Military couple enjoy life on, off base

Standing in their brightly-lit kitchen discussing the finer points of espresso, Matt and Sarah Beck look like quintessential urban dwellers.

Sarah is dressed in a black sweater and jeans and sports a sleek bob haircut. Matt is tall and blond and exudes an unassuming coolness.

It’s his battledress fatigues that give them away.

That, and the fact that the kitchen where they stand happens to be smack-dab in the middle of Fairchild Air Force Base.

But while the Becks’ home may be surrounded by row upon row of cookie-cutter base housing, which in turn is surrounded by acres and acres of farmland, their lives are anything but suburban. Or rural.

“I know some of our friends and acquaintances do hold to the stereotypical military conservative lifestyle,” Sarah says. “But there are others like us who like going out and trying the local wineries and new restaurants.”

Like many of their peers helping to define a new generation of military families, the Becks bring a progressive sense of style to their lives, both on and off base. And what they lack in proximity to urban amenities, they bring to their own home.

Which leads us to the espresso machine – the current topic of discussion – that glints in the afternoon light of the Becks’ sunny kitchen.

“Making espresso is a fun process,” says Sarah, a personal trainer who works at the gym on base.

When not savoring their own homemade crèma, the Becks say they frequent Rockwood Bakery near Manito Park. They also enjoy evenings out at trendy spots like Café Maron in Brown’s Addition, Downriver Grill near Shadle Park and Picabu Bistro on the South Hill.

“We like to go out to restaurants and wineries on the weekends,” Matt says.

“Then we come back here and make espresso,” Sarah adds.

During the week the couple often dine in with frozen entrees they prepare themselves through Cena To Go, a gourmet “meal assembly” center on Spokane’s north side.

“It’s a good way to learn new recipes,” Sarah says, adding that members can even choose some signature dishes from local restaurants such as Twigs and Maggie’s. “It’s convenient because it takes a lot of the shopping and cleanup out of it.”

Which gives them more time to enjoy the stylish new home – the couple’s first – decorated with distinctly urban touches. Bold accent walls, sleek, dark wood furniture and brushed-chrome accessories enhance each room in what would be an otherwise ordinary Cape Cod.

“I think it’s all what you make of it,” Sarah says. “You have to use your imagination to make it your own.”