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Windmill to receive critical facelift, bringing back ‘former glory’

Alaska, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Spenardian.

Sitting in the Koot’s parking lot is arguably one of the largest — both physically and figuratively — symbols of Spenard. The ornamental windmill, decorated with lights of green, red and white looms over the neighborhood.

“I didn’t think it would become the icon it is today,” former owner of Chilkoot Charlie’s, Mike Gordon said. “I thought it was cool. It was a pretty neat landmark, but no, at the time I didn’t envision it being on t-shirts or used as a symbol.”

However, the symbol is starting to show some natural wear and tear. Gordon said the windmill could use some love. In its current state, the wood is starting to rot and the lights that line the windmills legs hardly work, Gordon said.

“If you ever saw it when all the lights were on, on the legs through the tail, and the spokes were working — in other words, if the whole thing was working the way it was supposed to — it was a rare moment,” Gordon said. “There was usually something wrong with it.”

Cue Rod Hancock and his company, the founding owners of the Moose’s Tooth empire. They are the technical owners of the windmill. In an email, Hancock said the owners just recently decided to get the windmill back in working order.

“We have just recently decided to rebuild/refurbish the windmill this summer so that the lights and structure will shine again in all its former glory,” Hancock said.

Hancock said he didn’t have an exact schedule ready, but it will be completed in 2019.

The windmill is roughly over 60 years old. It has been sitting in the same parking lot since the 1980s, but it began its life in Alaska in the early 1960s.

Anchorage businessman Byron Gillam owned a liquor store on East Fireweed Lane. In the early 1960s, he was traveling in Southern California when he discovered a DIY windmill kit. Gillam bought the kit and installed it in front of his liquor store, the Kut Rate Kid.

The windmill lived on East Fireweed Lane for many years, with different owners as years passed. By the 1970s the windmill was in the hands of a local character Mike Von Gnatensky, better known as “Mafia Mike.” He told Gordon he would donate the windmill to him if he paid to have it moved to his parking lot.

“[Mike] had a pizza place in midtown he was going to move it to,” Gordon said. “But, he asked around and people said Mike Gordon will buy anything.”

Part of the contract also noted that a plaque be placed on the windmill forever honoring Mafia Mike’s donation. Gordon said is cost around $10,000 to move the windmill from East Fireweed Lane to its current home in Spenard.

“It was a nightmare,” Gordon said.

The windmill was installed in the Koot’s parking lot in the early 1980s, shortly after Chilkoot Charlie’s was established. The plaque went missing shortly after the move, but the windmill is here to stay.

Chilkoot Charlie’s hosted a celebration several years after the windmill was moved to the parking lot. Gordon didn’t know the specific date but said it was around 1989 or 1990. The community gathered at the party to fill a 55-gallon drum with neighborhood memorabilia. The drum was buried under the windmill and remains unearthed today, about 30 years later. He doesn’t remember what he put inside the drum, but Gordon said it was probably a selection of Chilkoot Charlie’s memorabilia. Gordon said there was no set date for the time capsule to be opened. There are no current plans to unearth the time capsule.

There was a time when Spenardians might have lost its neighborhood icon. Bob Gillam, son of Byron Gillam and well-known Alaska investor, had made offers to Gordon on the windmill. Growing up around his father’s business, Kut Rate Kid, Gillam wanted the windmill as a memento to put on his family’s property near Lake Clark. Gordon said he would sell it as long as the Gillams could replace it, to make sure Spenard wasn’t without a windmill. Gillam passed away last fall; the deal never went through.

The windmill currently stands above the Spenard Farmers Market every summer as well as the Spenard Food Truck Carnival. These events use the windmill as a landmark to let locals know the events are “under the windmill.”

Where do you draw the line?

Alaska, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Spenardian

Spenard is a part of my identity. My great-grandparents homesteaded near Romig Hill. My parents met at local watering hole, Chilkoot Charlies. I made my pilgrimage there 21 years later. I had my first kiss in the history section of Title Wave. When I was born, I was brought to a home that sits on Garfield Street. I started Kindergarten at Northwood Elementary and when I lived with my grandma, we could sit on the deck and see the white windmill, standing as a beacon of our Spenardom.

I’ve never considered another Anchorage neighborhood home, and I never would. However, the Federation of Community Councils might. Depending on who you talk to, my great-grandparents homestead, and the home my grandparents built sitting near the confluence of Spenard Road and Fireweed Lane is not in the neighborhood of Spenard, but instead, North Star. A small community council area encompassing the neighborhood surrounding North Star Elementary.

“What do they know?” My grandma, Sylvia Butcher, asked after I told her we were apparently residents of North Star. “Those cheechakos can’t tell me this isn’t Spenard.”

My neighborhood, my pride and my identity came into question when I wanted to join the Spenard Community Council. I wanted to work in an entity that was going to make where I live a better place. Elections were coming up and I had been encouraged to run. When I put my name in the hat for consideration, I was met with utter disappointment. Apparently, my grandma’s house, my residence, was less than a hundred feet out of bounds for the Spenard neighborhood. I cried. Fireweed Lane: twenty-some odd feet of pavement was keeping me from the opportunity to make my home a more beautiful and safer place to live.

When I reached out to the manager of the Federation of Community Councils, Mark Butler, said that why the borders were drawn the way they were is a bit unclear. The community councils were created in the 70s when the Anchorage borough and the city merged into the Anchorage Municipality, with four original neighborhoods, Fairview, Mt. View, Government hill and South Addition. The community councils were created so every neighborhood would have an entity to give guidance to the Anchorage Assembly and the mayor on issues at the time.

“The boundaries of Spenard are fuzzy,” Butler said. “The boundary used to go all the way to Old Seward Highway, where Sears Mall now is. Midtown as a community council did not exist.”

Butler said it wasn’t until the 80s when the term Midtown was formally used, it was just considered Spenard. In recent times, Butler said Midtown Community Council has had difficulty maintaining members. A primarily business district, few people actually live within the Midtown Community Council borders. Butler said a push to merge Midtown with North Star and Spenard was recently shut down by the Anchorage Assembly, who has the authority to manipulate community council borders.

Butler lives near Chester Creek, which he calls Lower Spenard. He noted that there are pockets of land that are inexplicably a part of one neighborhood, but officially are a part of another. Spenardigan, for example, is a grey area between Spenard and Turnagain.

Now, this arbitrary border means nothing to me. Anyone who knows me, who knows Spenard, knows that Bosco’s, Franz Bakery and all the homes down the north end of Spenard Road, where it meets with Hillcrest Drive, are a part of the neighborhood.

Spenard isn’t a neighborhood made up of arbitrary borders. It’s a feeling and a sense of place. For me, there are neighborhoods within the Spenard neighborhood. They have their own personalities and geographical characteristics. Deep Spenard comprises the neighborhood of the Barbra Park valley, the Heights is where my grandma calls home. The president’s neighborhood, where my mom grew up on Lincoln Avenue, is the area of Spenard where the streets are all named after, you guessed it, presidents. There’s new Spenard and there’s old Spenard. These days, it seems you’d be hard pressed to find the two mix. I’d like to see biker gangs and prostitutes, whose birth certificates say ‘Spenard,’ drinking soju cocktails off 24th Avenue or sipping on $9 fresh-pressed juice, while they peruse kayaks and hammocks at REI after brunch at Middleway. But, maybe you would. Spenard surprises you like that.

We asked our readers on Facebook where they drew the line of Spenard’s borders.

Andrea Redeker said she thinks the Spenard borders are north of International Airport Road, and Tudor Road, east of Wisconsin Street, west of Arctic Boulevard and south of Hillcrest Drive.

Joe Lisool says the east and south side of Wisconsin Street, south of Fireweed Lane, west of Arctic Boulevard and north of Tudor Road. Scott Woodham said he mostly agreed, but that he adds it all the way to International Airport Road to include Lake Hood.

Local agencies have similar maps. The Spenard Chamber of Commerce has a map of their boundaries on their website, along with a guide saying where the boundaries generally are.

 

Homecoming planned for Paradise Inn palm tree

Alaska, News, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Spenardian.

After a federal seizing, a legal battle, an auction and more, Spenardians have an idea for where they want the Paradise Inn palm tree to rest. The 22-foot-tall broken neon symbol of Spenardian pride will be welcomed with a homecoming parade in the near future.

Melissa Rustemov Lohr and Mike Linz both said in comments on our Facebook poll that they’d like to see it parked near food trucks, situated next to its sister symbol, the Koot’s windmill. While others have said the palm tree represents a dark history. Kim Whitaker, the president of the recovery group Real About Addiction, told KTVA news that the palm tree is evil. “If it was up to me, it would be shattered — like the lives that have been shattered and taken advantage of here. And the families of the loved ones that were here that have been traumatized,” Whitaker said.

Jay Stange, president of the Spenard Community Council and local high school teacher, has purchased the palm tree from federal auction using donations he raised from 59 people in a GoFundMe campaign. The goal was to bring the palm back home to Spenard.

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Legal documentation of the purchase of the Paradise Inn palm tree. Photo by Jay Stange.

“I think the palm tree is a symbol of Spenard,” Stange said. “Whoever made it put hundreds of hours and love into it. I want to restore it, just like Spenard.”

