C.S. Elston – Page 9

Ten Old Standby Food & Beverage Spots To Visit In And Around Lake Chelan

August 9, 2017 By C.S. Elston

Lake Chelan has been one of my primary “happy places” since childhood and holds very nearly nothing but good memories for me. As a kid, it was all about the water. If the sun was up and I wasn’t somewhere in the more than fifty miles of Washington State’s deepest lake, I was almost certainly either in a pool or speeding downhill at Slidewaters. At forty-two, my “tastes” have changed a bit. I still love to get out on the lake but, I now spend a significantly higher volume of time on dry land.

My wife and I had the privilege of spending nine days over there this summer and, with my sister and her family headed that way tomorrow, I was inspired to make a top ten list of my old standbys – places I try and hit every time I go. However, it was too hard to narrow down so I put a bigger restriction on it and made it a list of just food and beverage spots. While this in no way a list of all that’s good for shoveling tasty items down your gullet, I think it makes a fine starter kit for first-timers and a fresh reminder list for old veterans like myself.

Tsillan Cellars / Sorrento’s Ristorante – From the gorgeous views of Lake Chelan to the beautiful Tuscan architecture and from the wonderful wines (I recommend the Bellissima Rossa) to the fine Italian dining (excellent Cannelloni,) they’re really doing everything right.
Lakeview Drive-In – What can I say other than best burgers, dogs and fries on the lake. This is one of the things that hasn’t changed since my childhood. Always a must.
Benson Vineyards Estate Winery – Easily one of the best views of the lake and their Viognier is, in both my wife’s opinion and mine, the best bottle of white wine in the valley. If they had a restaurant to rival Sorrento’s at Tsillan Cellars, this place would be perfect.
Green Dot Sub Shop – If you’re looking for great sandwiches at a reasonable price, you can’t do any better than Green Dot. They’re quick and delicious. Plus, the founder, Jeff, is often working at the Manson location, and I’m willing to bet you’ve never met a nicer guy.
Lake Chelan Winery – Quite possibly the best tasting room gift shop in the valley, a nice wine selection, and they do a yummy BBQ. So, take the whole family because there’s plenty of fun for everyone!
Blueberry Hills Farm – Not only are there the “u-pick” and “we-pick” options on blueberries, plus lots of great blueberry-themed products, the real treat is the restaurant. Be prepared for a bit of a wait because the line is often out the door – and for good reason. We usually go for their awesome breakfast (I highly recommend the Eggs Benedict – and for something unique but just as delicious, the Dunlap which is the same thing but with caramelized onions in place of the English Muffin) but they also do a great lunch (huge burgers.)
Wapato Point Cellars / The Winemakers Grill – A solid tasting room and gift shop is only surpassed by what is easily one of the classiest restaurants in the valley. You can’t go wrong with either the Chicken Piccata or the Center Cut Filet Mignon.
Karma Vineyards – If you prefer the bubblier wines, this is one of the few producers in Washington State who do it in the style of méthode champenoise (the same way the French do it in Champagne). Tour their cave, grab a bite to eat while admiring their large koi pond, then hitch a ride up the hill on the Karma trolley and take in that amazing Lake Chelan view.
Troy’s Pizza – We always take a pizza back to where we’re staying at least once on our trips. The problem is choosing one because they’re all so good. The “Wild Hog,” Cryin’ Hawaiian, Cinco De Mayo, Carnivore…
Chelan Estate Winery – Another fantastic view of the lake and some of the finest red wines in the valley.

Finally, I simply must give an honorable mention to a lovely woman, without a traditional brick and mortar, who has become a true staple in Manson. She sits just outside of the Wapato Point Resort gate and sells her delicious pies from the back of her SUV. Look for the sign that says, “Donna’s Pies” or just follow your nose.

My 42nd Birthday Meals

August 3, 2017 By C.S. Elston

I recently celebrated my 42^nd birthday and I have the ever-increasing gray hairs to prove it. Typically, I let my wife take me out to a nice dinner on my birthday. We might go to Bellevue or downtown Seattle for a great steak at a place like The Metropolitan Grill, John Howie or El Goucho. We might even take a ferry ride and do some wine tasting in Langley (my wife also likes to do some shopping while we’re there) and then hit one of our favorite hidden gems, Gordon’s on Blueberry Hill in Freeland, for some amazing seafood. We don’t do fancy that often but, a birthday is a special occasion so we usually do it up right.

