Images Arizona February 2022

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ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

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Tramonto Anthem Desert Hills New River

ANTHEM & NORTH VALLEY REAL ESTATE EXPERTS Our Listing SOLD

Our Listing SOLD

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She was ALWAYS out in front handling the details and presenting us with options. The peace of mind was so important to us. We would highly recommend Lisa to anyone who is thinking about buying or selling a home. Lisa Jones is our Realtor for Life!"

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602-677-4130 REALTY EXECUTIVES

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3668 W Anthem Way B-158, Anthem, AZ 85086 FRIENDLY • KNOWLEDGEABLE • PROFESSIONAL • AVAILABLE www.DLJonesHomes.com i mages a r i zo n a .c o m

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“It’s what you’re doing and who you’re with that creates the memory.”

At L’Entrata, we’re here to make sure everyone has a great experience and doesn’t feel intimidated by the wine selections. Let us find where your tastes lie, and we’ll steer you in the right direction. We are of the motto, drink what you like. There is no wrong answer. We also have wines for the discerning palate and we’re happy to

explore those with you as well. We even have local brews for when you bring a friend who hasn’t necessarily “found” wine yet.

This is a place for everyone to come and enjoy each other’s company, talk learn about wine, have a bite to eatand have fun!

NEW! Don’t miss Executive Chef, Josh Bracher’s rotating small-plate menu!

Welcome to the L’Entrata Family! Never a bad day with wine!

lentratawine.com

41111 Daisy Mountain Drive, Anthem, Arizona

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SANDERSON LINCOLN

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What's Inside?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

NATURALLY BEJEWELED THE ART AND JEWELRY OF PAULA CREVOSHAY

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TO BE OR NOT TO BE...

THAT IS THE EQUESTRIAN

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LEILA’S EMPANADAS HANDHELD HAPPINESS

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COMMUNITY

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CLOSE QUARTERS

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RECIPE

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From the Publisher Publisher Shelly Spence

Managing Editor Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo Amanda Christmann Francine Coles Shannon Severson

Photographers Bryan Black Francine Coles Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz

Advertising Sales

Alex Orozco 602-524-4912 alex@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com

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Love is in the air this month throughout our community as people prepare for the Valentine’s Day holiday. Store shelves are filled with flowers, teddy bears and chocolates and restaurants are touting especially romantic menus for guests who are looking to create a magical evening for their significant other.

Love can also be found throughout the pages of this month’s issue of Images Arizona, which celebrates not just romantic love but the many facets of it. With the stories in this month’s issue, we aspire to shine a light on the love that permeates and radiates throughout our incredible community in not just February but all year round.

There exists such a remarkable exhibition of love for our neighbors, our local businesses, our hometown talent and our native landscape.

Our community is comprised of caring, generous and actively involved individuals who are extremely passionate about what they do. We try to capture a small fraction of their unique and uplifting stories in this month’s issue.

Even this month’s photo essay — in which photographer Peter Coskun shares with us some of the pictures of Arizona’s slot canyons he has taken — serves the dual purpose of bringing people closer together and showcasing our state’s natural beauty.

Of course, this month’s issue of Images Arizona is also jam-packed with date night ideas. From enjoying a delicious dish in an elegant atmosphere to attending an exceptional concert of music designed to tug at your heartstrings, we have got you covered.

As always, I encourage you to show your love to the local businesses, nonprofit organizations and artists that are found throughout this month’s issue. Together, they not only make this publication possible but also form the gorgeous tapestry that is our community.

Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc.

Cheers!

Copyright © 2022 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproduction, in whole or part, without permission is prohibited.

The publisher is not responsible for the return of unsolicited material.

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Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

G R A C E

R E N E E

G A L L E R Y

FEBRUARY

ARTIST

Loren Yagoda CONTEMPORARY ARTIST

Rare opportunity to meet acclaimed contemporary artist, Loren Yagoda.

Loren is a painter whose artwork invites viewers into her world as she dances her emotions onto canvas.

[

ARTIST RECEPTION Thursday, February 17 Wine & appetizers 4–7 p.m.

]

Grace Renee Gallery Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080 GraceReneeGallery.com

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Crevoshay Jewels

Paula Crevoshay’s name is well-known among both jewelers and gemologists, and her work is displayed in impressive collections like the Smithsonian, Carnegie Museum and Gemological Institute of America.

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It has been said that artists are not created so much as they are born. Inside their DNA is an intrinsic and compulsory need for creative expression. As real as eye color or curly hair, the animus of the artist permeates their thoughts and dreams and insists upon being heard.

The artist has no choice but to listen.

It is difficult to discern whether Paula Crevoshay’s passion drives her art, or whether art drives her passion. Like the light that shines through the vibrantly beautiful flora and fauna she creates, her art is a force that she cannot ignore.

“It’s not about me at all,” she says. “I’m just supposed to do this. I see a stone and it tells me what it should be.”

The result is some of the most breathtaking and renowned works of any modern artist, not only for their visual appeal but because every piece tells a story. Crevoshay uses some of the finest stones and precious metals on earth to tell romantic tales of nature, science and mythology.

Crevoshay has chased visions and dreams, creating an oeuvre that inspires as much as it astounds.

Her name is well-known among both jewelers and gemologists, and her work is displayed in impressive collections like the Smithsonian, Carnegie Museum and Gemological Institute of America. This award-winning judge, educator and designer takes a unique approach.

“I am not a jeweler; I am a painter,” she says. “I paint with the light of the earth and I sculpt with her noble metals.

“I hope to bring a greater understanding of the beauty of our world and how interdependent it is on everything else.”

Unlike traditional jewelers, many of whom come from families who have honed their art for centuries, Crevoshay’s journey has taken a winding road.

Her mother was an artist, poet, singer and writer; her father had earned two PhDs in chemical and mechanical engineering, developing multiple patents throughout his life. It was the perfect marriage between art and science, and Paula was the fortunate recipient of both skill sets.

As a child, she played beneath a willow tree, watching light shine through its branches as they swayed

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The Northern Parula is a beautiful warbler that breeds in humid forests in the eastern portions of the United States and Canada. This Crevoshay portrait evokes all the charm of seeing one in the wild!

Northern Parula Warbler

TENOR

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PARROT FAN

I am not a jeweler; I am a painter. I paint with the light of the earth and I sculpt with her noble metals.

