SPRING 2016 magazine Celebrating Black History Opera Singer Marian Anderson Sacred Laughter: Robin Senour’s Wearable Art Spring Cleaning Made fun! COLORING CONTEST INSIDE! FROM THE EDITOR “sweet spring is your, time is my time, is our time, for spring- time is love time, and viva sweet love” —e.e. cummings When I was a child living in Alaska, spring wasn’t a sea- son so much as a celebration. I remember adults betting on the exact day the ice would break, Easter egg hunts in the snow, and playing football in the “warmer” forty degree weather. Even after all the festivities, the marking of spring was more than just the colored spots in the snow where eggs had been, it was a feeling of renewal, rebirth, and new hope. Here in California, our seasons are a bit harder to define, but that doesn’t mean we can’t take joy in the traditions that mark the season. Whether you’re attending the colorful Cherry Blossom Festival in Japantown, traipsing to the mall for pictures with a bunny, or taking a trip up to Napa for some wine tasting, let the freshness of spring lighten your spirits. Use the renewal nature is experiencing to inspire you to renew your relationships, celebrate the mystery of new acquaintances, or maybe go out and do something different to meet new people. My favorite spring activity is sketching. Even if you aren’t an artist, sketching can be therapeutic, freeing, and even help document events in your life. I feel as adults, we don’t let ourselves relax and create like we did in our ele- mentary school art classes. Take a blank sketch pad out to your favorite haunts and sketch what you see. Do it quick and without a care who might see it. The sketches are for you, to slow down and take in the surroundings as you did when you were younger. Our featured interview this month is with Robin Senour, who inspires happiness and joy with her art. Use her creativ- ity as an example and create! Do a craft, make a model, join a class, live, and then share your activities with us. Emerian Rich Editorial Director We here at SEARCH would love to hear about your traditions. Take a picture and send your tradition to: [email protected] SPRING 2016 / SEARCH MAGAZINE 1 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-in-chief Jeannie Normandeau Editorial director Emerian Rich Copy editor Larriane Barnard PHOTOGRAPHERS Heidi Kaden SUBSCRIPTION MANAGER Got errands? Shirley Bjork No time? CORRESPONDENCE MANAGER Heather Roulo Swamped? Frazzled? On the web / Subscribe searchmagazine.net Let us help. facebook Personal and Business Facebook.com/searchmagazine.net TWITTER Errand and Twitter.com/searchmagazine1 #SEARCHmagSF Delivery Service Special thanks Denise & Kim Barber (925) 437-0771 Kelly Gibson Wade Fuson TKOErrandServices.weebly.com Information / ADVERTISING [email protected] SUBMISSIONS/ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR [email protected] SEARCH Magazine serves the Contra Cost County and sur- rounding Bay Area. SEARCH may not be reproduced in whole or part without written permission from the publisher. Views ex- pressed herein are those of the authors, advertisers, and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the ownership or management of the magazine. Contents © 2016. All rights re- served. Spring 2016, Issue #4. 2 SEARCH MAGAZINE / SPRING 2016 contributors Carrie sessarego is the author of LOREN RHOADS is the author of Wish You Pride, Prejudice, and Popcorn: TV and Film Adap- Were Here: Adventures in Cemetery Travel. Her tations of Pride and Prejudice, Wuthering Heights, travel essays have appeared online at Scoutie Girl and Jane Eyre, resident 'geek reviewer' for the and in Morbid Curiosity Magazine, Traveler's Tales: website SmartBitchesTrashyBooks.com, and San Francisco, and in Pills, Thrills, Chills, and the creator and writer of GeekGirlinLove.com. Heartache: Adventures in the First Person. She blogs When not reading and writing, you can find Carrie vol- at CemeteryTravel.com. Twitter: @morbidloren unteering for the Sacramento Public Library. Twitter: @geekgirlinlove Elliot Thorpe is a freelance writer for Den of Geek, Shadowlocked, and Doctor Who Ron Vitale has more than 15 years of TV as well as for Encore magazine and the Dean experience working on website strategy and Martin Association. He co-wrote a Frank Sinatra content development. His articles have ap- stage show celebrating the legendary singer’s peared in varied places from PRNews’ 2011 100th birthday. Digital PR Guidebook to SFWA’s The Bulletin Twitter: @elliot701 magazine. When not writing about cool tech- nology, he also is the author of the Cinderella’s Secret Tim reyNolds Humorist, novelist, pho- Witch Diaries series geared toward new adults. Twitter: tographer Tim Reynolds is a ‘former everything’, @ronvitale including stand-up comic, teacher, editorial car- toonist, landscaper, actor, dishwasher, paparaz- Michele