Bakersfield Life Magazine April 2015

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April 2015 bakersfieldlife.com

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Cool beansThe art of coffee

Food Dudes atWiki’s Wine Dive & Grill

& Home GardenI S S U E

Backyard Paradise

Dream cabins

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6 Bakersfield Life Magazine April 2015

April 2015

F E A T U R E S

Dream CabinsBeautiful and rustic, these homeshearken back to our country’sbeginnings. Take a look inside someauthentic cabins located acrossKern County.

Page 74

The beauty, majesty and rustic nature arewhat make these log homes truly unique.

PHOTO

BY CHRISTINE PEN

NER

Years of Community Action!

1965 - 2015

50Community Action Partnership of Kern turns 50! Join us as a sponsor or attendee at our Humanitarian Awards Banquet.

Thursday, May 7, 2015 | 6 pmBakersfield Marriott

801 Truxtun Ave., Bakersfield, CA

Tickets/sponsorship opportunities: Marco Paredes (661) 379-8195 [email protected] or visit:

Bronze $2,500• 1/4 page color ad in program; placement of logo on event materials• Reserved seating for 8• Recognition on CAPK’s website and Facebook

www.capk.org

Humanitarian of the Year:President and Founder of

Grimm Family Education Foundation Barbara Grimm Marshall

Community Partner of the Year:Valley Faith Fellowship

Keynote Speaker:Kern County Superior Court Judge

The Honorable Jose R. Benavides

Table Sponsor $1,000 per table• Reserved seating for 8 • Table sponsor signage

• 1/8 page ad in program

Single Event Tickets: $80

Silver $5,000• 1/2 page color ad in program; placement of logo on event materials• Reserved seating for 8• Recognition on CAPK’s website and Facebook

Gold $10,000• Public Recognition• 1 page color ad in program; prominent logo placement on event materials• Reserved seating for 16• Recognition on CAPK’s website and Facebook

Platinum $20,000• Public Recognition; display of corporate banner at banquet• 2 page color ad in program and exclusive logo placement on cover, and other event materials• Reserved seating for 16• Recognition on CAPK’s website and Facebook

BackyardRetreatsMost people planvacations and getaways toescape the daily grind.Other homeowners justhave to walk out their backdoor. Check out some ofthe amazing backyardsaround Bakersfield.

Page 68

AddingCharacter toYour HomeAdd authentic character toany space withoutbreaking the bank.

Page 72

EdibleGardensLocal experts chime in onhow you can grow yourown vegetable, herb andsalsa gardens so you cansave money while eatinghealthy.

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April 2015

D E P A R T M E N T S

Up Front13 Word on the Street14 The Big Picture16 Money Matters17 Named After18 Short Takes22 In Season23 Finding Fame24 My Pet25 By the Numbers27 What I’m Reading

28 Happenings29 On the Web30 12 Random Things

Eat & Drink32 Food Dudes36 Food and Wine

Lifestyles44 On the Road49 Health and Wellness52 In My Closet 54 Fit and Fresh58 Pastimes 60 Home and Garden

Go & Do62 Entertainment64 Trip Planner

People & Community88 Business Profile96 Bakersfield Matters97 Family Verdict 98 Personality100 Hometown Hero102 Why I Live Here104 All-Star Athlete106 Talk of the Town108 Our Town110 For a Cause114 Inside Story116 History118 Power Couple120 Real People122 Prime Finds124 SNAP!130 Last Word

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For the recordTiffani Alvidrez had her fourth child, Max, while working toward her master’s degree at theUniversity of La Verne. Alvidrez’s name was misspelled and her child was misidentified in theMarch 2015 issue. We regret the inconvenience.

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“I wanted to spray paint a darkwood end table. I primed, sanded, thenpainted it and let it dry for 24 hours,but the paint kept rubbing off. Its newhome is the garage.”— Lisa Ybarra, niche publications

intern

“In replacing the toilet seat, thewing nut holding it was too tight and Iused a hammer to ‘tap it’ and missed,hitting the porcelain bowl. Crack! We

had to replace the entire toilet.”— Linda Petree, adver-tising account executive

“My friend and I made T-shirts, and Iforgot to put a towel down before iron-ing on the decals. We now have a niceimprint on our kitchen table. Oops!”— Shelby Parker, niche

publications intern

“I thought I could build an enclo-sure that would allow me to put a cam-era in the back of the goal at Bakers-field Condors games. I was wrong.”

— Mark Nessia,assistant editor

“In elementary school, I attemptedto make a coin purse out of construc-tion paper and Scotch tape to replace areal coin purse I'd lost. Needless to say,it failed.”— Allison Escobar, graphic

designer

WHAT WAS YOUR WORST DIY PROJECT? Bakersfield Life™ Magazine is published by TBC Media

The magazine is inserted into The Bakersfield Californian on the last Saturday of every month. To subscribe, please call 392-5777. To advertise,

contact Lisa Whitten at [email protected] or 395-7563.

PublisherGinger Moorhouse

Associate PublisherVirginia Cowenhoven

President/CEORichard Beene

Senior Vice President Chief Operating OfficerLogan Molen

Senior Vice President Revenue and MarketingJohn Wells

Vice President, Administration and OperationsNancy Chaffin

Interactive Sales ManagerGunter Copeland

Advertising Sales ManagerLisa Whitten

Advertising Traffic ManagerShauna Rockwell

Market Research Lisa Beason, Jose Granados

EditorOlivia Garcia

Assistant Managing EditorMark Nessia

Specialty Publications CoordinatorKatelynn Camp

Art DirectorGlenn Hammett

Graphic DesignerAllison Escobar

Editorial InternsShelby Parker, Lisa Ybarra

PhotographyFelix Adamo, Sally Baker,

Henry A. Barrios, Benoit Camirand, Casey Christie, BrianColeman, Gregory D. Cook, Rick Diamond, Bob Dickey,Nick Ellis, John Harte, Sherry Kelly, Katie Kirschenmann,Maxine Klein, Tanya X. Leonzo, Michael Lopez, MarkNessia, Greg Nichols, Dan Ocampo, Christine Penner,Katy Raytis, Carla Rivas, Mike and Evie Shamoon, Jan St Pierre, Rodney Thornburg, Adriana Vega,

Coby Wright

Contributing writersSally Baker, Angel Carreras, Elizabeth Castillo,

Gregory D. Cook, David Gordon, Diana Greenlee, LisaKimble, Katie Kirschenmann, Stephen Lynch, BreanaOliver, Julie Plata, Katy Raytis, Eddie Ronquillo, Mikeand Evie Shamoon, Anna C. Smith, Chris Thornburgh,

Miranda Whitworth

On the coverPhoto by Mark Nessia

The Stiers’ home in the Bakersfield Country Club area fea-tures a backyard with a free-form fresh water pool, over300 palm trees, lounge area and an elevated tee boxoverlooking the Bakersfield Country Club golf course.

Bakersfield’s Premier City Magazine

April 2015 / Vol. 9 / Issue 7

STAFF SHARES


• 3 Dimensional Designing

• Full Service Remodels

• Cabinetry

• Countertops / Backsplash

• Flooring – Tile / Hardwood

“My work is my passion.” - Rick Sorci

Project Notes

• Medallion Cabinetry Morel Burnt Sienna Glaze

• Granite : Silars

• Must save the floor

After twenty-seven years in our home, we were ready for a major kitchen remodel (the kitchen was ready too!). We also had a pretty clear vision of what we wanted. We knew about Rick Sorci’s reputation for timely, quality work from friends who had worked with him. When Rick came to our home to take measurements, his first comment to us was “Of course you want to raise the ceiling, right?” We were thrilled as that is exactly what we wanted although other contractors had discouraged us from making such a dramatic change. We knew then that Rick was the best choice to help us realize our vision!

Rick and his team have been wonderful to work with. It did not take long for us to realize the innovation, creativity, dedication, and professionalism Stockdale Kitchen & Bath brought to our project. Designing the kitchen was a breeze with the 3-D software he uses. We had a great time interacting with Rick as we described our vision in detail and he brought it to life in virtual reality. He showed great respect for our ideas and aesthetic, and at the same time, made creative and expert suggestions to help us refine and finalize our design. The process was exciting and enjoyable.

Making decisions about finishes, granite, tile, fixtures, and accessories was also exciting and enjoyable thanks to Rick’s great personality and his enthusiasm as we shopped for everything we would need. Rick’s skillful guidance, easy manner, and positive attitude made difficult choices that much easier. We were constantly reassured that we would love our new kitchen owing to the personal investment Rick showed in our project.

Tina and Jeff deserve special thanks for being such key players on the team. Tina kept us informed of everything as the process unfolded and was always available when we had questions. Jeff did an amazing job from the first day of demolition to the final installation of the cabinet hardware. His attention to detail and craftsmanship are of the highest quality. We were thoroughly at ease with Jeff in our home and he quickly felt like a member of the family.

Our sincere thanks to Rick Sorci and the amazing team at Stockdale Kitchen & Bath. We love our new kitchen and look forward to enjoying it for many years to come!

~ Cheryl and David George


One of my most favoritethings to do is to cuddleup on the couch at myhome and read a goodhistory book, while my

husband and teenagers catch up on a TVshow and my little ones rumble in andout of the house chasing our dogs.

Even though reading a book canrequire silence, my brain has been wiredto work just fine around this hecticnoise. Actually, I love being around thistype of family noise as I know someday,when my boys are grown up and withlives of their own, I will miss it dearly.

The point I’m trying to make is thatthere is really no place like home. Yes, Ilove our vacation getaways or being outand about, but at the end of the day, Ilove being home surrounded by my hus-band and babies. Our homes are thecenter of our lives, aren’t they?

For that reason, Bakersfield Lifedecided to focus on home this edition.The Home and Garden Issue will takeyou on a journey where you will meet afew locals with breathtaking backyardretreats. Special thanks to writer DianaGreenlee for making it possible that wesee how some locals know how to turntheir backyards into paradise.

Are you looking to upgrade orimprove your home? Writer Anna Smithtalks to local experts who have a fewhandy tips for you as you begin yourspring improvement projects. ColumnistEddie Ronquillo shares his homeimprovement experience with us andexplains why it’s always important togive your older homes makeovers.

Even better is that some of our localexperts are provided us some tips onsolar, painting, roofing and more.

Do you love cabins? Maybe you ownone, share it or rent one in your get-aways. Whatever you do, writer KatelynnCamp introduces us to some great peo-ple who have given their cabins lots oflove and care.

Spring calls for spring-cleaning andmany of us will be busy with those proj-ects soon. But what about making,adding or expanding on your outdoorgarden?

Greenlee catches up with local proswho have a few words of wisdom onhow to make a delightful vegetable,herbal and salsa garden right in yourbackyard.

Speaking of gardens, new historianwriter Julie Plata takes us onto a journeyin our past where she highlights com-munity gardens in town during WorldWar I.

Don’t forget! We are still taking nom-inations for the 2015 Bakersfield Life 20Under 40 People to Watch contest! Weare looking for individuals who areimproving our communities in variousways, but we need your help!

If you have a friend, colleague, rela-tive or maybe even yourself who isbringing life to our town or striving tomake it better each day, then this con-test is for you.

We will review all nominations andselect 20 who will be honored in ourJune issue and at a special ceremony.

Nominations must be submittedonline by visitingbakersfieldlife.com/contests before the

deadline, whichis April 20. Welook forward toyour nomina-tions.

Olivia GarciaEditor

395-7487 • [email protected]

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISCharlie Walz has

been the medicalaccount executive forTBC Media sinceFebruary 2014. Hewas born and raisedin Tehachapi and stilllives there with hiswife, Leslie, andthree kids, Benjamin,Finley and Josephine.

They are expecting their fourth child in April –a boy. Walz is involved in the youth wrestlingclub in Tehachapi and spends most weekendstraveling throughout California coachingyouth wrestlers. Walz enjoys fishing, campingand playing with his kids.

She proudly callsBakersfield herhometown but KatieKirschenmannwasborn and raised inBirmingham, Ala-bama. Always an“outdoorsy” girl, shemet her husband of13 years, BrianKirschenmann, at

Mammoth Lakes. After moving to Bakersfield,Kirschenmann called upon her Southern sen-sibilities and joined the Junior League of Bak-ersfield where she served as president.Kirschenmann is mother to her three chil-dren: 5-year-old Chase and twin baby girls,Annabelle Rose and Clara Ellen.

She may havebeen born and raisedin Salt Lake City,Utah, but afterspending the last 12years in Kern County,Miranda Whitworthis officially a Califor-nia girl. She got herstart in the mediaworking for Clear

Channel Radio and is currently the marketingmanager for Kern Federal Credit Union. Whit-worth has been a contributing writer for TheBakersfield Californian since 2010. Whitworthis a dedicated music traveler, an advocate forlocal arts and entertainment, and the proudmother of a 7-year-old son.

ED ITOR ’ S NOTECONTR IBUTORS

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BY TANYA

X. LEO

NZO

bakersfieldlife.com 13

A library with every subject,because reading is one ofthe best things on the plan-et. It would also have tohave a sliding staircase, like"Beauty and the Beast.”

— Misty Moore

Small, quiet bedroom,because it’s quiet and I havenoise sensitivity.

— Eric Warnock

A very green backyard.That’s because I grew upwith one; I feel like it’s nec-essary.

— Katie Henderson

My art studio. I feel like hav-ing a creative space isimportant to search mydrive and desire to do art.It’s a good outlet.

— Cameron Werner

Library. I love to read and Ilove collecting books. Ialready have books allaround, so why not have aspace to put them?

— Grace Hamm

A skylight. It’s a natural wayto light the room. It’s likeyou’re outside, but you’re inyour house.

— Marichel Mejia

A really good home office, soI can work on my blogs.— Mandy Wallace

My backyard – a good placefor my cats, and I like tohang out there.

— Tom Taylor

Compiled by Shelby Parker Photos by Mark Nessia

WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANTITEM IN YOUR DREAM HOUSE?

WORD ON THE STREETUp Front

PET ISSUE GIVES HOPEDear Editor,

I just wanted to tell you that the tim-ing of this “Pet Issue” was perfect. Weadopted a puppy from Marley’s Mutts 11/2 years ago. He is now 2 years old. Twoweeks ago, he became very ill with multi-ple seizures. After seeing our vet and theemergency hospital twice, we took him toLos Angeles for a neurology consult.

After an MRI, spinal tap, Valley fevertest and a three-day stay in the hospital,he has come home. His diagnosis is pos-sibly an autoimmune disease. He is on

multiple medications, and we are startingto seen some improvement.

The article about Mike and Gail Gib-son’s dog came at a perfect time. It gaveus hope that with more time, our not-so-little lap dog will recover, also. We feelexactly the way the Gibsons feel. Our twodogs are now our children. In fact, whenwe got Bruno, I told our son he had a newpuppy brother.

I would like to thank the Gibsons forsharing their story at just the right time.

Karen Boehning

LETTER TO THE ED ITOR


THE B IG P ICTURE

Intense colors fill the sky as the sun setsover downtown Bakersfield on a warmspring evening.

FIRE IN THE SKY

Photo by Casey Christie

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Vacation homes are becoming ahot ticket in the housing mar-ket. If you are thinking of tak-ing the second-home plunge,consider these points before

you commit.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUYBefore you sock money into a second

home, consider first renting it or a nearbyproperty. That quaint beach town may notbe so appealing if traffic and unruly touriststest the limits of your tolerance. Rentinggives you time to check the pulse of the areaduring various seasons.

WHAT IS YOUR TIME FRAME? If you’re buying a vacation home with

the hope of selling it for a huge profit in thenext few years, you may be doomed for fail-ure. Like any investment, it takes time tostart seeing a return. Depending on the areaand how quickly homes appreciate, it cantake anywhere from two to seven years toreach a breakeven point. If you’re not goingto hold on to the house for at least fiveyears, buying may not be smart.

BENEFIT FROM THE BREAKS OF PERSONAL USE

Vacation homes can provide a breakfrom the grind and offer tax breaks as well. Ifyou use the home exclusively for your pleas-ure, you can deduct property taxes andmortgage interest (limitations apply if com-bined mortgage debt exceeds $1,000,000). Asecond home, for tax purposes, is basicallyany property with sleeping, cooking and toi-let facilities. Yes, even houseboats, trailers,yachts, RVs and timeshares can qualify.

KNOW THE RENTAL TAX RULES WITHMIXED USE

Many vacation homeowners rent theirproperty part of the year to help pay bills.The tax picture turns complicated when yourent your vacation home in the same yearyou use it personally. There are three cate-gories in which you may fall and each hassignificant tax effects:

You rent your home 14 days or fewer

during the year: The home is considered apersonal residence so you can pocket allrental income, tax-free – no limits. Propertytaxes and mortgage interest are deductedjust as you do your principal home.

You rent your home more than 14 daysannually and personal use is limited to 14days or 10 percent of the days the home wasrented: The home is considered a rentalproperty. All rental income is reported to theIRS, but you can deduct rental expensessuch as mortgage interest, property taxes,insurance, HOA fees, management fees, util-ities, housekeeping, gardening, deprecia-tion, maintenance and repairs. See IRS Pub-lication 527 for more tips. By limiting per-sonal use to 14 days annually or 10 percent,the vacation home is considered a businessand up to $25,000 in losses might bedeductible each year. It’s important to notethat “fix-up days” don't count as personaluse. Just make sure you have maintenancereceipts to support the facts.

You use your home for more than 14days or 10 percent of the total days thehome was rented: If you use the property formore than 14 days annually or more than 10percent of the days it is rented (whichever isgreater), the property is considered a per-sonal residence and the rental loss cannotbe deducted. Note that if a member of yourfamily uses the property, those days countas personal days unless you are collecting afair rental price.

BOTTOM LINEOwning a vacation home can be a

rewarding investment if it is financially fea-sible, but tax implications are complex.

Consult a knowl-edgeable tax advis-er to discover themost favorableownership strategyfor your situation.

— Chris Thorn-burgh is a CPA andpartner at BrownArm strongAccountancy Corp.

Contact her at [email protected] or324-4971.

Chris Thornburgh

IS A VACATION HOME RIGHT FOR YOU?By Chris Thornburgh

MONEY MATTERSUp Front



The name of Kern’s originalcounty seat was inspiredby a Biblical story in Gene-sis that the town’s founder,a grifter and schemer,

likened to the gold find there. The Bibli-cal land Havilah – “where there is gold”– also means “stretch of sand.”

Nestled between Bodfish and Walk-er Basin in the mountains alongCaliente Bodfish Road, Asbury Harp-ending Jr., known by some as the“Father of Kern County,” founded Havi-lah in July 1864 when gold was discov-ered in the area. It remained the countyseat until 1874 when government wasrelocated to Bakersfield.

By the time he discovered Havilah,Harpending’s reputation was a dubiousone. The youngest child of a landowner,Harpending was born in Hopkinsville,

Kentucky, in 1839. Described as a color-ful character and precocious, he wassent off to college when he was 15, butran away within the year to join a failedfilibuster to Nicaragua. The group wasintercepted on the Mississippi Riverand the teen was sent home.

But his father thought it best toallow Harpending to sail to California.At the age of 16, with $5 in gold in hispocket, a revolver and a savvy businesssense that would make him a million-aire many times over, he headed west.On board the ship, he was alreadywheeling and dealing. He spent thegold on fruit, which he sold to fellowtravelers for a $400 profit.

He arrived in California in 1857before the Civil War and made his earlyfortunes in mining. Described as anopportunist with a penchant for adven-ture, he joined in an effort to seize SanFrancisco in 1861 and create a “PacificRepublic” in California and Oregon.The effort was a bust.

Two years later, Harpending andothers conspired to capture and carry

shipments of gold and silver back to theSouth to support the Confederacy. This,too, failed, and the group was tried andfound guilty of treason.

Harpending was sentenced to adecade in prison on the island of Alca-traz, but a few months later, PresidentAbraham Lincoln granted a full pardonto political prisoners on the conditionthey pledge and keep the oath of alle-giance. It was his get-out-of-jail freecard, and upon his release in February1864, he found his way to the moun-tains of Kern and tiny Havilah.

He found infamy again in 1872 withthe Great Diamond Hoax, one of thebiggest scams in the state’s history.Harpending left California, the placethat made him a rich man, albeit one ofquestionable repute, for his native stateof Kentucky. A few years later, he movedto New York City and found success onWall Street.

In his memoir published in 1913, hewrote, “It would have been hard to finda more reckless secessionist thanmyself.” Harpending died in 1923.

HAVILAHBy Lisa Kimble

NAMED AFTER

Most move to Havilah to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

PHOTO

BY CASEY

CHRISTIE

CASA has been sup-porting abused andneglected childrenin Kern County forover 20 years. Vol-

unteers for CASA help thesechildren by getting to knowthem and their unfortunate,involuntary situations. They givethem a voice in court proceed-ings, so that they can be placedin safe, permanent homes. Lastyear, about 300 foster childrenhad volunteer advocates to sup-port them in their time of needthrough CASA. CASA holdsmany events throughout theyear to raise the necessary fundsto continue its important workin the community.

Support CASA of Kern Coun-

ty by attending the fourth annu-al Derby Party at GardinerRanch on Saturday, May 2. Host-ed by Keith and Jennifer Gar-diner, the party will featurebreathtaking scenery of horses, abarn and riding area. Take it allin while sipping on a Southerncocktail. The Kentucky Derby-inspired event will include din-ner, live music, dancing andauction items. Last year, theevent raised over $195,000 forlocal children in need. Ladies,bring out your fancy big hatsand men, come dressed in themost dapper attire. The cost is$150 per person. For more infor-mation and reservations call631-2272 or visit kerncasa.org.

