Open Doors Arizona Magazine - March 2018 by Jonathan Himlin

CONTENTS | MARCH | 2018

06 06

TRAVEL

REAL ESTATE REPORT

OUTDOOR SPACES

CRAFT

HAPPY HOUR

Engaging, Active, Authentic: The Essence of River Cruising 10 Ford’s World Travel Celebrates 50 Years of World-Class Service How Did the Phoenix Housing Market Do in 2017 & What’s Ahead in 2018? Dress Up Your Yard with Pots Cheesecake Chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs Dip Seven Takeaways from South American Wine Country

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TRAVEL

Engaging, Active, Authentic: The Essence of River Cruising

Photo courtesy of Ford’s World Travel

Explore the world’s most incredible destinations, and you may hear the word “authentic” again and again. After all, it’s utterly enriching to go deeper than the surface, getting to know locals and stumbling upon unique finds — like a treasured wine cellar or a hidden path leading to a picturesque view — that set your sense of discovery alight. 6

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On a European river cruise you’ll find those special moments at every bend and turn. The simple act of cruising on Europe’s intricate network of rivers and tributaries paves the way to creating genuine connections. Raise a toast to your loved one in your stateroom or delight in a family meal as views of half-timbered homes and hilltop palaces slip past. Wake up each morning to new opportunities in each port of call, with excursions that put wellness and your personal interests at the forefront while creating bridges to the local landscape. Discover just a few ways to tap into true authenticity when traveling to a new destination. SEE EUROPE ON TWO WHEELS Bicycles and helmets are available for guided excursions or to pedal on your own through Old World villages and rolling vineyards. You’ll be enchanted the moment you step off your Rhine river cruise in Strasbourg and clamber onto your bicycle to explore the captivating Alsatian capital. Coast past the flower-lined canals of

Photo courtesy of Ford’s World Travel

La Petite France and along tranquil paths in Le Parc de l’Orangerie before pausing for a sample of the region’s prized lagers and salt-studded soft pretzels. Austria’s Wachau Valley beckons cyclists to glide alongside the Danube while the UNESCO-cited old town of Bamberg, Germany, is easy to explore on two wheels among well-preserved medieval and baroque architecture. Another voyage to the French town of Rouen invites a leisurely bike ride along the banks of the Seine. >>>>

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Wake up each morning to new opportunities in each port of call, with excursions that put wellness and your personal interests at the forefront while creating bridges to the local landscape.

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TRAVEL EXPLORE ON FOOT Connect with the land, literally, on guided hiking excursions that link local culture and history with active adventures. A trek up to the 13th-century Veste Oberhaus quickens your pulse in more ways than one as you get up close to the German fortress; gaze over the ramparts for panoramic perspectives of Passau and the confluence of the Inn, Danube and Ilz rivers. Or, after pulling into the heart of Vienne in southeastern France, climb Mount Pipet to reach a small chapel and be rewarded with sweeping views of the city and the surrounding Rhône Valley. ENGAGE TRAVELERS OF ALL AGES You’ll see the world anew when you introduce the next generation of curious travelers to river cruising. Creating family bonds can be as easy as visiting the majestic city of Salzburg where you’ll discover sights and sounds from the classic film “The Sound of Music” or practice the ancient art of archery on the grounds of a medieval Slovakian castle. INDULGE IN YOUR PASSIONS Few experiences are more authentic than travels that appeal to your personal fancies. For dedicated wine enthusiasts and burgeoning foodies alike, take a wine-themed cruise offering a unique, epicurean dimension to your European cruise. What better way to plunge wholeheartedly into the world of French wines than sipping Grand Cru in the heart of Saint-Émilion? Where else to pair the complex notes of Portuguese port with sweet treats than along the Douro River? Gentle breezes stir the grapevines of Rhône Valley vineyards, and inviting Wachau wineries reveal nuances of Austria’s white varietals. On these cruises, a dedicated wine host enhances your learning with hand-selected pours, tasteful pairings and engaging discussions throughout your voyage. PATHWAYS TO WELL-BEING Breathe in deeply as you hike toward castles, bicycle along flowing rivers and stroll through cobblestone villages. Back on board, dining is locally inspired with free-flowing fine wines and beers. Indulge in fruit- and herb-infused mineral waters and vitamin-enhanced smoothie shots at breakfast, share savory tapas in

Photo courtesy of Ford’s World Travel

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Photo courtesy of Ford’s World Travel

What better way to plunge wholeheartedly into the world of French wines than sipping Grand Cru in the heart of Saint-Émilion?