Roger is a harpist, compos- zo, accountant, magician, and trainer of bus driv- er, and author living and working in Detroit. ers. He digs deep in his life experiences to find She is the author of several fiction novels and the humor in everything from cemeteries to medical exams. won the Joy Humanist writing award for Poet- Twitter: @TGMReynolds ry. She was recently nominated for a 2015 De- DIANNA KERSEY troit Music Award. When Michele isn't work- is a Global Digital Me- ing, she loves to travel. Getting lost in unknown places is dia Account Director with Be Found Online in a particular talent of hers. Twitter: @harpymichele Chicago who remotely telecommutes from their acreage between the Ozark & Rocky Mountains. Emerian rich is an author, artist, and “I like to describe my lifestyle as an avant-garde voice actor. She’s been published in antholo- cyber mom who works and celebrates the mar- gies, magazines, newsletters, and her novel vels of virtual technology, while embracing my back-to- count is currently 7. She’s the Editorial Direc- basics heritage homesteading.” Twitter: @diannakersey tor for SEARCH Magazine and hostess of the Suzanne Madron radio show, HorrorAddicts.net. Emz grew up is the author of The all over the US, but after landing in the Bay Area 24 Immortal War Series, and has been published in years ago, she’s finally home. Twitter: @emzbox the international Cover Stories Euphictional Anthol- ogy. When not writing, she can be found knitting, DAN SHAURETTE is an author, pod- spinning, or making jewelry in her spare time. caster, voice actor, foodie, and geek from Suzanne also helps support the efforts of inde- Phoenix, AZ. He can be found serving up his pendent artists, writers, musicians, and film-makers. Twit- own recipes for Morbid Meals on the blog at ter: @xirconnia HorrorAddicts.net, as well as the author and Sumiko saulson producer of a serialized audio story, BLACK is a blogger and jour- JACK. nalist, working for Examiner.com and the Berkeley Twitter: @Dans42 City College paper, the BCC Voice. She is the au- thor of The Moon Cried Blood and Things That Go Kristin Battestella writes the Bump in My Head. Born to African-American and Fate and Fangs vampire book series in addi- Russian-Jewish parents, she is a native Californi- tion to content for several horror websites an. Twitter: @sumikoska including HorrorAddicts.net. More of her ASHLEY VRUBLEVSKIY Dark Shadows essays can be found on her is a writer/ blog, I Think Therefore I Review. blogger living in the beautiful pacific northwest Twitter: @vampfamwriter with her husband and two children. She is an advocate for her son on the autism spectrum, and openly writes about their life on her blog. Instagram: ashmv CONTENTS SPRING 2015 6 CITY SPOTLIGHT: ANITOCH 8 HOW TO MAKE SPRING CLEANING FUN 10 MUSIC: COVERS AND SOUNDTRACKS 12 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF DARK SHADOWS 14 FIVE FUN SPRING READS 16 FIVE FAVORITE GAREDNING APPS 18 CELLEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: OPERA SINGER MARIAN ANDERSON 20 INNOVATION AND INGENUITY: THE MICHIGAN PIONEER WINE TRAIL 22 SPRING BASKET-WEAVE COOKIES 25 HOW TO MAKE LUFFA SOAP 26 SACRED LAUGTHER ROBIN SENOUR’S WEARABLE ART 30 BEING UNDERSTOOD: AUTISM AWARENESS 33 20 DUMB, IDIOTIC STEPS TO SELF-PUBLISHING WHAT NOT TO DO 34 BAY AREA ATTRACTION: THE WAVE ORGAN SPRING 2016 / SEARCH MAGAZINE 5 CITY SPOTLIGHT ANTIOCH By emerian rich Ranch and mining town dating back to 1872 ANTIOCH, CA siast. The preserve is a great place for hiking, bik- Antioch is one of the oldest towns in California, ing, horseback riding, birdwatching, and wild- incorporated in 1872. Back then it was known for flower study. There are also tours of the mines its large ranch, Rancho Los Meganos, and its coal, and museum. Rose Hill Cemetery, although quite mined from the Black Diamond Mines. a hike up the mountain, is a Today, Antioch is known as the home of the fun historical place to explore Contra Costa County Fair and for the historical El where mostly Welsh miners Campanil Theatre, circa 1928. are buried, dating all the way Downtown has great views of the river and a back to 1865. The cemetery is group of thrift stores to shop at. If you’re into also a great place to look out crafting, Queen B’s Quilt Shop is sure to please. on the valley below. Wildlife The locals swear the best burger served up is by at the reserve includes rac- the folks at the Beer Garden. This unassuming coons, skunks, opossums, neighborhood bar has a hidden burger grill in the rabbits, and deer. The rare back. The owner and chef makes fries from real mountain lion, bobcat, fox, or potatoes, sliced in a press just minutes before be- coyote might be spotted. Over 100 species of birds ing fried. The burgers are fresh and piled with have been sighted as well as rare species of small- toppings.