With years of being photographed as a professional dancer and model, she has successfully translated her skills behind the lens to capture the heart and soul of her subjects.

Meet Melina Wallisch of South Lake Tahoe. She photographs people.

One look at Melina’s photos and it’s obvious that working in front of the camera gives her an edge and defines her photographic style.  Melina describes her shooting style as embracing the moments in between. The gentle nudge, hushed whispers, private giggles, playful winks.

She is inspired by nature, classical ballet, her children and the interconnected beauty of it all.

“Naturally, I have landed myself behind the lens. It is where I am meant to be. I love studying faces, people watching, gestures, body movements. I’m very intuitive and have a keen sense of postures, forms and lines. My vision is to create art that matters and connect with people. I have a stylists eye and pay attention to details like second nature. You, my intriguing subject, my muse, is usually unaware of it, seamless.” Melina Wallisch

Photography runs in the family. Husband Dan is also a photographer specializing in landscapes, wildlife and action photography. Melina and Dan spend lots of time with their two little ones, Brodie and Mia, at the beach and exploring the captivating landscape of Lake Tahoe.

Melina enjoys thrifting and re-purposing, and is a self-described creative fashion junky who loves forward thinking and fun people.

Click here to learn more about Melina and her passion for the arts and people.

The soup was served at Stone Soup with bread from Truckee Sourdough, one of many local businesses that donate to Stone Soup which serves about 140 people each week and features live music to entertain the hungry crowd.

“What I’ve always liked about the idea of Stone Soup is that it’s not about Slow Food or the Rotary Club or Dragonfly,” McCullough says. “It’s a true community event, about getting everyone involved.”

A long-time community leader, Chef Bill McCullough, has held positions on the boards for Rotary Club, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the affiliate to our schools, the Kid Zone. As father of two young daughters, he joins parents in our region who enthusiastically support the Time for Lunch Campaign. Billy is asked often and never says no to an opportunity to participate in a fund-raiser in a neighborhood where we are active in supporting our cases. He opened Dragonfly, his first restaurant venture, in 2001. An educator on the principles of Slow Food, his menus tend to be small. “That is because I enjoy changing them on a weekly basis, guaranteeing the freshness and seasonality of the products being used.” Billy is one of the original founders of our Slow Food Lake Tahoe Chapter and has served on its board of directors since 2007.

White Bean–Fennel Soup
Recipe by Billy McCullough of Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar in Truckee

.5 cup vegetable oil

4 tbs. garlic, chopped

2 each yellow onions, small dice

4 each carrots, peeled and small dice

2 bulbs fennel, cut bulb in half, remove core, slice thin

1 cup butternut squash, peeled and diced

3 cups white wine

2 cans white beans (prefer fresh, cooked until soft)

1.5 gal. vegetable or chicken stock

.25 cup fresh thyme leaves

4 tbs. Tabasco

Salt and black pepper to taste

• In a stock pot, saute garlic in white wine for one minute.

• Add onions and fennel, cook until translucent.

• Add carrots and squash. Saute until carrots are slightly soft.

• Add white wine. Reduce by half.

• Add cooked beans and stock. Bring to simmer.

• Season with thyme, tabasco, salt, and pepper

• Serves 6 to 8

I’m sitting alongside a friend and fellow rumbling belly at a folding table in the gym of the old Rec Center on Jan. 24, a Sunday night. In front of me is a placemat decorated by a local elementary student, and a vase with tissue paper flowers in a rainbow of colors made by the Girl Scouts. I’m facing the main entrance, watching people cross the threshold.

This article is a reprint from the February-March edition of Moonshine Ink, the Independent News Source for Truckee and North Lake Tahoe.

There is a middle-aged man in a Northstar uniform who arrives alone, but soon meets a familiar face and settles in to talk and share a meal. A young couple I recognize arrives, and soon my twosome has grown to a foursome. A family of five arrives toting a set of matching bowls. Young parents carrying or chasing small children come in, the adults gathering around a table and the kids dancing to the live music, twirling and stomping with abandon.

