Valley Lifestyles December 2015

V VALLEY LIFEST YLES

MAGAZINE

PLUS KEEP YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS IN CHECK

Sparkle SEASON OF

CHRISTOPHER & MYRANDA FINE DIAMONDS BRINGS THE ICE TO THE EAST VALLEY

DECEMBER 2015 ValleyLifestyles.com

T H E E S S E N T I A L L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E E A S T VA L L E Y

from pain

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Women’s Hair Loss Why Does it Happen? & What can you do about it?

What used to be a “men’s condition” is now quickly becoming a female epidemic.

It is scary to think that you could randomly wake up one day and begin to see more hair on the pillow case and less on your head. For women losing their hair, it is a serious blow to femininity and the ideal vision of themselves. We are constantly cutting and coloring to make sure our hair looks the best it can. But what if one day the un-thinkable happens… and it falls out and doesn’t grow back?

1

Question: What causes women’s hair loss?

Answer: Female hair loss can be

caused by multiple factors, but the most common cause is an underlying genetic pre-disposition to hair loss known as androgenetic alopecia or female pattern hair loss. Unlike the popular myth that you inherit hair loss from your mother’s father, women can inherit hair loss from either side of the family. This means that women can inherit hair loss from men and vice versa. It is much more common than people know.

There are other factors that can cause hair loss or increase hair loss due to family history. They include stress, lifestyle, diet, thyroid disfunction, fungal infections, scalp parasites, and medications (most common hormone replacement and birth control pills).

2

Question: What do your clinics use to help women with thinning hair?

Answer: Depending on the reason for the loss, the treatment protocol will vary. Usually though for common female pattern hair loss the protocol is relatively similar. We a have a 9 month program that includes twice weekly office visits for cool light laser treatments for the scalp. This stimulates cell regeneration and is already approved to promote thicker hair. Our program also includes topical pharmaceuticals, hormone therapy balancing cream, nutritional supplementation, holistic hair care products, and topical scalp serums.

This is most aggressive treatment that we offer, but it works. When you use everything together the way that our program does, you are bound to get results.

3

Question: What advice would you give a woman who is dealing with this problem?

Answer: Find the source of the problem as quickly as possible and treat that problem. Don’t try to treat it yourself because it wastes time that could be spent growing hair back. I obviously would recommend to call us and then come in for a consultation. Worst case scenario, you can stop the progression of the loss. Best case, we can dramatically reverse your hair loss and regrow hair.

We have had numerous cases where a woman was wearing a wig or extensions when they started the treatment. Then 9 months later they were able to remove their wig permanently or stop getting extensions because their hair had gained so much volume and density.

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Question: Is there hope for women with thinning hair?

How do you control it?

Answer: There certainly is. There are

so many tools that can be used to control female hair loss and reverse it in many cases. Once you have established the reason for the hair loss and it can be treated with a variety of methods. Unfortunately, most general physicians simply don’t have the time or the knowledge to get a full understanding of why a woman is losing her hair. The female patient is then left combing the internet for solutions that rarely leads to any real answer.

5

Call today for your FREE Consultation

Question: How you do know what is causing your hair loss?

Answer: A simple patient history is the easiest way. Many women have blood tests for hormonal issues, thyroid dysfunction, iron levels, and vitamin D deficiency. Unfortunately this rarely produces any other cause other than normal pattern hair loss.

At our clinics we use a video microscope to analyze the condition of the scalp at 50x magnification. At this level we can tell if the client has loss due to stress, diet, infection of the hair follicle, or simple hormonally related hair loss.

6

Question: Is there maintenance required?

Answer: 99% yes. I usually tell people it’s like brushing your teeth. If you don’t brush them and go to the dentist, your teeth will rot and fall out. The same goes for your hair. If you have a genetic hair loss problem, you have two options; oneyou can treat the problem long term, or two- let your hair fall out and go bald. Clearly our clients choose hair.

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DON’T MISS

precious moments

PUBLISHER

Steve T. Strickbine EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Christina Caldwell

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Breanne DeMore ART DIRECTOR

Dara Fowler

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, Jasmine Kemper, Leah Goldberg, Justin Stabley, Felicia Romero, Scott Schumaker ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sheree Kamenetsky, Jane Meyer EDITORIAL INQUIRIES christina@timespublications.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Sam Nalven DISTRIBUTION SERVICES AZ Integrated Media

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Valley Lifestyles Magazine 3200 N. Hayden Rd., Suite 210 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Phone: (480) 348-0343 Comments: christina@timespublications.com www.valleylifestyles.com

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the Times Media Group. Photographs, graphics and artwork are the property of Valley Lifestyles Magazine. © Affluent Publishing LLC.

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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FEATURES 28

december

SHINE ON

Christopher Uptain and Myranda Molina come from humble beginnings, but on the surface, you’d never know it. The couple has built an empire with Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds, a full-service jewelry shop a stone’s throw away from Chandler Fashion Center. Your custom jewelry experience couldn’t be in better hands.

By Valley Lifestyles Staff

36

YOU, IMPROVED

New Year’s Resolutions are often difficult to hang on to, and that’s the exact mentality that’s keeping you from achieving them says Tempe life coach, Dr. Sheran Mattson. All you need is a change of perspective to really meet those goals—and have a positive attitude doing it.

28

By Jasmine Kemper

42

HOLIDAY CHOP

Faced with another Christmas with an artificial tree, writer Scott Schumaker decided to take to the forest to get a fresh-cut one of his own. The adventure that ensued in Springerville was mildly painstaking—and outright hilarious.

By Scott Schumaker

36

42 READ

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DEPARTMENTS 10 FROM THE EDITOR 13 UPFRONT | 480 NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

Named for his 21-month-old son, renowned Chef Gio Osso brings his latest Italian concept to Gilbert’s Heritage Marketplace in March. And coming off the success of Scottsdale’s much-acclaimed Virtù Honest Craft, the pressure to deliver is on.

16 LOCAL LOOK: Nouveau Riche Boutique THE FESTIVE FAMILY

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18 HAUTE ITEMS: ‘Tis the Season to Twinkle 20 WINTER WONDERFUL SKIN 22 HOLIDAY ART 24 5... 4... 3... 2...

26 TUMMY TURMOIL

51 FOOD & WINE SALAD AND GO 55 YOU GOTTA TRY

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56 TOO EASY! 58 IN SEASON: Oranges 60 RESTAURANT GUIDE

62 10 GREAT DATES 64 LAST WORD

16

62

This year make sure your holiday season

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editor's letter

THIS YEAR, MY MOM PUT UP HER CHRISTMAS TREE two weekends

before Thanksgiving.

I rolled my eyes when she told me. She claimed that she just wanted to get the hassle out of the way, and I understood. We all live crazy busy lives and putting up the tree often seems like a chore.

Just one week later, five days before Thanksgiving, I put up my own Christmas tree. Well, Christmas trees. I’ve always been a “day after Thanksgiving” tree-putter-upper, but I couldn’t contain my excitement this year. The holidays are easily my favorite time of the year, so if I can make them last longer, I’m going to, darn it! As always, mom was right.

As I put the twinkling, sparkly bulbs on my trees, I was reminded of my visit to Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds, which we explored in depth on P. 28. Located in Chandler, the jeweler couple specializes in all that twinkles. Diamonds might not be my best friend, but I certainly did want to get to know them a bit better after touring Christopher and Myranda’s glistening showroom and workshop.

I’m learning all sorts of new things about myself these days, and that’s a good thing with the New

10

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

Year coming up. With the dread of New Year’s Resolutions hanging over our heads, January doesn’t have to be a drag. You just need to change your mind set. Staff writer Jasmine Kemper discussed goals and how to realistically reach them with Tempe-based life coach, Dr. Sheran Mattson on P. 36.

Speaking of life goals, I’m off to achieve my own, and that means learning to fly solo. This will be my last issue as Executive Editor of Valley Lifestyles Magazine. It has been an absolute pleasure diving deep into everything East Valley for the past year, and now I leave that responsibility in the very capable hands of the talented “other Christina” who writes for our publication, Christina Fuoco-Karasinski.