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TRAVEL the lounge and watch as a multicourse meal is prepared before your eyes at the Chef ’s Table Restaurant. Start your day with yoga or a guided run by the river, or simply take a refreshing dip in the sun deck pool with Europe’s shores on display. Courtesy of Ford’s World Travel with offices in Sun City and Sun City West. Whether a river cruise or another travel bucket list dream, Ford Travel’s consultants have a combined 350 years of global expertise to help you plan your next vacation. Call us at: 623-933-8256 or visit: www.fordstravel.com.

Photo courtesy of Ford’s World Travel

Ford’s World Travel Celebrates 50 Years of World-Class Service Fifty years ago in 1968, the Ford/Bachmann family moved to Arizona from the Midwest and established their full service travel agency, Ford’s World Travel in Phoenix. In 1970 Will Ford determined that with the development of Sun City, expanding Ford’s World Travel to the northwest valley would be advantageous to the growth of their business. Several years later they added an additional office in Sun City West to meet the travel dreams of their growing communities.

“It is a testament to our parents’ drive and sincerity at establishing wonderful relationships with our clients.”

Ford’s World Travel specializes in ocean and river cruises, escorted and self-guided tours, senior travel, boomer travel, adventure travel, celebration travel and multi-generational family travel. “With our outstanding team of experienced and knowledgeable travel consultants we help make travel bucket-list dreams come true,” Darl adds. The team of 12 travel consultants have a combined 350-plus years of global travel As with the communities they serve, decades later, the sec- expertise to create vacations that are tailored specifically to ond generation of the Ford/Bachmann family began to each client’s aspirations. manage the business. Brothers Dan and Darl Bachmann grew up in the business; with their years of experience trav- “After 50 years I am incredibly grateful to our amazing team, eling themselves and their insight and expertise serving travel partners and clients,” says Darl. “I look forward to contheir clientele, Ford’s World Travel has become the largest tinuing our tradition of providing exceptional service and retail travel agency in the area. “Our business has grown awe-inspiring travel experiences around the world.” significantly over the years and our core values of integrity, honesty and professionalism remain steadfast as we serve Contact Information: our clients across the West Valley and beyond,” says Darl. Ford’s World Travel Ford’s World Travel 10738 W. Bell Rd. Fifty years later Ford’s World Travel is still family owned Sun City, AZ 85351 and operated with Darl Bachmann at the helm. And in the 623-933-8256 or Toll Free: 844-827-3721

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fall of 2017 their Sun City neighbor, Bell Travel, joined the Ford’s World Travel family. “We are overjoyed at reaching Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30am-5:30 pm the milestone of 50 years serving the West Valley,” says Darl. www.fordstravel.com | Email: darl@fordstravel.com

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REAL ESTATE

How Did the Phoenix Hous Do in 2017 & What’s Ahead By Jay Patel Jay Patel, owner/agent at Lake Pleasant Real Estate, has been selling homes in Vistancia since 2005. He can be reached at 623.451.0443 or info@KeyToAzHomes.com.

