The Reality School

real world and operate it.”
Students are also taught something everyone
should know before they graduate from high
school. The importance of a good credit rating.
“It will all be based on credit scores, just like
real-life. If you have a bad credit score, you’ll
never get a job in a bank. People need to learn to
be accountable and just like in life, if you have
a good credit score, more opportunities will be
open to you,” says Hensel. “If someone has a bad
credit score, they can get a job in the village, pay
their house, power and water bills on time, and
work to get their credit score up.”
There won’t be much time spent in classrooms. The students will learn by doing. They
learn the process of purchasing a home, serving
on jury duty, becoming an employee at any one
of the businesses to learn banking, construction
work, handling money as a cashier, or ordering
supplies. They can also purchase any business
from another student who’s ready to move on
and try something new. In doing so, they learn
Blue Creek Retreat Photo supplied by Blue Creek Retreat
the paperwork involved in making an offer, title
So a tourist family could stay in an authen- searches, interest and taking out a loan from the
town bank.
tic Scottish home, eat food and
“Counselors will monitor how stulisten to music from the Highdents are running their business. Are
lands. There will be informathey making money or losing it?” said
tional movies about that counHensel.
try available to them. The next
In selling their property or busiday they can move to an Italian
ness, they’ll learn to have their taxes,
home and learn that culture.
and profit and loss statements ready to
“We’re hoping to develop
show the seller. They’ll deal with the
an exchange program to allow
town realtor and find out about comsomeone from each country
missions and learn about closing the
to come and teach their local
deal.
culture and customs,” Hensel
“Each student will take a turn in
adds.
police and fire departments, serve jury duty and
play exact rolls in city hall,” said Hensel. “That
way they really know what’s going on when
The Reality School
they’re voting. They’ll understand trials, prosThe other side of this coin is a reality school.
Students who want a hands-on learning experience will be trained to be good employees, good
employers and productive citizens. By the time
they graduate, most students will be qualified to
run their own business.
“Reality School is about teaching life skills,”
said Hensel. “To do that, you have to put students
in a real situation--you can’t do it entirely from
a text book. You have to be involved, and one
of the only ways you can do it, is in a controlled
atmosphere that mimics real-life.”
Students ages 18 and up will work side-byside with real craftsmen--business/professional
and retired individuals who have lived the life
successfully.
“The students will come here and buy a cottage instead of moving into a dorm. They’ll have
to get a job in the town for 50 percent of the
time, and run their own business 50 percent of
the time,” said Hensel. “So they can see what it’s
like on both sides. When they graduate, instead
of throwing their hats in the air, hollering and
screaming, then wondering what they’re going to
do, they’ll be ready to take their business into the
Continued on next Page
The Greenhouse
The Greenhouse across the pond.
Photo supplied by Blue Creek Retreat
31
create knowledgeable business owners and qualified
employees. That’s why the students have to work, because if you’ve never worked, you won’t make a good
boss.”
“Right now it’s an idea. We’re shooting for 900
residences and 300 hotel/student units if we can get the
funding and people are interested,” said Hensel. “Reality school gives students who want to gain the confidence, and experience necessary to become self-sufficient the know-how.”
For more information on the project call 406-8476677 or go to www.realityschool.org. Building Designs
by NW Properties 253-350-3874, and building construction by K2 Construction 406-847-4444.
Dining Hall in the Blue Creek Retreat. Photo supplied by Blue Creek Retreat
and court reporters. When they leave
here they’ll know all this stuff because
they’ve actually done it.”
The Instructors
The teachers will be retired, or
not yet retired people from all walks
of life, policemen, housewives, doctors, bankers, or construction workers
who want to teach others what they’ve
learned.
“This will be a place for mature
people to come and feel valuable, because they are. It’s a place where the
instructors believe service is a gift and
that by sharing their knowledge, they
can help shape tomorrows leaders.
Many have so much wisdom to give
and this is the place they can use their
talents,” said Hensel.
It could be a chef or former restaurant owner who will teach not only
how to cook, but how to plan for a big
crowd, order the proper ingredients,
deal with suppliers, keep the books,
run the cash register, clean up at night,
and deal with customers. Working a
stint at one of the restaurants in the
village will teach you everything you
need to know about real cooking--before mac & cheese came in a 4x7 box.
The goal of Reality School is to
give people the life skills to realize
their dreams. The people who graduate from this program will know how
to buy a home. They’ll be a valuable
asset to any business or even run their
own business.
“If a student buys a bakery and it’s
worth $30,000 when he buys it,” says
Hensel, “but over several years he’s
made that business worth $50,000,
he’s going to realize that profit and
have $20,000 cash that he can use to
start his business when he graduates.”
But not everyone is cut out to, or
wants to run a business.
“The goal of Reality School is to
32
www.nilifestyle.com
+2(.+2
&OR
WITHHOST*ONNY+NIGHT
9OURHOMETOWN
)NTHE"ONNER-ALL
&BTU-BLF4USFFU…
NEW LISTING!
Exclusive waterfront acreage.
Pristine Spring Creek flows
through this lovely level meadow.
8 acres surrounded by beautiful
mountain
views.
Extremely
private with gated entrance just
2.5 miles from HWY 200. Lot 2
of Misty Meadows. Power and
phone to lot line. MLS#2063391
$149,900.
Beautiful 1 acre lots!
Prime building lots in Bonners Ferry. Largely treed 1
acre lots that are private, but less than a mile to town.
Power, phone, natural gas and water to property! County
maintained road fronts the property. Great mountain
views! Six one acre lots available that are perfect for
building! MLS#2062673 $49,000.
Long term home owner (23 years) very well maintained.
New paint and carpet throughout! House Garage has been
converted to shop area, but could easily be converted back to
a car garage. Additional Quonset Hut Shop measures 30 X 40
- Plenty of extra space! Sagle School District - views of Selkirk
Mountain Range. MLS 2063521 $269,000.
Brand new oversized lot, first time offered.
Beautiful views of the new Idaho Club Golf Course
from your .55 acre lot. Get ready for your dream
home! $275,000. MLS#2060927.
Well established turnkey business opportunity with the
Sandpoint School of Hair Design and Salon Services in the Bonner
Mall! Classroom, mani, pedi, and hair work stations, shampoo
bowls, facial chairs and product inventory all in a great location
with a super reputation! MLS#2063375 $229,000.
Beautiful rare acreage
in Kullyspell Estates located on the Hope Peninsula. Septic system installed, water
assessment paid, driveway in and building site cleared. Big trees for beauty and privacy.
Community waterfront lot located in one of the nicest coves on the big lake. Buyer to pay
for water hook-up at time of installation. MLS#2061500 $299,000.
A beautiful park-like setting secluded by trees.
Enjoy mature fruit trees, a raspberry patch, and birdhouses throughout this
nicely manicured parcel. A cozy, wonderful spot. MUST SEE TO APPRECIATE!
Community river access is located across Dufort Road. Notice the pride of
ownership throughout. New windows, carpet, paint, appliances, monitor heater.
Community well 40 GPM. MLS 2063723 $199,000.
Completely remodeled ranch style home!
Cute country kitchen, daylight basement, new paint, wood floors and
beautiful Schweitzer Mountain views! Home has 3 bedrooms with 1 bath
and sits on 8.5 acres. Great horse property. Six outbuildings including two
large barns with corals! Very private location. MLS#2063413 $285,000.
