McMenamin's Edgefield. Photo Courtesy of McMenamin's.

The city of Troutdale, Ore., was barely on the map until the emergence of a new destination resort in 1990: McMenamins Edgefield.  That’s when brothers Mike and Brian McMenamin converted an old farm into a mainstay attraction, and the sparsely populated city outside of Portland began attracting visitors from all over the country.

The McMenamins chain of properties now includes more than 50 hotels, brewpubs, theaters and other entertainment venues, all located in Oregon and Washington.  Many are in renovated buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.

The brothers began their venture in 1974, when they opened Produce Row Café in Portland. In 1985, they started a brewpub in southwest Portland where they crafted ales with berries – the first brewery in the U.S. to legally brew ale using fruit.

In 1990, they opened a winery at Edgefield. Within a year a movie theater, a brewery, a pub and a rather run-down motel followed. And even though it was located on a remote country road, people gathered for the live music, good company and great beer.

Soon after the brothers’ initial success, the main lodge was renovated into a hotel, including a fine-dining restaurant, artisan shops and more specialty pubs. The grounds of the 74-acre site were landscaped with gardens, a three-hole golf course and spacious grasslands for live music.

They salvaged every building on the property, transforming them with art, antiques and murals, representative of the poor farm’s past. More than a dozen artists turned the once institutional-feeling buildings into whimsical works of art, which have become one of the property’s main attractions.

Edgefield now houses 10 restaurants and bars, including the Little Red Shed, the Loading Dock Grill, Jerry’s Ice House and the Black Rabbit Restaurant and Bar. For those who don’t like beer, the Winery Tasting Room offers a variety of reds, whites and sparkling wines, where you can actually watch the vintners work while you sip.

Visitors don’t have to travel far for entertainment, either.

“You can eat, drink, listen to live music, wine taste and use the spa,” says Renee Rankignacio, McMenamins director of marketing. In fact, there’s even a movie theater located above the Power Station Pub, where folks are welcome to grab a bite or a drink while viewing.

Sip while you shop? They encourage it. You can stock up on spirits from the Edgefield Distillery, purchase a glass-blown vase from the Gorge Glashaus or buy a unique sculpture from EarthArt Clayworks, which was formerly a morgue for the farm.

The grounds also include a heated saltwater soaking pool where patrons can soak in chemical-free water at a balmy 104 degrees while – what else? – ordering a locally-brewed beer, wine or tea from the The Tea House Bar, which opens up directly onto the patio of the pool.

“Even though we are so close to Portland,” says Rankignacio, “people come out here and they are in another world.”

McMenamins Edgefield

2126 S.W. Halsey St.
Troutdale OR 97060
(503) 669-8610

(800) 669-8610

mcmenamins.com

One of McMenamin's whimsically painted hotel rooms. Photo courtesy of McMenamin's.

The saltwater soaking pool. Photo courtesy of McMenamin's.

Pub Loading Dock. Photo Courtesy of McMenamin's.

Powerstation Pub. Photo courtesy of McMenamin's.

The Little Red Shed Bar. Photo courtesy of McMenamin's.

Jerry's Ice House Bar. Photo courtesy of McMenamin's.

The Brewery at McMenamin's Edgefield. Photo Courtesy of McMenamin's.

TOP: The Queen of the West, a paddlewheeler, plies American waters while passing Mount Hood. • Photos courtesy of American Cruise Lines

As the mercury plummets and the threat of snow hovers continually over the Yakima Valley, it’s a great time to break out the travel brochures — and start thinking about cruising. Even if you’ve already cruised the Caribbean and aren’t interested in Ixtapa, you may be ready for another option in travel that’s making a splash from coast to coast: It’s called cruising America.

From the Northwest’s own Columbia and Snake rivers to the mighty Mississippi, from the Southern Atlantic seaboard and the New England coast to Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands, many Americans are showing interest in this no-passport, no-foreign-currency way to sail.

“Currently, the Columbia and Snake rivers trip is our most popular itinerary,” said Susan Shultz, director of sales for American Cruise Lines. “In June of 2012, we’re expanding to Alaska,” she added, “and in August, we have a new vessel starting on the Mississippi.”

Shultz said the cruise line has seen demand for cruises on authentic paddlewheelers (the vessel that runs on Northwest rivers and in Mississippi) increase, so it added several sailings to this year’s schedule.

American Cruise Lines has made its mark with “small ships” — vessels that carry 150 or fewer passengers and have the flexibility to travel down rivers, canals and into coves and harbors where larger luxury liners cannot go. Other cruise lines, including Princess, Holland America and Norwegian Cruise Line, also ply U.S. coastal waters, with much larger vessels that may carry 2,000 passengers or more.

A passenger’s choice of cruise will ultimately depend on his or her pocketbook, desired destination and the need — or not — for the glitz and galas of the larger ships.

Travel on the larger ships tends to cost “significantly less than small ships,” said Rosemary Saunders, office manager for Travel Leaders in Yakima. “Everybody’s heard about them [larger ships] or have friends who’ve done the trips.” Part of the draw of large ships is the expectation that you can eat as much as you want and enjoy entertainment, including Broadway-style shows or a casino, she said.

American Cruise Lines capitalizes on a “personalized” approach and a history theme — what Saunders calls “edu-tainment” — with an on-board author, historian and/or naturalist providing background along the route. Some speakers even dress in period clothing.

“People sometimes forget how rich we are in history, right in our own backyard,” Shultz noted. Today, many cruise patrons are “finding something closer to home,” she said, and then coming back again to cruise with their children and grandchildren.

