Scottsdale Airpark News 10-22

Horses and Horsepower

Nic Roldan, airplanes and cars return to Polo Party

A Polished Effort

Collins Bros. Chophouse opens in Scottsdale

THRILLS AS BIG AS TEXAS

Finally, the game-changing Oasis Class meets Texas pride as Allure of the Seas® heads to Galveston starting November 2022. The biggest, boldest ship ever to sail from the Lone Star State delivers seven neighborhoods filled with adventures of all sizes. Like ziplining, rock climbing and hanging ten on the FlowRider® all day and nights packed with jaw-droppingly good entertainment on stage, ice, air and water. Nineteen restaurants serving up fare that’s as epic as it is epicurean — from Italian feasts to sizzling Brazilian steaks to fresh-rolled sushi. And more memory maxing onshore during seven-night tropic treks to Cozumel, Puerto Costa Maya and Roatán. Experience all this and more with Travel Weekly’s Best Cruise Line

Overall 19 years running. Come Seek the Royal Caribbean®.Plus, if your plans change, our Cruise with Confidence program offers flexibility you can count on and our Best Price Guarantee. Come Seek the Royal Caribbean®.

are eligible to earn

to

Contact now to book your next Royal vacation!

Expedia

GIVING BACK IN A BIG WAY

Thanks to the support of the WM Phoenix Open, The Thunderbirds have donated more than $176 million to Arizona charities in its 87-year history. We are extremely proud of the tradition and success of this event and the tremendous positive impact it has on Valley charities and the State of Arizona. We look forward to the 2023 edition of “The People’s Open,” and cannot wait to GIVE BACK IN A BIG WAY.

— Michael Golding, Big Chief,

Thunderbirds

Life is driven by purpose

What do you live for?

Success is about progress and is founded on hard work. First International Bank & Trust can bear some of that load by taking the work out of managing your accounts. Our experts can custom tailor banking solutions to best suit your operations, so you can get back to business.

1900 W. Broadway Road

Tempe, Arizona 85282

Phone: (480) 348-0343 • Fax: (480) 348-2109 Website: www.scottsdaleairpark.com

PUBLISHER

Steve T. Strickbine steve@scottsdaleairpark.com

VICE PRESIDENT

Michael Hiatt

mhiatt@timespublications.com

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski christina@timespublications.com

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

David Minton

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Alison Bailin, David M. Brown, Joan Fudala, Alex Gallagher, Rachel Sacco

DESIGNER

Veronica Thurman vthurman@timespublications.com

AD DESIGN

Christy Byerly - cbyerly@timespublications.com

ADMINISTRATION

Courtney Oldham production@timespublications.com

Published monthly since 1981, Scottsdale Airpark News serves the fastest-growing area in Arizona. Scottsdale Airpark News is delivered to businesses in and around the Greater Airpark Area. ©2020 Scottsdale Airpark News

For calendar and news items, the deadline for

is the

of the month previous to the

you would like it to

are handled

a space-available basis. Unsolicited

will not be

Scottsdale Airpark News has made every effort to authenticate all claims and guarantees offered by advertisers in this magazine, however, we cannot assume liability for any products or services advertised herein. The tradename Scottsdale Airpark News is registered. Reproduction of material in Scottsdale Airpark News in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

accompanied

Times Media Group sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. Scottsdale Airpark News is printed by American Web on recycled paper

with inks containing a blend of soy base. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards.

Scottsdale Airpark News

further

Media

azintegratedmedia.com

Kolodny

aaron@azintegratedmedia.com.

please contact

Nights showcase local and regional artists

at

Jazzbird Lounge.

feature a

selection

‘Do’ South

ertainly, Mexico has become a hotspot for Valley residents, especially Cabo San Lucas, Playa del Carman and Puerto Vallarta, thanks to the direct flights daily and ample expansive resorts that rival the biggest and best in the world. Here are some worth exploring:

Cabo San Lucas

Sun, surf and so much amor

Rancho San Lucas, a stunningly beautiful 834-acre resort community along the Pacific Coast of Cabo San Lucas, has gone the extra mile to set the stage for couples looking for a little romance south of the border. Within the waterfront community are a bevy of luxury homes and estates as well as the award-winning Greg Norman Signature Golf Course, exquisite fine dining — don’t miss signature Baja-inspired restaurant Anica or the farm-to-table Italian cuisine of Picaro — and the incomparable Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Resort Golf & Spa.

The all-suite resort is both sophisticated and welcoming, combining natural earth tones with ironwork, lush greenery and abundant water features — including a lazy river and saltwater lagoon — in homage to the surrounding Baja coast’s look and feel. There are three types of suites available: the 828-square-foot grand studio, which offers ocean views and one king bed; the

The waterfront wonderland of Mexico is a mere direct flight from Sky Harbor and the Scottsdale Airport, with flights daily. (Solmar Resorts/Submitted)

MEXICO OFFERS EASILY ACCESSIBLE EXPLORATION, ESCAPE

By Alison Bailin

1,245-square-foot master suite, which features two bathrooms and a private bedroom area off the living space; and the 2,038-squarefoot presidential suite, which features two bedrooms, a marble wet bar, living room, dining room and extra-large terrace.

Guests at Grand Solmar may take advantage of the entire community’s amenities, including the 18-hole Greg Norman-developed golf course, a Mexican-inspired shopping village, a tennis club, biking and hiking trails and more. They may also indulge in Spa by the Ocean, which debuted in 2019 at Grand Solmar and offers elegant seaside cabanas, outdoor spa beds, outdoor treatment bunga-

lows and specialty treatments for individuals and couples alike.

Grand Solmar at Rancho San Lucas Resort Golf & Spa grandsolmarranchosanlucas.com

Playa del Carmen

The region, a massive jungle along the Pacific Ocean, was discovered by the Mayans in approximately 600 B.C. Today, much of the area remains untouched, save for the

Grand Velas Riviera Maya is a suite-only resort, meaning each room offers ample space to indulge in ultimate relaxation. (Grand Velas/Submitted)

J.

M. Lieberthal

Ferber

Crotty

TRAVEL

Continued

preserved ruins, swimmable cenotes (underground caves) and responsibly built resorts nestled along the water.

The 206-acre Grand Velas Riviera Maya is among the most opulent all-inclusive resorts in the area, especially for those who love the outdoors. The modern, all-suite resort is divided into three sections — Grand Class, Ambassador and Zen Grand — each with its own distinct look and feel.

The 90 suites in the Grand Class section, restricted to guests 16 and older, boast ample oceanfront terraces, each with its own personal plunge pool. While the Grand Class is perfect if traveling with friends, the Ambassador experience is made for those vacationing with the family.

