Images Arizona May 2021 by Images Arizona Magazine Carefee/Cave Creek Edition

ECRWSS Local Postal Customer

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

Desert Mountain

Carefree

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Cave Creek

THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALING & WELLNESS

Add Years to Your Life & Life to Your Years! In as little as 3 months we can help you look & feel 10 years younger, lose weight, reverse chronic conditions, relieve pain, and increase function. SERVICES & PROGRAMS

The approach at the Center for Integrative Healing & Wellness is personalized and combines the best elements of preventative, regenerative, integrative, functional, and anti-aging medicine to help you achieve optimal health.

Fabio Almeida, MD, ABOIM, ABNM, ABOM Triple Board-Certified Physician Founder | Medical Director

Concierge Adult Preventative Care Integrative & Functional Medicine Integrative Cancer Care Nutrition & Culinary Medicine Anti-Aging Medicine Hormone Balance Weight Loss IV Therapy Bio-Energy Therapy Exercise & Fitness Coaching

Cindy Almeida, CNC Master Holistic, Sports & Obesity Nutritional Counselor

Kelly Montana, CPT, TPI Fitness & Performance Expert

Call to Schedule an In-Person or Telemedicine Visit

480-881-5621 2

THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALING & WELLNESS

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Civana Resort - Spa - Sanctuary | 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ 85377 | drfabio.com

ARIZONA REAL REAL ESTATE ARIZONA ESTATE IS ISHOT HOT URGENT:WE WEHAVE HAVE CASH CASH BUYERS BUYERS FOR URGENT: FORYOUR YOURHOME HOMENOW NOW UN

S JU

R NT

L SO

10050 E Jopeda Lane Scottsdale AZ 85255 4 Bed | 4.5 Bath | 4,400 Sqft | Offered at $2,500,000 Designed by Vernon Swaback

S JU

I VA SA

10050 E Jopeda Lane Scottsdale AZ 85255 R OU T L 4 Bedroom | 4.5 Bath | 4,400 Sqft U A| SOLD FOR $2,500,000 RT I V Designed by Vernon Swaback T

D OL

R NT

E ND

S JU DE

C RA

11562 E Cavedale Drive Scottsdale AZ 85262 4 Bedroom | 3 Bath | 3,567 Sqft | Desert Summit Offered at $1,149,000

26846 N 73rd Street Scottsdale AZ 85266 4 Bedroom + Office | 3 Bath | 2,955 Sqft | Monterra Offered at $899,000

11562 E Cavedale Drive Scottsdale AZ 85262 4 Bedroom | 3 Bath | 3,567 Sqft | Desert Summit SOLD FOR $1,175,000

26846 N 73rd Street Scottsdale AZ 85266 4 Bedroom + Office | 3 Bath | 2,955 Sqft | Monterra Offered at $899,000

S JU

C RA

N CO

Operating Principal REALTOR® Andrew@BVOLuxury.com

S LI

ANDREW BLOOM

L SO

BABS BLOOM

Director of Marketing Director of Client Care Barbara@BVOLuxury.com

AUSTIN BLOOM

Director of Expansion REALTOR® Austin@BVOLuxury.com

ALEXANDRA BLOOM Operations Manager AlexandraBloom@ BVOLuxury.com

CALL US TODAY TO SELL NOW! (480) 400-19843 M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

S SA AN ND DE ER RS SO ON N LL II N NC CO O LL N N

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. #7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 | For appointments 480.575.8080

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

N O W R E P R E S E N T I N G P O T T E RY F R O M M Y R O N W H I TA K E R

Clockwise: “Quail Family,” Trevor Swanson, painting on patina metal, 20” x 30” “My Rabbit Buddies” Amy Lay, mixed media on canvas, 36” x 24” “Raccoons” Bryce Pettit, bronze Ceramic wall plaques Myron Whitaker, ceramics, 8” x 8”

B RY C E

P E T T I T

T R E V O R A M Y

L AY

M Y R O N

W I L D L I F E

S WA N S O N

W I L D L I F E

C O N T E M P O R A R Y W H I TA K E R

B R O N Z E

S C U L P T O R A R T I S T

W I L D L I F E

C E R A M I C

A R T I S T

S C U L P T O R

SUE BICKERDYKE 26 years in Carefree

INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES, HOME FURNISHINGS & FINE ART GALLERY 36889 N. Tom Darlington Dr. Suite B1, Carefree | 480-595-0171 | suebickerdyke.com Hours: Mon. thru Sat. 9am - 5pm Allied ASID M ay 2021 imagesar iz ona .c om

LET ‘R BUCK Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Sam-Sin Photography

COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo

DELECTABLE DISCOVERIES Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse

UNCHARTED WATERS

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Bob Golembe

THE MEAT MARKET Writer Shannon Severson Photography by Carl Schultz

BLACKBERRY-LEMON SCONES Writer and photographer Kyndra Kelly

42 8

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

PUBLISHER Shelly Spence

MANAGING EDITOR Joseph J. Airdo

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Mitchell

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph J. Airdo Amanda Christmann Kyndra Kelly Shannon Severson

As I began to put this month’s issue of Images Arizona together, a sense of joy washed over me — even more so than usual. It quickly became clear to me that our community is finally starting to come back to life with all of the exceptional events that not only provide us with entertainment and recreation but also help all of our remarkable nonprofit organizations continue their valuable work.

PHOTOGRAPHERS Bryan Black Brandon Dunham Kyndra Kelly Loralei Lazurek Carl Schultz

ADVERTISING SALES Cooper Langston 480-544-8721 cooper@imagesaz.com

Images Arizona P.O. Box 1416 Carefree, AZ. 85377 623-341-8221 imagesarizona.com Submission of news for community section should be in to shelly@imagesaz.com by the 5th of the month prior to publication.

Last summer, our calendars were filled with scheduled Zoom meetings, binge-watching the latest television shows and baking banana bread from scratch. While I appreciate the additional time with my family that the pandemic provided me, I missed gathering with my friends and neighbors and coming together with other people throughout the community to celebrate one another and this wonderful area we call home. This summer is just starting and there are already countless events planned for this month alone — many of which are detailed in the pages of this magazine. Activities will no doubt still look a bit different than they did prior to the pandemic, but the fact that there are so many opportunities available for us to reconnect with one another in-person is an extremely encouraging sign. Of course, also with summer just starting, our temperatures are still relatively bearable so now is the time to take full advantage of these social occasions — before the season’s scorching heat takes hold. However, I have a feeling that after having essentially been forced to skip last summer, we will not allow even triple-digit temperatures to stop us from enjoying the next few months with our family and friends.

Images Arizona is published by ImagesAZ Inc. Copyright © 2020 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 10

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

I encourage you to call the people you care about the most and invite them out to the incredible events that our community has planned for this summer. Find reasons to assemble with your loved ones and make some new friends in the process. Relish all that these activities have to offer. Cheers! Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

T H I S

M O T H E R ’ S

D A Y

—

G I V E

H E R

S T U N N I N G

CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY + ART

Designer Jacqueline Earle has reinvented the role of the diamond in her feminine and flirty collection of floating diamond jewelry.

Her Willow Diamonds are strung rather than set, allowing each stone to capture light in a playful manner which creates versatile, wearable pieces that, like us, like to have fun.

Grace Renee Gallery 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Hours Tue.–Wed. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. and Thur.–Sat.10 a.m.–7 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080 12

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

GraceReneeGallery.com

G I F T

Vivace Earrings and Butterfly Necklace 18-karat gold with diamonds Award-winning design M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Sam-Sin Photography

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

After a year of lockdowns, canceled events and social distancing from one another — including our family, friends, neighbors and other loved ones — the need and desire for the traditions that we hold dear has been made abundantly clear. In the town of Cave Creek and its surrounding communities of Carefree and North Scottsdale, those traditions are steeped in Western heritage. “During the recent pandemic, there have been a lot of ups and downs,” says Kristin Lewis, spokesperson for Cave Creek Rodeo Days. “Yet one thing that has been consistent is the drive to keep the Western heritage alive and kicking in an effort to maintain some level of normality and tradition.” Cave Creek Rodeo Days — an annual event that draws thousands of visitors to and creates a noticeable influx of consumers in the area — is one of the premier traditions that helps to sustain that Western heritage. Cave Creek Rodeo Days stayed the course last year to maintain tradition but did so without any attendees, partnering with the Cowboy Channel which nationally televised the local event. This year, it will triumphantly return to an in-person format, giving rodeo fans in the community and across Arizona a reason a celebrate. Cave Creek Rodeo Days will host its 45th annual event this month, preceded by a May 25 golf tournament. Three Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association performances will take

Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Water Treatment

place throughout the May 28–30 weekend, consisting of bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing as well as the popular breakaway roping competition.

Water tasting a little funky?

Cave Creek Rodeo Days President Beth Cornell notes that this year’s event would not be possible without the help and support of sponsors, advertisers, local businesses and the community. Adding that it is a significant challenge to get people to dedicate numerous hours of their free time — without compensation — to put on such an elaborate event, Cornell especially credits members and volunteers with Cave Creek Rodeo Days’ remarkable success over the past 45 years. “Cave Creek Rodeo Days has more than 160 volunteers from its board of directors to the person who helped you park your car,” she explains. “All of our volunteers donate their time to ensure the town of Cave Creek has this wonderful event. If you see or meet one out there, please thank them.”

Reverse Osmosis System Tune-Up Includes: Standard Yearly Filters Flush Water Heater Check Water Heater Water Pressure Check Softener Inspection & Test General Plumbing Inspection

Lewis says that maintaining Cave Creek Rodeo Days as a tradition is important to the town of Cave Creek’s historical identity. “No matter what horse you ride, Creekers like to be free and roam the desert the town was founded on,” she explains. “This unique town is what the definition of rodeo is: an exhibition of belief and heritage to the Western code and lifestyle.”

Call or Text

480.463.1696 to Schedule your Appointment!

