Images Arizona (October 2023)

T h e a p p r o a c h a t t h e C e n t e r f o r I n t e g r a t i v e H e a l i n g &

W e l l n e s s i s p e r s o n a l i z e d a n d c o m b i n e s t h e b e s t e l e m e n t s o f p r e v e n t a t i v e , r e g e n e r a t i v e , i n t e g r a t i v e , f u n c t i o n a l , a n d a n t i - a g i n g m e d i c i n e t o h e l p y o u a c h i e v e o p t i m a l h e a l t h .

I n a s l i t t l e a s 3 m o n t h s w e c a n h e l p y o u l o o k & f e e l 1 0 y e a r s y o u n g e r , l o s e w e i g h t , p r e v e n t d i s e a s e , r e v e r s e c h r o n i c c o n d i t i o n s , r e l i e v e p a i n , i n c r e a s e f u n c t i o n , a n d i m p r o v e q u a l i t y o f l i f e !

Triple Board-Certified Physician Founder | Medical Director

C o n c i e r g e A d u l t P r e v e n t a t i v e C a r e

I n t e g r a t i v e & F u n c t i o n a l M e d i c i n e

I n t e g r a t i v e C a n c e r C a r e

N u t r i t i o n & C u l i n a r y M e d i c i n e

A n t i - A g i n g M e d i c i n e

H o r m o n e B a l a n c e

W e i g h t L o s s

I V T h e r a p y

B i o - E n e r g y T h e r a p y

E x e r c i s e & F i t n e s s C o a c h i n g

Fabio Almeida, MD, ABOIM, ABNM, ABOM

Cindy Almeida, CNC

Master Holistic, Sports & Obesity Nutritional Counselor

Kelly Montana, CPT, TPI Fitness & Performance Expert

S ANDERSON LINCOLN S ANDERSON LINCOLN

Locally owned and operated, Carefree Outdoor Living is a convenient resource for all your outdoor needs. The age of the outdoor room has arrived and Carefree Outdoor Living has firmly established itself as the go-to resource for innovative outdoor room components, designs and patio furniture. Located in the Carefree Marketplace

2/17 Kristin Chenoweth

1/5 & 1/6 Paul Anka

3/10 Renée Fleming with the Festival Orchestra

12/4 The Texas Tenors Deep in the Heart of Christmas

12/1 John Pizzarelli & Catherine Russell Swinging in the Holidays & More

11/11 Frankie Avalon

11/17 The Music of Billy Joel & Elton John Starring Michael Cavanaugh

11/6 Elvis: The Concert of Kings 2/2 & 2/3 The Doo Wop Project

3/22 Judy Collins

3/16 Rita Moreno In Conversation

2/12 Brian Stokes Mitchell & Lara Downes

From the Publisher

Publisher

Shelly Spence

Managing Editor

Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo

Francine Coles

Rebecca L. Rhoades

Shannon Severson

Susan Kern-Fleischer

Photographers

Francine Coles

Loralei Lazurek

Advertising Sales

Cindi Calcinari

860-966-3271

cindi@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona

P.O. Box 1416

Carefree, AZ. 85377

623-341-8221

imagesarizona.com

II am always exceptionally grateful to receive feedback from readers, story subjects and advertisers who appreciate the time, effort and diligence that go into every issue of Images Arizona. They are often also surprised, if not completely shocked, to discover that our team is relatively small, consisting of just eight people who pour their hearts and souls into these pages each month.

In September, I embarked on my first European holiday in more than 20 years. As any magazine publisher would likely tell you, being overseas for the vast majority of an issue’s creation can cause at least some anxiety. However, I trust in my talented, hard-working Images Arizona family — and they certainly delivered.

Our photographer Loralei Lazurek and contributing writers Shannon Severson, Rebecca L. Rhoades and Susan Kern-Fleischer have filled this issue’s pages with a wealth of information and images that successfully capture and accentuate that fabulous fall feeling here in Arizona.

Meanwhile, our food columnist Francine Coles shares a scrumptious recipe for roasted butternut squash prosciutto pizza that is absolutely autumn-esque and this month’s featured photographer Ron Sill allows us to showcase a selection of his macro and micro insect photography just in time for Halloween.

Finally, Cindi Calcinari, with advertising sales, has done a tremendous job of holding down the fort — as have our managing editor Joseph J. Airdo and graphic designer Meaghan Mitchell, pulling it all together into an issue of Images Arizona that I am sure you will love.

Saluti!

Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine

shelly@imagesaz.com

623-341-8221

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Insider Secrets: 5 Rug Shopping Tips & Tricks

Rug Dealers Don't Want You To Know About!

anywhere between a 100–300% markup added to their costs, which they then sell to the rug store owner. Now, the rug store owner has to make a tidy profit, so they add another triple-digit markup to the rug. That means you're paying an additional 700–900% on the actual cost of the rug!

You should aim to buy rugs from local rug stores that are able to source rugs directly from looms overseas, who can then pass the savings on to you! A win-win ethical business.

3. PUSHY SALESMAN WITH GIMMICKS

Rug salesmen are as crafty as they come. Relentless and nifty. They'll have you writing a $15,000 check for a rug that should cost you no more than $4,500.

IIf rug shopping makes your skin crawl from the sleazy rug salesmen, then I've compiled five holy grail tips and tricks to help you avoid getting outsmarted by the rug dealer the next time you're rug shopping.

1. SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP

Your golden ticket to making the right decision in rug shopping is your ability to shop around. There are 10 rug stores on Scottsdale Road in just a 15-mile span alone. Competition is tough, and your biggest leverage is the ability to shop around. Make a plan to visit all the rug stores to get an idea of who's out there and what they can offer you. Remember to shop the rest and shop the best.

Here's a small but important tip...

Work with a local business that is looking for a long-term relationship with you— not a store that is looking to get rich off selling you a single rug. The benefits will come later down the road when you have a question about your rug's durability or when it comes time to get it replaced. By working with a small, reputable store owner, they'll be able to do trade-ins years down the road.

2. BUYING FROM A MIDDLE MAN

Don't fall prey to predatory rug dealers with inflated rug prices!

The biggest mistake you can make is buying from a rug store that buys its goods from local wholesalers. These wholesalers have

Here are the countless stories we hear: "They'll judge you the second you walk into their store. They'll start by showing you insanely 'expensive' rugs to gauge your reaction. And if they see you are interested in the rug but not the hefty price tag, the rug they just quoted you $40,000 for suddenly becomes a $15,000 rug." How does that make sense? They are able to shed 60% off the price at the snap of a finger?

Don't get pushed into buying a rug because of sleazy sales tactics.

4. TRY ANY RUG FOR FREE

A golden nugget tip...

Here’s what they should do for you to make your decision as easy as possible: Once you've chosen a few of your favorite rugs from their showroom, have them schedule a time to bring the rugs you've chosen to display in your home for free. This will take out all the guesswork of trying to visualize how the rug will look in your room and help you pick the best option.

If they don't offer this service, avoid doing business with them.

5. TRANSPARENCY WITH EDUCATION

Shopping for rugs is overwhelming. With so many different materials, knot counts and constructions, you can easily be taken advantage of and sold something that isn't what they claim it to be. I would highly suggest you work with a business that will give you the time of day and not only explain the difference in quality, material and construction but also help you find the perfect rug for both practicality and beauty.

If you’re looking to buy a new rug, make sure to go see Johnny at PV Rugs. You’ve probably driven past his store hundreds of times. He’s located on the southeast corner of Shea and Scottsdale. You can visit him at his showroom at 10439 N. Scottsdale Road or call him at (480) 483-6600.

The beauty of his business is that he owns looms in India, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, where he imports his rugs. He’s completely cut out all the middlemen! And able to offer you high-quality decorative rugs for 50–60% cheaper than his competitors. His prices are second to none, but his customer service is what sets his business apart. From educating every single customer who walks through his doors to offering his customers a free in-home consultation and a "test drive" of rugs to make sure you make the best decision.

Gift For You! Additional 15% OFF Plus A Free Gift

is offering readers of Images Arizona an additional 15% off all rugs. Plus, with any purchase, he’ll also throw in a free rug pad — including his premium 1/4-inch natural rubber and felt rug pads, which sell for an average of $240. Simply bring in this page to receive your discount and free gift!

BRYCE PETTIT

Crane, bronze on metal base. 68” by 18” by 18”

TREVOR SWANSON

Crowns of Russet, oil and patina on metal. 56” by 20”

SUE KRZYSTON SOUTHWEST REALISM ARTIST

AMY LAY CONTEMPORARY WILDLIFE ARTIST

BRYCE PETTIT WILDLIFE BRONZE SCULPTOR

TREVOR SWANSON LANDSCAPE AND WILDLIFE ARTIST

JANE WORD LEATHER PILLOWS

SUE

Rhythm & Beauty, oil on canvas, 16” by 20”

FFollowing agronomist Ian Beger around the expansive gardens at Castle Hot Springs is like spending time with Mother Nature’s version of Willy Wonka.

Knowledgeable and passionate to a fault about the fruits and vegetables grown at the luxury desert resort, he eagerly shares random tidbits about each plant as well as gardening advice.

As he strides through the rows of verdant and flowering greenery, he’s constantly fussing — plucking, picking and trimming with an acute awareness of every leaf, stalk and petal. He reaches down and removes a fleshy, ruffled leaf studded with shimmering crystals that look like hoarfrost. Known as glacier lettuce, the edible succulent is crisp and mellow with a slight seawater bite.

“This plant really does a good job of expressing what the spring water does to the produce,” Beger explains. “What you’re tasting is almost like mineral water concentrates. It’s almost like tasting the ocean.”

Glacier lettuce is just one of the hundreds of varieties of produce that are grown each year as part of Castle Hot Springs’ agriculture program. As farm manager, Beger is responsible for the development and growth of the program, which now garners as much praise as the property’s natural pools of therapeutic, mineral-rich thermal water.

DINING IN THE DESERT

Castle Hot Springs is a historic resort tucked away in the Bradshaw Mountains, about 50 miles north of downtown Phoenix. Named for the hot mineral springs that flow from an underground cistern into a series of rejuvenating pools, the landmark lodging dates back to the late 1800s and was once the winter playground of some of America’s wealthiest and most well-known families, including the Rockefellers, Roosevelts, Wrigleys, Vanderbilts, Cabots and Carnegies.

In the mid-1970s, a fire destroyed much of the property, and the resort remained abandoned for more than 40 years. In 2014, a local businessman and his wife purchased it with plans to return it to its previous glory. Five years later, Castle Hot Springs re-opened to worldwide praise. It is now considered the nation’s most luxurious hot springs resort.

Castle Hot Springs is also one of many wellness resorts that use fresh organic ingredients grown mere steps away from guest accommodations. In fact, it is frequently mentioned in the same breath as Tennessee’s legendary Blackberry Farm, which is on every gourmand’s bucket list.

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs

Our main goal is to provide the best quality fruits, vegetables and herbs to the kitchen, bar and, ultimately, the guests. Ian Beger

Here in the desert, bartenders use freshpressed sugarcane juice, grown on-site, to sweeten house-made lemonade. The hibiscus tea, a refreshingly cool fuschiahued sip that’s handed out to guests upon arrival, is made with hibiscus flowers and blue spice basil grown on the farm. Fresh-picked tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic and herbs serve as the base for the resort’s bloody mary mix. In the restaurant, menus are based on the day’s harvest.

When the resort first opened, chef Christopher Brugman was recruited from Mountain Shadows to launch Harvest, the property’s on-site restaurant. Brugman left in late 2020, and sous chef John Amann took over as executive chef.

“Our concept has changed a lot since our first season,” Amann says. “We had this farm in our backyard, and it wasn’t as much of a highlight as it is now. And that was something I was always passionate about. When Christopher left, it opened up a great opportunity. Our restaurant is called Harvest; I wanted to actually do something about that. There was a natural evolution of utilizing the produce we grow and minimizing waste, which is something we really focus on here.”

Initially, the resort had a single garden — a fan-shaped planting area that stretched out from the southwest corner of the main lodge, a canaryyellow structure that houses the resort’s restaurant and lounge, Bar 1896. Known as the culinary garden, it provided kitchen staff with instant access to ingredients such as herbs, microgreens and edible flowers.

