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S SA AN ND DE ER RS SO ON N L L II N NC CO OL LN N
august 2021
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7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. #7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 | For appointments 480.575.8080 august 2021
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LITTLE HEARTS, BIG IMPACT Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography Courtesy of Tender Little Hearts
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COMMUNITY EVENTS Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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NATURE’S FIREWORKS Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Gerry Groeber
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EMBRACING BURKINA FASO Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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Photography by Carl Schultz
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A PERSISTENT PASSION FOR PRESERVATION Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Carl Schultz
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CHOCOLATE AVOCADO PUDDING Writer and photographer Kyndra Kelly
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august 2021
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PUBLISHER Shelly Spence
MANAGING EDITOR Joseph J. Airdo
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Meaghan Mitchell
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joseph J. Airdo Amanda Christmann Kyndra Kelly Shannon Severson
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. 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.
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For the first time in nearly a year and a half, kids and college students will be headed back to campuses for a relatively normal school year. Last August, educational institutions were trying to develop and implement a plan that would keep students and teachers safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to facilitate the learning process. The annual tradition of buying new clothes, backpacks and other school supplies was temporarily replaced with making sure your home’s internet connection could handle multiple Zoom meetings at the same time. This year, teachers and professors are gearing up to finally see students’ unmasked smiling faces again — in their classrooms, where everyone can socialize, interact and collaborate. I have the utmost respect for the excellent educators who overcame unparalleled obstacles to continue to cultivate knowledge within our community’s younger generations last year. And I know how eager and excited they are to finally be able to do so in a way that also cultivates interpersonal relationships again. I am also eager and excited to experience all that the rest of this year has to offer. From fall festivals and pumpkin patches to Friendsgiving dinners and tree lighting ceremonies, the very best of 2021 is still ahead of us. After last year’s muted celebrations, I cannot wait to see our community finally return to what it does best — come together to make life fantastic. So before you wave goodbye to your kids as they board the bus or you drop them off at their new dorm room, take some time to discuss with them how significant this moment of returning to tradition truly is — and how this back to school season also marks the beginning of several celebrations that, for the first time in way too long, will finally be back on our calendars. Cheers!
Local First A R I Z O NA 10
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Shelly Spence Publisher, Images Arizona magazine shelly@imagesaz.com 623-341-8221
august 2021
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G R A C E
R E N E E
G A L L E R Y
FEATURE
ARTIST
INTRODUCING
Martin Blundell
CONTEMPORARY LANDSCAPE ARTIST
With bold color and gestural brush strokes, Martin’s contemporary landscape art is captivating and unique.
Grace Renee Gallery Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Summer Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080 12
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GraceReneeGallery.com
CONTEMPORARY
ART
GALLERY
CAREFREE
ARIZONA
ABOVE :
LEFT PAGE :
“Storm on the Mesa” 48” by 24”
“Clouds Rising” 48” by 48”
Historic Spanish Village | 7212 E. Ho Hum Rd. # 7 | Carefree, AZ 85377 Summer Hours: Tue.–Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. By appointment Sun. and Mon. 480.575.8080
GraceReneeGallery.com
august 2021
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i m a g e s a r i z o n a . c o m aug ust 2 02 1 Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Tender Little Hearts
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It is nearly impossible for McDowell Sonoran Conservancy steward Terry Holmes-Stecyk to travel very far along the McDowell Sonoran Preserve’s trails with her miniature horses — much less exit a library elevator — without being bombarded by questions and cameras. After all, as if her pint-sized equines were not eye-catching enough, their sight is made even more sensational by some of the most absolutely adorable costumes imaginable — unicorn horns, fairy wings, ruffled tutu skirts, patriotic hats and even garb usually relegated to your favorite superheroes. “We like to dress them up in creative costumes because children love things that are bright and colorful,” says Holmes-Stecyk, who runs Tender Little Hearts, a Rio Verde Foothills-based nonprofit that uses miniature therapy horses to provide encouragement to young readers and touch the lives of those most in need.
Holmes-Stecyk retired this past May so that she could focus on Tender Little Hearts — a project that has quickly become her life’s passion — full-time. “I have had an amazing life,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “I have lived overseas, I have traveled the world ... I really felt as though I had been there and done all that. But these little horses opened my eyes to the gift of service — and the gift of opening my heart up to others.”
TURNING PAGES
There are actually two parts to Tender Little Hearts — Mini Tales and Equine Mini Therapy. Mini Tales is a program that provides encouragement to young readers, inspiring them to develop new confidence, unfold their imagination and gain expanded knowledge.
The articles of “clothing” that often garner the most attention are the shoes that the miniature horses wear on each of their four feet... or hooves.
Similar programs at libraries and schools typically use dogs. Holmes-Stecyk, who has three dogs herself that she absolutely adores, says that dogs are wonderful and cuddly but that horses — particularly miniature horses — provide an even greater opportunity for engagement.
“We have these miniature tennis shoes that are a Build-ABear [Workshop] type of shoe,” Holmes-Stecyk explains. “They are actually for the horses’ safety because, when we go into libraries and other facilities, they have to walk on tile, so it prevents them from slipping. But people just really get a kick out of seeing horses wearing little shoes.”
“Horses are prey animals,” Holmes-Stecyk explains. “They are always alert to make sure that nothing is going to eat them. So when children are reading to them, it is as though they are actually listening to the story.”
Originally from the Prescott area, Holmes-Stecyk grew up on a horse ranch, where she first discovered just how majestic equine creatures could be. “My grandfather was a horse trainer, so I have been around horses for pretty much my entire life,” she says. Holmes-Stecyk had been volunteering with a couple of miniature horse groups while working as a dental hygienist, which intensified her interest in equine therapy. In 2018, she began using her own miniature horse, Dolly, to bring smiles to people’s faces. One year later, she decided to register Tender Little Hearts as a nonprofit organization with the Arizona Corporation Commission.
Holmes-Stecyk adds that her miniature therapy horses may often nudge a child or even turn the page of the book that is being read. “We bring the horses right up alongside the child,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “They are non-judgemental, which encourages the child to read out loud. The equines do not care if the child mispronounces a word or forgets to stop at a period or something. So that really helps to build the child’s confidence.” She especially enjoys seeing children turn their books around to show the picture on the page to the miniature horse to which they are reading.
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Terry Holmes-Stecyk runs Tender Little Hearts, a Rio Verde Foothillsbased nonprofit that uses miniature horses to provide encouragement to young readers and touch the lives of those most in need.
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“I really love that interaction,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “It is all about trying to get these children, at an early age, to have a love for reading. It really is just a wonderful stimulus.” Until recently, Tender Little Hearts had to pause its library and school visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, with so many children at home looking for ways to keep their minds stimulated over the past year, Holmes-Stecyk developed a 10-minute virtual reading experience featuring her miniature therapy horses. “We have a video on our website with bird sounds and two of our horses and the donkey all looking at the camera,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “That way, children could continue to read to them even while they were at home. However, now that libraries are beginning to resume their normal services, Holmes-Stecyk brings her miniature therapy horses directly to the facilities so that children can read to them in-person, just as they had prior to the pandemic. “I will see the same children every single month,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “They will be there, ready to read. And if there is more time, they will go back through the line so they can read to the miniature horses again.”
BUILDING BONDS
Meanwhile, Tender Little Hearts’ Equine Mini Therapy program uses the miniature horses as therapy animals that touch the lives of those most in need — the elderly; military service members and others who suffer from emotional/behavioral disorders; people who struggle with addiction; and autistic children and adults.
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A horse gets into sync with that human and they just build this bond with one another. Their anxiety goes down, the horse is relaxed and they become one unit. That positive, loving energy flows back and forth. It is comforting, healing, satisfying and wonderful. Terry Holmes-Stecyk
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Terry Holmes-Stecyk is organizing an Oct. 2 cornhole tournament fundraiser at Tender Little Hearts’ Rio Verde Foothills ranch. Teams of two may enter the tournament for $50 and benefit the nonprofit organization while also having a chance to win a $1,000 grand prize.
The simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response, lowers anxiety, reduces loneliness, increases mental stimulation, provides a happy distraction and even acts as a catalyst to reduce resistance in the therapy process. Holmes-Stecyk loads her team — including Dolly, Mazy, Buddy and miniature Sicilian donkey Boone — into a cargo van and transports them to various facilities throughout the Valley. “One of my favorites is Lone Mountain Memory Care,” she says. “Our miniature horses will often trigger a memory for patients. For example, one elderly woman would actually scold us every time we visited her because she thought that we were bringing her horses there. She told us how she wanted them cared for and such. During one of our visits, her grandchildren were there and she gave them a lesson on how to groom the horses.” Holmes-Stecyk adds that Tender Little Hearts’ miniature therapy horses also visit hospitals, Arizona State Veteran Home, Saint Vincent de Paul’s Dream Center, Childhelp and MIKID — Mentally Ill Kids in Distress. “They can immediately tell a difference in these children with developmental/behavioral issues,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “And it lasts for a while. We hear over and over how people tend to talk about the interaction that they have with the horses for at least a week or so. There is such a bond that is built.”
