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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com

I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

• What’s Hot & Happening - February 14, 2020
• What’s Hot & Happening this Weekend - February 7, 2020
• What’s Hot & Happening this Weekend - January 29, 2020

Love is in the air at FresYes and all over Fresno! Here’s our full list of what’s Hot & Happening this Valentine’s weekend:

Friday, Feb. 14th:

• Dining in the Dark Event Link
• Back to the 80’s Prom Event Link
• Smooches 4 Pooches Event Link
• 90’s Alternative Dance Night Event Link
• Valentine Single Mingle And MIX Event Link 
• Date Night Event Link
• LMC Presents I Love House Music – A Valentine’s Day Celebration Event Link

Saturday, Feb. 15th:

• Mega 97.9 – Valentines Freestyle Love Jam Event Link
• After Dinner Mints presents Roses and Thorns  Event Link
• Mimosa’s & Bully Rescue Event Link 
• The Perfect Match Pizza & Beer Pairing Event Link
• Classic Horror Movie Night Event Link
• Galentine’s Day Party! Event Link
• Pop Up Mediterranean Food At Switch Lounge Event Link

Sunday, Feb. 16th:

• Brunchin’ With My Vegans Event Link
• Happy Bunz Vegan Food & Donut Pop-up Event Link
• Galentine’s Day Mimosas & Intro to Modern Calligraphy Event Link
• Namaste at The Beer Garden Event Link
• Complimentary In-Store Yoga with Four Corners Yoga Event Link
• Valentine’s Jazz Spectacular Concert Event Link

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com

I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

• What’s Hot & Happening - February 14, 2020
• What’s Hot & Happening this Weekend - February 7, 2020
• What’s Hot & Happening this Weekend - January 29, 2020

With the weather like this, you are going to need a list of things you can get out and do! Here’s our full list of what’s hot & happening this weekend:

Friday, February 7th

• Plant-Based Junk Food in Fresno Event Link
• $1 First Friday at Fresno Discovery Center Event Link
• 2020 Oscar-Nominated Short Films, presented by Fresno Filmworks Event Link
• The Music Of The Eagles with Boys of Summer Event Link
• The Killer Dueling Pianos Event Link

Saturday, February 8th

• Fresno State Gibson Farm Market Wine & Chocolate Event Link
• Annual Chili Cook-Off Event Link
• 10th Annual J DILLA Tribute @Tioga Sequoia Event Link
• Fresno Rainbow Pride Pageant Event Link
• Stoplight & Pizza Party Event Link
• MLB Jr. Home Run Derby Event Link
• Craft Night to Benefit Central Valley Justice Coalition Event Link

Sunday, February 9th

• Ampersand Ice Cream Marks & Herndon 1 Year Anniversary Party Event Link
• Tactical OPS Brewing Pints For Nonprofits Event Link
• 9th Nifty Thrifty Flea Market Event Link
• Sweetheart Dance Event Link
• Nappy Roots at Full Circle Olympic Event Link
• Paint & Sip “Infinite Love” Event Link

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Dr. Kristin Beasley

I am a Professional Keynote Speaker, Certified iPEC Coach, and an Organizational Trainer. I strive to take very complex concepts and make them manageable and understandable. Let’s talk about qualifications, briefly, I have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Parent-Child Mental Health (PIMH) and a strong emphasis in Neuropsychology. I have an MA in Early Childhood Education, with a K-12 credential, and a BA in Child Development. I have presented at conferences across the country and travel all over the world to better understand human relationships, resiliency, and connection.If you want to know more, just ask!

Latest posts by Dr. Kristin Beasley (see all)

• Parenting for Resilience - January 29, 2020
• Wellness Wednesday- Your Brain: In Service of Survival - January 22, 2020
• When Feelings Have No Words - January 15, 2020

Resilience, the ability to overcome adversity, is not an innate skill or genetic trait. Resilience is the ability to recover after adversity strikes.  None of us escape trauma, at some point in our lives, we will each face at least one overwhelming event that tests our capacity to recover.  

Resilience is a quality that is developed from experiences where a person, even a baby, must deal with manageable stress and is supported enough to recover.  It’s not a quality that you are born with, or without. So, when people say, “babies are so resilient,” they are saying something that is flat out wrong. Babies are adaptable, yes, but they need a consistent, loving, stable caregiver to build a resilient character.  So, that means that we all have a responsibility to every infant to make this happen. This is how we build resilient people who will then create healthy, productive communities. 

