the Essence AprilMay 2011

the Essence of Los Alamos and White Rockof Los Alamos and White Rock April May 2011 Volume 4 Issue 3April May 2011 Volume 4 Issue 3

GET OUTGET OUTIn Los AlamosIn Los Alamos

Auto amp Motorcycle Enthusiasts Enjoy the Area Auto amp Motorcycle Enthusiasts Enjoy the Area Local Routines bull Climbing amp Hiking Los AlamosLocal Routines bull Climbing amp Hiking Los Alamos

2 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

wwwChamberFestLAcom

June 11th

1000-200Downtown Central Ave

Food Sand pile Car Show MusicChamber Member Expo

2 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

wwwChamberFestLAcom

June 11th

1000-200Downtown Central Ave

Food Sand pile Car Show MusicChamber Member Expo

3the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

the Essence

Gifts for Mom 6Plan a lsquoStaycationrsquo 6Embracing Small Town Lifestyle 8Auto amp Motorcycle Enthusiasts Enjoy the Area 10Los Alamos Residents Share Their Routines 12Community WindsHelp Students Succeed 14Essential Person Christine Bernstein 16Getting Out Locally 18-20

Calendar of EventsLocal Happenings in Your Town 22-23

4 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Welcome to the Essence a bi-monthly publication that focuses on stories that highlight essential people places and activities that make our community a great place to live The Essence is one feature of the Chamber of Commerce initiative called CommunityMatters This initiative highlights the role our members play in building community and invites you to do the same

This issue of the Essence ndash ldquoGet Outrdquo

Do you remember as a child your mother scolding you to lsquoget outrsquo of the house and play outdoors and not to come home until dark Well we are telling you the same thing

Spring is here and itrsquos time to get out in the community In this issue we give you insight as to whatrsquos happening in the next few months places to go and people to see There is much fun to be had

bull Find out what other folks do to have fun locallybull Plan a lsquoStaycationrsquobull Motherrsquos Day giftsbull The frustrations of going lsquooffrsquo the hillbull Essential person ndash Chris Bernsteinbull Calendar of Events

By the way hidden in this issue is a question in relation to one of the articles that if answered correctly will award a gift certifi cate for $15 the Reel Deal Theatre The fi rst one call me (Suzette) at 661-4844 wins

Hope to see you lsquoout and aboutrsquo Enjoy every day

Suzette Fox EditorCommunity Projects CoordinatorLos Alamos Commerce and Development Corporation5056614844 suzettelosalamosorg

Note We are always looking for new photos We give residents like you the opportunity to submit pictures - be it

landscapes recreational activities people about town events etc that speaks of our community You do not have to

be professional photographer to have your pictures featured We like to feature pictures that capture the essence of Los

Alamos amp White Rock Email photos to me at Suzette losalamosorg

Editorrsquos NoteParticipatingCommunityMattersChamber Members

Assets in ActionAtomic City CleaningB amp B Environmental Safety Inc Bennettrsquos JewelryBest Westerm Hilltop House HotelBrownells HallmarkCB FOX amp CB FOX KidzDon Taylors PhotographyEnchanted Paradise SpaFamily Strengths NetworkFamily YMCAFuller Lodge Art CenterHill DinerJuvenile Justice Board- LALorraine HartwayLos Alamos Family CouncilLos Alamos Farmersrsquo MarketLos Alamos Fitness CenterLos Alamos Heart CouncilLos Alamos Historical MuseumLos Alamos Medical CenterLos Alamos National BankLos Alamos PropertiesLos Alamos Public SchoolsLou Santoro State FarmNew York LifeNorth Road InnPajarito GreenhousePajarito Mountain Ski AreaPet PangaeaUnited Way of Northern NMUNM Los AlamosUPEX

ON THE COVERChamberFest Car Show

5the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES C H I C K E N F R I E D S T E A KC H I C K E N F R I E D S T E A K

HALF LB HAND FORMED BURGERS HALF LB HAND FORMED BURGERS ALL YOU CAN EATSEASONED FRIES ALL YOU CAN EATSEASONED FRIES

BANANA CREAM PIEBANANA CREAM PIEMAPLE BOURBON PECAN PIEMAPLE BOURBON PECAN PIE

LARGEST DINNER SALAD IN TOWNLARGEST DINNER SALAD IN TOWNFOUR HOMEMADE SOUPS DAILYFOUR HOMEMADE SOUPS DAILYPRIME RIB NIGHT FRI AND SATPRIME RIB NIGHT FRI AND SAT

HILL DINERHILL DINER

OLD FASHIONED OLD FASHIONED COMFORT FOODCOMFORT FOOD

1003029 0210 State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Bloomington IL

Ask about

motorcycle coverageThe only thing better than feeling the wind in your face is finding extra money in your wallet So ride over and letrsquos see how much you can save Like a good neighbor State Farm is therereg CALL FOR A QUOTE 247

There for bikers too

Louis Santoro Ins Agcy IncLou Santoro Agent

Los Alamos NM 87544Bus 505-661-0600

wwwlousantorocom

FURNITURE1735 Central bull Los Alamos bull 662-2864

CLEAR STANDARD OF EXCELLENCESimply Amishreg Rich solid hardwoods Hand-finished excellence

inside and out Itrsquos the skill of genuine Amish craftsmen passed down from one generation to the next Made in Americarsquos heartland by the Amish

wwwsimplyamishcom

More Choice More Choice More Choicein LOS ALAMOS

CCCCCCCCCCCLLLLLLEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRR SSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDDD OOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFF EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEESimply Amishtrade

More Choice Mthe Essence

Suzette FoxEditor

Claire RoybalAds Coordinator

Cindy Whiting Katy Korkos Kevin Holsapple Emiley Bainbridge

Content Editors

FYILAcomYour best local resource for news

calendar business directory and more

visitlosalamoscomOnline visitor guide to Los Alamos

locatelosalamoscomOnline relocation guide

losalamoschambercomChamber of Commerce

6 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

By Kelly DolejsiTherersquos no gift you can give your mom that equals the gift she gave you But she likes when you try Herersquos a

list of some ways Chamber of Commerce participants can help you show your gratitudeYour mother has the most beautiful face yoursquove ever seen the fi rst face you ever saw Why not pamper it

Enchanted Paradise Spa located at 464 Central Ave 2 offers relaxing rejuvenating treatments for moms of all skin types From classic facials to glycolic and even pumpkin exfoliations therersquos bound to be something on the menu to make your mom feel (almost) as special as she truly is Call 500-8022

No matter how old you are your momrsquos muscles still ache from lugging your infant-self around Show those unselfi sh sinews some love by making them a date with a massage therapist at the Hilltop House Spa In addi-tion to pleasing her sore back and shoulders a massage will improve her circulation release endorphins and reduce stress associated with raising children Call 662-1926

Continue the pampering by inviting her out to lunch or dinner at the Hill Diner at 1315 Trinity Drive Shersquoll appreciate the friendly service fl avorful food and not having to clean the kitchen Call 662-9745

After your meal present Mom with a well-lit photo of one of her favorite people -- you -- along with your spouse children or other family members Don Taylorrsquos at 999 Central Ave Suite 100 is currently offering $150 gift certifi cates to those who schedule and attend a family portrait sitting before July 31 Call 662-2523

Perhaps your mother laments the loss of card catalogues If you even suspect this might be true whisk her off to the Fuller Lodge Art Center at 2132 Central Ave where the ldquoDewey Decimalrdquo exhibit will still be underway Libraries are the inspiration for every work in this mixed media show Call 662-1635

Another option Take Mom out to see Mexicorsquos leading brass quintet You donrsquot have to cross the border to see Metales just a lane or two of traffi c on Diamond Drive Thanks to the Los Alamos Concert Association the group is playing from 4-6 pm on Motherrsquos Day at Duane Smith Auditorium 1300 Diamond Drive

If Mom lives too far from the auditorium to make the trip you can buy her an exceptional necklace or brace-let from Bennettrsquos Fine Jewelry amp Gifts (107 Central Park Square) or a sumptuous article of clothing from CB Fox (1735 Central Ave) Donrsquot forget a heart-tugging card from Brownellrsquos Hallmark (609 Central Ave)

And no matter what you choose choose fl owers too The Flower Shop at 1743 Central Ave is always ready help you say eloquently with petals what even the words ldquoI love yourdquo seem too fl imsy moderate and unscented to encapsulate Call 662-6093

To Mom With Love

With prices on the rise the idea of a ldquostaycationrdquo is becoming more and more popular A staycation is a vacation you take in your own town Think about it when was the last time you stepped into the Bradbury or camped out at a local campsite