This section of the resort, 195 suites in total, features a baby concierge and is close to both the kids’ club and teens’ club. Amenities here include everything from in-room teepees and kid-size bathrobes to beach toys and family photo sessions.

There are even two-bedroom suites tailor-made for families (complete with stuffed animals), not to mention ample

The top resorts across Mexico offer on-site activities including watersports, mixology classes and spa therapies. (Grand Velas/Submitted)

nearby kid-friendly dining and optional ensuite plunge pools for those with older children. Finally, the Zen Grand Class is for those looking to escape from it all. Set just off the main resort, with shuttle service back and forth nearly 24 hours a day, each of these 254 suites features indigenous stone and wood and comes complete with a plunge pool overlooking the actual Mayan jungle as well as floor-to-ceiling windows to make you feel wholly enveloped by nature. The best way to describe it: a boutique property in the middle of Disney’s “The Jungle Book.”

might find in the French Riviera.

The most populated area along the bay is Puerto Vallarta. A resort town, Puerto Vallarta is the place to go for fun in the sun followed by a bustling nightlife scene. The area is the perfect combination of charming cobblestone walkways with ornate churches, boutiques and botanical gardens mixed with bars, nightclubs and waterfront restaurants galore.

LET ROB THE FLYING REALTOR NAVIGATE YOU HOME!

Buying or selling a home can be a stressful process if you don’t have the right real estate agent.

Rob the Flying Realtor is 100% customer focused.

Specialized concierge teams deftly book the perfect resort activities and off-property excursions, many in partnership with Cancun Adventures, which range from watersports to dolphin swims to Yucatán jungle exploration. Through December, there is also a golf enhancement package for those staying in the Ambassador suites, which includes a round of golf at the Greg Norman-designed El Camaleón.

Grand Velas Riviera Maya grandvelas.com

Puerto Vallarta

Though the Mexican state of Jalisco is known worldwide for the city of Tequila — and its popular libation of the same name — it is also home to much of the Bahía de Banderas, or Banderas Bay. The 62-mile-long bay straddling Jalisco and the neighboring state of Nayarit boasts sandy white beaches that rival Miami; crystal blue waters as clear as those in the Bahamas; golf courses as lush as those in Scottsdale; and award-winning resorts one

Though there are copious resorts from which to choose sprinkled along Puerto Vallarta’s miles of glistening beaches, Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta is of particular note. The adults-only enclave is made up of just 80 suites and feels almost hidden away from the rest of the world, as it is tucked along Marina Vallarta Golf Course. The resort has its own private beach club — Táu Beach Club — that not only boasts picture-perfect views and luxe cabanas but a private pool complex complete with pool, Jacuzzi and restaurants overlooking the water. Those on the beach as well as at the pool have individualized wait staff service, including all-inclusive mixology and dining options.

In addition, Casa Velas boasts one of the most lauded culinary programs in Mexico — thanks in great part to AAA Four-Diamond Emiliano Restaurant — as an award-winning wellness program anchored by ABJA Spa, with herbs and ingredients harvested at a botanical garden on property. There is also daily yoga for all guests as well as wine and cheese tastings, margarita classes, tequila tasting and more. 

Casa Velas Puerto Vallarta hotelcasavelas.com

At cocktail parties, on the tee box and amongst the ladies who lunch, there’s a subtle whisper about an unusual design mecca—Consignment. The valley’s most savvy shoppers and discerning designers are regulars at Avery Lane Fine Consignments and they are rewarded with great deals on one-of-a-kind home décor. Avery Lane’s design style is “Paris Apartment” which is a curated aesthetic of items collected from a lifetime of international travels, inherited from generations or salvaged when the flat upstairs was vacated. And, the 30,000 sq. ft. of inventory is like a Parisian merry-go-round—constantly changing and revolving. Come check it out … sit for a spell … we’ll pour the champagne. Discover more at AveryLaneHome.com

Darlene

‘It’s Just Magic’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

The Nobu brand is known primarily for its iconic seafood restaurants, but within the past 10 years it has brought its penchant for hospitality to hotels.

Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, a boutique space within the Las Vegas resort, debuted in 1993. Last January, it unveiled 182 redesigned guest rooms and

suites after a multimillion-dollar refresh. It boasts a residential feel with design inspiration from kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold epoxy.

“We changed out our carpet, mattresses, sofas, coffee tables,” says Martha Morales, general manager, Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback from our guests in the Las Vegas market that they wanted a desk. So, we added a desk in the key rooms. In the rooms with the two queens, we added a nice wood table that would double as a desk and a dining area.”

Other highlights include a custom sofa in a dozen patchworked upholsteries, from painterly style prints to muted textured graphics, a quartzite coffee table with a gold base and a cracked kintsugi effect, along with additional lighting.

The custom carpeting has eggplant hues, as well as abstract and painterly style florals, inspired by 19th century Japanese artist Tsubaki Chinzan, overlaid with gold kintsugi veining.

“We’ve had a lot of great feedback,” she says. “It’s because (architecture and design firm) Rockwell Group had done a great job making it feel homey with all the designs.

“We have this beautiful coffee table that looks like broken pottery and put together. Our sofa is comprised of diff erent patterns put together. Even though we don’t have the elaborate pieces or decorative pieces around the room, the furniture is the artwork.”

Additionally, the redesigned guest corridors feature a custom carpet with rippling forms, suggesting a pond of koi fish that cluster at each guest room door, and patterns inspired by suminagashi — the art of Japanese paper marbling. The new inset lobby carpet depicts monumental slabs of marble and agate surrounded by gold veining, with pops of gray, rust and blue.

Longtime success

The fi rst Nobu restaurant opened in September 1994 as a partnership between chef Nobu Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, restaurateur Drew Nieporent and investor Meir Teper. Its signature dish is black cod with miso.

Nobu Hotel entrance.

Three years later, London was the site of the first international Nobu restaurant. Now Nobu boasts about 50 restaurants.

The brand has since expanded to Nobu Hospitality, built on service, image and reputation.

Since the 2013 opening of Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace, the company has opened hotels in Manila, Miami Beach, Malibu, Shoreditch (London), Ibiza, Palo Alto, Marbella, Los Cabos, Barcelona, Warsaw, Chicago and Portman Square (London).

Nobu Hotels are in development for Marrakech, Riyadh, Toronto, São Paulo,

Atlanta, Tel Aviv, Hamburg, New Orleans, Atlantic City and Thailand.

“The brand became so popular that they started leasing and opening within hotels throughout the world,” she says.