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

“

There is a sense of tradition here in Cave Creek — where they come from, what they stand for and who they are. Cave Creek Rodeo Days proves that our Western heritage is alive and well.

Lewis adds that over the years, rodeo has evolved as a natural desire of local ranches to see who had the best hands. “After months of strenuous labor moving cattle throughout the country, cowboys would get together and compete,” she says. “As a form of amusement, cowboys would gather and compare their roping and riding skills. This friendly competition and end of the trail celebration has grown into the rodeo events we know and love today.” Cave Creek held its first rodeo in 1977 in an effort to energize the community, assist in raising funds to create Cave Creek Memorial Arena, provide donations to local charitable needs and bring the major economic benefits of the professional sport to the town. Since then, Cave Creek Rodeo Days has grown and attracted interest from the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. “The West is filled with all types of characters — from clowns to cowboys all the way down to every unique individual who attends,” Lewis says. “There is a sense of tradition here in Cave Creek — where they come from, what they stand for and who they are. Cave Creek Rodeo Days proves that our Western heritage is alive and well.”

Kristin Lewis cavecreekrodeo.com

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

EXPERIENCE

Cave Creek Rodeo Days Golf Tournament

Tuesday, May 25 | 10:30 a.m. Rancho Mañana Golf Club 5734 E. Rancho Mañana Blvd. Cave Creek $650 per four-person team __________

Women's Slack Friday, May 27 | 7 p.m. Cave Creek Memorial Arena 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek Free __________

Steer Roping and Men’s Slack Saturday, May 29 | 8 a.m. Cave Creek Memorial Arena 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek Free __________

Performances Friday, May 28–Sunday, May 30 | 7:30 p.m. Cave Creek Memorial Arena 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek $27+ 480-304-5634 cavecreekrodeo.com

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

COMMUNITY

2021 MAY

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

Through June 2

MIDWEEK MELODIES North Valley Symphony Orchestra has launched a Midweek Melodies series, through which it will release a new recording of one of its ensembles each Wednesday on YouTube. Among other works, featured pieces will include two Beethoven piano trios in recognition of the composer’s 250th birthday; an arrangement of popular sea shanties for horn quartet; and “Novelletten, Op. 52, Nos. 1–4” for string orchestra, triangle and tambourine by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor. Free. northvalleysymphony.org

Through May 10

ART FOR LAND’S SAKE

Keep in mind Although Images Arizona magazine has made every effort to publish

Desert Foothills Land Trust has

I AM YOU, YOU ARE ME: PORTRAITS

been selected as a benefactor by

Scottsdale Public Art is showing

Creative Connections Fine Art for its

a juried exhibition of portraits

virtual art exhibit and auction. The

that reveal much more than just a

exhibit preview runs through April

reflection of one’s face. Each one

28. Bidding for the online auction

also reveals the relationship between

opens April 29 and closes May 10.

the artist and the subject. Free.

creativeconnectionsfineart.com

Civic Center Public Gallery, 3839

the most up-to-date information at press time, some events may be canceled or rescheduled to comply with social distancing measures and

Through May 16 NUNSENSE

Arizona Broadway Theatre will present

Through Aug. 22

the surviving sisters to put on a talent show to raise money for the funerals.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary

See website for price and times.

Art debuts an exhibition with new

Arizona Broadway Theatre, 7701 W.

works by artist Diedrick Brackens

Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-776-8400;

that incorporate textiles with ideas

azbroadway.org

of agency to advance change. In

COVID-19 pandemic. Please use

poisons 52 of her sisters prompting

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

scottsdalepublicart.org

DIEDRICK BRACKENS: ARK OF BULRUSHES

other factors associated with the

confirm dated details.

N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale.

a play in which a nun accidentally

the contact information provided to

Through June 21

this series of works, Brackens forms visual

a beautiful video created especially for the

allegories of emancipation by intertwining

occasion with an emphasis on songs that

symbology from the Underground Railroad

remind us to find joy in many different ways

and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt,

— in the divine, in everyday simple aspects

offering a meditation on liberation, the

of life and in reaching out to others. Free.

climate crisis and the power of craft. $10;

7:30 p.m. sonorandesertchorale.org

youth, student and senior discounts available. Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

Through Aug. 22

DIVISION OF LABOR: WOMEN SHIFTING A TRANSNATIONAL GAZE

May 1

OH SOLO WAINWRIGHT: AN EVENING WITH RUFUS Vocalist, songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright will perform a concert of songs from his self-titled debut album “Poses” and his second album “Want One.” $55+. 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Scottsdale

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art

Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E.

has invited local artists M. Jenea Sanchez

Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587;

and Gabriela Muñoz to guest co-curate an

scottsdaleperformingarts.org

exhibition that begins with a selection of nearly 20 works chosen through the unifying context of labor and the gaze. Additionally, the two

May 2

the DouglaPrieta Trabaja collective to create

SCOTTSDALE PHILHARMONIC CONCERT

new works following a historical continuum

Scottsdale Philharmonic will perform a

through a collaborative process foundational

concert of classical music. $15. 4 p.m.

to their artistic practice. $10; youth, student

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts,

and senior discounts available. Wednesday–

7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-

Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum

8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

artists are collaborating with Ammi Robles and

of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org

May 1

FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA CHAMBER PLAYERS CONCERT

May 4

SUMMERIZE YOUR HOME WEBINAR The Holland Center will present a webinar about how to keep your house safe when you leave it for long periods of time for the

A select group of the nation’s finest orchestral

upcoming summer season. $10. 4 p.m. RSVP.

musicians, led by Maestro Robert Moody and

hollandcenter.org

featuring acclaimed soloist Cathal Breslin, will close out Arizona Musicfest’s outdoor concert series. $30–$45. 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sanctuary Patio at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church, 25150 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org

May 1

LET JOY BE YOUR JOURNEY CONCERT

May 6

CAREFREE ART WALK Stroll, shop, dine and enjoy an evening celebrating the arts in downtown Carefree while helping to support local businesses and local creativity — which makes our Arizona culture a better place to live, work and visit. Begin at any gallery, then continue on to other participating galleries. Enjoy a diverse

The Sonoran Desert Chorale will offer its

display of artistic styles and mediums, meet

fourth regular concert in this year's virtual

the artists, enjoy refreshments and engage

season. The online concert will combine

in conversation about art and architecture.

new virtual repertoire and recorded material

Free. 4–8 p.m. See website for participating

from previous live concerts, all packaged in

galleries. visitcarefree.com M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

May 10–16

SPRING RESTAURANT WEEK Participating restaurants in the community will showcase their menus at discounted prices, offering customers an opportunity to sample new and exciting menu offerings and, in doing so, continue to support their local restaurants. Some restaurants will offer special two-course lunches while others will offer special three-course dinners. $18–$45. See website for participating restaurants. carefreerestaurants.com

May 8

GOLDEN REEF STAMP MILL DEMONSTRATION

May 8

VISION KIDS: UNDER PRESSURE Chandler's Vision Gallery will host

Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 602-9094215; scottsdalemusicaltheater.com

May 8–Jan. 30

Arizona’s only fully operational

a class during which Merryn Alaka

ten-stamp ore crushing mill will run

will teach youth aged 6–16 to create

several outdoor demonstrations at

their own relief print using repeating

VOICE-OVER: ZINEB SEDIRA

Cave Creek Museum. Watch history

patterns and everyday materials.

Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary

come alive as the ten 1,000-pound

The workshop, which will be offered

Art presents an exhibition of the

stamps slam down in synchronized

virtually on Zoom, is designed to

personal and political work of artist

precision and hear the pounding

inspire children's creativity and

Zineb Sedira, who creates work with

echo against the desert foothills —

give students the opportunity to

expansive themes around memory,

just as it did more than 140 years

develop important avenues for self-

migration and the archive. Posing

ago. Also on exhibit outdoors on

expression. Free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

important questions on the relation

the museum campus are various

RSVP. visiongallery.org/vision-kids

between history and aesthetics, trauma

pieces of equipment from the early mining days of Arizona and many agricultural tools used at local

and form, the artist has established

May 8–29

herself as a significant voice in a global contemporary art world conversation.

times. Cave Creek Museum, 6140 E.

BEST OF BROADWAY MUSICAL REVUE

Skyline Drive, Cave Creek. 480-488-

Scottsdale Musical Theater Company

Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale

2764; cavecreekmuseum.org

will continue its series of cabaret-

Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374

style musical revues with a show

E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-

titled “The Music of Andrew Lloyd

4666; smoca.org

farms and ranches. See website for

Webber.” $25. Saturdays 8 p.m.

Scottsdale Plaza Resort, 7200 N.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

$10; youth, student and senior discounts available. Wednesday–

May 9

CRYSTAL BOWL HEALING CONCERT FOR A CAUSE The Space Healing Center and Local Jonny’s will present a sound healing concert during which attendees will take part in various meditative practices that ensure a relaxing and rejuvenating afternoon. The healing experience aims to induce a meditative state with crystal bowls, gongs and other instruments. $25. 4–6 p.m. Local Jonny’s, 6033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 602-492-6643; thespaceaz.com

May 10

DESERT FOOTHILLS LIBRARY GOLF DAY Desert Foothills Library will host its 25th annual charity golf tournament, offering golfers an opportunity to support the library while having some fun on the fairway. Those who do not wish to golf but still want to participate may register as a scorekeeper for a foursome of their choice. $50 to be a scorekeeper; $250 to participate. 8 a.m. RSVP. Desert Forest Golf Club, 37207 N. Mule Train Road, Carefree. 480-488-2286; dfla.org

May 11

CAROLYN EYNON SINGERS CHORAL REHEARSAL Carolyn Eynon Singers will host a choral rehearsal that is open to the public. Free. 6:45–9 p.m. North Scottsdale United Methodist Church, 11735 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale. 480-529-2630; cesingers.com

May 14

Learn with us!