Paula Crevoshay

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18K yellow gold fan pendant with Blue Zircon (82) = 4.70 cts., Blue Apatite (88) = 2.23 cts., Red Spinel (90) = 3.07 cts., Tsavorite (40) = 4.17 cts., Black Diamond (1) = 0.01 cts., Yellow Diamond (17) = 0.22 cts., Yellow Sapphire (43) = 0.47 cts.

and danced in the wind. She was fascinated by flowers, bugs and other creatures that crawled across the dirt carpet and up into its boughs.

She watched with delight as bees pollinated flowers and as spiders spun their webs. These would later become her muses.

Born with a rare genetic gift called tetrachromacy, Crevoshay sees approximately 100 times the number of colors that most people perceive.

The world she lives in is vividly colorful, as is the art she creates.

“I work with the light of the earth,” she explains. “It’s aesthetic, but it’s also scientific.”

INSPIRED BY LIFE Crevoshay earned her master’s degree in painting and sculpture from University of Wisconsin — Madison, then moved to New York to launch her career at the prestigious Mary Boone Gallery.

However, as her later work would prove, she was not driven by aspirations so much as she was driven by inspiration. She fell in love with her late husband George, and together they left all they knew to spend four years at a Buddhist monastery.

Crevoshay studied with His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachers while George worked on his thesis. For 15 years, they worked, lived and loved in Southeast Asia — a time she playfully dubs their “Magical Mystery Tour.”

Influenced by Asian ideals of the interwoven and inseparable nature of all beings, Crevoshay began her transition into jewelry design.

Today, Crevoshay Jewels are among the most collectible gemstone artwork in the world. Informed by her curiosity

To a Brighter 2022 Thank you for being a valued client during 2021.

Please don’t hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to help, we are here for you!

Nanette McClelland-Miller, Agent

623-742-6866

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Because the Lotus has its roots in mud, grows through water and blooms in sunlight it has been adopted as a representation of mental and spiritual purity and enlightenment by diverse cultures ranging from the ancient Egyptians to modern Buddhists. The supreme grace of this beautiful bracelet shows the sensitivity that Crevoshay brings to the expression of another universal human symbol. This jewel is part of the 2013 one-woman exhibition titled Garden of Light at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

18K yellow gold bracelet with Amethyst (12) = 5.53 cts., Amethyst (8) = 1.29 cts., Tsavorite (1) = 1.36 cts., Tsavorite (4) = 0.92 cts., Tsavorite (229) = 27.02 cts.

THE LOTUS BRACELET

This jewel was part of the exhibition titled The Shape of Matter – Through an Artist’s Eye at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science from October 21st, 2021 through April 20th, 2022.

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APRIL

18K yellow gold Crevoshay ring with Red Zircon (1) = 27.50 cts., Cognac Diamond (40) = 1.42 cts., Red Garnet (26) = 1.10 cts.

18K yellow gold Crevoshay Giraffe pendant brooch with Cognac Diamond (59) = 3.14 cts., Cognac Diamond (15) = 0.89 cts., Black Diamond (133) = 1.65 cts., Emerald (2) = 0.52 cts., Part of Crevoshay's Endangered Species Treasury.

This jewel was part of the exhibition titled The Shape of Matter - Through an Artist’s Eye at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science from October 21st, 2021 through April 20th, 2022.

SUGAR AND SPICE

FLYING FISH OF MANDALAY 18K yellow gold, Diamond (64) = 1.83 cts., Apatite (174) = 10.57 cts., Black Diamond (58) = 4.71 cts., Pearl (4) = 0.75 cts., Opal (2)=5.85cts.

With this fanciful flying fish Crevoshay takes us to visit a beautifully exotic realm in the far reaches of our own imaginations.

Paula Crevoshay March 11 and 12 | Friday 10 a.m.–7 p.m. with wine and appetizers 4–7 p.m; Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Grace Renee February 20 22Gallery | 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree | 480-575-8080 | gracereneegallery.com

for the natural world, her use of noble metals and the finest gemstones is unmatched, both for its beauty and its ability to articulate that which must be felt and not spoken.

For example, it was Rudyard Kipling’s 1890 poem “Mandalay,” a working-class British soldier’s pining for a beautiful woman he left behind in Burma, that inspired one of Crevoshay’s works: On the road to Mandalay, Where the old Flotilla lay, With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!

On the road to Mandalay, Where the flyin'-fishes play, An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

I am an artist. Money doesn’t drive me one bit.”

In fact, she has turned down multiple opportunities to mass-produce her work, both because of her respect for the process and for her appreciation and adoration of the art itself.

As light refracts through its fins and body, the depth of the details inspires more than admiration; one can almost feel the loving and longing that Kipling described.

Crevoshay’s work has been featured in exhibitions from Los Angeles to Paris. She has penned four books and has been asked to speak at some of the most esteemed institutions in the world.

An apt gemologist, her command of all aspects of her art are truly astounding.

Her “Flying Fish of Mandalay” is just one of hundreds of one-of-akind works of art that has earned her acclaim, and sometimes fame.

“I only do one-of-a-kind everything,” she says. “I never duplicate because

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She’s so good at it that she has been dubbed the Queen of Color — one of the most significant compliments she could receive in an industry known for its chromatic brilliance. No one does color like Crevoshay.

That color will be on vibrant display March 11 and 12 at Grace Renee Gallery in Carefree, during an event that offers the rare opportunity to meet Crevoshay and explore her incredible collection.

QUEEN OF COLOR

It’s time for your

From pendants to earrings to rings, and everything in between, Crevoshay is a master painter, though it is jewels that are spread upon her palette.

From this verse, which inspired by Kipling’s own years in Southeast Asia, Crevoshay created a stunning brooch from beautifully textured gold and inlaid apatite, black and white diamonds, and four gorgeous pearls.

A spectrum of emotions is elicited from Crevoshay’s work. From sea creatures to pollinators to endangered species and more, Crevoshay presents a vision of nature that is calming and enchanting while stirring the feeling of connection that we all share with the natural world.

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Perhaps most impressive of all, however, is her work itself. It is as if each piece has coaxed its way out of her mind, from deep within her where her artist’s heart beats in rhythm with all of nature. She influences culture by beautifully reminding us of who we are — and our interconnected place in a complex but exquisite world. gracereneegallery.com

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COMMUNITY February 2022

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Through Feb. 20 GYPSY

Arizona Broadway Theatre will present its production of “Gypsy,” a musical that tells the story of the dreams and efforts of one hungry, powerhouse of a woman to get her two daughters into show business. See website for price and times. Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400; azbroadway.org

Feb. 2–April 3

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of “Singin’ in the Rain,” a stage adaptation of one of the most popular movie musicals of all time. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com

Feb. 3

GOLD PALETTE ARTWALK The Scottsdale Gallery Association will host a special Western Week-themed Gold Palette ArtWalk of participating studios and galleries throughout the Scottsdale Arts District, which resides along Main Street from Scottsdale Road to Goldwater Boulevard and north of Indian School on Marshall Way to Fifth Avenue. Free.