“They (restaurants) were so popular within hotels that they thought they would open their own hotel. That’s how the brand and hotel were born. We thought, ‘Let’s give guests what they want.’ They like the experience. It’s very minimalistic. We don’t use tablecloths. We’re about quality. Everything is high quality. Our team doesn’t even wear nametags. We are not

Donn C. Frye

Nobu Villa master bedroom. (Submitted)

TRAVEL

the focus. Our guests are the focus.”

And guests have a wide-ranging experience at Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace. They’re not limited to Nobu’s offerings.

“The reason why we have repeat guests is because they’re able to have that

boutique experience, but once they come down to the casino, they’re in the iconic Caesars Palace,” Morales says. “They have everything they want while they’re here on vacation or business.”

The pairing of the two landmark brands

has made the property a success.

“You have two well-recognized, wellknown brands, you marry them and, seriously, it’s just magic,” she says.

“Our guests who come stay with us are Nobu lovers. They’ve been to many restaurants across the world. They come to experience the Nobu Hotel and the food. Nobu is very special, as you can go to any Nobu across the world and every Nobu is a different experience.”

The staple dishes are there — black cod with miso, squid pasta with light garlic sauce — but each location has special dishes utilizing local produce.

“They are inspired by the food around the area,” she says. “Las Vegas is known for doing things bigger and celebrity branded. When guests come to Vegas, they not only get to eat and try out and see the different dishes that Nobu has, but they also get to be at Caesars, which is world renowned. That speaks volumes.”

Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace

3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas 1-800-727-4923, caesars.com

Qua Baths and Spa treatment room.

Spice of Life

Christina Spicer excited about new leadership role

By Alison Bailin

InAugust, Scottsdale resident Christina Spicer was announced as co-chief executive officer of Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council.

In her role, Spicer and co-CEO Mary Mitchell will work to maintain, establish and grow key partnerships within the government and community; continue to make diversity, equity, inclusion and racial justice an organizational priority; and provide strategy and vision to council’s staff, 6,500 adult volunteers and 11,000 girls grades K-12 in more than 90 communities across central and northern Arizona.

“We want to ensure that our girls are supported and empowered to be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges while helping build a better world,”

says Spicer, who has worked for the council since 2014, most recently as interim co-CEO.

Spicer and Mitchell take over the CEO role from Tamara Woodbury, who is retiring after leading the organization since

Christina Spicer, back center, with co-CEO Mary Mitchell, Girl Scouts-Arizona Cactus-Pine Council board Chair Lupe Camargo and local Girl Scouts at the Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women. (Girl Scouts/Submitted)

Christina Spicer and her Co-CEO Mary Mitchell. (Girl Scouts/Submitted)

1993, though the Lifetime Girl Scout continued in an emeritus role

September 30.

“To work with Tamara for the last eight years has been a privilege, and I have great love and respect for her,” Spicer says.

“She has shaped and changed the lives of so many girls and women in this community. In fact, over the course of her Girl Scout career in Arizona, we have served over 500,000 girls under her leadership, which is an incredible accomplishment. She was asked to serve on the city of Phoenix Youth Commission and the Phoenix Mayor’s Small Schools Task Force to be a leading advocate for Girl Scouting in our community. Her authentic passion and commitment to the movement is inspiring.

“She has the ability to see people’s gifts and talents and encourages them to make the world a better place. I have been able to call Tamara a teacher, mentor and friend. It is an honor to carry the torch of the Girl Scout mission.”

Spicer not only brings eight years of on-the-job knowledge about the Girl Scouts to the role, but a lifetime of experience and lessons learned.

Looking back

Spicer was diagnosed dyslexic as a child and grew up in a singleparent household touched by mental illness.

By middle school, Spicer had a life-threatening eating disorder.

“The illness grew so strong that I was hospitalized twice as a teen,” Spicer says. “It took my mother — a fierce Latina — to help me fight back.”

Her healing became a turning point in her personal life and served as the first step in what has been a lifetime of healing herself and others.

“Once in recovery, my eighth grade P.E. class planned a lesson on eating disorders,” Spicer says. “Uninspired by the lesson, I asked the teacher if I could get up in front of the class to share my personal story of survival.”

The story was so powerful, Spicer spent the next five years visiting high schools statewide sharing her story with other teens.

“After graduating ASU in 2003 — the first in my family to ever graduate college — I wanted to keep making a difference where I could, so I took a position with notMYkid, which provides children and families with truly lifesaving programs, support, resources and education,” Spicer says.

“I worked with the Clear Choices program within the organization.”

Through the program, Spicer helped others share the worst things they’ve ever felt or done — as she did with her eating disorder story — so that they could put said experiences in a metaphorical box and begin the healing process while helping others heal and grow, too.

“Before making my way to Girl Scouts, I also had the opportunity to found my own organization, CAMEO,” Spicer says.

The women’s mentoring organization, which stands for Caring and Mentoring Each Other, empowers females outside of job titles and educational achievements. Spicer also earned her master’s degree at ASU in 2008, became a founding member of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, took part in Valley Leadership Class 28 and was named to the 40 Under 40 class of 2022.

Joining the Girl Scouts

“In 2014, I had lunch with Tamara Woodbury to talk about joining GSACPC as a board or committee member,” Spicer says.

“A few months later, I was accepting a full-time position within the organization, and Tamara became my mentor.”

Together with Woodbury and Mitchell, over the next eight years,

Spicer and the council set some lofty goals, achieving them despite sometimes seemingly insurmountable odds, notably the pandemic.

“We have grown our annual fund from $600,000 to $4 million, and on top of that completed the Campaign for Girls capital campaign,” Spicer says.

“Through the campaign, we were able to build and open The Bob & Renee Parsons Leadership Center for Girls and Women at Camp South Mountain with the Girl Scouts ADA-accessible year-round urban program center with camp appeal.”

The center increases the local council’s capacity to serve more girls with relevant programming, from aquatics to STEM, year-round.

“The goal of Campaign for Girls was to provide the Girl Scout Leadership Experience to more girls throughout the state, including those who come from underserved communities,” Spicer says.

“The Parsons Leadership Center is a testament to what we stand for, so much more than camp and cookies. We provide girls with relevant programming that builds confidence and allows our girls to learn and grow in a supportive environment, all year long.”

Beyond this, they led the first Day of the Girl, which raised $1 million for the council, and navigated through COVID-19, managing to continue programming (virtual as needed) and the cookie program while ensuring the safety of all Girl Scouts and their families.

Earlier in 2022, Spicer and her team along with partner State Forty Eight Foundation innovated a wholly new event in the Bring the Cookies Home 5K. It was so successful, it is now officially a regular annual event.

