North Valley Magazine 1011

Candid One-on-Ones: Local Entrepreneurs Divulge Secrets to Success

OCTOBER/NOVEMber 2011 ¡ $3.99

Exploring

2011

Napa Valley

Readers' Choice Resta uran Awards Ballo t t

"Wild"

Northern Arizona Adventures

Breast Cancer Awareness with

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

> The Valley's

Top Lawyers {

Top Injury Lawyer Mark Breyer and More

www.northvalleymagazine.com

}

On-the-Go Beauty Tips

2

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

DAVIS DENTISTRY

Mark S. Davis, DDS

Aesthetic & Restorative

Experience an old fashioned approach back to when a family and dentist had a

REAL RELATIONSHIP. • Dental Implants • General and Cosmetic Dentistry • Fillings • Inlays or Onlays • Crowns • Routine Cleaning • Bridges • Dentures • Root Canal Treatments • Extractions

480-595-1300

www.davisdentistry.com 34522 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite D-5 Scottsdale, AZ 85266 Inside Terravita Marketplace NEW PATIENTS ONLY

$

5000 OFF

your *first* dental appointment.

Cannot be combined any other2011 offer. North Valley 3 OCTOBERwith | NOVEMBER

November 5, 2011 10 am - 8 pm Boutique Wines, Artisan Food Venues and Top Local Performers At the The Second Annual Vistancia Music & Wine Festival Vistancia Mountain Vista Club, 29701 N. Sunrise Point, Peoria

Great Music: Cold Shott & The Hurricane Horns • The Screamin’ Javelinas • Gabriel Bey, aka “Spooky Kool” • Rebecca De La Torre • J. Powers Band • Will Clark aka “Surewill” & Joel Del Rosario aka “JdR” • Curtis Haywood Great Drinks: Bitter Creek Winery • Del Fava Family Winery • Jerome Winery • Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery • Schlossadler International Wines • Sonoran Brewing Company • V-Twin Vineyards • The Tasting Room plus many more Tickets: General Admission $30 • Advance Purchase/Military Discount $25 • Wine Tasting Ticket $15 (Includes wine glass and 5 taste tickets.)

Charge by phone 602-244-8444.

A portion of the event proceeds will benefit Fighter Country Foundation, a notfor-profit organization that aids, supports and honors airmen and families in need at Luke Air Force Base.

Sponsors Vistancia y CCMC y City of Peoria y Zona Communications 4

www.communitymusicevents.com • 623-237-3767 North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Clear Your Schedule

for fabulous fall events

Second Fridays, 6-9 p.m.

Starting October 14

Norterra Car Show Live music, prize drawings and cars on display. All makes and models are welcome. Free. No registration required.

Norterra Farmers’ Market 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m.

Starting October 5

Fresh produce, gifts, baked goods and much more!

Halloween Fun Night October 28, 6-8 p.m. Trick-or-treating, fun, games and more in a safe environment.

I-17 and Happy Valley Road in North Phoenix. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Best Buy, Harkins Norterra 14 and many more places to shop and dine.

Store Hours: MON-THURS 10AM-8PM, FRI-SAT 10AM-9PM, SUN 11AM - 6PM. Individual store hours may vary.

Follow us:

/NorterraShopping

@ShopsAtNorterra

For complete details, visit OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

5

Our Body: The Universe Within, presented by

Maryvale Hospital and Phoenix Baptist Hospital, is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the perpetually inquisitive to explore the

wonders of the human body. A beautiful and inspiring tribute to who we are.

Admission is just $5. Children 5 and

under FREE when accompanied by a paid adult. Separate Fair admission required. Daily.

Please Note: Our Body: The Universe Within exhibit does contain actual

human bodies, with eyes and genitals intact. There is also a section about

the urinary and reproductive system, with specimens pertaining to those

areas. The exhibit is recommended for children age 12 and older. Parental discretion is advised.

Oct. 14 - Nov. 6

Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

azstatefair.com

6

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Top 3 in the Nation %

Achieved Magnet® for Excellence in Nursing It’s an honor when you trust us with your health. Magnet designation means North Mountain Hospital has met rigorous national standards of nursing quality – to reward your trust with excellence.

JCL.com

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

7

Contents OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 [ IN EVERY ISSUE ]

13 Publishers’ Letter 14 Contributors 16 Connect With Us

18

Cover Feature For our inaugural Business Issue, we’ve asked local successful entrepreneurs some questions that demand candid answers—and we got ’em!

46

2011 Readers’ Choice Restaurant Awards Ballot Check out some of the Valley’s best medical facilities!

48

Napa Valley Wine Feature We take you on a journey through Napa Valley—you’ll want to start planning your trip to the region immediately!

52

Top Lawyers Avvo compiles a list of the Valley’s top lawyers for us, and we present you with the top attorneys in several categories, including Top Injury Lawyer Mark Breyer. If you’re looking for legal advice, these are the men and women to consult!

58

Northern Arizona From cozy B&Bs to wildlife parks to train rides through colorful canyons, we highlight some of the best that Northern Arizona has to offer.

[ VALLEY SCENE ]

Candid One-on-Ones: Local Entrepreneurs Divulge Secrets to Success

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2011 · $3.99

EXPLORING

20 11

Napa Valley "Wild"

Readers' Choice Resta urant Awards Ballot

NORTHERN ARIZONA ADVENTURES

Breast Cancer Awareness with

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

> The Valley's Top Lawyers {

www.northvalleymagazine.com

TOP INJURY LAWYER MARK BREYER AND MORE

}

On-the-Go Beauty Tips

On the cover: Mark Breyer Photo courtesy Mark Susan

8

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

30 LOCAL PROFILE: Wickenburg Resident Carson Thomas Wins Culturekeeper Award 31 DAYTRIPPERS & WEEKENDERS: Geekazona Territory! Enjoy a Science Safari 32 MUSIC: Take a Deep Breath and Start Again: Seconds to Breathe Completes New CD 34 ART & CULTURE: New Location Ready for Overture: Ballet Arizona Moves Downtown 35 AZ FUN FACTS: The Great Diamond Hoax 36 GIVING BACK: Safekeeping the Natural World 38 SPORTS: Where’s Sparky? The Sun Devils Are in the Details 41 OUTDOOR ARIZONA: Go Natural 42 REVIEW FOR TWO: Eat, Drink, and We’ll Pass on the Popcorn 44 ENTERTAINMENT: There’s Always More to See, to Read

advertisement

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

9

Contents STYLE

62 S tyle & Beauty: Travel Beauty 101: Your Globetrotting-Beauty Survival Pack 69 J ewels: Not a Scratch on Them: Getting Your Jewelry Sparkling Clean

62

69

78

RELATIONSHIPS

78 Relationship: Ask the Dating Coach

ENTERTAINING

68

68 F lavor: “Bloody” Sauce and Spookily Crafted “Bones”

54

70

HEALTH

54 F itness: Logic and Logistics of Weight Loss: A Simple Plan 64 G olf: Mastering the Basics Segment 1 70 H ealth: Susan G. Komen for the Cure Rallies All Women to Continue the Fight for Better Health

64

60

BUZZ

56 H ighlight: Norterra Autumn Array 56 H ighlight: For Quick, Creative, and Nutritious, Scramble Can’t Be Beat!

60 H ot List: The Future Is Now—and Is It Stylish!

66 A uto Trends: A Different Kind of Journey 75 T echnology: Who Do You +1, and What Is Google+, Anyway?

76 E vent Calendar 81 E ntrepreneur: How Satisfied Are Your Customers?

[ PAMPERED PETS ]

72 Ask The Vet: Traveling with Four-Legged Family Members 74 Adopt-A-Pet: Good Friends Who Need Great Homes!

10

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Continued Care For Continued Recovery.

CONTINUE THE CARE Every year nearly 9 million people require continued care after being released from the hospital. Kindred is there for them.

We understand that continued care leads to continued recovery. Where you recover matters.

Get back to your life with Kindred Healthcare.

Kindred’s services – including aggressive, medically complex care, intensive care, short-term rehabilitation and Alzheimer’s care – are designed around the individual person and coordinated to help them acheive wellness and recovery.

Come see how we care at www.continuethecare.com.

Dedicated to Hope, Healing and Recovery

LONG-TERM ACUTE CARE HOSPITALS • NURSING AND REHABILITATION CENTERS • ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

11

THE POWER OF MUSIC Photographic Portraits of Americans and Their Musical Instruments

1860–1915

Volume 6 / Issue 6 PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

Adam Toren adam@northvalleymagazine.com Matthew Toren matthew@northvalleymagazine.com

EDITORIAL

Managing Editors Crystal Huckabay crystal@northvalleymagazine.com Pavlina Toren pavlina@northvalleymagazine.com Editorial Supervisor Cassaundra Brooks cbrooks@northvalleymagazine.com Copy Editor Kate Karp kate@northvalleymagazine.com

Exhibition Dates: September 24–November 27, 2011

From a Wyoming cattle camp to a Victorian parlor, music was an integral part of American life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This fascinating bygone era is beautifully encapsulated in The Power of Music: Photographic Portraits of Americans and Their Musical Instruments, 1860–1915.

This traveling exhibition features photographs, tintypes, cartes de visite, cabinet cards, and early 20th-century footage of musicians performing, paired with rare musical instruments from MIM’s own collection. Free with museum admission.

Exhibition and programming presented by Tour Management by Smith Kramer Fine Art Services Kansas City, Missouri

Food Editor Samantha Turner Editorial Interns Bill Raznik, Rachael Blume

NORTH VALLEY ASKS

As a consumer, what business practice most often steers you away from a company and toward its competitors?

Cassaundra Brooks: If I walk into a store and the employees give me the "you're interrupting my incredibly inappropriate and shallow conversation" look, I'll walk right out. And if a salesperson likes to talk but doesn't like to listen, he or she just lost a sale.

LeAnne Bagnall: I prefer handmade quality products from humble store owners who take pride in their craft. I'd choose the work of a business owner on the corner who knows my style over a mass-produced impersonal product any day.

CONTRIBUTORS LeAnne Bagnall, Scott Bohall, Gerald Calamia, Ed Cohen, Ken Edwins, Lea Friese-Haben, Matthew Grunwald, Patti Jares, Jon Kenton, Carol La Valley, Kevin Madness, Ben Miles, Lee Nelson, Tyson Qualls, Greg Rubenstein, Scott Sackett, Michael Torres, Marshall Trimble, Eric Twohey, Colleen Wakefield PHOTOGRAPHERS Michelle pelberg, Mark Susan, Caroline Goddard ADVERTISING sales@northvalleymagazine.com 602.828.0313 Marketing Director Eric Twohey Art Director/Production Vanessa Fryer

Jon Kenton: The answer is simple: bad customer service. There is simply no excuse in today’s competitive marketplace for lack of customer service. If you go into a store and are not treated with respect and are left feeling ignored and unappreciated, just turn around and take your business elsewhere.

CIRCULATION

Distribution Manager Mark Lokeli

Networking

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Eric Twohey

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM

www.theMIM.org | 480.478.6000 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85050

Corner of Tatum & Mayo Blvds., just south of Loop 101 in Phoenix MIMphx

Mon., Tue., Wed., Sat. 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Thu., Fri. 9 a.m.–9 p.m. | Sun. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

NORTH VALLEY MAGAZINE is published six times a year for distribution aimed at higher-income households in such areas as Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek, Tramonto, North Scottsdale, Desert Ridge, DC Ranch, Grayhawk, Estancia, Desert Hills, Troon North, Desert Mountain, McDowell Mountain Ranch, and Arrowhead Ranch. You can also pick up North Valley Magazine at many businesses, including specialty shops, salons, spas, auto dealerships, libraries, children’s and women’s specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants, health clubs, hotels, medical offices, and many rack locations. Statements, opinions, and points of view expressed by the writers and advertisers are their own, and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers, editors or North Valley Magazine staff. Although North Valley Magazine has made every effort to authenticate all claims and guarantee offers by advertisers in the magazine, we cannot assume liability for any products or services advertised herein. No part of North Valley Magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter at any time.

Postmaster: Please return all undeliverable copies to North Valley Magazine, 3120 W. Carefree Hwy., Ste. 1-128, Phoenix, AZ 85086. Yearly subscriptions available; six issues mailed directly to your mailbox for $19.95 per year (within the U.S.). All rights reserved. ®2010 North Valley Magazine. Printed in the USA.

3.75(w) Page Bleed Ad, North Valley Oct/Nov 12 x 9.75(h) NorthHalf Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011 2011

MIM0159 North Valley Magazine Ads ‘11

NVM + 2011

• publishers' letter

Not All Business—but Lots of How to Succeed!

T

his issue, we celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit with our inaugural Business Issue. As nearly lifelong entrepreneurs ourselves, we were excited to candidly answer some questions about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and why businessmen and women are an integral part of our country’s makeup. We then posed those same questions to other successful Valley entrepreneurs to give our business-minded readers a glimpse into the lives of prominent business owners.

Last issue, we consulted Avvo for an objective list of the Valley’s top doctors. This issue, we present to you the Valley’s top lawyers. Flip to our Top Lawyers feature for the legal minds you will want to consult.

But this issue isn’t all business—it’s fun, too! And if you’re planning a trip, you’ll definitely want to take a peek at our other features, which include review of our trip to Napa Valley and a brief look at some of Northern Arizona’s best accommodations, food, and entertainment.

Adam Toren Publisher

October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for this all-important cause, we have interviewed Ambassador Nancy Brinker of the Susan G. Komen Foundation (named after her sister, Suzy, who lost her battle with the disease). Learn how you can help find a cure and what you can be doing to keep tabs on your own health. We also introduce a new Fitness column, which will concentrate on keeping your body in shape through fitness and nutrition. For all you linksmen (and women), golf expert Scott Sackett once again takes us back to basics.

Autumn is, in most regions, a colorful time of year, and we have some equally colorful characters we’d like to introduce to you. Arizona State Historian Marshall Trimble delights us with a tale of two conmen in AZ Fun Facts, Patti Jares interviews a saddle maker with an adventurous history in Local Profile, and Lee Nelson presents an up-and-coming local band who has overcome several severe medical mysteries this year to complete their first full-length album (due out this month).

As always, from entertainment and auto reviews to season-appropriate recipes and trends to relationship and technology advice and beyond, we have a little something for everyone. A warm welcome to those discovering our magazine for the first time, and a giant thank-you to our faithful readers and advertisers who have helped us to grow. We look forward to bringing you more exciting, fresh, and relevant content.

Until December…enjoy the cooling temps.

Cheers!

Matthew Toren Publisher

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

13

NVM + 2011

• contributors Golf

Giving Back

ASK THE VET

Arizona Fun facts

Scott Sackett is a GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher. Scott teaches at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale.

He is also the director of instruction at the Rim Club in Payson. He splits his time equally between the two. To reach Scott, call him at (904) 838-2721 or e-mail him at scott@northvalleymagazine.com. Visit his Web site at scottsackett.com.

Dr. Ed Cohen has been practicing companion animal veterinary medicine since graduating from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. For the past five years, he has owned and operated Anthem Pet Medical Center. His areas of special interest are internal medicine, pain management, and adding holistic treatments to conventional medical approaches.

ART & CULTURE, MUSIC

Lee Nelson lives in the Chicago area and writes freelance for a variety of magazines, Web sites, businesses, and organizations. She spent twenty years of her career as an award-winning features and education reporter for a daily newspaper in Iowa.

He has been called a cowboy singer, a humorist, and a storyteller. He is Arizona’s official state historian, but Marshall Trimble’s most treasured title is teacher. He hopes people will realize the importance and fun involved in Arizona history and culture. marshall@northvalleymagazine.com

Relationships

Lea Friese-Haben is Arizona’s number-one dating expert.

She is happily married to Cpt. Greg Haben of Southwest Airlines and has three children. Lea is a certified holistic practitioner and is a regular guest on channels 3, 10, 12, and 15. relationships@northvalleymagazine.com

Flavor

SPORTS

Michael Torres recently graduated magna cum laude from Texas State University with a degree in journalism. He is a freelance writer and an avid sports fan who is looking to soon become a citizen of the great state of Arizona. His sports blog is featured on sportsrantz.com and footballnation.com. Visit his personal blog at torressports.wordpress.com.

Matthew Grunwald has been whipping up culinary delights in his mother's kitchen for years and loves to bring his original recipes to a television audience on “AZ Midday” and “Valley Dish” segments. He is training at the Culinary Institute of America and plans to once again distribute a line of mouthwatering cookies through local stores very soon.

Auto Trends

Health, Style

Greg Rubenstein is a freelance automotive journalist and deputy editor for iZoom.com, an auto- enthusiast Web site.

He has been writing about and racing cars for twenty-five years. autotrends@northvalleymagazine.com

LeAnne Bagnall is a writer and editor from Los Angeles who specializes in arts and culture, health, and community-related topics.

Technology

Adopt-a-pet

Michelle Pelberg is a Phoenix native whose passion for animals began at a very young age. Her talent for photography was not discovered until later on in her life.

When not tending to her small zoo at home, she helps educate the minds of high school kids as an assistant teacher of photography. michelle@northvalleymagazine.com

Jon Kenton is principal consultant and owner of JRDR Marketing. Originally from London, he has been living in Arizona with his family for the last eight years. Jon has worked in computing and communications for over 20 years. If it connects to a TV, camera, network, or computer, Jon has probably used it. techno@northvalleymagazine.com

Jewels

LOCAL PROFILE

Scott Bohall is the owner of Treasures Jewelers. The Treasures staff has won more design awards than any jeweler in Arizona. Scott is a past president and current board member of the Arizona Jewelers Association. He travels the world to find gems and speaks throughout the state on jewelry-related topics. jewels@northvalleymagazine.com

TRAVEL

A North Valley resident, Eric Twohey loves to experience new places and meet new people. He enjoys painting and is inspired a great deal by nature, traveling to gain further inspiration from the outdoors and his adventures. His other interests include music, photography, sports and entrepreneurship. Eric earned two degrees from CSU Sacramento, where he served on the University's student government Board of Directors, was President of Theta Chi Fraternity and advised a freshman leadership group. eric@northvalleymagazine.com 14

Freelance feature writer Carol La Valley missed being an Arizona native by six months. When she was growing up, the North Valley was where she and her family went to have picnics and ride dune buggies. She received the Outstanding Writing Award from the Arizona Newspapers Association and Arizona Press Women in 2007 and 2009. givingback@northvalleymagazine.com

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Patti Jares has been a freelance writer for more than 20 years and a full-time feature reporter since 2005. She resides in Wickenburg, Arizona and feels blessed to live close to her two grown daughters and their families as well as having a career doing what she loves.

FITNESS

Laura Rogers is a certified personal trainer, nutrition specialist, and group fitness instructor. She and her husband, Josh, have owned Sweat, a personal training gym in Anthem, since 2005. She is an active mom of three who hopes to inspire and help others achieve their fitness goals.

The Caepe Preschool Starting Out Right...

Small differences can grow into big advantages.

At The Caepe Preschool, students are taught in small class sizes which allow individualized instruction and a comforting environment for children to begin to learn. The Caepe Preschool is a private preschool with a safe, stimulating atmosphere and intriguing curriculum. The Caepe Preschool is exclusively equipped with qualified instructors who deliver education that encourages confidence, self-esteem and academic growth. Students learn physical and social skills while having fun, all which are necessary before entering kindergarten. Take the first step, call to hear how our unique programs help develop and prepare your child for a formal education. things every young mother needs to know: For more information, call 623.551.7808 or visit thecaepepreschool.com

3

1. Your preschool child can develop the academic, physical and social skills necessary for kindergarten most quickly when student-teacher ratios are 8:1 or better.

2. Children engaged in higher-level thinking, the performing arts, building and construction as well as gross motor and fine motor skill activities achieve more rapid, well-balanced mental and physical growth.

3. The Caepe Preschool, a safe, private, well-equipped environment exclusively staffed by qualified instructors is now accepting applications.

Small differences can grow into big advantages. That’s why no detail is overlooked at The Caepe Preschool. If you are interested in giving your two and a half to five year old child the best that Anthem has to offer, we would love to talk with you. Join us for preschool tours starting Monday, September 15.

Now Accepting Applications for morning or afternoon sessions.

Please ask for Marc Hayes or Darren Lee at 623.551.7808

The Caepe School 42212 N. 41st Dr. Suite 105, Anthem, AZ 85086 | thecaepepreschool.com

...Finishing Strong!

Advancing Education. Individualized Instruction.

The Caepe School is a private, non-profit school currently serving grades K-10. At The Caepe School students receive an exceptional education taught through a variety of disciplines including experiences both in and out of the class room. Students excel through several learning models with support from highly qualified teachers in academic subjects as well as in areas such as performing arts, sports, experiential field trips and community involvement. All of this contributes to a superior college preparatory education supporting the philosophy of educating the whole child – culturally, academically, emotionally and physically – allowing the student to become a lifelong lover of learning.

For more information, call 623.551.7808 or visit OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley 15 thecaepeschool.org

Connect with North Valley Magazine To get in touch: North Valley Magazine 3120 W. Carefree Hwy., Ste. 1-128, Phoenix, AZ 85086 Telephone: (602) 828-0313 • Fax: (623) 889-9001 Web Site: NorthValleyMagazine.com General E-mail: info@northvalleymagazine.com.

For submissions and suggestions: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Letters may be e-mailed to letters@northvalleymagazine.com. They may also be sent via mail or fax to Letters to the Editor at our address.

Letters may be edited for space and clarity.

EVENTS CALENDAR: Submit press releases or event descriptions in writing to Cassaundra Brooks at events@northvalleymagazine.com. Be sure to include event title, date, time, place, details, cost (if any), and contact number or Web site. The deadline for December/January 2012 consideration is November 1.

PRESS RELEASES: Submit press releases via e-mail to Cassaundra at cbrooks@northvalleymagazine.com.

Take a vacation

from the local mall.

STORY QUERIES: Submit one-page queries to us by mail, attention Editorial Department. Accompany any queries with clips and a fifty-word biography.

STORY SUGGESTIONS: We welcome editorial suggestions from our readers. Please e-mail story ideas to cbrooks@northvalleymagazine.com, or mail or fax them to the attention of the editorial department.

