Washington Coast Magazine, June 02, 2015

SUMMER 2015 $3.99The Daily World

Its Picturesque!

WESTPORT : A WORKING TOWN | FISH SHACK ATTACK

QUEEN OF THE SILVER NITRATE

FEATURES

38 MARCY MERRILLPhotography from beads, Brownies, Kewpies and Altoid tins.

44 WESTPORT DESTINATIONThis working town is much more than a salmon-fishing town.

52 THE HOUSE OF COLOR

TOP Sunset at Westport. Photo by Gabe Green

ABOVE Left: A welcoming entrance to the Frosts home. Right: Workspace of camera transformation. Photo by Julie Rajcich

COVER Marcy Merrills self portrait , Carmen Miranda creation from a vintage camera.

contentssummer 2015

This fun house has a vertizontal hold on the viewer.

4 Summer 2015 | WASHINGTON COAST MAGAZINE

contents LOVE WINS.Most Awarded

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contents

IN THIS ISSUE12 BOOK Washington Pacific Coast

14 DIY Making a Pinhole Camera

17 HEALTH Playground Equipment

18 STYLE Summer Blues

20 DRINKS Coffee101 & Westport Winery

26 HISTORY The Spruce Girls of 1929

29 BEAUTY Power of the Pedicure

32 DINE Bennetts Fish Shack

58 RECIPE Summer Fruit Slushy

60 ART Erik Sandgrens Art

64 TRAVEL Farmers Markets

66 EVENTS Pirate Daze & more!

73 WHO & WHY Why Josh Mayr Loves Living Here

68

18

IN EVERY ISSUE10 From the Editor 72 Advertisers Directory

TOP LEFT Erik Sandgrens Wishkah

TOP RIGHT Ride aboard Lady Washington, a replica of an 18th century tall ship. Photo by Aaron Lavinsky.

ABOVE Dansko Joanie sandals from Harbor Shoes in Aberdeen

SEE MORE

SUMMER B

LUES

IN STYLE

60


IN EVERY ISSUE10 From the Editor 72 Advertisers Directory

Windermere Real Estate/Aberdeen101 South Broadway Aberdeen 360-533-6464 www.windermeregraysharbor.com

Our work is not about houses......its about people.

Serving all of Grays Harbor CountyResidential - Commercial - LandMulti-year winner!

Publisher Stan Woody

Editor Doug Barker Westport-A Working Town

Editorial & Richelle BargerArt Director Power of the Pedicure | House of Color

Writers Britta Folden Summer Blues | Westport Winery

Callie White Queen of Silver Nitrate | Art of Grit and Grime

Dan Jackson Coffee 101

John Larson Spruce Girls

Jake Schild Fish Shack Attack

Josh Mayr Why I Like Living Here

Editorial Karen BarkstromAssistant

Magazine Kristina Case, Simply GraphicGraphic Designer

Staff Gabe GreenPhotographer

Julie Rajcich photographing our home feature on page 52 with the help of Kokey the cat.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Beach Homes Arent Just For Summer

The Heart of Washington Coast offers not just a Home, its a Lifestyle.

Representing Buyers and Sellers

Donna JonesBroker

[email protected]

www.OwnOceanShores.com

Real Estate / Ocean Shores

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Contact informationAdvertising inquiries, subscriptions

& change of address360-532-4000

Back issues $8 plus shipping and handling.

Washington Coast Magazine is published by The Daily World, a division of Sound Publishing and may not

be reproduced without express written permission, all rights reserved. No liability is assumed by Washington Coast Magazine, The Daily World or Sound Publishing

regarding any content in this publication. A subscription to Washington Coast Magazine is $14 annually. Single copies are available at select locations throughout Grays Harbor

and Pacific counties, www.thedailyworld.com. 2015 by The Daily World

315 S. Michigan St. Aberdeen, WA 98520

Photographers Aaron Lavinsky Marcy Merrill Macleod Pappidas Steven Friederich

Home Julie RajcichPhotographer

Photo Polson Museum ArchivesContributors

Contributors Kyle Mittan Rick Anderson Rob Burns

Ad Graphic Constance EllisDesigners Emily Evans

Advertising Deb Blecha Jo Treadwell Mary Anne Bagwell

Production Martin OsburnManager

Circulation Kris Cearley Doug Ames

Subscriptions Addy Moreno

Distribution Jennyfer Ames

WASHINGTON COAST MAGAZINE | Summer 2015 9

SUMMER: LIFE

Richelle Barger, Editorial & Art Director

Like our Facebook page Washington Coast Magazine for updates, sneak peeks and announcements. We have many exciting things in store for you.

Enjoying a summer sunset (with windbreaker) on Shoalwater Bay, a favorite spot along the Washington Coast.

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Sunshine, long days, late night coastal sunsets and beach bonfires - all reasons to plan a vacation out on the Washington Coast.True, it is sandal season, and we give you some great excuses for a pedicure in our beauty section. But the truth of the matter is, cool is often the rule at the beach, even in summer. I still have a cute sun dress in my closet - which didnt get much wear last year - and is dying to come out. The article of clothing you will be most thankful for bringing on your vacation to the beaches in Washington will be that fleece and windbreaker/rain jacket and those leggings to layer under and over that sundress. A stocking cap? You wont be sorry.

If you are planning an adventure, we have featured the perfect new guide book by Greg Johnston. He also provides a great packing list in his book. It is hot off the presses and will give you tons of insight in advance of your trip to the coast.

Plan to wear a flannel over your swimsuit, like the blue check shirt featured from Seaweed in Ocean Shores in our Summer Blues style page. Check out page 18 for a look at everything sea and sky blue. If you want more than just one color, flip back to our house feature the owner did not skip one.

Or maybe a wooden swimsuit is more your style? They were the hit in 1929. Learn a little history about the Spruce Girls on page 26.

Artist Erik Sandgren shares his historic and cultural images of coastal grit and grime through paintings, woodcuts and the latest Nirvana and Aberdeen mural that can be seen while walking along the corner of Wishkah and Broadway in Aberdeen, gateway to the coast.

There are plenty of places to head indoors if the sun doesnt shine, like Bennetts Fish Shacks. Theres one in Ocean Shores, Westport and a restaurant in Grayland.

On your way to Westport our featured town youll find a winery full of fun things to do inside and out, such as a chess set that is as big as your small children.

If you continue heading south, youll come to Raymond where we found one of the most unique playgrounds. Its made by artist Ernie Kuntz. Get out and play this summer!

Your kids (and adults) will love our slushy recipe made with fresh fruit and juices on page 58.

And we continue our feature on coffee. Ever wonder about the difference between light, medium and dark roast? They are demystified in our drink section, with three local roasters for you to visit and test along the coastline.

Events, pirates and tall ships, farmers markets and festivals, there are so many from which to choose along the coast.

Check out our favorite events starting on page 66. The tall ship, Lady Washington, spends the summer in her home state. You can plan to be a ships mate during a tour or adventure sail, or a pirate when it heads to Westport for Rusty Scuppers Pirate Daze at the end of June. Bring your best Argghh!

And like that sundress, if you want to come out, visit friendly Hoquiam for Pride Day August 23.

Theres a lot to do on the coast. Dont forget your camera, and if you really want to record it historically, Marcy Merrill shares her secrets of making pinhole cameras out of an Altoid tin in our DIY section.

Thats a lot! Time to get busy and make your summer memories.

Josh Mayr, raises a shot of whiskey to all of us and tells us why he loves living here. If you have a story or images to share, we want to hear about it. Send them to [email protected].

Be well, have fun and may the sun warm the sand so those socks packed deep in your suitcase stay there.


BOOKS

Check out the coast- by the BookPlanning your next adventure on the Washington Coast just got a whole lot easier.

Washingtons Pacific CoastA guide to hiking, camping, fishing & other adventures

EXCERPTThe ocean is good for the heart and soul and respiration. Its just a fun place to be, on the edge of earth and sea and sky. And when you visit the Washington Coast over time, you get to know it better you start finding beach agates; you see otters, seals, and dolphins in the surf; maybe you find a glass fishing float washed ashore and it piques your curiosity. You find yourself wondering things like, how did two 90-foot sea stacks end up side by side like giant geologic teeth on an otherwise sandy beach?

The coast casts a spell. You cant get enough of it. You want to know Washingtons Pacific Ocean shoreline. For me at least, now that I do know it, I feel compelled to tell others about its singularity, its beauty, its history both natural and cultural, its fragility, and its exquisite importance. This is a place humanity must love, nurture, protect, and enjoy forever and ever.

