Images Arizona: Grayhawk January 2014 Issue

G r a yh awk

DC Ranc h

Si l verl e a f

January 2014

Reigning Grace Ranch

Grayhawk :: DC Ranch :: Silverleaf

J an uary 2014

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Shelly Spence :: owner/publisher shelly@imagesaz.com :: 623-341-8221 Amanda Christmann Larson :: editor/contributing Stephanie Maher Palenque :: contributing Donna Kublin :: contributing Tom Scanlon :: contributing Lynsi Freitag :: contributing Jenn Korducki Krenn :: contributing Bryan Black of Blackswan Photographers Loralei Photography Karen Sophia Photography Jamie Pogue Photography Jerri Parness Photography

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

:: :: :: :: ::

writer writer writer writer writer writer

photographer photographer photographer photographer photographer

Meaghan’s Dream :: graphic artist

jenn

shelly@imagesaz.com

jerri

stephanie

jeff

623-341-8221

donna

meaghan

karen Shelly Spence

tom

amanda

lynsi

Contributors

Advertising

bryan

jamie

loralei

contents

Take a peek...

Table of Contents 08

Meet the Cassese Family

12

Community

28

Pinnacle Plan

32

Greasewood Flat

36

5 Minutes With.... The Teacher of the Year

40

Reigning Grace Ranch

48

Legacy of a Warrior

54

MIM

56

Dining Guide

58

Marketplace

62

Local Index

66

Recipe

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14400 N. Tatum Blvd. Phoenix, AZ 85032 | 602-992-5100 | www.scarizona.org J an uary 2014

5

welcome

Publisher’s Message

Happy New Year from our family to yours! This time of year is always so exciting. It’s a time of renewal, when the slate is wiped clean and new opportunities begin.

The older I become, the more I realize that life is a continuum. This moment and this time that we are all sharing are special, and they are part of something so much larger – so much more timeless – that it’s almost overwhelming to comprehend. I am becoming more and more aware of how wonderful it is to be alive right now in this little corner of the north Valley, and to have the opportunity to experience the love and witness the passions of so many incredible people. I am also so fortunate to be able to share my own love for this community with each of you every month.

This year, my resolution is to spend my time fully alive, enjoying, loving, learning and sharing with the many people in my life who make it beautiful. How lucky I am to have to spend each day, this special time, in our amazing community full of wonderful people, learning, growing and being inspired!

Cheers!

Shelly Spence Publisher, ImagesAZ Magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

Reigning Grace Ranch :: Amanda and Chris Moore Writer Amanda Christmann Larson Photographer Bryan Black P. 40

ImagesAZ magazine is proud to be a member of: NORTH

SCOTTSDALE Chamber of Commerce

6

Local First A R I Z O NA

Submission of news for Community News section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication. ImagesAZ is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2013 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4 Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

J an uary 2014

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family

Meet the Cassese Family Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Loralei Photography

If you know a family you would like to nominate, please email shelly@imagesaz.com.

When Susan asked John what his profession was, he told her that he was a member of the Capris, the wellknown singing group.

I

t was a romantic beginning to a well-lived life. John and Susan Cassese met 50 years ago in the casually elegant environs of the Hamptons, New York. When

Susan asked John what his profession was, he told her that he was a member of the Capris, the well-known singing group. Susan thought it was a line, but he told her that he would have tickets waiting for her the following week at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater for a Rock and Roll show in which he would be performing. When she arrived at the theater the following week, much to her delighted surprise, the tickets were waiting for her and her friend.

Then she saw John on stage, singing bass lines on the big hit, “There’s a Moon out Tonight.” The notes of the doo-wop singers made all the young ladies swoon. “It was wonderful,” Susan recalls. “He has a beautiful voice. Then we went back stage and met all the bands.”

It was love at first sight for John and Susan, and his career, though impressive, did not enter into the equation of their deep affection for each other. John adds, almost singing it out, “I saw the writing on the wall.”

He starts to laugh, and his wife joins in, as does his daughter Tamara and her husband Danny Meaux, forming a doo-wop of laughter. These four are together often, so it is not a surprise to find them on a pleasant Saturday afternoon at Donte’s of New York.

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Nine

years

after

the

Capris’

1961

Number 1 hit, bass singer John Cassese was at the top of the charts again, but in his new line of work. He won top ranking for the International Hair Replacement Award at a competition held at the Statler Hilton Hotel in New York City. He is well-known for his hair innovation techniques throughout the industry. John and Susan are the owners of Donte’s of New York, a hair replacement center for men and women, which has been in operation for more than 50 years, both in New York City and Scottsdale.

Many people in Arizona know John by the name of Donte. When John first started in the hair replacement business in New York City, he was advised that the name John would not be as appealing as something more original. His second career turned out to be just as successful as his first, but of much longer duration.

So what brought John and Susan to Scottsdale? It was their daughter, Tamara. After graduating from Forest Hills High School, where she had such an affinity for languages that she was speaking five of them fluently, Tamara continued

studying

Spanish

and

Latin American Studies at the State University of New York at Plattsburgh.

She graduated and decided that she was d-o-n-e with the snow, ice and frigid temperatures of New York.

After Tamara moved to Arizona, her parents visited her often. They not only missed their only daughter terribly, but they fell in love with Arizona as well.

J an uary 2014

9

Tamara met Danny at a speed-dating event in Old Town Scottsdale. As it was for her parents, it was love at first date for Tamara. “He is just such a good person,” she says of Danny. “He is the kind of person who would do anything for anybody. He’s got a great heart. I love being with him and we have a lot of fun together.”

How was it for this laid-back Southerner, being thrown into the closeknit family of three energetic New Yorkers?

“They welcomed me right from the beginning,” the soft-spoken Danny answers with a grin. “Being from the South,” – he’s from Louisiana, originally, and moved here as part of his career in the hotel business – “family is very important to me.”

“He’s one of us, 100 percent,” adds Susan.

The four of them get together several times a month, sometimes for an Italian meal whipped up by John. John, Susan and Tamara spend countless hours together in the business, now located in the Scottsdale Ridge business development. Susan is an accountant, Tamara the office manager.

“We get along well,” says Tamara. “We’re fortunate. I guess being an only child helped bond the parents with the child, I think that’s part of it.”

The family also loves animals. Susan and John adore their two cats, Woody and Pinky. Tamara and Danny have three cats as well, Tokyo Rose, Crème and Brulee. “All animals are a very important and vital part of our lives,” says Susan.

Susan and John are also very involved in the sport of tennis. Being from the former “Tennis Capital” of the United States, the two of them never missed going to tennis events in New York. They met many of the great tennis players of the 60s, 70s and 80s, such as Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, Billy Jean King, Andre Agassi and many others of that period. They love playing tennis weekly. Tamara and Danny are also avid travelers who have enjoyed vacations all over the globe.

As a self-described people person, John/Donte is clearly as content greeting customers and making them feel better about themselves as he was as a singer on stage. “He likes to make people happy,” says Susan.

“He has a real passion for it,” adds son-in-law, Danny, “making people feel better about the way they look.”

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Back in the music business, the Capris are still going, though now with only one original member. The originals did get together back in 2008, when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, along with many other original groups from that Rock and Roll era. “The group not only performed,” Susan says, “but we danced and sang for three days with all the other inducted groups and had a wonderful time.”

“There’s a Moon out Tonight” also continues to have quite a life, occasionally making it to a soundtrack. Most recently, it was featured in an episode of “The Sopranos” (Season 6, “Join the Club” episode when Tony goes to the hospital; the song plays on the radio, and the mobster and his wife reminisce about dancing to it.)

Looking back at his dual careers in the hair and show businesses, John Cassese doesn’t have any regrets … well, maybe one. Back in the early 1960s, a baby-faced singer-songwriter started hanging around the Capris. “Paul Simon lived on the same block as our manager,” John remembers. “He used to sit in our office with his guitar – he wanted us to sing his songs, but we just wanted to do our own.

“That was a big mistake!”

But, from the big laugh he lets out, one figures John Cassese is just fine with the way things played out for him.

After all, with the clear skies of Arizona, “there’s a moon out” just about every night. And then there’s that girl whose heart he stole 50 years ago, still by his side for that long, slow stroll through life.

There’s a moon out tonight wah wah wah oooh Let’s go strollin’ There’s a girl in my heart wah wah wah oooh Whose heart I’ve stolen There’s a moon out tonight Hey let’s go strollin’ through the park

J an uary 2014

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community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

SCA Coach Fredericks Recognized by USAToday Scottsdale

Christian

Academy’s

varsity

boys’

basketball coach Bob Fredericks has been selected as one of USAToday’s nominees for National Basketball Coach of the Year.

Coach Fredericks has been coaching at SCA for 29 years and has a long list of accolades. He has a 629-204 coaching record and was named National Federation of High Schools Coach of the Year (2000), National Christian School Athletic Association Coach of the Year (2006), National High School Athletic Coaches Association District Coach of the Year and Finalist for National Coach of the Year (2012), nine-time State Coach of the Year by a variety of highly regarded newspapers and organizations, and has five state championship titles from 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005 and 2010.

ImagesAZ congratulates Coach Fredericks for his long list of accomplishments, and his outstanding career.

Notre Dame Prep Athletes Commit to Colleges Three Notre Dame Prep star athletes will keep playing sports beyond their Scottsdale careers, as they have signed letters of intent to compete at the college level.

Golfer Austin Stadeli will play for the University of Arizona.

At the state championship in Laveen, Stadeli smoked the Aguila Golf Course for a 3 under par 69 on the first day of competition, and then carded out a 73 on the second day to win the individual championship.

Fellow golfer Colton Yates, who cracked the top 20 at the state tournament, will tee it up at Colorado State University. Yates and Stadeli were among the athletes who led the Notre Dame golf team to the 2013 Section Championship, and a second-place finish in the 2013 Division II State Championship.

Hunter Bross, who doubled in a run in Notre Dame’s state championship baseball win, will play ball at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Registration Open for Anti-Aging Wellness Symposium at DC Ranch Age Less: An Anti-Aging Wellness Symposium is all about age rejuvenation and age reversal practices. It will be held Feb. 15 at the DC Ranch Homestead Community Center in north Scottsdale, and an early registration discount is available through Jan. 15.

This anti-aging event features expert physicians and presenters, local vendors, yoga and meditation for a full day of education and entertainment. Food, music, samples, raffle prizes worth over $500 and fun are in store for attendees.

The Age Less event is focused exclusively on teaching attendees how to “hold back” the hands of time and even reverse the aging process. They will learn a series of health and wellness routines, practices and products.

Key professionals include Dr. Tricia Pingel (pictured), who will speak about overcoming adrenal fatigue and the latest in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy; Dr. Phranq (Frank) Tamburri, NMD who will speak on men’s health practices and prostate cancer cures and prevention; Dr. Patricia Henthorn, D.C., of Balance & Motion Chiropractic, who will share the importance of aligning the spine to eliminate many ailments that take years

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

off your life; Dr. Bryan Glick, who will present “Inflammation, the Silent Killer.”

Mind/body/beauty speakers include Howard Falco, who will speak on the topic of his book “I am: the Power of Discovering Who You Really Are”; Lisa Williams, beauty expert and nurse practitioner, who will share the latest news in non-surgical skin enhancements to regain youthful looks; yoga therapist Harumi Maejima, who will teach attendees how integrating deep stretch and breathing can take years off the body; and Anne Vetter, who will provide a meditation session.

Proceeds will benefit the Justa Center, an elder homeless day resource center in Phoenix.

Advance purchase tickets purchased before Jan. 15 are $79 for the full day, half days are $49. After January 15 the admission is $97.

Discounted pricing for DC Ranch residents is available on the DC Ranch website. Seating is limited. Tickets can be purchased online through the Cloud Nine Health site below.

480-419-1799 www.cloudninehealth.com www.dcranch.com

The Henry Brings Timeless American Cuisine to Phoenix A true neighborhood restaurant is now open in Phoenix. The Henry, an American brasserie, at 4455 E. Camelback Rd. in Phoenix, positioned directly underneath Fox Restaurant Concepts’ “Big Kitchen,” or home office is the 15th concept created by the Fox family of restaurants in the past 15 years.

