Imaged Arizona (March 2023)

Fabio Almeida M.D. ABOIM, ABNM,

About Us

The Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness is a membership adult primary care clinic offering precision healthcare and a wide variety of personalized integrative, holistic and anti-aging therapies.

SPECIALIZING

Cancer Care

Metabolic Syndrome

Thyroid Dysfunction

Hormone / Testosterone Replacement

Weight Management / Obesity

Wegovy / Mounjaro

Digestive Conditions

Autoimmune Disorders

Integrative Nutrition

Reduce

Physician

ABOM

S ANDERSON LINCOLN S ANDERSON LINCOLN LINCOLN BLACK LABEL DEALER

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL

DAVID GROSS FINE GEMSTONE COLLECTION

From left clockwise:

18.37 carat cushion red spinel with trapezoid diamonds 1.35 carats set in a platinum and 18k yellow gold ring

6.02 carat blue sapphire heart with diamonds in platinum setting

8.09 carat emerald pink sapphire with diamonds .89 carats set in a handmade platinum and rose gold ring

7.43 carat oval sapphire with Old Mine cut diamonds 4.10 carats set in a platinum ring

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

From the Publisher

Publisher

Shelly Spence

Managing Editor

Joseph J. Airdo

Graphic Designer

Meaghan Mitchell

Contributing Writers

Joseph J. Airdo

Amanda Christmann

Francine Coles

Rebecca L. Rhoades

Shannon Severson

Photographers

Francine Coles

Loralei Lazurek

Carl Schultz

Advertising Sales

Cindi Calcinari

860-966-3271

cindi@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416

Carefree, AZ. 85377

623-341-8221

imagesarizona.com

TThere is so much meaning that is held within the delicate petals of flowers. With their colorful and beautiful blooms, they are often seen as symbols of joy and pleasure. However, different types and colors carry many different significances — from friendship and purity to forgiveness and sympathy.

Red flowers are often given and received as tokens of passionate love and romance. Orange flowers express excitement and energy, aiming to lift someone’s spirits when they are feeling down. Yellow flowers are hallmarks of friendship. Though uncommon, green flowers are symbols of resilience, growth and good health, making them great gifts for anyone moving into a new home or graduating from school.

As we enter springtime here in the Valley, our desert will soon be covered with these incredible colors. Our washes and hillsides will come alive with yellow brittlebush, orange California poppies, bluish-purple Coulter's lupine and white desertstar daisies — all reminding us that life and beauty always find a way to not only survive but thrive.

In honor of that phenomenon and to help relay the inspirational messages that flowers possess, we have filled the pages of this month’s issue of Images Arizona with buds, blossoms and blooms. It is my hope that these stories and photographs brighten your day and motivate you to talk a walk outside — whether on any one of our desert trails or simply around the block — to take in and enjoy all that nature has to offer us at this time of the year.

Cheers!

Shelly Spence

Publisher, Images Arizona magazine

shelly@imagesaz.com

623-341-8221

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Martin Blundell, Red Horizon, 18 x 24 in.

SUE

Every month, join us for

THIRD THURSDAY ART NITE

THURSDAY, MARCH 16 FROM 4 TO 7 PM

Sip, Shop and Celebrate with Live Music by NuWrld Jazz Quartet

KRZYSTON

From the Maker’s Hands, oil. 12” by 16”

BRYCE PETTIT

Heron, bronze on metal base. 57” by 18” by 18”

AMY LAY Three Sisters, oil. 36” by 48”

Splitting his time between Chicago and Carefree, avid road cyclist and hiker Scott Verschoor makes it a point to climb Black Mountain at least once a week whenever he is in Arizona.

Boasting an elevation of 3,400 feet, Black Mountain is one of the higher summits in the area, providing jaw-dropping views from a very unique vantage point. Its trail’s 1.1-mile hike to the summit from the parking area also makes it one of the most accessible.

“I often try a sunrise or sunset hike,” Verschoor says. “I love the way the mountain and skyline look at different times of the day. I am still in awe of the desert.”

Photo by Scott Verschoor

GRACE RENEE GALLERY MARCH ARTIST

JENNYFER STRATMAN BRONZE ARTIST

Meet Jennyfer and experience her bronze sculpture that is rich with emotion, content and form. Jennyfer explores the interconnectedness between self, the earth and the cosmos with her thought-provoking, evocative sculpture.

ARTIST RECEPTION

Thursday, March 16

Wine & appetizers

4–7 p.m.

Grace Renee Gallery

Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

, Bronze, 57” by 56” by 6”

Our

2, Bronze, 66” by 38” by 3”

ABOVE : Portrait of Jennyfer Stratman Intersecting Strings Of Thought, Bronze, 40” by 42” by 5”

FFour-time Grammy Awardwinning artist and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Rosanne Cash believes that music serves a far more vast purpose than just entertainment.

“It reveals us to ourselves,” she says. “It gets us in touch with our own feelings that are sometimes buried very deep. It can release heartache and even trauma. It can heal. It can provide a pathway to the future. It gets us in touch with that experience of things being bigger than us. It is all of those things. It is not just about entertainment.”

Having previously headlined Arizona Musicfest in 2015, Cash will take the stage Monday, March 27 at Highlands Church in Scottsdale, performing a selection of songs from a music career that spans four decades.

“I am going to be playing a lot of songs from my entire catalog — going back 40 years and up to the present,” says Cash, noting that she has developed a deeply significant long-term relationship with so much of her music. “I remember who I was when I wrote some of these songs like ‘Seven-Year Ache’ and ‘Blue Moon with Heartache,’ which was a young girl, and that is not who I am anymore.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Arizona Musicfest

Rosanne Cash - March 27

“I remember the stages of my life in which I have sung them. I mean, I sometimes even think, ‘This could be one of the last few times I ever sing this song that I wrote more than 40 years ago. And that takes on a real poignancy for me. Oddly, I am not 25 anymore and I am not going to be going on tour that much after this spring, so I am taking every moment as really precious when we are out performing. And this one is going to be really special.”

TAKING THE TORCH

Arizona Musicfest’s executive and producing director Allan Naplan is beyond thrilled to be able to bring Cash back to the Valley this spring. Citing her impressive career that transcends genres, from Americana and country to pop, he says that the artist is so much more than just the incredible music that she sings.

“Rosanne Cash is the voice of America,” Naplan explains. “When she is not strumming her guitar and singing songs of deep personal reflection, she is this keep observer and thinker about the role of music in culture. Certainly influenced by the role that her father played in American culture, she has really taken the torch of being a great voice — both spoken and singing — of the role of music in America.”

Cash believes that torch is simply part of her DNA and is proud of both the legacy she inherited from her father and the one she has forged for herself. Even more importantly, she is dedicated to using her voice to benefit causes that are close to her heart — such as anti-gun violence, children and artists’ rights.

“To me, it all comes back to the concept of tithing,” the singer-songwriter explains. “You give part of your energy, yourself, your money and your time to send a ripple out into the world that might help people and make things better.”

Cash’s appearance as part of Arizona Musicfest is therefore especially resonant for the performer, as revenue from ticket sales — like that of all concerts produced by the nonprofit organization — benefit a variety of music education programs throughout the Valley.

These programs, which are provided at no charge to area schools, include Musicfest Strings, Musicfest Mariachi, Musicfest Winds, Musicfest Strummers, Music and Sound/Found and Around, Musicfest Jazz and The Music of Arizona — the organization’s signature multicultural program.

Meanwhile, Musicfest’s Young Musicians Competitions, Young Musicians Performance Series and the Musicfest College Scholarship Program serve the finest young musicians in the Valley, while Music Alive! — a unique lifelong learning and creative aging series — features dynamic programs for the community’s older adults.

STAR-STUDDED SPRING

As if Cash’s appearance were not impressive enough, the back half of Arizona Musicfest’s spring season is studded with several other stars eager to entertain Valley audiences.

Naplan says that, among the most highly anticipated performers, are Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet —

Pinchas Zukerman - March 19 Kelli O'Hara - March 21

Chris Botti - April 3

who will be sharing the stage for the first time Sunday, March 5 in an innovative program for two pianos.

“We feel very lucky that they were interested in doing Arizona Musicfest,” Naplan adds. “They will be performing songs from the Great American Songbook, including some hidden gems from George Gershwin and Cole Porter that are not as well known as some of their greatest hits.

“Michael is the dean of the Great American Songbook. Jean-Yves is just an amazing pianist of classical repertoire, but he is also a huge fan of this repertoire. So this is him letting his hair down, and really having a great time with his friend Michael.

“Having these two outstanding musicians from two different worlds coming together to celebrate some of the greatest music of all time is going to make for a very exciting concert.”

Following a trio of performances featuring the Festival Orchestra — including one for which it is joined by the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club — the acclaimed Zukerman Trio will on Sunday, March 19 present an unforgettable afternoon of musical mastery.

Broadway’s leading lady Kelli O’Hara and Latin musician Tito Puente, Jr. will then separately take the stage Tuesday, March 21 and Friday, March 31, respectively, with a young musicians spring concert sandwiched in between the two on Sunday, March 26.

[Music] reveals us to ourselves. It gets us in touch with our own feelings that are sometimes buried very deep. It can release heartache and even trauma. It can heal. It can provide a pathway to the future. It gets us in touch with that experience of things being bigger than us. It is all of those things. It is not just about entertainment.

“On Monday, April 3, we are bringing back Chris Botti, who has been a megastar at Arizona Musicfest,” Naplan says. “We have easily sold out his last two performances here, so we are expecting no different this time. He always puts on just a truly phenomenal performance for our audiences.”

For more than two decades, the Grammy Awardwinning master trumpeter and composer has amassed a spectacular variety of honors — including multiple Gold and Platinum albums — to become the nation’s largest-selling instrumental artist.

“He first came into pop culture notoriety because he was the trumpeter for Sting,” Naplan adds. “He then launched his own career and has had such a phenomenal one at that. He lives in the jazz world, but also crosses over into the pop world, so there is wonderful variety to his concerts.

“He also brings in guest soloists — such as an operatic tenor and a renowned violinist. Chris Botti could just stand in front all night long, and it would be terrific. But he showcases all of his bandmates, who are all phenomenal musicians, and that makes for a really exciting evening.”

On Tuesday, April 11, The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Tributes to Aretha Franklin and the Doobie Brothers will close out Arizona Musicfest’s 32nd season on Monday, April 17 and Saturday, April 29, respectively.

‘TIME IS THE MOST PRECIOUS THING’

Speaking about her desired legacy, Cash says that she wants to first and foremost be remembered as a good wife and mother.

“I also want to be remembered as someone with integrity; who did not just look at what the marketplace had and tried to recreate what was successful, but who kept digging, kept working and kept asking questions,” the singer-songwriter notes. “I want to be remembered as someone who was curious and loved the planet, loved my life and loved the world.”

Tito Puente, Jr. - March 31

Michael Feinstein & Jean Thibaudet - March 5

She adds that her music career has given her inroads into parts of herself that she did not even know existed.

“It has given me compassion,” she explains. “It has given me an understanding of what drives people. It has given me an understanding that everyone suffers — and that a lot of people hide it under a veneer of integrity and cheerfulness.

“That is deeply moving to me. I work in the public sphere. I get a lot of letters from people who share very intimate things with me. And it is humbling to realize that everyone has a story. Everyone hurts about something.

“It has also given me access to friends who I never would have had; other musicians with whom I have gotten to work. It is this whole creative realm that gives me so much joy.”

Quoting her friend, visual artist Maira Kalman, Cash concludes that “time is the most precious thing.”

“I am very aware that every time I step on stage with that particular audience, it will never happen again; that particular configuration on that day with that group of people and that chemistry where we are together. And I will be present for whatever that is.”

azmusicfest.org

Music

Rosanne Cash

Monday, March 27 | 7:30 p.m.

Highlands Church

9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale $62+ | azmusicfest.org

Visit anchor.fm/ imagesaz or scan this QR code with your phone to listen to “Cash’s Causes,” featuring Rosanne Cash’s remarks about the importance of supporting both neand legacy musicians.

CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART

AARON HENRY JEWELRY

NEW HEIRLOOM CLASSIC MODERN

The hallmarks to Aaron Henry jewelry are design integrity, gemstone quality, fine craftsmanship and attention to detail. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design.

March 24–25

Come by to meet the designer Aaron Henry or call for private appointment.

Grace Renee Gallery

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377

Hours Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and by appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080

GraceReneeGallery.com

Aaron Henry Designs 18-karat gold with diamonds and fine gemstones.