After all, a horse can hear a human heartbeat from up to four feet away. “A horse gets into sync with that human and they just build this bond with one another,” Holmes-Stecyk explains. “Their anxiety goes down, the horse is relaxed and they become one unit. That positive, loving energy flows back and forth. It is comforting, healing, satisfying and wonderful.”
TRANSFORMING LIVES
Understandably, Holmes-Stecyk would like to not only continue to provide that incredible interaction to as many people as possible but also build upon it. Therefore, she is organizing an Oct. 2 cornhole tournament fundraiser at Tender Little Hearts’ Rio Verde Foothills ranch. Teams of two may enter the tournament for $50 and benefit the nonprofit organization while also having a chance to win a $1,000 grand prize. “These little horses can do powerful things,” Holmes-Stecyk says.”We often never know the impact an encounter can make.” However, an encounter during one of Tender Little Hearts’ very first site visits affirmed every second of time that she dedicates to her nonprofit organization. The daughter of a patient with Huntington's disease at Allegiant Healthcare of Phoenix was transformed from a point of exhaustion to a place of hope after seeing her mother’s positive interaction with Holmes-Stecyk’s miniature horse Dolly. “Some patients often refuse to even come out of their rooms,” Holmes-Stecyk says. “But when they hear the clip-clop of the horses’ feet, they rush out of their rooms as fast as they can physically do so to see and be with that horse. These little horses give them a reason to smile. “They touch so many lives in so many different ways and do it so effortlessly. There is not one single day that I come home from either a reading visit or a therapy visit and think, ‘Why am I doing this?’ My heart is filled to the bursting point as I watch what these animals can do and how they transform lives.” tenderlittlehearts.org
EXPERIENCE
Cornhole Tournament Fundraiser Oct. 2 | Tender Little Hearts | 13906 E. Montello Road, Scottsdale $50 | 480-318-3281 | tenderlittlehearts.org august 2021
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COMMUNITY
2021 AUGUST
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
Through Sept. 5
A STITCH IN TIME Inspired by a current exhibition at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, students from two local high schools have created a series of artworks that speak to resilience and empathy. Among the subjects explored by the student artists are immigration, equality, discrimination, mental health, COVID-19 recovery, gender issues, economic difficulties, racism, the environment, xenophobia, violence, religious freedom, healthcare, sexual assault, poverty, colonialism, international conflict, sexual identity and the political divide. Free. The ArtReach Space at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, 7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale. scottsdaleartslearning.org/exhibitions
Through Aug. 8
A CHORUS LINE
trails, forests and canyons of Arizona. Free. See website for hours. Vision
Desert Stages Theatre will present its
LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
production of “A Chorus Line.” See
Arizona Broadway Theatre will
for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave.,
website for price and times. Scottsdale
present its production of the Broadway
Chandler. visiongallery.org
Desert Stages Theatre at Fashion
smash musical that has devoured the
Square, 7014 E. Camelback Road,
hearts of theatergoers for more than
Suite 0586, Scottsdale. 480-483-1664;
30 years. See website for price and
desertstages.org
times. Arizona Broadway Theatre,
Through Aug. 8 FOOTLOOSE
Starlight Community Theater will
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Through Aug. 8
Gallery, 10 E. Chicago St., Chandler. The Gallery at the Chandler Center
Through Aug. 22
7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-
DIEDRICK BRACKENS: ARK OF BULRUSHES
776-8400; azbroadway.org
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art debuts an exhibition with new
Through Aug. 14
works by artist Diedrick Brackens that incorporate textiles with ideas
present its production of the hit
TAKE A HIKE
musical “Footloose.” See website for
Vision Gallery and The Gallery at
price and times. Starlight Community
this series of works, Brackens forms
the Chandler Center for the Arts will
Theater, 1611 W. Whispering
visual allegories of emancipation
feature the work of 30 artists whose
Wind Dr., Suite 9, Phoenix.
by intertwining symbology from
photos, prints and paintings provide
starlightcommunitytheater.com
the Underground Railroad and the
insight into the wonder and joy of
exodus of the Israelites from Egypt,
hiking the many waterways, parks,
offering a meditation on liberation,
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of agency to advance change. In
the climate crisis and the power of craft. $10;
connections, opening dialogue and promoting
youth, student and senior discounts available.
tolerance and confidence. Free. See website for
Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale
hours. Scottsdale Center for the Performing
Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second
Arts, 7380 E. Second Street, Scottsdale.
St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org
scottsdaleartslearning.org
Through Aug. 22
Through Sept. 20
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
Scottsdale Public Art will host an exhibition
has invited local artists M. Jenea Sanchez
featuring artworks from the collections of two
and Gabriela Muñoz to guest co-curate an
retired librarians — Cathy Bonnell and Mary
exhibition that begins with a selection of nearly
J. Wong — who agreed to share their passion
20 works chosen through the unifying context
for children’s literature and illustration. They
of labor and the gaze. Additionally, the two
have hundreds of original artworks from
artists are collaborating with Ammi Robles and
picture books in their collections and know
the DouglaPrieta Trabaja collective to create
how these images and books play a vital role
new works following a historical continuum
for young minds to see and understand their
through a collaborative process foundational
place in the world. Free. Civic Center Public
to their artistic practice. $10; youth, student
Gallery at Scottsdale Civic Center Library,
and senior discounts available. Wednesday–
3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale.
Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Scottsdale Museum
scottsdalepublicart.org/exhibitions
DIVISION OF LABOR: WOMEN SHIFTING A TRANSNATIONAL GAZE
PICTURES TELL STORIES: CHILDREN’S BOOK ILLUSTRATIONS
of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org
Through Aug. 22
PUMP BOYS AND DINETTES
Through Oct. 6
KATALIN EHLING ART EXHIBIT Desert Foothills Library will host an exhibit
The Phoenix Theatre Company will present
of Katalin Ehling’s artwork — from fashion
its production of a musical in which filling
drawings and batiks to watercolors and
station and diner employees deliver a toe-
autobiographical collages. Free. Desert
tapping evening of country-western songs on
Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse
guitar, piano, bass and even kitchen utensils.
Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com
Through Sept. 13 VISIONS ‘21
Through Nov. 28
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
The Center Space gallery at Scottsdale
Saint Laurent, Geoffrey Beene, Giorgio di
Center for the Performing Arts will host an
Sant’Angelo, Balenciaga, Rudi Gernreich
exhibition featuring the artwork of local high
and Paco Rabanne. The exhibition will
school students who participate in Scottsdale
showcase nearly 40 examples of garments and
Arts Learning and Innovation’s Visions
accessories — from the humble denim jean
program. The multi-visit, invitational visual
to the scandalous bikini — that broke from
arts program has been provided to metro
culturally accepted norms and forever changed
Phoenix area teens for 22 years. Through the
popular fashion and the fashion industry. $23;
appreciation and creation of art, Visions aims
youth, student and senior discounts available.
to cultivate the development of teen social
Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 N. Central Ave.,
and mental wellbeing while enhancing social
Phoenix. 602-257-1880; phxart.org august 2021
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Through Oct. 17
AND IT’S BUILT ON THE SACRED Photo by Claire A. Warden Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art will host a full-room installation by local artist Jacob A. Meders. Taking found objects and painting traditional markings of Indigenous people on them, Meders reconsiders how meaning can be layered and reclaimed in these commodities. By layering imagery and significance in these found objects, the artist raises questions about whether what is considered holy can also be considered sacred and how easily expendable the sacred can be. $10; youth, student, senior and veteran discounts available. See website for hours. Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale. 480-874-4666; smoca.org
Through Jan. 30
VOICE-OVER: ZINEB SEDIRA
Aug. 1
positions for second violin, oboe
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary
HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL, JR. AUDITIONS
Art presents an exhibition of the
Desert Foothills Theater will
20125 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. 602-
personal and political work of artist
audition potential cast members for
570-4458; pmaz.org
Zineb Sedira, who creates work with
its upcoming production of “High
expansive themes around memory,
School Musical, Jr.” Youth performers
migration and the archive. Posing
age 8+ are welcome to audition.
important questions on the relation
See website for times. The Holland
between history and aesthetics,
Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Scottsdale.
