Durango Fall Living Guide

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Durango Fall Living Guide

Transcript of Durango Fall Living Guide

Page 1: Durango Fall Living Guide
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PublisherRichard Ballantine

General ManagerSharon Hermes

Design ManagerBrady Sutherlin

Editor/Designer Karla SluisPhotographerHal LottFashion StylistMarie Archuleta

Advertising Design/PrepressMitchell Carter Georgia Davenport Jennifer DickensJanelle FarnamLaney PetersonMichelle Uhl

Advertising SalesDarryl Hunt Karolann Latimer Shawna LongRob LillardChuck JillsonCorrin OxnamAdam AdimoolahCora Younie

On the cover:Jes Martinez, operations officer at Bank of the San Juans, relaxes on Main Avenue wearing a dress made by Durango textile designer Sandy Cushman. Cover image by Hal Lott, fashion styling by Marie Archuleta.

The Durango Herald uses reasonable effort to include accurate and up-to-date infor-mation for its special magazine publications. However, all general information comes from a variety of sources and may change at any time for any reason. To verify specific information, refer to the organization or business noted. To see the online version of this guide, click the link at: www.durangoherald.com.

A publication of

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Get to work!

Job Jugglers: Durango workers balance multiple jobs with passion & persistence

Tag along for a day in the life of Durango working mom Ashley Hein

Canine co-workers boost morale and charm patrons at worksites in Durango

Park your ego at the door, and other tips for getting along with your co-workers

Fall into a season of cozy, colorful fashion with clothing from local stores

The art of marketing: Sell your self, not your soul as an new artist in Durango

Bike commuters ride for environment, health and the pure joy of movement

Do your home work to create a productive, home office setting

Nutritionist describes healthy brown-bag lunches that prevent mid-day slump

Insight on Durango’s restaurant scene from Ore House Chef Ryan Lowe

See who won this magazine’s Best Happy Hour in Durango contest

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Go with the work

flow

A preview of what’s to come: Durango was ablaze with color in fall 2010 along Hermosa Creek, above. Below (from far left): Aspens in Wildcat Canyon, maples and elms along East Third Avenue, a honey locust tree downtown, and color on East Second Avenue.

Many Durango workers will ask The Big Question at some point: “Should I move to a bigger city for more opportunities

and better money?” Or, they ask: “Is the celebrated ‘lifestyle’ worth the sacrifice of working more and having less?”

It’s a personal question. Some decide to leave. Others are determined to stay. Some leave and come back. (I call those folks Boomerangos.)

If you’re reading this, it means you’ve made a commitment to stay. Durango workers, we salute you! This edition of Durango Living is all about the effort it takes to follow your passion and pay the bills. Read about “job jugglers,” who weave many skills to achieve balance. Peek into the life of a working mother, or pet lovers who bring their dogs to the office. Get useful advice on getting along with co-workers, setting up a home office, keeping energy up with brown-bag lunch ideas, or simply maintaining sanity during a multi-job work week.

Nancy Wharton, co-owner of DurangoSpace, gives voice to many workers with this insight:

“There are so many entrepreneurial people who want to live here. They say ‘I love the mountains, I love the community, I love the people, and I want to make a living here.’ And there’s a spirit that ‘I’m going to make it work.’” – Karla Sluis c

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A preview of what’s to come: Durango was ablaze with color in fall 2010 along Hermosa Creek, above. Below (from far left): Aspens in Wildcat Canyon, maples and elms along East Third Avenue, a honey locust tree downtown, and color on East Second Avenue. HAL LOTT/Herald photos

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PEOPLE

Fortunately for Candee Pearson, two of her four jobs complement one an-

other well, and all of them have the undertone of helping people.

Pearson owns a consulting business called Five Star Feng Shui. She consults with clients on how to design their personal spaces so they feel good being there. The ancient practice of Feng Shui is called the Art of Placement, and it involves functionality, fashion, color and energy flow.

She uses these same skills as a partner in her husband’s landscap-

ing business. As the marketing and operations director for Gardenhart Landscape and Design, she applies the same discernment to outdoor envi-ronments. Pearson’s husband, David Hart, designs the hardscape, but she specializes in the placement of colorful flowers, trees and plants to make living spaces both beautiful and functional.

“Your space should represent your unique per-sonality, likes and needs for functionality. I strive to improve the aesthetics of spaces, incorporating a very positive energy perspective in both of my businesses. They complement each other well.”

After five years of juggling Gardenhart and Five

Star Feng Shui, Pearson also took on a position with the U.S. Census Bureau as a field representa-tive. Consulting with clients and asking numerous questions takes on a new purpose here. Charged with gathering important data, she goes into peo-ple’s homes with a list of profile questions. She educates residents about the purpose of compiling this information, and explains how it is used by the bureau to allocate funds where they are needed in communities. Information on income, housing, health care and jobs is factored in to how counties get allocations of funding for schools, hospitals, roads and other services.

Pearson’s fourth job is really just for the money, but she chose the work because she enjoys helping tourists and other guests navigate their way around Durango Mountain Resort. She answers a lot of the same questions all day long.

“It’s really hard to sit in that little box watching everyone out having so much fun. I’d love to be out there myself,” she said.

All the jobs add up to about 40 hours a week, giving her time to play outside. Pearson enjoys playing in the river with her husband in matching ducky kayaks. She enjoys biking, hiking in the wilderness and gardening. At 42, she has thought about a full-time job and wants to make more money, but she is still weighing the pros and cons of full-time employment.

The ‘Durango Tango’ of multiple

jobs is common here. But for many

workers, it’s not just about making

a living – it’s about creating a

balanced life.

JobJugglers

Stories by Malia DurbanoPhotos by Hal Lott

Candee Pearson finds flow with Feng Shui

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Candee Pearson, who owns Five

Star Feng Shui, hangs windchimes

outside the front door of her home

in Durango.

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Jessica Edelbaum serves up compassion

Jessica Edelbaum has been balancing three or four jobs since February, after moving here in December of 2010 from Boone,

North Carolina. As a single 26-year-old, she devotes most of her time to working four jobs, while still reserving some time to spend with her significant other.

Her total weekly hours vary, since some of the jobs are on an on-call basis. She takes care of two elderly women so that their adult children, who are married, can have a much-needed break. Edel-baum enjoys hearing their stories and making the elders feel valuable and important.

“They are so loving, and have a lot to teach us – they’re like my surrogate grandmothers,” she said. “It’s a pleasure to just be able to listen to their stories without the need to do therapy with them.”

Her desire and goal is to be in private prac-tice full time as a marriage and family thera-pist, utilizing a degree from Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., which in-cludes certifications in both addictions and expressive arts. She had an office in the Red Tent Healing Center before it closed, and she specializes in doing art and expressive ther-apy with children who have had experience with addiction in their families.

Edelbaum also uses her professional skills when she works with Family Quest, an out-door-adventure therapy business. Family Quest is a service offered by Open Sky Wil-derness that allows family members to share the experience and outdoor therapy that their child or sibling has been in for varying lengths of time. Edelbaum says it’s a little challeng-ing, because the environmental factors in the wilderness setting and family dynamics are unpredictable.

While Family Quest is challenging emotion-ally and sometimes physically, her other job working in the Nature’s Oasis deli is a joy. She enjoys making healthy food for people, and “as a people person, I get to connect and engage.”

Edelbaum says juggling all of the part-time jobs can be a stressful, since the Nature’s Oasis position is the only guaranteed work.

“I don’t like the worry of not knowing if I have work every week. But it pushes me to do an even better job,” she said. “If I don’t do well, I won’t get called back. I have to have faith that it will all work out.”

She has time for the basics, but not much else. “Free time or time outside is a treasured rar-

ity. When I have time, I sleep, read, exercise, hike, camp, dance, cook or bake.” c

Jessica Edelbaum serves a sandwich to a customer at

Nature’s Oasis, where she works in the deli.

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PEOPLE

Matt Rupnow starts work at 5:15 a.m. every Monday through Friday.

He likes that a lot, except on nights when he’s had a gig playing music the night before and was out until 1 or 2 a.m. Rupnow plays in three bands, and tries to schedule gigs only on weekends, but that doesn’t always happen.

“I have to pace myself and find a place to take a nap in the afternoon sometimes. I have it figured out after a few years.”

For his day job at the bakery Bread, he loads a van full of fresh bread and pastries and delivers to restaurants and bakeries all over town.

