for another two and a half seconds, the peace ... - Glasbern Inn

FOR ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF 

SECONDS, THE PEACE REMAINED. 

Our puppy is known by many names. Paws McDrool. Tropical Storm Furball. The Interior Un-Decorator. But really, he just goes by Pergo. 

We named him after our fl oor, which was about the only thing he couldn’t destroy. Our Pergo fl ooring is remarkably scratch resistant. 

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Casual Living Goldenrod Hickory 80119. Available exclusively at Lowe’s. Pergo ® is a registered trademark of Pergo AB. ©2009 Pergo, LLC.

American Lifestyle IN THIS ISSUE 

magazine 

FROM SPA TO TABLE 

RECIPES FROM CALIFORNIA’S 

GOLDEN DOOR SPA 

12 

THE ART OF DESIGNING A HOME 24 

A BIT OF HOME 

JOYS OF BED AND BREAKFASTS 38 

© Mitch Highman/mjoyphotography 

20 

32 

46 

COLD HANDS, WARM TOWN 

THE LAMBERTVILLE-NEW HOPE WINTER FESTIVAL 

THE LAST GREAT RACE ON EARTH 

© Jumping Rocks Photography 

ULTIMATE MINNESOTA MAN CAVE 

GET AWAY TO 

THE OZARKS 

BRANSON KICKS IT UP A NOTCH 

2 AMERICAN LIFESTYLE 

AMERICAN LIFESTYLE 3 

6

American Lifestyle 

magazine 

CEO/PUBLISHER Steve Acree 

DESIGN DIRECTOR Joshua Stike 

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Jonathan Campbell 

OUTSIDE SALES DIRECTOR David Cutillo 

EDITOR Shelley Goldstein 

GRAPHICS 

Joe Corcoran, Erin Beeler, Alicia Mastrian, Pamela Lovell, 

Kenn Lucas, Scott Higgins, Rick Boyer 

EDITORIAL 

Robin Manrodt 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

Tom Setliff, Josh Freed, Daniel Miladinov, Jason Hobbs, Dorian Preston, 

Steve Shogren, Chandler Claxton 

CUSTOMER SERVICE 

John Serrantino, Michael Graziola, Anthony Burrell, David McElroy, 

Megan Grebe, Nicholas Porreca, Phoenix Falkenrath, Bill Bradford, 

Nathan Hartman, Josh Robert, Laura Schluter, Erin McMenamin, 

Nick McGowan, Tamra Smeltz, Marissa Sidoti 

SALES 

Joe Rooney, Jeff Czerniakowski, Stephen Iacona, Drew King, 

Bradley Hoopes, Jen Campbell, Denise Flaherty, Ashley Smith 

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT 

Lee Stouch, Amy Eyler, Dan Gallaway, Amanda Braskey 

FINANCE 

Edmund DeAngelo, Ken Wolfe 

HUMAN RESOURCES 

Carey Ballou 

CONTRIBUTORS: 

Brian Adams, Amelia Island Williams House, Quentin Bacon, bedandbreakfast.com, 

Branson/Lakes Area CVB, Dennis Curran Photography, Dwell 912, Anastasia Faiella, 

Chi Fang, Bob Footitt, Glasbern Inn, Heliostudio, Robin Hood, 

Jumping Rocks Photography, William Kloupec, Ellie Lawrence, Andie Orgain, 

Marie Penn, Louise Pfeiffer, Dean Rucker, Andrew Ryan, Marah Stets, 

Marija Vidal, John Warner, Scott White, David Wood 

American Lifestyle magazine is published by Digital Grapes, LLC. For more 

information about American Lifestyle magazine, please visit us at DigitalGrapes.com, 

e-mail us at info@digitalgrapes.com, or call us at 610-878-5000. 

All rights reserved. 

NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED 

WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PUBLISHER. 

This magazine is for information and entertainment purposes only; it is 

not an attempt to solicit business. 

Designed and printed in the USA. 

Shown: C-65 Lunette Sofa. MCGuIRefuRnItuRe.CoM oR 1-800-662-4847. 

N E W D E S I G N S 

B A R B A R A B A R RY f o R M c G U I R E 

M C G u I R e f u R n I t u R e . C o M

About the Author: 

David Wood is a world traveler 

and author whose book Around 

the World in 80 Rounds (St. Martin’s 

Press) chronicles his trek around the 

globe with nothing but a knapsack 

and an intrepid spirit. In his former 

life, he was a stand-up comedian 

who appeared several times on 

Late Night with David Letterman. 

BRANSON 

KICKS IT UP A NOTCH 

Article by David Wood. Photography courtesy of Branson/Lakes Area CVB 

In the classic baseball movie Field 

of Dreams, Ray Kinsella (Kevin 

Costner) hears a voice whisper, 

“If you build it, they will come.” 

Listening to the unseen voice, 

Ray builds a splendid baseball 

field smack dab in the middle of 

an Iowa cornfield, and legends 

of baseball indeed show up to 

play. Branson, Missouri, must 

have heard the same voice. They 

have built a premier tourism 

destination where legends show 

up to entertain, and millions 

come to see them. Forget a mere 

field; Branson is a whole town 

of dreams. 

Branson, nestled in the picturesque 

Ozarks of southwestern 

Missouri, was on my personal 

radar screen long before it became 

as famous as it is today. 

My own family lived due south 

a few hours drive across the 

nearby border with Arkansas. We 

would take our yearly camping 

trip to Branson and Table Rock 

Lake with its 800 miles of scenic 

shoreline. For us kids, other 

than seeing the goodies and swag 

that Santa brought on Christmas 

morning (given our naughty/ 

nice quotient), it was our favorite 

event of the year. 

Back in those early 1960s, Branson 

was a sleepier version of its 

current self. With all that lakefront, 

there was never trouble 

securing a secluded spot to pitch 

our tent and “rough it” as my 

mom used to say. We loved that 

summer vacation trip because we 

could run around unsupervised 

like wildcats, swim for hours in 

the lake, and even catch our dinner 

in the fish-infested waters. 

Personally, the annual excursion 

was even more thrilling because 

each summer, we visited an 

enormous underground cave 



[T]RAVEL

f near 

First, I found that the 

area was just as 

beautiful as I recalled 

with Table Rock Lake as 

grand as ever, the 

forested hills just as lush, 

and countless idyllic 

spots to camp and fish 

to your heart’s delight. 

Branson that had stalagmites 

shaped like Bugs Bunny, 

Daffy Duck, and Fred Flintstone. 

To my wide-eyed naive peepers, 

that was the coolest thing I’d ever 

seen. (By the way, this neck of the 

woods has some of the greatest 

natural cave sites in the world.) 

Alas, my family soon moved to 

Minnesota, and our Branson 

trips ceased. With 10,000 lakes, 

Minnesota didn’t lack for swimming 

and camping locales for 

my family to venture to once the 

thaw cleared. After having not 

been back there since I was in 

single digits, age-wise, I recently 

revisited Branson to check out 

how it had grown and changed 

in the past forty-plus years. I 

wasn’t sure what to expect. 

I knew, of course, that Branson 

was well known for family- 

friendly fun. I knew that 

talented celebrity legends like 

Andy Williams had a wildly 

popular theater there. I knew 

that other showrooms drew the 

best in entertainment on a consistent 

basis. I knew that many 

of those entertainers fell in 

love with Branson (as I had as 

a wee lad) and lived there permanently. 

To be honest, that’s 

about all I knew of the 2010 

version of my childhood haunt. 

I was in for a very pleasant surprise. 

My expectations were 

exceeded by leaps and bounds. 

First, I found that the area was 

just as beautiful as I recalled 

with Table Rock Lake as grand 

as ever, the forested hills just as 

lush, and countless idyllic spots 

to camp and fish to your heart’s 

delight. What shocked me (in a 

good way) was just how many 

first-class activities are happening 

year-round in Branson. It’s 

beyond impressive. Branson 

has grown into something even 

more special than my fondest 

childhood memories—a worldclass 

destination with something 

to thrill most everybody. If you 

can’t have fun in Branson—an 

excellent blend of “Nature and 

Neon”—well, there may be no 

hope for you. 

I would venture to guess that 

folks who haven’t been to Branson 

recently might think of it as 

more a “regional” destination. 

How wrong that notion is. You 

don’t get to become known as 

the “Live Entertainment Capital 

of the World” by only appealing 

to the “locals”! 

My trip coincided with the “See 

the World in Branson” spring celebration. 

Though you’re smack 

dab in the middle of the U.S., 

you can experience the cultures 

of Russia, China, Japan, Mexico, 

Trinidad, and Samoa, and all you 

have to do is enter the city limits. 

Voila! You’re experiencing a new 

way of life without leaving our 

nation’s terra firma. Better yet, 

no passport or surly customs officials 

are required. 

The international favor of Branson 

is obvious immediately as 

one of the biggest crowd favorites 

is the long running “Yakov’s 

Moscow Circus.” The daily variety 

show offers a unique blend 

of mad-cap antics, romantic 

comedy, and sheer frivolity. 

In addition to Russia’s most 

famous comedy export—standup 

comedian Yakov Smirnoff— 

audiences can also have a riot with 

Andrei the Clown, Irina Markova 

and her award-winning 

canine troupes and their feline 

friends, Flying Adagio star Marina 

the Ballerina, and the National 

Unicycle Champion, Anthony 

Soumiatin. Plus, an authentic 

Russian dinner is served at every 

show. East meets Midwest for a 

heck of a great time. 