The palm tree sat at the site of the Paradise Inn, which was built in 1962 as the South Seas Hotel and Lounge. The hotel and even the palm tree were sisters to a bar and lounge of the same name, which sat on Fourth Avenue and G Street in the 1940s. There, a smaller, curvier neon palm tree in the same California tiki-style, sat on top of the bar’s sign. Anchorage Daily News reported the hotel was built during a time when Anchorage was in need of accommodation options for growing number of tourists.

After new ownership, the Paradise Inn began to attract sex trafficking, drug dealing and other criminal activity. In 2014, Kyong Taek Song, former owner of the Paradise Inn, was sentenced to prison after he sold meth to a government informant in the basement of the Spenard hotel. The Paradise Inn is now evicted, boarded up and in the hands of the United States Marshals Service, tree and all.

A legal battle, a crowdsourcing effort and more would decide the historic palm’s fate. Denali Disposal, a local waste removal business, was contracted by the Marshals to remove 12 30-foot dumpsters and two 24-foot trucks of garbage from the building, in which the government paid $37,000 to remove. While removing the trash, Denali Disposal’s Bernadette Wilson was told she could take the tree. Screenshots of text message correspondence can be found on the company’s website. Then, the Marshals said they made a mistake, and that the tree was to be auctioned. In April 2018, the battle ended in court and in the favor of the Marshals who repossessed the palm tree and placed it for auction with a starting bid of $4,500.

Stange created the GoFundMe campaign to raise the $4,500 needed to buy the tree at auction. When the deadline came Stange had only raised $2,700. The auctioneers, Gaston and Sheehan, created a new auction with a minimum bid of $2,700. Stange used the donations and won the bid with no other competition. Stange will house the palm tree behind the Church of Love until he can find a company to restore it. Then, he said he wants to place it in Spenard as a public art piece.

“If we put it on private land, it might disappear again,” Stange said.

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Jay Stange and his children pose next to the palm tree. Photo by Tyler Robinson of Cook Inlet Housing Authority.

Currently, the palm tree is waiting to be picked up at Vulcan towing. The owner, Justin Creech, donated his time and equipment to help Stange transfer the tree to the Church of Love. However, the truck and equipment weren’t able to fit through the back lot. Now, Stange is working with Cook Inlet Housing on finding a new spot, while also exploring other ideas. One idea would be to put the tree back where it was and have the city purchase the Paradise Inn to create a public space.

Once the tree is somewhere secure, neon repair workers will come to look and appraise the restoration of the tree.

Alaska Railroad’s first Black conductor celebrates unprecedented 50 years with company

Alaska, Audio, News, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published on Alaska Public Media.

Harry Ross started moving trains when he was 21. Fifty years later, he’s still transporting passengers and freight by rail across the state.

“I do not believe there has ever been nobody as foolish as I,” Ross said.

It wasn’t a job Ross expected to get, and it wasn’t the job he originally hoped for. After graduating from East High School in 1964, Ross worked as a mess attendant at Elmendorf Air Force Base. His mom wanted more for him and sent him to college in San Francisco. After dropping out of school, Ross applied for two jobs, one with Western Airlines, now Delta, and one with the Alaska Railroad.

“I didn’t have the education to be a brakeman or a trainman period. I never thought about the railroad my whole life,” Ross said. “Growing up through high school I never thought about working at the railroad in no way, shape or form.”

Ross has been the number one conductor at the Alaska Railroad for over half of his career.

“I’ve been number one so long, like I said, I’ve even forgotten how long I’ve been number one,” Ross said.

Having the highest seniority among conductors comes with some perks. Ross says he gets the first pick of routes and vacation time.

“Everybody salutes you, like, ‘hey number one.’ They don’t call you Harry Ross they say ‘hey number one,’ and you know, that’s pretty interesting and fun,” Ross said.

The workplace wasn’t always so friendly towards Ross. As the first minority trainman hired by the company, Ross says he was met with opposition almost immediately.

“I had a lot of people that I worked with, that did not want to work with me only because of the color of my skin,” Ross said. “And, of course, that didn’t bother me because I’ve always been a people person and I figured one way or another I was gonna win them over. One by one I did, and there were some, of course, I didn’t. And it’s not gonna change those people that’s just the way they are.”

In his time at the railroad, Ross has seen the company go from federally owned to state owned. He says safety is a higher priority and the trains are more heavily regulated. Ross says the best change the railroad implemented in his 50 years is the Alaska Railroad Tour Guide program. The program began in 1980 and is open to high school juniors and seniors enrolled in the Anchorage School District.

“Well, basically it gives the kids a chance to get into the job market,” Ross said. “I enjoy working with these kids because everybody’s energetic and they really love what they’re doing.”

Jon Mobley was a tour guide in 2009 and worked at the railroad in multiple positions, including conductor, until 2017. Mobley says after years of mentoring under Ross, they’re like family now.

“He taught me a lot when I was in the tour guide program, just as a tour guide, and he taught me even more when I climbed the ladder and finally became a conductor. He’s been very crucial to my time at the railroad,” Mobley said.

Ross says he plans to retire at the end of the summer.

“I don’t know how it’s going to feel when I have to say goodbye. I know eventually it’s going to come,” Ross said. “I don’t want to die on the job. I want to enjoy some of my life that I have left, but I can say that I will truly miss what I have been doing the last 50 years.”

Ross says he plans on writing a memoir about his life growing up in Alaska and his time working on the railroad.

Historic Carousel Lounge may see revival

Alaska, News, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published on The Spenardian.

The Carousel Lounge, one of Spenard’s most iconic bars, may see a revival.

Paul Berger, a determined Anchorage businessman wants to bring a neighborhood-oriented bar to the vacant building, called the Bar on Spenard.

“I would really love to have people just walk over,” Berger said. “Neighborhood guys and gals. I want to really focus on the people of Spenard.”

Berger is no newcomer to the Spenard area. He’s lived in the neighborhood, at multiple addresses over the years, and Berger said he’s invested in the neighborhood.

Berger said he wants to steer away from the loud, rock and roll bands that frequently played at the Carousel Lounge. Instead, Berger said he hopes to feature local acoustic acts on occasion and have a jukebox.

“I’m a business guy, not a bar guy… We are going to have a well-run, neighborhood bar, sports, pool, darts,” Berger said.

The building also features eight apartment units, which Berger is currently renting out.

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Photo by Young Kim for The Spenardian

The building was built in 1964 and opened as the Carousel Lounge in 1967 under the management of Steve Cooper.

In 2003 new owners purchased the bar and painted the exterior red with stripes in honor of Van Halen. The Carousel Lounge served its last drink May 15, 2016. The Anchorage Daily Newsreported that the closure was due to the economy and health issues with one of the co-owners.

The bar was frequented by the Hells Angels in the 70s and 80s, Brenda Lee Fowler remembers the bar’s many biker parties.

“Back in the old days Hells Angels used to throw a lot of parties there… I was married to a Hells Angel back in those days, so I know quite well,” Fowler said.

Missy Mae has similar memories of her time spent at the Carousel Lounge, and said she was sad to see the bar close.

“[The bar hosted] people of different personalities and backgrounds having drinks with friends playing pool or darts,” Mae said.

Jody Tate frequented the bar with her father, a salesman, on his business trips there. Tate said she loves the idea of reopening the bar.

“I… fondly remember Spenard, it’s hardly changed since the 1950s when we moved to Anchorage,” Tate said. “The dynamics of Anchorage have certainly changed through the years with the closing of so many old-timey bars downtown. Anchorage used to have two bars for every church when I was growing up.”

Both Fowler and Mae also said they think reopening the bar is a good idea.

Not all are eager to welcome Berger and his Bar on Spenard into the community. Berger gave a presentation of his business plans to the Spenard Community Council on Feb. 7, as protocol for the transfer of his liquor license, which would be coming from midtown’s Turnagain Arm Pit. Members of the council had concerns ranging from noise pollution to parking.

“I get it. There was rough ownership the last 13 years. The bar got into very bad shape and pissed off all the neighbors,” Berger said. “I get why [members of the community council] are ticked off.”

Tom McGrath has been involved with the Spenard Community Council since the 1980s. McGrath owns land across the street from the bar, and in the 80s patrons of the Carousel Lounge began to park on McGrath’s property, and other neighboring lots.

“The biggest problem was they never had any parking,” McGrath said. “The customers have always just parked in neighbor’s spots. It’s always caused problems for years and years. If it goes back into business, it’s just going to cause problems.”

McGrath offered a resolution for Berger at the community council meeting, that cited the parking issues. To supply more parking McGrath pointed to a lot next door to the bar that is up for sale.

“Well, if he buys the lot, then we don’t have any problem with it all,” McGrath said. “Welcome to the neighborhood.”

Berger expressed interested in buying the lot, but said he does not want to have to.

The Spenard Community Council voted to pass a resolution opposing the Conditional Land Use Permit for the Bar on Spenard, citing issues with parking that were not addressed in Berger’s original plan, including handicap parking, snow storage, tenant parking, rear access to the building, landscaping and grandfather rights for the special land use permit and liquor license.

