Patty Brown attended the 57th Presidential Inaugural Ceremonies in Washington, D.C. She worked through U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s office to score a standing-room ticket to the Jan. 21 event on the Capitol Mall. Patty said ticketholders were packed into the viewing area, but the crowd was peaceful and celebratory. “It was inspirational and really connecting,” she said. Patty was impressed by the president’s speech. “He talked about all the things I cared about. It felt really inclusive.” Patty made the most of her time in the capital. She attended the Alaska State Society gathering Saturday night, with U.S. Sen. Mark Begich in attendance. On Sunday night she went to the Green Ball, where speakers including Bill Nye “The Science Guy” and “Breaking Bad” actor Giancarlo Esposito talked about environmental and clean tech issues while the likes of Sheila E and Mayor Hawthorne performed. She described the event as elegant. Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise appearance, delivering an upbeat speech, she said.
Dr. Marnie Hartman has completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training with Vinyasa instructor Tiffany Cruikshank. The training program included two, week-long retreats and remote coursework. Marnie was one of 50 U.S. and overseas students in the class. Retreats were rigorous, including up to 10 hours of yoga each day. Marnie, who teaches a yoga class on Tuesday evenings, said the class has made her more enthusiastic and able to bridge her understanding of body mechanics with a traditional and modern approach to yoga. “It’s an athletic, fluid style of yoga,” she said. “It’s made me a more confident teacher.” In addition to Marnie’s class, Melina Shields teaches yoga class twice a week. More than 20 local students attended a two-session workshop with Ashtanga practitioner Jodee Goldberry last weekend. Nancy McGrew is leading a twice-weekly yoga series beginning Feb. 18. Check the Haines Yoga Facebook page for details.
Paul Wheeler, Beth Fenhaus and Sean Bryant represented Haines Brewing Co. at last month’s Great Alaska Beer and Barleywine Festival in Anchorage. The event is a chance for Wheeler to promote his brews and rub elbows with other brewers statewide. Wheeler was one of four brewers who made a Pecan Nut Brown Ale for the event using the same recipe. “Ours was voted the smoothest, but they were all good, but different,” Wheeler said. Other breweries making the same beer included Denali Brewing Co., Midnight Sun Brewing Co. and Kenai River Brewing Co.
The Haines Chamber of Commerce recently held board elections and elected officers for the coming years. Officers include president Barbara Mulford, vice president Allen Turner, secretary Judith McDermaid and treasurer Patty Campbell. Other board members include Brenda Jones, Will Prisciandaro, Jan Hill, Evangeline Willard-Hoy and Kristine Harder.
Tim Shields is nearing completion on an elaborate mural project that follows the age of the dinosaurs through 165 million years of history. Located at the home of friends near Paso Robles, Calif., the mural is laid out on two exterior walls that span 38 feet and 18 feet long. Tim immersed himself in the history of dinosaurs in preparation for the project, and spent two months laying out the mural in a half-scale sketch at his house. He spent five weeks of full days painting on site this winter, and plans to return later this month to finish the project. He is documenting the process on his blog, www.tortoisetimebook.com, and plans to showcase a photographic display of the mural at the Sheldon Museum this summer, where he is planning a show as part of the Six-Week Spotlight Series.
Tara Bicknell is home from two months of traveling in Texas and the Gulf Coast. She officiated her twin sister’s wedding Oct. 20. Trisha Bicknell married Joe Martin on the beach in Surfside, Texas, where the sisters vacationed growing up. Tara brought a taste of Haines with her for the wedding, including halibut from Gregg Bigsby and smoked salmon from Jimbo Stevens. While in Texas she saw Maggie Stern in Austin, who gave her an impromptu bang trim in the ladies room of the Continental Club. She also saw Mark and Joan Sizemore at an Austin club, and stayed with former resident Emily Cowles, who works at a bike shop and took Tara on an “epic” bike ride all over the city.
Ted and Kat Cheney are the new managers at Mosey’s Cantina. They’re opening the restaurant beginning Feb. 13. Owner Martha Stewart arrives this weekend to help. This is Ted’s third year in the kitchen. Ted and Kat joined Martha and Thad Stewart on the Rio Grande River to roast chilies for the restaurant last fall. Ted says that while they aren’t planning any changes to the menu this year, they do hope to keep the restaurant open through winter.
“Wear Red Day,” the SEARHC Wisewoman heart-health awareness event, was a great success, said organizer Kathy Friedle. Participants spotted wearing red last Friday were entered into a drawing to win a $50 gift certificate to Olerud’s Market. “It was amazing this year – people were ready,” she said. She visited borough offices, the school, bank and local stores, where she entered 89 people in the drawing and handed out pins and educational information. Borough Deputy Clerk Michelle Webb was the drawing winner. Wisewoman is sponsoring another Wear Red event during the Dick Hotch basketball tournament Feb. 15-17. Participants seen wearing red will be entered into a second drawing at the tournament, where organizers will also have a display with heart health information.

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