Channeling my old Arkansas 

inner child, I had to make a 

return visit to Silver Dollar 

City—launching its fiftieth year 

as a Branson major attraction. 



[T]RAVEL

W 

With 10,000 lakes, Minnesota didn’t lack for swimming and 

camping locales for my family to venture to once the thaw cleared. 

The theme park had just opened 

its brand-new $7 million Tom 

& Huck’s RiverBlast—America’s 

Biggest Water Battle! The supersoaking 

ride is themed around 

the adventures of mischief- 

makers Tom Sawyer and Huck 

Finn and actually really was a 

blast. Who cares if I’m in my fifties! 

I went on it twice. 

Silver Dollar City also had one 

of the more amazing acts you’re 

ever going to see performing in 

its Red Gold Heritage Hall—the 

Fiery Fiddles. They combine the 

mastery of three brilliant musicians 

and high-flying aerial acrobatics. 

As someone who probably 

couldn’t play a kazoo while 

standing on a step ladder, seeing 

three beautiful and talented violinists 

combine virtuoso instrumentals 

while performing aerial 

feats high above the captivated 

crowd is one of the more amazing 

acts I’ve ever witnessed. The 

Fiery Fiddles are worth a trip to 

Branson all by themselves. Also, 

not to be missed is the return engagements 

of the Zhejiang Balancing 

Monks of China. Silver 

Dollar City is a must-visit when 

in Branson. 

Speaking of China, The White 

House Theatre presents “The 

Legend of Kung Fu,” which 

opened May of 2010. The lavish 

production boasts a cast of 

over fifty performers and was 

a huge hit performance at the 

Beijing Olympics. The ancient 

art of kung fu is demonstrated 

theatrically, combining martial 

arts and the elegance of jawdropping 

acrobatics. The show 

has wowed audiences worldwide 

with over 3,000 performances 

in China, Australia, Vancouver, 

and London thus far. The White 

House Theatre was recently renovated 

to house this large-scale 

extravaganza. 

Don’t think old Europe is getting 

shortchanged. Currently under 

construction and based on an 

original project in Europe is a 

hideaway in the Ozark Mountains 

just south of Branson called 

the “Ozark Medieval Fortress.” 

Being billed as both “an entertaining 

and educational attraction,” 

a team of historians, architectural 

experts, and builders are as 

busy as bees constructing a genuine 

fortified castle complete with 

towers, a drawbridge, moats, and 

surrounding stone walls. Intriguingly, 

the structure is being built 

using the techniques and materials 

of the twelfth century. Thirty 

masons, carpenters, and stone 

carvers will work year-round for 

twenty years, the time required 

to build the entire castle. Talk 

about an impressive undertaking. 

As if all that isn’t enough, at least 

internationally speaking, there is 

the popular French-Canadianbased 

Cirque Montage. Featuring 

alumni of the famed Cirque 

Du Soleil, the performance is a 

thrilling spectacle of derring-do 

and acrobatics. The show’s home 

base is the Starlite Theatre—a 

Branson’s must-see attraction all 

by itself. The theater is a striking 

five-story glass atrium with 

19,560 feet of glass. The Starlite 

is the new performing home of 

the Grammy Award-winning 

Righteous Brothers’ alum Bill 

Medley and his equally talented 

daughter, McKenna Medley. 

Throughout the year, the venue’s 

stage holds other crowd pleasing 

acts like The Platters and The 

Texas Tenors. Don’t forget eating 

at the world famous Starlite 

Diner, where if you didn’t know 

better, you’d think you had time 

traveled back to the 1950s. 

Okay, I’ve been going on and 

on for several paragraphs about 

things to do in Branson, and I 

haven’t even begun to make a 

dent. It’s too much for one little 

article. There are over fifty live 

performance theaters! You can see 

acts like Ray Stevens, Bill Haley’s 

Original Comets, Paul Revere 

and the Raiders (my childhood 

favorite), Larry Gatlin and the 

Gatlin Brothers, Debby Boone, 

the Andy Williams Christmas 

Show, The White River Comedy 

Club featuring the best in standup 

comedy, and a plethora of 

stars, acts, troupes, acting companies, 

dancers, jugglers, clowns, 

and virtually all aspects of show 

business. If it’s the best in entertainment, 

more than likely, it’s 

in Branson. 

Want more? Okay, there is the 

Branson Zipline & Canopy 

Tour where one can soar over the 

Ozarks on one mile of ziplines. 

The Welk Resort has a new indoor/outdoor 

water attraction, 

“The Splash-A-Torium.” Did I 

mention boating? Hiking? And 

as a golf lover, I haven’t even gotten 

to the area’s twelve championship 

golf courses—several of 

which are among the best in the 

region. Food lovers? One could 

write an article just on the dining 

options available. Starting 

to get the idea about Branson? 

There is so much going on, it’s 

almost unreal. 

Actually, I was so overwhelmed 

with activities and trying to take 

in as much as I could, I forgot all 

about that cave with Bugs, Yogi, 

and Fred. No worries; I’ll find 

them next time because I’m going 

back to Branson soon. Hey, 

Branson built it for all of us; the 

least we can do is visit now and 

then. You’ll be glad you did. Besides, 

how often in life does one 

get to visit a town of dreams? 

[AL] 

Actually, I WAs sO 

“ 

overwhelmed with 

AcTIvITIEs and trying 

to take in as much 

as I could, I forgot all 

about ThAT cAvE with 

Bugs, Yogi, and Fred. 

No worries; I’ll find 

them nExT TIME 

because I’m going 

back to Branson soon.” 



[T]RAVEL 

i www.explorebranson.com

12 

FROM SPA TO TABLE 

RECIPES FROM CALIFORNIA’S GOLDEN DOOR SPA 

AMERICAN LIFESTYLE 

Recipes excerpted from Golden Door Cooks at Home by Dean Rucker with Marah Stets 

(Clarkson Potter, 2009) Photography by Quentin Bacon 

b 

B 

Vegetable oil cooking spray 

3 cups fresh blackberries 

3 large nectarines, pitted and sliced (3 cups), 

plus more for serving 

1/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 1 orange) 

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour 

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats 

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 

3 tablespoons canola oil 

2 tablespoons honey 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 

Fresh mint sprigs, for serving 

G 

[F]OOD 

BLACKBERRY NECTARINE CRISP 

Serve this simply as presented here, with a slice of nectarine and a pretty sprig of mint, 

or, for a more substantial dessert, serve with lemon sorbet. 

ingredients: cooking instructions: 12 

Preheat the oven to 375°F. 

Coat a 9-inch baking dish, or 12 (4-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray. 

In a large bowl, combine the blackberries, nectarines, orange juice, and vanilla. 

Stir gently until well combined. Set aside. 

In a separate bowl, sift the flour. Add the oats, brown sugar, canola oil, 

honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Use your hands to mix the ingredients until 

well blended. 

Spoon the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish, and scatter the crumb 

mixture evenly over the fruit. 

Bake until the fruit bubbles, and the crumb topping is golden brown, 15 to 20 

minutes for individual ramekins, or 30 minutes for a single large dish. 

Place each ramekin on a small plate, or spoon the crisp onto 12 small plates. 

Garnish each serving with 1 or 2 nectarine slices and a sprig of fresh mint. 

Serve hot. 

servings 

AMERICAN LIFESTYLE 13

For the chicken: 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, preferably 4 

(4-ounce) breasts 

1 cup low-fat buttermilk 

1 large egg white 

3 (1/2-inch) slices fresh whole wheat bread, 

cubed (21/2 cups) 

1/4 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 cup) 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Olive oil spray 

For the warm potato and garden bean salad: 

12 ounces fingerling potatoes, baby Yukon Gold, or 

baby red potatoes, halved (2 cups) 

4 ounces fresh yellow wax beans, trimmed and halved 

if very long (1 cup) 

4 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and 

halved if very long (1 cup) 

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 

2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard 

For the creamy mustard sauce: 

Olive oil spray 

1 tablespoon minced shallot or onion 

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/3 cup evaporated skim milk 

1/3 cup light or low-fat sour cream (do not use nonfat) 

1/4 cup whole grain mustard 

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional) 

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) 

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 



G 

[F]OOD 

PARMESAN CHICKEN SCHNITZEL 

WITH WARM POTATO AND GARDEN BEAN SALAD AND CREAMY MUSTARD SAUCE 

Schnitzel is the German word for a cutlet of meat, and it usually refers to a cutlet—veal in the case of the 

classic Wiener schnitzel—that has been breaded and fried. The trick to making really crisp schnitzel 

without frying it in an inch of oil is to use very dry, crunchy bread crumbs. 

ingredients: servings 

cooking instructions: 4 

Prepare the chicken. Place one breast of chicken on a cutting board, and use a sharp knife held horizontally to slice the 

chicken in half, through the center to form two thin cutlets. Place one cutlet between two sheets of plastic wrap, and 

use the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin to pound it to 1/4 inch thick. If the pounded cutlet is very large, cut 

it in half. Repeat with the remaining chicken. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg white, and pour it into a large, shallow baking dish. Put the 

chicken in the buttermilk, and turn over to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

While the chicken is marinating, preheat the oven to 275°F. 

Process the bread cubes in a food processor until ground to crumbs. Arrange the crumbs on a rimmed baking sheet in 

a thin layer. Toast in the oven until the crumbs are completely dry and hard, shaking the pan occasionally, about 15 

minutes. Set aside 1 cup; reserve any excess for another recipe. 