Berger will be addressing these concerns and more at the Anchorage Assembly, Feb. 27 at 6 p.m. at the Loussac Library. There he will be requesting a special land use permit that will allow him to serve alcohol at the property of the old Carousel Lounge.

49 Voices: Erynn Bell

Alaska, Audio, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published on Alaska Public Media.

BELL: I went back to Ohio a few years ago to clean out my grandfather’s house, who was a semi-hoarder. It was just really interesting to go through all of his belongings and see how wonderfully made these older items were. It seems like nowadays, a lot of the decor, a lot of the furniture is disposable furniture that’s meant to last a few years. Whereas a lot of the furniture that I see at the store now and that I’d seen at his house may be 100 years old, but it’s still in great shape, because it was built to last.

Anchorage is very transient community. So people move in and out of state, and can’t always take their furniture with them, even if it was just purchased a couple years ago. So, we have a lot of really nice used furnishings and a lot of fun vintage decor. It’s a very eclectic, I guess is the way to describe it.

There’s always something new coming in every single day and it’s just amazing to see what people in this town in their homes or in their storage units that they are cleaning out. The whole point of Rethink Home is to rethink what is beautiful. Just because it’s used does not mean it’s not beautiful.

Orphans and canneries: The Spanish flu in Alaska

Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Historians estimate the Spanish flu killed 50 to 100 million people around the world, roughly 3 to 5 percent of the planet’s population. Per capita, more people died in Alaska, than anywhere else in the world, with the exception of Samoa.

The flu hit Alaska in 1918, but it wasn’t until late 1918 and early 1919 that the pandemic came to Bristol Bay, where it ravaged communities, killing off some villages in their entirety.

“This truly was as close to extinction as people experienced,” Katie Ringsmuth, history professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage and owner of Tundra Vision, a public history consulting business in Alaska, said. “What’s shocking to me is that very few people are talking about this as the anniversary arrives… this was a demographic game-changer. Before there were more native people than neo-Americans. Total annihilation is what this flu represented.”

Ringsmuth, who has been focusing on the history of the Naknek cannery and community has collected documents and records of how the flu affected this small fishing community in Bristol Bay. These documents were collected from the San Francisco-based Alaska Packers Association, who was the largest salmon packer in the state at the time.

Tim Troll, a former resident of Dillingham, used to run the museum there. Troll began to research more about how the flu affected Dillingham and Bristol Bay and was able to hear stories, firsthand, about the canneries role in the pandemic. He describes the Alaska Packers Association as the “Conoco Phillips of the time.”

Ringsmuth describes one story contained in the documents compiled by the Alaska Packers Association:

“The Superintendent of the cannery reports a boat is drifting down the naknek, so he sends out his cannery foreman to go retrieve the boat. And onboard were several people, probably a family, all the adults were dead with the exception of the children. These were the some of the kids they brought to the orphanage,” Ringsmuth said.

There are other stories like this in the documents left by the cannery doctors and nurses. Many children were left without parents, as the Spanish flu most often took the lives of people healthy adults, sparing children and the elderly.

“You tend to think it was the old people, the young the weak, but it didn’t. It killed the 30-year-old’s, the strongest part of the community,” Ringsmuth said.

No one knows how Spanish influenza reached Bristol Bay. Some believe it was brought by ships or by ministers of the Russian Orthodox church.

“This was a worldwide epidemic, and Alaska is always thought of being isolated and out of the way, but not enough to keep this sort of thing out,” Troll said.

At the time, the territorial government of Alaska was overwhelmed with the demand in medical care, and the federal government had exhausted services fighting the pandemic in the Lower 48, and providing for the war effort in World War I.

Bristol Bay’s canneries took the place of government entities and, Rinsgsmuth said, took everyone in and provided medical care to, not only their employees, but to everyone in the villages where they were at. [The canneries] had their doctors and their nurses go into the villages and tend to the sick and bury the dead so they wouldn’t be contagious.

“These canneries had the infrastructure to provide medical care, where the federal and territorial government had absolutely no recourse to deal with this,” Ringsmuth said.

After the flu subsided, the territorial government tried to reimburse the canneries for the services they provided.

“[Alaska Packers Association] went ‘no, no, no,’” Ringsmuth said. “They ended up writing a book about it, which turned into kind of telling the world how awesome they were. They did do something pretty incredible that defies what a lot of people assume, is that they would be uncaring and they only think of money, but the reality is, is that the [Alaska Packers Association] had the hospitals and the infrastructure and they saved a lot of people.”

The canneries also created orphanages for all of the children left behind in the wake of the flu.

“The children left were saved by the canneries. Bristol Bay was repopulated by these kids that were saved,” Troll said.

Ringsmuth saw the Alaska Native adaption after the loss brought with the Spanish flu as a form of strength.

“Instead of laying down and letting the wave of history wash over them, they got up and they adjusted to the systems that were presented to them. I think the Alaska Native people were a lot stronger than our narrative gives them credit for.” Ringsmuth said,” “Not only is it a system of adaptation, but they use that system to empower themselves and lead to nothing else than the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, and I see that as a culmination of what happened here.”

What Remains

The canneries provided medical attention for the infected and burials for those who perished with the flu. Due to the high fatality rate, mass graves were made and can be found near infected villages all over Alaska.

“They were overwhelmed, they were digging mass graves, nobody was making coffins or anything like that,” Troll said.

It was mass graves like these that led to the breakthrough report completed in the late 90s that examined the origin and evolution of the viruses genes, suggesting it was mammalian in origin and may have been adapting in humans before 1918.

Ann Reid, micro-biologist and one of the authors of the report, used lung tissue that was taken from the body of a flu victim buried in one of these mass graves, under the permafrost, in Brevig Mission, Alaska.

Reid says that when her partner Johan Hultin was researching burial sites that many of the sites had not remained frozen or had crumbled into the sea. Brevig Mission was the only site that seemed to be intact. She notes that when Hultin first exhumed the victims in 1953, most of the bodies appeared to have been continuously frozen. When he reopened the grave in 1998, there was only one body still in good condition.

“It would seem that the permafrost in Brevig Mission had not remained permanently frozen during the intervening 40 years,” Reid said. “As climate change has affected temperatures in the Arctic more dramatically than anywhere else on Earth, the same is proving true of any other remaining once-permafrost graveyards along the Alaska coast.”

Reid says that the chances are good that if they were doing this project now, they would not have found any still frozen remains.

An anthrax outbreak in Siberia last year killed thousands of reindeer and a couple people in a small village. The anthrax came from infected reindeer that were buried years prior in the permafrost. With the thawing of permafrost in Arctic regions, the reindeer resurfaced and infected the nearby village. This outbreak has raised concerns for people living near the mass graves of the victims of the Spanish flu buried in Alaska’s permafrost.

For villages living in close proximity to these mass graves, Reid says it is extremely unlikely that the virus would be infectious if the bodies were located and exhumed today.

But the viability, or the ability for a virus to cause a disease, is variable, says Reid.

“Some viruses, like smallpox, are large, double-stranded DNA viruses that are relatively stable; that is, they can withstand freezing and thawing and retain their ability to infect cells. Exhuming smallpox victims from permafrost should, therefore, be done with extreme care, or just not done,” Reid said. “Other viruses, and influenza falls into this category, are fragile; influenza is a single-stranded RNA virus and cannot withstand freeze-thaw cycles, sunlight, high humidity etc. Its genetic material is easily damaged and broken into fragments that cannot be reproduced by the host cell.”

As for the outbreak in Siberia, anthrax is a bacterium that have spores that Reid says are extremely resilient.

“Disturbing the bodies of animals that died of [anthrax], or even the surrounding soil, can indeed lead to new infections,” Reid said.

For Cruise Critic: Two Days in Anchorage Pre- or Post-Cruise

Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published on Cruise Critic

People flock to the 49th State to see glaciers, mountains, wildlife and to experience a true last frontier. Trips to Alaska, including cruises, often begin or end in Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Home to more than 350,000 people, Anchorage is a sprawling metropolis cradled by the Chugach Mountains and the Cook Inlet. Don’t be fooled by the high-rises and department stores, exploring Anchorage is an Alaskan adventure itself.

Locals like to joke that there’s two seasons in Alaska, winter and construction season. During the short but intense summer season, Alaskans come out of hibernation to enjoy the best of the midnight sun. Explore downtown Anchorage and beyond without having to worry about public transportation or renting a car. Downtown is very walkable and each city block holds a part of Anchorage history all its own. Those wanting to go beyond the borders of downtown Anchorage can find reliable transportation with taxis, Uber and Lyft. The historic Alaska Railroad provides day trips from Anchorage that follow the same tracks as they did in 1914, when the railroad was quite literally building the state of Alaska. Traveling like a local is also a possibility. Air travel is very important in Alaska because only 25 percent of the state is accessible by the road system. One in every 92 people in Alaska has their pilot’s license, which is six times the national average. Depart from Anchorage’s Lake Hood (near the international airport), the largest seaplane base in the world, to get a view from above in a small aircraft.