CARING FOR THE CAREGIVER
trauma and form, the artist has
480-488-1981; dftheater.org
Hospice of the West facilitators will
established herself as a significant voice in a global contemporary art world conversation. $10; youth,
and trumpet will be held Aug. 17. Free. See website for times. RSVP. Crosswinds Presbyterian Church,
Aug. 3
lead a gathering of caregivers. Free. 10
Aug. 2–17
a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave
Wednesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
PROMUSICA ARIZONA AUDITIONS
Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary
ProMusica Arizona Chorale and
Art, 7374 E. Second St., Scottsdale.
Orchestra will hold auditions for
480-874-4666; smoca.org
its upcoming season, with in-person
LEARN TO DRAW BETTER
concerts resuming in October.
The Holland Center will welcome
Auditions for the chorale will be held
Larry Charles for a four-week
Aug. 2 and 9 while auditions for
workshop during which participants
the orchestra will be held Aug. 10.
will learn techniques for drawing
student and senior discounts available.
22
Auditions for paid principal chair
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Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
Aug. 3–24
proportions, shading, rendering a face likeness and more. $200. 9 a.m.–Noon. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org
Aug. 4
DEATH CAFÉ Aspiring to help people make the most of their finite lives, Desert Foothills Library will host a gathering to talk about death and dying. Free. 12:30 p.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
Aug. 6
KIM WESTON QUARTET CONCERT Chandler Center for the Arts will welcome vocalist, songwriter and bandleader Kim Weston, who puts a seductive swaying spin on beloved standards. Limited in-person seating is available in addition to a livestream broadcast. Free. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250. N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. chandlercenter.org/summer2021
Aug. 7
OUTDOOR LIVING AT ITS FINEST
HIGH END, LOW-VOLTAGE, OUTDOOR LIGHTING
CREEKWEST SUMMERFEST The town of Cave Creek will host a free, family event to benefit Desert Foothills Land Trust. Attendees may enjoy shaved ice, a bounce house, drive-in movies and a full bar with drink specials at Big Earl’s Greasy Eats. Meanwhile, Local Johnny’s will offer a water slide bounce house, live music and two full bars with drink specials. Finally, Bryan’s Barbeque will host a character lunch and live music while pinball games and food trucks will
LIGHTING, IRRIGATION, LANDSCAPE
www.lettherebelightllc.com (480)575-3204 info@lettherebelightllc.com Licensed | Bonded | Insured
be on tap at The Eddy. Free. 3–9 p.m. See website for schedule and location information. 480-488-9129; frontiertownaz.com
Aug. 7 and 8
CELEBRATE LOCAL Musical Instrument Museum will celebrate Arizona’s vibrant community of musicians and impressive range of distinct musical styles. $20; youth discounts available. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org
Aug. 8
BALLET THEATRE OF PHOENIX OPEN HOUSE Ballet Theatre of Phoenix will kick off its new fall session of classes with an open house during which the public may tour the studio, participate in free dance classes, meet the instructors and win prizes and gift cards. Free. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Ballet Theatre of Phoenix, 6201 N. Seventh St., Phoenix. 602-9573364; ballettheatreofphx.org august 2021
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Aug. 13
SANDRA BASSETT MOTOWN REVUE Chandler Center for the Arts will welcome vocalist Sandra Bassett for a concert of Motown favorites, featuring the songs and stories that define a generation. Limited in-person seating is available in addition to a livestream broadcast. Free. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250. N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. chandlercenter.org/summer2021
Aug. 8
CRYSTAL BOWL HEALING CONCERT FOR A CAUSE The Space Healing Center and Local
Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N.
38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave
Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek. 480-
Creek. 480-488-2286; dfla.org
488-2286; dfla.org
Aug. 10
THE SPITFIRE GRILL
Jonny’s will present a sound healing
GET LIT BOOK CLUB
concert during which attendees
Desert Foothills Library will host a
present a musical about a woman
will take part in various meditative
happy hour book club featuring Ta-
who, recently released from a five-
practices that ensure a relaxing
Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World
year prison sentence for manslaughter,
and rejuvenating afternoon. The
and Me.” Free. 5 p.m. RSVP. Pizzicata,
finds her second chance working at a
healing experience aims to induce a
7212 East Ho Road, Carefree. 480-
restaurant. See website for price and
meditative state with crystal bowls,
488-2286; dfla.org
times. Arizona Broadway Theatre,
4–6 p.m. Local Jonny’s, 6033 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek. 602-4926643; thespaceaz.com
Arizona Broadway Theatre will
7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria. 623-
gongs and other instruments. $25.
Aug. 12 and 24
LIBRARY BOOK CLUB Desert Foothills Library will host
776-8400; azbroadway.org
Aug. 14
members may choose to participate
LOS CHICOS DEL 512: THE SELENA EXPERIENCE
Hospice of the West facilitators
Aug. 12 on Zoom from the comfort
Chandler Center for the Arts will
will lead a gathering that will guide
of their own home or Aug. 24
welcome the members of Los Chicos
individuals through their personal
in-person at the library. Free. 10
del 512 for a concert featuring the
process of grief. Free. 9:30 a.m. RSVP.
a.m. RSVP. Desert Foothills Library,
music of the Queen of Tejano music
Aug. 9 and 23
HEALING PATHWAY
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Aug. 13–Sept. 5
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a book club featuring Douglas Stuart’s “Shuggie Bain.” Community
Selena Quintanilla. $20+; youth discounts available. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250. N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. chandlercenter.org
Aug. 14
20-20 HYBRID-HYPNOSIS EMOTIONAL RELEASE The Holland Center will welcome certified hypnotherapist Michele Guy Syne, who will enable participants to focus on areas of their lives that have been troubling them. Participants will receive instruction and practice in how to experience emotional release. $20. 9 a.m. The Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th St., Building B, Scottsdale. 480-488-1090; hollandcenter.org
Aug. 16–20
LOOSEN UP: SEEING, SIMPLIFYING AND EXPRESSION Instructor Derek Penix will provide instruction on how to use oils to paint from photos. Penix will cover topics such as how to make paintings more three-dimensional, the power of warms and cools, color theory, harmony, edges, shape-quality, variety, simplifying, loosening brushwork, elements of design, elements of light and shadow, the power of suggestion and painting how you see. $725. 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Scottsdale Artists’ School, 3720 N. Marshall Way. 480-9901422; scottsdaleartschool.org
Aug. 18–Sept. 12
STEEL MAGNOLIAS The Phoenix Theatre Company will present its production of a story about women who form friendships as strong as steel, which they are forced to lean on when tragedy strikes. See website for price and times. The Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. 602-254-2151; phoenixtheatre.com august 2021
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Aug. 27 and 28
MILK CARTON KIDS AND HALEY HEYNDERICKX CONCERT Musical Instrument Museum will present a concert featuring Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, known for their intricate, inventive musicianship with deeply personal storytelling set to ethereal harmonies, and singer-songwriter Hayley Heynderickx, whose music reflects a love of jazz radio with vocals that range from sultry to operatic. $44.50. 7 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org
Aug. 20
BIG PETE PEARSON
and have been performing together since 2005. $23.50. 7 p.m. Musical
Chandler Center for the Arts will
SAY GOODNIGHT GRACIE
welcome Arizona’s “King of the
Fountain Hills Theater will take
Blues” for a concert that will turn
audiences on a guided tour through
the room into a dark, smoky club in
an American century told through the
1960s Chicago. Limited in-person
eyes of George Burns, who savored
MARMALADE SKIES
seating is available in addition to
each day from his impoverished youth
Chandler Center for the Arts will
a livestream broadcast. Free. 7:30
on the lower East side to his career
welcome a Beatles tribute band for
p.m. Chandler Center for the Arts,
in Vaudeville; his marriage to Gracie
a concert that will celebrate the Fab
250. N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
Allen; and their rise to success on stage,
Four’s greatest hits and deepest cuts.
chandlercenter.org/summer2021
screen, radio and TV. See website for
Limited in-person seating is available
price and times. Fountain Hills Theater,
in addition to a livestream broadcast.
11445 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain
Free. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Center for the
Hills. 480-837-9661; fhtaz.org
Arts, 250. N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
Aug. 20–29
MADAGASCAR: A MUSICAL ADVENTURE, JR.
Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000; mim.org
Aug. 27
chandlercenter.org/summer2021
Aug. 21
Aug. 30
musical inspired by the animated motion
PARADISE WINDS CONCERT
picture “Madagascar.” $20. See website
Musical Instrument Museum will
JOHN PIZZARELLI TRIO CONCERT
for times. Scottsdale Desert Stages
welcome Phoenix-based reed quintet
Musical Instrument Museum will
Theatre at Fashion Square, 7014 E.