MUSICANOVA ORCHESTRA CONCERT MusicaNova Orchestra will perform an uplifting concert of renewal, shared humanity and strength of purpose. In-person and livestream ticketing options available. $27+. 8 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. musicanovaaz.org

May 15 and 16

Performing Arts Personalized Learning

2021

Enrollment NOW OPEN

EXPERIENCE CENTRAL AFRICA

talks and other family-friendly activities. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org

May 16

MUSICANOVA CHAMBER WINDS CONCERT

Desert Sun Academy

French • Steam Personalized Learning

Desert Willow Elementary School

Musical Instrument Museum will celebrate the diverse music and dance traditions of Central Africa with live performances, curator

Black Mountain Elementary School

Spanish International School

CAVE CREEK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT is inspiring excellence in young minds. Explore our five A+ elementary schools – each with its own signature curriculum.

Horseshoe Trails Elementary School

llment Now Open 2021 Enro

Registration online at: www.ccusd93.org/Page/8080

Mandarin • Horsemanship Nat’l Blue Ribbon School

The MusicaNova Chamber Winds will perform a concert that is part of Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts’ MusicaNova-curated

Lone Mountain Elementary School

classical lounge series. In-person and livestream ticketing options are available. $24+. 2 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. musicanovaaz.org

480.575.2000 www.CCUSD93.org M ay 2021

Stem Program Personalized Learning

imagesar iz ona .c om

May 25–30

CAVE CREEK RODEO DAYS Cave Creek Rodeo Days will host its 45th annual event, preceded by a May 25 golf tournament. Three Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association performances will take place throughout the weekend, consisting of bull riding, saddle bronc and bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tiedown roping and barrel racing as well as the popular breakaway roping competition. $27+. See website for schedule of events. Cave Creek Memorial Arena, 37201 N. 28th St., Cave Creek. cavecreekrodeo.com

May 16

LUNCH AND LEARN: POLLO SAPORITO

van Beethoven with the beloved

according to Matthew that follows

“Moonlight Sonata” and “Sonata op.

a troupe of players as they help a

110,” written after deafness engulfed

contemporary Jesus share his lessons

the legendary composer. In-person

through parables, games and comedic

Marcellino Ristorante will host a

and livestream ticketing options are

shenanigans. See website for price and

cooking class during which chef

available. $25+. 7:30 p.m. Scottsdale

times. Arizona Broadway Theatre,

Marcellino Verzino will teach

Center for the Performing Arts, 7380

7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-

participants to cook tender pieces

E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-

776-8400; azbroadway.org

of white meat chicken sautéed with

8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

mushrooms, pine nuts and sun-dried tomato in a touch of fresh tomato

May 22

fresh organic salad and Marcellino’s

RUTHIE FOSTER CONCERT

delicious biscotti. $50. 1 p.m. RSVP.

Musical Instrument Museum will

Chandler's Vision Gallery will host a

Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E.

welcome award-winning blues artist

class during which Noemy Esparza-

Stetson Drive, Scottsdale. 480-990-

and singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster.

Isaacson will teach youth aged 6–16 to

9500; marcellinoristorante.com

$33.50–$44.50. 7 p.m. Musical

use different values of the same color to

Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo

paint striking portraits of themselves or

Blvd., Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org

family members. The workshop, which

a delectable lunch of the chef’s dish, a

May 18

CELEBRATING BEETHOVEN CONCERT

May 19

VISION KIDS: MONOCHROME PORTRAITS

sauce. After the class, guests will enjoy

will be offered virtually on Zoom, is

May 21–June 13

designed to inspire children's creativity and give students the opportunity to

Pianist Jeffrey Siegel will celebrate

GODSPELL

the 250th birthday of Ludwig

Arizona Broadway Theatre will

expression. Free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

present a musical based on the Gospel

RSVP. visiongallery.org/vision-kids

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

develop important avenues for self-

May 23

GREAT PERFORMERS SHOWCASE Rosie’s House students will perform a concert of breathtaking and inspiring piano, strings, winds and voice solos. 3 p.m. Free. Rosie’s House, 919 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. 602-252-8475; rosieshouse.org

May 31

MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE The town of Carefree will host a tribute to remember the men and women who served and paid the ultimate sacrifice for the safety of our country. Free. 8 a.m. Cave Creek Cemetery, 36400 N. Pima Road, Carefree. carefree.org

June 5–Nov. 8

FASHION’S SUBVERSIVES Phoenix Art Museum will host an exhibition that spans the 19th century through today and features work by designers such as Yves Saint Laurent, Geoffrey Beene, Giorgio di Sant’Angelo, Balenciaga, Rudi Gernreich and Paco Rabanne. The exhibition will showcase nearly 40 examples of garments and accessories — from the humble denim jean to the scandalous bikini — that broke from culturally accepted norms and forever changed popular fashion and the fashion industry. $23; youth, student and senior discounts available. Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-257-1880; phxart.org

June 6

MERZ TRIO CONCERT Praised for their fresh and surprising interpretations, Merz Trio will perform a concert with a unique sound that pairs well with violist Jordan Bak’s interpretations of everything from traditional classical music to 21st-century compositions. In-person and livestream ticketing options are available. $19+. 2 p.m. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-499-8587; scottsdaleperformingarts.org

June 6

VISION KIDS: FELTED FACES Chandler's Vision Gallery will host a class during which Christy Puetz will teach youth aged 6–16 to create funny felted faces of people or animals using wool roving. The workshop, which will be offered virtually on Zoom, is designed to inspire children's creativity and give students the opportunity to develop important avenues for self-expression. Free. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. RSVP. visiongallery.org/vision-kids

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX DEBUTS NEW MURAL Two renowned local artists — Miles “El Mac” MacGregor and Thomas “Breeze” Marcus — this spring completed a new 45-foot mural sponsored by the Downtown Phoenix Partnership. The mural features El Mac’s signature portrait style, utilizing repeating contour patterns, and Breeze’s interlocking geometric designs. The central image is a black-andwhite portrait of a real-life teenage girl from Phoenix’s Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. She is holding a red rose, in color, which matches the soft red and terracotta hues of Breeze’s diamond-shaped detailing around the image. The Monroe, 111 W. Monroe St., Phoenix. dtphx.org

June 7

SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE, JR. AUDITIONS

for ballet students interested in

library of spiritual music and bring

an immersive dance experience.

more of their expert musicianship

Students will participate in a daily

and engaging storytelling to the

study of ballet and movement

North Scottsdale area. Desert Hills

including stretch, turns and pointe

Presbyterian Church, 34605 N.

Musical Theatre of Anthem will

classes, conditioning, health and

Tom Darlington Drive, Scottsdale.

audition potential cast members

wellness and contemporary dance.

480-488-3384; deserthills.org/arts-

for its upcoming production of

$35+. See website for times. Ballet

at-the-rocks

“School House Rock Live, Jr.,”

Theatre of Phoenix, 6201 N.

a musical based on the Emmy

Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-957-3364;

Award-winning Saturday morning

ballettheatreofphx.org

educational cartoon series and pop culture phenomenon. Auditionees aged 8–15 should prepare a musical theater song. $375; sibling discounts available. 9 a.m.–3 p.m. RSVP. Musical Theatre of Anthem, 42201 N. 41st Drive, Anthem. 623-3366001; musicaltheatreofanthem.org

June 7–July 8

SUMMER INTENSIVE BALLET PROGRAM Ballet Theatre of Phoenix will host a five-week program designed

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

CHURCH PARTNERS WITH SAXOPHONE QUARTET

KIWANIS AWARDS FUNDS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS The Kiwanis Club of Carefree last month awarded funds to a number of

Desert Hills Presbyterian Church has

community organizations. Recipients

named the Fountain Hills Saxophone

included Desert Foothills Family

Quartet as its artists in residence for

YMCA for its Children’s Spring

the next year. The partnership — the

Break Safety Around Water swim

first of its kind between a chamber

lessons; Horseshoe Trails and Black

group and the church — allows the

Mountain elementary schools for the

two organizations to support and

replacement of their scoreboards;

promote one another through live

and Cave Creek Museum for the

music. The church’s support of the

maintenance of its children’s gold

quartet will expand the quartet’s

panning program and the operation

of its stamp mill. The club also awarded funds to Jubilate Conservatory of Music, which provides scholarships to local students to attend an online lesson program, and Sonoran Arts League’s Veterans Program, which provides a bridge between the United States Armed Forces and the art community, aspiring to engage veterans and allow them to tell their story through creative expression. kiwaniscarefree.org

MUSEUM RECEIVES GIFT OF SOUTHWEST WOMEN ART COLLECTION Photo Courtesy of Marjorie Reed Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West has been gifted a collection featuring more than 300 works from 25 gifted women artists. The Fran and Ed Elliott Southwest Women Art Collection is one of the largest donations of artworks by women ever gifted to an American institution. The acquisition will claim a place of pride in the museum for women artists who have been traditionally underrepresented in the art history of the American West. $20; youth, student, senior and military discounts available. Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale. 480-6869539; scottsdalemuseumwest.org

SCOTTSDALE PUBLIC ART ADDS AR TO ARTWORK Eleven artworks in Scottsdale Public Art’s permanent collection are now enhanced with augmented reality elements, viewable through a mobile device app. The augmented reality features provide further insight on the artworks from the perspective of the artists, Scottsdale Public Art staff or others associated with the pieces. scottsdalepublicart.org

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Friends of the Scenic Drive

If you have ever driven along Scottsdale Road between Happy Valley Road and Carefree Highway, you are likely to have seen the work of Friends of the Scenic Drive — if not some of the nonprofit organization’s members themselves. Founder Les Conklin explains that members are very active in and passionate about their efforts to maintain the beautiful vistas of our great Sonoran Desert. “You have seen us picking up the trash along this road,” Conklin says. “You may have stopped and walked along the path at the Scenic Drive monument to learn more about the desert. You have seen some of the birds and other wildlife we have fought to preserve. And we hope you enjoyed the absolute solace this landscape brings to all who live or travel in the area.”

