Toscana Living May

MAY 2018

Living

INSIDE CINCO DE DERBY

JEROME HISTORICAL HOME TOUR

Toscana Lifestyle A WORD FROM THE LIFESTYLE DIRECTOR

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By Chris Reeder, Lifestyle Director

Are you looking for a daily dose of Toscana?

If so, you may want to check out the Toscana Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/toscanaliving.

There you will find frequent posts including upcoming activities, community updates and photos of past events. Feel free to post your favorite Toscana photos to share with the community too!

If Facebook doesn’t suit you, maybe Twitter does - our handle is #ToscanaDRLiving. We do our best to keep our Toscana family up-to-date using a variety of communication platforms.

Between the monthly e-Newsletter, weekly email updates, printed material in all building elevators and electronic marketing, I feel we are meeting our goals to communicate effectively with the community.

TOSCANA SIGNATURE EVENTS TOSCANA RESIDENT FRIDAY SOCIALS Fridays in May at 5 PM, Palazzo Grande RSVP by Friday at noon Food, fun and conversation in the Palazzo Grande Fiesta Kitchen - open to all Toscana residents. Join us for some snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. BYOB! The Friday Socials are FREE. CINCO DE DERBY Saturday, May 6, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Palazzo Grande Kitchen Cost: $3 per person; RSVP by May 4

5450 E. Deer Valley Drive Building 2 Phoenix, AZ 85054 www.toscanaliving.net Phone: 480-585-0808 Fax: 480-585-2859 Night Manager: 480-861-0875 Gate House: 480-513-0602 STAFF Dick Rosenhagen, PCAM Community Manager drosenhagen@toscanaliving.net Nicole Careaga, CMCA Assistant Community Manager ncareaga@toscanaliving.net Christine Reeder Lifestyle Director creeder@toscanaliving.net Alicja Davis Concierge adavis@toscanaliving.net Katie Lucas Administrative Assistant klucas@toscanaliving.net NIGHT MANAGERS: Don Meeks Jackie Hernandez 480-861-0875 MAINTENANCE: John Raabe Maintenance Supervisor Keith Buc Ignacio Santana GATE HOUSE: Ron McCroskey, Saffron Caudle Chet Sanders, Tom Cagle, Willie Davis 480-513-0602

Join your neighbors to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby!

Start out this double special day with a healthy brunch burrito bar! Come for the yummy burritos and stay for the race! It’s only $3 per person, and you may want to bring your own bourbon... or tequila!

ON THE COVER April at Toscana

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Toscana Lifestyle

DIAMONDBACKS VS HOUSTON ASTROS Sunday, May 6, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Chase Field - Departing Toscana at noon Cost: $44, transportation included This should be an awesome game with our D-Backs hosting the World Series Champs, the Houston Astros! Your $44 ticket includes: transportation, parking and admission to the game. Game starts at 1:10pm, depart Toscana at noon. Tickets are limited and may sell out!

“PROUD TO DRINK AMERICAN” WINE TASTING CLASS AT TOTAL WINE Tuesday, May 8, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Total Wine in Scottsdale Cost: $40 per person Embrace the American spirit as you taste through these incredible wines produced in Washington State, Oregon and California! This tasting showcases the elegant Pinot Noirs produced with Oregon’s famed Willamete Valley accompanied by the wonderfully balanced wines of Washington State and the lush and bountiful wines of California. Tickets are $40per person.

TRUCKING TUESDAY - BACK IN THYME FOOD TRUCK Tuesday, May 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

RSVP by April 20 Come on down to the Palazzo Grande pool area for dinner! The Back in Thyme food truck will be serving from 5-7 p.m. Bring your appetite and your wallet! Check out their Facebook page HERE. JEROME HISTORICAL HOME TOUR Saturday, May 19, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Jerome, AZ Cost: $99 per person, includes tranportation RSVP by May 14 Recently voted as one of “America’s Coolest Small Towns” by BudgetTravel.com readers, the former mining town is one of the most popular sites in Northern Arizona to visit. Upon arriving in Jerome, you will board their vans to tour several historic homes. Other homes are within walking distance. Lots of walking on this tour & space is limited.