DAY 1: Downtown Anchorage on Foot

Explore historic downtown Anchorage through food, museums and strolls through shops and art galleries that display Alaska’s diverse influences. Anchorage’s downtown is rather small compared to most American cities, rendering it very walkable and easy to navigate. Chances are, you might stumble upon live music, pop-up festivals and other surprise entertainment from buskers along the street.

Breakfast/Brunch

Casual diners can get an excellent breakfast or brunch at Snow City Cafe (1034 W. Fourth Avenue). Diner food with an Alaskan spin, Snow City Cafe has some of the city’s best pancakes and eggs Benedict. Get your eggs Benny Alaskan-style over a king crabcake or salmon cake. While waiting for a table you can order a coffee or espresso drink that will come in a one-of-a-kind mug. (Open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Red Chair Cafe (337 E. Fourth Avenue) offers creative and delicious morning fare that you’re not likely to find at any other restaurant (try “SteamPunk” potatoes or a beer biscuit with your breakfast). Sit down to dig in or grab something to go from the ever-changing espresso bar where head baker, Barb, is turning out homemade muffins, scones, cookies and other delectables. Much less crowded than Snow City Cafe, Red Chair Cafe is a local favorite. Lemon poppy seed pancakes and excellent coffee keep Anchorageites coming in all year round. (Open Tuesday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.)

Morning

Art-, history- and science-lovers unite under the roof of the newly renovated Anchorage Museum (625 C Street). Great for all ages, the museum has an Imaginarium where kids can learn all about Alaska’s natural phenomena with the help of interactive exhibits. Peruse hallways full of art by Alaskan artists old and new and learn about Alaska’s earliest inhabitants, settlers and pioneers. (Open daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

Enjoy views of Cook Inlet from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, an 11-mile paved path that lines the majority of Anchorage’s coast. The trail starts at Second Avenue and goes to Kincaid Park, with the north terminus at W. Second Avenue and H Street. There are plenty of places to enter and exit the trail throughout, and it’s perfect for either a leisurely morning jaunt or a run. For more exploration on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, rent a bike from Pablo’s Bicycle Rentals (415 L Street). From tandem bikes to kids’ bikes to bike trailers, Pablo’s can accommodate any coastal trail bike adventure. (Open daily, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

If the season is right and the fish are running, try a late morning or early afternoon of salmon fishing in Ship Creek. Typically, the season for the salmon run is late May and goes until early August, but check with a guide once you get here. Bait Shack at Ship Creek (212 W. Whitney Road) can provide fishing gear rentals, bait, tackle, licenses, processing and vacuum packing — everything you need to catch a king.Open daily, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Lunch

For a midday meal, stop by one of Anchorage’s many hot dog stands. These stands dot nearly every corner of downtown Anchorage and specialize in the reindeer sausage hot dog. Reindeer meat is a must-try Alaskan food. If it’s not for you, most stands offer beef, Polish and veggie-style sausages as well.

Not all stands are created equal and many include special homemade sauces to entice passersby. Consider b (415 L Street), a new addition to the downtown Anchorage hot dog scene, but a longtime favorite among locals who frequented the stand when it was located in midtown. The stand features many different types of sausages and various add-ons, like caramelized onions, cilantro fries, chipotle sauce and homemade aioli sauces. (Open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

Anchorage’s diversity is showcased at Alaska Reindeer Dog (on the corner of F Street and Fourth Avenue) where East meets West with classic and exotic Asian spins on the reindeer hot dog. This stand offers specialty dogs like the bacon-wrapped dog, and the Korean-inspired bulgogi dogs and kimchi dogs. (This stand runs on its own hours, but you can expect it to be open just about every day from 11 a.m. until the early evening.)

Journey to the east side of downtown to visit a true gem of Old Anchorage. The Lucky Wishbone (1033 E. Fifth Avenue) has been serving American classics like fried chicken, burgers and handmade milkshakes since 1955. The food is tasty and the longtime employees give solid service. The atmosphere is quintessentially Alaskan with pilot paraphernalia covering the walls to celebrate the owner’s (and Alaska’s) love of flying. (Open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.)

Afternoon

Journey a little farther after lunch. Take one of the complimentary scheduled shuttles from downtown to the Alaska Native Heritage Center (8800 Heritage Center Drive). The shuttles leave from four scheduled stops in downtown Anchorage. (A timetable with shuttle schedules and stops can be found on the center’s website.) Learn from Alaska Natives about the indigenous people who have called this great land home for thousands of years. Watch traditional dance performances, marvel at demonstrations of Native Games — a true test of strength and agility — and walk through life-size dwellings modeled after six unique native Alaskan groups to get a sense of how these people lived life in the unforgiving Alaskan wilderness. (Open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Visit Alaska Experience Theatre (333 W. Fourth Avenue) to learn about the state’s turbulent past. The theater is also a history museum, so as you wait for your movie to start, peruse pictures, watch a real seismograph fluctuate and learn about the 1964 earthquake. A 9.2 on the Richter scale, the largest earthquake in North America and the second-largest earthquake ever recorded in world history, lasted over four-and-a-half minutes. Watch the “1964 Earthquake Experience” film to get a more visual idea of the event that shook the state. During climatic parts of the film, the floor of the theater will literally shake beneath you, giving you the feeling of being there during the earthquake. Other films the theater offers include “Journey to Alaska/Northern Lights Adventure,” “Epic Aurora” and “Alaska’s Mind Blowing Aurora.” (Open daily, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check website for movie times.)

Drinks

Feel like a local at F Street Station (325 F Street). Sip on margarita-filled mason jars as you take in the aviation memorabilia surrounding the bar’s interior. Order the best calamari in town here as a late-night snack. (Open every day, 10 a.m. to 1 a.m.)

For a more classy drinking experience, get yourself to speakeasy Blues Central (609 F Street). Getting into the bar is half the fun — Blues Central is on the second floor of Williwaw Social, another popular bar in town. Those wanting to visit Blues Central will have to find the phone booth in Williwaw, pick up the phone and get the password, then walk upstairs, knock on the door and enter the not-so-secret watering hole. Homemade bitters, simple syrups, top-shelf booze and a craft cocktail menu unlike any other makes Blues Central a hit. The Smokey Oso drink, made with spiced pepper syrup, chocolate bitters and loose leaf tea that’s smoked right in front of you, is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Black-and-white photos line the walls to pay homage to the original Blues Central of Anchorage, an iconic spot for many years that shut its doors in 2014. (Open Tuesday through Thursday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to midnight; Friday until 12:30 a.m.)

Dinner

After exploring all afternoon, you’ve worked up an Alaska-sized appetite. Stop by Haute Quarter Grill (525 W. Fourth Avenue) to enjoy excellent drinks and fine dining. There’s an extensive wine and beer selection along with plenty of options for fresh seafood, although the gnocchi is a local favorite. Make sure to ask for their specials, as the chef likes to feature seasonal dishes. The location along the main part of Fourth Avenue is convenient for those browsing shops and galleries. (Open Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 4:30 to 10:30 p.m.)

Make your way to Simon and Seaforts (420 L Street) for a table with a view of Cook Inlet. One of the best places in Anchorage to get seafood, Simon’s has been voted best seafood restaurant in Anchorage as well as restaurant with the friendliest staff. Order the crab and macadamia nut-stuffed halibut for an island twist on the catch of the day, and don’t forget the Key lime pie. (Open for dinner Monday through Thursday, 5 to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 4:30 to 10 p.m.; and Sunday from 4:30 to 9 p.m.)

For something a little more casual, visit 49th State Brewery (717 W. Third Avenue). Enjoy house-brewed, award-winning beer alongside food that is inspired by Alaska. Many of the restaurant’s menu options feature regional ingredients such as fireweed honey, yak and Yukon Gold potatoes, to name a few. (Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 4 to 11 p.m.; Sunday and Monday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.)

Evening

If you saved room for dessert, and you definitely should, visit Wild Scoops (429 E Street). Alaskans eat the most ice cream per capita than anywhere in the United States and one should follow suit while traveling here. Don’t let a line out the door deter you from their mouthwatering homemade ice cream featuring uniquely Alaskan ingredients. Spruce tip and rhubarb crunch are among their best summer flavors. (Open Tuesday through Sunday, noon to 10 p.m.)

Use the rest of the evening as an opportunity to learn more about Anchorage’s darker past. Ghost Tours of Anchorage (tour begins on the corner of Fourth Avenue and L Street) is a guided walk through downtown. Your guide, Rick Goodfellow, is a longtime Alaskan who has gathered stories full of history and mystery. The goal is not to scare or sway people into believing in the paranormal, but rather to teach about Anchorage’s history through spooky tales of both fact and the far-fetched. (Tours operate Tuesday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m., and cost $15. Reservations not necessary.)

DAY 2: Channeling Chugach

Take a day to explore Anchorage’s backyard: Chugach State Park and Chugach National Forest. Most of today’s activities occupy the morning and afternoon, and some constitute a whole day trip. Places to eat include downtown Anchorage, where you can dine before and after your escapades, alongside restaurants that are part of the adventure, further from downtown. Plan accordingly.