Travel Weekly, a travel industry magazine, recently heralded “The Return of American River Cruising.” According to the magazine, the Great American Steamboat Company helped fill the cruise void left on the Mississippi River, a void that began after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

For Central Washington residents, cruising is available close to home, on the paddlewheel vessel that navigates the Columbia and Snake rivers between Clarkston and Portland. Another option, said Saunders, are Alaska cruises on larger vessels that leave from Seattle and have enjoyed “huge popularity” in the past several years.

Both Lorene Lenseigne, service center manager for AAA Washington’s Yakima office, and Lloyd Johnson, co-owner of Cruises Aweigh in Yakima, agreed that Alaska is a popular cruise destination. “Some people don’t want to fly, so all they have to do is drive to Seattle,” Johnson said.

On Northwest rivers, the seven-night paddlewheel cruises feature a close-up look at natural beauty, with optional excursions such as a jet boat through Hells Canyon or bus rides to the 620-foot Multnomah Falls and Mount St. Helens. There’s a trip to the Barnard Griffin Winery in Richland, a Wild West Show in Pendleton, Ore., and a city tour of Portland. History comes alive through excursions to Pendleton’s Tamastslikt Cultural Institute with its Native American art and living cultural village, or the Nez Perce National Historic Park in Spalding, Idaho.

Shultz admitted that compared to travel on some of the larger ships, travel on American Cruise Lines is “more expensive.” Costs range from $3,110 for a six-night itinerary with standard double occupancy to $11,765 for an owners suite on a 14-night itinerary. Early bookings and groups larger than 12 will help discount the rate, and meals, a cocktail hour, dinnertime wine and beer and snacks are included in the ticket price. Shore excursions usually run “between $10 and $75.” That’s generally less than the competition, she said.

American Cruise Lines voyages tend to draw passengers age “55 on up,” Shultz said. My own family and I discovered this on a 2010 cruise from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., along the Delaware River and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. I’m in my 50s, and we appeared to be the youngest passengers on board.

“There weren’t a lot of activities on board, such as a swimming pool, or dancing lessons, arcade games,” observed my 23-year-old daughter, Erin Conklin. (I also found the “small ship” décor — described by one company rep as more like “a private yacht” — to be more basic.)

The author (far left) on her first cruise as a child. Photo courtesy of Christine Corbett Conklin.

However, as we slowed our usual hectic pace, and met our friendly, gray-haired shipmates over a leisurely meal of beef tenderloin and chocolate ganache tart, or on launch rides to ports, we heard many favorable comments.

“It’s a little different, just as good,” said Carolyn Collins of Toccoa, Ga., comparing our American Cruise Lines trip with cruises she’d taken on other lines. “You don’t have long walking distances. You can meet passengers more easily.”

George Charbonneau of Indianapolis agreed.

“Their hospitality system is excellent,” he said. “I think (the passengers are) reluctant to travel overseas, spend a lot of time in the air, (with) a lot of uncertainty at the other end.”

“In this industry,” said Shultz, “it’s about offering a lifetime experience.”

American Cruise Lines • 800-460-4518
americancruiselines.com

Upon entering Ola Vestad’s hangar, visitors are struck by the beautiful red and white planes parked in front of a giant mural by local artist Rick Fuller. • Photos by Chad Bremerman

When asked how he became a pilot, Ola Vestad said, “I like to be like a bird.” With a twinkle in his blue eyes, he explained how he was ski jumping in his native Norway by age 5, and as a young adult he parachuted for the military. It’s not difficult to understand why he became a pilot.
Tom McMahon, a retired captain for United Airlines, learned to fly as a teenager from Warren Anderson, a Lower Valley crop-duster. “For my 50th birthday, my family found and bought the plane I’d learned to fly in,” McMahon said. It took him six years to restore the old bird that proudly sits waiting for its next sortie in his Yakima Airpark hangar.
Vestad, McMahon, Dick Hester, John Davis and Harold Johnson were all instrumental in creating the Yakima Airpark, located on the south side of the Yakima airport’s property just off Ahtanum Road. The pilots, some retired from their careers and some still working, wanted to build more than a bunch of airplane hangars. What they hoped to achieve was a place where private pilots could enjoy every aspect of flying with like-minded friends.
But it wasn’t easy.
The first step was finding a piece of property near the airport that provided a taxiway to the runways used by the Yakima Air Terminal. Fortunately, there was some undeveloped property off of Ahtanum Road that included the end of an abandoned WWII runway. Once used by Northwest Airlines, the abandoned runway intersected the airport’s main runway, making the property a perfect fit. After jumping through more than a few bureaucratic hoops, the group eventually secured a lease from the Yakima Airport board.
Then the hard work began.
A part of the old runway was broken up in order to reclaim bare ground.
“Harold Johnson dug a mile of trenches for water, sewer, gas and electric,” McMahon said.  After analyzing other hangar complexes, the group mapped out their own with spray paint after the prep work was finished. Construction began in June 2006. It took eight months to complete the first five units, and the pilots did much of the work themselves, along with a slew of volunteers.
Today, the Yakima Airpark boasts 20 hangars and seven buildings.
The main building serves as a de facto clubhouse for those who own hangars. The first floor has a kitchen and small meeting room. “Every Saturday we put out coffee and doughnuts for the pilots,” Vestad said. The adjacent hangar is often used for large social events, like their annual Christmas party.
A spiral staircase leads up to the tower room, which provides an expansive view of the runways and the Valley beyond. “We come up here and tell lies,” McMahon joked.
But it’s the hangars that truly reflect the personalities of Airpark members. Upon entering Vestad’s, visitors are struck by the beautiful red and white plane parked in front a giant mural by local artist Rick Fuller, depicting the owner flying the same plane near the Cascade Mountains.
In a far corner of the immaculate space, a half-built fuselage sits waiting for its wings. It turns out that many of the Airpark occupants are members of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and are in the process of building their own airplanes. Vestad said it’s terrific to have access to other pilots who have either built their own planes or are currently involved in the process. The myriad parts meticulously laid out are a testament to the complicated steps it takes to assemble a plane that one day will actually fly.
Local dentist Tommy Holbrook, who learned how to fly from a P51 pilot named Buck Wheat, has been instrumental in getting the Yakima Airpark pilots involved with the community. In October, the group offered 15-minute flying sessions to kids involved in YMCA’s after-school Aspire program. The local EAA has also offered free flights to children in the Valley. “Some of these kids have never seen the Columbia River,” Holbrook said.
But it’s not all community service for Yakima’s “flight jockeys.” This fall, the Airpark sponsored a Poker Run with 12 pilots participating. The aeronautical card game commenced when the planes took off from the Yakima Air Terminal and navigated to five designated airports in Eastern Washington. Upon landing, each team picked up a playing card from a bucket and flew on to the next destination. When they finally returned to Yakima, bragging rights went to the team with the highest hand. The winner got all the entry fees too, but the pilots really didn’t care. They’d won even before their planes had left the tarmac: After all, it was one more chance to fly.