“And we are only getting started. I am humbled to be part of this incredible movement that serves Arizona girls. Just wait to see what we do next,” Spicer says.

Vote

America’s Greatest Polo Party

– The Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships: Presented by Talking Stick Resort will return to WestWorld of Scottsdale this November. (Submitted)

Horses and Horsepower

Nic Roldan, airplanes and cars return to Polo Party

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Professional polo player Nic Roldan is enamored with Scottsdale.

“It’s beautiful,” he says via telephone from Florida.

“There are plenty of things to do day and night. I love hiking and golfing. It has plenty of great restaurants, beautiful people and the energy’s great. It’s a fun place to be.”

He’ll return to the Valley for America’s Greatest Polo Party – The Bentley Scott-

sdale Polo Championships: Presented by Talking Stick Resort, on Saturday, November 5, at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

More than 13,000 fans showed up in 2021 for the one-day event. New for 2022 is Prosecco and Popcorn by Harkins Theaters, Grimaldi’s Pizza Disco, an expanded Scottsdale Charro Lounge, a special appearance by “Elvis,” former Arizona Coyotes Capt. Shane Doan taking the field, and an on-site boat and plane display.

“There is always something for every one at the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Cham pionships,” says Jason Rose, founder and owner.

“Whether you are rich or poor, Black or white, or young or old, we provide a diversity of experiences beyond polo. Besides the four action-packed polo matches, guests can also enjoy fashion shows, including those of the canine variety, performances by the Phoenix Boys Choir, Arizona Opera, a top saxophonist, jazz bands, DJs, and displays of dozens of collector and exotic cars led by Bentley Scottsdale and Barrett-Jackson.”

Rose is thrilled that Roldan will lead

the Aspen Valley Polo Club again this year, but there are two surprises on tap, he says. From “across the pond,” and for the first time in several years due to COVID-19, the Wales Polo Team will play Royal Berkshire Polo Club, both of whom count King Charles as members, thus the new King Charles III Salute Match.

“It’s in honor of the new king and the return of two of our favorite teams who have played in the event before,” Rose says. “Then there is something unique: the polo debut of former NHL and Arizona Coyotes star Shane Doan. Shane is quite an equestrian but has never played polo before. That’s why he is train ing in the weeks leading up to the event to debut his ‘horse hockey’ skills with the Arizona Polo Club team on November 5.”

Also confirmed to play in 2022 are Roldan’s Aspen Valley Polo Club, USA Women’s Team, Swit zerland, the El Paso-Naranjo Polo Club and Arizona Polo Club.

Roldan has played for the Aspen Valley Polo Club, owned by Marc and Melissa Ganzi, for close to 10 years, he says.

“Marc and Melissa and their organization are like family to me,” he says. “I’ve been working with them year-round for a long time now.”

He is passionate about his sport, citing the horses as his source of inspiration. Travel is next.

“I love to travel,” Roldan adds.

“I love seeing new places. I just got back from Azerbaijan. Then, there’s the sport itself. It’s hard to compare it to any other sport. The speed and adrenaline and the complexity of the sport are something I just love.

“Every day I learn new things, and I’m trying to improve and keep up with these young kids. There is an influx of young, insane talent in our sport.”

Nic Roldan meets Queen Elizabeth II.

Nic Roldan will lead the Aspen Valley Polo Club again this year. (Submitted)

Fourth-generation star

Born December 4, 1982, in Buenos Aires, Roldan grew up with horses in Wellington, Florida, and Boston, as he started riding at age 2.

He comes from a long line of polo players: His great-grandfather, Audilio Bonadeo Ayrolo, won the Argentine Open in 1931 and 1938, while his grandfather and father also played.

“He pushed me, in a way, to play polo, but he wasn’t forcing me,” he says about his father. “He really pushed me to follow my dreams, work hard and pursue my passions. I have a hugely supportive family.

Nic Roldan comes from a long line of polo players. (Submitted)

My father played polo his whole life.”

Roldan played in his first tourney when he was 6 and turned professional at 15, when he became the youngest polo player to win the 1998 U.S. Polo Open with the Escue Team. When it became too hard to balance school and polo, his parents hired a private tutor to educate Roldan.

“It’s historically one of the most important tournaments in the world,” Roldan says about the U.S. Polo Open. “I was the youngest to win the U.S. Open at 15 years old, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I’m 40 now. I say this all the time, but at the end of the day, it’s what kick-started my career.”

Polo is comparable to hockey, as it’s electric, fast, physical and rough, yet it’s the perfect spectator sport, he says.

“The beauty of polo is it gives me a lot of free time,” he says. “As an athlete in

Nic Roldan played in his first tourney when he was 6 and turned professional at 15. (Submitted)

general, you can’t be training every day nonstop. I really started to grow a passion for real estate and interior design and architecture. As I was getting older — in my mid-20s — I started to invest money in houses, gutting and flipping them and selling them. I did really well with it.” 

America’s Greatest Polo Party: The Bentley Scottsdale Polo

Championships: Presented by Talking Stick Resort

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, November 5

WHERE: WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale

COST: Tickets start at $40

INFO: 480-423-1414, thepoloparty. com, info@roseallynpr.com

Nic Roldan overlooks a lake while hiking. (Submitted)

Hitchhiking Back TO THE TOP

The Thumb rebounds with weekly market, music

By Alex Gallagher

It’s been a long road to get back to 100% for a Scottsdale business that is much more than a gas station.

Established in 2012, The Thumb immediately began turning heads by offering a gift shop with creative Southwestern products and décor in addition to being one of the few stations to offer 95 gasoline — a blend of 91 and 100 octanes gasoline that is infused underneath the gas station.

It also developed a big reputation for award-winning barbecue.

However, the pandemic threw The Thumb for a loop after people stopped traveling, going to car washes and eating out.

Because of this, general manager Joe Berman lost most of his staff.

“We have worked desperately since the pandemic to try to get our staff up to a level where we could bring it back and introduce new menu items,” he says. “We’ve been working for a year to get this place staffed. We’ve just built our menu back up to almost where it was before the COVID-19 pandemic and getting our hours back up.”

Every corner of The Thumb was short on bodies.

The Thumb general manager Joe Berman has worked hard for the past two years to restore The Thumb to operating at the same level it had prior to the pandemic.

(David Minton/Staff)

“There are so many different facets to this business from gas pumps with 95 and 100 octane gas, carwash bays, a handcrafted bakery, a world-renowned barbecue, our fish tank has super high maintenance, our retail shop requires three full-time employees we needed wine buyers, and there was just a lot of moving parts here,” he says.

“In a place like this, we rely on a lot of people, and it’s been a challenge for us.”