6:30–9 p.m. See website for locations. scottsdalegalleries.com

Feb. 4

STEVE TYRELL CONCERT

Feb. 10–13

ROMEO AND JULIET Ballet Arizona will present its production of “Romeo and Juliet,” featuring a score masterfully performed by the Phoenix Symphony. See website for price and times.

Symphony Hall, 75 N. Second St., Phoenix. balletaz.org

Grammy Award-winning vocalist Steve Tyrell will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest for a concert of reinvented and repopularized classic standards for a modern audience. $49+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 4–20

A SOLDIER’S PLAY Black Theatre Troupe will present its production of “A Soldier’s Play,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama that examines and evaluates the causes of oppression of African Americans and the obstacles to their advancement by realistically describing the complex social issues and systemic racism in the U.S. Army during World War II. See website for price and times. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. blacktheatretroupe.org

Feb. 5

LUCY LOVES DESI Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will welcome L.A. Theatre Works for its unique radio-style production of

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“Lucy Loves Desi: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom,” which tells the tale of how the pioneering TV sitcom came to be with as much heart and humor as an episode of “I Love Lucy” itself. See website for price. 8 p.m.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

Feb. 5

PARADA DEL SOL Scottsdale Charros will present the 68th annual Parada del Sol. The historic parade will be followed by the Trail’s End Festival — a big block party featuring live concerts, food and fun for community members of all ages. Free. 10 a.m. Old Town Scottsdale. scottsdaleparade.com

Feb. 6

FEEL THE LOVE Women’s Orchestra of Arizona will perform a concert of romantic music, including a medley of some of the greatest love songs of all time. Free; tickets available on Eventbrite.

3 p.m. Ascension Lutheran Church, 7100 N. Mockingbird Lane, Paradise Valley. womensorchestraarizona.com

Feb. 7

A STAR IS BORN: THE CONCERT A trio of the best voices from Broadway and cabaret will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest to celebrate the music from all three film versions of “A Star is Born” while also paying tribute to other classic films about emerging stars. $35+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 12

NVSO BLACK AND WHITE BALL North Valley Symphony Orchestra will host an event celebrating its 10th anniversary, featuring cocktails, dinner, a silent auction, music and dancing. $100. 5:30 p.m. Sheraton Crescent, 2620 W. Dunlap Ave., Phoenix. 623-980-4628; northvalleysymphony.org

Feb. 12 and 13

LOVE FROM SEA TO SEA Arizona Masterworks Chorale will perform a concert filled with romantic and dreamy selections to experience with your loved ones. $15+. Saturday 7:30 p.m. at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 6300 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Sunday 3 p.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church, 7100 N. Mockingbird Lane, Paradise Valley. arizonamasterworks.com

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COMMUNITY February 2022

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Feb. 14

MUSIC CITY HIT-MAKERS CONCERT Several Grammy and American Country Music awardwinning songwriters who have composed hit tunes for Nashville’s biggest stars will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest to perform a concert of classic and contemporary country favorites while telling entertaining, personal stories of the music-making and personalities of Nashville’s famed Music Row. $35+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 17

CAREFREE ART NIGHT Explore fine art in the breathtaking shadows of Black Mountain. Courtesy shuttles will be available to transport guests to participating art galleries around Carefree during an event that includes live music, refreshments and, of course, lots of fine art — including your next masterpiece. Free. 4–7 p.m. See website for participating galleries. visitcarefree.com

Feb. 17–20

DISNEY CINDERELLA KIDS Musical Theatre of Anthem will present its production of “Cinderella,” a stage adaptation of Disney’s treasured animated film. $25. See website for times. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42201 N. 41st Drive, Anthem. 623-336-6001; musicaltheatreofanthem.org

Feb. 18

KENNY G

Feb. 12–Sept. 4

BEVERLY MCIVER: FULL CIRCLE Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will present a multi-gallery survey show that captures the career arc and continued ascent of contemporary artist Beverly McIver. The exhibition will provide viewers with a look at how McIver’s work has evolved since her emerging artist exhibition at the museum nearly 25 years ago. $10; student, senior and veteran discounts available.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

Superstar saxophonist Kenny G will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $49+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 18–27

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Starlight Community Theater will present its production of “Much Ado About Nothing,” William Shakespeare’s classic tale about two pairs of star-crossed lovers. See website for price and times. Starlight Community Theater, 1611 W. Whispering Wind Dr., Suite 9, Phoenix. starlightcommunitytheater.com

Feb. 19–27

SEDONA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Sedona International Film Festival will present its 28th annual event during which 150 films will be screened. The lineup will include narrative features, documentary features, foreign films, shorts, animated films, student films and

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special programs as well as a diverse selection of workshops. See website for prices, schedule and locations. sedonafilmfestival.com

Feb. 20

FESTIVAL SINFONIA Maestro Robert Moody and the Festival Sinfonia will perform an intimate concert as part of Arizona Musicfest. $55+. 2 p.m. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 22

SARAH CHANG AND THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of players from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a concert featuring acclaimed violin virtuoso Sarah Chang as part of Arizona Musicfest. $25+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 24

INON BARNATAN AND THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of players from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a concert featuring celebrated pianist Inon Barnatan as part of Arizona Musicfest. $25+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

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COMMUNITY February 2022

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Feb. 25

A SALUTE TO THE WILD WEST Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of players from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a concert honoring the proud Western and indigenous heritage of our state and region as part of Arizona Musicfest. $25+.

7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 26 and March 6

THE MANY FACES OF LOVE Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert that celebrates love of singing, love of God and love of humankind. $18+; student and senior discounts available.

