCCASIONALLY). I WILL NEVER FORGET
BRINGING OUR COUPLE-WEEK-OLD BABY TO MY
HUSBAND’S SQUADRON AND WATCHING HIM
PARADE AROUND THE BUILDING SHOWING OFF HIS
DAUGHTER TO HIS BUDDIES WITH A LOOK OF PURE
PRIDE. IT WAS PRECIOUS! I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT
HIM A SURPRISE LUNCH BEFORE, AND I KNOW IT
MAKES HIS DAY.
COMPLIMENT HIM SHAMELESSLY. TELL HIM HE
LOOKS GREAT WHEN HE LEAVES FOR WORK.
NOTICE WHEN HE GETS HIS HAIRCUT, AND BE SURE
TO LET HIM KNOW IT LOOKS GOOD. WHEN HE FIXES
SOMETHING IN THE HOUSE OR DOES SOMETHING
FOR YOU, THANK AND PRAISE HIM UP AND DOWN.
APPLAUD HIS FATHERING SKILLS. MOST MEN DO
NOT COME TO PARENTHOOD AS EASILY AS WOMEN
DO. THEY NEED TO KNOW THEY ARE DOING AN
OKAY JOB, AND ANY POSITIVE FEEDBACK WILL HELP.
HE WILL ALSO WANT TO HELP MORE IF HE IS BEING
PRAISED FOR WHAT HE IS ALREADY DOING.
Nightmares and Night terrors can
be terrifying at any age, from
babies up to adulthood. Our
brains are wired in different ways
to compartmentalize our
different fears and anxieties. Join
professional Alex Basche,
counselor with at-risk youth, as
he explains the causes and
differences between nightmares
and night terrors, and some
treatment options available.
Five-year-old Johnny was asleep
in his bed one night. His parents
were just settling down in their
own bed when they heard a
blood-curdling scream coming
from their son's room. They
bolted down the hall, sure that
there was an intruder in
Johnny's room. When they
reached his room, however,
they found their son sitting
upright in his bed, clawing at the
air and screaming. His parents
frantically tried shaking him
awake, only to find their son
fighting them off. After fifteen
mortifying seconds of this,
Johnny began yelling at his
parents. “Why are you shaking me?! What's going on?”
For many people, this scenario seems like it is more suited for a B-level Exorcist rip-off rather than real
life. Yet similar situations happen to 1-6% of children throughout the world, primarily between the ages
of five to seven years of age. These children aren't possessed by some demonic spirit, rather they are
experiencing a sleep disorder known as Sleep Terror Disorder or “night terrors”. Although no real cause
has been pinpointed, many sleep experts believe night terrors can be caused by stress, psychological
trauma, and even a fever. Though night terrors are typically found in children, adults may have them
due to the aforementioned reasons or from excessive alcohol consumption. For the most part, things
that cause night terrors all affect the brain's sleep cycle in the same way.
As humans, our brains are wired on a very
basic level to respond to threats, a
response known as “flight or fight”. When
a threat is detected, our bodies release
hormones that are designed to increase
our abilities to deal with a threat, such as
increasing blood flow to our muscles and
upping our heart rate. When someone has
a night terror, their brain believes it must
engage the flight or fight response. Yet the
individual will still be asleep when the
terror occurs, which is why Johnny did not
immediately
recognize his parents when they started shaking him (though they were able to wake him up, it is
typically quite difficult to awaken a child during a night terror). Because the individual is still asleep, they
will have no recollection of the night's events or the terror itself.
I'm willing to bet you've had a nightmare
before. Maybe it was related to someone in
your life, a particular fear (spiders, heights,
death), or something else entirely. Though
there are a variety of theories that seek to
explain nightmares, the prevailing theory is
that nightmares are our brains way of training
us for future conflicts. Whether it's facing your
fear of snakes or a schoolyard bully, your brain
wants you to be prepared to handle any
situation. Though we may not always
remember details or in some case the
nightmare itself, we typically remember
certain vivid details or the general situation
that occurred in the nightmare. Nightmares,
like dreams, occur in the deepest stage of our
sleep cycle known as REM (Rapid Eye
Movement). REM sleep is the most important
part of the sleep cycle as it is when our brains
“file” and “organize” all the things we have
learned during the day.
