The Entertainer! - August 2020

PHX METRO » AUGUST 2020

PIZZICATA Authentic Italian

DIAMOND CITY

Phoenix’s DJ BIJOU sparkles on debut album

STARLING MARTE

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

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RESTORING CONCERTS

CONTENTS

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6

ON THE COVER

Phoenix’s DJ BIJOU sparkles on debut album

Extreme Faith Productions social distances for its anniversary

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THE CHRIS ARMY

Comedian J Chris Newberg is ready to return to the stage

SHINING BRIGHT on the cover: Ben Dorman, also known as Bijou Cover photo courtesy: Luis Colato (@luisdcolato) in Paradise Valley.

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THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

Times Media Group 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway Suite 219, Tempe, AZ 85282 Phone 480.348.0343 Fax 480.348.2109 entertainermag.com

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine

steve@entertainermag.com

Managing Editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

christina@timespublications.com

Assistant Editor Connor Dziawura

cdziawura@timespublications.com

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designer

Shannon Mead

production manager Courtney Oldham

production@timespublications.com

THAT’S ITALIAN!

Pizzicata brings genuine flavor to Carefree

CONTENTS

UPFRONT

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Bijou • Jared & The Mill • Great Arizona Puppet Theater • Extreme Faith Productions

CITY

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22

14

Temecula

ARTS

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DINING

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Genuine Concepts • Pizzicata • The Barley Hound • Kasai Japanese Steakhouse • Diner Insider • Morning Squeeze

BEER AND WINE

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Wine Spencer • Great Beer Pairings • Local Wineries

SPORTS

FIRE AND FUN

Kasai stirs things up with new teppanyaki tables

Jen Jamē • Madaras Gallery • Musical Instrument Museum

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Phoenix Suns • Cody Bellinger • Starling Marte

FAMILY

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Tortilla Flats • Libraries Around the Valley

MUSIC

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Playboy Manbaby • Ryan Hurd • Arielle Silver • Río Wiley • Neck Deep • Angus Clark

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

Aaron Kolodny

aaron@entertainermag.com

contributing writers

Alison Bailin Batz, Alex Gallagher, Dave Hogg, Elsa Hortareas, Mckayla Hull, Samantha Pacheco Molina, Taylor O’Connor, Annika Tomlin

Staff Photographer Pablo Robles

Contributing Photographers Schuyler Estes, Alex Ferrari, Barry Gossage/Phoenix Suns, Steve Gullick, Steve Kendall, Ris Marek, Sarah Sachs/Arizona Diamondbacks, Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers, Taylor Jackson/Arizona Diamondbacks

Drag Story Hour • J Chris Newberg • “The Secret”

TRAVEL

circulation director

HE’S BURNIN’

TSO’s Angus Clark among the musicians on a new pandemic project

ONE COPY PER READER

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ROAD TRIPPIN’ WITH MY FRIEND Find 5 Great Day Trips From the Valley

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UPFRONT

PHX » CITY » LOCAL » PRIDE » DO » SEE

DIAMOND CITY

Phoenix’s Bijou sparkles on hometown-proud debut album

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

B

en Dorman hasn’t stepped on a mound in five years, but he’s still inspired by the crack of the bat and baseball’s energy.

So much so that his debut album, “Diamond City,” under the name Bijou, is a nod to his hometown team, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“The concept behind it is my stage name, Bijou, is French for fine jewel,” says Dorman, who just moved to Downtown Phoenix. “If you want to delve deeper into my personal life, I played baseball my entire life. Travis Scott coined Houston Astroworld, and I’m coining Phoenix Diamond City. I’m claiming Phoenix as Diamond City.”

On “Diamond City,” the Marcos de Niza High School graduate takes his trademark G-house and infuses hip-hop and classic house on its 15 tracks. The process took two and a half years, while some songs have been percolating for five years, like “Whoa” featuring Party Favor.

Dorman went with a variety of genres out of fear of being pigeonholed.

“An album is a space where I can really expand on that and show people the different sides of me,” he says. “I wanted

to show people who I am as an artist and a little bit about Ben as well.

“So you have G-house, house, midtempo. I have a full hip-hop record on here. There’s a little bit of everything.”

It was easy to do, as he created without boundaries, which he calls “remarkable.”

“It’s remarkable when you’re writing an album where you have no boundaries and writing about what I’m feeling today,” he says.

Dorman went through 60 songs and chopped it down to the final 15, which include appearances by Wifisfuneral, Denzel Curry, Cuban Doll, Willy Northpole, Dr. Fresch, Jacknife, Marco XO, Bekah and Tyler Graves.

“It was hard chopping them down, because I have an emotional attachment to every single one of them,” he says. “I had songs with friends that just didn’t fit with the flow of the tracks. What you can do when that happens is release them as singles. They’re still really strong songs. They just didn’t make the album.”

“Diamond City” was released on July 31, at the height of the pandemic.

Dorman says it was a tough decision to further introduce the world to Bijou, but he sat down with his team and gave them two options—go all the way or sit on it.

“We’ve been working on this for so

long that we felt because people are at home and there isn’t a lot of dance music coming out, this would be special and people would appreciate it if we gave them a full album at this point,” Dorman says.

He met many of the collaborators through friends or Instagram.

Splashwoe, who appears on the song “My Woes,” was introduced to Dorman by a good friend.

“I didn’t think he was going to show up,” he says with a laugh. “He made it.

This was my first-ever session doing hiphop, and I only had 10 beats ready. He picked the first four. Then I knew it was going to be good.”

SELF-DESCRIBED TROUBLEMAKER Dorman grew up in Tempe, near ASU. He graduated from Marcos de Niza.

“I was supposed to go to Tempe or McClintock, but my dad was a teacher at the middle school that fed into Marcos de Niza. I was a tad bit of a troublemaker. He wanted to keep an eye on me.”

A fan of Roberto Clemente, Dorman is left handed, so there weren’t a lot of baseball positions he could play. He opted for pitcher and right fielder.

From there, he played ball at community colleges, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Missouri Baptist, the latter of which he says had a “great program and it was a blast.”

After playing indie pro ball in Scottsdale, he hung up his cleats to pursue music.

“The summer of 2013, I was finally like, ‘I don’t love this anymore,’” he recalls. “My last game was my only professional win. I got a job at Jersey Mike’s and basically told myself I would do that as long as I had to.

“A year and a half later, I had the opportunity to produce Kevin Federline, and that was interesting. He’s a super nice guy. It took me to a different realm.

I went between Phoenix and LA for eight months.”

Thanks to his talent and his management at Relentless Beats, Dorman has made a name for himself in G-house, which fuses elements of house and rap.

Before the pandemic, he was slated to head out on a major world tour. Instead, he’s promoting “Diamond City” with merchandise and a possible deluxe album. He’s continuing to promote the collabs on the album.

“I’m a huge hip-hop head, and some of my favorite rappers are on here. I’m a massive Denzel Curry fan, and I was fanboying over him. I met him through Instagram. He said, ‘What’s up?’ and I said, ‘Oh (crap). Denzel’s talking to me.’

Chetta, I discovered just very organically through his association with $uicideboy$.

Willie Northpole is an Arizona legend.

He performed with G-Unit and had that hit ‘Body Marked Up.’” And Bijou has more tricks up his sleeve.

“I want to give people something to do to get out of their house,” he says coyly. “It’s not going to conflict with the pandemic restrictions or cause any problems. You have to get creative these days or else things flop. I have faith in my work, though.”

Bijou facebook.com/OfficialDJBijou bijou-music.com @djbijou

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

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STUMBLING ONTO CREATIVITY

Jared & The Mill release playful single ‘Eliza’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

J

ared Kolesar has found songs in the best and worst of times.

For Jared & The Mill’s new single “Eliza,” it was definitely the worst of times. He wrote the song in Nashville with his bandmates Larry Gast III and Michael Carter, and Ben Roberts of the act Carolina Story.

“We were just vibing, but I was so hungover that day,” Kolesar says. “I was unable to function. Ben was giving us a tour of his house, which is outside of Nashville. His wife was lovely. His kids were lovely.

“I felt like a complete animal. It was the level of hungover where you have a thousand-year stare everywhere you look. His kids were worried about me. I was trying to keep it together so hard, but apparently it wasn’t working.

It was a funny introduction to the (co-) write.”

In between bathroom visits, Kolesar sat on the couch and Gast “busted out, out of nowhere, the lick” that starts “Eliza.”

“We couldn’t stop playing that opening lick,” he says. “We didn’t know what to do with it, but then we all just wanted to move forward and make something.

“He sang ‘Eliza’ for some reason. We didn’t really know why. We don’t know any particular person named Eliza. The song wasn’t inspired by anyone named Eliza. It felt good to sing over the chord he was playing. I was thinking how outrageously hungover I was.”

The feeling inspired the opening line to the chorus, “Eliza, the morning’s spilling in.”

“The light was hurting me and my brain,” he says with a laugh. “The light of day was coming in and hitting my face.

Then, we didn’t know what to do with it.”

The team gave up for the night, and Kolesar recalled the Rachel McAdams romantic comedy “About Time.” One of his favorite characters in film is the free-spirited sister, Katherine, played by Lydia Wilson.

“The sister in that flick is just one of my favorite characters who’s ever been written in a movie,” Kolesar

says. “I love people like her, who lack the responsibility or the conceptual awareness to make decisions based solely on the responsibility factor. These little lights who make you feel alive to be around.

“A lot of times, I feel like they’re a good foil to my personality. I sometimes make decisions based solely on what is responsible. I don’t worry about my own impulse. To be around people who truly live every moment to the fullest are these lights I love being around.”

The rest of the chorus—“Realize you’re never gonna get what you give/ Eliza won’t you phone it in from there/I know that it’s not fair/But nothing is/Oh Eliza”—is about people who expect the world to be kind to them because they’re that “pure,” he says.

“I’m not going to say naïve,” Kolesar adds. “‘Eliza won’t you phone it in from there/I know that it’s not fair/But nothing is’ is probably one of my favorite lines I’ve ever written.

“To me, it’s this point of growing up you achieve at some point in your life. It’s a good realization to have. The universe doesn’t care about what’s fair.

There are plenty of karmic disaster out there. Things are tough. Life is hard.

The earlier you get on board with that, the more true happiness is. The verse supports that rhetoric.”

That verse is “Half the time you’re reaching out/It’s true/We talk about the hurt you’re in/It’s nothing new.”

“I have friends who make terrible, terrible decisions in life and love,” he says. “They call you and they want to talk about their problems, and they’re surprised they’re irresponsible.

“Of course, you went back with your ex who cheated on you five times and did it again. ‘I can’t believe that happened.

That’s unreal.’ We follow that verse up with ‘But would you take it all back/Be safe and go slowly/Oh don’t you know what it could be.’ It’s hard and it sucks, and things are crappy sometimes, but life is good.”

Jared & The Mill “Eliza” Video youtu.be/Weyi3Ou4buU Website jaredandthemill.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

STRINGS ATTACHED

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Great Arizona Puppet Theater engages public through drive-in shows

By Laura Latzko

A

rts organizations have had to get creative in how they reach audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Organizations like the Great Arizona Puppet Theater have tried to bring something new while staying true to their artforms.

Since May, the puppet theater has been putting on drive-in performances in its parking lot of popular shows such as “Old MacDonald,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “The Three Little Pigs” and “Trouble at Haunted Mountain.” The staff has also presented puppets and DJ experience, and an adults-only show.

Great Arizona Puppet Theater cofounder Nancy Smith says many beloved shows been part of the company’s repertoire for years.

“These shows are really welldeveloped, well-rehearsed shows,” she says. “They have original music that was written just for them.”

Smith says although drive-in shows are different, they allow the puppeteers to connect with their patrons.

“We really cherish the experience of audience and performer interaction. It’s all live so that we can interact with the audience,” Smith says.

The drive-in shows also help the theater collect revenue, but a grant from the Jim Henson Foundation helped keep it afloat, too.

This has been an especially tough year for the company, as it lost Smith’s husband and company co-founder Ken Bonar in April. He helped grow the theater from a tour company since 1983.

The organization moved into its first theater space, a former fire station on Indian School Road, in 1988. In 1996, it relocated to its current location, a historic building and former church built in 1929. Each year, the Great Arizona Puppet Theater performs for over 80,000 people.

Prior to social distancing, the puppet theater was open five days a week throughout the year.

Along with adult and family-friendly shows for the public, the company also performs at local libraries, schools, summer camps and child care centers and produces educational content on topics such as water conservation.

During the pandemic, the Great Arizona Puppet Theater has produced a handful of online streams for children at Maricopa County and Glendale public libraries.

THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ The Great Arizona Puppet Theater has ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

been putting on drive-in shows at 8 a.m. every other Saturday. Guests must pay in advance, as the capacity is limited.

The shows are $40 per carload for nonmembers and $30 for members.

During the performances, a local restaurant will deliver food to patrons’ cars.

The performances are designed with the audience members’ and puppeteers’ safety and comfort in mind.

Prior to shows, the company’s staff creates parking charts, putting smaller cars in the front and larger vehicles in the back to ensure everyone can see. Guests listen through their car radios, as the sound is transmitted using equipment such as microphones, a soundboard and an FM transmitter.

Company members have been helping with the shows, but the puppeteering has mainly been left to Smith and her younger daughter, Gwen Bonar. They have been performing in an elevated puppet booth using large rod puppets.

When the weather cools, the troupe may offer more intimate drive-in shows with one-puppeteer productions, which will allow other members of the troupe to perform.

Right now, the four other troupe members have been helping in different ways, including setting up performances.

Rod puppets have been part of the company from the beginning, The drive-in performances have mostly been tailored toward families and include preshow singalongs.

Audiences have found unconventional ways to respond to performances, including honking their horns instead of clapping.

“The very first drive-in we did, when people honked instead of applauded, it surprised us,” Smith says. “We are trying not to encourage too much of that because we are in a residential neighborhood, but our neighbors are very nice and supportive of the puppet theater.”

Following the performances, Smith and Bonar interact with audience members, especially those they have come to know.

“After the shows, Gwen and I come out and wave goodbye to the audience as they drive off in their cars. Some of them are kids who come to the theater all the time, so they are excited to see us, and we are excited to see them,” Smith says.

A LOVE OF PUPPETRY Smith has appreciated puppetry since she was a child. It started one Christmas when she and her sister received a puppet stage and puppets. Puppetry, she says, helped her to overcome some of her

shyness as a child.

“It was just something that I took to. Initially, my puppets didn’t talk.

My mother was always bringing home children’s records. I would put on a record and operate the puppet to that.

Somewhere along the line, I started thinking my puppets needed to talk, and it just went from there,” Smith says.

Although she explored other art forms, Smith kept gravitating back to puppetry.

She took puppet classes during summer camps, created a giant puppet with her husband for a production in graduate school, and taught a puppet class while in graduate school.