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Friends of the Scenic Drive’s extraordinary efforts honor the work of what was once a tiny desert community that came together 60 years ago to create a special road — endearingly referred to as the Scenic Drive — and to protect roadside vegetation and vistas. It also carries on a tradition of fighting to preserve the area’s heritage, demonstrated by a number of other determined individuals over the past six decades. However, over time, interest in the Scenic Drive has waned and participation in the nonprofit organization has declined dramatically — contributing to the roadway’s state of disrepair. Funding, too, is at an all-time low. Therefore, Friends of the Scenic Drive is calling on the help of the community, noting the nonprofit organization’s need for additional funding as well as volunteers to assist with its road clean-up and communication projects.

OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST

HIGH END, LOW-VOLTAGE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING

“The funding goes to various initiatives such as the maintenance of signage along Scottsdale Road, the monument areas, contributions to our wildlife preservation partners and numerous organizations with like-minded missions as ours,” Conklin says. “We are an all-volunteer organization with no salaries or financial support for our time and effort, so 100% of all the monies we raise goes into the environment and the efforts to preserve our quality of life.”

LIGHTING, IRRIGATION, LANDSCAPE

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

THE CREATION OF A SPECIAL ROAD

Sixty years ago, the only way into Cave Creek was via Cave Creek Road — a narrow two-lane road through open desert. Houses were few and far between throughout the foothills area, which was very much the definition of a quaint desert community. That started to change in 1963 when Scottsdale Road was paved up to the new town of Carefree. As neon lights from motels and gas stations began to crowd other communities across Arizona, residents throughout the Cave Creek-Carefree area feared the same would happen to their beloved slice of the state. They established the Scenic Drive to create a special road and to protect roadside vegetation and vistas.

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Years ago, Friends of the Scenic Drive boasted an abundance of volunteers who assisted in a number of programs and activities that safeguarded the Scenic Drive’s beauty, generated funds and fortified a characteristic of caring across the community. However, over time, participation in the nonprofit organization has declined dramatically — contributing to the roadway’s state of disrepair.

The 6-1/2-mile stretch of roadway — located on Scottsdale Road between Happy Valley Road and Carefree Highway — now stands as a landmark on the frontline in the effort to reduce creeping normalcy. Large stucco entry monuments mark the southern and northern entries to the Scenic Drive, which boasts small redwood signs that identify more than 20 species of native plants thereby making it easy for visitors to learn the names of the uniquely beautiful area’s various cacti and trees. Meanwhile, a small outdoor exhibit area less than one mile north of Happy Valley Road provides a quiet place where visitors can park and walk a short distance to view desert flora. Monuments with plaques also provide information about the history of the Scenic Drive as well as the Sonoran climate, flora and fauna. After six decades, the Scenic Drive’s route now passes by equestrian properties, small neighborhoods and planned communities with golf, swimming, tennis and fitness centers as well as a few retail centers. Numerous parks, preserves and upscale resorts are also nearby.

THE PRESERVATION OF OUR AREA’S HERITAGE

Driven by a decline of the Scenic Drive during the mid-1980s following annexations by the cities of Phoenix and Scottsdale, an informal group of residents known as the Foothills Drive Homeowners Coalition in 1994 organized to oppose a proposed commercial development at the intersection of Scottsdale and Dynamite roads.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Conklin, a member of the Foothills Drive Homeowners Coalition, also organized an effort to restore and promote the Scenic Drive, seeking to preserve the area’s heritage and have a positive impact on future development. In 1996, the group incorporated as Friends of the Scenic Drive, a division of volunteers now within the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association — a nonprofit organization, founded in 1977, dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment and the enhancement of quality of life in the North Scottsdale Sonoran Desert. Friends of the Scenic Drive began working to preserve and enhance the drive by conducting regular litter pickup programs and maintaining its plant exhibits and monuments. The group has also led a number of successful initiatives to maintain the “scenic” qualities of the Scenic Drive — including the undergrounding of utility lines; the painting of utility boxes, railings and traffic signals to blend into the natural environment; and the banning of all political signposting along the drive. “The more recent impactful environmental actions we have spearheaded have been the relocation of a massive commercial storage unit — originally slated to be constructed at the Lone Mountain/Scottsdale Road intersection — to a commercial tract of land near Cave Creek Road,” Conklin says. “Also, we were very instrumental in the community action that prevented the transfer of 40 acres of commercial zoning to the east side of Scottsdale Road, between Happy Valley and Jomax roads.” Conklin adds that the latest city planning that will affect the Scenic

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

“

We need help in so many ways and feel the brand is basically unknown as our visibility and participation has faded over the years. But our efforts remain steadfast to preserve the North Scottsdale corridor where we all live and work. Jake Kulp

Drive is the establishment of planted medians on Scottsdale Road between Jomax Road to Dixileta Drive and a feasibility study regarding the creation of a roundabout at Scottsdale Road and Dynamite Boulevard. “We will actively work with the city to balance all their plans with the intent that the result will look like the beautiful improvements made last year a little farther north near the Summit retail complex,” Conklin says. The Reinvigoration of a Community’s Caring It is abundantly obvious by their devotion to the roadway that the members of Friends of the Scenic Drive are a very caring bunch. In fact, many of them are involved in copious causes across the Valley — a quality that is a double-edged sword as it spreads resources thin, with the aging Scenic Drive tending to get the short end of the stick. Greater Pinnacle Peak Association board member Jake Kulp says that, as a result, the Scenic Drive is in somewhat disrepair. “Some of the signs are broken or missing, many of the plants have died and there are a lot of weeds that need to be cleared,” says Kulp, noting his desire to reinvigorate the roadway’s brand as a landmark of our cherished community that has managed to escape the fate suffered by more southern areas of the state. “I have been out here since 1979 and I just love this area. I spend a lot of time outdoors. I relish hiking through the washes and the mountains and even just driving up the road. I have seen the encroachment of suburbia in other areas and, while that is inevitable, we want to work with the correct kind of growth and protect the area that we have come to love.” Kulp looks back at Friends of the Scenic Drive’s heyday and mourns a number of programs and activities that safeguarded the Scenic Drive’s beauty, generated funds and fortified a characteristic of

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

caring across the community — all of which sustained the nonprofit organization’s visibility. Years ago, Friends of the Scenic Drive published a magazine, held photo contests, awarded grants to students who hoped to pursue degrees and careers in environmental areas and even hosted community events featuring food, entertainment and a silent auction. However, without sufficient funds and volunteers, those things and others have all fallen by the wayside. Kulp is calling on the community to lend a hand as he aspires to see those programs and activities make a triumphant return thereby revitalizing Friends of the Scenic Drive and, most importantly, the Scenic Drive itself. Those who wish to make a donation or volunteer may call Conklin at 480585-0630. Kulp believes that the key to achieving that goal is awareness — especially among the many people who have made this area their home in recent years and find their lives brightened on a daily basis by peaceful commutes along the uniquely picturesque stretch of roadway known as the Scenic Drive. “We need help in so many ways and feel the brand is basically unknown as our visibility and participation has faded over the years,” Kulp says. “But our efforts remain steadfast to preserve the North Scottsdale corridor where we all live and work.” scenicdrive.org

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Keeler’s Neighborhood Steakhouse

“

Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Water Treatment

WATER TREATMENT

EXPERTS

Finally, it is

New Water Softener

starting to feel as though things are getting back to normal again. Carefree Restaurant Week is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our community for continuing to support us. Jo Gemmill

Supplied & Installed Starting At:

$1,499*

Carefree is most certainly one of the most unique communities in all of Arizona. Its residents are among the most friendly people on this planet, its artists create some of the most inspired work this world has ever seen and its business owners develop and operate the most innovative shops and restaurants you will ever have the pleasure of visiting. Moreover, Carefree’s restaurant base is primarily comprised of independent, familyowned businesses. Therefore, individual business owners determine the look, feel, style, concept and brand of their own restaurant based on their own individual culinary expertise — all of which results in a distinctive dining experience that is only possible in the town.

• • • •

Limited Lifetime Warranty Adaptive Smart Control Professional Installation 120 lbs. of Salt Included

Reverse Osmosis System

$750*

That dining experience — and all of the wonderful hospitality, gorgeous settings and of course delectable foods incorporated within it — will once again see a welldeserved spotlight this month as Carefree Restaurant Association presents Spring Restaurant Week. May 10–16, participating restaurants in the community will showcase their menus at discounted prices, offering customers an opportunity to sample new and exciting menu offerings and, in doing so, continue to support their local restaurants. Some

• Includes Color Matched Tap • Remineralizes Water • High Efficiency 1 to 1 membrane

480.463.1696 **Pricing Expires 8/1/2021 M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

FOOD

Spring Restaurant Week

May 10–16 | See website for participating restaurants | Two-Course Lunch Menu $18 | Three-Course Dinner Menu $35–$45 i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1 carefreerestaurants.com 34

WEALTH MANAGEMENT. CUSTOMIZED. restaurants will offer special twocourse lunches while others will offer special three-course dinners.

When it comes to your financial plan, how do you measure success? By an arbitrary benchmark, or when clearly defined needs and goals are met?

Paul Keeler of Keeler Hospitality Group says that he is excited for Keeler's Neighborhood Steakhouse to participate in another Carefree Restaurant Week event.

Discover what a truly customized portfolio can do for you.

“It provides us with the opportunity to showcase menu items as well as the different venues in and outside of the restaurant to guests that may not have discovered us yet,” says Keeler, noting that the restaurant will feature its cowboy flat iron, baja seabass and shrimp scampi. “Carefree has proven to be regarded as a high-quality dining destination in its own right thanks to events such as Carefree Restaurant Week.”