You might occasionally see my name pop in and out of the bylines in VLM’s pages. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as I’ve enjoyed editing.

So long and happy holidays,

CHRISTINA CALDWELL Executive Editor

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

UpFront 480 TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

BRINGING THE FLAVOR

Home

VIRTÙ’S GIO OSSO BRINGS SCOTTSDALE ACCLAIM HOME TO GILBERT WITH NEW CONCEPT, NICO

BY CHRISTINA CALDWELL

Coming from Scottsdale’s nationally-lauded Virtù Honest Craft, chef Gio Osso decided to bring things home—quite literally—to Gilbert.

The Gilbert-based chef has made the commute to Scottsdale since Virtù’s 2013 debut, but his latest culinary adventure, Nico, will reside in Downtown Gilbert, remaining close to his family’s actual residence, as well as his Italian heritage, focusing on the traditional, homemade, made-with-love recipes from his family’s roots in Calabria, Italy.

Accolades like a James Beard Award nomination and being named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants came rather recently, but Osso’s passion for food came much earlier—while sitting in a high chair in his family’s Italian kitchen.

“I’ve been around food for forever. Going to Italy and spending my summers as a child, it became a passion of mine,” Osso says. “Food was everything. Family was first, food is second and everything else will fall behind it.”

The “family first” rule will certainly permeate throughout Nico, which has an anticipated opening date of March 2016. Named for VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

his 21-month-old son, Osso will expand on his family’s traditional recipes with an elevated flair, combining his years of culinary experience in New York City and his love for handcrafted recipes passed down from generation to generation.

“I’m trying to bridge that gap, so I’ll use the classics from my hometown, aunts, uncles and grandparents. But I also try to make it today, with nicer presentation and things like that; try to modernize it a bit,” he says.

While these might be versions of recipes he’s known for decades, that doesn’t mean Osso intends to rest on his laurels. The pressure is still high to deliver remarkable dishes worth buzzing about, even if Nico’s atmosphere will be more relaxed.

“Even though [Nico] is going to be a little bit more family-friendly in a sense and … Downtown Gilbert is very family-oriented, I still think that putting out the best possible product and people holding me to a higher standard because of Virtù, I have to deliver. And we will deliver. There’s no question about it.”

Located in the Heritage Marketplace near Lolo’s Chicken & Waffles and Barrio Queen, Nico will be among buzzworthy company. Noticing that many chefs were looking to expand to locations in the Central Phoenix corridor, Osso decided to go a bit more quaint with the new location, fitting the restaurant’s atmosphere. Though, at the rate that Downtown Gilbert is growing and renowned chefs are descending upon the area, we can only expect more restaurateurs to take notice.

“Gilbert … is growing as far as community and houses and building and things like that, so it needed a little restaurant area,” Osso says. “With what LGE [Design Build] is doing in that area, I thought it was a great idea, and because I live in Gilbert, I really wanted to get in on the ground floor. I think it will be perfect, and it’s home for me, so I love that idea. I love it.”

And Osso wants Nico to be in Downtown Gilbert to stay.

While his son might not fully understand that the restaurant is named for him yet, he is getting the exact same high-chair-in-thekitchen childhood as Osso did growing up. And he hopes Nico the restaurant will be enough interest to Nico, his son, to be passed down to the next generation one day. VLM

"... because I live in Gilbert, I really wanted to get in on the ground floor.

I think it will be perfect, and it’s home for me, so I love that idea. I love it."

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

LOCAL

LOOK

THE

Festive Family

HOLIDAY EVENTS FOR KIDS AND KIDS AT HEART

BY LEAH GOLDBERG

COMPILED BY BREANNE DEMORE

Celebrate the season of snow fall, Christmas lights and ice skating with the whole family. Looking for the perfect December activities for the little ones? Make a trip down to any of these favorite holiday activities here in Arizona that will surely put a smile on your face and the kids’.

Winter Wonderland Weekend FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

A part of the Glendale Glitters holiday event, the city of Glendale is hosting a weekend of ice skating and movies downtown. Grab your skates and spend some time on the ice. Afterwards you can end the night with a showing of “The Polar Express” on Friday or “Frozen” on Saturday. Historic Downtown Glendale, near 58th and Glendale Ave., Glendale, (623) 930-2299, glendaleaz.com, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., prices vary

Snow Much Fun Day SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

The Children’s Museum of Phoenix is opening an hour early to celebrate the holidays with all kinds of winter fun. Enjoy breakfast with Santa, play in 20 tons of snow for free with paid museum admission, and partake in the gingerbread house workshop with a candy buffet and hot chocolate sipping. The Children’s Museum of Phoenix, 215 N. Seventh St., Phoenix, (602) 253-0501, childrensmuseumofphoenix.org, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $11-$35

Christmas at The Princess THROUGH SUNDAY, JANUARY 3

GET THIS LOOK: NOUVEAU RICHE BOUTIQUE 5959 E. Southern Ave., Suite 101, Mesa (602) 918-9675 facebook.com/NouveauRicheBoutique1

The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is celebrating the holidays with activities all throughout December. Bring the whole family for the desert ice skating rink, 2.8 million LED lights around the resort, a petting zoo, S’mores Land, Christmas carols, menorah lighting, photos with Santa and more. Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Dr., Scottsdale, (480) 585-4848, scottsdaleprincess.com, times vary, $5-$274

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

The Phoenix Zoo is roaring with holiday cheer this season at their annual ZooLights event. Children can gaze at 3.8 million lights shaped into 700 animal light sculptures. There is also an ice sculptor, two new Music in Motion shows featuring music from “The Polar Express” and “Winter Palace” by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and more! Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., (602) 9144333, phoenixzoo.org, 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., $8-$16 VLM

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

MAKE YOUR SKIN

WINTER WONDERFUL SKINCARE TIPS FOR THE COOL WINTER MONTHS

BY CHRISTINA CALDWELL

We here in the East Valley have it a lot better than our family and friends in colder weather, especially when it comes to skincare.

But that doesn’t mean our dermis doesn’t face its own set of obstacles in the winter months. Dry, red, dull skin tends to make an appearance this time of year. Here’s how you can prevent it.

MOISTURIZE AND MASK

It might sound like overkill, but on top of your regular moisturizer, you might want to use a moisturizing mask at night. These aren’t the green, gloppy masks you’re used to seeing in movies. Instead, moisturizing masks act as a very heavy moisturizer, working to fight dry, dull, chapped skin while you sleep.

While your mileage may vary with these suggestions, online reviewers swear by Laneige Water Sleeping Mask (Target, $23), Paula’s Choice Skin Recovery Hydrating Treatment Mask (paulaschoice.com, $21) and Lancôme Hydra-Intense Masque (Nordstrom, $35).

FOCUS ON BRIGHTENING INGREDIENTS

To banish dull, wintery skin, focus on brightening ingredients like Vitamin C, hydroquinone, niacinamide and, shockingly, rice. With regular use, these ingredients work to lighten scars and pigmentation while brightening the skin overall for a healthy, holiday-party-worthy glow.

WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN!

It might be cold outside, but the Arizona sun is still making its best effort to age your skin and darken your scars. Getting into the habit of wearing a sunscreen every day (even in dreary weather and on cold days) can help limit your precious skin’s direct exposure to the sun. Sunscreen is the world’s best anti-aging product, but you have to use it regularly to see its effects in the long term.

Stay diligent!

EXFOLIATE (BUT NOT TOO MUCH)

Exfoliation is an amazing way to get rid of dulling dead skin in the winter, but be careful with it. Chemical exfoliants like BHA (salicylic acid) and AHA (glycolic acid, lactic acid, citric acid or

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

mandelic acid) are amazing at shredding dead skin and lightening imperfections, but can be a bit drying. If you notice drying, slow your use of these ingredients and amp up your moisturizing routine. Physical exfoliation (scrubbing brushes, exfoliating sponges) should be limited to one or two times a week to avoid irritation. Basically, listen to what your skin is telling you. If exfoliating stings, dries or is otherwise painful, it’s time to slow your roll with these methods. VLM

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

HOLIDAY ART THE TOP HOLIDAY ARTS EVENTS TO SPREAD WINTER CHEER

BY JUSTIN STABLEY

Feel that chill in the air? That means holiday arts season is upon us, and there are events a-plenty. It might be cool outside, but the festivity of these classic shows, exhibits and events will have you feeling oh-so-warm

A Christmas Carol THROUGH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 24

It’s the classic story from Charles Dickens live on stage. Relive the timeless tale of Ebenezer Scrooge and his night of Christmas miracles told by the performers of the Arizona Broadway Theatre. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Ln., Peoria, (602) 776-8400, times vary, $56-$85

A Bloody Mary Christmas THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3 THROUGH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17

Tired of the same old family-friendly holiday fare? Come see the most irreverent and bawdy Christmas musical ever at Space 55. A Bloody Mary Christmas is about three drunken retirees fighting to save their condo from the heartless homeowner’s association.