Paradise Winds, whose members met
welcome world-renowned guitarist
Camelback Road, Suite 0586, Scottsdale.
while pursuing advanced degrees in
and singer John Pizzarelli, who
480-483-1664; desertstages.org
music at Arizona State University
has established himself as a prime
Desert Stages Theatre will produce a
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Aug. 20–Sept. 5
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Tankless contemporary interpreter of the Great American Songbook and beyond. $49.50. 7 p.m. Musical Instrument Museum, 4725
ARIZONA MUSICFEST ANNOUNCES LINEUP Arizona Musicfest has announced a starry
E. Mayo Blvd. Phoenix. 480-478-6000;
lineup of exceptional artists to celebrate
mim.org
the return of live indoor concerts in North
Water Heaters
IN STOCK! Starting at:
$4796*
Scottsdale. Featured artists include Paul
Sept. 4
CREEKWEST SUMMERFEST The town of Cave Creek will host a free, family event to benefit Arizona Foothills 911. Attendees may enjoy shaved ice, a bounce house, drive-in movies and a full bar with drink specials at Big Earl’s Greasy Eats. Meanwhile, Local Johnny’s will offer a water slide bounce house, live music and two full bars with drink specials. Finally, Bryan’s Barbeque will host a character lunch and live music while pinball games and food trucks will be on tap at The Eddy. Free. 3–9 p.m. See website for schedule and location information. 480-488-9129; frontiertownaz.com
Sept. 6–16
HIGH HOLIDAY SERVICES
Anka, Bernadette Peters, Kenny G, LeAnn Rimes, Sergio Mendes, Sarah Chang and Emanuel Ax, as well as Pink Martini, Broadway’s John Lloyd Young and The Texas Tenors. See website for tickets, schedule and locations. 480-422-8449; azmusicfest.org
CHORALE APPOINTS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Phoenix Chorale has appointed Nicole Belmont as its new executive director. Belmont is a member of Chorus America, a member of the American Choral Directors Association and an artist fellow of the National Arts Club. She previously served as executive director of Choral Chameleon in New York City. phoenixchorale.org
CHORALE APPOINTS MUSIC DIRECTOR
• • • •
Enjoy Endless Hot Water Adjust Using WiFi Connectivity Increase Savings Little to No Maintenance
Arizona Masterworks Chorale has
The North Valley Jewish Community
appointed Scott Youngs as its new music
Association will celebrate the High
director. Youngs, who is also the music
Prefer the Older Tech?
Holidays with evening and morning
director for the Arizona Bach Festival,
No Problem. That’s Easy For Us!
services for Rosh Hashanah, an evening
has toured with choirs extensively,
service for Kol Nidre and a morning and
recorded multiple CDs and conducted
Yiskor service for Yom Kippur. All services
for MidAmerica Productions at Carnegie
will be led by Rabbi Robert Bonem. A
Hall. A highly respected organist and
traditional break-the-fast buffet dinner will
pianist, he has both taught and performed
follow at the Anthem Country Club for an
throughout the United States, Europe and
additional charge. $106; included in annual
South America. His first season with the
membership. Call or email Fran Kesselman
chorale will include a series of concerts
for dates, times and additional information.
celebrating American choral music.
The North Valley Jewish Community
arizonamasterworks.com
Association, 39506 N. Daisy Mountain
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480.463.1696 **Pricing Expires 7/31/2021 august 2021
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography Courtesy of Fever
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Imagine arriving at a restaurant, hotel venue or catering space with a family member, friend or significant other and being invited into a candle-lit dining room. After being seated, you and your guest are provided with blindfolds, which you wrap around your heads to completely seal off your sight. You converse with your guest, both of you able to hear a tinge of nervous excitment in each other’s voices. Then your meal arrives. You have not been told what to expect, having instead only selected it from a general category — meat, seafood or vegan. The absolutely delectable aroma slowly rises to your nose. The possibilities of what it might be swirl around in your mind. You and your guest share guesses but both are very different from one another. You take your first bite. It is divine. You fight euphoria for just long enough to again ponder what might be on the plate before you. You and your guest agree that neither of you can put your finger on it. Nor does it matter, because your senses of smell and taste are in a state of sheer ecstasy. “When one of our senses is inhibited, our other senses are naturally enhanced to compensate for it,” says Sumner Rogers, project manager for Dining in the Dark Phoenix. “That is just what our brain does. We do not quite go into Daredevil mode, where we can see with sonar, but our senses of smell and taste are
naturally enhanced. And because we are not looking directly at what we are eating, our brain does not know exactly what it is. It just knows that the food is good.” An offering from European experiences company Fever, Dining in the Dark debuted July 2020 in Manchester, England out a need to develop ideas on how people could continue to enjoy social activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We had to think of something that would be fun for people to do but where they would not mingle with other people that they did not come with and that they would also stay within a single assigned area,” Rogers explains. The experience was a hit, prompting Fever to quickly launch it in six other cities within the United Kingdom. By September, it was being enjoyed by people all over Europe. Fever decided to bring it to America earlier this year where it has been delighting diners throughout the spring and summer months. Sumner says that Dining in the Dark has proven to be most popular among millennials, who love to go out and are drawn to Fever’s app-based approach, which he describes as the “Netflix of experiences.” “Our app offers a similar interface as Netflix,” he explains. “But instead of clicking on TV shows, it
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“
The unique food experience that Dining in the Dark offers is one in which you are eating something that you know tastes good, but you do not know exactly what it is. That little bit of a dance that your brain does in between each bite is what makes this fun. Sumner Rogers
FOOD
displays a bunch of different experiences, activities and things to do in your city. We host others’ experiences on our app, for which we operate as a ticketing platform. But then we also have the opportunity to connect previously unconnected dots and create our own experiences. Dining in the Dark is one of those.” He adds that, nationally, Dining in the Dark has been very beneficial for local businesses because Fever not only gets customers through the door but also does most of the legwork. “We sell tickets, do all of the marketing and get everyone's information ahead of time — including their order, their allergies and their party size,” Rogers says. “Even some of our larger venues have had issues just getting people through the door lately. Plus, staffing is tough. We are able to help with all of that. At our Cleveland location, it was the first night that they were open since the COVID-19 pandemic and we were able to give them a full house.” Locations are typically kept secret but, in Phoenix, Dining in the Dark has most
recently been partnering with Romano’s Macaroni Grill. “There is some influence from the current offering of the restaurant but we work specifically with its local chef to get creative and put together a distinct menu for this experience,” Rogers says. “We have made sure that it meets our parameters and is easy to eat while blindfolded.” Ultimately, the thing that guests like most about the entire Dining in the Dark experience is the mystery involved with the food. “We have been successfully eating for decades now,” Rogers says. “However when you are looking at your food, you know exactly what you are about to eat. Your brain eats first and you have an expectation of what it is going to taste like. The unique food experience that Dining in the Dark offers is one in which you are eating something that you know tastes good, but you do not know exactly what it is. That little bit of a dance that your brain does in between each bite is what makes this fun.” feverup.com/phoenix
Dining in the Dark august 2021 Wednesdays | 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. | See website for location and ticketing information | $80 | feverup.com/phoenix
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North Scottsdale resident Gary Spaniola’s talent and generosity ensure that, at 63 years old, this star shines even more brightly than he did during his initial 25-year stint in the music industry.
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo // Photography by Carl Schultz
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Like so many musicians, North Scottsdale resident Gary Spaniola’s start was a result of seeing the Beatles perform on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
One of Spaniola’s friends who lived down the street informed him of a classmate who played the drums. The band Bitter Sweet Alley was born.
“It solidified my dream,” says Spaniola, who was born and grew up in Detroit. “I was just mesmerized by them.”
CASTLE IN THE SKY
Little did he know back then that he would go on to enjoy not only a very successful 25-year career in the music industry but also a career in computer programming and software design that resulted in the invention of a system that is regarded as the future of home automation. Nor did he know that he would eventually return to his musical roots to make a difference in the lives of children and families in need. As a child, Spaniola worried about being or becoming bored. However, his mother used to say, “If you are bored, then it is your own fault.” So at age 10, believing that if he could write songs every day for the rest of his life like the four men with the textured mop-top haircuts he saw on television, Spaniola took matters into his own hands and began to teach himself how to play the guitar. Spaniola practiced playing his guitar at least eight hours every day. In fact, he practiced so incessantly that his mother had to actually beg him to leave the basement to go play outside. By the time he turned 13 years old, he had successfully learned how to play by ear — something that he says opened an entirely new and exciting door for him. “I had a hard time reading music,” he admits. “I tried to understand it but it never made much sense to me. It seemed like just a bunch of dots on a page. But I realized that I could hear anything and start playing it. And if you practice that enough, you can eventually see what the person is playing with your mind’s eye.”