The Henry will serve lunch and dinner Monday through Friday; breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends; and will feature a full coffee bar and larder open daily at 6:30 a.m. serving breakfast and lunch items with a convenient pickup window for coffee, pastries and more.

The menu will feature made-from-scratch American fare that is both comfortable and refined. A variety of meats will be cured in-house and pastries will be hand-rolled and baked fresh each morning. The centerpiece of the open kitchen is a wood-burning grill.

The dining area of the restaurant offers inspiring views of Camelback Mountain, a true attribute of the Arcadia neighborhood. The warm interior is adorned with rich evergreen banquettes, navy and gold-studded walls and a mix of modern and industrial décor that will make guests feel like they have a place in the neighborhood.

“The Henry was designed to be inviting to families enjoying a night out, professionals wanting to meet for lunch or unwind after work, and friends who need a place to catch up,” said Fox Restaurant Concepts founder Sam Fox. “We want to offer comfortable food paired with hospitality and gratitude for choosing to spend time at The Henry.” www.foxrc.com

Curves Partners with Jillian Michaels Curves, the largest chain of fitness centers for women in the world, has teamed up with America’s health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels to launch Curves Workouts with Jillian Michaels. These cutting-edge total body workouts feature the Curves circuit strength training machines in J an uary 2014

13

community

If you are interested in submitting community

conjunction with functional bodyweight-based exercises that ramp up

events, please email to

metabolism and transform physique. The workouts boost intensity, build

shelly@imagesaz.com by

strength, burn fat and prevent plateaus.

the 10th of the month prior to publication.

“I am so thrilled to be partnered with Curves to provide women with the tools necessary to take control of their health,” said Michaels. “Curves is everywhere, so now my program is accessible, effective and affordable.”

Curves Workouts with Jillian Michaels are designed for women at every fitness level and include simple modifications for each movement.

Metabolic conditioning exercises will be done in between each strength machine within the Curves Circuit, all within a 30-minute class. Curves coaches have been trained to deliver the moves and are in every circuit to ensure safety and effectiveness.

Also available at Curves Clubs is Curves Complete. With Curves Complete, women have a fully integrated, personalized weight loss and weight management solution that includes the Curves fitness program (30 minute circuit with a coach), a customizable meal plan and one-on-one coaching and support.

Curves is located at 8900 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Ste. C-4 in Scottsdale.

480-214-3655 www.curves.com

Fired Pie Brings the Heat to New Location Locally-owned and operated, Fired Pie is making their mark in the Valley with the opening of their newest location. Fired Pie’s fast casual pizza concept exploded on the scene just six months ago, and their fourth location is now open in north Scottsdale at 14740 N. Northsight Blvd.

The restaurant allows you to take on the role of chef by picking and choosing your own type of dough, sauce

and

topping.

The

sophisticated-yet-affordable

pizzeria also offers build-your-own salads. You can also pick from a variety of house specials.

Fired Pie was born from the minds of Fred Morgan, Rico Cuomo and Doug Doyle. The trio worked together for more than 15 years, rising through the ranks of California Pizza Kitchen. The three found themselves brainstorming about the art of making a great pizza pie: dough, sauce, cheese, fresh herbs, meats, local organic ingredients—and knew with the right precision they could become real game-changers in the pizza industry.

“We serve quality food, made fresh to order,” says Cuomo. “Where else can you get a customized meal in less than four minutes?”

The new restaurant features a uniquely crafted modern-edge decor with impeccable attention to detail. The simplistic yet stylish interior finishing evokes a welcoming rapport. www.firedpie.com www.facebook.com/firedpie

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Scottsdale Christian Academy Basketball Team Helps Families in Need The Scottsdale Christian Academy (SCA) boys’ varsity basketball team participated in a project to help families in need, traveling to Cottonwood, AZ for a special outreach weekend.

After spending the night at a cabin outside of Prescott and enjoying eight inches of fresh snow in the pines, SCA seniors led an all-team church service at one of the local churches. After the service, the team spent two and a half hours separating food products donated to a Prescott area food bank. The team boxed up more than 100 boxes to aid families in the Prescott area. Additionally, the team donated 20 turkeys to the food drive for families.

SCA is known for extensive ministry work around the state, country, and even in foreign countries.

Scottsdale Station Now Open Scottsdale Station, a restaurant owned by long-time restaurateurs Robert and Linda Gabrick, opened its doors at The Village at Hayden.

The Gabricks are known for their acclaimed restaurant, Carefree Station, which, sadly, closed its doors in September 2013.

In 2012, the couple also opened a popular northern Arizona outpost, Prescott Station, located within a short walk from the Prescott Courthouse Square.

With a combined 60 years of experience in restaurant operations, the Gabricks have always had a love for the industry. They share a passion for creating a unique guest experience and pushing the culinary envelope to create dishes full of bold, oftentimes unexpected flavors.

Scottsdale Station promises to offer the same attention to detail and globally-inspired dishes that longtime fans of Carefree Station and Prescott Station have come to love, plus so much more. With 8,200 square feet of indoor space, including multiple private dining areas and a large bar, plus plenty of outdoor seating, there are many more stages to showcase Scottsdale Station’s culinary creations.

Carefree Station’s longtime executive chef, Thomas Nasworthy, has now become corporate executive chef to oversee Scottsdale Station and Prescott Station. Thomas has been with the Gabricks since 2008, excelling on the stage of high-volume, fine dining. A Cordon Bleu-trained chef, Thomas was raised in a military family. His nomadic lifestyle taught him to embrace the diverse cuisines of the world. The restaurants’ eclectic cuisine enables Thomas to continually experiment and add his own creative twist to the menus.

Thomas’s wife, Heather Nasworthy, who has also been part of the culinary team since 2008, will be Scottsdale Station’s pastry chef. New to the team, Ben Lieberman will manage the kitchen as head chef of Scottsdale Station. Most recently, Lieberman was with Talavera at Four Seasons in Scottsdale. Prior to that, he designed the menus for Searsucker and Burlap in San Diego, reinvigorated Bali Hai in San Diego, and was the executive sous chef for Katsuya in Los Angeles, to name a few.

Scottsdale Station is located in The Village at Hayden, 8220 N. Hayden Rd. in Scottsdale.

480-998-7777 www.scottsdalestation.com J an uary 2014

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community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to shelly@imagesaz.com by

Scottsdale Christian Academy Sends Shoes around World Scottsdale Christian Academy students

the 10th of the month

participated in a school-wide service project

prior to publication.

for Operation Christmas Child. Students in preschool through 12th grade had a week and a half to collect new items to put into the shoe boxes, which were sent across the world and opened Christmas Day. Nearly 850 shoe boxes were packaged for needy children. Students followed their specific box using an online tracking system.

Scottsdale Christian Academy has participated in Operation Christmas Child for more than 10 years and is honored to be a part of it again this year. The program is run through Samaritan’s Purse, a non-denominational evangelical Christian organization, providing spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.

PVCC Earns HOSA National Chapter Status Paradise Valley Community College recently inaugurated the first slate of officers in the college’s newly-established Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Future Health Professionals chapter. PVCC is just the second community college in Arizona to earn official chapter status in the national organization, and is the first of the Maricopa County Community College District institutions to do so.

The founding chapter officers are: Jake McElearney, President | Pre-Med Felipe Santoyo Cuellar, Vice President | Nursing Emily Hanka, Secretary | Pre-Med Mike Day, Treasurer | Physical Therapy HOSA provides a unique program of leadership development, motivation, and recognition exclusively for secondary, postsecondary, and collegiate students enrolled in health career programs. HOSA at PVCC is under the guidance of Arizona HOSA (AzHOSA) and supports the organization’s mission to promote career opportunities in health care and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

The PVCC chapter sponsors the HOSA Distinguished Speakers Series, which brings noted health care visionaries to campus to share their insights about compelling issues and the future of health care. All events are free and open to the public. Future chapter projects include senior holiday visits; participation in HopeFest and Relay for Life; professional development workshops; support of the college’s summer EXPLORE Health Careers Academy for grades 6-12, and summer STEM Boot Camp.

602-787-6693 www.paradisevalley.edu/hosa

Inspiration Gallery Open in Scottsdale If you’ve ever felt a desire to learn to express yourself through the powerful medium of art, there is a new not-for-profit studio where you can do just that. The Inspiration Gallery is now open at 7609 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. #15 in Scottsdale.

This unique gallery, aptly named for inspiring people of all ages to create using a variety of different artistic methods, was developed by Debra Lee Murrow, owner and artist behind COLORME Art Spa, a line of

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

coloring posters, postcards and canvases. She has been helping people

create for over 12 years, teaching her style of pen and ink and mixed medium art classes.

Inspiration Gallery is a collaboration of artists inspiring

others

through

visual

and

interactive

art experiences. Art is available to purchase, and sales support local artists by providing a fun, safe, opportunity to create, break through barriers and heal through seeing and creating art.

Inspiration Gallery also gives back to the community by supporting Someone Worth Accepting Now (SWAN).

SWAN is a grassroots organization run by survivors that supports victims of domestic violence. SWAN welcomes women who have experienced any type of abuse and/or violence from an intimate partner or family member, or women who have witnessed and/ or experienced abuse as children.

To further its mission, the Inspiration Gallery has a GoFundMe page for donations and contributions.

480-221-3161 www.theinspirationgallery.weebly.com www.gofundme.com/colormeartspa

January 9, 26, 31 Pinnacle Concert Series Moments to Remember The

Pinnacle

Concert

Series

at

Pinnacle

Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Rd. in Scottsdale features a tremendous variety of musical presentations in a casual and unique atmosphere. January holds some exciting international offerings you won’t want to miss.

Jan. 9: Greet the New Year in joyous fashion with the unique blend of native African rhythms, contemporary gospel music and ethnic dance of Uganda’s Watoto Children’s Choir. The choir, composed of children who have suffered the loss of their parents through war or disease, has traveled internationally since 1994, acting as ambassadors, warming hearts and raising awareness of the more than 50 million orphaned and vulnerable children of Africa.

Jan. 26: The VIDA Guitar Quartet is a dynamic guitar ensemble from the United Kingdom. Sparkling with vitality and spontaneity, weaving a rich tapestry of color and breathtaking range, they leave audiences spellbound. “There is only one word for it: magic,” says Gramophone magazine.

Jan. 31: The Four Lads’ radio, television and live appearances read like a veritable “who’s who” of the entertainment industry. With gold record hits like “Istanbul,” this Canadian quartet will provide many moments to remember, delivering their signature songs like “Standin’ on the Corner” and “No, Not Much.” www.pinnacleconcerts.org J an uary 2014

17

community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to

January 11 Team Camelot Swaps Boots for Sneakers January 11, Team Camelot will run, walk and roll its way 3.1 miles

shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month

in Arizona Disabled Sports’ 5th annual 5k around Tempe Town Lake to

prior to publication.

raise money for the Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship program. While race registration benefits Arizona Disabled Sports, Team Camelot will raise funds for their program in support of their racers through GoFundMe (search term: “Kilometers for Camelot”).

Alicia Draper, 31, a student at Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship, was born with cerebral palsy and uses a walker, or as she calls it, her “silver chariot.” She has never tried to walk 3.1 miles before, but Jan. 11 that is exactly what she will do.

“Everyone should support Team Camelot,” says Draper, “because Camelot is awesome. The mission of Camelot is unique. Not many nonprofits, or sports-related programs for people with disabilities for that matter, promote and encourage the participants to be independent, make choices and take risks, but Camelot does.

“To me, when someone donates to Camelot it says, ‘I want all people, people with disabilities or people without disabilities, to get out there, live their lives, and accomplish their goals despite their dragons of doubt or self-defeat.’”

Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship is a non-profit organization that teaches horsemanship to children and adults who have physical disabilities. Camelot, located in north Scottsdale, has been offering all services at no cost to students for 30 years. Camelot will use funds raised by Team Camelot to continue to offer their horsemanship program to children and adults with disabilities free of charge.

Make a donation in support of Team Camelot GoFundme.com/Kilometers-for-Camelot Register for the race and join Team Camelot January 11 (Enter “Camelot Therapeutic Horsemanship Team Camelot”) www.runwalkrollaz.com www.camelotaz.org

January 11 Ryan Sims’ Album Release Party Ryan rock

Sims,

musician

Arizona’s and

own

founding

country/

member

of

critically-acclaimed band EastonAshe, will be celebrating the release of his first self-titled solo album with an album release party Jan. 11 at Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Rd. in Cave Creek.