— Bakersfield Life

OFF TO THE RACESFOR A GOOD CAUSE

SHORT TAKESUp Front

The St. George Greek OrthodoxChurch is set to host its annualGreek Food Festival on Saturday,April 25, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at

the Hellenic Park, 401 Truxtun Ave. The celebration will feature live Greek

music from the group Synthesi starting atnoon. Traditional Greek foods will be served,such as souvlaki (shish kebab), gyro sandwich-es, dolmathes, tiropites, along with yummydesserts, like loukoumades, assorted Greekpastries and baklava sundaes.

There will be shopping vendors, Greekfolk dancing lessons, children’s games (includ-ing a bounce house) and tours of the churchled by the Rev. Joseph Chaffee.

Admission is $5 and children under 12 arefree.


GREEK CULTURE TO BE CELEBRATED AT UPCOMING FOOD FESTIVAL

Ladies and gents put on their finest derby wearand best hats for CASA’s Derby Party. P

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TCOAST

EXPOSURE.ORG

Baklava GET

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CASA Derby Party

Drum major David Melton salutes during the 2013Scottish Games.

PHOTO

BY CASEY

CHRISTIE


The Claude W. RichardsonChild Development Cen-ter will be hosting its sec-ond annual 5K Fun Run

and 2K Walk on Saturday, April 11,at CALM, 10500 Alfred HarrellHighway. Early entry fee is $20 for2K and $25 for 5K. Entry fee on raceday is $30. Check-in is from 6:30 to

7:30 a.m. and the race starts at 8a.m. All ages are welcome toattend. Proceeds from the eventwill help the school purchase newmaterials and equipment for stu-dent enrichment. For more infor-mation, call the Richardson Centerat 336-5400.


RICHARDSON CENTER FUN RUN TOSUPPORT STUDENT DEVELOPMENT

The Kern County Scot-tish Society is return-ing to the Kern CountyFairgrounds, 1142 S. P

St. on Saturday, April 18, for the20th annual Scottish Games,Gathering and Ceilidh. Guests ofall ages can enjoy Scottish ath-letics, clans and family history,live music, dancing, petting zoo,food, vendors and much more.Also, for the first time, there willbe a kilted 5K fun run/walk. The

games are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.and include: traditional stone,weight and hammer throwing;caber toss; and haggis hurl. Theceilidh is from 6 to 10 p.m. andthe fun run is from 2 to 4 p.m.Tickets are $17 for games, $15for ceilidh or $28 for both.Admission for 5K is $45 inadvance and $50 day of. Formore information visit kern-scot.org.


20TH ANNUAL SCOTTISH GAMES,GATHERING AND CEILIDH April is Donate

Life AwarenessMonth, andHouchin Com-

munity Blood Bank andJJ’s Legacy are celebratingwith Donor Day, April 18,from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. atthe new Bolthouse DonorCenter, 11515 BolthouseDrive, in the Seven OaksBusiness Park. The organi-zations hope to educatethose interested in becom-ing donors.

There will be activitiesand presentations fromdonor recipients and their

families. Other affiliatednonprofits that workclosely with donor aware-ness will also be present.

A film titled, “TheWish,” will be shown, doc-umenting the journey of ahigh school teacherthrough kidney failure andwaiting for the transplantshe needs to save her life.

For more information,contact Carola Enriquez,director of communitydevelopment with Houch-in Blood Bank, at 616-2526.


CELEBRATE DONATE LIFEAWARENESS MONTH BYATTENDING DONOR DAY

Pat Lynch donates blood at theHouchin Community Blood Bank.

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BY HEN

RY A. B

ARRIOS


SHORT TAKESUp Front

BARC at an awareness rally on budget cutsaffecting people with disabilities. P

HOTO

BY FEL

IX ADAMO

Local Mexican folk dance groupGrupo Folklorico EscuelasUnidas will be hosting its 29thAnnual Spring Performance on

Saturday, April 11, at 6 p.m. at the EastHigh School auditorium, 2220 QuincyDrive. The group’s mission is to enrichBakersfield youth through dance andMexican culture.

Dances by both children and adultgroups will take place during theevening, including Raices de Mexico,

Ballet Folklorico Mi Tierra de Bakersfieldand Ropers de Casa Loma.

The nonprofit provides an arts pro-gram in Mexican dancing that will helpstudents with their mathematicsthrough the patterns learned. The pro-gram also teaches children to be moreaware of their culture and have respectfor others.

Advance tickets are $10 at Martin’sMeats, 801 21st St. or $12 at the door.


GRUPO FOLKLORICO ESCUELAS UNIDASTO CELEBRATE MEXICAN CULTURE

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LVIA GUZMAN

The American Societyof Safety Engineerswill be kicking offthe month of April

by holding its chapter meet-ing. The topic will be “fightingfraud,” which includes IDtheft, contractor fraud andworkers’ compensation fraud.The discussion will give tipsand tricks on how to avoidbeing a victim in any of thosecases and what to do if frauddoes happen to you.

Guest speaker David Wolf,deputy district attorney, hasprosecuted many crimes from

misdemeanors to murders. Hewill talk about the steps thatthe district attorney’s officewill take in fighting compen-sation fraud.

Tickets are $12 per person,$5 for student members ofASSE and $5 for emeritusmembers of ASSE.

The meeting will takeplace on April 1 at Hodel’sCountry Dining Restaurant,5917 Knudsen Drive, from 7 to8:45 a.m.

To RSVP, call Fred Hrenchirat 617-5286.

— Bakersfield LifeThe 7th AnnualBARC CelebrityWaiters’ Luncheonis coming up at the

end of this month. Guests willbe served by “celebrity wait-ers,” including TV personali-ties, politicians and businessowners in the community.

Prizes from Christine’sBrighton will be raffled offand a fashion show will takeplace in the afternoon.

The luncheon will be heldWednesday, April 22 from

11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at theDoubleTree Hotel, 3100Camino Del Rio Court. Indi-vidual tickets are $50 andtables for eight and 10 withsponsorships are $500 and$600, respectively.

Reservations required;register by April 17. For moreinformation or to make reser-vations, contact Linda Hart-man at 834-2272, ext. 268, orgo to barc-inc.org to down-load the registration form.


LOCAL CELEBRITIES COMETOGETHER FOR BARC LUNCHEON

Deputy District Attorney DavidWolf, right, will be the guestspeaker at the AmericanSociety of Safety Engineersevent.

PHOTO

BY CASEY

CHRISTIE

FIGHT FRAUD WITH THE AMERICANSOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS


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This Earth Day, Keep Bakers-field Beautiful has many waysto beautify and give back tothe city we love.

On Saturday, April 25, KBB’s mainevent of the year, the 6th annual GreaterBakersfield Expo will be taking place,which will focus on cleaning up the cityof Bakersfield from 8 to 10 a.m. A volun-teer celebration will take place at YokutsPark until 1 p.m., including an awardsceremony with Mayor Harvey Hall, freebarbecue, old-fashioned picnic gamesand bounce houses. The expo will fea-ture recycling and renewable energybusinesses from Kern County and will

feature booths and vendors from thecommunity.

However, KBB doesn’t just focus onhelping the community in April, itfocuses on many projects throughoutthe year, such as anti-graffiti, recycling

and more. For more information about the

Greater Bakersfield Expo, visit keepbak-ersfieldbeautiful.us or call Jessica Felixat 326-3539.


KEEP BAKERSFIELDBEAUTIFUL THISEARTH DAY

Volunteers help KeepBakersfield Beautiful.

PHOTO

BY ROD THORNBURG


IN SEASONUp Front

Easter is approaching andmany families are makingplans for how they aregoing to spend one of themost celebrated holidays of

the year. Parents are leaving the lawnsunmanicured for the anticipated egghunt and churches are planning for fullhouses. Whether you are looking for aplace to worship or somewhere toentertain the little ones, here are somesuggestions.

EASTER SERVICESValley Bible FellowshipSunday, April 5: 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and

noon2300 East Brundage Lane

Riverlakes Community ChurchSunday, April 5: 10 a.m. at the Bright

House Networks Amphitheater, 11200Stockdale Highway

Valley Baptist ChurchSunday, April 5: 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m.,

9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.4800 Fruitvale Ave.

St. Francis of Assisi ParishSaturday, April 4: 8 p.m. vigilSunday, April 5: 6 a.m., 8 a.m., 10

a.m. and noon; 2 p.m. (Vietnamese)900 H St.

New Life Center Saturday, April 4: 5 p.m. (English)

and 7 p.m. (Spanish) at SW campus,4201 Stine Road; 7 p.m. (English) at NWcampus, 1300 Jewetta Ave.

Sunday, April 5: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m.and noon (English); 10 a.m. and noon(Spanish) at SW campus; 11 a.m. (Eng-lish) at NW campus

The Bridge Bible ChurchSunday, April 5: 8:30 a.m. and 10:30

a.m.12225 Stockdale Highway

Canyon Hills Assembly of GodFriday, April 3: 12:15 p.m.Sunday, April 5: 6 a.m. at Hillcrest

Memorial Park, 9101 Kern Canyon Road; 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11

a.m. and noon at 7001 Auburn St.Kids egg hunt at 10 a.m.

Egg HuntsCity of Bakersfield Recreation &

Parks Egg HuntSaturday, April 4: 10:30 a.m.Early arrival strongly suggestedMLK Community Center1000 S. Owens St.

LOCAL EASTERCELEBRATIONSBy Lisa Ybarra

Children get a good start during the Springtime Egg Hunt aday before Easter.

RiverLakes Community Church Easter service at theBright House Amphitheatre at The Park at River Walk.

PHOTO

BY CASEY

CHRISTIE

PHOTO

BY JOHN HARTE

When Tiler Peck was 3, she was already danc-ing in “the big girls’ studio” at her mother’sdance studio off of Stine Road. Bakersfieldmoms just love to talk about their kids, andGeorgia Peck was no exception. Georgia

said Tiler was always a mature dancer with “a big heart thatshowed when she danced.” Georgia has a special corner onthe “proud of her little girl” market as Tiler, 26, is now a prin-cipal dancer for the New York City Ballet and recently danced,acted and sang in the musical “Little Dancer” performed at

the Kennedy Center. “It was seven weeks

of standing ovations,”Georgia beamed. “Butshe’s still that little girlfrom Bakersfield.”

Tiler’s all grown-up(she married RobertFairchild, another prin-cipal dancer with NYCBallet last June), but stillremembers her roots.As a little girl, sheattended Christa McAu-liffe Elementary in thePanama-Buena VistaUnion School Districtand mentioned a spe-cial teacher, Mrs.Ketchell, whom she hadfor third through fifthgrade.

“I loved her class,”Tiler said, especiallybecause Mrs. Ketchelldeveloped a correspon-dence course for Tiler in

fifth grade when the 11-year-old was off in New York City per-forming in the Broadway productionof “The Music Man.”

Bakersfield to New York was abig change for the young dancer.

“It was exciting. There was somuch to do. It was so big and sotall,” Tiler said. “I never thought Iwould live here. It was just a funplace to visit.”

Tiler and Robert live together in aNew York apartment to be close to theirjobs, but Tiler says she’s back in Bakers-field often, teaching and choreographingfor her mother’s dance studio and visit-ing her best friend since first grade.

Tiler likes to visit The Marketplace,which she says seems like “the place tohang out,” and always loves eating localBasque food.

“We really don’t have much of that here(in New York),” she said.

Tiler’s mentor, Peter Mar-tins, lists off her many accom-plishments as a dancer, butalways finishes by saying,“And she’s from Bakersfield!”Some just can’t believe thetalent coming from a farmingand oil town in Central Califor-nia. Georgia says that’s actuallya good thing.

“What is special about Tiler isshe’s so humble you’d never know thatshe’s done all of the things she’s done,”she said. “That makes me more proudof her than her stardom.”

By Katelynn Camp

Bakersfield’s famous ballerina remains loyal to her hometown

TILER PECK

F IND ING FAME

Tiler Peck at hermother Georgia Peck’sdance studio. P

HOTO

BY HEN

RY A. B

ARRIOS

Born Jan. 12, 1989

2 years old - Dances atmother’s studio

7 years old - Begins train-ing with Alla Khaniashvili

11 years old - Trains at Con-junctive Point in Culver Citywith former NYC Ballet

dancers; moves to New Yorkfor a year to perform in “TheMusic Man” on Broadwayand begins School of Ameri-can Ballet

12 years old - AttendsSchool of American Ballet

15 years old - Apprenticewith NYC Ballet

16 years old - Joins NYC

Ballet as a member

17 years old - Promoted toNYC Ballet soloist

18 years old - Suffers backstress fracture

20 years old - Promoted toNYC principal dancer

25 years old - MarriesRobert Fairchild, NYC Balletprincipal dancer

Tiler Peck

PHOTO

COURTES

Y OF PHOTO

COURTES

Y OF SC

OOP M

ARKET

ING

Tiler Peck asMarzipan in theNew York CityBallet’sproduction of“The Nutcracker.”



MY PETUp Front

Jacob Gonzalez, 11, is the proudowner of two red-eared slider tur-tles, Rafael and Michelangelo, whoare 4 and 2 years old. Jacob hadalways thought turtles were “cool”

and being a big fan of the “Ninja Turtles”movie, the two turtles seemed like the per-fect fit.

While they can be fascinating to watch,Jacob adds that they can be “dangerous ifhandled by children, since they can carrysalmonella,” so it’s always important towash your hands after handling them.

Jacob’s turtles have become a part of thefamily, and he enjoys watching them dowhat they do best, which is hiding in the dirtor grass.

How long have you had your pet turtles?First turtle, three years. Second turtle,

one year.

What are some activities you like to dowith your turtles?

Watch them dig in dirt/grass.

My pet's personality in five words:Shy, active, funny, unique and cool.

Favorite memory with Rafael andMichelangelo:

When they hide in the plants and it tookall day to find them.

What makes my turtles happy:Food, clean water and sun.

I know my turtles are moody when …They are hungry.

Favorite foods:Green lettuce and aquatic turtle food

that has turtle pellets blended with dryshrimp, mealworms and whole cranberries.

Favorite activities:Digging in dirt and hiding in the grass.

Talents:Balancing on rocks.

Antics:Stacking on each other.

JACOB GONZALEZ,RAFAEL ANDMICHELANGELOCompiled by Bakersfield Life

Jacob Gonzalez and his two red-eared sliderturtles, Michelangelo, left, and Rafael. P

HOTO

BY M

ARK NES

SIA


A look at home and gardening improvements in Kern County

BY THE NUMBERS

Amount of activities devoted to outdoor projects Top home improvement projects within past 12 months

43% 47%

Lawn care

43% of Kern adults do some type of gardening,such as planting vegetables or flowers

43% of Kern adults did some type ofhome improvement in the past 12 months

Under

$1,000

Interior paintor wallpaper

Landscaping

Plumbing

More than

$1,000

Installed pool,hot tub or spa

Replaced orrepaired roof

Remodeledkitchen

Source: Scarborough Research - Sept. 2014

Gardening

60% of those who did a homeimprovement spent $1,000 or more


SAVE UP TO 65% AT OVER 70 BRAND-NAME STORESMICHAEL KORS

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TEJONOUTLETS.COM

Located at I-5 & Hwy 99, just south of Bakersf ie ld.

SHOPPING | DINING | ENTERTAINMENT

Experience the Outlets at Tejon, the area’s newest

shopping destination. Find the most wanted brands

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Plants are inKathy Robin-son’s blood.Robinson’s

parents openedRobby’s Nursery in 1962,and she now runs thenewest location at 4002Terracotta Court under herparents’ watchful eyes.

Robby’s Nursery & Cal-ico Gardens offers a widevariety of trees, shrubs,perennials and gardeningtools to help customersgrow their dream gardens.The nursery also carriesmany drought-tolerantplants, perfect for the sum-mer months, allowing cus-tomers to add color to theirgardens while conservingwater.

Robinson’s reading listisn’t limited to gardeningbooks, however. Here’swhat she’s read and whatshe’s currently reading.

What I’m currentlyreading: I am currentlyreading “Straw Bale Con-struction” by Steen, Steen& Bainbridge and“The Land of PaintedCaves” by Jean Auel(from the Earth’s Chil-dren Series).Favorite book:My

favorite books are “ToKill A Mockingbird” byHarper Lee, “The Diary ofAnne Frank,” “The GreatGatsby” by F Scott Fitzger-ald and “The Call of theWild” by Jack London. Books I’ve read more

than once: I read “TheTale of Three Trees” byAngela Hunt every Christ-

mas and “How to PruneFruit Trees” by SanfordMartin each time I prune.Other materials I like

reading: I love readingbooks on landscape designand architecture, especiallythose with lots of photos.Where I enjoy read-

ing: I read in my room orwhen I’m on vacation.

The book that’s beeninspirational in my life:Inspirational books are theBible, “Western Landscap-ing” (a companion book to“Western Garden Book”that I use constantly forideas), “Salvage in the Gar-den” by Marcianne Millerwith Dana Irwin and “TheGrapes of Wrath,” whichhas helped me understandmy dad and his roots a lit-tle better.Any other thoughts

on reading you wish toshare with readers? Ilove to read and look atoutdoor books and mag-azines, and travel arti-cles also intrigue me.“Sunset Magazine” isusually interesting. Ohyeah, can’t forget“The Definitive Don-key” that I read inreference when car-ing for my twominiature donkeys,

Sassafrass and Nebrasska.

KATHYROBINSONMore than just agreen thumb

WHAT I ’M READ ING

Easy access off I-5, just minutes south of Bakersf ie ld.

A DAY IN HER SHOES Saturday, May 9

Come cheer on the men as they hoof it in high heels for a good cause.

MOM & ME $1,000 SWEEPSTAKES

May 2 – 31 Enter for a chance to win one

of four $250 gift cards and one grand prize $1,000 gift card!

One lucky winner will be selected each week. Plus, receive a free

gift just for entering.

Enter on Facebook from May 2 – 31.

MEMORIAL DAY CELEBRATION Monday, May 25

Join us for entertainment, giveaways and family fun as we salute the men and women who proudly serve us.

Show your military ID to receive special discounts and perks!

For more details, visit TejonOutlets.com.

upcoming events at

Kathy Robinson, manager and co-ownerof Robby's Nursery & Calico Gardens.

PHOTO

BY M

ARK NES

SIA

Wednesday 4/01Varekai from Cirque du

Soleil through April 5. 7:30 p.m.Rabobank Arena, 1001 TruxtunAve. ticketmaster.com or 852-7309.

Saturday 4/04FARA Rabbit Run 5 and 10K

and Kids’ Bunny Run, 8 a.m.Bunny Run start; 8:30 a.m. 5/10Kstart, Yokuts Park. Registrationincludes T-shirt, barbecue meal,goodie bag and awards. $15Bunny Run, $35 regular registra-tion 5/10K. Register at bakers-fieldtrackclub.com or ultra-signup.com.Mission Possible 5K

Walk/Run to benefit The Mis-sion at Kern County. CALM,10500 Alfred Harrel Highway. $30adult; $25 student.

Monday 4/06Fleetwood Mac, 8 p.m.,

Rabobank Arena, 1001 TruxtunAve. $47.50-$177.50, ticketmas-ter.com.

Friday 4/10Shakespeare’s “Twelfth

Night” performed by the EmptySpace through April 25. TimesTBA. 706 Oak St. Donationsaccepted, esonline.org or 327-7529.

Saturday 4/11CASA Superhero

Run (10K, 5K and 2Kwalk), 7 a.m. check-in., 8:30 a.m. start.The Park at RiverWalk, 11298 Stock-dale Highway. Pre-registration: 5/10K$35, Adult 2K $25, Child2K $10. Day-of registration:5/10K $40, Adult 2K $30, Child2K $10. Register at active.com.Michael Peterson, Bull Shed

Concert Series, 8 p.m. at The BullShed, 2400 Camino Del RioCourt. Tickets start at $15.Eventbrite.com

Sunday 4/12Los 3 Ortiz presented by the

Bakersfield Community ConcertAssociation, 3 p.m., RabobankTheater, 1001 Truxtun Ave. $40single-concert tickets. Purchasetickets through BCCA at 205-8522, 589-2478 or [email protected].

Thursday 4/16Pat Benater & Neil Girado, 8

p.m., Fox Theater, 2001 H St. $45-$85 at box office, vallitix.com or322-5000.

Saturday 4/18 Kern River Trail Runs (5 and

10K and 10-miler), 8 a.m. start,Hart Park, Section 7, Alfred Har-rell Highway and River Road.$30, 5K; $40, 10K and 10-miler.$5 discount for BTC membersand $10 discount for studentsages 10 to 19. ultrasignup.com.Kilted Beer 5K Run/Walk, 1

p.m. sign-in and registration, 2p.m. start. Kern County Fair-grounds 1142 South P St. $50includes general admission tothe Scottish Gathering andGames and T-shirt. Free beerprovided at finish line (root beeravailable for children).Eventbrite.com.

Kern SchoolsFederal Credit Union’s75th Anniversary atCALM, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Food, games, prizes,music and more. FreeCALM admission. 10500Alfred Harrell Highway. Visitksfcu.org for more informa-tion.

Saturday 4/25East High Poker Run 5K,

6:30 a.m. registration, 8 a.m.start, 9 a.m. kids’ run (12 andunder) start. Rio Bravo Ranch,$20 BTC members, $25 non-members, $12 students at bak-ersfieldtrackclub.com.Merle Haggard, 8 p.m. Fox

Theater, 2001 H St. $47-$97 at thebox office, vallitix.com or 322-5000.Dry River Classic bicycling

ride by Finish Line Bikes toraise funds for the Kern RiverParkway Foundation, 10, 35 and50-mile routes, 7 a.m. day-of reg-istration; 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. starts.Finish Line Bikes. 8850 StockdaleHighway. $40 preride day; $50day-of. Finishlinebikes.com or833-6268.

