ARTS + CULTURE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER MARK GREEN CAPTURES THE STUNNING WORLD BENEATH THE SURFACE
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LETTER
Let's Explore
I hope this letter finds you relaxing by the pool, lake, or beach somewhere, getting some muchneeded Vitamin D.
Recently, my family spent a week on Oahu. It was an incredible trip full of “exploring,” which included lots of nature paths with waterfalls, snorkeling in Hanauma Bay, my kids surfing in Waikiki, and enjoying some of the best Hawaiian cuisine. Why do pineapples taste so much better on the islands?
After our return flight into Sky Harbor at 4:45 a.m., I passed a gentleman at baggage claim who was wearing a yellow T-shirt that said, “Never Stop Exploring.” How fitting, I thought, as I had this issue on my mind.
One definition of explore is “travel in or through an unfamiliar country or area in order to learn about or familiarize oneself with it.”
In this issue, we celebrate the definition of explore. Read about local photographer Mark Green, whose love of scuba, marine life, and travel are encompassed in his award-winning photography. We also are inspired by Tempe’s Boho Vans to explore the beauty of our own backyard paradise, the state of Arizona.
Whether you are seeking exploration across the globe or in our beautiful state, there is always an adventure waiting for each of us.
1: Joshua Farley, owner of Redline Electric; Ashton and Julie-Rae Steinmeyer, owner of Camp Bow Wow; and Wendy Bates. 2: Mindy Zonts; Cynthia Brown with Coldwell Banker; and Melissa Kay, owner of Prime IV. 3: Angela Kiernan with Magnus Title Agency; Stacy Williams, owner of Bright Mortgage; and Cynthia Brown with Coldwell Banker. 4: Angela Kienan; Ashley Pradetto; Sharlene Taylor, owner of Neos Med Spa; and Caitlyn Hutchinson. 5: Dennis Allen and Dr. Aubrey Young of Young Orthodontics. 6: Gerard Richards, owner of Body20; Dr. Landon Brough, owner of Sonoran Sky Pet Hospital; and Kayla Friend. 7: Ashley Pradetto with Magnus Title Agency, Brooke Bogart, and Angela Kiernan.
8: Joe Trasser and Jenifer King Trasser, owners of Kitchen Tune-Up Tempe-Ahwatukee. 9: Jiten Dungarani, owner of Fyzical Tempe; Brooke Bogart with Keller Williams; and Melati Parker, owner of Wijaya House Books. 10: Hayden Schweitzer of Myranda Fine Jewelry, Wendy Bates, and Kassandra Beavers from the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. 11: For Our City Tempe community leaders met in May at the Tempe YMCA. 12: Joanne Sgro-Killworth; Megan Ferguson, owner of Backcourt Marketing; and Wendy Bates. 13: Jiten Dungarani, Melissa Kay, Dennis Allen, and Todd Batt, owner of All About Golf. 14: Annette Boston-Hale of By the Yard with her daughter, Sophia Hale.
business monthly
Over Easy Opens New Tempe Location
Local award-winning breakfast restaurant Over Easy recently opened its newest location in Tempe, at 690 S. Novus Place. The 3,000-square-foot destination has a dining room, bar, and patio, and serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch. Over Easy is known for its unique takes on classic breakfast staples, including Banana Nut French Toast, Golden Waffle Dogs, Chilaquiles, a variety of fresh salads and sandwiches, and more. EatAtOverEasy.com
Pandora Now Open at Tempe Marketplace
Jewelry store Pandora is now open at Tempe Marketplace inside The District near the splash pad and Rowan. The company offers a selection of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets; letter, birthday, and interest charms; engravement options; and more. TempeMarketplace.com Scan to read more
Eureka! Rolls Out New Menu Items
Eureka! at Novus Innovation Corridor recently rolled out new menu items and cocktails. A few of the new options are the Pastrami Quesadilla, Roasted Veggie Tacos, and a Beer Dog. Cocktails include the Campfire!, which features Buffalo Trace Bourbon, graham cracker syrup, Amaro Montenegro, cinnamon, chocolate bitters, and topped with hickory smoke and roasted marshmallow and the Peach Buzz Sangri, made of white wine, peach, lemon, Corazón Blanco Tequila, and triple sec. EurekaRestaurantGroup.com Scan
Explore the Valley
Staying in Town This Summer? Take Advantage of the Time to Experience Local Destinations
ARTICLE BY MICHELLE GLICKSMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
Rosson House at Heritage Square.
Photo by An Pham/Visit Phoenix
The Valley and its surrounding areas are filled with unique attractions, fun experiences, and historic destinations. Whether you’re in town this summer and looking for something to do or you tuck this list away for a later date, make the time to explore where you live.