So what's the difference between a night terror and a nightmare? For one, night terrors do not occur in
REM sleep; our muscles (for the most part) are switched off during REM sleep to prevent the very
thrashing about seen in Johnny's situation. Night terrors are also, for the most part, localized around a
specific age-group (young children) while nightmares are a pretty common occurrence in almost every
population (men, women, the elderly, etc).
If you're still not sure if your child is having night terrors or simply nightmares, think about the following
key factors relating to night terrors. If your child is having night terrors, they will be thrashing about,
screaming, crying, and may have their eyes open during this episode. They will also have no recollection
of what it was they were afraid of the following morning. Do keep in mind, however, to always go with
your gut when it comes to taking your child to
the doctor. Night terrors can sometimes
result in accidents which is why it is always
good to “toddler proof” the area around the
child's bedroom. Sometimes night terrors are
evidence of some other health issue. Your
doctor may prescribe a sleep aid or want to
monitor your child while they sleep.
-- Alex B.
Everyone knows Valentine’s Day
is the holiday of love, and
includes giving gifts of chocolate
or flowers. But where did
chocolate come from? When did
exchanging it for sentimental
reasons? What does it have to do
with Valentine’s day? Local
Choclatier Garrett Stewart looks
at the history of chocolate and
Valentine’s Day, and how to shop
local for this holiday season.
THE BIRTH OF CHOCOLATE
Many rumored beginnings surround the holiday of Valentine's Day. While it is still not known for sure, there is a rumor dating back to the 3rd century Rome, during the time of St. Valentine, who reportedly helped early Christians escape cruel Roman prisons under the control of Emperor Nero. Valentine’s Day origins have always been shrouded in mystery and certainly have elements of bother Christian and Roman traditions. Today, we celebrate Valentine’s Day as a time honored time of the year, set aside for love birds. It’s a time to exchange flowers, chocolate, card, and even share a candlelit dinner. It’s clear that chocolate has become one of the most iconic presents for Valentine’s Day. But why chocolates? Where did the romantic aspect of chocolate show up?
The origin of the cacao tree is believed to be originated from either the Amazon basin of Brazil or Central America. When Hernando Cortes found the Aztec Indians using cocoa beans to prepare their royal drink that was called 'chocolal', he brought some of the beans back to Spain. They added some sugar and the chocolate drink became very popular. The country began to plant cacao trees and it developed into a successful business. The country was able to keep this chocolate industry a secret from Europe for almost 100 years. Once the secret was up, the chocolate was a sensation all around Europe. Chocolate drinking houses were opened but mainly were served to the rich due to the high cost to make the chocolate. Chocolate was a very exquisite for the rich. It would be considered a privilege to indulge it. Giving chocolate as a gift was quite the recognition. This is believed why chocolate started to become popular for gifting.
Chocolates weren't thrown into the mix of the holiday until the 1860s when Cadbury made the first chocolate candies and marketed them in heart-shaped boxes for Valentine's Day. Ever since then, the tradition stuck. For many, it is an essential along with flowers, jewelry and a card.
CADBURY: COMMERCIAL CHOCOLATE DREAM
In the 1800s, the Cadbury Brothers set up shop in England and began selling packaged candy to a more mainstream audience. In 1861, Richard Cadbury created a heart-shaped box for marketing for Valentine's Day. This move created much success for the business and spurred the commercialization of candy chocolates. Because of this move, we still to this day know Valentine's Day for its sweets.
Chocolate has been around for hundreds of years, and it is pretty safe to say that it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. It has made such advancements in uses and flavor. It has also became affordable for almost anyone. So when you go to get your Valentine a gift, don't forget the chocolate.
A HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY
On February 14, 270 A.D., Roman Emperor Claudius II beheaded a priest named Valentine for performing marriage ceremonies despite the Emperors’ decrees outlawing them. “Claudius the Cruel” outlawed marriages when Roman men began refusing to go to war in order to stay with their wives. Another Roman martyr named Valentine was jailed and passed the time by writing love letters to his captor’s daughter, signed “Your Valentine”. During the Middle Ages, Europeans believed that birds chose their mates each year on February 14. Legend has it that Europeans began to emulate the ornithological practice. It is believed that in the 17th century, lovers began exchanging mementos on Saint Valentine’s Day, perhaps heeding the words of Shakespeare’s Hamlet: “Sweets to the Sweet”.
VALENTINE’S DAY
CHOCOLATE FACTS
[More than 36 million heart-
shaped boxes of chocolate will
be sold for Valentine's Day. A
survey conducted by the
Chocolate Manufacturers
Association revealed that 50
percent of women will likely give
a gift of chocolate to a guy for
Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day is the fourth
biggest holiday of the year for
confectionery purchases (after
Halloween, Easter and
Christmas).
American men say they'd rather
receive chocolate than flowers
on Valentine's Day, especially
those over the age of 50. Sixty-
eight percent of men age 50 or
older say they'd prefer receiving
chocolate over flowers from their
sweetheart on Valentine's Day,
while just 22% said they'd rather
have the flowers.]
A NATURAL APHRODISIAC?
As an elixir for love, chocolate has been believed throughout history to bring smiles to the broken-hearted and to prompt amorous feelings in both men and women:
It is believed that Madame Du Barry served it to all her suitors
Casanova consumed chocolate instead of champagne to induce romance
Montezuma, the king of the ancient Aztecs, believed chocolate would make him virile.
In the 1800’s physicians commonly advised their lovelorn patients to eat chocolate to calm their pining.
KEEPING IT LOCAL
When was the last time you saw someone try to return chocolate? It is always a safe bet for Valentine's Day, and every other holiday, that everyone can enjoy. Now that the holiday is upon us, you can still get chocolate year round, and one doesn't have to look far in Klamath Falls for a great selection. There are a lot of local businesses doing great deals for Valentine's Day.
Crave Bakery has a chocolate packages that can't lose with your date. Featuring chocolate covered strawberry cupcakes, themed cheeseckaes, and even heart shaped cookies, CRAVE has something no matter what your sweet tooth is craving.
You know you can find some good chocolate when the name of the business is It's a Chocolate Thing. They have reduced their prices for Valentine's Day to help you not break the bank. Their chocolate covered strawberries look almost too good to eat!
If you like a rich flavor of chocolate, chocolate covered strawberry cheesecake can be ordered from Michele's Simply Sweet. She also specializes in cake pops for any occasion in many different flavors and design, and cheesecakes for your spring and summer time parties.
New Horizon Christian School
offers a unique experience at
their 1st annual spring bazaar,
featuring family fun events, such
as the golden egg hunt and the
hat parade. The bazaar will also
feature local vendors from
around the basin that have wares
specifically inspired by social
media sites Etsy.com and
Pinterest.
New Horizon Christian School is piecing together a bazaar this
year like no other, featuring unique family events such as the
“golden egg hunt” and the “hat parade” just to name a few.
The even will be held in the new gym of New Horizon Church,
located at 1909 Homedale Rd, on March 15th and 16th. The
bazaar is to raise money for the student’s physical education
program and will feature 35 vendors.
In a time of the year when Klamath has many bazaar options,
what makes the one at New Horizon so different?
First, is how they came up with this event. “We opened our
new gym recently, and we decided the kids needed PE
equipment and assembly mats and we wanted to do
something different,” said volunteer Danielle Voight Tucker.
