Images Arizona January 2018

Desert Mountain

ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

Carefree

Cave Creek PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PHOENIX, AZ PERMIT NO. 3418

January 2018

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Judy Zimet, Esq., REALTOR® Scottsdale • Carefree • Cave Creek

480-440-3015 Judy@JudyZimet.com

Get a free home value report at JudyZimet.com

NOTABLE DECEMBER SALES Sold in 14 days

Winfield

33207 N 72nd Pl.

$485,000

Sold in 16 days

Terravita

6099 E Evening Glow Dr.

$660,000

Sold in 38 days

Boulders

2014 Smoketree Dr.

$770,000

Sold in 40 days

Cave Creek

4939 E Armor St.

$435,000

Sold in 52 days

Whisper Rock

7486 E Sonora Tr.

Sold in 56 days

Carefree

7272 E Horizon Dr.

$1,948,000 $640,000

AGENT + ATTORNEY = A UNIQUE PROFESSIONAL SKILL SET 2

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4735 N Launfal Ave

85018 @ Arcadia Offered at $1,699,900

5 bedroom | 6.5 bath | 6,294 sf Camelback Mountain Views Guest House 4 Car Garage Hopi | Ingleside | Arcadia CALL 480.999.2948 See More Online www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com ANDREW BLOOM SENIOR PARTNER REALTOR

36396 N Sun Rock Way

85377 @ Carefree

Offered at $1,699,000 6 bedroom | 6.5 bath | 9,044 sf Black Mountain Views Attached Guest House Home Theater Chef’s Dream Kitchen CALL 480.999.2948 See More Online www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com

“Anyone who dreams of an uncommon life eventually discovers there is no choice but to seek an uncommon approach to living it.” - Gray Keller, The ONE Thing

12510 N 104th Street

85260 @ Cactus Corridor Offered at $1,999,900 6 bedroom | 7 bath | 7,854 sf Camelback | McDowell Mountain Views No HOA 2 Bedroom Guest House 5 Car Garage CALL 480.999.2948 See More Online www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com

January 2018

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PASSION COMES TO LIFE AT ARIZONA FINE ART EXPO

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TURNING OLD MACHINERY & PIANOS INTO ART

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF SCOTT BAXTER

Writer Amanda Christmann

Writer Amanda Christmann Photographer Scott Baxter

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THE ART OF UBIQUITY Writer Amanda Christmann

Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer

Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer

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CHEWY ORANGE DATE COOKIES Writer Kyndra Kelly

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E OM ADY! hedule e H E se Sc Hous W R E 2 N E-IN n Hou /Open e V m MO Sun Op dale.co

at, cotts S , Fri millS nd Wi

20 Acres. 8 Homes. 1 Designer.

An enclave of homes designed by “Master of the Southwest” Bob Bacon, with interiors by Gail Archer.

Car Collector Garage Options – 1600 & 3600 sq ft

Pima Rd

ek Rd

Cre Cave

Windmill is a custom neighborhood of western ranch homes ranging from 3,500 to 5,200 square feet. Although every home bears a family resemblance, each features a unique floor plan and elevation, and is carefully located in relation to its neighbors. The uniqueness of the neighborhood has already attracted buyers who appreciate homes reflecting Bacon’s signature high levels of architectural artistry, quality, and careful attention to every detail.

For a private tour, call Davis Driver at 480-788-0401.

Stagecoach Pass Windmill Rd

8555 E Tecolote Cir. Scottsdale, AZ 85266

Sales by RE/MAX Platinum Living

“Room to Dream” www.WindmillScottsdale.com

January 2018

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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Christmann

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Mitchell Ana Petrovic

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Effie Bouras Amanda Christmann Sue Kern-Fleischer Gregory Granillo Kyndra Kelly Kenneth LaFave Lara Piu Shannon Severson

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

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Every January marks the start of a new year, full of anticipation and hope for what is to come. For nearly two decades, January has also been a time to reflect and a time to celebrate.

It was in January 1999 that a small newsletter began that would become Images Arizona. My hope was to build something that would help to connect the people of our community. I wanted to tell stories and share beautiful photography because I knew that, despite any differences we may have, we have far more that unites us.

In 2003, that newsletter turned into a small magazine. I can still remember my pride at that first issue that printed. Even though there weren’t many pages, businesses and neighbors began to embrace the idea that we could create something that was only ours—unique to our neighborhood, about us and for us.

The quality of what we are creating together has changed and improved by leaps and bounds through the years, and I am incredibly honored to call our talented team of photo and editorial contributors my colleagues and friends.

I am also immensely grateful for the businesses and organizations who have stood by Images Arizona through the years. As you read through the stories, be sure to take note of their advertisements because they are the ones who make our work possible.

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 © 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

Finally, thank you! If it were not for your kind words and encouragement, and your willingness to allow us into your homes and into your lives each month, there would be no reason to share the stories that we do. Our readers have given all of us at Images Arizona purpose and passion.

Happy New Year! Here’s to many more!

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

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January 2018

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Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photography by Jeremy Bot and Pat Stacy

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Glassblowing demonstrations and classes, chef demonstrations, live music and a roster of both new and acclaimed artists are returning to Phoenix for another year of camaraderie and creation of fine art. These are just some of the reasons to visit the Arizona Fine Art Expo, the popular 10-week fine art show that takes place January 12 through March 25. Known as one of Arizona’s best venues for collecting fine art, the Arizona Fine Art Expo runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. under the festive white tents at the southwest corner of Scottsdale and Jomax Roads, next to MacDonald’s Ranch.

For seasoned and new art collectors, the event offers the chance to visit 115 patron-friendly studios within a 44,000 square-foot space. Creativity flows daily as the artists sketch passionately in pencil, charcoal and pastels; sculpt and fire clay; chisel and shape stone; and saw and carve wood sculptures. Artists also paint in all media; stain and etch gourds; design lost wax casting; solder and weld jewelry; assemble mosaics, blow glass, plus fuse and kiln form glass sculptures. Art is for sale and commissions are welcomed.

“Many of our artists come from different parts of the country, and we even have some traveling from Ireland, Mexico, Peru, Ukraine and Canada to participate in the show. The expo provides a rare chance to meet them, watch them in action and learn about their passion, inspiration and techniques,” said Judith Combs, founding partner of the Arizona Fine Art Expo.

Combs is particularly excited about some of the new events planned during the show.

“We’re honored to be collaborating with Chef Giancarlo Stefanutto and owner Glenn Wagner of Sogno Toscano vineyard of Italy. Chef Giancarlo will demonstrate and share samples of delicious edibles from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. January 20 and February 10,” she said.

NEW GLASSBLOWER TO DEMONSTRATE AND TEACH Combs is also looking forward to welcoming contemporary glass artist Gregory Tomb to the show. Tomb, who arrived from California in December, has been working on building a hot shop on the expo grounds, where he will conduct glassblowing demonstrations and offer glassblowing and glass fusing classes. More information about the classes can be found at gregorytglass.com.

Tomb’s passion for glass art dates back to his childhood in upstate New York when he and his family would visit the Corning Museum of Glass on their way to seeing relatives in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

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“That was the foundation for my love of glass,” Tomb said.

“On each trip, I would beg my parents to stop at the museum so we could watch the glassblowers. It was so exciting and mystifying. I was captivated by it.”

He studied art at Hartwick College in Oneonta, New York and spent the summer of 1997 teaching art in Boulder, Colorado. It was there that he did his first apprentice torch work for Mystic Family Glassworks.

A year later, he took a workshop from Emilio Santini at Urban Glass, which opened the door to assist other glass artists there. Several years later, he honed his precision skills working as a production glassblower in Simon Pearce’s factories in the Northeast.

“My experience at Simon Pearce taught me that I needed to learn the craft before I could make glass art. The discipline of production helped me transition from a hobbyist to an artist,” he said.

But glass was not his only passion. His spirit of adventure and love of the outdoors led him to explore other career paths as a whitewater rafting guide, ski instructor, sea kayaking guide, zip lining instructor and a team-building facilitator. He also played bass guitar for a band in Lake Tahoe for a few years.

“Glass was the one thing I kept coming back to,” Tomb said. “I was drawn to the fire and I felt most alive while making glass.

Whether kiln-formed, hot-poured, fused, etched or blown, the possibilities are endless. You can spend a lifetime in any of the disciplines of glass and still have something to learn.”

While he thrives on the excitement of working with hot molten glass, it’s the process that captivates him the most.

“There’s a delicate balance of humility and ego. If you lose focus, the glass can shatter right before you. If you panic, it gets worse—it’s a lot like life,” he said. “In many ways, it’s like meditation. When you really feel in tune with it, anything is possible.”

He is equally passionate about sharing his knowledge with others, and he hopes people will take advantage of the classes he will teach at expo.

“Like any adventure, preparation is the key to safety,” Tomb said, joking that he has burned himself more times cooking at home than in his studio. “I spend a lot of time covering safety before letting students work with hot glass. It’s an exhilarating experience, and the best part is that you’ll be able to go home with a piece of glass art that you created.”

During the Arizona Fine Art Expo, Tomb will exhibit and sell a variety of vibrant bowls, vessels, flat glass wall sculptures and his signature glass pumpkins.

“Pumpkins are always magical—there is something fun and whimsical and almost inspiring about the way their stems curl, their ridges, texture and color,” he said.

His prices will range from under $100 to $700 for craft, decorative and functional pieces. Installation pieces may range from $1,000 to more than $10,000 depending on the complexity of each customized project.

PAINTER PUTS SOUL INTO HER WORK Scottsdale artist Pat Stacy has had people tell her that there is an energy to her work and in her booth at the expo—so much so that she has seen patrons stare at one of her paintings and be moved to tears.

While she never knows who will be affected by her work, she believes there is a spiritual connection as she paints, and she is always honored when others see the soul she puts into her work.

Like Tomb, she views her process of creating art much like meditation, only she’s working with acrylic paint and textures to create colorful, intense, abstract art on canvas, paper and wood.

While she has always been creative, life took her on a long, winding road to becoming a fine artist. A licensed professional counselor, she retired in 1994 to care for her ill husband who died later that year.

Grief struck her, but it also empowered her to help others.

“After my husband died, I decided I wasn’t rich, but I had enough to give my time away as a Red Cross mental health volunteer,” Stacy said.

Experience Arizona Fine Art Expo

January 12 through March 25 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily 26540 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale $10 season passes; $8 seniors and military; free for children under 12 480-837-7163 arizonafineartexpo.com January 2018

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For the next 13 years, she did disaster work across the nation, teaching classes and becoming the state and chapter lead for mental health.

A two-time survivor of breast cancer, she turned to painting first in 2008, after enduring several surgeries.

“I learned that if I painted, I didn’t hurt,” she said. “I painted eight to 12 hours a day, every day.”

Painting not only helped Stacy heal, it catapulted her toward a new career as a fine artist. Today, her subject matter draws from or is inspired by ancient and native cultures. Symbols in her work reflect her belief in life beyond what she sees and her gratitude for life itself. Some of the symbols come directly from native art, while others are her own creations.

Using bright colors and metallic paint, she prefers to paint with acrylics, often choosing those containing metals that change with patinas.

“Color makes my heart sing, and I think it does for other people too,” she said. “I love working with acrylic paints because they are so versatile.”

Much of her work is done on four wooden panels held together with dowels.

“My ‘Quadruvium’ pieces are named from the Roman use of the term to represent a crossroads where four roads meet, and I have four wooden cradles that are connected,” she said, adding that she creates the heavily textured paintings by building up layers of acrylic paint. She also employs crackling techniques to give the surfaces depth, and she is known for her fine line work on the sides and edges of her pieces.

This is Stacy’s eighth year participating in the Arizona Fine Art Expo.