“I like seeing all the nice folks I deliver to every morn-ing.”

He plays guitar and sings for Red Eyed Djinn. It’s a jam band, and they play some rock. He switches hats and plays in another band, playing country rock with D.L. Marble. He and his girlfriend, Jody, also have their own band, simply called Matt & Jody.

Rupnow has been balancing all this for about three years. It gets tricky when he has to go to Denver or Boulder with one of the bands for a wedding or party, plus it’s a challenge to fit in all the practice sessions.

“It’s a balancing act, and I get a little stressed some-times; but it’s worth it.”

Rupnow, 30, grew up singing in the choir in elemen-tary school. He picked up the guitar at 18 to accompany himself. As a high school senior in Monroe, Wisconsin, he sang in the National Honors Choir, then at Luther Col-lege in Decorah, Iowa.

“Music is my passion. I get to do pretty much what I’ve always wanted to do. It allows me to get better and to hang around with lots of cool people,” he said. “I play music because I really love it.”

He says Bread is one of the better jobs he’s ever had. The workflow is fairly fixed at a consistent 30 to 35 hours a week, and the music gigs are generally on the week-ends. He’s working all the time – one way or another.

Rupnow doesn’t foresee any big changes in the future.When he first came to Durango about five years ago, Rupnow did

some landscaping and lawn maintenance. He didn’t have to get up so early for this seasonal work. As a former delivery driver for Kanga-roo Express, he was “all over the place, but now my (Bread) deliver-ies are just around town.”

When he’s not practicing or sleeping, Rupnow makes time to snowboard, mountain bike, hike and camp.

Matt Rupnow has the drive for 3 bands and a van full of bread

c

‘‘I have to pace myself and find a

place to take a nap in the afternoon sometimes.

‘‘Matt Rupnow, left, performs with the band Red Eyed Djinn, in August at Homeslice Pizza in Durango. Homeslice offers live music outside on Saturday mornings (weather permitting through fall) for the “Breakfast Club.”

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In addition to being a full-time student at Fort Lewis College, Jason Contway has numerous part-time jobs. Fortunately for him,

many of them are at Fort Lewis.Over the summer, he prepared maps, signage, forms and mar-

keting materials for the International Office at FLC. At the start of school in late August, he was planning to go into classrooms to edu-cate students about options for studying abroad while still paying their same FLC tuition. Contway is taking advantage of the Interna-tional Student Exchange program: He will spend a year in Mishima, Japan, about 150 miles south of Tokyo.

For the last two years, Contway has worked in the Information Technology Lab at FLC. He assists students for 20 to 25 hours per week. From November 2010 to May 2011, he worked under an 80-hour contract for the Mountain Studies Institute, which was commissioned by the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores. Utiliz-ing his studies in anthropology and archaeology at Fort Lewis, he was involved in the Falls Creek Repatriation Project. Contway pho-tographed the ancient cultural artifacts, human remains and grave items and helped put them back in the ground.

In his fifth year as a FLC orientation leader, he will help incoming freshman and transferring students feel welcome at the Fort. Cont-way helps them find their classrooms, get online, learn about avail-able programs and get adjusted to the community. This temporary position requires 50 to 70 hours over the first few weeks of every semester and fulfills one of his passions: He says he wants to em-power people. Before moving here from Scottsdale, Ariz., two and half years ago, the 31-year-old was a life coach and personal trainer.

Contway says he is grateful for jobs that coincide with his area of study.

“So many students graduate with archaeology and anthropology degrees with no practical experience. They get out in the field and realize they don’t like it. I chose this career to be in alignment with the kind of life I want to live – being able to play outside.”

Despite his many responsibilities, Contway makes a conscious effort to enjoy his downtime.

“I juggle the jobs to fit my personal lifestyle, and will not work on Sundays. When I have time off, I like to walk, do resistance train-ing, have dinner parties or just sleep in. I also practice Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Tae Kwon Do and Aikido.”

Jason Contway has fortitude for several jobs at the Fort

c

55695

Jason Contway works on a reconditioned computer in the FLC IT department Aug. 22.

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PEOPLE

Photos courtesy of McCarson Leigh, Red Scarf Shots photography

Durango musician Lisa Byrne plays the

didgeridoo at sunset.

Lisa Byrne has figured out a way to use both sides of her brain. Three of her jobs involve detail-oriented computer work, including

sales and phone work, web page design and com-puter consulting projects, while the other two jobs involve playing music.

As co-owner of Holistic Health Options (H2O), Lisa plays Tibetan bowls, crystal bowls, Native American flute and didgeridoo in Sacred Sounds sessions for groups of people to instill a meditative state. She has studied sound healing and music ther-apy to help people relax and rejuvenate. Her other music job includes tours to California or the Den-ver/Boulder area with the band Jayla, playing her didgeridoo.

Her most recent endeavor, one that she’s thought about for years, was launching a new magazine called EPIC – Empowering People Inspiring Com-munity. Byrne sold all the ads in the first and second issues, while also coordinating printing and distribu-tion. Her two partners handle the editing and graphic production. She consistently makes time for this in between and around her other jobs.

She finds that her musical jobs and computer jobs, which also in-clude creating websites for small businesses and being a consultant to international e-Work, complement each other well. The computer jobs are mentally stimulating and physically challenging because of the eye strain of being on the computer for long hours. Carrying around and loading and unloading all her musical instruments and large didgeridoos is physically strenuous, but Byrne says the work

“feeds her spiritually, so it doesn’t feel like work at all.”

The variety and flexibility of Byrne’s jobs allow her to structure her day any way she wants.

“I can go hike Engineer during the day, then come home and work on the computer projects. Every-thing works in such a way that it meets my physical, mental, spiritual and emotional needs.”

“Finding time to get outside happens sometimes, but I always make time to incorporate meditation and exercise. The good thing about five income streams is that no two days are the same. I love the flexibility, variety and diversity.”

The common theme is that in some way all her endeavors help people.

“That’s a passion of mine,” she said. “Whether it’s helping small businesses have an affordable web presence or educating people and raising the con-sciousness of the planet through the magazine, or creatively making music – I am impacting people’s

lives in a positive way.”Byrne, 46, said this lifestyle is very different from her previous

career, where she worked for 13 years for a big pharmaceutical company in New Jersey. That job came with a 401K, health insur-ance, a six-figure salary, four weeks paid vacation and an expensive wardrobe. Her life changed drastically when she moved to Durango six years ago. “Now, I have less stress, the ability to use multiple skills, and I can structure my days and my life any way I want to. It’s awesome, and I am grateful for the opportunity for flexibility and diversity in my life. It’s never boring.

Lisa Byrne feeds her spirit with music and computer work

PEOPLE

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1. Clarify your motivation. If you manage more than one job, it should ideally be for more than monetary gain. Write a mission statement.

2. Get organized. Do whatever works for you: a bound planner, sticky notes, or high-tech tools. Stick to it.

3. Balance the workload. The jobs should “fill your cup.” Do you feel energized and enthusiastic about your multiple obligations? If not, consider dropping the ones that leave you feeling drained.

4. Be grateful. Remind yourself frequently of the benefits that you are getting from using multiple skills. Is it flexibility, variety, left/right brain stimulation?

5. Be present. Even if your schedule is hectic, take the time to give your full attention to the job at hand.

6. Nourish yourself. One of your jobs should be taking care of yourself. You can’t accomplish “busyness” without rest, exercise, good food, friends and family.

7. Examine your “to-do list.” Write a list of important life priorities. It should match up with your daily tasks.

8. Set goals. What do you want the future to look like?

9. Be flexible. Reserve your energy for the situations that you can control.

10. Be a critical thinker. Proactively eliminate energy drainers. This is the “work smarter, not harder” mantra.

10 Commandments of Job Juggling

Michelina Paulek, RN, BSN, was born and raised in Durango. She is the owner of CorpStrength, Inc., a worksite wellness company in Durango.

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PEOPLE

By Elizabeth SilversteinDurango Living Writer

Ashley Hein married her next-door neigh-bor, Sean, five years ago.

“I’d peek through the peep hole and see if his truck pulled in,” said Hein. “And I’d be like, ‘Oh, he’s home. I’m going to pretend I wasn’t watching.’”

After they connected over feeding the same neighborhood cat, Hein said that their relationship just developed organically. “He’s definitely not like any other person I’ve dated before in my life,” said Hein “That’s probably why I married him.”

