LIVING
toscana
KEEPING YOU IN THE KNOW
KEEP IT COOL JUNE 2020
Our Staff. Community Manager Nicole Careaga ncareaga@toscanaliving.net Assistant Community Manager Christine Reeder creeder@toscanaliving.net Lifestyle Director Mark Gatchell mgatchell@toscanaliving.net Concierge Director Katie Lucas klucas@toscanaliving.net Administrative Assistant Wade Longworth wlongworth@toscanaliving.net Community Patrol/Admin Saffron Caudle scaudle@toscanaliving.net Facilities Director John Raabe jraabe@toscanaliving.net Maintenance Staff Ignacio Santana, Daniel Renteria Night Managers Don Meeks, Jackie Hernandez 480.861.0875 Gate House Staff Chet Sanders, Joshua Oakley, Laura Taylor, Nina Fader, MaryJane Vital, Brian Stower 480.513.0602 ASSOCIATION OFFICE 5450 E Deer Valley Drive Building 2 Phoenix, AZ 85054 480.585.0808
AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY 480.234.9288
toscanaliving.net
Nicole's Noteables WE APPRECIATE YOU By Nicole Careaga For the past 12 weeks we have lived a very different plan than what most of us had visualized for ourselves. In the midst of State and City closures, orders to stay at home, and just new information coming at us every day it has been hectic, scary and, quite frankly, confusing.
Here at Toscana we saw things quite different as well; many of you were working from home, missing your families and wondering about the future. This month, as many of us are returning to offices, and starting out on the adventure of the new normal, I want to thank you! Over the past three months the team has received so much support from all of you our Toscana Family. We appreciate you being our team members during this time; working with us to point out potential concerns, thanking the team as you pass them on the property and working together to keep each other safe. Residents have been amazing and have helped each other by grabbing groceries, assisting with packages
and walking in physicallydistanced groups. The world around us is everchanging, and we are all doing our best to just keep up. As new and pertinent information is made available, we work to keep resident apprised via email and other media. We appreciate your patience as we navigate the changes that are happening for committee and Board meetings, events and just being able to hang out with you at coffee social or around the office. If you have any questions, ideas, or just want to have a conversation please do not hesitate to give us a call or send an email. We have missed you and are anxious to get back and see you all. PAGE 2
WELCOME WADE Toscana's new friendly face at the front desk Please join our team in welcoming our new Administrative Assistant, Wade Longworth. Wade comes to Toscana with a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from ASU and extensive customer service experience. Wade is a self-proclaimed "sports guy." He's an avid golfer, college and pro football fan, and enjoys playing basketball in the park with his friends. As stadiums begin to reopen, you may even catch him in the physically-distanced crowds, cheering on his native Minnesotan teams (Go Vikes!). When not enjoying structured sports, Wade gets his physical activity accomplished by going to the gym or jogging around the block. Wade would love to someday become a petparent to a beautiful puppy, with whom he can share his favorite meal: a great steak and some gooey mac and cheese. Of course, the meal wouldn't be complete without a full-on family barbecue, one of Wade's favorite nonsports activities.
You know how they say we only use 10 percent of our brains? I think we only use 10 percent of our hearts. -Wedding Crashers
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Wade likes to wind-down with a good movie. He's a fan of everything from horror, to comedy, and everything in between, and is anxiously awaiting the responsible reopening of movie theaters. One of Wade's favorite movies is Wedding Crashers, a 2005 Buddy Comedy, staring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson. Wade can be contacted via email at wlongworth@toscanaliving.net or via the office phone at 480-585-0808 during regular business hours. Please take a moment to virtually introduce yourselves! He can't wait to get to know you.