To advertise your product or business: Contact the sales department by phone at (602) 828-0313,ext. 1, or by e-mail at sales@northvalleymagazine.com.

EXPERIENCE:Adelante Gallery, Adornments, Bakery Café, Barbara’s Boutique, Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop, Conrad Leather Boutique, Cooper’s Art Gallery and Brokerage, Golden Door Homestore, Mila Boutique and Intimates, Mineral & Fossil Gallery, Out of Africa, Salon Mila, Spotted Donkey Cantina, Stefan Mann and Zuva Gallery.

A place like no other to shop, dine, and explore the arts.

Scottsdale Rd at Carefree Hwy elpedregal.com | 480-488-1072

16

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

To subscribe or obtain back issues: SUBSCRIPTIONS:

To subscribe to North Valley Magazine, or to make changes to an existing subscription, call (602) 828-0313 ext. 2, or visit our Web site.

BACK ISSUES: Back issues from up to two years are currently available for $8.95 each, including postage. You may order past issues on our Web site. Please allow five to seven days to process. It is North Valley Magazine’s policy not to mail, e-mail, or fax copies of articles that have appeared in the magazine.

Where to find us: North Valley Magazine has racks in prime locations across our distribution area. For the rack location nearest you, e-mail info@ northvalley magazine.com. We also mail magazines to various neighborhoods. If you would like to ensure that your place of business receives several copies or would like to submit your place of business for a future rack location, please send a request via e-mail or regular mail to Mark Lokeli at mark@northvalleymagazine.com. Follow us on Twitter at Twitter.com/NorthValley and join our fan page on Facebook!

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

17

18

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Who: Todd Davis Company: LifeLock Title: Chairman and CEO Web Site: lifelock.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

I’m motivated by knowing that we have built a successful company that employs hundreds of people and impacts millions of lives. Identity theft is now called the fastest-growing crime in America, and I’m proud that we are leading the fight against it. My hope is that, someday, my children will be able to claim that their dad helped this crime drop.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

1 Clarity of vision for what you are trying to accomplish and that everyone knows their role and expected contribution.

2 Being disruptive in your marketplace; making a bold statement to consumers that you are different or special.

3 A strong belief system. The LifeLock core belief system of “Do what you should, not what you can” empowers every employee, guides us to always doing the right thing, and allows us to handle any adversity with the knowledge we’ll always come out stronger.

Why do you choose to operate your business out of Arizona?

What are the advantages to working in this state?

While the weather is great for the majority of the year and the cost of living is compelling, the primary reason we are based in Arizona is the people. We have a great hiring pool to choose from, and our people give us a huge competitive advantage.

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

This gets back to living our value system of “Do what you should and not what you can.”

Early in our existence, we created VTO (Volunteer Time Off) for our employees, which encourages them to take time through the work week to reinvest in the community.

Since its inception, our employees have spent several hundred hours to support our communities by feeding the disadvantaged, building homes, aiding disaster victims, and teaching children business skills.

What is one business practice you’ve implemented in your business or observed in another that would shock people?

vade our lives via shopping and banking online, looking at Web sites, and opening specific e-mails, to name a few incidents.The good news: We have been able to turn the tables on some criminals by using technology to more quickly educate consumers and engage them in the process to stop the crime before it occurs.

We also use this technology to educate and empower law enforcement to catch the criminals as well as put together much stronger cases for prosecutors.

We have a very large educational outreach program. For the past four years, we have conducted hundreds of free educational programs throughout the U.S. for consumers and law enforcement on the dangers of identity theft. These awardwinning programs have been held in 48 states and were attended by nearly 30,000 people overall. Our partnerships with FBILEEDA (Law Enforcement Education Development Association), NOVA (National Organization for Victims Assistance), and NCPC (National Crime Prevention Council) have allowed us to reach even more people worried about this dangerous crime.

Discuss how the Internet and social media have changed your industry and how you’ve chosen to use these tools to advance your business.

The Internet and social media sites allow everyone to learn about the world, keep up with friends, share ideas, obtain a college degree, shop online, find a new job, and research your family tree. The Internet and social media sites also allow the criminal element, which exists throughout the world, to inOCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

19

The Valley's Entrepreneurs Who: Eddie Fischer Company: Saverio Title: Founder, LifeStyle Concierge, Clothier Web Site: saverio.us, thesaveriolifestyle. wordpress.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

a) The pure adrenalin and passion for succeeding in the business I created myself from dream to reality. b) The strong desire to provide for my family. c) The financial obligation to pay back my two family investors.

Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

I allocated too much money on building out a space and location.

As a result, I didn’t leave enough for marketing and business development. After two and a half years of learning and observing my customers’ behaviors, I determined that they wanted convenience rather than my location. I had to remove my pride and ego and cut lots of overhead. This allowed me to continue my dream and grow my business to a nationwide company.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

First would be tenacity—never give up.

Second is knowing when to say no to a customer, organization, or strategic partner. The negative impact can be greater than the payoff.

Lastly, know when to cut your losses and draw the line. If a plan isn’t working, recognize it and stop the bleeding immediately.

Discuss how the Internet and social media

Social Media has changed the fashion industry for the better by leveling the playing field. have changed your industry and how you’ve chosen to use these tools to advance your business.

Social Media has changed the fashion industry for the better by leveling the playing field. It has allowed a small brand without big-budget marketing dollars to reach a global audience instantly. Saverio and Cufflinks 4 A Cause have jumped in with both feet. Our brands launch product, post promotions and events, and then showcase all of our fantastic creations using Facebook, FB business pages, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to name a few.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

We are a family business partnered with other family businesses creating and generating revenue for our local economies. We support the ever-important trades like tailors and seamstresses, jewelry makers, and hand engravers, among many other disappearing artisan professions. With the growth of Cufflinks 4 A Cause, we have a strategic plan in place to expand into manufacturing in addition to hiring a workforce of the less fortunate individuals that need a break and a true shift in their lives.

20

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Who: Robert Anderson Company: Prisma Graphic Corp.

Title: CEO Web Site: prismagraphic.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

When you love what you do, it is easy to get up each day and go to work. I am motivated by the opportunity to create win-win marketing solutions for our customers, to focus on how Prisma needs to evolve to remain a leader in the industry, and above all else, I am motivated by my family and the 160 families that we support.

What was your very first business venture, and how did it inform your decisions and methods moving forward?

My first business venture was at 7 years old. I would collect golf balls in my neighborhood and sell them at 15th St. and Maryland—25 cents for like-new balls, 15 cents for a good ball, and 5 cents for a worn ball. The money I earned would pay for my brother and me to go see Wallace and Ladmo. The experience taught me how to get out and talk to people, relate to them to make a sale. I learned the value in finding a finite resource—actually, the resources weren’t that finite, as there are a lot of bad golfers—and I also learned that by keeping costs down, I could increase profits.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

The top three key factors for lasting success are 1. Ethics and commitment to your people and customers 2. Hiring the right people to do the job 3.Do what you do because you love it, not for money

When you love what you do, it is easy to get up each day and go to work.

Why do you choose to operate your business out of Arizona? What are the advantages to working in this state?

I was born and raised in Arizona. It is my home, and there is nowhere else I’d want to be. The advantage of working here is Arizona attracts people from all over the country, many who have left behind friends and family for new opportunities. It’s a new society that is willing

to take chances and embodies a certain spirit. It provides a diverse and eclectic employee pool.

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

Giving back to those in need is extremely important to us. I especially believe in helping those early in life and at the end of life. We donate financial assistance, services, goods, and time to organizations like Crisis Nursery, Make-a-wish Foundation, and Hospice of the Valley.

We also provide in-kind or discounted printing services to numerous nonprofit organizations. We’ve also held companywide diaper drives and canned-food drives.

What is one business practice you’ve implemented in your business or observed in another that would shock people?

I don’t know if it would be shocking, but people might be surprised to learn about our sustainability and recycling programs. We recycle 160 tons of paper a month, which equates annually to saving 28,713 trees for alternative use. We saved 11,823,000 gallons of water, which is enough to fill 18 Olympic-sized swimming pools. We conserved 20,375 barrels of fuel, which equates to 513 trips around the world based on 20 miles to the gallon.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

The economy is not going to change drastically for awhile, but improvements will come through innovation, and innovation will lead to new ideas and company growth, which will lead to job creation.

At Prisma Graphic, we are constantly looking at ways to be more innovative, expand our services, and provide marketing solutions to our customers. During the recession, our team worked together to keep things moving; and as a result we did not cut jobs, have to initiate furloughs, or cut pay.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

21

The Valley's Entrepreneurs Who: Gelie Akhenblit Company: NetworkingPhoenix.com Title: Founder Web Site: NetworkingPhoenix.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

I’m motivated by the fact that I know I’ve created something that improves people’s lives daily. Not only is [NetworkingPhoenix.com] making a difference in our community, but it’s also a profitable and scalable business that can be duplicated in other markets.

Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

In my business, it’s all about relationships. I built my business one relationship at a time, and it’s a full-time job managing all of these relationships. But it’s absolutely crucial to my success. Treating people right is also key, as is making sure to follow up with them. To me, all of these things are common sense, but I’m always reminded that not everyone shares my thoughts. I see people, as well as myself, as being mistreated daily by other business owners, and hardly ever do I see proper follow-up. Successful people know that any business transaction depends on the strength of the relationship, respecting others, and following through on commitments.

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Community involvement has always been a top priority in my life because of the personal journey I encountered at a very young age.

As an 8-year-old refugee from the Soviet Union escaping religious persecution, my family and I were welcomed into the Arizona community with open arms. Even at that young age, I knew that the only reason my family had food, clothes, and basic necessities was because of other people’s generosity.

That passion for wanting to help others in need never wavered.

Whether it’s giving advice to someone in career transition or a budding entrepreneur, or supporting a local charity, I stay committed and involved on a daily basis. We are always happy to post and promote fund-raisers and help raise awareness for events that support nonprofit causes—all free of charge. By leveraging my company to support multiple nonprof its and charities year round, my vision has become a true reflection of the diverse and successful community I’m striving to create.

Whether it’s giving advice to someone in career transition or a budding entrepreneur, or supporting a local charity, I stay committed and involved on a daily basis.

One of the first mistakes I made was allowing someone that I didn’t know to come in as a “partner.” While we never signed anything official, we were trying to function as partners, and it was quickly evident that we had very different visions. This wasn’t a huge disaster, since we parted ways very amicably. However, it taught me a very important lesson: Everyone I work with must understand my vision 100 percent. I’ve been very fortunate to have built a great team around me that shares my same vision—but it was definitely a lesson I had to learn.

22

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

What is one business practice you’ve implemented in your business or observed in another that would shock people?

I think it shocks people that we don’t charge for our popular quarterly networking events that bring out 2,000-plus people each time.

We also don’t charge for 99 percent of the tools we offer on our site. Not only is NetworkingPhoenix.com a great service to the community but it’s also allowed the company to grow very quickly, give me a giant platform, and establish credibility— think Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. So far, it’s been a very positive and profitable model.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

Networkingphoenix.com has literally changed the landscape of business networking in Greater Phoenix. At the core of NetworkingPhoenix.com is a free-to-use online calendar with a complete listing of business networking events, mixers, and seminars, on the average of 630 events a month. This business is helping local community members connect on a daily basis.

In this economic climate, people are more apt to do business locally because everyone is interested in contributing to the local economy. Not only do we give people a chance to find jobs and find more clients, but as we grow, we hire people as well.

I built my business one relationship at a time, and it’s a full-time job managing all of these relationships.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

23

The Valley's Entrepreneurs Who: Mark Rukavina Company: iMemories Title: Founder and CEO Web Site: imemories.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

A genuine love for design and technology innovation, coupled with a deep desire to work with a team of fun and highly talented people to create a truly unique and enduring company.

Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

My biggest-learning lesson is the power to stay laser focused. For young entrepreneurs, it’s tempting to spread yourself too thin and try to do too much, [that is,] enter new markets with your current business or start more than one business at the same time. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

What was your very first business venture, and how did it inform your decisions and methods moving forward?

My first business venture was Mastering

Computers, a Windows seminar business.

It taught me about the importance of designing a business for scale. Mastering Computers hit a growth limit at one point where we could not scale the business further without completely changing the business—very expensive and time consuming. Every business I have founded since Mastering Computers has been designed to scale.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

1) Picking a large-scale market with an unmet need—a need you can solve—where you can be a first mover and actually win the leadership position. 2) Creating a team of talented people who share your same passion and who know how to execute. 3) Delighting customers with the products and services you provide.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Be a first mover in a fast-growing and largescale market and stay focused on owning that market.

Why do you choose to operate your business out of Arizona?

What are the advantages to working in this state?

I have operated all three of my technology businesses in Arizona. Arizona is a terrific place to locate a business. Arizona is probusiness. The cost to operate a business in

Arizona is much less than in Silicon Valley.

The pool of talent in Arizona is very solid.

Plus, the climate is great

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

Giving back—or paying it forward, as I say—is very important. IMemories gets involved with teaching entrepreneurs about entrepreneurship through ASU and other affiliations. We provide tours, seminars, and video instruction on the keys to success in growing a business.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

IMemories is a successful, growing business.

We are creating jobs in Arizona—over 100.

Small and medium-size businesses like iMemories are at the epicenter of helping our U.S. economic recover.

Giving back—or paying it forward, as I say— is very important.

24

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

I feel personally accountable to my te a m ; I ’ve b e e n working with some of them for six or seven years, and I don’t want to let them down.

Who: Michael J. Roberts Company: SpyFu, Inc. Title: President Web Site: spyfu.com What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

That’s a good question, because running a business every day for eight years is much more of a marathon than I think it seems like it will be when you start the business. That said, I’ve never taken a sick day, and I wake up nearly every day looking forward to going to work. I think the secret formula might be hiring people that aren’t just brilliant but also fun to be around. I feel personally accountable to my team; I’ve been working with some of them for six or seven years, and I don’t want to let them down.

Also, I really enjoy the work I do, which is kind of an obvious prerequisite.

Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

Seems like a lesson that I’ve had to learn over and over again is that when you show something to a prospective client, whether it’s a presentation, a demo, a Web site, a product, or a report—anything—they’re going to judge it by its appearance. I don’t care how “brass tacks” you think your audience is—pay attention to the way it looks. Unless you are a designer, don’t do the design yourself.

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

Technology isn’t important—solutions are important. Choose to do products that can be prototyped quickly. Also, don’t worry about doing things by the book. Just start doing—the book is going to go out the

window the moment you need to adapt and think on your feet anyway. You’ll be fine—this is what you were born to do, and deep inside, you already know that.

Why do you choose to operate your business out of Arizona? What are the advantages to working in this state?

A lot of local software companies lament the lack of a tech ecosystem here. The thing is, this is a big city with a lot of smart people, and some percent of those people dream of working for an innovative software startup. The fact that there aren’t very many of us in town sort of works in our favor. I have the privilege of hiring the top 1 percent of applicants— the absolute cream of the crop. Anywhere else, and I might have to settle for the top 5 percent—and that makes a huge difference.

What is one business practice you’ve implemented in your business or observed in another that would shock people?

At SpyFu, we’ve got a lot of toys: a rock-climbing wall, Ping-Pong, foosball, a drum set, XBox, Wii, unicycles. We even have masseuse and a Ping-Pong coach come in once a week. There’s also free food, cappuccinos, Red Bulls, whatever. People are shocked that we get work done and that we’re not morbidly obese, and I was, too, honestly. It turns out that knowledge work operates at a different pace—you need to give your brain a rest every once in awhile. You’re actually more productive if you do something like play some Ping-Pong than to hole up in a cubicle and play Angry Birds.

Discuss how the Internet and social media have changed your industry and how you’ve chosen to use these tools to advance your business.

Obviously, I like the Internet. It’s pretty awesome. Things like Facebook and YouTube, GoToWebinar and LivePerson, AdWords and MailChimp, Twitter and PRWeb extend our reach dramatically. Businesses like mine wouldn’t be impossible, but they’d be shaped very differently without them.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

25

The Valley's Entrepreneurs Who: Scott Bohall Company: Treasures Jewelers Title: Owner Web Site: treasuresforyou.com Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

Buying something that was way over my head just because it was a great deal. We ate a lot of cheap food for a while till I finally found someone else to unload it to at a slight loss just to have money back to keep the business running. The lesson was great, but the bigger reward was all the other jewelers I met as I tried to get rid of it—many are still friends.

What was your very first business venture, and how did it inform your decisions and methods moving forward?

My wife and I started Treasures at an indoor flea market with a 10by-10 booth. Very humbling, but we still have customers from that booth [from] twenty years ago.

The lesson was great, but the bigger reward was all the other jewelers I met as I tried to get rid of it—many are still friends.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

[With] anything that can be bought elsewhere, be less expensive. Be original—people don’t like looking like everyone else. Be charitable. We have found [that] the more we give, the more we get.

If you could tell your younger self one thing,

what would it be?

Time goes by as fast as old people try to tell you.

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

At least one-fourth of our customers have come from being involved in charity. Plus, some of our best friends started by meeting at a charity event. Both of our parents were involved in their communities and told us that you have to give back.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

When the economy is booming, any monkey can make a dollar. When the economy is tougher, people shop around, and when they realize that they can have what they want for enough cheaper than another store told them, the economy is no longer as big of a factor. When they find good quality at asignificant savings, they tell others, and that sparks consumer confidence much more than watching the news will. The other way is that we have made hundreds of new designs that are in a new metal called argentium, which is a nontarnishable high-quality silver. It is made from 100-percent-recycled silver [and] a rare metal, germanium, which keeps it from tarnishing. The cost is much lower than gold or platinum and looks great.

26

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Who: Adam Toren and Matthew Toren Companies: North Valley Magazine, YoungEntrepreneur.com, Blogtrepreneur.com, BackupElf.com, Websitez.com, SmallBusinessBigVision.com, and many others Titles: Co-presidents, co-publishers, co-authors, and more!

Web Site: NorthValleyMagazine.com; see above What motivates you to get up day after day and work on your business(es)?

(A dam): First, if you’re doing it right, you’re working on projects that you’re passionate about. Second, as an entrepreneur, every day is different—it’s never boring! But more than just about everything else, what gets me excited to start my day every morning is that I know we’re really building something. It’s very rewarding to be able to work hard and then see the results of that hard work each day as your business continues to grow and mature.

Describe your biggest business failure, what you learned from it, and how you overcame the situation and turned it into a positive.

(M atthew): The second part of that question is so important. As a business owner, you will have failures and setbacks.

There’s no way around it. It’s how you handle those obstacles that makes the difference. One huge setback that we experienced about twelve years ago does come to mind. When we were preparing to launch YoungEntrepreneur.com back in the late ’90s, we hired a firm to design and develop the site, and we gave them a substantial deposit to get started. When they were finished, it was clear we had made a mistake. The site was not what we expected and not at all what we had said we wanted. It was a disaster. Ultimately, we ended up brining on another firm to fix the mess and implement our ideas properly. We were very bummed out when we first realized we’d made a mistake in hiring the first firm, and it set our plans back considerably. But we knew that we had to push forward, even though it meant a lot more time and money.

We’ve never been ones to give up, and that has made all the difference in our success.

What was your very first business venture, and how did it inform your decisions and methods moving forward?

Adam Toren

(A dam): When we were still in grade school, our grandfather Joe set us up selling these little Dip-er-do stunt airplane flyers at a local festival. That was our first business, and it was actually quite

a success! We sold out of the little airplanes in a weekend and got our first taste of entrepreneurial success. It was a great feeling for a couple of kids of 7 and 8 years old, and it definitely was a learning experience that stuck with us. One of the main reasons for our success at the festival that year was that our grandfather taught us how to demonstrate the planes by doing tricks that would really wow the crowd. He also taught us how to treat the customers in OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

27

The Valley's Entrepreneurs grees in many other cities, it’s 60–70 degrees here!

If you don’t have a passion for what you’re doing, you aren’t likely to have the will to push through the roadblocks and keep going. a positive way. That experience showed us that, first and foremost, you’ve got to capture people’s attention to thrive in business; and then you have to deliver great service and keep your promises. One way we’ve put those concepts into practice is that with all our various business ventures, we’ve focused on design, functionality, and usability, and it’s really paid off.

What do you consider the top three keys to long-lasting business success?

(M atthew): 1 Do something you have a passion for.

As we talked about earlier, you can be sure you’re going to experience setbacks in your business. If you don’t have a passion for what you’re doing, you aren’t likely to have the will to push through the roadblocks and keep going.

2 Have a BIG Vision! That’s what our new book, Small Business, BIG Vision, is all about. You have to dream big and get crystal clear on what you want out of your business—and out of life. Without that, you’ll lack the focus to achieve your goals—or worse yet, you won’t have any goals.

3 Deliver value. That’s what it all comes down to, right? The only reason any of us buy anything is because we think it’s a value. If your business isn’t seen as delivering value to your target market, you’ll never make it. Period.

28

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

If you could tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?

I’d tell my younger self, the bottom line is that it’s okay to get it wrong. You learn from your mistakes, and it makes you better in the long run.

Why do you choose to operate your business out of Arizona?

What are the advantages to working in this state?

(A da m): I’d boil it down to one word: lifestyle. North Phoenix and Scottsdale in particular have so much to offer, in a wide range of areas. On a personal level, there’s great shopping and restaurants, lots to do—indoors and outdoors, great entertainment, and lots more within a short distance.

From a business standpoint, I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced a more business/entrepreneur-focused community.

The number of networking events, start-ups, and just business-centered people is second to none. It ’s also nice that during the months when the average temperature is 30–40 de-

How important is giving back (charity work)? What are some of the creative ways your company has found to give back to the community?

(M atthew): It’s very important for us to give back to the community. In our book, we have a chapter devoted to this topic.

As we say in the book, we feel that social entrepreneurship is true entrepreneurship.

What we mean by that is that it’s a common dream of entrepreneurs to want to “leave their mark on the world” – to make an impact and leave a legacy. And there’s no better way to do that than to get involved in activities that help others.

