Images Arizona (November 2023) by Images Arizona Magazine Carefee/Cave Creek Edition

ABOUT TOWN

PHOTOGRAPHY ESSAY

RIDERS IN THE SKY

REGIONAL

E AT S

ARIZONA STREETS

NOVEMBER 2023 PROUDLY SERVING THESE COMMUNITIES: Carefree l Cave Creek l Desert Forest Golf Club l Desert Highlands Golf Club Desert Mountain Country Club l Estancia l Happy Valley Ranch l Legend Trail Golf Club Los Gatos l Mirabel l Rancho Manana l Scottsdale National Golf Club Terravita Golf and Country Club l The Boulders l Troon Country Club C1 imagesar om and November 2023 Whisper Rock Golf Club lizona.c Winfield surrounding areas

THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALING & WELLNESS ADD LIFE TO YOUR YEARS AND YEARS TO YOUR LIFE In as little as 3 months we can help you look & feel 10 years younger, lose weight, prevent disease, reverse chronic conditions, relieve pain, increase function, and improve quality of life!

SERVICES & PROGRAMS

CAREFREE & CAVE CREEK'S ONLY LOCAL INTEGRATIVE PHYSICIAN The approach at the Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness is personalized and combines the best elements of preventative, regenerative, integrative, functional, and anti-aging medicine to help you achieve optimal health.

Fabio Almeida, MD, ABOIM, ABNM, ABOM Triple Board-Certified Physician Founder | Medical Director

Cindy Almeida, CNC Master Holistic, Sports & Obesity Nutritional Counselor

Concierge Adult Preventative Care Integrative & Functional Medicine Integrative Cancer Care Nutrition & Culinary Medicine Anti-Aging Medicine Hormone Balance Weight Loss IV Therapy Bio-Energy Therapy Exercise & Fitness Coaching

Kelly Montana, CPT, TPI Fitness & Performance Expert

Call to Schedule an In-Person or Telemedicine Visit

480-881-5621

THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALING & WELLNESS

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Civana Resort - Spa - Sanctuary | 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ 85377 | drfabio.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

SANDERSON LINCOLN

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

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 36889 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Suite C-5 Carefree, Arizona 85377

CarefreeOutdoor.com info@carefreeoutdoor.com

“Your Resource for Luxury Outdoor Living”

facebook.com/ carefreeoutdoor.com

480-575-3091

Patio Furniture Ratana, Telescope, Tropitone, O.W. Lee, Sunset West, Winston

Barbecues Lynx, DCS, FireMagic, AOG, Twin Eagles, Delta Heat and Big Green Egg

Custom Cushions 3 New, Replacements, Bunko Benches

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

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

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

THIRD THURSDAY NOVEMBER 16 FROM 4-7PM

COMPASS & CROW STUDIOS 99 Easy St. Suite 202 815-222-3530

M & E STOYANOV GALLERY 30 Easy Street 480-575-7857

SUE BICKERDYKE INTERIORS & ART GALLERY

36889 N. Tom Darlington Drive

ZUVA GALLERY

42 Easy Street 310-433-4465

WILD HOLLY GALLERY

22 Easy Street, Suite 235 480-595-8757

STEVE STENTO GALLERY 42 Easy Street 623-330-7647

99 Easy Street, Suite 235

GRACE RENEE GALLERY 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. Suite 7 480-575-8080

SONORAN ARTS LEAGUE GALLERY

BELLA FINE GOODS 36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr. 480-488-7062

GALLERY MICHÉLE

7275 E. Easy Street Suite A104

THUNDERBIRD ARTISTS GALLERY 100 Easy Steet Suite 1 480-313-8447

ADELANTE

7212 Ho Hum Rd. Suite 14 480-488-1285

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

What's Inside?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TASTING ABOUT TOWN

DESIGNING HOMES, BUILDING COMMUNITY

SPARKING CREATIVE CONNECTIONS

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

COMMUNITY

24 18

RIDERS IN THE SKY

RECIPE

128 34

T H I R D T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 6 F R O M 4 T O 7 P M Sip, Shop and Celebrate with Live Music by NuWrld Jazz Quartet

SUE KRZYSTON

Out of the Shadow, oil on canvas, 36” by 24”

AXTON-GIDDING Storm Impression, 48” by 48”

TREVOR SWANSON With the Wind, 12” by 16”

SUE BICKERDYKE 28 years in Carefree

INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES, HOME FURNISHINGS & FINE ART GALLERY 36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr. Suite B1, Carefree | 480-595-0171 | suebickerdyke.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023 Hours: Mon. thru Sat. 9am - 5pm Allied ASID

From the Publisher Publisher Shelly Spence

Managing Editor Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo Francine Coles Susan Kern-Fleischer James Malcolmson Rebecca L. Rhoades Shannon Severson

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

Our communities — and our lives — are filled with history. We treasure forever the memories of our children’s first steps, the festival at which we met our significant other and the trip to Northern Arizona we took with our friends to see the autumn leaves. Our libraries, museums and antique shops are populated by historical artifacts that represent moments in time that we, ourselves, may not have experienced. We are preservers of history by nature, often obsessed with taking pictures of moments we wish to always remember. Our art — be it painting, sculpture, jewelry, prose or performance piece — provides reflections of the past, ensuring that our ideas, feelings and experiences are safeguarded for future generations. This month’s issue of Images Arizona is dedicated to the history that surrounds us and our conservation of it. From a feature about the legacies of our nation’s veterans to stories about some of the artists participating in this fall’s 27th annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour, these pages portray the many ways in which those in our communities are preserving the past through food, art, architecture and more. There is no better month of the year than November to reflect on such things as we approach Thanksgiving — a time at which we are certain to make many more memories that we will treasure forever and think about all we are grateful for. Happy Thanksgiving from our family to yours. Cheers!

Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication. Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2023 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited. The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

UPCOMING EVENTS

AT SUE BICKERDYKE INTERIORS T HIRD T HURSDAY NOVEMBER 16 FROM 4 TO 7PM

Sky is the Limit

ART TO BE E NJO Y ED OU T S ID E

SAT URDAY & SUNDAY N O VEM BER 2 5 - 2 6 F ROM 1 0 AM TO 4 PM

SUE BICKERDYKE 28 years in Carefree

FURNITURE • LAMPS • ART • ACCESSORIES • PILLOWS • THROWS • FOLIAGE • AREA RUGS • LEATHER BEDS

36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr Suite B1, Carefree | Hours: Mon - Sat 9am - 5pm imagesar izona.c om November 2023 Allied ASID | 480-595-0171 | SUEBICKERDYKE.COM

Historic Spanish Village | 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

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

GraceReneeGallery.com

Sky is the Limit

O U T D O O R A R T S HO W

ART TO BE EN JOYED OU T SI D E

SATU R D AY & S UNDAY, NOVEMBER 2 5 -2 6 F ROM 1 0 AM TO 4 PM

AXTON-GIDDING

Suspensions, metal and mixed media

BRYCE PETTIT

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

TREVOR SWANSON

Season of Red, oil and patina on metal. 16” by 12”

Photo by Willy Conley Born profoundly deaf, freelance writer, photographer and theater/ film artist Willy Conley is ceaselessly in search of ways to enrich and uplift the deaf — and human — experience. He recently shared with Images Arizona a collection of his photographs that he refers to as “watergraphs.” “Although not a native of Arizona, I am a lover of all aspects of the Southwest,” says Conley, a retired professor/chair of theater at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. “These images are from my periodic visits to the state over a span of 22 years, beginning in 1997. “‘Watergraph’ is a term I invented that came from taking photographs of water reflections that have been turned upsidedown. Depending on environmental factors like the wind, debris in the water and the color of the sky, each inverted reflection creates a painting in its own right, bordered by whatever is surrounding the water.” Conley suggests that Images Arizona readers turn this magazine upside-down to see how this image was originally discovered. “Just as an artist chooses a type of frame and size to present a piece of art, these natural mirrors have their own self-contained frames in which they present themselves in the landscape,” Conley adds. “All reflections are recorded as is, without any double exposures or extreme image manipulation. This has been a part of my serendipitous quest around the world for water reflections that range from little puddles to large bodies of water.” willyconley.com

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS TO IMAGES@IMAGESAZ.COM OR TAG #IMAGESAZ ON INSTAGRAM FOR POSSIBLE PUBLICATION IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Located in Historic Spanish Village 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. #7 Carefree 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Writer Shannon Severson

The birth of speakeasies dates back to the ill-fated 18th Amendment and the Prohibition era, which extended from 1920 to 1933. The term “speakeasy” may have originated from the soft voices required of patrons in underground establishments, where a secret password was the key that opened the unmarked door to backrooms and basements that offered forbidden libations from moonshine to cocktails. Wine, on the other hand, was a bit more accessible as people were allowed to make a limited amount for their own use. Small gatherings and wine “appreciation” clubs emerged, often in private homes. While alcohol is perfectly legal these days, there’s still a touch of alluring mystery that lingers around the idea of speakeasies and smaller-scale opportunities to taste and toast. North Valley neighborhoods are abuzz with venues inspired by tradition for just such an experience.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge 37555 N. HUM ROAD, SUITE 109 CAREFREE 480-575-0993 STICKSGOLF-CIGARLOUNGE.COM While the name of this Carefree establishment spotlights golf and cigars, as it should, there’s just not enough room on the sign to list all that Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge offers. “I tell people, ‘We’re not a cigar lounge, we’re a social experience,’” says owner Larry Foppe. “It’s a place you can sit down and talk for a couple of hours. We don’t do loud music or bands. We know our customers and what they drink, what they smoke. Everybody’s on a first-name basis. It’s very unique.” Foppe’s’ customers enjoy a full bar; indoor and outdoor spaces with screens for catching a game; humidified cigar lockers for annual rental; a “Full Swing” golf simulator; and a laser shooting range. A main lounge furnished with comfortable leather chairs is a laidback, clubby spot to smoke one of the over 1,500 brands and sizes of premium cigars available for purchase in the state-of-the-art 250-squarefoot walk-in humidor. Some rarefied smokes can be found and prominent cigar makers often visit to hold events and offer deals. Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge is all about having something for everyone. There are 50 different bourbons and

30 different scotch varieties with which to pair a cigar. Wine, beer and craft cocktails are also plentiful. The lounge doesn’t serve food, but has menus from nearby restaurants for to-go orders and will cater for sporting events like football games — with Sunday NFL being a top draw. While Foppe has many regulars, including those who take advantage of the VIP membership experience with 24/7 access to a private lounge, newcomers are immediately welcomed into the fold. “When somebody new comes in, they’re immediately asked to join the groups,” Foppe explains. “Everybody introduces themselves, and they sit down and have a conversation. I love it.”

Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge // Photos Courtesy of Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge

“

While alcohol is perfectly legal these days, there’s still a touch of alluring mystery that lingers around the idea of speakeasies and smaller-scale opportunities to taste and toast.

The clientele skews heavily male but Foppe says that about 20% of his clientele is female, and he has some special events aimed at the demographic — including ladies’ golf instruction each Thursday night with a local golf pro in the simulator, which is a non-smoking space; gun safety training classes; a planned level two live ammunition course at Ben Avery Shooting Facility; and an “introduction to cigars” class especially for women. The owner points out that you don’t have to smoke to enjoy Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge. Non-smokers often enjoy the beautiful outdoor patios and golf simulator. “We are kind of known as the ‘Cheers’ of Carefree,” Foppe says. “Sticks is where everybody knows your name.”

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Poppy’s Office 34522 N. SCOTTSDALE ROAD, SUITE 160, SCOTTSDALE, KEELERHOSPITALITYGROUP.COM After the unexpected loss of Paul Keeler in 2021, the beloved founder of Keeler Hospitality Group, his son Matt had a vivid dream that became the seed of a new business — a speakeasy called Poppy’s Office right next door to its sister restaurant, Liberty Station.

Matt, Judy and Ryan Keeler

“I woke up, called my family and said, ‘We have to do this,’ and they agreed,” recalls Matt, who is the chief executive officer of Keeler Hospitality Group. “North Scottsdale doesn’t have a speakeasy and, like all our concepts, we are delighted to open in this part of town. These residents deserve the same type of amazing cocktails and experiences that other parts of the Valley offer. We will continue to innovate in this area. We love playing in the sandbox with our neighbors.” Guests first enter a vestibule that is an exact replica of Paul’s office — furnished with his desk, lamp, bookshelves and memorabilia. A secret passageway leads to a richly appointed 1,500-square-foot bar adorned with luxe fabrics, wood, marble and family photos. Two family booths seat large parties and can be made more private by drawing a set of curtains. The concept is a place to reminisce and create new memories — a bit of tradition with a nod to the new.

Poppy's Office // Photos by Tait Ludwick

“Poppyisms,” clever terms and sayings attributable to the elder Keeler, appear frequently around the establishment, including on the elevated cocktail menu designed by Keeler Hospitality Group’s director of beverage, Adam Downey. Sip a refreshing Honey-Do List, a gin, honeydew-dill cordial and aquavit quaff adorned with lemon, cucumber air and dill, or go for something a bit bolder in Poppy’s Cigar, a blend of Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie, The Deacon Whiskey, apple, chocolate and Peychaud bitters, sweetened with local honey, smoked table side with a luscious Luxardo cherry to top it off. Several drinks, including the Best in Class — a riff on a Manhattan — are prepared tableside. Wine drinkers will also find plenty to choose from. Poppy’s Office hours are just like its hardworking namesake: open daily at 4 p.m. for happy hour until 10 p.m. on weekdays and later on weekends. Poppy’s Tacos are offered in a rotating selection each day or customers can order food to go from Liberty Station next door.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Happy Bee Meadery // Photo Courtesy of Happy Bee Meadery

Happy Bee Meadery 6061 E. CAVE CREEK ROAD, CAVE CREEK 602-342-5624 INFO@HAPPYBEEMEADERY.COM A small but immediately recognizable, peaked-roof octagonal building with a bright, turquoise-hued door at the center of Cave Creek is the inviting home of the newly-christened Happy Bee Meadery. Rick and Marie Robart have created an enchanting spot to gather and relax while sampling beer, wine and mead from entirely local sources. A newly furnished and landscaped patio is dotted with fire pits and fire towers to gently warm the cooler evenings we all relish. If hunger pangs hit, Happy Bee Meadery has you covered in a most surprising way. On the second Saturday of each month, beginning at 5 p.m., live music serenades guests while a portable pizza oven created from a vintage Chevy Corvair cooks up a menu of pizza, pretzels and other delicious bites. Mead — a fermented blend of honey, water and often fruits, herbs or spices

for flavor — may be unfamiliar to us today, but it is one of the oldest alcoholic beverages on earth, with its origins in Northern China dating back to at least 7000–6500 B.C. The drink’s popularity in Europe is tied to its use as a sacred, ritualistic beverage by Norse and Celtic cultures, followed by a rise in regard in the British Isles during the Middle Ages.

Air Conditioning • Heating • Insulation Plumbing • Water Treatment

It’s time for your

Heating

System

Safety Inspection!

Modern techniques continue to evolve as the drink — which can be sweet or dry, sparkling or still with varying proof levels — regains popularity and boasts a dedicated following. Unlike grape-based wine, it’s also got staying power; a bottle of mead can be enjoyed, recapped and stored in the fridge. Even after a couple of months, its taste and quality are unchanged. “Marie first convinced me to try mead on a trip we took for her birthday in 2019,” Rick recalls. “It has so many natural qualities. I don’t like sweet stuff, but I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor and all the good things in it. Now, we have mead and local beer and wine at Happy Bee Meadery. [There’s] something for everyone.” Happy Bee Meadery offers a choice of three or six tasting flights of mead. Beer, wine and mead are available in chilled or off-the-shelf bottles or cans for everything that’s available on draft. Patrons can purchase drinks to take home or to enjoy while sitting on the patio. The on-site team is also happy to cork up unfinished bottles for guests to take home with them. “People really enjoy the patio area,” Rick says. “We want our guests to enjoy Arizona’s wines, beers and mead the Cave Creek way.”

Includes:

• Cleaning of Combustion Section • Testing of all Furnace Safety Controls • Furnace Control Board Operation • Inspection of Gas Valve & combustion cycle • Inspection of Blower motor operation • Inspection of Draft Inducer operation • Inspection of combustion gas venting

$79 Call or Text

480.463.1696 to Schedule your Appointment! imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Carefree Spirits Distillery 6201 E. CAVE CREEK ROAD SUITE C, CAVE CREEK 480-466-7424 CAREFREE-SPIRITS.COM It may be surprising to learn that a town as small as Carefree has a locally owned distillery business known for carefully crafted bourbon and vodka, but it does — with a little help from Kansas. Carefree Spirits Distillery founders and majority owners Renea McQuiggan and her husband, Mike, began their journey as hobbyists, using her family’s Midwest cornfield as an ingredient source. After years of research, development and a degree from Moonshine University in Louisville, Kentucky to hone their skills, the couple opened Carefree Spirits Distillery’s tasting room in 2019. Visitors can learn about the international award-winning brand and taste flights of smooth-drinking Carefree Bourbon and Chakra Vodka.