“When I first came out here, this was all we really had, along with the citrus trees and greenhouse,” Beger recalls. “We realized after the first year that

we wanted to provide more of the substance of the food — the carrots, the cauliflower, broccoli — but we really couldn’t provide most of that from this space.”

Amann concurs.

“We learned really quick that we needed more farm space,” he says.

The addition of a 1-acre garden, complete with farm offices and high tunnel greenhouses, allowed the farm and culinary teams to expand the amount of produce that’s grown onsite — supplying upward of 80% of the restaurant’s vegetables. That’s a lot of produce, considering that the restaurant caters to 60 guests each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A LOCAVORE’S DREAM

The new farm, combined with the original culinary garden, tomato greenhouse, a 3-acre agave farm — which will be used to produce a house-made spirit — a quarter-acre of stone fruit trees and a citrus orchard, increases the amount of cultivatable space at Castle Hot Springs to 5 acres.

“Our main goal is to provide the best quality fruits, vegetables and herbs to the kitchen, bar and, ultimately, the guests,” Beger says. “We’re focused on flavor more than anything.”

More than 150 varieties of produce are grown on-site. Getting the perfect mix of quality, flavor and yield — and even uniqueness for those signature dishes — has been one of Beger’s goals since day one.

“We have very unique growing conditions,” he explains. “We use spring water for everything, and we’re in a valley. It’s unlike anywhere else that I’ve ever grown before. So we

want to try out as many varieties as we can. I call it a shotgun approach to agriculture.”

So far, the farm team has trialed more than 1,000 varieties of produce to find out which ones thrive in the hot, arid desert environs. Each year, the team experiments with about 30% new crops. Produce that’s not consumed immediately is pickled, cured or fermented, preserving the flavors for out-of-season use. Herbs and flowers are dried for use in teas and simple syrups.

In addition to the freshest fruits and vegetables, this season, for the first time, the restaurant will be serving farm-fresh eggs thanks to the acquisition of 100 laying hens.

For Amann, this diversification allows for greater creativity in the kitchen by challenging the staff to develop recipes that utilize the ever-changing harvest.

“Ian’s lucky because he has one customer,” Amann says. “I’m buying it all. The challenge for the back of the house is how we are going to use all of the stuff from the farm. It has really helped me find my culinary style.”

One guest-favorite dish is the mokum carrot bisque. Mokum carrots are small in size and sweet in flavor.

“It’s the best carrot you’ll ever have,” Amann says. “The carrots are as sweet as candy, and that makes a substantial impression on the dish. People come back just for the mokum carrot soup.”

The chef also points to the intermezzo, or amuse bouche, that’s part of the dinner serving. The chef-curated bite is not listed on the menu, but it’s an opportunity for the sous chefs and line cooks to create the surprise course.

“It’s a small bite, but it’s straight from the farm,” Amann says.

While the thermal pools may draw guests to Desert Hot Springs, the resort’s culinary offerings elevate their stay.

“I do see our dining as being a huge driving force with our guests,” Beger says. “We’re really trying to be creative with it and take it to new levels.”

castlehotsprings.com

COMMUNITY

October 2023

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Through Nov. 26

‘LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR AND GRILL’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” a tour de force portrait of the iconic jazz songstress Billie Holiday. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

Through Jan. 2

‘EARLY DAYS: INDIGENOUS ART FROM THE MCMICHAEL’

The Heard Museum will host an exhibition showcasing the diversity and vitality of Indigenous art in Canada. The exhibition explores the powerful tensions and continuities that exist between the present and the past, and relationships to the land, to ancestors, and to each other. $22.50+; youth, student, senior and member discounts available. Tuesdays–Sundays 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-252-8840; heard.org

Oct. 1

LLOYD MEYER MEMORIAL CONCERT

Desert Hills School of Music will present a concert that honors late musical instrument legend Lloyd W. Meyer II. Free. 5 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Oct. 2

ELECTRONICS AND COMPUTER CODING CLASS

Cave Creek Museum will begin offering a 20-week electronics and computer coding class to seventhand eighth-grade students. Free. 4 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. cavecreekmuseum.org/stem

Oct. 1

‘WILLY WONKA KIDS’

Desert Foothills Theatre will present its production of “Willy Wonka Kids” See website for prices and times. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1981; dftheater.org

Oct. 2

LITERATE FOODIE CLUB

Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of “My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings” by Zosia Mamet. The club’s volunteer cooks will serve a sampling of foods related to the book. $15. Noon. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Oct. 2 and 3

‘ALADDIN, JR.’ AUDITIONS

Desert Foothills Theater will audition youth actors for its production of “Disney’s Aladdin, Jr.” $225. See website for times. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. dftheater.org

Oct. 4–29

‘TIANANMEN: A NEW MUSICAL’

The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “Tiananmen: A New Musical,” an epic rock musical

inspired by the protests that defined a generation. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

Oct. 6

DESERT TREASURES 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Desert Treasures will host a grand celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary in the community. In addition to sales and specials on merchandise, customers can enjoy refreshments, raffles and more. Free. 4–7 p.m. Desert Treasures, Historic Spanish Village, 7208 E. Ho Road, Suite 11, Carefree. 480-488-3782; deserttreasuresaz.com

Oct. 6–8

PRESCOTT AREA ARTIST STUDIO TOUR

The city of Prescott will host an artist studio tour, giving attendees the opportunity to observe artists as they actively demonstrate their craft, allowing them to learn about the materials, techniques and processes used in creating a work of art while forging a personal connection with the artist. More than 60 juried artists participating in the tour will appear across 45 private studios, with more than 35 additional artists appearing at five area art centers. Free. See website for map of participating studios and art centers. prescottstudiotour.com

Oct. 7

THE MATT SABEY TRIO

The Matt Sabey Trio will perform a concert of folk music. Free. 1–3 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

COMMUNITY

October 2023

Oct. 7 and 8

EXPERIENCE GERMANY

Musical Instrument Museum will celebrate the music and culture of Germany with exciting performances, informative lectures, delicious food and engaging workshops. See website for schedule of events. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org

Oct. 7

TIERRA MADRE ART SHOW FUNDRAISER

Tierra Madre Horse and Human Sanctuary will host an event during which artist Patricia “Pat” Wozniak will be honored for her impact on the art community. The event will include a silent auction of Wozniak’s work, with 100% of each sale benefitting the sanctuary’s expenses. Free. 5–8 p.m. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. tierramadrehorseandhumansanctuary.org

Oct. 6–8

‘AND I LOVE HER: THE BEATLES REIMAGINED’

The Phoenix Symphony will present a concert, conducted by Steve Hackman, that reimagines the Beatles’ music with musical themes and ideas across different genres including classical and jazz. See website for prices and times. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. 602-4951999; phoenixsymphony.org

Oct. 7 and 8

SEDONA ARTS FESTIVAL

Oct. 14

VICTORIAN TEA & FASHION SHOW

The English Rose Tea Room will partner with Parasols & Petticoats for an afternoon that includes a Victorian fashion show and a traditional Victorian afternoon tea. Guests are encouraged to dress up in suitable costumes. $60. 3–5 p.m. The English Rose Tea Room, 201 Easy St., Suite 103, Carefree. 480-488-4812; carefreetea.com

Sedona will host its 32nd annual festival, featuring a diverse lineup of more than 100 juried artists from across the country. The renowned fine art festival will also feature live music, raffle prizes, food and a beer and wine garden — all set against the breathtaking backdrop of Sedona’s red rocks. $15. Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona. 928-204-9456; sedonaartsfestival.org

Oct.

7–March 31

‘FERNANDO BOTERO: THE MASTER’

Desert Botanical Garden will bring the works of famed Colombian artist Fernando Botero to Arizona. See website for prices. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 480-941-1225; dbg.org

Oct. 10

GET LIT BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour discussion of “Voices from Chernobyl,” edited by Svetlana Alexievich. Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Oct. 12

LITERARY BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of “River of Gods” by Candice Millard. Free. 10 a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Oct. 13–15

‘FRANKENSTEIN’

Arizona Opera will present its production of “Frankenstein.” See website for prices and times. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. 602-266-7464;azopera.org

Oct. 14

EMPTY BOWLS PROJECT

The Sonoran Arts League and Foothills Food Bank will host their annual Empty Bowls Project event, featuring a chef’s competition, arts demonstrations, a wine garden, music and food. Proceeds from the art auction and bowl sale will benefit Foothills Food Bank and its dedication to assisting the community’s food insecure. Free. 2–6 p.m. Lincoln Sanderson Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. foothillsfoodbank.com; sonoranartsleague.org

Oct. 14

FASHION & FIZZ

Ballet Arizona will host a fundraiser, during which attendees will sip sparkling wine while dancers serve as models to showcase an array of curated costumes. A question and answer session will follow, along with a display of additional costumes for closer inspection. A VIP lounge and private bar with light hors d’oeuvres and even front-row seating is available with premium ticket options. $50+. 4–7 p.m. Ballet Arizona. 2835 E. Washington St., Phoenix. balletaz.org

Oct. 15

‘SUN, MOON, STARS, RAIN’

Phoenix Chorale will perform a concert that is designed to be a musical mediation on the celestial world that surrounds us. See website for price. 3 p.m. Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive, Paradise Valley. 602-253-2224; phoenixchorale.org

Oct. 17

THE BILL OF RIGHTS

Jim Sherbert will present a lecture about the geneses of the first amendments to the United States Constitution, exploring their reasoning, why they were established and what they represent. $10. 4 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

COMMUNITY

October 2023

Oct. 17

MURDER MYSTERY BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of “Mistress of the Art of Death” by Ariana Franklin. Free. 4 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Oct. 19

CAREFREE ART NIGHT

Galleries throughout Carefree will host an event that offers art enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy live music and refreshments as they stroll through the breathtaking shadows of Black Mountain in search of their next masterpiece. Free. 4–7 p.m. See website for participating galleries. visitcarefree.com

Oct. 19

GLASS ARTIST SETH FAIRWEATHER

Explore a collection of glass and mixed media artworks that reference both the natural and the mechanical worlds that surround us, using them as a way to access a deeper understanding of the self, during a special reception for artist Seth Fairweather. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, Historic Spanish Village, 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Oct. 19–22

COSANTI ORIGINALS BRONZE SALE

Cosanti Originals will host its annual bronze sale, featuring savings on all bronze wind bells, planters and more. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Cosanti Originals, 6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Paradise Valley. 480-948-6145; cosanti.com

October 20

FALL INTO SEASON

Oct. 18 and 19

TASTE OF CAVE CREEK

Taste of Cave Creek will make its triumphant return to Stagecoach Village with a wide array of the community’s best sights, sounds and flavors. $10. 5–9 p.m. Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. tasteofcavecreek.com

The Finer Arts Gallery will host a special event to celebrate its second anniversary and showcase the new, diverse works of its 50 artists. October's featured artists include fiber artist Tracy Laasch, jeweler Jan Stiles and fine art photographer Robert Elenbaas. Free. 5–7 p.m. The Finer Arts Gallery, 6137 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2923; thefinerartsgallery.com

Oct. 20–22

GLASS PUMPKIN PATCH FUNDRAISER

The Holland Community Center will host its annual Glass Pumpkin Patch Fundraiser event, featuring 1,000 glass pumpkins handmade by acclaimed artist Gregory Tomb. Proceeds benefit the center and its commitment to enhance arts, education and community in the Desert Foothills region. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.com

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Oct. 20–22

‘HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE’

The Phoenix Symphony will perform the score of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” during a special screening of the film. See website for prices and times. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. 602-495-1999; phoenixsymphony.org

Oct. 21

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE EXPERIENCE

Henry Mulder will share a Native American flute experience. Free. 1–3 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Oct. 21

FLAPPERS & FREEDOM

Military Assistance Mission will host its annual Flappers & Freedom event — an unforgettable evening of casino games, delicious food, dancing and live auctions, with all proceeds benefitting the families of our brave servicemen and women. $125+. 6–10 p.m. Elks Lodge No. 335, 14424 N. 32nd St, Phoenix. 602-246-6429; azmam.org

