Local Love: Celebrating Our Community
We warmly welcome February, one of the best months of the year here in Arizona. The weather is perfect and there are many events to attend. We always see an influx of visitors to our beautiful hometown, and who can blame them? There’s so much to love here. It’s no wonder that we’ve become a melting pot of transplants from all over the country.
And although there are many wonderful places in the Valley to live, work and play, there’s just something about Ahwatukee. You may know that I was raised here, and we’ve chosen Ahwatukee as the place to raise our own family. I know I’m not alone; I’m constantly running into familiar faces from every stage of my life, from elementary school classmates to fellow parents.
This issue is a love letter to our vibrant community. We’re celebrating the heart and soul of Ahwatukee and featuring some of the people and places that make it truly special.
As always, we’re committed to bringing you the best of Ahwatukee and the surrounding area. We hope this issue inspires you to appreciate all that our slice of heaven has to offer. Whether you're a longtime resident or a newcomer, we invite you to join us in celebrating the unique character of the place we call home.
BETH DEL VILLE, EDITOR @AHWATUKEECITYLIFESTYLE
February 2025
PUBLISHER
Sherry York | sherry.york@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Beth Del Ville | beth.delville@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Kris Ann Valdez, Alison Stanton, Alison Bailin Batz, Amalia (Amy) Loli
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Stephanie Slezak, Amalia (Amy) Loli
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
CTO Ajay Krishnan
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT Erika Smiley
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Antanette Ray
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
East Meets “West”
Desert Vista senior’s painting “We, The West” featured in prestigious 2024 National Congressional Art Competition The
By inviting people to join him for lunch every Friday at Philly’s Sports Grill, Mike Glynn has found support, encouragement and camaraderie
“We, the West” by Lillian Conroy, Desert Vista senior and winner of the National Congressional Art Competition. Learn more about Conroy and her art on page 10.
Lillian Conroy
Create. Adore. Wear it Always.
SHOP CHRISTY ALVARADO DESIGNS
Myranda Fine Jewelry Opens New Location in Chandler
Myranda Fine Jewelry recently celebrated the grand opening of their new location at 5055 W. Ray Road in Chandler. The local luxury retailer's 2,500-square-foot showroom features an expanded collection of designer pieces and a dedicated custom design studio. Myranda, founder and creative director who brings 25 years of experience to the industry, and her team provide customers with signature quality services, including appraisals for buying, selling and trades. MyrandaFineJewelry.com
ARTICLE BY KRIS ANN VALDEZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SLEZAK
East Meets “West”
Desert Vista senior’s painting “We, The West” featured in prestigious 2024 National Congressional Art Competition
“Sooner or later things come to you if you work hard. And it’s great that there are things continually coming, and that there are still more to come.” – Alberto Mielgo
Every year, millions of visitors walk through Cannon Tunnel, the most traveled access point between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol. Many pause to admire the framed artwork tidily hung along the underground tunnel’s walls, thanks to the efforts of the annual Congressional Art Competition that honors the artistic endeavors of the nation’s high school students.
Since its inception in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have submitted their work to the Congressional Arts Competition. Every participating district selects a winner through local judging panels. To be eligible, artists must adhere to rigorous technical rules. The winning artwork of each district is brought to the U.S. Capitol, where Members of Congress, distinguished visitors and thousands of tourists view it.
Ahwatukee resident Lillian Conroy, a senior at Desert Vista High School, is among the national 2024
winners for her surreal acrylic painting of a cowboy with his hat cocked to the side, his face comprised of prickly pear cactus and other desert fauna.
Conroy says she was inspired by a video revealing how diverse the Wild West was compared to what’s represented in Hollywood western films. She shares, “I aimed to represent that human diversity through the biodiversity of the land they inhabited by depicting Western figures as plants themselves.”
Conroy's choice of painting style was influenced by the Spanish artist and director Alberto Mielgo, CONTINUED >
evidenced mainly by the loose style of her flowers.
“When my work was announced as the first-place winner [of Arizona’s fourth congressional district], I felt lightheaded and like I was dreaming as I walked up to shake Congressman (Greg) Stanton’s hand in front of the crowd,” she says. “Driving home, my mom and I were elated.”
Last June, Conroy and her family flew to D.C. for the national awards ceremony. “As an artist, it was very validating,” she says.
The award winners and their families were given a private tour of the Capitol. Conroy calls the experience mind-blowing, saying it “was so cool to see all the historical things I’d only read about. They have so many beautiful paintings there.”
Conroy has always enjoyed drawing. At age 12, she discovered YouTube tutorials, which helped improve her technical abilities. She practices many mediums, from pencil portraits to acrylics. Her favorite depends on whichever she is absorbed in at a particular moment.
