Toltec Custom Homes orchestrates masterpieces for beautiful living. Whether you own land to be built upon or you are looking for the perfect homesite to build your masterpiece, make Toltec Custom Homes part of your decision-making process. For more information, call 480.244.6347 or visit www.tolteccustomhomes.com.
JULY 2008
A Little About “Toltec”
The Toltec were an ancient civilization of Mexico. The name in Nahuatl means “master builders.” Influenced by Teotihuacán and the Olmec culture, they were masters in the arts and architecture. The Toltec civilization was materially far advanced. They smelted metals and their stonework was highly developed. The Toltec were artists, architects and engineers far ahead of their time. Later, the Aztec people used the term “Toltec” to refer to a person who was the embodiment of great knowledge and wisdom.
A Little About Toltec Custom Homes
Greg Hammond, President Toltec Custom Homes _________ Monica Hammond, CEO Toltec Custom Homes Owner/Agent
Greg Hammond, President and Owner of Toltec Custom Homes, has over twenty years of experience in the Arizona building industry. He has assembled an outstanding team of extraordinary professionals to deliver the pinnacle in quality, material, workmanship and service to meet and exceed clients’ expectations in the custom homebuilding experience. Toltec Custom Homes prides itself in utilizing leading edge technology to expedite and enhance the building process. In the field, Toltec Custom Homes has all information concerning each project on hand through the Build Links technology; plans, blueprints, schedules, projections, progress photos, contracts, contacts etc. are all accessible through a password protected webbased management and communication system. Since Toltec Custom Homes’ field personnel are armed with wireless PC technology, this allows access to important information at all times to keep the projects moving; any time, anywhere. It is both art and science in the building of a home that is both aesthetically beautiful and functionally practical, and Toltec Custom Homes embraces both aspects.
A Little About How Toltec’s Knowledge Can Help You…
Not only can Toltec Custom Homes create the home of your dreams, but their extensive knowledge of land/lots in affluent areas, and their real estate expertise is at your disposal. Monica Hammond, CEO of Toltec Custom Homes and a licensed Realtor®, can aid you in locating and purchasing your ideal home site. With years of experience in the custom home building industry, there’s added value in utilizing their services in your land acquisition endeavor…value that can save you a lot of time, frustration, and money. With an eye towards the final product in mind, Toltec Custom Homes can address many important issues often not considered during the lot selection process. While views and vegetation are important, there are many other issues that can impact the home building process such as zoning (Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinances, height restrictions, etc.), topography (washes cfs, elevation changes, etc.), soil condition (expansive soils, hard rock, etc.), site engineering (compaction, grading, drainage, etc.), lot/site preparation (excavation, retaining walls, etc.), and Home Owners Associations (CC&Rs, Architectural Committees, Design Review, etc) all of which can impact (1) the design/orientation of the house, (2) the landscape design and species of vegetation allowed, and ultimately (3) your cost for the homebuilding project. Before launching your search for the perfect home site, contact Monica Hammond at 480-244-6347. Simplify your search and save time, frustration, and money. It doesn’t cost you a penny to access this specialized service.
Resort-Style Living
DISCOVER TOLTEC CUSTOM HOMES
It’s Swim Season
FUN FACTS ABOUT POOLS
Perfection On The Grill
ALDER-PLANKED GRILLED SALMON
COVER HOME BY TOLTEC CUSTOM HOMES If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.