A beautiful day in Venice * Travel photos courtesy of John Gorman

The cool and breezy August evening didn’t stop Yakima’s John Gorman from playing the consummate host to a group of business associates he’d invited to his Yakima home for dinner last summer. Folks had traveled from Washington, D.C., Singapore, Malaysia and Katmandu just to enjoy his hospitality — which speaks volumes about the man.
As senior director of sales for John I. Haas Co., Gorman, 69, has spent his entire career working in the brewing and hop industry — and traveling around the world. Haas is a sister company of the Barth Hass Group, the largest supplier of hops and hop products in the brewing industry.
But he loves his hometown so much that when he’s on business trips he takes on the unofficial role of goodwill ambassador, making sure to show photos of the Yakima Valley and extolling the virtues of Eastern Washington.
Gorman’s the guy you see chatting with friends at the local coffee shop one day, and the next he’s on an international flight to almost anywhere in North America, Europe or Southeast Asia.  His territory is global, giving him a chance to make friends in the farthest reaches of the world.
His trips are also filled with adventure.
In Katmandu, Nepal, where Gorman does business with Mount Everest Brewery, he has endured rolling electrical blackouts, wild jungle animals and 105 degree temperatures — all part of the Katmandu experience. During his first trip, in March 2008, he quickly learned the pitfalls of picking a hotel off the Internet, finding himself in less than one-star accommodations. Today he stays at Nepal’s Yak and Yeti Hotel, and although that might conjure visions of Raiders of the Lost Ark, the property was a favorite of the famous explorer Sir Edmund Hilary.
On that first visit to Katmandu, Gorman also met Shrestha Shanta, managing director of Mount Everest Brewery, when Shanta picked him up for the 18-minute flight (that’s six hours by car) to the brewery. Shanta’s first words: “I must treat you like a god. That’s my duty.” Overwhelmed by his client’s declaration, Gorman has attempted to return the favor ever since.
“I love the business, and along the way customers have become friends.” he said.
“I try to learn everything about a culture before I go there,” Gorman explained. That might be a lesson learned from a trip to Singapore, when Gorman handed out travel alarm clocks as gifts. After the presentation, the organization’s supervisor thanked Gorman, but said in his culture, “When you give a clock, you’re waiting for their death.”

John Gorman at his home. He's standing in front of some of the many items he has collected travelling around the world selling hops as Senior Director of Sales for John I. Haas Company. • Photo by Andy Sawyer

A 1964 graduate of Boston College with a B.A. in English and History, Gorman’s no stranger to the beer business. His father worked as sales manager for the Schaefer Brewing Co. in Brooklyn, N.Y. After a bit of gallivanting after college, Gorman followed in his dad’s footsteps, apprenticing to become a brewmaster.
Working in the field, he learned the industry inside and out. His gift for gab, along with a knack for making friends, helped him realize that sales was his talent. But with sales comes travel, and Gorman explained, “I was putting 1,500 miles a week traveling around five states and living in hotels. I was so regimented that on Monday I’d leave and not come back until Friday.”
Although his schedule was taxing, Gorman loved every minute, since it allowed him to meet new people all over the Northeast. “The brewery industry … people were wonderful.” Because of his many contacts, Gorman eventually met the owners of Western Hop Co. of Yakima, and they offered him a job in 1983. He quickly flew his family to Yakima and it was love at first sight. After a few years, he moved his family to Wisconsin to take the position of vice president of sales for the Schreier Malting Co., now Cargill Malt.
“But I never stopped dreaming about Yakima,” Gorman admitted.
Fortunately in 1988 a job with Haas brought Gorman, his wife and his two children to the Yakima Valley for good.
Because of his frequent travels, Gorman treasures the time spent at his Yakima home with his wife, Patsy. In fact, he loves it so much that he turned even an unfortunate event into a positive: When his house was burglarized 22 years ago, instead of ranting, he quickly joined the Yakima Police Department as a reserve officer. He has patrolled the Yakima streets during his free time since then, recently retiring as a lieutenant. It’s hard to imagine anyone doing that difficult job after jetting around the world all week, but John Gorman makes it look easy.