Adam and I know entrepreneurship. It’s what we live and breathe every day. So we use that knowledge to make the world better. We speak about business ownership at schools, for example, and it’s a great feeling to see the kids’ faces light up and the wheels begin turning in their heads. That’s what

When we were still in grade school, our grandfather Joe set us up selling these little Dip-er-do stunt airplane flyers at a local festival. That was our first business, and it was actually quite a success!

led us to write our first book, Kidpreneurs. The sole purpose of that book is to help kids begin to discover entrepreneurship and all that comes with it. We get feedback from kids, parents, and teachers regularly that let us know we’re making a difference, and that’s a really good feeling. We also donate one book for each book sold to various nonprofit organizations that assist kids in need.

way to get back on their feet. It’s interesting to note that when it’s all said and done, many people will look at this time in our history and think of it as a terrible period of lack, and others will look back and feel like losing their job was, in the end, the best thing that ever happened to them; because it gave them the reason they needed to finally follow their dreams.

Discuss how the Internet and social media have changed your industry and how you’ve chosen to use these tools to advance your business.

(A dam): Some of our business projects i nc lu d e You n gEnt r e pr e ne u r.c om , Blogtrepreneur.com, BackupElf.com, Websitez.com, and SmallBusinessBig Vision.com. So you can definitely say we’ve embraced the Internet wholeheartedly! It’s an amazing medium, and it presents unlimited opportunities for anyone willing to learn and work at it.

Social media is a fantastic way to amplify the power of your online work.

We’ve got a chapter in Small Business, BIG Vision about social media marketing as well. We point out that if you do it right, social media can bring the right audience to your business, and that’s what marketing is all about. We have over 100,000 followers on our various social media accounts, and what I love about it is that I can have a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime. It allows you to interact and engage with your audience like nothing else.

What role do businesses like yours play in boosting the economy, and how will companies like yours help our economy to recover?

(M at thew): There’s no doubt in my mind that entrepreneurs will play a vital role in the economy’s recovery, just as they have played a vital role in the economy for 200 years. Even most of the largest corporations were started by an entrepreneur with a dream and a big vision; so in many ways, you could say we wouldn’t have an economy if not for entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurs help to boost the economy by providing jobs, buying supplies, hiring contractors, and generally keeping things moving. Also, there are a lot of people without jobs now who will turn to the possibility of entrepreneurship as a

Matthew Toren

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

29

VALLEYscene VS

local profile / DAY TRIPPERS & WEEKENDERS / ENTERTAINMENT / ART & CULTURE / AZ FUN FACTS / GIVING BACK / MUSIC / OUTDOOR ARIZONA / SPORTS / REVIEW FOR TWO

local profile

Artistry and Artisanship:

Wickenburg Resident Carson Thomas Wins Culturekeeper Award A rt i cle and ph o t o s by P att i J ares

The West is still alive in Arizona, and one man recently acknowledged for doing his part in keeping the heritage strong is Wickenburg resident Carson Thomas.

Last month, Carson was a recipient of the prestigious 2011 Arizona Culturekeepers Award. He was one of the top ten out of one hundred nominees throughout the state chosen for preserving Arizona’s Western culture. A saddle maker and artist by trade, Carson believes his talent is woven into the lifeblood of the state.

“Saddle making carries on the Western rooted tradition of Arizona,” Carson says.

“It helped sustain the state in the beginnings of its growth.”

Born to a professional saddle builder, Carson moved to Wickenburg as a boy. He attended school in the Western town during the winter and spring, spending summers on the family ranch in Spearhead, South Dakota.

“I took the ‘snowbird’ route before the term was coined,” chuckles Carson, who firmly decided he would not be a saddle maker. Instead, he studied Farm/Ranch Management at Glendale Community College. After college, Carson surprised everyone by joining the Monty Montana Wild West Show—a two-and-a-half-hour recreation of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.

He spent the next twenty-four years riding bucking broncos throughout the United

States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and Indonesia. He eventually incorporated his wife, Billie, as well as his daughters and more than twenty good friends into the act.

“I had some crazy times,” Carson recalls. “I met dignitaries, movie stars, and senators from every cotton-pickin’ state. But I finally decided to get serious in life.”

Carson came around to saddle making after all and opened Stockman’s Mercantile, a saddle shop in Hulett, Wyo., with Billie and his father. There he apprenticed under his dad for five years until he was given the title of master saddle maker.

Once Carson made sadd le building a lucrative business, he was inspired by Billie to integrate art into his profession. She suggested half-scale saddles, and Carson decided to give it a try. The idea ignited interest, and Carson has shown his miniature saddles in art museums throughout the country, including a one-man show in Sky Harbor Airport Museum, Prescott’s Phippen Museum, and the Desert Caballeros Western Museum in where he and Billie eventually settled. Several years ago, one of his halfscale saddles sold for $33,500. Recently,

I met dignitaries, movie stars, and senators from every cotton-pickin’ state. But I finally decided to get serious in life.

30

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Carson collaborated with nationally recognized artist Ross Morgan, adding his halfscale saddles to Morgan’s bronze sculptures.

Carson has become an integral part of the small Western community, offering his colorful talent as auctioneer to many benefits throughout the year. Acknowledging that the tough economy is a challenge, Carson continues to thrive in his business—something he is thankful for. Considering himself a survivor, he believes one has to diversify to stay relevant.

“I always believed to be a survivor, you can’t do the same thing the same way,” Carson says. “I always want to keep that ripple in the water.”

VS daytrippers & weekenders

Geekazona Territory!

Enjoy a Science Safari B Y C A S S A U N D R A B R OO K S

Arizona is home to some great educational, fun, and interesting places that inquiring scientific minds will want to visit. The following are a couple of the most popular options.

Biosphere 2

Modeled after the Earth—the “first biosphere”—Biosphere 2, located just north of Tucson, is a 3.14-acre facility where the University of Arizona conducts experiments in relation to climate change and through which the public is educated on matters of ecosystems, energy, and more.

Ecosystems encased in its 7,200,000 cubic feet of sealed glass and 6,500 windows include an ocean with coral reef, mangrove wetlands, a tropical rain forest, a stretch of savannah grassland, and a fog desert.

Because the Biosphere 2 laboratory needs continuous power to sustain its living organisms and ongoing experiments, the building houses an Energy Center complex complete with two large generators as well as boilers and chillers and large towers that cool air by drawing it across a column of water. The entire setup is used to control the fragile temperature and power the facility.

Biosphere 2 features a number of educational programs, including a lecture series titled “Let’s Talk Science,” teacher training, and outreach programs. But the most popular way to learn and enjoy is through the guided walking tours, which last roughly an hour and fifteen minutes and take visitors through various ecosystems. Note that these tours do require a great deal of walking and include about 150 stairs, so those unable to walk or climb stairs should look into the biosphere’s alternatives. Parts of Biosphere 2 are wheelchair accessible, but unfortunately, none of the natural biomes under the glass on the guided tour can accommodate those with walking handicaps. You will want to allow an additional hour or more to take an additional self-guided tour.

This unique, awe-inspiring facility is a must-see. Tucson may seem like a bit of a drive, but we’re fortunate to be within such a comparatively short distance. Millions have already journeyed from near and far to experience Biosphere 2. Make the short trip and add your name to the list!

Biosphere 2 opens at daily at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. Tours run periodically throughout the day. Times are subject to change based on season.

The facility is located at 32540 S. Biosphere Rd., Oracle, AZ 85623. Call (520) 838-6200 or visit b2science.org for additional information.

Arizona Science Center

For a fun, interactive, and engaging way to explore the world of science, head to the Arizona Science Center. The center features more than 300 hands-on exhibits in five themed state-of-the-art galleries that encourage visitors to explore technology such as digital communications and also investigate nature, neuroscience, and home design. The Dorrance planetarium is the first in the world to house one of the revolutionary NanoSeam domes, which allows visitors a one-of-a-kind perspective of the galaxy. Planetarium shows get you up close and personal with Arizona’s magnificent skies. A five-storyhigh IMAX theater merges incredible imagery with rich information, taking audiences on a journey to and through landscapes and theories as they sit in their comfortable seats.

The center also hosts various events for adults and children, such as lectures and workshops, and there are camps, classes, and parties to enjoy. Teachers and other educators and groups can avail themselves of Arizona Science Center’s educator-tailored resources to supplement their own programs.

Of course, anyone can benefit from a visit to the Arizona Science Center—and you don’t have to be a geek or aspiring scientist to enjoy your visit. With visual and physical stimuli to engage four of the five senses, everyone can absorb information and have fun. As for the biology of digestion—visitors can take a break from enriching their minds by nourishing their stomachs at Fabulous Food, the center’s new café. Take advantage of one of Arizona’s best educational opportunities and get in touch with our world in a new way!

Arizona Science Center is located at 600 E. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85004. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission from $11 to $14; IMAX and Planetarium admission is an additional $7 to $8. General admission is free for members. Call (602) 716-2000 or visit www.azscience.org for more information.Located at 5636 E. McDowell Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85008. Open Saturdays and Sundays from 1–4 p.m. (starting in September). To arrange student and other group tours, learn how you can help out, or get additional information, call (602) 267-2676 or (602) 253-2378. azdema.gov/museum OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

31

VS music

Take a Deep Breath and Start Again: Seconds to Breathe Completes New CD B y C A S S A U N D R A B R OO K S

Local Tempe band Seconds to Breathe nearly

lived up to its name this year with a spate of serious health issues that beset two of the members.

But things are back on track, and the group has completed its second CD, Bringers of Light.

Seconds to Breathe consists of lead vocalist Hondo Valdez, guitarist Nate Heater, bassist/vocalist Cory Spotts, guitarist/vocalist Mark Morrell, and drummer Marty Welker.

The band actually began in 2002 by Heater and Morrell, who were joined shortly after that by Valdez. After some changes in lineup, Spotts and Welker became part of the mix two years later.

Their debut album, Sirens, was released in 2006. It was an exciting time because just as the CD was coming out, the band won a radio contest that gave them the opportunity to open for Bon Jovi’s local concert.

“Normally, bands come out with a new album within one or two years,” Heater says. “But we all had careers, got married, and started families. We finally decided last November to set some time aside and start recording.”

They wanted to have the project completed by spring. About threefourths of the recordings was done when fate struck the first blow.

During a practice, Valdez had just finished singing a song when he became dizzy. He sat down on the ground, feeling extremely ill. The band members rushed him to the emergency room.

“We had never seen him act like that,” Heater says. “It was freaky.”

A few days later, after a number of tests, the doctors said Valdez, who is in his early 30s, had had a stroke that affected the left side of his brain. He had some balance issues after the stroke and went through rehabilitation. A month later, he was back at the recording studio.

“If you didn’t know it had happened to him, you wouldn’t guess he had had a stroke,” Spotts says. “He’s the same old Hondo now.”

Then, just a month later, Heater began getting stomach pains at work.

“Basically, I was on the ground crying because it hurt so badly,” he says. “I went to the emergency room, and they said it was gallstones and I needed to have my gall bladder out. I just kept thinking, what’s happening to our band?”

Heater recovered, only to get the same debilitating pain in the middle of the night 32

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

a month after his surgery. He went back to the emergency room, where they discovered he needed his appendix out.

“It was random things, and neither one had anything to do with the other,” he says. “I’m a pretty healthy guy.”

The band finally got the album completed, and they couldn’t be happier with the results.

“When we made the first album, we were still fresh as a band,” Spotts says. “Many of the songs on that album had been songs that the guys had been kicking around when they were in other bands. It wasn’t as collaborative as this one.”

The band knew what kind of music they wanted to write for their second CD. “It feels more focused, with a lot more variety,” Spotts said. “The soft, pretty songs are softer and prettier. The loud ones are louder. It has an overall vibe that everybody has trials and tribulations and darkness in life. But you can rise above those things.”

With the first album, the band’s goals included getting a recording deal.

“But this is a difficult industry,” Heater says. “This is more of an accomplishment where we needed to make another album and just do it and be proud of it.”

Seconds to Breathe’s new album Bringers of Light can be ordered at secondstobreathe.com. The album release party is on Nov. 5 at Martini Ranch in Scottsdale. Presale tickets can be bought on their Web site.

Custom Made Patio Furniture Cushions Bench Cushions Boat Cushions – And More –

Find Your Comfort Zone

At

Custom Cushion of Arizona Francesca Wolfsohn Investment Advisor AZ: 480-822-8176 | NY: 516-395-3299 fwolfsohn@tridentpartnersltd.com

In all shapes and sizes

FRANCESCA SPENDS HER TIME WITH HER CLIENTS; FROM THE BOARD ROOM TO THE KITCHEN TABLE Francesca Wolfsohn establishes and most importantly maintains a relationship with all of her clients as a full service advisor, broker and confidant. She has over 30 years of experience as a licensed industry professional. (Series 7, Series 63, Series 24, Series 65.)

Wide selection of Fabrics and Foams

www.ArizonaCustomCushions.com 1-877-505-0012 7 days / week

The combination of her extensive background in portfolio and retirement planning; evaluation and implementation, places Francesca in a qualified position to ascertain the information required to design the most suitable and effective plan of action for each client; Individual, Institutional, Bank, Estate, Trust, Non-Profit, Corporate and Commercial.

A CONSULTATION WITH FRANCESCA IS FREE...

THE EXPERT ADVICE IS PRICELESS.

Design Assistants on hand to help you get the best solution for your needs

Member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB

Parents, here’s your hall pass.

The Spa at Talking Stick invites you to get your Spa Pass — the ultimate Back to School Spa Special — good for any of the following “classes”:

• Pedicure 101 – Your choice of 3 custom scents, $39 • Massage 102 – 45-minute Simply Swedish massage, $69 • 4.0 Facial – 45-minute mango/pineapple facial, $69 • All other spa services 25% off *Offers valid Monday-Thursday from 9am-2pm through November 3, 2011. Not valid with any other offer. Must be 18 years of age or older. An 18% gratuity is added to all spa services. All spa services are 45 minutes.

Proudly owned and operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.

101 & INDIAN BEND | 480.850.4065 | TALKINGSTICKRESORT.COM

4457_2_TSR_BckToSchlSpa_NorthValleyMag.indd 1

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley 9/14/11 9:0433 AM

VS Art & Culture

New Location Ready for Overture: Ballet Arizona Moves Downtown B y L ee N els o n

When the school year begins in 2012, Ballet

Arizona will be in a new location closer to downtown Phoenix. The former furniture warehouse at Washington between 28th and 29th streets is undergoing a renovation to get ready for students and professional dancers. Soon, they’ll be tripping the light fantastic instead of tripping over sofas and lounge chairs.

“Right now, we’re basically in a shopping center with only three dance studios,” says Jon Teeuwissen, executive director of Ballet Arizona. “The professional dancers share the space with the School of Ballet Arizona, and that’s hard scheduling for everyone.”

Ballet Arizona includes a professional dance company and a ballet school. The new location contains 45,000 square feet, compared with the current building at 12,000 square feet. There are also 10,000 square feet leased for the school. The new facility will include seven large studios, more office space, bigger dressing rooms, and a blackbox theater with retractable seating for 299 people. The main performances will still be held at Symphony Hall.

Teeuwissen came to the organization a year ago as a management consultant but became the full-time executive director this summer. He served as executive director of the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago from 2001 to 2008 and organized a $35 million capital campaign for the ballet, which eventually 34

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

c u l m inated in a new home for the company in downtown Chicago: the Joffrey Tower. He was there for most of the planning of the new building in Chicago and is now going through the same thing here.

“To me, ballet is about movem e n t ,” Te e u wissen says. “It is physical. It is about the human form conveying emotion. People who don’t know ballet have a very limited impression of what ballet is. I believe they think it is Swan Lake or Cinderella. Although those are beautiful parts of ballet, they are just a small part of what dance can represent.”

Teeuwissen believes that many people have never experienced a professional dance performance. Their only experience is sitting through a dreaded dance recital featuring their own kids or nieces and nephews.

“You watch dance after dance, and in most cases, it is quite boring,” he says. “But ballet is amazing dancing with beautiful sets and décor. Even if you didn’t like dance, shut your eyes and you can hear how beautiful the symphonic music can be.”

The School of Ballet Arizona offers classes that children and adults will enjoy and benefit from, whether for performance, to get in shape, or to just have fun. More than 35,000 children get to glimpse the world of ballet by way of community outreach and education programs through the school.

A major focus of the school is to prepare students for a professional dance career with Ballet Arizona or other internationally recognized companies. The school is led

by Director Carlos Valcárcel and renowned Ballet Arizona Artistic Director Ib Ander-

sen. Andersen is a former principal dancer with the New York Cit y Ballet and The Roya l Danish Ballet.

Ba l let A r iz ona’s t went ysixth season begins in October with Cinderella, which runs from Oct. 20–23. The Nutc racker ca n add t hat e x t ra holiday spirit to all ages when it runs from Dec. 9–24. Sleeping Beauty is scheduled for Feb. 10–12, 2012. In designing the new season, Andersen expanded the company’s repertoire and will showcase the dancers’ skills and artistry. He also wants to engage both loyal followers and new ballet-goers.

The Phoenix Symphony plays for all Ballet performances held at Symphony Hall, with the exception of one production at the Orpheum Theater.

[Ballet] is physical. It is about the human form conveying emotion. People who don’t know ballet have a very limited impression of what ballet is.

For additional information on Ballet Arizona, including ticket and schedule information, visit balletaz.org. For tickets, call the box office at (602) 381-1096.

VS AZ Fun Facts

The Great Diamond Hoax B y M arshall T r i mble , O f f i c i al A r i z o na S tate H i st o r i an

The latter half of the nineteenth

century was a time when Easterners believed that every coyote hole in the Arizona territory was a potential gold or silver mine.

Promotional brochures showed oceangoing ore vessels plodding up Arizona rivers, such as the Hassayampa, that rarely ran above ground.

Of all the schemes during the late nineteenth century, none was more bizarre than that perpetrated by a couple of Kentucky grifters back in 1872. Philip Arnold and John Slack got their hands on a large number of f lawed, industrial-quality, or otherwise inexpensive gems and began a quest to find a greedy but unwise investor. California was chosen to unleash their scheme.

Arnold and Slack, whose names conjure up thoughts of a vaudeville team, approached their “pigeon,” the great banker William Ralston, in San Francisco. With dramatic flair, they emptied a sack of diamonds and other precious gems onto his desk and, having acquired his undivided attention, proceeded to stage a great argument about whether they should share their secret and accept financing from outsiders. Soon, the erstwhile skeptical banker was begging for the opportunity to provide

“

money to develop the huge diamond f ield “somewhere” in northeastern Arizona. He enlisted a well-known mining man named George Roberts and financed another expedition into the area. The two swindlers returned three months later in tattered clothing, looking like they’d been ridden hard and put away wet. They spun harrowing tales of Apache attacks. They also produced a sack full of diamonds. Ralston sent the gems to an East Coast merchant who pronounced them genuine. Of course they were genuine—Arnold and Slack had purchased them with some of the money Ralston had given them.

Tiffany & Co. of New York became interested in the gems and sent out an engineer, Henry Janin, to examine the diamond field. This presented a slight problem for the two con men.

They had to create a diamond field. They found a remote mesa in southern Colorado and spread a large selection of gems throughout a small area.

Actually, different varieties of precious stones rarely occur in the same surroundings, and that should have been enough to expose the hoax. Henry Janin was, in fact, one of the foremost mining engineers in the United

States to inspect the site. Janin’s reputation would give the scheme a degree of respectability.

However, Janin had no previous experience with gemstones, and so he became an unwitting partner in the scheme. He was escorted to the site in theatrical secrecy and, using his report, the two con artists coaxed large sums of money from interested prospects, including Tiffany & Co., the Rothschilds, and the Bank of California. Bank president Ralston estimated the value to be worth at least $50 million. A $10 million corporation was formed to exploit the field, and Tiffany & Co. bought out Arnold and Slack’s interests for $660,000.

As word spread about the diamond field, treasure hunters were eagerly scouring the deserts for di-

The two swindlers returned three months later in tattered clothing, looking like they’d been ridden hard and put away wet. They spun harrowing tales of Apache attacks.

amonds and other precious jewels.

Obviously, the promoters wanted to keep the exact location of the diamonds as vague as possible.

Reports from so-called experts claimed the field to be somewhere in the vicinity of Fort Defiance, Canyon de Chelly, or the Hopi Mesas. Eventually, it wound up in Wyoming.

Clarence W. King of the U.S. Geological Survey became suspicious of the scheme, located the salted mesa, and wrote a withering exposé in 1872. Not only did he note that rubies and diamonds are not found together in nature but also that none of the stones was recovered from natural surroundings. His suspicions were said to have been first confirmed when he found a diamond with a jeweler’s facet already polished upon it.

When the hoax was uncovered, Arnold and Slack had vanished after clearing a tidy sum from the scheme. Arnold opened a bank, and Slack became an undertaker and casketmaker. Fraud suits were filed but were settled out of court, and the grifters kept most of their ill-gotten gains.

Apparently, the Old West had a degree of respect for creative con men.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

35

VS giving back

Jineane Ford WEIGHT LOSS

Safekeeping the Natural World

BY Carol j. La Valley • Photos courtesy Liberty Wildlife

STORY

Experience Counts!

“Price or experience?

Are you going to pick a doctor for this important step in your life based on price – or experience? It was an easy decision for me.”

JINEANE FORD, FORMER MISS USA AND LOCAL TELEVISION PERSONALITY HAD HER LAP-BAND DONE BY DR. SIMPSON

- LOSING MORE THAN 50 LBS! Read the whole story of Jineane Ford’s weight loss experience at 234SLIM.com

234SLIM.COM Call 602.234.SLIM

36

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

son_33V.pgs

03.30.2011

12:20

A redtail hawk hangs motionless on the wind as it waits for the right moment to dive on its prey in the desert sage far below.

The hawk doesn’t realize that today he is in a different line of sight—that of a human predator who is hunting illegally and who will not miss the shot. A hiker happens to find the injured raptor, takes it home, and calls Liberty Wildlife (LW), from which a volunteer is dispatched to pick up the hawk for treatment. Around 4,000 injured, ill, or orphaned native wild animals are discovered by the public and brought to LW for care every year.

“We think that 75 to 85 percent of the birds brought to us have a human-related issue—shot, poisoned, habitat loss, taken out of the nest, [or with] talon marks from another raptor,” says Megan Mosby, LW’s director. “These birds rarely come in dying of old age.”