Flash Light Tours. Desert Botanical Garden, every Thursday and Saturday in July. 480.941.9510 or dbg.org. Explore how the desert awakens when we go to sleep each night. With only the lights of your flashlights, watch for nighthawks and owls, and listen for the toads’ lullabies. The Garden is also quite active with many night-blooming flowers. Be sure to reserve space for these popular tours ahead of time, as they book up fast! “Art”ini. Hotel Indigo, every Thursday in July. 480.941.9400 or hotelindigo.com. Bring out your inner-Picasso and create a masterpiece of your own. Every Thursday from 5-9 pm at Hotel Indigo, you can paint your very own martini glass. Of course, you’ll want to enjoy a signature martini in your beautiful creation too! Be sure to round out your evening with a stroll through the nearby Scottsdale Artwalk, as the hotel also offers free shuttle services. Summer Family Night at the Museum: Paint, Play and Sing Along! Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts, July 17th. 480.874.4641 or smoca.org. Bring the whole family out for SMoCA’s summer fun at the museum. A live band will be entertaining the outside crowd while the water fountain will be delighting children as they splash around. Inside, kids can create fancy mobiles, blow giant soap bubbles and practice their painting skills. Make sure to pack your bathing suit, towel and a lot of creativity! Kierland Commons Summer Concert Series. Kierland Commons Plaza, July 26th. 480.348.1577 or kierlandcommons.com. Dance the night away at the 7th annual concert series featuring a different act every Saturday. On the 26th, you can catch the popular local band Shining Star. This Vegas-style cover band is made up of many talented musicians who have performed with famous artists, such as Donna Summers, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Quincy Jones to name a few. Shining Star’s high-energy performance is sure to get you on your feet! All concerts are free and open to the public. John Mayer with Colbie Caillat. Cricket Wireless Pavilion, July 30th. 602.254.7599 or ticketmaster.com. Five-time Grammy winner John Mayer puts on quite a show with his pop/soulful style of music. Accompanying him on his Continuum tour is Colbie Caillat, best known for her pop hit “Bubbly”, and Brett Dennen. Bring a blanket for lawn seating and cuddle up to hits such as “Waiting on the World to Change” and the ever popular “Your Body is a Wonderland.”
Swimming Pool Trivia
Titanic was the first ocean liner to have a swimming pool and a gym. The turbo pump on the Space Shuttle main engine is so powerful it could drain an average family-sized swimming pool in 25 seconds. Esther Williams did not win any Olympic medals for swimming or for diving. The year she was to compete (1940), the Olympics were suspended due to WWII. Benjamin Franklin invented swim fins. The Romans built the first swimming pools in the first century BC. An Olympic swimming pool has eight lanes. In a single year, one leaky toilet can waste enough water to fill a backyard swimming pool. The world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool is in Balmorhea State Park in Texas with a 62,000 square-foot (that’s almost 1.5 acres) surface. The scene in It’s a Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are dancing at a high school prom when a hidden swimming pool beneath them slides open and the dancers fall into the water, was filmed at Beverly Hills High. Several scenes in Jaws were filmed in a production editor’s backyard swimming pool. FDR is said to have modernized The White House by adding a pool that he used for physical therapy. Recording artist Stevie Nicks and Nashville musician Webb Pierce both had backyard pools shaped like a guitar. Over 42,000 gallons of water (enough to fill a 30 x 50 foot swimming pool) are needed to grow and prepare the food for a typical Thanksgiving dinner for eight. It is against the law to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool in Baldwin Park, California. In 1985, the swimming pool at the University of Arizona lost water from sloshing caused by the 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Michoacan, Mexico 1240 miles away.
While the baby powder soft white sand beaches in the Bahamas were heavenly, sand on the patio would have been impractical. So instead, another impressive feature from the resort at which they stayed made its way to this resort-style patio: white shell stone instead of cool decking or travertine pavers. The natural stone has a smooth non-slippery surface with fossilized shells embedded throughout. It so effectively deflects the sun’s heat, that it stays cooler than either cool decking or travertine.
Alder-Planked Grilled Salmon INGREDIENTS 1 alder grilling plank 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 2 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. minced ginger 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced 1 lb. salmon fillet 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
PREPARATION 1. Immerse and soak the plank in water for one hour. Drain. 2. To prepare grill for indirect grilling, heat one side of the grill to high heat. 3. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, pepper, garlic and lemon in a large zip-top plastic bag and seal. Shake to combine. Add fish and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. 4. Place plank on grill rack over high heat. Grill five minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over, move to cool side of grill.