“We started playing high school dances and such,” Spaniola says. “We even played in bars. We were only 15 years old. In those days, all you needed was a note from your mom saying that it was OK and that you would not drink. We just built upon that and started playing more and more.” A local DJ eventually discovered the band and Bitter Sweet Alley was entered into full rotation on the radio. It was even invited to be the opening act for a number of high-profile performers — including Rick Springfield, the Romantics, Cheap Trick and Ted Nugent. “I found that I did not like the sound that we were getting recording in other studios,” Spaniola says. “So I bought a house just north of Detroit and I built my own recording studio there. I started recording many of the bands in the city.” In fact, Spaniola’s recording efforts grew to the point that he eventually decided to leave Bitter Sweet Alley in 1987. “Everybody thought that I was crazy for leaving the most successful band in the city at the time,” he says. “But I really liked the producing and engineering aspect of it all. I got to work with a lot of different bands and a lot of different styles of music. And I just loved doing it.” Spaniola would go on to work with more than 100 musical groups, earning both gold and platinum records along the way. Some of his producing and songwriting credits include a top 10 hit with rhythm and blues group Ready for the World and a song for the “Beverly Hills Cop II” movie soundtrack.
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Gary Spaniola’s 25-year career in the music industry began with the band Bitter Sweet Alley and progressed through a successful stint producing albums out of his own recording studio in Detroit.
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Spaniola eventually sold his second Michigan recording studio to hip hop duo Insane Clown Posse and pursued something completely out of left field — computer programming and software design. “Music was changing,” he says. “It was becoming very electronic and I was not really into that. So I began playing around with the software side of things and realized that it was pretty cool.” Spaniola taught himself C++ programming language, just as he had taught himself to play the guitar by ear a few decades earlier. He ended up getting a number of high-profile clients — people he describes as among the richest men in the world — and even invented a system that is still displayed at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry as the future of home automation. During this time, Spaniola and his wife moved to Arizona. Shortly after that, his father passed away. “As we were going through my father’s house, we found a scrapbook in which he had placed all of these interviews and news reports about my old band that he had cut out,” Spaniola says. “That really tugged on my heartstrings.”
SUNRISE AGAIN
One day, Spaniola was driving by a guitar store and decided to stop and go inside. He had not been to such a store in decades. “There, out of a hundred or more guitars, hanging on the wall, this one just stared at me,” Spaniola says. “I knew what he was trying to say, so I packed him up and brought him home.” And the songs just started pouring out. “I feel like all of these songs live in the instrument and when I buy a new guitar they just come flying out,” Spaniola explains. “It was like a backlog of songs wanting to get out. All I had to do is get my fingers back into shape.” Spaniola says that, just as riding a bicycle, one never forgets how to play the guitar. One need only re-strengthen the muscles in their fingers that are responsible for the physical movements. That process only took three weeks for Spaniola, who believes that the guitar is a part of him.
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Gary Spaniola, shown here with his wife, Erica Smith, recently released three albums that have been remarkably well received. Their strong sales are especially poignant considering the musician doubles every purchase and donates it to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
“
Music is so strong and rewarding. A lot of times, when you are kicked to the curb, music is where you go to help yourself recover or just change your mood for a minute. If I can be part of that, then I think that is just fantastic. Gary Spaniola
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Having built a small studio in North Scottsdale, Spaniola released his first album in years — a collection of instrumental music titled “Entropia.” He followed that up with a classical album, “Lost in Control.” His latest release, “In Wonderland,” is rich in harmony, melody and something that the musician describes as “ear candy production.” “I think I play even better now than before because it is more melodic,” Spaniola explains. “When you are younger, it is more about how fast you can play than what you play.” He also aspires to imbue each song with the sincerity and honesty that are only made possible by experiencing the incredible journey of life. For example, the first song on his new album, “Soda in a Bottle,” was influenced by a heartfelt conversation that he had with his older brother, Michael. “I remember talking with him about going back in time, when life was much easier,” Spaniola says. “In those days, soda came in a glass bottle, and drive-in theaters were a big deal. One of [Michael’s] muscle cars was a blue GTO that he would race on Woodward. It was a little before my time, but I lived vicariously through him.” Michael has since passed away and is greatly missed by his younger brother. Speaking of loss, the album’s title track, “In Wonderland,” is a very deep, very sad song about death and dying. Oddly enough, Spaniola wrote it for his wife, Erica Smith, a singer who was formerly signed with Columbia Records and is also featured on the album.
“She was like, ‘I do not want that song,’” Spaniola says, laughing. “So I wrote, ‘When I See You’ for her instead, which is much nicer. But the other one is about something that people do not talk about. But it is a part of life. And I have found that sharing that through music can be very beneficial for people. “Music is so strong and rewarding. A lot of times, when you are kicked to the curb, music is where you go to help yourself recover or just change your mood for a minute. If I can be part of that, then I think that is just fantastic. It is therapeutic for me, too. When things are not going well, I can just get lost in the music.”
HEART OF GOLD
Spaniola’s three recently released albums have been remarkably well received. Their strong sales are especially poignant considering the musician doubles every purchase and donates it to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. “I do not withhold any money for recording, promotion or expenses,” he says. “Every cent received goes to charity. I have been very fortunate and am so grateful. It is my way of giving back. The more I can give to charity, the better I feel. “I truly love the process of creating, developing and recording songs. Knowing that it will be helping children and families in need makes the experience shine even more brightly.” Speaking of which, Spaniola’s talent and generosity ensure that, at 63 years old, this star shines even more brightly than he did during his initial 25-year stint in the music industry. Best of all, with no publishing company dictating what he can write, sing, record or release, his music is more resonant than ever. “I never write a song thinking that it is going to be a hit,” Spaniola says. “I may have done that a long time ago, but not anymore. I just write what is in my heart. And that is what you hear.” garyspaniola.com
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Independence Day may have come and gone but we are smack-dab in the middle of the real fireworks display. In 2008, National Weather Service officials decided that Arizona’s monsoon season would begin on June 15 and end on Sept. 30. Of course, the thunderstorms that bring rainfall may form at different times and in different places across our region, but these summer months are typically when we see the most — and the most dramatic — activity. And that activity extends far beyond just rainfall. Ominous clouds form in the distance and menacingly make their way directly overhead, turning day into night. Wild winds swirl dust particles into the air, blanketing entire communities in complete chaos. Our skies light up with streaks of lightning, which are then followed by startling cracks of thunder. Suffice it to say, these storms make their presence known. However, as alarming and destructive as they may be, there is also abundant beauty in our monsoons. Those dark clouds and their resulting rainfall give the Valley some much-needed relief from summer’s scorching temperatures. The varying density of the clouds also makes it possible for lightning to momentarily paint remarkable mosaics across our skies. Viewing dust storms from a distance illustrates the sheer magnitude of our cities — yet, at the same time, how they are merely small dots on an enormous planet. And the thunder encourages us to huddle together with our loved ones, who make us feel safe and secure regardless of what foreboding forces might threaten us. Of course, then there are the astonishingly colorful rainbows that stretch from one mountain range to another, indicating the end of the storm and symbolizing how when we traverse the tough times we emerge stronger and more resilient. Fine art landscape photographer Gerry Groeber is very familiar with all of this beauty and more as he captures all aspects of Arizona, including its monsoons, on camera. It is our hope that in sharing his work, which so sagaciously reflects both the magnitude and the aesthetic magnificence of these storms, that our Images Arizona readers will see them in a new light — appreciating nature’s fireworks rather than fearing them.
Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Gerry Groeber
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When it comes to weather images, you are looking for a lot of drama. We get a lot of that during our monsoons in Arizona. Gerry Groeber
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You never want to be under a storm. You want to be ahead of it, looking into it. If you get underneath it during a torrential downpour, there is nothing to see. You have to be able to position yourself to see it from a distance. Gerry Groeber
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I can begin planning my day and the temperature can be 100 degrees but you just know that the storms are going to be rolling in. So I start watching my radar and by the time I am shooting, the temperatures have dropped 20–25 degrees. That is a nice treat after a long day of [storm] chasing Gerry Groeber
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Originally from Southern California, Gerry Groeber has always considered himself to be an artist. “My father enjoyed doing oil paintings so I had a lot of books on classic landscape oil painters,” says Groeber, who began exploring videography in his 20s before discovering a passion for fine art landscape photography. “A lot from my early years of seeing the masters of landscape oil painting comes back to me as I incorporate it into my compositions and how I photograph landscapes.”
Groeber arrived in Arizona about 23 years ago and quickly fell in love with the state — especially what it had to offer him in the way of his art. Although he has spent time in other Arizona cities, including Mesa, his move to Prescott two years ago has proven to be the most beneficial to his craft.
