North Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek Edition

Desert Mountain

April 2015

Celebrating 15 Years

Carefree

Cave Creek

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PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID Permit NO. 3280 Denver, CO

ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

When experience count s

The Agents You Use & Refer

A well-earned North Valley reputation for strong work ethic and valuable networking connections makes Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci the smart choice for your next purchase or sale.

The Extra Mile In today’s market, nothing less gets the job done. Whether buying or selling, an experienced real estate agent who is quick to see solutions and not shy about testing limits to pursue your best interests is what you need and what you get with Jean and Tom. Winning Negotiation Style Well-seasoned in the art of negotiation, Jean and Tom are a valuable asset with the diplomacy of an ambassador and the perseverance of a bulldog.

www.ArizonaLuxuryRealty.com

Tom Scappaticci 602.430.4081

Jean Ransdell 480.294.3257

tom@tomscappaticci.com Realtor®, Associate Broker

jean@jransdell.com Realtor®, ABR, e-PRO, Relocation Specialist, 2015-2016 Pinnacle Peak RMS Co-Director

You want them on your team, and it doesn’t take long to see why!

Up-to-Date Laws, finance strategy, tools and resources, market trends and so much more change almost daily in Arizona real estate. Jean and Tom stay on top of current industry information and education and hold numerous certifications such as Associate Broker License, ABR and ePro Certification.

Luxury Homes & Lots With 50+ years of combined experience in AZ luxury real estate and hundreds of transactions under their belts, you benefit from this powerhouse team’s in-depth experience in luxury home and luxury lot sales. Land and lots are, especially, a unique sale or buy with very different considerations to be mastered. Tom prides himself in being that expert.

Check out www.ArizonaLuxuryRealty.com

Test imonial

Scottsdale, 5596 SF, 5BR, 5.5 BA 5 Car Garage $1,500.00

”Jean and Tom did an excellent job in selling our home. They have a thorough understanding of the market and how to best market our home for a quick sale at a solid price. Their marketing materials and efforts were exceptional. They have a sincere commitment to doing the right thing and in helping us evaluate offers.

We relied on their sound judgment and sold our home in three weeks. I would use them again if I needed to sell my home.” Ken and Darlene

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Trust Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci for Results!

They are the Team You Will Proudly Use and Refer!

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Beautiful mountain and Sonoran Desert views are yours Beautiful mountain and Sonoran Desert views are yours

The luxurious master suite boasts stone countertops, a

from this lovely stone and stucco home built on 1.24 acres

glamorous tub area, separate sinks, one with a vanity area,

in the gated community of Trovia. This spacious home

and his and her closets. The spectacular back yard is large

has a total of five bedrooms and five and one-half baths,

and private, the centerpiece of which is the beautiful heated

including four in-suite bedrooms and three-room casita.

pool, spa and water feature. Your guests will enjoy the built-

Twelve-foot ceilings add to the home’s spaciousness. The

in barbecue and fire pit, along with the lovely views. This

well-appointed kitchen is large with granite countertops, a

house definitely says “welcome!” both inside and out.

walk-in-pantry, a kitchen island, a breakfast bar and a small desk for cookbook consultation and paying bills. There is also a separate breakfast room, complete with a built-in bar and wine refrigerator.

Jean Ransdell and Tom Scappaticci Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty 480-294-3257 602-430-4081 ArizonaLuxuryRealty.com Apr il 2015

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Contents

Owner/publisher Shelly Spence

Editor/contributing writer Jenn Korducki Krenn

Contributing writers Donna Kublin Tom Scanlon Monica Longenbaker Amanda Christmann Larson Rebecca Zaner Barb Evans Lara Piu Stephanie Maher Palenque Paula Theotocatos Lauren Strait Peni Long Suzanne Wright Nigel Spence Susan Kern-Fleischer Rebecca Zaner

Photographers Bryan Black Loralei Lazurek Mike Harvey Michele Celentano Jamie Pogue Jerri Parness Karen Hamilton Monica Longenbaker

Graphic artist Sam Paul

Advertising Consultant Brian Bluvas

623-341-8221 // imagesaz.com Submission of news for Community News section should be in to

Behind The Camera

Photograph (c) 2015 Pedro E. Guerrero Archives Writer Amanda Christmann Larson P. 32

shelly@imagesaz.com by the 10th of the month prior to publication.

ImagesAZ is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright Š 2014 by ImagesAZ, Inc. All rights reserved.

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

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

Local First A R I Z O NA 4

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Welcome Spring has officially sprung in the Valley and with it, a sunny disposition in the sky and in our hearts as we welcome the beautiful desert blooms and greenery that surround us as the thermometer continues its upward climb. April marks that wonderful grace period between the (relatively) damp chill of our Arizona winters and the searing dry heat of the summer months.

With the great outdoors beckoning just beyond my window, it’s tempting to wish I could freeze time and hold onto these precious days of walking around outside breaking into neither a shiver nor a sweat. But since no one has come up with a way to do that just yet, I’m making the most of every fleeting hour instead by filling my calendar with the plethora of springtime festivals,

Skyepeople Writer Donna Kublin P. 24

performances, concerts and events that pack the pages of our Community section this month.

I wish you all a wonderful new season ahead and, in lighthearted fun, perhaps the enjoyment of an April Fools’ Day prank or two. Anything that will help put that extra spring in your step.

Cheers!

Lady Falcons

Tower to Casey

P. 38

P. 28

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

Passion & Romance on Canvas

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family

Jon, Lauren & Isla If you know a family you would like to nominate, please email shelly@imagesaz.com.

Meet the Oughterson Family Writer Barb Evans Photographer Bryan Black

Life for Cave Creek resident Jon Oughterson has come full circle. At one time, he was taking orders as a barista and bartender for the former Cave Creek Coffee Company, located on Cave Creek Road. Now, he’s giving the orders as the owner of his own coffee shop, located in the same spot as his former employer.

Jon and his wife, Lauren, opened Local Jonny’s, a coffee shop, bar and restaurant, last October. Although it occupies the same space as the former Cave Creek Coffee Company, which closed two years ago, it isn’t the same place with just a new name. Taking a fresh spin on an iconic bike shop in Texas named Mellow Johnny’s, Jon, who grew up in Cave Creek, teamed up with his high school friend, Kaolin Cummens, owner of Flat Tire Bike Shop, to share the space and give it a new purpose.

“I could see it right away,” says Jon. “We could have a bike theme, with retail on this side and seating on the other. It was exciting; I said, ‘We have to do this.’ Lauren was on board right away.”

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“We would always eat out,” explains Lauren. “So we had a good idea of what we liked in a restaurant and what we thought this town was missing.”

Kaolin relocated his bike shop into the new location with Jon’s help, then the Oughtersons took another two months to make improvements to their space. Jon, who has experience working with his hands as a former glass artist, contractor and handyman, did most of the renovations.

“We built the wall, ripped off the stone from the existing bar, redid the lighting, painted and moved the coffee equipment,” he says.

Despite this being their first venture as restaurant owners, the Oughtersons aren’t new to the Cave Creek coffee scene. They both worked at Firecreek Coffee before it changed hands and became The Grotto Cafe. In fact, that’s where they met in 2011, when Jon, who was manager, interviewed Lauren for a position.

“We like to joke that we met through Craigslist,” laughs Jon. “She answered the post we had on there. We didn’t date right away because she had a boyfriend at the time.

It was all business, but we got along really well.”

Lauren, who hails from Washington state and moved to Arizona to get out of the rain, went on to work at Big Earl’s and eventually broke up with the boyfriend. She and Jon kept in touch through mutual friends. When he heard about her single relationship status, he took the advice of a friend and asked her out.

“We went to El Encanto,” remembers Lauren. “And then the next morning, I called him and said I was going to the hospital. I had appendicitis.”

“I’m like, ‘what did I do?’” says Jon. After Lauren had emergency surgery, she was nervous to see him again.

“But he was really sweet and came to visit me,” she says.

Opening the restaurant was just one of several recent life-changing moments for the Oughtersons. They also

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welcomed a daughter in 2013, Isla Adele, and got

another friend, Stephanie Chacon, and her band to

married last year.

be the musical entertainment. Daigneault’s husband and local celebrity, Mad Coyote Joe, officiated the

“It’s been crazy,” says Jon.

ceremony. Paper flowers, candles and an arch served as decorations. Local Jonny’s backyard, which once

Isla is now 17 months old and, according to her

was the scene of many legendary Cave Creek parties

mother, she is curious, cautious and comfortable

that Jon had been a bouncer for, was now the perfect

around people.

backdrop for his new life with Lauren and Isla.

“She’s pretty much a perfect human being,” gushes

“We threw it together in two weeks,” he says. “We had

Lauren.

no idea what was going to happen, but it was a lot of fun.”

Jon and Lauren had been trying to plan a wedding, but they couldn’t come up with a place that was special

“Just like a big old backyard party,” says Lauren.

enough for both of them. Several weeks before Local Jonny’s opened, they had an epiphany.

Now that Isla has arrived and the restaurant is up and running, the Oughtersons are pretty busy these days.

“My parents were coming to visit from Washington,” says Lauren. “So two weeks before they were set to

“We were big moviegoers, but now all we do is live

arrive we said, lets get married when they’re here and

here and talk about the shop and Isla,” says Lauren.

do it at the shop!”

“We’ve fallen into the parent thing, with a strict schedule and everything. We see our family and

“We’re not traditional people,” laughs Jon.

friends and sometimes have block parties in the back, but most of the time, we’re just too exhausted to do

They sent invitations via Facebook, and long-time friend

anything else.”

and Local Jonny’s chef Kathy Daigneault offered to do the catering and bake the cake. They also asked

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community arts // Culture // announcements Writer Barb Evans

April 17 Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents “Ladies Sing the Blues�

Vocalists Catherine Russell, Brianna Thomas and Charenee Wade channel the liberated spirits and pioneering vocalizations of 1920s blues divas Bessie Smith, Mamie Smith, Ma Rainey and legendary icon of stage and film, Ethel Waters. 7 and 9 p.m. $42.50-$52.50.

Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., 480-478-6000, mim.org.

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Each Visit includEs:

• Visual inspection of all rooms • Check HW heater • Check for pests, insects • Check landscaping, pool and spa • Check for signs of leaking • Check thermostats • Visual inspection of garage and systems • Run water, flush toilets • Check fridge

Weekly Checks While You’re Away

April 3, 4 Hidden in the Hills Artist Showcase Winners’ Art Salon Hidden in the Hills winning artists

Peace of Mind While You’re Away.

Serving the NE Valley including Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek and Desert Ridge since 1998.

602-909-6635

Sharon Brening (painter), Roxanne

Our mission is simple...

Vise (painter) and Christopher Heede (potter/sculptor) discuss their art and exhibit their work.

4-5 p.m. Free. Desert Foothills

“We relieve the stress of leaving your home vacant for extended periods of time.”

Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Rd., 480-488-2286, dfla.org.

Diane Mitchell - Owner

April 4 Cave Creek Trail Run

HomeWatchAZ sends a report with photos detailing any problems via email after each inspection. We work with a large network of trusted contractors and servicemen, and can arrange & oversee cleaning and repairs. We meet deliveries, pest control and tailor our services to meet your individual needs.

www.HomeWatchAZ.com

R e f e r e n c e s

A v a i l a b l e

•

B o n d e d

&

I n s u r e d

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Help the Town of Cave Creek preserve more than 6,000 acres of pristine desert land from development in this fundraising event sponsored by REI that features a 2K kids’ fun run, a 5K run/walk and a 10K run. 7 a.m. Spur Cross Ranch, 44029 N. Spur Cross Rd., cavecreektrailrun.com.

April 4 Zumbathon Get fit with the latest high-energy dance moves set to the beats of Latino and world rhythms while supporting the Foothills Food Bank

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements and Resource Center at

April 12

this Zumbathon featuring

Cave Creek Museum Spaghetti Dinner

certified Zumba instructors from several gyms and

Bring your appetite for

dance studios. 10 a.m. to

this fun spaghetti dinner

12 p.m. $10-$20. Sanderson

featuring raffles and a

Lincoln Pavilion, 101

silent auction. Funds help

Easy St., 480-488-1145,

the Cave Creek Museum

foothillsfoodbank.com.

and its programs. 4-7 p.m. $15, adults; $7,

April 4, 11, 18, 25

ages 5-11; Free, ages 4 and under. Harold’s Cave

Water Safety Clinic Help lower the risk of

April 8

Creek Corral, 6895 E. Cave

available for all ages and

AAS Lecture: Re-excavating the Past: New Work with Ancient Textiles, Baskets, Wood and Hides from Southeastern Utah

open to the public. 2

Guest speaker Laurie Webster discusses her research on

drowning with these handson water safety clinics

p.m. Free. Desert Foothills

thousands of prehistoric perishable artifacts excavated

Family YMCA, 34250 N.

from alcoves in Southeastern Utah. 7-9 p.m. Free. Foothills

60th St., Bldg. C, 480-

Community Foundation – Holland Community Center, 34250

596-9622, valleyymca.org/

N. 60th St., Bldg. B, azarchsoc.org/desertfoothills.

Creek Rd., 480-488-2764, cavecreekmuseum.org.

desertfoothills.