“So we went to Medford and looked around, and found quite a
few shops that inspired us to do a boutique, and a few women
in our church got together and brainstormed.” Their goal is to
make the bazaar more family, and more of a community event,
with a priority on brings the family together for a good cause.
COMMITMENT TO PHYSICAL HEALTH In a world where childhood obesity is a huge concern among
parents, New Horizon has a large commitment to the physical
health of their students. According to Danielle Voight Tucker, a volunteer at the school, their main focus
is “healthy kids learn!” The main goal of the bazaar is to raise money for mats, jump ropes, and other
physical activity gear. When they first started their school last September, the staff was shocked that
none of the kids knew any jump rope or hopscotch games. Even the paid staff has experience in physical
education. The principal of New Horizon is an ex football coach from Anahiem High School. “At first the
kids hated it [the extra physical activity]
but now they love it! He loves working
with the kids to get them involved,”
said. “We even extended their lunch
time to 45 mins, so the kids have time
to eat AND play instead of hurrying
through their food to get out to
recess.” The school has since chosen to
focus on “old fashioned” outdoor
games and songs, relating to a time
before iPads and iPhones, in order to
increase the amount of exercise the
kids receive on a daily basis.
[MORE ABOUT
NEW HORIZON
SCHOOL:] This Private Christian school
extension of a ministry of New
Horizon Christian Church, and
currently offered full day classes
for k-6th grade. The school is
currently in its first year, and
opened September 2012, with 12
students enrolled at various
grades. At this time, they rely on
volunteers, with a just a handful of
paid positions. The school is built
on the foundation of teaching
ethics and responsibility on a one-
to-one basis based on Christian
Values.
UNIQUE VARIETY OF VENDORS
Another thing that sets this bazaar apart from the rest is the
selection of vendor that will be at the vent. “We are wanting to
do something different than the average bazaar, featuring live
music, a golden egg hunt and an Easter Bonnet parade,”
Danielle continued. “We also are trying to get a different
variety of vendors who make crafts similar to what you see on
Pinterest and Etsy.” Danielle went on to explain they had seen a
high interest in social sites like Pinterest and Etsy among
mothers in particular, and have decided to only invite vendor
with livelihoods related to those websites. “We wanted to draw
in younger generation – moms with kids that spend time on
Pinterest a nd crafting at home. We also want to offer
children’s activities too so the whole family could be involved,”
Danielle said. They also have a theme in mind, and would like to
stick with the new country chique style, with handmade crafts
and furniture. But this isn’t just a craft bazaar – they also have
invited 15 direct sale s vendors as well.
EVENTS Unlike a few other bazaars in
Klamath, New Horizon has also
chosen to go with a few unique
events. Their “golden egg hunt”
is open to all children, and will
be a different kind of Easter egg
hunt. Children are welcome to
decorate their own hat, and a
parade will take place during the
event. They will also have live
music, such as the barber’s shop
quartet from Henley High
School, and a group of
professional local fiddlers, to
provide a special ambience to
this bazaar.
All in all, bring your family to the
Burlap & Lace Spring Boutique on March 15th and 16th for some great family events, local shopping and
support HEALTHY KIDS LEARN BETTER. -- Staff
THE NEW HORIZON BAZAAR OFFERS A HANDS-ON OPPORTUNITY FOR
CHILDREN TO CREATE AND SHOW OFF EASTER THEMED HATS!
A LIST OF VENDORS:
[It’s a Chocolate Thing
Jamberry Nails
CRAVE Bakery
Hixton Creations
Tinker Bell’s Tutus
The Writings on the Wall (featured in
our 4th Edition!)
Daisy Lane Photography
PinKyJubb Accessories
AND MANY MORE!]
The Sanctuary Biker Church offers
monthly hot, homemade meals to
the “unseen” of Klamath Falls, the
people without a home to call
their own, that many of us pass
by on the street. Pastor Bill, a
Vietnam Veteran` and avid
motorcycle enthusiast, has a
heart for helping those in need.