“I try to take inspiration from practically everything I see and hear in media, and love compiling inspirations through Pinterest boards and YouTube playlists,” Conroy says. “I’ve also subconsciously trained my eyes CONTINUED >
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SHOW YOUR SMILE SOME LOVE
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to see things in terms of how I’d draw or paint them, like the outlines and shading and textures.”
When asked who her favorite artist is, Conroy says, “It’s so hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, it would probably be Jamie Hewlett, the co-creator of the virtual band Gorillaz. Everything from the poses, shading, and lineart, I just love.”
Conroy’s talent has been on display before. Recently, she placed first in the Tempe Festival of the Arts student
competition’s high school division and received two Silver Keys in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Although she will attend ASU in the fall to pursue a degree in sustainability, Conroy says art will always be part of her life as a hobby and a side hustle. Soon, she plans to turn some of her work into prints to sell on Etsy because Conroy loves to share with others what she envisions in her brain. To her, this is the highest reward of being an artist.
On Display in D.C.
The 2024 winning entries hang in Washington D.C.’s Cannon Tunnel until June 2025. Although this tunnel is the most traveled access point between the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Capitol, it’s not open to the public without a congressional staffer escort. However, Conway plans to sell prints of her artwork on Etsy soon.
Photo submitted by Lillian Conroy
Solari Crisis & Human Services is hosting our Third Annual Inspiring Hope Charity Gala, a night of philanthropy filled with live music, inspirational stories, a four-course meal and so much more!
ARTICLE BY ALISON
BY STEPHANIE
By inviting people to join him for lunch every Friday at Philly’s Sports Grill, Mike Glynn has found support, encouragement and camaraderie
THE HEALING POWER OF COMMUNITY
Mike Glynn is living proof that when you are going through a really rough time, there is a community of people around you who is more than willing to lift you back up.
In the spring of 2024, Glynn was feeling hopeless and depressed.
To get out of the house, Glynn went to Philly’s Sports Grill in Ahwatukee almost every Friday for lunch.
After noticing several other diners eating alone, Glynn decided to take a giant step out of his comfort zone and invite others to join him.
Glynn went to the Ahwatukee411 group on Facebook and composed an open invitation, asking people to meet the following day at noon at Philly’s Sports Grill, 4855 E. Warner Road.
“Three times I tried to post it, but I kept deleting it,” he says.
Finally, on May 9, Glynn crafted another invite, took a deep breath and tapped “Post”.
As he wrote, “Best case scenario: I meet some new people. Worst case scenario: It’s a usual Friday.”
On May 10, Glynn was pleasantly surprised to see three guys waiting at Philly’s to have lunch with him.
The men enjoyed a nice meal, great conversation and some laughs, and with that, the A411 Friday Lunch Group began.
The following week, Glynn posted another invitation on Ahwatukee411. A few more people showed up.
“I thought I would have maybe two or three people a couple of times, but within two to three weeks it just kept going,” Glynn says.
“After six weeks the lunch transitioned and moved beyond me into something much bigger. I had no clue this would ever happen; these lunches have gone so far beyond anything I’ve ever imagined.”
Currently, an average of 30 to 35 people, a mix of regulars and newcomers, gather every Friday at Philly’s for great food and plenty of companionship, camaraderie and community support.
Natasha the server takes good care of the group each week, Glynn says, cheerfully taking orders and quickly remembering diners’ food and drink preferences.
It didn’t take long for Glynn to realize that the weekly lunch was not only helping him feel better, it was also a launching point for new connections.
For instance, two women who regularly attend realized they had attended the same
high school 50 years ago, and another group of women started a bridge group.
“These are the type of relationships that people crave – the type of relationships that move beyond just an orchestrated meeting each week,” Glynn says, adding that he also gets together with several new friends he’s met at Philly’s for dinner or watching sports.
“THEY ARE ALL ABOUT STARTING TO HAVE FUN AGAIN AND COMMUNICATING. THERE ARE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT LAYERS TO THE LUNCHES, INCLUDING A GENERAL UNDERLYING CURRENT OF COMMUNITY AND FAMILY AND WARMTH.”
Glynn and a number of other regulars have also formed a side group that helps the local community, including a recent toy drive to benefit Armer Foundation for Kids.
For Glynn, the Friday lunches have healed him in ways he never imagined.
“They have been such a big lift for me. They are just a blast to go to,” he says, adding that he’s experienced a “boatload of growth” in recovering from depression.
“They are all about starting to have fun again and communicating. There are definitely different layers to the lunches, including a general underlying current of community and family and warmth.”
Looking back, Glynn is glad he took a leap of faith and posted the invitation on Ahwatukee411.
For others who are going through a rough time, he offers empathy and understanding.
“You are not alone. There are a lot of people who will help and listen if you just give them a chance. The Ahwatukee community is incredible. Give them a chance to help and love you.”