It’s a scene populated with players from all walks of the Truckee community. They have all come together for the first Stone Soup evening of 2010, and all will leave with smiles that are the result of good company and good food.

Penny Fink, Deb Ryan, and Kaili Sanchez came together to organize the Sunday evening Stone Soup gatherings in the winter of 2009. The name comes from a fairy tale in which a traveler arrives in a village and begins to make soup using just water and a stone. Everyone brings what they can to add to the pot, and in the end there is enough of a delicious soup to feed everyone present.

Sanchez works for Project MANA, which sponsors the project, and has worked with Fink to organize the event. They have found other community organizations to volunteer each Sunday, bringing members to prepare a soup of their own recipe. On Jan. 24, Slow Food Lake Tahoe made a white bean and fennel soup with butternut squash, carrot, onion, and thyme from a recipe by Billy McCullough, owner of Dragonfly and founding member of SFLT. The soup was served with bread from Truckee Sourdough, one of many local businesses that donate to Stone Soup.

“The goal is to have a community event where everyone comes and has fun,” says Fink. “People who can donate do, and people who can’t just come.”

The turnout for each Stone Soup is about 140 people each week and features live music to entertain the hungry crowd. Fink recalled an evening in 2009 with a spinach/tortellini soup that was so popular volunteers were running to Safeway all night for ingredients to keep the pot full. When the New Moon Natural Foods volunteers showed up on Jan. 31, they were warned that SFLT had made 25 gallons and nearly run out. To be safe, they whipped up 30 gallons of ribollita, a Tuscan soup with white beans.

“What I’ve always liked about the idea [of Stone Soup] is that it’s not about Slow Food or the Rotary Club or Dragonfly,” McCullough says. “It’s a true community event, about getting everyone involved.”

With the economy in a nosedive in early 2009 — and community spirit following close behind — Deb Ryan saw an opportunity to bring people together to weather the hard times.

“Part of the reason we did it was the feel of isolation and desperation last year,” Ryan says.

“It was awesome and it was crazy,” says Aaron Oropeza, who works at New Moon and attended his first Stone Soup evening when he volunteered Jan. 31. “The facilities [at the old Rec Center], it’s just like a home stove, so it takes a while to get hot. It was a little tough, but we got through it.”

But even with the heat rising in the kitchen, Oropeza was glad to be a part of his first Stone Soup.

“In the end it was awesome because everyone came up and were really complimentary about the soup and grateful for our effort,” says Oropeza.

As I walked home through the dark and cold on Jan. 24, warmed by the delicious soup and sense of community, I felt just as happy to have been part of Stone Soup.

All are invited each Sunday to the family-friendly event, which features live music. Soup is served starting at 5 p.m. Donations help defray costs of the facility and related expenses. Email pennyfink@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

Be sure to pick up the current issue of Moonshine Ink at your favorite location in North Shore and Truckee.

Meet Founder and Artistic Director Christin Hanna of Tahoe Youth Ballet.

Tahoe Youth Ballet is comprised of six local dancers between the ages of fourteen and eighteen – Sierra Barter, Michelle Cahill, Keegan Harrig, Camille Joubert, Katie Mowris and Sierra Walsh – led by Artistic Director Christin Hanna.

Christin Hanna is a native of Lake Tahoe. She has performed with an array of ballet companies throughout the United States including Nevada Festival Ballet, Oakland Ballet, Connecticut Ballet, Eglevsky Ballet, Ballet NY, Cincinnati Ballet, and most prominently, Miro Magloire’s New Chamber Ballet. As a member of that company since its inception in 2004, Hanna performed in the company’s seasons at New York’s City Center Studios as well as touring to Philadelphia, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, and Cologne, Germany. The New York Times’ Roslyn Sulcas called her farewell performance with the company “a touching scene of tears, cheers, hugs and bouquets… a testament to Ms. Hanna’s fine dancing.” (July 1, 2008)

Upon returning to Lake Tahoe, Hanna founded Tahoe Youth Ballet with the goal to enrich the cultural and educational fabric of the region by giving young, local dancers and dance students an opportunity to collaborate with professional dancers, choreographers and master teachers from around the country as part of a professional company.

