Images Arizona: Anthem March 2017 Issue

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BC BASEBALL SENIORS LOOK TO BRING TITLE HOME

RODEO ROUGH RIDERS PHOTO ESSAY

DIAMONDBACKS PITCHER ARCHIE BRADLEY

By Grace Hill

By Greg Granillo

By Tom Scanlon

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Photo by Sarah Sachs/Arizona

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

OF CLOCKS AND GLOCKS: TOP SECRET FURNITURE

By Grace Hill

By Tom Scanlon

Diamondbacks

60 TRANSFORMING STUDENTS ONE STEP AT A TIME

By Grace HIll

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

EDITOR/CONTRIBUTING WRITER Jenn Korducki Krenn

ASSISTANT EDITOR Janet Garner

ART DIRECTOR/PUBLISHER’S ASSISTANT Jennifer Satterlee

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Ana Petrovic

S

Spring starts early in Arizona, ushering in warm breezes of invisible perfume from lemon, orange and grapefruit tree blooms. Desert mountain grasses green with life, and the bare branches of the palo verdes and fig trees blossom with new growth. In short, it’s the perfect time of year here.

Like the way the ground reawakens from a long winter’s slumber to the budding of new growth and life, let’s embrace the arrival of spring with self-renewal by rekindling our spirits with hope, inspiration and beauty.

STAFF WRITER

In this month’s issue of Images Arizona, in the spirit of Arizona’s Western

Grace Hill

heritage, we present to you a roundup of Arizona’s best and brightest. Join

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Scanlon Beth Duckett Monica Longenbaker Kenneth LaFave Gregory Granillo Shannon Severson Katherine Braden Lara Piu

us as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of Cave Creek’s Rodeo Days. This historical event, during which the town and community of Cave Creek bring in the fellowship of professional rodeo to help raise money for charities, takes place from March 25 through April 2. Enjoy the vivid black-andwhite rodeo images from local photographers in our featured photo essay, each of which shares a piece of our heritage without the need for words.

While featuring Arizona’s best arts, people and events, I also want to acknowledge the best and brightest within Images Arizona. A big thank you to my wonderful team for their commitment to bringing hope, inspiration

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Brandon Tigrett Michele Celentano Monica Longenbaker

ADVERTISING SALES Loren Sheck

and beauty to our community.

Enjoy!

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

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. Copyright © 2017 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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Local First A R I Z O NA

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Writer Grace Hill Photographer Timothy Wampler

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Since mid-January, people near and far have excitedly made their way to Scottsdale’s superior art show, the Celebration of Fine Art. Under the big white tents guests explore the most extraordinary kinds of art. Art that beautifully showcases 100 talented juried artists.

With the final day of the art show on March 26, a few weeks remain to visit countless galleries and working studios weaved throughout the venue. Those attending will not just admire completed works of fine art but also have the opportunity to observe artists creating pieces of art.

One gallery and working studio, in particular, belongs to Fountain Hills artist, Kathleen Hope. Her distinctive art, exhibited in five galleries nationwide, consists of an unusual element — cement. A material that unexpectedly took center stage in her already established career as a mixed-media artist.

“One reason I was inspired to work with cement was that I moved here from a cold climate eight years ago. I was a mixed-media artist and was so happy to be outside without winter,” says Hope. “I started to look at outdoor spaces. They were so beautiful but had no original art. I looked at cement as a personal need to create outdoor art. So, I played with cement and absolutely loved it.”

Her passion for using cement for outdoor art grew increasingly, which eventually drove her to develop indoor pieces comprised of cement as well. With the cement as her base, Hope incorporates various materials to create an extremely sculptural and textured work of art, which reflects her contemporary and architectural outlook on life.

Hope explains, “I have a background in color psychology in interior design. A lot of my inspiration comes from my background with color consulting for architects and builders.

I have also been an abstract painter for 20 years, painting nature, stone and trees, but I have a very different take on them. It’s contemporary; inspired by architectural patterns.

That’s how I work.”

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Enjoy

Celebration of Fine Art

18400 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale January 14 - March 26 Monday through Sunday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Adults: $10; seniors/military: $8; Children under 12: free 480-443-7695

Anyone interested in seeing Hope's cement creations come to life can visit her at her working studio in Fountain Hills. But there's still time to catch her at the Celebration of Fine Art, an event she has participated in for four consecutive years.

“It’s incredible,” says Hope. “Part of the reason I like it so much is that I'm a gallery artist. I don’t get to meet my collectors often, unlike at the Celebration. You meet them and have conversations about the artwork.” She goes on to say, “It brings together people of all ages and visitors cannot believe just how much talent is under that tent. They love the fact they can meet the artist, develop a relationship with them and look forward to this event every year.”

Another way to meet Celebration artists is through the panel discussion from the Art Discovery Series held each

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Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. The remaining panel talks include: The Art of Fire and Ice on March 3; Conversations with Collectors on March 10; Texture Talks on March 17; and Manipulating Metal on March 24. At these discussions, with a reservation, guests will enjoy some wine and cheese.

Do not miss out on this wonderful event that supports artists and their breathtaking artistic creations. The convenience of 100 artists in a central location mixed with an up-close-and-personal interaction makes this the ideal art event. kathleenhope.com celebrateart.com

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BOULDER CREEK

Mason Millett, Pitcher

Writer Tom Scanlon

BC BASEBALL SENIORS LOOK TO BRING TITLE HOME

I

n 2013, the Houston Astros dug into a rebuilding philosophy, throwing a bunch of young unknowns out on the diamond and hoping for the best. They were terrible, losing twice as many games as they won.

Similarly, in 2014, the Boulder Creek High School varsity baseball team was filled with young players, including four freshman starters. And the team lost more than it won, with a 16-24 record — almost shocking for a team that regularly makes the playoffs.

“We took our lumps that season,” coach Joe McDonald recalls. This guy hates to lose, as his grimace underscores.

Things did not get any better, as the Jaguars were 14-20 the following season. But last year, the young players gained confidence, bounces started going BC’s way, and the team got back above .500 with a 21-19 record.

In Houston, the Astros became a contender as one of the most promising teams in baseball during the last

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two years, with a playoff appearance and a solid future.

Will a similar blossoming occur here in Anthem?

In late January, on a sunny, warm day that shouted, “Play ball!” McDonald was keeping his optimism in check. He is an old schooler, the type who does not want to jinx things by bragging or making wild predictions.

Even so, he was getting fired up about the coming season, which started with a home game played against Mountain Pointe High School on February 24. After ramping up this month, the regular season concludes April 21, but McDonald and company are hoping to extend the season long into the playoffs.

“It’s not a sprint,” McDonald says about the long season, “it’s a marathon.” As such, only the best conditioned bodies hold up over the spring months. McDonald, impressed with his team’s offseason preparations, says they’ve been hitting the weight room since November, doing strength and conditioning.

The old-school coach fired up some old-school hip-hop on a portable stereo, then took the mound to pitch batting practice. After the sound of clanking weights, the sound of a bat colliding with a ball was music to Coby Boulware’s ears, who has been starting for BC since moving here from Seattle in his sophomore year.

Boulware’s father, Ben, is a former minor league player who in 1994 led the South Atlantic League in hitting with a .332 batting average. But he does not preach to pad statistics.

“They call it perfecting your craft,” the younger Boulware says, summarizing his father’s philosophy. While he would love to match or exceed the .415 average he rang up last season, he says he wants to focus on the little parts of his game — fielding, being in the right position, proper throwing technique, etc. — that will ultimately help his team.

Boulware and his fellow seniors, including three-year starter Mason Millett and four-year starters Zachary Baptist, Daniel Carrizosa and Cutter Kitson, have big plans for the coming baseball season.

“Win state,” is how a grinning Baptist simply puts it.

“We’re all going for it,” Millett adds.

Unlike last year, BC does not have a hulking power hitter in the middle lineup. Mitchell Allen, who smashed six of BC’s nine home runs, has graduated. This year’s team features a batch of .333-plus hitters: Toby Allred batted .391 last season and Baptist and Carrizosa hit .366, followed closely by Carter Lay’s .357. Dave Calderone, McDonald’s assistant coach, works with the batters on a common theme: “Shorten your swing.”

Over the past decade-plus, BC has become known as a top-level hitting school. This season, a big reason for excitement is Millett, who has the potential to be one of BC’s best pitchers. Last year, he was limited because of injuries, but his scholarship to Gonzaga University, a top baseball program in the country, demonstrated his talent.

On the school’s website, coach Mark Machtolf is quoted: "We are very excited to get Mason Millett in a Zag uniform. He has emerged as one of the top right-handers in the state of Arizona.”

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Cutter Kitson, Catcher

Photographer Patricia Roberts

.78 ERA when he returned. Last summer, he pitched for Team Arizona in the Junior Sunbelt Tournament and held a team from Georgia to one run in six innings with eight strikeouts.