However, Berman has found a way to keep The Thumb rolling onward even as

staffing shortages and a backlog of supplies continue to plague his business and others.

“Staffing is the new epidemic, but we’re trying to circumvent that by creating a cool culture and paying a little bit above average,” Berman says.

“But even supplies, we have signs that we only do prime beef and we only use prime meats, and there have been times when we can’t get prime meats so we just didn’t serve prime meat.”

Berman cites apt planning as the reason for The Thumb’s ability to return to a full menu and off er events to call the community back through his doors.

His first event is an outdoor public market, one of the first farmers markets to return in North Scottsdale.

“There had been some markets up there, and they kind of popped up and closed,” Berman says.

“But when you walk into them, it has this small-town general store feeling, so it makes sense that we bring that small-town

General manager

Joe Berman plans to begin expanding the dining room at The Thumb within the next two years and build a drive-thru, a brewery and a separate coffee shop.

Minton/Staff)

farm feeling to our parking lot and do something good for the community, do something good for ourselves and have some fun while we’re doing it.”

Berman reached out to his friends Ovi Carabas and Caroline Pimienta, who own Wellzona CBD and have been veterans of the farmers market scene for nearly

In addition to serving award-winning barbecue, guests can shop for an array of gifts at The Thumb’s gift shop after visiting its Sunday morning market or enjoying live music each weekend.

Known for its award-winning barbecue, The Thumb had to limit its menu over the past two years because of a shortage of prime meats and lack of staff.

three decades. The two jumped on board as partners of the outdoor public market.

Wellzona CBD was one of nearly 30 vendors who signed on for the market, which debuted on August 21.

The market includes items like juices, honey, teas, baked goods cheeses, tortilla chips, hummus, yogurts and sauces. The Thumb sells its breakfast burritos, and, once harvesting resumes, Berman expects to get more fresh produce.

An outdoor public market is not the only exciting new thing happening at The Thumb as free live music will hit the stage from 5 to 7 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Berman also teased that The Thumb could be expanding in the next two years with the addition of a drive-thru, a brewery, a separate coffee shop and more seating for dining patrons.

His goal, in short, is to keep building on his regrowing business.

The Thumb

E. Bell

The ‘Arrt’ of the Deal

Robert Clarfield combines real estate and flying

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

As a child, Robert Clarfield watched planes soar at New York air shows with his father, and he found his lifelong passion.

Now, the former tech project manager is known as “The Flying Realtor,” with the Arrt of Real Estate, embarking from Scottsdale Airport.

“I’m not looking to move on to the airlines like younger pilots,” says Clarfield, a former volunteer search-and-rescue pilot for the Civil Air Patrol.

“I’m 53 years old. It’s about building it into my business. Having the ability to scan Arizona with an eagle’s perspective is a huge advantage for home searchers — particularly those not as familiar with the areas. With all the migration into the Grand Canyon State from the West Coast and elsewhere, that’s an incredible plus.”

Clarfield is a partner in the Arrt of Real Estate, which has nine agents. The boutique firm hopes to graduate to 20.

“We really want to stay boutique because we want to concentrate on helping all of

Robert Clarfield discovered a lifelong passion for flying as a child attending New York air shows.

our agents succeed,” he says. “We don’t advertise a lot. We go by referrals.”

Clarfield specializes in finding homes in Sedona or in Prescott, especially for clients who would like a second home in the cool pines, away from the hot weather. He’s laser focused on Payson, which is an hour and a half by car and less than 60 minutes by air. It’s not as pricey as Prescott or Flagstaff. Nestled just under the Mogollon Rim, Payson is a short hop to mountain lakes,

the Tonto Natural Bridge and scores of hiking trails. Payson is an outdoor playground for those who like nature, cooler temperatures, cabin retreats or small-town comfort.

“But to find — and then acquire — the perfect home or retreat in this tree-lined paradise requires not only knowing where and how to look but an understanding of the details of the acquisition and the deal,” he says.

That comes from his project manager years, during which time he worked in real estate part time. Two years ago, his

real estate career took off, when he put his heart into it.

“One of my dreams was always to fly,” he adds. “I wanted to be a pilot, but it was obviously a very expensive hobby to get into. My wife and I talked about it, and she said to go for it; just get my pilot’s license. So, I got it, and I was able to take my dad flying. It was awesome.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I could combine my love and passion for flying with my love and passion for real estate?’

In Phoenix, most Realtors concentrate on the properties in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, the Valley. I was thinking I could expand that and include Payson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Sedona.”

By the end of the year, he’ll have his instrument rating, which allows him to fly through clouds, and then his commercial rating. Right now, he can fly clients, but he cannot charge them.

“I’m perfectly fine with that,” he says. “I can’t charge them until I get a commercial license. Then, I can look at the parameters for charging people, but I wanted to get my instrument rating first. If you just go from private pilot to a com mercial pilot, you can only fly passengers within a 50-nautical-mile radius. That’s not going to be enough. So, I’ll get my instrument rating and then I can fly them wherever they want to go.

“If they’re looking in Sedona, for

example, we’ll take off from Scottsdale and fly out to Sedona. I’ll have a car service waiting for them — a nice Town Car or something — and go to showings. Have some lunch, get back in the car that takes us back to Sedona airport and fly back to Scottsdale. Right now, I’ve been renting a plane, but I’m going to be purchasing my own plane. It’s going to be fun.”

Arrt of Real Estate / Robert Clarfield

5635 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 170, Scottsdale

arrtofrealestate.com

Robert Clarfield will have his instrument rating and commercial rating by the end of the year. (Dennis Murphy/Contributor)

A Polished Effort

Collins Bros. Chophouse opens in Scottsdale

By David M. Brown

Chef

and fourth-generation restaurateur Christopher Collins and his staff of 40-plus are serving lunch, dinner and takeout daily at Collins Bros. Chophouse.

Located at 8220 N. Hayden Road near Via De Ventura Road inside The Village at Hayden in Scottsdale, the restaurant is inspired by American chophousestyle venues and the newest addition to Common Ground Culinary, which Collins founded in 2011.

Collins Bros. Chophouse replaces the company’s Twisted Grove.

“Every restaurant we open, we try to really think about what that specific neighborhood needs,” Collins explains. “As we have evolved as a company and the neighborhood around us has evolved, we started to feel like we needed a change, tailoring chophouse to what the area is looking for.

“We are a collection of neighborhood restaurants that focuses on delivering the highest-quality food and outstanding service where everyone feels like part of the family. We don’t have any investors or outside business partners, but I do have an amazing team that helps me run the restaurants and continue to make our company better.”