Birds with broken wings or bones are kept as long as it takes to heal and get their strength back before they are claimed by a release team and set free to soar. Until last

year, the carcasses of birds that could not be saved were destroyed; then, in July, LW was granted permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become the second non-eagle feather repository in America. At one time, this was a service of the National Eagle Feather Repository, but that fell by the wayside in the 1990s.

Native Americans have used a variety of natural resources and wildlife for subsistence as well as cultural and religious purposes for centuries. The repository serves as a legal source of non-eagle feathers, nests, and eggs for qualified federally enrolled tribal members for use in religious ceremonies.

“The kind of feather required varies from tribe to tribe depending on the ceremony,” says Winnie Mendivil of the Southern Cheyenne of Oklahoma. “Owl feathers might represent luck for one tribe yet for another be a bad omen.” Mendevil may be the only one in her family who has used the small tail feathers of a redtail hawk in a ceremony, but she spreads the word about the program at powwows she attends.

VS It took a few months for the word to get out, but since October 2010, LW volunteers have fielded daily requests from more than seventy tribes across twenty-eight states.

“Since then, we have filled 1,500 requests,” Mosby says. “We had a thank-you letter the other day that said, ‘My daughter’s comingof-age ceremony is coming up, and I was able to get her bustle ready.’ The feather program has been wildly successful, and it’s something I am proud of.”

The program is technically a pilot project for two years, but Mosby sees it as a complement to LW’s vision to protect and preserve wildlife until the community as a whole participates in the safekeeping of the natural world.

A snake caught in a sticky trap, a baby tarantula missing a leg, a dozen or more pelicans blown in each season from California on the monsoon winds and then returned home courtesy US Airways and a pilot who volunteers for LW—all are a few examples of other creatures the organization helps.

LW’s major fund-raisers happen in spring, but don’t miss a unique fall educational opportunity: On Oct. 1, Nov. 5 and Dec. 3, in conjunction with the Verde Canyon Railroad, LW’s “rock star,” Sonora the bald eagle, boards the train with a couple of her volunteers so that riders may get a close look at this iconic bird and learn about her counterparts that nest in the Verde Canyon.

Celebrate the Holiday at

Naughty

Have your employees been

Owl feathers might represent luck for one tribe yet for another be a bad omen.

For information about obtaining feathers, caring for injured animals, volunteering, donating, or reserving an educational program for your group, check out libertywildlife.org. For wildlife emergencies, call (480) 998-5550.

Nice? or

Treat them to a “Big” festive celebration. Whether you’re a “Little” business of 2 or 50, we have the holiday event for you.

Big Little

Holiday Extravaganza Thursday, Dec. 15th Contact Kathy Cuaderno:

623.425.3021

for more information.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

37

VS If your pc Is jack Ed It’s tImE to call ack

sports

Where’s Sparky?

The Sun Devils Are in the Details

B y M i c h a e l T o r r e s • P h o t o s by S t e v e R o d r i g u e z

• • • • • • • •

Computer Repairs Virus Removal Backup Systems for Home or Office PC Data New Computers and Software Network Services Including Hardware, Wiring Systems Monitored Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Software Custom Installations of Home Theater Equipment Installation of Security Systems, Telephone Systems...And More

Scott Ackerman

623-628-4412

www.ackinccomputers.com

TNT MMA TRAINING CENTER • Submission Wrestling

• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu • Cardio Kick Boot Camp

• Self Defense • Sports Conditioning

• Kid Jitsu (6-12yrs)

• Private Sessions

• Muay Thai

23639 N. 35th Drive Glendale, AZ 85310 (623)262-2772 www.tntbjj.com Call Today To Schedule Your FREE Trial Class!

38

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

In April 2011, the Arizona State University athletic department unveiled a new look for the Sun Devils. The media and the public were introduced to a new logo, font, and uniform to give ASU athletics a cohesive modern brand. Videos were released by ASU to promote the change, encouraging people not to fear it and using the slogan “It’s time.”

Immediately following the change, however, some people did fear—or at least were not comfortable with the idea. Some refused to accept the new brand, which does not include the image of longtime mascot Sparky. Instead of the snickering demon, the new logo consists of a menacing pitchfork. The new football uniforms sport the new pitchfork on each helmet in place of Sparky. The look goes as far as including all black uniforms in the wardrobe, which left some traditionalists upset.

Six months later, the sentiment regarding the rebranding appears to have changed. ASU starting quarterback Brock Osweiler recalls when the new brand was first revealed and the reaction he received from younger and older fans of the school.

“Younger people in the community and students at Arizona State really liked them at first,” Osweiler says. “They loved the uniforms and logo. People who have followed ASU or were part of the program in previous years weren’t overly excited about them, but as time went on, they’ve learned to like them more and more.”

Osweiler also acknowledges that those who were not enthused about the new uniforms and logo have come to terms with the look and now accept them.

“At this point, I haven’t heard any negative comments about them,” Osweiler says. “It’s all been excitement and plus comments.”

As for the players at Arizona State, there has always been excitement for the new brand. Head football coach Dennis Erickson knows his team has been thrilled since the beginning.

“They’re excited about it,” says Erickson. “They’ve been excited since

VS they’ve seen the black uniforms.”

The excitement extends from the players to the fans, as evidenced by the 70,236 in attendance against Missouri when the football team debuted their all-black uniforms. Samantha Swift, junior sociology major at ASU, is a fan of the rebranding and was in attendance to see the black uniforms. Swift knows other alumni who have taken a liking to the look as well and knows the old mascot will never be gone for those who miss him.

“Sparky is still there for every game, and there are still a lot of clothes you can buy with Sparky on them,” Swift says.

It is not only students who a re ecstatic about ASU ’s rebranding but also people across the Valley. Chandler resident Robert West says many people he knows have purchased memorabilia with the new logo.

“A lot of people think its cool,” West says. “The guys who are playing this year can say they started a new tradition.”

Over time, the new look that ASU athletics is now sporting has gone from fear of the unknown to embracing progression. For the Arizona State community, it is not about being afraid to leave tradition behind but rather making opponents “Fear the Fork.”

The guys who are playing this year can say they started a new tradition.

HANG WITH THE

• Haircut Styles • Old Fashioned Hot Lather Shave • Facial & Face Massage • Shave Products

• VIP Club • Shoe Shine*

Best of the Valley 3Voted

by Phoenix Magazine!

2002 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

8 Valleywide locations

vbarbershop.com

Building Christian Leaders through excellence in Academics, Athletics & the Arts Give your child a Christian education that values: Leadership • Excellence Faith • Relationships Service • Integrity

IT’S A GUY THING *Not available at all locations.

• Rigorous & Relevant Academics-Honors/ Dual Enrollment/College Prep • Varsity Athletics - AIA • Fine Arts - Performing & Visual • Mission Outreach & Leadership Development • International Exchange Program • Student led weekly chapels • SMART Board Technology • Stretch Learning • 8th Grade & Senior Projects • Before & After School Enrichment Program • Core Knowledge Curriculum

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

39

Luxuriously Furnished Executive Office Suites in Tramonto

al Virtu es Offic Now le ab l i a v A

v Highly desirable, first-class, all-inclusive, private, furnished executive office suites with 24/7 security card access

Prime location across the street from Kohls, In-N-Out Burger, Taco Bell, The Good Egg, Chili’s, Chase Bank, Home Depot, and Staples.

v Offices range in size from 95-152 sq. ft. v Kitchen, copy room, and reception area v Utilities, VoIP phones, and high-speed T-1 Internet are included v High-tech conference room with flat-screen television, computer, and Internet connection v Easy access to the I-17 and the Loop 101

Located at I-17 and Carefree Hwy 34975 N. North Valley Parkway Ste. 152 Phoenix, AZ 85086

To set up a time to view the executive office suites, contact Scott at

(602) 616-2145

Scott Whitney

Designated Broker Whitney Realty and Investments whitneyrealtyphoenix@msn.com whitneyrealtyandinvestments.com 40

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Executive Suites

VS outdoor arizona

Go Natural

Westminster Village

B Y C A S S A U N D R A B R OO K S

Landscaping Now that the temperature is on its way down, you’ve got the perfect opportunity to tackle the yard—or have someone tackle it for you! Create some additional shade for next summer by planting some trees and then build a “natural” fence with some oleander, adorn your walls with some bougainvillea, add some decorative pathways, get that ornate fountain you’ve been eyeing, or bring some color and texture to your yard with an assortment of flowers and cacti or colored rock. Look into water gardens, patio furniture, exotic plants, sunscreens, awning, canopies, and greenhouses. The possibilities are endless; sustainable, ecofriendly options are plentiful; and you can enjoy your home in a fresh and satisfying way.

Westminster Village is a not-for-profit Life Care Community conveniently located just east of the 101 on the Southwest corner of Cactus and 90th Street in Scottsdale, AZ. Originally built in 1988, Westminster Village offers the full continuum of care with 248 Independent Living apartments, 23 brand-new Assisted Living apartments, 60 bed Health Care Center and a licensed, on-site Home Health Agency. A $16 million dollar renovation was completed in early 2008, which, in addition to the Assisted Living apartments, created a resort-like Village Center. Some of the new amenities include: • New Main Entrance, Living Room and Library Areas • Wellness Center, Massage Therapy, Fitness Center & Swimming Pool with a ramp entrance • Three new dining venues including the Garden Café, Donnelly’s formal dining, and the Ocotillo Dining Room • Beauty salon and barber shop • Outdoor Pavilion with a fireplace, seating and reflecting pool

Visit a Zoo or Wildlife Park Some people are fortunate enough to live in a house with some acreage that contains the splendor of the desert—including birds, reptiles, and mammals small and large. For the rest of us (and even for those lucky folk), zoos afford an opportunity to experience wildlife. Whether you wish to observe native critters in their natural habitat or take a gander at exotic species, Arizona has several zoos and animal parks that get you up close to our furry and slithery friends. For a safarilike experience, check out Out of Africa (www.outofafricapark.com) in Camp Verde. Glimpse rare species and ocean life at Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (www. wildlifeworld.com) in Litchfield Park. Or head to the Phoenix Zoo (ww. phoenixzoo.org), one of the nation’s top zoological gardens, for exciting exhibits and special events.

Because Westminster Village is a Life Care Community, Residents move in when they are in an independent stage of life, and then move through our continuum of care. The entrance fee that Residents pay when they move in covers any long term care they might need in the future. Westminster Village is committed to remaining Resident-focused and needs-driven by continually seeking to understand and respond to the changing needs of its Residents.

Eight floor plans to choose from; monthly service fees begin at $2,285.

Contact info: Lindsey J. Arrey Director of Marketing

480-451-2000

lindsey.arrey@wmvaz.com www.wmvaz.com OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

41

VS review for two

MR. Matthew Dearing

MRS. Leeann Dearing

Looking for suggestions on where to eat, what to drink, and what to see—or what to avoid? North Valley husband-and-wife team Matthew and Leeann Dearing review a few restaurants, drinks, and movies for us.

Bombay Spice on Shea and Tatum

Shea 32 Café

Paradise Juice

Amp Energy Drinks

Matthew: Tasty! I enjoy spicy foods (but not too spicy), so I asked the server which “setting” I should try. He suggested the medium, and it was great. You could still taste all the flavors in the lamb curry, but it had a nice kick to it. The atmosphere is really casual, so it’s not for a formal night out. But for a casual date or a quick bite, it’s a good option.

Leeann: Can’t believe I didn’t know about this place until now! If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, this place has a fantastic selection of yummy curries. The “spicy” options are great, too, for those who are so inclined, and the naan is perfect! Prices are reasonable, and they’ve got a decent wine list. I was very happy with our experience! I would definitely go back!

Matthew: I love this place! Totally enjoyed the BLT sandwich I ordered, which came with these amazing kettle potato chips. Their whole menu is delicious. I’ve also tried the Reuben sandwich, and it delivered, too. Their outdoor dog patio is another nice touch. They’ve brought a breath of fresh air to North Phoenix!

Leeann: This is a new coffeehouse and restaurant right on the corner of 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard. It’s delightful! The vibe inside is very cool and urban, and their drink selection is great! Coffees, teas, Italian sodas—so delicious! Outside is a dog-friendly patio with umbrellas and great lighting. And in the evening, it becomes a happy hour hot spot with yummy appetizers and a killer wine/beer list. They also take orders to go if you want to pick up one of their delicious sandwiches for lunch. Oh, and there are plenty of vegetarian options, too!

Matthew: We discovered this little place a few weeks ago, and now we’re regulars! I always order the peanut butter smoothie with extra protein. It’s delicious, and great after a workout at the gym. The prices are a little high, but most of these places tend to be costly. Large smoothies are up to $9, mediums are around $6–$7, and a small is about $5.

Considering it’s a whole meal, it’s worth it to me.

Leeann: This place is amazing! They’ve created a menu of all-natural smoothies and juices, and they all taste great! My personal favorites are the magic juice (celery, carrots, apples, and other great stuff) and the antioxidant smoothie (pomegranates, anyone?). There’s not a bad drink on the menu, and the health benefits are awesome. There is nothing like the fruit-juice buzz you get from a nutritious smoothie.

Matthew: Energy drinks are a really uncommon part of my diet.

But every now and then, when I’m going from meetings to auditions to teaching to performing in our comedy show at night, I like a little boost. Amp is what I typically reach for during those days. It tastes like a Mountain Dew, but it’s obviously much more potent. And yes, it does have a kind of crash following the energy boost. Definitely not an everyday thing.

Leeann: All right—I’ll admit that the one I had tasted kind of good. (I

Matthew: I want my $9.50 back.

Leeann: Apollo 18 relies on the same “found footage” tactic as films like The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity. However, most of this film felt too edited for me to believe that it had been discovered somewhere. The acting was fine, but I felt that the performers were dealing with a flawed script. For a suspense/thriller, there were few surprises. The characters were underwritten in a way that never elicits real sympathy from the audience. Certainly not the worst movie I’ve ever seen, but overall, I’d say wait for Redbox.

Apollo 18

tried the “classic” flavor—full calories and carbs.) It’s sweet, like a soda.

However, these drinks make me jittery, and they’re definitely not worth the caloric price tag for the pick-me-up effects. I’d rather stick with my green tea.

Matthew and Leeann Dearing own and operate the local Dearing Acting Studio off of Shea Boulevard and 32nd Street (dearingstudio.com). Leeann is one of Dr. Bob Parson’s official Go Daddy Girls. For more of their thoughts and suggestions, follow them on Twitter @LeeannDearing and @DirectorDearing.

42

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

FACING FORECLOSURE? WHY NOT SHORT SALE? WE GUARANTEE YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO PAY A SINGLE DOLLAR OR NO DEAL! We have successfully extended Foreclosures just days before Auction!

Call us to see how you might be able to stay in your home for FREE for several months!

Serving Your Community,Serving Your Lifestyle UPDATED FORMER MODEL! $169,900 - Anthem Parkside West 3 BD / 2 BA / DEN 1820 Square Feet Great Room Floorplan Designer Touches Throughout Convenient Location

OH SO CHARMING! $154,900.00 - Anthem Parkside 3 BD / 2BA 1432 Square Feet Updated & Upgraded Open Floorplan Grass in Back

TRAMONTO BEAUTY! $350,000 - North Phoenix 5 BD / 3.5 BA / LOFT/ 2 DENS 3822 Square Feet Mountain Views Upgrades Throughout Private Pool & Spa

MOUNTAIN RETREAT! $129/NIGHT - Bison Ranch, Overgaard 2 BD / Pull-out 1456 Square Feet So Warm, Cozy & Inviting Highly Upgraded Comforts of Home in the Woods

JUST SOLD! $127,500 - Anthem Parkside 3 BD / 2 BA 1135 Square Feet Community Pool & Fitness Move-In Ready Highly Upgraded

COVETED FIRESIDE NORTERRA! $444,900 - Anthem Parkside 4 BD / 3.5 BA/ BONUS/ LOFT 4058 Square Feet Brand New Carpet & Paint Highly Upgraded Pool, BBQ, & Lush Landscape

EXECUTIVE OFFICE SUITES! $495 - $895 Per Mo. - Anthem Available Now Conference Room Kitchen/ Break Room 24hr Alarmed Access Convenient Location

LUXURIOUS N. PHOENIX ESTATE! $799,000 - PHX 85083 7 BD / 7.5BA 6824 Square Feet Gourmet Kitchen Perfect Location Sits on Just Under 2.5 Acres

YOUR LISTING HERE! Full Service Valleywide Short Sales & Lender Owned Traditional Sales Highly Knowledgeable Extremely Professional Let Us Share Our Expertise!

JUST SOLD! $250,000.00 - Anthem West 4 BD / 3 BA / LOFT 2568 Square Feet Premium View Lot Private Sparkling Pool Like Brand New

WE ARE CLOSING DEALS! LET US MAKE YOURS OUR NEXT SEAMLESS TRANSACTION! Call anytime with questions on any Valley-Wide Inventory!

Vinnie Calamia Megan Garvey, Realtors The MVP Group Prudential Arizona Properties Top 2% Nationwide Direct- 623-810-9090 Fax- 623-398-7720

Top Producers

The MVP Group

REALTOR ASSOCIATE

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL • LAND • INVESTMENTS • RELOCATION • RENTALS OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

43

VS entertainment

There’s Always More to See, to Read B y C A S S A U N D R A B R OO K S

Books

Sharon Lechter, author of the 2009 bestselling book Three Feet from Gold and coauthor of the international bestseller Rich Dad Poor Dad, has released a new book titled Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success.

Lechter annotates this sequel to Think and Grow Rich with some contemporary insight. Outwitting the Devil was written by Napoleon Hill in 1938 but was unreleased because of its “controversial nature.” Lechter is the founder of Pay Your Family First, a financial education organization. Hear Lechter discuss Outwitting the Devil and pick up your own copy of the book at Carefree Resort & Conference Center between 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. on Wednesday, November 16. $10 for Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce members and $15 for nonmembers. (480) 488-3381 or carefreecavecreek.org

Performing Arts

When: Saturday, October 15 at 8 p.m.

Where: Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts (7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale, AZ 85251) What: Bebe Neuwirth: Stories with the Piano Cost: $65–$149 Why: From years of playing the brilliantly prickly and snarky Dr. Lilith Sternin on Cheers and Frasier to award-winning stints on Broadway in productions such as Chicago, Bebe Neuwirth is a multitalented lady of the screen and the stage. She opens the Center’s season with an evening of favorite songs from her one-woman cabaret show with pianist Scott Cady.

Contact: (480) 499-TKTS (8587) or scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Movies

Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. For “twi-hard” Twilight fans, November marks the beginning of the end of the Pattinson-Stewart pastyfest with the release of the first half of Breaking Dawn. But it seems people have survived the completion of Harry Potter, and there is more to life than vampires and werewolves—and more movies to see! Hugh Jackman fans (and fans of robot boxing) will want to catch Reel Steel on October 7, and the Greek mythology craze continues with the star-studded 3-D epic Immortals, opening November 11.

Television

While the fall season springs to life in September, there are still plenty of premieres to look forward to in the months that follow. October welcomes Psych (Wednesdays, 10/9 CT on USA) back to the small screen after nearly a yearlong hiatus. Its sixth season will guest-star a number of very familiar faces, put Shawn’s secret in more danger than ever of being exposed, and feature the zany adventures and detective work we all love!

October also ushers in a string of a half-dozen Bones (Thursdays, 9/8 CT on FOX) episodes starring a very pregnant Emily Deschanel (portraying an equally pregnant Brennan). The second half of the truncated season resumes in the spring after Deschanel’s maternity leave, while the Bones spin-off, The Finder, fills its time slot in the winter. In November, USA Network premieres the second half of Burn Notice’s Season 5 and Covert Affairs’ Season 2.

44

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

VS A Family Thing

ANOTHER SIDE OF ARIZONA: ANOTHER SIDE OF YOU

Hollywood is renowned for as much family drama offscreen as there is on the screen. But Hollywood also features a lot of family members who, drama or no drama, follow in one another’s footsteps into the entertainment industry. The following are just a few!

The Deschanels: You’ve heard of Emily (Bones) and Zooey (Elf, 500 Days of Summer, and recently The New Girl), and you’ve frequently read my adoring comments about them in this column. But did you know that their mother Mary Jo is also an actress (Twin Peaks) and that their father Caleb is an Oscar-nominated cinematographer (The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ)?

The Wilsons: Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson starred in Bottle Rocket together before carving out A-list careers for themselves separately.

Brother Andrew Wilson has appeared in a number of projects himself, including last year’s How Do You Know and 2009’s Whip It! Blonde Bombshells: Kate Hudson looks like a younger Goldie Hawn for a reason: Hawn is her mother.

Seeing Double: Fringe finally took advantage of the handsome brothers’ “twinhood” last season. But you’ll likely recognize Shawn from The X-Men trilogy, and Aaron from TV’s Smallville and, more recently, on the current season of SyFy Channel’s Warehouse 13 as Lynx.

The Baldwin Brothers: While they appear to be very different in real life and even in their careers, Alec, Daniel, William (Billy), and Stephen resemble one another too much in looks as well as surname to deny family ties. My favorite Baldwin? Adam (Chuck, Firefly).

But he isn’t one of the brothers!

Shiny Sheens: Film-and-TV fixture Martin Sheen (The West Wing) is father to the all-too-well-known Charlie Sheen (Two-and-a-Half Men), whose recent offscreen antics have overshadowed his on-screen talent.

But you can’t forget Charlie’s brother Emilio Estévez, who has taken more behind-the-scenes roles since his Mighty Duck days. Brother Ray Estévez and sister Renée Estévez are also actors, with long but lesserknown filmographies.

McCarthy Mayhem: Most people are familiar with the blonde and beautiful Jenny McCarthy. But did you know that recent Emmy winner Melissa McCarthy (Mike and Molly, formerly of Gilmore Girls and head turner in big screen’s Bridemaids) is her cousin?

From father-son Hollywood legends Kirk and Michael Douglas to the Barrymore family to Will Smith’s offspring, there must exist an “entertainer gene.”