He caught the eyes of scouts pitching for the Arizona Pilots, tossing a complete game in the semifinals of the 2015 Firecracker Classic. Millett is a tall, thin, soft-spoken type who lets his 90-plus mph fastball do the talking.

Kitson, the veteran catcher who McDonald trusts to call pitches, is looking for a big season from Millett. The catcher and the pitcher have had long talks about strategy for the year, with a joint conclusion that there is only one way to keep pitch counts down to extend Millett’s innings: attack batters and make them swing.

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The BC veterans realize their senior season of baseball will fly by, and next year they plan to be playing in college: Millett up north at Gonzaga; Baptist at Glendale Community College; Boulware at Texas Christian University; Carrizosa at California State University, Bakersfield; and Kitson at George Fox University. A few other seniors are looking to play beyond high school, adding to the 33 BC graduates who have gone on to play college ball.

Before they go, the BC veterans will dive for ground balls, sprint for extra bases, muscle into short, swing short, slide hard, pitch aggressively and do everything they can to bring a state title home to Anthem.

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COMMUNITY arts // announcements // culture Writer Grace Hill

MARCH 2-12

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MARCH 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, APRIL 6, 13, 20

MTA PRESENTS “HONK!”

DAISY MOUNTAIN FIRE PRESENTS CERT TRAINING

A talented cast of award winners

The Daisy Mountain Fire

and nominees will bring to life

Department Citizen Corps will

an amusing and heartwarming

offer Community Emergency

adaptation of “The Ugly Duckling”

Response Team (CERT) training

fable during Musical Theatre of

to anyone 18 years and older.

Anthem’s production of “Honk!”.

The training will be presented

In this play, Ugly, a duckling

over eight sessions and will

not endowed with a normal

teach participants various

appearance, goes on a journey

types of hazards in homes and

filled with adventures to find

communities, disaster preparation,

his true self-worth. Adults, $19;

head-to-toe assessments and

students, seniors and children

much more! Registration is

12 and under, $16. Musical

required. Free. 7-10 p.m. Daisy

Theatre of Anthem, 42323 N.

Mountain Fire Department Station

Vision Way, 623-336-6001,

141, 43814 N. New River Rd.,

musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

623-695-1424, dmfdcc.org

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MARCH 2 BEHIND THE LENS: KATHY MCCRAINE Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West new series, “Behind the Lens: Photographers of the American West,” will feature photographer Kathy McCraine, who will discuss her experiences documenting and preserving the beauty and heritage of American ranching, particularly the heritage of the hardworking Arizona cowboy. See website for admission prices. 6:30-7:30 p.m. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way, 480-686-9539, scottsdalemuseumwest.org.

MARCH 4

MARCH 5

Come and see Philip Johnson,

5TH ANNUAL HEARTS AND HANDS GALA

winner of North Valley Symphony

Enjoy a circus-themed evening at

Orchestra's concerto competition,

the fifth annual Hearts and Hands

which was held last September.

Gala. This fun-filled evening

He will perform Franz Strauss'

includes an open bar, silent

"Horn Concerto Op. 8" on the

and live auction, formal dinner

French horn. The concert will also

catered by Tonto Bar and Grill,

feature a performance by the

and an exciting show by mentalist

winner of the Summerford Violin

Brett Barry. Proceeds from

Concerto Competition, as well

the event will benefit Foothills

as a beautiful performance by

Community Foundation's partner

the NVSO Orchestra. Admissions:

programs. Registration is required.

$5. 7 p.m. North Canyon High

$175 per person, 5-8:30 p.m.

School Auditorium, 1700 E.

Holland Community Center, 34250

Union Hills Dr., 623-980-4628,

N. 60th St., Bldg. B, 480-488-

northvalleysymphony.org.

1090, azfcf.org.

NVSO SPECIAL CONCERT

MARCH 4-AUG. 31 SAND AND STONE EXHIBIT Renowned artist and sculptor, Ray Villafane, will return to Carefree to create another sand masterpiece at the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion in the Carefree Desert Gardens. Villafane will be joined by sand sculptor, Nikolay Torkhov. In addition to the amazing sand sculpture, professional stone balancer, Tim Anderson, will create artistic stone stacks from March 17-19 during the Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival event*. Free. (*event admission $3), Carefree Desert Gardens and Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., 480-4883686, carefree.org.

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Fine Art

MARCH 3-5 THE 6TH ANNUAL TOUR D’ ARTISTES Tour d’ Artistes 2017 will feature 60 artists showcasing their artwork in nine artist studios and two galleries across Fountain Hills. In this self-guided tour, the public will have the opportunity to interact with the artists, watch artists demonstrate their artwork and purchase pieces from them. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 480-837-5593, fountainhillsartleague.com.

Photo courtesy of Foothills Art League

MARCH 10-12 ARIZONA WILD WEST FEST Arizona’s newest and largest Western music festival invites the public to attend this fun, family-friendly event. Some of the Western fun includes bull riding at the Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse; Kickin’ ‘n Pickin’ battle of the bands; gunfighter performers; period wardrobe contests; Hooligan’s Treasure Hunt; and much more, cavecreeklive.com.

MARCH 11-12 CASTING CALL FOR MTA’S WILLY WONKA JR.!

MARCH 12, JULY 10

MARCH 12 CTL’S A LITTLE BIT O' IRELAND Christ the Lord Lutheran Church

Dahl featuring the eccentric

CASTING CALL FOR MTA’S SCHOOL OF ROCK

candy man, Willy Wonka, comes

The Musical Theatre of Anthem

This CTL concert, in partnership

to Musical Theatre of Anthem’s

announces its audition times for

with the Phoenix Cultural Center,

stage! Those auditioning for

their upcoming production of

features the amazing music by

this no-cut production for youth

“School of Rock.” This rock-and-

Celtica Chorale. Celtica, a chorale

ages 6-13, should prepare a

roll musical, based on the film

of 20 voices, was founded in

musical theater song, 16-32

starring Jack Black, will feature

2009 to preserve the medieval,

bars or one minute in length.

14 new songs by Andrew Lloyd

traditional and modern music of

General vocal auditions will

Webber in addition to the great

Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales,

be held March 11 at 10:30

songs from the movie. Instrument

Brittany, Germany, Scandinavia

a.m. and the dance call will

auditions are scheduled for

and Russia. In addition to Celtica,

be held March 12 at 9 a.m.

March 12, at 2 p.m. General

the concert will also feature

Performances are scheduled

auditions, for all other roles, are

several other Irish musicians. $25.

for April 20-30. Musical

scheduled for July 10 at 9 a.m.

4 p.m. Christ the Lord Lutheran

Theatre of Anthem, 42323 N.

Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42323

Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Rd.,

Vision Way, 623-336-6001,

N. Vision Way, 623-336-6001,

480-488-2081,

musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

musicaltheatreofanthem.org.

ctlcarefree.org.

The beloved story by Roald

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Living Music Performance Series presents “A Little Bit O’ Ireland.”

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MARCH 25-26 2017 ANTHEM GEM AND MINERAL SHOW The 2017 Anthem Gem and Mineral Show will feature 30 vendors showcasing gems, minerals, beads, lapidary work, jewelry, geodes, fossils and meteorites. Additionally, a specialized Kid’s Corner will provide a fun educational experience. This event is sponsored by the Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Club, a non-profit organization promoting geology, mineralogy and lapidary arts.

APRIL 11 PASSOVER SEDER Save the date! On April 11, join the North Valley Jewish Community Association for a traditional Passover Seder in the Ironwood Dining Room at the Anthem Country Club. The evening will include cocktails, a ceremony and service, and a buffet dinner. Reservations are required by April 4. Adults $45.00; children 3-10 $19.50; children under 3 free at 5 p.m. Contact Fran Kesselman at 623322-0957 or fkesselman@cox.net

Adults $3; seniors and students $2; children 12 and under free.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Boulder Creek High School, 40404 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy., 978-460-1528, dmrmc.com.

MARCH 25-26 ANTHEM DAYS 2017 Head to Anthem Community Park for a fun, family-friendly event.

Beginning

March

25,

Anthem

Days features a business expo, craft vendors, salsa contest, live music, beer garden, kid’s zone, multi-sport competition, trail mix station, egg hunt and the Frazier Shows Carnival. New this year: an egg hunt exclusively for children with special needs, a petting zoo and pony rides. To participate in the salsa contest, enter recipe by March 17. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy, 623-742-6050, Photo courtesy of Anthem Community Council

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onlineatanthem.com

Announcements NVCA CELEBRATES CONSTRUCTION MILESTONE

CHRIS BREWER WINS 2016 USPTA AWARD

APCA VICE PRESIDENT RECEIVES COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

On Feb. 23, North Valley Christian

Congratulations to Anthem Golf and Country

On December 14, Anthem Parkside

Academy held a ‘topping out ceremony'

Club

Community Association’s vice president,

to commemorate the halfway point of

who has been recognized by the United

Bettye Ruff, won the 2016 Maricopa

construction of the 72,000 square foot

States Professional Tennis Association as

County Sheriff's North Valley Posse "Jerry

campus. The celebration included school

the 2016 “Southwest Professional of the

Kowalski" Community Service Award for

leaders, the board of trustee members,

Year.” This recognition, which he earned

her outstanding service and outreach to

key donors and construction personnel.

in 2010, was awarded to him at the

the community. Ruff shows her volunteer

NVCA’s new 21st century designed

Southwest Conference Awards Dinner on

heart through her involvement with

campus will be located at 33655 N. 27th

Jan. 28. Fellow members nominated Brewer

Hope 4 Kids International, Anthem Cares

Dr. in Tramonto and is set to open in the

in the Southwest Division of the USPTA.

