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dahl restaurants
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NEW BEGINNINGS Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Western Spirit Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writers Amanda Christmann and Joseph J. Airdo
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ARIZONA HISTORY RESTORED AT CASTLE HOT SPRINGS Writer Shoshana Leon Photography Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs
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CAPTURE THE NIGHT SKY Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Scott Stulberg
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A BROTHERHOOD IN STONE Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Bryan Black and Bill Waters
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EGGNOG BREAKFAST STRATA Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence
MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Christmann
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Mitchell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph Airdo Lynette Carrington Amanda Christmann Sue Kern-Fleischer Kyndra Kelly Shoshana Leon Shannon Severson Fadi Sitto
PHOTOGRAPHERS Scott Baxter Bryan Black Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek
ADVERTISING SALES Tatum Williams 480-280-9490 tatum@imagesaz.com
Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com 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.
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Thumbing through the pages of this month’s edition of Images Arizona, I can’t help but notice the diverse and exciting stories our family of writers and photographers have contributed. From once-in-a-lifetime events to local lore, there really is something for everyone to take in this holiday season! Perhaps the most eye-catching contribution is the breathtaking photo essay, contributed by Sedona photographer Scott Stulberg. He and writer Amanda Christmann have managed to put pictures and words to some of the most magical moments in our Arizona skies, and what they have put together is truly remarkable. For me, not only does this photo essay depict the striking heavens that are so vivid in our wide open spaces, but they also serve as a reminder that, no matter where we come from, what we believe or who we are, we are all part of something much bigger than ourselves. Our world is amazing, if we only take the time to recognize the treasures all around us. It never hurts, either, to wish upon those stars. We never know what awaits us if we only dare to dream and believe!
Copyright © 2018 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.
Local First A R I Z O NA
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Happy holidays from our family to yours! Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221
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Nicolai Fechin, Still Life with Sunflowers, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe.
The exhibition at this Smithsonian affiliate features a fresh take on Western art, with works spanning nearly a century (1888-1983), and will remain through September 2019 before it proceeds to four additional institutes across the United States through 2021. It’s the first time a traveling exhibition has made its debut at Museum of the West. It features paintings of varied media, sculpture, photography and textiles by both male and female artists in the styles of
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Writer Shannon Severson Photography Courtesy of Western Spirit Scottsdale’s Museum of the West
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The American West has always been a beacon for adventurers, entrepreneurs, trend-setters and, of course, artists. “New Beginnings: An American Story of Romantics and Modernists in the West,” is an exhibition of 100 works by 70 well-known artists from the celebrated Tia Collection that makes its debut at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West.
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For heaven’s sake tell people what we have found! Send some artists out here. There’s a lifetime’s work for 20 men. Bert Phillips letter to Ernest L. Blumenschein
19th century classicism and romanticism to early 20thcentury modernism, including art nouveau, realism, cubism, art deco and abstract art. “The community of Scottsdale is tremendously proud to host in its museum the first opening of this unique traveling exhibition and featuring never-before-shown artworks from this renowned collection,” says museum director and CEO Mike Fox.
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“We are thrilled that our young institution is seen as worthy to be one of a number of other major institutions throughout the country to be sharing the creative inspiration and energy behind the New Beginnings exhibition.” The Tia Collection, from which the exhibit emanates, is named for the collector’s 17-year-old daughter, and includes works from French impressionists to contemporary work from today’s artists. The collection is global in scope and is carefully curated and shared with museums here in the U.S. and around the world. The works here are as varied in style, media and era as the artists who created them. Drawn to the rich landscape, open skies and new and ancient traditions, these creatives visited, often lived in and were inspired by the environs of Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico during a time of great transition in the world. Rapid industrialization, two world wars, a worldwide flu epidemic in 1918, the Great Depression, the upheaval of the 1960s and massive technological
#1 GERALD CASSIDY Mid Day Taos, c. 1920, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #2 WILLIAM BIRNEY Pueblo Still Life, 1888, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe.
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#3 PETER HURD The Month of July, 1971, egg tempera; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #4 JOHN MARIN Taos Indian Girl, 1930, watercolor; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #5 BEULAH STEVENSON Camino del Monte Sol, 1947, oil on board; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #6 HENRIETTE WYETH The Fourth Saint, c. 1983, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe.
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advancements prompted artists to seek new beginnings in a new landscape that was unlike anything they had experienced in their cities or countries of origin. The arid climate, pueblo architecture and, in Taos, the lack of electrical service and community water systems until 1935 made it a total departure from the lives these artists had always known. Some, like Joseph Sharp, one of the founders of the famed Taos Society of Artists, made permanent moves to the area, becoming ambassadors of sorts to compel others to make the long, rugged trek to this new environment. And come, they did, permanently placing northern New Mexico on the map. Even today, the state remains home to more resident artists per capita than anywhere else in the country. “It’s not a new idea to take the artists in New Mexico and present it in some fashion,” says Tia Collection Santa Fe curator Laura Finlay Smith, who organized the exhibition. “I wanted to do it in such a way that there is less convention, something unexpected. “The whole idea behind this exhibition is to maintain this historic material and make it fresh and relevant to the 21st century, especially appealing to today’s younger audiences.” That fresh approach begins with how the works are arranged. Pieces are grouped thematically rather than by artist. Colorful panels delineate the themes of “Land & Sky,” “Cultures” and “Working from Life.” The exhibition highlights the ways in which the artists, whether visiting for a time or settling permanently, saw the people and their surroundings and celebrated the every day. They made a new beginning in this place and assigned great value to the environment, the traditions and the people of the area. New Beginnings is a sort of time capsule that allows us to see what came before our hurried, digital world. “Land & Sky,” depicts the changing seasons and their affect on the vast landscape and broad vistas that first attracted Sharp, a native of Ohio, and artists from New York, the Midwest and even further, from Europe and Russia, as was the case of Leon Gaspard. Here was a completely foreign environment. “There are depictions of Christmas mass in Santa Clara Church and then a Hopi tribal dance,” says Finlay Smith. “Displaying this content side-by-side december 2018
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#5 DOROTHY BRETT Desert Indian, c. 1932/1937, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #6 ERNEST BLUMENSCHEIN Portrait of Taos Indian, c. 1929, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #7 ALICE SCHILLE September Stroll, c. 1920, watercolor on paper; Tia Collection, Santa Fe. #8 JAN MATULKA Rodeo Rider, c. 1917-20, oil on canvas; Tia Collection, Santa Fe.
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brings together a powerful contrast narrative to share a broader view and fresh perspective of the artists of this important region and time.”
the art of organization
The ways that artists and people from the distinctive cultures of Native American, Hispano and cowboy populations interacted in the everyday are shown in the way they dressed, the way they worshiped and celebrated, and the objects they surrounded themselves with. Modernist and Bisbee, Arizona native Patriciño Barela’s 1950 sculptures, “Crucifixion” and “Peace,” carved from native pine branch and juniper root respectively, are representative of not only religious objects, but also the art of a young day laborer whose work was ultimately “discovered” by WPA officials. “Working From Life” features domestic-scale objects from the studios and homes of the artists and members of the community. Still lifes, stunning portraits, like Robert Henri’s 1917, “Lucinda,” and Leon Gaspard’s handpainted kitchen table and four side chairs, circa 1940, alive with scenes of Russia, China, Mongolia and North Africa are found here. The collector painstakingly reunited the chairs after being stored, separated and even burned in a fire over the years.
