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Apri l 2020
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R E C E N T LY S O L D
North Scottsdale Luxury Real Estate Update Homes Sold for 100% of List Price or Higher Recently SOLD North Scottsdale Luxury Properties Sales Price of $800,000 or Higher
Neighborhood
Original List Price
Sold Price
Beds
Baths
Sq Ft
DOM
DESERT MOUNTAIN
$3,550,000
$3,550,000
4
4.5
5,750
1
DESERT MOUNTAIN
$1,939,000
$1,989,000
4
4.5
4,606
119
ROSEWOOD RANCH ESTATES
$1,915,000
$1,915,000
3
3.5
4,907
1
TALON RANCH METES AND BOUNDS MIRABEL VILLAGE CANDLEWOOD ESTATES AT TROON NORTH PINNACLE PEAK VISTAS TROVIA PINNACLE PEAK VISTAS WINDGATE RANCH PHASE II BENT TREE DESERT ESTATES TERRAVITA DESERT MOUNTAIN MIRABEL VILLAGE CARRIAGE HILLS MCDOWELL MOUNTAIN RANCH TERRAVITA DC RANCH
$1,795,000 $1,499,000 $1,399,000 $1,249,000 $1,192,500 $1,095,000 $995,999 $940,000 $925,000 $899,000 $895,000 $895,000 $895,000 $875,000 $865,000 $850,000
$1,795,000 $1,499,000 $1,399,000 $1,249,000 $1,192,500 $1,095,000 $1,010,000 $940,000 $925,000 $899,000 $895,000 $895,000 $901,500 $875,000 $875,000 $860,000
3 5 5 4 3 5 4 4 5 2 4 3 4 3 4 2
3.5 6 5 3.5 3.5 3.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 4.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 2
3,853 5,104 4,232 3,910 4,302 4,276 3,342 2,253 3,296 2,360 3,248 3,623 3,135 2,629 2,990 2,062
67 48 84 15 52 40 12 13 36 1 404 76 3 12 2 43
Jan 1-Feb 18, 2020
Sales information compiled from MLS for all brokerages.
NORTH SCOTTSDALE’S PREMIER AGENT SELLING RESORT AND GOLF COMMUNITY HOMES.
Cathy Hotchkiss | 480.236.3336
Cathy@CathyHotchkiss.com | CathyHotchkiss.com WaltDanley.com | ChristiesRealEstate.com
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S SA AN ND DE ER RS SO ON N L L II N NC CO OL LN N
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TIMELESS TEXTILES Writer Taylor Transtrum Photography Courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum
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and designer Anamika Khanna
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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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BUTTERFLIES IN BLOOM Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Saija Lehtonen
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25 YEARS OF HAPPY TAILS
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Foothills Animal Rescue and Maren Sater Photography
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A MENAGERIE OF INSPIRATION Writer Shannon Severson
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CHERRY DANISH Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence
MANAGING EDITOR Joseph J. Airdo
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Hanie
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph J. Airdo Sue Kern-Fleischer Kyndra Kelly Shoshana Leon Shannon Severson Taylor Transtrum
PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz
ADVERTISING SALES Cooper Langston 480-544-8721 cooper@imagesaz.com
Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication. Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2020 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.
Local First A R I Z O NA
T
The month of April is usually one of the most exciting times for our community. The winter storms have finally subsided and all of that preceding rainfall has resulted in fields of wildflowers that make for a uniquely colorful landscape. That natural beauty combined with warm — but not too warm — temperatures make spring the absolutely perfect season for all of the best that Arizona’s arts and recreational organizations have to offer. Unfortunately, this year is different than all others. For the past month, our community — like all communities around the world — has been struggling to understand a pandemic that is unlike anything any of us have ever experienced before. As a result, many of our community’s concerts, festivals and gatherings have been canceled or indefinitely postponed. At press time, the many events that Images Arizona’s dedicated team of writers have written about in this month’s issue were still scheduled to take place as planned. However, as we have so clearly seen over the last several weeks, things can change in the blink of an eye. It is entirely possible that, by the time you read this, an organization has been forced to make the difficult decision to remove an event from its foreseeable calendar as a safety precaution of social distancing in order to slow the spread of infectious disease. Therefore, I encourage you to call ahead or check an event’s website for the most up-to-date information. Images Arizona remains committed to covering the many amazing people and outstanding organizations that make our part of the world so incredibly special. Please join me in supporting our community’s organizations by attending their rescheduled events as soon as the world around us returns to normal — and believe me, it will. We are in uncharted waters. But our community’s organizations are resilient and I have no doubt that, with our help, they will emerge from this brief standstill stronger than ever. Cheers! Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221
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Writer Taylor Transtrum Photography Courtesy of Phoenix Art Museum and designer Anamika Khanna
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I
India has always held a special place in Helen Jean’s heart. “A love of this region has long been a professional curiosity of mine,” says Jean, Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design at Phoenix Art Museum. “When I was approached by the museum to offer a proposal for a new exhibition, this seemed like the perfect opportunity to explore the culture in and around the Sikh community. Broadening that to India just made sense.” From streetwear to couture, Phoenix Art Museum’s latest exhibition — India: Fashion’s Muse — explores a love affair centuries in the making. Featuring garments from the 19th to the 21st centuries, the exhibition takes a deep dive into the ways Indian dress, aesthetic, artwork and tradition have inspired Western fashion designers past and present.
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One of the iconic images the exhibition looks at is the paisley pattern, which was originally a Persian pattern that traveled along the Silk Road to India and beyond. It has since become one of the most beloved patterns around the world — across cultures and dress traditions — and one that we still find in our homes today. “We also look at animal imagery — the peacock, the tiger, the elephant — and how that has been used in accessories and incredible couture beaded gowns from the 1920s,” Jean says. With ensembles from nine of India’s 28 states, India: Fashion’s Muse also explores some of the most iconic dress traditions of the country.