Before building the model home and pool pictured on the cover, the owners of Toltec Custom Homes took a trip to the island of Great Exuma in the Bahamas for their ultimate paradise vacation. They decided to bring back a little bit of paradise to the desert in the design and creation of this resort-style living space. One of the most enchanting parts of their vacation was the shallow warm water that extended for an eternity into the ocean, allowing them to sit in the warm water with waves gently swelling up all around. To emulate this, Toltec Custom Homes designed and created a reverse infinity edge beach entry stretching the entire length of the patio. With the waterfall features spilling water into the opposite side of the pool, it creates a gentle lapping effect on the beach.
As previously mentioned, opposite the beach entry are mortar-washed stone columns with sheer 5. Remove fish from marinade and discard marinade. Place fish, skin side down on charred side of plank. Cover and grill 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with the charred lemon slices. Serves: 2
descent waterfalls spilling from under the cantera stone caps. Sitting atop the caps are hand-carved natural cantera stone pots, giving the pool an elegant feel. The ten-person spa also has an infinity edge spilling into the main pool with a hand-carved cantera stone fire pot on one corner. Both the pool and the spa have an intricate lighting system that allows a myriad of combinations of colors to either dance throughout the pool and spa, or to subtly enhance the ambiance. The outdoor living space and indoor living space (and floors) seamlessly meld together with the four 12’x10’ disappearing glass sliding doors that open an entire wall of the family room to the tranquil resort beauty in the backyard. The patio space itself is not only beautiful, but functional. A gourmet barbeque center with side burners and a granite countertop make it a pleasure to cook entire meals outdoors. Since the house is oriented such that the backyard is in the shade in the afternoon, the misting system that spans the entire length of the patio makes for a cool outdoor retreat, even in the middle of summer. There’s also a cozy lounge space with chaises and a fireplace with a flat-screen plasma TV above. With a decorative glass door closet tucked away in a corner for pool toys, it’s easy to keep this ‘paradise’ resort-style backyard picture perfect.
Flash Light Tours. Desert Botanical Garden, every Thursday and Saturday in July. 480.941.9510 or dbg.org. Explore how the desert awakens when we go to sleep each night. With only the lights of your flashlights, watch for nighthawks and owls, and listen for the toads’ lullabies. The Garden is also quite active with many night-blooming flowers. Be sure to reserve space for these popular tours ahead of time, as they book up fast! “Art”ini. Hotel Indigo, every Thursday in July. 480.941.9400 or hotelindigo.com. Bring out your inner-Picasso and create a masterpiece of your own. Every Thursday from 5-9 pm at Hotel Indigo, you can paint your very own martini glass. Of course, you’ll want to enjoy a signature martini in your beautiful creation too! Be sure to round out your evening with a stroll through the nearby Scottsdale Artwalk, as the hotel also offers free shuttle services. Summer Family Night at the Museum: Paint, Play and Sing Along! Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Arts, July 17th. 480.874.4641 or smoca.org. Bring the whole family out for SMoCA’s summer fun at the museum. A live band will be entertaining the outside crowd while the water fountain will be delighting children as they splash around. Inside, kids can create fancy mobiles, blow giant soap bubbles and practice their painting skills. Make sure to pack your bathing suit, towel and a lot of creativity! Kierland Commons Summer Concert Series. Kierland Commons Plaza, July 26th. 480.348.1577 or kierlandcommons.com. Dance the night away at the 7th annual concert series featuring a different act every Saturday. On the 26th, you can catch the popular local band Shining Star. This Vegas-style cover band is made up of many talented musicians who have performed with famous artists, such as Donna Summers, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Quincy Jones to name a few. Shining Star’s high-energy performance is sure to get you on your feet! All concerts are free and open to the public. John Mayer with Colbie Caillat. Cricket Wireless Pavilion, July 30th. 602.254.7599 or ticketmaster.com. Five-time Grammy winner John Mayer puts on quite a show with his pop/soulful style of music. Accompanying him on his Continuum tour is Colbie Caillat, best known for her pop hit “Bubbly”, and Brett Dennen. Bring a blanket for lawn seating and cuddle up to hits such as “Waiting on the World to Change” and the ever popular “Your Body is a Wonderland.”