“There’s a lot of local talent in the community, and I want them to share their artistry – and learn from our guests. There are some amazing dancers and choreographers headed to Tahoe to work with us, and together we will truly enliven the region’s cultural life.”
Artistic Director and Founder, Christin Hanna

For additional information, please contact Christin Hanna at Tahoe Youth Ballet, (530) 613-4363 or christin@tahoeyouthballet.com.

Photos:

Christin Hanna with partner Damien Johnson in New Chamber Ballet’s Spring, 2006. Photo by Kristin Lodoen.

Tahoe Youth Ballet (left to right): Fathom Neft, Michelle Cahill, Sierra Barter, Sierra Walsh and Katie Mowris. Photo by Danielle Hankinson.

Learn how to improve your ROI with low cost and no cost energy savings solutions at the free seminar, “Your Packback” presented by the SLT Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, March 16, from 10 am to 11:30am at Embassy Suites Resort at Stateline.

Here’s your chance to discover a few simple measures that can be implemented for little or no cost to save you money sooner than later. Topics and speakers for the free workshop include:

Dr. David Mattocks – President of GreenPro Systems, Inc. – Learn how you can leverage no and low cost energy saving solutions into larger energy efficiency measures saving your business 30-40% in energy costs.

Scott Terrell – Truckee PUD and Lake Tahoe Community Colllege – Learn Commercial energy-saving strategies, how these savings are calculated, compared against the capital cost, payback period and how it is translated into annual ROI.

Peter Miller – UNR Business Enviromental Program – Learn about the Free Energy Audit Program and Return on Investments.

No need to RSVP for this free event. Just car pool, take the bus or ride your bike.

The impressive exhibit includes a large 98” wide painting “The River” which Leikhim created as an analogy to life.  Smaller watercolor and mixed media pieces dot the exhibit landscape with a unifying theme of waterfalls and leaves falling.

Ms. Leikhim has worked in a variety of media including watercolor, pastels, acrylics, oils and oil sticks. While most of her current work has been in painting, she has also completed numerous murals in homes and worked in Graphic Design for 25 years after earning a degree in Textile Design.

”Color is to painting, what volume is to sculpture. I paint because of color and the way it makes me feel when I watch a sunset on a cloudy day or when I see Lake Tahoe blue turn to mercury silver at dusk. Nature is constantly changing with light and motion. Nature is what inspires me to paint with the feelings the colors evoke and not to replicate the beauty. My personality comes through the canvas and something new emerges. To not allow this personal interpretation would make the painting insincere and lifeless.” Leikhim

Ms. Leikhim gave up her Graphic Design work in order to teach as an Artist-in-Residence through Sierra Arts in Reno from 1996 – 2000 and to teach painting at the Nevada Museum of Art. Her formal training includes a degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology as well as continuing her artistic training at Truckee Meadows Community College and Sierra College.

She has received a variety of awards including two consecutive California Discovery Silver Awards in Contemporary Painting from Art of California Magazine, a first place in Splendor of the Sierra Fine Arts Show in Abstract Oils and Acrylics and two Honorable Mentions from North Tahoe Fine Arts Council Fiber Arts Show. She has exhibited in many solo shows at the Northwest Reno Library Gallery, North Tahoe Art Center, Northern California Center for the Arts, Patagonia Corporation, and the Pope Estate.

Ms. Leikhim has been a full time resident of Truckee since 1979. She currently teaches private painting lessons and offers her services to the area as a wedding minister as well.

The public is invited to visit North Tahoe Event Center during normal business hours to view the art on display at no charge.

North Tahoe Event Center
8318 North Lake Blvd.
Kings Beach, CA 96143

Open Monday-Friday 8am to 5pm

530-546-7249

This was a question that had me standing there going, “huh well uh.”

There is something about the phrase ski “bum” that has always caused me to have the wrong picture in my mind. It’s a phrase that has been around since long thong leather strap bindings, but it still just doesn’t sound quite right to me. Of course this isn’t about the British use of the word “bum”, although I have come off of both good ski and board days with a wet bum, which could be described as a ski bum. No that’s not the wrong picture I get in my mind.