Find more community events at bakersfieldlife.com, or submityours via email to [email protected] or via ourFacebook page: Bakersfield Life Magazine

CAN’T-MISS EVENTS IN APRIL

HAPPEN INGSUp Front

CASA Superhero Run


Michael Peterson

“Varekai” fromCirque du Soleil


THE

BAKE

RSFIELD CALIFORNIAN

READERS’ CHOICEPO

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FAVORITE

2014

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ON THE WEBHOME CONTEST

Every home has something that makes it special. Weasked our readers to share favorite parts of their homesand this is what they had to say.

“My husband and I downsized from our home to amobile home. When we moved in all I could see when Iwent outside was my neighbor's rusty shed. With hisblessing, I painted the shed yellow, put up an old door,two shutters and an old fence that we painted green. Iput a raised garden where I grow tomatoes, peppers,lettuce and pumpkins for the grandchildren. All of thisis just a facade of a potting shed, but everyone whocomes over thinks it is a potting shed. Everything I usedis recycled, even the paint!”

— Virginia M . Hoffm ann

“Sometimes it’sbarbecuing for fami-ly, or having a glassof wine with one ofour great neighbors,or spending Sundaymornings drinkingcoffee and readingthe paper or doingcrafts, but one thingis for certain, it allhappens right here!”

— M ichelle Sey-m our

MY MOM AND ME CONTESTWant to give your mom a little something extra this

Mother’s Day? Send your favorite photo of you and yourmom to [email protected] and we justmight include it in our May issue! Make sure to includethe names of everyone in your photo and why it’s yourfavorite.


Tom Jannino, 62, absolute-ly loves his job as a designarchitect. He says a lot ofhis fellow designers avoid

getting involved with residentialdesign, but for Jannino, it’s anopportunity to improve a family’squality of life.

"Some architects stay away fromresidential design because it can bemore emotional than commercialwork,” he said. “Since I was a child,I loved designing and homes. I wakeup every day looking forward to

making someone’s living situationbetter.”

The remodel design processbegins with a visit to the home,where Jannino gets to know thefamily, measures the house, looks atthe lot’s limitations and makes surethe family’s ideas are within reason.He always asks himself, “Is this real-ly feasible?”

Jannino is there to put ideasdown on paper, but here are 12 ran-dom facts about this designer youmay not have known.

1 I wanted to be an archi-tect from the time I was 5years old. I love my joband look forward toeach day I can workwith my clients.

2 I still do drafting byhand, never having learnedto use a computer-aideddrafting program. I wish I hadlearned, but that ship has sailed.

3 If I wasn’t an architect, I wouldwant to be involved in farming or runa bike rental on Catalina Island.

4 I spent my last year of college inFlorence, Italy and have retained myconversational Italian.

5 I love to travel but have a tendencyto make repeat trips to favoriteplaces.

6 I occasionally play with Legos, andbecause of the love my kids had forthem, I have the largest private col-lection outside of Denmark.

7 I love to cook and pre-fer preparing a meal togoing out to dinner.

8 I make a meancarbonara thatfriends say is thebest they’ve evereaten.

9 I wish I could eat severalbaked goods every day, and I woulddo most anything for a Butterhornfrom Smith’s.

10 I get choked up at schmaltzymovies, shows and commercials, buttry to keep it together if my childrenare present.

11 I have taught art projects in ele-mentary schools and enjoy workingwith children.

12 From time totime, I crave thescent of the gradeschool “WeeklyReader” we hadgrowing up, butI have nodesire toeatwhitepasteagain.

TOM JANNINO

Compiled by Bakersfield Life

last pest control report

F

1 2 RANDOM TH INGS YOU D IDN ’T KNOW ABOUT…

PHOTO

BY M

ARK NES

SIA

Up Front

Design architect, chef, private Lego collector

Perhaps you are seeking a vaca-tion retreat, a new investment opportunity, or are starting to plan for retirement; there are many reasons you may be in

the market for a second home. As a real property lawyer in BakersTeld, over the past 28 years, I have been involved in a wide variety of real property sale trans-actions. Whether the transaction involves residential or commercial real property and whether it is the buyer’s or the seller’s side of the deal, well-orchestrated transac-tions and closings seem to have common factors. Accordingly, if you’re selling or buying a second home, here are some sug-gestions to make the transaction smooth-er which I have observed over time.

Both sides of the transaction are well ad-vised to each hire a good real estate agent familiar with the area where the proper-ty is located. For example, if you’re buy-ing coastal or mountain property, hire an agent who knows the area where the property is located. An out of town agent

LLP

is less likely to know local issues involv-ing property.

Some transactions are between the seller and the buyer without the use of an agent. Wese for sale by owner transactions save the seller the brokerage fee (usually 6 %); however, they can get a little risky for the unwary so unless you are experienced in buying or selling real estate, have an at-torney review any purchase agreement and/or escrow instruction presented to you for signature.

Your agent (or attorney) will assist with the parties in entering into the purchase agreement covering the major deal points in a sale which customarily include: • the sales price consistent with values in

the area and conTrmed by your experi-enced agent or appraiser;

• the amount of earnest money deposit large enough to matter and becoming non-refundable aSer the due diligence period expires;

• establishing a due diligence period to review the condition of the property usually 15 to 30 days;

• Tnancing the purchase by a third party lender or the seller carrying back part of the purchase price with a note se-cured by a deed of trust; and

• review of title based on the preliminary title report and removing unacceptable liens and exceptions.

We due diligence to be performed by the buyer is more than a review of the prelim-inary title report and an inspection of the land. It should also include a review of documents such as: • building permits from local building de-

partment • copy of plans and specs from architect

or builder • any survey of property • list of personal property going with sale• loan documents for pay oV to bank • last pest control report

Following these guidelines should allow you to enjoy your second home with great-er peace of mind. Plus I have observed that over time, many real estate acquisitions appreciate in value.

@ings to Remember When You Consider Buying or Selling a Second HomeBy Michael A. Kaia, Esq.

Michael A. Kaia is a partner at Young Wooldridge, LLP with28 years of real estatelaw experience.


WIKI’S WINEDIVE & GRILLDudes wined and dined by new executivegourmet chef

FOOD DUDESEat & Drink

Sea bass

Nestled in southwest Bakersfield is a classy jointwith something on the menu to satisfy every-one. The location is great for those who don’tfeel like dealing with the Marketplace or biggershopping areas. Whether you’re in the mood

for some fine wine and cheese, a delicious meal or tastydesert, Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill is the place for you. The grill’snew executive gourmet chef Max Nazabal loves his food, andin his hands, cooking is both an art and a science.

APPETIZERSAdam Alvidrez on the cheese board: On the board were

very generous servings of cheeses and meats, including myfavorite, prosciutto. The mascarpone with honey made theboard pop. This creamy Italian cheese is extremely addictingwhen plastered on toasted sourdough. Jason Cater on the lamb lollipops: A staple for a com-

munity that prides itself on its Basque heritage, these lol-lipops have meat so tender it could fall right off the bone.They will rival any lamb you can find in the Bakersfield area.One bite will have your taste buds screaming for more. Richard Collins on the mushroom and kale tacos:

These arrive as an open-faced threesome on a homemadeflour tortilla. The combination of wild mushrooms, kale andBrussels flowers makes for a crunchy texture that is tiedtogether with the heat of Fresno chili and cilantro cream.

Continued on page 34

BU

ENA

VISTA

RD

1,000 FT

MING AVE

Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill11350 Ming Ave.,Suite 260

STOCKDALE HWKern River

Compiled by Bakersfield Life Photos by Greg Nichols


Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill11350 Ming Ave., Suite 260

399-4547

wikiswinedive.com

facebook.com/WikisWineDive

Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondaythrough Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11p.m. Friday and Saturday; 10a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday

Cheese board Mushroom and kale tacos Lamb lollipops

The Food Dudes, from left, Michael Lopez, Adam Alvidrez,Jason Cater, Richard Collins and Justin Cave in the wineroom at Wiki’s Wine Dive & Grill.

Richard on the black mussels: Black mussels aren’t onevery menu, but Wiki’s has some that you should try. They’rejazzed up with chorizo and saffron cream.

ENTREESJason on the filet mignon: This delicacy was the treat of

the night for me. The tender piece of red meat was lightlycoated in SpanishValdeon cheese,giving it a savoryblend of flavors.Accompanying thiscenterpiece, was aside of crispy greenbeans sauteed invinegar and fluffy,creamy mashedpotatoes toppedwith butter andchives.Richard on the

sea bass:One ofthe great thingsabout this FoodDude experience islearning new

things. This time, the learning experience was farro, whichformed the bed for the sea bass. Farro is a Mediterraneangrain that lends a welcome nuttiness to the rainbow chardand pea tendrils. The sea bass was cooked to artistic and sci-entific perfection. Almost an inch thick, it had been easedonto a pan of smoking oil and cooked for a few minutes oneach side to form a caramelized crust that kept in all the ten-

der moistness of the white, flakey fish. Michael Lopez on the ghetto burger: This burger

reminds me of a burger joint in LA; it will take you back to the’hood! It’s huge and just as mouth watering. Chef Max saidthat they not only grill the burger, but they deep-fry it also.The french fries are also just as fantastic. Everything has greatflavor. Also, did I mention it’s a double-patty hamburger? Butnot just two small patties, two huge ones covered in cheese.After tasting it, I called all my friends and said, “You have toeat this burger!”Justin Cave and Adam on the Cajun shrimp pasta:

Who Dat? I’ll give you a hint: It’s not “N’awlins,” but aftersinking your teeth into the succulent shrimp packed withspice and flavor, you’ll think you’re on Bourbon Street. Moti-vated from his dining experience at the Commander’s Palacewhen he was 19 years old, chef Max creates a Cajun shrimpculinary delight right here in our own backyard. The shrimpare pink and slightly firm with a delicate crunch. The cayennepepper is beautifully incorporated in the white cream sauceatop a bed of fettuccine. All in all, this dish is fantastic timestwo.

DESSERTSMichael on the port brownies: This dish reminds me of

my mom’s brownies. I always liked them nice and warm witha scoop of ice cream on top. Magnify that by 1,000 to getWiki’s version. It doesn’t matter how many calories it adds orhow much exercise I have to do tomorrow to burn if off, theymade me feel like a kid again. Priceless. The flavor of the portwine also adds a dynamic that makes this dessert stand out.Richard on Max’s Belgian chocolate mousse: I was

happy to start with the black mussels and end with Max’s Bel-gian chocolate mousse. It’s the perfect dessert: crunchychocolate crust with a smooth chocolate ganache that has adelicate aftertaste of cocoa dust, finished with creme anglaise


Cajun shrimp pasta Ghetto burger

Continued from page 33

Filet mignon

and raspberry coulis. Save a sip or two of the red wine to wash thisdown (although a coffee would do in a pinch).

RESTAURANT WITH CLASSWiki’s has upgraded its menu and chef Max has brought new

ideas and flavors to Bakersfield. With its upscale atmosphere, moderndecor and friendly service, Wiki’s serves up a fine-dining experiencethat rivals any you will find in the Bakersfield area.


Max’s Belgian chocolate mousse

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*Bakersfield Life would like to thank the friendly, knowledgeablebaristas at Dagny’s Coffee Company who enlightened us uneducatedcoffee drinkers on the making of a perfect latte.

Hardcore, straight-black coffee drinkers say the latte is afroo-froo drink. We take offense. True, there is a con-siderable amount of milk added to the espresso shot –we’ll give latte-haters that – but, creating a good latterequires a deft hand that can delicately balance an

ODE TO THE LATTEA truly sophisticated drink

By Katelynn Camp and Allison Escobar Photos by Mark Nessia

Barista and manager Andrew Winton drew a heart shapein this vanilla latte at Dagny’s Coffee and Company.

FOOD AND W INEEat & Drink

The espresso machine forces pressure through theespresso and the shot comes out in a light blond stream.

Barista Cameron Werner forms his latte art bypouring heated milk into the espresso shot.

Werner at Dagny’s Coffee Company drewtwo beautiful leaves with the microfoam andcrema of these two lattes.

espresso shot with just enough flavored syrup, steamed milkand thin layer of foam. True latte artists can even createswirling images within the light and dark shades of a latte’sespresso/milk mix. We see the latte as a sophisticated upgradeto the regular ol’ “cup o’ joe.”

Creating the perfect latte is a scientific endeavor thatbegins with grinding the coffee that will form the espresso shot.

“You can use different grinds for different flavors,” saidAndrew Winton, nine-year barista and manager at Dagny’sCoffee Company in downtown Bakersfield. His fellow barista,Frank Salinas, said it is a much finer grind than the ones theyuse for straight coffee.

The fresher the beans, of course, the fresher the grind, thefresher the espresso, and, therefore, the fresher the latte.

Once the beans are finely ground, it’s time to dose theespresso. Baristas become pharmacists, choosing how strongto make the shot. The strength of the dose will affect the latte’staste – a strong dose means bitter; a medium dose, a bit morenutty; a light dose and the milk may completely cover theespresso taste. Again, striking a middle ground is key.

The next step is tamping. Baristas now become millers,mashing the espresso so that when they force pressure throughit, the taste holds.

“You want about 25 to 30 pounds of pressure (when tamp-ing),” said Salinas, a six-year barista, now manager.

Salinas masterfully ground, dosed, tamped and pulled theespresso shot while we looked on in wonder.

“The pull needs to be about 27 seconds,” he said, setting atimer. The pull is when the $12,000 espresso machine works itsmagic. The espresso is attached to the machine and pressure isforced through the grind. The espresso shot pours out in ablond stream. “If it’s too dark or too runny, something hasgone wrong and we need to start over,” said Salinas. Whilepulling the shot, baristas will steam the milk.

“The milk should be heated to between 150 and 160degrees,” said barista William Gross from Joe’s in Manhattanduring his latte making video on about.com. “Any more, and itwill scorch.”

So milk is heated and steamed slightly and the espressoshot is pulled. After, the barista pours the espresso into thefinal cup. (If you’re adding flavored syrup, Salinas says he likesto pump the flavor at the bottom of the cup so that it will mixwell when he pours the espresso on top.) Gross taps the cup ofespresso and milk jar to remove the bubbles and then beginspouring the milk into the espresso.

This is a crucial point for latte artists. They can show offtheir pouring design skills, ending with a flourish. Winton sayshe can form designs in the top of the latte by slowly piercingthe top layer of espresso oil, or crema, filling underneath thatlayer with the heated milk, and then breaking the surface withthe milk dregs, when it’s a bit lighter and more foamy. Thewhite art on top is “microfoam,” the brown canvas is theespresso oil and everything below is delicious latte.

You can sip the espresso underneath without damaging thetop art if you want to stare at the swirling masterpiece a littlelonger.

In summary, the latte is not just coffee mixed with milk. Alatte masterpiece calls for the perfect espresso, steamed milk,microfoam trifecta. Add flavor as a way to make this refineddrink your own.


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When one thinks of thecoastal mecca of PismoBeach, many lovelythoughts come to mind:oceanfront resorts, pristine

beaches, breathtaking sunsets, nearby world-class wine regions, downtown wine tastingrooms, restaurants, boutiques, and celebra-tions.

So mark your calendars for three extraor-dinary, can’t-miss wine and culinary events inPismo.

For starters, explore the 11th annual Tasteof Pismo, a premier wine and culinary eventfrom noon to 4 p.m. on April 25 in PismoBeach. At the event, you will enjoy the pleas-ure and chance to taste the authentic savoir-faire of this charming town at this incredibleevent.

There will be delicious samplings of localcuisine with premium Central Coast wineriesand microbreweries – all in one exceptionallocation on the cliffs of Dinosaur Caves Parkoverlooking the sea. Visit PismoChamber.comor TasteOfPismo.com for more details.

Pismo Beach, Avila Beach and San LuisObispo will host the 6th annual Wine Waves &Beyond, celebrating both the art of classicCalifornia surfing and Central Coast wine-making from April 29 through May 3.

Organizers say visitors will get to enjoyfive days of fun events, embrace the love ofCalifornia’s traditional surfing lifestyle andculture, experience Central Coast wines, arti-san brews, local California farm-fresh andseaport-inspired cuisine, as well as greatmusic and art throughout our amiable coastalcommunities. Highlights include Surf FilmNight – Big Waves on the Big Screen, CentralCoast Veterans Golf Classic, Rabobank’s Barrelto Barrel, Winemakers Dinner: Celebrating theHarvest with GleanSLO, Still Frothy Surf Con-test, Annual VW Classic Car Show and the 805Classic Beach Party.

Proceeds are donated to Glean SLO, a pro-gram of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis

Compiled by Bakersfield Life Photos by Bob Dickey

WINE, CULINARY,WAVES, OH MY!Explore Pismo Beach’s wine &culinary events this spring

FOOD AND W INEEat & Drink



Pismo Beach will be home to can’t-miss cuisine and wineevents like the 11th annual Taste Of Pismo, the 6th annual WineWaves & Beyond and the 7th Annual International ChardonnaySymposium from April through May.


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The 7th annual Chardonnay Symposium will take place May27 and 30 in Pismo Beach and Avila Beach.

Obispo County, connecting farmers and back-yard growers with volunteers, who harvestfruits and vegetables that would otherwise goto waste, for local food banks. For more infor-mation, visit WineWavesandBeyond.com.

Then, from May 27 to May 30, PismoBeach and Avila Beach will host the 7th Annu-al International Chardonnay Symposium2015, bringing together top chardonnay pro-ducers from around the world.

This in-depth, three-day immersion in theChardonnay Symposium’s vineyard-to-glassis a series of seminars including grand tast-ings, educational panels, winemaker lunch-eons and dinners, winery and vineyard tours,and winery tastings.

The Chardonnay Symposium is proud tocall Pismo Beach and Avila Beach home, part-nering with several hotels in the these charm-ing pair of beach towns and only minutesaway from top-shelf wineries in the San LuisObispo Wine Country. For more information,visit TheChardonnaySymposium.com

Thinking about where to stay? Visit ClassicCalifornia.com for details.

ON THE ROADLifestyles

By Olivia GarciaPhotos by Mark Nessia

2015 LEXUS RC350 F SPORTRC Sport reveals one-of-a-kind prestige


Editor Olivia Garcia hits the road with the latest 2015 Lexus RC 350 F Sport.

It’s been a couple of years since Lexus introduced a new luxurycoupe. That is until the RC model showed up, making headsturn on the lots and on the road.I was lucky enough to score a test drive of the 2015 Lexus

RC 350 F Sport and discovered that the new kid on the blockhas certainly increased the premium coupe style a notch.

Cherif Guirguis of Lexus, who went over some key details with me,noted that the RC F Sport delivers a sportier feel that complements itsluxury presence – a factor I later learned after test driving it for a cou-ple of days.

Its performance wowed me. I drove around in the V6 3.5-liter model, which was packed with

306 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Guirguis mentioned that the

V8 delivers a powerful 467 horse-power. Yes, this athletic yet sophisti-cated model has speed all the wayto the finish line.

“For the enthusiast car driver,this is the sports car choice,” Guir-guis said.

Its gorgeous, prestigious frameis designed for nice handling andbetter ride, and its signature frontbumper and spindle grille boasts itsextraordinarily confident presence.

Thanks to the adaptive variablesuspension, the RC 350 F Sportoffers dynamichandling andresponsebetween speedadjustmentsand turningcorners. Yet itproduced sucha quiet ride soyou couldfocus on theroad, the con-versation athand or listen-ing to yourfavorite tunes.

The eight-speed automat-ic transmissionresults in bettergas mileage yetstill solid per-formance.Driver modechoices are ECO, normal, sport andsnow.

The interior says nothing butsophistication and class with a tasteof sportiness.

My sons and I were blown awayby the Mark Levinson audio systemand the bolstered sporty leather

seats. Of course the grown up in me

was also comforted by its 10 airbagsand great safety record.

The all-new remote touchpadthat allows you to switch to Blue-tooth music, adjust climate temper-ature, or tap into navigation andmore is seamless and flawless,allowing you to rely on your fingerfor precision and accuracy. The easeof the controller’s functionalityreminded me of the convenienttouch screen of my iPhone 6. And

the multifunc-tional dynamicgauge clustergave me quick,easy-to-readinformation ondetails such asdrive mode,odometer read-ing, currentsong titles andincoming calls.

My sonsalso give the RC350 F Sport athumbs-up allaround. Forone, you knowyou have hitthe popularityzone whenteens actuallywant to hangwith you as you

drive around town taking care oferrands.

Added Antuan Goodwin ofCNET in his March review of themodel: “The 2015 Lexus RC 350 FSport looks like a boy racer, but ithas the soul (and slightly soft per-formance) of a grand tourer.”


Five best featuresabout the 2015 LexusRC 350 F Sport:Powerful 3.5-liter, V-6engine producing 306horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque.

Supportive F-Sportseats.

Rear-wheel steering foradded performanceand stability.

Driver-friendly eight-speed direct shift semi-automatic transmis-sion.

Adaptive Variable Sus-pension.

City and highwaymileage and pricetag:City: 19 Highway: 22

MSRP: $42,790 (F-Sport price as tested,around $53,280)

The 2015 Lexus RC350 F Sport perfectfor:Those who feel per-formance should nothave to come at thecost of luxury and viceversa.

What makes the2015 Lexus RC 350 FSport stand out fromothers:Its bold new styling isthe first of its kind.

Target customer:Consumers who wantto add a bit of perform-ance flare to their luxu-ry car, regardless ofgender or age.

