For Great British Chefs in partnership with Celebrity Cruises: TASTEscape: Alaska

Originally published on Great British Chefs

Travelling through Alaska’s narrow inside passage can be a whole trip in itself. Destinations become an afterthought when whales, glaciers, mountains and more are to be seen on the journey.

Sandwiched between the Gastineau Channel and the Coast Mountains, the remote capital of Alaska offers visitors a sense of the state’s remoteness. With no roads leading out of town, Juneau can only be reached by air or sea. Those who make the journey to Juneau are treated to a bounty of locally-made delights and natural marvels.

History buff? Transport yourself back in time to the glory days of the Klondike gold rush in Skagway, which by the end of the nineteenth century was the largest city in the territory. Providing provisions to gold miners and dreamers before they made the 500-mile excursion into the Klondike goldfields, Skagway became an important port for the state. Today visitors can explore the restored buildings downtown or travel further on the historic White Pass Yukon Railroad, Alaska’s only narrow-gauge railway.

Taste Juneau

Beer, coffee and dumplings – there’s not much to dislike about the food and drink on offer in Juneau. Seek out these local producers and get a taste of the Alaskan capital.

Enjoy local beers at the Alaskan Brewing Company

The first brewery in Juneau since prohibition, Alaskan Brewing Company specialises in making beer quintessentially Alaskan. Whether they are brewing their signature spruce tip ales or using locally sourced glacial water, the homegrown business sticks to its roots in Juneau. The craft brewery has expanded its distribution to over eighteen states and is spearheading a local craft brewery movement in the heart of Alaska. Located in the same building since they opened in 1986, Alaskan Brewing Co. has a gift shop and on-site tasting room for beer lovers to come and try their latest brews.

Perk up with exciting blends at Alaska’s favourite coffee house

Being one of the most caffeinated states in the nation, it’s no surprise that Alaska boasts many local coffee roasters. Heritage Coffee Roasting Company uses a vintage roaster and supplies wholesale coffee to some of the state’s most remote locales. Continuing to operate cafés in Juneau, the company provides patrons with homemade gelato as well as fresh roasted coffee, which has been voted Juneau’s favourite for over twenty-five years in a row.

Try the dumplings at Pel’meni’s

With no menu and an enduring local following, Pel’meni’s sells the local delicacy of homemade Russian dumplings. Filled with either beef or potato, the dumplings are spiced with curry and garnished with coriander. The small eatery, which is decorated floor to ceiling with vinyl records and a turntable playing softly in the background, stays open extra late on the weekends to feed the late-night bar hoppers.

Natural wonders

It’s hard to put into words just how beautiful Alaska is, with its dramatic glaciers, vast lakes and sprawling forests. Make sure you put some time aside to appreciate the beauty of nature, which can be found in every corner of the state.

Take in the beauty of Mendenhall Glacier

Located in the Tongass National Forest, America’s largest national forest, is Mendenhall Glacier, spanning over thirteen miles. Well-maintained paths lead to picturesque views of the glacier and the lake, and if you sit still you can hear the glacier creak and croak as the ice shifts. Lucky visitors may even get a chance to see the glacier ‘calve’ (when large chunks of ice break off into the water). Originally called ‘Sitaantaago’, meaning ‘The Glacier Behind the Town’ by the indigenous Tlingit people of the area, the glacier was renamed in 1891 to commemorate Thomas Corwin Mendenhall, an American physicist and meteorologist. Visit the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre to make the most of your trip.

Get a bird’s eye view of the state capital

The only aerial tramway in southeast Alaska, the Mt Roberts Tramway offers visitors an excellent way to get their bearings on the landscape around them as well as excellent photo opportunities. Beginning at the cruise ship dock, cars rise 1,800 feet through rainforest and end at the Mountain House, where visitors can get panoramic views of Juneau.

Visit a cabin older than Alaska itself

Rustic architecture and visible spruce logs enhance the Chapel by the Lake, a cabin-turned-Presbyterian-church built years before Alaska became a state. Enjoy peaceful views of Auke Lake (with Mendenhall Glacier in the distance) and take in the beauty of Alaska’s landscape.

Skagway culture

Walking around the town of Skagway is like going back in time – the old shopfronts and relaxed way of life make it a fascinating place to see. Be sure to venture into the surrounding countryside for some spectacular sights.