NEW July 2006
home is ready for you to move in! Very large, open living room with vaulted ceilings
and Pergo style wood flooring. You’ll love the large kitchen with Custom Alder
Cabinets, with plenty of storage space! Walk out the back door to the barbecue
on your beautifully finished concrete stamped patio. Spacious laundry room off
two car garage keeps your new home clean! Three large bedrooms, with Master
Bedroom having a walk-in closet and private bathroom! $5000.00 Landscaping
allowance! MLS#2063340 $291,500.
Rare desirable South Sandpoint lots.
Three blocks to Washington Elementary School, Memorial Field and
public boat launch to Lake Pend’Orielle. Citywater and sewer. Zoned
Residential B. 10-foot setback from North property line for lot 19. Can
build duplex, townhouse or dream home. MLS 2060750 $250,000.
VERY UNIQUE
AIRPORT PROPERTY!
Approx 2.5 acres of industrial zoned property on one
of Sandpoint’s busiest roads with legal AIRPORT
RUNWAY ACCESS on the County Airport! House
is grandfathered in, and is in very good shape for its
age. Limited airport property is available and even
less availability on the busy North Boyer Ave. side of
airport! MLS#2063874 $900,000.
One of the Most Beautiful
Log Homes Anywhere...
With a Private Lake...
One of a kind 5000 square foot lodge.
Views from every room! Deer and
Elk abound on the Hunter’s paradise.
Secluded 100-acre estate-yet close to
town. Awesome design & detail set this
lodge apart! THIS IS WORTH SEEING! Property is amazing and very
private.
MLS # 2054596 $1,799,000.
300 feet of gorgeous waterfront
property on Lake Pend Oreille!
Wonderful views including Lake Pend Oreille, the
Lake Islands, and Schweitzer. This 3 bed 4 bath
house has great sun exposure and extensive private
docks on its 1.29 acres. Home was completely
remodeled in 1994 and has two large shops and a
four car garage. MLS#2062523 $3,000,000.
BRAND NEW WATERFRONT HOME!
BC Custom Homes is building your new waterfront home right now
in River Lake Estates. Boat from your private waterfront home to the
lake or play on the river! This 2000sq ft home has 3 bedrooms and
2 baths. It is secluded among beautiful cedar trees. Many upgrades!
Private airstrip! BEST DEAL FOR A NEW HOME WITH PRIVATE
BOATABLE WATERFRONT! MLS#2063149 $449,000.
Commercial building with great
visibility from Kootenai cut-off road.
Very nice office with built-in desk and customer restroom. Extremely
well built with huge shop area and energy efficient in-floor gas heat.
Paved parking lot with 25 parking spaces. Upstairs is a 16X16 loft
with bathroom. Approximate 2688+/- square feet. MLS#2061159
$399,000.
Gorgeous 77 Acre Horse Ranch
with 2 bedroom, 2 bath home and kick proof MD barn with
turnouts. Wildlife galore! Certified weed free hay and 20+/- acre
virgin timber. This property is bordered on 3 sides by National
Forest. Creek and stocked trout pond. This is a ‘must see’
$1,250,000.
Beautiful and tasteful custom home
with outstanding views of the River.
Bamboo flooring, high ceilings, lots of beautiful Pella windows,
decks looking out over the River. Upscale neighborhood just 15
minutes west of Sandpoint. MLS#2063970 $525,000.
Enjoy outstanding
panoramic views of the
Cabinet res.
Over 850 feet avista frontage with
southwest exposure. Very private
location with easy access. Great
cabin getaway with two creeks
and beautiful small stone beaches.
MLS2063915 $375,000.
This lot in the Sunnyside area is ready
to build on. New septic installed and
driveway in. Water installed. Perfect
daylight basement site. The public
boat launch is within walking distance.
MLS#2064195 $135,000.
Beautiful backyard that
borders public land!
Like new, only better and so inviting. All the
landscaping is in and finished. Great water
feature and hot tub in fenced backyard,
which borders public land.
NNA EAGLE WAY ROAD
You can still have 5 acres with trees, gorgeous views
overlooking the Kootenai River Valley all the way to
Canada, water, power, phone and natural gas to the
property line with the water hook-up already paid for.
You’re only 5 minutes to Bonners Ferry schools and
shopping for only $149,000. MLS#2064190.
This is a terrific home site opportunity. Less than
a quarter mile to Springy Point Park and boat
launch and only four miles to Sandpoint! There
are 300 feet of road frontage. This property is very
quiet and private with day-round sun exposure and
perfect for horses. MLS#2064422 $255,000.
This three bedroom, 2 bath, 1670+/- square
foot home is well insulated. Nice pantry and
lazy susans in kitchen. Air filtration system,
propane gas fireplace and slider out to back
covered deck. Nice garage with windows.
MLS#2063914 $299,000.
Spectacular Waterfront Property!
5 acres of Lake Pend Oreille Waterfront. Large building site with expanding
lake views and southern exposure. 250 feet of small stone beach frontage.
Beautiful towering Pine trees make for a quiet lot! Too beautiful to miss
out! MLS 2064116 $995,000.
Curtain C all
Phone: 208-255-7801 • e-mail: panida@nidaho.net • website: panida.org
Phone: 208-667-1323 www.LakeCityPlayhouse.org
October 2006
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Showing October 6,7,8,12,13,14,15,19,20,21
October 6; 8:00..........................................…….David Lanz in Concert
on Concert Grand Piano, Panida Benefit
October 7; 8:00 pm………........................…………… “ThankYou, Bob Hope”
Brick Wall Comedy Theater
November 2006
Hound of Baskerville’s
Showing November 3,4,5,9,10,11,12,16,17,18
October 11, 12 & 14; 7:30 pm................................…….. “An InconvenientTruth”
Al Gore’s film on Global Warming
presented by the Idaho Conservation League & Panida
October 13; 8:00 pm…….............................………..Gran Folklorico de Mexico
world-wide traveling dance company of singers,
dancers & musicians, Pend Oreille Arts Council
December 2006
Babes in Toyland
Showing December 1,2,3,7,8,9,10,14,15,16,17,21,22,23
October 20; 8:00 pm……..........................…Spencer Comedy Hypnotist Show
October 21; 3:00 & 7:00 pm…….................................….…..…… “Off the Grid”
Warren Miller Ski Film
Alpine Ski and Boat Shop
IPIFF: It’s a wrap
October 28; 7:00 pm………..….…............…A lecture by Dr. Masaru Emoto
presented by Heaven the Spa at Seasons
October 29; 8:00 pm…………….…....….Garr Lang in Concert (this one is still
The Idaho Panhandle International Film Festival (IPIFF) successfully concluded its first annual
event on August 26, 2006. The festival featured
over 50 films and took place over three very full
days of movies, mingling, panels and awards.
Over a dozen filmmakers, actors, producers
and directors showed up to present their films and
participate in the festivities. There was an overwhelmingly positive response to IPIFF -- guests
were highly impressed with the town of Sandpoint, the people they met here and the
overall quality of the festival programming. For its first year, organizers and visitors
alike couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.
On the last night awards were given in 19 categories in an awards ceremony, including “Best Narrative Feature,” “Best Director” and “Best Northwest Filmmaker.”
From the winners a “Best of IPIFF” has been chosen and will go on the road throughout the Northwest, with the premier September 23 at the Met in Spokane.