It’s a rollicking good time, but leave the kids at home. Space 55, 636 E. Pierce St., Phoenix, space55.org, 8 p.m., donations accepted

A Winnie the Pooh Christmas Tail

Holiday Pops TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

Sing along to all the classic hits with the Phoenix Symphony. The hugely popular musical event will fill you with holiday cheer as Guest Conductor Stuart Sanchez leads the Phoenix Symphony and the chorus through the best songs of the season. Phoenix Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix, (602) 262-6225, times vary, $18-$83

The Night Before Christmas WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27

Enjoy a variety of stories, songs, and an amazing array of handcrafted puppets at the Great Arizona Puppet Theater. Great Arizona Puppet Theater, 302 W. Latham St., Phoenix, (602) 2622050, azpuppets.org, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., $10

Miracle on 34th Street THROUGH SUNDAY, JANUARY 10

Scottsdale Desert Stages presents this charming family play based on the old 1940s film. A small girl’s belief is put to the test in the trial of the century, when Macy’s Santa claims to be the real life St. Nick. Desert Stages Theatre, 4720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale, desertstages.com, (480) 483-1664, 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m., $25

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 THROUGH WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23

Handel’s Messiah

Visit all of your favorite characters as they play and explore in the snow-covered Hundred Acre Wood. It’s Valley Youth Theatre’s 20th anniversary of this annual holiday classic and the tradition is just as delightful as ever. Valley Youth Theatre, 525 N. First St., Phoenix, (602) 253-8188, vyt.com, times vary, $18

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

Black Nativity

Phoenix Symphony once again brings the holiday spirit to the Valley with a celebration of the life and death of Jesus Christ.

Handel’s Messiah will play in churches and halls all around the area in addition to Phoenix Symphony Hall. See website for times and locations, phoenixsymphony.org, $29-$49

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

A Very Electric Christmas

The legendary stage event by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes will be performed by the Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, featuring a joyous company of actors, singers, and dancers delivering an inspiring message of hope and liberation.

Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix, (602) 258-8128, blacktheatretroupe.org, times vary, $35

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

Lightwire Theater presents a show like you’ve never seen before.

Using glowing lights as puppets and costumes accompanied by a variety of music, A Very Electric Christmas is a magical experience that will brighten up your season. Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale, (480) 499-8587, scottsdaleperformingarts.com, 2 p.m., $29-$49

25th Annual Frances Smith Cohen’s Snow Queen SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20

Witness a magical retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s original story about a young girl searching for her lost brother. The Snow Queen is beautifully told through dance and musical accompaniment by Sergei Prokofiev. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix, herbergertheater.org, (602) 252-8497, times vary, $28

Ballet Arizona’s 'The Nutcracker' FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27

The most famous ballet ever made is coming to the Valley for its annual return. Ballet Arizona’s "The Nutcracker" will light up the stage with over 150 performers and hundreds of dazzling costumes. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix, balletaz.org, (602) 381-0184, times vary, $15-$164

37th Annual Las Noches de las Luminarias SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17 THROUGH THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31

For the last half of December, the Desert Botanical Garden will light up with thousands of Luminaria candles lining the pathways of the park. Travelers along the path will find various musical performances from choirs, bell ringers and traditional mariachi bands. Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix, (480) 941-1225, dbg.org, 5:30 p.m., $22 VLM VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

5... 4... 3... 2...

RING IN 2016 AT THE BEST PARTIES IN THE VALLEY

BY LEAH GOLDBERG

Move over, 2015! This year is almost over, and that means the Valley’s best New Year’s Eve parties are about to begin. Celebrate all throughout the Valley, where you can wine, dine, dance and ring in the New Year with the most festive celebrations around.

Decadence NYE Relentless Beats and Global Dance are ringing in the New Year with the Decadence NYE show to celebrate some of the electronic music industry’s top EDM performers and the final hours of 2015.

The two-day event will feature headliners including 3LAU, Above & Beyond, Adventure Club, Borgore, Crizzly, Dieselboy, Gorgon City, Grandtheft, Manufactured Superstars, Jack Ü, Knife Party, ODESZA, Pegboard Nerds, Pretty Lights, Tchami, Wiwek, and even more! As America’s largest New Year’s Eve dance celebration, this adults-only party will leave you star struck. Rawhide, 5700 W. North Loop Rd., Chandler, (480) 502-5600, rawhide.com, Wednesday, December 30 and Thursday, December 31, times vary, $79-$139

The Phoenix Symphony New Year’s Eve Celebration Join The Phoenix Symphony as they finish off 2015 with Strauss waltzes, seasonal classics and Broadway and contemporary favorites and treat you to a complimentary glass of champagne. This special event is the ultimate festive experience and a great way to begin the New Year. The Phoenix Symphony Hall, 1 N. First St., Suite 200, Phoenix, (602) 495-1117 phoenixsymphony.org, Thursday, December 31, times vary, $18-$83

Circle K New Year’s Eve Mill Avenue Block Party Downtown Tempe is celebrating the New Year in the best way it knows how—with a block party on Mill Avenue! Everyone who comes to celebrate will have plenty of opportunities to enjoy the last few moments of 2015. There will be interactive games and activities, live music on multiple stages, beer and champagne gardens, and attendees can grab a celebratory NYE dinner at any of the restaurants or food trucks along the block. If you plan to bring the kids along, they can enjoy a Family Fun Zone until 11 p.m., along with free admission for children younger than 12 years old. Mill Avenue District, 730 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, blockpartyonmill. com, Thursday, December 31, 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., $15-$25

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New Year’s Eve 2015 at Talking Stick Resort Talking Stick Resort is the place to party this year on New Year’s Eve. Their Las Vegas-themed celebration offers three party spaces all in one night with a unique set of entertainment. Get yourself to the dance floor and end the year with The Boogie Knights, DJ Diverse, DJ Tanzit, and tribute performances to AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. A dinner package is also provided, offering an allyou-can-eat-buffet. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Indian Bend Rd., Scottsdale, (480) 850-7777, talkingstickresort.com, Thursday, December 31, 7 p.m., $125-$150

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers This Arizona-based quartet is celebrating the fast-approaching 2016. The RCPM band has been performing together for 15 years, inspired by the southwest in their Spanish-infused rock sound.

In their years together, the band has landed in the top ten of Billboard’s Internet Sales Chart for six of their albums. Celebrate the New Year with one of Arizona’s most beloved bands! Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, (480) 829-0607, luckymanonline. com, Thursday, December 31, 7 p.m., $45-$55

Stand Up Live New Years Eve 2016 with Rob Schneider End the year on a high note and some good laughs as you enjoy a three-course dinner and attend Rob Schneider’s standup comedy show. Schneider is an Emmy-nominated actor and comedian who is the first to have written, produced, starred, directed and self-financed an entire season of his own television show, “Real Rob.” He has also starred alongside Adam Sandler in countless comedies from “50 First Dates” to “Grown Ups.” In 2009, Schneider rehashed his standup comedy roots again after a long hiatus, and has been performing live ever since. Stand Up Live, 50 W. Jefferson St., Phoenix, (480)719-6100, standuplive.com, Thursday, December 31, 7 p.m., $30

Design Dreams Made Easy...