Common Ground restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale are Grassroots Kitchen & Tap, Wally’s American Gastropub, Sweet Provisions ice cream parlor, The Collins Small Batch Kitchen, The Macintosh, Neighborly Public House and Collins Bros. Chophouse.

The group also off ers in-restaurant private dining and events as well as a full-service catering company, Arcadia Catering Co.

Collins Bros. Chophouse is retaining

Chef and fourthgeneration restaurateur Christopher Collins displays his restaurant’s rotisserie chicken.

(Christopher Collins/ Submitted)

many menu favorites from Twisted Grove, following patrons’ requests.

“We’re pairing some of our favorite menu items with a deep list of à la carte meats, rotisserie items, seafood, house specialty entrées, sharable appetizers and sides,” he says.

The lunch menu features proteinforward dishes such as the SBK Caesar with add-ons such as rotisserie chicken, charred shrimp or marinated filet and the steak and fries — which includes New York strip, house-made steak sauce, Maldon Sea Salt and cracked black pepper.

FOOD &

For dinner, choose from starters such as the charred Brussels sprouts and French onion gratiné with overnight veal broth, Noble toast, imported Gruyère and, from the Seafood Station offerings, bang bang ahi tuna poke with shrimp, avocado, scallions, Persian cucumber, Fresno pepper and sesame seeds and the broiled oysters Rockefeller, creamy spinach, chopped bacon and a dash of hot sauce.

This also is the first Common Ground concept to offer the “Butcher’s Shop,” a curated list with an assortment of reasonably priced high-quality meats that can be ordered à la carte.

Chef calls the interior décor “the most polished of all of the Common Ground concepts” with dark wood table black leather wrapped booths, black leather tufted bar stool, red brick walls, black and white star tile, black wood paneling, and dark navy and green plaid wallpaper.

Collins Bros. Chophouse has a private dining option called the Parlor Room for a private lunch, dinner or work event.

The Parlor Room is smart enabled, outfitted with HDTVs and Apple TV, and includes an adjacent private patio and a brick fireplace. The space can host 30 for a mix-and-mingle event or 24 for a seated dinner.

The chophouse schedule’s happy hour from 3 to 6 p.m. featuring craft cocktails, wines by the glass, and bites to share such as short rib and goat cheese potato croquette (lightly breaded in Noble toast, San Marzano tomato sauce and fresh basil) and sweet heat chicken wings (crushed peanuts and scallions) and the “Two Buck Shuck” deal ($2 each).

Dinner service begins daily at 4 p.m. Collins was born in Reno and grew up in Arcadia, so he considers himself a local.

His degree in hospitality management is from Boston University.

Following this, he worked for Hillstone Restaurant Group, where he learned both front- and back-of-the-house skills that have helped him as a chef and entrepreneur.

“I have also been lucky enough to have worked in the kitchens of local chef stars, Beau MacMillan (Elements) and Lee Hillson (Royal Palms),” he says. “And, of course, I wouldn’t be here without my dad, Wally Collins, who ran restaurants all his life and still cooks for all our family gatherings.

“Some of my first memories are eating bread and gourmet cheeses in the kitchen with my dad late at night while he told me about his day. I started helping in his restaurants when I was 5, and there’s honestly nothing else I ever considered

doing. I love it.”

He wants his Collins Bros. Chophouse to be approachable by many age groups.

“We hope to be a place that families can come. We have awesome kids meals, couples can come on date nights or to celebrate special occasions, groups of friends can meet up for an awesome dinner, and people can feel comfortable and proud hosting business lunches and dinners.

“When most people think about steak or chophouses, they think about very expensive places that you only go for special occasions, and they tend to only think about steaks.

Collins Bros. Chophouse offers an array of tasty options.

(Christopher Collins/ Submitted

“But we wanted to create an upscale but approachable chophouse, where the rotisserie chicken and salmon are just as important and high quality as all the steaks on the menu. We will be taking all the food and service standards people have come to expect from all of our other restaurants but also delivering a chophouse vibe.”

N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale collinsbrosaz.com

Collins Bros. Chophouse

TOURISM

‘Let's Get Together’

Partnerships are important to industry

By Rachel Sacco Experience Scottsdale

Over the past two years, domestic leisure travel has largely driven our local tourism industry’s recovery. Though we have enjoyed welcoming new visitors from cities like Houston, Las Vegas, Seattle and beyond to Scottsdale, international travel has been a missing puzzle piece in our full recovery.

In 2019, 1.7 million international visitors to Scottsdale generated an economic impact of over $640 million. Experi ence Scottsdale, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and other Arizona destination marketing organizations spent years building relationships with airlines so that they understood the allure of Arizona as an international travel destination.

That collaboration allowed Sky Harbor to secure flights to cities like Montreal, Frankfurt and London, not only providing opportunities for international travelers to explore the Grand Canyon State but also making other

Experience Scottsdale’s “Let’s Get Together” commercial was shown on British Airways long-haul flights in July, August and September.

Scottsdale/Submitted)

TOURISM Talk

North American, European and U.K. destinations more accessible to Arizonans.

Though the pandemic paused those fl ights for many months, Scottsdale has seen the slow but steady return of visitors from Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany and beyond since border restrictions lifted and flights resumed in late 2021.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, overseas arrivals through July were down 47% compared to the same period in 2019. But with COVID-19 testing requirements waived in June, the economists with Tourism Economics forecast inbound visitation to the United States will accelerate the remainder of the year and into 2023. The U.S. tourism industry should see international travel volume and spending fully recover by 2025, according to Tourism Economics.

Experience Scottsdale was prepared for this revival. Last fi scal year, Experience Scottsdale connected with travel advisers and tour operators across 32 countries, helping travel professionals sell future Scottsdale vacations.

We increased our exposure overseas through marketing partnerships with German, French and U.K.-based tour operators. Advertising across tour operator

newsletters, magazines and social media accounts generated new inquiries and room nights for Scottsdale hotels and resorts.

Our partnership with the travel company Abercrombie & Kent, in particular, landed Experience Scottsdale valuable advertising space in Harrod’s department store in London.

Meanwhile, we worked with international journalists to generate over 350 articles in travel and lifestyle publications that reached readers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Switzerland, among others.

At first, we connected with such media and travel professionals virtually. More recently, however, we’ve participated in overseas trade shows and conferences, ensuring Scottsdale has a widespread presence. We headed to Europe for conferences like the International Luxury Travel Market, during which Experience Scottsdale was one of only four U.S. destinations exhibiting.

Experience Scottsdale also hosted press trips for Canadian and German media, which will lead to coverage in magazines like Elle Germany and newspapers like The Globe and Mail.