Resilience depends on many protective factors, like a loving caregiver. We also need to be put in place,  rock-solid child-development information based on research, that parents can use to help them raise happy, healthy children.  Currently, we live in a world where very competent parents are confused about the “right” way to parent, because we are not teaching people to parent the way we teach people to do other things, like driving or learning to read.  We need to break the most difficult, not to mention the most important job down so that every parent can easily understand what to expect from each stage of development. This is complicated work, why do we leave it to chance? Why do we accept the comment, “I turned out fine, so my parents must have done a good job.”  This is not about criticizing parents of previous generations. Maya Angelou taught us, when we know better, we do better. It is about sharing the trick and tools, so someone else can jump in and help when needed to support raising children in our community and society. We cannot leave that chance or we will end up with a world that looks and feels a bit like the movie, “Idiocracy.”  The most important protective factor of ALL time is a loving attached relationship. This sets the stage for the strong foundation needed to overcome adversity that will strike at some point across the lifespan. The more protective factors that are consciously in place increases the capacity for a child or adult to overcome trauma and thrive.  

Ultimately, the universal parenting desire is to raise children who are happy healthy members of society. We do this by weaving in protective factors needed to build resilience. There is no designated right way to raise our kids but we do have a solid body of research to use as a guide.  For example, there is no question that providing clear expectations and predictability when parenting will strongly increase the likelihood that a child will be successful in accomplishing the task required. Important to note, that the child has to have the ability to do the task in order to be successful.  So, let’s say you have taught your child (partner, roommate, friend) to load the dishwasher. Then you sit down and set up the expectation that your child will be in charge of unloading and re-loading the dishwasher at a certain time of the day. Have a discussion about why this important to you and get agreement from the child.  That doesn’t mean accept refusal of this job, but it does mean that you need to discuss it until you both agree on a plan for getting this task completed regularly. Lastly, the parent needs to be consistent about the consequences of what will happen if the agreement is broken. The consequence cannot be corporal punishment. It can be, first a discussion about what happened and why did the task not get completed.  Then the consequence could be that by not fulfilling the agreement, they need to take on one more task to make amends or make up for their mistake. Then once both tasks are completed, everything is good to go. That is predictable and if you are consistent, then the child will learn to expect the consequence. We all like to know what is coming, so this is a way to be respectful and responsible for raising a child without violence or anger. When we commit to raising children in ways that are supportive of development, respectful of our culture and guided by resilience, then we will start to see the next generations tackle some of the problems that have been created by feeling disconnected from family and community.

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FresYes Writing Team

Latest posts by FresYes Writing Team (see all)

• Vineyards in Winter - January 21, 2020
• Local History: Fresno Kearney Museum - January 6, 2020
• Fuel Your Workout: What To Eat Before & After - December 2, 2019

It’s wintertime in Fresno’s wine country and that means the vines are undergoing their transition into dormancy. The vines may look like a lifeless woody plant but they are still alive and they are just hanging out until the warmth of spring awakens the vine back into action. During the winter months, we are all guilty of spending too much time indoors and experience cabin fever. Going to a winery is the perfect escape, as you can walk around a cozy cellar, taste fantastic wines, and take in the fresh air of the vineyards. Visiting a winery during the winter months allows you to taste new wines, and replenish vintages that have been depleted during the holidays.

The vine leaves during these colder months will turn from green to yellow to brown before falling in a process called senescence. By now, the vine has discontinued its metabolic process and has stopped producing energy through photosynthesis and the plant will rely exclusively on the stored energy it has gathered throughout the growing season in its roots, trunk, and branches. Water inside the plant’s cell tissue can freeze during the winter, causing the cells to burst and thus damaging the vine; during dormancy, the vine develops a remarkable natural defense to this threat.

Despite their plants taking a winter break, it’s certainly no holiday for the winegrowers, who work year-round and continue selling wine. The winter work includes pruning, which is a tiresome job. Pruning happens anytime between November and the middle of March before buds appear. In addition to pruning, timber needs to be cleared. It’s at this time of year that the racking of the previous year’s harvest takes place.

Some wineries to visit during the winter include 3 Oaks Vineyard and Farmer’s Fury Winery.