Raven’s Black and Bling New Year’s Eve Gala The 2015 New Year’s Eve Gala at Talking Stick Resort requires best black tie attire for this elegant night of live music, an appetizer buffet, two full bars, a dance floor and more. The night’s entertainment includes “Nineball,” a 9-piece, highenergy party band that will perform a blend of R&B, pop, funk, hip-hop, soul and Top 40 dance hits. DJ Kilo will also make an appearance and will undoubtedly help you dance the night away. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Indian Bend Rd., Scottsdale, (480) 850-7777, talkingstickresort.com, Thursday, December 31, 8 p.m., $50-$850

NYE 2016 at The Saguaro The Saguaro is hosting its annual New Year’s Eve party, and you can expect yet another glamorous night of cocktails, dining, and the best music in the Valley. Both DJ Slippe and Ken Mooso will entertain partygoers throughout the night and well into next year. Enjoy your stay at one of Scottsdale’s most unique and creative hotels. The Saguaro Hotel, 4000 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, (866) 760-8324, newyearsevearizona. com, Thursday, December 31, 9 p.m., $105-$2,000 VLM

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TRENDS | PEOPLE | CULTURE | STYLE

TUMMY TURMOIL

FAT-SHEDDING TIPS FOR LOOKING A LITTLE LESS ‘JOLLY’ AROUND THE MIDDLE THIS HOLIDAY

BY FELICIA ROMERO

Fat around the waist is a very touchy subject for most. Both men and women experience this, especially as they age, but it is not an easy area to correct because so much goes into losing fat around the tummy.

Some would say just decrease calories and increase calorie expenditure, like exercise, and then you can lose fat. I can say that it is not that easy and there are many other components that go into it. Muscle mass typically diminishes with age, while fat increases. Loss of muscle mass also decreases the rate at which your body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight.

Many women have an increase in belly fat as they get older—even if they aren’t gaining weight. This is likely due to a decreasing level of estrogen, which appears to influence where fat is distributed in the body.

To make matters worse, crash diets have been shown to increase cortisol levels, making no change in belly fat even with calorie restriction. So what’s a girl or guy to do when they have a little too much in the middle?

TO BATTLE THE BULGE:

share meals—or eat half your meal and take the rest home for another day.

3. Include physical activity in your daily routine For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends moderate aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes a week, or vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging, for at least 75 minutes a week. In addition, strength training exercises are recommended at least twice a week. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you might need to exercise more. VLM

1. Eat a healthy diet Emphasize plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and choose lean sources of protein and lowfat dairy products. Limit saturated fat, found in meat and high-fat dairy products, such as cheese and butter. Choose moderate amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats—found in fish, nuts and certain vegetable oils—instead.

2. Keep portion sizes in check Even when you’re making healthy choices, calories add up. At home, measure and weigh your portion sizes. In restaurants, 26

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

FIND FELICIA AT: FELICIA ROMERO’S FIT METHOD 263 E. Warner Rd., Suite 103, Gilbert (844) 269-5354 frfitmethod.com

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ALL THAT

Glitters CHRISTOPHER & MYRANDA FINE DIAMONDS DOES DIAMONDS AND GOLD BEYOND THE MOLD

From the time she was a child, Myranda Molina was destined for a career in diamonds.

Growing up less than wealthy, she always gravitated toward the shinier things in life. When asked about her favorite color, the answer was obvious: “Sparkle!�

BY VALLEY LIFESTYLES STAFF

"From A-list celebrities to across-the-pond high rollers, Molina and Uptain have custom designed pieces for all people and price ranges."

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Decades later, not much has changed. The Chandlerbased jeweler and co-owner at Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds still loves to sparkle—and in more ways than one.

Her bright smile, philanthropic nature and pageant-like poise certainly impressed fellow jeweler and lifelong lover of all things shine, Christopher Uptain, who opened the singularly-named Christopher Diamonds in 2003 with decades of industry expertise in tow.

When the two jewelers became partners in business, they also decided to become partners in life. Molina, a jewelry reseller and custom designer, and Uptain, a certified gemologist, were a natural fit. There was a spark, and of course, lots of sparkle!

The Right Fit A stunning engagement ring of her own on her finger, Christopher Diamonds officially became Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds in 2014, with the intent to take the intimidation out of diamonds. Today the shop is one of the largest buyers of estate jewelry, buying unwanted jewelry and allowing customers to trade in old jewelry for a more desired piece.

“Our store has never done better. After the merge, the name change just felt right,” Molina says.

Located just down the street from Chandler Fashion Center, Molina and Uptain certainly recognize that there are plenty of jewelry options in the area. But they’re sure that once their clients get to know them and what sets them apart from the competition, they’re bound to be loyal customers for life and will skip the corporate jewelry store for their more personable approach.

“We have ... become known as the ‘approachable jewelry store,’” Molina says. “Clients drive from Scottsdale, Gilbert, Paradise Valley [and] pretty much all over for us to either recreate what they have or buy something from our beautiful showroom.”

From A-list celebrities to across-the-pond high rollers, Molina and Uptain have custom designed pieces for all people and price ranges. In fact, 40 percent of their custom business comes from out-of-state and out-of-country buyers looking for a special custom-designed experience, whether they’re looking to spend a few hundred or a few thousand dollars.

Their custom jewelry starts with a consultation, then the piece is sketched, modified in a computer program, and before it’s created in their high-tech workshop, carved into wax so the client can see the design in the flesh. Each piece sees anywhere between 10 to 20 hours of work from inception to completion, with the couple toiling over details and inspiration until the wee hours of the morning to please their clients.

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“Some of our clients will literally bring in 100 pictures of Pinterest rings and say, ‘OK, Myranda. Here you go,’” Molina says. “The amazing thing is ... that they think they’re going to have to come back and say, ‘No, I wanted this, I wanted that,’ but literally every single person has said ‘How did you nail every single thing that I loved?’"

The couple is proud to say that, in all of their years in the custom design business, not one client has asked to return the final product. With a free, built-in warrantee for all of their work, their honesty and integrity sets them apart from the pack.

“Our communication skills with our clients is our main focus,” Molina says. “We want the best relationship with our clients and the best communication, because we know if we listen to what they want, we could take it to a level they’ve never experienced.”

Giving Back Charity work and giving back is as much at the center of Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds as the diamonds themselves.

One kind gesture early on in life led Molina down a path of philanthropy. A basket of food was delivered to her family as a child around Christmas, and while other kids were busy hoping for a new Nintendo for the holiday, Molina was relishing in the cheese, dried milk and other food provided in the basket. Her goal in life was to make the less fortunate feel exactly the same way she did that fateful day.

Since then, Molina and Uptain have been involved in numerous Valley charities, including the MASK (Mothers of School Aged Children), Young Life of Chandler, Arizona Animal Welfare League & SPCA, Dignity Health, several private and public schools, and more.

As a child, Molina’s family couldn’t afford Christian school tuition, but where there’s a will, there’s a way. She worked odd jobs, both extracurricularly and at school, to afford her place in the classroom.

“Education is my big thing,” Molina says. “I have such a passion for raising money for these schools ... so other children can have the opportunities that I so badly wanted.”

“I HAVE SUCH A PASSION FOR RAISING MONEY FOR THESE SCHOOLS ... SO OTHER CHILDREN CAN HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I SO BADLY WANTED.”

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Carrying the Tradition Having a long-held tradition of jewelry in the family, Myranda’s own children, Derek Alfredo and Athena Raquel, have started in the family trade of both giving back and designing jewelry. Derek beads bracelets and sells them for $2, with half of proceeds given back to charity. Athena Raquel has started designing her own jewelry and volunteers to serve food to the homeless.

“We love together, we give together and work together,” Molina says.

The next big move for the family is to expand its brand.

Looking to find the perfect place in Scottsdale for a new storefront, Molina and Uptain are certainly doing their research.

In their off time, they’ll frequent Scottsdale jewelry stores to see what works for those retailers—and what they think they could do better.

“Arizona has been so good to us. It has given us the American Dream. It has given us a life that is blessed,” Molina says.

The more Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds grows, the more they plan to give, Molina says. And they wouldn’t have it any other way. VLM

FIND YOUR SPARKLE AT: Christopher & Myranda Fine Diamonds 2560 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler (480) 792-1161 christopherdiamonds.com

HOW TO REALLY ACHIEVE YOUR NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS IN 2016

BY JASMINE KEMPER

It happens every year. We make New Year’s resolutions and follow through with them…for a month.