After Smith finished school, she and her husband began their puppetry careers in 1976. The plan was to try it for five years. Instead, they were hooked.

Smith’s background was in music, makeup, acting, costuming and directing. Bonar never acted but was an experienced carver. He later proved to be a natural at singing and acting. Together, the two of them made their own puppets and created original shows.

The couple passed their passion onto Gwen, who started puppeteering at age 8. Their older daughter was also a puppeteer for a time when she was growing up.

“It is tons of work, but we love what we do,” Smith says.

Over the years, the Great Arizona Puppet Theater has built a devoted fanbase. Some individuals started attending the shows as kids and are now bringing their children.

Along with drive-in performances, the company teaches puppet making through online videos and social media platforms. It produces its own videos and shares tutorials from other companies, such as Wonderspark Puppets.

During its in-theater shows, especially its adult puppet slams, the company often brings in guest puppeteers and companies from other cities and states.

Smith says that especially during this time, it has been important for puppeteers across the country to support each other.

“There’s this network of puppeteers across the country. We are a part of that,” Smith says. “We are trying to work with each other and share what we can.”

Great Arizona Puppet Theater 302 W. Latham Street, Phoenix, 602.262.2060, ext. 0, azpuppets.org

GOTTA HAVE FAITH THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

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Brian Cole is building partnerships while promoting God’s message

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

B

rian Cole never envisioned or had aspirations to work in event production. Then God came calling.

“God had a plan and opened all the doors for me,” Cole says.

“I did do some event marketing before that, but it didn’t have anything to do with music or concerts or anything Christian.”

Eighteen years ago, that message from God turned into Extreme Faith Productions, a Chandler-based nonprofit with a desire to bring quality Christian events to Arizona and the Southwest.

Cole built his organization by building partnerships with churches, local artists, promoters and charities. Nearly two decades later, Cole hosts 75 to 100 concerts per year.

“It’s a blessing to serve the Christian community and to help a generation so desperately needing to know the love of Jesus Christ,” he says.

To celebrate the 18 years, Extreme Faith Productions is hosting several concerts throughout Arizona with Jonny Diaz, Amberly Neese, Leland Klassen, Mia Koehne, Brian Weaver, and Scott Macintyre from “American Idol.”

Shows are Friday, August 7, at Living Word Bible Church in Mesa; Saturday, August 8, at Calvary Prescott Church in Prescott; and Sunday, August 9, at Phoenix Christian Preparatory School in Phoenix. Tickets are available at extremefaithproductions.com.

Cole assures social distancing will take place.

“We’re doing dinners,” he says. “We’re only letting 50 people there because of the current executive order. We may go

to 100 if the order is lifted between now and then.

“We’re going to serve the people at round tables. There’s going to be a little bit of music and comedy, then the appetizers. Music and comedy and then the salad, etc. Each one will take about 15 minutes to perform and talk a little bit about their experience with Extreme Faith Productions. Some of them have been with us for a very long time.”

That includes Diaz.

“I haven’t even tallied up how many times Extreme Faith Productions has brought me to the Phoenix area and around the state,” Diaz says.

“It truly feels like a second home.

Artists want their fans to grow with them. When I started doing shows with Extreme Faith Productions, I had no children and I was only just married.

Now I have three kids and I’ve been married for 12 years. They get gifts for my kids, and that doesn’t normally happen.”

At the show, Diaz hopes to really connect with the audience through

Jonny Diaz

Leland Klassen

storytelling.

“My biggest goal is to be a storyteller,” he says. “I love to share stories between songs and through my songs. My biggest story is what Jesus has done in my life and blessed me with my family.”

Through his shows, Cole hopes to introduce those who fear or feel uncomfortable with church to the blessings it has to offer.

“We’re still encouraging people and

giving people to opportunity to invite others who don’t go to church and expose them to Christian music, comedy or speakers,” he says.

Cole, who was baptized in 2001 and started his company in 2002, has 50 events planned in the fall and is hoping he can still hold them. He’s also prepared to stage an online fundraiser.

“We’re in about 15 different states,” he says. “In 2021, I’m hoping to go back to our normal 150 a year. They’re mostly in 500-person churches. We need to share this message. We’re not doing it for the money.”

Extreme Faith Productions extremefaithproductions.com

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Amberly Neese

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CITY

STYLE » ENVY » PASSION » FASHION » BEAUTY » DESIGN

Reading with a Glamorous Twist Drag Story Hour gives kids LGBTQ role models through storytime

By Taylor O’Connor

S

ilver six-inch stilettos tap across the floor.

Miss Sandy’s nylons snake up her long legs leading to a tight pink pencil skirt and matching blazer. Her nails have elegant French tips and her hair is styled to an Audrey Hepburn-esque updo. Her shoulders are pressed back, and she seems to glide across the floor rather than walk.

She smooths her skirt, sits down and crosses her legs. This isn’t in a drag bar with fancy lights and a cheering crowd, but with kids sitting crisscross applesauce waiting to be read to. Miss Sandy may sing a song, but nothing you’d see on a Saturday night, less Gaga and more “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

Miss Sandy reads “Where the Wild Things Are” out loud in a voice that fills every space of the bookstore and lingers on each page to show pictures. Parents eye their children to make sure they are on their best behavior, but kids have no trouble paying attention. In fact, they can’t seem to take their eyes off of their beloved story reader.

A NEW REALITY Drag Story Hour Arizona is a local chapter of a national nonprofit organization with the mission of bringing children LGBTQ role models through storytelling. For three years, volunteers have read to children in rented out library spaces, bookstores and LGBTQ events.

But now amid coronavirus shutdowns and social distancing, drag queens and kings have migrated to virtual platforms to tell stories to children. With kids sheltering in place, Drag Story Hour fills a need for many families.

By reading stories virtually, Drag Story Hour will continue with its mission of offering kids LGBTQ role models, encouraging inclusivity and promoting literacy.

The Arizona chapter, founded in 2018

by Phoenix residents Michelle Thorstad, David Boyle and Christopher Hall, has hosted around one event a month.

Arizona’s drag storytellers have faced numerous hurdles, but nobody expected the challenge posed by a pandemic.

VIRTUAL PRIDE Due to social distancing, Drag Queen Story Hour in Arizona and nationally stopped face-to-face story hours. To stay connected, many of the national organizations turned to livestreamed story hours. Many take place on Facebook Live. Each chapter has its own schedule and links to a variety of livestreams.

Thorstad says major chapters like San Francisco, LA and New York have had a story hour once a week. The Arizona chapter, Thorstad says, waited until Pride weekend in early April to launch its first virtual story hour to give plenty of time to put together at-home program materials for families, sing along songs and test technology.

Due to COVID-19 and social distancing, Arizona Pride weekend moved onto online platforms. By going to a “Virtual Pride” website, participants could find links for livestreamed events for the various organizations participating in Pride weekend, including Drag Story Hour.

The nonprofit had three livestreamed events, two being children’s virtual story hour similar to many other story hours playing across the United States and Mexico. Drag king Keo Llewelyn read

the first and drag queen Felicia Minor read the second. Both were streamed on Facebook Live. The page stayed active with posts, including PDFs for at-home arts and crafts, a literacy tip sheet for parents, book titles, and links for singalong songs.

Due to copyright laws, the livestreamed book readings are no longer available on Facebook Live, but the Drag Story Hour team encourages users to like its Facebook page to stay up to date on more events coming up in the future.

On April 5, instead of another story hour, three drag queens conducted a Q&A session about Drag Story Hour and drag as a whole. The discussion ranged from literacy and favorite books to read aloud, to identity, pronouns and the importance of LGBTQ role models for children. The drag queens, dressed in their finest, shared their own experiences of having a lack of a support system and emphasized the importance of creating their own within the LGBTQ community.

Being part of Drag Story Hour is a gift.

At the end of the weekend, more than 3,800 people had tuned into Virtual Pride.

WHO KNEW RAINBOWS COULD BE SO CONTROVERSIAL? Thorstad, now a 26-year-old ASU librarian, started Drag Story Hour in 2018. At the time, she worked for a different library, which she won’t name.

She said it was well funded and had a nice story hour room for children to sit and listen, but there was one thing missing.

“I started to notice that programs weren’t that diverse. They mainly catered to the wealthy, heterosexual, Caucasian family. I wanted to change that.”

She and a coworker tried reading books that had two mommies or two daddies instead of a heterosexual family as the focus. Upset parents posted on the library website, outraged by the LGBTQ story hour content. The books were “completely uncalled for,” Thorstad recalls the parents saying.

“We shouldn’t be sharing stories about this because it’s a political issue,” she recalls hearing. “We shouldn’t be forcing the LGBTQ lifestyle on people.”

Instead of giving up, Thorstad continued to bring in books that promoted gender diversity. “Surprisingly enough,” Thorstad says, parents didn’t post complaints on the website. But she recalls one parent saying: “That was a

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

cute story; however, don’t you think that was an inappropriate topic to talk about?’”

Thorstad says that was the push she needed. “It got me thinking that we need story hours like this, especially in Arizona. She added there weren’t many “publicized rainbow story hours” because of the “controversy that surrounds it.”

She was close to hosting her own rainbow story hour at a public library but was suddenly rebuffed. The library said no. The library told her to modify her event, taking out any mention of LGBTQ and reducing the number of decorative rainbows, she recalls.

Oftentimes, Thorstad says, public libraries fear losing funding if they put out programs supportive of the LGBTQ community.

Thorstad worked around the restrictions by holding a private story hour in a rented library space. The drag queen reader, Miss Nature—Hall’s stage name—would later become one of the founding board members of the organization.

Thirty people attended.

“I decided I had done enough at that public library and couldn’t really progress,” she says. She joined GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a positive learning environment for LGBTQ students. She met fellow board member David Boyles at GLSEN’s anti-bullying seminar.

It was Boyle’s idea to turn the story hours into a nonprofit organization and affiliate with Drag Queen Story Hour National.

The first story hour as a nonprofit kicked off February 9, 2018.

THE SELF-PROCLAIMED QUEEN OF CHARITY It’s the lack of LGBTQ support Hall experienced during his own childhood that pushed him to work with children and charities across Arizona.

Hall started as a drag queen performing in bars as Nadi Nature,

rather than Miss Nature, in 2012.

“The activism was always there. I’ve done drag in Maricopa, Coolidge and Apache Junction. However, I didn’t like everything that happened in bars.

I wanted to have a show for all ages to attend, but it wasn’t until Michelle reached out to me and I started working in that setting.”

Along with Drag Story Hour, Hall hosted and performed at several charity events and benefits for a variety of nonprofits and organizations, from women’s abuse to humane societies.

Growing up in Florence, a small town between Phoenix and Tucson, Hall had trouble finding access to the LGBTQ community. Hall’s experience with a lack of support pushed him to help others. Although his mother was supportive, his father did quite the opposite.

“He would call me Christina when I would do things. He would blame me for things,” Hall recalls. “When I first discovered makeup, I started wearing it in high school and he would make me stand 50 feet away from him in stores so he wouldn’t be associated with me.”

Over time, Hall says his father took a “complete 180.” Hall’s father saw how Hall helped the community through

Drag Story Hour and helped in the growth of their relationship. “At the end of the day, I’m his son and he loves me unconditionally,” he says.

In 2018, Hall became the “selfproclaimed queen of charity,” with Miss Nature, a polished person who is one and the same with Hall. “She’s given me the confidence to be who I truly am” he says.

While the fundraisers’ main goal is to help those in need, a major benefit of the charities is the improvement of the image of drag. “For a lot of people, our community is about sex, drugs and alcohol. I want to show that there’s more to us than that,” Hall says.

Hall puts on five benefits, participates in 15 outside charity events and hosts story hours. During performances at the events, Hall and six other performers will do a routine, which caters to people outside the LGBTQ community.

At a recent fundraiser, Hall’s team brought in over $30,000.

Hall emphasizes even though the community receives more support, there are still stories of struggle, much like his own.

“It’s really important why we as a community need to help one another. You get to choose your family sometimes. While your biological family does not support you, we can help create a support system within the community.”

THE GROWTH AND THE RESISTANCE Declaring official 501(c)(3) status in March 2018, Drag Story Hour grew from having two events a year to one event a month.

The organization’s social media accounts have over 1,000 followers and gained local partners.

Bookman’s, a local bookstore chain, helps them put on several story hours. The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art had them participate in an event, and ASU professors reached out to partner with for projects.

With rapid growth and attention comes resistance.

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At events, Drag Story Hour experienced protesters outside their reading time, Thorstad says. Groups like Purple for Parents and Patriots in Arizona, which are anti-LGBTQ groups, have a strong stance in the Arizona government, Boyles says.

Sometimes there are days with over 50 protesters and families have to be escorted to their cars, and sometimes it’s completely peaceful, Boyles says.

It depends on what comes up in the groups’ social media and blog posts.

They have received hate comments on social media, to which they don’t acknowledge and they delete immediately, Boyles says.

For them, it’s a matter of giving facts, not engaging with the protesters, and staying true to their mission.

THROUGH RAIN COMES A RAINBOW The struggle and hardship are more of a reason why Drag Story Hour needs to exist, Boyles and Thorstad say.

“Drag is a part of our history, of our community, of our culture, and should be celebrated. It should be passed on to the next generation,” Boyles says.

Thorstad says, “It’s really about celebrating those differences that we have, and we should try to embrace them as much as possible.”

Kids don’t mind, nor do they question having drag hosts read to them. Thorstad thinks this has a lot to do with reality TV shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and the new Netflix original series “AJ and the Queen” becoming more popular staple shows in households, exposing kids to the LGBTQ community.

The hosts are seen as princesses or princes in the eyes of children, rather than the beautiful divas and strong kings strutting on bar stages.

Hall said he’s blessed to be a part of Drag Story Hour. “The ability to create an environment that I didn’t have when I was growing up and to be able to offer that for future generations is a remarkable feeling for me. It’s more than I could ever imagine.”

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12

UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Comedian J Chris Newberg talks pandemic performances and Phoenix

By Samantha Pacheco Molina

J

Chris Newberg is no stranger to the stage.

Since 2000, the suburban Detroit native has entertained comedy club audiences with his quick-witted humor and comical songs.

Before pursuing comedy full time, Newberg played guitar for the rock band Vudu Hippies. After 15 years with the group, Newberg found a way to combine his love for music and jokes.

“I started out in comedy by taking a class and felt confident to do an open mic,” the comedian says. “My experience with the band was almost like practice being on stage—I was comfortable interacting with the audience.”

Though Newberg says he always had a knack for telling jokes, little did he know that taking a workshop would open big doors for him in the comedy world.

Newberg’s unique sets led to worldwide tours with acts like Dane Cook and TV performances on “America’s Got Talent,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and Comedy Central.

Newberg, who calls his fans the Chris Army, compares the act of performing to trying to diffuse a ticking bomb.