Opera House at Carefree Resort, 37220 N. Mule Train Rd., 480-575-0188, upscalesingers.com

April 10-12

Arizona Musicfest Putting Tournament

April 10, 17, 19

Carefree Days

Tea with Baroness Knight of Collingtree

Over 75 arts and crafts

Revel in British history

Upscale Singers Present “Broadway Tonight!”

one-of-a-kind handicrafts

Support Arizona Musicfest’s scholarship programs with this putting tournament featuring scenic views, musical entertainment, wine, appetizers, dinner buffet, raffles and prizes. 2:30 p.m. $100 includes golf and party. Tonto Verde Golf Club, 18402 El Circulo Dr., 480-488-0806, azmusicfest.org.

Enjoy a dinner and a show with North Valley’s Upscale Singers as they perform favorite Broadway musical medleys. 5:30 p.m. Check website for ticket prices. April 10 performance at Desert Mountain Golf Club, 10550 E. Desert Hills Dr.; April 17 and 19 performances at

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April 15

April 7

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exhibitors feature their and artwork at this outdoor festival that celebrates spring and honors the town of Carefree. 10 a.m. 5-p.m.

Carefree Desert Gardens/ Sanderson Lincoln Pavilion, 101 Easy St., 480-488-2014, magicbirdfestivals.com.

with tea on tax day and a presentation by the Baroness Knight of Collingtree, an authority on European Affairs and World War II who has served in Parliament for over thirty years. Reservations required. 3 p.m. $30.

English Rose Tea Room, 201 Easy St., 480-488-4812, carefreetea.com.

April 18 Carefree Desert Gardens Seminar: Designing with Native Plants Look to the desert for inspiration and see how to blend some of that natural beauty into your own landscape with the help of landscape architect Judy Mielke, author of “Native Plants for Southwestern Landscapes.” 9:30 a.m. $5 donation.

Carefree Town Council Chambers, 100 Easy St., 480-488-3686, carefreedesert-gardens.com.

April 19 “Day at the Races” Benefitting After the Homestretch-Arizona Enjoy a day at the races complete with luncheon and dessert while supporting After the HomestretchArizona, a rescue organization that protects the legacy of former racehorses through reconditioning, retraining and rehoming. Prepaid reservations required. 12-5:30 p.m. $34 per person. Turf Paradise, 1501 W. Bell Rd., 480-695-6187, afterthehomestretchaz.org.

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements Western and Southwestern

May 2

furniture, home décor,

A Perfect Pairing Nine and Dine

accessories and gifts.

Ten percent of all sale

Hosted by TRRFCC

proceeds benefit Triple R

Horsemanship, this annual

Horse Rescue and Arizona

fundraiser features nine

Equine Rescue Organization,

holes of golf with a wine

Inc. 5-8 p.m. Free. Big

tasting, raffle, live auction

Bronco, 6602 E.

and no host bar. $100, golf

Cave Creek Rd.,

and dinner; $50, dinner

bigbroncocavecreek.com.

only. Tatum Ranch Golf

April 19

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day

Dinner With Wolves

Have fun, be active and

Experience the mystique of the Mexican gray wolf, one of

learn new ways to create

the planet’s most endangered mammals, while supporting

healthy and lasting routines

the Defenders of Wildlife and Arizona’s Southwest Wildlife

for the entire family with

Conservation Center at this intimate dinner that includes

this national initiative

a guided tour of the Conservation Center. 4-7 p.m. $250.

to improve health and

Transportation provided from the Omni Scottsdale Resort

well being for kids and

and Spa at Montelucia, 4949 E. Lincoln Dr. Event takes place

families. Includes activities,

at Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center, 27026 N. 156th

interactive games and

St., 480-471-9109, dinnerwithwolves.com.

presentations by Wild

de Paul and other local

at Heart, the Phoenix

charities at this event

Herpetological Society and

sponsored by Carefree’s

the Phoenix Zoo. 9 a.m.

Knights of Columbus,

to 12 p.m. Free. Desert Foothills Family YMCA, 34250 N. 60th St., Bldg. C, 480-596-9622, valleyymca. org/desertfoothills.

April 27 Golf-Fore-Charity Enjoy a great round of golf at two of Scottsdale’s premier private golf courses while supporting St. Vincent

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Club, 29888 N. Tatum

April 25

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Council #11116. 11:30 a.m.

Troon Country Club, 25000 N. Windy Walk Dr.; Desert Highlands Golf Club, 10040 E. Happy Valley Rd., 480-616-5321, golf-fore-charity.org.

Ranch Dr., 602-410-8836, trrfcchorsemanship.org.

May 2, 3 AZDance Group Presents “Visiting” AZDance Group presents their spring concert featuring guest artist Astrit Zejnati, young adults with disabilities and AZDance’s professional dance roster.

Check website for show times and ticket prices. May 2 performance at Grand Canyon University, 3300

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community calendar arts // Culture // announcements W. Camelback Rd.; May 3

during a bilingual naming

performance at Paradise

ceremony held at the

Valley Community College,

school. In China, names are

18401 N. 32nd St., 480-

important and have to be

215-1916, azdance.org.

carefully created so they sound beautiful in the tonal

Cactus Shadows Students Selected as National Merit Scholarship Finalists

language while representing

Cactus Shadows students

Chinese immersion program,

Jeri Glickman and Sam

contact Janiene Marlow,

something special about that person. For more information about the

Slack were recently selected from 16,000 students to be finalists for the National Merit Scholarship Program. The NMSP is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. The two will vie to be among 8,000 students to receive a merit scholarship award. For more information about the NMSP, visit nationalmerit.org.

May 7 Mother’s Grace Brunch Celebrate Mother’s Day with a champagne brunch featuring Grace Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the support of mothers and children who have endured life tragedies. 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Home of Sandy Metzler, 6811 N. Desert Fairways Dr., 480-320-9466, mothers-grace.org. selected Dawn Taylor of

contention for a larger

Scottsdale as recipient

monetary award. For

of its $2,500 “Live Your

more information, visit

Dream” award, an honor

sisaguarofoothills.org.

given to a working woman

Club’s golfers, tennis

supporting her parents

players, bridge players and

while working toward a

various residents raised a

degree or vocational skill.

Taylor, a single mother of a 3-year-old boy with autism, currently attends Scottsdale Community College and plans to continue her education at Arizona State University after she graduates this May. She has been

Soroptimist International of

selected to go on to the

Saguaro Foothills recently

regional level to be in

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Terravita’s Play for P.I.N.K. Raises More Than $22,000 for Breast Cancer Research Terravita Golf and Country

raising her children or

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480-272-8500.

shopping and inspirational speakers and benefitting Mother’s

who is head of household,

Soroptimist International of Saguaro Foothills Selects Scottsdale Woman for Award

principal at Horseshoe Trails Elementary School,

total of $22,716 for the Breast Cancer Research

Cave Creek Kindergarteners Participate in Chinese Naming Ceremony

fundraiser held in January.

Kindergarten students in

The fundraising effort was

Cave Creek Unified School

spearheaded by Terravita

District’s Chinese immersion

Women’s Golf Association

program at Horseshoe

and was the community’s

Trails Elementary School

largest donation since the

were presented with their

event’s inception in 2001.

official Chinese names

In the past 15 years,

Foundation through the national Play for P.I.N.K.

Terravita has raised $151,647 for

open every day except Monday and

breast cancer research with the

serves lunch and dinner. For more

support of the entire community.

information, visit guidogarcias.net.

New Brand of Yoga Wear Launches in Cave Creek Yoga Democracy, a new brand of sustainable and ethical yoga clothes made from recycled fibers, opened operations in Cave Creek this February. Owner and designer Natalie Oldroyd created the line using a zero-water, non-toxic

Big Bronco Acquires One-of-aKind Brazilian Furniture

fully saturated, no-bleed color. The

method of dyeing that produces

Big Bronco, a nationally known

clothes are manufactured in the

Western and Southwestern furniture

United States and can be purchased

store, recently acquired several

online at yogademocracy.com. Ten

pieces from the renowned Dennis

percent of net profits are donated

Hendricks Collection. The furniture

to environmental causes.

showcases 100-year-old Brazilian hardwood reclaimed furniture made from old farm implements and equipment and parts of old sugar mills. The pieces are embellished with copper accents, resulting in striking desks, tables and carts. Big Bronco is located at 6602 E. Cave Creek Road.

Guido Garcias Restaurant Opens in Spanish Village

Verri Celebrates 1st Anniversary

Guido Garcias Ristorante and

Verri, a women’s and men’s clothing

Cantina opened in February in

store featuring European styles

downtown Carefree’s historic Spanish

and fashions, celebrates its first

Village. The restaurant, owned and

anniversary this month with sales

operated by Cave Creek residents

of 30 to 70 percent off select

Troy and Christina McDonald

items. Customers can enjoy light

(owners of Brugos Pizza in North

refreshments as they shop during

Scottsdale), features a mix of

the first weekend in April. The

Mexican and Italian cuisine with

boutique opened in 2014 and is

such eclectic dishes as slow roasted

located in the Summit at Scottsdale,

pork belly tacos and mushroom

32421 N. Scottsdale Rd. For more

zucchini lasagna. The restaurant is

information, visit verri.me.

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Writer Barb Evans

G I V E S 22

T O M ’ S

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T H U M B

A

T H U M B S

U P

Fans of the Food Network’s popular series “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” got a taste of Arizona on a recent episode, and they may have noticed that we don’t do things the usual way around here — especially when it comes to getting gas.

One of the restaurants featured on the February 6 “Arizona All-Stars” episode was Tom’s Thumb Fresh Market, an unassuming gas station and car wash on the outside, but a bustling market, gift shop, wine bar, bakery and restaurant on the inside known for serving up a mean barbecue.

“If you got to go get your car washed, and get it filled with gas, and you’re hungry, why not do that all at the same place?” asked owner Kipp Lassetter during a recent interview.

Show host Guy Fieri and his film crew paid a visit to the Northeast Valley eatery last December, where he traded in his iconic red Camaro for a Polaris recreational vehicle and filled up on gas and grits. He joined Lassetter in the kitchen, where they made Tom’s famous sliced brisket sandwich — smoked beef brisket with aioli sauce on Texas toast — and Pigs and Grits — deep-fried pork piled upon grits and topped with homemade Kansas City barbecue sauce, jalapeño bacon and cheese.

“This is at a gas station, ladies and gentlemen,” said an impressed Fieri.

Lassetter and his staff celebrated the nationwide recognition with a viewing party held at the market February 6. Friends, family and customers new and old watched the episode while noshing on Tom’s famous barbecue and drinking wine and beer.

“We would like to thank our customers for their support and for spreading the word about our delicious barbecue and unique market,” said Michael Lawson, general manager. “We would also like to thank our staff for their support and hard work. We all worked together as a family to prepare for the filming of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.’”