Gorman at home with his West Highland Terrier, Winston. • Photo by Andy Sawyer

The Emerald of Siam offers "no cover" evening music; Stevie and Marylou Show perform. Photos by Michelle Ellis

Richland is surprising.
One of the three communities in the nearby Tri-Cities, Richland has its own small-town, “retro” vibe, with a good bit of architecture recalling the ‘50s and ‘60s. And since it’s just over an hour away, Richland makes for a quick — and fun — getaway.

If you want to make the trip this winter, here are a few shops and restaurants worth checking into. All of them are located in strip malls, but these aren’t your run of the mill retail centers; they’re throwbacks to different time. With outdoor signs that seem ripped from an episode of The Jetsons and no big-box stores in sight, both the Uptown Shopping Center and The Parkway have interesting shops and restaurants tucked into every nook.

A customer enjoys the newspaper and a Persian roll.

The Spudnut Shop
If you manage to make it to Richland by mid-morning, pop into The Spudnut Shop in the Uptown Shopping Center for a cup of coffee and a customer favorite, the Persian roll. The Persian is Spudnut’s version of a cinnamon roll, made with potato flour. Spudnut shops around the country have been famous for their potato doughnuts since the 1940s. The Spudnut also has lunch and early dinner options, like sandwiches, soups and chili.

Richland’s location opened in 1948, and it’s found its share of the media spotlight, having been featured on the Food Network and the Travel Channel.

Many of the customers are regulars, chiming in with servers to tell the history of the shop while they get their coffee refills. The interior is no frills — in fact, its laminate tables and beige cups are reminiscent of the “Hol’N-One Donuts” in the Yakima Mall from years past. And that’s why we like it.

The Spudnut Shop
228 Williams Blvd. • Uptown Shopping Center
509-943-3000
spudnutinfo.com

The greeting cards are a customer favorite at the Octopus' Garden.

The Octopus’ Garden

The Octopus’ Garden is aptly named. The gift store is jam-packed with interesting oddball items and tchotchkes, its aisles snaking through merchandise like the eight-armed cephalopod it’s named after (although reportedly it is actually named after the Beatles song). Customers love to get lost in its shelves, perusing eccentricities and taking in the aroma of incense.

Stocking everything from comic book T-shirts and imported clothing to retro lunch pails and a wall of greeting cards (staffer Steven Andrews says the greeting cards are customer favorites), the Octopus’ Garden is a welcome retreat — even if you don’t need that Superman T-shirt.

Octopus’ Garden
1327 George Washington Way • Uptown Shopping Center
509-946-0077

Larb Gai, sunshine rolls, and Thai iced tea.

The Emerald of Siam
The Emerald of Siam boasts authentic Thai cuisine. Many locals rave about the restaurant, which features curries, seafood, spring rolls and vegetarian dishes on its menu. The Emerald of Siam offers interesting specials, too, like Thai Spaghetti, made with ground beef, basil and Thai spices.
Live music lightens up the place fairly frequently, and it’s not unusual to walk into a special event, too, such as the restaurant’s recent Zombie Prom.

The Emerald of Siam
Uptown Shopping Center
1314 Jadwin Ave.
509-946-9328
emeraldofsiam.com

wild goose has a large assortment of one of kind jewelry pieces

Wild Goose Design
For those who love baubles for home, don’t miss Wild Goose Design, a home décor shop that specializes in a French Country aesthetic. Wild Goose Design has been in business for nine years and is owned by Bonnie Greiner, an artist who with her husband and 12 other local artists makes or reworks a majority of the store’s merchandise.

Located in The Parkway, Wild Goose sells children’s items, jewelry, furniture and other sparkly trinkets that you probably won’t find in a big box retail store. It also features some harder-to-find items, including antiques and trumeaux, which are mirrors with carvings or paintings above them.
There is quite a bit of inventory in this little shop. Overheard by one customer, “You have to go through it, and then you have to go through it again.”
Wild Goose Design
610 The Parkway
509-943-3006

Coconut and raspberry cupcakes, two of the variety of flavors that are offered daily.

Frost Me Sweet
Before you head home, stop by Frost Me Sweet, a new bakery and bistro that’s also located in The Parkway. Frost Me Sweet opened last year, and owner Megan Savely says the hot spot is known best for its cupcakes, made with organic and local ingredients — and even packaged in eco-friendly materials.
Items are baked daily, with exotic-sounding flavors changing frequently.

Six flavors, however, are stocked every day. “If we didn’t have them, people would freak out,” said Savely. What flavors make customers go crazy? The Elvis, made with chocolate, peanut butter and banana (with a little of the King’s sparkle), peanut butter chocolate, red velvet, salted caramel, coconut cream and maple bacon. We are intrigued by the Nutella cupcake too.
The bistro side of things serves up lunch and dinner entrees (along with local wines and microbrews), including paninis and soups made with vegetables from the local farmer’s market when in season. Sounds like a delicious way to end a daytrip.

Frost Me Sweet Bakery & Bistro
710 The Parkway
509-420-4704
frostmesweet.com

GALLERY

A volunteer thanks a patron for giving money to the Salvation Army outside of the Safeway in Sunnyside. Photo from Yakima Herald-Republic file.

As the holidays approach, we’ll soon hear the sound of bells throughout the Yakima Valley. No, it’s not Santa (quite yet), or even the sound of cash registers ringing. It’s a call to remember those less fortunate in our community. And in keeping with a long tradition, Valley residents are expected to answer the call with enthusiasm.

Hundreds of “bell ringers” will take their posts between Nov. 18 and Dec. 24 at grocery stores, department stores and post offices in Yakima, Selah and Grandview for the Salvation Army’s annual Red Kettle Campaign, said Major Thomas Morrow, commanding officer of the Salvation Army in Yakima.