Additional marketing programs have

raised awareness and interest about Scottsdale. Last month, we returned to Canada, our most important international market, with digital advertising positioning the city as the ideal getaway for fall and winter travels. And throughout July, August and September, anyone flying on British Airways’ long-haul flights saw Experience Scottsdale’s “Let’s Get Together” commercial, which invites them to reconnect and reunite with friends and loved ones in Scottsdale.

The commercial appeared alongside new movies and television shows on the airline’s inflight entertainment, which averages 2.4 million impressions per month.

International travelers tend to stay longer and spend more that their domestic counterparts, making them especially valuable to Scottsdale’s hospitality businesses. With international travel poised to increase and U.S. destinations readying their promotions, Experience Scottsdale’s ongoing partnerships and initiatives will bring these valuable visitors back to the Sonoran Desert.

Rachel Sacco is the president and CEO of Experience Scottsdale, which establishes Scottsdale as a year-round, luxury travel destination.

Expires:

When Going Somewhere?

Scottsdale maps through history

By Joan Fudala

Calling

all cartographers: There’s so much to learn and enjoy by studying old Scottsdale area maps.

From showing sites of former guest ranches to locating now-retired street names, to getting glimpses of how we’ve annexed and expanded our municipal boundaries, maps can create hours of interesting insight.

Consider mapping these bits of Scottsdale history:

• One of the earliest maps of Scottsdale was a 1913 townsite plan of what is now Old Town Scottsdale. Titled “Scottsdale a subdivision of Maricopa County,” the map showed east-west streets named Scott, Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and Garfield avenues and north-south roads named Paradise (now Scottsdale Road), First, Second and Third streets.

• A map found on the Arizona Memory Project website from 1911 shows who owned land in the T2N/R4E plat (comprised of 36 sections). Among the landowners in what is now the greater Old Town Scottsdale area: W. Scott, W.D. Fulwiler, E.O. Brown, Harry Serviss, A. Utley and Chas. Miller as well as the Scottsdale Post Office and the Ingleside Co. The map also shows a wagon bridge and powerhouse at Arizona Falls and a wagon bridge across the Arizona Canal at Scottsdale and Camelback roads (which were unpaved at the time).

• Dr. Omar A. Turney, through his research of the Hohokam People of the Salt River Valley, created a map in 1929 that depicted the routes of the ancient Hohokam canal system, branching off the Salt River. The legend on his map declares it to show “The largest single body of land irrigated in prehistoric times in North or South America and perhaps in the world.”

• One of the goals of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, when it received its charter in March 1947, was to erect street signs and publish a map. The chamber’s first president, Wes Segner, an accomplished artist, designed the first maps in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Over the decades, the Scottsdale Chamber and Experience Scottsdale (formerly part of the chamber and the independent Scottsdale Convention & Visitors Bureau) has published a variety of general and specific maps — overall Scottsdale, Old Town Scottsdale, golf courses, resorts, restaurants, Arabian horse ranches and, now, maps of an Old Town Historic Walking Tour, Old Town Parking, the Ale Trail, the Coffee Trail and the Wine Trail — all found at experiencescottsdale.com/maps-guides.

• Within a year of incorporation in June 1951, the town council had appointed a zoning commission and developed its first zoning ordinance and map.

• At incorporation, Scottsdale was a mere one-half square mile in municipal territory (only part of what is now Old Town). As Scottsdale town and city councils — enabled by petitions of sup-

One of the earliest Scottsdale maps shows the Old Town area with avenues named after Civil War luminaries.

Historical Society /Submitted)

porting landowners — annexed land in all directions, Scottsdale’s maps needed constant updating. In 1962, as Scottsdale attempted to annex land that included the former World War II Thunderbird II Airfield (for a future municipal airport and to gain a corridor to the McDowell Mountains), Phoenix — which also wanted to annex that large plot of land — objected and filed a lawsuit, claiming that the annexation map published in local newspapers was inaccurate. Scottsdale prevailed; the Scottsdale Airport/Airpark opened in 1967; and the area became a major employer, economic asset and site of residential, retail and recreation for Scottsdale.

REMEMBER When

• Maps in the Mullin-Kille ConSurvey Scottsdale city directories of the late 1950s/early 1960s show Old Town Scottsdale that have been renamed, rerouted or retired, like Taylor, Orange, Hinton, George, West Park, Grammar School and Ball Park Plaza.

• A blurb in the February 7, 1958, Scottsdale Progress reported that a huge map on the Scottsdale Woman’s Club Parada Del Sol float went missing. “On the back of the float were two large cardboard maps of Scottsdale depicting Scottsdale as it was and Scottsdale as it is now. … It is unfortunate that the map of the present Scottsdale disappeared after the parade. This map was intended for future use and it is desireous (sic) that it is located.” No follow-up information on the Woman’s Club map was found; however, for those needing orientation to town streets in 1958, Earl’s Grocery Store on Scottsdale Road displayed a large, indexed map showing key landmarks, compliments of the Scottsdale Sheriff’s Posse (of which Earl Shipp was a member).

• An ad in the 1960 Scottsdale High School Camelback yearbook for Pinnacle Peak Patio showed what that area not yet annexed into Scottsdale was like. Landmarks on the map included Curry’s Corner (intersection of Scottsdale and Pinnacle Peak roads), the Rancho Vista Bonita guest ranch (southwest corner of Pinnacle Peak and Pima roads) and Crescent Moon Ranch (present site of the Four Seasons Resort and a location for the filming of “Raising Arizona” in 1987).

• From the July 21,1965, Arizona Republic: “When Dick Van Dyke was being introduced to the press and city and state officials at a reception Saturday, one of the officials who walked to the rostrum to greet the gifted performer was Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce president Dale Anderson — smartly attired in a jacket of mad plaid. Pointing to the jacket, Van Dyke snapped: ‘Is that a map of Scottsdale?’”

• During his first term as mayor, the Arizona Republic interviewed

Pinnacle Peak Patio’s ad in the 1960 Scottsdale High School Camelback Yearbook shows landmarks in the Pinnacle Peak area.

The Scottsdale Chamber of

Scottsdale Resort

Herb Drinkwater for a major feature in the newspaper October 20, 1982. The article reported “On a mock arrest warrant hanging in his city hall office, Drinkwater’s identifying characteristic is listed as a map of Scottsdale tattooed on his chest.” Mayor Drinkwater underscored the words on that humorous plaque (probably from his beloved Scottsdale Jaycees, who held annual mock arrests during promotions for Parada del Sol), saying “I’m proud of Scottsdale. There’s not a street or part that’s bad…”

• In the 1980s, the Scottsdale Airpark News began publishing a monthly map of the Scottsdale Airport/Airpark area, invaluable to customers and visitors not sure which side of the airport runway their destination might be located. For years, the publication also offered detailed maps of the Scottsdale/ Shea intersection. Past editions located in the Scottsdale Heritage Connection Messinger Family Research Room at Civic Center Library offer a visual history of businesses and development in the airpark and Shea corridor.