With all the destinations in our area planning a staycation would be a breeze

Here are a few tips to planning a great staycation

bull Planning Start your ldquotriprdquo planning the way you would any trip research the area in this case Google ldquoVisit Los Alamos New Mexicordquo - this will undoubtedly take you to the VisitLosAlamoscom website Request the visi-tor guide - after all this is what you would do if you were going to visit this place for the fi rst time right

bull Schedule your dates Schedule when you will be ldquovisitingrdquo plan a start date and an end date This will give your staycation a more offi cial vacation feel

bull Plan your activities plan your dayrsquos activities - perhaps yoursquoll start the morn-ing off with breakfast at the CoffeeHouse Cafeacute then itrsquos on to the visitor

center to get some information about the local area attractions You fi nd that they have a walking tour that takes about an hour and a half including a visit to both museums which is perfect timing because you will be ready for lunch You grab a quick lunch in town and fi nish off your afternoon with a nice hike in Bandelier and dinner at the Hill Diner Tomorrow yoursquore headed to the Valles Caldera and a nice dip in the hot spring in the afternoon

bull Remember you are on vacation This means NO CHORES Donrsquot make the bed no vacuuming donrsquot even take out the trash NOTHING - You are on vacation

bull Take staycation photos and videos make sure you take plenty of photos - after all this is your vacation and like all vacations yoursquore going to want to share the trip with family and friends

There are many ways to have a staycation from the example you see here to camping out or creating your very own BampB in your home Whatever your staycation desire may be donrsquot forget to have fun After all you are on vacation

Tips for Planning a Great Staycation

Jessica Hoffer new owner of The Flower Shop preps a new shipment of fl owers Her son Lincoln is always there to provide his vigilant supervision

7the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

8 (a) Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Minority Owned Chemical amp Radioactive Remediation Environmental Assessment amp Sampling

Radioactive Waste Brokerage Decommissioning Surveys Technical amp Worker Safety Training NRCAgreement State License Maintenance

Environmental Consulting Health Physics Surveys Mold Investigation amp Remediation Hazardous amp Universal Waste Disposal

4200 West Jemez Road Suite 200B middot Los Alamos NM 87544 Phone 5056635245 middot Fax 5056635244 middot website wwwbbensafetycom

AAwareness response solutions BB

BB ampamp

EENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY INC

Allow us to cater your event for 15 to 300 guests at our place or yours

We also welcome potlucks amp personal caterers

Call to reserve your space 505 662-1118

We pride ourselves on working withinany budget

The Hilltop Conference CenterThe Hilltop Conference CenterBest Western Hilltop House HotelBest Western Hilltop House Hotel

Now Offering Parenting Programs Program at Hot Rocks Cafeacute Teen Programs Fun Family Events Toy Lending Library Family Resource Library Baby amp MeToddler amp Me Programs

Family Strengths Network wwwlafsnorg

1990 Diamond Drive (the Pueblo Complex) Los Alamos NM 87544

505-662-4515

Empowering Families

Building Community

Fun Family EventsParenting ProgramsClasses at Hot Rocks Cafeacute Teen Programs Toy Lending Library Family Resource LibraryInfantToddler Programs

Powered by

fyiLAcomCommunity Job Board

For details contact Claire Roybal at 661-4836 or email clairelosalamosorg

Looking for a Job Check out our community Job board at

fyiLAcom

wwwpetpangaeacom 5056611010

Help Spark a Healthy Community Healthy Youth with Assets In Action

Contact uswwwAssetsInActioninfo

wwwFacebookcomAssetsInActionTwittercomAssetsInAction

505 661 4846

Sponsored by the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board

8 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

CommunityMattersSmall Town Feels Like Home

Editorrsquos note In the Essence we tell the stories of the people places business events

and activities that make Los Alamos and White Rock a special community The Community-

Matters interview explores the concept of community with a local resident

Amber Rushton and her family moved to the community fi ve years ago from Illinois to be closer to Grandmas in the Southwest She and her husband Dan have fi ve children ages 9 years to 2 months She is the President of the Chamisa Elementary PTO and offers fi nancial workshops at Family Strengths on how to pay off your mortgage

Essence Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to do this interview Please tell us a little bit about yourself

Amber First of all Happy Motherrsquos Day to all the Mommies out theremdashwhether you are raising your own children or helping me raise mine I feel so grateful for the many mothers who are raising a community of wonderful and productive people

When we moved here we had NO IDEA how much we were going to fall in love with this place Dan (my husband) and I talked about how this is the best kept secret in Ameri-camdashnot fully understanding at fi rst how true that was

Essence What led you to get involved with the Chamisa PTO What is the PTO working on currently

Amber I met Jean Lyman who raised her family here and she quickly became one of my heroes She was busy doing all kinds of good things and I wanted to be like her So I asked her what I needed to do to be like her when I grow up She gave me several ideas one of which was to get involved with PTO So I did

Last year I was asked to organize an end-of-year party for K-2 at Chamisa which turned out to be really fun and I got to work with lots of great parents I realized how not-a-big-deal it was to be involved at school so I started asking about PTO and a few weeks later found myself on the board

This year wersquove been working on simplifying things Families are busy Dollars are tight So rather than trying to endlessly entertain families or do everything for everybody we stuck to some of the Chamisa Classics Carnival Arts amp Crafts Fair and Teacher Apprecia-tion Days Itrsquos been great Now that this board knows how things run wersquore getting excited to make some plans for next year including building an outdoor classroom that students have helped design and fund with grant money

Essence In your opinion what makes Los Alamos and White Rock a desirable place to live and raise a family Do you see this desirability affected by the inter-relationships between local businesses and community organizations

Amber Where to start where to startWhen we fi rst moved here we were often amazed by the community feeling in town and peoplersquos willingness to help each other A few examples

We were expecting our third child when we moved and I needed something from the doctorrsquos offi ce I called the offi ce to see if I could just pick it up next time I was in so I didnrsquot have to drag my other children through the hospital more than necessary The receptionist put me on hold and came back a minute later to inform me that a nurse who lives near me in White Rock would ldquojust drop it by on her way home from workrdquo Seriously People donrsquot do this where I come from

A few weeks later I went to check out the White Rock Library I walked in as the librar-ian was on the telephone I heard ldquoMr So-and-So I have a student here who needs some math help Can you come and help her out for a few minutesrdquo A minute later there he was

Like so many families in Los Alamos County we started out at the North Road Inn for a month While the breakfast was great there was an upper limit to how much time we wanted to spend in our room Somebody directed us to the Family Strengths Network where we could meet other families hang out and borrow toys and books from their lend-ing library We LOVED having new toys to play with every week for several weeks to come Not only that but the people working there remembered our names every time we came in AMAZING

Last summer we returned home from a vacation to an empty refrigerator I couldnrsquot see any way around dragging all the children to the grocery store to fi x that problemmdashugh Too many hungry tummies By the time our cart was full everybody was in tearsmdashor on the verge Seeing our situation a nearby cashier came and unloaded the cart A teenage girl we know from church came and offered to play with the children outside while I paid And when I came up $152 short Mr Manager who happened to be checking our stuff drummed up a coupon to make it work Our tears of frustration were quickly changed to

tears of gratitude for the good people of White Rock

Essence In closing what are some of your favorite things about our communityAmber I love seeing the paperboy or girl riding the bikes and throwing newspapers

out of their canvas bags I love that we see more people (and dogs) walking than cars driv-ing down our street

I love the small town parades including the Fourth of July Parade in White Rockmdashwhich started from Jean Lymanrsquos driveway when her children were young I love that almost no-body watches because everybodyrsquos in the parade I love the White Rock I think itrsquos cool that LANB has their name plastered all around town because they contribute to everything around town I love that Metzgerrsquos and Smithrsquos are great about getting deals for supplies when the schools need them I love hearing that people are shopping localmdashlike a friend whorsquos changed her routine to use her dollars in LA County (at places like the new Food Co-Op) before heading to the big box stores in Santa Fe I love events like FSNrsquos Family Festival amp Gordonrsquos Concert Series that get businesses and community organizations work-ing together to provide great stuff I love that people attend those events I loved that the fi rst night we moved here we went to Central Ave Grill and Smithrsquos and we already knew people at both places

9the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Enchanted Paradise SpaClassic Facial Back Facial Vitamin C Infusion Treatment Pumpkin

Exfoliation Treatment Waxing (Women amp Men)

Gwen Miller~Aesthetician~

Sunday amp Monday (Appointments only)Tuesday -Saturday 900am-6pm

464 Central Ave 2

5055008022wwwenchantedparadisespacom

Offering the Best of Los Alamos amp Northern New Mexico Living

50566209301475 Central Ave Suite 150 Los Alamos NM 87544

wwwLosAlamosPropertiescom

TM

Lorraine Hartway CPA LLC Est 1989190 Central Park Square Ste 101 Los Alamos New Mexico 87544