All those secret hikes, the unknown coastline, how to find a good fishing location, and where to paddle, they are all now a bit more demystified and made approachable in a hot-off-the press book by Greg Johnston.Washingtons Pacific Coast: A Guide to Hiking, Camping, Fishing & Other Adventuresis as much a coffee table book as it is a guide book. Sunlit photographs bring to life the facts and figures, side bars and personal accounts therein.

The title is almost longer than the 150-some miles of the Pacific Coast, to which Washington lays claim.

Its a dream come true for Johnston, a longtime outdoors writer at theSeattle Post-Intelligencer. In 2009, the paper eliminated its print edition, along with a raft of jobs. With jobs scarce, some journalists invented their own.

As the outdoor writer Johnston received what seemed like every outdoor guide book ever published and never had one crossed his desk that was about the entire Washington Coast.

But his desire to tell a story began sooner than that. Fresh out of college, working atThe Daily World, the parent company of this publication, then editor John Hughes, told him when he was finished laying out pages, to go write about things you like, and so, he took advantage, getting out of the office and heading to the shoreline to write about anglers, adventure and natural resources.

Johnston shares anecdotes of the physical features as well as geographic, historic, cultural and personal stories throughout the book.

As the son of a fisherman in Westport, he was steeped in knowledge of the area and familiar with it as well.

Johnston shares anecdotes of the physical features as well as geographic, historic, cultural and personal stories throughout the book.

My goal as a writer is to tell a story, he said on his day off, a newly bound copy in hand.

He notes its weight. Hes right. The book has a certain presence, unlike the instability of the coast he discusses.

Broken up into sections starting in the north, Johnstons wit and story-telling prowess come through.

The vignettes are colorful accounts of each of the areas. He is honest. He tells you what not to miss and what is worth missing. Local characters appear in the salty pages.

One warning about the icons. It may appear, at first glance, when you see the paw print that dogs are allowed on this particular hike, but that is not the case. On the contrary, a paw print means there is wildlife in the area, and therefore, dogs may not be allowed. You must read further to find out whether or not they are permitted.

All in all, this book is perfect for your coffee table or road trip bag.

Washingtons Pacific Coast A Guide to Hiking, Camping, Fishing & Other Adventures. Greg Johnston. Mountaineers Books. 2015. Pp. 318 Available for purchase at www.mountaineersbooks.org

REVIEW BY RICHELLE BARGER


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DIY

How to make a PINHOLE CAMERAINSTRUCTIONS AND PHOTOS BY MARCY MERRILL

YOULL NEED: empty Altoids tin flat black spray paint discarded pie tin (or similar) cardboard (matboard is better) sandpaper (about 150 grit) carborundum paper (or extra fine sandpaper) sewing needle black tape drill and bit (around 1/8- 1/4) scissorsOPTIONAL: center punch wood block (cut to size to support the tin) loupe magnifying light clothespin tweezers

Gather your supplies and tools.

Sand the inside of the clean tin with the 150 grit sandpaper. Get it good and scuffy, so the spray paint will stick.

Spray paint the inside of the tin, with flat black paint, making sure to cover all of the inside surfaces. You may tape off the outside surfaces to avoid overspray, but you dont have to.

Optional step: Centerpunch your tin (on the ingredients side) directly in the center of the tin.

Drill your tin directly in the center of the ingredients side of the tin.

Cut a small square out of the pie tin. Here, Ive glued my sewing needle into a clothespin. I make a lot of these cameras and the clothespin makes for an easier grip on the sewing needle.

STEP 1 SANDING STEP 2 PAINTING STEP 3 DRILLING STEP 4 CUTTING

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Photo taken by a pinhole camera by Marcy Merrill.


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Place the cut piece of tin on the piece of cardboard (or matboard). Keeping the needle straight, push directly down exerting a minimal amount of pressure. Continue pushing down slightly while turning the needle back and forth. It might take a few pieces of pie tin to get the knack of it.When the needle just barely pricks the cardboard, youre there! Stop!

Turn the new pinhole upside down on the board. Use your carborundum paper (or very fine grit sandpaper) to smooth the back of the pinhole.

You can use a magnifying light to clean out the pinhole. Holding the piece of pie tin with tweezers, lightly put the needle into the pinhole. Dont apply pressure. Spin the needle just a bit. Inspect the hole using a loupe or magnifying glass to be sure its perfectly round and free of debris.

Use black masking tape to tape the pinhole into the tin body, aligning the pinhole hole in the center of the drilled hole. Be sure the pinhole is in the center of the drilled hole.

STEP 5 PIN HOLE

STEP 6 SMOOTHING

STEP 7 CLEANING

The smaller your pinhole, the sharper your pictures.

STEP 8 TAPING

I double-up the black tape to make the shutter. Simply tear a couple of pieces of tape and stick them over the pinhole. This will act as your shutter. You remove the tape to expose the film (or paper). You could also use some of that magnetic material, cut to size. I find, though, that stuff gets knocked off easily. I prefer the tape. Be certain the black tape (the shutter) is covering the pinhole. (In the future, you may want to replace this tape with a magnet).

STEP 9 SHUTTER


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In a completely dark room or film changing bag, cut a strip of 35mm film to fit the inside of the tin. With the films emulsion side facing the pinhole, tape the film to the tins lid with black masking tape. You can also use photo paper. Better yet, try some direct positive paper! Available through online outlets such as www.freestylephoto.biz, direct positive paper is easy to process at home and renders a positive image on the paper.

Tape the outside of the tin, all the way around the seam, with black electrical tape to seal any light leaks. To expose the film [or paper], simply remove the tape that is covering the pinhole. To end exposure, replace the tape. I generally use 400 speed black and white film.

Exposure is completely dependent upon the available light. Outside, indirect sunlight, Id start with an exposure of 4 seconds. Cloudy days might be 10-30 seconds. Indoors can be a few minutes to a few hours, depending upon the desired result. Experiment! Youll need to keep your Pintoid steady during exposure. I use the rubber bands that come with broccoli to attach my Pintoid to my tripod. You should be eating more broccoli anyway. Either rubber band it to a tripod, set it on a surface, or tape it to something. I often jam my Pintoid into the sand to keep it steady.

NOTES: You may cut larger size film to the size of the tin. It doesnt necessarily have to be 35mm. Do not touch the pinhole.

You will need developer, stop bath and a fix and a very dark room, like a closet or a bathroom with no windows.Depending whether you are using photo paper or negatives, will alter your chemistry time. Follow the directions on the chemistry kit.

DIY

How to use your PINHOLE CAMERALOADING FILM

TAKING PHOTOS

DEVELOPING PHOTOS

FINISHED RESULTS! PHOTOS TAKEN WITH A PINHOLE CAMERA.


HEALTH

Monkeys, alligators and parrots; OH, MY!Take your kids to a one-of-a-kind, desert island playground situated conveniently between the library and swimming pool, in Raymond. It was built to match the metal silhouettes that are part of an art installation that has become one of the towns most identifying features. Randy Dennis, a local businessman, worked with artist Ernie Kuntz who designed and formed the structure with help from his sons. The structure cost $40,000 and was funded by a grant written by Dennis. Log slide, suspended bridge and a low alligator bench all add to monkeys and birds hanging in the trees above the structure.

DONT FORGET THE SUNBLOCK! Keep your kids skin healthy with protection while outside playing.


STYLE

Summer bluesBRING THE HUE OF THE OCEAN AND SKY INTO ANY ROOM.

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STYLE

CHAD REYNVAAN CD, $15BLUES PROJECT RECORD, $8 Boomtown Records, Aberdeen

BLUE CHECK SHIRT, $14Seaweed, Ocean Shores

BLUE HERON DOWN PILLOW, $185Grand Heron, Aberdeen


DRINK

STORY BY DAN JACKSON

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Almost everybody I talk to in the roaster realm is roasting light to medium. Roasting it dark its almost dishonoring the people who grew it.

BEAN TALK Coffee whether its a morning ritual or a leisure activity to partake of a glorious cup, everyone has their preference. But how does it get from green bean to your coffee mug? The art of roasting is one part science, one part art, utilizing an ever-growing institutional memory of coffee types and all the human senses. Roasters are artisans who steep themselves in coffee bean lore. Theres a

meaning and a process behind the light medium or dark roast label on the outside of your coffee bag. Within each of those three basic levels of roast are several nuanced sub-levels whose use are often dictated by the beans origin and characteristics. The basic rule: the lighter the roast, the more the character of the particular bean Sumatran, Colombian, Ethiopian and so on is showcased.

Almost everybody I talk to in the roaster realm is roasting light to medium, said roaster Chad Baier, who owns Tinderbox Coffee Roasters in Westport with his wife Aubrey. The industry trend now-a-days is to roast on the lighter side to showcase the bean itself, he said, a notion he agrees with. Roasting it dark its almost dishonoring the people who grew it.