COMMUNITY

March 2023

Through March 4

‘DRINKING HABITS 2: CAUGHT IN THE ACT’

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Don Bluth Front Row Theater presents its production of “Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act,” in which nuns mount a play to raise money for an orphanage in peril. $30; youth, student, senior, military and group discounts available. See website for times. Don Bluth Front Row Theater, 8989 E. Via Linda, Suite 118, Scottsdale. 480314-0841; donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com

Through May 26

‘UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES’ AND ‘CONTEXT’

Scottsdale Arts Learning and Innovation hosts two new exhibitions examining human actions and how they affect the world and the people inhabiting it. “Unintended Consequences” blends artists’ passions to tell the story of how human actions can and do affect the fragile ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert. The temporary wall painting installation creates a visual narrative that examines the unintended consequences of human activity on Arizona’s people, wildlife and plants in the past and the present. Meanwhile, “Context” includes text to communicate artists’ stance on finding unity. Free. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. scottsdaleartslearning.org

March 1

DAVE BUSHY

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “The World Looked Away: Vietnam After the War” author Dave Bushy. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

March 4–Aug. 27

‘LANGUAGE IN TIMES OF MISCOMMUNICATION’

Artwork by April Bey Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will unveil a new exhibition that presents works that incorporate various forms of language, modes of communication and research, forming a timely exchange about our nation’s divided reality, encouraged by the recent rise of divisive language and alternative narratives. $10+; youth, student, senior, veteran, healthcare, first responder and member discounts available. See website for hours. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. smoca.org

March 3–19

‘SOMETHING ROTTEN’

Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre presents its production of “Something Rotten.” See website for price and times. Scottsdale Desert Stages Theatre at Fashion Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-4831664; desertstages.org

March 3–26

‘THE PERFECT PARTY’

The Theatre Artists Studio will present its production of “The Perfect Party,” a comedy with pointed satire, a touch of farce and lots of laughs. $25; student, senior, military and group discounts available. See website for times. The Theatre Artists Studio, 4848 E. Cactus Road, Suite 406, Scottsdale. thestudiophx.org

March 4

CONTEMPORARY ART PERSPECTIVES

The Jorge Mendez Gallery will host an optioning reception for its group exhibition, which will focus on contemporary/ abstract art. The exhibition will include works by Joseph Breton, Gordon Studer, Cheryl Taves, Ariel Vargassal, Jylian Gustlin and Alvaro de Matias. Free. 6–8 p.m. The Jorge Mendez Gallery, 20789 N. Pima Road, Suite JK-100, Scottsdale. jorgemendezgallery.com

March 4

WHITE WINGED DOVE

Harold’s Corral will host a tribute to Fleetwood Mac. $55+. 7:30 p.m. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. haroldscorral.com

March 5

CONTRASTS FOR STRINGS

MusicaNova Orchestra will perform a fascinating program that takes the audience on a journey of discovery, demonstrating the versatility of the string orchestra. $33.50+. 2 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. musicanovaaz.org

March 5

FEINSTEIN & THIBAUDET

Michael Feinstein and Jean-Yves Thibaudet will perform a concert of music from George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and more as part of Arizona Musicfest. $62+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 7–11

THE FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Maestro Robert Moody will lead the Festival Orchestra — comprised of musicians from the nation’s finest orchestras — in a series of concerts as part of Arizona Musicfest. See website for price and times. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 8

LAURIE FAGEN

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “Bleeder” author Laurie Fagen. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

COMMUNITY

March 2023

March 10–12

SPRING ART ON THE BOARDWALK

Sundance Creek Promotions will host an outdoor festival featuring talented local and regional artisans exhibiting fine arts, crafts, home décor and specialty gift items within the intimate setting of the Arizona Boardwalk’s center courtyard. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Arizona Boardwalk, 9500 E. Vía de Ventura, Scottsdale. sundancecreekpromotions.com

March 10–12

SCULPTURE AND WINE FESTIVAL

Thunderbird Artists will host its inaugural Cave Creek Sculpture and Wine Festival, during which guests may view fine art selected through a comprehensive jury process, sample fine wines and spirits, sip microbrews, snack on festival food and listen to live music — all while soaking in the sunshine, reveling in the mountain views and meeting artists and fellow art lovers. $5. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 480-837-5637; thunderbirdartists.com

March 11

BEST OF SONDHEIM AND BERNSTEIN

Carolyn Eynon Singers will perform a tribute to great American music composers Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. $25; youth and group discounts available. 2 and 7 p.m. Don Bluth Front Row Theatre, 8989 E. Via Linda, Suite 118, Scottsdale. 480-591-7000; cesingers.com

March 11

KIWANIS PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Kiwanis Club of Carefree will host an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast. $10. 7–11 a.m. Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. kiwaniscarefree.org

March 11

MUSICAL CHAMPAGNE SALON

ProMusica Arizona will host its annual Musical Champagne Salon, a semi-formal evening giving guests an opportunity to mingle with its musicians and enjoy performances by exceptionally talented soloists and small ensembles. An extensive array of heavy hors d’oeuvres and delectable dessert choices along with flowing champagne, wine and other beverages will be served to attendees, and a silent online auction will add to the excitement. $100. 6 p.m. RSVP for location.

pmaz.org

March 11

WONDERFUL WINTER LANDSCAPES

Local garden writer Jacqueline Soule will discuss lowwater plants that will help your landscape look colorful, lush and inviting — especially in the cooler months of our winter. The program will include a plant raffle. $5+ donation. 9:30 a.m. Carefree Town Council Chambers, 33 Easy Street, Carefree. 480-488-3686

March 11 and 12

EXPERIENCE IRELAND

The Musical Instrument Museum will celebrate the music and culture of Ireland. See website for schedule of events. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. The Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480478-6000; mim.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

March 11 and 12

‘THE REEL ARIZONA’

Scottsdale Garden Club will present a flower show featuring floral design interpretations of movies filmed in Arizona and Southwestern horticulture grown by garden club members from throughout the Valley. Free. Saturday Noon–6 p.m.; Sunday 1–4 p.m. Mustang Library, 10101 N. 90th St., Scottsdale. scottsdalegc.org

March 12

GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA

The Glenn Miller Orchestra will perform a concert featuring seven decades of hits. The 18-member ensemble recently celebrated its 65th anniversary and continues to play many of the original Miller arrangements alongside more modern selections performed in the distinctive Miller style and sound. See website for price. 2 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. scottsdaleperformingarts.org

March 14

‘HEROINES OF THE BAROQUE’

One of Arizona Bach’s most beloved performers, Josefien Stoppelenburg, returns to do her own program combining the flamboyance of Handel’s operas and the intimacy of solo cantatas from the French Baroque. Heroines will come to the fore as the abused Susanna, the vengeful Lucrezia, and the exultant and mournful Cleopatra. Stoppelenburg’s husband, Stephen Alltop, will accompany and present solo harpsichord works. $30+. 7:30 p.m. Saint Barnabas Episcopal Church, 6715 N. Mockingbird Lane, Scottsdale. arizonabachfestival.org

March 16

CAREFREE ART NIGHT

Galleries throughout Carefree will host an event that offers art enthusiasts an opportunity to enjoy live music and refreshments as they stroll through the breathtaking shadows of Black Mountain in search of their next masterpiece. Free. 4–7 p.m. See website for participating galleries. visitcarefree.com

March 16

JENNYFER STRATMAN ARTIST RECEPTION

Explore a collection of artwork rich with emotion, content and form. Artist Jennyfer Stratman’s work explores interconnections between everything from the subatomic to the galactic, expressed primarily through figuration and natural elements. Wine and appetizers. Free. 4–7 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

COMMUNITY

March 16

A WEE BIT O’ IRISH

March 2023

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

The Living Music Performance Series will present a Saint Patrick's Eve concert, capturing the magic of the Emerald Isle through haunting, lilting Celtic melodies. See website for price. 7 p.m. Christ the Lord Lutheran Church, 9205 E. Cave Creek Road, Carefree. 480-488-2081; ctlcarefree.org

March 16–18

ALEX SEPKUS

French Designer Jeweler will host a special showcase featuring New York fine jewelry designer Alex Sepkus — whose work reflects an irresistible playfulness and quirkiness that is unrivaled in the world of the goldsmith. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. French Designer Jeweler, 7148 E. Main St., Scottsdale. 480-994-4717; frenchonmain.com

March 17–19

FINE ART AND WINE FESTIVAL

Thunderbird Artists will host its 28th annual Spring Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival, during which guests may view fine art selected through a comprehensive jury process, sample fine wines and spirits, sip microbrews, snack on festival food and listen to live music — all while soaking in the sunshine, reveling in the mountain views and meeting artists and fellow art lovers. This year’s featured artists are wildlife photographer Mary Hone and wood and bronze sculptor and charcoal artist Al Hone. $5. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Downtown Carefree, 101 Easy Street, Carefree. 480-837-5637; thunderbirdartists.com

March 18

CAVE CREEK RODEO DAYS PARADE

March 23–26

CAVE CREEK RODEO DAYS

Cave Creek Rodeo Days will present its 46th annual event, featuring three thrilling Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association performances as well as a night that, newly added this year, will showcase the bull riders and bullfighters that bring fans to their feet. $30. See website for schedule of events. Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek. cavecreekrodeo.com

A precursor to its annual four-day event, Cave Creek Rodeo Days will host a parade 9 a.m. in downtown Cave Creek followed by mutton bustin’ 1–3 p.m. at Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek, and a kick-off dance 8 p.m.–1 a.m. at The Buffalo Chip Saloon, 6823 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. See website for additional details. cavecreekrodeo.com

March 19

SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC

Scottsdale Philharmonic will perform a concert of classical music. $15 donation. 4 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-4998587; scottsdalephilharmonic.com

March 19

ZUKERMAN TRIO

The acclaimed Zukerman Trio will present an unforgettable afternoon of musical mastery as part of Arizona Musicfest. $52+. 2 p.m. Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 21

KELLI O’HARA

Broadway’s leading lady Kelli O’Hara will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $49+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 21

MINER’S DINNER

Cave Creek Museum will host its annual Miners’ Dinner, which honors the museum’s past and raises funds for its future. The event will also include a silent auction, raffles and local entertainment. $75. 4:30 8 p.m. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E. Skyline Drive, Cave Creek. cavecreekmuseum.org

March 22

CRAZY HORSE MEMORIAL FUNDRAISER

Mountain View Pub will host an event to raise awareness and assist in the completion of the world’s largest sculpture — the Crazy Horse Memorial, a monument located in the Black Hills of South Dakota that honors the Indigenous people of North America. The event will feature Native American entertainment, a silent auction, a raffle and more. Appetizers and signature cocktails will be served. RSVP. Mountain View Pub, 7033 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. 602-363-1613; 480-739-7031; crazyhorsememorial.org

March 22

JEFF LELEK

Desert Foothills Library will host a meet-and-greet with “Sinai Prospect” author Jeff Lelek. Free. 3:30 p.m. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480488-2286; dfla.org

March 23–April 29

‘STEEL MAGNOLIAS’

Don Bluth Front Row Theater will present its production of “Steel Magnolias.” $30; youth, student, senior, military and group discounts available. See website for times. Don Bluth Front Row Theater, 8989 E. Via

Linda, Suite 118, Scottsdale. 480-3140841; donbluthfrontrowtheatre.com

March 24 and 25

AARON HENRY JEWELRY

Meet the father and son team behind this luxury jewelry collection. Each brilliant piece is hand-crafted bringing classical Old World quality to modern design. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

March 26

YOUNG MUSICIANS SPRING CONCERT

Arizona Musicfest will present a spring concert during which some of the best young classical musicians in the state will showcase their astounding talent, maturity and artistry. $20. 2 p.m. The Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. azmusicfest.org

March 27

ROSANNE CASH

Singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $61. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

March 30

MONTE CARLO CASINO NIGHT

Creative Women of Pinnacle Peak will host an evening of gaming, hors d’oevres, adult beverages, raffles and more. Proceeds will be donated to the Phoenix Dream Center. $125. 6 p.m. Troon Country Club, 25000 Windy Walk Drive, Scottsdale. creativewomenofpinnaclepeak.com

March 30–April 8

‘THE SECRET GARDEN’

Desert Foothills Theater will present its teen production of “The Secret Garden.” $20; student discounts available. See website for times.

Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., Carefree. dftheater.org

COMMUNITY

March 2023

March 31

TITO PUENTE, JR.

Latin musician Tito Puente, Jr. will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 3

CHRIS BOTTI

Master trumpeter and composer Chris Botti will take the stage as part of Arizona Musicfest. $59+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 8

VOYAGER

Harold’s Corral will host a tribute to Journey. $55+. See website for time. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. haroldscorral.com

April 11

THE FOLK LEGACY TRIO

The Folk Legacy Trio — featuring former members of the Kingston Trio, The Limeliters and The Diamonds — will perform a concert of beloved songs from the 50s, 60s and 70s as part of Arizona Musicfest. $41+. 7:30 p.m. La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, 6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 12 and 13

KATHERINE JETTER

SONORAN ARTS LEAGUE OPENS GALLERY

Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce and Carefree Mayor John Crane in January led a community celebration of the grand opening of the Sonoran Arts League Gallery, 7275 Easy St., Suite A104, in Carefree. sonoranartsleague.org

Couture jewelry designer Katherine Jetter will make a personal appearance during a special event to showcase her cutting-edge, wearable art pieces for bold and brilliant women. Discover the secrets of her craft while marveling at the eye-catching rhodium hues and exceptional, handpicked gemstones that individually tell Jetter what they need during her design process. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Grace Renee Gallery, 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree. 480-575-8080; gracereneegallery.com

April 17

‘RESPECT’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to Aretha Franklin. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

April 29

‘TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS’

Arizona Musicfest will present a tribute to the Doobie Brothers. $34+. 7:30 p.m. Highlands Church, 9050 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale. azmusicfest.org

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

May 6

ONE OF THESE NIGHTS

Harold’s Corral will host a tribute to the Eagles. $55+. See website for time. Harold’s Corral, 6895 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek. haroldscorral.com

‘CHOLLA REFLECTIONS’ DEBUTS IN NORTH SCOTTSDALE

A new public artwork has joined the Scottsdale Public Art Permanent Collection at a Scottsdale Water building in North Scottsdale. A collaboration between Keep Scottsdale Beautiful and Scottsdale Public Art, “Cholla Reflections” was created by public artists Kelly O’Brien and Patrick Renner of Houston’s Flying Carpet Creative Studio and university students Jessica Arnold, Rigoberto Berber-Arias and Alan Estrada Sanchez. Flying Carpet Creative Studio produced five earth-cast concrete monolith sculptures for the site and collaborated with the student team to create artistic metal elements on the bridge, sandblasted elements on the sidewalk path and hand-cast pavers. scottsdalepublicart.org

SCOTTSDALE STUDENT EARNS SCHOLARSHIP

A student who caddied at Desert Forest Golf Club in Carefree, Arizona, has been awarded the Evans Scholarship — a prestigious full housing and tuition college grant offered to golf caddies, following an online selection interview late last year. Nicholas Van Laarhoven of Scottsdale will begin college this fall as an Evans Scholar, where he plans to study finance. Van Laarhoven, who is currently a senior at Chaparral High School, is the third Desert Forest caddie to be awarded the Evans Scholarship. wgaesf.org

Hello Spring!