505-662-3122

For All of Your Accounting Needs

LLorr iaine HHHartwayLLorrrra Hartrtwayy

Accounting Services

Reports

Quickbooks

10 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

By Carol A CarkThe road to Los Alamos has everything one could wish for ndash mountains valleys mead-

ows high desert plains cliffs volcanoes hills and sweeping curves And its views continue to fl ourish once one enters the county line

ldquoLos Alamos is so scenically beautiful that itrsquos just a great place in which to take drivesrdquo said President Mike Luna of Atomic City Corvettes ldquoWeekends for me are devoted to get-ting out with a couple of others from the club and driving the area and enjoying the viewsrdquo

Luna was born in Los Alamos 61 years ago He and his wife Judi moved from Los Ala-mos to White Rock two years ago

ldquoWe just enjoy this entire areardquo Luna said who drives a 2006 Z51 candy apple red Corvette

The Atomic City Corvette Club Board includes Vice President Andy Trottier and Activi-ties Chair Chris Ortega Omar Sanchez and his wife Trish also are Corvette enthusiasts and have belonged to the club since it formed fi ve years ago The Sanchezrsquos own a 1969 Stingray convertible and a 1996 Grand Sport

ldquoDefi nitely the scenery is a plus when we go driving around hererdquo Sanchez said ldquoAnd car shows are especially satisfying because of the publicrsquos interest coming up and looking at the cars and enjoying what we enjoyrdquo

Club members gather regularly for outings to eat local BBQ and to show off their Cor-vettes at shows such as the upcoming June 11 ChamberFest event held annually in down-town Los Alamos Luna said

Each year the community festival draws more than 2000 people to the area For the past three years people from all over have come to attend the car show to showcase their hot rods muscle cars Corvettes and unique rides Last year the show had more than 50 participants and the Corvettersquos in the Jemez brought over 75 Corvettes to Los Alamos

Chapter President Ken Nadeau of the American Legion Riders Chapter 19 in Los Alamos said the club which formed last April will be making its fi rst appearance at this yearrsquos ChamberFest

ldquoWe have about 18 members in our group and we will be setting up our motorcycles in front of the Chamber of Commerce on 15th Street and Central Avenuerdquo Nadeau said ldquoWersquore very excited to participaterdquo

The American Legion Riders chapters are well known for their charitable work which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local childrenrsquos hospitals schools veterans homes severely wounded service members and scholarships

The local group gathers nearly every weekend to ride the Bandelier Loop and through White Rock and other local areas Nadeau said

ldquoWe have about every type of motorcycle in our club from BMWs to Harleys to Suzukis I have a Honda Nighthawk 750 we donrsquot discriminaterdquo he said

Other local motorcyclists who enjoy riding around Los Alamos County include Lou San-toro and his wife Pat

ldquoWersquove been riding together for 35 yearsrdquo said Santoro who owns a 2009 Harley-Davidson Road Glide ldquoThe nice thing about riding in Los Alamos is the topography Most

people think of New Mexico as desert but up here itrsquos so green and mountainousrdquoThe Santororsquos son Joby also owns a Harley-Davidson and he and his fi anceacute Trish Parker

often join in weekend rides The group may ride around in White Rock or travel down to Bandelier Santoro said adding that sometimes they stop at Bandelier with out of town guests to show them the park

The Santoros have met many new people through motorcycling he said They enjoy at-tending ldquoBiker Nightsrdquo on Wednesdays at Bobrsquos Bodacious on Arkansas Street

ldquoThatrsquos where everyone makes Saturday coffee plans and decides where to ride for the dayrdquo he said

Brian Dunwoody is another local motorcycle enthusiast He has been riding in Los Ala-mos County since he got his fi rst mini bike when he was 9 years old ndash he is now 52

ldquoI remember my dad had a Lambretta Scooter that he bought at Montgomery Ward in 1964rdquo Dunwoody said ldquoI own a 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic and my girlfriend Dana Wouster rides a Roadrunner Mini Chopperrdquo

Dunwoody lives in Los Alamos and said he and Dana enjoy riding various areas of the county including the loop through NM 4 to Bandelier around to Pajarito Acres and back again They also enjoy riding over to Bobrsquos Bodacious for Wednesday ldquoBiker Nightrdquo

ldquoNo matter where you ride Dunwoody said itrsquos not the destination ndash itrsquos the riderdquo

Save the dates for ChamberFestbullChamberFest in downtown Los Alamos 10 amndash2 pm June11

bullChamberFest information at losalamoschambercomchamberfest

The FrolicFor the love of the ridehellipFor the love of the ridehellipBreathtaking scenery surrounds local motorcycle and car enthusiastsBreathtaking scenery surrounds local motorcycle and car enthusiasts

11the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

42999$

BROWNELLrsquoS

Luxurious bull Comfortable bull Friendly2127 NORTH ROAD bull LOS ALAMOS bull NM 87544 5056623678 bull WWWNORTHROADINNCOM

N R I

For Information On Our Programs Visit

wwwLosAlamosHeartCouncilorgor e-mail PresidentLosAlamosHeartCouncilorg

Los Alamos Heart Counci l

We teach you how to ldquoLove Your Heartrdquo

Member FDIC

Los Almaos Farmers Market

Last Indoor Market of the Yearat Fuller Lodge

April 14th 800am-1200pm

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Sponsored by MainStreet amp NMFMA

12 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

INSIGHTINSIGHTBy Mandy Marksteiner

Do you ever get that sense of deacutejagrave vu where you do something and then have that weird feeling like you just did that same thing a few days ago

hellip Then you realize that you did do the exact same thing a few days ago and have been doing the exact same thing every week for months

Meet personal goals

Ted Romero works in the post offi ce Hersquos the one whorsquos al-ways trying to get a laugh from people standing in line usually by asking silly questions like ldquoDo you want popcorn or peanuts with those stampsrdquo

Outside of work he has a routine to stay in shape Every day he runs swims and rides his bike On Tuesdays and Thurs-days he goes to the free yoga class at Bethlehem Lutheran Mike Hoag teaches the class and everybody who goes simply calls it ldquoMikersquos yoga classrdquo

Every Tuesday he also does the Pace Race with the Atomic City Road Runners Itrsquos a race where the fastest runner doesnrsquot

necessarily win There is a one-mile and three-mile course Runners predict their time take off their watches and the person who comes closest to their prediction wins

ldquoI donrsquot really think of it as a routine because I vary the workout But I wake up run ride my bike to work and then swim said Romero ldquoIt keeps me from getting fat and sassyrdquo

Kelly Dolejsi teaches English at the Northern New Mexico College in Espantildeola Her goal is to write a novel or a collection of personal essays When she was getting her MFA from Emerson College in Boston she wrote for 4-6 hours every day

Now that she has a job and a baby girl she has to try harder to squeeze in the time Every night she writes in her journal Her husband holds her account-able for this routine by asking her every day if she did it Then when her students do their journaling (for ten minutes twice a week) she does it too Occasionally she hires a babysitter so she can go to a coffeehouse to concentrate on something important

Now that Dolejsirsquos writing time is more limited she has begun to approach it in a new way ldquoNow Irsquom more open and receptive to other peoplersquos ideasrdquo she said ldquoI used to be really concerned about being original I wanted it to be lsquominersquo Now I couldnrsquot care less I just want to be honest for my daughter I want to write about what my life is likehellip and doing that I canrsquot help but be originalrdquo

Help your day go smoother

Barbara Cruz teaches in room 3 at Little Forest Play-school Her students are between two and three years old and she spends her day maintaining their routines

Every day her students know what to expect which makes it easier to switch from one activity to the next They know that she will have a craft or an activity that they can do while they play in the morning

At 915 there is clean-up time ldquoWe have a pick-up song and everyone starts putting their toys back where they got themrdquo said Cruz ldquoIt helps them be independent and pick up their own belongings If one of the kids doesnrsquot put a toy away where it goes another kid always knows that itrsquos in the wrong placerdquo

They always wash their hands before snack After snack they have circle time for 10-15 minutes where

they do fi nger play sign language sing songs and read a book ldquoIt gets them to socialize with the other kids They sit next to each other and interact with each other It calms them downrdquo

Then they go outside to play for 45 minutes and come back in to wash their hands

again before lunchtime During lunch they socialize by talking about their foods Every day they ask ldquoAre we going down for a nap after lunchrdquo Every day the answer is yes

Mood enhancers

Every morning Merry McIntyre does the same thing to have a peaceful start to the day

She wakes up and makes her bed right away Then she drinks a small cup of cold-pressed coffee She lets the dogs out and sits in her sunroom ldquoItrsquos a relaxing time for me to start my dayrdquo

In her sunroom she does a daily meditation and some yoga or other exercise Then she takes her dogs for a walk After the walk she takes a shower and has break-fast in the sunroom

Without her morning routine McIntyre can get pretty disoriented ndash It just throws her off ldquoSome days I wake up agitated or worried ndash that really affects my dayrdquo