Hitch a ride on the White Pass Yukon Railroad

Built in 1898 during the Klondike Gold Rush, the White Pass Yukon Railroad survives today to take visitors through some of Alaska and Canada’s most beautiful countryside. Don’t forget your camera; the train travels over historic trestles and alongside waterfalls, gorges and glaciers. One of the only railroads in the state of Alaska, the White Pass Yukon Railroad is a narrow-gauge railroad and runs multiple scenic excursions as well as services for hikers traveling the Chilkoot Trail.

Appreciate art at the Skagway Sculpture Garden

Take a break from historic dates and Klondike antiquity and enjoy Skagway’s modern art at the Skagway Sculpture Garden. Filled with Alaskan-inspired art and local flora, this is the perfect place to come and take a relaxing stroll between more adventurous excursions. The garden is home to a gift shop full of original art by local artists; the perfect place to grab a souvenir.

Transport yourself back to the 1890s at the Red Onion Saloon

Established in 1897 and restored to its original aesthetic, the Red Onion Saloon is a favourite with both locals and visitors. It’s also home to a brothel museum that commemorates the saloon’s more scandalous history. Some even say the Red Onion Saloon is haunted – a blog run by the saloon records the paranormal experiences of guests and patrons. With a bar and restaurant on site, enjoy a bite to eat in the heart of historic downtown Skagway.

Still have time to spare?

– Close to the cruise ship dock, Yakutania Point is a part of Skagway’s scenic shoreline. Humpback whales, orca whales and seals are often seen in the distance, and the walk to the overlook and back is less than a mile and very accessible. The footbridge crosses the Skagway River, and there’s a picnic area at the end that’s perfect for a late afternoon lunch.

– The first stone building in Alaska, the grandiose city hall is home to the Skagway Museum and Archives. Here visitors can peruse artefacts from the indigenous people of the area, including a Tlingit canoe and Bering Sea kayaks. Other artefacts include tools, supplies and paraphernalia of the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898.

– Juneau’s St Nicholas Church was established in 1893 by the indigenous Tlingit people of the area. Members of the Tlingit visited nearby Sitka, where they were met with the Russian Orthodox religion and subsequently baptized. These members came back to their home in the Juneau area and established the church, which is made of local timber and remains the oldest Orthodox structure in continuous use in southeast Alaska. The church is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a popular place for visitors to learn about Alaska’s historical ties with Russia.

For TNL: Checking out furs, skulls and bones in the UAA library

Alaska, Print, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Northern Light

Tucked away in UAA’s own Consortium Library lives the Alaska Resources Library and Information Services, also known as ARLIS. A most peculiar collection, ARLIS allows the public to check out a large variety of Alaskan furs, skulls, bird mounts, fish mounts and hands-on educational kits. ARLIS is known as one of the only libraries who will check these items out to the general public.

“The entire collection is “unusual” in there are few if any libraries that check-out these types of taxidermy items,” Celia Rozen, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game Librarian and ARLIS manager, said.

Formed in 1997, ARLIS is a multi-agency library that is located on the UAA campus in the Consortium Library Building. Funded by state and federal agencies, ARLIS serves the public. The collection comes mainly from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, with some furs coming from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

A resource on campus many students don’t know about, ARLIS is not only available to students, but also to the public.

“I’ve never heard of it, which is kind of unfortunate considering that sounds like an interesting resource. I can see it being very useful to nursing students like myself considering, in my experience at least, hands on studying with bones and whatnot makes a world of difference when studying,” Rachel Rotola, a nursing student, said.

The taxidermy and educational kits are used by educators, students, camp counselors, artists and other agencies. Some pieces are more popular, Rozen explains.

“The snowy owl is probably the most popular, especially for Harry Potter-type events. Cub Scouts who are moving up into “wolf” or “bear” borrow the furs for their initiation ceremonies. Artists use the skulls for their creations, and a UAA art class has a project annually that involves checking out skulls and creating a life-like pencil drawing. The items are constantly in use,” Rozen said. “The collection is very popular and is constantly used during the school year to support Alaska curriculum for all grade levels, preschool to high school.”

UAA art professor Garry Mealor, who learned about ARLIS from a fellow art professor, makes use of the resources offered in ARLIS for his own art and for his classes art.

“My Advanced Drawing class is currently working on a project involving skulls from ARLIS. ARLIS arranged over 20 skulls on their counter for students to pick from and supplied a list of additional skulls that they would retrieve if asked. These are real skulls, not imitation,” Mealor said. “The ARLIS collection is a resource that anyone interested in Alaskan wildlife would appreciate. For artists, the collection of bird mounts, skulls… are much preferred over working from a photo or other 2-D references. My painting in the faculty show would not have been possible without the ARLIS collection.”