“I love the warmth and the sense of family we have among the artists,” she said. “I really enjoy interacting with patrons and helping them to discover my hidden symbols and messages.

Sometimes they help me see things in my art that I did not realize were there.”

Her evocative, contemporary pieces range from $250 to several thousand dollars, depending on the size and scope of each piece. arizonafineartexpo.com

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COMMUNITY arts // announcements // culture Writer Amanda Christmann

JAN. 4

ATTENTION TEACHERS! The Heard Museum has an event just for K-12 educators: Flavors of the Past & Present. Learn how to prepare a delicious dish with ancestral ingredients and taste the flavors of culinary wisdom.

Educators will receive curriculum resources and a certificate for tracking professional development hours. Free. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

RSVP required. education@heard. org; 602-252-8840; heard.org

JAN. 6

AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS The Living Music Performance Series will portray this Gian Carlos Menotti one-act opera, the story of a miracle, produced in collaboration with St. Barnabas on the Desert at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. $25. 9205 E. Cave Creek Rd., Carefree. 7 p.m.

480-488 2081; ctlcarefree.org

JAN. 9–14

FIFTH ANNUAL SEDONA WINTER MUSIC FESTIVAL

Music JAN. 11

WINTER SALON MUSICALE Enjoy beautiful chorale music

Chamber Music Sedona will

in the shadows of Sedona’s

host its dynamic annual six-day

red rocks. Part of the Sedona

celebration of the performing

Winter Music Festival. $125.

arts. The festival will culminate

Private Sedona residence,

Jan. 14 with a concert at the

TBA. 5:30 p.m. 928-204-2415;

Sedona Performing Arts Center.

chambermusicsedona.org

See website for performance and

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class schedules and ticket info.

*Photo Courtesy Sedona Winter

chambermusicsedona.org

Festival

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JAN. 10

GET THE SCOOP ON ANCIENT SOUTHWESTERN POTTERY Allen Dart, an Arizona Humanities speaker and archaeologist, will hold an interesting discussion about ancient Native American ceramic styles, as well as the importance of context in archaeology. Free. The Good Shepard of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek. 7 p.m. 623-512-1665; azarchsoc.wildapricot.org

JAN. 11–FEB. 11 JOHN RANDALL NELSON EXHIBITION Contemporary artists John Randall Nelson uses symbolism and tropes to portray esoteric narratives. Free. Gebert Contemporary, 7160 Main St., Scottsdale. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed Sundays. 480-4290711; gebertartaz.com

JAN. 12–14

ROCK AND ROLL MARATHON SERIES Running is fun when it comes with live music and excitement!

The Rock ‘N’ Marathon is a relatively flat course that runs through Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe. Road closure information, routes, fees and schedule are available online. runrocknroll.com

JAN. 13

FINDING THE PERFECT PLANTS Carefree Desert Gardens welcomes Cesar Mazier, president of Cesar Mazier Landscaping & Consulting, Inc. to help you use environment, landscape conditions and background and spaces plants will occupy. This is the first in the 2018 Carefree Desert Gardens seminar series. $5. Town Council Chambers, 33 Easy St. and Nonchalant Ave., Carefree. 9:30 a.m. to noon.

Limited seating. 480-488-3686 January 2018

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JAN. 13

NAZIS, ART AND FRAUD Mary F. Cook of the International Foundation for Art Research lectures on the unbelievable yet true story of two art dealers with galleries in Paris and New York City: one who hated the Nazis, and one who dealt with them and got rich. $6. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., Cave Creek. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Registration required.

480-488-2286; dfla.org

On Stage

JAN. 19

MARTY STUART AND HIS FABULOUS SUPERLATIVES Five-time Grammy winner, Grand Ole Opry star and platinum recording artist Marty Stuart takes the stage at the MIM during his Way Out West tour. $43.50–$53.50. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. 7:30 p.m. 480-4786000; mim.org *Photo Courtesy MIM

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dr N tom darlington

Terravita

DESERT MOUNTAIN

THE BOULDERS

LONE MTN RD

WHISPER ROCK

pima road

Terravita

CAV E

CRE EK R

D.

scottsdale road

carefree hwy

Terravita Marketplace Located on the NW corner of Scottsdale Road and Carefree Highway

ROGUES SCHOLARS & DAMES (480) 528-6010 For over three decades, owner Victor Lebo has enjoyed the art of cutting hair. “I’m not rushing anyone in and out in five minutes.

I’d rather take my time and make sure that every haircut that leaves here looks like it should. It’s worth the drive up here no matter what. There’s so much more to it than just getting a haircut.”

Enjoy great dining options, a variety of salon & nail services, home decor services & more!

DINING First Watch Liberty Station Sesame Inn Subway

SERVICES Animal Hospital at Terravita Bob Lontowski Real Estate Carefree Coverings Fashion Nails Hunter Douglas Gallery Rogues Scholars & Dames Salon Picasso Terravita Smiles The UPS Store Ultra Cleaners Wells Fargo Bank

SPECIALTY RETAIL Mattress Firm Sherwin Williams Walgreens

Terravita Marketplace 34402-34502 N. Scottsdale Rd. | Scottsdale, AZJanuary 85266 2018

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JAN. 13

ART IN INTERIOR DESIGN Art is important in interior design. Find out how at The Gallery at el Pedregal.

Presentation by interior designer Cynthia Eral. Free.

34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. 1 p.m. RSVP 480575-6624; theboulders.com

JAN. 14

MILLENIUM GALLERY GRAND OPENING Acclaimed artist Lev Shteiman announces the opening of Millennium Gallery. For the first time ever, over 100 of his paintings are on display representing a lifetime of his work in Russia, Israel and the United States. Original paintings and giclee prints available for purchase. 7445 E. Sidewinder Rd., Carefree.

Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

480-307-8020; levshteiman.com

JAN. 17–21

RUSSO AND STEELE AUTOMOBILE AUCTION With more than 800 cars crossing the block, Russo and Steele is excited to announce the addition of the rare and elusive ASA 1100 C.C. Spider to its roster. $200 for admission for two for preview day and four days of Auction in the Round. Talking Stick Resort, 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale. 602-252-2697; russoandsteele.com

Cars

JAN. 13–21

BARRETT-JACKSON CLASSIC CAR AUCTION Hundreds of the world’s finest collector automobiles and thousands of spectators will assemble for this year’s Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction. See website for ticket prices and schedule.

WestWorld, 16601 N. Pima., Scottsdale. barrett-jackson.com *Photo Courtesy Barrett-Jackson

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JAN. 18

FROM UNDER THE RUSSIAN SNOW Author Michelle Carter will discuss her second book, “From Under the Russian Snow,” a memoir of the remarkable year she served as journalist-in-residence in Russia through the birth of an independent press in the post-Soviet, pre-Putin bubble of freedom. Free. Books available for purchase. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., Cave Creek. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Registration required. 480488-2286; dfla.org

JAN. 18–FEB. 28 BOB BOZE BELL SOLO EXHIBITION

“The Illustrated Life and Times of Wild Bill Hickok” event and art show, featuring 17 pieces of original art from the book

by Bob Boze Bell, celebrates the publication of Bell’s newest book of the same title. Reception Jan. 18, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. CattleTrack Arts & Preservation Center, 6105 N. CattleTrack Road, Scottsdale. cattletrack.org

JAN. 20

ANTIQUE APPRAISAL DAY Find out how much your old items are worth! Bring up to two items. $25 donation per item. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Dr., Cave Creek. 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 480-488-2764; cavecreekmuseum.org January 2018

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JAN. 20

ART PARTY AND RECEPTION AT EL PEDREGAL Come to The Gallery at el Pedregal for an afternoon of fine art, artist demonstrations, delicious food and musical performances. Free. 34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., second floor, Carefree. 1 to 4 p.m. 480-5756624

JAN. 21

DUO BRAZILIANA Be transported to Brazil for the afternoon. Mezzo soprano Melanie Ohm and Brazilian pianist Rubia Santos perform “Cancao Brasileira," Brazilian songs and poetry, at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church. $30. 9205 E. Cave Creek Rd., Carefree. 4 p.m. 480-488-2081; ctlcarefree.org

JAN. 22

LEARN THE ART OF LANDSCAPE WATERCOLOR Join instructor Ronnie Wainright for a plein air workshop at the Saguaro Hill Preserve. Supplies are provided.

Free. 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., Cave Creek. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. RSVP required. 480488-6131; dflt.org

JAN. 24

NORTHERN ITALY’S CULINARY GIFTS Join Cartwright’s for a festa Italiana as Chef Brett Vibber welcomes a guest chef into

Beach Boy JAN. 29, 30

collaboration dinner. See

AL JARDINE: A POSTCARD FROM CALIFORNIA

website for cost and time.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and

6710 E. Cave Creek Rd.,

former Beach Boy Al Jardine is

Cave Creek. 480-488-8031;

joined by his son, Matt, for a

cartwrightsmoderncuisine.com

night of songs and storytelling.

the kitchen for their monthly

$63.50–$78.50. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. 7 p.m. 480-478-6000; mim.org *Photo Courtesy MIM

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JAN. 25

CHITA RIVERA AND TOMMY TUNE Arizona Musicfest brings two of Broadway’s most celebrated legends together for an extraordinary concert event. $43–$89. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale. 7:30 p.m. 480-4228449; azmusicfest.org

JAN. 28

YOUNG MUSICIANS WINTER CONCERT Don’t miss your chance to hear the stars of tomorrow— today! Arizona Musicfest brings the best young classical talent in Arizona. $23.50. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 2 p.m.

480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

JAN. 31

ALISON BROWN QUARTET Arizona Musicfest presents Grammy-winner Alison Brown, who has established herself as not only one of the best banjo players in the world, but also one of the most innovative musicians around today. $35–$55. La Casa de Cristo Church, 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix. 7:30 p.m. 480-4228449; azmusicfest.org

FEB. 2

SYMMETRY IN STONE: THE JEWELRY OF RICHARD I. CHAVEZ The Heard Museum presents work of Richard Chavez, one of the Southwest’s leading jewelers. For the first time in his more than 40-year career, his jewelry will be featured in a retrospective exhibition. Free with museum admission. 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. Mon. through Sat. 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sun. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

602-252-8840; heard.org January 2018

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FEB. 2

LATE NITE CATECHISM Spontaneous, clever and outrageously fun, the recordbreaking “Late Nite Catechism” has been running every season at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts since 2000.

Come see what the hullabaloo is all about! Runs every Friday through Feb. 23. $31–$39.

7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

8 p.m. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

FEB. 2

THE FAB FAUX Arizona Musicfest presents The Fab Faux. Dispel your previous notions of a Beatles tribute act! $24–$67. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale. 7:30 p.m. 480422-8449; azmusicfest.org

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Golf

JAN. 29–FEB. 4 WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN Find out why the Waste Management Phoenix Open has earned the nickname “The Greatest Show on Grass.” Free and discounted admission available. See website for details and schedule. Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale, 17020 N. Hayden Rd., Scottsdale. wmphoenixopen.com *Photo Courtesy Waste Management Phoenix Open

FEB. 2

LADYSMITH BLACK MAMBAZO Come enjoy the fusion of intricate rhythms and harmonies of South African musical traditions with the sounds and sentiments of gospel. The all-male vocal group rocketed to fame in the mid-1980s when Paul Simon incorporated its rich harmonies into his groundbreaking album Graceland. $39–$69; see website for free and discounted tickets. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

8 p.m. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

FEB. 3

LATE NITE CATECHISM III: ’TIL DEATH DO US PART Arizona’s favorite ruler-wielding nun is back in the habit in this popular sequel to the Late Nite Catechism comedies. Performed Saturdays through Feb. 24. $31–$39. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts Stage 2, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale.