COFFEE ROASTERS

ON THE WASHINGTON

COAST

-Chad Baier, owner of Tinderbox Coffee Roasters

SUMATRAN, COLOMBIAN, ETHIOPIAN, FRENCH, ITALIAN... FIND SOME HERE


Coffee 101ROASTING THE BEAN

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MediumOften referred to as Full City and Full City Plus, this roast pushes farther past the first crack for a darker color and more robust flavor. But dont wait for the second crack if you do, its on to dark roast you go. Medium roast beans begin to exhibit a slight sheen as the natural oils within the bean just begin to surface. Medium roasts have a lower acidity level than their light cousins in general, though a common misconception is that the caffeine level is lower the darker the roast. Caffeine doesnt burn away significantly during roasting, so the particular bean being roasted has more to do with the caffeine level.

DarkA realm many roasters these days prefer not to visit too often, dark roasts like Vienna, French and Italian tend to burn off much more of the character of the bean itself than light or medium. Once the second crack is heard, roasters nervously watch the color of their beans as the temperature continues to rise and the beans transition from a milk chocolate tint, racing toward a near-black color. Dark roasted beans exhibit dots of oils on the outside as the natural oils are cooked out. Acidity is generally the lowest here among the roasting levels. Many roasters simply wont do an Italian roast, since by that level the beans are nearly charcoal-like and can cause a roaster fire if not carefully monitored.

LightAlso known as City Roast and including its slightly darker cousin City Plus, light roasted coffees are cooked just past the first crack when the beans make a popping sound much like popcorn in a popper. As the temperature rises at a steady 18 to 20 degrees per minute, the beans begin to brown. If the temperature rises too slowly, the beans will have a baked flavor, considered a bad word to accomplished roasters. If the temperature rises at too high a rate, the beans will have a burnt flavor, losing some of the individual characteristics of the particular regional coffee bean being roasted.

BAIERS PICK:ETHIOPIAN

BAIERSPICK:ETHIOPIAN

DRINK

400

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raw

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320

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430

422 417

426

BAIERSPICK: MEXICAN CHIAPAS


Coffee 101ROASTING THE BEAN

ROASTED BEANS: 320-436F

DRINK

STORY BY BRITTA FOLDEN

PHOTOS BY GABE GREEN

Owners Kim and Blain Roberts opened the winery doors seven years ago, after many adventures as a couple. They met in Westport, while Kim was working at the Westport Shipyard and Blain was in the shipyard doing some boat building business for his Maui diving venture. Blain was ready to whisk Kim away to a life in paradise (Hawaii), but Kim wouldnt go without his promise to return to her paradise (Grays Harbor) someday.

Blain kept his promise and the couple eventually made the decision to return to the Washington Coast. As experienced and wise business owners, they did their research on potential ventures and eventually landed on the idea of a coastal winery.

A friend in the wine business recommended that they set out on a quest to do 10,000 tastes, a not-so-terrible task maybe, in order to refine their palate and discover what they truly appreciate in wine. They found tasting notes that theyd prefer to avoid and also flavors to build on, when creating their own unique wines.

Through their winery, they have sought to teach love of the land, enterprise and community ideals they not only share with their business relations but also their two children. Dana, their son, is the head winemaker and their daughter, Carrie, the winerys general manager.

The familys love of the land has seen them through huge leaps in building up the winery grounds over the past seven years. What began as a field of overgrown weeds and rusting old farm equipment has turned into rolling hills full of surprises. After an attempt to grow their own wine grapes on their coastal land, they realized the benefit of buying instead from the multi-generational family vineyards in Eastern Washington. Making the business decision to build those relationships with valuable vineyards gave room for Westport Winery to introduce many attractions on their own land outdoor games, a grapevine maze, an off-leash dog park and beautiful gardens full of sculptures to wander through while sipping on their locally made beverages.

Cruising along the southern edge of Grays Harbor, winding over bridges and through the tree-lined highway toward the ocean, you might be surprised to see signs pointing you toward a winery.A coastal winery?Of all the surprises in store at Westport Winery, the location is just the first.

Wine Tasting Rooted in COASTAL SOIL


DRINK


DRINK

Clockwise from top: A fun signpost gives directions to activities and places at the winery. Kim, Blain and their kids, Carrie and Dana. The Westport Winery lighthouse creates a scenic silhouette at sunset. Each member of the family gets their own label. Guests can find many places on the property to sit and enjoy the gardens. The grounds feature a large hand-carved wooden chess set.

Both Kim and Blain have used their past experiences to add to the uniqueness of Westport Winery. Weve made our living around the ocean, explained Blain, who spent many years in Maui as a professional surfer and business owner. Kim considers the Washington Coast home and has formal training in architecture and is an artist at heart, so she now considers the winery to be her canvas to create.

Westport Winery is committed to giving its customers a unique and pleasant experience, so the tasting room is only closed two days a year. Even when Grays Harbor experienced major flooding over the winter, the family of four, each of whom live very close by, opened up shop. They are also committed to aiding the community through monetary contributions. Each wine is paired with a non-profit, mostly local to Grays Harbor, to help build the community alongside their business.

As the offerings in wine and entertainment have grown, they continually listen to their customers, taking suggestions to add products, flavors and experiences. Kim explained that many of the additions beyond their initial idea of making wine have come from listening to others suggestion. A gift shop, outdoor gardens, a growing tasting bar, a restaurant, bakery, and more now fill the landscape.

Any visitor should be able to find what theyre looking for here. In the tasting room, theres plenty to choose from, including their newest additions of hard cider and non-alcoholic wine. Beyond the wine, theres fun here for the whole family.

In the tasting room, wine newbies are encouraged to try new things and go outside their comfort zone, with the aid of a friendly tasting room assistant at their side. Their top suggestions include Duckleberry Grunt (a blueberry Gewrztraminer, $26/bottle) and Rapture of the Deep (a sparkling cranberry wine, $27).


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HISTORY

Why Wear Woolen Wraps When Wood Would Wear Wonderfully Without Warping read theWashingtoniannewspapers headline for the spruce veneer attire modeled at Hoquiams 1929 Wood Week exhibition. The young women who modeled these non-warping garments were the Spruce Girls, a group of lovely young ladies who helped put Grays Harbor and its wood-based industries in the national spotlight just as the decade was coming to a close.

As prominently proclaimed on her sash,TheOriginal Spruce Girl was Julia Martin, daughter of Julius and Laura Martin, the latter a talented seamstress who volunteered to transform the Grays Harbor Veneer Companys thinly peeled veneers into garments. The wood sheets were typically used in the manufacture of plywood, fruit and berry boxes, and, as advertised, containers for every purpose. In seeking new ways to market this ultra-thin material, Mrs. Martin set up her treadle Singer sewing machine early in the summer of 1929 and crafted veneer bathing suits, dresses, hats and dolls for Julia (Garrison/Alexander), her sister

The Spruce Girls veneer attire was made by Laura Martin, mother to Julia and Marguerite. Sadly, the suits were destroyed in a structure fire some years later.

BY JOHN LARSONPHOTOS FROM THE POLSON MUSEUM

THE SPRUCE GIRLS of 1929


HISTORY

In the months leading up to 1929s Wood Week, additional Spruce Girls were enlisted, including Sylvia Feinson (Michaelson), Dorothy Carlson (Davis), Elsie Carlson (Nagrodski), Lillian Swanson (Cobine), Edna Coats, Adella Marshall and Blanche Young. During the following two decades, new girls modeled the stiff suits. In 1930, the girls appeared with the famed local ship captain Matt Peasley and in 1932 the suits were shipped to St. Louis where girls there wore them at the National Inventors Congress. Even National Geographic couldnt resist the Spruce Girls, captioning a photograph in their magazine, Hoquiam Girls with

Wooden Dresses Might Pose as Tree Nymphs. In 1938 a new group, including Florence Kari, Virginia Lamoreaux and Elsie Peltola, prepared fresh suits with scallop detailing in advance of Hoquiams 50th Anniversary Bunyan Jubilee. And finally in 1946 another and possibly the last group of Spruce Girls was featured in a nationally distributed film, shown locally at the 7th Street and D & R theaters. This group included Lois Hart, Betty Poust, Arline Lukes, Mary Viducich, Doris Lucas, Edith Sanberg, Marilyn Coleman, Dorothy Iraola and Gloria Byrnes.

Marguerite (Webb), Willa Garrison (Biggs), Eleanor Eddy (Anderson), and sisters Tralice Steen (Lewis) and Theta Steen. The girls were asked to serve as ambassadors for their community and its industry.