• Scottsdale final annexation — and major alteration to the municipal map — came in summer 1984 when the Scottsdale City Council voted to annex 36 square miles to the far north — then mostly vacant desert land.

Effective August 1, 1984, that brought the municipal boundaries to 181.6 square miles.

• Arizona State University graduate students in the College of Architecture and Environmental Design helped bring Scottsdale’s map into the computer age in 1992 by creating a 3D model of the Downtown (Old Town) area. This new mapping capability allowed city

planners to study the much-discussed beautification, renovation of the Arizona Canal area. The following year, Scottsdale and the Maricopa County Flood Control District shared the cost of producing computerized topographic maps for the city’s geographical information system (GIS).

• In 1994, the city of Scottsdale teamed

of Scottsdale partnered with NASA and ASU

map the McDowell Mountains using a specially equipped

jet flying out of Scottsdale Airport. (Diana Smith/Submitted)

REMEMBER When

up with NASA and ASU to map the McDowells. Funded by a NASA grant, a specially equipped Lear jet over-flew the McDowells and collected data via remote sending, image processing and digital simulation. The city incorporated the new data into its GIS database. As reported in the August 1994 edition of Scottsdale Airpark News, “The resulting portable system will portray information regarding vegetation, soils, geology and wildlife in the McDowell Mountains. This will be helpful to staff, citizens and commissions working to preserve the mountains.”

• In 1993 and 1994, the city of Scottsdale and its McDowell Sonoran Preserve Task Force and Commission drew up the Recommended Study Boundary for the then-proposed McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Preserve historic and current maps are available at scottsdaleaz.gov/preserve.

• Today, Google Earth can entertain us for hours on end with “real-time” aerial and street-view “maps,” while printed maps have become the stuff in archives as we use our smartphones or in-vehicle GPS for way finding. Regardless of the format, maps are fascinating as a window to the past and an orientation to the present.

you find your way!

The Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce, city of Scottsdale, Experience Scottsdale and numerous private entities have printed maps of Scottsdale for decades.

ADVICE fromWeiss

OCTOBER 2022 Business Horoscopes

By Weiss Kelly, PMAFA

ARIES 3/21-4/20

October’s Libra sun and patterns will require a lot of compromising on your part, Aries. Like stairs, take one step at a time. Partnerships take top priority. Circle the new moon on October 25 to bring financial issues to light.

Personal power days: October 9 and October 10

TAURUS 4/21-5/20

The week of this month’s full moon (October 9) marks the best time to analyze and sort things out. The second half of October seems a bit calmer and more organized; so does your bank account. The costs of services and food continues to keep inflation high. Planets are playing economic hopscotch with the economy. Check the week of October 17 and see a median rents to hit record highs, including food and energy. This month offers no lack of social/business events.

Personal power days: October 11 and October 12

GEMINI 5/21-6/21

Make up for lost time. You’ll start your month off motivated. Stick to one or two plans and follow them. The most successful cycle starts on the week of October 11 and continues. Communicating comes easy as you excel in marketing and sales. Your sign is associated with transportation. You get off to a good start. Circle October 9 to October 25.

Personal power days: October 13, October 14 and October 15

CANCER 6/22-7/22

Those who work in construction or home design will have a good month. Planets are in a challenging pattern for some cancers. Money structure will have its ups and downs. Pay debts the first 10 days. Housing materials and real estate industry are going off the charts. The good news is you can focus more on your home life and family. With October’s eclipse on October 25, the month ahead will be powerful. There can be treats instead of tricks.

Personal power days: October 16 and

LEO 7/23-8/22

Hopefully you will get a break with Mercury going direct on October 2 and the full moon on October 9. You will be anxious and motivated to get things going by the week of the October 10. Libra’s sun highlights activities. Enjoy the arts and interact with important contacts. Despite many conflicting happenings, the scene on Wall Street and globally could become intense and controlled by the Scorpio new moon on October 25 and threatening by October 23.

Personal power days: October 18, October 19 and October 20

VIRGO 8/23-9/22

The Libra sun may be putting pressure on your resources or budget or, heaven forbid, your investments this month. Mars is slowing down as Jupiter enters the planet Neptune. Things are a bit confusing, just like our economy. Expect to be doing a monetary juggling act these next two months. In November and December, take control of your time in terms of work and personal lives. Take time for social connecting October 1 to October 24.

Personal power days: October 21 and October 22

LIBRA 9/23-10/23

Happy birthday Libra! Compromising comes easily to you, and it is well supported in the years ahead. You will be successful this month if you approach challenges with an open mind. You will have exciting invitations this month. Dress your best and act your best. Control your spending when sun enters Scorpio on October 23.

Personal power days: October 23 and October 24

SCORPIO 10/24-11/21

October features the last two eclipses of 2022. You’ll be forced to do some soul searching and reevaluating. The current social and economic insecurities may force you to make new connections. Thinking of learning a new profession? Go for it. The Libra season introduces the start of the social season. Join in. There are plenty of opportunities. Lighten

up before the storms approach.

Personal power days: October 25 and October 26

SAGITTARIUS 11/22-12/21

Sags are always open to new experiences and free choice. That may not happen right now, with Mars opposing your interests in the months ahead. Your sign identifies strongly with education, travel, legalities, law, foreign affairs, religion, spirituality and the military. Circle October 11 to October 31 on your social calendar.

Personal power days: October 1, October 27 and October 28

CAPRICORN 12/22-1/19

Your good work will pay off soon. The Libra season is active until the October 21. Invest your money in social or cultural activities. You’ll attract like-minded people with your new interests and expand your personal and professional circle. Past failures and challenges are almost over with as you approach a new work/business landscape in the spring. Don’t allow this month’s world crisis and government’s controlling ploys to discourage you.

Personal power days: October 2 and October 3

AQUARIUS 1/20-2/18

Learn to walk the talk. People and politics are your thing, and there’s no shortage of either beginning the week of October 11. Expect to be involved with opportunities and events. Early week may not bode well; use the second week to turn it around. You so need to move on.

Personal power days: October 4, October 5 and October 6

PISCES 2/19-3/20

Last month’s retrogrades and planetary discords were not waste of your time or effort. Starting October 28, you will be energized for eight weeks. Take advantage of any opportunities that come your way.

Personal power days: October 12, October 16 and October