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The story of New Beginnings will strike the viewer as a rich history of not just a region of the American West, but of America itself. “I’m a huge proponent that Western art is ultimately American art,” says Finlay Smith. “Mainstream American museums tend to group American and Western art as separate, but it should be viewed as part of a broader tradition.” scottsdalemuseumwest.org
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closets | garages | home offices | entertainment centers | pantries | wall units wall beds | craft rooms | laundry rooms | mud rooms | wine rooms ©2016 Closet Factory. All rights reserved. ROC#175443 december 2018
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COMMUNITY
2018 DECEMBER
Writers Amanda Christmann and Joseph J. Airdo
Dec. 7–24
MASTER JEWELER Master jeweler Michael Grant, known for his unmatched devotion to turquoise, will unveil his latest necklaces, cuffs, earrings and more, of a variety of the finest all-natural, hand-cut turquoise. Opening reception 5–8 p.m. Dec. 7. Lanning, a Bryant Nagel Gallery, 431 SR 179, A1-2, at Hozho, Sedona. 928-282-6865; lanninggallery.com
NOV. 14–DEC. 30
ELF: THE MUSICAL Phoenix Theatre brings to its stage
angel descends on Christmas Eve to
558-2080; balletetudes.net
save him from despair and to show
NOV. 23–DEC. 29
him what the world would have been like had he never been born.
a musical based on the 2003 classic
MIRACLE ON 34TH ST
holiday film about a man who, raised
Arizona Broadway Theatre brings to
7 p.m. Thursdays–Saturdays; 2
by elves in the North Pole, ventures
its stage a musical based on the 1947
p.m. Sundays. 480-314-0841;
to New York City to find his father.
classic holiday film about a last-minute
donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com
$36+. 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
See website for performance schedule.
Santa-replacement who may or may
NOV. 30–DEC. 2
602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com
not be the real Santa Claus. 7701 W.
NOV. 23–DEC. 16
Paradise Lane, Peoria. See website for
BALLET ETUDES’ THE NUTCRACKER
Ballet Etudes brings to Chandler Center
$27. 8670 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale.
prices and performance schedule. 623-
PHOENIX SYMPHONY’S HOLIDAY POPS
776-8400; azbroadway.org
Experience a festive concert of
NOV. 29–DEC. 29
seasonal favorites performed by the Phoenix Symphony and the Phoenix
its 32nd annual production of The
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Nutcracker, filled with life-size mice,
Don Bluth Front Row Theatre adapts
performance schedule. 602-495-1999;
swirling snowflakes, dancing confections
for its stage the 1946 classic holiday
phoenixsymphony.org
and the Sugar Plum Fairy. $25+. See
film about a man whose guardian
for the Arts and Mesa Arts Center
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website for performance schedule. 480-
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Symphony Chorus. $25+. 75 N. 2nd St., Phoenix. See website for
NOV. 30–DEC. 16 BLACK NATIVITY
The Black Theatre Troupe brings back to its stage Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes’ musical that boasts a powerful message of joy, hope, victory and liberation. $38. Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. See website for performance schedule. 602-2588129; blacktheatretroupe.org
NOV. 30–DEC. 23
A CHRISTMAS STORY Desert Stages Theatre adapts for its stage the 1983 classic holiday film about a 9-year-old boy’s quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under his Christmas tree. $28/adults; $22/ students and seniors. 7014 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale. 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. 480-4831664; desertstages.org
Dec. 1
YOUTH ORCHESTRA CONCERT North Valley Symphony Orchestra’s three youth orchestras will be performing their annual holiday concert. Free. Cactus Shadows High School, 5802 E. Dove Valley Rd., Cave Creek. 3:30 p.m. northvalleysymphony.org
DEC. 1–16
SNOW QUEEN Center Dance Ensemble brings to life Hans Christian Andersen’s magical wintry fairy tale set to composer Sergei Prokofiev’s score. $28/adults; $23/seniors; $14/students. Herberger Theater Center, 222 E. Monroe St., Phoenix. See website for performance schedule. centerdance.com
Dec. 1, 8
HOLIDAY CHOCOLATE MAKING Discover the lost art of hand-dipping chocolate at this class for ages 13 and up. Sponsored by CCUSD’s Education & Community Services. $150. Cactus Shadows High School, 5802 E. Dove Valley Rd., Cave Creek. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. 480575-2440; ecsforall.org
Dec. 3
RAPTORS IN YOUR BACK YARD You’ve seen the hawks circling overhead and heard the owls hooting in the evening and early morning, but do you have a grasp of the true superpowers they exhibit? See them up close and learn how you can help them. Donations appreciated. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 6:30 p.m. azfcf.org
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DEC. 14–23
PHOENIX BALLET’S THE NUTCRACKER Join Phoenix Ballet and internationally recognized dance stars Madison Penney, Tia Wenkman, Bel Pickering, Tegan Chou, Misha Broderick and Basia Rhoden along with top students from the acclaimed Master Ballet Academy. $25+. Orpheum Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. See website for performance schedule. 602-534-5600; phoenixballet.org
DEC. 5
AN IRISH CHRISTMAS Take a journey through Christmas in Ireland with dancing, singing and
16. Turquoise Tortoise, 431 SR 179,
Parkway, Tempe. See website for
A3, at Hozho, Sedona. 928-282-2262;
performance schedule. 602-909-4215;
turquoisetortoisegallery.com
scottsdalemusicaltheater.com
DEC. 7–23
Dec. 7
12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
international spirit of the holiday season.
CHRISTMAS IN CAREFREE
Features an award-winning cast of Irish
Visit Carefree’s fine art galleries, the
music of the season in Fountain
dancers, including Riverdance principal
beautiful Desert Gardens and the
Hills Theater’s presentation of a new
dancer Caterina Coyne. $23+. Orpheum
many great shops Carefree has to
musical by Peter J. Hill. $12+. 11445
Theatre, 203 W. Adams St., Phoenix. 7
offer during the First Friday Art Walk.
N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills. 7:30
p.m. phoenix.ticketforce.com
This month’s walk is full of holiday
p.m./Thursdays–Saturdays; 2 p.m./
DEC. 6–23
surprises! Free. Downtown Carefree.
Sundays. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org
traditional Irish music celebrating the
A CHRISTMAS CAROL Scottsdale Musical Theater Company
4-7 p.m. carefree.org
Dec. 7–16
Experience 12 holiday tales woven together with traditional and unique
DEC. 7–9
CIRQUE HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
musical adaptation of Charles
JEWELRY OF ALVIN YELLOWHORSE
Dickens’ classic holiday novel.
Enjoy an opening artist reception
perform festive favorites and
“The Nanny” and “Days of Our
Dec. 7, 5–8 p.m., for internationally
beloved movements from holiday
Lives” actor Charles Shaughnessy
recognized Navajo artist Alvin
masterpieces while hula hoops,
portrays Ebenezer Scrooge. $42+/
Yellowhorse and his museum-quality
strong men, contortionists, aerialists
adults; $25/children. Tempe Center
jewelry designs available through Dec.
brings to its stage the Broadway
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for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado
i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m d e c e m b e r 2 018
Hear the Phoenix Symphony
and jugglers from Troupe Vertigo perform on stage—and 40 feet above it. $25+. Symphony Hall, 75 N. 2nd St., Phoenix. See website for performance schedule. 602-4951999; phoenixsymphony.org
DEC. 7–9
IT’S CHRISTMAS Hear “The 12 Days of Christmas” like you’ve never heard it before as ProMusica Arizona takes you on a musicological journey through the holiday favorite as well as many other traditional, classical, contemporary and even whimsical pieces. Includes performances at American Lutheran Church and Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Anthem. $22/adults; $20/seniors; $12/students. See website for performance schedule. 623-326-5172; pmaz.org
Dec. 8
PAPA HUGS CONCERT AND HOLIDAY SING ALONG Kids of all ages will enjoy this event starring local performer David Sharpe of Papa Hugs. Enjoy his original music as well as several holiday sing along songs. Free. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., Cave Creek. 1–2 p.m. 480-488-2286; desertfoothillslibrary.org
DEC. 8, 9
SING WE NOW OF CHRISTMAS Let the Sonoran Desert Chorale lift your spirits with thrilling brass and organ accompaniment in the familiar melodies of traditional carols and other festive favorites. Includes performances at First United Methodist Church in Mesa and La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church in Scottsdale. $18/ adults; $15/students and seniors. See website for performance schedule. 480-835-7059; sonorandesertchorale.org
DEC. 8–16
THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS Experience the joy of the season as the Christian Dance Company celebrates the 31st anniversary of its holiday show featuring a cast of more than 100 dancers, singers and guest performers. $30/adults; $28/children and seniors. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. See website for performance schedule. 480-820-0795; chandlercenter.org
Dec. 9
COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY CONCERT SERIES This month’s concert features Swedish-born vocalist Vismaya Hagelberg, with Mark Decozio on piano and Allen Ames on bass and violin. $35. El Pedregal Tohono Ballroom at The Boulders, 34505 N. Scottsdale Rd.,
Traditional Christmas for the entire family Friday, DEC 7
Saturday, DEC 8
Sunday, DEC 9
SUN CITY @ 7:30 p.m.