Saturday 7:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church, 15 E. First Ave., Mesa. Sunday 3 p.m. La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. 480-3054538; sonorandesertchorale.org

Feb. 27

BEETHOVEN’S 9TH — ODE TO JOY Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of players from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a concert as part of Arizona Musicfest. $25+. 2 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Feb. 27

UNITED WE SWING

Feb. 26–Oct. 9

BRAD KAHLHAMER: SWAP MEET Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will present an exhibition of works by artist Brad Kahlhamer. The exhibition will include a central installation composed of a mobile home trailer studio with a built-out proscenium for performances and several new series of sculptures in addition to paintings and drawings. $10; student, senior and veteran discounts available.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

Salt River Brass will perform a concert of enthusiastic works from Glenn Miller, Count Basie, Duke Ellington and the immortal Louis Armstrong. $18+; student and senior discounts available. 3 p.m. Mesa Arts Center, One East Main St., Mesa. saltriverbrass.org

March 4 and 5 M3F

A stellar lineup of musicians will take the stage as part of M3F. All proceeds from the event will benefit local charities such as Phoenix Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. See website for prices and schedule. Margaret T. Hance Park, 1200 N. First St., Phoenix. m3ffest.com

March 7

SIBLING REVELRY Tony-nominated sisters Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest for a concert of great songs and witty banter. $35+. 7:30

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p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 12

WOMEN IN MUSIC North Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert of music composed by women, recognizing the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage. $5; youth discounts available. 7 p.m. North Canyon High School Auditorium, 1700 E. Union Hills Drive, Phoenix. 623980-4628; northvalleysymphony.org

March 14 and 16 PAUL ANKA

Legendary singer-songwriter Paul Anka will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $49+. 7:30 p.m.

Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 19

MUSICAL CHAMPAGNE SALON ProMusica Arizona will host its 4th annual event that brings together music lovers for an elegant evening in a spectacular private home in the Anthem Country Club.

Guests will be treated to musical performances by ProMusica Arizona chorale and instrumental soloists and small ensembles in a lovely and comfortable setting.

Heavy hors d'oeuvres, decadent desserts, champagne, wine and other beverages will be served and a silent auction will be available. $100.

6 p.m. Location to be announced.

623-326-5172; pmaz.org

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To Be or Not to Be...

That is the Equestrian In 2014, Chelsea Harden founded The H.E.A.R.T. Center, a nonprofit organization that provides alternative and intentional therapeutic learning opportunities to children with social learning challenges and related disorders.

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Jasmine McAreavy

Chelsea Harden has always viewed horses as a lens to authentically view the world and to see what is directly in front of her.

“With so much around us, especially today, that is highlight reels, it is so hard to differentiate what is real and what is not real,” Harden explains. “Being with horses has always grounded me and allowed me to see and work with others from a space that is authentic, is real and is accessible.”

That is why in 2014 Harden founded The H.E.A.R.T. Center, a nonprofit organization that provides alternative and intentional therapeutic learning opportunities to children with social learning challenges and related disorders.

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Comprised of a micro-school, an equine therapy program and a recreational therapy program, The H.E.A.R.T. Center strives to empower individuals with special needs to build confidence and develop life skills through recreation- and activity-integrated educational programs.

Harden acknowledges that Arizona is rich with equine therapy programs — which is of great benefit to the people who call our state home.

“We have a variety of programs out here that clients have access to,” Harden says. “Each one targets a different group. We primarily focus on students with special needs — mostly being students on the autism spectrum or with related disorders. The thing that sets

us apart is that my vision has always been to take what we do with equine therapy and adaptive recreation camps and turn it into a school for kids with special needs.”

LOVE AT FIRST RIDE “I have always been drawn to horses,” Harden says. “I came across a therapeutic riding program when I was growing up as a teenager in California. When I was in high school, that is where I spent most of my time on the weekends. While volunteering, making friends and getting to know the students and staff, I fell in love with it. I knew that it would be a part of my life forever. I just did not know how.”

While attending Arizona State University, Harden began learning about recreation therapy. As she grew as a professional, she was introduced through another local program to adaptive recreation camps — therapeutic programs and leisure activities for those with disabilities.

“We were seeing such great progress in terms of not only attainment of goals but also the engagement of the students,” Harden says. “Parents were always happy to be able to have their kids in camp because they knew that their kids were really targeting a lot of their therapeutic goals in ways that were fun for them and ways that the students were interested in learning.”

Having always recognized the potential of weaving such a program into education, she worked to make her dream a reality when the environment began to shift to private schools and micro-schools.

“Here in Arizona, we have a wonderful community for school

choice and for people to take their children’s education into their own hands,” Harden says. “We knew that infusing learning goals into recreation — especially working with horses — was a model that really fit for the students that we serve. So we were able to take our therapeutic riding program and grow it into a micro-school for students with special needs.”

The H.E.A.R.T. Center works with parents to build alternative education programs that best suit their child’s individual learning needs, thereby providing a unique high school experience and equine vocational program that, together, prepare them for post-graduation employment and volunteering opportunities.

“I have worked really closely with the families that I have serviced for a long time,” Harden says. “I have had some clients that have been with me since they were five or six years old. Now they are in high school and getting ready to graduate and start that transition into adulthood. Being able to work with these families and build a program based on the needs of these students has been such a privilege.”

MAGIC MAKERS The H.E.A.R.T. Center program director Regan Mays says the mico-school is just one of three overarching programs offered by the nonprofit organization.

“Within each program, we offer an array of services to choose from and we have specialized staff for each one so families are supported in creating individualized treatment plans that can truly fit their needs,” she explains.

“Most of our students participate in

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Led by founder and executive director Chelsea Harden (left) and program director Regan Mays (right), The H.E.A.R.T. Center strives to empower individuals with special needs to build confidence and develop life skills through recreation- and activity-integrated educational programs.

two or more programs so we can blend their academic, therapeutic and life-skill goals seamlessly together.”

The H.E.A.R.T. Center’s recreational therapy program is the nonprofit organization’s most diverse program.

The H.E.A.R.T. Center’s micro-school is essentially a blend of homeschooling and traditional school.

“It rotates through activities based on the season and what the students like to do,” Mays explains. “All students work with a certified recreational therapist and participate in activities like yoga, soccer and swimming.”

“It revolves around the horses and has two academic pathways — traditional high school or post-graduation, focusing on essential life and vocational skills needed for employment,” Mays says. “The best part of this program is how our students love coming to school. Their parents cannot share enough how thrilled it makes them to see their kids excited to wake up on a school day.”

Meanwhile, The H.E.A.R.T. Center’s equine therapy program involves therapeutic riding, horsemanship and equine-assisted learning.

“Students work with certified Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International [instructors] and have the opportunity to participate in local horse shows,” Mays says. “It involves working closely with the horses — which are magical beings. They provide companionship and a safe space for our students to feel free and be understood.”

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The skills, self-confidence and empowerment people gain while participating in sports and recreation activities transfer into their daily lives and help them to become healthier, happier and more productive students and individuals. The program introduces people with disabilities to new ways of being healthy and active.