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“Prescott is kind of the hub or the spoke of the wheel,” Groeber explains. “I can get to the Grand Canyon in less than two hours. I can get to Flagstaff, I can get back down to the Valley ... it is nice to be centrally located for all that Arizona has to offer. Plus, Prescott has a really great art vibe.” Groeber’s photography and replica pottery can be viewed at Art2 Prescott in downtown Prescott on the Mezzanine in the Old Capital Market Building. “It has always been inherent for me to create,” says Groeber, who has explored a number of different mediums, including music. “Photography is where I landed after years and years of creating different types of art. I think that artists are born with the drive to create. It can be in many forms and still be something that satisfies that drive to create, do something new and then share it.” gerrygroeber.com
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august 2021
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Shown here with his wife Zaza, New River resident Arouna Diarra performs folk songs that reflect topics from war to love for one another, aspiring to instill joy, harmony and connection within those who hear them.
Writer Joseph J. Airdo
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“
Music is a big medicine on my life. Sometimes I can be there but my mind is somewhere else thinking about something challenging. As soon as I pick up and start to play my instrument, I will go back to the normal place like nothing ever happened. Arouna Diarra
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New River resident Arouna Diarra was destined to bring traditional music into the modern-day — further developing it while maintaining its cultural roots. Originally from West Africa, Arouna performs folk songs that reflect topics from war to love for one another, aspiring to instill joy, harmony and connection within those who hear them. In addition to singing with spirit, nostalgia and great joy in his native language of Bambara, Arouna also plays the kamale n’goni and the balafon — a 14-string harp-like instrument that is believed to be an ancestor of the banjo and a gourdresonated xylophone, respectively. However, music is more than just a hobby for this impossibly cheerful man. One could even say that music is in Arouna’s blood — a family responsibility since birth. Arouna was born in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, a major hub of cultural and artistic significance in West Africa. His family name, Diarra, is associated with griots — musicians, poets and storytellers who, traditionally, are curators of the arts and history. Seen as leaders, griots serve as advisors to royal personages and are official peacekeepers within their communities. Arouna’s wife Zaza notes that there are numerous tribes within the Mandingue culture of West Africa. “In Arouna’s village, there are many tribes doing many different things,” she explains. “Griots are responsible for all communication. And music is a big part of communication. So Arouna’s tribe is a tribe of musicians.”
In fact, Arouna does not recall doing anything else except play music when he was in Africa — and make the instruments with which the music was performed. Therefore, he experienced quite the culture shock upon moving to the United States.
STARTING OVER FROM ZERO
Arriving in Ashville, North Carolina in December of 2012, Arouna recalls being taken aback by the city’s chilly weather. However, adapting to a different climate was nothing compared to integrating himself into a society with which he had absolutely no experience. “When I first moved here, I did not know where to play,” Arouna explains. “It was very challenging in the beginning. The language was difficult and I had to start my life over from zero. That was not easy but I never gave up.” One of the strangest things Arouna discovered here in the US was the way in which instruments are tuned. In West Africa, instruments are traditionally tuned by ear rather than with the use of a physical or digital tuner. “Everything was new,” Arouna adds. “I learned something new every day. I feel like I had been put in school and had to learn 200 new things all at once. At the same time, I had to work at a job that I did not have the experience for. But I had to work because I had a family.” Arouna worked at Whole Foods for about three years before finally pursuing music full-time in 2015. While playing music on the streets, he made connections that allowed him to create a band.
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Shown here with his wife, Zaza, Arouna Diarra was born in Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, a major hub of cultural and artistic significance in West Africa. His family name is associated with griots — musicians, poets and storytellers who, traditionally, are curators of the arts and history.
Formerly a key member of internationally-touring group Lanaya, Arouna became a founding member of the North Carolina-based West African folk music ensemble Mandé Foly. More recently, he has toured the US with Rising Appalachia, performing as part of a diverse group of musicians known as The Ancient Roots Band. Having moved to Arizona in 2016 because the desert reminded him of his homeland, Arouna discovered that the more he put himself out there, the more success he would find. One day, he brought one of his handmade instruments to a guitar store and asked if he could leave it there to gain some exposure. Arouna’s initiative paid off. One of the guitar store’s customers contacted a friend who worked at Musical Instrument Museum. This led to Arouna being invited to perform at the museum. He has since been invited back on numerous occasions — to not only perform there but also teach its patrons how to play his homeland’s instruments. “This makes me very happy,” Arouna says. “I am developing Burkina Faso culture here in America.”
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One of the key ways in which Arouna Diarra honors and expands exposure to Burkina Faso culture is by making and selling kamale n’goni — a 14-string harp-like instrument that is believed to be an ancestor of the banjo — out of his New River home.
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KAMALE N’GONI
One of the key ways in which Arouna honors and expands exposure to Burkina Faso culture is by making and selling his instruments out of his New River home. Known as a West African harp, the n’goni has existed since at least 1352, when Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta reported seeing one in the court of Mansa Musa. The kamale n’goni variety of the instrument that Arouna makes is believed to have been invented by the musician Alata Brulaye in the 1950s and 1960s in the Republic of Mali — a landlocked country in West Africa. The string instrument became popular in the Wassoulou region and contributed to the rise of Wassoulou music during the 1970s and 1990s. Arouna estimates that he has sold his handmade instruments to more than 200 people since he has moved to the US. Very generous, welcoming and forthcoming, the Diarras even open their New River home to clients who would like to stay for a few days while Arouna teaches them how to play the kamale n’goni. Others prefer to simply display them in their homes. After all, with gorgeously intricate detailing, these instruments truly are fabulous works of art. In fact, his handmade kamale n’goni are prominently displayed in Musical Instrument Museum’s Experience Gallery as a representation of West African string instruments. Each kamale n’goni’s foundation lies in a strong neck, typically made from mahogany. Its base is made from a calabash — a strong West African gourd. Goatskin is then shaved, soaked in water and attached to the calabash. Bamboo is cut, dried, filed and used to attach the skin to the gourd. Finally,
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Arouna Diarra handmakes each and every one of his kamale n’goni according to the traditional West African method. Best of all, due to the extremely high level of their quality, no two instruments are ever alike.
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different weights of fishing line are strung through metal keys to complete the instrument. Arouna handmakes each and every one of his kamale n’goni according to the traditional West African method. Best of all, due to the extremely high level of their quality, no two instruments are ever alike. “Every instrument is unique and has a different tuning,” Arouna explains. “That is something that I love about them.” Arouna also makes and sells traditional West African leather wallets, bronze bracelets and Taureg earrings from the Sahara Desert. Zaza says that her husband’s creations allow him to continue his griot responsibilities here in the US. “Besides peacekeeping, one of Arouna’s tribe’s responsibilities is to be ambassadors,” she explains. “So it is almost like he has come full circle, getting to be an ambassador wherever he goes.”
THE CAPTAIN OF SMILE
One could not ask for a better ambassador than Arouna, who also teaches his passion and an appreciation for traditional music and instruments to infants, toddlers and preschoolers at Immanuel Care for Children in Phoenix. Moreover, Arouna has one of the widest and brightest smiles you have likely ever seen — a smile that is continuous and unflinching. And as they say, happiness is contagious. “My band called me ‘the captain of smile’ because I always made everybody happy by doing something that I do not even know that I am doing,” Arouna says. “When I worked at Whole Foods, my manager always asked me why I was so happy. It is just natural for me. I do not even notice it.” Arouna may not notice it but he has a fairly good guess as to the reason behind it. “Music is a big medicine on my life,” Arouna explains. “Sometimes I can be there but my mind is somewhere else thinking about something challenging. As soon as I pick up and start to play my instrument, I will go back to the normal place like nothing ever happened.” burkinastrings.com
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Writer Shannon Severson
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Sometimes the most wonderful dining discoveries are those you’ve likely driven past a dozen times and failed to notice. There’s something especially satisfying about stumbling upon a gastronomic gem, either on your own or on the good advice of a friend. The Cave Creek/Carefree area is home to some absolutely incredible restaurants. Many of them are well known — and deservedly so. But there are also some newcomers and longtimers that are just under the radar and worth a visit when you’re in the mood to add to your list of local spots to support.
VINO & PANINO
It’s not every day that you can have a delicious panino (Italian pressed sandwich) or Chicago dog prepared by a fine dining-trained chef whose work experience includes the two Michelin star restaurant owned by Culinary Hall of Fame’s Charlie Trotter… but you can Tuesdays through Saturdays if you head to Vino & Panino in Cave Creek.
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Chef Ralphie Castellano — whose first career was as an aircraft mechanic after serving in the United States Air Force — and his wife, Pam, opened their brightlyhued shop with 60s and 70s flair in the fall of 2019. “We wanted to create a happy place that’s a new experience for Cave Creek,” says Pam, who designed the lettering of the logo and restaurant’s color scheme herself. “It’s fun how things just came together. We have the ultimate in authentic Italian ingredients — the best Prosciutto di Parma, Vienna Beef hot dogs, the best sandwich bread and rolls from Turano Baking Company in Illinois. We aren’t skimping on anything.”