Swimming Pool Trivia
Titanic was the first ocean liner to have a swimming pool and a gym. The turbo pump on the Space Shuttle main engine is so powerful it could drain an average family-sized swimming pool in 25 seconds. Esther Williams did not win any Olympic medals for swimming or for diving. The year she was to compete (1940), the Olympics were suspended due to WWII. Benjamin Franklin invented swim fins. The Romans built the first swimming pools in the first century BC. An Olympic swimming pool has eight lanes. In a single year, one leaky toilet can waste enough water to fill a backyard swimming pool. The world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool is in Balmorhea State Park in Texas with a 62,000 square-foot (that’s almost 1.5 acres) surface. The scene in It’s a Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed are dancing at a high school prom when a hidden swimming pool beneath them slides open and the dancers fall into the water, was filmed at Beverly Hills High. Several scenes in Jaws were filmed in a production editor’s backyard swimming pool. FDR is said to have modernized The White House by adding a pool that he used for physical therapy. Recording artist Stevie Nicks and Nashville musician Webb Pierce both had backyard pools shaped like a guitar. Over 42,000 gallons of water (enough to fill a 30 x 50 foot swimming pool) are needed to grow and prepare the food for a typical Thanksgiving dinner for eight. It is against the law to ride a bicycle in a swimming pool in Baldwin Park, California. In 1985, the swimming pool at the University of Arizona lost water from sloshing caused by the 8.1 magnitude earthquake in Michoacan, Mexico 1240 miles away.
While the baby powder soft white sand beaches in the Bahamas were heavenly, sand on the patio would have been impractical. So instead, another impressive feature from the resort at which they stayed made its way to this resort-style patio: white shell stone instead of cool decking or travertine pavers. The natural stone has a smooth non-slippery surface with fossilized shells embedded throughout. It so effectively deflects the sun’s heat, that it stays cooler than either cool decking or travertine.
Alder-Planked Grilled Salmon INGREDIENTS 1 alder grilling plank 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce 2 Tbsp. honey 1 tsp. minced ginger 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced 1 lb. salmon fillet 1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
PREPARATION 1. Immerse and soak the plank in water for one hour. Drain. 2. To prepare grill for indirect grilling, heat one side of the grill to high heat. 3. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, ginger, pepper, garlic and lemon in a large zip-top plastic bag and seal. Shake to combine. Add fish and seal. Marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once. 4. Place plank on grill rack over high heat. Grill five minutes or until lightly charred. Carefully turn plank over, move to cool side of grill.
Before building the model home and pool pictured on the cover, the owners of Toltec Custom Homes took a trip to the island of Great Exuma in the Bahamas for their ultimate paradise vacation. They decided to bring back a little bit of paradise to the desert in the design and creation of this resort-style living space. One of the most enchanting parts of their vacation was the shallow warm water that extended for an eternity into the ocean, allowing them to sit in the warm water with waves gently swelling up all around. To emulate this, Toltec Custom Homes designed and created a reverse infinity edge beach entry stretching the entire length of the patio. With the waterfall features spilling water into the opposite side of the pool, it creates a gentle lapping effect on the beach.
As previously mentioned, opposite the beach entry are mortar-washed stone columns with sheer 5. Remove fish from marinade and discard marinade. Place fish, skin side down on charred side of plank. Cover and grill 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve with the charred lemon slices. Serves: 2
descent waterfalls spilling from under the cantera stone caps. Sitting atop the caps are hand-carved natural cantera stone pots, giving the pool an elegant feel. The ten-person spa also has an infinity edge spilling into the main pool with a hand-carved cantera stone fire pot on one corner. Both the pool and the spa have an intricate lighting system that allows a myriad of combinations of colors to either dance throughout the pool and spa, or to subtly enhance the ambiance. The outdoor living space and indoor living space (and floors) seamlessly meld together with the four 12’x10’ disappearing glass sliding doors that open an entire wall of the family room to the tranquil resort beauty in the backyard. The patio space itself is not only beautiful, but functional. A gourmet barbeque center with side burners and a granite countertop make it a pleasure to cook entire meals outdoors. Since the house is oriented such that the backyard is in the shade in the afternoon, the misting system that spans the entire length of the patio makes for a cool outdoor retreat, even in the middle of summer. There’s also a cozy lounge space with chaises and a fireplace with a flat-screen plasma TV above. With a decorative glass door closet tucked away in a corner for pool toys, it’s easy to keep this ‘paradise’ resort-style backyard picture perfect.
