My brother, Pete, loves a good party. Especially on May 5th, his birthday. Coincidentally, it’s also the date of the Mexican holiday Cinco De Mayo. Primarily a regional holiday in the Mexican state of Puebla, it celebrates the unlikely 1862 victory of an under-armed Mexican militia of just 4000 troops over a French army that was double its size and vastly more equipped. Significant for the United States, the defeat stopped Napoleon III from supplying arms and money to Confederate rebels engaged in the Civil War against the Union Army. That helped the Union defeat the Confederates in the Battle of Gettysburg.

Worldwide, Cinco De Mayo has become a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride. Beyond the flamenco dancing and mariachi bands, it is a wonderful opportunity to experience local cuisines from different regions of our southern neighbors. Brenda and I have been fortunate enough to have traveled to Mexico several times. Our first trip was to Mazatlan on the Pacific coast. We stayed at the Riviera Beach Resort otherwise known as “Party Central.” An ice-cold bucket of beers (8) was $6. Every other hour was Happy Hour and you got TWO buckets of beer for $6. No extra charge for slices of lime. Having not studied Spanish, we felt that it was of immediate importance to immerse ourselves in the language. Hector Cortez, the head bartender, graciously accepted the role of teacher. The two phrases of greatest significance he taught us were, “Dos cervesas, por favor” (Two beers, please) and “Donde este el bano?” (Where is the bathroom?). A wise man, that Hector.

All joking aside, Brenda and I have found the people we met in Mexico to be warm, gracious, and very giving. Family and friends always seem to be at the core of life there. When a party happens, everyone is invited. Aunts and uncles, matriarchs and patriarchs, siblings, nieces and nephews, etc., etc., etc. People dress up in their Sunday best to pay respect to the family putting on the extravaganza. Food is always the star attraction, shared by one and all. I think one of the reasons that Cinco De Mayo is so popular in the United States is that it affords Mexican immigrants and descendants an opportunity to remember and carry on their family cultural heritage. And lucky for all the rest of us, we can participate too.

Since Napoleon III and future French attempts failed to colonize Mexico and turn the Gulf of Mexico into The New World French Riviera complete with little bistros serving baguettes and lattes, Spanish and Portuguese influences on local cuisine were more predominant. One of these influences was the introduction of limes in the mid 1600s. Limes could be used for many purposes but one of the most significant was the ability to pickle fresh fish and other seafood with their acidic juices. A combination of lime juice and local indigenous ingredients such as chiles, tomatoes and avocado produced the Mexican version of ceviche. Ceviche is a wonderful appetizer served up and down both coasts of Mexico as well as Central and South America. I like to serve it in footed sundae glasses accompanied by tortilla chips. Throw in a few Corona or Dos Equis beers complete with wedges of lime and you will have a great beginning for a Cinco De Mayo party of your own. And don’t forget to invite my brother, Pete.

The daily bread of Mexican cuisine is the tortilla. It has provided sustenance for hundreds of years. Actually, evidence has been produced that a basic version of the tortilla dated back to 10,000 B.C. The versatility of the tortilla is seemingly endless. It is the backbone for tacos, tostadas, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and more. The primary ingredient is corn but in Northern Mexico wheat has been introduced as an alternative ingredient. The age-old dilemma of what to do with leftover bread, in this instance, tortillas, exists in Mexico also. In French cuisine, day-old crusty baguettes are sliced, put in a rich hot sautéed onion beef broth, and covered with gruyere cheese that is then placed under a broiler. French Onion soup becomes a fantastic venue for leftover bread. Lesser known – but equally fantastic – is Mexico’s favorite son, Tortilla Soup. When Brenda and I stayed at the Riviera Beach Resort for the first time, we found it necessary after a couple hours of “Happy Hour” festivities to head over to the resort restaurant, El Ancla. Proper nourishment was in order. Brenda chose soup and salad, her custom request. I opted for chicken fajitas. When our food came, Brenda had a spoonful of her soup and said, “Jim, you have to try this.” I did. I felt I had just grabbed the brass ring on the merry-go-round at the county fair. It was Tortilla Soup and the taste was out of this world. I had to have the recipe. I asked our waiter if I could speak to the chef. “Si, Si.” The head chef, Ignacio, came out. He could speak about as much English as I could speak Spanish. I eventually went out and corralled Hector, who was able to convey my request. A couple of days later, when we went down for breakfast, Ignacio slipped me a piece of paper handwritten in Spanish. The Holy Grail of soup. It took me a couple of years to get it translated correctly but it is certainly worthy to adorn your Cinco De Mayo table.

Hasta la vista! Time for me to round up a few Coronas and a Mariachi band for Pete’s birthday. Anybody know any flamenco dancers? Have a great Cinco De Mayo!

Jim McCaffrey is a chef, author, and co-owner with his family of McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita restaurant and Twin Springs Bakery just outside Decorah.  He is author of a humorous cookbook titled “Midwest Cornfusion”.  He has been in the food industry in one way or another for 40 years.

Seafood Ceviche
8 oz. precooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small red onion, sliced thin 2 ripe avocados
8 oz. bay scallops
2 tsp. Mexican oregano 8 oz. fresh or thawed haddock or cod cut in ½ inch cubes
Salt
Fresh ground black pepper
10-12 limes
Fresh parsley or cilantro sprigs
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
Tortilla chips

In a 9 x 13 non-metallic baking dish, combine seafood, tomatoes and onion. Cover completely with lime juice. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours. Drain. Place in large bowl. Cut avocados in half lengthwise. Twist sides and remove pit. Scoop out avocado meat and dice into ½ inch pieces. Add with oregano to seafood mixture.

Salt and pepper to taste. Plate up, garnish with sprigs and pass the tortilla chips. Serves 6.

Ignacio’s Tortilla Soup
3 T olive oil
32 oz chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
white pepper
1 medium onion, diced fine
1 can evaporated milk
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 lb shredded Chihuahua cheese
1oz.fresh basil, shredded small
1- 28 oz tomato sauce (fresh or canned)
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
24 tortilla chips

Saute garlic and onion until translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, oregano, basil and white pepper to taste. Simmer twenty minutes. Place 3 tortilla chips in the bottom of a soup bowl. Add some milk and cheese. Pour soup over top. Garnish with avocado. Serves 8.

It’s fitting to start the newest section of Inspire(d) with one of the newest restaurants on the “block,” so to speak. Chef Stephen Larson and his wife, Lisa Flicker, opened the doors of QUARTER/quarter Restaurant and Wine Bar in Harmony, Minnesota, in January 2010. Inside you’ll find a décor that’s both comfortable and modern – with a Scandinavian flair, of course – and a menu full of fun, unique, delicious dishes starting with bite-sized appetizers like house-made chorizo meatballs, white bean paté, or fried mozzarella; entrees ranging from Sketty Meatballs or Not Your Mother’s Meatloaf to a New York Strip or Lump Crab Cakes; and desserts like the Lucky Boy Sundae (chocolate cake topped with vanilla gelato, warm peanut butter fudge sauce and chopped peanuts).
The name, QUARTER/quarter, also has historical and playful significance. A quarter/quarter, in rural terms, is 40 acres of land. That size parcel became entrenched in American mythology, commonly referenced in history. “To our ancestors,” the QUARTER/quarter website reads, “40 acres was synonymous with the word opportunity. A quarter/quarter was the opportunity to earn a living, become a productive part of a farming community, and provide for your family.” The playful part? Their address is 25 CENTer Street.

Name: Stephen Larson
Age: 46
Restaurant: QUARTER/quarter Restaurant and Wine Bar
Number of Years Cooking: 30

Formal training or live-and-learn?
Both! I went to St. Paul Technical College (class of ‘84) for my formal training, but going to chef’s school only provides a basic background of culinary training. I started cooking fulltime when I was 16, which allowed me to learn a great deal about professional cooking before I went to culinary school. Then, after formal training, learning on the job is where a chef is exposed to the new ideas and techniques that allow him or her to develop their own cooking style and make the discoveries that shape the direction of their own personal culinary journey.

What’s your earliest or most significant memory of cooking or being cooked for?
As a young child my family was very poor. Consequently there was only one night a week when we could eat all we wanted and that was “Saturday Spaghetti Night.” My father would spend hours making the sauce, then boil the noodles and heat up the garlic bread in the oven (you remember the split loaf that came in the foil bags don’t you?). Then the whole family would sit down together and absolutely pig out. There were rarely any leftovers.