8 p.m. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

FEB. 3

ARIZONA SAGE ART MARKET Come to this indoor show, mingle with 35 juried fine artists, enjoy a treat from the wonderful bakery on site and have a real hometown shopping experience. Most works available for under $300. Free. Holland Community Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. azfcf.org

January 2018

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CELEBRATION OF FINE ART If you are drawn to art, check out Celebration of Fine Art Jan. 13 through March 25.

More than 100 artists will set up working studios from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily in the big white tents southwest of Hayden Road and Loop 101. celebrateart.com

MIM WINTER/SPRING CONCERT SERIES

A new exhibit at the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead in Scottsdale’s McDowell Sonoran Preserve offers insights into the Arizona Historical Society’s role in preserving the state’s history and telling its unique story.

History in the Desert includes artifacts and photographs showing historic ranching,

Tickets are on sale now for

mining, farming and other

Musical Instrument Museum’s

elements of Arizona history.

exciting 2018 winter and spring

Free. 30301 N. Alma School

concert series, which includes

Pkwy., Scottsdale. 7 to 9 a.m.

more than 50 concerts

Mon.–Fri.; 7 to 11 a.m. Sat.–Sun.

from January through April,

mcdowellsonoran.org

spanning across generations and genres. Featured artists include Lyle Lovett, Al Jardine and Booker T. Jones, among other notable talent. Check website for schedule and ticket information. Additional artists will be added throughout the season. mim.org

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HISTORY IN THE DESERT OPEN AT BROWN’S RANCH TRAILHEAD

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m January 2 018

History *Photographer Bryan Black

WEDNESDAYS AT TERRAVITA FARM ‘N’ ART MARKET Farm fresh eats and delectable designs are the perfect pairing each Wednesday through May at Magic Bird's new Farm

OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST HIGH-END, LOW-VOLTAGE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING

‘n’ Art shows that combine the farmers’ market concept with a pinch of artisan spice.

Free. 34402 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale. 3 to 7 p.m. magicbirdfestivals.com

SEE ALL YOUR SKIN CAN BE Make-up artist Charlie Green, whose clientele includes Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen, Cindy Crawford, Angelina Jolie, Victoria’s Secret “Angels” campaign models and many others, is now offering sessions by appointment only at Skin Revision in Carefree. Charlie spent 25 years working her magic in Paris and New York, and her goal now is to provide a personalized education in beauty and rejuvenation. She

www.lettherebelightllc.com (480) 575-3204 info@lettherebelightllc.com Licensed | Bonded | Insured

does not represent a specific brand of skin care, but instead chooses to use a variety of products to personalize a look and a skincare regiment that makes sense for each individual. 917-544-2425; iamcharliegreen@icloud.com

SATURDAY FUN IN DOWNTOWN SCOTTSDALE There’s something for everyone Saturdays in Downtown Scottsdale! See Arizona’s Singing Cowboy serenade the crowd in Old Town or catch a free carriage ride.

Watch Hollywood Stuntman Hall of Famer Johnny Hot Shot in action and experience blacksmithing demonstrations.

Music, food, art and more throughout the Arts and 5th Avenue Districts, too!

Free. Downtown Scottsdale.

Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m. scottsdaleaz.gov January 2018

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LIFE ON THE RANGE The breathtaking photography of Scott T. Baxter will be on display at Fiat Lux Gallery through Jan. 11. Scott’s awardwinning photographs have been featured in American Cowboy, Arizona Highways, Cowboys & Indians, Western Horseman, Men’s Journal and Images Arizona. Some are part of a permanent collections at the Phoenix Art Museum and more. He recently completed a captivating 10-year legacy project for the Arizona Centennial called “100 Years, 100 Ranchers” depicting a disappearing way of life. Free.

6919 E. 1st Ave., Scottsdale.

Thursdays 7 to 9 p.m. 480280-8000; fiatluxgallery.com *Photographer Scott T. Baxter

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SWEET SOUNDS OF SUNDAYS WITH SUNDAY A’FAIR Sunday A’Fair features free outdoor concerts by the Valley’s top musicians, an arts-and-crafts market and fun activities for children and families. Free concerts run from noon to 4 p.m. most Sundays from Jan. 14 through April 8 on the Civic Center Mall, 3939 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale. scottsdaleperformingarts.org

TAKE A RIDE ON THE TROLLEY Carefree Councilman Mike Farrar has found a unique way of highlighting the food, art and fun of Carefree and Cave Creek! The Foothills Trolley now runs every 30 minutes each weekend through April.

Cave Creek stops include Big Earl’s Greasy Eats, Buffalo Chip Saloon, Frontier Town, Grotto/Red Truck, The Horny Toad, Las Tiendas, Local Jonny’s, Mountain View Pub, Stagecoach Village and the Town of Cave Creek public parking lot. Carefree trolley stop sponsors are Spanish Village and the Town of Carefree Sundial. Free. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! The Desert Hills Land Trust is accepting entries or the 2018 “It’s Art for Land’s Sake” exhibition and sale March 16– 23. The show is a partnership with the Sonoran Arts League.

Deadline is Feb. 19. Entry fee is $25. dflt.org

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Jason Pintar and Big Earl's Greasy Eats

At 27, Brooke Butler is right where she wants to be. In fact, this spunky hometown girl is digging in her boot heels and staking her claim in a corner of the world where respect is earned by the decade.

As one of the youngest business owners in Cave Creek—and a woman, at that—she’s in the minority, but Brooke is unflappable.

As she celebrates her first year as owner of the iconic Big Earl’s Greasy Eats, her vision for preserving a legacy that began long before she was born is clearer than ever.

“I love this town. I grew up here,” she said with her signature wide smile. “I want the whole town to succeed. It’s just one of

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those special places. It’s like taking a step back in time. I want it to stay exactly the same as it is now.”

She’s doing her part.

Big Earl’s Greasy Eats is more than just a restaurant; it’s a piece of history. The distinctive building was originally a Standard Oil gas station in Sunnyslope. It was moved to its current location in downtown Cave Creek in 1952, where the Elrod brothers ran it as a service station until the 1980s.

For years, it was the only gas station along the road to Bartlett Lake, making it a regular pit stop for locals and vacationers alike. “It always makes me smile when people tell me stories about how they used to stop here to get gas when they were kids,” Brooke smiled.

Previous owner Kim Brennan saw the beauty and opportunity in the building, which is now believed to be the only example of its 1930s art deco station style in the Phoenix area.

She took on the task of turning the building into something entirely different, first opening Big Daddy Mojo’s coffee and ice cream station in 2001, then slowly transforming it into a full restaurant and bar. The name was changed to Big Earl’s Greasy Eats, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Patrons would say that Big Earl’s has done a great job of balancing the fine line of being family friendly while catering to the adult crowd. “We are so much of a family place where parents can eat amazing food and get a really cool craft beer,” Brooke explained. Families with young children, retirees, high schoolers and hipsters are among the crowd that flocks to Big Earl’s on any given day.

Among Brennan’s notable accomplishments was a bit of fame and fun she gained at the expense of a local newspaper man. In 2012, he penned a scathing editorial about Brennan’s portrayal of the town when she appeared on the Food Networks’ “Mystery Diners,” which featured Big Earl’s that year. In the article, he referred to Brennan as “white trash.”

Instead of cowing, Brennan turned it into an opportunity, planning the first Big Earl’s now-annual White Trash Bash. She parked a “trashy” trailer out front, put gaudy flamingos in the yard and handed out Jell-O shots and PBR.

Kindergarten Roundup Tuesday, February 6, 2018 5:00 – 6:30 pm Visit our five A+ elementary schools – each one with its own Signature Curriculum and Point of Pride.

Black Mountain Elementary School

Desert Sun Academy

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Lone Mountain Elementary School

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480.575.2000

STEM PROGRAM • CHINESE K-6

FREE

All-Day Kindergarten at Each Campus

www.CCUSD93.org

January 2018

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Photographer Jason Pintar

Wild costume contests like “Trashiest Couple in the Trailer Park” and “Best Men’s Romper” were held, and she added a dancing pole as a permanent fixture inside the restaurant.

The White Trash Bash immediately became a smash hit—one of the best summer events in the area.

Brennan ran the restaurant successfully for well over a decade before putting it on the market a handful of years ago. Though she had several offers, no one was interested in carrying on the brand she’d built.

No one, that is, until Brooke stepped up.

“I feel so lucky because Kim started this legacy,” she added.

“Now I get to carry the torch.”

Though Brooke has only owned the business for a year, the Cactus Shadows grad was already the face of Big Earl’s, managing the restaurant for the last four years, give or take a few months when she left to work for an insurance agency.

The transition has been smooth because both women were set on maintaining Big Earl’s trademark friendliness.

“I’m such a people person. Every single day I say hi to everyone and make it a point to try and remember what they had when they last came in.

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“It seems like, for a lot of restaurants, the future is all about getting rid of people and replacing them with technology. I don’t ever want Big Earl’s to be that way. That’s not who we are, and honestly, I think that’s why people like it here so much,” said Brooke.

“I feel so lucky that I get to be the one who keeps it alive,” she said with humility.

Most everything has remained the same, save for a few additions like food and drinks happy hours Tuesdays through Thursdays to keep both parents and kids coming back. Tater tots, fried mac and cheese bites and their new Jewel of the Creek salad are among the menu additions—as are brand new French fries.

The fries, Brooke said, were a bit of a surprise. When she purchased the business, she reached out to the Cave Creekers Infamous Bulletin Board on Facebook, an online community of over 14,000 members, and asked for input.

“I said, ‘Okay, you guys. I want the good, the bad and the ugly of Big Earl’s.’ I have always felt like I can improve based on listening to things people tell me. I kid you not, I had 200 people tell me they hated our fries!”

After a full day of customer testing of 12 different French fries, Brooke and the Big Earl’s staff settled on a new version.

They now serve them up, along with a variation—taco fries— much to the delight of their customers.

It’s those successes, and connecting with friends and customers new and old, that make it all worthwhile for Brooke. In fact, with her first year behind her, those challenges seem to have put her more in the groove than ever. “Every day is something new, and I love it!” she said.

Business ownership isn’t her only change this year. Last December, love literally showed up on her doorstep.

“I wasn’t looking for a relationship because I was buying Big Earl’s and I thought I had enough on my plate,” she said.

Nevertheless, when Collin Dallas, whose twin brother is married to a distant relative, showed up on her doorstep needing a place to stay while visiting Phoenix for a concert, fate had different plans.

“We went to Buffalo Chip and literally hit it off in, like, 20 seconds,” Brooke laughed. “We’re getting married on St. Patty’s Day in Frontier Town.”

Just as this gutsy go-getter conquered becoming a business owner, she’s jumping into the rest of life with both feet, too.

She and Collin, who moved to the Valley in May and started a pool care business with her brother, bought and began renovating a house.

“Planning a wedding, renovating a house, running two businesses—it’s been the funnest year ever!” she said with unfeigned enthusiasm.

And there is one more change. That dancing pole that was erected at the beginning of the “white trash” days, well, it’s not there anymore.

“I hated that thing!” Brooke said through a big laugh.

“Literally, on day one, that was the first thing I did! Someone was there at 6 a.m. to take it down. I am so glad it’s gone!”

Whatever the future holds for Brooke, it’s looking bright. With a little luck and a lot of hard work—both of which she seems to have going for her—the Big Earl’s legacy will continue. With it, her little corner of Cave Creek will remain the charming, authentic, neighborly place we’ve all grown to appreciate. bigearlsgreasyeats.com

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Soulful and Sophisticated in Sedona

Adam Golka

Winter Music Festival brings Chamber Music to the Red Rocks

Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Chamber Music Sedona

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There’s something mystically wonderful about the euphonious sound of chamber music resounding from the walls of Sedona’s majestic red rocks. It’s indescribable, and a magic that is bringing casual music lovers and serious students alike to Red Rock Country for the Fifth Annual Sedona Winter Music Festival.