Carefree Spirits Distillery // Photos Courtesy of Carefree Spirits Distillery

The single-barrel Carefree Bourbon is distilled and aged in the Midwest using the best water and grains and aged for a minimum of two to three years. It is then brought to Arizona, where it is toasted and waits for a month or two before bottling. Several barrels from 2017, 2018 and on will be introduced as special

releases in the coming years. Chakra Vodka is made right next door to the family farm in Kansas with imported water, then shipped to the distillery in Carefree to be proofed down, blended and filtered. All natural ingredients and extracts are added to create flavors like pineapple and rosemary or green tea, mint and matcha, without any sugars or artificial flavors. i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

In 2022, Jake Stuckey joined the ownership group and is a selfdescribed “expert drinker,” though the McQuiggans call him their “master taster.” “Mike, Renea and I are all lovers of spirits,” Stuckey says. “I know what tastes good. I spent time in Kentucky and developed a love for bourbon. We hit it off when I offered to help them out with sales. We’re having a wonderful time.” Carefree Spirits Distillery has recently become the sponsor of Buffalo Chip’s Friday night buckle winner and the McQuiggans have expansion plans for 2025, including a new 15,000-square-foot facility in Carefree featuring a bottling and blending showroom; corporate offices; a tasting room; a retail shop; and an event center. The current tasting room is meant to welcome the community and highlight the restaurants around the Valley that feature Carefree Spirits Distillery’s products. It’s open daily for folks to come in, order a drink or a flight and enjoy a charcuterie board or bring their own food from nearby restaurants. Each Wednesday is cigar night, in partnership with Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge, while bloody marys are served each Sunday. The space can also be reserved for private events. “We invite newcomers to talk to our mixologist and tell them what you typically like,” Stuckey says. “You can start with a flight to try it, and they can tailor a drink to your preferences. Our guests say we serve some of the best old fashioneds they’ve ever had, the best craft cocktails and the best charcuterie boards.”

Venues Café 34 EASY STREET, CAREFREE, 480-595-9909, VENUESCAFE.COM

ProSkill Now Offers

Insulation

Venues Café is a longtime fixture in the quaint downtown shopping district of Carefree. Along with specializing in comfort food with a southwestern accent, the restaurant is known for being a favorite of locals and out-of-towners with its friendly staff and a can’t-miss menu. Owner Catherine Marr is entering her 14th year of operation and says it’s always a special night at Venues, where patrons can look forward to a different menu spotlight nearly every day of the week. She’s made highlighting local artists and charities a hallmark of her business. “Our customers are the best and the area is a little slice of heaven,” Marr says. An extensive wine list and specialty cocktails, including the Fig Moscow Mule, Carefree Colada and Catherine’s Cosmo — a classic cosmopolitan with a prosecco float Venues Cafe // Photos Courtesy of Venues Cafe — are on the happy hour menu. Specialty cocktails, such as the Ginger Apple Blush Martini that is now being featured for fall, are also offered. Patrons can sample their way through the menu with happy hour noshes like Asian lettuce wraps, assorted sliders, deviled eggs and charred honey garlic wings. Marr keeps it interesting with something special to look forward to nearly every day of the week. On Tuesdays, a free glass of house wine or beer is served with the purchase of every burger. On Wednesdays, $3 street tacos escape the confines of Tuesday and can be paired with $5 house margaritas. Thursdays feature pasta creations and any two entrées can be paired with a half-priced bottle of wine. Fridays naturally lend themselves to all-you-can-eat beerbattered fish and chips. Saturday is all about the prime rib. Meanwhile, brunch is served every Sunday, when guests can enjoy bottomless champagne or mimosas — one bottle per customer — with any brunch menu purchase. Beyond daily specials, Venues Café’s regular menu has delicious specialty salads for lunch — the chicken taco salad being a favorite — and, starting at 5 p.m., entrées include crowd-pleasers like short ribs with wasabi mashed potatoes, chicken schnitzel with lingonberry sauce, salmon with lemon beurre blanc, and the chef’s creamy, homemade, stuffed jumbo shrimp with risotto or seafood enchiladas.

Benefits of a Properly Insulated Home • Extends your A/C system’s Lifespan • Today’s Necessity to Lower Utility Bills all Year Long • Stay Cooler in the Summer and Stay Warmer in the Winter • Limited Lifetime Guarantee on homes fully Reinsulated

Call to Schedule a

Complimentary Estimate

480.463.1696

Air Conditioning • Heating • Insulation Plumbing • Water Treatment imagesar izona.c om November 2023

G R A C E

R E N E E

G A L L E R Y

NOVEMBER

ARTIST

Maura Allen

CONTEMPORARY WESTERN ARTIST

Real and romanticized, the West is the center of Maura Allen’s work. Maura’s work is in museum, corporate and private collections in the West—and beyond.

[

ARTIST RECEPTION Thursday, November 16 Wine & appetizers 4–7 p.m.

]

Grace Renee Gallery Historic Spanish Village | 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 22

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

GraceReneeGallery.com

ABOVE :

Blue Sky Days Ahead, Acrylic on Wood Panel, 40” by 30”

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

COMMUNITY November 2023 Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Through Dec. 31

NIGHTFALL GUIDED TOUR Each Sunday and Monday, passionate and knowledgeable guides will guide guests in an after-dark exploration of Taliesin West. The 60-minute tour focuses on the outdoor spaces of Taliesin West’s Historic Core and what it looks like to live in harmony with the natural environment. $49; youth, student and member discounts available. Dusk. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. 480-860-2700; franklloydwright.org

Through June 3

AMERICAN ICONS TOUR Each Sunday and Monday, passionate and knowledgeable guides will guide guests in an after-dark exploration of Taliesin West. The 60-minute tour focuses on the outdoor spaces of Taliesin West’s Historic Core and what it looks like to live in harmony with the natural environment. $49; youth, student and member discounts available. Dusk. Taliesin West, 12621 N. Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd., Scottsdale. 480-860-2700; franklloydwright.org

Nov. 3–12

CANAL CONVERGENCE Scottsdale Arts will host its 11th annual showcase of interactive, light-based artworks. The event will also include educational workshops, family-friendly activities, art tours, live music and dance performances, a beer and wine garden, food trucks and more. Free. Scottsdale Waterfront, 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. canalconvergence.com

Nov. 3–19

‘SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’

Nov. 2–4

ALEX SEPKUS

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-of-a-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

Fountain Hills Theater presents its production of “Shakespeare in Love.” See website for prices and times. Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org

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 24

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

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

Nov. 5

FALL YOUNG MUSICIANS CONCERT Arizona Musicfest will present a concert showcasing Arizona’s brightest young classical musicians, each with astounding technique and prodigious musicianship. $23.50. 1 p.m. MIM Music Theater, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-4228449; 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. 8

A DOZEN WAYS TO DIE IN THE DESERT Len Marcisz, a legacy steward for the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, will discuss the unusual ways in which people end up ten toes in the air in the middle of the Sonoran Desert. $10. 10 a.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480488-1090; hollandcenter.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

COMMUNITY November 2023 Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 8

GET LIT BOOK CLUB Desert Foothills Library will host a happy hour discussion of “Several People Are Typing” by Calvin Kasulke. Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. See website for location. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 9

LIBRARY 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

SOUTHWESTERN ROCK CALENDARS AND ANCIENT TIME PIECES Archaeologist Allen Dart will discuss archaeological and ethnographic evidence of ancient astronomical and calendrical reckoning practices seen in petroglyphs, architecture and settlement layouts in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, and interpret how these discoveries may relate to ancient Native American rituals. Donations accepted. 6 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

Nov. 9–11

AARON HENRY DESIGNS 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. 16

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

Nov. 10 and 11

HOLIDAY BAZAAR Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church will host its 16th annual holiday bazaar, featuring more than 60 vendors offering homemade items. As the event benefits Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center, guests are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and/or consider making a monetary donation. Free. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church, 36811 N. Pima Road, Carefree. oloj.org

Nov. 10–12

‘ACOUSTIC AMERICA: ICONIC GUITARS, MANDOLINS AND BANJOS’ The Musical Instrument Museum will debut its latest exhibition, which tells the stories behind the rich and

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

vibrant sounds of acoustic instruments in America. $10; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org

Nov. 10–19

‘DISNEY’S ALADDIN, JR.’ Desert Foothills Theatre will present its production of “Disney’s Aladdin, Jr.” See website for prices and times. Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1981; dftheater.org

Nov. 11

CAREFREE VETERANS DAY CELEBRATION The town of Carefree will host an event that honors our nation’s veterans through stories, songs and music. Free. 3–5 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.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

Nov. 16

ARTIST RECEPTION MAURA ALLEN Discover a collection of remarkably beautiful documentations of the American West that draw upon the continuum of its past and present during a special reception for artist Maura Allen. Like opening a forgotten trunk full of memories in an old attic, each of Allen’s works is full of intimate surprises. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, Historic Spanish Village, 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, #7, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

Nov. 16

SUMMITING MT. EVEREST Craig Hanneman, former defensive end for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New England Patriots, will discuss his successful effort to summit the highest peak on earth, Mt. Everest, at 63 years old. $20. 6 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

COMMUNITY November 2023 Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 16–18

FOPE ITALIAN FINE JEWELRY Explore a vast collection of elegant jewelry from this Italian goldsmith built on a tradition that keeps innovating. Instantly recognizable for its famous interlinked gold mesh, each piece represents a marriage of everyday luxury and technological innovation. 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. 17

THE MUSIC OF BILLY JOEL AND ELTON JOHN Arizona Musicfest will present a concert featuring charismatic performer and musician Michael Cavanaugh, reinterpreting the modern pop/rock songbook of Billy Joel and Elton John. $39+. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Nov. 17–19

CAVE CREEK FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL Vermillion Promotions will host its 14th annual showcase of local and regional artists at Stagecoach Village in Cave Creek. Wine tastings from a variety of local wineries, gourmet food trucks and patio dining will complement the shopping experience. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. vermillionpromotions.com

Nov. 17–19

‘LOOKING BACK’

Nov. 17–19 and Nov. 24–26

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS

Sonorant Arts League’s signature artist studio tour will feature 164 artists at 41 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. See website for participating studios. hiddeninthehills.org

Desert Foothills Library will present a new, original play inspired by a true story about Cave Creek ranchers Dick and Evie Engel. $25. 2 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 17–Jan. 6

CHRISTMAS AT THE PRINCESS The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess will host its annual holiday lights display and festival, featuring more than 6.5 million sparkling LED lights, ice skating, cheerful holiday characters and more. See website for prices and times. The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale. 480-585-4848; fairmont.com

Nov. 18

CURTIS ON TOUR: AVERY GAGLIANO Pianist and Curtis Institute of Music alumna Avery Gagliano will take the stage at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, kicking off the Living Music Performance Series’

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

10th anniversary season of concerts. See website for prices. 3 p.m. Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Road, Carefree. 480488-2081; ctlcarefree.org

Nov. 18

JUBILATE CONSERVATORY Jubilate Conservatory’s youth strings ensemble will perform a concert of classical music. Free. 1–3 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Nov. 19 CANTUS

Arizona Musicfest will present a concert featuring men’s vocal ensemble Cantus. $50.50+. 2 p.m. The Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Nov. 21

MURDER MYSTERY BOOK CLUB Desert Foothills Library will host a discussion of “Endangered” by C.J. Box. Free. 4 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

Nov. 24–Dec. 31

ENCHANT: THE MISCHIEVIOUS ELF Enchant will host an incredibly illuminated winter wonderland, featuring more than 4 million sparkling lights, creating an immersive walk-through, storythemed maze. The pop-up village will also offer ice skating, live entertainment, dining, holiday shopping and more. $34; youth, senior, military and group discounts available. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort, 7555 N. Pima Road, scottsdaleenchantchristmas.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

COMMUNITY November 2023 Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Nov. 25

LOOSE CANONS Loose Canons will perform an eclectic concert of alloriginal music that blends elements of alternative pop, R&B, indie and jazz. Free. 1–3 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Nov. 25 and 26 SKY IS THE LIMIT

Sue Bickerdyke Interiors and Home Furnishings will host a special exhibition of outdoor art. Free. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sue Bickerdyke Interiors and Home Furnishings, 36889 N. Tom Darlington Drive, Carefree. 480-595-0171; suebickerdyke.com

Nov. 30–Dec. 2

NATURAL-COLORED DIAMONDS + RARE-COLORED GEMSTONES Marvel at an exquisite and awe-inspiring selection of sapphires, rubies, emeralds and natural-colored diamonds during this special showcase of exclusive and one-of-akind pieces. 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. 22–Jan. 14

ZOOLIGHTS

Phoenix Zoo will present its annual holiday lights display, featuring the tallest floating tree in North America, an interactive Glow Garden and an immersive 200-foot-long light tunnel. 5:30–10:30 p.m. $30+; member discounts available. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix. 602-286-3800; phoenixzoo.org

Dec. 1

JOHN PIZZARELLI AND CATHERINE RUSSELL Arizona Musicfest will present a holiday concert featuring Grammy-winning producer, guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli and Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Catherine Russell. $39+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

Dec. 1

WINTER ARTISAN MARKET The Holland Community Center and the Sonoran Arts League will host their third annual Winter Artisan Market — a platform to showcase and celebrate the talents of local artists and makers. Free. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. The Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 480488-1090; hollandcenter.org

Dec. 2

APS ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE APS and the city of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department will host their 36th annual holiday parade. Free. 7 p.m. Downtown Phoenix. phoenix.gov

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Dec. 2

CAREFREE LIGHTS UP The town of Carefree will host a tree- and garden-lighting ceremony to help ring in the holiday season. The event will also feature bell ringers, carolers and a concert. Free. 5 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Dec. 2

A KIWANIS CHRISTMAS The Kiwanis Club of Carefree will host an event during which families can enjoy games, food, rides, raffles and a visit from Santa Claus. Free. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. visitcarefree.com

Dec. 2 and 10

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION Upscale Singers will perform a concert of holiday music. $25; youth discounts available. Saturday 2 p.m. Sunday 5 p.m. Cactus Shadows Fine Arts Center, 33606 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. upscalesingers.com

Dec. 4

LITERATE FOODIE CLUB Literate Foodie Club will host a discussion of “More Than a Meal: The Joy Bus Community of Chefs.” 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

Dec. 4

THE TEXAS TENORS Arizona Musicfest will present a holiday concert featuring 2022 Texas Country Hall of Fame Inductees The Texas Tenors. $59+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

— ALEX ŠEPKUS JEWELRY DESIGN —

NOVEMBER 2–4

Sneak Peek Thursday from 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

.. .. . .. . .. .. ..

. ..

Step into the enchanting world of Alex Šepkus, a renowned fine jewelry designer based in New York. His creations are characterized by their delightful playfulness, distinctive quirkiness, and a celebrated blend of understated elegance and intricate craftsmanship. Each piece of jewelry crafted by Alex Šepkus is not just an accessory, but a unique work of art that captures the imagination and showcases the beauty of fine gemstones and precious metals.

— MEET AARON HENRY JEWELRY —

NOVEMBER 9–11

Sneak Peek Thursday from 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Aaron Henry Designs is a prestigious American luxury jewelry collection known for its meticulous craftsmanship and blend of classical Old World quality with contemporary design. The collection is the brainchild of Aaron Furlong, a brilliant designer who specializes in creating heirloom pieces using high karat gold and vibrant gemstones.

— FOPE ITALIAN FLEX’IT JEWELRY —

NOVEMBER 16–18

.. .. . .. .

Sneak Peek Thursday from 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

.. .. .. ..

. ..

FOPE Italian Fine Jewelry is a renowned brand that offers a diverse range of exquisite jewelry, all crafted by Italian goldsmiths who blend traditional artistry with continuous innovation. The brand is notably recognized for its iconic interlinked gold mesh design, a hallmark that symbolizes the fusion of everyday luxury with cutting-edge technological advancements.

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7, Carefree, AZ | 480.575.8080 | GraceReneeGallery.com

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

— EXPLORING HIGH JEWELRY —

NOVEMBER 30–DECEMBER 2 Sneak Peek Thursday from 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

. ..

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of High Jewelry at the Grace Renee Gallery’s exclusive event, where you will have the opportunity to witness an extraordinary array of natural color diamonds and exquisite color gemstone designs. From the wonder of pink, blue and green diamonds to the enchanting allure of sapphires, the fiery brilliance of rubies and the lush greens of emeralds, this showcase promises to take your breath away. Each rarest of the rare piece is handcrafted by the top jewelers in the country, exhibiting a quality that is beyond compare.

.. . .. . .. .. . ..