Why did you decide to become a chef?
Three reasons really. On a practical level, my older brother is a chef and it seemed natural to follow in his footsteps. The security of knowing you’ll always have a job and at least one good meal a day offers a very strong appeal. On a psychological level it is a career that creates very strong bonds of camaraderie. The apprenticeship in Minneapolis that I went through when I was 16 was a hard-core physical and emotional nightmare, but I learned and I persevered and I flourished. After that I was one of THEM, I belonged like I had never belonged to any group before; I was accepted. On a spiritual and emotional level, I’ve always enjoyed feeding people. As humans food is our main source of nourishment and I’ve always felt that my food truly nourished the people that ate it. It is extremely gratifying and humbling to have people tell you how wonderful the food is that they just ate.

What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?
Hard question to answer! My current favorite is the Heart of Darkness Chocolate Torte. It’s on our dessert menu right now. It starts with an ultra moist dark chocolate cake that uses beet purée and extra cocoa, then spread a milk chocolate mousse between the layers, then coat the whole thing in a blanket of bittersweet chocolate ganache. Heaven.

Do you have any monumental food fails you’d like to share with us?
Back when I had my cooking school open, I was going to make ladyfingers in order to teach my students how to make a traditional tiramisu dessert. Over two days I must have made a dozen batches of ladyfingers, none of which turned out like I wanted. Ladyfingers are essentially just a sponge cake batter, which isn’t the easiest thing to make, but come on! I was throwing my failures out the front door and discovered a raccoon eating them. I’m sure after the second day of eating “failures” the raccoon ended up in a diabetic coma somewhere. In the end, I just made the batter into a single sponge cake that I then cut into wide strips and the “Tiramisu Torte” was born.

How about secret food indulgences you don’t normally talk about? Will you tell us?
For the record EVERY chef has a secret junk food favorite, any of them that tells you different is lying. For me, Chili Cheese Fritos are the most delicious pure evil you can buy, but like all indulgences, no harm no foul if one indulges only occasionally.

What’s your favorite:
Ingredient – Really good extra virgin olive oil.
Dish – Fish tacos. Blue corn tortillas, fried fresh tilapia, finely shredded cabbage with lime juice and cilantro, green chile mayo. ‘Nuf said! (I am soooo going to put that on the Summer menu) - cookbook – The Art of Cooking Volumes 1&2 by Jacques Pepin.
Random (or not so random) kitchen tool – Shun Japanese 8-inch cooks knife.
Vegetable – The carrot. So versatile, so tasty, so essential.
Fruit – Just picked strawberries warm from the garden sun.

By Maren Stumme-Diers

Can you believe it? 2010 marks the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day! April 22 has been one of my favorite days since I was a little girl so it seems perfect that part of my job as the college’s Assistant Sustainability Coordinator is to help Luther celebrate Earth Day…every day. Here are some things we’ve been doing:

This winter more than 10,000 worms inched their way into seve

n of the college’s student housing locations – and it wasn’t an accident! When students wanted a way to compost fruit and vegetable peelings, and dispose of newspapers and coffee grounds in the residence halls, we responded with a bin and some Redworms. Students are proud to say worms eat their garbage.

Luther plans to cut its carbon footprint 50 percent in the next few years and recently developed an Energy Conservation Program, which sets out the goal of reducing energy consumption 2 percent through behavioral changes and another 3 percent through energy efficiency. And plans are still in the works for a wind turbine!

Starting this fall, 10 students will live together in Luther’s Environmentally, Fiscally and Socially Responsible Edifice (LEFSE) where they will explore community and find ways to live more sustainably. Follow the house on their blog (available Fall 2010).

Nearly 100 percent of beef and pork served on campus is local (thank you Grass Run Farm), and we are working toward a goal of sourcing 35 percent of campus food locally. Plus, this year 110,000 seeds were purchased for use in Luther’s production, heirloom and edible landscaping gardens. Lettuce and tomatoes and basil, oh my!

For more information about Luther’s Sustainability initiatives visit sustainability.luther.edu

So in honor of Earth Day’s 40^th Birthday, here are 40 ways YOU can show a little Earth love too!

1. Bury your car in your backyard (or at least pretend you did).

2. Stick Around! Rather than packing up the car and heading to New York or San Francisco, kick it local. You’ll save money AND have fun. Bike the Elroy-Sparta Trail, canoe the Turkey River or take a trip to Effigy Mounds.

3. Play disc golf. Disc golf courses typically use natural surroundings and obstacles to create fairways and holes, which connects players to the natural environment. As local disc golf guru Dan Bellrichard says, “Playing is like a walk in the park…only so much better!” You can find courses at Luther College, Waukon City Park, Upper Iowa University, Cresco, New Hampton, Hokah, Sparta, La Crosse and Lanesboro.  (For more information visit discgolfdan.com)

4. Check out a new trail. For ideas on where to go, visit exploredecorah.com or read past Inpsire(d) trail reviews in the read: Driftless Trails section.

5. Sign the kids up for Summer Discovery Camps at Luther. Campers will learn about woodland, wetland and prairie ecology, wilderness camping and survival, alternative energy, and more. (environment.luther.edu/discovery)

6. Let the worms eat your garbage. If vermicomposting can be successful in the Luther Residence Halls (yes, it’s true), then it can definitely work in your home, office space or classroom. Worms enjoy a vegan diet and love to crawl around in your shredded up newspaper or confidential documents. If you are a teacher, make a worm bin for your classroom and nominate a student to be the official “wormkeeper.” All you need are worms (can be purchased online at happydranch.com), a Rubbermaid container with holes drilled around the top, newspaper and food scraps. Population will double in three to six months, so you will get to share the worm love with favorite friends and colleagues. For an entertaining video on Luther’s vermicomposting initiative, visit luther.edu/sustainability. Reducing waste has never been so fun.

7. Throw your television out the window (or pretend you did) and spend time reading, writing, drawing, telling stories making music or (insert favorite activity here).

8. Pick up a copy of the “Better World Handbook” co-authored by Luther College Environmental Sociology Professor Brett Johnson. In this easy-to-use book you will find tips on responsible shopping and investing, as well as resources that will help you make the world, fittingly, a better place. Find copies in the Luther bookstore or online at betterworldhandbook.com.

9. Use your dollars as votes for a better world. Explore opportunities for socially and environmentally responsible investing, support entrepreneurs in developing countries by providing microloans through organizations like KIVA (kiva.org) and pay attention to the practices, people and businesses you are supporting when you spend your money.

10. Live like we’re in an “ession” (depr- or rec-…you choose). Er…wait…that’s now.

11. Pay your bills online. If every house in the United States did this we would save 18 million trees every year

12. Buy used. You will be amazed at what you can find at places like the Depot, Goodwill, DecorahNow.com, Rien de Nouveau and Toys Go Round and more. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming months on Luther’s reuse store, which will be housed in our iconic red barn and check out the Second Hand Shopping story in this Inspire(d).

13. Ask your utilities providers for an energy audit. You may be surprised at the rebates and incentives available for making your home more energy efficient.

14. Switch out incandescent light bulbs for their more energy efficient counterpart: the compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL). This small, inexpensive action can have quite an impact on your electricity bill.

15. Wash your laundry in cold water and ditch the dryer – use a clothesline or drying rack.

16. Replace your showerhead with a low flow model.  Or…shower with a buddy (it’s more fun and it saves H20)!

17. If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down. If it’s green…you may be taking this whole “loving the earth” thing a little too far.

18. Un-load (the “phantom load,” that is). Did you know that cell phone and computer chargers always use energy when plugged into the wall – even if nothing is attached to them? To save energy unplug chargers when not in use.

19. Switch to cloth napkins.

20. Conduct a waste audit of your home/office/classroom/church. If recyclables are ending up in the trash, perhaps you need a more convenient recycling system. If compostables are in the trash, it sounds like you may just need a worm bin (see a theme here?). If there are large quantities of items that can’t be recycled, composted, or reused in your trash, you may need to reevaluate what you are purchasing. Seek out products with less associated waste or talk to companies and let them know that you want less packaging. They will listen.

21. Visit Terry at the Winneshiek County Recycling Center (or at least become a friend of the Winneshiek County Recycling Center on Facebook). His passion for recycling is contagious and I assure you that he will be able to answer any questions you have about recycling in this area.

22. Slow down! Don’t drive so fast.

23. Help to eradicate invasive species like Garlic Mustard and Buckthorn!
Garlic Mustard: This invasive species crowds out woodland plants, prevents tree seedlings from growing, and can spread at a prodigious rate. Learn how to identify and weed this destructive plant at two April events in Decorah.
When: April 10 and 17 from 9 am to 12 pm
Where: Palisades Park in Decorah. Meet at the far end of the gravel road along the river
Bring gloves, hoes and hand trowels if you have them.
Buckthorn: Join us for the first “Buckthorn Blitz” of 2010, scheduled for late April/early May. Contact Eric Baack baacer01@luther.edu for more details.