They married after two and a half years of dat-ing, and their son Bergen, now 4, was born a little over a year later. The Heins found themselves working hard to support their family in Durango.

Hein was back at work as a theater teacher at the Durango Performing Arts Company two months after giving birth, bringing Bergen in a Baby Bjorn.

“I was incredibly lucky for a lot of reasons,” said Hein.

Hein continued to search for other opportuni-ties, and while in the Durango Arts Center, she saw that the Children’s Museum of Durango was hiring (in its former location above the Durango

Arts Center). She applied, brought Bergen with her to the interview, and snagged a part-time floor manager position.

After a year, a full-time position became available and she was pro-moted.

“Bergen started child care when he was 9 months old, which was really hard,” said Hein. “But it was also a nice relief. Moms definitely need a break.”

Hein is the now the community outreach manager at Durango Dis-covery Museum. She manages memberships, events, volunteers and third-party rentals. At the old location, as the museum man-ager, she taught classes such as cooking, drama and Spanish; but after the move, her job shifted from education to administration. She occasion-ally substitute teaches now, and for an hour a week she teaches a drama class at Needham Elementary.

“It has been an interesting transition, but I’ve really enjoyed it,” she said of the switch in her responsibilities. “It has challenged me in a way I have never been challenged before.”

Since she was 14, working at Baskin Robbins, she has honed her customer service abilities.

mom

Tag alongwith a

working

Ashley Hein, right, a working mom and

community outreach manager at Durango

Discovery Museum, meets with co-workers

Tiffani Waters and Brett Cadwell for

a training session at the museum

on Aug. 23.

A day in the life of Durango worker Ashley Hein is busy, but rewarding

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“Dealing with the general public can be challenging, but I enjoy working with dif-ferent people and different personalities,” said Hein. “I think customer service is really important.”

Hein tends to have hectic work days with numerous responsibilities, including her vol-unteer work with the Colorado Preschool Advisory Council and the Durango Early Learning Center. However, if Bergen needs her, he’s her first priority.

“Family comes first, bottom line. If Ber-gen is sick and I have an important meeting or an event, I will try to work it out with Sean or one of my close friends to be with Ber-gen,” said Hein. “But, a sick little boy needs his mama more than that meeting needs to happen. It’s heartbreaking to me when peo-ple don’t understand that. Kids can’t help it when they get sick.”

She tries to plan ahead as much as possible to avoid rescheduling meetings. “At the end of the day, I do my best for my job, husband, son and myself,” said Hein. “I have to feel good about that. Guilt and anxiety are worth-less emotions.”

Hein doesn’t feel as though becoming a mother has influenced her ability to multi-task or relate to people better.

“I think I was born multitasking,” said Hein. “I’ve always worked three or more jobs.” She added that she has always been the mother-ing sort, and would always cook for and take care of her college friends.

Hein has done a lot of work with children, and now that she has one of her own, she said, “I can say that sometimes relating with a 4-year-old is easier than working with an adult.”

Regarding advice for other families, Hein said it’s important to find what works best for them and their children. She did, how-ever, offer a peek into her life and what works for her. Here’s her advice:

n Find a trustworthy daycare. The Heins’ first house was near the Durango Early Learning Cen-ter. “It always looked like a really fun, vibrant environment, and I always wanted to work there,” she said. For two years, she worked as an aide and then a teacher, and loved it. Bergen started at Cassie’s House and transferred to DELC when he was 2 years old.

n Choose your battles. “Bergen is a very particular young boy. He picks out his own clothes. And you chose your battles as a par-ent. Some days he ends up going to school as Luke Skywalker, but you have to learn to draw the line at what’s appropriate – what will distract at school and what is letting him be an independent thinker.”

n Have a morning routine. The Heins are up by 6:30 a.m., drop Bergen off by 8:15 and Hein is at work by 8:30. Bergen occasionally needs a special farewell. “I always wonder what people are thinking when they’re driv-ing by Third Avenue and I’m doing a walk down the steps and turn around and come back up and press my face against the door and make funny faces,” said Hein.

n Communicate with your spouse. “Sean and I keep a lot of good communica-tion throughout the day, whether it’s text or calls,” said Hein. During the day, they figure out if there are meetings after work or who needs to pick up Bergen.

n Be organized. Hein explained that she always has a to-do list, even if it’s on the back of an envelope. “I make it the night before,” she said. “And sometimes personal stuff creeps in – like ‘Reserve that cabin!’”

n Make time together as a family. “Eat-ing dinner together is really important to me,

so I do a lot of meal planning,” said Hein. Dinnertime is always at 6:30 p.m. “We talk about the high parts of our day and the low parts of our day, and we work through our is-sues together at the table.” After dinner, they go for a walk, do a puzzle or watch a movie.

n Have a bedtime routine, but be flex-ible. Hein said that bedtime, at 8 p.m., has recently become difficult with Bergen. “He used to be really good at it,” said Hein, ex-plaining that he’d go through the house and say good night to everything. Now he post-pones it as long as possible.

n Make time for yourself, and make time for your spouse. “I feel some people have to do retail therapy. For me, it’s the grocery store. It’s just having that little bit of time to your-self.” Spouses need attention, too. “It’s really important to have that time to reconnect with one another and remember the reasons that your life is the way it is now and the decisions that you made. Sean and I try to do that. We have at least one time a year set where we just spend the day together.”

n Build a support system, especially if you don’t have family in the area. Hein’s best friend was pregnant at the same time and lived right around the corner, so they be-came each other’s support systems. “I know a lot of people have made really good friends

through their support systems and their mommy groups, but it just wasn’t for me.” Now, she said that there are times she’s regret-ted not joining a group, but with as little free time as she has, she’s content with her intimate group of friends.

n Take advantage of your location. While the Heins love Durango, they’ve had their dif-ficulties with the area’s high cost of living. “But Durango has a lot to offer for kids. It’s a quiet com-munity,” said Hein. “It’s a small- town feel. I’m not comfortable in big cities. So choosing to raise a family here – it just kind of hap-pened.” But with a small town comes small-town limitations.

“Durango is incredibly rich with specific kinds of culture, but there’s not a hugely diverse cul-ture here.” But it’s also a matter of personal taste. “You know, in a big city, if you’re bored on a rainy day, you can think of 70 differ-ent things to do. And you can in Durango, too: It’s just a matter of choice.”

momwith a

working

c

Hein delivers a goodbye kiss to her son Bergen, 4, during the morning drop-off at Durango Early Learning Center on Aug. 23.

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By Karla SluisHerald Magazine Editor

In some businesses, you might be greeted by a smile and big brown eyes. In Durango, that friendly face may come with a wag-ging tail and a slobbery kiss.

It’s a dog-meet-dog world in our laid-back corner of the South-west, and canines are often welcome in the workplace.

People take dogs to the office for practical reasons. Many pet parents can’t bear the thought of their furry kid being lonely and bored at home while they’re gone all day.

“I love having my dog at work,” said Aubry Bryson, an accountant at Texas Capital Partners in Durango. “It is easier for me to know she is not at home causing trouble. Also, if I need to stay late, she is already with me, so I don’t have to worry about leaving her too long at home alone.” Bryson’s tri-colored mixed breed Remy (short for Gremlin), looks like a gremlin, and her hair sticks up all over her face. Bryson loves break time, because she gets to play and interact with Remy.

Stress relief and exercise are some of the benefits of taking a dog to work. Dr. Michael Demos, a cardiologist at Mercy Regional Medi-cal Center, takes his 11-year-old black Labrador, Mello, to the office every day. They have taken “hundreds of miles” of walks together over the years.

“He’s very therapeutic for me, very calming,” said Demos. “The walks give me a chance to be by myself and be alone with my thoughts, which is very important.”

Demos has taken Mello to work ever since he was a young pup, newly adopted from PetCo.

“He was very sedate. I knew that he was the one,” said Demos, recalling the adoption day. “It was love at first sight.”

Mello fits his namesake. His calm, friendly demeanor helped him earn a therapy-dog certification. These animals must pass tests to show they won’t be fearful or threatening to humans or other ani-mals, and they must obey commands, never jump up or bark, and be gentle and very social. Demos said Mello often follows sick patients from room to room, and stays with them while they are having tests done. Aside from a couple of people who had allergies or a fear of dogs, most patients have a positive response to interacting with a dog at the hospital.

“My co-workers and patients love having him around,” said Dem-os. “They’re all over him.”