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“These different ensembles are valuable because they communicate so much about people from these different regions,” Jean says. “The color of the sari; the type of weave; if it’s an embroidered design or woven design; if it’s dyed; if it’s tie-dyed or ikat — all of those things communicate where [in] India this person is from.” One of the most recognizable of these garments is the sari. Made of 4 to 9 yards of fabric, this versatile
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garment can be draped dozens of ways — each of which tells its own unique story. “The sari is all about balance, poise and grace all day long,” Jean says. “It's just the most incredible thing.” A television in the exhibition’s gallery displays “The Sari Series,” a digital anthology documenting India's regional sari drapes. Award-winning artist Sarah Singh’s short film “I Thought I Was Dreaming” is also on-screen in the gallery. It features India’s first supermodel Kirat Young and is based on the 1982 India-inspired collection by Yves Saint Laurent. In order to accurately represent each sari, Jean enlisted the help of the local Indian community. “We wanted [the exhibition] to be as authentic, clear and correct as it could possibly be,” she says. “This was not a story we could tell by ourselves. I was in an incredibly fortunate position to be able to find people to help tell this story, to help collect the objects and to help give them the platform to put the pieces together.” In addition to looking at traditional Indian saris, India: Fashion’s Muse explores Western interpretations of the dynamic garment. Among these pieces are examples from the Chanel Pre-Fall 2012 collection. There is also a robin’s egg blue and silver lame sari from the 1960s by Givenchy, which is similar to another ensemble that was featured in the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” In the film, Audrey Hepburn’s character Holly Golightly enters a party with what is essentially a sari draped over her shoulder. “Even though she’s just draped it comically in this moment of the film, that’s one of the first times that we see the sari in Hollywood and it just explodes,” Jean says. “It’s such an incredible silhouette.” The curator adds that the sari is “a lifetime garment.” “You grow up learning how to drape it, how to wear it, how to move in it, how to be in it,” she explains.
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EXPERIENCE
India: Fashion’s Muse i m a June g e s a r21 i z o|nSee a . c owebsite m Aprfor il 2hours 02 0 | Phoenix Art Museum | 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix | $18+ | 602-257-1880 | phxart.org 16Through Bill Blass, Coat and Trousers, 1980s. French silk and lurex brocade. Gift of Mrs. Hugh Downs.
Irene, Gold brocade evening dress with beige silk chiffon scarf, 1958. Lurex and silk brocade and silk chiffon. Gift of Mrs. B. J. Leonard.
Mary McFadden, Embroidered jacket, early 1980s. Silk velvet with metal and bead embroidery. Gift of Mrs. Jacquie Dorrance.
“It becomes a part of your identity and the Western versions are celebrations of that.” Jean’s favorite Western interpretation of the sari in the exhibition is a fuschia gown by French couture designer Pierre Balmain. “The theme of the exhibition is represented by this dress,” Jean says. “It’s an incredible silk sari that has been repurposed in the hands of this incredible French designer into a 1970s-style cocktail gown. This is the dress that I chose for the title wall, for the invitation [and] for all of the accents. It's all inspired by this dress.” The curator adds that Alexander McQueen’s 2008 peacock dress — located at the top of the museum’s stairs — is another key piece of the exhibition. “It was commissioned by the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and it’s something to be celebrated,” she says. “The amount of work that went into making the dress, preserving the dress and showing the dress is really a testament to the value we hold to fashion as art and the very important story that clothing tells about us and our experiences.”
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Closing out the exhibition are eight couture ensembles by Indian fashion designer Anamika Khanna. “Each of these pieces is hand-embroidered and handbeaded,” Jean says. “They are exquisite, multilayered and they are each a celebration of the many different rich textile and embroidery traditions around India.” Khanna will be celebrating the U.S. premiere of her newest collection with a May 3 fashion show at Phoenix Art Museum — just one of several events that are being held in conjunction with the exhibition. “[India: Fashion’s Muse] presents a lot of incredible opportunities to see what’s happening in fashion in a part of the world that has and will continue to guide fashion,” Jean says. “I urge visitors to open their hearts when they come to the exhibition. I want them to come and learn to be better borrowers and celebrators of culture.”
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CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART
– AARON HENRY JEWELRY– The hallmarks to Aaron Henry jewelry are design integrity, gemstone quality, fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design.
Grace Renee Gallery 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Open Daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Open Late Thur.–Sat.until 7 p.m. 480.575.8080
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Aaron Henry Designs 18-karat gold with diamonds and fine gemstones. Apri l 2020
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COMMUNITY
2020 APRIL
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
April 1–30
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES Help reduce the impact of social distancing as a result of the coronavirus crisis on our community's businesses. Small measures can help your family remain healthy, safe and comfortable while also helping businesses to remain afloat during this difficult time. Take advantage of online shopping options from local supermarkets and retailers, many of which offer both delivery and pickup of goods. Utilize local restaurants' online and mobile ordering options that allow you to pick up a warm, professionally cooked, healthy meal or have it delivered directly to your door. Finally, consider being a little extra generous with tips for wait staff and delivery people. This may not directly contribute to a retailer or restaurant's bottom line, but it will increase the spirit of goodwill and help individual employees who are dealing with a reduced income due to fewer customers.
Feb. 1–May 31
April 3
April 4
The Arizona Center for Nature
FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK
Conservation and the Phoenix Zoo
Enjoy a diverse display of artistic
Local singer and songwriter
are collaborating with local artists
styles and mediums, meet the artists,
Janelle Loes will perform an
to display their artwork in the zoo’s
enjoy refreshments and engage
intimate concert in conjunction
new Savanna Gallery. The rotating
in conversation about art and
with the release of her new single
exhibit enhances guests’ experience
architecture. Begin at any gallery then
“Criminal.” The track is the first
to not only see live animals but also
continue on to other participating
single off her sophomore album
be inspired by beautiful artwork.
galleries, all of which will pay the
“Stranger,” which is set for release
The exhibit aims to communicate
sales tax on artworks purchased
this fall. Free. 7–9 p.m. RSVP.
the importance of national and
during the event. Free. 4–7 p.m. Town
Fuego Bistro, 713 E. Palo Verde
international conservation efforts.
of Carefree, 101 Easy St., Carefree.