As a chiropractor at Trinity Natural Health Center she physically adjusts her clients and also helps them become

emotionally centered with ldquorepressed emotion clearingsrdquo Staying centered throughout the day is important to her

ldquoSeveral times I take a minute to center myself and breathe It helps me to stay in the present moment rather than feel like Irsquom in the rat racerdquo

Spend time with family and friends

Lisabeth Lueninghoener is the mother of an active 24-month-old girl Maddie ldquoWe need to be out of the house every day of the weekrdquo she said

Every Friday from nine to lunchtime she takes Maddie to the Family Strengths Network There Maddie can play with other kids and with the new play structure with slides Lueninghoener knits and talks with her friends When they leave Maddie is always ready for her nap

Make sense out of chaos

With three kids under three (a three-year-old boy and set of twins) life has gotten ridiculously complicated for Michelangelo Lovato He said ldquoItrsquos harder than anything Irsquove ever done Everrdquo

In order to take his kids anywhere he and his wife Meg have to work as a team Theyrsquove developed a system

He picks up James the three year old from school and keeps him entertained with an episode of Diego Meg bathes feeds and changes the twins They both gather clean sippy cups and at least nine outfi ts He loads the twins into car seats He has to crawl over the middle seat of his Toyota Sequoia to get twin 1 into the way back

and packs the other one in the middle seat Meanwhile Meg rushes around the house mak-ing sure that they havenrsquot forgotten anything like diapers their huge double stroller or wet wipes By then James is so engrossed in Diego that he doesnrsquot want to leave

ldquoIf Music Together is at 515 wersquoll say wersquoll get there at 445 and end up getting there at 520 All my clocks are set aheadrdquo

Luckily hersquos having a much easier time running the Teen Center located in Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church Itrsquos only been open for a few weeks and it already has regulars They have snacks pool tables foosball tables big screen TVrsquos and Internet connection There are also opportunities for teens to take free classes in things like digital photography and music recording Itrsquos the perfect place for teens to relax after school meet their friends during lunch and spend their free periods

Routines ndash theyrsquore necessary at times but becoming a slave to them destroys mental health So mix it up little ndash take a different route to school or work have breakfast for din-ner Change is good like a breath of fresh air

In a groove or in a rut

13the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

14 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Arts amp Culture

By Mandy MarksteinerSince the Los Alamos Concert Winds was established in 1999 theyrsquove showcased

student musicians Los Alamos High School senior Eli Berg will be featured in ldquoMirror Lakerdquo for solo Euphonium and concert band He chose the piece because it is lyrical challenging and fun to listen to

Berg has been a member of LACW for 5 12 years since he was in eighth grade Right away he had an opportunity to play a solo in ldquoThe Planetsrdquo by Gustov Holst

During high school Berg continued to become a successful musician He was the fi rst euphonium chair in All-State Band for the past two years After high school he plans to major in one of the sciences and continue to play music in college He said ldquobeing in the Concert Winds has helped a lot Irsquom exposed to so much different music Itrsquos also good to play with people with a lot of experience who really know what theyrsquore doingrdquo

Alex Austell another high school senior who plays the trumpet plans to major in music and recently auditioned to get a music scholarship at the University of New Mexico Playing in LACW has helped him build confi dence and get used to being in the spotlight In the jazz concert LACW played last February with the Los Alamos Big Band he performed Allen Vizzuttirsquos virtuosic trumpet solo ldquoAmerican Jazz Suiterdquo

ldquoOne thing I love about playing in the Concert Winds is that I get to play really good music that I wouldnrsquot get to play in the high school bandrdquo he said ldquoDoing that has helped me become a better player High school music seems much easier Also playing trumpet more during the week helps me become a better trumpet playerrdquo

ldquoThe music is really cool that wersquore playing right nowrdquo said Louisa Singleton a ninth grade fl ute player who joined last year ldquoItrsquos challenging but really fun because everyone is so nice to yourdquo

LACW students are section leaders and soloists in the high school bands It is no accident that almost all of the high school band members who were selected as All-State Musicians and who received superior ratings in Solo and Ensembles participate in LACW

Musical director Ted Vives holds bachelorrsquos degrees in both composition and music education from Florida State University and a Masters of Music in Composition and a PhD in Music Education from the University of Florida His arrangements and compositions are an important part of the bandrsquos repertoire In the upcoming concert LACW will perform his arrangement of ldquoBattle in the Snowrdquo music from The Empire Strikes Back

LACW has performed more than 240 different works in over sixty concerts The group performs at Los Alamos Countyrsquos Fourth of July celebration Memorial Day concerts pre-Holiday Parade shows the high school auditorium the senior center and local churches For a typical concert LACW has about fi fty local volunteer musicians from the community ranging in age from 14 to 74 This group includes physicists chemists geologists and engineers and most of the music teachers on the staff of the Los Alamos Public Schools

The group has no audition requirements This provides all members of the com-munity with musical experience to participate in performances including those who may have put their instrument away after high school but who want to rejoin the music community Rehearsals are on Tuesday nights from 7-9

At 700 pm on May 14th the Los Alamos Community Winds (LACW) will perform a free concert at the White Rock Baptist Church This program will include ldquoEgmont Overturerdquo by Ludwig van Beethoven ldquoThe Pines of Romerdquo by Ottorino Respighi and ldquoThe Promise of Livingrdquo by Aaron Copland

Los Alamos Community Winds helps student musicians succeed

15the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Discover Our History

Free Admission 10-4 Mon-Fri 11-4 Sat 1-4 Sunwwwlosalamoshistoryorg

505-662-6272

Spring into History at the

Los Alamos Historical Museum

1050 Bathtub Row just north of Fuller Lodge

Discover Our History

Boys from the Los Alamos Ranch School enjoy canoeing on Ashley Pond

16 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Essential Person

Christine Bernstein by Bernadette Lauritzen

The month of May fi nds us celebrating those that affect our lives almost as strongly as our mothers with Teacher Appreciation Week

I hope everyone can look back into their life and think of the one teacher that played the role of a caring adult relationship or role model that made a positive difference in their life

One of many members of the teaching and instructional staff of the Los Alamos Public School District who does it well is Spanish teacher Christine Bernstein

Bernstein is also mother to three boys and one girl and wife to Rusty Keegan is 14 a freshman at LAHS 7 year-old Camden and 6 year-old Kellen representing fi rst grade and kindergarten respectively and 4-12 year-old McKenna who joins the ranks of the Aspen Tigers in the 2011-2012 school year

She received two nominations at the end of 2010 to receive an Assets In Action Award for her dedication to youth in the community

ldquoI love working with youth They keep me young They keep me on my toesrdquo said Bern-stein ldquoI learn something new almost everyday about me and life through themrdquo

She credits the students in her charge with making her laugh and sparking her creativity She can be equally gratifi ed in their accomplishments and personal successes by seeing kids fi gure things out on their own that comes with the excitement of learning

Bernstein is a Californian by birth born in Montebello raised throughout the West and graduating high school in Santa Rosa CA She attended college at the University of California-Long Beach where she earned a Bachelorrsquos degree in Spanish Language and Linguistics

Her fi rst assignment probably couldnrsquot have been in a more different environment when

compared to Los Alamos with her fi rst teaching job in Compton CAShe also worked in Long Beach and northern California and has run the gamut from

inner city and mid range schools to high performing schools like Los AlamosShe married Rusty in 2002 and traveled to Maine and Pennsylvania before landing in

Los Alamos in 2004 ldquoI love this community I love how internationally diverse it is I love the mentality of the

people here I actually enjoy the lsquosmallnessrsquo of this place and I get a kick out of how one can be connected through many different ways to another personrdquo said Bernstein

Bernstein also loves the feel of the community support in the area with all of its differ-ent activities and beautiful mountain settings You can often fi nd her enjoying a variety of outdoor activities like running and hiking with friends or eyeing a nearby rock climbing venture

Chris is also an avid watcher of kid-friendly sports Her schedule often fi nds her in the spectator section of basketball baseball soccer and swimming It makes this California girl elated to live in a town where the commute is brief even during construction season

The mother of four extends her efforts to youth ventures like the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board ldquoChris has been extremely supportive and engaged with all youth in the community and somehow manages to balance work and familyrdquo says JJAB supporter Sharon Stover who also nominated Bernstein for the Asset Award ldquoChris encouraged and welcomed youth to fi nd their voice and connect them to youth issues in the community specifi cally the support of the Teen Center These young teens many who had not engaged previously have grown stronger and Chris helped them achieve their goalrdquo

ldquoWe have amazing kids in this community Remember that our kids are kids Sometimes as adults we forget what it was like to be young They are still learning who they are how they handle lifersquos ups and downs They are still trying to fi gure it all outrdquo said Bernstein

She believes that kids are our future and that they have great ideas She encourages us all to listen to them give them a voice and guide them without shutting them down