Lower the oven temperature to 200°F. 

Prepare the potato and bean salad. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, and add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. 

Bring to a boil, and simmer, uncovered, until fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Add the yellow and green beans to the 

saucepan with the potatoes, and boil until the beans are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. 

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the vinegar, oil, and mustard. Drain the potatoes and beans, and add them to 

the bowl. Toss to combine. Cover with foil, and keep warm in the oven while you cook the chicken. 

Mix the 1 cup bread crumbs and the Parmesan on a plate. Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk, and 

shake off the excess liquid. Season both sides with salt and pepper, and then press each side into the bread crumb 

mixture. Repeat with the remaining chicken. 

Spray two large nonstick or cast-iron skillets with olive oil, and heat over medium heat until hot but not smoking. 

Add as many pieces of chicken as can easily fit; you should hear a sizzle. Cook until the underside is golden brown and 

crisp, about 4 minutes. Turn and cook until the other side is golden brown and crisp, and the chicken is opaque all the 

way through, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter, and keep warm in the oven while you cook any remaining cutlets. 

Prepare the creamy mustard sauce. Spray a small saucepan with olive oil, and heat over medium heat. Add the shallot 

and garlic, and cook, stirring, until slightly translucent and fragrant and not at all brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the 

evaporated milk, and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the sour cream, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Remove the pan 

from the heat, and stir in the black and cayenne peppers, if desired, and the parsley. 

To serve, place a mound of warm potato bean salad on each plate. Arrange two pieces of chicken next to the salad. 

Spoon the sauce around the plate, and drizzle a little over the chicken. Serve.

For Serving: 

Leaf lettuce 

Thinly sliced red onion 

Thinly sliced tomatoes 

Pickles 

For the mango ketchup: 

1 large or 2 medium mangoes 

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves 

1 tablespoon diced red onion 

1 tablespoon diced red bell pepper 

1 serrano chile, seeded, if desired, and minced 

Pinch of kosher salt, or to taste 

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, or to taste 

For the burgers: 

1/2 cup brown rice 

1 cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed 

1/2 medium onion, finely diced (1/2 cup) 

1 teaspoon minced garlic 

Canola or grapeseed oil spray 

5 ounces broccoli, florets and peeled stems finely 

chopped (11/2 cups) 

2 medium carrots, finely chopped (1 cup) 

2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated (1 cup), squeezed 

to remove excess liquid 

3 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and finely 

chopped (1 cup) 

2 ounces fresh or defrosted frozen shelled edamame 

beans, finely chopped (1/2 cup) 

11/2 teaspoons yellow curry powder 

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

For the garlicky yam fries: 

11/4 pounds yams, peeled 

2 teaspoons canola or grape seed oil, plus more in spray 

bottle for finishing the fries 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

1/2 cup cornmeal, for cooking 



G 

[F]OOD 

RED LENTIL VEGGIE BURGERS 

cooking instructions: 8 

Prepare the mango ketchup. Peel the mango, and cut the flesh off the pit. Dice half of the mango, and set it aside; you 

should have about 1 cup or so. Coarsely chop the remaining mango, and put it in a blender. Add the lime juice, and puree 

until the mixture is smooth and thick, stopping the blender a few times, and using a rubber spatula to push the mixture 

down. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the reserved mango along with the cilantro, red onion, bell pepper, and serrano chile, and 

stir to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and set aside in the refrigerator. (The ketchup is best served the 

day it is made but will keep for up to 2 days.) 

Prepare the burgers. Put the rice in a small saucepan, and add 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce 

the heat, and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender, about 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, and let stand, 

covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover the pan, and use a fork to fluff the rice. Set aside until cool. 

Meanwhile, put the lentils in a medium saucepan, and add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the 

heat to low, and simmer gently, covered, until the lentils are slightly mushy, like a thick paste with a few whole lentils, 18 

to 20 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. Set the lentils aside until cool. 

Spray a large nonstick skillet with canola or grapeseed oil, and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and 

cook, stirring, until slightly translucent and fragrant but not at all brown, about 3 minutes. Add the broccoli, carrots, 

potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and edamame beans, and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are fragrant but still crunchy, 2 

minutes. Add the curry powder, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the salt and 

pepper. Let cool slightly. Transfer the rice, lentils, and vegetables to a large bowl, and mix until well combined. 

Scoop out 1/2 cup of the mixture, and with wet hands, pack it firmly into a tight ball as if forming a meatball. Form the 

ball into a 3-inch patty about 1 inch thick. Place the patty on a baking sheet, and repeat to make eight burgers in all. Chill 

for 30 minutes to 1 hour. 

Prepare the garlicky yam fries. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 

WITH GARLICKY YAM FRIES AND SPICY MANGO KETCHUP 

Here you get your burger, fries, and ketchup with no meat and none of the guilt! To speed things up, pulse the 

vegetables one at a time in a food processor just until finely chopped. Once formed, the patties freeze very well, so it’s 

well worth making a double batch and freezing the individually wrapped patties until you’re ready for them; 

let the frozen patties stand on the counter for 1 hour before cooking. 

ingredients: servings 

Cut the yams into sticks approximately 1/2 inch wide by 3 to 4 inches long, depending on the length of the yams. Place 

the yams in a large bowl, and add the canola oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Use your hands or a wooden spoon 

to gently toss the yams, and coat them with oil. Spread the yams in a single layer on a baking sheet, and bake until golden 

brown and cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Transfer the fries to a bowl, and 

spritz them with canola oil. Add the parsley and garlic, and toss to coat evenly. Serve hot. 

While the fries are baking, cook the burgers. Have ready a nonstick baking sheet or line a regular baking sheet with 

parchment paper, and spray with oil. Spread the cornmeal on a plate. Dredge each patty in cornmeal. Spray a large skillet 

with canola oil, and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Place the burgers in the pan without 

crowding (work in batches if necessary), and sear until they are light golden on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Transfer the burgers to the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 12 minutes to warm through completely. 

To serve, place a lettuce leaf on each of eight plates. Top the leaf with a burger, sliced red onion, and tomato. Divide the 

yam fries among the plates, placing them alongside the burger. Divide the mango ketchup among the plates, spooning it 

on top of the burgers. Serve with pickles on the side.

For the dipping sauce: 

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce 

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 limes) 

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 

11/2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger 

1 teaspoon sriracha or Vietnamese 

chile-garlic sauce 

For the summer rolls: 

1 red bell pepper, seeded 

1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise 

and seeded 

1 medium avocado, pitted and peeled 

1 mango, peeled and pitted 

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce hearts 

3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves 

3 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves 

3 tablespoons torn fresh basil 



G 

[F]OOD 

MANGO-AVOCADO SUMMER ROLLS 

ingredients: cooking instructions: 6 

6 (8-inch) rice paper wrappers 

WITH SWEET AND SOUR DIPPING SAUCE 

Filled with sweet mango, rich avocado, crunchy vegetables, and fresh herbs, these rolls burst 

with flavor. Rice paper wrappers can be found in the Asian food aisle of your local 

supermarket, or at Asian specialty markets, or online. When working with the wrappers, 

make sure not to place all of them in the water at once; prepare just one roll at a time. 

Prepare the dipping sauce. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, lime juice, 

brown sugar, ginger, and sriracha. Whisk until the sugar is completely 

dissolved, about 1 minute. (The sauce can be made up to 4 days in advance, 

and stored in the refrigerator, tightly covered.) 

Prepare the summer rolls. Slice the red pepper and cucumber into 24 

(2-inch-long) strips. Slice the avocado lengthwise into 24 strips. Slice the 

mango into 48 (2-inch-long) strips. In a large bowl, toss the romaine with 

the cilantro, mint, and basil. 

Place one rice paper wrapper in tepid water until softened, 1 to 11/2 minutes. 

Remove it from the water, and pat both sides dry with a paper or clean 

kitchen towel. 

Lay the wrapper flat on a work surface or clean kitchen towel. Across the center 

of the wrapper, arrange in a line 4 strips each of red pepper, cucumber, and 

avocado and 8 strips of mango, leaving bare about 1 inch on either side. 

Spoon about 1/3 cup of the romaine mixture on top of the vegetables. 

Fold the bottom third of the wrapper over the ingredients. While holding the 

very top of the wrapper steady, use the fingertips of your other hand to pull the 

rolled part back firmly toward you to tighten the roll. Fold in the sides, and roll 

the wrapper forward to create a tight, sealed roll. Set the roll on a platter and 

cover with a damp kitchen towel. Repeat with the remaining wrappers 

and ingredients. 

To serve, slice each roll diagonally in half, and place two halves on each of six 

plates. Divide the dipping sauce among six small serving bowls, or pass a single 

bowl of the sauce so that your guests may serve themselves. [AL] 

servings

COLD HANDS, WARM TOWN 

THE LAMBERTVILLE-NEW HOPE WINTER FESTIVAL 

With the weather outside reported 

to be the coldest temperatures 

we’ve seen in the mid Atlantic 

region all winter, I had my reservations 

about the outcome of 

this weekend getaway. An everapproaching 

snow storm was 

forecasted to hit our hometown 

and follow us along the winding 

river roads to Lambertville, New 

Jersey, as we made our way to 

the area’s Winter Festival with an 

itinerary chock full of outdoor 

excursions. I half expected the 

entire festival to be postponed 

until fairer weather arrived. 