Oct. 21

DESERT FOOTHILLS BOOK FESTIVAL

The Holland Center will host its annual Desert Foothills Book Festival, during which attendees may engage with 70 award-winning local authors, learn about their creative process and purchase signed books. The event will also include a free and paid raffles. Proceeds will support the center’s Creative Kids: Tell Me a Story program. Free. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-4881090; hollandcenter.com

COMMUNITY

October 2023

Oct. 26–29

‘JUAN GABRIEL’

Ballet Arizona will present a captivating performance that celebrates the music and memory of the late musical icon Juan Gabriel. See website for prices and times. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. 602-381-1096; balletaz.org

Oct. 28

BEN BOLT

Ben Bolt will perform an acoustic concert. Free. 1–3 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Oct. 28

HARRY POTTER HALLOWEEN

The English Rose Tea Room will host its annual Harry Potter Halloween event, featuring fun entertainment, afternoon tea, gifts and trivia. Guests are encouraged to dress up in suitable costumes. Adults $60; youth $35. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. RSVP. The English Rose Tea Room, 201 Easy St., Suite 103, Carefree. 480-488-4812; carefreetea.com

Oct. 28

PRICKLY PEAR FEST

Oct. 20–June 3

‘AMERICAN ICONS: WRIGHT AND O’KEEFFE’

Taliesin West will host an exhibition featuring the photographs of Frank Lloyd Wright and Georgia

O’Keeffe — two legends of American art and architecture — taken by Michael A. “Tony” Vaccaro while on assignment for LOOK Magazine from 1957 to 1960. The exhibition will present a behind-the-scenes, intimate visual pairing of Wright and O’Keeffe in their homes and studios. See website for prices. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. 480860-2700; franklloydwright.org

The Desert Awareness Committee will host its annual event featuring demonstrations showing techniques for gathering and preparing prickly pear fruits. Free. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.com

Oct. 29

‘THE RAVEN’

Arizona Curriculum Theater co-founder and artistic director Jim Coates will present a fantastically spooky recital of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven.” Guests are encouraged to dress up in gothic costumes. Tea and scones will be served. $55. 3–5 p.m. The English Rose Tea Room, 201 Easy St., Suite 103, Carefree. 480-488-4812; carefreetea.com

Nov. 2–4

ALEX SEPKUS

JEWELRY

Discover the wonderful world of New York fine jewelry designer Alex Sepkus, whose work reflects an irresistible playfulness and quirkiness and is celebrated for its understated elegance and intricacy. Explore a one-ofa-kind collection of hand-picked gemstone jewelry and other pieces of timeless, wearable art. Free. Special sneak peek Thursday 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, Historic Spanish Village, 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 3–5

CAREFREE FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

Thunderbird Artists will host its fall event during which attendees can view fine art selected through a comprehensive jury process, sample fine wines and spirits, snack on festival food and listen to live music, all while soaking in the sunshine, reveling in the mountain views and meeting artists and fellow art lovers. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Downtown Carefree, 101 Easy St., Carefree. thunderbirdartists.com

Nov. 4

BOYS TO MEN FESTIVAL

Participating male singers from schools across the state will join male singers from local male choruses in an afternoon-long rehearsal session with guest clinicians, culminating in a concert consisting of selections by participating schools, performances by the participating local male choruses and a few songs by all participants. $5. 4:30 p.m. Camelback Bible Church, 3900 E. Stanford Drive, Paradise Valley. orpheus.org

Nov. 4

CENTRAL ARIZONA FLUTE ENSEMBLE

Central Arizona Flute Ensemble will perform a concert that serves as an interactive journey into the world of melodies, emotions and unity. $25+. 2 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

COMMUNITY

October 2023

Nov. 5

FALL YOUNG MUSICIANS CONCERT

Arizona Musicfest will present a concert showcasing Arizona’s brightest young classical musicians — each of whom possesses astounding technique and prodigious musicianship. $23.50. 1 p.m. MIM Music Theater, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Nov. 6

‘ELVIS: THE CONCERT OF KINGS’

Arizona Musicfest will present a concert that possesses the legendary power and presence of music’s greatest icon, Elvis Presley. $39+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Nov. 6

LITERATE FOODIE CLUB

Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of “Salt of the Earth: Secrets and Stories From a Greek Kitchen” by Carolina Doriti. The club’s volunteer cooks will serve a sampling of foods related to the book. $15. Noon. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 9

LITERARY BOOK CLUB

Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of “West with Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge. Free. 10 a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 9–11

AARON HENRY JEWELRY DESIGNS

Nov. 3–12

CANAL CONVERGENCE

Scottsdale Arts will host its 11th annual showcase of interactive, light-based artworks. Free. Scottsdale Waterfront, 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. canalconvergence.com

Meet the brilliant designer behind this marvelous American luxury jewelry collection and explore an exquisite selection of brilliant pieces, each one meticulously handcrafted to bring classical Old World quality to modern design. Free. Special sneak peek Thursday 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, Historic Spanish Village, 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 11

FRANKIE AVALON

Arizona Musicfest will present a concert featuring 83-year-old pop culture icon Frankie Avalon. $53+. 2 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

DAVID GROSS FINE GEMSTONE COLLECTION

Each bespoke jewel the David Gross Group creates has its own character, its own story. The spectacular quality of each gemstone is further enhanced by the finest craftsmanship and elegant award-winning design.

Featured Sapphire Ring: 20.26 carat Cushion Blue Sapphire with two Trapezoid Modified Brilliant Diamonds 2.41 carats set in a handmade Platinum ring

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

Seth’s sculpture is meant to invoke conversations, particularly about the absence of individual thought in today’s society. His creations are powerful and provocative, and truly original.

HHaving earned a reputation as a world-class musician since his formation of the guitar trio the Hellecasters in 1993, John Jorgenson has over the last three decades collaborated with many of the music industry’s giants — including Earl Scruggs, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti and Bob Dylan.

“I try to steal things from every artist with whom I work,” Jorgenson says. “Sometimes it is overt. Other times, it is subconscious. For example, the thing I stole from Elton John is his work and performance ethic. He never sandbags. Even if he is in a really bad mood, he gives the music 1,000%. Meanwhile, Earl Scruggs inspired me with the possible longevity of a musician. He was in his 80s and still had his magical thing.

Alison Russell //

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of the MIM Music Theater

“Roy Orbison struck me with his kindness. He made sure that everyone was always comfortable. Of course, he sang with that beautiful voice. He sang to you, not at you. A lot of singers — especially these days — want to show you what they can do. ‘Listen to my licks, look at my range and hear what I can do. It is impressive for a moment, but it is not something you want to put in your headphones late at night when you do not feel good.”

This December, Jorgenson will bring with him to Phoenix all of those influences and so much more as he takes the stage at the MIM Music Theater, which this fall will host more than 50 concerts from multiple genres and artists from around the world.

STIRRING ARRAY OF SHOWS

Andrew Walesch, artistic director of the MIM Music Theater, says that this season is filled with an extraordinarily ambitious roster of talent — not just in the sheer volume of shows, but in the variety and diversity of the music being presented.

In addition to Jorgenson, this season’s highlights include “American Idol” runner-up Crystal Bowersox, a special show from Don McLean marking more than 50 years of “American Pie,” Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Patty Griffin and iconic pop songwriter John Oates.

“I am thrilled to be carrying the torch of the MIM Music Theater brightly and boldly into its next chapter with an ever-diverse and stirring array of shows,” Walesch says.

John Jorgenson Quintet

We represent every single country of the world in our exhibits, so we try to reflect that in our concert offerings as well. Andrew Walesch

The Dover Quartet

Photo by Ray Cox John Oates

“Truly, the combination of the talent we will be presenting and the superior experience of the MIM Music Theater leaves nothing to be desired.”

Among Walesch’s endless list of favorites this season is The Dover Quartet, which BBC Music Magazine recently named one of the greatest string quartets of the last 100 years.

“They are a group of young musicians who have incredible command, precision and knowledge of classical music,” says Walesch, noting that The Dover Quartet will take the MIM Music Theater’s stage on Thursday, Oct. 5. “It really is inspirational to see the reverence and understanding that these young people have for this great music and the efforts they are making to keep it alive.”

On Thursday, Oct. 17, internationally acclaimed pianist, singer, composer and arranger Eliane Elias will perform alongside her husband, bassist Marc Johnson, in a concert during which they demonstrate their affinity for the music of Bill Evans and Antônio Carlos Jobim, the harmonies and rhythms of Brazil and the romantic ballads and up-tempo swinging standards of Brazilian and American jazz.

“It’s going to be a very special show,” Walesch says. “Born in Brazil, Eliane was playing the piano by age 7 and transcribing solos of some of the jazz greats by age 12. She then came to New York City, attended Juilliard and has had an incredible career.”

Then, on Sunday, Oct. 29, the MIM Music Theater will welcome self-taught singer-songwriter, poet, activist and multiinstrumentalist Allison Russell.

“Allison is an amazing artist in the Americana and folk world,” Walesch says. “She is Canadian and is an artist who is just exploding. A year or two from now, you probably will not be able to see her in a theater the size of MIM, which has less than 300 seats.”

ACOUSTIC & RESONANT EXCELLENCE

The intimacy of the venue is just one of the MIM Music Theater’s points of appeal to both artists and audiences.

“It is a combination of factors that makes our theater so special,” Walesch says. “Everything was engineered to maximize comfort — including large chairs and wide aisles. It was also designed to maximize acoustic and resonant excellence. So particularly intimate types of music — such as classical, jazz, chamber, folk and Americana — just come alive because the sound blooms in the room.”

Jorgenson agrees.

“It is such a beautiful theater and acoustically designed very well,” the artist says. “Classical string quartets can play there without amplification, but it will also handle an electric band with drums.”

Perhaps even more importantly, performers are able to see the faces of the people in the audience.

“For me, that is really important,” explains Jorgenson, likening some large venues and festivals with blinding lights to playing in a vacuum. “It makes a huge difference. We can do a good show without a great audience, but we cannot do a great show without a great audience — because they are part of the energy.”

Walesch adds that the energy provided by the MIM Music Theater’s audience is particularly palpable.

“We have new people coming into the theater all the time, but we also have a really strong base of returning audience members who are very enthusiastic in their support of the artists,” the artistic director says. “It just helps to bring the show up another notch. The more love the artist feels, of course, the better show they are going to provide.”

Moreover, MIM’s staff treats artists like royalty, ensuring that the theater is a place at which they feel welcome, thereby leading to several difficultto-book performers taking the stage this season.

“We also are featuring global music because, of course, that is very reflective of the mission of MIM — which is the world's only global musical instrument museum,” Walesch says. “We represent every single country of the world in our

White Cobra, by Preben Jensen

We exist to be a contribution to

exhibits, so we try to reflect that in our concert offerings as well.”

In fact, the MIM Music Theater is one of only two or three U.S. venues at which some artists will perform. Such is the case with Israel Fernández and Diego del Morao, who will share the stage on Tuesday, Oct. 31. Rejuvenating the cante jondo flamenco style of yesteryear, Fernández’s voice carries a very wide spectrum of characteristics in which anguish, spirit and the Romani world coexist with tempo, sweetness and musicality.

“He has this powerful, resonant, peerless voice,” Walesch says. “It is just gorgeous, and he will be performing alongside del Morao, who is one of today’s most internationally recognized flamenco guitarists. They are on a very limited U.S. tour. I am really excited about their show. I think that it is going to be incredible.”

A BIT OF A JOURNEY

Other notable concerts this season include indie folk singer-songwriter Bonnie “Prince” Billy, celebrated contemporary jazz saxophonist Steve Cole, acoustic folk duo Ocie Elliott, singer-songwriter Joshua Radin and Grammy-winning trumpeter Chris Botti as well as the Blind Boys of Alabama, who are among a handful of artists who will be presenting Christmas shows.

As for Jorgenson, he will be performing Saturday, Dec. 9 as part of his quintet, whose musical style has been referred to as gypsy jazz after the dynamic string-driven swing created by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli in 1930s Paris. However, Jorgenson’s compositions draw in elements from Latin, Romanian, classical, rock and Greek music, so he prefers the term “21st-century world music.”

“It is a bit of a journey,” explains Jorgenson, who, in addition to the guitar, is proficient in the mandolin, mandocello, Dobro, pedal steel, piano, upright bass, clarinet, bassoon and saxophone. “People say that our music takes them places.”