Having seen first-hand how all three programs benefit students and their families, Mays — who has a brother who is disabled — firmly believes that her role at The H.E.A.R.T. Center is her heart’s passion and her soul’s purpose.

“Everyone walks away from a riding lesson with a smile on their face and a bounce in their step,” says Mays, noting that she has enjoyed working with children and horses since she was just a child herself. “I started volunteering in high school with an equine therapy

program and gradually turned it into a career. The truth is that the horses are the magic makers. I just create the safe space for it to happen.”

A MOVING TRANSITION Harden says that although The H.E.A.R.T. Center is located in North Phoenix, it serves students throughout the Valley — from Anthem and Deer Valley to Carefree and Scottsdale.

“We even have students that travel as far as from the East Valley to be part of our services because what we do is so niche and specialized,” she explains.

There is no doubt that the services that The H.E.A.R.T. Center offers are of great value to Valley families.

Therefore, Harden is committed to being able to continue to serve them.

“We have been at this location in North Phoenix for seven years now and it has been wonderful for us,” she says. “However, our program has outgrown the space. The property is also being sold. It was too large for us to purchase so we found another space within 10 minutes of our current location that is a perfect fit and the perfect size for everything that we need to and want to be running with our students.”

Harden is grateful that the situation has worked out as well as it has and feels blessed that The H.E.A.R.T. Center has such a wonderful community of families rallying around it to facilitate the transition — which, by the way, has to happen quickly.

“We closed on the new property at the end of January and are going to be moving there at the end of February,” Harden says. “So it really is all hands on deck throughout

February for anybody who can help us build the new space.”

Among the many renovation projects at the new site is an old house that needs new flooring, new paint and a couple of cosmetic shifts to make it more accessible for The H.E.A.R.T. Center’s students.

“We also have quite a bit of landscaping needs in terms of leveling some spaces to create parking lots and more flat walkways,” Harden adds. “And we need to build the horse accommodations from the ground up.

The barn that is there is not going to quite serve our needs. We are building a new arena, we are building turnouts, we are building all of the things that our students will need to be successful within the equine program.”

Fortunately, the nonprofit organization is no stranger to renovating spaces as its current schoolhouse was at one time just a simple dirt stall.

“This is just taking that on at a bigger level,” Harden says.

Nonetheless, The H.E.A.R.T. Center founder and executive director acknowledges that she and her staff have got a very busy February ahead of them and a lot on their plate.

Therefore, they are grateful for any and all help that they can get.

“We will have volunteer workdays on the weekends,” says Harden, noting that community members — especially those with renovation experience or resources — can contact the nonprofit organization to offer their help and support with projects. “Any sort of financial assistance and support is also greatly appreciated.”

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Being with horses has always grounded me and allowed me to see and work with others from a space that is authentic, is real and is accessible. Chelsea Harden

Echoing the age-old adage that it takes a village to raise a child, Harden says that it will take every bit of the community’s support to ensure The H.E.A.R.T. Center is able to build up its new property to be its very best version for students.

“But in terms of making it over there, making it happen and providing a safe and easy transition for our students and our horses, we are getting set up for success so that it works out well — even though it is on a short timeframe,” she adds.

PEACE, CALM AND UNDERSTANDING Harden is grateful that she has found a way to not only continue to use horses as that lens with which she can

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authentically view the world and see what is directly in front of her but also bring students into that space — which she believes fosters an environment of peace and calm where learning is safe.

“Being able to create that space and to share that with others is my favorite part about working with students,” Harden says. “It allows me to be a better version of myself, it allows me to be a better parent and it allows me to teach others to understand students with special needs in a way that people maybe do not think about all the time.” theheart-center.com Instagram: @theheart.center

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Marching on Four Hooves Courtesy of the Evans Family Collection and the Scottsdale Public Library

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo

New York City has got Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; Pasadena has got the Rose Bowl Parade; and Scottsdale has got Parada del Sol — a prestigious and treasured tradition that is as old as the city itself.

The annual parade attracts more than 30,000 people and provides the community an opportunity to showcase and celebrate its rich history that is steeped in Western roots.

“We are a farming and ranching community,” says Dennis Robbins, executive director of Scottsdale Charros — an all-volunteer, nonprofit group of business and civic leaders that supports youth sports, education and charitable causes and is now tasked with overseeing the parade each year. “Our history is that. So one of

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Parada del Sol’s goals is certainly to promote the Western heritage of Scottsdale.”

The story of Scottdale’s Western heritage stretches way back to 1888, when U.S. Army Chaplain Winfield Scott visited the Salt River Valley and, impressed with its potential, made a down payment on 640 acres of land to start a farming operation.

Parada del Sol’s seeds were planted 59 years later when, in 1947, a group of merchants led by Malcolm White — a man who, in 1951, became Scottsdale’s very first mayor — aspired to capitalize on the city’s potential as a tourism destination.

White and the then-new Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce began referring to Scottsdale as “The West’s Most Western Town” and integrating elements of that image, such as hitching posts and horse troughs, throughout the area.

The Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce partnered with a local riding club in 1951 to host the Sunshine Festival, which featured an entirely horse-drawn parade. It was a rousing success and cemented Scottsdale’s “West’s Most Western Town” moniker. In 1953, the event was renamed Parada del Sol and its management was assumed by the Scottsdale Jaycees.

Around the same time, a small group of Arabian horse owners founded the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona and hosted the first All Arabian Horse Show, further fossilizing the area’s uniquely equestrian lifestyle.

“The horse aspect is very unique to our parade,” says Robbins, noting that, although the Rose Bowl Parade also has an equestrian element, you do not see many horses in other parades.

A rodeo was added to the Parada del Sol festivities in 1956 and originally took place in the lot that is now home to Scottsdale Fashion Square.

“The parade would always be the same weekend as the rodeo,” says Robbins, who grew up in Scottsdale.

“We used to have a half-day of school that Friday. The buses would pick us up at school and take us directly to the rodeo. Then we would go to the parade that Saturday.”

In 1959, more than two dozen horseback riders carrying U.S. mail — Holbrook’s Hashknife Pony Express — began traveling 200 miles from Holbrook to Scottsdale, where they would convene at the parade. The Howdy Dudettes — local high school girls who acted as ambassadors for the city, greeting visiting dignitaries and tourists — were also added to the roster, as were parade queens.

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Dogs, ducks, geese, cattle and buffalo have all marched in the parade, which, at one point, even had a printed program.