Grace Renee Gallery is a refreshingly beautiful way to explore fine contemporary art in the breathtaking shadows of the Sonoran Desert foothills of Carefree, Arizona. Artfully designed jewelry, inspiring sculptures, spectacular wall art, stunning ceramics and more await.

UPCOMING EVENTS — CYNTHIA ANN JEWELS MEDALLIONS —

DECEMBER 7–9

.. .. . ..

. .. ..

.. .. .. . .. .. ..

Immerse yourself in the enchanting world of Cynthia Ann Jewels’ Ancient + Old Medallions collection. This captivating showcase brings together a mesmerizing array of ancient relics, thoughtfully reimagined as wearable pieces of art. Each item seamlessly blends classic European design elements with contemporary metals, textures, and stunning precious and semiprecious stones.

Sneak Peek Thursday from 4–7 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7, Carefree, AZ | 480.575.8080 | GraceReneeGallery.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Writer Joseph Airdo // Photography Courtesy The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness

According to a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, nearly 50% of adults in the U.S. attempt to lose weight each year. Motivated by factors such as improving overall health, preventing diseases, improving physical fitness and self-esteem and simply doing so for the benefit of family members, losing weight is one of the greatest challenges our country faces today. Many experts define “successful weight loss” as a 10% reduction in body weight, maintained for at least a year — which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, can improve your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels. By this measure, according to a study published by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, only about 20% of people who try to lose weight are successful at doing so. And keeping it off beyond that first year is even more difficult. According to a research review in Medical Clinics of North America, people tend to regain more than 50% of the weight they initially lost within two years. That figure increases to 80% within five years. Needless to say, diet and exercise — although important and beneficial — may not be effective enough to achieve weight loss for many. Fortunately, The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness offers a medical weight loss program that specializes in helping clients who have been unsuccessful with previous weight loss methods, or who have tried over and over to lose weight yet keep regaining all the pounds they have lost.

PERSONALIZED AND DOCTOR-SUPERVISED WEIGHT LOSS Rather than relying on fad diets, calorie counting and endless exercise, The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness’ medical weight loss program integrates FDA-approved medications with a natural and holistic approach to address the

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

biological and physical issues that have led each client to this point. The Center provides this medication in an easy to use once a week injection pen that allows precise individualized dosing – no other weight loss program does this! In addition to losing weight and keeping it off, The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness’ medical weight loss program also provides clients with the tools they need to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes as well as feel more energized and healthier. Clients also have the option to receive multivitamins and metabolism-boosting injections that assist in reducing stored fat and building lean muscle.

Client Benefits

l Monthly GLP-1a (Semaglutide – the active ingredient

Dr. Fabio Almeida M.D. ABIOM, ABNM, ABOM Medical Director Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness

in Ozempic and Wygovy) Prescription and Management l Initial Metabolic Lab Testing and Analysis l Inbody Body Composition Analysis l Quarterly Metabolism, Thyroid and Hormone Testing l Customized Weight-Loss Plan / Nutritional Consultation l Telemedicine Support and Messaging with Expert Medical Team (office visits optional) l Discount access to: l Bio-Energy and Hyperthermia Therapy l NAD+ Therapy

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE & EFFECTIVE WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM AVAILABLE The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness’ medical weight loss program is designed to help clients be the healthiest they have ever been, in the best body that they have ever had. Regardless of the amount of weight one wants to lose, the spa-like clinic’s Integrative Nutrition Team monitors and guides each patient throughout the process of reaching their goal. The clinic’s clients typically lose 15–20% or more of their body weight — an average of 53 pounds — in 6–12 months. Best of all, the program ensures that clients keep the weight they lost off for life. That is because, unlike other programs, The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness’ medical weight loss program looks not only at scale weight but also takes into consideration body fat, muscle mass and water weight, which all affect one’s ultimate goal. The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness’ expert staff even works with clients after the completion of the program to help them maintain the mindset of keeping their bodies healthy and energized. Whether you need to lose just 10 to 20 pounds or more than 50 pounds to optimize your weight, contact The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness to get a personalized assessment, start losing weight and take the first step to change your life today!

Health

The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree | 480-881-5621 | drfabio.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

As travelers headed north roll into Payson on the Beeline Highway, they’re greeted by a rather nondescript single-story brick building with a Dutch gable roof. The structure — which once housed the popular Lasso American Kitchen — now stands empty, its lights off and its parking lot vacant. But eagle-eyed drivers will notice a splash of color on the side of the otherwise drab brown exterior. Brilliant pinks, purples, yellows and blues serve as a backdrop for fantastical, dreamlike images. A bold, smiling sunflower blossoms from a young girl’s head. A spaceman and cyclopic balloon float in the background.

Showcasing a world of imagination, the more than 50 murals that Isaac Caruso’s has painted around Arizona are now featured in his new children’s book, “Sam & Sara.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

I think of this project as my love letter to Arizona. Isaac Caruso Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

Complementing the playful scene, in white calligraphy, are the words: “It felt like home when she arrived that day / and loved it so much, she decided to stay. / Becoming the figment of her old persona … / A beautiful sunflower from Arizona. / Just like the ones that’d blossom and grow / at her old house, outside her window.” The mural, which was created by Phoenix-based artist Isaac Caruso, showcases a world of imagination. It’s just one of more than 50 he’s painted around the state that are now featured in his new children’s book, “Sam & Sara.” Illustrated entirely with Caruso’s mural art, the book tells the story of a daydreamer who enters a land of dreams and make-believe. She loves it so much that she decides to stay and becomes what Caruso calls a “figment.” She has a daughter, Sara, who hears stories about her mom’s hometown of Phoenix and decides to go on her own adventure by land, sea and air to discover the beautiful desert destination.

Photo by Lori Bentley

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“Before I did this book, I had no idea that sunflowers are indigenous to this part of the world,” Caruso says. “They’re these worldwide icons of beauty — van Gogh painted them. But nobody knows they’re from here. I think our community gets slept on as a place with real creative potential. And we’re more influential than we even know. We need to recognize our own abilities. So I use sunflowers as a symbol for creativity.” The lovely yellow blooms also represent the contributions and possibilities of the neurodivergent community — one that’s especially significant for Caruso. The artist, who grew up in the Valley and went to college at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, has attention deficit disorder. “A big theme in my work is people who are neurodivergent,” Caruso notes. “And I belong to that community. So for people with ADD, ADHD and autism, it’s kind of embracing the way we think and seeing it not so much as a disability but as a superpower.”

ART FOR ALL Caruso has been creating murals and public art for more than a decade. His large-scale scenes can be found on the sides of businesses and walls throughout the Valley, from a stunning display of nature at the popular 1-1/2 Street alley located behind The Churchill in downtown Phoenix to a multistory-high psychedelic collage on the top floors of the Canopy Tempe hotel. APS, Free Arts, Scottsdale Public Art and Spaces of Opportunity are just some of the local companies and

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

This month, Isaac Caruso will bring the characters in his murals and book to life as part of an augmented reality activation during Canal Convergence in Scottsdale.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

organizations that have commissioned artwork from him. His work has even taken him to such exotic locales as Montevideo, Uruguay, and Norway’s Svalbard islands. But growing up with a creative mind wasn’t always easy. Like the characters in his book, Caruso used imagination to cope. “Growing up as a neurodivergent learner, I definitely butted heads with all my teachers,” Caruso recalls. “My outlet became art. It was a place where I could be free to express and think the way that I do — and I was just really good at it, and people liked it.” Caruso first came up with the idea to do a children’s book while he was studying at NAU more than 10 years ago. The concept really began to take shape four years ago, when the artist received a commission in Tucson to teach children how to paint murals. “I didn’t know anything about Tucson or anybody in Tucson, so I thought, ‘I’m just going to sit down and write this book that I’ve always been wanting to do,’” he says. “I spent the whole summer making it work and then making it rhyme. But I felt that it was an interesting way to turn the classic children’s book format on its head.” Once Caruso had the passages and illustrations sketched out, he decided to reach out to small towns — many of which don’t have budgets for public art — and offer to create murals for them free of charge. “I always drove by these small towns and wondered, ‘What would it be like to live in Ajo or Chloride?’” he says. “I wanted to help cultivate interest in these small communities that are all special and diverse. I wanted to create a project that really tied the whole state together.” From Tucson to Tubac, Winslow to Seligman, Payson to Patagonia, Caruso has traveled the state in his modified white Sprinter van, nicknamed Vanna White — with his adopted bull terrier, Gustavo, at his side — painting technicolor dreamscapes, complete with poetry, with spray paint and acrylic house paint. Familiar images of Sonoran flora and fauna, as well as local landmarks, make frequent appearances. For example, in the mural painted at the Pinal County Historical Museum in Florence, Caruso added the town’s F Mountain into the background.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Miami

Cottonwood

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“I think of this project as my love letter to Arizona,” Caruso says. Each mural, and each poem, connects to the next but also stands on its own. “I wanted to make sure that every mural by itself was interesting, but then also interesting as a collective,” Caruso points out. As such, art lovers who wish to follow the story in person can view one or 10 or 50 murals in any order they choose — and they’re always guaranteed to come away from the experience with a new outlook and appreciation for everyone around them.

BRINGING FIGMENTS TO LIFE This month, Caruso will bring the characters in his murals and book to life as part of an augmented reality activation during Canal Convergence in Scottsdale. A frequent contributor to the annual waterfront art festival, the artist will paint a 20-by-8-foot mural, and viewers, using a special app, will be able to interact with the characters. “They’ll start to make noise and move around,” Caruso explains. “You can take a selfie with them and make it feel like a really immersive environment that you can walk into.” Caruso is also creating two additional murals: one in Scottsdale Fashion Square and another at Scottsdale Civic Center. The project is a collaboration between

the mall, Canal Convergence and apparel company Lululemon, which is holding its popular 10K race in the city on the last day of the public art event. Jennifer Gill, deputy director for Canal Convergence, says that the trio of augmented reality activations will create an interesting narrative that takes on the imaginative component of play and the role that it has in our lives. “Art and imagination allow people to push past whatever hurdles they may face,” Gill says. “By drawing from his own personal experience and his attention to the neurodivergent audience, there’s a level of acceptance. He’s showing us that you can do anything, that you don’t have to be pigeon-holed into one place — whether you were putting yourself there or someone else was.” For Caruso, his artwork and his book are ways to share his love for his home state and his nontraditional approach to life. “I really hope that people will go out and look for the murals,” he says. “I hope that it’s a break from the norm. I hope that people will become more interested in public art because of it. And I hope that people will embrace the neurodivergent community more because of it.” samandsara.org isaacncaruso.com

Art

Canal Convergence Nov. 3–12 | Scottsdale Waterfront | 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale Free | canalconvergence.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

It seems like the thing that most binds Phoenicians is that so many of us are from somewhere else. We hail from far-flung locales to create new lives and new bonds here in the Valley. But, sometimes, there’s just no substitute for the flavors of home — whether it's the cuisine of other countries or just from other regions of the good ol’ US of A. Lucky for us, there’s a virtual road trip across the country or around the globe waiting right here in Phoenix if you know where to look. This month, we’re zeroing in on locally-owned restaurants boasting bold regional flavors from the Midwest and South with a wide western swing to the Hawaiian Islands. All you need are your car keys, your wallet and a good appetite!

Belle's Nashville Kitchen // Photo by Sydney McFadden

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Writer Shannon Severson

Belle's Nashville Kitchen // Photos by Sydney McFadden

BELLE’S NASHVILLE KITCHEN Walk down the tourist-filled streets of Old Town Scottsdale and keep your eyes peeled; if you blink, you’ll miss a hole-in-the-wall treasure. Belle’s Nashville Kitchen is a honky-tonk-style spot with delicious food and live music six nights per week. Coowners Mike Haley and Nick Esposito offer an inventive menu featuring authentic Nashville hot chicken, KoolAid fried pickles, barbecue sliders, burgers, vegetarian options and a weekend brunch menu, accompanied by a selection of libations that includes craft cocktails and infusions in flavors such as strawberry vodka, apple pie whiskey and pineapple and jalapeño tequila. “Patrons rave about our food and that was one of my visions from the beginning,” Haley says. “I am blown away by how [Belle’s] has exceeded my expectations. I eat there almost every day, and I’m still not tired of our menu.” The Haley and Esposito families are proud of the restaurant’s status as a popular local hangout. A big reason for that is a calendar of weekly events. In addition to weekday happy hour specials, Tuned Up Tuesday is a BYOG (Bring Your Own Guitar) open mic night for singers and songwriters ages 14 and up. Whiskey Wednesdays feature the in-house mixologist’s curated selection of hard-to-find whiskeys and bourbons, in addition to whiskey infusions, live music and food specials. New for summer is Beauties at Belle’s ladies night with 20% off food and craft cocktails and $30 buckets of bubbles — which include four splits of Prosecco or Rosé — as well as live music, a tasting menu and a history of the area and the building. Dueling piano nights and specialty Bourbon dinners are also in the works. “We’ve toyed around with the idea of Nick and I bartending and serving the guests one night,” Haley says. “It’s fun for us to work together and I think the fun and energy we have really resonates with the guests.” bellesnashvillekitchen.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Photo by Simona Wong

Photos by Leland Gebhardt Photography

CHICAGO HAMBURGER CO. The availability of Chicago’s vaunted cuisine, from Italian beef to deep-dish pizza, is one of the best things about living in the Valley. Chicago native Bob Pappanduros grew up helping his dad at the family’s South Side hot dog restaurant. While Pappanduros earned degrees in sociology and psychology, cooking in restaurants was always a reliable fallback for him. In 1989, he purchased Chicago Hamburger Co., which has stood on the southwest corner of 38th Street and Indian School Road since 1975. The restaurant is open Monday through Saturday for lunch and stays open until 7:30 p.m. for dinner the latter four days of the week. The limited hours and a small team of dedicated employees, all of whom have been there for at least 16 years, have given Pappanduros the chance to spend quality time with his wife and children –– something his father was never able to do. “Phoenix had a population of 350,000 when I moved here,” Pappanduros recalls. “I wanted to move out west. I knew I’d be most comfortable doing what I’d grown up knowing. I’m a much happier guy in a T-shirt than in a chef’s coat. I inherited my customer service sense from my pops. I very much enjoy it. I made a life out here and it turned into a good life.” So what, exactly, is a Chicago burger? It’s a tasty slider grilled atop onions and topped with Dusseldorf mustard, ketchup, pickles and cheese, if you’d like. They’re Pappanduros’ No. 1 seller. A close second is the Vienna Beef hot dog prepared Chicago style with authentic toppings imported from the Windy City –– those sport peppers that burst in your mouth with a spicy pop, the neon green relish, as well as the pickles. The beef for Pappanduros’ Italian beef sandwiches also comes from Chicago. He even uses family recipes — like the one for his mom’s tuna salad — and makes milkshakes the old-fashioned way. So, as it turns out, Pappanduros is using those sociology skills after all. He is having a great time giving people what they want, he’s found a work/life balance ideal for his family; and he and his team are turning out delicious food that draws a crowd decade after decade. chicagohamburger.com

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Coabana // Photos by Juntos Media

COABANA Coabana is a 50-seat bar at downtown’s Cityscape that serves Cuban-inspired cocktails and tapas. The interiors are light and breezy, like dipping into a Miami dream without the humidity or plane fare. The green-tiled exterior and wood-framed windows that open to the outdoors announce that you’re already headed for a different zip code –– at least in your mind! “Coabana was inspired by the fun and tropical vibes found in the Miami food and beverage culture,” says owner Kyla Hein, whose other venues –– Pigtails’ Cocktails, Rough Rider/Teddy’s Preserve and The Whining Pig — have met similar success. “Fresh and lively cocktails, delicious and savory tapas-inspired food menu, and the bright colors and vibrance are what you can find inside our humble bar, and all the warm hospitality to go along with it.” Tropical decor, greenery, warm white walls and pink trimmed banquettes lend a playful, Little Havana attitude to the precise but refreshing menu. On offer are crisply fried ham and cheese croquetas served with a mustard dipping sauce; pressed Cubano sandwiches stacked with roasted pork, smoked ham, pickles, Swiss cheese and mustard; and the national dish of Cuba, ropa vieja –– a plate of braised beef, onions and bell peppers accompanied by black beans and cilantro lime rice. There are some Cuban twists on familiar favorites, too. Pork masitas is a hearty take on classic guacamole, topped with roasted pork and served with a side of plantain or tortilla chips. There is also a ceviche of shrimp in lime and orange juice with onions, peppers and chiles. For a taste of sweet heat, a spicy chipotle dipping sauce is paired with guava and cheese empanadas. As for the drinks, no Cuban bar would be complete without mojitos, and Coabana (which means “the good place” in an indigenous Caribbean language) doesn’t disappoint with its Craft Your Perfect Mojito option. Rum stars heavily in drinks like The Movie Star with a blend of Rhum JM, house hibiscus grenadine, vanilla, pineapple and lime or The Sun Also Rises with Banks 5 rum, noyaux (an liqueur extract traditionally made from apricot kernels), honey, grapefruit and lime. There are also coladas, daiquiris, wine, beer and Cuban coffee made with Demerara sugar and milk “A visit to Coabana is an escape,” Hein says. “You’re transported instantly to vacation mode.” coabanaphx.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023

HULA’S MODERN TIKI The Hawaiian Islands have always held a certain allure. The tiki culture –– its art, music, entertainment and cuisine –– dates further back than the midcentury kitsch most associated with the style. More than 100 years ago, Americans became enamored with the stories of Robert Louis Stevenson and legends of the South Seas. The trend began in earnest during the Great Depression when Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt –– also known as Donn Beach –– opened Hollywood’s Don the Beachcomber restaurant. Then there was the advent of the mai tai, created by Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr. at his legendary Trader Vic’s in San Francisco. What endures today is the thread of playful fun and tasty drinks that are a taste of high-seas adventure from the comfort of a bar stool or dining booth.