Three Oaks Vineyard was started by Steve and Vicki Shoemaker, who both grew up in the Fresno area. When Steve retired in 2005, the family moved to Clovis and were unsure what to do with the land they purchased. After a trip to Napa, Steve and Vicki decided to create a vineyard in 2007. They currently have 23 rows of grapes, with red and white varietals including Viognier, Grenache and the ever-popular, Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Three Oaks Vineyard believes good wine comes from the best grapes and they are committed to ensuring their grapes are not affected by toxic chemicals or herbicides. Their wine is handmade, low in sulfites, ecologically nourished and sustainably grown. 

(Credit: 3 Oaks Vineyard)

Farmer’s Fury has been a family-operated farm for many years, but is relatively new to the wine industry, having only begun in 2009. Brothers George and Charles and father Charles Meyer began Farmer’s Fury. In 2006, George bought five gallons of frozen grape must, and followed the instructions that came with the kit. In 2009, the Meyers officially began making wine as Farmer’s Fury Winery. Farmer’s Fury started with four tons of grapes and made 195 cases of Big Bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Their wine is true vintage, bottled cabernets, chardonnays, reserve merlots, zinfandels, and blends. Farmer’s Fury is dedicated to making good wine for the “hardworking men and women” of the Central Valley.

(Credit: Farmer’s Fury)

While the vines are dormant, wineries are not. The wine tastes great year-round and there are some added benefits to visiting this time of year, which includes fewer crowds, beautiful sunsets and drinking by the fire. There is nothing more beautiful than sitting in a warm dining room and looking out at a snow-covered vineyard and winery, as you sip a flavorful wine. The vineyard may look different but experiencing what each winery or vineyard has to offer in each season helps make wine tasting a year-round attraction. The bottom line is that the wineries in Fresno can be enjoyed at any time of year!

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Dr. Kristin Beasley

I am a Professional Keynote Speaker, Certified iPEC Coach, and an Organizational Trainer. I strive to take very complex concepts and make them manageable and understandable. Let’s talk about qualifications, briefly, I have a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Parent-Child Mental Health (PIMH) and a strong emphasis in Neuropsychology. I have an MA in Early Childhood Education, with a K-12 credential, and a BA in Child Development. I have presented at conferences across the country and travel all over the world to better understand human relationships, resiliency, and connection.If you want to know more, just ask!

Latest posts by Dr. Kristin Beasley (see all)

• Parenting for Resilience - January 29, 2020
• Wellness Wednesday- Your Brain: In Service of Survival - January 22, 2020
• When Feelings Have No Words - January 15, 2020

Kicking off 2020, It’s not only a new year, but it’s a new decade!  I am so tired of the old idea of New Years Resolutions. Can we find a way to empower and rejuvenate ourselves as a cultural tradition, instead of setting ourselves up for failure, disappointment and self-loathing? It is so important to remember that YOU are YOU and that doesn’t need to change in any year.  Maybe there are some things about yourself that you feel like you are ready to change, a direction you want to grow or a habit that needs adjusting. That’s great! This only requires creating a new page in your book, not a whole new book. It is so important to keep things in perspective. Here are three things you can do to your new year empowering and rejuvenating. I am too!

Make Small adjustments to your lifestyle, instead of sweeping transformations. 

If you want to lose a few pounds, tackle that task on several fronts.  Get moving, adding a few thousand more steps to your day, or yoga, dance or other physical class to your schedule can make a big difference in how you feel.  At 52, I always want to lose 15lbs and build more muscles but finally, I have decided that my goal is no longer external, it’s internal and what a weight this has lifted!  No longer do I need to shackle myself to a number but I find great enjoyment taking my dogs for regular walks to get my steps in, playing kickball once a week with a fun team called Purple Reign that I sponsor through Fresno Social Sports, and I try to go hot yoga consistently to clear my mind, but if that doesn’t happen, I try not to beat myself up about it.  Don’t beat yourself up, that’s a weight nobody needs.  