When life gets too busy it can be hard to remember to take that daily walk or not to eat that leftover holiday candy. To really achieve your goals this year, it’s going to take a lot of preparation, motivation and most importantly: celebration.

At least according to Tempe-based life coach Dr. Sheran Mattson, who coaches people in all aspects of their lives such as weight loss, phobias, anxiety and more. She started as a career coach, where she noticed that her client’s personal lives were greatly affected by their careers. That is when she decided to receive her doctorate in spiritual psychology and work in life coaching.

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“I decided to help people get in touch with the whole body, mind and internal work. I just have a passion for people living life fully and not just in one aspect of life,” Mattson says.

A life coach, however, is not a quick fix for life. Mattson says coaches are there to help you stay focused on the goals you want to work on.

“It isn’t that the coach does the work, I hold the vision in front of someone and help them stay accountable to themselves. We all value—all of us, no matter who we are— having a partner on the way to support us. So a life coach helps them stay focused and helps them to keep telling the truth to themselves,” Mattson says.

New Year’s resolutions (Mattson prefers to call them yearly “intentions”) are about celebrating your achievements every step of the way. With that in mind, here are Mattson’s steps to making New Year’s resolutions—and following through with them.

Preparing to make a major change in your life doesn’t happen overnight. Mattson suggests before thinking about new goals, we should first look at our achievements from the past year.

“I would start out by celebrating anything that happened in the past year. I think too quickly we start thinking about what we want to do in the New Year and we forget about reviewing and celebrating any of the movements that’s happened in our lives,” she says.

A lot of the time we forget to acknowledge the good things that have happened in the past year. Doing this gives us the energy to think about the new things we want to accomplish in the New Year.

Mattson recommends ranking the eight areas of our lives from 1 to 10 before making a decision. Those areas are recreation, career, money, personal growth, romance, health, family and friends and environment.

If something is ranked at 10, it probably doesn’t need fixing. However, if an aspect of your life is ranked low, you may want to ask yourself why.

“What I think often happens to people is that [they] do it all in their head. They say, ‘I’m going to lose 10 pounds,’ and they

“I decided to help people get in touch with the whole body, mind a nd internal work..."

LIFE COACH DR. SHERAN MATTSON

forget about the more powerful part that’s underneath it. That emotional component that’s keeping them stuck with those extra five or ten pounds,” Mattson says.

Something that helps is to ask yourself what positive things will happen in your life once your goal is reached. If you eat healthier, for example, you might tell yourself you can finally run a marathon, Mattson says.

Finally, before carrying out a goal you’ll need someone who is willing to cheer you on throughout the whole process. It’s crucial to find a person who will celebrate with you, and not reprimand you for failing.

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Throughout the New Year, it’s very important to reward yourself for the small things every day.

Even the simplest things can make big differences. We have to remember to appreciate the things we’re able to do.

“Every day, celebrate something. If not every day, then at least weekly, because one percent of change will see a huge difference,” Mattson says.

“People who take care of airplanes or rockets know that if they get off course one percent, it takes you way off course. One percent might be at the beginning, but when you finally land, you’re way off course.”

Additionally, we can’t reach the long term goal without setting small goals as well. You can set smaller goals to accomplish every month that pertain to your overall goal to keep motivated.

“You can have short term goals within the overall larger goal to stay focused,” Mattson says.

“Life ca n get in the way, but we shouldn’t let it bring us down...."

The biggest disappoint you can feel while working on a goal is failing to follow through with it. But Mattson assures it’s normal to fail. Life can get in the way, but we shouldn’t let it bring us down. She suggests going back to your vision statement and asking yourself if your goal is still the right thing for you.

“Rather than beating ourselves up, I’d go back and revisit what I visualized in the first place. Was that really what I wanted or was it something else?” Mattson says The biggest reason for failing is not establishing what’s really important to us in the first place. We have to make sure the goal is what we want, and not what someone else wants for us.

“We create these goals that we think are important but they’re not really the ones that are,” Mattson says.

All in all, after assessing why you chose the goal in the first place, it’s important to ask yourself whether or not the goal should stay the same or if it needs to be tweaked to fit your needs.

Working on achieving a goal can be stressful. One thing that Mattson does personally to stay focused is taking time once a week to focus on herself.

“Every week I find something different to do. I will look and see what’s going on in the Valley for the week. If something is going on at the Botanical Garden I might just take off in the middle of the day and go there for an hour,” Mattson says.

It’s important that this time is spent alone, whether you spend it trying a new recipe, going to the park or visiting a museum.

“This is something to nurture your own personal self. It gives you so much energy because you know it’s a date with yourself,” Mattson says. VLM

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6 hour drive

OUR DESTINATION VACATION, NO MORE THAN 6 HOURS FROM THE VALLEY

PINING FOR

Christmas

IS CHOPPING A CHRISTMAS TREE EVERYTHING IT’S CUT OUT TO BE?

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

One December growing up in Virginia, my parents decided the family would visit a tree farm, instead of the neighborhood Christmas tree stand.

To briefly summarize the experience: We took a long drive to an empty field with straight rows of pines and cut a tree about the same quality as the neighborhood trees.

We never did this again.

Despite this less-than-magical childhood memory, the idea of cutting a Christmas tree from an actual forest has always intrigued me. So this year, I decided to take advantage of the $15 Christmas tree permits issued by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Sections of the Apache-Sitgreaves forest sit above Payson bristle with “classic” Christmas tree varieties like Douglas fir, white fir, pinyon and even the occasional spruce.

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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6 hour drive

I have a Christmas tree permit, but also a problem: Short of backing over it with my Ford Focus, I have no way to take down a tree. At the local hardware store, I explained that I planned to chop down a pine tree in the next 24 hours, and the sales associate directed my attention to a row of futuristic black hatchets from Finland.

I splurged on a Scandinavian hatchet and then completed the kit with warm clothes, water and winter driving supplies.

It’s a straight shot up Highway 87 to Payson, and from there you climb to the top of the Mogollon Rim on Highway 260. You are now in mixed-conifer country. In the ranger station—where a stuffed bear startles visitors when they walk in—I picked up my permit and some fellow Christmas tree-choppers were happy to offer a newbie some advice.

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The Final Christmas Before The Big D. Christmas is supposed to be the happiest time of the year but sometimes it isn’t. The cheer all around and pressure to be happy can be suffocating, especially if your life isn’t exactly what appears to be.

For Stephanie, the last Christmas before she filed for divorce will never be forgotten. She and Sam knew things were bad, and this had been coming for years. But something was different this time. She had been the last one to “say it” but he hadn’t protested, he’d agreed. This was in June and they had tiptoed around one another since then, sleeping in separate rooms, living as roommates, and only speaking when absolutely necessary.

Stephanie was trying to hold it together for the kids. She knew she had to start over; she couldn’t keep living as this shell of a human that she had become. She felt lost in the role that she had fallen into or that had been assigned along the years. Life had to get better than this.

And yet, Christmas was the hardest. It was harder to avoid one another. There was more alcohol around. The kids were home from school and they knew something was going on.

More pressure was added when family flew into town because hey - everybody loves to visit Phoenix in December.

There is a reason that divorce filings peak in January. When things slow down for Christmas, it forces us to look inward and assess the situation. The New Year is a time for change and growth. That’s why we see fitness and diet centers bulging with new clients in January.

Divorce is much more than a legal event, it is a life event. We understand. At Modern Law, we practice exclusively family law and we help good people solve problems with solutions we know work. Divorce is hard, but it doesn’t have to be devastating and knowledge is power.

Start by taking some of the emotional pressure off by doing something positive toward the end goal. If you’re going through a divorce, you can access Modern Law’s free webinars, ebooks and other resources on our website at MyModernLaw.com. Get your questions answered today, and call us when you need help.

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6 hour drive “(The trees) always look smaller outdoors,” a woman told me, warning me that it’s easy to cut a bigger tree. But no matter how big your eyes, or your vehicle, the maximum height the permit allows is 10 feet.