Atomic Bomb Downhill Skateboarding Race

May 14th and 15th in Los Alamos NM will be the Atomic Bomb Downhill RaceThe Southwest Series will fi nish with a real bang The third and fi nal race in the Timeship South-

west Series will be The Atomic Bomb The Bomb is a sick 15 mile downhill race with twisty tech turns at the top and a 50 mph fi nish It is being held just above Los Alamos on Camp May Road below the Pajarito Ski Area The top of the race course is at 9200 feet above sea level

The Atomic City of Los Alamos NM has been stepping up to help make this a memorable week-end of riding racing and relaxing in the high country of northern New Mexico Southwest Series Racers have been offered a group rate for lodging at the Best Western Hilltop House which is in downtown Los Alamos within skate distance from all kinds of cool stuff and only 15 minutes from the race course Yes therersquos a sweet little concrete skate park 5 minutes away Nice

There will be racing classes for Juniors Womens Mens and MastersThe Awards Party will be held at the Santa Fe Bar and Grill on Sunday night where the Series

winners will be announced and cash prizes awarded including the Fastest Qualifying Time 100 Skateboarding

17the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Science amp Math Based Art ContestGet Creative Take a little science some math

turn it into a cool piece of art and you could win part of $3000 in cash prizes

Contest Ends July 31st

Go to wwwnextbigidealacom for more details

RUN RUN RUN

1735 Central Ave Los Alamos

Los Alamosrsquo Portable Gift Certificate

Chamber M

ember

LA C

hamber of C

omm

erce

Cham

ber CheckTen dollars Even

Chamber M

emb

LA C

hamber of C

omm

erce

Cham

ber CheckTen dollars Eve

Chamber M

LA C

hamber of C

omm

e

Cham

ber CheckTen d

Chambe

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o

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ber CheckT

Discover Chamber Checks

To Purchase or for more informationvisit the Los Alamos Chamber ofCommerce call 661-4815 or go toLosAlamosChambercom

18 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

By Carol A ClarkWhite Rock being situated on the Rio Grande canyon rim just east of Los Alamos draws

rock climbers looking for afternoon and weekend recreation The ruggedly beautiful basalt canyon rim contains hundreds of world class climbs

The Underlook the Overlook and Below the Old New Place are just three of those climbs enjoyed by outdoor buffs The Underlook is a tiny cliff very close to the well-known Overlook climbing area The Overlook is a long 65-foot high L-shaped basalt cliff with more than 65 sport and traditional climbing routes It is climbable year-round due to the varied aspect of the cliff and has been the site of the ldquoMeltdownrdquo climbing competition for several years Below the Old New Place is a 60-foot southeast-facing basalt cliff off Meadow Lane

ldquoLos Alamos is a great place to live if you like to be outsiderdquo said Los Alamos Mountain-eers President Zack Baker ldquoWe regularly schedule climbing events in the evenings and on weekendsrdquo

There are a few hundred people in the Mountaineers organization he said adding that membership fl uctuates because many post doc students join while interning at Los Alamos National Laboratory They complete their programs and leave then often rejoin when they return to work fulltime at the lab

Baker has been scaling rocks around Los Alamos County since participating in the Mountaineers Climbing School four years ago The school offers basic rock climbing and basic safety

ldquoWersquove been going for about 40 years and every year we get 25-26 studentsrdquo said Rick Light who along with David Fellenz are co-directors of the 2011 Los Alamos Mountain-eers Climbing School The class begins in the main hall of the Crossroads Bible Church next week and is already full with 26 people and six more on the waiting list They will receive 30 hours of high quality instruction The materials and curriculum remain relatively the same but we rotate instructorsrdquo

Light has been climbing since 1965 but took an occasional hiatus when living in areas without rocks ldquoAll summer long in White Rock from late March through mid October we support top roping every Tuesday and Thursdayrdquo Light said ldquoAnyone interested can come out from after work until dark to meet other climbers and have funrdquo

The Mountaineers website indicates that according to Tom Newton the fi rst president and Ken Ewing the fi rst treasurer the Los Alamos Mountaineers were founded in late 1952

Newton recalls that he and his wife met in the rock climbing section of the Sierra Club in California and that they moved to Los Alamos in 1949 They were interested in doing more mountaineering and rock climbing and began meeting with like-minded friends to organize trips The Newtons had a three-bedroom Western Area house so they were the only ones with a place big enough for meetings They started club meetings in their house in the fall of 1952 or early 1953 with meetings scheduled about once a month

George Bell and Virginia Lotz met each other at the Newtonsrsquo house and later married

Tom remembers that they all had a lot of fun enjoying the outdoorsNewton remembers that Ken Ewing kept the treasury in a paper bag The club was origi-

nally the Rock Climbing Section of the Outdoor Association but quickly became a separate group The founding members were Tom Newton Ken Ewing Bob Mulford Liz Gittings Tom Stevenson Stan Landeen and Gene Tate

The love of rock climbing has fl ourished in Los Alamos from those early days Today enthusiasts can keep in practice even in bad weather with the invention of indoor climbing gyms

The Los Alamos Family YMCA Climbing Gym dubbed ldquoThe Wallrdquo at 1450 Iris St is used by local climbers Many leaders get their fi rst leading experience in gyms The routes are generally well protected and the falls seldom result in injuries

The Family YMCA offers a variety of rock climbing courses for adults and children from basic skills to advanced technique Private instruction and group classes also are available and the gym is open to climbers of all ages

19the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

The Sewer CragThe Sewer Crag is named for its proximity to the White Rock Sewer Plant and has

two of White Rocks hardest sport climbs The southeast facing cliff is comprised of pocketed basalt This crag is opposite of the northwest side of The Overlook crag and has fi ve bolted routes

The Doughnut ShopThe Doughnut Shop is a bolted sport climbing area with nine bolted climbs The

climbs are fairly stiff but the variety is quite good

The Sununu PlaceThe Sununu Place is a small crag with two 30rsquo bolted sport routes and a single tradi-

tional line located 30 yards south of the Below the Old New Place crag The approach is the same as for the Old New Place then scramble down from the north end of the Old New Place

Gallowrsquos Edge Gallowrsquos Edge features pleasant southern exposure moderate sport and traditional

routes and fun moderate bouldering The small cliff above the main wall at Gallows Edge is called the Upper Tier It contains two bolted routes and a decent crack climb

The Pit The Pit is a nice and typically shady little area enclosed by a wall on the west side

and big boulders on the east side It is amazing just to visit the place and even more fun to climb in it On the west wall is a Thunderbird painted by an unknown artist that pre-dates the fi rst climbing in the Pit During the monsoons cool desert toads can be seen in some of the pockets of the painting The Pit offers sport and traditional routes

The Playground The Playground is a 60-foot south-facing basalt cliff with more than 40 traditional

routes and top ropes This area is White Rockrsquos most popular top roping area Numer-ous moderate to diffi cult crack and face climbs ascend the cliff In addition the entire base of the cliff can be traversed as a boulder problem Many people come here just for the excellent bouldering

Coffee ShopThe Coffee Shop (aka Quickstop) is a 35-foot south facing basalt cliff with a handful

of decent top ropes and traditional routes It is rather short but entertaining

The New New Place The New New Place is a 60-foot southeast-facing basalt cliff with approximately 20

traditional routes and top ropes Many excellent and classic lines mostly cracks are found here This is a good crag at which to escape the crowds at the Overlook or the Playground

The LoungeThe Lounge is well below the New New Place and has eight bolted climbs and

several traditional lines

Pajarito GorgePajarito Gorge is a 300-foot gorge with so much exposure that some fi nd it quite

intimidating Climbing is best done on the upper 60-80 feet of the cliff band On a few climbs coming off may leave you dangling hundreds of feet above the fl oor of the gorge Not to worry you can get back to where your belayer is holding you but it will defi nitely get your attention

Potrillo CliffsPotrillo Cliff consists of a 45-foot high L-shaped basalt cliff with about 30 fairly easy

traditional and top rope routes This crag is the best crag for beginning climbers in all of White Rock This crag is sometimes very crowded partly due to the ease of setting up top ropes especially in the afternoons when it receives direct sunlight until sunset

Tortilla FlatsTortilla Flats is a beginnersrsquo top roping area developed by Roy Lucht Mike Montoya

Lou Horak and Jim Straight The cliffs tend to be short 40-50 feet and have a ledge about halfway up Most of the top rope sets provide two climbs and in many cases one is comparatively easy and coupled with a harder line The area offers a wide vari-ety of cracks mantles and faces

The Big Enchilada The Big Enchilada is a 60-foot southwest-facing basalt cliff with numerous traditional

and top rope routes This cliff is in a good location and is fairly tall Many good routes can be found here while avoiding the crowds

Crack HouseThe Crack House (aka Estante Edge) is a 45-foot tall south-facing basalt cliff with 25

traditional and top rope routes The routes tend to be on the short side but are extreme-ly high quality Most follow crack systems though there are a few face routes worth doing This area has the largest concentration of hard crack climbs in White Rock