2017 will go down as one of metro Phoenix’s best-ever years for home sales. An early tally shows 93,500 Valley houses changed hands last year. That’s six percent higher than home sales in 2016. “Only 2004, 2005 and 2011 were better years for home sales,” said Tina Tamboer, senior housing analyst with the Cromford Report. But, the Valley’s housing market was far from normal in those three years. The boom was fueled by subprime mortgages and speculators starting in 2004 and was in full swing during 2005. Phoenix’s housing market hit bottom in 2011, and investors snatched up a record number of bargain foreclosure homes that year. So, 2017 could be considered the Valley’s best healthy year for home sales. This is something real-estate analyst Tom Ruff predicted in August. “2005 went down in the history books as the year our housing bubble rapidly inflated,” said Ruff of Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service’s The Information Market. “2011 was the year housing prices bottomed out after the housing-market collapse. “This leaves 2017 as the very best year for Valley resale homes in our history not influenced by some freakish market outlier,” he said. Prices Still Shy of Peak Levels 2017 was a strong year for housing appreciation in the Valley, but prices still aren’t back to peak levels of 2006. Early analysis of sales on the MLS showed Phoenix-area home prices climbed 6.5% in 2017. The entire Valley’s median sales price climbed 7% in 2016. Metro Phoenix’s median existing-home price is hovering around $250,000 now, after getting an eight percent boost in December. That is still $15,000 off the Valley’s peak median home price in 2006.

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Past Predictions Most housing analysts, understandably, don’t like to make annual predictions about the market. No one wants be to be wrong and get skewered for it, particularly since buying or selling a home is most people’s biggest financial decision. In December 2016, Realtor.com predicted home prices would climb 5.9 % and sales would jump 7.2 % in the Phoenix area during 2017. That forecast ended up being a bit off for both. But bottom line — home prices climbed above the predictions! It was a great time to sell in 2017 & seems like that upswing (to some degree) is here to stay in 2018. The national real estate website also predicted metro Phoenix would have the best housing market in the U.S. last year. The verdict on that one is still out. Looking Ahead in 2018 Here are some predictions — hopes and concerns, really — from Valley housing market experts. • “Phoenix’s housing market will continue to perform in 2018 much as it did in 2017,” said Mark Stapp, executive director of the

sing Market d in 2018?

Master of Real Estate Development program at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business. But he said not enough affordable housing, inflation and resulting interest rate hikes along with new tax laws could be factors that work against the market here in 2018. • Ruff is concerned about not enough affordable housing. “The challenge is to build more housing that people can afford,” he said. “Valley prices can’t keep climbing at the current rate, if people can’t find homes they can afford.” • Tamboer said she “wouldn’t be surprised to see appreciation soften a bit this year.” She believes home prices will keep climbing in 2018, but potentially not at the same rate as in the past two years. Will 2018 be the year Valley home prices finally recover from the crash? The area’s median price needs to climb six percent this year for that to happen.

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OUTDOOR SPACES

Dress Up Your Yard with Pots By Anesia St. Clair Anesia is a licensed contractor and owns Pure Patio, a design center and retail store in Goodyear, Arizona.

As we look around our typical tract home neighborhoods, we see a lot of tan, dull surfaces. Stucco homes, rock covered yards, and lots of earth toned hardscapes. Our yards are also relatively flat – from their previous use as agricultural land or for proper drainage. We are presented with fairly blank slates to work with as we settle in and customize our outdoor living spaces. How would you like to add color, shine, height, and an interesting focal point with one simple trick? You can do this with pots! Think of the diversity you can bring to your yard with some well-appointed pottery. Pots come in very bright colors. Glazed pots are shiny. Pots can be very tall, especially after they are planted. You can group pots with different shapes and sizes to create an eye-catching display. Pots can easily fill an unused corner of the yard. They can be used to disguise a pillar or to hide an air conditioner or pool equipment area. They can break up the vertical monotony of your concrete perimeter walls. What’s not to love? There are a few tips to consider when selecting pots and placing them in your space. There are aesthetic considerations as well as a degree of effort you want to assess in order to keep them looking nice over time.