24. While doing small things, think big. Think about redesigning cities, restructuring the economy and reconnecting humanity with the natural world.

25. Help kick off Sustainable Decorah! Join us in the Luther College Baker Commons on Thursday, April 15 from 6 to 8 pm to share your priorities for the Sustainable Decorah Plan. The city’s sustainability plan will identify strategic short and long term goals to create a community that is economically, environmentally and socially sustainable. For updates, join the online network at www.sustainabledecorah.ning.com. RSVP for this event by April 14.

26. Green your church. Find out how at Luther’s 2nd Annual “Greening of the Church Workshop,” April 17 from 9 am to 3 pm in Luther’s Baker Commons. $25 will cover the cost of a locally grown lunch and materials. Pre-registration is required. Contact Connie Barclay at barcco01@luther.edu or 387-1727 for more information or to sign up.

27. Expand your knowledge of gardening by attending Seed Savers Garden Workshops
April 24: Preparing your soil and mulching
May 15: Planting your kitchen garden.
Classes run from 9 am to 12 pm and cost $10/session/person ($8 for Seed Savers members). (www.seedsavers.org)

28. Plant a Garden! This could be as simple as a container garden on your patio. Or if you just want to take a field trip, come visit the Luther Gardens (I may even give you a personal tour). While in Decorah you should also visit the Winneshiek Medical Center’s garden, which will double in size this year.

29. Collect rainwater and use it in those gardens.

30. Head to Lanesboro for the Root River Valley Earth Day Celebration, April 24 from 10 am to 2 pm at Sylvan Park. This free, fun event features kids activities, informational booths, farmers market, plant sale, and more!

31. Join the Luther College Environmental Concerns Organization for an Earth Day Celebration Saturday, April 24 from 11am to 2 pm on Luther’s library lawn. You won’t want to miss the delicious “zero waste” lunch and live, local music.

32. Eat your Earth Day Dinner on the Bluff. April 24, 5:30 pm at Eagle Bluff. Area Fisheries Manager Steve Klotz will speak about some of the best trout fishing in SE Minnesota. Gourmet dinner of locally grown foods to follow at 6:45. Cost is $20 and reservations are required.

33. Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. (Thanks, Michael Pollan). And when you aren’t in the mood to eat mostly plants, be sure to support local meat producers.

34. Visit your local farmers market to meet the faces behind your food. Decorah Farmers Market opens on Saturday, May 1 and runs through October. The market is open on Wednesday from 3-6 pm and Saturdays from 8-11 am. Goodbye snow, hello fresh veggies! Or find a market near you at www.localharvest.org.

35. Give your palate many reasons to celebrate the seasons. I recommend picking up two cookbooks:
-From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-Fresh Seasonal Produce by the Madison Area Community Support Agriculture Coalition. Recipes are presented according to ingredient.
-Simply In Season not only provides delicious recipes, but also explores how the food we put on our tables affects our global and local neighbors.
**Once you find your favorite recipes, host a local foods potluck or dinner party.

36. Get locally buzzed. Forget about Belgian beer, Argentine wine and Irish whiskey. Visit Toppling Goliath, the new microbrewery in Decorah, and taste what they have brewing (I love the Naughty 90). Winneshiek Wildberry Winery is located outside of Decorah and offers a wide variety of local wines. A newfound personal favorite is Templeton Rye, which is delicious whiskey that is produced in Iowa.

37. Check out the Seed Savers Bird and Wildflower Walk Saturday, May 1. Walks begin at 8 am and run every half hour until 11 am. Bonus: a pancake breakfast with local maple syrup  – $5/person.

38. Mark your calendar: July 24-25, the 7th Annual Kickapoo Country Fair. Food, music, bike and farm tours, cooking demonstrations, theater, kids’ activities, dancing, author readings, and speakers. Held at the Organic Valley Headquarters in LaFarge, Wisconsin, this is the Midwest’s Largest Organic and Sustainable Foods Festival. www.organicvalley.coop/kickapoo

39. And again: In big, bold, green letters write, “Put the ECO in d-ECO-rah” across August 20-22. You won’t want to accidentally miss off the grid home and sustainable farm tours, local food samplings and the opportunity to be greenly inspire(d) at the 2nd annual Dig-IN (Decorah Iowa Green Initiative).

40. And don’t miss the Earth Day Benefit, Earth Day Benefit Concert, Sunday April 18 at 3pm at First United Methodist Church, 302 W. Broadway, De4corah.  There will be music, poetry and dance from around the world.  Donation at the door.

When she’s not busy finding ways for Luther to love the Earth, Maren enjoys cooking, yoga, and moonlit morel hunts and welcomes any outdoor adventure that comes her way.

By Aryn Henning Nichols

Decorah artist John Kjome is a patient man, that’s for sure. He thinks, plans, and meticulously strategizes his next move – both in life and art. Probably checkers too.

Maybe that’s why, after more than four decades creating in one form or another, John is coming back to his artist roots and joining for the first time in studio tours like April’s Bluff Country Studio Art Tour. One thing’s for sure: John has learned in life that no matter what, there’s always a process.

Walking into the Kjome household, you are immediately greeted by art – actually, you’re first greeted by the family dog, Vonnegut, but then it’s art. Limestone countertops, custom cabinets – even the stair risers are things of limestone and geode-marked beauty. In the basement walkout studio, John has, of course, planned every piece of furniture. Heavy things are on castors and most are multipurpose – first it’s a pottery wheel, then it’s a table. The space is efficiently used, to say the least. Their two cats – Seba and Jazz – lounge lazily, one inside a box, the other with a paw hanging over the edge of a shelf, right next to tile cutters and art supplies. For the past 30 years, John, along with his whole family – wife Gail and children Eric, Randi, Jordan and Kaija – have worked together to build a magical, inspiring home where they can comfortably create.

“When we bought it back in 1980, it was the first house sold in Decorah that year – and that was June. Times were tough. It was only this small area then,” John says, gesturing to the front of the house. “But we were happy to have a home.” They’ve since added countless upgrades, stunning improvements, and an addition, part of which houses the art studio. It’s only fitting that a house full of artists would live in a house of art. But if John hadn’t explored his creative side on a whim at the University of Northern Iowa, his life may not have directed him here.

“I had a friend who was taking some classes in the art department and I thought what they were doing was pretty cool. I went to check out it out and I was hooked,” John says. “I took everything from jewelry-making to printmaking. I realized how interesting the processes were – that was really the magic behind it all.”

But it was the 60s, and there was a war going on. John signed up for the Navy. After four years and almost arriving in Viet Nam twice, he decided to go back to school. San Diego State University continued to foster John’s artistic side, and in 1971, he met Gail.

“She lived upstairs and I lived downstairs,” he says. “I sliced up peaches and honey and offered to share. We have been sharing ever since.”

Things were good in California, but when his brother called with the suggestion, “We should build Norwegian looms,” John said, “Okay!”

“I think that was always the plan: to get me back here,” he says. “When I got here, my brother was in Norway. He said, ‘Well, since you’re there, why don’t you enroll at Luther?’”

So he did. That’s when John met famed Northeast Iowa potter and teacher Dean Schwartz.

“I wanted to take the advanced class because I thought I had soooo much experience at San Diego State. But he insisted I start at the beginning,” John says. “Within two hours, I understood. It was the process. It wasn’t, ‘Here’s a pottery wheel; here’s some clay.’ It was about acquiring skills. Master one and move on to the next.”

John loved Schwartz’s teaching so much that he decided to work with him at South Bear that summer as well, taking classes and learning. After, he headed back to San Diego State to finish his BA.

“By that time I realized – I guess we weren’t making looms,” he says.

The semester and summer with Schwartz fueled a fire, so to speak, within John. It also afforded him some good connections. After graduation, he spent two summers working with a colleague of Schwartz’s. Yet another famed potter: Marguerite Wildenhain. Countless hours, days, and nights were spent at Pond Farm, the remote mountaintop home and studio near Guerneville in Northern California. Despite that, John came out of it with only two pots. “And even those I had to sneak out!” It was more about the processes, the learning, than it was about producing.

“It was just a wonderful experience,” he says. “Every moment of it, you just relished.”

So much so that he and Gail, along with their son Eric, wanted to stay Northern California. But at that time, there was literally nowhere to stay; people were living under bridges, waiting for houses and apartments to become available. A flipped a coin directed the Kjomes to Texas, where Gail had relatives. It was there that John learned about carpentry and building houses, which eventually led to his tile work and what he’s well known for: building bathrooms from scratch.