Breakfast/Brunch

Build your strength for your day’s adventure at Dark Horse Coffee (646 F Street). This intimately sized cafe in downtown Anchorage serves Heritage coffee, Alaska’s oldest coffee roasting company, from Juneau. In addition to coffee, Dark Horse offers fresh fruit smoothies, pastries, acai berry and fruit bowls, and housemade quiches. It’s a great spot for health-conscious eaters or those looking for a quick and tasty bite. (Open Monday through Friday, 6:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

Morning

Bring your city experience to new heights. Take the Flattop Mountain Shuttle (333 W. Fourth Avenue) to Flattop Mountain, Anchorage’s most popular hiking trail. The shuttle leaves from downtown in the afternoon and will drop you off at the Glen Alps trailhead where you can take off on multiple hikes of various degrees of difficulty. Or just walk around the trailhead where there are plenty of places to sit and enjoy the views from Anchorage’s hillside. A short and paved path affords tremendous views of Anchorage and beyond for visitors who need wheelchair access. The shuttle stays parked at the trailhead for a few hours before bringing visitors back to downtown. ($23 round trip; check the Flattop Shuttle’s website for more details on schedules and group prices.)

Rainy day and you’re not up for a hike? If you’re not already traveling by train as part of a cruisetour, book a day trip on the historic and scenic Alaska Railroad (800-544-0552, 411 W. First Avenue). Take the Glacier Discovery train to Spencer Glacier or stay onboard for a scenic ride through a remote mountain pass to Grandview. At Spencer Glacier you can hop off the train and take a guided stroll with a National Forest ranger who will teach you all about the vegetation, history and geology of the area you are traveling through. For those eager to see the glacier, it is perfectly safe to venture on your own ahead of the ranger and walk down the path leading to the lake. It is roughly 1 mile from where the train drops you off at the whistle-stop to the shore of the lake where the massive Spencer Glacier sits. The trail is gravel and remains flat the whole way through, manageable for those who might need a little extra time to get from point A to point B.

Optional excursions around the glacier are offered through the Alaska Railroad’s reservation service. There’s a small cafe onboard where passengers can buy sandwiches, snacks, alcoholic drinks, local beer and other refreshments, but it’s also acceptable to bring your own food onboard. The Glacier Discovery train and all of its optional excursions can be found and booked on the Alaska Railroad’s website, over the phone or in person at the depot. The Glacier Discovery train leaves from the downtown Anchorage depot at 9:45 a.m. and arrives back in Anchorage at 9:15 p.m. However, for no additional cost, you can arrange with the reservations agent at the Alaska Railroad to get off in Portage and take a motor coach back to Anchorage so you will arrive back at the depot around 6:30 p.m. instead — just in time for dinner.

Lunch

If you are in downtown Anchorage around lunchtime, visit another Alaskan institution (like Lucky Wishbone). The White Spot (109 W. Fourth Avenue) has been turning out their famous burgers and fried halibut since 1946. A true hole-in-the-wall, this is a genuine place for a casual lunch. Finish your meal with their signature blueberry pie in a jar — perfect for a single serving. (Open Monday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; closed on Sundays.)

Afternoon

If you have time to spare this afternoon, visit one of the oldest homes in Anchorage. Built in 1915, the Oscar Anderson House Museum (420 M Street) stands an example of how Anchorage’s first residents lived. According to his own account, Oscar Anderson was the 18th person to arrive in the “Tent City” in 1915. The early homesteader made many contributions to the young city of Anchorage, which include investing and leading business in meat-packing, coal production, transportation and the newspaper-publishing industry. Anderson’s widow, Elizabeth Anderson, donated the house to the municipality in 1976, and two years later it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since then, the house has been restored and turned into a museum. Walk-ins are welcome to tour the house Tuesdays through Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. Appointments must be made if you wish to tour the house on Fridays. (Email oscar.anderson.house.museum@gmail.com for appointments.)

Drinks

Grab some local beer at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse (610 W. Sixth Avenue). Nearly 25 years old, Humpy’s is home to one of Alaska’s largest assortments of beer on tap. As you sip on local saison and snack on king crab nuggets, enjoy people-watching and even some live music if you’re there on the weekends or in the evening. (The bar is open Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2:30 a.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.)

Dinner

Coming back into Anchorage after a long day of exploring? Big adventures deserve a big, rewarding dinner. Treat yourself with a truly Anchorage pizza experience: Moose’s Tooth (3300 Old Seward Highway) is one of the highest-grossing single unit pizzerias in the nation — and for good reason. The restaurant serves a delicious array of unique specialty pizzas like their Spicy Thai pizza, which features roasted chicken, red onions, Alaska-grown bean sprouts, cilantro, mozzarella, provolone and peanut sauce; and their Amazing Apricot pizza, which comes with blackened chicken, cream cheese, apricot sauce, cilantro, mozzarella and provolone. A great selection of tasty salads and beer brewed from their own brewery is also available. It’s important to note that this restaurant is not located in downtown Anchorage; about a 10-minute drive will be necessary if coming from downtown. (Open Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to midnight; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to midnight.)

Evening

Anchorage is teeming with talented artists. Stumble upon homegrown music almost any night of the week at venues like Williwaw Social (609 F Street), Bernie’s Bungalow (626 D Street) and Alaska Center for the Performing Arts (621 W. Sixth Avenue). If you’re looking to catch a great local band, keep your eyes out for folk-rock group Blackwater Railroad Company, or the Polynesian reggae band H3. Find them on Facebook for updated tour schedules.

If you happen to be in Anchorage on the first Friday of the month, take the opportunity to wander through downtown for its First Friday event and peek in at all the shops, cafes and, of course, the museum, which is the cornerstone of the program. On these days, artists and businesses collaborate to showcase the work of local artists, whether it’s music, painting, photography or native jewelry-making. Time and places vary, but events are typically in the evening and sprinkled throughout downtown.

Roadside caribou, ramen and wild celery: It’s what’s for dinner

Alaska, food, Online, Uncategorized

Sourcing food, cooking and eating at the end of the Aleutian chain.

Tom Spitner’s dinner plate probably looks like a significantly less elegant dish coming out of the wildly popular Danish restaurant Noma. Fresh fish and foraged flora made the two-michelin star restaurant famous. Spitner has the same idea when he creates meals for his family, but does it virtually for free.

“I like to cook and read about cooking. I like to go out to nice restaurants, I was based in Los Angeles for a long time and I like to cook all kinds of stuff,” Spitner said. “There’s times it would be nice to go to the store and be able to get that stuff, but it makes you be more creative. You read about that Norwegian/Icelandic food craze, that’s just sort of like fish with locally sourced greens. You end up doing things that would probably end up on a restaurant plate for $55 if they knew about it.”

The way people shop, eat and cook here is different than the way of most Americans. Located near the end of the Aleutian chain, 1,200 miles from Anchorage and just over 700 miles from the Russian mainland sits Adak island. There is no real grocery store, no farms and no way off the island five days out of the week. Annual Costco trips stock the pantries of Adak’s residents, while an open year-round hunting season and no bag limit for caribou cows keep their freezers full. Foraged food, CSA boxes coming from thousands of miles away and pet chickens help supply fresh food to some of the island’s residents. Sharing recipes and cuisine is an essential part of the town’s social life and local food economy.

The town of Adak and the Pacific Ocean beyond as seen from White Alice, a Cold War era sattelite site. 

The town of Adak and the Pacific Ocean beyond as seen from White Alice, a Cold War era sattelite site.

The island of Adak was inhabited by the Unanga people, more commonly known as the Aleuts, who abandoned the island around the 19th century to follow the Russian fur trade. The island was still used as an important place to fish for Aleut’s living nearby. After World War II began, American forces created a military base at Adak. Strategically placed, Adak became the American offensive against the Japanese-held Aleutian islands of Attu and Kiska.

Post World War II the island was developed into a Naval air station and a submarine surveillance center during the Cold War. At Adak’s peak, the island was home to over 6,000 military personnel and their families, a college, a McDonald’s, a roller skating rink, a ski lodge and an $18 million hospital was built in 1990. The base was closed in the spring of 1997 for unknown reasons and the island along with its facilities were sold to Aleut Corporation. The hospital, schools, and the island’s restaurants closed along with the Naval base. The city of Adak was incorporated in 2001 and was home to only about 300 residents at the time, according to the U.S. year 2000 census. Today, there’s only around 100 year-round residents.

Spitner, the mayor of Adak and the only person in town who was born on the island, grew up on the island where his dad worked as a contractor at the military base before it ceased operations altogether in 1997. Spitner has no problem cooking for his family. His wife, a biologist, helps track down Adak’s edible bounty. Wild rice, wild celery, bull kelp and strawberries are just some of what Spitner’s family forages from the island. Their family also has a garden that they use to grow apple trees and potatoes in.

Mayor Tom Spitner with his chickens. 

Mayor Tom Spitner with his chickens.

“It’s nice because we can just go out and about and there’s quite a bit to eat. There’s quite a bit of foraging. I have friends that pickle kelp,” Spitner said. “Our family doesn’t find it hard to eat out here.”

Spitner’s family receives a box from Full Circle every week. The CSA boxes come from an organic farm in North Bend, Washington, nearly 2,500 miles away, to the island every Thursday filled with fresh fruits and vegetables. Prices for these CSA boxes range from $48-$87 a week, depending on the size box you want.