Concerts West One
uncertain)
November 1; 8:00 pm…………..…..…...……Ladysmith Black Mambazo
South African Grammy Award winners
Pend Oreille Arts Council
November 3; 7:00 pm……………..…..An Evening with Dr. Len Horowitz
November 4; 7:00 pm………….………..Teton Gravity Research ski film
presented by U S Telemark
November 9, 10 & 11; 7:30 pm……………..….Global Cinema Café film
November 16; 5:00 - 7:00 pm….....Holly Eve Silent Art Auction Preview
November 18; 6:30 pm………..……..26th Annual Holly Eve Gala Benefit
with epicurean delights, auction abundance,
fantastic fashions and local entertainment
November 28; 7:30 pm……………………….Ballet Idaho’s “Nutcracker”
Pend Oreille Arts Council
December 16; 7:00 pm……………………..……“The Jazzy Nutcracker”
Studio One Dance Academy
December 18; 7:00 pm…………….……..Danceworks’ Christmas Show
Photo by Jenna Bowers
Please visit our web site at panida.org
Festival directors Fred and Trevor Greenfield have plans to host another festival in
February, entitled “Lake Dance”, as well as another IPIFF in the late summer or early
fall of next year. The festivals will continue to grow, with screenings taking place in
several different locations, and considerably more programming. For more information visit www.ipiff.com
39
The Spirits in the Air
Micro Breweries and Wineries of North Idaho
By Jenna Bowers
Photos by Jessica Vouk
We in the northwest have many
Pend d’Oreille Winery
things to celebrate- the glorious
natural beauty, the warmth of a
supportive community, the vibrantly depicted change of seasons, and
much more. With so much cause for
celebration, we are lucky to have so
many different ways to do so. How
better to make merry than with a
locally crafted spirit? Fortunately
for all of us there are many delicious wineries and breweries right
in our backyards. Along with a few
wine and beer “consultants” we
did some leg (and liver) work, and
came up with an informative guide
to get anyone on their way out the
door and headed towards a party.
Coeur d’Alene Cellars
Walking into the Coeur d’Alene Cellars Winery I was instantly impressed
with the simple elegance of the space,
clean lines, and understated style. The
wine was equally impressive, with round
flavors and long smooth finishes, it
matched the décor nicely. The winery specializes in Rhone varietals, with Viognier
and Syrah as their darlings. I tried both
an oaked and unoaked Viognier, and was
surprised at the vast range of difference
in the two. Their Syrahs are heavenly,
and they have already won a remarkable
number of awards in their relatively short
time as a winery-their first vintage was
in 2002. They also have a red and white
blend, the No. 6 series, named after their
40
www.nilifestyle.com
Coeur d’Alene Winery’s Barrel Room # 6
Ah Pend d’Oreille Winery. My
home away from home. What is there
to say, other than that Pend d’Oreille
Winery simply has some of the best
wine I’ve ever tried (and I’ve tried a
lot). Wine maker Steve Meyer out does
himself year after year, with his incredible and ever changing menu, from standards like Merlot (soft and smooth) and
Chardonnay (balanced and buttery), to
classics like the Syrah (luscious and full
bodied) and Cabernet Sauvignon (rich
and elegant), to eclectic specialties like
the Malbec (complex and layered) and
Cabernet Franc (powerful and unique).
And of course, everyone’s favorites, the
Bistro Rouge (fun and approachable)
and Huckleberry Blush (sweet and refreshing). Pend d’Oreille Winery has
been around for 11 years, and the wine
tasting room, Barrel Room No. 6 (named
so because of the 5 other barrel rooms located on site at the winery).
The Coeur d’Alene Cellars is a small,
family owned operation. At this time they
produce 3000-4000 cases of wine a year,
and though there is room for growth, they
don’t have any immediate plans to make
more. They are staying focused on small,
handcrafted lots, with delicious results.
I stopped by Barrel Room No. 6 on
my way out of town, and was wowed
again by the atmosphere. Spacious, yet
cozy, sleek, sophisticated, romantic and
elegant, it impressed me as a great place
to enjoy a glass of wine and a bite to eat.
And the Shins were playing on the stereo, extra points for coolness. www.cdacellars.com 664-2336
Pend d’Oreille Winery’s 2005 Pinot Gris
Photo compliments of Pend d’Oreille Winery
just keeps getting better, with dozens of
awards and medals hanging in the tasting room to prove that I’m not the only
one who thinks so. At any given time
there are at least 10 wines on the menu,
and I personally love to keep abreast of
what’s happening in the bottles. There
is a bounty of home and garden goodness to sate the most discriminating
shopper, and with wine by the glass
specials every evening from 4:30 till
close, there is something for everyone.
Add the fabulous line up of live music
on Friday and Saturday nights, and you
need never leave the building. I know I
don’t. www.powine.com 265-8545
TimberRock Winery
masterful artistic expression. He spoke
passionately about the vineyards and
grapes he used, and the delicious wine
they created. In addition to his Cabernet
Sauvignon, Kevin also makes a Chardonnay, a Merlot, and just
finished his first bottling of ice wine. He is
a veterinarian by day,
and took up winemaking as a creative endeavor. Together with
his wife Michelle, son
Weston, and consultant
Robert Smasne, what
started as a small home
production 7 years ago
has become a commercial success. TimberRock currently makes 500 cases a year,
with the ultimate goal set at a 1000 case
production. He is in the process of building a barrel room, which will double as a
small tasting room. This will afford others the opportunity that we had, to travel
into a different sort of winemaking realm,
and come out inspired. www.timberrockwine.com 777-9669
Coeur d’Alene
Brewing Company
Coeur
Driving
through the rolling North
Idaho hills towards TimberRock Winery, I felt like I was on a treasure hunt.
I wasn’t far off. Deep in the forest I
discovered a truly unique winemaking
operation, and felt like I had stumbled
upon something magical. Owner and
operator Kevin Rogers greeted us with a
sample of his 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
taken straight from the barrel. The wine
was just as mystical as its surroundings,
silky smooth, elegant and complex. As
we viewed his modest and quaint winery, it became obvious that this was less
of a business venture than Kevin’s own
d’Alene Brewing Company
knows how to do beer. They have got
an impressive menu, including 10 constants, and 2 rotating brews- a seasonal
and a brewer’s whim. That’s a lot of
beer (a dozen, for those who don’t care
to count). It’s a hell of a production, including another brewery in Spokane-The
Steam Plant Grill, and another restaurant
in Moscow. Added to their bottling, kegs,
and growlers, they keep pretty busy,
brewing beer every week. The brewery
has been around awhile, since 1908, in
fact, (then closed during the prohibition
and reopened again in 1987) and it shows.