Goodbye, parkas and hello, cargo shorts! Spring is back! It’s just like summer, minus the searing temperatures and dust storms!

This rebirth of beauty has many thinking of a new nest. If you find yourself in this flock, there are valuable signposts disguised as professional agents ready to guide you home.

When you, your family, or friends are looking for experienced and reliable real estate advice, give us a call. There is only one Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty ~ Nothing Compares.

Carefree Office - 480.488.2400 | Desert Mountain Office - 480.488.2998

© 2019 Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. All rights reserved.

AA diorama of young seedlings gathered together for their first-grade class picture. A collection of hats, each featuring a beautiful botanical element. Dainty dried flowers attached to a small segment of a cactus skeleton. A downward flowing cascade of perennials.

These are just some of the sights that can be experienced during a Scottsdale Garden Club show. Held every other spring, the events showcase the best in design and horticulture. Think of it as a Tournament of Roses Parade, albeit on a much smaller scale.

“It is just a great way for our members to show creativity with flowers,” says Sharon Davis, chair of this year’s show. “And it is a great way for members to express their own creativity and ability to manipulate plant material and make it something that someone really loves to look at.”

Scottsdale Garden Club is the only garden club in the greater Phoenix area that currently holds

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Photography Courtesy of Scottsdale Garden Club

such shows. This year’s event — held March 11 and 12 at Mustang Library in Scottsdale — will feature floral design interpretations of movies filmed in Arizona with Southwestern horticulture grown by garden club members from throughout the Valley.

“This year's theme is called ‘The Reel Arizona,’” Davis says. “The first class for this year is ‘Red River,’ which was a movie made in Arizona. Those entries must be a horizontal creative line design with a background and an underlay that displays the particular exhibit.

“The second class is ‘Broken Arrow,’ which was another movie made in Arizona. The third class is ‘Tombstone.’ For that one, entrants have to take objects in real life and put them together as a background for whatever you are going to do for a flower display.

“In each class, there are four entries, which are reviewed by a group of Arizona federated judges who come from all over the state. Entrants receive ribbons based on how they judge your display against the criteria for that particular kind of design.”

Davis says that participants usually create prototypes of their entries in the weeks leading up to the show. Of course, the real McCoys are not constructed until the day before or the day of the event to ensure that all plant material is as fresh as possible and in absolutely pristine condition.

“Generally, all of the plant material is live — although there are some categories where it can be dried,” Davis adds. “If you are using dried plant material, then you can paint it. But if you are using fresh plant material, you cannot alter it in any way.”

It is just a great way for our members to show creativity with flowers. And it is a great way for members to express their own creativity and ability to manipulate plant material and make it something that someone really loves to look at.

Sharon Davis

In addition to single-exhibit displays, there are also table entries, for which participants set up a table as if two people were going to eat at it, making an arrangement that complements the displayed elements. There is also a category called botanical arts, for which participants make hats or wreaths out of living or dried plant materials.

“We also have a youth division,” Davis says. “Aurien Preiss chairs that and works with a couple of different schools in Scottsdale. It is a big job to recruit teachers and go into the classrooms to help the students prepare their entries. I think that it is just great to see these kids work with plants. The whole object of that division is really to get the next generation interested in nature and plants.

“There is also a horticulture division, for which all entries have to have been grown by the individual entering it. That goes from roses to perennials and even citrus — which is a very big category here, of course, because so many people have citrus trees in their own backyard.”

Davis, who is also the president of the Arizona Federation of Garden Clubs, moved to Scottsdale seven years ago and, being an avid gardener, immediately joined Scottsdale Garden Club. She also participates in a show on the east coast, where she spends each summer, and is eagerly anticipating its event, “Eureka!” themed around inventions.

“When I was president of that club, I did a survey of members and discovered that one-third of the club was interested in floral design, onethird of the club was interested in horticulture and one-third of the club was interested in both,” she notes. “So there is this very strong crossover between horticulture and design.”

However, she believes that people are especially interested in the Scottsdale Garden Club because of its emphasis on the design element.

“That is not true of some other garden clubs in the Valley,” explains Davis, noting that Tucson, Yuma, Sedona and Kingman also have garden clubs with a strong emphasis on design. “We are a relatively small garden club. We only have about 45 members. We meet once a month at the McCormick Ranch Golf Club. We have lunch and hear from a guest speaker who presents a topic related to flowers or horticulture.”

At the end of the day, Davis says that the primary purpose of federated garden clubs is education-based.

“We sponsor courses in which people can become consultants in landscape design, horticulture or gardening,” she concludes. “If you are a member of a federated garden club, you are allowed to take those national courses. So education is a big part of what we do; but we also just enjoy growing and working with flowers.”

scottsdalegc.org

Enjoy ocean view staterooms and the all-inclusive SeaDream experience. Two twin yachts accomodating up to only 56 couples are available to whisk you away to a pampered holiday at sea. Savor gourmet world-class cuisine, inclusive open bar and pre-paid gratuities. Be splendidly spoiled throughout the day. Relax on a Balinese Dream Bed, play a round of golf in a golf simulator or take advantage of the many water toys easily accessible from their Watersports Marina Platform right off the back of the ship. Designed to call upon the most intimate ports, harbors and yachting playgrounds that larger ships cannot reach, isn’t it time to experience a SeaDream Yacht?

To receive the best value and amenities on SeaDream, call us at The Carefree Traveler or stop by and see our newly remodeled office. The Carefree Traveler: 480.488.3111 info@carefreetraveler.com | www.carefreetraveler.com

Ships’ Registry: The Bahamas.

EEach spring, Anthem resident Cynthia Eral eagerly awaits the desert blooms of the different varieties of palo verde trees.

“I have never gotten tired of seeing the transformation of color around the Valley,” says Eral, noting that the metamorphosis is gradual, sweeping from the warmer parts of Scottsdale to the higher elevations of Sedona, Prescott and Flagstaff, which see temperatures rise a bit later in the season.

“The roadside gets brighter and more yellow as you drive up north. The progression through the season is so subtle. And I look forward to seeing that change every year.”

She adds that it is as though the entire Valley has been lying dormant through the winter and is slowly coming to life, each flower, shrub, bush or tree showing its personality. She knows that when that happens, it is high time to head out for a hike with her camera to gain some inspiration for her art.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

by Loralei Lazurek

“I believe in channeling my creative urges in order to produce unique artwork,” Eral explains. “My inspiration for my work is the miracle of life. Art is how I battle against the indifference of humans and offer new ways of viewing the world.”

A juried artist with the Sonoran Arts League, Eral’s paintings focus on landscapes, botanicals and wildlife — subject matter that comes natural to her after having grown up on a small farm in Minnesota.

“It is a beautiful place and it is surrounded by nature,” says the artist, noting that her parents still reside on the farm. “I really had a chance, as a kid, to have my own pets and explore all of the acreage and just get lost in nature. So that has always been a big, important part of my life.”

At age 9, Eral received a set of oil paints from her parents, thus beginning her creative journey. She took private lessons, continued to study art in school and eventually pursued employment opportunities in home furnishings and design.

Eral moved to Arizona with her husband 25 years ago.

I have never gotten tired of seeing the transformation of color around the Valley. The roadside gets brighter and more yellow as you drive up north. The progression through the season is so subtle. And I look forward to seeing that change every year.

Cynthia Eral

Photography

Cynthia Eral takes care to characterize each of her subjects’ unique personalities. For example, she spends plenty of time observing the burros that she paints so that she can accurately showcase their sweet and gentle nature. And, yes, even plants have personalities.

“We never really intended to stay,” she says. “It was just going to be a vacation for the winter to get away from the cold and things like that. But Arizona instantly grabbed our hearts — especially its scenery, which is completely different than what you find in the Midwest.”

The couple moved to Anthem about a year and a half ago.

“I love that it is small and quiet and nature is still close by,” Eral says. “We enjoy walking the various trails in the area. They provide such a calming experience.”

The trails also provide Eral with plenty of inspiration for her art. Whether it is a wild animal, a majestic sunset or one of the beautiful botanicals that are unique to our Sonoran Desert, absorbing the natural world helps the artist connect with her subjects and find the right feeling or emotion that she wants to convey.

Depicting a gorgeous agave plant betwixt the rocks of the Grand Canyon, surrounded by other desert foliage, “Bright Angel Trail Agave” was the first painting that Eral completed after moving to Arizona.

“I was mesmerized by the large array of desert plants in the Southwest,” Eral explains. “The ability to flourish in our extreme conditions day to day still has my attention. Through this painting, I have applied more paint to the canvas to bring out the

Anthem resident Cynthia Eral’s paintings focus on landscapes, botanicals and wildlife — subject matter that comes natural to her after having grown up on a small farm in Minnesota.

textures of leaves, petals and thorns that are my inspiration to always look for new subjects along the trail.”

Eral takes care to characterize each of her subjects’ unique personalities. For example, she spends plenty of time observing the burros that she paints so that she can accurately showcase their sweet and gentle nature. And, yes, even plants have personalities.

For example, take the agave — which, in her earlier work, illustrated how life always finds a way to flourish. Conversely, the agave in her “No Easy Way Out” poses a warning to those who may pose a threat to its survival.

“The colors are cool and calm but the thorns are real and sharp,” Eral explains. “Their armor is necessary to keep desert animals at bay — especially in drought conditions in the Sonoran Desert.”

Meanwhile, her “Up All Night” — depicting a Night Blooming Cereus (also known as the Queen of the Night Cactus) — is an example of her inspiration to stay fresh and innovative.

“Creating this large-scale flower was a challenge,” she admits. “You have to be up early to capture your image before the petals fade to the hot morning sun.”

“On My Way Home” — Eral’s most recent piece — focuses on a number

Our Sonoran Desert trails provide Cynthia Eral with plenty of inspiration for her art. Whether it is a wild animal, a majestic sunset or one of the beautiful botanicals that are unique to our Sonoran Desert, absorbing the natural world helps the artist connect with her subjects and find the right feeling or emotion that she wants to convey.

of elements that have caught the artist’s interest in recent years. Boasting bright orange and yellow colors, it shows a sun descending into a desert vista of saguaros and other plant life.

“It is often the case that our most natural and erotic desires are reflected from nature,” she observes. “Through this setting, I attempt to use art as a unique and creative tool with which to explore different levels of realities.”

The interpretation of those levels is up to the individual viewer, but Eral’s art encourages us all to slow down and enjoy the natural environment in which we are blessed to live. It has also had a similar effect on the artist herself.

“Nature is so subtle,” says Eral, whose work is exhibited at The Finer Arts Gallery, Big Bronco, Dorleg Creations and Desert Foothills Land Trust’s seasonal events in Cave Creek; Tierra Del Lagarto and Bungalow Furniture and Accessories in Scottsdale; and Camelback Gallery on the web. “My art has reminded me to stop my vehicle and get out of the car every once in a while to take pictures of a sunset on the way home from work.

“Do not look at that as a delay in your day or your list of projects. Become more aware of our desert — because it is so beautiful and it is very fragile. I hope that those who bring my artwork into their home experience the calm that I do and that it is a constant reminder to take time to step back and enjoy their surroundings.”

cynthiadesignsaz.com

AArizona is known for many things — the Grand Canyon, the red rocks of Sedona and the statuesque saguaro being among the most notable. However, did you know that the state also serves as a producer of more than two-thirds of the country's rose bushes?

“In today's world, about 65% of the roses sold in the U.S. are grown right here in Arizona,” says landscape architect LeRoy Brady. “They are shipped to different suppliers — including rose cooperatives in Texas, where they are further processed and sent out to the rest of the country.”

Brady adds that Arizona’s flourishing rose industry stretches back to the 1930s, when about a half dozen rose growers populated the west side of the Valley, where Loop 303 and Luke Air Force Base exist today.

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

In fact, Arizona is also home to the largest rose garden in the Southwest — a public space at Mesa Community College that is open year-round as a living laboratory and a place of beauty that celebrates the rose as a national floral emblem; promotes education and community involvement; attracts cultural events; and provides a resource for partnership, volunteerism and the testing of new roses.

HISTORY & PHASES

“In 1997, Mesa Community College was wanting to do some things with the campus to make it more pronounced,” Brady says. “One of the ideas was to plant roses on the campus.”