Fate eventually brought the Kjomes back to Decorah. And for John, back to art. In his current projects, John recycles old metal tires. He turns them into tables, making a custom base then tiling the tops. Every piece is unique – different numbers of spokes lead to different kinds of tables, sizes vary greatly, and each tells a story of the past.

“These wheels have a history. I really appreciate the aspect of storytelling,” he says. “It’s not just something I go down to the lumberyard and buy, and that’s fun!”

John is happy to do projects that don’t require hours of time on his hands and knees; tile work is grueling. He hopes to be working on more pots soon as well. The furniture and furnishings seem to be a natural next step for the process that is John’s life.

“I’ve built theses places,” he says with a smile. “Now I want to furnish them.”

John and some of his work will be at the Lanesboro Community Center during the 10^th annual Bluff Country Studio Art Tour. The tour runs from April 23 through 25 from 10 am to 5 pm. Maps and more information on artists on the tour can be found at
www. bluffcountrystudioarttour.com.

Aryn Henning Nichols also enjoys the processes of things. She wishes she could be a little more patient though. She thinks John’s tables are amazing.

Sleuthing, antiquing, thrifting – it has many names. It’s been trendy, it’s been frugal, and it’s been just good sense. Why wouldn’t you reuse a perfectly good piece of clothing, furniture, household item, accessory, lawn tool…? You get the idea.

Second hand shopping has been a favorite activity of mine for years. I love the thrill of the hunt. Sure, it takes a little longer and you might have to sift through mountains of bad lime green sweaters and dented bunt pans, but when you find IT, that one thing you really NEEDED (of course), AND you got it for a great deal, it’s so worth it.

But wait! (Cue infomercial voice.) It gets better!

Second hand shopping is – gasp – a form of recycling. So it’s good for the environment (happy birthday, Earth Day), and it’s also often good for your community. When you donate or consign items, you’re not only saving things from the landfill, but it allows someone to get something they might not normally be able to afford. Plus – many second hand stores, like Goodwill, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, or locally The Depot Outlet, donate proceeds from their sales to good causes and programs within your communities and states.

So for this Inspire(d), we hunted down a few favorite and a few new (or new to us) second hand stores in the Driftless Region. Next time you’re in town, check ‘em out. And if you know of any great ones we missed, let us know. For future stories. Of course…

Decorah, Iowa

Rien de Nouveau (that’s French for ‘Nothing is New’ – fancy, huh?)
411 West Water Street
www.fancypantsonwater.com (or find Rien de Nouveau on Facebook)

“We thought – if you can’t beat the economy, join it!” say owners Deb Paulson and Sharon Huber. They’ve taken on an expansion of Fancy Pants, their boutique-style clothing and “awesome crap” shop in Downtown Decorah. Fancy Pant’s little sister, Rien de Nouveau, still focuses on top-quality fashion, but of the consignment kind – shoes, clothing, accessories and more for both women and men. They’ve only been open a short while, but they’ve already had items that were worn by Meredith Vieria from the Today Show and Katie Couric, labels like Marc Jacobs and Yves Saint Laurent, and things ranging from wedding and prom dresses to a parking meter lamp. These ladies are fun and so is their store.

The Depot Outlet
105 Railroad Avenue
depotoutlet.org

The Depot Outlet began in 1973 by a bunch of church ladies in the old train depot (hence the name). After two different locations, change and growth, and 37 years, the Depot is still going strong. The large store is filled with clothing and shoes (women, men, kids ranging from just $.75 to $2), household decorations and items, occasional furniture, books and more. And they put out new items twice a day! Director Stacy Merrill says they’ve received everything from motorcycles to stereos to diamond rings. “We have the most generous community,” Merrill says. In response to that generosity, the Depot grants funding to community organizations that might need a little help. Last year they donated $66,000 to a huge variety of great groups in Winneshiek County (funding applications can be found online). “The Depot is such a great place with such a great cause,” Merrill says. We agree!

Some others in Decorah:
Goodwill, 915 Short Street, Centrum Plaza
Yesterday and Todays, 109 West Water Street
Trolls’ Treasures, 107 West Water Street

Rochester, Minnesota

Kismet
600 Block, North Broadway, Rochester, Minnesota
kismetconsignment.blogspot.com

Spanning an entire city block in Rochester, the brightly colored Kismet Shops are hard to miss. Part fashion, part furniture, part antiques – the consignment stores are full of great pieces styled in fun vignettes throughout the sprawling stores. Inventory changes weekly and new items arrive daily for both furniture and clothing. Owner Penny Braken is friendly and helpful and shoppers happily flow amongst the fun finds. We loved the variety of furniture there – from Mission-style tables to old-fashioned vanities – and the tin ceilings above the great selection of women’s clothing.

Refashion
321 South Broadway
www.refashion.org

Refashion has been on the second hand store scene for nearly 15 years. Sisters Kristie Moore and Cindy Hughes opened the store originally as a clothing consignment shop, then segued into including a furniture side of the business, and have expanded to occupy one large 5300 square foot – as they say – “superstore.” The store is cute – exposed brick wall, great window displays and lots of clothing consigned by more than 50 area women (sorry guys). And owners Kristie and Cindy have been featured twice on HGTV’s Decorating Cents!

Some others in Rochester:
The Salvation Army, 201 9^th St. SE
Savers, 1201 South Broadway
All in Vogue, 32 17^th Avenue NW

La Crosse, Wisconsin

Vintage Vogue
115 Fifth Avenue South

This place is aptly named. If you love to dress in period clothing, Vintage Vogue is the store for you. Everything is organized by decade. It’s the perfect place to find a costume for Halloween or that truly “vintage” item to add to your wardrobe. The store is full of hats, shoes, dresses, coats, accessories – even wigs (!) – for both men and women, and is located just off the main drag in downtown La Crosse.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore
434 Third Street South ?(between King & Cass Streets)
www.habitatlacrosse.org/restore

A store after my own heart, Habitat ReStore in La Crosse is full of all things house!
According to their website, the mission of the ReStore is: to raise money for the building of Habitat houses, to sell usable merchandise at reasonable prices, to recycle building materials, keeping them out of our landfills and in circulation where they can benefit the La Crosse area, and to promote awareness of Habitat for Humanity-La Crosse Area and it’s goal of eliminating poverty housing in the La Crosse area. The have rows and rows of doors, trim, fans, vanities, light fixtures, flooring, countertops and more! Bring a vehicle with cargo space, ‘cause you very well might need it.

Some others in La Crosse:
The Second Showing, 1400 W. Ave S.
Elite Repeat, 1601 Jackson Street
Treasures on Main, 722 Main

Aryn Henning Nichols likes to look around her house and see how many things are second hand. She prides herself on her frugal manner.

By Sam Wiles

When people commonly think “Iowa,” they think corn, farms and uninterrupted flat land. Maybe even the well-known statewide road ride, Ragbrai. But mountain biking? Come on.

We’ll tell you a secret though. There’s a unique spot in the Midwest called the Driftless Region, and for mountain biking, it’s ideal. Fast rising bluffs and thick wooded areas provide a place for trails that challenge even the most expert of mountain bikers, and the flowing rivers and streams provide the perfect backdrop for a great ride.

Mountain biking began in a more conventional location: California. During the 1970s mountain biking founding fathers such as Joe Breeze, Gary Fisher, Charlie Kelly, Charlie Cunningham, Keith Bontrager, and Tom Ritchey converted cruisers and balloon-tire bicycles into human-powered machines that could traverse all sorts of terrain. Mount Tamalpais, better known as Mt. Tam, is where they conducted their experimental downhill riding. They would have the bike delivered to top of the mountain, then would race to the bottom.

Things have evolved a fair amount since then, and the trend has spread. It took awhile for it to trickle in from the coasts though, let alone to the Midwest. Yet somehow, tiny Decorah in Northeast Iowa was at the head of the pack, even though not everyone around “got it.”

“I had literally one of the first mountain bikes in the state of Iowa,” says Richard ‘Deke’ Gosen, owner of Oneota River Cycles bike shop in Decorah. “There was a misconception among not only city officials but people who owned them at first. Remember those mountain dew commercials where those guys were ‘doing the dew’ and tearing everything up? People in the community thought that’s what we were doing.”

So mountain biking was banned from the Decorah parks system. Many people thought it meant motorized dirt bikes producing air and noise pollution. When the ban was lifted in 1990, it was for the first Decorah Time Trials, and riders could only ride within a three-day span, one day on either side of the Time Trials race day. Gradually local mountain biking enthusiasts began to earn the trust of the community, and in 1993 the ban was lifted and preliminary construction on the singletrack trails began.

“[That year] it became okay to bike on the Decorah trails. It taught us something: that we had to become valuable enough to the community. We have done that through a lot of activities, starting with building the trails and promoting mountain biking,” says Gosen.