It wasn’t until I started looking for a tree that I realized I didn’t have a game plan. Feeling like a rookie, I drove on a dirt road until I felt sufficiently far away from civilization. I parked and walked into the forest with my hatchet and gear. I wasn’t seeing any “perfect” trees.

However, in a couple minutes, I came across a little grove of Christmas tree-sized pines, including lots of white and Douglas firs. After a few minutes inspecting all the trees in the stillness of the woods, it suddenly struck me that I would probably not find any perfect trees in the forest like the ones from the tree stand.

Continuing on my search, I crossed faint old roads that looked closed for decades as I scanned the woods for trees with an eagle eye. At one point, I entered an area where nothing but longneedled Ponderosa pines grew and started to panic thinking I’d missed out on the prime Christmas trees. I had to get back home soon, so I started backtracking anxiously.

The stress evaporated when I stumbled on an area with a bonanza of different Christmas trees growing in the size I was looking for. They were growing around a little drainage, so maybe the extra rainwater created this abundance of well-formed trees.

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

When I stepped up to my first choice, I realized it would be way too big for my car. I found a smaller tree nearby that I liked, a Douglas fir. Without agonizing over the decision any longer, I went to work.

The first whack with the hatchet from Finland went in deeper than I expected. The second whack brought a pungent whiff of clean and concentrated pine smell. The rest of the cutting job went easily.

If your experience is anything like mine, as soon as your tree falls over, you will immediately spot at least a dozen trees that look better. But this is part of the game with your permit—once a tree is down, you’re done.

My badly tied tree wasn’t heavy, and as I arrived to the car, I felt an unexpected sense of triumph, as if I’d bagged a charging bull elk. Even though I tried to pick a small tree, it still barely fit in the backseat of my car. When I got home, I put it in the tree stand and took a closer look.

I could see that it was far from perfect. It had some scraggly branches and bare patches, but there was something still incredibly special about my little mossy, lichen-encrusted Douglas fir. I couldn’t have asked for a better Christmas tree. VLM

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VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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OR VISIT US ON THE WEB AT WWW.PIONEERSAND.COM

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See our new line of Madera Pavers, Lakeland Wall, Garden Wall & Turfscapes

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3336 E. Chandler Heights Road, Suite 119 (corner of Chandler Heights Rd. and Higley) Gilbert, AZ

Quality Dentistry with a Compassionate Touch!

Comprehensive Adult and Children’s Dentistry Nitrous Oxide • Oral Conscious Sedation Emergency Treatment • Cosmetic Dentistry

480.279.4790

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www.sevillefamilydentistry.com

Mon 7am-4pm | Tues 10am-7pm | Wed 9am-6pm | Thurs 9am-6pm | Friday 8am-5pm Sat 8am-3pm Weekend & Evening Appointments Available!

VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

BELOW: Award-winning Chef Daniel Pantino has helped create healthy, delicious drive-thru food at Salad and Go.

HEALTHY

On-the-Run

GILBERT’S SALAD AND GO PLANS VALLEY DOMINATION WITH HEALTHY EATING FAST FOOD CONCEPT

BY JASMINE KEMPER PHOTOS BY SAM NALVEN

What if you could order healthy, fresh and delicious food at a drive-thru? At Salad and Go, you can do just that.

The Gilbert-based gourmet drive-thru offers a new take on fast food, serving up made-to-order salads, smoothies, wraps and more.

About three and half years ago, Award-winning Chef Daniel Patino helped develop this new healthy fast food concept. As a child, he would help his grandmother in the kitchen, and that’s when he realized he had a passion for food.

Two years before his enlistment with the Marine Corps ended, he held an apprenticeship at the historic U.S. Grant Hotel in San Diego.

“I really fell in love with the industry and how everything worked,” Patino says.

When he finished the Marine Corps, Patino attended the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and landed a job at Stars Bar & Dining. From there, he worked all around the east coast before making his way back to San Francisco. That’s when he started working under Chef

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FOOD SPOTLIGHT

LEFT: Chef Pantino recommends trying their pear, pecan and celery salad to experience Salad and Go's focus on simple, clean and healthy ingredients.

OPPOSITE: The Southwestern chowder will help warm you up in these cold months with its velvety texture without the addition of butter.

Michael Mina, a celebrity chef in the San Francisco area. Chef Mina asked Patino to be his Executive Chef at Bourbon Steak in Scottsdale.

“He took me under his wing and taught me his philosophy on food, how to develop flavors and how to maximize ingredients,” Patino says.

The now owners of Salad and Go frequented Bourbon Steak and asked Patino if he’d be interested in the idea of healthy fast food. Three-and-a-half years and four East Valley locations later, this healthy drive-thru is going strong with plans to grow throughout the Valley.

“Salad and Go is flavorful, healthy food that people will come back and have because it’s really ingredient-driven. I think they have a misconception that healthy food isn’t tasty, and we’re making people realize that you can have healthy 52

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food and you can make it taste delicious and feel good about yourself when you’re eating,” Patino says.

Salad and Go focuses on balancing flavors and keeping everything as fresh as possible. Even in a drive-thru atmosphere, they make all of their dressings and cut the romaine, fruits and vegetables daily. They have 12 dressings on hand at all times and change them out with the seasons.

“Yes, it’s a struggle, but that’s why we decided to do it. It’s not really out there. We treat ingredients the way they are supposed to be treated,” Patino says.

Another thing that Salad and Go strives to do is use seasonal ingredients. Chef Patino recommends starting off with their pear and banana smoothie. To celebrate the winter season, they combine winter pears, bananas, apple juice, spinach and a little bit of ice.

“It’s literally three or four ingredients to keep it as healthy as possible. The banana really highlights the flavor in the pear,” Patino says.

To continue the winter theme, he suggests trying the pear, pecan and celery salad.

It blends together sliced pears, candied pecans, crisp

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FOOD SPOTLIGHT

ABOVE: Salad and Go's pear and banana smoothie is simple with four ingredients and perfect for the wintertime.

celery, Craisins, bleu cheese, kale, romaine and balsamic honey mustard dressing. Wintertime is the perfect time to bring out celery and pears, and the Craisins balance out the strong bleu cheese.

“It’s very simple but [with] very healthy ingredients.

With the balsamic, we use extra virgin olive oil because it’s healthier for you. I didn’t want to do a plain old honey mustard, so I played around a little bit and came up with a balsamic, whole grain honey mustard, which is a little bit different but with some of the same flavors that people are expecting,” Patino says.

The Brussels sprouts, bacon and almond salad takes its inspiration from a classic French dish, but Salad and Go added their healthy twist, Patino says.

It mixes Brussels sprouts, bacon, sliced almonds, freshcut apples and half local-mixed greens and half romaine with a bit of feta cheese sprinkled on the top.

"Those three flavor profiles are the most present and then we balance that with a champagne vinaigrette, which has high acid levels to mellow out the strong flavors of the Brussels sprouts, and the bacon in there adds a little bit of fat into it,” Patino says.

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In this chilly weather, Chef Patino also cooked up a healthy Southwestern chowder. It has roasted poblano peppers, free-range chicken, roasted corn, creamy red potatoes, onions, celery and two percent low-fat milk.

The soup is velvety and fills you up without the addition of butter.

Salad and Go’s attention to flavors and quality ingredients are what keeps them unique. Ultimately, Chef Patino hopes people will be open-minded about trying new and healthy dishes.

“I want them to walk away saying, ‘I didn’t know healthy food could taste this good.’ To me, as a chef, the challenge is to take food, make it taste really, really good and healthy at the same time,” Patino says. VLM

START YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION AT: SALAD AND GO Multiple locations throughout the East Valley saladandgo.com

YOU

Gotta Try: PEPPERMINT MOCHA

BY BREANNE DEMORE

We’ve all heard of peppermint mochas, and most of us have probably ordered the wintry drink from the closest, overly-corporate coffee shop on every corner. But Peixoto Coffee’s peppermint mocha isn’t like any you’ve had before.