9393 E. Bell Rd., Scottsdale tomsthumbfreshmarket.com 480-513-8186 Apr il 2015

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Writer Donna Kublin

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Always looking to find quality artwork done by local artists to

Over time, Lawless’ work has evolved. At first, she created

add to her store’s offerings of classy, vintage Western home

dolls without faces; later she began putting copper buttons

furnishings, Big Bronco Furniture Barn and General Store

to create the eyes. As she worked with them, she began to

owner Faith Weinberg added Sara Lawless’ “Skyepeople”

include pounded copper faces to which she added touches

collection about six years ago.

of paint. More recently, she began making fused glass faces for a more contemporary look, though her primitive dolls

“Skyepeople

are

a

completely

unusual

and

personal

expression,” said Weinberg. “They are the artist’s own

are more likely to be seen at Big Bronco. She sometimes creates heads made from dried gourds.

inspiration with their distinctive copper faces, specialty fabric and colorful beadwork. Customers really appreciate

Lawless creates her forms of manila fiber from the Philippines,

the uniqueness of her one-of-a-kind art pieces. They took

which she dyes different colors and twists to make shapes.

a look at her dolls and were inspired to ask questions,

She sometimes uses sticks or antlers as she constructs the

wanting to know about them, noting their expressiveness

figures. She uses embellishments such as natural beads,

as well as how they were made: the weaving, beads and

seagrass and specialty fabrics and pieces, having foraged

fabric. Being quite affordable, tourists and locals buy them

flea markets and antique stores for handmade patterns on

for gifts, home décor and collections.”

upholstery, leather, fur and feathers. She uses a black metal rod and stand so that her work is three-dimensional. The

Sara Lawless came to Arizona in 2002, after traveling here

smaller stand is about 20 inches tall and the larger ones

from San Diego for four years to do art shows. She was

about 30 inches, but she also does wall-hung dolls as well

drawn to the desert and felt it would be a good place to

as commission work up to six feet tall.

develop more fully her idea of crafting primitive dolls, which she calls Skyepeople. Before moving, she had a gallery in

“Lawless’ work fits right in with our unique, Western, one-of-

Ocean Beach, California and then lived on the Big Island of

a-kind furniture and home décor,” said Weinberg, whose Big

Hawaii for 20 years, where she sculpted alabaster figures

Bronco store is celebrating 15 years in business this month.

with a Hawaiian theme and crafted natural fiber baskets

A special celebration is planned for Saturday, April 25, and

from grass that she collected there. Shifting her focus to

will feature live music, the beginning of the end of season

work in mixed media, she began making dolls in 1997, just

sale, food, beverages and more.

prior to returning to California.

Ten percent of all proceeds will benefit two 501(c)(3) Lawless likes the feeling she has when she creates the

organizations: Triple R Horse Rescue and Arizona Equine

Skyepeople and enjoys seeing the feelings they inspire in

Rescue Organization, Inc. In addition to saying thank you

others.

to the residents and visitors who support the store yearround, Weinberg believes in giving back to the community

“I think the primitiveness and sense of oldness resonates

and continues to support local charities, with these two

with people,” she said. “They seem to make a connection

nonprofits of particular interest. The organizations will be

with the simple, direct style of them.” She considers the

present for the event and Triple R Horse Rescue plans to

style primitive-contemporary, or “primitive figures created in

bring miniature horses for guests to enjoy.

our time.”

Apr il 2015

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25

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

Mary Hoffman, a popular Mesa-based singer-songwriter,

will

provide

live

music. Hoffman, winner of the Arizona State University Idol competition in 2004, is a country music aficionado.

Weinberg began her business soon after she moved from Seattle in 1999.

Inspired

by

the

Southwest,

she became a collector of antique, vintage Western décor. Since she loved

retail,

quality

Western

and

rustic home furnishings and Cave Creek, it seemed like a natural fit. At first her store was very small, but she kept getting opportunities to expand, which eventually led to her starting the furniture part of the business, now two-thirds of the sales.

“I love designing furniture, finding specialty upholstery and the unusual that I can offer at a good price to our customers,” said Weinberg, who also does the buying, display designs and remodeling. She works alongside a staff that has been with her a long time and is like family.

“It seems like we just celebrated our

10th

anniversary,”

she

said,

somewhat ruefully. “I guess when you are constantly striving to hit a new horizon to improve the business, it is easy to lose track of time.”

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Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Mike Harvey

He’s not quite at the “Top Gun” level yet, but Casey Cooper is well on his way. The future is up in the air, literally, for this North Scottsdale resident who attends Notre Dame Preparatory.

At a time when many teenagers are playing video games that simulate flying, Casey is actually doing it; he made his first solo flight last year and in mid-February was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol. He began flying when he was just 14 years old.

“My parents, John and Christy, knew that I wanted to fly and they purchased me an explorer flight for my 14th birthday to see if I enjoyed it,” he said. “I currently have nearly 30 hours of flight time. I need to get up to a minimum of 40 hours before I can receive my private pilot’s license.”

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

His passion for flying goes back to an even younger age, when he was around 8 years old.

“My grandfather flew Cessnas before I was born and I had heard some of his stories about flying,” he explained. “Another influence came from my neighbor, Lt. Col Charlie Black. He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He has known me since the day I was born and I have admired him for years.”

Casey loves the rare combination of freedom and responsibility in flying planes.

“When you fly, you feel like you can go anywhere you want and you can see anything from up in the air,” he said. “The sense of responsibility I have when I fly is amazing; everything has to be perfect and any error can impact the flight. It’s nothing like driving, where I can hop in the car and just go. I have to preflight the plane, check the oil and gas, talk to the ground control and then to the tower. After all of that is complete, I can take off and get into the air.”

His goal is to continue improving as a pilot and to become subtler with the controls. He notes that the slightest movement of the yolk can affect the direction of the aircraft. The bigger the movement, the bigger the effects, so it’s important to steer gently to avoid making changes that are too big.

When it comes to studying for a career in flying, math and science are key courses for young people interested in the not-always-friendly skies.

“Science is important,” Casey noted, “because a pilot needs to know the clouds that are nearby because the clouds can make the flight very turbulent.

When flying, knowing the angles of the banks is important because if they are too big or too small, then turns will be steep and fast or shallow and slow, depending on what the pilot does.”

But Casey Cooper is not all flying, all the time. He may have his head in the clouds, but he’s also in honors and advanced placement classes, the president of NDP’s junior class and founder of NDP’s Aviation Club, as well as a member of the school’s baseball team.

That said, the Civil Air Patrol, an Air Force Auxiliary, has also become a big part of his life.

“At our meetings, we teach cadets how to drill and classroom instructions,” he said. “We often do search and rescue alongside the Air Force. My new ranking as second lieutenant changes me from a non-commissioned officer to an officer. I will go from being a flight sergeant to being a flight commander. This transition gives me more leadership opportunities when it comes to teaching and organizing activities. I will no longer be in charge of marching the cadets, as that will be given to the new flight sergeant.”

Apr il 2015

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

No surprise, his favorite flick is “definitely

‘Top

Gun.’”

When

he

watches it, Casey likes to imagine himself doing the same thing when he’s older. He also watches “Air Aces” on television, a show about some of the greatest pilots that have flown since World War II. He hopes to be a military top gun himself, post-high school.

“After I graduate from NDP, my ultimate goal is to go to either the Air Force Academy or the Naval Academy, which I consider to be the best flight schools in America,” Casey said. “From there I plan on going to flight school to become a fighter pilot and serve my country.”

Casey

has

Mackenzie, younger

a who

brother,

younger is

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sister,

15,

and

a

Jesse,

who

is

12. His parents have been very supportive of his flying, making time to get him up in the air as much as possible despite everyone’s busy schedules.

They

often

listen

to

Casey talking to the tower through a mobile app, which allows them to hear radio calls from any airport in the world.

And what does North Scottsdale look like from the air?

“Looking at NDP and the area around Scottsdale is like looking at

a

model

city,”

Casey

said.

“Everything looks much smaller and it gives me a better perspective on the size of everything compared to being on the ground.”

Apr il 2015

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31

Frank Lloyd Wright in his studio at Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin in 1947.

Guerrero originally planned to pose Frank Lloyd Wright for a waist-up portrait in 1947 at his studio in Spring Green, Wisconsin. But Wright appeared without shaving and told him that “he wasn’t about to” so Guerrero moved the camera back, which improved the shot he thought.

Writer Amanda Christmann Larson All photographs (c) 2015 Pedro E. Guerrero Archives.

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For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a love affair

Pedro Guerrero was born in 1917 in Casa Grande to parents

with books. Walking through a library is like discovering a

who saw beyond the racist constraints they faced. As a child,

treasure trove of gems, each one bound tightly in book

young Pete attended the town’s Mexican school and was

cloths or board, waiting to be opened so that it can reveal

one of only a handful of children of Mexican immigrants to

its carefully sculpted brilliance.

succeed in school beyond eighth grade. He was integrated into the town’s white school after third grade and quickly

Some books reveal the intricacies of the author’s imagination:

learned what it was like to not be born of privilege.

tales of intrigue and mystery drawing the reader into a fantastical dance. Others reveal knowledge and facts that

In his book, “Pedro E. Guerrero: A Photographer’s Journey,”

change how we see the world and our role within it. Yet

he details one such example.

others share stories that give us insight, not only into the characters whose lives are portrayed, but into who we are

“My fifth grade teacher in 1928 was Mary Alice Bell, a

and where we have been.

tall and slender brunette with blue eyes, just like Snow White,” he says. “She was pretty and fragile, soft-spoken

The story of one remarkable Arizona man may have been

and patient — the heroine of all the fairytales I had ever

all but lost had his friends and family not encouraged him

read. And although I was only 11, I fantasized my own

to pen his thoughts and document his life a dozen or so

role in a reverie that included a kiss from her that would

years ago.

transform me into Prince Charming of the proper color and age, whatever that was. I was in love.

Pedro “Pete” Guerrero was behind the lens of a life that unfolded for so many through photographs of early- and

“One week near the end of the school year, Miss Bell’s

mid-century architectural and creative works of Frank

classroom quaked with excitement. We were going to have a

Lloyd Wright, Alexander Calder and Louise Nevelson. It was

class party! On Friday, we were told to remain after school

Guerrero’s perspective that determined American post-war

— all, that is, except for Maria and Elena, the only other

domestic idealism and creative brilliance.

Mexican children besides me. Miss Bell excused them. With a kind of coldness and the pride of the elect, I watched the

What Pete Guerrero saw through his camera was more than

little dark-skinned girls leave.”

the composition of a scene or the way the light bounced off of an element of steel or wood. He portrayed more than

To Pete’s delight, his teacher announced the party. Then

just an image; he showed an ideal that became the talk of

she softly destroyed his spirit.

dinner parties and set the trends that would distinguish the backdrop for American life over a period of decades. He

“Oh, Pete,” she told him. “I meant for you to be excused,

showed us what we wanted, before we knew we wanted it.

too. You may go.”

It wasn’t a bad gig for a guy who dropped out of art school

Guerrero’s childhood stories do more than account for his

and showed up in Frank Lloyd Wright’s driveway without a

own determination and resilience; they tell the story of

clue as to who he was.

oppression and prejudice whose roots still subtly and notso-subtly taint our society’s thoughts and actions today.

Apr il 2015

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Top Left: Frank Lloyd Wright and Guerrero, Pleasantville, NY, 1949 When Frank Lloyd Wright and Guerrero were at the Usonia site near Pleasantville, NY in 1949, their photograph was taken by Keneji Domoto, an architect and former apprentice.

Wright designed the planned community and three of its houses. On the day this photo was taken he was on an inspection tour of the houses he designed.

Top Right: Guerrero in front of Taliesin West Guerrero was just twenty-two years old when this photo of him was taken in front of Wright’s private office at Taliesin West.

Bottom: Family Photo, 1939, at the family home in Mesa, AZ All of Guerrero’s family-- except for Pedro, the photographer—were dressed in their Easter finest for this 1939 photograph, one of a series he shot at their home in Mesa over the years. Pedro’s sisters Kathie and Herminia and Maria along with brothers Adolfo and Fernando stood in front. Before he tripped the shutter, Pedro took his place in the back row with his mother and father.

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

It has been said that we do not truly know where we are going until we can acknowledge where we have been.

Some of the pages of Guerrero’s book are nothing less than a gentle yet vivid testimony of just what it is that needs to be reckoned.

Of all of the influences in Guerrero’s life, including those of the subjects of his work whom he refers to as friends, it was perhaps his father who molded him into the man he would become. Undeterred by discrimination, Guerrero’s father built his own business as a sign painter and raised his children to overcome the stereotypes they faced.

It was perhaps his acumen that led Pete to show up at the doors of the Art Center School in Los Angeles and ask what classes were available. When he was told that all of the art classes were full and that only a photography class was open, he promptly told the school admissions officer that he wanted to learn, though he had never owned a camera. It was his father who, after receiving a desperate request from his son, spent his precious earnings to purchase and send a camera for Pete to use.

Those classes paid off, although not quite as planned.

Two years into his program, Guerrero struggled to adhere to the program and instead turned in his own unassigned freelance work as his final project. The school and Pete both came to the same conclusion: the structured curriculum was not for him.