Three words thatdefine the 2015Lexus RC 350 FSport:Unique

Awe-inspiring

Revolutionary

What do you like themost about the 2015Lexus RC 350 FSport?I personally love theperformance aspect ofthe car and am veryimpressed with the FSport package. I am ahuge sports car enthu-siast and am veryexcited to see thebrand going in thatdirection. For those ofus who want morethan just a smooth,quiet and comfortableride out of their Lexus, Iwould say there is nobetter car in the lineup(except for the RC F ofcourse!).

Source: Parker Chris-tian, delivery and tech-nology specialist,Motor City Lexus ofBakersfield

It’s all in the details

Clear, multifunctional display The attention-getter: stylish grille

All-new touchpad


2015 MERCEDES-BENZC300 4MATIC

German auto maker moves to the head of theclass with its redesigned luxury sport sedanBy Glenn Hammett Photos by Greg Nichols

ON THE ROADLifestyles

Eighteen-inch AMG five-spoke alloy wheels add to theC300’s perfomance-oriented persona.

The sleek, elegant lines of the 2015Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic closelyresembles those of the company’spricier E- and S-Class models.

Bakersfield Life Art Director Glenn Hammett wasimpressed with the C300’s aerodynamic design, whichhelps it achieve an impressive 31 mpg highway mileage.


The first Mercedes-Benz C Classcars hit showrooms in 1993,replacing the smaller 190 seriesand giving buyers the opportu-nity to enjoy the comfort, per-

formance and prestige that comes with own-ing a Mercedes-Benz at a relatively modestprice point.

Last year, Mercedes-Benz introduced theCLA Class to hold down the entry-levelniche, leaving the C Class free to grow andbecome a scaled-down, sportier version ofthe company’s high-end luxury cars. Afterdriving the 2015 C300 for a couple of days, Ican see why many feel that Mercedes-Benzhas moved to the head of the luxury sportsedan class.

Arriving at Sangera Automotive Group topick up the C300 4Matic, I was given a thor-ough tour of its features by CampbellCameron, a friendly, seasoned salespersonwith an impressive knowledge of the prod-uct. He introduced me to the car by demon-strating the slick access system that sensesthe presence of the smart key and unlocksthe car as your hand slides around the doorhandle. All doors lock with a simple touch ofa small square on any of the handles.

Once inside, I found the interior of theC300 nothing short of stunning, highlightedby the sweeping center console made ofrich, black ash open-pore wood. Gauges andcontrols are intuitively located, including thetouchpad that controls the navigation,sound and other technology systems byresponding to gestures, swipes and evenhandwriting.

The comfortable and infinitelyadjustable seats are controlled by an inter-esting diagrammatic set of buttons on thedoor panel.

If you are a music lover, you will appreci-ate the Burmester sound system, which ispart of the $2,120 premium package (alsoincludes heated front seats, SiriusXM satel-lite radio, LED headlamps and proximityentry). This seems like a real bargain, con-sidering a Burmetster home audio systemcan set you back as much as $100,000.

Mercedes-Benz has always been knownfor a tasteful and refined sense of design andthe 2015 C300 certainly reflects that. Sleek,elegant and extremely aerodynamic, as evi-denced by its admirable 31 mpg highwaymileage, its styling looks a lot like that of thelarger and pricier E and S Class, but in amore compact package.

On the road, the C300 is silky smooth,without feeling like you are too far removedfrom the pavement. Mercedes-Benz hasincorporated generous amounts of alu-minum into the 2015 edition of the C300,making it lighter and more nimble than its

predecessor. Additionally, the agility settings(ECO, comfort, sport, sport+ and individualmodes) allow you to adjust the throttleresponse, shift points and steering feel tosuit the driving conditions and your currentattitude.

During my test drive, acceleration wasnever a problem. The 2.0-liter turbochargedengine delivers more than enough power(241 horsepower) and the seven-speedshiftable automatic transmission performedflawlessly. With Mercedes’ highly rated4Matic all-wheel drive system, you can besure that the C300 will perform at a highlevel on any road conditions.

The competition in the luxury sportsedan category is incredibly stiff. BMW,Audi, Cadillac and Lexus, just to name a few,all have impressive horses in the race. But,with the newly redesigned 2015 C300, Mer-cedes-Benz may have a leg up.

The ceterpiece of the C300’sinterior is the console made ofbeautiful open-pore black ash.

Gas mileage:City: 24 Highway: 31 Combined: 27

Price tag: Base: $40,400; as tested: $51,150

Five best features:1: Collision Prevention Plus System. 2: AgilitySelect. 3: 4Matic. 4: Pre-Safe. 5: AdaptiveBrakes.

Target customer:Those who will not settle for less than thebest.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 is perfectfor:Driving in style and at an affordable pricepoint all while keeping your loved ones safeand allowing you to enjoy a customizableinterface that suits your personal drivingstyle.

Three words that define the 2015 Mer-cedes-Benz C300:Compact S Class

What do you like most about the 2015Mercedes-Benz C300?Safety, luxury and performance – far beyondany other car in its price range.

Source: James Whelden, product concierge,Mercedes-Benz of Bakersfield

It’s all in the details

The C300 features a different takeon seat controls and the Burmesterspeaker grilles are works of art.

The touchpad control navigation,entertainment and other tech features.



It’s a physical fitness regimenthat puts traditional workouts toshame and one CrossFit traineris hoping his athletes haveenough endurance to make a

big difference for a young girl livingwith cerebral palsy.CrossFit is a high-intensity fitness

plan that combines running and rowingwith gymnastics and Olympic-styleweight lifting for a full-body workoutthat creates muscle and incrediblestamina. Deputy Sheriff Logan Augustgot his first taste of the workout twoyears ago when he was training with thesheriff’s department SWAT team; afterthat, he was hooked.

“I had a bodybuilding backgroundand I was bigger and bulkier. Whatcaught my attention was the high inten-sity and the competitiveness of it,” saidAugust. “Now I am a lot leaner, I feellike I am in 10 times better shape andmy physical abilities have gone throughthe roof.”

Within a year and a half, Augustbecame a certified CrossFit trainer andis now coordinating the athletic portionof the SWAT team’s biweekly trainingsessions. In addition to training andworking full time for the sheriff’sdepartment, August runs KC CrossFitBy Miranda Whitworth

LIFTING UPTHOSE WHONEED IT

Logan August, right, and Timothy Whitaker pose for a portrait inside their gym KC Crossfit.

Deputy sheriff, CrossFit trainer aims to raise funds for fellow officer

HEALTH AND WELLNESSLifestyles


PHOTO BY MICHAEL LOPEZ

and is hosting a “Lift-a-thon” thisspring to help the family of one of hisfellow officers, Deputy Sheriff DarrenWonderly.

“He’s just the nicest guy ever; henever complains about anything. You’dnever know what his family is goingthrough,” said August.

Wonderly’s daughter Kimber wasborn with lissencephaly and cerebralpalsy and is restricted to a wheelchair.The Wonderlys’ van is in need ofupgrades and August hopes his eventcan help raise funds to outfit the vehiclewith electric lifts and elevators for herchair.

The Lift-a-thon will be held at KCCrossFit at 4630 Easton Drive and willbe open to advanced weight lifters. Thepublic is encouraged to attend, espe-cially those who are interested in get-ting involved with CrossFit. August saysthe workouts may be tough but his gymis open to anyone willing to make a

commitment.“We take pride in the fact that we

can scale out workouts to any level. Wecan make routines that are reallyintense or they can be good, fun work-outs for someone who is just begin-ning,” said August.

CrossFit can also be a family affair.August has raised five children and hiskids train at the gym alongside him andhis wife. KC CrossFit welcomes youngparticipants ages 3 to 18.

“A lot of our kids are there for sportsand are on the football team or baseballteam. Like everyone else, they are thereto get stronger and better,” August said.

For those who can’t make it to theLift-a-thon, August and the Wonderlyfamily are accepting donations for Kim-ber through a GoFundMe crowdfund-ing campaign. For more informationabout Kimber, visitgofundme.com/liftkimberup. To learnmore about KC CrossFit, visit kccross-fit.com or on Facebook:facebook.com/crossfitkc.


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Logan August’s tipsfor those interestedin CrossFit:CommitmentThe most important part of get-ting in shape is commitment.You have to decide that you aredetermined to get in shape andapply yourself wholeheartedly.

ConsistencyYou must be consistent withyour workouts. If you are consis-tent, that is when you will seeresults. Applying yourself to theworkout with regularity willallow your body to change andimprove – the improvements willbe evident.

Have fun Getting in shape is not easy, butyou have to enjoy what you aredoing or you won’t be able tostick with a routine. Having funis going to keep you committedand consistent.


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Shari Stacy, 61, and her daughter, Heidi Wiegel, 43,have an 1,800-square-foot business that doublesas their closet. Shari owns and Heidi works atSugardaddy’s, a local clothing boutique off ofStockdale Highway. The two update their stock

constantly with designer pieces almost no other localstores offer.

“To stay ahead in this industry, you have to have newpieces every single day,” Stacy said.

They especially love displaying the Joseph Ribkoff line(the same line worn by the queen’s court in England) andtheir collection of high-class jewelry.

Wiegel remembers her mother buying the store anddiving into the fashion world, which was something newfor a hard-working oil family like theirs. They found,

though, that they had an untapped fashion sense in Stacy’smother, Wiegel’s grandmother, who hosted fancy partiesfor oilers when Stacy was young.

“I would sit in her closet and watch her get ready,”Stacy said. “She would put on these gorgeous lace dresses.”

Stacy and Wiegel define their own style as “leaningtoward the glitzy and glamorous” and sat down with us togive readers a few fashion tips.

What are the most prized possessions in your closets?

Shari: My mom’s Chinese jewelry box filled with hercollection of vintage turquoise jewelry and what I’ve col-lected over the years. Also, my Anuschka handpaintedleather purses.Heidi: Granny’s calico peasant dress with silver and

turquoise concho belt. All my Swarovski crystal earrings,flip-flops (I have 30 pairs) and bracelets. And my JAG jeans.

Compiled by Bakersfield Life Photos by Michael Lopez

SHARI STACY ANDHEIDI WIEGELMother-daughter duo introduce highfashion to Bakersfield

I N MY CLOSETLifestyles

Shari Stacy (top) and her daughter,Heidi Wiegel, pose inside their clothingboutique, Sugardaddy’s. Wiegel iswearing a calico peasant dress with aconcho turquoise belt inherited fromher grandmother.

What are your personal styles?

Our styles are different due to our body types and sizes.We both tend to be gypsy-like in our dress and our jewelry.

Where do you get your fashion inspiration?

We have both been influenced by our moms andgrandmothers, who both dressed like Hollywood glamour.They never went out without their makeup, hair and cloth-ing to perfection.

We also read all retail publications and attend world-class fashion shows two times per year in Las Vegas.

Where do you two shop locally and out of town?

We have an 1,800 square-foot closet called Sugardad-dy’s. When out of town, we find the biggest antique malland usually spend most of the day there, but please don’tmake us look for clothing – that’s our job.

What have others said about your attire?

We would hope they say we are always put togetherand stylish. When we are together, people sometimes stare.We are constantly being complimented on our attire andjewelry.

What are your biggest fashion faux pas?

Shari: A flannel nightgown. Don’t ask! (She threw it outwhen a certain special someone was a bit put-off by thething.)Heidi:Wearing sheepskin slippers to the grocery store,

which totally grosses my mom out.

What are a few staples every woman should have inher closet?

A good-fitting black pant, the little black dress and agreat-fitting jean.


Anuschka handpainted leather purses

Heidi Wiegel loves her Swarovski crystal accessories.

Vintage turquoise jewelery


Big things come in small packages.This spring, let peas power your healthy

lifestyle. An English pea quinoa primavera is ahealthy take on pasta primavera that features oneof the world’s healthiest foods. Don’t miss a

chance to explore the Rio Bravo Ranch during the PokerRun/Walk 5k. Get your exercise, “play” some poker and helpraise money all at the same time!

POKER RUN/WALK 5KApril 25, 8 a.m.

Any opportunity to run on the beautiful Rio Bravo Rancheast of town at the mouth of the canyon is worth the entry feealone. It’s even more fun running or walking 3.1 miles in thescenic hills, picking up sealed envelopes along the course and“playing” your hand after you cross the finish line. Don’topen those envelopes! The poker run was held decades agoout in rolling orange orchard hills toward Porterville, and

we’re thrilled to see its return, this time benefiting the EastBakersfield High School Scholarship Fund. There is also ahalf-mile kids’ run for $5. Visit bakersfieldtrackclub.com for alink to the entry form. For race and course information, con-tact Leslie King at [email protected] or 872-9554.

GREEN PEASA tiny veggie with huge health benefits

These cute little versatile guys may be overlooked as astrong source of nutrition, but the pea is one of the world’shealthiest foods, loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflam-matory nutrients. Their sweet, starchy texture is delicious,and they are easy and quick to prepare. The pea offers aunique assortment of health protective phytonutrients andhas recently been associated with assisting in protectionagainst stomach cancer. Half a cup of peas contains onlyabout 55 low-fat calories, so add them generously to salads,stews, soups, etc. They also add a reliable source of omega-3fats in the form of alpha-linolenic acid.

By Sally Baker and Katie Kirschenmann

SPRINGTIME FITNESSAND FOODPoker, peas and planks

F I T AND FRESHLifestyles

English peaquinoa primavera


PHOTO BY KATIE KIRSCHENMANN


English pea quinoa primaveraStart to finish: 20 minutesServings: 4This recipe is a healthy take on pasta primavera, whichoftentimes is served with too much cream and butter.Instead of pasta, we use our favorite substitute: quinoa.The real star of this dish is fresh English peas. They arecurrently in season and full of spring flavor.

1 cup quinoa, dry (follow cooking instructions on thepackage)

2 cups fresh English peas

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

Lemony Vinaigrette:2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup

1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Optional: 1/4 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese

Follow the cooking directions on the package of quinoa.Feel free to substitute low-sodium chicken stock for thewater. Let your quinoa sit for a while after cooking. Fluffit up with a fork before adding remaining ingredients.

While the quinoa is cooking, steam or blanch the peasuntil they are tender, but not overcooked. They shouldbe bright green. Plunge into an ice bath to stop themfrom cooking out of the pot and to keep the vibrantgreen color.

Transfer to a large bowl and mix the peas, quinoa, pinenuts and basil.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredi-ents to create the lemon vinaigrette. Pour over the peaand quinoa mixture and toss to combine. Add optionpecorino cheese if you please.

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PHOTO BY KATIE KIRSCHENMANN


We are now offering Ultherapy!An Uplift, nota Facelift!

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and CareCreditw w w. s k i n s at i o n m e d i s pa . c o m

661-617-6101 • 1500 Haggin Oaks, Suite 100Dr. Gregory Klis, M.D.

April Cooper, R.N. • Debbie Alteparmakian, R.N. Tasha Garcia, R.N.

EXERCISE OF THE MONTHSpider-Man plank crunch

Assume plank position.Slowly lower the body by bending elbows until the

body is low to the ground. Hold.In the lowered position, slowly bring one knee to one

elbow, then return to plank position by straighteningarms.

Repeat on the other side.Start with 10 reps each side, then build up to 20 reps

each side.


Spider-Man plank crunch

PHOTOS BY SALLY BAKER



From left: Jill Adams, Sherry Kelly, Sharon Clark, Maxine Klein, Priscilla Schultz, LindaFussel and Mary Stewart with their dogs at an ASCA agility trial in Fillmore, California.

Individuals interested in a hobby to share with their furryfriends should look no further than agility classes with KernCanine Activities. The classes, which typically meet up once aweek for six weeks, are open to dogs of all skill levels. Theclasses begin with introduction courses and are available up

to the advanced level. Agility classes give dogs the chance to partici-pate in an obstacle course composed of tunnels, tire jumps and otherdog-friendly tasks.

“It’s just to have fun with our dogs and train others to learn andhave fun with their dogs,” said Sherry Kelly, an organizer and agilitytrainer with KCA.

Kelly said that agility is a great way for dogs to socialize with otherdogs. Sometimes dogs may begin agility classes and have certainbehavioral problems, but agility helps to get the problems solved. KCAoffers a wide assortment of classes for dogs, and many dogs may

begin in other classes and end up learning agility as well.Dog owner Ty Grove began taking his dog to obedience classes

but also started agility classes with his dog. Nouey, a Tibetan terrier,had aggression issues and needed to learn basic obedience. Eventual-ly, Grove put Nouey in agility classes and the 3-year-old terrier hasbeen better with his aggression issues and is doing well in agility.

Grove also introduced his fiancee’s dog, Korra, into agility as well.Korra is a 2-year-old German shepherd. According to Grove, Korralikes to get a little lazy on sunny days but is also enjoying agility.

“Korra took to agility quickly,” said Grove. “At first, I joined KCA asa companion activity and to have a dedicated time to work with thedogs.”

Grove is a reservoir engineer for Aera and ensures to continuallytake his dogs to agility training in his spare time. Competition is not amajor priority for Grove and his pets, but some dogs begin to do wellat the competitive level.

Makana, a 6-year-old border terrier, has won titles in agility.Makana’s human companion, Shan Stubbs, said that Mak beganagility when he was 2. Mak has been through several KCA classes.

Stubbs said that Mak likes agility but found his true passion withthe barn hunt workshops. Barn hunt is a sanctioned sport that allowsdogs to find rats in tubes hidden in hay. No harm is done to the ratsduring barn hunts, according to Chris and Dawn Stubbs.

Chris teaches barn hunt workshops for KCA and also trains hisbeagle, Belle, in the competition. Belle was rescued from a backyard

By Elizabeth Castillo

FUN WITH FURRY FRIENDSLocals enjoy agility classes with their four-legged companions

PAST IMESLifestyles

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERRY KELLY


breeder and was sick at 5 weeks with worms. Belle also beganin agility. Dawn wanted Belle to give agility a try, but, ultimately,Belle preferred barn hunt.

Many dogs that participate in agility classes also have fun inother classes offered by KCA, such as barn hunt. Agility is agreat way to see what a dog can handle and is open to manytypes of breeds. Currently, KCA’s agility classes have 30 to 40dog participants. The breeds participating in agility vary, withchihuahuas participating and dogs up to 100 pounds gettinginvolved as well.

Willow, Kelly’s dog, is an all-American border collie cross.Willow was dumped at the bluffs on Panorama Drive. She was11 months old at the time and Kelly saved her. Now, Willow istalented in agility and does well on the courses.

Another four-legged member of the agility classes of KCA isJodie, a border collie mix. Jodie’s human counterpart, Priscilla

Schultz, began taking Jodie to agility training to calm her down.“Jodie needed something to blow off steam,” Schultz said.

“She’s smart and needs lots of attention.”Schultz, now retired, was a teacher with Bakersfield City

Schools. She said that Jodie would be bored while Schultzwould grade papers. Schultz knew Jodie needed somethingwhere she could exercise and use her brain. Jodie was also res-cued and is very people shy. Schultz said that KCA has helpedJodie with socialization and she wins titles in agility.

Kelly said that dogs and owners alike can learn many differ-ent things in agility classes.

“The dogs get exercise and learn better communicationwith their owners,” she said. “We want people to do somethingwith their dogs and it’s great for dogs and people too.”

To learn more about agility classes and other classes offeredby KCA, visit kerncanineactivities.com

Sasha, a boxer, navigates the weave poles.

Baley, a Pembroke Welsh corgi, climbs the A-frame.

Nouey, a Tibetan terrier, races out of the tunnels.

Latte, a miniature poodle, jumps over an obstacle.

PHOTO BY SHERRY KELLY


PHOTO BY MAXINE KLEIN



PHOTO BY GREGORY D. COOK

With Bakersfield’s hotsummer months justaround the corner,the season of higherpower bills is almost

upon us. For most homeowners, the power

bill is the second-largest expense inowning a home, after the mortgage pay-ments.

The electricity flowing into yourhome is normally measured, and billed,in the form of kilowatt hours. Simplyput, a kilowatt hour represents 1,000watts of power flowing through thewires for one hour. One kilowatt hourcan keep a 100-watt light bulb shiningfor 10 hours, a 50” plasma TV playingyour favorite show for about two hours

or a central air-conditioning unit blow-ing cool air for around 20 minutes.

Under Pacific Gas and Electric’s cur-rent rate schedule, the price for onekilowatt hour starts out at around $.16,which may not seem like a lot, butwhen you consider that the average res-idential customer in Bakersfield burnsthrough over 700 kilowatt hours permonth, and often much more in thesummer, energy costs can start to addup quickly.

Fortunately, there are a number ofways to lessen energy usage and get themost for your energy dollar.

THE HIGH PRICE OF STAYINGCOOL

“A majority of energy costs general-ly come from the cooling and heatingsystem,” explained PG&E’s Katie Allen,a corporate relations representative. “Soit’s always a good idea to look at ways toreduce usage or maximize efficiency inthat area.”

Thermostat control can often be thefirst step in saving energy costs. “Three

to 5 percent more energy is used foreach degree the air conditioner is setbelow 78 degrees,” said Allen.

Keeping the air-conditioner main-tained is also an important step in sav-ing energy.

“A lot of people go without servicingtheir equipment until something goeswrong,” said Greg Flanagan of Econoair.“The dirtier it is, the harder it is to trans-fer the heat to the outside, so the moreit costs to operate.”

Of course, few things last forever,and at some point, it may be a betteroption to replace an old air-condition-ing unit with a more efficient one. Mostmanufacturers recommend replace-ment at around the 15-year point, asolder motors and compressors begin tolose efficiency and newer technologiesbecome available.

Air-conditioning units are rated fortheir seasonal energy efficiency ratio,which measures the unit’s cooling out-put and divides that by the amount ofenergy required to run it.