Several high-profile celebrities have ridden in Parada del Sol over the years, including Amanda Blake — Miss Kitty from the 1950s television series “Gunsmoke” — in 1957 and country singer Buck Owens in 1987.

The parade has also made celebrities of the many local students who have marched in it as part of their middle or high school band.

After all, promoting the western heritage of Scottsdale is only one of the parade’s goals.

“Another is to just bring the community together to enjoy the beautiful weather in February in Scottsdale,” Robbins says.

The weather this time of the year in Scottsdale does tend to be quite beautiful and, for many years, Parada del Sol organizers boasted that it had never rained on their parade. However, Arizona's official state historian Marshall Trimble — who served as Parada del Sol’s grand marshall on four separate occasions — recalls the year during which it finally did.

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Courtesy of the Scottsdale Historical Society and Scottsdale Public Library

Courtesy of the Scottsdale Public Library

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We are a farming and ranching community. Our history is that. So one of Parada del Sol’s goals is certainly to promote the Western heritage of Scottsdale. Dennis Robbins

“In 1986, John McCain and I were up at the front of the parade when off to the west I saw this huge cloud coming in — and it was moving fast,” Trimble says.

“There was an equestrian group right behind us. The band started playing, John and I turned the corner on Indian School Road and, as we headed down Scottsdale Road, we had not even gotten all the way around the corner when that storm hit. And that rain was a cloudburst. Being a Navy man and a Marine, John and I just soldiered on.”

As has the parade itself over the past seven decades, thanks primarily to a community that recognizes its historical value and cultural significance. When the

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Scottsdale Jaycees disbanded in 2008, people who loved Parada del Sol formed two separate committees — one that oversaw the parade and another that oversaw the rodeo. The two events became separate entities, despite still sharing the same name.

The rodeo — which moved closer to downtown Scottsdale in 1959 before pivoting to North Scottsdale’s Rawhide in 1985 — now takes place in March at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

The parade still takes place in February but has seen its route change slightly over the years as the city itself has changed. When Scottsdale Road was widened and medians were added, Parada del Sol participants could

Parada del Sol Saturday,20Feb. 5 | 10 a.m. | Old Town Scottsdale | Free | scottsdaleparade.com February 22

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no longer interact with and engage onlookers who were suddenly far from the action.

Robbins says that, in recent years, organizers have taken care to create a much more intimate experience featuring a route around Old Town Scottsdale that resembles that of Parada del Sol’s humble beginnings.

This year’s 68th annual parade — which takes place on Saturday, Feb. 5 — embarks from Drinkwater Boulevard south down Scottsdale Road, turns right on First Street, then left on Marshall Way, turns east on Second Street and concludes heading north on Brown Avenue to Indian School Road.

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The Trail’s End Festival — a big block party — begins immediately after the parade, featuring live concerts, food and fun for community members of all ages.

Robbins says that Scottsdale Charros is honored to have taken over the responsibility of making sure the parade marches on year after year.

“The city of Scottsdale really loves to have the parade and wants to continue to the tradition,” he says. “It is the longest continuous running event in our city.

Scottsdale Charros has been riding in the parade as a group for more than 50 years. Part of our mission is to promote the Western heritage of Scottsdale and to promote Scottsdale in general, so it fits perfectly within what we are trying to accomplish as an organization.”

Robbins adds that it takes six or seven months to plan each year’s parade and that more than 100 volunteers work the day of the event to make sure Parada del Sol is pulled off without a hitch.

“It is lot of work for a lot of people,” he says. “But they love it and they are passionate about it. We canceled it last year [due to the COVID-19 pandemic], which was really unfortunate. So we are really excited to actually be having a parade again this year. We just want to make sure that we have the best and the safest parade possible.

Just having it is a win for us this year.” scottsdaleparade.com

K I M O B R Z U T. CO M

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Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Peter Coskun

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Whether it is winter chill or love that is in the air, you are likely cuddled up a bit closer to someone special this month.

Being physically close to those we love is an exceptionally important part of the human experience. It keeps us warm, helps us to feel valued, signals safety and trust, calms cardiovascular stress and increases compassionate response. In fact, a single, simple touch from another person can trigger the release of oxytocin — commonly referred to as the love hormone.

We often look for places that facilitate that physical propinquity.

Intimate restaurants, movie theaters and even our own living room sofas all offer the closeness for which we long.

There is a natural phenomenon in Arizona that not only provides proximity but also spectacular beauty. It is impossible to navigate our state’s slot canyons — which are aesthetically gorgeous — without having to huddle up with whoever accompanies you. Even if you visit them alone, you are surrounded by a sense of intimacy.

All of those aforementioned benefits of being physically close with those we love wash over us as a simple result of being hugged by the incredibly abstract canyon walls. It is just one of the many reasons that photographer Peter Coskun loves Arizona’s slot canyons.

“You are essentially going within some of the earth's veins that have been molded for millions of years by chaotic events to create some of the most beautiful spaces,” Coskun says.

“Various contours within the canyon can feel human at times.

In the tighter, confined spaces, you really begin to feel that intimacy within the canyon.”

Hypnotized

Coskun skillfully captures on camera what it feels like to be deep in the heart of Arizona’s slot canyons, showcasing not only one of our state’s most beautifully abstract elements but also the incomparable intimacy that they naturally supply. May these images invigorate your imagination and make you feel more connected to the love that Mother Nature used to create the world around us.

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“

I think by nature these very canyons are abstract as you can look up, down, side to side and still see something magical. When I look at my own slot canyon images, I see patterns, shapes, textures and light and how they all play together like an orchestra to create one masterpiece of sandstone. Peter Coskun

Fire Wave

Brimstone

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Your senses become heightened a bit as your eyes adjust to the darkness to reveal the rich colors of the sandstone and each sound is amplified by the rich acoustics within the canyon. The canyons are also significantly cooler as sometimes sunlight doesn't even reach the bottom of the canyon which can be felt against the sandstone walls.

Peter Coskun

The Opera Singer

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“

It is hard to go wrong with the canyons around Page, Arizona. There is a reason why the Lower and Upper Antelope canyons are as popular as they are. Lower Antelope Canyon may be the most photogenic canyon I have been in throughout the southwest.

Peter Coskun

Compressed by Stone

Upper Antelope Canyon Arch

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About the Photographer Prior to moving from Philidelphia to Phoenix at age 13, Peter Coskun assumed that Arizona was pretty much a flat, sandy, cactus-filled landscape.

“It quickly became apparent that this was not true,” he says. “In my junior year of high school, I took a photography class that had still used film. I learned how to develop my own photographs as well as the very basics of how to make a photograph — or so I thought.”