Drive, Phoenix. janelleloes.com
Art is available for purchase with a
visitcarefree.com/arts-and-culture
ART ON THE WILD SIDE
portion of proceeds benefiting the zoo’s conservation initiatives. Adults $24.95+; children $16.95+. Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 602-286-3800; phoenixzoo.org
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JANELLE LOES CONCERT
April 6
A TASTE OF THE DESERT
April 10
Learn how to live off the desert during
ABSTRACT JOURNEYS OF MUTATION RECEPTION
a seminar about edible plants. Attendees
Scottsdale Public Art will host an
will not only discover how to go into
opening reception for its newly curated
the desert to collect and make their own
exhibition featuring the layered,
foods but will also be treated to tastes
brightly colored abstract paintings of
and recipes. The seminar is sponsored by
Phoenix artists Bill Dambrova and
the Desert Awareness Committee of the
Fausto Fernandez. Light refreshments
Foothills Community Foundation. Free.
will be served. The exhibition, which
6:30–8 p.m. Holland Community Center,
opens April 8, will run through June
34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. azfcf.org/
30. 6:30–8 p.m. Scottsdale Civic Center
about-desert-awareness
Public Gallery, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. scottsdalepublicart.org
April 7
ARIZONA GIVES DAY
April 15
and the Arizona Grantmakers Forum
SUSTAINABILITY AND DESIGN LECTURE
will collaborate for an online giving
Scottsdale Arts Learning and Innovation
movement to celebrate and increase
will host an all-ages talk about Frank
philanthropy in Arizona. The annual
Lloyd Wright’s philosophies on
24-hour statewide fundraising event
sustainability and design and how they
will assist nonprofit organizations,
are tied to the modern green building
including those that had to cancel
movement. Free. 6 p.m. Appaloosa
fundraisers as a result of coronavirus
Public Gallery, 7377 E. Silverstone Drive,
precautions. Donors also have the
Scottsdale. scottsdalepublicart.org
The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits
option to increase donations to support an Emergency Relief Fund to further assist those nonprofit organizations affected by cancelations amid health concerns. azgives.org
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April 1–30
CERAMIC SPLENDOR Experience the incredible art of ceramicist Brandon Reese. The Oklahoma-based artist's work is predominantly known for its simple, familiar forms created in a variety of methods and at such large scales that they push the traditional boundaries of ceramic art. His sculptures playfully and beautifully express the idea that relationships offer a unique ability to enhance the individual elements while simultaneously unifying them to create a powerfully emotional and visual experience. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd., #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com
April 18 and 19 REGIONAL EQUESTRIAN COMPETITION
After a four-year hiatus, the equestrian division of Special Olympics Arizona will return to the Valley. During the two-day event, special Olympians from across the state will compete in a variety of different riding styles including barrel racing, English equitation and gymkhana. Free. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Hunkapi Programs, 12051 N. 96th St., Scottsdale. hunkapi.org
TALIESIN WEST TO HOST REVITALIZED LINEUP OF SUMMER CAMPS
PHOENIX THEATRE COMPANY ANNOUNCES 101ST SEASON
The Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation
The Phoenix Theatre Company
this summer will debut a revitalized
has announced the 10 shows that
lineup of art and architecture camps
will make up its 101st season. The
for K–12 students that will take place
season will open July 8 with “The
at Taliesin West, the desert laboratory
King’s Speech.” Other productions
of America’s most prolific architect.
include Lin Manuel-Miranda’s
Combining real-world lessons and
“In the Heights,” “Murder on the
challenges with Wright’s famed
Orient Express,” “Ragtime,” “On
principles of organic architecture and
Your Feet!,” “Ride the Cyclone”
solutions-based design, each camp
and “Lunch at Audrey’s” as well as
will offer students its own variation
revivals of three Broadway favorites
of hands-on projects and activities
— “The Color Purple,” Rodgers and
that encourage them to think
Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” and
critically and creatively. Taliesin
“Singin’ in the Rain.” The Phoenix
West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright
Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central
Blvd., Scottsdale. franklloydwright.
Ave., Phoenix. phoenixtheatre.com
org/summer-camps
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SONORAN ARTS LEAGUE RECEIVES NATIONAL CERTIFICATION The Sonoran Arts League recently received national certification by the Points of Light through the Arizona Governor's Office of Youth, Faith and Family. The nonprofit achieved the prestigious status after completing several months of comprehensive assessment, training and coaching through the Points of Light Foundation — the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. The Sonoran Arts League is now listed on a national registry of certified Service Enterprises. pointsoflight.org/ service-enterprises
DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO RETIRE David Court, executive director of Desert Foothills Library, has announced that he will retire at the end of 2020. Court has led the organization through a remodel of the library, the construction of an additional parking lot and an expansion of services provided to the community since August 2010. The library’s board of directors will commence a search for a new executive director shortly with the intention of having a handover period that will ensure the organization has continuity of leadership. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Scottsdale Chorus
F
For the past six decades, Scottsdale Chorus has been changing the world’s perception of barbershop music. “Many people think of the guys with straw hats, armbands and striped vests,” says Lori Lyford, Scottsdale Chorus’ musical director. “The impression is that it is old fashioned. But we do not sing old fashioned music. We sing energetic music and some really passionate ballads. We even use vocal percussion. So I think that our group will really surprise people who have never seen it.” Chartered in 1962, Scottsdale Chorus is a group of about 100 energetic women who are passionate about performing four-part harmony, barbershop-style music. Its members range in age from their teens to their 90s and come from a wide variety of backgrounds and lifestyles.
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“
Scottsdale Chorus has long been associated with the organization, scoring its first-place championship title in 1984, 1989, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2019. The chorus also has the distinction of never having placed lower than third at the international level.
“We have a great span of ages, backgrounds and education levels,” says Lyford, noting that Scottsdale Chorus’ membership includes students, teachers, retirees, lawyers and people in the health profession. “We have a lot of people in the chorus who are music teachers and then we have some people in the chorus who do not even read music. We all pull together to have really great performances.” So great, in fact, that Scottsdale Chorus has won six first-place championships through Sweet Adelines International.
SIX-TIME CHAMPIONS
At the leading edge of excellence in music and leadership education, Sweet Adelines International has been dedicated to preserving the unique sound of a cappella barbershop harmony, sharing its passion for music and empowering women in every area of their lives since 1945. Scottsdale Chorus has long been associated with the organization, scoring its first-place championship title in 1984, 1989, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2019. The chorus also has the distinction of never having placed lower than third at the international level. Since its inception, Scottsdale Chorus has always placed either first or second at the regional level. And because of wildcard qualifications, the group typically scores so highly that it receives an invitation to compete at the international level even when it places second at the regional level. In fact, one of Scottsdale Chorus’ international wins was a result of a wildcard invitation.