Of course, the global element means that Jorgenson feels right at home at the MIM Music Theater.

“I was one of the first people to be an artist in residence at MIM, and that was a big honor for me,” Jorgenson says. “I got to pull different instruments out of the collection and play them. I also have some instruments of my

Israel Fernández and Diego Del Morao // Oct. 31

own there on display — from some that are very fancy, like a decorated ‘Yellow Submarine’-themed guitar, to some that are just unusual, like an ‘80s synthesizer guitar and a 1930s electric banjo.

“I have always been fascinated with instruments — how they look, how they sound, what you can do with them. My whole life has been devoted to that. So MIM is like a playground to me.”

Walesch says that the feeling is mutual, as the Grammy Awardwinning multi-instrumentalist reflects so much of what MIM stands for.

“It is a pleasure to present artists, like John, who have had such an impactful career in the music industry alongside some of the most renowned performers of our time,” the artistic director adds. “At MIM, we celebrate acts that bend genre and musical style boundaries to bring something refreshingly extraordinary to our audiences.

“John Jorgenson's enduring connection with the Musical Instrument Museum comes to life on the video wall at the entrance of the museum, encapsulating his profound impact on diverse genres. It is a visual testament to his artistry and the museum's dedication to musical excellence.”

mim.org

Music

The John Jorgenson Quintet

Saturday, Dec. 9 | 7:30 p.m.

The Musical Instrument Museum

4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix

$38.50+ | 480-478-6000 | mim.org

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A Hero’s Mom

IIn early May 2005, Margy Bons received a call from her son Michael Adam Marzano, a sergeant with the United States Marine Corps.

“He said, ‘I’ll call you on Mother’s Day, Mom,” Bons recalls. “On Saturday, May 7, I was out collecting items to ship overseas for an organization I was working with. I had gone into a grocery store because we needed a donation jug. I reached up to grab this jug off of the top shelf when this weird feeling washed over me and I almost dropped it. “Somebody asked me, ‘Are you okay?’ to which I responded, ‘I do not know. Something does not feel right.’”

That night, at 12:30 a.m., Bons received a phone call from her ex-husband, notifying her that Marines were outside her house and that she needed to open the front door. Although they had mistakenly gone to her former residence, she immediately knew that Marines at a loved one’s house could only mean three things — all of which were bad news.

Praying to hear that Marzano had only been wounded in action — the least devastating of the three — Bons feared the worst. When the Marines arrived at her new residence, one stepped forward and said, “Ma'am, we regret to inform you...”

“I said, ‘Nope,’” Bons recalls. “‘He promised me that he would only be gone seven months. You need to have him call me.’ I was just refusing to accept what he was trying to tell me. And the other Marine had tears in his eyes because, you know, they are just guys, too. They had just lost a brother.”

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Margy Bons

Margy Bons is founder and CEO of Military Assistance

Mission — a nonprofit organization

that provides financial and moral aid to struggling Arizona military and their families.

Marzano had been killed in action when a bomb in a suicide vehicle exploded during combat in Hadithah, Iraq. He was 28 years old.

“Did I lay in my closet and scream, kick and cry?” Bons asks. “Absolutely. Did I pound my fists on my steering wheel? Yes. You cannot break them. Believe me, I have tried. I even thought about driving over that cliff. But thoughts about the brotherhood of those in our military kept coming to me.”

As a reservist, Marzano would at times express difficulty paying for essentials such as car fuel and rent.

“I remembered that and thought, ‘I do not want [another young man or woman in our military] having to ask his mom for money or a mom worrying about whether her child is going to be able to pay [his or her] bills,’” Bons says. “I needed to do something about that.”

After being contacted by thenMayor Phil Gordon regarding a soldier in need, Bons accepted a position as the Arizona president of a national nonprofit military support organization. A few years later, she sought to do more and founded Military Assistance Mission — a nonprofit organization that provides financial and moral aid to struggling Arizona military and their families.

Michael is a hero. Not everyone who dies is titled that. Margy Bons

7,

“Military Assistance Mission allows me the opportunity to support not only Michael’s comrades overseas, but to help with their families that are struggling at home,” says Bons, noting that the nonprofit organization and her son intentionally share the same three initials.

MAM provides financial support to those struggling with rent, mortgage, auto insurance, utilities and auto payments. It also hosts morale programs and events for holiday adoptions, holiday gift giving and baby showers, as well as offers education assistance programs, including extracurricular activities and college scholarship programs.

Bons says that, as CEO, she is always eager to hear from those who wish to donate their time or resources to MAM. On Saturday, Oct. 21, the nonprofit organization will host its annual Flappers & Freedom event — an unforgettable evening of casino games, delicious food, dancing and live auctions, with all proceeds benefitting the families of our brave servicemen and women.

“One of my fondest memories took place immediately following one of our Christmas events, at which families are given the opportunity to select gifts for one another among donated items and enjoy a holiday carnival,” Bons says. “I was walking through the parking lot, making sure that it was all cleaned up, when I witnessed a little girl straddle her mom and say to her, ‘This was my best day ever!’”

“To this day, I still think about how Michael helped to make this little girl's ‘best day ever.’ I hate that I lost him, but he is still doing a really good job. I am just so proud of him.”

Bons describes her son as “the king of one-liners.”

“He had a really quick wit and this huge sense of humor — and a huge heart,” says Bons, noting that Marzano had always wanted to follow in his father’s and grandfathers’ footsteps and serve his country in the military. “He had actually signed up immediately after high school graduation; but he blew out his knee in a wrestling tournament, so he started pursuing a career as a heavyweight boxer instead.”

Marzano — for whom the Veterans Affairs Clinic in Hermitage, PA is dedicated and named — was training to box in the Olympics when he finally received the call to be a Marine.

Marine Sgt. Michael Adam Marzano was killed in action May

2005, when

a bomb in a suicide vehicle exploded during combat in Hadithah, Iraq. The loss of her son led Margy Bons to lobby the Arizona House, Senate

and DMV to approve the design of a Gold Star family license plate.

Margy Bons

“I will tell you that, as a mom, I was not happy,” Bons says. “But I have actually spoken to my son’s recruiter since he was killed. He apologized to me and I asked, ‘Why? For giving my son the job that he has always wanted? You cannot be sorry about that. He finally got to be a Marine.

“Michael could have died by a drunk driver. He could have died in a work accident. He could have died many different ways. After all, we are all going to die. There is no way around that. It is what you do in your dash that is important. In Michael’s dash, he had a lot of fun. He had a great life. He was a joy to be around. Unfortunately, his dash was really short. But he died doing what he had always wanted to do.

“Believe me, I hate it. I still have my mom moments; because, after all, I am just a mom. Losing my son rocked my world. But he died doing what he wanted to do, and I have come to terms with that. He died defending our country. A small percentage of us go into the military and would be willing to sacrifice our life for others; and he did.”

Bons adds that the loss of her son led her to lobby the Arizona House, Senate and DMV to approve the design of a Gold Star family license plate, recognizing those whose loved ones made the same sacrifice during the Vietnam War.

“Michael is a hero,” Marzano’s mother acknowledges. “Not everyone who dies is titled that. And he is still making a difference.”

azmam.org

Idol Nostalgia

RRegarded as one of the first teen idols whose music became one of the defining sounds of pre-Beatles rock ‘n’ roll and on-screen presence that made young girls swoon, Frankie Avalon boasts a remarkable resume that includes 31 charting U.S. Billboard singles, 30 motion pictures, a string of TV show appearances, a cookbook and a large family to boot.

And on Saturday, Nov. 11, the 83-year-old pop culture icon will grace the stage at Highlands Church in Scottsdale, delivering a memory-inducing — and memory-making — concert as a kick-off performance of Arizona Musicfest’s 2023–24 concert season.

“I am going to be doing exactly what an audience would want me to do — sing many of the songs with which I have been associated through the years,” says Avalon, noting that his set list includes “Dede Dinah,” “Gingerbread,” “Bobby Sox to Stockings,” “Why,” “Beauty School Dropout” and, his personal favorite, “Venus.”

The show will also feature multimedia, including clips ranging from his childhood through raising his family — his wife, Kathryn; eight children; and 10 grandchildren.

“It is all about the nostalgia,” Avalon adds.

Arizona Musicfest’s executive and producing director Allan Naplan echoes that sentiment, describing the show as a chance for the concert series’ core audience to relive their younger years. In fact, Avalon’s performance launches a new initiative called “Matinée Memories.

“A lot of people who want to attend our evening concerts and enjoy the nostalgia of some of our offerings have told us that they have various conflicts or are not driving at night,” Naplan explains. “By presenting the new

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Arizona Musicfest

Photo by Nate Ryan

Frankie Avalon

‘Matinée Memories’ series at 2 p.m., we hope to become even more accessible to them, as well as to patrons who may be coming from farther distances around the Valley.”

Of course, nostalgia is very much “in” right now, with shows like “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” exploding in popularity. Moreover, digital platforms like YouTube and Spotify have made the music of yesteryear much more accessible, thereby exposing younger audiences to what Naplan calls “a time of tuneful melodies, catchy, well-constructed music and clean entertainment.”

Avalon agrees, noting that it was a “sweeter time” in history.

“In those days, when a guy went on a date, he had to open the car door just to get a smooch,” the former teen idol says. “It was a whole different world.”

Naplan adds that there were fewer celebrities in those days, whereas now the focus is more dispersed across many different genres.

“So, at that time, Frankie Avalon was at the pinnacle of pop culture,” Naplan says. “And he is still going strong. It is wonderful to present someone who was the teen idol of his generation. I think that we are in for a great time reliving the many amazing moments of his legendary career.”

ALL OF EVERYTHING

Arizona Musicfest’s 2023–24 season actually starts a few days prior to Avalon’s performance with a Nov. 5 concert showcasing Arizona’s brightest young classical musicians — each of whom possesses astounding technique and prodigious musicianship.

“This is a chance to hear and watch the best and brightest young classical musicians from the Valley — and beyond,” Naplan says.

In those days, when a guy went on a date, he had to open the car door just to get a smooch. It was a whole different world.

On Nov. 6, Arizona Musicfest will present “Elvis: The Concert of Kings” — a show that possesses the legendary power and presence of music’s greatest icon, Elvis Presley.

“I have always been reluctant to do anything that involves impersonators on our stage,” Naplan says. “That just has sort of a schlocky nature to it. So, typically, when we have done concerts honoring a legendary artist, it is, done by a really outstanding musician who may be completely reinterpreting the music or honoring it without trying to embody that person.”

Naplan adds that Elvis may be the sole exception to that rule, as the character of “The King” is every bit as significant as his music. He found the perfect vehicle for that with “Elvis: The Concert of Kings,” which features three of the world’s finest Elvis tribute performers who bring the music icon’s look, vocals and charisma to life on stage.

“Each of them does a decade of Elvis’ career,” Naplan explains. “It is a very distinguished trio of artists. Charles Stone, who was one of Elvis' tour managers, put this show together and serves as its host and narrator. He is the conduit to Elvis, telling stories of his time with ‘The King.’”

After Avalon’s Nov. 11 performance, Arizona Musicfest will welcome actor and musician Michael Cavanaugh for a Nov. 17 concert featuring the music of Billy Joel and Elton John. Then, eight-member male a cappella ensemble Cantus will take the stage Nov. 19 at the MIM Music Theater.

“Cantus is incredibly versatile, performing everything from early Renaissance and Baroque music to arrangements of contemporary songs,” Naplan says. “It is just an incredibly elegant and refined ensemble that is at the top of the male a cappella game. And to produce this concert in the intimacy of MIM is very special because it is just a jewel box of a hall.”

In December, Arizona Musicfest will conclude the 2023 portion of its concert season with a pair of holiday concerts, the first featuring Grammy Award-winning producer, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli and Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Catherine Russell on Dec. 1.

“It will be a very lovely way to start the holiday season,” Naplan says. “We then balance that with a much bigger spectacle in the Texas Tenors.”

Set for Dec. 4, the “America’s Got Talent” finalists will perform their heartwarming and touching holiday concert, “Deep in the Heart of Christmas.”