Through Service, Live Local – Shop Local,

fall of 2017. To enroll for the 2017-2018

He currently lives in Glendale with his

and Anthem Pets. In 2006, she became

academic year, visit northvalleyca.org.

wife, Alex, and their children, Mackenzie,

a North Valley Posse member. And, since

Addison, Samuel and Hudson. In addition

2011, she has served as vice president of

to his role as director of tennis, he

the APCA. Congratulations, Bettye!

ROTARY OF ANTHEM SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR SENIORS The Rotary Club of Anthem scholarship program recognizes outstanding

director

of

tennis,

Chris

Brewer,

also serves as head coach for Anthem Preparatory Academy middle school team.

seniors. To apply, students must meet

ROTARY CLUB OF ANTHEM’S TEACHER OF THE YEAR AWARD

the following criteria: must be a senior

The Rotary Club of Anthem desires to

at Boulder Creek High School; Sandra

celebrate the contributions of exemplary

Day O'Connor High School or Anthem

Anthem teachers by introducing a

Preparatory Academy; or senior who is

"Teacher of the Year" award.

a permanent Anthem resident attending

year, the club will select three teachers,

another Anthem high school; full-time,

one elementary, one middle school

postsecondary enrollment in the 2017 fall

and one high school, from a group of

semester; earned a minimum cumulative

nominees. The winners will each receive

high school grade point average of 3.0;

a $500 check. The school's PTA must

and not be related to a member of

nominate teachers who are full-time and

the Rotary Club of Anthem. There are

work in public, charter or private school

four $1,000 scholarships and two $500

inside Anthem. Nomination deadline is

scholarships available for the 2017-2018

March 15. For a nomination application,

academic year. Complete and mail the

email kenanderson860@gmail.com.

achievement of graduating high school

application postmarked no later than March 18. Applications can be found at anthemrotary.org.

This school

DAISY MOUNTAIN REAL ESTATE BECOMES A BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HOMESERVICES COMPANY Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties has acquired Daisy Mountain Real Estate, one of the top-selling real estate firms in Anthem. Doreen Drew founded Daisy Mountain Real Estate in 2003 and will continue to have a significant role in the company. Her son, Gary Drew, will serve as sales manager of the 40-agent office. This office is the 13th to be located in Arizona for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Arizona Properties. Daisy Mountain Real Estate’s Anthem office is located at 3434 W. Anthem Way, Ste. 112. For more information on Daisy Mountain Real Estate, call 623-879-3277 or visit daisymountainrealestate.com.

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W

What happens when a beautiful, thought-provoking, abstract painting comes to life? Artistic director Jacques Heim and the dancers of DIAVOLO will demonstrate in their upcoming performance of L.O.S.T. (Losing One’s Self Temporarily). Mixing dance, acrobatics, athleticism, societal themes and architecture, the Los Angeles-based dance company will perform two of its latest creations, “Passengers” and “Cubicle,” at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts in March. The diverse team uses ballet, hip hop, taekwondo, everyday movement, and other forms of thought-provoking choreography to dance their way through the often dynamic, sometimes moving, always awe-inspiring onstage architectural structures.

Writer Lara Piu Photography George Simian and Luke Behaunek

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Visit now, show ends soon…

Meet Artists Working in Studios 480-837-7163 ArizonaFineArtEXPO.com 26540 N Scottsdale Rd January 13 - March 26 10-week Season Pass $10; Military/Seniors $8 • Open Daily 10-6

Don’t miss—last of the season!

CAREFREE FINE ART & WINE FESTIVAL

MAR 17-19 101 Easy St, Carefree

FOUNTAIN HILLS FINE ART & WINE AFFAIRE

MAR 24-26 16810 E Ave of the Fountains, Fountain Hills Meet renowned artists, stroll throughout juried fine arts, enjoy sipping fine wines and listening to live music. $3 Admission • Held Outdoors • 10-5

ThunderbirdArtists.com • 480-837-5637

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“What we do on stage is like a live abstract painting,” says Heim.

“There is no narrative, but strong themes pervade the work such as human struggle, fear, danger, survival, chaos, order, deconstruction, reconstruction, destiny, destination, faith and love.”

The themes are explored in two acts: “Passengers” and “Cubicle.”

Set on an abstract train, the first act is a story of everyday people on a journey that shapes their identities. Dancers make their way through a giant morphing staircase that has doors, passageways, and shifting surfaces, all to explore the balance between being a driver and a passenger in life.

Inspired by George Orwell’s “1984” and set in a system of heavy wooden boxes, act two is aptly named “Cubicle.” Exploring constricting environments, personal identities are scraped clean by cramped and monotonous workday conditions, until the dancers break free to reveal their true selves.

The best way to describe DIAVOLO is “architecture in motion,” explains the artistic director. Although Heim works hand-inhand with the company’s dancers to create each piece, the choreographer is known for his wow-worthy prop-driven work. He choreographed "KÀ" for Cirque du Soleil, which was performed at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas and staged “The Car,” a stunt-type piece with Center Theater Group in Los Angeles. His

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Experience

DIAVOLO: Architecture in Motion Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Virginia G. Piper Theater 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale March 16-17 Thursday: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Friday: 8 to 10 p.m.

Cost: $25-$75 323-225-4290

choreography has also appeared on BBC America's "Dancing with the Stars" and Bravo's "Step It Up and Dance."

"I'm interested in the relation and interaction between the human body and the architectural environment," says Heim."Specifically, how it affects us, not only emotionally but physically."

Yet DIAVOLO, he says, is hard to describe.

"It is visceral, it is organic," he explains. "You have to experience it for yourself." diavolo.org

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Welcoming residents in 2017

This feels like home.®

Visit our Information Center located a half mile south of Anthem Way on Venture Drive.

TheEnclaveAtAnthemSeniorLiving.com | (623) 282-3283 | 42015 North Venture Drive | Anthem, AZ 85086 A SPECTRUM RETIREMENT COMMUNITY ANT Images March 2017

JOIN US! Thursday, March 9, 2017 OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

tastic

PVCC AT BLACK MOUNTAIN Aquila Hall

4-7 pm Hands-On Expo 7-10 pm Star Party 5:30 - 6pm STEAMtastic Challenge Award Presentations

A Celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathmatics, and more!

STEAM Event Activities include: Molecular gastronomy | Subzero Science Potato launch | Science of brewing | Glow in the dark room & experiments | local businesses showing science in every day life and more!

R.S.V.P. @ paradisevalley.edu/ black-mountain/ steamtastic-attendees

U START YOUR JOURNEY HERE U PVCC at Black Mountain | 34250 North 60th Street | Scottsdale, AZ 85266 | 602.493.2600 | paradisevalley.edu/blackmountain STEAMtastic, an Arizona SciTech Premier Signature Event is hosted in partnership with YMCA, FCF-Holland Community Center, Phoenix Astronomical Society, and Cave Creek Unified.

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Writer Grace Hill Photographers Amy S. Martin and Travis Neely

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Hay and dust blanket the arena. The smell of animals fills the nostrils.

The noise progressively increases as the excited spectators find a seat.

Soon a battle will ensue — a battle of strength, speed and agility. Man versus animal and animal versus man. Man against man and man against himself. The crowd, the animals and the cowboys and cowgirls all wait with anticipation. Who will be victorious? Who will be the rodeo champion?

Before the competition begins, horseback riders carrying the American flag circle the arena. The crowd stands with pride. Pride for their country and pride for what’s to come.

Then it begins. The gate opens. Everyone cheers. The excitement spreads throughout the arena like a shock of electricity. Whether it's bull riding, calf roping or steer wrestling, the pounding of hooves intensifies the moment. Fear prickles at the neck. One mistake could cost the cowboy.

But not this time. No, this time — the cowboy takes home the prize.

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Photographer Amy S. Martin

Many wonder what it would be like to experience life as a cowboy in the early days of America, when nothing separated them from the ground they worked and the animals used to work for them.

These might have been the good ol' days, when times were simpler.

But they weren't easier.

The rodeo provides a momentary glimpse into that hard life.

Few other sports take us back to the beginning days of America, or exemplify the skills needed to accomplish real-world tasks.

These aspects of the rodeo make it more than a sport. It’s history in action.

Photographer Amy S. Martin

But how did the rodeo come about?