“We push each other,” Lyford says. “It is a friendly competition but everybody works really hard — and nobody works to come in second.” In addition to a trophy and individual medals, Sweet Adelines International awards each year’s winning chorus and quartet the opportunity to display at its Tulsa, Oklahoma headquarters a Barbie doll wearing the costume singers wore during the competition. “We have a friend who used to be in our chorus who makes the miniature costumes out of the original material,” Lyford says.
RAISING THE BAR
Lyford, who has served as Scottsdale Chorus’ musical director since 1993, attributes the group’s success in competitions to its members’ commitment to learning and growing. “We just keep raising the bar for ourselves,” she says. “It does not matter if there is a competition. We can either go for the gold medal or we can go for learning more things and growing our skills. We focus more on learning and entertainment. We just keep raising the bar of excellence for ourselves and a lovely byproduct of that is success in the competitive setting.” Lyford is also a choir teacher at Chandler High School. She has spent 42 years teaching in public schools, having started her career in Washington. “I was a band teacher when I first started,” Lyford says. “I had wanted to be a choir teacher but my jobs ended up being more band related. When I became
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the musical director of Scottsdale Chorus, I had to first get a job here in Arizona.” Lyford ended up getting hired as a general music teacher at an elementary school in Chandler Unified School District — a position that she kept for 15 years. When Chandler High School’s choir teacher retired, she applied for and received the position. “I just love teaching,” Lyford says. “I do not know what I would be doing if I was not directing somebody somewhere. My students and my members are always eager to learn new things.” Over the years, a number of Chandler High School students have gone on to join Scottsdale Chorus — especially those in The Treblemakers, a women's barbershop chorus that Lyford directs at the school.
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“Many of them are in their late 20s now heading toward their 30s,” Lyford says. “It is very fun to see them all grow up.”
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FEELS LIKE HOME
On Sunday, May 3 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, Scottsdale Chorus will perform a concert that includes a pair of medleys that are polar opposites of one another, illustrating not only their tremendous talent but also their remarkable range. “One of the pieces is a medley that includes The Carpenters’ ‘Top of the World,”’ Lyford says. “Then there is ‘Softly, As I Leave You’ — a ballad that is really beautiful. It is an emotionally difficult song to sing because it is from the perspective of a person who passes away, talking about what a beautiful thing their relationship was. It is such a gorgeous song.”
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Scottsdale Chorus’ May 3 concert — which the group has named Feels Like Home — will also include several silly songs that are full of fun and energy, such as a “Jump” medley featuring the music of Van Halen and The Pointer Sisters. “We are going to have a lot of contrast in this performance,” Lyford says. “I really hope that this show will bring into our audience people who are not familiar with barbershop music and that if we are their first connection with it, they come away from the experience knowing what a cool genre and how musically satisfying it is.” The music director and choir teacher adds that singing music is very important in the development of youth and in the lives of adults. “I tell my chorus members and my students that if they really invest in this and really become enmeshed in singing, it will change their lives,” Lyford explains. “We have become a nation of music consumers. Everybody walks around with their earbuds in, not making eye contact because they are busy listening to music. When my mom was a kid, it was a fun Friday night when everybody would get together around the piano and sing. There has definitely been a shift away from that. “I have found that singing really does change lives. For a lot of people, it completely changes their outlook on life for the positive. Singing a cappella music requires a great deal of courage. There is no piano, orchestra or backtrack to rely on. So you really have to learn your stuff and just go for it. People become more secure and more confident as a result.” scottsdalechorus.org
MUSIC Feels Like Home: An Afternoon with the Scottsdale Chorus Sunday, May 3 | 3–4:30 p.m. | Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts | 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale | $30 i m a g e s a r i z| oscottsdaleperformingarts.org n a . c o m Apr il 2 02 0 28480-499-8587
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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I think that butterflies can teach us a lot. They start off not so pretty aa caterpillars. Then they emerge from their shell. Sometimes we do not see the beauty on the outside in the beginning and we have to wait until it emerges from the inside. I think butterflies also remind us to let our dreams soar. Saija Lehtonen
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Spring takes on an exceptionally special meaning to photographer Saija Lehtonen. “I feel like spring is the beginning of the whole year,” Lehtonen says. “Spring — when the wildflowers begin to bloom — is when my photography really starts. From there, it slowly progresses to cactus flowers when the summer starts coming in. Then we move into monsoon storm season.” Spring symbolizes the start of an entire 365-day cycle of life. For Lehtonen, that cycle is represented through her photography. For others, it may be represented through sports, bringing with it new seasons of games that begin with softball and baseball. For others still, it may be represented through fashion, marking the arrival of new looks and trends that start with shorts, shirts and sandals. As Lehtonen’s photography alludes to, spring symbolizes something even more significant in nature. The days grow longer, the trees get greener and the wildflowers begin to bloom, prompting the arrival of some of the most beautiful and colorful creatures on our planet — butterflies.
There are more than 250 species of butterflies in the Sonoran Desert. Because Arizona’s topography is so diverse, our state has a uniquely large number of different microclimates, rainfall patterns and plant distributions. As a result, we have an especially rich population of these majestic life forms. Our fields and our skies are filled with every color of the rainbow — as well as a vast number of color combinations — because of butterflies. Of course, their contribution to our state is more than just aesthetic. They are, after all, one of our environment’s key pollinators. But that, too, ends up benefitting us through a bounty of beautiful wildflowers. It is almost as though butterflies are miniature angels, enriching our world with a colorful grace and reminding us to live our lives in a way that does the same for those around us. We hope that Lehtonen’s images of these heavenly creatures featured in this month’s photo essay inspire you to look ahead at your next 365-day cycle — whatever it may be — and consider how it, too, adds color to our community.