Pete returned home, rejected and dejected. As he had all along, his father believed in him and told him about an up-and-coming Scottsdale architect who had come into his shop on occasion. That man’s name was Frank Lloyd Wright. After a brief phone call, Pete drove out to his remote Taliesin West location and caught the American icon in good spirits. Guerrero had no idea who he was or how much his life was about to change. He wrote: “I had never seen a man in shorts before. But even in sandals and ankle-high socks, he was very much a presence. He … turned to me and said, ‘And who are you?’ “‘My

name

is

Pedro

Guerrero,’

I

answered.

‘I’m

a

photographer.’ I had never introduced myself that way before.”

Apr il 2015

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Top: David Wright House In 1953, Frank Lloyd Wright accompanied Guerrero to the photo shoot of the house he designed for his son David in Phoenix. The house appeared in the magazine “House and Home” with the title “How to Live in the Desert.”

Bottom Left: Taliesin In November of 1940, at Wright’s Wisconsin home, Taliesin near Spring Green, Guerrero experienced his first snowfall.

He was so excited he threw his

coat over his pajamas, grabbed his camera and began shooting. Here he captured the tower apartment wing draped in icicles.

Bottom Right: Taliesin West The first time Guerrero saw Taliesin West in 1940, it was all canvas, redwood and stone. There was no glass. To catch the prevailing breezes, the canvas roofs and window coverings were designed to open and close by a series of ropes and pulleys.

36

Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

Over the decades, a willingness to learn led him to a career that permeated racial and socioeconomic barriers.

He became Wright’s regular photographer and transferred some of the most intimate moments and creative genius of his difficult yet passionately determined subject onto film.

Guerrero’s work would appear in magazines and books; perhaps more importantly, his vision would form the foundation for what Americans would aspire to achieve.

Nary a housewife didn’t want to create the look and feel that Wright envisioned and Guerrero portrayed. The subjects of Guerrero’s work may have had the ideas and ability to create a look that had never before been seen or explored, but it was Guerrero’s ability to sell their dream that made them shine.

Through his book, we learn subtly yet poignantly of Guerrero’s struggle to balance work and family and of his own quest for personal identity as he viewed it through the eyes of his subjects. From Wright, he learned order and structure that kept him hinged and steady. From Calder, he learned the beauty of being a work in progress, as well as the beauty and flow of disarray and constant creation. From the non-conforming Nevelson, he learned that even chaos and schismatic views are beautiful if portrayed in the right light and within their own element.

Whether he realized it or not, it is plausible to conclude that Guerrero’s very life was a work in progress that continued to evolve and become enlightened.

There is so much we all have to learn from Pete Guerrero.

When he passed away in 2012, it was clear that his life had been full of the kinds of experiences and lessons that only those who truly embrace opportunity and defy convention can achieve.

From his humble beginnings in a life that would have otherwise been dictated by societal confines, a boy who was empowered grew into a man who would accomplish great things. It may have been photographs that marked Guerrero’s achievements, but it was the humanity behind the camera that truly made him great. guerrerophoto.com

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Center, Coach Richie Willis

Writer Tom Scanlon Photography by Mike Harvey

Attention basketball fans: You may want to reserve

With the tall, athletic freshman leading the way, Cactus

seats for the next three Cactus Shadows High School

Shadows finished second in the section tournament,

girls’ basketball seasons to catch a rising star named

earning the team a home game to start the playoffs.

Caitlin Bickle. She is coming off a freshman year that

Though the crowd was behind them, the Lady Falcons

suggests she might be the next big thing, literally and

came up short; three questionable technical fouls in

figuratively.

the final minutes played a factor in a close loss that ended an unexpectedly exciting season.

After three consecutive losing seasons, Cactus Shadows girls’ basketball was at best an unknown entity at the

“We had a lot of support from the administration,

beginning of the 2014-15 season. Then Bickle went and

faculty, students and parents,” said third-year coach

turned that question mark into an exclamation point,

Richie Willis. “It was a good year. I wish we could still

averaging 13 points and 6 rebounds per game and

be playing. It’s a learning experience.”

leading the Lady Falcons to a powerful 22-8 season.

Though the team came up short in a toss-up game,

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

the coach locks on to a timeout late in the game.

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Coach Willis calls his young star “a hybrid,” meaning she can play multiple roles. Give most girls’ basketball teams a girl who is more than 6 feet tall and the coach will stick her at center and instruct the rest of the team to feed her the ball down low.

But Willis plans to use Bickle all over the court, at every position.

“She can run the point for you, she can play with

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her back to the basket, she can post up,” Willis said.

“She has a variety of skill sets that makes it easier

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program to a strong year and a march into the state tournament. The 14-year-old showed she was the real deal from the first time she put on a No. 51 varsity uniform, when she scored 19 points in a blowout victory over Pinnacle High School. She would go on to score 20 points or more on five occasions.

And just how special is this big star? She nailed three of five 3-point field goal attempts in her varsity debut and ended the season with 21 3-pointers out

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of 76 attempts. That would be pretty good for a Apr il 2015

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39

Hanna Kessel

Caitlin Bickle

Left to Right, Mckenzie Haggerty, Corinne Querrey, Caitlin Bickle

5-foot-3 point guard. For a 6-foot-1 center? Almost

are often in foul trouble, she was disqualified for fouls

ridiculous.

only once and reached four fouls on just four other occasions.

Bickle also canned a very respectable 67 percent of her free throw attempts, highlighted by a 7-for-7 night

While it is easy to be dazzled by Bickle’s debut season,

against Paradise Valley High School late in the season.

she was hardly a one-girl team. Amy Mazanec was the

She also averaged 3 assists — with a high of 6 against

team’s second leading scorer at 8.5 points per game,

Coconino High School — and 2 steals per game.

converting an impressive 54 percent of her floor shots.

Mazanec is just a sophomore, so the one-two punch of

Her inside game has room to improve, as she topped

Bickle-Mazanec has two more seasons to blossom.

10 rebounds only once and had a relatively modest 1 block per game. But where many awkward big players

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

Indeed, Willis might be nurturing something big, as

Hanna Kessel and Caitlyn Voth were the only seniors in his rotation. Juniors Teresa Murray and Corrine Querrey averaged around 6 points per game, with juniors Gabby Windsor and Morgan Easterbrook and sophomores Chloe Warrington and Mckenzie Hagerty contributing to the fine season.

Though the freshman star was one of the youngest girls on the team, Willis said Bickle was a great role model.

“When a kid comes into the program they see her and say, ‘Oh yeah, she’s everything advertised,’ and it becomes contagious,” he said. “Other kids want to work on their skill sets.”

The coach said several colleges have contacted him about Bickle and Grand Canyon University has already put out a scholarship offer. With a budding superstar surrounded by a developing supporting cast, Willis can hardly wait for next year.

“I was just telling my wife,” he said, just days after a long season ended, “you put that much time and energy into a season and now I’ve got to wait until October for the next season. I’m looking forward to start … like tomorrow!”

While Cactus Shadows fans are saying the same thing, everyone has to wait a few months to watch Caitlin Bickle’s next step up the basketball ladder and see how high she and the Lady Falcons can climb.

One word describes what the coach is looking for from his blossoming force and supporting cast: dedication. Will his young team hit the weights, run laps on the track, work on dribbling and defense and shoot thousands of jump shots and free throws in the spring and summer?

“I always tell them you don’t get better between 3:30 and 5:30 at practice, you get better in the offseason,” Willis said. “And the kids are buying in.”

Fans may also want to buy in — as in season tickets.

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Writer Donna Kublin

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Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

“I am deeply romantic and love love,” said Wahid Nahlé, an acclaimed international and local artist. “When I see a romantic couple sitting by the beach, it moves me. It is this emotion I express in my work.”

Brimming with passion, Nahlé’s paintings convey the strength and sensitivity of the human spirit. His figurative forms are often a couple sharing a romantic moment. His large-scale paintings have a somewhat dreamy, almost mystical quality and always include his signature in every piece: moon, stars or sun, symbolizing the connection of humans to the cosmos, as though love transcends this planet.

“Opening the heart and inspiring the soul” is his byline and artistic goal. His positive and happy energy, combined with the influences of his surroundings, shape his work. When painting in Arizona, his home of

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23 years, mountains, open skies or cacti are often center stage; when painting in another location, the sense of that place and the scenery are included, often lavender or poppy fields. The end results are paintings honoring beauty, romance and dreams.

His vibrant palette, strong brushstrokes and evocative imagery set his paintings apart from the usual, making them a truly contemporary reflection somewhere between abstract and representational. While his paintings are created in a spontaneous process and burst of energy, he

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takes his time with the titles, often meditating on a painting for several days before it gets named. It’s as much a part of the creative process as his brushwork.

Nahlé’s paintings will be on exhibit at the FCF Holland Gallery of Fine Art from March 30 to May 1.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, French is his mother tongue. His father, Wajih, is also an international artist and is spoken of as the “Picasso of the Mediterranean.” His mother, Mounira, an avid art collector, gardener and cook, ensured that he grew up surrounded by wonderful artwork. His siblings, a brother and three sisters, are all artists, as well.

“In the summer of 2002 at Dubai, [United Arab Emirates], we all worked on a project together, creating the largest family mural ever done at 60 feet in length,” said Nahlé.

In 1981, at age 19, Nahlé came to the United States to study psychology, but he soon discovered that his destiny was to be creative.

His passion to create extends beyond painting to making his one-ofa-kind frames, delicious cuisine (having been taught by his mother) and poetry. He usually keeps the poetry to only share with his family but, albeit reluctantly, he shared one of them with us. It captures his romantic nature, which he expresses so wonderfully on canvas.

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“I wish I could be your pillow, so I can seal your lips all night,” he said. In a single sentence, he conveys so much.

Nahlé spends his summer months painting in his studio in Mesa, traveling and showing his work in Beirut and Dubai. His winter months are also spent in Arizona, where he does up to 17 art shows and exhibitions per season.

Nahlé’s pieces can be found in private collections in 28 countries around the world and in the United States, where they are in private collections in 29 states.

“The Vibrant Canvas” exhibition runs from March 30 to May 1, with an artist reception on Saturday, April 11 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. FCF Holland Community Center recently opened the Gallery of Fine Art, and this is the sixth exhibit to be shown there. Call ahead for gallery viewing hours. nahleart.com 480-233-0709 FCF Holland Community Center 34250 N. 60th St., Bldg. B., Scottsdale 480-488-1090 azfcf.org

“If you take the colors of Vincent van Gogh and the faith of William Blake, add the loose, abstract freedom of Wassily Kandinsky and spread the results liberally on canvas, you would have a painting by Wahid Nahlé. This brilliant young painter produces an intuitive, positive art filled with celebration of life and hope. The viewer, swimming in the color, energy and mystery of his message, is lifted by cosmic forces to a higher level of feeling, understanding and joy.”

-Glenda Bolick Apr il 2015

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Writer Tom Scanlon

After two narrow losses in the state swimming meet finals last year, Connor Stirling swam a blazing sub-44 second pace in the final of the 100-yard freestyle in November, only to be edged by rising superstar Ryan Hoffer, who clocked in at a state record 43.20 seconds.

In the preliminary of the 200-yard freestyle, Cactus Shadows High School star Stirling touched the wall at 1:41 — very fast, but more than a half second slower than another rising star, Brophy High School sophomore Jack Blake.

Much of what happens in swimming takes place outside high school competitions,, however, and Stirling had already made his mark on the national scene. He was ranked as the fourth fastest sprinter in his age group and scored an Olympic-trial qualifying time in the 50-yard freestyle. He was ranked as the top high school senior in Arizona and 23rd nationally.

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Even so, the prospect of Connor Stirling leaving the Cactus Shadows trophy case with four second-place finishes (the equivalent of silvers) but no state title (gold) was very real. Preparing himself for the 200-free final, Stirling was not worried about Blake; he just focused on himself, the water and the clock.

“I had been training and practicing with the idea that I could swim a 1:37,” he later said. “I was also very confident in what my coach, Nate Moore, had been preparing me to do. I also have always been very good at rising to the moment. I love to race and the adrenaline of a finals race is always an extra push for me. It raises my ability to another level that I can only get in a finals situation.”

Indeed, with his brain and body pumped to max, Stirling rose to the moment of the final, skimming through the water like a ski boat and touching the wall with the clock showing 1:37.54, more than three seconds faster than his preliminary race.

Blake also rose to the occasion, swimming more than a half second faster than he had in the preliminary. Even so, Blake was a distant second place, more than two seconds slower than the speedy Stirling.