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Live Plants or an Art Piece? Do you want live plant material in your pots? Before you can answer this, consider whether or not you want to spend any time on them. Would you consider tending to your plants a hobby or a chore? Live plants require water – either by hand watering or an irrigation line. Do you want to, and can you, do either? You’ll probably have some hits and misses regarding the type of plants you select for the pots. Plants grow differently in pots than they do in the ground. Sun exposure and radiant heat, as well as increased heat created by the pot itself, will affect your plant’s performance. Plan to change the plants in your pots from time to time. Depending on the plants chosen, this could be once every couple of years or three times in one year. Live plants can create a wonderful display. Large pots with a large opening look best with a tall, large plant. Shrubs and palms are great choices. Shrubs can be pruned into small trees by cleaning up the bottoms and creating one or more small trunks. Hop bush,

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yellow bells, yellow bird of paradise, or cassia are great choices. You may choose to plant a tall species in the center and surround it with annuals or trailing plants beneath. Annuals found at the big box stores look great for a season of color and will need to be replaced frequently. Plant a lot of them for the most color then thin them out as they die or become crowded. Trailing ground covers such as purple or white lantana, elephant’s food, and prostrate rosemary will look nice for a longer time than annuals. They can be pruned back if they become too dense or trail too long.

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When using live plants, you’ll probably want a saucer beneath your pot to catch water drainage. This will prevent dirty run-off and the formation of a water ring under your pot. Another option is to place your pots on top of your decomposed granite. Excess water will drain directly into the ground and you won’t even notice it. Always seal the inside of your pot before adding dirt to it. Regular watering will eventually seep through an unsealed pot, leading to staining and an inevitable failure of the pot altogether. Pots can break down and crumble completely. >>>>

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OUTDOOR SPACES

If you don’t want to tend to live plants, metal plants are a great alternative. With no maintenance required, all you need to do is select one that proportionately fits your pot. Fill your pot with granite and secure the base of your art piece beneath a thin layer. There are some great metal cactus and agave art pieces available around town! So Many Pots from Which to Choose Think about the purpose you’d like your pots to serve. If the purpose of your pots is to bring height to a flat space, buy tall pots. If you want to add color, buy colorful pots. If you’re looking to hide something or disguise an eyesore, buy multiple pots to group together. If you want to bring order and symmetry to your space, buy multiple pots that are exactly the same. Small pots will add detail and busyness to a larger area. Large pots will simplify an already busy space. You find pots that are treated with a glaze on the outside. These pots are shiny and will hold their color over time very well. Even though they are glazed, you still want to seal the inside of them if you’ll be adding dirt and watering them. Unglazed pots will tend to fade a bit over time. Seal the inside of these as well. Most pots will come with a drainage hole at the bottom. This is essential if the pots will be planted and watered, or even if they will stand empty but could fill with rain. If your pot doesn’t come with a drainage hole, you’ll want to drill one in the bottom. Some pots will have a drainage hole near the bottom but on the side of the pot. This is a great place to put an irrigation line. You can feed your drip line right through the hole and up to the top of the pot above your soil line. If your only drainage hole is in the bottom of the pot, you’ll want to set the pot on something to raise it off the ground just enough so the irrigation line can be fed through without being crimped. A couple of bricks work well. Location, Location, Location Once you place pots and fill them with dirt or granite, they are extremely heavy! Consider your location carefully because you may not be moving them. If you’re going to water them with your drip irrigation system, run the lines before you fill the pots. Even