“So if you have 20-year-old equip-ment that’s eight SEER, if you replace it

By Gregory D. Cook

SUMMER ENERGY SAVINGSStay cool, save money

HOME AND GARDENLifestyles

The majority of energy costs generally come from the cooling and heatingsystem, so look at ways to reduce usage or maximize efficiency in that area.

with a 16-SEER system, it’s going to costyou half as much to operate,” explainedFlanagan.

THE POWER OF THE SUNSupplementing some of a home’s

energy requirements with solar powercan also be a way to reduce energy bills,but there are a few things that potentialbuyers should keep in mind.

“The biggest thing to know aboutsolar is that leasing is a joke,” advisedFlanagan. “When you look at theamount of bank interest, you wind uppaying two to three times the amountyou would pay and you don’t even ownthe system.”

That lack of ownership can also leadto the homeowner missing out on thetax credits – up to 30 percent of the sys-tem’s cost – associated with upgradingto a solar system. That, combined withissues surrounding selling a home witha leased solar system, or even maintain-

ing the roof beneath it, can lead toheadaches that can be avoided byfinancing the system personally.

A little prior planning can go a longway when deciding on the size of a solarsystem.

“A lot of companies push 100 per-cent systems, and you may not needthat down the road,” said Flanagan.“Say you have a couple kids that aregoing to go off to college in a coupleyears. Your energy requirements aregoing to drop, so you can save a lot ofmoney on your system if plan ahead.”

TOOLS TO CONTROL YOUR BILLTo encourage its customers to use

only the electricity they need, PG&Euses a four-tiered usage system todetermine the cost of each kilowatthour of energy. As the amount of energya home uses increases, so does the costof additional kilowatt hours, until theprice at tier four is nearly double the

price it was at the base level, and theyalso offer some tools to help homeown-ers stay in the lower tiers.

“For Kern County residents, the freeHome Energy Tune-Up Program is agreat resource,” explained Allen. “A freehome assessment is done and specificrecommendations are made by a certi-fied energy expert that are tailored toeach unique situation.”

The program was originated in Fres-no but is also offered to residents ofKern County. More information can befound at cvetu.com.

Additionally, Energy Upgrade Cali-fornia is a statewide program that offersrebates up to $6,500 when you makeenergy-saving improvements in yourhome. And PG&E’s Home Money SaverWeb page provides guides and informa-tion on rebates and incentives for com-mon measures like insulation, poolpumps, HVAC equipment, appliancesand more. These and other resourcescan be found by visiting pge.com.


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Sometimes the roads we takein life lead to unexpectedturns. Do we follow them or forge

our own paths? Waking up in a strange land surrounded

by mysterious creatures, a young man mustrediscover himself, embrace his new situationand let go of the past.

This is “Varekai.”“Varekai” is a production of Cirque du Soleil,

which will be coming to Rabobank Arena for thefirst time April 1 through 5. A word meaning“wherever” in the language of the gypsies,“Varekai” tells the story of Icarus’ rise from hisinfamous fall.

THE STORYIgnoring his father’s words, Icarus flew too

close to the sun and his wax wings melted. Heplummeted toward the earth, but his storydidn’t end there.

Icarus lands in a lush forest at the summitof a volcano – the land of Varekai.Unable to fly and unable towalk, Icarus must rediscoverhimself and decide whetheror not to accept his newfate.

THE CHARACTERS“Varekai” revolves

around four main charac-ters: Icarus, The Promise, TheGuide and The Skywatcher.Icarus is captivated by ThePromise’s sensual beautyupon meeting her. Shebecomes his guiding lightwhile he, with the help ofThe Guide and The Sky-watcher, becomes thecatalyst for her meta-morphosis.

But they are notalone.

By Mark Nessia

THE END IS ONLYTHE BEGINNING‘Varekai’ continues story ofwell-known myth throughdrama, acrobatics

“Varekai”April 1, 2, 3: 7:30 p.m.April 4: 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.April 5: 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.Rabobank Arena, 1001 Truxtun Ave.

Tickets range from $35-$150, avail-able at ticketmaster.com or 852-7309

cirquedusoleil.com/varekai

ENTERTA INMENTGo & Do


PHOTO BY BENOIT CAMIRAND

Cirque du Soleil comes to Bakersfield for the first time ever with“Varekai,” which continues the myth of Icarus after his infamous fall.


Varekai is a living, breathing environment inhabited by over 60unique creatures. Each has a name and each has a purpose.

THE ACTSCirque du Soleil is known for its fusion of drama and acrobatics

and “Varekai” is no exception. The show features over a dozen acts,some of which have never been seen before in the Cirque world.

Designed specifically for “Varekai,” the “Flight of Icarus” is aperformance that combines agility, deftness and sensitivity, asIcarus tries to escape the net that holds him captive. “Varekai” alsofeatures a single-point trapeze act and a swing-to-swing perform-ance on Russian swings – acts not seen in any other Cirque show.

A brand-new synchro-tumbling act may also make its debut inBakersfield.

“It’s a way to keep the show fresh and exciting and to elevatethe levels of acrobatics,” Artistic Director Fabrice Lemire said. “Theshow is almost 13 years old. You have to keep it fresh so it can con-tinue to live today.”

THE MUSICComposer Violaine Corradi combines the sounds of Hawaiian

ritual, 11th century troubadours, traditional Armenian melodies,and gospel music performed by a seven-piece band and two vocal-ists (one male, one female) to transport the audience to a com-pletely different universe.

“The music is as rich as the costumes,” Lemire said.

THE EXPERIENCEThe story of “Varekai” is what audience members make of it. It

is open to interpretation and accessible to anybody. Some go for the acrobatics, others look at the main story, and

some will get the deeper message and layers hidden within theshow.

“We have a show within a show,” Lemire said. “We have an easyplot to understand, but we feed the plot with different layers ofinformation that the audience can seek and interpret how theywant.

“What I love about the story is it’s the way you should see life.It’s a lesson to the ego. (Icarus) can be anybody.”

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Fun factsCirque du Soleil currently has 18 shows, nine residentshows (eight in Las Vegas, one in Orlando) and nine touringshows.

“Varekai” first premiered in Montreal in 2002 and has visit-ed more than 65 cities in over 18 countries.

The cast consists of 50 performers spanning 19 nationalities.There are 330 poles that make up the enchanted forest ofVarekai and another eight “acrobatic poles” that are made outof 100 percent carbon fiber.

Approximately 60 loads of laundry are done per week.“Varekai” visited 44 cities in 2014, driving 450,000 milesand booking 29,260 hotel rooms.

Cast and crew consume an average of 50 pineapples perweek.


Mike and Evie Shamoon swam with stingrays, snorkeled withtropical fish and petted a shark during their Caribbean cruise.

TR IP P LANNERGo & Do


This past January, my wife and Iwere fortunate enough tocruise the eastern Caribbeanas part of our honeymoon. Weboth love going to the beach

and enjoying warm weather, so this wasperfect for us.

WINTER MONTHS ARE OPTIMALWhile most people are wearing layers to

stay warm, shorts and T-shirts are the normin the Caribbean, with its warm and usuallydry weather. It is a great time to get out ofthe cold and into the warm, clear waters.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT CRUISE LINEThere are so many different cruise lines,

and each has its specialties. We chose Hol-

land America Line for its great hospitalityand fairly low guest count. Friendliness andattention to detail is what they strive for,from everyone saying “hi” when passing by,to the cute animals folded from towels lefton our bed. The customer service is aboveanything we have experienced before.

THINGS TO DO ABOARDStaying on the same ship for seven days

or longer can cause some to go wild of

Story and photos by Mike and Evie Shamoon

7 REASONS WHY A CARIBBEANCRUISE IS A MUSTFood, shopping, sightseeing and more


Friendliness and attention to detailis what Holland America Linestrives for, from everyone saying“hi” when passing by to the cuteanimals folded from towels left onguests' beds.

Cruises allow passengers to visitdifferent islands and countries.

boredom. Luckily there is plenty offered. Whether youwant to just relax by the pool all day or see a musical,there are options for everyone. Most of our time wasspent either lying out in the sun or exploring the differ-ent entertainment options.

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT FOODIf you love to eat like we do, there are many options

to fill your appetite. Food is served nearly 24/7 andincludes everything from small snacks to four-coursemeals at a five-star restaurant. With food to satisfy eventhe pickiest of eaters, and the majority of it beingincluded in the cruise price, you are sure not to gohungry.

SHORE EXCURSIONSThe best part about cruising is visiting different

islands and having once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Weswam with stingrays, snorkeled with tropical fish andeven petted a shark. Crystal clear waters allowed us touse our GoPro camera to capture great pictures andvideos.



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SHOPPINGAnother reason to go on a Caribbean cruise is because of all the

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There is no shortage of photo opportuniesduring a cruise, whether on land or sea.

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FIVE-STAR BACK

One of the nicest parts ofany vacation is return-ing to the comforts ofhome. But some Bak-ersfield residents havefigured out a way to

have the best of both worlds, con-structing backyard retreats reflectingtheir own personalities and styles. Thismonth, local residents invited us in totake a look at their innovative, awe-inspiring outdoor escapes.

Whether a tropical vacation beck-ons or an outing in a national park,these locals have created striking envi-ronments conducive to rest, relaxationand entertaining.

CATHI AND MIKE STIERThe palatial estate of Cathi and

Mike Stier, owners of Barry’s RV, is builton a double lot tucked into a pocket ofthe winding, inclined streets of Bakers-field Country Club. Their oversizedbackyard sits on the sixth hole and

boasts an elevated tee box above thegolf cart garage, perfect for viewing thecourse, practicing long drives or bet-ting.

A free-form freshwater pool andspa sits nestled in a grove of over 300palm trees, with eye-catchingturquoise tile that enhances thesparkle and clarity of the water andmatching chaise lounges.

Hundreds of flowers and plantscover the landscape, and a fire pit, per-fect for roasting marshmallows, islocated nearby. A hammock invitingly

By Diana Greenlee Photos by Mark Nessia

The Stiers’ massive backyard features a free-form fresh waterpool, over 300 palm trees, lounge area and an elevated tee boxoverlooking the Bakersfield Country Club golf course.

Proud locals share backyard retreats with resort appeal


YARD RETREATShangs in the shade for a lazy afternoonnap.

An outdoor restroom with a saunais just a few steps away from the mag-nificent pool, which features a customshallow end designed with futuregrandchildren in mind, according toCathi.

The couple has a collection ofbronze statues, including a life-sizebull, a symbol of their German sur-name.

On the east side of the property, thewinter patio is a cozy haven for enjoy-ing a toasty fire and watching televi-sion. A few steps away, a summer patiowith a kitchen and bar provides opti-mal accommodations for full-scale

entertaining, including an area for aspeaker, performer or for dancingwhen they host political or charityevents.

Changing the many light bulbs isMike’s biggest pet peeve.

VIRGINIA AND ED CHILDRESWhen Virginia and Ed Childres

want to get away from it all, they don’tneed to go far. A step into their back-yard is a walk in the park.

A free-form pool with crystal-clearwater is set against a breathtakingbackdrop of furrowed rolling hills, pep-pered with wildflowers and views ofKern River and Lake Ming.

“The yard was designed to be like anational park,” said Virginia, 62. Shesaid her architect husband, Ed, 60,used river rock acquired from the poolexcavation throughout the yard,including on pillars and facade on theback of the house. The rustic poolhouse was modeled after public rest-rooms but with an upscale feel.

A pathway sweeping toward therear of the three-quarter acre lot leadsto a step-down semi-private loungingarea with wooden Adirondack chairsand a rock fireplace. Virginia, a localteacher, said the secluded seatingoffers an extra measure of privacy.


In keeping with the national parktheme, the couple has horseshoe pits,grass for mini golf and a dartboard.The pool is shallow at both ends forvolleyball, with a large step for littleones to wade. Neutral-toned tiles andblue and brown gel coating mimic anatural body of water.

The landscape enhances the illu-sion. The couple chose drought-toler-ant native vegetation, including eye-catching eastern redbud trees and sev-eral species of oak. A quiet stillnesspervades the atmosphere broken onlyby wildlife stirring. It’s a short walk tonirvana.

Said the teacher, “We call this Chil-dres Retreat.”

TRICIA AND BRANDONEATON

Stepping into the backyard of Triciaand Brandon Eaton is like slippingaway for an exotic vacation.

The free-form saltwater pool fea-tures a beach entry designed with atwo-toned pebble tech and gemstonefinish, mimicking the tint of a Fijiansand and surf. The pool has a cave foradded privacy and a stairway to aninconspicuous tube-shaped slide jut-ting out of the rocks. Looking fresh outof the jungle, an enormous concreteTiki statue with acid stain stands guardat the top of the steps.

Two gentle waterfalls pour overrugged boulders – many from localareas such as Keene, Cuyama and SanEmidio – but those created by theEatons, owners of Cascade Pool andSpa, for safety and design purposes areindistinguishable from the nativerocks. Lush greenery punctuates thelandscape and the sights and soundsprovide a relaxing tropical ambiancethat feels like an island getaway.

The adjacent spa and decking arebuilt with flagstone and stamped con-crete and are situated next to a fullkitchen with granite counters, a gasbarbecue and Evo grill, perfect for an

outdoor breakfast on a cool springmorning. Room service is the onlything missing.

WENDY AND MIKE HORACKWendy and Mike Horack, owners of

Mike’s Fencing Inc., created their ownbackyard oasis with a rustic feel of amountain resort. They added 600square feet to their patio, which facesthe 18th hole of the RiverLakes golfcourse, altering their hip roof to agable. The rich beamed cedar ceilings,walnut counters and teakwood cabi-nets emanate a warm and homey vibethat complements the ledge stonewalls in the full outdoor kitchen.

The couple installed stainless steelappliances, including a dishwasher,warmer, stove and Evo grill. There’s agas fireplace and flat-screen television,surrounded by seating with a laid-backfeel just right for entertaining.

The outdoor kitchen counter isconcrete with polished glass, anupscale look rivaling marble, and it’sinsanely durable. They opted for high-quality turf, which could be easily mis-taken for grass. The couple hasinstalled a putting green for practicesessions, a permanent outdoor heaterand stamped concrete deckingthroughout.

The Venetian-style freshwater poolwas designed with two shallow endsfor volleyball since the couple hasthree high school and six adult chil-dren. The Horacks’ backyard is the per-fect blend of craftsmanship and style.


The Childres’ free-form pool with crystal-clear water is set against a breathtakingbackdrop of furrowed rolling hills,peppered with wildflowers and views ofKern River and Lake Ming.

A pathway sweeping toward the rear of the Childres’ three-quarter acre lot leads to a step-down semi-private loungingarea with wooden Adirondack chairs and a rock fireplace.



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An elevated tee box overlooking whatMike Stier calls the “19th hole.”

The patio offers plenty of space to relax and unwind.


esign is local, emotional and personal.As Frank Lloyd Wright once said, “Inever design a building before I’ve seenthe site and met the people who will beusing it.”

Adding style and character to yourhome may seem like a luxury reservedfor the rich and famous. However, Bak-ersfield Life spoke with two design

experts who disagree with this sentiment. Ourexperts were tasked with sharing their favoriteapproaches to add character to a home. Many ofthese tips do not require a design overhaul but rathera slow progression of layering memories andmoments over time, which many say is the best way

to add authentic character to any space.We spoke with local interior designer Robert

Moseley of House of Moseley, and Daniel Cater, anarchitectural designer at BAR Architects, a San Fran-cisco firm. Moseley states that he is inspired whendesigning his clients’ homes by his world travels thatallowed him to personally experience original worksof art and varied architecture. Inspired by his timestudying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, Caterlearned to incorporate human-scaled design intodevelopments of any size. Cater is especially proudto have recently worked on behalf of BAR to com-plete the design of 17th Place, a luxury urban townhome project in his hometown of Bakersfield; thedevelopment is scheduled to open next year.

Moseley explains that it is important to incorpo-rate into any space existing items with meaning,such as furniture or artwork, that have been handeddown for generations. A space will feel too cold andstark if impersonal.

Cater adds that a home should celebrate thestory of the family that lives in it. As an example,

Daniel was raised by parents who are both mathe-maticians, and his favorite objects in his familyhome are the multitude of cardboard mathematicalmodels his father has constructed and thoughtfullydisplayed. These models add character and authen-tic charm that have deep meaning to Daniel and hisfamily.

Enhance your home’s charm in

small ways over time By Anna C. Smith


Moseley says, “Lighting is every-thing!” He suggests dressing windowsto let light in. Moseley says that light-ing is not always necessarily a fixture,and lighting is best done with a layeredapproach. Cater adds that natural lighthas the ability to elevate a space inremarkable ways. While in Denmark,Cater observed the Danish tradition oflighting candles in windows throughthe long, cold winter months as a wayof creating an atmosphere of “hygge”(pronounced “hooga” and meant toconvey coziness, warm ambiance andwell-being).

Molding in all its forms – includingcove, crown, casing, batten and base-board – is a great way to add architec-tural interest to any room, Moseleystates.

Moseley encourages the use ofwallpaper to add character. Wallpa-per’s use on ceilings, in bathrooms oron an accent wall, can enhance theentire feel of a room, he says. Wallpa-per allows a family’s own personalityto shine through in the home they cre-ate. Ceiling wallpaper is one of Mose-ley’s favorite tricks for big impact whenon a budget.

Drapery can make a huge impactin a room, explains Moseley. Draperycan add softness, texture and patternto a space and can visually connect thefloor to the ceiling.

Cater thinks it is important toinclude tactile furnishings with variedtextures that have a quality feel for aroom to exude character.

Cater loves older homes because ofthe rich use of materials and level ofdetailing. This intensity of craft is rarelyexhibited in newer homes but can bemimicked by following many of thetips listed above.


NOT YOUR TYPICAL LITTLE HOUSES ON THE PRAIRIE


Noel Lohr’s cabin in Bear Valley Springs.

PHOTO BY MARK NESSIA

e’ve come a long way from the four-wall, oneroom and dirt floor cabins of pioneering days.No longer stacks of logs slapped together withmud and cow pies, modern log homes hold aspecial “awe factor.” Owners spend years craft-ing the perfect design, deciding what types of

logs they will have shipped in, what size, how they want themto fit together — will it be chinking or no? What color stainwill we use? Will we accent with river rock? What aboutadding brick? How many thousands of square feet will weneed to host friends and family? Mouths drop open and eyesfixate when passing these beautifully crafted havens. Theyseem like year-round vacations. For owners, though, the con-stant upkeep and headaches of protecting the logs from sun,bug or woodpecker damage and the extensive upkeep of theirhomes cast a bit of a shadow over that romantic ideal. Still,the following owners of log homes in Kern County say it’s allworth it. The beauty and majesty of the logs, the rustic natureof the home that hearkens back to our country’s beginningsand the opportunity to live a bit more secluded are whatmake these log homes truly unique retreats.

SECLUDED HOLLOW

Location: Bear Valley Springs, CAFloor plan: Approx. 4,200 square feet; 2 beds, 2 baths, 2 loftsProperty: 5.25 acres

Type of logs: Lodgepole pine with chinkingLog company: Constructed by a private builder as his ownhome

Noel C. Lohr, 49, never thought she would own a loghome, but she fell in love with a rustic, woodsy cabin in BearValley Springs, just 15 minutes outside of Tehachapi.

“This special house stole my heart the moment I saw it,”Lohr said. “I loved the warmth of the wood and the unique-ness of the design. It is a one-of-a-kind home.”

Lohr bought the home from the original owner andbuilder. Her favorite features are the large deck and open-concept design, oh, and the gourmet kitchen.

“This home is a both a sanctuary that provides a respitefrom the stresses of life when needed and a great place togather family and friends together for food, wine and laugh-ter,” she said.

The logs were reclaimed from burned down trees in theYosemite Valley, and the rustic charm of the home is aug-mented by the remaining char marks. Some of the logs havebeen skip-peeled, meaning the hand-peelers skipped overcertain parts of the logs when peeling, which has created aneye-catching mix of lighter and darker woods.

Lohr cautions that a log home is an investment of not justmoney, but time to care and maintain. She says her biggestnuisance is the woodpecker that makes it a habit to bore



A custom door made by the original owneras a gift for his wife next to an antique stovecurrent owner Noel Lohr turned into a bar.

The master bedroom in Noel Lohr’s cabinfeatures a ladder that leads up to her office.

Noel Lohr’s cabin in Bear ValleySprings features a gourmet kitchen.





holes in her walls. But she’s happy she chose a log homelifestyle.

“It is more of a responsibility to care for this kind of ahome, but it can definitely be worth the trouble. It is a truelabor of love,” she said.

CAmP gROUNDS

Location: Tehachapi, CAFloor plan: 3,000 square feet; 4 beds, 2.5 bathsProperty: 20 acresType of logs: Engelmann spruce from British Columbia,CanadaStain used:MilguardLog company: Pedersen Logsmiths, Inc. in Challis, Idaho

For Diana and Cliff Camp, 57 and 58, building a log homemeant connecting to their North American heritage.

“We chose to build a log home because we liked the rusticfeel and it reminded us of our country’s roots,” Diana said.“We admire the pioneering spirit that settled this nation.”

It was also a chance to bond with their children. Dianaand their two daughters tied the foundation’s rebar in thedead of winter, and their then 7-year-old son helped thecrane operator delicately place each log.

Cliff wanted to create something truly unique, and heespecially liked large logs. Pedersen Logsmiths, Inc., locatedin Challis, Idaho, had just what he wanted: hand-peeledEngelmann spruce from Canada with up to 39-inch diame-ters.

“We counted up to 184 rings in some of the logs, datingthem back to the Civil War,” Cliff said.

Pedersen Logsmiths built the base of the Camp’s log


Pedersen Logsmiths, Inc. in Challis, Idaho, constructedthe base log structure of the Camps’ home in two weeks.