The Sanctuary Biker Church isn’t your grandma’s church service. This non-
denominational church, located at 920 Oak St in downtown Klamath Falls,
is full of God-loving bikers who gather to discuss the impact of religion on
their life. In the past they have been labeled as a cult or just another
gang, but they seek to break the stigma of biker churches, a rapidly
growing gathering that is gaining popularity all over the county. With
around 70 members, the Sanctuary Bike church has a clear message: to set an example to the part of the
population that wouldn’t be able to attend a traditional church service. Pastor Bill, a Vietnam veteran
and long time motorcycle enthusiast said about his sanctuary: “We cater to the homeless, the drug
addicts, homosexual, and prostitutes.” Even their services are non-traditional, and usually held on Friday
nights around 7pm. “We try to keep the guys out of the bars, and we all like to ride bikes on the
weekends – so we can minister off our bikes on the weekends!” Pastor Bill exclaimed, and the
excitement was evident in his voice. They also offer Saturday and Sunday service for some of their flock
as well.
But Sanctuary isn’t only about reaching out
to other bikers. Pastor Bill and his staff
have a huge heart for the “unseen
population.” He explained: “According to
the city, the homeless are the unseen
population. We need to be out on the
street ministering to people and showing
them love and care.”
Pastor Bill started Meals on 2 Wheels
almost 4 years ago, to reach out to a
population he could identify with. “I grew
up in a biking world full of drugs and
alcohol. But 26 years ago, I met my wife,
and she turned my life around. Most of my
life I had taken from his community,
and it was time to give back.”
From there, he got a few biker friends
together and put their heads together and
figured they could serve sandwiches to the
homeless on the weekends. It has since
evolved into a full blown project. “I
decided if we’re going to serve food to the
homeless,” Pastor John said, “Let’s not do
a bag lunch – let’s make it special, with
home cooked meals!” It wasn’t long before
they had a fully stocked kitchen trailer so
they could serve hot meals.
For the last 4 years, Pastor Bill and his staff of
Meals on 2 Wheels have been out at Veteran’s
Park in the rain, snow or shine, serving
homemade hot meals to the homeless of
Klamath Falls. Often, he’s had some ask him
why he was out there in freezing temps, all to
provide for a community that couldn’t give
back. “We are here to help people out,” Pastor
Bill would always explain to them.
Last Saturday was no different from every other first Saturday
of the month. Meals on 2 Wheels arrives at Veteran’s Park
early, and prepares a meal from scratch – from Chili and Clam
Chowder to BBQ’s meats in the summer -- with the help of
their trailer and a staff of volunteers. They work hard to
provide not only a meal to the unseen, but also clean new
blankets and warm coats and gloves, and any other winter
gear they may need.
Pastor Bill and his team are very
dedicated to what they do. When
asked what his favorite part about
service the unseen was, he
responded: “I enjoy the reaction –
they look at us like, ‘why are you out
here in the middle of the winter, for
us?’ The smile you get off their face
is worth a million dollars.”
Going into the future, Pastor Bill
would like to see more churches and
community outreaches get involved
Pastor Bill Eldridge in front of the Meals on 2 Wheels
truck, every first Saturday of the month, rain snow or
shine. When asked why he was so dedicated, he
responded: “We’re here to help people out!”
with Meals on 2 Wheels. Several places have contacted them to
help out, but for one reason or another, never follow through
with their commitment. Pastor Bill would love to see this
become a community event, so that more people could be
served and ministered to. Pastor Bill also hopes to expand their
4x8 trailer and large van, and investing in a food truck so they
can reach more people in different areas of Klamath Falls and
around the state. They are also holding an 2 events in July,
where the proceeds go to Meals on 2 Wheels:
River Fest (www.riverfest.biz/)
3-day event – July 26-28
Motorcycle event that includes live music and
vendors, Rodeo, motorcycle shows, Trivia games, etc.