“We are one of two people on the island that get Full Circle. It used to be more, but it is a little expensive. Every week we get our thing on Thursday that’s full of fresh vegetables,” Spitner said. “I’ve probably eaten more kale in the last five years than I ever have before. I’ve grown to really like it.”

In addition to their garden and foraging, Spitner has a large chicken coop that yields about 8-9 eggs a day. The chickens are a special Icelandic species that are bred to live in a more extreme climate, such as Adak. The chickens came from residents who left the island six years ago, and Spitner’s family has since shared his chickens with the community, helping another family grow their own coop.

“I don’t think there’s a big savings, but you know I’ve got dogs, cats, a rabbit and probably sitting out here with the chickens is my favorite,” Spitner said. “It’s not any harder than having a dog. They need food and a place to run and pee.”

Fresh eggs from Turnbull's chickens.

Fresh eggs from Turnbull’s chickens.

Mik Turnbull, the other Adak resident who has chickens, keeps them in a coop that appears to have been a NOAA scientific research pod of sorts in another life. Turnbull has since recycled this to be her chicken’s home. Arguably the thriftiest woman on the island, Turnbull’s home is filled with furniture, art and equipment that she has pulled from Adak’s abandoned buildings and facilities. Turnbull finds herself “scavenging,” as she calls it, for abandoned things she can find purpose for. Residents have to be creative in all aspects of life, not just in the way they eat.

Today Adak is home to one year-round restaurant, The Blue Bird Cafe. Operating in the home of Michael Rainey and his wife Imelda Cleary, the eatery serves up traditional American fare along with Filipino favorites.

The Blue Bird Cafe.
The Special of the day.

The Special of the day.

Imelda, who is from the Philippines, has introduced her cuisine to the residents of Adak who have fallen in love with her lumpia and pancit dishes, among others. People in the community eat here regularly, sometimes once or twice a week and sometimes for every single meal.

The interior of the Blue Bird Cafe.

The interior of the Blue Bird Cafe.

Imelda isn’t the only person on the island who has had the opportunity to share her culture’s cuisine with the community. Krystle Penitani shares traditional Samoan food with the community through town-wide barbecues and pig roasts. Penitani’s job at Alaska Airline’s offers flight perks that allow her to leave to Anchorage once a month to pick up food for her large family. Penitani doesn’t stress about dinner time because she buys in bulk and six months in advance. There is always something to eat in the Penitani household. Penitani has been living and raising her six kids in Adak for the last eight years. She says the quietness, lack of traffic and lack of crime make Adak a great place to raise children.

Samoan food prepared by Penitani for a community birthday party for her daughter. 

Samoan food prepared by Penitani for a community birthday party for her daughter.

“All the time we fix what we like to eat at home, all the time. We eat a lot of curries, soy sauce, and we always use Hawaiian salt, it makes a difference,” Penitani said. “I buy bulk. I buy stuff big so I don’t have to worry about it. If I run out of fresh vegetables or fresh fruit we just go to the can. We make do with what we have. If I don’t have it we don’t eat it.”

Penitani helping her daughter blow out the candle on her birthday cake. 

Penitani helping her daughter blow out the candle on her birthday cake.

You’ll also likely find a meal in Adak’s “Little Tijuana” neighborhood, as it’s affectionately called by the locals. A single winding road near the North side of town is home to majority of Adak’s Hispanic population- roughly five families call this road home. One “Little Tijuana” resident, George Lopez, who just finished smoking a whole hog in his homemade smoker the day of this interview, has been living, working and eating in Adak for ten years. Lopez works at the fish plant and opens his home and his kitchen to migrant workers coming to the island to work at the fish plant. Lopez takes it upon himself to feed the workers home cooked meals. Lopez used to have a restaurant in town called the Cold Rock Cafe, but had to close it due to high maintenance costs.

Roast pork made by George Lopez. 

Roast pork made by George Lopez.

“I have eight beds in my house and I just started having the crew. I’ll start feeding them .I like cooking. It’s good,” Lopez said. “My house gets crowded, but It’s fine I have my own room.”

Many residents who like to cook are forced to be creative. Makani Zaima came to Adak to be with her dad, who works at the fish plant. Zaima, a health aide in training at the island’s clinic, enjoys finding recipes on Pinterest, but often finds it difficult to gather all the ingredients to make the things she finds.

Makani Zaima waiting for her lunch at the Blue Bird Cafe. 

Makani Zaima waiting for her lunch at the Blue Bird Cafe.

“I always wanna try new stuff, but it’s hard. I have Pinterest, that’s my favorite. If I see something that I really wanna try and make I’ll see if someone I know is coming out on the next flight and be like ‘hey can you pick this up for me at the store?’ and have them bring it out,” Zaima said. “That seems to work.”

At home Zaima cooks between once and twice a week, focusing on Hawaiian and Asian dishes.

“My favorite thing to cook is stir-fry, just because there’s a lot of vegetables. It’s hard to get veggies out here,” Zaima said. “Everytime I leave the island the first thing I do is order a big salad or a big bowl of fruit. I crave vegetables all the time.”

Zaima, who went to high school in Anchorage, never appreciated easily accessible produce until she came to live in Adak.

“I took fresh vegetables for granted when I lived in Anchorage,” Zaima said. “I never really noticed how much I wanted them until I came out here and couldn’t just go to the store and buy an apple.”

This year Zaima cooked an entire Thanksgiving meal for her family, which is not an easy feat in Adak. Zaima shared her meal with the town, who gets together to celebrate big holidays.

“My boss sent us a turkey. I had to get everything else shipped in. I did all the basics, the gravy, the mashed potatoes, the stuffing. I also made this little vegetable bake that I found on Pinterest,” Zaima said.

Adak has one convenience store where residents can buy food and drinks if they need to. The prices are high and the food is cheap. Spam, cake mix, soda pop and candy fill the abandoned elementary school that now acts as the 100 knot store.

“There’s a store here, but you’d see that the prices are pretty extreme and that they sell a lot of sugar and carbs,” Zaima said. “I just went to the store yesterday and bought a thing of cranberry juice, a case of top ramen and a couple other things and it was like $100.”

Residents who order meat place bush orders from Mr. Prime Beef, Mike’s Quality Meats and other south central Alaskan butchers who offer deals to residents of rural communities. Besides fish, locally sourced meat can come from ptarmigan or from the island’s overpopulated caribou herd. The caribou on Adak, brought in the 1950s by the military, have no natural predators and are known to be bigger and heavier than other Alaskan caribou. A year-round open season on caribou cows make it easy for residents to get fresh meat from the island.

“During the winter the caribou come up and you can drive up the back roads and pretty much shoot them from your car.” Zaima said.

Locally sourced greens, meat and fish combined with Adak’s cultural diversity make eating at the end of the world seem more like eating at the center of the world- where food and cuisines intermingle to create a unique food culture.

 

Makani’s Adak stir fry.

“You can use top ramen for anything. We like to do Japanese style noodle soups, Or if we don’t have regular noodles we use them for stir-fry noodles.” Zaima said.

Ingredients:

1 large boneless chicken breast or beef (cubes)

Ramen noodle package

1 onion

3 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons of peanut oil

Stir fry vegetables

– carrots

-shallots

-green onion

-brocoli

Oyster sauce, soy sauce and sriracha to taste,

Directions:

1. Throw the meat into pan and sauté for 10-15 minutes on medium heat or thoroughly cooked.

2. Next, cook ramen noodles as normal without adding the sauce mix or packets packets, drain the noodles when done

3. Chop 1 onion & fresh garlic cloves.

4. In a large frying pan, heat peanut oil and frozen or fresh veggies on medium high for 10 minutes

5. Toss the noodles and chicken into the pan and mix together. Continue cooking until the veggies are cooked all the way

6. Add oyster sauce to taste and soy sauce, top with sriracha if you like. Dish up & enjoy!

For First We Feast: The best hot dog from every state

Alaska, Beyond Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published on First we Feast

I helped First We Feast finish their quest to find the best hot dogs in every state. I chose International House of Hot Dogs to represent Alaska.

Alaska-International House of Hot Dogs

Address and phone: 440 E Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage (907-227-3081)
Website: N/A

Reindeer dogs have been a tradition in Anchorage for at least 20 years, most often found at downtown street carts during the summer. But International House Of Hot Dogs, a trailer serving a variety of specialty dogs, is one of the few places to eat them year round. “The McKinley dog is just one of many reindeer sausage dogs at IHOH and includes a special spicy sauce and caramelized onions,” says our Alaska correspondent Victoria Petersen, who previously covered Anchorage’s reindeer dog scene for The Northern Light. “Spicy and hearty, reindeer sausage is versatile enough to go well with many different flavors and ingredients, but also simple and tasty enough to stand on its own.”—HK

The Spenardian: Nearly 50 residents displaced by fatal apartment fire

Alaska, News, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Spenardian

Two residents died and 16 others were injured early Wednesday, Feb. 15 after a fire broke out at Royal Suite Apartments on Spenard Road and Minnesota Drive.
The fire is currently under investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.