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if the whole system isn’t connected yet, you can run drip lines up through the pots now and connect your drip lines to your lateral lines later if you must. Think about your drainage situation. Dirty water is going to run out the bottom of the pots, so plan accordingly. Decide if you’ll need saucers. If you’re setting pots on top of concrete, evaluate the slope and where the water will run. It may run only a short distance to an expansion joint and then follow the joint to your granite area. If your pot will be on top of pavers or travertine, determine if the pavers were set with loose sand or polymeric sand. Water will drain through sand but it will run across polymeric sand. You might want saucers. Pots set on top of granite are easy. The water drains right through to the dirt beneath. Have fun with the placement of your pots. Symmetrically placed pots can add color and interest while being very calming. For example, you can place one pot on either side of your garage door, one in front of each pillar, one on both sides of your entry door, one on each side of the pool, three in a row along a blank wall, etc. Symmetrical pots are best when the same size and color. You can also group pots to fill a space, block something unsightly, or add a focal point. Choosing pots of the same color but in different sizes and shapes will create a major accent. Use them in groups of three, and position the tallest pot in the back. Keep in mind what you will plant in them, if anything, and the expected size of the plant material. You can also group pots of different colors, or use multicolored pots. This will add detail to the space. In this case, you can unify the grouping by planting the same type of plants in each, or different plants with the same color of flowers. Now is a great time to plant. Beat the heat by getting your roots established now. As the temperatures rise, don’t forget to adjust your watering schedule and you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful display year ‘round.

CRAFT

Cheesecake Chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs Dip

By Vanessa Coppola Visit www.seevanessacraft.com for more crafts and recipes.

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This no-bake dessert dip recipe is a favorite around here! It’s a delicious combination of cheesecake and chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs. You really can’t go wrong with those kinds of ingredients! The dip is perfect to share at an Easter party or for a special family treat. Serve the dip with bunny pretzels or bunny grahams for a festive touch. Fruit pieces also make for great dippers! INGREDIENTS 8 oz package cream cheese, softened ½ cup powdered sugar 8 oz cool whip 10 oz chocolate Cadbury mini eggs, crushed bunny grahams (for dipping)

INSTRUCTIONS Step 1: Beat the cream cheese, cool whip and powdered sugar together with a mixer until well combined. Step 2: Add in crushed Cadbury mini eggs, reserving ¼ cup for the topping. Fold the chocolate pieces in the cream cheese mixture until well combined. Step 3: Serve with bunny grahams for dipping and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of Cadbury pieces on top.

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HAPPY HOUR

Seven Takeaways from South American Wine Coun By Jessica Dupuy You can find more reviews from Jessica Dupuy and other talented wine writers at www.winereviewonline.com.

earthiness, while the CA2 represents a refined new world style of how Carménère should be.

Just back from a whirlwind six days in South America — Chile and Argentina to be exact — where I caught a glimpse of some of the top regions from each country. Although it will likely take me a few weeks to digest the vast amount of information and experiences from the trip, there are a handful of takeaways that are still fresh in my mind: 1. There Is Beauty In Carménère: Despite what discount retail shelves may reveal, not all Carménère has to be exceedingly green and under-ripe in flavor. In fact, when managed to its greatest potential in the vineyard, Carménère is a star for Chile in terms of producing beautiful wines. TerraNoble is one example of a producer committed to revealing how Carménère expresses itself differently when planted in various sites; particularly with vineyards located closer to the ocean compared to those located near the Andes. The difference can be tasted in the CA1 and CA2 releases. The CA1, made from mountain grapes offers ripe red fruit characteristics with hints of cedar. The wine shows restraint preventing ripeness from overshadowing the subtleties of this wine. Elegant with bright acidity and assertive tannin, this Carménère shows boldness as well as sophistication. By contrast, the CA2 is made from fruit grown much closer to the ocean. Here fruit is richer and concentration with red, black, and even blue fruit aromas. The palate offers a more opulent style of wine robust tannin. The CA1 shows an almost old-world style