“Most are volunteers,” Morrow noted. They represent area service organizations, banks, real estate and insurance companies, high schools, the Yakima Symphony choir, Yakima Theatres and other groups. Many are individuals just wanting to make a difference.

In all, Morrow predicted that more than 1,100 volunteer hours will be given to the Salvation Army this holiday season, raising funds for Christmas food boxes, stocking the food bank, gathering gifts for nursing home residents and meeting other winter relief needs. The local Toys For Tots program also collaborates with the Salvation Army on an annual Christmas toy drive.

During the holidays, folks become more aware of those less fortunate, more “warm and fuzzy,” Morrow suggested. For the bell ringers who spend a couple of hours standing in the cold, it also “drives home the need of the people we serve,” he said.

However, year-round, people here stand ready to help others, and that’s vital because “there’s enough need to go around,” he said. “If I had to capsulize Yakima, I’d say that there’s a tremendous sense of volunteerism, of taking care of itself, that’s built into the community,” observed Morrow, who came to Yakima four years ago from Tacoma.

At the Union Gospel Mission, where staff and volunteers anticipate serving anywhere from 12,000 to 14,000 holiday meals from Thanksgiving through Christmas, Executive Director Rick Phillips agreed.

“I’m in awe,” he said. “This is a very giving community, a community that gives time, resources and talents. They have a heart to help,” said Phillips, who has worked at the mission for 23 years. Even difficult financial times have not turned away the volunteers, he noted. “Often, our most effective volunteers are ones who have struggled in their own lives,” Phillips said.

Many churches, the Yakima School District, service organizations, Pacific Northwest University, businesses and individuals pitch in to help with the Union Gospel Mission’s various holiday activities, including an annual Christmas party for about 2,000 people — mostly children and their moms. Between 300 and 500 volunteers help with the party alone, Phillips said.

Among numerous other spirit-filled programs across the Valley, the Christmas Express is getting ready to roll again at Catholic Family & Child Services. This year, the program expects to serve about 50 needy families in Yakima and the Lower Valley, selected from among the agency’s clients. Local volunteers will provide items such as warm clothes, blankets and toiletries, a Christmas dinner and/or tree and gifts, said Renee Slaven, clinical supervisor. Some volunteers are so eager they call ahead, wondering if it’s time to begin.

“We see some families just crying tears of joy,” said Stacy Harrington, a mental health therapist with Catholic Family & Child Services. “Otherwise, parents wouldn’t have been able to provide Christmas for their children.”

And the annual Coats for Kids campaign, coordinated by KNDO-TV, collected a record 6,463 new and “gently used” coats last winter. That’s remarkable, said KNDO account manager Jaclyn Kendall, because “there are so many good causes around the holidays.”

But what drives this many local volunteers?

“I think that deep in their hearts they realize, ‘There but for the grace of God go I’,” said Dale Carpenter, general manager of Yakima Theatres. Carpenter has spent more than 100 hours each year for five years living in a box in the parking lot of Wray’s Food and Drug in the Chalet Mall, raising funds for the Salvation Army and Union Gospel Mission. “We appreciate how fortunate we are and want to give something back.”

For Margaret Keys of Terrace Heights, who turned 100 in August, it’s just a lot of fun to help out. “I like the people I meet,” she observed, recalling her first stint as a Salvation Army bell ringer last December at Fred Meyer. Her friend Marlene Sybouts was also a bell ringer.

“It makes you feel good. You get away from home and the stupid TV,” said Keys. Among those they met was a young boy of 4 or 5 years old who gave a dollar bill his mom had said he could spend on himself. “He wanted to put it in the kettle, and he did.”

Keys enjoyed the experience so much that she’d like to repeat it.

“If I’m still upright, we plan to come again this year,” Keys exclaimed. “We might come twice this year!”

How You Can Help…

If you’d like to join the ranks of Yakima Valley volunteers who’ll make a difference this holiday season, contact :

The Salvation Army
509-453-3139
thomas.morrow@
usw.salvationarmy.org

Union Gospel Mission
509-248-4510
yugm.org

Catholic Family & Child Services
509-965-7100
rslaven@ccyakima.org

Coats For Kids (KNDO-TV)
509-225-2302
sheri.bissell@kndo.com

Chopped tomatoes tossed with vinaigrette in a pretty blue bowl make a gorgeous side dish.

By Pam Edwards • Photos by Jennifer Dagdagan

It’s time to show off all your hard work before the vestiges of summer are past, to throw a casual dinner party outside in your yard, deck or patio.

We have pulled the weeds, planted new perennials and freshened up in general. I have been accused of being a bit obsessive compulsive about the house and yard, and that’s probably the reason I don’t have potlucks. I can’t take all the extra foil, mismatched bowls and platters and general chaos, but mostly, I fear the dreaded guest who actually brings the dish to prepare, bake or sauté in my kitchen. Ugh!

Plus, I enjoy spoiling my guests. Their only social obligation is to perhaps bring a beverage — hopefully, wine. Here’s how I do it.

1. First things first: Plan a menu

Keep it simple, but special and delicious. If you are like me you are on a budget, so here are some super easy hors d’oeuvres and a main dish that are sure to be crowd pleasers (and won’t break the bank!)

Sampler plates: Cucumbers, goat cheese, crusty crackers or french bread, Greek olives and a sprig of herb.

I added a chunk of Gruyere cheese to my recommendation. Tiny polka dot plate from TJ Maxx.

Bistro-Style sandwiches: Pan fry boneless breast of chicken with Italian herbs and oil, then top with roasted red pepper and sweet onion and pesto spread.