“When you take away all the filters, it’s just you, your microphone and the crowd,” Newberg says. “You’re racing against the clock, with just 45 minutes to make people who are easily offended, like you—it’s really fun.”

Newberg, who now resides in Los Angeles, says that while the majority of his sets go without hecklers, that doesn’t mean his live shows always stick to the script.

“After a long time away from the stage, I got up to do a set. Five minutes into it, I forgot all my lines,” Newberg laughs.

“I even had note cards, and it was like my brain couldn’t comprehend what was written down.”

In cases where performers “blank out,” Newberg says the only real way to save yourself is to improvise as best and as fast as you can.

He also works behind the curtain, contributing segments and sketches to “Saturday Night Live” and “The Conan O’Brien Show” and producing several TV shows for Hulu, NBC, E! and Fox. “I would say my love for performing and writing are equal,” Newberg says.

“I love being in front of the audience because of the adrenaline rush you get, but I also like to challenge and experiment with my creativity behind ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

the scenes.”

In 2018, Newberg released his newest comedy album, titled “Live and Let Dye.” Recorded in his home state of Michigan, the album jokes about personal experiences and stories that generated a large cult following.

The comedian describes his comedic voice as witty and very much based on observations and current happenings.

“You really can find inspiration for laughs in anything,” Newberg says. “It may sound silly and maybe childish, but it’s true. You just have to be open to the possibilities.”

However, the COVID-19 pandemic is no laughing matter.

Social distancing orders have left comedians taking their sets online and across multiple social media platforms— including Newberg.

“With social media, it is entirely different from an in-person audience,” Newberg says. “When you finish your story or joke, instead of laughter on the other side, you are getting ‘likes’ and laughing emojis.”

Newberg’s podcast, “Heroin Has a Great Publicist,” has helped garner a following during these unprecedented times. The show features Newberg discussing and joking about current events and personal stories.

Newberg claims that while nothing compares to a live audience, he is always happy to still perform for those who are willing to listen.

The musical comic will return to the Valley from Thursday, August 6, to Sunday, August 9, at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy on High Street in Phoenix.

“I think now more than ever, people need comedy,” he says. “You go to shows to escape and for a couple of hours; you leave behind reality and just enjoy yourself. Now is the perfect moment for humor.”

“Arizona is one of the few places where stand-ups can actually play right now. And long as you are putting out a genuine act and quality performance, I think people will come on out for a good time.”

J Chris Newberg Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, 5350 E. High Street, Suite 105, Phoenix, 480.420.3553, az.houseofcomedy.net, 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 6; 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, August 7; 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, August 8; and 7 p.m. Sunday, August 9, $23 (general admission) to $58.40 (dinner and show).

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

13

‘Dare to Dream’

Jerry O’Connell visualized a ‘Secret’ role, and landed it

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

A

ctor Jerry O’Connell was on a set of a TV show and frequently complaining about his life, when a coworker gave him a copy of the book “The Secret.”

“I said, ‘Oh brother. This is going to be like a cult,’” O’Connell recalls. “I read it, and it was very helpful. It was a really crazy time in my life professionally. I know it sounds cheesy to say this, but I visualized if they ever made a scripted version of the film, I wanted to be in it.”

He is.

“The Secret: Dare to Dream” hit premium video on demand outlets on July 31. The film was originally slated for an April 17 theatrical release by Roadside Attractions, but the COVID-19 pandemic changed that.

The movie tells the story of Miranda Wells (Katie Holmes), a hard-working young widow struggling to raise three children, when she encounters Bray Johnson (Josh Lucas). He’s carrying— literally—a secret that could change Miranda’s life. Meanwhile, she’s involved with her coworker, Tucker, played by O’Connell.

Written by Rhonda Byrne, “The Secret” was one of 2006’s best-selling self-help books, based on an earlier film of the same name. It is based on the belief of the law of attraction, which claims that thoughts can change a person’s life directly. It sold 30 million copies worldwide and has been translated into 50 languages.

“The book has such a fanbase,” O’Connell says. “It has changed so many people’s lives. I’m interested to see what ardent followers of the rules of attraction will think about the scripted version of their beloved book.

“It’s an international phenomenon, ‘The Secret.’ This is a dramatic version of that. I think the most challenging part is making sure the secret, this is the dramatic version of that. I think the most challenging part is making sure—I wouldn’t call it the fans—the followers of ‘The Secret’ are happy with what we did.”

The movie was directed by Andy Tennant, with whom Lucas fans would be familiar because he helmed “Sweet Home Alabama” as well.

“They certainly got the right person when they got Andy Tennant to come do it,” O’Connell says. “He’s our writer/director, and I guess he really is one of the kings of rom-com. It was just so interesting that they went to him with the scripted version of ‘The Secret.’”

O’Connell is keeping busy these days.

Amazon’s IMDb TV is carrying his show “Carter,” which is about an actor who played a cop on television and has a problem determining the difference between reality and fiction.

He also voices Cmdr. Jack Ransom on CBS All Access’ “Star Trek: Lower Decks,” which premieres on August 10.

He describes the 10-episode run as a comedic version of “Star Trek.”

During the pandemic, O’Connell says he’s using his “laws of attraction”

talents and visualization techniques to get his kids back in school. (He’s kidding.)

He’s hoping that fans and followers of “The Secret” have as much fun with the movie as he did.

“It was a fun set,” O’Connell says.

“Katie Holmes is such a doll. She’s so much fun to work with.

“And man, I wasn’t playing his love interest, but that Josh Lucas is so dreamy. I had scenes with him—not to judge him—but I do get lost in his Paul Newman-esque blue eyes.”

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TRAVEL

VACATION » SIGHTS » DAY TRIPS » ADVENTURE » EXPLORE » TRAVEL

s l l a C a i n r o f i l a C

Outdoor food and drink options abound in Temecula. (Photo courtesy Doffo Winery)

Temecula is emerging as a preeminent SoCal sojourn

By Alison Bailin Batz

W

ith the nation slowly reopening, many are looking for ways to get out and enjoy vacation this summer while social distancing and maintaining massive safety measures in place.

A picture-perfect escape—only five hours away via car and with dozens of outdoor activities—is Southern California gem Temecula.

Temecula is the largest wine-growing region in California’s South Coast. It is particularly well-suited to growing syrah, sangiovese, viognier, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, zinfandel and tempranillo; however, more than two dozen varieties thrive in the region.

Altogether, Temecula boasts more than 40 wineries and 80 winegrowers, as well as other attractions, high-end dining and—of course—amazing tasting tours.

ACCOMMODATIONS While hotels and resorts are taking all CDC-recommended precautions to ensure the perfect stay, one of the ways to do Temecula right is by renting a home or manor in the heart of wine country.

If looking to go this route, Temecula Vacation Rentals (TVR) is among the top options in the area with six premiere properties able to accommodate from 10 to 24 guests, not to mention cozy condos and other specialty spaces available based on needs, wants and dates.

TVR’s most fabulous property is Wilson Creek Manor. And if the name Wilson Creek sounds familiar to Valley wine lovers, it should. Not only is Wilson Creek’s award-winning almond champagne (and now other varietals) available for purchase across Arizona, but the picturesque winery has been featured on “The Real Housewives of Orange County,” “Blind Date,” The Golf Channel and Oprah’s OWN Network.

Rumor has it Mario Lopez has been known to show up from time to time for a game or two of bocce ball at the winery’s on-site court as well.

Located directly across the street from the famed winery, the 12,000-squarefoot estate sleeps up to 24 guests and features 10 well-appointed bedrooms— including a 1,600-square-foot master suite—11 bathrooms, a game room, private outdoor pool and spa, barbecue, gazebo, workout area, basketball court and commercial-grade kitchen.

For smaller groups, notable options

include the Sangiovese Estate—sleeping up to 14 and with its own putting green, home theater and game room—the Palazzo Del Sol Estate—also sleeping 14 and with nearly unrivaled mountain views—and the Meritage House— sleeping 10 and with its own grapefruit grove. The prices vary based on property and season but can often be less than $60 a day per person, making it one of the sneaky best deals in California in addition to one of the chicest.

There are also a dozen TVR packages, which provide excursions, meals, wine tastings and other curated experiences. temeculavacationrentals.com

GETTING AROUND Once in wine country, don’t even think about drinking and driving.

Instead, look no further than the Grapeline Wine Tours. A family-owned business that has been operating in Temecula for over a decade, Grapeline has drivers and tour guides who are walking encyclopedias of the region.

They do it while making guests laugh, sing and even dance on board.

A best bet is Grapeline’s all-inclusive Classic Wine Tour, which is a fourhour tour hosted by a wine country insider with snacks as well as tastings at three wineries only $95 a person. The

The Grapeline makes touring easy, affordable and is able to tour a group privately to ensure no outside contact. (Photo courtesy Grapeline)

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Grapeline also offers a “Grapephopper” service, which is only $79 a person and gives guests the chance to taste on their own time and simply hop on and off Grapeline shuttles as they visit the wineries each day. Because sipping all day is hard work, there is also a deluxe picnic tour starting at $119 per person. It offers tastings as well as a gourmet local picnic lunch.

For those seeking to ensure distance from others, there are also dozens of private tour options as well as by-thehour chauffeur services using sedans, limos, executive SUVs and deluxe coaches for all group sizes and budget levels. gogrape.com

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Sunset in Temecula.

(Photo courtesy Doffo Winery)

WINE, DINE AND FLY Temecula has a tasting room tailored to every taste imaginable, from historically impactful wineries with tastings to contemporary and cuttingedge tasting rooms as well as even those with full-serve restaurants and airborne adventures.

For those who love history, be sure to stop into Hart Winery, which is the oldest continually owned and operated winery in Temecula. Originally founded

by Joe and Nancy Hart and now run by their children, it is known for premium estate-grown reds.

For those with beer lovers joining you, be sure to stop at Wiens Family Cellars.

There, enjoy a tasting of big reds or reserve a private tasting, which comes with scrumptious small bites. After, head to the family’s Wiens Brewing Company a few miles away, where you can sample its IPAs, pilsners, wheats, coffee stouts, beers aged in its wine barrels, and seasonal specialties, notably its Grove Swarm, a blood orange and honey wheat ale.

If looking for fine dining while sipping, visit South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Its on-site restaurant, The Vineyard Rose Restaurant, is warm and inviting, with a definite Tuscan vibe.

The food is quintessentially Californian, bursting with seasonal local veggies and surrounded by vineyard views.

Robert Renzoni Vineyards also needs to make your “must” list if a foodie.

The winery offers tastes of premium California wines made using Italian grape varieties that sing in the hands

For space and social distance—yet the luxury of a resort— look into Temecula Vacation Rentals.

(Photo courtesy Vogel Wilson Creek Manor)

of talented young winemaker Olivia Bue. There is also a decadently delicious restaurant on-site called Mama Rosa’s Trattoria offering elevated Italian classics and brick-oven pizzas. It’s a hot spot for all ages.

If you need a taste of adventure while tasting across wine country, head over to Carter Estate Winery and Resort, which has an overnight package that includes a hot air balloon tour for two that soars over wine country, complete with a champagne toast and then two tickets

for a full wine tasting as well.

For something truly out of the box—or if with fellas—don’t miss Doffo Winery. Opt for the Cork ’N Torque Tour at $65 per person, which whisks your group off in an openair, eco-friendly vehicle to view the vineyards and winemaking facility up close, followed by a tour of the family’s rocking MotoDoffo Vintage Motorcycle Collection and a private tasting of the premium wines.

Other wineries, attractions and

activities not to be missed include Akash Winery, Baily Winery, Callaway Vineyard & Winery, Carter Estate Winery and Resort, Danza del Sol Winery, Fazeli Cellars, Leoness Cellars, Fazeli Cellars, Oak Mountain Winery, Pechanga Casino, Old Town Temecula and The Legends Golf Club.

Temecula For more information, visit visittemeculavalley.com.

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ARTS

CULTURE » THEATER » DANCE » GALLERY » DRAMA » VISION

Stories Worth Telling Local mosaic artist Jen Jame shares her thoughts through tiles

By Samantha Molina

T

he mosaic art medium is a laborious and expensive one, says artist Jen Jamē.

But the feeling she gets knowing her artwork will be a part of someone’s life makes it all worthwhile.

“Art from department stores is just décor. There really is no story behind it,” Jamē says. “I believe every house, to call it home, needs to hold real art, made by real people with a story worth telling.”

The English-teacher-turned-artist was born and raised in Santa Monica. As a child, Jamē knew she had a creative spirit and established her talent with the help of family and friends.

“I would say I found my artistic voice from a close family friend who was a professional artist,” Jamē says. “She would babysit us a lot, and I remember us always sitting around the dining room table coloring or working on an art project.”

Jamē says her love for mosaics blossomed during a trip to Venice Beach, where self-proclaimed “hippies” were selling handmade mosaic mirrors on the boardwalk.

“I just instantly fell in love,” Jamē says.

“I looked at the mirror and thought, ‘Wow, I need to make this.’”

When Jamē was 20 years old, she moved to Arizona and put her artistic

dream on the back burner to teach junior high and high school English. It wasn’t until around 2015 that Jamē committed to art full time and began to take her talent on as a business.

“What sort of reignited my passion was a gorgeous fireplace I had seen while house hunting that was completely made up of mosaics,” Jamē says. “That’s when I was like, ‘OK, enough is enough. It’s time to get in gear.’”

For Jamē, the ideas for pieces that come to her are heavily influenced by her personality and life experiences.

“My family and I frequently travel to Hawaii. So, for a while, I was really into making waves and oceans,” Jamē says. “Before that, the focus was big, whimsical, wispy flames to hang over fireplaces.”

The artist is dabbling with pieces inspired by rock musicians. Jamē has already created mosaic portraits of legendary artists such as Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash. Jamē says everything from the type of glass that is used to the material of the base is crucial in telling the piece’s story.

“Even the music I listen to while I am creating matters,” Jamē says. “For instance, whichever rock icon I am making at the time, I listen to the music associated with them. It helps me channel them into my piece.”

Jamē begins her projects by sketching the desired image onto a base for the

Jen Jamē’s next project is a mosaic of the late Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell.

Jen Jamē, with a mosaic of Johnny Cash, says she’s not afraid to make mistakes. It’s all a part of the learning process. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

mosaic. The artist says wood is a favorite material to use and can be left raw, stained or even torched, depending on the focus of the piece.

The drawn lines on the base act as a guide for strategically puzzling together fragmented pieces of glass, tile or other materials. Grout is spread on top and between the cracks of the glass to seal the pieces once it is dried.

“Whenever I start a piece, I legitimately believe that every single one is going to be terrible and I am going to have to toss it,” Jamē says with a laugh.

“But then I always step back after being up close with it and praying that it is going to turn out alright, and I am taken aback. Like I cannot believe what is in front of me.”

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect the lives of many, including Jamē. Right before the state began its shelter-in-place order, she released inclusive DIY mosaic coaster kits on her website. The kits have been extremely successful and have garnered rave reviews online.