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2. Mind the Soil Pits: I’ve been around a few soil pits in my wine traveling life, but never so many as on this trip to both Chile and Argentina. (These are generally dug by backhoes, and are always intended to reveal soils and subsoils.) Perhaps it’s a trend for vineyard managers to show off one of their favorite parts of the job, but I like to believe that the abundance of soil pits I saw in my six-day time — 10 to be exact — is due to vineyard managers and producers alike really trying to hone in on what South American wine has the potential to be. Will there be a day where it is no longer lumped into one, glossed over New World category? Seeing just how intentional these vineyard managers are with their understanding of the soil makes me believe that there will soon be a time when Chilean and Argentine wine will be respected for representing their respective terroir without first being recognized as New World. We saw examples of this in the Vintisquero vineyards in Chile’s Apalta region as well as in the specific vineyard sites of Mendoza’s Catena Zapata vineyards. In Apalta, Sergio Hormazabal, winemaker for Root 1 showed us exactly how soils not 25 meters from each other could yield different wines, a practical example revealed to us in two separate parcel selection Carménère wines. The difference was deliciously astounding. 3. Take Note of Coastal Sauvignon Blanc Sauvignon Blanc may not be the first grape that comes to mind when thinking of Chilean wine — we have Carménère and Cabernet Sauvignon to thank for that — but don’t forget that Chile is a long, thin country bordered by mountains and ocean. In the Casablanca, San Antonio, and Leyda regions, producers are able to leverage the cooling ocean breezes to develop delicate and aromatic Sauvignon Blanc. For example, the Leyda Garuma Sauvi-

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It’s important not to discount the great depths to which Chardonnay can perform in these higher altitude vineyard sites.

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HAPPY HOUR

gnon Blanc offers notes of summer flowers and subtle honeysuckle balanced with herbal and grapefruit aromas. On the palate, the wine offers complexity and elegant structure with distinct minerality and a touch of salinity on the finish. For $18, this beautifully expressive wine is a steal. 4. Malbec Soars to Great Heights On Mountain Sites Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you are likely familiar with the fact that Malbec is Argentina‘s signature red grape. But with the many varied examples on the retail shelves today, it’s not always evident what good, classic, benchmark examples of Malbec should be. In the case of Catena Zapata, one of the country’s most influential producers, what began as experimentation of growing Malbec at higher altitudes along the foothills of the Andes mountains has proven to be one of the best viticultural discoveries for the country. Wines from the high-altitude Adrianna Vineyard at 4,500+ foot elevation reveal complexity of structure and Malbec that is both provocative and delicious. 5. Cab Franc May Just Be Argentina’s Next Secret Weapon While Malbec will no doubt reign supreme in Argentina for years to come, wine makers and viticulturists alike have found great promise in another Bordeaux variety, Cabernet Franc. While the cantankerous grape may not be as widely throughout regions such as Mendoza, it is seeing more interest in its ability to blend with Argentine red wines, as well as in single-variety offerings for both its structure and complexity. Alejandro Vigil, chief winemaker for Catena Zapata also has a side project in El Enemigo wines, a partnership between himself and Adrianna Catena. Over a dinner at Casa Vigil, which was perhaps one of the most memorable in recent years, Vigil shared his 2014 Cabernet Franc in all its pep-

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pery, cool-climate freshness. A beautiful wine, it stands as only one example of how other producers such as Bodega Renacer and Achaval Ferrer are leveraging the potential of this grape. 6. Don’t Discount Argentine Chardonnay In the same vein as mountain Malbec from Catena Zapata, it’s important not to discount the great depths to which Chardonnay can perform in these higher altitude vineyard sites. Tasting from older vintages of parcel selection wines including 2009 and 2011 White Bones, as well as current vintages of both the White Bones and White Stones parcels, it was clear that this iconic grape has found a happy home in these Mendoza elevations. While the wines show amazing versatility for their respective parcels, they also showed an impressive elegance and maturity that rivaled many of its White Burgundy and Chablis cousins. 7. Don’t Leave Chile Without A Pisco Sour Before leaving South America, it’s worth noting that no evening in Chile was complete without a traditional Pisco Sour. While I had tasted Peruvian versions back in Texas, I had never experienced the Chilean version before this visit. While many bars may shake up a cop-out cocktail using a sugary prefab powder, a true Pisco Sour uses real citrus, fresh egg white, very little sugar, and, of course, a good Pisco. One Pisco in particular that I’m looking forward to seeing on the American market is a new release from La Postolle. Distilled from Muscat grapes, this spirit offers elegant, floral aromatics making it a sip-worthy aperitif all on its own.