The beer has, as my beer experts concluded, “all sorts of flavor.” We sampled
all 12 offerings, including the seasonal
Strawberry Blonde and the brewer’s
whim, the Triple Cherry Porter. I personally loved the Vanilla Bourbon Stout (my
tasting notes read “yummy”), and my
companions were seriously impressed
by the Honeymoon Wheat Ale (“mmm,
smooth”) and the Pullman Porter (“that’s
a beer, like beer should be”). They use lo-
Coeur d’Alene Brewery’s Scotish Ale
cal ingredients, and have a great menu,
so stop into the Coeur d’Alene Brewing Company and have a pint, there is
something for every palette. www.cdabrewing.com 664-BREW
Laughing Dog Brewery
Visiting Laughing Dog Brewery is
a satisfying experience. All of the beer
we tried was delicious and remarkably
drinkable. Owner and brewer Fred Colby likes his beer “big”, and, to quote
my accompanying beer expert, the result is something like “oh my god.” My
personal favorite, and the one I always
drink when frequenting establishments
with Laughing Dog on tap, is the Cream
Ale. A hybrid mix between an ale and
a lager, the Cream Ale is at once light
and deeply flavorful, a difficult balance
to achieve. We were both impressed by
the Hot Chihuahua, a festive beer that
is fermented with Chile peppers, giving it a nice spicy finish. Laughing Dog
Brewery just celebrated its one-year
anniversary, and to commemorate it
they made the Devil Dog, an imperial
IPA that is so strong it’s almost a barley
wine. The Devil Dog smelled like a bag
of hops, was in fact triple dry hopped,
with a blend of five different hops. With
so much hop action going on, some of
41
ing menu of 6-7 beers, with a
goal set at a steady 9, though
they plan to have those 9
ever-changing as well. We
tried what they had to offer
at the time, and we weren’t
disappointed. From their
“Tipsy Toe Head Blonde” to
their “Knot Tree Porter” the
beers all displayed strong
flavor and character, mainly
due to the fact that they don’t
filter their beer. My “associLaughing Dog Brewery’s beer sampler
ates” had these things to say – “good and
these bigger beers could potentially be clean-they really pulled this off” (in referpretty aggressive, something my com- ence to the Huckleberry Blonde); “this is
panions and I were a little nervous about. a good drinking beer” (Lake Paddler Pale
But, after imbibing, we were pleasantly Ale); “this is a pretty friendly IPA, its like
surprised. The intensely hopped beers “hey, how you doing?”” (Strom-Hammer
were well dialed- to quote my partner IPA). So there you have it. Head on down
in crime “my taste buds weren’t bombarded, it was more like a symphony of
flavor.” Indeed. Laughing Dog sticks to
what it does best, brewing beer, and will
continue to do so, with seasonal specials
like the Huckleberry Crème and St Benny’s Irish Red, and tap standards like the
Pale Ale and Sweet Stout. Fred has a surprise scheduled for the middle of winter,
but he won’t let the secret out. Stay tuned
and see what Laughing Dog brewery has
in store for us next. www.laughingdogbrewing.com 263-9222
MickDuff’s Brewery
Finally,
a brewery right in downtown Sandpoint that you can walk too
(and home from). MickDuff’s is just
what you’re looking for in a brew pub,
cool and comfortable surroundings,
friendly and knowledgeable staff, good,
hearty food, and, of course, a selection of
delicious home brewed beers. Founded
by brothers Micky and Duffy Mahoney,
MickDuff’s is less than a half a year old
in Sandpoint and already enjoying tremendous success, do in no small part to
the aforementioned qualities. They have
live music on the weekends, a rockin’
happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6, and
big plans for expansion, including more
tanks for brewing beer and a cool roof top
deck scheduled for next summer. Onto
the beer—they currently have a revolv42
www.nilifestyle.com
A growler at MickDuff’s Brewing Company
to MickDuff’s, and see for yourself. Also
check out their Oktoberfest celebration
that they are planning along with Laughing Dog Brewery and Schweitzer. www.
mickduffs.com 255-4351
Visit these places for yourself, and
look for their products in stores and restaurants throughout the northwest. Learn
more by visiting them on the web.
The
ShookTwins
by Jenna Bowers
I got the chance to meet up with the Shook Twins, made up of Katelyn and Laurie Shook, and ask them a few questions about their music
and their lives We had a few laughs, and I learned that these girls have a
great sense of humor, are lovely, charming, ambitious and talented. And
hungry. Hungry for life and hungry for Joel’s burritos. They are Sandpoint
natives, and divide their time between there and Moscow, where they are
finishing college at the University of Idaho, with degrees in communication. They play gigs here, there, and everywhere in between. Be sure to
catch them live - their contagious banter is even better in person, and their
music is a refreshing blend of wisdom and innocence, which is deepening
and becoming more mature and well rounded by the day. Being twins,
they have what seems to be an innate sense of harmony, and their lilting
voices blend together in divine consonance. And Laurie beat boxes, which
is pretty awesome.
Jenna: Are you girls sisters? You look a lot alike.
Katelyn and Laurie: Laughter
K: Actually I’m her mom
L: We shared a womb, and a room, cheap rent
J: Capos, your thoughts?
K: I cannot live without capos
L: First of all, we should have them surgically implanted, because we forget them all the time
K: We noticed that Ani (Difranco, one of their
main influences) uses them, so that’s cool
L: They are beautiful things, they make life
easier, and I am all about making life easier.
J: I have noticed that your music is
outrageous, you have clearly been influenced by such bands as Jem and the
Holograms. What are some other late 80’s
early 90’s cartoons that have influenced
your musical career?
K&L: Oh my god, the Gummy Bears, (here is
when they burst into song, expertly covering
the Gummy Bears theme) and Fraggle Rock
(more singing) oh my god, Fraggle’s rock
J: What’s the coolest about living in Moscow and Sandpoint?
L: We have two rooms,
K: The wormhole (an obscure inside joke
about time travel)
J: Jem and Fraggle Rock aside, who are some
other musical acts who have influenced you?
K&L: Ani Difranco, Shawn Colvin, Sarah
McLachlan, Dave Matthews, Cold play,
Bjork, New Kids on the Block, (giggle) no,
but, for real, NKOTB, it’s the right stuff
Photo by Chris Guibert
J: Name your top 5 singer/songwriters of all time. They can be different
from each other. That’s not really a question.
K: Ani Difranco, Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Ray Lamontagne,
L: Dang it, you stole mine, they’re are all the same, but I’ll take Sam Beam
(of Iron & Wine) instead of Joni, but Joni’s awesome
K: F#@k, I mean, shoot, I want Sam Beam too!
J: Do you believe current pop music trends are the miserable and untimely
death of the heart and soul of music?
K: Pop music, like Brittany (Spears), etc, is important, because there has to
be something out there that is the opposite of good, and pop is the opposite
of good
L: Listeners are fed up and angry with that crap, so they are more inclined
to look for something beautiful - it’s like it fuels the revolution against
itself, towards better music
J: How would you describe your sound, other than truly truly truly outrageous?
K&L: Soft folk Christian death metal, (giggle) with a little beat box on the
side, to wash it down
J: On your new live CD, I have noticed a few curse words. Is this a conscious
step towards a more thug - like image, or are you just potty mouths?
K&L: Laughter
K: It’s my fault
L: She always slips, maybe cusses a little too much
K: But that’s really who we are, so f@#k it
J: What is it about beat boxing that is so freaking cool?
L: White chick from Idaho, no one expects it
K: And it sounds like a drum
L: A face drum
J: How do you strike the balance between success and
selling out? If you make money at something you love, is
it still art, or does a paycheck ruin its integrity?
L: I don’t think a paycheck ruins integrity, more
power to you if you can change peoples lives
and make a living doing it, as long as you keep
doing what you were doing before you started
making money, then that’s awesome
K: success in a musical career is measured
by how many people know about you, how
many people you reach, and if more people
like you, buy your albums and come to your
concerts, than you make more money, but I
wouldn’t look at fans like dollar bills, more
like how excited I was to have so many people
listening to us
L: it’s all about your intent, if you are still spreading your message than its not selling out
J: Why?
L: Because everybody is different
K: Because because because because because,
because of the wonderful things he does
There you have it, Katelyn and Laurie Shook,
in all their glory. Learn more about the Shook
Twins, how to buy their CD’s, and where they
are playing next, by visiting their website,
www.shooktwins.com
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“SUh-WEEt AND SMOKIN”
By Seneca Cummings Photos by Jessica Vouk
People talk a lot about hybrids these days. From hybrid gas/
electric and SUV crossover vehicles, to hybrid fuels such as biodiesel, the term isn’t just science anymore. Now, restaurateurs
such as Joey Maggiore and Randy Folk, have taken the hybrid
concept one step further -- into food.