I love fancy party picks and found these at Garden Girl's new kitchen shop.

Always a crowd-pleaser for this type of relaxed evening is a homemade potato salad. This one, made with fresh dill and new red potatoes, requires no peeling!

Our chicken Betsy never peels!

LIGHT DILLED POTATO SALAD

•4 lbs. small red or white thin-skinned potatoes, scrubbed,  cooked, drained, cooled and cut in ¾ inch chunks (9 cups)

•2 Tbls olive oil

•2 Tbls cider vinegar

• 1  cup light mayonnaise

•1   cup plain nonfat yogurt

•2 Tbls Dijon mustard

•1 ½ tsp salt

•½  tsp pepper

•1  cup chopped Walla Walla sweet onion or minced red onion

•½  cup minced fresh dill

Put potatoes into a large bowl, sprinkle with olive oil and vinegar, toss lightly to coat.  Mix mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, salt and pepper in bowl.  Stir in onion and dill.  Pour over potatoes. Cover and chill.  Keeps well at least 24 hours  Makes 9 ½ cups.

2. Splurge a little. One of my splurges is a PREMADE organic green salad, tossed into an oversized bowl (I never met an oversized bowl I didn’t like). I keep a variety of serving utensils, too, but I always seem to need more. An absolute must-have are lots of serving platters and make sure to enlist a helper to serve!

Stephen helps serve the sandwiches. Sleeveless floral dress from Memorial Gift Shop - worn by Joyce.

One of my oversized wooden bowls.

Then there are those times when a store-bought dessert is just what your party requires.

3. WINE, WINE, WINE! Do not be intimidated! A nice person at most grocery stores will help you with your selection, matching the price to your budget. Remember you are not in a five-star restaurant, just a grocery store, for heaven’s sake!

No need for a traditional ice bucket ... this glass bowl is perfect! Leave extra time to make a run for lots of ice.

4. Add Ambience. Chiminea and fire pots cozy up any gathering if there is a nip in the air.  Remember that a great hostess keeps her guests comfy — offer sweaters or shawls, too.

Found objects, hand-painted gates, bistro lights and good food with friends or family … what a fabulous way to end the summer!

Yard art and simple touches, like thsi wood adn canvas swan, will delight your guests' other senses.

Yvette Marie, our rescue kitty, can't resist a party!

Don, warmed by the glow of twinkle lights and his wine.

Nona, Donna, Pam and Joyce counsel Stephen on the proper way to build a fire.

Don’t forget the tunes! Some of the background music we played:

Monsters of folk: Dear God

Washed Out: Feel it all Around

Elbow: One Day Like This

Yeasayer Sunrise

M83: Run Into Flowers

…And more pictures:

A firepot warms the evening.

This fountain was made by Stephen.

A hand-made sign by Pam.

Pam and Nona chat during the party.

Darling matches from Hands On Art.

More hand-made yard art.

Ryan Clark and Tim Andis display a few of their custom Liberty Bottles. Photo by Jennifer Dagdagan.

By Heather Caro

What can a water bottle hold?

If it’s crafted by Liberty Bottleworks, a new manufacturing company based in Union Gap, a bottle can hold more than just 24 or 32 ounces. It can hold vision, work ethic and art.

But then, these aren’t your average water bottles.

Liberty Bottleworks is the brainchild of Yakima resident Tim Andis, 40, who once worked for a high-end outdoor equipment supply company. While filling retail needs for companies such as REI, Andis often received requests for aluminum water bottles produced domestically, rather than shipped from manufacturing plants in Europe or China. But after an exhaustive search, Andis found that no such product existed.

Understanding the demand for American-made bottles, Andis enlisted the help of longtime business partner Ryan Clark, 35, and with private capital, the pair set out on a novel manufacturing venture: Liberty Bottleworks.

Their goal was lofty: to produce bottles while keeping every part of production in the U.S., and local if possible. Thus all machinery and products had to be American-made. When they found some machinery didn’t exist, they had it custom built. One Liberty machine – the “body maker,” which is used in the first stage of bottle production – has only one twin, and it’s used to fabricate missiles for the U.S. government.

What’s more, the duo committed to using sustainable manufacturing techniques. The “green” company uses 100 percent recycled aluminum to produce its bottles, which retail for $16 and $18. The bottles are BPA-free; Bisphenol A is a controversial chemical used in the manufacture of containers.

Last year, in the midst of the national recession, Liberty began production at a Union Gap warehouse once occupied by Western RV. To much acclaim, Liberty rolled out its first bottle in October and quickly secured big-name retailers such as REI, Whole Foods Market and Amazon and is also available at Yakima’s Sporthaus.

And against economic odds, they continue to grow.

Today, Liberty Bottleworks has more than 50 employees, many of whom were unemployed. Clark believes that a “bootstrap” work ethic reminiscent of glory days in American manufacturing is essential to the country’s economic recovery — and a key to Liberty’s success.

One of Liberty's employees prepares bottles at the plant in Union Gap.

“It’s not about swapping jobs, it’s about making jobs,” he says. “Water bottles are a vehicle for us to do that.”

But, innovation aside, what most consumers notice first about a Liberty bottle is the artwork.

The custom bottles are digitally printed with art commissioned by often little-known artists from across the country, and each bottle is stamped with Liberty’s “Made in America” insignia. And through Liberty’s Artist Program, 1 percent of all bottle proceeds go to benefit the nonprofit organization of each artist’s choice.

“It’s not by people from the office who just crank out artwork,” explains Clark. “It’s the most relevant art we can have.”