A few years later, Coskun purchased his own digital camera.

Although he would take photos of just about everything, he was especially drawn to photographing nature and the landscapes that surrounded him.

“I began searching the web and reading photography books and finding photographers and artists who could inspire me,” he says.

“The desire to travel and be outside with the camera became stronger and stronger. Eventually, I began going on a few short trips with friends to explore new places and it started to become a regular occurrence to be outside looking for something to photograph.”

During his first solo trip to the Eastern Sierra area of California in 2012, he discovered that photography was what he wanted to do in life and began embracing the journey on which it was taking him.

Coskun refers to each and every one of his photographs as a labor of love and passion into which he put his blood, sweat and tears.

They represent experiences and moments in nature that he wishes to share with the world. He takes pride in the fact that many of his compositions are new or unique takes on either often photographed locations or new locations altogether.

“My camera has taken me to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the western United States, and I expect it will take me to every corner of the world to further my exploration,” Coskun says. “I am eager and excited to see where this journey in life will take me.” pjcphotography.com Instagram: @petercoskunnaturephotography

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Leila’s Empanadas Handheld Happiness

However, overcoming obstacles and starting over were far from unfamiliar concepts for the chef, who recently launched a line of authentic, artisan empanadas in Anthem, Cave Creek and Scottsdale.

“Every time you have some challenges, you become stronger than you were,” Beltrame says.

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Having moved from Brazil to Anthem in 2015, Leila Beltrame recently launched a line of authentic, artisan empanadas in Anthem, Cave Creek and Scottsdale. Photo by Tawn Smith Photography

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When Leila Beltrame moved from her hometown in Brazil to Arizona in 2015, she encountered a completely different culture and a seemingly insurmountable mountain of challenges. As if learning an entirely new language did not produce enough headaches for her, Beltrame needed to essentially rebuild her business from scratch.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Having grown up part of a poor, farming family in southern Brazil, Beltrame witnessed first-hand the devastation of losing crops to frosts on multiple occasions.

“Sometimes the ice comes and destroys everything,” says Beltrame, noting that the process of re-planting to harvesting takes a long time.

Therefore, knowing what crops grow quickly and good practices of preserving and preparing food were of the utmost importance. Fortunately, her mother and grandmother were both experts and not only helped Beltrame’s family survive the destruction and rebuild but also instilled within her the perseverance and knowledge

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Leila Beltrame (center) and her husband, Ricardo Bortolini, celebrate Leila’s Empanadas’ Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership collaboration with the nonprofit organization’s founder Dawn Marie Rapaport. Photo by Tawn Smith Photography

that she would need to succeed in her own endeavors.

They also instilled within her a love for cooking.

“I love to work with food,” Beltrame says. “It is my passion.”

Although Beltrame tried her hand at a few other things earlier in life, she always knew that cooking was her calling. She eventually dove headfirst into the food industry. When Honeywell transferred her husband, Ricardo Bortolini, to Arizona, she sold her business and accompanied him on a new adventure here in the United States.

Beltrame took a few college courses and spent some time learning English before deciding that it was time for her to re-enter the food industry. She started with something simple —

chocolate, because it does not require any machines and is relatively easy to make. But her family’s empanada recipes called out to her and she shortly realized that she needed to share them with her new neighbors.

“I think that it is a nice product to have here — especially nowadays,” says Beltrame, noting that her empanadas are healthy, delicious and convenient.

For those who are unfamiliar with them, empanadas are essentially handheld pastries that are filled with either sweet or savory ingredients.

Beltrame currently offers three varieties — chicken and olive, beef and apple creme brulee — all of which are baked instead of fried, which give them a lower calorie count than many other foods.

Gluten-free Brazilian cheese rolls — which boast a light, crispy outer

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Chicken Empanads (Photo by Ricardo Bortolini)

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Every time you have some challenges, you become stronger than you were. Leila Beltrame

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Brazilian Cheese Rolls (Photo by Ricardo Bortolini)

Apple Creme Brulee Empanadas (Photo by Ricardo Bortolini)

layer and a scrumptious Parmesean cheese filling — are also among Beltrame’s offerings, which are available to order via her website.

Beltrame’s Leila’s Empanadas line is also available at Sam’s Frozen Yogurt in Anthem, Lil Miss Butcher in Cave Creek and BUTI MVMNT Studio in Scottsdale.

“All of my recipes are from my mother and my grandmother,” Beltrame says. “I do some adjustments to some recipes but the main thing comes from them.”

Beltrame is grateful to her parents, her grandparents and her upbringing as they gifted her with so much more than just recipes.

“I had really good parents and grandparents but we were very poor,” Beltrame says. “I can remember very well in my childhood a lot of times I came home from school and we had nothing to eat. I know very well how that hurts.”

It is that knowledge and experience that encouraged Beltrame to collaborate with North Valley-based nonprofit Homeless Engagement

Lift Partnership to benefit the organization’s H.E.L.P. Snackz Program that fills the hunger gap by providing meals to local students through daily afternoon nutritional snack bags.

“I know how hard it is to try to learn with an empty stomach,” Beltrame says. “Kids cannot learn anything or concentrate at school if they are not well-fed. How can you learn anything with an empty belly? I know what they feel when they come home and do not have anything to eat. I believe in feeding and treating kids well so that they will be able to create a better future for themselves and others.”

Therefore, a portion of proceeds from every order via Beltrame’s website goes to battle child hunger locally, proving that the Anthem resident has fully embraced her community and is committed to making it a healthier, happier and more delicious place. leilasempanadas.com Instagram: @leilasempanadasaz

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On the Wings of Love

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More than 30 years ago, Bob and Sam Fox founded the Cave Creek-based nonprofit raptor rescue Wild at Heart on the wings of love.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Lorenz Crespo

But then there is also the fact that a lot of love, passion and heart goes into the rescue, rehabilitation and release of the more than 800 wild birds the nonprofit organization takes in each year.

“It really all starts with care and understanding,” Bob says.

That is a statement that can be applied to life itself as well as everything beneath the umbrella of it, but it is especially true of the work that is done at Wild at Heart.

The nonprofit organization got its name in part because barn owls — the first creatures for which it provided care — have a heart-shaped facial disc. However, it is also a nod to the fact that we are all essentially “wild at heart.”

“We all enjoy being out in the wild,” Bob explains. “We all enjoy seeing nature.”

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It all stems from a desire to make life better — which may as well be the definition of love.