News of the Spruce Girls traveled fast and that July, Northwest cameraman Chalmer Sinkey traveled to the Harbor to film the girls for a Movietone News comedy that begins on the planked mill yard of the Hoquiam Lumber and Shingle Company and ends with the girls arrest at Pacific Beach for wearing their suits too short. At the mill, the girls buy a roll of veneer, verifying with a mill man that the material, only 1/80thof an inch thick, isnt too transparent. They ask Mrs. Martin to craft their suits, then notice the camera is still filming as they begin to dress. In the most (modestly) risqu scene of the film, Julia remarks, Hey, Movietone is watching us put that down, for heavens sake! Once theyre allsprucedup and ready for the beach, the girls giggle and frolic as they bound into the surf, splashing about for the camera.

The girls traveled regionally that summer and fall, promoting Hoquiam and its wood-based industries by distributing the Hoquiam Chamber of Commerces Board Foot, a campy wood cutout in the shape of a foot. In late October, Julia traveled to Seattle with her spruce suit and a giant plywood board foot promoting Hoquiams Wood Week to 600 delegates of the Pacific Logging Congress a presentation that reportedly stopped the show. Though Hoquiams Wood Week opened on October 28, 1929 infamously remembered as the Black Monday stock market crash that precipitated the Great Depression these young ladies were all smiles, cheerleading for a community still at the peak of prosperity.

As ambassadors for Grays Harbor industry, the Spruce Girls traveled regionally with promotional materials at the ready.

(L-R) Julia Martin, Tralice Steen, Eleanor Eddy, Theta Steen and Marguerite Martin inspect the Movietone News camera between film takes at the Hoquiam Lumber & Shingle Company in July, 1929.

The girls traveled regionally promoting Hoquiam and its wood-based industries by distributing the Hoquiam Chamber of Commerces BOARD FOOT.

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BEAUTY

Top: Enjoying a moment to laugh.

Molle and Stacie with Albert, Mickie, Maggie, Milo.

Sometimes we forget, or just dont make it a priority, to take time for ourselves. For Stacie Barnum and Molle Bouch, their friendship is a constant reminder.Growing up about four miles apart, the two were standout athletes at rival high schools and during their college years, were sworn enemies. But now, they have found that they have much in common. They happen to live in the same neighborhood, their husbands work together, they own brother dogs and, when Stacie reminds Molle, they enjoy a pedicure together.

Molle is very busy and has a difficult time remembering to take care of herself. I have to remind her to come with me, says Stacie.

While pedicurist Theresa Lowry, owner of A Touch of Perfection in Aberdeen, takes turns rubbing, scrubbing, soaking and moisturizing their feet, they sit next to each other laughing and telling stories. The shop is in a 1905 carriage house with original woodwork and piping and sits on the grounds of the Aberdeen Mansion, one of Aberdeens classic homes from the days of the timber barons.

The pampering session is an opportunity for the two to retell tales of their adventures in life. They laugh and share pictures mostly of their dogs.

The two are deeply involved in their community and the stories often involve volunteering, community betterment strategy or an upcoming gala, but mostly the talk is about dogs.

Like the time they stopped traffic while en route to a shopping excursion. In heels, they saved a kamikaze dog from the speeding cars along the highway.

The power of FRIENDS, DOGS, LAUGHTER and the foundation of your feet.STORY BY RICHELLE BARGER


The pampering session is an opportunity for the two to retell tales of their adventures in life. They laugh and share pictures mostly of their dogs.


BEAUTY

Cars were backed up for two miles! they exclaimed. Its a favorite story of how dogs play a major role in their lives.

Alternately, Stacie and Molle stare out the window to manicured gardens of the mansion, where large calla lilies peek up and over the window sill. In between bouts of laughter, is calmness and serenity.

Painting your toenails dates back to 3000 BC to ancient China and Egypt. Social classes were color coded paler colors were for townspeople, while bright and metallic colors were reserved for the higher born.

Though in ancient times pedicures were to protect the nail, now it is a fun, simple excuse to take care of your feet, add a little color and maybe even to be silly. And an excuse for a foot rub.

Your feet, supporters of your entire body, have more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments and 31 pressure points. Feet are responsible for your stability, balance and mobility. They are your foundation. An abnormality

Stacie left, and Molle enjoy a pampering pedicure at A Touch of Perfection Salon.

Molle is very busy and has a difficult time remembering to take care of herself. I have to remind her to come with me.

in your feet could cause back problems, and footcare for diabetics is imperative, says Lowry. Foot and leg massages increase blood flow, which in turn makes for a healthy heart and brain.

And remember, pedicures are not just for women. Men stand on their feet all day long, as well. Just because you might be a fisherman, logger or dressed in a three-piece suit, there is no reason for you to forgo the delight of a foot rub. I wish my husband would come to Theresa, Stacie said, then he would know heaven.

A foot massage may put an extra spring in your step or maybe it will inspire you to roll in the grass with a friend.

You dont need to paint your toenails to be silly or to have fun with a good friend, but it sure is a good excuse to be healthy and beautiful at the same time. And its a great excuse to take care of your foundation.

If youve never had a pedicure, its about time you did. They range in price from $10 for a basic foot care to about $55 or more for the spa treatment.

We women dont take care of ourselves, because we are always taking care of somebody else.

Theresa Lowry, owner, A Touch of Perfection Pedicure

Keelee Frost, teacher, Harbor High

Pedicures are only powerful if you believe relaxing is powerful, if you believe spending quality time with wonderful friends is powerful, if you believe in the power of self care, if you believe experiences are more powerful than stuff, and if you just happen to have good hygiene!

PEDICURE Power

What is so fabulous about the pedi? Locals weigh in.


And for Ron Lambert, Operations Manager for Bennetts Coastal Restaurants, one of his biggest questions when he moved to the area nearly 10 years ago was why there wasnt a restaurant dedicated to fish and chips in either Westport or Ocean Shores, two coastal communities right next to the water.

So, after starting Bennetts Restaurant in Grayland in 2005, Lambert and his family first opened a fast-casual fish shack of the same surname in Westport in 2010, followed by an Ocean Shores location in 2011.

The Westport shop, deemed by Lambert a conceptual project, flourished, turning into a successful eatery that caters to hordes of seasonal tourists at the coast and natives, alike.

It has exceeded our expectations in every measure, said Lambert of the Westport location.

After finding success in Westport, Lambert and his family set their sights further up the coastline and opened another store in Ocean Shores.

STORY BY JAKE SCHILD


Fish ShackATTACK

f r i e d w i t h p r i d e

Bennetts speciality hand-battered fish and chips, shrimp, and clam strips served on a bed of french fries.

Some things just dont make sense.


DINE

The Westport shop caters to hordes of seasonal tourists and natives, alike.


DINE

Ocean Shores had twenty-some eating establishments and not one place that specialized in fish and chips and clam chowder, he said.

Lamberts intuition was spot on again, with customers coming from near and far to get a taste of Bennetts fish and chips.

But, Bennetts ability to win over customers is no fluke. All three restaurants serve fresh halibut from fisheries in Alaska, where their cod comes from, as well. Shipments of fish come in every other day and are trimmed and filleted to the restaurant specifications daily.

The oysters at Bennetts are sourced locally from Bradys Oysters while the crab comes from Nelson Crab in Tokeland. The restaurants tartar and cocktail sauces are made in house and Bennetts uses 100 percent canola oil to fry its food.

It makes a difference in our product, said Lambert of buying his ingredients locally. We believe in a sustainable fishery. Being sustainable is important to us.

Bennetts has won numerous awards, including the Professionals Choice Award for the best clam chowder at the 9th annual Razor Clam Festival & Seafood Extravaganza in March of 2015.

Bennetts Fish Shacks are known for their hand-breaded halibut, beer-battered cod, grilled salmon, crab cakes, clam strips, fresh oysters and clam chowder, but also offer gourmet hamburgers, chicken sandwiches and fish tacos. Gluten-free options are available at all three restaurants, as well.

The Fish Shacks are labeled fast casual restaurants. Patrons order at the counter and are then given a number on their receipt letting waiters know where to bring their food.

The Ocean Shores location offers microbrews and Northwest wines.


DINE

Bennetts Restaurant offers full table service and has a more diverse menu, serving steak, pasta and chicken entrees on top of seafood options.

Both the restaurant and the fish shacks have a nautical motif that provide patrons with a fun dining atmosphere. The Ocean Shores location has a bar adjacent to the dining area, and all restaurants offer microbrews and Northwest wines.

If youre at any of Bennetts three locations, dont overlook their hamburgers. The Apple Wood Bacon Cheeseburger as well as a Southwest burger, are delightful.