As a member of the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society, Brady worked with former Mesa United Way president and CEO Milton Lee and Mesa contractor Joe Woods to begin work on the project — which by 2000 saw about 4,000 roses planted, making it the largest public rose garden in Arizona and the desert southwest and the only major garden developed since 1974.

“In today's world, about 65% of the roses sold in the U.S. are grown right here in Arizona.

They are shipped to different suppliers — including rose cooperatives in Texas, where they are further processed and sent out to the rest of the country. LeRoy Brady

Photography Courtesy of Mesa Community College

After the completion of its first two phases, the rose garden received formal approval from the AllAmerica Rose Selections to become one of 26 test gardens nationwide and was subsequently named one of the top three AARS Test Gardens in the United States, based on its design, maintenance and quality.

In the winter of 2003, work began on the third phase of the project — a veterans rose garden designed to honor past, present and future members who have, are and will serve in the five branches of the United States of America military. The 60 varieties of roses within it all have patriotic names — such as About Face, America, Fourth of July, Peace, Purple Heart, Stars and Stripe and Veterans Honor. 2,000 roses surround our national, state and POW flags along with those of the five service branches.

The fourth and most recent phase of the garden was completed in 2011. It features two heart-shaped beds symbolizing love, two side-byside beds symbolizing friendship, a large five-petaled bed symbolizing beauty and two circular beds with contrasting roses planted to represent peace.

Today, the rose garden contains nearly 9,000 roses of over 300 varieties to view, admire, smell and enjoy.

DEADHEADERS & PRUNERS

“It has become a really popular place for photographs,” Brady says. “Graduating students often get their photographs taken in the rose garden with their caps and gowns and there have even been a number of weddings that have taken place there. We designed it so that it has different areas that create backdrops for those activities.”

Brady adds that the rose garden also provides the college’s photography, landscape and horticulture students a place to study as well as just an area for all visitors to... well... take time to stop and smell the roses.

“When we started it, it was just a rose garden,” Brady says. “But since then, it has become so much more. Mesa Community College has implemented and received the designation of arboretum. Many of the trees in the rose garden were planted as part of Eagle Scout projects. You also have the very artistic pergolas in the bus station and terraces that serve as areas for people to gather.”

As he looks back at what he helped create 26 years ago, Brady says that his greatest reward is seeing what the rose garden does for other people — both those who enjoy its serene beauty and those who help to maintain it.

“There are about 150 fairly active volunteers,” explains Brady, noting that he has seen countless friendships form at the rose garden among people who would otherwise probably never meet one another. “We even have volunteers who drive all the way over from Buckeye a couple of times each week to do work in the rose garden.

“The garden depends on those volunteers. Once a rose blooms, we have to deadhead it so that it stimulates the rose for a second bloom or does not detract from the rosebush. Each January and February, we have to prune the roses back about a third to a half, setting the stage for blooms in April, May and June.”

LIFE & BEAUTY

Brady adds that whereas most other states have a relatively brief rose-growing season from June through August, Arizona has two — one in the late spring and another from October through December.

“During the summertime, those roses drop the number of petals and become smaller flowers,” he notes. “Those roses are not that pretty during our heat. But during our blooming cycles, they are gorgeous. And rose bushes grown in Arizona at two years old are quite a bit larger than rose bushes grown in Oregon or a number of other states.”

And with spring right around the corner, the rose garden at Mesa Community College will soon be a showcase for the life and beauty that is not only possible but thrives in Arizona.

rosegarden.mesacc.edu

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Jimmy W. Fike

Waterlily

PPhotographer Jimmy W. Fike has spent the past 15 years creating a photographic archive depicting America’s rich trove of wild edible flora. To date, the project has taken him to 16 different states and allowed him to amass a collection of more than 175 specimens.

“The work sprung from disillusionment with the position of landscape photography in relation to pressing threats like climate change, extinction, pollution and the loss of commons,” Fike says. “Too often, the genre traffics in the aesthetics of nature instead of the inner workings of ecology. To address climate change and environmental degradation, I felt a radically different artistic strategy was necessary.”

Last spring, Red Lightning Books published the culmination of Fike’s journey — “Edible Plants: A Photographic Survey of the Wild Edible Botanicals of North America,” featuring more than 100 of the photographer’s images that have been selectively colorized to highlight the comestible part of each plant.

“By employing a system that makes it easy to identify both the plant and its edible parts, the images function as reliable guides for foraging,” Fike explains. “This functional aspect of the project directs viewers to free food that can be used for sustenance, or as raw material for creative economies.

Beyond functionality, Fike tries to construct images that operate on multiple levels theoretically and perceptually.

“Upon longer viewing, the botanicals begin to transcend the initial appearance of scientific illustration,” he says. “They writhe and pulsate, trying to communicate with you about their edible parts while hovering over an infinite black expanse.

“This opticality becomes a physiological parallel to the chemical effects of ingesting the plants and opens up a mystical space for contemplation, communion and meditation. The scientific yields to something potentially spiritual, as the viewer begins to experience our symbiotic evolution with the plant kingdom.”

Amaranth

THE FINE ART OF VIVIFICATION

To achieve the layered aesthetic of his work, Jimmy W. Fike photographs multiple specimens of the same plant and combines the best elements from each to create an archetypal rendering of the species.

“By judiciously rearranging, scaling and warping, I can vivify the plant and turn the ground into space,” Fike explains. “This subtle reference to shamanic scrying and other mystical forms of seeing nudges the work towards the numinous. I hope viewers carry this numinous experience back out into the landscape, into their communities, and see the plants that surround them in a fresh, wonder-filled way.”

The photographer adds that his work offers a dose of something palliative for the ills of alienation — “a sense of connection to a certain place, a certain ecosystem, a type of belonging.”

“With this in mind, I plan on continuing the survey until I have amassed an expansive enough crosssection of the botanical life on the continent to mount biome-specific exhibitions anywhere within the continental United States,” Fike says.

“I hope the photographic survey can serve as a historical archive of botanical life during eras of extreme change, and provide viewers all over the country an opportunity to feel the type of bond with their landscapes that will encourage health, engender wonder, help identify free food and — most importantly — inspire greater concern for environmental issues.”

Manzanita

Mesquite

Londonrocket

When you have this knowledge, plants are no longer just these anonymous, inanimate, green things. You really start to see them as beings and you begin to recognize them. It opens up a more numinous way of perceiving your natural environment.

Jimmy Fike

My favorite place to go to in Arizona is the Mogollon Rim. I love to go up there and go camping and backpacking and fly fishing for trout and, of course, take photography. So, this time of the year, I start looking at the weather forecast, waiting for those temperatures to amp up a little bit to where I can get back up to those higher elevations.

Jimmy Fike

Oxeye Daisy

Ground Cherry

The thing that has surprised me the most is just the sheer volume of plants out there that are edible. I have gone all over the country working on this project and, within a month, I am able to photograph 20 different plants. They are everywhere you go, everywhere you look. And it just transforms the way you experience a place and a landscape. There is just this beautiful cornucopia of edible plants all around us.

Jimmy Fike

Silverweed

About the Photographer

Jimmy W. Fike’s photographic work endeavors to push the tradition of landscape photography into the realm of socially and ecologically engaged practice. His series on wild edible plants has been exhibited extensively across the United States, featured in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post and Mother Jones and accepted into the permanent collection of the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Fike earned a bachelor’s degree in art from Auburn University before a master’s degree in photography from the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

“There is something that is just so transformative about photography with the way that it reveals your personal vision and extracts something from the real world that seems to amplify what you are feeling on the inside,” Fike says.

Initially, Fike found his artistic inspiration and motivation in the Southern Gothic as he embraced his Alabaman roots and leaned into the literature of William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor. However, during graduate school, he began doing a lot of work within the topics of technology — specifically, our relationship with it — and developed more of an interest in cyborg theory.

“I had been working with kind of a postmodern milieu and tradition for a long time,” Fike says. “And a lot of that stuff was really smart and interesting, but I began to feel like it had run its course. Instead of continuing to produce work filled with irony and fatalism, I decided to do some work that actually addressed the problems in an interesting way and offer a path forward.”

Fike began reading Buddhist teachings as well as Native American spirituality and history. He also delved into the work of Suzi Gablik — an American visual artist, author, art critic and professor of art history and art criticism who encouraged artists to be more responsible in practice and more responsive to their communities.

“She encouraged artists to make art that was not bashful about trying to take on problems and to intentionally seek out creative new solutions and new definitions of what art can be,” Fike says. “Stewing on all of those variables, the idea of creating art featuring plants popped into my head — particularly edible plants that could help people feel bonded to their local natural environments and help with issues related to feeling alienated and disconnected.”

Currently working as a residential art faculty member at Estrella Mountain College in Avondale, Arizona, Fike has devoted the past 15 years to producing art that he hopes encourages people to become environmentalists. Though it does much more, his art at the very least provides sustenance, revealing the natural world’s generous offering of free food.

jimmyfike.com

OOne of Bassel Osmani’s most treasured childhood memories is the Sunday afternoon meals his grandfather would cook up for family, friends and neighbors in his native Lebanon.

“On my mom’s side, my family is foodies to the extreme,” the Pita Jungle co-founder reveals. “[My grandfather] was a pediatrician but he was a big foodie. Everyone would come to his house on Sunday — family, neighbors — he had his hands in everything. We all learned to be food critics from the time we were little.”

In those days, dinner time also served as curfew. His mother would gather Osmani, his sister and two brothers for a family meal at the same time each night. It’s that gathering around the table with loved ones for good food and conversation that is at the core of his philosophy on life and success.

Bassel Osmani is one of three Arizona State University roommates who founded Pita Jungle — which now has 24 locations around the Valley.

Osmani is one of three Arizona State University roommates who founded Pita Jungle as young, ambitious, just-outof-college friends. Osmani, Fouad Khodr and Nelly Kohsok have gone on to successfully grow the business to 24 locations around the Valley, but it wasn’t in this entrepreneur’s original plans.

“At 18, like 90% of Lebanese people, you go abroad to get an education,” Osmani says. “My [physician] father didn’t want me to go through the French system, as was most common. He was impressed with the American educational system that he saw at the American University in Beirut where every student could have an audience with their professors. That is something that just wouldn’t happen in the French system. He wanted that experience for me of having access to all of my professors.”

My favorite thing in my life is that I count myself lucky to have been able to grow within my own environment and economic system without having to respond to someone’s whims. It’s not a given that you will be happy when you work for someone else. I’m lucky and blessed that I’ve been able to control whom I work for: my patrons and employees. Bassel Osmani

Writer Shannon Severson // Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Osmani’s North American educational journey began in Canada — primarily because he spoke French and not English at the time, but the cold weather had him pining for warmer climes. The decision was solidified when a friend attending UT Austin would call while sitting by the pool as Canadians were still shoveling snow. The biomedical engineering major used his time in Austin to tick off general education requirements while soaking up the legendary music scene in the Texas capital.

“The culture in Austin — the music, the creativity — it was super fun,” he recalls. “I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan many times and so many jazz bands. When I came to Phoenix, it was a big grid and every two or three miles there was a Safeway and a Circle K. The music scene wasn’t as good back then.”

While it took some time to cultivate better live music offerings, Phoenix did give him the chance to finish up that biomedical engineering degree at ASU and he thought he might go on to get an MBA or return to Lebanon to work in the medical space, but his home country was politically volatile and other opportunities began to arise in some unexpected places.

Osmani had worked odd jobs to stay afloat during college — a fast food gig at Wendy’s, a job as a residential advisor to help with tuition and an Arizona Republic paper route he shared with Khodr, who also worked at a small, family-run Lebanese restaurant. One night, the restaurant was in desperate need for help.

“Fouad [Khodr] asked me to help him out,” Osmani recalls. “They were slammed. At that point, I’d only worked at Wendy’s, never as a waiter, but it was Lebanese food and I did it. When I started serving, I had stage fright, but then you get a high — you get a rush — and you know what to expect. It’s liberating.

“The chef moved and opened his own restaurant. I got a call, ‘It’s an emergency. Can you come help?’ His server had left and it was just the chef and his wife in the kitchen. [The restaurant was] a small room with ten tables. I was by myself. I loved it. The music was good, the tables were rolling. They offered me a waiter job.”

It felt like the perfect fit — right across from ASU so Osmani could work the lunch rush, go to his lab and then return at 5 p.m. for the dinner shift.

With a lot of hard work and willingness to take risks, Pita Jungle co-founder Bassel Osmani is living the American dream.

“After 10 p.m., I’d make the owner and his friends sandwiches while they played cards,” he says. “Inflation [in Lebanon] had gone way up and my parents couldn’t help me the same way they had before. What kept me in college was working in that restaurant.”

A SHOESTRING AND A PLAN

At age 19, Osmani met Kohsok, who was getting her degree in broadcast journalism at ASU. Along with Khodr, the three rented a house in Tempe and eventually came up with the idea of launching a Mediterranean grocery store. They knew there was a market for it and had contact with a restaurant customer who was an international food importer. The hunt began for a space to rent. They scraped together $12,000 in cash and opened a Home Depot credit card for whatever improvements might be needed.

“Our first site was on Apache and Terrace,” Osmani says. “We met with the landlord, Mr. Pasternak. He gave us a lot of time. We were novice negotiators; I think he was entertained. He must have wondered what we were up to but he helped us a lot and gave us a good price.”

As the trio surveyed their first rental property, they could see that it used to be a pizza shop and a new idea began to germinate.