“What these three guys do is just so exciting and so special because each of them has their own track,” says Naplan, noting that the group’s prior Arizona Musicfest appearance two years ago was extremely well-received. “One is more classical, one is more pop and one is more musical theater. And they all come together through exciting musical arrangements. We are delighted to bring them back

Kraig Parker

for what I truly believe is going to be a major concert this holiday season.”

JUST ASK YOUR HEART

Of course, ticket sales from all of Arizona Musicfest’s concerts benefit a variety of music education programs throughout the Valley. After all, the nonprofit organization’s mission is to not only engage and delight audiences with exceptional concerts but also promote and inspire young musicians through valuable performance and scholarship opportunities as well as educate children and stimulate adults through dynamic music enrichment programs.

Charitable causes are far from a foreign concept to Avalon, who is an ambassador for the National Arthritis Foundation and has spent countless hours as the New York host for the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon.

“I do not think of it as giving back,” Avalon clarifies. “It is just something that comes from my heart that I enjoy doing.”

Another thing that the former teen idol enjoys doing is sitting down to eat dinner with his family.

“Being of Italian heritage, food and family have always been important to me,” says Avalon, who in 2015 published a cookbook filled with many of his mother’s recipes. “I still cook and I still do Sunday dinners with my kids, grandkids and friends.”

Looking back on a career that spans three generations of music, television and motion pictures, Avalon feels tremendous satisfaction and gratitude — especially when he is on stage in front of a live audience.

“It is an experience that I have been honored to have for many years and I still get wonderful excitement out of it,” he explains. “When I perform a song that I sang 40–50 years ago and look into the audience and see people of my generation holding hands and singing along, I get a little lump in my throat. I am very fortunate.”

azmusicfest.org

Experience

Arizona Musicfest: Frankie Avalon

Saturday, Nov. 11 | 2 p.m.

Highlands Church

9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Suite 100, Scottsdale $53+ | 480-422-8449 | azmusicfest.org

TThe sky’s the limit for acclaimed painter Virginia Brooks. As an older artist, she has never been more excited about her artistic career and her life.

Brooks’ subjects and style have evolved so much over the past few years that collectors are surprised by her new work. She also loves teaching emerging artists and works one-on-one with her students.

As one of the eight original artists who helped start the annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, Brooks is gearing up for her 27th consecutive year as a studio host for the popular event, which is scheduled to take place the last two weekends in November.

Coordinated by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, Hidden in the Hills is Arizona’s largest and longest-running artist studio tour. This year’s free, self-guided tour features 164 artists at 41 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale.

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer

// Photography by Bob Grebe and Cynthia Cooper

A LIFE SURROUNDED BY ART

Brooks’ mother was a classical soprano, and her father was a syndicated cartoonist who later became a New England marine artist. She was given her first easel at age 4, and art eventually won out as her lifelong career.

“My father’s comic strip, ‘The Jackson Twins,’ was a continuing story about teenage twin girls that looked amazingly like me at 16,” Brooks says. “Everything I ever did that was bad but printable showed up in that comic strip. The strip ran throughout the United States and was translated into other languages for European audiences. The last eight years of its 32-year run, I helped write and draw the strip.”

Fortunately, her family could live anywhere that had a post office to get the comic strip to the syndicate in New York City. The Brooks family took full advantage of the opportunity.

“While we lived in Europe, I graduated from The American School in Lugano, Switzerland,” Brooks explains. “I absorbed all the art that Europe had to offer and had the perfect tour guide in my father. Later, while living in Bermuda, I began to indulge my love of ocean scenery.”

As a young oil painter, Brooks cherished the chance to study privately with many of her father’s original instructors on the north shore of Boston.

“There were renowned painters living in the area, and Gloucester and Rockport remain art havens to this day,” she says.

Looking back, Brooks credits her mentors and others close to her with helping her pivot from a challenging period in her life to what’s become an art adventure full of possibilities.

“When I first started painting professionally, I painted what I thought would sell,” the artist says. “My older work featured cowboy boots, old western trucks, and other Southwestern subjects I thought people wanted to buy. During those years, my mentors would gently encourage me to paint what I personally loved. I’m finally doing that, and it has made a big difference in the quality of my paintings.”

I hope I can inspire others to be resilient. Challenges can be worked through, and art is a creative way of giving yourself a peaceful future. Virginia Brooks

Painter Virginia Brooks is gearing up for her 27th consecutive year as a studio host for the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, which is scheduled to take place the last two weekends in November. // Photo by Cynthia Cooper

DISCOVERING HER INNER STRENGTH

In 2017, Brooks was struggling with what she called “medical mayhem.” Several serious operations and the onset of the pandemic in 2020 had a profound impact on her ability to paint.

“I found myself sitting at my kitchen table, looking out at the view and wondering why I didn't feel the urge to paint during the pandemic,” she says. “I was not alone in experiencing this malaise. In fact, some artists changed mediums in hopes of reigniting their creative spark.”

One morning, she pulled out notes that she had written for a “someday” memoir, and she began to write.

“The writing was haphazard little vignettes at first, but soon it started to look like a memoir,” she recalls. “I became energized, hoping to get back to the lighthearted feeling I had when I was a young painter. I wanted to regain my earlier resilience. And, to my surprise, it showed up!”

A week later, Brooks felt a pull to finally return to her studio to paint.

“Three hours later, I had the painting that changed my outlook for my future,” she says. “My memoir began to show humor as well as the self-help strategies I was working with. I began to wonder what could lie ahead ... as a painter and as a person. Fear of the unknown disappeared, and I found myself squarely on the road to regaining the resilience I had been missing.”

She painted a single, tall, leafy tree with soft hues of purple, pink, green, and yellow. The right side of the tree was dark, while the left side was brightly colored, showing the lightheartedness she was seeking to regain.

“The painting was my turning point, and I named it ‘Resilience,’” Brooks says. “Since then, I have been on an upward trajectory. My art career and who I am as a person have happily both changed. I have a new sense of artistic freedom.”

Next, she began to push herself beyond her comfort zone and experiment with palette knife painting.

“For all of those years, I had been afraid of using the palette knife,” Brooks says. “I took a one-day workshop and learned some tips and tricks. Our instructor encouraged us to find our own style, and I soon realized that I have a natural ability for it. It was a welcome surprise.”

She titled her first palette knife painting ‘On the Horizon.’ The oil painting depicts wild, rough waves hitting the shoreline

while sunlight and blue sky break through the dark storm clouds. The horizon in the painting is infinite.

“Painting with the palette knife showed me that I am no longer wary of the unknown,” she notes. “I now have a feeling of what I call late-blooming happiness in my art.”

Her resiliency also led to more playfulness and spontaneity in her palette.

“I’m a great color mixer at this point,” Brooks says. “When I first started painting, everything was out of a tube. I’m now more subtle with color gradations, and I’m more apt to mix colors right on my canvas. The sense of freedom is everywhere.”

Brooks paints landscapes, both en plein air and in the studio.

“Landscape is my first love, whether it be the ocean, Tuscany and Provence, or the American West,” the artist adds. “My paintings are always more successful when I am there on location.”

INSPIRATION SPECIALIST

Teaching for the past 22 years, Brooks also loves nurturing the artistic talent of others. The artist’s students range in age from 7 to 90 years old.

“I paint with my students, side by side, at two easels in my home studio,” she says. “I supply everything, and that allows new students to try oils without the expense of purchasing the brushes, paints and canvases.”

Her two-hour lessons are concentrated on creativity, and Brooks even does all the cleanup. She and her students spend all their time together on the painting experience.

“I want painters to feel like I did when I painted side by side with my instructors,” says Brooks, who doesn’t have students sign a lesson contract, thereby fostering their enjoyment and returning only if they feel they have had a successful experience.

One of the artist’s favorite quotes from Albert Einstein is pinned to her easel.

“It says, ‘Creativity is intelligence having fun,’ and that’s our goal,” Brooks explains. “I also work hard to notice when a student is developing a style of their own, and I love to promote that. It’s warm and personal, and that’s where inspiration shows up.”

She also teaches her students to embrace the unexpected.

“Sometimes you need to give your painting space and leave

yourself open to surprises,” she says. “One afternoon I was working with the palette knife, and my hand slipped. I loved the surprise shape it created, and I turned it into a beautiful cloudscape.”

Recently, some of Brooks’ students began to affectionately call her an ‘inspiration specialist” — a title that she welcomes.

“It’s rewarding to nurture an artist at various stages of their career,” Brooks says. “I feel very fortunate to have watched artists develop their skills and blossom into talented professionals. Some of my long-time students have gone on to careers in fine art.”

As host of Studio No. 5 in Carefree during next month’s Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, Brooks will share her space with two guest artists — watercolorist Steve Stento and fine jeweler Donna Law, both of whom are also long-time participants of the event, having showcased their work at her studio for many years.

“I never expected to be this excited about my life as an artist in my older years,” Brooks says. “I hope I can inspire others to be resilient. Challenges can be worked through, and art is a creative way of giving yourself a peaceful future.”

virginiabrooks.com

SSometimes a phone call from a stranger can change a life. Sometimes it can change many.

Alexis Roeckner Ferri, the chief executive officer of Tierra Madre Horse and Human Sanctuary in Cave Creek, received just such a phone call.

“In mid-April of 2022, Tara [Mockbee] called me,” Ferri recalls. “She said, ‘I have a [resident] who passed away. She was a renowned artist, and she wanted her entire collection of original charcoal artwork to go to an equine rescue.”

On Oct. 7, Tierra Madre will host an event during which artist Patricia “Pat” Wozniak will be honored for her impact on the art community. The event will include a silent auction of Wozniak’s work, with 100% of each sale benefitting the sanctuary’s expenses — including hoof care, feed and the significant veterinary bills which, in 2022, amounted to $40,000.

Writer Shannon Severson

CIRCLE OF HEALING

Mockbee and her staff, who cared for Wozniak at Fairmont Village, a memory care facility, accepted an invitation to tour the sanctuary. She knew this was the place that Wozniak would want her art to benefit, as in her will she wanted her art to be donated to an equine charity.

The artist was a bit of a mystery, with no immediate family. By the time she came to Fairmont Village, she was experiencing the significant effects of Parkinson’s disease and dementia. She passed away on April 14, 2023.

“We take care of elderly people, and Tierra Madre takes care of elderly horses,” Mockbee says. “I know she would be so happy to know that the art sales will help the sanctuary.”

Ferri says it’s an honor to be the recipient of the more than three dozen charcoal, graphite pencil and watercolor pencil drawings — primarily of horses, wildlife and Native Americans. The proceeds will help the sanctuary continue its mission of giving aging horses the very best life in their later years.

“We were so blown away,” she recalls. “Shortly, we had approval from [founder] Jim [Gath] to scatter Pat’s ashes here, and now she is laid to rest beneath one of our trees on the property.

We want to honor her legacy and share more about who she was as a person and honor the impact she made in the art community and the world. You change the world just by living.

Alexis Roeckner Ferri

“We want to honor her legacy and share more about who she was as a person, and honor the impact she made in the art community and the world. You change the world just by living.”

At Tierra Madre, humans volunteer to care for the horses, and the animals seem to know just what the humans around them need. Deep connections are formed.

“People say these horses are life-changing,” Ferri explains. “Horses live in the moment. They’re prey animals; they’re intuitive. You can’t lie to a horse. You have to face what’s going on inside you because that’s the only way through it.

“Horses say, ‘Stay with me in this moment.’ Those horses saved my life when I was 17. This place does something to you; it changes your life.”

A MYSTERIOUS FIGURE

Piecing together Wozniak’s life story wasn’t easy, but Mockbee was able to glean key facts about the early life of the artist. One thing was clear: she was passionate about horses and used her natural talent to create realistic depictions of the majestic creatures.

Wozniak was an artist her entire life. A Massachusetts native, she attended Massachusetts College of Art and Design and even lived in Hawaii for a time. There, she owned her first horse, named Soda. She eventually had to put Soda down while she was in Hawaii. When her ashes were interred at Tierra Madre, they were accompanied by a lock of her beloved Soda’s mane, which she had preserved through the years.

With no discernible stream of income, Mockbee surmises that Wozniak survived by drawing and selling art, often at independent galleries. By the time she needed to be moved from her home, she hadn’t drawn in years.