For six days, Chamber Music Sedona will showcase special events that feature some of the world’s most talented musicians. Participants can attend a gala held at a private home, while students from Sedona and NAU are invited to master classes. The festival will culminate with a concert at the Sedona Performing Arts Center.

Among the quartet of fine musicians is Julliard School graduate and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein, whose performances have intrigued audiences worldwide. He is currently clarinet professor at University of Minnesota.

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Nicholas Canellakis Also featured is cellist Nicholas Canellakis, who has earned acclaim for his command and originality has led him to perform as both a soloist and alongside his duo partner, composer and pianist Michael Brown. The New York Times has described his work as “soulful” and “impassioned.”

French violinist Arnaud Sussmann, also a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant, will be the third featured virtuoso.

His performances have been described as “hypnotic” and “multi-faceted,” evoking the sounds of vintage recordings.

Arnaud Sussmann

Alexander Fiterstein

Finally, the talent of award-winning chamber musician, recitalist and soloist Adam Golka will be showcased. His versatility and technique have charmed audiences across the globe. He currently serves as artist-inresidence at the College of the Holy Cross, and made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2010.

Don’t miss the sure-to-be phenomenal concert at the Performing Arts Center. Beethoven’s Trio in B-flat Major for Clarinet, Cello and Piano, Opus 11 and Schoenfield’s Trio for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano will be on the program.

Limited tickets are also available for the Winter Salon Musicale, to be hosted at a beautiful private home in Sedona, where light hors d’oeuvres and local wine will be served.

The Sedona Winter Musical Festival master class schedule, available to northern Arizona students, is available online.

Experience Hear the Sounds Sedona Winter Music Festival January 14 2:30 p.m.

Sedona Performing Arts Center 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona $15–$60 928-204-2415 chambermusicsedona.org

Winter Salon Musicale January 11 5:30 p.m.

Private Sedona residence, TBA $125 928-204-2415 chambermusicsedona.org

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Welcome to Carefree—the town with a name that says it all! With exemplary art galleries and delectable fine dining, you’ll want to shop and play with wild abandon in Carefree!

FINE ART, FINE WINE

IT’S AN ART PARTY!

THE STORY OF A MIRACLE

Experience some of the state’s best

Enjoy shopping at el Pedregal, then stop

The Living Music Performance Series

offerings in art and wine!

in to The Gallery for an afternoon of fine

presents the Gian Carlos Menotti

When: Jan. 19–21, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

art, delicious food and evocative musical

one-act opera, “Amahl and the Night

Where: 101 Easy St. in downtown

performances.

Visitors.”

Carefree.

When: Jan. 20, 1–4 p.m.

When: Jan. 6, 7 p.m.

Cost: $3 for adults; additional for wine

Where: el Pedregal, 34505 N. Scottsdale

Where: Christ the Lord Lutheran

tasting; children under 17 free.

Rd., Carefree.

Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Rd.,

thunderbirdartists.com

Cost: Free.

Carefree.

480-575-6624

Cost: $25.

480-488-2081; ctlcarefree.org

Contact Tatum Williams at 480-280-9490 or tatum@imagesaz.com to talk about joining our Images Arizona Carefree destination pages.

Writer Shannon Severson Photos Courtesy of Veterans Heritage Project

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History often takes the form of a memorial, an engraved plaque or an entry in a book. If we’re lucky, we get to meet someone who embodies history, whose stories and scars bring the past to life in vivid detail.

At 96 years old, US Navy Lieutenant Commander Ret. Lou Conter is one of just five living survivors of the USS Arizona.

High school students who participate in Veterans Heritage Project are the fortunate ones who hear and document his account of that fateful Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941.

Conter’s account will be recorded in the Veterans Heritage Project’s 14th annual hardbound edition of “Since You Asked.” He and other contributing veterans will attend a free, open-to-the-public celebration and book signing Sunday, April 8 at DoubleTree Resort in Scottsdale from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Founded as an after school club in 2004 by Cactus Shadows High School teacher Barbara Hatch, Veterans Heritage Project is now a non-profit organization with a mission to connect Arizona’s middle school, high school and college students with veterans in order to honor their contributions, preserve America’s heritage and develop future leaders. Out of it has come the Veterans Speakers Bureau, which has reached 17,000 students statewide in the past two years.

Participants in nearly 30 chapters throughout Arizona hear classroom lectures, volunteer in the community and conduct oral history interviews. To date, nearly 1,500 video interviews have been permanently preserved in the Library of Congress, along with donated volumes of “Since You Asked.”

Conter’s memory is sharp as he tells of his experience at Pearl Harbor as a 20-year-old Quartermaster. That morning, he was on the quarterdeck, tasked with helping to navigate the USS Arizona out of port. His position saved his life.

“Three more minutes and I would have been on the bridge with the rest of my crew and would have been killed,” says Conter. “Many reports have said that the men on the USS Arizona were asleep when the attack began. That’s untrue.

We knew something was going to happen with the Japanese, we just didn’t know when. But we were ready for it. The men were at their battle stations and the guns continued to fire long after the deck was in flames.”

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Just 13 minutes into the attack, a blast penetrated five steel decks, exploding more than one million pounds of black powder in the forward magazines. Conter recalls that the impact caused the massive 34,000-ton, 608-foot battleship to raise 30 to 40 feet in the air. For nearly two and a half hours, crews battled fires and the able-bodied few saved as many as they could, all while attempting to keep flames away from the dead and wounded.

“We just did the job,” says Conter. “It wasn’t easy, but we were welltrained. Every man displayed toughness, dedication and resolve.”

The senior surviving officer, Lieutenant Commander Samuel Fuqua, fearing that the wounded would drown if they successfully leapt overboard, gave orders to restrain the wounded or knock them unconscious so they could be safely loaded into lifeboats bound for hospitals on shore. It was a simultaneous exercise in rescue and survival.

“I tried to save as many as I could, but only got about 16 to 18 men out,” says Conter. “The skin of the burned men came off in our hands when we handled them.”

When the situation became too dire, Fuqua gave orders to abandon ship. That day, 1,177 sailors and Marines died aboard the USS Arizona. Just 335 survived.

The wreckage of the ship burned for three days and took several more days to cool off. Conter was part of the team that conducted shallow water dives to retrieve bodies and valuables. Maneuvering through damaged hatches and compartments was dangerous, and divers had the grisly task of lancing the bloated bodies of their fellow sailors so they could be pulled out of the ship and brought to the surface. After a week of dives, the mission was deemed too risky to continue.

Along with medals, photos and clippings, Conter still has the December 21, 1941 telegram informing his mother that he was missing in action.

It wasn’t until after Christmas that his family in Colorado learned he had survived. For the next 50 years, he never spoke about that fateful day, but all that changed after the 50th reunion of Pearl Harbor survivors in 1991 when he and three other survivors were invited by a teacher to speak to his high school history class.

Event Schedule Thunderbird Artists Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival JANUARY 19 - 21 Thunderbird Artists Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival MARCH 16 - 18 Music in the Gardens APRIL - MAY Amidst the Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion at the Carefree Desert Gardens.

Open 365 days a year.

Life as it should be! Carefree.

“The kids loved it,” says Conter. “We gave the straight dope about what happened that day and what Washington, DC was lax in. We don’t want it to happen again. Since then, we’ve briefed more than 25,000 high school students and they enjoy getting the firsthand information about what really went on.”

Conter’s Naval career spanned 27 years before retiring as a Lieutenant

101 Easy Street, Carefree, AZ 85377 | 480.488.3686

VisitCarefree.com January 2018

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Commander in 1967. As a pilot serving in the South Pacific during World War II and the Korean War, Conter had some close calls and was shot down twice, but always returned to duty in short order.

In 1942, his Black Cat Squadron flew nighttime bombing missions in blackpainted seaplanes. Once, anti-aircraft fire forced him down seven miles offshore in 10- to 15-foot swells without survival gear. The plane, engulfed in flames and still loaded with two 500-pound bombs, floated nearby as sharks circled the nine surviving crew members.

“Our First Class Petty Officer told the men to say their prayers … that we were about to die,” says Conter. “I said, ‘Bull!

Stay together, hold hands and tread water lightly. Don’t panic. If you panic, you’re dead.’ We spent about 45 minutes holding each other up and punching sharks in the nose until a squadron flying overhead noticed us and dropped a lifeboat.”

The crew hid behind enemy lines in the jungles of New Guinea until they were rescued. The very next day, they were back in action.

Conter received the Distinguished Flying Cross for Valor for a daring mission to rescue 219 military intelligence operatives trapped behind enemy lines. Under cover of night, Conter and four other pilots flew low between the trees for 460 miles along the Sepik River, back and forth for three straight nights.

“There were over 12,000 Japanese troops less than a mile away,” says Conter.

“Through the cloud cover, we could hear the Zeros coming for us. We flew back and forth, right under the noses of the Japanese, without a single casualty.”

In 1948, he attended Defense Intelligence School, and became an intelligence officer and original member of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His rich knowledge of classified information ultimately grounded January 2018

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his flight career during the Korean War. He knew too much for the military to risk his capture.

Conter credits much of his toughness to his rural upbringing. He was accustomed to walking long distances, using a rifle for hunting, and grew up with a survival sensibility. He had no aversion to hard work and studied voraciously so he could move up the ranks.

“My mind was different,” says Conter. “I wasn’t afraid of a mountain lion because I hunted them. I helped anyone who needed it from boot camp on throughout my career.”

During the Vietnam War, he helped to establish the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) program for the military, elements of which the Navy still utilizes today. Notably, Medal of Honor Vice Admiral James Stockdale, who spent more than seven years as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam’s infamous Hanoi Hilton, credits the training he received under Conter’s tutelage with saving his life.

“When he returned, he called me,” says Conter. “He said, ‘Lou, I want to thank for being so damn tough in that training because that’s the only thing that kept me alive in a POW camp for seven years.’

I thought that if even one person could say that, I didn’t care what the senators or representatives had to say about my methods. I knew I had done it right.”

For Veterans Heritage Project students, sitting face-to-face with a veteran like Conter, then researching and writing his story for historic preservation, is a priceless, character-building experience that instills civic pride, bridges the gap between the civilian and military population, and develops understanding of sacrifice, service and accountability in the next generation of leaders. veteransheritage.org

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photos by Herbert Hitchon

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The towns of Cave Creek and Carefree have come up with a great solution for making their unique contributions of food, shopping and fun accessible to visitors and locals alike. Their latest effort, the Foothills Trolley, is a free way to traverse some of the towns’ most popular spots and scenic views, and it’s a nod to Phoenix history to boot.

It was Carefree Councilman Mike Farrar who first brought the idea of providing a free public transportation option to bond the communities and bring something a little different to our already-exceptional corner of the Valley.

His plan was enthusiastically embraced by both town councils and was brought to fruition with the first run of the Foothills Trolley Dec. 2.

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The motorized streetcar runs 30-minute loops from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every weekend through April, making stops at favorites like Big Earl’s Greasy Eats, Buffalo Chip Saloon, Frontier Town, Grotto/Red Truck, The Horny Toad, Las Tiendas, Local Jonny’s, Mountain View Pub, Stagecoach Village, the Town of Cave Creek public parking lot, Spanish Village and the Town of Carefree Sundial.

“My goal was to provide a free public transit system in a fun, social and entertaining way to bond our two communities together into one amazing place, and to offer a unique attraction for weekend travelers to experience our wonderful restaurants, businesses and fantastic mountain vistas,” said Farrar.

As innovative as the trolley is, it’s not the first time a streetcar has come to the Valley of the Sun. Before the days of cars and highways, it was another forwardthinking man named Moses Hazeltine Sherman who came up with the idea of a Valley trolley system.

