BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
Joana Garcia is something of a phenom in the Valley. She’s been featured in multiple local magazines via photos and interviews but her love is people and serving the community, both as a waitress and a nurse.
Born in Ketchum, Idaho, Garcia was raised in Buhl from age 3 to 18. She moved back to Hailey at around 19 to finish school. Garcia worked at a nursing home full time on the night shift, which was somewhat confining. She found herself hitting the hay when the town was waking up. We all know the streets in the Wood River Valley roll up around 8 p.m. and don’t open until 6 or 7. Garcia laments, “Working at the nursing home, night shifts, I was sleeping days and working nights. So I didn’t get much socializing. And for a very long time—the whole winter, actually—was sort of, well, very sad.”
Sad is as sad does, and so Joana changed her schedule.
As she had experience in Twin Falls working at Olive Garden, she found part-time work at Wiseguy Pizza Pie in Hailey last February. She has since taken on the job full time.
Garcia is a trained dancer. A huge fan of all dance, including hip-hop, jazz and burlesque, she’s been in a number of videos and photo shoots for dance and has the gift of gab with the energy to keep it moving.
Garcia is currently en route to become an aesthetician’s nurse. “I’m going to school to get my RN. I just want to be a beauty nurse. So that’s why I’m going for my esthetician [certification] right now at Aveda.”
Eventually, Garcia will move back to Twin Falls to carry on her career but for the foreseeable future be sure to catch her light at Wiseguy Pizza—engage, talk! She’s funny, loquacious and completely at home in herself. A gym rat and absolute movement specialist, Garcia is a free spirit. “I love to ski and I like to go hiking in my free time. I love dancing and I love the gym. The gym keeps me alive!”
Wiseguy is almost always busy with families, friends and those seeking a spot since Sun Valley Brewery closed, but the giant space has more than enough room, inside and out.
Visit Garcia on any day for pizza, a beer or, maybe, if you’re arts inclined, to hire her for a music video!
Wiseguy Pizza Pie:
411 N. Main St.
Hailey, Idaho 83333
Call: 208-788-8688