First of all, Peixoto Coffee itself is unique. Named after the family who grows the beans and owns the coffee shop, Peixoto truly believes in serving the best cup of coffee they can. The Peixoto family has been growing coffee beans for over 100 years and is one of the few coffee roasting companies in the United States that has complete control of their coffee from crop-to-cup.

You can taste this excellence and care in many of Peixoto’s drinks, including their peppermint mocha. Made with Belgian dark chocolate melted into espresso, then muddled with fresh mint, it’s a little different than that “peppermint syrup” labeled pump, eh?

You can also choose to top your mocha with either peppermint or vanilla bean marshmallows, locally made and hand-crafted by Fluff It in Gilbert.

This is one peppermint mocha that you don’t have to feel guilty about ordering. It’s warm, it’s seasonal and you’re supporting multiple local companies by drinking it, after all. VLM

NO JUDGE-MINT HERE: PEIXOTO COFFEE 11 W. Boston St., Suite 6, Chandler (480) 275-2843 peixotocoffee.com

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EASY RECIPE

Too Easy!

Thai Pumpkin Soup While pumpkin season might soon be coming to a close, you can celebrate with one last (super easy!) hurrah with this fiveingredient Thai Pumpkin Soup.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

• 2 tsbp. red curry paste • 4 cups chicken/vegetable broth • 2, 15 oz. cans pumpkin puree • 1 ¾ cup coconut milk • Large red chili pepper, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Over medium heat in large saucepan, cook curry paste until fragrant (about one minute).

2. Add broth and pumpkin and stir, cooking for about 3 minutes or until bubbling.

3. Add coconut milk and cook until it’s hot for about 3 minutes.

4. Ladle into bowls, add red chili peppers and a touch of coconut milk to top.

5. Garnish with cilantro if desired. *Recipe courtesy foodiecrush.com

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SUPER SIMPLE RECIPES FOR BUSY-BUT-HUNGRY FAMILIES

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IN SEASON ORANGES

ORANGES

BY CHRISTINA CALDWELL

Despite their juicy, bright, tart flavor reminiscent of summer, oranges are actually a winter and spring fruit—especially here in the East Valley, where orange trees bloom with fragrance and turn out fruit from late December through April, thanks to our temperate climate.

Oranges are actually the name origin of the color orange, not vice versa. Believed to have originated in Asian regions like southern China and northeast India, the orange comes in two distinct flavors—the sweet orange and the bitter orange.

Both have their purposes, but the sweet orange is the one you’re most likely to use in juices, desserts and to eat on its own, whereas the bitter orange can be used for its fragrant skin’s zest or extracted into a lovely essential oil.

If you’re like us, you have an abundance of oranges on your hands thanks to your own backyard trees or neighbors graciously sharing their fruit with you.

These recipes will help you get all of the juice out of orange season. VLM

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Coconut Creamsicle Margaritas INGREDIENTS:

2 oz. grand mariner • 2 oz. orange juice • 1 ½ oz. silver tequila • 1 oz. lime juice • 1 oz. coconut water • 1 oz. canned light coconut milk • 1 oz. simple syrup • Unsweetened, shredded coconut • Honey • Orange and lime slices DIRECTIONS:

1. To rim glasses with coconut, rub a bit of honey on the rim then place glass lip down on plate of coconut. 2. Combine grand mariner, orange juice, silver tequila, lime juice, coconut water, coconut milk and simple syrup in a shaker and shake for 30 seconds. 3. Pour over ice and garnish with orange and lime wedges. *Recipe courtesy howsweeteats.com

< Sriracha

Orange Beef INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ to 2 pounds thin-cut beef (flank steak, skirt steak or similar), cut into 1-inch slices • 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced • 1 tbsp. minced garlic • 1 cup orange juice • 3 tbsp. Sriracha • 5 tbsp. soy sauce • 1 tsp. sesame oil • 2 tbsp. cold water • 1 tbsp. corn starch DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute beef, bell peppers and garlic in large skillet for 2 to 3 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant. 2. Whisk together orange juice, Sriracha and sesame oil in small bowl. 3. Add sauce to pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes. Beef should be cooked through and bell peppers should be tender. 4. In small bowl, whisk together corn starch and cold water. Add to pan and cook until thickened. 5. Serve with your choice of starch and top with red peppers, if desired. *Recipe courtesy lecremedelacrumb.com

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RESTAURANT GUIDE

SOCAL FISH TACO COMPANY, the coastal California-inspired food café, has given Gilbert’s Heritage District a surf vibe. From the East Valley family which established Mesa’s Seafood Market three decades ago, SoCal Fish Taco Company is a beachcomber’s take on today’s gastropub, serving premium microbrews and quick, zesty, affordable food in unfussy under-roof and under-the-stars patio settings. Fish tacos, wraps, fresh salads, crab cakes, large shrimp, raw oysters and chowder in a bread bowl: This is food you buy on the beach or from taco stands near the beach in El Segundo, Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach and Coronado Island. This is food that brings thoughts of the waves, billowing blue sky and feet-in-the-sand summer memories.

219. N. Gilbert Rd., Gilbert (480) 80-SOCAL (76225) www.socalfishtacos.com Mon-Sat: 11am-9pm, Closed Sundays

CALLING ALL BREAKFAST LOVERS! If you haven’t been to the Henhouse Cafe you are truly missing out. You’ll feel right at home with the friendly atmosphere and shabby chic decor. Our food is purchased locally from farm to table, We even make our own sausage in house. It’s high quality comfort food that will delight your taste buds The menu is bursting with egg items from the griddle to chicken and waffles. The homemade sausage and homemade green chile sauce is so delicious!! We don’t think you can go wrong with anything on the Henhouse Cafe menu.

3133 S. Lindsay Rd., Gilbert (480) 899-4214 3244 E Guadalupe Rd., Gilbert (480) 219-7379. www.henhouse-cafe.com Mon-Sun: 6:30am-2:00pm

THE LIVING ROOM WINE CAFÉ AND LOUNGE has been drawing crowds since their openings in Chandler’s Downtown Ocotillo, and in Scottsdale at Market Street at DC Ranch. The locally owned group is expanding into Tucson and set to open their innovative wine concept in beautiful La Encantada shopping center, mid-October. The Living Room is all about hospitality and staying true to their mantra of love, laugh and lounge. All ages are welcome. The Living Room is truly the modern day version of the Irish Pub and neighborhood uncrushed hangout; Its a chill lounge. Delicious sharable food, 25 wines and sangrias by the glass, a handpicked list of wines by the bottle, beers and spirits. Fall weekend brunch. Sit in soft seating areas or on one of the cozy patios.

Open daily at 11 am 2475 W. Queen Creek Rd., Chandler (480) 855-2848. www.livingroomwinebar.com

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PARADISE BAKERY - AT SANTAN VILLAGE. Is all that shopping making you hungry? Stop

by Paradise Bakery & Cafe at San Tan Village shopping center for a wide variety of menu selections including delicious cookies and baked goods, breakfast items, soups, salads and sandwiches. All of our menu items are prepared daily with only the finest ingredients available, just as you would at home.

We are a “hands-on” bakery and cafe concept, which is what sets us apart and keeps our loyal customers coming back, again and again. We look forward to seeing you at Paradise Bakery & Cafe at San Tan Village!

2156 E. Williams Field Rd., Gilbert (480) 889-7080. www.paradisebakery.com Mon-Fri 6am-9pm; Sat 7am-9pm; Sun 7am-8pm Breakfast: Mon-Fri 6-10am; Sat & Sun 7-11am | Free Wi-Fi

AN UPSCALE CASUAL RESTAURANT bringing authentic Creole Cajun Cuisines to the east valley. Featuring made-from-scratch dishes straight from the chef’s grandmothers’ kitchen in Louisiana. Offering many staples such as Gumbo, Étouffée, Po Boy’s and red beans and rice made with homemade Andouille sausage. Not to mention the hearty Bayou Bucket full of fresh crawfish and shrimp all flown in from Louisiana’s Gulf Coast and full of flavor.

5070 S. Gilbert Road #400, Chandler (480) 895-1655 www.creolecajunbistro.com Sunday hours are now 9:00am - 7:00pm for NFL Ticket (Football Season) Ask about our Sunday Ticket Special's!!