BE SURROUNDED BY FIREFLIES
In other areas of the country, summer means evenings spent watching fireflies as they light up the darkness. While we don’t have fireflies in the Valley, we do have the unique Fireflies Infinity Mirror Room at the Phoenix Art Museum.
This beloved installation, You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies by artist Yayoi Kusama—will evoke feelings of those summer evenings. Her repetitive and extensive use of polka dots, mirrors, and LED lights investigates infinite repetition. 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix; PHXArt.org
The Dolly Steamboat.
Courtesy The Dolly Steamboat
Yayoi Kusama, You Who Are Getting Obliterated in the Dancing Swarm of Fireflies, 2005. Photo by Airi Katsuta
EXPLORE A HISTORIC LOCATION
Tour the Rosson House, a fully restored 1895 Queen Anne Victorian house museum, located on Block 14 of the original townsite of Phoenix (now Heritage Square). Tours of the home, which was named for owners Dr. Roland Lee Rosson and his wife, Flora Murray Rosson, include all living areas, and offer visitors a glimpse into the lifestyles of early Phoenix families with furnishings and items from the time showcased. 113 N. Sixth St., Phoenix; HeritageSquarePhx.org
GO FOR A CRUISE
Step back in time as you enjoy the nature of Canyon Lake and its surrounding flora and fauna on The Dolly Steamboat, a replica of a classic American sternwheeler. Located just outside of the Valley in Tortilla Flat, cruisers have the option of different tours—a twilight dinner cruise, a scenic nature cruise, an astronomy dinner cruise, or a game and fish bighorn sheep cruise.
As The Dolly winds through the inner waterways, you can often spot animals and even bald eagles. And don’t worry—while the boat may be a throwback to the past, it still boasts air conditioning on the upper and lower decks during the summer. 16802 AZ-88, Tortilla Flat; DollySteamboat.com
DIVE INTO ARIZONA’S HISTORY
How much do you know about Arizona? Visit the Arizona Capitol Museum and explore exhibits such as USS Arizona: Flagship of the Fleet, Minerals of Arizona’s Historic Mining Communities, Historic House Chamber, Celebrating Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., and more, plus view a 7-foot flag made from 114,006 Lego bricks (to represent the total number of square miles in Arizona). 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix; AZCapitolMuseum.gov
“The structures here were created with his ‘Earth-casting’ technique, which adhered to his idea of ‘arcology.’ Here, you can watch artisans still pour and make the famous Cosanti Originals windbells.”
LISTEN TO THE MIGHTY WURLITZER PIPE ORGAN
Each year, Organ Stop Pizza—which recently celebrated 50 years in the Valley—attracts hundreds of thousands of patrons to view and listen to its Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, which has come to be known as the biggest and best in the world. The theater pipe organ rises above the audience on an 8,000-pound rotating hydraulic elevator to sit 10 feet above the 700-seat dining room. The music is accompanied by theatrical performances, complete with dancing cat puppets, disco balls, and light shows. Only one of two "pizza and pipes" concepts left in the U.S., the songs played range from classical music to Disney favorites to pop and rock hits. Dine on pizza, pasta, sandwiches, and more while you listen. 1149 E. Southern Ave., Mesa; OrganStopPizza.com
WATCH FAMOUS WINDBELLS BEING MADE
Tucked into a quiet neighborhood in Paradise Valley is Cosanti, built by architect, urban designer, and philosopher Paolo Soleri (1919-2013).
Organ Stop Pizza
The structures here were created with his “Earth-casting” technique, which adhered to his idea of “arcology.” Here, you can watch artisans still pour and make the famous Cosanti Originals windbells. Finished windbells are also available for purchase at the locale. Tours are offered on select days. 6433 E. Doubletree Ranch Road, Paradise Valley; Cosanti.com
LEARN ALL ABOUT FIREFIGHTING
Have you ever seen an 1897 Champion water tower or American La France Type 400 senior fire engines dating from the mid-1930s? What about a 1750 Newsham Estate Pumper? More than 400 helmets from around the world? Manual and horse-drawn equipment? The Hall of Flame has it all. There are more than 130 wheeled pieces in the collection and more than 10,000 smaller objects, all of which relate to the history of firefighting. 6101 E. Van Buren St., Phoenix; HallOfFlame.org
Cosanti. Photo by Jessica James
Photo on behalf of the Cosanti Foundation
ARTICLE BY MICHELLE GLICKSMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK GREEN
MARK GREEN TRAVELS THE WORLD, CAPTURING AWARD-WINING IMAGES OF THE VIEW FROM BENEATH THE SURFACE
DIVING INTO PHOTOGRAPHY
Mark Green became an open water diver on his honeymoon when he and his wife were in Fiji. But it wasn’t until a few years later—in 2019 when the couple went to Bonaire—that Green became hooked on the activity.