Photographer Amy S. Martin

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Amy S. Martin Hometown: Tucson Current: Flagstaff Photography experience: “My mother was an amateur photographer, so photography has been with me for a long time. Working as a documentary photographer, I have traveled to many parts of the globe to create visual stories about social and environmental issues, but my main focus is on projects here in the desert Southwest.”

Best photo advice received: “Just keep shooting.”

Who was or still is your mentor: “My mother was and still is my inspiration. I try to keep her spirit alive through my images by finding the beauty she showed me in the world.”

What makes great photography: “I believe that when you evoke emotion through images, you are creating good photography.”

Why capture rodeos through photography: “I grew up in Southern Arizona, where rodeos were prevalent.

Photographing rodeos to me is capturing our culture, celebrating a way of life and freezing complex action in single still frames.”

What drives your photography: “My desire is to celebrate cultural diversity and our irreplaceable natural places. My hopes are to create compelling images to break down barriers that we might have put up in our own minds.” amysmartinphotography.com 520-471-4712

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In the 1500s, Mexican ranchers, influenced

by Spanish settlers, celebrated their ranching skills through an event called a “charreada,” or “charrería.” This celebration brought together different haciendas to not only show off their animal husbandry skills, but also parade the charros (traditional horsemen) and their masterful horseback skills.

As ranchers and cowboys settled out West, they adopted many of the livestockhandling and horse-riding techniques from the Mexican ranch hands, called vaqueros, who continued to live in the Southwest during that time.

As a result, the ranchers and cowboys wanted to have their own charreadas to display their newfound skills, and from that desire birthed the rodeo.

Photographer Travis Neely

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Travis Neely Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Current: Apache Junction Photography experience: “I’ve been a commercial advertising photographer for 11 years specializing in lifestyle and landscape work.”

Best photo advice received: “For me, this quote by photographer Robert Capa has been one that's stuck with me and has affected my work the most: ‘If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.’

There’s been debate over whether he meant distance wise or emotional attachment to the subject being photographed, but I see it working both ways equally.”

Who was or still is your mentor: “I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had a mentor, but I do believe in allowing influences to shape one's self and work. My influences are wide ranging and include authors such as Edward Abbey, the 19th-century landscape painter Albert Bierstadt and even certain business leaders like Elon Musk.”

Why capture rodeos through photography: “I’m a transplant from the urban East Coast who has embraced the Western culture since moving to Arizona two years ago. Rodeos and the cowboy lifestyle intrigue me. Most photographers shoot rodeo with telephoto lenses from afar and focus on the action itself. I shot this series with a large and slow medium-format camera with a normal focal length lens, which means I was up close and personal with the riders in the pit area. My goal was to show the in-between moments of focus and determination and the highs and lows of the emotions from the cowboys. I see the cowboy and rodeo lifestyle as a key tradition of Americana and it’s worth documenting.” travisshoots.com explorizona.com instagram.com/travisshoots M arch 2017

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Photographer Travis Neely Photographer Travis Neely

Photographer Travis Neely

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Since then, the popularity of rodeos has spread throughout the country like wildfire, evolving from an amateur sport into a professional competition. Arizona has always welcomed the rodeo competition with open arms, and spectators have been enjoying it as a tournament in Arizona since at least July 4, 1888. The website worldsoldestrodeo.com states that’s when “a group of Prescott, Arizona merchants and professional businessmen organized the first formalized cowboy tournament and offered cash prizes,” giving Prescott the “World’s Oldest Rodeo” title.

The Payson rodeo also lays claim to a title, the “Oldest Continuous Rodeo,” since Prescott’s rodeo temporarily ceased during World War II. But those are just two of the many rodeos found throughout Arizona. From Tucson to Flagstaff, rodeos have impacted the communities that have supported them for so long.

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Cave Creek Rodeo Days March 25-April 2 Cave Creek Parade Downtown Cave Creek Road Saturday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m.

Free admission Mutton Busting Outlaw Annie’s, 6705 E. Cave Creek Rd. Saturday, March 25 at 12:30 p.m.

Per entry $10 Rodeo Kick-Off Dance Buffalo Chip Saloon, 6823 E. Cave Creek Rd. Saturday, March 25 at 8 p.m.

Free admission Golf Tourney and Award Dinner The Tatum Ranch Golf Club 29888 N. Tatum Ranch Dr. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Rd. Monday, March 27 at 10:30 a.m. (golf sign-in) & 6 p.m. (dinner) Individual golfer $140; Foursome $560 PRCA Rodeo Performance Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N 28th St. Friday, March 31-Saturday, April 1 at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 2 at 1 p.m.

General admission $20; children under 5 free with paid adult.

Stockman's VIP tickets options: $525 includes two tickets for VIP seating at all rodeo performances (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), dinner and cocktails. $125 includes one ticket for VIP seating for one rodeo performance (Friday, Saturday or Sunday), dinner and cocktails.

Official Rodeo Dance Harold’s Corral, 6895 E. Cave Creek Rd. April 1 at 9. p.m.

Cover charge $5 Rodeo Slack Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N 28th St. Saturday, April 1 at 9:30 a.m.

Free admission 480-304-5634 cavecreekrodeo.com

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With rodeos being a multimilliondollar sport that includes at least 700 professional rodeos across the United States, there seems to be no slowing down. This is good news for the communities that produce them year after year. As a source of tourism revenue, small communities survive because of rodeo competitions.

But it is not just the communities that survive through rodeos.

History survives — and so, too, does cowboy culture.

Share your favorite rodeo photographs with our Images Arizona Facebook or Instagram pages using the hashtags #iamAZproud and #imagesAZ.

Photographer Travis Neely

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BOCCIERI GOlf

Writer Greg Granillo Photography courtesy of Boccieri Golf

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There’s probably no better feeling in golf than a perfectly struck ball — that moment when the ball comes right off the middle of the clubface, speeding off to its intended target with that perfect staredown-worthy trajectory.

It’s a feeling you wish you could bottle up and use every time you address the ball. It may sound impossible, even for a touring pro. But that’s the mission at Boccieri Golf.

“Our goal here is to bridge the gap between theory and muscle memory,” says company founder Stephen Boccieri. “Through the technology we have here, the golfer can feel what it is we are trying to get them to do, rather than just getting verbal instruction.”

At the centerpiece of that technology are

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two $150,000 RoboGolfPro swing trainers that mechanically guide the golfer through the perfect swing plane. Boccieri Golf is just one of 15 facilities in the world and the only one in the Valley to offer it, attracting clients from across the country and as far away as Sweden.

Combining the Robo with a wearable biofeedback device dubbed K-VEST and the new SAM BalanceLab — a pressure plate that evaluates balance and weight transfer — Boccieri and his staff of instructors can get a complete picture of what is going on with any golf swing, which allows them to concentrate on one thing: how to make better golfers. Period.

“When most golfers hit good and bad shots, they don’t know why,” says Boccieri, who

along with his wife, Sandra, opened Boccieri Golf in North Scottsdale in 2012. “Through repetition, we start to equate muscle memory to the good shots versus the bad ones.”

Rather than just standing behind a student trying to get them to mimic a movement, the technology at Boccieri Golf allows them to build a foundation of knowledge.

“The idea is to give you enough information for you to be able to make self-corrections on the golf course,” says Boccieri. “That’s why we do robotic training in slowmotion, like tai-chi. So your body knows exactly what muscles to engage.”

The Foundation of the Swing As a nuclear engineer turned golf equipment guru, it’s easy to see Boccieri has put an extraordinary amount of time into analyzing the science of the sport. He is the mind behind the counter-balanced Secret Grip and revolutionary Heavy Putter and believes, just like every sport, the game of golf is built around a person’s balance. In fact, he says, poor balance and irregular weight shift are often responsible for swing flaws.

“Most people couldn’t tell you where their weight is located when they swing,” says Boccieri. “The hit happens in 1.2 seconds between back swing and follow through, so how could you? Even with the robot, we could determine swing plane, but we didn’t know where their weight was being distributed.”

Always seeking the latest innovations, Boccieri decided it was time to add another tool to his arsenal — one that would help his students understand that the swing starts from the ground up.

Born from technology used in the medical field, the pressureplate technology of the SAM BalanceLab allows instructors and students to see the alignment of each foot, stance direction and angle, pressure distribution between heel and toe, weight transfer and more.

“The golf swing has so much to do with how the body moves, and the weight through the feet significantly influences that,” explains Blake Isakson, an instructor at Boccieri Golf. “Pairing the robot swinging the golf club on the perfect plane with how your weight moves through your feet allow us to teach proper posture and how to correctly load the feet.”

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The Boccieri Process Upon entering Boccieri Golf’s Scottsdale Airpark location, clients are greeted by a spacious facility including a showroom of clubs, a 2,500-square-foot putting green and instruction bays. After checking in, the training begins by hitting practice balls in a simulator bay. (Tip: Be sure to bring your golf shoes, glove and a 7-iron.)