“A family who has members across the country and in the U.K. bought nine

kits, and they are all doing their mosaic drink coasters together on a Zoom call,” Jamē says with a laugh. “So, although it wasn’t at all intentional to be selling these during a pandemic, it is amazing to see art bringing everyone together.”

The artist also had plans to host monthly art lessons from her studio and provide mosaic lessons to children and young adults in foster care homes and facilities.

“Once a teacher, always a teacher,” Jamē says. “Children really are the best colleagues, and I hope to be able to bond and mentor these kids by giving them a creative outlet.”

When asked what she would say to those who are new to the art community, Jamē’s advice is simple: just start and play.

“Don’t wait to have all the answers.

Ask questions, but don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Those hiccups could lead you to something you are proud of.”

Jen Jamē jenjame.com Instagram: @jenjamemosaics

CHRISTMAS AT MADARAS THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

17

Celebrate the holiday with artists at Tucson gallery

By Annika Tomlin

D

iana Madaras was sitting at her computer one fall when she heard a voice say, “Open a Christmas shop.”

She initially blew it off.

“And then it was louder,” she says. “It said, ‘Open a Christmas shop.’”

After realizing the only Christmas shop in the area closed, she decided to fill the void at her Tucson gallery seven years ago. For the last seven years, Madaras has dedicated her space to the holiday in August.

For the one-month show, she transforms the front portion of her gallery into a winter wonderland with items and paintings produced by her and guest artists.

“We have 25 different holiday cards, and we’ll also do different ornaments and prints and coasters and mini canvases,” Madaras says. “We probably have 1,000 ornaments at the holidays, plus really unique décor.”

The nine-time Best Artist in Tucson winner will showcase new holiday images that include a Christmas church, a saguaro in the desert with a coyote in a Christmas hat, and a brightly colored desert scene with stars.

“I can’t say I can pick a favorite, but we do have four new holiday card images in addition to some of our standard favorites,” Madaras says.

Through her award-winning gallery, Madaras donates to charities, including her nonprofit Art for Animals, which has received more than $200,000.

“I have this animal foundation called Art for Animals,” Madaras says. “We help homeless, abused and injured animals. We have done that since the start of the gallery.”

During the pandemic, Madaras Gallery is allowing in-person viewing with a maximum of 10 people in the gallery at a time.

Private appointments are available. She is unable to host the “wonderful parties and events” that occur throughout the year due to social distancing.

She’s continuing to make the gallery accessible to people who want to see or purchase from it.

Customers can purchase online or have curbside pickup. The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been too bad for Madaras.

“On the flip side, it has given me more time to paint, which I have enjoyed,” Madaras says. “I’m getting ready for my October show.

“I’m very pleased to say that we have a lot of support online. We did a series of 1-minute videos of me and our other guest artist that people really liked.”

Madaras Gallery 3035 N. Swan Road, Tucson 520.615.3001, madaras.com

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VIRTUALLY PRESENT

18

UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Musical Instrument Museum relies on web content during COVID-19

By Connor Dziawura

T

he effects of the coronavirus have been felt by many, from the closing of movie theaters and the pause on live music to the halting or limiting of operations by businesses like gyms, restaurants and bars. Those at the Musical Instrument Museum know all too well, as the venue closed this past spring to mitigate the spread of the virus.

To remain connected with and involved in the community during the closure, the Musical Instrument Museum continued to share updates and engaging posts to its various web channels. This includes virtual tours, where curators put the spotlight on certain exhibits and instruments; DIY instrument craft tutorials; and the conversion of some kids activities to online instruction.

The latter, called the MIMkids Mini Music Makers classes and intended for kids ages 0-5 and their caregivers, have been a popular endeavor at the museum since 2013, according to Katherine Palmer, its curator of education.

Described as 30 minutes of song, play and dance, the classes are intended to support child development.

As a result of COVID-19, however, MIM took those classes to Zoom on a choose-what-you-pay basis ($4, $8 or $12) to stay engaged with the community and give “families and caregivers an option for something to do during this time that we all thought would be much shorter than it has been,” Palmer explains. For more information, visit mim.org/mimkids/mini-music-

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makers.

“We take what is sort of a traditional early childhood music and movement format, where we make music with basic instruments, we sing songs, we dance, we move, and all of it has sort of an underpinning goal of child development,” Palmer describes.

According to Palmer, the classes are based around the idea of “world” music and have alternating themes tied to different regions. Kids can hear songs they know—like “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Mulberry Bush”—put into new contexts, but they’ll also be introduced to children’s songs from other cultures.

While in some ways the classes

translate well to the online format, she says, the difficulty is providing kids access to materials. Obviously they can no longer experiment with the museum’s collection of instruments, so Palmer says classes are supplemented with additional

video content.

“The access to instruments has been challenging, but music making can happen anywhere and with anything, and so we just use what we have, much like people have around the world for

centuries,” she says.

MIM’s YouTube and other social media channels are also hotbeds of content, from live performances and installation teasers to several instrument craftmaking videos in which Palmer explains how to easily create maracas, a musical washboard and spoons, and a Tupperware drum. This inclination toward crafting recycled instruments is a regular practice in the museum’s educational department, she says.

The museum has also been sharing Virtual Museum Curator Tours, in which staff members showcase different exhibits/regions and their instruments and provide contextual information.

This includes a video on Ireland, in which Rich Walter, the museum’s curator for the United States/Canada and Europe, discusses three recent acquisitions: a 1760s fiddle, a set of 20th century uilleann (“elbow”) pipes, and a custom-built contemporary tenor banjo. In another, Walter chronicles the

history of the popularity of mandolins in America, along with examples.

Instruments like zithers, dulcimers and bagpipes and regions like the Andes, Cuba and Brazil, among others, have also been covered by curators.

These video presentations, Walter tells, cover the type of content normally shared in person. But it’s just a little basic information to get people excited about the museum and make mental notes of what they should look out for when they return.

“There’s never a substitute for an in-person visit, of course, so I think we’re all, just like everyone everywhere, looking forward to being able to return to some normal routines,” Walter explains. “But it’s an opportunity just to take a few themes, a few topics, a couple displays occasionally, and point out some things that we find interesting and put them on that platform, which is a little bit different for us.”

Meanwhile, Palmer and Walter say staff members have been attempting to adapt to these times as best they can. According to Palmer, that includes ongoing conversation as to programming. And Walter says curators aim to ensure safety in the midst of COVID-19 and improve and continue to develop exhibits behind the scenes.

“There’s been quite a bit of energy just going on that premise that we’re still really determined to be as great a museum as we possibly can, and in our typical way of doing things that includes fresh content in the galleries to share,” Walter says.

Musical Instrument Museum mim.org For more information about the museum, events and its reopening, which is unconfirmed as of press, visit mim.org or follow @mimphx on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

DINING

19

EAT » EXPERIENCE » INDULGE » SAVOR » DEVOUR » NOSH

‘A BIG CAREER MOVE’ Chef Jeremy Pacheco leading Genuine Concepts brands

By Samantha Pacheco Molina

A

rizona chef Jeremy Pacheco’s career has been a whirlwind. Now, he is taking on his biggest project to date as the newly appointed executive chef and culinary director for Genuine Concepts.

The Tucson native will lead the neighborhood-focused restaurant group’s the Vig, the Little Woody, the Womack, Ladera Taverna y Cocina and The McMillan.

“With five restaurants under my wing, it is definitely a big career move for me,” Pacheco says. “This is going to be my first time outside of a luxury hotel, and I am just excited to see what I can do, given the new environment and new audience.”

Pacheco’s culinary career began when he was 16, as a dishwasher and busboy for the Sheraton Hotel in Tucson.

He took the job to save up for a car, but it blossomed after the chef relocated him to the kitchen.

“I never really left the kitchen once I stepped inside,” Pacheco says with a laugh. “It was then that I found this love for food and cooking.”

After completing high school, Pacheco enrolled in the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and received a degree in culinary arts and restaurant management. He then worked his way up from prep cook to chef de cuisine at The Phoenician’s Terrace Dining Room.

Seven years later, he moved to Las Vegas to cook for all Encore and Wynn properties. In 2009, Wynn’s SW Steakhouse was named one of the Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire magazine under Pacheco’s residency.

“Vegas was everything you’d expect it would be. Our team did almost a thousand covers a day, and on top of that, we were covered by Forbes twice a month,” Pacheco says. “It definitely held you up to high expectations and service levels, and you were expected to exceed all of them.”

Working in Vegas also had some big upsides: meeting and working alongside celebrity chefs.

“During my time in Vegas, I had the pleasure of working with some of the world’s greatest culinary artists,”

Pacheco says. “Those mentors—even the tough ones—were the people who helped shape me into the chef that I am today. In the future, I hope to be that teacher to someone else.”

The award-winning chef moved to Paradise Valley’s Lon’s at Hermosa Inn as executive chef 2010. Not particularly happy with the current menu, Pacheco experimented with different recipes and reimagine expectations in the kitchen.

He later returned to Las Vegas for a two-year position as the executive chef of Society Café. It wasn’t until 2015 that Pacheco returned to Arizona for good to reclaim his executive chef role at Hermosa Inn. Pacheco’s first memories surrounding the kitchen were weekly Sunday suppers with family. With nine generations of

Arizona roots, Pacheco explains how his fresh and simple style of cooking gives a nod to his family’s farming heritage and appreciation for clean food.

“My grandparents were farmers in Marana, and I know the hard work it takes to grow crops and other produce,” Pacheco says. “It is important that I incorporate ingredients from local ranchers and farmers to support the community.”

While Pacheco says he enjoys developing new menu items to test in the dining rooms, there is something else he considers his “favorite part” of the job.

“It’s also the tight-knit community among culinary artists and restaurantgoers,” Pacheco says. “I don’t think Arizona gets all the recognition it deserves, in terms of food. Everyone

thinks because we are in the Southwest, we only do Mexican food, but there are a lot of chefs are out there experimenting and doing some really incredible things.”

For fledgling chefs, Pacheco says they have to be prepared and understand the business is nothing like the cooking shows we see on TV. “If you have the drive and are willing to put in the work to be successful in the business, then get as much experience as you can and travel when you are young,” Pacheco says. “I always wish I had experienced other cultures earlier than I had. It is critical to go out and experience the cultures you are inspired by.”

Genuine Concepts genuineconcepts.us ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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Aut hent ic Italian Pizzicata treats everyone like family

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

P

izzicata owner Federico Venturini considers his guests and employees family at his Carefree Italian restaurant.

Guests impart stories of visits to Italy, from which Venturini hails. In turn, Venturini shares authentic dishes like Pinsa Romana, pizza (starting at $10) with 48% less sugar, 85% less fat and no cholesterol.

“We’re the first to make Pinsa Romana

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in Arizona,” Venturini says proudly.

“People love and enjoy our patio, and it’s a beautiful area up here.”

Venturini and his chef/wife, Viola, moved to the North Valley two years ago from a small town in Umbria, an Italian region bordering Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche. They opened the restaurant on September 26 and didn’t expect the success they garnered.

“People love our food,” he says. “We are the only authentic Italian restaurant in North Scottsdale and Carefree.”

He opened Pizzicata in Carefree after visiting a friend in Paradise Valley.

“I came here to stay together with his family,” Venturini says. “He showed me this country. I changed completely my life. Five years ago, I started my plan to open this restaurant. First, it’s very hard to get the visa. But I realized my dream in five years. Italians love Americans, and Americans love Italians.”

The Venturinis have Pizzicata locations in Nice, France; Barcelona, Spain; and two in Italy. Soon, they will open Pomodoro Italian Grill and Seafood, an upscale restaurant in the former Cartwright’s location in Cave Creek.

Pizzicata is casual, serving pizza and homemade pasta such as fettuccine, gnocchi, ravioli, lasagna and tortellini ($18 to $28). “People love our pasta,” he says.

Appetizers at Pizzicata include caprese, with fresh tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, burrata and prosciutto di parma ($14); and polpette al sugo, simply meatballs in tomato sauce ($10). Salads are aplenty, with the showpiece insalata di gamberi—arugula, shrimp, mango, avocado, red onion and yogurt dressing ($15).

The light pizzas are centered around Montebianco, shown left, which is

one ball of fresh buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto di parma and extra virgin olive oil ($21).

All desserts are $10—lava cake, tiramisu, cannoli, cheesecake, lemon sorbet stuffed, coconut sorbet stuffed and crème brulee.

Venturini is surviving the pandemic, thanks to a healthy winter season and the Paycheck Protection Program.

“I think the government did a great job,” he says. “My employees are more like my sons and daughters. We have one big family. I kept all my employees at work during the quarantine. I didn’t fire no one. We survived.”

Those familial feelings carry over into the atmosphere. Walls are adorned with paintings and photographs of Italy and Tesla lamps. A well-stocked bar separates the red-accented dining rooms.

“There is no Italian atmosphere like this place,” he says. “My guests try to speak in Italian, and they share with me their experiences of them being in Italy one time in their life. I have special customers, and I’m very happy.”

Pizzicata 7212 E. Ho Road, Carefree 480.488.2848, pizzicatausa.com

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Prescott’s The Barley Hound receives facelift during break

By Elsa Hortareas

S

kyler Reeves understands that not many restaurants make it to the five-year mark.

However, his gastropub, The Barley Hound in Prescott, is celebrating that anniversary even during a pandemic. He used the COVID-19-forced break to renovate and accommodate social distancing.

“I had the idea in my mind. It was brewing in my mind for the last year,” says Reeves, who also owns Vivili Hospitality Group’s other properties Rosa’s Pizzeria, Taco Don’s and Hawk and Hound.

Reeves turned his back patio, which was previously used as an event space, into a seating area. The shaded, 1,800-square-foot patio boasts a bar in a shipping container and outdoor games like cornhole and ping-pong.

“We wanted to create more of a bar and lounge, casual vibe,” Reeves says.

The shipping container opens on a hinge, with a door that goes up and out, so the staff can open and close that bar as they want. The bar staff is separated from the guests with a mask and plexiglass, and everything is served in disposable cups. They ask that guests dispose of their own trash.

Pandemic restrictions pain Reeves because guest interaction is his favorite part of the business. Although paused, the Barley Hound typically hosts a “run club” on Thursday out of the back patio.

Guests can run 1 or 3 miles and return to happy hour pricing.

The Barley Hound is more than the back patio, though. The restaurant is in an old house. Reeves wanted to maintain the vibe, so he redesigned the indoor seating to be cozy with couches, chairs, coffee tables and a television. However, indoor dining is off limits now.

The menu went through a bit of a revamp, too. He stresses he kept a handful of staples on the menu like the duck fat fries ($3/$6), ’Merica burger ($14), duck burger ($14), bread pudding ($8), Scotch eggs ($7) and blistered shishito peppers ($6).

Everything else was, he says, “fair game to change, reinvigorate, eliminate or add.”