E L Y T S E IF
toscana
L
by Mark Gatchell
It's Summer Time! Summer has arrived, and now is the time to keep things cool. With the stay-athome order lifted and many businesses opening slowly, I know many of you are anxious to get out and about. The amenity centers at Toscana are open, including our pools, which we hope will begin to give you some relief from being cooped up over the last few weeks. As your Lifestyle Director, I want to thank you for your positive emails and kind words. It only shows what I have known for so long that our residents are the best out there. Many of you have joined in on the new 10 for 30 chit chat sessions, which have been a huge hit. It’s a great time to share thoughts, ideas, and a smile with residents you might not have seen for a few weeks. We will continue to bring you our chat sessions, and many more opportunities to connect with your friends and neighbors. The new Feud Night has been a huge hit with so many of you, and the 1960’s trivia night saw our most significant number of residents joining in. There will be more fun online games moving forward with plenty of fabulous prizes for you to win! I know we are all missing our in-person
lifestyle events, and I am looking forward to bring them back as soon as possible. We are working hard with our Board of Directors and the Toscana team to ensure our events provide a safe and welcoming environment for our Toscana residents. As with many things in our lives these days, moving forward, our events will look a little different and some new guidelines will be in place. Still, our efforts are to continue to bring you your favorite signature events and, of course, all of the other fun-filled activities you love. Thank you again for all of your positive emails and phone calls. I cannot wait to see all your faces again and to re-connect! Please remember that each of us have our own level of concerns at this time, and I appreciate all of you for being kind and understanding at this time. We are genuinely all in this together! PAGE 4
NEIGHBORS' FAVORITES
There's nothing better on a hot summer day than that first sip of a chilled drink.
STRAWBERRY LIMEADE
MELON SORBET FLOAT
INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup lime juice • 1/3 cup sugar (sugar substitute) • 1/3 cup water • 1/2 lb sliced strawberries • 20-30 mint leaves • 2 cups cold water
INGREDIENTS • assorted melon balls (watermelon, honeydew, cantaloupe, etc) • 2 scoops lemon, raspberry, or other fruity sorbet • fresh mint leaves • seltzer water
DIRECTIONS 1. To make the simply syrup, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan, and cook over medium high heat for 5 – 10 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is clear.
DIRECTIONS 1. Freeze the melon balls for at least three hours until frozen. 2. To make the drink, put the sorbet into a bottom of a glass, then top with the frozen melon balls. Drop in as much fresh mint as you’d like and then top with seltzer water.
2. In a large mason jar or a pitcher, combine the lime juice, simply syrup, strawberries, mint, and water. Let sit in the refrigerator for 2 – 3 hours. Serve and enjoy! PAGE 5
3. Let the sorbet melt to sweeten and flavor the drink. Enjoy!
CONNECTION
community
by Katie Lucas
SUPPORTING AREA BUSINESSES As area businesses begin to slowly reopen, many of you may be wondering how to best support them, whether you're ready to get out of the house, or would rather stay in the relative safety of home. Here are some ideas on helping your favorite retailers as we navigate the return to normalcy. 1. Buy Online most stores, even local businesses, have an option to purchase goods online. This is a great way to show support, no matter your comfort level. Many companies even offer "curbside pickup" which still gets you out of the house, but limits physical contact. 2. Purchase Gift Cards for your friends and family that may not be comfortable shopping just yet. This provides funds to the business immediately, without the pressure to spend time in-store. 3. Spread the Word on social media, or just in general conversations. Word of mouth is huge for businesses. So, share your positive experiences to keep people coming back to your favorite stores. 4. Leave a big tip when you dine out (whether picking up or dining in). Servers are struggling as less people have been coming through the doors. Show them how much you appreciate the work they put in by throwing in a little extra cash.