Ka-lei-do-scope DICTIONARY DEFINITION: Constantly changing patterns and colors

RAILROAD DEFINITION: New season is new reason to ride; tangerine sunset disappearing over a verdant landscape; silver stars winking as the moon jumps out from behind towering crimson cliffs on Saturday Starlight Tours; vibrant autumn leaves dancing in the same breeze that brushes your cheeks on the open-air cars; swirls of a strawberry mango smoothie topped with waves of whipped cream ... because it's always a good day when you're on a train.

800-456-3117 • verdecanyonrr.com I T ’ S N O T T H E D E S T I N AT I O N ; I T ’ S T H E J O U R N E Y

VERDE CANYON RAILROAD CLARKDALE, AZ • 2 HOURS NORTH OF PHOENIX AND 25 MINUTES FROM SEDONA

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

45

2011

Readers’ Choice Restaurant Survey We invite you to name the North Valley dining spots that you most enjoy. By filling out the survey below, you will be entered into a drawing to win one of several dinners for two at a North Valley Magazine Readers’ Choice restaurant. Survey results will be published in the December/January 2012 issue.

To be entered into the drawing, please provide your name and a valid phone number or e-mail address so we can contact you if you should win. Participants must be 18 or older to participate.

How to Enter!

Log on to NorthValleyMagazine.com to cast your vote! Entries must be received by Nov. 10 to be eligible for prizes.

Vote for your favorite restaurants: After Hours American Appetizers Barbecue Breakfast Brewery Burgers Chinese Coffee Shop Comfort Food Continental 46

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Deli Dessert Eclectic Family Friendly French Greek Indian Italian Japanese Korean Mexican

Patio Dining Persian Pizzeria Restaurant with a View Romantic Seafood Sports Bar Southwestern Steakhouse Thai Vegetarian

Vietnamese Wine Bar

Occasions Business Meeting Celebration Happy Hour Ladies Lunch Sunday Brunch

“Get this book and start dominating now.”

—John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and The Referral Engine “Matthew and Adam Toren get to the point of what separates the good from the great in business and entrepreneurship: vision.

What’s remarkable about the book is that it actually gives you the insight on how to take passion and turn it into tangible results.”

—Ryan Shea, President & Corporate Publisher, Entrepreneur Media Inc.; Entrepreneur.com and Entrepreneur Magazine

“Motivational and tremendously insightful, this book gives you the tools you need to succeed in your business.”

—Doug Imbruce, Founder, Qwiki.com

“These guys get it!”

—Ryan Holmes, Founder and CEO, HootSuite

MATTHEW TOREN and ADAM TOREN are brothers, serial entrepreneurs, investors, and mentors. For nearly 20 years, they have provided instruction in management concepts, marketing, and finance to emerging and distressed small businesses. They currently own and operate a successful media company and founded YoungEntrepreneur.com, one of the largest online forum communities for entrepreneurs worldwide. The Toren Brothers are also the authors of the award-winning book, Kidpreneurs: Young Entrepreneurs with Big Ideas!

Find out more at SmallBusinessBigVision.com.

Available wherever books and e-books are sold.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

47

NVM + 2011

• Feature

Drink Deep:

The Napa Valley Offers Fine Wines in Lovely Locales [ P h o t o s and A rt i cle by E r i c T w o hey ]

Napa Valley wine country, famous for its scenic beauty and prime growing conditions that accommodate a diversity of vineyards, produces a

wonderful array of fresh, vibrant ingredients that local craftspeople have masterfully maximized. The results are distinct products that will tantalize and delight every one of your senses. The legendary entrepreneurs who pioneered grape growing and wine production in the heart of Napa Valley continue to prove to the rest of the world that the high art of winemaking can cross continents and thrive in beautiful Northern California.

Napa Valley itself is around 30 miles long, with more than 45,000 acres of planted grapes. The average acre in the Valley is valued at over $250,000. Surprisingly, only around 4 percent of all the wine from California is produced in the Napa Valley, though the area’s brand and reputation are well represented all over the United States as well as in numerous countries around the world. The following are a few of the highlights and discoveries from my recent experience in California’s gorgeous wine country.

48

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

River Terrace Inn

I had the opportunity to enjoy a stay at the comfortable and accommodating 106-room River Terrace Inn, a boutique hotel with relaxed California charm and local nature-inspired décor and appointments: warm wood tones accented by rich fabrics, designer bath products, plush cloth towels, and my favorite—a soothing whirlpool tub. This pristine waterfront property with enchanting views of the Napa River was recently added to the Noble House Hotels & Resorts family and boasts premier lifestyle amenities and ample meeting and event space, including one in a riverfront setting, where I was delighted with a private astronomy lesson one evening during my visit. Nestled in the middle of revitalized Downtown Napa about an hour’s drive from San Francisco International Airport, the hotel is convenient to many attractions. Among these are eclectic art galleries, the popular Napa Valley Wine Train, and The Oxbow Public Market. This riverfront market features artisan food, wine, and cheeses and a fantastically diverse farmers’ market that offers local goods on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. riverterraceinn.com

Oxbow Public Market

My noteworthy stops inside Oxbow included local treasures Whole Spice and Hog Island Oyster Co. One whiff had me sold on taking home some savory Napa Valley Rub from Whole Spice for family gifts and my future culinary adventures. This unique rub consists of sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, lemon peel, fennel, black pepper, chili, garlic, citric acid, and sea salt and is their most popular spice among the hundreds they have available. Following Napa’s continued commitment to sustainability, Hog Island Oyster Co. grows its own oysters in nearby Tomales Bay and delivers them fresh every morning to their Bay Area locations. These fresh oysters, complemented by a squeeze of lemon and Tabasco to taste, pair wonderfully with a sparkling white wine. In touring the rest of the market shops, I acquired some locally made wine jam and wine-infused chocolate sauce. oxbowpublicmarket.com, hogislandoysters.com/bars/napa, wholespice.com

Restaurant Cuvée

Adjacent to the hotel, the newly revamped Restaurant Cuvée offers a foodie’s paradise with a high-cuisine menu that varies according to each day’s harvest. The comfy, casual environment has locals calling the eatery “Napa’s Living Room.” Acclaimed Chef Jordan Mackey offers gourmet dishes inspired by local ingredients such as braised short ribs with creamed leeks and candied heirloom tomatoes. My chosen spot to enjoy my meal was the inviting new patio area with lush green trees and a center fire pit surrounded by plush lounge chairs. While sampling Cuvée’s drinks from their Potions menu, each made with Napa’s freshest fruits by master mixologists, I favored a drink called the Effen Fizz, made from black cherry vodka, muddled cherry, and champagne. Another unique crowd pleaser was the super-refreshing Mayacamus Cooler, a sweet and spicy concoction of fresh pineapples, cucumber, lime, and Charbay tequila garnished with a jalapeño from Cuvée’s garden. I was thrilled to learn that they offer several craft beers and exclusive local wines that aren’t yet available to consumers and that flow straight from the barrels of local vineyards. The first bite of my Durham Ranch strip loin—with sweet hot tomato jam, roasted fennel, and nameko mushrooms—won me over. I strongly encourage saving some room for one of the chef’s signature sugary delicacies from their Late Night Sugar Bar (the largest dessert menu in the area). I couldn’t resist a coconut crème brûlée with a caramelized pineapple salsa and homemade sweet cream. cuveenapa.com

Daviana Winery

Delightful husband-and-wife team Tim and Deb Darrin used a combination of their children’s names, David and Ana, to coin their brand namesake. Daviana, a privately-owned and -operated magnificent country estate winery set in the breathtaking rolling foothills of Mt. George in southeast Napa Valley, is a true hands-on winery.

I had the pleasure of eating lunch there and found that Daviana’s Tuscan-inspired buildings and grounds were among the finest I’ve seen in the wine country. Over the last twelve years, the Darrins have progressed from selling their grapes to other fine local wineries to making their own wines. Their innovative winemaking is evident in their cabernache varietal, a one-of-a-kind blend from cabernet sauvignon and grenache. My favorite wine from the entire trip was Daviana’s 2008 red wine, a blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. davianawinery.com OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

49

Na pa Smi th Brewery

Monticello Vineyards

Monticello Vineyards welcomed me to their Jefferson House Home Ranch Vineyard, situated in the heart of Napa Valley’s Oak Knoll District. Founder Jay Corley honored the third president and his appreciation of good wine by naming the winery after Thomas Jefferson’s mountaintop home in Charlottesville, Virginia. Monticello can accommodate the modest traveler for tastings and can also host group events like corporate dinners that can include a tour and wine tasting. But Monticello Vineyards is a family business to the core.

This year, Corley and his three sons, all of whom have become part of the family business and oversee various winery operations, are celebrating forty years of harvest. I was touched to learn that the sons have crafted a very special varietal of their father’s favorite wine for his eightieth birthday—a one-of-a-kind pinot noir. My recommendation is their Vintage 2008 Monticello Vineyards Jefferson Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon. corleyfamilynapavalley.com

B ou r a s s a Vineyards

R e a ltor-t u r ne dw inema ker Vic Bourassa star ted producing wine to sell after he received encou ragement from w inema ker pioneer Rober t Mondavi, who sampled Bourassa’s early explorations into growing grapes. Bourassa prides himself on his unique wine blending and tastings direct from the barrel. You can enjoy the unique blends inside Bourassa’s candlelit tasting room accented by numerous French oak barrels. I had a hard time choosing among several favorites and finally took home a bottle of Bourassa’s Harmony3 Bordeaux Blend, a mix of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and petit verdot. They also have a new port-wine blend that I loved! bourassavineyards.com 50

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Napa Smith Brewery is the only production brewery in the Napa Va l ley. Napa Smith specializes in producing a variety of awardwinning craft beers.

Carefully formulated and bot t led in U Vprotectant glass, the brewers apply a small dose of nitrogen and a special bottle cap to each beer to prevent oxidation—one of many small but important finishing touches. I was treated to a bottle of their Lost Dog Red Ale right off of the bottling line; it was the freshest beer I’ve ever consumed. Napa Smith currently produces nine varieties, from their light and refreshing pilsner to my personal favorite, the Napa Smith Bonfire, an imperial porter with dark caramel, coffee, and chocolate notes.

If you are both a wine and beer lover, you may find it helpful to know that Bourassa Vineyards recently partnered with Napa Smith Brewery, joining them on the brewery grounds. A newly opened building houses a wine-tasting room for Bourassa’s wines; just next door, visitors can savor Napa Smith signatures like their new Napa Smith Crush Beer, an amber lager with grapes added to each batch, brewed in the spirit of Oktoberfest and the Napa Valley grape harvest. napasmithbrewery.com

Round Pond Estates

T he f a m i l y- o w ne d Round Pond Estates in the Rutherford region of Napa Valley produces award-winning olive oils, wine vinegars, citrus syrups, and limited wines. I discovered that an olive tree can live practically forever and that you should cough at least three times when properly tasting olive oil to gather its full flavor. Instead of olive oil, though, I left with a souvenir bottle of their blood orange citrus syrup. roundpond.com The Napa Valley Wine Country presents numerous memorable experiences and luxurious accommodations for a day trip, a weekend stay, or an extended vacation. Here’s to planning your own adventure soon and indulging in your preference of Napa’s bountiful offerings. Cheers!

Trustworthy DESHON PULLEN

& ASSOCIATES,

PLC

FA M I LY A N D C I V I L L I G AT I O N | F R E E C O N S U LTAT I O N S * | C A L L T O D AY DESHON L. PULLEN

|

Certified Family Law Specialist

|

602.252.1968

|

deshonpullenlaw.com

DUI Defense & Criminal Defense Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the Arizona Board of Specialization, State Bar of Arizona

LOCAL EXPERIENCE - NATIONAL EXPERTISE

(480) 247-8558

www.ramosduilaw.com

14500 N. Northsight Blvd., Suite 229 | Scottsdale, AZ 85260

CD&S is a full-service, Phoenix-based law firm, emphasizing litigation and offering a wide range of services at a reasonable price. We work with large national corporations, small local businesses and individuals to accomplish their goals professionally and efficiently.

Listen... understand... evaluate... advise... and when absolutely necessary go to court with proven, effective advocacy for our clients.

Christian, Dichter & Sluga, P.C. A Professional Corporation 2700 N. Central Avenue, Suite 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85004 (602) 792-1700 | www.hcdslaw.com

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

51

MAGAZINE

TOP

THE 2011 WINNERS

LAWYER

2011

Avvo, Inc.—the Seattle company that helps consumers make better health and legal decisions by offering free Q&A forums, backed by ratings and profiles for 90 percent of the doctors and lawyers in the U.S.—has teamed up with North Valley Magazine to present this list of top lawyers in the Phoenix area. Lawyers are ranked based on their professional backgrounds according to Avvo’s proprietary algorithms. The Avvo Rating is a score on a 10-point scale distilled from the raw rankings generated by Avvo. The ratings and rankings were calculated August 9, 2011. For more detailed information and lawyer profiles, visit NorthValleyMagazine.com/TopLawyers

Commercial Finance Jeffrey Verbin

http://tinyurl.com/5t3bnnt Phoenix

David Cleary http://tinyurl.com/6a3ptqo Phoenix

Scott DeWald http://tinyurl.com/5vrwftg Phoenix

Bruce MacDonough http://tinyurl.com/65h4rvy Phoenix

Joseph McDaniel

Mark Weingart

http://tinyurl.com/6xgvhun Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/65xcrbu Tempe

Chris Rike

Craig Penrod

http://tinyurl.com/6hhs8wf Scottsdale

http://tinyurl.com/65mg9bm Tempe

Harold Campbell

Employment Law

http://tinyurl.com/5sckufd Mesa

Lawrence Pew http://tinyurl.com/656uxjp Mesa

Family

William Bishop http://tinyurl.com/6zgnr8p Phoenix

Stasy Click http://tinyurl.com/6bche8n Tempe

John Doran http://tinyurl.com/6ajj7p5 Scottsdale

Mark Cord

Lawrence Rosenfeld

Rebecca Owen

http://tinyurl.com/64amhu2 Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/5s84haj Scottsdale

Michael Black

Michael Berman

http://tinyurl.com/5rlgesc Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/64cggar Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/66ew6rw Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6az7zbl Phoenix

Deshon Pullen http://tinyurl.com/6cvqjhc Phoenix

Construction/ development

John Lomax

Immigration

George Paul

Kristen Curry http://tinyurl.com/6dovs7e Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6gaqjht Phoenix

Alex Lane

Daniel Barr

David Tierney

http://tinyurl.com/4bjecyf Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6xsrs4u Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6avhc5a Scottsdale

Howard Snader

Estate planning

Sharon Shively

http://tinyurl.com/65rmn8w Scottsdale

Quinn Williams

http://tinyurl.com/5rgdm9v Scottsdale

Criminal Defense

Robert Roos

Lee Stein http://tinyurl.com/6fpk59b Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6gz3a9t Phoenix

DUI/DWI

Michael King http://tinyurl.com/68rxdgl Phoenix

Consumer Bankruptcy/Debt Diane Drain

http://tinyurl.com/64bdxoy Phoenix

52

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

http://tinyurl.com/6cjfx9u Phoenix

Richard Keyt

http://tinyurl.com/6yhva4m Phoenix

Salvador Ongaro http://tinyurl.com/69gokyf Tempe

Nancy-Jo Merritt http://tinyurl.com/5vuyl3w Phoenix

Solomon Kanu http://tinyurl.com/65v8zda Phoenix

Phoebe Moffatt http://tinyurl.com/6zrmqwo Scottsdale

Colleen DiSanto

Alex Lane

Ilene McCauley

Irena Juras

http://tinyurl.com/4bjecyf Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6bq4vkp Scottsdale

http://tinyurl.com/6dqap56 Scottsdale

Paul Ramos http://tinyurl.com/6fdxc85 Scottsdale

Wallace Larson

Insurance

Howard Snader

TJ Ryan http://tinyurl.com/6j8udb4 Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/65rmn8w Scottsdale

http://tinyurl.com/64be5b8 Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6fvv6dl Scottsdale

Garrick Gallagher http://tinyurl.com/6f6okb9 Phoenix

Mack Jones http://tinyurl.com/6a6d9rk Phoenix

Mark Worischeck

Jeffrey Verbin

http://tinyurl.com/6bddk4o Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/5t3bnnt Phoenix

Edward Comitz

Rebecca Burnham

http://tinyurl.com/69rjyaj Scottsdale

http://tinyurl.com/63q8hdz Phoenix

Douglas Christian http://tinyurl.com/6ygp38w Phoenix

Michael Widener http://tinyurl.com/6jj8dwq Phoenix

Intellectual Property

Lance Davidson

John Cummerford http://tinyurl.com/6ysw4yj Phoenix

Scott Gibson

http://tinyurl.com/6jhg27o Phoenix

Small Business Galbut Keith

http://tinyurl.com/6y9qajk Mesa

http://tinyurl.com/6l5dutj Phoenix

Gerald Fellows http://tinyurl.com/6e6l8hj Phoenix

Richard Keyt

James Ullman http://tinyurl.com/6bzwqak Phoenix

David Shein http://tinyurl.com/62yt8a3 Scottsdale

Brian LaCorte

Brian Spector

http://tinyurl.com/65w6zf9 Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6ldjrhk Phoenix

Personal injury

Adam Studnicki

Mark Breyer

http://tinyurl.com/6gzxbgo Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6xr3dfr Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/68fhpkw Scottsdale

Stephen Silver

http://tinyurl.com/5skf6f2 Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/67bd9mn Scottsdale

Stephen Leshner

Jason Silver

http://tinyurl.com/6zgzbnv Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/68tmvwr Scottsdale

Van O'Steen

Randal Evans

http://tinyurl.com/6hzrdll Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/5vyjqnz Scottsdale

Christopher Zachar

Ilene McCauley

http://tinyurl.com/5t5ql6v Phoenix

http://tinyurl.com/6bq4vkp Scottsdale

Real estate

Lawrence Pew

http://tinyurl.com/62yt8a3 Scottsdale

TOP LAWYER

2011

Tax

Michael Cordova

David Shein

MAGAZINE

http://tinyurl.com/656uxjp Mesa OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

53

NVM + 2011

• FITNESS

Logic and Logistics of Weight Loss: A Simple Plan

[ B y L aura B . R o gers , Owner o f S weat ]

Recently, as I was driving home

from work and listening to HLN news on the XM radio, I heard a disturbing commercial: A selfpronounced expert made an ignorant statement about how to lose weight. He said, “Did you know that you have to burn one thousand calories daily for an hour during your workout in order to maintain your weight?

I guarantee if you drink my shakes, the weight will literally drop off and you won’t have to go to the gym!”

I didn’t know how to react! I found this comical but disturbing as I imagined people across our overweight country picking up the phone to call and order this “miracle” diet.

Sadly, this is too common. We see and hear advice on how to lose weight from friends, co-workers, commercials, billboards, and magazines. But what we decide to do is usually not what is best— or healthiest—for us.

If there is one thing to re54

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

member about weight loss, it is to keep it simple. There is no magic or secret to weight loss. If you can eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.

These quick-fix diets will work, but they do not have a lasting effect. Ask yourself, “Can I do this as a lifestyle?” If you answer yes,

complex carbs like brown rice and sweet potatoes. Fats are just as important, and the ones you choose should be good fats such as avocado, extra-virgin olive oil, and nuts. Your day should include servings of fresh fruit and vegetables. Try eating every three hours to keep your metab-

If there is one thing to remember about weight loss, it is to keep it simple. There is no magic or secret to weight loss. then this will be something you can stick to and your chances at success are much higher.

Your lifestyle should include lean proteins—like egg whites, chicken, and fish—as well as

olism active and consistent. Be conscious of the decisions you make on a per-meal basis.

Exercise is a key part of this simple plan. Exercise will allow you to burn more calories, creat-

ing more of a deficit required to shed weight. So, why not use diet and exercise? You will certainly get to your goal faster!

Experts say forming a habit takes three months, so set your goals in three-month increments to help form new habits. Get support and accountability from your family, friends, and fellow workers. Meet a friend at the gym or hire a trainer. This will help keep you motivated.

Lastly, stay positive and believe in yourself! When you find that voice in your head giving you excuses as to why you don’t have time to work out or eat healthy, consciously decide to replace those thoughts with the reasons why you are worth making a change and what you will feel like when you reach your goal.

We all struggle in some way or another with reaching our health goals. Let’s keep each other motivated, and little by little, one person at a time, our country’s weight epidemic will ramp way down!

powered by

A ROGERS LLO

GETTING HOT NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD

623-551-5753 www.SweatChallenge.com

42105 N 41st Dr., Ste D-120, Anthem

It's not your typical gym! support + effort + knowledge + SWEAT = RESULTS Our proven formula for success is our unique approach. We offer a community of people who support one another through meaningful lifestyle changes.

e w at : h W fer Motivation of Support

Childcare Lots of Classes Nutritional Training Suspension Training

3 FREE VISITS For first-time guests (just mention this ad)

... and more BEFORE

AFTER

BEFORE

AFTER

Joinub! l C the SWEAT uses Accountability, Training and Nutrition to help you achieve success.

Join our unique 23 Club, where our trainers offer support during the critical 23 hours when you aren't in the gym.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

55

NVM + 2011

• HIGHLIGHT

Norterra Autumn Array B y C assaundra B r o o ks

is always moving forward, building, and entertaining. The following are some events and openings happening this fall!

New merchants opening at Norterra include the yummy Yogurtini, the popular Pita Jungle, the pucker-worthy Sour Apple Gallery, Dance Academy North, European Wax Center, and Yogi’s Grill. Also look for a temporary Halloween superstore.

The fall events are back in full swing this October with the kickoff farmers’ market beginning Oct. 5 and the car show on Oct. 14.

Also, check out select retailers for fall lines and fashions. Fans & Fashionistas offers sports apparel for men and women, and chain favorites like Bath & Body Works and Kay’s Jewelers are right there waiting to smooth you up and accessorize you.

The Shops at Norterra

For more information, visit shoppingnorterra.com.

56

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

For Quick, Creative and Nutritious, Scramble Can’t Be Beat!