The pioneering race was the first and is now the longest-running in the state of Iowa. This year marks the 20^th anniversary, and fittingly, 2010’s time trials will be featured in the Iowa Mountain Bike Racing Series for the first time, helping to put Decorah on the map for more mountain bikers and leading to wider publicity in general for the race.

The annual race is grueling one, winding through Decorah’s challenging singletrack. Racers do the route in laps, and how many laps depends on the biker’s skill level. It’s different from other mountain biking races because rather than starting in a pack (which would be impossible on the narrow trails) racers are released in intervals, the timer being the only gauge on the competition. Finally, the route is kept a secret until the day of the race.

“There’s a lot of speculation, and that’s part of the fun,” says Gosen, who picks the course each year.

And to make things even more unpredictable, Time Trials happen rain or shine. Historically, it’s been the former.

“The weather has always been bad. I’d be hard pressed to remember when the weather wasn’t terrible,” says Gosen. “But we ride no matter what.”

The trails are muddy this time of year, making the ride more difficult yet. Tires can get stuck in thick, black mud bogs or slide off of what’s already often tricky terrain.

Decorah mountain biking has truly come a long way in the past two decades. In the spring of 2003 – with the help of Gosen and fellow mountain bikers Jesse Reyerson, Jeff O’Gara, Ben Shockey, and a handful of others, Decorah Human Powered Trails (DHPT) was formed. Now a division of the Decorah Parks’ system, DHPT has built and continues to maintain over 17 miles of trails in the Van Peenen, Palisades, Ice Cave and Dunning’s Spring park systems.

“It came out of the need to consolidate a variety of user groups that were all involved with (off-road) trail development, and that included runners, walkers, and hikers. We were all kind of working together but not organized, and by all moving together and working on the same projects, it also gave us a little credibility with the community and the city,” says Gosen.

And no one in Decorah confuses dirt bikes with mountain bikes any more.

“I’ve heard a lot of people talk about how special Decorah is, but I think there are a lot of special people who live in Decorah,” says Jesse Reyerson, DHPT president. “It is probably pretty rare to have a town of 8,000 people support two bike shops anywhere else in the state.”

But even so, Decorah isn’t plastered all over MountainBike.com or Cycling Magazine. In spite of 500 acres of park and more than 17 miles of off-road trails, it isn’t rated as one of the 100 best cities for mountain biking by cycling site Singletrack.com.

That might be the best part.

“You can do any kind of cycling you want. It’s not just a road cycling community; it’s not just a mountain biking community. And it’s fantastic mountain biking that no one seems to know about so there’s virtually no traffic,” says Travis Greentree, owner of Decorah Bicycles – the second of the two bike shops in Decorah. “Five minutes away from town you can completely get away. Plus there’s enough mileage out there to keep finding new things to do, new places to ride, new obstacles.”

But don’t think any obstacle on the trail was a lack in maintenance. It is most likely there for a reason.

“If a log falls in the path, we just leave it. It makes for a new challenge,” said Decorah biker Ben Shockey. The challenge is all part of the enjoyment for mountain bikers. They revel in constant tests of unexplored terrain and natural surprises.

“There’s also not a one way direction on any trail so you can ride them any way you want. They’re so intertwined out there; you could never ride the same one twice and never run into the same person,” says Greentree.

This labyrinth of twists requires a means of navigation for the newcomer (and sometimes even the frequent rider). Gosen is at the helm of the DHPT team that helps map Decorah’s mountain bike trails. He had used aerial photography in the past and gradually segued to more sophisticated GPS systems to make particularly detailed sets of maps. He has also been behind a move to give up paper maps, as new trails are created often. The e-maps are available online at www.ExploreDecorah.com.

“Our maps are useful for trail users but we’ve also helped the city define their borders, with planning bike routes and community centers. Plus our races and non-competitive events bring in thousands of people every year. We’ve given away 5500 trail maps. Someone is clearly using them,” Gosen says.

And some of those people are also clearly not from around here. The fact that biking draws tourists is no secret. Decorah plays host to not only Time Trials annually, but also The Summer Sizzler, The Night Shift Night Race, and summer mountain bike festivals such as Big Wheel Ballyhoo and The Dirt Burger.

Locally it has garnered some great traditions too. Several area mountain bikers partake in Tuesday’s ‘Night Rides.’ Each ride lasts for an hour and a half, and allows for mountain bikers to get some time on the trails in the midst of busy schedules.

“Night riding is a lot of fun and a different kind of ride than hitting the trails during the day time,” Ryerson says. “It is easier to focus on exactly where you are placing your front wheel, because it is about the only thing you can see.”

The members of DHPT always emphasize that the mountain biking community is a social one. Each Tuesday night ride ends in a celebratory beer. The Spring Time Trials end in an award ceremony at T-Bock’s Bar and Grill on Water St.

“The social aspect of each race is awesome,” says Decorah biker Ben Shockey. “We’re pretty tightly knit. You get to know a lot of the same people.”

Shockey has organized the most physically demanding of cycling experiences, ‘Spring Training in Decorah.’ The event consists of a two-day ride throughout gravel and off-road trails of Northeast Iowa. This year from March 11 to March 13, Shockey and four others rode 203 miles in 48 hours, with 18 hours of actual ride time – a grueling stretch by any measure, especially over rough terrain. The group suffered through cramping, back spasms, and dehydration, all common with this type of endurance riding.

Shockey documents the event on his blog, SpringTraininginDecorah.blogspot.com with photos and daily updates during the ride. He is one of many in the biking community to utilize the online medium to talk about biking. Reyerson operates BikeDecorah.com, a sight with links to other biking sites, biking blogs, and maps of area trails. The BikeDecorah blog, operated by a number of local mountain bike enthusiasts, including Reyerson and Shockey, documents the activities of DHPT. The viral aspect of DHPT also helps connect the group to other parts of the Driftless Region – Northeast Iowa, Southwest Wisconsin and Southeast Minnesota – that is primed for biking.

Marty Larson operates The Prairie Peddler blog that highlights trails in Southwest Wisconsin.

“From a purely physical perspective, the terrain in the Driftless Region is fantastic for riding. Frequent scenic vistas, tough rock sections, smooth flowy tracks. We’ve got it all here,” says long-time biker Larson. “I’ve long maintained that the riding – both road and mountain – we have here in [our region] is some of the best in the country.”

This is what inspired Larson to open up the only bike shop in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin.

“My wife and I decided to start The Prairie Peddler in 2008 when we realized that Prairie du Chien was perfectly poised for a bike shop,” Larson says. “There were no shops for a 50-mile radius, and we had seen plenty of people riding around town. Where did they go for repairs? We knew we had a pretty good, captive market to work with, and with a bit of massaging, it could be a great market, the riding here is just fantastic!”

Whether they consider it a sport, an activity or a pastime, for many, biking is more than pedals and handlebars and helmets. It’s about personal challenges, physical wellbeing and communal existence. It’s much more to people like Marty Larson.

“For me, cycling makes LIFE enjoyable. It gives me purpose; it drives me to be better at everything I do, from fatherhood, to being a better husband,” he says. “I want to improve cycling opportunities for everyone around so they can maybe get that feeling that I do. That euphoric joy of being in the moment on the bike.”

Sam Wiles had a great time talking to the bikers of Decorah and the region, and even did some firsthand research on his own bike. He’s thinking his next article will be titled, ‘The Joys of Gold-Bond Medicated Powder.’

Get on the Trail!

In Decorah:  Over 17 miles of single track trails! Beginner/Intermediate: River Trail & Twin Springs. Intermediate/Advanced: Van Peenan,  Ice Cave, Palisades. There are also endless miles of gravel roads to ride in the region, and some nice mid-distance rides to scenic destinations & watering holes including Bluffton, Ridgeway, Sattre, etc. Organized rides most Tuesday evenings for those with some experience, call Oneota River Cycles for more information. Beginners & beyond ride meets every Sunday afternoon at Decorah Bicycles (next to the Whippy Dip!).
www.bikedecorah.com, http://decorahbicycles.com/, http://www.exploredecorah.com/

In Prairie du Chien: La Riviere Park has roughly 8 miles of trail. Difficulty varies from wide, grassy trails that flow around the south edge of the park to horse and hiking singletrack. Some good climbs, sandy sections, and rocky areas. http://theprairiepeddler.blogspot.com/
Pikes Peak State Park above Mc Gregor has a single trail there from the lower upper parking lot down to Point Anne and down to the lower parking lot. Not terribly lengthy, but a scenic ride, especially in the spring.

Harpers Ferry: 8000 acres of the Yellow River State Forest. 20+ miles of trails with lots of ‘double track’. Lots of climbs and beautiful views.