The fence around the Royal Suite Apartments has transformed into a memorial with teddy bears and signs of hope displayed prominetly against the perimeter of the charred building.

The Spenardian: The windmill

Alaska, college cookbook, Online, Spenard, The Spenardian, Uncategorized

Originally published in The Spenardian

The windmill standing in the old Chilkoot Charlie’s parking lot has created a life for itself as an Anchorage landmark and a symbol of Spenardian culture.

One of the most distinct features of the Spenard area is the old ornamental windmill looming over the Koot’s parking lot. The windmill is decorated with lights of green, red and white. Many remember it always being there at Koot’s, but the windmill’s history extends beyond the parking lot of the infamous watering hole.

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Anchorage businessman Byron Gillam owned a liquor store on East Fireweed Lane. He was traveling in Southern California when he discovered a build-yourself windmill kit. Gillam bought the kit and installed it in front of his liquor store on East Fireweed Lane in the early 1960s.

The windmill lived on East Fireweed Lane for many years, with different owners as years passed. By the 1970s the windmill was in the hands of a local character known as “Mafia Mike.” Mafia Mike told Mike Gordon, owner of Chilkoot Charlie’s at the time, that he would donate the windmill to him if he paid to have it moved to his parking lot. Part of the contract noted that a plaque be placed on the windmill forever honoring Mafia Mike’s donation. The deed was done and the windmill was installed in the Koot’s parking lot in the early 1980s. The plaque is now missing, but the windmill is here to stay.

When the windmill was first installed in the Koot’s parking lot a celebration occurred and a time capsule was placed underneath the windmill. The community gathered to fill a 55 gallon time capsule with trinkets and other memorabilia. The time capsule still sits under the windmill with no plans on when it will be unearthed.

The windmill currently stands above the Spenard Farmers Market every summer as well as the Spenard Food Truck Carnival. These events use the windmill as a landmark to let locals know the events are- “under the windmill.” Both events stem from local initiative and thrive on the quirky culture of the area.

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

Alaska, food, Online, Uncategorized

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 Show Me Alaska: Conquering the Denali Park Road

Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published in Show Me Alaska

One moment we were enjoying the ride through Polychrome Pass. The next, we were nearly teetering on the edge of a cliff with the wind rocking the car and a sandstorm brewing right outside our windows.

In September 2012, my parents won their first ticket in the Denali National Park road lottery. A rare opportunity afforded to several hundred lucky Alaskans every year, the ticket allows you one day in the park with your own private vehicle. My stepmom, my grandmother and my aunt packed up the Subaru and made our way north. Binoculars, cameras and a sense of adventure accompanied us on what was sure to be a memorable drive.

The weather was windy and rainy but we were determined to get the most of Denali. We made our way to Polychrome Pass, a beautiful and unforgiving stretch of narrow dirt road: hanging rocks and steep slopes on one side and at least a 500-foot drop on the other. We continued on. Loose gravel from the mountainside was picked up by what were now hurricane force winds. Lack of visibility was becoming an issue, but we persisted.

Then there was no visibility whatsoever. We began to panic. The wind got stronger and stronger and with one large gust, the car shook and the rear window of my stepmom’s new Subaru Forester shattered. Dirt and rocks blew inside. In the back seat, I ducked my head as my stepmom stepped on the gas and propelled the car into the sandstorm’s abyss.

Getting out of Polychrome Pass felt like an eternity. I kept my head on my grandmother’s lap, covered with a jacket to recover from the ferocious windstorm we passed through. We duct taped a garbage bag over the rear window and made a beeline back home to Anchorage. My parents have won the lottery and visited the park every year since. They always invite me and I always decline; too soured by the memories of being a little too close to the edge.

But this year I’m back.

A unique opportunity reserved only for Alaska residents, the Denali Park Road lottery began in 1990. In the 1980s the road was congested with over 2,000 cars a day, according to the National Park Service, and NPS decided to implement a lottery system, capped at 300 cars a day at the time, to reduce the amount of traffic on the narrow dirt road.  In 1994, the cap was raised to 400 vehicles a day, where it remains today. The National Park Service receives around 10,000 applications annually for the 1,600 tickets offered in September of every year.

To enter the lottery an Alaskan will pay the $10 entry fee, and if that Alaskan’s ticket is chosen, an additional $25 road lottery fee. Upon entering the park, the driver and attendees will visit the visitor’s center and pick up their permit and pay the $10 park fee. Winners of the road lottery can forfeit their tickets to friends and family with a small note and signature on their printed confirmation. Each ticket is good for a permit for one private vehicle or, for the more adventurous, motorcycle. The permit allows the vehicle and its passengers access to the park road for the entire day (6 a.m. – midnight). The lottery takes place on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday in mid-September.

This year I drove with my cousin Quinn and his girlfriend Tressa. We rallied our way to the park entrance, excited for wildlife and whatever lay ahead. We packed the Subaru with snacks and drinks. Quinn, a first-time road lottery participant and experienced mountain climber, made a successful trek to the summit of Denali back in 2013; Tressa was a park newcomer, eager to see the mountain in all of its glory.

It is important to check the weather before you go and to plan accordingly. It is not uncommon for the weather to change dramatically in a short amount of time.

As we rounded the corner into Polychrome Pass, the golden-colored canyon rocks came into view, sparking an immediate flashback to that unforgettable drive four years prior.

This year, we made our way to end of the dirt road, driving more than 90 miles, socked in by a mild snowstorm; the landscape dusted white, the mountain as mysterious and elusive as ever. This year, I saw Wonder Lake, the remote ranger station and the historic cabin of Joe and Fannie Quigley, famed miners of the early twentieth century.

One bear and three bull moose later, we left the park and were back on the Parks Highway headed home; this time with great memories of the Denali Park Road.

For Show Me Alaska: Chitina a stop along the way

Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published in Show Me Alaska

You might miss it if you’re not paying attention.

Past farmland and through canyon country sits Chitina, Alaska: Nearly 250 miles from Anchorage, the town is noted for being the end of the Edgerton Highway and the beginning of the historic and seldom-maintained McCarthy Road. It may be the last place to get gas before journeying the next 60 miles to McCarthy, or a place to grab snacks on the way home from a weekend exploring the historic mill town of Kennecott. Chitina may seem unimpressive to the shallow traveler. However, when you dive beneath the surface, the town of less than 150 opens up, showing you a unique Alaska you may have never experienced.

Walk into Uncle Tom’s Tavern in the center of town to meet the people who call Chitina home. An old piano greets you at the door; a wood stove, taxidermy and plenty of rocks and fossils soon follow. Quintessential bar memorabilia adorns the interior. License plates, slot machines and posters of scantily clad women hang as ornamentation in the small, smoke-filled room. Old-timers and local folk sit at the bar with pints in hand and ash trays nearby. The woman at the end of the bar turned her generator on that morning so she could watch a movie with her friends that night. She lives in a one-room cabin with no electricity, no water and no heat. In a town where people are still talking about last year’s Fourth of July celebration, movie nights and new visitors are hot topics.

When Uncle Tom himself walks into the bar, he shows us some gold he found in the area, a nice small handful, telling my friend and me that the special rock is called “leavurite,” and if we find any we should “leave-it-right” there and let him know where it is — a joke he’s probably told 1,000 times to gullible tourists. What Uncle Tom didn’t know is that my friend is a student geologist. Needless to say Uncle Tom’s joke was quickly squandered.

The ladies at the bar know all the hidden gems and are eager to tell interested passersby about the hot spots in Chitina. Liberty Falls, just north of town, is a large, rapidly cascading waterfall, just off the Edgerton Highway. This state-run park is also a campground with 10 spots available. To the south of Chitina, at the beginning of the McCarthy Road, the canyon walls open up to the west bank of the Copper River, where fish wheels and dipnetters fight for the prized Copper River sockeye.

Once a thriving railroad post, Chitina was a stop for the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. The railroad hauled copper from the mines of Kennecott to Cordova, leaving Chitina a bustling and prosperous community in the early 1900s. When the mines at Kennecott were shut down and abandoned in 1938, Chitina was left a ghost town.

Remnants of Chitina’s past can be seen today. The old tin shop, now an art gallery, is on the National Register of Historic Places, while the Chitina Emporium pays homage to the old pioneer spirit. The gateway to Kennecott, McCarthy and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is unapologetically Alaskan. From the locals and their homesteading endeavors to the subsistence salmon fishing on the famed Copper River, Chitina leaves visitors coated in a gritty Alaska aura.

For Show Me Alaska: Riding to Spencer Glacier, a whistlestop in the heart of the Chugach National Forest

Alaska, Online, Uncategorized

Originally published in Show Me Alaska

There is no such thing as a typical day aboard the Glacier Discovery train. For the summers of 2012 and 2013, I was a tour guide on the Alaska Railroad: I helped people on and off the train, cleaned up after passengers and provided onboard narration explaining the significance of the areas we passed through.

The Glacier Discovery train carries people from all walks of life: young tourists going to adventure around Prince William Sound, an elderly couple from Nebraska who sold their farm to see the 49th state via cruise ship from Whittier, locals on a day trip to see Spencer Glacier with some out-of-town family, handsome river raft guides gearing up for the day’s tour and U.S. Forest Service rangers more than willing to share their knowledge of the area.