But with the help of chef Tony Burris, Reeves’ partner in Hawk and Hound, The Barley Hound is introducing new items like fully loaded cauliflower nachos ($18), portobello mushroom sliders ($12), Aunt Andrea’s flower cake ($8) and duck tacos ($10).

Reeves recommends first-time visitors try the duck burger, which is 25% duck, and the whole grain mustard is “something special.”

When things return to “normal,” the restaurant plans on doing a taco night and a “featured dish” night.

The kitchen underwent a facelift to help things “run smoother behind the scenes.” The Barley Hound’s owners purchased a larger grill, removed a small wall and installed new tiling and shelving. They also painted the exterior craftsmen blue and white.

They basically did “things that are hard to do when you’re open.”

“It’s not the most exciting thing in the world, but it gives the staff better tools to work with,” Reeves says.

Besides all the renovations and being the first gastropub in Prescott, The Barley Hound stands out in other ways.

“Our cocktails really stand out,” Reeves said. He says they use fresh squeezed juices every day for them.

They use only Arizona craft beer— specifically Prescott or Northern Arizona beer—with eight of them on

tap. Occasionally, Valley breweries’ beers will be sold.

The Barley Hound features a great music selection. “We take great care to make sure the right music is playing at the right volume,” Reeves says. “It’s “youthful and energetic.”

The Barley Hound 234 S. Cortez, Prescott, 928.237.4506, thebarleyhound.com

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FIRE AND FUN

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Kasai Japanese Steakhouse maintains its high energy

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

W

hen Sapporo in Scottsdale rebranded as Kasai Japanese Steakhouse in November 2018, the move infused new energy into the 11,000-square-foot airy building.

Owner Michael Russello says that energy hasn’t subsided at the teppanyaki restaurant, thanks to a pandemic break facelift.

“We took away other tables and added four teppanyaki tables, totaling 14,” Russello says. “Nowadays, people want more of the Japanese steakhouse.

“We were busy last night. Guests were just having fun. It’s a dinner show where you forget about the world for a little while. I’m blessed with the best chefs around, which make me look good.”

The teppanyaki tables seat 146.

Previously, the tables were only at the back and sides of the restaurant. Now, with the addition of the four hoodless tables, teppanyaki is the dining room’s

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focal point.

For teppanyaki, guests are treated to seven-course meals of shrimp starter, mushroom soup, house salad, fried rice, seasonal vegetables, protein and Dole Whip Hawaiian pineapple frozen dessert.

Teppanyaki features a slew of options individually or in combinations—filet mignon ($36), New York strip ($34), sumo filet mignon ($48), sumo New York strip ($44), chicken breast ($20), soy-glazed tofu ($20), calamari steak ($24), salmon ($30), scallops ($34), shrimp ($28), sea bass ($42), lobster ($46) and Wagyu filet mignon ($70).

There’s more to Kasai than teppanyaki, though. When Kasai reopened in early July, it listed on its menu old favorites, like the Misoyaki black cod with eel sauce and togarashi butter ($18) and the Mongolian lamb chops with Asian slaw, coconut curry and beurre blanc ($24).

“We did reduce some items on the menu, though,” he says. “With coronavirus, you want to keep your inventory down. It’s a good amount of money sitting in inventory when you

have to shut down. It’s not fun.

“You’re going through a lot of product. You can’t just keep produce or fresh fish around. I’m a foodie type of guy, and every item we do right now is great. We do care about the appetizers. We have incredible sushi, too.”

Russello says he couldn’t donate the leftover produce because the boxes were open.

“We’ll have 15 cases of eggs, and it’s open,” he says. “You’re not allowed to donate it. That was one thing I said when this thing started; they should have changed that rule.”

Restaurants are nothing new to Russello. He also owns the ice cream shop The Creek Cookies and Cream at The Shops at Dynamite Creek in Cave Creek.

“We have raspberry Dole Whip there,” he says, before quickly adding, “My focus is on Kasai, and we want to grow the concept in the area. There are a couple of locations that we’re eyeing. We have Downtown Phoenix ready to go as soon as we want to pull the trigger.

“We planned on taking over the space in June. With this hoodless teppanyaki grill, it’s way better. We can go anywhere and do them. There’s no teppanyaki in Downtown Phoenix.”

Colorful, potent drinks are a centerpiece as well, like the Violet Solstice made with Hendricks MidSummer Solstice gin, crème de violette and fresh lemon juice ($14) or The P. King cocktail (in honor of original owner Patrick King, who lost his battle with melanoma earlier this year) made with Toki Japanese whiskey, lychee liqueur, fresh lime juice and a dash of bitters ($14).

The Kasai tai, shown above, is rum, orange liqueur, amaretto, lime juice, mango and lemongrass foam ($14).

Whether it’s the bar, teppanyaki table or dining room, guests will be greeted by

staff wearing masks.

“We’re really abiding by the rules,” Russello says.

“Everybody’s wearing the masks. The chefs, they’re more strict than anybody in the building. It’s a little easier for us because we have a bigger place. It’s tough to be 50% in a smaller restaurant. We’re lucky that it’s a big space.”

Kasai is still about having fun, though.

“It’s high energy, and we play fun music,” he says. “It’s not a place for a really quiet dinner. People yell at the tables. They’re just having fun. We have a great staff, and they’re pushing the fun element, too.”

This fall, Kasai will take a new turn.

“I want to do brunch in the fall,” Russello says. “We’re starting to think about it right now. It’s a two-month process for a teppanyaki brunch. I want to figure it out and get suggestions from the chefs. I think it could be a fun brunch place, too.”

Kasai Japanese Steakhouse 14344 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.607.1114, kasaiscottsdale.com

DINERINSIDER THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

Hash Kitchen goes old school

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

H

ash Kitchen’s Joey Maggiore and his wife, Cristina, are known for their creativity.

When it comes to Hash Kitchen’s latest over-the-top dishes, Joey has Cristina to thank.

“My wife came up with dishes that play on the old-school items we grew up with,” Joey says. “She came up with some fun things with Fruity Pebbles.”

The Fruity Pebble Poppin’ Pastries ($11) are made with sweet pastry dough and strawberry filling and then dusted with Fruity Pebbles.

“It’s served warm in an old lunch box that looks like a DJ turntable. It looks super cute,” Joey says. “It’s selling like crazy.”

Those addicted to sugar can check

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Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Pancakes

out the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup pancakes ($12, pictured), which are served with warm chocolate fudge, whipped cream and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup crumble.

Want to imbibe a bit at brunch? Try the Cinnamon Toast Crunch (spiced rum, horchata rum and coconut milk); Fruity Pebbles (fruity loops vodka and coconut milk); Captain Crunch (peanut butter whiskey, hazelnut liqueur and coconut milk) or Coco Puffs (chocolate vodka, espresso liqueur and coconut milk).

Hash Kitchen 8777 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 480.947.3214 2855 W. Ray Road, Suite 4, Chandler, 480.909.4270, hashkitchen.com

SQUEEZE PLAY Breakfast spot raising funds for special needs pups

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

T

he breakfast and lunch spot Morning Squeeze is spending August raising funds for the Be Like Josh Foundation, a local nonprofit that raises awareness about special needs animals.

For every dog biscuit order Morning Squeeze receives in August, it will donate half of the sale to the organization.

Morning Squeeze dog biscuits are part of its Tail Wagger menu, which is available for pups on the restaurant’s dog-friendly patios and also available for takeaway orders. The made-fromscratch peanut butter biscuits are gluten free and come three to an order for $5.

“We love our Squeeze pups here as much as our guests,” managing partner Jaryn Oakley says. “When we learned about the amazing work the Be Like Josh Foundation is doing, we knew we wanted to help continue its mission. We hope this fundraiser is an opportunity for people to celebrate the love all animals give to us unconditionally and support this great cause.”

The Be Like Josh Foundation helps

dogs with special needs by fostering and finding good homes that can cater to the animals’ needs. They also visit schools to teach children the importance of compassion to animals as well as the inclusion of all abilities. The foundation works closely with its volunteer homes, giving the caretakers the training, tools and expert support needed for each animal’s unique needs.

“We are excited to partner with Morning Squeeze for this fundraiser,” says Jenny Braunwalder, rescue coordinator at The Be Like Josh Foundation. “All donations help us educate people and younger generations about the beauty of special abilities for all people and animals.”

The Morning Squeeze dog biscuit fundraiser runs through August 31 at both Squeeze locations in Tempe and Scottsdale. The biscuits can be ordered for dine-in or takeaway.

Morning Squeeze 690 S. Mill Avenue, Suite 110, Tempe 4233 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale morningsqueeze.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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BEER AND WINE

SIP » BREW » RELAX » EXPERIMENT » REFRESH » TOAST

Wine a Little

Sisters share their love of vino through their blog and events

By Annika Tomlin

S

hayla Smith and her sister, Shaunna Cooper, share a passion for wine.

The siblings wanted to tell the world about their love of vino, so they created Wine Spencer, a contemporary wine brand to inspire people to decant and appreciate wine, in September 2019. Smith and Cooper host events, private occasion and social celebrations to help others imbibe.

Smith and Cooper, who pursued WSET Level 2 wine certifications, named the company after a well-used family moniker.

“Our dad, his name is Spencer,” says Cooper, who lives in Mesa. “His dad was named Spencer, so he is a junior. Then, our mom, her dad’s name is Spencer and then our grandfather on our mom’s side is named Spencer. It is a name that has been in our family, and we really wanted to pay respect to that.”

The wine blog was a steppingstone for the sisters on their journey to putting their business together.

“I think for me the wine blog was just an introduction to wine, but to really understand the way to taste wine, you need an in-person tasting. (That) was the best way to go about it,” Smith says.

“Now we are doing virtual tastings, but it’s still having that conversation with

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people about the aromas, about how to properly taste wine, and I think you don’t really get the interaction in a blog, and so being really able to create that dialogue (is important).”

Wine Spencer offers eight specific guided wine experiences: Wine 101, Old World vs. New World, All White Everything, All Red Everything, Let’s Get Bubbly, South African Wine Tour, Black Winemakers/Wineries, and Rosé All Day. It also offers a createyour-own option along with restaurant partnerships and private event food and wine pairing consultation.

“I lived in South Africa for four months, and so the South African Wine Tour is really fun for me, because I can talk about my experience being in South Africa and some of the red (wines) that are native to South Africa, like pinotage,” Smith says. “It allows me to expose people to a new grape variety that they might not have tried before. Being able to introduce them to a wine that is pretty affordable and high quality is nice.”

Cooper adds, “I think Wine 101 is a great class to teach, because you are introducing people to wine, and I think that people that don’t drink wine don’t drink it because they don’t understand what type of wine to order.

“They just don’t really know what type of palate they have. Do they like dry

wines? Do they like sweet? Just by them trying to break it down and have them understand what they like versus what they don’t like is something that I enjoy.

It just kind of expands their knowledge in wine and gets them interested in the world of wine as well.”

The sisters agree that they enjoy sharing milestones with their guests.

“During the tasting it allows us to be part of other people’s milestones,” says Smith, a New York resident. “Helping to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and bridal showers and engagements. That has been nice to be able to help people celebrate important moments in their life.”

Their personal milestone was hitting 1,000 followers on Instagram.

“When we initially started you see all these large brands and they have like 15,000 to 20,000 followers and you

think, ‘Oh, it’s easy to get to that,’ but it’s really not,” Cooper says.

She initially saw two or three people following per day, so she took it upon herself to better her Instagram skills.

“I started taking an Instagram course to get more educated on how to increase our following,” Cooper says. “Definitely hitting the thousand milestone was something that we are proud about and can hopefully continue to grow and eventually get to that 15,000 to 20,000 mark.”

A wine experience includes tasting between two to five wines under the specific category that was chosen. Each class begins with overall knowledge of how to get from grape to the bottle and then dives into the details of what people are tasting, smelling and seeing. “(We are) trying to get them to understand what they are tasting in their

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IRONWOOD AMERICAN KITCHEN Alison Bailin Batz

“Our aim at Ironwood American Kitchen is to give guests elevated comfort food rooted in Arizona’s farmland heritage. We are casual and almost Arizona’s version of a bistro. One element that really sets us apart: Our renowned chefs are inspired by the local farmers and artisans who produce the season’s freshest flavors and highest-quality ingredients: organic fruits, heirloom vegetables, sustainable pasture-raised meats, heritage grains and farmstead cheeses. It only made sense to pair locally inspired ingredients with local beers. As such, our menu is fairly focused on showcasing the best of our local beer scene, including seasonal options from across the state and our personal favorites, including Papago Orange mouth,” Cooper says. “Is it the acidity?

The body? What types of aromas are they smelling? We really try to focus on the five S, which are see, swirl, sniff, sip and then savor.”

The hardest part of doing the classes during a pandemic is having to find places that sell the same wine in different states for virtual classes.

“Before, we were doing classes in Phoenix and New York, and so it was a lot easier to tell people where to get wine,” Smith says. “Now, because we are doing virtual classes, it is a little more complicated trying to figure out what the best places for people to get wine in the different cities across the country so that we all can have the same one.”

Virtual classes for up to five people are $150, and for up to 10 people it is $250.

The sisters will continue hosting virtual classes but would like to one day be able to do events at wineries and vineyards locally and internationally.

“We are originally from Los Angeles, and so I think doing pop-up tastings

Blossom, Tower Station IPA, BEER BREWERY: WREN HOUSE Wren House Spellbinder BREWING COMPANY IPA, Helton Boysenberry STYLE: PILSNER Sour and more.”

NAME: BIG SPILL PILS —Karma Tsepal, general manager of Ironwood American Kitchen

Ironwood American Kitchen Fairmont Scottsdale Princess, 7575 E. Princess Drive, Scottsdale, 480.585.4848, scottsdaleprincess.com

This locally brewed Pilsner is intentionally designed to be light, crisp and flavorful. It uses Nelson and Galaxy hops. It’s unfiltered and dry hopped, which adds great color, body and a bold hop aroma. The hit of acid is also a kick to the taste buds. Together, the flavors all play off of each other, making it well balanced and perfect for the hot Arizona summers, not to mention a treat for multiple senses.

DISH

NAME OF DISH: DOUBLE STACK BURGER COST: $21 Ground in house from a brisket blend, this is the classic all-American burger with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and secret sauce on a seeded bun.

Despite being one of five restaurants at the 750-room Princess, Ironwood American Kitchen features local produce and purveyors, which is part of what makes this pairing a great marriage. A light, cool, crisp Pilsner paired with a hearty, locally sourced burger makes for the perfect poolside meal.

in LA would be a fun thing to do for people who might be following us, but they want to do an in-person tasting post COVID,” Smith says.

Smith is interested in pursuing a Spanish wine certification, while Cooper would like an Italian wine certification.

Both are hoping to plan seven-day international trips around getting their certifications that could include others to make it a full wine experience.