Or, head to Philly’s at noon on Friday and join Glynn and the others. They will be very happy to meet you.
Cravatta
A GASTRONOMIC OASIS BLOOMS AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN
ARTICLE BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SLEZAK
The Christofolos are the first family in farm-fresh Arizona cuisine
The Christofolos are building more than an edible empire.
The mother-son business – owned by epicurean entrepreneur Pat and chef Dustin Christofolo since 2012 after the duo worked on property for several years prior – is creating a seed-to-skillet culinary legacy the likes Arizona has never seen.
Pat got her start in the local food industry at a young age as her Italian father, who moved their family from New York to Phoenix when Pat was a teen, founded Capistrano’s Delicatessen in the Valley in 1974. A natural in the industry, Pat would continue the family business with several successful culinary operations over the years, including Santa Barbara Catering (today called Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering) in the 1990s and eventually The Farm at South Mountain.
Today, as the owner-operators of the Farm at South Mountain, the Christofolos oversee three epic eateries as well as a large-scale garden, massive event spaces, and a modern bespoke market all on one property in the shadow of the 16,000-acre mountain preserve and municipal park. They see their expansive, sustainably driven space, which is approximately 10 acres in size, as a love letter to the farm-to-table movement on a gastronomically grand scale.
Morning Glory Café at The Farm at South Mountain
The beating heart of The Farm is the wholly organic seed and soil garden, which is handplanted by chef Dustin – an industry veteran who honed his skills in Napa before working his way up on The Farm by taking on myriad roles prior to his current head chef duties – based on the season with the express intent on cultivating produce for the on-site restaurants. Depending on the time of year, the garden produces everything from cucumbers, eggplants, and arugula to apricots, limes, and figs. The garden also produces ample herbs for Dustin’s inventive dishes, including basil, chives, cilantro, oregano, thyme, dill and more.
Depending on the bounty of each harvest, Dustin and his team dream up ever-changing menus for Morning Glory Café, Farm Kitchen and fine dining mecca Quiessence on a regular basis.
Morning Glory Café, as the name suggests, is focused on the daypart, offering a craveable menu of morning favorites including omelets, coffee drinks, morning cocktails, and a laundry list of piping hot treats from the oven including Belgiumstyle blue corn waffles and bananas foster French toast. Surprisingly, the menu is also kissed with several smoked meat dishes thanks to Dustin’s prized Argentinian-style wood-burning grill from Grillworks as well as a 25-foot specialty smoker from Scott Holmes of Little Miss BBQ fame.
Farm Kitchen is an ode to what was once the original restaurant on the historic 100-year-old property. Rustic by design, Farm Kitchen is a love letter to casual, locally sourced dining without pretense. Folks order from a walk-up counter, choosing from seasonal salads, baked goods, salads, and sandwiches that will make one’s toes curl in culinary delight. Lunches come in picnic baskets, which adds to the vibe, and guests may enjoy their meals al fresco surrounded by pecan trees.
Quiessence is an outdoor oasis and true bucket list dining destination in the Southwest. The prix fixe fixture is anchored by a newly built, freestanding 1,500-square-foot, state-of-the-art kitchen featuring top-of-the-line Hestan products from wall to wall. The only thing that shines brighter than then sparkling lights strung from above along the mature, majestic trees is the menu. Chef Dustin is a wizard of both whimsey and flavor, plating each perfectly portioned dish on his menus with precision, care, and a creative eye.
Finally, there is Botanica, which sells products made directly from items on the farm as well as from similarly sustainably focused local and regional artisans.
Quiessence at The Farm at South Mountain
A selection of delicious offerings from Morning Glory Café
Botanica at The Farm at South Mountain
ARTICLE BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ | PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHANIE SLEZAK
THE Lead
LOCAL REPORTER JORDAN BONTKE BELIEVES IN SHARING STORIES THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE
From a young age, ABC 15 reporter Jordan Bontke saw firsthand the importance of using one’s platform to help others.
“My father, who passed in 2019, was Santa for thousands of kids in Texas, which allowed me to see the power of lifting others up,” said Bontke, a Houston native whose father drove across Texas as Kris Kringle to spread holiday joy each year to kids from all walks of life.
Once in high school, Bontke began giving back himself, albeit in a nontraditional way.
“I was our high school mascot – a falcon – and took it very seriously, even competing in the 2008 Capital One Mascot Challenge,” said Bontke, whose spirited performances led to a series of opportunities to brighten the days of kids in hospitals, senior citizens, and other community service beyond cheering at pep rallies.
“I get to tell stories that help and inspire people each day, using my platform to do the most good, and that is extremely rewarding.”
After graduating in 2008, Bontke was accepted to Sam Houston University, during which time the Broadcast Journalism college was renamed to honor alumnus Dan Rather.