Wyalusing State Park just to the south of Prairie du Chien has beginner trails. New intermediate trails being built this summer on Maple Ridge.

La Crosse: Lots of great single track and well built trails. Check out www.humanpoweredtrails.com!
Iowa City: Sugar Bottom, more info at www.icorrmtb.org

By Aryn Henning Nichols

Halfway across the world, in a land full of colors, ancient traditions, and life oh-so-different from the Midwest – America, for that matter – a 9-year-old Anoushka Shankar began to play an instrument that would shape her life. The sitar – a plucked string Indian instrument with a long hollow neck – was miniature and specially made for young Shankar. And although it was her first time really playing, the music, it seemed, had always simply BEEN there.

“I was going to concerts from when I was a baby so it’s just kind of an intrinsic part of all my memories,” she writes via email from Australia.

Now 28 years old, Shankar travels extensively around the world with her work.“Right now I’m sitting in a gorgeous outdoor atrium looking at the Sydney Opera House,” she writes via email. “Currently, life is sweet.”
The beautiful musician grew up surrounded by creativity: daughter of the legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar, she couldn’t ask for a better sitar teacher; she also has a musician mother; and many relatives involved in the arts in some way or another. And perhaps most recognizable in the Western world, Shankar’s half sister is that popular jazz singer Norah Jones.

“It’s great being in a really artistic family,” she says. “It creates an atmosphere to learn and soak up art and culture in. It’s not hard to be an individual because we all support each other in our individual feelings and pursuits.”

Those pursuits have led to five albums, a book, acting roles, and experience composing, arranging, and producing music. Shankar debuted in concert and on one of her father’s albums at just 13, and the rate in which her career has advanced since then is amazing, and to Shankar, occasionally a lot to take in. But through high times and low, she still believes her chosen path was the right one. She wasn’t defined by her artistic family, and she always knew had a choice, no matter how genetically predisposed to music she may have seemed.

“Sometimes it was overwhelming, and yes, sometimes I did have thoughts about alternate careers, but I also loved what I was doing and the instrument I was playing,” she says. “So it was more a question of continuing to further my career. I knew I was never entering a lifetime contract, so I knew I could do what I wanted to do, but it was an amazing experience to be able to learn, perform, and travel in the environment that I did.”
Wearing the many hats she does also helps make thing interesting.

“I love keeping my life diverse,” she says. “I honestly have no idea how to live any other way. I grew up between three continents and have always toured and have different inspirations. It’s beneficial to me to have fresh inspiration and new experiences.”

This helps Shankar branch out musically as well. The phrase “World Music” is used to define her genre, but it’s a pretty broad term. Shankar likes to fuse different types of music together to produce something sometimes unexpected.

“As someone that listens to all kinds of music from around the world, I’ve always loved hearing music that can interpret cultures in a fresh and interesting way,” she says. “So that’s something that I have loved to experiment with since I started composing. It’s not just about the sitar for me, though of course that’s the instrument that I’m most comfortable expressing myself with. But I do think it’s a very versatile instrument while still being distinct, which can be extraordinarily effective and fresh when heard out of context.”
And Shankar isn’t willing to put boundaries on the direction or genre her music may tackle in the future. “I’ve learned never to say never,” she says. “I think it’s important to be open.”

Her upcoming Decorah performance, “Sudakshini, a musical journey from North to South India by the Anoushka Shankar Project,” will feature Shankar on sitar in addition to a touring group of four musicians joining her: Tanmoy Bose – tabla, Ravichandra Kulur – flute and kanjira, Pirashanna Thevarajah – mridangam and Nick Able – tanpura. Shankar elaborates a bit more on what the show will actually be like:
“There are two forms of Indian Classical music, the Hindustani style of the north, to which the sitar and tablas belong, and the Carnatic system of the south. Normally I would explain that we will be playing North Indian music but this tour is unusual because we’re using this opportunity to explore the connections between the two and performing pieces from the South Indian tradition, that one wouldn’t normally hear on the sitar or the tablas. I’m touring with two South Indian musicians who play flute and percussion and we all have such great chemistry on stage together, so the show itself will be a new and different experience for the audience and myself.”

Anoushka Shankar will perform as part of the Center Stage Series at Luther College Saturday, April 10, 7:30 pm in the Center for Faith and Life on the Luther campus.
Tickets are on sale at the Luther College Box Office, (563) 387-1357, open 9-10:30 a.m. and 11a.m.-3 p.m. on weekdays with extended hours on Thursdays until 7 pm. Tickets may also be purchased online at boxoffice.luther.edu.
Tickets are $23, $21 for seniors age 65 and over, and $15 for youth ages 4-18.

Aryn Henning Nichols very much enjoys the sound of the sitar and the thought of India. She looks forward to Anoushka Shankar’s concert – and so should you!

By Aryn Henning Nichols

We Midwesterners are a hearty lot, but when you live in a place that has winter for nearly half the year, it’s easy to go a little stir crazy. Somehow these last two months stretch out like warm Laffy Taffy on a hot summer day. Wait. Sorry. I’m wishfully mixing my seasonal similes.

The point is, when it seems like the cold, snow, and ice will never end, people are desperately searching for something fun to do. Many lucky folks head south to an exotic locale with palm trees and temperatures above 30, but we’ve got something a little closer and a little nicer on the pocketbook in mind: Decorah.
It’s no secret that we’re inspire(d) by our hometown; we loooove Decorah. With all our great hotels, cuisine, concerts and productions, museums, recreation and activities, we think you will too. So whether you live an hour away or just two blocks, we wanted to share our ideas on how to “getaway” for some late-winter fun and to fall in love with Decorah for the first time or all over again.

Looking to book a romantic weekend as a Valentine’s Day gift? Do you say “weather be damned” and want to get outside for some active fun? Maybe you’re hoping to shop, relax, and hang out with friends. We’ve put together a list of must-do activities for a variety of travelers – mix and match or do ‘em all, and most importantly, enjoy yourself.

Read on to get the inside scoop on how to fly the late winter coop.

Romancing the (Lime)Stone
Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries – there are lots of romantic excuses to come to Decorah, but you don’t really even need a holiday to enjoy your time here.

1. Head downtown to Magpie Coffeehouse, 118 Winnebago, and try some local, award-winning Kickapoo Coffee and delicious “Little Maggies” They’re like mini quiche cupcakes, and oh, so yummy. Dine in and read the latest Inspire(d) and play a round of Scrabble. Or take it to go and leisurely enjoy your hotel room while you get ready for your day.
2. Hold hands and take a romantic walk up Broadway Street through the Historic District or walk down Water Street, stopping in at the many great shops. On the west end of town, go to the Decorah Hatchery to buy his and hers Quality Chick t-shirts (For him: “I love Quality Chicks.” For her: “I’m a Quality Chick.”). On the east end pop into Agora Arts to check out regional artists’ wares or pick out a print by StoryPeople, the quirky, world-renowned artwork full of poignant and often funny messages. FYI: StoryPeople is headquartered right here in Decorah!
3. Take the short drive north of town to Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, 1966 337th Street, to check out their 140-year-old family farm and try some of their tasty local wines – favorite quirky wine names: “Horny Heifer” and “How Ole Made Lena Blush.” The winery is open Wednesday through Sunday. www.wwwinery.com

Decorah Explora’
Do you like to get a little fresh air while you’re on vacation, even if it is a little cold outside? Get your gear on, ‘cause there’s outdoor fun to be had.

1. Decorah is known for its great mountain bike trails and the paved and newly extended Trout Run Trail – but perhaps you didn’t know many of those trails are groomed in the winter for cross country skiing. And of course, if there’s snow somewhere, you can snowshoe there.
Groomed trails and difficulty levels:
Dug Road, from the campground end of the trail all the way to the Decorah Trout Hatchery and beyond. (Beginner)
Palisades Park, complete loop (Moderate)
Van Peenan Park (Moderate to Advanced)
City Prairie behind Aase Haugen Home (Beginner)
Luther College cross country course and large lower practice field (Moderate)
Need the equipment and maps? Decorah Bicycles, 101 College Drive, rents skis and snowshoes for just $10/day and they’re full of helpful information.
2. Are trails not your bag? There are few winter activities sweeter or more enjoyable than ice skating. Head across the Upper Iowa River on College Drive to the Carl Selland Wayside Park. Decorah Bicycles rents ice skates for just $5 a day.
3. Disc golf has grown in popularity in Decorah, largely through Decorah resident Dan Bellrichard, founder of discgolfdan.com. The course at Luther College has nine holes that wind over the hills and through the woods (but not to grandmother’s house). The baskets are up year-round and the course is open to the public. At Bob’s Standard Gas Station, 208 College Drive, you can rent up to six discs for just $5/day. You can even play at night with an LED light, also available at Bob’s Standard. Visit www.discgolfdan.com for more information.