The result is colorful art as varied as the artists who create it — and from sometimes surprising sources.

In fact, when the Liberty design crew wanted to add a line of popular graffiti-inspired bottles to their collection, they decided to look in their own backyard.

“We wanted to impact kids,” says Clark, whose search for a local graffiti artist eventually led to Stanton Academy, an alternative high school in the Yakima School District. Eugene Holmes, Stanton’s Graphics Design instructor, put Liberty in contact with two talented students – Angel Cornejo, 17, and Bernardo Barragan, 18. Cornejo was often quiet and withdrawn in class and Barragan admits he once was in trouble with the law for choosing a less-than-ideal canvas for his art. But through Stanton’s Graphics Design course, the two found a productive outlet for their art and eventually began to excel.

Angel Cornejo (L) and Bernardo Barragan designed the Graffiti Kids line of LIberty Bottles.

With guidance from Ricky Pond, Liberty’s art director, the students submitted 12 designs for the bottles, of which six were chosen for production.

Barragon hopes to continue his artwork and possibly design a clothing line someday. “When you have a passion for something, you have to keep going at it,” he says with a grin.

Barragon’s and Cornejo’s line, Graffiti Kids, is featured in the 2011/2012 Liberty Bottleworks catalog. A percentage of proceeds from their bottle sales will go toward providing art supplies for Stanton Academy.

Liberty remains modest about the company’s effect on the community.

“We are nothing more than a little pebble — we’re pretty real about that,” says Clark.

But while Liberty Bottleworks may still be a “little pebble,” its inventive business model continues to create big ripples locally and beyond.

What we love about Liberty Bottleworks

If Liberty Bottleworks hasn’t yet made it on your “reasons to love Yakima” radar, be sure to put them front and center. The dynamic local company is creating a national buzz with distinctive bottles and vintage American values. Here are few reasons to make one your own.

•The “Click” Top – The quarter-turn top takes a little getting used to, but once you do there is no going back. It even passed our exclusive “accidently-packed-upside-down-in-a-backpack-without-spilling-a-drop” test with flying colors.

•Not just another pretty face – Liberty bottles sport commissioned artwork by artists across the country – some of them local – through the Artist Program. Featured artists receive a cut from bottle sales and an additional 1percent of proceeds go toward a nonprofit organization of the artist’s choice. Organizations such as Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, National Park Service and The Conservation Alliance are among the organizations that benefit from bottle sales.

•Made in the USA – Union Gap, to be precise. Liberty produces the only aluminum bottles made in the United States – and they’re more than a little proud of that fact. The insignia and company values herald back to the golden years of American manufacturing and a “bootstrap” work ethic.

•Drink responsibly – Made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, these bottles are also recyclable. And bottles that don’t meet production-line standards are either recycled or donated to the relief effort in Haiti.

•Safe Sipping – Liberty bottles are nontoxic and BPA-free. They are also lined with a flexible coating that binds to aluminum to avoid metal leaching and won’t chip or flake off – which means they are also dishwasher safe for easy clean up.

Liberty Bottleworks • Libertybottles.com

Karen and Jim Gilbert raised the ceilings on their new kitchen, installed skylights, and replaced dark cabinets with white cabinets, brightening a formally dark room. (by Sara Gettys/Yakima Herald-Republic)

By Melissa S. Labberton

How do you transform a 1970s house, complete with a rabbit warren of dark paneled rooms, in order to suit a 21^st century lifestyle? That was the question that confronted Karen and Jim Gilbert in 2008 when their Realtor showed them just that in Terrace Heights. The home, while dated, was close to the Yakima Country Club, where Jim works as the golf pro.

“I didn’t even want to see the house,” Karen recalled. However, when she and Jim stepped in the front door of the 2,600-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom throwback, they instantly envisioned its potential. Karen described the home as “a whole world of dark paneling and a very white fireplace.” The balcony was a selling point, with its stunning view of the mountains. The home also boasted a great location, a small backyard with a hillside of easy-care landscaping and a two-car garage tucked below the one-level living area.

The pluses convinced the Gilberts to take the remodeling plunge, and the couple bought the house.

The Gilberts hired contractor Tim Eglin for the project because of his almost 30 years of experience — and they felt that he really listened to their ideas. Eglin said he doesn’t always encourage clients to embark on such major remodels.

“If you’re putting too much money into the house, you’d like to think the people will get the most out of their money when they go to sell it,” he said. But he also could see the potential in this project, and he agreed that the remodel was very doable.

It took six months to renovate the entire house, with the bulk of the work focusing on the living room, kitchen and dining area. Along with removing the dark cabinets and paneling and taking walls down to the studs, Eglin opened up the low kitchen and dining room ceilings, vaulting them with a rustic beam and thick posts to separate the area. Karen wanted the space to have a light and airy feel, so two skylights were cut into the kitchen’s ceiling. The house also had two walls of opaque yellow glass in the living room, similar to the kind one may have seen in a ’70s era doctor’s office. Replacing these with energy-efficient clear glass created a 180-degree view.

“My husband and I spend a lot of time in Sun Valley,” Karen said. “I took some of my decorating ideas from large homes there and brought them into the ‘real’ world.” The gorgeous red oak flooring, lovely area rugs and two gas fireplaces faced in rustic Eldorado Stone reflect the style of a weekend resort home.

The raised panel kitchen cabinets, painted sweet cream with chocolate brown accents, are reminiscent of a cozy English kitchen. The idea for the cabinets came from a picture Karen saw in a decorating magazine and was part of the portfolio of ideas she collected before the remodel.