ANTHEM @ 4:00 p.m.
PHOENIX @ 4:00 p.m.
American Lutheran Church 17200 N. Del Webb Blvd
Cross of Christ Lutheran Church 39808 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy
All Saints Lutheran Church 15649 N. 7th St
Children 15 and under are free!
For tickets and information visit PMAZ.org or call 623-326-5172 december 2018
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Dec. 31
PHOENIX SYMPHONY NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA Enjoy a cocktail reception, a sumptuous dinner and dance to the full Phoenix Symphony orchestra. A champagne toast and many other surprises will make ringing in the New Year special. Proceeds benefit Phoenix Symphony’s outreach and education programs, helping bring joy to music to over 125,000 children and adults in hospitals, homeless shelters, schools and more. $500; sponsorships available. Arizona Biltmore, 2400 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix. 8 p.m.–1 a.m. phoenixsymphony.org
Scottsdale. 4 p.m. 480-204-7292;
magical experience. Free. Pinnacle
holiday classics. $18+/adults; $16+/
coldwellbankeconcerts.eventbrite.com
Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima
students and seniors. Mesa Arts
Dec. 9
Rd., Scottsdale. 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. 480-
Center, One E. Main St., Mesa. 3 p.m.
303-2474; pinnacleconcerts.com
602-334-4556; saltriverbrass.org
Dec. 9
DEC. 9
IT’S A COWBOY CHRISTMAS Dusty, his trusty horse, for holiday
SING WE NOW OF CHRISTMAS
caroling at Cave Creek Museum. Take
The Sonoran Desert Chorale has been
THE SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC’S HOLIDAY CONCERT
photos and share cookies with Santa
delighting audiences for 25 years, and
Experience a special holiday program
Claus. Free with museum admission.
this year is no exception. Join them
as Ajay Patel and Alex Zhang conduct
Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline
for their Christmas celebration at
the Scottsdale Philharmonic in
Dr., Cave Creek. 2–4 p.m. 480-488-
La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church.
performances of several traditional
2764; cavecreekmuseum.org
$15–$20; discounts available for
classics of the season. $5+. Scottsdale
Dec. 9
online tickets. 6300 E. Bell Rd.,
Center for the Performing Arts, 7380
Scottsdale. 3 p.m. 480-305-4538;
E. 2nd St., Scottsdale. 4 p.m. 480-951-
sonorandesertchorale.com
6077, scottsdalephilharmonic.com
DEC. 9
DEC. 9–16
Pinnacle Chancel Choir, Pinnacle
SALT RIVER BRASS’ HOLIDAY POPS
Pealers and special instrumental guests
Join the Salt River Brass as it
Join the Orpheus Male Chorus of
as they combine forces to create a
celebrates its 31st annual concert of
Phoenix as it presents traditional and
Join Gary the Singing Cowboy and
PINNACLE CONCERT SERIES It’s one of the most anticipated concerts of the season! Join the
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HOLIDAYS WITH ORPHEUS
Dec. 20
contemporary holiday songs. Includes
Christmas Carol.” Refreshments will
performances at churches throughout
be served and children will love the
the Valley. $20/adults; $15/seniors and
historic Old English Dickens village.
students; free for children under 12. See
$25/adults; $12.50/children under
MTA HOLIDAY SHOW
website for performance schedule. 602-
12 years. Christ the Lord Lutheran
Enjoy the sounds of the season,
698-7890; orpheus.org
Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Rd.,
including classic carols and popular
Dec. 13
Carefree. 4 p.m. ctlcarefree.org
holiday music presented by
Dec. 15
Musical Theatre of Anthem. $15.
BIG IDEAS FORUM: CLEAN WATER TECHNOLOGY Water is often underestimated as our most precious and life-depending resource. Look at how far clean water technology has come and what specifically is being done right here in our community at this Big Ideas discussion. bigideasforum@gmail. com; bigideasforum.info
DEC. 14–18
A CHORALE CHRISTMAS Join internationally renowned conductor Dr. Anton Armstrong as he leads the Phoenix Chorale in bringing the spirit of the St. Olaf Christmas Festival to churches throughout the Valley. $38/adults; $33/seniors and military; $18/students. See website for performance schedule. 602-253-2224; phoenixchorale.org
Dec. 15
ART PARTY AT EL PEDREGAL Alyson Miller, Marless Fellows, Nancy Romanovsky and April Howland will be the featured demonstrating artists. Free. The Gallery at El Pedregal, 34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. Second Floor. 480-575-6685; sonoranartsleague.org
Dec. 15
A CHRISTMAS CAROL The Carolyn Eynon Singers will
WINTER WONDERLAND CONCERT North Valley Symphony Orchestra presents “Winter Wonderland,”
42201 N. 41st Dr., Suite B100, Anthem. 7 p.m. 623-336-6001; musicaltheatreofanthem.org
DEC. 21
Canyon High School, 1700 E.
DRUMLINE LIVE HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR
Union Hills Dr., Phoenix.7 p.m.
Witness the energetic choreography,
northvalleysymphony.org
dazzling vocalists and talented musicians
DEC. 15
of marching bands from Historically
including classical holiday favorites, and a visit from Santa. Free. North
A MERRY-ACHI CHRISTMAS
Black College and University performing holiday classics with the energy of hip-hop, jazz, soul and Motown. $38+.
Maestro José Hernández and his
Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N.
platinum-selling Sol de México—
Arizona Ave., Chandler. 7:30 p.m. 480-
the first mariachi ensemble to be
782-2680; chandlercenter.org
nominated for a Grammy Award—
DEC. 27
perform treasured holiday favorites.
Scottsdale. 7 p.m. 480-499-8587;
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS
scottsdaleperformingarts.org
Experience the magic as the spirit
DEC. 16, 17
of the season comes alive with
$29+. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. 2nd St.,
IRISH CHRISTMAS IN AMERICA
the signature sound of Mannheim Steamroller. The program celebrates the group’s recent anniversary of 30
Take a memorable glimpse into the
years since the first Christmas album
enchanting spirit of Christmas as
and 40 years since the first Fresh Aire
the finest traditional artists from
album. $40+. ASU Gammage, 1200
Ireland bring you on a fun-filled
S. Forest Ave., Tempe. 7:30 p.m. 480-
journey through the holiday season.