HULA's Modern Tiki // Photos Courtesy of HULA's Modern Tiki

Enter HULA’S Modern Tiki, with locations in North Phoenix at High Street, Uptown Phoenix, and Old Town Scottsdale. Since it first opened in 2009, the restaurant has sold nearly 500,000 mai tai cocktails. That’s a lot of rum! "HULA'S Modern Tiki is a locally-owned, modern, urban twist on the classic tiki bars and restaurants of the 50s and 60s,” says owner Dana Mule. “What makes it truly unique is that the atmosphere, cocktails and service allow a guest to get away (to enjoy a tropical reprieve), without actually leaving Phoenix.” New takes on old favorites like crispy coconut shrimp rolls, chicken wings with spicy Asian barbecue sauce, loco moco and luau pulled pork with soy glaze share star billing with fresh fish, burgers, chicken, steak and vegetarian options prepared with Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Polynesian and Caribbean flavors. Of course, there are also tacos of every type –– made with white fish, ahi, shrimp, pork, steak and tofu. HULA’S Modern Tiki weekend brunch menu has specialties like Island Eggs Benedict that can be prepared with ham, linguica sausage or fried spam, and French toast made with Kona coffee-battered bread and topped with a house-made compote of apples and plantains. On the cocktail front, there’s a vast array of signature cocktails and mocktails, with many guest appearances by rum, coconut, pineapple, passion fruit and the blue curaçao one comes to expect at any tiki bar worth its salt. A standout crowd favorite is the giant Scorpion Bowl, a rum and tropical punch-style drink that serves 2–4 and is presented with a flaming overproof rum float. At the uptown Phoenix location, hidden behind an unmarked door, is HULA’S Captain’s Cabin — a wood-paneled, nautical sailor bar that was named one of the 50 best speakeasies in North America by Yelp. Serving the Uku Nui premium cocktail menu and high-end rums, it’s open Thursdays through Saturdays, 6 p.m.–Midnight. hulasmoderntiki.com

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

PHAT TURTLE BBQ What does a turtle have in common with barbecue? If you ask Phat Turtle BBQ owner Mike Sloan, he’ll point you to his restaurant’s logo, which reads, “Low and Slow.” Mike and his wife Kelly are proud to own the only Kansas City barbecue restaurant in Phoenix, which celebrated its third anniversary this summer. The Cave Creek residents have since added a successful billiards hall next door with eight Diamond pool tables where they regularly host pool tournaments and league play. Pass through the doors of Phat Turtle BBQ and you’re instantly transported to Kansas City. Naturally, there is team memorabilia from the Chiefs and Royals and the tables are printed with photos of the locale. In fact, the restaurant was featured on four different Kansas City news stations during the Super Bowl and included a live broadcast.

That authenticity is reflected in the eatery’s food. Each night at 7 p.m., the smokers are loaded with brisket, prime rib, ribs, chicken and sausage. At 2 a.m., the meats are pulled from the smoker, wrapped in foil and returned to finish cooking. It takes a full 16–24 hours to smoke Phat Turtle’s famous briskets; and they must be constantly monitored so they’re removed at exactly the right moment. The restaurant prepares all but a couple of items totally from scratch. Mike gives Kelly the credit for developing the savory sauces and seasonings — which can also be purchased to take home — as well as the cheese sauce in the macaroni and cheese, prime rib gravy and sides such as brisket baked beans, mashed potatoes and coleslaw. If you have any room left in your stomach after enjoying a Phat Turtle feast, the restaurant offers craveable desserts like peach cobbler and chocolate chip banana bread.

Phat Turtle BBQ // Photos by Mike Sloan

“We follow the culture and stay true to the flavor,” Mike says. “People tell me they feel at home; like they’re in someone’s dining room. We are the only restaurant [in Phoenix] to carry Boulevard [Brewing Co.] beers and 30–40% of our customers are connected to Kansas City in some way.”

As a guy with 45 years in the manufacturing industry, Mike is relentlessly devoted to turning out consistently tasty and fresh, high-quality food at the perfect temperature. In fact, he’s got it down to a science. “We clock how long a plate can sit,” he reveals. “We have studied it and found that food drops in quality after 15–40 seconds. We keep oxygen off the proteins and it makes a huge difference.” Mike has community engagement down to a science as awell. Along with pool tournaments in the billiards space, there are trivia nights, local fundraisers and an annual car show to benefit children’s charities. The restaurant even recently donated equipment to Cave Creek Rodeo and catered the event’s VIP lounge. phatturtlebbq.com imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Greater Phoenix is home to numerous luxury masterplanned communities, from Desert Mountain in the far northern reaches of Scottsdale to Las Sendas on the eastern edge of Mesa. Two of the most lauded and highly sought-after are DC Ranch and Silverleaf, nestled in the foothills of the McDowell Mountains in North Scottsdale. Developed more than 20 years ago, these two neighboring communities are known for verdant golf courses, upscale amenities, unparalleled desert views and custom luxury homes that frequently grace the pages of architecture and design publications. Serpentine drives wind around well-spaced greens, sprawling country clubs, meticulously landscaped park lands and large properties that offer privacy while still creating a sense of belonging. These communities owe their reputations as much to their exclusivity as they do to the man who helped create them — architect Dale Gardon. Architect Dale Gardon is the driving force behind some of the Valley’s most exclusive addresses.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

When you create community, that’s a higher calling. Dale Gardon

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT Born and raised in Buffalo, New York, Gardon fostered his design acumen at an early age, owning and running a vehicle pinstriping business as a teen and later, while in college, doing snow removal and landscaping. “I had to bring a design sensibility to each step, so that prepped me for architecture while I was learning architecture,” he explains.

Sharp angles with minimalist decorative elements, large windows and glass doors, and a neutral paint scheme of black, white and gray are key features of this contemporary formal Mediterranean home.

A Fulbright scholarship brought Gardon to Phoenix, where he received his graduate degree in architecture while studying under the tutelage of some of the Valley’s most renowned practicing architects, including George Christensen, Calvin Straub and Jack Peterson. “The sun was shining, and it’s a beautiful place,” Gardon says of his initial impressions of Arizona. “But the key was that my professors were practicing architects. In Buffalo, everything was theoretical, and not one of my professors was practicing. They were all just there to talk, and that bothered me.” As a student, Gardon worked for a small satellite office of a Pennsylvania-based architecture firm, where he was given the freedom to work on large projects, such as the design of a 40,000-squarefoot corporate center in Casa Grande. After receiving his degree, he started at the prestigious

Walls of windows open up to a zero-edge pool and expansive lawn.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

“There’s not an ounce of an arch on this home. The homeowner didn’t want it. He wanted a lot of glass,” Gardon says. A large covered patio includes outdoor living, dining and barbecue areas. An elaborate stone door surround, arched doorways and openings, stately columns and iron balconies define the exterior of this formal Mediterranean home.

This home's new owners asked Gardon to update the interiors, giving the space a sleek, contemporary feel with clean lines, chrome and silver accents, and modern furnishings.

This sprawling Mediterranean-style home is built into the hills overlooking Silverleaf.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

firm of Vernon Swaback Associates, now known as Swaback Partners. Vernon Swaback, the firm’s founder, was the youngest-ever apprentice of legendary, groundbreaking architect Frank Lloyd Wright. “On my first day there, Vern slides a 1,000-unit property at me and goes, ‘Can you do master planning?’ It was part of Fountain Hills, and next thing you know, I’m doing Eagle Mountain,” Gardon recalls. “I liked the fact that planning was macro scale, and architecture was finetuning your macro-scale perspective into a house or building.” By the time Gardon left Swaback after 13 years, he had been named one of the firm’s principals. And he was knee-deep in the creation of DC Ranch and Silverleaf. The enormity of the projects consumed Gardon, who served as a project lead. His team included multiple architects, landscape architects, civil engineers, geologists, archaeologists, biologists and more. He farmed work back to Swaback, based on coordination with the developer, DMB. “And that’s how I started my firm in 1999,” he says. “It was architecture, planning and placemaking.”

RESHAPING THE VALLEY In Buffalo, as in many older cities across the country, variety dominates. Every house is different. This was also true in Phoenix — that is, until production building took over. “My biggest observation about Phoenix in the mid-’90s was everything looked the same,” Gardon says. “The most successful master-

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

The classical Mediterranean architecture of this home in Silverleaf is given a modern-day makeover with straight lines and soothing shades of gray.

This bright and airy modern kitchen is located in a traditional formal Mediterranean-style residence.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

planned communities of the time were Terravita, McDowell Mountain Ranch and Grayhawk, all of which have an air of sameness amongst the architecture, because the idea of value presentation back then was sameness. It was ‘don’t do something different, or you’re not protecting value.’ This was a blight to me.” Gardon founded DC Ranch on the principle of diversity. “Every home needs to feel the richness of something uniquely different, not just a Spanish mishmash,” he says. “Then it becomes writing guidelines of style and character to effectuate.” His firm authored the design guidelines for both DC Ranch and Silverleaf. Luxury home builder Anthony Salcito, president of Salcito Custom Homes, has worked with Gardon for close to 30 years. The two have completed more than 100 projects together. “Dale has been very instrumental in writing the guidelines that not only we but also all others need to follow in order to work in these communities,” Salcito says. “The overall feel and sense of quality and place are a direct result of his involvement in the master planning and authoring of the community guidelines.” During the early development stages of DC Ranch, Phoenix architecture was at a low point. Faux Tuscan and Pueblo-influenced dwellings shared space with tracts of indistinct rows of boring beige boxes topped with red clay tiles. “There was no identifying root,” Gardon says.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Gardon flipped the traditional living arrangement on its head when he designed his own house, a contemporary dwelling in DC Ranch. The bedrooms are on the main level and the living spaces, including the kitchen and living room, are on the second floor.

Designed as a gathering space for guests and family, the breakfast nook and kitchen offers stunning views of the McDowell Mountains.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Influenced by the Valley’s early Spanish colonial estates as well as the front porch character of ranch-style homes, the architect brought together Western regional and Spanish architecture for a look that was an instant hit with homebuyers. For Silverleaf, he focused on the area’s grand estates, such as Wrigley Mansion or the homes surrounding Phoenix Country Club. “We asked ourselves, ‘Can they have a desert hillside setting” Gardon recalls. “And we answered the question by providing all the Spanish heritage and formal and rural Mediterranean character.”

DESIGN EVOLUTION Of course, homeowners’ tastes and architectural styles have changed over the past several decades. Formal Mediterranean and Spanish colonial, with their arched doorways, Venetian plaster walls, heavy wood cabinetry, stone columns, ornate metalwork, tiled roofs and dark hues, have given way to more modern designs with clean lines, minimal ornamentation, bright and airy color schemes, and large walls of windows. “Dale and I tend to work in neighborhoods for which the guidelines were originally written with an emphasis on formal character,” Salcito says. “Today, some of the homes that we are doing have far less ornamentation, longer spans, more glass and extremely sharp details.” While many homeowners still love a more formal exterior, they want to freshen things up inside. “People ask me if it’s crazy to have a contemporary interior inside of a traditional home, and I say, ‘No, bring it on,’” Gardon remarks. “It’s like a

beautiful, chic hotel in Europe. You’re walking down the street and you open the door, and you’re blown away by the contrast.” Dark walls and textured wallpapers are gone in favor of light-colored or white paint. Chunky cherry wood cabinets are replaced with sleek Eurostyle cabinetry. Acrylic furnishings allow floor details to shine. Silk fabrics and low-profile furnishings add a modern touch. Columns and arches are removed, and French doors give way to retracting walls of glass that bring in natural sunlight. Then there are those who want to execute formal Mediterranean architecture in a crisp, cleaner manner. Zero-edge pools, crisp lines, narrow trim, cleaner fascias reinterpret traditional architecture with modern sensibility, modern furnishings and modern detail. “That is how we’ve evolved in Silverleaf,” Gardon says. “The key is that nothing stands out. If we’re going to evolve out of the pure traditional and authenticity of styles, then it still has to have all the other good principles of scale, proportion, texture and contract. Silverleaf has embraced this evolution.”

Architect Dale Gardon’s firm authored the design guidelines for both DC Ranch and Silverleaf in North Scottsdale.

A sleek stone fireplace adds warmth to the patio without distracting from the views.

For his own home, a two-story contemporary design in DC Ranch, Gardon turned his work on its head — literally. He inverted the traditional layout, placing the bedrooms on the ground floor and the main living spaces, including the living room, dining room and kitchen on the upper level. “The beauty of living at a second level allows us to embrace the extraordinary vistas and views that Phoenix offers,” he says.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

This sprawling Mediterranean-style home is built into the hills overlooking Silverleaf.

These days, Gardon is focusing on the development of another master-planned community. Located in Buckeye, Verrado will contain 14,000 dwellings when completed, as well as a golf course, dozens of community parks, miles of hiking paths, a swim park and a “downtown” area, complete with shopping, restaurants and residential services. “There’s a distinction to any project that we’re doing,” he says. “We want people to drive in and take note of every detail, from the roads to the signage to the landscape to the architecture. And that’s usually the way it is. They may not notice or understand everything that’s going on behind the scenes, but there’s a foundation of materials or other principles linking them together. “We’ve been very fortunate with our clients. Not many architects get to work at the scale that we get to work at and influence. They may get to do a home here or there, but when you create community, that’s a higher calling, and it’s something I’m very proud of.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

For Michigan resident Allyson Schwartz, being able to spend a week rafting the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The photographer has always enjoyed the great outdoors. Fishing, hiking, snowshoeing and boating are just a few of her favorite pastimes. “I had hiked the Bright Angel Trail to the bottom of the canyon and spent the night at Phantom Ranch,” she recalls. “Rafting the canyon was something I always wanted to do.” A few years before the pandemic, Schwartz and her then-partner, Dave, booked a self-guided oar trip. They traveled, with other independent rafters, in their own two-person raft that they paddled. Other adventurous travelers join tour groups on motorized rafts that hold between 14 and 24 people.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

Bright Angel, Phantom Ranch, Havasupai, the North Rim. Snaking along the river and looking up at those places, it’s just a whole different perspective. Dyana Hesson

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades // Photography by Allyson Schwartz

More than a dozen river outfitters are licensed to offer rafting trips through the Grand Canyon. Tours depart from Lee’s Ferry, the official beginning of Grand Canyon National Park, and take guests as far as 280 miles alongside towering rock walls; through whitewater rapids; and past waterfalls, hidden caverns and ancient Puebloan dwellings. Food, sleeping amenities and safety gear are provided, but there is no internet service, and the bed is a sleeping bag in a tent or on the beach. “The Grand Canyon is an amazing trip,” says Dean Knuth, marketing director for Arizona River Runners, which offers six-, seven- and eight-day motorized rafting trips as well as guided oar trips for those who are looking for something a little more physically challenging. “Most of the people who take one of our trips have never been rafting before, and then a subset of those people have never been camping before. They really want to push themselves to do something amazing. In their normal lives, they don’t have the opportunity to do adventurous things like being at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and in the backcountry for seven or eight days.” A large part of a rafting trip is being able to explore the surrounding landscape. “There are some really amazing things to see and do in the Grand Canyon,” Knuth says. “Sure, we have days when we’re on the water, but it’s just as important to see the waterfalls, ruins, slot canyons and vistas. We try to do one or two daily side hikes on every single trip.” Popular attractions along the river include Redwall Cavern, a massive amphitheater-style cave carved into the canyon’s limestone walls. American explorer John Wesley Powell once called it “a vast half-circular chamber, which, if utilized for a theater, would give seating to 50,000 people.”