But no sooner did we step foot 

into town were my fears laid to 

rest—the community was already 

ablaze with commotion, 

in complete disregard to Mother 

Nature’s fury. 

Since the late nineties, the town 

of Lambertville, along side its 

Pennsylvanian neighbor, have 

hosted the annual Winter Festival. 

What began as a way to 

rejuvenate two communities 

with a breath of economic life 

during the late winter weeks has 

since grown into a large spectacle 

where people of all ages and 

backgrounds come together in 

Article by Andie Orgain. Photography courtesy of Andrew Ryan 

celebration of the beautiful frosty 

season. Activities spread across 

the two sister towns of Lambertville 

and New Hope, which 

straddle the east and west banks 

of the Delaware River respectfully, 

blurring the lines of where one 

state ends and the other begins. 

A brief walk across the connecting 

bridge has crowds of people 

meandering from New Jersey to 

Pennsylvania and back again to 

take in all the excitement. 

A vibrant parade launched Saturday’s 

attractions into motion, 

and set the dynamic pace for 

the Winter Festival. The beat of 

the live music from the marching 

bands led the community 

on a mile-long promenade. Local 

businesses, school groups, 

and public figures alike danced 

lively through the streets following 

their creative renditions of a 

float, handing out candies and 

other goodies as they passed by. 

We, along with the packs of people 

lining the streets, braved the 

frigid temperatures to witness 

this over-the-top procession. 

As the crowd began to dissipate 

into the warm surrounding 

buildings, my travel companion 

and I remained in the chilly winter 

air to sightsee. The small-town 

charm felt delightfully different 

from the high-paced city bustle 

to which I was accustomed, and 

we walked up and down every 

street, making certain not to miss 

an inch of this sophisticated, yet 

surprisingly casual world. This 

once industrial area now boasts a 

flourishing identity deeply rooted 

in the arts, theater, and antiques, 

with the most fantastic shops 

and galleries brimming from every 

nook and cranny. The smell 

of restaurant delicacies wafting 

through the brisk air teased our 

senses while we lingered at the 

window fronts. 

Sightseeing led us to the doorstep 

of the Marshall House, 

which upon entering we learned 

was once the boyhood home of 

James Wilson Marshall who discovered 

gold in California. Enchanted 

with the lengthy history 

and antique furniture that we 

found within the modest brick 

home, we also strolled through 

the nearby Parry Mansion, an 

eighteenth century Georgianstyle 

structure that was originally 

Local businesses, 

school groups, and 

“ 

public figures alike 

dAncEd LIvELY through 

the streets following 

their cREATIvE 

renditions of a float, 

handing out cAndIEs 

and OThER GOOdIEs as 

they passed by.” 



[C]ULTURE

A vibrant parade launched sATuRdAY’s ATTRAcTIOns into motion, 

and set the dYnAMIc pAcE for the Winter Festival.” 

the home of the “father of New 

Hope,” Benjamin Parry. Built 

in 1784, the mansion remained 

occupied by four generations of 

Parry’s direct descendants until 

1966 when it was sold to the 

New Hope Historical Society. 

The building has since opened its 

doors to the public where visitors 

can tour the home’s eight rooms, 

adorned with traditional antique 

furnishings, each space reflecting 

a different time period of the 

family’s occupation. 

Exploring the town left us famished, 

so we rejoined the masses 

at the Triumph Brewing Company 

restaurant for the festival’s 

Beef ‘N’ Brew event, sponsored 

by the local Rotary Club. This 

celebratory destination transcended 

all expectations. Not 

only did the roast beef melt in 

your mouth and pair superbly 

with their complementary beverages, 

but the entire industrial 

space of the restaurant was warm 

with friendship, truly and entirely 

exemplifying the spirit of 

the festival. This event did in fact 

bring people together—couples 

interacted with their dining 

companions, old friends mingled 

with long lost acquaintances, 

and even conversations among 

strangers came together effortlessly. 

At our table alone, we met 

a handful of gregarious people, 

sharing life stories and lessons 

learned and even staying long after 

the program ended to get better 

acquainted with new friends. 

Alas, the afternoon adventures 

drew to a close, and we returned 

to our inn with full stomachs and 

slightly achy feet. We booked a 

guest room in one of the many 

romantic hideaways the towns 

offer: the Inn at Lambertville 

Station, which was a beautiful 

mix of old-time charm with 


royal accommodations, and was 

the perfect location for some 

much needed rest and relaxation. 

Our first floor suite had a picturesque 

view of the river banks, 

and the tall soaking tub and lavender 

bath salts made the space 

that much more heavenly. We 

basked in the peace and quiet for 

as long as we could. 

Although daylight eventually 

disappeared into the horizon for 

the night, we were just getting 

our second wind, and headed 

to the Harlans Cabaret room at 

The Nevermore Hotel where the 

evening festivities were already 

in full swing. The event began 

with a wine and hors d’oeuvres 

reception, giving us the honor of 

rubbing elbows with several of 

the leading pioneers behind the 

Lambertville-New Hope Winter 

Festival. Local resident Ms. 

Lindsey Meredith Buffa was on 

the entertainment bill for the 

night, and took center stage as 

we were finishing up our fivestar, 

three-course dinner. Belting 

out popular show tunes and 

other well-known standards, she 

enchanted the entire room with 

her Sirens-like voice. The show 

was absolutely unbelievable, 

and we retired back to our suite 

humming Broadway songs the 

entire way. 

The harmonious coos of Canadian 

Geese lured us out of the 

lush linen bed the next morning. 

Drawing the curtains of our panoramic 

bedroom window to let 

in the vibrant sunlight revealed 

flocks of geese and ducks swimming 

in the icy water below. Our 

continental breakfast arrived 

shortly after, hand-delivered 

to the door by a gracious staff 

member. Snuggling back under 

the covers, we enjoyed the warm, 

homemade muffins and steaming 

coffee in the comforts of our 

bed. I was tempted to stay inside 

the inn to enjoy this divine pampering 

all day long. But there 

was more to be done before the 

Winter Festival was over, and we 

were quickly on our way again. 

We trekked along the main street 

to the New Hope high school 

where volunteers were already 

kicking the festivities off to a 

good start. Along with serving 

a pancake breakfast and corralling 

kids into an obstacle course 

playland, the committee also 

held a Snow Folk Art Exhibition. 

Reflective of the artistic 

background of the river towns, 

this contest invited local artists 

and amateurs to transform a lifesize 

snowman cutout into a work 

of art. Each snowman structure 

sported its own unique theme, 

resembling the traditional snowman, 

a historical or well-known 

figure, or an imaginative free 

form all its own. We’d spotted a 

bunch of these snowmen structures 

being proudly displayed 

outside of many local businesses 

throughout New Hope and 

Lambertville, but little compared 

to the mass of creativity exuding 

from these colorfully decorated 

characters lining up and down 

the hallways. 

Sunday’s events continued in 

the same fashion as the day before—with 

so many activities 

to see, and not enough time to 

do them all. We contemplated 

Built in 1784, the mansion remained occupied by FOuR GEnERATIOns of 

“ 

Parry’s dIREcT dEscEndAnTs until 1966 when it was sold to the 

New Hope Historical Society.” 

i www.winterfestival.net 

[C]ULTURE 

participating in the Winter Festival 

Photo Tour, where professional 

photographer Anthony 

Flamio led a small group of amateurs 

armed with cameras and tripods 

along a guided trip to shoot 

the icy falls spilling over the canal. 

But we ultimately decided to 

take the Music Mountain Hike 

instead. This forty-five minute 

trail gave us the flexibility to take 

our time as we viewed the winter 

landscape of the town and valley 

below, and any opportunity to 

leisurely explore the serene flora 

and fauna of this area was well 

worth a self-directed expedition 

in the cold. 

To mark the end of this year’s 

Winter Festival, people swarmed 

to Union Square Drive for the 

annual Chili Cook-off. As the 

main attraction of the day, and 

perhaps even the hottest event 

of the entire weekend, the 

Chili Cook-off generated a lot 

of attention around town, with 

people struggling to land lastminute 

tickets to this sold-out 

showdown. The fiery competition 

challenged thirteen local 

restaurants to create their tastiest, 

most tantalizing chili recipes 

to see who will reign supreme. 

Every person lucky enough to 

attend this event was granted 

three votes to nominate their top 

choices for best recipe. When the 

enticing taste-testing was finally 

complete, a trophy presentation 

was held, and a winner was 

crowned the prestigious honor of 

chili champion. 

After bidding adieu to our new 

friends, we left the gracious communities 

that hosted our weekend 

stay. We vowed to return the 

following year, when the weather 

once again becomes unbearably 

cold, and we are in need of 

some neighborly love to warm 

our hearts and cure our winter 

blues. [AL] 


24 


FINE ART OF 

DESIGNING A HOME 

Article by Ellie Lawrence, based on an interview with Anastasia Faiella of Faiella Designs 

© Chi Fang 

[D]ESIGN 

When fine arts painter Anastasia 

Faiella delves into the field 

of interior design, she creates 

something more than a well 

decorated space. “I strive to push 

the boundaries between art and 

design, to create spaces that become 

art,” notes Anastasia. “Interior 

design allows me to combine 

my love for fine materials, design, 

and interior spaces with my 

skills as a painter and colorist.” 

OOver the 

years, 

Anastasia 

transitioned 

naturally from 

paint brushes 

and canvases 

to textiles and 

furniture. 