Maggiore and Folk, owners of the new Joey’s Smokin BBQ in
Coeur d’Alene, have blended traditional southern-style barbecue
with a modern “dine-in or take-out” eatery.
“It’s not fast food, but it is quality food quick,” says local
owner Folk.
The atmosphere is comfortable and casual, but with an interior design concept that is more elegant and mature than what
you’d expect from a quick service oriented establishment.
The design, the atmosphere and, of course, the quality of the food are what attracted Randy to
the business in the first place. While
managing the private golf course
for Lacosta resort and Spa he
walked into a Joey’s Smokin
BBQ for lunch.
“I loved the simplicity
and the new age barbecue
concept,” he said. “I liked that it strayed from the traditional wagon wheel décor, and I wanted to be doing something that didn’t
require a jacket and tie everyday.”
Joey’s was a perfect fit; and, although the jacket and tie have
been replaced by a button down shirt and flip-flop
sandals in the warmer months, there’s a great deal
of credibility and professionalism to go along with
Randy Folk’s casual demeanor.
The restaurant was founded by Italian chef and restaurateur Joey Maggiore after he and his wife traveled
throughout the south sampling traditional barbecue
restaurants and recipes. After years of running Italian bistros and restaurants with his family, Joey decided a change of pace was in order. Joey’s Smokin
BBQ was the result of his crossover into American
food, a re-creation of the bistro style restaurant
serving traditional American barbecue fare.
The restaurant opened in January,
2005 with its first location in Carlsbad, California .Two more chains
have since opened up in the San Diego area. Four more franchises are
scheduled to open in Southern California under father and son team Bill
and Luke Walton, of the L.A. Lakers.
When Randy became a partner, Joey’s Smokin BBQ had only been in business for two weeks. About a year later, Randy
decided to open the fourth chain in Coeur d’ Alene
as a part of the Riverstone development off Northwest Boulevard.
Living in Coeur d’ Alene for the first 20 years of his life, he
wanted to return to the area with his wife Akiko and their family.
He also noticed there was nothing in the way of authentic southern style barbecue restaurants in the area. The decision wasn’t
hard to make -- he moved his family back to the northwest and
introduced residents and visitors to the Joey’s Smokin BBQ concept.
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Randy Folk spent most of his professional life in the golf
business; and, as director of sales for Cobra Golf Company, he
was provided with lots of travel time. It was during his travels
that Randy had the opportunity to eat at various barbecue restaurants in many different parts of the southern U.S. He noticed
that in each region of the south, flavors, recipes and barbecue
cooking methods took on different characteristics. In an effort to
provide a most unique and diverse experience at their barbecue
restaurants, Joey and Randy have incorporated many different
regional styles of traditional southern barbecue into their menu.
In addition to items such as Texas Smoked Brisket, Memphis
traditional dry rubbed ribs, and of course hush puppies, there are
featured items such as Kobe beef burgers, buffalo burgers and
prime rib (a seasonal item only). Not to be left out are the mouth
watering “Mama’s downright addictive B.B.Q. beans. These
beans are aptly named. They’re delicious and served with every
meal along with a creamy Cole slaw that isn’t overtly sweet.
Barbecue fans know that for really good barbecue four key
things needed: good quality meat; good quality sauce; a slow,
careful and a consistent
smoking process;
and the rub. Joey’s
Smokin B.B.Q. has
all these essentials
and then some.
They use only
fresh meat. Nothing is ever frozen,
which translates
to an enormous
amount of prep
time for all their
food.
This means
you’re getting
food that is as
freshly
prepared as it can
be. Nothing
is fried, with
the exception
of their “basket of fresh cut
fries.”
Many barbecue restaurants will cook the meat down in the
sauce. Joey’s prefers to smoke their meat for at least 12 hours
using only their secret dry rub. Clean burning electric smokers
are used to create the proper favor, and to ensure they’re deliver-
ing the healthiest product possible. It’s after the slow smoking
process when the meat is smothered with either their secret
“SUH-WEET” barbecue sauce or their mild-spicy sauce.
The slow smoking process is done in Southern Fried Smokers using mesquite, hickory and alder
woods. And when they say the meat
is slowly smoked, they mean slow.
A good example is their “Lazy
smoked B.B.Q. chicken.” After being smoked it’s smothered in the
mild-spicy sauce and grilled over an
open flame.
Pricing varies to suit everyone’s
budget, and the portions are generous.
As with all great barbecue fare, you’ll
get your fill with each meal. Seating
includes covered outdoor tables on the
front patio, a comfortable assortment
of indoor tables or barstools in front
of the large flat screen television. Be
sure not to neglect the side items such
as hush puppies or the delicious sweet
potato fries. You certainly won’t be disappointed.
Joey’s Smokin B.B.Q. is located
adjacent to Starbucks at 2360 Old Mill
Loop in the Riverstone Development of
Coeur d’ Alene, ID 83814. For catering or other information
call
(208) 765-5639 or fax (208) 765-5141.
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Cirque (de) Fault
By Woods Wheatcroft
To post a late departure time with half situated
backpacks dissolves with the first dunk into
McCormick Creek. Dust free and light we’re ready
to walk and plunk ourselves beneath the Selkirk
crest for an evening in the mountains. Hours pass.
We drop our gear on a rock bench above Fault Lake.
Muscles talk. G&T’s ensue. Skeletal snags dot the
ridge and draw us in. We awake to the 5am sun
and the exploring continues.
Our trip is a short one. Yet my
buddy and I continue to
agree after many
adventures together: it’s
not the distance covered or
days in the wild, it’s just
about going in the first
place.
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THE HIDDEN WORLD
OF GEOCACHING
By: Sherry Ramsey
H
ave you ever dreamed of finding a
hidden treasure? Just the thought of following clues and coordinates on a map tickles the
adventure bone in both kids and adults. Well,
here’s your chance; a fairly new sport with the
promise of fun, excitement and family bonding is hiding all around us, it’s called geocaching, which basically means, storing things on
the earth.
Geocaching is a treasure hunt using your
Global Positioning System (GPS). It’s a sophisticated game of hide-and-seek where
people all over the world search for hidden
boxes, or caches. The GPS required for geocaching is a hand-held navigational device
about the size of a cell phone. They range
in price from $70 to $1,000 and can be purchased at any sporting goods store.
The difference in price can get you within 20 feet of your destination, or as close as
a centimeter. The importance of that 20 feet
depends on whether you’re looking for your
favorite hunting spot or if you’re search-
Getting Started
After you get a hold of a GPS, go
to the Geocaching Web site (www.
geocaching.com). Start your own free
account. Choose a special geocaching
name that your family will be known
by online. It creates a place to keep
track of every hide you search for,
which ones you find and which ones
Traditional Cache
“The find”
you can’t find.
When you’re ready to embark on your first hunt, type in
the city, state and country you’d
like to search, and what mile radius you’re willing to travel. For
instance, you might want to know
about any caches within a 15-mile
radius of Oldtown, Idaho. Even
though most of the people living in
this small town of 190 people have
never heard of geocaching, there
happen to be 13 caches within that
Tony Francis from Dillon, Montana geocaching while visiting family
radius.
Sandpoint has 74 caches
in North Idaho.
waiting to be found.