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I love the zebra [longwing butterflies]. They are absolutely beautiful. But I also love the migrating monarchs and the large swallowtails. Those come in a lot of different colors in our desert here. I have to say that they are probably one of my favorites. Saija Lehtonen
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When you sit there for a while watching the butterflies, you get the idea of how they fly and what their flight pattern is so it becomes easier to photograph them. Focus on whatever flower you are interested in and just sit there and wait for them. Butterflies like to stay in the same area but they will go from flower to flower. It really just comes down to patience. Saija Lehtonen
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If somebody is looking for a good place to photograph butterflies, look anywhere that wildflowers are blooming — your local gardens, botanical gardens, arboretums or even out in the desert. They come out in the spring and stay through summer. With the warm weather that we have here, you will even find some butterflies in the fall. Saija Lehtonen 34
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Having grown up in Helsinki, Finland, Saija Lehtonen first discovered her love for photography at 12 years old. “Somebody gave me a coffee table book by Ansel Adams and I loved his work,” says Lehtonen of the landscape photographer and environmentalist known for his black-andwhite images of the American West. “His work was just incredible. I remember telling my mom, 'I really want to do this.' So she got me a camera.” That first camera was nothing fancy — just an inexpensive Kodak 35mm film camera. But the moment that she snapped her first photo, Lehtonen had fallen in love with the art form. “I was always camera-in-hand everywhere I went,” says Lehtonen, noting that she was initially drawn to black-and-white photography, much like that of Adams. “When I got to high school, I started taking photography classes and learned how to develop film.” However, as with many things, life got in the way and Lehtonen eventually drifted from the art form. She pursued a career in property management and advertising. In 2003, she picked up a digital camera and a wave of that earlier enthusiasm washed over her. “I had not done photography in years,” Lehtonen explains. “In 2010, just for fun, I entered one of my pictures that a lot of my friends really liked into the America's Next Master Photographer contest. I ended up winning and I found myself falling in love with photography all over again.” Shortly after that, Lehtonen decided to make photography her full-time job, fulfilling the dreams of her 12-year-old self. Her subjects range from nature and wildlife to storms and landscapes as she hikes and occasionally camps in places across Arizona that are off the beaten path. “You will often find me chasing sunrises and sunsets, just hunting for that perfect light,” says Lehtonen, who now calls Chandler her home.
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Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Art Holman
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Faith Weinberg this year celebrates the 20th anniversary of Big Bronco, a Cave Creek store that features beautiful, artisan-made furniture, decor and gifts.
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Big Bronco has long been a fixture in Cave Creek as a place for beautiful, artisan-made furniture, decor and gifts. This year, owner Faith Weinberg is celebrating the store’s 20th anniversary and thanking her customers by hosting the “Biggest Event of the Year” –– a fun-filled fiesta and a weekend-long sale. Weinberg will welcome the community 4:30–7 p.m. Saturday, April 25 to celebrate and raise funds for charity with live music, a taco cart and her popular annual raffle of high-value art and furnishings by some of her most popular artisans. “It’s our biggest celebration ever,” she says. “We are going to have a lot of surprises. It’s the time we make our biggest donation to my favorite horse rescue organizations: Arizona Equine Rescue and Triple R Horse Rescue. Throughout the store, we donate 10% of all sales, plus the proceeds of the raffle, which raised $600 last year for the rescues.” Weinberg lives and works in this town that captured her heart. She rides the local trails on her Arabian/ Quarter Horse, Daisy, and loves to take her rescue Jack Russell terrier on long walks through her Cave Creek neighborhood. Weinberg’s business is thriving and she repeatedly points to her team at the store and the artisans she supports as having played a huge role in her success. In a way, she was always meant to be here.
CAPTIVATED BY THE AMERICAN WEST
As a young girl growing up in Ohio, Faith Weinberg eagerly anticipated her family’s annual trip to Tucson. Horseback riding, cowboys and cowgirls, the landscape, culture and lifestyle of the American West captivated her imagination. Along with her fantastic sense of style and talent for design, it still describes her today.
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Big Bronco owner Faith Weinberg has filled her store with treasures that evoke the spirit of the West.
With stops in California and Washington, Weinberg’s career in fashion and retail eventually landed her in Arizona — specifically Cave Creek — where she founded Big Bronco as a small gift store, named for an old coin-operated riding horse (there’s now an antique version of it on the store’s front porch.) “From the first time I saw that horse, I said that someday I’d have a store called Big Bronco,” Weinberg recalls. As Big Bronco celebrates its 20th anniversary, it has grown to an entire building, every corner of it filled with treasures that evoke the spirit of the West. The gift store is still filled with jewelry, children’s toys and clothing, handmade ceramics, pillows and handbags. Nearly every item has a story behind it that Weinberg can tell. “I love to carry products, art, and furniture by local artisans and I choose American-made as much as I can,” she says. “That is something very important to me.” The Furniture Barn is an artfully assembled showroom with examples of every type of furniture and accessory arrangement for the home. “Our clientele is really mixed,” Weinberg says. “We get lots of tourists, but also many local homeowners, including snowbirds who have newly purchased homes and want to furnish them with a feel of Arizona. They want artists and materials that reflect our surroundings and history.”
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The business’ longevity is testament to Weinberg’s keen eye, meaningful connections to customers and local artisans, and an eye for trends in the space. “Over the years, the Western bunkhouse feel began to shift and moved more towards Southwestern sophistication,” says Weinberg. “Today, we have the influence in the last few years of contemporary style furniture. I’ve made adjustments to the feel of a Southwestern home situated in the desert. “I’ve introduced elements of modern but still staying true to our roots, fitting into the beautiful desert backgrounds we see out our windows –– the saguaros, the mountains, the natural colors, the earth tones — and also bringing in the element of southwest history — Native American, horses, the desert flora and fauna. We want to stay true to that history and we do it with an elevated, high-end approach.” She works with clients to create the feel of the store in their own home, designing custom furniture and hand-picking art, decor and specialty products to fill each shelf and cabinet. “We have new products coming in all the time and I sell almost everything off the floor so customers can come in every six weeks and there will be something new,” she says. “I change it up all the time.” Weinberg points to some specific artists whose one-of-a-kind work keeps patrons coming back year after year.