“When Pat came to us, she had fallen several times in her Scottsdale condo, and we knew very little about her,” Mockbee says. “She could no longer live on her own, but her landlord was kind enough to gather all the art she could find in the home.”

Wozniak was a determined, independent soul. The daughter of Polish immigrants, she spoke with a Boston accent and was a huge fan of the Red Sox and Boston Bruins. She had a special shirt she wore to watch the games. While she never married or had children, she was a devout Catholic and was generous about donating her art to worthy causes.

HONORING A LEGACY

While Wozniak was a bit of an enigma, her heart for horses was easy to see. As preparations are made for the art show fundraiser, one piece will be kept and framed at Tierra Madre with words to honor the special posthumous donation from the artist.

“I know she would be so happy to know that the art sales will help the sanctuary,” Mockbee says. “When we scattered her ashes at the ranch, we said a prayer and went on our way. I am certain she is at peace and couldn’t be more thankful to Alexis and Jim for helping to honor her life and talent.”

tierramadrehorseandhumansanctuary.org

Tierra Madre Art Show Fundraiser

Thursday, Oct. 7 | 5–8 p.m.

The Holland Center | 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale Free | tierramadrehorseandhumansanctuary.org

AAbout six years ago, shortly after collaborating on a one-act chamber opera based on Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling short story “The Tell-Tale Heart,” director Sarah Meyers asked composer Gregg Kallor if he had ever read Mary Shelley’s Gothic novel “Frankenstein.”

“My only knowledge of it was from the movies that I had seen,” Kallor admits. “As soon as I read it, lightning struck. I could not stop reading it. With each page, I thought to myself, ‘This story resonates so deeply. I am not sure how to qualify this, but it felt operatic. It felt epic, but also very intimate, personal and relatable at the same time. There was a sweep to it, but it also goes straight for the heart.”

Kallor got right to work on adapting the iconic tale about a living, feeling creature that is brought into the world only to be forsaken by its creator. Recognizing it as an exquisitely

“Frankenstein” //

Photo by Kevin Condon

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

wrought plea to look deeper within ourselves to find our commonality and to uphold our responsibility to one another, the composer sought to give voice to the tragic being — and to all members of society who are marginalized or shunned for being “other.”

“The story of ‘Frankenstein’ has endured for more than 200 years because it speaks to something fundamental about human nature” Kallor explains. “Everyone can identify with being seen as ‘other; with being abused, reviled or feared for the color of their skin, their gender, their sexual orientation, their foreign accent or their political or religious associations.”

In 2018, Meyers directed three scenes that Kallor had composed in the catacombs of Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York.

“It was so magical and ambient,” Kallor says. “It felt like we had crossed a threshold into this place between worlds, which allowed everyone to let their filters of daily life just melt away and become completely attuned to what was happening.”

Meyers agrees, describing the presentation as having been “a seductive experience.”

“[The fact that it was] a compelling and iconic story presented in an evocative venue drew the audience into our immersive experience, but it was Gregg’s music that was responsible for the lasting impression that the evening generated,” Meyers says.

“Even in just a few scenes, his musicality conveyed the story with immediacy and vital intensity. His lyricism transmitted the text directly, and he created atmosphere

“Frankenstein” // Photo by Kevin Condon

and dramatic tension. He allowed the humanity to shine through in each of the characters, perhaps most sensitively in his depiction of the creature himself.”

Meyers believes that it was the transformative, emotional power of the music that convinced Arizona Opera’s president and general director, Joseph Specter, to commission the full opera.

This month, Arizona Opera will bring “Frankenstein” to life — Oct. 13–15 at Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix.

Spector says that Kallor’s adaptation is an incredible match for Arizona Opera, for the community it serves and for the art form of opera at large.

“This world premiere aligns seamlessly with Arizona Opera’s mission of presenting innovative, relevant and diverse works for the benefit of our community's cultural life,” the president and general director explains. “By supporting living composers and embracing the timeless themes of Mary Shelley's novel, we continue to push the boundaries of opera’s impact.”

Like many of Arizona Opera’s productions, “Frankenstein” challenges the general perception of opera, breaking through the stereotypes to invite and entice new audiences to the art form.

Kallor adds that opera, at its core, is just another form of storytelling.

“It is like musical theater,” the composer explains. “It is like nonmusical theater. It is like movies, film or TV. It is like song. They are all different iterations of the same thing — which, at its root, is just storytelling. I think that people may be surprised by the vast range of stories that can be told through opera. What is most amazing about it to me is that the music amplifies the ideas of the words. It heightens their emotional impact. Whatever the story, opera just gives it more space to breathe.”

Meyers agrees.

“Opera is a sensual art; a fully embodied experience for both performers and audience,” she says. “The music generated by the orchestra and the human voice literally moves through us and within us. These performances present an opportunity not to be missed – the chance to experience a visceral story told through the most visceral of art forms.”

Moreover, Meyers says that opera is the perfect vehicle for this particular story — which she assures will still satiate those seeking a spooky experience this Halloween season.

“It has dark deeds, monsters, storms, shadowy forests and

Gregg Kallor //

Photo by David White

Sarah Meyers

cemeteries; but this tale goes above and beyond the parameters of your average ghost story,” the director explains. “This story penetrates that mysterious boundary between life and death and offers a glimpse into the abyss on the other side. There is a pleasure — an exhilaration even — that corresponds to the shiver of fear that this story inspires. It is a physical, tactile experience that makes us feel that much more alive.”

Kallor adds that there are several different layers of horror in “Frankenstein.”

“There is the classic, spooky, discomforting horror with murders and suspense throughout,” he says. “Then there is the emotional horror. I think that we can all identify, with not only the creature, but also with Victor Frankenstein. We often get so wrapped up in whatever we may be pursuing that we tend to forget about its impact on other people.

“We are also innocent bystanders. We have very little control over what other people are doing without our knowledge or permission. And it significantly impacts our lives. So this story is universally resonant and timeless. I think that everyone can see themselves in it. That is what drew me to wanting to tell this story for our generation.

“I am hoping that people walk away from this experience of ‘Frankenstein’ with a stark reminder of the urgent need for empathy. That is what I took away from Shelley's novel. It is a little bit about the creation, but mostly about what happens next — and how tragedy could have been avoided with just a little bit of empathy.”

azopera.org

Festival of Flavor

TThis month, Taste of Cave Creek makes its triumphant return to Stagecoach Village with a wide array of the community’s best sights, sounds and flavors.

Taste of Cave Creek chairman Patty Pollnow says that she expects more than 30 restaurants and 21 local breweries to participate in this year’s two-day culinary festival, making it the largest in the event’s history. Although the property and events manager for Stagecoach Village has worked on the event for many years, this is the first time that the shopping and dining district will be fully responsible for producing the celebration.

“Every year we look forward to this great event,” Pollnow says. “Honestly, I think my favorite part is seeing all our friends and neighbors coming out and enjoying our awesome local restaurants.”

On the evenings of Oct. 18 and 19, attendees can wend their way through Stagecoach Village, enjoying the beer garden area, a live band — 3rd & Long — playing in the central gazebo, sponsor and charity booths and restaurants offering tastes of their culinary creations for $4–$6 each.

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography Courtesy of Keeler’s Steakhouse

“Cave Creek is undoubtedly one of Arizona’s most dynamic and diverse culinary hot spots,” Pollnow says.

Those hot spots hail from the environs of both Cave Creek and Carefree, making it convenient and fun to try lots of flavors in one visit.

INTRODUCTIONS & OLD FRIENDS

With expected crowds of 4,000–5,000 guests per day, Taste of Cave Creek has proven to be a fantastic spot for longstanding favorites like The Grotto, Keeler’s Steakhouse and Z’s House of Thai to greet regular patrons and expand their reach to new ones. The festival is also the ideal venue for new eateries and beverage purveyors to introduce themselves with a splash.

Cave Creek is undoubtedly one of Arizona’s most dynamic and diverse culinary hot spots.

Patty Pollnow

One new addition to the community that’s seizing the moment is Cryin’ Coyote Barbecue, a family business that recently opened its doors in Las Tiendas on the main drag of town. Owner Cody Edgin is a native of Cave Creek and says he was excited to start a business here in his hometown with his wife and four children all working together.

“I’ve been in restaurants my whole career, and it was always my vision to come back to Cave Creek and open up a familyowned restaurant,” Edgin says. “It was only natural that after we opened, we would be involved in the preeminent food event here in Cave Creek. We’re very excited to be allowed the opportunity to be a part of this community event.”

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Presenting sponsors ABC15 and Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln will lend important support to the festival as well as present their Operation Santa Claus Charity Drive.

Attendees may bring a new toy, children’s clothing items, packaged food or a monetary donation on both evenings of the event. Donations will benefit

several worthy local charities — St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance, The Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center, Military Assistance Mission and Special Olympics Arizona.

Locally, several teams and clubs of students from Cactus Shadows High School have volunteered to lend a hand. It’s truly a community effort, and Pollnow says that involvement from the high school is always a highlight of putting together the event.

“We are enormously proud to partner with Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln to showcase a mix of the best and brightest chefs and restaurateurs,” Pollnow explains. “A starstudded collection of sommeliers, wine, beer and spirits experts round out the Taste of Cave Creek. Paired with incredible live music, this unforgettable event has become a highlight on Cave Creek’s calendar.”

tasteofcavecreek.com

After I photographed my first couple of ants, people suddenly started bringing me all kinds of bugs. I have, so far, not had to go out and look for them or figure out how to get them because people have just been bringing them to me. Ron Sill

AAccording to the Insect Identification Database of Arizona, there are at least 877 varieties of insects that crawl, fly or otherwise roam around our state. These include numerous species of scorpions, ants, bees, wasps, beetles, moths, centipedes, mosquitoes and, of course, flies.

Some — like butterflies — we typically attribute with beauty; in others — like crickets — we find nuisance or annoyance; and a select few — like ladybugs — we believe bring us good luck; but most — especially spiders — send shivers down our spines and cause us to jump higher than grasshoppers.

“I have never really been grossed out by or had any kind of fear of bugs,” says photographer Ron Sill. “I do not want them crawling around my bed, but I do not have any problem picking them up and checking them out.”

Sill does much more than just check them out; he gets up close and personal with them, photographing insects at high magnifications to reveal details that are essentially invisible to the naked eye.

“From moths and butterflies to beetles and ants, these insects are all so diverse from one another,” Sill explains. “Even two different kinds of ants can look completely different. Discovering what is different about each bug is what really draws me in.”

This month, in honor of Halloween, Images Arizona is showcasing a selection of Sill’s micro and macro photography, through which he shrinks us down and pulls back the curtain on the wonderful world of creepy crawlers.

We encourage you to fight the urge to look away and instead stand spellbound by the fascinatingly minute details of these captivating creatures with which we share this planet — even though they look like they come from another one.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Ron Sill

Cricket

June Bug

The beauty of photography is in trying to leverage what the camera can see that the human eye does not perceive the same way. Ron Sill

The moth is interesting because it has, for lack of a better term, scales that you do not normally see when you are looking at it. You do not even pay attention to these things until you see microphotography with all of the detail in it.

Ron Sill

The compound eyes on insects are a very big fascination for me. That was probably the first thing I gravitated toward. I wanted to see all the elements of an insect’s compound eyes. Ron Sill

About the Photographer

Ron Sill has never been one to rest on his laurels. In addition to a career as an electrical drafter, designing such things as the physical layout of semiconductors, the Chandler resident has collected a diverse and ever-expanding list of hobbies that range from cycling and running half-marathons to making and throwing boomerangs.

However, over the last 40 years, one hobby has stood not only the test of time but also the test of limitless learning.

“Back in the mid-80s, one of my coworkers wanted to get into photography and asked if I would like to join him,” Sill says.

“I said, ‘Sure! Why not?’ and bought a camera. As life went on, my interest in photography waned a bit — especially because it was a particularly expensive hobby. After all, in the film days, it would cost money every time you pushed the button.”

The advent of digital drew Sill back into photography, as it allowed him to experiment and explore the medium in entirely new ways.

“I have been in and out of so many different hobbies,” Sill admits. “For many of them, I tend to get to a point where I believe there is nothing further upon which I can improve. Photography never gets there. Unlike other hobbies, where you are kind of locked into one thing, photography can take you to a lot of places — weddings, landscapes, wildlife. There are a lot of different avenues you can go down.”