“With a wine tasting, I know that there are some brands out there where they bring specific wine, and you know they are really trying to get you to purchase the wine after the tasting. That is not our structure,” Cooper says. “It is really based on an unbiased opinion. We are not selling anything other than our services.”

Wine Spencer For more information about Wine Spencer, look up the sisters on Instagram @winespencer or go to winespencer.com.

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AL FRESCO FUN UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Vineyards and tasting rooms offer socially distancing pours on the patio

By Alison Bailin Batz

M

issing patio weather?

And people? And wine tasting?

Less than two hours north of the Valley are several vineyards and tasting rooms, each with ample patio space to ensure socially distanced wine tasting as we all continue to navigate the new abnormal amid COVID-19.

BURNING TREE CELLARS Cottonwood’s Main Street boasts several tasting rooms and restaurants— notably Pizzeria Bocce with two large patios and Merkin Osteria with some of the best homemade pasta in Arizona.

While not all tasting rooms offer patios, those that have them certainly do it right. At Burning Tree, there is lush patio furniture one might expect at a friend’s fancy pool party rather than at a winery. Big, cushy and certainly distanced given its sheer size, tasting here is a treat right now. Its focus is offering several brands, but all are boutique, small-batch vineyards one would never find in a grocery or liquor store.

It also always has games such as Card Against Humanity on hand for visitors. burningtreecellars.com

ARIZONA STRONGHOLD VINEYARDS From the front of this Cottonwood mainstay, it may not look to have enough space for an outdoor tasting of any kind.

However, hidden behind the storefront and indoor options is the venue’s

spectacular and well-shaded patio with games as well as page after page of flight options. There are sips exclusive to the tasting room as well as a full kitchen serving tapas, cheese plates, skewers— including duck, elk and bison options— and even desserts. azstronghold.com

advance. clearcreekwineryaz.com

ALCANTARA VINEYARDS

SALT MINE WINE

This family-owned vineyard—which is focused on sustainable farming and offers nearly 20 varietals for taste and purchase along with antipasto, cheese and sweets plates—not only boasts a massive deck overlooking the Verde River and its vines but kayak tours before tasting. Thanks to a partnership with Sedona Adventure Tours, groups of two to 10 can reserve this package in advance, which costs $108.50 per person on weekdays and $120 per person on weekends. After the tour, sit back and relax with a custom wine tasting on the patio, or use a $20 credit to buy a bottle, open and enjoy. alcantaravineyard.com

Camp Verde also boasts this charming tasting room with patio. Salt Mine Wine is a boutique winery just east of the Verde Salt Mine, which is one of only three prehistoric salt mines in Northern Arizona. The family-owned operation specializes in growing Italian varietals such as malvasia bianca and sangiovese and offers wine tastings—reservations recommended—as well as bottle purchases. saltminewine.com

CLEAR CREEK VINEYARD & WINERY Located in Camp Verde, Clear Creek has the distinction the first Silver-Certified Arizona winey by the Sustainability Alliance. Featuring all estate wines, meaning all wines are made from grapes grown on the property, the winery offers tastings Wednesday to Sunday, and while reservations are not required, they are recommended to ensure outdoor seating with a view of the property’s pond and lush greenery.

Gourmet picnic lunches and cheese boards are also available if reserved in

D.A.RANCH LODGE AND ESTATE VINEYARDS This boutique, family-owned estate vineyard has been producing wine since 2008, not too far from Page Springs and Javalina Leap (noted below). Varietals on the property include syrah, cabernet sauvignon, petite sirah, tannat and seyval blanc, which is an emerging hybrid grape for white wine. The property itself will take your breath away, but be sure to make a reservation, as it has limited operations to ensure everyone’s safety is top of mind. daranch.com

PAGE SPRINGS CELLARS A family-owned winery and vineyard tucked into the volcanic landscape overlooking pristine Oak Creek Canyon, Page Springs Cellars is just more than 90 minutes north of Phoenix and produces Rhone-style wines, working primarily with syrah, petite sirah, grenache and mourvedre. Beyond its indoor tasting room, the vineyard offers the option to enjoy wine on its front porch, which is outfitted with comfortable outdoor furniture and spaced to ensure social distancing, as well as an expansive back terrace. The terrace offers views of the entire vineyard as well as a walkway to enjoy wine closer to the actual vines.

There are also Vitae Spirits craft rums, gins and liqueurs available to taste while there. pagespringscellars.com

JAVELINA LEAP WINERY Just half a mile from Page Springs is Javelina Leap, which makes about 3,000 ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

cases of estate-grown wine each year and is across the street from both a bird sanctuary (tip: bring your binoculars) and the State Fish Hatchery. The combination vineyard and winery is earning more and more accolades, which has—in turn—helped it expand the tasting room space in recent years. Of particular note are both its cozy indooroutdoor bistro as well as the patio, which has a newly added cactus garden. As with Page Springs, there is a kitchen and chef on staff that delights in creating locally sourced small plates and entrees. javelinaleapwinery.com

SOUTHWEST WINE CENTER Just 20 minutes west of Page Springs is the town of Clarkdale. And while small, the region is mighty when it comes to wine, thanks in great part to the Southwest Wine Center, which is home to Yavapai College’s Viticulture and Enology program. A full-scale winery and farm feature a 13-acre teaching vineyard where students of all ages take part in the ultimate hands-on approach to learning. But don’t worry; we aren’t suggesting you sign up for classes. Nestled into the vineyard is an opulent tasting room and patio, where wine tastings are available Saturday and Sunday by reservation. southwestwinecenter.com

CHATEAU TUMBLEWEED Also open by reservation only Friday to Sunday each week this summer, fellow Clarkdale tasting room and patio Chateau Tumbleweed were born out of four friends’—all veterans of the Arizona wine industry—desire to build something from the ground up on their own. The friends source their grapes from both Verde Valley and Willcox, which are Arizona’s premiere wine-growing regions. The patio is safely socially distanced while still feeling intimate, with greenery and wildflowers circling the space and picnic tables throughout. There are red, white and rosè tasting, glass and bottle options, as well as great views around sunset. chateautumbleweed.com

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

SPORTS

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CHEER » HIT » HIKE » LEAD » ROOT » COMPETE

THE IRREGULAR SEASON Phoenix Suns are taking the restart one step at a time

By Dave Hogg

M

onty Williams knows what he needs to tell the media about the Phoenix Suns’ chances in the NBA’s restart.

The Suns coach also knows the odds are stacked against his team when the season resumes at Walt Disney World.

With eight games to play, Phoenix is in 13th place in the Western Conference, six games behind the eighth-place Memphis Grizzlies.

“We obviously have a goal, which is making the playoffs,” Williams says.

“But I always approach every situation by trying not to get too far ahead of myself. We know the big picture, but we need to focus on one step at a time.

“That’s why I’ve watched Washington a lot more than I probably should have.”

Under the special rules adopted for this one-of-a-kind finish, the Suns don’t have to catch Memphis to get into the Western Conference playoffs. If the ninth-place team in either conference is within four games of the eighth-place team at the end of the irregular season, there will be a two-game play-in series between them. If the ninth-place team wins both games, they steal the eighth seed.

In the Eastern Conference, it is fairly straightforward. There are only nine teams at Disney, with the Washington Wizards (24-40) needing to get within four games of either the Orlando Magic (30-35) or the Brooklyn Nets (30-34) to force a two-game showdown. It isn’t likely—the Wizards won’t have their three best players— but at least they have a clear idea of what they need to do.

It’s not nearly as simple for the Suns.

Not only do they have to get within four games of the Grizzlies, they have to pass the San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans and Portland Trail Blazers to grab ninth place. That would be difficult with a full roster—the Suns are 26-39, after all—but it will be tougher with what Williams will actually have.

Privacy concerns mean coaches can’t discuss injuries, but reports have stated Kelly Oubre will miss the restart because of a knee injury sustained in February. Oubre, the Suns’ secondleading scorer, is at least definitely in Orlando. Starting point guard Ricky Rubio and backup center Aron Baynes are not in any of the clips released of practices, nor have they done Zoom interviews from Disney.

“I can’t speak on any player’s condition because of the HIPAA laws, but this is obviously an unprecedented situation,” Williams says. “We all have people who rely on us, and I think everyone is concerned about staying healthy.

We’re the lighthouses of our family, and we don’t want to do anything that jeopardizes that.

“Based on what we’ve been told, the NBA is giving us the best possible chance to stay safe, and that’s all we can ask.”

Florida is one of the nation’s hardesthit areas during the current COVID-19 surge, but the Disney bubble seems to be working. The league announced July 21 that none of the 346 players in Orlando had tested positive during the latest round of checks. If players leave the area, they are subjected to quarantine periods before they can join their teams.

That’s one of the reasons there is so much uncertainty about Rubio and Baynes. While reports indicated they didn’t travel to Florida with the team on July 7, it is possible that one or both have arrived in the meantime and are waiting out a quarantine period.

Nothing will be completely clear until they restart their season on July 31 against the Wizards.

And as long as there is a mathematical chance, Williams expects whatever players he has to be fighting for a playoff spot.

“We’re trying to win games—that’s always our mindset,” he says. “We’re not down here to ride on Space Mountain and do the Disney thing. This is ‘Gladiator’ and ‘Braveheart’ stuff. We’ve talked about ‘embracing hard’ for a long, long time, and our guys know what that’s going to take.”

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MONSTER FOLLOW-UP Bellinger not

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

looking to duplicate the 2019 season

By Dave Hogg

C

ody Bellinger is the reigning National League Most Valuable Player after a monster 2019 season that saw him lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a seventh straight NL West title.

He’s a two-time All-Star, played in two World Series and he’s got a Jackie Robinson Award next to his MVP trophy on the mantel.

That’s a good career haul for most players, but Bellinger only turned 25 on July 13.

He might be the best baseball player on the planet not named Mike Trout, and he could just be getting warmed up.

With the addition of former Red Sox star Mookie Betts and one of baseball’s best products in Gavin Lux, the Dodgers’ everyday lineup already looks unstoppable. What happens, though, if Bellinger gets as hot for the 60-game schedule as he did for the first two months of the 2019 season?

On June 2, 2019, the Dodgers were 41-19 and already had a nine-game division lead over the Colorado Rockies.

Bellinger, who played in 58 of the 60 games, was hitting .376 with 20 homers and 52 RBIs—the equivalent of 56

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home runs and 146 RBI in 162 games.

“I don’t know if anyone will hit 20 this year—that would be crazy—but I saw someone predicted 17 would lead the National League,” Bellinger says in a Zoom call with the Dodgers media.

“That seems like a good target.”

Bellinger didn’t exactly slump after the first 60 games—he finished the season with a .305 average, 47 homers and 115 RBI—but now he’s had three extra months to get ready to defend his MVP. “There are always small things you want to fix about your swing—not major

adjustments, but stuff you want to do on a more consistent basis,” he says.

“With all of this extra time, I decided I was never going to have a better chance to work on them in a stress-free environment.”

Bellinger thinks the work has paid off, but he’s not trying to duplicate the 2019 season.

“I don’t want to be the identical player I was a year ago, because you always want to be growing and evolving as a hitter,” he says. “I tried to remember how it felt and build off that. Right now, I’m

feeling really good about where I am.”

Obviously, Bellinger’s extra workouts came because his sport had been shut down to the COVID-19 pandemic. He wasn’t worried about his own health, even as things got worse in his home state of Arizona, but he acknowledged it was strange not knowing when or if the season might get underway.

“It was hard to stay focused every day when all I was hearing were the notifications about things between the owners and the union,” he says. “You have to be mentally prepared to go out and work out not knowing what was going to happen. I’m just glad it finally came to a conclusion.”

While he was excited to get back to Dodger Stadium, he was disappointed it wasn’t in time to start the season with the All-Star Game scheduled to be played in his home park. The game will now be played in Los Angeles during the 2022 season.

“I’ve gotten to play in two All-Star Games, and they’ve both been awesome, but everyone will tell you there’s no bigger rush than playing in one at your own stadium,” he says. “Hopefully, I’ll get that chance in a couple years.”

Bellinger got used to wearing a mask while working out in Arizona, but nothing could prepare him for the other strangeness of the 2020 season—playing Major League baseball without fans.

“I think it is going to be fun, because it is such a unique experience,” he says.

“We’re obviously taking it very seriously, but we’re still having some fun with it.

“It’s never going to happen again, but it is almost bringing the game back to when we were kids.”

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

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FROM TRAGEDY TO THE TEAM

Starling Marte considered retirement after his wife’s death

By Dave Hogg

S

tarling Marte was a late arrival to Arizona Diamondbacks summer camp.

He almost didn’t show up at all.

The 31-year-old outfielder was delayed

by Major League Baseball’s COVID-19 testing protocols on his way from the Dominican Republic and didn’t arrive in Phoenix until mid-July. After taking the day to get his four kids settled in, he worked out for the first time shortly thereafter.

“I had to wait for all of the tests to come back, but they are all good and I’m ready to go,” he says through a translator in a Zoom call with Diamondbacks reporters after his first practice.

When spring training was interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, Marte was getting ready to be Arizona’s everyday centerfielder. Everything changed in one tragic week in May.

Marte’s wife Noelia broke her ankle, then died of a heart attack while in the hospital awaiting surgery. He announced her death in a May 18 Instagram post, then tried to decide what came next.

“My first thought was I wanted to retire and not play baseball anymore,” Marte’s translator says. “I was processing the tragedy, and I was leaning in that direction. But I had some conversations with some pastors and my friends back home, and I felt a lot more supported.”

The final decision, though, didn’t come until Marte talked things over with his three oldest children, who are 10, 6 and 4. His youngest, a 1-year-old, is also with him.

“I especially felt supported by them when it came to coming back to play,” he says. “This has been the hardest on my oldest, because she spent so much time with her mother.”

Sadly, Marte has some idea what his

kids are experiencing. His own mother died when he was 10, leaving him to be raised by his grandmother.

The Diamondbacks sent the team plane to get Marte, fellow outfielder Ketel Marte (no relation) and their families from the Dominican Republic.

The teammates discussed playing through tragedy, as Ketel lost his mother in a car accident during the 2017 season.

“He and his wife gave me their condolences, and we talked a lot about our kids,” Starling said. “It’s all about moving forward now and making sure our kids are ready to handle what comes next.”

The Diamondbacks organization, from the owner to the players, has done whatever possible to help a teammate dealing with a tragic loss, even though he’s never played a regular-season game for Arizona.

“We were in regular contact with Starling,” general manager Mike Hazen says. “Obviously, it was a horrible

tragedy, so it will be good to have him here and see him again.”

Marte played his first eight majorleague seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, playing in the 2016 All-Star Game and winning a pair of Gold Gloves in the outfield. In January, he was acquired for a pair of minor-league prospects. He’s expected to hit near the top of Torey Lovullo’s lineup, probably in front of power hitters Ketel Marte and Eduardo Escobar.