TOSCANA TEAM TRIVIA Saturday, May 26, from 5:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Building 10 Join your Toscana neighbors for an evening of great conversation and live team trivia. Teams will be organized as you arrive- or you may register as a team of six. Special prizes and bragging rights to the winning teams! Go for the Big Brain Award!

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Toscana Events and Programs Clubs

May 2018 Monday

Sunday

Events Association Tuesday

Wednesday 1

6 DIAMONDBACKS VS ASTROS GAME OFFSITE 12PM

MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM BILLIARDS HAPPY HOUR PG 5PM LANDSCAPE COMMITTEE PV 2PM

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13

14 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM BILLIARDS HAPPY HOUR PG 5PM

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21 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM BILLIARDS HAPPY HOUR PG 5PM

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28 MAHJONG CLUB PG 6:30PM BILLIARDS HAPPY HOUR PG 5PM

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8 RUMMYCUBE PG 1PM WINE TASTING AT TOTAL WINE OFFSITE 6PM LIFESTYLE COMMITTEE PV 1PM

PING PONG PV 11AM TRUCKIN’ TUESDAY PG 5PM

RUMMYCUBE PG 1PM

COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM

2

Thursday HAND & FOOT PG 6PM

Friday 3

COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM

Saturday 4

5 CINCO DE DERBY PG 11AM

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10 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM

11 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM

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15

16 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM BOOK CLUB PV 6:30PM

17 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM

18 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM

19 JEROME HISTORICAL HOME TOUR OFFSITE 8AM

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23 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM

24 OWNER/BOD WORKSHOP PV9AM HAND & FOOT PG 6PM

25 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM FRIDAY SOCIAL PG 5PM

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30 COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM

31 HAND & FOOT PG 6PM

COFFEE SOCIAL PG 9AM BILLIARDS PG 1PM POKER CLUB PG 6PM

TRIVIA NIGHT PV 5:45PM

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Toscana Lifestyle

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CONCIERGE CORNER

By Alicja Davis, Concierge

The Valley of the Sun comprises several cities and towns that offer visitors and locals unique experience and flavor.

Phoenix is the heart of the vibrant metro area, and the city’s downtown is a great place to enjoy a variety of attractions including sports arenas, live concerts, museums, galleries, theaters, rooftop lounges, and gourmet restaurants. The expanded light rail system allows an easy and affordable access to all major locations like Phoenix Convention Center or Symphony Hall.

Located in the heart of city’s downtown, CityScape is a dynamic urban destination that offers a nice variety of retail shops, restaurants, and sophisticated entertainment including a bowling alley, a comedy theater, live music, and more.

If you are an art and coffee enthusiast, Roosevelt Row is the place to visit. This eclectic mix of art galleries, boutique and coffee shops was named by USA Today as one of the country’s 10 Best City Art Districts. The neighborhood’s monthly ‘First Fridays’ art walk brings locals and visitors for a night of art, music, and food as the galleries open their doors and welcome the community for free.

If you’re not afraid of heights head to the chic Lustre Rooftop Bar and enjoy the skyline views of downtown and the evening under the stars.

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Both kids and adults alike will experience lots of fun while “enduring” forces of nature at the Arizona Science Center.

With more than 300 hands-on exhibits, you can learn a great deal about basic body functions, perform a virtual heart surgery, lay on the needle bed, and even survive a hurricane.

Looking for a laid back atmosphere and western flavor - head to Cave Creek, located just 20 minutes north of Toscana.

Cave Creek is a picturesque town full of old fashioned charm and unique enter tainment.

Stop at the Buffalo Chip Saloon for the best BBQ and the bull riding show on Wednesdays and Fridays. Yeehaw!

Historic downtown Glendale is another interesting town that takes you back in time. Explore the vintage and specialty boutiques while walking down the lovely streets featuring beautiful craftsman style cottages turned into the gift shops and galleries.

Always please feel free to stop by my desk with any questions on places to visit or things to do. There is an abundance of information online, but I’m happy to be your resource!

Happy exploring!

In and Around Toscana UPDATES FROM YOUR MAINTENANCE TEAM

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By John Raabe, Maintenance Supervisor Drain Cleaning I would like to talk about drain blockages and backups in sinks that happen quite frequently at Toscana. So far this year the community has had eight backups.