The evening’s festivities will kick off at 8:30 p.m. with an EastonAshe reunion show, featuring past and present members of the band, playing original Ryan Sims material from their early albums. Ryan will then perform his newly-released solo album in its entirety. The night will conclude with an all-star set featuring Ryan, EastonAshe members of past and present, and other well-known Arizona musicians, in a finale celebration of Ryan’s album.

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

The self-taught guitarist, singer-songwriter and Cave Creek native has been busy in Nashville, recording and producing his first solo album.

Ryan’s self-titled album features a unique blend of original rock-infused country music, which delivers both lyrically and musically.

“I decided to make this my self-titled album because it represents a more reflective period of my life when I was defining my path.” Ryan wrote the music and lyrics to nine of the 10 songs on his new album, which was recorded at House of Blues Studios with Angel Crush Entertainment. Angel Crush Entertainment recorded artists such as Matchbox 20, Greenwheel and Collective Soul.

Tickets are available through TicketMaster for $25, or $30 at the door. Ticket prices include a copy of the new album. www.ryansimsmusic.com www.facebook.com/ryansimsmusic www.eastonashe.net www.facebook.com/eastonashemusic

January 12 American Idol David Cook at the MIM Join one of America’s favorites, David Cook, Jan. 12 at the Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo in Phoenix at 7 p.m. The rock singersongwriter rose to fame after winning the seventh season of “American Idol.”

This talented rocker with fiery vocals and searing songwriting skills has entered an exciting new

chapter

marked

by

a

newfound

creative

freedom and maturity. In the wake of American Idol, Cook endured an emotional rollercoaster marked by career highs mixed with the devastating personal tragedy of losing his beloved brother Adam to brain cancer.

He is currently working on his 11th album, the follow-up to his wildly popular “This Loud Morning” release.

Tickets are $32.50 - $37.50 and are available online.

480-478-6000 www.mimmusictheater.themim.org/david-cook

January 17–19 21st Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival Downtown Carefree will be bustling with excitement as Thunderbird Artists present the 21st Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival Jan. 17, 18 and 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. More than 165 award-winning fine artists from throughout the United States and abroad will display paintings in all mediums and subjects, and patrons will enjoy live musical entertainment, appetizing food, tempting chocolates and unparalleled wine tasting.

In addition to a wide variety of paintings, drawings, charcoals and pastels, patrons will find impressive small, medium and life-sized sculptures, bronzes, sparkling hand-blown glass, wood, clay, metal, stone, gourds, one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry, exceptional photography and much more!

J an uary 2014

19

community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

This year’s featured artist will be mixed-media painter Esther Rogoway.

Her bold use of color is pure and with an elegant balance between opposites. In some cases, the painting exhibits more of subtle blending of compatible colors. All of Esther’s pieces are examples of masterful design and use of color.

Bob Culbertson will perform on the Chapman Stick. Caribbean steel drums by Keith Johnson and Donna McGee’s voice will fill the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, and patrons will smile from the sweet sounds of pianist Dave Swaim.

A vast array of domestic and imported wines will be on hand for tasting from wineries including: Arizona Stronghold, Distinctive Italian Wines, PRP Wine, Schlossadler International, Vinocopia and more!

Admission to the festival is $3; residents and children under 18 years old are admitted free. The $10 wine tasting fee includes an engraved souvenir wine glass and six wine tasting tickets. Additional tasting tickets may be purchased for $1 each. The festival center will be at 101 Easy St. in Carefree.

Parking is free.

480-837-5637 www.thunderbirdartists.com

January 17–26 Desert Foothills Theater presents “Little Shop of Horrors” We’ve all killed our share of house plants. But what if the plant returned the favor? Desert Foothills Theater (DFT), a division of the Foothills Community Foundation, presents “Little Shop of Horrors” Jan. 17 through Jan. 26 in the Black Box Theatre of Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th St. in north Scottsdale.

Directed by Dale Nakagawa with musical direction by Jen Whiting, “Little Shop of Horrors” tells the story of Seymour Krelborn, an orphan, loser and nebbish. His dead-end job in a skid-row flower shop is enlivened only by his love for the beautiful Audrey, seemingly destined to remain unrequited. Then one day at the wholesale flower market, after a mysterious solar eclipse, Seymour takes home a very special plant, which he names Audrey II: A plant that grows, a plant that sings, a plant with some unusual … appetites.

A delightful mash-up of ’60s camp horror, outrageous black comedy, and rock, doo-wop, and Motown, “Little Shop of Horrors” was an offBroadway smash before being “discovered” by Broadway and Hollywood.

You’ll laugh, you’ll scream, you’ll sing along, and you’ll never turn your back on your geraniums again.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m.

Sunday. A special 2 p.m. performance featuring a Q&A after the show will take place Jan. 25. Tickets range from $15 - $21 for adults and $11 - $16 for youth and students. Purchase tickets before midnight Jan. 3 and receive an early-purchase discount. Group sale discounts available for groups of 10 or more.

Rated “H” for Horticultural, due to slithering tendrils, gaping maws, on-stage germination and mild fertilizer use. www.dftheater.org 480-488-1981

20

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

January 18 New Christy Minstrels’ “Building the Future for Kids” Kiwanis Benefit With their engaging original songs and high

energy,

the

New

Christy

Minstrels,

founded by Randy Sparks who heads up the group today, burst onto the American folk music scene in 1962. Their debut album, “Presenting the New Christy Minstrels” won a Grammy Award and topped Billboard charts for two years.

The dynamic group will be performing Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. to benefit the Carefree Kiwanis Club in a special program titled “Building the Future for Kids.” The benefit concert supports the Kiwanis of Carefree Benefit

Foundation,

with

100

percent

of

each $30 concert ticket going toward the foundation.

The

concert

will

be

held

at

North

Scottsdale Christian, located at 28700 N. Pima Rd. in Scottsdale, on the west side of Pima, just north of Dynamite.

The Kiwanis Club of Carefree’s “Building the Future for Kids” program is helping children recognize and develop their potential by

offering

post-secondary

scholarships,

summer art programs, community science fairs,

mentorship,

special

needs

support,

youth service organizations, and more.

Advance

tickets

are

$30

and

are

available by phone. Tickets purchased at the door on the night of the performance are $40.

480-488-8400 www.kiwaniscarefree.org

J an uary 2014

21

community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to shelly@imagesaz.com by

January 18 Arizona Musicfest Young Performers Recital Arizona Musicfest will present its annual Arizona Musicfest Young

the 10th of the month

Performers’ Recital Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. at Vi at Grayhawk, 7501 E. Thompson

prior to publication.

Peak Pkwy in Scottsdale. This exciting performance features three awardwinning young artists: Linda Han, violinist; Jonah Breakstone, pianist; and Jessica Zhang, pianist. The trio will perform a selection of beautiful pieces

by Debussy, Sarasate, Scarlatti, Haydn and Chopin.

Gifted young musicians don’t walk out their front doors directly onto the stage or into a classroom at a prestigious college-level music school. They work hard at their schoolwork, community commitments and practice, refining their techniques and learning how to perform in front of an audience.

“Arizona

Musicfest

is

proud

to

offer

talented

and

dedicated kids the opportunity to perform in a professional concert environment,” said Irene O’Hare, Chairperson of the Arizona Musicfest Youth Performance Committee. “As an audience member at a Young Performers Recital, you are part of an inspiring musical experience filled with beautiful works by master composers. I can’t think of a better way to spend an hour on a Saturday afternoon!”

The concert is followed by a Meet the Musicians reception with refreshments, so that everyone can ask questions, discuss the program or chat about various musical experiences. There is no charge, and no RSVP is required.

480-488-0806 www.azmusicfest.org

January 19 Arizona Musicfest “Jazz Art Fusion” Musicale What could go better together than jazz, contemporary art, and architecture? The answer is: all of the above with wine! The Arizona Musicfest “Jazz Art Fusion” Musicale Jan. 19 from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. takes place in a breathtaking home. The beautiful desert foothills will host a fusion of all things contemporary and wonderful.

The home’s interior, designed by Elizabeth Rosensteel whose work is showcased in lifestyle and design magazines, has created intimate spaces in this contemporary home while allowing stunning vignettes of exterior views throughout an open, languorously stretching floor plan.

The owners’ private art collection is exhibited throughout the home, and reflects their travels, lifeexperiences and sense of humor. The concert of modern, upbeat jazz by the terrifically popular Armand Boatman Trio fits perfectly into this sophisticated yet warm and welcoming environment.

Wine

appreciation

stations

featuring

artisanal

offerings will allow guests to discover a new vintage favorite and enjoy the art, décor and views at their own pace.

This is a very special evening designed for a limited number of guests to provide the ultimate musical and dining experience. Please call Arizona Musicfest for information and reservations. Tickets are $85 per person.

22

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Hosts and co-hosts have generously covered all Musicale-related expenses, allowing the ticket price to fully support Arizona

Musicfest’s

annual

festival,

youth education and young musicians’ programs.

480-488-0806 www.azmusicfest.org

January 20 Josh Ritter at the MIM Recognized for honest lyrics that sing like a dream and a distinctive Americana style, singer-songwriter and guitarist Josh Ritter transports listeners into his musical world and tells a story with every song.

Ritter will share his musical talent at the Musical Instrument Museum Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.

Often performing and recording with the Royal City Band, Ritter has a loyal fan base who love his folk-leaning, Bob Dylan- and Leonard Cohen-inspired style.

Joined by Gregory Alan Isakov, who has been buzzing in the ears of folk-music lovers everywhere, the duo is sure to provide a mellow and melodic evening.

Tickets are $42.50 and $47.50. The MIM is located at 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. in Phoenix.

480-478-6000 www.mim.org

January 24–26 3rd Annual Carefree Indian Market and Cultural Festival Magic Bird Festivals will host the 3rd Annual Carefree Indian Market and Cultural Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

J an uary 2014

23

community

If you are interested in submitting community events, please email to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

Jan. 24 through Jan. 26 in the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion at the Carefree Desert Gardens, 101 Easy St. in Carefree. Admission is free.

The event hosts 100 distinguished artists whose creations celebrate Native American culture and artisanship, as well as music and dance performers from across the region. Many of the invited artists are recognized under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 which validates the authenticity of the exhibitors.

This

year’s

feature

performer

is

world-

champion hoop dancer, Brian Hammill of Native Spirit

Productions.

entertainment

Native

company

Spirit

that

is

a

represents

cultural tribal

nations throughout the United States and Canada.

In addition, world-champion hoop dancer Moontee Sinquah will also be in attendance. Moontee specializes in traditional Hopi songs and dances.

Spectators can view the live entertainment in the open air Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion.

A Native American and Southwestern Culinary Food Court will serve savory festival fare. Over 10,000 visitors are expected to attend.

The handcrafted

Indian

Marketplace

beadwork

and

will

jewelry.

feature

Sculptures

and paintings will also be available for purchase, as well as handmade Native American musical instruments.

480-488-2014 www.magicbirdfestivals.com

January 30 The Music of ABBA with Arrival from Sweden ARRIVAL from Sweden stars in “The Music of ABBA,” the ultimate tribute to an iconic group that set the gold standard for pop music around the world. This is the best ABBA since … ABBA! The world’s most popular ABBA show band, talented performers with millions of international fans, brings the full fabulous ABBA experience to Arizona Musicfest Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. in Scottsdale.

Your favorite dance tunes and ballads will rock the house! Enjoy all the hits, including “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Take a Chance on Me,” “Waterloo,” “The Winner Takes It All,” “S.O.S.” and more. Even the costumes are exact copies of the originals, provided by the original designer.

You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life at “The Music of ABBA!” Tickets are $23; $33, $49, $65; Student (K-12) $5; College with ID $10.

480-840-0457 www.azmusicfest.org www.themusicofabba.com

24

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Real Estate Market Watch 85255 Snapshot/Changes in Our Market (85255) for the past 10 years!