965-3434; asugammage.com
This family-friendly performance
dancing. $35+. Musical Instrument
LYBERGER TAPPED TO LEAD DESERT MOUNTAIN GOLF
Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd.,
John Lyberger, PGA, one of the most
Phoenix. See website for performance
highly regarded golf professionals in
schedule. 480-478-6000; mim.org
the country, has been named PGA
features stirring Irish ballads, lively instrumental tunes and thrilling Irish
present Charles Dickens’ “A
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OVERTURE KIERLAND OPENING FOR 55+ Greystar is pleased to announce the opening of Overture Kierland, a new 55+ active community. Rent is typically 50 percent below other independent living communities. Overture Kierland offers thoughtfully designed, fully appointed one- and two-bedroom residences with designer finishes and fixtures, and loads of on-site amenities. The community is located within walking distance to Scottsdale Quarter and Kierland Commons, and is minutes away from nearby recreation and outstanding golf courses. overturekierland.com
director of golf at Desert Mountain
about to begin an exciting inaugural
of more than 1,400 entries, and the
Club, the only private community
year. In an intense six-week program,
silver celebration includes a full lineup
in the world with six Jack Nicklaus
students will use software, hardware
of events. Non-member advanced
signature golf courses. Lyberger will
and power tools to build a robot
sale price is $920; $875 for members
oversee a golf staff of 75 employees
to compete in an international
before Dec. 31. Beginning Jan. 1,
serving 1,900 members across golf
competition. They will also have an
the cost is $1,150. See website for
courses and pro shops. In early
opportunity to develop a business
additional pricing. 928-282-1177;
2019, Desert Mountain Club will
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skills and qualify for $80 million
at Desert Mountain, and celebrate
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the reopening of its original course,
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Renegade, following an extensive renovation. desertmountain.com
SEEKING STUDENTS/ MENTORS FOR ROBOTICS CLUB Anthem Bolts 7620 robotics club, sponsored by NASA and AZ First, is
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TICKETS ON SALE FOR SEDONA FILM FEST
CALL FOR COLLEGE ART SUBMISSIONS Arizona Citizens for the Arts is looking for artwork created by college students in the last two years to be considered for use as
Advance-sale passes are now on sale
the official artwork for the 38th
for the 25th Sedona International
Annual Governor’s Arts Awards
Film Festival Feb. 23–March 3. This
program. Submission deadline is
year, 160 films have been selected out
Dec. 20. See website for details. azcitizensforthearts.org
SCOTTSDALE LEAGUE FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCES GRANTS Scottsdale League for the Arts, the non-profit group that presents the Scottsdale Culinary Festival each April to raise funds for Arizona arts programs and development, announces its 2018 grantees: Ballet Arizona, Center Dance Ensemble, Childsplay, Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts, Desert Foothills Community Theater, Detour Company Theater, Inc., East Valley Children’s Theater, Fountain Hills Theater, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, Free Arts for Abused Children, Grand Canyon Chamber Music Festival, Heard Museum, Phoenix Children’s Chorus, Phoenix Film Foundation, Phoenix Performing Arts Center, Phoenix Theater, ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra, Rosie’s House: Music Academy for Children, Scottsdale Arts, Scottsdale Philharmonic, Southwest Shakespeare Company, Valley Youth Theatre, WHAM Art Center and Young Arts Arizona Ltd. The league has donated more than $4.5 million to the arts since 2000. scottsdalefest.org
STATE’S LARGEST CHRISTMAS TREE IN ANTHEM Visit the state’s largest Christmas tree at the Outlets at Anthem. This year’s tree is 80 feet tall—taller than the Rockefeller Center tree in N.Y.C. This is the 17th year the Outlets have been home to this spectacular visual display. The
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tree is topped with a 3-foot copper star, a nod to the state’s official metal, and features more than 1.5 miles of LED lights. More than 5,000 ornaments and bows decorate the tree.
DANCE WITH ME GALA Tickets are on sale for this year’s 11th Annual Ballet Arizona Dance with Me Gala to be held January 25 at Phoenix Art Museum. Tickets for this black tie event start at $600 and table sponsorships start at $6,000. 602-343-6522; balletaz.org
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december 2018
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Writer Fadi Sitto
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Have you ever wondered what sound a color makes? What if the sky, the ocean or the mountains could sing? After only a few seconds of listening to the Boulder Creek Madrigal Singers, I’m convinced that I now know. Old World echoes and fairy tales hum. The renaissance sounds of a virtuous Medieval-voiced art form lives and thrives at Boulder Creek High School. This collection of extraordinary young students have refreshingly adopted the descriptive expression of the madrigal, emotively unique and driven in their pursuits of grand harmonies. The Boulder Creek Madrigal Singers are a two-chorale ensemble that exquisitely sings Renaissanceera repertoire as well as traditional selected holiday pieces for their lucky audiences. They joyfully and effortlessly sing and perform in elegant classical style period costumes, which is quite unusual for Arizona and this part of the United States. A madrigal is an intricate unaccompanied vocal music genre originated and developed in northern Italy during the 14th century. This form of vocal chamber music and composition ultimately achieved renowned international status in the late 16th and 17th centuries. In Italy, the madrigal was the most significant secular form of music of its time. Madrigal was especially popular in Italy and England, but in time became so popular that composers from most of Europe started to write in the madrigal genre, solving the problematic details of setting a secular poem or a sonnet to music. The composers of the time attempted to express the deep-rooted emotion contained in each poetic line, and sometimes even the individual words of a celebrated poem. They composed specifically for a small
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group of singers, typically from four to six vocalists. At Boulder Creek, talented studentsingers commit to their craft. “We work during the lunch period and the kids get no grades or school credit. They love to sing that much. They’re really terrific young people,” says Nancie Tobison, Boulder Creek choir music director. The Boulder Creek choral program has been impressively established and curated over the past decade by venerated music director Kirk Douglas. Today, Nancie Tobison is grateful to join him working in a program that is not only exceptional but a blessing to the Anthem community. Nancie is the perfect mentor for this group of kids and for the program—a perfect match. She was a finalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award in 2015 and was honored by Choirs of America in 2014 on the stage at Carnegie Hall for her contributions to choral education. Her world-class choirs have performed at the Sydney Opera House, the White House and the Olympic Overture to both the Beijing and London games. The atmosphere within the choir is incredibly close knit, with impressive student camaraderie and leadership. There are over 250 students in the overall choral program and they perform and compete nationally at the highest level. From Boulder Creek’s Broadway Bound mixed show ensemble to their Bella Voca group, the program has succeeded in harnessing the skills of detail and focus, to go along with the natural talent of each choir member.
Nancie explains that theory and musicianship are integral parts of the school’s program. There are six choirs that meet every day there is something for everyone who has the passion of being a part of an amazing team and family. The Boulder Creek Madrigal Singers had the honor of performing at the White House last year and were so inspiring that they are invited again to showcase their skills this month. “I had the opportunity of going to Washington last year with the Boulder Creek madrigal group. I am set to go again this year and I couldn’t be more excited,” said Katelyn Spriggs, Boulder Creek madrigal singer. She added, “Last year’s trip was an experience of a lifetime. We went from the capital to the White House, singing on the streets and singing for a couple hundred people.”
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Have you ever wondered what sound a color makes? What if the sky, the ocean or the mountains could sing?
Katelyn expresses the true connection of the program. It’s clear that this is a special group of talented Arizonans. They become almost a family—more than classmates, more than friends. The Boulder Creek Madrigal Singers proudly yet humbly show off their “outside voices,” with a pure rhythm and rhyme that will surely stand the test of time. If you listen with your ears, you’ll hear the beauty of music, softly and smoothly, thundering from the vocal chords of these gifted young women and men. If you listen with your heart, you’ll not only hear that sound-moving beauty, but you’ll understand why they are singing. bcjagchoir.com
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T
There really is nothing like an Arizona Christmas. Granted, to experience a white Christmas, you’ll need to drive north to Flagstaff. But the Valley more than makes up for its lack of snowfall with the exceptionally festive live performing arts programs presented in Phoenix and its surrounding communities this time of the year. From national acts making guest appearances in our state to local groups pulling out all of the stops to make our December days merry and bright, Santa Claus himself couldn’t throw a lump of coal without hitting at least one stage that is lit up like a Christmas tree and populated with some of the most talented individuals this side of the North Pole. For starters, Mannheim Steamroller—a musical group whose signature sound has become synonymous with Christmas—is set for a 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27 performance at ASU Gammage in Tempe. Meanwhile, Drumline
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo The Nutcracker (Courtesy of Kellan Meko - Ballet Etudes) december 2018
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Live will bring its holiday show to Chandler Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21. They are just two examples of a long list of holiday headliners that are certain to be the Valley’s biggest Yuletide draws. Of course, our state’s stages also do a spectacular job of booking acts that explore holiday traditions through a culturally diverse lens. Maestro José Hernández’s platinum-selling Sol de México—the first mariachi ensemble to be nominated for a Grammy Award—will perform its popular Merry-Achi Christmas show 7 p.m. Dec. 15 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. Moreover, two different Irish Christmas performances will take place—one featuring Riverdance principal dancer Caterina Coyne at 7 p.m. Dec. 5 at Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix, and another produced by Oisín Mac Diarmada of the award-winning Irish group Téada Dec. 16 and 17 at Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. But that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the holiday happenings in the Valley. The richness of performing arts organizations in our communities create a Christmasy atmosphere that is guaranteed to deck your halls all December long.
Fountain Hills Theatre (Courtesy of Fountain Hills Theatre)
Black Nativity (Courtesy of Black Theatre Troupe)
Candy Canes And Silver Lanes Aglow
The Broadway plays and musicals sampled during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade last month likely whet your whistle for live theater. Fortunately, the Valley’s various theater troupes are presenting a wide array of holiday shows at venues far closer than New York City. One such show—which boasts a score by Broadway giants Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens—is Scottsdale Musical Theater Company’s presentation of “A Christmas Carol.” “The Nanny” and “Days of Our Lives” actor Charles Shaughnessy portrays Ebenezer Scrooge in the musical stage adaptation of Charles Dickens’
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timeless holiday classic Dec. 6–23 at Tempe Center for the Arts. “The holidays can be a stressful time for many reasons,” said David Hock, executive producer of Scottsdale Musical Theater Company. “Getting to work on such a joyous holiday musical is a nice way to escape the madness of shopping malls, airports and traffic. You can't help but get wrapped up in the spirit of the show.”