While you’re hitting balls, your instructor takes pictures of your swing from different angles, asks you about your skill level, how often you play and your lesson history. After hitting 10-12 balls, it’s time to meet the Robo trainer.

Standing in front of the 12-foot high contraption with countless arms, levers and monitors, you grip the attached club and set up as you normally would. When the robot moves your arms back and forward on the perfect swing plane, you immediately feel the difference between your swing and the ideal swing they are developing for you.

The best part is, no matter how much your body wants to continue your swing flaws, the Robo brings you back to the proper position.

Perhaps the most eye-opening insight comes from the bottom up. While going through the Robo-guided swing, the weight distribution of your feet is displayed on a monitor in front of you in real time. This enables you to immediately make adjustments based on your instructor’s feedback — such as applying more weight on the heels or toes — and truly feel the difference.

After a few swings on the Robo and feedback from your instructor, you immediately go back to the practice bay and hit more balls, implementing the learnings from the robot session.

“To truly understand it and to make sure the brain is picking up on what is happening, you have to do it on your own right away,” says Isakson. “You have to feel the pieces that are moving to achieve what we learn from the robot.”

After alternating between the robot and practice bay, your instructor shares with you a side-by-side video of your swing on the robot versus hitting balls on your own, plus some pointers on how to ensure you are bringing your robot swing to the course and the range.

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Isakson says most clients take a series of three one-hour lessons, complete with take-home drills that are specific to the learning from the robot.

“In a short period of time, as you continue to practice and develop that awareness, you will start to see results,” he says.

The Company Transformation The Boccieri name is synonymous with counter-balanced technology in golf, having invented the Heavy Putter in 2005 and the Secret Grip in 2012. A highlight for Boccieri was when his idol Jack Nicklaus endorsed the latter, which now boasts 19 wins on the PGA Tour.

What started as a company making golf clubs and putters in New York has turned into a passion for making better golfers in the hotbed of the sport, Scottsdale. And while the shift from equipment to a state-of-the-art teaching facility started with technology like the robotic swing training, at the core lies a deep understanding of the mechanics of the swing.

“So many golfers come in here frustrated, ready to give up the game,” says Sandra, Boccieri Golf vice president of sales and marketing. “It’s common for Stephen to spend hours with someone to make them better, purely driven by his curiosity for innovation.”

Boccieri looks at each person coming through the door as a new challenge, a way to gain research knowledge and to create new ideas.

“I’m living the dream,” says Boccieri. “For me, it’s so much fun to be able to work with players. I get more enjoyment out of fixing something or making it better.”

As for what the entire golf research experience has done for his golf skills: “I wish I had all this technology when I had better physical skills because I know more about the golf swing today than I did when I was a scratch golfer. I can’t hit it as far, but if I have a bad shot, the next shot I am back in the saddle thanks to the knowledge I’ve gained.” boccierigolf.com

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Enjoy

Writer Kenneth LaFave

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The beat goes on at The Phoenix Symphony, but strings and horns have been added.

The symphony’s Legend Series, which presents tribute bands with symphonic backing, is a cash cow for the organization, a way of reaching non-symphonic music lovers and at the same time expanding the taste of its classical audience. The three-concert series this season has already brought a Journey tribute and an Eagles concert to Phoenix Symphony Hall and concludes on March 31 with the Rolling Stones.

The idea of combining classic rock with a symphony orchestra has been so popular, that even, a non-series concert featuring the music of Led Zeppelin has been added, on March 4, at the Mesa Amphitheatre.

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Phoenix Symphony Legend Series

immediate success.

We've been able to bring down the median age of the symphony audience overall, and with the Legends series, the lowering is dramatic.

The median age for a Legends concert is 39, compared to the 59 or our Masters series,” says Ward, which presents music of the great classical composers from Bach to Beethoven to the 20th century.

Mesa Amphitheatre 263 N. Center St., Mesa March 4 Saturday: 7 p.m.

480-644-2560 mesaamp.com

“This is a new audience for us,” says Jim Ward, president and CEO of The Phoenix Symphony Association.

Ward’s background in marketing has led to the symphony’s increased ticket sales and public profile since he came onboard in 2012. A veteran of LucasArts (where he was president) and Lucasfilm (where he was senior vice-president), Ward’s approach balances the integrity of classical music-making with an eye for reaching new patrons.

“The Legend series began a couple of years ago and had

The Legend series does the latter job by reaching out to

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companies packaging tribute bands with orchestral arrangements.

Feel and Repeat A Perfect Golf Swing

“These groups come from different production companies that cover rock bands from the Beatles on. In certain areas of the country, it doesn’t work.

But for us, it sells very well indeed, and manages to get people in the audience who’ve never been to the symphony before,” Ward says.

The age spread of the Legends audience is wide.

“We get 60-year-old rockers dancing in the aisles, and we get their 20- and 30-year-old children,” says Ward.

The arrangements don’t just put the symphony in the back seats, laying down chords, but involves the players as coparticipants in the music.

In a way, says Ward, it’s not too different from what groups like Emerson, Lake and Palmer did in the 1970s, incorporating symphonic instruments in their music.

The Led Zeppelin concert will feature songs such as “Stairway to Heaven,” “Immigrant Song,” “Black Dog” and others. The Rolling Stones concert will bring “I Can’t Get No Satisfaction,” “Ruby Tuesday,” “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” and additional hits.

Considering the concerts’ appeal to both young and old, Ward finds the tributeband-with-orchestra concerts “oddly enough, a kind of family series.”

With Our Exclusive Robotic Swing Trainer To schedule your FREE 30 minute demo session call 480.361.4339

What’s the bottom line for symphony orchestra concert repertoire?

“Music is for everyone,” Ward says. “So we serve up something for all tastes.” mesaamp.com

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Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Loralei Lazurek

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“Mrs. M, you’re so random!”

Let’s dissect, so to speak, the key word in that sentence.

According to urbandictionary.com, American teenagers use the word “random” to signify “totally against the grain of the norm,” while onlineslangdictionary.com defines random as “unexpected and surprising” or “unexpectedly great.”

For the likes of Vanessa “Mrs. M” Montgomery, leading students to dig deeper than norms and unearth unexpectedly great finds are her profession’s highest achievements.

This Boulder Creek High School character is not just a biology and anatomy teacher; she is a life changer. That's almost an

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official title, as she is a nominee for the LifeChanger of the Year award.

“She should win,” one of her students says, as others nod in firm assent.

LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program, funded by the National Life Group and the National Life Group Foundation.

Regarding her nomination, “Montgomery is one of the most interesting people you could ever meet. Her college-level anatomy class can seem intimidating at first, but the hard work is fun and worthwhile.”

Her nominator, a student who wishes to remain anonymous, says

Montgomery is the first teacher they've had who knows the curriculum she teaches like the back of her hand. Every day, her students are excited and ready to learn — and she in turn helps them believe that they can do anything they set their mind to.

The nomination process for the national award closed in January. The LifeChanger of the Year committee is now mulling over the nominees, with 15 finalists to be announced in the spring, followed by a Florida award ceremony in April.

According to lifechangeroftheyear.com, the committee will be looking for teachers who have a proven ability to make a beneficial difference in the lives of students. Secondly, they must positively add to the development of the school's atmosphere.

He or she also needs to be a leader in his or her activities at the school or district level. They must have a proven record of excellent performance at the professional level, and have a commitment to producing a nurturing atmosphere. Finally, they must ensure adherence to high moral and ethical standards.

A Choose-Your-Own Musical Adventure

Montgomery’s students will tell you that she has checked off all the boxes for the LifeChanger of the Year requirements.

“You can tell she does what she does because she loves it,” says one. “There’s never a dull day in her class.”

Indeed, her Boulder Creek classroom almost resembles a startup company, with ideas and collaborations bubbling.

“Mrs. M is my mentor,” says Rachel Crook, beaming with delight. The BC senior was running a project to determine if students learn better in a virtual learning process or traditional hands-on teaching. Crook walked into Mrs. M’s biology class last year not knowing what she wanted to do after high school; currently, she is confidently striding down a path to study science.

"Mrs. M's passion for [science] made it so exciting," Crook says. "I was wary about it at first, but I loved dissecting cats."

You read that right. Popping into Montgomery’s class, you may find groups of students examining a variety of lifeless, fourlegged animals.

“I do not have access to human cadavers,” Montgomery says, in a typically random statement. “But we do dissect cats, which have very similar anatomy to humans.”

In addition to a freezer full of felines, Montgomery proudly notes her storage room is stocked with “snakes, starfish, pigs, hearts, lungs, pig uteruses — you name it, I’ve got it.” One student notes that Mrs. M has a nice way of gently guiding M arch 2017

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those who are squeamish about looking inside dead animals.

This teacher knows her subject matter inside out (so to speak), as she has a master’s degree in zoology and a bachelor’s in education.

She taught biology and pre-med anatomy for 18 years for the Maricopa Community College District before coming to Boulder Creek in 2007.

After lecturing to huge groups at the college level, she is flourishing leading smaller high school classes.