Sherman arrived in Phoenix from his native New York in 1883 as a penniless schoolteacher. What he would do with his luck and gumption would, in many ways, change the face Phoenix and of the West.

Originally, Sherman’s transportation system relied on horse-drawn carts, but by 1893, he earned enough to develop an electric railway system run on tracks through Phoenix streets. It was widely popular, and helped to define which parts of Phoenix grew—and which parts did not.

Its motto, "Ride a Mile and Smile the While” would have been just as apropos for the Foothills Trolley.

Factories and retail stores recognized the advantages of locating near the lines, and both residential and commercial real estate boomed near the tracks. Sherman took advantage of those trends, too. Within a few short years, Sherman had acquired a vast fortune in real estate, banking, ranching and railroads.

Had history not had different plans, there may have been an electrified trolley in the North Valley running today. By 1925, the year the City of Phoenix purchased the lines, there were six lines criss-crossing the Valley, running a total of 33.6 miles. A tribute to these iconic cars can be found at the Arizona Street Railway Museum in downtown Phoenix.

Sherman moved on to bigger pastures, co-founding the Consolidated Electric Railway Co. in Los Angeles, which became the famous Red Car system that grew that city.

He founded a suburb of Los Angeles called “Sherman,” which would later become West Hollywood.

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SCOTTSDALE 2018 AUCTIONS As quickly as the Phoenix trolley fleet came in, so did it disappear. A fire destroyed most of the cars in 1947.

By then, cars, trucks and freeways had redefined the urban and suburban landscape, and city officials opted to not rebuild the system. Overnight, buses became the only public mode of transportation.

JANUARY 18TH & 19TH APRIL 5TH & 6TH

It wasn’t until the Metro light rail system opened in 2008 that the city returned to a transportation mode resembling its early roots.

That is, until today.

It seems entirely fitting that two communities that so fervently embrace history would breathe exciting new life into the past through the Foothills Trolley. After all, Cave Creek and Carefree are not just destinations; they’re experiences—in many ways, a step back in time.

“I could not be more proud to see our two towns working together to benefit our entire community as friends and neighbors,” said Farrar. “We are all very excited, and I cannot thank enough everyone involved in making this happen.”

Kenneth Riley b. 1919 CAA, NAWA | Mandan Gold Oil on linen | 48 by 40 inches | $90,000 - $130,000

I NVITING C ONSIGNMENTS FOR O UR 2018 J ANUARY AND A PRIL A UCTIONS IN S COTTSDALE FOR A COMPLIMENTARY AUCTION EVALUATION, PLEASE SEND IMAGES AND ARTWORK INFORMATION TO INFO@ALTERMANN.COM. YOU MAY ALSO MAIL SUBMISSION MATERIALS TO THE SCOTTSDALE GALLERY. 345 CAMINO DEL MONTE SOL, SANTA FE, NM 87501 7172 EAST MAIN STREET, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85251 CONSIGNMENT OFFICE, 2103 IRVING BLVD., DALLAS, TX 75207

(855) 945-0448 ALTERMANN.COM

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Writer Sue Kern-Fleischer Photography by Chris Dunker, John Gavrilis, Brandon Wood, and Christopher Maharry

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Working with recycled materials is nothing new for artists, but two artists participating in Thunderbird Artists Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival have made a niche for themselves with the unique materials they use.

Mixed media artist Malen Pierson creates whimsical sculptures using old tools, farm equipment and other metal antiquities, while Cindy Clason gives new life to discarded pianos by creating wall sculptures with the old piano keys, pedals and other parts.

The two will exhibit and sell their work at the festival January 19, 20 and 21 along Ho Hum and Easy Streets in downtown Carefree. The juried fine art show features 150 renowned artists who will showcase and sell their original work from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

COLLECTOR OF FOUND OBJECTS Malen Pierson, the festival’s featured artist, can best be described as a folk artist, a collector of found objects, and a true innovator when it comes to the integration of old tools, farm equipment, antiquities

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See, Hear & Taste Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday, January 19–21 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Ho Hum and Easy Streets in downtown Carefree $3 for adults; free for children 17 and under; additional fee for wine tasting thunderbirdartists.com

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and all forms of metal. Most of his sculptures are in the form of horses, deer, goats, moose and other animals.

A California native, he graduated from Utah State University and settled in a scenic small town at the base of the Wasatch Mountains about an hour north of Salt Lake City. It was the perfect location for him to draw on his artistic vision, and he converted a 1926 train station property into a home for his family, complete with an art studio.

“I love the history of old tools, tractor seats and other machinery,” Pierson said.

“I enjoy discovering discarded materials at old farms, scrap yards and garage sales and welding them into new creations.”

Pierson’s striking metallic assemblages are owned by collectors worldwide, including Robert Redford and Martha Stewart. In 2000, the Sundance Film Festival honored Pierson by requesting that he design and produce all of the awards for that year’s prestigious celebration of film.

SAVING OLD PIANOS FROM DEMISE Cindy Clason is a tennis all-American whose passion is sports, but about two years ago, she tapped into her creativity to breathe new life into her family’s old piano.

“More than 25 years ago, we had to take my childhood piano apart to get it out of the basement. I held onto the keys for sentimental reasons, knowing I wanted to do something with them someday,” Clason, a part-time Chandler resident, said.

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With the help of her artist friend, Ron Durnavich, she took the original keys and created a wall sculpture called Heart and Soul, after her family-favorite duet.

Six months later she started her business, Key of C, with the mission of saving gorgeous, old pianos and turning them into beautiful pieces of art.

“I couldn’t do it without Ron. His skill and knowledge have been invaluable,” she said.

Key of C works exclusively with pianos, usually old uprights.

“For the most part, we try to use those that are beyond tuning, their musical days a thing of the past,” she said.

Clason said she loves to talk with people about the special memories they have of their pianos. When she was younger, she aspired to be a musician and can relate to their stories.

“I have a piano, an electronic keyboard, a six-string guitar, a 12-string guitar, a banjo, and I even had a drum set for a while. I just don’t have what it takes to be a musician. The line I use frequently in my art booth is, ‘No, I don’t play the piano—that’s why it’s on the wall,’” she laughed.

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Our 2017-2018 Inaugural Season

The Coldwell Banker Global Luxury Concert Series Bob Pfeiffer, Luxury Home Specialist bobazliving@gmail.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2017 @ 3PM Nicole Pesce & Nicole Pesce Trio Bob Lashier, Bass ~ Dom Moio, Drums SUNDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2017 @ 3PM Joseph Wytko, Saxophonist

Clason will exhibit a variety of designs at the festival.

Prices start at $75 for small abstract sculptures to $1,500 and higher for 88-key sculptures, depending on the time and the particular piano used to create the piece.

LIVE MUSIC AND WINE TASTINGS Highlights of the January Carefree festival will be the live music of Esteban and Teresa Joy, as well as chapman stick extraordinaire, Bob Culbertson; guitarist Chuck Hall; and Vibhas Kendzia. Vibhas plays a variety of instruments and musical styles, but his specialty is his hauntingly beautiful melodies on the Indian flute.

The festival combines fine art with an extensive collection of domestic and imported wines for tasting.

For $10, patrons will receive an engraved souvenir wine glass with six tasting tickets, allowing them to walk the streets of downtown Carefree sipping samples, enjoying superb art and listening to live musical entertainment.

Additional tasting tickets may be purchased for $1 each.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 14, 2018 @ 3 PM Eduardo Minozzi Costa, Classical Guitar & A Capella Syndicate SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2018 @ 3PM Alice Tatum, Vocalist with Todd Chuba, Drums ~ Bob Lashier, Bass & Nicole Pesce, Keyboard SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 2018 @ 3PM Omar Mondragon de Leon, SingerGuitarist-Songwriter & Saxophonist Joseph Wytko SUNDAY, APRIL 22, 2018 @ 3 PM We3 – Vocalist Renee Grant Patrick, Violinist Suzanne Lansford & PianistComposer-Keyboardist Nicole Pesce

The Boulders Resort & Spa Latilla Ballroom 34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive Scottsdale, AZ 85262 Concert info: (480) 204-7292 JosephMusic@cox.net Ticketing:

coldwellbankerconcerts.eventbrite.com SPONSORS: ARIZONA STATE UNIV. EMERITUS COLLEGE ~ BOB PFEIFFER, REALTOR ~ IMAGES ARIZONA MAGAZINE ~ VESUVIUS PRESS INC ~ ENGLISH ROSE TEA ROOM ~ LMC HOME ENTERTAINMENT LTD ~ ULTIMATE HEATING & COOLING LLC ~ CAREFREE COVERINGS INC ~ CAREFREE FLOORS ~ CAREFREE TRAVELER INC – CRYSTAL CRUISES ~ DOVE VALLEY ANIMAL HOSPITAL ~ LPL FINANCIAL – RYAN TORONTO MBA, CFP ~ PORSCHE NORTH SCOTTSDALE ~ CORNERSTONE SERVICES ~ JOSEPH MUSIC EVENTS ~ LET THERE BE LIGHT ~ PATTI SCHAUMBERG ~ BETSY & GARY SWENSON January 2018

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Writer Lara Piu Photography Courtesy of Sedona International Film Festival

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As a Tony Award, Emmy Award and Academy Award winner and Oscar nominee, Jane Alexander is well-recognized for her artistic achievements. Next month, her career will come full circle because the actress, who once helped the independent film movement find its legs, will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sedona International Film Festival.

the art of organization

“We really loved her, not only for her work but for her contribution to the film industry and film festivals in their early starts,” Sedona International Film Festival creative and development director Pat Schweiss says. “She’s committed to the art. She’s a stage actress as well, and her career has just been phenomenal.”

In the mid-'80s Jane stared in an independent film called “Square Dance.” The $4 million low-budget film starred Winona Rider, who was 14 at the time; a teen-aged Rob Lowe; and Jason Robart, who played Jane’s husband. Not only was the film the start of several larger-than-life careers, its debut, which kicked off the first Sundance Film Festival, would affect all independent films to follow.

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“It was the first time I went to a film festival. It was way back in … don’t even ask me when,” Jane jokes.

Jane’s current project is an independent film called “A Man in the Woods.”

“It’s by a really fine young director named Noah Bushel,” she explains. “He’s made several films and they’re really fine pieces. They don’t get widespread distribution, but what they do get are accolades and audience participation at film festivals, which means that a film can get picked up by Amazon or Netflix or a service, and get streamed.

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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 January 2018

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Film festivals are vital for the audience to get to see things that they probably wouldn't see.

Jane Alexander “The movie won’t necessarily make a ton of money, but it will have a life, and that’s why film festivals are so vital today.”

Jane recalls a time when independent films were not a thing.

“Square Dance,” for example, was entirely financed by Mike Nesmith of The Monkeys, “… and that’s how things were. It was hit or miss,” she adds.

“Film festivals are vital for the audience to get to see things that they probably wouldn't see, and I think it’s exciting. It’s exciting for Sedona to be able to come out and see these things, and for the filmmakers to come and talk about their films.”

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It’s all part of a new era. “The industry is booming. This is the golden age,” she says. “It’s mainly television these days, but it’s booming and that’s where all the small films have migrated. The film festival is the starting point, so it’s really exciting.”

Two of Jane’s three sons, Anthony Sherin and Jace Alexander, are filmmakers. At the time of the interview, they were still waiting to hear if Anthony’s film submission would be accepted into the Sedona festival.

“That will be fun if he joins me,” she hopes. “It’s been decades since I’ve been there. I’m a birder, so going to Arizona is like going to heaven.”