However, this year, I decided I wanted to cook for myself. Perhaps that was because I could then give my greedy belly two great meals instead of just one. So, I stayed home and made a ground turkey tetrazzini for lunch and a steak for dinner that I think may rival some of those top dollar joints. Usually, when I cook for myself, I try to keep it healthier and I’m sure I’ll be posting some of those recipes soon. In fact, I’m planning to often post a health-conscious and a “cheat night” version of the same recipe. But, this was my birthday so, calorie counting went right out the window.

First up, for lunch (although I would typically serve this for dinner), was the oh so delicious Ground Turkey Tetrazzini:

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package spaghetti noodles

1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of celery soup

¼ cup of butter (divided)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

1 (12 ounce) package frozen, chopped onions

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup flour

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 ½ tablespoons salt (divided)

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon white pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Cooking oil spray

Directions

Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Break pasta in half and add it to the pot. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) while the pasta is cooking for 10 minutes. Drain the pot. The pasta should be a nice al dente. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking oil spray and lay cooked noodles inside.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour entire package of frozen, chopped onions and minced garlic into the skillet and sauté, for about four or five minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add ground turkey breast and cook until browned, stirring occasionally to mix well with onions. I know A LOT of people put mushrooms in their tetrazzini but, I’m not really a fan of mushrooms in anything. It’s mostly a texture thing. Sorry, mushroom lovers! If you are, you can add those here. For me, onions add the texture and flavor that I like. If I were going to add anything else it would probably be chopped celery.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Begin adding flour and stir-in to create a roux. Once the consistency is nice and pasty, slowly add in chicken stock and continue stirring. Do the same with the heavy whipping cream. Stir in cream of celery soup. When you have it all well-mixed, pour it over the turkey and onion mixture and mix well.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and parsley.
Pour sauce and turkey mixture evenly over the top of the noodles in the baking dish. Sprinkle bread crumb and Parmesan mixture over the top.
Bake in preheated oven, for about 20 to 25 minutes, until sauce is bubbling. I like a crusty top. If you’re worried about burning (a bigger problem at higher temperatures) then you can always cover the dish with tin foil. Personally, if I did this, I would at least remove it for the last 10 minutes of cooking.
Let stand for a few minutes to cool down. Cut into desired portions, scoop out with a spatula, and serve!

Next up, for dinner was the equally delicious Herbed Butter Beef Tenderloin Steaks:

Herbed Butter Ingredients

1 ½ sticks butter, soften (not melted entirely, otherwise spices will sink to the bottom)

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon dried thyme

Steak Ingredients

2 beef tenderloin steaks (choosing a great cut is vital)

¼ cup Kosher salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon white pepper

2 tablespoons herbed butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Herbed Butter Instructions

Thoroughly mix softened butter, minced garlic and dried thyme. Refrigerate until firm.

Steak Instructions

Mix salt and pepper in a bowl. Roll and press steak in mixture to thoroughly coat on all sides. Cover steaks and let sit at room temperature for about an hour.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat an oven-safe, deep frying pan on medium-high.
Add olive oil and herbed butter. Roll the pan to coat the bottom with olive oil and melted butter. Place seasoned steaks in the pan and cook, spooning excess liquids onto the meat, for about two minutes per side. This should give both sides of the steaks a nice crust.
Cover the pan and place in the oven. Bake for about another 5 minutes depending on how well-done you like your steaks. I like mine at a perfect medium but I would err on the side of medium-well over medium-rare.
Take the pan out of the oven. Again, spoon any excess liquids (also known as yummy flavor juice) from the pan over the steaks and then let them rest for about 10 minutes. Before serving, add another tablespoon of herbed butter on top.

Side note: On this particular occasion, I used both the left over herbed butter and salt/pepper mixture on baked potatoes and a side of corn.

The Inspiration Behind “The Gift of the Elements” Books

July 28, 2017 By C.S. Elston

Music, and the often-accompanying lyrics, has been a source of inspiration in my life for as long as I can remember. When I was a kid, my dad introduced me to songs like “Big Bad John” by Jimmy Dean and the Tommy Sands version of “Sinner Man” (although I now prefer the Three Dog Night and Nina Simone renditions) when I would ride with him in the car on trips from the northern suburbs of Seattle to the southwestern tip of Washington State where he spent one weekend a month serving in the Coast Guard reserves at Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco. The time with my dad was priceless and the music he introduced me to on those trips began my love affair with song lyrics. The love affair allowed me to branch out into different genres of music and gave me an appreciation that threw a wider net than it otherwise may have.