Julie Winkelman, a dog behavior expert and owner of Alpha Canine Academy in Durango, said the temperament – not the breed – of a dog is a key factor in whether or not it should be in a work environment.

“Some dogs are OK, and some are not suited for that at all,” said Winkelman. “You need a calm dog. You have to work with them to be confident in different situations. They have to be what dog trainers call ‘bullet-proof,’ or well socialized.”

David Roder, executive manager at Economy Nissan in Du-rango, trained his dogs to come to work when they were puppies. Eddie, a 3-year-old English bulldog, and Frankie, a 6-year-old pug, are around people all the time, so they’re very social. Roder said the dogs get along with everybody, even other dogs that cus-tomers bring into the store. Some people stop by just to pet the dogs and give them treats, he said. But Roder acknowledges that not everyone loves dogs.

PETS

This place hasgoneto thedogsCanine co-workers

boost morale on the job in Durango

Eddie, left, and Frankie, right, listen attentively to owner David Roder in the office of Economy Nissan. Roder is the executive manager of the business.

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Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 15

Dr. Michael Demos, right, smiles as his Labrador, Mello, a registered therapy dog, visits with cardiology patient Laura DeVere at Mercy Cardiology Center on Aug. 31.

“Sometimes a person will freeze when they see them. Maybe they had a bad experi-ence with dogs. We have to grab the dogs and put them in the back,” he said. “The cus-tomers come first.”

Dog expert Winkelman said this courtesy is important in a business environment. She said a pet owner must look through the eyes of the average co-worker, client or customer who comes into the space.

“I’m a business owner myself,” said Win-kelman. “I have to look at what’s appropriate for my clients. If they feel uncomfortable, then I’m messing up.”

Dogs are like perpetual 2-year-olds that you have to monitor all the time, said Win-kelman. Pet owners should consider how much attention is taken away from their jobs if an animal is rambunctious or very needy.

Like many 2-year-olds, dogs can be funny and add a lighthearted touch to the work day. At Economy Nissan, the two dogs take their jobs seriously. Frankie the pug is the sales dog, hopping into chairs next to customers as they sign forms and ushering them back to the shop. Eddie the bulldog is the shop dog. He likes to help the staff by dragging tires to a storage area with his paws and jaws.

“They are hilarious. All the people who work here love them and play with them. It’s a mild distraction from the day-to-day grind of going to work,” said Roder. “If you’re having a bad morning, it helps when Frank is in there smiling at you. It’s good for morale.”

The mere presence of a dog in the office can help people collaborate better, leading to a more productive workplace, according to research by scientists at Central Michi-gan University. A story in The Economist in August 2010 cites a survey of employ-ees who credit dogs in the workplace for decreased absenteeism and improved co-worker relationships and teamwork.

A charismatic office pet can also be a mascot and marketing hook.

Bruce Moss, owner of Gateway Reserva-tions (in a new, busy location at 2007 Main Ave.) has a little fun with his dog by listing her as part of his staff. His 8-year-old golden retriever Chloe goes to work with him every day. She is shown on the company’s web-site wearing a headset as “Accounts Retriev-

able.” Moss said she “gets a lot of e-mails from her canine friends looking to visit Durango.”

Roder said dogs at work might be frowned upon in a metro area that might be “more stiff.” But in dog-haven Durango, a friendly pooch can be a magnet for many customers, and provide a positive association with a business.

“The benefits are mostly to the dog – being at work gives them socialization and mental stimulation, which dogs really need,” said Winkelman. “But I’m a dog-lover, and if I’m greeted by a nice, friendly little animal, it gives me good feelings about the business. I might go back because of that.”

Chloe is in “Accounts Retrievable” at Gateway Reservations in Durango, according to her owner Bruce Moss, who owns the company.

HAL LOTT/Herald

Photo courtesy of Kory Samson

HAL LOTT/Herald

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Page 16: Durango Fall Living Guide

16 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

By Karla SluisDurango Living Editor

Co-workers push buttons, and not just the ones on a keyboard.

It could be a habit, like a loud phone voice or pen tapping; or it could be a larger issue, such as competition. The challenge is learning to rise above and work together as a team. Your job – and your mental health – are at stake.

Nancy Wharton, the co-founder of DurangoSpace and a small business con-sultant, puts it this way: “It’s no fun to be mad at work every day.”

The first step in building a harmoni-ous work relationship is to recognize and accept that people will have differences. Wharton says she and DurangoSpace co-founder Jasper Welch are a good ex-ample, because they don’t always agree. Respect and compassion help ease their joint decision-making process.

“You have to park your ego at the door if you’re looking at the company’s bot-tom line,” she said.

Wharton works to untangle unhealthy patterns and blocked communication within teams in Durango businesses.

She meets with each person on a team and tries to find out where they think the glitches are. That’s when human factors come into play. She says a lot of prob-lems begin with a person who says, “It’s not my problem.” Healthy teams need ownership of shared goals, good com-munication and a willingness to partici-pate. “Trust is huge,” Wharton says, and it allows everyone on a team to use their imagination freely in a safe environment.

But even with a well-built team, some-times personalities will clash.

In this case, Wharton uses a personality assessment tool. It can help distinguish between two different styles, such as a hard-driving, quick decision maker and a “touchy-feely, I need to think about it,” kind of person.

“It teaches you to understand why you are the way you are, and gives you a model for effective communication with someone who is totally different,” she said.

When the lines are drawn between two people, Wharton said a face-to-face meeting to mend fences is the best ap-proach before a human resources-type

Parkat

your

the doorego

Get along with your co-workers

with tips from a team-building

consultant

HEALTH

Jasper Welch and Nancy Wharton, co-founders of DurangoSpace co-working facility, share a light moment at their office on Sept. 1.

HAL LOTT/Herald

Page 17: Durango Fall Living Guide

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 17

intervention, but it must be done in a grown-up manner – not a gossipy or mean-spirited way.

“Both people have to be willing to come to that table,” said Wharton. “Sometimes you have to bend. If that doesn’t work, bring in a third party.”

Each worker can help create harmony in the workplace. Wharton said people can have an optimistic outlook that things are going to be good – even if that feels like a Pollyanna approach. They can work hard and create an atmosphere of trust and respect. They can make the effort to go the extra mile and contribute to someone else’s success.

“And I always add: Have fun,” said Wharton. “It’s Durango. Find a way to sit down and have a beer and get to know the people you work with.”

For harmony in the workplace, follow these tips from Lifescript, an online wellness resource.

n Talk less, listen more. Many conflicts escalate from what starts out as harmless word exchanges. Then one or the other person says too much, too little, or the wrong thing, and trouble begins to brew.

n Schedule talk-time away from your desk. If a co-worker wants to chat more often than you are comfortable with and to the point where it interferes with your job performance, politely remind your associate that the task at hand is occupying your attention, but you will have time to catch up during the coffee break or over lunch.

n Work in distinctive but complementary fashion. If you are part of a pair or team composed of employees with different styles of doing things, you may want to arrange tasks so that everyone can do their part separately while getting feedback from the other members at some point.

n Avoid controversial topics. Everyone knows that no matter who you are or where you work, certain topics should remain off limits. These topics typically include politics, religion and personal values, among others.

n Respect diversity. Many companies employ one or more associ-ates who may seem different from the majority of other employees due to race, ethnicity, gender, age or other characteristics. Do your part to respect all differences within your work area and try to encourage oth-ers to do the same.

n Sidestep office politics. You know the type: In most offices there is usually someone who stirs things up by complaining, gossiping or whining. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but that is not the best way to attract supervisory attention. Stay away from such employees, and don’t become one.

n Guard your reputation. Don’t get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, figuratively speaking. When getting along with co-workers is a priority, you will have to watch your back and protect yourself from others’ negative impressions. Do your job the best way possible. Don’t take questionable shortcuts. Avoid involvement in potentially explosive situations, such as romantic entanglements at your worksite or illicit activities using company property or equipment.

n Seek clarification. When a problem erupts, stay calm and seek clarity on the issues instead of arguing with a co-worker or supervi-sor. Never assume. Go to the most appropriate source for information when you hear controversial rumors or statements.

n Go above and beyond. If getting along with co-workers really is essential to your job performance, find ways to do a little extra to ease strain and discouragement within the department or among the staff. People will remember you as the one who keeps a positive outlook in the face of stress and difficulty. When employees feel supported and appreciated, they are less likely to engage in conflict and they will be easier to get along with. c

Page 18: Durango Fall Living Guide

FASHION

ABOVE:Fort Lewis College student Katie Branson relaxes in the courtyard near the FLC Student Union building. She’s wearing a Contocorrente sweater dress ($32.95), EG Smith tights($24.95) and D&Y wool hat ($21.95) from Animas Trading Company.