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Chef Ralphie Castellano and his wife, Pam, opened the brightly-hued Vino & Panino with 60s and 70s flair in the fall of 2019. Photo Courtesy of Vino & Panino
Photo Courtesy of Vino & Panino
On the horizon for Vino & Panino owners Ralphie and Pam Castellano is an upscale piano lounge that will open next door to the restaurant in early winter. Photo Courtesy of Vino & Panino
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Not to be forgotten is the vino side of Vino & Panino. The restaurant has a carefully curated selection of wines by the bottle or glass to enjoy alongside Ralphie’s sandwich creations, either inside or on one of two patios. In addition to his classic, Da Chicago Beef with au jus and a choice of spicy or sweet peppers, Ralphie serves up specialties including The Castellano, which contains hot “gabagool” (also known as capicola), soppressata, 24-month aged prosciutto, pistachio mortadella and aged provolone and the Cave Creek Snake Bite with stacked Italian sausage, arrabbiata sauce and aged provolone. Along with the traditional Chicago dog on its characteristic poppy seed bun, Ralphie also offers a corn dog or a chili cheese dog. If you’ve still got room in your belly, finish off the meal with a cool scoop of Italian gelato. “The response we’ve had is amazing,” Ralphie says. “We have great wines. People love the quality of meats and comment on how good the food is and how clean the restaurant is. People always say it’s a happy place. That was my goal and it makes me feel good inside when I hear that.” On the horizon for Ralphie and Pam is an upscale piano lounge that will open next door in early winter. It will give diners the opportunity to experience great live music while enjoying carefully crafted regional tasting menus that showcase Ralphie’s fine dining culinary talents. On Flamenco Fridays, the menu will feature Spanish specialties including tapas and paella. Vino & Panino 6920 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek 480-595-0976 vinoandpanino.com
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Photos Courtesy of The Village Coffee and Creperie
Marina Matatov’s The Village Coffee and Creperie is most famous for its array of sweet and savory crepes, which can also be made with gluten-free batter and oversized cups of organic, locally roasted Roastery of Cave Creek coffee. Photo Courtesy of The Village Coffee and Creperie
THE VILLAGE COFFEE AND CREPERIE
Located in Cave Creek’s Stagecoach Village shopping center, The Village Coffee and Creperie captures a little bit of France in Arizona. Owner Marina Matatov’s restaurant is most famous for its array of sweet and savory crepes, which can also be made with gluten-free batter and oversized cups of organic, locally roasted Roastery of Cave Creek coffee. “I want people to feel cozy and at home,” Matatov says. “The coffee cups say stay as long as you want. I will always find a way to accommodate guests. It’s the way I was raised.” Matatov is extremely close to her family who emigrated from St. Petersburg, Russia in 1995. She watched her parents leave behind everything that wouldn’t fit into the single suitcase they were allowed to take as a family. Their hard work has been a constant example to her of what hard work, a dream and opportunity can accomplish. Her father, who owns Sam’s Barber Shop in Stagecoach Village, has been a primary source of inspiration and support. “All because of him, I was able to succeed,” she says. “He told me that whatever I do in life, I should be sure it makes me happy. I originally trained to be a pharmacist, but it didn’t make me happy. Now, every day, I can’t wait to go bake.” While she began in 2010 with a tiny space serving coffee and pastries, she dreamed of doing so much more and was convinced that crepes were going to be a hit with her loyal customers. Again, she relied on her family for inspiration.
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“I use my grandma’s crepe batter recipe,” she says. “It’s the same one my mom and grandma used when I was a child. My dad was doubtful, but I had a gut feeling and ordered my first crepe griddle from France. I really wanted to do something fresh and I could do that with crepes. I want people to see everything I’m putting in the food. I want an open feel, making honest food with quality ingredients.” This single mom of three also counts her employees as family and credits them for being steadfast and willing to learn every element of the business. Matatov says that, when it comes to cooking and baking, she learned almost all of what she knows at the “University of Grandma.” Now, she bakes everything herself –– lemon bars, rugalach, biscotti, kuchen, raspberry lemon cake and quiche that changes with the seasons. The extensive crepe menu includes sweet styles with fresh fruit, salted caramel, Nutella, lemon curd, peanut butter and chocolate. The hearty, savory selection includes smoked salmon, Italian meats and cheese, ham and cheddar or Swiss, chicken Dijon and veggie deluxe.
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The Village Coffee and Creperie is open for breakfast and lunch and even has a liquor license so the friendly servers can mix up Mimosas or Bloody Marys, which are very popular with the brunch crowd. “There’s a joy I get from seeing unhappy people walk in and seeing the smile on their face when they take a bite,” she says. “There’s a connection with food. What a blessing that all the people in Cave Creek have supported me through the years. It’s even a roller coaster, but I love what I do.” The Village Coffee and Creperie 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, #138, Cave Creek 480-488-3835 thevillagecoffeeshop.square.site
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Photos Courtesy of Z’s House of Thai
Sirikorn “Z” Rungboonkong originally came to the United States from Thailand to complete her Ph.D. in social work at Loyola University Chicago, but her grandmother’s passing prompted her to take another path. Photo Courtesy of Z’s House of Thai
Z’S HOUSE OF THAI
Tucked behind Big Bronco on Cave Creek Road is a little wooden building that looks straight out of the Old West. Upon entry, you encounter a food and cultural experience created by owner Sirikorn “Z” Rungboonkong. Z’s House of Thai has been delighting diners seeking authentic Asian specialties since 2018, but it was originally opened in another location as Z’s Asian Fusion in 2012. “When I changed locations, I wanted to focus on my grandmom’s recipes,” Z says. “I grew up with my grandmom and she influenced my skill. When she died, she gave me a very powerful word. She said, ‘I don’t want to see all my great recipes die with me.’ Now I continue her recipes and her dreams are coming true through me.” Z took all the money she had made from Z’s Asian Fusion to transform the new location into exactly the environment she wanted. Her yellow and green curries are some of her most popular dishes. The kitchen
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turns out meat, seafood and vegetarian dishes replete with garlic, ginger and Thai basil and Z adds all manner of traditional Thai herbs upon request. Beyond the set lunch and dinner menus with her famous fresh summer rolls — which are prepared and cut more like sushi to maintain structural and taste integrity — and Pad Thai, she always has specials rotating through as ingredients are available. Her crispy soft shell crab with black pepper sauce is a favorite. When it comes to heat, customers can suit their tastes by adding it themselves. Her “Z Hot Sauce” is so well-loved that she will soon be bottling it for resale. She does not use any MSG in her cooking and adjusted her recipes to make most of her dishes gluten-free. It’s part of her commitment to have items on the menu that everyone can enjoy, regardless of dietary restrictions or lifestyle. Z originally came to the United States from Thailand to complete her Ph.D. in social work at Loyola University Chicago, but her grandmother’s passing prompted her to take another path. She fell in love with Cave Creek and her customers. In a way, she’s using those social work skills to create a welcoming and delicious environment for everyone who walks through the door. “For me, I’m so honored that my grandmom is around me and supporting me in spirit,” Z says. “It’s hard to run a restaurant but I hear from customers all the time that I have the best food. Cave Creek is a cowboy town and a unique community. I was so welcomed here and I fell in love with it. I’m lucky to have a strong community and loyal employees. This is now my hometown and I love serving the people here.” Z’s House of Thai 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek 480-489-7055 zhouseofthai.com
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Writer Joseph J. Airdo Photography by Carl Schultz
For the past four decades, Les Conklin has been fighting to preserve North Scottsdale’s heritage and have a positive i m a g edevelopment s a r i z o n a . c oinmtheaug impact on future area.ust 2 02 1
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For the past four decades, Les Conklin has been fighting to preserve North Scottsdale’s heritage and have a positive impact on future development in the area. The 83-year-old resident has founded, been appointed to and become involved with a number of organizations, associations and commissions that exist solely to ensure that our uniquely scenic community remains scenic for not only current residents but also subsequent generations. You might wonder what could convince someone to fight for the preservation of an area with such a persistent passion. Surely, he must have lived here his entire life, pursued an education in historic preservation and worked as an environmental specialist or some other related field.
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Born in a small town in New Jersey just outside of New York City, Conklin played sports, edited the school newspaper and sang in a group called The Hoots while attending high school. Upon graduation, he sought a degree in industrial management from the University of Rhode Island.
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And that is something that he says is still worth fighting for.