Toltec Custom Homes orchestrates masterpieces for beautiful living. Whether you own land to be built upon or you are looking for the perfect homesite to build your masterpiece, make Toltec Custom Homes part of your decision-making process. For more information, call 480.244.6347 or visit www.tolteccustomhomes.com.
JULY 2008
A Little About “Toltec”
The Toltec were an ancient civilization of Mexico. The name in Nahuatl means “master builders.” Influenced by Teotihuacán and the Olmec culture, they were masters in the arts and architecture. The Toltec civilization was materially far advanced. They smelted metals and their stonework was highly developed. The Toltec were artists, architects and engineers far ahead of their time. Later, the Aztec people used the term “Toltec” to refer to a person who was the embodiment of great knowledge and wisdom.
A Little About Toltec Custom Homes
Greg Hammond, President Toltec Custom Homes _________ Monica Hammond, CEO Toltec Custom Homes Owner/Agent
Greg Hammond, President and Owner of Toltec Custom Homes, has over twenty years of experience in the Arizona building industry. He has assembled an outstanding team of extraordinary professionals to deliver the pinnacle in quality, material, workmanship and service to meet and exceed clients’ expectations in the custom homebuilding experience. Toltec Custom Homes prides itself in utilizing leading edge technology to expedite and enhance the building process. In the field, Toltec Custom Homes has all information concerning each project on hand through the Build Links technology; plans, blueprints, schedules, projections, progress photos, contracts, contacts etc. are all accessible through a password protected webbased management and communication system. Since Toltec Custom Homes’ field personnel are armed with wireless PC technology, this allows access to important information at all times to keep the projects moving; any time, anywhere. It is both art and science in the building of a home that is both aesthetically beautiful and functionally practical, and Toltec Custom Homes embraces both aspects.
A Little About How Toltec’s Knowledge Can Help You…
Not only can Toltec Custom Homes create the home of your dreams, but their extensive knowledge of land/lots in affluent areas, and their real estate expertise is at your disposal. Monica Hammond, CEO of Toltec Custom Homes and a licensed Realtor®, can aid you in locating and purchasing your ideal home site. With years of experience in the custom home building industry, there’s added value in utilizing their services in your land acquisition endeavor…value that can save you a lot of time, frustration, and money. With an eye towards the final product in mind, Toltec Custom Homes can address many important issues often not considered during the lot selection process. While views and vegetation are important, there are many other issues that can impact the home building process such as zoning (Environmentally Sensitive Land Ordinances, height restrictions, etc.), topography (washes cfs, elevation changes, etc.), soil condition (expansive soils, hard rock, etc.), site engineering (compaction, grading, drainage, etc.), lot/site preparation (excavation, retaining walls, etc.), and Home Owners Associations (CC&Rs, Architectural Committees, Design Review, etc) all of which can impact (1) the design/orientation of the house, (2) the landscape design and species of vegetation allowed, and ultimately (3) your cost for the homebuilding project. Before launching your search for the perfect home site, contact Monica Hammond at 480-244-6347. Simplify your search and save time, frustration, and money. It doesn’t cost you a penny to access this specialized service.
Resort-Style Living
DISCOVER TOLTEC CUSTOM HOMES
It’s Swim Season
FUN FACTS ABOUT POOLS
Perfection On The Grill
ALDER-PLANKED GRILLED SALMON
COVER HOME BY TOLTEC CUSTOM HOMES If your home is currently listed, this is not a solicitation for that listing.