18 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

Page 19: Durango Fall Living Guide

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 19

Meet the models

Photos by Hal Lott Fashion styling by Marie Archuleta

Fall in Durango means golden sunlight & rich colors.

Celebrate the season with these cozy, layered, mountain-chic looks

from local clothing stores.

Workit!

Katie BransonShe’s a single “froshmore” at FLC studying art & business and graphic design. Branson works as an assistant at a drywall company, and she is an intern with Allison Ragsdale Photography. She was second-runner up in the Miss Colorado U.S.A. contest, and has worked as a model for two years. She likes to be on the other side of the camera, too. Check out her blog at www.studiokphotobykatie.wordpress.com.

Aaron PetersonHe has been a bartender since age 19, and has worked as the bar manager at Mutu’s Italian Kitchen for three years. Peterson likes bartend-ing because “It’s like hosting a party every day.” Peterson is married with two kids, ages 20 and 18. He’s a former pro road-motorcycle racer, and in his spare time he plays hockey and enjoys flyfishing, bowhunting, dirt biking and mountain biking. His favorite drink is a Rye Manhattan.

Jes MartinezShe has been the operations officer at Bank of the San Juans for three years. She said the best part of her job is working with people. “It’s a good work environment, with happy employees,” she said. Martinez was born in Durango, and went to school in Bayfield and at FLC. “I’ve always wanted to stay here,” she said. In her free time, she likes to float on the river and bike around town.

Page 20: Durango Fall Living Guide

FASHION

ABOVE: Papillon sweater dress ($58), IDI tights ($18), and Gomax boots ($68) from Giddy-Up 409.

RIGHT: Papillon sweater dress ($58) from Giddy-Up 409.

ABOVE: Jes Martinez, operations officer at Bank of the San Juans, wears a Splendid grey top ($47), ERGE scarf ($27) and Vintage Collection jeans ($148) from Rose Pedals.

20 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

Page 21: Durango Fall Living Guide

BELOW: Splendid brown cardigan ($64), Trace Me pure merino tee ($54.99), Vintage Collection jeans ($148) from Rose Pedals.

LEFT: Green flower necklace by a local artist, Silver Lotus Jewelry ($100).

LEFT: Nic + Zoe sweater ($185), brown slacks ($110) and tank top ($39) from Stuart’s of Durango.

ABOVE: Papillon top ($52), Kensie Denum Skinny Jeans

($58) from Giddy-Up 409.

RIGHT: Paparazzi Coat ($199) from Giddy-Up 409.

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 21

Page 22: Durango Fall Living Guide

FASHION RIGHT & BELOW: Ryan Michael shirt ($96) and

leather jacket ($499) from Appaloosa Trading

Company; Dockers slacks ($55) from JC Penney’s.

CENTER: Peterson stands at the Mutu’s bar in a Zagiri shirt ($150) from Stuart’s of Durango.

BELOW: Claiborne cotton sweater ($50), Claiborne stripe shirt ($50), Dockers slacks ($55) from JC Penney’s.

ABOVE: MontBell Thermaward Jacket

($145); St. John’s Bay tee ($20) from JC Penney’s.

ABOVE: Claiborne sweater ($50), Dockers slacks ($55) from JC Penney’s.

22 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

Page 23: Durango Fall Living Guide

RIGHT: Aaron Peterson, bar manager at Mutu’s Italian Kitchen, wears a MontBell Mistral Parka ($99) and Arbor Wear pants ($54.95) and carries a Backcountry Osprey Astro Bag ($89) from Backcountry Experience. Specialized Camber Elite 29 bike ($2,150) from Mountain Bike Specialists.

LEFT: Pendelton denim jacket ($138) from Stuart’s of Durango; St. John’s Bay Chino pants ($45) from JC Penney’s.

ABOVE: MontBell Thermaward Jacket

($145); St. John’s Bay tee ($20) from JC Penney’s.

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 23

Page 24: Durango Fall Living Guide

FASHIONLEFT: FLC

student Katie Branson wears a Tulle orange coat ($95.95)

and Celeste Stein footless tights ($20.95) from

Animas Trading Company.

ABOVE: Dorothy Blue hoodie ($29.95) from Animas Trading Company; Decree Boot Cut Stretch Jeans ($48) and Arizona cami ($18)from JC Penny’s.

RIGHT: Angie blouse and cami ($54), leather belt ($125) and Miss Me Jeans ($98) from Appaloosa Trading Company.

Page 25: Durango Fall Living Guide

LEFT: Montanaco faux lambskin jacket ($129.95), Miss Me Jeans ($98) and cami ($14.95) from Appaloosa Trading Company.

BELOW: Handknit hat ($21.95) from Animas Trading Company.

BELOW: Decree cherry rose tee ($26) from JC Penney’s.

BELOW RIGHT: Paparazzi Jacket ($169) from Appaloosa Trading Co.

BELOW: Kessley sweater ($32.95), Choice cami ($14.95), Promesa skirt ($24.95) and D&Y cap ($19.95) from Animas Trading Company.

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 25

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26 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

By Karla SluisDurango Living Editor

Two established Durango artists say the local art scene is welcoming to emerg-ing talent. But that doesn’t mean new

artists can focus on creating and wait for buck-ets of cash to appear at their doorstep.

It takes time and effort to create from the heart. For artists who want to support them-selves, it also takes effort to create a reputa-tion and generate sales.

“I believe that as an artist you have to do the work to promote yourself and collect contacts – even if you get into a gallery. Any place that shows your work wants your as-sistance in getting buyers in the door,” said Mary Lou Murray, who does watercolor, acrylic and sculpture. “Marketing is not near-ly as much fun as painting, but if you want to show your work, you have to do it.”

Murray, who is also a self-employed ac-countant, has a current exhibit at Eno through December. (Read about her work at www.MaryLouMurrayArt.com.)

Artist Heather Leavitt Martinez, co-found-er and previous publisher of Arts Perspective magazine, says there is a great deal of moral support and general interest in the arts in Durango.

“There are many talented artists here, but not enough collectors to support them all,” said Martinez, who also works as a graphics specialist at Korn/Ferry International. Mar-tinez’s original wet plate collodion tintype

and enlarged metallic prints were recently on display at Open Shutter Gallery in Durango. (Read more about her work at www.heather-martinez.com.)

Murray and Martinez offer these tips for emerging artists who want to promote their work in the Durango area:

n Use community venues. Many local restaurants, coffee shops and other public places help support new artists who want their work to be seen. “These venues may be a good place to start, get practice presenting and marketing, receive peer feedback and media review, and act as a stepping stone for venues more in line with long-term career goals,” said Martinez.

n Enter shows. The Durango Arts Center has several juried shows over the course of a year. The Farmington Museum has an annual event, and Ouray hosts an “Artists’ Alpine Holiday.” Visit Durango’s Showcase of the Arts through Sept. 25 to gather ideas for 2012.

n Donate to fundraisers. There are a num-ber of nonprofits that ask for work for silent auctions, which is another way to be seen. Part-nering with an organization that has an audi-ence to share the marketing expenses or giving a percentage of sales to a nonprofit will rally more energy and people around an event. It’s important to be able to write a good proposal including goals, timeline of tasks and budget, and know how to collaborate so the opportunity is a win-win. “Pick a cause you believe in and would support regardless of being asked to give away your work,” said Martinez.

n Host your own event. There are very es-tablished artists in Durango without a gallery. “Get fellow, like-minded artists and try to find a space willing to host you. If you can find a spot, there are plenty of places to get PSAs out at no cost,” said Murray. Home shows, one-night shows in public places, and teaming with other artists to create short-term venues are all great ways for artists to display their work.

n Network. Contact the DAC and get on “call to artists” lists. DAC memberships are available at a student level to be on their e-mail/newsletter lists. “Attend gal-lery openings and events and connect with other artists. Everyone seems to know a little something or someplace different to display,” said Murray. Promote your work by networking with both artists and non-artists through Durango’s many business networking groups. “Durango is a small town, and news of a new artist or new body of work travels fast. Partnering with local businesses can bring additional media at-tention,” said Martinez.

n Use technology. Artists should use the tools of the Internet at every stage in their ca-reer. Websites and blogs help give credibility. Social networking and e-mail contact lists will draw people to events without printing costs. “Technology is an important commu-nication tool,” said Martinez. “Most artists who need an art rep to help promote them using these tools are usually not established enough to afford one. But self-promotion is key until such support is available.”