A PLACE FOR OWLS “We had been volunteering at the [Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center] and saw a need for something that extended beyond normal working hours,” Bob says.

That was in early 1990. It was also at that time Bob’s wife Sam read “A Place for Owls” by Kay McKeever, a well-known

“

It is an honor to be able to do this work and to be able to treat these animals. The ability to heal them and get them back out into the wild is a great feeling. Bob Fox

owl rehabilitator in Ontario, Canada who encouraged the use of non-releasable owls as surrogate parents for displaced owlets. Inspired by the author’s success, Sam requested permission to initiate a foster parenting program at the wildlife center as soon as a “suitable” bird was found.

Although Wild at Heart’s volunteers only pick up raptors, the facility temporarily cares for songbirds, quail, baby rabbits and other critters that are brought in by local residents until they can be transferred to other rehabilitators that specialize in those species.

The arrival of a severely ill, six-week-old barn owl with permanent wing and leg injuries provided Sam with just such an opportunity. After a long and arduous journey back to health, Bob built an aviary for the owl — which the couple named Chia — in the backyard of their former residence. In 1991, Chia raised his first group of 14 displaced nestlings, thereby becoming the avian forerunner of foster parenting in Arizona.

Wild at Heart rescues, rehabilitates and releases raptors that have been injured or orphaned; relocates displaced burrowing owls; manages species recovery programs and habitat enhancement projects; and provides educational presentations to the community.

Of course, owls and most other wild birds cannot legally be kept as pets so, in order for Chia to remain with Bob and Sam, they needed to obtain special permits from the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The couple did just that and officially founded Wild at Heart, incorporating their rehabilitation facility as a nonprofit organization and dedicating their lives to caring for the incredible creatures.

“We got immediately immersed,” Bob says. “The first year we took in about 150 birds.”

Thirty years later, Wild at Heart has expanded its care from exclusively barn owls to all other owls as well as hawks, falcons and eagles — most of which are brought in by its many dedicated volunteers. Moreover, its quantitative intake has increased exponentially.

“Last year, we took in 812 — one shy of our annual record,” says Bob, noting redtail hawks, Harris’ hawks and burrowing owls are among the many birds the facility sees. “Great horned owls have probably become the most common [birds] that come in. They are the most prolific of the raptors.”

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE The word “raptor” is derived from the Latin word “rapere” — which means “to seize.” Raptors are birds of prey that feed on live captured prey or on carrion.

“We try to give the community an understanding of what each individual species is about, why they are valuable and what their role in the ecology is,” Bob explains. “It is just about understanding our role in the circle of life and the importance of each component. Everything has a need and a niche and is really valuable.”

Bob says that among the many things that Wild at Heart tries to impart with its educational presentations is the dangers that careless humans pose to not just raptors but other birds and animals — both wild and domestic.

“People tend to go for the easiest solution and put out poison when they have a rodent problem or something,” he explains.”That is just really not effective. It poisons such a small percentage of rodents but many of them are then consumed by other animals and they also get poisoned.

Sticky traps are another thing. They are just so inhumane.”

Bob has seen it all. Wild at Heart treats poisonings, infections, electrocutions and injuries sustained by a bird being hit by a car or having flown into a window.

After three decades, Bob has also seen his fair share of raptors whose injuries are so traumatic that there is nothing Wild at Heart — or anyone else for that matter — can do to save them.

“Many of them that come in do not survive but we are at least able to provide them with a safe and comfortable environment to pass away,” Bob says. “A lot of people go to great lengths to rescue an injured animal only to

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have it come in and have to be euthanized. We try to make people feel positive about that experience, even though the end result is something that is negative.”

THE BIRDS COME FIRST It is perhaps that experience and insight that prepared Bob for his own tragic loss last year when Sam passed away at age 73.

It has obviously been tremendously difficult, as Sam was the heart and soul of the nonprofit organization, but her husband says that he and the entire Wild at Heart team have remained focused on following her guidelines and philosophy: Do what is in the best interest of these magnificent birds.

“The birds come first,” Bob explains. “It is an honor to be able to do this work and to be able to treat these animals. The ability to heal them and get them back out into the wild is a great feeling. But it is also a feeling of responsibility to do the best that we can for them because they are an integral part of the ecosystem. There is a great need for them to be out there.”

Bob encourages the community to call Wild at Heart at 480-595-5047 for assistance with injured raptors. He

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also encourages donations to the nonprofit organization.

“It costs a little more than $600 per day just to feed the animals in our care,” he says. “We would not be here without the support of the community — the donors and the volunteers.”

Among the many gifts that Bob has received from his work with Wild at Heart is seeing first-hand just how caring wild creatures are.

"The fact that so many species will immediately and without question take on the care and feeding of orphans is an amazing thing,” he says. “That is really one of the main reasons that Wild at Heart got started.

Such a simple thought was not that easy to accomplish but now we see that it happens so readily.”

That takeaway and the testament of love exhibited by feathered foster parents is just one more reason why Wild at Heart could not possibly have a more appropriate name than the one that Bob and Sam conceived more than three decades ago. wildatheartraptors.org

• • • •

PROFESSIONALS

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MIKE HIGGINS

623.640.7502 | MikeSellsAnthem.com

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RECIPE

Whipped Goat Cheese with Bacon and Dates Serves: 8

Ingredients: 6 ounces raw bacon slices 12 ounces crumbled goat cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup greek yogurt 4 tablespoons honey, divided 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 tablespoon water 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt Freshly cracked black pepper 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 2 large shallots, thinly sliced 12 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar Toasted bread or crackers, for dipping

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay the bacon in one, even layer in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Bake until crisp, 18–20 minutes.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

Appetizers should be easy, delicious and absolutely gorgeous. This whipped goat cheese with bacon and dates is all three and should be your go-to appetizer. I cannot envision any cocktail party without it!

Meanwhile, combine goat cheese, greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of honey, olive oil, water, salt and a few cracks of black pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Spoon the whipped goat cheese out onto a large plate or into a shallow bowl. Set aside.

Transfer the cooked bacon onto a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Place the skillet — with all of the bacon drippings — over medium heat. Add rosemary sprigs and allow to fry on both sides until crisp. Transfer to the plate of bacon to drain.

Add shallots to the skillet and cook for a few minutes until caramelized and tender. Stir in dates, apple cider vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for just about a minute until reduced and sticky.

Spoon the date mixture over the goat cheese. Crumble the bacon and rosemary leaves over top. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a few more cracks of black pepper.

Serve with toasted bread or crackers alongside for dipping.

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