Every day is different, but the highlight is always Spencer Glacier.

Only accessible by train, Spencer Glacier is a recreation spot like no other. Tours booked in advance — like rafting, canoeing and kayaking — can get you up close and personal with the glacier. A complimentary ranger-led nature walk is an option for the more inquisitive explorer. The walk is easy; the entire 1.3 miles from the train to the glacier lookout is a flat and well maintained thoroughfare.

The glacier can be enjoyed in a day trip, or just from the train, but the best way to take in Spencer Glacier is to stay overnight. Immerse yourself in the remote area and feel a sense of solitude as the train pulls away back to Anchorage, not to return until the next day. Listen as the glacier shifts and slides against the mountains, its echoes reverberating through the Placer River Valley. If you’re lucky, like I was, you can even catch the glacier calving.

Fall asleep to the sound of a calving glacier and distant freight trains chugging their way through the Kenai Mountains. Stay overnight in the group campsite or the new Spencer Bench Cabin. Approximately 1.2 miles from the train, the group campsite offers well water, restrooms, bear boxes, picnic benches and a fire pit.

The Spencer Bench Cabin, which opened in the summer of 2015, sits at an elevation of nearly 2,000 feet. The hike extends less than 5.5 miles from the trailhead, with the last three miles being rigorous switchbacks. The group campsite and the cabin can bereserved for a fee through the Alaska Railroad. For free camping, continue hiking along the Spencer Glacier trail to find multiple dispersed sites.

Rounding the tracks heading south towards Grandview, I’d bring passengers back in time to 1905 with the story of Edward Spencer. According to a story published by the Seward Gateway on Nov. 3, 1906, Spencer, a timekeeper for the Alaska Central Railroad, was traveling by foot from camp 52 to camp 55 in the area where Spencer Glacier is today. Despite warnings of darkness and treacherous conditions from members of the camp, Spencer proceeded on. The ill-fated timekeeper was found frozen to death nearly a year later, his body face-first in the snow, 2,000 feet from the winter trail on a slope above the glacier.

Spencer Glacier is the first of five whistle stops created in collaboration with the Forest Service and the Alaska Railroad. The whistle stops will be checkpoints along the Glacier Discovery trail, a trail system that will connect Alaskans to the Kenai Mountain backcountry, a place not accessible by road.

Spencer Glacier was completed as the first whistle stop in 2007, and since its creation the stop has received over 10,000 visitors, according to the USFS. The other four whistle stops are still under construction or in the planning phase.

With breathtaking views, opportunities for adventure and the clickety-clack of the standard-gauge rails below you, the Glacier Discovery train will awake the romantic inside you. Follow your inner explorer to Spencer Glacier whistle stop, and take advantage of the beauty in Alaska’s own backyard.

For JuliaOmalleyMedia: A Spenardian grandma’s blueberry crumble

Alaska, food, Online, Spenard, Uncategorized

Originally published on Julia O’Malley Media.

My grandmother, Sylvia Butcher, a true Spenardian and Alaskan in her own right, has been living in Alaska since the early 1960s. She met my grandfather, who grew up in Anchorage after his parents homesteaded here in 1943, in California and they started a life together in the city of Anchorage.

One of my grandmother’s favorite Alaskan pastimes is blueberry picking. She knows all the spots, from the shores of Seward to the mountainsides of Broad Pass. Of course, she would never permit to say where her favorite spot is, as that’s a heavily guarded family secret. She claims that the peninsula is the way to go. She notes that Girdwood blueberries are wormy and that Seward and Whittier are good places to explore, claiming that coastal blueberries are better in taste and easier to pick than their alpine cousins.

Don’t even think about buying blueberries for this recipe. Grandma scoffs at the mere thought of store bought blueberries, lacking in taste and authenticity.

After my grandma agreed to teach me how to make her special blueberry crumble, I visited her in her kitchen. She pulled out of a bag of frozen blueberries that was thawing in the fridge.“They have to be Alaskan blueberries, not store bought. There’s no comparison,” she said. Grandma held the bag in the air and examined it, as if checking to see if a nugget of gold was actually just pyrite. The bag, with the date “8/15″ written in sharpie on the side, was gently poured out into the baking dish. As I spread the blueberries evenly in the dish, Grandma told me about picking those berries with my mom last summer while they were in Seward.

“We picked them until we couldn’t pick anymore, brought them back to the cabin, and went out and did it all again the next day,” she said.

The recipe for blueberry crumble was given to my grandmother in a cookbook published by the women’s club of Anchorage in the late ‘50s. Today, the recipe book is near shreds, the stack of papers are held together by an old rubber band. My grandma received the cookbook from my great-grandmother, her mother-in-law, as a wedding gift. My great-grandmother was part of the women’s club and had her own recipes published in the book as well. My grandma tried the Blueberry Crunch recipe, as it’s called in the recipe book, and has been in love with it ever since.

The recipe is relatively simple, despite the delicious and crowd pleasing results it receives. Make sure to let the dessert completely cool before serving, as it’s too runny and messy if served right after it’s taken out of the oven. The perfect way to serve it — the way it’s been served to me my entire life — according to Grandma is to “warm it up and serve it with vanilla ice cream.”

Grandma’s Alaskan Blueberry Crumble

Ingredients: 

4 cups Alaskan blueberries

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For the topping:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter, melted

1 cup rolled oats

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Place the blueberries into a baking dish. Pour in the sugar and flour, and stir with a spatula until the blueberries are covered. Distribute evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.

3. For the topping: in a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour and oats. Mix until evenly combined, then spread across the top of the blueberry mixture with a spatula.

4. Place in the oven and bake for 40 minutes.

5. Let the dessert cool completely. Serve warm and with vanilla ice cream.

For Knik.co: How to live in a dry cabin

Alaska, Online

Originally published on Knik.co

Living without plumbing is a lifestyle choice many Alaskans make. According to a state economic trend analysis published in April 2014, around 12,000 Alaskans live without water; a significant number in a state home to just a little over half a million people.

Whether it is by choice or necessity, living without water is particularly evident in the interior of Alaska. In the interior of the state winter temperatures dip far below zero, making it easy for pipes to freeze. In addition permafrost, ground frozen solid, is common in northern Alaska, making the idea of a modern septic system, a pipe dream. For some, living without water is a way to save money. For others it is a romantic existence, full of self-discipline and self-sufficiency.

I was all on my own during the summer of 2014. In late April of 2014, I moved into my dry cabin off Farmers Loop Road in Fairbanks, Alaska. I went into town the first morning I woke up in Fairbanks. I found my five gallon jug in the local Fred Meyer and carried it to the nearest water station. The water stations in the Fairbanks area are a dime a dozen. About two cents a gallon, I would pump my water, just like I was pumping gas, into my little blue jug. I dragged little blue, significantly heavier when full of water, up the hill from where I would park my car to the cabin, about 200 feet away. I would then gracefully set my blue jug on the lip of the sink where it would live for three to five days; then I would do it all over again.

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Before I lived in a dry cabin, thirty minute showers were common and part of my everyday routine. Washing dishes in the dishwasher and cleaning my clothes, just a part of the weekly chores I powered through for majority of my existence. My biggest concern at first was how I was going to shower. I got a gym membership and took advantage of the showers in the locker room. With the hassle of having to drive 20 minutes away to shower, baby wipes and dry shampoo found their way onto my weekly grocery list. There was once a time the gym was closed and I was forced to wash my hair in a bucket on my front porch. I never was much of a bath person, but I remember my first real bath after moving out was more luxurious than I could have ever anticipated.

I never considered how much water went into cooking and cleaning. I’d say that 75 percent of my water usage went into a combination of cooking and cleaning dishes, the rest for drinking and other miscellaneous things. I learned to conserve my dish use and gained a carefree judgment of what was actually dirty when it came time to clean. This is because cleaning the dishes was an event in itself. I had to first try to figure out how much water I needed to finish the dishes. Boil that water. Then over the sink, carefully, I’d rinse the dishes with the water, scrub it with soap and hope for the best. I will never take the invention of dishwashers for granted again. The dishwater would drain through about six inches of PVC pipe into a bucket. Every night I would take the bucket of dirty water and toss it free off the deck. This is imperative if you don’t want your living space to smell like a garbage disposal.

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It’s easy to remember the wasps, mosquitoes, and dirty dishwater when I recall my dry summer. However, it’s hard to forget the romance and the solitude that comes with sequestering yourself in nature.

Nolin Ainsworth, a former student at University of Alaska Fairbanks, lived alone in a dry cabin while attending school.

“My favorite part [about dry cabin living] was the absolute quiet and sound of the wind when it swept through the trees at night.” Ainsworth said.

With a literal laundry list of things to do, living dry adds hours of chores to your week. Whether it is hauling water, washing dishes, or waiting at the laundromat for your load to finish up; living in a dry cabin takes a lot of time, work, and patience.

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The dry life is not for everyone. I’d even admit that it’s not for me, despite how “Henry David Thoreau” I like to think I am. Whatever your reason for choosing to live water-free, the experience will no doubt give you a new appreciation for modern day luxuries most of us rely on daily.