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At the other end of the spectrum of holiday classics is “A Christmas Story,” which Desert Stages Theatre in Scottsdale is presenting through Dec. 23. The play’s script was taken almost directly from the 1983 film of the same title. Desert Stages Theatre marketing and social media coordinator Virginia Olivieri especially enjoys this particular Yuletide tale because of its meaningful message. “‘A Christmas Story’ emphasizes for me the importance of my family, my children and the special moments—whether good, bad or crazy—we get to spend together,” Olivieri said. “Holiday shows remind us of where we come from and that no matter what there's no place like home.” Meanwhile, Black Theatre Troupe is presenting its annual production of “Black Nativity” through Dec. 16 at Helen K. Mason Performing Arts Center in Phoenix. Black Theatre Troupe executive director David Hemphill said the performance is a significant part of the holidays for African Americans in the same way that “A Christmas Carol” and “The Nutcracker” are traditions for other audiences. “It is a joyous celebration of music and dance that touches a special chord within everyone this time of the year,” explained Hemphill, noting that he has worked on “Black Nativity” every season for the past 40 years. Other holiday shows include “12 Days of Christmas” through Dec. 23 at Fountain Hills Theater, “Miracle on 34th Street” through Dec. 29 at Arizona Broadway Theatre in Peoria, “It’s a Wonderful Life” through Dec. 29 at Don Bluth Front Row Theatre in Scottsdale and “Elf: The Musical” through Dec. 30 at Phoenix Theatre.
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Salt River Brass (Courtesy of Salt River Brass)
Phoenix Symphony (Courtesy of the Phoenix Symphony)
Phoenix Chorale (Courtesy of Chris Loomis - Phoenix Chorale)
It's the Right Time to Rock the Night Away
The Valley’s various instrumental bands are also providing audiences with plenty of opportunities to partake in the sounds of the season. The Scottsdale Philharmonic will present its holiday program 4 p.m. Dec. 9 at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. It will include composer Leroy Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival,” an arrangement of festive favorites such as “Silent Night,” “Carol of the Bells,” “March of the Toys” and “Joy to the World.” “The holiday program is all about music that creates a feel-good moment, a special childhood memory with family or the excitement of what’s to come during the season,” said Joy Partridge, the Scottsdale Philharmonic’s president and violist. “Sharing the spirit of the season through music creates a fond memory for all of us at the Scottsdale Philharmonic.”
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Granted, to experience a white Christmas, you’ll need to drive north to Flagstaff. But the Valley more than makes up for its lack of snowfall with the exceptionally festive live performing arts programs presented in Phoenix and its surrounding communities this time of the year.
Meanwhile, North Valley Symphony Orchestra will present its holiday program—Winter Wonderland—7 p.m. Dec. 15 at North Canyon High School in Phoenix. Liberty Elementary School’s chorus will join the musicians during the program for a performance of composer Sergey Prokofiev’s “Winter Bonfire.” “Whenever we involve other organizations in our concerts, it helps us build community—an important aspect of the art,” said Kevin Kozacek, music director for North Valley Symphony Orchestra. “[Working] on holiday music for a concert helps me enjoy the spirit of the season. This concert is all about the
cold, wintry aspect of the holidays— which, living in Phoenix, sometimes we miss.” The Salt River Brass will also do its part to get the Valley in the Christmas spirit with its Holiday Pops concert 3 p.m. Dec. 9 at Mesa Arts Center. The performance will showcase a mix of traditional and jazz arrangements of festive favorites such as “The Nutcracker Suite,” “White Christmas” and even a Motown-style version of “Jingle Bells.” “The Salt River Brass' annual holiday concert always gets me in the cheerful spirit,” said Ross Kerley, the band’s secretary and tuba player. “I feel that it's not really the holiday season until I perform with Salt River Brass. Everyone in the Salt River Brass loves our fantastically enthusiastic audience that comes from near and far, and this concert feels like we're giving back to them.” The Phoenix Symphony has its fair share of holiday programs as well, including a Nov. 30–Dec. 2 Holiday Pops concert and a Dec. 7–9 Cirque Holiday Spectacular collaboration with Troupe Vertigo that pairs classic Christmas music with circus-type acts on the stage—and 40 feet above it. The Phoenix Symphony will also bring performances of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” to five different
venues across the Valley Dec. 12–16.
Hark Now, Hear the Angels Sing
The Valley’s choral organizations also have Christmas covered. ProMusica Arizona will present its annual holiday show—a collaboration of both its chorale and its orchestra—Dec. 7–9 at American Lutheran Church and Cross of Christ Lutheran Church in Anthem. Jan Sandoz, a member of the chorale and a board chair, said her favorite part of this year’s performance is a new satirical arrangement of “The 12 Days of Christmas.” “As a singer, I love performing all the familiar sacred and secular tunes of Christmas,” Sandoz said. “But they can become rather stale without changing them up a bit. With these new arrangements, I find that it simply adds a little sparkle to my traditional favorites.” Audiences have several other choral concerts from which to choose throughout December, including a number of performances by the Sonoran Desert Chorale, the Orpheus Male Chorus of Phoenix and the Phoenix Chorale at various locations throughout the Valley.
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The Nutcracker (Courtesy of Kellan Meko - Ballet Etudes)
Visions of Sugar-Plums Danced in Their Heads
Of course, no Christmas would be complete without a performance of “The Nutcracker.” A big-screen adaptation of the holiday classic set to composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s enduring score is playing in movie theaters thanks to Walt Disney Pictures, but the story comes to life on stage courtesy of Ballet Etudes through Dec. 16 at Chandler Center for the Arts and Mesa Arts Center. Ballet Etudes is tied with Ballet Arizona for the longest-running production of “The Nutcracker” in the Valley. Resident choreographer and marketing manager Kellan Meko, whose parents founded Ballet Etudes in 1986, said the production—which traditionally has its first performance on the day after Thanksgiving of each year—holds a particularly special meaning to her. “On Thanksgiving, the smell of the cooking turkey swirled in the air with the smell of the hot glue gun as last-minute alternations were made to props and headpieces,” Meko explained. “As the creative and logistical forces behind ‘The Nutcracker,’ my parents were at every performance, whether working backstage or performing onstage in character roles, so this production is my holiday season and has wonderful memories tied to it.” Ballet Arizona and Phoenix Ballet are also presenting their own productions of “The Nutcracker” throughout December. Meanwhile, Center Dance Ensemble is performing Frances Ford Cohen’s “Snow Queen” at Herberger Theater Center through Dec. 16 and the Christian Dance Company will present the 31st anniversary of its holiday show “The Spirit of Christmas” Dec. 8–16 at Chandler Center for the Arts.
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Writer Fadi Sitto Photography Courtesy of Desert Botanical Garden
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20th century French philosopher Jacques Maritain said, “Art comes from a deeper part of the intellect, not the reasoning part alone. There is an interpenetration of art and nature so that a place comes alive because of its history.� The alive and breathing botanical history of the Sonoran Desert is as glorious as ever with light and sound this winter. Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is once again gifting us an outdoor gallery of nature, colors and art imitating actual life. Electric Desert, a garden art installation, is here. Electric Desert is an immersive virtual nightscape exhibit of original music, sounds and light emanating directly onto the distinctive and sprawling Desert Garden landscape. Uniting in a mesmerizing display like never before, the garden’s cactus and desert become a living canvas in this nighttime journey, unlike any other exhibit experience to visit Arizona. Klip Collective, based in Philadelphia, is a creative studio that uses virtual reality, projection mapping, storytelling and soundscapes to create captivating, immersive sensory experiences. Self-taught creative
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and Klip Collective founder Ricardo Rivera designed this integrative experience after studying the natural desert. He played off the vibe of the space, bringing the nocturnal desert to life, and succeeded in accentuating the form and movement by creating pattern off of pattern. Klip Collective has been creatively beaming cutting edge projection events in a diverse array of environments across the world since 2003. They broke through on the arts scene in 2015 with a similar show, “Nightscape,” hosted at Longwood Gardens just outside of Philadelphia. The show received international acclaim and had over 175,000 visitors. The Electric Desert exhibit in Phoenix encompasses seven site-specific locations, with each experience inspired by and related to the garden. The exhibit showcases unique abstract imagery mapping accompanied by ambient electronic soundscapes. It took over a year to create, six weeks to install and a crew of 40 to build. As you walk under the Phoenix Sonoran moon, it’s hard to fathom that there are over nine acres of landscapes covered by light. The desert is a vibrant, pure abstraction. “I just want to inspire people, ignite their imaginations and create a place where people are in awe,” says Ricardo. Ricardo Rivera is a filmmaker at heart and a true pioneer of video projection mapping, having earned a United States patent for his technological breakthroughs in the medium. His work has been featured multiple times at the Sundance Film Festival, including the commissioned festival bumper in 2014.