A log rocking chair captures the rusticfeel of the Camps’ log home.

The Camps designed their entryway to fitdirectly next to a natural oak tree. Theypreserved several of their property's oak trees,not wanting to destroy the natural vegetation.

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE PENNER




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home in Idaho, numbered each log, disassembled them,shipped them out on semi-trucks to Tehachapi, and two ofthe company’s logsmiths assembled the base structure againon the Camps’ property in two weeks. The rest of the con-struction process took about three years to complete. TheCamps did most of the work themselves, including construct-ing a solar energy system to power their home.

“All in all, we love the many lessons our family learned aswe worked to achieve this goal,” Diana said. “The value ofhard work and the feeling of accomplishment in creating ourhome together are remembered each day living here.”

COUNTRY LIvINg

Location:Wofford Heights, CA


LOOkINg TO

TRY OUT THE

CAbIN LIfE

bEfORE

bUILDINg A

HOUSE Of

LOgS?

Spend a night, or a few, atone of these cozy cabinretreats right here in KernCounty.

Alta Sierra Getaway

“One-of-a-kind luxury logcabin”

1632 Alta Sierra Road

Alta Sierra, CA

661-706-1609

[email protected]

altasierragetaway.cooprentals.com

Features: Sleeps 10 people:Four bedrooms, upstairs loft,beautiful spiral staircase,granite countertops, wrap-

around porch; 3 miles awayfrom Alta Sierra Ski Resort.

Rates: $125 - $275 per night(rent out nightly, weekly ormonthly)

Pine Mountain Inn

“Your cozy mountain get-away”

16231 Askin Drive

Pine Mountain Club, CA

661-242-1982

877-246-4922

pinemountaininn.com

Features: Seven rooms withavailable private and semi-pri-vate decks, deep-water soak-ing tubs, flat-screen TVs,wireless Internet, wood-burn-ing fireplaces, beautiful furni-ture and light continentalbreakfast

Rates: $99 - $179 per night,plus 6 percent room occupan-cy tax*

*Well-behaved pets are wel-come in designated rooms for$20 per pet, per night

Alta Sierra Getaway

PHOTO BY COBY WRIGHT

Pine Mountain Inn

PHOTO COURTESY OF DIANA CHASE

Floor plan: Approx. 3,000 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 2.75 bath,with dining, living room and large open area at guesthouse.Property: 4 acres Type of logs: 12” Lodgepole pine Swedish cope (dead forestharvested)Stain used: Perma – chink water-based stain (cedar)Log company: Teton Peaks Log Homes in Rigby, Idaho

John and Midori Taylor, wanted a log cabin somewhere inthe Kern River Valley area because of its country feel and thepeople who live there. After searching and looking at manydifferent options, John narrowed it down to a few places anddecided to bring the family along to look with them.

“When the rest of the family saw this home, they just wereso excited – it was pretty much what we had envisioned, withthe possible exception of not being alongside the river,” hesaid.

The split-level house was built by contractor Scott Hinkle,his sons and a few neighbors over a four-year period for origi-nal owners Tom and Connie Gilbert.

“This place was truly a labor of family love and friend-ship,” said John.

The home contains original features, like a staircase builtfrom a dead tree found in Long Meadow on the GreenhornPlateau and the hearth for the soapstone stove. The Taylorshave installed slate floor in the living room and are in theprocess of selecting hardwood floors to replace the carpet,but for the most part, everything was to their liking and hasremained the same, including the furnishings and Stetsonstraw hat near their front door.

If others are thinking about purchasing a log cabin orwant that kind of lifestyle, John encourages them to do it.

“For us, it is just wonderful to be in something so con-nected to nature and really unplug a bit from the daily grind,”he said.



John and Midori Taylor’s cabin in Wofford Heights isapproximately 3,000 square feet with four bedrooms, din-ing room, living room, guesthouse and more.

John and Midori Taylor wanted a logcabin somewhere in the Kern RiverValley area because of its country feeland the people who live there.

John and Midori Taylor’s cabin contains originalfeatures, like a staircase built from a dead treefound in Long Meadow on the Greenhorn Plateau.

John and Midori Taylor’s cabin inWofford Heights is made with 12"lodgepole pine Swedish cope.

PHOTO BY CASEY CHRISTIE





You shouldn’t have to live with joint pain. Our joint carespecialists have many ways to help you find relief. Andif you need a joint replacement, they’ll go the extra mileto help you get back to doing what you love as quicklyas possible. We even offer pre-surgery prep classesand post-surgery boot camp.

Learn more at choosemercymemorial.org.

Feel more like your old self.(Minus the bell bottoms.)


This time of year, the formida-ble Bakersfield sun takes ona gentle glow, and folks canenjoy a crisp breeze. It’s timeto roam outside and start

planting your garden. Bakersfield is an agricultural mecca.

Robby’s Nursery manager Kathy Robin-son said you’d be hard-pressed to findvegetables or fruits that won’t grow in theGolden State.

“We grow practically everything inCalifornia,” she said.

Planning and soil preparation are vitalfirst steps for any successful garden.Robinson says potted plants need onlyfertilizer and potting soil, such as Kel-logg’s, but for in-ground planting, it’s bestto go with a 50-50 mix of mulch andnative soil.

Eric White, White Forest Nursery vicepresident of marketing, recommendsHarvest Supreme planting mix for in-ground planting and a “clear slate,” so besure to nix the weeds. White suggestsusing Garden Max soil treatment aftermulch.

“If there’s anything missing in the soil,this (Garden Max) is going to fix that,” hesaid.

Folks need to fertilize all plants andinspect for pests. When selecting plantsfor a garden, White has a rule of thumb:

“I’m looking (to plant) things that areexpensive in the (grocery) store or don’ttaste as good from the store,” he said.

Vegetable Garden“Veggies are super hungry,” said

White. “They need to be fertilized everysix to eight weeks.”

The VP suggests an organic fertilizer

spread directly on the soil. Full sun isadvised for vegetable gardens, and tallerplants such as those with vines or need-ing support, like tomatoes, should beplaced toward the back of the garden sothey don’t block the sun for other plants.

A day or two without water in a Bak-ersfield summer can leave plants wiltedor crisp, but folks can mitigate that obsta-cle with drip lines.

“Vegetable gardens are one of the fewtimes I recommend a drip system,” Whitesaid.

Robinson advises planting cold-weather vegetables, such as artichokes,cauliflower, broccoli and cabbage,through March and warm-weather veg-etables, such as tomatoes, peppers,squash, cucumbers and watermelon,early in April. Intermittent sowing ensuresongoing crop production.

“You can stagger plant your garden soyou have them coming up continually,”she said.

Herb GardenGrowing herbs will enhance your

dishes and also save you some green.Robinson said folks can start herbs intheir windowsills but move them into gar-dens when they begin to mature, as mostenjoy full sun. Once they take off, they are“mostly permanent” and will be readywhen needed; they can be used for cook-ing right after clipping or drying.

“The taste is stronger if they’re fresh,”she said.

White says basil is the most popularherb, followed by oregano. Rosemary canbe grown as a shrub and clipped as need-


Local nurseries share tips onvegetable, herb, salsa gardening

By Diana Greenlee Photos by Mark Nessia

How does

gardenyour

grow?

Blueberry plants not only provide delicious blueberries when they bloom, they add color to a garden as well.



ed; thyme and mint are popular options,too, according to Robinson.

Salsa GardenThe choice of tomatoes for a salsa gar-

den depends on when you’re making thesalsa. Robinson said Celebrities andRomas are great choices for canning, asthey come out all at once, but other typesproduce continually, making them moreappropriate for fresh salsa.

Robinson said they have 25 or 30 dif-ferent types of peppers available, withjalapenos high on the list. Pepper choicecomes down to how high folks want toturn up the heat. And some like it hot.

“Last year we carried a ghost pepper;it’s supposed to be one of the hottest pep-pers in the world,” said White. “We soldout.”

He says peppers are easy to grow, asare cilantro and onions. And don’t dis-count the mild-mannered bell pepper.White says once they are seared, they area tasty addition to any salsa.


Robby’s Nursery offers a wide varietyof fruit and vegetable plants.



How To

Who doesn’t want morecomfort and lower utilitybills? Many of us havealready made some homeimprovements to try to

achieve that. The problem isn’t what you’vedone but rather what you haven’t done yet.

Most houses today lose as much as half oftheir cooled or heated air because of poorinsulation, inefficient heating and coolingsystems, leaks in the attic and around thedoors and windows. In fact, if you add up allthe little cracks and crevices, your house like-ly has a hole the size of a hula hoop.

For most people, the energy bill is thesecond-largest expense of owning a home,second only to the mortgage payment. With alittle knowledge, you have the power to loweryour energy costs and create a better home inthe process.

Home Performance is just one of thetools designed to help improve your home’scomfort, indoor air quality and safety, whilelowering your utility cost. Our comfort advis-

ers are educated in identifying health andsafety issues and give you personalized rec-ommendations to increase your home’senergy efficiency.

Also, many local utility companies offerincentives to homeowners who completeenergy efficiency improvements. Oasis AirConditioning is a certified contractor partici-pating in Energy Upgrade California.

The first step is to assess how much ener-gy your home consumes and evaluate whatmeasures you can take to make your homemore energy efficient. An assessment willshow you problems that may, when corrected,

have significant amounts of savings over time.When trying to determine your home’s

energy loss, one of the key factors is a ductassessment. By testing your ductwork, we canevaluate the performance of your air condi-tioning and heating system. Most units arenot operating at maximum capacity due tothe poorly designed duct system. The cost forcorrective measures may seem high, but thelong-term effects will bring significant bene-fits to your health, safety and comfort. Thereare tax breaks, rebates and incentives avail-able to offset the expense. Oasis Air Condi-tioning is an approved PACE financing con-tractor.

In conjunction with a home performanceassessment, having your equipment servicedregularly will help maintain operating effi-ciency and increase your home’s comfortwhile extending the life expectancy of theequipment. Although any mechanical systemcan break down at any time, having your sys-tem serviced may prevent that from happen-ing on the hottest day of the year!

MAKE YOUR HOME PERFORM FOR YOU!

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Bakersfield, CA 93305

661-322-2665

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Give Oasis a call and take control of your indoor air quality and comfort today!

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How To

Painting the exterior of your homeisn’t just about looks; it will alsoraise the value of your home andprotect it from the weather.A fresh coat of paint is one of the

best ways to change the look of your home.It can completely alter the way you see

your house and leave a strong impressionwith visitors.

Unfortunately, a terrible paint job will dothe opposite. Uneven lines, streaks, drips andcolor inconsistencies will ruin the look ofyour home. That’s where many inexperi-enced do-it-yourselfers go wrong.

Sometimes, if you want a job done right,it is better to call a pro.

PREVIOUS WORKWhen looking for a painting contractor,

one of the first things to consider is their pre-vious work. It will give you a good indicationof the quality you can expect.

For exterior paint jobs, ask the contractorfor a list of buildings he or she has painted inthe past. You can easily inspect his workyourself by visiting the location. A qualitypaint job should last for several years withoutshowing signs of deterioration.

Samples of interior work can be more dif-ficult to review. Paint contractors may offerphotos of their previous jobs, but it is usuallybetter to ask your friends and family whopainted the interiors of their homes.

When you see work you like, try to getcontact information for the contractor. Youmay also get references from realtors orbuilders in your area, since they have rela-tionships with contractors.

DESIGN HELPThe best painting contractors will help

you avoid the costly mistake of choosingwrong colors for your home. A shade that istoo light, dark or just “off” can ruin an other-wise good paint job.

True professionals will be patient withyou. They will put several options on the wallso you can decide the best color and sheen.They will develop good relationships with

you and an interior designer, if you’ve hiredone.

Some painters are as good at design asthey are at applying the paint, so it helps tofind one with these extra skills as you planyour project.

DETAILSConsider all the details before signing a

contract.

You should have all the specifications inwriting. This contract should include dead-lines, along with specifying costs and materi-als to be used.

When you have narrowed your choicesdown to one or two contractors, ask plenty ofquestions. Inquire about what kind of insur-ance policy they carry, who will be doing thework at your home and what kind of prepara-tions need to be made. If they are working onthe interior of your home, you will likely needto move or protect your furniture before theyarrive for the job.

After these questions have beenanswered satisfactorily, you can be confidentyou’ve chosen the right painting contractor.Then you can relax while your home gets anupdated, fresh new look.

— Green Shoot Media

CHOOSE APAINTINGCONTRACTOR

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WHAT SETS BAKERSFIELD HYUNDAI APART FROMANY OTHER NEW CAR DEALER IN BAKERSFIELD?

We represent a world-class automobile, but the mostimportant thing is our employees. We have the greatest groupof friendly, courteous, competent and motivated people thatI’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot! This group will do almost any-

thing to help our customers, and thatmakes BH a place people want tocome to, to do business. BakersfieldHyundai is a place where people fightto come to work and stay at work. Weare so fortunate. Because of thisemployee attitude, BakersfieldHyundai is benchmarked by dealersand factory personnel from all overthe country. Our customer satisfac-

tion index scores and online reputation are consistently inthe top 5 percent nationally. Our customers are happy andthey tell everybody. Sometimes we make mistakes. When thathappens, we own it, we fix it, we apologize and we learn fromit. People, process and product are some keys to our success.

YOU SAID YOU LOVE THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY INBAKERSFIELD. WHY IS THAT?

I was speaking mainly about the new car dealers. I waselected to be president of the Greater Bakersfield New CarDealers Association. I have witnessed firsthand that they

want the best for this community, and they are a charitablegroup of business owners. As a group, they support scores ofchurches, youth sports, charities and philanthropies. Individ-ually, they are competitive and represent their product linesadmirably – all that is good for the local consumer.

SPEAKING OF COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, WHATARE SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS YOU SUPPORT?

We focus mainly on those organizations near and dear toour customers and employees. If you are a legitimate philan-thropy, we try to find a way to help. I believe that givinganonymously is important, so 90 percent of our local philan-thropic support goes out that way. Whenever I hear a busi-ness owner tell me publicly how much he gives, it makes myheart sink. I don’t think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Iam so grateful to Bakersfield that I feel an obligation to giveback.

WHY IS HYUNDAI A WORLD-CLASS CAR?

Sometimes we make fun of ourold reputation. Hyundai was aderogatory term used as a punchlinein more than one movie. Today, wehave America’s best warranty (10years/100,000 miles), JD Power No. 1rating in initial quality, the first man-ufacturer to boast a five-star safetyrating, Hyundai is the most fuel-effi-cient car company, and, oh yeah, we still have the mostaffordable prices! That’s why.

BAKERSFIELD HYUNDAI

Bakersfield Hyundai5300 Wible Road

661-834-5300

Patrick Beck, Operating Partner

[email protected]

www.bakersfieldhyundai.com

SPEC IAL ADVERT IS ING SECT IONBusiness Profile

Bakersfield Hyundai is located at 5300 Wible Road.

Patrick Beck

Author Julia H. Gulliver once said, “Let us never bebetrayed into saying we have finished our educationbecause that would mean we had stopped grow-ing.” These are profound words that have great meaning.

At The Village at Seven Oaks Assisted Living and MemoryCare, under construction at 4301 Buena Vista Road, we will be

redefining senior living in Bakersfield.Regardless of age, the opportunity tolearn new things, to broaden one’s hori-zons, is an important part of a healthylifestyle.

A brand-new community designedfor both assisted living and memorycare, we know that there is more to pro-gramming than bingo and scenic rides.Too much of what is available to seniorstoday focuses on a perceived notion of

what you “can’t do.” Although unintentional, the realityshows this to be true. By incorporating a program based in

Montessori principles, we challenge those who will chooseThe Village at Seven Oaks to be engaged in their lives, to beadventurous and to rethink what senior living can be.

Engaging our minds and challenging our intellects sup-port a more vital presence and, simply put, it’s just plain fun.You’ve always wanted to learn more about that song thatshould have been written, you know exactly what it shouldhave been. You have strong opinions about democracy andyearn for more knowledge about this uniquely Americanform of government. That special author that paints a picturewith words, hear her speak about the journey that broughtthe story to life.

The Village at Seven Oaks believes that now is your time.By bringing a form of continuing education into the retire-ment setting, our goal is to redefine the “old school” identityof senior living. We’re not satisfied to “think outside the box;”we are throwing the box away.

Every day we learn new ways that we can enhance howwe age, ways to minimize the impacts of aging on the bodyand how we can improve the lives of those living with cogni-tive impairment by exercising our brains. When something assimple as this can contribute so much to a healthier life, thechoice is simple.

We’re often asked if it can really be different. Our answer?Yes. It can be different. Let us show you how! If you would liketo get more information about reserving your apartment atThe Village at Seven Oaks, please call 837-1337 today.



THE VILLAGE AT SEVEN OAKS

The Village at Seven OaksFrontier Management, LLC

4301 Buena Vista Road

661-837-1337

www.villageatsevenoaks.com

Now Accepting ReservationsA new option in senior living is coming to Bakers!eld,

where every service is designed to support your independence and well being.

You will !nd extraordinary life enrichment programming, innovative supportive health services, and a refreshing

concept for Assisted Living and Memory Care.

Special rates for Early Depositorsreserve your apartment today.

It can be di"erent...we can show you how!

Sales O!ce Now Open at 4301 Buena Vista Road

(661) 837-1337villageatsevenoaks.com

RCFE License Pending


Bakersfield natives Ernie and Rick Montoya areproudly carrying on a legacy started by their fatherand mother over 70 years ago.As the proprietors of BSW Roofing & Solar, thebrothers are now at the helm of a company that was

started in 1942. “Rick and I came into it shortly after college in 1973,”

explained Ernie. “My father asked,‘Would you boys like to lose a littlebaby fat and load roofs for a sum-mer?’ and we’ve been here eversince.”

At that point, the business wasprimarily a roofing service and sup-ply, but over the years it has expand-

ed into insulation, gutters and solar.Even though both brothers were business majors in col-

lege, they both acknowledge that there was no better teacherthan the experience their father gave them.

“He started us out with all the grunt work, just the dirtiestthere was,” said Ernie. “We had gone to school for business,but we had never put it into use the way he did.”

“Practical experience is 100 percent more valuable thanbook-learned experience,” added Rick.

While the technology behind roofing has changed overthe years – pneumatic nail guns replace hammers and newmaterials have taken the place of shake shingles – both broth-ers credit their success to the core principles they learnedwhen first starting out.

“Solar has had a positive effect on our business, becausealmost all the panels that are applied on homes today go onthe roof and 97 percent of all solar failures are roof leaks,”said Ernie. “If you’re considering solar, do yourself a favor callBSW Roofing & Solar, we will find your best option.”

“I know you’ve heard it a thousand times,” said Rick. “Butcustomer satisfaction is absolutely the most critical aspect ofour business. You don’t stick around over 70 years unless youhave totally delighted your customers.”

And just what is it that keeps a person doing the same jobfor over 40 years?

“For me, what keeps me coming in each day is the peopleI work with,” said Ernie. “I work with the best and mostknowledgeable people in the roofing industry.”

The brothers take pride in building their company fromthe inside, promoting their employees up the ranks the sameway they learned the business.

“The guy that sells your roof was probably installing roofsfive to 10 years ago,” said Rick. “He’s not just a salesman.”

“We live and work here also and it’s important for us tobe able to say hello to our customers at the grocery store,”said Ernie. “We couldn’t do that if we weren’t proud of whatwe do.”

BSW ROOFING & SOLAR

BSW Roofing & Solar4 P St.

661-327-7663

www.bswroofing.com

Rick and Ernie Montoya


Kern County’s “Best” Roofing & Solar CompanyKern County’s “Best” Roofing & Solar Company

327-ROOF327-ROOF

Our Showroom is open M-F 8-5, Sat. 8-12 #4 P Street, Bakersfield, CALic # 828481 www.bswroofing.com www.facebook.com/bswroofing

Our Showroom is open M-F 8-5, Sat. 8-12 #4 P Street, Bakersfield, CA Lic # 828481 www.bswroofing.com www.facebook.com/bswroofing

We Have A Better IdeaWe Have A Better Idea


SO, YOU NEED A HOME LOAN?Agape Mortgage can help.Mike and Shari George opened Agape Mortgage over a

decade ago to help people with the process for a home loan.Their tagline is “Serving Others.”

WHY THE MORTGAGE BUSINESS?We wanted to help people through the process of achiev-

ing the American dream of home ownership. We try to pro-vide the best possible information sothey can make the best decision forthem and their families.

WHAT TYPES OF LOANS DO YOU DO?

We have conventional, FHA,USDA, jumbo as well as VA for thosewho provide the freedoms we have inthis great country. We also have somegreat down payment assistance pro-grams for those who need a little help.We do loans for a new purchase, vaca-

tion home, investment property and refinancing anywhere inCalifornia.

WHY SHOULD SOMEONE USE AGAPE MORTGAGE?We are a locally owned and operated branch of Sierra

Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc. – one of the largest mortgagebankers in the nation. We can provide the personal touch – bybeing local – with the support and competitive programs of a

national company. If our bank does not have the necessaryprogram, we can also broker loans. This gives our families thechoices necessary to achieve their goals.

WHAT DOES GETTING “PRE-APPROVED” MEAN?This is the opportunity for us to review employment,

income, assets and credit history so that you have the confi-dence that when you start looking for a home, you know thatyou qualify for the loan that is necessary to purchase it. Wealso coach our clients in things they can do to improve theiropportunity to be approved. Whereas employment andincome are very important in the approval process, credit willplay a big part. We advise on how to address current creditlines, as well as how to approach any adverse credit issuesthey may have. Getting pre-approved is essential before look-ing for a home so that you don’t find the home of yourdreams only to find out that you do not qualify.