YeaR

Homes sold*

$ in Millions

adom**

dIstRessed sold***

2004

1480

$206.99

69

6

2005

1216

$275.20

61

0

2006

873

$304.65

104

1

2007

748

$303.98

145

8

2008

625

$258.77

171

74

2009

818

$207.49

172

333

2010

926

$200.32

152

373

2011

1043

$191.57

157

404

2012

1016

$206.79

129

245

2013****

957

$233.73

103

72

*Single Family Homes

400 375 350 325 300 275 250 225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 0

PRIce PeR sF

**Average Days on Market

***Lender Owned and Short Sales

****Through 12/11/2013

Mkt 21.39%

List $

Mkt 8.99%

Mkt 8.36%

Russ Lyon RE/Max Fine Homesmart Sotheby’s Properties

MLS: ARMLS Date: 01/01/2012-12/11/2013

Mkt 6.75%

Mkt 6.10%

Realty Executives

Type: Broker

Realty One Group

Status: Sold

Price: All

Mkt 5.45%

RE/Max Excalibur Realty

Mkt 4.47%

DMB Realty

Construction Type: All

Mkt 3.26%

Mkt 3.24%

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Prudential Arizona Properties

Bedrooms: All

Sell $

Mkt 2.27%

West USA Realty

Bathrooms: All

Property Types: Residential: (Single Family-Detached, Patio Home, Townhouse, Twin/Semi-Detached, Manufactured/Mobile Housing, Modular/Manufactured, Loft, Other) Zip Codes: 85255

With Jean Ransdell, Tom Scappaticci and Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty comes the most prestigious and powerful brands in Scottsdale Real Estate! The world reaches our market and our market reaches the world via this unmatched combination of leaders.

Tom Scappaticci

Jean Ransdell

602.430.4081

480.294.3257

tom@tomscappaticci.com

jean@jransdell.com

Realtor®, Associate Broker

Realtor®, ABR, e-PRO, Relocation Specialist, 2013-2014 Pinnacle Peak RMS Tour Director

Trust Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci for Results!

They are the Team You Will Proudly Use and Refer! J an uary 2014

25

Arizona Musicfest

“Jazz Art Fusion” Musicale Writer Donna Kublin

January 19 Arizona Musicfest Ticket price $85 480-488-0806 www.azmusicfest.org

A sensory experience beyond compare awaits the fortunate guests attending the intimate “Jazz Art Fusion” Musicale fundraiser

for

Arizona

Musicfest

January 19. The setting, a breathtaking contemporary home in the beautiful desert foothills tastefully complemented by contemporary art, will come alive with

upbeat

jazz,

tantalizing

food,

delicious pairings of wine, and guests enjoying a feast for all their senses.

The home’s interior was designed by Elizabeth Rosensteel, whose work is showcased

in

lifestyle

and

design

magazines. It includes intimate spaces while

allowing

exterior

views

languorously

stunning

vignettes

throughout stretching

of

an

open,

floor

plan.

The owners’ eclectic art collection is exhibited throughout the home, waiting to be discovered, and reflects their travels, life experiences and sense of humor.

The concert of modern, upbeat jazz by the terrifically popular Armand Boatman Trio fits perfectly into this sophisticated yet warm and welcoming environment.

Appealing renditions of old favorites and uniquely styled improvisations, a hallmark of this trio, will entertain and delight.

26

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Food stations featuring artisanal offerings will allow guests to discover a new vintage favorite at “wine appreciation” stations while enjoying the art, décor and views at their own pace. Among the tempting food selections are crab cakes with shrimp and mango, tamarind filet on baguette, mini frittatas, lobster/langostino cheese cake, spinach ravioli, plus several more appetizers, and finally, a decadent dessert.

Designed for a limited number of guests to provide the ultimate musical and dining experience, this very special afternoon begins at 3 p.m. Hosts and co-hosts have generously covered all Musicale-related expenses, allowing the ticket price to fully support Arizona Musicfest’s initiatives.

In addition to the widely acclaimed winter music festival, this non-profit, a remarkable asset to the community, benefitted over 9,000 students last year with its youth and education pro-grams. In addition, their scholarship program is financially supporting the college-level education of four of Arizona’s finest young musicians majoring in instrument performance at four renowned schools of music across the country.

Arizona Musicfest winter festival begins January 30, with “The Music of ABBA” with Arrival from Sweden being held at the Highlands Church in Scottsdale, followed by “Judy Collins the Legend - LIVE!” February 3. The full concert schedule is available on the website with the last event March 1, “50s Dance Party,” a tribute to Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper. Of course, the heart of the festival is the Festival Orchestra, this year featuring music from composers by geographic area: British Isles are featured February 18, Russia February 20, and Germany, February 23. Ukulele phenom Jake Shimabukuro will perform with the orchestra February 21. The acoustically superb Pinnacle Presbyterian Church is the location of all the orchestral performances.

By attending the Jazz Art Fusion Musicale, guests help keep music a vibrant force in the community, all while having a fabulous time enjoying delicious food, wine, and music in a truly remarkable Carefree home.

J an uary 2014

27

sports

The Pinnacle Plan Writer Tom Scanlon Photography by Jamie Pogue

We had some really good underclassman who probably would

Troy Wiese, head basketball coach of the Pinnacle High girls’ basketball team, is coming off the most rewarding, thrilling season in his 28 years of coaching. A Pioneers team led by his own daughter romped into the state finals – and had a six-point lead at halftime. The lead faded, and Pinnacle ultimately lost to heavily-favored St. Mary’s, a powerhouse that was undefeated in Arizona play, crushing most of its opponents.

have started at

Shortly after the heart-breaking championship loss, Wiese had to salute a good-bye

most other schools.

to his daughter, now a starting guard for Oregon State University, and the rest of last

We have a combo of experience and youth. We’ll be competitive if everyone knows their roles.

year’s starting five, all of whom graduated from Pinnacle. Most high school basketball coaches start the season without one or two, maybe three graduating seniors who started the previous season. The transition was especially challenging for Pinnacle.

Shouldn’t the coach who lost his whole starting team be the one, if not freaking out, at least seriously worrying?

Not so, says the cool Wiese. “We had some really good underclassman who probably would have started at most other schools,” he says. “We have a combo of experience and youth. We’ll be competitive if everyone knows their roles.”

28

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

With a grin, he adds, “We’ll see how it goes. If we play as a unit, we’ll do fine. I always say, ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work.’”

So shed no tears for this seasoned coach; he knows talented, athletic players when he sees them, and he has another fine batch. Case in point: Alli Munoz, who averaged a mere 1.1 points per game last year, as a sophomore who normally only played during a lopsided lead. But the athletic, 6-foot-tall forward has been ranked in the top 20 of her class in Arizona. At a pre-season practice, the coach was talking to a visitor about what Alli’s shooting skills when, on cue, she swished a 15-foot jump shot.

The skills hardly end there, as Wiese also has senior co-captains Megan Glock, Corrina Terrano and Danielle Bender.

If the name is familiar, Danielle Bender is the kid sister of Drew Bender, a Pinnacle star hooper now playing college ball at Rice University. Like her brother, Danielle has a basketball scholarship; her scholarship will pay for her education at Fresno Pacific University. She was in the top-eight rotation last year, a defensive specialist off the bench who chipped in 4.6 points per game.

While the numbers were hardly eye-popping, she caught the attention of college recruiters at a Rice summer basketball camp that Drew helped her attend.

Very much like the boys’ team that also lost in the championship game last season, these girls feel like they have unfinished business, and want to bring a firstplace trophy back to Pinnacle High. Before she goes off to California, Bender is hoping to bring a basketball championship to her high school.

“It’s different being a senior,” she said. “We have a talented team – but we’re different from last year. We have four freshmen on the team.

“I think we’ll be underrated.”

J an uary 2014

29

sports

The Pinnacle Plan

We have a lot of young talent, and we seem to be working well together.

“Don’t underestimate us,” said Glock, more matter-of-factly than boastfully.

“We have a lot of young talent,” noted Terrano, “and we seem to be working well together.”

Of the three, and of all this year’s roster, Bender played the most by far last season, including court time in the championship game. “It was thrilling. It was an experience you just can’t imagine until you do it. Every play, every pass could make the game.”

She said she worked on her shooting game all summer, and hopes to get that look at the basket as time is running out.

What would a championship mean? “It would definitely put a spotlight on the program,” said Terrano. “We’ve been there (the playoffs) so many times, and fallen short. Especially last year – that was going to be the year, because all those girls played since they were freshmen.”

Though last year was his first as head coach at Pinnacle High, Troy Wiese has been

30

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

coaching since he graduated from high school in Hancock, Minn. He played one year of college basketball, then started focusing on teaching and coaching basketball, baseball and softball. Wiese coached at Moon Valley and Horizon high schools before coming to Pinnacle, and has been teaching sixth graders for 28 years; whether in the classroom or on the court, he preaches learning the basics. “I like to work with fundamentals the most. It’s rewarding when a player has difficulty with a drill at the beginning and then, through hard work, succeeds with it somewhere down the line.”

Glock chuckled, when asked what she most dreads hearing from her coach. “When he gets mad – he just screams,” she said. “But then after a few seconds, he’s back to normal.”

Bender added the coach has little tolerance for a lack of concentration. “When someone’s laughing or goofing around, that’s when he gets mad. He means business.

He’s a friend or a father figure. But on the court, he’s the coach.”

Bender was asked what she’ll remember about her Pinnacle High years, on and off the basketball court.

“The high school experience is something I’ll never forget. Especially the senior year experience. And the whole team, we’re like a family. And all my best friends are on the boys’ basketball team, so they come and support us. Being a senior is something I’ll never forget – it’s going by too fast!”

The Pinnacle girls’ season got off to a fast start, as the Pioneers were 6-2 to start the season. The aforementioned players contributed to a balancing scoring attack, with sophomore Maya Moore something of an unexpected surprise; she popped in 19 points in an early season win.

If Coach Wiese’s players come back strong after Christmas break, it should be another playoff year for the Pinnacle girls.

J an uary 2014

31

32

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Greasewood Flat Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Jamie Pogue

“Sorry, We’re Open.”

That sign greeting visitors from near and far neatly sums up the kind of casual sarcasm – bar snarkiness – that makes folks from Tempe to Cave Creek love Greasewood Flat. This legendary Old West-style bar serving fat burgers, cheap beer and live country music might be the historical center of north Scottsdale.

But was it about to become not historic, but history?

There were concerns among its legions of fans that the sprawling property Greasewood Flat sits on would sell, and the good ol’ joint would fold like a bad poker hand. The property, administered by a trust after the death of George “Doc” Cavalliere in 2009, owes $1 million in estate taxes and more than $1.5 million on a line of credit (spent by the trust to pay its fees and expenses). Many figured the land would be sold off to developers, who would surely bulldoze Greasewood Flat.

Indeed, for a good part of 2013, rumors were flying that this was dead bar walking.

Then a sale emerged with a plan that saved the saloon. The Greasewood Flat Facebook page broke the good news November 20: “OK, it’s official. We have at least one more year here!

Let’s make it a doozy.”

That was music to the ears of old-timer patrons, and a new generation of GF regulars, such as Jess Dillon. “It’s super, super fun,” says Dillon, a 24-year-old Scottsdale resident.

“The kind of fun changes, depending on the time of day or week or who’s there.”

Greasewood Flat is not just a blast, it’s a blast from the past, barns and shacks surrounded by sprawling, ultra-modern homes, hotels, shops, spas, golf courses and restaurants. In contrast to the high-end neighbors, this is a no-frills place, where you grab a massive burger (order at the counter, no fancy wait staff) and a $2 PBR (cash only at the bar), hunker down at a picnic table and enjoy the sounds of country-bluegrass bands.