Over the years, Anastasia transitioned 

naturally from paint 

brushes and canvases to textiles 

and furniture. While furthering 

her richly creative and artistic 

background—she earned 

her Master of Fine Arts degree 

(MFA) from the University of 

California at Berkeley after studying 

art history at the University 

of Minnesota in Minneapolis— 

Anastasia began her interior design 

career at the San Francisco 

Design Center, where she spent 

ten years learning the nuts and 

bolts of the area’s interior design 

industry. “I loved working with 

the finest materials and products 

available in the home furnishings 

market. Textiles, furniture, 

lighting, and floor coverings all 

became my world of expertise and 


I 

I approach each new 

design project as a blank 

canvas, a place to create 

something new, fresh, 

inspiring, and beautiful... 

knowledge,” she explains. “I am 

so addicted to the endless sea of 

inspiration and creativity I find 

when I am sourcing products.” 

It was around this time in her 

life when she began toying with 

various decorating projects. “The 

first official space I decorated 

was the San Francisco apartment 

I was renting. I became obsessed 

with finding out what was hiding 

under the carpet and deciding 

what color the walls could 

be. I eventually transformed that 

space into a really cozy and beautiful 

place (with the landlord’s 

approval, of course),” Anastasia 

recounts. “After six similar scenarios, 

I had the ‘ah ha’ moment, 

finally realizing that I would love 

to do this all the time and for 

other people! 

“I think it was my experience 

in graduate school that pushed 

me into creating my own firm,” 

continues Anastasia. “I did 

not know it at the time, and it 

may seem odd since my time in 

graduate school had nothing to 

do with business or interior design! 

I basically ate, slept, drank, 

and breathed art for two years. 

But going back to a conventional 

work schedule after all this creativity 

was a bit stifling. I realized 

within a few months I really 

wanted to create something that 

was my own in more ways than 

one—although initially, I was 

not sure of what that was.” 

Within a year of finishing grad 

school, Anastasia took on her 

first professional design project as 

a way to supplement her income. 

A friend had just experienced 

extensive water damage in her 

home, and needed help getting 



[D]ESIGN 

it back in shape. Already an admirer 

and collector of Anastasia’s 

fine art, she hired her to redesign 

her house. “I was really excited,” 

Anastasia exclaims, “and in that 

moment, I knew I wanted my 

own design firm.” 

Anastasia spent three and a half 

years working for others before 

© Chi Fang © Chi Fang

taking the plunge and starting 

her own company. “It was very 

scary because I went solo in January 

of 2009—probably the worst 

economic climate to start your 

own business,” she remembers. 

“Most people thought I was crazy. 

However, somehow I did it, 

and I am here to tell you about 

it! It has been the second hardest 

thing I have ever done—obtaining 

an MFA was the first!” 

The risky business adventure has 

proved successful as Anastasia is 

now well known for boasting a 

powerful style, that she describes 

as being sophisticated, whimsical, 

and unexpected. “I would 

say I am not as conservative and 

traditional as some designers in 

my area,” she adds, “but San 

Francisco is a pretty progressive 

place! There is a lot of unique 

talent here.” 

Anastasia’s design process mirrors 

the development of her fine 

art. “I see the composition of a 

painting to be very similar to the 

composition of an interior space. 

I approach each new design project 

as a blank canvas, a place to 

create something new, fresh, inspiring, 

and beautiful,” she describes. 

“My process as an artist 

is very intuitive. While painting, 

I sometimes have to try three to 

six different colors to find the 

right one. This is not so different 

from the design process; looking 

at several wall colors or textiles 

until the perfect one appears is 

typical. Finding the right balance 

in a painting is also like finding 

the right balance in a room. Art 

and a person’s home is also very 

personal and subjective.” 

Anastasia recently applied this 

painterly process to create a luxury 

loft for a client who was in 

need of an entire interior overhaul. 

“I think she just wanted a 

fresh start!” interprets Anastasia. 

“She wanted her new loft to feel 

warm, inviting, and sophisticated.” 

The loft itself was a very raw, © Marija Vidal 



[D]ESIGN

30 

cold, uninviting space, and was 

in desperate need of a unified design 

scheme. “All of her existing 

pieces really did not work in the 

new space,” Anastasia points out, 

“so she needed everything—storage, 

lighting, paint, furniture, 

and rugs! 

“The design scheme had to be 

warm, contemporary, sophisticated, 

and yet offer a lot of storage 

solutions,” Anastasia continues. 

“And, we had to work within 

a budget!” With the use of color, 

paint, pattern, textiles, really 

great lighting, and one amazing 

living room rug that tied it 

all together, Anastasia created a 

beautiful space that reflected the 

owner’s personality. 

Many of Anastasia’s interiors feature 

bold and graphic patterns, 

often incorporated into largescale 

designs on walls. “It’s just 

really fun!” justifies Anastasia. 

“The bold use of pattern in my 

wall murals is most typically inspired 

by a textile I have fallen in 

love with—I just want to see it, 

and I want to see it really big!” 

For this particular project, the 


designer went with a decorative 

wall stripe motif, which begins 

in the foyer and extends to one 

focal wall in the living room. 

“The two tone effect,” Anastasia 

reveals, “is achieved by alternating 

the stripes in flat and high 

sheen finish. But it’s actually the 

same color!” 

As is the case with most lofts, 

lack of storage and closet space 

was a huge concern. Making use 

of an awkward, empty space in 

the large foyer, Anastasia created 

her own closet. She installed a 

curved rail running underneath 

an overhang, to which she hung 

heavy drapery in an elegant gold 

hue—creating the perfect hiding 

spot for making stacks of 

stuff disappear. 

The layout of this 850-squarefoot 

loft was very challenging. 

“The living room is also the 

kitchen and dining room—or 

at least that is how it needed to 

function,” recalls Anastasia. “We 

designed a ‘custom kitchen island 

on wheels’ that added additional 

storage space for the kitchen 

area, offers more counter space 

for cooking, and becomes a table 

to dine at (we killed three birds 

with one stone, so to speak).” 

Another admirable quality of 

this design is the mix of high end 

pieces and custom-made designs 

with budget-friendly products 

from retail shops like Room & 

Board, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, 

Restoration Hardware, and 

even Ikea. “My favorite part 

about this project, other than 

the bold decorative paint stripes 

and the light fixtures,” she discloses, 

“is that the design evolved 

organically over time! I did not 

impose a grand, expensive, overall 

design scheme up front. I let 

the project unfold in an organic 

manner which I think was less intimidating 

and easier for the client 

to process. She ended up being 

open to all my suggestions.” 

No matter what the budget is, 

“everyone should live in beauty!” 

Anastasia professes. “Your home 

is your haven and should reflect 

who you are and your lifestyle. 

A room with furniture does not 

constitute a home—it’s how you 

put it together and what you ‘do’ 

to that space.” Anastasia aims to 

help all of her clients define and 

achieve their design goals, assisting 

them in actualizing the ideas 

and making their space into a 

home that is unique to them and 

their lifestyle. 

Anastasia certainly achieved this 

goal and created a beautiful loft 

for her client. “We transformed 

her space into a home that reflects 

her lifestyle (cozy, warm, 

relaxed) and also compliments 

the architecture of space,” explains 

the designer. “It was done 

in an artistic sense that blurs the 

boundary between art and design. 

The space itself has become 

the art! She is living in beauty, 

and it’s her beauty.” [AL] 

i www.faiella-design.com 

© Chi Fang 

W With the use of 

color, paint, 

pattern, textiles, 

really great 

lighting, and one 

amazing living 

room rug that tied 

it all together, 

Anastasia 

created a 

beautiful space 

that reflected 

the owner’s 

personality. 

[D]ESIGN 


IDITAROD 

THE LAST 

GREAT RACE ON EARTH 

Article based on an interview with contestant Scott White 



© Brian Adams 

[S]PORTS 

scott White 

AGE: 46 

LOCATION: Woodinville, Washington 

PROFESSION: Krekow Jennings, a Seattle 

construction company 

2010 Iditarod 

RANK: 54 place out of 71 

TIME: 13 days, 4 hours, 21 minutes, 

and 44 seconds 

AVERAGE SPEED: 3.51 mph 

WhAT InspIREd YOu TO TAkE up 

ThIs spORT? 

I love to spend time in the mountains 

and the wilderness. I used 

to backpack a lot, but had to 

stop in the mid nineties because 

of neck surgery. I decided to get 

some dogs to help with carrying 

gear. I happened to get Malamutes, 

and that turned into an 

interest in dog sledding, learning 

more about these dogs and their 

history pulling sleds. I ended up 

taking some trips in Alaska and 

just loving it. Every time I went 

up there, I’d come home with 

another dog. I wasn’t racing at 

the time. My original interest 

was to camp and sled recreationally. 

But in the Lower 48, there 

is so much private land that you 

can’t really go very far on your 

own. In races, the organizers get 

permission to cross private land. 

So to do any long distance trips, 

I had to race. 

WAs ThERE A pARTIcuLAR 

MOMEnT WhEn YOu REALIzEd 

ThAT YOu WERE REAdY TO RAcE 

In ThE IdITAROd? 