Sill has gone down many of them, often finding forks in the road and detours that capture his fascination. From micro and macro photography to still-life photography, Sill does not believe that his interest in the hobby will ever be satiated or exhausted.

“Landscapes are my favorite,” Sill adds. “It is low-stress, it does not move and it does not talk back to you. The only challenge is in figuring out how to compose it or look at it differently so that it speaks to somebody. That is the carrot at the end of the stick that seems impossible to catch, so you just keep going after it all the time.”

flickr.com/photos/ronsill instagram.com/ronaldsill facebook.com/ronald.r.sill

Treasure Trove

Five decades after her parents founded the store, Barbara Vander Leest continues to operate Desert Treasures, which is furnished with an exceptional selection of minerals and fossils.

FFifty years ago, Wisconsinites Robert and Dorothy Vander Leest moved to Arizona in search of a new, warmer home. Finding this in Carefree, Robert began managing Spanish Village — one of the first buildings constructed in the small, picturesque town, on the corner of Ho and Hum roads.

“They had this empty location that was a little bit out of the way, down on the end,” says Barbara, the couple’s daughter who was attending graduate school in Wisconsin at the time. “My dad was an old-fashioned rock hound and had been to rock shops in his travels all over the country. They were typically dirty, crummy places, and he envisioned having more of an upscale one. So my parents decided to open a rock shop in that empty space.”

The couple founded Desert Treasures on Oct. 6, 1973, with an initial inventory that consisted of pieces from Robert’s own collection as well as jewelry and other desert-oriented gifts curated by Dorothy. Following Robert’s passing in 1977, Dorothy continued to operate the store, becoming partners with Barbara in 1995.

“I moved to Arizona because I was unemployed and my mother had talked me into opening a store of my own,” says the former archeologist. “I continued to look for work in my field, but I could not find any because there were so many qualified professionals looking for college teaching positions at that time. My mother eventually bought me out. We combined our stores and remained partners until she passed away in 2007.”

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Our customers include many faithful secondand thirdgeneration patrons, as well as crowds of Arizona visitors, who flock to Desert Treasures for our excellent selection of quality minerals, crystals, fossils and gifts at reasonable prices.

Barbara Vander Leest

ART & WINE FESTIVALS Arizona s

February

’

November 4-5

On Friday, Oct. 6, Barbara Vander Leest will host a grand celebration in honor of Desert Treasures’ 50th anniversary in the community. In addition to sales and specials on merchandise, customers can enjoy refreshments, raffles and more.

Today, five decades after her parents founded Desert Treasures, Barbara continues to operate the store, which is furnished with an exceptional selection of minerals and fossils — including petrified wood, amethyst, citrine, quartz, geodes, crystals, desert roses and hundreds of other specimens. The store is also stocked with a selection of decorator minerals to accent your home or office, as well as acrylic and wooden stands for displaying them.

Other notable items among Desert Treasures’ interesting and eclectic mix of inventory include an assortment of gemstone jewelry in turquoise, amethyst, amber and other semi-precious stones set in sterling silver. Earrings, pendants and pins with Southwestern motifs round out the jewelry selection in the store, which also sells T-shirts, salsas, jellies, hot sauces, decorator pieces, books, souvenirs and hand-carved ironwood sculptures from Mexico.

“Our customers include many faithful second- and thirdgeneration patrons, as well as crowds of Arizona visitors, who flock to Desert Treasures for our excellent selection of quality minerals, crystals, fossils and gifts at reasonable prices,” says Barbara, noting that the store is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Many of our customers return year after year, knowing that our prices are fair and reasonable.”

On Friday, Oct. 6, Desert Treasures will host a grand celebration in honor of its 50th anniversary in the community. In addition to sales and specials on merchandise, customers can enjoy refreshments, raffles and more.

“Back in 1973, as far as shopping opportunities, there was the Fifth Avenue area in downtown Scottsdale and Carefree,” Barbara says. “There was nothing — literally nothing — in between. The area has built up and changed so much since then. So it is a lot more challenging now because tourists and visitors have many other options than they did in the past, but we’re still going strong and hope to be around a while.”

deserttreasuresaz.com

Experience

Desert Treasures 50th Anniversary Celebration

Friday, Oct. 6 | 4–7 p.m. | Historic Spanish Village Suite 11 Free | 480-488-3782 | deserttreasuresaz.com

Bowled Over

BBowls serve a variety of purposes — far beyond just a vessel that holds your soup or salad.

Bowls can be kept by your front door, perfectly positioned to catch your keys, loose change and other knick-knacks you’ve collected in your pockets over the course of your day. They can be placed on your bedroom nightstand, keeping your watch or rings safe and sound while you sleep.

Flip one over and instantly add height to a flower arrangement or centerpiece. Or simply make the bowl the centerpiece itself by filling it with pine cones, seashells, unusual seed pods, dried berries or driftwood. You can even take it one step further and creatively repurpose bowls into lampshades, bird baths and other artistic projects or DIY solutions.

Bowls make our lives better, easier, more beautiful. And, for the past two decades, they have also been saving lives.

In the early ‘90s, with Bloomfield Hills Schools’ annual food drive in Michigan falling short of expectations, art teacher John Hartom and his wife, Lisa Blackburn, brainstormed ways to make up for the shortfall. Hartom challenged his students to make ceramic bowls, which were then used as serving pieces for a fundraising meal of soup and bread.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Foothills Food Bank

“At the conclusion of the meal, Lisa and I shared with the participants information about hunger in our community, thanked each person for their cash donation and asked each of them to keep the empty bowl they had selected as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world,” Hartom says.

“Silence fell over the room as everyone immediately felt the power of their bowl as a metaphor for hunger in the world. Tears were evident on many faces. Bowls were clutched to chests. The arts had, as is often the case, served in a powerful way to transform.”

The next year, Hartom and other participants developed the concept into the Empty Bowls project, which then spread to other communities around the world — including several here in Arizona.

For the past 23 years, members and friends of the Sonoran Arts League have been creating ceramic and glass bowls, culminating in an art auction and bowl sale with all proceeds benefitting Foothills Food Bank and its dedication to assisting the community’s food insecure.

“I love this event because it is not only supporting our food bank, but it is also bringing awareness to the arts in our community — which are so important to the identity of Cave Creek and Carefree,” says Lauren Cobb, community engagement and events manager for Foothills Food Bank.

“Our Empty Bowls Project represents two nonprofit organizations working together toward one goal. And that is really something really special.”

I love this event because it is not only supporting our food bank, but it is also bringing awareness to the arts in our community — which are so important to the identity of Cave Creek and Carefree.

Lauren Cobb

Set for Saturday, Oct. 14 at Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion in Carefree, this year’s Foothills Food Bank Empty Bowls Project event will feature a chef’s competition, arts demonstrations, a wine garden, music and food.

“And, of course, the bowls are the stars of the show,” says Cobb, noting that this year’s event also serves as a kickoff to a new era for the food bank, which is breaking ground Thursday, Oct. 5 on a brand-new facility located near 41st Street on Carefree Highway.

“Our current location is about 7,000 square feet. The new building will be closer to 15,000 square feet, with about 3,000 square feet allocated as space for a water treatment plant. We will be doubling our refrigeration and freezer capacity, giving us the ability to store pallets. It will also allow us to safely intake delivery trucks and get them back out on the road.”

The new facility currently has a completion and grand opening estimate for the fourth quarter of 2024.

“What truly makes our Empty Bowls Project unique is the community involvement,” Cobb adds. “We have not only partnered with the Sonoran Arts League but also Paradise Valley Community College’s ceramics department as well as the Arizona Woodturners Association, which will both be donating beautiful bowls to our event.

“All of the bowls can be eaten out of, but we have many people who come and say that they use them for all sorts of things. The bowls come in all shapes and sizes. Some are more like saucers, while others are more like vases. There really is something for everybody, and my goal is to end up with no bowls left over.”

foothillsfoodbank.com

sonoranartsleague.org

AA trip to the dentist doesn’t generally conclude with the realization of a dream, but in Sandy Athenson’s case, it did. The culmination of that dream is Athens on Easy Street, serving Greek and Mediterranean cuisine just steps away from the historic Carefree Sundial.

Sandy’s son, Augie, tells the story of how his parents returned to the restaurant business and made it a family affair.

“My father went to see the dentist and said his dream was to own a restaurant again, just as he had in the 1980s in New York,” Augie explains. “He and my mother were both veterans of the restaurant industry at the time, but he left the business for something more financially safe.

They figured that they might own a restaurant again when they were older. The dentist put him in touch with the previous owners of the restaurant’s current location, and after some minor renovations, we opened in the fall of 2020.”

HERITAGE & NEW VENTURES

While Augie didn’t grow up in the “restaurant era” of his parents’ lives, he and his fiancé Rita Culpepper both worked in restaurants during college and even met while working at the same restaurant. He says that during his younger years in smalltown Illinois, Sandy and Augie’s mother, Julie, were the consummate hosts, with dinners for extended family, their Greek Orthodox church community and school hosting 100–200 guests at a time.

“I lived down the street from my cousins,” Augie recalls of his upbringing. “We would get together on Sundays for meals. The spanakopita was always there, and one of my aunts made the best pastitsio. These aren’t items we would eat every day. We held them in high regard because it was a special occasion to eat them, with a lot of work involved in their preparation. They were foods we held dear.”

The concept quickly went from the basics of gyros and souvlaki to some lesser-known Greek dishes like grilled octopus on a bed of curried lentils and a few items of the team’s own invention, such as the curried chicken skewers and jackfruit gyros. Rita Culpepper

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Interestingly enough, Sandy and Julie had never operated a Greek restaurant, despite their heritage. Here in Carefree, they saw a need for Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, and this was a chance to share family favorite recipes with their neighbors.

When the family opened Athens on Easy Street that fall, they opened on a small scale with a limited menu of sandwiches and salads — necessitated by a very small kitchen. With the limitations of the COVID pandemic, the family was able to ease into building a menu and a loyal clientele, but they soon knew that they needed to embark on some serious renovations.

“Sandy decided that if we were going to do this [Greek restaurant], we were really going to do it all the way,” Culpepper recalls. “We were all on the same page. The concept quickly went from the basics of gyros and souvlaki to some lesser-known Greek dishes like grilled octopus on a bed of curried lentils and a few items of the team’s own invention, such as the curried chicken skewers and jackfruit gyros.”

With supply chain challenges, what began as a six-month renovation project in the summer of 2021 became an 18-month project as delays mounted.

“People thought we gave up,” Culpepper says. “Augie and I were working other jobs and working with the contractor. When we reopened in January 2023, we were pushed right into the busy season. We brought in a beautiful bar, additional seating and we have a larger kitchen that can produce for the many tables we added. We are very pleased with how it turned out.”

Athens on Easy Street now stands out with a huge patio; its bright blue umbrellas are easy to spot against the white building, conjuring the characteristic colors of the Greek Isles. Inside, blue tiles, a marble-topped bar and warm wood tones create an inviting atmosphere.

GATHERING AROUND THE TABLE

“It warms my heart when customers from our first opening tell us how excited they are that we came back,” Augie says. “We have a lot of regulars, and it’s a pleasure to see their names on the reservation list.”

Athens on Easy Street also has a lot of fans from far-flung locales. Regulars bring friends, and the restaurant often welcomes visitors all the way from Greece and from the Valley’s Greek community.

“It’s great to be part of this smalltown community,” Augie says. “We like recognizing people from local businesses and getting their support.”

The restaurant’s convivial patio has an outdoor kitchen where, every Saturday, the scent of lamb on the rotisserie creates an aroma that draws in patrons — and sells out by the end of the night. This patio grill creates an interactive experience and, as weather permits, will be able to prepare an extensive number of menu items to order.

Indoors and out, Athens on Easy Street’s menu allows customers to tailor their eating experience to the occasion — a meal for two, a gathering of friends for bites and drinks or a larger group ready for a feast of grilled meat platters and salads.

The “mezze and dips” section of the menu features small plates to share among friends with a glass of Greek wine, Greek Mythos beer or handcrafted cocktails like the Skilo Martini created with olive oil-washed, locally made Stray Dog gin, lemon vermouth, olive juice and orange bitters or the adventurous Tzatziki Tiki with gin, brandy, lemon, pineapple and tzatziki cordial.