36600 N. Pima Rd. Suite 104, Carefree, AZ 85377 • 480.887.8888 Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment Advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Kendrick Wealth Management is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services, Inc

kendrickwm.com

Carefree Restaurant Association President Jo Gemmill — who also owns English Rose Tea Room — acknowledges that it has been a particularly rough year for restaurant owners as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why this year’s Spring Restaurant Week may be more significant than any other before. “We are so grateful for the customers who have continued to support us during these hard times, whether by dining in or picking up take-out,” Gemmill says. “Finally, it is starting to feel as though things are getting back to normal again. Carefree Restaurant Week is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our community for continuing to support us.” carefreerestaurants.com

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

I love water. I do not know if it is true evolutionary-wise, but we may have come from the ocean. Water is few and far between in Arizona — except for when you know where to go in order to find it. Bob Golembe

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Bob Golembe

Can you feel it? Arizona’s temperatures are slowly starting to rise and soon they will begin to sizzle. For those of us who have lived in the Valley for any considerable amount of time, this sensation is far from unexpected. We know that summer marks the return of the sun’s reign of terror and that, for at least four months out of the year, it is going to be hot out there. Some days are hotter than others. Last summer, Phoenix suffered through a record-breaking 53 days of temperatures of at least 110 degrees. The excessive highs are particularly unbearable but — let’s face it — once the thermometer hits 100 degrees, it all pretty much feels the same. Hot is hot. In an effort to offer its readers some muchneeded relief during what will likely be yet another sweltering summer, Images Arizona is using its photo essay this month to showcase some of the many rivers, creeks and streams that are not far from our own backyards. The sight of them alone may make you feel a bit cooler. Or it might inspire you to embark on a hike to experience their majestic splendor for yourself.

After all, there is no greater remedy for Arizona’s scorching summer heat than water. Except, of course, for air conditioning. But considering the year-long pandemic that restricted us to our homes for as much as possible, I think we can all agree that some fresh air followed by a wade or a swim in one of our naturally flowing water sources sounds pretty good right about now. “When I see and hear water, it is pure, beautiful scenery and music,” says Bob Golembe, the amateur photographer whose work is at the center of Images Arizona’s photo essay this month. “Even if it is just a small creek, I envelop myself in it and enjoy what nature is providing.” It is our hope that as the temperatures make their inevitable climb the top of the thermometer, Golembe’s remarkable photography of our state’s rivers, creeks and streams gives you not only an innate cooling sensation but also encourages you to start thinking about all of the good things that Arizona summers have to offer — including plenty of opportunities for muchneeded time out in the solace of nature.

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Just off I-17 at the Black Canyon City exit is Black Canyon City Trail. After hiking approximately three miles from the trailhead, one intersects the Agua Fria River. The water flows year-round and one can trek along and on the river bed [where] plenty of free-roaming cattle may be seen. Bob Golembe

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

One of the things I have found that photos and social media have done is made people more aware of these areas. These places have become crowded. For example, with Fossil Springs, you used to be able to just drive to the parking lot and hike down. Now you have to get a permit to park because it is so crowded. Bob Golembe

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

At the end of West Fork Trail, you can walk into the creek itself. That is where the adventure really begins. People typically do not go that far but I did and I had an unbelievable experience. It is just spectacular summer fun to wade and hike in these waters. Bob Golembe

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Tankless Water Heaters

Bob Golembe has always had a passion for photography — so much so that he jokes that he may have even been born with a camera in his hand. Despite his fascination with the art form, he never actually wanted to be a photographer, though.

Starting at:

$4796*

Instead, Golembe’s passion propelled him into the science and technology arena. After attending four years of college at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Golembe graduated with a bachelor’s degree in photographic science. “I did not take one picture during those four years,” he says. Golembe ended up working for the Eastman Kodak Company for 33 years — 25 of which were in the government section where he worked on satellite reconnaissance photography. Throughout the years, he took special notice of the beautiful colors that transformed upstate New York each fall — moments in time that he captured on camera thereby becoming his first foray into photography as an art form. In 2002, Golembe moved to Arizona. Shortly thereafter, he visited Sedona and was blown away by the beauty that he witnessed. “The day I went, I did not have a camera with me and the withdrawal was unbelievable,” Golembe says. The experience awoke Golembe’s interest in landscape photography. A few years later, he was introduced to the hobby of recreational hiking. Since 2005, Golembe estimates that he has embarked on more than 400 hikes that total about 2,500 miles of Arizona’s landscape.

• • • •

Enjoy Endless Hot Water Adjust Using WiFi Connectivity Increase Savings Little to No Maintenance

Prefer the Older Tech? No Problem. That’s Easy For Us!

50 GALLON ELECTRIC

SUPPLIED & INSTALLED STARTING AT:

$997*

50 GALLON NATURAL GAS

$997*

“I hike weekly,” Golembe says. “I enjoy it immensely. It is in my blood.” However, unlike that first visit to Sedona, the 76-year-old Anthem resident now always makes sure that he has packed his camera. He believes that his many years studying science and technology have afforded him a unique understanding of the principles of photography — including tone reproduction, contrast, saturation, haze and distortion. “When I get back home after a hike and I upload my pictures to my computer, it is like revisiting the day,” Golembe says. “It gives me another feeling of exhilaration and a high of pure pleasure.” photographybybobbyg.shutterfly.com

Air Conditioning • Plumbing • Water Treatment

480.463.1696 **Pricing Expires 8/1/2021 M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

At The Meat Market in Carefree, owner Roni Terry operates her custom butcher shop offering premium meats and eggs sourced from whole animals raised by small family farmers, predominantly in Arizona.

Writer Shannon Severson

i m aby g eCarl s a r i zSchultz ona.com Photography 42

m ay 2 02 1

The notion of every town having a butcher, a baker and a candlestick maker is memorialized in a 14thcentury children’s nursery rhyme. But with the boom in big-box, one-stop shops, it may seem a quaint relic of the past. While every business fills a need, there are things we’ve lost in exchange for convenience: quality and a personal connection to both where our food comes from and the purveyors of those products.

Market’s doors opened in 2016.

A new appreciation for keeping it local means there are still small businesses keeping traditions alive right here in the Valley. As the pandemic has shifted the spotlight to mom-and-pop shops, communities realize how important it is to patronize the places where “everybody knows your name.”

“It took a long time to find our farmer, Josh Koehn,” Terry says. “I wanted someone who would raise animals for meat just as I would. I’m an animal lover, but I’m also a carnivore. I wanted to keep my sources in-state as much as possible and he was the only one I found back in 2015 who did things the right way. He operates with integrity and transparency; that’s how I work and how my team works.

At The Meat Market in Carefree, owner Roni Terry operates her custom butcher shop offering premium meats and eggs sourced from whole animals raised by small family farmers, predominantly in Arizona. The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic became a boon for her business. Meat shortages during the early days of the crisis introduced an entirely new customer base who realized the difference in quality and service. Demand in March 2020 was up 400% from the previous year. Customers were constantly lined up out the door. “We made a lot of new friends and people started to realize the quality difference,” Terry says. “Our team never complained and gave it their all, working 18hour days. We delivered to people’s homes when they were quarantined. That’s what you get with a small business. We were able to do that.” Those satisfied customers have been coming back ever since, adding to steady growth since The Meat

EVERYTHING IS PERSONAL

The idea of The Meat Market came before Terry had ever met a butcher or sourced the products. But it became her dream after over a decade of working in the culinary industry with such luminaries as Thomas Keller and Hugh Atcheson.

We try to keep it small at every level. There is no corporate hierarchy. From raising the animals to walking out the door with a paper-wrapped package, everything is personal.” Terry adds that, just like people, animals hold their stress in their muscles. Stressed animals don’t feel good and ultimately don’t taste good. Humanely raised and processed animals don’t just taste better, they’re also more nutritious and more satiating. Fresh meat even takes less time to cook. Koehn’s Chiricahua Pasture Raised Meats is a small family farm in the high desert Sulfur Springs Valley. It’s part of the Kansas Settlement in Cochise County, a Mennonite community with longstanding agricultural traditions and a history of being able to irrigate and enrich even the poorest soils.

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

At The Meat Market in Carefree, there’s a small case with handmade sausages and roasts, but no rows of plastic-wrapped meat in styrofoam trays. Aside from pre-orders, the butchers still know what their regular customers want. Everything is cut to order by hand — no bandsaws, which tear through the meat and create more waste.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“Farmer Josh raises his animals on irrigated pasture,” Terry explains. “It’s nutrient-dense soil. I am not alone in this industry when I say that I’d like to see people eat meat less often. If you’re eating better meat, you won’t need to eat it three times a day, seven days a week. That would make a substantial, positive impact on our family farms. “If you’re buying inexpensive meat, it’s likely you are not supporting the small American farmer. Farmers like Josh are rare and disappearing. When the big guys are processing millions of cows a day, there is little to no quality control.”

TOTAL TRANSPARENCY

Quality is what The Meat Market is all about. Inside her shop next to Brix Wines, expert butcher Josh Anderson fills custom orders, wraps them up in white butcher paper and labels them with the family names of folks who will come in to pick up a juicy steak for the grill or chops for the stovetop. These custom pre-orders make up nearly 40% of the shop’s business. Chef Dale Flores cooks up a selection of ready-to-eat menu items like grassfed ground beef taco meat, bone broth, smoked pork green chili and takeand-bake veal mushroom meatloaf with pork belly. The shop also carries locally sourced and produced items like bread, pasta, tortillas and sauces. There’s a small case with handmade sausages and roasts, but no rows of plastic-wrapped meat in styrofoam trays. Aside from pre-orders, the butchers still know what their regular customers want. Sometimes a car pulls into the lot and the team instantly goes to work prepping “the usual.” Everything is cut to order by hand — no bandsaws, which tear through the meat and create more waste. Even

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Roni Terry’s heritage breed pork is a type that is so pink, some mistake it for beef. And it’s so fresh and safe that she has patrons at The Meat Market who order it as pork tartare.