It was a gradual progression. I 

wanted to do the camping, so I 

started with the smaller, shorter 

races and then moved on to longer 

and longer ones. I was really 

enjoying these long distance 

races, so I figured I might as well 

do the ultimate one. This was my 

first time finishing, but the second 

time running the Iditarod. I 

ran in 2007, but didn’t finish.

t The Iditarod 

Trail is the 

historic mail 

trail from 

Anchorage to 

nome. In the 

early 

seventies, Joe 

Redington, sr. 

wanted to 

reinvigorate 

that historic 

trail and the 

dog sledding 

tradition, and 

started this 

race. 

© Robin Hood © Robin Hood 

FOR ThOsE WhO ARE nOT 

FAMILIAR WITh ThE RAcE, cAn 

YOu TELL us GEnERAL dETAILs 

AbOuT ThE IdITAROd? 

The Iditarod Trail is the historic 

mail trail from Anchorage to 

Nome. In the early seventies, 

Joe Redington, Sr. wanted to reinvigorate 

that historic trail and 

the dog sledding tradition, and 

started this race. It is a 1,150mile 

race that’s been going on 

now for almost forty years. Originally, 

it was almost like a long 

camping trip. The first race took 

the mushers almost a month to 

complete. Now people are doing 

it in nine days or under. 

TELL us AbOuT ThE TRAInInG 

pROcEss FOR ThE RAcE: 

Everybody who is competitive 

enough to be in this race does 

a similar training process. The 

single greatest factor in training 

your dogs for the Iditarod is 

miles. You’re typically running 

about fifty miles from checkpoint 

to checkpoint. Some are shorter, 

some are longer, and some are 

much longer. So like a marathon 

runner, you need to be prepared 

to run that distance. In order 

to prepare the dogs, you need 

to put a lot of miles on them 

in training. 

There are different ways of doing 

this. Obviously, it is different 

in the Lower 48 than it is in 

Alaska. For instance, I can put 

a fair number of miles on the 

dogs before there’s any snow on 

the ground. In many places in 

Alaska, there’s so much swamp 

land and marsh that they need 

the ground to freeze first in order 

to put on long miles. Whether 

you are working full time—like 

me—or not also has a big impact 

on training. I primarily train 

on the weekends compared to 

someone like Lance Mackey who 

can be training or doing something 

every single day. How you 

get there is different, but the one 




[S]PORTS

commonality is getting a lot of 

miles on the dogs. 

dEscRIbE ThE ROuTE 

OF ThE RAcE: 

The Iditarod has two routes— 

northern and southern. Last year 

was the northern route. The only 

difference between the north 

and south is the middle part of 

the race, and the primary difference 

between those two routes is 

which direction you are traveling 

on the Yukon River. The terrains 

are similar. 

For the start of the race, you are 

in trees and forested areas until 

you enter into mountainous terrain. 

After that, you are in the 

interiors of Alaska. You are crossing 

rivers and lakes, tundra and 

hills. The middle part is a couple 

hundred miles traveling on the 

Yukon River. Then you get to the 

west coast of Alaska where you’re 

on flatter ground, with more rolling 

hills, sea ice, and tundra. It is 

a pretty varied terrain, actually. 

pRE-RAcE pREpARATIOn: 

I have learned to not really prepare 

for much. At the pre-race 

meeting where you learn about 

trail conditions, how a trail is 

marked, and how you are going 

to go, I tend to not really worry 

about it. You are out there for 

two weeks, so things change. 

Whatever they report on day 

one, you can guarantee it is not 

going to be true by the time you 

get there. And whatever situation 

you experience, you have to 

deal with it, and you have to deal 

with it instantly. 

TALk AbOuT ThE dAY OF 

ThE EvEnT: 

I was actually nervous because of 

what happened to me in 2007. I 

got lost on Rainy Pass (which is 

around 180 miles into the race), 

and I was in a ground blizzard. 

It took me five hours to find the 

trail again! I had frostbite on my 

hands, and I had to scratch. Having 

that experience in the back of 

my mind created an emotional 

hurdle I had to get over. To 

scratch twice would have been a 

blow to morale. 

WhAT WAs YOuR GOAL FOR 

ThIs RAcE? 

The primary goal was to finish. 

My secondary goal was to finish 

as competitively as I do in the 

other races I run—meaning I 

wanted to fall in the pack where 

I normally do on other races. 

To be honest, I think that could 

have been where I was at the half 

way point of the race. But then 

my dogs started getting sick, 

and I had to eliminate that goal. 

My objective then became just 

to finish. 

hOW WAs ThE WEAThER? 

The weather started pretty nice, 

with clear skies and temperatures 

in the high twenties. But 

by the second day, it was snowing 

heavily. Once we got into 

and over on the other side of the 

Alaska Range, the temperature 

started dropping pretty quickly. 

I think we had five days of thirty- 

below or colder, and two days of 

fifty-below! After that, when we 

actually hit the coast, it started 

warming up a little bit. By the 

time I got to Nome, it was back 

up in the twenties. 

MAndATORY bREAks: 

There are three mandatory 

rests—a twenty-four-hour rest 

that you can take anywhere you 

want, an eight-hour rest you have 

to take on the Yukon River, and 

then another eight-hour rest at 

the White Mountain checkpoint. 

The checkpoints vary from a 

bunch of temporary tents, to 

small cabins that have one or two 

people living there year-round, 

to villages of a few hundred people. 

The four villages on the Yukon 

River are native villages, so 

you have access to the community 

center. My experience at the 

village was really great; it was a 

place to get native food. There is 

a lot of involvement from the locals, 

so the villagers would cook 

meals, bring them to the community 

center, and leave them 

there for the mushers to eat. At 

other checkpoints, like Rohn, 

Cripple, and Ophir where there’s 

normally nothing there, you are 

really on your own. 

dOGs On bREAks: 

The dogs don’t automatically 

want to stop. A sled dog will essentially 

always want to go. If 

you don’t train them to camp— 

especially early in the race when 

they’re not tired yet—you’ll pull 

into a checkpoint, and they’ll be 

rambunctious and ready to go 

when you really just want them 

to eat and sleep. I do a lot of 

camping and training, so they 

know that when we stop, they 

should eat, then lay down, and 

sleep. My dogs were perfectly accustomed 

to camping, and they 

did great. We also did a training 

run right before the race on the 

Iditarod Trail, where we went 

out fifty miles, camped on the 

river, and came back. 

RELATIOnshIps AMOnG 

ThE MushERs: 

It is amazingly friendly. I traveled 

with a group of twenty over 

the course of the race. It is an 

amazing experience to be racing 

against these people. I finished 

towards the back, so we weren’t 

racing like the front runners, but 

still it was a race. Even in this 

competitive situation, there is 

such an amazing level of camaraderie. 

Everyone helps each other 

tremendously. For instance, I 

needed to borrow a dog coat 

from someone. Everyone wants 

to help each other, and it is all 

about getting to the end and finishing 

it. It is a tough thing to 

do. The more help, the better. 

phYsIcAL And MEnTAL sTATus 

AT FInIsh LInE: 

Absolute exhaustion. I didn’t 

sleep much on the race. Because 

I was running as a rookie, I was 




essentially running from checkpoint 

to checkpoint. I can’t sleep 

around people who snore, so 

I didn’t sleep much. It is also a 

physically grueling task to handle 

and stand on that sled for 

1,150 miles, although I did have 

a sit-down sled and was able to 

sit periodically. It is hard on your 

back going up and down, dealing 

with the things on the ground, 

the dogs’ feet, feeding them, and 

putting straw down. I twisted 

my knee going down a gorge, so 

I really couldn’t bear my weight 

on my right leg. I was physically 

exhausted when I came home. 

dO YOu hAvE AnY REGRETs? 

I feel like I made a lot of good 

decisions. I made some mistakes, 

but they were all minor, and I 

really don’t think the mistakes 

I made had a big effect on how 

I did. There are things that I 

wouldn’t do again or I’d do differently. 

But as far as regrets, I 

was overall happy with the way 

things went. 

hOW dOEs ThE IdITAROd 

cOMpARE TO OThER RAcEs YOu 

pARTIcIpATEd In? 

It is the only 1,150-mile race 

I’ve done, so it’s like comparing 

apples to oranges. Because of the 

distance, the other races are over 

so quickly that they feel more 

like a race to me. The Iditarod 

felt more like a life experience. 

FAvORITE MEMORY FROM ThE 

WhOLE IdITAROd ExpERIEncE: 

I think my favorite memory is 

how I felt in McGrath. I took 

my twenty-four-hour rest in Mc- 

Grath. It was probably naive, but 

I thought I was going to get all 

fourteen to Nome because not 

a single dog had missed a meal. 

I had no injuries whatsoever. 

It was the perfect dog team. I 

felt like they were running at a 

pace that I thought they could 

keep up all the way to Nome. I 

was higher than a kite. We left 

McGrath better than some of 

the other teams I saw. Running 

[S]PORTS 

from McGrath to Ophir, I really 

couldn’t have been happier. 

WhAT WAs ThE hARdEsT pART 

AbOuT ThE RAcE? 

Everything that happened after 

McGrath! Things got much 

harder after that. The temperature 

got really cold, my dogs 

were getting sick, and my team 

was getting smaller. I was having 

a tough mental and emotional 

time. I picked it up again because 

the dogs kept going. Even 

though it was a small team, they 

still looked fine and were running 

good. I was feeling like I was doing 

a good job at managing them 

and keeping them going. Staying 

in Safety for another twelve 

hours was a pretty low point also. 

Safety is only twenty miles from 

Nome, and no one stops there. 