Intentionally held during Sedona’s down season, the festival attracts a niche of people like Jane, who might otherwise not visit this time of year. According to a recent report prepared by Northern Arizona University W.A. Franke College of Business, the Sedona International Film Festival contributed nearly $4 million to the local economy in 2017. Of the estimated 10,000 patrons attending the 10-day festival, more than 41 percent

were from outside Sedona. Nine out of 10 Sedona residents said the festival was either a somewhat important reason or the most important reason for being in Sedona.

The festival’s impact goes above and beyond dollars and cents, notes Pat. When he joined the non-profit organization in July 2004, it was a three-day event. Since then, it has evolved to nine days and the Mary D. Fisher Theatre has been added. This 112-seat venue brings in films and fine arts simulcast events from all over the world for the festival and throughout the year.

“It really expanded everything because we’re not just an annual event any longer,” Pat says. “We now contribute to the local economy on a regular basis and offer cultural things that weren't necessarily exposed here in Sedona.”

The festival is a stellar tourism incentive, elevating the worthy plight of the independent film. Each year, several mainstream movies are also selected make it to the screen.

This year, those movies will include “Django,” “Back to Burgundy,” and naturally, Jane’s “Kramer vs. Kramer,” “Great White Hope,” and “Testament.”

“I’m very excited,” Jane says. “It’s a very fine festival and I’m looking forward to being there.” sedonafilmfestival.org

SU R P R I S E

FINE ART & WINE FESTIVAL JAN 12-14 15940 N Bullard Ave, Surprise

CAREFREE FINE ART & WINE FESTIVAL JAN 19-21 101 Easy St, Carefree

Meet renowned artists, stroll throughout juried fine arts, enjoy sipping fine wines and listening to live music.

$3 Admission • Held Outdoors • 10am-5pm

About the Festival

F E S T I V A L S WATERFRONT FEB 9-11 GILBERT FEB 16-18 CAREFREE MAR 16-18 FOUNTAIN HILLS MAR 23-25

ThunderbirdArtists.com • 480-837-5637

Films will run all day beginning Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, 2030 W. Highway 89A; Sedona Performing Arts Center at Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Rd.; and Sedona Harkins 6, 2081 W. Highway 89A. Platinum Priority Passes are $1,150; Gold Priority Passes are $550; 20-ticket packages are $255; 10-ticket packages are $130; and full-time students can get the 10-ticket package for $100. Single tickets are $15 and go on sale mid-February.

Priority Pass holders may select the films they want to view beginning at 9 a.m. Feb. 5. Ten- and 20-ticket pass holders can select films beginning 9 a.m. Feb. 12. Individual film tickets go on sale to the general public Feb. 19. Packages, other than for full-time students, are available through the website or the festival box office at 928-282-1177. sedonafilmfestival.org

Meet Artists Working in Studios 480-837-7163 ArizonaFineArtEXPO.com 26540 N Scottsdale Rd January 12- March 25 10-week Season Pass $10; Military/Seniors $8 • Open Daily 10am-6pm

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Writer Amanda Christmann // Photography by Scott Baxter

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Scott Baxter

It wouldn’t make any sense to do this if I couldn’t connect with people. If that were the case, I’d like to think I’d see it and say, ‘I think I should go shoot buildings.’

I

I first noticed Scott Baxter’s work in 2012 as I made my way through the halls of Sky Harbor Airport.

Homesick and weary from a long trip abroad, I looked up to see black and white portraits and scenery he’d captured for his Centennial Legacy Project, “100 Years 100 Ranchers.” He’d managed to depict Arizona ranch life so vividly and provocatively that I wanted to grab the nearest person by the shoulders and exclaim, “This is my home! These are my people!”

Of course, I’d heard of him in other circles, too.

Through the years, his award-winning work appeared in some of my favorite magazines—American Cowboy, Arizona Highways, Cowboys & Indians, and Western Horseman to name a few. His name was also familiar from permanent collections found in the Phoenix Art Museum and Desert Caballeros Western

Dr. Sam Luce, in his office at the headquarters of the Luce Ranch, Campbell Blue, Arizona

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Museum long before he began contributing regularly to Images Arizona.

As I walked into Local Jonny’s in Cave Creek, I scanned the crowd and landed on an affable smile framed by eyes weathered by sunshine and a two-day-old beard. Wearing a blue and white flannel plaid shirt and comfortable jeans, he could have easily passed for one of the ranchers whose images have earned him his reputation.

Sizing him up, I ordered my coffee black. We sat down and talked photography, writing and life.

THE ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE PULL OF THE SOUTHWEST Scott was born in Hartford, Connecticut and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, the son of an oil engineer and a teacher.

It’s difficult to imagine this near-native Arizonan as a prep school lacrosse player, but he was; he even earned a college scholarship to The College of Wooster and was co-captain of the team in 1979. He completed his degree in history, never dreaming he’d end up documenting it.

“I took classes in art history and painting, but I was a terrible artist,” he laughs. “I couldn’t draw worth anything.”

It wasn’t until he graduated and took a job in education that he learned about photography—from the most unlikely of teachers. One of his ninth grade students taught him how to develop film in the school’s dark room. As the images emerged on photo paper beneath the red lights, something awoke in Scott.

He began to snap photos in his spare time and realized he might be on to something.

Not everyone was enthused. “Much to the chagrin of my school teacher mother, I decided to become a photographer,” Scott says sardonically.

He came to Phoenix in the spring 1982 to go to grad school at Arizona State University. “It was nothing but hot,” he said.

“I just remember thinking, ‘I hate this place!’ I had $180 to my name, and I decided I wasn’t going to stay. Then I got offered a job in commercial photography, and that changed those plans.”

Left Clockwise: Joel, Maricopa County, Arizona; Survivor; Sy Westbrook, Apache County, Arizona; Dr. Sam Luce, Campbell Blue, Arizona January 2018

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Top: Cowboys Cody and Antonie Cunningham gather the remuda at the X Diamond Ranch, Apache County, Arizona.

Below: K.T. Thompson, Schoolhouse section, MLY Ranch.

Right top: Isaak, Marr Flat Cattle Company. Joseph, Oregon.

Right bottom: Cowboy Rachel Lohof Larsen, Idaho.

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FINDING THE MAGIC Scott spent years honing his craft, and he did so through an era of change in photography. He still enjoys using film cameras and keeps a cache of them handy—a Linhof Technikardan 4x5, Calumet 8x10, Pentax 6x7, Hasselblad 500CM, and 1955 twin-lens Rolleiflex—but he has also joined the rest of the world in the switch to digital, albeit reluctantly.

“When digital first came, I hated it,” he recalls. “I remember saying, ‘I’m never doing this,’ but here I am. I’ve learned that it’s not the camera or the equipment that matters. If you’re really passionate about what you do, it works itself out.”

And he was passionate about what he did.

Early on, Scott realized had the intuitive ability to differentiate between taking a picture and shooting a photo that told a story. “I came from kind of a stoic upbringing, but somehow I feel like I’m more connected emotionally to people,” he says with a quizzical look in his eyes, as if he is waiting to see if I understand.

“It wouldn’t make any sense to do this if I couldn’t connect with people. If that were the case, I’d like to think I’d see it and say, ‘I think I should go shoot buildings.”

He built his career in commercial photography on that skill, shooting provocative images that audiences could

The magic for me is in the experience itself.

The photographs are just the end of the story.

Connect

Scott Baxter “Top Hand” Exhibit Through Jan. 11 Thursday Evenings, 7–9 p.m.

Fiat Lux Gallery 6919 E. 1st Ave., Scottsdale 480-280-8000 fiatluxgallery.com January 2018

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First Snow, cover of Arizona Highways, 50 Greatest Photos, 2011

relate to through his eyes. Eventually he figured out that people also wanted to put his work up on their walls.

A shoulder drops or hands relax. Snap.

A stiff pose turns into a calm exhale. Snap.

Looking at Scott’s work, he doesn’t photograph subjects so much as he documents them. Every one of his pictures draws the viewer in and insists on sharing something more.

Sometimes he makes us wonder, “What happens next?” Other times, through penetrating eyes or through an expression, he makes us feel the very soul of the person he is portraying.

What’s incredible about it is that he doesn’t try to do it.

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Awkwardness turns into a comfortable smile. Snap.

He doesn’t see it; he feels it.

“The magic for me is in the experience itself,” he says. “The photographs are just the end of the story.”

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LMTN AZ Republic January 2018

Award winning Arizona artist, Lucy Dickens, has created a unique, story-like approach to landscape painting.

Dickens discovers the landscape, then transforms it into a narrative pictorial on canvas.

Gallery and Studio, in Carefree, open by appointment and for art events, schedule your visit now!

www.LucyDickensFineArt.com (602) 653-7002

Whileaway, Oil 36x48 $7400

“Her realism is not about reproducing a scene, but rather capturing magical moments. In this regard, she has a gift.

She is able to reveal spirit and enable viewers to be parts of the experiences as she makes a special connection with her subject matter and honors its essence - and people respond.” Donna Kubiln

January 2018

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“KIND OF WESTERN FOR A YANKEE” Among his most notable work, Scott completed “100 Years 100 Ranchers,” an official Legacy Project for the Arizona Centennial that has been featured in corporate and museum exhibits and presentations across the state.

It took 10 years for Scott to complete, part of which his daughter Lily assisted with.

Scott’s criterion was tough. “There were several things these families had to do to qualify,” he explains. “For example, they had to have ranched in Arizona for 100 years. If they had only been ranching for 97 years, they didn’t make the cut. It was tough!”

Left to right: "Legends of the Fall" author Jim Harrison, Sonoita Creek, Santa Cruz County, Arizona

He camped out. He shared meals with ranch hands. He rode along on cattle drives. Along the way he met people, some now gone, whose stories became part of his own.

Sam in his scotch cap, Y Cross Ranch, Apache County, Arizona Sheila Carlson, Flying M Ranch, Coconino County, Arizona "Eagle People," Navajo County, Arizona Doc Sam, "Amazing Grace," Luce Ranch, The Blue, Greenlee County, Arizona "Hands & Honda" O'Haca Cattle Company, Coconino County, Arizona

One of his proudest moments came in the way of a backhanded compliment from his friend and Ranch Cook, Frank Drew. “You’re kind of Western for a Yankee,” Drew told him. And it’s true.

Scott’s stark image of rancher, Sam Udall entitled “First Snow” was featured on the December, 2011 cover of Arizona Highways’ 50 Greatest Photos edition. That photograph remains one of the most iconic of the collection, but it’s not something Scott looks back on. It was the camaraderie he built with Udall that left a lasting impression.

Udall, from Springerville, welcomed Scott and his daughters into his home time and again. At the age of 70, he had become unable to ranch and moved into town. This summer, during a dark, stormy evening, Udall stepped out into traffic on the town’s Main Street. He was struck and killed. His memory lives on through Scott’s photographs, but bits of his wisdom and wit have planted themselves deep inside Scott.

“I spent many hours and traveled many miles with Sam,” Scott says, leaning back into a weathered leather chair.

“Whenever we were riding, or traveling and I would ask how long or far our destination was, he would always say, ‘Scotsman, it's just a quick lope and a cigarette.’

“He always made me feel like I would make it, and that it would work out in the end.”

Scotsman, it's just a quick lope and a cigarette.

For Scott, it will most certainly work out in the end, but more importantly, it has been a memorable, artful journey. scottbaxterphotography.com January 2018

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Experience the allure of Cave Creek! From incredible vistas to real Western fun, you’ll find out why Cave Creek is one of the most exciting places in the West!

TAKE A RIDE ON THE STAGECOACH

The horses are hitched and ready to go! Harold’s Stage Lines authentic stagecoach rides make round trips through downtown Cave Creek all winter.

When: Every Wed. through Sun.; 1–5:30 p.m.

Where: Harold’s and Frontier Town, Downtown Cave Creek.