The restaurant and fish shacks take their name from Lamberts grandfather, whose last name was Bennett.

They wouldnt ask you if you were hungry, food would just appear on the table, said Lambert of his grandfathers family. The great hospitality we grew up with is now extended to the public.

There is a lot of tourism in both Ocean Shores and Westport, especially during the summer, and Lambert thinks a majority of the areas visitors come from the I-5 corridor looking for a mini getaway.

I think it has to do with a lot of people not being able to take a five or seven day vacation. This works for them to recharge and breathe, he said.

So, whenever youre hankering for a cod fillet basket and a beer, make the drive to the coast and drop by Bennetts. And, in a moment of repose, after your hunger and thirst has been satiated, thank the Bennetts crew for bringing authentic seafood to the Washington Coast.

BENNETTS FISH SHACKWestport 2581 Westhaven DrWestport, WA 98595(360) 268-7380

Ocean Shores105 West Chance A La Mer NEOcean Shores, WA 98569(360) 289-2847

Left page: The bar keeps their taps stocked with local microbrews as well as domestic favorites.

Bottom: Bennetts keeps their menu fresh based on daily offerings.

Right: The Apple Wood Bacon Cheeseburger is made with fresh, local ingredients and offers big flavor you can barely wrap your mouth around.

Bennetts Fish Shacks are known for their hand-breaded halibut, beer-battered cod, grilled salmon, crab cakes, clam strips, fresh oysters and clam chowder, but also offer gourmet hamburgers,chickensandwiches and fish tacos.


DINE

The hardworking and friendly front-of-house, back-of-house and management staff at Bennetts in Ocean Shores.

The great hospitality we grew up with is now extended to the public. - Robert Lambert, owner


DINE

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Here for you when you need us most

422 - 5th Street Hoquiam 360-532-4090Col e man mort uary

Left: Local artist, Marcy Merrill has a studio which is as eccentric and creative as her personality.

Above: One of Merrills wetplate photographs.

Right: Merrill creates colorfully beaded old Brownie box cameras which fill the shelves of her studio.

Far right: Dog portraits at a local shelter, some of Merrills favorite work.


arcy Merrill never knows what shell find on a trip to the beach, but chances are it will be something worth documenting with her camera, repurposing, or even upcycling into art. In Merrills hands, old things get new life, often through being expressed in photography steeped in old methods and materials.

Every time I go to the beach mere steps away from her North Cove home, I find something interesting. And you never know what it will be or how it will inspire you, Merrill said.

A photographer by profession, Merrill started documenting her finds with her camera. After many, many months of walks with her dogs (she fosters them), she collated her photos into a self-published book, 200 Things. She made just two copies one for herself, and one for a friend. There are many, many pictures of bird skulls and empty bottles, but

there are also washed up objects from the 2011 Japanese tsunami. And shoes. So many shoes.

People seem to come to the beach and take them off and forget them, Merrill said. Who even knows what thats about.

Merrill takes particular pride and joy in the images she takes with her pinhole cameras, which she constructs out of all different kinds of boxes.

M


STORY BY CALLIE WHITE | PHOTOS BY GABE GREEN

Photography from Beads, Brownies,

Kewpies and ALTOID TINS

MARCY MERRILL

THE SILVER NITRATE QUEEN:


In Merrills studio are numerous cameras not necessarily of the pinhole variety that shes similarly decorated, gluing and wrapping them with sparkly beads in a variety of colors and patterns.

THE WORKLeft: (clockwise) Beaded Kodak box camera lined up. The Flamethrower, a Kodak Autographic bellows camera. The Coronet a 3-D camera. A purple beaded Kodak Hawkeye. The Pinniped with lobster shutter, pinhole camera.Above: Beach finds


Beach FindsThe beach is what drew Merrill to North Cove, about 10 miles south of Westport. She had left her home in Flint, Mich., as a teenager, settling in Seattle and pursuing a career in art. But about two decades ago she was on a trip with her husband to the coast. She said she looked at her husband and said, Wouldnt it be fun to live on the beach? and suddenly, they were moving and they werent looking back. Instead, they became a part of the Tokeland areas artist community.

The beach is a source for Merrills creativity, whether it is the constant flow of human and animal detritus on the shore, the energy of the ocean, or the fresh air and exercise that comes when one is responsible for dogs.

The 200 Things project seems a far cry from Merrills bread-and-butter wedding and corporate photography, but its part of her sensibility, which tends toward found objects, oddities and finding new contexts for old processes. Her home, for example, has floorspace that is tiled with pieces of pottery and glass she found on the beach, and driftwood and floats decorate her yard and porch.

Pinhole camerasMerrill takes particular pride and joy in the images she takes with her pinhole cameras, which she constructs out of all different kinds of boxes.

Every time I travel I usually load my pintoid cameras, Merrill said, flourishing a few old Altoids tins she had taped up to be light-tight and with a small hole drilled in the front. I use these a lot, so I like to have them ready to go whenever Im somewhere I think would make a good image.

Pinhole cameras are extremely simple all they consist of is a box with a small hole in the front, which lets light in to strike film or light-sensitive paper set in the back of the box in lieu of a lens. Loading a pinhole camera can be tricky, since any light will ruin the film before it can be properly exposed, but Merrills hands work rapidly and assuredly inside a black bag. (See how-to on page 14)

Opening old photo albums shes collected, they are filled with images of Americana taken from the pintoid cameras. Diners, roadside attractions and interesting characters fill the pages in black and white images she has often washed over with color, giving the slightly eccentric pictures a new layer of interest.

Merrill has other, larger pinhole cameras shes constructed. She even has a tent that functions as a sort of pinhole camera. Its called a camera obscura. Its roots are ancient and its principles led to the cameras we know. On Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, an event coordinated very loosely by the website pinholeday.org and usually in late April, Merrill often sets it up to show youngsters and other curious people, who can go inside and see how the light hits the back of the tent and forms an image.

BeadingBut when she takes pictures shes more likely to use a box-like one wrapped in bright beads and decked with a large beaded seal her pinniped camera, a pun on the

scientific classification of the seal family.

As a youth, Merrill got her first exposure to art from her mother, a painter. But kismet struck when she picked up a camera. She was enchanted by the many knobs and dials to tweak images, and the relationship between the eye and technology. And the more she explored photography, the greater the appreciation she gained for the technology of earlier cameras. With that appreciation came her own experiments with different cameras, including wet plate photography, from which she gained her nickname, The Queen of Silver Nitrate, the chemical that reacts to light.

In Merrills studio are numerous cameras not necessarily of the pinhole variety that shes similarly decorated, gluing


and wrapping them with sparkly beads in a variety of colors and patterns. Again, she has punnily named some of them, like Camera Miranda, a punchy orange and blue beaut with a stack of fruit-shaped beads on top. Her cameras are all styled uniquely, some with gold beads, others in shiny purple and red. Some have silver-beaded flashes, others have beads shaped like lobsters or tiny seashells or coins wrapped into them.

And though they are colorful and shiny, Merrill practices enough restraint on them so that they never go overboard with the kitsch factor, and they always keep their utility.

They all work. I would never do something that would stop that, she said. Its important to me that they work. And I even use some of them.

Merrill gets most of her old cameras from people who hear she is a photographer and pass on an old camera they happen to have. She has them lined up in her studio on long shelves, Kewpies, Brownies, and even a 3D Bakelite camera, waiting to be used or repurposed.

Retro TechnologyThe most retro of the camera technology

that Merrill embraces is taking photos on aluminum plates. Its a complicated process that entails Merrill setting up her subject most often friends and neighbors, and often musicians (they come in with their instrument, and they entertain me while Im getting ready, then after we shoot sometimes we have a jam session) and composing the shot before running to her darkroom and bathing a sheet of aluminum in a light-sensitive solution of silver nitrate and collodion, placing it in a box, then getting it in her camera. A single exposure necessarily lasts seconds or even minutes far longer than it takes a conventional

Left: Merrill uses a large format, 8 x 10 camera given to her by a friend, to create some of her photographs.

Right: Riley, the splotchy dog loves his picture taken on the beach by Marcy.

Though Merrills work relies on her creating strata upon strata of reused materials and old techniques, her artists eye makes the many layers fresh and the effect is always modern, never cluttered or kitschy.


camera. And the image captured on the plate is a positive and the only one that will exist of that picture.

The payoff, though, are images that look like theyve been taken out of time, and even out of this world. Partly its due to the starkness of the black on silver, partly because most people cant keep their eyes still for the exposure, so their irises are ghostly. And its partly because of Merrills use of unlikely props, from plants to tools to animal skulls more of her beach findings.