Live Culture is Good for You
Decorah, like yogurt, is full of good culture, but more the museums, classes, artifacts sort of culture. Make it a “better yourself” trip, and learn a little about what makes Decorah tick.

1. Vesterheim, meaning “western home” in Norwegian, is surprisingly larger than it would seem from the outside, and is one of the best Norwegian museums in the country. It houses a small sailboat, an amazing silver collection, and rotating exhibits that make you forget you’re in a town of just 10,000 people. The 16 historic buildings in its main complex occupy most of a square block in downtown, and it has more than 24,000 artifacts! It’s no boring museum…I suggest you check it out. Bonus: admission is free on Thursdays thanks to Decorah Bank and Trust!
And don’t forget to check back in the spring when Seed Savers Heritage Farm and the Porter House and Laura Ingalls Wilder Museums are open.
2. Are you looking for the perfect souvenir from your culture-rich trip? Just down Water Street from Vesterheim, you can stop by Vanberia to pick out a Scandinavian goody or some Uff Da stickers, or head down the street a little farther and pop into Donlon’s to pick out your favorite Nisse – these “household spirits,” usually under four feet tall with a red cap, are said to be responsible for the care and prosperity of a farm. Just stay on his good side, if you know what I mean.
3. Feed your brain and your stomach at the Oneota Community Co-op, where you can watch Co-op employees make fresh mozzarella. Bocconcini and ovalini (small, semi-soft balls of mozzarella) are made nearly every day. The marinated bocconcini is amazing with the sourdough bread made by local Waving Grains Bakery, available fresh Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. Check out www.oneotacoop.com for more information.

Best Friends Forever, for Guys and Gals
No matter what you like to do, there’s no need to feel boxed-in in Decorah. Maybe you and your friends like to do your nails then go shoot skeet. Or perhaps you want to grab a beer after you’ve shopped ‘til you’ve dropped. Whatever your style, we’ve got it covered.

1. Shopping on Water Street…
For her: Looking for fun clothes, purses, accessories, shoes or souvenirs? Try Fancy Pants, KD Rae, Margaret’s, Happiness Is, or Elaines. For him: Amundson’s Clothing carries awesome lines of men’s clothing… isn’t it time you invested in a suit? Or perhaps you’re a little more casual – check out your favorite team’s gear at The Sport Shop.
2. Relaxing in Decorah. Get a rejuvenating soak and massage at Day Spring Spa or a manicure and pedicure at Eclips Salon. Or grab a booth and one of the 36 tap beers at Rubaiyat. If you’re here on Thursdays you can try your hand at Mystery Beer Night!
3. Or playing in Decorah. Chase the Adventure, just south of town 1838 Middle Calmar Road, has skeet and trap shooting year-round! Call ahead, 563-532-9821, or go to www.chasetheadventure.com for details.

Restaurants
Albert’s – Situated in the Hotel Winneshiek, right in the middle of town, Albert’s provides great people watching out its floor-to-ceiling windows. Start with the spicy Sriracha Rolls then dig into the famous BBQ Ribs. www.hotelwinn.com
Ede’s Gourmet – Reopening in a new Water Street location in 2010, Ede’s has a great selection of deli sandwiches designed by Chef Mark. Try the Craisin Chicken Salad on focaccia! www.edesgourmet.com
Family Table – Their motto, “Nothing fancy, just good food,” says it all. Open daily until only 8 pm, they serve yummy breakfast all day and make a mean piece of pie. www.familytabledecorah.com
Hart’s Tea and Tarts – This English-style tearoom keeps its menu – lunch only –totally simple and totally delicious. I recommend ordering Cream Tea at the beginning of the meal – the pot of whichever tea you choose can be enjoyed while you finish your lunch just in time for the two accompanying scones that are baked to order. www.hartsteaandtarts.com
La Rana Bistro – If you’re looking for an intimate lunch or dinner setting, look no further. Watch the chef prepare your meal in the open kitchen. The mojitos are amazing, and so is the chicken salad at lunch and the salmon and risotto at dinner.
Magpie Coffeehouse – We talked about breakfast (mmm… Kickapoo Coffee and Little Maggies), but Magpie does lunch too. Their deli-style and pre-made sandwiches satisfy even the pickiest of eaters.
McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita, out by Twin Springs Park off Highway 52, has great views and beautiful brick oven. Try the Thai Kickin’ Chicken Pizza – it’ll make you want to slather the nutty, sweet and spicy peanut butter sauce on everything you eat. www.mcdolcevita.com
Oaks Steakhouse – The locals rave about the Oak’s half-baked cookie sundae dessert. Order it after you get your own personal bacon-topped meatloaf or the Angry Salad with house-made bleu cheese dressing and blackened sirloin. www.oakssteakhouse.com
Oneota Community Co-op – A big reason the Decorah community is so amazing is our fantastic food cooperative. Bright and cheery, the Co-op has different themes – like Brazilian, Indian, or Mexican – for their daily hot bar specials and offerings. And their caprese panino: delicious. www.oneotacoop.com
Rubaiyat – An anchor to downtown, Rubaiyat Restaurant has cozy booths and a fun bar. It’s hard to pick a favorite thing: the capon, brie, red onion and lingonberry pizza is a tasty treat, but so is the Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar at Sunday brunch. www.rubaiyatrestaurant.com

Pizza is my favorite food. Lucky for me, there are lots of amazing options in Decorah.
Happy Joe’s Pizza, an endearing old-fashioned pizza parlous, hands down has the best Taco Pizza in the state. Maybe the country. www.happyjoes.com
Mabe’s Pizza is famous in Decorah – thin crusted and cut in squares, the regular has been my all-time favorite. A secret: did you know you can order it double-crusted? It’s a whole different animal…
Pizza Ranch is an Iowa chain that does it all – pizza, chicken, salad, ice cream, potato wedges, green beans. But we usually order the thin crust Sweet Swine (Canadian bacon and pineapple). It’s sooooo good. www.decorahpizzaranch.com

Accommodations
We’ve got a lot of great options for lodging in Decorah – from historic B&Bs to a lovingly-restored landmark like the Hotel Winneshiek, we’re sure you’ll be able to find a place to stay that suits your needs.

Decorah B&B/Hotels in Three (or so) Words

Bed and Breakfast-Style Stays

B&B on Broadway, 305 West Broadway, www.bandbonbroadway.com – royal, antique, lavishly-restored
The Loft on Water Street, 106 East Water Street Suite 203, www.agoraarts.com/loft – contemporary, convenient, luxurious
Decorah Guesthouse, 202 St. Lawrence Street, decorahguesthouse.com – comfortable, cozy, cottage-style
Dug Road Inn, 601 West Main Street, www.dugroadinn.com – classic, Zen-like, elegant
Palisades Inn, 2566 Ice Cave Road, just on the outskirts of town near Palisades Park, www.palisadesinn.com – private, relaxing, scenic

More Traditional-Style Hotels

Hotel Winneshiek Downtown, 104 East Water Street, www.hotelwinn.com – turn-of-the-century restored, Decorah landmark, charming
Country Inn and Suites, 1202 Highway 9 West, www.countryinns.com/decorahia – country-style, indoor pool, spacious rooms
Heartland Inn, 705 Commerce Drive, www.heartlandinns.com – indoor pool, casual, clean
Super 8 Motel, 810 Highway 9 East, www.super8.com – affordable, simple, standard rooms
Bluffs Inn, 1101 Highway 9 West, www.bluffs-inn.com – affordable, attached bar/restaurant, retro-style

Maps and information about Decorah are available at the Winneshiek County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, 507 West Water Street, or online at www.decoraharea.com.

Aryn Henning Nichols truly does love Decorah, and doesn’t mind winter all that much when there’s this much fun to be had.

For this Decorah destination guide, we joined forces with the Winneshiek County Convention & Visitors Bureau. The name’s a mouthful (try WCCVB instead!), but we really think you should know about these guys. They’re a local non-profit organization that’s marketing efforts (radio, print, billboards, web, travel shows and more) drive visitors to this gem of a place we call home. All businesses featured here are current CVB members. If you’d like to become a member and be part of their Midwest tourism campaign, contact them to sign up! Contact WCCVB Director, Brenda Balk for membership information:
wctc@alpinecom.net
507 W. Water St., Decorah
800-463-4692
www.decoraharea.com

By Sam Wiles 

The Wailin’ Jennys might just have the coolest name in modern music. The obvious but clever pun on country music legend Waylon Jennings’s name is memorable, rhetorically satisfying, and translates broadly across cultural divides. It symbolizes folk music’s ability to span generations. And it was also an accident.