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

The Nankoweap Granaries are 1,000-year-old ruins carved high on a cliff and were once used by Puebloan people to store and keep food dry. Deer Creek slot canyon leads to a hidden waterfall, and Nautiloid Canyon is filled with the fossilized remnants of the large snail-like nautiloids that lived there about 400 million years ago. And, in the spring, the normally dry gorge of the Little Colorado River is transformed into brilliant turquoise-hued pools. According to Schwartz, her trip offered plenty of relaxing free time. “Some people walked up to Havasu Falls, while others went to see the petroglyphs,” she says. “Rafting puts you right down in the middle of all these places. You get to see things that you never would just from hiking down one side and back up again.” Mesa artist Dyana Hesson has explored much of Arizona. She often can be found trekking the state’s far-flung trails or hunting for flowers on remote backroads. While she had hiked into the Grand Canyon numerous times, she always wanted to see it from the water. “For me, it was a way to connect all the dots of the grand places that I had seen: Bright Angel, Phantom Ranch, Havasupai, the North Rim,” she says. “Snaking along the river and looking up at those places, it’s just a whole different perspective.” Hesson and her husband, Randy, set out on a guided eight-day motorized rafting trip at the end of May 2022. Initially, Hesson questioned her decision. “I consider myself a pretty hardy girl, but it was hard,” Hesson says. “It was challenging. This experience is so outside of most people’s comfort zones.” Heat, scorpions, rattlesnakes and constantly being wet are just some imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

of the discomforts of the trip. And while most of the river is smooth, some whitewater rapids can churn out large — and dangerous — waves. The rafts bob like toys through rapids with names such as Granite, Hermit and Crystal. Then there’s Lava Falls Rapid. Rated a 9 out of 10 on difficulty, the 20-second run is brief but terrifying. “Your guide’s job is to keep you alive, but some of the rapids are very serious,” Hesson says. “But it doesn’t take physical fitness, just courage. I think most of the trip is like that. You just need to have an open mind and be ready for an adventure.” Whether you travel with a group or take an independent trip, one of the most important things to remember is to leave no trace. “We take that really seriously,” Knuth notes. “About 20,000 people raft the Grand Canyon every year, and you can go into any of these camps, and they look absolutely pristine. That’s the way we want to keep it. We pack up every little piece of micro-trash. When we pull away from a campsite, it looks exactly like it did when we pulled in.”

Beautiful Original Art Transform Your Space with Contemporary Art Acrylic, Oil, Mixed Media on Canvas, Metal, Bronze & Stone Sculptures, Glass Art, Photography, Woodturning, Jewelry, Ceramics & Resin Art Works Tuesday–Saturday 11-5 p.m. By Appointment Sunday & Monday

White Cobra, by Preben Jensen

100 Easy Street, Suite 1, Carefree AZ 85377 480.313.8447 | gallerymichele.art

For Schwartz and Hesson, rafting the Grand Canyon enhanced their perspectives on life. “It makes you realize how small you are compared with everything around you,” Schwartz says. Hesson refers to it as a “cool fellowship” and “mountaintop experience.” “In the end, you prepare the best you can, and you just commit,” the artist adds. “But now I can say, ‘I did that,’ and I’m so proud of myself. It was transformational.”

Custom installation of ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tile. Intricate drafted tile designs including mosaic murals, patterns for showers, floors and walls. Tried and true installation methods used by the Romans, Persians, and Greeks.

We exist to be a contribution to architecture 480.684.0978

ETHOSTNS.COM imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Zinnia, Oil on Canvas, 16" by 20"

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

The human form has been a centerpiece of art for thousands of years. Whether in early cave paintings that depict hunters in a few simple strokes or hyper realistic portraiture by modern masters, the figure tells stories, expresses beliefs — and simply explores everyday life. Cathy Hegman, a Mississippi-based contemporary artist, has been creating in the figurative genre for much of her career. According to her artist statement, the internationally recognized painter, former teacher and author “paints figures that embody no particular persona but comprise bits, pieces of those who have in some way marked (her) journey.” Her works are contemplative yet expressive, enigmatic yet sincere, moody yet playful.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Hoopla II, Acrylic on Canvas, 40" by 30"

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

“

I’m not painting things. I’m painting the feeling I have about things. Cathy Hegman

Figure with Dove, Acrylic on Panel, 50" by 45"

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

STORIES IN PAINT At first glance, Hegman’s paintings appear simple: A figure, usually a solitary woman, stands against a minimalist landscape. But look closer, and meticulous details come to life. Layers of paint — in bold jewel tones and soothing earthen hues — build on each other, resulting in scumbled texture full of depth, movement and intensity. With each new work, the artist begins by layering the paint; as the canvas develops, the image reveals itself. "I am interested in the process of building a painting up,” Hegman says. “The content while important is often not revealed until many layers are applied. Large swaths of deeply saturated pigments fill the canvas. From far away, each appears as a bold monochromatic shade. But further inspection reveals shadows and highlights, contrasting shades, and overlapping scratches and brushstrokes of complementary hues. Specs of pinks and oranges peek out through deep blues. White backgrounds are formed from layers of blues, grays, greens and taupes. Even blacks showcase rich blends of purples, reds, teals and golds. “You rarely find a passage in my work that is one color,” Hegman says. “It’s always layers upon layers upon layers. I love to watch the changing and morphing a painting will take with the layering process.” Often I use patterns to create texture as well as paint. Patterns are superimposed on top of each other randomly, creating new and intricate finishes. “By the time you layer 20 or 30 patterns on top of each other, it becomes more or less a new texture,” says the artist. “As you layer the paint each consecutive layer will begin to amalgamate into the previous layers, giving life to the surface of the painting. You’re seeing bits and pieces of recognizable passages mixed with passages that are unrecognizable.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Big Skirt Promenade, Acrylic on Canvas, 40" by 40"

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

AN EMOTIONAL APPROACH Many figurative artists strive for anatomical correctness, for a recognizable likeness that viewers can easily place in their minds. But for Hegman, her work is more about the emotions it evokes. “I know how to replicate something, but I don’t want to do that,” she says. “I’m not painting things. I’m painting the feeling I have about things.” There’s a mystique to her characters. “In all of my figurative work, I think from the first one I ever painted, I’ve always left things out that I didn’t feel were necessary,” she explains. Eyes are shrouded or shaded out. “My goal is to paint something you haven’t seen before, and the eyes make it too definitive. I want the anonymity.” Upper arms and legs often are absent. Hands usually are covered in long white opera-style gloves. “I paint hands because hands are descriptive,” the artist remarks. “They’re a good device to show movement or action in the painting. But the upper arms, I find that I just don’t need those. And a lot of times, it’s the same with legs. You don’t have to give everybody everything. They can fill in the blanks when they need to.” For her series “Big Skirts,” Hegman drew inspiration from the memories of a woman who was her childhood caretaker and who wore flowing skirts. After the woman’s death, the artist began working the concept of the voluminous garment into her work. “Everything is based on something that happened or someone who came along in my life,” she says. “And in this series it worked beautifully. And as the skirts got bigger the headdress got bigger as well.” The wide swoops and sweeping trains of the bellshaped skirts are echoed in the figure’s headdress. The look is a mesmerizing blend of surrealistic fantasy and haute couture — one that is as much at home in a collection of modern art as it is on the wall of a Hollywood regency-style penthouse. “I’m basically just putting shapes on the canvas,” Hegman says. “I needed to give the figures something

GUITARS & ACCESSORIES

www.blackmountainguitar.com 6220 E Cave Creek Road, Suite A Cave Creek, AZ 85331 480-488-5441 info@blackmountainguitar.com

LESSONS & REPAIRS imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Gold Vase, Oil on Panel, 16" by 20"

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

that would give them a better balance. The headdress is not meant to be hair. It serves as a metaphor for their world. A lot of times, there will be things embedded in there that will tell a story about who they are — a bird’s nest or a tree. It’s their thoughts and their thoughts on the world. Almost all of them have that now.” The artist began to incorporate the distinctive headdress shapes in her 2009 series, “Weight of Balance.” In it, figures are perched on circles or arcs. “It’s so apropos for the world in general,” Hegman notes. “We’re always trying to be in balance, and it’s so momentary. It doesn’t last.” Hegman also frequently adds animals, butterflies and flowers to her scenes. A single white dove, vibrant orange koi, or a small dog or rabbit — even a group of coral-hued flamingos — creates a unity between humans and nature, enhancing the figure’s vulnerability and giving the viewer another way to connect with the canvas. “The beauty of art is the ability to put yourself into it and be able to relate to it,” Hegman says. “I do feel like most of my work reflects the fact that nature and our surroundings are what form us. Everything in my work is in some form a part of my life. It’s almost this autobiography that’s been going on for the past 38 years.” gracereneegallery.com

Art

Cathy Hegman’s Mysterious and Romantic Dreams in Paint Thursday, Jan. 18 | 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery | 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, Carefree Free | 480-575-8080

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

In the mid-1950s, the town of Cave Creek and its environs were in the midst of a transformation from the Wild West tradition of mining and ranching to residential expansion. The shift was not without challenge. It’s this hometown history and a collection of letters and recordings held in the Cave Creek Museum that inspired local playwright and Cave Creek resident, Andrea Markowitz to pen “Looking Back,” which will be produced Nov. 17–19 at Desert Foothills Library. The play traces the story of World War II combat veteran Dick Engel and his bride, Evie, who purchased Cow Track Ranch in 1950. “I knew their story would fascinate today’s audience the moment I dove into the newsy letters Dick wrote to his mother,” says Markowitz, who based most of her characters on people who called the area home in the 1950s. “Dick chronicles the couple’s trials and triumphs as they search for their place in a changing world.”

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

It’s an example of that old, familiar love story, but with a twist. Couple meets desert; couple loses desert; couple wins the desert back. Andrea Markowitz

LOVE, STRUGGLE AND CHARACTERS ABOUT TOWN The Engels had big dreams when they purchased the 640-acre Cow Track Ranch, but the initial investment pushed them to the edge of financial ruin as Dick faced profound health struggles exacerbated by his time in the service. Could subdividing their beloved land be the solution to their troubles? “It’s an example of that old, familiar love story, but with a twist,” Markowitz explains. “Couple meets desert; couple loses desert; couple wins the desert back.” Markowitz sees the Engels’ tale as a “double love story.” Dick’s correspondence refers to his relationship with Evie as a “continuous honeymoon” and details the couple’s struggle to make ends meet in the desert with which they fell in love. There are appearances on the stage by local historical figures, including Bud Miller, Harold’s Corral Bar’s official greeter and a former Pony Express rider; Manfred Cartwright, owner of Cartwright Ranch at Seven Springs; and Jerry Permutt, owner of Cave Creek’s grocery store and the gas station that now welcomes hungry diners under the moniker Big Earl’s Greasy Eats. There are also local faces in the cast. Markowitz plays a fictional character inspired by Catherine Jones — better known as “Cattle Kate,” a feisty, gun-slinging rancher. Meanwhile, Doug Edwards, who resides on the south side of Black Mountain, plays “Rackensack,” and the Engels are portrayed by present-day Cow Track subdivision residents Phyllis and Peter Strupp. imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Present-day Cow Track subdivision residents Peter and Phyllis Strupp portray Dick and Evie Engels.

Doug Edwards plays “Rackensack.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Andrea Markowitz plays a fictional character inspired by Catherine Jones — better known as “Cattle Kate,” a feisty, gun-slinging rancher.

Desert Foothills Theater’s producing artistic director, Sandi Carll, has provided assistance with the production as part of the theater’s new Desert Playlights program, which incubates new plays by local playwrights. The theater previously staged Markowitz’s “Fair Game,” which received the ariZoni Award of Excellence for best new script, 2021–2022. “I’m delighted to participate in staging another play by Andrea, who is [Desert Foothills Theater’s] playwright in residence,” Carll says. The cast has also benefited from the use of rehearsal space at the Holland Center, courtesy of its executive director, Jennifer Rosvall.

HISTORY COMES ALIVE Markowitz’s work is an example of what Desert Foothills Library’s new Living Library oral history program is all about: preserving the past and making it readily available for future generations to reflect upon and learn from the residents of days gone by. In fact, future workshops will be offered on how to conduct oral history interviews and how to convert those histories into stories and scripts. The playwright says that she was drawn to the Living Library’s mission “to preserve the history of Carefree and Cave Creek through the hearts and minds of the people who lived it.” Recorded interviews with residents past and present can be listened to in the library’s Southwest Room or online via Arizona Memory Project’s website. “Looking Back” is the second event in the Living Library’s ongoing lineup. The program’s first community experience was a Storyscope Story Circle event in October, led by The Storyscope Project founder John Genette. The program also partners with Cave Creek Museum, which has been adding to its deep well of historical documents, records and photos over many decades. imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Debra Lay, executive director of Desert Foothills Library, says that she is delighted with the collaboration between the library, museum and theater.

Less of this.

More of this.

“Combining our talent and resources augments our ability to serve this wonderful community,” Lay adds.

FUTURE PRESERVES PAST Numerous interviews with notable Cave Creek and Carefree residents have been recorded through the Living Library program — including cowboys who roped cattle on that Cartwright Ranch in Seven Springs, Cave Creek's first town nurse, one of the first town council members and an avid wildlife conservationist. “When we began to interview locals in the 1980s, some of them had lived in Cave Creek for more than 50 years,” says Evelyn Johnson, Cave Creek Museum’s executive director. “The play’s inspiration is based upon listening to the actual voices of Cave Creek pioneers.” New recordings will find a home in the library and on the Arizona Memory Project website as volunteers tap into the memories and wisdom of entrepreneurs and artists, volunteers and life-long residents who can recount their childhoods in the area.

Only a human can get to know you and your needs. That’s why, for over 80 years, we’ve built relationships first and plans second. Contact me today and let’s start protecting your future the right way.

Leslie Jensen

6554 E. Cave Creek Rd., Ste 10 | Cave Creek, AZ | 480.575.0710 AgentLeslieJensen.com

Home | Auto | Umbrella | Life Farm BureauProperty & Casualty Insurance Company,* Western Agricultural Insurance Company,* Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company providers of Farm Bureau Financial Services.SR228 (3-22)

“Looking Back” is a valuable example of the stories that can be told to highlight the community’s past in an enriching and entertaining way. “Our production of ‘Looking Back’ would not be possible without community,” Markowitz says. “It excites me to no end to contribute to the Living Library program by creating a play inspired by Cave Creekers who have a 70-year-old story that resonates in our hearts. This is what Living Library is all about. “Our stories don’t begin and end with celebrities and public figures. Everyone has a story that matters. It’s the people who’d never expect to become the central figures in a book or play who have the most interesting stories to tell.” dfla.org

Experience

‘Looking Back’ Nov. 17–19 | 2 p.m. | Desert Foothills Library 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek $25+ | 480-488-2286 | dfla.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Less than 20 years ago, few pastimes were as shrouded in opacity and obscurity as the collecting of watches. Few in number, especially in the United States, watch collectors rarely communicated to the outside world about their passion. Their reticence was fueled by reasons of privacy, isolation and for some, even embarrassment that such an expensive habit could revolve around mechanical objects understood by so few. Fast-forward to today and watches are part of the mainstream, celebrated by a constellation of websites and social media providers and conspicuously flashed by celebrities whose horological preferences are regularly noted. Thanks to recent spikes in aftermarket values, watches are now somewhat dubiously spoken of as an “asset class,” proof, if any more was needed, that they have come into their own.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Richard Mille broke design barriers on his way to becoming one of the top watch "designers".