Meaning Stirling would bring a state championship trophy back to his school.

The only thing slow about his final was Stirling’s reaction to winning.

“Even after hitting the wall, it was not until the podium ceremony that I realized what had happened,” he said. “It was great to realize that I had accomplished that goal.”

Coach Moore, who lives in Cave Creek, was in quite a stomach-churning position at the state meet. He is the swimming coach at Chaparral High School and has under his guidance Hoffer, a Chaparral sophomore who has been shattering state records and may finish his career as one of the best swimmers in Arizona history. But Moore is also the coach of the Life Time Arizona Swim Team, where he preps Stirling for regional and national events. So he had mixed allegiance watching the two stars battle.

Moore recalled a previous summer race where the two had a fierce battle.

“Connor went 23.24 in the 50 free,” he recalled. “Hoffer was 23.35. The Olympic trial cut in the 50 free is 23.29. Connor got that one. That was an awesome race.”

Moore added, “Connor is one of the best racers I have ever seen. He is relentless and he has no fear when he races. That is the thing that Apr il 2015

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makes him so good. Connor is also one of the fastest

swimming that far exceeds any other sport or team that

swimmers his age on top of the water. He excels in long

I have been with.”

course. There are fewer turns, so he can use being so fast on top of the water to his advantage.”

As one of the highest-rated high school seniors in the country, Stirling was a wanted man, heavily recruited by

Speaking of turns, Stirling gives his mentor great credit

colleges with strong swimming programs. He narrowed

for what he has been able to accomplish.

down the 40 schools interested in him and took trips to University of California-Berkeley, Indiana University, North

“Nate has been able to create a love of the sport that

Carolina State, Utah and Brigham Young University,

only can be obtained through great coaching,” Stirling

ultimately going with BYU.

said. “I can’t imagine a better environment to train

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in. He has helped me develop both personally and

“In looking at the different options, I was less focused

athletically. I know he cares about all of my goals, not

on the national rank of a program and more on the

just those in the pool. I have truly developed a love for

level the program could take me to,” Stirling said. “I

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wanted to make an impact on the team immediately. I want to contribute and be a leader my freshman year.

But while swimming is my life right now, it is very important to be at an institution that has very high morals, ethics and a great education. These will be the areas that I will be able to build upon throughout my life. BYU fit this perfectly.”

Swimming seems like the ultimate one-person sport.

Yet speedy swimmer Connor Stirling is also quick in passing out thanks, not only to his coach but also to supportive friends and family.

“First, I believe that no athlete can achieve high levels of performance without a great coach that you trust, respect and you know cares about you,” he said.

“Nate Moore has been the greatest influence. He has made swimming at this level fun. I always want to be at practice. Having great friends to compete with and train with also helps motivate me. I love pulling for them in races and we always have a great time together both in and out of the pool. This team family has been something that Nate has created and is a great situation to excel in.”

In addition to his swim family, Stirling credits the support he has received from his real family. Older brother, Michael, younger brother, Nolan, and sister, Marie, cheered him on at most of his meets. He says his parents, Mike and Kristin, taught him “to work harder than anyone else if I hope to obtain my goals, and they never let me quit.”

Early morning and after school swimming practices, endless laps and lifting weights in between … do Stirling’s non-swimming friends get what he did to accomplish his goals?

“It is hard for them to understand how much time and effort I put into training,” Stirling said. “They know that I work hard. Only those close to you understand the level of dedication it takes to continue to get faster.”

But now his classmates and future Cactus Shadows students who pass by the trophy case will know one thing: In his senior season, Connor Stirling touched the wall first and was the fastest swimmer in the state.

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Writer Marc Fleischer Photographer Loralei Lazurek

In their simplest form, geodes are hollow rocks with a crystal-lined interior and a complex origin. They are named after the Greek word, geoides, which means “earth-like.� Geodes are spheroidal in shape and can occur in igneous rock, where they form inside gas bubbles within chambers of basalt and lava close to the surface, and in sedimentary rock as rounded cavities.

After rock formations surrounding these cavities harden, dissolved minerals rich in silica and other constituents are deposited inside. Geodes are partly hollow and slowly, over a great amount of time, groundwater from above and hydrothermal solutions from below allow crystals to form inside the hollow chambers. Often times, there are well-formed crystals of quartz, calcite and other minor minerals that have crystallized inward to a central cavity, and sometimes geodes can even replace fossils and other crystals that were in the host rock.

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Once the rock surrounding the cavity has weathered away, the geode is left to be discovered by geologists and rockhounds. Beautiful specimens of amethyst geodes are created when the cavities have filled with solutions containing small amounts of iron.

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Arizona is rich in gems and minerals, so it is no wonder that beautiful examples of geodes are literally at your feet if you know where to look for them. One would be hard-pressed to find an area of Arizona that didn’t contain some form of agate nodule, thunderegg or chalcedony rose, which are all very similar to geodes in both formation and shape. Some of the more popular collecting sites include the purplish blue snowflake agate nodules and geodes from Mulligan Peak in Clifton, where one can dig just under the topsoil with a hand tool to loosen them.

South of the Mogollon Rim near Payson offers interesting little concretions and geodes that may not always contain crystals but make beautiful lapidary and display pieces. Many collectors like to stop near

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the Quartzite area to also look for specimens of agate nodules and crystal-filled geodes around Saddle Mountain, which is quite famous for fire agate and chalcedony. In the southern part of the state, there are numerous opportunities to collect near the dumps of old mining activity, and the best place to hunt for agates, green quartz and crystalline-cavity geodes is

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the Courtland-Gleeson area. Just be especially careful to not trespass onto any private areas that may be posted as closed to collecting.

The most famous geodes are the popular near-perfect spheres known as Mexican coconuts. If you have ever been to a gem and mineral show or tailgate rock swap, more than likely you have seen a vendor cracking geodes open with a specialized cutting tool to the delight of young and old. These geodes are found in the Chihuahuan Desert, in ancient lava ash flow tuff with a whitish coating. Upon opening, they reveal an array of minerals within the cavity, or they can be solid, filled with exquisitely colored bands of agate.

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The most expensive and highly-prized geodes are the

Treasures, a retail rock, fossil, jewelry and gift shop that

gemmy and giant amethyst-filled cavities from Brazil and

has been in her family for 41 years.

Uruguay. They can reach enormous sizes and, depending on the quality of the crystals and the thickness of the

“We have a wide variety of gems and minerals at very

nodule, command prices in the thousands of dollars.

reasonable prices,” Vander Leest said. “Most of our geodes are from Mexico and Brazil.”

Shopping Locally for Geodes Closer to home, with its rich mining history, it seems

Vander Leest became fascinated with gems at an early

only natural for the Cave Creek and Carefree area to be

age.

home to stores that carry geodes and other spectacular gems and minerals.

“My father was a rockhound,” she said, adding that the appeal of geodes is that “you never know what you will

In Carefree, Barb Vander Leest, Ph.D., owns Desert

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find inside.”

The geodes at Desert Treasures range from $3 to $750 and sizes range from small to large, including break-open geodes for kids.

Down the road in Cave Creek is the Rare Earth Gallery, which is hard to miss with its 14-foot tall, 7,500-pound geode from Brazil situated in the parking lot. It’s also easily located on the southwest corner of Cave Creek and Schoolhouse Roads, next to the only stop sign in Cave Creek.

Wayne Helfand, owner of the unique “decorative art of the earth” gallery, started mining at age 19. While traveling around the world, he spent time in the Lightning Ridge mines in New South Wales, Australia.

When he returned to Los Angeles, he found a gem cutter who bought the opal rough, which paid for his entire trip. From that point on, he was hooked. He became a gemologist in his early 20s and began designing jewelry.

“I had a leg up on everyone because I did it backwards,” Helfand said.

“I was involved in mining at a young age and had experience dealing with exotic gemstones. Colored stones piqued my interest and I traveled to Brazil, China, Vietnam, Thailand and other countries to further my education. I always tell people that the best way to learn about colored stones is to buy them. Once you buy the wrong color, you never forget

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that particular shade.”

Helfand said he should have been born in the time of Marco Polo because he loves to travel and explore. When it comes to geodes, his gallery carries a variety of types and sizes, ranging in price from 25 cents to millions of dollars.

“People are always fascinated with these natural beauties,” he said.

“They have a natural aesthetic to them, an intrinsic beauty that is captivating.”

Many factors go into determining the price of geodes, including the rarity, color and size of the crystal growth inside the rock cavity.

“It could be microscopic or very large,” he said. “Last year we sold a geode that was five and a half tons.”

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Whether you’re new to collecting gems and minerals or want to add to your established collection, the remarkable geode offers mysterious beauty that reveals a colorful glimpse into the Earth’s turbulent past.

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Writer Amanda Christmann Larson Photographer Bryan Black

From the floor of the vibrant desert spring mountain majesties. Unlike the grandiose Rocky Mountains, whose awe-inspiring large-scale brilliance is emphasized by their magnitude, our smaller, less colorful foothills are entirely different creatures that require a different type of acumen to fully appreciate.

What may appear at first glance to be a barren, arid wilderness of craggy cliffs is, in reality, a vivacious ecological wonder that can only be perceived through patience and a willingness to accept that beauty does not need to grandstand in order to be worthy.

It was John Muir, acclaimed for his lifetime dedication to preserving the country’s iconic beauty, who said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” Perhaps this is why so many people living in the shadows of our desert mountains share a subtle yet discriminate disregard for flair and pompousness.

It is no wonder, then, that as human development continues to blur the lines between that which is wild and that which is owned, special care is needed to ensure that we human stewards do not overstep our boundaries. And, from a

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human perspective, we must take great care to preserve the legacy that we are leaving for those who come after us.

It is easy to become wrapped in the idea that someone — specifically, someone else — will make sure our beautiful Sonoran Desert is cared for. After all, there is a significant amount of state trust land and there seem to be several grassroots efforts by people whose lives are dedicated to those sorts of things, right?

Arizona State Trust Lands are only conserved to the point that they maintain their economic value; flora and fauna are seldom, if ever, significant considerations in the Arizona State Land Department’s budget. Also, most if not all of the organizations that are working to preserve and protect local lands need volunteers, funding and advocacy. There is a need to get involved, and the urgency cannot be overstated.

Sonia Perillo, executive director of the Desert Foothills Land Trust, is at the frontline of the fight to save open space and preserve the diminishing cache of archaeological and ecological treasure.

“It is estimated that Arizona’s population could double by 2050, but our development footprint on the land could

quadruple in that time,” she explained. “It is also estimated that we could lose 2 million acres of open space by 2050.”

Exactly how big 2 million acres may be is difficult to comprehend. It’s 3,125 square miles, or about the size of Delaware and Rhode Island combined.

“Eighty percent of Arizona wildlife species spend some part of their life cycle in riparian areas, but 90 percent of Arizona’s riparian areas have already been lost,” Perillo said. “Our open spaces support a healthy lifestyle with outdoor recreation opportunities, provide crucial wildlife habitat as well as water sustainability through groundwater recharge, and are an important economic driver for industries like tourism and agriculture. Our ample open spaces also attract businesses and industries that are looking for a high quality of life for their employees.”

According to Colorado College’s Conservation in the West Poll, an impressive 58 percent of Arizonans call themselves conservationists. At the same time, 86 percent of Arizonans consider it a problem that children do not spend enough time in the outdoors. Mobilizing even half of those who feel a strong enough connection to the land to want to do something to keep it open for future generations would make a marked impact.

Anyone can become involved. Two years ago, the Desert Foothills Land Trust merged with North Country Conservancy in order to form a stronger front and make a larger impact. They formed the Save Daisy Mountain Committee, which is engaged in gathering natural resource information about the mountain, working to inform the community about the fact that the mountain is not already protected and strategizing on long-term conservation options.

“At more than 7,000 acres of land, this is a large-scale effort,” Perillo explained.

“It is important that we develop the community of concerned citizens to position us all to be able to lead and participate in a long-term conservation strategy for the mountain.”

The Desert Foothills Land Trust is also busy doing so much more, including working with landowners to develop conservation strategies and learn about benefits available, work in partnership with other agencies and organizations to develop long-term conservation strategies for large-scale projects — such as Daisy Mountain and the 4,000 acres of open space in Cave Creek called the FORCE initiative — and actively engage in long-term stewardship of approximately 680 acres on 23 preserves donated and purchased by the trust.

A conservation director works on land management and protection, and a phenomenal group of volunteers help with a number of important responsibilities.