B y C a s s a u n d r a B r o o k s • P h o t o s c o u r t e s y Sc r a mb l e

If in the mornings, you’re scrambling to keep your wits about you, and grabbing something nutritious with which to begin your day isn’t even entering your already scrambled brain, consider taking a breath and treating yourself to something tasty, healthy, and fresh. North Phoenix is now home to a contemporary, sleek breakfast joint called Scramble. Catering to a diverse pool of customers that include businessmen and women, students, hipsters, and pet owners (Scramble features a dog-friendly patio), this breakfast place serves up sizzling plates of goodness in a quick-paced fashion. Order and pay up front, take a seat, wait for your food to come to you, enjoy, and leave your dishes on the table.

In other words, whether you’re in a rush, ready to relish a relaxing meal with family, or have some studying or work to do (take advantage of the free Wi-Fi), Scramble is accommodating.

It’s true that you can catch the morning news on one of their high-definition plasma TVs, or keep your kids entertained with cartoons. But Scramble is more than convenience and modernity—it’s scrumptiousness, too! Owners Don Talbot, Clay Moizo, and Laura Fettig source ingredients from local vendors like Hickman Eggs, Schreiner Sausage, Sun Orchard, Espresso Italia, Wildflower Bread Company, and Peddler’s Son Produce Company.

“We spent a good deal of time looking for local vendors to use,” Talbot says. “We want to support the local economy as much as possible and use the freshest ingredients in all our dishes.”

These fresh-made dishes include Scramble’s signature breakfast pizzas called Brizzas; Santa Fe eggs Benedict, made with cured ham and poached egg on jalapeño corn bread and topped with a chipotle hollandaise sauce; the Costa breakfast burrito with spicy chorizo and special bacon-cheese hash browns; and French-baguette French toast dipped in vanilla custard.

If you’re a late riser, you can also enjoy their lunch menu, which features a number of pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and soups. Vegetarians and vegans will appreciate their vegan menu, which also provides the complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber needed for a healthy breakfast and features lots of tofu, soy, sweet potato hash, and vegetables. Those on various diets can opt for egg-white-only and light-on-the-cheese options, fresh-fruit side dishes, and more.

So make some time for the most important meal of the day and scramble over to Scrambles for a dish that doesn’t come out of a box.

Scramble serves breakfast from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is located at 9832 N. 7th St. on the Northwest corner of 7th Street and Mountainview. (602) 374-2294 or azscramble.com

.

D L I W S U L L A C .

Y Z A R C S U L L CAJUST DON’T CALL US A ZOO. Here, exotic animals from around the world roam in spacious habitats, giving you a chance to see these beautiful creatures and their natural behavior up-close.

$ Adults $36 26 Kids $20 $10

®

good ral admission only. Offer t special offer. Valid on gene r offer. Kids *Prices listed already reflec combined with any othe be not Can on. coup ent this hasing online. through 2/01/12. Must pres o code NORTHVAL if purc under 3 are free. Use prom

928.567.2840 | WWW.OUTOFAFRICAPARK.COM IN CAMP VERDE, 3 MILES WEST OF I-17 ON HIGHWAY 260

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

57

NVM + 2011

• Feature

Tonic for the Autumnal Spirit: Brace Yourself for Some Invigorating Activities!

P h o t o s c o urtesy Out o f A f r i ca , V erde C any o n R a i lr o ad , L as P o sadas o f S ed o na

Up north, the summer heat is dissolving into crisp, cool temperatures. A light breeze is caressing the red rocks and carrying the scent of autumn through the towering trees. A trip to the mountains is a refreshing break from the arid climate and intense heat of the desert. The following are some ideas about what to visit and experience while you’re there!

STAY

By now, you’ve gathered that we love Sedona. It’s one of Arizona’s biggest draws.

But, rather than feeling like a tourist trap, it manages to maintain its spacious, natural, and even supernatural atmosphere. From indulgent spas and vineyards to renowned jeep tours and hiking havens, Sedona seduces travelers from not only around the state but also the country and even the world. While you can spend your entire vacation exploring the city and the surrounding area, it also makes a great hub from which to explore other parts of Northern Arizona. You’ll certainly want somewhere 58

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

cozy and convenient at which to crash each evening—or spend a day recharging—and Las Posadas of Sedona is the perfect bedand-breakfast in which to bunk. Sleep in spacious suites in king-size beds with EuroTop mattresses and high-quality Egyptiancotton bedding, relax next to a double-sided gas fireplace, and wake up to a three-course gourmet breakfast.

26 Avenida de Piedras Sedona, AZ 86351 (928) 284-5288 (888) 284-5288 lasposadasofsedona.com

CELEBRATE

Who doesn’t love a good Oktoberfest? Kegs of beer, sizzling brats, and polka music make for a fun time, but you can celebrate this German tradition in style and on the go this year with Verde Canyon Railroad’s Ales on Rails event. Bid farewell to summer any Saturday or Sunday throughout October.

Travel through Verde Canyon while snacking on those brats—and there’s also pretzels, strudel, and beer from local breweries. Verde Canyon Railroad hints at scenery you’ll witness: “Autumn...sweeps through with a gaudy flourish. Wreathing the lower reaches of the canyon in a swirl of ruby and scarlet, amber

and gold, vermillion and violet, the woodlands flaunt their seasonal hues.” You can also opt to spend Halloween morning and afternoon aboard the Haunted Halloween Express on Monday, Oct. 31. Bring the entire family for a costume contest, prizes, candy, and fun.

300 North Broadway Clarkdale, AZ 86324 (800) 582-7245 info@verdecanyonrr.com verdecanyonrr.com

FOR ANIMAL LOVERS Out of Africa

Lions and tigers and bears—and giraffes and jaguars and wolves and rhinoceroses! These are just a few of the animals from around the world that you can observe in a “natural” African setting at Out of Africa Wildlife Park. Take a 45-minute narrated African Bush Safari and then travel through the Wildlife Preserve by tram or trolley for some great photo ops! Don’t miss the exhilarating Predator Feed, in which powerful carnivores are thrown eight hundred pounds of raw food, or the equally exciting Tiger Splash, where Bengal tigers and other big cats splash about in a large pool with their caretakers in playful predatorprey games. Get up close and personal with the tigers by feeding them yourself (that’s tiger chow, not you), or opt for an exclusive behind-the-scenes VIP tour (advanced reservations required).

The animals are not trained but rather are allowed to show off their natural prowess and behave as they do in nature while fascinated park visitors look on. Out of Africa hopes to have a new reptile exhibit open by year’s end.

Bearizona

If you’re heading to the Grand Canyon, you won’t want to miss driving through Bearizona in Williams.

This three-milelong 150 -acre drive-thru wildlife park features a number of native animals like the javelina, the American burro, and the bobcat in addition to others that include the Arctic wolf, the Alaskan tundra wolf, the Canadian lynx, and white bison. See a black bear or a bighorn sheep up close from the comfort of your car.

Bearizona has plans for an educational center that will feature smaller animal exhibits, a nursery, and a walking path. The kiddos will also enjoy a mini-farm with mini-goats, pigs, horses, and more. Please visit their Web site for park rules and large-group tour information.

1500 E. Route 66 Williams, AZ 86046 (928) 635-2289 bearizona.com

3505 W. Highway 260 Camp Verde, AZ 86322 (928) 567-2840 (928) 567-2842 outofafricapark.com

A FEW OTHER SUGGESTIONS Gambling

For some gaming fun, check out Cliff Castle Casino. It’s more than slots and blackjack—it’s great entertainment, good drinks, scintillating conversation, and a casual and friendly atmosphere.

(800) 381-SLOT cliffcastlecasino.com

Art

“Expose” your cultural side to fine art at Exposures International Gallery (exposuresfineart.com) in Sedona, or get to know Arizona history better at the Museum of Northern Arizona (musnaz.org)

Drink

Winos, take heed! The Verde Valley Wine Trail passes by and through six tasting rooms—including Caduceus Cellars, Jerome Winery, Arizona Stronghold, and Bitter Creek Winery—and four wineries: Alcantara Vineyards, Page Springs Cellars, Oak Creek Vineyards, and Javelina Leap Vineyards.

With breathtaking scenery, diverse wines, and a shared interest, the Verde Canyon Wine Trail affords wine enthusiasts a memorable taste-and-see experience. vvwinetrail.com

Tours

There are a number of ways in which to enjoy the Grand Canyon and marvel at its size and beauty, but in recent years, the Grand Canyon Park has taken experiencing the canyon to the next level with the Skywalk at the West Rim. Step out over the canyon on sheets of glass; if you’re brave, get away from the edges and stare straight down at the canyon below. Of course, you can opt for a spectacular helicopter tour, a Colorado Riverboat tour, or guided hikes down and through the canyon.

If you’re staying in Sedona, you’ll want to check out one of their famous jeep tours or find some secret hiking spots of your own!

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

59

NVM + 2011

• hot list

G N I C A F SURE? The Future Is Now— O L C E R FO DON’T LET TIME RUN OUT

and Is It Stylish! [ B y C assaundra B r o o ks ]

Important Facts on Short Sales Important Facts • Short Sales are Free (No cost to you) • Always check with your CPA or Attorney (We have referrals if needed) • You will need to provide Documentation • Sometimes Foreclosure may be a better option.

For more information visit

www.Info-On-ShortSales.com

Question If I short sale, how long before I can buy a home?

If you stay current on your payment, you can purchase right away. Only if the original loan was conventional and you had a true hardship. Even if you missed payments, you may be able to buy within a year. Each case is different.

Gary Drew Designated Broker

623-512-0828

Miche Bags

Have you ever found a permanent stain on an otherwise perfectly good purse—most likely your favorite—and wished you could simply slap on a new outer shell and keep using it?

The founder of Miche Bag had a similar experience, actually did create a solution, and turned it into a multi-million-dollar business. Choose from one of three basic Miche bags—classic, big bag, or mini—and simply snap on a new outer shell in three seconds or less for a new look. Instead of shifting all of your items from one purse to another, you can easily go from work to an evening out, from sophisticated to fun and flirty, or from one color palette to another. michebag.com

Animal Prints Coldwell Banker Daisy Moutnain www.DrewAzRealEstate.com

Coldwell Banker Daisy Mountain is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan. If you stop paying your mortgage, you could lose your home and damage your credit rating.

60

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Animal prints are back in full force this fall!

From dresses, shirts, and skirts to shoes, purses, and belts—even animal print-lined trenches—ladies are embracing this recycled ferocious fashion with bold leopard, zebra, and tiger prints. Add a pop of color to zebra prints with accessories in bright reds or yellows, pair a leopard-print skirt with tops in rich creams or blush tones, and jazz up a simple black dress with a tiger-print belt and heels.

Personalized iPhone Cases

The iPhone is stylish, sleek, and user friendly, but unlike its top competitors, you can’t personalize it a great deal. Sure, you could buy a colored protective case that reflects your personality or style a bit, but why not take it a step further and really personalize the accessory you use on a daily basis? EBay is a great source for finding a case that suits you, but you could also check out sites like custom.case-mate.com for a custom-made case.

People Are Talking About Mike King “What I really like and respect about Mike is his expertise in finding a way to resolve issues in the best interests of all parties. He is a man of integrity.”

Herman Orcutt

The Orcutt/Winslow Partnership

“While I hate like hell to use lawyers, I am glad that I have one of the best.”

Leyton Woolf

Leyton Woolf Farms

MICHAEL R. KING Founding Partner Gammage and Burnham

602-256-4405 GBlaw.com Practicing in the areas of: Development Construction • Real Estate Law Business Formation Law • Construction Law

Breathtaking Views

You’ve seen Rome, Paris, and London.

You’ve visited the beautiful places around the world that are rich in history and magnificent architecture. Now it’s time to experience the amazing spots that Mother Nature has given us and take the photos your friends will envy. The Cool Hunter has located some of the best locations in the world for you.

Check out thecoolhunter.net/lifestyle for some awe-inspiring ideas.

Web Series

It’ ll be a sad day if network and cable television become a thing of the past, but online TV viewing is quickly creeping up on traditional TV viewing. Aside from TV shows being made available online, the Internet is becoming home to original Web series—shows made specifically for the Internet. While the budgets are not yet very substantial by comparison and only a few boast big stars, they are paving a way for bigger and better successors. Still, there are a few gems worth a look, like Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog starring Castle’s Nathan Fillion and How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris. Check out some others at tinyurl.com/yknfuwv.

Water

Water is just water, right? Wrong—and not just because some drinking water comes from springs and other drinking water is purified by reverse osmosis. Now drinking water comes with added vitamins, minerals, and flavors (think smartwater and vitaminwater). For those who are not getting all the necessary nutrients or are simply bored with the taste of generic water, these are great options. Consider experimenting on your own. Adding cucumber slices to your water gives it a refreshing taste. Or, how about some berries, kiwi, or citrus for a little sweetness and zing?

Specializing in divorce, child Support, child cuStody and paternity iSSueS Since 1997.

Dealing with divorce and the associated complications can be an overwhelming time in anyone’s life, but we pride ourselves in getting our clients through these difficult times.

Rebecca L. Owen

301 E. Bethany Home Road, A-133 Phoenix, AZ 85012 602-264-3309 arizona-divorcelawyer.com

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

61

NVM + 2011

• STYLE & BEAUTY

Travel Beauty 101: Your Globetrotting-Beauty Survival Pack [ B y L e A nne B agnall ]

The day of your departure has finally come: after weeks of planning, packing, and surviving the stressed-filled parking lot and ghastly check-in

lines, you now can see your terminal up ahead with just moments to spare. Suddenly, an agent says that half your brand-new beloved beauty products that you so meticulously placed in your carry-on have to be removed before you can walk through the gate.

To avoid this nightmarish dilemma, you must take a quick lesson in beauty management and ingenuity. Most women do not know how to part ways with all or any of their toiletries. If given the opportunity, we would probably pack an oversize trunk full of accessories (à la Spaceball’s Princess Vespa) everywhere we went, just in case we might need them. However, airport security will now only allow 3.4 oz-sized liquid containers that all fit inside a single 100 ml clear plastic bag, making it essentializing and minimizing a mandate. This does not mean having to abandon all of your reliable products during your trip—instead, economize your travel-beauty routine by considering these firstclass, flier-friendly beauty tips.

Don’t fall for overpriced beauty travel kits.

Although you may be fond of a few of the products included in such an enticing package, chances are you won’t need most of the items—and in reality, when do you actually ever use those exotic creams and exfoliants in normal life? These alluring but excessive products end up consuming precious room in your luggage at a time when space is high priority.

Pick up sample-size packets of your favorite products—everything from shampoo, to lotion, to eye-makeup remover.

These samples are perfect for one-time usage, hardly take up any space, and can be disposed of before your return trip, creating even more room. You still get to carry your trusty beauty products, but in a travelfriendly way. For short trips, try sample-size essentials like deodorant and toothpaste.

Use refillable containers, like Aveda’s Refillable Travel Kit.

Fill the carry-on-size bottles with just the lotions and cleansers of your choice. You can even refill the bottles throughout your trip and never have to worry about spillage inside your suitcase.

The must-haves in your travel beauty arsenal should be products that can multitask.

The compressed air inside airplanes will dehydrate your body, face, and lips. Instead of relying on three different products, use a single compact serum—like Sheerin O’Kho’s First Class Flight Cream Mask or Elizabeth Arden’s Eight Hour Cream—to treat all ailments. These moisturizers are light and natural and can keep everything—hands, cuticles, elbows, knees, lips, face, and eyebrows—tamed with their soothing balms both during and after flights.

A tinted moisturizer eliminates the need for foundation, concealer, facial lotion, and other bases for on-the-go beauty.

Not only will this one product keep your face soft and fresh and give sufficient coverage but it will also protect you from exposure to the various elements of your travels. In the same sense, you should also always have sunblock for needed sun protection. Sunblock-tint combos are even savvier—try a single nongreasy tinted sunblock such as Crème de la Mer’s SPF 18 Fluid Tint, which can be applied over your moisturizer and serves as an ideal base for your makeup to last all day.

An all-purpose moisturizer can be used on both face and body in the morning after your shower, during the day, and at night before bed.

Products such as Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Skin Relief can be rotated for all healthy skin needs throughout your day. Also opt for an all-in-one cleanser that can comfortably remove makeup and cleanse face and body, like Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash.

62

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

What’s a Party Without Gifts?

Receive A $10 Gift foR You And eAch of YouR Guests*

Host Your Holiday Party at Brio

Products such as Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Skin Relief can be rotated for all healthy skin needs throughout your day.

Sunday - Thursday , Nov. 15 - Dec. 22

Valid 1-1-12 thru 3-15-12

$10 OFF

A Taste of Tuscany For To eat well is to live well.

You!

Make Your Reservations Today!

scottsdAle QuARteR 480-607-1100 BRioitAliAn.com

Also opt for an all-in-one cleanser that can comfortably remove makeup and cleanse face and body, like Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Shea Butter Body Wash.

*Free gift valid: 1-1-12 thru 3-15-12 Promotion expires 12-22-11

For makeup, go for light combopowders and balms that can be applied to multiple regions like cheeks and lips or face and eyelids throughout the day.

Waterproof mascara is the choice cosmetic for travel wear. For nightlife, bring just two or three preferred sleek cosmetics that easily create an evening-wear look, like red lipstick and contrasting eyeliner.

With your toiletries and cosmetics under control, don’t forget to pack other first-aid beauty products: a compact hair dryer and straightener, an emergency sewing kit, seasickness or jet lag pills, scarves to keep hair intact, and pocket-size manicure kits. If you can’t fit something in your suitcase—sunless tanner, nail polish, hair products—chances are you should take care of their usage prior to your trip. Leave the salon at home and roam free as a beauty-conscious traveler, still in style.

BR.NV9.9.11Golf.indd 1

9/13/11 4:00:45 PM OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley 63

GOLF FEATURE

Mastering the Basics Segment 1 [ B y S c o tt S ackett ]

Lower your scores by improving your GPA! (That’s Grip, Posture, and Alignment) The number-one question I have been asked

over the last twenty-seven years of teaching is “How do I become more consistent?” I have one simple answer: You need to be brilliant at the three golf swing basics—grip, posture, and alignment. There are no shortcuts to improvement. But if you are willing to put the time into working on a proper golf swing, you can truly become better. Over the next three issues, we are once again going to give you a crystal-clear understanding of a perfect setup in golf. If you take the time to understand and

GRIP

To become a good player, you must understand the function and importance of the grip. The grip is your body’s only physical connection to the golf club. Of the three basics—grip, posture, and alignment—the grip generally gets the least attention. But in my opinion, it is the most important.

Good golf begins with a good grip.

master these three fundamentals, there is no reason you should not hit a reasonable or great shot every time—I guarantee it!

Start with this bit of teaching: If any of the setup basics is less than perfect, the only way to hit the ball where you want to is by making compensations—a chain of events that usually results in poor contact. There’s just no way around it.

Jack Nicklaus said it best: “The single most important maneuver in golf is the setup,”

The grip controls the clubface, and the angle of the clubface at impact dictates a shot’s curvature. If your shots tend to slice, the clubface at impact is open in relationship to the path on which the club head is traveling. In this instance, it’s likely that your grip is too weak (Figure 1), and your hands are

Ben Hogan meaning how you position yourself in relation to the ball before you swing. “Set up correctly,” Nicklaus said, “and there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. Set up poorly, and you’ll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world.”

rotated too far to the left (toward the target). If you’re hitting hooks, the clubface is closed to the club-head path at impact, probably because your grip is too strong (Figure 3).

Since most golfers slice the ball, they stand to benefit by placing their hands in a stronger position. For a strong grip, set your

hands more to the right on the grip (rotated away from the target) so that the Vs formed by your thumbs and forefingers point toward the right shoulder. This promotes more club-head and forearm rotation through impact, giving you the best chance to square the clubface at impact.

Weak Grip:

Vs pointing to chin. (Figure 1)

Neutral Grip:

Vs pointing to right ear. (Figure 2)

Strong Grip: FIGURE 1

64

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

FIGURE 2

FIGURE 3

Vs pointing to right shoulder. (Figure 3)

Left Hand: Key Checkpoints First step is to put the Xs on your glove. (Figure 4)

Set the grip of the golf club in the fingers under the Xs, which creates an angle. (Figure 5) Grip should lie on hand; diagonally across top crease in forefinger; first knuckle of index finger.

Place the pad of your palm on top of the grip, then wrap your fingers from underneath. (Figure 6) The thumb should be on top and slightly right of center, at approximately one o’clock. (Figure 7) If you’re attempting to create a neutral grip, you should see at least two knuckles.

FIGURE 4

FIGURE 5

FIGURE 6

FIGURE 7

FIGURE 8

FIGURE 9

FIGURE 10

FIGURE 11

FIGURE 12

FIGURE 13

Right Hand: Key Checkpoints

With your left hand, take the shaft of the club from horizontal to vertical. Then with the right hand: Set the grip on the first knuckle of the index finger covering the line. Slide the fingers down until they touch the left hand. (Figure 8) At this point, you will either interlock or overlap with your right pinky and left index finger. (Figure 9) Set the left thumb in the lifeline of the right hand. Make sure both Vs are running parallel to each other The right thumb sits on top and slightly left of center on the grip (at 11 o’clock). (Figure 10)

Grip Choices

Joining the hands is a matter of personal preference. Of the three grip choices, the overlap is the most popular on the PGA Tour. A good rule of thumb with the three grips is this: If you have large hands, you will want to go with an overlap; if you have smaller hands, you should go with an interlock. Only if you have really small hands, like my juniors, should you go with a baseball grip.

Interlock (Figure 11) Overlap (Figure 12) Baseball (Figure 13)

Grip Pressure

When it comes to remembering grip pressure, a great analogy is this: If one is light and ten is tight, three or four is just right.

You’ll often see a glove with a hole or worn spot in the heel pad. This indicates that you’re gripping the club too high, at the butt end of the grip. This makes it much easier to lose your grip and makes the club longer and heavier.

The correct grip also sets the body behind the ball at address, with the proper amount of side tilt. We will discuss this in our next tip when we talk about the importance of posture.

Results of a Good Grip

A good grip allows the wrists to hinge correctly during the backswing. This is very important because the wrists supply about a quarter of the swing’s power.

Scott Sackett, GOLF Magazine’s TOP 100 Teacher since 1997, teaches at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale.