That became the camera he has used since. He took classes, did workshops, and began building his skills. Soon, he was capturing beautiful images of underwater life—from big sunken shipwrecks and natural landscapes to
“I FIRST BOUGHT A CAMERA BECAUSE I WANTED TO CREATE MEMORIES.”
Wanting to pursue it further, he went to Tempe’s No Limits Scuba to become a certified dive master, as he had plans to become a diving instructor.
“During my early dives, I realized I wanted to create memories of everywhere I went and everything I’d seen, so taking a camera with me became a necessity,” he says.
Green bought his first camera in 2021, a point-and-shoot in a polycarbonate housing, taking it on two trips.
Almost immediately, he realized his visions of what he wanted to capture underwater were more than the camera could handle and he upgraded to an Olympus EM1 Mark 3 in a Nauticam housing.
minuscule fish and organisms, all taken in stunningly intricate detail.
“Basically, I first bought a camera because I wanted to create memories of what I’d seen,” he says. “Now it’s become a passion to capture beautiful images of our underwater world. So far, my favorite places to shoot have been the Red Sea and Fiji because these areas offer so much diversity and interesting subjects to shoot.”
Up next is another trip to the Red Sea, and then a trip to Tulamben in Bali.
Green explains that time underwater is limited and learning about a dive site and the creatures you may encounter is paramount to creating good images.
“I don’t just shoot anything. I look for subjects with interesting backgrounds that add depth to the image and that I think will create an interesting photograph,” he says, explaining that an underwater photographer needs to be very intentional.
“You have to have an idea about the image you wish to create before the dive, because you can’t change your lenses underwater,” he explains. “You have to think about what the site offers, set your camera up, and then shoot everything that way, such as wide-angle or macro.”
He also says that you have to be ready for the unexpected, as you never know what you may encounter.
Learning to dive with a camera was challenging.
“It’s definitely a learning experience and beneficial to become a proficient diver before taking a camera underwater,” he says.
Learning to stay extremely still to take the types of photos he captures is another learned skill. In fact, sometimes Green may only have the tip of a finger on a rock to steady himself and is basically hovering in the water, while trying to take a photo of something that’s less than a half of an inch in size.
Green’s wife, Jen, helps him scout for macro subjects and is also often the model in the background of Green’s photos when he is photographing wide angle.
“IT’S BECOME A PASSION TO CAPTURE BEAUTIFUL IMAGES.”
Even though it’s only been a few years since he began experimenting with underwater photography, Green has already been recognized in some major photographic competitions.
He received an honorable mention in the prestigious competition Ocean Art in 2022 for his image Winner Gets the Worm Hole of two fish interlocking; is currently a finalist in the Italian Sienna Awards (the winners will be announced this winter); and Scuba Diving Magazine published a full-page photo of one of his images in 2023. He also had six images reach the semifinals of The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition this year, which attracted 6,500 entries. Green, who works as a real estate appraiser when he isn’t on dive trips, has lived in Tempe since 2016.
His next steps?
“I hope to get to a point where I can organize photography-specific trips with a structured learning experience,” he says. “I love to teach and share my knowledge.”
Follow his adventures and photographs on Instagram at @markgreen_UWimagery.
ROAD WARRIORS
ARTICLE BY MICHELLE GLICKSMAN | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
FROM CUSTOM VANS TO RENTALS AND MORE, BOHO CAMPER VANS MAKES IT EASY TO HIT THE ROAD
Although David Sodemann and Brett Ellenson first met in high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, it wasn’t until they both later ended up in Phoenix that they became friends—and later co-owners of their company Boho Camper Vans.
Sodemann had been living in Phoenix after attending Arizona State University and Ellenson had transferred for a job.
The two reconnected and spent a few years as roommates, but it wasn’t until they’d both moved out to live with their significant others that they came up with the idea for the company.
THE SPARK FOR THE IDEA
It was 2018, and Sodemann and his girlfriend were in Maui. Wanting to explore the island, the couple rented a camper van. He loved the flexibility, low-cost, and freedom it provided as he was visiting a new area.
Upon his return to Phoenix, he spoke to Ellenson about the opportunity to build camper vans for rent in Phoenix. If all else failed, they reasoned, they could use it for personal travel while using the rental vehicle income to support their investment.
The two thought their backgrounds would be a fit for the company— Sodemann specialized in marketing and Ellenson in manufacturing.
THEIR FIRST VAN
The pair searched the market, eventually finding a 2005 Ford E-Series van that they thought would be good for a camper van build.
During the several months it took to transform the van to fit their vision, the pair began taking rental bookings—and the requests were quickly filling up.