“As a student in the program, I had the chance to meet Rather,” said Bontke, who traded his mascot costume for a microphone by freshman year, leading his own radio show on campus. “They say to never meet your heroes, but in my case the meeting provided the inspiration I needed. Rather was adamant about always working on one’s writing to be a successful reporter, so I did.”
Bontke became so adept at writing stories for television that by his senior year, he anchored the school’s news station. Upon graduation in 2012, he was offered a reporting role in Waco, Tex.
While in Waco earning his stripes, Bontke met an Ahwatukee native named Ashley and quickly fell in love. When he was hired at a station in Arkansas, she went with him, and by the time the two moved to Austin in the mid-2010s, they decided to marry.
“Ashley always knew she wanted to come back home to Ahwatukee, and whenever we visited, we always turned to ABC15 for our news, so I made it my mission to earn a role at the station,” said Bontke, who was hired on as a reporter in late 2021 after connecting with the assistant news director about a shared love of Oregano’s.
Today, Bontke – who welcomed a daughter, Mary, with Ashley in 2022 – focuses on hard news as well as a segment called Uplifting Arizona, which has taken his life full circle.
“I get to tell stories that help and inspire people each day, using my platform to do the most good, and that is extremely rewarding,” said Bontke.
This year, Bontke is focused on consistent quality and impact, as well as seizing opportunities as they come.
“At ABC 15, our leadership empowers us to understanding our viewers concerns and making sure those in power not only hear but take action,” said Bontke. “We stand for what is right, and I will continue to tell the stories that reflect that.”
A SALAD REC IPE TO LOV E
A GORGEOUS, FRESH AND SIMPLE DISH
PEAR, PROSCIUTTO,
Burrata Salad
INGREDIENTS
• Ripe Pear
• Prosciutto
• Burrata
• Lemon Zest
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Dried Figs
• Red Pepper Flakes
DIRECTIONS
1. Slice the ripe pear into thin slices.
2. Arrange pear slices on a plate, creating a base for the salad.
3. Nestle slices of prosciutto in-between pear slices, a perfect combo of sweet and savory.
4. Tear the burrata into bite-sized pieces and scatter them over the salad adding a velvety creaminess to the ensemble.
5. Grate fresh lemon zest over the entire salad, infusing it with citrus flavor.
6. Top with fresh basil, figs and pepper flakes.
7. Finish by generously drizzling extra virgin olive oil over the salad, creating a silky texture that ties it all together.
FEBRUARY 2025
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
SUNDAYS
Ahwatukee
Farmers Market
Ahwatukee Swim & Tennis Center | 9:00 AM
Every Sunday, the Ahwatukee Farmers Market brings together a selection of local artists and makers, food, produce and more. February continues the market’s winter hours, which run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit ArizonaCommunityFarmersMarkets.com
FEBRUARY 7TH
Ahwatukee First Fridays
Mountain Park Church | 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Head out to Mountain Park Church for Ahwatukee First Fridays, a monthly opportunity to explore local artists, musicians and vendors. Support small businesses, connect with neighbors and experience a family friendly event while raising money for local charities. For more information, visit Facebook.com/AhwatukeeFirstFridays
FEBRUARY 11TH - 16TH
Some Like It Hot
ASU Gammage
Some Like It Hot, the hit award-winning Broadway musical set in Prohibition era, is a fast-paced comedy that follows two musicians who take up new identities and go on the run after witnessing a mob hit. With gangsters hot on their heels, they catch a cross-country train for the life-chasing, life-changing trip of a lifetime. For tickets and showtimes, visit ASUGammage.com.
CONTINUED
GENERATIONAL WEALTH STARTS HERE
FEBRUARY 21ST
Ahwatukee Eats
Desert Dentistry | 5:00 PM
Attend this monthly event for delicious food and wonderful community. A host of food trucks will be serving a variety of delectable eats will be in attendance, along with family-friendly fun for all. Find out more on Instagram @AhwatukeeEats
FEBRUARY 21ST - 22ND
Innings Festival
Tempe Beach Park
This two-day festival celebrates Spring Training with music and food. Fall Out Boy is the headlining act for Friday, where the lineup also features Incubus and the Black Keys; while The Killers headline Saturday, with Beck and Boyz II Men also performing. For the full line-up, ticket and more, visit InningsFestival.com
FEBRUARY 22ND
Transportation Day
Horizon Presbyterian Church and God’s Garden Preschool | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Transportation Day returns for their 24th year, providing families with the opportunity to explore vehicles of all shapes, sizes and types, from helicopters, fire and police vehicles, school buses, motorcycles, cement mixers and more for free. This all-ages event also features a Fun Zone with bouncy house, petting zoo, train rides and snacks for a nominal fee. TransportationDay.com