He is also director of instruction at Park Meadows CC in Park City, Utah. To get more information on lessons, visit Scott’s Web site at scottsackett.com. You can e-mail him at golf@northvalleymagazine.com.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

65

NVM + 2011

• AUTO TRENDS

A Different Kind of Journey [ B y G reg R ubenste i n ]

No matter how you personally prefer your

luxury sport coupe, the choices have never been more favorable. Every manufacturer—from Mercedes-Benz to BMW, from Honda to Hyundai—offers a powerful, luxury-laden two-door.

By its nature, the coupe is a niche vehicle, typically occupying the family’s second (or perhaps third) garage bay. If equipped with four seats, the ones in back are often vestigial, suited only for transporting groceries or small children. Only occasionally are the rear seats honest-to-goodness adult friendly. Again, it all comes down to personal preference as well as economics—a four-seater is almost always less expensive to insure than a two-seat sports car.

Having recently completed a week ’s worth of test driving Infiniti’s updated G37 Coupe Journey, it proved to be perhaps the finest example of sport coupe on the market. Though sharing a platform (albeit extended) with parent company Nissan’s two-seat 370Z sports car, the difference—and driving experience—were worlds apart. Where the Z was highstrung and a bit harsh, the G37 proved to be unexpectedly more “sporty”—unflappably composed and a far easier vehicle to live with as a daily driver.

66

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

At the heart of the G37 is a 330-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. Also available with a six-speed manual, the automatic comes with a Drive Sport mode and steering column-mounted paddle shifters.

In “manual” shift mode, the engine’s revs are matched for smoother downshifts and changing gears in both directions is lightning quick.

As you’d expect of any luxury vehicle, the G37 Coupe Journey comes equipped with plush leather and power memory seats, a premium audio system, automatic climate control and an extensive array of safety equipment. What really sets the Infiniti apart from its competition is the combination of performance and stunning interior and exterior styling.

Inside, the Journey envelops driver and passengers alike (even those in the fairly tight rear seats) with comfort and functionality. The central multipurpose controller is about as easy as it gets, while the driver is offered everything necessary at the fall of the hand. All controls and switchgear are pleasantly weighted, and outward visibility is good for a two-door.

The exterior is where the G37 especially stands out; it’s both sensual and muscular,

with a revised front fascia that creates what’s arguably the best-looking coupe on the market. Combined with the optional 19-inch performance wheel and tire package and a suspension tuned to both soak up road imperfections and react almost telepathically to driver inputs, this Journey is ready for crosstown or cross-country touring.

Besides the Journey, the G37 Coupe is available in base, Sport, all-wheel-drive, and the all-around enhanced Infiniti Performance Line trim. Base pricing starts at $36,650 and tops $49,850 for the IPL. The Journey’s MSRP is $37,650. A tremendous assortment of options boosted the sticker up to an as-tested price of $46,975. Included in that charge were the Technology, Premium, Sport, Navigation, and Interior Accent packages. Those options offered a power sliding moon roof, 19-inch alloy wheels with summer performance tires, magnesium paddle shifters, sport-tuned suspension, and steering and navigation system with 3-D graphics display among the many other features.

No matter your destination, take along this Journey and you won’t be disappointed.

Offering a remarkable combination of value and driving enjoyment, it’s a sports coupe that will be there for the long haul.

DESERT NORTH COMMERCE CENTER Under New Ownership and Management

Bob Deininger, CCIM, SOIR D: 480.522.2772 M: 480.229.1976 bdeininger@cpiaz.com

42101, 42105, 42201 & 42211 N. 41st Drive Anthem, Arizona • Located Just West of I-17 at Anthem Way • 35 Minutes from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport • 15 Minutes from Bell Road • Located Directly South of the Anthem Outlet Mall • +/- 810 – 5,000 Square Feet Available • C2 Zoning, City of Phoenix Located within the rapidly expanding 5,800 acre master-planned community of Anthem(approximately 20 miles north of Phoenix), Desert North Commerce Center offers space ideally suited for retail, office, showroom, medical and flex space use.

Anthem Way Carefree Hwy 303

17 101

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

67

NVM + 2011

• flavor

“Bloody” Sauce and Spookily Crafted “Bones” [ B y M atthew G runwald ]

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, fall is approaching! Soon the leaves will start to turn a deep amber red, and the nights will possess that slight frosty chill that reminds us that winter is just around the corner. Or not. Okay, maybe Arizona doesn’t exactly follow the guidelines of the seasons, but we still have Halloween.

As a chef, I get the perfect opportunity from this upcoming holiday to tie classic holiday characters and themes into the meal. When I reminisce about the glorious days of trick-or-treating, one particular figure comes to mind: the skeleton.

As a die-hard fan of parmesan- and ricotta-stuffed manicotti shells draped with a rich, creamy, decadent, sun-dried tomato sauce, I share with you an artistic approach to my manicotti stuffed “bones,” perfectly paired with an oozing “bloody” sauce. With the addition of two plump, succulent baby portobello mushrooms stuffed into each end of the manicotti shell, you get the illusion of a skeleton bone. Increase the creativity and flavor by drenching the bones with a heaping portion of piping-hot liquid composed of sun-dried tomatoes, thickened cream, and tangy cheese, and you’ll have werewolves, vampires, and creatures of the night knocking at your door looking for a handout.

Creamy Parmesan Skeleton Sauce:

1 stick salted butter 3 tbsp. flour 3 cups heavy cream 1 cup freshly grated parmesan 2 tbsp. sea salt Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the flour to avoid clumping. While whisking, gradually add in the heavy cream and allow to come to a slight boil, and then reduce to medium-low heat and whisk in the cheese and salt. Turn off the heat and keep a lid on the pan to keep warm. Set aside.

Creamy Parmesan Skeleton Bones:

8 manicotti shells 8 medium baby portobello mushrooms with large caps 3 eggs 1 pound whole ricotta cheese 2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided in half 2 cups mozzarella cheese, divided in half (a fresh mozzarella ball is best) 2 teaspoons garlic powder 1 tsp sea salt 1 jar of sun-dried tomato pesto Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish and spread the pesto evenly on the bottom. (This represents the blood!) Set aside. Cook the manicotti shells less than al dente.

This will avoid breakage. Drain and set aside. Beat the eggs, ricotta, half the parmesan, half the mozzarella, and the spices in a medium bowl. Transfer mixture to a piping bag (pastry bag). Make sure cheese is not too cold. Stuff the manicotti with the ricotta mixture until completely filled, being careful not to break shell. This represents the skeleton bones. Add a mushroom to the end of each shell and place in the baking dish. This represents the connecting bone joint for your skeleton! Pour the cream sauce over the shells and a bit on the mushroom.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the “bones.” Bake for an additional 15–20 minutes or until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. Serve hot immediately out of oven.

68

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

NVM + 2011

• jewels

Not a Scratch on Them: Getting Your Jewelry Sparkling Clean [ B y S c o tt S ackett ]

This is a subject that does not seem very exciting, but a national sur vey showed that 87 percent of people don’t know the best way to clean their jewelry. There are many different ways to clean jewelry effectively as well as many different types of jewelry that require special care. Let’s start with the don’ts.

Don’t use cleaners that contain bleach.

Bleach is very hard on most metals and some gems. Many household cleaners make okay jewelry-cleaning solutions, but some contain enough bleach to cause problems.

Don’t let people clean and polish your rings on those portable cleaning units outside a mall jewelry store. I totally understand the point is to get you to walk into the store. The challenge is that the person operating the unit rarely has enough experience to know what can go into cleaning solution and what cannot. A simple sterling-silver marcasite ring will come out of the cleaner missing many stones. An emerald that has had oil injected into cracks will come out of the cleaner looking a little worse. Some gems need to be cleaned in room-temperature water, while others can take heat. Some can handle the ultrasonic cleaner and some cannot. Gems that are what is often called “invisible set” should never be in an ultrasonic machine, nor should opals. Often, there is a small polishing wheel on those portable units that is used to polish fifteen different types of metals on the same wheel. The problem with that is that particulates from the wheel will embed themselves in your jewelry, causing the finish of your ring to have problems that are not easy to fix. I have never seen someone who has any formal training on polishing operate those carts. Since white gold has been very popular over the last decade, much of it has a rhodium plating over the top. Those cheap cleaning units will strip and contaminate the rhodium coating on your white gold—sort of like painting a wall with a brush full of dirt.

Don’t use toothpaste. It does not work so well for tight areas, and residue can stick under gems and cloud them. However, a clean toothbrush is great for getting in small areas. It is also much more expensive per cleaning than many other cleaning solutions that work better. Many home cleaning products like Simple Green or Mr. Clean (nonbleach) can work for many gems. Contact a jewelry professional or appraiser to know how a gem will react to cleaning products. Diamond rings and some other gems like sapphires can soak in mild solutions all night while you sleep—an effective and easy way to clean jewelry. Any gem that is glued in place should not soak.

One of my favorite professional cleaning products is called Sparkle Sparkle. It was developed and is sold by an Arizona company. It’s far superior to most products and is available in most reputable independent jewelers all over the nation. There is even one designed just for platinum. The company is readying a solution for all gems and metals, which will be on the market soon.

There are some very good inexpensive cleaning cloths for removing grime and tarnish between visits to your jeweler. Cost is certainly a factor, and it makes me crazy when I see jewelers offering free cleaning and inspection. No one charges for cleaning, and most people who are “inspecting” don’t know what they are looking at. When possible, inspecting jewelry should be done by people who actually do repair work or at least by a store that has goldsmiths on staff.

If jewelry is sent out, the store usually does not have as many qualified inspectors.

It is okay to ask a store what their insurance covers if a ring is damaged while cleaning, but it is always better to find a jeweler who will take care of your jewelry as if they made it and are proud to make it look better for you. If you don’t know jewelry, know your jeweler.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

69

NVM + 2011

• HEALTH

Failure Is Impossible:

Susan G. Komen for the Cure Rallies All Women to Continue the Fight for Better Health [ B y L e A n n e B a g n a l l • P h o t o s c o u r t e s y Amb a s s a d o r N a n cy G . B r i n k e r ]

Fourteen years after her death, the mission for women’s suffrage and equal rights ignited

by Susan B. Anthony and followed by her lifetime of pioneering was finally realized with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. As an enduring leader, Anthony must have understood that her message, “Failure Is Impossible,” would be timeless. Much in that same vein, the legacy of Susan G. Komen and her fight against breast cancer—a fight shared by millions of women—continues to be felt around the globe.

After nearly three decades, the organization that brought breast cancer to the forefront of the American and ultimately global consciousness has made countless milestones in the battle to forever end the deadly disease that claims over 480,000 lives worldwide each year.

Now, with Susan G. Komen for the Cure as the world’s hard-hitting crusader in the breast cancer realm, the disease’s mortality rate has decreased by 31 percent in the past twenty years.

The success, says the foundation’s ambassador, Nancy G. Brinker, has been due to awareness.

“It’s enormously satisfying,” Brinker says of the organization she founded in her sister’s memory. “When my sister, Suzy, was ill, there was no Internet.

There were no 1-800 numbers, very few support groups. You didn’t talk about this disease outside of your family. We were able to open that conversation…very importantly, we’ve been able to connect a community. I’m often overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that people in our online community, our Races, and other events receive from one another. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re all alone with this disease, and I’m glad that no woman ever has to feel like she’s completely alone again.”

The Susan G. Komen foundation gave a voice to millions and also provided a place where they could be heard. It started with one Race, then hundreds. “Our first Race for the Cure was in Dallas with about 800 people, and we were thrilled,” Brinker says. “We couldn’t imagine that it would grow to more than 140 Races in 13 countries, with more than 1.7 million women, men, and children participating every year. I think our Race series is successful because it’s open to everyone. You’ll see so many people running to support someone else—a relative, a friend, or a co-worker. You’ll see women in the middle of treatment running, [and] our survivors in their pink T-shirts in an atmosphere that is fun and supportive.”

Today, the Race is recognized as the leading educational fund-raising event for the awareness of breast cancer. The event helps support all women, especially uninsured or underserved women, with cancer treatment. Seventy-five percent of the money raised at these events stays in the community where it’s held, with the remaining 25 percent funding national research programs. Brinker is especially appreciative of the outstanding participation in Phoenix and Tucson.

“I think that it is motivating for people to know that their effort benefits people close to home,” she says.

The greatest aspect of the Race is not only recognizing individuals affected by the disease but also bringing them together as one community. “It has been a catalyst for progress and also a way to bring a global community together,” Brinker says. “The most touching example happened just last year, at our first

I think that we unleashed a very powerful force in this countr y—the power of a community working together to do something about a terrible disease.

70

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Israel Race for the Cure in Jerusalem, where we had several thousand people—Jewish, Muslim, Christian—out walking or running. The Mayor of Jerusalem told me it was the first time he had ever seen people of all political and religious backgrounds walking together peacefully and having a good time together.”

Breast cancer, Brinker says, is universal, and so is the suffering and the will to end it. She says she’s seen similar examples of sisterhood and support in the face of borders and politics in such places as Bosnia, Herzegovina, and the Middle East.

Despite the foundation’s surmounting contributions to the cause, Brinker’s motivation to work even harder than before comes out of the stories of the disease’s survivors. “I feel the greatest amount of pride when I’m talking to breast cancer survivors, some of them diagnosed with aggressive or advanced disease, who are living for many

years because of treatments that we helped make possible through our research programs,” she says. ”I think that we unleashed a very powerful force in this country—the power of a community working together to do something about a terrible disease.”

While her campaign for awareness helped produce one of the biggest revolutions in the modern women’s rights movement, Brinker currently sees an even bigger need to fulfill.

Besides funding research into prevention, detection, and treatment of even the most aggressive or metastatic forms of breast cancer, she hopes to eradicate disparities in cancer treatment outcomes and better reach underserved women worldwide, which requires more than awareness.

“We know that ending the disease requires research and screening and education and effective treatments against all forms of the disease, and finally, access to those treatments,” Brinker says.

“In September, we announced a new initiative called Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon with the George W. Bush Institute, the U.S. State Department, and UNAIDS to screen for cervical and breast cancers in Africa and Latin

America. Following that, we announced a partnership with GE to improve breast cancer screening in rural areas in the U.S. and medically underserved countries abroad.”

This year, the organization is putting emphasis on action, which requires the participation of all women. Brinker worries that half of some 1.5 million women fortunate enough to have insurance hadn’t gotten regular mammograms, as described in a recent study. “Women tend to get busy, and that annual mammogram falls further and further down the to-do list,” she says. “We want women to promise to get the screenings they’re supposed to get, and if you don’t have insurance, to contact our Phoenix or Tucson Affiliate for help.”

Until the disease is cured, Susan G. Komen for the Cure refuses to give up the fight—but victory won’t be attained without your promise. Visit komen.org to make good on it.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

71

Voted Best Preschool in Phoenix!

Now Open in Vistancia!

Register Your Child Today!

602-740-9561 Private school BA degreed teachers Class size of 12 students State licensed Ages 2-1/2 to 5 years

Junior Kindergarten & Kindergarten

(Students must be 5 years old by Dec. 31) Program includes: Gymnastics Spanish Music and Art Computers

28570 North El Mirage Road Peoria, AZ 85383 4220 W. Opportunity Way Anthem, AZ 85086

www.CreativeCastlePreschool.com 72

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

NVM + 2011

• ask a vet

Is Your Pet a Happy Wanderer?

Traveling with Four-Legged Family Members [ B y D r . E d C o hen ]

More and more Americans consider their pets

as members of the family. So, when the family decides to go on vacation, the family pets are coming along more frequently. What can you do ahead of time to make sure their needs are taken care of while traveling? Is it even in your pet’s best interests to go with you on vacation to wherever you are traveling?

Instead of coming along with you, your pet may actually be better off staying in your own home with a trusted pet sitter or house sitter or at a professional boarding facility. Staying with other family members or friends is another option if you can’t find a sitter. Pets may be so stressed by the actual process of traveling that the advantages of being with their family are not enough to consider taking them along.

Many geriatric animals fall into this category.

If you opt for a boarding facility, ask for references from neighbors, friends, and your veterinarian. Inquire if you can make an unannounced visit to tour the facility. If you do, how the animals that are already there look and behave. Do they seem calm, clean, and content?

Does the facility look and smell clean? Does the staff seem attentive and compassionate?

With pet sitters, find out how often they will be coming over, how long they will stay each time, what they will do when they come over, and what needed medications or treatments they are capable of administering to your pet.

If you do decide to bring Fido or Whiskers along, the next decision is whether you will

be flying or going by car to get to your destination. This implies that you have already checked out that the place at which you’ll be vacationing allows pets. For example, thinking of going to Yellowstone National Park?

Then leave your dog (and especially your cat!) at home, as dogs are not allowed there, for a number of excellent reasons.

If traveling by plane, will your pets be traveling in the cargo section or in the passenger cabin with you? Generally speaking, a pet must weigh less than 15 pounds and be able to comfortably fit into a carrier that will itself fit in the space under the seat in front of you.

Some airlines may require your veterinarian to issue a health certificate to allow your pet on board. For domestic flight requirement information, check out tinyurl.com/3zgzorj; for international travel, visit tinyurl.com/3mtje5y.

Fortunately, if traveling by car, there is a number of pet-friendly resources that have been increasingly available in the last fifteen years. Many more hotels and motels are now permitting pets to stay in rooms with their owners. Several resources for finding such places as well as providing other handy pet travel tips are petswelcome.com and dogfriendly.com.

Finally, make sure you check in with your veterinarian to get advice on traveling with your pet, fill your pet’s prescriptions before leaving, and obtain relevant medical records in case of an emergency.

FREE $10 gift card with minimum purchase of $35 The gift card valid for next visit.

Dine-in only. Not valid with other offers.

Expires 11/30/11

Happy Hour: Everyday 3-6pm

7500 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85255

480-513-9000 www.xtapa-joes.com

Here YOUR AD

LAS POSADAS OF SEDONA

Promote Your Business!

602-828-0313 ext. 104 sales@northvalleymagazine.com Affordable Luxury • Spacious Two-Room Suites Concierge Services/Trip Planning • Sumptuous Bedding Two-Sided Fireplaces • Aveda Bath Products Best 3 Course Gourmet Breakfast in Sedona Much, Much More Romantic Getaways • Corporate Retreats Wedding Accommodations • Family Reunions • Team Building Girl Friends Getaway Weekends • Group Events NORTH VA LLEY READERS WILL GET A 3RD NIG HT FREE WHEN THE Y STAY 2 NIGHTS.

Nor th Mention azine g a Valley M ecial p S a r fo t!

Discoun

928.284.5288

Minimum 2 night receive free stay to night.

www.lasposadasofsedona.com OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

73

NVM + 2011

• adopt-A-Pet

Good Friends Who Need Great Homes [ P h o t o s by M i chelle P elberg ]

Katarina is a 5-year-old German shepherd mix. She is a large dog, weighing over 66 pounds. She is compatible with all ages of humans and especially loves children. She is very affectionate and will lean up against you for more attention. She already knows sit, stay, and come. She is eager to please, is already house trained, and has wonderful house manners. Katarina is not good with other dogs or cats. Her adoption fee is $55.

All adoption fees include spay/neuter, microchip, and vaccines.

Sunshine is a 7-year-old rottweiler mix weighing in between under 65 pounds. She is compatible with kids of all ages and is superfriendly and adorable. She loves people and cuddles up on the floor by their feet. She enjoys playing with toys and engaging in games of fetch. She is not recommended for cats but may get along with other dogs. Her adoption fee is $50.

Sheba is a 2-year-old pit bull mix—a medium-

size dog that weighs between under 45 pounds.

She loves belly rubs and attention. She does have a medical condition, but that doesn’t slow her down. She is recommended for elementary kids and up and is also good with dogs and cats. Her adoption fee is $75.

Savannah is a 3-year-old retriever/Labrador

mix. Weighing in under 65 pounds, this sweet, affectionate girl loves belly rubs and attention.

She has already learned the commands sit, down, and shake and is eager to learn more. She is recommended for junior high kids and up. She may get along with dogs but is not recommended for cats. Her adoption fee is $50.

Saucy is a 6-year-old domestic shorthair who prefers to be admired rather than snuggled.

While she does enjoy scratches to the head, she needs someone who can appreciate her independence. She is not recommended for other cats. Saucy’s adoption fee is $50.

74

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Mr. Biscuit is a 6-year-old domestic shorthair.

He is an easygoing guy who is happy sitting on a cat tower. He enjoys chin scratches and attention from all. Mr. Biscuit has a girlfriend in the cattery. Her name is Pretty Pretty. He likes to hug her close and give her kisses. (They’d make a nice pair of friends for someone with room for two!) He is good with other cats. Mr. Biscuit’s adoption fee is $50.

Fargo is a 4-year-old domestic shorthair, a

friendly, handsome boy with a smooth coat.

He gets along with other cats. His adoption fee is $50. This includes his neuter, vaccine and microchip.

Hercules is a handsome 6-year-old Maine

coon who enjoys attention but can be a bit independent. He likes to be the dominant cat but could do fine with another feline who time-shares well. He is rather laid back and mellow and would be great in a household that understands independence. His adoption fee is $50.  These pets may already be adopted. Please visit a awl.org for a current listing of pets available for adoption at the Arizona Animal Welfare League. All dogs and cats have been spayed or neutered, are up-to-date on their shots, and will go home with a microchip inserted.

The Arizona Animal Welfare League is open from 11 a.m.–7 p.m.

Tuesday–Friday, and 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. AAWL is located at 30 North 40th Place in Phoenix. For more information, call (602) 273-6852.

NVM + 2011

• Technology

Who Do You +1, and What Is Google+, Anyway? [ B y J o n K ent o n ]

So, does what you say get a +1, or are you still merely “liked”? If you are still not sure what we are talking about, it’s Google’s emergence on the social media stage. On June 28, the Internet giant launched Google+. For those of you who are already familiar with Facebook and Twitter, there are similarities to both, as well as a number of key differences (see Circles and Hangouts). Is Google now going to sweep the floor with established players?

Unlikely, but initial user reactions are positive, and many social advocates are integrating Google+ into their lives. Is it right for you?

Read this brief overview and then decide for yourself. Ideally, you will join up and test it out, although much as with the early stages of other Google products (Gmail, Google Voice, etc.), you do need a personal invite to participate. They are not too hard to come by, however, as each new user has the ability to invite 150 others—so ask your friends—or “friends”—for an in!