“Suddenly, the plan changed,” Osmani reveals. “We knew restaurants so we decided, ‘Let’s do a restaurant.’ We wanted to do

Mediterranean food that didn’t need a translator. I saw dishes that were so good at the restaurants where I worked, but because of the lack of description, people didn’t order them. We decided we should democratize the food. Everyone would like it if they knew what it was.

“We morphed very quickly. I wasn’t trained as a chef and neither was Fouad, but I had learned to cook by watching the “Great Chefs” series on [public television.] It was no frills, but you understood the techniques. Now, I had a restaurant [kitchen to practice in] and I would go in and do my thing. We morphed into doing global food with a healthy Mediterranean twist. It would be American and global, but healthier, using olive oil and low sodium, nuts, grains, etc.”

A handyman was hired to help with painting and restoring the existing tables on the property, which they tiled themselves. That Home Depot card came in handy as the entire process ended up totaling about $15,000. For decor, a painter did some sponge work on the walls and then they approached students at the ASU art department to ask if anyone would like to display their art at the new restaurant. The artists would keep all the proceeds if a piece sold — a tradition that continues today.

“We can support artists and have great art in our restaurants,” Osmani says. “People like it. We created a place where people would linger and hang out. When we hired, we hired people like us — a large portion of our employees in the early days were from the surrounding local colleges.

We had a policy against uniforms. We played cool music and had cool art. We started to get a reputation as a hip place and people began to come from all over to visit our restaurant. It became a place to see and be seen.

“The two partners and I were always there with the customers. We were there to entertain, like hosting people in our own home. We want to have that culture for our restaurants.”

CHANGE AND OPPORTUNITY

Through the toughest economic times, the trio has grown and persisted, started families, and managed the ups and downs of raising children and keeping connected with family overseas — Kohsok is French by birth and currently lives in France while her daughters attend college there. They have long maintained a productive working relationship and friendship.

“We never pay attention to who is doing what,” Osmani says. “We all take time and do what we need to do. We learned through the pandemic how to make it work long distance with Nelly [Kohsok].”

The trio owns the majority of their restaurant locations and a substantial number of the franchised stores are owned and operated by former Pita Jungle staff who have learned the core values of the business from the ground up.

Much has changed since the doors first opened in 1994, not the least of which is the way customers utilize food delivery apps. It can be a

challenge to keep customers coming in to keep the fun and lively vibe that makes Pita Jungle such a popular Arizona institution with the tagline “The art of eating healthy.”

“The restaurants that are successful are providing experiences and we want to create that,” Osmani says. “We have different demographics at each of our locations, from college kids to soccer moms.”

Pita Jungle has had success with Tapas boards for sharing, happy hour small plates, drink specials and an innovative seasonal menu that changes three times per year, giving the chefs a chance to utilize in-season produce and blend Mediterranean flavors with other cuisines including Asian and Mexican. The restaurant has even introduced its own wine at an affordable price.

“We developed these wines with specific characteristics that pair with our food,” Osmani reveals. “Our cabernet sauvignon is a softer cab that goes well with leaner food and our chardonnay is less oaky.”

While the restaurant partners can’t be at every location all the time, they continue to focus on developing accessible, healthy, high-quality menu items, training employees to be welcoming and efficient and creating an environment where customers feel right at home.

Pita Jungle’s commitment to community involvement remains a priority. The restaurant has a well-established history of engaging with school systems, hospitals and shelters to give back to neighborhoods and organizations that do important charitable work.

Pita Jungle co-founder Bassel Osmani still cooks at home and is an avid pickleball player.

LIVING THE AMERICAN DREAM

So, what does Osmani do when he’s not innovating new ideas or visiting Pita Jungle locations in person? He enjoys time with his wife Rachael — who he first met at the restaurant when they were in their 20s — and their children, he still cooks at home and he’s an avid pickleball player.

A pickle hummus was even developed with the restaurant’s special pickles that are brined in salt water instead of vinegar. It’s occasionally available on a seasonal basis. What first began as an April Fool’s joke ended up being a delicious innovation, but innovation is second nature to Osmani.

With a lot of hard work and willingness to take risks, Osmani is living the American dream.

“The dream is alive,” Osmani says. “My favorite thing in my life is that I count myself lucky to have been able to grow within my own environment and economic system without having to respond to someone’s whims. It’s not a given that you will be happy when you work for someone else. I’m lucky and blessed that I’ve been able to control whom I work for: my patrons and employees.

“I don’t know if I would have done better if I’d stayed with engineering. What makes me happy through it all is the extent of people, customers and employers who have touched me in a meaningful way. I hope that, along the way, I may have contributed, if ever so slightly, into their healthful and mindful way of being.”

pitajungle.com

TThe cream-colored walls of Gennaro Garcia’s studio/ gallery showcase the works of a master creative. But look closely. Hanging among the framed giclees, monosilk prints and vivid multimedia works is a glimpse into the artist’s past. The simple watercolor painting depicts a classic Southwest scene: A pueblo ladder rests against the deep pink wall of a Santa Fe-style home. Nestled in a nicho is a Virgin of Guadalupe statue, while a potted sunflower grows next to a brick archway. The signature is dated 1998.

“That’s how I got started,” Garcia says, with a laugh. “When I first moved to Yuma, I started painting these pieces of canvas, and I would sell them at the mall for $25 each. I didn’t sell that many.”

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

A collector of his more current work found the piece on eBay and sent it to Garcia as a gift in 2014. Its price 16 years later: $3,600. A testament to the artist’s almost-storybook ascent.

Born and raised in Mexico, Garcia’s first passion was food. He spent his teens and early 20s working in his parents’ and then his own restaurants; a secondary job painting business signs with his older brother fostered his artistic talents.

In the mid-1990s, he came to the U.S. and spent the next few years managing an eatery in Yuma. After meeting his now wife, Briseida, he moved to Phoenix and got a job as an interior muralist. In 2006, he struck out on his own.

The whole idea of being an artist is to create art. The technique, the colors, the textures — they don’t matter. The part I enjoy most is the learning process. That’s why I’m always creating something new.

Gennaro Garcia

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Gennaro Garcia has plenty of future plans for his artelier. In addition to being a showroom for his art and a working studio, it will eventually serve as a gathering spot for special dinners.

Today, he is one of the most prolific — and respected — artists in the Valley. His oeuvre encompasses a wide range of works, from oil paintings, prints and murals, to pottery and wood carvings. His brightly colored canvasses and prints, many of which feature Mexican icon Frida Kahlo or intricate skull-shaped trees of life, can be found in some of the top homes in the state. And his “Hecho a Mano” line of dishware, which display the outline of a pair of outstretched hands, is a favorite of homeowners and professional chefs throughout the Southwest.

“The whole idea of being an artist is to create art. The technique, the colors, the textures — they don’t matter,” he says of his ever-changing mediums. “The part I enjoy most is the learning process. That’s why I’m always creating something new.”

Today, Gennaro Garcia is one of the most prolific — and respected — artists in the Valley. His oeuvre encompasses a wide range of works, from oil paintings, prints and murals, to pottery and wood carvings.

Most recently, the artist began experimenting with the traditional Mexican art form of Talavera pottery.

In 2018, Garcia started traveling to Puebla, Mexico, to study Talavera at Casa Uriarte, the oldest Talavera factory in the country. Founded in 1824, it’s also the largest, employing approximately 100 craftspeople who make each plate, urn and bowl by hand.

“The artists work with the same technique and in the same style, and use the same type of brushes, that they did 200 years ago,” Garcia explains. “True Talavera is the most difficult art technique I have learned in my life. You see the artisans who have been doing this forever, and they do it so smoothly and beautifully that it’s almost like they’re drawing with a pencil.”

While Uriarte is known for its traditional designs — “tibors,” or lidded urns, also known as ginger jars; amphora vases; and tableware, all with floral patterns, Moorish crosshatches and dots, and “plumeados” or swirls — artists such as Garcia are bringing contemporary sensibilities the age-old art.

“I have painted cacti, Frida [Kahlo] and my ‘Hecho a Mano’ hands, but I use the plumeados from 200 years ago on the side,” he says.

Mariana Muñoz Couto, commercial director for Uriarte Talavera, adds that Gennaro’s work integrates a lot of things from Mexico as well as pop culture, but it’s not so highbrow that it’s difficult to understand.

Garcia never brought his Talavera to the U.S. because transportation costs and gallery commissions would consume most of the profit. Plus, any pottery he created in Mexico sold immediately. Then COVID happened.

CREATING — AND THRIVING — IN A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

“When COVID hit, the galleries started closing,” Garcia explains. “I had to adapt.”

Prior to the pandemic, Garcia frequently traveled to Mexico, working as a sort-of artist-in-residence in such idyllic destinations as Todos Santos, Valle de Guadalupe and Los Cabos. As the health crisis grew, he pivoted, and instead of making art for others to sell, he decided to open a series of “arteliers” — a portmanteau of “art” and “atelier.”

“What I did was start opening these kinds of spaces,” he explains. “I opened one in San Diego, in Los Cabos, in Todos Santos. They’re all the same idea, where I go and paint. I use them as galleries and as studios.”

In May 2022, Garcia signed the lease on half of a large space on Grand and 11th avenues — his first gallery in his hometown. The eponymous artelier opened its doors in early February.

In addition to Garcia’s paintings and prints, the gallery offers t-shirts, Hedley & Bennett chef aprons, cast iron cookware, totes, wine bags and much more, all featuring the artist’s distinctive designs.

With the opening of his self-named gallery, Phoenix artist Gennaro Garcia celebrates palette and palate.

The showstopper, however, is the Talavera. A custombuilt arched display unit exhibits an eye-catching selection of pottery.

“I designed that piece of furniture just to showcase the Talavera,” Garcia says. “This is the first time that I bring the whole collection to Arizona.”

In the center of the cabinet is a massive tibor — at least 3 feet tall and decorated with a sea of blue plumeados and a black tree of life from Garcia’s “De la tierra es el hombre del agave la mujer” series: “From the earth is the man, from the agave the woman.” The piece recently was displayed at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago.

Surrounding the tibor are Talavera plates, bowls, mugs and other serving dishes, as well as a selection of enamelware. There are the iconic “Hecho a Mano” and “De la tierra es el hombre” designs; images of Frida Kahlo surrounded by cacti, flowers and butterflies; the Mezcal No. 5 motif, a playful take on the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle; and a series that highlight a species of honeybees that were cultivated by the Maya more than 3,000 years ago and are now facing extinction.

In the center of the room, a long rustic table is bookended by two additional oversize tibors. One features a traditional blue-and-white finish; the other, a more exaggerated teardrop-shaped pot with a modern raised white-on-white botanical design.

“I wanted to do something completely different,” Garcia says. “From the beginning, my idea was to marry oldschool Talavera with my own contemporary art. I want this piece to be the centerpiece of a very minimalistic house — a very modern, very beautiful, very Mexican house.”

THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND FOOD

Garcia has plenty of future plans for his artelier. In addition to being a showroom for his art and a working studio, it will eventually serve as a gathering spot for special dinners.

“I want to bring in winemakers from Mexico, chefs from Mexico, local chefs,” he says. “The idea will be to have dinner here, served on my plates, with my art around. Friends can bring records to play, or they can play the guitar or piano. And we’ll talk art. It’s going to be a fun space.”

Only a human can get to know you and your needs. That’s why, for over 80 years, we’ve built relationships first and plans second. Contact me today and let’s start protecting your future the right way.

In May 2022, Gennaro Garcia signed the lease on half of a large space on Grand and 11th avenues — his first gallery in his hometown. The eponymous artelier opened its doors in early February.

The idea to combine art and food harks back to Garcia’s early days in his family’s eatery, blended with his current work designing and running restaurants.

Garcia has partnered with numerous food and beverage businesses to develop their interior decor, serveware and even wine bottles. Locally, these include the numerous Barrio Queen outposts, Ghost Ranch in Tempe, Salt Tacos y Tequila in North Phoenix and Tempe Public Market. Acclaimed Mexican chef Javier Plascencia has commissioned murals from Garcia and has used the “Hecho a Mano” plates in his establishments. And the artist also has worked with Naui winery in Valle de Guadalupe to design labels for its vintages.

Five years ago, Garcia joined forces with celebrated Phoenix restaurateur Aaron Chamberlin and chef Sunny Santana to open Taco Chelo, a taqueria on Roosevelt Avenue. The Mexican bistro is celebrated as much for its food as it is for its look. Garcia was responsible for the entire interior of the space, from the massive turquoisegreen bar to the skull-decorated light fixtures and Talavera tiles that wrap around the bar — even the enamelware mugs feature his artwork.

All these experiences combine in Studio Gennaro Garcia. It’s the culmination of a lifetime of creativity, learning and a passion for flavor in all aspects of being.

“This isn’t just my studio,” Garcia concludes. “It’s going to be a gallery, an art club, a food club — and just a space to create the world. Everybody’s going to be invited.”

artegennaro.com

Dark Side of the Prune

diverse and fragile desert — its plants, animals, water and wildlife.

that they may have the knowledge and skills on how to conserve and preserve our

The Desert Awareness Committee’s mission is to educate residents and visitors so

WWhen Brenda Olive moved from Indiana to Arizona four decades ago, she was immediately thrilled by the prospect of not having grass to grow, bushes to trim and leaves to rake.