Tuesday-Saturday 11-10 Closed Mondays

CHoP CHANDLER is Chandler’s first locally owned steakhouse and grill. Featuring steak, seafood and the new burger bar menu.

Simply prepared seasonal fish and nightly specials are cooked to perfection on the seven-foot mesquite hardwood grill. Salads, fresh vegetables, desserts, vegetarian and lighter fare options also grace the menu. The energetic social atmosphere is amplified around the U-shaped bar. The intimate interior is filled with amber lighting, wood finishes and plush chocolate leather booths.

Enjoy an extensive wine list, beers and spirits.

Happy hour 4 to 6 pm. ChoP’s private dining area will accommodate parties of 50, is equipped and perfect for business meetings.

Open daily at 4 pm 2625 W. Queen Creek Rd., Chandler (480) 821-0009. www.chopchandler.com

ROCK LOBSTER IS THE SUSHI ROOM reinvented. Promising fun, energy and the authentic creativity of Teppanyaki. Rock Lobster has 25 menu items and all of The Sushi Room favorites. A huge Sake line-up, Asian beers and spirits add to any occasion.

The Teppanyaki room is perfect for special events and celebrations. This is Downtown Ocotillo’s place to party, an exciting night out and affordable for families. Happy hour daily. Reservations are suggested for the Teppanyaki tables.

2475 W. Queen Creek Rd., Chandler (480) 821-9000. www.rocklobsterrocks.com

Merry Christmas!

At the San Marcos

Join us for a delicious Christmas Celebration!

Cold Items • Hot Items • Desserts • Kids Menu Chef-Attended Stations featuring:

Chef-Prepared Omelet Station with Assorted Fillings & Toppings Dijon Mustard Crusted Pork Loin with Dijon Pork Glaze Maple & Ginger Ale-Glazed Ham with Fresh Herbs Herb-Encrusted Prime Rib with Rosemary Au Jus & Creamed Horseradish

Please Call 480-857-4401 for Reservations Seatings Between 10AM and 3PM, December 25, 2015 $49 per Adult; $15 per Child 12 and under plus 8.1% tax and 20% gratuity

WWW.SANMARCOSRESORT.COM | RESERVATIONS: 480-857-4401

One San M arcos Place Chandler, A Z 85225

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datebook

GREAT DATES COMPILED BY JUSTIN STABLEY

Hot Chocolate Run SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

Eat chocolate without the guilt at the Hot Chocolate Run in Scottsdale! This is a 15K or 5K excursion where participants are awarded with specially blended fondue and dark chocolate squares at the finish line. The first place medal is also a metalwrapped chocolate bar, specially decorated with the desert landscape of Arizona. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, hotchocolate15k.com

4th Annual Phoenix Festival of the Arts FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

The weekend-long event in the heart of Downtown Phoenix will be packed with live arts and entertainment alongside over 125 vendor booths. Local muralist Hugo Medina invites anyone ready to express their inner artist to help create the new Phoenix Mural. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1202 N. Third St., Phoenix, (602) 534-2406, phoenixfestivalofthearts.org

Muse SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5

Catch a seat at an epic show when Muse hits Glendale.

The legendary English band is on their Drones tour and are traveling with the hot electronic group Phantogram.

Catch a night of heart-quaking, stereotype-shattering alt rock this month. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale, (623) 772-3200, ticketmaster.com

Trans-Siberian Orchestra SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6

The progressive rock group, made immortal by their series of Christmas rock operas, is ready to wow you on stage this December. For one night, experience the epic ballads from a group listed on Billboard’s Top 25 Touring Artists of the past decade. Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Ave., Glendale, (623) 7723200, ticketmaster.com

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Ballet Arizona’s 'The Nutcracker' FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11 THROUGH SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27

The most famous ballet ever made is coming to the Valley for its annual return. Ballet Arizona’s "The Nutcracker" will light up the stage with over 150 performers and hundreds of dazzling costumes. Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix, (602) 381-0184, balletaz.org

So You Think You Can Dance SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12

The hit show is coming to you live for their Season 12 Tour. Get a front seat to the biggest dance phenomenon on television and do your part when you vote for your favorite couple. Comerica Theatre, 400 W. Washington St., Phoenix, (602) 379-2800, comericatheatre.com

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers THURSDAY, DECEMBER 31

The Tempe-based band, also known as RCPM, is rocking the old year away at Marquee Theatre.

The cross-genre group is going to be in the Valley on New Year’s Night to celebrate the only way it knows how—with a party! Marquee Theatre, 730 N. Mill Ave., Tempe, (480) 829-0607

CitySkate THROUGH MONDAY, JANUARY 11

It’s the most wonderful time of the year when CityScape is transformed into the winter capital of the city, complete with lights, music, and of course, an ice skating rink surrounding a colorful Christmas tree. Cityscape, 1 E. Washington St., Phoenix, (602) 772-3900, cityskatephx.com

World’s Best Sand Sculpting Championship SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 AND SUNDAY, DECEMBER 13

Prepare to get awed by the skills of 10 world-class sand sculpting artist as they battle it out for a $19,000 prize and the title of World’s Best Sand Sculptor. It might be winter, but you can find the beach at the event with beach-themed actitivies, entertainment and food, plus holiday vendors to cross some shopping off your list. The weather is cool and the sand sculptures are hot, so head on out this month. Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale, saltriverfields.com

Carnival of Illusion SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12 AND SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19

Get an intimate look into the world of mystery with Carnival of Illusion. The show is packed with old fashioned magic and tricks without the overblown lights and explosions of Las Vegas. Here you get a pure, up-close experience in the world of bewitching illusion. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa, (480) 644-6500, mesaartscenter.com VALLEY LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | DECEMBER 2015

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FINAL THOUGHTS

A VERY IMPERFECT CHRISTMAS

BY CHRISTINA CALDWELL

In the last couple years, in order to reduce stress around the holidays, my family has been asking each other point blank what we want for gifts.

It’s an efficient system, to be sure, but it does take a bit of the wonder out of Christmas.

Many of us will scramble to have the perfect holiday this year—to find the perfect gift. Our perfectly-worded holiday cards will be adorned by the perfect prose explaining our perfect year, and of course our perfectly-posed holiday pictures, which were actually taken in August, will make their perfect appearance, showing the world just how perfectly together we are.

We all know the reality is usually far from perfect, but when stress comes into play this time of the year, it’s easy to put on the facade. But truthfully, my favorite holiday memories are some the least perfect moments.

When I was 9, I found my Easter basket hidden in a cupboard. “No, don’t open that!” my mom yelled, but it was too late. I found out the truth about the Easter Bunny. My doubts about Santa Claus were at an all-time high.

That same year I conceived a plan to sneak out of my room and catch the big man in the act on Christmas, and it didn’t take much effort. It turns out that the big man was my own dad, loudly lugging out a giant teddy bear out of the shed that was perfectly visible from my second-story bedroom. The next morning it was marked “To: Christina, From: Santa.” And of 64

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course, Santa’s thank you note for the milk and cookies looked suspiciously (well, no, exactly) like my mom’s handwriting.

Every Christmas, while splitting a bottle (or five) of wine on the patio with the family, my mom recounts one Christmas Eve night. She was dozing off to sleep, planning on waking up early to place all of the presents under the tree, when she heard something on the roof. It sounded like hooves and jingle bells.

And every year we roll our eyes, assuming mom is just trying to get my brother, his wife and me (all around 30 years old) to believe in the magic of Christmas again. Every year I don’t tell her that I really do believe her. Every year it adds just a touch of childhood whimsy to an otherwise very adult Christmas.

While the Christmas loot under the tree is fun, I always try to think back to the previous year. What were the gifts I received?

I usually can’t remember.

But I always remember mom’s story, dad’s clumsy Santa impression and the warm feeling I get each holiday, despite the chill in the air. It’s not technically perfect by all commercial and societal standards, but it’s my personal definition of perfect.

I wish I could package that feeling and take a hit of it during every stressful deadline and every minor argument throughout the year. It’s the feeling that everything is going to be OK when these people are in my life. Who needs perfection? I have my beautifully imperfect family. VLM