J an uary 2014

33

On a chilly Friday night, Greasewood Flat looked more

Yet the Greasewood Flat has proved as hard to kill as

like a campground party than a bar, as small groups

the good guy in a Western flick.

huddled around fire pits, with a few couples twostepping it on the concrete dance floor. Most of the

Indeed, the place could serve as the set for a John

patrons – and the mandolin-led trio – were outside,

Wayne shoot-’em-up, with the central, outdoor area

under a starry, crescent-moon night.

suggesting a Wild West town – complete with an oldfashioned barber shop sign. A gift shop sells souvenirs,

There is one small, indoor bar area, a warm, cozy,

and T-shirts like this one: “Greasewood Flat: A shot, a

slightly chaotic area, with hundreds of autographed

beer and an ice cube sandwich. A Real Western Bar.”

dollar bills stuck to a low ceiling. The bartop is filled with graffiti like this:

Those who have visited agree with that. On Yelp, a Scottsdale woman howls like a coyote over Greasewood

3 Things I hate:

Flat: “If you’re looking for a true Western experience

1. Vandalism

it really doesn’t get better than this! Especially when

2. Irony

a lot of people are dancing. The burgers are out of

3. Lists

this world! The best time to experience this is on a chilly winter night when the fire pits are going! Great

One of the bar staff who, with a smirk, asked to be

experience for the kids and great music to just hang

identified as “the handsome bartender,” confirmed that

out all night and enjoy! One of our favorite places to

terms of a recent sale will have GF open “at least

take out of town visitors.”

a year, hopefully longer.” Asked if patrons had been

34

concerned the place would close, he gave a shrug. “As

A

long as I’ve been here, there’s always been rumors.”

“Amazing space. Great cocktails. …Take a walk around

Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

visitor

from

Wisconsin

also

Yelps

delightedly:

the property and you too will be in awe of the treasures sitting around. Build your own campfires. Live music. A dance floor. Highly recommend a stop at Greasewood Flat.”

A Scottsdaler puts it best: “The ultimate Arizona cowboy bar.”

And you know that line about imitation being flattery?

Well, T.C. Thorstenson says this, of his new Hogs and Horses bar in Cave Creek: “I modeled it after Greasewood Flat.”

The sprawling GF was built at the site of a 130-yearold bunkhouse on the historic DC Ranch, which was set up in the late 1800s on thousands of acres, high above the Phoenix valley. Doc bought a 45-acre chunk allegedly to get away from downtown Scottsdale. Doc and his wife, Marge, fixed up the old bunkhouse and put up picnic tables and a dance floor to entertain friends.

The name of what became the neighborhood tavern comes from the greasewood bushes that surround the flat setting nestled in the hills of north Scottsdale.

While the original owners are gone, the spirit of old Scottsdale continues. With bands playing Thursday through Sunday nights and on weekend afternoons, this is the kind of place where the crowd is often part of the show.

“There’re a lot of fun people around,” says Dillon.

“Always interesting people to see. And you get a sense of belonging you don’t find anywhere else. You’ll get the super-rich, hoity-toity Scottsdale people, and construction workers,” Dillon notes, smiling at the thought of it. “When you’re there, those labels just disappear.”

Greasewood Flat 27375 N. Alma School Pkwy., Scottsdale 480-585-9430 www.greasewoodflat.net

J an uary 2014

35

personality

Q A

Five Minutes with...

The Teacher of the Year Writer Tom Scanlon

“Please strongly consider Juby Luensmann for Teacher of the Year,” Morfitt wrote in her nomination letter. “As a math teacher, I find myself examining the math instruction of my children closely. It is obvious to me that Ms. Luensmann has a passion for excellence in math education by instilling within students a desire to learn and challenge themselves to greater levels.

She values innovation and creativity by encouraging students to participate in math challenges outside of NDP.

Juby Luensmann is skilled at the art of turning groans

“The ultimate testimony of her teaching comes

into grins. Many of her north Scottsdale students

directly from my children when they say that she is

grudgingly take her classes in that most dreaded and

one of the best teachers that they have ever had.

feared of subjects, math. Yet they end up thinking,

She truly cares about them both in and out of the

“That wasn’t so bad – and what a cool teacher!” It

classroom. … Her leadership within the school models

doesn’t get any cooler than this: Luensmann was

integrity and fortitude by encouraging her students

recently named the state’s Private School Teacher of

to become the best students and most well-rounded

the Year by the Arizona Council for Private Education.

individuals that they can.”

Her reaction?

The humble Luensmann said she was honored merely to be nominated with such a thoughtful letter. The school’s

“I was really surprised,” she said from the Scottsdale

administration echoes the praise of parents and the

home she shares with her husband, Shane, and

council that presented the award. “Juby exemplifies the

children Sophia, 5, and Henry, 2. “I did not know I

teacher who rejoices when her students succeed,” says

was even nominated!”

NDP Assistant Principal Tanya Bartlett. “She is a coach, a mentor, a guide, and a sage, whatever a student

The nomination came from

Pamela Morfitt, a math

needs in that moment to do his or her best.”

teacher at Desert Canyon Middle School in north Scottsdale who was blown away by the way Luensmann

Luensmann has been a teacher for 16 years, the last

taught Morfitt’s sons, Duncan, who graduated from

half of them here in Scottsdale at Notre Dame Prep.

Notre Dame Preparatory last year, and Creighton, a

“My philosophy is that there is a mathematician in

junior at Notre Dame.

all of us,” she says. “My goal is to teach students to become the best mathematician that they can be.”

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Front Row: NDP Principal Jim Gmelich, Phoenix Diocese Superintendent of Schools MaryBeth Mueller, 2013 Teacher of the Year Juby Luensmann, NDP math teacher Liz Collister, NDP Dean of Students David Harris and NDP Assistant Principal Tanya Bartlett Back Row: NDP Assistant Principal Jerry Zander and NDP Behavioral Health Specialist Bill Mueller

Thanks to instructors like her, Notre Dame Prep students are earning glowing math scores. In 2013, the average SAT math score for NDP students was 577, significantly higher than the 528 average for Arizona students, and the national average of 514.

On the math portion of the 2013 ACT test, Notre Dame students averaged 25.1, again much higher than the state average of 20.3 and a national average of 20.9.

ImagesAZ recently caught up to the “Teacher of the Year” for a Q&A:

ImagesAZ: Have

to ask – “Juby” is an unusual name, where

does it come from?

Juby Luensmann: First

off, thank you for not mistaking

my name for ‘Judy’! My parents are immigrants from the southern part of India. My name actually comes from ‘jubilee.’

ImagesAZ: Where

do you live, and how long have you lived

in Arizona?

JL: I

currently reside in Scottsdale. I am originally from Chicago.

I moved here in 2001. I have a cousin who lives here, and I used to visit Arizona. One year, I came here for a spring-break visit, and went back to a blizzard in Chicago. I decided I was done with the cold.

ImagesAZ: How

long have you wanted to be a teacher and

where did you do your training/schooling?

JL:

During my sophomore year in high school, I took a class

on child development. We had a daycare at the high school.

This is where I was first exposed to creating a lesson plan and teaching children. However, when I enrolled in college, I enrolled as a pre-pharmacy major. I quickly realized during my freshmen year in college that I had a calling for teaching. So I received my bachelors in elementary education with a concentration in math at the University of Illinois at Chicago. When I moved to Arizona, I received my masters in math education at Arizona State University.

J an uary 2014

37

ImagesAZ: When and JL: I have always enjoyed

why did you decide to make math your focus? math. I did have my struggles, but I always managed to find

my way. When I made the decision to become a teacher during my freshmen year in college, I knew that I really wanted to focus on teaching mathematics.

ImagesAZ: What are some of the things you have learned from your students?

JL: Over the years, I have learned some alternative methods of solving problems from students. I have also learned patience from my students. I remember a former student of mine telling me to “inhale the Jesus and exhale the negativity!” I keep this in mind when I’m stressed or frustrated.

ImagesAZ: Can

you “break through” to a student who is resistant to math, or does

there have to be a natural aptitude and/or interest on the student’s part?

JL: I

understand that math comes easier to some than others. However, I truly believe

that each student has the potential of learning math. Some students have to work harder at it. I tell my students that I have had some road blocks along the way. Through hard work and determination, I was able to overcome these obstacles. I encourage my students to do the same by putting forth their best effort to find success.

ImagesAZ: Kids

are so tuned in to new technology. Is that one way to reach them?

Do you try to explain the math behind some of the popular techno-toys?

JL: I

have used the SmartBoard to help with the math lessons. The interactive graphing

calculator allows for me to better demonstrate its proper usage. This year, I have created YouTube videos of my lessons. Students can now view the lesson in the comfort of their home. If there is something they missed or did not understand, they can go back to the videos to help refresh their memory.

I have not discussed with students the math behind the techno-toys. When they complain about math, I casually remind them of things around them that wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for math and science.

ImagesAZ: Which

three mathematicians, living or not, would you most like to meet

for dinner?

JL: Ramanujan

is a mathematician from South India. He came from a humble background

and basically had to self-teach math. He had no formal teaching in mathematics, and yet is one of the great mathematicians from India. The dedication he had to learning math is very inspiring. Rene Descartes and Blaise Pascal are mathematicians that we discuss in class. Not only were they great mathematicians, but they were famous philosophers as well. I find their philosophy of life and religion to be fascinating. A conversation with these two would definitely keep me thinking!

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Grace

Reigning

Writer Amanda Christmann Larson Photographer Bryan Black

There are some things I knew. I can Google with the best of them, and there were lots of statistics floating in my head as Siri on my iPhone led me down the winding dirt roads of Rio Verde.

I knew, for example, that over 14,000 children in Arizona were in foster care, group homes and crisis centers in March 2013, and that the majority of those children – over 88 percent – are victims of neglect. Just a handful of those children are fostered for less than a month; over 2,300 Arizona children are in foster care for more than two years.* I also knew that foster care is tough. There are some amazing foster care parents out there, and to them I tip my imaginary hat, but there are also homes that are unprepared (or worse) for traumatized kids to land in. It also doesn’t take a lot of asking around to learn how burdened current care providers and social workers are. There are just over 3,500 licensed foster homes in the entire state of Arizona, and nearly a third of the state’s social workers left their jobs for different pastures last year.

**

It’s grim. It’s ugly. And it’s not the stuff that most people want to talk about over drinks with co-workers or lounging by the pool. That’s what makes Chris and Amanda Moore so special, and it’s the reason I was testing the off-road capabilities of my Prius.

After a few turns north of 164th Street and Dynamite in the wilds east of Scottsdale, the sweet smell of horses and hay go from a hint to a statement. The beauty and relative isolation of the homes here may have once been an organic development, but now the people who live on this quiet piece of desert paradise maintain it quite purposefully.

Sweat still has more value than frippery in these parts, and it’s only fitting that Reigning Grace Ranch be located in such a spot.

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The ranch itself is a bit sprawling, but not pretentiously so. A total of 33 horses, as well as a few other friendly faces, congregate in several paddocks. Unlike other facilities, the horses divide themselves into pairs and herds and are not boarded in individual stables. This, too, is by design.

Nearly all of these horses are rescued, some from situations of neglect or trauma, some as retired race horses, and some from homes that can no longer support them or others from wild herds whose territory has been encroached on by human development. They each have a story, and Amanda shares each one as she walks easily through a sea of curious muzzles and swishing tails.

“We keep them in their natural environment,” Amanda says. “They’re all barefoot, and they can roam around almost anywhere they want to go here. By keeping them this way, it helps keep them really chill. They like to be moving around and social.”

These horses deserve to be social; they’ve got plenty of work to do.

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Each week, these horses are restorative for the souls of about 50 children who are considered “at risk.” Many are in foster care or in state custody.

Some have been adopted. Some are dealing with personal tragedies like death or divorce in their families. Some struggle with self-esteem issues or other difficult demons. In any case, they find horsepowered peace and healing in the strength and vulnerability of these four-legged companions.

“It’s almost magical what happens when you pair broken horses with broken children,” Amanda tells me.

I feel it as I watch a small group of young people paired with a group of eager adult mentors happily busy themselves with their first chores of the day.

One of the many unique aspects about Reigning Grace Ranch is that the horses are in charge of “picking” the children they work with. They are remarkably intuitive. Whether it’s from centuries of honing their predator-sensing skills, or simply because they are more empathetic than most people give them credit for, horses seem to sense breathing patterns, heart rates, and the energy people have when they step into the paddock. They sense when they should stay away – and they sense when they are needed.

“It’s remarkable,” Amanda tells me pointedly. “Almost every time, when a horse chooses a child, they do it for a reason. Something happens that day. Nine out of 10 times, they see something in that horse that reminds them of themselves, and they bond in a way that they were just supposed to bond.”