He doesn’t take for granted the subtle splendor of our surroundings here in the Arizona desert. The scenic outdoor garden environment is the perfect setting for Electric Desert’s illusionary vision and shapes. Imagine a cactus garden under the Arizona desert sky. Now imagine that garden as a living canvas of inspiration and eye candy for your senses. Quite possibly the most inspiring phase of Electric Desert is the cactus gallery. The majesty of the seemingly endless stretch of nighttime cacti of different sizes and shapes are eye-opening, unapologetic. It’s as if they want to tell you their story as you walk by. “Take your time.” That’s what Ricardo told me when I asked him if he had any advice for me when visiting the Electric Desert exhibit. Taking his advice to heart, I purposefully took my time taking it all in. The artist’s advice was spot on. Standing still at one of the trailheads and taking in the large vista, an intuitive perspective rushes through you, as if you are part of a family of all things alive and thriving right in front of you. I felt a sort of camaraderie with the other people walking through the Electric Garden. The self-guided walking tour allows you to interact with the surrounding beauty on your own terms. Just wandering off in any direction within the garden trails, you’ll feel a sense of well-being while being happily lost amongst the desert plants. The Desert Botanical Garden, located within Papago Park in Phoenix, is a stunning 140-acre botanical garden. This world-class natural treasure was founded by the Arizona Cactus and Native Flora Society in 1937 and established at this site in 1939.
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Thanks to a small but passionate group of local citizens who saw the need to conserve the beautiful desert environment, and the support of social influencers of the time such as Gertrude Divine Webster, the garden’s presence grew. This popular city garden sees almost a half a million visitors annually and has more than 50,000 plants, including 379 species that are rare, threatened or endangered. Plant life is carefully displayed throughout themed scenic walking trails and exhibits that illustrate topics such as conservation, desert living, wildflower plants and people of the Sonoran Desert. Today, Desert Botanical Garden is a spectacular open-air museum and a landmark of pride for Valley residents. Electric Desert is one more delightful way to experience its beauty. dbg.org
EXPERIENCE Electric Desert at Desert Botanical Garden Through May 12, 2019 | Monday through Sunday, 6–10 p.m. | $24.95–$29.95 adults; $12.95–$15.95 youth; Free for members 1201 iN. | dbg.org m a gGalvin e s a r i z oPkwy., n a . c o m Phoenix d e c e m b|e480-941-1225 r 2 018
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Serene and Stately If it’s room to relax that you’re looking for, this 5-bedroom, 4.5 bath home in Anthem’s beautiful Parkside community is the perfect place to come home to. From a gorgeous, well-appointed kitchen to a tranquil master suite, this 4,900+ square foot home invites you to come in and relax! Your warm welcome begins before you even open the front door. A beautiful private front courtyard is ideal for an afternoon with friends or stargazing with a glass of wine. Inside you’ll find an entertainer’s dream. A kitchen complete with raised panel cherry cabinets, stainless appliances, a butler’s pantry, and a large island opens to the large great room. Two dens and a family room round out a total of four common living areas, offering everyone a separate space to unwind or socialize. The family room features a gas fireplace for those chilly winter evenings, as well as media shelving and built-in storage to organize games, music or anything else your heart desires. There is plenty of room for hobbies and fun. Upstairs is a bonus room, and a workshop off of the garage makes this home a place where you can not only live, but where you can build a life. This is a home you don’t want to miss! Call today to find out how to make it yours!
Please call Linda for your private showing. Linda Rehwalt RE/MAX Professionals 602-402-1136 lindarehwalt@azrealty.com
december 2018
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Writer Shoshana Leon Photography Courtesy of Castle Hot Springs
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An hour north of Phoenix in the rugged Bradshaw Mountains, Castle Hot Springs, one of Arizona’s first luxury resorts, was destroyed in a fire 42 years ago. Much to the delight of guests, it will be reopening its doors, and with its opening will come historical charm, modern amenities, fresh culinary options and relaxing activities in a peaceful setting. “Castle Hot Springs is ideal for adventure and wellness seekers, as well as people who appreciate the rich history,” said Castle Hot Springs’ Steve Sampson. “We see many Arizonans being frequent guests, as well as affluent travelers.” Castle Hot Springs gets its name from the natural hot springs that produce over 200,000 gallons of pure, odorless 120-degree mineral water a day. It has an interesting history and some very famous guests, including the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and several United States presidents, including Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge and Herbert Hoover. In 1945, a young John F. Kennedy spent a few months at Castle Hot Springs recovering from his wartime injury. In 1867, U.S. Army Colonel Charles Craig and his soldiers came upon the hot springs after they captured a gang of robbers in the Bradshaw Mountains. Frank Morrill Murphy, a self-made millionaire from Wisconsin, opened Castle Hot Springs as a luxury healing retreat in 1896. Murphy’s brother, who became territorial governor of Arizona in 1898, moved his Arizona office from Prescott to Castle Hot Springs during the winter months. After Frank Murphy died in 1917, Castle Hot Springs had a few more owners before being sold to the Talley family, who owned the Arizona Biltmore. In 1976, a spark from a fireplace burned the main hotel building to the ground. Following the fire, the Talleys donated the property to Arizona State University, which used it as a conference center until selling it in 1987.
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The property exchanged hands a few more times before being purchased in 2014 by a partnership of local investors and managed by Westroc Hospitality, which has restored and revived some of Arizona’s most cherished properties including Hotel Valley Ho, Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort and Spa, and Mountain Shadows. “The ownership and management group consist of Arizona natives who are doing this for the legacy and history of Castle Hot Springs and Arizona,” said Sampson. “The vision is for Castle Hot Springs to be reborn as a luxury wellness and adventure retreat, and to once again become a premier resort destination.” The revamped Castle Hot Springs will have 32 luxury cabins and bungalows, some of which will have piping directly from the hot springs into oversized tubs with an open ceiling, offering a relaxing soak under the stars. Resort guests have many options to recharge, including soaking in the hot springs, taking a hike, resting by the pool or enjoying a massage. Castle Hot Springs’ culinary operations will be led by Executive Chef Chris Brugman, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu who was formerly with Mountain Shadows and Fox Restaurant Concepts. The resort’s culinary offering is described as “Harvest of the Day,” utilizing fresh ingredients grown on site. Varieties of heirloom tomatoes and an array of citrus will be used for creative mixology. “Adjacent to the resort’s main lodge is an organic farm and greenhouse, which will provide over 150 types of rare fruits and vegetables to the restaurant,” said Sampson. “Chef Brugman and our resident agronomist Ian Beger will select what produce is perfect for each day’s menu. “The pure mineral water from the hot springs will be funneled into an old laundry building, which is being renovated into the Castle Hot Springs Brewery.
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We also have an outdoor grill, smoker and pizza oven. The resort will feature Western-style barbecues and cookouts.” Although there are modern amenities and upscale accommodations, Castle Hot Springs will provide a respite from today’s busy and connected world. “We have restored five of the property’s original buildings,” said Sampson. “The mood, music and aura of the property will be directly from the early 20th century. It will be a step back in time. We will also have horses and stables on property as Castle Hot Springs was always a Western destination.” Castle Hot Springs will provide guests with a taste of history as they enjoy the tranquil surroundings and soothing hot springs that have brought people to the resort in search of relaxation and healing since 1896. Castle Hot Springs 5050 E. Castle Hot Springs Rd., Morristown, AZ 480-367-6240 castlehotsprings.com
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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Scott Stulberg
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Our beautiful land is known for its desert landscapes and radiant sunsets, but those of us who call Arizona home know that, when the sun settles in for its evening rest, the darkness holds some of the most truly magical moments.