Just as with other social media, once you join, you will need to complete your profile.

You can share all the typical information about yourself—occupation, education, location, nicknames, etc. You can add a description or introduction about yourself so that when people find you, they can be sure you are in fact you. Google+’s Stream is where you get view-and-share content, similar to the way it’s presented on Facebook. There is no “Like” button; instead, you “+1” a post, comment, photo, etc.

One of the cornerstones of Google+ is Circles, which gives you control over exactly who sees the content you post. You can place people into one or more circles—friends, fam-

ily, business associates, and so on. You can create circles for common-interest topics that contain only a subset of people you know (e.g., D-Backs fans, book clubs). Now you have the ability to share different things with different people and discuss the intricacies of J.J. Putz’s split finger or Jane Austen with only your circles that care. Circles works as a filter for what you both share and view in your Stream.

On the left-hand side navigation underneath your Streams is a link that takes you to Google+ Sparks. Sparks is a content-search engine that will find news and other media related by content to whatever topic interests you. You can add your favorite Sparks topics to your home page and access the feeds to see the latest things that Google has found for you. You can then easily share items you find with your circles.

One of the most interesting features of Google+ is called Hangout. It is pretty much what the name suggests—you create a place to hang out with a bunch of your friends.

A modernized video version of the old private chat rooms, Hangout can bring up to ten people together in a video chat room (or group text chat). You can set up a Hangout and include specific friends or whole circles. A notification appears in your stream that indicates you are hanging out, and then others can come and join you. Multiperson video calling is very cool to start with, and free is even better. Skype can do this but charges you for the privilege. You can also share video content from YouTube, and everybody who is hanging out gets to watch.

At the top of your page, you can click on the Photos button and be taken to the Google+ photo manager. Here you can upload photos from your computer with an easy drag-and-

drop feature. Photos can be placed in albums and then shared. On the same page, you can see photos posted by your circles and any that others have tagged as containing pictures of you. There is also a neat feature that allows you to easily get photos from your Android phone or tablet through a downloadable Google+ app for your device.

There is a mobile version of Google+— shocker! With Android, Google’s mobile OS, continuing to grow in popularity, you would expect a good degree of integration. In addition to the base functionality that allows the viewing of posting to one’s streams, you can control and manage your circles and profile and, as mentioned earlier, use the “Instant Upload” feature to sync photos from your device. The other extra feature on the mobile version is “Huddle,” which allows you to create groups of friends and text them all at the same time.

Go ahead and try it out for yourself. It’s worth it for the multiparty video hangouts alone. Have fun!

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

75

NVM + 2011

• event calendar October 6

Special Olympics Arizona Breakfast with Champions

The fifth annual fund-raiser for Special Olympics Arizona will take place at the Arizona Biltmore and help support more than 10,000 athletes statewide.

For information on sponsorship packages and more, contact Jennifer Spencer at (602) 230-0081 or jennifer@specialolympicsarizona.org. specialolympicsarizona.org October 6, November 3

Green Building Lecture Series

Scottsdale presents its twelfth annual green building lecture series on the first Thursday of each month from 7–8:30 p.m. at the Scottsdale Granite Reef Senior Center (1700 N. Granite Reef Rd.). On October 6, the topic is Energy Efficient Technologies.

November 3 will cover Sustainable Cities. Lectures are free, and no RSVPs are needed. (480) 312-3111 or scottsdaleaz.gov/greenbuilding/ lectures

October 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30

Fall Wine And Jazz Festival at El Pedregal Head to El Pedregal every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. for great live entertainment and food and wine tastings. An R&B artist, a guitarist, a saxophonist, a Motown band, and a contemporary string group entertain audiences out of doors.

(480) 788-1072 or elpedregal.com 76

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

October 14–15

Celebrate China: Chengdu Performing Arts Showcase

Phoenix Sister Cities and the Musical Instrument Museum present this cultural showcase for the whole family. Artists from China’s southwestern city of Chengdu perform a feat of acrobatics, “face-changing,” traditional music, and stunning costumes. At the Musical Instrument Museum. themim.org October 15–16

Taste of Cave Creek

Grab your taste buds and head on down to Stagecoach Village (7100 E. Cave Creek Rd.) for Cave Creek’s culinary event, which incorporates a number of participating restaurants from the area. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday. $10 for one day, or $15 for both days. Food tastings range from $1 to $4. (480) 788-1400 or tasteofcavecreek.com

October 22–23

Anthem’s 2011 Autumnfest

Anthem Community Council and the Community of Anthem present a fall celebration that includes visual and fine arts vendors, craft vendors, live entertainment, a pumpkin patch, pony and barrel rides, inflatables, a eurobungee, hayrides, carnival rides, and a beer and wine garden. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Anthem Community Park. anthemcouncil.com October 23

Uncorked & Unplugged

This eighth annual event presents tasty gourmet foods, three stages filled with live entertainment, and the opportunity to sample premium wines and spirits along with domestic and imported beers. All proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. At Desert Ridge Marketplace, located off Loop 101 and Tatum Boulevard. $75 for main event tickets and $150 for executive club badges. uncorkedandunplugged.org November 3–6

Cave Creek Wild West Days

The popular four-day western event kicks off its ninth year with a golf tournament at Rancho Mañana Golf Club and follows up with great family entertainment, live music, a period costume competition, vendors, a western parade, bathtub races, Miss Wild West Days, horse-related activities, a Walk for 100 benefit, and more. wildwestdayscavecreek.com

November 4

Battlefield Band

If you love the Scottish, you’ll love this beloved band, which leads the way in Scotland’s contemporary music scene.

Tickets are $32–$36. At the Musical Instrument Museum at 7 p.m. themim.org November 5

Vistancia Music & Wine Festival

The second annual event for the ears and taste buds will feature boutique wines, artisan food venues, and top local performers. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at and around Vistancia’s Mountain Vista Club at 29701 N. Sunrise Point.

(623) 237-3767 or communitymusicevents.com November 9–13

Napa Valley Film Festival

If you’re craving a Napa Valley adventure after reading our feature on the region, you might consider heading to California in midNovember to catch Napa Valley’s inaugural film festival, which will feature more than fifty new independent films, discussion panels, tributes, wine tastings, celebrity chef cooking demos, VIP winemakers dinners, and more. napavalleyfilmfest.org

November 18–20 and 25–27

Fifteenth Annual Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour

The Sonoran Arts League presents this beloved event in which Valleyites can take a self-guided tour featuring 150 working artists throughout Cave Creek, Carefree, and North Scottsdale. Admission is free. Plan your own personalized tour and download your customizable map at hiddeninthehills.org. (480) 575-6624 OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

77

NVM + 2011

• Relationships

Does True Love Really Exist? [ B y L ea H aben ]

Dear Love Seekers:

Love can be elusive and difficult to find. Distinguishing between love and infatuation can be tricky as well. Many people have attempted to define love, or at least distinguish it from infatuation and attraction. If you are looking for real love, here are a few observations you may find helpful: Love is allowing yourself to become completely vulnerable to someone else, giving them power to break your heart but trusting them not to.

and really have never given either of them a second thought. I am not sure why I am so hell-bent on finding my so-called soul mate.

Do they exist?

Dear Runaway Groom,

I will have to address your questions separately.

True love does exist, but don’t look to Hollywood for your standards. Soul mates are also real, but I personally believe that we have many soul mates and that they can be friends and confidants who accept us unconditionally. I think that real love is defined when you can put someone else’s needs above your own. Many confuse true love with sexual attraction and infatuation, which are fleeting. Real love comes from weathering a few storms together and putting your love and relationship above all else. Friendship is the real foundation for true love to blossom. (Common interests and intellectual compatibility are also very important and often overlooked.) I would encourage you to look at happy successful couples whom you want to emulate rather than unhappy couples who escalate your fear.

Only Skin Deep Dear Lea,

I am a 23-year-old woman who has never had a boyfriend or ever experienced what it is like to go on a date. I am told I have a pretty face, but I have been struggling with my weight since the age of 9. I have tried every diet in the world, and nothing works for me. I no longer believe that men want anything of substance. They all seem to gravitate toward surgically enhanced trophy women that they can sport on their arm. Why can’t men see past my weight?

The whole situation seems hopeless, as men are shallow and really don’t want a nice girl.

Don’t Disengage Yourself Further Dear Coach Lea,

I am a 31-year-old man and have been engaged twice. I’m beginning to question whether true love exists. I am shocked at the number of my friends who are divorced or separated. I also know a number of couples who are miserable and stay together anyway.

I don’t think I have experienced real love before, as I ended both of my engagements

78

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

Dear Hopeless,

I think you must take some responsibility for your situation. While it is true that men are visual, there is also concrete proof that men love happy, confident women who are less than model perfect. I would encourage you to start changing your mindset and to adopt a healthier lifestyle emotionally as well as physically. Diets traditionally don’t work; why not try a lifestyle change and get some professional help? You may find yourself pretty inside and out!

Here are a few examples of successful, powerful men who have historically fallen in love with women who were considered unattractive and/or unsuitable by traditional standards.

• K i ng E dwa r d ab d ic ate d h is thrown for the less-than-attractive, twice-divorced Wallis Simpson. He gave up his kingdom and country for love and did so publicly. They lived happily in exile until they were parted by death.

• F r a n k l i n a n d E l e a nor Roosevelt were the best of friends and are an example of how enticing intellectual compatibility is. President Roosevelt valued and entrusted Eleanor with his decisions regarding the country. Eleanor was not only unattractive but also was political and outspoken during that era, when it was not popular for a First Lady to be so. Many of the rights for women and the poor were the results of Eleanor’s efforts.

• Ozzy and Sharon Osborne have been married for decades. Ozzy married Sharon, who was severely overweight until the year of 1999, when she surgically altered her weight. Despite his drug addictions and her appearance, it is apparent that the two are deeply in love and have been for years.

• Most recently, Prince Charles came out publicly and married Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom the public never accepted. Camilla is disliked by many, as she was the unattractive adversary of the much-loved Princess Diana. But Charles and Camilla have endured years of public scrutiny and criticism.

As you can see, men can get past a pretty face, so start working on your attitude and self-esteem. Furthermore, true love can and does exist, but it can come at a great price, as all worthwhile things do. The question is, are you willing to pay the price?

When you change your attitude, your situation will change—I promise.

Advertise :

Murals For Your Home or Office

The Carroll Law Firm– Your Hometown Law Firm

Kid Murals by Dana offers:

Bankruptcy, Estate Planning, Wills, Business Law, Family Law, Patent & Trademark, Personal Injury, DUI & Traffic Violations

• Free At Home Estimates!

• Custom Wooden Letters • Custom Canvas Paintings • Murals for your home or office • Complete Room Make-overs on YOUR Budget!

MARKETPLACE

602.828.0313 • sales@northvalleymagazine.com

Visit us at AnthemLawFirm.com to read our recent blogs: Is Your Home Underwater? Is Debt Relief Moral?

DUI and It's Consequences Rights of Unmarried Couples Community & Separate Property

SPECIAL OFFERS 20% off an in home mural 15% off any custom order 10% off office mural quote

480-427-0997 anthemmurals.com

"Like" the FB page for more specials, images and videos of completed work!

Phone: 623 551-9366 42104 N. Venture Drive, Suite C-110 Anthem, Arizona (AZ) 85086

"Like" us on Facebook at facebook.com/carrolllawfirm Anthem Pet Medical Center

Isabelle's Fine Talavera, LLC Home Decor & Accessories

42105 N. 41st Dr. Ste.#148 Phoenix, AZ 85086 (623)889-7090 We are a well-established, full-service, companion animal veterinary hospital.

We are committed to providing quality veterinary care throughout the life of your pet in a professional, friendly, stress-free environment. Pocket pets (rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, and rodents) are also welcome!

For first time clients please bring this ad in and receive a FREE physical exam on one of your pets. (A value of $48.)

Expires 11/30/11

Direct importers of authentic talavera from Puebla, Mexico. Whether decorating or renovating your home, office, or outdoor space, we offer the highest quality of certified talavera for all your needs. www.isabellesfinetalavera.com

Please visit us at www.anthempetcare.com

COW DREAMZ Cow Dreamz PHOTOGRAPHY Photography

COW DREAMZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Did you know your pet ages ten times faster than you do? There are still memories yet to capture.

Did you know your pet ages ten times faster than you do? There are still memories yet to capture.

www.cowdreamz.com Pet photography by Michelle Brodsky(602) 602-510-1929.

www.cowdreamz.com Pet photography by Michelle Brodsky 602-510-1929.

JRDR Marketing We are a marketing and business consulting firm providing strategic management and marketing services.

• Strategy and Business Planning • Business and Competitive Intelligence • Marketing and Promotional Plans • Writing Services • Product Photography

Visit us at www.jrdrmarketing.com or call (602) 288.8393 and schedule a no-obligation initial consultation.

We sculpt businesses for success

Law Offices of Howard A. Snader Call today for personal attention and experienced criminal law representation from a Board Certified Criminal Defense Expert. Howard has specialized knowledge of Arizona's Criminal Law that can make the difference for you.

14300 North Northsight Blvd., Ste. 230 Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (480) 588-5699 www.NotACriminal.com www.phoenixcriminallawlawyer.com

Scott Sackett, GOLF instructor Scott Sackett, one of GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teachers, conducts private lessons at McCormick Ranch Golf Club. Scott is also the director of instruction at the Rim Golf Club in Payson, Ariz. All of Scott’s clients can take instruction at The Rim Golf Club along with playing the prestigious golf course for just a guest fee.

To contact Scott, you can e-mail him at Scottsackett@cox.net or visit his website at www.scottsackett.com

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

79

80

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

NVM + 2011

• ENTREPRENEURSHIP

How Satisfied Are Your Customers? [ B y A dam T o ren and M atthew T o ren ]

Being able to measure the satisfaction level of your customers can be pretty difficult at times.

Not only do you rely on customers for their feedback but you’ve also got to trust that they are being completely honest when providing that feedback. People don’t generally contact companies to tell them they’re satisfied. And even the dissatisfied customers won’t always contact the company to express their dissatisfaction. Instead, they quietly (or not so quietly) boycott the company, swearing never to do business with them again.

Setting very high standards for any employees who deal with customers in any way is a must. You’ve got to enforce strict guidelines and procedures to ensure that your customers are being treated in a consistently professional and friendly manner. Make sure to continually measure the success of your employees’ customer-service habits. You can do this in several different ways.

Go To the Source

How can you expect to get proper customer feedback if the only time you hear from your customers is when they are contacting you with a complaint or concern? As previously stated, most people won’t contact a company to tell them that they’re doing a terrific job. They wait until something goes wrong to reach out to the company. A good way to get your customers to talk with you and be honest about their experiences is to provide them with customer surveys. Whether they are done through snail mail, by e-mail, or by telephone, having the input of your customers is a very valuable asset.

When conducting a customer survey, the best method is the 1–5 scale, with 1 indicating complete satisfaction and 5 indicating complete dissatisfaction. Surveying regular customers is also a good way to find out how well your company is doing. Seeing how the customers’ experiences have changed over time will be a helpful tool.

Know what your customers expect of you

Common sense tells us that we will be able to offer our customers a better experi-

ence when we truly understand what it is that they expect from us. Seeking out the expectations of your customers when it comes to both products and services will assist you in being able to meet their needs to the very best of your ability.

Examine the areas of your business in which you are falling short

Find out where your business is lacking in areas that give you less-than-satisfied customers. Ask yourself some very important questions: Are my products or services being advertised to seem better than they really are?

Are my employees overstepping their bounds by promising things that cannot be delivered to customers? Are customer-service reps handling customer dissatisfaction and complaints properly? No matter where the weak link happens to be, discovering it and repairing it quickly will not only show that you care but will also give you a better opportunity to heal any customer relationships that may have been damaged.

Get down to the nitty-gritty

Any information that you collect has to be accurate and provide you with a realistic, specific picture of what you’re doing that’s working and what you’re doing that isn’t working

quite as well. As mentioned, surveys are a great idea, but only if implemented properly. When providing your customers with surveys, make sure that the survey isn’t too general. Ask for specific information such as what services or products they purchased, if their experience lived up to their expectations, and what they liked and what they didn’t care for as far as the entire transaction went. Make sure to also ask your customers for any comments or suggestions that they might have that would help to improve their experience.

Know your competition

Let’s say that a customer prefers a competitor’s brand over your brand. Wouldn’t you like to know why? One way to find this information is to ask customers to compare similar products so that you can find out exactly what it is that attracts more of them to your competitor’s product, service, or method. They may be offering something that you’re not, and you aren’t even aware of it. Knowing exactly what is going on with your competition will benefit your own business more than you might even realize.

By examining the opinions and experiences of your customers, you will be better equipped to provide them with a product or service that exceeds their expectations. Do that, and you’ll begin to create relationships that will propel your business well into the future!

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

81

Tomorrow’s future starts today.

Visit Kidpreneurs.org and put the power into your child’s hand.

Product Description

You've heard the saying, "It's never too late." We say, "It's never too early!" Even children can be introduced to basic business principles and the rewards of entrepreneurship.

Our goal with Kidpreneurs is to outline some basic tools and strategies kids can use to gain some valuable experience in starting, managing, and growing a successful business venture. Through easy-to-understand basic principles and a creative approach, we outline some key techniques that will have a powerful and positive impact on your child's ability to understand entrepreneurship. Using kid-friendly design and illustration, we break down some of the major points of entrepreneurship, so your child can have fun as he or she learns. Also, your child will enhance his or her decisionmaking skills by trying out simple businesses as he or she grows up.

D

Tomorrow's future starts today. Share Kidpreneurs with your children and help plant the seeds for a stronger future.

As Seen in:

Book Details

Reading level: Ages 7-13 Perfect Paperback: 64 pages Publisher: Business Plus Media Group LLC Language: English ISBN-10: 0692004246 ISBN-13: 978-0692004241 SAN: 931-6647 Library of Congress #: 2009931114 Suggested Retail Price: $12.95 Published by

3120 Carefree Hwy 711 E. W. Carefree Hwy Suite205 1-128 Suite Phoenix,AZ AZ Phoenix, 85086 85085 1.800.211.7608 ext. 700 info@kidpreneurs.org 82 North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011

About the Authors

Adam Toren and Matthew Toren are the founders of YoungEntrepreneur.com, which has quickly become one of the largest social networking forums for young entrepreneurs in the world.

These brothers have many teaching and research interests including marketing, business development, entrepreneurial emergence, entrepreneurial strategy management, business growth techniques, innovation, and new venture creation. One of their specialties is improving profitability of under-performing businesses with a unique bottom-line program. Matthew & Adam provide instruction in management concepts and finance to emerging and distressed small businesses covering all phases of operations. Enthusiasts for enterprise, their ideas are not only based on research, but also on years of hands-on experience.

Subscribe to

North Valley Magazine Today!

Give Your Home a MOVIE MAGIC

MAKEOVER

HERE SHE IS —AMERICA'S MOST OUTS TANDING M · $3.99 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2011

1 · $3.99 UARY 201 2010 / JAN DECEMBER

IENTS TO INGRED

5 A More Life Energetic

APRIL/MAY 2011 · $3.99

Both Ends

SINeSaTsIoNnCaTSl:

JUNE/JULY 2011 ·

Valentine's Day

Gift Guide Give Back:

UROUS GLAMOSHIONS FALL FA

g ytrTippin DaHO tures

ven: AdLIST

You May Not Know OP...ERA

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

IN

Cinema

reNyA'SPeña 3TV'sETCa IZOE SID MEURAR ON YO ST RONGE ANe: STAc M cessoriz HIGH HEELS AND BOLD LIPS

IRITUAL ONE SP ON Y:WITH ONE NE UR JO

Go Daddy's Dr b :Parsons TELL KNOW.+Bo SANCTUARY AT SEDONA

TH BLACK HISTORY MON

Roller Derby: ANOT

rRiacisekA:waren ck t a P a c i n a D to g Award Racin On and Off the Tra

hoice • eaders' C • 2010 R

t Restauran inners!

W

www.nor

thva lley

mag azin

e.co m

www.north valleymag

HER KIND OF CONTACT ess—SPORT

www.northvall eymagazine.co m

BUR  OFTININ CK AG: A LIGHTS R HOPE

OU D TO GET AWAY FN ROM IT ALL:

FOR ORPHANS AROUND THE WORLD

DAYCATIO

Putting a Freeze on the

World ildlif Zoo & AqW uarium

DESTINATIO N N Luxury Re ICEHOUS SDem taiseyEcasotirotns The "ULTIMATE" Sport:

Gift Guide

R 2010 |

JANUARY

TH 2011 NOR

VALLEY

1

Local M Artists Open ixed Martial Valley Gym

for Moms Who

Deserve It All HACIENDA TRES RÍOS: How

You Ca A LUXURY ALTER NATIV n HeElp FOR THE ECOTOURIST

CURB PE OVERPOPTUL PHOENIX FILM ATION

FESTIVAL FOUNDER

CHRIS LAMONT

azine.com

DECEMBE

$3.99

www. north

valle ymag

azine .com

FATHER'S D AY

GIFT GUIDE

HEALTH & FI TNESS TREN D:

Adult Team Sp orts Understandin g

EPILEPSY

AKE TH PERFECM T PANINEI

Don’t miss a single issue. Subscribe to the North Valley Magazine and discover what is happening around your community in the magazine that has established itself as the voice for fine North Valley living.

North Valley Magazine is a bi-monthly publication providing our readers with up-to-date articles that not only entertain but also inform. North Valley Magazine focuses on the lifestyles, people and places of our communities, offering insights on topics and relevant features such as business profiles, home improvement, dining, fashion, home and auto trends, real estate, performing and visual arts, wine, pets, shopping, outdoor activities, health and fitness articles, entertainment, travel features, book reviews and stories that touch on issues that are directly related to the lives of our readers.

Subscribing to North Valley Magazine is easy and fast! Visit our website www.NorthValleyMagazine.com and click the Subscribe link on our homepage.

OCTOBER | NOVEMBER 2011 North Valley

83

84

North Valley OCTOBER | NOVEMER 2011