The resources at ARLIS are available for anyone with a library card, and upon checking out, a contract indicating proper care will be taken is required. Items can be checked out for two weeks at a time, with an opportunity to renew for another two weeks. For an entire list of furs, skulls, and mounts visit http://www.arlis.org.

For ADN: Cherish the Ladies brings a traditional Irish Christmas to Anchorage, Fairbanks

Alaska, Print, Uncategorized

Originally published in Alaska Dispatch News

Growing up in the Bronx, Joanie Madden would listen to her father, an Irish immigrant, play his old accordion. She learned under her father and began playing traditional songs on tin whistle and flute. But it was still a shock to her parents when she decided she was going to become a professional traditional Irish musician.

“I remember my parents had a heart attack when I told them I was going to go into playing Irish music. ‘Are you out of your mind, what are you going to do?’ I told my dad I wanted to be the next Chieftains,” Madden said.

Madden continued her studies, eventually working with traditional Irish musician and scholar Mick Moloney. In 1985, Moloney organized a series of concerts showcasing women from across the country who performed the Irish music.

It was from that concert series — the first of its kind, Madden said — that all-female super group Cherish the Ladies was formed.

“It was something that was never planned, it was something that happened. We got together just doing some concerts in New York City celebrating women playing Irish music. We were all the top women in Irish music around the country. All the shows were sold out. We decided to record an album, that album was named the best folk album of the year by the Library of Congress,” Madden said. “That’s when the band was born.”

Madden found that the women she was playing with also learned the music first from their fathers. They decided to give the band a traditional and fitting name.

“What once had only been a male-only genre, for centuries it was always passed from father to son, but now it’s being passed from father to daughter, so I suggested Cherish the Ladies, an Irish jig we play,” Madden said.

With 16 albums, the band travels to about 100 cities a year. Cherish the Ladies has played in five continents, been named the top North American Celtic group by the Irish Music Awards and was nominated for a Grammy in 1999. The album “Woman of the House” made the top 10 list of the Billboard world music chart when it was released in 2005.

Their success paved the way for other female Irish musicians such as Eileen Ivers, Winifred Horan of Solas, Cathie Ryan and Heidi Talbot.

“In the early days it wasn’t really proper for a woman to be in a pub; nowadays some of the biggest names on the scene are women, without a doubt,” Madden said. “For years, we’ve had to overcome major stereotypes. When we first got together, people used to think ‘oh, little pansies,’ and then they would hear us play and go ‘oh, oh my God, these girls can play.'”

Traditional Irish ensemble Cherish the Ladies will perform in Anchorage and Fairbanks this week.

Madden and Mary Coogan (who plays guitar, mandolin and banjo) have been a part of the band since its beginning in 1985. Despite worldwide critical acclaim during the last three decades, Madden said the approval that still matters most to the band is that of their fathers.

“We would be more worried about what our fathers would think of the records than what the New York Times music critics thought. We are purists very much at heart — 70 percent of the show was composed by us and composed in a traditional idiom,” Madden said.

“They took the music so seriously. When they passed the music down to us, it was the greatest gift that they could give us. We never felt the music needed bass or drums or rock ‘n’ roll to make it sound good.”

Cherish the Ladies will be performing a special Christmas show in Anchorage and Fairbanks this week, sharing songs from their most recent album, “Christmas in Ireland,” and other Christmas music favorites. They’ll be accompanied by traditional Irish step dance.

“It’s always amazing to me how well Irish music and Christmas music gel together,” Madden said. “Our job is to get people in the Christmas spirit. That’s what we hope to achieve here. We’re going to work our behinds off to make sure everyone has a ball.”

When the members of Cherish the Ladies aren’t touring, Madden said, they are teaching.

“To me, this music is beautiful. So many people were turned on to Irish music and became fans. We have people from every ethnic background who follow our music and love Irish music. The virtuosity level among Irish musicians is second to none,” Madden said.

“This music touches people’s soul. This was music that was passed down. We’ve all been handed this music down; we are all keepers of the flame. Now it’s our turn to pass it down.”

Cherish the Ladies

Anchorage
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9
Where: Atwood Concert Hall
Tickets: $32.50-$66 at alaskapac.centertix.net

Fairbanks
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10
Where: Hering Auditorium in Fairbanks
Tickets: Varies depending on membership level; see fairbanksconcert.org

Victoria Petersen

Month: December 2016