Inside the tack house, among the halters and bridles hangs a single picture made from blotches of brightly colored finger paints in the would-be unmistakable artwork of a child. Amanda takes it down from the wall and laughs. “This is our elephant,” she says. I don’t hide my confusion, so she explains that the picture is artwork created by a child and a horse

J an uary 2014

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together, using non-toxic paints and the horse’s lips as a brush of sorts. The child decided the painting looked like an elephant, and so it was.

Sometimes children use horse art to depict more than pachyderms. Some days, they use the paints to create stories on the horses themselves, sharing pieces of their own pain through the emotional safety and trust of their living canvas.

It’s not just artwork that heals these children. They journal, they groom the horses, they do chores, and they get down and dirty in the most productive of ways; and of course, they ride. Through it all, they escape the world and its pain for a few hours each week and heal wounds that, in some cases, cut deep and wide and would not mend without the love and compassion of Reigning Grace.

Amanda and Chris know this all-too-well, because the horses healed them, too.

A few years ago, with the economy in the dumps and the stress of their business tearing their marriage apart, they made the decision to invest in two horses.

“We had been to Arabian horse shows, and we thought horses were something we could do together outside of work,” says Amanda. They purchased land in Rio Verde, and began to enjoy ranch life.

“The horses were a wake-up call that we had to get real,” Amanda explains as Chris lets out a holler of happiness around the corner. He is mentoring a little boy, who is clearly enjoying his time on the ranch.

“The horses know when you’re in a bad mood, or when you’re not being authentic. If you say you’re OK but you’re really angry or upset, the horses can tell.”

She continues: “I would get mad at Chris sometimes when he didn’t want to be around me because I was

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

in a bad mood or not being nice. When I’d come out to the horses, though, they wouldn’t want to be around me either. I had to stop and realize, ‘Maybe I’m not being very nice.’ They started to make me see my own issues, and they made me start to change.”

During that time, on one clear evening, two more muzzles appeared outside of their fence. These were wild horses whose herd was struggling to survive in the hot Arizona sun.

Decades ago, the herd originated on a local ranch and grazed atwill. Cattle guards and fences kept them contained, but as land was purchased and subdivided, cattle guards were filled in and fences torn down. The scrappy horses wandered off of their land and into the surrounding McDowell Mountains, where they lived and died for years.

Amanda first noticed the two hungry stragglers when she was feeding her own horses. “I couldn’t feed mine and not feed them,” she says.

And so she did. The next night, though, there were four sets of eyes begging for hay. Then eight.

Not too long afterward, Amanda went out of town for a night. She reminded Chris to feed the wild horses while he was doing evening chores.

“I got a phone call from Chris,” Amanda laughs. “He said, ‘Which horses do you want me to feed? Because for as far as I can see, there is a horse behind every single tree out here.’”

There were 40-50 wild horses that had come to the couple for food. In a short period of time, though, they proved to be less than “neigh”borly, trampling neighbors’ land and raiding their hay piles. The Moores teamed up with friends and rounded them up, managing to get most adopted by other horse lovers.

Through the process, they noticed they were attracting another group seeking refuge. Neighborhood kids, some going through their own struggles, began appearing regularly, bonding with the horses and finding unconditional acceptance. Chris and Amanda recognized the opportunity, and made the decision to walk forward in the purpose they’d been handed.

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Today, Reigning Grace Ranch is the kind of amazing place where dreams come true – even those dreams that have been tucked away into dark corners and covered in a layer of fear and sadness. It’s a place where no person or animal is a misfit, including the ranch’s single Jersey cow, Norman, who seems to think he is a horse. No one minds, though, because at Reigning Grace, it’s possible to be whoever you want to be without judgment.

The ranch is 100 percent donation-funded, although there is little wiggle room in its budget. It also runs on the kindness of volunteers, from retired teachers to college students, who mentor children, exercise horses, and keep up with the tremendous amount of work it takes to keep miracles happening.

The Moores are always looking for volunteers to lend expertise in construction, plumbing, and physical labor, as well as volunteer mentors, who are carefully screened for the safety of the vulnerable children who trust them.

And, of course, they need monetary donations.

As I drove away down the now-familiar route, I couldn’t help but think I had witnessed something wonderful.

Sure, the horses were more than special, and the affection I witnessed between children, caring adults, and animals was exceptional. But what really struck me was the extraordinarily beauty of the love that brought so many together.

When we open our hearts to other creatures, no matter how many legs they have, we experience something unique. Where we have been and what has marked us in life are no longer important. It’s something like grace, and let grace reign. www.reigninggraceranch.org *Statistics provided by CASA of Arizona. **Arizona Department of Economic Security bi-annual report.

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

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J an uary 2014

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The Legacy of a Warrior Writer Amanda Christmann Larson

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

Miracles. Gifts are granted to us every day. The air we breathe, the food we have such easy access to, the simple pleasure of being able to move about in the world, unobstructed and able-bodied. It’s easy to take these gifts for granted, forgetting them amidst the hustle and bustle throughout the day. That’s why sometimes life sends us little reminders: reminders to love each other, care for each other, and to never forget the miracles in our lives.

Sometimes those reminders – angels of sorts, if you will – come in the form of little boys with big brown eyes and a shock of dark brown hair.

Wylder James Laffoon was born May 15, 2009. He

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was a beautiful, perfect baby boy, and his parents Steven and Shannon were the standard variety doting first-time parents. They were over the moon with happiness, and they held dreams of soccer games and sailing trips.

Their bliss lasted just one month before the first warning sign appeared. Wylder developed terrible reflux. Three months later, tests showed his liver enzymes were elevated, but doctors believed Wylder

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had a virus. At seven months old, upon his parents’ insistence, Wylder’s doctors performed a liver biopsy.

“Our doctors thought we were crazy,” Steven said.

“They kept telling us it was viral, but we wanted to know if it was something more. We felt like, if we could get a diagnosis, we could do something to help before damage was done.”

January 7, 2010, Steven and Shannon met their pediatrician, Dr. Gerlach, at a geneticist’s office to discuss the findings. When they arrived, both doctors were in suits, and the young couple knew something serious was happening.

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earth-shattering news that your child is going to die.

J an uary 2014

49

Perhaps that’s why so many of us avoid hearing stories

When we first met Wylder in early 2012, there

like the Laffoons’. It’s too close to home. It really could

were only five children alive in the world with NPA,

happen, and no one wants to entertain that possibility.

and about as many doctors and researchers who understood the disease. At any given time, as

Steven, who had documented the entire medical

children pass and new babies are diagnosed, five

journey up to that point to make sure he had the

seems to be the average number of young NPA

tools he needed to “fix” it, brought a small recorder

patients. Niemann Pick Type A is one of more than

that day, not knowing he’d record the pained crack

50 identified lysosomal storage diseases.

in the doctor’s voice when he dealt the initial blow, or the sobs of he and Shannon as their world was

With his parents valiantly fighting for answers, poring

turned upside down. In a matter of moments, the

over stacks of research, Wylder’s condition continued

diagnosis and prognosis grew more and more grim.

to deteriorate. The pair became over-the-counter neuro-scientists, nurses and advocates, pushing the

Wylder was born with a very rare genetic abnormality

envelope on research and treatment for Wylder by

called Niemann-Pick disorder. Worse to hear that

trying all that Western and Eastern medicine had

fateful January day was that Wylder has the most

to offer. They flew around the country, speaking to

aggressive form of Niemann-Pick, Type A (NPA).

scientists, foundations, drug companies and the FDA. They did everything they could to find a cure or a

Classified as a lysosomal storage disease, NPA affected

treatment, but time was not on their side.

Wylder’s body’s ability to metabolize a fat, called sphyngomyelin, produced by every cell in the body.

As their network grew and glimmers of optimism

Wylder did not make the enzyme needed to break that

were on the horizon, they realized that the time

fat down into energy, so it accumulated in his cells,

would come when their fight would no longer be for

eventually killing them. The disease had caused severe

Wylder, but for others.

brain damage by the time he was a year old.

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

On July 20, 2012 at 5:15 a.m., three-year-old Wylder’s time here on earth came to an end. He left peacefully, snuggled in bed with his parents, in his own way, winning his battle with Niemann Pick A, the disease that stole his body, but couldn’t take away the lessons or the love he exemplified.

In a private ceremony just off the coast of Maui, under the brilliant blue sky, Wylder’s ashes were released into the crystal sea among 5,000 flowers tossed

in

beautiful

memory.

A

friend

gently

strummed “Twinkle, Twinkle,” and as the current reclaimed Wylder’s body, his spirit was finally freed.

In his short lifetime, Wylder the Warrior inspired thousands

of

people

to

live

like

a

warrior,

embracing each day as an opportunity to make a difference for others, and to recognize that each moment in life is precious.

Their story could have ended there. Many parents stop their fight with the death of a child, and the Laffoons certainly had reason to be exhausted. But Shannon and Steven believed Wylder’s life was not an accident, that it was a miracle. They believed he came with a purpose, and that his was a legacy of love for the 48 children born each and every day with a lysosomal storage disease. Together, they dried their tears and strengthened their already iron-clad resolve. They started the Wylder Nation Foundation to help other families like themselves who were short on answers and long on hope.

Roughly one in 7,000 children is born with a lysosomal storage disorder. Most do not live to celebrate their fifth birthday. There are no cures for these genetic diseases, and only six of the 50 recognized versions have FDA-approved treatments.

The Wylder Nation Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is continuing the warrior fight to advance research, provide funding for medical J an uary 2014

51

trials, encourage dialogue among experts from different fields and encourage the families who are often silently feeling the pain of helplessly watching a child suffer the effects of a lysosomal storage disease.

Wylder Nation Foundation is a warrior community of families, scientists and doctors who are passionate about connecting with each other and sharing hope with those affected by childhood lysosomal storage disorders.

“Our thinking is that, although each lysosomal storage disorder is different, many share common hurdles to overcome,” Steven said. “For example, crossing the blood/brain barrier has been a tremendous challenge in creating potential therapies. We strongly believe that, by focusing on the common obstacles, the answers for one lysosomal storage disease may be the key to others as well.”

And so their fight continues.

For those of us fortunate enough to bear witness to this remarkable family and their journey, Wylder constantly reminds us of the miracles: the miracle of life, of love, and of hope. The strength and the beauty that one little boy inspired in the world is humbling. The Laffoons took a situation that brought them to their knees and turned it around to help others. They embraced their pain, held on to each other, and accepted the gifts in their grief.

Today, they are also welcoming a second chance at parenthood.

A new little life will be entering the world, this time without the pain and limitations of a lysosomal storage disease. Their second son, whose name is yet to be determined, will arrive sometime around February 28 – which is National Rare Diseases Day, not by coincidence the Laffoons believe. It’s also not a stretch to think that, from somewhere above, his older brother will be smiling.

Because miracles really do happen all the time. It is not Wylder’s death that touched those who knew him, rather it was the way he lived the life he was given. He spent his short time here on earth as a teacher, and his lessons, and his spirit, live on. www.wyldernation.org

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

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J an uary 2014

53

Music is, almost by definition, a form of entertainment.

Yet there are some who believe it is a powerful, positive force. While a perky song you like might snap you out of a brief funk, those who are using

MIM

music as therapy say rhythms can be “healers” that are far more effective than pharmaceuticals.

As usual, the Musical Instrument Museum has plenty going on in January, with diverse entertainers such as intense singer-songwriter Shawn Colvin (January 22 and 23), fast-rising English band the Dunwells (January 30), American Idol winner David Cook (January 12), Grammy-nominated bluegrass band the Grascals (January 16), Americana singer Josh Ritter (January 20, with Gregory Alan Isakov) and Steve Gadd, drummer on Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and Steely Dan’s “Aja.” Then there is what may be one of the more outof-the-box events put on by the always-progressive MIM: “Music and Dementia: Hitting the Right Note” Tuesday, January 21, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

The folks behind this are an interesting duo: Frank Thompson of AZ Rhythm Connection and Dr. Maribeth Gallagher, director of Hospice of the Valley’s dementia program. She will speak about “the role of music in dementia care and how to use music to optimize the well-being of persons with dementia as well as their caregivers.”

Gallagher has personal experience on both fronts, as a former professional singer and caregiver for a loved one with dementia.