My dogs decided they needed to 

rest on their own, so I had to stay 

there until they were ready to go 

again. That was tough. 

WhAT MOTIvATEd YOu TO kEEp 

GOInG duRInG ThIs RAcE? 

It is hard to describe what you 

experience crossing 1,150 miles 

of Alaska by dog team, but it is 

maybe even harder to describe 

how hard it is to get there—in 

terms of the work you have to go 

through in training your dogs, 

the sacrifices you have to make 

with your friends and family, the 

money it costs to get there. Getting 

there is brutal. Quite frankly, 

I feel like I leave the start line 

with a sense of relief because it is 

so hard just to get there. 

WhAT IMpAcT hAs ThE IdITAROd 

hAd On YOuR LIFE? 

I think it has made me more 

relaxed actually. You experience 

situations out there that you have 

to react to with such split-second 

decision-making skill that when 

you get back into the real world, 

nothing is that threatening. [AL] 

i www.lostlakeracing.org

Like bEInG WELcOMEd into 

a good friend’s home, 

warm faces invite you into 

“ [H]ISTORY 

their huMbLE AbOdE and help 

settle you into a cozy room 

where you’ll anxiously 

anticipate the hOME-cOOkEd 

meal that awaits you in 

ThE MORnInG.” 

A BIT OF HOME 

JOYS OF BED AND BREAKFASTS 

Article by Marie Penn. Research and assistance courtesy of www.bedandbreakfast.com 



Far from the impersonal accommodations 

of mainstream lodging, 

travelers are increasingly 

being drawn to the charming 

bed and breakfasts and country 

inns that dot our nation’s 

towns—falling in love with these 

quaint little homes that ooze 

historic enchantment and loving 

hospitality. You can almost 

feel the warmth of the fireplace 

as you walk up to the typical 

residence—a well maintained 

household with a handful of 

rooms open to passersby. Like 

being welcomed into a good 

friend’s home, warm faces invite 

you into their humble abode and 

help settle you into a cozy room 

where you’ll anxiously anticipate 

the home-cooked meal that 

awaits you in the morning. 

These lodging establishments 

come in various shapes and 

sizes—a homestay in the city, a 

bungalow with suburban flair, 

a fit-for-royalty mansion on 

the countryside. But despite 

their differences, they all offer 

a unique hospitality experience 

which modern travelers 

appreciate now more than ever. 

Whether people are on leisure 

trips or business travels, looking 

for close-to-home staycations or 

long-distance journeys, people 

are always searching for affordable 

rooms in which to relax, and 



ed and breakfasts inns provide 

just that. 

Interest in inns has been a slow 

growing storm for nearly a century. 

People were not traveling 

much during the days before 

the automobile, and when they 

did, they would go by train and 

stay in boarding houses and basic 

hotels, as these were often 

the only lodging establishments 

found nearby. It wasn’t until the 

Great Depression when bed and 

breakfasts (better known at the 

time as tourist homes) began 

popping up throughout the U.S. 

People who were struggling to 

stay afloat amidst the economic 

turmoil began opening up their 

spare rooms as a means of extra 

income, taking in boarders and 

even short-term guests who were 

looking for inexpensive shelter. 

But even as it were, the population 

was more concerned—and 

with good reason—about putting 

food on their tables than 

traveling, so these inns remained 

few and far between. 

The industry stayed dormant until 

the postwar economic boom 

of the fifties and sixties when our 

nation experienced a mass travel 

phenomenon. Increased fascination 

with worldwide exploration 

led people to actively travel 

Europe where they rediscovered 

alternatives to run-of-the-mill 

accommodations. Enchanted by 

the memorable allure of the bed 

and breakfasts they found, people 

were inspired to revive this lodging 

option in the States. Homey 

abodes began opening up everywhere, 

becoming a breath 

of fresh air from the typical 

chain hotels. 

By the early eighties, society 

began exhibiting a passion for 

historical preservation, which 

proved to be particularly helpful 

in propelling the bed and 

breakfast movement. To foster 

this nationwide enthusiasm, the 

government passed legislation 

THE INN AT THE ROUND BARN FARM :: WAITSFIELD, VERMONT 

© Dennis Curran Photography 

This attention to 

detail paid off—not 

only is ThE Inn AT ThE 

ROund bARn FARM 

listed on the 

National Register of 

hIsTORIc pLAcEs, but it is 

also one of the 

leading bed and 

bREAkFAsT Inns In 

the area.” 


that gave tax incentives to those 

who restored the historic integrity 

of their old houses. Although 

the homes were not ideal for 

full-time lodging according to 

contemporary standards, these 

dwellings had great potential, 

and countless homeowners took 

on the unspoken role of preservationists 

as they repaired their 

properties into bed and breakfasts. 

It is because of this hysteria 

that so many inns boast a historical 

ambiance today. 

Most establishments had to undergo 

heavy renovations to restore 

their old building into lavish 

accommodations. The Inn at 

the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield, 

Vermont, for instance, took 

eighteen months to transform the 

nineteenth-century farmhouse 

into a seven-room inn. When 

the farmhouse was complete, the 

innkeepers dedicated two more 

years restoring the Joslyn Round 

Barn—pouring a new concrete 

foundation and adding an insulated 

roof, replacing cedar shakes 

and repairing clapboards, and reinforcing 

or authentically replacing 

the hand-hewn timbers. This 

attention to detail paid off—not 

only is the Inn at the Round 

Barn Farm listed on the National 

Register of Historic Places, but it 

is also one of the leading bed and 

breakfast inns in the area. 

Along the same lines as the Inn 

at the Round Barn Farm—with 

perhaps an equally impressive 

quest for historic conservation— 

is the Glasbern Inn at the edge 

of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. 

The innkeepers transformed 

this once-vacant farmland into a 

classy lodging business, repairing 

outbuildings like an 1860s German 

bank barn into stately guest 

rooms. Their mission for preservation 

pushed past the buildings 

found on their property as the 

innkeepers began relocating old 

barns onto their land. Through 

the years, they have rescued a 

number of Pennsylvania Dutch 

[V]ACA[H]ISTORY 


GLASBERN INN :: FOGELSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA 



© Glasbern Inn

arns, carefully disassembling 

the delicate structures and resurrecting 

them on their land to 

reconvene into luxurious spaces 

with timeless character and 

rustic elegance. 

In tandem with perpetuating 

physical pieces of history, numerous 

bed and breakfast inns 

also help to maintain the narrative 

of past events by sharing the 

stories of the house and the lives 

of those who once lived there. 

The Williams House on Amelia 

Island is an excellent example of 

this, seeing as this Florida Heritage 

Landmark has experienced 

I 

If its walls could 

talk, they would 

recount the times 

when Jefferson 

davis stayed for 

the night, or the 

days it served as 

headquarters and 

an infirmary for 

when union troops 

occupied 

Fernandina. 

its fair share of significant moments 

from our nation’s past. If 

its walls could talk, they would 

recount the times when Jefferson 

Davis stayed for the night, or the 

days it served as headquarters 

and an infirmary for when Union 

troops occupied Fernandina. The 

previous owner, for which this 

inn was named, also had quite a 

background himself. Aside from 

once working for the surveying 

firm of Lawrence Washington (a 

nephew of George Washington), 

and being one of the first to 

THE WILLIAMS HOUSE :: AMELIA ISLAND, FLORIDA ARCH CAPE INN :: ARCH CAPE, OREGON 

© Amelia Island Williams House 


befriend the Seminole Indian 

Nation, Marcellus A. Williams 

also became active with the Underground 

Railroad, using a secret 

chamber in his dining room 

as a safe house for runaway slaves 

during their journey to freedom. 

Although many travelers have 

been touched by the antique artifacts 

and authentic décor from 

days gone by, bed and breakfast 

inns have undergone aesthetic 

changes over the past two decades 

to better suit the expectations 

of today’s traveler. Establishments 

have now taken on a 

more luxurious role in the lodging 

industry, pampering their 

guests with top-of-the-line amenities 

and surroundings. Modern 

essentials such as internet, cable 

TV, and private baths have become 

the norm, but many inns 

are upping the indulgence factor 

by providing spa-like updates to 

their homey structures. 


Arch Cape Inn has taken elegant 

accommodations to a world-class 

level. At this Northern Oregon 

Coast getaway, you can bask in a 

deep jetted Jacuzzi with a chilled 

bottle of champagne while enjoying 

the view of the in-room 

fireplace. Or simply wrap yourself 

in one of their fluffy bathrobes, 

and snuggle into a bed of 

1,000 thread count linens. The 

inn matches these comforts with 

the gracious and attentive service 

of their staff to ensure your 

spirit is truly rejuvenated during 

your stay. 

In Waynesville, North Carolina, 

The Swag Country Inn pushes 

the glamorous envelope with its 

own pampering paradise. Nestled 

atop a 5,000-foot mountain, 

this meadow retreat offers an incredibly 

serene atmosphere. Besides 

the beautiful handcrafted 

interiors of their guest rooms, 

complete with private balconies, 

I 

In Waynesville, north carolina, The swag country Inn pushes the glamorous 

envelope with its own pampering paradise. nestled atop a 5,000-foot mountain, 

this meadow retreat offers an incredibly serene atmosphere. 