We can thank the internet — yet again — for so many different aspects of the change in watch collecting. Aficionados in the 1990s had few sources of information: retailers along with a few books and magazine titles. By the early 2000s, a new type of platform, the online watch forum, offered collectors real-time answers to the questions along with something they had never had before — community. Many collectors, who had previously persevered in isolation, now found peers and friends around the world on sites like TimeZone.com and ThePuristS.com that offered specialized discussions by topic and brand. “The virtual community really blossomed before the physical community,” recalls Gary Getz, a longtime Northern Californiabased collector. “Today we meet up with our watch pals from Europe, Singapore and South America, but a lot of those people I met first online.” The same period was also one of growth and radical change in Switzerland, where a new group of independent brands rose up to challenge the established order of legacy manufacturers. Some, like F.P. Journe, pursued the ideal of the Avant-garde watchmakers at Urwerk set the tone for a design movement in Switzerland. Writer James D. Malcolmson

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 is perhaps the most sought-after “unicorn watch.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

genius watchmaker/creator in the same spirit as the great inventors of the 18th century. Others, like Urwerk and Richard Mille, introduced an entirely new ultramodern aesthetic. The influence of these new companies was profound, and the design departments at many of the old-line brands were sent scrambling to match the energy of watchmaking’s new wave. By the mid-2000s, there were nearly 120 companies turning out six-figure watches, each hoping to catch the eye of major collectors around the world. The 2008 banking crisis took much of the froth out of the high-end watch market, but underneath, a new, much larger and younger group of collectors was beginning to emerge, driven in part by another child of the internet, the watch blog. These sites, most notably Hodinkee, became the educational resource for urban, millennial-generation aficionados, who spiced their taste for watches with fashion sense. One for the chief beneficiaries of their patronage was the vintage watch market, which grew from a relative backwater to a prime resource for aficionados to pick up reasonably priced pieces with horological legitimacy. The trend had a positive knockon effect for brands like Omega, which had a massive back-catalog of historically significant models, but had been overlooked in the industry’s headlong rush to produce exotic, modern timepieces. For decades, one of the watch industry’s dirty secrets was the fact that it often overproduced watches, even very expensive ones, for the collector’s market. In the old days, the excess was often “dumped,” leaving only outsize wholesale accounts in the Far East and certain African republics. But as the watch market globalized, these watches increasingly found their way back to the first world, ending up on the grey market. Overproduced watches, even in legitimate supply chains, ended up with heavy discounts. As the internet made international watch pricing transparent, price stability, even appreciation, became a new, highly important layer in the way people began to value watches. Companies with high demand along with tight production and distribution, like Rolex and Patek Philippe became even more valued. Richard Mille boutiques with just one or two watches on the whole premises served to underscore the fact that its

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Imaginative, complex and expensive: The Jaeger-LeCoultre Gyrotourbillon exemplifies the collectors’ watch of the early 2000s.

watches were trading way above their retail prices on the aftermarket. Particularly during the pandemic, much of the watch world’s attention was focused on the financial performance of a small handful of “unicorn watches,” amplified through the social media accounts of the lucky few who managed to acquire them. Prices of these watches have since settled somewhat since their peak in the spring of 2022, but their effect on watch buying continues to unfold. Supply and demand for important new models is controlled, if not engineered. Celebrity sightings and long-to-impossible wait lists have added a velvet rope quality that has moved a long way from the qualities of the original pastime. “The big transition for me is that watches have gone from being a niche hobby to a mainstream luxury category,” adds Getz, who — better known by his Instagram handle of GaryG — has evolved with the changes, maintaining a high profile in the industry where he has made long-term friends. “The emergence of watches from an indulgent expense to a legitimate asset class has been a huge shift. Today, it’s a whole different thing.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

JULY 24-31, 2024

alaska

11-DAY DENALI EXPLORER | CRUISE INCLUDED

ABOUT THE AUTHOR A true luminary of the timekeeping world, James D. Malcolmson possesses a profound understanding of the diverse techniques employed in the industry today. Having traversed factories and workshops across the globe during his more than two decades of dedicated focus on timepieces, the master horologist and distinguished journalist has gleaned a wealth of insight into the intricate world of luxury watches. Drawing upon his extensive horological knowledge, Malcolmson will be in Thursday, Jan. 25, present an exquisite, meticulously handpicked collection of both new and pre-owned luxury timepieces that exemplify the pinnacle of craftsmanship and design during an exclusive event at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree.

Experience

SAPPHIRE PRINCESS • 7 DAY CRUISE

Alaska Cruise Tour ~ July 24-31, 2024 Sapphire Princess Vancouver to Fairbanks

Includes: 7 Day Cruise, 4 Nights Hotel, Tour, Transfers 1 Nt McKinley • 2 Nts Denali • 1 Nt Fairbanks & Riverboat cruise

Balcony Pricing from $3,579 per person Additional per person: Taxes, Fees & Port Expenses: $322

Pre-owned Luxury Watches Thursday, Jan. 25 | 4–7 p.m. Daytime appointments with James Malcolmson available Grace Renee Gallery Historic Spanish Village 7212 E. Ho Hum Road, #7, Carefree Free | 480-575-8080 gracereneegallery.com

4 NIGHTS HOTEL & RIVERBOAT

For more information and reservations, contact

Carefree

THE

TRAVELER

Where Details Matter

The Carefree Traveler

480.488.3111

info@carefreetraveler.com

BY AIR, LAND OR SEA

*All fares are cruise only in US Dollars, per person based on double-occupancy based on availability. Government, Port, Handling & Service fees are additional. Restrictions may apply. Contact The Carefree Traveler for full terms.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Delighting For a Decade

Pianist Avery Gagliano will take the stage Nov. 18 at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, kicking off the Living Music Performance Series’ 10th anniversary season of concerts. Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Chris Lee

Ten years ago, following a successful career as a seasoned opera singer and professor of voice at Kent State University, Mary Sue Hyatt arrived in Carefree with an intense passion for classical music. “Classical music has always been at the center of my musical being,” says Hyatt, acknowledging its presence throughout the generations. Therefore, upon discovering the prominence of classical music in Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s services, Hyatt became incredibly interested in the church and its programs. Hyatt met Michael Johnson, who was Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s pastor at the time, and learned that the church had a small concert series featuring local performers that had been initiated by its organist and choir director, Barbara Aldrich. “The congregation was looking for an outreach tool to draw more people to the church, and they hoped to accomplish this through music and the arts — which was a common interest throughout the surrounding areas,” Hyatt says.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

Avery is an excellent example of an exceptionally gifted young musician with outstanding pianistic abilities coupled with intense emotional depth and musical expression. Mary Sue Hyatt

Because Hyatt had a wealth of musical experience and many musical contacts to draw upon, the pastor asked if she would be willing to help the church expand its music program. Hyatt, of course, agreed and helped launch Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s Ministry of Music, which aspired to engage the community, celebrate the arts and delight the spirit. “The congregation embraced the idea of musical expansion and purchased a marvelous Steinway concert piano,” says Hyatt, noting that, in addition to its adult chorale and handbell choir, the church began to offer workshops and private lessons, as well as a new performance

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Pianist Avery Gagliano came to international acclaim as the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize winner of the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition and was the only American semifinalist at the 18th International Chopin Competition in 2021.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

series that sought to present some of the finest secular and sacred music concerts. “And here we are, celebrating the 10th anniversary of our Living Music Performance Series, which has featured international artists, nationally celebrated musicians and local musical celebrities/ensembles.” Over the past decade, Christ the Lord Lutheran Church’s Living Music Performance Series has welcomed the Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda, Africa and vocal chamber music ensemble the Italian Madrigals from Florence, Italy, as well as a number of exceptionally gifted alumni from the Curtis Institute of Music — including virtuoso pianist Eric Liu and virtuoso violinist Grace Clifford. “Curtis accepts just 4% of applicants and has a student body of only 175,” says Hyatt, who is a Curtis alumna herself and notes that the music institute is a tuition-free conservatory. “Artistic promise and talent are the only considerations for admission.” This month, another Curtis alumna will take the stage at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church as pianist Avery Gagliano kicks off the Living Music Performance Series’ 10th anniversary season of concerts — which

also features chamber choir Canticum Novum in December and tenor extraordinaire Tim Culver in February. Having made her debut at Carnegie Hall at the age of just 20, Gagliano came to international acclaim as the First Prize and Best Concerto Prize winner of the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition and as the only American semifinalist at the 18th International Chopin Competition in 2021. “Avery is an excellent example of an exceptionally gifted young musician with outstanding pianistic abilities coupled with intense emotional depth and musical expression,” says Hyatt, who now serves as director of music ministries at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. “I am blown away by the talent and the professionalism that these young performers display. “As a student at the Curtis Institute of Music, Avery is at the finest conservatory in the world and has and will further receive a musical education of unparalleled quality. I feel she is extremely capable of becoming one of the most celebrated pianists of her generation.”

OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST

HIGH END, LOW-VOLTAGE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING

ctlcarefree.org

Music

Curtis on Tour: Avery Gagliano Saturday, Nov. 18 | 3 p.m. Christ the Lord Lutheran Church | 9205 E. Cave Creek Road, Carefree See website for price | 480-488-2081 | ctlcarefree.org

LIGHTING • IRRIGATION

www.lettherebelightllc.com (480)575-3204 info@lettherebelightllc.com Licensed | Bonded | Insured

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Tori Jane Ostberg

Photographer Tori Jane Ostberg spends several weeks each year living on the road in pursuit of untamed skies, driving tens of thousands of miles to go wherever the weather leads her throughout the North American Great Plains and Midwest. In the summer, she chases the “uniquely beautiful and vastly underrated” southwestern monsoon across her home state of Arizona, which she notes could not be more different than the weatherrelated events that occur in most other regions. “Every so often, I see plains chasers come out, thinking that it will be easy-peasy, only to quickly get frustrated,” Ostberg says. “You cannot chase out here like you do in the plains. It is a very different beast, and it is incredibly unique. The only other place on this entire planet that gets a monsoon season is South Asia. We get our very own monsoon pattern here in our little corner of the desert. Lucky us!” This month, Images Arizona is grateful to be able to showcase some of the storms that Ostberg has chased and photographed around Arizona, many of which were part of this summer’s monsoons. Although the National Weather Service’s official recording of just 0.15 of an inch of rainfall at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport marks the Valley’s driest summer ever — accentuated by a record-breaking 55 days at or above 110 degrees, 31 of which were consecutive — Arizona’s monsoons still managed to wreak havoc around our state this season. Characterized by electrifying lightning, tumultuous winds, blinding dust and microbursts of rain, Arizona’s monsoons are certainly scary sights to behold — and even scarier to experience. Yet Ostberg runs eagerly toward them in an effort to capture these riders in the sky forever on camera — the epitome of catching lightning in a bottle.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Tempest Teachings

Tori Jane Ostberg says that storm chasing and photographing extreme weatherrelated events have taught her patience and extreme perseverance. “They have taught me that I am absolutely able to handle even the most stressful situations,” Ostberg explains. “Every single chase season, there are at least a couple of minor disasters to be taken care of; and, so far, I have been able to handle every last one of them. Ostberg adds that her hobbies have also taught her an incredible amount about the amazing natural processes of our planet’s atmosphere, as well as the beautiful, fleeting nature of life. “No two storms will ever be the same and no one storm will ever happen again,” the photographer acknowledges. “We need to witness these processes with the understanding that we are experiencing something incredibly unique. “Doing this has taught me to appreciate all of that — and, of course, to always make sure that I have my SD cards with me.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

‘It’s A Twister! It’s A Twister!’

Storm chaser and photographer Tori Jane Ostberg will never forget her first-ever big-leagues tornadochasing adventure. “It was May 7, 2016,” Ostberg says. “To say it went well would be the understatement of the century — except, in this case, my definition of ‘it went well’ is that my friends and I lingered a little too long after a beautiful Colorado tornado touched down and we ended up being the ones getting chased. “It followed us very closely up the highway until we were able to find an eastbound road and whipped around onto it, narrowly avoiding being hit ourselves, while we watched it destroy a house and cross the road right behind us. It was eventually rated a highend EF2. Later that year, one of the photos that Ostberg took of the tornado placed second in National Geographic’s Nature Photographer of the Year competition.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Tankless

About the Photographer

Water Heaters

IN STOCK! For as long as she can remember, Arizona native Tori Jane Ostberg has been hopelessly obsessed with extreme weather. “As a kid, I would turn The Weather Channel on and let it play for hours,” says Ostberg, who recalls going door to door at the apartment complex at which she lived to warn her neighbors about incoming storms. “Never mind that we live in the desert so it was never like there was a hurricane coming.”

While in high school, Ostberg — whose childhood hero was Tucson storm chaser and photographer Warren Faidley — realized that by incorporating photography into her obsession, she could keep the storms that she experienced with her long after they passed.

• Enjoy Endless Hot Water • Adjust Using WiFi Connectivity • Increase Savings • Little to No Maintenance

Prefer the Older Tech?

No Problem. That’s Easy For Us!

“However, to this day, it is first and foremost about the storms for me,” she says. “If I forget my camera at home, it is mildly annoying but, ultimately, what I care most about is being in the storm. The photos are my trophies that I get to keep forever as a record of the storms I track down and hunt successfully.

Transparent, Hassle FREE Online Pricing

“Of course, the art of photography is now deeply ingrained in me as well and I find that, like any photographer, I am also very motivated by creating beautiful imagery. My photos are quite literally little pieces of my soul imprinted in pixels forever; beautiful little pieces of everything I have ever wanted to do and everything I have ever hoped for all rolled into extraordinary — and at times extreme — imagery.

Air Conditioning • Heating • Insulation Plumbing • Water Treatment

“I hope to share the incredible, sublime beauty of severe weather with the world as I see it: as equal parts beautiful, humbling and frightening; and as much a grand spectacle as a force to be respected and revered.” copperstatestormchasing.com

480.463.1696 imagesar izona.c om November 2023

A true reflection of the creative diversity among Arizona’s artists, Sharon Albrektsen, Jacki Cohen, Carol McDonald and Kelly Charveaux may each work in different mediums and with different materials, but they all have one thing in common. Fueled by their imagination, they are driven to create. The four exceptionally talented women also share the distinct honor of having had their work selected to grace the cover of the directory for this fall’s 27th annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour. Coordinated by the Sharon Albrektsen’s imaginative, playful “Bee Free” ceramic sculpture graces the front cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory. // Photo by Jules Lafferty nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, 164 artists will participate in this year’s highly anticipated event, which will be spread across 41 studios throughout the scenic Desert Foothills communities of Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale. Showcasing both nationally recognized and emerging artists, the popular art tour attracts thousands of patrons who appreciate fine art and seek a variety of mediums, styles and price ranges. With the event taking place the weekends before and after Thanksgiving, the tour also attracts holiday shoppers who want to find an original, unique gift.

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

For art enthusiasts who return to Hidden in the Hills year after year, the artist directory has become quite a collectible. For participating artists hoping to gain more exposure, being selected as a featured cover artist is often an honor that adds more prestige to their professional achievements.

DAYDREAMS WITH CLAY Sharon Albrektsen grew up in Chula Vista, California, in an artistic family that encouraged her to explore her imagination. Her mother was a professional clown and a seamstress, and her grandfather helped spark her imagination as they played with Play-Doh. Being dyslexic, she struggled to read, but she thrived in her art classes. She loved working with clay so much, she earned the nickname “Muddpuppy” from her family.

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer

Later, as a college student, Albrektsen realized that she wanted to use clay to share stories rather than create functional pottery. “I started making pots and I always wanted to alter them,” she says. “It’s about daydreams for me ... that’s how my mind works.” Finding her inspiration from nature, fantasy and journeys imagined or real. Sharon Albrektsen will exhibit and sell her work during Hidden in the Hills at glass artist Sandy Pendleton’s Studio No. 22 in Cave Creek.

Albrektsen earned her Bachelor and Master of Arts from Adams State College in Colorado, and Master of Fine Arts at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. She spent more than four decades living in Colorado, where she owned and operated a coffee house. She also taught art in grades from kindergarten through college. A few years ago, Albrektsen reconnected with a high school friend and moved to Scottsdale to start a life with him. They married last year. “I am a narrative artist who is in love with clay,” Albrektsen says. “Clay gives me the placidity to capture my thoughts when it is wet and permanency of the form when fired. My work is layered with meanings of who I am now and who I was.” Using borrowed symbols from the Christian religion, other cultures visited in her travels, and those from history, she combines all to make her own personal symbolism. “Previously, I made a vague reference to the figure in my imagery,” she says, adding that the costuming on her figures pays homage to her mother. “Lately, the figure has become of grave importance to the story-telling nature of my work.”

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

Left: Sharon Albrektsen's "High Horse'' Above: Sharon Albrektsen's "Glory Be"

Albrektsen finds her inspiration from nature, fantasy and journeys imagined or real. She is also influenced by her favorite two-dimensional artists, including Salvador Dali, Hieronymus Bosch and Remedios Varo. “I see their work in my mind as 3D,” she says. “There’s also a bit of Dr. Seuss in my work, and I am also inspired by James Cameron and Tim Burton.” A Christian with two adult children and four grandchildren, she often pokes fun at religion and other societal topics. “Sarcasm is a way of life for me, and satirical humor is a major portion of my narrative vocabulary,” she says. “It makes the sarcasm a little easier to digest. My work, although seemingly fantasy, is a reality for me.” Using a hand-built method, Albrektsen often works in the moment, letting the clay guide her, but sometimes she will create a thumbnail of the piece or doodle her ideas on paper. She fires her work up to five times in an oxidation kiln and she uses underglazes, glazes, stains, oxides and gold luster to give each sculpture its desired visual depth. Color is of the utmost significance in her work. “The layering of bold, vibrant colors invites the viewer to take a closer look,” she explains. “It is not my intention to give up my whole story, but to entice the viewer to make up their own.”

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

The layering of bold, vibrant colors invites the viewer to take a closer look. It is not my intention to give up my whole story, but to entice the viewer to make up their own. Sharon Albrektsen

Seven years ago, Albrektsen was invited to be an artist in residence for three months at the Yingge Museum of Ceramics in New Taipei City in Taiwan. “It was an amazing experience,” she says. “I was working with Japanese porcelain, which was like working with cream cheese ... it was so good. I taught workshops and created so much work there. Two of my pieces are on permanent display in their sculpture garden.” Albrektsen’s imaginative, playful “Bee Free” ceramic sculpture graces the front cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory. She started her bee series when she was working towards her MFA degree. “I was amazed that bees can fly with such big bodies and small wings,” she says. “But I was also affected by messages that said, ‘bee kind,’ ‘bee grateful’ and ‘bee blessed,’ and I thought, ‘What would it look like to bee free?’” This is Albrektsen’s first year participating in Hidden in the Hills. She will exhibit and sell her work at glass artist Sandy Pendleton’s Studio No. 22 in Cave Creek.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

Emitting an energy that captivates its viewers with many subtle textures, Carol McDonald’s abstract acrylic painting, “Power From Within,” is one of three works featured on the back cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory.