Scroll through them. The difficulty of the
ing for the exact spot in the river where you search is ranked on a scale of one to five. If the
dropped your wedding ring.
terrain for a particular cache isn’t advisable for
A GPS uses 24 space satellites and their small children, the cache hider will have mencorresponding ground stations to give accu- tioned it. Some will leave hints, some won’t.
rate coordinates to anywhere in the world. Ac- Many people who hide the caches want you
cording to the Trimble GPS Web site (www. to experience interesting sites in their area,
trimble.com), “…it’s like giving every square and will give a brief history or interesting fact
meter on the planet a unique address.”
about the spot where the cache is hidden. Each
So, basically, if I hide a penny in a forest in has it’s own name, and many times the name
Idaho, and give you the coordinates from my is the clue. Print off the caches that appeal to
GPS, you’ll be able to follow the directions your family. Enter the coordinates listed with
from your GPS until you’re practically stand- the name of each cache into your GPS and get
ing on top of my penny. Cool, huh?
going!
There are several different types of
caches, but we’ll focus on “traditional
caches.” A traditional cache is a waterproof container of some sort; a Tupperware bowl, four inch PVC pipe with a
cap or, seemingly the most popular, old
ammo boxes found at most army surplus
stores. There will be a label on the side
that identifies it as an official geocache, and
asks that people replace it exactly as it was
found. Inside will be a log for the finder to
sign and date as proof they’ve been there. It
can be a small notebook, adding machine tape
or cut pieces of paper and a pen. These types
of caches are filled with trinkets and toys. You
or your children are welcome to take something out as long as you put something back.
You’ll find a variety of treasures: tape
measures, fingernail clippers, compasses and
dollar-store toys that thrill the kids. Some
thoughtful geocachers will slip in a can of bug
spray if it’s a particularly bug infested area so
GPS Device
51
you can douse yourselves then leave it for the
next family to use. Pack along a bag of giveaway tokens to add your own brand of seasoning to the pot.
After the log is signed, and trinkets traded,
the cache is put back exactly as it was found.
It could be hours, days or even months before
someone looks for this cache again. Some
caches are found many times a day, while others can lay undisturbed for weeks between
finds.
The hiding spots for some of these are ingenious. What looks like a rotting chunk of
birch tree in the middle of the woods, might
actually be a PVC pipe wrapped in birch bark,
and filled with goodies. They’re hidden under
rocks, and piles of boards; in a hollowed out
log, or even at the site of an ancient cemetery.
The hiding spots are only limited by the hider’s
imagination.
it is at all times.
Your whole family will come running
when you yell, “Hey kids, Seymour is in Ireland!”
Document Your Finds
After a day of geocaching go to the
Web site, and document how you did. Your
account keeps track of how many caches
you’ve found, how many you couldn’t find;
how many travel bugs you have out there,
where they are, and who has them.
Start Your Own Cache
Not only can you run around the world, or
just your home town, searching for caches, you
can hide your own. The geocaching Web site
gives simple instructions and rules to follow.
Once you’ve adhered to them, your hide will
be posted on the Web site, and people will start
searching for it. You’ll be notified each time
someone finds it, plus get any comments they
might make.
Travel Bugs!
If you want to jack up the excitement for
your family, start your own travel bug. It’s
something a geocacher has chosen to send on
a journey, and will probably never see again. A
keychain, action figure -- whatever.
You’ll get a set of dog tags with the travel
bug’s ID on it. Attach them to an item you’ve
chosen to send out into the world. As soon
as someone opens a cache and sees the tags,
they’ll know it’s a travel bug. They can choose
to help it along its journey, or leave it for someone else to find. The tags allow people to log
in where they found the bug, and where they
dropped it off.
Let’s say your family wants to send a plastic frog to every English speaking country. You
set up your travel bug with ID tags and a goal
if you like. You may want to put your toy frog
in a Ziploc bag with a note: Hello! My name
is Seymour and my goal is to “see more!” I’d
love to visit other countries but I only speak
English. Can you help me get to as many English speaking countries as possible?
The neat thing is, the Web site follows your
bug. You will know as soon as someone documents that they’ve found or dropped off your
little critter. You’ll know who has it and where
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This is one we found. It’s an old ammo box filled with toys. It has the
official geocache sticker on the side.
Not only is geocaching great family fun, but
you’ll discover interesting facts about terrific places,
not just in Idaho, but wherever you travel. You’ll all
learn how to use a GPS, and never have to worry
about getting lost in the woods. Plus, geocaching encourages everyone to “Cache in, Trash out,” a great
lesson for everyone.
The aXe Files
The truth is up here – in North Idaho
“ Dowsing A Matter of Belief “
Story and Photos
by Mike Gearlds
Everybody in North Idaho knows somebody who
knows somebody who knows somebody who’s employed a dowser, or “witcher,” to find a good spot for
a well or locate a buried pipe.
The practice, also called “divining,” usually is
used to detect moving water or natural underground
reservoirs, but dowsers also claim to be able to find
metals, gems, hidden treasure, missing persons and
even oil.
It’s considered a true paranormal phenomenon,
because its supporters don’t present any sort of scientific or pseudoscientific explanation for it, beyond
some talk about auras or electromagnetism. Skeptics
abound, but witchers remain a traditional fixture in the
rural American landscape, including North Idaho.
The dowser usually operates by holding conductive metal rods that are free to rotate with the slightest
force. Some use freshly cut green twigs or hand-held
pendulums. When near whatever they’re looking for,
the dowsing device will react by turning or dipping.
“Walking witching” is done outdoors, with the
witcher moving slowly about with the rods or a twig
or involuntary motions from the dowser cause the rods
or pendulums to move. Believers say if the ideomotor
movements are a factor, they may be a response from
within the dowser to subtle electric, magnetic or gravitational fields.
You can’t buy a stand-alone, automatic dowsing
machine. Witching needs a human being as part of the
system to work. This is both its wonder and its downfall, at least as far as scientific, controlled testing is
concerned.
Witching equipment is simple. Brass, steel or copper rods are bent into an “L” shape and held so they
can swing freely. Sometimes they pivot in ball-bearing
handles, insulated from any electrical influence from
the operator. Some rods feature a “witness” chamber,
in which a small sample of whatever stuff the dowser
wants to finds is placed.
There are costly electronic “long range” dowsing
rods – Some have been purchased by search teams or
law enforcement, but these rigs also have failed scientific scrutiny and, worse, the circuits inside invariably
have been found to be nonworking or nonsensical.
I was introduced to witching back in 1970, when
the plant engineer I worked for at a Wisconsin leather
factory brought some fancy dowsing rods with ballbearing handles to the office one day. We needed to
Dowsing Rods indicate water is close
Using Dowsing rods to find water
in his hands. Surprisingly, some dowsers claim to be
just as effective indoors, using a map and a pendulum
– a practice called “radiesthesia.” Other witchers use
no apparatus at all, and just get a “feeling” when they
find something.
Witching is aptly named: It was declared Satanic
in the 17th century, even though the practice already
was widespread and had been used by the Inquisition
itself to determine guilt in heretics. It appears to be of
German origin, and that country remains a hotbed of
dowsing activity to this day.
Scientific testing hasn’t been kind to dowsing. No
witchers have ever done better in controlled experiments than what might be expected by chance. There
were dozens of tests in Australia and Germany in the
1980s. Most involved trying to find buried plastic pipes
with flowing water inside, covered by newly plowed
ground. In every case, the dowsers were confident in
their art, but failed to find anything more than Lady
Luck would grant.
How does it work, if it works at all? Skeptics cite
the “ideomotor effect,” in which small, almost-imperceptible movements of the hands or body produce motion in something hand-held. They say those voluntary
Ponderay Sewer District has a commercially made,
telescoping dowsing rod he sometime uses to locate
pipes.