The like-minded Thompson has a great deal of experience in exploring music not just as an audience-pleaser,

but

as

an

audience-healer.

“Entertainment is the least of it,” Thompson Writer Tom Scanlon

said. “Music is always entertaining and engaging, but it’s always healthful too. …Our fundamental technique is to use group drumming to create

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Jan u a r y 2 0 1 4

a

safe

and

welcome

space

for

MIM artist, I have led many community

participants to easily and joyfully join

and culturally specific group drumming

in together to make rhythm and sing

events including Irish Bodran, East

songs,” explains Thompson, a north

Indian Tabla and West African Djembe.”

Scottsdale resident.

An Arizona State University adjunct faculty

Thompson’s

AZ

Rhythm

member,

Thompson

leads

Connection

group music and rhythm experiences

has been around for a dozen years,

at the Music Therapy Clinic at ASU’s

always with a higher purpose than

School of Music.

simply jamming. “We have been making community music with dementia care

Though AZ Rhythm Connection does

and cancer patients since our beginning,”

regular performances in Fountain Hills,

says Thompson. “We provide community

Paradise Valley, Phoenix and Scottsdale,

music-making with many populations

Thompson pleads not to think of

and under-served groups.”

them as traditional sit-there-and-listen experiences. “We don’t do any ‘shows,’

Thompson started his musical journey

that would be entertainment. We do a

as a singer in San Diego, then found

variety of health rhythms protocols –

himself

not just for dementia, but for stress

drawn

to

percussion;

he

founded a rhythm and drum circle

management.”

called “Classic Moment Entertainment” in

San

Diego,

where

he

played

African/Caribbean beats.

Whether

engaging

in

participatory

music with cancer patients, adults with mental health issues, folks dealing with

Since coming to Arizona, he has

holiday stress or just fun-loving kids,

become

passionate

Thompson says the “connection” in

about using music to help people

his group’s name is key. “Our world is

with dementia and other populations

about community events.” He gives a

who

issues.

laugh, then provides self-commentary:

“It’s really positive. There’s a lot of

“Every other word you hear out of me is

literature and research out there –

community, community, community – but

I’m not a researcher, but there’s a

it’s really connecting people musically.”

have

increasingly

mental

health

lot of documentation that shows the positive impact, sometimes music is

Part of that connection is to form a

an anchor that brings them back to

non-judgmental setting; so, if you get

reality,” he said. “It often opens a

involved in one of his participatory non-

gateway -- ways of communicating

shows, don’t be afraid when the drum

that you didn’t have before.”

comes your way. “It doesn’t matter how well anyone plays, whatever music

Thompson has been a teaching artist

comes out of it is the right music.

at the MIM since it opened. “As a “It’s always in-the-moment music.”

J an uary 2014

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dining guide

Cartwright’s 6710 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek 480-488-8031 www.cartwrightssonoranranchhouse.com

For 13 years, Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House has been part of the foothills community. Our commitment to preserving and sustaining our rich Western heritage and the land to which we are connected has long been loved and appreciated by our customers.

We walk a fine line between maintaining our cherished history and serving the evolving demands of a changing world.

In keeping with our own high standards, we’ve taken the input our valued customers have given us and developed a new menu we know our customers will appreciate. Steaks and seafood are butchered in-house, and all of our sauces, breads, dressings and desserts are made fresh daily.

Our food continues to be steeped in rich ranching history and ethnic flavors of the Southwest. “Our new menu allows us to actually go further back to our roots and embrace the heritage of hearth and wood-fired cooking, while presenting them in a modern comfortable style,” says co-owner Eric Flatt. More creativity – and more history – infused into the many delicious selections make Cartwright’s unique and special.

With more sustainable and locally grown and sourced selections has come a new atmosphere as well. Linen tablecloths have been replaced with beautiful solid-wood tables fashioned out of the floors of old railroad cars. Chairs built from wood repurposed from all over the world are comfortable and inviting. Manzanita branches, lit from below with gentle lights reminiscent of a campfire glow, create a warm and unique look that takes diners back in time to the days on the range. Even the plaid-clad wait staff are reminiscent of home cooked suppers on the ranch.

Cartwright’s is part of north Valley history, and its uncommon approach makes for an unparalleled dining experience.

“I can truly say that we approach our food with gratitude, the honesty of knowing where our products come from and the skill which our talented chefs possess,” says Flatt.

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dining guide J an uary 2014

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marketplace Wild Holly Gallery Recently chosen as the “art spot to visit” when traveling to Arizona by American Art Collector magazine, Wild Holly Gallery is a must-see when you visit Carefree, Arizona. The sprawling art gallery is located right in the heart of downtown Carefree and features American

Each piece tells a story, and she knows all of them. If you’re interested in making a purchase, she can help you find the right piece as well.

You’ll also get the help of Diego, a black-and-white

artists of all styles and mediums.

tuxedo cat who’s the real boss of the gallery. You’ll be

As steel kinetic wind sculpture draws you inside, the

Diego’s furry friends at Foothills Animal Rescue, a local

question then becomes, ‘Where do I start?’ You’ll be fascinated by the gallery’s colors, textures and energy.

What makes Wild Holly Gallery different among Carefree galleries? It’s the eclecticism. You won’t see this stunning array of art anywhere else in the Phoenix area.

Wild Holly features over 95 artists from all over the country. Styles range from traditional to ultra-modern, with everything in between.

The highly multifaceted collection includes paintings, pottery, jewelry, sculpture, copper, glass lighting and wearable art. The gallery expanded it’s eclectic assortment in November to include 23 wearable art textile designers; featuring Teri Jo Summers, one-of-kind couture designs. Its fountains are its most talked-about pieces. Wild Holly Gallery began as a shop that sold fountains and garden art, and it has stayed close to its

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Holly Pagliaro-Bergman is there to lend a helping hand.

happy to know that a portion of all sales to go help no-cage, no-kill animal shelter.

Almost 5,000 square feet and 2 floors of the gallery are bursting with lively energy. It’s a great place to stop for the afternoon while you’re strolling the streets of Carefree. It’s also an excellent place for adding to your own collection or bringing back a piece from your Arizona trip.

Carefree, Arizona is located in the foothills just north of Phoenix. It’s a scenic town set amid the high Sonoran desert with a background of mountain vistas and sweeping desert views. It boasts its own unique flora and fauna which is showcased at the new Desert Gardens. Wild Holly Gallery is located right on Easy Street, Carefree’s main drag, in the historic Bradbury Building at the corner of Ho Hum Way.

roots.

480-595-8757

You may feel overwhelmed, but don’t despair. Owner

www.wildhollygallery.com

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22 Easy St., Carefree

Flat Tire Bike Shop Looking to buy a bike? Need a little help making the right decision? When you purchase a bicycle, you’re not just buying a bike; you’re buying into the cycling experience.

Flat Tire Bike Shop can help you find the bike that’s right for you, and our friendly staff provides the information and maintenance needed to keep you in the saddle.

Don’t fret about what brand of bike to buy. Instead, focus on what shop you feel comfortable with, and simply buy a brand they know, sell and service. Most quality bike shops sell bikes that are similar, if not identical, to every other shop down the road. It is the people who make the difference in great bike shops.

Your comfort with the shop will ensure that you will enjoy this new cycling experience for the long-term. It’s about how the bike fits you and your needs, so that you are comfortable riding it and are excited to get back on it time and again. Above all else, buying a bike should be hassle-free and fun.

At Flat Tire Bike Shop we do our best to provide a great bike shop experience.

480-488-5261 6149 E. Cave Creek Rd. Cave Creek www.flattirebikes.com J an uary 2014

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marketplace

The Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear For over a decade, the Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear has been part of life’s most beautiful moments. We have helped brides create looks that match the inner radiance they feel on their wedding day, and helped mothers shine. Brides looking for destination couture make their mark with Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear. From black-tie charity events to the red carpet, we take great pride in our role in making memories special.

At Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear, we take great pride in carrying dresses from outstanding American designers, as well as collections from Paris and Italy.

You’ll be delighted to discover our talented designers, many of whom have worked exclusively with our store through the years.

We reserve a collection of couture cocktail attire and gowns for all formal events, and we’ve built a reputation throughout the country as a remarkable boutique with affordable choices. Most of our dresses are available in a variety of colors. In addition to offering a large number of selections, our uncompromising service will relieve you of your worries so you can focus on the joy of the occasion.

Visit us at D.C. Ranch Crossing, 18291 N. Pima Rd., Suite A125 in Scottsdale for stylish, cosmopolitan bridal and mothers’ gowns and accessories, grandmother’s dresses, semi-formal and prom dresses, evening suits and blacktie apparel.

Appointments are suggested and appreciated. After-hours appointments are available upon request.

480-419-7755 18291 N. Pima Rd., Suite A125, Scottsdale www.qbrideandformals.com

Let There Be Light Let There Be Light is a local company that specializes in low-voltage outdoor lighting.

became known as the go-to guys for outdoor lighting due to their expertise and vast knowledge of the industry.

“Lighting is all we do,” says Bryan Gold, owner of the company. “We don’t get into hardscape, landscaping or irrigation, which allows us to be experts at what we do best.” Bryan believes that finding your niche in an industry and sticking with it is what makes the difference. “We sit down with our clients on a personal basis to discuss their needs and design a lighting system based around each customer’s requirements.”

From lighting tune-ups and LED retro-fits on existing jobs, to complete lighting design and installation from the ground up, Let There Be Light can provide you with an unmatched lighting system for years to come.

Let There Be Light is known for “Properly Lighting Landscapes One Property at a Time.”

480-575-3204 www.lettherebelightllc.com

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Let There

Be Light was established in March 2007 and quickly

480.596.9222

www.summit-arizona.com 7202 E. Carefree Dr. • Bldg 3, Suite 1 • Carefree, AZ 85377

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Representing 103 American Artists

Wild HollyGallery.com J an uary 2014

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local index

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 www.imagesaz.com For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 www.pricelessplumbing.com Proskill Services 623-551-7473 www.proskillservices.com Art Gallery Wild Holly Gallery 480-595-8757 22 Easy Street Carefree, AZ www.wildhollygallery.com Automotive Sales AZ Used Care Factory 602-359-2539 www.azusedcarfactory.com Sanderson Lincoln 602-375-7500 www.sandersonlincoln.com Beauty Salon Studio C 480-664-0602 www.studiocsalonsaz.com Skin Care Merle Norman Cosmetics 480-948-1659 7001 N. Scottsdale Rd., B-125 Bike SHop Flat Tire Bike Shop 6149 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-5261 www.flattirebikes.com Bridal and Formal Wear The Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear 8291 N. Pima Rd. A125 480-419-7755 www.qbrideandformals.com Buy and Sell Gold American Federal 480-553-5282 www.americanfederal.com College Paradise Valley Community College 602-493-2600 my.maricopa.edu

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COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE Animal Control 602-506-7387 Community Loan Closet 480-488-8400 Foothills Animal Rescue 480-488-9890 Foothills Caring Corps 480-488-1105 Foothills Food Bank 480-488-1145 Foothills Caring Corps 480-488-1105 Salvation Army 480-488-3590 St. Vincent de Paul Society 602-254-3338 COMMUNITY organizations American Legion Post No. 34 & Auxiliary 480-488-2669 Arizona Archaeological Society 480-595-9255 Arizona Musicfest 480-488-0806 Cave Creek Museum 480-488-2764 Desert Awareness Committee 480-488-1090

Foothills Community Foundation 480-488-1090 McDowell Sonoran Conservancy www.mcdowellsonoran.org 480-998-7971 Newcomers Club of Scottsdale 480-990-1976 www.newcomersclubofscottsdale.com Rotary Club 480-585-9157 Sonoran Arts League 480-575-6624 Soroptimist International 480-522-6692 YMCA 480-596-9622 Financial Planning Investments Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Pope Scanlon Team Glee Pope - 480-502-6072 Owen Scanlon - 480-922-7909 Summit Wealth Management 7202 E. Carefree Drive, Building 3, Suite 1 480-596-9222 www.summit-arizona.com Flooring Carefree Floors 480-515-9999 www.carefreefloors.com

Desert Foothills Community Association 480-488-4043

Garage Door Dynamic Door Service 602-335-1077 www.wefixuglydoors.com

Desert Foothills Community Education 480-575-2440

Government/business Motor Vehicle Department 602-255-0072

Desert Foothills Land Trust 480-488-6131

Social Security 800-772-1213

Desert Foothills Theater 480-488-1981

Voter Registration 602-506-1511

For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

Hair Restoration Dontes of New York 480-483-8800 www.dontes.com Handyman Desert Foothills Handyman Service 602-540-9794 www.1handyman4you.com Hauling/Rubbish Removal Rubbish Works Local Junk Removal & Recycling 480-545-1220 Ext. 711 800-501-9324 www.rubbishworks.com/phoenix Health care Cierra Medical Walk-In Care 480-575-0131 Desert Foothills Medical Center 480-488-9220 Mayo Clinic 480-515-6296 Mayo Hospital 480-585-6296 Paradise Valley Hospital 602-923-5000 Scottsdale Healthcare 480-324-7000 7400 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy.