“We realized we might be able to make a business out of this idea,” says Sodemann.
GROWING THE COMPANY
The pair would appear on the television show Shark Tank, but it was unfortunate timing—it was March 2020, and the country—and world—soon shut down.
At first, there was no business to be had. But then, camper vans were perfect for those wanting to get out and take a vacation or experience the world safely.
Business was back, and today, the company’s popularity has grown exponentially.
“Over the last six years, Boho Camper Vans has evolved into a company that now focuses on cutting-edge off-grid technology, quality, and aesthetics, which is a bit of a contrast from how we first began with their low-budget van conversions,” says Ellenson.
RENT, BUY, AND MORE
Today, Boho Camper Vans offers custom van conversions for sale, camper vans for rent—including locations outside of Phoenix such as San Diego; Portland, Ore.; and Anchorage, Alaska—used camper vans for sale, and a program that helps past camper van clients sell their camper vans to customers looking for increased used van options.
They’ve built nearly 400 camper vans and completed more than 1,500 rental trips, with most of their business now being purchases rather than rentals.
“Boho Camper Vans are known for their quality materials, functional layouts, attentive customer service, as well as their off-grid power, allowing people to travel the country in a sustainable and affordable way,” says Sodemann. “It’s a cheaper option for road trips vs. renting a car and booking hotels—and ultimately saves travelers time from commuting to their destination, as they can usually find a spot to spend the night right in the heart of where they want to be!”
Boho can also design conversions on all the major cargo van chassis’ including Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, and Ram Promaster.
And, in addition to builds and rentals, the pair also launched an online supply store, offering their conversion recommendations for those looking to go the DIY route on a van build, as well as a program called Boho Locals that helps prospective clients connect with a current Boho Van owner in their area of the country so they can get a firsthand experience of what it’s like to purchase and/or own a Boho Camper Van.
ENJOYING THEIR COMPANY AND THE FUTURE
Although Boho Camper Vans now offers its range of services, both Sodemann and Ellenson still personally enjoy the freedom of a road trip in one of their camper vans.
A personal favorite trip is “a trip from Phoenix to Portland for a conference in 2023,” Sodemann shares. “Along the way, we stopped at hot springs in Nevada, Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, and even stealth-camped on the strip in Las Vegas. There are countless destinations to explore!”
They have big ideas for the company, and this summer, are launching their “next-generation model” of camper vans, which includes even stronger off-grid camper systems such as a 48v Air Conditioning unit that can run off-grid for days at a time.
Boho.Life
Diana Rieger & Dr. Annette Hobi
Great Summer Reads
The Team at Wijaya House
Shares Their Top Picks
A BOOK THAT WILL MAKE YOU GLAD IT'S SUMMER
Snow Globe by Soyoung Park (translated by Joungmin Lee Comfort)
A fast-paced dystopian read translated from Japanese, with a below-freezing setting.
BETTER THAN FICTION (NON-FICTION)
Kook by Peter Heller
The journey from Southern California to the coast of Mexico told through surfing and the unique people along the way.
STEAMY SUMMER ACTION
In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander
An unputdownable summer romance from a local Arizona author with all the right parts—fake dating, women thriving, and a beach setting!
A BOOK SET ON THE COAST
The Lost Daughter by Elena Ferrante
A summer vacation becomes more about people-watching than relaxing, told against an Italian coast setting.
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson
Set in Tennessee in the 1990s, two teens join together in the boredom of summer and end up creating a piece of art that stirs the country.
ARTICLE BY MELATI PARKER AND RYLIE OCCHIPINTO PHOTOGRAPHY BY RYLIE OCCHIPINTO
Find these and other reads at WijayaHouse.com.
RO A D CHOW
A FUN AND CREATIVE TRAVEL SNACK
GUARANTEED TO SATISFY EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY.
ARTICLE BY PAULI REEP
Planning to load up the family truckster and head out on an adventure? This easyto-pack and satisfying snack is a great way to keep growling tummies quiet while you’re behind the wheel. Grab the kids, prepare it together, and try not to eat them all before you hit the road!
BREAKFAST COOKIES
INGREDIENTS:
• 2 cups quick oats
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup honey
DIRECTIONS:
• 1/3 cup apple butter
• 1 large banana, mashed (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup pepitas
• 1/2 cup raisins
1/ Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2/ Combine all the ingredients into a large bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer). Mix until all the ingredients are combined and the dough is thick and heavy.
3/ Portion 1/4 cup mounds of cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Use the back of a spoon to slightly flatten out into a cookie shape. (The cookies will not spread in the oven.)
4/ Bake for 16-18 minutes or until the edges are slightly brown. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.
5/ Cover leftover cookies and store at room temperature for up to 5 days or 10 days in the fridge.
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