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

GOING WITH THE FLOW OF ABSTRACT ART Carol McDonald never thought of herself as a creative person until much later in life. As a child growing up in a suburb of New York City, she excelled at English, math and science. While she enjoyed drawing and coloring, it was never a focus. As an adult, art was more something she appreciated and collected rather than created. It wasn’t until 2018, when she was approaching retirement from her left-brain, analytical, business administration career, that she began to pursue a newfound passion for painting. Spending time at art galleries and events, her husband saw something in her and told her she “needed a hobby in retirement.” “That Christmas, my husband bought me an easel, art supplies and a video of one of my favorite artists, Bruce Marion, and encouraged me to ‘go play,’” says McDonald, who lives in Chandler. “That was all it took to re-ignite that creative spark and I have been painting ever since.”

100

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Carol McDonald's "Coming to Fruition" During Hidden in the Hills, guests can find abstract artist Carol McDonald and her work at mixed media painter Bela Fidel’s Studio No. 26 in Scottsdale. During Hidden in the Hils, guests can find abstract artist Carol McDonald and her new work at mixed media painter Bela Fidel’s Studio No. 26 in Scottsdale.

“Abstract art has no agenda,” McDonald explains. “It’s all about potential and what might happen next. In some ways, it’s a metaphor for my life, “I’m an observer in life. I watch and assess and then determine how I will respond. When I’m painting, I do the same thing. I start out with some basic shapes and then see where the painting wants to go.” McDonald is drawn to how images flow and colors blend together. Some of her work is vibrant in color while others are more muted and soft. Many of her pieces have “S” curves within them, depicting movement and grace.

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

While she has done some realism painting, she always comes back to her first love: abstract.

“My mood often affects the colors I choose,” she says. “I start with dark neutral colors to create a general composition, and add color and glazes on top of it. It’s a bit of a dance and I’m never sure where it will end up. It’s never a conscious choice; I go with the flow.” Working with acrylic paint, McDonald uses many different tools to achieve her effects, including silicon scrapers, palette knives and various brushes. “I also love to explore different textures and materials to see how they impact a painting,” the artist says. “Every painting has its own unique energy. It’s not always something tangible; many times, it’s an emotional reaction and we’re not even aware of why a piece of art appeals to us — we just know that it does.” Emitting an energy that captivates its viewers with many subtle textures, McDonald’s abstract acrylic painting, “Power From Within,” is one of three works featured on the back cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory. During the tour, guests can find McDonald and her new work at mixed media painter Bela Fidel’s Studio No. 26 in Scottsdale.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

101

Featured on the back cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory, Jacki Cohen’s stunning fused glass wall panel, “Blaze,” was inspired by the beauty of Arizona’s sunrises and sunsets. // Photo by Jacki Cohen

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

CELEBRATING LIFE THROUGH FUSED GLASS Jacki Cohen discovered her passion for working with fused glass more than a decade ago; but just three years ago, she experienced what she calls a rebirth of her work and life. “My mother was hospitalized with COVID pneumonia and was very ill,” she says. “This was before vaccines were available, and visitors were not allowed in the hospital, so she fought for her life alone. When she was released, she was like an infant ... basically helpless. I nursed her back to health with the help of my family.” The experience had a profound effect on Cohen and she began to translate her emotions into her work. “The art that I have been producing since her near-death experience has been all about life,” she says. “The joy of life, and the simplicity and complexity of nature. I have translated this realization with more color and more layers. Life has so many layers and I have been expanding my art to incorporate these many layers, textures, and details.” A Scottsdale resident, Cohen is disciplined in her routine, and she finds she is most creative in the morning and she often sketches out her designs before getting started. The process of fusing glass requires careful concentration. She begins by heating the glass to a minimum of 1,100 degrees to make it soft and pliable. Then she plans, cuts and pieces together the glass during the day, running her kilns overnight. Once the pieces have fused together, they must be cooled extremely slowly to avoid thermal shock. In addition to incorporating circles and other symbols that celebrate life, she often mixes in dichroic glass, which is a metallic glass that sparkles and shines. “The dichroic is layered to represent the deepness, layers and complexity of life,” she says. An avid hiker, much of Cohen’s work is inspired by the beauty of her natural surroundings. Featured on the back cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory, her stunning fused glass wall panel, “Blaze,” was inspired by the beauty of Arizona’s sunrises and sunsets. During the tour, Cohen will exhibit and sell her new work at Wesley Hartin Art Studio No. 8 in Carefree.

102

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

#34

GAIL HAIRE GailHaireArt.com

ROBIN RAY RobinRayArt.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

103

Appearing on the back cover of this year’s Hidden in the Hills artist directory, Kelly Charveaux’s breathtaking cuff, “Mother & Child Reunion,” features sterling silver, black onyx, Mother of Pearl, Black Lip Mother of Pearl, a Tahitian pearl and abalone. Her title for the piece was inspired by the pearl — or the “baby” within the mollusk of the shell. // Photo by Herb Hitchon

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

JEWELRY GUIDED BY INTUITION Born in Faith, South Dakota, near the famous mineral-rich Black Hills region and adjoining Sioux Indian lands, Kelly Charveaux’s early collection of rocks and arrowheads evolved into a lifelong love of gems and jewelry. She moved to Arizona in her early teens and immediately started collecting turquoise. “Turquoise is my favorite mineral to work with,” Charveaux says. I love mixing it in with almost everything. The color variations from the greens to the blues and the variety of matrix makes turquoise so diverse.” While working for a jewelry manufacturer, Charveaux left college to study at the Gemological Institute of America and furthered her education at the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco. She has also taken workshops from Jesse Monongya, an award-winning Native American inlay artist.

104

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

She finds unique gemstones in a variety of places — including shops, gem shows, auctions and outside on the ground. “When I’m shopping, I pay attention to the energy of the stones,” the jewelry designer says. “I’m drawn to their color and texture. The price tag is usually the last thing I look at.”

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

A Fountain Hills resident, Charveaux plays the bass guitar in her free time. She also paints and creates mosaic art but her primary passion is creating jewelry. She is best known for her bold styles and exquisite inlay designs. Inspired by her surroundings and the energy of the stones, she relies on her intuition to guide her as creates her designs in the moment.

Skilled at lapidary, Charveaux says that cutting stone can be somewhat therapeutic. Hidden in the Hills attendees can meet Kelly Charveaux at painter Marless Fellows’ Studio No. 23 in Cave Creek, where she will exhibit and sell a variety of new, one-of-a-kind contemporary and whimsical pieces — including earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and bolo ties.

“Nothing is more fun than slicing open a rock and seeing what is inside,” she notes. This will be Charveaux’s first year participating in the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour. Appearing on the back cover of this year’s directory, her breathtaking cuff, “Mother & Child Reunion,” features sterling silver, black onyx, Mother of Pearl, Black Lip Mother of Pearl, a Tahitian pearl and abalone. Her title for the piece was inspired by the pearl — or the “baby” within the mollusk of the shell. Tour attendees can meet Charveaux at painter Marless Fellows’ Studio No. 23 in Cave Creek, where she will exhibit and sell a variety of new, one-of-a-kind contemporary and whimsical pieces — including earrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and bolo ties. hiddeninthehills.org

Art

27th Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour

izona.c om November 2023 Nov. 17–19 and Nov. 24–26 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | See website for participating studios | Free | imagesar hiddeninthehills.org

105

C A R L O S PA G E SCULPTURE

‘Shield’

Steel and reclaimed wood 44”x33”x 9”

w w w. c a r l o s p a g e . c o m info@carlospage.com 973-941-7174

#30 106

C A R L O S

P A G E

S T U D I O

5242 E BARBIE LANE, CAVE CREEK AZ. 85331

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

ELIZABETH BUTLER

w w w. e l i z a b e t h b u t l e r f i n e a r t . c o m elizabethbutlerfineart@gmail.com 480-440-2806

C A R L O S

P A G E

S T U D I O

#30

5 2 4 2 E B A R B I E L A N E , C A V E C R E E K A Z . imagesar 8 5 3 3izona.c 1 om November 2023

107

108

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

MICHAEL MCKEE

w w w. m i c h a e l m c k e e g a l l e r y. c o m m i c h a e l @ m i c h a e l m c k e e g a l l e r y. c o m 630-779-3793

JON LINTON

w w w. j o n l i n t o n p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m jondlinton@gmail.com 480-329-3660

C A R L O S

P A G E

S T U D I O

#30

5 2 4 2 E B A R B I E L A N E , C A V E C R E E K A Zimagesar . 8 5izona.c 3 3 1om November 2023

109

Writer Susan Kern-Fleischer

It could have been exceptionally easy for Jan and Rick Griggs’ lives to never intersect. Jan — a soulful, abstract fine art painter — grew up in Spokane, Washington, while Rick — an accomplished woodworker and photographer — was born on a United States Naval base in Canada and spent much of his childhood living in different states. Four decades ago, they met at a party, and it was love at first sight. “Rick asked me to marry him on our second date,” Jan says. “We got married six months later.” "Cloud Story" by Jan Griggs Attracted by Arizona’s warmth and sunshine, the couple in 2012 moved to Scottsdale, where they continued their individual artistic paths and became members of the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League — whose signature Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour is set to take place during the last two weekends of this month.

Jan and Rick are two of 164 artists at 41 studios throughout Cave Creek, Carefree and North Scottsdale that will be participating in the popular event, which — now in its 27th year — is the largest and longest-running artist studio tour in Arizona.

110

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Jan has always been passionate about art. She has fond childhood memories of playing the scribble game with her father, and she credits an older cousin for inspiring her to explore her creativity. “My cousin was a talented artist who taught art in high school,” she says. “I was in awe of him, and he had a definite influence on me.”

"Softly" by Jan Griggs

Early in her career, Jan created wildlife illustrations for a company that produced giftware for the Alaskan cruise industry. She also painted pet portraits in pastels and took a few watercolor classes. Calling herself a “late bloomer,” Jan discovered her passion for abstract art not long after she and Rick moved to Scottsdale. She took a special week-long mentoring session with renowned artist Gwen Fox in Taos, New Mexico that challenged her to be intuitive and spontaneous as she painted. That was 13 years ago and, since then, she has been laserfocused on creating abstract art. “Abstract painting is freeing and complicated at the same time,” she explains. “There are no limits or rules as to what you can or can’t do. The workshop in Taos opened a direction I wanted to pursue, but didn’t know how to do it.”

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

A NEED TO PAINT & EXPLORE

Now, Jan has more confidence in her work and believes that painting abstracts is her calling. “I find that I actually need to paint and explore, so my style is constantly changing,” she says. While much of her work is inspired by the beauty of the desert, Jan continues to be influenced by the cool grays, blues and greens of the Puget Sound area, where she and Rick spend their summers. “When I paint in Washington, my colors tend towards cool blues and grays,” she says. “Inspiration comes from the water, mountains, sky and clouds. In Arizona, I’m influenced by the desert, warm neutrals, and desert plants.” Energy, color, light and intuition are the elements that characterize her paintings. She works with acrylics on canvas or heavy watercolor paper, with a variety of tools to move and manipulate the paint. “I like water media because it dries fast, and I can work quickly,” Jan says. “I prefer to paint on large canvases. It’s much easier to use large brushes and movements.” Her artistic process is intuitive and spontaneous.

As Jan Griggs paints, she arranges and re-arranges colors and shapes to create the feelings and emotions coming from within her.

“My work is a collection of places, feelings of color, light and dark, movement and stillness that I translate into abstracted forms,” she says. “When I begin a painting, I’ll decide first if I’m painting an abstract floral or landscape or pure abstraction. I don’t use reference photos as I paint, instead drawing from my memory.” imagesar izona.c om November 2023

111

"Storm Before the Calm" by Jan Griggs

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

“

Abstract painting is freeing and complicated at the same time. There are no limits or rules as to what you can or can’t do. Jan Griggs

As she paints, she arranges and re-arranges colors and shapes to create the feelings and emotions coming from within her. “My parameters are the color palette I choose and the shape and size of the surface I am painting on,” Jan says. “I have a very basic idea of what I want to create and let the flow of color and paint guide me. Sometimes I listen to upbeat, energetic music while I paint. Other times, I get in a zone and silence helps me.” Sometimes she chooses to take the painting in a different direction. “I end up painting over pieces that aren’t working, or I cut them apart and use them in my deconstructed abstract series,” Jan explains. “One of my favorite pieces is called ‘Into the Desert,’ because that’s where it went, with a long garden hose and a power spray nozzle. I sprayed and washed off layers of paint and was left with an interesting, gritty texture that was the base for the new painting.”

112

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

113

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

ALIVE WITH PATTERNING & COLOR Rick Griggs started his career in radio. While he enjoyed woodworking as a hobby, he didn’t pursue his passion for creating natural edge wood creations until later in life. Growing up, Rick was surrounded by creative family members. His mother painted and created crafts. He credits his grandfather and his uncle, both talented wood carvers, with teaching him some of the basics of woodworking. “The calmness and serenity my grandfather had when he was whittling was mesmerizing,” Rick says. “I could watch him endlessly. My uncle was more of a sculptor. The intrigue with him was his ability to create things out of a piece of wood. Later, I was inspired by acclaimed woodworker and architect, George Nakashima. The sleekness of his work with flowing lines and angles is amazing.”

114

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Early in his broadcast management career, Rick worked for Barry Ackerley, who owned radio stations and the Seattle SuperSonics. “Jeff Smulyan had just started an all-sports station, WFAN, in New York,” Rick recalls. “I was intrigued by it and convinced Mr. Ackerley that we should take KJR to all-sports. We were one of the first stations to do sports. It was exciting but challenging because there was no blueprint for it.” Once the concept took off, Rick kept getting inquiries from people who wanted to replicate the format. That prompted him to start his own sports radio consulting firm, which he still has today. “I have been fortunate to work with so many great people,” Rick says. “My clients were across the country and internationally, including ESPN and Fox Sports. During that time, I began doing more woodworking, but nothing like the tables and wall pieces I create today until about eight years ago. I also did photography, showing my work in several galleries and at the Lishui International Photo Festival in China.” About nine years ago, Rick began doing turning, which evolved into live edge slabs as tables and wall art. Live edge wood is the original shape of the tree along at least two of the edges.

Kathi Turner

#15

31616 N. 70th Street, Scottsdale 775-304-6756 HighDesertCreations.com

Judy Paxton Bruce 7162 E. Stevens Rd., Cave Creek 480-437-9995 JudyBruceArt.com

“Like everything, the more you do something, the more you learn and the better your work becomes because you challenge yourself to grow,” Rick explains, “Putting the pieces together is like a puzzle that has multiple answers. There is no right or wrong way. There are options that create different experiences and points of view.” Rick’s studio is in his garage, where he uses basic tools to create his furniture — including chisels, sanding blocks, a jigsaw and table saw and a rotex sander, which he says is invaluable. “One of the instructors I had in a woodworking class had the best advice I have ever heard when using equipment,” Rick notes. “He said, ‘Become one with whatever you are working with.’ The equipment is an extension of you, making it easier to focus and concentrate on your work.”

#4 imagesar izona.c om November 2023

115

"Golf Table" by Rick Griggs

116

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Rick Griggs often counts on the wood to guide him in a certain direction.

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

That’s exactly what fuels Rick’s passion for woodworking. “Working with wood is therapeutic for me,” he says. “Plus, after years of creating content in radio that essentially disappears into the air, it was rewarding to see the results in a tangible product. Each piece of wood is a life form and, like people, each has unique characteristics. I really love that aspect.” Many of Rick’s pieces include precious stone inlay that enhances the wood’s natural beauty. “I use all types of stone and stone powder in the voids of the wood,” he says. “Chrysocolla is one of my favorites because the array of color is spectacular. Azurite, jaspers and turquoise are all great as well. I also like to use copper inlay.” He often counts on the wood to guide him in a certain direction. “I enjoy working with all woods, but I especially love working with burls,”

Art

Rick says. “They are so unique, with rich character in the patterning and color of the wood. I also love oddshaped pieces and putting them together as a unique artwork.” Depending on the type of wood, the hardness can be a challenge. A lot of wood from tropical areas is very dense and sometimes oily, making it difficult to work with. “Here in Arizona, because it is so dry, I have to make sure the wood has a moisture content of around 6%,” Rick adds. “Otherwise, it can crack or split when I’m cutting or sanding it.” Rick finishes his pieces with a natural tung oil because it seeps into the wood and helps bring out the natural beauty.

Rick will showcase his live edge wood tables and wall pieces at Toni Perrin’s Studio No. 10 in Carefree.