THE SWAG COUNTRY INN :: WAYNESVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 

© John Warner © Jumping Rocks Photography 



© Dwell 912 

DWELL NINE TWELVE :: ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI 

© Dwell 912 

© Dwell 912 

steam showers, deep soaking 

tubs, and saunas, you can also 

indulge in a glamorous hourlong 

massage, or simply relax 

in a hammock overlooking four 

of North Carolina’s six highest 

mountain ranges. Perhaps it’s the 

little details that make you feel 

the most pampered—the decadent 

chocolate-dipped strawberries 

and fully stocked refrigerator, 

M 

Moving away from 

the doilies and 

floor-to-ceiling 

floral print that 

once 

overpowered the 

industry, modern 

establishments 

boasting 

contemporary 

aesthetics are 

popping up left 

and right. 

the eight-page New York Times 

summary awaiting outside your 

door each morning, the personalized 

hiking stick that you receive 

complimentary to your stay. 

Resourceful innkeepers are beginning 

to realize that despite the 

amount of lush amenities, travelers 

are no longer as impressed by 

the homey décor of yesteryear. 

Moving away from the doilies 

and floor-to-ceiling floral print 

that once overpowered the industry, 

modern establishments 

boasting contemporary aesthetics 

are popping up left and right. 

Dwell Nine Twelve has taken a 

warm approach to this design 

trend with its open floor plan 

and minimalist décor. Situated 

in St. Louis, Missouri, this private 

apartment bed and breakfast 

stretches two stories and is 

accentuated with clean lines, 

simple details, and one-of-akind 

local art throughout the 

entire space. Up the wooden spiral 

staircase on the second floor 

is the airy bedroom, decked out 

with a serene color palette, dimly 

lit lamps, and luxury linens to 

create a tranquil atmosphere. 

Some inns have improved their 

establishments further to not 

only better accommodate travelers’ 

tastes and expectations, but 

to also help differentiate themselves 

from the vast majority of 

lodging establishments across the 

country. The old idea of historic 

preservation has now morphed 

into creating what is affectionately 

referred to within the industry 

as “recycled inns”—where 

people are renovating structures 

other than houses into bed and 

breakfasts. Former schools, 

churches, and even prisons are 

being outfitted into delightful 

abodes for travelers. 

Corresponding with the green nature 

of repurposing old buildings 

into new inns, other innkeepers 

have made it a special point to 

take on an eco-friendly status. 

Lookout Point Lakeside Inn in 

Hot Springs, Arkansas, has prided 

itself on its environmentally- 

friendly practices long before 

the “going green” bandwagon 

swept our nation. Nature reigns 

supreme at this lakeside bed and 

breakfast, where the innkeepers 

have taken great strides to create 

an extravagant atmosphere with 

kind regards to the environment. 

Their eco-friendly efforts aim to 

reduce waste with its recycling, 

donating, and repurposing practices; 

conserve energy with its inhouse 

laundry services and lowflowing 

plumbing; and replenish 

nature by planting hundreds 

of trees, shrubs, and perennial 

flowers on the property. 

The bed and breakfast industry 

will continue to evolve over 

the years as travelers’ demands 

remain in flux. But one thing 

will consistently hold true: 

these charming inns will always 

offer a truly unique hospitality 

experience that will be 

the icing-on-the-cake of your 

next vacation. [AL] 

i www.bedandbreakfast.com 

LOOKOUT POINT LAKESIDE INN :: 

HOT SPRINGS, ARKANSAS 







46 


ULTIMATE 

MINNESOTA MAN CAVE 

Article by Louise Pfeiffer, based on an interview with Bob Footitt 

www.arcticaudio.com and www.plasmahallfargo.com 

Photography on this page © William Kloupec/Heliostudio 

So it is finally time for some Sunday 

night football. You’ve been looking 

forward to this day all week. The 

Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions 

are playing at 4:00 P.M. The San 

Diego Chargers battle the New York 

Giants fifteen minutes later, which 

just so happens to be the same 

starting time as the San Francisco 

49ers-Tennessee Titans game. With 

so much action going on at once, 

how do you choose which game 

to watch? Well, if you are an avid 

sports fan, the logical answer is you 

don’t—you watch them all. 

Okay, most of us will agree that 

there is nothing logical about this 

option. But for Bob Footitt, Jr.— 

who, it’s safe to say, is not your average 

sports fan—watching multiple 

games is something he does on a 

daily basis. In fact, this Minnesota 

native dedicated his extra time and 

money to create the necessary accommodations 

so that he could do 

so comfortably. With nine wallmounted 

plasma TVs, two more 

TV sets on standby upstairs, and 

DirecTV satellite receivers attached 

to each one, there is no way Bob 

would miss a second of any game. 

But this technology haven, affectionately 

referred to as Plasma Hall, 

was fifteen years in the making, and 

Bob’s sport-watching days haven’t 

always been this luxurious. 

This dream has its roots in the 

early nineties, when Bob shared 

an apartment with a buddy, and 

their humble abode became 

the go-to location for watching 

sports with friends. However, it 

wasn’t long before these football 

fanatics became restless with the 

limited regional coverage. “My 

roommate and I were Miami 

Dolphins and San Diego Charger 

fans,” explains Bob, “so we 

got tired of watching teams we 

really weren’t interested in.” 

Thankfully, DirecTV came onto 

the market in 1994, offering an 

answer to their prayers—the 

NFL Sunday Ticket. “By having 

the Sunday Ticket, every receiver 

we had allowed us to watch the 

full game in its entirety of different 

teams,” he details. “We started 

watching one game on the satellite, 

and then we had another 

TV sitting beside it to picked up 

the local games.” Their entertainment 

center eventually expanded 

to eight TVs, allowing them to 

watch eight games at once! 

This electronic paradise remained 

ideal for the first couple of years, 

until Bob became engaged and 

found himself moving into an 

apartment that couldn’t accommodate 

the huge entertainment 

system. Rather than forfeit their 

beloved setup, Bob’s friend offered 

up his unfinished basement 

as their new hangout. 

“For four years, my wife would 

drive me and a couple of buddies 

over to his place every Sunday 

during the football season. We 

didn’t really have a lot of money 

for furniture, so it was pretty 

much bring your own chair and 

salvaged couches,” reminisces 

Bob. “Those are the times you 

really appreciate. Money wasn’t 

an object. It was just about getting 

together.” 

Although this basement made for 

years of great football watching 

and friendship, Bob always knew 

that his TV collection would one 

day be under his own roof again. 

“When we bought our house 

in 2000, we moved everything 

from my friend’s place into our 

new basement,” tells Bob. 

Bob spent several more years 

with this classic setup inside his 

1972-designed basement, surrounded 

by painted paneling and 

surface-mount fluorescent lights. 

It wasn’t until 2009, after raging 

flood waters forced Bob to lug his 

entire basement’s contents upstairs, 

that Bob took the plunge 

to upgrade and modernize the 

space. By redoing the basement 

himself with the help of his 

b 

construction crew, they completely 

gutted and renovated the 

room in a little over two months. 

It’s only natural that this fanatical 

fan decorated the basement 

with his growing collection of 

sports memorabilia. Troy Aikman, 

Alex Rodriguez, and Randy 

Moss jerseys line the walls in 

custom frames. A baseball from 

the 1994 World Series—which 

got canceled because of the players 

strike—is displayed next 

to a 1969 Jets football helmet 

autographed by Joe Namath. 

To correspond with a pair of 

official Yankee stadium seats, 

Bob even hired a local artist to 

paint a mural on the wall of Yogi 

Berra, Lou Gehrig, and Babe 

Ruth in front of the infamous 

Yankee Stadium. 

With the newly designed room 

came new entertainment equipment. 

Calling on the expertise of 

Rod Shaffer from Arctic Audio, 

Bob soon found himself staring 

at a wall full of top-of-theline 

technology: nine mounted 

plasma HDTVs, ranging in size 

from forty-two inches to sixtythree; 

three Marantz audio/video 

receivers; a 7.1 surround sound 

system with Niles speakers and 

subwoofer; three PlayStations, 

one iPod dock, and an HD- 

DVR; and one mega remote to 

control them all. 

[T]ECHNOLOGY 

“The remote is incredible!” Bob 

effuses. “With our old set up, 

I couldn’t use a remote. If you 

tried to change one TV, it would 

change all of them. Now to 

watch Sunday football, I tap the 

Sunday Ticket icon, hit the 

BOOM! button, and instantly the 

equipment turns on and tunes 

each TV to a different game!” 

Seeing a residential home display 

more technology than your average 

Best Buy storefront is impressive 

in and of itself, but just imagine 

the experience when the TVs 

are in full use. The average sports 

night at the Footitt residence 

ranges from twenty-plus people 

chanting during a Minnesota Vikings-New 

Orleans Saints game 

to the more intimate night with 

the wife watching Monday Night 

Football and her choice of movie. 

Bob even holds PlayStation tournaments, 

playing Madden NFL 

on the extra TVs when there 

are only a handful of sporting 

events to watch. Friends bring 

their kids along to watch a movie 

while adults enjoy the big game. 

For outsiders, the mass of TVs 

might be overkill for watching a 

football game. But for Bob, his 

family, and friends, it is much 

more than a sports experience. 

As the homeowner so perfectly 

states, “we are bringing the family 

back into family room.” [AL] 

bob spent several more years with this classic setup inside his 

1972-designed basement, surrounded by painted paneling and 

surface-mount fluorescent lights. 


273 Congress Street Portland, Maine 04101 800.255.9454 www.angelaadams.com 

©2008 angela adams designs, LLC

for another two and a half seconds, the peace ... - Glasbern Inn

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