And though Merrills work relies on her creating strata upon strata of reused

materials and old techniques, her artists eye makes the many layers fresh and the effect is always modern, never cluttered or kitschy. Even in her life, Merrill finds ways to repurpose old theater seats and a confessional in her studio while still having a streamlined, open and fresh space; she has beach-found materials in the floors and along the walls of her home, which feels cozy and airy at the same time. And some of her closest companions are dogs she finds when they have been cast off or discarded, and revitalizes them with love and energy.

is much more than

STORY BY DOUG BARKER PHOTOS BY GABE GREEN

Westport is a beach town that works for a living.Its got all one would expect from a tourism-friendly beach destination kites, kitsch, even kittens, the

infamous jetty cats that roam the rock revetment around the marina looking for a free seafood lunch.But the tourism draws near the marina at the heart of the town share space with a hard-working commercial fishing fleet and give the place coastal soul and a sense that the ocean is more than just a backdrop for postcards.


A SALMON-FISHING TOWN

It billed itself as the Salmon Capital of the World and the charter boat fleet was what brought most people to town. It still brings visitors by the drove, but for at least 20 years now, in addition to salmon, the trips are for tuna, bottom fish or whale watching excursions.

Westport is located on a spit at the southern entrance to Grays Harbor, about in the middle of the Washington Coast. Its the largest of several beach communities in the area locals call the South Beach, which stretches from Grays Harbor south to Willapa Harbor.

From the marina, protected by rock armoring from the ocean and Chehalis River currents at the mouth of Grays Harbor, one can look

north across the harbor to Ocean Shores and, on sunny days, see all the way to the snow-covered Olympic Mountains. And from June through September there are lots of sunny days. The view from the marina also includes the ship traffic from freighters calling on Aberdeen farther up the river, and the commercial fishing boats with catches of Dungeness crab, shrimp, tuna, salmon, hake and a host of other species, depending on the time of year.

Some of it can be purchased at a fresh fish shack right on the dock or at one of several fresh seafood markets near the marina. Crab from the Seafood Connection fish shack is cooked in a pot right on the dock.

The marina is divided roughly in two. Looking from Westhaven Drive, the street that spans the length of the marina, the right side is given over to commercial vessels. For the most part, theyre working boats, with a rusty charm and not many creature comforts. Skippers and deck hands scramble around the vessels doing maintenance and getting the boats ready to go out again. The noise from barking sea lions sunning themselves on a float at that end of the marina is almost constant. Theyre cute, but give them a wide berth and dont feed them. Not bad advice when it comes to the deck hands, as well.

A modern Coast Guard station at that end of the marina, and the former Coast Guard station a Cape Cod style building that now houses the Westport Maritime Museum are a reminder that what they do on the commercial boats is risky and the North Pacific Ocean is a serious body of water, particularly in winter. A more sobering reminder is the Fishermens Memorial on the far side of the marina, with its plaque that reads In Memory of All Mariners Lost at Sea. To find the memorial, drive along the marina

LODGINGThe area has a broad variety of lodging options, from straight up motels to condos, bed and breakfast inns and some short-term rentals. For campers, there are also two good state parks: Twin Harbors and Grayland.A good one-stop-shopping site to check things out is: www.westportwa.com/business/motel.html


and follow the road as it curves around to the right, past the Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill. Park at the end of the road and youll see the whitewashed memorial spire. Theres also a wooden walkway with a deck built over the rocks and great views of the harbor.

And thats where youll see the jetty cats, dozens, maybe scores of them, living in the rocks. Local animal lovers have been caring for them for years and Boy Scouts have built feeding platforms for them.

The non-commercial side of the marina is for charter fishing boats and private vessels. Charter fishing offices line Westhaven Drive on that end of the marina, along with a number of cafes and gift shops. An observation tower stands at the far end of that side of the marina. Looking out over the ocean, the marina and harbor are to the right and the aptly-named Half Moon Bay in Westhaven State Park, a favorite area for surfers, is to the left.

In the past decade or so the popularity of Westport as a surfing destination has grown tremendously. The Clearwater Classic, a surfing competition, attracts dozens of contestants from around the world and thousands of spectators to Half Moon Bay. Timing of the competition has moved around a bit. This year, the 14th annual version is Sept. 25-27. It gets bigger every year and includes family-friendly events around surfing, including a surf camp for kids.

From the observation tower, a paved dune trail walkway goes along the shoreline and over to Westhaven State Park and then over to the Grays Harbor Lighthouse. The trail is about 2.5 miles long and mostly flat. Westhaven State Park is about half way. From there the trail parallels the beach and looks out over the ocean.

If you dont feel like walking to the lighthouse, its easy to find by car. As you drive along Montesano Street, the main road in and out of town, theres one stop light, at Ocean Avenue. Turn toward the ocean. Its about eight blocks down. The summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Monday. It costs $5 to climb to the top for a tour with one of the volunteer watch standers, but if you dont like steps, theres plenty to see on the grounds and in the gift shop. Its 114 years old and, at 107 feet, its the tallest lighthouse on the Washington Coast and third tallest on the Pacific Coast.

Westport gives you choices. If youre a shop browser, youre covered. If you want something more participatory, a fishing charter is the quintessential Westport experience. If you like great seafood, go-carts, scenery or surfing, its all there. And then, of course, theres the beach. Dont get so caught up in what the town has to offer that you dont get some sand between your toes.

Left page: Even little helpers take part at the fishing dock at Westport.The Westport Maritime Museum and former Coast Guard station.

Above: Sea lions bask in the sun on the dock.Left: The beach has plenty of souvenirs, like sand dollars.Below left: Glass wind chimes at the Basket House. Below right: Rope, nets and buoys on the dock.


6SPOTS NOT TO MISS INThe Hearty Galley

If youre looking for the best burger in town and who isnt this is it. If youre looking for the most random collection of various 70s collectible toys, this is also it. This is just good, well-prepared food with top-shelf ingredients. Fries are great. Burgers are great (with fresh, ground sirloin). Shakes are great. They also serve breakfast and dinner and the reviews are universally good. If youre a free-thinker who wants to branch out beyond burgers, try the B.L.O.R.T. a bacon, lettuce, onion rings and tomato sandwich.2111 N. Nyhus St., Westportwww.facebook.com/heartygalley

Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill

Its the Bloody Mary, silly. There are other reasons to go there, not the least of which is the view of the marina from the bar, but with the Bloody Marys they serve, you dont really need another reason. The Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill is located in the Islander, a motel thats a Westport institution.421 E. Neddie Rose Drive, Westportwww.halfmoonbaybarandgrill.com

The Fresnel LensIf you were building a death ray in the 17th century, this is what it would look like a huge, slowly turning array of glass prisms that magnified a light source when it was used as a lens at the Destruction Island Lighthouse from the 1890s until 1995. The Westport Maritime museum built a special building for it and a museum ticket gets you in.

2201 Westhaven Drive, Westportwww.westportmaritimemuseum.com

The Westport Brewing CompanyThis is a cross between your family room and a brewery. If that sounds like your real home then this is definitely the spot for you. The beer is brewed on the premises and the warm, yeasty odor on a brewing day puts you in the mood to try them all. Order a flight and you can do just that, sampling as many as you like in small glasses that hold a few ounces. Your choices will include Wetsuit Wheat, Bottle Beach Brown Ale, Plank Island Porter, Beach Bottle Blonde and a half dozen or so more. If youre a one-beer person, make it a Cohasset Cream Ale.The atmosphere is great. Stacks of board games, furniture arrayed for conversation and a pull-up garage door that brings the outdoors indoors on nice days. And free peanuts in the shell. Its away from the main marina area, but worth getting back in the car for.118 W. Pacific Ave., Westportwww.westportbrewing.com

DRINK

EATSEE

(L) A burger from The Hearty Galley (R) Treasures from The Basket House


The Westport AquariumThis is an eclectic homage to all things oceany, at least from the ocean around Westport. Its been in Westport since 1955 and has a little bit of a sweet, roadside attraction feel, like a marine life version of a giant ball of string. But dont sell it short. Theres some real science here and the respect for marine life is readily evident. Theyre in the process of reassembling a 39-foot gray whale skeleton from a whale that washed up on the beach. Theres a touch tank with octopi and sharks and you can buy a cup of salad shrimp to feed the fish in the aquariums. Theres a small admission fee: $5.50 for adults, $3.50 for kids and seniors, and children 3 and under get in free. Its a bargain. Check out their Facebook page to get a feel for the place.321 E. Harbor St., Westport360.268.7070www.facebook.comwestportaquarium.washington

The Basket HouseYou know those grabber toys that have a sharks head on one end of a stick and on the other end a trigger you can pull to make the sharks mouth open and close? This is where you go if you need a new one. The Basket House is a classic souvenir store with a wonderful variety of fun toys and gifts. Its been there since 1960. In the market for crab-shaped salt shakers that say Westport on them? When it comes to Westport souvenirs, if they dont have it, you dont need it. The best part might be the location. Its at the end of the long pier that divides the marina. As you walk out to it, you wonder a little bit whether youre supposed to be there. Crab pots are stacked along the way and commercial fishermen are unloading their catch at the end of the dock. Mind the forklifts.400 Dock St., Westport

The Westport Brewing Company is a cross between your family room and a brewery.