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“COPPER JOHN” POBERZYN
“Copper John” Poberzyn is a third generation woodworker who creates large case furniture and end tables from reclaimed wood, including Alder and Sycamore, enhanced with copper and seed glass. Every piece is handmade by Copper John. He has no fancy machinery, just hand tools. He works alone, building approximately 25 pieces of furniture each month. “I usually build the pieces in my head first, then I put them on paper and then build them by hand,” he says. He walks the creeks, rivers, and lake beds of the Verde River and Tonto Creek Basin to collect driftwood pieces to use. He hand-hammers the copper linings of shelves and tables. He has developed a proprietary patina technique for the copper plates that enhance doors and drawers. “Every time is different,” he explains. “I was using my chemicals to make every piece turquoise blue, but I wiped off the chemicals and saw the beauty. It was like seeing a galaxy or a solar system. The liquids intertwine and mix. It takes time and I expedite the drying by applying heat. I wipe it off to see what I get, then add another portion on top to allow the turquoise to be prominent.” He calls his success a combination of happenstance and vision, but it comes from a massive dose of talent. After getting tired of cubicle life in the tech industry, his wife encouraged him to take his hobby and make it a business. “The first two weeks when I started, I filled my truck with a bunch of furniture and immediately had four or five stores order from me on the first day,” he explains. “It took off from there.”
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Big Bronco has been a perfect fit for what he does. His pieces are built to be heirlooms and reflect the rustic elegance that the store’s clientele can’t get enough of.
CINDY ERAL
Cindy Eral’s paintings grace the walls and shelves of Big Bronco. The interior designer turned artist has participated in Hidden in the Hills for the past two years and lives in Cave Creek. Eral’s depictions of donkeys and desert flora have been especially popular at Big Bronco. The Minnesota native received her first set of oil paints from her parents at 9 years old. “I’ve painted all my life,” she says. “I’ve set the brush down a few times, but always picked it back up. It has finally gone from a hobby to a business. Faith handpicks all my pieces that she carries in the store. “I love animals and kind of fell into painting donkeys by accident when I was told about the wild donkeys in the area. I also do commissioned work and contemporary paintings from my travels or whatever inspires me.”
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Eral enjoys visiting Big Bronco because of the camaraderie and seeing what is new on the shelves and in the showroom. “I could be a recluse and just paint in my studio and never see anybody, but it’s important to have that human connection,” she explains. “When I do go in, people are so friendly. Faith’s customers make an effort to visit her
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store because she’s a great buyer, she knows her clientele. It’s quite an accomplishment to have a successful business for 20 years.”
RONALD “SKY" DAVIDSON
Ronald “Sky" Davidson is a furniture builder whose Mesquite table lamps and coffee tables inlaid with copper and turquoise are especially in demand at Big Bronco. A Coast Guard Veteran, he first learned woodworking from his Great Grandfather. Davidson builds every manner of furniture and decor from chairs, tables, and bedroom sets to clocks and cutting boards at his workshops in Benson (Cochise County) and the mountain town of Pine. “I get my wood from salvage on private land and using forest service permits, using mostly wood from the seven western states,” he explains. Davidson’s freeform designs are inspired by the flow of nature. Even the bases of his pieces are beautifully sculptural. The twisty nature of Mesquite from the Tonto National Forest is especially ideal for his vision because the snow load it supports in the winter causes the plant to grow with bends and curves. “I want my pieces to be natural and freeflowing from base to top,” Davidson explains. “Most people look at something from across the room and the purchase is really made from 10 feet away. Customers are looking for balance in flow, size, shape and color. You can’t have plain stick legs beneath something organic and beautiful.” Though he has some help with milling, sanding, grinding and harvesting, Davidson designs
EXPERIENCE Big Bronco Cave Creek 20th Anniversary Celebration Fiesta and Raffle: Saturday, April 25 | 4:30–7 p.m. | Celebration Sale: April 24–27 i m a g e sCave a r i z o nCreek a . c o m| 6602 Apr ilE.2Cave 02 0 Creek Road, Cave Creek | Free | 480-575-1357 | bigbroncocavecreek.com Big 44 Bronco
everything himself and his hands touch every piece that comes out of his shop. “I really enjoy what I do in every aspect,” he says. “I’ve been working with Faith at Big Bronco from day one. I met her when she was on a trip to the White Mountains and I’ve been selling my work with her ever since. She’s not afraid to take on challenging custom orders and I don’t hesitate to create them. My store in Pine is seasonal, so the winter traffic in Cave Creek really works well for me.”
SOMETHING OF A MUSEUM
Each of these artisans — and many more — contributes to the selection at Big Bronco, which Weinberg describes as something of a museum. She loves creating appealing vignettes and merchandising in ways that inspire visitors who want to take a piece of the West home with them, whether home is down the street or on another continent. Her not-to-be missed 20th anniversary celebration includes discounts offered all weekend — Friday–Sunday — and she is creating a special commemorative gift for the event. “This event is a way to give back to a community that has supported me all these years,” Weinberg says. “I’ve been able to raise my son and make a living through the ups and downs of the economy and the business is thriving in its 20th year.” Big Bronco 6602 E. Cave Creek Road 480-575-1357 bigbroncocavecreek.com
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo
i mCourtesy a g e s a r i zof o nFoothills a . c o m Animal Apr il Rescue 2 02 0 and Maren Sater Photography Photography 46
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It is bittersweet when an animal gets adopted. We are happy and it is a celebration but we have become very attached to them. While they are here, we treat them like they are our own. So it is always nice to hear follow-up stories about how well a particular animal is doing with their new family.
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Think about the time that you first invited a cat or dog into your home to become a member of your family. If you are like most people, that decision — while not made lightly — did not truly take into consideration the monumental impact that new pet would ultimately have on your life. You suddenly had a creature in your home that depends on you for food, water, shelter and love. Almost instantaneously, that cat or dog became your constant companion — going on walks, runs or hikes with you; sleeping at the foot of your bed; and sharing your family’s every emotional milestone. Over time, you realize that you are carrying on one-sided conversations with the animal and skipped right over the part where such a routine seemed strange. And eventually, the unconditional love that you receive from and feel for that new family member becomes the standard by which you measure all other relationships. The volunteers at Foothills Animal Rescue know the monumental impact that a pet can have on someone’s life, though, as they have been seeing it happen for the past 25 years. “People are really touched by the animals that they adopt from us,” says Melissa Gable, chief engagement officer of Foothills Animal Rescue. “We have had so many people who have come in and adopt a cat or dog only to reach back out weeks, months and even years later to tell us what an important part of the family that animal has become.”
This year commemorates Foothills Animal Rescue’s 25th anniversary of finding loving homes for cats and dogs that dream of a family to which they can belong. Today, the nonprofit organization has not only a beautiful and serene adoption center but also two non-consignment resale boutiques that serve as the primary source of revenue for its animal shelter. With now more than 600 active volunteers and countless cats and dogs having found forever homes, it is difficult to imagine Foothills Animal Rescue’s humble beginnings in the community.