For those who are working so hard to maintain the natural and archaeological resources of the North Valley, connecting people to nature is the key. Like so many, Perillo’s job doesn’t end when she leaves the office.

“We know that all of us are now very technology-oriented, but rooting our children in the land is so important for inspiring a passion for open space in the next generation,” she said. “As both a mom and a conservation professional, I know that my two jobs are very closely linked.”

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Sonoran Stars If you don’t have time to volunteer, you can help by attending one of the most anticipated events of the year.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Sonoran Stars to take place May 2 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Desert Foothills event venue near Jomax and Scottsdale Roads, behind McDonald’s Ranch, provides a lovely lighted desert landscape, fabulous barn, outdoor dining and stage area and onsite valet parking. It is a new venue that organizers have enthusiastically embraced. Two decades of growing support promise to make this year’s Sonoran Stars bigger and better than ever.

The evening features an open bar, appetizers, silent auction, gourmet dinner prepared by Chef Tony Rea, a dramatic rehabilitated raptor release by Wild At Heart and a fast-paced live auction with auctioneer Letitia Frye, capped off with dancing under the stars to country music by Western Fusion and dancers from Fred Astaire Dance Studios.

Tickets are $250 per person and individual seats or 10-person tables are available. Proceeds will go to the Desert Foothills Land Trust to carry out their important work. The attire is casual or Western; dress for a cool evening.

Business and individual sponsorships are available and appreciated. Tickets are available by phone or on the Desert Foothills Land Trust website, dflt.org.

Cave Creek Trail Run Another way to become involved is to take part in the April 4 Cave Creek Trail Run. The Town of Cave Creek has negotiated a plan to preserve more than 4,000 acres as permanent open space, which will be used for trail running, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, wildlife viewing and as a buffer against rapid urban expansion. This land must be purchased from the Arizona State Apr il 2015

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Land Department. To raise the funds necessary for this critical preservation effort, the town is hosting a number of special events to showcase the lands being protected, generate public interest and raise money for acquisition of this open space. Every dollar of proceeds from the trail run will go toward this land acquisition.

The Cave Creek Trail Run will begin at 44029 N. Spur Cross Rd. in Cave Creek and will wind through pristine Sonoran Desert within a portion of the 4,000 acres to be purchased. With each step, runners will discover for themselves why it is so important to save this land as open space.

Race routes include a 2K Kids’ Fun Run/Walk, a 5K Run/Walk and a 10K Run. Registration fees vary by race and registration date. Register early to save a few dollars. Additional information and registration can be found online at cavecreektrailrun.com.

With each event, open space and conservation advocates hope more people recognize the fragility of the beauty around us.

“I hope that our communities will be fully engaged in making conservation relevant and meaningful to all people — at all income levels, all experience levels and all interest levels,” said Perillo. “Land is so fundamental to everything else we do in our communities. Our continuing efforts to connect people to nature will leave a lasting legacy of both protected lands and conservation advocates who will continue this work.”

By ensuring their future, we secure ours.

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Sonoran Stars 480-488-6131 sperillo@dflt.org dflt.org Cave Creek Trail Run cavecreektrailrun.com

mcccdf.org/campaign · 480.731.8400 Apr il 2015

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Writer Tom Scanlon Photographer Larry Novey

If you — or perhaps your children or friends — are

came to “The Wall” repeatedly, but “The Wall” allowed no

interested in pursuing college athletics, you might want

entry, as Miller led Florida State to a 1-0 win and its first

to talk to Cassie Miller. She can tell you not only what it

national championship.

takes to play for one of the best programs in the country, but also what it’s like to go all the way to the top.

“The final four was just unreal,” Miller recalled a few weeks after the action, “and the final seconds ticking away were

This talented girl, who was known as “El Gato” (Spanish for

surreal. I still get shivers thinking about it. The last two

cat) when she dominated on the field for Cactus Shadows

minutes of the final game I can easily say were the longest

High School, was a two-time National Soccer Coaches

two minutes of my life. Time just seemed to stand still,

Association of America Girls’ Youth All-American and toured

and yet we were being hammered in the goal.”

the world with the United States Under-17 (U17) national team. She has grown into a woman and is still a dominant

In typical modest fashion, she shares the glory with her

force at Florida State University, fast becoming one of the

teammates: “Our perseverance and training paid off and

most outstanding soccer players in the country.

because we had all worked so hard every minute of every practice and game, we were rewarded with coming out on

In her first year of college play, she was not only a

top. It was a moment I hope to feel again and again, and

goalkeeper, but also an impenetrable wall, shutting down

then again one more time!”

opponent after opponent. In the December championship

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game, she stopped everything that came her way, literally.

Backed by a powerful defense, Miller shut out all six of

In the final minutes of the title game, Virginia attackers

FSU’s opponents in the tournament, only the second time

Ima g e s A Z . c o m A pril 2 0 1 5

in NCAA history that this feat has been accomplished. The brilliant performance by the 5-foot-11-inch Cave Creek native landed her on the College Cup AllTournament Team. It was a pretty amazing debut season.

“I couldn’t have asked for more from my first college season than to be a national champion,” she said.

While few will play at the elite level that Cassie Miller has reached, she provides an excellent example of how to successfully transition from high school into college play. Miller spent years challenging herself from one level to the next; in addition to being a standout at Cactus Shadows, she was a top player in the elite club league and named to national teams that traveled the world.

Key bullet points, for those who want to play in college: train hard, physically and mentally; make your sport a year-round lifestyle choice; consider taking the first year of college to get stronger, faster and tougher; and be ready for a much more intensive experience.

After graduating from Cactus Shadows, Miller didn’t play a second of her freshman year, as the team purposely kept her off the field to preserve a year of eligibility. But it was hardly a year of sitting around twiddling her cat claws.

“I was redshirted [for] the 2013 fall season and put into a physically grinding program to get me into great shape so that I would be quicker, stronger and ready to take over the starting role in 2014,” she explained.

When she arrived on the Florida State campus, she hit the ground running.

“The transition was smooth, but that was due in large part to the team and staff being so helpful and welcoming,” she said, adding that she is glad she got a head start on college by enrolling in the spring of 2013, or what would have been the second half of her high school senior year.

“I was able to get a semester of college under my belt before the 2013 soccer season started in the fall,” she explained. “Having already completed a semester of college before this training schedule started was crucial to my success in the classroom, as well as on the field. In order to start a semester early, I had to sacrifice many things and take extra high school classes, even in the summer, to make sure I was able to graduate early. This was combined with missing many days of school due to my U17 National Team duties and playing in the U17 World Cup in Azerbaijan. I am so thankful to the administration and teachers I had at Cactus Shadows, who willingly worked with me and helped me graduate early.”

Her intense schedule came with a big sacrifice: “It did not leave me much of a high school social life, but that has already been paid back having just won the NCAA Division I National Championship!”

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Cassie Miller

So what’s the biggest difference between high school/club

“Whereas in the spring and summer we are working more on

play and college?

improving our skills individually, during the fall season we are doing everything as a team; one team, one heartbeat,” she

“The speed of play, the strength of the players and the time

said. “The season practices [have a] more [positional focus],

commitments,” she said. “Although I played at a high club

with video after and before each game and a lot of the time

level within the Elite Clubs National League, the level and

after trainings. There are pre-game meals, post-game meals,

speed of college players was so much higher. Reaction times

positional meetings with the coaching staff, vision tests twice

have to be way quicker and even small mistakes can cost

a week to improve our visual reaction time, GPS monitor

the game.”

meetings and lastly, meetings with our graduate assistant about information on our sleep from wearing some high-tech

Those interested in playing big-time college sports should be

monitoring watches.”

ready for a huge time and energy commitment.

And then, of course, there is college itself.

“There are no breaks with the sport of soccer,” Miller said.

“No time to get out of shape. After completing the 2014

“We can’t forget about school, which takes up everyone’s

season, we had the week of final exams off to focus on

mornings,” she said. “And most of us have tutoring sessions

school and then we dove into winter break. Depending upon

at night that last about an hour each.”

each player and their position, we had a running plan to do during winter break. We then dove into the spring season.

Miller is majoring in psychology with a minor in child

We do have limited coaching time due to NCAA regulations,

development; she plans to earn a master’s degree in sports

but as a team we know that national championships are won

psychology.

through the work put in during off-seasons. We get together daily as a team and scrimmage and train to keep ourselves

Her biggest lesson learned thus far?

in the best shape possible. Over the summer, everyone joins a W-League team in the United States or heads overseas.

“The professionalism it takes to be an elite student athlete,

Then we all come back ready to get after it for the fall

both on and off the field,” she said. “This program has

season.”

taught me so much because it is handled in such a professional manner. Even alumni who have turned pro

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Fall is when play begins and when the soccer schedule gets

and return to train at FSU tell us we will never have such

super intensive, flavored with high-tech gadgetry.

professional training and standards as we get here.”

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When her playing days are finished at FSU, Miller wants to play professionally and represent the United States in the World Cup and Olympics. She is well on her way to achieving those goals, with a platform that started at Cactus Shadows thanks to the support of friends and family.

“My best memories were always the times I was able to spend with my mother (Kimberly Von Dran, a basketball player and equestrian at Oklahoma State University) and brother (Andrew Von Dran, who is studying to be a pilot at Arizona State University),” Miller said. “They are both the biggest role models in my life and I cherish all the things they taught me. I am where I am today because of all the sacrifices they made so that I could train. I also cherish the small amount of time I got to play for Cactus Shadows. It was a fun time with great friends and a great coach.”

For high school athletes around Cave Creek and elsewhere considering playing sports in college, what advice does national champion Cassie Miller have?

“Be prepared!” she advised. “Be prepared to train like you never have before, be prepared to sacrifice the college life to keep your body in shape, be prepared to eat healthy, be prepared to feel overwhelmed at times when school loads are heavy and practices never seem to end, be prepared to not be the best or get the playing time you have always had in the past. Your dedication will take you a long way. If you love it enough and are dedicated enough, you will find the transition easier. The mental side can be extremely hard if you are not playing as much as you thought you would. You have to be ready to work harder, train harder and study harder to earn your time.”

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Writer Rebecca Zaner

“The Toy Factory,” a children’s opera composed and

“Very simply, I passed by a bookstore and saw these

premiered in Italy, makes its American debut in Anthem this

wonderfully illustrated children’s books and thought to myself,

April. Based on the children’s book, “The Sword and the

‘I bet kids love looking at these illustrations and ask to have

Stone,” “The Toy Factory” portrays an updated version of the

the stories told over and over again,’” recalled Joan. “So I

classic tale through music and theatrical arts.

bought the storybook, ‘The Sword and the Stone,’ and wrote out the storyline, updating the basic characters to the 21st

To debut the opera, Joan Yakkey, composer and librettist of

century.”

“The Toy Factory,” will travel to Phoenix along with six of her young madrigal singers from the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.

After the idea for a youth opera was born, Joan then

The North American premiere takes place on April 23 and

realized various musical groups, orchestrations and soloists.

will run through April 25 at Boulder Creek High School.

“I receive many children’s operas from other composers, but In partnership with Boulder Creek High School choir students

mostly they are too difficult, too intellectual and boring to

and director, Kirk Douglas, this performance features

teach and sing,” Joan said when discussing her initial plans

international as well as local young talent. Students from

to compose a youth opera. “So I swore I’d write something

Canyon Springs Elementary School will also be featured in

fun and easy to learn, while also maintaining a substantial

the program. Generously supported by Arts Council of the

work that would be satisfying for children and useful in

North Valley and its president, Mary Sue Hyatt, “The Toy

furthering their studies.”

Factory” is a highly anticipated event for Anthem.

While this is Joan’s first written opera, she is no stranger The opera first came to be in 2010.

to musical composition. At age 4, she began studying piano and violin. She went on to obtain a diploma from Music and

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Art High School in New York City, a bachelor’s degree in music composition from Queens College and three graduate degrees in choral direction and composition, international teaching methods and piano performance from The Music Conservatory in Florence, Italy.

As a choral director, her experience began with her collaboration with the famous musician, Nadia Boulanger, at the Conservatory of Music in Paris. She has also directed the children’s choir for the Florence Opera House as well as two professional female vocal ensembles of her former students, “Tempus Floridum” and “New Day Voices.” In 1978, she founded the choral department for young singers at the European School of Music in Fiesole and is now chair of the department for basic education.

Joan also directs three youth choirs and madrigal singers. In 1997, she established the children’s choir program at the State Music Conservatory, “Luigi Cherubini,” where she also taught piano for 37 years.