SHOP

LOOK

Top: Proprietess Robin at the Westport Brewing Company serves a variety of beer. The Fresnel Lens at the Westport Maritime Museum is a must see.Westport offers surfing for pros and amateurs alike.

PHO

TO B

Y R

ICH

ELLE BA

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Though not necessarily the mainstay of the Westport experience these days, charter fishing is still a big part of the towns attraction.

EXCURSION

CharterBoat Fishing

aboutthis Pharmacy!

Nothing Ordinary

Twin Harbor Drug

733 N. Montesano St. | Westport | 268-0505

and MORE!

Full Service Pharmac

y Nautical Gifts, Ho

me Dcor

7TH STREET THEATREHoquiams historic

Where the stars light the sky and the stage

Live Performances

313 7th Street | Hoquiam | 360.537.7400Just 20 minutes from Ocean Shores

Classic Films

Visit our website for event listings & rental informationwww.7thstreettheatre.com


Salmon, bottomfish, halibut and tuna are the targets. Salmon season opened May 30 and will run seven days a week until Sept. 30 or when the quota is reached. Last year, the fleet never did hit the quota and the quota is bigger this year, so it looks like a full summer of fishing.

If youre booking a charter of any kind, the best thing to do is go to the Westport Charterboat Association website at charterwestport.com. Youll find links to the charter office websites, the latest fishing and weather reports and just about all the information you need.

Be warned, its best to book ahead. You cant always walk up and expect to book a trip, especially on the weekend. Expect to spend in the neighborhood of $125 to $150 for a salmon trip, depending on the size of the boat and the day of the week. The gear you need will be on the boat.

Salmon trips leave at about first light and boats return by mid-afternoon, unless the boat limits before that.

Bottomfish trips for rock fish and cod start in March and go into October. Bottomfish charters became popular when it wasnt possible to fish for salmon, but the limits are higher and some people prefer those trips now.

The halibut trips are typically about 12 hours on the water. The season starts in May and doesnt last long so advanced bookings are a must.

Albacore tuna trips usually fill up fast. Its a bucket list trip, said Janell Howarth of Ocean Sportfishing Charters. They last from one to three days. Theres no bag limit and the catch averages four to six fish a day, per person. The fish typically weigh 12 to 25 pounds each and theyre known for their fight. The season is usually sometime in July to sometime in October, with August as the best month.

Its a bucket list trip.-Janell Howarth, Ocean Sportfishing Charters of their Albacore tuna trips

West of the Elk River BridgeHWY 105 WESTPORT

Fresh & frozen razor clams

OPEN DAILY 9am - 6pm

Shucked & in the shell oysters

Cooked & live crab

1-800-572-3252 or 360-268-0077

www.bradysoysters.com

FOR ANY OCCASION!

Gift packs available

Call ahead for fresh fish selection!

We ship!


This fun house has a vertizontal hold on the viewer

THE HOUSE OF

COLORSTORY BY RICHELLE BARGER

PHOTOS BY JULIE RAJCICH

Photos right page: (clockwise) The living room features a Whoville chair and the boat where Ken and Keelee Frost often sit with their grandchildren. The stairwell comes to life in the center of the house featuring art of local artist, Robin Harlow and Keelees high school art teacher. Opal Art Glass fishing floats hang in the windows. Life is weird. A weather vane bird is painted on the wall of the treehouse room to match the bedspread.


THE HOUSE OF

COLOR


If you paint your house enough colors, everything goes.

Remember the first time your family stayed at a hotel and the kids got to jump on the bed? Well, its like that every day at Nana Keelees house.

Left: The living room features a comfy place for everyone to sit and peer out of the ceiling to floor windows, a paisley carpet and tissue paper ceiling. Above: The butterfly room offers a well-lit view of the terraced backyard.The master bedroom features the jumping bed and Keelees favorite artwork by Robin Harlow.

PI want to be the favorite. she concludes when asked why she allows bed jumping, and then laughs and laughs at her own frankness. Ultimately, she adds, I want people to feel comfortable in our house.

As a Harbor High School health & nutrition and sex ed teacher and in charge of the teen parent program, its no wonder she was voted teacher of the year and was a recipient of the Golden Apple award.

From the tissue paper covered ceilings to the Whoville chair and double-sized chaise lounge, dubbed the boat by her grandchildren, the house is a mass of color. The Frosts purchased the four-bedroom, three-bath mid-century-modern house 14 years ago and when all the white walls were gone, they had a Catholic priest come and bless it. He was throwing holy water everywhere, remembers Keelee.


Though she picked out the colors inside the house, her husband, Ken, a longshoreman, chose the color for the outside of the house, which sits on the hillside of Pilgrim Hill in Aberdeen and has a long view of the city and ultimately, Grays Harbor.

Its gray around here and when I come home, I want to look at bright colors.

He may not agree with everything that Keelee does or wants to do to the house, but in the end, he says that he benefits from all of it.

If you paint your house enough colors, everything goes. says Keelee of the color scheme.

Top: A chair, repurposed as a sedum planter. The outside of the house is as colorful as the inside. Keelee and Ken Frost spend many hours enjoying their terraced backyard and tiki fountain.

522 Simpson Ave. Hoquiam

360.532-2434mchughsfurniture.com

Furnishings for Coastal Living.

Come have a beautiful shopping experience!


THE GARDEN Kens dad Richard Frost was the instigator for the backyard where they now spend most of their summer hours. He was lying on his back looking up under the over-grown rhododendrons and began hollering, Keelee! I have a vision! and the rock wall was improved upon and the tiki sculpture fountain was born.

Country Closet

209 S Broadway | Aberdeen | 533.5152

Dcor 2 Baby Boutique 2 Holidays 2 Gifts

Get a Loadof our legs.

Gourmet, Home Canned Tuna, Salmon, Seafood and Custom Processing.

1 Block West of the Derby Booth, Next to the Aquarium!301 E. Harbor St. Westport (360) 268-5009

Merinos Seafood Market

www.merinoseafoods.com

Didnt catch the BIG ONE? Buy it here, we wont tell! We can vacuum pack your fish!

Award Winning Smoked Salmon

Gift Boxes Available


Summer fruit SLUSHY

RECIPE

This cool, fizzy drink is delicious and easy to make ahead of time to have on hand for all your summer guests.

BASIC RECIPE:5 bananas 1 can pineapple juice2 cans frozen orange juice1 can frozen lemonade6 cups water2 cups sugar7UP

Optional: strawberries, mangos, whole pineapple, peaches

Bring sugar and water to a boil. Blend bananas and frozen juices. Add additional blended or chopped fruit such as strawberries or mangos. Freeze in a large ice cream tub for scooping or in individual ice cube trays for easy smashing later. When ready to serve, simply blend with 7UP or tonic water and a splash of gin or vodka for adults at the party.

A great drink for kids &

adults!

FRUIT FLAVORadd the

Make a large batch to freeze and enjoy all summer long.


WASHINGTON COAST REAL ESTATE251 Montesano St. | Westport, WA

360-268-0977wacoastre.com

Providing Exceptional Servicefor All Your Real Estate Needs

Grays Harbor County Expo in Ocean Shores - May 22-24Ocean Shores Wearable Art Festival - June 6 Festival of Colors (Kite Flying) - June 6-7Flag Day Parade - June 13 Five Star Dealership Sand & Sawdust Festival - June 26-28

Family Fourth Festival - Miles of Fun on the Beach - July 4 Ocean Shores Beach Blast - July 12Ocean Shores Triathlon and Foot Festival - July 11-12 Sun & Surf Festival - July 24-26

Hog Wild - July 24-26 Ocean Shores Woof-a-Thon - August 15 Paddle-A-Thon - September 5AAOS (Associated Arts of Ocean Shores) Arts & Crafts Festival - September 11 - 13


ART

Above: Erik Sandgren applies ink to a roller while preparing a demonstration for his printmaking class at Grays Harbor College. Below: The Nirvana and Aberdeen mural headed by Sandgren.Right: Erik Sandgren in his studio.