“You have time to get to know the students, their likes and dislikes, and show them multiple career directions," she says.

"Someone might say, ‘I think I want to be a nurse, but I don't know anything about it.’”

More than just the hard science of learning about the parts of the body and what they do, Montgomery’s students learn some bigpicture life skills. For example, they learn how to be organized, setting up study schedules to avoid cramming the night before a test, and how to make study groups the first week of college.

Montgomery and John, her husband of 27 years, raised two BC graduates: Katherine, a law student at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, and David, a junior studying mechanical engineering at the University of Arizona.

Montgomery is proud that her dual-enrollment anatomy class, which provides high school as well as college credits, gives students a flying start on their post-BC education. But it's not just

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what she teaches — it's the way she teaches that makes her so dynamic.

“She changed my life,” says Kalista Garrick, looking up from a foot-long pig she was slicing open. "I liked science, but then I took her class. She made it so fun and interesting, I want to do it for the rest of my life."

Zachary Gwilt added that Mrs. M had changed his life in an unexpected way. Before taking her class as a junior, he pictured himself doing research as a solitary scientist.

“I thought I wouldn’t be into dealing with humans,” he says, with a slightly embarrassed grin. “Now I know I can work with people.

She made me realize what I can do."

A nearby student wholeheartedly agreed with a wave of his hands, then apologized for “getting pig juice everywhere.”

Athletically thin and youthfully vibrant, with facial expressions ranging from a satiric smile to a full-on grin, Montgomery was bouncing around the room from group to group, throwing her arms around in faux dramatic style, occasionally bursting into song. You’ll have to check her back to make sure she doesn’t have fairy wings.

“She’s always like this,” says Crook. “Even when she’s having a bad day, she still makes it fun.”

Mrs. M — she’s random, so wonderfully random.

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1578 W. Laurel Greens Ct. Offered at $559,000

R E / M A X P r o f e s s i o n a l s | L i n d a R e h w a l t | 6 0 2 - 4 0 2 - 1 1 3 6 | l i n d a r e h w a l t @ a z r e a l t y. c o m

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Don’t miss out on viewing this exquisite 3,304-square-foot home located on a beautiful golf course within the Anthem Golf and Country Club. This preferred split master plan home, built in 2004, consists of four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, a great room plus formal living and dining, three garage spaces, and a separate office/den.

While touring this spacious home, you’ll find many sought after features throughout, including 12-foot ceilings, upgraded lighting, a fireplace in the family room, stainless appliances, hickory cabinets, tile floors and slab granite countertops.

The home also showcases many one-of-a-kind elements, such as a butler's pantry, wine refrigerator, motorized window screens, garage epoxy floors, custom bedroom closets, and designer interior and exterior paint.

Once outside, you’ll notice the same attention to detail that you found within the home. With a gorgeous patio area, built-in barbecue island, boulder waterfall, turf yard and well-designed desert landscape, making a secondclass outdoor entertaining a thing of the past.

Additionally, as an Anthem Golf and Country Club home, residents can engage in an active lifestyle supported by countless community amenities. The gated, resort-style community boasts two championship golf courses, heated pools, lap lanes, spas, state-of-the-art fitness centers, clubhouses, tennis courts, and much more.

24 ton sand sculpture

by Ray Villafane in 2016

Event Schedule MARCH 4 - MARCH 19

Sand Sculpture Exhibit Opens, Featuring World Renowned Artist Ray Villafane

MARCH 17 - 19 Thunderbird Artists Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival

MARCH 17 - 19 Stone Balancing in the Gardens

by Tim Anderson Amidst the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion at the Carefree Desert Gardens.

Open 365 days a year.

Life as it should be! Carefree.

Please call Linda for your private showing.

Linda Rehwalt RE/MAX Professionals 39504 N. Daisy Mountain Dr., Ste. 106, Anthem 602-402-1136 lindarehwalt@azrealty.com

101 Easy Street Carefree, AZ 85377 | 480.488.3686 VisitCarefree.com M arch 2017

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OF CLOCKS AND GLOCKS TOP SECRET FURNITURE Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Bryan Black

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When Bill Meginnis was a cop in the Midwest, one scenario used to drive him nuts. He would answer a home invasion call, and the guy would be all beat up.

“He had a gun, but it was in a safe in the back of a closet, and he didn’t have time to get it,” he says.

Even worse: “People would leave guns lying around. They didn’t lock them up.”

For a few decades, Meginnis — now an investigator for Maricopa County — has been escaping from the gritty, bloody, depressing world of law enforcement by coming home, hitting the garage and firing up the power saws. He learned the craft of carpentry at age 10, taught by his father and grandfather. In Chicago (where he often made basement bars for his cop buddies) and here in Arizona, turning raw wood into tables, cabinets, shelves and chairs was a tremendous release from his day job.

Until the day the two came together.

Inspired by a client’s request that sent his mind spinning like a combination lock, Meginnis is now making furniture that doubles as safes, with hidden drawers opened by clever keys. That coaster?

It holds a strong magnet which, when attached just so on an end table, pulls open a hidden drawer to reveal a gun. Or jewelry. Or bonds, cash, wills and other important documents.

Or — believe it or not — gold bars.

“People tell me these things they want to hide,” the linebackersized Meginnis says, from his New River garage/workshop. “I tell them, ‘Don’t tell me, I don’t need to know!’”

Of course, Meginnis is a trusted sort who can keep a secret. Though ironically, the word is getting out about his Top Secret Furniture.

NRAfamily.org recently had a story highlighting five gunhiding options to hide your home defense firearm in furniture or decorative objects. One of the five options was a Meginnis design.

“The folks at Top Secret Furniture offer an approach designed to be part of your family's life for decades to come: hand-crafted hardwood pieces built to last,” raves the reviewer. “Although they offer a wide variety of end tables, media centers, bookshelves and nightstands, I zeroed in on the High Caliber Coffee Table because it sits where many of us spend the majority of our time at home: in the living room, right by the couch.

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“The secret compartment, located under the fully functional and visible storage drawers, locks with a steel pin and is accessible to you via a wireless keypad and remote locking mechanism that only needs four AAA batteries.”

That review helped kick Top Secret Furniture into overdrive.

The little company is a family business, with Bill’s wife, Sandy, running the office side of things and daughter, Samantha, on social media in the house. Out in the garage, Bill, his 17-yearold son, Billy, and Cristian Figueroa (Samantha’s boyfriend) produce Bill’s double-use designs.

The ol’ Wild West of gun-friendly Arizona is a fitting setting for Top Secret, though the family moved out here long before the concealed coffee table idea came to fruition.

When Meginnis was getting close to retiring as a police officer, he flew to Arizona to help a friend inspect a house in then-new Anthem. Meginnis gave a deep chuckle, recalling that first trip: “I was like, ‘Oh my God, this place is beautiful. Everyone

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waves at you — with all their fingers. And there’s no sirens.’”

So, the Meginnis family moved to Anthem in 2000, then north to New River a few years ago.

While the hidden drawer aspect is relatively new, Meginnis has been making furniture for decades, not so much moonlighting as he is pursuing a creative outlet. He keeps a notebook on his nightstand, as he often dreams about new designs. But that’s just the beginning, as he has high standards for production. In fact, he has a term for pieces that don’t pass his critique: firewood.

The anti-mass-production crowd is demanding more and more handmade furniture, using good, solid wood as opposed to made-in-China pieces, which use cheap particle board. In addition to Amish-like workmanship, Meginnis is finding an equally solid niche with the secret compartment aspect. He started making hidden compartment prototypes three years ago, selling to friends who requested them.

“Then we did a website, and it just exploded,” he says.

Top Secret is shipping hidden compartment tribute flags ($369), wall clocks ($595), night stands ($1,195), coffee tables ($1,725) and more around the country. Seventy percent of business is on the East Coast, with orders fueled by the likes of the NRA review and testimonials from customers. Top Secret Furniture ranges from simple shelves at $185 to entertainment centers going for upward of $5,000.

Meginnis loves to hear from customers, and had a good laugh sharing the story of a woman who bought an entertainment center and loaded its secret compartments with jewelry and other treasures. She had a party, and several of her visitors remarked on the beauty of the entertainment center, not realizing it was an elegant safe. As the woman related to Meginnis, “If they only knew what was in it!”

While he has plenty of customers more interested in clocks than Glocks, the cop adrenaline in his system surged when he got a call from a Desert Hills customer. The customer told him someone started banging on his door in the middle of the night.

The startled resident opened the secret drawer of his nightstand and pulled out a flashlight and gun stashed there. Unlike the kicked-in door stories from Chicago, the banging stopped and the potential intruder left. But the customer had a message for Meginnis: “I felt so secure.”

And, as the saying goes, no one ever went broke selling security — especially when it looks so nice. topsecretfurniture.com M arch 2017

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Writer and photographer Ed Winbourne

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Experience

Over 1,400 named mines along with many abandoned adits and trenches litter Arizona’s landscape. Local mines beckon rockhounds to explore overlooked and hidden treasures.

Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Club visits mine sites on monthly field trips. The club field trip committee completes the necessary research about the mines it visits: scouting out access roads, knowing the type of collectible material available and recommending special gear members may need. But with a bit of common sense and a little research, individuals can make any mine visit a pleasurable and rewarding experience.

Rockhounds need to know a few things before they start mining. First, it’s important to know the status of mine sites you plan to visit; is the site is on federal, state or privately owned land. Miners also need to understand and follow the rules for each site. State land prohibits collecting and requires anyone on its property to have a state permit. The Bureau of Land Management does not require a permit but restricts collecting

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Anthem Gem and Mineral Show Boulder Creek High School 40404 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy, Anthem March 25-26 Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Adults: $3; seniors/students: $2; Children under 12: free 978-460-1528

natural resources to 35 pounds of material at a time or up to 350 pounds per year. Sites on private lands require permission from the owner, adherence to on-site rules and often charge a fee to explore. Where can you find information about collecting?

You can search mindat.com, or Google Arizona Geological Survey. Also, several gem trail books are available and provide details about collecting sites. Author Neil Bearce has some of the best books that are field guides for Arizona collectors.

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Checking for flourescents at the Purple Passion Mine

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Digging for Amethyst at the Contact Mine" Due to the increase of rockhound enthusiasts, some mine sites have been picked clean of collectible materials. And some sites are off-limits and are claimed for mining or housing development. During the housing boom, some mines were closed to make areas safe for builders to develop. The state of Arizona has worked hard to ensure abandoned mines stay safe, but hundreds of mines remain too dangerous to visit. The Daisy Mountain Rock Mine, on the north slope of Daisy Mountain, is one of those abandoned mines, but it has an open tunnel entrance with guarded shafts, rendering it safe. The best way to find out about the safety and conditions of mine sites is to join a rockhound club.

Over the past year, our club has collected amethyst at the Contact Mine in Aguila, copper minerals at the Red Rover Mine in Carefree, and fluorescent calcite and fluorite at the Purple Passion Mine in Wickenburg. We are planning an April trip to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation, south of Globe, to collect peridot at a private site. We will also visit the DoBell Ranch in Holbrook where we can purchase some of Arizona’s world famous petrified wood at prices impossible to beat. Whether you’re a rockhound or not, you are welcome to join us as we hunt for geological treasures.

The Daisy Mountain Rock and Mineral Club invites you to attend the Anthem Gem and Mineral Show, March 25-26. Proceeds from the show help fund a scholarship — to a graduating student from Boulder Creek High School pursuing studies in science — as well as establishing a future lapidary facility in Anthem. dmrmc.com M arch 2017

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It’s March in the Valley, which means you can count on three things: temperatures in the mid-80s every day, throngs of out-of-state visitors filling ballparks from Scottsdale to Surprise, and plenty of locals playing hooky from work to get in on the fun.

Writer Greg Granillo Photography courtesy of Sarah Sachs/Arizona Diamondbacks

As Cactus League spring training gets underway, we also know a certain team in Mesa will still be partying months after its first World Series in more than 100 years. But as for the local team, fans aren’t sure what to expect.

Long gone are the famous D-backs names like Gonzo and Gracie, replaced with names like Goldy and Greinke. So, we thought it was the perfect time to get to know one of the team’s up-and-coming pitchers, Archie Bradley.

Beginning his fourth spring training with the club, Bradley is coming off a 2016 season that saw him go 8-9 in 26 starts for the D-backs. He had an earned run average of 5.02 with 143 strikeouts and 67 walks. He completed the season with a 4-1 mark and four no-decisions. In defeating the Padres on his last start of the season on October 1 at Chase Field, Bradley recorded a career-high with 11 strikeouts and struck out at least one batter in each of the seven innings he worked.

For the 2017 season, Bradley remains in the conversation for a spot among the five starters manager Torey Lovullo will name by opening day. We caught up with the 24-year-old right-hander as he played a round at McCormick Ranch Golf Club in preparation for last month’s Annexus Pro-Am at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

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DID YOU KNOW? Archie Bradley went 12-1 as a senior at Broken Arrow High School in Oklahoma, and was named The Oklahoman’s 2011 All-State Player of the Year while leading his team to a 36-2 record and a 6A state championship.

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Q: So, you’re playing golf right now? How often do you play?

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A: I started playing back in Oklahoma when I was 14, but I’ve been playing a lot more since I knew I was playing in the pro-am. My handicap is probably around a 12. I can hit it long off the tee, but accuracy sometimes becomes an issue. Of course, spring training is always a great time to get out on the course, play with teammates and friends, and just have a good time.

Q: What’s your favorite golf course in the area?

A: Kierland. It’s always in beautiful shape, well-manicured and the people always treat us well. Plus, I live about a mile down the road.

Q: Are there any similarities between pitching and golf?

A: For sure. I know there are teammates behind me when I’m on the mound, but just like swinging a club, when you’re throwing a pitch it’s all on you until the ball is hit. You control everything, and you decide everything.

But the biggest similarity is when you throw a bad pitch and give up a hit, you have to forget it. The same is true with golf. If you hit a bad shot, you have to forget it and find a way to salvage it and put yourself in a good position. I’ve always said, if I could keep the same composure and have the same mental approach to golf as I do in baseball, I’d be a much better golfer.

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Q: What do you miss most about your hometown in Oklahoma?

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A: Like most people, I miss friends and family.

There are people still around there who helped me get to where I am right now. It’s my comfort zone. I also do a lot of hunting in Broken Arrow. It’s a place I love to be. But it’s 68 degrees in February, and I’m playing golf in shorts in Scottsdale right now. I love it here.

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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 M arch 2017

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Q: Spring training is coming up at Salt River Fields. What’s your favorite part about this time of year?

Q: From your standpoint, what are the goals for the team this year?

A: Throughout the season, you bond and get close to your teammates. Then during the off-season, everyone goes their separate ways and we aren’t in contact as much. When spring training comes around, it’s exciting getting to see your teammates. It’s the optimism of what the team could be, new management, new front office. It’s a fun time to be around, and it means baseball is right around the corner.

A: I think we learned our lesson from last year about ignoring all the expectations from outside. We just need to form a competitive roster and put a team out there that this city and this state can get behind and root for again. We want to make baseball in Arizona competitive and fun again.

Q: You mentioned the new management. What are your initial thoughts on general manager Mike Hazen and the staff?

A: Fastball. The old No. 1. The heater. I’ve been getting up to 92-97 mph. I have been making tons of strides with the changeup, though.

A: I’ve had limited interaction with them so far. But when I talk to the public relations team and other coaches, they have nothing but good things to say. It’s nice to know the people above you are the right people for the job.

Q: Do you see yourself as a starter or reliever this year?

A: I’ve always been a starter. That’s what I’d like to be, but I’m here for whatever they need. If they want me in the bullpen, I’ll go to the bullpen. If they want me to start, I’ll start. I just want to be a part of this team and help them win in whatever capacity I can.

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Q: What’s your best pitch?

Q: What would you be doing if you weren’t a pro baseball player?

A: Well, I committed to play quarterback at the University of Oklahoma before entering the Major League Baseball draft. So, I’d probably be playing football, or hunting, or coaching. Those are my passions outside of baseball.

Q: What’s your favorite place to eat in Scottsdale?

A: It has to be my favorite breakfast spot, Butters Pancakes and Café at Hayden Road and Via de Ventura. My teammates and I are frequent visitors there.

Q: Are you married?

A: No, but I have a girlfriend whose brother was actually my first roommate in pro ball. He’s now in the Cubs front office. I have three guys who live with me, sometimes it’s four, sometimes it’s five, and we just have a good time.

Q: What’s the story on the beard?

A: I did the whole No-Shave November thing and my teammate Robbie Ray was always pushing me to grow one, so when November ended I just made up my mind to just let it grow.

Q: You went from Missoula to Reno to the big leagues. What’s your greatest lesson from playing in the minor leagues?

A: It was an amazing journey. Too often, I think we all get caught up in trying to make money and make it to the big leagues, which is great. But the ride itself — the five or six years I’ve been in pro ball — has been an unbelievable journey. The friendships. The hard times. The ups and downs. The stories. The fun times. Being called up, being sent down. I don’t take any of it for granted. I cherish every day I get to put on the uniform. And I try to make the most of it because you never know when that day will come when you have to hang up the cleats.

The D-backs will be playing home spring training games through March 27 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick.

The regular season schedule begins April 2 at Chase Field, when the D-backs host the San Francisco Giants. arizona.diamondbacks.mlb.com

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Finding a program for school-aged children that successfully instills confidence, promotes healthy peer relationships and supports academic studies — well that would be like finding a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

However, unlike that elusive pot of gold, a program with those results does in fact exist. But with a name like Dancing Classrooms, it’s going to be an unconventional one.