5. Schedule a service for later if you don't need one now, or are just uncomfortable going out. Let these businesses know they have clients coming to help keep their doors open! 6. Be Kind to employees and other guests alike. Everyone is stressed right now and could use an extra dose of kindness. Lines are long, services are limited, and others may not respond to the pandemic the same way you are, and that's okay. Remember we are all just trying to get through a tough time. Don't forget to use your VIP Guide, as well! The vendors in this guide have shown support for the Toscana community for many years, and it's time we returned the favor. Hop on over to High Street, Desert Ridge, or the Scottsdale Promenade, where so many of the businesses have offered Toscana exclusive discounts, fun giveaways, held lively events, and more. The latest version of the VIP Guide can be found online on the ToscanaLiving.net website under the Community Documents tab, and physical copies are available in amenity centers. VIP cards have also been placed in these areas, to assist residents who may have lost theirs. PAGE 6
Chris's
CORNER
by Chris Reeder
Toscana Quarantine Projects What's been happening during "lockdown"
Like many of you who took on additional household cleaning or various "major" projects during Governor Ducey's stay-at-home order, the Toscana management team decided to use required closures to our advantage. During the mandated closure of our pools and fitness areas of the Toscana community, which means less down time in amenity areas for the remainder of the year. Both gyms had a deep clean completed in preparation for re-opening. The wall fans installed during the Palazzo Grande renovation received positive feedback- so duplicate fans were installed in the Building 10 gym. Two new pieces of fitness equipment, previously approved by the Board of Directors were installed in Palazzo Grande. The pools were all acid washed, which is a periodic maintenance item moved up on the schedule. The gas lines to the grills at the Palazzo Grande have been replaced, and the pool deck over the lines is scheduled to be repaired. LED lighting has been updated inside the pools, and the tile work at the water’s edge repaired where needed in each pool. The spring palm tree pruning has been completed as well! The pool furniture has received a good scrubbing and will be cleaned each day. We thank our maintenance team and vendors for completing all of these and more during the “down time” in the community.
PAGE 7
THE
MAINTENANCE REPORT
by John Raabe
SPLASHING INTO SUMMER FUN Summer means fun in our community, but while you’re using the pool this season, please remember to be safe and courteous of others so everyone can maximize their enjoyment. Keep these tips in mind: Follow the rules. A full list of regulations and guidelines are posted at each amenity. Local authorities mandate many of these rules, and others have been enacted for your safety. If you see someone violating the rules, please alert a community team member. Remember to share. As temperatures rise, more and
more people want to use the pool.
Pay attention to your family and
connections between your
surroundings.
families. The pool is a great
Drownings can occur at any time, and
place to make new friends,
the sound of a child calling out for help
while staying physically
could be lost in the noise of activity. If
distanced.
you notice an emergency situation, call 911 immediately and then notify a team
We hope you have a great
member.
summer and look forward to seeing you out and about in
Keep the area clean.
the community.
If you bring food or drinks (no glass is allowed) within the pool area, please
If you have
remember to properly dispose of trash.
any questions, please email
Also, all food and drinks must be kept
any member of our team or
away from the pool edge. This helps to
call the Association Office at
keep the amenities clean and free of
480-585-0808.
pests. Stay safe!
Be cognizant of available space
Be friendly and have fun.
around you and ensure everyone
Summer is a great opportunity to spend
has a place to swim and play.
time with your neighbors and build
PAGE 8
LUXURY LANDSCAPE BY DLC RESOURCES
June Update With triple digit temperatures arriving in May this year, DLC Resources is preparing your landscape for the summer ahead. A large part of our summer landscape preparation will be continuing to promote the transition of winter Ryegrass to summer Bermuda. You should already be seeing some of the fresh green Bermuda emerging from underneath the Rye. We will be continuing to support your Bermuda crop by applying fertilizer, soil amendments and adjusting your irrigation system to give your turf areas adequate water. We are continuing to maintain low mow heights, which reduces the height of any Ryegrass still growing so that sunlight can reach the Bermuda grass underneath. We will begin raising these heights as Bermuda fills in to your grassy areas!
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As spring blooms begin continue to drop from trees and shrubs, our crews are focusing on cleaning the debris within scheduled cycle work. We’re also continuing to perform routine shrub trimming and maintenance – pruning back shrubs to keep them from encroaching on sidewalks and curbs. To help ensure your landscape receives the necessary hydration as temperatures increase, we have increased irrigation run times throughout Toscana. Our irrigation team is also conducting routine checks of your irrigation system and performing repairs or adjustments as needed. In other news, DLC Crews have now installed new Hibiscus, Cordelia and Lantana shrubs at the Memorial Monument. Be sure to take a peek at these new additions next time you’re in the area!
UPCOMING MEETINGS LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE Tuesday, June 9, 2pm LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE Tuesday, June 16, 2pm
Meetings will be hosted online via ZOOM. Check your weekly Lifestyle e-Blast for attendance links.
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