HIDDEN IN THE HILLS ARTIST FEATURE

“

Putting the pieces together is like a puzzle that has multiple answers. There is no right or wrong way. There are options that create different experiences and points of view. Rick Griggs

Jan says that, after 41 years of marriage, she appreciates being able to tap into Rick’s creative insight. “We value each other’s opinion and often ask each other for advice and critiques,” the painter explains. Rick agrees, adding that it is good to have another perspective that he trusts. “Jan offers a lot of good insight and points out things I may not have thought of,” he says. jangriggsfineart.com naturalwoodedge.com

TRADING INSIGHT & PERSPECTIVE Guests to Hidden in the Hills will find Jan with her abstract paintings, abstract florals and deconstructed abstracts at Kathi Turner’s High Desert Creations Studio No. 15 in Scottsdale. Meanwhile,

27th Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour

izona.c om November 2023 Nov. 17–19 and Nov. 24–26 | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | See website for participating studios | Free | imagesar hiddeninthehills.org

117

Legacies of Valor

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Veterans Heritage Project

Each fall since 2004, teachers at schools across Arizona have guided their students as they interview some of the bravest men and women in our country. Those interviews have resulted in numerous collections of war and peacetime service stories from veterans of all branches and eras that, written by students, are more real — and more resonant — than any history book. With a two-pronged mission of fostering students’ character and honoring veterans’ service, Veterans Heritage Project is celebrating its 20th anniversary of building a better America while simultaneously preserving legacies of sacrifice, service, duty and loyalty.

CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH VETERANS Barbara Hatch was teaching history at the Judson School in Paradise Valley in 1998 when Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” was released in theaters. Eagerly talking about the epic war film that depicts the Normandy landings during World War II, Hatch’s students asked if she had seen it. “I responded, ‘No, I do not like war movies,’” Hatch admits. “But, to be real to my students, I felt as though I needed to see it. After all, if I am going to teach world history, then I need to be able to look it in the eye and absorb it.

118

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

Veterans Heritage Project is celebrating its 20th anniversary of building a better America while simultaneously preserving legacies of sacrifice, service, duty and loyalty.

“So I saw the movie and, the next day, I told my students that they really should hear from the people who were there — the World War II veterans. I had always warned them to be careful of movies that claim to be historical fact when so much of them is historical fiction.” The teacher then wrote a letter to a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, inviting World War II veterans to come to her class and address her students about the realities of the Normandy landings. She was eventually contacted by Ralph George — a member of VFW Post 7507 in Fountain Hills, who offered to organize a group of veterans to speak in Hatch’s classroom. Having found their presentation and discussion beneficial to all parties, including herself, Hatch continued to bring veterans into her classroom periodically over the next few years, even as she shifted to different school districts in the community — including Scottsdale and Cave Creek. In 2004, having heard that Salt River Project was funding programs that documented Arizona’s history in celebration of the state’s centennial, one of Hatch’s students asked her if she would help organize a project that involved their veteran speakers. The

teacher and her students then invited veterans to share their service stories via recorded interviews, which were then submitted to a national military history archive called the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. With Hatch's 20 years of experience as a yearbook advisor, she and her students authored and published a hardbound volume of veterans' stories in “Since You Asked: Arizona Veterans Share Their Memories.” Arizona Heritage Project was officially born as an after-school club, publishing a new volume of “Since You Asked” annually. Five years later, in 2009, parents Laura Byers and Donna Ward acknowledged the profound impact that the club was having on their sons’ character and academic focus and banded together with other parents and supporters to incorporate Veterans Heritage Project as a nonprofit organization, enabling the club to be replicated at other schools. By 2013, Veterans Heritage Project had grown to 11 chapters, at which time Hatch retired from her 40year career as a teacher and began volunteering full-time as the nonprofit organization’s program director.

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

119

APPRECIATION & RESPECT Since then, Veterans Heritage Project has published 19 volumes of “Since You Asked,” with the 20th volume set to be unveiled at a free community reception and book signing in the spring of 2024. Subtitled “A Salute to Gold Star Families,” the volume will be dedicated to parents, spouses, siblings and children of members of our armed forces who died as a result of their service during a period of war. The nonprofit organization also now facilitates after-school programs in 30 schools — including Cactus Shadows High School in Cave Creek, Chaparral High School in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix. Since 2004, 2,683 veterans’ legacies have been preserved through the program. The nonprofit organization’s executive director Michelle DiMuro recently issued a challenge to school partners to interview and write the stories of at least 317 veterans this fall, thereby reaching a milestone of 3,000 veteran legacies preserved by this spring — a momentous achievement in celebration of Veterans Heritage Project’s 20th anniversary. To help mark the occasion, Sanderson Lincoln is sponsoring the nonprofit organization’s At-TEN-tion Pays Raffle with a $10,000 cash prize. Tickets are priced at $100 and a winner will be drawn at Veterans Heritage Project’s March 2 fundraising event — the Saluting Stories of Service Gala.

120

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

Proceeds from the raffle will help the nonprofit organization serve more students and veterans by funding program technology, publishing, veteran recognition, teacher training and school outreach expenses. Sanderson Lincoln brand manager Patrick Heigl says that the local, family-owned business has a long history of civic responsibility and is proud to be able to help connect students with our nation’s heroes. “Veterans deserve our highest level of appreciation and respect,” Heigl adds. “This program does just that.”

A LOT OF LIVES TOUCHED Connecting students with veterans has led to 100% of student authors graduating, 95% pursuing college, a quarter of veterans telling their story for the first time and two-thirds of veterans finding the process cathartic. Since 2004, Veterans Heritage Project has also awarded $198,000 in scholarships to participating students. Hatch says that witnessing veterans healing and students succeeding because of a program that organically expanded with parents’ faith in its mission has made her retirement a remarkably rewarding experience. “I am extremely proud of what we created, and I am extremely satisfied with the work that goes into it,” Hatch adds. “I have probably heard the stories of at least 1,500 veterans; I mean, really heard their stories. “My heart absolutely jumps out of my chest with pride when I look at the master list and see [close to 3,000] veterans’ names on it; many of whom felt forgotten and found a new mission talking to kids because it validated their service. “Then I look at all of the students’ names and I think, ‘That is a lot of lives that have been touched.’ It does not get any better than that — especially when you see them become amazing human beings.” veteransheritage.org

Experience

Honor, Protect, Serve Wednesday, Nov. 8 | 4 p.m. | Cochise-Geronimo Clubhouse 10333 Rockaway Hills Drive, Scottsdale Free | veteransheritage.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

121

North Scottsdale resident and luxury realtor Laura Ingram has played competitive golf since the age of 9. She’s represented the University of Arizona as a student-athlete and traveled the world from tee to shining tee. The Arizona native has combined her love of golf with her desire to benefit children’s charities as one of the leading organizers of the Phoenix Children’s 24th annual golf tournament on Nov. 17 at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale, which coincides with the hospital’s 40th anniversary. “I saw a good alliance between [my background] and this invitational event,” Ingram explains. “Children’s causes are near and dear to my heart. I’ve had several close friends who have had huge journeys with Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and I’ve seen the impact it makes on people’s lives. So I married the two and figured out where my energy could fit on the committee.” Laura Ingram represented the University of Arizona as a student-athlete and traveled the world from tee to shining tee.

122

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“

Laura is directly responsible for adding a party feel to the event. We are endlessly grateful for the committee and all the efforts put in to make this the success it is. Tim Harrison

GIVING ON PAR The Hope Fund is this year’s beneficiary; its role is to provide aid for new programs at Phoenix Children’s and purchases of essential research, while addressing the needs of patients in real-time and funding pioneering research. Over the years, the tournament has raised more than $9.3 million. Last year’s fundraising total of $1.1 million has already been surpassed before the first swing is taken by one of the expected 288 participants. This year’s target is $1.3 million. Per usual, this year’s theme will be a surprise, but participating golfers can anticipate early morning breakfast and drinks on the driving range, a raffle and silent auction and a shotgun start with a scramble format. Throughout the day, there will be entertainment and tastings available from local restaurants and various beverage purveyors.

Laura Ingram has combined her love of golf with her desire to benefit children’s charities as one of the leading organizers of the Phoenix Children’s 24th annual golf tournament on Nov. 17 at Troon North Golf Club in Scottsdale. Writer Shannon Severson // Photography Courtesy of Laura Ingram

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

123

Laura Ingram’s (far right) involvement with the tournament and foundation has deep, personal meaning to her.

An after-party rounds out the night with dinner, an awards ceremony and the announcement of raffle and silent auction winners. A mobile bidding site makes it easy to bid, purchase raffle tickets and check on the status of bids throughout the day. “The Phoenix Children’s Golf Tournament is an integral part of our fundraising events,” says Tim Harrison, Phoenix Children’s Foundation’s vice president of corporate partnerships and special events. “Funds go directly to support our patients. With such a positive and upbeat experience, it makes sense why so many people want to join us.”

PARTY ON THE GREEN When Ingram approached Phoenix Children’s Foundation’s senior vice president and chief development officer, Steven Schnall, about joining the 24-person committee, she had two big ideas. The predominantly male committee could use some female input, and she had some innovative ways to boost fundraising with a fun, low-pressure approach. “[The committee was] very welcoming,” Ingram says. “I presented the idea for party holes. [Arizona State University Women’s Golf Coach and Arizona Golf Hall of Fame inductee] Missy Farr was great to lend us a hand. That first year, we raised over $20,000 on one hole in one day.” Farr first sent two of her players to be stationed on specific, sponsored party holes — complete with DJ, auctioneer and a celebratory atmosphere. The tradition continues with golfers donating $100 to the hospital in exchange for having one of the talented young women take the first drive on their behalf. For a $500 donation, they can skip the shot and get credit for a hole-in-one. The idea took off, the college athletes enjoyed benefitting a worthy charity and the tournament was enhanced by the new twist.

124

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

“That first year, I was able to get $500 from every foursome except one,” Ingram recalls. “My partner, who was working on the other party hole, was pretty close; but we had a fun competition. The whole team we have each year is phenomenal. Everybody really chips in and does their part,” Friendly competition, an entertaining atmosphere and a shared mission have served to raise awareness in the community in addition to needed funds. “Laura is directly responsible for adding a party feel to the event,” Harrison says. “We are endlessly grateful for the committee and all the efforts put in to make this the success it is.” There are also patient holes where golfers can interact with the young people who directly benefit from the range of services that Phoenix Children’s provides. Ingram says all the hard work has paid off — not just for Phoenix Children’s Foundation, but also for her, personally. “It couldn’t go to a better cause,” Ingram says. “Every dollar supports these kids and they don’t turn any kids away. It’s our job to give these kids the opportunity to be seen and to know the community backs them.” Her involvement with the tournament and foundation has deep, personal meaning to Ingram. She says it’s been very rewarding to be involved in the cause. “Even though I’m helping the children, this has done more for me than I ever feel I could give them,” she says. pchgolf.org

Experience

Phoenix Children’s Golf Tournament Friday, Nov. 17 | Troon North Golf Club 10320 E. Dynamite Blvd., Scottsdale | pchgolf.org

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

125

DINING GUIDE Stumblina’s Cantina

Located within Prickly Pear Plaza, Stumblina’s Cantina invites visitors to step back in time and enjoy an American twist on Southwestern food and drinks while taking in the stunning views of the famous Black Mountain. The western-style bar and restaurant is set in a romantic atmosphere that takes diners back to a bygone era where they can belly on up to the bar for a craft beer or cocktail or savor a fine glass of wine. Specialty drinks include the Stum-Belini — a glass of prosecco mixed with peach purée and a dash of prickly pear nectar — and the Frankly Pomegranate Mule — featuring pomegranate vodka, a splash of lime juice and ginger beer. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Stumblina’s Cantina features plenty of seating in its cozy dining room as well as on its outside deck where diners can enjoy a Tombstone-inspired menu. Appetizers include battered and deep-fried poblano peppers and cauliflower florets while main courses include a host of taco, burger, sandwich, soup and salad options.

Saloon specials include Doc Holiday Left Breathless with a Flat Iron steak and Stumblina's Infamously Naughty Burger — stacked high with five Angus beef patties, two slices of pepper jack cheese and two slices of cheddar cheese, topped with fried poblanos and served with lettuce, onion and tomato. Dessert options include a slice of chocolate and peanut butter mousse pie surrounded by whipped cream and topped with chocolate sauce. Featuring live music on its patio every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, including dueling pianos one Saturday each month, Stumblina’s Cantina is especially exciting on holidays — such as Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day. However, owner Sonia Pasciuta and her staff ensure that every visit to this modern take on an old-style saloon is an enjoyable and memorable experience.

Stumblina’s Cantina Prickly Pear Plaza 6268 E. Cave Creek Road, Suite 1, Cave Creek 480-687-9077

126

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

stumblinascantinaaz.com

imagesar izona.c om November 2023

127

RECIPE

Pumpkin Pie Gooey Butter Cake Serves: 8

Ingredients: For the Spiced Butter Cake: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 1 large egg, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon apple cider or white distilled vinegar 1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt For the Pumpkin Pie Topping: 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling) 2 cups powdered sugar 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of kosher salt Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

The biggest issue I find with pumpkin pie is that not everyone loves its texture. So switch it up this year and serve this cake to your Thanksgiving dinner guests. You’ll be everyone’s holiday hero! It’s a delicious spiced butter cake topped with a pumpkin pie mixture that, when baked, is out of this world!

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together butter and sugars, followed by egg, vanilla and vinegar. Pour in dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold the batter together. Spread in the bottom of the prepared pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together cream cheese and pumpkin puree. Whisk in powdered sugar one cup at a time, followed by vanilla, eggs, cinnamon and salt. Pour pumpkin pie topping over the spice cake batter. It should self-level, so there’s no need to spread it. Bake for 35-40 minutes. When the cake is fresh from the oven, carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to prevent it from sticking to the sides. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the springform ring and continue to cool to room temperature. Chilling the cake will speed up this process. Once cooled, top the cake with a light dusting of powdered sugar, slice, serve and enjoy!

128

i mages a r i zo n a .c o m November 20 23

thefancypantskitchen.com

The MOHR Group

MORE THAN $300 MILLION SOLD!!

Land and Luxury! We represent some of the best view lots available and can introduce you to a Luxury Builder that fits your home desires! Call us for more information!

Gated Carefree Neighborhood with 4 car garage, detached Guest Casita, Wine Cellar, Soaring Beamed Ceilings, Solid 8FT Doors, $2,250,000!

Much Sought After Sky Ranch! Lovely end unit in this privately gated community with pool, tennis and dog park. Beautiful Finishes! $975,000

One of a Kind! Approx 15 Acres resting on the West face of Continental Mountain siding 400 acres of BLM land. Incredible Views! Nothing else compares! $1,099,000.

Two 2.5 Acre Lots! Resting on an arm of Majestic Black Mountain! Fabulous Views, Gated, Paved Road, Utilities! Seller May Carry! $895,000.

Ryan, Janet, Don and Kendal SINCE 1985

GO TO MOHRHOMES.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION, DRONE SHOTS AND PHOTOS OR CALL US AT 602-980-7653 FOR A PRIVATE VIEWING. imagesar izona.c om November 2023

North Scottsdale-Carefree Office 34305 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ 85266

P. 480-488-2400

LIFE IN THE MIRABEL CLUB MEMBERSHIPS AVAILABLE WITH THESE HOMES PATRICK RICE

970-846-5461 Patrick.Rice@russlyon.com

GOLF MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE $ 2.5M SW Custom w/ Casita - 5 Ac no HOA - Gorgeous Sunsets Debbie or Susan, Photos + Video: www.CarefreeProperty.com

Exquisite ITALIAN FARM HOUSE. 4 BR, 4.5 BA, custom by Beringer Fine Homes. 6,327 SQ FT with Casita on the 13th Green.

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE $1.45M Quality in Carefree on Blk. Mountain, 3 BR Suites, Lap Pool Susan F & Debbie O, See Video @ www.CarefreeProperty.com

Bright Angel Model - 3 BR, 3.5 BA, guest casita, oversized corner lot, perfect lock and leave in the HEART OF MIRABEL.

GOLF MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE $2,495,000 The Continental mountains are the backyard for this extraordinary Desert Mountain homesite. Joanie Barreiro 480-235-2776

Contemporary Masterpiece on 5 View-Rich Acres! Eco-friendly Indoor/

a r iFurnished. zo n a .c o m November 20 23 Oasis. $2,495,000! Julie Antunes 480-225-0007 4Outdoori mages

Magnificent Mediterranean ~ 4 BR, 4.5 BA Custom home by Calvis Wyant, 6300 SQ FT, with Casita on the 4th Fairway.

$7,250,000, 5 BD | 6.5 BA| 8,845 SF Gated, resort patio, spa, gym, elevator, 7 car garage in Cave Creek 480.544.5565 | Kathleen.Benoit@RussLyon.com