The band’s first gig – a guitar shop in Winnipeg, Canada – was supposed to be a one-time concert for three Canadian solo artists. But when the show was a big success, the owner of the shop suggested the three women form a band and tour as…the Folk Vixens.

“He thought we should have a name, but he kept trying to give us terrible names like ‘the Folk Vixens,’” Nicky Mehta says with a friendly voice and a self-deprecating sense of humor. “He eventually thought of The Wailin’ Jennys and we thought it was okay. So we made these posters before a concert as a joke, with terrible pictures of us that said ‘The Wailin’ Jennys,’ but they actually ended up getting us a lot of attention.”

Since their beginning in 2002, the all-female folk trio has recorded four albums, topped the US Bluegrass charts, appeared on ‘A Prairie Home Companion,’ and rotated personnel a few times.

Mehta, along with fellow Canadians Ruth Moody and Cara Luft, made up the original Wailin’ Jennys until 2004 when Luft went on to pursue a solo career. Enter Annabelle Chvostek, a solo artist from Indie music hotbed Montreal. While the band’s 2004 album 40 Days, recorded with Luft, sounds different than 2006’s Firecracker – recorded with Chvostek – the difference isn’t a deterrent. Chvostek’s distinctly smoky voice is simply an enjoyable change of pace. But in 2007 she left the group to pursue what has been a successful solo career and was replaced by current member Heather Masse, a Maine-born singer who was living in New York. Again, Masse has a distinctively different voice than her predecessors, bringing a slightly smoother element to the group vocally, although the off stage banter is now full of over-the-border jokes.

“There’s some good natured ribbing between us Canadians and Heather,” Mehta says. “We’ll tease her sometimes and she teases us for saying things that Americans don’t usually say, like ‘is it ever cold in here,’ or ‘is it ever hot outside,’ or ‘soory.’”

In spite of the phony rivalry, the group has a great sense of continuity, and that shows through their music. At least some portion of every Wailin’ Jennys song on 40 Days and Firecracker features intricate and beautiful harmonies created by Moody’s soprano, Mehta’s mezzo, and the revolving door of talented altos. The genuine blend of the three voices happens just the way a listener would imagine: organically.

“A lot of times if someone is singing the melody, and when everyone’s familiar with the song, everybody just kind of sings and sees where it goes,” Mehta says.

In addition to of course being talented vocally, The Jennys, as Mehta refers to them, are a cerebral bunch. In an era far removed from the origins of folk, The Jennys understand the difficulty of writing lyrics that sound new but at the same time have a genuine folksiness. For example, the song “Apocalypse Lullaby,” a title that certainly seems post-modern, is inherently soothing. The lyrics sound new, and probably couldn’t have come from a far away time period, but they seem authentic somehow. When Chvostek sings “Spin the speed of light/Tetrahedron blue/One last paradise/You can make for you,” it sounds like bluegrass self help for the modern era. Then some songs sound like old school heartbreak. Others empowering. There’s a non-specific spirituality to The Jennys music that calls on the gospel roots of folk, but is left wholly up to the listeners interpretation (intentionally). Folk music, like The Jennys’ name, is a constant in the American music scene because of its ability to unite old and new followers under a tent of commonality.

“It’s almost a self-revitalizing genre because it spans so many generations. You have people who’ve grown up with the originals,” Mehta says. “And you have the younger bands that are making folk music fresh and new. It can be in world music, or people paying homage to a particular artist. There’s been a lot of evolution in folk music. We’re all trying to make something fresh while trying to honor what’s come before.”

Folk music isn’t the only thing evolving. With the advent of home recording, coupled with the accessibility of the Internet, getting your name and sound out takes a whole new strategy.

“It was harder to get an album made before, but if you got an album made it was easier to get it heard. Now it’s inverted,” Mehta says. “You have to market so much smarter now.”

What’s great about The Jennys is that, no matter how things change, they seem to understand their music and what the genre means in this era of arrogance, cultural indulgence and corporatism.

“It’s more than being quaint. It’s about remembering times when community was more important,” Mehta says. “It’s about embracing the concept of evolution and change, but reminding everyone that we’re part of a global community.”

The Wailin’ Jennys will perform at the Center for Faith and Life at Luther College on February 20 at 7:30 pm as part of the Center Stage Series. Tickets are available to the public Thursday, February 4 – see www.centerstage.luther.edu for details. For more information on Wailin’ Jennys, visit www.thewailinjennys.com.

Sam Wiles enjoyed writing this article, doing the interviews and listening to the music. Additionally, Sam now has plans to star in his own all-female folk trio, the Confusin’ Susans. They will begin touring this summer.

By Lauren Kraus

Strength, as they say, comes in numbers. When Luther College art students were recently looking for something to meld their imaginative talents together – a bond to intertwine their efforts and passions as they were painting, drawing, creating artwork – they joined forces and formed the Luther Artists Collective.

Established in the fall of 2008, the Luther Artists Collective (LAC) offers cohesion and a distinct art community for keen students in Luther’s art program. The group wanted a supportive place to work on projects, critique each other’s art, put on collective shows and grow artistically. LAC, in fine democratic fashion, elects officials each year including a president, vice president, head of publications, secretary, treasurer and even a trip planner. Last April they visited Chicago and toured the Art Institute and various galleries and sculptures the city has to offer.

Ben Moore, assistant professor in the art department, serves as the group’s advisor. He’s impressed with the work that’s happening in the Luther art scene.

“There was always this separation before – they didn’t really know each other,” Moore says. “But now they do, and they have become more dedicated in their art. Having a place where they can discuss their art is crucial to being an artist. These students are organizing and developing their own shows – and the work they’re doing isn’t course work. They are behaving as artists rather than student artists.”

The Collective is well on its way to establishing itself as a fixture at Luther College. They are proud of their efforts and hope to attract younger students to carry on the LAC legacy into future years. Two art shows in the college’s Student Union gallery have helped to bring attention to their work as a collective. “Trash & Salvation,” LAC’s 2009 fall exhibit examined a juxtaposition the group saw prevalent in today’s society. The artists’ statement said: “Trash is composed of the objects that civilization throws away and forgets, while salvation is the lofty ideal pursued in some fashion by most human beings. Trash & Salvation seeks to observe and develop the idea of the two opposed concepts inhabiting the same space and time.”

In addition to their shows, LAC holds art sales in Luther’s Union. These sales are a great venue to purchase quality student art work including pottery, paintings, drawings, jewelry, and knit goods at a low price. The next sale will be this spring, with details to come.

Art has great impact on the Driftless Region and these students are honing in on that influence as much as they can. Be on the lookout for ways to support their work or see their shows. Luther’s art galleries are open to the public and constantly displaying awesome work. See galleries.luther.edu for details.

Members of LAC are certainly not slacking in any way. Check out a few here and find out what inspire(d) them to create art.

Laurel Whitis: Biology/Art major
Favorite medium: Oil painting.
Started getting into art: Her first art class ever was during her last year of high school.
Current project: Her senior art show for Luther. She was inspired by a histology class where they spent the entire time looking at cells under a microscope. Her show will display several pieces depicting specific cells with an informative write-up next to the painting. “It will be an educational show,” she explains. Both her biology and art professors will be her advisors for the exhibit.
Inspired by: Being around other people working on art. Also, Decorah is a very accepting place for artists!
Future plans: Medical school, being an artist on the side.

Astri Snodgrass: Art/Spanish major
Favorite medium: Oil painting.
Started getting into art: She’s a true lifer. Astri’s mom is an art teacher and has influenced her involvement in art since she was little.
Current project: Portraits. They are a good challenge, and capturing expressions and interactions between people is her goal. Astri is also working on a nightmare/dream series where she paints two panels: one depicts someone sleeping and the other shows a nightmare they are having. This series allows Astri to explore her interest in the subconscious. Her portraits are currently on display at the Oneota Community Food Co-op, go check it out.
Inspired by: The people at Luther! Her work is all about people.
Future plans: Graduate school in painting.

Ryan Kitchen: Art major, Philosophy minor
Favorite medium: Oil painting.
Started getting into art: He really got serious about art at Luther.
Current project: Conceptual landscapes. Ryan loves studying the spaces and places we typically take for granted and how we, as people, interact with our surroundings, our environment. He enjoys watching “French new-wave” films and painting scenes from those movies.
Inspired by: The environment, as well as people, poetry, literature, interactions, movies.
Future plans: Something with art – perhaps graduate school in art or maybe teaching at the collegiate level.

 Lauren Kraus loves art, especially local art. She also loves French toast, avocados, yoga and sunshine. It is a great time of year for all of the above. Not as much sunshine, though.