In previous articles we reviewed the items that can cause blockages. When the garbage disposal is not properly used or improper things are poured down the drain it can cause a blockage that can back up into your neighbors’ unit, causing substantial monetary damage, for which you may be held liable.

Below is a list of items to avoid putting down your garbage disposal: Greens, Celery Stalks, Nuts and Seeds, Coffee Grounds, Fats and Grease, Fruit Pits, Paper, Plastic, and Glass,

Starchy Items (Rice, Potatoes, Pasta, etc.), Shells (Egg and shellfish) and Bones, and Vegetable Peelings.

Some items our plumbers have pulled out of our clogged drains include rags and handy wipes or flushable wipes.

Even though they are marketed as flushable they really are not and can cause serious problems.

This summer myself and my team will be doing trunk line jetting to try to alleviate some of these blockages, but in the meantime I would like to try something to help the issue and maybe make our job easier this summer and move a little quicker.

I have ordered several cases of an enzyme that you can pour down the drains and it will eat away most of the debris and clean out the pipes. My hopes is that all residents that are in a top floor unit can come grab a bottle and utilize it over the next couple weeks to help clean out the drains.

Residents can come to Palazzo Centro and request a bottle or if they send me an email I will bring a bottle up to them with instructions on how to use it.

ASSISTANT MANAGER UPDATES

By Nicole Careaga, Assistant Manager Please join us in welcoming Katie Lucas to the Toscana team!

Katie has a previous experience in the community management environment and as taken over Kevin Wiegel’s Administrative Assistant position, effective May 1.

With her knowledge in CCMC systems and protocol, we expect that Katie will be learning the nuances of the new community and faces quickly.

Katie has lived the majority of her life in Arizona.

She is a graduate of NAU, home of the Lumberjacks.

She has been married to her husband, Josh for just over

two years and they have a precious little boy, Oliver along with two fur babies; Bruce a Pit-bull and Illyana a Rottweiler mix.

She is a busy new mom however, in her spare time she likes to spend time with her family at home and doing her crafts.

Her husband plays the guitar in a band that Katie manages to keep them busy performing.

We are excited to add Katie to the team and we know you will be excited to meet her!

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In and Around Toscana

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ADMINISTRATIVE UPDATES

By Kevin Wiegel, Administrative Assistant Good Day My Friends!

RESIDENT GROUPS, CLUBS & CLASSES

For those of you that haven’t heard, by the time you read this I will have moved on to another position within the CCMC family. I have been offered and have accepted a position with Alex Wright at Superstition Mountain Owners Association in the east valley. Some of you may remember Alex as Nicole’s predecessor, in the assistant manager position here at Toscana. I’m looking forward to working with him as his Administrative Coordinator.

Thank you for all the well wishes I’ve received before my departure.

I’ve got one last small Toscana item to mention before I go. Many of you know that all the staff here at the administration office love pets; most of us have them and love to visit with yours. Previously, we have been inconsistent in enforcing the Pet Policy which states that pets of any kind are not allowed in the amenity buildings.

The team realizes that the policy is in place to shield those allergic to pets and the need to enforce all policies equally. Therefore, effective immediately, we can no longer allow pets into any of the amenity areas, including the administrative building. At the same time, remember that pets are not to be left outside any amenity area, including the pools, while you “pop inside for a minute”.

We thank you in advance for your understanding!

Thank you again for the opportunity to share in your lives. It’s been fun.

BILLIARDS CLUB: Wednesdays at 1:00pm, Billiards Room in PG. Contact: Lynn at 602-301-5010 BILLIARDS HAPPY HOUR: Mondays at 5pm in PG BYOB BINGO: TBD at 6:00pm, PG $6 per card, Contact: Marge at 480-585-0494 BOOK CLUB: May 16 in PV, 6:30pm CHAIR YOGA: returning in fall COFFEE SOCIAL: Each Wednesday and Friday at 9:00am in PG Kitchen GENTLE YOGA: returning in fall HAND & FOOT CLUB: Thursdays at 6pm, PG. Contact Marge at 480-585-0494

HIKING CLUB: returning in fall LADIES PING PONG: TBD MAHJONG CLUB: Mondays at 6:30pm, PG. RUMMYCUBE: 2nd and 4th Tuesdayat 1pm in PG STUD POKER CLUB: Wednesdays at 6:00pm, PG. Bring $5 and your poker face. Contact Phil at 480-513-3615.