Maybe it is more about the classic hobo image, you know the one, scruffy bearded guy down on his luck, trying to hop a train, all his possessions tied up in a red bandana on the end of a stick over his shoulder. That is probably closer to the wrong picture in my mind. Substitute a pair of skis for the bandana and stick, trying to hop a ski lift. That’s a little closer to that image.

I suppose this may be the actual ski bum the name implies. So in some ways the name is accurate. But this isn’t about someone who is down on their luck, uh they may be scruffy, but that’s just part of the look right? What I have trouble with is that this person has worked hard and made many tough decisions, possibly taken many years to get to a point that someone might (wrongly) call them a ski bum.

I guess we needed to define the term. This ski bum must be someone who first and foremost is passionate about sliding on the snow. Downhill skis, park skis, cross country, telemark, snowboard, no matter, fast or slow, uphill or downhill, big mountain Freeride or Blue Square, big turns bump turns or no turns, no matter, passion for sliding is first because nothing else feels so good.

Second is the sacrifice. Career, nice car, family, responsibility, do I need to go on? These things are no longer important and will take a back seat to things like new skis or board, powder days, a wind and snow swept summit or just a dry pair of gloves. There is a new set of priorities and nothing else gets in the way of tomorrow’s ride.

Next would be the subject of career. Skiing is the career. Many of these people have their piece of paper and were well on their way to a life of work all week and weekend warrior or is that weekend worrier, until one day, standing on a ridge line somewhere, that magical winter breeze blew some sparkling snow crystals straight to their soul. They put that piece of paper in a box and went right out and got a night job! Most will work in the service industry, frequently close to or directly related to skiing.

Some might even start their own ski biz, hmmm! Some might become good enough to make money competing or these days being a ski porn star, you know being filmed doing what you love most. In an effort to get free skiing some will work right on the mountain, (caution is advised here, working on the mountain can seriously reduce your fun time on the mountain). And remember, nothing else matters more than time on the mountain.

I once worked in ski school, not a great choice for getting to ski a lot, but a great way to improve your own ski technique. I learned so much teaching skiing. One of the things that really stuck in my head was when the ski school director told me that part of being an expert skier is knowledge of ski equipment, how to maintain that equipment, tuning, waxing etc. Knowledge of snow, snow science as some would call it and knowledge of weather is also a very important part of being an expert skier/boarder. This same basic principle should apply to being a ski bum. I can’t think of many others, sailors, pilots maybe, who stay so glued to the weather channel. We need to know what wax to put on which ski to get to the right part of the mountain for the best experience. I like to think of myself as a snow hunter! Half of the fun is nailing that stuff, it can take years of practice, oh darn, this is terrible news to a potential ski bum, you have to go out and spend more time on the mountain, does anything matter more? You’re catching on.

So does all this add up to something more than bum status? This whole thing is a lifestyle that can start very early in one’s life if you are lucky enough to have parents that will launch you in such a wonderful direction. But still would any parent want to say their child is studying to become a ski bum? It is just an endearing term I know, but it isn’t befitting of the effort it takes to reach that level of commitment and bliss. We just need a better name for us, which is also the answer to that question earlier right?!

Enjoy Earth

Gary Bell, owner of Sierra Ski and Cycles Works in South Lake Tahoe

Featuring art that evokes the kindred spirit of horses and artists, Horse HeART is an equine art exhibit, art competition, and fundraiser to benefit the Let ‘Em Run Foundation, hosted by Art Attack Gallery in Incline Village March 12 through April 12, 2010.

A wine and chocolate Opening Reception will take place Saturday, March 13, from 4 to 8 pm.

Inspired by the grace and toughness of these iconic animals, a national call to artists has drawn 50 original equine-themed art works.  Paintings, sculptures, and photographs have been submitted from regional artists as well as notable artists from throughout the United States.

With art that evokes tenacity, freedom, wildness, and resilience, Horse HeART seeks to inspire us to endure this recession with flare. Mark DeSautel and Eve Werner, an acrylic and multi-media painter from Truckee, organized the fundraising event and exhibit to help preserve the arts and wild horses.