HUGE 4th of July event at Klamath
Assembly of God with band Truth be Told
Pastor Bill is very passionate about reaching and helping others
and seeks to make a difference in our community. For more
information or to volunteer for any of their events, please
contact Pastor Bill Eldridge @ 541-851-1691.
MEALS ON 2
WHEELS SUCCESS
STORIES: [Pastor Bill shared
with us some of the success stories
from their church and their ministry.
“Most of our church members were
drug addicts/gangsters/ etc, we can
relate to these people where
traditional churches can’t. We have
so many success stories of people
coming to use and changing their
lives forever!” Here are some of
their stories:
One girl, “Little Mary” – now
manages McDonalds in Coos Bay – 4
years ago, when we first met her,
she was a meth addict on the streets
of K Falls. Just because someone
took time out to say we love you, we
care, come eat with us, look at
where she’s at today! Married, with
kids, and a good job and nice house.
All it takes it that first step!
“Rick” – suffers from a mental
illness, called us about a year ago
and said he had a job. I was
surprised! Come to find out, he
works construction. We were a little
worried that it wasn’t a good fit.
Turns out, he cleaned up after
construction sites, by riding his
bicycle to/from work. He is now
living in his own apartment – to him
a job, a house, and a bicycle is a
dream come true.]
All photography done by Shorty Moles Photography©
Social Media has taken the world
by storm. From 40 characters on
Twitter to the Share button
Facebook and many other sites,
our world is very much connected
and seems to grow smaller by the
day. This is the story of how
powerful the connection can be,
and how one person changed a
little part of Klamath Falls.
The Facebook
Effect:
The Power of One Woman
To Bring Them Together
Tammy Belau is more than a stay at home mom of three. She is
a piano teacher by day, and a super mom at night. Besides
juggling the schedules of three children under 5, she is also
active in her community, volunteering with her church and
other private sectors whenever she can. Days are long, and
vacations often very short. Like any mother, time for herself
often has to be planned far enough in advance, and sometimes
life gets in the way. When Tammy, a music and theater major,
found out a movie she had wanted to see for a long time, Les
Misérables, would be showing in the local theater, she set
about a plan that snowballed into a community event.
(For those uneducated in this amazing play, Les Misrébles is a musical story that
follows the story of a man and his guilt, and his struggle to make a new life for
himself so that he may have peace when he dies. It is a heart wrenching story of
his rescue of a young girl, who he raises into a lady amongst the turmoil of the
early 1800’s in France. This musical, needless to say, is one for the typical female
variety and not for the male persuasion.)
So, Tammy didn’t let her husband’s lack of enthusiasm to see this play-to-theater
masterpiece distract her from her desire to go. She decided create the fastest way
to invite her female friends and family to go with her: Facebook. A little over a
week before the airing of the movie, she created an event. She called it “Ladies
“night” Out” and invited every local woman on her friend’s list to come see this
matinee. Facebook events allow anyone that is invited to share this event on their
page, creating a “snowball” type effect in inviting women from outside Tammy’s
circle, and from all over the Basin.
The 13th Floor saw this phenomenon and decided to investigate, so we went to the event to observe and
report. When we got there approximately 30 minutes before the show started, the line was almost out
the door, about 30 people thick. More people were
arriving at an alarming rate. Everywhere comments
such as “So-and-so invited me, I hear this one
woman start the event, but I don’t know her” and
“It’s amazing that I saw this on Faacebook, look
How many people showed up!”
Indeed. Through Tammy’s invite of a few friends,
over 85 people showed up, packing the small
theater. This is the amazing power of social media to
connect people from all over the basin for one common
goal.
[WHO KNOW THAT ONE
WOMAN, A FACEBOOK EVENT,
AND A TIME HONORED
CLASSIC MOVIE, WOULD
BRING A GROUP OF OVER 85
WOMEN IN OUR COMMUNITY
TOGETHER?]