HAL LOTT/Herald

artart

marketingThe of

Artist Mary Lou Murray paints in her studio in downtown Durango on Sept. 7.

Two locals offer tips for emerging artists, who balance the work of creator & promoter

A&E

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Page 27: Durango Fall Living Guide

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 27

By Heather Leavitt MartinezSpecial to Durango Living

The common misconception about business and the arts is that artists do a poor job of marketing them-

selves. The truth is, much of the freelance and

sole-proprietor population – regardless of the industry – is not very effective at self-pro-motion and marketing. It takes resources and creative problem solving to make a success-ful marketing plan. Artists are often stereo-typed as “starving” by non-artists, who don’t understand the intrinsic value of making art or can’t make it work financially because they don’t know how the industry works.

Like any other talent, making art takes practice. Making a career of it requires a lot of hard work and skill to be successful. It’s important for artists to make a conscious choice of how they present themselves. Oth-erwise, they become a result of unconscious decision making. They may follow the way of other artists, some of whom may not mod-el the right path for them.

Because most artists work independently,

their focus should be on their individual brand. Doing so should honestly reflect who they are and align with their career goals. The trap oc-curs when artists get enticed into marketing op-portunities and incentives that do not align with their brand or intent and take them off course into a realm of confusion and failure. For in-stance, allowing themselves to donate more of their time, goods or services to worthy causes than they can afford in turn devalues their work and worth. Other examples include spending precious resources on advertising that has no return on their investment; underpricing their work or having inconsistent pricing that under-cuts their collectors; and not marketing at all, thereby becoming their own best collectors.

Some artists fear that in marketing their work, they are selling their soul. To others, self-promotion comes naturally and easily.

How an artist creates and promotes should be in line with the type of work they do. For instance, commercial artists (e.g., produc-tion potters, portrait photographers, furni-ture makers, etc.) for the most part should promote their work as a product – in other words, a good that has a utilitarian purpose as well as aesthetic value. Fine artists have to stay clear of this practice, otherwise their concepts will fall closer to becoming a com-modity rather than a unique piece of work.

So what are examples of how artists can in-vest their creative time and resources wisely? Time management is crucial. Some artists need structure, and set up a certain number of hours a day or week to market their work. Having a marketing plan will help keep an artist focused on time and their mission.

Marketing is often the last aspect of the ca-reer an artist wants to think about. But history proves that an artist is only known because someone – perhaps the artist alone – valued the work, and made it known to others. There is no greater form of human expression than art. Whether it is visual, musical, dance, theater, culinary arts, writing or healing – communica-tion is key.

A message to artists: Sell yourself – not your soulHeather Leavitt Martinez, co-founder and previous publisher of Arts Perspective magazine in Durango, balances a full-time position as a graphics special-ist at Korn/Ferry International when she’s not in her portable

wet plate collodion darkroom.

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Page 28: Durango Fall Living Guide

HEALTH Glen Shoemaker, a multi-job Durango worker, rides his bike near downtown

Durango on a warm, early-fall morning. In September, morning

temperatures get cooler, and cyclists should be ready for the changing season.

Beyond cold, winter cycling means lower visibility, with dimmer light

and shorter days. Get a headlight, rear lights, and high-visibility

clothing. Think about reflectivizing to your bicycle, or even adding a personal laser bike lane. Street

surfaces are also more hazardous during cold weather. When riding, anticipate slower braking, slicker street surfaces, and slower turns.

Be more attentive for broken pavement and potholes, and roads or metal surfaces that are slippery when icy or wet.

Cold-season tips for bike commuters

HAL LOTT/Herald

28 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

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Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 29

By Karla SluisDurango Living Editor

The typical Durango bicycle commuter will tell you that saving the environ-ment is great, but it comes at a price:

windswept clothes, helmet hair and the dreaded brown streak. That’s the embarrass-ing mud stain that bike tires flick onto riders’ backsides in wet weather.

But it’s still worth it to ride instead of drive to work, according to three locals.

Glen Shoemaker is so passionate about biking, he compares the feeling to a dog sticking its head out of a car window.

“It’s the joy of the feeling and the motion,” he said. “Creating motion for myself, by my-self, is absolutely amazing to me.”

Shoemaker is another Durangoan with multiple jobs: He has been a bartender at Carver Brewing Co. for seven years; he is a guide for Hermosa Tours; and he’s an art-ist who does landscapes and bike-related pieces (some of them are on display at Carv-er’s). He has been a bike commuter since he moved to Durango in 1987, because he didn’t have a car as a Fort Lewis College student. He biked everywhere, and ended up loving it. Shoemaker lives behind Durango High School, and commutes year-round about 2 miles round trip to work, not includ-ing errands back and forth. He also likes to go mountain biking for pleasure. To carry items on his bike, he uses a giant messenger bag. For larger items, he uses racks or a pan-nier. He has a car now, but he rarely uses it.

“I feel that it’s inappropriate to drive my-self less than 5 miles to get my lazy *** around. I don’t want to burn the carbon,” said Shoemaker, who wants to motivate others to ride. “People can usually figure out how to drop two trips per week, or carpool. It’s about conserving where we can. Driving is where we can cut out a lot of energy con-sumption. It’s not rocket science.”

According to getarounddurango.com, cre-ated by the City of Durango Multi Modal Department, a 5-mile bike ride saves 4.85 pounds in carbon emissions. Other annual benefits from a daily 5-mile ride include gas savings ($134.50); parking savings ($1,076-$4,842); and car maintenance ($662). The 2009 Bicycle Commuter Act helps employ-ers save, too: They get a tax provision if they

offer bike-commuting employees the perk of $20 per month. (Visit www.bikeleague.org/resources/commuters for more information.)

Bike commuting reduces traffic congestion and often has com-parable travel times in-town, es-pecially during “rush hour” on weekdays or a busy Friday or Saturday evening.

Dara Cochran said she likes the convenience of biking to work because it saves time in the morning.

“It takes less time than driving, when you have to circle around to find a park-ing spot downtown, and then walking from wherever I park to my job,” said Cochran, who is a bartender and server at Ken & Sue’s restaurant. Cochran says she enjoys seeing more and more parking spaces re-moved to make room for the city’s new bike corrals. According to the Multi Modal

Department, the corrals may be installed at the rate of one per block (one on each side of Main Avenue), and business owners and the City must obtain the approval of the project by the majority of businesses one block in each direction from where cycle corral is proposed.

Cochran bikes about 30 minutes round trip every day, unless it’s raining or snowing. On the weekends, if she goes out for cocktails after work, she likes that she has a much safer way to get home. Cochran also saves “a ton” on gas.

“I live so close to town, it seems silly to drive unless I absolutely have to,” she said. “And I love being able to get in a little bit of exercise, even if it’s just riding to work.”

A big bonus of bike commuting is burning calories without too much effort. An average 150-pound person will burn about 500 calories riding a leisurely-paced 30 minutes to work and 30 minutes home. At that rate, a biker can drop 5 to 10 pounds in about two to three

months.Amanda Kuenzi rides her

bike three to five days a week to her job as a biologist with SWCA Environmental Con-sultants. Her ride is about 20 minutes round trip. She is glad to avoid the frustration of sitting in a car at the end of the day in rush-hour traffic “waiting for all the tourists in the crosswalks,” she said.

“I love bike commuting!” she said. “While I’m riding, I think about the money I’m not wasting on gas, the carbon dioxide I’m not put-ting into the atmosphere, and the kick-start I’m getting to my metabolism in the morning.”

Kuenzi, Cochran and Shoemaker all agree that Durango drivers are generally aware and friendly to bikers, although the bikers are wary of people pulling out of parking spots downtown. Shoemaker said he rides his bike “as though I am invisible to drivers,” assum-ing that they don’t see him, and taking extra precautions.

Rain, snow and ice are challenges for bike commuters. Some, like Cochran and Kuenzi, use their cars on stormy days. Other riders, like Shoemaker, push themselves to get on their bikes no matter what.