Now retired from the Cherubini Conservatory and directing students at the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole, Joan found a perfect opportunity to produce her first opera.

“I generally dislike writing music that I cannot get performed,” she said, “so I finally had the opportunity to have a children’s opera produced in Italy, and this gave me the incentive for writing one specifically for the choral groups that I teach at the Fiesole Music School.”

Other musical credits prior to “The Toy Factory” include numerous scores of original compositions, arrangements and early music study editions of unpublished works found in Italian libraries. Also the developer of various teaching methods and children’s music books in bilingual editions, her books and compositions have gained recognition in the United States, Australia and Europe.

Based loosely on “The Sword and the Stone,” “The Toy Factory” is about Merlin’s search to find young Arthur and lead him to inherit the village toy factory from his dying father. Along their journey, Merlin uses magic to teach Arthur important lessons that guide him toward the sword in the stone, which inevitably reveals his prophecy as heir to the toy factory.

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“It took me about six months to write the libretto to ‘The

“The premiere in Italy was a lot of fun,” Joan remembered,

Toy Factory,’” Joan recalled. “I had to adapt the original

“and the preparation went up quickly since we had been

story to modern times and create the outline to the story.

studying the music for about nine months beforehand.”

In four months, the opera was completed for voices and piano, then it took several more months to orchestrate and

All the hard work and dedication paid off, and the debut

write everything correctly in the computer program, including

was a success. Joan found the premiere very rewarding

vocal parts, vocal-piano parts, solo parts for various voices,

and said, “One thing I remember well is that many young

orchestral score and instrumental parts.”

children came and they were totally intrigued, attentive and amazed at the stage effects of puppets and smoke and

Composing the music and writing the libretto were not the

witches. The adults enjoyed the show, too, but the kids were

only tasks throughout the composition process.

really fascinated by all the effects and by the fact that other children like them were already performing on stage.”

“The score is triplicated in three languages,” she explained. “I did everything myself. As I wrote the libretto, I was imagining

With Joan’s strong connection to Mary Sue Hyatt, president

the theater and its components. I decided on the division

of the Arts Council of the North Valley, the two discussed

of scenes, who would open the opera, how many acts,

the idea of bringing “The Toy Factory” to the United States.

et cetera. I also had my own student singers in mind for each specific character. The music is easy to imagine and

“I am a longtime friend of Mary Sue,” Joan shared. “We have

write once the libretto, the characters and the storyline are

done many concerts together for more than 25 years.”

established.”

In 2013, while both were in Lucca, Italy, Joan met Boulder In October 2011, “The Toy Factory” made its world premiere

Creek High School’s choir director, Kirk Douglas.

at Teatro Puccini in Florence. All performers in the opening cast were students from the Scuola di Musica di Fiesole.

“These two opera lovers [Kirk and Mary Sue] wish to increment knowledge and love for the opera world among

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families living in Arizona, so it was only natural to start with a North American premiere of my children’s opera in English, but coming from Europe,” she said.

Mary Sue and Kirk took the idea and ran with it when they returned to Arizona.

“As president of the Arts Council, I presented the opera idea to the board and after discussions, we voted to support the project,” said Mary Sue. “We agreed that the North Valley should be the recipient of the distinction of having the American premiere of this youth opera at Boulder Creek High School.”

Arizona Opera has also agreed to support the premiere by offering master classes for the Boulder Creek High School students involved in performing and assisting with the production.

Thanks to the efforts of Joshua Borths, education outreach director, and Ryan Taylor, general director, Arizona Opera will be providing handson professional training for students interested in technical theater, including lights, sets, sound, props, hair and makeup, costume design and stage management.

In addition to the four performances of “The Toy Factory,” the visiting Florentine singers will share in a performance of “Italian Madrigals and More” with the Boulder Creek High School chamber choir for the Living Music Performance Series at Christ the Lord Lutheran Church in Carefree. This performance will take place on April 19 at 3:00 p.m.

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artists in residence • workshops • student art k--12

The Gallery at el Pedregal

As final preparations are made and the American premiere date approaches, Joan and her students await their arrival to perform a brand new production in Anthem.

“I am very excited and honored to see my opera travel so far,” she said. “It will require a lot of work, but I will be extremely happy. Maybe following this production I will be able to properly have the opera published in three languages.” She hopes to soon debut “The Toy Factory” in Germany, as well.

“I am not nervous; there is no space

Visit the latest addition to the art scene in North Scottsdale, The Gallery at el Pedregal. Sonoran Arts League has teamed up with The Boulders Resort to bring the public an exceptional collection of art—all in one beautiful place.

gallery hours 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed, Thurs, Sat 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fri Noon to 5 p.m.

Sun

location 2nd Floor at el Pedregal 34505 N Scottsdale Rd. 480.575.6658

for that,” she joked. “I just hope my energy level stays high.”

Tickets for “The Toy Factory” will be available for purchase at the Boulder

SonoranArtsLeague.org

new gallery

Creek High School box office 30 minutes prior to the performances.

Evening shows on April 23, 24 and 25 are at 7:00 p.m. There will also be an afternoon matinee on April 25 at 3:00 p.m.

“I hope the new audience will realize how much fun it is for young people to act and sing together … to become friends in a cast and to make lasting contacts,” Joan said. “Music brings people together and new opera-goers hopefully will see how much young musicians benefit from such activities.

Of course, I hope they enjoy the music and follow the storyline. There are not too many such operas published. Many are performed for children, but not performed with children.”

An important difference, indeed. toyfactoryfabbrica.blogspot.it

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Dining Guide

Spotlight

Brazilian Culture Comes to Life at Carvalho’s For Valley residents who have never been to Brazil, one family brings a taste of their adventures and traditional recipes to life at Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen.

The restaurant is all things Brazilian, classic food, beer, coffee and live music. “Excellent food and traditional cooking methods are an important part of the culture in Brazil,” says owner Ruth Carvalho Marsteller. “We hope patrons feel a sense of what the country is like by stepping into our establishment.”

Carvalho’s is a family-owned and operated restaurant. Photos and artifacts collected from decades of life and travel in the Amazon region are proudly displayed throughout, along with vibrant steel sculptures from local artist Peter Skidd.

From customary dishes like Feijoada, a Brazilian favorite with sausage, smoked meat and black beans, to desserts like Bolo Prestigio, the restaurant has a menu that celebrates the Brazilian culture.

Rich family heritage and the flavors of the Amazon are yours to experience at Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen.

Located at the northeast corner of Scottsdale Road and Pinnacle Peak 23623 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite D7, Scottsdale 480-563-1562 carvalhos.com

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Dining Guide

Spotlight

Wild Ocean Fresh Seafood Market & Grille

For years, decades, no – make that forever. Valley residents have had to ride, drive or fly to the California coast to find a place like Wild Ocean Fresh Seafood Market & Grille. Now, it’s right outside our door and unlike any market you’ve ever seen in the desert.

Wild Ocean isn’t only about seafood. The market is stocked with prime beef, poultry, pork and lamb, giving you more options than any other seafood venue in all of Arizona. Dine in, grab-and-go or take home ready to cook meals for any budget.

Owners David Fair and Paul Stanton have over 50 years’ combined seafood experience. Wild Ocean is a direct importer of quality seafood from sources around the world. Their professional network is spread around the globe working side by side with their “Signature Partner Group” of elite fishermen and processors who have demonstrated exceptional Quality & Sustainable Management practices that ensures 100% satisfaction with every item they sell.

Their goal is to make available the very finest seafood supported by a professional, friendly and knowledgeable team. They believe by educating their customers and sharing their extensive experience and expertise that they can help you make the absolute best selections for whatever the occasion may be.

Wild Ocean Fresh Seafood Market & Grille 8876 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Suite 100, Scottsdale (Across From Mastros) 480-272-7221 wildoceanseafood.com

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Desert Treasures

Desert Foothills Handyman Service

Desert Treasures is celebrating over 40 years as a

As an Arizona Better Business Bureau A+ rated business,

Carefree business. Now owned by Barbara Vander Leest,

Desert Foothills Handyman Service has a proven history

Ph.D., the daughter of its founders, our business opened

of providing handyman services that stand out from other

October 6, 1973. Customers include many faithful second-

companies. We are a professional service company and our

and third-generation patrons, as well as crowds of Arizona

focus is providing our clients with honest, reliable service

visitors who flock to Desert Treasures for our excellent

they can count on every time.

selection of quality minerals, fossils, jewelry and gifts at fair and affordable prices.

Desert Foothills Handyman Service sets the bar high for the quality of workmanship, as well as their values.

Visiting Desert Treasures, you will find an eclectic mix of

Nominated for the 2008 Business Ethics Award, integrity,

treasures. The foundation of the store continues to be

honesty, professionalism and compassion are all part of

the excellent collection of minerals and fossils in the Rock

business every day for us. We believe in being useful to our

Room, including petrified wood, amethyst, geodes and

community, and at times that entails going the extra mile

desert roses, as well as hundreds of other specimens. We

for customer satisfaction.

also carry many stands for displaying minerals to decorate your home or office.

It has always been our goal at Desert Foothills Handyman Service to provide high standards of workmanship for our

The Southwest Room features our excellent selection of

clients. Good workmanship ethics require long practice; it’s

gemstone jewelry in turquoise, amethyst, amber and other

not only the quality or manner of work but the art and skill

semi-precious stones set in sterling silver, as well as Massa

in the way it is correctly done. In addition, we warranty our

of Santa Fe’s one-of-a-kind gemstone necklaces. Other

workmanship for two years from the time that services are

Arizona gifts include T-shirts and ladies’ tops, books for

rendered.

children and adults, and carved ironwood sculptures.

We have always strived to be reliable and professional, To better serve our customers, we are open seven days a

going above and beyond whenever we can. We look forward

week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Carefree’s Spanish Village.

to meeting your handyman needs.

480-488-3782

602-540-9794

#11 Spanish Village, Carefree

1handyman4you.com

deserttreasuresaz.com

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One-of-a-kind, Rustic, Industrial, Repurposed, Vintage, & New Home Decor, Furniture, Jewelry & Gifts

he Next to Toad Horny T ant Restaur

Now offering: Faux Painting, Cabinet Refinishing, Color Consultation & Welding 6738 E. Cave Creek Rd. in Cave Creek

602-330-6042 4SisterShop.com

Tue.-Sat. 11AM-4:30PM, Sun. NOON-4PM, Closed Mon.

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Absentee Homeowner Services Carefree Property Services 480-575-6600 carefreepropertyservices.com Home Watch AZ 480-607-1524 homewatchaz.com

Boutique 4Sister Shop 602-330-6042 4sistershop.com Anne’s Boutique 480-515-6199 annesclosetaz.com

AIR CONDITIONING/HEATING Canyon State AC and Plumbing 602-996-1818 canyonstateac.com

Bags & Rags Ladies Fine Apparel 480-575-3114 16 Easy Street, Carefree bagsandragsaz.com

Architect August Reno 480-488-9858 7202 East Cave Creek Rd. Unit 1-A augustreno.com

Stefan Mann 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite G10 480-488-3371 stefanmann.com

Art Gallery Saddle Up Gallery 480-577-8426 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd. Suite 3B saddleupgallery.com Wild Holly Gallery 480-595-8757 22 Easy Street Carefree, AZ wildhollygallery.com Artificial plants, flowers and succulent Arizona Silk Flower 480-991-0285 23425 N. Scottsdale Rd. Ste A-107 Attorney Hundman Law Offices, PLLC 480-625-3134 hundmanlaw.com John W. Stevens, Attorney 480-488-2591 Carefree Area Barber Sam’s Barber Shop 480-488-3929 samsbarbershop.com Beauty Salon Studio C Salon 480-664-0602 studiocsalonsaz.com Bike SHop Flat Tire Bike Shop 6033 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-5261 flattirebikes.com

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Verri 32421 N. Scottsdale Rd 480-488-7779 verrifashions@gmail.com Bridal and Formal Wear The Quintessential Bride and Formal Wear 18291 N. Pima Rd. A125 480-419-7755 qbrideandformals.com College Paradise Valley Community College 602-493-2600 my.maricopa.edu COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE Foothills Animal Rescue 480-488-9890 Foothills Caring Corps 480-488-1105 Foothills Food Bank 480-488-1145 Salvation Army 480-488-3590 St. Vincent de Paul Society 602-254-3338 COMMUNITY organizations American Legion Post No. 34 & Auxiliary 480-488-2669 Arizona Archaeological Society 480-595-9255 Arizona Musicfest 480-488-0806

Cave Creek Museum 480-488-2764 Desert Awareness Committee 480-488-1090 Desert Foothills Community Association 480-488-4043 Desert Foothills Community Education 480-575-2440 Desert Foothills Land Trust 480-488-6131 Desert Foothills Theater 480-488-1981 Foothills Community Foundation 480-488-1090 Kiwanis Club of Carefree 480-488-8400 Newcomers Club of Scottsdale 480-990-1976 newcomersclubofscottsdale.com New River Senior Center 623-465-0367 Rotary Club 623-581-1163 Sonoran Arts League 480-575-6624 Soroptimist International 480-522-6692 YMCA 480-596-9622 COMputers Tech 4 Life 748 Easy Street #5 480-553-9171 techfourlife.com Cosmetics Merle Norman 480-488-3208 37417 Tom Darlington Dr. Dentist Carefree Dentists 480-488-9735 carefreedentists.com Carefree Smile 480-488-7010 carefreesmile.com

LocalIndex

Advertising: 623-341-8221

Dentistry at Westland 480-585-5215 33725 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite 101 dentistryatwestland.com

Hardware Ace Hardware Carefree 480-513-7020 karstensace.com

Smile Design Specialists 480-488-9655 drdevi.com

Hauling/Rubbish Removal Rubbish Works Local Junk Removal & Recycling 480-236-3590 rubbishworks.com/phoenix

Esthetician Skincare by Stephanie 602-326-0928 Desert Foothills Medical Center 36889 Tom Darlington Dr.

