MAGAZINE: February 2009 ISSUE
Delicate Nature
February 01, 2009
Oh, how we love to love. Our families, our friends, our community - we in the North State are fortunate to have so many blessings to wrap our arms around.
If you need some inspiration, local artists are ready to share theirs. "Conditions of the Heart," a collection of art on display at Vintage Wine Bar & Restaurant, explores the many back roads of the journey where love sometimes leads.
If you’re ready to take your own journey, consider a trip to the Arcata Marsh, one of the West Coast’s most alluring birding destinations. A little closer to home, the Fall River Theatre has set the scene for unforgettable first dates for nearly 100 years (be sure to check out our fragrance-finding basics first). If you’re solo, never fear – we’ll show you how to find blissful romance in the solitude of nature.
Though Valentine’s Day is for lovers, it’s also a time to celebrate your friends’ and neighbors’ big hearts. Melinda Brown, executive director of People of Progress, helps feed the hungry and house the homeless through her canvas of human connections. “It can be intoxicating and addictive to be part of good changes,” she says. Likewise, martial artist Scott Halsey is building stronger youth through positive mentorship.
When it comes to love, Mother Earth could always use some more. Redding School of the Arts students are becoming stewards of the earth, as they learn how a building can help both the environment and the learning process. Redding residents Christina and Steve Piles – avid outdoorspeople who love spending their free time exploring the wilds of the North State – share how they end up with about one paper grocery bag’s worth of actual trash each week after they recycle, reuse and feed their composting worms. Businesses are thinking globally, as well – learn more about Discovery Earth, an eco-friendly marketplace in Red Bluff that sells an enchanting assortment of environmentally friendly items.
So share the love – for each other, for the community, for the earth. Enjoy.
Featured Content for February 2009
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Profile: Dojo with Mojo
Scott Halsey's Kenpp Karate in Downtown Redding story: Kerri Regan photo: Kara Stewart Scott Halsey is a study in symbolism. His karate uniform is cinched with a black belt that represents more than 30 years of dedication to an art. On his hand, a gold band represents his commitment to his wife of 14 years and their two children – the grounding force in his life. Around his ankle, a hemp rope represents his influence on troubled youth who need a strong mentor in th... More
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Interest: Silent Sentinel
Little Shasta Church story: Gary VanDeWalker photo: photographybytaryn.com The Shasta Valley in Siskiyou County is filled with silent sentinels who guard the invisible histories of generations past. Mysterious lava rock fences line fields, marking boundaries of ancient families who no longer know this land. Weathered barns draw the wind through their wide doors, whispering the tales of the small towns and settlements in which the pioneering spirit sought to overcome the wilderness and bring an ... More
3
Profile: Green and Golden
Redding School of the Arts is More Than Green story: Jon Lewis The new Redding School of the Arts will not just be the home of teachers helping to prepare students for the future. The school itself—with its cutting-edge design—will be a teacher. Students in the K-8 charter school, as well as their parents, community members and the country, courtesy of the Internet, will learn how a building can help both the environment and the learning process. The 57,000-square-foot scho... More
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Interest: One Big Band
The Redding-Based Straight Ahead Big Band story: Gwen Lawler-Tough photos: provided by Straight Ahead Band The evening is still young and the dance floor beckons. Who can sit still when the 18-member Straight Ahead Big Band’s commanding rhythm fills the room with one of its great jazz charts, like “All of Me”? Vocalist Nancy Fischer brings it all home when she sings: “You took the part that once was my heart/So why not take all of me?” Or, why not take a lo... More
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Top 10: Discount Digs
Top 10 Thrift Shops In these days of pinching pennies and recycle, reduce and reuse, thrift stores are a logical choice to purchase gently used items that may not normally be in your budget. Many wonderful treasures can be found at second-hand stores here in the North State, including several that raise money for noble causes. Below are the North State Thrift Stores that received the most votes from our online Top 10 poll. Another Chance Animal Welfare League 9384 Deschutes Rd.... More