Cost: $10–$20.

970-946-8066; dkwagonrides.com

TAKE A RIDE ON THE TROLLEY

Traverse some of the town’s most popular spots and scenic views with a ride on the Foothills Trolley!

When: Every weekend through April; 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Where: Stops at Big Earl’s, Buffalo Chip, Frontier Town, The Grotto, The Horny Toad, Las Tiendas, Local Jonny’s, Mountain View Pub, Stagecoach Village an the Town of Cave Creek public parking lot before making its way into Carefree.

Cost: Free. carefreecavecreek.org

NORTHERN ITALY’S CULINARY GIFTS Join Cartwright’s for a festa Italiana as Chef Brett Vibber welcomes a guest chef into the kitchen for their monthly collaboration dinner.

When: Jan. 24; RSVP for time.

Where: Cartwright’s Modern Cuisine, 6710 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek.

Cost: See website for details.

480-488-8031; cartwrightsmoderncuisine.com

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Writer Amanda Christmann

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If classy chassis or sporty speedsters get your blood flowing, January is the month to be in the Valley of the Sun! Some of the nation’s most exciting auto auctions will be putting their finest cars on the blocks this month.

The Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction comes to WestWorld Jan. 13 through 21. From rare collector cars to world-class lifestyle events, Barrett-Jackson offers fun on four wheels of every kind! Thousands of bidders will vie for custom trucks, high horsepower muscle cars, collectors and more. The action plays out in front of hundreds of thousands of visitors and more than six million television and digital viewers worldwide.

Phoenix is one of four venues visited by this popular auction.

Barrett-Jackson also wows crowds in Florida, Connecticut and Las Vegas.

Before the roar of engines is silent at WestWorld, Russo and

Steele Automobile Auction begins at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick Resort. This thrilling “for the enthusiast” event, held Jan. 17 through 21, will showcase more than 800 cars and trucks in European Sports, American Muscle, Hot Rods, and Customs categories.

Russo and Steele is a hometown event. Launched in Scottsdale in 2001, founders Drew and Josephine Alcazar wanted to create a unique experience. They developed the now-famous concept of “Auction in the Round,” providing an all-access, high-energy experience with a ground level arena, and an elevated 360-degree seating platform around the auction stage. It’s fantastic for those looking to get upclose and personal with cars of their dreams.

Though it is smaller, Scottsdale will host another thriving automotive marketplace that’s not to be missed Jan. 19 and 20. The Gooding & Company Automobile Auction has brought a refined approach to their show, offering classic

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collector cars from across the eras. The Scottsdale venue is one of three held annually by this Santa Monica-based company. Other markets include Amelia Island, FL and Pebble Beach, CA, and a favorite among classics collectors.

Whether you’re in the mood to hit the open road or to tinker under the hood of an antique roadster, don’t miss these auto events!

Experience Russo and Steele Automobile Auction

Jan. 17–21 Talking Stick Resort 9800 E. Talking Stick Way, Scottsdale.

See website for cost and schedule.

602-252-2697 russoandsteele.com

Barrett-Jackson Classic Car Auction Jan. 13–21 WestWorld 16601 N. Pima., Scottsdale.

See website for cost and schedule. barrett-jackson.com

Gooding & Co. Classic Car Auction Jan. 17–20 4700 N. Scottsdale Rd., Scottsdale See website for cost and schedule.

310-899-1960 goodingco.com

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Writer Effie Bouras Photographer Bryan Black

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He stood as an imposing figure in front of the lecture hall, pacing the stage with furrowed brow as he observed the new faces of an incoming freshman class of architecture. A studied historian of architecture, this professor, who was also a child of the 1950s beat movement, a student of 1960s ethical liberation, and an ardent admirer of Frank Lloyd Wright, would later become one of my most treasured educators.

On our first day of class he would make a remark that become an unforgettable sentiment, which well over a decade later I still can recall with lingering clarity, he said, “I wanted to be an architect, but soon realized that I could never be as good as Frank Lloyd Wright.”

His words rang deep and sharp, permeating confusion throughout the auditorium, as the students, lost and adrift at the beginning of their own journeys, were unable to grasp any subtext in a seemingly candid declaration.

Frank Lloyd Wright was never an imitator. In fact, in a 1953 Interview with journalist Hugh Downs on the subject concerning his greatest disappointment, Wright lamented his distaste for imitation, of which he had been the victim of during his long and storied career. Wright, as did my dear professor, wanted his students to further his process of architectural philosophy, not blindly recreate the expression that evolved from it.

The common cliché of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery is also lost on Aaron Betsky, who, as a distinguished architect, critic and educator, and very much an individualist in his own right, has been so drawn to Wright’s legacy.

His formative experiences as a child, particularly his first visit at architect Gerrit Rietveld’s colorful, open-plan Schroeder house in Utrecht, Netherlands led him on a life-long path to seek and create instances of expression worthy of the moniker of architecture. Celebrated in his own right, Betsky is a treasured fixture in the architectural community, having worked as an architect himself with several prolific design offices, as an ardent supporter of formerly littleknown and now renowned architects such as Rem Koolhaas, and presently to Taliesin, one of its pertinent saviors.

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While Betsky is an ardent admirer and guardian of Wright’s legacy, he does not want that very legacy to be hermetically or preciously preserved. He perceives the buildings at Taliesin in Phoenix, Scottsdale and Spring Green, Wisconsin as learning laboratories with the potential to not only form student experiences on campus, but also serve as a platform to initiate tangible change in the world.

Betsky adds, “We use the buildings … and what we learn from Frank Lloyd Wright’s work … the way in which he thought of architecture as evolving from inside-out, ways in which we build with the land, of breaking the box, of being organic, fusing both private and social [functions] together, rather than separating them—all of those themes that run throughout his buildings, we want to take and move them forward to see how we can apply them to a contemporary situation.”

The recent acquirement of the famed David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, a gift from a local patron, and originally built as a homestead for Wright’s son and daughterin-law will undoubtedly expand upon this tradition and has

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given the school a very real touchstone in Phoenix.

Situated in the Arcadia district, the house once faced bleak prospects as the target of an overzealous campaign to demolish the historic structure. Luckily that ill-fated day never arrived, as the bulldozer operator, upon arrival at the site, flatly refused the order and notified authorities at the City of Phoenix.

Betsky elects that precise moment as an example of how strongly Wright’s work communicates on a personal level, through the strength of its image and inherent charisma.

Betsky understands why someone with a bulldozer would look at the home and think, “Wait a second. This is not some teardown; there is something going on here.” He feels the house gives the school a chance to come off the hill, so to speak, and although the reception in the neighborhood has not always been affable, the community is now pleased to see the house being used in a responsible and respectful manner.

As he looks forward to building strong ties with the Arcadia neighborhood, plans have been moving forward to restore

the main structure and neighboring guesthouse, with a landscape architect and designer looking at the master planning of the site. Once the renovation is completed, a fortunate student will be provided the opportunity to live in the on-site guesthouse.

Betsky’s penchant for experiment has also compelled him to expand the long-running, student-constructed desert shelters program in which students design or redesign existing shelters, then inhabit them for their tenure at the school. For this coming year, he has introduced a new format that requires students to include their shelter concepts within their thesis project, urging them to investigate how their ideas can be scaled up, or transformed for suitability in other locales.

Further, he has allied the school with a number of outside interests, including revitalization work with the boom-and-bust Arizona mining communities of Globe and Miami; revamping the site of a Unitarian church in Tucson; continuing work at the David and Gladys Wright House; and community projects in Spring Green. Betsky wants to stay away from the common impression of the “ivy tower” architect, instead bringing back the sense that, while Taliesin students do engage in rigorous theoretical precepts, it is also a place where you can “get your hands dirty, become a part of the community and contribute to it.”

Artist Paulette Galop

The Gallery 480.575.6658 at el Pedregal sonoranartsleague.org Join us for our Monthly Art Party with artists’ demonstrations, refreshments, and music on Saturday, Jan. 20, from 1 - 4 p.m.

34505 N. Scottsdale Rd., 2nd floor • Open Wednesday - Sunday

Aside from an otherworldly ability to speak through the inanimate materials, which compose the reams of remarkable examples of architectural form in his incredibly long career, the question does still remain: Why is Wright so very popular to this day?

Betsky notes that Wright’s autobiography remains one of the most widely read architecturally related books, but also notes that not all students attend Taliesin because of Wright—although some do. He recounts a story of woman who was frustrated by her career path and, after reading Wright’s autobiography, felt compelled to “drop everything” and move to Taliesin.

This occurrence is not uncommon, he adds.

Wright was a showman, yes, but more endearingly to Betsky, and perhaps more compelling than his penchant for dramatic architectural form was his ability to make intrinsic and extrinsic connections so apparent,

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and most importantly, so elegantly.

Within a work of art, literature, music or architecture, he explains, there are very real qualities that can be defined and described. Subjectivity, in a sense, does not exist. The ability to create good architecture is fundamentally important in our society today, as is making good art and literature, but it does not happen by accident.

Betsky can show you exactly why Wright was a great architect, as his thoughtful and responsive compositional choices make good architecture, as it does art.

“People can say whatever they want [about art],” he says, “but if you look long and hard, it has qualities that you can define, describe and judge; this idea that everything is okay and everything can be art is bullshit.”

Betsky leans back in his chair, his concentrated gaze reviewing the room in which we are sitting at Taliesin West.

He notes the stretch of proportions and the contrast between the robustness of the structure punctured by delicate glazing, which offers very powerful connection to the desert landscape and valley below.

Taliesin is a very active response to the mountain range, and exposes an endearing mode of communication that Betsky and many others connect with to this very day. Wright still communicates with us all, while never uttering a single word. taliesin.edu franklloydwright.org

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photographer Scott Baxter

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On a breezy but sunny Arizona winter day, John Randall Nelson answered his door wearing comfortable jeans and a paint-spattered denim jacket. A gray beanie, crocheted from yarn, hugs the crown of his head. He’s a tough-looking guy, tall and sturdy with a strong Romanesque nose, but he’s quick to grin with a smile that emanates from the inside.

Nelson’s warm greeting despite his seemingly formidable appearance is entirely apropos; after all, nothing Nelson creates is exactly as it appears upon first impression.

Like his use of recycled large format printer paper rolls, transformed into a sardonic forest of color for an exhibit titled “Phallic Affirmations,” or the visual doublespeak found in ironic works like his “Knowledge” and “Mixed Witness,” archetypes, symbols and typography seem to send contradicting messages in much of what he does.

Everything that Nelson surrounds himself with hints at what lives down the rabbit hole of his mind. Each piece of his work, whether it’s a sculpture, painting or the medium du jour, is as if he has taken traditional American folk art and added a flaming Socratic question mark. It’s fun, it’s cryptic and it’s unavoidably esoteric.

Born in Princeton, Illinois, among Nelson’s most vivid childhood influences were the Catholic Church and parochial school he attended. Symbolism, tropes and narratives of Catholic iconography permeated his brain and raised more questions than they provided answers.

He was also a short drive from Chicago, where artistic expression is ubiquitous, from its sobering Greek and Gothic Revival and Edwardian architecture to colorful, often ironic or lewd graffiti art. All of it fascinated Nelson.

“Part of me always knew I was an artist,” he explains as he sits in a comfortable, time-worn chair in his tidy studio space.

“I was really aware of visual design. I was always mesmerized by illustration, even as a kid.

“I grew up in a small town, but I always had an education in art history. Through the Catholic experience, I always had an appreciation for the idea that a painting could be a didactic tool to educate you on history and the teachings of the Church. Chicago was nearby, so my sister would take us to shows and museums. I was always amazed that anybody could make the kind of pop art they were making in the 60s and 70s. I knew I was in my element.”