While working at a Cave Creek restaurant, Roni Terry noticed more patrons asking educated questions about the sourcing of their food. She saw that there was a market for higher quality, more sustainably sourced meat products than what’s available at the typical grocery store.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“

We try to keep it small at every level. There is no corporate hierarchy. From raising the animals to walking out the door with a paper-wrapped package, everything is personal. Roni Terry

the excess product is packed and sold as raw pet food. It’s exhausting, physical work that requires a great deal of skill. Anderson often has an audience. There’s a television screen that broadcasts a view of what’s on the block at that moment — it’s just one way that Terry maintains total transparency. “There are a lot of dark parts of our industry,” she says. “We want to be open about birthing, raising, processing, shipping and preparation. You can see straight into our walk-in refrigerator. We want people to see exactly how our meat is kept. It’s all visible and that has always been a big thing for us — it’s something we will never change.” Terry’s heritage breed pork is a type that is so pink, some mistake it for beef. And it’s so fresh and safe that she has patrons who order it as pork tartare. In order to have enough of the popular cuts her customers order, Terry brings in prime beef from farms throughout the Midwest and pasture-raised veal from Rosotti Ranch — a small family farm in Petaluma, California. “At first, I only offered 100% grass-fed and finished beef but a whole animal only has 16 rib eyes,” she says. “We would sell out and I would keep having to turn away customers. The prime beef we bring in is the top 1% of the entire country’s best beef, but our prices are on par with the lower two-thirds prime sold by high-end local grocery chains. We really have items for every budget.”

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Roni Terry (center) and her team’s hard work continues to be rewarded with a steady stream of customers who enjoy both the typical butcher shop items and learning something new from The Meat Market’s collection of recipes.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY

Terry grew up in Las Vegas and her story has always involved animals and food. A talented barrel racer, there’s never been a time when she didn’t own horses. She got her start in the culinary industry at Keller’s Bouchon Restaurant in the Venetian Hotel while working on her degree in restaurant hospitality management at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. “I started in the pastry kitchen at Bouchon, but I was a little too chatty for a Thomas Keller kitchen,” Terry recalls, laughing. “When I was 21, I was moved to the bar. When Bouchon Bakery opened, my chattiness paid off; I was chosen to help open the bakery as a chef supervisor. I was good at selling and I knew how a bakery worked because of my time in the pastry kitchen.” When Terry moved to Atlanta to work at Atcheson’s Empire State South with chef Ryan Smith, her goal was to learn all she could about southern hospitality. But what she also gained became the foundation of The Meat Market. “Ryan was the most talented chef I’ve ever worked with,” she says. “He would source whole animals. A farmer would come in with a whole lamb over his shoulder and they would change the menu daily based on what was fresh. Every part of the animal was used to make entrees, charcuterie and stocks.”

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

A longing for more work-life balance prompted Terry’s move to Arizona. While working at a Cave Creek restaurant, she noticed more patrons asking educated questions about the sourcing of their food. She saw that there was a market for higher quality, more sustainably sourced meat products than what’s available at the typical grocery store. Then the space next to Brix Wines opened up and it was time to make the leap. Her boyfriend, Brian Schank — who just happens to be the grandson of a butcher — helped her with the build-out. Terry has never advertised but word of mouth has kept the shop constantly busy. When she does find some extra time to spend on her small ranch, she and her boyfriend care for their menagerie of five horses, four dogs and pet Corriente cow named Moo-ria. “She’s a pet-able, not edible cow,” Terry says. “Her job is to roam around and eat all the weeds. She’s funny and has a great personality.” Terry and her team’s hard work continues to be rewarded with a steady stream of customers who enjoy both the typical butcher shop items and learning something new from The Meat Market’s collection of recipes. “That’s where my background in hospitality comes in,” Terry says. “I want people to feel comfortable asking questions. We aren’t pretentious and we like introducing people to new information and recipes. Food should be fun, not intimidating. At the end of the day, we want people to love what they bring home and come back for it again and again.” themeatmarketcc.com

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical

As Arizona residents turn the page of their calendars from April to May, many feel a tinge of trepidation. Although the state’s scorching summer heat certainly ignites some concern, it is something else even hotter that is cause for such alarm. After the trio of massive wildfires that ravaged North Valley communities last summer, it is only natural that residents are on edge. Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical’s public information officer Brent Fenton acknowledges that 2020 was by far one of the worst first seasons he has seen in his 17 years with the agency. “We had a recipe for disaster,” says Fenton, noting that fuel load, weather and land topography are the three things that drive the risk for and the spread of wildfires. “We did not get much fire activity in 2019 so there was already existing fuel that did not burn. We also had a very wet winter which caused a lot of growth into the spring of 2020. Precipitation was down and that new fuel was starting to dry out and cure.” Arizona’s wildfire season typically begins late May. Last year, the state started seeing wildfires in late April. Then, on May 17, the East Desert Fire began to burn off Desert Hills Drive in Cave Creek. The wildfire spread rapidly over the course of just a few hours, threatening several homes and eventually burning nearly 1,500 acres. Two weeks later, the Ocotillo Fire — also in Cave Creek — burned an additional 980 acres and destroyed 20 buildings, including eight homes. Less than one month later, the Aguila Fire destroyed six structures and burned nearly 900 acres in Desert Hills. “We, unfortunately, lost one home but we felt very fortunate that we did not lose even more,” Fenton says. “It was basically a worst-case-scenario fire in a very heavily fueled, dense area being pushed by the wind, very high temperatures and very low humidity.”

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Although Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical primarily services New River, Desert Hills, Anthem and Black Canyon City, its firefighters responded to all three wildfires — including the two in Cave Creek, which is serviced by Rural Metro Fire Department. Like Scottsdale Fire Department, Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical is a part of the Regional Metropolitan Phoenix Fire Service Automatic Aid System, which ensures the closest most appropriate unit responds to an emergency regardless of the incident location. Fenton credits the assistance Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical received from its automatic aid partners, Arizona State Forestry and the United States Forest Service with minimizing the damage incurred on our North Valley communities as a result of the trio of wildfires. As we step into yet another wildfire season, our communities are hoping and praying that history does not repeat itself. However, Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical is counting on residents to prepare their properties for a worst-case scenario thereby making it possible for firefighters to effectively and efficiently execute life- and land-saving procedures.

ALL-HAZARD FIRE DEPARTMENT

Years ago, the New River, Desert Hills and Black Canyon City communities were serviced by a group of active citizens who were predominately volunteers. The Daisy Mountain Fire Department officially became a full-time, paid agency in 1989, eventually growing from one fire engine staffed with two personnel to five fire stations, five fire engines, a ladder truck, three ambulances and 120 personnel. “The growth was slow for a bit at the beginning,” Fenton says. “In the early 2000s, the area really started to explode as you started to see development moving north. Anthem was built and that dramatically increased the population of

the area so the fire department naturally started to grow out of necessity.” In 2019, fire departments across the Valley — and the country — began recognizing that many people did not accurately understand the services that firefighters provide. Following that trend and reflecting its wide range of services, the agency adopted a new name as Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical. “We are an all-hazard fire department — which means we do fire, emergency medical services, hazardous materials, wildland firefighter response and technical rescue,” Fenton explains. “We are trained in all facets of emergency response. Our calls range from somebody who has a bloody nose all the way to somebody who is in cardiac arrest.” Fenton adds that Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical’s firefighters endure rigorous training — a necessity considering they are putting their lives on the line while also being responsible for the lives of community members and their fellow firefighters. “Our number one priority is always life safety,” Fenton says. “We will risk a lot up to and including our lives to save a saveable life. We will risk a little to save a saveable property. And we will not risk anything to save something that is already lost.” That said, North Valley communities pose a unique challenge to firefighters with a large portion of the district not having fire hydrants. Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical’s firefighters, therefore, bring water with them as they respond to each fire. “Each one of our fire apparatuses carries 750 gallons of water and we also have large water tenders that hold up to 3,000 gallons,” Fenton says. “We have to be mindful that we do not have a neverending supply of water. We have to be intelligent about each decision we make with respect to how we use our water.”

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Another unique characteristic of the North Valley is that it is a very diverse community, with single-wide trailers sometimes right next door to multimillion-dollar custom homes.

DEFENSIBLE SPACE

That diversity and water scarcity make all emergencies particularly challenging for Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical. However, fighting wildfires by far poses the most significant challenge and comes with the greatest risks. Unfortunately, those challenges and risks will likely be tested once again this summer. “It is really hard to accurately know exactly how bad this season is or is not going to be,” Fenton says. “But I will say that they are projecting this season could be very similar in terms of activity to what we saw last year due to the very little precipitation that we have had even through the winter.” Fenton adds that the bouts of precipitation that our area saw this past spring only further complicate the situation as new growth has since quickly dried up, adding to the fuel load that has been accumulating in the area over the past few years. “We did not really have a monsoon last year so everything is very dry,” Fenton says. “So the biggest thing that homeowners can do to help us in the fire season is to create what we call defensible space on their properties.” Fenton requests that residents clear debris a minimum of 30 feet away from all structures on their property. He adds that 100 feet is ideal but acknowledges that that is not always possible — especially considering Arizona’s landscape and terrain. Additionally, residents should trim any trees that may be near their home, particularly those with branches above or touching the roof. This reduces the possibility of fire that is coming across the ground to be carried up into the canopy of the tree and spread to the roof of your home. “We are looking for people to clear out debris piles, keep debris off their roof and clear as much space as they can,” Fenton says. “That will really help us when responding to these fires, which happen so fast. We do not have the luxury of 10, 20 or 30 minutes to make decisions. It is often just seconds.”