ART

THE ART of GRIT and GRIMEErik Sandgren, artist, muralist, teacher

The walls had seven layers, I know that because I took them off myself 26 years ago, Sandgren said. But once he saw how it looked, he decided to keep it.

Indeed, Sandgrens art is all about layers of color, of nature, of history and of meaning. And he has explored Grays Harbor with his work by taking stock of its natural and industrial spaces, painting forests and old boatyards with an eye that is appreciative as much as it is reportorial.

Sandgrens work will be featured in January at a retrospective at the Polson Museum.

An Oregon native, Sandgren was working in

Maryland when he applied to Grays Harbor College on a whim. At the time, he was assisting his father Nelson Sandgren, also an accomplished artist, on a mural at the Eugene, Ore. airport. Attracted to the idea of being closer to home and in a tenure-track job, Sandgren said he had never heard much about the area before moving here in 1989.

In the terms of the art world in which Sandgren was educated University of Oregon, Yale Grays Harbor was off the map, but he has been able to explore it with his pencils, his paints, and the knowledge he has built up over countless hours studying art and working with artists all over the world.

OF ALL THE ROOMS IN ERIK SANDGRENS HOUSE, his kitchen is probably the one that best replicates the feel of his work. With its spices and utensils out for easy access, its clearly a space that is well used and has been for a long time. The most amazing thing, however, are the walls, which have been partially stripped of multiple layers of wallpaper, leaving behind traces of the past in muted blues, greens and earthy browns punctuated with yellow print.

STORY BY CALLIE WHITE | PHOTOS BY GABE GREEN


ARTA typical scene will have boats empty, but theyve been worked in on the river by an abandoned industrial site. The paint is scabbed with grit from the air, thick in places and scraped hard in others. Colors are muted, with a high contrast between light and dark.

I like to work a lot with the paint, to build it up and then pull it back to show what came before, Sandgren said.

He also makes his historical intent explicit in prints and paintings that are suffused with images of petroglyphs, ancient Native American symbols. He carves out their shapes among paintings of trees and sky, puts them alongside totem poles, and prints them in thickly carved strokes with washes of blood red and blue. They are part of his way of referencing the Indian history that came before, that he feels is often disregarded in the rush to build the future.

Sandgren has a large selection of public art in

the area, with murals at the Montesano and Aberdeen libraries and in the commission meeting room at the Port of Grays Harbor offices. His most prominent mural honors Kurt Cobain and Nirvana on Wishkah Street in downtown Aberdeen. Intentionally made in the shape of a championship belt, it is thick with symbols of the areas past that mingle in unexpected ways. A logger stands on a springboard stuck in the neck of a guitar; a misery whip saw blade is positioned under the swimming baby from the Nevermind cover. The few images of innocence Cobains childhood picture are counterposed with bleakness clear cuts.

There is a brutality to this work, as there is a brutality to what has happened here, Sandgren said. Its no coincidence that Cobains famously difficult childhood was due in part to the decline of the local economy, and that his music mined the tensions

between attitudes in the blue collar and the art communities similar ground to what Sandgren covers.

My work has been about environmental degradation, Sandgren said. The story of the Northwest is the story of people coming in and taking the natural resources, and moving on. Thats why so much of my work (involves) industrial scenes, or is set in clear cuts.

But documenting those places also means bringing in the history and resiliency of the people and of nature. Sandgren does not paint simple slogans, he works to make the grit and the light, the thick and the thin, the murky and the obvious come together and play off each other.

I try to portray what I see with integrity, which is beautiful in its own way.

I like to work a lot with the paint, to build it up and then pull it back to show what came before.

THE ARTPortland Art Museum, Rental Sales Gallery1237 SW 10th Avenue at Jefferson, Portland, ORportlandartmuseum.org [email protected]

Schrager & Clarke Gallery 760 Willamette St Eugene, OR 97401541-684-7963 & [email protected]

THE ART: Art in Public Spaces: Aberdeen Timberland Library, AberdeenW.H. Abel Timberland Library, Montesano, WAPort of Grays Harbor Centennial Mural, AberdeenMahlon Sweet Airport, Eugene, ORalso Nirvana and Aberdeen Mural, Aberdeennirvanamural.com

THE [email protected]

Sandgrens paintings Clockwise: Big Deep, Quinault Spirit Figures, & Coming Into Being, Linocut, one of his latest works.


Top to bottom: Malachi Phelps, a Kurt Cobain Scholarship recipient, sketches on tracing paper during Erik Sandgrens printmaking class at Grays Harbor College.Grays Harbor College art instructor Erik Sandgren and student Jordanna Snider-Wiley work on their respective relief prints during Sandgrens printmaking class. During his printmaking class at Grays Harbor College, Erik Sandgren talks to his students.


EVENTS

FORKS OPEN AIRE MARKET1421 S. Forks AvenueEvery Saturday starting May 16 through October 3.10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

SATURDAY MARKET AT SEABROOKFront Street Opens June 27 and runs through Sept 26Every Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

OCEAN SHORES FARMERS MARKETLocated behind Pacific BankOpens last week in May through the second weekend in September.Open Saturdays 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

GRAYS HARBOR FARMERS MARKET1958 Riverside, HoquiamOpen year round Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Farmers Markets

JAYS FARMSTAND906 E Wishkah, Aberdeen7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Open daily for produce. For additional local products, check out the open air market on the weekends.Call Jeff at 532-8842 to participate.

ELMA FARM STAND AND PUBLIC MARKET617 E Young St. Building AOpen year-round10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

PUBLIC MARKET ON THE WILLAPA412 Alder Street (4th and Heath St. off of Hwy 101), RaymondLocal produce in season and vendors year-round.10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Grays Harbor Farmers Market in Hoquiam

FARMERS MARKET OF SOUTH BENDRay Spurrell Walkway (dock)Watch for it on Sundays during the summer

COLUMBIA PACIFIC FARMERS MARKETPacific Avenue in Long BeachBegins June 12 and runs through October 9.Fridays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

SATURDAY MARKET AT THE PORT OF ILWACOWaterfront Street, IlwacoOpens the first Saturday in May until the last Saturday of September10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Summer is the time to buy fresh, local produce. And there is no better place to do that than your community farmers markets. Watch for them to pop up all over the coast this summer. To help plan your buy local mantra, here is a list of every market we were able to unearth, including start and end dates, times and locations. Happy hunting and gathering!

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116 W. Heron St.Aberdeen

360.533.2442

Now serving wine & spirits!

Experience Italyin Aberdeen!

AA

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AV

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Experience WestportWashingtons Original Beach Town

360.268.9422 or 800.345.6223

Westport/Grayland Chamber of CommerceExperienceWestport.com

Fishing Surfing Fun at the Beach

360-532-2770 www.ghtransit.com

We keep you

moving!

saturday service re-instated!


our favoriteEVENTS

EVENTS

JUNE4-630th Anniversary Goonies Day CelebrationFans of the classic movie The Goonies flock to Astoria for the annual Goonies Day Celebration for a weekend of treasure hunting, truffle shuffles, trivia, scavenger hunts and more. This years 30th anniversary celebration will include cast and crew reunions, film screenings, fan gatherings, film location tours and more.

5First Friday - AberdeenDowntown Aberdeen businesses stay open late for the convenience of shoppers, as well as to feature different artists, musicians or sale events.

6Wearable Art Show - Ocean ShoresArtists in various forms of media create wearable pieces of art, blending whimsy and function at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. 6:30 p.m.

6-7Festival of Colors Kite Festival - Ocean ShoresAnnual event showcasing kites and kite flying in Ocean Shores.

7Grays Harbor Symphony OrchestraThe theme for this Bishop Center spring concert is A Night at the Oscars, featuring movie classics as well as a few surprises. Under the baton of conductor William Dyer, the Grays Harbor Symphony Orchestra also shines the spotlight on talented young musicians, selected to perform at this concert by area music teachers. 7 p.m. $14 Adults, $12 Seniors, $8 Students, 12 & under one free with paying adult.

11Grays Harbor College Honors Recital - AberdeenFeaturing the best and most talented of the colleges current music students. Bishop Center 7 p.m. Free.

13Flag Day Parade - Ocean ShoresSalute the Stars and Stripes in Ocean Shores at one of the few remaining small-town Flag Day parades.

Waikiki Beach Concert - Cape DisappointmentRegional musicians present a variety of music starting at 7 p.m. at Cape Disappointment State Park.

14Grays Harbor Civic Choir - AberdeenPerforming an afternoon concert on Flag Day, the Grays Harbor Civic Choir members and director Pat Wilhelms have selected

Documents

Washington Coast Magazine, June 02, 2015