480-323-3000 90th St. & Shea Blvd.

Home COntractor & Design New Legacy Building & Design 480-363-6713 www.newlagacybuilding.com

Landscape Design and Maintenance A Couple of Green Thumbs 6061 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-2155 www.acoupleofgreenthumbs.com Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 www.azulverde.com Library Appaloosa Library 480-312-7323 Desert Broom Library 602-262-4636 Desert Foothills Library 480-488-2286 Outdoor Furniture Carefree Outdoor Living 480-575-3091 www.carefreeoutdoor.com Outdoor Lighting Let There be Light, LLC 480-575-3204 www.lettherebelightllc.com Parks Cave Creek Regional Park 623-465-0431 Gateway Desert Awareness 480-488-1400 Spur Cross Ranch 480-488-6601 Cave Creek Ranger 480-595-3300

House Cleaning The Maids Scottsdale 602-923-4000 www.themaidsscottsdale.com

PEst control Paradise Pest Control 602-677-9780 www.paradisepest.com

Insurance Allstate Insurance Frank M. Schubert 480-515-6259

PET Supplies Pinnacle Horse & Pet 480-575-1242 6015 E. Cave Creek Road www.pinnaclehorseandpet.com

State Farm Kyle Vanlandingham 480-515-4400

local index

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 www.imagesaz.com

Photography Karen Sophia Photography 480-543-7526 www.karensophiaphotography.com Loralei Photography 602-795-0555 www.loraleiphotography.com Plumbing Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 www.pricelessplumbing.com Proskill Services 623-551-7473 www.proskillservices.com Podiatry Westland Family Foot and Ankle Specialist 480-361-2500 www.westlandffas.com Pool Design/construction Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 www.azulverde.com Post office Scottsdale Post Office 7339 E. Williams Dr. 480-513-2935 Real Estate Jean Ransdell Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 480-294-3257 www.arizonaluxuryrealty.com Tom Scappaticci Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 602-430-4081 www.arizonaluxuryrealty.com Restaurant Cartwright’s Sonoran Ranch House 480-488-8031 cartwrightssonoranranchhouse.com English Rose Tea Room 480-488-4812 201 Easy St. Carefree, AZ www.carefreetea.com

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local index

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 www.imagesaz.com For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

Retirement Community The Heritage at Carefree 480-488-1622 www.heritagecarefree.com

Little Sunshine’s Playhouse and Preschool 480-585-7000 www.littlesunshine.com

SCHOOL Annunciation Catholic School 480-361-8234

Lone Mountain Elementary School 480-437-3000

Bella Vista Private School 480-575-6001 Black Mountain Elementary School 480-575-2100 Career Success School 480-575-0075 Copper Ridge School 480-484-1400 Community Education Preschool 480-575-2072 Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool 480-585-8007 Desert Canyon Middle School 480-484-4600 Desert Sun Academy 480-575-2900 Desert Willow Elementary School 480-575-2800 DO Re Mi School of the Arts 480-451-8233 El Dorado Private School 480-502-6878 www.eldoradops.com Foothills Academy 480-488-5583 Goddard School 480-437-1000 Grayhawk Elementary School 602-449-6600 www.pvschools.net Horseshoe Trails Elementary School 480-272-8500

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McDowell Mtn Ranch KinderCare 480-538-0411 www.kindercare.com Notre Dame Preparatory 480-634-8200 www.notredamepreparatory.org Our Lady of Joy Preschool 480-595-6409 Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain 602-493-2600 Pinnacle High School 602-449-4000 Pinnacle Peak Elementary School 480-538-7120 www.pvschools.net Pope John XXIII Catholic School Community 480-905-0939 www.popejohnxxiii.org Quality Interactive Montessori School 480-575-5269 www.qimontessori.com Scottsdale Christian Academy 602-992-5100 www.scarizona.org Scottsdale Preparatory Academy 480-776-1970 www.scottsdaleprep.org Sonoran Trails Middle School Main Line 480-272-8600 Attendance: 480-272-8604 The Scottsdale School 480-451-9442 www.thescottsdaleschool.com Ventana Academic School 480-488-9362

Sheriff Sheriff’s Posse 602-256-1895 Shopping Cave Creek Candle & Gifts 6245 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-7799 www.cavecreekcandles.com Finders Creekers 602-739-3494 6554 E. Cave Creek Road Las Tiendas 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd. www.lastiendascavecreek.com Stefan Mann 3455 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite G10 480-488-3371 www.stefanmann.com Technology Support Tech 4 Life 748 Easy Street #5 480-553-9171 www.techfourlife.com Vacation Rental Homes Kobey’s Cozy Desert Oasis 602-359-2539 www.kobeyscozydesertoasis.com Water Softener & Filtration Priceless Plumbing Heating & Air 480-595-5330 www.pricelessplumbing.com Proskill Services 623-551-7473 www.proskillservices.com window treatments Carefree Coverings 602-617-2920 7275 E. Easy Street Worship Black Mountain Baptist Church 480-488-1975 www.bmbcaz.com Black Mountain United Church of Christ 480-575-1801 www.bmucc.com

For Advertising Information Shelly Spence :: 623-341-8221 shelly@imagesaz.com

Canyon Church of Christ 623-889-3388 www.canyonchurch.org

Episcopal Church-The Nativity 480-307-9216 www.nativityscottsdale.org

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church 480-585-9448 www.pinnaclepres.org

Carefree Highway Community Church 480-488-5565 www.carefreechurch.us

First Baptist Church of Cave Creek 480-488-2958

Redeemer Lutheran Church 480-585-7002 redeemer.vze.com

First Church of Christ Scientist 480-488-2665 www.csarizona.com

Sanctuary Church 480-656-0081 www.sanctuaryforscottsdale.com

Christ Anglican Episcopal Church 480-488-0525 www.christchurchaz.org

Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church 480-488-3283 www.goodshepherdaz.org

Son Rise Community Church 480-502-2834 www.sonrisescottsdale.org

Christ the Lord Lutheran 480-488-2081 www.ctlcarefree.org

Highlands Church 480-348-9191 www.highlandschurch.org

Church of Jesus Christ of LDS 480-488-3035 www.lds.org

Light of the Desert Lutheran Church 480-563-5500 www.lightofthedesert.org

Cave Creek Adventist Fellowship 602-663-1268 www.cavecreekchurch.com

Congregation Or Chadash 480-342-8858 www.congregationorchadash.org Coolwater Christian Church 480-585-5554 www.coolwaterchurch.org Covenant Community Church 480-419-0844 www.covcom.us Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church 623-465-9461 Desert Foothills Lutheran Church 480-585-8007 www.dflc.org Desert Hills Presbyterian Church 480-488-3384 www.deserthills.org Desert Mission United Methodist Church 480-595-1814 www.desertmissionumc.org Desert Valley Baptist Church 623-465-9461

Living Water Lutheran Church 480-473-8400 www.lwlcaz.org Lone Mountain Fellowship Church 480-818-5653 www.lonemountainfellowship.org Mountain Valley Church 602-531-5432 www.mountainvalleychurch.com New Covenant Lutheran Church 480-860-0169 www.newcovenantaz.org

local index

ImagesAZ Magazine 623-341-8221 www.imagesaz.com

Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center 480-488-5218 www.spiritinthedesert.org St. Bernard of Clairvaux Catholic Church 480-661-9843 www.stbernardscottsdale.org St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church 480-595-0883 www.stgacc.org St. Patrick’s Catholic Community Church 480-998-3843 www.stpatrickscottsdale.org Via de Cristo United Methodist Fellowship 480-515-4490 www.viadecristo.com

North Scottsdale Christian 480-367-8182 www.northscottsdalechristian.com North Ridge Community Church 480-515-4673 www.northridge.org North Valley Church of Christ 480-473-7611 www.nvcoc.net Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church 480-488-2229 www.oloj.org J an uary 2014

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recipe

P.B. & J. Grilled Cheese (Pear, Brie & Jam) Writer Stephanie Maher Palenque // Courtesy of Executive Chef Brian Feirstein

Ingredients:

8 sourdough bread slices (½” thick) 1 T. butter 1 lb. triple cream brie, sliced ¼” thick ½ lb. red wine poached pears (recipe below) 1 c. bacon jam (recipe below) 8 oz. wild arugula salt and pepper to taste

Red Wine Poached Pears 2 ea. Bosc pears 1 c. red wine 2 cinnamon sticks 2 whole cloves

Bacon Jam 1 lb. thick-cut pepper bacon, cut into matchstick-sized pieces ½ c. brown sugar 1 yellow onion, diced 1 c. red wine vinegar ½ c. maple syrup

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Directions: Heat a nonstick pan or griddle over medium heat. Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Place bread in the pan with the buttered side down. Place sliced brie on one slice of the bread and ¼ cup of bacon jam on the other side of bread. Cook until bread is golden and the cheese is melted.

While the cheese is melting, mix arugula with 1 teaspoon bacon jam, salt and pepper and set aside. Once the cheese is melted, place sliced pears on the melted cheese. Top pears with dressed arugula. Put the top slice of bread with the bacon jam on the arugula to form the sandwich. Slice in half and serve.

Slice pears ¼” thick. Bring wine, cinnamon, and cloves to a simmer in a small saucepan.

Once simmering, add pears to the pan and turn off the heat. Allow the pears to steep in the wine while cooling. Reserve for later.

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook bacon until completely rendered and crisp.

Add onion to the pan and cook until completely soft. Deglaze with red wine vinegar and reduce by half. Add sugar and maple syrup to the pan and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until thick. Puree using a food processor and cool completely. Reserve.

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When experience count s

The Agents You Use & Refer

A well-earned North Valley reputation for strong work ethic and valuable networking connections makes Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci the smart choice for your next purchase or sale.

The Extra Mile In today’s market, nothing less gets the job done. Whether buying or selling, an experienced real estate agent who is quick to see solutions and not shy about testing limits to pursue your best interests is what you need and what you get with Jean and Tom. Winning Negotiation Style Well-seasoned in the art of negotiation, Jean and Tom are a valuable asset with the diplomacy of an ambassador and the perseverance of a bulldog.

You want them on your team, and it doesn’t take long to see why!

Tom Scappaticci 602.430.4081 tom@tomscappaticci.com Realtor®, Associate Broker

Jean Ransdell 480.294.3257 jean@jransdell.com Realtor®, ABR, e-PRO, Relocation Specialist, 2013-2014 Pinnacle Peak RMS Tour Director

Up-to-Date Laws, finance strategy, tools and resources, market trends and so much more change almost daily in Arizona real estate. Jean and Tom stay on top of current industry information and education and hold numerous certifications such as Associate Broker License, ABR and ePro Certification.

Luxury Homes & Lots With 50+ years of combined experience in AZ luxury real estate and hundreds of transactions under their belts, you benefit from this powerhouse team’s in-depth experience in luxury home and luxury lot sales. Land and lots are, especially, a unique sale or buy with very different considerations to be mastered. Tom prides himself in being that expert.

Check out www.ArizonaLuxuryRealty.com

Power of t he Brand

With Jean and Tom comes the most prestigious brand in Arizona luxury real estate – Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. The world reaches Arizona and Arizona reaches the world via this unmatched combination of leaders in the local and international markets.

Trust Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci for Results!

They are the Team You Will Proudly Use and Refer!

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