Last year, he set career highs in homers (23), RBI (82) and runs (97) while hitting .295 with an .845 OPS. He also stole 25 bases, marking the seventh straight season with at least 20. That’s exactly the kind of hitter the Diamondbacks need at the top of a batting order that needed more runners in 2019.

“I feel really good and really prepared,” he says. “It was tough to get back to training, but I’m going to be ready for the season.”

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FAMILY

FROLIC » DISCOVER » IMAGINE » FAMILY » FUN » CONNECT

A NEW OUTLOOK

Tortilla Flat’s new ‘caretakers’ are looking to freshen it up

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

K

atie Ellering, one of Tortilla Flat’s new owners, isn’t about modernizing the remnant of the Old West town.

She and her fiancé/operations director, Chris Field, just want to bring a fresh look to the tourist attraction, which boasts a population of six.

“The most important thing to remember is we—the owners—are temporary,” says Field, who lives in Gilbert with Ellering.

“We’re transitioning what Tortilla Flat was into the 21st century. We’re not a sports bar or a strip mall that’s going to be gone in 10 years. This is a historical Arizona property that will be here for another 100 years. Our goal, as caretakers, is property maintenance, and we want to keep the look and the feel and provide programming to make sure we’ll be able to pass it on.”

Ellering has owned it since September with partners Ryan Coady, Tom

Misitano and Dale Evans.

“We thought this was such a unique thing, and we were like, ‘Yeah, let’s do this,’” Ellering says. “We got together and made it work.”

So far, the team has upgraded the kitchen and the food on the menu, except—Ellering and Field are quick to add—the famous chili recipe that’s been around since the 1940s.

“It’s a time-honored tradition, and that will not change,” she says.

The chili, which is also found on the chili dog, is part of a hearty American menu that includes the Mucho Macho nacho ($15.99); Roosevelt “Dam” Good wings ($7.99 starting price); Gaucho cheesesteak ($12.49); Ol’ Faithful BLT ($11.49); chicken street tacos ($12.59) and fajita salad ($14.39).

“We have great food,” Field says. “We do. Is our food better than what you’ll find elsewhere? Maybe. We’re trying to create an experience. It’s a little gem of an experience.”

After having a meal in the saloon, guests can head to the Tortilla Flat

General Store and Ice Cream Shop, where they can enjoy its well-known prickly pear gelato, or take home prickly pear barbecue sauce or a Tortilla Flat “Killer Chili” packet.

BELOVED ATTRACTION The owners have heard plenty of heartwarming stories from visitors to Tortilla Flat. They see children dressed

up as cowboys and cowgirls and the awe on their face when they’re out there.

“They’re used to growing up in the city, and when they come out here, they play in the dirt and see cactus everywhere,” she says. “They have a lot of fun. They have a lot of fun with the dollar bills, too.”

“I got a letter a few months ago that had a dollar bill in it. A young kid had

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taken one of the dollars off of the wall (at Superstition Saloon and Restaurant) and had written us a letter of apology and sent us the dollar bill back.

It was really cute.”

The couple have been visited by folks who have donated the collectibles that fill the saloon, like the saddles that sit atop hand-carved bar stools and worn leather goods that are tacked to the walls.

One of the fun parts of Tortilla Flat is its history and games. Field explained that in the frontier days, if there were more than 100 permanent residents, you were considered a town or settlement and you’re officially on the map.

“Tortilla Flat was never big enough to have that prestige,” he says. “We were big enough to have a post office. Because of that, there’s no real town hall records or building plans. Most of what we know about Tortilla Flat has been assembled by different people who were here.”

No one knows the real story behind the name, Tortilla Flat. But one is believable, Field says. It’s understood that it came from a family who was caught in a monsoon in the 1930s in the area. After being stuck for a couple days, all they had left was masa and water.

“They were down to eating tortillas for the last couple of days,” he says. “So, they called it Tortilla Flat.”

A man who visited in the early 2000s said he lived there when he was a child.

He sketched a picture on a napkin of the town before fires and floods ravaged

it. It included the Goldbrick Motel, which was constructed from mud bricks manufactured on-site out of clay in the ground and then mixed with gold dust from the local miners in the Superstitions at the time.

The kitchenettes in the motels were rented to tourists until 1987 when a fire destroyed the entire town. A building that replaced it houses the gift shop and post office.

“Every time it rains, we have a little creek alongside the property,” he says.

“You can see little shiny flecks.”

Other stories revolve around the items that adorn the walls of the saloon.

“One of the funny things is, maybe a month ago, there was a couple here who were like, ‘Hey, that stuff right there is ours—that gun and jacket. We donated that,’” Ellering recalls.

“People are so proud to have their things up on the wall and just be a part of history. There are some really cool, fun stories and things that happen out here.

SELF-SUFFICIENT Tortilla Flat is a self-sufficient little town, according to Ellering.

“We’ve got a sewer plant. We’ve got a water plant. We do process our own water,” she says.

“However, we don’t even have a phone line. We can’t get a landline here. So, when people call us, they don’t know that they’re calling a cellphone because we don’t have a landline. We can’t get the internet.”

Field and the all-female leadership team—Ellering, restaurant manager Renee Lockhart, restaurant supervisor Marba Carroll, kitchen manager Kaleena Gallegos and retail manager Stephany Duarte—are planning some improvements, though. They include painting signs and creating a town newspaper with treasure hunts for kids, a historical crossword puzzle and stories of

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Tortilla Flat.

“I’ll be all silly advertisements, like period pieces,” Field says. “I have this really fun idea.”

Field says Tortilla Flat, which also houses a museum, is perfect for a day visit for Valley families during the pandemic.

“You don’t have to commit to a day of travel or two days of travel,” he says.

“You can spend a half day with us and get away from all the craziness.

“Our goal is to take what’s here and just make sure that it looks fantastic. It’s in repair so people can create memories with their families long after we’re dead and gone.”

Tortilla Flat 1 Main Street, Tortilla Flat tortillaflataz.com

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FAMILY PROGRAMS

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC

Maricopa libraries offer fun for everyone

By Elsa Hortareas

T

he pandemic is making it hard to stay involved in the community, but thanks to the local libraries, residents can participate in online programs and classes.

Listed below are some of the special programs the libraries are offering.

PHOENIX LIBRARIES For the entrepreneurs, Phoenix Public Libraries offer one-on-one mentoring with a member of the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department on August 4, August 5, August 11, August 12 and August 14. They can talk about licensing, policies and how to navigate a business in the city.

They also offer a kids’ cafe, where children or adults with children can grab food while supplies last from August 3 to August 7.

The Universal Class offers many online classes such as an online knitting course, feng shui class, an interior decorating class and more. You can go online at any time to take the classes.

SCOTTSDALE LIBRARIES In Scottsdale, the Civic Center and the Mustang libraries buildings are open.

The Arabian and Appaloosa Library is still offering limited drive-thru service.

Scottsdale is offering online library card registration, as well as recently getting rid of late fees.

If you like the British, the library offers Acorn TV, which gives you access to British TV and film.

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Lastly, Scottsdale Libraries are offering Universal Class, which offers free online educational classes on a variety of topics.

MESA LIBRARIES Mesa Public libraries buildings remain closed but offer curbside pickup.

Most importantly, they have a hotline for businesses and residents affected by COVID-19 to get referrals for services.

They are also providing an online budgeting guide!

GLENDALE LIBRARIES

Glendale Library buildings are open.

They are hosting author Amy K. Nichols to provide online instruction to aspiring writers. You can attend a 30-minute one-on-one with her via Zoom, or you can attend a workshop. All experience levels are welcome!

MARICOPA COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT This library has online sewing classes on the August 12 and August 18. It also has bilingual storytimes every Monday!

ALL THE LIBRARIES All Maricopa County libraries are offering a summer reading program until August 15. Everyone of all ages can join, and they earn one “point” for one minute of reading.

All you do is read 20 minutes a day and log your minutes, and you can earn rewards for doing so. You can join online at maricopacountyreads.org.

If you do not need a physical book, most libraries offer online downloadables through Hoopla, Overdrive, Freading and Tumble Books.

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

MUSIC

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LISTEN » JAM » INNOVATE » EVOLVE » ROCK » SING

The Anti-Hero Playboy Manbaby’s ‘Debbie from Zumba’ explores the Karens of the world

By Alex Gallagher

R

obbie Pfeffer of Playboy Manbaby doesn’t like heroes.

He prefers the shady, troubled characters who are always more interesting than the onedimensional Ken dolls of the world. That sentiment resonates on the band’s latest collection, “Debbie from Zumba.”

“None of my songs ever have heroes; it’s always villains,” Pfeffer says. “I find them significantly more interesting. I’m always the person who watches a TV show and is way more interested in the bad guys than the hero.

“I like writing about people who have various delusions. And it’s a way to explore my own, because everyone has their own different types of oddities.”

“Debbie from Zumba” could be classified as a concept album about the Karens of the world—the women who will complain at the slightest misstep.

“The whole thing is a narrative of a lady who’s leaving a bad Yelp review about being in hell,” says Pfeffer, who attended Horizon High School. “There’s a song on the EP where the line says, ‘My friend Debbie from Zumba told me,’ and I just thought it worked.”

Pfeffer—who is joined in the band by drummer Chad Dennis and trumpeter/ percussionist David Cosme, both of Phoenix; guitarist TJ Friga of Tempe and bassist Chris Hudson of Mesa— uses the name as a symbol for gossip culture and to satirize people he grew up around. He wanted to portray the image of an entitled woman who is ready to complain at the drop of a hat.

“Debbie from Zumba” fits nicely in Playboy Manbaby’s catalog, although the band’s first album in two years doesn’t feature its trademark musical introductions.

“These songs, in particular, have no fat on them,” Pfeffer says. “They go straight to the core. They’re all quick songs. They have the least extra instrumentation of

any of our songs that we’ve done.”

Playboy Manbaby wrote the EP’s five songs in one day in a cabin Up North—a town so bland, Pfeffer can’t remember the name of it.

“It was really terrible,” Pfeffer says.

“But that was good because it, being this ugly town, made it so that we didn’t have anywhere to go. We just stayed in the cabin and wrote stuff.”

One thing that shines on “Debbie from Zumba” is Playboy Manbaby’s personality. Pfeffer says sometimes it can be hard to grasp.

“It’s very take it or leave it,” he adds.

“It’s a thing that people really relate to or find it very jarring. But it’s something that’s very us.”

Personalities are inherently important, and by ignoring the naysayers, Playboy Manbaby has become Arizona’s premier anti-rock rock bands.

“I think there’s something dynamic about who we are as people,” Pfeffer says. “We’re interested in being the multidimensional people we are.”

Because Playboy Manbaby is on COVID-19 lockdown, the band released four videos for the songs “Mulligan,” “High End Condos,” “Car on Fire” and

“I Wish My Brain was a Computer,” most of which were produced by filmmaker Carl Jensen.

The latest video chapter, “I Wish My Brain was a Computer,” features animation and shots of Pfeffer inline skating, a task he admits was harder than he remembers.

“I don’t remember myself as a child being good at rollerblading, and I thought that would be a super easy task to relearn, but it was not,” Pfeffer says.

“I injured myself repeatedly in the making of that part. The pandemic has really shifted the dynamic of the band.

This has been weird because we’ve been operating in our own little pods. We still haven’t met up as a band.”

The whole pandemic is odd—but productive—for Playboy Manbaby.

Dennis covered “Wizard” by King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, while Friga offers a guitar tutorial for Playboy Manbaby’s music on its Instagram.

“We’re all getting a chance to put our own individual voices out there, though,” Pfeffer says.

Playboy Manbaby playboymanbaby.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

y r e v E r e h t O y r o m e M

Country singer Ryan Hurd releases nostalgic EP

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

C

ountry singers Ryan Hurd and his wife, Maren Morris, are putting their family first during the COVID-19 quarantine.

They welcomed their first child, son Hayes Andrew Hurd, in March and are spending their pandemic-driven break watching him mature.

“We’re enjoying being home,” says Hurd, who lives in Nashville. “We’re proud to be with our son, and that part has been a huge positive. We wish we were on the road with our teams so we could see our fans and play shows. That’s who we are, and that’s a huge part of our identity. It’s been cool to see Hayes every day and not miss anything, though.”

The break hasn’t been all about family, though. Hurd released his latest collection, “EOM,” on June 26. The EP includes an acoustic recording of his latest single, “Every Other Memory”; a live version of “Wish For the World” recorded at Nashville’s Cannery Ballroom; his cover of Taylor Swift’s “False God”; as well as new versions ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

of his best-known songwriting hits, including “Heartless” and “Sunrise Sunburn Sunset.”

For “False God,” Hurd says it’s fun to dive into other artists’ songwriting.

“When her album came out, I wrote on my story how much I loved that song,” he says. “She reposted my story, so I covered it. I love that song and that album (‘Lover’). She’s somebody I have so much respect for as a songwriter.”

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hurd was playing it live. He says it paid off.

“When you play live music and you have fans in the room, you have Taylor Swift fans in the room,” Hurd says.

“She’s the biggest artist in the world. I think it’s cool, too, to hear a man sing a song that was originally written by and performed by a woman. It brings a different perspective.

“I didn’t have to change any pronouns to make it work for me, either. It’s a testament to her writing and the gender norms we express.”

The new single from “EOM” is the title track, “Every Other Memory,” which he cowrote with Cole Taylor and Nathan Spicer. The song is a

nostalgic romp through a man’s former relationship, with lyrics like: “That last call, first kiss never left my mind/That old school Springsteen gets me every time/And when I see that leather jacket/ Think about how you had it.”

Speaking of lyrics, Hurd has had co-pen credits on some of country music’s biggest hits, including “Lonely Tonight” (Blake Shelton), “Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset” (Luke Bryan), “You Look Good” and “What If I Never Get Over You” (Lady Antebellum), and “Heartless” (Diplo ft. Morgan Wallen).

“As far as lyrics go, we work so hard on them,” he says. “It’s nice to have people listen to them. I thought the one thing we do so well in country music is nostalgia and painting visual pictures with song.

“It touches on so many different nerves for the listener. I really love the way it turned out. We knew immediately ‘Every Other Memory’ was going to be special. Everybody’s eyes went up when the band figured it out.”

Music has been Hurd’s calling since his formative years in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

“I think this is the only job I ever

wanted since I was 11,” says Hurd, who earned a sociology degree from Belmont University in Nashville. “I did school, but I thought I would give this a go.

I’ve always loved writing songs. Once I found out this is the job I can do, I made sure I really cherished being a songwriter in Nashville.”

And he has done so since then. COVID forced the cancellation of the back part of his headlining tour, and he’s “bummed” it didn’t work out. Hurd says it feels “strange” to be home in July, but to be home with Hayes and Morris is priceless.

“We’ve enjoyed being in Nashville in the summertime,” he says. “There are good parts to this pandemic. We miss the teams, and we miss our fans and all the people on the buses and our friends we see in every city—the people we count on seeing on tour. We’ll see them next year.”