By Dorothy Hoard and Craig MartinThe Los Alamos County Open Space System holds more than 5000 acres of public

land threaded throughout the towns of Los Alamos and White Rock Almost 60 miles of trail beckon explorers on foot bicycle or horseback Acid Canyon Pueblo Canyon and Walnut Canyon are accessible from the Pajarito Environmental Education Center

Pueblo Bridges Loop Trail morning hike 2 miles Round TripStart from intersection of Orange and Olive Streets (closed to vehicle traffi c) into Pueblo

Canyon Turn left onto dirt road just before reaching the old sewage plant Go around to the backside of the plant and cross Pueblo Bridge (picture) Turn left and walk up can-yon to homestead Bridge The trail gets a little rough crossing some side canyons Cross Homestead Bridge and bear left back to the sewage plant Practically a wilderness in the center of town

East Fork Walnut Canyon to Kinnikinnick Natural Park morning hike 35 miles One Way

Start on San Ildefonso Road (Golf Course side) about 500 feet south of Diamond Drive intersection (North Mesa Side) The trail starts at steps go-ing up the road cut near the gas line enclosure Turn left at the top of the road cut and follow the trail through the pines Watch for another sharp left around the largest pine tree before reaching the golf greens The trail goes to the East Fork rim where steps lead down a canyon wall The trail follows the narrow canyon fl oor to Walnut Canyon Turn left (downstream) on the utility road taking the upper branch where the road forks At Pueblo Canyon turn right and follow the trail up the canyon Cross Pueblo Bridge go right along a fence then go left around the old sewage plant Follow the dirt road to the point on the mesa Turn right and follow the trail into Acid Canyon to another dirt road Turn left for a quick steep ascent to the Aquatic center on a pretty trail or turn right and follow the dirt road

Perimeter Trail about 11 miles one wayThe Perimeter Trail skirts the edge of the developed town site from

Rendija Canyon near the Guaje Pines Cemetery to the boundary with

Bandelier National Monument about 11 miles of trail From its eastern terminus the trail is located in Rendija Canyon following the north slope of the canyon bottom After crossing roads in the Ponderosa Estates subdivision the trail parallels Arizona Avenue on national forest land At the intersection with the Mitchell Trail the Perimeter Trail again enters LAC Open Space as it winds across the foothills behind 48th Street At the crossing with North Pueblo Canyon the trail climbs on steep switchbacks on national forest land to traverse above the Quemazon Communities Now heading south there is a long stretch of trail that leads to the rim of South Pueblo Canyon Here the trail swings east and twists among boul-ders and trees to the southern edge of the Quemazon development Skirting the edge of the development the trail descends steeply to cross South Pueblo Canyon and immediately

Favorite trails of Los Alamos County

Continued on page 20

20 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Getting off the Hill - how I wore myself out and ended up

with s4599 socksAh the lure of the deal It seemed such a smart

thing I needed new running shoes and the sale was on at the sport and shoe place on Cerrillos Road Had

to be back for best friendrsquos birthday luncheon but that should be a snap Irsquoll take my teenager with hellip wersquoll get

some quality time on the journey

Saturday hellip 0817 am hellip fi nally fl ush teenager out of bed and into the car using veiled threats of no allowance unless hellip 0825 am hellip fi llrsquoer up at the Conoco Yikes

$348 a gallon hellip 0835 am hellip on the road to the big city hellip 0842 amhellip teenager asleep crammed against

the passenger window with earphones like an umbilical to the iPod Oh well so much for that quality conversa-tion time hellip 0900 am hellip sitting at the stop light in Pojoaque Is that guy in the next car really pick-ing his nose hellip 0917 hellip begin hitting the stoplights as I enter Santa Fe Teen still dead to the world I

position myself in traffi c not to get blocked out of the right-hand sweep onto Cerrillos Road hellip 0926 am

hellip a bunch more traffi c lights as I weave my way down Cerrillos Man what a butt-ugly street I swoop left into the lot for the sport and shoe place I shake my teen ldquoI donrsquo wanna go in Irsquoll just stay in the carrdquo hellip 0942 am hellip I deftly dodge a panhandler and swoop into the store to fi nd my shoes hellip 1007 am hellip Still waiting for my turn with someone who can retrieve the shoes I want in my size hellip 1013 amhellip ldquoMay I help yourdquo I ask for the size 8 frac12 and the clerk speeds away to the back hellip 1018 am hellip ldquoIrsquom sorry but we have run out of that size Do you want to take a rain checkrdquo Really I politely decline hellip 1019 am hellip Wandering out of the store I spot a great sale on athletic socks My teen is probably going to need some of those soon Irsquom here so what the heck I buy a package for $599 Great bargain hellip 1108 am hellip Back to the car where I canrsquot tell that my teenager has budged I need to make time to not be late for the luncheon back in White Rock I return to stop-and-go traffi c on Cerrillos hellip 1122 amhellip Waiting for another stoplight ndash waiting for the train to pass hellip 1129 am hellip Finally clear of the stoplights as I head up the hill toward the opera Teen still comatose hellip 1144 am hellip stopped at the light at the ramp and un-derpass to Los Alamos Try as I might my batting average for hitting that light on a green is less than 10 hellip 1210 pm hellip I pull into the drive-way at home and dash to switch gears for the luncheon Teen can fend for him-self hellip 1216 pm hellip Jump in the car to head for the luncheon Teenager has disap-peared Irsquom late as usual hellip 1232 pm hellip Relaxing with friends Ahhhh My best friend is wearing new running shoes appar-ently purchased at CB FOX during her lunch hour yesterday She tells me about the great family hike she took in Water Canyon that morning

Eighty miles of driving (at 50 cents per mile) a few hours of time but great socks

ascends the other side coming to the street at the intersection of 47th and Ridgeway From this point trail users continuing south onto Laboratory and national forest lands must use Sandia and Trinity Drives to access the Devaney-Longmire Trail

The Perimeter Trail coalesced from a collection of neighborhood and USFS trails fol-lowing the Cerro Grande Fire A community-based effort trail segments were construct-ed by volunteers and the Youth Conservation Corps The trail provides a link to many portions of the trail network and serves to connect most of the neighborhoods in Los Alamos and connects with trails in the Santa Fe National Forest The trail is a coopera-tive effort between Los Alamos County and the Santa Fe National Forest Along its route the trail crosses the forestcounty boundary at least eleven times

The long-term vision for the Perimeter Trail is to connect to Barranca Mesa to Bande-lier National Monument Cooperation of the Department of Energy and the US Forest Service are necessary to complete the trail from Omega Bridge to Pajarito Canyon

Quemazon Trail Cave of the Winds morning hike 3 miles OW Turn left onto the spur of 48th Street at Trinity Drive to the trail-head Hike up the dirt

road to the little water tank A nature trail restored by elementary students branches off to the left It loops back to the main trail in about 15 miles Another trail branches left to the Quemazon Trail Cave of the Winds morning hike 3 miles OW

Turn left onto the spur of 48th Street at Trinity Drive to the trail-head Hike up the dirt road to the little water tank A nature trail restored by elementary students branches off to the left It loops back to the main trail in about 15 miles Another trail branches left to the Cave of the Winds about 700 feet above the upper nature trail junction The cave entrance is in a steep rocky talus slope over the canyon rim use extreme caution The Quemazon Trail continues up through a nice aspen pine forest to the old Pipeline Road

Deer Trap Mesa Natural Park morning hike 2 miles RT Start at the end of Barranca Road Cross the narrow neck of Deer Trap Mesa this

requires a bit of scrambling down Indian steps That rectangular hole carved into the tuff is the deer trap Continue east (away from the road) and scramble up on the level mesa top Follow the trail straight out to the point for a wonderful view of the Jemez Mountains and the Rio Grande Valley

Trail 289 Valle Canyon morning hike 3 miles OW From Diamond DriveWest Jemez Road intersection drive on SR 501 west (toward

the mountains) 30 miles to a nondescript parking area on the right Hike on the dirt road into the Valle Canyon (Canon del Valle on maps) Good place for wildfl owers and butterfl ies At the big bend you can follow the road about a mile up onto the mesa and over to the Pajarito Canyon parking area or you can follow the narrow trail up the canyon to the Baca location fence Itrsquos private property

Trail 282 Ski Hill to Canada Bonita morning hike 2 miles OW Start at the dirt road going off to the north (right) between the ski hill parking lot and

Camp May Stay on the road or take the cross-country ski trail that branches off in about half a mile They both go to Canada Bonita a beautiful grassy meadow Very popular in October when aspen are golden Trail continues to old Pipeline Road

Trail 280 Pajarito Canyon morning hike 15 miles OW From Diamond DriveWest Jemez Road intersection drive 20 miles on West Jemez