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“

We are looking for people to clear out debris piles, keep debris off their roof and clear as much space as they can. Having that defensible space really limits the impact of fire on a structure when we have to make those difficult calls. Brent Fenton Fenton notes that firefighters prioritize getting people out of the area to safety and oftentimes do not have time to protect a home as they sometimes must sacrifice one to save 30 others. “Having that defensible space really limits the impact of fire on a structure when we have to make those difficult calls,” he says. Speaking of difficult calls, Fenton advises residents to have a plan should an evacuation of their area be necessary. “Identify that your home is in a wildland urban interface setting, have all of your belongings ready and know your escape route,” he says. “Also be aware of any special needs that you may have — whether it is somebody who lives with you with disabilities or if you have large animals. Just have a plan and be prepared.” It really is not too much to ask of residents, especially considering Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical’s firefighters are preparing and developing their plan year-round to protect the community. “Our training continues throughout the year,” Fenton explains. “In the off-season, we place an emphasis on improving our skills. We identify those high-risk areas within our district and we re-create the streets, the homes and the hills on a sand table and play out a scenario to determine our best way to attack it. Knowing how fire moves and progresses as it burns, it is very helpful for us to have a playbook in our minds of things that we can do when we respond to these emergencies. We also keep ourselves physically fit as this is a very physically demanding job — especially in the Arizona heat.” daisymountainfire.org M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Writer Joseph J. Airdo

i mCourtesy a g e s a r i zof o nRosie’s a . c o mHouse m ay 2 02 1 Photography 54

During World War II, Rosie Schurz had just started music lessons when she and her family were forced to evacuate their home in Munich and flee to the German countryside. “The war took away my childhood,” says Schurz, who was only 7 years old at the time. “All of the normal things that children do when they grow up ... nothing of that took place for many years.” With her family being displaced for a number of years, Schurz’s music lessons — and her general education — were suddenly stripped away from her. She even had to leave her beloved violin behind during her family’s journey to safety. Schurz carried that loss throughout her life and, while working with homeless individuals in downtown Phoenix during the 1980s, she had the tremendous privilege of meeting Mother Teresa. That meeting and her own experience of having her music lessons and education interrupted inspired Schurz to do something that would make a difference in the lives of local children. Schurz founded Rosie’s House in 1996, inviting 15 disadvantaged youth to attend afterschool music classes in a small home in an impoverished downtown Phoenix neighborhood. Schurz aspired to right a wrong in the universe. Whereas music education was taken away from her when she was a child due to WWII, she wanted to make sure that other children who were going through hardships would not have to suffer the same loss. “It is important for the community that we have such a thing called Rosie's House that gives free lessons and makes it possible for children to enjoy music, to get to learn an instrument and to be a part of the arts,” Schurz says. Now, more than 25 years later, Rosie’s House has grown to a full-fledged community music school with 500 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled each year. Schurz’s story continues to inspire the nonprofit organization’s values and mission to provide children everything that she wanted as a child — safety, stability and music.

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Rosie's House CEO Becky Ballard (right) believes that, for many children, music is the thing that keeps them going and helps them thrive — especially during challenging times.

Rosie Schurz founded Rosie’s House in 1996, inviting 15 disadvantaged youth to attend afterschool music classes in a small home in an impoverished downtown Phoenix neighborhood.

SERVING A GROWING NEED

Rosie’s House’s offerings were initially small, concentrating on one-on-one instruction and group classes in wind instruments, string instruments and piano. Since then, the nonprofit organization has incorporated a number of other class opportunities for students — including choir, classical guitar, mariachi and digital music programs. “We have just expanded and explored all of the opportunities that we feel are relevant and pertinent to our population,” explains Becky Ballard, CEO of Rosie’s House. Rosie’s House works in partnership with Title 1 schools that refer students who show interest in the arts but do not have the means or opportunity. Recruitment was originally restricted to the downtown Phoenix area but has since expanded to serve all of Maricopa Country. “There are 18 different Valley cities represented in our student population,” says Ballard, noting that Anthem and North Scottsdale are among them. “Kids from more than 200 different schools come to Rosie’s House, so our reach is really far and broad. There really is disparity and inequity in every city throughout Maricopa County. Economic disadvantage is on every corner.” In fact, the need is so great that Rosie’s House has a waiting list of students wanting to enroll. The nonprofit organization is therefore eager to expand. But its capabilities are dependent on the support of the community.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“We have seen the need increase over the years,” Ballard says. “We are hoping to grow our class offerings in the fall to serve the additional need that we have seen come to our doors. That is all made possible through contributions and donations in support of our program.”

PROVIDING A LIFELINE FOR KIDS

Ballard believes that the COVID-19 pandemic has put the inequities experienced by our community’s youth into sharper focus. “We went to a virtual platform and, while just working with families to get them access to the internet and other technology, it has become really clear just how many challenges our families face,” she explains. “The digital divide is a real challenge and we have been working to overcome it for our students.” The pandemic has also exposed the significance of arts education on youth. “We really saw that our students needed us emotionally more than ever,” says Ballard, noting the value of connections to mentors, teachers and peers. “It became evident during this time that Rosie’s House is a lifeline for kids. It is a place where they can have joy, positivity and creativity while forgetting about some of the other challenges of the school day.” Ballard adds that for many children, music is the thing that keeps them going and helps them thrive — especially during challenging times. “It keeps them positive, it is the way they create their identity, it is how they express their frustration and it becomes a platform for reflection,” she says. “Music is very powerful and it has been proven time and time again with our students that it is an outlet that they have especially needed during this pandemic.”

MAKING SOCIETY A BETTER PLACE

Bearing in mind the benefit of the arts on children’s lives, it may come as no surprise that music is merely a means to an end at Rosie’s House. The nonprofit organization uses achievement in music as a bridge to achievement in life. “Our goal at Rosie’s House is to use music as a platform for personal and academic achievement,” Ballard says. “The majority of our students go on to careers that are not in music, but they credit the rigor, discipline, confidence and self-efficacy that they learned at Rosie’s House for them being able to go to college and be successful.”

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

In addition to providing its students with instruction, loaned instruments, curriculum and performance opportunities, Rosie’s House also offers them a college path program — a monthly workshop through which high school sophomores, juniors and seniors learn how to navigate the college application, financial aid and scholarship processes. “Nearly 95% of our students are first-generation college-bound so this program is an opportunity for us to be a resource for them as they are navigating that system,” Ballard says. “It has proven to be very successful. We have had 97% of our graduating seniors go on to college.” Rosie’s House also offers a couple of service-learning and leadership development programs to its students. Through the nonprofit organization’s Musicians Active in Community program, students provide interactive, uplifting and informative concerts to community populations that have limited access to arts experiences. Meanwhile, Rosie’s House’s Musicians Mentoring in Classroom program pairs music students aged 14–18 with one of the nonprofit organization’s teachers to aid and assist in the classroom. It is all in an effort to build character in the youth who will one day be the ones making the difference in the lives of others as Rosie’s House’s teachers are doing today. “Strength of character, perseverance, kindness, love of community and a deep commitment to one another are the keys to the success of our students,” Ballard says. “Rosie’s House began as a safe place for young people to be creative and expressive.

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“

Our goal is to be a place where kids can express their creativity and develop creative problem-solving skills and, in turn, help to make society a better place. Becky Ballard

“Today, the experience for our students is still a home away from home, and through music they are learning skills that are proven to not only propel their lives to new heights but positively impact everyone in the community.” Ballard adds that since Schurz opened the door of that little house to 15 disadvantaged youth in downtown Phoenix 25 years ago, Rosie’s House is still a place that represents the best in all of us. “We look forward to continue building on that foundation to help these kids flourish,” she says. “Our goal is to increase our impact through serving additional students and being a resource within the music education ecosystem to help more students thrive overall. On a broader level, our goal is to be a place where kids can express their creativity and develop creative problem-solving skills and, in turn, help to make society a better place.” rosieshouse.org

MUSIC

Great Performers Showcase Sunday, May 23 | 3 p.m. | Rosie's House 919 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix | Free 602-252-8475 | rosieshouse.org

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

When famed chef, restaurateur and winemaker Tomaso Maggiore lost his battle with cancer at the age of 73 earlier this year, the loss was deeply felt by the community and even more so by the family he left behind. Photo Courtesy of The Maggiore Group

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Writer Shannon Severson

Profound loss can prohibit or propel one’s personal mission. When famed chef, restaurateur and winemaker Tomaso Maggiore lost his battle with cancer at the age of 73 earlier this year, the loss was deeply felt by the community and even more so by the family he left behind. His daughter, Melissa Maggiore, says she feels a responsibility to keep the family legacy going — in the restaurant world and in charitable pursuits — and that is just as her “Papa” would have it.

The family has also founded The Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Arts Foundation to provide support and promote education in the culinary arts — including a scholarship to help future chefs reach their dreams.

“In many ways, it feels like a lifetime already since we lost him,” Melissa says, her voice breaking. “In his last days, my brother and I were there with him and we kept promising him, ‘Don’t worry. We will all take care of the restaurants. Everything will be OK.’ We feel a big sense of responsibility to keep it going and to make it succeed. We want to continue on, to make him proud.”

A CONNECTION TO THE COMMUNITY

When her father fell ill, Melissa temporarily relocated from San Diego, where she owned and operated her own restaurants since 1996, to spend time with her father and help run the family business with her brother, Joey, and mother, Patricia. Now, she’s made the move to Arizona a permanent one. Melissa’s new restaurant — The Italian Daughter Cucina + Cocktails opened last month in North Scottsdale. Meanwhile, Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant is set to relaunch this fall under the new moniker Tomaso’s Italian Legacy. The two restaurants are part of the plan to keep the beloved chef’s name and traditions alive.

A special celebration of life is also being planned for later this year — possibly coinciding with Tomaso’s Day, proclaimed by then-Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton on September 29, 2016.

Tomaso Maggiore was the embodiment of the American Dream. He arrived in America from his native Sicily at the tender age of 19. He spoke not a word of English and had no formal culinary training. What he did have was a tireless work ethic; a head full of family recipes; and a guiding belief that although there are plenty of places where people can get a good meal, the difference is in how you make them feel. Tomaso went on to own more than 50 restaurants and was well-known for making everyone who walked into one of his establishments feel like family. “My Nonna taught my father to cook,” Melissa explains. “He always said the greatest teacher he ever had was his own mother. He said the key to any good meal is high-quality ingredients and then love, of course. My brother and I have his recipes and we promised my father that we would always help each other. We are very close.”