MAKING AN IMPACT
Founded in 1995 in Cave Creek, Foothills Animal Rescue began as a foster-based organization dedicated to saving the lives of homeless cats and dogs. “It was initially just a group of animal lovers who were literally sitting around someone's kitchen table and trying to come up with a way that they could help animals in the community,” Gable says. “The Valley was really struggling with a pet homelessness problem back then and this group wanted to make an impact.” In the first few years, the number of animals the group could help was limited to the number of foster homes it had available. However, as time went on, the group grew in not only its number of volunteers but, more importantly, the number of animals it could help.
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“At one point, we were in the back of a veterinarian's office,” Gable says. “We kept cats at that facility but there was not enough room for dogs so they still had to be in foster homes.” Back then, Foothills Animal Rescue operated primarily on adoption fees and private donations — sources of revenue that have remained an integral part of the organization’s ability to serve the community over the past 25 years. “We are fortunate that we are in a part of the Valley where our neighbors are huge animal lovers,” Gable says. “They have always been very supportive of our efforts. We receive some [support] through grant money and money that comes in through special events, but it is really the private citizens and animal lovers who we rely on most.” In 2010, Foothills Animal Rescue opened its first standing adoption center at 23030 N. Pima Road in Scottsdale, again increasing the number of animals it could help. The facility also gave the organization an additional source of revenue. The standing adoption center doubled as a non-consignment resale boutique, featuring a space for the sale of clothing, pet supplies, furniture, housewares, accessories and jewelry. It was an instant hit with customers who were eager to not only find a fantastic treasure at a terrific price but to also see their purchases benefit a very admirable cause. Business at the boutique was so successful that the organization decided to not only eventually expand upon the store space but to also open this past February a second location at 7202 E. Ho Road in Carefree.
A SAFE HAVEN
Funds have little value without a proper place to utilize them, though. Fortunately, Foothills Animal Rescue had a guardian angel in the form of a woman named Brynne Alanna Smith. After Smith — an animal lover — passed away unexpectedly, her family reached out to the organization and offered to help.
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In December 2016, Foothills Animal Rescue opened its Brynne Smith Memorial Campus Adoption Center at 10197 E. Bell Road in Scottsdale, which provides a safe haven to homeless cats and dogs awaiting their forever home. It is also a testament to the important role that companion animals play in our lives. “As soon as we moved into the facility, our numbers for the animals that were adopted out easily doubled,” Gable says. “Whereas before we were relying a lot on community events and setting up temporary pens at different pet supplies stores, we now have this beautiful shelter where we can showcase these animals and they can be directly adopted by the public.” Brynne Smith Memorial Campus Adoption Center was built with the animals in mind. When you walk inside, you can immediately see, smell, hear and feel the difference between the adoption center and most other animal shelters. Cages have been replaced by “community cat rooms” and “doggy suites.” The air smells fresh and unpolluted. And instead of a bunch of barking, there is a serene silence evident of a space where animals are being well cared for. “We have a lot of people who come in and compare us to a pet resort,” Gable says. “Sometimes, other animal shelters can be sad and overwhelming for folks. In planning our shelter, we wanted it to be a place where the community would feel comfortable.” Foothills Animal Rescue occasionally hosts special events at the center, such as Yappy Yoga, but its primary focus is finding loving homes for animals — especially those that are at risk for euthanasia at other shelters due to limited space or minor medical conditions. “When we first started, we could not afford medical care for a lot of the animals,” Gable explains. “Now, we are taking in animals that we know need special medical care and, because of the support that we have received from our donors, we are able to provide that care.”
PART OF THE FAMILY
Gable says that after 25 years, Foothills Animal Rescue’s goal has not changed. “The goal 25 years ago was to help animals in our community,” she says. “The goal is still to help animals in our community.”
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The only things about that goal that have changed are the ways Foothills Animal Rescue accomplishes it and the resources with which it has to do so. “Over the years, we have changed how we look at it,” Gable explains. “We think about what we can do to make the animals that we have more adoptable. We focus on their behavior, send them to obedience school and try to find ways to make them more — for lack of a better term — marketable to the potential adopter. We do a lot more enrichment activities now with toys, games and programs that are designed to keep the animals that we have here mentally and physically healthy.” It is all in the name of finding loving families into which the cats and dogs at their facility can be welcomed with open arms.
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“One of my favorite things about Foothills Animal Rescue is the fact that we keep in touch with our adopters,” Gable adds. “We have people who stop by with the cat or dog that they adopted from us years ago just to check in and say hello. I like that we all stay in touch because it is bittersweet when an animal gets adopted. “We are happy and it is a celebration but we have become very attached to them. While they are here, we treat them like they are our own. So it is always nice to hear follow-up stories about how well a particular animal is doing with their new family.” Foothills Animal Rescue’s Brynn Smith Memorial Campus Adoption Center 10197 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale 480-488-9890 foothillsanimal.org
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Writer Shannon Severson
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The talons of a gray hawk curl around a bare branch as it takes a hunting break. A playful litter of cougar cubs scratch and climb. A mother elephant and her baby take a stroll through the tall plains grasses. These moments depicting the beauty and personality of animals in the wild are captured on canvas by talented local artists at the Phoenix Zoo’s Art on the Wild Side — an exhibition that will run through May 31 in the Savanna Gallery located inside of the zoo’s newest restaurant, Savanna Grill. When the Phoenix Zoo’s director Bert Castro enlisted the help of board member Jean Bingham to catalog the zoo’s art inventory, the idea for the exhibition was born. Art on the Wild Side was inspired by the growing collection of sculptures and paintings throughout the property.
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Since the spring of 2019, the Phoenix Zoo has hosted biannual art shows featuring local painters and photographers who share their work and donate 20% of sales to the zoo’s wildlife conservation efforts.