Ryan Hurd ryanhurd.com facebook.com/RyanHurdOfficial twitter.com/ryanhurd rh.lnk.to/EOM-EP

REINVENTING HERSELF Singer Arielle Silver is all THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

35

about second chances

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

A

rielle Silver had a successful music career when she just up and quit 10 years ago.

Following years of regional tours, and then a six-month national tour with her trio in support of her third album, she put away her guitar, moved to Los Angeles and landed a behind-the-scenes job in the music business.

After hours, she studied and taught yoga philosophy, won awards for her literary writing, got divorced, got married, and performed at SoCal world music festivals as a background singer and instrumentalist.

But her own music came calling.

“The reason I quit and came back both came from a really deep place inside me,” says Silver, who has family in the Valley.

“When I stopped playing, I couldn’t do it anymore. I had done it my whole life.

It was the life force for me. It was just something I needed to do and loved to do until I didn’t.”

One day she woke up from a “crazy dream” and it inspired her to do something she never considered.

“It compelled me to go in the backyard and clear a space,” she says. “I didn’t know I was going to build a shed in which to write songs. I just suddenly felt I needed to clean the backyard and get back to something elemental, I guess.”

As soon as she built the shed—six

weeks later—she started writing songs again.

“I was feeling my gut instinct,” she says. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.”

Despite 10 years off, when Silver launched a spring 2019 crowd-funding campaign, she raised over $26,000 to record the just-released indie folk Americana album, “A Thousand Tiny Torches.” The title comes from a lyric on the album.

The songs are about fireflies, wildfires and shining a light into the darkness.

Produced by Shane Alexander, the project was recorded by Michael Gehring at Secret World Studios in the legendary Sound City complex in Los Angeles. It’s being mixed by Grammy winner Brian Yaskulka (Lisa Loeb) and mastered by Grammy winner Hans DeKline (U2). The album features drummer Denny Weston Jr. (KT Tunstall), keyboardist Carl Byron (Rita Coolidge), bassist Darby Orr (Naked to the World), steel guitarist Jesse Siebenberg (Lady Gaga, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real), and mandolinist Mike Mullins (David Grisman).

The first single was “What Really Matters,” which hit streaming services on February 28. The song was inspired by the November 2018 shootings at the Borderline Bar in Thousand Oaks, and the Woolsey and Hill fires. The events made her think about what really matters most. “‘What Really Matters’ emerged from

my process of challenging myself to write a song a week,” Silver adds.

“All of California looked like it was on fire. A lot of people lost their homes.

Thousands were evacuated. The sky was dark and ashy. That week, I wrote two songs. One was ‘What Really Matters.’

We have our personal tragedies in our lives, and then there are these cultural tragedies or local tragedies that are public. It’s terrible.”

The first song on the album, “You Were Light,” is luminous and

uplifting in its forgiveness after a rocky relationship and accompanied by the reassuring strums of the guitar.

Another album track, “Someone Else’s Dream,” describes the rigorous internal battle between who you are and who you want to be.

Silver’s songs have been licensed internationally for film/TV. She has performed at venues around the country, including Club Passim, 12th and Porter, and Eddie’s Attic, with many of her favorite songwriters, including America, Elizabeth & the Catapult, Kris Delmhorst, St. Vincent, Jay Nash, Rebecca Loebe and Chris Pierce.

Also an essayist and poet, Silver’s literary work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best New Poets and has appeared in Matador Review, Moment, Lilith Magazine, Under the Gum Tree, Brevity and Jet Fuel Review.

Silver says she can’t wait until the COVID-19 crisis is over so she can hit the road again. At 5:30 p.m. Fridays, she hosts livestream shows.

“It’s been a hard year,” she says. “It’s a hard time and it’s a strange time to have something to celebrate. I think, first of all, all of us need a light in the dark.

“We can’t just reside in the despair of global, economic and health crises. All of that said, we need music, art, connection and good food—all of the things that help us feel human together.”

Arielle Silver Ariellesilvermusic.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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UPFRONT | CITY | TRAVEL | ARTS | DINING | BEER AND WINE | CASINOS | SPORTS | FAMILY | MUSIC | NIGHTLIFE | IN CLOSING

SOCIETY UNDER A MICROSCOPE Río Wiley’s newest album studies society’s obsession with social media

By Alex Gallagher

R

ío Wiley is tired of the impersonal world, and the Phoenix-based ASU alumni shares that on his latest album, “I Hate the

Internet.”

The pop release examines society’s obsession with documenting their lives and how it can become detrimental.

The first song, “Roll Deep,” shares: “I just don’t deal with drama and I’m sick of all this hate. The internet’s impersonal and I only know your username. We bottled it all in. Block me out so we can’t DM.” Initially, the album was meant to have an entirely different title—“Happy Birthday, Say It Back.” Wiley garnered it from a popular internet meme.

“It came around the time when everyone on the internet was saying

‘Good morning, say it back,’ which I thought was really funny, and it was right around my birthday,” Wiley says.

“I just remember having that thought in my head, because I had seen an Instagram story or something and I was being trite and I said, ‘Happy birthday, say it back.’”

Wiley changed his tune, so to speak, to the digital age and society’s reliance on it.

“Eventually that changed, because as I got more into writing the record, I was starting to home in on the stories in the songs and the lyrics,” Wiley says.

“What I ended up realizing, through some deep thinking and introspection, was that I was thinking about the internet and how people remember your birthday now because they have Facebook and things like that, and so I was just questioning or challenging the validity of somebody saying happy

birthday to you.”

Wiley then gave it more thought and changed the title to “I Hate the Internet.”

“It (the internet) creates this space and separation for us. It makes us feel more connected, when it actually distances us,” Wiley says. “The fact of the matter is that we leave it up to social media to dictate our lives and things like that.”

While Wiley’s album aimed to put social media under the microscope, there was another event in Río’s life that he wanted to share.

“I had written this record after a breakup, and another thing I was thinking about during that time was how even though we get out of relationships, we can still access people.

We can still follow people and we can still block them,” Wiley says. “The fact that my last relationship is just a click away on the internet is just kind of daunting to me.”

Wiley acknowledges the album’s title is a daring exclamation at one of the largest technical enhancements. He adds it’s purely a sarcastic remark at the importance of social media. He hopes the title doesn’t overshadow the album’s underlying theme.

“The biggest theme of the album is trying to move on from somebody when you know it’s the right thing to do, even when it’s hard,” Wiley says. “I wasn’t necessarily upset with this person, and I think the record doesn’t necessarily promote a negative perception of it but

more promotes the perception of how we handle the breakup.”

Wiley didn’t pen the album based on this sole incident. It’s a study of the conclusion of most of his relationships.

“It’s how we handle a breakup, or the loss of someone we love or when somebody leaves us. It’s how we handle that in the digital age and how the anxiety of all that manifests itself even more as a result of having access to them on the internet,” Wiley says.

Wiley found himself reminiscing through social media, and he wanted to examine this on the album. He cites this as the lyrical driving force.

“Just knowing you love this person but wanting the best for them and trying to have the self-restraint to not go and do it,” Wiley says.

Wiley cites his song “Famous” as best encapsulating the message of the internet’s eternity.

The lyrics “I hate the internet because you won’t ever go away, can’t even kick it when you’re dead” are among the more morbid on the album. Wiley says he feels these lyrics best examine how saddening these posts can be.

Wiley’s favorite song on the album is “She Bored,” as it best exemplifies everything he wanted to say on the record, just like the upbeat “Unfollow You” and “Faded.”

Wiley also recorded the album at home and is working on a new set of releases.

“Over the past couple of years, I’ve been able to develop my studio and gain the ability to do it on my own,” Wiley says.

Wiley’s first records were recorded with knob-turner Hiram Hernandez, who helped him learn the art of producing and perfecting his vocal style.

Wiley also attributed his unique style as being influenced by artists ranging from Mayday Parade to the Foo Fighters and most closely to rap artist Blackbear, whom Wiley feels he emulates the most.

Though Wiley’s album contains 10 songs, he does anticipate releasing three new EPs, including new music coming as early as August.

“Right now, I’m just locking in vocals and getting everything tight and preparing to see what I want to release first,” Wiley says.

“You can expect to hear new stuff in August for sure.”

Río Wiley iamriowiley.com ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

THE ENTERTAINER! MAGAZINE AUGUST 2020

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Neck Deep tries to find its way with ‘All Distortions are Intentional’

By Mckayla Hull

S

ome performers are avoiding releasing albums during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Neck Deep lead singer Ben Barlow says he believes this is perfect timing for “All Distortions are Intentional,” the alternative pop-punk band’s fourth collection.

“Throughout lockdown and throughout the cultural shifts that are happening, I feel like there are sentiments and lyrics in the record, that are definitely more pertinent now than they were at the time (they were written),” Barlow says. “Despite it not being political, it’s still going to resonate.”

Barlow describes the record’s feeling as “looking at the world around you and how you fit into that (i.e., society’s standards), and whether you fit into that and if you’ll ever fit into that, and what do you even need to fit into that?”

The first song on the record, “Sonderland,” explains it all. “Sonder” is defined as “the sudden realization that everyone around you, even just strangers passing in the street, have a life as vivid and complex as your own,” according to Barlow.

To help fans understand that message, the Welsh band wanted to take fans through a tale that is relatable to listeners. “It’s a pretty simple story—a boy and a girl and finding a place in the world,” Barlow says.

The boy, Jett, is “looking at the world, looking at other people, and then he’s looking at himself and realizes that he doesn’t feel connected to any of it. And he finds love and battles with his own

head and comes to a realization at the end.” The tone is generated on the album closer “Pushing Daisies” and the single “Lowlife.”

Neck Deep’s versality runs deep on the record, from angst-riddled poppunk songs to ballads like “When You Know.” Despite that, “All Distortions are Intentional” is cohesive.

Barlow would love to promote the album and its story with tours and interviews, but COVID-19 has made that nearly impossible. Neck Deep was slated to set off on a global tour this year. Instead, the musicians are creating music videos from their homes

and streaming live on Twitch to talk to and meet fans, as well as promote the album.

Barlow says canceled tours are devastating, as bands make most of their income from touring.

“It’s not the ’90s anymore,” he says.

“We don’t really make money off record sales.”

It’s a domino effect, too, as the cancellations affect the income of the touring crew, management and booking agencies. With the pandemic, riots and protests, Barlow reminds fans that “everyone is in the same boat” emotionally. “All Distortions are

Intentional” is meant to be a diversion from those issues.

The album acknowledges Neck Deep’s fans, who have stuck by the band, who avoids the mainstream.

“I think if you’re a fan of Neck Deep from our first EP—whether you’re a fan of ‘Life’s Not Out to Get You’ or ‘The Peace and the Panic’—I think there’s something on this record for you,” he says.

“It was written with fans in mind, whilst also pushing ourselves and challenging ourselves and making ourselves uncomfortable in the age of evolution.”

A TABLE FOR TWO?

Phind it ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

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AXE TO GRIND TSO guitarist Angus Clark and local musicians rip through ‘Burn’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

T

rans-Siberian Orchestra guitarist Angus Clark vividly remembers the day the world shut down.

He was playing guitar for Cher and took a side trip to an NBA game in Oklahoma City.

Clark knew something was wrong.

“This year I was slated to play 10 shows with Cher, and the second one was in Oklahoma City,” Clark says. “The whole band drove to Oklahoma City to see the Utah Jazz play.

“We sat there waiting for the game to start, and then the cheerleaders came out and did the halftime show before the game started. Then they said the game was canceled. Our shows were canceled.

The basketball season was canceled, and I haven’t left home since.”

Instead of laying low, Clark has been creating music with friends. His latest project is a cover of Deep Purple’s “Burn” with singer Bobby Sisk (Drop Diezel) from Cave Creek; bassist Greg Smith (Dokken, Ted Nugent); drummer Jason Hartless (Ted Nugent); keyboardist Marine Lacoste (Uncle Kracker) and Phoenix guitarist Brian Buzard.

ENTERTAINERMAG.COM

“I just recorded and there was Bobby, who has a lot of touring credits,” says Clark, photographed here with a Jackson guitar. “He’s a tremendous singer. I just recorded my parts and put the video and the audio in a Dropbox. It came out great. After I submitted my parts, that was pretty much it.

“I’ll do anything that helps people stay connected and to give people something to do and makes them feel better about the fact we all have to stay on lockdown right now. I want to keep people safe and healthy until we have a national strategy.”

“Burn” was a logical choice for Clark, who has played with a Deep Purple tribute band.

“Ritchie Blackmore is a huge influence for me,” he says about the original Deep Purple and Rainbow guitarist. “I had, in particular, been a fan of the early Rainbow (Ronnie James) Dio material.

“The Deep Purple material is much more popular than Rainbow material.

When getting together with Greg Smith a few years ago, we had always done Deep Purple material; the stuff that has Glenn Hughes in it. I had learned all that material.”

To put this project together, he had to “dive deep” and make sure he was

getting the guitar solo “YouTube ready.”

“You don’t want to mess it up on YouTube,” he says with a laugh. “It was a personal challenge. I feel I got a good result out of that.”

Clark grew up in New York City with an opera singer mother and a father who played the cello. Music filled his home.

“I took up the guitar in earnest when I was 13, the same year Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ came out,” he says. “After that, I was just learning Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath and ‘London Calling’ by The Clash. Then I discovered Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow.

“I was a huge devotee of the giants of guitar, like Michael Schenker, Randy Rhoades, David Gilmore, Tony Iommi and Yngwie Malmsteen.”

Clark landed his first deal in 1992 with the band Naked Sun, a progressive metal act. But the musicians were dropped as “grunge took hold,” he says.

After that, he spent the rest of the ’90s touring the world with Japanese new age musician Kitaro, who was signed to Geffen Records.

“I was playing, essentially, instrumental Pink Floyd-style, orchestral rock music with no singers,” he says.

Around 1999, his friend and Kitaro

fan Marty Friedman recommended him to Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

If there are concerts this fall, Clark will celebrate 20 years with the West Coast team of Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

He’s especially fond of the Valley.

“We love that area,” he says. “I’ve previously worked with some guitar builders based out of Phoenix and (Peoria’s) Atomic Guitar Works. They’re great. We love that town. I can’t wait to get back there.

“I love playing with TSO, and the fans are the best. The band is really tight knit.

Al Pitrelli, Jane Mangini and I have all been in the West Coast-touring band for about 20 years.”

For now, he’s spending a “fortune” on cameras and home recording gear through the pandemic and posting content on his socials @angusclarkGTR. “Since the lockdown hit, we’ve becoming self-producing broadcasters,” he says with a laugh.

“Burn” featuring Angus Clark, Bobby Sisk, Greg Smith, Jason Hartless, Marine Lacoste and Brian Buzard. youtube.com/ watch?v=CbjMdDVWTZ8

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