Road (SR 501) west toward the mountains The parking area is on the right on the second hillock past the turnoff to TA-68 Hike on the dirt road into Pajarito Canyon The road ends at a rocky narrows where a trail continues upstream on the right hand side of the canyon This is a permanent stream with wonderful wildfl owers In about 15 miles the trail climbs out of the canyon toward the ski hill road Old roads follow the canyon rim back to your car If you are timid best to just retrace your steps

FROM PAGE 19

21the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

Just some of the many benefits of being a Y Member

FREE to Members Fitness Classes Over 50 fitness classes a week to choose from Zumba Yoga Pilates Y-Ride (ldquospinningrdquo-type classes) Step Aerobics PowerUp Exercise Lite SilverSneakers

FREE to Members Child Watch Child Watch provides Y Members with free on-site

supervision for their children while in the facility working out or attending classes

Too many benefits to mention here call us come in or visit our website wwwlaymcaorg

for information on all of our programs

The Family YMCA

1450 Iris Street 662-3100

wwwlaymcaorg

Call 662-5232 or visit wwwlosalamosfitnesscom for dates amp times

FREE Monthly Lecture Series Join LAFC and Trinity

Natural Health professionals for our FREE health amp fitness lectures mdashheld at the

beginning of every month of 2011

Topics include arthritis fibromyalgia therapeutic yoga stress management

herbology massage acupressure injury prevention emotional health

and much more

22 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

1 - 29 Pajarito Environmental Education Center Art ExhibitMesa Public Library Growing Green Honoring Earthrsquos Treasures will feature artwork of many genres We invite you to share your images of earthrsquos treasures

6 Los Alamos Arts Council Brown Bag Performance Series presents Bill LelandFuller LodgeLelandrsquos performing career has taken him to Germany Italy and Mexico as well as 27 states and the District of Columbia and include solo and chamber music recitals in such major centers as San Francisco San Diego Phoenix Dal-las Houston Chicago Philadelphia Jacksonville Cincinnati and Denver

7 Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series presents No Direction Home Bob DylanMesa Public LibraryA chronicle of Bob Dylanrsquos strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to ldquovoice of a generationrdquo to rock star

8 Fuller Lodge Art Center Art Opening Reception Dewey Decimal Fuller Lodge Art CenterArt entries placed into Dewey Decimal chronological order

9 PEEC presents Hawk Watching in the Sandia MountainsPajarito Environmental Education CenterJoin regional raptor expert Stephen Fettig for an all-day trip to the Sandia hawk watch site

13 PEEC presents Citizen Science Pika MonitoringPajarito Environmental Education CenterA citizen scientist movement is underway across the West to monitor and study pikas These adorable mammals typically live at elevations above 8000 feet and have been proposed for listing as an endangered species

14 Winter Farmers Market Fuller LodgeEat healthy - food from local farmers and ranchers

16 Los Alamos Dog JogChamisa SchoolRunningwalking event with a 31-mile competitive run or a 2-mile noncompeti-tive fun walk You may participate with or without a dog

19 Los Alamos Historical Society Stories from Secret City of Oak RidgeFuller LodgeD Ray Smith historian at the Y12 plant in Oak Ridge TN will tell stories of that secret city during the Manhattan Project and beyond

21 Guitars at the Lodge - Albuquerque Academy Honor QuartetFuller Lodge Guitar playing from the Albuquerque AcademyQuestion - Who in this issue teaches English at Northern New Mexico CollegeCall Suzette at 661-4844 to win a gift certifi cate to Reel Deal

28 Mesa Public Library presents Authors Speak Series pres-ents Marilyn StableinMesa Public Library Marilyn Stablein poet winner New Mexico Book Award

29 Art Exhibit Opening Reception - Old West New WestKaren Wray Art GalleryFeaturing the works of local artists Tim Althauser Danne DeBacker Cindy Val-dez Connie Pacheco and Kathy Hjeresen

30 Pajarito Environmental Education Center presents Earth DayPajarito Environmental Education CenterThe Earth Day Festival will feature displays by community groups of their earth-friendly products and practices and their information about our environment on the Pajarito Plateau

EventsApril 2011

Community Calendar searchable business directory full event details more events

and contact information at fyiLAcom

23the Essence AprilMay 2011wwwlosalamoschambercom

May 20111 Los Alamos Arts Council Spring Arts and Crafts FairFuller LodgeThis outdoor fair is one of the fi rst fairs of the season and will feature over 130 artists

1 Atomic Man DuathlonPinon Elementary SchoolRunBikeRun - Triathlon without the swim This event is hosted in White Rock at Pinon Elementary School

2 Steve Stoddard in WW II ndash One Soldierrsquos Story Art ExhibitMesa Public LibraryHistorical art exhibit comprised of a WW II soldierrsquos memorabilia and journal pages

4 Los Alamos Arts Council Brown Bag Performance Series presents Marjorie SeldonFuller LodgeMarjorie Seldon - Flute and Friends

5 Mesa Public Library FREE Film Series High FidelityMesa Public Library Rob a record store owner and compulsive list maker recounts his top fi ve breakups including the one in progress

8 Los Alamos Concert Association presents Metales M5Duane Smith AuditoriumMetales M5 is Mexicorsquos leading brass quintet M5 is the best thing to come out of Mexico since tequila Their sense of style showmanship and virtuosity is a rare treat not to be missed

10 Talk presented by Steve Stoddard Memories and Memorabilia of WW IIFuller LodgeSen Steve Stoddard will share some of his adventures during World War II while showing some of his memorabilia collection

13 Los Alamos Arts Council Brown Bag Performance Series presents Don MachenFulller LodgeDon Machen - Albuquerque amp Four Corners Pipes and Drums

14 LA Community Winds presents The Pines of Rome by Ot-torino RespighiWhite Rock Baptist ChurchEgmont Overture by Ludwig von Beethoven Mirror Lake for Euphonium and Band by Edward Montgomery Eli Berg soloist The Battle in the Snow from ldquoStar Warsrdquo by John Williams

14 The Atomic Bomb Skateboarding RaceCamp May Rd The Bomb is a sick 11 mile downhill race with twisty tech turns at the top and a 50 mph fi nish

20 Fuller Lodge Art Center Art Opening ReceptionFuller LodgeArtists highlight one or more of the fundamental elements of art texture form line color value shape - to create a lasting impression

20 ndash 22 14th Annual Kite FestivalOverlook Park White RockFriday night concert and night kite-fl ying Saturday and Sunday hours are from 11 - 5 pm with music food kite-building workshops and lots of kite fl ying and stunt kite fl ying

21 Jemez Mountain Trail RunsPosse ShackUltra Marathon through the mountains around Los Alamos Three distances of half marathon 50 km and 50 mile

26 Authors Speak Series presents Demetria MartinezMesa Public LibraryDemetria Martinez poet novelist activist

24 the Essence AprilMay 2011 wwwReadTheEssencecom

Thank You For Supporting United Way of Northern New Mexico

$1000000 and aboveLos Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos National Security LLC

$50000 to $999999Los Alamos National Bank-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

$10000 to $49000SOC - Los Alamos-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

$5000 to $9999Smithrsquos Food amp Drug CentersLas Clinicas Del NorteLos Alamos Commerce amp Development CorpLos Alamos Medical Center-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

$2500 to $4999County of Los AlamosNational Securities Technologies

Pro2 Serve - Los AlamosNetuschil Development Corp-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

Los Alamos Technical Associates (LATA)Neptune amp Company Inc-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

ABBA Technologies IncThe Hill DinerTerranear PMC-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

$1000 to $2499Espantildeola Hospital PresbyterianFamily Learning CenterRio Grande Sun-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

Los Alamos Visiting Nurse Service IncLos Alamos Public SchoolsIBM CorporationREMAX of Los Alamos-CORNERSTONE COMPANY

TOP WORKPLACE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTORS

Alexis De TocquevilleSociety $10000+

Diamond $5000 -$9999

LEADERSHIP GIVING CIRCLE MEMBERS

11 Anonymous DonorsRandy amp Laura EricksonJerry amp Lore EthridgePatricia FaselJimmy FungLarry amp Andrea HillMary amp Robert HockadayStanley SimmondsJason SmithDavid Palmer SmithermanMichael amp Nancy StrevellRobert amp Shelly SutherlandRaymond amp JoAnn SartorAndrew ShewmakerMike amp Jacqueline WeaverWilliam Wolfe

19 Anonymous DonorsIan amp Amy AlbrightMichael R AnastasioDebbie BacaJill amp Paul CookTheresa Cull amp Cheri HostGene K Ealy JrJeffrey A FavoriteDan amp Trudy GabelLoretta Garciaamp Jimmy LealT HainesBill HamiltonJoseph D HickeyJane LloydJonathan E MorganMeiring NortierKristin Omberg amp Scott MillerBryan amp Maureen Fearey