“I really hesitate to depend on it,” Closson says,
“but if you’ve done it for years and years, your confidence level will be higher”
On the job, Closson locates most underground
pipes with a device that recognizes an electrified locator wire that’s buried above most new water and sewer
construction.
A dozen years ago, a local witcher used copper
rods to locate a well site on Closson’s property. He told
Closson the water would be 75 feet down and a well
there would yield three to five gallons a minute.
“We found water at 73 feet, and he was right on the
money on the gallons. I was amazed,” Closson says,
adding his father used a stick from an apple tree to
witch for water.
“Witching is a matter of belief,” says hydrogeologist John Monks, of Monks Hydro-Geoscience in
Sandpoint.
And when it comes to using witching for locating a
costly water well, Monks is definitely not a believer. He
conducts site investigations for property owners looking for good spots to drill a well. Aerial photographs
and geologic maps are among the tools he uses to lo-
locate old utilities and structures under a paved parking
lot where a warehouse would be built, and he said we
would dowse for the stuff. I was skeptical.
He showed me how to use the rods and we went
to work. To my great surprise, we easily found and
mapped every old steam pipe, sewer and concrete wall
under that blacktop – finds that later were verified during excavation of the site.
In the 1980s and ‘90’s, I worked for a county in
Arizona and often was called upon to locate old, abandoned wooden and clay sewer lines under pavement
that metal detectors couldn’t find. Even buried gas
mains and electric and telephone cables could be readily found with my copper rods.
I balance the bent rods in both hands, leaving them
free to swing with a slight downward dip, pointing in
front of me. Walking slowly, the rods seem to react to
pipes and other stuff under my feet. If there’s flow to
my right, the rods cross together; if to the left, the rods
swing apart. They even align with the angle of a pipe,
if I’ve crossed it obliquely. I can’t explain it, and admit
I could be influencing the whole process by reacting
where I think stuff should be.
Tim Closson, operations manager Kootenai-
cate underground zones of fractured rock that promise
high-producing water wells.
A hydrogeologic site survey can run $1,500 or
more – many times the cost of trusting a water witcher
to find a well site, but Monks says the scientific approach is well worth the extra money.
“Drilling a well is a pretty expensive undertaking
– $10,000 to $20,000. When you consider other major
purchases, would you use witches for those? “ Monks
says.
Whether you’re a believer or not, water witching is
something that’s easy to try, with equipment that costs
little or nothing. Get yourself some heavy copper wire
or a green apple stick and go for it. Try walking over
a garden hose or your sanitary drain from the house to
the septic tank or sewer. Voilà! You’ve just joined the
ranks of the paranormal Panhandle!
There’s plenty of weirdness to go around for everyone
in North Idaho. If you’ve seen, heard or maybe just
imagined something positively uncanny, contact me
at mgearlds@sandpoint.net.
53
LIGHT IT UP WITH
BIO-LUMINesce
By Travis Engle Photos by Woods Wheatcroft
Flame Infatuation
Our species’ attraction to fire dates back more
than 9,000 years -- to when the first humans
witnessed lightning strike the earth. They discovered how to harness that power with flint
sometime around 7,000 BC, and with it opened
a world of possibilities.
Fire beget technology. At first, simple tools
were fashioned, making way for crude weapons. Nine centuries later, we’ve advanced so
far that, in the case of lighters and camp stoves,
we never have to be separated from life-giving
flame.
The charm and beauty of fire has its cruel, opposing face as well. As warm and useful as it
can be, it has the potential to be horribly disastrous. Used hatefully against people in war, fire
has been equally used to bring people together
in harmony and celebration.
Along with the ability to make fire came a gradual advancement in technology. At first, simple
tools were fashioned which eventually led to
the creation of weapons. During the course of
history there have been millions of other inventions all thanks to the powerful source of fire.
In our modern day we’ve even advanced as far
as creating gadgets in an attempt to capture fire
such as camping stoves and lighters.
The charm and beauty of fire has its opposing
forces as well, much like the balance between
yin and yang. As warming and beautiful as it
can be, it also has the potential to be horribly
disastrous. Fire has been hatefully used against
people during war, and has been equally used
to bring people together in harmony and celebration.
History of Firespinning
Typically referred to as “firespinning” or “firedancing”, and sometimes as “fire twirling”
or “flame throwing”, the ancient art involves
lighting an object on fire and spinning it until
the flames burns out. Flame throwing has most
likely taken place since the caveman figured
out how to grab a burning stick from a fire and
twirl it through the air. As mentioned earlier,
humans undoubtedly gravitate to fire and are
curious about playing with it, often leading toward greater exploration and experimentation.
Humans have tried everything from walking on
fire and eating fire, to throwing and spinning
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Natasha, Natalia and Aurora spinning poi.
fire. The old saying is inevitably true: “If you
play with fire you will get burned.”
There is no limit to how many objects one could
spin on fire. I have seen swords, juggling balls,
juggling pins, hula hoops, fire fingers, clubs,
num chucks, umbrellas, rope, fans, and many
more. But the most commonly spun toys, and
debatably the most ancient, are poi and staff.
ture, the location in the world, and the time in
history, is the staff. Other historic names include cane, rod, lance, bo, jo, spear, walking
stick, sword, saber, and pole. Many forms of
martial arts, such as Kung Fu, Karate, Aikido,
Eskrima, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Qigong, Ba Gua,
and Bata (Irish stick fighting), incorporate the
Poi has been used for hundreds of years by the
Maori people of New Zealand. In olden days
the Maori played a game they called “kii”.
Through time, the name of the game evolved
to “kiitoa”, then later to “poitoa”, and eventually was shortened to just “poi”. Literally
translated, “poi” is the Maori word for “ball on
a cord”.
Traditionally made of flax fiber and spun to
a sacred chant, today fire poi is usually made
out of metal chain with Kevlar wick at the
end. Both male and female Maori used poi in
their daily lives. Generally, the women used
poi to increase the flexibility in their hands
for weaving while the men used it to improve
strength and coordination for battle. Poi was
also a training device for other weapons used
in battle such as the Patu (short club). For more
information on firespinning with poi, check out
www.homeofpoi.com.
Also reaching back far into recorded history,
and called many names depending on the cul-
Aurora preparing to spin a set.
staff as both a weapon of attack, as well as a
weapon of self-defense. Aside from holding
great lore as a martial arts weapon in places
like China, Okinawa, Japan, and the Philippines, the staff as a fire instrument has much
history in places like Polynesia and Hawaii.
These days in Hawaii it’s common to see a fire
staff being spun at a party or luau. To learn
more about firespinning a useful website is
www.fire-dancing.com.
Bio-Luminesce
In Sandpoint, Idaho, a brand new fire performing troupe is emerging that goes by the name
Bio-Luminesce. Started at the onset of summer, the troupe was co-created by four members – Melanie Jerome, Natalia Ocasio, Jeff
Dunwoody, and myself – all of whom live locally in the Sandpoint area. Spinning assorted
toys like hula hoop, staff, juggling pins, and
poi, our leading trademark and message to the
world, however, is the fuel we burn.
Firespinners generally use fuels that are of a
limited resource and that release toxic emissions into the environment, such as kerosene,
lamp oil, or the most commonly used fuel,
white gas. Though white gas burns brilliantly
when used in performances, the fact still remains that it’s a fossil fuel. The depletion of
fossil fuels and the pollution they cause when
burned is a primary global concern, one that
leads us to consider non-toxic and more sustainable fuels.
From Left to Right : Joe McClay, Natasha Cucek, Natalia Ocasio,Jeff Dunwoody, Melanie Jerome, Travis Engle, Aurora
With a little research and a few simple experiments, we discovered that an excellent
replacement fuel for firespinning is biodiesel.