Health care Cierra Medical Walk-In Care 480-575-0131

Financial Planning Investments Edward Jones Natasha H. Palmatier 480-488-2821

Desert Foothills Medical Center 480-488-9220

Fine Artist Mary Bruns 40124 N. 72 Street 480-862-9757 marybrunsartinstruction.com

Mayo Clinic 480-515-6296

FIRE Fire Service 480-627-690

Paradise Valley Hospital 602-923-5000

Garden Desert Foothils Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Government/business Town of Carefree 480-488-3686 Town of Cave Creek 480-488-1400 Cave Creek Merchants and Events Association 480-437-1110 Carefree/Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce 480-488-3381 Habilitation, REspite & Attendant care Arion 623-238-4349 sdykhuizen@arioncaresolutions.com arioncaresolutions.com Handyman Desert Foothills Handyman Service 602-540-9794 1handyman4you.com

John C. Lincoln Deer Valley 623-879-6100

Mayo Hospital 480-585-6296

Scottsdale Healthcare 480-324-7000 7400 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy.

480-323-3000 90th St. & Shea Blvd.

Home COntractor & Design New Legacy Building & Design 480-363-6713 newlagacybuilding.com Nicholson Custom Homes 480-694-1442 nchomesaz.com Home furnishings Big Bronco Furniture Barn 480-575-1357 General Store 480-575-7025 bigbroncocavecreek.com Valerie’s Furniture & Accents 480-483-3327 valeriesfurniture.com Horse Riding Twisted Tree Farm 480-860-8215 twistedtreefarm.com

House Cleaning The Maids Scottsdale 602-923-4000 themaidsscottsdale.com Landscape Design and Maintenance A Couple of Green Thumbs 6061 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-2155 acoupleofgreenthumbs.com Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 azulverde.com Desert Foothills Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Desert Foothills Landscape 480-488-0128 36815 N. Cave Creek Rd. Iddings & Sons Landscaping, Inc. 623-465-2546 623-297-7584 iddingsandsonslandscaping.com Library Desert Broom Library 602-262-4636 Desert Foothills Library 480-488-2286 Mobile App Development Code Red-I 480-378-3681 8525 E Pinnacle Peak Rd codered-i.com Nails Diva Nails 480-664-1114 20945 N. Pima Rd #100 Nursery Desert Foothils Gardens Nursery 480-488-9455 33840 N. Cave Creek Rd. Outdoor Furniture Carefree Outdoor Living 480-575-3091 carefreeoutdoor.com Outdoor Lighting Let There be Light 480-575-3204 lettherebelightllc.com Apr il 2015

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Parks Cave Creek Regional Park 623-465-0431 Gateway Desert Awareness 480-488-1400 Spur Cross Ranch 480-488-6601 Cave Creek Ranger 480-595-3300 Photography Blackswan Photographers 480-282-8646 blackswanphotographers.com Keri Meyers Photography kerimeyersphotography.com Loralei Photography 602-795-0555 loraleiphotography.com Plumbing Canyon State AC and Plumbing 602-996-1818 canyonstateac.com Podiatry Westland Family Foot and Ankle Specialist 480-361-2500 westlandffas.com Pool Design/construction Azul-Verde Design Group, Inc. 480-595-0611 azulverde.com Pool maintenance My Pool Gal Service 480-626-2604 Repair 480-626-8200 Crystal Clear Pool & Spa 480-488-2636 crystalclearpools.biz Post office Carefree 480-488-3781 Cave Creek 480-488-1218 Realtor Jean Ransdell Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 480-294-3257 arizonaluxuryrealty.com Rancho Manana Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 5734 E Rancho Manana Blvd.

480-489-1811

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Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty 34305 N. Scottsdale Rd. 480-488-2400 Tom Scappaticci Russ Lyon Sotheby’s 602-430-4081 arizonaluxuryrealty.com Almarte in Carefree by Keystone 7471 Hum Road Carefree 480-422-0655 keystonehomesaz.com/almarte Restaurants English Rose Tea Room 480-488-4812 201 Easy St. Carefree, AZ carefreetea.com Carvalho’s Brazilian Kitchen 23623 N. Scottsdale Rd Suite D7 480-563-1562 Summit Diner 480-575-6562 summitdineraz.com Tom’s Thumb 840-513-8186 9393 E Bell Road The Village Coffee Shop 480-488-3835 7100 E. Cave Creek Rd. #134 B Wild Ocean Seafood Market & Grille 8876 E. Pinnacle Peak Rd., Suite 100 480-272-7221 Retirement Community Carefree Manor 480-595-5800 carefreemanor.net The Heritage at Carefree 480-488-1622 heritagecarefree.com SCHOOL Annunciation Catholic School 480-361-8234 Bella Vista Private School 480-575-6001 Black Mountain Elementary School 480-575-2100 Cactus Shadows High School Main Line 480-575-2400 Attendance 480-575-2431

Career Success School 480-575-0075 Cave Creek Montessori School 480-563-2929 cavecreekmontessori.com Cave Creek Unified School District 480-575-2000 Child’s Play Preschool – CCUSD cavecreekpreschools.com 480-575-2062 Desert Foothills Lutheran Preschool 480-585-8007 Desert Sun Academy 480-575-2900 Desert Willow Elementary School 480-575-2800 Foothills Academy 480-488-5583 Goddard School 480-437-1000 Horseshoe Trails Elementary School 480-272-8500 Lone Mountain Elementary School 480-437-3000 Montessori School 480-563-2929 Our Lady of Joy Preschool 480-595-6409 Paradise Valley Community College at Black Mountain 602-493-2600 Quality Interactive Montessori School 480-575-5269 qimontessori.com Sonoran Trails Middle School Main Line 480-272-8600 Attendance: 480-272-8604 Ventana Academic School 480-488-9362 Security Doors and Screens Steel Shield Security Doors 602-633-9368 steelshieldsecurity.com Sheriff Sheriff’s Posse 602-876-1895

LocalIndex

Advertising: 623-341-8221

Shopping Cave Creek Candle & Gifts 6245 E. Cave Creek Road 480-488-7799 cavecreekcandles.com Las Tiendas 6140 E. Cave Creek Rd. lastiendascavecreek.com Suzanne’s Hot Stuff In Frontier Town 480-488-1277 Stefan Mann 34505 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite G10 480-488-3371 stefanmann.com Western Territory Company 760-774-2746 westernterritorycompany.com Swim lessons/school Kim Courtney Swim School 480-502-2234 kimcourtneyswim.com TRavel Agent Margie BouttÊ 480-451-0612 elitetravelofscottsdale.com Water Softener & Filtration Rayne of the North Valley 623-234-9047 raynewater.com Websites Tech 4 Life 748 Easy Street #5 480-553-9171 techfourlife.com window treatments Carefree Coverings 602-617-2920 34522 N. Scottsdale Rd. Suite 100B Worship Black Mountain Baptist Church 480-488-1975 bmbcaz.com Black Mountain United Church of Christ 480-575-1801 bmucc.com

Carefree Highway Community Church 480-488-5565 carefreechurch.us

First Church of Christ Scientist 480-488-2665 csarizona.com/carefreecavecreek.1st

Cave Creek Adventist Fellowship 602-663-1268 cavecreekchurch.com

Good Shepherd of the Hills Episcopal Church 480-488-3283 goodshepherdaz.org

Cave Creek Bible Church 480-818-5653 cavecreekbiblechurch.org Christ Anglican Episcopal Church 480-488-0525 christchurchaz.org Christ the Lord Lutheran 480-488-2081 ctlcarefree.org Church of Jesus Christ of LDS 480-488-3035 lds.org Community Bible Church of Cave Creek 33501 N. Cave Creek Road 480-488-2958 communitybiblechurchaz.com

Light of the Desert Lutheran Church 480-563-5500 lightofthedesert.org Lone Mountain Fellowship Church 480-818-5653 lonemountainfellowship.org North Scottsdale Christian 480-367-8182 northscottsdalechristian.com North Ridge Community Church 480-515-4673 northridge.org North Valley Church of Christ 480-473-7611 nvcoc.net

Coolwater Christian Church 480-585-5554 coolwaterchurch.org

Our Lady of Joy Catholic Church 480-488-2229 oloj.org

Crossroads Christian Fellowship Church 623-465-9461

Pinnacle Presbyterian Church 480-585-9448 pinnaclepres.org

Desert Foothills Lutheran Church 480-585-8007 dflc.org

Redeemer Lutheran Church 480-585-7002 redeemer.vze.com

Desert Hills Presbyterian Church 480-488-3384 deserthills.org

Son Rise Community Church 480-502-2834 sonrisescottsdale.org

Desert Mission United Methodist Church 480-595-1814 desertmissionumc.org

Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center 480-488-5218 spiritinthedesert.org

Desert Valley Baptist Church 623-465-9461 First Baptist Church of Cave Creek 480-488-2958

St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church 480-595-0883 stgacc.org Via de Cristo United Methodist Fellowship 480-515-4490 viadecristo.com

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Recipe

Ham, Spinach and Potato Frittata Writer and photographer Monica Longenbaker

When the fridge has been reduced to a miscellany of leftovers, a frittata is a fabulous 20-minute solution for a gourmet meal. Any combination of ingredients, from pasta and potatoes to vegetables and meat, can star in this dish. Similar to an omelet or quiche, the frittata is simpler to master as it requires no flipping or pre-baked crust and can be served hot, cold or room temperature.

The key is to gently cook the eggs until just set to ensure the frittata remains light and custardy.

This Ham, Spinach and Potato Frittata is ideal for a leisurely holiday brunch or for breathing new life into leftover ham and potatoes from Easter dinner. The recipe requires only a small 8-inch skillet, but can be doubled and cooked in a wider skillet to feed a larger crowd.

Ham, Spinach and Potato Frittata Servings: 3-4

Directions: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, Parmesan cheese, Gruyère cheese, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.

6 large eggs ¼ cup milk ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup Gruyère cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter ¾ cup potatoes, sliced or diced (may also use pre-cooked potatoes) ¼ cup onion, diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 ounces ham, diced 3 ounces baby spinach ¼ cup Gruyère cheese (for topping)

Preheat the broiler. On the stove, heat oil or butter in an 8-inch nonstick, oven-proof skillet over medium heat.

Add the potatoes and cook for about 8–10 minutes or until almost tender, stirring occasionally.

(Skip this step if you are using pre-cooked potatoes).

Add the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the ham and baby spinach and stir until the spinach is wilted.

Lower the heat to medium-low and pour the egg mixture into the pan with the rest of the ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, stir the eggs from the bottom for 2–3 minutes, then allow the eggs to continue to cook until the bottom half is completely set.

Top the frittata with the remaining Gruyère cheese and place the entire skillet under the broiler.

Broil until the cheese is melted and the frittata is just set, about 3–4 minutes.

Carefully remove the frittata from the pan and cut into wedges. Serve with salsa or other desired condiments.

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