Dancing Classrooms was created in 1994 by Pierre Dulaine as a project of the American Ballroom Theater in New York City. Since its conception, 31 Dancing Classrooms have started worldwide, reaching over 600 schools and impacting more than 50,000 students — a growth contributed to the documentary, "Mad Hot Ballroom.”

It’s a documentary that changed the course of Heather Wright Schlichting’s life.

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Writer Grace Hill Photo credit Elizabeth Juhl Photography

“Once I watched 'Mad Hot Ballroom,' the documentary that chronicles the schools in New York City where Dancing Classrooms originated, I was hooked,” says Schlichting.

“The film highlights children from culturally diverse schools who learn ballroom dance and compete in a citywide competition. Told from the children’s perspective, it’s truly an inspiring story where at first many of the children are hesitant, but after 10 weeks, they, their parents and teachers share how they all have been transformed because of this unique program.”

Schlichting, a lifelong dancer, immediately set to work to bring the program to Phoenix. With the help of the New York office and Dulaine who traveled to Arizona to introduce the program, Schlichting achieved her goal. In 2011, the non-profit Dancing Classrooms Phoenix came to life and began its mission.

“The mission of Dancing Classrooms Phoenix is to cultivate essential life skills in children through the practice of social dance,” Schlichting explains. “In a world filled with technology that encourages isolation with little human interaction, our program offers children a place where they can connect with their peers and their teachers in a safe environment in which to thrive. They are taught how to work with and accept one another regardless of their differences.”

To provide more assistance with the educational side of the program, Schlichting joined forces with Tebble Dickerson who initially was involved in Dancing Classrooms of Northeast Ohio but who now functions as partner and site director of Dancing Classrooms Phoenix. As an educator with over 15 years of experience, Dickerson understands what makes this program successful in the classroom.

Dickerson says, “Dancing Classrooms uses a curriculumbased teaching approach to achieve social awareness and build self-esteem. Students are taught the vocabulary of various contemporary social dances as well as discover the origin and history behind each dance. The students complete a journal entry after each lesson to show the progression of success with the program. Dancing Classrooms improves self-confidence, communication, and cooperation, and teaches acceptance of others even if they are different. These skills transform the students' self-esteem which gives them

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the confidence and assurance to persevere through difficult tasks in all academic areas."

The program accomplishes all that through a developmentally designed 10-week program for fifth-grade students and includes 20 45-minute sessions, that teach various ballroom dances. The final class of the program then showcases the hard work of the student participants to the rest of the school and their families. Some children will even go on to compete in the annual Colors of the Rainbow competition.

For students who have already completed the fifth-grade program, they also have the option of continuing lessons during an advanced course in eighth grade All the students involve flourish in unimaginable ways. As Schlichting describes, “Both academic and post-program research with our school partners have shown that Dancing Classrooms Phoenix substantially advances confidence, motivation, civility, self-esteem, teaming skills, focus, determination and joy in the children. Happier children make for happier and more successful students. Participating schools have seen attendance problems decrease, grades increase and behavioral issues improve dramatically.”

Dickerson specifically recalls one of those students with behavioral issues. She says, “The most memorable moment in the program for me was when I had a student who consistently had behavior problems before becoming a part of my classroom…I visited him a couple of years later, and he thanked me for allowing him to participate in the competition and said that he had continued to do well in school because of the confidence he now had in himself."

To have results like that, results that positively impact a student’s life, that’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Experience MAD Hot Dance Off!

March 25 6 to 10 p.m.

Arthur Murray Dance Studio 1210 E. Indian School Rd. Tickets: $20 Join the fun as a spectator or a competitor.

All proceeds benefit Dancing Classrooms Phoenix.

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dancingclassroomsphoenix.org

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CRU jiente Tacos PUTS THE CRUNCH IN TACOS

Excelente!

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Writer Shannon Severson Photographers Karlie Colleen and Debby Wolvos

Arcadia’s CRUjiente Tacos is not your average taco shop. It’s something much better.

Need proof? San Antonio-born executive chef Rich Hinojosa is a classically trained five-star chef, having led kitchens at some of the country's top fine-dining destinations, from The Westin Maui Resort and Spa to Aspen Hotel Jerome, a stint at The Phoenician and, most recently, The Wigwam. Hinojosa is a taco champion. His creations have won multiple awards at the Arizona Taco Festival, including first place for his Korean fried chicken taco (yes, it’s on the menu). He and co-owner Jason Morris are certified sommeliers (wine professionals), hence the emphasis on CRU in the restaurant’s name.

“The crunchy tacos are really what started the restaurant,” says Hinojosa. “Jason and I are taco fanatics, and I made these for him when he visited my family and me in Colorado.

He immediately said they would be a hit in Phoenix. He asked me what the Spanish word was for crunchy and that’s how we got the name.”

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The addictive crunchy (crujiente) tacos, filled with beef, pork or lamb and then deep fried, take 10 hours to make. The meats are dry-rubbed or dry-brined, seared and braised, then hand-shredded and added back into the cooking liquid for ultimate tenderness before folded into waiting tortillas.

“I like a lot of depth of flavor,” says Hinojosa. “It’s a nice, crunchy taco with a juicy interior. The edges of the meat get crispy. They’re delicious — everything you want a taco to be. The street tacos are the sexy tacos. They’re aesthetically pleasing. But they also have elements requiring a long cooking process. There’s nothing on the menu that’s quick to make.”

As one might guess from the winning Korean taco, the restaurant’s menu selections are not confined to traditional taco ingredients. The street (calle) taco menu is filled with the unexpected, carefully developed flavors, and influenced from his time in Hawaii. There’s a blue crab taco, and a sushi-grade ahi poke taco served in a taro root shell, and pork belly with kimchi. For traditionalists, there are lengua, fish, and 36-

hour beef short rib tacos, a family recipe for mole (but served with duck), along with a taco of the week and an Argentinian-inspired Cedar River New York steak taco with chimichurri. Antojitos (including proper, creamy Texas queso), ceviche and salads round out the menu.

“I wanted to achieve the right texture and flavor and balance it with originality,” says Hinojosa. “It’s meant to be harmonious, so when you have a bite of the food, you’re going to get it the way I designed it — to have the maximum amount of flavors and to hit as much of your palate as possible, so all of your senses are being activated. We try to bring that to every element at the restaurant.”

The restaurant’s interior has a casual but classy vibe with a mix of textures: brick and a three-dimensional wood wall, corrugated metal fixtures accented with street art, high tables and cozy, high-backed banquette booths. The bar is rimmed with cushioned leather, and deep green wine bottles give a stained-glass effect behind the bar.

Morris was meticulous in choosing the perfect lighting and acoustics.

Hinojosa flew in a top mixologist from Hawaii for the job of expertly crafting the inventive cocktail menu. The drinks are well-rounded with shrubs, St. George green chili vodka, pisco, mezcal and small batch vodkas, all top-of-the-line. Most elements are made fresh in the kitchen by Hinojosa and his talented culinary team. True to the owners’ backgrounds, is a significant selection of wines, bourbon, whiskey and beer on tap, in bottles and a few in cans. Happy hour specials offered six nights a week, from 3 to 6 p.m., are a big draw as well.

“It’s a neighborhood restaurant,” says Hinojosa. "We want people to feel comfortable coming in here, and I don’t want it to be the same experience twice. The same thing comes through with the food. It’s super thoughtful.

Chef-driven restaurants are experiencing a revival in Phoenix, and we're excited to be a part of it." crutacos.com

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With a sun-kissed citrus filling and a buttery shortbread crust, these sweet and tangy lemon bars are the perfect embodiment of spring. Made with staple ingredients around the house, they are a convenient and crowd-pleasing dessert for baby showers, wedding showers, potlucks or brunches.

Lemon Bars Yield: 9-12 bars Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour ¼ cup powdered sugar ½ cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste 1 tablespoon lemon zest pinch of salt Directions: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with parchment paper. (Tip: Overlap two pieces of parchment paper and hang about 2 inches over the edge to allow for easier removal later on).

Grease the sides of the pan and the parchment paper.

To prepare the crust, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the softened butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest. With a wooden spoon, press the butter into the flour mixture until a soft dough is formed.

Press the dough into the prepared baking pan with your fingers. If necessary, lightly dust your hands in flour to prevent them from sticking to the dough.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly golden brown around the edges.

Filling 2 large eggs, beaten 1 egg yolk 1 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ¼ cup fresh lemon juice pinch of salt powdered sugar for serving Directions: While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, lemon juice and salt. Set aside.

As soon as the crust is out of the oven, lower the heat to 325°F. Pour the filling over the warm crust and bake again for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set.

Allow the pan to cool, then place into the refrigerator for at least two hours (preferably overnight).

Once completely chilled, carefully remove the lemon bars from the pan and cut into bars. (Tip: Dip your knife into a glass of hot water and wipe with a towel between each cut to create smooth slices).

Keep refrigerated until serving (up to 3-4 days). You may also store them in the freezer for up to 2-3 weeks.

Before serving, dust the tops with powdered sugar.

Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

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