“We chose the Mustangs as our muse because they epitomize the kind of resilience that we all need,” explains Mark DeSautel, owner of Art Attack Gallery.

During the opening reception on March 13th, representatives from the horse groups will be present to explain their work and answer questions.

A raffle will also take place at the opening reception featuring art by participating artists and a grand prize Mustang Adventure Trip to see area wild horse bands with their new foals.  The raffle will benefit the Let ‘Em Run Foundation and their allies’ work to preserve the wild mustangs. In addition, Art Attack Gallery will donate a portion of the proceeds from art sales to the Foundation.

The Let ‘Em Run Foundation is a non-profit organization co-founded by country western singer, Lacy J. Dalton, working to preserve wild horses. Since their ancestors first escaped from Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century, the story of the Mustangs – eventually recognized as Wild Horses – has been one of adaptation and survival in harsh, unfamiliar terrain.

Noting that the arts community and non-profit organizations have been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn, gallery owner DeSautel says, “We hope to inspire horse enthusiasts and art lovers to support the exhibiting artists and the Let ‘Em Run Foundation with this festive event.”

Art Attack Gallery is an award winning, premier art gallery located at 868 Tahoe Boulevard, #13 (Christmas Tree Village) in the heart of Incline Village, Nevada on the north shore of Lake Tahoe. They have been representing fine contemporary Western art in the relaxed atmosphere of their 3500 square foot showroom since 1989.

For more information about the work to preserve Wild Horses, please visit the Let ‘Em Run foundation’s website at www.letemrun.com or the Wild Horse Preservation League’s website at www.wildhorsepl.org.

Brothers Bar & Grill on Emerald Bay Blvd. holds an open Rail Jam on Wednesday nights from 8pm to 9pm for those riders who just can’t get enough during daylight.

No cover charge to ride the rail.

Registration and ridership is from 8pm to 9 pm and you can ride until midnight.

In addition to a full menu, Brothers offers $2 PBRs and $3 Sagatiba rum drinks. You must be 21 to participate and cabs will be mandatory if mandatory.

Brothers Bar & Grill is located at 888 Emerald Bay Road in South Lake Tahoe, 541-7017. The snow park was built and maintained by local park pioneer and innovator Rob Giustina of South Lake Tahoe.

Entering its 13th season at Kirkwood, the North American Freeskiing Championships brings some of the nation’s best big mountain skiers to take on the permanently closed terrain of The Cirque which is open only twice each year for this event and its counterpart The North Face Masters.

Kirkwood skiers, Josh “Baby J” Daiek and Craig Garbiel, will compete at their home resort, and host their fellow skiers on March 3 through 7, 2010.

To catch all the action, grab a front row seat in the Devil’s Corral, directly below The Cirque – one of the only venues in the world allowing spectators a full top to bottom view of the competition course.

On your way up to the venue, stop by the Village Plaza where several of our sponsors will be allowing folks to demo new equipment, learn more about new lines, and have fun. Spectators looking to spend the day at the venue who aren’t prepared to ski or snowboard are welcome to hop on board the snowcat. $20 provides all day round trip access on the snowcat, which will pick up near the base of Chair 1 at the bottom of the hour every hour from 8:30am to 3:30pm, and take guests downhill from the venue every hour at the top of the hour from 9:00am to 4:00pm.

Look for the BBQ at the venue while you’re hanging out – staffers from the Outback Grill will be serving up burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, and more.

Qualifying rounds of the competition will take place on Thursday 3.3 and Friday 3.4 in the terrain of Lookout Vista, with finals in the Cirque on Saturday 3.5 and Sunday 3.6. In case of weather interruptions, Monday 3.8 has been scheduled as a backup weather day.

Pedestrian access to the venue will not be permitted – access via snowcat or chair lift is required.

Schedule note: Qualifying days are scheduled on Lookout Vista for Thursday and Friday 3/4 and 3/5. Finals Day 1 is scheduled for Saturday 3/6, and Finals Day 2 is scheduled for Sunday 3/7. In the event of a weather delay, competition will be extended into Monday 3/8.