“[Arizona’s] bushes are slow growers with small leaves as an adaptation to only 8-12 inches of rain annually in the desert,” Olive says. “We know that the bigger the leaves, the more water a plant needs. You will see photos of lush creosote, jojoba and chuparosa bushes that require no watering or trimming — ever! Bushes such as the jojoba and wolfberry flower in the spring and their fruits follow a few months later.”

Falling in love with our miraculously easy-growing plant life, Olive became a member of the Desert Awareness Committee, a nonprofit organization that has been a community resource advocate for the Sonoran Desert since 1974. Its mission is to educate residents and visitors so that they may have the knowledge and skills on how to conserve and preserve our diverse and fragile desert — its plants, animals, water and wildlife.

“Our desert is not just cacti,” Olive explains. “It has full lush bushes that add color and sustainability to our desert. They provide erosion control and keep the ground underneath them moist and cool for its survival as well as a place for birds and animals to take cover. Birds and insects benefit from nectar in the blossoms, and the animals — yes, even humans — enjoy the fruits and seeds.”

Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of the Desert Awareness Committee

In other words, Arizona’s ecosystem is both a precious luxury and a valuable necessity — and one that, believe it or not, knows how to take care of itself. In fact, human intervention can be quite detrimental.

“Here come the landscapers with their electric clippers to shape our beautiful bushes into balls or teacups, robbing them of their new flower buds and fresh green leaves,” Olive says. “These shapes are not attractive and do not reflect the integrity of the plant. Only a few years ago, we could admire the bushes in all their natural glory throughout the year. Now, there is a systemic issue with imprudent pruning of our native trees and bushes, which does more harm than good.

“When improper pruning is performed, such as shrub shaping, the plant uses its energy to replenish leaves where it was cut, altering the natural shape. Then this pruning takes place multiple times a year further exacerbating the problem with a dense woody plant on the inside that no longer has leaves. The inside doesn’t get sunlight, or the wind blowing through it to keep it cool. The plant’s shape is not only altered forever, but it is stressed and dies.”

Therefore, this spring, Olive and other committee members are stepping up efforts to educate the community about proper plant pruning — which should actually be done very sparingly.

“Our desert is not just cacti. It has full lush bushes that add color and sustainability to our desert. Brenda Olive

This spring, Desert Awareness Committee members are stepping up efforts to educate the community about proper plant pruning — which should actually be done very sparingly.

“The real reasons for pruning are for safety and accessibility,” she explains, noting that one should only trim dead branches from the bottom of the bush with manual cutters, being careful to keep its original shape.

Olive encourages property owners to join the Desert Awareness Committee in advocating for the protection of our Sonoran Desert by stopping the devastation of its naturally beautiful foliage.

“If you have landscapers scheduled, be sure you meet them to walk your property and instruct them on which trees and/ or bushes need trimming,” she adds. “Define what trimming means to you — and tell them to leave the electric trimmers in their truck.”

hollandcenter.org

Know Your Plants

Writer Brenda Olive

Creosote Bush: The oldest plant in the desert with a lifespan of 12,000 years. The waxy coating on its leaves prevents moisture-loss and its vast root system allows it to flourish in our harsh desert environment. After a rain, its fragrant foliage permeates the desert with a musty odor. It is called the “desert pharmacy” because of its many medicinal uses by Native Americans that we still use today.

Jojoba: An adaptive bush with a lifespan of 400 years. Featuring leathery gray-green leaves, the male has a ball or cluster of flowers rich in pollen while the female produces the nuts that early settlers used as a coffee substitute. The nuts are harvested in late July or early August and contain seed oil, which is a liquid wax that can be pressed out and used as a valuable lubricant.

Wolfberry: A bush bearing egg-shaped, reddishorange fruit that, high in antioxidants, can be enjoyed in a salad or with a breakfast cereal. Although typically ready to harvest in early May, it can flower and fruit several times a year. The bush drops its leaves during the summer until the rains come — an adaptation to its survival.

Brittlebush: Boasting silver-gray leaves with an abundance of daisy-like flowers that bloom winter to spring, its seed pods are nourishment for birds.

Ocotillo: Commonly misidentified as a cactus, the canes on this bush are leafless most of the year. However, bright green leaves appear after a rain, leading to clusters of red tubular, edible flowers that appear at the tips from March to June. It can live up to two centuries without any maintenance.

Bursage: Referred to as the lynch-pin of the Sonoran Desert, this shrub stabilizes the soil and acts as a nurse plant for seedlings and cacti that grow in its shade. It is highly drought-tolerant and good for naturalistic plantings. Many birds — including quail and cactus wrens — enjoy the seeds of the burs during the summer when there is little to feed on.

The Desert Awareness Committee is a nonprofit organization that has been a community resource advocate for the Sonoran Desert since 1974.

SSpring in Arizona means two things: baseball and wildflowers.

As temperatures begin to rise, the Sonoran Desert’s diverse flora begins to come alive with color. While the state is known for its stunning array of cactus blossoms — from the yellow, red and orange cupshaped flowers of the ubiquitous prickly pear, to the petite clusters of fragrant blooms that blanket hedgehog cacti, and even the picture-perfect platesize flowers of the Argentine giant that make a brief appearance as the sun begins to set — wildflowers also add dazzling drama to the desert landscape.

The first signs of color begin to appear at lower elevations around mid-February, with peak bloom viewing occurring around Tucson and Phoenix by mid-March. Park lands, botanical gardens and even roadsides explode with carpets of eyecatching beauty.

Whether you’re hiking, taking photographs or just heading out for an afternoon drive, the following destinations are just a few of the many places around the state where wildflowers can be viewed and enjoyed.

PICACHO PEAK STATE PARK

One of the best spots to see wildflowers in Arizona, this Sonoran Desert destination about 40 miles northwest of Tucson offers several hiking trails lined with brightly hued blooms. Vibrant yellow Mexican poppies are on full display. And golden desert marigolds, pink penstemons, white desert chicory, purple desert cosmos and yellow fiddlenecks combine with blooming cacti to create a rainbow of color that will reward visitors. Climb to the summit of the 1,500-foot-tall namesake rock formation for stunning 360-degree views.

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

BARTLETT LAKE

Golden poppies and purpleblue lupine complement the sparkling azure waters of this desert mountain lake that is about 48 miles northeast of Phoenix. To see the best of Bartlett Lake’s blossoms, head to Jojoba Trail, a 1.3-mile route that stretches through fields of flowering ocotillo cacti, blooming succulents, brilliant red chuparosa and Mexican poppies. Flower peepers also can drive the scenic road to Rattlesnake Cove, where rare white poppies frequently are spotted.

LOST DUTCHMAN STATE PARK

About two dozen species of wildflowers have been documented at this popular location in the western Superstition Mountain Range. Poppies and brittlebush blanket the mountain in wetter years, while desert hyacinth, chuparosa, and storksbill line hiking trails. Globemallow, scorpionweed, fairy duster, lupine and jojoba add to the painted landscape. The park offers ranger-guided wildflower hikes throughout March.

SOUTH MOUNTAIN PARK AND PRESERVE

Plenty of visitors flock to this mountainous region just minutes from downtown Phoenix for some of the most easily accessible hiking trails in the Valley. Every spring, the hills are transformed into a sea of gold that extends as far as the eye can see. Mexican poppies, small-blossomed bladderpod, creosote, fiddleneck and brittlebush climb the sloping terrain. The 7-mile-long Bajada Trail is one of the best wildflower hikes in the city, with sweeping panoramic views of downtown Phoenix and the surrounding Valley.

WHITE TANK MOUNTAIN REGIONAL PARK

Peak blooming season can occur as early as the beginning of March, so you may want to make this protected area in the West Valley your first stop on your wildflower tour. Poppies, lupine, desert lavender, globemallow, brittlebush, wild geraniums, buckwheat, fleabane and combseed decorate the desert floor. Rainy winters bring the rare appearance of the ajo lily, which features fragrant, large white flowers.

ORGAN PIPE CACTUS NATIONAL MONUMENT

While the night-blooming creamy white flowers of the park’s eponymous cactus are omnipresent in this southern Arizona biosphere reserve — it’s the only place in the U.S. where the organ pipe cactus grows wild — the more than 300,000 acres burst forth with color each spring. Poppies, lupine and desert marigolds are plentiful. Also look for smaller varieties, such as purple owl’s clover, yellow brittlebush, pink feathery fairy duster, and orange globemallow.

CATALINA STATE PARK

Located minutes from downtown Tucson on the northern slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountain Range, this park offers a plethora of outdoor activities, including bird watching and wildflower viewing. More than 150 species of birds call the park home. And dozens of varieties of colorful spring flowers bloom from late March into April. Poppies, lupine and desert chicory are common. They’re joined by brittlebush, fiddleneck, scorpionweed, fairy duster, purple owl’s clover, Parry’s penstemon and many others.

FLAGSTAFF

At nearly 7,000 feet above sea level, Flagstaff loses its winter chill later than Arizona’s southern cities. Blossoms can continue through the end of June. Late July through mid-August is peak season for prairie sunflowers. For the quintessential Instagram-worthy blanket of gold, head to the intersection of U.S. 180 and Schultz Pass Road, just north of town. The vast field of flowers is framed by the San Francisco Peaks. Also look for lupine, thistle, globemallow, red yarrow, calliopsis and fleabane.

Flower Forecast

According to DesertUSA.com, a Californiabased website that provides information on the geography of the American Southwest, the outlook for wildflower blooms in 2023 is good. In fact, the site has a Wildflower Reports page where visitors can upload photos so you can “learn where and when to view the spectacular displays.”

Also offering up-to-the-minute color reports are the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum’s Wildflower Hotline at 520-883-2702, ext. 7320, as well as the Arizona State Parks hotline at 602-542-4988.

IIt is often said that spring is all about new beginnings and transformations; a season that symbolizes starting fresh and starting over.

“Spring really is all of those cliches,” says Lynn Kough, who sings with and serves on the board of Sonoran Desert Chorale. “The flowers are appearing, the trees are leafing, the grass is greening — what little there is where we are, but it is maybe appreciated even more because of that. You see the little baby quail following the mama quail. It paints such a sweet picture.”

Salt River Brass music director Julie Desbordes agrees, noting that her favorite thing about spring is the sensation of hope that it brings to people.

“I mean, we live in Arizona so we see that almost every day,” Desbordes explains. “It is a proven fact that sunlight has fantastic effects on everybody's health and mood. And I love that, because I can tell that when the warmer days come, everybody is a little bit happier. I like to think of spring as new possibilities and regrowth.”

Those possibilities begin to bloom this month in the form of concerts and performing arts productions that reflect all of those sensational things about the season that reinvigorate us with a sense of hope, wonder and imagination.

Having last season staged “Les Miserables” as its spring production, Desert Foothills Theater will bring “The Secret Garden” to Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion March 30–April 8.

Photo by Rob Madden

‘THE SECRET GARDEN’

Desert Foothills Theater producing artistic director Sandi Carll’s favorite musical of all time is “The Secret Garden.” Based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the musical opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on April 25, 1991, and played for a total of 709 performances before closing on Jan. 3, 1993.

“The perception is that ‘The Secret Garden’ is a kids’ show,” Carll says. “But there are some very serious grown-up themes that surround this story of this wounded little girl who has lost her family in India and travels to England to be cared for by her uncle — who is grieving, in his own way, loss in his life.

“And it is all about how she finds light and a ‘bit of earth,’ which leads her to find this secret garden — which is dead and neglected. Through her tenacity for life and the people who come to her in this story, she is able to bring not only the garden back to life, but also redefine the concept of family. So it is a story of finding hope and inspiration in the unlikeliest of places.”

Having last season staged “Les Miserables” as Desert Foothills Theater’s spring production, which went on to garner 10 ariZoni nominations, Carll collaborated with music director Ken Goodenberger to select another big, powerful musical through which the nonprofit performing arts organization could fill audiences’ hearts.

They both agreed that “The Secret Garden” was the perfect choice.

“We wanted to do something challenging, emotional and complex,” explains Carll, noting that Desert Foothills Theater’s production of “The Secret Garden” will run March 30–April 8.

Spring really is all of those cliches. The flowers are appearing, the trees are leafing, the grass is greening — what little there is where we are, but it is maybe appreciated even more because of that. You see the little baby quail following the mama quail. It paints such a sweet picture. Lynn Kough

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Desert Foothills Theater's 2021 production of “13.” // Photo by Rob Madden

“It is fun for kids because they can relate to the lightheartedness of this little girl. But it is also very powerful. It will spark conversations of hope and inspiration with adults and families and is a very touching mix of loss, humor and heart. And it has also got a sweeping, Tony Award-winning musical score. So it is just the full package — especially for this time of the year, as its story relates to coming out of a dark, cold winter and into spring.”

Perhaps most significantly of all will be the production’s setting — which, for the past two years, has been outdoors at Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, adjacent to Carefree Desert Gardens.

“The pavilion is such a very special place,” Carll says. “Mounting a production outdoors presents its own set of challenges. But, at the same time, it just lends itself to being a magical experience for audiences. First of all, it is right in the center of town, a beautiful little spot surrounded by elements that are especially gorgeous for this show in particular. I mean, it could not be any more perfect.

“You are outside, under the stars. It provides this beautiful sound quality and the optics of the lights just come alive on the stage. And this show is very interesting in that it takes us from darkness into light through the natural elements of this secret garden. So to be mounting this show in the middle of this garden in our backyard... it is just the perfect venue.”