SHOULD YOU REFINANCE?To make the decision to refinance depends on the goals

and objectives of the clients. If they are trying to lower theirinterest rate or reduce the term of their loan, it still has tomake sense. For instance if they have recently refinanced,they may not have enjoyed the savings they planned on ver-sus the cost of the first refinance in such a short amount oftime. We look at refinancing as you would any other invest-ment. You want to achieve a good “return on investment” asthere is a definite cost of refinancing, whether it is added toyour loan or absorbed in the rate that is quoted. Also, if youare taking equity out of your home to pay other debts, youhave to remember that you are taking short-term (one to fiveyears) debt to long-term debt (15 to 30 years). We will assistyou with this decision-making process to make sure youthoroughly understand all of the numbers and how theyimpact your budget.

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On the eve of National Vol-unteer Month, I amreminded of one of myfavorite quotes from the-ologian and philosopher

Albert Schweitzer: “Wherever you turn, you can find

someone who needs you. Even if it is alittle thing, do something for whichthere is no pay but the privilege ofdoing it. Remember, you don’t live in aworld all of your own.”

Were he on social media today,those words might very well drown in asea of selfies or hashtags.

Not just during the month of April,but year-round, why not take a breakfrom the daily grind and stress by swap-ping out some Facebook and Twittertime for real-time working for the com-mon good?

The word “philanthropy” is oftenmisunderstood, considered by some tobe a blue-blood sport of the affluent.While many people are content to givewith their checkbooks, nonprofits aredependent, too, on those willing to giveof their time and talent.

Consider these impressive num-bers: According to the U.S. Bureau of

Labor Statistics, about 62.8 million peo-ple volunteered through or for anorganization at least once between Sep-tember 2013 and the 12 months after.

That’s about 8.1 billion hoursclocked to a wide variety of organiza-tions, says the Corporation for Nationaland Community Service.

In the last 25 years, the number ofvolunteers has increased by 60 percent.Baby boomers are 40 percent more like-ly to give a hand than the same agegroup was in 1989.

Don’t think there is any real eco-nomic worth to all this? Think again.

The value of a volunteer hour stoodat $22.55 during 2013, according to areport from Independent Sector inWashington, D.C. The amount was 79cents higher in California and wellabove the national minimum wage.That calculates to more than $173 bil-lion.

Locally, the Volunteer Center ofKern County, a centralized clearing-house since 1972, estimates its thou-sands of volunteers in its database pro-vide some $78 million worth of volun-teer services here annually and are vitalto agencies’ existence. “Although the

economy seems to be on an upswing,the funding streams for many nonprof-its has dried up, forcing them to scaleback on employees even though thedemand for services is rising,” saidBrenda Ratliff, executive director of Vol-unteer Center of Kern County. The localcenter counts among its volunteerworkforce young students to those 55and older, some of whom are well intotheir 80s and 90s.

Beyond the fiscal rewards, there arethe proven health benefits of being ado-gooder as well. From lowering bloodpressure, extending lifespans, greaterhappiness and sense of self-worth, tolessening depression, the giving of one-self is a win-win proposition.

“Those who volunteer are healthierand have a more positive outlook. Thearen’t compensated monetarily, buttheir reward comes from helping toaddress the needs of the community,”Ratliff added. “Older volunteers livelonger. We have also found that the peo-ple in the Court Referral/CommunityService program like that they are nowpart of the solution instead of beingpart of a problem.”

With more than 3,500 nonprofits inKern County, the need is great, especial-ly with older programs aiming to con-nect with younger volunteers throughsocial networking. “It is also importantfor parents to instill this in their chil-dren so they can continue a legacy,”Ratliff emphasized. “A switch doesn’tjust go off one day.”

Maybe not, but the need to beappreciated is universal, and it is hardto beat the feeling of being valued insome way. So from soup kitchens to lit-ter removal, as Schweitzer suggested,

look outsidethe protectivewalls of yourown insularworld and askyourself,whom canyou help andhow?

Don’tknow whereto start? Con-tact the Volun-

teer Center of Kern County at 395-9787or visit volunteercenter.info.

By Lisa Kimble

Lisa Kimble

Jerry Castillo, left, and Darrel Kosinski, right, stack frozen turkeys thatwere dropped off by the public in dowtown Bakersfield during theVolunteer Center of Kern County and KGET annual holiday food drive.

PHOTO

BY DAN OCAMPO

BAKERSF I E LD MATTERSPeople & Community

VOLUNTEER FOR THE SELF OF ITTake some time off social media, do some real-time working for common good through volunteerism

Spring-cleaning was easierbefore I gave birth to threesmall hoarders.Last weekend, we cleaned

out the playroom. I filledthree garbage bags with old HappyMeal toys. Happy Meals might be likehoarder training. I’m not even talkingabout the 400 plastic SpongeBobs andNinja Turtles I had to throw out. Mykids won’t even throw away the boxbecause it has riddles on one side anda maze on the other.

Spring didn’t always involve haul-ing mountains of plastic, made-in-China treasure to the trash. Long ago,the spring agenda centered on bikinishopping instead of Lego organizing. Idon’t even know if there was spring-cleaning then, unless you count clean-ing the orange stripes on my bodywhere the self-tanning cream made melook like a dirty zebra.

Then, the hoarders were born. Nowspring-cleaning is a matter of survival.

I’m not talking about cleaning thehouse in general. I’m talking aboutcleaning the playroom. There is a realrisk of being crushed in an avalancheof Play-Doh tubs, plastic jewelry andHello Kitty accessories. I’m amazedthat a sinkhole hasn’t formed. Itdoesn’t seem possible that the earth’scrust could support the weight of allthe stuff that gets jammed into thatroom.

I don’t know how my kids got thehoarding gene, but it wasn’t from me. Ihave a distinct childhood memory ofhappily throwing away my favorite Bar-bie after my little sisters cut off all herhair so they could make an AnnieLennox doll. Sadly, my kids didn’tinherit the “I can throw out abald/headless/armless Barbie” gene.

In fairness, the messy playroommay not be the kids’ fault. They have

no money and they can’t drive, so theyare somewhat limited in their ability toaccumulate stuff. Perhaps it’s a teenybit mom’s fault. And a lot bit grand-ma’s fault.

I used to have the kids help when itcame to playroom cleaning. That mighttop the list of stupid mom ideas. Hav-ing the kids as part of Team Cleanrequires spending hours explainingwhy we don’t have to save every bro-ken crayon in the bottom of the drawer,or keep the robot dog that is missingtwo legs or never part with the emptynail polish bottle (notwithstanding thatit has a sparkly residue inside). Turnsout, persuasive reasoning doesn’t workon a 6-year-old hoarder.

The bright side to playroom clean-ing may be that it can extend your life.At least it can make it feel like your lifehas been extended. My mom tells meto treasure the time when my kids areyoung because it flies by so quickly.Here’s a secret: Time doesn’t fly bywhen you are scraping bubble gum offof a Lalaloopsy dollhouse. Time movesvery slowly. If I ever get diagnosed witha terminal illness, I am going to cleanthe playroom every day and it will feellike I’m living forever.

The good news is that the playroomdid, in fact, get cleaned. Sadly, the“clean” part only lasted about 45 min-utes. By the time I was done haulingHappy Meal bags to the trash, the roomhad already started filling up again. Weseem to have a magical playroomwhere toys replicate faster than hang-ers in a closet.

So begins our new cycle of junkaccumulation. Bring on the birthday

parties, thegoodie bags,the Eastereggs. Ourplayroom isopen for busi-ness, ready toabsorb everyounce ofsparkly pinkplastic withinan 80-mile

radius. And next spring, when I’m wad-ing through Toy Mountain, time willslow once more. That’s my secret to liv-ing forever.

Katy Raytis

CLEAN HOUSE ORDIE TRYING

Story and photos by Katy Raytis

FAMILY VERD ICT

When it comes to spring-cleaning, mom never wins

Before

After


PERSONAL ITYPeople & Community

Olga See said she turnedher brown thumb greenand transformed a hobbyinto a booming business. Her company, Oh-See-

Em-Bloom offers full-service landscap-ing and includes a nursery. See, 64, saidher fascination with gardening beganwhen she lived in Southern California.

“It really started in Long Beach,” shesaid. “Take a twig and stick it in theground, and it will sprout there.”

Hailing from Namibia, South Africa,See’s retained a subtle British accent,though she’s been in the U.S. for almost

40 years. Shecalled Louisianaand Missippihome for threeyears beforeheading west toBakersfield.

The trilin-gual entrepre-neur attendedthe InternationalBusiness Collegein Cape Town,South Africa,and worked forTenneco Oil inBakersfield. But

See, the consummate nurturer, soughtcertified nursing assistant training atBakersfield Adult School and went towork at Memorial Hospital; she hadplanned to pursue an RN degree but aback injury ended that career.

“I was really disappointed,” shesaid.

A couple of years later, See moved toLong Beach where she started anAfrican import business, selling giftsand decorative items. When she movedback to Bakersfield a decade later, shebrought the business. Thereafter, aneconomic downturn put the kabbashon the company.

“In 2000, the whole gift industrydeclined,” she said. “I closed the busi-ness.”

Unbeknownst to See, the seeds ofher new venture had already taken rootyears before, when she tackled her ownlandscaping. She did the research andmanaged the projects with success; bythe time she got to Bakersfield and wasfaced with yet another landscapingproject, she acted with authority andfolks began to catch on.

“People started asking for my help(with landscaping),” she said.

See continued to increase her horti-cultural knowledge through research,training and querying other nurseries.She’s developed a wide variety ofexpertise, including xeriscaping, whichfocuses on drought-resistant plants andflowers.

“We can show people the way theycan have an attractive, flowing gardenwithout cacti and lava rock,” she said.“There are a lot of plants that have lowwater usage.”

Client Kristin Varner, 51, says shecan attest to See’s expertise and atten-tion to detail; See has done colorscap-ing for the Varners over the last sixyears.

“She’ll go the extra mile,” said Varner.See is an active member of the local

Trinity Anglican Church. Her longtimefriend Dorothy Fitzgerald, 86, who alsoattends Trinity, says See is a fixture at thechurch, taking on multiple roles on anas-needed basis. Fitzgerald says See is awonderful, dedicated friend, and she isin awe of her energy and devotion.

“She’s working around the clock,”Fitzgerald said of See. “She finds theword ‘no’ unacceptable.”

The big-hearted See is also involvedwith Shared Blessings, a ministry thatsupports African orphans. She journeysto Africa every few years on missiontrips and corresponds regularly with herpledge, Sam Gidudu, 15; she also co-sponsors another Ugandan student,

Isaac Tabu, 15. “Through Shared Blessings, we

sponsor them to go to boardingschool,” she said. “It’s a way for them toget the best education.”

The landscaper said public schoolsin Uganda have 100-plus students intheir classes, and they still use antiquat-ed black boards. She’s sponsored the

LANDSCAPE BUSINESSA PLEASURE TO SEEBusiness owner Olga See turns longtimelove of landscaping into career

By Diana Greenlee

“I’m a plantaholic,”says Olga See, ownerof Oh-See-Em-Bloom.


“We can showpeople the waythey can have anattractive, flowinggarden withoutcacti and lava rock.There are a lot ofplants that havelow water usage.”— Olga See


boys for almost 10 years and she’swatched Sam develop into an enterpris-ing and industrious young man.

“I bought him a goat one year, andit had kids. He sold three goats andbought a cow,” she said. “He’s veryentrepreneurial, growing and sellingvegetables since he was 7 or 8 — proba-bly before that even.”

The business owner says she keepsin touch with Sam by snail mail sincethey have no Internet. But much of hertime is devoted to clients, many ofwhom she works with individually. Seeoffers plenty of options, such as col-orscaping; hardscaping, which involvessod installation, patios and paths, rockand concrete, as well as garden struc-

tures; and waterscaping – including koi.See enjoys puttering in her own

yard when she can, but says she gets asmuch joy from working in other gar-dens. She attributes her achievementsto hard work and the grace of God,along with a love of the business.

“I’m a plantaholic,” she said grin-ning.

PHOTO

BY M

ICHAEL

LOPEZ


HOMETOWN HEROPeople & Community

Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Jeffrey Burum servedhis country in Desert Storm and is proud to havebeen “part of an international community thatattempted to curb the proliferation of weaponsof mass destruction in the Middle East under

U.N. resolutions.” Yet his pride came at the cost of exposureto chemical binary weapons, like sarin mixed with mold thatare destroying his body.

Excruciating chest pain, migraines and mouth abscessesare just some of his symptoms – symptoms that the Depart-ment of Veteran Affairs first diagnosed as post-traumaticstress disorder. He initially accepted the diagnosis, but later,when checked into the VA War-Related Injury and IllnessCenter at Palo Alto, he was told he did not have PTSD. Thestaff couldn’t discuss the cause of his illnesses.

Gradually, facts are emerging about the chemicalweapons exposure suffered by soldiers in the Middle East.The New York Times published an article documenting find-ings of chemical weapons between 2004 and 2011, andBurum, having been exposed to these chemicals a decadeearlier, feels dismissed by his government.

“It’s outright despicable,” he said.Thankfully, he has found ears at U.S. Rep. Kevin

McCarthy’s office, which has begun a dialogue with DesertStorm vets. According to Burum, those affected are a hugegroup – 25 percent of the 7 million soldiers who have servedin the Middle East.

Burum, though suffering, says he is proud to have served,and “no matter where I went, I was always proud to say I wasfrom Bakersfield.”

Why I joined:(To) serve (my) country following Vietnam and to get a

college education. (I also) like the color blue and fast jets.

Lessons learned:There must be a bond between the American people and

its military veterans; if the country asks its military to go towar, then it is obligated to take care of its veterans.

What are some of your greatest accomplishments inthe service?

Being part of the strategic combat crews that were criticalto our victory in the Cold War in 1989.

Challenges to serving:During the 1990s, budgets were reduced to below-record

low Korean War levels, but worldwide, deployments signifi-cantly increased due to more global conflict.

Favorite memory:As a young airman in the delivery room at age 18, the

doctor and I were able to save one of two twins during a diffi-cult delivery.

Having an American flag flown over the nation’s capital inmy honor upon retirement in August 1998.

Most frightening moment in the service:Twenty-three years after being deployed to Saudi Arabia

(and 15 years after retirement), I learned I was a victim ofchemical and biological warfare, which accounted for 15 yearsof torturous neuromuscular disorders and two surgeries.

JEFFREY DAVID BURUM

Compiled by Bakersfield Life Photos courtesy of Jeffrey Burum

Retired Major, US Air Force

Jeff Burum, right, served as a deputy in thestrategic nuclear intercontinental ballisticmissile combat crew (ICBM) at the GrandForks Air Force Base in North Dakota, 1984.

Jeff Burum, flight commander circa 1988, served in the ICBMcombat crew at 321 Strategic Missile Wing, 447 StrategicMissile Squadron in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The wing wasdeactivated the next year with the end of the Cold War.

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Born and raised in Colombia,South America, Alejandro Dazahas lived in numerous placesaround the world.Daza has lived in San Diego

and Santa Maria and has worked for various

companies in Australia and Latin America asan independent water resources engineerand consultant.

Work brought Daza to Bakersfield eightyears ago, where he now resides with his wife,Angelica Rodriguez; two children, Sofia, 6,and Mateo, 4; three dogs, Moncho, Blue andGigi; and cat, Szary.

An avid runner and mountain biker, Ale-jandro loves barbecuing and entertainingpeople at his home in northeast Bakersfield.

What is your favorite place in Bakersfield?

The hills on the east side of Bakersfieldand the mountains to go running in to findthe highest, quietest place to breathe andadmire the place that my family and I nowcall home.What is your favorite part about living in Bakersfield?

Being so close to so many natural attrac-tions in California.What is your neighborhood like?

Tuscany Villas is a very peaceful neigh-borhood to live in and I recommend it to all.What is your favorite restaurant in Bakersfield?

Bakersfield has many good restaurantsthat compete with being my favorite. I can-not decide which one. For that reason, homealways wins.What surprises you about Bakersfield?

I come from a hot and humid country,but every summer I get reminded and sur-prised of the heat in Bakersfield.How would you describe Bakersfield topeople?

I would start by telling them to notbelieve what others say about Bakersfield.Come to Bakersfield with an open mind andmake “your Bakersfield.”What is one of your favorite memories inBakersfield?

I don’t have a favorite one – I have two.They are when my daughter, Sofia, and myson, Mateo, were born.What is the best-kept secret in Bakersfield?

For me not being local, every day I dis-cover new places to see, visit, eat, run, rideand more. I think that Bakersfield itself is itsown best kept secret. What three words best describe Bakersfield?

Home, opportunities and community.Where do you like to vacation?

Colombia is the place I love to vacation.On every trip to Colombia, I try to visit a newplace, and I get so amazed every single timeby the beauty my country has to offer. VisitColombia; don’t be afraid. You will love it.What is your favorite community event?

I try to participate in as many runningand mountain biking events in townthroughout the year, but my favorite one hasto be the Rio Bravo Rumble.


ALEJANDRO DAZAMaking memories in the place he calls home

PHOTO

BY M

ARK NES

SIA

WHY I L I VE HEREPeople & Community



Caitlyn Emberson and Arizona Pilgrim are KernCounty high school softball’s equivalent of Bat-man and Robin. They are the dynamic duo of theprep fast-pitch diamond.Combining their vast talents together, the Taft

High seniors have led the Wildcats to back-to-back CentralSection Division IV championships the past two seasons.

Their freshman year, Emberson, a hard-hitting catcher,and Pilgrim, a flame-throwing pitcher, came up just short inthe section title game, losing 1-0.

This season, the longtime teammates hope to end theirstellar high school careers on one final high note.

Even though Taft has been moved up to Division III forthe playoffs this year, the Wildcats are a solid bet to three-peatbecause of Emberson and Pilgrim, who have been playingtogether on the same softball team since they were 9 yearsold.

Emberson, the daughter of Taft coach Russell Emberson,enters her senior campaign with an eye-popping .587 careerbatting average and an impressive three-year total of 29 homeruns and 165 runs batted in.

“We’re going to keep going and pushing for another Valleytitle,” Caitlyn said. “We’re just going to work as hard as we canand hopefully come out on top. We want to prove to everyonethat even though we got moved up, we can still win it all.”

Pilgrim’s pitching numbers are just as gaudy. The impos-ing right-hander has a 77-9 win-loss record and 0.94 earnedrun average during the past three seasons. Over that sametimespan she has struck out 735 batters in 469 inningspitched.

“I have a lot of spin on the ball and I have a lot of move-ment,” Pigrim said when asked what she believes makes hersuch a successful pitcher. “I just work really hard and practiceall the time.”

The two have been First Team All-Area selections every

By Stephen Lynch

Taft’s pitcher-catcher tandem a tall task for opposition

DYNAMIC DUO

Taft High’s Caitlyn Emberson catches a strike duringthe Central Section Division IV softball championshipgame against Liberty-Madera Ranchos in Taft.

PHOTO

BY NICK ELLIS

A L L-STAR ATHLETEPeople & Community

Taft High’s Arizona Pilgrim winds up todeliver her pitch against Wasco High.

PHOTO

BY HEN

RY A. B

ARRIOS


year of their high school careers.And at the conclusion of last season, both Caitlyn and Pil-

grim were chosen for the MaxPreps 2014 Small Schools All-American team.

Taft has won 89 percent of its games since the pair, of whomRussell rates the best pitcher-catcher combination he’s evercoached, joined the program.

“It’s been a blessing having them,” he said. “They are bothvery talented kids and they work hard. They both play travel soft-ball.”

Both girls acknowledged that it helps a great deal that they’veworked together as battery mates for such a long period of time.

“I know her tendencies and when she’s getting mad herselfor when she’s not hitting her spots exactly right,” Caitlyn said.“We make like an eye contact and she knows she needs to fixsomething because it’s not right.”

Pilgrim acknowledges that she feels really comfortable whenCaitlyn is catching her.

“She knows my pitches and I know she can catch them,” Pil-grim said. “I just have trust in her.”

Over the years Caitlyn, who is outgoing and vocal, and Pil-grim, who is generally quiet and reserved, have become bestfriends.

Even after their high school careers conclude Caitlyn and Pil-grim will continue on together since both have accepted schol-arship offers to play at NCAA Division I school Charleston South-ern University.

Pilgrim said that she and Caitlyn made the decision to attendthe same college individually.

“Caitlyn actually (verbally committed) to Charleston South-ern first,” Pilgrim said. “I hadn’t visited there (yet) and I hadbarely just started talking to the coach. I went back there in Sep-tember and just really, really loved it and felt like it was the placefor me. So it just worked out perfectly.”

Caitlyn Emberson factsFamily includes parents Russell andDiana and older brothers Blake andMitchell.

Has a 4.1 grade-point average.

Varsity starter in three sports; volley-ball, basketball and softball.

Has led the Wildcats in home runsand RBIs in each of the past three sea-sons.

Arizona Pilgrim factsFamily includes parents Billy andTessa and younger sisters Sierra andWillow.

Was BVarsity Co-Player of theYear in 2014.

Has hurled 41 shutouts during pastthree years.

Enjoys hanging out with friends andfamily during free time.

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Bakersfield sits in the centerof a landscape painter’sdream as far as subjectmatter goes. Bakersfieldand its surroundings have

valley vistas dotted with oaks, biggroves, winter and spring rolling greenhills; farms; small towns; a famous river;and deserts – just about everything apainter might want to capture in a land-scape.

Given that I am a landscape paintermyself, this got me thinking: Why notinvite some of California’s best land-scape painters to Kern County and turnthem loose for three days and see whatthey come up with?

As a result, and with the support ofthe Arts Council of Kern, I am introduc-ing the first Kern County Plein Air Paint-ing Festival. “Plein Air” simply meanspainting on site or out in the plain air,on the side of the road, out in a mead-ow or on a downtown sidewalk.

I wanted to develop a unique localfundraiser focused on art that cele-brates what our county has to offer.

I've seen this type of festival beforein places, such as Laguna, Carmel,Catalina Island and Sonoma, wherefamous artists descend on a communi-ty and capture the landscape in all of itsglory.

Paintings are gathered and exhibit-ed at a sales event followed by a morn-ing where artists paint pieces that arelive auctioned in a downtown setting. Ithought we could develop this culturalevent here.

So far, I've discovered there is plentyof interest from artists and art apprecia-tors throughout.

At the first Kern County Plein AirPainting Festival, 15 of California’s bestlandscape painters are taking a leap offaith and coming to Kern County April22 to paint for three days before theyturn in three pieces each to be judgedfor the awards and sales gala from 6:30

CREATINGSOMETHING OUT OF THIN AIRKern County Plein Air Painting Festival to capture area's landscape

By David Gordon

COURTES

Y OF DAVID GORDON

TA LK OF THE TOWNPeople & Community


A countryside painting by Bryan Mark Taylor. Bakersfield is a dream for landscape artists.

to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at theMetro Galleries, 1604 19th St., in down-town Bakersfield.

Tickets are $95 per person andinclude meeting the artists, dinner,

awards presentation and time to peruseand buy artwork. The evening will becatered by Chef’s Choice Noodle Bar.

Also, at 9 a.m. Sunday, April 26, all15 painters will meet downtown and

have two hours topaint a piece thatwill be live auc-tioned in the mid-dle of 19th Street.

The public iswelcome to watchthem create andhave a crack at tak-ing one home. Allproceeds benefitthe Arts Council’sEducation pro-grams.

Visitkernarts.org or call324-9000 for ticketsor more informa-tion.

— David Gor-don is the newlyappointed Arts Council of Kern executivedirector.


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A painting of downtown Bakersfield by Bryan Mark Taylor,one of the artists attending the Plein Air Art Festival.

What does it take to bea hero? Do you have to be

bitten by someradioactive spider?

Do you have to moonlight as aneighborhood vigilante?

Not in the slightest.A hero can be anyone – a mother, a

law enforcement officer, a paramedic, ahigh school student, a firefighter, ateacher, your neighbor, etc.

A hero is really an ordinary personwho displays extraordinary courage intimes of emergency. Lucky for us, wehave a slew of heroes in Bakersfield andone local humanitarian organization ishonoring these heroic individuals in a

truly elegant fashion. Each year, the Kern County chapter

of the American Red Cross holds afundraiser called the Red Cross RealHeroes Celebration in which the organ-ization recognizes seemingly ordinarypeople who have touched the lives ofcommunity members through theirselfless acts of courage. Hosted by Rep.Kevin McCarthy, this annual eventbrings together the who’s who of KernCounty to commend local citizens whohave shown signs of bravery for no riskof reward or greater purpose other thanto help their fellow man.

“The Real Heroes event helps exem-plify what the Red Cross’ mission is allabout: service, as well as humanitarianefforts,” said Red Cross Kern CountyChapter Executive Director Amy Smith.“These heroes were nominated by

members of the community, wentthrough a committee selection process,then notified in February of their awardwin.”

Though from different backgroundsand lifestyles, these heroes all have onething in common: humility. Their self-sacrificing actions were not out of char-acter for them; instead, they were all ina day’s work.

Held on Saturday, April 18, at theParamount Citrus Aviation Hanger onSkyway Drive at Meadows Field Airport,the 1940s-themed Real Heroes eventwill feature thematic performances,vintage cars and planes for viewing, anda silent auction, in addition to theheroes’ award presentations.

In a world filled with mostly nega-tive messages, these local supermenremind us that we all have the power tobe a hero, if only we look within our-selves to be courageous.

OUR TOWNPeople & Community

By Breana Oliver

SUPERHEROES RESIDE AMONG USAmerican Red Cross celebrates local heroes at annual awards event

Charlie Wilmot and Lili Marsh represent Honor Flight Kern County,which was recognized as the 2014 Community Partner Hero recipientof the American Red Cross Real Heroes award. Rep. Kevin McCarthyintroduced the recipients that evening. This year’s

Real Heroesinclude: Youth Hero: Madi-son Ridley

Good Samaritan Hero: MaxCoryell

Fire Rescue Hero: Firefighter GlenMaki

Law Enforcement Hero: OfficerGilbert Valdez

Community Partner Hero:Tammy Wallace

Community Partner Hero: Bak-ersfield Fire Department – ReserveFirefighters

Healthcare Hero: Tony & SharonMejia

First Responder Heroes: AdamBickford & Armando Lazaro

Animal Rescue Hero: AngelaStevens

Spirit of the American RedCross: Cindy Huge


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BY HEN

RY A. B

ARRIOS



FOR A CAUSEPeople & Community

The Claude W. Richardson Child Development Center onceagain participated in National Read Across America Day onMarch 2, which is also Dr. Seuss’ birthday. Guest readers visited classrooms and read a variety of

classic children’s books.Children’s author James Horvath, who was one of the guest readers,

also held a drawing demonstration in the multipurpose room. Horvathtaught students how to draw Jinx, a character from his books.

The Claude W. Richardson Child Development Center is a preschoolcampus operated by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools thatserves children with and without special needs.

PROMOTING LITERACY,CREATIVE MINDSRichardson Center participates inRead Across America

Compiled by Bakersfield Life Photos by Mark Nessia

Sgt. Chris Johnson of the Bakersfield Police Department reads to students at the Claude W.Richardson Child Development Center as part of Read Across America.

Children's book author James Horvath teaches the studentsat the center how to draw Jinx, a character in his books.

Johnson passes out stickers to students ofKendall Heisey's class at the center.


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Students attempt to draw Jinx, acharacter in Horvath's books.

Students follow instructions from children’sbook author James Horvath.

Children celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday by participatingin Read Across America and even dressing up as well-known characters from his books.

ArtMix attendees enjoy signature cocktails and food bypopular local restaurants inside the BMOA galleries.

Bakersfield often gets a lot of flak from outside (andsometimes local) critics for lacking “culture.” TheBakersfield Museum of Art is looking to changethat perspective with its ArtMix curated cocktailparty event on Friday, April 17.

“BMOA is part of the cultural fabric of Bakersfield,” saidCatherine Kuuskraa, BMOA’s director of development. “Fornearly 60 years, we’ve celebrated the visual arts. Our ArtMixfundraiser is one more way to support the museum.”

Infused with local culinary creations and crafted cocktailsthat will treat participants to an equally unforgettable eveningof spring socializing, the second annual fundraiser will featurelocal restaurants providing light bites and specialty drinksamid the museum’s current art exhibitions. In addition to foodand drink offerings, ArtMix will also feature a silent auctionwith over 25 various art pieces donated by artists and local col-lectors.

ArtMix net proceeds, including sponsorships, ticket salesand the silent auction, will go to benefit BMOA’s education

programming and art exhibitions. “We are lucky to have so many local businesses participat-

ing,” said BMOA board member and ArtMix Chair KatieWerdel. “They share our passion for promoting the visual artsin Bakersfield.”

This year’s participating restaurants are some of Bakers-field’s most popular destinations, including Bord A Petite,Valentien, La Costa Mariscos, Sandrini’s Italian & BasqueRestaurant, Mama Roomba, Goose Loonies, Chef’s ChoiceNoodle Bar, Pyrenees Cafe and Sweet Surrender. Imbibe Wineand Spirits will provide wine and spirits for the evening, alongwith W.A. Thompson, which will offer a selection of premiumcraft beers.

New to this year’s ArtMix is the addition of a benefactorpreview reception, taking place one hour before the generalevent begins. Attendees who purchase tickets at the benefactorlevel will have the opportunity to view the silent art auctionitems early, enjoy a champagne bar hosted by Imbibe and horsd'oeuvres by Bord A Petite.

“We think this limited-ticket benefactor reception is goingto sell out quickly,” added Kuuskraa.

Last year’s ArtMix was slated to take place in the museum’s

By Angel Carreras

Spring affair captures local culinarycreations, crafted cocktails

BMOA'S ARTMIX OFFERSCULINARY, CULTURAL AFFAIR


FOR A CAUSEPeople & Community

spacious sculpture garden, but with the arrival of an unexpect-ed thunderstorm, the event was moved permanently indoors.That move proved to be a good one, as it allowed ArtMix atten-dees to enjoy all of the museum’s exceptional art exhibitionsand learn more about the extensive educational programmingoffered by BMOA.

“The rain storm turned out to be a great thing. It was apositive twist to the night,” said Werdel.

Those interested in participating in the ArtMix silent auc-tion can do so through a special mobile bidding auction linksent to them via text message to their smartphones by BMOAprior to the event. BMOA staffers will also circulate to helpwith the bidding process during the event.

General admission tickets for ArtMix are $75 per personand $125 per couple. Event time is 6:30 to 9 p.m.

Early entry to the benefactor preview reception is from5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $125 per person and $200 per cou-ple.

The event is for those 21 and over only with proper validID. Tickets are available at bmoa.org/artmix or by calling 323-7219. Tickets limited to 350.

The Bakersfield Museum of Art is located on 1930 R St.


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As the chorus of "OverThere" and the slogan"Food Will Win the War"rang across the homefrontof World War I, another call

to duty was issued: "A garden for everychild, every child in a garden."

America’s youth were called uponto serve their country and join the Unit-ed States School Garden Army. A jointventure of the Bureau of Education andthe War Department, the programintended to utilize the gardening skillsof the nation’s young citizens to helpalleviate food shortages and free upexisting food supplies for the soldiers.School-supervised gardening allowed

children to do their patriotic duty andgain important practical skills as foodprices increased and the value of thedollar decreased, according to a Bakers-field Californian article published Jan.31, 1918.

In another article, “Children plan toincrease work in gardens,” which ran inThe Californian on June 6, 1917, Bakers-field’s school children were eager "toserve our country by planting and car-ing for home and school gardens;" theresults were almost immediate.

Produce sales from Lincoln schoolnetted a $5.25 profit in just one week!The garden saved food resources, pro-vided income and facilitated a donationto the Junior Red Cross. The students ofLincoln and Fremont also enjoyed gar-dening’s additional benefits of “clearskins, rosy cheeks and steady nerves,”as noted in the Feb. 25, 1918 Californianarticle, “School children are digging wargardens.”

The work of the USSGA was notlimited to school grounds – it was acommunity effort. On Sept. 23, 1918,Secretary of the Interior Franklin K.Lane appealed directly to CalifornianEditor-in-Chief Alfred Harrell to use the"methods so well known to newspaper

men" to encourage the children of KernCounty to increase the number of wargardens, according to a Californian arti-cle published on Oct. 1, 1918. The paperenticed the children with $50 in cashprizes for the top five war gardens.

The first Fordson tractor arrived inKern County during the fall of 1918 withthe task of “preparing war gardens forthe children of Bakersfield,” accordingto an Oct. 12 1918 Californian article,“Fordson Machine helps the kiddies getseed beds ready for planting.” Theyoung gardeners of McKinley, WilliamPenn, Washington, Jefferson andHawthorne schools all benefited fromthe quick and efficient work of the trac-tor.

The children's shelter displayedpatriotism through the cultivation of itsown war garden. The 30-by-125-footplot produced several 100-pound sacksof potatoes and a multitude of toma-toes, cucumbers, beans and corn to fillits dinner tables.

The Fremont school PTA voted topurchase garden tools for the studentsand reported a remaining balance of$50 in the treasury from profits earnedfrom the previous year’s garden.

Just four months after its inception,

Kern County children enlistedas soldiers of the soil

SCHOOL CHILDRENANSWER NATION'SCALL TO SERVICE

By Julie Plata

H ISTORYPeople & Community

America’s youth were called upon to serve their country and join the United States SchoolGarden Army during World War I, and Kern County answered the call of duty.

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TA VIA THE LIBRARY OF CONGRES

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the USSGA had 1.5 million participants.In less than a year, the number doubledto 3 million, including over 150,000from California.

The Armistice of Nov. 11, 1918 didnot immediately end the USSGA. Chil-dren were asked to continue their patri-otic duty. As the war gardens of Bakers-field's schools transformed toliberty/victory gardens, they continuedto generate abundant crops. Food fromthe garden meant food for the peopleaffected by war overseas.

According to the U.S. Bureau ofEducation in 1919, every garden plant-ed by Kern County’s young soldiers ofthe soil ensured "another step towardlasting peace," serving as a reminderthat thrift was essential to the economy,and demonstrated the patriotic spirit ofAmerica’s youth. According to Lane, theboys and girls who participated in thecreation of the gardens provided “apatriotic service to be compared only tothat of the men who won the war.”


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Local pastors Toure’ and Rolanda Tyler first met on aSouthwest Airlines flight from Chicago on Christ-mas Eve 1995. The rest of their story is somethingthat they agree could be turned into a movie.These days, the couple has a heart for sharing

the Gospel at The Cross Christian Church and serving theircommunity with the food bank they host, TLC (Turkey, Loveand Clothes), every Thanksgiving.

For the Tylers, faith and family are the most importantthings in life. The pair has two children, Zoe, 9, and Houston,5, who love getting involved with the ministry as well. Compiled by Bakersfield Life

TOURE’ AND ROLANDA TYLER Local pastors count on faith andfamily to pull them through

POWER COUPLEPeople & Community

Rolanda & Toure’Tyler in The CrossChristian Church.

PHOTO

BY M

ICHAEL

LOPEZ

Bakersfield Life: How did the two of you meet?Rolanda: I was heading back to Bakersfield from Chicago,

where I was visiting family, and Toure’ was leaving Chicagoheading to San Antonio on a family trip. For some reason thatwe still don’t know today, Toure’ was asked to leave his seat andwas seated next to me.

In casual conversation, we discovered, we lived no morethan eight minutes away from each other (in our youngeryears).

We were both scheduled to change flights in Houston,Texas. Once we arrived, the airport shut down due to the holi-day. It was there that I met his family for the first time, notknowing it would be the only opportunity to speak with myfuture mother-in-law, due to her illness.

It wasn’t until two years later that I returned to Chicago andgave Toure’ a call. From the initial conversation on the phone, Iknew he would be a friend for life. We had our first date thevery next day and spent every day together for the remainder ofmy trip.

BL: Toure’, how did you know Rolanda was the one?Toure’: I knew she was the one because of the wonderful

conversations and great topics we had over the phone, notmissing a single day for a year.

BL: What is Toure’s best quality?Rolanda:His best quality is his strong desire to see every-

one around him succeed. He has the ability to make you wantto become better. I personally, because of him, have beenstretched outside of my comfort zone to do what I didn’t origi-nally think I could accomplish. He is a great motivator!

BL: Toure’, same question.Toure’: That’s easy. I love everything about her. But what I

love most is her beautiful spirit.

BL: What’s your favorite weekend activity to do together? Both:Our favorite weekend activity, whether it’s a family or

date night, is finding something to laugh about. No matterwhere we are, we can find something humorous. We just con-nect that way. If we’re in stitches laughing just before I go in forbrain surgery, it’s evident that laughter is a favorite pastime.

BL: What are you most proud of about Rolanda? Toure’: I’m most proud of my wife for her ability to multi-

task. She is an awesome wife, an outstanding mother, a superphenomenal first lady, a well-developed co-pastor, as well askeeping me laughing and having fun and enjoying life. She is a2015 Wonder Woman!

BL: How does Toure’ make you proud?Rolanda:What makes me most proud of him is how amaz-

ing he is as a husband and a father. He’s fun, funny, loving anda man of integrity. I honestly couldn’t ask for anything more.

BL: What is your secret to a happy marriage?Both:Our secret to a happy marriage is loving God more

than anything else, including each other. We’ve learned if youlove God most, you’ll do what pleases Him first, which is lovingeach other even when our spouse is not most lovable.


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If you Google what a roofer does, you’ll get a basicanswer, like “a roofer’s job is to maintain, install andrepair roofs.” While that is true, the day-to-day life of aroofer can be grueling, working long hours, often inthe Bakersfield heat.

Ernest Montoya, owner of BSW Roofing knows how thatcan be. Starting as a contractor at his father’s business, Mon-toya, along with his brother and business partner, Rick, hadsome of the dirtiest and most interesting jobs around.They’ve worked on a variety of projects, from commercial

buildings and shopping centers to residential areas. Generally, people don’t realize they have a bad roof until

they notice the leak when it rains. That’s when Ernest and histeam of roofers come in.

Wood shingles were commonly used in the ’70s, ’80s andeven the ’90s. As houses move into new and improved waysof designing, it is then the roofer’s job to reroof, stripping offall of the old shingles and laying down new tiles. Many opt forthe energy efficient ways, like solar paneling and insulation,which also save on their bills. Ernest notes that people like tosave money.

While it was a lot of hard work, Ernest’s time as a rooferalso included working on many cool projects, like the officer’squarters at Fort Tejon, using sugar pine shakes and nailsdated from the 1800s along with timber slices out of trees.

Another house called for ocean waving, consisting of thincedar shingles sliced cards with A, B, C, D cuts, which helpedform the wave.

“I learned a long time ago if you take care of the cus-tomer, the customer will take care of you,” he said.

Bakersfield roofers Ernie, left, and Rick Montoya pose as one of their crews replaces theroof on a downtown building. The brothers have been at the helm of BSW Roofing & Solar, acompany that was created by their father and his brother in 1942.

AN HONEST LIVING

By Shelby Parker

Ernest Montoya gives insight to the life of roofer

REAL PEOPLEPeople & Community

It’s more than just reroofing a house, it’s about takingcare of the customer, making sure that the jobs are finished ina timely manner

Ernest adds that every day is different, depending on theproject they’re working on. “Every day is different. Everyhome is different. Every business is different. Every buildingis different. Every customer is different,” he said.

There are many different options that customers canchoose, and that’s just part of what keeps the job so interest-ing.

“I think the ones I enjoy most are the historical ones,”said Ernest of the projects he has worked on, like his experi-ence in Fort Tejon, knowing that generals from the Army usedthe building and Indians had actually walked the grounds.

He says that roofing is an honest living. He loves what hedoes and the people he works with, which is what it’s allabout.

Ernest mentions the expression, “If you find a professionthat you truly love, you never work a day in your life.”

“They were right,” he said.


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Most of usknow thatbuying ahome is aprocess

that requires much thinkingand debating.

Originally, I was againstthe idea of buying a newhome. I was happy with ourcurrent house, but my wifewas ready for a new home,and as the saying goes, “Ahappy wife is a happy life,”so it’s safe to say what mydecision turned out to be.

As we explored the idea,some close friends informedus that their grandmother’shouse was just recently listedon the market. I told ouragent Alicia Beckner, who isa wonderful real estate agentI might add, about the homeand asked if we could lookinto the property.

Built in 1966, the homewas awesomein my eyes. Ithad a ton ofcharacter andlots of poten-tial to build onin the future. Imust admitthat since thiswas a fore-closed home, Ihad to get towork on

improvements right away,especially since some peoplefelt it was okay to help them-

selves to some of the proper-ty’s belongings, such as lightfixtures, the diving boardthat went to the pool andother miscellaneous items,as it sat empty during theforeclosure stage.

So far, I have been able tolandscape most areas of theyard and install new light fix-tures around the entirehouse, including some ambi-ent lighting that makes oursummer nights really niceand sets a great mood. Onthe inside of our home, weripped out all of the old car-pet and installed a mixture of18-inch tiles that surroundssome areas of carpet that wehad double-padded just incase the our kids wanted tolie on it. But my proudestachievement has been ourkitchen.

Unfortunately, ourkitchen was victim to theforeclosure as well. All of theappliances were stolen, andby law, a kitchen needs tohave a stove to sell, so thebank did get us a stove. Butthe stove they had given us

wasn’t real pleasing to theeyes.

As for the rest of thekitchen, it was nice but reallyoutdated, which makessense because it’s an olderhome. So we did a completemakeover to our kitchen. Wegot rid of all of our old appli-ances and replaced themwith stainless steel appli-ances. We installed a newsink with an awesome newfaucet and replaced the oldtile countertops with blackabsolute granite counter-tops.

A few weeks ago, Iattended the local annualHome & Garden Show at theKern County Fairgrounds.That is a great place to net-work and find some deals ifyou are looking to hire out allof your home improvementneeds. Personally, I like to tryand do most of my homeimprovements myself. Itsaves money, plus it can giveyou a great sense of prideonce you have finished yourgoal. Of course, I am noexpert in general construc-

tion so some of my projectsneeded the hand of anexpert, and I have madeplenty of friends in the worldof general construction.

If you are looking toimprove on your home, thenI recommend you check outsome cool apps for ideas.Pinterest and Houzz aregreat apps. Even your localhardware stores, such asLowe’s or Home Depot, offerreally cool ideas and proj-ects, which can be affordableand fun to do.

We’ve been in our homefor a few years now, andwhile I am pleased with thehome improvements thusfar, I have come to learn thatour home is in a constantmakeover mode because welove to entertain, and wewant our guests to feelrelaxed and comfortable. Infact, I feel that my motiva-tion to improve our homehas little to do with pleasingmyself but more towardpleasing my friends and fam-ily. To us, that is what life isall about: friends and family.

HOME SWEETHOME

By Eddie Ronquillo

Eddie Ronquillo


Eddie Ronquillo recently upgraded his kitchen to includenew stainless steel appliances, 2-inch white Subway tileand absolute black granite on the counters.

PHOTO

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Making improvementsto humble abodebrings couple closerto family, friends

LAST WORDPeople & Community

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Documents

Bakersfield Life Magazine April 2015