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In fact, Conklin only arrived in Arizona in the 1980s. But the moment his feet touched the state’s soil, he felt compelled to preserve its many special qualities. Although he acknowledges that the area is unavoidably different than it was when he first got here — especially in terms of population — he believes its changes are far fewer than those in other cities around the US and the world.
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However, you would be surprised to discover that Conklin has done none of those things. He was born on the East Coast, has lived in cities all around the United States (and traveled to places all around the world), obtained a degree in industrial management and has enjoyed a lifelong career at the forefront of the technology industry.
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underwriter with Aetna in Hartford, Connecticut in 1961. It was there that his knack for computers was discovered via a series of tests, placing him on the programming team that began to computerize the insurance giant’s business systems. “I then flew out to Los Angeles for a long weekend over the Christmas holiday and took three job interviews while I was there,” Conklin says. He ended up taking a job providing computer training for NASA's Apollo moon mission with aerospace company North American Aviation. During his time there, he also developed and taught the very first course in business computer programming at El Camino College. While in Los Angeles, Conklin met Judy, a beautiful and intelligent artist who lived in the same apartment building as he did, and asked her to be his wife. They eventually had two sons with whom they moved to Boston. “In those days of computer programming, you could pretty much go anywhere,” Conklin says. “There was just so much need. At the time, people who knew computers were considered geniuses. Of course, we were not geniuses. We were just the first people in that field.” Conklin took a job as a consultant with Computer Usage Company — the first independent company to market computer software. “In those days, most companies did not have their own departments for developing computer software,” Conklin explains. “I met a guy there and we started our own software consulting company called Synergetics in 1968.” Conklin and his Synergetics co-founder did contract programming and even put together a book that created standards for documentation.
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“I spent a lot of time on airplanes traveling all over the country,” Conklin adds. “We came out to Arizona during the school year of 1981 and rented a townhouse in McCormick Ranch.” Opening a branch office here, he instantly fell in love with the area. “This was just such a beautiful and vibrant place,” Conklin says. “It was very relaxed here and I thought that the area had a great future. I thought that Arizona had so much to offer and that it would grow and be a great place to live.” Synergetics was then acquired by a division of The Dun and Bradstreet Corporation — a company that provides commercial data, analytics, and insights for businesses. Conklin was permitted to continue to spend some time in Arizona, doing consulting, training and marketing work for the company until it, too, was acquired. “I then ended up working as the head of sales and marketing for another company in Chicago for about a year and a half,” Conklin says. He was soon given the option of remaining in Chicago or move to Arizona to, again, work as a consultant for the company. Conklin did not even need a second to think about it. He, his wife and their two sons permanently relocated to a home on county land north of Scottsdale in 1983.
ONE CORNER AT A TIME
Conklin recalls looking out at the lot behind his home one day and spotting a red rezoning sign. “They wanted to build at the northwest corner of Dynamite and Scottsdale roads a motion picture production studio with two hotels, a theme park,
townhouses and homes,” Conklin says. “That really got my attention.” Conklin formed and became president of the Monte de Paz Homeowners Association — a group that began fighting the 320-acre mixed-use development. He put together a presentation with everyone’s input and, for the first time in Scottsdale’s history, got more than 50% of property owners to force a two-thirds vote of the council.
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“In the end, they withdrew the development,” Conkin says. “I think that is the biggest contribution that I have made to Scottsdale. If that thing had gone in, it would have totally changed the area.” All seemed right with the world — until yet another red rezoning sign appeared on the southeast corner of the same intersection, this time for a proposed gas station. Conklin knew that he had to change his approach if he wanted to preserve the area’s scenic beauty and tranquility. “If you fight for one corner at a time, you are just going to lose one corner at a time until it is all gone,” he explains. “We needed to save not just one corner but the entire stretch of roadway.”
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Conklin picked up a pen to continue a story that residents had begun writing two decades earlier. In 1963, when Scottsdale Road was paved up to the new town of Carefree, residents throughout the Cave CreekCarefree area feared the possibility that neon lights from motels and gas stations would destroy their beloved slice of the state just as they had other Arizona communities.
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Les Conklin has founded, been appointed to and become involved with a number of organizations, associations and commissions that exist solely to ensure that our uniquely scenic community remains scenic for not only current residents but also subsequent generations.
These residents established the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, protecting roadside vegetation and vistas along the 6-1/2-mile stretch of Scottsdale Road between Happy Valley Road and Carefree Highway. By promoting the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, Conklin was able to not only defeat the development of the proposed gas station but also preserve the area’s heritage and have a positive impact on future development for years to come.
ADOPTED HOME
In addition to founding Friends of the Scenic Drive, a nonprofit organization that works to preserve and enhance the roadway by conducting regular litter pickup programs and maintaining its plant exhibits and monuments, Conklin was appointed to the Scottsdale Pride and the McDowell Sonoran Preserve commissions, has been an active member of the Pinnacle Peak Rotary, has served on the board of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy and has even volunteered as a museum guide at Musical Instrument Museum. He also became involved with 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. Since 1996, Conklin has served the association as a director, president and editor of its publication and website — “A Peak at the Peak.” Since the 1980s, Conklin has had a particular fascination with researching and writing about history — of his own family, of America and especially of Arizona. Incredibly fond of the North Scottsdale community that, after 40 years, he considers to be his adopted home, he even published a book about the area in 2011 — “Pinnacle Peak,” part of Arcadia Publishing's “Images of America” series. “The quality of life here is still great but it does not seem as relaxed as it did when Judy and I first came out here,” says Conklin, reminiscing about two-lane roads and the horses that, having gotten loose from
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This was just such a beautiful and vibrant place. It was very relaxed here and I thought that the area had a great future. I thought that Arizona had so much to offer and that it would grow and be a great place to live. Les Conklin
nearby ranches, could be seen freely walking up and down them. “Growth has really changed things. Then again, it still seems very relaxed here compared to the East Coast.” That growth has also created opportunities, though — specifically, opportunities for Conklin and other preservation advocates to get involved to ensure the area does not fall victim to the significant decline or loss of character he has witnessed in other cities. “Having gotten to do all of that travel, I would wake up in the morning in a hotel somewhere and really not know where I was,” Conklin explains. “I would look out the window and I could be anywhere. Places all looked alike. Then there were places that I really liked at first, but when I would go back four years later, they had changed. They had lost some of what I had liked in the first place. I saw that quite frequently.” Conklin is proud to live in a community where, when things change, people become vehemently angry and get involved to prevent or at least minimize that change. Nonetheless, he worries about just how much longer it will all last. “Urban sprawl is a hard thing to beat,” Conklin says. “The Desert Foothills Scenic Drive that was originally created in 1963 was more or less forgotten about. Here we are 30 years later and people are not as aware of it as they used to be. But getting involved in that has been huge, as has the whole preservation thing. You do not get a chance to do something like that very often. And it will all go away if people do not continue to fight to protect things.”
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Chocolate Avocado Pudding This is my go-to sweet treat at night when I am craving something chocolatey... without the guilt! I like to add whipped coconut cream and a spoonful of peanut butter to make it extra decadent. It is also delicious with any kind of berries or bananas — or try it frozen! Serves: 4–6
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dates (soaked in warm water) 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-1/2 cups mashed avocado 3/4 cup raw cocoa powder 1/2 cup water
Directions: Combine dates, maple syrup and vanilla in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add mashed avocado and cocoa powder to the food processor and continue to blend until creamy. Add water, mix until smooth and serve.
Writer and Photographer Kyndra Kelly
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$3,250,000 Desert contemporary home on the 11th Fairway of the Apache Golf Course with panoramic views. Joanie Barreiro 480-235-2776
UNDER CONTRACT
$500,000 Elevated interior lot in Desert Mountain Village of Painted Sky with 19,039 SF of Building Envelope. Reeds & Vandi 480-760-1001
135 acres - End of Road Gated Privacy - 2 Barns - 3 Homes - Secluded $ 6.95M Debbie Omundson, See the Video: www.CarefreeProperty.com
$3,999,000 The Mirabel Club! 5 BD, 5.5 B, 6,000 Sf, 4 car garage. $900K remodel. Membership available. Patrick Rice 970-846-5461
Gorgeous Land in Carefree & Cave Creek, 11+ Choices, $ 395K- $.1M Debbie Omundson, see more information: www.CarefreeProperty.com
VANESSA NEUMANN-ANDREWS Certified Platinum Luxury Realtor Since 1999 Specializing in fine homes, horse properties and ranches.
Call me, let’s talk lifestyle. $650,000 Charming North Scottsdale Townhouse, gated community, private backyard! Saiedeh Karamooz, Associate Broker 480-695-5522
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Call/Text: 602-999-6569 TheCarefreeRealtor.com