Neighbors
www.SanTanSun.com
April 2 - April 15, 2016
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Neighbors As You Wish offers pottery classes for toddlers, teens and adults page 56
Armand and Angelina to visit Unity of Sun Lakes page 65
Where to Eat page 72
Author Kacey Shea offers ‘Uncovering Love’ series BY MEGAN MARPLES
Chandler resident Kacey Shea always dreamed of writing contemporary romance novels. Since her series “Uncovering Love” debuted, she has been able to realize that. When Shea was a child she fell in love with reading books, but as an adult she set aside her childhood passions for what she said was a more practical career. After a few years, she picked up an indie romance novel that rekindled her love of books and inspired her to write one of her own. In the series “Uncovering Love”—which features the book “Uncovering Love,” “Uncovering Desire” and “Uncovering Hope”—Shea displays her intelligent and witty prose through a dynamic plot centered around life and love. The storyline was inspired by her routine of investigating dates for people close to her such as her sister. Kacey Shea will make an appearance at Talebu Coffee on “After 10 minutes of Thursday, April 7, in support of her book series “Uncovering Internet searching I can Love.” Submitted photo deduce whether or not the love interest is someone my fierce set of characters that emerge sister should date,” Shea said. “What throughout the story. Not only is there started as a joke stemming from my romance, but there are also people nosey habit became the idea for my fighting difficult battles. Shea succeeds debut novel, and my imagination in tackling challenging issues in a expanded from there.” poised manner. What sets her series apart is the “It’s my goal as a writer to leave my see SHEA page 44
American Way Marketplace Café serves up nostalgia BY JUDI KING
When Merchant Square Antique Marketplace owner Mike Moore sought to open a restaurant in the mall, he wanted to be sure it seamlessly fit in. “My goal is to give customers a vintage dining experience,” says Moore about American Way Marketplace Café. “You can’t fake vintage.” Moore said that all the furnishings were acquired from shuttered buildings, most of them in the last century. The counters are made from timber from an English church. He procured the booths from a
1950s western bar in Buckeye, and the chairs from an old schoolhouse in California. He found the smoker nearby at the iconic Bill Johnson’s Big Apple in Mesa. Moore discovered the 1950s soda chest in Utah and put it back to work holding more than 150 varieties of hard-to-find drinks. All of the display shelves, signs and décor—even the walls and windows which were repurposed to fit into the café—are historic. “Vintage craftsmanship is built to last for generations,” Moore said. see NOSTALGIA page 45
Mingle and sip through liquor fest’s new Ocotillo location BY TIM J. RANDALL
With aerial bartenders, craft liquors to sample and demonstrations, the 3-year-old Chandler Craft Spirits Festival is moving to Ocotillo to enhance the experience. “In previous years, we were in downtown Chandler and now we have moved the event to downtown Ocotillo and will feature an indoor/outdoor venue with a VIP area overlooking the lake,” said Tiffany Shultz, event producer. The event, set for 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 30, celebrates enthusiasts’ enjoyment of craft liquors, including bourbon, vodka and tequila while providing a fine mix of wine, beer and assorted cocktails. Activities range from demonstrations and seminars to aerial bartenders. “We have also invited top bartenders in the state to participate in a variety of demos,” said Shultz. There will be numerous entertainment opportunities and a designated VIP
area offering guests access to perks. Patrons will also be treated to a delicious assortment of food options. “Attendees can expect a variety of food from small plates to full menus. We have food trucks and local restaurants,” she said. “In addition, we have partnered with San Marcos hotel to offer a full experience. The San Marcos food will be featured in our VIP area.” Of course the craft liquors are at the forefront of the festival and this year’s edition offers an even greater roster of alcohol artisans. “We are so excited that we have many new local distilleries that will be involved in the event this year including: Caskworks, Hamilton, Arizona Distilling and O.H.S.O. but we have also invited boutique distilleries from across the region,” Shultz said. “We will have a judging panel of industry people come out from 3:30 to 4 p.m. to select a winner in several categories.” see MINGLE page 44
Go green with April specials at Ocotillo Village Spa Earth Day will be celebrated on April 22, and in appreciation of the Earth’s environment, the Ocotillo Village Spa will be offering an Earth Day Package during the month. The Ocotillo Spa, a full-service spa and salon, allows members and nonembers to experience a world-class spa, offering personalized treatments. Plus, with any spa
service booked, guests are able to use the Ocotillo Village Health Club for the day. The Earth Day Package includes an Organic Eight Greens Phyto Treatment with choice of dermaplane or microdermabrasion plus the DoTerra Energizing Citrus Massage (60 minutes) see SPECIALS page 44