“Sometimes when it’s rainy, it’s hard to get out the door,” said Shoemaker. “But, as I’ve heard lots of people say in Durango: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear.’” He recommends layers of clothing and riding very carefully on snow or ice. He doesn’t use studded snow tires, saying that after a snowstorm, the River Trail bike path is often cleared faster than most of the roads.

Shoemaker’s final tip: Use fenders on your bike. They prevent the brown streak, which is not a good thing in the service industry.

“If people see you with that funky stain, I’m pretty sure you’ll get tipped less.”

Durango’s bike commuters say they do it for health, environment – and pure joy

I feel that it’s inappropriate to drive

myself less than 5 miles to get my lazy *** around.‘‘ ‘‘

Whythey

ride

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30 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

By Karla SluisHerald Magazine Editor

It’s midnight. You’re slumped in a lumpy chair, typing a report in a windowless attic.

What happened to the idyllic dream of working from home? Turns out, it’s more than shuffling into the kitchen and lounging around in your jammies. Setting up a home office and using it ef-ficiently requires some work – homework.

The first order of business is to consider the nature of your job and choose a suitable space.

“Form always follows function,” said Elizabeth Webb, owner of Decorating Designs in Durango. “Is your job client-based, or are you running your own business from a computer?”

If clients visit daily, a separate entrance to a reserved room is the best choice, Webb said. If that’s not possible, she said the rest of your home better look “pretty spiffy” at all times.

For a home worker with no clients, “it’s kind of carte blanche,” said Webb. The tricky part is finding a suitable space in a small home without a room to spare. Webb suggests renovating a closet with bi-fold sliding doors by retrofitting it with an electrical outlet. This set-up can be closed off and hidden in a multipurpose guest room or living room.

“Camouflage is good, like a nice credenza,” said Webb.Before buying furniture, Webb advises people to keep pieces in the

same scale. For example, a giant credenza will look off-balance in a small room. Another way to camouflage an office set-up is to match the furniture and accents to the style of the rest of the room. A boxy desk won’t work in a feminine boudoir filled with ruffles. Sacrifice storage space and try a curvy desk with legs or a glass-topped table instead, Webb said. Coordinating the style of the office furniture will make the space more seamless.

Beyond aesthetics, ergonomics is important. Webb says home workers should have everything they use frequently within an arm’s reach. This keeps the space user-friendly, so you don’t have to get up and interrupt your workflow.

Fresh air and a great view from your work space is a huge bonus.

“You don’t want to be stuck in a room without a view. Daylight encour-ages me to work,” said Webb. “You want to avoid feeling like you’re in a windowless cubicle – that’s what you were trying to get away from!”

Home-based worker Jill Hutcheson says her view is an enormous asset. Her upstairs office is a separate room with windows on two sides, and a door that opens to a landing with a wall of windows. “A mirror at my desk reflects the window space behind me. It’s almost like I’m sitting in nature like a bird – it’s like being in the treetops,” she said.

Hutcheson is the clinical outreach director for Open Sky Wilder-ness Therapy, a licensed residential treatment “facility without walls” located near Mancos in the summer and in Utah in the winter. The center treats 13- to 30- year-olds from 18 different countries. They are immersed in the wilderness for 60-90 days in an integrative pro-gram that treats all kind of issues, such as eating disorders, anxiety, social problems or family problems.

Hutcheson created her job and has been doing it for a little over a year, spending some of her time traveling across the U.S. and some of her time working from home in Durango.

She describes her office as the “perfect melding of technology and nature.” There’s a futon couch, and she uses a good chair or an exer-cise ball. She has a wood desk with big shelves. The room is warm and inviting, with rounded curves. Walls are khaki-colored, and there are earth tones in the drapes and accents. A fax machine and elec-tronic items are hidden in cubbies, because she didn’t want the tech-nology to feel invasive. Hutcheson uses a headset to walk around,

HAL LOTT/Herald photos

Jill Hutcheson’s home office in Durango features earth tones, furniture with rounded curves and big windows that make her feel like a “bird in the treetops,” she said. Below, Hutcheson works from her patio.

Work

Do yourHome

HOME

Local designer and director offer tips on creating a good physical space –

and head space – for working at home

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Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 31

because she likes to keep moving while she works.Hutcheson connects with her co-workers on a regular basis, but

she doesn’t miss being physically present in the office. “I’m not part of the office drama,” she said. “I’m the happy front

person that gets to enjoy their company. I get more done when I’m not there. I can zoom right into work without chitchatting.”

There are several challenges to working from home that are not about the physical space – they’re about head space. It takes skill and practice to get into the proper mindset when hours are flexible and no one is keeping tabs on your work. Hutcheson offers the fol-lowing tips for setting up a good mental space for working at home:

n Be self-motivated and self-regulated. You can’t be distracted by cleaning your house or talking to a neighbor.

n Create a routine. At home, there’s no transition time of “going to work” and “quittin’ time.” Hutcheson says she exercises in the morning and takes a shower. “I’ll meditate in my office, or read an intention card or inspirational reading – something that helps me get centered.”

n Eat your meals in the kitchen. Otherwise, you’ll be munching away at your desk and, all of a sudden, a bag of chips is gone. This is not good for the waistline.

n Whatever your job is, make sure you stay connected to your col-leagues. Meet them once a week to catch up and have fun conversa-tions. Give supervisors regular updates on your progress.

n Make more results happen. If it’s numbers, produce the num-bers; or maybe it’s bringing more clients in. “You have to show for your work,” said Hutcheson. “Your value has to be proven because you’re not there eight hours a day.”

n Find a balance where you’re not overworking and neglecting your family and friends. More time with loved ones is probably one of the reasons you wanted freedom and flexibility to begin with. Set aside downtime for yourself and time to connect with others – and be fully present with them.

HAL LOTT/Herald photos

c

Page 32: Durango Fall Living Guide

FOOD

Durango Master Nutrition Therapist Jess Kelley, right, advises workers to pack a healthy brown-bag lunch to maintain energy and focus for a long work day. Southwest Quinoa Salad, below, is a good choice because it’s rich in whole grains, lean protein and fiber. It can be made ahead over the weekend, and the flavors improve over a couple of days.

HAL LOTT/Herald

32 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

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By Jess KelleyDurango Living Writer

I have two practically full-time jobs. I like it that way. It keeps things interesting despite concurrent themes – nutrition thera-py consulting and writing about food for national magazines.

Eleven-hour days are common (where do those hours go?). To do it – and still have the energy to exercise and the mental equa-nimity to not divorce my husband – I have to make lunch a prior-ity. If not, sorry pal. In my practice, a common problem my clients experience is fatigue; for some, it’s flat-out exhaustion.

The problem? More often than not, they don’t eat enough. In our attempt to zip through overcrowded days and enjoy this “para-dise” we all pay too much money to thrive in, many folks forgo the mid-day meal.

Bad idea. Here’s why: When you go long periods of time without a balanced meal (4-6 hours) blood sugar levels drop, starving the brain and causing ir-ritability, brain fog, fatigue, sugar cravings and in-creased levels of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone, and when it is chronically high it can lead to sleep disturbances and weight gain in the belly (oh yeah, you know the spot). It might sound novice, but taking 20 minutes to eat a balanced lunch will make you more productive, prevent that after-noon slump, help balance mood and provide all-day energy.

What does a balanced lunch look like? Well, it doesn’t look like caffeine, sugary drinks, a piece of fruit or a bagel. Refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cookies, crackers), when eaten alone, are a sure-fire way to find yourself in the wastebasket. Lunch should look like quality protein – organic meats, poultry or fish; healthy fats, which are nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut; complex carbohydrates, like green leafy vegetables; and whole grains, like brown rice. In summary, all three macronutrients – protein, carbo-hydrates and fat –should comprise every meal.

So how, an overworked Durango reader might ask, is it possible to fit in lunch between biking to multiple jobs and jetting around kids, dogs, partners, hobbies, etc.?

I have some tips for you, but let’s start with this concept: Take a lunch break. It’s Colorado law to guarantee a 30-minute meal period per shift, though many people working in Durango are not allowing it. This is a Department of Labor violation. I know who some of these employers are. If I ever have any free time, I might

just call and report them. If you are an employee, please, please, take your lunch break. Eating at your desk does not constitute a break. In fact, it is more likely to constitute indigestion, since your body won’t digest food if it is stressed.