To add a little drama to the meal, Saganaki flaming cheese is set alight tableside for a creamy, attentiongetting appetizer. The eggplant and

zucchini chips are also very popular and are a favorite of Augie’s.

Bestselling entrées include the spanakopita, either as a main with soup or salad or as a smaller appetizer portion, the gyros and the pastitsio — a layered, Greek-style lasagna with seasoned beef and tomato sauce topped with creamy béchamel.

For dessert, Julie makes the restaurant’s traditional baklava each week and a lesser-known treat, Bougatsa. It’s a tradition in the Thessaloniki region of Greece that’s also made with crispy, thin sheets of phyllo dough, but with a custard base similar to a light French toast or bread pudding.

Another secret weapon on the delectable dessert menu is Marnelle Ross. She’s the official ice cream maker in the kitchen, and her creations go beyond the traditional flavors, instead concocting lavender honey, white chocolate-chocolate mint, Tahitian vanilla and refreshing sorbets made with the juice of local oranges and lemons. The dessert favorites can even be combined in a baklava sundae. Rita notes that customers claim it’s the best vanilla ice cream they’ve ever had.

Augie and Rita say that customers enjoy making it a point to try something new from the menu every time they visit — a Greek passport to a dining adventure. They take home menus and cross off each item they’ve tried.

It’s these experiences that make the Athensons feel that they’ve expanded their family to include their loyal customers, their hardworking and talented culinary and service teams and fellow business owners in the area.

“We have been very lucky to have been able to bring back almost every single former worker from when we first opened,” Augie explains. “We have all become family.”

athensoneasy.com

RRenowned contemporary figurative artist Fernando Botero once said, “Art should be an oasis: a place or refuge from the hardness of life.” Those same words can apply to nature, with studies showing that exposure to the natural environment has a calming, restorative effect.

At Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, fine art and flora often overlap. Here, the expressive arms of saguaros, spiky leaves of agaves and feathery petals of cactus blossoms frequently share space with highly polished glass elements, playful plastic creatures and large architectural installations in harmonious blends of color and form.

Now, the Sonoran Desert and Latin America meet, as the garden welcomes a must-see collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures by Botero — Colombia’s mostcelebrated artist.

A collaboration between Desert Botanical Garden and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California, “Fernando Botero: The Master” marks the first time an exhibition of the artist’s works has ever been shown in Arizona.

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

“Sunflowers,” oil on canvas, 1977

Prior to coming to Desert Botanical Garden, “Fernando Botero: The Master” was exhibited at the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California. // Image provided by MOLAA // Photo by Yubo Dona / ofstudio photography // Instagram: @ofphotostudio

“La Gorda Gertrudis” lounges in Santo Domingo Square in Cartagena, Colombia.

LIVING LARGE

Born in Medellín, the secondlargest city in Colombia, in 1932, Botero is known for his immediately recognizable paintings and sculptures that distort volumes and question the concept of beauty. His signature style, known as “Boterismo,” depicts rotund, voluminous, some may even say obese, figures, meticulously painted in bright colors, through which he ridicules the pomposities of life, art and officialdom.

“People think I am a painter of fat women, but I draw volumes,” the artist is quoted as saying.

“Botero really did redefine beauty,” says Elaine McGinn, chief experience officer at Desert Botanical Garden. “By using these really voluptuous and full forms, he’s making us see and think about the world differently.”

Laura Spalding Best, senior director of exhibits at the garden, adds that there are several ways Botero uses the exaggerated form.

“One is to celebrate beauty and push it to its full extent,” she explains. “He’ll exaggerate the lines of the female just as he will the lines of a vase of flowers. Then, he uses it to present satire and to represent pain and suffering. His work has all the drama of the Renaissance paintings that he always admired.

“He’s able to put a lot of symbolism into his work, but there’s always something you can smile or laugh at. It provokes a reaction. I don’t think there’s anyone who can look neutrally at a Fernando Botero painting.”

Drawing inspiration from varied sources — from folk imagery to the formal portraits by the Old Masters — Botero portrays contemporary

Latin American life. His oeuvre ranges from gentle scenes of everyday family life and popular Colombian pastimes, such as bullfighting, to topical issues, including political corruption and his home country’s history of violence.

Like his figures, the artist’s works themselves are large in scale. Paintings and drawings are wall size, while larger-thanlife bronze sculptures tower upward of 15–20 feet.

Those who may not know his name will still recognize his work. Botero has exhibited in the world’s best museums, and his sculptures can be found in parks and squares across the globe.

Some of his most famous pieces include “Mona Lisa,” a balloonlike interpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s legendary painting; “The Death of Pablo Escobar,” which shows the infamous drug lord being fatally shot; and “Dancing in Colombia,” which highlights a lively café filled with music and dance. “Gato,” an enormous bronze corpulent kitty cat, and “Caballo,” a hulking horse, have become beloved symbols of Barcelona, Spain.

Image provided by MOLAA // Photo by Yubo Dona / ofstudio photography // Instagram: @ofphotostudio

“Mona Lisa” is one of Botero’s most well-known works.

“A Couple,” also known as “Una Coppia,” was painted in 1995.

“Una Familia” is on display in the Museo Botero.

Botero is also a noted art collector. In 2000, he helped open the Museo Botero in Colombia’s capital city, Bogotá. In addition to more than 120 of his own works, the artist donated 85 pieces from his personal collection, including ones by such renowned masters as Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Alberto Giacometti and Joan Miró.

The museum, which is housed in a colonial mansion in the city’s historic La Candelaria neighborhood, is a major attraction for tourists and locals alike, and it is open free of charge.

“Botero has been recognized across cultural and geographical borders, as has his art,” McGinn says. “He changed art, and not many can say they’ve done that.”

A SONORAN SUCCESS

“We have been trying to bring an exhibition of Botero’s work to the garden since 2004,” McGinn notes. “He’s a phenomenal artist. He’s one of the most recognized living artists, and he has such strong ties to Latin America and Colombia, specifically. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate the culture and aesthetics of that world.”

“Fernando Botero: The Master” includes a selection of the artist’s largescale wall pieces, as well as two of his monumental sculptures that will

be displayed within Desert Botanical Garden’s landscape. The paintings and drawings will be exhibited in the Dorrance Center.

Works include “La Familia,” “Sunflowers” and “Still Life with Watermelon.” The star of the show is “Reclining Woman,” an 11-foot-long female nude. Her undulating curves complement the exaggerated forms and volume of the desert plants.

“Botero’s work is such an incredible fit with our garden because we have a curated collection of plants that sometimes feel as though they’re bursting at the seams,” Best says. “The outdoor placement of his sculpture within the Sonoran Desert landscape has never been seen before. To have them here, in metro Phoenix within our garden, is going to be spectacular.”

Accompanying the artworks is a documentary about the artist — who, at 91 years of age, is still creating.

“Fernando Botero is one of the most recognized living artists in the world,” Best notes. “There’s no denying that he’s such an important artist in the way that he represents Latin America. Although he now lives in Italy, his heart has always belonged in Colombia. He’s the painter of Colombia’s soul.”

dbg.org

People think I am a painter of fat women, but I draw volumes. Fernando Botero

Venues Cafe

Affectionately referred to by many regular diners as Carefree’s own “Cheers” bar, Venues Café will on Oct. 3 celebrate its 13th anniversary of welcoming and serving the community delicious comfort food with a Southwestern flair.

DINING GUIDE A

Autumn’s cooler weather provides patrons the perfect excuse to take in the town’s fresh air and spectacular views while dining on Venues’ gorgeous patio. Whether you opt for the outdoor experience or choose to enjoy your meal inside, which envelops you with multiple textures of brick, copper, wood and stone, you are never far away from Venues’ very well-stocked wine cellar.

Though open for lunch and happy hour, both of which boast mouthwatering menu items and exceptional deals, dinners are particularly noteworthy at Venues Café. Every Tuesday through Saturday, beginning at 5 p.m., the restaurant serves up specials that have made it the talk of the town.

Each Tuesday is burger night, during which patrons can receive a free glass of beer or house wine with the purchase of any of Venues’ fabulous burgers. On Wacky Wednesday, the restaurant serves $3 street tacos and

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

$5 margaritas while, on Thursday, its chef prepares a rotating pasta special with bolognese, beef stroganoff, shrimp scampi or chicken Parmesan. Bottles of wine are also half-price on Wednesdays with the purchase of two entrées.

On Fridays, Venues Cafe offers all-you-can-eat fish and chips and, on Saturdays, it serves a delectable prime rib dinner. Believed by many to be the best prime rib in town, the meal is a regular sell-out, so patrons are strongly encouraged to arrive early. Reservations are also always available through Open Table.

With a Sunday brunch that is served with bottomless champagne mimosas for $15 with the purchase of any brunch item rounding out the week, Venues Café offers an upscale yet casual dining experience in an atmosphere that invites patrons to settle in, relax and enjoy a meal that touches your heart and soothes your soul.

Autumn’s cooler weather provides patrons the perfect excuse to take in the town’s fresh air and spectacular views while dining on Venues’ gorgeous patio.

DINING GUIDE A

Giordano’s Trattoria Romana

Authentically capturing the feel and ambience of a little Italian eatery in New York, Giordano’s Trattoria Romana offers patrons a casual yet classy dining experience that is comfortable, relaxed, memorable and, most of all, absolutely delicious.

Grateful for the opportunity to share with her patrons a tantalizing taste of the Italian flavors with which she grew up, owner Adele Giordano describes her restaurant as “the best-kept secret in Carefree.” However, its inviting atmosphere and mouthwatering menu items have made that a secret impossible to keep, therefore reservations via Open Table are highly recommended.

Antipasto highlights include cozze con vino bianco or marinara (black mussels in white wine or marinara sauce); calamari fritti (lightly breaded fried squid with marinara sauce); and escargot prepared in garlic butter.

Giordano’s menu then features an impressive variety of main courses, such as lobster fra diavalo — featuring lobster tail, shrimp, clams and mussels over linguine pasta, served with spicy marinara sauce — and eggplant rolletini — rolled eggplant filled with cheese, baked with mozzarella and marinara sauce and served with pasta.

Diners may also choose between pollo (chicken) or vitello (veal) and select their preferred preparation — parmigiana, marsala, piccata, piemontese, saltimboca, Giordano, francese ort gorgonzola — resulting in a virtually endless list of delectable meals that have made Giordano’s Trattoria Romana one of the most talkedabout, in-demand and high-profile restaurants in the entire town of Carefree.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Authentically capturing the feel and ambience of a little Italian eatery in New York.

Roasted Butternut Squash Prosciutto Pizza

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

1/2 pound pizza dough, at room temperature

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups cubed butternut squash or pumpkin

2 teaspoons honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to your taste)

2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup apple cider

3/4 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella

3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (optional)

2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, torn

Directions:

Position the oven rack in the upper 1/3 position. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. If you have a baking stone, start preheating it.

Place the ball of pizza dough on a lightly oiled quarter-sheet pan. Lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the dough ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest.

The cooler weather we are all experiencing brings into focus winter vegetables and herbs — such as butternut squash and sage. This recipe incorporates both ingredients in a wonderful new take on pizza. Fresh pizza dough gets topped with cidercaramelized onions, a combination of three different kinds of cheese, salty prosciutto, and autumn-roasted butternut squash. Bake this in just 15 minutes and you have the perfect weeknight pizza or appetizer!

On a separate baking sheet, toss together the olive oil, butternut squash, honey, sage, cinnamon, cayenne and a pinch each of crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Roast until the squash is just tender, 15–20 minutes, then remove from oven.

While the squash is in the oven, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the skillet and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add half of the apple cider, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking until the cider has mostly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining cider and cook until the onions are golden and caramelized, about 5 more minutes. Add a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for one more minute. Remove from the heat.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees and begin assembling the pizza. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and gently press until it covers the entire sheet pan. Lightly drizzle the dough with olive oil. Top with onions, cheese, prosciutto and butternut squash.

Slide pizza into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes. Rotate pizza and bake until the crust is golden and the cheese has melted, 3–5 more minutes. Top pizza with additional crushed red pepper flakes and serve.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

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