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After dark, shadows of mountains majesty frame beautiful spacious skies illuminated by dazzling distant stars and galaxies. In Sedona and much of northern Arizona, russet cliffs stand proudly beneath bespangled heavens. The stars spin a dizzying maze through the treetops of our ponderosa pine forests. Here in the Valley of the Sun, the moon often seems to expand into infinity. i m a gtakes e s a r i zcenter o n a . c ostage m d ein c eamsky b e rthat 2 018
Sedona photographer Scott Stulberg has brilliantly turned stargazing into an art. He has managed to capture some of the most enchanting secrets of the night. We hope you enjoy his work as much as we do! asa100.com asa100.com/workshops Find Scott’s breathtaking book, "Passage to Burma," on his website.
A MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT “Years ago, I took a trip up to the Grand Canyon around sunset with my wife and one of my students. After the sun went down, they both wanted to leave and come back to Sedona but it was during August, and I was just hoping and praying that we might see some lighting bolts. “I decided to wait in the dark and keep my fingers crossed and my prayers were answered within about an hour. The first bolt hit right in front of my eyes directly over the Grand Canyon, and I yelled to them, ‘Let's go! Get our cameras and tripods! This is it!’ “I will never forget that moment for the rest of my life. For the next two hours, all I could do was scream while I was shooting some of the most spectacular lightning of my life. It was absolutely one of the most remarkable times I've ever had as a photographer. “My favorite image from that night ended up in the front pages of National Geographic, in the Visions of Earth section, as a double-page spread. Turned out to be one of those times where your intuition as a photographer really paid off.” ~Scott Stulberg
Sedona After Dark
Milky Way over Courthouse Rock Sedona
It's a big beautiful world out there with so much to photograph. Everyone should grab a map and somehow, some way, get to some of those amazing places that you've always dreamed about—but don't forget your camera! Scott Stulberg
december 2018
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Grand Canyon
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Red Rocks Sedona Moonlight
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER Scott Stulberg was born and raised in Los Angeles beneath the lights of Hollywood. His father, Gordon Stulberg, who was president of 20th Century Fox during Scott’s high school years, gave him his first camera—a plastic one that took roll film—when he was 10 years old. “That was the beginning of an amazing odyssey and I completely fell in love with capturing everything I could,” says Scott. “When I turned 13 years old, my parents built an amazing darkroom for me in the basement, and that was absolutely life-changing for me. I spent night after night under the safe lights and really understanding what photography was about. I really feel it was that darkroom that completely made me fall in love with photography.” Today, he not only captures incredible moments and sights; he teaches workshops worldwide to help others find and express the beauty in the light, and in the dark.
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Photographic possibilities become endless when imagination and knowledge collide after dark. Movement, color and light combine to give results that are often unseen with the naked eye. That is what is so incredibly addicting about shooting after dark. The results from long exposures capture things that can just blow you away. It's really a whole other world out there shooting after the sun goes down! Scott Stulberg
Milky Way over Cathedral Rock
ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHING THE NIGHT SKY Scott Stulberg has become an expert at catching the stars, the moon, lightning and other wonders in digital images, and it’s not a simple feat. Anyone who has attempted to capture night sky beauty knows that it is incredibly difficult to translate the remarkable sights into a two-dimensional photo. Those who are able to do it well are rewarded. “There is something definitely unique and eye-catching about a good image that was shot after dark. Whether it includes the Milky Way, star trails or car trails, incredible architecture from a beautiful European city or so many other things, somehow the viewer gets drawn into your images and realizes this is totally different from daytime photography,” Stulberg explains. Adds Scott, “I guess the most difficult part of photographing after dark is that you're dealing with no light, and you have to understand your camera gear inside out. You do have a headlamp on for some of the time, but you can't have that on too much because you'll ruin your shots and everyone else’s shots around you. “You also have to be pretty well-versed in what settings you need to capture longer exposures, or even if you want to do multiple exposures to do things like stacking images, exposure blending or shooting for even an hour or so to capture star trails. Even though all of this can be difficult at the beginning, after a while it becomes just second nature. Sometimes— actually a lot of the time—it's a lot more fun and even a lot more rewarding.”
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After dark images have so much ‘stopping power’— images that make you stop and engage with the photo, wondering what is going on and why this particular image makes you feel the way you do. Scott Stulberg
Twilight Zone Milky Way
december 2018
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STULBERG ON PHOTOGRAPHY “Do your best to never stop learning. Reading everything you can, taking classes, searching on Google, and just being tenacious about studying photographs and techniques from other photographers.
Star Trails over the Chapel Sedona
Milky Way above Sedona
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“Try to decipher not only how somebody shot something, but what was in their mind at the time. … So many photographers shoot the same exact way, every time they shoot. They don't think about different perspectives, trying to capture the scene a different way and hardly ever think outside the box. “What gets you noticed is what made Steve Jobs an absolute genius. His motto was ‘Think Different.’ I have always had that in my mind when I pushed myself more with photography throughout the years. You have to push yourself all the time or you will never get where you want to be.”
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Among stunning displays of teal malachite and a sparkling spectrum of purple amethyst, a sense of tranquility seems to float in the air at Rare Earth Gallery in the heart of Cave Creek. Inside the doors is art of a scope not available anywhere else, and the medium is Mother Earth herself. In some ways, that peaceful feeling is by design: the contemporary new 9,000-square-foot gallery with both indoor and outdoor displays is carefully curated to create a natural and artful feast for the eyes. It’s the depth and breath of the brightly colored natural stones, hand-blown glass art, over 150 displays of jewelry and striking landscape décor that initially takes one’s breath away. Though they vary from the very large to the very small, some of the most impression-forming pieces are chunks of giant boulders, sectioned, polished and often illuminated to highlight shining inner facets. One can’t help but feel humbled and closer to the earth when surrounded by gems from within its depths. In other ways, the repose is serendipitous—a surprising development just as delightful for visitors as it is for owners, Wayne Helfand and Chad Brandfass. Over 40 years ago, Helfand began to develop his enthusiasm for earth art. He envisioned the creation of the largest natural art gallery in the U.S., making rare and unusual gems and minerals available to everyone, from new rock hounds to the most discerning of designers.
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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography by Bryan Black and Bill Waters december 2018
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Brandfass came from an entirely different background. He had a passion for the culinary arts. He graduated college with both culinary and marketing degrees, which laid a strong foundation for this exciting direction. When Brandfass and Helfand met, they soon recognized that their combined talents were more than a good fit; they were synergistic. “It was a brotherhood,” said Helfand with a smile. “It still is today.” With nothing more than a dream and a few dollars in their pockets, they set out to find and create something so unique that people would come from far and wide to see what they were doing. “We wanted something that was not just a rock shop, and not just a home décor store; we wanted to crate a gallery filled with art of the earth,” Helfand said. They created more than that. Together, they built a destination. Visitors come from all over the world, often spending hours appreciating the complexities and beauty found in each piece. It’s a passion felt by Rare Earth Gallery’s owners, and shared by those who walk the expansive floor of the gallery. “I started mining opals in Australia at 19 years old,” said Helfand. “It fascinated me—the mesmerizing things that
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came out of Mother Earth. I’m still mesmerized on a daily basis, and I get to share that with people who come in our doors every day.” “For me, this is a wonderful creative outlet,” Brandfass added. “I design and create concepts for many of the art pieces you see here. Instead of creating culinary flavors, I have the opportunity to create a visual taste, which generates a wonderful connection with our customers.” He added, “Art is such a personal thing, it is very rewarding to bring such joy to people.”
INJURY SCREENING
From showroom design to concepts in art glass, Brandfass takes great pride in his work. Helfand, too, finds satisfaction in seeing decorative minerals and other finds go from the mine to the showroom floor. For both, it takes a great deal of imagination, know-how and finesse.