TAI CHI: Last session this season is May 3; returning in fall WATER AEROBICS: Returning in fall

“I’m gonna go and find something else for my entire life to be about.”

From The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

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Please see your lifestyle director for more info or a new club idea!

In and Around Toscana MANAGER TIDBITS

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By Dick Rosenhagen, Community Manager FRONT DOOR RE-PAINT PROJECT As you are aware, the painting contractor CertaPro had some issues with the paint adhering to the front doors of units. After multiple tests being completed working with the paint manufacturer, Sherwin Williams, they have found a good solution and we are ready to move forward with re-painting the front doors.

Beginning the week of Monday, May 14, CertaPro will start re-painting the front doors in Building 1. The good news is that they will be able to be painted in place so we will not need them to be opened during this process. All of the front doors in the buildings will be re-painted and the schedule will be sent out in coming email blasts so please be on the lookout for further information.

GYM REMINDERS Please be courteous to your neighbors and rerack weights, avoid talking on your cell phone, use headphones and most importantly wipe down the equipment after each use. On a good day, a single piece of gym equipment may have multiple users and unfortunately not all residents are wiping down the equipment.

All it takes to catch a cold is to touch an infected surface and rub your eyes or nose. We do clean the machines but it is still easy to become exposed to another person’s sweat if you use the machine shortly after they do.

To protect yourself,

I would strongly suggest wiping down the machines both before and after your workout.

Cleaning wipes are available for your convenience at both Building 10 and Palazzo Grande gyms.

RANKING ARIZONA Do you love living in Toscana? Let the world know; vote for our community in the 2018 Ranking Arizona Survey.

Each year, AZ Big Media allows Arizona residents to vote in a variety of categories, including Condominiums: High-Rise Living. Voting is now open; you’re able to vote once per day, so visit the voting site regularly and support your community! Thank you for taking pride in Toscana.

We’re glad this feels like home.

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In and Around Toscana MOVIE REVIEW: A QUIET PLACE

By Gil Berkowitz FILM EXPLORES THE MEANING OF SILENCE

For you lovers of intense sci-fi horror films “A Quiet Place” is a dandy. John Krasinski director, co-writer and star constructs a suspenseful film that keeps us on edge throughout . It is the exploration of the use of the lack of sound to create tension and fearful anticipation. It reeks of understated terror. The year is 2020 and aliens have attacked earth. The invasion began about three months ago. The plot is simple but quite original. In the film’s first sequence we meet the Abbot family.

Mom Evelyn (Emily Blunt), Dad Lee (John Krasinski) and their three children.

They are Regan, who is deaf, Marcus who is ill and Beau, who is too young to understand the situation.

M i l l i c e n t Simmonds, who plays Regan is deaf in real-life. Emily Blunt and John Krasinski are husband and wife in reallife.

The aliens are quite unique. They can only find and eat the humans if they make a sound. Regan gives her brother Beau a toy rocket that he sneaks batteries into.

As the family is walking single file back from a scavenger

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trip, the rocket flares into the sky. The sound attracts the aliens. Lee tries to get to Beau but is not fast enough.

The family is haunted by grief. Regan is tormented by her guilt over Beau’s death. She and her father have a strained relationship. She perceives that he is unhappy with her. They are both frustrated by his failure to build a hearing aid for her. With the usual dialogue muted all other gestures and eye movements are enhanced and intensified, There is a chilling scene in a bathtub while the aliens creatures are walking through the their home; a gripping moment in a silo full of sifting grain.

“A Quiet Place” is an unusual study in deafness and intimacy. It is about hearing and how to communicate with gestures and expressions. It is one of the better alien horror films in years. It plays at Harkins theaters throughout the valley and runs for one hour and thirty minutes. Rated PG- because of violence and disturbing images.

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