Here are tips to make lunch easier, healthy and cost-effective: n Brown bag it. Not only does bringing your

own lunch to work enable you to have healthier options, but it also cuts costs. The average brown bag lunch costs between $3 to $6 (organic, even), while dining out will run you between $10 to $15. Say you save $10 a meal on average: That’s $50 a week, and $200 a month. Hmmm, that might just be enough to quit the second job.

n Cook once, eat thrice. Most of us have a lot to do, and spending hours in the kitchen each day is not part of it. So set aside a time (I like Mon-day evenings because there’s not much going on and it doesn’t interfere with weekend adventures) and prepare lunches for the week. Make a tray of roasted vegetables, bake or boil organic chick-en breasts and wild-caught fish, make a soup, a casserole and an organic egg frittata, which doubles as a great breakfast.

n Carry protein-rich snacks. If you don’t have time to Betty Crocker out on a Sunday afternoon, it’s OK. But you must be armed. Protein keeps blood-sugar levels stable, and it’s needed to create hormones and enzymes – very, very important. I am a jerky-aholic. I’m cases deep of Tom-Tom’s turkey jerky (antibiot-ic-free, nitrate-free). But think about making a batch of grass-fed meatballs, quinoa salad –anything high protein – and carry it in a mini-cooler to work.

For great brown-bag recipes, see Page 38.Jess Kelley is a Master Nutrition Therapist in Durango. This

month, she is also a writer, editor, website content developer, FLC instructor and, most recently, a caterer for a silent retreat. Visit her website at www.durangonutrition.com. c

Take time to make healthy brown-bag lunches – and prevent the mid-day slump

Eating at your desk does not constitute a

break. In fact, it is more likely

to constitute indigestion,

since your body won’t digest food if it is stressed.

Willwork

foodfor(good)

Page 34: Durango Fall Living Guide

34 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

By Elizabeth SilversteinDurango Living Writer

There are dozens of restaurants in Durango, ranging from fast food to steakhouses. All have their own methods for cuisine, décor

and chefs. Chefs define a restaurant, and there are many with big-city talent who have chosen Du-rango for the quality of life.

Defining what makes a successful restaurant or chef, however, is not easy. Chef Ryan Lowe, res-taurant general manager at the Ore House Restau-rant in Durango, said possible qualities include: a fascination with cooking, determination, a quality consciousness, a love of working with people, a good sense of communication and, of course, a love of eating.

A good chef must also consider the clientele. Durango has a wide range of people with varied tastes, including farmers and vegans, said Lowe.

“Local chefs have to be adaptable. We have chefs of a caliber that could operate in big-city restaurants, and they decide to live in Durango for a life quality, but they have to deal with the seasonality and having to do deal with a clien-tele that won’t eat the food that they’re trained to cook,” he said. “I think the chefs here have to be thick-skinned and not too caught up in the idea of their own cooking.”

When Lowe considered if he has “made it” as a chef, he wasn’t sure.

“It never feels as though you’ve made it,” he said. “You’re constantly going, ‘What else can I do to improve this?’”

Lowe has worked and cooked at the Ore House on and off for the past 11 years since the age of 16, when a friend passed on a dishwashing job. By age 18, he was working the line.

“I was just determined to do well at it and enjoy it,” Lowe said. “I tried to understand everything from the facilitation to the delivery to the execu-tion.”

He then attended Fort Lewis College to work on a mechanical engineering degree. Because FLC only offers general engineering, Lowe moved to California. He was back almost two years later.

“I realized that I really love Durango and want to be here.”

He’s still deciding about the switch from en-gineering to cooking. In the meantime, despite a staff break during the kitchen remodel, Lowe mentors the high school ProStart culinary team, which took third at the state competition this past year.

In addition to the kitchen remodel, Lowe has helped make other transitions, such as the remov-al of the salad bar and the development of a good restaurant culture.

“I’m not this old crotchety guy who’s going to dictate what they do, but we are going to require that they be passionate and care about what they do; and if they don’t, we can’t have that kind of culture here,” said Lowe. “We have to have people who are really enthralled by what they are doing.”

This reminded him of yet another quality that a good chef should have: the ability to create a good culture.

“You can create a culture in your restaurant that’s angry and frustrated and tired and burnt out and overworked and underpaid. Or you can create a culture of people who are just fascinated and excited by food and really wanting to develop their skills and abilities and all those things,” said Lowe. “I want to start from ‘what do you know, and let’s work from there and see what we can come up with together.’”

Ryan Lowe, Ore House chef and general manager, chops chanterelle mushrooms for a featured menu item, “Sautéed Scallops with Wild Mushrooms and Olathe Sweet Corn” at the restaurant in Durango on Aug. 24.

Ore House chef Ryan Lowe describes what it takes to thrive in Durango’s bustling restaurant scene

Recipe

successfor

FOOD

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Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 35

HAL LOTT/Herald

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36 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

Palisade Peach Mojito The Thai Smile House Mojito The Katoy

CONTEST RESULTS

winner

Drink photos by Mike

Cerniglia, courtesy

of East By Southwest

HAL LOTT/Herald

BELOW: Restaurant patrons enjoy happy

hour drinks and food in the Golden Triangle/

East By Southwest bar in downtown Durango.

PHOTOS AT BOTTOM: The restaurant’s variety

of specialty drinks are served with flair.

Page 37: Durango Fall Living Guide

Durango Living Fall Edition • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • 37

The Katoy

is....

And thewinner

East By Southwest restaurant wins “Best Happy Hour in Durango” contestSome voters said they love the swanky décor. Others like the fancy

drinks. Many customers raved about the extensive happy hour menu.Whatever the reason, East By Southwest won the Durango Living

contest hands-down for “Best Happy Hour in Durango.” Owners Ser-gio and Hydi Verduzco are doubly thrilled, because they also won the DL/Spring editon’s contest for “Best Hot-Date Restaurant.” The restau-rant’s happy hour is daily from 5-6:30 p.m., excluding holidays.

HAL LOTT/Herald

Red Coconut Curry and a beer for $10 is one of the happy hour specials at East By Southwest.

Page 38: Durango Fall Living Guide

38 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition

Tarragon Chicken Salad cup organic mayonnaise2 tablespoons mustard2 teaspoons lemon juice2½ cups diced, baked, organic chicken

breasts½ cup chopped cashews½ cup chopped celery3 teaspoons red onion, chopped3 tablespoons flat Italian parsley, diced2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, dicedWhisk together first three ingredients.

Combine all other ingredients in large bowl and toss with the dressing. Serve over mixed greens or on whole-grain bread. Will keep for 3-4 days.

Southwest Quinoa Salad1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil2 cups onions, chopped1 cup organic red bell pepper, chopped1-cup quinoa rinsed, drained2 teaspoons red chile powder½ teaspoon ground cumin½ teaspoon salt1½ cups water1 can organic black beans, rinsed, drained½ cup chopped fresh cilantro,

de-stemmedBring water to a boil and add the quinoa,

cook for 15 minutes, or until rings appear on outer edge of the grain. Rinse, then add all other ingredients and stir well. Will keep for 4 days. Serve cold for lunch: It keeps getting better.

1 head organic cauliflower2 large organic russet potatoes1 medium onion, chopped1 cup frozen organic peas and carrots, thawed½ cup frozen organic broccoli, thawed½ cup frozen organic mushrooms, thawed1 pound ground grass-fed beef 1 tablespoon coconut flour or almond flour¾ cup organic beef broth

1 tablespoon thyme 1 tablespoon rosemary 4 tablespoons organic butter3 tablespoons olive oilSalt & pepper to tasteOptional: Organic cheddar cheese, gratedPreheat oven to 400 F. Break the cauliflower into

chunky pieces and cut potatoes into same size and steam until tender. Put in the food processor with 2 tablespoons soft butter and process until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté several minutes until soft. Add beef and cook for about 7 minutes, then add peas, car-rots, mushrooms and broccoli, and cook another five minutes. Stir in the flour, broth and herbs. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and put into a casserole dish.

Spread the cauliflower/potato mix over the top, and add butter and cheese on top. Bake 30-35 minutes. Will keep 4 days, and is an awesome lunch.

Next Generation Shepherd’s Pie

Brown Bag Lunch IdeasRecipes continued from Page 33

Recipes courtesy of Jess Kelley; photo by HAL LOTT/Herald

23

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40 • Sunday, September 18, 2011 • Durango Living Fall Edition