‘SPRING HAS SPRUNG’

On April 2, Salt River Brass will perform a concert designed to make audiences feel as though they are picnicking in the park on a beautiful Arizona day. The ensemble’s music director Julie Desbordes says that “Spring Has Sprung” will feature an exciting program filled with expressive melodies.

“It is very diverse,” says Desbordes, noting that the concert will include music from iconic composers Igor Stravinsky, Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin. “I think that it embodies spring by the excitement and enthusiasm in the way that the pieces were written and are performed. It is all very upbeat. They are bubbling and, together, will feel like a sonic, melodic celebration of spring.”

Desbordes reveals that selections will include “Candide Overture,” “An American in Paris” and — perhaps one of the most spring-sounding songs of all time — “Over the Rainbow.”

Though the ensemble is set to participate in a tuba-centric program at Arizona State University’s Gammage Auditorium in June, the spring concert at Mesa Arts Center is the official closer of Desbordes’ first season as music director for Salt River Brass.

“I am so grateful, honored and proud of how we have grown,” Desbordes says. “There has been a crescendo of growth throughout the season. Each rehearsal has

On April 2 at Mesa Arts Center, Salt River Brass will perform a concert designed to make audiences feel as though they are picnicking in the park on a beautiful Arizona day.

Photo Courtesy of Salt River Brass

Julie Desbordes // Photo Courtesy of Salt River Brass

been better than the last and we have produced some really high-quality concerts. We have gotten better in skill set, quality, harmony between the players, communion with the audience, ease on stage and just all of the ways that we communicate musically and humanly. I am just thrilled and cannot wait to see where we go from here.”

One place that Desbordes knows she would like to go is back into the pool of young, aspiring musicians.

“I am working on an effort to revive the Salt River Youth Brass Band,” she explains. “Hopefully, we will be able to recruit enough young, aspiring brass players in the Valley to create a little youth ensemble that will open our spring concert for us as well as perform one piece side-by-side with our professional musicians.”

It has been several years since Salt River Brass has had its own youth ensemble.

“I feel that it is time for [the youth component] to come back because a lot of our musicians are actually mentors or educators and have a lot to give to younger brass musicians,” Desbordes continues. “And when you are in middle or high school and are just starting to play your brass instrument, it is very inspiring to be able to sit beside the top brass players in the region — even for just one piece.

“And they are literally blossoming players — so that fits right in line with our spring theme.”

‘A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS’

On May 6 and 7, Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert it aptly calls “A Bouquet of Flowers,” featuring a program that the ensemble’s board member Lynn Kough says could not be more perfectly timed.

“It falls just one week before Mother’s Day,” Kough says. “[Artistic director Craig Peterson] conceived it as kind of a tribute and a gift to mothers but also a celebration of spring. Flowers represent new beginnings and strength. And we associate both of those things with mothers.”

Acknowledging that our world and our lives are enriched by the glory of flowers, the chorale aspires for its spring concert to embody a bouquet of flowers in song — bright, colorful and full of promise and delight.

“Flowers have a language all their own — in terms of color but also in terms of fragrance,” Kough explains. “Several of the pieces will come from Morten Lauridsen’s ‘Les Chansons des Roses,’ which is a collection of compositions based on the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. We will also be performing Eric Whitacre’s ‘With a Lily in Your Hand,’ which talks about how the lily captures the feeling of the stars and how bright they are in our lives.”

Another piece that Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform as part of the program is “Mo Li Hua” a Chinese folk song about jasmine — a flower that is especially significant to Kough.

“When our family moved to Arizona from the East Coast, the house that we moved into had a jasmine bush outside its door,” Kough explains. “Come May, just going in and out of that door is the most wonderful, refreshing experience because the jasmine is in bloom and its fragrance is so clean and sweet.

“We will also present some pieces by a Swedish composer that deal with a flowering almond tree, which I believe requires more water than Arizona can provide. Another very famous piece that we will be performing — James

7

On May

at La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church, Sonoran Desert Chorale will perform a concert embodying a bouquet of flowers in song — bright, colorful and full of promise and delight.

Photo Courtesy of Sonoran Desert Chorale

Photo Courtesy of Sonoran Desert Chorale

Mulholland’s ‘A Red, Red Rose’ — takes its text from the Robert Burns poem that reads, ‘O my Luve is like a red, red rose, that’s newly sprung in June; O my Luve is like the melody, that’s sweetly played in tune.’”

Noting that she has been singing since she was just a child, Kough adds that performing with Sonoran Desert Chorale has been one of the three greatest joys of her life — the other two joys being her husband and her children, of course.

“I have now been singing with the ensemble for 22 years,” she says. “And it is the most interesting, talented and supportive group of people. I just think that our chorale is truly a wonderful example of what a community chorus can be.”

Experience

‘The Secret Garden’

March 30–April 8

See website for times

Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion 101 Easy St., Carefree

$20; student discounts available dftheater.org

‘Spring Has Sprung’

Sunday, April 2 | 3 p.m.

Mesa Arts Center

One E. Main St., Mesa $19+; youth, student and senior discounts available saltriverbrass.org

‘A Bouquet of Flowers’

Saturday, May 6 | 7:30 p.m.

First United Methodist Church of Mesa

15 E. First Ave., Mesa

Sunday, May 7 | 3 p.m.

La Casa de Cristo Lutheran Church

6300 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale

$25; student, senior and group discounts available

sonorandesertchorale.org

I“It’s boots and chaps; it’s cowboy hats; it’s spurs and latigo; it’s the ropes and the reins and the joy and the pain and they call the thing rodeo.” So goes a famous Garth Brooks song describing the allure of struggle and glory that is the sport of rodeo.

The 46th annual Cave Creek Rodeo Days celebration lassos western tradition and local pride in a weeklong celebration. On March 18–26, thousands of visitors will come to experience a multitude of events.

"The Cave Creek rodeo is the signature event in town,” says Cave Creek Mayor Bob Morris. “As a horseman and equine competitor, I am so proud to be associated with this community service-focused organization, celebrating our heritage. My cowboy hats and boots are ready for some fun!”

The fun begins with the Cave Creek Rodeo Days Parade through the center of town 9–11 a.m. Saturday, March 18, followed by kids' mutton bustin' at 1 p.m. at Cave Creek Memorial Arena.

Cave Creek Rodeo Days’ new board president Mike Poppenwimer has decades of experience in event planning, restaurant management and operations in his native Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also a past president of Kiwanis Club of Carefree and is active chair of the committee in charge of the Kiwanis Marketplace. // Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Writer Shannon Severson

The parade is expected to have 170 entrants, many of which will be horse-drawn. “The more horses the better” is the rallying cry. Featured in the parade will be Cave Creek Rodeo Days royalty as well as royalty from other communities along with equestrian and community representatives in small-town style with a massive dose of western flair.

This year, bull riding is a major new addition to the highly competitive array of events at Cave Creek Memorial Arena that will culminate in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Rodeo Finals on Sunday, March 26. The brandnew chutes open at 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 23 for an “All Bulls, All Night” event with bull riding and bullfighting.

The following nights feature bareback and saddle bronc riding, team roping, tie-down and breakaway roping and barrel racing, with slack on Friday and Saturday mornings. Every day will feature vendor hours for shopping and food. On Sunday morning, the day begins at 9 a.m. with Cowboy Church at the arena before vendor hours and finals at 2 p.m.

There is absolutely something for everyone and organizers are expecting sell-out crowds.

While the celebration is highly Cave Creek-centric, it will manifest goodwill beyond the town limits. For the second year, Mountain View Pub will host a private fundraiser for the Crazy Horse Memorial which, held 4–6 p.m. on Wednesday, March 22, will raise awareness and assist in the completion of the world’s largest sculpture in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Proceeds will also benefit The Indian University of North America.

“The Mountain View Pub is committed to the completion of the Crazy Horse Memorial,” says JP Pemberton, the pub’s owner. “This is American history at its best and we here in Arizona want to help protect and preserve the culture, tradition and living heritage of the North American Indians so our children, grandchildren and future generations can experience this icon of history, culture and humanity.”

You can’t go wrong with our great Western heritage. Here in Cave Creek, you can still see horses on a hitching post outside of businesses. It’s something you don’t see anywhere else.

Mike Poppenwimer

CORRALLING THE TEAM

Volunteerism has always been at the heart of the event and leading the nonprofit Cave Creek Rodeo Days foundation is new board president Mike Poppenwimer, a Carefree resident with decades of experience in event planning, restaurant management and operations in his native Fort Collins, Colorado. He is also a past president of Kiwanis Club of Carefree and is active chair of the committee in charge of the Kiwanis Marketplace.

The military veteran has always had a passion for the western lifestyle. After leaving the military, a stint at his uncle’s ranch outside Cody, Wyoming helped him realize that being a full-time cowboy probably wasn’t the life for which he was meant. However, he did become a “cowboy” by getting a degree at University of Wyoming in hospitality management. Working in hotels meant a lot of travel, but it also brought him to Cheyenne, where he got involved in Cheyenne Frontier Days — something that prepared him for what he is now doing in Cave Creek.

“It was a really great experience,” Poppenwimer says. “A well-greased machine, in terms of putting on a rodeo.”

He eventually settled down in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife where they owned several restaurants and raised

Working in hotels meant a lot of travel, but it also brought Mike Poppenwimer to Cheyenne, where he got involved in Cheyenne Frontier Days — something that prepared him for what he is now doing in Cave Creek.

// Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Photo by Benjamin Brooks

their three children. When he retired at the age of 59, he and his wife sold everything and moved into a home against the backdrop of Black Mountain in Arizona.

Poppenwimer immediately got involved in the Kiwanis Club and, when the invitation came to lead the Cave Creek Rodeo Days board, he jumped at the chance to serve his community in yet another way.

“Basically, there was a leadership position open and I said, ‘I can do that,” Poppenwimer recalls. “It’s an opportunity to take things to a different level. We plan to make it a western week more than just an event; it’s all about the community. In six days, we have 12 events going on.”

Involving the community is facilitated by connecting with groups whose culture, heritage and interest are part of the tapestry of the west — old and new. Mountain men, trappers, gold panning enthusiasts and particularly the Native American community are all part of his plan to increase involvement. Poppenwimer has worked with the considerable Native American population in town to include more representation in Rodeo Days activities.

“Arizona and Cave Creek have amazing Native American culture here,” Poppenwimer says. “Our theme is American Western heritage and Native Americans have a big part in that. We are bringing in world-class dancers to be in the parade and I hope that next year we will include a specialty Native American craft show and village.”

Poppenwimer is also working with bike week organizers and businesses. His goal is to have a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with groups that want to make Cave Creek a successful place to have a business, enjoy as a local resident and welcome visitors.

THE GEM OF THE TURQUOISE CIRCUIT

Expansion and involvement are the hallmarks of Poppenwimer and the board’s efforts. Cave Creek Rodeo Days is the most-attended event in Cave Creek, attracting 15,000 people last year to the parade. He would like to keep that momentum going to benefit the businesses in town all week long.

“Part of our strategic plan is to make this week-long event that helps businesses prosper,” Poppenwimer says. “We are members of the chamber and we want to stay involved yearround. I expanded the board from seven to nine members. We are more of a working board. It’s too much work for just a few people, so all nine on the board have specific responsibilities.”

Another part of the plan is donating a portion of proceeds to charities in the greater Cave Creek area. They’ve already given away $27,000 and hope it will be more next year. The board has also used the proceeds to make improvements to the arena, which is owned by the town of Cave Creek.

Poppenwimer says that it has been a joy to work with the town and the relationship has been very productive. There have been changes in leadership and direction since the first rodeo in 1977, but it’s the members of the community and the town leaders who have worked hard to make it what it is today.

“There’s a ripple effect,” he says. “The pride in being part of a community that does something really outstanding and the businesses that benefit from people coming to see our great [town]. You can’t go wrong with our great Western heritage. Here in Cave Creek, you can still see horses on a hitching post outside of businesses. It’s something you don’t see anywhere else.”

It seems perfectly appropriate that, as Cave Creek is “Where the Wild West Lives,” an extra day has been added to the rodeo with the “All Bulls, All Night” attraction in response to a poll of locals. While it’s the first year for this thrilling competition and not sanctioned as a PBR event,

Mike Poppenwimer’s goal is to have a positive, mutually beneficial relationship with groups that want to make Cave Creek a successful place to have a business, enjoy as a local resident and welcome visitors. // Photo by Loralei Lazurek

Photo by Benjamin Brooks

Poppenwimer expects the 35–40 bull riders will put on a great show.

The Cave Creek Rodeo is part of the 13-rodeo Turquoise circuit and, while it’s one of the smallest towns to host its own rodeo on the circuit, it’s consistently ranked in the top five for how well it treats its contestants.

“We take care of our contestants and we take care of our fans,” Poppenwimer says. “Our goal is to be the top rodeo in the circuit.

“This year, we spent $120,000 to add brand new chutes and back panels. We are working with the city to make even more improvements in the future, including a new sky box next year.”

He emphasizes that the board’s spirit of expansion makes Cave Creek Rodeo Days unique and it’s also what makes it an exciting gig for him to lead

the effort. He’s willing to take the time to build it right and see where it goes.

“Our goal is bigger and better,” Poppenwimer says. “We’re very fortunate to have a group from the town of Cave Creek that works with us and a board who wants to put on traditional rodeo events and benefit the town. Everyone has a great attitude and makes it an enjoyable process.”