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Call or Text 480.478.3384 to Schedule your Appointment! Apri l 2020
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LUCY DICKENS
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MAKING MEMORIES H WESTERN STYLE
OLD WEST SPIRIT NEW WEST TALENT
“The zoo wants to give people experiences that enrich the community, inspire them to experience the natural world and to support conservation,” Castro says. “It creates an emotional connection.” One of this spring’s three featured artists, Lucy Dickens is known for her landscapes with intricate depictions of light and shadow. Every painting is accompanied by a written story that seeks to give greater detail, inviting the viewer to become part of the moment. A recent safari trip to Kenya and Tanzania with her husband inspired the work that she is displaying during the Phoenix Zoo’s exhibition. “We visited five breathtaking preserves,” Dickens says. “It was an artist’s dream come true. I could hardly wait to get in my studio to start painting. I’m unveiling my Safari Adventures series at the exhibition. What excites me the most is that, together with the Phoenix Zoo, my collectors and myself, we are truly making a difference in the world.” Meanwhile, Joye DeGoede’s JoyEful Party Animals art playfully juxtaposes reality with fantasy. Her whimsical pieces appeal to all ages. She is the Gallery at el Pedregal’s artist in residence at the Boulders Resort in Scottsdale and was recently invited by the U.S. State Department Arts in the Embassies program to exhibit at a three-year show in the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro.
6130 East Cave Creek Road • Cave Creek, AZ
www.lastiendascavecreek.com Apri l 2020
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JOYE DEGOEDE
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“My work inspires the viewer to see the fun in the mundane and the vast opportunities for joy in our everyday world,” DeGoede says. “I love painting the surrealistic mixture of animals imitating human habits and in their natural habitat. I worked to embrace the mission of the Phoenix Zoo and I can use the JoyEful Party Animals to raise awareness locally [and] internationally and make a small financial contribution to the efforts.” Anne Peyton rounds out this spring’s featured artists. For many years, she was one of the most sought-after motorsports artists. Today, her brushes depict the beauty of the natural world as she returns to her love of wildlife — the subjects of her earliest paintings at her grandfather’s Fort Collins, Colorado home, where she would spend hours sketching and painting the birds that came into his yard. Peyton gets up close and personal to her subjects through her volunteer work at Liberty Wildlife — a Scottsdalebased animal and bird rehabilitation and education organization that trains owls, hawks, eagles and falcons to be comfortable around people in educational settings.
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ANNE PEYTON
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“Phoenix has been my home for many years and the Phoenix Zoo has been a big part of my time here,” Peyton says. “To have my art exhibited at the zoo is quite an honor. Many people who love birds will be able to enjoy my work and, hopefully, they will learn something about birds that they did not know before they studied the art.” With the Phoenix Zoo drawing almost 1.4 million annual visitors from all walks of life, Dickens, DeGoede and Peyton’s work is getting a lot of exposure to new audiences through Art on the Wild Side. Castro says that it is been exciting to see how enthusiastically the zoo’s guests have been responding to the art featured in the exhibition. “We see kids who want to sit at a certain table in the restaurant because it’s near an animal they like,” Castro explains. “People have been very respectful of the art. It has been great for the artists, the kids and the parents. Art on the Wild Side has been a wonderful experience all around.” phoenixzoo.org
EXPERIENCE Art on the Wild Side Through May 31 | Daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Savanna Gallery at the Phoenix Zoo 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix Adults $24.95+ | Children $16.95+ 602–286-3800 | phoenixzoo.org Apri l 2020
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Cherry Danish These multilayered, laminated sweet pastries are just like cherry pie — but a whole lot better! Serves: 2
Ingredients: 2 jars of Morello cherries 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup corn starch 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 package frozen puff pastry Coarse sugar (for sprinkling) 1 egg (for egg wash) 1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon milk 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Directions: Drain and reserve the juice from one jar of cherries. Drain and discard the juice from the other jar of cherries. Combine sugar and corn starch in a saucepan. Add the reserved cherry juice and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Add cherries and almond extract and stir until all of the cherries are covered. Cool and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Take puff pastry out of the freezer to thaw and prepare an egg wash by mixing egg with a splash of water in a small bowl. Roll each sheet of puff pastry into a 12- by 16-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Spread half of the cooled cherry filling down the center of each sheet, leaving a border along all sides. Cut the corners off of one of the short sides of each sheet. Cut diagonal slits on both of the long sides all the way down to the bottom of each sheet, leaving the center portion with the cherry filling intact. Criss-cross each of the diagonal strips over the filling. Fold the small rectangles at the top and bottom of each pastry over the filling, making sure to seal it tightly. Brush the tops of each pastry with egg wash then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Transfer pastries to a baking sheet and bake in oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.
Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
kyndraclaire.com
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In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until the consistency of a glaze is reached. Drizzle glaze over the pastries and serve.
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Spring Chopped Salad with Pesto-Buttermilk Dressing This salad is not only beautiful but delicious, too! Use this recipe as a base to create your own unique salad, substituting ingredients with those that fit your personal palate or whatever you have on hand! Serves: 4
Ingredients: 1/4 cup pesto 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 small shallot, finely minced 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced 1/2 cup buttermilk Juice of 1/2 lemon Salt and pepper (to taste) 1 cup raw couscous 1–2 tablespoons butter 6 ounces arugula 1 cup red pepper, diced 1 cup raw asparagus, diced 1 cup cucumber, diced 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 cup dried sweet corn Rotisserie chicken, diced 1/2 cup pepitas 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1 cup queso fresco cheese, crumbled
Directions: Combine pesto, mayonnaise, shallot and garlic in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add buttermilk, lemon juice, salt and pepper and pulse to combine. Add a little more lemon juice or water if the mixture is too thick. Store in refrigerator until ready to use. Toast raw couscous in butter until lightly browned. Then cook according to package directions and allow to cool. When ready to serve, divide arugula among plates. Arrange the couscous, red pepper, asparagus, cucumber, dried cranberries, dried corn, queso fresco cheese and chicken in rows over the arugula. Sprinkle each salad with pepitas and cilantro and serve with pesto-buttermilk dressing.
Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
kyndraclaire.com
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THE REAL ESTATE MARKET DOESN’T DICTATE YOUR RESULTS, THE REAL ESTATE TEAM YOU HIRE DOES!
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“Anyone who dreams of an uncommon life eventually discovers there is no choice but to seek an uncommon approach to living it.” - Gary Keller, The ONE Thing Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com
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David Van Omen Associate Broker, Senior Partner David@BVOLuxury.com
(480) 999-5460 | www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com