Spend Less Money, Earn More Time  

There are thousands of research studies that prove that money doesn’t make people happy, but we still chase financial excess and status.  The truth is that after my trip this past summer to a slum in Kenya, where people live on less than $1 a day, I realized how off some of my own cultural practices are.  I don’t know exactly how to delete all of them, but I did decide that I am not going to give people gifts that have no meaning or are disposable and without purpose anymore.  I want to share myself with people I care about, so when a gift is appropriate, then I am going to try to give an experience or a lesson about who I am. What I mean is that I want to conscientiously share who I am, with those I love and care about.  That might mean baking cookies with my grand-daughters, making dinner for adult children and hanging out, or grocery shopping for Mom. It might mean taking the money I would spend on birthdays or holidays and instead go on a little trip with friends or family.  There are no substitutes for quality time and experiences. 

 Be a Better Human

Take some time and learn something new about people you don’t know. The truth is that humans are less than .01% different genetically than one another, which is equivalent to one-tenth of a penny.  We have been socialized to believe that people in different cultures or of different races, or neighborhoods are different than we are, but they are just as human. Homeless or CEO, humans are human and each one has a story.  I saw a man today who makes art out of tin cans on the side of the road, I am going to talk to him, this week. He needs to know that he has inspired me and reminded me that people are creative beings in even in the most hopeless of situations. I encourage everyone to meet someone, learn about them and expand their world view. 

Off and running in 2020, here we go!  Please share with me what you are doing to make your new decade more empowering and rejuvenating!

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.

Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

• DEFY Trampoline Park Offers Big Fun & Affordable Monthly Memberships - February 14, 2020
• 8 UNIQUELY AWESOME AND FRESNO WAYS TO CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY 2020 - January 28, 2020
• Modernist Craft Cocktails brings owners with Fresno roots to Downtown Fresno - January 17, 2020

As a big fan of all types of Asian cuisine, I was saddened when I learned fast-casual Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant Koja Kitchen had closed earlier this year. However, the blow was greatly softened when I learned one of my favorite fast-casual Japanese restaurants, Kikku Japanese Food, would expand into its former location making it easy to enjoy my favorite Spicy Crispy Chicken near home as well as for lunch Downtown. 

Kikku has been serving up fast and tasty fare on Tulare and M streets in Downtown Fresno for the last 17 years. The Downtown restaurant is open from 10:30am – 6:30pm on weekdays. Their new location, Kikku Kitchen, in the Park Place Shopping Center on Palm and Nees (just doors down from the FresYes office – woot!) offers expanded hours, 11am – 8pm every day except Sundays, and a new menu format.  

My husband and I had the opportunity to check out the North Fresno location this week. The former Koja Kitchen layout and décor has been updated, and the arrangement of the tables feels more open and spacious than before. New light fixtures help to make the ambiance warm and inviting. 

The Kikku Kitchen menu offers guests the opportunity to build their own combination plate starting with either white or brown rice, then choosing vegetables or salad and finally a protein of preference. Longtime Kikku customer favorites include my personal favorite, the Spicy Crispy Chicken, which is made with chicken breast that is lightly breaded, served piping hot and crisp with a side of the chef’s special spicy brown sauce with is made in-house from scratch. Other favorites are the Teriyaki Chicken which is marinated and made from tender, grilled chicken; and the Ginger Beef with is made from thinly sliced tri-tip.

One major difference in menu options between the Downtown location and the new, North Fresno location is the addition of Poke Bowls. While the Downtown restaurant offers sushi rolls, the new Kikku Kitchen is offering patrons one of California’s current favorite menu offerings – Poke. Both salmon and tuna poke are available, or guests can order a combination of both. 

When it comes to getting lunch, especially during the busy workweek, convenience and speed is often of the utmost importance – so another newer addition for Kikku is the availability of an app that will allow customers to order and pay for their food in advance, and pick up their order quickly in-store. The app is available for both Android and iPhones, and on-app orders require just twenty minutes advance notice.

Whether you visit the original Kikku location Downtown, or the newer North Fresno Kikku Kitchen, you’re sure to enjoy tasty food, prepared fresh and great customer service. I’ve personally never been to Kikku and not been personally helped by co-owner Silvia Wahyudi. She and her husband Andri started the restaurant together and put a strong emphasis on customer care. Silvia recognizes all of her regular customers, and despite the restaurant often being very busy, she always manages to greet them and ask them about their family, work or children. 

If you’ve never been to Kikku at either location, I highly recommend remedying that soon! And if you’re a Downtown regular but also find yourself in North Fresno, I know the Wahyudis would love to see you in their new digs!