From the first clip-clops of horses’ hooves to the final glint of the rodeo winner’s shiny belt buckles. Cave Creek Rodeo Days is saddling up to be a great event that celebrates the past and future of western heritage here in Arizona.

cavecreekrodeo.com

Cave Creek Rodeo Days

Parade

Saturday, March 18 | 9–11 a.m. | Downtown Cave Creek

Mutton Bustin’

Saturday, March 18 | 1 p.m. | Cave Creek Memorial Arena

37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek

Crazy Horse Memorial Fundraiser

Wednesday, March 22 | 4–6 p.m. | Mountain View Pub 7033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek

All Bulls, All Night

Thursday, March 23 | 5–10 p.m. | Cave Creek Memorial Arena 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek

PRCA Competitions

Friday, March 24–Sunday, March 26 | See website for schedule

Cave Creek Memorial Arena | 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek 480-304-5634 | cavecreekrodeo.com

F“Flowers are used in food by someone who cares about you, and who cares about the beauty of what you are about to eat,” writes Constance Kirker in her book, “Edible Flowers: A Global History.”

The addition of edible flowers to a dish can take it from simple to spectacular. Just take a look at the social media pages of some of the Valley’s top dining establishments: On FnB’s Instagram feed, mouthwatering images of delectable soups, salads, vegetables and deserts pop with colorful accents of vibrant violets, sunny nasturtiums and pretty-inpink snow pea blossoms.

Writer Rebecca L. Rhoades

Latin-influenced eatery Vecina’s feed is dominated by photos of sparkling cocktails; their presentation in simple Collins and rocks glasses is elevated with cheery marigolds, ruffled carnations and sprigs of petite dandelions. And on Yelp, customers of Valentine post images of oyster mushrooms topped with pansy petals and breakfast buns sprinkled with dried mini magenta-hued blossoms.

Not just fancy garnishes, these flowers are meant to be part of the meal — something to be appreciated visually and savored with each bite.

“We don’t need to eat flowers, but they do provide this jolt of energy, almost like a buzz, that makes a plate of food or a drink come alive with joy,” says Emily Heller.

And she should know. Heller, a journalist turned gardener, cultivated all of these beautiful blossoms.

People have been using edible flowers for centuries — for appearance, for medicinal purposes and for flavor. Heller began experimenting with the blooms in the mid-2010s after getting involved in Community Exchange, a program

We don’t need to eat flowers, but they do provide this jolt of energy, almost like a buzz, that makes a plate of food or a drink come alive with joy. Emily Heller

Photography by Loralei Lazurek

Phoenix gardener Emily Heller’s edible flowers add color and joy to your plate.

Emily Heller cultivates three gardens in the Valley. Her Tempe home sits on one-third of an acre. She also leases farmland in Chandler, where she grows hibiscus. And in South Phoenix, she has a plot at Spaces of Opportunity, a 19-acre community garden designed to provide local residents with access to healthy, farm-fresh foods.

that helps small growers display their products at farmers markets. At the time, she was selling vegetables, herbs and cut flowers.

“I was talking with a regular customer of mine about flowers, and this customer was telling me about nasturtiums — how they’re a great flower and they taste so delicious,” she recalls. “I had always grown nasturtiums because they’re easy to grow and they look great in the garden. So, I started nibbling on the flowers that I had brought to market, and it was just such a cool moment.”

Nasturtiums have a sweet yet peppery flavor. They can be stuffed, added to salads, infused in vinegar or alcohol, or even dried and mixed with sea salt for a flavorful finishing salt.

Heller started studying edible flowers — understanding the environmental conditions in the low desert, learning what crops can grow flowers and figuring out which blossoms are edible and also taste good.

“Now, at every market without fail, one of my customers will say, ‘I had no idea you could eat those flowers,’” she says. “I love the opportunity to connect with people who want to know about local produce that will make their salads, cupcakes or charcuterie boards beautiful and exciting.”

FLAVORSOME FLORA

As the owner of Bene Vivendo — “The Good Life” — Heller cultivates three gardens. Her Tempe home sits on one-third of an acre. Here, in raised beds, she grows crops that need constant oversight.

She also leases farmland in Chandler, where she grows hibiscus. The large tropical heat-tolerant plant is a row crop, growing as tall as 6 to 7 feet. Its blossoms have a tangy, fruity flavor, and they can be eaten plain, mixed into a tea or even candied.

In South Phoenix, Heller has a plot at Spaces of Opportunity, a 19-acre community garden designed to provide local residents with access to healthy, farmfresh foods.

“Edible flowers make up about 20% of what I grow,” Heller notes. “If I were to add in bouquet flowers or decorative florals, then that would probably go up to 65% or 75%.”

Herbs and vegetables comprise the remainder of her yield.

“When I grow things, I usually select items that can be listed across multiple categories,” Heller explains when asked about what types of edible flowers she cultivates. “For example, I’m growing snow peas right now, and I’m selling the flowers as edible. They’re gorgeous — purple and pink and magenta colored.

“The flowers are going out the chefs as well as into the marketplace. I have a restaurant that buys 2 to 3 pounds of dill from me every week. And they just bought 300 snow pea flowers a couple weeks ago.”

In addition to nasturtium, hibiscus and snow peas, Heller also grows sweet william, snapdragons, violets and pansies, marigolds, bachelor’s button, begonias, carnations, hollyhocks, gladiolas, dandelions and Kiku chrysanthemums. For flowering herbs and veggies, she raises purple basil, dill, mint, artichoke, chicory and pink flowering rosemary.

“Now is a wonderful time for dill,” she adds. “It’s still young, and it has this lovely fresh sweetness to it. A big workhorse of my summer edible flower business is the hyacinth bean plant. It’s a legume flower, and it’s fantastic.

“For any culinary herb, any herb

Emily Heller's Top 5

EDIBLE FLOWERS TO PLANT IN MARCH

Hollyhock: A mainstay of country cottage gardens, these impressive stalks covered in glorious infusions of pink, purple, yellow, blue, orange, red and white blossoms can shoot upward of 8 feet tall, so while they are low maintenance, they do require space to grow. They also attract a variety of pollinators. “The hollyhock produces an almost a satellite dish-type flower. It’s big and wide open,” Heller says. “It’s not especially tasty, but it’s a very pretty garnish. I suggest using the flower as a receptacle for a dip or sauce.”

Zinnia: These showy blooms are especially attractive, with layers of vibrant petals. They’re easy to grow in planters or raised beds, and they thrive in sunny areas. They’re also prolific — cut them, and they’ll continue to grow back throughout the season. However, the flowers, while edible, are quite bitter in flavor. “This is not a flower that you want to take a chip out of, but it’s basically nontoxic and it makes a pretty garnish,” Heller notes. Use the entire flower as a decorative element on cakes or add the petals to water and freeze for colorful ice cubes.

Marigold: “There are two categories of marigolds,” Heller says. “One that tastes medicinal, and then the other type, which has a spicy, citrusy taste.” The easy-to-care-for, drought-resistant signet marigold, also known as golden or lemon marigold, produces copious bright yellow, orange or paprika-hued flowers. The blooms not only look pretty, but they can be chopped up and used in a manner similar to tarragon. “Signet marigolds are very pleasant and have a little citrus zing,” Heller adds.

Basil: One of the most commonly used herbs, basil — in particular, sweet basil — is an integral seasoning in Italian cuisine. But did you know that you can also eat the plants’ flowers? The tiny white, pink or purple blossoms have a fragrance similar to the leaves and a slightly bitter taste. Heller grows purple basil in her gardens, but these aromatic ornamentals also look good in pots or window boxes. “You can use your flowers as well as the foliage in your food,” Heller says. Add the flowers as a garnish, infuse them in vinegar or olive oil, or brew freshly cut blooms into a tea.

Sunflower: The tall stately plants with the large yellow blooms are beloved for their tasty, healthy seeds that can be eaten as a snack, added to salads and baked goods for some extra crunch, or blended into a creamy paste that’s a delicious nut-free alternative to peanut butter. “Sunflowers are kind of bitter, but you can pluck off the petals and sprinkle them in a salad,” Heller suggests. “That way, you wouldn’t taste much of the bitterness, and the petals would add a gorgeous and exciting pop of color. Plus, sunflowers are so easy to grow here in the Valley. They basically need just full sun and water on a regular basis.”

Emily Heller started studying edible flowers — understanding the environmental conditions in the low desert, learning what crops can grow flowers and figuring out which blossoms are edible and also taste good.

you’re using for food, the flower also is edible. If you’re going to the trouble to make a nice herb garden, use the flowers. Pinch them off and toss them in a salad, or use them as a garnish on top of a tray of roasted vegetables. The flower tastes just like the culinary herb with a mixture of sweet nectar. A flowering herb is a delicious thing, and it offers a fairly straightforward way to begin exploring edible flowers.”

Heller sells most of her harvest at Uptown Farmers Market in Phoenix. Some restaurants have standing orders with her, and she’s not afraid to reach out to others to let them know about her seasonal bounty.

“I don’t try to sell to every restaurant because I’m an army of one,” she says. “I have to be kind of choosy about who I connect with in terms of getting my flowers in their kitchens or in their bakeries.”

Donald “Hollywood” Hawk runs the James Beard Award-nominated Valentine in Phoenix.

“Whatever Emily has, I buy,” he says. While the restaurant doesn’t use a lot of flowers in its menu, “we do buy the lablab [hyacinth bean] flowers, and her hibiscus is fantastic. The reason we buy from her is she grows everything, but it’s not hydroponically done. Everything is incredibly flavorful, and you can tell the passion that she puts into it.”

When it comes to incorporating the flowers into his dishes, Hawk uses a tried-and-true — and simple — method: “We taste them, and then we fit them into wherever that flavor needs to go,” he explains. “Some we’ll turn into vinegar; others we’ll put directly on plates. They definitely can add to the dish.”

For Heller, including edible flowers in a meal is a way to let your dining companions know that you care about them.

“British chef Jamie Oliver says, ‘Garnish your food to show your guests that you appreciate them.’ By adding flowers, you’re taking that extra step to present your food very beautifully,” she points out. “Edible flowers aren’t just for big resorts or fancy chefs. You can use them, too. They can be an everyday lovely thing to add to a lot of dishes at home.”

benevivendofarm.com

DINING GUIDE

on Easy Street

IIn ancient Greece, few virtues were valued more than hospitality. Believing that you could not be sure who might be a god in disguise, Mediterranean hosts treated all visiting strangers as honored guests.

While times have certainly changed, this practice — commonly referred to as philoxenia, which translates to being a friend to strangers — has endured and led to the development of a culture of generosity; opening up a space at the table, sharing bread and wine, relishing in the history of familial customs and simply being courteous to people you do not know.

Carefree-based modern Mediterranean restaurant Athens on Easy Street was founded on the age-old and timehonored concept of philoxenia and continues to operate with it as the core principle of its business today. Aspiring to share the food and drinks he has come to love with everyone, but especially guests who might be unfamiliar with its style of fare, owner Augie Athenson strives to include his family history and passion for hospitality in every part of Athens on Easy Street’s service.

From its eclectic selection of mezze and dips, to its mouthwatering list of appetizers, to its myriad of specialties and platters that are bursting with exciting flavors, to its enticingbar program cultivated by Athenson’s fiancee Rita Culpepper, Athens on Easy Street’s menu is overflowing with delicious options that will transport you overseas for a lunch or dinner during which you feel like a member of the family.

Influenced by a global perspective and a desire to treat every diner as an honored guest, Athens on Easy Street invites you to experience family recipes passed down for generations, a passion for sharing food and the experiences of life and the concept of philoxenia that is even more special in today’s society than it was eons ago.

Asparagus Prosciutto Wraps

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

12–16 medium-diameter asparagus spears

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed according to package directions

4 slices prosciutto, 4x4 inches or larger, thinly sliced

6 ounces white cheddar cheese, divided into 8 slices

1 large egg

1 tablespoon honey

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a 12x18-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove egg from the refrigerator and set out to warm up a bit.

What better way is there to welcome spring than with these delicious asparagus prosciutto wraps? They are stunning to look at and highlight a beautiful spring vegetable — asparagus. They are easy to make but look like you've worked all day on them. I love the combination of white cheddar cheese, prosciutto and asparagus, all wrapped together in puff pastry then glazed with a honey-tinged egg wash. Add some edible flowers to your platter to make it pop!

Melt butter in a small microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Set aside to cool.

Lay out asparagus on a plate and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the kosher salt and toss with your fingers to coat.

Lightly flour a work surface. If puff pastry is not square, roll it out a bit to form a square. Cut puff pastry into four equal size squares. Rotate squares with a corner facing up and down, like a diamond.

Prepare egg wash by adding honey and egg to the bowl with melted butter. Stir well to combine. Set egg wash aside.

Top each diamond with a slice of prosciutto, folding as needed to fit over the surface. Top with 3–4 spears of asparagus and two slices of cheese.

Fold the left side of the pastry over asparagus and cheese and brush with egg wash. Fold the right side over the first side. Brush the top and sides of the pastry with more egg wash, being careful not to use too much. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper.

Bake until pastry is golden and cheese is nicely melted, 14–18 minutes.

Writer and Photographer Francine Coles thefancypantskitchen.com

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Scottsdale, AZ 85266 P. 480-488-2400

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