I fell in love with the stories those lyrics told and the emotional impact they could deliver. As I got older, however, I started noticing that certain songwriters are poets who deliver that impact more consistently than others. Not all lyricists are created equal. Some of my favorites over the years have included Willie Nelson, Adam Duritz of Counting Crows, Johnny Cash, Brandi Carlisle, Lecrae Devaugn Moore, Bob Dylan, Ed Sheeran, Billy Joel, Jason Emmanuel Petty (aka, Propaganda,) Hank Williams, Hank Williams, Jr., John Legend, Toby McKeehan, James Taylor, Merle Haggard, Kevin Max Smith, Bernie Taupin, Leonard Cohen, Alan Jackson, Rich Mullins, Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Paul Simon, Michael Tait, Bob Marley, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Chris Tomlin, Stevie Wonder, Adele, Chris Cornell, and recently both Zac Brown and Chris Stapleton. It’s an already ridiculously long list that could go on and easily become ten times as long as it already is.

I left one important name off that list because it’s the most critical one when it comes to “The Gift of the Elements” series. That name is Vladimir John Ondrasik III.

I was in the backseat of my parents’ car on the way back to their house after having dinner and the song “Superman (It’s Not Easy)” by Five For Fighting came on the radio. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard it. It may very well have been the 100^th. The song got a lot of airplay following its release in April of 2001 and this was at the height of the song’s popularity. However, for some reason, the lyrics impacted me in that moment more than they ever had before. Perhaps it was because “Smallville” had started airing around the same time. I honestly can’t remember if I had even seen the show yet at that point. But, whatever the reason was, I listened to the song and began to think about Superman, this being of immense power, more as Clark Kent than I ever had before. It struck me, on a deep level, how difficult and lonely that life could be.

Then I began to think about what it would be like if you had grown up without those powers but suddenly, they began to develop with the onset of puberty. That would be, in addition to lonely, completely terrifying. But, once you accepted what was happening to you, you’d have to make a choice. Do you use those powers for selfish gain? Or, do you use them for the betterment of humankind as a whole?

I was told once that my writing seems to have a common theme of redemption. Maybe that’s why the lyric that struck me the hardest was “I’m just out to find, the better part of me.” It’s thoughts like that that stick with you. They give you a thread that can spin off into a whole new piece of work. It did for me.

In fact, three weeks later, I had completed a screenplay called “The Gift of Tyler.”

It wasn’t until about a decade later that I pulled the script back out and began to develop it. Through that process, I dropped the whole puberty element and also decided I liked the idea of something larger happening around the world and experiencing it through one of the few people chosen to play a major role in it. This could possibly have been influenced by how brilliant I thought M. Night Shyamalan’s concept was for the movie “Signs.”

Then I put that polished script away again and decided to write my first book, “The Four Corners.” By the time the book was finished, I had gotten married and left Los Angeles after about fifteen years and moved back to the northern suburbs of Seattle to be close to my family. With “The Four Corners” out in the marketplace, I knew I wanted to write another book. I decided to wait on the sequel to the first book and write something new. So, I sat down and developed a 7-book game plan for a series called “The Gift of the Elements” based on “The Gift of Tyler.”

Chronologically, “The Gift of Tyler” is the fourth story in the series. However, the first four books all stand alone since they are individual stories about the four people chosen to play a major part in that global event. It isn’t until the final trilogy in the series that those four characters interact with one another. So, I wrote “The Gift of Tyler” first and then followed up with “The Gift of Rio” which is chronologically the first book.

I’m finally writing the sequel to my first book while I also do the final edits on “The Gift of Rio.” But, I’m already anxious to get back to “The Gift of the Elements.” The entire series carries themes found in the song that inspired it all and they still manage to touch me deeply, the same way they did in the backseat of my parents’ car that day.

Vladimir John Ondrasik III (aka Five For Fighting) hasn’t gotten a shout-out in either of the first two “Gift” books. Perhaps, I’ll throw him a bone in “The Gift of Mattias.” After all, like the man said, “even heroes have the right to dream…”

Five Books On Screenwriting That Have Influenced All Of My Writing

July 10, 2017 By C.S. Elston

C.S. Elston

I grew up wanting to write novels, pretty much from the time I began to learn how to read. However, in my teens and throughout my twenties, I was distracted by the allure of Hollywood. So, most of my “writing education” came through learning how to become a screenwriter. I studied it both in and outside of school and the following five books became influencers. I don’t have any regrets about my years of “distraction” because I believe that studying the art of the screenplay provided me with a much stronger sense of strong dialogue and story structure than I would have had without it. So, whether screenwriting is your goal or not, for anyone who wants to create great stories, I would highly recommend the critical education the following five books provide.

Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting by Syd Field

The first book on the list is the first book on screenwriting I ever read and one of the most influential books on the subject to date. When you study the structure Syd Field lays out and then turn on a DVD, you can practically set a stop watch to most movies in the modern era and watch the precision unfold.

Adventures In The Screen Trade: A Personal View of Hollywood and Screenwriting by William Goldman

This inside look at the movie industry is an equally fascinating and entertaining read. The most educational part, however, comes with the peek into Goldman’s own creative process. After all, the guy wrote “Marathon Man” and “The Princess Bride” — he knows what he’s doing!

Story: Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting by Robert McKee

Perhaps the only book to rank as high as Syd Field’s in terms of influence, McKee offers an even more comprehensive look at the methods behind creating a great script. Quite simply, it’s a master class on the craft of writing for the screen.

How To Sell Your Ideas To Hollywood by Robert Kosberg

As a writer, when someone asks my what I’m working on or about one of my books, my tendency is to want to go into a long explanation. Kosberg taught me how to whittle my ideas down to as few words as possible. If you can accomplish that feat before you even begin writing a script or a book, you’ll have the heart of your story at the forefront of your mind throughout the entire journey.

Screenwriting 434 by Lew Hunter

Equally masterful as Syd Field or Robert McKee before her, Hunter takes the basics you learned in the four previous books and shows you how to polish your lump of coal into the diamond you always knew it could be.

The Inspiration Behind “The Four Corners” Books

July 7, 2017 By C.S. Elston

C.S. Elston

For my first entry in this new blog, I thought it would be appropriate to share the inspiration for my first book and its upcoming sequel. So, without further adieux, the inspiration behind “The Four Corners” books…

I was driving down the 101 freeway just North of Los Angeles, California, somewhere between Studio City and Sherman Oaks about twelve or fifteen years ago. I was looking out the side window of my Jeep Wrangler and, as I passed by a sea of houses and apartment complexes, I don’t know why I was thinking about this but, I was thinking about all of the unhappy home environments that exist all around us. I thought about the fact that a lot of people who feel unloved really are in fact loved. They are just in an environment where the people who love them either don’t know how to say it or show it, or they’re too wrapped up in their own problems to recognize the problems they’re causing in the lives of the people they love by simply not expressing the love they really do have deep down. Sometimes, we just overcrowd that love with so much self-created, negative clutter, that no one can see it because it’s like a wonderful gift hidden in the back of the closet where no one can enjoy it.

That got me thinking about how quickly someone’s attitude could change if they were faced with losing the person or people they love. Somehow, that translated into this fantasy world called Kadosh, which is a Hebrew word that means “set apart for a Holy purpose.” In the books, people are being yanked out of the real world and separated onto islands, presumably, for eternity. So, while God intends for these people to love one another, the fact that they are not doing that in the real world gives the demon ruler of this fantasy world the ability to pull them into his realm where he can keep them apart from one another.

Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. And, in an extreme situation like that the aforementioned gift is going to find itself through the clutter in a hurry. Then what do you do? When love and regret overwhelm you like that, you can’t keep it inside. You must let the people you have those feelings for know about it. In the case of the Snyder family in “The Four Corners,” that means an incredible journey lies ahead. Ultimately, the risk is worth the potential reward.

The sequel, “The Four Corners of Darkness” is inspired, at least in part, by a one-act play I acted in while attending college at George Fox University in Newberg, Oregon. I think it was called “Doors” but I can’t remember for sure and I have no idea who wrote it. But, the play was about a bunch of people trapped in a house and they couldn’t get out. The doors were locked and couldn’t be opened, the windows had bars on them… It was an allegory about sin and salvation. Ultimately, someone from the outside had to come in and show them the way out. In the same way, while the Snyders and a bunch of others find their way back home at the end of the first book, the youngest child, Kinsey recognizes the responsibility that comes with that accomplishment. He knows they must go back and show those who didn’t take the journey with them the first time that there is, indeed, a way to get back home. And, that’s the book I’m working on right now…