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“It’s a amazing platform to work with,” said Brandfass. “It takes vision and a well-honed eye to turn raw material into a work of art. We take great pride in bringing this art of the earth to a full blown finished creation. They find the most satisfaction in seeing others connect deeply and on an integral level with what they are doing. “So many times, people come in here and are moved to tears,” said Helfand. “We make art of the earth available like never before, for everyone. Not everyone is going to go to South America or Asia, or to the bottom of the sea or inside a volcano so that they can see these things in their natural settings. That’s what we have here. Being able to see it, feel it—and even own it if they’d like—can be a very moving experience.” Rare Earth Gallery is unique in that, from coarse boulders to cut and highly polished minerals, they offer a tremendous selection of indoor and outdoor home décor. There is something for everyone and at every price point, from new rock hounds to the most discerning of home decorators. Every year, Helfand and Brandfass travel to dozens of exhibitions and distant locales around the world to procure the best of the best in minerals and gems. In their mind’s eye, they not only look for natural beauty, but they see everything from jewelry to tables in the azurite, turquoise, malachite, onyx, petrified wood and other stones and minerals they find. They have the unique ability to see a stone or a boulder in the raw and recognize its creative potential. “We are always on the lookout for artistic beauty in the things we find,” said Brandfass. “It’s about having an eclectic eye,” Helfand added. “It’s about having the wherewithal and experience to recognize a work of art when it’s in front of us.” It’s a talent, and a gift for those who appreciate and enjoy the love of their labor.
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Inside the gallery, creamy swirls of onyx, lit from inside, glow with warmth. A tabletop created from rose quartz creates a gentle calm. Brandfass and Helfand often collaborate with local metal artists to create displays that highlight the facets and intricacies of the natural art. Inlaid, backlit gemscapes combine fine metal work with brilliant stones to create an almost three-dimensional element to wall art, and Chihulyinspired blown glass chandeliers fill spaces with a modern, completely unique style. From stone to glass bowls and vases made from colorful natural materials and an impressive selection of fountains, statues, tables, chairs and other one-of-a-kind works are a feast for the eyes inside Rare Earth Gallery. A significant section of the gallery—50 cases in all—is dedicated to an unparalleled selection of jewelry in every color and design imaginable. As beautiful as the necklaces, bracelets, earrings and rings are, their cost is often significantly less than one might expect. Together, this pair is doing more than just selling stones and rocks; they’re bringing people closer to the earth in a profound way. They’re finding ways to manifest beauty—and joy—in their own lives, and in the lives of the thousands of people who have come through their doors. And that’s rock solid. rareearthgallerycc.com
december 2018
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Writer Fadi Sitto Photography Courtesy of Town of Carefree
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It’s 80 degrees, palm trees are swaying in the wind and Santa sometimes wears a cowboy hat on weekends. It must be time for Christmas in Carefree. No snow or reindeer, but Carefree’s distinct identity makes up for it with plenty of decorated twinkling lights, family-friendly attractions and holiday spirit. Just take that scenic drive north from Phoenix or Scottsdale to a classic Arizona setting, and you’ll be transported to a vibrant desert wonderland. Centered around the prominent Carefree Sundial, this annual extravaganza invites you to explore the sights and sounds of this charming desert oasis town. Carefree Desert Gardens will be all dressed up as you stroll and enjoy the crisp holiday nights amongst the lighted Sonoran flora. The picturesque laidback community of Carefree is nestled in the Sonoran Desert Foothills and is regarded as one of the most visually inspiring places in Arizona. Carefree thrives with culture and showcases its elegant desert lifestyle through top-notch architecture, world-class culinary arts and true civic involvement. The neighborly care of this quintessential Arizona town are proudly on display during the Christmas in Carefree event.
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Be a kid again! The full weekend of holiday-themed activities kicks off December 7.
You’re sure to have a smile from ear to ear as you look up and see the giant 25-foot-tall Christmas tree. The official tree lighting ceremony is Nov. 30 at 5 p.m., and will be officiated by Mayor Les Peterson. Santa also arrives on this day. Following the tree lighting, head over to the pavilion for a screening of the beloved holiday classic, The Polar Express. Complimentary hot cocoa and snacks will be handed out and each family will receive a beautifully engraved Christmas bell as a special holiday keepsake. “I’m a film person,” says Beth Renfro, director of marketing and communications for the Town of Carefree. She’s passionate about this new attraction and plans to show holiday films as an annual tradition accompanying the tree lighting ceremony. An important part of this year’s festivities is the Chanukah menorah lighting ceremony. Beginning Dec. 2, congregants from Temple Chai and members of the Jewish Social Group of Cave Creek and Carefree will host the lighting. Local families will be invited to light the menorah each evening, with a special ceremony Dec. 9 that will include the Temple Chai Cantor and Choir. The services are open to attendees of all denominations and faiths. Be a kid again! The full weekend of holiday-themed activities kicks off Dec. 7. Enjoy breakfast with Santa, an openair holiday market, live music and even Santa’s workshop—not to mention the holiday pet parade, and of course the always-competitive Christmas cookie contest.
Christmas in Carefree peaks with the new-look community holiday parade and the always spectacular Saturday evening fireworks show. This year’s parade promises to be something special. The route winds around the gardens and will include Miss Arizona, marching bands and, of course, Santa. As a new attraction this year, classic car owners from Carefree and surrounding neighborhoods are invited to showcase their prized possessions in the parade. “There’s going to be a reimagining of the parade,” Beth explains. Christmas in Carefree has been a staple on the Arizona event calendar for the past decade, but this year’s event will offer attendees something new. Beth has a vision of making this holiday event a unique community experience by bringing it back to its roots. She is focused on making it more community centered and showcasing the Carefree local footprint. The town’s ultimate vision is to curate an annual tradition for the residents of Carefree, matching the vibe of this town and keeping it Carefree. The value of this wonderful community event fosters and enhances this essential Arizona town. Having Christmas in Carefree right in our own backyard is sure to get you in the holiday spirit.
EXPERIENCE Christmas in Carefree Dec. 7 through Dec. 9 | 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. | Free | 8 Sundial Cir., Carefree | 480-488-3686 | carefree.org december 2018
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Eggnog Breakfast Strata A perfect family breakfast for Christmas morning, or any morning! Make ahead of time, and then pop in the oven on the morning of the big day. Feel free to substitute any kind of leftover bread that you have. I just love the way the croissants look and taste! Serves 10-12
Ingredients: 8 croissants (can be stale) 8 eggs 3 cups eggnog Zest of one orange (save 1 teaspoon for ricotta topping) 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping: 1 container ricotta cheese 1 teaspoon orange zest 1 tablespoon honey Cranberry relish (homemade or store-bought)
Directions: Cut croissants into chunks and place in greased 9x13 baking pan. Beat eggs with wire whisk or with hand mixer. Add eggnog and orange zest. Pour over croissants in pan. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. One hour before ready to bake, remove croissants from refrigerator and uncover. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle croissants with cinnamon sugar mixture, then replace the foil. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until the top is golden and crispy.
Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
Combine the ricotta, orange zest and honey and whip with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
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To serve, cut into squares and top each with a dollop of ricotta and a spoonful of cranberry relish.
m a r k e t p la ce
Happy Holidays from our family to yours! Nanette McClelland-Miller, Agent 39504 N Daisy Mtn Dr Ste 114 Anthem, AZ 85086
623-742-6866 nanettemiller.com
december 2018
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Mexican Hot Chocolate Spiced Cookies This small batch recipe is the perfect holiday cookie. Full of spices but not too sweet, they are sure to be a hit! Mix up a batch of royal icing and make them look like snowflakes! Makes 20–24 cookies, depending on cookie cutter size.
Ingredients: 1 stick softened butter 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1/4 cup cocoa powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ancho chili powder 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Royal Icing: 2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon meringue powder 3–4 tablespoons water
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream butter until smooth. Add vanilla and mix well. In another bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and chili powder. Add to butter mixture and combine just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured counter and roll out about 1/4" thick. Cut with desired cutters, re-rolling dough as necessary. Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
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Transfer to parchment lined cookie sheet and bake 1520 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool completely on wire racks and frost.
South of the Outlets next to Swanky’s Fashion Boutique
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