From the large kitchen and the dining room to the cocktail-worthy tiled balcony and comfortable living room, it’s obvious that Jim and Karen love to entertain. After the remodel was finished, Karen wanted a place where her guests could eat, drink and make merry. The new kitchen’s oversized oak-topped island fits the bill perfectly.

“I had 14 gals here last Friday night and no one moved from the island,” she said with a giggle.

Marissa Teggen, a decorator with Standard Paint in Yakima, advised the Gilberts on tile, paint colors and window coverings, which helped them transform the master suite and two bathrooms from antiquated to glam. Eglin’s design sense made it possible to remove and reposition walls in the master bedroom, creating a large walk-in closet with floor to ceiling mirror, and a full-size shower and double vanities in the couple’s large bathroom. The bathroom’s luxurious, freestanding, footed tub was Karen’s idea, because she loves a hot bath during Yakima’s chilly winters.

Three years have passed since the Gilberts remodeled their ’70s house, and they still love it. About the only project they have left is updating the small patio off the kitchen. They’ve already pulled up the green outdoor carpeting, but more work is being planned. When it comes to the future, Karen would love to organize a few Bocce ball tournaments on the strip of grass that makes up the backyard. And with retirement looming large for Jim, the party possibilities are endless. One thing is for sure — the Gilberts have created the perfect home to share with family and friends.

Yakima artist Bill Brennan paints in his backyard...

By Melissa S. Labberton

Photos By Gordon King

When people ask Yakima’s Bill Brennen how long it takes him to paint one of his Eastern Washington landscapes, he answers with enthusiasm, “40 years!” His reply might sound like a joke, but this master painter is quite serious. He says it’s taken him 40 years to hone his artistic talent that so perfectly captures the beauty of the Yakima Valley and surrounding area.

A 1967 graduate of Eisenhower High School, Brennen admits that grades and activities took a back seat to playing guitar and performing with the band Loving Kind. When he enrolled at Yakima Valley Community College, a friend advised him to register for a “little bit of everything,” in hopes it might help him find a direction.

Brennen found himself in an art class taught by R.K. Smith. “He was the best teacher I ever had,” Brennen said. “He was so upbeat and it was so fun and I was getting A’s.” He discovered he had an affinity for art, and with Smith’s encouragement, he transferred to Central Washington University to immerse himself in all aspects of the discipline, including silk screening, oil painting, design and figure painting.

A scene near Hwy. 12 in the Morton/Packwood area painted by Yakima artist Bill Brennan.

“When I graduated, I didn’t want to teach,” he explained, “I wanted to be a painter.” Fortunately, Brennen had supportive parents who allowed him to live in the basement and do just that. In fact, his father had a lot to do with his first big sale.

“My dad was checking out stuff at Leo Adams’ house. He told Adams that his son was a painter.” Adams agreed to look at Brennen’s work. Adams told the young artist that he could show with him at Gasperetti’s restaurant in Yakima. Brennan sold nine paintings at that show, and his career was off and running.

Brennen would be the first person to attribute this early success to equal parts talent and pure luck. Besides Smith and Adams, he also gives credit to John Gasperetti for encouraging his career. After that first show, Gasperetti took some of Brennen’s paintings to the Foster White Gallery in Seattle, where his artwork was shown for 10 years. He’s also shown his paintings at the Kimzey-Miller Gallery in Seattle, the Hager Collection Art Gallery on Maui, and he continues to hang his work at Gasperetti’s and Kana winery in Yakima.

Brushes and paints sit on an outdoor table.

Brennan evolved from oil to acrylic paints, because he likes the fast drying, water-based medium. “I’m not a patient guy and I like to layer the paint.” Early on, he was a big fan of Norman Rockwell and enjoyed painting figures. Then he discovered Andrew Wyeth and the impressionists. His landscape paintings reflect their influence. “I love the Valley and I want to paint it. Andrew Wyeth painted in two spots all his life,” he explained.

Smith was also an influence.

“He taught me to be loose and move fast. Use the happy accidents and don’t control your brush too much. Painting is weird because sometimes it flows, but sometimes it’s like pulling my hair out,” he said. If he doesn’t think a painting is working, Brennen feels no compunction about letting it go. “It never bothers me to fail at painting.”

“I used to start painting by starting in one corner and it would take days. Now I paint the whole painting and then go over it with a small brush.” Brennen likes to first rough in the sky. Then he adds the general light and dark of the hills and fields. He uses a sable brush for the grass, giving it an amazing detail; however, on closer inspection it appears like an impression.

“I’ve developed a technique to make it look like individual grass or leaves, but not have to paint each one.” Because of this skill, one fan dubbed him the “grass man.”

With more than 1,000 works under his belt, Brennen has an easy confidence about his art. Depending on size, his pieces can sell from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars each.  His work is shown in many corporate collections, too, including that of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sterling Savings Bank, the Rainier Collection and the Safeco Corp. in Seattle, as well as the MetLife Executive Collection in New York City.

Yakima artist Bill Brennan

He also does commissions. One of his favorites can be seen at the Yakima Armory and was made possible by the Seattle Arts Commission. The three large murals located in the Armory’s entry hall depict the history of the Yakima Militia and is an excellent example of his skill as a figurative artist, like his idols Wyeth and Rockwell.

Brennen, who enjoys playing tennis and working in his garden, also has a talent for music. For years he performed with his band, The Blue Tropics, playing Jimmy Buffett tropical-style music at local events and wineries. Two years ago, he set tropical party music aside and, with fellow band mate W.D. Frank, started a new band called Stimulus Package.

Brennen shows no concern for what the future holds because he knows he just wants to keep painting pictures, playing music and enjoying himself.