Not only does it burn longer than white gas,
biodiesel is also sustainable, non-toxic, renewable, and one hundred percent biodegradable.
Plus, biodiesel emissions of carbon dioxide
(CO2) are significantly less than any other fossil fuel thanks to its main ingredient, vegetable
oil. Since oil-producing plants absorb exactly
the same amount of CO2 as is emitted when
burned in an engine, there is no excess amount
of CO2 that can take its toll on the environment.
Bio-Luminesce has staged over seven fire
shows, all using biodiesel. Incorporating both
Travis is lighting his staff.
Joe blows fire (left)
live and recorded music, and with a growing
ensemble of firespinners, each performance is
uniquely created. With other tentative performances lined up for the fall and winter, BioLuminesce offers “fire for hire”.
We can host a firespinning workshop or we can
put on a private show. And all the fire toys
we spin, we also make to sell. So stay tuned
and watch the night sky because you may see
our golden flames in orbit. As we burn into
the future, our goal is to continue to entertain,
educate, and inspire, while simultaneously
promote biodiesel awareness.
For more information, contact Travis Engle at
bio-luminesce@hotmail.com or his cell at 808936-5137.
Natasha spins poi (Right)
55
Fall 2006
Coeur d’Alene
Weekly
Nighly
Live Music at the Wine Cellar 313
Sherman Ave, Coeur d’Alene. 208-664WINE
Tuesdays
Live Music at Moon Time 1602
Sherman Ave. 208-667-2331
Fridays
Wine Tasting at Daanen’s Deli 8049
Wayne Blvd, Hayden. 208-772-7371
October
7-8
Canadian Thanksgiving at
Silverwood Theme Park. www.
silverwoodthemepark.com 208-6833400
8
Fiesta Italiana Bonaventura Lodge
No. 2814 Families Welcome for this
Authentic Italian Meal at the Kootenai
County Fairgrounds. 208-773-8522
13
Art Walk 5-8 p.m. 208-664-3194 for
more info
13-15
Art from the Heart Coeur d’Alene
Fall Arts Festival kicks off on Friday
with Opera in the Plaza in the Coeur
d’Alene Plaza Courtyard at 6 p.m.
www.operaplus.org. 208-664-2867
20
Susan Orlean: “My Encounters with
Extraordinary People” Dinner &
Lecture The Coeur d’Alene Resort.
888-345-5346
31
Downtown Trick or Treat Sherman
Avenue from 4-6 p.m. www.
cdadowntown.com or call 208-6675986
November
5-5
Fall Concert, presented by
the Northwest Sacred Music
Chorale First Presbyterian Church, 521
E. Lakeside, Coeur d’Alene. 208-7723491 or E-mail: gaynell@nwsmc.org
10
Art Walk 5-8 p.m. 208-664-3194 for
more info
56
www.nilifestyle.com
24-Jan 1
Coeur d’Alene Resort Holiday Light
Show and “Journey to the North Pole
Cruises” The Coeur d’Alene Resort.
800-684-0513, ext. 7811 or 208-664
7280
24
15th Annual Downtown Coeur
d’Alene Holiday Light Show
Parade 5:00 p.m. at 8th and Sherman
Ave. www.cdadowntown.com or call
208-667-5986
December
1
Art Walk 5-8 p.m. 208-664-3194 for
more info
20
Come Home to the Sounds and
Spirit of Christmas by the Northwest
Sacred Music Chorale First
Presbyterian Church, 521 E Lakeside,
Coeurd’Alene. 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
208 772-3491 or E-mail gaynell@
nwsmc.org
Sandpoint
Weekly
Mondays
Night Blues Jam Hosted by Truck
Mills at Eichardts, 212 Cedar Street.
Starts at 8 p.m. 208-263-4005
Wednesdays
Open Mic Night at Downtown
Crossing, 206 N 1st Ave. Begins around
9 p.m. 208-265-5080
October
6-7 All Bonner County Bazaar at
Sandpoint Community Hall. 208-2658284
7
Oktoberfest Downtown Sandpoint.
208-255-1876
14 Harvestfest The Sandpoint Farmers
Market end of Season event Farmin
Park, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 208-265-5250
November
4-5
Holiday Art Market Second annual
Holiday Art Market at the Bonner
County Fairgrounds. ArtinSandpoint.
org or 208-263-6139
18-Jan. 1
Holidays in Sandpoint
Town square tree lighting.
208-255-1876
18-26 Thanksgiving Fishing
Derby Lake
Pend Oreille. 208-263-0424
December
2
Christmas Tree Lighting
on Schweitzer
2
Christmas Craft Fair at
the Bonner County
Fairgrounds. 208 263-8414
(Alexcia 610-3343)
22
Rail Jam First of four
night rail jams at
Schweitzer Village. 800831-8810 ext. 2152
24 Santa’s Traditional
Schweitzer Visit on the
slopes and at Selkirk
Lodge 208 263-9555
31 New Year’s Eve Parties on
Schweitzer at Taps and the
Chimney
Rock Grill. 208-263-9555
Other Area Events
October
7
Fall Festival. 208-689-3711
Harrison, ID
18-31
Lion’s Club Haunted House 4th and
Post Street Post Falls, ID
31
Halloween Carnival 208-682-4027
Pinehurst/Kingston Lion’s Club
Pinehurst, ID
31
Halloween Carnival 208-744-1717
Mullan Library Mullan, ID
November
4-5
Silver Valley Art & Craft Fair Silver
Hills Elemetary 208-556-0146
Osburn, ID
December
1
The Clay Arts Guild of North Idaho
presents: “Mud & Spirits” 3rd
Annual Christmas Pottery Sale Gala
Opening 5-9pm $10 ea. The Old
Church arts and Cultural Center 208762-0524 Post Falls, ID
2
“Mud & Spirits” 3rd Annual
Christmas Pottery Public Sale The
Old Church Arts & Cultural Center
Free Admission 10am - 6pm 208-7620524 Post Falls, ID
2
Yuletide Celebration 208-753
7151 or e-mail director
wallaceidahochamber.com Wallace, ID
4
Children’s Christmas Party on
Main Street (Priest River Chamber of
Commerce) Priest River, ID
25 A Hometown Christmas Santa arrives
in Newport to meet with the children.
(509) 447-5812 Newport, WA
Leaves of Change
Fall Photo Showcase
Woods Wheatcroft
www.woodswheatcroft.com
57
Chimney Rock, Brent Flint
www.bflintphotography.com
Okanogan Family Faire Jessica Vouk
www.alyption.com
Curtis Kitchen
Greg Johnston
Next issue: “Mystical Dreams” winter photo contest
Photos are to showcase storybook scenes in the North Idaho region. Landscape, portraits, and architectural shots will be accepted.
There is no entry fee. Submissions must be in by November 25th, 2006. For more details contest rules please go to www.NILifestyle.
com to dowload an entry form. Submissions for winter contest can be emailed to info@NILifestyle.com or mailed to 413 Pine Street
Sandpoint, ID 83864. Enclose a self addressed stamped envelope with all physical artwork submissions.
58
www.nilifestyle.com
Photos by Woods Wheatcroft
www.woodswheatcroft.com
SANDPOINT, IDAHO
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Preview Center located at 313 North Second Avenue in Sandpoint. Broker cooperation welcomed.
Sales by
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I N C O R P O R AT E D
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MAKE REFERENCE TO THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM AND PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT TO BE FURNISHED BY A DEVELOPER TO A BUYER OR LESSEE.