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Melissa Maggiore and her brother Joey have worked together, using their individual strengths to get The Italian Daughter ready to welcome guests. She comes up with ideas and he helps her understand how to execute them. Photo Courtesy of The Maggiore Group

Much like his father Tomaso (right), Joey Maggiore (left) loves to cook in the fast-paced environment of a restaurant kitchen. Photo by Joanie Simon

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

The Maggiores are using Tomaso’s own plans to refresh the award-winning Tomaso’s Italian Restaurant, which first opened in 1977. Melissa says that even through his illness and treatments, her father was always keeping up with business and checking in on how it was going — if not in the kitchen himself when he could be. “That restaurant was his flagship, his baby,” Melissa says. “It was a love affair with that restaurant because he developed such a connection to the community. He served them when they were young, celebrated their weddings, their children’s first communions … it’s not his first restaurant, but it’s the most special. Even during chemo and radiation, he would go in to make the ravioli and pasta and sauces. “He was the best looking sick person I’ve ever seen because he had something to live for that he really loved. He was always so positive. The comfort and support we have received from the community has helped take some of the sting out of what is a tremendous loss in our lives.” Through the trials of the pandemic, the family learned a lot and found a new market for to-go orders — something they hadn’t previously focused upon. The family packs they created were a huge hit. Fitting the lifestyles of their clientele perfectly, they will continue to be part of the business plan moving forward. “We are so thankful and fortunate for the support of the community,” Melissa says. “Through the pandemic and my dad’s illness, the community has really come together. I want everyone to succeed. When I see businesses beginning to flourish here and then look at those struggling in other parts of the country, it makes me appreciate Arizona even more. What this pandemic has really taught us is not to take anything for granted.”

TOMASO’S WAY

Melissa’s The Italian Daughter Cucina + Cocktails location was previously home to Tomaso’s Italian Kitchen concept. Her father wanted her to have the space. At first, it wasn’t going to be an Italian restaurant. That changed as her father became more ill. “I realized that everything I am is because of him,” Melissa says. “I am obviously my mom, too, but who I am is my father’s daughter. Growing up, they called me ‘Little Tomaso’ or ‘Tomaso in a skirt’ because of how similar we were. Honestly, there’s no greater compliment.

We’re here. We’re ready. When a disaster strikes, my team and I will be there. Backed by one of the industry’s largest catastrophe response teams, we’ll be ready to help when you need us. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

Now with two locations in Scottsdale! Jeremy Mueller Ins Agency Inc. Jeremy R Mueller, Agent 23341 N Pima Rd Suite D139 Located in AJ’s Shopping Center Pinnacle Peak and Pima Scottsdale, AZ 85255 480-515-5223 www.jeremymueller.com

18511 N Scottsdale Rd Ste 203 Located off Chauncey and Scottsdale above Starbucks Scottsdale, AZ 85255 602-388-8382 www.northscottsdaleinsurance.com

State Bloom

State Farm Bloomington IL

2001

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

“

I realized that everything I am is because of [my father]. Growing up, they called me ‘Little Tomaso’ or ‘Tomaso in a skirt’ because of how similar we were. Honestly,

Photos Courtesy of The Maggiore Group

there’s no greater compliment. Everything I am doing is an homage to him. Melissa Maggiore

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

“While [my father] was still alive and not feeling well, I told him I was going to call my restaurant The Italian Daughter. He was in bed in hospice and telling me to go get the pizza oven. I don’t want to do this without him, but I’m going to take everything he taught me through the years and put it into practice. Everything I am doing is an homage to him.”

celebration — a neighborhood place where everyone can feel at home.

The Italian Daughter Cucina + Cocktails reflects Melissa’s simple design style, which she says is similar to her father’s tastes. The warm, welcoming environment has lots of wood and amber-hued lighting, along with a piano bar and lounge area. It’s a spot that Melissa hopes will be the choice for date night, a casual drink with friends or a family

“My best strengths are with people and I’m a quick-on-my-feet problem-solver,” she says. “Joey loves to cook in the fast-paced environment of a restaurant kitchen. He loves creating concepts and thinking outside the box. I come up with ideas and Joey will help me understand how to execute them. We complement each other in that way.”

Melissa says she and Joey have worked together, using their individual strengths to get The Italian Daughter ready to welcome guests — something that is extremely important as the community begins to gather again after a difficult year of isolation.

The Italian Daughter’s menu boasts many of the Sicilian favorites Melissa grew up enjoying. Sfincioni, a focaccia-based pizza topped with ricotta cheese, anchovies, caramelized onions and bread crumbs is something her father made on every holiday. Handcrafted pasta features the family’s Bolognese or Norcina, a tomato-based sauce with truffles and cream. And 100% of the proceeds from chef Tomaso’s famous spaghetti — simply prepared with fresh tomato and garlic — will go to The Tomaso Maggiore Culinary Arts Foundation scholarship fund. In the lounge, patrons can enjoy live music three or four nights each week while enjoying a casual menu that includes charcuterie boards, pizza, cocktails, wine and Tomaso’s favorite snack — a simple combination of olives, prosciutto and sharp provolone. Melissa says music is something the family has always shared. Her father’s favorite song — “My Way,” sung by Frank Sinatra — is an anthem of self-reliance and conquering odds. She plans to do things “Tomaso’s way” and hopes it will serve her well, just as it did him. “When you’re younger you may not realize your parents’ impact on the community and on an industry,” she says. “I’m so proud of what [my father] accomplished. “I wrote his eulogy and, looking back on the life he led, my brother and I are so fortunate to have been brought up with the lessons of humility and service to community that he taught us. They are priceless lessons. So many Valley restaurateurs have come to us and said, ‘I wouldn’t have my restaurant if not for your father’s help.’ It’s not just the legacy of a restaurateur, but the legacy of the person he was.” tomasos.com theitaliandaughter.com

M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

Blackberry-Lemon Scones These scones combine the sweetness of blackberries with the tartness of lemon for a truly transcendent flavor pairing. I like to drizzle mine with a homemade lemon glaze but they are also great with just a little bit of melted butter drizzled on top. Serves: 8

Ingredients: For the Scones 1-3/4 cups flour 4 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 cup sugar 1/8 teaspoon salt 5 tablespoons butter (chilled) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4–1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup milk 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon lemon zest 1 cup blackberries For the Glaze 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Blend together flour, powder, sugar and salt until well combined. Cut in chilled butter until pea-sized. Mix together milk, vanilla, extract, lemon zest and sour cream in a separate bowl. Add mixture to dry ingredients along with blackberries and stir until just combined. Do not overmix. The mixture should be crumbly.

Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly

kyndraclaire.com

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Pat mixture into a round disk and cut like a pizza into eight slices. Place slices on a sheet pan and brush with egg wash. Bake until golden brown, 10–15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine glaze ingredients. Drizzle glaze over baked scones.

The MOHR Group DON’T SETTLE FOR ANYTHING LESS

ONE MOHR SOLD

Much sought after Rancho Manana neighborhood. Two Bedroom plus Den! $650,000

PENDING

Amazing Five Bedroom PLUS Den! Four Car Garage! $1,350,000. Quiet location and near the Park for easy trail access for horses or hiking!

Ranch with 8-Stall Barn! 4.3 acres, can be split, and Amazing Views! $895,000!

Over 8 Acres - Abutting Hundreds of Acres of Preserve $500,000!

Forty Acres of Heaven abutting Spur Cross Ranch! $989,000!

PENDING

8 Acres Carefree Homestead - Amazing Views and City Lights $369,000

BLACK MOU VIEW LOTS

NTAIN

FOR SALE

Majestic Blac k Mountain ab utting over 100 acres of th e Black Mount ain Preserve! Amazing view s from this bo ulder strewn lot in the pres tigious gated Hawksnest community. $9 50,000

lltop 4.6 Acre rever on this hi at is You can see fo of state land th s re ac 00 16 g tin and ut l el ab W ty . proper at $525,000 erve! Priced 75,000! $4 r fo s re slated for pres Ac 4.6 the adjoining Electric. Add

Kendal, Ryan, Janet and Don SINCE 1985

GO TO MOHRHOMES.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION, DRONE SHOTS AND PHOTOS OR CALL US AT 602-980-7653 FOR A PRIVATE VIEWING. M ay 2021

imagesar iz ona .c om

North Scottsdale-Carefree Office 34305 N. Scottsdale Road Scottsdale, AZ 85266

P. 480-488-2400

$1,250,000 Fantastic location in Desert Mountain! Beautiful natural light, sunsets, city lights & mountain views. Reeds & Vandi 480-262-1284

135 ac Ranch - 3 Homes - Barns & Arenas - Gated, End of Road Privacy $ 6.95M Debbie Omundson, see Video here: www.CarefreeProperty.com

Hilltop Hacienda - Attached Casita - Private 5 ac - Sunsets & City Lights $ 1.95M Debbie Omundson, see Video here: www.CarefreeProperty.com

VANESSA NEUMANN-ANDREWS Certified Platinum Luxury Realtor Since 1999

Car Collectors/Horses/Golf Properties Buyers/Sellers Call me, let’s talk lifestyle. Call/Text: 602-999-6569 TheCarefreeRealtor.com

$1,450,000 Desert Mountain Southwestern home offers a remodeled Open Floor plan encompassing Living, Dining. Reeds & Vandi 480-760-1001

UNDER CONTRACT

I have buyers for your home.” Call me! Patrick Rice 970-846-5461 for a confidential conversation.

$545,000 Located in the heart of Desert Mountain this lot captures all the majestic mountain views. Joanie Barreiro 480-235-2776

ANOTHER SOLD

$1,500,000 Rare Custom Home in Legend Trail. 3 bedroom PLUS Casita, 3 car garage. Super nice home! Patrick Rice 970-846-5461

i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m m ay 2 02 1

Another Legend Trail home sold by Sandy and Cynthia Sandy Comacchio 480-440-6706 and Cynthia Rahrig 480-650-1401