Duane ParsonsLarry QuinlanDory amp Bob RyanSusan Seestrom amp Chris MorrisFloyde SmithJulianne amp Tracy StidhamDouglas J WokounPat Yeamans

25 Anonymous DonorsCharlie AndersonGerald AntosAlison BeckmanTom Burr amp Lynn FinneganSylvia L CassilKirk ChristensenMichael amp Lynn ClineDon amp Connie CobbDavid CoblentzDon amp Judy CrockerAndrew DattelbaumMichael DelanoRobert EckeEric amp Pat FermKevin amp Sandra FinnJames D amp Vera J GallagherLarry GoenSteve amp Barb HansonFrancis amp Patricia HarlowKriste amp Neil HensonChristopher amp Nicole JefferyJohn amp Brenda JoyceMarvin amp Leslie MaestasCarolyn MangengGeorge amp Chandra MarsdenBeverly MartinAllen amp Theresa McPhersonRobert amp Mary McQuinnVirginia amp DanielMelvin-WagnerAaron amp Anne Menefee

Tom amp Jean MersonJeff MillerPat NakagawaMorris amp Cheryl PongratzElizabeth PlassmannWilliam PriedhorskyDan amp Judy PronoJoe amp Donna RichardsonMichelle amp Cliff RudyEvan Rose amp Felicia OrthRandall Ryti amp Wendy SwansonJohn SarraoDavid StahlDeborah A SummaPeggy TaffDavid amp Heather TeterPJ TimmermanAnn Hayes amp Patrick SoranJake Turin amp Susan MackMichelle amp Cliff RudyAnn amp Robert ShaferTerry C Wallace JrKip WentzCathy WilsonLav Tandon amp Amy WongGiulia amp Francesco Venneri

27 Anonymous DonorsCharles amp Linda AndersonEli amp Ellen Ben-NaimJohn Berg amp Alison DorriesJanelle amp Gary BlauertElizabeth BluhmSteve amp Kathy BoerigterMichael BoorDick BoudrieDebbie BradenJohn amp DrsquoAnn BretzkeCarol BurnsMichael BurnsAllen Camp

Mary CampbellAaron amp Jennifer(Cox) CoutureLarry amp Linda CoxAlison DorriesJared DreicerAndrew EricksonHarry EttingerR Alyn FordRaeanna amp Steve GeigerScott amp Anna GibbsJohn amp Deborah GillDennis amp Opal Lee GillG GlassTerrance GoldmanGrunau FamilyGillian amp Sidra HsiehDavid amp Terry IzraelevitzGreg amp Valarie JuerlingBruce amp Anne LeglerRich amp Bonnie MarquezCraig Martin amp June Fabryka-MartinEmily amp Owen McLaughlinMukundansEvelyn amp David MullenNick amp Ann NagyJon NelsonDarryl D OverbayRobert F ParkerDon amp Barbara RejRobert Roback amp Becky Coel-RobackMaria RightleyJennifer M RudnickJohn amp Connie RussellDanny ShevitzGus SinnisDavid SosinskiKurt amp Jo Beth SteinhausRobert amp Michelle ThomsenKimberly ThomasTJ amp Kay UlrichJacqueline VeauthierAndrew amp Laura WolfsbergCarolyn amp David Zerkle

68 Anonymous DonorsRay amp Joan AlcouffeDann AlisonLinda AndermanXylar Asay-DavisSteve amp Margo BathaCarl BeardWilliam amp Catherine BeardenJeanette BennionJody BensonGeorge amp Joyce BerzinsStephen amp Barbara BlairCarl M CadyJames CantwellDavid amp Linda CarverDavid ChamberlinChristine ChandlerRick amp Katharine ChartrandWilliam amp Palmira ClodiusJeff amp Crystal DensmoreHarriet DodderGordon amp Darla DoverJohn S ElderBill amp Kathy EnloePaul R FletcherGerald amp Collette FordhamSuzanne FraryDavid FryFuehne amp Trellue FamilyGuy GaffneyAnita M GallegosJohn M GarciaKris amp Darryl GardnerVictor GavronRobert Gibsonamp Lori Heimdahl GibsonTerrance amp Bernadine GoldmanPeggy L GonzalesYvonne Joseph Alicia amp Antonio Gonzales

Michael J GordonGreg amp Rhonda HansonLeon HellerSteve HenryDave amp Lynne HigdonGeorge amp Donna HillDavid HollowellJeffrey JohnsonPhil amp Heather JonesRobert JumpRandy KasikThomas K amp Bev KeenanYvonne amp Chick KellerWayne amp Cathy KohlrustNerses amp Pat KrikorianLattinBob amp Jackie MacFarlaneRobert MaloneDavid amp Mitzi MannDavid MartinJohnnie MartinezKevin McCabeCathe McClardKen amp Laura McClellanLinda MeinckeJanet Mercer-SmithDonald E MietzArt amp Marilyn MontoyaDerrick MontoyaDavid MooreJoel amp Ronalie MossTimothy amp Linda NelsonMary NeuNancy Jo NicholasChad OlingerRandy amp Anna ParksJohn E PearsonCatherine PleskoTom amp Jackie PetersenDavid PowellKathy PrestidgeCharles R Quick JrTim ReechtRichard amp Angela Renneke

Sarah RochesterElsie SandfordJudy amp Gary RobinsonKersti RockPeter SantiDonna G SchroederSharon SeitzRon SelvageDennis amp Virginia SimmondsJosh SimpsonWalter StarkDavid amp Vicki TellesDavid TeterCarroll A Thomasamp George A Baker JrChris amp Denise ThronasTurner FamilyWalter TuzelDaniel VarleyRichard WallaceBrian WatkinsMike WestfallMargaret amp Paul WhiteSteve amp Audry WhittemoreMatt amp Lian WilliamsDouglas amp Christine WilsonLaura Worl amp Ed KoberJohn L Yarnell

Thank you to the 676Associate Givers

All acknowledgements are as of the fi nal publication date We apologize if we have left out your name Please notify the United Way staff of any changes Thank you for your understanding

Sapphire $1000 -$1499

Associate Level$500-$999

Stephanie Archuleta and FamilyLynn Ballew Fabulous 50rsquos DinerCarol Clark Los Alamos MonitorDanette ClarkDecadent TableCentral Avenue GrillKeanna Cohen United Way Youth Team ChairKRSN AM 1490Margaret Ellis

Suzette Fox LACDC golf tournament coordinatorBernadette GallegosKevin Holsapple LACDCHope FellowshipTim Ickes - web designLisa InkretKaty Korkos United Way Campaign ChairRev Bruce KuenzelDenise Lane and Family The Hill DinerRev Kathleen Logan

Los Alamos Airport Peter SoderquistLos Alamos County RecreationLos Alamos Public Schools Dr amp Mrs SchmidtLos Alamos Public Schools John WolfeMacDoodlersquos Rob LambMarroquin FamilyDr Ben Neal amp FamilyPAC 8Paper Tiger Robert RodriguezMorrie and Cheryl Pongratz

Morrie Pongratz United Way Youth Team AdvisorRetired amp Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP)Southwest Offi ce Solutions Inc Tracy KittsBob Trapp Rio Grande SunKevin Todd Los Alamos MonitorUniversity of New Mexico Los AlamosVoice of Los Alamos Gene MortensenJason Waterbury LANBDebra Wersonick LANL Community Programs Offi ce

Hamburger Nite Celebrity WaitersChris BernsteinLynn OvaskaKaty KorkosGillian SuttonDr Eugene amp Wendy SchmidtDr Ben NealMargaret EllisGene MortensenSparky the Fire Dog Los Alamos Fire Department

Roundup Rendezvous SponsorsLos Alamos National BankLos Alamos National Security LLCLATAThe Hilltop Shopping CenterLACDCEdgewater Technical AssociatesEl ParasolGlobal Dental Science Tim ThompsonTitle Guaranty amp Insurance Co

Roundup Rendezvous In-Kind DonorsAdorn Hair StudioBlue Window Bistro

CB FoxCowgirl BBQDavid PearsonPatricia Carlisle Fine Art GalleryDavid TorneyDon TaylorEdgewater Technical AssociatesGold Lead CateringHotel Parq CentralHotel Santa FeJanice MuirJim GautierKaren EastonKathi Geoffrion Parker

Larry PhillipsLas PalomasLos Alamos County Golf CourseOasis Skin Spa LLCRick Wilsonrsquos PFI IncRidgeview Veterinary HospitalRio ChamaSec SandovalSanta Fe Equestrian CenterTerry BergThai CafeTK ThompsonTowaTravis Black

LIVE UNITED SUPPORTERS

Emerald $2500 -$4999

Ruby $1500 -$2499

1200 Trinity Dr 4th fl oor Los Alamos NM 87544

505-662-0800

wwwUnitedWayNNMorg