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Those influences became part of Nelson’s style—or more precisely, his language. Along the way, he began to form his own verbiage in urban-neofolkism, striking up conversations through use of visual vocabulary taken from American folk art and the Pattern and Decoration movement of the 1970s and ’80s. As he creates, he delights in the ambiguity of it all.

“My work is kind of like a big Rorschach test,” he says with a laugh.

“It’s obscure enough that there’s no specific story; it leaves people with more of an intuitive story based on their own experiences and personal psychology.”

Despite his focus on archetypes, Nelson is, in ways, far from the stereotypical artist. He is not the eccentric artist furiously creating at the expense of sleep, sanity and relationships. In fact, he is surprisingly centered. His wife, Gail, has moored him since college. He credits her for much of his success.

Together, they built his increasingly renowned career in art and raised two successful daughters.

Like most artists, Nelson began his career in the corporate world, illustrating for publications like The New York Times, Washington Post and Rolling Stone. “I figured out early on that I wasn’t cut out for commercial art,” he explains. “I wanted more freedom. I wanted my work to become my work.”

Wanting to pursue his master’s in fine art, Nelson and his wife settled on Arizona for both the art program at ASU and for the warmth of the

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desert sun. Art shows became a bigger part of his schedule, and his work gained acclaim.

In recent years, his popularity has built momentum. He has actively shown in solo and collective exhibits in Los Angeles, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas, Santa Fe and Phoenix, among other locales.

Nelson is also shaping the face of the Phoenix metro area. He has also done public art installations at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, the University of Arizona, Mitchell Park, Sky Harbor Airport, Marcos de Niza High School, Wells Fargo office complex, the Mill Avenue streetscape, Tempe City Hall and more.

Private and public collectors have taken a keen interest in his work.

Dozens of collectors, including famous folks like John Legend and Danny Elfman and entities like the City of Phoenix, Apple, Nordstrom Inc., Wells Fargo, United States Post Office, Intel, Perrier, Target, Disney and many more have commissioned his work.

Behind each is a story, but Nelson often remains tight-lipped about his own interpretation—except for one exhibition.

In 2014, Nelson created a large-scale installation of shapes and patterns using polka dots as whimsical focal points and background elements. In most pieces, he incorporated typographical “affirmations” representative of the pursuit of positive thinking that seemed to envelop the world at the time.

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In choosing the title, he decided to give a nod to Holly Solomon, a New York art dealer who influenced his style and spearhead the Pattern and Decoration movement. He called it “Polka Dots for Holly Solomon.”

Like so many other projects, unintentional irony set in. Nelson realized that there was another infamous Holly Solomon living in Phoenix, famous because she ran her husband over with an SUV during an argument over the fact that he voted for Barack Obama in 2012.

To Nelson, the title became even more fitting.

Today, Nelson is adjunct professor at Phoenix College and Arizona State University and he continues to show his work in a variety of public and private venues. This month, he will be featured at Gebert Contemporary Art on Main Street in Scottsdale.

Mostly, though, he continues to be driven by an urgent need to create that is much bigger than him.

“I think I’m obsessed with [art],” he says with a matter-of-factness that belies the significance of his statement. “I think you have to be. I don’t think that people have a choice whether they are or are not an artist. I don’t think, if you’re truly an artist, that you can quit making art.” whonelson.com

Experience John Randall Nelson Exhibition Gebert Contemporary January 11 – February 11 7160 Main St., Scottsdale 480-429-0711 gebertartaz.com

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JOIN US MARCH 8, 2018 FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

tastic

PVCC at Black Mountain 5-8 PM Hands-on Activities 7-10 PM Star Party 5:30-6 PM Presentation of Awards for the STEAMtastic Challenge

R.S.V.P. @

A celebration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, & Music

STEAM Event Activities Include Molecular Gastronomy | Subzero Science | Angry Pumas 3D Printer Pen | Potato Launch | LED Paper Airplanes Science of Brewing | Glow in the Dark Activities Local Businesses Showcasing Science in Everyday Life and Much, Much More!

paradisevalley.edu/black-mountain/ steamtastic-attendees

PVCC at Black Mountain | 34250 N 60th Street | Scottsdale, AZ 85266 | 602.493.2600 | paradisevalley.edu/black-mountain

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Writer Amanda Christmann Photography Courtesy of Arizona Musicfest

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Hardly a little girl alive in the 1960s didn’t dream of dancing and singing like Chita Rivera. The tiny, dark-haired dynamite had a high-energy sass about her that captured the imagination of America at a time when dance was becoming a popular language of its own.

During the following decades, television and movies changed how we saw the world and who we aspired to be. In 1957 Chita was cast in Broadway’s “West Side Story,” she catapulted to fame and quickly became the gold standard to which all other aspiring performers would be compared. She could dance, she could croon, she could act—and she had a bold and independent air about her that women were eager to embrace.

In 1965, tall, dark and handsome Tommy Tune broke into Broadway. Like Rivera, he was immensely talented and wooed audiences with his versatile repertoire. In 1978, he added directing and choreography to his credits for “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” earning awards and acclaim as a multi-talented musical genius. He would go on to direct and choreograph some of the most beloved musicals ever made.

Though they both became iconic on stage, it was not only their musical and acting talents that defined Rivera and Tune.

Rivera was born in Washington, DC as Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero, the daughter of a Puerto Rican immigrant. She was among the first Latina stars to break into US pop culture. Her mother, Katherine, was a government clerk and her father Pedro Julio Figueroa del Rivero, was clarinetist and saxophonist for the US Navy Band.

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Rivera was only seven years old when her father died. Widowed with five children, her mother went to work for the Pentagon and managed to save enough to send Chita to the Jones-Haywood School of Ballet. Chita earned her way to New York, and soon was representing not only herself, but Latina women on stage.

Tune had his own untrodden path to forge. Born in Texas to oil rig worker, horse trainer, and restaurateur Jim Tune and Eva Mae Clark. One of his grandfathers had been killed in a coal mine collapse, while the other was a rancher who died by his own gun. It was an unlikely beginning for someone with his aspirations.

Alison Brown Quartet

Tune went to high school in Houston, and his talent was evident. He studied dance under Patsy Swayze, who was legendary long before her son Patrick broke into the big screen scene.

Like Rivera, nothing could hold Tune’s natural and honed talent back. He was destined to perform. Their independent rises to fame were more vivacious and bold than fiction could have conceived— and the final chapters of their stories have not yet been written.

Like any true artist or performer, being on stage is not a choice for Rivera or Tune; it’s who they are. Their current tour, “Just in Time,” will kick of Arizona Musicfest’s 27th Annual Winter Festival’s 19-concert series Jan. 26 in what will surely be a sold-out show.

The Doo Wop Project

For festival organizers, it’s an honor to host this power duo, who have collectively earned 12 Tony Awards and dozens more recognitions—and found a permanent spot in American iconography.

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27TH ANNUAL ARIZONA MUSICFEST WINTER FESTIVAL SCHEDULE This year’s lineup will keep your toes tapping through March 16! Space is limited so reserve your tickets today!

JAN. 26

CHITA RIVERA AND TOMMY TUNE: “JUST IN TIME” Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

JAN. 28

YOUNG MUSICIANS WINTER CONCERT Musical Instrument Museum 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix

JAN. 31

ALISON BROWN QUARTET La Casa de Cristo Church 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix

FEB. 2

THE FAB FAUX Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

FEB. 6

PINK MARTINI Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

FEB. 8

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

FEB. 10

THE DOO WOP PROJECT Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

FEB. 12

AMERICAN BRASS QUINTET Musical Instrument Museum 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix

FEB. 16

LEE ANN WOMACK Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale January 2018

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The Fab Faux

Doc Severinsen’s Trumpet Kings

Lee Ann Womack

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m January 2 018 92 Olga Kern with the Festival Orchestra

Michael Feinstein

FEB. 18

FESTIVAL SINFONIA: VIVALDI & MOZART Pinnacle Presbyterian Church 25150 N. Pima Rd., Scottsdale

FEB. 20

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA: STRAUSS & BRAHMS La Casa de Cristo Church 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix

FEB. 22

OLGA KERN WITH THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA La Casa de Cristo Church 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix

FEB. 23

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA POPS! WITH ROBERT MOODY & FRIENDS La Casa de Cristo Church 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix

FEB. 25

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA: BEETHOVEN & BERNSTEIN La Casa de Cristo Church 6300 E. Bell Rd., Phoenix

MARCH 1

DOC SEVERINSEN’S TRUMPET KINGS Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

MARCH 6

ALICE TATUM BAND Fairway House at Grayhawk 8620 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy., Scottsdale

MARCH 9

PAPA DOO RUN RUN Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

MARCH 11

SEAMUS EGAN PROJECT Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale

MARCH 16 DECADES REWIND

Highlands Church 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Scottsdale azmusicfest.org January 2018

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When that craving hits for something chocolate-y, whip up these guilt-free skillets in a matter of minutes to satisfy Fire-grilled lime that sweetchili tooth.

I love this recipe because it is glutenshrimp are cradled in a which makes it easier to keep your and refined sugar-free, bed of tangy red cabbage resolutions of eating healthy for the new year! slaw and wrapped in a warm tortilla for a light, yet super satisfying dinner.

Make extra, because these mouthwatering shrimp tacos go quickly.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

Mini Chocolate Brownie Skillets Ingredients: 1 c. almond flour 1 egg 1/2 c. chocolate chips (I use sugar free) 1/3 c. maple syrup 1/4 c. grass-fed butter or coconut oil 1/2 tsp. baking soda dash salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two mini cast iron skillets and set aside.

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, syrup, and coconut oil or butter. Stir in almond flour, baking soda and salt to wet ingredients. Mix in melted chocolate and pour mixture evenly into two small cast iron skillets. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until the edges begin to crack.

Carefully serve, as the cast iron stays hot.

Chef’s Notes: Cook for a few minutes less if you like your brownie skillet a little gooey (like me!). If you don't have cast iron skillets, bake in a greased glass custard cup or baking dish. Top with ice cream, whipped cream or whipped coconut cream. kyndraclaire.com

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䌀伀䴀倀唀吀䔀刀 刀䔀倀䄀䤀刀 ☀ 匀䔀刀嘀䤀䌀䔀 一䔀吀圀伀刀䬀 匀唀倀倀伀刀吀 圀䔀䈀 䴀䄀刀䬀䔀吀䤀一䜀 ☀ 䐀䔀匀䤀䜀一 吀刀䄀䤀一䤀一䜀 ⴀ 倀攀爀猀漀渀愀氀 ☀ 䈀甀猀椀渀攀猀猀

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Chewy Orange Date Cookies Wintertime in Arizona means citrus trees bursting with fruits and an abundance of dates! Sugared oranges and sweet dates, combined with toasted pecans and oats, make for a perfectly chewy, unexpected cookie that everyone is sure to love!

Ingredients: 2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. sea salt 1 c. oats 1 c. softened grass-fed butter 1 1/2 c. brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tbsp. fresh orange juice 1 tbsp. orange zest 1 c. chopped dates 1 c. toasted pecans 1 c. candied oranges (optional but highly recommended!)

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl and whisk. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, juice and zest. Mix well.

Add dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add chopped dates, toasted pecans and chopped candied orange. Stir in oats until ingredients are evenly distributed.

Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and let cool.

Chef’s Notes: Candied orange slices are available at Trader Joe’s, and are absolutely delicious! Drizzle with melted white or regular chocolate chips for a pretty design and extra flavor! kyndraclaire.com

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

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Live where others vacation!

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P. 480-488-2400

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$759,000 IMPECCABLE Legend Trail home. Highly upgraded, casita, pool/spa and views. Sandy Comacchio 480-440-6706

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Over 14 years’ experience successfully selling luxury homes in the North Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek